Jackie or Marilyn

LONG TIME...

2011-09-12T17:30:00.002+01:00

... no write. I know. I have been wretched. I have myriad excuses. I got married. I had a honeymoon. I moved house. I got stuck in a whirlwind job that spared me no moments for style musings and missives. I feel awful for my silence over the past months.

I have to be honest, I'm not sure if and when I'll blog again. I don't know if this new life will ever afford me the time to wax pretty on the stuff I love. But I felt terrible - and appallingly impolite, for not bidding you a proper adieu - for now anyway.

Perhaps, when I have time, I'll stick up some pictures of our gloriously perfect wedding day (I know, cliche etc, but it really was), and share snaps of my newly purchased vintage Parker Knoll rocker (about to be recovered in peridot chenille from Designers Guild), and tell you about my latest adventures in ice cream making (salted caramel... pink peppercorn...), and swoon here over the Fall fashion that has sort of made it okay for Summer to end.

Until then, thank you so much for reading.

And for your lovely messages and support.

xxx

MR WHIPPY

2011-04-22T15:12:00.002+01:00

Can't resist these lightbulbs!!!

LUNCHTIME OBSESSION: JEANS

2011-04-22T14:52:00.003+01:00

The sun is shining. London's parks are overflowing with pink limbs, picnic blankets and bottles of cava. The slowly-baking pavements are empty. I am sitting in my vast, yet equally empty office, wishing I could be beating down those pavements, to stock up on some sugared almond-hued jeans (I'd like a nude pair, to be worn with bright sandals and a slouchy white vest). There's nothing more frustrating than having to resort to the internet for your shopping fix. Wait, there is - working on Good Friday when you should be enjoying the Parklife too...

ZOO IN A TEACUP

2011-04-22T14:47:00.002+01:00

How cool are these Japanese cups? I'd love to surprise my guests during a tea party. To be served with animal crackers, naturally.

I HAVE BEEN MOSTLY...

2011-04-22T14:15:00.002+01:00

...not blogging, but I don't need to tell you that. Instead of putting fingertips to keyboard, I have been making giant pom poms (60 of them), researching signature cocktails (vodka, ginger and rosemary lemon drops for me), fretting over wedding shoes (sold my Louboutins on eBay, bought and returned some Pradas, settled on some Michel Viviens), learning to waltz (gulp), oh and putting in ten-hour days at my newspaper job.

Things I have lost since we last spoke: Two pairs of Marc Jacobs sunglasses, just as the sun has started shining, but also, delightedly, and through sheer determination, gym sessions and total avoidance of carbs, three inches off my waist (imagine how smug I was at my dress fitting - this new body will be maintained til exactly one day after the wedding!!).

Things I have gained since we last spoke: A few honeymoon purchases (courtesy of See by Chloe, JCrew and H&M) which I've squirreled away until we island hop around Greece, wedding rings (a uber skinny gold band for me), a giftlist at Heals (nothing is more fun than selecting Jonathan Adler napkin rings!!) and a new Jamie Oliver favourite recipe.

The best thing I've done since we last spoke: My hen weekend in Berlin, which will go down as one of my most delightful mini-breaks EVER. Three days with my best friends, a bike tour through Berlin, a thermae spa, splits on a restaurant table (twice), a dance club til dawn, a woozy lunch at Berlin House, rooftop hair-of-the-dogs, funny gifts, racy dares, a lovely book filled with memories, ramblings and a few dodgy pictures of hairstyles, outfits and weight gain I'd rather forget.

It made me realise that my girlfriends truly are the best in the world. Classy, raucous and amazing. A girl couldn't be more blessed.

I KNOW I CAN'T EAT THESE...

2011-03-23T17:31:00.003Z

... but I'm still smitten with these beautifully ornate chocolate eggs from Fortnum & Mason. With more than a hint of Victoriana, the charmingly old-school creations are actually made with moulds from the F&M archive. Give me one of these over a Mars multibox anyday (although, actually, don't give me any - survivingly the onslaught of chocolate to our Daily Mail desk is almost impossible. Today is was a collossal Hotel Du Chocolat egg, after nibbling a morsel I have hated myself all afternoon... Dieting is a bitch)

QUEEN ELIZABETH

2011-03-23T15:12:00.002Z

Today, movie stars aren't so special. They have no mystique, no aura of the unknown. They just aren't deliciously untouchable anymore. They tweet snaps in their bathroom and reveal unsavoury snippets about colonics and vajazzling. We know every shoddy secret of their break-ups and protein-only diets, we see their unsightly lumps and bumps in glorious technicolour.

I know they don't get a lot of opportunity to play it old school (and as an ex-employee of Us Weekly us punters secretly lap up all those gory details), but at the news that the last doyenne of Hollywood, Elizabeth Taylor passed away today, I realised sadly that that golden era of elegance has slipped away too - before our very eyes. Okay, so the friendship with Michael Jackson was slightly odd, and admittedly in her latter years, Liz didn't quite have the glamour of her youth, but she truly was the epitome of a movie star - including the goddesss-like curves, string of lovers, violet eyes and iconic movie roles. The Renees and Jennifers and Demis and Camerons of this world have a lot to live up to. But there really will only ever be one Queen Elizabeth.

IN FULL BLOOM

2011-03-08T16:37:00.002Z

I spotted these gigantic flowers twisted around an old step ladder a few months ago while at the Mulberry headquarters. As I marvelled at them, the PRs revealed they'd be officially unveiled at the fashion show in January and would finally find a home in the shop windows, along with the Spring collection. Well here they are in their full fuchsia glory. The uber bright shade is unique to Mulberry but the oversize blooms are available in white from a London prop shop and will be making an appearance at our May nuptials... stay posted for pics!

THIS SUMMER I WILL BE MOSTLY WEARING...

2011-03-07T17:40:00.003Z

...short shorts and sassy skirts and bright colours and brighter lipstick and messy up-dos. I worship at the altar of J.Crew. I know that sometimes it can feel a little preppy and maybe for you Americans, who read this, boring and obvious. But for me, the clashy colours and feel-good pieces, styled with a bit of fashion attitude, are exactly what I want to wear. When I stumbled across this show a while back, I thought I'd save it to share when the sun is finally shining. Hope it inspires you as much on this glorious Spring day, as it has done me...

CALORIE COUNTING

2011-03-07T17:01:00.003Z

I am seriously trying to diet. It's just a little over two months til our big day and I feel like if I'm ever going to be able to focus on shifting the pounds it's now. So far, so good. In the last ten days I have lost an inch and a half off my waist. Having a pretty boy trainer definitely helps - plus an even more gorgeous fiance to look fabulous for...

My eating habits have morphed from spaghetti and scones to spinach and soya. I am limiting my portion sizes too. I still have toast for breakfast, but just one slice, and it's wholemeal and it's paired with fruit and yoghurt. I'm sort of enjoying it. Not in a way that I could imagine the regime lasting for ever (life without spaghetti is too tragic to consider), but feeling a little bit slimmer is putting a certain spring in my step.

Yet today something happened to scupper everything. We got sent the new Peyton and Byrne cook book - British Baking. It's out next week and if you're attempting any kind of Spring slim, steer clear. It has the most perfect elegantly English recipes, from Victoria plum cobbler to homemade crumpets. The pictures are so utterly lovely that my stomach squeaked torturously!! It's worth buying, just to stroke the pictures for a few months. Believe me, once those honeymoon bikinis have been modelled, I'm getting my apron on...

THE BIRD'S NEST BUN

2011-02-27T18:49:00.003Z

All hail the bird's nest. This look (seen above in Lanvin's catwalk show last season - okay, it's an old example, but it's still oh so pretty). I have been creating versions of this sky-high messy bun for almost a year now, but last week I bought a new tool to enable seriously colossal hair... At Ricky's, the one-stop beauty shop in New York City I discovered a giant fake hair piece (well my make-up pal Kit did and urged me to snap one up too). For just $2, it's helped me to construct a wunderbun in just minutes. Rough up the hair a little and I come over all Hitchcock heroine-meets-catwalk darling. Merci Ricky.

POM POM POWER

2011-02-27T18:26:00.002Z

My uber cool design friend Loz just texted me about these stunning pom poms and I had to share. The brains behind Pom Pom Factory, graphic artist Karen Hsu graduated from Central Saint Martins and have been a London-based window designer for the past year. I'm madly in love with her giant paper puffballs and wish I could have them floating through my wedding marquee - but with all our other visual plans this could be a feast too far. nevertheless, I'm still sharing here. Joy!

BEAUTY QUEEN

2011-02-22T13:46:00.002Z

I thought I lived a pretty glitzy existence... until this weekend. My New York hen do proved to be possibly the most fabulous extravaganza ever. My gang of Manhattan girls have more glamour credentials that Carrie et al ever did - including a make-up artist, NBC TV exec, Vanity Fair photo editor, Lucky fashion editor, Madewell stylist, Anthropologie beauty buyer and Us Weekly News Director. We were all dressed to the nines (a navy Stella frock, messy bun and fucshia lips for me) and ready to celebrate.

First stop: Beauty & Essex, a newly-opened restaurant that on first appearence looks like a pawn shop, but step through the door in the back and you're transported to a vast, cavernous eating spot complete with a sweeping spiral staircase, giant glittering chandelier and a free champagne bar in the bathrooms (Yes, seriously. Only in NYC.) We had a table in the centre and a continual supply of sharing platters including lobster tacos, salt and pepper shrimp, tuna sashimi, pork spring rolls and salt and vinegar fries. The desserts (coconut mousse, macaroons, molten bread pudding, layered devil's food cake) were impossible to resist and the pink champagne went down a treat. The best thing of all? There was no bill at the end!!

Next stop was Boom Boom Room, the impossible-to-get-into bar with 360 degrees views at the top of the Standard hotel. Crazy-expensive cocktails were worthy of every delicious sip (I had the lavender lady - lemony vodka trimmed with lavender sugar) and the views were staggering (also staggering: the news that Mad Men's Jon Hamm was drinking in a nearby bar and so wrecked that his girlfriend was requesting water!).

At 2am a slightly smaller group hit The Box - the hip, sleazy cabaret joint on the Lower East Side. Thanks to another hook up, we had the best table in the house and an endless supply of champagne. We watched acts so racy I can barely voice what they were doing, then danced for three hours straight (alongside some True Blood actors), and staggered home around 5am.

Crazy, glitzy, cool. If only I could always be this fabulous!

HERE COMES THE BRIDESMAID

2011-02-22T13:22:00.002Z

Just recovering from possibly the most fun weekend in New York ever. Please forgive the fact that the next series of posts is Manhattan themed but after an embarrassingly long absence (I'm sorry! Work and life got in the way of blogging!), I want to share all the amazing things I've seen and done over the past four days.

First on the list (but not on the visit) - the J.Crew Bridal Boutique. My amazing friend Lisa hooked us up with a last minute appointment, after the afore-mentioned black satin bridesmaid dress didn't look as good on the body as it did the hanger. While most people would have to wait three months to score a saturday afternoon visit, it's exactly where we found ourselves, languishing on cream leather sofas, surrounded by peonies and vintage Miriam Haskell gems, sipping spakling water and watching my bridemaid Kit parade around in a series of gorgeous confections.

The store is so elegant that it gave me not only wedding inspiration but home envy too - from the parquet flooring (oh and the black and white squares of tiling in the bathroom!) to the inset shelves with objet d'art like white ceramic birds, old butterflies and battered books. And of course, the clothes, which are exclusive to the boutique and include printed dresses shot with shimmery thread, embellished silk tanks, sugared almond cashmere and shoes with giant satin ankle bows.

Although Kit's original dress was a no-go, we found something even more fabulous, littered with frills and amazingly, in the sale. It's charcoal, so almost a LBD - a still thoroughly chic. Very excited - the vision is coming together...

BEE MINE

2011-02-01T18:48:00.003Z

How charming are these earrings in a bottle from Enelle? Not sure if I'd actually go crazy for bees hanging from my ear lobes, but the little bottle is just darling.

AISLE APPEAL

2011-01-30T18:13:00.002Z

Dress? Check. Shoes? Check. Statement headpiece? Umm. I'm still deciding whether to go veil/feathers/giant silk blooms/embellished headband. Actually that's a bare-faced lie. I know exactly what I'm doing, but as my chap reads my blog too, I'll have to keep him - and you - guessing. Anyway, on my aesthetic travels, I stumbled across Ban.do, which doesn't just sell these beautiful bridal pieces, but kitschy bows, satin hearts and tulle pom poms that are irresistible and the perfect addition to any outfit. Check it out if you're a bride who can't abide convention, or just a cool girl really.

LIFE IN BLACK AND WHITE

2011-01-30T17:53:00.002Z

I'm not really a cheesecake girl, but I made this a few weeks ago and became a little obsessed. In fact I had to invite friends over for supper again this week just to give me another excuse to make one. It's like the cheesecake version of a black and white cookie (which during my New York days I used to devour with delight). What makes this so good is the combination of the dense cocoa Oreo crumbs with the light creamy sourness of the cheesecake. The monochrome pairing is also particularly pleasing to the eye. Great for a dinner party of to bake on a Sunday and treat yourself to a sliver evening night of the week.

FLASHING FOR THE CAMERA

2011-01-21T17:53:00.005Z

Pretty much in love with all of this new lingerie from Agent Provocateur. From the scallops to the frills to the lace, there is just enough prettiness to make this racy collection feel feminine too. This is the kind of stuff you'd wear under your silk blouse and pencil skirt with a knowing smile - or even under jeans and a cashmere sweater. Yes please.

LIFE IS A CABARET

2011-01-21T17:25:00.003Z

Okay, there's still two months until we jet off for my hen weekend in Berlin, but I am too excited not to share our urban dwelling with you all! MichelBerger is a 119 room old factory building which has been transformed for Austrian carpenters, Swedish models, English rock stars, Japanese businessmen, German racing car drivers and American dudes (or so the website says!). It's basically an uber cool concretey hub of industrial spaces with luxe comforts - a tiled eating spot aglow with tons of globe lamps, rooms with wooden bunk bed ladders and crisp white bed linen, a library crammed with books and It-kids.

I am as excited about piling in a room with my best friends sleep-over style as I am hitting the streets of Berlin in our finery. I'm counting down the days...

THE SLEEPING PRINCE

2011-01-19T20:40:00.004Z

This is our handsome old pussycat, enjoying the sunshine on one of our battered armchairs, last Autumn. But he was a long way into the Autumn of his years and today, the lovely old boy finally said farewell. He left with a purr, and although we know it was the right time, and at the ripe old age of 19, he had enjoyed more life than most moggies, we're still feeling melancholy at his passing. Goodbye Oscar. I hope wherever you are now the sun is always shining and there's always a fish supper.

TUCKER'S LUCK

2011-01-14T15:42:00.003Z

Sometimes I figure it's okay to be behind the times when half of America seems to covet something we've never heard of this side of the Atlantic. That's how I felt when I recently discovered Tucker by Gaby Basora. I felt smug to share with you this gorgeous designer with her eye for luscious prints and knack for glossy retro styling. Then I discovered the collection already sells on Net A Porter. Hum. Forgive my sartorial tardiness - and if you haven't heard of this brand, prepare to fall in love.

WOOD BE GOOD

2011-01-14T13:04:00.002Z

When my dad cut down a slim silver birch tree in his garden, I instructed him to saw the trunk into perfect-sized logs and have since used them to fill the old Victorian fireplaces in my sitting room, dining room and guest room. They look pretty in a very monochrome way and I love the fact that they're a little piece of home. If my dad hadn't had a silver birch going begging, I might have had an attempt at this DIY version from Design*Sponge. A bit of tongue-in-cheek fun.

BACK TO BLACK

2011-01-13T17:08:00.002Z

I'm thrilled to tell you we have a houseful this weekend. Our lovely pals are heading down to London for park walks, river cruising, a visit to the aquarium and lots of good food. In celebration (and because I'm working late tonight and entertaining tomorrow) I treated myself to a bag of Ottolenghi's divine miniature blackberry meringues, with which I will whip up a pudding. I'm thinking a blackberry Eton mess - with the addition of whipped cream, a swirl of tangy lemon curd and a tumble of blackberries. Throw it all together and bask in the sharp and sugary wonder.

SHEER GENIUS

2011-01-13T16:48:00.003Z

I have managed to avoid sale shopping quite superbly. Okay, I did treat myself to a navy lace pencil skirt, but beyond that I've been remarkably reserved. Everytime I go to hand over my credit card (for a Sandro sweatshirt with leather elbow patches, or the Brora cashmere cardigan), I remind myself of my trip to New York next month to buy five bridesmaid dresses, or the one to Berlin the month after for my hen do and I realise a girl need to know when to conserve her readies. So yes, I've been good. But I faltered a little yesterday and succumbed to this Sleeveless Lawn Button-Up from American Apparel in white. It will work perfectly under a sweater now, or worn with a fine knit cardi and the billowy bow-tie from my Sandro shirt, and will be just as charming come summer with a pair of shorts. It has a bit of a Betty Draper feel to me, but the sheerness makes it va-va voomy too. A purchase well made? Here's hoping!

THE WRITE WAY

2011-01-13T16:38:00.004Z

Writing thank you notes is twee enough (although I'll never tire of it), so at least your notelets can possess a little modern attitude. I love these, which I've just discovered on J.Crew. They're from Connor's 'Write Again' collection, which until now, was only available in his Paris workshop or when discovered by the great and grand during their stay at New York's Plaza hotel (there's a little shop inside the lobby). Flamingos, rhinos and a classic swirly Thank You are also available but these loved-up pistols do seem very fun and just a little feisty.

IS AN LBD OTT?

2011-01-06T16:11:00.002Z

The chiming in of the new year was my excuse to ramp up the wedding planning. Actually that's a fib - I have been slowly and steadily working towards my vision and with all the big stuff booked and lots of the little bits made, I can now focus on one of the most sartorially exciting bits - the bridesmaids dresses. From the outset I knew I didn't want my girls to be wearing matching ensembles. I understand the need for cohesion but I think it's sooo much nicer to retain a little of your own personality - and my bridesmaids are so stylish it seemed a shame to limit them to a single dress. So I've pretty much given them a palate, a budget and a free reign. They've found dresses that they (and I) adore. But herein lies one itsy bitsy dilemma. One of the girls may wear black. Thoughts? I'm okay with it- black features pretty strongly as an accent colour in our wedding and not only is it classic (and very Chanel) it's quite an elegant way to balance all that blush pink. But our mums are not thrilled at the prospect and one of my most stylish friends voiced a little hesitation too. The wedding is in May so hopefully it will be a little summery, it's also daytime and fairly feminine affair - an LBD is def not the usual order of the day. So what to do? Stay true to my vision or tradition?

(HOT) SALAD DAYS

2011-01-06T15:56:00.002Z

It's January, so naturally I'm dieting. But this isn't a wagon that I can fall off next week. I have to be strict all the way to May. Ugh. Just writing that makes me feel deprived. So how am I planning to eat clean (ish!) and not feel like life is over (dramatic, yes, but what is the point in living without good food?)? I can't handle soup everyday. In fact soup is def not one of my fave things. It fills you up but drinking my lunch does not make me feel mentally satiated too.
And it's too chilly outdoors for salads... Unless they're hot salads. So this is where I'm at - jazzing up my lettuce leaves with hot stuff. Lucky Jamie Oliver is a whizz at winter salads, so he's my inspiration. Last night I threw together beetroot, peppered mackerel, hot new potatoes, celery and crisp mixed greens and drizzled over a dressing made with low fat mayo, horseradish, lemon and cracked black pepper. Tonight it could be chicken breast baked in red pesto, tossed with leaves, olives and feta or broad bean, pancetta, pea and pecorino. It's not rocket science I know, but it makes me feel virtuous without wanting to shoot myself!

FESTIVE CHEER

2010-12-23T17:35:00.002Z

Merry Christmas lovely readers. I'm sorry my posts have been a little sparse since starting my new lofty (okay, harrowing) journalistic gig.

I'm still falling in love with clothes I can't afford, pining for priceless antiques and determined to be a doyenne of domesticity, but I just haven't always found the time to share all that with you.

I'm also beavering away at our glorious wedding plans. In the times I might have been blogging, I'm now ink stamping cocktail napkins and lining invitation envelopes with 1960s printed paper. I can't believe I haven't shared the heavenly Swedish mid-century floor lamp I gave my credit card a whipping for a few weeks ago - or posted pics of the decadent chocolate cake, smothered in ganache, which my lovely chap made last weekend for a pal's birthday.

Along with all my other new year's resolutions (eat less, exercise more, only buy things I adore, control my inner bitch blah blah blah), I vow to share more of my Jackie and Marilyn-inspired musings. Until then I have a frosty voyage down to the Kent coast, a charming carol service at our wedding-church-to-be, a very special Christmas dinner with my mum (the first for many many years) some seaside walks, some pressies and hopefully some lie-ins.

Wishing you every festive happiness - giant, beautifully wrapped gifts, colossal plates of magnificent food and most of all divine people to share it all with.

SUGAR AND SPICE

2010-12-23T17:24:00.002Z

The last few minutes are ticking by before I can leave my desk and whizz away home to panic wrap presents, slurp port and sigh with relief that Christmas is finally HERE. But enroute I will be stopping to buy a jar of luxury mince meat to make my contribution to Christmas lunch - Nigel Slater's mincemeat ice cream. A domestic goddess I may profess to be, but this year the turkey will be my mama's domain. I'm on pudding duty, which means a Fortnum & Mason Christmas pudding and this light but luxe dessert, which is equal parts rich, spicy, sweet and cool. I'll be whipping it up tonight and transporting it tomorrow morning - unless I eat it all the moment it's made, that is. The wedding diet starts in January!

IT MAY BE SNOWING OUTSIDE....

2010-12-17T17:52:00.004Z

...but in my heart it's always sunny and I'm always dressed in heels and a full skirted dress which makes my waist look miniscule and bosom magnificent. Oh and while I'm at it, I'm pretty much always gliding through some Palm Spring style scenario with supermodel hair.

So although I'm about to stuff myself into my faithful Marc Jacobs cashmere coat, tug on a woolly hat and brave the bitterness of Kensington, all the time I'll be imagining I'm in this Louis Vuitton 2011 Cruise collection campaign. Sigh.

TEA PARTY

2010-12-16T12:47:00.002Z

I love a charming gimmick and these teapot pendant lights from Anthropologie have me really tickled. They give a gorgeous glow when they light up and because they're simply white china, they stand out without being too twee. Actually, they'd look fabulous in some modern tea parlour dotted over lots of little tables. I'm craving a cuppa just looking at them!

SALTY KISSES

2010-12-09T16:40:00.002Z

My passion for sweet, salt and snazzy packaging continues with this new chocolate range from Peyton & Byrne. I was already a fan of this small bakery and cafe chain (their white subway tiles are lined with pepperminet green plaster and the candy coloured bakery boxes are a profusion of prettiness), but then I saw this array of chocolates in inspired flavours like elderflower, marmalade and of course, Cornish sea salt. Now I'm a fully signed up member of the Peyton & Byrne club. Just awaiting my membership card...

MERRY MORSELS

2010-12-08T11:44:00.002Z

Normally this is about the time I start visualising my homemade Christmas cards. From mini snow scenes to piles of miniature wrapped gifts, my creative efforts have been time consuming but a fairly delightful way to spend an evening or two for a crafty girl like me. Although if I'm honest, they always start off being fun - glass of port, festive tunes ringing out - but after a couple of hours, when I have perfected three or four cards and am faced with another 27 to make (I always figure I'll make for 30 of my nearest and dearest), I become, how can I put it, a mite disenchanted.

Anyway ths year I have had a brainwave. Ditch the DIY crafts (I'm already up to my eyes with ink stamps and scalloped scissors for the impending wedding), and instead, share the Christmas spirit through the kitchen. I was completely inspired by this simple but stylish recipe from Dan Lepard in last week's Guardian, for edible gifts. I plan to make the Stem Ginger Macaroons and package them in cellophane bags, with Merry Christmas gift tags.

Hopefully I can make three batches in one night... I'll let you know how it goes.

Dan Lepard's Stem Ginger Macaroons

Says Dan: The flaked almonds give a crunch to the crust of these macaroons, which is very pleasing, because after it you bite through the soft and slightly peppery heart packed with pieces of ginger. They keep very well, so make a big batch and bag or box them for sweet, elegant gifts. These quantities make about 16-18 macaroons.

200g ground almonds

100g caster sugar

2 medium egg whites

150g chopped stem or glacé ginger, minus the syrup

Flaked almonds

Icing sugar

Mix the ground almonds, sugar, egg whites and ginger until evenly combined.

Roll into balls the size of a smallish unshelled walnut (about 30g), then press on to a mound of flaked almonds so a layer sticks to the outside. This is slightly tricky, but roll them firmly and slowly, and you should manage it.

Place the macaroons on a tray lined with nonstick paper, then heat the oven to 170C (150C fan-assisted)/335F/gas mark 3 and bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown, turning the tray halfway through the bake time to make sure the heat gets to the macaroons evenly.

Remove from the oven, sieve icing sugar over the top while they're still hot and leave to cool.

FOUR LETTER WORD

2010-12-07T12:31:00.002Z

Isn't this magnificent? It's by artist Pei-San Na and is made of a staggering 2,500 matches... and took 24 hours to make. Worth every minute I reckon. Just don't light it.

ANGELS PLAYING ON MY TONGUE

2010-12-06T15:58:00.002Z

We have just been sent a box of John Galliano's rose and ginger macarons, designed especially for Lauderée. Oh my God. This is the sort of sugary delicacy that makes me weep with joy. Sublime doesn't even describe them. The box is an elegant dash of feminine whimsy, but the treats within are the best bit. A mere hint of rose in the crisp macaron and a firey gingery warmth in the creme filling. The perfect combination of delicate and fierce. I feel like they were made for girls like me. What a way to bring joy to a Monday afternoon.

EVERY INCH A LADY

2010-12-03T23:10:00.003Z

I love this fashion story from the Observer. Mad Men may have ended this week on British TV (oh Don, why did you have to be like every other man? I hoped for so much more from you!), but our obsession with Betty and Joan style is going nowhere fast. And that's just fine with me.

IF I WERE SHOPPING

2010-11-30T17:56:00.002Z

on The Outnet today. I would probably have bought all of this. Well, if I'm honest, the boots might be a tiniest bit too Barbie. But I sort of love them too. Imagine them with skinny black trousers and an obligatory Breton stripe... right? Although I made the same mistake at a Georgina Goodman sample sale once and came home with bubble gum pink satin stilettos, complete with perspex and diamante bows. I wasn't sure about them at the time but the sales assistant was crazy about them and her enthusiasm osmosed into me. I wore them a week later to London fashion week with jeans and a white tee (hoping for that nonchalant rock chick feel). I haven't worn them since. Cost per wear I seriously screwed up. But they still look jazzy on my shoe shelf. Just like these would...

NEVER TOO YOUNG...

2010-11-30T15:35:00.002Z

... to start your fashion obsession. Although I've got to be honest, I'd happily while away the afternoon colouring in these gorgeous Rosie Flo books myself. For Christmas they have charming sets of postcards too. Love, love, love.

SCENTIMENTAL

2010-11-26T17:27:00.003Z

Could this bottle be any more beautiful?? My lovely friend at Anthropologie sent it to me today and I have fallen hopelessly for the charming details. The old fashion inkwell bottle, the gorgeous printed pin cushion stopper, the witty wordplay and the ethereal floral fragrance (they say it evokes rose gardens, high teas and happy accidents!). Happ & Stahns is sure to be adored by any girl lucky enough to receive it. Moi? A smitten kitten already.

STELLA ENVY

2010-11-26T17:04:00.003Z

How much do I wish I had Stella McCartney's garden? It's like a hipper Sissinghurst - part wild, part grand, totally beautiful. Read US Vogue's feature and become green with envy...

PS Stella has the same crockery as me - whoop!

COCOA LOCO

2010-11-21T20:03:00.002Z

I'm a floozy for charming packaging. Seriously. You can put anything in a pretty jar and I'll drop my credit card. I'm that easy. I also get excited about easy-to-replicate ideas, especially when Christmas is nearing and I get inspired to whip up a batch of something sweet to gift to my nearest and dearest. I can't decide whether I'm more thrilled by these simple but smart storage jars or the goodies within. In the past I've had a bash at florentines, mince pies and gingerbread stars. Perhaps this year I will be shamelessly ripping off Toast's chocolate mendiants, truffles or shavings of ultra luxe drinking chocolate... (or leaving it to the last minute and buying them!)

KERRRCHING

2010-11-20T16:14:00.003Z

My ASOS discount has arrived. Bring on the shopping...

H.O.M.E.

2010-11-20T15:51:00.002Z

I was lucky enough to score a gift voucher to celebrate the launch of H&M's home collection last week. I stocked up on white linen napkins and tea towels, bath mats and the laundry bag, above, emblazoned with retro text. I was a sucker for the whole range of old-school printed numbers but avoided the glitzer pieces on offer (frills and sequins? way too jazzy!). My new monochrome accoutrements have inspired me to freshen up my bathroom with a splash of paint... which I planned to do today. Umm, that was until I spent the morning in bed with a pot of coffee and a crisp new Vogue. My new job has made me cherish weekends, and I am just not sure painter's overalls are going to be donned today after all... Que sera!

COMFORT ME

2010-11-19T17:33:00.002Z

Also on my weekend agenda - this sticky coffee toffee heavenly stodge courtesy of Design*Sponge. I will certainly embark on an icy jog over Blackheath to justify this indulgence. But, let's face it, it's oh so worth it!

P.S. I am coveting this adorable loopy plate too.

WANT IT, NEED IT...

2010-11-19T17:00:00.003Z

...have to have it. That's how I feel when I open any fashion mag, but my new job has left me no time to shop. It's actually left me no time to do anything, which is why I must apologise for my posts which have been few and far between. I am afraid sporadic is going to be the way forward at the moment, until I stop being the new girl, discover where the water cooler is and find time to surf the net for moments of inspiration again.

Until then my blog and my wardrobe are suffering (my lovely chap is also suffering a tired, grumpy and sluggish fiancee - half nervous energy, half hopelessly exhausted). Back to the clothes. For a start it's suddenly got seriously cold here and I am not good with tights (weirdly itchy - I'll do bare legs until they go blue) or layering (curvy suddenly becomes chunky under all that wool), secondly I'm in a new gig where statement ensembles just don't cut it. Heels seem optional, shorts unacceptable, red lips non existent and decolletages nowhere to be seen. I'm like a fish out of water - all my snazzy outfits are OTT, especially while I'm still finding my feet.

BUT we all know a fashionista doesn't change her spots (or Breton stripes), so I'm determined a spree will get me back into sartorial serenity. I'm thinking ankle boots, sharp trousers, some sleek sweaters and a few outfit changing scarves. Watch this space...

DEAR SANTA

2010-11-12T15:05:00.002Z

It's a little early for Christmas shopping (I know there are sparkly lights lining the streets and shops are blasting out yuletide songs, but I refuse to get into the festive spirit until December 1st. I LOVE Christmas, but I can't get on board before bonfire night - you can have too much of a good thing). Anyway, I still wanted to share a little project I worked on just before leaving GLAMOUR. This is a page of the gift guide I concieved (and my chap snapped), for the December issue. I chose everything on it, because I'd like all of it for Christmas. Just a hint!

MERINGUE GANG

2010-11-10T11:55:00.003Z

I'm currently the tiniest bit obsessed with oversize meringues. We're planning our wedding menu and I can't get these giant beauties out of my head. Everywhere I turn they seem to bounce out at me, reminding me they'd be quite delicious piled high on a platter and served with strawberries and a jug of cream, Eton Mess style. My new office is perched on the edge of Kensington High Street and in the past two days I have spotted the unctuous beauties at Ottolenghi and Whole Foods. A sign if ever there was one...

A STATEMENT CARDI...

2010-11-10T11:42:00.003Z

... makes even the most simple ensemble look special. I have about 20 cardigans - for me they're the perfect layer, not too chunky, a little bit more warmth, dressy but simple. I always go for cashmere and usually a superfine knit. but until now mine have always been a simple basic. thank to these, all that's about to change...

THE ONE

2010-11-06T18:09:00.003Z

I found it. The one. The dress. (Not this incredible gown above, as captured by Tim Walker for Vogue, dream on!). My pursuit for the ultimate wedding gown felt pressured for many reasons - the obvious desire to look my most beautiful ever, combined with the determination that I wasn't going to blow a fortune on a frock I'd wear for less then twelve hours, plus the intention to do something a little different. As the last in my close group of girlfriends to walk down the aisle, I hope that I can still pull it off with some sartorial originality.

On top of this I wanted to discover a dress that would include both the Jackie and the Marilyn sides of my personality. It had to be demure but a little daring too...

I started with a marathon day with my mum a few weeks back - we did the classic bridal shops, where a litter of mothers-of-the-brides sat expectantly on cream leather banquets, all cooing with delight as assorted girls swept out of matching changing rooms in assorted dresses. Mum fell in love with gowns that I deemed way too classic and traditional.

Then we did vintage shops - but what I considered to be lovingly worn, mum deemed decidedly forlorn. The greying lace and wonky hems I thought of as charming just didn't tick her bridal fantasies (and let's face it, it really does matter that your mother loves it too).

I had another vintage experience with two of my most stylish friends, but their enthusiasm and the pretty old-school surroundings had me trying on dresses that weren't right at all and left me even more defeated and less sure of going the retro route.

Finally, after a little online perusing, I came across a current American designer who ticks all the boxes. Inspired by another era, yet with a modern twist - unusual, yet still timeless enough that I won't look back on the photos and shudder with horror. I instantly spotted a dress that felt weirdly perfect and stuck in my mind while I drifted off to sleep each night. When I tried it on a few days later, I knew it was my Goldilocks dress - neither too meringue nor too mermaid, too simple nor too ostentatious, too quirky nor too classic. Simply, it was just right.

My mum got teary eyed and we both beamed at my reflection while I twirled around the shop. I felt like Grace Kelly - with a dash of Jayne Mansfield.

I wish I could tell you more, but my chap is a loyal reader. I can't wait to share pictures, only six months to go...

KATE DOES LONDON

2010-11-06T18:01:00.002Z

I know she's seriously preppy and rainbow bright, but I do adore dipping into a bit of Kate Spaderie, and I couldn't think of anything that could add a bit of colour to a grey London day than a visit to her current pop-up apartment in Covent Garden. Filled with tons of her signature colours, quirky accessories, charming home accents and splashy paraphernalia, it's a great place to while away an hour and stock up on pressies for very deserving friends (preppy, rich one - if you have such a thing!)

PRINTS PLEASE

2010-11-06T17:23:00.002Z

Okay, I know it's been forever. An entire week in fact. I've been basking in the world of ladies who lunch, girls who shop, mums who pile into a Cafe Rouge with a crowd of toddlers, and attempt to make small talk over cappuccinos and tables strewn with smushed chips, baby veg and ice cream sundaes. It's been a blast.
I have had a week off between leaving Glamour and starting my new gig, so i've stepped away from the computer and instead filled my hours with friends, wedding dress shopping (more on that!) and basking in a lavender steam room and rose scented sauna with my beloved.
Now I'm back at the helm and counting down the days until i become the new girl, I have been flitting through the net to find my favourite new things. here's one of them - fabulous cushions from Madeline Weinrib Atelier. She's US-based but her selection of stylish soft furnishings have universal appeal. best are her pieces made with vintage Pucci and Hermes scarves. They're expensive, naturally, but show stoppers.

GOODBYE GLAMOUR

2010-10-28T16:52:00.002+01:00

As I write, it's just half an hour until my leaving party from Glamour magazine (chi chi bar! free drinks!). Yes. I'm going. And I'm still in denial (even my Prada-inspired party outfit of a nipped-in print dress, knee-high socks, patent shoes and film noir red lips isn't easing the blow). You see, even though my new job is a great career move (I'm off to be the Assistant Editor and Fashion Director - whoop! - of the Mail's Weekend supplement), I am going to miss my friends and the fabulousness of Glamour so much.
I will miss the outfit scrutinising and admiring. I will miss spending hours debating the saturated fat content of Pret A Manger sandwiches together. I will miss the razzle dazzle of our Women of the Year awards, mingling with the A-list and primping and preening as if we're the stars.

I'll miss my triumvirate of desk buddies - blonde, gloriously evil and hilarious.

No longer will I smugly be able to use the Glamour name to get me inside the hottest parties, onto guest lists, into the sample sales. No longer will I feel a swell of pride whilst sitting beside a girl on the train, who's reading a feature I've written (which happened just last night). New adventures lie ahead - putting my stamp on a new product, dipping my toe into the world of hacks and suits - real journalism, the school of hard knocks - the place from which anything is possible. It's scary, but I have never been the kind of girl to turn down a challenge.

And hopefully, although I'm saying goodbye to Glamour, I'll always be glamorous.

MONOCHROME MOOD

2010-10-27T16:48:00.003+01:00

I stumbled across these rather beautiful cupcakes online. I have a real thing for black where it shouldn't be (like on a pretty little cake). It's such a grounding colour in amongst all the frou frou that tends to happen around cakes - and weddings. Yes, I am still wedding planning away, and adoring every second of it. My fabulous pal Zoe is making our wedding cakes - that do have a few dashes of black - as do our invites, decor, flowers (some anemones hopefully) and perhaps even our wedding outfits (who knows, I haven't bought my dress yet - but I feel like I'm getting closer...). I love blush pink with black, and eau de nil, and navy. I'm not exactly a goth (probably the furthest you can get from it), but sometimes, there's nothing better than going back to black.

I KNOW IT'S OTT...

2010-10-27T15:54:00.004+01:00

but I am a big fan of this french dresser - at least you'd know where all your clothes were... It's by Wary Meyers and in the right bedroom I think it would be super cool. It's the kind of piece of furniture you'd create an entire room around. I see it with candy pink walls behind. I don't have any candy pink walls and I am not sure I'd get something like this past my chap. Plus I have a tendency to veer towards statement anything, because, let's face it, buying basics is boring .

ISN'T IT LOVELY...

2010-10-27T14:27:00.002+01:00

how a tweed jacket makes anything look more ladylike? (buy yours here)

COMPLETELY OBSESSED...

2010-10-25T16:23:00.002+01:00

...with these charming tchotchkes from Thé Dansant. I just love the way they have taken already aesthetically pleasing items and made them even more covetable. Great presents for your equally stylish pals.

PUTTING THE BOOT IN

2010-10-25T16:14:00.003+01:00

This Autumn is all about ankle boots. I feel like they're the one item that makes slim legged trousers, shorts and skirts all look fresh and completely now. But I am reserving my pennies as I have a pair of these newbies on their way from designer Kat Maconie. She's adorable (we had cappuccinos at Patisserie Valerie a few weeks back) and apart from being super talented, she's also marvelously savvy. Her USP? She puts bespoke rubber cushioning inside all her ankle boots. So they look like something off a catwalk yet feel like your comfiest slippers. Okay, probably not quite, but you can easily go a day in them... My pair will be navy suede. I literally cannot wait for them to enter my world.

TIME FOR TEA

2010-10-21T15:02:00.002+01:00

These new tea trays from Darling Clementine are day-brighteningly good. If I didn't already have a kitchen-full of trays I'd be buying one this instant...

EAR'S THE THING

2010-10-21T14:51:00.004+01:00

I'm really having a earring moment. Which is annoying, because I don't actually own a lot of earrings, so I'm finding it hard to scratch this itch without making my credit card whimper. Isabel Marant kick-started the trend for danglies again, but what's working for me right now is a cluster, worn with a slightly disheveled up-do - totally inspired (as always) by Mad Men. I also saw a snap of Ashley Olsen, a while back, rocking a pair of ostentatious clusters with a marl grey sweatshirt and I haven't been able to get that high-low combo out of my mind either... Anyway, I'd be happy with any of these from J.Crew. Esp the first ones. Sigh.
NB - I know the second ones are dangly, but I couldn't resist adding them too - how cool?!

MOUSSE MOMENT

2010-10-21T14:32:00.002+01:00

We have friends coming for dinner tonight (Newlyweds! Can't wait for a wedding post-analysis - it was classic, traditional and gorgeous - ribs of beef delivered to every table, delicious dessert wine, a hog roast and the bride in a giant meringue confection with a phenomenally wasp-like waist! Bliss!) Anyway, for a change, I'm on main course duty and I'm falling back on a new old-faithful: Nigella's toad in the hole with thyme. It's perfect for the frosty day (first day this year I've been able to see the mist of my breath in the icy air). My chap is whipping up a dessert. Literally. He's decided on chocolate mousse - light but louche. I've just emailed him this recipe for salted caramel chocolate mousse. How good does that sound? I have my fingers crossed that he'll indulge me...

LIGHTBULB MOMENT

2010-10-20T16:50:00.002+01:00

A bright idea (it's a wooden light bulb!). Brought to you by Urban Outfitters. A row of these would be pretty cool...

SOMETHING TO SAY

2010-10-20T14:57:00.004+01:00

It seems like everyone has jumped on the slogan sweater front again. And, well you know, I like type and I always have something to say, oh and I'm always cold too. So this may seem like a no-brainer purchase - especially after I stumbled across this love-struck version at GAP (available in the UK too). But then, everyone shops at GAP, so that pretty much means everyone will have this sweater. Also, it's so Bella Freud-inspired, that it just made me think, well I'd rather have one from Bella Freud. Which of course is £200 as opposed to £20. Which is why I always find myself broke!

WHO SAYS...

2010-10-20T14:51:00.001+01:00

cookies should be round and choc chip-filled? Not Cookieboy.

MORE SCARF WORSHIP

2010-10-19T17:15:00.002+01:00

Reasons I love this Anntian Scarf from Creatures of Comfort:

1. It's HUGE.
2. Lovely wintery hues - a bit of monochrome, dashed with rose pink for essential cheeriness.
3. The pattern is a bit Aztec, a bit geometric, very striking and immeasurably wearable.
4. It could jazz up a black blazer of sweater and skinny pants .
5. Yet is big enough to wrap around a black dress as a substitute coat (on the night's you can afford a cab!).

Cool pic too!

VERY VIOLET

2010-10-19T17:01:00.003+01:00

I'm such a cliche. I love shoes. I sometimes feel annoyed that all girls essentially love shoes and fall hopelessly for a high heel, completely prepared to blow our entire wage packet on something we can barely walk in. I wish I was being a little left-field with my footwear obsession, but I'm blatantly not, as my shoe closets attests. (On a separate note, I think our addiction to shoes comes from the fact that our feet don't really change sizes - unlike our bottoms or hips - so shopping for the perfect pump never carries the same chance of a potential body-hatred thunder cloud that a clothes shopping trip could prompt...) Anyway, the second reason I'm pathetically obvious is that I cherish cupcakes. I'm not a savoury freak (although I'd never say no to a hunk of bread and cheese), but I crave a sugary sweet treat like it's owed to me. And a cupcake? Well it's the pinnacle of charming cakey-ness isn't it? Yesterday afternoon I practically threw a childish strop and insisted to my chap that I was near collapse unless coffee and a cupcake passed my lips. I needed the sugar (but I'm not proud)! Had there been a Violet nearby, I'd definitely have snapped up one of their darling miniature sugar hits (calories before cravings). They're based in east London and have delicious sounding flavours like violet, salted caramel and fragolina grape. There's a new cookbook too... Irresistible.

BIKER CHIC

2010-10-19T16:38:00.004+01:00

I'm madly in love with these beautiful bikes. Imagine the wolf whistles and shout-outs you'd get atop these two-wheelers! I don't think they're actually in existence yet, but you can find out more here. My chap has been gunning for me to get a bike for a couple of years now and while nothing brings me more joy than zooming around the French country lanes near my mum's house, Joni Mitchell whimsily warbling on my iPod, the idea of London's nutter drives, smog and soggy streets does not exactly convince me that I'm destined to become a city cyclist.

PUDDING POWER

2010-10-14T12:29:00.002+01:00

So, I have old family friends coming for lunch on Sunday and along with roast lamb, I'm planning a classic pud - with a twist. I quite like attempting to tweak recipes (once I've mastered the traditional version), so this time I'm going to gussy up a bread and butter pudding with cherries and almonds (this cherry bakewell pairing can't-fail, right?). In lieu of raisins (which you sometimes soak in brandy or even Baileys), I'm going to buy dried cherries and leave them to puff up in a slosh of Amaretto. I'll use brioche instead of the usual bread to give my pudding an even more buttery, pillowy texture and I may even sprinkle the top with some flaked almonds right at the end too. I'm planning to follow this Jamie Oliver recipe and customise it with my own flourishes. I'll keep you posted, and, if it's a success, share the recipe!

JETSETTER

2010-10-14T11:48:00.002+01:00

This afternoon I'm jumping on a plane to Berlin - and tomorrow I'll be home again. I'm off to the set of the new Three Musketeers movie to interview the cast. This is in equal parts fabulous and kind of a schlep. The chance to hang out with a few A-list actors (like Orlando Bloom) and to get a glimpse of a big budget movie being filmed, never ever loses it's appeal, even after 12 years in the business. I still have those "I am SO lucky!" moments when I find myself fraternising with the famous, or getting an inside peek into the glitzy entertainment world or being spoilt rotten because for that millisecond (thanks to my job), I am a V.I.P. But (and I don't mean to be all cry me a river about it), along with the 'jetting to Germany', there is time to kill in different airports (and two flights in less than 24 hours), not a second to spare to actually explore the city, having to be charming, chatty and jazz-handy the entire time, and most importantly, not having anyone to share the experience with. The twangs of the world's smallest violin. I know!

LONDON TOWN

2010-10-14T11:40:00.002+01:00

I have just snapped up one of these gorgeous London prints from Bold & Noble. They're a new design for the company and completely charming. Totally up my street (actually my street isn't on here, but my neighbourhood gets a shout out, last name on the bottom right-hand corner - which makes me love it even more!)

MAJER PURCHASE

2010-10-12T14:03:00.004+01:00

Tipsy shopping is dangerous. Last night my gorgeous work pal Corrie and I went to a press event at Selfridges. We vowed not to drink. It was a Monday after all. We also vowed not to scoff too many canapes. Two and a half glasses of champagne and approx 14 canapes each later and we staggered out of the fancy launch and into the hallowed halls of Selfridges. An hour later we were a few hundred pounds lighter and carrying giant yellow shopping bags, riding on the high of a spontaneous splurge. We both snapped up a winter coat from chi chi French brand Maje. It's a new favourite (along with Sandro), one of those places where you want everything and can almost justify purchasing bits so long as you promise to love them forever. I could have bought everything there. In the end I went classic and splashed out on a beautiful navy pea coat with chunky gold buttons (above). I have a beloved knee-length black Marc Jacobs coast which I've lived in for about six years and will continue to do so, but this is my short snappy alternative. I completely love it. My chap isn't so sure. I'm hoping it will grow on him...

COAT UPDATE: After saying my new purchase was "just another navy coat", my chap seems to have relented and has since watched me sashay down the street in it and texted to say it looked fab and was a keeper. Corrie's husband said her chic minimalist black number with leather trim made her look like Trigger from Only Fools & Horses. Suffice it to say she's still undecided. But, seriously, what does he know?!!

BRING IT TO THE TABLE

2010-10-12T13:49:00.003+01:00

Sometimes I miss living in New York. Usually it's my incredible friends that I crave and the colour and clatter of the streets: the trio who seemed to get on my subway carriage at least once at week and sing 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight', the coconut and lemon layer cake at Dean & Deluca, the grandeur of those few blocks of Fifth Avenue between Central Park South and 57th Street, the cobbled backstreets and lust-worthy brownstones of the West Village, the buzz of feeling like you were in centre of everything - and anything was possible. Today I am just sad that this amazing coffee table from Oly, which I spied on Design Sponge, isn't available to buy in the UK.

WHAT I REALLY REALLY WANT...

2010-10-11T15:23:00.001+01:00

Right now. Sigh. It's all available here...

PAPER STORIES

2010-10-11T14:55:00.003+01:00

How cool is this wallpaper from designer Tracy Kendall? Apparently she creates bespoke designs as well as working with fonts, 3D and household objects (from a pile of old worn paperbacks to a fancy set of cutlery). I'd like to use the giant cutlery in my kitchen or dining room and the tower of books in my library (obv I don't have a library, but this is a minor glitch in my master decor plan!!)

WOMEN'S HOUR

2010-10-08T15:39:00.003+01:00

It's a momentous day for us, because after almost two years of dating, and four months of being engaged, our mothers are finally meeting. I completely adore my mama - a brilliant, spirited, beautiful woman, who I could happily (and do often) while away hours with over a bottle of wine or a pot of tea. I know my chap feels the same about his ma. Tonight, they will both stay at our house and together we will whip up a celebratory feast for them. After a glass of bubbly, we'll dine on Jamie Oliver's fig, mozzarella and parma ham salad, followed by a pea risotto with scallops (which my chap stole from a friend and has been recreating faithfully ever since) and to finish, Skye Gyngell's walnut tart (using the sackload of nuts my mum harvested from her French walnut tree) with homemade coffee ice cream (it's my second attempt - first time around I made it by infusing milk with fresh coffee, but the end result was weirdly powdery, so I made a second batch with instant coffee. Sounds declasse, but at least this time around you don't feel like you're slurping on the remnants of a cafetiere!). I'm hoping the conversation will flow and they'll be as smitten with each other as we are. I'm hoping for tipsy indulgent exclamations about how proud they are of us/how fabulous the nuptials will be/how well they'll co-ordinate their mothers-of-the-newly-weds outfits. But we may get handbags at dawn instead - we'll see...!

SKY HIGH HAIR

2010-10-07T14:11:00.002+01:00

This is my do of the moment - a Prada-inspired bun. It's simply a ponytail, backcombed to within an inch of it's life, curled into a bun and pinned on the top of head. It's prim and a little retro, but slightly eccentric too due to the size of the bun (bigger is better). Great tied with a head scarf - or if you're Doutzen Kroes a cable knit headband.

GWYNETH LOVES...

2010-10-07T13:40:00.003+01:00

Today, Gwyneth Paltrow's GOOP was all about her favourite food bloggers. Of course I was fascinated to read her picks. Ever since discovering she has a brick pizza oven in her back garden and makes her own stock I've loved her with new eyes (and that blonde/frosty/ice queen/Grace Kelly thing had already made me a loyal devotee). One of her top choices was the simply divine Cannelle et Vanille. It's practically food porn. Her images are so elegant they make you salivate with longing. I think I'll work my way through her blog, recipe by recipe...

HELLO BEATRIX... AND GOODBYE

2010-10-07T13:34:00.002+01:00

Just spied these rather lovely Beatrix Ong flats on the Outnet, and just as I was debating whether I could justify them/how I'd explain their spot on the shoe rack to my chap/what they'd go with/whether I am more a flats girl or a heels girls... my size disappeared!! If you love them too, don't wait a second longer!!

MAD HATTER'S TEA PARTY

2010-10-06T13:42:00.004+01:00

How whimsical is this Wonderland Cutlery from Hidden Art? It's probably a snazzy step too far for real life but it would be so cool at a themed party...

LATE TO THE PARTY...

2010-10-05T15:17:00.002+01:00

... Again. But this book is top of my must-read-when-I-finish-Jilly-Cooper-and-this-month's-British-Vogue list. Sloane Crosley is supposedly a mix of Dorothy Parker and David Sedaris and enough people have told me that her essays are a fresh and witty perspective on the same stuff that we all dwell upon, to make me hit up Amazon for a copy...

LITTLE MISS MARIE ANTOINETTE

2010-10-04T14:09:00.003+01:00

And here I am in my rose and gold finery, complete with a powdered decolletage, towering wig (in which I affixed an assortment of bows and a tiny pink bird), beauty spot, oh and a pair of gold Jimmy Choos (I think Marie Antoinette would have approved). My chap did a dashing turn as D'Artagnan. A few guests commented that we should just walk down the aisle in these get-ups. Well if the wedding dress shopping doesn't pan out... The party was a riot with more Breton and berets than the banks of the Seine. I also whipped up a vanilla cake with blue berries and raspberries to represent the French tricolor flag, which went down a storm too (it was from the Magnolia Bakery Cookbook - decidedly moreish!). Vive le France!

OOH LA LA!

2010-10-04T14:05:00.002+01:00

This weekend my chap and I went to a fancy dress party with a French theme. My first thought was to become a can can dancer, naturally (who doesn't love an excuse to pile on the plumage?!), then I decided to choose a character with even more girlie decadence...

IN THE CHILL

2010-10-04T13:58:00.002+01:00

Okay so it's not knitted scarves and thermal long johns weather, but it's definitely time to twirl an oversize cotton scarf atop your trench coat. These are my faves. Totally value for money if you consider it an injection of colour and pattern into your mostly-grey/black/navy-closet and a splash of style for everyday.

COMFORT EATING

2010-10-01T15:43:00.002+01:00

It's pouring with rain outside. And cold. Seriously Autumnal. This morning leaves in shades of gold, chestnut and amber swirled around my mustard Georgina Goodmans as I walked down Old Bond Street. We have pals coming to dinner tonight and there's only one thing for it. Comfort food. We received the new Nigella Kitchen cookbook at the GLAMOUR office last week and I've decided to whip up her Thyme Toad in the Hole for the four of us. The addition of a sprinkling of fresh thyme apparently makes this a small step up from the British classic, but there's nothing like a pile of pillowy Yorkshire pudding, drowned in onion gravy to restore you back to your former self. I'll be serving it up alongside red wine and Strictly Come Dancing. Okay, I know it's not a night at a chi chi cocktail bar, but just right now, I couldn't think of anything nicer.

PURRFECTLY TERRIBLE

2010-09-28T13:01:00.004+01:00

Ugh. Sorry for my lack of posts these past few days. I have been ill. Can’t drag yourself from your bed ill. Whimpering pathetically ill. My lovely chap and I both caught a stomach bug and were suffering tag-team nausea for three days straight. I now feel a shadow of my former self. The only silver lining being that my trousers are noticeably baggier and I look considerably more svelte. Such a shame that wellness will also mean weight gain again. C’est la vie.

P.S. This gorgeous cat pic by Tim Walker has nothing to with my own puce pallor. But it makes me smile and that’s about all I have the energy to do today – along with nibbling Rich Tea biscuits!

STRICTLY STICKLEY

2010-09-28T12:55:00.002+01:00

I don’t go a bundle over Cath Kitson. She may be charming and retro, but for me it’s all just a twee step too far. I do, on the other hand, love Lisa Stickley. Similarly vintage, she manages to stay stylish and just the right amount of old-school by mixing her pretty tea rose prints and whimsical scripty fonts with sharp fluro shades and lots of monochrome. Worthy of any smart kitchen counter if you ask me.

Z = 10 POINTS

2010-09-28T12:50:00.002+01:00

As many of my fellow iPhone pals are aware, I’m a Scrabble junkie. We’ve discovered an app that lets you play over the cyber waves with your wordsmith friends. I always have a few games going on (and get very frustrated when I’m beaten, thanks mum for my appalling competitive spirit!). These Scrabble mugs, soon to be available from Graham & Green (next month I think) are the perfect Christmas gift for all those Scrabble aficionado grandparents. Why are old people so amazing at Scrabble? My pal Kit and I have received regular whippings from her nan over the years (and she's pushing 90). It gives me hope that one day, when I look like Honor Blackman, I will also be the Scrabble queen. Watch this space.

FANTASY SHOPPING

2010-09-23T14:53:00.003+01:00

... on Net A Porter. Sigh.

KANYE STYLE

2010-09-22T13:41:00.004+01:00

The new artwork for Kanye West's next single was released today. V. cool. I'm interested to see where he's going style-wise and this album cover is the kind of thing I'd happy frame on my wall (channeling Degas?!). I actually like Kanye a lot. Despite his jumped-up ego and random bad career moves (the man seems to have no edit switch).
He was once supposed to attend a GLAMOUR awards ceremony but the day of the event, his management team sent a message that he'd sprained his ankle playing basketball the day before, so hadn't got on his flight. As you can imagine, we were distraught, disappointed and basically screwed. It turns out, the event was actually still a big hit, but for a time Kanye's name was mud in our office.
Then, around three weeks later, I was sitting as my desk typing, just as I am doing now, when in walks Kanye. No entourage, no airs and graces. He'd come to apologise personally to my editor. The office fizzed with excitement (which he seemed to barely notice), Kanye plonked himself onto my editor's sofa, I decided I wasn't missing out so popped in for the chat too. He was a cool guy. Completely immersed in himself, but along with that, hugely passionate and creative and inspiring - he had such belief in everything he did. Up close it felt more like drive than ego. He didn't ooze charm and charisma like some stars I've met. Actually he was pretty low key and mild mannered. He played us some Rihanna tracks he was collaborating on and showed us artwork and clothing designs. It was fascinating and I came away feeling a lot of love for him. What can I tell you? I just like his style.
PS: The footnote to this should be that I saw Kanye again about a year later, shopping in APC. We were the only ones in there. He completely blanked me. Ha!

KNOBS & KNOCKERS

2010-09-22T13:35:00.002+01:00

Just like the next girl, I'm a sucker for a bit of frippery. While on the Anthropologie site the other day, these door knobs caught my eye.

To me, decorative door knobs could act like a decor gaydar - any man who gets excited over them cannot be straight!

Anyway, these are just the right side of gaudy for me (it helps that they are monochrome, so seem somehow less OTT). I think they'd look cute on a white wardrobe, or maybe one of each on a chest of drawers.

CHEERS

2010-09-22T13:31:00.002+01:00

Spotted these kitschy toasting glasses on Etsy. The gimmick (you stick them into a cake, as you would birthday candles, fill each with a dash of something lethal, then toast) is pretty hard to resist - but then so is the comedy packaging!

KITCHEN SLUT

2010-09-21T13:06:00.002+01:00

In my mind there are different levels of sluttiness in the kitchen (no, I'm not talking about screwing on the work tops). I love an easy life, but I am still a domestic goddess with a culinary moral code, so buying a pudding for a dinner party? Definitely a slut step too far.
If I can be bothered to have people over, I am certainly going to make the effort to actually throw my own dessert together instead of opening a packet. That said, I am all for cutting corners: buy some langue du chat to serve with your homemade mousse, crush a deli meringue into your Eton mess or stir a jar of fancy lemon cured into your speedy syllabub and I'll applaud you.
I am definitely not above recycling though. We have friends coming for dinner tonight and others on Thursday. So yesterday I made a pudding to do double duty. Jamie Oliver's baked cheesecake, which I'll serve both days, with a cherry compote made with cherries from my Uncle's French cherry tree - livened up with a glug of port. Now we just have to practice our surprised faces when we see it again in two days time!

DIRTY PRETTY THINGS

2010-09-21T13:01:00.003+01:00

If my budget were bigger and my boobs perkier, I'd definitely be buying these beauties...

WHAT TO WEAR?

2010-09-21T12:45:00.003+01:00

Last week my uber chic pal Kit texted me to say she was already digging dressing for A/W 10. "Loving khaki/camel or navy trousers with a smart or check shirt and tailored jacket. Love that you can get ankle boots out again and that it's not all about jeans..." she wrote happily. I share her enthusiasm. Sort of.
As I write I'm wearing a pair of navy high waisted trousers, a marl grey tee and a caramel cashmere cardigan, finished with grey patent Mary Janes with towering heels. It's quite nice to layer - just a little. But what worries me is that currently the air has only got the merest hint crisper. What happens when just a cardi isn't enough and we're piling woollen layers until we resemble Michelin men? What happens when we've been rocking this trouser/blouse/blazer combo every day for six months and are beyond bored? Already I feel like I'm recycling the same few new pieces and although I love them, I wonder how long it will be before they feel like fickle friends who I'm ready to ditch.
What will see you through this season?

HOW DO YOU FEEL?

2010-09-20T14:25:00.003+01:00

Jonathan Adler + needlepoint = so cool. I could literally buy cushions until I couldn't see my sofa. I love patterns and prints and smart messages in great fonts. The vaudevillian nature of these cushions really tickles me. I have a smoky grey/blue velvet sofa and could totally imagine both of these nestled side by side. I'd even retire my 101 other cushions for a day or so.

I LIKE THIS.

2010-09-20T14:17:00.002+01:00

So true.

SUITS YOU SIR

2010-09-20T13:48:00.002+01:00

My gorgeous chap may have discovered his wedding suit this weekend!! Whilst returning from another incredible big day bash on Saturday (the most fun), we fought our raging hangovers and made a detour to go suit shopping on our way home.
I have never voyaged into the world of men's tailoring before and can now conclude that suits are all the same - yet totally different. It didn't take long for us to spot the subtle tweaks that separated a beautifully cut jacket and a badly shaped one.
We fell for slim lapels and sharply cut tuxedos (which we begrudgingly ruled out as being too dressy for our more low-key affair), we went cuckoo for a Vivienne Westwood grey wool number with brown buttons, which fit like a glove but ended up being slightly too jaunty.
We ruled out everything by Hugo Boss (yawn), anything with more than two buttons and anything majorly avant garde (unlike my dress thai suit will see a lot of action). We were surprised we didn't fall more in love with Dior and decided Paul Smith usually added one multi-coloured detail too many.
The suit that I think will make the grade (and I'll never know for sure, as after that initial viewing, I have been rightfully booted out of the decision-making process), is Alexander McQueen. And SO gorgeous. And made my man look Mad Men perfect. I won't say anymore as this is his gig, but we'll see... Exciting, right?

MO LOVE!

2010-09-20T13:43:00.002+01:00

I'm not mad keen on anything that's too comically kitsch, but these mugs from Pedlars have just the right amount of wit for me. I'm not a moustache lover in real life (sorry hipsters) but I am a big fan of monochrome, so I'd happily slurp form one of these fellas.

PLATTER MATTERS

2010-09-16T16:34:00.002+01:00

Okay, I'll admit it, I have a slightly ridiculous obsession with cake stands. Not only do I love the grandeur of a gateau upon a pedestal, I also love the idea of tiers of treats displayed so elegantly. Of course I have a few at home and of course, I'd like more. Top of my list are these lovely peppermint green milk glass stands from Re. Made even more covetable when paired with candy pink icing.

SMITTEN KITTEN

2010-09-16T12:52:00.002+01:00

I'm such a pussycat person that I'd be purring with happiness to receive a box of these ganache truffles from divine chocolate brand Rococo. All of their products are not only inspired and delicious but beyond beautifully packaged.

LONG LIVE THE LUDDITE

2010-09-16T12:35:00.003+01:00

I've always been a massive fan of Thomas Paul - his beautiful cushions and melamine plates already have a place in my home and I'd love to open my doors to these charmingly retro phone and iPod cases too.