Five of My Favorite Spots in London

 

By the time this goes live, I will be back in London! I've got lots of plans this go 'round, and I can't wait to write up the shows, shopping, and Halloween nonsense I get up to while I'm here. For now, though, I'm looking forward to hitting up my usual haunts as I prepare for my time away.

Wouldn't it be amazing if I could find little places no one's ever heard of? Well, for better or for worse, my tastes skew from nerd cafés to legitimately famous department stores. To that end, here are five places (large and small) that I will always visit in this town.

Fortnum & Mason

By no means a well-kept secret, this department store will always be a stop on my trip... mostly because it's a great place to pick up holiday snacks and gifts. I'll spend most of my time here tea-shopping, but they also have amazing biscuits and preserves. And I know for a fact their Christmas stuff will be out, meaning I can get ahead on those as well.

Additionally, Fortnum is home to the Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon, which I visited for the first time last year and which I'll almost certainly be hitting up again this year.

Chez Antoinette

While there are multiple locations (including one right near where I come into town from my friends' house), I love the Chez Antoinette on the bottom level of Covent Garden. It's a small, cozy French café that does amazing tartines. (Note: a tartine is an open-faced sandwich. A lady next to me last time I went was very confused because she thought it was a tart.)

I always go to Covent Garden on my first full day to buy tea and hot chocolate from Whittard's of Chelsea, do some window shopping, and get lunch here. And if you like a drink, try the French martini. It is fantastic.

K Minamoto

My friend JJ and I found this shop a couple years ago, and it was just fantastic. This shop sells a wide variety of Japanese sweets, including and especially seasonal ones. Seating is limited, and we were lucky to grab a spot to rest our feet and enjoy what we bought. If you go, I recommend being prepared to take yours to go.

There are apparently other locations around the world, including in New York. But it took going to London for me to find it!

The Loading Bar

The last two locations on this list, I learned about because of events I've been to. The Loading Bar was the original location of Oxventure filming, and last year was host to their Jingle Jamboree livestream (which I attended). I've also been to one of the other locations with friends Ginger and Mason pre-lockdown.

Whatever the location, the drinks menu is extremely good. Everything is game-themed (such as "Pitcher 3: Wined Hunt" and "Assassin's Mead"), and the chips are amazing.

Prince Charles Cinema

Another place I discovered through a special live show. Two years ago, I was in attendance for a live Mom Can't Cook! recording at Halloween, and it was held here. For Hampton Roads locals, it gives me big Naro vibes. Which is a good thing.

The Prince Charles appears to show just about anything, but it's largely dedicated to cult films, horror, special screenings with guests, and the like. Which is probably why they were willing to let two podcasters dressed as the stars of Brink! talk about Halloweentown 2 downstairs. It's a very cool venue, and one that's clearly well loved by the locals.

My Travel Must-Haves

 

Today, I'm hitting the road for my annual trip to London. I'll be gone for a couple of weeks, and I'm sure I'll be using plenty of space on here to talk about the shows, afternoon teas, and experiences ahead.

While I took a fair amount of time off from travel during and after lockdown, in the past two or three years I've gone back to my yearly fall (or winter) trips overseas in addition to visiting friends more actively. That means a lot of flying, which means a lot of keeping my ish together.

So, in addition to my usual necessities, I thought I'd list a few of the things that help keep me active and in one piece during my trips.

(Note: none of these is a sponsored link, and I received none of these items free. I just believe in this stuff.)

Persona Vitamins
I used to be so bad about taking vitamins, but Persona has helped me stay on track long-term. While this is a daily necessity, I consider it part of my travel must-haves because it becomes so easy to keep track of vitamins while traveling.

Vitamin plans are tailored to your personal needs. For example, I need extra vitamin B and other nutrients thanks to certain medication I'm on. The monthly box has each day's vitamin dose measured out in individual packets. That makes them easy for home use, since all I have to do is grab the packet and check off the date on my app.

When I travel, I take as many packets as days I'll be gone. They fit right in a tiny zip-up medicine bag in my carry-on, and they're easy to keep track of. So I never fall behind on my daily needs while I'm overseas.

Flykitt
Speaking of supplements, I started getting lots of ads for Flykitt before my trip to Whooverville in 2025. Considering I was making an absolutely ridiculous five-day round trip, I figured anything that could help me endure jet lag would be worth it. And while there's no such thing as a silver bullet, these have become a non-negotiable when I travel because of what a difference they make.

Flykitt is a combination of supplements and an app. Enter details from your trip, as well as your normal sleep and wake times at home and your desired sleep and wake time abroad, and the app will calculate a supplement program for you. The updated kit (which I'll be trying for the first time on this trip) includes three types of supplements. Sustain maintains mood and energy with omega-3 fatty acids, Protect supports your immune system with vitamin C, and Mellow relaxes you with melatonin. There's also a Circadian Reset powder (B vitamins and sugar), which you stir into coffee (or in my case tea) to kickstart your first two early mornings. (The big change is the elimination of the Advance capsules, which worked similarly to the Circadian Reset powder.)

If you stick to the plan as closely as possible, you'll definitely notice you're doing better faster on arrival. I'll admit I stay up later than the app tells me to on the overseas flight because I want my dinner. But even with that difference, I'm doing well.

PlaneAire
I don't consider myself a germophobe, but I also know I am extremely prone to illness abroad. I don't want to be suffering any more than I have to during my trip or after. But I also really don't want to bother my fellow passengers or the flight crew with really smelly hand sanitizers. So I am giving PlaneAire's travel essentials a go.

The one thing I can say before I even get on the plane is that these smell nice but also innocuous. No one a seat over is going to be bothered by these. The starter set comes with a hand sanitizer of your choice (I picked tangerine coriander) and a bottle of Clean Surface & Air Mist. Both are in 2 oz. bottles, so they're carry-on compliant.

Most of all, I'm glad that these are simple and self-contained. I think there's a degree of influencing and overconsumption in the travel community, and it's nice to see single bottles and simply sprays for general self-care rather than whole packs of things that aren't necessary. Streamlined is absolutely best in these situations.

As mentioned, these are not sponsored or affiliate links, so I have no special code. Even so, I absolutely recommend giving these a try.

See you on the flip side!

TEA REVIEW: Two New Fall Teas from Chapters

 

We all know by now that I'm a loyal Chapters Tea & Co. enjoyer, so I'm always excited when new seasonal teas drop. Fall brings with it new and returning cozy fall teas, including three of my favorites: Headless Horseman, Caramel Cabin, and Cozy Apple Spice.

While I can heartily recommend these three returning flavors, I also naturally wanted to test the two new arrivals. One is a fruit-based take on a seasonal favorite, and the other is a literary-inspired, bolder flavored blend.

Pumpkin Lane Café
I knew the minute I read about this pumpkin pie fruit tea that I was going to love it. And I was absolutely not mistaken. Many fruit-based teas steep a little too tart, usually because of the inclusion of hibiscus, but this one came out exactly as advertised. While there is hibiscus in this blend, it doesn't overpower the pumpkin, cinnamon, and cardamom. It's become my new go-to for fall afternoons and evenings when I'm trying to avoid caffeine for the evening.

Midnight at Sherlock's
Full disclosure: coffee is a bit iffy for me, in terms of tolerance rather than taste. And there is very real ground coffee in this, so be aware if you have similar issues. To that end, I could have enough to enjoy and rate the smell and the taste — both of which are fantastic. This blends coffee, puerh, and cocoa, and the result is a very dark rich blend that's very moody and cozy. Despite the coffee inclusion, this is not their highest-caffeine blend!

Use my code KARA15 for 15% off these and other tea blends from Chapters Tea & Co.!

BOOK REVIEW: Rainbow Boys 25th Anniversary Edition

 

RAINBOW BOYS 25th Anniversary Edition
by Alex Sanchez
Available now

Rainbow Boys was originally published in 2001, and it's been lauded as a powerful YA novel. I was in college when this one came out, deep in Victorian and Arthurian literature, so I did not read this one at the time. The 25th anniversary printing is now available, and I can see why people are so into it.

The story follows three high school boys coming to terms with their identities. Nelson is very vocally gay, campaigning for a Gay-Straight Association at his high school and surviving (if not thriving on) his classmates' mockery. His best friend and crush Kyle is still coming to terms with his own sexuality, as well as his crush on school jock Jason. And Jason, despite his very serious relationship with Debra, is starting to think he might be, at the very least, bisexual. When Jason visits a support group and sees Kyle there, he begins to worry about how he will be perceived.

The big thing I like about this book is that its characters are actually multifaceted. One of my biggest gripes with books that claim to have "representation" is that its characters are cookie-cutter at best, stereotypical and potentially several steps backwards at worst. Our three leads are fully realized characters with lives, problems, and worries beyond the central theme of the book. Nelson has a supportive mother but often neglects to support his friends; Kyle wants the best for the people in his life but struggles with speaking up; and Jason wants to learn to be honest but buckles (understandably) in the wake of his alcoholic father.

A lot of this story is brutal and unforgiving, in a way that might strike younger modern readers as a bit too harsh. It's a rough read, but that's all part of it. Overall, it is very well written, and while the experiences of the leads is rather outside my own, they're presented in a way that makes them relatable on enough of a level to legitimately care.

TEA PAIRING: Vanilla Creme Herbal
This caffeine-free blend from Plum Deluxe is one of two very calming drinks that suits the quieter, more contemplative moments of this book. It's made with honeybush and has a wonderful vanilla flavor. Check it out along with other teas from Plum Deluxe!

DRINK PAIRING: Elixir of Serenity
I love mixing Velvet Hammer elixirs into my tea, including and especially the Elixir of Serenity. This sparkly blue powder has a hint of dark cherry flavor, as well as L-theanine, GABA, and other things to help you sleep. Use my code KARA15 for 15% off this and other elixirs from Velvet Hammer!

FEATURED CANDLE: Fictional Crush
Considering how much of this book operates on unspoken crushes, this sweet blend of sandalwood and musk seems like a perfect fit. Use the link to be notified when it's available again, and check out more book-inspired candles from Frostbeard!

BOOK REVIEW: Night of Madness

 

NIGHT OF MADNESS
by Ryan Douglass
Available September 29

When I get pitched a book described as a horror take on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, naturally I pick it up immediately. Fortunately, in an era awash with novels that are primarily vaguely altered takes on other stories, Night of Madness actually iterates on the theme: modernizing it, altering the competition and contestants to align with more contemporary lures and faults, and tying it all into the modern trend of extreme haunts. Though, in spite of all that, it does wear its inspiration very unabashedly on its sleeve.

Mara comes from a household that, at this point, is just her mother, her grandparents, and her younger brother Charlie (see above). She works as a scare actor at a haunted house, a job she holds down thanks to her now-absent father acclimating her to the horror movies of director Jack Stanley when she was younger. But now, Stanley wants to turn his most famous movie, Madness, into a real experience. Five social media influencers will be chosen to brave "Night of Madness," and the cash prize is more than enough for Mara to turn her life around.

With the help of some sneaky play, Mara gets herself enough of a platform to get chosen, along with her best friend Storm. Alongside an influencer power couple and a singer with a tragic backstory, they make their way through a terrifying asylum that, at least to start, follows Madness beat for beat. But before long, things turn literally murderous, and Mara's only goal becomes escaping with her life.

One of the problems I've seen with these "modern retellings" of classic stories is that, a lot of times, it feels like there's no point in writing them. Which is not to say that every story needs a "point," but I feel like for something to make it all the way through the trad publishing process, it's got to offer something. Beth Is Dead was a beautiful exception, using modernity to interrogate the worn-down characterizations of the March family. Night of Madness is another great one. Because it isn't a one-to-one retelling. Rather, it takes the format and theme — five young people with unique flaws and desires are brought into an experience that either uses those flaws and desires to break them or brings them out the other side positively changed — and reimagines it in a way relevant to contemporary issues.

Our protagonist and her best friend could actually transform their lives with the prize. The rest crave attention, a platform, and what those things could bring. An even better lifestyle. Accolades. Things that, for at least the wealthier contestants, are as ultimately trivial as a unique gum flavor or tons of chocolate or the best TV ever. The Oompa-Loompas who simply sing about the fate of the contestants are transformed into cameramen who simply broadcast the contestants' suffering (though even that isn't the entirety of their purpose). The biggest difference is, while Willy Wonka is ultimately a decent person who's just super weird, that's not at all the case with Jack Stanley.

The one quibble I have with the book is that the payoff of the extreme haunt itself feels very rushed. That's understandable for a life-or-death situation in which the characters have to quickly assemble backstory while also running for their lives, and there needs to be some willing suspension of disbelief for a lot of what goes on here. But there's an absolute glut of information that doesn't quite hit in the moment. Fortunately, the actual emotional payoff (i.e. Mara's character arc) is well done.

Night of Madness is gruesome and weird. If you like gruesome and weird, you'll like this. It feels cinematic, which works both for and against it depending on the scene, but ultimately it's a lot of grotesque fun.

TEA PAIRING: Midnight at Sherlock's
A dark, broody blending of pu-erh, tea, and cacao beans. This feels like the perfect fit for a late-night misadventure that requires both brains and brawn to conquer. Use my code KARA15 for 15% off this and more book-inspired teas from Chapters Tea & Co.!

FEATURED CANDLE: Summer Thriller
A mainstay whenever I end up with a horror novel crossing my desk. I love the interplay of summery coconut and spooky oud and amber. While this one is out of stock at the moment, you can check out more book-inspired candles from Frostbeard!

BOOK REVIEW: The Intergalactics

 

THE INTERGALACTICS
by Erik Jon Slangerup
Available September 29

All through Brinx's short life, he's only understood one thing: it's his duty to "live his code." He is a Featherbone: a hybrid created in a far-flung future on a far-off planet. After enduring one thousand tests, he and his fellow hybrids will be taken to Havenport, where their new life will begin. But on their way, Brinx and a slew of other hybrids are in a spaceship crash that lands them in the unforgiving wilds of their home planet.

Now teamed up with hybrids from other lines and with other strengths, Brinx must learn to recognize his own strengths and work alongside the very people he spent his life competing against. He's also on the search for Jang, his best friend and fellow Featherbone who may or may not have survived the crash. But even as the team of misfits is learning to work together, new facts come to light that completely alter the hybrids' view of their life and purpose.

I've never read any of Slangerup's other work, but I really enjoyed The Intergalactics. The worldbuilding is strong, but doesn't get bogged down in itself to the point that it overtakes the plot. We see a very small, but very rich, slice of the world on which the story takes place. Telling the story from the point of a view of a boy grown and raised in a lab is, actually, a huge help: there's no need to define the entire world, because there comes a point where Brinx is just as uninformed as we are.

While this is indeed a book for young readers, it also has some strong messages about identity, self-worth, and the dangers of corporate greed. But it's all packaged in a way that will be interesting for younger readers without being too heavy or confusing. There's plenty of sci-fi action, plenty of high stakes, and plenty of characters who turn out to be surprisingly likable. I would love to have had this book as a young sci-fi fan.

DRINK PAIRING: Elixir of Inner Light
The misfits at the core of The Intergalactics really shine when they're on their A-game, and this sparkly supplement has become a morning non-negotiable. I usually mix it in with my first cup of morning tea to get my day started right. It has a light blood orange flavor, a pretty shimmer, and lots of vitamin B and D. Use my code KARA15 for this and other functional elixirs from Velvet Hammer!

FEATURED CANDLE: Storm Rider
A classic monthly candle with mystical scents of rain and dragon's breath. This one feels perfect for Brinx and his friends' journey through the alien wilderness. While this one isn't on sale again just yet, you can pick up lots more great book-inspired candles from Frostbeard!