Chocolate Delights...

It seems like an age ago that Lent started…probably seems even longer for if like Pashminas and Pearls you gave up chocolate for Lent. Forty days and forty nights have never felt so eternal and torturous! Thank goodness Easter is almost upon us now and I can go back to my favourite indulgence once again. Going out for dinner hasn’t been quite the same without at least the option of having an indulgent chocolate pudding or at least an After Eight with one’s cappuccino!

Easter is always a family affair for P & P, and for the first time Green Fingers is being subjected to Easter ‘en famille’! With that in mind (and P & P being unable to resist…) I decide to go to Rococo’s on-line shop for Easter chocolate this year. Usually I’m terrible at leaving it until the last minute but having seen the beautiful creations in the window of their King’s Road shop, I thought I’d browse and decide from the comfort of my sofa at home and take advantage of their home delivery. They did not disappoint…

Rococo is heaven to any chocolate lover. Whether your favourite is milk, dark or white, there is something for everyone and the choice is fantastic. There are delicious looking hollow chocolate eggs which would suit everyone, filled with a variety of chocolate and yummy truffles, which come in different sizes too. There is also a version for the younger family members with hollow eggs filled with mini eggs and chocolate animals. For the more sophisticated chocolate eater (and a firm favourite of P & P’s – take note Green Fingers!!), is the Crate of Praline Quails Eggs – such a clever idea, and a mouthful of heaven! The beautiful detail Rococo goes to is impeccable and I spent hours looking at their beautiful creations (albeit with my mouth watering constantly).

Last orders are on Sunday 16th March so don’t leave it too last minute.Hopefully when the package arrives on my doorstep I’ll be able to resist the temptation of a taking a pre-Easter taste!

Heading for winter sun...

Autumn has really arrived and I’ve waved good bye to all those yummy summer clothes I bought that sadly never saw the light of day. Luckily for Pashminas and Pearls, the banishment of the summer wardrobe is only temporary – no, I’m not moving to Australia, but I’m spoilt enough to be going on not one but two winter sun holidays!

The first is to The Oberoi in Egypt which I’ve already spoken about in a previous post (just Green Fingers and me). It hopes to be a thoroughly relaxing and romantic week away, with the odd bit of tennis and diving thrown in so as to keep GF occupied! Nothing worse than a whiney voice saying ‘I’m bored…’ while you’re just getting into a trashy novel.

The second (I’m trying very hard not to sound too smug) is to Antigua for Christmas and New Year. I’m lucky enough that GF’s family enjoy going abroad for Christmas and even more so that I’ve been invited too this year!

Two different holidays but both needing the same essentials. Top on my list were new bikinis. Seeing as out of the remaining ten weeks of the year, I’ll be spending three of them wearing bikinis (I’ll stop bragging soon…!), I felt it was justified spending money on a couple of great ones.

In the past it’s always been notoriously difficult to find a good choice of bikinis out of season, which either aren’t the unwanted sale items or that only have one or two in the collection. Luckily for me, I went to my bible that is http://www.sheerluxe.com/ and searched for bikinis – and there I stumbled across http://www.swimhut.com/. Fabulous is all I can say. Not only did they have a huge selection of brands, styles, colours, but they also have them at a range of prices and even have special offers on styles which aren’t left over from last season! There’s also the added bonus of free delivery and return which is always a huge plus point with on-line shopping, as well as express overnight delivery for those last minute panic buys! Also offering accessories such as cover ups, flip flops and towels, they also have a great range for the man in your life, so you can even guarantee he’ll make the right statement in beachwear too! Even better, Sheerluxe.com are currently running a promotion offering at 15% discount, so no excuse not to look good on the beach in the winter months.

A thoroughly satisfying shopping experience and I’m all set to go!

Domestic Goddess...?

Now that we’re properly settled into domestic bliss, I thought it was high time Green Fingers and I threw our first dinner party. With pictures finally up and our flat dust free, guest lists were drawn up and menus set. Wanting to show how Pashminas and Pearls could also be a domestic goddess, a successful dinner party was key ingredient. While seemingly effort and stress-free to your guests, the smoothest running and successful evenings are weeks in the planning, and are a finely tuned event!

Once you’ve got your ‘team’, so to speak, the next thing is move onto menus. There are obvious things to steer clear of I find, such as offal (and mushrooms when cooking for GF!!), there are always popular dishes which are sure to impress your guests. I made to die for mini sticky toffee puddings last weekend – simple, quick and easy, yet wickedly tasty and look fabulous! I love Delia's website - fountain of knowledge!!!!

Ocado is the saving grace when it comes to shopping for ingredients. I don’t know about you, but I always find I forget something crucial, even when I go prepared with a shopping list the length of my arm! Waitrose’s on-line store, Ocado, is fabulous, and takes the stress out of grocery shopping. You can take your time, avoid screaming children having temper tantrums in the middle of the aisle, and browse at your leisure! Each section is shown clearly, and you can do your shopping in categories as if you were actually cruising up and down each aisle. Booking times are so convenient too, with 1 hour slots, ranging from delivery costs of £0 to £3 – bargain I say!

Once the food, drink and guests are decided, it’s down to the final hours of preparation – the right level of lights, music, a beautifully laid table - fresh flowers or scented candles always make a lovely final touch too! Ipods are perfect for these evenings – when you’ve got a spare moment, rare I know if you’re anything like P and P, a dinner party ‘play list’ is essential, and means that you have never-ending music all evening, without having to change the CD!

The only thing not to look forward to now is the clearing up…which is usually left to the non-cooking half of the household I find, and when a dishwasher is an essential part of the kitchen!

Feeling broody...

When the new Autumn/Winter Boden catalogue dropped through my letter box the other day, I had to have all the restraint in the world not to put in a huge order and totally bankrupt myself (decorating the little flat ready for Green Fingers to move in to has cost me an arm and a leg)!

With their fabulous signature wrap around dresses and gorgeous knits, it’s easy to see how Johnny Boden (a name well known to every Pashminas & Pearls girl) has become so successful.
Rather than flicking aimlessly through the catalogue, I headed straight onto their online shop; you can get straight to where you want to look rather than sifting through pages.

Whilst window shopping - so to speak - I stumbled across the new baby Boden range. It’s quite simply to die for, and if I had a little person I’d have been unable to resist the gorgeous selection they’ve conjured up.

Luckily for Green Fingers, I’ve got two adorable nieces that I can spoil....for now! And with a birthday and Christmas coming up I went to town on the Baby Boden range.

I feel in love with this A line pinafore and secretly wish they did a more adult version, and the Teddy Button Through was just too cute not to buy too.
A well dressed baby is an absolute must when walking in the park or lunching with the girls , and Baby Boden is certainly the place.

A one stop shop from romper suits to snow suits (yes, they even provide for the March holiday to Meribel or Verbier!) – if you’re anything like me you’ll be unable to leave the site without feeling just a bit broody!

Be Inspired...

Despite the stress of having the little flat redecorated, the excitement of choosing new furniture has taken over!

Not being able to face spending hours of precious weekend time trawling furniture shops with the masses, Pashminas and Pearls decided to spend a mere fraction of that time looking at furniture websites from the comfort of my sofa.

I say furniture websites plural but being a huge fan of Oka online I headed straight there – and there I looked no further. ‘Green Fingers’ (significant other) has just splashed out on some Oka furniture for his pad – sofa, coffee table, lights to name but a few(!) so I’d seen some of their newer products in the flesh.

Oka’s website is fabulous – with products ranging from sofas and beds to accessories and fabrics - the quality of the photography gives you a clear and enticing idea of how stylish your own home can look.

I could have furnished a whole house, let alone my two bedroom flat! And for those lacking in imagination, there’s a section on the site called Be Inspired that shows great examples of their pieces working together – fab for some helpful hints.


I must admit I did get a little carried away – despite the best intentions of only getting a couple of new bedside tables (pictured) and a chest of drawers , my final check out also included two gorgeous lattice lamps and a veda rug that will match my curtains perfectly!
Money well spent I say!