by | April 4, 2014

6 beauty favs for the sunny snow mountains

IMG_4019Not only is it unusually sunny in the Austrian alps at the moment, I’m also ‘battling’ chapped lips, helmet head, weary thighs and a tired skin from running around London like a headless chicken last week.

But the lovely PRs responded to my last minute plea to sample the latest and the best – and here is my top 6 in this week’s quick-getaway wash bag:

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  1. Soleil Organique spf 45
  2. Chanel Hydramax + Active Nutrition lip care
  3. Aromatherapy Associates Anti-Ageing Overnight Repair Mask
  4. Marble & Milkweed repair balm
  5. Percy & Reed Wonder Balm for hair
  6. Eye of Horus lazuli blue goddess pencil

And the reasons I am loving them?

Well, Soleil Organique (if it hasn’t reached your e-shopping wish list yet) is quite simply what the beauty industry has been waiting for – high performance organic sun care that works brilliantly! Perfect for the slopes as it’s water resistant and a spray so is easy to apply in your all-of-five-minutes after breakfast before that first lift up.

This Chanel pot of lushious lip care is matt so nourishes without that awful over-glossing.

The team at Aromatherapy Associates has surpassed themselves this time.  You all know I’m a major fan but this overnight mask soaks in completely allowing you to sleep sticky-free.  I apply it over Indie Lee’s friggin amazing squalane oil.

I know I’m not allowed to mention the ultra cool packaging as my reason for loving this Marble & Milkweed product.  So instead I’ll wax lyrical about the organic fair-trade shea butter, the tamanu healing oil and Bulgarian rose absolute and organic rose otto and how it  luxuriously soothes my bruised ski shins.  Oh and I DO love the packaging.

OK so I’ve lied about one of these products as I was using it well before we left for holiday.  Percy & Reed’s miracle Wonder Balm is news though and I need to share.  It’s weightless, adds moisture, shine, smoothness and definition to any barnet and leaves your hair frizz-free and perfectly primed for the rest of  your styling favs. Wonder-ful – therefore aptly-named.

Piercing blue to match our stunning mountain sky, the Eye of Horus lazuli blue goddess pencil is a winner for anyone  (like me) giving any other make-up a total miss while on piste.  The pencil glides on and from there is waterproof, smudge-proof and long wearing.

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by | March 31, 2014

Chef’s table at Hampstead Kitchen

Rarely am I plucked out of the trough of Twitter and invited to someone’s home for dinner.  But then rarely do I network.  At least not consciously network and – besides – there was the temptation of a being fed… at a chef’s table, no less.

in the door, up the stairs and …

in the door, up the stairs and …

So, I agreed…based on the fact that the dinner date was a month away and located only a few streets away from where I live.  And – additionally – I DO love the curious feeling of being incognito for the evening.

Supper clubs, pop-up immersive dining experiences and at-home-with-a-stranger are His idea of a nightmare.   Recently, I forced him to accompany friends to a Secret Supper Club near Arsenal football ground.  Ethiopian food was served (without any crockery nor cutlery) in a house full of cats.  I honestly thought he might KILL me on the way home.

tahini

taratar tahini dip with lemon, sesame seeds, olive oil and lemon zest

Anyhow, last night was a great deal more civilised.  Five women fed themselves with proper cutlery as we discussed work, marriage and culinary delights over Saima’s delicious Syrian sharing food.

Saima with just some of her cookbooks

Saima with just some of her cookbooks

Her story is a great one. Slaving away in Global Risk Management for an American conglomerate, the founder of Hampstead Kitchen gave up the big salary day job to follow her foodie heart.  And now she enjoys every moment of her new life…conjuring up elaborate banquets for her varied clients and spends hours over a hot stove before plating up feast upon feast.

dip

chargrilled pepper, tomato, garlic, lemon  – a perfect mezze dip

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Na-na wa jorz mint & walnut sauce

Na-na wa jorz
mint & walnut sauce

details… we all noticed the details...

details… it’s all about the details…

For those curious as to who I ate with: around Saima’s chef table we had a journalist from the Wall St Journal who doubles up as a food blogger, a retail marketing author, a founder of a lifestyle concierge company and a florist.  Oh and me: the annoying one with the camera.

Mukloubi- bi lahmi - Braised aubergine layered rice with slow cooked lamb cooked in nutmeg, cinnamon & pomegranates molasses

Mukloubi- bi lahmi – Braised aubergine layered rice with slow
cooked lamb cooked in nutmeg, cinnamon & pomegranates molasses

Saima is ALL about the dining treat: entertaining her guests and of course feeding them the most delicious yet socialable food experience.  Opening up her home to feed others is clearly her joy.  Half Persian and half Pakistani, it’s no surprise that her food is lavish yet ultra communal with colour (of the food and the serving dishes) playing a huge part in the eating ceremony.

Konafah (Arab Light pastry) mascarpone cheese infused with orange blossom water baked and then topped with pistachios and lemon

Konafah (Arab Light pastry) mascarpone cheese infused with
orange blossom water baked and then topped with pistachios and lemon

Whether you are looking to host (but not cook!) an intimate dinner for family & friends or a formal corporate party to impress your work colleagues, call Saima 07540 764 359 (or email) Hampstead Kitchen and she’ll organise the rest…

 

 

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by | March 31, 2014

competition: Innocent Super Smoothies

Just when you thought I couldn’t possibly wax lyrical about juices any more (let alone sip one), my pals at Innocent sent me a delivery.  With a huge claim attached to them:  ‘the healthiest drinks we’ve EVER made.

my package from Innocent

my package from Innocent

The juicy gang at Fruit Towers (do you remember when I decamped there for the day?) has been working with Ian Marber (busy man – or what?) to create these 3 latest recipes.

their 3 latest recipes created with Ian Marber

their 3 latest recipes created with Ian Marber  – each bottle costs £2.35 per 360ml

Fruit, veg, seeds, botanicals, vitamins, minerals…. These bottles are busting with goodness and will be coming to supermarket near you from May.

I filled up shot glasses and asked my Smalls to taste test. BIG thumbs up all round

I filled up shot glasses and asked my Smalls to taste test. BIG thumbs up all round…

Until then, I have a bit of a treat for you.  One reader will WIN a month’s supply of juice – that’s right.  One juice per day* for a whole month.  Certainly not to be sneezed at.  All you have to do is LIKE & share this post on my Facebook page while chanting to yourself: Innocent make super smoothies.  Winner will be chosen at random on 16th April 2014.

*in vouchers (£60) so that you will still be able to squeeze some milk into your fridge

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for more info about these new Super Smoothies – click here

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Filed under Exclusive to website, food, health and fitness

by | March 25, 2014

Roots and Bulbs

Whoever predicted that the juice craze would pass was terribly wrong.

juices on the wire at Roots & Bulbs

juices on the wire at Roots & Bulbs

In fact, we are even more juice crazed than ever before. It’s simple really – a juice diet/snack/top-up are all solutions to our madly manic lives and therefore feel like a FIX worth splashing out on.

my choice: carrot, beetroot, cucumber, apple, herb £4.99

my choice: carrot, beetroot, cucumber, apple, herb £4.99

I’ve reviewed my fair few so now I just like to dabble.  Anyway, you can’t really avoid them.  Building Feasts and her male assistant/husband always seem to have one on-the-whizz whenever I drop by. Plenish Cleanse and their pretty bottles seem to be popping up wherever they sense a vitamin dive. And now – the latest power liquid power house  has opened on Thayer St, W1.

Roots & Bulbs – founded by Sarah Cadji – is London’s first cold pressed juice bar, having already established itself as a premium health brand over the last year. Carefully juicing without losing any of the flavour (or god forbid vitamins), this cold press technique means that the drinkable super-food lives on for a couple of days.

The recently opened bar also sells smoothies and a few grabable organic meals, developed with the help of nutrition therapist, Ian Marber of Food Doctor fame. Sarah’s only criteria is that ingredients must be real and raw.

wholesome meals/snacks too

wholesome meals/snacks too

I popped by yesterday to check it out. There was a steady flow as the foodies of Marylebone were dropping by to pick up their lunch health kick or a day’s stock of juices. One office intern had even been sent across the road to order a job lot.

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These are the 6 juices on offer:
• G1 (Cucumber, Celery, Spinach, lemon, Ginger + Spice)
• G2 (Cucumber, Spinach, Romaine, Apple + Herb)
• G3 (Cucumber, Pineapple, Kale + Herb)
• C1 (Carrot, Ginger + Spice)
• C2 (Carrot, Beetroot, Cucumber, Apple + Herb)
• C3 (Carrot, Apple, Melon + Herb)

carrot, ginger, spice

carrot, ginger, spice

Join in and feel virtuous.  Chin-Chin … as they say.

 

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