Izumi Nakamura is a sushi chef from the southern Japanese island of Amakusa, where the nori (seaweed) used in sushi is farmed and collected along its beaches. Here in London she runs the Sozai Cooking School, which offers an incredible sushi making class which, in just two hours, provides you with all the most vital …
Bristol in the 21st century is one of the UK’s most beloved cities. It stands shoulder-to-shoulder with London, Edinburgh, Bath, and Brighton as being one of the great arts and culture cities of Britain. Bristol was also our home for a year; we miss it every day. If you get a chance to live in …
Ah, Wales. Land of rugged mountains, quiet village communities, Rugby fanatics, and the most charming accent in Britain. Wales is where both of us at Books and Bao have spent a lot of our time: one having been born and raised in Swansea, and the other having studied at Aberystwyth University. Wales is a nation …
As a lover of heritage sites across the world, it’s difficult to hold back my excitement for a place like Blenheim Palace. This UNESCO World Heritage site is the only British palace to be awarded the title of ‘palace’ without any royal connection at all. Built in the extremely rare English baroque style of architecture, …
Hereford is an idyllic little city that’s very much off the beaten path as English towns go. Having been born there, it’s amazing how many people — even people from neighbouring Bristol and Cardiff — ask me the question: where is Herefordshire? Its out-of-the-way nature is just one reason to visit Hereford. There’s plenty more …
Before Harry Potter, the UK was best known for writers like Shakespeare, Dickens, and Virginia Woolf. Today, if you ask a kid to think of an English book character, and they’ll gleefully shout, “Harry Potter!” back at you. Britain is awash with Harry Potter fever, and it has been for 20 years! Which begs the …
The idea of Harry Potter was born on a train journey from Manchester to London, and the first book, The Philosopher’s Stone, was penned in Rowling’s London flat. So, where better to experience all the magic and majesty that the wizarding world has to offer than all the best Harry Potter sites in London? Whether …
From Shakespeare to the Brontes, no nation on Earth has so many great names that define the world of literature as the United Kingdom. In these literary cities, we live and breathe the work of these authors; their homes and settings draw tourists from around the world; their characters are alive in the cobblestone streets …
As a Brit in today’s political climate, it can sometimes be tough to find things to be proud of. One thing I always enjoy when I visit home, however, is a lovely Oxfam Bookshop. There’s at least one charity bookshop in every town, and they can be a great place to pick up a new …
How often, when you go on holiday, is choosing a new set of books to read one of your priorities? Reading a book by the pool or on the beach remains a mainstay holiday activity even if these days we are more likely to be using an e-reader rather than turning the pages of a …