Let’s leave the quiet retirement of Attenborough to one side. BBC’s ‘What a wonderful world’  led the nature fans into a gentle acceptance of his stepping down – whether we wanted to accept it at the time or not.

Either way, I – like other devotees of the BBC Natural World programmes, wanted to like Planet Earth Live. Even after the announcement of Richard Hammond as lead presenter, I still felt fairly confident that the adventurous heights that Frozen Planet reached last winter would be maintained and built upon for future generations.

Unfortunately not. The first problem everyone seems to have with the show is the live element. It’s a tough one, but the depth of storytelling and portrayal of life in the bush is hardly brought to life by cutting to a possible movement of a cat in a tree. But these things are experimental, and the BBC should not be scared of that. Learn lessons, and move on.

My worries run deeper.  I’m worried that they may have initiated the first step in ballsing up a legacy that was created and crafted so as to almost effect change on a global scale.

The cheap surface level treatment of the creatures and the rhythms of nature has taken a sacred force often depicted in earlier series with due respect, and turned it into the sentimental kind of reported drama that has no acknowledgement of the delicate balance at work. The NSPCC approach of focusing on one cherry-picked fur-ball in the food chain is presented as a villains and heroes interpretation of the animal kingdom, where ‘Ernesto’ the meerkat – suddenly given an unnecessary level of anthropomorphism so carefully avoided before – is the poor little sod who has fallen victim to a crime that we are almost expected to feel responsible for. In this respect, the show looks for chances to exploit the kindness and sympathy of viewers, who will inevitably – and naturally - feel emotionally engaged. Sad though it is, the BBC series AD (after David) feels the need to pull out certain events in the food chain with no perspective that they are natural or necessary, and certainly without the appreciation shown in years gone by for what even Disney Corp understood as the circle of life. When watching Planet Earth, it is nearly impossible not to feel a deep twinge when baby elephants wander astray, or penguins meet their end whilst bravely crossing to feed. What Attenborough did was deliver these poignant moments with appropriate sadness, yet with the perspective that meant the power of nature is the emotional memory attached to the series – and a feeling of enrichment remains with the viewer. Flitting between sob stories demonising the biblically villainous animals like snakes, sharks and orcas, and siding with furry friends to tug at heartstrings does not help or enrich anyone – least of all the natural world.

The admirable by-product of a BBC nature series is to contribute – even slightly – to a heightened awareness of the beauty, majesty and plight of our planet and our effect on it. The new series does not pretend to have anything to do with endangered species, environmental issues, habitat destruction or the effects of overfishing on the seas and oceans. I would be surprised if it was professing to do so.  However, if there is a claim that telling heart-rendering stories draws attention through entertainment and drives people to find out more, I’d say this: does conservation (at one end) or even empathy for the creatures who inhabit the Earth with us (at the other) need the kind of fleeting emotional investment that the series hopes to produce?

Rome is so beautiful in the Spring. Nine years ago I was preparing to stroll through the streets of Eternal City for the last time, as I moved back to London and started university some months later. Living in Italy as a 18 - 19 year old, there was so much to do. We covered North to South, explored towns on the weekends, and when we got bored during the week, we'd pack up and head to the beach (a 20 minute train journey from Rome). We discovered sushi, walked around the Colosseum at night, ate outside in restaurants built into archeological sites and eventually found the catacombs. Rome is a weird and wonderful place - one minute you have the impeccably dressed doormen on Veneto offering you a taxi - then next, you're in a museum made entirely of human bones. 

I didn't realise I would enjoy rediscovering the place as much as I did... it hasn't changed much at all.

Unsurprisingly, all I did was walk and eat. What I didn't expect was a discovery of the most amazing restaurant in Trastevere, thanks to a friend. Antica Pesa is a must - miss it at your peril. You can sit in the airy conservatory, which I'd recommend as the setting is intimate and beautiful. The 'Roman' starter is a traditional set of cheeses, meats and other delights, hilariously served in a big briefcase. The other dishes of note are the carbonara, amatriciana and sausage burger starter. Generally speaking everything - down to the crema served with the coffee - is outstanding. I would fly back for a dinner in a heartbeat. The smiley owner is usually seen floating around, and they're about to open in New York - to a rapturous reception I'm sure - the pictures of previous guests rivals the Hollywood Walk of Fame. They only serve evenings, so get in there as soon as you can. http://www.anticapesa.it/

If you reckon you're a wine enthusiast, check this tome out...

Wandering around Trastevere in the daytime, we came across this lovely little charcuterie/deli, also boasting an extensive menu of delicious Roman dishes - and obviously it was hard to resist. Look up Ditta Trinchetti - a tiny little place where you can grab a seat outside in the street, and watch the world go by.

Polenta with amatriciana sauce...

Grilled pecorino with honey, walnuts, black truffles.

I think we may have overdone it on the cold cuts.

The best fish pie should be fresh, slightly citrusy, comforting, tasty and yet light. 

Here's my favourite recipe for it:

The other ingredients are red chillis, lemon juice & zest, spinach, cheese, cherry tomatoes, grated carrots, red onions, olive oil, creme fraiche, rock salt and pepper, and parsley. Basically, you can put whatever you want in there (chorizo might be good...) and then mix it all up before topping with mashed potato. I usually mix sweet potato with regular, but that's another story. 

It's low fat and pretty tasty, and I reckon a splash of white wine wouldn't go amiss.

Way back in January, Hatty and I created a mini Disneyland in her house for our birthdays.

It was a kind of cross between Alice in Wonderland and a castle for the unnamed princess... and we loved it. The little touches made us so happy, like the Aladdin's lamp by the door and the 'eat me' biscuits. 

Of course I took the opportunity to create a couple of fairytale cupcakes - rainbows and the aliens from Toy Story. Couldn't resist! What do you think?

I always knew there was something about vodka bottles. Sure, they're used by the booze companies up the cost of the drink to astronomical price points with very little difference to the contents of the bottle. But the brushed glass bottles were just waiting around for a perfect reuse occasion like this... behold, Belvedere chilli oil. Check out how cool it looks with other condiments!

I make my own chilli oil all year round using dried chillis and extra virgin olive oil. The way I like to make sure it is fiery hot is to fill the bottle with chillis, oil, and boil a pan of water. When it is bubbling away, I stick the bottle in so it rests in the hot water, and turn off the heat. I let it sit there until the water goes lukewarm, then remove, and repeat. You can do this as many times as you like - and it'll get hotter and hotter. Then, I archive it in the cupboard for months before using. 

On normal bottles, the labels peel and they look all plain and sad in the cupboard as they marinate. Using a belvedere/grey goose bottle, I'd proudly display my work in the kitchen. I can't wait to try this. You'll get your money's worth out of that pretty bottle, that's for sure.

Alright lads and lasses. 

I have a huge dose of culture to deliver to you today - and it's more than you'll ever need when it comes to marine life.

If you have been to California, you may well have been to the Monterey Aquarium. If not, consider this your opportunity to etch this on your bucket list right now - and add it to that LA/Vegas trip you've always wanted to do. 

Being a huge fan of marine mammals, reptiles and of course fish, there is no better place to call mackerel mecca than Monterey. What makes it hugely special is the way that ocean life is laid out in the space. Whether you're four or eighty four, and even if you're not the biggest flipper fan, this place will appeal to you. Displays of jellyfish (below), otter feeds, and a respectable though controversial great white shark awareness programme all centre around an enormous tank where hammerheads, napoleon fish and all sorts show off their impressive schools.

Mark it up, and pay a visit to @MontereyAq - follow their antics on Twitter for a taste.

These are my snaps of the jellyfish tank - nothing like as impressive as it is in person.

My admiration of the Californian (and also US) aesthetic can pretty much be distilled down to roadside signs. Part of me loves everything they represent, and I can't stop snapping them whenever they pass me by.

My favourites are the playful, bleached ones. Ultimately though, I have a huge soft spot for the batshit crazy ones.

I couldn't resist...

Route 1 is the perfect way to catch all of these. Just make sure you're either a good driver, or a good passenger.

After the madness of carnaval, some hardcore sightseeing ensued. I say hardcore.. there were barbecues by waterfalls as well. 

Breakfast at the Copacabana Palace, Rio.

The beautiful botanical gardens are well worth a look.. it blends into the rainforest, so the monkeys are regularly down bathing in the streams.

Those beautiful critters hang out in the Argentine national park - and are less friendly, more greedy. They lacerate your plastic bags in seconds. I would highly recommend viewing the Falls from both Argentinian and Brazilian sides... the former provides the energy, force and violence of the water - the latter is beautiful and panoramic. 

Finally, we topped off the madness with a trip to Buzios - a peninsula in Rio State frequented by the good, the great, the playboys and the show ponys. 

Casas Brancas - a boutique hotel, gave us just the tranquility we needed. 

They also have an amazing sister place called Rocka on another beach. I'd highly recommend an afternoon here lounging on the beds, drinking caipisake (how could there have been an improvement on the caipirinha?) and admiring the view on white beds. The lobsters are fresh, the octopus and apple aioli incredible - just limit the cocktails in the midday sun.. 

Time to book your next holiday, folks. They're so darn good for you. 

Ballerinas, rum, marmosets and feathers... it could only be Carnaval in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

With a crew made up of the best 8 people you could put together - including local Rio-ites, we planned a trip to the most joyful, hedonistic, happy and sizzling streets in the world. Arriving to a sweet 35 degrees, a few wigs, thongs, whistles and harmonicas later, we were ready to rock. 

after the craziest day - and a party in the tube - we had a power nap, and woke up to a little noise going on outside the window in Ipanema...