I was sent the most stunning new cookbook for men, ‘How to feed a man’ is packed full of beautiful images, poetry and some fantastic recipes.
Created by Stasha Palos, an artist and food lover who has given us a collection of visual feasts. This is the best looking cook book I have seen for some time. But, it is so much more than a cook book.
It’s a collection of wonderful images, beautiful thoughts and poetry. Stasha has clearly put her heart into this and the result is you almost feel like she has become a friend.
It is so sweetly personal, the book feels like reading a diary! ‘How to feed a man’ is a book of pleasure and enjoyment, which you will keep coming back to.
The foreword by Marco Pierre White sums it up really well – ‘Firstly, the sexiest cookery book I have ever cast my eyes over…’ and ‘A book in my opinion, constructed by a proper woman who knows how to capture her man’s imagination’.
This would make a wonderful gift, you can buy it online for £19.99 (just click the link).
Stasha has also turned her creative talents to a range of T shirts, which have already been seen on Tess Daly, Vernon Kay and Simon Cowell. These are also available to buy from Stasha’s website at £15.
Featuring bold slogans, these retro chic T shirts are selling out fast.
So refreshing to see a book produced from love rather than something designed to be a mass seller. ‘How to feed a man’ is simply a stunning new lifestyle cookbook. Every kitchen / coffee table should have one.
I love this idea and think it would be a fantastic gift for all children to receive at Christmas. Let me introduce you to Reading Chest - a through-the-post book rental service for children that works in a similar way to DVD rental services. It really is just like that! It’s so simple to set up and even easier to manage. Simply pay a monthly membership fee and books tailored to your child’s individual requirements will be delivered direct to your door, complete with a pre-paid return envelope. Gift vouchers start at £25 for a 3 month subscription and come with a book bag, reward chart & stickers and a Christmas story book to keep.
The Reading Chest book rental scheme is not only easy on the wallet (no more forking out for endless books that are only read a couple of times before being left to gather dust on the bookshelf!), it’s also an environmentally-friendly alternative to buying brand new books. It’s a truly fantastic idea, and one that all parents should think about using.
I had the pleasure of trying out ‘Reading Chest’ for my boys. As this service is for 4-9 year olds, they were of perfect age to try it out. Not only did they receive 2 amazing and informative books each, but they also received a stunning Christmas book onto which they could hold on to. The books themselves are not much different to those they bring home from school, but, they were different and my boys love them! They have just really started reading by themselves (using phonics to help them along), and knowing that they can read most of the books themselves is a great achievement for them
It is easy to encourage little minds to discover the joy of reading this Christmas, with a Reading Chest gift voucher. A three month subscription voucher comes complete with a book bag, a reward chart and stickers and a choice of book to keep (A Christmas Journey by Brian Wildsmith – a truly beautiful book!). Children can then look forward to receiving their own deliveries of exciting reading books, specifically tailored to their reading ability, from Reading Chest’s extensive choice of fiction and non-fiction reading scheme books.
The packages you can choose from are:-
• Bronze three month subscription voucher (£25) allows members up to 6 books per month within their chosen reading band.
• Silver three month subscription voucher (£35) allows members up to 12 books per month, and can be from two different reading bands, enabling siblings of different ages to benefit from the scheme.
• Gold three month subscription voucher (£45) allows members an unlimited supply of books that can be selected from up to three different reading bands and can be shared between three siblings.
Members to the Reading Chest get all the other usual Reading Chest benefits including certificates which are available to download from the Reading Chest website and budding literary critics can even see their own book reviews published online!
To find out more, and to register, please visit http://www.readingchest.co.uk. Simply follow the easy step-by-step instructions and wait for a special delivery.
Gurpareet Bains created and produced the ‘Worlds Healthiest Meal’ in 2009, and immediately hit the international spotlight. This was a simple Chicken Curry with Blueberries and Goji Berry Pilau, all of which contained the antioxidant-equivalent of 23 bunches of grapes – this is definitely one to try! And now, just in time for Christmas, he has published his debut recipe book - Indian Superfood. Already a no.1 bestseller, this recipe book is guaranteed to make a fantastic gift for all foodie enthusiasts.
He has used information, researched from the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture), finding that nearly ¼ of the top antioxidant-rich foods available to us are, in fact, spices. He combines these spices in abundance with nutrient-dense vegetables, fruits, low-fat proteins and nuts – widely known as superfoods – to create Indian Superfood, a collection of the world’s most antioxidising recipes.
It’s no surprising that Gurpareet has a hug celebrity fan base, including Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow, Goldie Hawn, Dame Vivienne Westwood, Chris Evans and many more. His food is delicious, beautiful, has an incredible flare and makes you feel good!
With 216 pages in this recipe book Indian Superfood, there are plenty of recipes to tantalise your taste buds. There are 7 sections in total, giving you ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner, side dishes, light bites, cocktails and refreshments and of course sweets. The recipes are fairly easy to follow and you honestly don’t have to be a master chef to accomplish the perfect dish.
If I was to use Gurpareet’s recipes throughout the day, here would be a menu of my choice:-
Breakfast – Ginger-infused yogurt with honey and pomegranate.
Lunch – Salmon and sweet potato fishcakes.
Dinner – Best ever chicken tikka masala, with a side of foolproof pilau and naan.
Dessert – Indian spotted dick with goji berries and toasted almonds.
Mmmmmm, I’m hungry after just writing that! His work is astounding, and knowing that you get nothing but good from eating Indian Food is amazing! As Gurpareet Bain says – “Superfood + Superspices = Indian Superfood”!
You can purchase this wonderful book from Amazon for only £9.09 – click HERE for more details.
It is my pleasure to introduce you to the wonderful Matilda - a beautiful Tudor Girl. She is the most exquisite doll of today and is aimed specifically at girls aged 8 – 12 years old. She is the first in a line of historical dolls from boutique British toy company Daughters of History, and she hails from the Tudor era, called to the court of Henry the Eighth as lady in waiting for Catherine Howard.
Standing at 16″/41cm tall, she really is incredibly stunning. She has a distinctive face that reflects her character from the Matilda’s Secret Book. The book, along with enables girls to role-play scenes they have read about. It makes for good educational learning, and many young girls will adore her.
Matilda is authentically dressed in a hand sewn Tudor court dress made from soft velvet complete with sumptuous fur-lined sleeves; her outfit is completed by a claret silk underskirt and a pearl-trimmed headdress. Under Matilda’s dress she is wearing underwear, a petticoat and stockings as well as matching shoes. Matilda wears a key on a necklace around her neck; this opens her special trunk where she keeps her secret treasures.
There is an extra set of costumes available for Matilda they can be purchased on the A Girl of All Time website. The outfits include a Burgundy velvet cloak (£24.99), a masked ball gown (£19.99) and a white cotton night shift (£9.99). The Matilda doll costs £89.99, which may seem pricey, but she is wonderfully designed and will be sure to stay in the family for a long time! Matilda is a well worthy investment!
Matilda was created by A Girl for All Time which is a world of beautifully designed dolls, with novels and keepsake books, where girls 8+ can explore and enjoy a host of challenging and creative activities.
Matilda features in a series of novels set in different eras of the most exciting times in English history. The novels encourage girls to explore the past, while the keepsake books bring the character’s world to life with themed activities and adventures.
First in the series is Matilda’s Secret a hair-raising adventure set in Tudor times. The book follows the thrills and spills of 13-year-old Matilda Marchmont who is lady-in waiting to Katherine Howard. Here you can read how Matilda is drawn into a glittering world of intrigue, intense friendship and mortal danger in the court of Henry VIII which takes her from Hampton Court Palace to the Bloody Tower itself. It is no fairy tale and brings to life the brutality of the age including the execution of Katherine Howard at the end.
Daughter’s Of History creator, Frances Cain, says:-
“Children learn best when they’re having fun and playing. That’s why I came up with the idea of historical dolls that girls could actually play with and weren’t simply collector’s items. I was amazed to discover through our research how little children knew about their heritage – most of their awareness is driven by popular culture and the media”.
Research has shown that amongst British children aged eight to thirteen shows their understanding of the nation’s history is limited. As well as thinking Henry VIIIth was the latest blockbuster in a series of films about a character called Henry, but 45% thought the Tudors were a make of crisps and 55% thought Queen Victoria was the pub in the TV soap Eastenders – shocking!
Matilda’s Secret costs £6.99 and is available from http://www.agirlforalltime.com as well as selected bookstores.
Filofax has an excellent range of organisers, making them perfect for gifts this Christmas. Flex by Filofax is one of the newest innovations by Filofax, and is the ideal size for fitting into someone’s stocking!
There is no better way to keep organised with the Flex. This is the latest innovative evolution from the iconic British brand and is a fresh approach to notes and more. It’s small enough to fit in your handbag and big enough to hold all the information you need to lead a life of preparation and order. It looks great too:-
The concept is brilliantly simple; a sleek textured cover in a classic leather grain print into which multiple books and accessories including a choice of notebooks, a year planner, a diary, a contacts book and jot pad. These additional books can be inserted and used at any one time creating a personalised perfection all of its own. The adaptable slim line Flex slips neatly into your life providing a one stop shop solution with the flexibility to meet today’s demands.
Filofax says:-
“The Flex would be perfect for style conscious fashionistas, artistic and literary types, creative thinkers, travellers always on the move, entrepreneurs and business leaders constantly on the go from one meeting to the next, Flex adapts to the individual’s needs. Designed to fall open flat, Flex is the perfect base whether you need a vessel for your musing, sketchbook or doodle pad for creative thoughts, or just an organised personal record of plans and places to be. Bring your notes, thoughts, ideas and lists of things to do together in one convenient place that suits your lifestyle needs.”
The Flex comes in a range of lovely colours and is available nationwide and is priced from £17 - £27.
Key features of the Flex:
• More than 1 million ways to make your Flex your
• 3 sizes: Pocket, Slim and A5
• 3 colours: Black, Slate and Magenta
• Durable cover made from Premium material with a classic leather grain print with a double-seam finish on every pocket
• Lie-flat pages in all stationery
• Perfect for left-handed as well as right-handed people
• Pen holders
• Perforated sheets in the Jot Pad make it easy to ‘tear and share’ any note
• Patent pending double-pocket design allows Flex to be slim as well as extremely versatile
• 13 month diary from 1st December to 31st December or a mid-year (July to July) alternative
Also, the available inserts are:
• 80 or 272 page Ruled Notebook
• 80 or 272 page Plain Notebook
• Academic Year Diary
• Full Year Diary
• Year Planners
• Contacts Book
• Jot Pad
• Pen Holder
Check out http://www.filofax.co.uk for further ranges they have to offer.
