Rockwell at The Trafalgar

Friday night I went to sample the calorie counted cocktails at the newly refurbished Rockwell at The Trafalgar in light of its 10th birthday. I'd heard about the hotel before, mainly due to its revered rooftop terrace, but have never actually visited. Describing itself as a chic boutique hotel, the decor in the bar seemed accomodating for various differing numbers - bigger parties - leavings dos, birthdays, groups of friends and couples enjoying a romantic drink. It's definitely smart and elegant - somewhere conducive to whiling away your time sipping liquid creations.



The staff were as you would wish, perfectly pleasant, hospitable and personable without being overbearing. The bar manager Antonio took the time to describe why he came up with the concept of calorie controlled drinks - so apt in a cosmopolitan city where everyone seems increasingly concerned with what they put in their bodies. And as he maintains - it's surprising that nowhere seems to have done this already, when you can go buy food and drink in a shop with the nutritional information on the packaging. But the menu goes one step further and details the benefits of each drink based upon the ingredients.



The drinks were divided up into three different categories - The Saintly, The Sinful and The Wickedly Good. The first being delicious, predominantly juice based mocktails with minimal calories whilst the second group are alcoholic with fewer calories than the latter. First up I tried the detoxifying champagne cocktail Lemon Camellia - a lemongrass infused green tea champagne which was perfectly balanced indeed and at only 95 calories! More saintly than sinful I felt! Meanwhile my friend enjoyed a fruity gin number - the Botanical Hedgerow made from Hendricks, eldeflower, raspberry and apple juce. An easy drinking cocktail at just 129 calories.



Next up we tried the Rose Gin Blush a refreshing drink with a hint of bitterness made from Edgerton rose gin, pomegranate juice, blackberry syrup and slimline. Said to be full of antioxidants and vitamin C, this really was a winner on all accounts, even if it was a few calories more than my first drink. The other was another pomegranate combo that was smooth with a kick, based on Absolut and also mixed with Cointreau and Pimms. It also boasted antioxidants and vitamin C as well as vitamin B.



The great thing about the cocktails for purists is that all bases - purees and juices - are fresh. Nothing comes from concentrate and thus the sugar levels in the drinks are minimal, hence the lower calories content which doesn't take away from the taste. So Antonio's two and half months research for these beverages was most definitely worth the time and effort. No doubt models and skinnies will flock here to sample his delights. Especially with a fantastic DJ (who also plays at Bungalow 8) setting the mood for the evening and no doubt inducing more cocktail drinking! Absolutely without a doubt one to remember and a bar that goes in the memory bank of recommendations to pass on to friends for where to have that post work drink.

http://www.thetrafalgar.com

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November sample sale

It's that time of the year again, when you look at your wardrobe and you feel like you need something new for the imminent festive season.

Don't you worry, Trisori is here to help! Please find below the best sample sales found for you in all the secret fashion archives and hiding places.

D & G

28TH OCTOBER

12-7PM

MusicRoomSpaceEvents
26 South Molton Lane, Mayfair
London
W1K 5AB

MiH Jeans

Unit 22 and 23, 90 Lots Road, London

Sample Sale

From 02/11/11 to 04/11/11

The Boutique Sale

The Old Truman Brewery, Shop 14, 16 Hanbury Street, London

Sample Sale

From 02/11/11 to 06/11/11

Oh My Love

Shop 25, Hanbury Street, Truman Brewery, Spitalfields, London

Sample Sale

From 18/11/11 to 20/11/11

Aime Great Big Sale!

20th Century Theatre, 291 Westbourne Grove, London

Sample Sale

From 25/11/11 to 26/11/11

Sample Hunters Sale

The Old Truman Brewery, Shop 14 Hanbury Street, London
From 24/11/11 to 27/11/11

Designer sale UK

From 2/11/11 to 3/11/11 The Chealsea Old Town Hall, King's Road London SW3 5EE

Gieves & Hawkes Warehouse Sale
Shop 14, 15 Hanbury Street
Friday 11th - Sunday 20th Of November
Open : Friday 11th - 2pm - 7pm
Sat - Sunday - 10am -6pm | Mon - Fri - 8am - 7pm
Sunday 20th - 10am - 4pm

Oh My Love

Shop 25, Hanbury Street | 0208 6167232

Friday 18th November - Sunday 20th November 2011
Fri 12pm-9pm | Sat 9am-8pm | Sat-Sun 10am-5pmEnjoy!

http://www.trisori.com/

The Dress Factor

Finally the X Factor UK is back, and the live shows have commenced - giving me a great excuse to spend my saturday evenings in! The nations sweetheart Cheryl Cole and Aussie-born fashionista, Danii Minouge, have left the panel and since Simon Cowell has jetted off to the States, we are introduced to the new generation of X Factor judges; Gary Barlow (a bit of eye candy never hurts), Tulisa, Kelly Rowland, and Louis Walsh. 

One of the definite highlights of last year's X Factor series was Cheryl Cole's and Danni Minouge's extravagant fashion parade! But rest assured that Kelly and Tulisa are going to do a fabulous job of filling their (designer) shoes.  

With the panel intensely judging the remaining contestants, I thought it was only fair to turn the tables as I critique four looks the glamorous Kelly and Tulisa have worn so far!

Working this season's hot dark gothic trend, Tulisa wore a fabulous black monocrome dress with cutout detail. This statement outfit cements Tulisa's new inner fashion goddess! As she plays around with quirky materials that effortlessly flatter her body. The plunging neckline remains classy and elegant as it is cleverly balanced by the quaint cap sleeves. This dress also nods to the mullet trend (where the dress is short at the front but long at the back) a new season fashion that is being rolled out on catwalks that belong to some of the hottest names in fashion right now, such as Mary Katrantzou.

Standing next to Tulisa on the X Factor stage was Miss. Kelly Rowland in a figure-hugging, simplistic, yet stunning red draped dress by Todd Lynn. This deep red compliments her beautiful skin tone and the short cut makes her legs look as though they go on forever. Not to mention the bling that Kelly brings to the outfit, which make this a perfect evening dress that could have also been worn at work during the day - not that I'm suggesting for a moment that Kelly Rowland would wear the same outfit on the X Factor that she had done all day.

Another look that the ladies sport is leather - the perfect illustration to rock week.

Tulisa wears a full-length leather and chain gown, which a lot of people commented was too old for her. I, on the other hand, thought that she made it work (however sitting down in that can't have been comfortable). How refreshing and unique - a rock outfit that is also elegant and with a classy hairstyle to match.

Kelly, on the other hand, went for the plunging neckline on her leather frock - much more common to the rock chic trend. Having said that, Kelly still looked fierce and radiant, and both ladies rock their designer dresses, showing heaps of potential in the weeks to come.

The body and the mind

I read this newsletter from Gwyneth Paltrow"s lifestyle website Goop, where one of the holistic therapist she works with, Vicky Vlachonis, explained how your body's pain is connected to how your mind works or let's say how it is connected to the negative minds of us. The more important part of this letter is about...how to solve it.

After reading that, I couldn't agree with her more. My personal experience is that all of the tips she gave out works perfect for me: proper diet, hot bath, and exercises...well I am not sure I can go for it every day though. Now what I need to try is the glass of the day.

The whole story is below:

http://goop.com/newsletter/148/en/

Girls, enjoy reading and take the action!



www.trisori.com

A New Vietnamese

As soon as I heard that there was a new vietnamese opening on Dean St around the corner from work, I was uber excited. Another place where I could fuel my addiction and try something other than my mainstay of Pho noodle soups. So I suggested trying here to one of my friends I was due to have lunch with this week.


Unfortunately his meeting had overun, so this gave me ample time to peruse the menu as well as boast to my colleauge that Jay Rayner (Observer Restaurant critic) was sitting a couple of tables down frome me. I took the time to ask the waiter his recommendations - The Chef's Vinh Beef - a five spiced rib eye charcoaled, as well as the table griddled marinated beef (for two). We tried one suggestion of his - the Cha La Lot - spicy pork wrapped in wild betel leaves fried and garnished with crispy shallots and roasted peanuts. Very tasty. It came perched atop a bed of rice noodles and what has become a rather ubiquitous dipping sauce, but this wasn't too synthetic. Great dish in theory, but in reality tough to pick up both at the same time to dip, let along fit into your mouth and not make a mess!


As my phone rang at an inopportune time and the waiter scuttled off to attend to others, I didn't have time for the blow by blow advice on the mains. There were many mouth watering options - lemongrass wok fried squid, indochine vension, wok seared rib eye beef Cognac Luc Lac Shaking Beef. But I really wanted to try the Mahi Mahi coconut fish curry, which was commended and boy was it a good choice! My friend meanwhile had the lamb curry - a predictable choice for him - but it was no way as spicy or as flavoursome as my fish dish. It is one of their classics though - the recipe is from one of the oldest mosques in Vietnam. Each dish came with a neat bundles of rice noodles - so no need for copious amounts of rice or noodles as sides. We did try have a side of spinach with garlic which comes dressed with the green stem of spring onions. Warning, don't consume if you have to meet new people, kiss anyone or go to a function afterwards though as they are generous with the garlic!


The restaurant is nicely done to accommodate different size groups with more benchy styled tables for the larger parties and neater, prettier tables for the couples, threesomes and foursomes in the more formal dining area. The place purports itself to be the style of a French Vietnamese cafe with all it's hustle and bustle (hence the Pho bar which I have to go visit with my Vietnamese colleague) reflecting the light clean flavours. I'm not sure I'd like it to be too hustly and bustly as the staff wouldn't have time to be as delightful and helpful as they were to me. I had them pack the rest of my food as my friend suddenly realised he had to rush off to a meeting and I also had to get back to work and I didn't want to forgo the rest of the fish curry. How can you leave something so good?

I can't wait to go back for Pho but this time I really will restrain myself and stop when repleat, not letting greed get the better of me!

http://www.caytresoho.co.uk/index.php

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Pink Martini

Last Monday evening I went to a concert at the Royal Albert hall.  The venue, as usual, is impressive. The red velvet seats, the beautiful architecture and the amazing acoustic.

Most of all, the Band performing was impressive: Pink Martini.

Pink Martini is a 13-member "little orchestra" from Portland, USA. They draw inspiration from different culture, retro pop, jazz and classical music.
I thought I share this wonderful group with you, my fellow Trisorers, and if you have time this week- end, listen at these songs:

Pink Martini combines covers with original songs and their "take" on the French que sera sera is simply divine.

If instead you don't feel like dancing, have a drink to celebrate the start of the week-end and why not a nice pink martini? Here is the essential recipe:

1.25 oz Vodka
0.25 oz lime juice
0.25 oz triple sec
0.25 oz cranberry juice

Serve it extra cold.


Enjoy!





http://www.trisori.com/

The Classic Clutch

As fads come and go us fashion fanatics are not always able to keep up, as we go from the 70's comeback to Red indian Navajo; but one look, proving to be immortal is a simplistic-demure block coloured dress stylishly paired with a statement clutch. This fixture on the red-carpet, has heavily influenced my "after seven" wardrobe, as I incorporate a classic black dress leaving my Chanel clutch to do all the talking. 

 

As Coco Chanel once said "A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous" My golden clutch is an essential piece, complementing any outfit to perfection. 

 Having learnt how key a fabulous clutch is to any woman's wardrobe, I have hunted down three (of my favorite) designer clutches, that i believe will add that extra spice to your evening wear.  

With its glazed finish this Jimmy Choo candy tortoiseshell acrylic clutch is sophisticated and completely on trend. This classic Choo clutch with its rich print is captivating, perfect for dressing up any evening look. Pair it with a fiery red dress for maximum impact.
 

This inspired 'Pamola Fan' clutch by Lulu Guinness, is simply exquisite. Adorned with Swarovski crystals, this unique collectable is key to adding that extra sparkle to any outfit. One can never go wrong with Lulu on hand!  

I have fallen head over heals for this Suede Victoria Beckham Clutch. The bold burgundy adds that extra edge supported by this effortlessly chic design. Pair this with an in trend maxi dress, and a pair of Louis Vuitton heals: Carrie Bradshaw, eat your heart out!  

Undeniably flawless, for me this Valentino envelope clutch is incomparable. Embellished with pearls this clutch is a truly unique piece.

Style it with an elegant piece from Ralph Lauren's Art Deco-inspired fall collection. 

 

 www.trisori.com

Sunday lunches...

Okay so sometimes when the weather gets colder, you really can't face going out as you know the bitter chill will whip through you. That's why it's really useful to know how to cook - at least a few classic dishes...One of these that's great for the winter months is the ubiquitous roast chicken. A lot of people are put off by what they perceive as the hassle of a roast, but actually it's one of the easiest things to do as you sinply leave it in the oven (200C) and baste the bird and potatoes a couple of times to ensure the skin goes nice and crispy and to keep the meat moist.


The key thing is the preparation. Always check you have all the ingredients that you need before you start in case you need to pop out for any extras. Then ensure that you spend a few minutes peeling vegtables like potatoes, parsnips and carrots and chopping them all into pieces. If you're doing a stuffing, this should be done first to fill the bird and place it in the oven. You can really pack it into the cavity of the bird, so don't be shy! Once you're done, you can tie it up, but personally I don't really bother. One thing I do always ensure though, is that I season the skin with salt and pepper and a trick l learnt from my mother is to always keep the old butter wrappers and place these on top of the skin (butter side down)to crisp up the skin.


The potatoes also need to be parboiled straight (boiled for 5 mins in salted water and then drained). I add mine to goose fat for a really crisp exterior, but you can use regular oil if you prefer, which is lower in fat. Heat the fat first then add the potatoes to the pan. Then you can sit back, have a chat, read the paper, pour yourself a drink (if you haven't already) and relax for a bit. But remember to baste the potatoes every 15-30 mins with fat or oil from the pan to ensure a crisp skin and evenly roasted potatoes.


The vegetables really will only take 5-10mins so leave these and the gravy right til the end. I tend to like carrots and peas with a roast chicken but it does depend what's available where you shop, and if you take into account the carbon footprint of the veg too. To make a gravy, scrape some oil and juices from the pan you cooked the chicken in while it's resting (check the juices run clear when you poke a knife into it to be sure it's cooked). Add enough flour until you have a thick looking paste that's smooth and after cooking for a couple of minutes, gradually add in stock until you have a thin sauce. Stir gradually until it thickens. Et voila!



Then it's a matter of serving it all up! My mother always insists on having bread sauce with hers. I'm not really bothered, but I'll always have a little all the same.

www.trisori.com

Update your wardrobe: prints!

Updating your wardrobe can be a costly affair as fashion moves so fast; you will need a loan to buy everything you need to look cool.

Of course the good old H&M can help with some bits and bobs but the quality of their garments completely puts me off.

Thankfully, the outnet.net is helping us with this expensive procedure.

This week-end only they are offering an extra 40% off from the already discounted designer’s clothes and it’s all about prints!

I would definitely buy everything but if I had to pick 3 items, I will go for the following:

Marni

Printed twill dress

Original price £550, now £132

This dress is perfect for going for going from the office to a night out. Just change your shoes. A pair of high heels will do the trick.

DKNY

Printed stretch-silk top

Original price £170, now £45.90

Perfect for a Sunday afternoon or a shopping spree day. Pair it with jeans for a cool casual look.

Emilio Pucci

Printed cotton and silk-blend scarf

Original price £280 Now £58.80

Simple design, blue and light blue hues, this lovely scarf will be your best friend for all your future holidays.

Attach it to your summer bags for a wow effect.

 Happy shopping!

http://www.trisori.com/

The Royal Ballet dazzle in Jewels

The Royal Ballet opened this season with a sparkling rendition of George Balonchine's ballet Jewels, performed at the glamorous Royal Opera House; Fortunately, as a training ballerina, managed to beat the crowd by obtaining tickets to see the dress rehearsal. Jewels, a ballet I had previously watched last year in Paris, has remained one of my favourites. The show is divided into three sections: Emeralds, Rubies and Diamonds, providing the perfect performance for the glamorous arts fan to enjoy.

Emeralds: The opening number, immediately captivates you as you stare in awe at the exceptional green jewelled costumes that the dancers elegantly display. Balonchine's choreography compliments the Emerald as the jewel of eternal hope, harmony and grace.

Rubies: A more dynamic piece, exemplified by the more feisty music played, compliments the chic-seductive nature embodied by this enchanting red stone. The red glowing colour of the Ruby symbolises love, vivacity, passion and power. These traits are encaptured in the choreography and performance given by the dancers, enabling the audience to understand the nature of this precious jewel.

Diamonds: The final sequence of this three act ballet, left me in a overwhelming daze. A stage filled with delicate dancers, dressed in dazzling diamond tutu's is pure bliss to the eye. The choreography, including an incredible Pas de deux, presents this famously fragile jewel as a delicate frosting to any woman.

The performance over, leaving an audience that could desire nothing more than to watch the show one more time, I headed towards the Covent Garden Hotel, with a few friends that accompanied me. As we sat sipping tea and discussing which act we had enjoyed the most, mine being a toss up between Rubies with its choreographic charm and Diamonds with its serene and delicate nature, I became aware that a jewel is not so much about appearance (however mesmerising) but what it signifies to you about yourself.



www.trisori.com

In search of good coffee in London

Grabbing a cup of high quality coffee every morning on the way to work is not an easy job. Once I came to a conclusion with a friend that the best place to drink coffee outside of Italy is…Australia. Luckily, London seems an appealing place to a lot of Australians and their Cafes. The following comments do not only cover Cafes with Australian origin though, the idea is to review independent but high quality coffee shops in London:

Lantana:
lantanacafe.co.uk 13 Charlotte Place, London W1T 1SN
Opened by a former lawyer from Melbourne, the tiny place was voted the Best New Café by Timeout in 2009. By living around the corner, I have been a regular since then. But it gets more and more difficult to secure a seat during weekends and queuing for 30 minutes before having coffee and food is just painful. What's awesome there? coffee latte, Flat white, Soya Flat White (they have the highest quality soya milk coffee), an intensive list of brunch : the baked egg with Chorizo and Portobello mushrooms is irresistible…Mind they are super busy during weekends, baristas and waitresses can be very moody...

Fernandez & Wells
www.fernandezandwells.com
A beautifully decorated Café with great branding quietly sits next to Soho. Together with a wine bar, it provides a perfect space to sip coffee and read paper even when all the tables are full. What's awesome there? Coffee Stumpy - a shorter and stronger version of Flat White; freshly made sandwiches with a good selection of Charcuterie. Apart from the main shop on Beak Street, they also have a coffee-to-go stand off Wardour Street.

Kaffeine
www.kaffeine.co.uk
All the independent coffee shops in London start to have similar faces now - sleek and simple painting with a black banner. I can name a few to you. I have nothing against it if it offers good coffees. Here comes Kaffeine - nothing too outstanding, but for the coffee on the list, they are reliable.

Taylor St Barista

www.taylor-st.com

Another independent coffee shop with anAustralian origin stands in the buzz of the city. A tiny coffee shop which only accommodates an L-shaped pastry counter and a coffee bar probably is the only proper coffee shop around my office. It would take me 10 more minutes on the way if I really want to grab a cup of real coffee in the morning. This hasn't taken into account the queueing time, I am afraid. Piccolo, the shorter version of coffee latte, has a very strong flavour and real taste. The shop also offers different type of salads and sandwiches for lunch for those who want a healthy diet.

As I said, a lot of independent shops tend to have similar faces and interiors recently. Maybe it will get boring one day but it always makes one feel safe when there is a good coffee shop around the corner:

Tapped and Packed

on both Rathbone Place and Tottenham Court Road

tappedandpacked.co.uk

I've tried the Rathbone Place branch. I have to say although it is only a thrown stone away, their soya latte can't be compared with Lantana.

Fixed 126

126 Curtain Road, London EC2A 3PJ

Store Street Espresso

40 Store Street
London WC1E 7DB

Don't get me wrong, I still like pure Italian coffee. The problem is that there are even fewer places for real Italian coffee in London or maybe I just dont know them? The places I like so far:

Princi

www.princi.co.uk

Tom's Deli

www.tomsdeli.co.uk

The place I still have to explore:

Sensory Lab

www.sensory-lab.co.uk

Enjoy your coffee!

www.trisori.com

Banana Tree

I tend to have lunch each week with a friend. It breaks up the working day and I have a theory it makes you much more efficient. So a friend had suggested Banana Tree on Wardour St. I don't think this branch opened up that long ago and you could tell.
It purports to be a restaurant offering 'an authentic selection of dishes and specialities from the Indochina region'. The menu is enticing with a variety of interesting and alluring options including noodle soups, curries, grilled meats and special regional delights. With the curries there is the choice of upgrading it to have a supplement of a sesame glass noodle salad, sweetcorn fritters, prawn crackers and rice.


The first time I went we tried the spring rolls and a sauteed lamb with cashews upgraded with all the extras and a chicken in a lemongrass and coriander sauce. The spring rolls were okay - nothing to rave about nor complain about either. The chicken and lamb were both quite nice and tasty but the things in the 'supplement special' weren't that impressive - the sweetcorn cakes were a little too greasy, whilst the glass noodle salad had no noodles in it whatsoever. We were assured that it was simply in the name and just made with vegetables, but the next time it definitely did have noodles! It hate it when I'm lied to and somewhere can't just say sorry that they'd made a mistake!

Then the second time I went back, I got a pork belly plus all the indochina trimmings, and my friend a spicy tamarind aubergine dish, being one of the few vegetarian options without tofu or something fake. Neither of us were convinced about the mock duck as an option! The pork belly smelt wonderful but the fat on top wasn't at all crispy, perhaps my mistake, but that's what you'd expect - who wants to eat a great big lump of fat? The sauce was rich and packed full of flavour, but the meat itself could have been more tender, having been cooked for 4 hours it seemed a tad too chewy for my liking.



The other strange things about the place, were that staff kept on trying to clear away dishes whilst I was still in the middle of eating and only give you a fork and spoon to eat every dish with. Fine if you're having soup but not so great for pork belly...

I wouldn't go back in a hurry but I would visit again out of convenience. Just don't have high expectations. There are branches across town including Battersea, Clapham, Angel, Bayswater, West Hampstead & Soho.

http://bananatree.co.uk/

www.trisori.com

5 Essential Iphone applications

I have to admit that I spend more time with my Iphone than with any human being. It is my socializing tool, my work buddy and my life moment recorder. So, as a celebration to a magnificent invention, here are  my top five application for you.

SLEEP CYCLE:  It creates a 30 min wake-up phase that ends at your desired alarm time. During the night sleep cycle will monitor signals from your body to wake you up softly. It also records the way you sleep through the night. I am now aware that between 3 and 4 am I wake up somehow and that at 6 am I am in deep sleep. No wonder why I can never wake up in time for early meetings!

CARD STUDIO: I have tons of photographic application on my iphone but this application is my favorite one as it allows me to choose from many different backgrounds and layout of the pictures. Moreover, I love the Grunge style border.

MyPANTONE: This is a cool little tool.  You have a portable library of PANTONE colors and the possibility to build color palettes and share them with colleagues and clients. The application allows you to take a picture and it immediately recognize the pantone colours and suggest them to you. Awesome.

TED Mobile: With this application you can asses speeches and conferences of the most authoritative and interesting people in the world. Browse the different categories and you will be amazed of what you can find.

SIMPLY BEING:  Enjoy the deep relaxation, stress relief and benefits of meditation without prior experience.You can choose the amount of time you spend listening at this application. Even 5 minutes of listening at this application before going to bed, are enough to show results in your sleeping routine. Combine it with Sleep Cycle Application (above) for monitoring your progress.

Enjoy!




www.trisori.com

Seasonal Health

Following on from last week’s top seasonal beauty tips, this time it’s all about health and how to protect yourself from nasty bugs this winter. Now that it looks like our lovely Indian summer has come to an end, your body will be fighting harder then ever to keep those energy levels up and that immune system strong.

Vitamins and Minerals:
Make sure you stock up on as many vitamins and minerals as possible. Vitamin C is your absolute go to this season as it is the best possible ways to boost your immune system. The best sources of Vitamin C are found in strawberries, kiwis, oranges and guavas, but since guavas aren’t the easiest thing to get hold of and strawberries aren’t always in season, the best way to do it is to take a supplement. For a brand of supplements that not only do what they say on the bottle, but also look good too, you must try atone (www.atoneonline.com). Their Immunity supplement combines Fibrinase, an important enzyme for healthy circulation, with a fat-soluble form of Vitamin C. Get 90 tablets for £24.50.

A Cleanse:
This is the perfect time of year for going on a food cleanse. The best one I know is Raw Fairies five day Cleanse, in which your food gets delivered straight to your door (or desk as the case may be). Packed with antioxidant filled smoothies, green juices (that don’t taste that great but boy... do those babies make you feel good) and a variety of raw salads, this cleanse is a great way of giving your body all the nutrients it needs and then some. It also helps to get rid of the toxins that build up and gives your body a break from all that sugar we have been ploughing it with. The salads are delicious and I discovered lots of new combinations of raw vegetables and sauces that tasted positively scrumptious. I can’t lie, the pure juice day that falls in the middle of the five day cleanse was tricky for me, especially as I am so active, but my energy levels rose considerably on day four and five and my skin completely cleared up. The Five Day Mini B Cleanse is £295. Visit www.rawfairies.com

Sleep:
Sleep is particularly crucial at this time of year. Again it is all to do with preparing our body for the winter to come and the amount of sleep we get is, of course, directly linked to our energy levels. It is recommended that we get eight hours of sleep a night. The best sleep is that before 12am, so try and get into bed as early as possible, even if it means reading for a bit before you are tired. If you have trouble sleeping there are a few things you can do. Neal’s Yard makes a Sleep Kit, which includes calm-infusing camomile tea, lavender remedies to role and Unwind flower essence (£26.25). Buy it - you won't regret it. Also, another good trick is that if it is the thoughts in your head that are keeping you awake then keep a notepad by your bed and write them all down before you close your eyes. You will sleep much easier knowing that you won’t forget them come morning.

Organic red wine:
Although it’s not good to rely on a glass of red wine every evening, there are some health benefits to having a glass of organic red wine every now and then. You’ll be in luck if you find a Madiran red wine, which is from the tiny wine appellation located in Gers, in the Gascony region of South Western France, as wine from this region is said to be amongst the healthiest on the planet, and one that could actually reduce your cholesterol levels and encourage a healthy heart. It is all to do with the way that the grapes ferment, as wine can in fact contain very high levels of antioxidants and resveratrol (a fantastic anti-ager), which help to protect the heart. The antioxidants also help to protect your body from nasty free radicals, which are known to cause some horrid diseases such as cancer. So bottoms up!

www.trisori.com

Hang on Greece! 3 Artistic reasons to save the Country.

In this uncertain economic climate, we are all worried that the lovely Greece is going to default soon, declare bankrupcy and get out of the Euro zone. What does it mean for the Greek culture and artistic scene? Certainly, it is going to be very tought for Greek artists to survive in a distressed economy. We risk not to be able to appreciate anymore the amazing things we absolutely LOVE about the Hellenic land. Here are my reasons to save Greece from the downfall:

1) Theòdoros Angelòpoulos. 

A Greek film maker who directed the Beekeeper movie with Marcello Mastroianni in 1986.I love this quote from the movie:

«... the silence of love...»

«Listen: doesn't it sound like a song?
It's the virgins who want to be queens beating
against the doors of their waxed prisons, trying
to break them down but the guards stand watch and
patch them up again.
Why not let them out?
Only the queen is allowed out, the others they
keep in reserve in case something happens to the
queen. Soon the drones will be going for water.
They're waiting for the queen. She'll come and all
together they'll dance and she'll choose one, only
one, and they'll dance high up in the air, and that's
the queen's dance.»

2) Eleni Karaindrou
Eleni is a Greek composer and she created the soundtrack for the Beekeeper movie. The song the Wedding waltz. Very romantic indeed:

3)  Mary Katrantzou

Her designs are unmistakable.  At the age of 27 she is already consider one of the most promising designers.

Beautifully crafted terraces, Italian mansions, are all images reproduced in Mary's dresses. Each piece is a stroke of architectural genius. I must own one. Soon.

 



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Stars - not sure about the Garters though

Last week I went to check out the food - well the main courses at the Star & Garter by the river in Putney. Being such a nice hot day, it's a great location right by the river with a cool breeze not letting the place overheat. I also love this place as it does Chapel Down - one of my favourite tipples to start off a meal with. Deliciously crisp, dry and bubbly. Mmmmm!


I've been dying to try the main meals here - having only sampled their platters - the meat one is so laden full of bresaola, parma ham and salami it is a real feast - best for the boys, but there's lots of varieties. The a la carte menu is a nice 'Casual dining menu' as they put it - with a few small plates and starters, classics such as moules done a few different ways, mixed in with dishes 'from the stove' and hung steaks.


We had the duck breast salad and the cantaloupe melon with parma ham to start. The duck was pronounced good but I felt the parma ham wasn't quite up to scratch - perhaps it was just that it was so freshly carved by hand that it was actually a little thicker than I was accustomed to and therefore slightly chewier? Next up was langoustines & chips and seared springbok with chocolate sauce - absolutely by far one of the best meats I've had in a while - up there with the Co-op burgers & chicken - and perfectly cooked too!


I have to say I did get a slight case of food envy here as the langoustines weren't up to scratch. Unfortunately the batch seemed to be a mix of re-heated mushy ones with soft shells and those with ultra sharp bits on the claws and more succulent meat. They were so sharp they actually drew blood from my boyfriend's finger when I made him snap one for me, whilst the other ones would just bend if you tried to get out the meat out of the claws. The other downside was that they hadn't been drained properly from the pan and so made half the chips soggy. As a result, the manager that day gave me compimentary goats cheese platter whch was simply amazing. Spectacular quince jelly accompanied it so I was happy again - especially with a bottle or two of Chapel Down to wash it down!

I'd still go back and try some more dishes despite it. There's a lot to be said for simply saying sorry. Even if it was because they had 'had a busy day'.

http://www.thestarandgarter.com/menudinner.asp

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