Guest Blogs
Knowitall.ch often invites local experts in their field to contribute to their own blogs on our site. This means not only you will benefit from the useful recommendations that we make on our News pages, but you can also profit from some of the great advice and tips that these experts have to make on their favorite subjects. Whilst each of these bloggers has been recommended to us at some point during the evolution of Know-it-all passport and knowitall.ch, obviously we are not able to test out all the suggestions they make on their blogs, nor do we necessarily agree with all their opinions. So if you do find one of their tips useful (or not!), do let us know!
To make these blogs more accessible to you, we have now decided to group them altogether in one section, entitled Guest Blogs, accessible from our main menu bar. We will also post the most recent blogs on the home page of our site in the right hand column.
We are still building up this area of the site, and are looking for bloggers in a number of sections, including Your Home, Travel, and Leisure, so if you feel you have a useful contribution to make in either of these areas, and have the time to submit blog entries approximately every month, then please get in touch!
🍫🍐 Follow Lisa: Gooey Chocolate Cookies with Dried Pear - Belle Hélène
If you want a chocolaty chewy cookie that is decadent and delicious, then you have to give this one a try. Of course, you can substitute any dried fruit of your choice instead of the dried pears (buy these at Aligro) such as prunes, dried mango, etc. Or leave out the fruit and replace with walnuts or peanuts!
This recipe makes 18 cookies
- 40g flour (8 teaspoons) (or 50g gluten free flour)
- 50g unsweetened cocoa powder (10 teaspoons)
- 120g white sugar (1 cup)
- 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 120g dried pear, cut up (1 cup)
- 90g chocolate chips (3/4 cup)
- 1 egg
- 60g of melted butter (4 Tablespoons)
This is an easy recipe that anyone can make. AND it is very impressive... everyone will ask you how you did it!
Savory tart
2 round disks of puff pastry
1 egg or coffee cream or milk
Choose one of these savory ideas or invent your own
1. Cream cheese, tapenade, chorizo, sesame seeds (top)
2. Smoked salmon, Cantadou or Tartare or cream cheese, crispy fried onions (top)
3. Sun dried tomato spread, mozzarella, oregano (top)
4. Red pepper spread, cheddar cheese
5. Anchovie paste, artichoke paste, parmesan cheese (top)
6. Blue cheese, diced pear
7. Mayonnaise, sliced chicken, crispy bacon, sunflower seeds (top)
Organising an event should be like cooking a great meal: a careful balance of technical know-how and creative flair. Get the mix right and your guests leave satisfied, inspired, and possibly asking for seconds.
Get it wrong… and you’re serving up something bland, or overcooked
Sadly, many organisers fail to find the right ingredients. They over-season with PowerPoint presentations, dilute the panels with speakers who lack incisive insights, and wonder why the audience sneaks out before dessert.
But last year, the organisers of one of the most enjoyable events I moderated absolutely nailed the recipe. They served up the right blend of policy substance and creative flair.
So, let me share what made this event so deliciously satisfying.
The Dish: The ALMA Journey
The ALMA (Aim, Learn, Master, Achieve) journey celebrated the achievements of young people not in employment, education, or training who had taken part in a transformative European Commission programme, working for a short period in another European country.
In short: a meaningful initiative, a powerful story — and the perfect base ingredient.
Here, in 8 easy steps, is their recipe for success.
By Philippa Dobree-Carey, The Mamaholic
Every year I ask myself how to get even more organised. You can check out the first part of this article (items 1-5) at this link. To continue on the theme of decluttering, I bring you items 6-10 now!
6. Beauty minis I keep for travelling or houseguests
I hoard mini products like I’m running a spa retreat. I have enough tiny shampoos, conditioners and face creams to go backpacking for six months, or host future houseguests who don’t exist. I try to palm them off on my kids, but they prefer decanting their own skincare, thank you very much.
Benefit: Space
No more minis rattling around in drawers like maracas every time you open a drawer.
Action: Keep a couple for travel. Let the rest go. You are not operating a boutique hotel.
7. Books I’ll Never Read Again
My shelves are full of books I meant to read, reread, or just look clever owning. Some of them have travelled through a few house moves without ever being opened. They deserve better.
Benefit: Education
Triage to rediscover forgotten gems and (re)educate yourself, then free up space when you pass them on.
Action: Choose one book from your shelf and start it this week.
8. Jeans I Don’t Need
I have so many jeans, yet every new trend convinces me I need one more pair. Skinny (not so much anymore), straight-cut, wide, cropped, ‘vintage wash’ ... I’ve basically lived through every denim era except the one I refuse to revisit: low-rise. Absolutely not. Whoever invented those clearly hated women and wanted us all to suffer.
Benefit: Comfort
Jeans take up space and rarely spark joy unless they fit perfectly.
Action: Try on every pair you own. Keep the ones that make you feel great. Donate the rest.
9. Random home decor that is trendy but not useful
Storage baskets, decorative bowls, chain link ornaments. All the things Pinterest told me I needed, but that now sit around collecting dust and regret.
Benefit: Clean
Fewer dust collectors mean surfaces can breathe.
Action: Pick one drawer, tabletop or shelf each month and clear it.
10. Newsletters I subscribe to but never read
I sign up with the best intentions – or for the freebie, tbh. Who doesn’t?
But then the automated follow-ups pile up like digital laundry. Thanks for the support and all that, but I do not need 47 unread emails in the morning reminding me to join the workshop I thought I wanted when I saw the ad, but have since changed my mind.
And don’t pressure me with reminders that feel slightly judgy.
Benefit: Calm
Your inbox stops acting like a to-do list you never agreed to.
Action: Unsubscribe from three today. Keep the ones you actually enjoy (hi!).
Obviously don’t unsubscribe from mine! In fact, share it to your entourage.
Please and thank you.
2026 is the year of ENOUGH
Not a year of restriction. A year of using what you already have.
Not a year of guilt. A year of clarity.
Not a new you. Just a lighter, calmer version of the one you already are.
Your turn - What are YOUR intentions for 2026
Before you go, I’d love to know where you see yourself in all this. Be honest — this is a judgement‑free zone (unless you’re hoarding 47 candles, in which case… we need to talk).
Author bio
Philippa Dobree-Carey Philippa Dobree‑Carey is a writer, award‑winning author, and safeguarding specialist who shares parenting tips, midlife meltdowns, and the mental load with sharp humour and practical clarity. She is the creator of The Mamaholic Monthly on Substack and the author of two guides: From High School to Uni and The Essential Job Search Guide for Students. Her work supports families through major life transitions with honesty, structure, and wit. Find her on Instagram @themamaholic.
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