Stratford Farmers' Market

This weekend was the Stratford Food Festival and since my foodie boyfriend was coming to stay we headed down to check out the stalls.

On the Waterfront there was a fantastic Farmer's Market where we wandered around gobbling up all the free samples and leaving laden with cheese, pies, beers and other goodies!

We saw a demonstration of how to cook and prepare lobster where the amazing lobster, watermelon and caviar salad (above) was prepared.  Unfortunately we weren't allowed to taste it, but it was interesting to watch the top chefs of the Eden hotels flexing their cooking muscles and it smelt AH-MAY-ZING.

The sun was really shining on us whilst we lapped up the music, street performers (any ideas how she is levitating?!  Got to be a chair under here trousers somewhere!) and the smells wafting around.

I snapped up a few bottles of these comically named beers for my dad, he often complains of drinks tasting like "cat's piss" so thought that would be the best one for him!

It was a really lovely way to spend the day and I gather it will continue tomorrow, check it out if you're in the area!

Pershore Plum

Just a few snaps of my Friday evening.  I (rather luckily) finish work at 4:30 on Fridays.  It's great to have that extra hour to chill at home, play with the cat and take in the Cotswold air!

There's no uniform at work, so this is what I wore today. (Just thought I'd explain that before you think I'm a scruffy old thing..!)

Denim Shirt - H&M

Plum Jeans - Topshop

Leopard Print Loafers - Topshop

Necklace - Monki

This is the view from my garden.  There's always a lovely sunset and I love the dis-used tyre swing which has been there since we moved in.

Most importantly!  This is my cat, Katie.  She's a little chubby but I'll be kind and call her fluffy instead!  She loves to be stroked and came to pester me whilst I took these photos so thought I should include her...!

Hope everyone has a lovely weekend!

Korres Lip Butter in Jasmine - Nude Gloss

This is the Korres Lip Butter in Jasmine.  PRETTIEST PACKAGING EVER!  I got a little snap happy but a box this pretty deserves every photo it gets.

I picked this up whilst in Canada as part my Sephora haul.  I'd heard a lot about it, primarily from Anna and thought I'd give it a go.

The balm itself is smooth and not sticky, very easy to throw on before work and during the day.  Its ingredient include Shea butter and rice wax... unusual!  It keeps lips soft but I wouldn't say it was particularly repairing if you're prone to dryness and cracking (as I occasionally am!).  So I think I'll need to give my lips some TLC before I reach for it again.  But I have been applying it throughout the day since I got it...

The shade is a lovely nude/pink but the balm isn't very pigmented.  For me, that's perfect.  In a balm I'm not really looking for a heavy opaque colour so the Korres lip balm fits the bill!

The scent isn't particularly jasmin-y but again, scents can sometimes be overwhelming and this one certainly isn't.

The packaging is absolutely beautiful.  I've struggled to throw it away but think the time will soon come when I must...!  The little pot it comes is in small, portable and durable, it wont be getting and dents like your vaseline tin!

Overall I'm really glad I bought this product.  Sometimes all I want is low matenaine pretty make up and I love a glossy non sticky lip.  It may not be the longest wearing but I sometimes like to reapply something as luxurious as this every hour or so.

You can pick this up on Amazon or Feel Unique for between £5-6.

Are you tempted?  Are there any other lip butters you recommend?

House of Fraser Blogger Style Challenge

I recently saw this competition on a fellow blogger's page and just couldn't resist taking part myself!

House of Fraser are offering the generous prize of a £200 in-store shopping spree to the best blogger outfit made up of products sold by HoF.  As far as I'm concerned finding clothes I love in House of Fraser really isn't a challenge!  I remember going in with my mum in my youth and stroking the soft leather handbags...!  Enough of that though!  Here are my AW 12/13 picks!

1. Phase Eight - Daria Sequin Jumper £65

Metallics are going to be big this season and what better way to showcase them than on some knitwear?

I love the texture of this jumper and also the fact that it can be dressed up with a leather skirt or down with jeans or leggings.

2. Oasis - Faux Leather Biker Mini £45

This is a lovely little skirt with biker style quilting on the sides and zip details taking it away from your usual leather body con. Love!  Leather is always a good purchase as it comes in season after season and will be one of the hardest working items you own.

3. Head Over Heels - Pashy Zip Boots With Studs £49

These boots are an absolute steal!  They look really high end with the studs, zips and detailing but come in very cheaply compared to their Topshop, Asos counterparts.  My ankle boots are most definitely my footwear of choice at the minute and are a must buy for AW 12/13

4. Decadorn - Prussian Leather Wrap Bracelet £36

A lovely metallic bracelet to create an instant arm party!  Will match everything.

5. Coast - Robin Necklace £35

A chunky necklace can jazz up any outfit.  Mixed metallics are girl-grungy and will match all outfits perfectly. I particularly like the rings on this lovely Coast number.

6. Nars - Duo Eyeshadow in Hula Hula £23.50

This beautiful duo of shimmering gold and rose is the perfect way to give yourself a glossy party eye.  Nars shadows are famously well pigmented and these gorgeous shades will certainly be well used.

7. Bobbi Brown - Creamy Eye Pencil in Jet £15.50

A classic black kohl will add just the right amount of grunge to this shimmering metallic look.  This pencil from Bobbi Brown is creamy, smooth on application and has a sponge on the other end for that lust-worthy smoky eyed look. Perfect!

8. MAC - Lipstick in Shanghai Spice £14

You can't go wrong with a MAC lippie and this gorgeous pinky shade will offset a smoky eye perfectly.

9. Nails Inc - Nail Polish in Victoria £11

Victoria is a BIG favourite of mine.  It is probably my most worn shade and I couldn't resist including it here!  It is feminine but dark and the polish itself has great coverage after just one coat.  A MUST BUY.

10. Viktor and Rolf - Flowerbomb Eau de Parfum £48

Last (but most certainly not least) is Flowerbomb.  A cult perfume and my FAVOURITE.  It gives a gorgeous, feminine scent which is spicy enough for Winter and floral enough for Summer.  It has to feature here!

And there you have it.  What do you think?

Will you be heading to House of Fraser this week?  I know I will!

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Tipsy

So as you may know I recently spent 3 weeks in Canada travelling around the Rockies and British Columbia.  Whilst I was there I spotted a Sephora and got VERY over excited!
After running in I spent a VERY long time browsing and decided I wanted to buy something that I couldn't get back home.  Having heard all the hype I went for this...

the Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Tipsy.

Tipsy is a warm, coral powder blush which boasts an impressive 12 hour staying power.  It's a lovely pigmented shade, I was a little surprised at how much colour I got from so little product so I think a stippling brush is the best way to get just the right amount of peachy glow. But I'm VERY impressed.  The shade is warm making it appropriate for Summer AND Winter which is rare in a coral blush.

The packaging is solid but not too bulky which should help avoid any cracking or damage and also has a mirror inside making it good for when you're on the go.

Now for the big question:

Does it last 12 hours?

....YES!

I have been wearing it for the past few weeks and can confirm it doesn't require any touch ups.

I know I will find myself reaching for this product time and time again.  It really does deserve all the hype it gets.  It's also good to know that it doesn't contain any parabens, petroleum or mineral oils making it kind to break out prone skin!

It retails at $25 dollars and is available in Sephora.  I'm afraid Tarte only ship within the US but I gather that these beauties can be found on ebay...

What do you think of the Tarte Amazonian Clay blush?

Hope you're having a good weekend!

Return of the rays...

What a lovely day!

I must admit I was a little confused when I woke up to Summer sun this morning since I thought that the time for chunky knits and winter clothes was upon us.

If in doubt, throw on a dress. That's my motto anyway..!

This silky turquoise number is from Topshop.  Really easy to dress up and down but best of all, so comfortable!

I like to wear gold accessories with turquoise so I popped on this necklace from Topshop.  It's one of my favourites and gets LOTS of wear because it adds a little but of interest to any outfit.  But my FAVOURITE new purchase is this adorable little belt from NW3 at Hobbs...

When purchasing this belt the shop assistant informed me his name was 'Derek' which is rather hilarious!  But 'Derek' is seriously versatile and going to take me all the way through AW 12/13 and beyond..!

It costs £39... yes. That's a lot. But it really will last and is already being worn on an almost day to day basis.

How have you been enjoying the sun?  And more importantly, will you be purchasing Derek?!

Summer Florals: a walk around Nottingham University

It seems a little silly writing this post now that the glorious sunshine of last week has descended into a typical British summer, but I'm imagining that the sunshine will soon return!

Dress: Kate Moss for Topshop

Sandals: Zara

Earrings: Topshop

Sunglasses: Topshop

Handbag: Topshop

When I have a spare hour and the sun is shining there is nothing I like doing more than going for a stroll around the lake on campus at Nottingham University.  There's so many lovely flowers and trees dotted along the route, not to mention the numerous ducks and slightly scary geese..!  I paired this floral dress with some studded sandals I picked up from Zara and some large red and gold drop earrings from Topshop.

Come back sun, I miss you!

Nottingham has the Elite Model Look

I was recently invited to a very exciting event taking place in our very own Victoria Centre, Nottingham!

Elite Models, the brand who launched the careers of Gisele Bundchen and Cindy Crawford have recently joined forced with the Capital shopping centres, LOOK Magazine and LOOK Beauty in order to search for the UK’s next top male and female models.  They have been touring the country looking for 24 finalists who will undertake a week long boot camp, the winners of which will compete in The Elite Model Look World Final resulting in an international modelling contract.

One lucky winner will also be chosen to be the face of LOOK beauty, and that’s where the fun part came in!  During the event, make up artists were on hand to give entrants a free make over using LOOK Beauty products.

I had a little chat with the MUA as she did my make up and she said she was very impressed with all of the products she had been given to use.  They were basically doing two key looks:  a bold brow and bold lip combo or a subtle shimmery eye which I have recreated at home...

The first look is the Shimmery Eye.

I have used:

Blush: 'Make Me Blush' in 'Flush'

Eyeshadows: 'Statement eyes' in 'Luxe' (lid) and 'Suede' (crease)

Eyeliner: 'Flirty Flick' in 'Black'

Highlighter: 'Glow & Go'

(all LOOK Beauty)

The shadows are well pigmented and 'Luxe' is a gorgeous glittery gold.  The glitter is quite large meaning it catches the light beautifully.  Suede is a dark brown shimmery shade, perfect for shaping the eye but also very pretty on its own for a dark smoky look.  The highlighter feels very nice on the skin and blends very well but isn't particularly noticeable or well pigmented.  It is a nice product though and perfect for the day time when you don't want too much shimmer on your skin.  The blusher is a gorgeous shimmery pink, lightly pigmented but builds very easily.  I can see myself using this product often as it is a perfect match for my skin tone and the shimmer is subtle but lovely.  The eyeliner is the stand out product for me.  It is a brilliant shape giving you great control over the pen, it glides over your lid and creates a jet black line with one sweep!

The second look is a bright pop lip and bold brow.

I have used:

Lipstick: LOOK 'Double Hit Lip' in 'Rose Riot' (see my review here!)

Eyebrows: HD Brows

Mascara; Loreal Telescopic Lash, Waterproof in Black

On the day, the MUA used a LOOK Beauty eye shadow to fill in my brows, but I prefer to use my HD Brows Kit (I never use anything else!).  As the lip is the main focus, eyes need to be kept simple but I threw on a few coats of mascara to make my eyes pop a little too.  The Double Hit Lipstick and Lipgloss Duo is actually a product I already own and use fairly regularly.  I often use the lipgloss on its own as it has a lovely candy sweet smell and gives a subtle pink gloss to lips without being too bright.  This look reminded me just how lovely the lipstick paired with the gloss is.  The lipstick is creamy and smooth and well pigmented but does need fairly frequent reapplying.  Despite that, I think it's worth the effort!

Overall I am really impressed with the LOOK Beauty range.  Because it is created by a magazine I think it is easy to be dubious about its quality but from everything I have seen, these fears are unfounded!  I was given a few more products to try out so expect some more reviews in the next few weeks.

The Elite Model Look tour continues in Dublin this Saturday, the 9th June, so if you are an aspiring model then get yourself down there for a once in a lifetime opportunity!  For more information visit http://www.elitemodellook.com/ .  Otherwise, if like me you just like a good make over, head over there and pamper yourself!  The LOOK Beauty range is available in most Superdrug stores.

Have you tried any LOOK Beauty products?  What do you make of the Elite Model Look competition?

Get the look: Pixie Geldof for Topshop

As soon as I saw these promo shots of Pixie Geldof I knew I had to get my hands on this beautiful brocade print cut-away dress from Topshop and here's how to copy Pixie's style for a fraction of the price!

Dress: Topshop £38

Shoes: River Island £35

Sunglasses: Models Own £12

Handbag: Ebay£15.99

Lipstick: Mac Amplified Cream Lipstick in Dubonnet

This dress is just gorgeous and it is so easy to take it from day to night time.  What do you think? Is it your cup of tea?

Review: Galvin La Chapelle

It isn't often that I have a meal, sit back and think 'wow!' but today was one of those days.  As a late birthday present, my boyfriend booked us in the Galvin La Chapelle, the third restaurant to be opened by brothers Chris and Jeff Galvin, already boasting a Michelin star despite only being open since 2010.  Nestled amongst the bustling streets surrounding Spitalfields market, the restaurant is timelessly elegant and, I assume, housed within what was once a chapel. (hence the name!)

As you can see the decor of the restaurant itself is absolutely stunning.  The high vaulted ceiling and the original beams are particularly effective with the beautifully simple lighting.  The room is light, airy and comfortable.

My boyfriend and I both ate from the Prix-fixe menu which at £26.50 each is unbelievably reasonable for the outstanding food that you receive.

I started with the pickled mackerel with shaved fennel, apple and cucumber condiment, followed by seabass with potato, samphire and saffron aioli and finished with the orange panacotta with confit kumquats and biscotti.  With the bill we were given an orange macaron and boozy chocolate truffle each.

Everything I ate was absolutely delicious, perfectly cooked and beautifully assembled.  My personal favourite was the pannacotta, the orange jelly on top was beautifully tart whilst my boyfriend wouldn't stop raving about the macarons, despite being so small!

The service was fantastic, as you would expect, very attentive without being intrusive or annoying.

All in all, a fantastic lunch was had, topped off with a wander around Spitalfields market, a day out I would recommend to anyone!

Where's your favourite place to eat or treat yourself?