The Great Christmas Gift Guide, 2014

If, like me, you're busy buying gifts for family and friends and need a little inspiration.... behold, The Great Christmas Gift Guide, 2014 is here.

I hope there is something for everyone in there! Best of all, this can be ordered online - so no more crowded shops, long queues or sore feet, just the comfort of your own sofa.

The Diptyque Christmas candle - a stocking filler that makes your home smell of Christmas

For any chilli lover, Da Bomb hot sauce is THE BOMB of all hot sauces. You can get it in Selfridges, Harvey Nichols and Amazon.

My mother in law is a keen gardener, so for any green fingered friend, this personalized trug might come in handy

Backbeat2 wireless earphones. Nothing is more awkward than getting tangled up mid lunge. Designed for the fitness fanatic, these are sweat-proof and allow you to take calls, watch films and listen to pumping beats while working out.

Either way, this matt is perfect for a sister or girlfriend who likes a snooze or a yoga class

Uniqlo men's jumpers, with cashmere and wool at very reasonable prices these are great for both boys and girls.

If your mum is like mine, she loves a good bath. Who can blame her, she spends her days looking after my crazy family. These Jo Malone oils are a fantastic gift.

 

Glamping! This summer I had a weekend glamping in yurts with my girlfriends - it was the best weekend ever. Log fires, cava, marshmallows and sleeping bags! Take inspiration from Canopy & Stars (comfortable camping) and this, is a tree tent (!) which you sleep in while dangling from a tree

A curl up blanket, this shop has the best set of blankets and quilts to curl up in.

This book is full of beautiful letters. I have a friend reading it at the moment, she reads one letter a day.

Something to buy now and make for next year! Sloe Whiskey. My best friend has just told me about this... I cant wait to try it! And here is the ultimate kit to make it with.

The Lonely Christmas tree a bedtime story to get the little nippers off to sleep before Santa arrives...

Soft, gentle and lovely, these JoJo Maman Bebe comforters are used by my own niece and godson. Their mum swears by  them.

The Alexandra McQueen scarf - will this ever go out of fashion?

The BEST measuring cup by Anthropologi for the baker of the household

For the teenager in the household, these rock. I had a pair when I was 13 and pleased to see them back in fashion.

The coffee machine was a new arrival to our kitchen this year - it's been a real win. This one comes from John Lewis, but there are cheaper options here and here

The Guardian have rounded up a list of Charity Christmas Gifts - why not give big?

Every blogger is in need of a good diary... a portable charger and some followers

The ULTIMATE tote - for school, uni, work, gym or school run

I have a real thing for Bumble bees.

The Christmas tree!

Once upon a time there was a Christmas tree sitting quietly by the side of the road. A few days before he'd been happily dozing under the sunshine in the Christmas tree forest along with all his other friends. Then one day, he was suddenly tugged out of the earth and popped into the back of a lorry before winding up on the verge of a busy residential road in West London.

The Christmas tree wasn't sure what to make of it all, but he was feeling rather glum. For a few days he sat and watched people come and go, looking him up and down, whispering about how green or bushy he was. The Christmas tree began to feel very self conscious - he wasn't very big and he wasn't very tall. 

Then one day, on a sunny Sunday two strange ridiculous people walked past. They were looking for a medium sized tree, not too bushy, not too small but just right. The Christmas tree decided he liked the sound of them and especially the look of the girls red woolly hat.

So he puffed himself up as large as he could go, rustled his leaves, popped out his pines and stood up tall and handsome.

"Aha" said the man, "this cracker does just the trick". Before he knew it, the tree found himself being picked up, wrapped up and uncomfortably lugged all the way to these mad people's home!

Inside (yes, inside! What was the world coming too, a tree inside?!) the tree was popped into a little container and strung with lights. It was all very scary and nerve racking. 

He was then covered with plenty of gold, red and silver ball balls, funny decorations and a fuzzy star was placed on his tallest branch. That was ok, because it made him look even taller.

Finally, the lights went on and the Christmas tree glowed (from the inside outwards). He felt very proud and with a selection of presents sitting under him, the tree took up his role to brighten up Christmas and keep an eye on all those presents until Christmas day!

Growing your own herbs

 

Growing plants in London can be tricky, especially as most people aren't fortunate enough to have a garden - and if they do, it's invariably shared.

However, growing plants on a kitchen window sill is possible and as the weather gently warms up, keeping a set of bushy fresh herbs in the kitchen not only brings a burst of freshness into the room, they're handy to have  for cooking. They are on hand for making broad bean and mint bruschetta, add to mohito's or throw into  a host of other recipes calling out for flavours and textures - a set of smelly herbs is, in my opinion, one the easiest and best things one can have in the house.

A few health properties of herbs:

Parsley: A famous detoxifier and helps freshen your breath. Helps to reduce blood glucose and has even been suggested as a cancer fighter

Rosemary: A mood lifter, anti inflamatory and used to help strengthen the memory

Basil: As a source of Iron, Calcium and Vitamin C, this herb is also anti inflamatory, anit bacterial, helps skin and hair and supports the immune sytem

Garlic: A great antioxident that has been shown to help cholesterol, is an anti inflamatory, is anti viral and helps the heart, being a unique food to support cardio conditions.

 

Spring time in Cambridge

This weekend the sun came out in one of my favorite cities, Cambridge.

Sam's old university, this city holds many a memory of summers lying by the river Cam, punting in the sun, parties that went on until the early morning, being locked out of college at night, climbing through college windows as well as those late nights in the library. So with sun bursting through the clouds, the temperature up, the bicycles out in force and the streets lined with students, tourists, buskers and street food vendors, Sam and I broke out of London to head up to studious city and spend the day wandering.

Just a quick train ride from London, we caught up with old friends, chilled out in old watering holes and even snuck in a late night kebab (shhh just for old times sake!)

 

Bill's on Westbourne Grove, Notting Hill

Hungover? You got me!



Bill's on a sunny spring day is a good place to go nurse a weary head. It's also a great place to meet up with friends, head with a date or grab a coffee.

Found on Westbourne Grove and tucked between the array of boutiques, Aussie chef Bill Grainger has laid his breakfast roots deep into the street with a bustling restaurant that serves possibly the best eggs in town. Big statement!

Bustling, busy and enough to kick start you into the day, gooey orange yolked cotsworld blue boiled eggs with freshly baked sough dough or a gigantic helping of buttery scrambled eggs placed on warm bread with melted butter poured over the top, followed by a strong cappuccino is enough to bring any man or woman back from a primitive state.

And if eggs don't take your fancy tuck into the pastries, muffins or opt for a healthy brown rice and miso porridge! Go on, it's good.

Oreo Cheesecake

 

No bake, easy and simple to do. The Oreo Cheesecake. Aside from being packed full of Oreos, these mouthwatering desserts take no time to make either. Simply mix up the ingredients in the steps below and pop in the fridge to chill. They work wonderfully at a dinner table or as a guilty indulgent afternoon snack (when no one's looking!)

Last Sunday these were served up to friends on a fresh spring afternoon. Devoured very quickly, they were a great way  to round off a hearty meal before slinking onto the sofa for coffees, chocolates and a post lunch nap. 

Tip: I always think that these are the perfect dessert for a dinner date. They can be made in advance and left in the fridge, so that's one thing less to fret about.

Use a flan dish or a standard muffin tin with six holes (line the muffin tin with clingfilm so you can easily remove the cheesecakes)
1 standard packet of cream cheese 
300ml of double cream
150g sugar
half a lemon
1 large packet of oreos
150g of chocolate digestives or chocolate bourbons

50g butter 

To make your base, crush the chocolate digestives or bourbons. Melt down the butter and mix into the biscuits. Squash the mixture into your dish.

To make the filling, beat the double cream until thick. Add the lemon, fold in the cream cheese. Finally crush the Oreos and add into the mixture. Place onto your base and put in the fridge to chill for at least an hour. Serve with grated chocolate.