April: Lately I've Been Loving

So many April loves..

I've had the real pleasure of trying exquisite and decadent Mangata Baume de la Rose* (£83 - 30ml) an anti-ageing beauty balm by Holistic Green Beauty which truly is one of the most luxurious products I've ever tried. It's perfect in every way from the feel on your skin to the beautiful scent. Expect a full review very shortly (this product has WOW factor and is likely to feature in my top products of '18).

And two products with the WOW factor in the same month! Vanderohe's No.1 Nourishing Face Serum* (10ml - £33) is one of the best skincare products I've tried. Catch my review in early May.

It was my 50th birthday earlier in the month and we went back to the fab L'Horizon Hotel at St Brelades Bay, Jersey. The hotel is right on the beach and is just wonderfully relaxing. We were also lucky to have two very sunny afternoons.

Coffee was a must in the sunshine at Jersey Crab Shack on the bay (and their wonderful crab salad was also consumed!)

We got the open top bus into St Helier (and I nearly fell off my seat trying to take selfies..haha)

Hubby treated me to the gorgeous Tom Ford Neroli Portofino EdP at de Gruchy (cheaper than UK with no VAT!) The assistant also decanted two generous samples for me. Review will follow! I love it.

Of course there had to be fizz! And cocktails..

lanique (rose attar (like liquid turkish delight yum), crushed ice and lime

Old Fashioned and Negroni

amuse bouche

 potato - quails egg- paris brown

Morel Cream - Pea - Lemon - Spring Herbs (pretty as a picture, delicious & one of our favourites) 

scallop - celeriac - truffle - apple - smoked eel

Spiced Apple - Backberry

We dined again at amazing One Michelin Star Bohemia Jersey and the food was gorgeous. Would highly recommend it if you are on the Island.

Thank you Bohemia!

My friend Nardin treated me to a gorgeous bottle of perfume from Jo Loves - Smoked Plum & Leather. See my review HERE.

My friends Magi and Derek asked their very talented neighbour and friend to draw our old dog Bess. The likeness is uncanny! Such a beautiful and heartfelt gift.

What have you been loving this month?

*complimentary

February: Lately I've been Loving

ooh so many February loves..

I had an amazing facial* from Vicki at Bliss Body using a combination of products from Just Be Botanicals and a Galvanic current, a hand-held machine which helps lift and tone the skin. It helps to stimulate the facial muscles and helps to penetrate active ingredients into the skin.  See my review of Vicki's Just Be Fresh Faced Facial HERE* and Just Be Anti-Ageing Facial HERE*.

The very gorgeous NectaPerfecta Beautifying Mask (sample*) from Bee Good. This is a seriously lush multi-tasker. See my review HERE.

Huge love for Craft Gin Club I got my first box in February. It's absolutely fantastic. See my review HERE. You can get £10 off your first box with code BEAUTYBALM.

The Joy Book Club sent me their second box* to review (link). I absolutely love this concept and hope to sign up soon.  Sign up HERE (subscriptions available again on 1st March).

I enjoyed amazing cocktails one weekend (love a Porn Star Martini (or a Negroni) at Tonic in Edinburgh.

source

Just yesterday I got a great cut and colour from Dean at Dean Jones Hairdressing. I got 4" cut from the length (!) and the colour is super shiny and glossy.  

Really pleased. The salon also gives you a card to give a friend for £10 off their first visit and a card with three treats which need to be used by a certain time (mine's 31 July) and the treats are - £5 off your next cut, £10 off your next colour and a free treatment with any full price service which I think is a nice (and welcome) touch.

I'm afraid the picture is the best of a bad bunch but you will see how great my hair looks!

What have you been loving in February?

*complimentary

Friday Makes, Bakes & Learns #1

As I work part-time I get every Friday off (I know I'm really lucky!)  I tend to end up lazing about or blogging/catching up with blogs, tweeting and generally  trying to get out of doing housework/going supermarket shopping etc.  So I've decided to make or bake something every Friday and share it with you.

One of my favourite books is How to Drink by Victoria Moore - its super informative and a great read!  (You can see my copy is well  thumbed!)

My current favourite cocktail is the Negroni - one third red vermouth, one third Campari and one third gin with a slice of orange served on the rocks - pour each ingredient into the glass separately over the ice and stir.  One legend says it was invented in the early twentieth century and named after Count Camillo Negroni who used to drink it at the Casoni Bar on Via Tornabuoni in Florence.

We were out for dinner last night and stopped for a quick drink at Bond No.9 beforehand.  Guess what I was drinking..

Negroni is also very easy to make at home.  I like to serve it just before dinner (its potent!) with Kalamata olives and sweet & spicy nuts.

The nut recipe is from Good Food magazine (I normally half the quantities)

1tbs sunflower oil
1 tsp ground cinamon
1/2 tsp mixed spice
400g mixed nuts
2 tbsp honey

Heat oven to 140C/120C fan/G1
Mix the oil with the spices then stir in the nuts and drizzle over half the honey
Spread on a baking sheet and cook for 10mins
Remove from the oven and drizzle over the remaining honey then return to the oven and cook for a further 10 minutes.  Allow to cool

It is also suggested that these would make a good gift packed into jars or cellophane bags tied with ribbon.  The nuts will keep for up to 2 months.