Things to look forward to in 2012

Here are a few of the top musicals, art exhibitions and plays I am looking forward to in 2012...

MUSICALS

1. Master Class, Vaudeville Theatre, from 21 Jan


2. Singin’ In the Rain, Palace Theatre, from 4 Feb


3. Sweeney Todd, Adelphi Theatre, from 10 Mar


4. Top Hat, Aldwych Theatre, from 19 Apr


5. Wah! Wah! Girls, Peacock Theatre, from 24 May


ART

1. Lucian Freud Portraits, National Portrait Gallery, 9 Feb-27 May

2. Damien Hirst, Tate Modern, 5 Apr-9 Sep

3. Picasso and Modern British Art, Tate Britain, 15 Feb-15 Jul

4. David Hockney RA: A Bigger Picture, Royal Academy of Arts, 21 Jan-9 Apr

THEATRE

1. The Madness of George III, Apollo Theatre, from 18 Jan


2. Hay Fever, Noël Coward Theatre, from 10 Feb


3. All New People, Duke of Yorks Theatre, from 22 Feb


4. Wild Swans, Young Vic, from 13 Apr


5. Mark Rylance at the Globe, from 7 Jun

Things to do in Paris

Paris, oh Paris, I adore Paris. I went last weekend for three days, and even with the torrential rain (it really did pour non-stop) it was still charmingly beautiful and a wonderful weekend away.

There is so much to do in the city, it is difficult to know where to start. So I thought instead of giving you an all inclusive guide, I’d just mention a few things that I enjoyed:

MUSEUMS: The city is littered with them. Quai Branly is relatively new, and has a wonderful collection of worldly artifacts. The Louvre is, of course, a must... a little tip though – the first Sunday of every month offers free admission to most major Paris museums and galleries, which is a great idea in theory, but in practise means waiting in three hour long queues just to get in. The Picasso Museum, which I am dying to see, is closed until mid-2012 so don’t waste your time like I did seeking out that one!

RESTAURANTS: Where to start? French cuisine can be absolutely divine if you know where to go. Unfortunately with the Pound-Euro conversion being so dreadful, even the snackiest of meals becomes pricey. On our first day we stumbled across a hip vintage cafe called ‘Etienne Marcel’ and in the Etienne Marcel region. We ate delicious ‘LOVE Burgers’ which arrived in the shape of a heart (!) accompanied by the most delicious skinny french fries. A very yummy lunch, but for just main and drink for two it came to 45 Euros, which is about 43 pounds. La Coupole is a fun restaurant too, with a lovely feel of tradition and celebration; the food can be a bit on-off though. The man at our hotel recommended a restaurant, just around the corner from Bastille metro, called Les Banquettes (3, Rue de Prague) in which the food was thoroughly tasty and had a perfect ambience; definitely my nicest meal in Paris to date. I ate stuffed poussin with fois gras sauce and vegetables. It had such a friendly atmosphere, with no tourists at all, they made us feel very welcome and gave us complimentary glasses of wine.

AFTERNOON TEA: The one and only Angelinas (on the grand Rue de Rivoli) really is a treat; you will have to queue, but their famous thick hot chocolate is worth it. A beautiful setting too – I felt like I was Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffanys. I must also mention Cafe Camille (that I love for obvious reasons) located just a few streets away from Place des Vosges (24 Rue des Francs-Bourgeois); this gem is always packed full of Parisian darlings.

SHOPPING: Vintage or Designer? Take your pick. I found that very few people could give me exact information on good retro shops in Paris. Go to metro station Etienne Marcel and explore around that area. Killiwatch (64 Rue Tiquetonne) is the well known warehouse-like vintage shop, but if that daunts you try Episode down one of the side streets... revolutionary prices – I bought a colourful silk top for 11 Euros and suede knee high tassle boots for 45 Euros, bargains me thinks.

HOTEL: We stayed in the Bastille area which is a little like the ‘Notting Hill’ of Paris. If you want to stay nearer the big attractions like the Eiffel Tower it is likely to cost you more. When I stayed more centrally, the hotel was not as high quality and didn’t have half the atmosphere of Pavillon Saint-Louis Bastille, where we were staying this time.

With the Eurostar so cheap, easy and quick it is all too tempting to hop on a train to Paris every weekend.

Things to do in Barcelona

I have always been very strict with myself about my blog, making sure I pretty much only write about things to do in London. But after several trips away, I have decided to allow myself the occasional post about foreign cities, partly because I want to write about my fun experiences, but also because I think it could help others and be a sort of mini guide.

So, most recently I went to Barcelona. I’ve never been to Spain before, surprisingly, and I always love ticking off another country on my ‘to do’ travelling list, so was very excited about this visit. Long weekends away are the way forward, a welcome break from work and a refreshing time-out from everyday London life. I am going to try and do them more, even if it is just for one night.

We were staying in the luxurious five star Miramar Hotel, and got a very reasonable deal thanks to my work part-owning the establishment. I could easily have not left the building for the three days happy to gorge myself on the extensive breakfasts, use the wonderful gym and spa facilities and generally just hang out in the beautiful bedroom. The weather wasn’t perfect with quite a bit of rain and I considered sunbathing in bikini and wellies, but eventually decided against the idea.

We were in Barcelona for three nights, and I was pleased to find this was enough time to see rather a lot of the city. After a lazy first night, trying out the room service and pressing all the exciting buttons in the bedroom, we set off for a fun-packed first day which we completed with a visit to the Liceu Opera House (how could I resist seeing Carmen in Spain!).

Things you should do in Barcelona:

- * Go to The Picasso Museum: a massive collection of this master’s work from his very early paintings to late ceramics, and everything in between. About 9 Euros entrance, give yourself a good hour to look round.

- * The stunning Cathedral is definitely worth the five Euro entrance fee. The biggest Cathedral I’ve ever been to, I felt drowned in its splendour. You can even take a little lift up to see the views from the roof.

- * Walk up The Ramblas and marvel at the street performers, some freakish, some quite beautiful. They definitely give the Covent Garden clowns a run for their money.

- * The best tapas can be found at Cerveceria Catalana on C/ Mallorca - go early, they are always full (even in October it was tricky to get a table). It's not cheap, but they have an excellent selection of tapas on offer and a huge variety of beer. Very yummy.

- * Attempt the metro: it is super cheap (just over one Euro a journey) and very efficient. We saved a fortune using it, rather than taxis.

- * Make your way down to the seaside, book a table at Agua (very popular, very good fish restaurant) and then go for an after supper stroll on the beach, the perfect evening in all seasons.

- * Try and see some Gaudi architecture (see image above), but avoid the hideous touristy crowds (Park Guell has some of the best examples of his work, but tends to be completely overcrowded and therefore offputting).

- * Wander the streets aimlessly and see what you find, be sure to stop at the stalls of handmade goodies, perfect for presents or little Barcelona souvenirs.

Our stay came and went in a flash, and before I could say ‘sangria’ we were back on our Easyjet flight to Gatwick.