Top 5 Summer Holiday Beauty Essentials

It's all too easy to get carried away choosing the shoes, the bags, the bikinis, day wear, evening clothes, beach-to-bar fashion and forget until the last minute that your beauty regime will need a bit of a boost while you're soaking up the sunshine.

Of course, by the time you've packed all those must-have fashion essentials, there's barely a wrinkle of space left in which to pack your bathroom booty...so here's my top five summer holiday beauty essentials, all of which have been tried, tested and re-purchased by moi!

# 1 - Creme de la Mer SPF 30 Protecting Fluid.  40ml £65

You're right, it's not cheap, but if there was ever a time to splash out on skin care, just prior to offering your face to the sun gods is it! I love this stuff with a passion; it feels incredible when smoothed on each morning and not only does it protect you against UVA (aging) and UVB (burning), but it also contains their Miracle Broth^™ formula, which was originally created to help fix burn scars.  As a cosmetic application, it seeks to heal and repair the skin - just what you want!


# 2 - Jo Malone Vitamin E Gel 30ml £62

I've written about this stuff before.  I'm a big fan! One small pot lasts ages and ages and it's just perfect for smoothing onto the skin at bedtime.  Pop it on any sore spots, mix it into your usual moisturiser - the Vitamin E will boost your skin's healing ability.

It's ideal for chapped lips and I've even used it around my son's nose when he had hay fever earlier this year; soft and soothing, it took away the soreness of a constant trickle.

 

# 3 - Ojon dry recovery revitalising mist 175ml £20.50

Sunshine, seawater, swimming pools - all designed it seems to wreck my otherwise very well behaved hair.  This stuff is lovely.  Spray it into wet hair straight after washing and it helps smooth and detangle but is so light you'd never know it was there.  It was a godsend last summer when combing out my daughter's endless locks!

It's a good sized bottle too, so will last WAY longer than your tan!



# 4 - Soap & Glory Butter Yourself Body Cream 300ml £10.50
 
Forget After Sun lotion!  This stuff is not only deeply moisturising and soothing, but smells heavenly!  It's thick and rich but not greasy or heavy, so won't sit on your skin and stick your skirts to your legs! 

The fragrance is fruity and light, the sensation cool and luxurious - why spend a fortune on after sun that you then dump in a cupboard when you get home? 

This one will last you for months...and remind you of those glorious summer days every time you scoop it up!

# 5 - Bobbi Brown Nail Polish 11ml £11

Deep rich colour in one stroke!  Nail varnish and me haven't been a great mix over the years - it soon looks chipped as a brickie's mug, and I end up looking like a scruffy teen!

This stuff lasts ages without chipping or flaking and glides on really easily.  The fewer coats I need the apply, the happier I am - so this is a real treat.

OK, so the colour might not be to everybody's taste...it's a very deep blue, but it looks amazing on my tootsies, so it gets my vote!

We all have our summer favourites, and these are a few of mine!

Harmony Balm @Home

OK, I admit it - this isn't actually me in the picture, and my massage took place in my sitting room, not the garden (which would be weird) ...but the important thing is that IT WAS AT HOME...IN MY HOUSE!

Oh the deep, deep, delight of being able to work right up till the doorbell rang, and then spend the next two hours in serious pamper heaven!

Karen, owner of Harmony Balm Spa in Sale, is perhaps one of the lovliest people I know, which makes any pamper session even more special - and this time she's come up with a corker of an idea!


I've probably confessed this before, but I'm a strange combination of always busy but naturally lazy.  I work from home and there's always a last email to send, or a deadline to meet, and this usually results in me either cancelling or rearranging what I have come to term 'all about me' appointments.  To the point, in fact, where the last time I had my nails done was early 2012!  It's all just too much hassle!

So, when I learned that Karen had decided to introduce a mobile service, my fingers fell over themselves in their haste to make an appointment. And what an appointment!  Cashing in a voucher my dear hubby had bought me for Christmas (he knows what I like) I booked a full body massage AND a mani-pedi!

Karen arrived on the dot and was soon set up in my sitting room; delicious spa fragrances filled the air as we picked through the range of nail colours she'd brough along for my choice.

There's not much to say about mani-pedis, but Karen is very good!  I usually avoid pedicures - my tootsies are delicate flowers that don't take well to being filed and prodded and rasped and whatevered, but this was wholly painless, plus I could see afterwards that it really does make a difference!

But the massage...oh the massage!  Karen mixes her own essential oils for massage, and also works with Spieza Organics, a wonderful business based in Cornwall, whose ethical and innovative approach to creating truly effective skin care products means you can trust them with your skin, no matter how sensitive.

In addition to delightfully fragranced oils, Karen uses hot shells.  These very pretty palm-sized tiger clam shells come from villages in the Philippines where their contents form part of the daily diet.  A teabag-like sachet is placed inside each shell; this is the 'LavaGel' (a mix including algae and sea kelp) which, when combined with salt water, generates enough heat for an hour-long massage.

The heat produced is consistent and controlled, unlike a hot stone massage, and the shells fit snugly into the palm of the hand, but curve outwards too, allowing a really deep tissue massage without any digging in or poking about!

Karen is a truly skilled masseur.  I have endured several lectures in my life from physios trying to fix neck and shoulder issues (I'm a WRITER, of course I'm online all day!) and Karen's smart fingers went straight to the source of the problem...but unlike physios she resisted any attempt to 'cure' and simply went for 'ease'.  Bliss.  Pure, unadulterated bliss.

I can't recommend Karen and Harmony Balm enough, whether you want an excuse to escape daily life and visit the Spa itself, or want it to come to you - you're in for a premium treat.

www.harmonybalm.com/about/

Carluccio's Spinningfields #2

It seems that we Brits are getting awfully good at standing up for ourselves when we're dissatisfied by service or quality; according to The Guardian last year, we've become positively professional - and with our new ability to make a fuss, has come an equal and opposite reaction from those businesses we complain about.

I recently had a very disappointing experience at Carluccio's in Spinningfields.  This beautifully designed restaurant is set in Manchester's stylish urban interior, where diners (both inside and out) find themselves surrounded by tall buildings and the bold and beautiful of this most fabulous of Northern cities.

I did inform the manager at the time of my disappointment, and she dealt with it exactly as you'd expect - no charge for the dodgy dishes and a free glass of wine (translated into chocolate pudding in my case!)  However, I felt that this wasn't enough.  A restaurant chain of this size, and with a reputation for good food well served, shouldn't be allowed to quieten down one customer at a time...so I blogged it here.  And they responded.

In addition to a personal email from the Operations Director seeking more information, I was invited back, with my family this time, to see if they could do better.

They could, and did.

A venue like Carluccio's is not there to offer fine dining, extraordinary taste experiences and innovative approaches to antipasti.  No, they are there to provide people who like to eat out at a reasonable cost with reliably good food at a price generally considered to be value for money.  The menu should remain fairly fixed, a daily specials list should provide inspiration and excitement, and diners should be able to expect, and get, a 'safe' dining experience EVERY TIME.

Our meal was great.  On arrival the children were immediately provided with entertainment packs and drinks orders were taken straight away.

The menu is pretty huge, with a marvellous choice of starters.  I chose Bruschetta, which was lovely, but I wished I'd gone with my step-daughter's choice of Antipasti di Verdure.  Described by her as: "The best meal I've ever eaten" (No offense taken), it was a cornucopia of Italian delights, from fresh mozarella to foccacia to artichokes to aubergine.  But then, my 10 year old's GINORMOUS pile of Calamari was also a delight, and I risked a fork in the hand on several occasions reaching for a golden ring!  Mike went for the Arincini again - and I don't blame him.  Delicious last time and delicious this.

Main courses were just as you'd hope.  My Chicken in Lemon and Capers (from the Specials menu) was fresh, zingy and delicious.  Hubbie's steak was all polished off.  Amy and Zac chose the Ravioli.  My six year old is not renowned for his culinary experimentation, so to see him polish off a child's portion of ravioli with ricotta and spinach almost silenced me. (Only almost).  Amber's lasagne was a success too; two fussy eaters, full to the brim...!

One more thing definitely worth mentioning is the wine list.  It's pretty extensive and almost everything on there comes by the glass.  I chose the Nero D'Avola.  I've yet to be disappointed by this Sicilan red and at just £4.50 a glass it hits every spot!

A big thank you to Carluccio's for their effort to set the record straight.  I had a lovely chat with the restaurant manager who told me all about the new chef, his experience and his commitment to bringing on his team.  Consistency is all here, and she assures me that anybody choosing Carluccio's Spinningfields WON'T be disappointed.

The Restaurant @ The Hotel Portmerion

You know how sometimes you have great expectations, and then the disappointment when they're dashed is significantly greater than when expectations are low...well, that's how I felt after a recent experience at The Hotel Portmerion.

Oh, it all started off beautifully and my expectations climbed higher and higher...but then, a tumbling down I simply can't not share.

Each year a group of six of us travel to a friend's holiday home near Portmerion for a weekend of unashamed doing very little but read, watch chick flicks, eat, drink and get merry.  A highlight this year was a table for six at Hotel Portmerion's restaurant.

Upon arrival we tucked ourselves away in a super little side-room, ordered drinks and perused the menu.  All good so far!  A Welsh gin was the key component in my G&T, which I have to say was excellent. 

We decided to stick with the set menu for £38 for three courses, plus wine.  A fabulous wine list was presented, from which we chose a lovely, highly underrated, Sicilian Nero D'Avola (spelled wrong on the list, by the way!)

After being escorted by the charming Maitre d' to our table, we never saw the chap again.  Amuse Bouche were brought that really set our tastebuds tingling; a superb teeny shot glass of seafood chowder and a lamb ball with a mint dip that I would have begged for more of any day.

Starters were also very good, perhaps a little underseasoned, but still delicious.  The pork belly with apple puree was just the right balance of soft and squashy with the finest layer of crackling possible - quite a feat of culinary engineering!

Expections rose yet another notch...and this is where it all went wrong for me.

After a significant internal debate, which eventually was won by my waistline I chose the asparagus risotto, as did two of my friends.  I had debated whether or not to go with the duck, but as I say, the little voice sitting on my mummy tummy won out.  Should have gone with the duck.  The risotto was so badly oversalted it made my mouth burn. At first I wondered if it was just me being fussy, but no, we had all put our forks down.  Meanwhile the duck eaters were singing its praises.

I called over a waiter, who seemed at a loss for what to do. I suggested a manager would be the best place to start.  This lady immediately took the plates away and came back to tell us that: "The chef will make more, and this time he says he won't put any salt in." Sublime to ridiculous?  True to his word, the next plateful was unsalted.  It was also undercooked.  Badly.  Gritty and unpleasant, we barely touched our dishes.  When the plates were cleared though we weren't asked if there was a problem. 

After the same lady had leaned across two of us to pass a menu to the third, we gathered that our pudding orders were expected.

My friend Jacqui has rather a passion for souffle, and her dreams came true with the most glorious passion fruit souffle with coconut icecream.  A deeply satisfied silence descended over that end of the table, supported by the happy winner of the blueberry and praline macaroon, accompanied by a lavendar ice cream bees would have fought over.

It's such a shame when service and food quality is so mixed.  Do I recommend, or not? Do I go back, or not?

I chose to write to Dylan Hughes, the Operations Manager, and am pleased (and relieved) to say that his response was excellent.  Aside from the obvious, an aplogy, Mr Hughes detailed every action he'd taken with each member of staff, by name.

I believe that this indicates a commitment to customer service that, on the whole, maintains the beautiful surroundings and amazing cuisine you can discover there.

And as Portmerion Village is possibly one of the most fascinating little spots in Wales, with its architecture, luxury accomodation and televisual history, then I would recommend a visit - and a meal - to anybody. 

Just avoid large bouncing balls.

I will return...with my girlfriends, for our next annual getaway!



www.portmeirion-village.com/

Origins Plantscription SPF 25 Anti-aging Cream

In the ongoing fight against those depressing visual signs of aging ('cos we all feel 25 inside, right?) Origins offer a range that you should definitely consider for your arsenal.

Origins Plantscription SPF25 Anti-Aging Cream not only offers an SPF of 25, but works to soften and smooth out those pesky 'fine lines and wrinkles' that threaten to make you look like your mother.



I suspect a lot of people have chosen not to try Origins products because of their commitment to using all natural products - seriously, how effective can essential oils and a pretty fragrance be? Well, pretty damn effective by my own standards, and reading the reviews posted onto their own site, I'm not the only one who feels this way.

Origins may formulate their products using only 'natural and certified ingredients, and 100% natural essential oils' and leave out all the chemical nasties like 'parabens, pthalates, propylene glycol, mineral oil, PABA, petrolatum, paraffin, DEA and animal ingredients', but there's nothing of the happy hippy, home-knitted muesli about this business.  It's all about effective skin care, whatever challenge you're facing.

I love this cream.  It's deeply luxuriant, thick and creamy and glides onto the skin so well you actually feel like you're having a wee facial massage every morning!  A little bit goes a long way too, so face, throat and decollétage can all have a daily treat.

The SPF25 protection is a real bonus, as most creams rarely offer more than SPF15, which is not ideal during the brighter days of summer.  This higher SPF of course means that not only does this cream combat EXISTING signs of aging, but works to slow sun damage and reduce the rapidity of FUTURE signs of aging.  It's an all round good guy!

Origins.co.uk

Café Gourmand, Hale

Hale isn't exactly short of smart places to enjoy good food, so any additions to the collection need to be very sure they can tick all the right boxes - location, atmosphere, menu choice and price.

Café Gourmand is a new kid on the block, so your two little birds popped along to check it all out.

The location is spot on, within a very short walk of the train station and even closer to the car park behind Barclays Bank.

In terms of atmoshere, well, it's a café.  There's no getting away from this fact.  It's busy, not buzzy.  There is little room between tables and the space downstairs is almost wholly swallowed by the very large patisserie counter (more of which later!)  However, if you want fine dining or a jolly old pizza place - then go elsewhere.  What Cafe Gourmand promises, and on the whole delivers, is the French attitude to high street dining - good food, well cooked.

The menu is pretty extensive, with a daily specials menu as well as the a la carte options.  While BB and LB made their choice, a dish of endmame beans in a sweet chilli dressing was popped down in front of us as a complementary 'amuse bouche'.  How very Hale. 

LB opted for Thai Fish Cakes and a side of Potato Wedges (naughty!) and BB dithered between Soup of the Day and a filled Baguette, finally opting for both, with the clever 'Soup and Half a Sandwich' option.

The fish cakes were clearly home made and hand shaped.  Packed with fish and flavour, avoid if chilli isn't your thing! Chili is clearly LB's thing, as she cleared her plate.

BB's Soup of the Day choice was Celery & Cream Cheese, accompanied by a Caesar Salad Baguette.  The soup was fabulous, the filling of the Baguette was perfect, but the bread part was disappointing.  For a café that claims to model itself on the French take on café fare, this was a bit of a shocker.  The  baguette was dense and bland and pretty tasteless to be honest.  I ended up peeling it apart and transferring the filling to the rather more delicious (dark and soft and chewy and mmmm...) rye bread that accompanied the soup.

Now - back to the Patisserie counter.  It's impossible to go within 10 meters of this and not start to salivate.  It's simply packed with the most delicious looking cakes, tarts and puddings.  The only thing that differentiates them from the ones to be found in a real French patisserie is their size.  They're enormous!  Your Little Birds, ever conscious of their waistlines, opted for a Strawberry Tart to share.

Died. And. Gone. To. Heaven.

There are no words to describe the reality...but here I go: sweet, sharp strawberries topping a creme patissiere (a wonderfully deep one!), all packed into a light and crisp pastry case Mary Berry herself would be proud of.  No soggy bottoms here.

Overall, Café Gourmand offers a very competitive alternative to the usual suspects of Hale's dining choices.  In terms of value for money, it scores serious points.  The menu is extensive, the options varied, the quality good and the portion sizes generous. The atmosphere is as you'd expect from a café, it's neither a place to linger for hours chatting the day away, or a fast food joint.  The service is brisk, requests are dealt with quickly and there's always a smile. 

BB and LB will return - those Strawberry Tarts are screaming our names.  As is the Chocolate Tart. Oh, and the Lemon Merangue is begging futher investigation.  The Brownies looked good too...

Carluccio's, Spinningfields

You'd think that with a brand name like Carluccio's, and 45 restaurants around the UK, this popular chain would be able to get the basics right, and indeed the not so basics.



But no, disappointment all round, and I won't be going there again!

It was a beautiful evening in Manchester, sunshine all day long, so Spinningfields, and its many bars and restaurants, was buzzing.  We had booked a table for four, at a relatively early time of 7.15pm.  The tables outside were busy, but inside was quiet, perhaps 20% full.

We stood for quite some while, wondering if anybody was going to come and seat us, and eventually flagged down a harrassed looking manager.

We ordered wine, olives, bread and water and perused the menus.  The olives are fab, no doubt about it.  The bread really less so - for four people one piece of foccacia, 3 pieces of rather dry french stick, two breadsticks and a flat, tasteless thing, plus a tiny dish of olive oil with balsamic vinegar.  Shame on you Carluccio's!

I chose the mozzarella and tomato salad; hard to get wrong, and they didn't, as such.  It wasn't great though - it had clearly had a dusting of salt, but the olive oil was boring, not fresh, peppery and fruity like it should be, and I had to ask for black pepper.

My main course however was a disaster, start to finish.  I LOVE calves liver.  Hubs doesn't though, so I only get my chops around it when we're out.  The menu description of pan fried calves liver, with red onion jam and sauté potatoes called out to me, and I answered.  Unfortunately the chef clearly doesn't have the same regard for this dish as I do.  The liver hadn't been prepared properly and was almost impossible to cut through, with the outer sheath left on and a few minutes too long in the pan.  A generous helping of potatoes didn't make up for this, nor did the rather glutinous onion jam.  A side order of courgette, red pepper and aubergine in tempura batter blew my recommended daily allowance of salt out the water for a week - I am not averse to a generous sprinkling of sea salt on crispy battered veggies, but I think the chef used a winter salt shovel on this occasion.

At this point, to be fair, I have to refer to the experience of my fellow diners: two started with the Arancini, which were fabulous (see this recipe, I'm going to give it a whirl!) the steak was 'good' and the veal was 'wonderful', testified to by two clear plates.  The Carbonara however was underseasoned (perhaps I got hers?) and the pancetta untrimmed and undercooked, leaving big white fatty strips that are horribly unappetising.

I spoke to the manager, who had been racing around like a mad woman all night (staffing issues?) and she dealt with my disappointment calmly and admirably - no debate, just an immediate apology and stripping the cost off the final bill, with puddings for all as recompense.

It's a huge shame when businesses take their customers for granted, selling themselves on a name and a history of success.  I'll never go back there, and I suspect I'm not alone.  I'm not hard to please, but I do expect a certain level of quality and service, both of which were missing.  It's easy to rely upon a great location and ever changing clientele, but laziness and complacency will eventually lead to disaster - time to get your act together Carluccio's!

carluccios.com

Linen Loft at Home

I recall the days of the original home selling party...back in the '70s when my mum would set off to a Tupperware or Oriflame party and come home with stuff that would simply take up space in the kitchen or bathroom cabinet.

I personally have always avoided this type of event, on the basis that I am more than likely to be tempted to make spontaneous purchases of items for which I have no need and no previous desire.


But last week I found myself agreeing to attend a Linen Loft at Home party being hosted by a close friend, in her sitting room, with unlimited bottles of Prosecco and home-made chocolate brownies on tap.  What's not to like?

So, off I toddled, 'Slightly Cynical' head firmly screwed on...and I had a thoroughly enjoyable evening!

Linen Loft at Home was set up by Cheshire mum Joanne Napier. Frustrated by the dearth of flexible working opportunities open to similar, highly intelligent and versatile women, she investigated the plethora of opportunities in home selling, only to decide that they all either were far too complicated  or the margins were too tiny to facilitate a decent income.  Not being one to take bad news lying down, she set up her own company, designed the way she wanted it to be.  And it seems to work!

Linen Loft at Home sells luxury towels, bedlinen, kitchen gifts by Emma Bridgewater and quirky stuff from The Bright Side, gorgeous nightwear and bedroom bits for kids, incredible faux fur throws, delicious pure wool wraps, Max Benjamin candles and diffusers...loads in fact. (See their online brochure for a better overview!)

The Home Stylist sets up a display of various samples from their core range, plus seasonal bits and bobs and then does a brief introduction explaining it all, before leaving guests to come over and have a feel and a sniff of everything.

It's a bit like a browse around a lovely shop, but in a far more comfortable environment and with a glass in your hand - which never happens at John Lewis!  The quality of the items for sale was astounding, when you see what the prices are.  No retail shop overheads or fixed staff wages you see; the Home Stylists earn commission on anything they sell and the party host receives 10% of the total value of party sales to put towards her own Linen Loft purchases.

I enjoyed the event so much, I'm actually planning one of my own!

Not only does a Linen Loft party bring your best friends together in one place for an out-of-the-ordinary event, but you're supporting a Cheshire mum in achieving her objectives and helping grow a Cheshire business.  It's a pure win-win!

www.linenloft.co.uk

L'Oreal Nude Magique CC Cream

I think I may be a little bit in love. 

I put my hands up, I'm a lazy so-and-so and the thought of slapping full make-up on every morning leaves me cold.  Luckily I work from home, so thus far it's been a sporadic, 'uh-oh, I'm meeting clients' requirement!  Unfortunately, age is finally showing its hand and I was beginning to think that perhaps an extra session in front of the mirror each morning was going to become a necessity. 

Then along come the clever bods at L'Oréal and invent CC Cream!



CC stands for 'Colour Correcting' and the creams are designed to help create smooth and flawless skin without the heaviness of a full foundation, they also moisturise and have an SPF of 12. L'Oréal says: "The magic Smart Pigment Capsules in a feather-light hydrator transform into foundation on application.  A perfect nude look with buildable light-weight coverage."

 

They have released three formulas, green to 'neutralise redness', apricot to 'revive tired skin' and mauve to 'transform dullness'.  I have quite flushed cheeks so I thought this might work for me and popped to Boots so I could test them all.  I was quite horrified by the green cream however!  It comes out of the tube a soft, pale green and then transforms to a really quite dark shade of tan on the skin!  Not so much a colour corrector for me as a face-paint!  The apricot shade didn't work for me either, but the mauve does wonders!

 

You have to shake the tube well before use, but then a slick of the cream rubbed across your finger tips glides over a lot of skin to give a very light, but very good coverage.  I am impressed by the whole 'moisturiser/tint/SPF' in one approach concpet, but SPF 12 isn't really high enough and I apply my own SPF face cream first, and when this is fully absorbed go for the CC cream.  It adds about 90 seconds to my morning mirror-time and gives a lovely, smooth but not overly made-up finish.

 

It already forms a fixed part of my daily routine and I was told how healthy I was looking the other day! (Not sure if previously I looked ill, but hey, grab the compliments while you can I say!)

 

L'Oréal are offering free testers on their website at the moment, so click here today and grab yourself some, it may transform your mornings!

 

 



Flower of Gold Cheshire Rapeseed Oil

Rapidly becoming the darling of top chefs, rapeseed oil is pushing its way into the public's culinary conscious as the 'British olive oil' - but why?

 

Originally grown as a lubricant for steam engines, fields of rapeseed has been part of the British countryside for generations.  Today however new culinary strains have been developed and the consequent meadows of gold have become a ubiquitous part of the British countryside, and while we may take the acres of golden flowers for granted, or even curse their hayfever inducing pollen, they are proving a considerable draw for visitors to the UK - indeed, Japanese tourists are travelling here on specially arranged holidays to see it in bloom! 

 

Rapeseed oil has considerable health benefits; it contains half the saturated fat of olive oil (7% compared to 14% in oliver oil or 51% in butter) and is high in omega-3 and omega-6.  It is also high in unsaturated fats, which helps reduce cholesterol levels. Knowing this it's no surprise that it's been picked up by the healthy brigade, but why are our top chefs dumping the tasty glories of olive oil in it's favour? I brought a bottle of Cheshire's own Flower of Gold rapeseed oil into my own kitchen and used it to replace my usual light olive oil in everything I cooked for a week - and it's actually not hard to answer that question now!

 

The oil has a high flashpoint, which means it can be used for frying or high temperature roasting where olive oil can't.  The gorgeous golden colour of rapeseed oil also transfers itself to the food - making for gloriously golden roasties and sauté potatoes.  I'm advised that it makes an excellent mayonaise, though I haven't tried this!  I did make up a salad dressing, with some red wine vinegar and mustard and honey, and actually think it doesn't work here, as it's too heavy.  It doesn't work all on its own either, in my opinion, drizzled on tomatoes or goats cheese - I'm afraid nothing will replace my love of extra virgin olive oil for that!

 

The taste is mildly nutty and smooth, and doesn't leave any strong essence of itself on other foods when cooking with it, but it doesn't really work for me 'raw', as it were.  I found that it doesn't soak into fried vegetables the way light olive oil can, perhaps because you can turn up the heat with no fear of burning it.  The only real negative point is that fragrance is not pleasant, to be honest - but as sniffing oil isn't a regular past-time of mine, I can get past that!

 

All in all, when you take the culinary benefits (taste and practical use) and the health benefits, I think a bottle of rapeseed oil should be added to every kitchen, replacing vegetable oils or sunflowers oils which are generally imported...and here's the best bit...pretty much every bottle of rapeseed oil you'll find on a supermarket shelf comes from UK farms! And if you want to really reduce your food miles...our very own Cheshire grown Flower of Gold rapeseed oil is just perfect.

Now being stocked at ASDA and online at Artisan Foods, you too can support the healthy oil revolution while buying better than British...and buying Cheshire!

 

 

 

The Merlin, Alderley Edge

Big Bird loves a mid-week lunch with friends, and it happens infrequently enough to make it feel like a special occasion, A favourite spot for some time now has been The Merlin, in Alderley Edge.






The Merlin calls itself a pub, but it's done Alderley Edge style, so has seriously stylish interiors and a menu guaranteed to cause decision stress! 

We start, as does any sensible woman, with the wine list.  It's extensive but not silly and there's lots to choose from by the glass.  The obvious wines are there - a Pinot Grigio, a Sauvignon Blanc, a Merlot, a Malbec - but there are also some less well known and these are definitely worth an explore.  I fancied a rosé (not like me, but was feeling pink!) and thoroughly enjoyed my glass of Cerusuolo (£4.75), from Montepulciano.  Very undemanding, softly fragrant and with a low acidity and short finish.  Perfect when you're making it last across two courses.

We shared the Mediterranean Mezze (£11.95) to start.  It was OK, but rather heavy on the bread and low on the rest.  They offered 'baba ghanoush, harissa hummus, tzatziki, chermoula crusted flatbread & hazelnut dukkah crusted aubergines.'  That's what we got, but only three slices of aubergine and smallish dollops of the dips.  The aubergine was fabulous (hence my wish that they'd been a little more generous!) and the dips very flavoursome. But Merlin...this is Cheshire, more - this is Alderley Edge!  We ladies prefer to limit our carbs - so less bread and more of the tasty stuff next time please!

Now, on to our main courses.  My Pancetta Hash (£7.45) came off the starter list and promised 'savoy cabbage, pancetta lardons and potato with béchamel sauce, topped with a free-range hen’s egg and crispy pancetta'.  It was exactly what it promised and was deliciously, carb-ladenly, luscious.  The starter size was enough, and I didn't need the bread. Crispy chunks of ham wrapped in a thick, creamy sauce with squidgey chunks of soft potato. I'd have liked more cabbage (one has to get one's five a day somehow) and a sprinkle more black pepper, but I'd definitely order it again.

My friend chose the Duck Salad (£11.95).  This was good too. Described as 'crispy duck tossed with mooli, sesame seeds, carrot & cucumber in a plum & hoisin sauce', it met expectations and was polished off happily.

Once again, a lovely lunch in wonderful surroundings.  I'll keep going back because I know I can always rely on the food, the wine, the service and the surroundings to make my very rare lunches with friends a real treat with no risk.  I will be asking for more aubergines next time though.

The Merlin, Wilmslow Road, Alderley Edge, SK9 7QL
01625 599 959

SOVANA.CO.UK

If like Little Bird you love your jewellery, and more specifically, you love your bling, then you really should check out a hidden gem on our doorstep…

Sovana.co.uk is a Cheshire-based online jewellery retailer, specialising in glamorous, funky and fabulous British Brands.  Stocking Pranella, Crystal Couture, Gemini London (genuine Swarovski), and Ingenious, they truly have something for everyone, and boys, if you are reading this, then you can score some serious brownie points by gifting your beloved something from here.

And if you’re stuck and don’t know what to buy, the owner will gladly help guide you, providing a knowledgeable and fashionable choice – you can’t go wrong…  And the best bit?  She won’t tell anyone, so you can claim all the credit yourself! 

New this Spring is the very covetable range of Scarves by Pranella, who started out life as a semi-precious jewellery company, and who present a high fashion collection every season, with hand-strung and very, very wearable pieces.

For all you ladies going to the Races this Summer (please, please say we are going to actually get one…) there is a fabulous red-carpet collection from Gemini London, and for those wanting something a little more subtle, but still sparkly-fabulous, then try Crystal Couture by Sovana.

If you will pardon the pun, this is a little gem of a website – fantastic, fashionable, affordable – what more could a girl want…

www.sovana.co.uk

CAFÉ ISTANBUL, KNUTSFORD

Little Bird, and Little Bird’s mother – they say yes!  Which is no mean feat considering one of them is gluten free and dairy free, and the other a notoriously fussy eater!

Café Istanbul has just opened in Knutsford, replacing what used to be Primavera, on King Street.  It’s been open just six weeks, but you would never know, the service is very smooth.

Café Istanbul is expanding quite rapidly, having started out with its flagship restaurant on Quay Street in Manchester, and now has restaurants in Prestwich, Knutsford and Redcar in Leeds.  As a group they’ve been going 32 years, impressive longevity (two recessions!) and plenty time to perfect their offering.

The great thing about Turkish restaurants in general, and this one in particular, is the sheer breadth of the menus.  You would be very hard pushed not to be able to find something you like, and so it’s a great choice for family dining, as there is genuinely something for everyone. 

LB and LB’s Mother visited Easter Bank Holiday Monday for dinner, and we had Hummus and Pitta Bread to start – yes, I know, not very adventurous, but then again, there’s nowhere to hide with the simple stuff!  One portion was more than enough to share as a starter – I’m sure the male readership will be delighted to hear that it was mansize portions all round!  The hummus was lovely – not too salty, and just wonderful on warm, fresh pitta bread.

Then we both happened to choose the same main course – the excellent Lamb Yahni - lamb in paprika, onion and red wine sauce slow cooked until tender. Just delicious.  Meltingly soft, and warm from the paprika, but sweet and very, very more-ish.  Served with rice and salad in just the right amount.  We couldn’t finish the lamb itself as we ladies can’t manage a mansize portion, but we would have done if we could have done!

By this stage we were too full for pudding (not at all like us), so we gracefully retired after starters and mains.  The bill came to £33, which we thought was excellent value.  They also do a lunchtime menu – two courses plus a drink – for £8.95, we’d highly recommend giving it a whirl, and we will definitely be going back.  Top tip – go hungry!

 

125 King Street
Knutsford
WA16 6EH
01565 632 576

istanbulgrillknutsford.co.uk

ASTALIFT

It takes a lot to impress Little Bird, with her 20 years of experience in the cosmetics indusry, but I have to say, the new skincare range from Astalift does exactly that. And better still, it performs better than some of its more premium competitors for less money – what’s not to like?!

Little Bird tried the Astalift Discovery Set, which at £49 is a great value pack, giving you a four week supply of Aquarysta Jelly and a six week supply of day and night cream, and a four month supply of eye cream. 


It also gives you a Cleansing Oil product, but I can’t comment on that one as I didn’t use it (I just don’t like cleansing oil as a format, although I have friends who are evangelical about it). 

The good thing about offering a pack like this, and other cosmetic companies take note, is that it actually gives you enough of the stuff to do a meaningful trial, meaning any repurchase is purely because you have used enough of it to know if it is going to work for you, without having had to outlay a small fortune for an entire range.

The ‘Jelly’ is used like a serum – and after four weeks of use (morning and night before the moisturisers), I can safely say Little Bird’s lines were definitely less deep – particularly the pesky forehead lines and nose to mouth lines.  Result.

Now, Little Bird is hardly the most aged specimen on the planet, and isn’t really old enough (a tender 42) to have any significant degree of ‘sag’ going on, but that said, when she puts the Day Cream on her skin definitely feels ‘whoa, that’s firm.’  It’s a lovely unctuous texture, good for dry skin, but not so rich as to leave you shiny. 

The Night Cream is very ‘feel good’, and is more unctuous still, making you look plumped up and radiant on waking (big result).

The Eye Cream is nothing short of miraculous.  The full size eye cream retails at £40, and is a true bargain in terms of its efficacy.  Little Bird usually uses a £104 eye cream (scandalous, I know, but in my defence I did inherit it from my mother), which is a very, very good eye cream.  But I would have to say at £40 this is definitely better.  Just to be sure, Little Bird only did one eye for 4 weeks to see the difference, and the difference was very definite.  It has fantastic line-reducing properties, and again was very smoothing and firming.  And the best bit… it doesn’t ‘rub off’ when makeup is applied over the top of it.  (I’ve now applied the cream to both eyes, as my slightly piratical lopsided look was starting to alarm my neighbours!)

All in all, Little Bird fielded many compliments during her trial time, and was seriously impressed.  Just for once, a cosmetic company has come good with its promise to make you look radiant.

Top Tip – order online from Debenhams.com when they have a mega day, and you’ll get an extra 10% off.  Otherwise available from Boots.com, and Astalift.co.uk

Polished Glass

Red Tern, by iitala

Polished Glass in Knutsford has to be one of the nicest gift shops around, in my opinion.  The shop is run by the very charming Maureen Kulikowska and her husband John, who have been in the same premises for some time now, so they know both their customers and their stock extremely well.

Little Bird first discovered Polished Glass about six years ago, whilst out shopping for a friend’s birthday present.  The friend ended up with nothing, but Little Bird got a great necklace and pair of earrings from the outing! (Shame on Little Bird, bad friend!)

To be fair, she did actually go back (hanging her head in shame) a week later to get her friend a pendant necklace.  Over the following six years, Polished Glass became the staple ‘go to’ for all manner of presents, and of course, Little Bird now has an enviable collection of jewellery to boot ;0)

Sunset Storm Ocean Vessel, by Graham Muir

Maureen first opened her business as a source of Polish glass (hence the name, geddit?) but in the years since discovered so many talented glass-makers, both at home and all over Europe, that you can now find glass art, jewellery, vases, glasses, coasters…etc, from all over the place.

Maureen and John have a wealth of knowledge about all their chosen artists and brands, and they seek out new products all the time, bringing a freshness to the collection all year round, meaning you can go in and add to your own collection all the time – bad for the wallet, but good for the soul!

For beautiful, unusual jewellery, stylishly different home accessories, and gifts for all ages and occasions – I say look no further, and tell Maureen and John that Little Bird sent you!

Polished Glass

19 King Street

Knutsford WA16 6DW

Get directions

01565 651 651

 

Orange Coffee House, Knutsford

I've lived in Knusford for 15 years and the arrival of the Orange Coffee House has been one of my favourite events. 

The town has a marvellous choice of coffee shops, but until now there was nowhere cosy and comfy where you could settle with a pot of tea and a cake and mull over your day with a friend, discuss business with a client or just plain escape from life for a short while.


The Orange Coffee House offers a welcome haven on chilly days and a calm port in a storm for everybody from girly chatterboxes to zen-like pensioners.  If you're one of those people who simply yearn for a decent cuppa and a slice of something naughty - you've found it here.  The coffee is excellent too, all Fair Trade and carefully made.

I have, purely in the interests of providing a full and fair review of course, taste tested a wide selection of their home-made cakes, and all have been wonderful.  I keep going back to the scones though - deep and thick and full of fruit, laden with butter and jam (and cream if you like it), they're a real treat.  My only suggestion would be to find someone local to provide a better class of jam.  It's a bit erratic in its consistency - the last lot was positively rubbery.   My coeliac friend raves about the orange and polenta cake and the lemon drizzle is certainly worth a delve into too.  Their cakes are all displayed under great glass domes, just as you enter the shop, allowing you to make your selection based on more than a menu description alone.

As you'd expect, the menu extends beyond coffee and cake and the lunchtime offering is extensive and interesting.  I sat and watched a table of four take almost 25 minutes deciding upon their choices last week, all the time advised and encouraged by a tremendously patient member of staff, who really upped the ante when she pointed out that they could all order a glass of wine too; a positive flurry of excitement ensued!

On Sundays the Orange Coffee House offers a jazz brunch; live jazz singers and musicians from 11am till 3pm.  They encourage you to enjoy brunch, lunch or simply an afternoon tea and relax to the sounds of live music.  I've not experienced this, it sounds like something I'd have enjoyed BC (Before Children) though!

Knutsford has a great reputation for its collection of bars and restaurants and The Orange Coffee House fits in perfectly in terms of quality and atmosphere.  Happy Days!

Orange Coffee House,
3 Princesss Street,
Knutsford, WA16 6BY

Origins Drink Up Intensive

Ageing plays havoc with your skin...I'm not kidding.  Right up through my twenties and even my thirties I took my fine skin, spot and blemish free, for granted.  Now, comfortably into my forties, the rapid onset of age related dryness, fine lines and dark shadows has led to a skincare obsession that I'm very happy to share with loyal Little Bird fans!

Drink Up Intensive is an overnight mask from Origins, who create skin and body care products using natural ingredients, is one of my absolute favourite bathroom cupboard essentials.

 

They say:  "Skin depends on water for its youthful functioning. But all day long, skin loses vital moisture. And the busier you are, the more it loses. This intense moisture replacement mask deeply quenches compromised moisture reserves and builds a reservoir for tomorrow. Japanese Seaweed repairs skin's barrier to prevent future dehydration and signs of premature aging."

 

I say: Love love love it!  It's a bit smelly and an odd shade of green, but once you get past that it's all good.  It's only to be used a couple of times a week, so fit perfectly with my somewhat erratic skin care regime.  It doesn't all soak in, (so you can keep on smelling it for a wee while, joy), but it doesn't stay damp on the skin, so you needn't worry about getting all over the pillow.  In the morning, when I wash it off, my skin feels soft and strokable - a feeling that lasts all day.

 

It's been particularly welcome this winter, as me and my face battle through wind, rain, snow and hail every morning as I walk the children to school.

 

It's only £20 and has lasted me ages.  Months and months.  Which means that it has magnificent value for money and does what it promises too.  Can't really ask more than that, can you?

 

 

Eternity Spa Sale

I have had a few facials in my time, and have enjoyed all but one (the less said, the better!) but my recent experience at Harmony Balm in Sale was a real corker. 

Karen, the Spa owner, was my therapist for the Eternity Spa Facial I'd booked - and she's truly lovely.  As you'd expect, we started with a discussion about my skin issues (age related!), skin type and personal preferences.  My skin is dry and sensitive, and I've had a bad reaction in the past to allegedly 'sensitive skin products' (see above), but Karen assured me that the Spieza products she works with are all natural and organic and have never caused a flare up yet.

 

In fact, Karen has built her entire business around the use of organic products, which includes her manicures and pedicures, as well as all her face and body treatments.

 

It's actually quite hard to describe the full facial - Karen tends to follow her instincts and includes head, neck and shoulder massage, pressure point massage, hot shells and lots and lots of the most fabulously fragrant oils and creams you can imagine.  I drifted away in a sea of hedonism, filled with bliss and sunny thoughts (while outside the wind howled and rain fell) and woke to the realisation that my skin felt dewey soft and plumped up.  One look in the mirror was enough to make me wonder if Karen has some sort of time machine in her Spa, as I was positively glowing!

 

Regular facials have never been on my list of possibles, they fall firmly into the 'rare treat' category and as such I need to be sure that they are going to have a long lasting effect, not simply make me feel good for an hour or so before my skin reverts to its normal state.  I can happily say that I was still stroking my face with glee several days later - and booked myself back in for another valued treat as soon as I could!



I give Karen and Eternity Spa a big fat tick - this is just the sort of personalised, genuinely caring treatment we ladies of Cheshire deserve.  Get yourselves thither!

Eternity Wellness Centre | 266 Washway Rd | Sale | M33 4RZ | 01619692040 @HarmonyBalm

Jo Malone London Vitamin E Gel

Jo Malone London may be most famous for its fragrances and candles, but it has a fabulous skin care range too, based around the restorative, anti-oxidant properties of Vitamin E.

My favourite, for results and value for money is the Vitamin E Gel.

A tiny pot goes a very, very long way...and it's all good.





Jo Malone London themselves say: 'Rich. Intensive. Vitamin E Gel is a nourishing moisturiser for dry, dehydrated skin. The formula contains natural conditioners - wheat germ oil, sweet almond oil and apricot kernel oil - as well as highly emollient, vitamin-packed avocado oil to help replenish and smooth. The gel also works as a barrier to help protect the skin against further environmental damage.'

We say: It says it's a gel, but it's not really.  It's a very fine oil and just the tiniest amount gives a lot of coverage. Unless you have very dry damaged skin, you really only need to use it as the occasional 'healer'.  Perfect for dry patches and occasional redness, just a tiny dab immediately soothes and penetrates to heal.

In the summer I use it at night, under my usual moisturiser, after a day on the beach and it's lovely to smooth straight onto the skin on those horrible cold days when you get back from walking the kids to school and your face feels like someone's taken a scouring pad to it.  I rub it on my children's lips when they're chapped and it soothes and heals overnight.  I took it skiing this year and my skin was dewey soft even after a week of icy blasts and one or two unexpected face plants!

At £62 it's not a cheap trick, but it lasts a very long time and will quickly form part of your bathroom cupboard essentials.

Visit the Jo Malone London website for more information.

Bye Bye Muffin Top…

I am not overweight, but haven’t, for some time, been the slender shape of my youth. Following the birth of my children I developed the mummy-tummy that so troubles those of us who like low waist jeans, and a predilection for tummy skimming shirts that disguised this muffin top!

So, the opportunity presented to me to tone up the tummy and lose some inches while doing nothing more strenuous than lying on a treatment bed was one I wasn’t about to refuse.

Cheshire Endermologie® is an ultra-discreet clinic based in Sale, run by Rachel Gibbons. Endermologie® is a real non-surgical alternative to liposuction. It works by creating a constant suction between two motorised rollers, this creates a skin fold, stretches the underlying tissue and helps to smooth the layer between the dermis and hypodermis of the skin- the bit where we store excess fat and – whisper it – cellulite.

That’s the science bit – in real life it’s actually quite entertaining and certainly serves to relax the room, as it were! Firstly Rachel requests that you strip to bra and pants while she takes some photos and measures your tummy, hips, thighs and the distance between the bottom crease and your knee. She then passes you a white bodystocking and leaves the room while you contort yourself into it, in my case giving myself an attack of the giggles as I realised that all I needed was a blue hat and I could have run away with the Smurfs. (The body stocking both helps you maintain your dignity and enables the kit to work to its full potential at maximum comfort levels.)

The various actions undertaken all drive towards the multiple ‘Holy Grail’ objectives of fat reduction, muscle toning, skin firming and cellulite reduction.

I was booked in for ten sessions across a five week period. After session five I realised that I was already tightening my belt by a notch. I also noticed that my posture and muscle tone was improving. This had the effect of me becoming a lot more aware of my posture overall, I walked taller and pulled my tummy muscles in tighter whenever I was on the move. It was apparent that my muscles were more responsive to being pulled in, so I did it more…a kind of virtuous circle.

Rachel explained that the Endermologie® treatment works not only to pummel away fat, but also to remind the muscles of where they should be and how they should work. It’s not just the tummy muscles either; it has a good go at your bum too!

As the weeks progressed I began to feel neater and more compact and there is no longer a ring of fat resting on the top of my belt!

Chuffed doesn’t cover it. We re-did the measurements at the end of the course and discovered that I’ve lost more than three inches in total from my midriff, an inch and half of that from the waist alone! My bum has also lifted, my thighs are slimmer and I have regained my waistline too.

I have to say, the whole experience has been great. Rachel is incredibly knowledgeable and smart at explaining how it all works and what to expect; we spent every session chattering away like old friends (it’s hard to maintain a distance when someone’s hoovering your derrière) and I’m thrilled with the results!

Contact Rachel on 0161 282 9533 or visit her website.