Lusting After...

If you aren't rocking a leopard print bag yet - are you living in a hole? If you are, bravo, Miss Fashion Forward. They are so unbeliebaly versatile, wear them day and night. Be sure not to go for the high-shine look and keep your eye out for leather styles.
At LFW, every woman that was someone carried a leopard print bag to the ultra-cool shows. And seriously, can you blame them:

(Lulu Guiness, £795, availble from ASOS)

(Urban Outfitters, £195)

There is something about clashing a print bag with a totally different pattern - I have always been a fan of the laid-back, clashing style, and with these patterns, the style is really at its best.

But there's one bag which really, takes the biscuit. It is currently the love of my life, please come to me soon!

(Mulberry Lily, £995, available from Harrods)



Are you in love yet? Trust me, it will hit you soon.

Gossip Girl + Chocolate Olivers

Last night I settleddown with a couple of my favourite things: The ever-great and highly-addictive Gossip Girl and the also highly-addictive Chocolate Olivers:

Gossip Girl is really at its peak right now - the fashion and the storylines have never been better. I still cannot quite forget that gorgeous Oscar de la Renta gown that Blair wore in the first episode. As the French would say: J'adore!

Along with the purple clashing clutch, it's Parisen style at its best.

As for the biscuits, trust me when I say that you will never, ever find a biscuit quite like them. They are the ultimate in sweet treats. They are described on the tin as: 'rich, dark chocolate generously enrobed around a crisp slow-baked biscuit.' I couldn't say it better myself.

At around £8.95, they are a pricey treat but they are not the kind of biscuit you sit down and enjoy in one sitting (like some!) Instead, you savour them, one-by-one, enjoying every biscuit until the last.

Buy them, trust me, they're worth the money!

Photos from: CWTV and Harvey Nichols

Vegetarian Evening

As some of you may know I have been a Vegetarian for around 10 years. I cook meat for my family but always cook myself an alternative. Being a vegetarian, however, does not put me off of cooking meat or creating recipes in any way. Despite not being a meat-eater I understand that some fabulous recipes can come from using meat and when it comes to taste tests I use my very critical, but helpful family!
So for next week I have convinced my family to go to a Vegetarian night at a very well respected local pub. Often being a vegetarian, choice is limited therefore a veggie night = my idea of heaven.
Check back later! x

Homemade Olives!

I bought myself an Olive Tree in July as a little treat. Olives have always been one of my favourite foods, so why not grow and marinate them just the way I wanted to?
Just to let you know, olive growing and marinating is not as easy as I first thought. Eating them straight from the tree = a major no no!
So earlier today I plucked the olives off of my tree in order to begin the preperation and marinating process - I am so excited to have my own olive 'brand.'
I will now follow the following processes in order to create the perfect olive:

(Just a few of my beautiful olives on the tree!)



1. Pluck from the tree and make two cuts in each olive. Place them in sterilised jars until the jars are 3/4 full. Cover the olives with water (this will eventually remove all of the horrible impurities). Fill a bag with water and place on top of the olives in order to keep them submerged.

2. Continue this for a week, changing the water ever day.
3. Then combine 1 litre of water and 70g of sea salt in a pan. Warm through for about 10 minutes. Cool. Drain your olive jars and and pour in enough of the salt-water to cover the olives. Pour on top a layer of olive oil to create a seal.
4. Leave in a cool, dark spot for around 6 weeks. They are then ready to eat (if you don't want much flavour), but if you do, be sure to marinate the olives according to your taste.
5. Check back in 7 weeks for my marinade!

My Two Favourite Things > Food + Grazia

Like I said earlier, because of the unusually warm weather I decided on a Chicken and Bacon Salad with a Lemon and Tarragon Dressing for dinner tonight.
It is inexplicably easy, you can knock it up in minutes, which is superb for an evening full of Grazia and Heat reading - it is Tuesday after all.

Ingredients:
1. Dash of olive oil.
2. 400g of cubed chicken.
3. 300g dry cured smoked bacon lardons.
4. 100ml of olive oil.
5. 100ml of lemon juice.
6. Handful of chopped, fresh tarragon.
7. 2 packets of chopped romaine lettuce.
8. Half a cucumber, chopped.

Recipe:
1. Splash a hot pan with a dash of olive oil, place in your chicken and cook for around 10 minutes, add your bacon and cook for a further 5 minutes.
2. Mix together the lemon juice and olive oil, season.
3. Pour the mix onto the meat (which is now completely cooked) and allow it to mix in with the meat.
4. Chop up the Tarragon and pop onto the meat, for around 4 minutes.
5. Grab your chopped lettice which is now in a big bowl with the chopped cucumber. Pour the meat and juices into the salad. Mix
6. Enjoy hot with warm ciabatta bread.

For afters I have just created a Victoria Sponge for the whole family, couldn't you just take a bite? Don't lie, I know you want to!

(My two favourite things: Cake and Grazia!)

Hello Seasons?

So I woke up this morning to - well- Summer? What the hell is going on with the seasons? I was almost forced to slip on my sandals as the temperature in my car read 24. 24?! That really is crazy for almost-October. Bring on the clouds, I am desperate to try out my boots and gorgeous new knitted cardigan from River Island:

But nonetheless, it seemed far too early for that today. So instead I slipped on a little shift dress and Nan's vintage belt from the 1940s. 

When the seasons flip and change, so must our food. So instead of steak - which I had planned, I am instead whipping up the most fresh and easy salad out there: Chicken and Bacon with Romaine lettuce and a Lemon and Tarragon dressing.

Check back later!

Product Of The Week - 1971 Reiss Shelby Chain Link Belt

This 1971 Reiss Shelby Chain Link Belt, avaiable from ASOS, caught my eye earlier today. It is just so reminiscent of a past era.

The beautiful leather belt, with a snake effect would clinch you in at the waist - just perfectly. Why dont you wear it on top of a gorgeous vintage blouse? I know I will be.

 

£59, ASOS

Lasagne - At its Best

I find that lasagne is a real hit or miss. Taking it from the pack is never quite the same as creating your own - it just never has the same texture, flavour or added spice (which I love!)
So here is my no-nonsense, perfect lasagne recipe.
It's pretty easy to make and is a perfect filler for the whole family, just decrease the measurements if you are feeding less mouths. Let me know what you think:

Feeds 4:

Ingredients:
1. Glug of olive oil.
2. 1 onion.
3. 3 garlic cloves, crushed.
4. Half a carrot, grated.
5. Pinch of dried oregano, basil, salt and pepper.
6. 300g good-quality mince.
7. Table spoon of tomato puree.
8. Half a tea spoon of chilli flakes.
9. 30g of butter.
10. 30g of plain flour.
11. 300ml of full-fat milk.
12. 60g of mature cheddar cheese.
13. About 20 sheets of no-cook lasagne sheets (approx).
14. Parmesan shavings.

Recipe:
1. Preheat oven to 190. Get a large pan and pour in your olive oil - on a medium heat.
2. Fry your onion and galric - trying not to brown too much for about 4 minutes.
3. Add the grated carrot, and continue to turn the ingredients.
4. Add the pinches of oregano and basil - continue to stir. Season lightly.
5. Place the mince in the pan and continue to turn.
6. Add the tomato puree, in the centre of the pan.
7. Continue to brown the meat.
8. Add the chilli flakes and continue until the meat is browned.
9. Set aside.
10. For the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a pan, add the flour and stir until a paste-like mixture is created.
11. Gradually, on a low heat, add the milk. Be patient! Continue to stir to prevent lumps. Do this for 1 minute.
12. Now, add the grated cheese, gradually. Stir and remove from the hob.
13. Grab your baking dish and cover the bottom with the meat mixture, place pasta on top. You may need to break it up to prevent over-lapping. Pop some cheese sauce on top. Pasta layer. Meat layer. Pasta and finish with the cheese sauce on top. Finally, grate parmesan on top and season.
14. Place in an oven and cook for around 25-30 minutes.
15. Serve with a salad and enjoy!

The perfect lasagne. Easy peasy.

How to be Adored

...by Caroline Cox.

Just yesterday I was stood in line at a store to make my most recent purchase when I came across this book:

In the couple of seconds I had left, I had a quick flick thorough - and was quite mesmerised. This book tells glamourously that having a fabulous handbag or the latest winter coat is not what makes you gorgeous (although, certainly it helps).
'Magnetism' they explain is what is attractive in a woman - and apparantly, few women actually have it. It's that draw, that attention that some women, just - have.
This book is perhaps what you could describe as a style guide - as it documents the great, glamourous women in history:

It is the ultimate guide on how to be utterly adored - just like these few are - by so many.

It's not one of those you sit down and read - from cover to cover. It's what I would describe as a 'coffee table book', just sitting there pleasantly - waiting for somebody to have a flick through over a cup of the previously mentioned Harrods White Tea and my Lemon Drizzle Cake.

Brasserie Blanc

For lunch today, we visited the Brasserie Blanc restaurant in Quakers Friar, Bristol.

The Bristol restaurant is a fairly recent addition to Blanc's lengthy chain of Brasserie restaurants, and a very delightful one at that. The ambience is busy and cheerful, while the wait-staff are helpful and very knowledgable.
Up until 6pm, customers can indulge in the lunch-time 'Dine with Wine' menu - £12.95 for two courses or £14.95 for three - along with a glass of the house wine. For £14.95, diners (on a Sunday) can also choose to opt for their very substantial roast dinner, which today consisted of Beef.
I must say, the a la carte menu is quite delectable, with the smoked haddock and slow-cooked beef being the stand out options.
My main of rocket, ricotta and spinach tart with a salad garnish, seemed a light and freshing lunch-time option. The tart was beautifully homemade, with a brilliantly light pastry casing.
This brasserie really is perfect for a clear, autumnal day like today. And if you have brought your coat, I would advise you to sit outside, with your glass of (free) wine and watch the world go by. Is there any better way to spend a Sunday afternoon?

Photo from: Brasserie Blanc