buying beer because its adorable

I am officially the proud owner of the worlds cutest beer and I don't even drink the stuff -


sucker for packaging!

Boxing Day Sunset

BROCCA ANTICA

A perfect, authentic Italian neighbourhood restaurant in St Margarets, we shall definitely be returning!

This place has been open since 2009 but we only just went for the first time.

amazing food and faultless service combined with a super cosy rustic candle lit atmosphere.

www.brocca.co.uk

An afternoon at the ballet

On Friday I spent a couple of hours tucked away in the upper circle of the beautiful London Coliseum watching a rendition of The Nutcracker performed by the English National Ballet.

It was my first ever trip to the ballet and I loved it!

The music was magical and definitely put me in the mood for Christmas!

The show is running until Dec 30th 2011, see it!

Spirit Hoods

bad hair day? Look no further . . .

Spirit hoods are the latest craze sweeping the land, a cutesy hat scarf and glove combo, each made from faux fur, depicting the characteristics of one of 15 different animals.

Available for men, women and kids 
(with a separate website for the little ones spirit hood kids- tooo cute!!)


 what better way to keep warm this Winter than by getting in touch with your wild side?!

Even better when you purchase any spirit hood with the 'pro blue' logo, 10% will be donated to a non profit organisation dedicated to helping save that particular animal.

Park Life

Sundays are my day of rest, the one and only day of the week where I do not work and instead take time out to spend with my man and relax.

This afternoon we wrapped ourselves in our warmest winter woolies and headed off to visit Bushy Park in Teddington.

It was pretty chilly but nice to explore a new place 

(and check out its dog walking potential for our new addition next year!!)

The park is home to wild Red and Fallow deer and we were lucky enough to spot some this afternoon as we trekked about

I was a bit hesitant to get too close though in case they charged at us!

They made me feel quite Christmassy!

I seem to have developed a bit of a thing for them lately. . 

how cute is this cozy sleeping bag by Anorak?!

available at John Lewis £59

  

and this sweet little festive Emma Bridgewater mug, perfect for a Christmas morning cuppa!

it has sold out on her website but is available at Denham & Finney gift shop in St Margarets 

(I spied it there this morning! - £16.95)

and these little fellas are currently accompanying me on my hair appointments to wish my clients a Merry Christmas!

Eating at The Long Table

rotisserie chicken and rosemary potatoes, big apple hot dog, red wine, freezing my little toosh off but all in the name of fine Friday night foodie fun!

thelongtable.net

Travel Notes - Aix En Provence

Last weekend we took off to the South of France to visit my brother.

He is staying in the pretty town of Aix En Provence, around 45 minutes by car from Marseille airport.

talk about a room with a view. . .

At the local Saturday morning market we became acquainted with Toby, a real French Frenchie! but unfortunately he was not for sale :(

 the streets are lined with romantic ornate tea stained buildings and water fountains.

a short drive from the house we visited a lake at the base of mountain Saint Victoire

and a damn

We left just as the sun was setting over the valley

we took a detour past

Chateau de Vauvenargues, a stone castle which was once the mountainside residence of local artist Picasso and the place where his body was returned to lay to rest after his death.

We ate alfresco at burger bar beneath the twinkling of Christmas street lights and drank whiskey sours at Les Deux Garcons 

(Mark Ronson and Josephine De La Baume had their wedding party here in Summer)

Along the Cours Mirabeau we visited a Christmas market selling all kinds of gifts from little stalls housed in snow topped wooden chalets

there were fairground rides, the smell of roast chestnuts 

and mulled wine. . . festive!

'LE FIN'

The smell of Christmas

 Celebrated chef Heston Blumenthal has created a new twist on the humble mince pie for Waitrose customers this Christmas

Following the success of last years' orange filled Christmas Pudding which sold out in days, this Festive season sees the launch of pine scented pies which promise to fragrance the home with the smell of Christmas trees.

 the puff pastry treats need warming in the oven for 10 minutes before being sprinkled with the aromatic pine sugar included.

the verdict: fun, imaginative and very tasty

Tatine candles

I have made a new discovery which I am rather excited about . . . 

Tatine candles

hand made in a Chicago loft by an artisan named Margo

The 'Tisane' collection (pictured above) has been inspired by places that Margo has visited in reality or in her dreams

created to capture a moment in time, a season, the elements,

 Margo's personal 'scent memories' of places and experiences are shared beautifully using fragrance to tell the tale

I adore St Johns Wood 

'looking through the bent backed tulips. smoldering chimney smoke dried vines + brick walls'

 perfect for cosy winter nights

and being a Libra girl at heart Holland Park 

'leaves are falling all around. rain soaked October earth layered under a musky moon'

The soy and beeswax candles are set in heavy weight vintage glassware and have a burn time of 16 hours.

After checking out her extremely beautiful website (have a nosey here) it seems there are several different candle ranges within the Tatine brand so I will definitely keep my eyes peeled for the others, however Anthropologie Regent St, are privelleged to currently be the only stockists in the UK!

Kammerlings

Last weekend at dinner I was introduced to Kammerlings and the man who created it.

For those unfamiliar with Kammerlings, here is the lowdown

A spirit containing 45 botanicals

best described as a cross between gin, bitters, campari and liqueur but actually in a category all of its own

the main ingredients are ginseng, fresh grapefruit peels and manuka honey

33% abv

can be enjoyed as an apertif, a digestive or mixed in a cocktail

on the rocks or with a mixer

made in London

served in the finest drinking establishments

sold in Selfridges, Gerry's and online

for more info check out the Kammerlings website

I sampled it with bitter lemon and with ginger ale mixed with apple juice- both were delicious!

Interestingly the active ingredients in ginseng lower the amount of alcohol absorbed into the bloodstream which means potentially a quicker recovery and less of a hangover the morning after.

I have to say I woke as fresh as a daisy!

May be an aquired taste for some but def give it a try, I loved it!

*Since this blog was written this product has been renamed and is now known as Kamm & Sons

Can't get this out of my head. . .

hurry up with the album release already! obsessed.

The Long Table

Launching today from 6pm-midnight is London's only pop up late night outdoor food market!

Located in a hidden disused space on Abbot Street in Dalston E8 3DP, punters are encouraged to follow the sound of bands playing and the smell of tasty street food to discover the secret spot.

The concept is to bring people together to eat and socialize around one very long table along with a fully stocked bar and live music.

Markets are at the heart of many communities and this one is designed to celebrate a rich cultural diversity by mixing foodies, chefs, artists and musicians.

The market is covered to provide some shelter from the elements and fire pits are provided to help guard against the chill but it's still likely to be a tad on the cool side so pull on some Winter woolies, grab your nearest and dearest and head on over to The Long Table for a tasty Friday night treat

Open every Friday until Christmas

6pm-1am

for more details of which restaurants and traders are taking part to tickle your taste buds check out the website here

Little Noise Sessions 2011

For the 6th year running, Mencaps Little Noise Sessions curated by Mencap ambassador Jo Whiley are back.

6 nights of fantastic acoustic music in an incredible venue, the church of St John-at-Hackney, a grand space with high ceilings and celestial charm.

Last night we made the pilgrimage East to see Marina and the Diamonds play and it was well worth the journey

The venue although on a grand scale in the sense of the infinite space between your head and the ceiling, still managed to feel intimate as the congregation of audience huddled in front of the stage.

The only downside to the night was having to pee in a porta loo in the grounds of the church

as a festival virgin these facilities didn't thrill me much, however I was not about to hold back on my intake of fluids because this was the first ever gig I have been to where cocktails were on the menu!!!

Yes, can you believe it?! 

Giant Robot of Clerkenwell were manning not 1 but 2 bars within the venue and kept me happy with a steady supply of 'little gin punch'!

Outside there were also food stalls provided by eat st

a great night made even sweeter by the fact that it was all in the name of charidee!

pretty little sundown over Twickenham

ARTHURS ON THE GREEN

If you fancy dinner with a difference why not try Arthurs on the Green for their Sunday night film club 'screen on the green'.

A small, intimate restaurant on the edge of Twickenham Green, this gourmet bistro prides itself on providing good home cooked seasonal food with genuine, warm and attentive service.


The interior boasts an electic array of unusual and somewhat flamboyant features such as mosaic tiled table tops and a theatrical looking table for two with privacy curtain- perfect for a cosy dinner date.


The evening begins at 7pm where you can enjoy a starter and main from the set menu which is themed around the movie.


The only concern is that there are just 2 options on the set menu so if you like neither then you may be disappointed, however the kitchen appear happy to tinker with ingredients and willingly made up my salad minus anchovies at my request.


At around 8.30pm the lights are dimmed, the candles blown out and everyone is invited to make themselves comfortable (and grab extra cushions if needed!)


little pots of home made ice cream are handed out during the film and coffee is served afterwards. All for £25 per head (excl. drinks & service) 


You can sign up to the newsletter on their website for updates on forthcoming screenings.

www.arthursonthegreen.co.uk

This London Lady Loves . . .pooch perusing

Yesterday afternoon we paid a visit to Earls Court Exhibition centre to the Discover Dogs Show 2011

My increasing obsession for pugs combined with Mr R's fancy for French bulldogs has been the topic of many a shall we?/shant we? conversation of late.

We decided the show could be a good starting point to meet the breeds and gather important information for prospective first time puppy parents.

We headed straight for the favourites. . .

The Frenchies. . .

and the pugs. . .

stopped to pet the cuddly chows . . .

gasped at the enormousness of the giant Neapolitan Mastiffs!. . .

and cooed at the snoozing English bulldogs. . .

Then as fate would have it, we got our eye on this little fella, who was not  participating on a stand but was there to compete in a show.

I was instantly drawn over to him and had to stop him and his owner in their tracks.

allow me to introduce to you

YODA 

 It was love at first sight! 

We chatted to his owner for ages, I was mesmerised and could not stop thinking about him all day!


I couldn't believe that I had been converted in the course of one afternoon.

So now it seems that Mr R and I have arrived at the same page and are very keen to look into the possibilities of finding our very own Frenchie pup!

TBC . . 

swanning around

Enchanting Christmas windows at Liberty - LOVE!

a pretty posy from a pretty lady

winter skin saviour

At this time of year central heating and harsh weather conditions can leave your skin craving a little extra TLC

I thought I would share with you all my new found love for this plumping, hydrating youth boosting skin treatment: Therapist's Secret Facial Oil from The Sanctuary £17.35 30ml

A cocktail of oils including Frankincense, jojoba, rose hip seed, sunflower and wheat germ and a natural calming rose fragrance, this super food for skin is best applied after cleansing to help replenish and condition.

The handy pipette helps to distribute just the right amount of liquid, 

a few drops can be swept over the face and neck and allowed to be absorbed fully before applying make up or applied a little more generously in the evening and even doubled up with a moisturiser overnight for a restorative treatment while you sleep.

Although it is an oil I do not find this product to be greasy, it gives a radiant dewy glow to skin which I like when my make up is applied over the top, however those preferring a matte look may prefer to limit use to just evenings.

Sunday's were made for this. . .

market mooching

2nd Sunday of every month on Station Parade next to Kew Gardens tube station

check out the website here

Richmond Duck pond market

every Sunday in Heron Square Richmond

check out the website here

brunch at Greedies at The Greyhound over looking Kew Green

LOVED the old fireplace and beautiful Morrocan inspired glass lamps suspended in front of the mirror-very pretty!

Followed by a long walk home kicking through mountains of rustly Autumn leaves on Richmond riverside!

I heart Sunday's!