Five Travel Stories from 2021

For the second year running, rather than picking my top five leaps of the year, I've picked five stories that sum up my travel highlights of the year. 

My Top 5 Books of 2021

What with one thing and another, my 2021 end-of-year round-ups have been slightly delayed, such that it is now already 2022. In this post, I'm highlighting my five favourite novels that I read in 2021, as well as five more that almost made the shortlist. 

Bex's Coffee and Food Awards: 2021 Edition

Welcome to the 11th edition of my annual speciality coffee and food awards, where I am highlighting some of my favourites from the coffee shops and eateries that I visited for the first time this year. 

The Caffeine Chronicles: Where's Fred's

On my way back from the Borealis light installation at Guildhall Yard on Thursday evening, I happened upon an A-board for a speciality coffee shop and wine bar tucked away off Old Jewry, just around the corner from Bank Station. Intrigued by the name, Where's Fred's, I stopped by the following day. I didn't find Fred but I did find some very fine coffee and brunch in the handsome, townhouse setting on a certain Frederick's Place.

How To Spend a Long Weekend in Porto

My second, and almost certainly last, foreign trip of the year was to Porto last month. I spent four days in the Portuguese city and was treated to warm weather, blue skies and bright sunshine. It was a welcome break from the near-constant rain and greyness of November in London. I've already written about Porto's great specialty coffee spots, but read on to find out what else I got up to, and where I ate, drank and shopped. 

Ten Specialty Coffee Shops To Visit in Porto

With the desire to spend my birthday somewhere sunny for once, I found myself in beautiful Porto earlier this month. I'd wanted to visit the city nicknamed Invicta since my trip to Lisbon in 2015. My city guide is now live, and here is my guide to Porto's excellent specialty coffee scene — well, the ten coffee shops I visited during my four-and-a-half-day stay, one of which is in technically in Vila Nova de Gaia.

The Caffeine Chronicles: 15grams

While killing time in Greenwich a few weeks ago, I happened upon 15grams, a speciality coffee shop on Greenwich Church Street, on the corner of Greenwich Market. It was a sunny Sunday and there was a big queue and no room to sit, so I got a cortado to go, which I enjoyed so much I knew I had to return for a more leisurely visit.