Few drinks are as closely tied to English identity as tea. However, it wasn't always so. Believe it or not, England was one of the first countries outside the Levant to embrace the coffeehouse and make it its own. The history of the English coffeehouse is so fascinating
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that the art of reading is in decline. According to a major new survey by The Reading Agency, only one in two adults in Britain now reads regularly, and over a third have given up entirely. When asked why reading for pleasure has dropped,
A few days ago, I came across an article in The Guardian about Charles Dickens and Christmas. A mighty combination, I admit. The article explored some of Dickens’ inventions that didn’t ‘make the cut’. These, I've learned, include ghosts, stories of failure and goblins. This last one,
The longest night of the year is at our doorstep. As cold seeps in and early morning light becomes a fading memory, I catch myself contemplating the upcoming season. I’m not a winter person. The humdrum of winter does not ring my bells. It’s too long, it’s
Yesterday evening, I jumped on a train to the city of Ghent. It was dark and cold, the full moon shining so brightly against the night sky that it almost felt like a small spotlight guiding me to the university library. A good omen, I told myself rather optimistically, choosing
It’s a typical week in the heart of November. Days are getting shorter and darker. Cold is seeping in. The pitter-pattering of the rain is here to stay. And so are crime stories. Because what’s better than curling up in bed with a good murder mystery after work
I was racking my brain for an interesting topic related to Halloween when the idea of divination came to mind. Fortune-telling has long been a part of Halloween traditions, and I immediately thought of tarot cards. Yet, as I started researching, I realized there was no mention of tarot at
I have finally decided to undertake an arduous yet fascinating task that I had been putting off for quite some time. No, I won't be reading Proust or powering through Tolkien’s masterpieces; I am undertaking another formidable journey. I gave myself permission to indulge in the history
If you love autumn and you happen to call Brussels your home, look no further. This is your guide to the thrills of the autumnal season in the heart of Belgium. From bookworms to nature freaks, there is something here for everyone. For the book lovers For the fans of
It was one of those grey, sluggish Sunday mornings. All I wanted to do was to stay in bed, safely tucked under the warm blankets, lost in a good book and pampered by a steaming cup of tea. But the alarm went off at 7 am and I didn’t
If I had to sum up the end of summer in one word, it would be school. Unless tickled by the idea of rejoining a friend group or laying eyes on their crush, the average high schooler will harbour feelings of dread coupled with sweaty palms and the old familiar
Beginnings It's September 2025. I’m back at the library. I found a seat at the front overlooking the square. It’s a warm Saturday afternoon; a handful of people are working nearby. But it’s the tree outside the window that gets all my attention. Its leaves