Returning to New York City…as a mother

I spent 10 of my most formative years in New York City — those in my 20s and early 30s, drinking, dining, dating, working and generally becoming what passes for an adult. Then I left for London and a British life with my husband. I love London, but New York is still my spiritual home. That just makes it all the stranger that my kids have never been there. My daughter did make a brief appearance at 4 months...

The 3 best types of people to sit next to on a plane

KLM’s new Meet and Seat programme, which integrates social networking into seat selection and allows you to see who else will be on board and choose to sit next to them, has been getting loadsof coverage. The verdict is out on whether it’s a brilliant or terrible idea. Many people are debating on just how effective it will be aiding singles to sit next to someone they find stimulating for their jaunt to...

Clash of the Christmas traditions

For the first time in years I’m going to be celebrating Christmas in my hometown, the place I spent the first 18 years of life and frankly couldn’t wait to leave after graduating high school. Now I’m absurdly excited about having Christmas there with my English family and also seeing my siblings and their families as well. But the other day at lunch I heard the first indications it might not be...

The hair-raising world of kids' Halloween costumes

It's officially autumn: we bought our first bit of Halloween paraphernalia today at the local pound shop. My daughter has been carrying around her string of skull lights all afternoon before setting them up on her bookcase for bedtime. (We then had to turn them off because they were a bit too spooky.) In the past on Alpha Mummy I've written about distasteful "sexy" Halloween costumes for kids....