Polly Allen

Glad to see this called out! Great example of pointless AI use - there are so many high quality stock photos (even from free sites with CC0 permissions) they could have chosen that would have worked just fine here.

TV news reporter, a white man holding a microphone, at The Vatican. He is smiling at the camera.

Out of focus shot of Pope Francis and other high-ranking Vatican members on the balcony of the Vatican during his first address, 2013. A large red curtain is behind them. The Pope wears white and the others wear red with red caps.

Crowded streets after Pope Francis’ first address at The Vatican. People walking include nuns.

Out of focus hand and camera in foreground with Vatican balcony in background.

Flashback to when I crashed the Pope’s first papal balcony address in Rome (2013), and took terrible photos. I’m agnostic, but it was amazing to be in the crowd.

I was also impressed with the speed of the local traders in getting Papa Francisco-branded merchandise out.

#PopeFrancis

Yes! This annoyed me so much.

Fingers crossed for a Bristol tour date!

I loved Sainte-Eulalie de Cernon, in Aveyron. Fascinating history linked to the Knights Templar. Also in Aveyron, Conques is beautiful.

It must be really difficult without social media, but also frustrating for authors who would rather stay off social and have been pressured into setting up/maintaining a presence on there. Also the algorithms make it so hard to get your voice heard.

The cover is beautiful, too!

This quote was one of the stand-outs of the documentary, for sure.

Book cover: Mere, by Danielle Giles. Bright orange/red cover with woodcut-style illustration of a green tree with two nuns gossiping beneath it.

Endpapers (inner book cover) of Mere, by Danielle Giles, with woodcut-style image of boat in marshy wet landscape with full moon and trees above.

Lush book talk last night from Danielle Giles, discussing her debut novel, at @smallcitybookshop.bsky.social.
Mere has a beautiful cover and endpapers. The book is set in 990AD and it looks to be a great historical read. Straight to the top of my TBR pile!
@panmacmillan.bsky.social
#Books

What They Found is a must-see documentary from Sam Mendes, using footage and testimonies from two soldiers who filmed the liberation of Bergen-Belsen.

Sobering and terrifying, but important to watch if you can - catch up on BBC iPlayer.

#WhatTheyFound

Also worth noting that, though this is a Mon-Fri job, they also ask you to be available on weekends (not unusual in journalism, I know) so you get a terrible work-life balance to go with that terrible salary.

a woman in a pink dress is sitting on a couch holding a necklace and a ring . Alt: a Real Housewife, Nene Leakes, in a pink dress is sitting on a couch looking frustrated. She is focused on her nails as she is fed up

Can we just have normal Connections back with words, please? The world’s already bleak enough as it is, without having symbols thrown at us to decode.

They sound like a great employer! Glad they look out for you.

I reckon big networking/mingling events like this should have a designated ‘quiet room’ where you can have 10 minutes’ peace to decompress and close your eyes before more enforced small talk. It would help so many of us!

This is the kind of petty behaviour I can get behind.

Daisy is an integral part of Flicks, and has captured the magic of this gem in the city.

Inside the world’s most iconic clubs, cafes and bars for rock and metal music Get ready to turn it up to 11 at some of the world's greatest rock and roll watering holes...

From Dylan’s Cafe Wha? to Sabbath’s Crown pub and Keith Richards’ Cafe Baba, here’s my pick of the cafes, bars, pubs and clubs tied to rock and metal music:

www.rollingstone.co.uk/music/inside...

Written for @rollingstoneuk.bsky.social

#Music #TravelWriting

Flying the flag for Leicester’s Estonian community For some in Leicester, yesterday wasn’t just a normal day in February: it was a celebration of their heritage. 24 February is Independence Day in Estonia, and Estonians are a big part of Leicester’s v...

I wrote about Leicester’s Estonian diaspora and its vibrant British-Estonian community, for @leicester.news.web.brid.gy, featuring insight from @saagifletch.bsky.social and @emmaturner75.bsky.social:

www.leicester.news/flying-the-f...

#Eesti #Estonia #Leicester

Seven Crofts gin bottle with ribbed glass. Seen in shop window.

Mountains overlooking Ullapool in Scotland, with a box of daffodils in the foreground and blue sky in background

Reservoir architecture in Scottish loch seen from car window with grey cloudy sky above

Lochside walkway and promenade at Ullapool with mountains and hills behind

Last weekend I popped up to Ullapool, in Scotland, to see one of my oldest friends get married. Here’s a glimpse of the landscapes (and the local spirits) up there.

#Scotland

#IMM2025 in numbers:

18 appointments with travel PRs.
4 cups of coffee (and counting).
2 amazing pairs of leopard print loafers spotted.
Countless potential story ideas sourced.

@travmedia.bsky.social

Looking forward to #IMM2025 next week, with the chance to meet plenty of tourist boards and travel companies to talk about potential feature angles.

Living outside the London bubble means I don’t always make it to events, but this one is always worth it!
@travmedia.bsky.social

The new issue of Breathe magazine has my seven-page feature on art and craft travel in Estonia - printmaking and street art in Tartu, sustainable fashion and design in Tallinn, etc.

@visittallinn.bsky.social @mfaestonia.bsky.social

#Estonia #TravelWriters

I knew she was a TERF, but this column in particular was a bigoted bin fire of rage at a minority group that just wants to exist in peace.
#TransRights

Definitely added to my wish list!

a close up of a woman 's face with her eyes closed . Alt: a close up of a woman (Zendaya)’s face with her eyes rolling in disgust.

Just accidentally caught a party political broadcast from Nigel Farage (urgh) for Reform UK (double urgh) where Nige said Britain has the world’s oldest parliamentary democracy.

The Alþingi, or Althing, in Iceland - founded in 930AD - would like a word.
#Politics

This is well worth a read - despite the rise in unisex clothing and toiletries, there’s still gender politics at play when it comes to packing for travel.

I’d argue that thin privilege and health privilege are also factors (travelling as a plus-size woman with a shedload of medication here).

Also these 'home working isn't real working' bulkshit articles never touch on how much flexible working helps disabled people to get and keep a job. Funny, that.

Yet again proving my argument that rock and metal acts do the most for fan mental health.

Newspaper page open, showing a small section of a feature called ‘Right place, right time’, about European cultural destinations for 2025. The paper is placed on a coffee shop table with a teapot and cups beside it. Customers and tables in the background.

Partial cover of The New European newspaper showing Elon Musk holding up a Donald Trump puppet. Newspaper placed on a coffee shop table with teapot behind.

You’ve got until tomorrow to catch my feature on European culture hotspots for 2025 in @theneweuropean.bsky.social, including Alpes-Maritimes, Leuven, Tallinn, and Zaragoza.

#Travel