Maria spends, on an average day, half her time thinking about food, and the other half about dancing.
She writes about the former in her day job, and when she's not at work, is often pondering such important matters as where to find the best looking cupcakes in London.
Dancing was her first love as a child. The awkward teenage years soon put a stop to that – during which she preferred the teen angst of rock and metal – until she rediscovered it in a big way during university.
To do, her absolute favourite is ballet: going en pointe is a painful but satisfying experience. To watch, she likes contemporary dance and the artistic freedom that goes with it. She started writing dance reviews because she can never stop talking.
She also likes pre-Everything Must Go Manics and other 90s indie, Ben Folds, weird/surreal comedy and music festivals.