1. Take a long, lazy boat drip along the River Seine between May and September when it’s warm. Tres romantic.

2. Pick up something pretty in Avenue Montaigne, home to all the grand fashion houses. I was on a budget but managed to snap up a gorgeous black vest in Calvin Klein for around 30 Euros.

3. Forget the tourist-choked Eiffel Tower during the day and head up at night instead, when it’s quieter and infinitely more beautiful.

4. Head out of the city centre to the Parc des Buttes Chaumont - an idyllic space dreamed up by Baron Haussmann and landscaped by Badrillet. Take a picnic and spend the afternoon there.

5. Watch the world go by over succulent plates of Escargot and fries with a punchy Pinot Grigio at La Terrasse – just around the corner from the Champs de Mars.

6. If you’re feeling flush, spend an indulgent night at the neo-Baroque Opera de Paris, also known as the Palais Garnier. Inside you’ll find one of the grandest interiors in the world and a thrilling programme of performances.

7. Sip coffee in the prime spot on the glorious Avenue Montaigne in La Terrasse Montaigne at the Plaza Athenee hotel (pictured above). Or, for coffee purists, head the the city’s most famous cafe, Cafe de Flore where the omelettes are out of this world!

8. Sidestep the heavingly popular Louvre and explore the smaller galleries and museums of Paris, like the fascinating Picasso Museum in Marais. The museum and gallery is housed in the grand old Hôtel Salé in rue de Thorigny.

9. Spend the day exploring the spectacular gardens and grand palace of Versailles - a stunning example of 18th century French art. One of the most interesting parts of this grand old estate is Mary-Antoinette’s quarters - one of the most picturesque places you’ll ever see.

10. Sample some of the finest chocolates in the world at Paris’s most renowned chocolate houses: the innovative Patrick Roger, the sublime Maison du Chocolat or the colourful Pierre Herme - surely the happiest way to spend an hour!

Since we’re still in the grips of Wedding Season, I thought it might be nice to share this recent purchase with you!

Gift registries are a great idea – but I love it when couples don’t have one! You can be far more thoughtful and creative in your choice of present, and when you’ve found it, bought it and wrapped it yourself, it’s so much more personal.

This summer’s big wedding was for a fun and fabulous couple from London, who married in the beautiful grounds Royal Holloway University of London.

The other half and I were on tight budget when I started shopping for their present back in June, but I really wanted to get them something striking, unusual and wonderful, something no one else would ever buy them.

They’re a very jolly pair, both incredibly kind and thoughtful, and they do enjoy the finer things in life.

So when the monthly newsletter from Hermes popped into my inbox, I delved straight in for inspiration!

Hermes, for those who haven’t heard of it, is an ancient and exquisite French high fashion house, making only the most beautiful leather goods, trinkets, china, fabrics and perfume.

Needless to say, we’re talking serious amounts of money (which I don’t have!) for these gifts.

I first thought of getting them this beautiful Avalon wool and cashmere blanket, which I thought would be a lovely luxurious addition to their sofa:

…but was HORRIFIED to discover it costs an eye-watering smidge off £800 – more than our monthly rent!

Then I discoverd this gorgeous and seriously covetable ashtray…

- neither of them smoke, but it’s clearly far too beautiful for anyone to want to extinguish fags in anyway!)… Though again, at £430, it was way out of our league!

So then I came across the perfect present, these beautiful handpainted teacups…

…And alas, they were a whopping £248.

BUT! Then, just as I was quietly ticking myself off for being stupid enough to shop at Hermes on a pauper’s budget, I found the PERFECT thing!

This GLORIOUS little set of bridge/playing cards came in at £60 – a very reasonable £30 each. The chaps at work couldn’t believe I’d spent £60 on a set of cards – ah, but these are no ordinary cards!

Perfectly printed by one of the oldest and most respected fashion houses in the world, and packaged up into the iconic orange Hermes gift box (a gift in itself!) this is perhaps the coolest and most unusual present I’ve ever given.

I had them sent with a beautifully written personalised card engraved with the Hermes logo in gold lettering (no extra charge), telling the bride and groom we hoped it’d bring a smile to their face on a rainy day!

Such a fun little find - and the happy couple adored them!

One of my favourite books is Yann Arthus-Bertrand’s spectacular Earth from the Air series, which features a mind-altering collection of beautiful photographs taken from aerial view.

The unusual thing about the book is is that the images are very rarely what you think – there might be a stunning alpine mountain range which you’d imagine was Switzerland but is in fact Africa, or a very English-looking housing estate which turns out to be in Mexico.

Flicking through it last night, I wondered whether pictures like these could have the potential to totally change the way we perceive certain countries and their landscapes.

Are our perceptions of the world shaped too heavily by the media and tourist organisations? Would we be surprised to see the abject squallor less than a mile from the glamorous resorts of Rio, or to discover that some of the most stunning mountains and emerging ski slopes are actually located in Afghanistan?

To test the theory, I thought I’d try a little experiment!

So here are a few pictures of a city I visited not long ago. Where do you think it is? I’d love to hear your comments!

I had a little gathering at the weekend to celebrate my impending agedness, and my drink of choice for the evening was the classic peach bellini.

This gorgeous cocktail was invented at the famous Harry’s Bar in Venice, and I’ve been lucky enough to try it at their sister restaurant, Cipriani, in London’s Mayfair – it was bliss!

They’re incredibly moreish, light and fresh – you really can’t have just one!

But if you order a peach bellini in other bars and restaurants, it just doesn’t taste the same – it’s much easier to just make them at home.

There are literally just two ingredients in a classic peach bellini. Anything else just spoils it. Forget trying to blend and strain real peaches too – they can be very sour, or very acidic, or too ‘mulchy’.

You need a pouch of fresh white peach puree (I use La Fruitiere purees from Oakland European) and a good prosecco (try this one from Sainsburys).

Pop a few glasses in the fridge to cool them. Harry’s Bar and Cipriani use mini tumblers but I like them in a small round wine glass.

Pour in the puree (it’s best to freeze it for around an hour first, so that it’s very cold) and top up with prosecco. Harry’s Bar use one part peach puree to three parts prosecco, but I like mine quite sweet so I use equal parts of puree and prosecco.

Stir gently until slightly frothy and serve!

There aren’t that many subjects I could claim to be almost expert in, but I can assure you that ice cream is one of them!

Wherever I go in the world, I always try the ice cream – and without exception, the best I’ve ever had has been at Dal Bolognese, one of Rome’s best restaurants (and one I almost certainly would never have eaten at were it not for Italian Dad knowing the owner – there’s a long waiting list and it’s really for politicians, actors and the Italian elite – in other words, not me!)

Anyway, their most popular pudding is the selection of delicately made fresh ice creams which are delectably blended from fruit, nuts or chocolate, and skillfully scooped back into the shell or fruit they came from.

The apricot, strawberry, walnut and chocolate were to die for!

One of my favourite places to stay for superb service, gorgeous little touches and total pampering is the Hilton on Park Lane.

Handy for some breathless shopping sprees on Oxford Street, lazy picnics in Hyde Park and indulgent dinners in places you could only ever afford to visit once, it’s a perfectly placed oasis of elegance and tranquility in one of the busiest and buzziest parts of London.

I like the old-world vibe and thoughtful attention to detail. When you arrive, there’s a handwritten note from the concierge wishing you a wonderful stay; you’re always called ‘Sir’ or ‘Madam’ and there are all manner of delights if you’re a little bit peckish.

I love the complimentary fresh fruitbowl and the stone plate of covetable Laduree macaroons - so much more pleasurable than an out-of-date packet of vacuum-packed custard creams and a few faded sachets of Nescafe.

Their bar, Trader Vics, is legendary, and their Windows restaurant is the ultimate treat! Take me there now!

If you’ve ever experienced the quirky romance of France (Paris, especially), and long for a little nostalgia, then here are five absolute must-see films that’ll intrigue, delight, entertain and surprise.

Amelie (2001): My all-time favourite French film, this is a beautiful and flawless piece of cinema. Amelie is one of the most delightful, quirky, imaginative and life-affirming movies you could watch. It’ll make you want to cycle to the supermarket immediately and buy a baguette and some Boursin!

Le Diner du Cons (1998): If it weren’t for taking a degree in Film Studies, I may never have been introduced to the unashamedly simple, rustic, comedy-of-errors-style hilarity of this genre. Le Diner du Cons (‘The Dinner of Idiots’) is a mood-soaring delight of a film that never gets old. I could probably watch it every week!

La Ceremonie (1995): An elegant yet eerie thriller in which a babysitter turns out to be deeply mentally disturbed. It’s actually rather similar to classic Hitchcock – not hideously gory, but it’ll make you spring from your seat when you’re least expecting it.

Le Mepris (1963): An incredibly artistic, provocative and emotionally painful love story about the demise and fragility of relationships, starring Bridget Bardot. I had a lump in my throat throughout most of the film, definitely don’t watch it if you’re feeling rather shakey, but those of strong constitution will appreciate it for the artistic cinematography and colourful mise-en-scene.

Le Circle Rouge (1970): Snappy, slick, polished and quite possibly one of (if not *the*) most stylish French films of all time, Le Circle Rouge is a compelling tale of aristocratic thieves and jewellery heists. Zut alore!

Humingbird Bakery aside, the absolute best place to go for sweet treats in London is Ottolenghi in Kensington.

They have branches in Islington, Belgravia and Notting Hill, but the Kensington one is my favourite as it’s really close to Kensington Gardens - the perfect spot for cakes and coffee!

A lot of their cakes are gluten-free and they make phenomenal salads with unusual ingredients inspired by Israeli founder Yotam Ottolenghi.

Perhaps it’s the thrill of danger or the blind sense of adventure, but holiday makers (including me) are increasingly attracted to the more volatile parts of the world.

In his article Into Harm’s Way, Tom Chesshyre explores what attracts tourists to hostile locations and concludes that visiting dangerous places gives the more adventurous (or ‘foolish’) traveller ‘cultural currency’ among their peers.

But I don’t think it’s that.

It’s more of a craving to be out of your comfort zone – almost like an anti-thesis to a luxury package holiday where everything’s provided for you.

It’s also about the innate thrill associated with doing something dangerous, in exactly the same way that people are drawn to extreme sports like bungee jumping and skydiving. Humans have an intrinsic need to ‘test’ themselves, and the same applies with adventure travellers.

More fundamentally, for me, is the desire to see countries ‘realistically’ – as they are – without the glitz and forced luxury. Seeing (for myself, rather than through the media) that the world isn’t perfect surely makes for a  better developed, more well-rounded perception of the world we live in.

Tom also asks whether it’s ethical for tourists from prosperous countries to go on organised tours to see sites of immense poverty and conflict.

I agree, it isn’t – I really don’t condone the idea of specifically going to see areas of suffering and destruction as a tourist attraction and it’s not something I’d ever do.

But the fact remains that if you want to see a lot of these places, the only sane and safe way to do it is with a specialist tour provider.

These are the five places I’d like to visit, despite Foreign and Commonwealth Office warnings against all-but-essential travel to certain parts:

Yemen: Like some kind of ancient and forgotten civilisation from the Stargate movie (complete with imposing gateway), Yemen isn’t famed for its beauty or modernity. It’s a hugely unstable country, but there’s something spellbinding and deeply intriguing about the ancient city of Sana’a.

Venezuela: In essence, a nightmare. The political situation between Venezuela and Colombia is fragile to say the least. In parts, it’s a violent and drug-addled country where street crime and kidnapping is high, and even the airport is considered unsafe. But then it does have the sweeping valleys of the Andes and some of the most spectacular scenery on earth…

Israel: Rocket attacks and political tensions make this part of the world extremely volatile. But Jerusalem is one of the most ancient and beautiful cities in the world full of fascinating historic and archeological sites.

Iran: An absolute no-go. But ancient Persia is an enchanting country with an astonishingly diverse landscape combining snow-capped mountains, pristine beaches and thriving, culture-drenched cities.

Ecuador: The areas bordering Colombia are tense. armed robbery is rife and there are very real risks from a multitude of natural disasters, from flooding to volcanic eruptions. Conversely, the Tungurahua volcano is absolutely breathtaking and attracts hoards of backpackers every year.

So over to you! Are you attracted to dangerous countries? Or have you always wanted to see a country despite it being unsafe? Do leave a comment, would love to hear what you think!

Ottolenghi (officially) make the best meringues in London, if not the world – and the berry ones are particularly scrummy!

These chaps are absolutely brilliant at puds and have some fantastic recipes in their cookbook – I’m trying to work up the courage to make their orange and pistachio marshmallows pictured below – yum!

You can also buy their pure white mini meringues in little bags tied neatly with red Ottolenghi ribbon, which is such a pretty arrangement it would make a very sweet Christmas present.