This week on Utterly Inessential, we admire those who take part in one of the world's biggest fundraising events as much as we balk at the concept of entering ourselves.
Rabbit Island is a well-kept secret along the Japanese coastline, providing sanctuary for hundreds of wild rabbits and an exciting retreat for the bunny-lovers among us.
Dreaming of a life by the sunny shore? Well, look no further than our own gorgeous coastline, where many properties currently on the market are enough to tempt Brits to do away with abroad holiday homes and lay their roots somewhere truly beautiful.
As we leave the snowdrops behind and welcome the bluebells, we turn away from the world of wellies and jackets and towards a softer, lighter world, filled with silk scarves, wonderful wines and £10,000 Easter eggs. You know, just the normal things.
Cassandra Goad's latest collaboration with Islands Chocolate led to the designing of the stunning Cocoa Pod pendant, the sale of which will help support the education and wellbeing of the plantation which galvanised its creation.
Charleston inspired the likes of Bell, Grant and Keynes to produce the works that made them famous. It has since inspired Annie Sloan to add three new limited edition colours to her Chalk Paint palette.
What ho! It's time for our regularly scheduled decadence to receive its regularly scheduled seasonal edit. This week we're considering everything that springs (get it) to mind when we think of Easter and all the shopping it entails. Think food. And lots of it.
Property writer Arabella Youens is naming her favourite small cities in Britain – under the microscope in this piece is Cambridge.
The activity of sitting has been much-maligned, but now receives an elegant makeover in the form of a moss green armchair from The Queen of Serene.
This week on Utterly Inessential we bring you a selection of products to browse while you consider what happens when people need neither a house nor alcohol they can actually, reasonably drink, and thus decide to sink enough money to buy the house which owns the estate on which my dream house sits on into a breakable bottle of whisky.
Whether you're Oxford or Cambridge, white or dark chocolate, or flowers or champagne (always both), you're sure to find something on the Utterly Inessential Shopping List to make you with you were a millionaire. Not that you'd need us for that...
The highlight of any Brit's weekend; a Sunday roast is simple yet wondrously appreciated. The Raymond Blanc Cookery School at Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons teach a wealth of transferable knowledge in their hands-on courses; Alexandra Fraser shares those she found the most useful after attending one such lesson.
Newly opened this month, The Grand's state-of-the-art cookery school, spearheaded by the charasmatic Andrew Dixon, teaches aspiring culinary connoisseurs everything from bubble and squeak to thai green fish curry. Alexandra Fraser paid a visit.
If you're looking to move closer to the water, there can be no better place to aim for than Cornwall. With estuaries aplenty and a large number of beautiful beaches, the property found in this quiet corner of our country is sure to be stunningly set and within easy reach of an excellent fishing village or two.
They love us unconditionally, unquestionably and, in some cases, utterly irrationally (there's always that one sibling and if there isn't, it's you) so, especially on this one day of the year, let's make sure our utterly incredible mothers know how much we absolutely adore them.
Welcome back to our friendly neighbourhood round-up of the best wine, furnishings and completely, utterly inessential products available now.
Another week has gone by in which producers and purveyors of goods have asked themselves not 'what does the world need?' but a far greater question: 'What does the world absolutely not need, but still whimsically wish for?'
Timbers is just the sort of property a child dreams of calling home, with a thatched roof, a winding garden and plenty of room to run about.
The latest addition to the Raa Atoll, Joali is the perfect spot for those looking to sit back and recharge in a resort where every possible need or desire has been anticipated and catered to. Alexandra Fraser paid a visit.
