Whipsnade Zoo had a very important arrival back on the 2nd October this year.  

The world welcomed little Khulu, a southern white rhino calf.   His mum is called Fahari, and both rhinos are doing well! 

Khulu is loving his time outside, especially having a good wallow...

Khulu has just started to venture out of his cosy den, which is indoors - but he's delighted to have discovered the muddy wallows in the paddock, and he's taken the opportunity to get down and dirty there!  He's got 21 acres to explore, so no doubt he'll find more wallows to enjoy! 

Khulu is a Zulu word.  It means both small and great or significant - and Khulu is a very significant rhino indeed!   There are just 17,500 southern white rhinos left in the wild, so if we take the phrase of the astronaut Neil Armstrong and alter it a bit, you could say this is one step for man, one giant leap for mankind, we could change it slightly to one step for Khulu, one giant leap for southern white rhinos. Every rhino matters! 

Khulu will be joining the European breeding programme, and this is important because it helps create agenetically diverse and healthy back up population.  

Find out more about the rhinos at Whipsnade here.  

There's plenty going on at Whispnade this Christmas, by the way, from 23rd November to 6th January,  including the opportunity to Meet Santa, and weekly walks with different themes from the 7th November to the 19th December.  And of course, there are all the animals to see!!  And if you're looking for a gift for an animal lover, there are gift experiences, tickets to buy so your loved ones can visit, gift memberships of course, and the online shop!  

You could also donate a Festive Dinner to the animals, from £5.00 - it depends if you want to go for a starter, a main course or a dessert - or go for all three!  Find out more here. 

Head off to Whipsnade Zoo's website here.

Did you see the period drama, Wolf Hall, on Sunday evening?

The period drama shows the rise of Thomas Cromwell (remember King Henry VIII and the Dissolution of the Monasteries?), and Mark Rylance leads the adaptation of Hilary Mantel’s tales from Tudor history.  

One of the incredible things about the series – indeed of any period drama – is where it was filmed.   Both English Heritage and the National Trust have a wonderful range of properties you can visit, and did you know that many of them have featured in film and television series over the years?

One of the things I love about BBC period dramas is their attention to detail.  I think they do their research really well to make everything as believable as possible.  How they get the filming done without the sound of aircraft going overhead, I will never know.  But the level of detail they achieve is quite extraordinary and for me, it adds to a really good drama. 

This is Tilbury Fort in Essex now in the care of English Heritage.
It's got its own moat and bridge along with a run of Georgian style terrace houses,
which are known as the officers' quarters.

The historic properties certainly add to the atmosphere, like an orchestra giving a performance extra power and weight,   And for film buffs and those of us who love a good TV series, as you stroll through parkland you’ve seen in a dramatic episode, or enter a long pictured gallery which has been the site of a very tense scene, you can almost hear the characters voices and words.

For instance, the Wolf Hall 2015 series featured Brandford-on-Avon Tithe Barn and Dover Castle; both are under the care of English Heritage.

This is Great Chalfield Manor and Garden in Wiltshire,
one of the settings for Wolf Hall.

Downton Abbey, Anna Karenina, Jane Austen novels, Rebecca, Far from the Maddening Crowd, Belgravia, Games of Thrones, Dracula Untold, Harry Potter, The Secret Garden, Enola Holmes,  Death and Nightingales, Hampstead, Swallows and Amazons, Malificent, Snow White and The Huntsman, Cinderella, Napoleon – they’ve all featured scenes or longer at various National Trust properties – you can see which ones are where here. Poldark had lots of the coast and countryside areas in it.  And let’s not forget Bridgerton, The Pursuit of Love, Doctor Who and The Unlikely Pilgrimage.

Scenes from Bridgerton were filmed at Osterley Park and House, West London

The income from the location fee goes back into caring for these wonderful properties, which is great news!

Take a look at the National Trust properties, some of which have appeared in films and on TV!

And here are the English Heritage ones!

A gift membership to either could make a lovely membership for someone who enjoys films and dramas.

English Heritage give us an idea of what it’s like to have films and TV shows on location with them – some of the more unusual requests they’ve received was firstly to bring in a tortoise and secondly to bring 35 horses.  (That last one must have given them some good manure for the gardens.)

The top priority is to protect both fabric and collections and lighting equipment can give challenges because it can affect the conditions of a room.  As you’re probably aware, some pieces in any collection will demand specific conditions such as the right temperature or amount of light.  English Heritage work closely with production teams so that any potential risk can be assessed in advance and risks minimised.  We've got to look after our heritage! 

If you know of someone who loves doing crafts, then there's lovely news from Craftiosity.  They do craft gift subscriptions, with a new craft kit every month.  

Craft kits cover activities such as  needle-punching, book-binding, Japanese sashiko and macrame. You can see some of the past kits here.  They come with the materials and tools to make a complete project, with step-by-step photo instructions and a video turotial online.  You just need household basics such as a pencil, scissors or iron.  

Craft Kit Gift Subscriptions start at £27.95, and you can choose from 1, 3, 6 or 12 months.  For the first box selection, choose from popular kits like The Speckled Cloud Clay Dish, Vinyl Shibori Tea Towel, or Tropical Paradise Papercraft Trio! 

So what’s Included?

• Limited Edition Craft Kit each month
• All essential materials and tools—no need to buy extras
• Step-by-Step photo instructions
• Online video tutorial for easy learning
• Instant Digital Gift Voucher—printable and perfect for under the tree!

Each monthly box arrives on or around the 7th of the month, bringing new projects to try! 

SPECIAL OFFER

The code CRAFTGIFT15 will give you 15% off Gift Subscriptions for 3 months or more.  It's valid until
31st December 2024.  

The winter is a great time to do crafts, with all those dark evenings and wintry days!  

Alternatively from their online shop...

These are Woven Bird Feeder Kits for £26.95.
What's more, you can attract birds to your garden - 
Craftiosity have even included bird seed in your craft box!
Bird watching is a lovely, restful activity - you can enjoy a cuppa whilst watching the birds feast!

Head to Craftiosity here!

Did you know that it’s Afternoon Tea Week from the 12^th to 18^th August?

It’s a chance to celebrate this wonderful tradition.  For there’s nothing like sharing a cup of tea or coffee with a loved one, whether they’re a good friend or family member.   It’s a chance to sit and chat, to catch up and share a moment.

There is something in the nature of tea that leads us into a world of quiet contemplation of life
Lin Yutang

Perhaps it is while drinking tea that I most of all enjoy the sense of leisure.
George Gissing, The Private Papers of Henry Ryecroft, 1903

Virgin Experience Days have LOTS of afternoon teas all over the country, including of course, Afternoon Teas in London.    In fact, if you’re looking to treat someone to an Afternoon Tea in London, you could look at their blog, called 18 of the Best Afternoon Teas in London, to help you decide which afternoon tea you’d like to treat someone to. 

Tea time is a chance to slow down, pull back and appreciate our surroundings.
Letitia Baldrige

They’ve got Afternoon Teas at Fortnum and Mason, The Petersham in Covent Garden, which offers a sanctuary from the crazy world that’s London, The Stage at The Londoner, the Ochre at the National Gallery, SUSHISAMBA, where Asian flavours meet British classics, and a Jurassic Afternoon Tea for Two Adults at The Ampersand Hotel.  There’s also a Bottomless Champagne Afternoon Tea for Two at the 5* Rubens at The Palace Hotel.

A cup of tea is an excuse to share great thoughts with great minds.
Cristina Re

Take a look too at the Free-Flowing Bubbles Afternoon Tea for Two at The County Hall Hotel and a MAP Maison Tapas Style Afternoon Tea with Free Flowing Cocktails for Two.

Don’t forget The Langham and The Lanesborough, the Melody Restaurant, and The Washington Hotel, as well as the TĪNG Restaurant on the 35^th Floor of The View from The Shard., and Harrods which has a number of different options.

And Virgin Experience Days also has a number of Afternoon Teas in London under £75.00.  Taking tea is a great way to escape the pace of life in London or anywhere else!

Tea:  a moment of peace from the constant battles of life.
Terri Guillemets

There’s also a wide choice of Traditional Cream Teas, Gin Afternoon Teas, Spa Days and Afternoon Teas, Vegan Afternoon Teas and Afternoon Teas exclusive to Virgin.  With over 450 experiences to choose from, you won’t be short of choice.  

For garden lovers, there's a Visit to Kew Gardens with Prosecco Afternoon Tea at The Botanical for Two
in Richmond. 

And there are lots of options if you want Tea for Two under £50 with lots of geographical locations to choose from. 

How about a Piglets Pantry Afternoon Tea at Home for Two?
See more Hamper ideas here.

Afternoon, a time for reflection, a time for calmness, a time for renewal.
Lailah Gifty Akita

Some of them offer a bit of a theme – for example for big cat lovers, how about giving them a Paul Hollywood themed Afternoon Tea in Kent – you can sip your tea and tuck in whilst looking at some amazing big cats at the Big Cat Sanctuary!

No matter where you are in the world, you are at home when tea is served.
Earlene Grey

There are Afternoon Teas (and Cream Teas) you can enjoy together with a visit to somewhere such as Bletchley Park, Port Lympne Safari Park in Kent, Kew Gardens, Blackpool Tower Ballroom, and the Swinton Estate.   Or you could combine it with an activity such as a spa day, a walk with alpacas or llamas, or a creative activity.  So there’s plenty to browse!

In Yorkshire, there's a Traditional Afternoon Tea for Two at The Swinton Estate

The cup of tea on arrival at a country house is a thing which, as a rule, I particularly enjoy. I like the crackling logs, the shaded lights, the scent of buttered toast, the general atmosphere of leisured cosiness. P.G. Wodehouse, "The Code of the Woosters," 1938

Head off to Virgin Experience Days to browse their Afternoon Teas!