Perfect Foodie Haunt

The Providores & Tapa Room, Marylebone high street, the home of the most exciting and innovative fusion food in the UK

I just wanted to quickly share this restaurant with you, if you haven't been you simply must go, it's food and drink heaven!  My son, Jack and I nipped in last week for a quick nibble at lunchtime.  We sat at the 'high' table in the middle of the small intimate dining area.  Nothing was too much trouble, the staff are attentive and charming, I even got a taster of the 'Christmas cocktail, because the barman saw me drooling as he was shaking!!

Grilled sardines on  roast tomato bruschetta

Purple sprouting broccoli, Moromi miso and sesame dressing, crispy shallots

Seared yellowfin tuna, jicama, cucumber, spring onion, toasted nori and yuzu chilli dressing

Menu

Treacle cured bacon ice cream, olive meringues, banana salted caramel and yogurt maple cream (really weird but an absolute must!)

I rest my case your honour ... Leave me a table!

Dressing up for Christmas

I'm off to a big concert event that my husbands company puts on each year, I'm told it's an informal Christmassy evening, oh no... what do I wear to that! Well this is my idea of easy concert dressing! You can't go wrong with black legging/jeans by Rag and Bone and a statement sequin cami from good old Topshop!  (And of course, my fav Raf trainers!) 

Next we're off to our friends fantastic Christmas Party at their gorgeous home in Belgravia, I've got this dress from Saloni, it's new in and I bought it to have for my holiday but I think it works brilliantly well as a coat over my Zara velvet slip dress.... Lucy Choi glitter shoes, always a winner during the festive season, also super comfy!!

Or... try the Zara slip dress with a cardi and heels for a Christmas supper.

Finally, Christmas eve without sequins just isn't festive!  Try this cheeky sequin pencil skirt by Malene Birger... my Christmas treat!

Have a sparkly Christmas!

My Top Christmas Gifts

This year I have been been very organised and got most of my presents early, here's my selection of the top gifts I found. Spoiler alert: friends and family look away now...


Simply Nigella by Nigella Lawson £10.19, Honey & Co by Itamar Srulovich & Sarit Packer £12.00
In my view Nigella still rocks! and Honey & Co is the best for middle eastern cuisine, bang on trend!


Broste, Concertina vase £14.95
Lovely scandi vases, guaranteed to spruce up a table or mantle piece.


Dalesford, Good Health Gift Set £39
As we all want to be clean and healthy after Christmas I thought this was a fab idea for one of my super-fit friends.


Hot Chocolate Cups £16
Hot chocolate cups, need I say more... we all love a good mug!


The Holiday Kit (for men), Anthony £25
Perfect for those jet-setting chaps... this might encourage my husband to go away for a few days!


Minecraft, Stop-motion movie creator £29.99
I love finding interesting and fun, interactive toys. I'm hoping this will keep the young amused on Christmas Day and beyond.


Robo Turtle £7.99
Nice little bath companion for Boxing Day!

Smartwatch £34.99

Is this the Apple Watch for kids? Well at £34.99 it will do!

Sock Monkey Popper £7.99
A pressie for the stockings!

Foraging in Dalesford

As a treat for my lovely friend Sarah I thought we'd give foraging a go at Daylesford!

Both of us love rummaging around in the undergrowth, er, that sounds a bit weird but I think you know what I mean.  Anyway, it was a day at Daylesford in Gloucestershire foraging and cooking wild game and fabulous homegrown produce!  I love cooking and I urge all like minded try hard cooks to get away from the normal rat race cooking track and give this a go, it was a fabulous day!

Eeek,  a Muntjac deer... ready for our venison carpaccio!  This is not for the squeamish as the lovely Tom, forager extraordinaire, skinned and filleted our lunch!

The best herb and spice collection ever!

Sarah and I, felt a bit like getting ready for Masterchef!!

Celeriac soup, simply delicious and SO easy... I'd substitute the milk for stock, less rich.

Venison carpaccio with shredded fennel and juniper berries with a light mustard and honey dressing.

We plucked the pheasant then jointed it and cooked this delicious stew and washed it all down with some delicious Daylesford wines from their vineyard in France.

Before we returned home we dropped in to their pub, The Wild Rabbit for a swift nightcap then back home!

Chill in Mykonos

Remember the summer? .........

This year my family and I discovered Mykonos, a wonderful Greek island, fantastic food, friends weather and plenty for my 'party boys' to enjoy!

The beach at Mykonos Blu.  A typical Grecian hotel resort nestled on the hill side above the lively Nammos beach.

Relaxing at one of the many chill out areas at Mykonos Blu.  Loving my Melissa Odabash jumpsuit and TKee flip fops.

Entrance to the best beach restaurant,  Spilia, carved in the rock face at the waters edge.

A very very long and enjoyable lunch,  this is what Mykonos is all about.......rose!!

Lunch with our friends.  We jumped off the rock between courses!!

Sunset cocktails at little Venice in Mykonos town.

And finally the sun sets on our fantastic holiday......

Audrey

On Tuesday night I had the pleasure of introducing Roman Holiday at the Primrose Hill Film Club. The Primrose Hill Film Club is a great community run project that shows world and classic cinema and offers to showcase short films by local film makers. It was a great honour for me to introduce Roman Holiday as Audrey Hepburn has always been my style icon.

Audrey was born to a Dutch mother and an English father in 1929. She began acting after failing to reach her dream of becoming a ballet dancer.  She was brought to the worlds attention after appearing in Roman Holiday for which she won an Oscar.

After appearing in American vogue and becoming Givenchy's muse the world embraced her and recognised her unique beauty. Audrey believed that her iconic style came from Mr Givenchy and never recognised the beauty that came from with in her. She believed her feet and ears too big and the rest of her too flat!! But she was obviously wrong about that! Hepburn became the worlds most adored style icon, AND she has just been voted Britain's most stylish icon of all time....22 years after her death!

Her iconic image is replicated all over the world by all sorts of women, her uniform cropped Capri pants, flat ballet shoes and LBD's are still best selling items in fashion stores today. But I believe like Mr Givenchy that beauty and style come from within the person. You cannot buy style. Audrey Hepburn had beauty everywhere. Her voice was soft and mesmerising, her eyes were always expressive and dancing and her personality was playful and forever child like. She said of Hubert de Givenchy, ' his are the only clothes in which I am myself. He is far more than a couturier, he is a creator of personality!' How true this is, I always say to my clients, if you feel comfortable and confident you will look and feel beautiful, however beautiful clothes WILL NOT make you feel beautiful and confident!!

 Audrey will always be our style icon.

Saloni, £195

Joseph, £205

French Sole, £90

My Top Summer Reads

I love reading, I can totally lose myself in a book, I'm not a big fan of the kindle but I do appreciate that is very portable. It’s great when you're older as you don’t have to wear glasses, you just make the font bigger… I’ll be on three words a line soon! Also, I can have a sneaky read while RP snores beside me (due to the lit screen). Holiday reading is my idea of heaven; sunshine, sunbed and a good book! So here are a few of my favourite reads now that the holiday season is upon us!

Elephant Moon by John Sweeney

I bought this book as it is based on an incredible true story about the journey through Burma by orphans during WW2 and the bond between them and a herd of elephants. I found it gripping and very readable and I was totally amazed by not only the story and the outcome but the intelligence of the elephants and children. An easy read, perfect for holidays. 

I am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes

I always love a good thriller… and wow this is a bloody good page turner! A fast moving spy thriller based on the smallpox virus and the devastation that this could cause in the wrong hands. Scary food for thought! 

My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante

My brilliant friend gave me this book, it’s about close friendship, rivalry and the mutual influence of two young girls growing up in naples. It portrays the girl’s friendship and the community they come from. It’s both realistic and illuminating, just like Fi my brilliant friend who gave it to me! It’s part of a trilogy (I haven’t read the others yet).

The Turning Point by Freya North

I am going to recommend this even though I haven't read it yet, one of our stores is mentioned in it! The publisher very kindly sent me a copy. It is based in North Norfolk and my love of North Norfolk is so strong that I am sure I will love it, I can’t wait to start it! Tissues at the ready! It will be interesting as I don’t normally read love stories…

One last must read is We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler. Please read this, believe me it's heart breaking and hilarious!

Summer Beauty

I thought I'd share a couple of beauty secrets with you as recently friends and clients have been complimenting me on the condition of my skin, Sally at Beach Beauty in Camden is the key! 

I've never really been one for loads of maintenance but these three things I think are essential if you have the time (and cash flow)- 

1. Manicure

2. Facial

3. Hair

I hate having scruffy chipped nails so a quick 'shape and paint' in between full manicures is a good money saver.  I use Rachel (07841408589) at Home, Rachel is a travelling beauty therapist who is not only fantastic at all treatments but also gives the best massage RP has ever had! 

If you prefer a salon then Beach Beauty (Camden) is the place.  Sally does the most amazing facials, she not only has fabulous state of the art anti ageing machines but she also has 'magic' fingers!  I let her work her magic and use whatever she thinks necessary.  Here I am having an Environ Facial using her newest equipment, it feels a bit weird but it works and the results are great, I recommend 1 a month, £70 well worth it in my view.

I also have just started to put some lights in my hair.  Reaching 50 I decided, with Stacy (at The Salon, Bond Street) my colourist, that it was time to soften the colour around my face... love it!

WHAT I WORE...

Blazer - Sea NY (find similar here) | Boiler Suit - Sea NY | Shoes - Sam Edelman | Bag - from a collection at Fenwicks (find similar here)