While Stephen Jones and Philip Treacy are world famous milliners; Miss Lua Cooper of Bedford Avenue was not on their radar for a new protégé. With a bit of luck, London based milliner Katherine Elizabeth – hat designer for the stars, including Dita Von Teese, Lily Allen and Henry Holland, featured her award winning couture master class on Groupon for One Day Head Piece or Hat Making Masterclass for £49 – 67% Off. This gave me the perfect opportunity to learn the tricks of the trade, spend one-on-one time with a renowned and reputable designer, and have a true professional training me – something normally left to the lucky students of Saint Martin’s College.

With her beautiful studio filled with her spectacular creations, I spent the first 15 minutes trying on every hat. No woman at Ascot would have anything on me with one of these on display! Some styles delicate, some decadent, and some so artistically mesmerising it’s not hard to see why her reputation is so superior in the industry.

Wearing my favourite hat (a peach headpiece with lace and a white rose), and armed with a croissant and dainty cup of tea we set to work. Katherine took us through all the fundamentals, techniques, and all the best places for supplies and inspiration. Personally starting out with the most hopeless attempt at moulding my sinamay hat fabric, everyone else at full speed like pros, I needed a bit of help.

Due at a party the next weekend, for which I needed quite an impressive hat, I told Katherine my ideas – wondering if it was going to look remotely wearable -but as Katherine has designed for Galliano and the House of Dior, I figured I was in pretty safe hands. Another croissant and few slices of chocolate cake later, the table was a tornado of feathers and explosion of fabric – and somehow, my hat looked remarkably passable for a real hat! With a costume designer for a best friend, I was determined that this was going to be the kind of hat that she could only dream of creating (not that I am competitive…)

Curiously the final result was quite satisfying, even Marie Antoinette would be jealous (my smugness shows through). As someone with a penchant for creativity, and yet generally an inability to make anything resemble a creation made by someone over the age of 8 years old – I was very pleased!

The good news for everybody else is that Katherine Elizabeth Millinery has teamed her Mad Hatter Couture parties with Benefit cosmetics – giving you the chance to create your own lavish masterpieces using ethically-sourced feathers, beads, trims, costume jewellery and vintage fabrics followed by professional make-overs – Hen Parties anyone?

Keep an eye out for the next Katherine Elizabeth gem on Groupon – you never know what you can learn!

Photographs Courtesy of Katherine Elizabeth and Lua Cooper

MUSIC: Django Django, XOYO, Monday February 27th

A few months ago I was doing the washing up to the dulcet tones of BBC6. A track began to play that forced me to abandon the soap suds and bop around my kitchen like a frenzied fool. Unbeknownst to me, said track was Django Django – true story. I am therefore extremely excited about hearing the Dalston boys in action. Somewhat mystifyingly self-described as “rollicking along sing-a-longs, galloping into disco sunsets like whisky-addled and leather-saddled bandits on the stolen backs of prairie wild mustangs” – personally I’d go for electronic infused art pop. Either way: this gig promises a good time had by all.

THEATRE: The Summer House, Gate Theatre, From 28th February

Directed by John Wright (of Told By An Idiot and Trestle), produced by Fuel and starring the wonderful Will Adamsdale; The Summer House comes highly recommended. A riotous clash of theatre and comedy, the show follows three not-so-alpha males on a riotous stag night in Iceland. Thought provokingly, laugh out loud funny, in short: modern masculinity under a makeshift microscope.

ART: Phantasmagoria, Forman’s Smokehouse Gallery, Until 26th February

It’s your last chance to see Phantasmagoria – an exhibition of paintings, prints, drawing, installation and sculpture at Forman’s Smokehouse Gallery. Exploring the on-going cycles of sub-cultures and counter cultures, the show brings together new and existing works by the likes of Jon Burgerman, David Shillinglaw, Dave Anderson and Agent Provocateur, amongst others. Todd Ryan White’s commissioned pieces come particularly highly recommended, echoing the psychedelic posters and record covers of Anton Kelly and Stanley Mouse.

FILM: The Seashell And The Clergyman, The Roundhouse, Sunday 26th February

I first saw this collaboration at the Birds Eye View and was blown away. Imogen Heap and the Holst Singers play a live and original score to The Seashell and the Clergymen (Dir. Germaine Dulac’s). The iconic silent film explores violent and erotic episodes within the unconscious mind of a wayward clergyman. Often considered the first Surrealist film, it is a captivating and unnerving visual feast. Throw in an award-winning musical innovator with a choir at her disposal, and you are on to something special.

WILDCARD: Hyper Japan, Earls Court, Until Sunday 26th February

A feast of Japanese culture and cuisine, consisting of Sushi and Sake, as well the magical world of anime and manga. Not forgetting fashion shows, workshops and live performances from singer and actress Natsuko Aso and YouTube sensation Beckii Cruel. Definitely one for those who love to dress like up or embrace Harajuku culture. Do this – or regret it!

As any new mum will know there’s a period of hibernation after baby’s arrival where the last thing you feel like doing is getting together with a group of people, however well meaning they may be. Having a get together beforehand means that the mum can enjoy the celebration, as she should – it is after all, all about her!

Traditionally, American baby showers include games and other merriment, but in my opinion that can be a tad tiring for a mum who’s fast approaching her big day. Much more relaxing, and sophisticated, is a pretty afternoon tea, which will really allow mum to be to relax and be treated with her closest friends around her.

My lovely expectant friend found herself on the receiving end of my enthusiasm for party planning last weekend when I threw her an afternoon tea themed baby shower at The Lion Hotel, in the village of Belper, Derby.

The very helpful staff helped me by setting a beautiful table with plump and pale pink flowers. All I needed to do was add a cluster of balloons and some sparkly baby girl confetti and the scene was set.

We welcomed an intimate group of six close friends, which was lovely as it meant that the gathering wasn’t too overwhelming or tiring for mum to be (who was only three weeks from her due date). For a much larger group a help yourself themed ‘mocktails and canapés’ get together would be a nice idea to save on the time it would take for each person to be individually served and allow mum to mingle.

As it was, six was the perfect sized group for her to be able to catch up with everyone around the table – preferable of course as she got to stay seated. Our lovely hosts at the tea rooms served us a delicious afternoon tea comprising of the daintiest finger sandwiches, warm scones with jam and clotted cream, and gorgeous cupcakes – together with tea and coffee of course. Those who were too full for cupcakes could take theirs away as a tasty party favour.

While it’s nice to bring a gift, particularly if you don’t see the expectant mum very often, that needn’t be the focus. This baby shower was more about mum getting to see her close group of friends before an exciting period when she may not be as free or available for get-togethers.

Afternoon tea deals often crop up on Groupon all across the country and The Lion Hotel actually feature on Groupon Derby. So if you come across one you could treat the expectant mum for much than you’d think less.

There are two great afternoon tea deals available at Groupon Today. The first is on offer atGroupon Hull for a Champagne Afternoon Tea For Two (£10) or Four (£16) at Buffers Restaurant; the second is available on Groupon Milton Keynes for Afternoon Tea For Two With Sandwiches, Homemade Scones and Cakes for £12 at The Woodland Manor Hotel

Other great ideas for a baby shower with a different include a cupcake decorating class or chocolate making class – both of which have featured regularly on the Groupon. Check your city daily and see what other great ideas you can think of for a fabulous and beautiful baby shower.

Photography by: Funky Shapes, Muy Yum and by Satrina0

No one is guiltier of this than me. I’ve no idea about so many things; how do televisions work? Who are the office workers who keep skyscrapers alight at night? Why do we spend £3 on a birthday card when we could just write a letter or send an email? Who on earth came up with the first loaf of bread? Indeed, I am ignorant of so much, and I was especially ignorant about Bolivia before I went there.

I was expecting to set foot upon the Third World, a place untouched by the Information Age, bereft of comfort, and more than likely to be tarnished by poverty. Having spent all of my previous holidays poking around Europe and exploring America, it seemed logical to imagine an alien place like Bolivia to be exotically behind the times. But, of course, I was embarrassingly wide of the mark, and nowhere was this more apparent than Sucre, a city-sized UNESCO World Heritage Site that is the constitutional capital of Bolivia.

The best view of Sucre is from above, looking across a sea of delicately-tiled terracotta roofs that sprawl haphazardly toward the encircling crumples of land. They each perch atop dazzling white walls, creating a rich rustic tapestry that would sit comfortably in any of the world’s art galleries, achieving near-perfection through a great many minor imperfections. Indeed, it is a place that capture’s one’s attention with its splendour, and one’s heart with its idiosyncrasies.

The funny thing is, I can’t tell you a lot about those idiosyncrasies, because they were each so minute that they left no individual impressions upon my memory, but instead combined to create a dazzling municipal mosaic. I’m talking about the weathered doors with heavy dangling handles, the simple archways that reveal a quaint courtyard, the meandering cobbled lanes that lead to nowhere, the narrow doorways that are occupied by a stout Bolivian lady selling fruit… on their own they amount to nothing, but together they present a scene that goes straight to the soul.

It’d be easy to visit Sucre and get monumentally bored. I was lucky to have been there at a time when all I wanted to do was collapse in a small cafe and get drunk on coca cola, and couldn’t think of anything worse than being faced with an assortment of postcard sights, each demanding my appraisal. But Sucre offers very little in this sense; perhaps that’s why I enjoyed it so much?

I also happen to think this is why I felt like I discovered so much in Sucre, which, by extension, taught me so much about Bolivia. Because there was no conventional itinerary, and nothing to tick off the been-there-done-that list, I had no choice but to explore, to wander and absorb what I’d otherwise likely have missed had I been focussing on something my guidebook told me to do. There aren’t many places that afford this luxury, which is, consequently, what makes travel such a glorious thing.

Sucre allowed me to peel back the facade of tourism and peer into Bolivia’s culture. I found that it is a country far ahead of the archaic nation I’d preconceived, and surprisingly in touch with the technological age. Most importantly, however, it is a country that has preserved its rich heritage, which is a far greater reason to visit a destination than any monument to modernity.

Photography by b00nj, b00nj, and The City Project

So she kindly mentioned that Moroccan Oil would change my life (I’d rather a have million pounds to change my life!); my first thought was – “oh you’ve got to be kidding me, I am NOT buying another product just because you tell me to!”. So after a couple of weeks of thinking about it, a couple more weeks research and even more weeks emptying every hair product I owned I took the plunge and I haven’t looked back!

I started off using The Original Oil Treatment which comes in at around £30.00 for 100ml (but you can shop around for it and find it cheaper online) and I thought – this better work or I will be cooking with it in the hope of getting my money’s worth!

I needn’t have worried – it was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!! Not only does it make your hair soft and smooth as silk, it also reduces drying time and can help strengthen your hair. You can apply it while your hair is wet or dry (or both) but if you apply it while its wet and then dry it with a hair dryer I promise you it will take half the time it normally takes.

You know those slow motion scenes in Movies/TV adverts where an actress swooshes her hair in front of the camera and it looks stunning and shiny and silky soft…that actually happened to me when I used this product – except for the slow motion part, that would just be weird! You don’t need to use a lot so this 100ml bottle will probably last you a year, I’ve had mine that long and I’m not even half way through it.

And to prove it works this is what my London based hairdresser said to me last week when I arrived with my disgusting dark roots poking out and my long blonde ends in her hands – “Mel your hair is so soft! I can’t believe how much colour damage it can take!”

So I’m a convert, I may never go to Morocco, but my hair will never go anywhere else!

There are some fantastic haircut and hair treatment offers on at Groupon today, so be sure to check them out. There’s even a Morocan Oil Treatment available at Groupon Leicester! Look out for your city below and grab yourself a deal before it ends!

Today’s Groupon Haircut and Hair Treatemnt Deals

Birmingham

Deluxe Cut With Blow Dry and Conditioning Treatment (£19) or Half Head of Highlights or Full Head of Colour with Cut and Blow Dry (£35) at Benjamin Ryan Hair & Beauty (Up to 68% Off)

Bournemouth

Half Head Highlights or Full Head Colour With Restyle for £25 at Hair & Beauty @ 437 (Up to 56% Off)

Cardiff

£14 Cut, Blow Dry, and Conditioning Treatment at Alana Hair and Beauty Salon (60% Off)

Coventry and Warks

Full Head Colour With Cut, Blow Dry and Conditioning Treatment for £27 at Blimps Hair Studio (Up to 70% Off)

Ipswich

Cut, Blow Dry and Wella Conditioning Treatment for £19 at Baiss & Co (Up to 61% Off)

Leicester

Semi-Permanent Colour, Highlights or Colour Regrowth Plus Moroccanoil® Treatment With Cut and Finish for £25 at Chic Hair and Beauty Group (Up to 73% Off)

Liverpool

Half Head of Highlights With Cut, Restyle, and Conditioning Treatment for £28 at Gemini (Up to 73% Off)

London

Brazilian Blow Dry Keratin Treatment Plus Cut With Senior Stylist for £69 at Backstage LA (Up to 75% Off)

Northampton

Full Head of Highlights or Colour With Restyle or Cut for £29 at So Be Hair & Beauty (Up to 65% Off)

Norwich

Wash, Cut and Blow Dry With Indian Head Massage and KMS Conditioning Treatment for £16 at Adrian Rowe Haircutters (Up to 60% Off)

The fitness world has long debated (and studied) the effects on stretching: how it relates to injury, whether it actually helps running speed and strength, and how it affects overall flexibility… and the results are mixed. Studies show that stretching is important to maintain flexibility, but maybe not when, or how, you think.

Before Your Run

The one thing that most sports scientists can agree on is this: do not stretch cold muscles. Stretching a cold muscle is more likely to cause injury than to prevent it. However, stretching before a run can still be beneficial. To get the benefit without the injury, a good warm-up is recommended (for example a slow jog of 5-10 minutes, gradually increasing intensity). After warming up, stretches can be done, but think dynamic not static stretches like reaching down and touching your toes for 15 seconds. Dynamic stretching involves continuing to warm up the joints through motion; for example, leg swings, arm circles, or squats.

When it comes to performance, the benefits of a pre-run stretch are a different story. Some studies show that there is a decrease in performance with more flexible muscles (less power is generated than from a tight muscle) so while injury is less likely, performance may be compromised.

Confused yet? Well, here’s one more study that could influence whether you choose to stretch. This study shows no difference in injury rate in stretching vs. non-stretching athletes. However, athletes that were used to stretching were more likely to get injured if they suddenly stopped. My take from all of this? A good warm-up is key, and if you stretch – make sure that it’s dynamic stretching.

After Your Run

Unfortunately, post-run stretching is an even greater debate, though less known to the general public. Years and years of recommendation advise static stretching after a run. Plus for some, a post-run stretch feels really good. So where’s the debate?

Well, why do we typically stretch after a run? For most, the idea is to prevent soreness or even to help release lactic acid. Interesting, since a study published in 2002 states, “Stretching produced small and statistically non-significant reductions in muscle soreness.” That study happened ten years ago, and yet we are still told time and time again to get in a good stretch after a run. Is everyone just recycling old news or is there something to it?

The good news for those of us who still stretch is that there is some evidence to show that a hormonal release associated with stretching can increase strength and enhance recovery- so maybe there’s good news and bad news when it comes to the post-run stretch.

So, what’s the truth?

Unfortunately, the truth is that there is still room for debate. Many scientific studies state point-blank that results are mixed or inconclusive. Add a separate stretching workout such as yoga to the mix and the debate gets even more heated (though personally, I have found that I am far less likely to get injured during intense training when I am also regularly practicing yoga).

What is known for sure is this – a strong body and core does help to prevent running-related injuries and improves performance. Maybe it’s time for a little less stretching and a little more strength training?

p.s Seeing as were on the topic of stretching and exercise/slimming – there is a great deal on at Groupon for some fantastic Slimming Pants With Low or High Waist from £16 from Peachy Pink (Up to 66% Off). They are designed to aid contouring and can be worn discretely under your clothes. Wearing these, as well as doing some regular exercise would work wonders in achieving that smoother, toned shape, we’d all love to have!

Photography by: lululemon athletica, lululemon athletica and Steve-bh

Raspberry & White Chocolate Blondies

Ingredients:

• 175g White Chocolate
• 75g Butter
• 125g Caster Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
• 150g Plain Flour
• 1/2 Tsp Salt
• 150g Raspberries

Method

1. To start, preheat the oven to 180oc / 350oF / Gas Mark 4 and grease a cake tin. Melt HALF the white chocolate in a saucepan then set aside.



2. Beat the butter and sugar together, then whisk in the eggs. Add in the vanilla extract and pour in the melted white chocolate before giving it another mix.



3. Then sift in the flour and salt and stir in.



4. Chop up the remaining white chocolate and add to your brownie mix along with the raspberries. . .mmm. Then transfer to your baking tin.



5. Finally, spread the mix within the tin to get a nice even layer and transfer to the oven for about 30 minutes. Then voila – melt in your mouth brownies!

Enjoy baking and eating these yummy treats!

Photography & Recipe by Iced Jems

When buying chocolate it is always worth having a look at the label, as surprisingly, the higher percentage of cocoa – the better it is for. If the chocolate shows a low percentage, it is more than likely that fat and sugar probably represent the rest of the treat. A square of a 70% chocolate actually is quite an acceptable treat when you are on a diet, let alone – the taste will be so much more satisfying.

It also can prove to be a gourmet adventure. There are wonderful chocolatiers in the country whose creativity you just have to tip your hat to. Although London based most of those do sell online…rejoice!

L’Artisan du Chocolat

They have truffles, spreads, and bars, everything you could dream of… Chocolate rehab never sounded so good. The range of flavours is so wide you probably will stay a whole hour choosing the perfect assortment. The orchid and orange blossom is what you need in your handbag as first-aid kit.

Charbonnel & Walker

Mrs Walker and Mme Charbonnel were of Britain’s earliest chocolatiers. Their shop opened in 1875 in New Bond Street and is there still, under the beautiful Royal Arcade. Her Majesty The Queen even has endorsed them with a Royal Warrant. And who could resist the nostalgic touch of those traditional round boxes in pastel hues and beautifully engraved letters? They hide sugar-dusted champagne treats, floral rose-violet creamy ones, and succulent vanilla flavoured bites – each in a paper case. Try the luxurious banoffee delicacies. You might get addicted.

Maison du Chocolat

Now those are a little luxury, each meant to be a product of exception. The ganache is just beautiful, glossy and remind of jewels. Trust me: you will be wowed by the strength of the cacao. Try the raspberry one, which feels like biting in the fruit. If life is like a box of chocolates make sure it comes from them. They have just opened a new boutique in Westfield, really worth a detour.

Oialla

Chocolate is good for you. This one even more so as it is organic; made from 70% Criollo beans (considered the world finest) and Brazilian raw cane sugar. It brings a smooth long lasting flavour that will make you forget about all the challenges of the day. Hunt it down at Harvey Nichols.

Paul A Young – Fine Chocolates

One of the most famous British chocolatiers – the guy who can make you fall in love with his famous Marmite truffles when you originally are more hate it than a love it. His boutiques are filled with pepper, lavender, chai, lemongrass and passion fruit treats. His specialty? A daring. Rose petal masala or Stilton and Porto – you’re always in for a delicious surprise. His book is sure to seduce you; ‘Adventures With Chocolate’ gently introduces you to basics, makes you drool in seconds, and will give you tips to make the recipe successful – without spending three hours on the dessert. Look out for his ‘Rule Britannia’ Easter range, hand decorated in vibrant splashes of red, white and blue. The ones filled with sea salted caramel is sure to be a hit, so will his Simnel brownies.

Rococo Chocolate

Chantal Coady followed her dreams: to her, cacao is a delight to the senses and not just a commercial product. She wanted beauty, delight and magic. And so she added a touch of poetry – cardamom, basil & lime, Moroccan mint, earl grey, orange & geranium. The unctuous blend is perfect; the flavours linger on the palate. One of her early customers was Joanne Harris and it is said this is where she found inspiration for her book “Chocolat!” Her focus also is on healthy ingredients – no artificial vanilla, no hydrogenated vegetable fat – and sourcing fairly. They recently created Grococo, a ‘home farm’ supplying its entire harvest of organic Trinitario cocoa beans to make the fine chocolate used in their house blend. Do stop at their shop on Motcomb Street. It hides a tiny courtyard decorated with mirrors and shadowed by a single tree. On a sunny day, sipping on a rich hot chocolate is a wonderful experience. Do check the website: they propose courses, kids and hens parties there too.

Pierre Hermé

His creations have been compared to haute-pâtisserie, and there is a touch of magic in everything he creates. Tell him two ingredients that should not match and he will find a way around it – making the best treat you have ever tasted. Why not a touch of salt, velvety, with a dash of olive oil and black olives? Yes it does work, it sings of the south of France, of aperitif time, of sitting in the sun. He succeeded to concentrate the macaron in a chocolate too, and can make to make passion fruit sing harmoniously with milk chocolate. If only he made a sweet-a-day calendar!

William Curley

William is both an amazing pastry chef and chocolatier. He combined his passion with his wife Suzue’s – also a highly respected patissier originally from Osaka. What a team! The range includes flavours such as thyme and Scottish Heather Honey, Japanese sake, mulled wine, rosemary and olive oil, blackcurrant and juniper…Oh, and they serve the most delicate pastries too.

Have you found a chocoholic heaven that you cannot live without? Add it to our list!

Photography by: Pison Jaujip, rei-san, jamescronin and Canon S3 IS in Paris, France

The only solace I can take from the whole experience is in the safe- house that is the Apple Store, where I can finally get a moment’s piece and play around on the iPads and iMacs. Or, getting 5 minutes in The Gadget shop sitting on a massage chair or playing with a remote controlled helicopter. For some reason it is ingrained in our nature and may even be innate – men love gadgets!

Working here at Groupon hasn’t really helped. It seems like every day there’s some sort of gadget related product which I’d love to have but wouldn’t usually buy because of the price. But in true Groupon fashion, that price factor gets taken out of the equation, and another order gets placed – to the annoyance of girlfriend.

With that said, it really is quite a good thing in some regards as I get to address my need for cool gadgets and novelty items without spending too much. Today alone I have already bought two items and as of writing this it’s only just gone 10.40am. There are a few great gadget related deals on today so I thought I’d share them with you if you have missed them somehow.

iPhone 4 or 4S Accessory Kit for £9.99 from Channel Goods (67% Off)

Coming nestled in a black pouch, this little bundle of joy envelopes an iPhone 4 or 4S in a protective embrace with all sorts of accessories to keep the gadgets as slick as ever. The pack includes extremely thin and transparent protectors which stick to the screen and back like attentive body guards, booting out any riff raff and keeping scrapes and scratches at bay. The stylus pen that attaches via jack helps owners tap into their inner writers, while the soft headphones keep ears entertained. Meanwhile, a multi-purpose black cover protects the phone as well as moonlighting as a stand in its spare time.

Kit contents:

• Thin, clear screen protector for back and front; helps to shield screen and back from scratches and dirt
• Jack stylus pen for accurate typing and to help avoid fingerprint smudges
• Multi-purpose case that can be used as a stand
• Headphones with soft ear buds
• Silver coloured pin to eject SIM card
• Small black pouch to keep accessories in one package

Robot Vacuum Cleaner for £89 from Discount Emporium (64% Off)

This robotic dust-buster not only helps around the house by keeping carpets clean, but can get on with job without any nagging, assistance, or encouragement from human folk. The vacuum cleaner boasts a 50 minute run time and an automated cleaning pattern, so owners can programme it in to their cleaning rotas, and get on with the washing up or watching TV instead. With a step-avoidance sensor, the busy little robot can look after itself and not stumble down the stairs.

Two-Cup Electric Coffee Makers with Two Ceramic Cups from £19.99 from James Russell (71% Off)

Brewing up two steaming cups at a time, this coffee maker whips up java with electric vigour. The nifty machine comes in a choice of black, cream, or red colours, and its compact design lets it find a comfortable home in kitchens, on office desks, and aptly atop coffee tables. It arrives ready to sate thirsts with two ceramic cups and a measuring spoon, while tea and hot choc sippers can also enjoy their favoured drinks. Hot beverages can all be enjoyed at the touch of a button, while the permanent washable filter makes things easy on the piggy bank.

Aluminium iPad 2 Case With In-Built Bluetooth Keyboard And Delivery for £29 from Moskys (62% Off)

Designed to envelope iPad 2s in sturdy, metal comfort, this case also doubles as a wireless Bluetooth keyboard, and triples as a handy stand. The ultra slim and lightweight device helps wobbly tablets remain upright members of society, whether vertical or horizontal, while simultaneously spreading out its full set of QWERTY keys for typing fingers. It also charges via the included nifty USB cable and when fully juiced-up, remains working for up to 55 hours.

The Specifics

• Three-in-one keyboard, case, and stand
• Full QWERTY Bluetooth keyboard
• Vertical or horizontal support
• In-built rechargeable battery
• USB charger included
• Bluetooth operation distance: 10m
• Plug-in and play function; no installation with CDs or drivers required
• Auto-sleep and wake functions when inserting and removing the iPad from the case
• Support Sony PS3 player
• Supports PCs (Windows XP and 7)
• Battery standby time: 60 days
• Uninterrupted working time: 55 hours

VTech Learning Console With Cinderella or Thomas and Friends Game Plus Four Additional Games for £49.99 from KidsPlaystore.com (55% Off)

Kids love gadget too and this one from VTech teams learning with imaginative playmand pre-school tots can soak up knowledge and grin away with their VTech V Smile learning console in pink or blue. The kid-friendly gadget connects to TVs channelling through colourful sights and sounds to help children grasp early skills such as spelling, numbers, and shapes with the wireless controller. The pink console comes with a Cinderella game while the blue arrives onto platforms with a Thomas the Tank Engine game. Each option also comes with four additional games from an assortment of titles which, when not in use, can be packed away inside the in-built compartment.

Pink VTech V Smile console bundle:

• Cinderella game
• Four additional assorted games (titles may vary)
• List of available titles: Dora, Wonderpets, Fairies, WTP, Princess and The Frog

Blue VTech V Smile console bundle:

• Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends game
• Four additional assorted games (titles may vary)
• List of available titles: Cars 2, Shrek, Toy Story 3, Handy Manny, Snow Park Challenge, Wall-E, Scooby, Mickey Mouse

Photography by: leondel

Eat

Tasty Tapas

You can’t avoid tapas in Spain, and nor should you want to. A fun, sociable way to try a wide range of different Spanish dishes, tapas is as perfectly suited to a quick bar snack as it is to a long, leisurely lunch or dinner.

Cal Pep, Placa de les Olles in the Gothic Quarter is the best place that I found for tapas. Sit at the bar on your lonesome or with a group of friends at a long table, just make sure that you order the patatas bravas among your feast.

Traditional Catalan Dishes

Head to Les Quinze Nits on St Marcs Square (off of Las Ramblas) for traditional Catalan and Mediterranean Cuisine and you won’t be disappointed. Lovely décor, vibrant atmosphere and dishes like black rice with cuttlefish and an amazing crème Catalan make this a restaurant worth joining the back of a very long queue for. And trust me; there will be a queue if you visit for dinner. Prices are very reasonable and the staff are also great with kids – don’t miss this one for a change from the laid-back tapas vibe.

Crispy, Fluffy, Heavenly Churros

These long, thin sugar doughnuts are deliciously moreish and should be crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. The best are found Xurreria, Carrer dels Banys, and carried out in a (big!) paper bag. Nom! The hot chocolate in Barcelona is thick enough to dip your churros in or eat with a spoon. A decadent experience but best to only order a small! Try La Pallaresa, Calle Petrixol, Gothic Quarter, for a chocolate and churros combo to die for.

Drink

A Taste of Sunshine

For the best variety of freshly squeezed juices seek out Juicy Jones on Carrer Cardenal Casanas in the Gothic Quarter. Graffitied in neon colours, you really can’t miss this place!

Summery Sangria

Like Summer in a jug Sangria begs to be drunk outside in the sunshine. Try a beachfront shack (a Chiringuito) on Barceloneta beach.

If you’re heading off to the sunshine city anytime soon then I’m very jealous. Eat, drink and enjoy the weather in one of my all time favourite destinations!

Photography by Allan Reyes, latca, Matt Biddulph, laura padgett and colonnade

Crunchie Bar Cookies

Ingredients

• 125g butter
• 110g self raising flour
• 80g light brown sugar
• 80g white granulated sugar
• 1 large beaten egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla essence
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 300g roughly chopped Crunchie bars

Method

1. Line a large baking tray with baking paper and pre-heat oven to 180 C (Gas mark 4).
2. In a large bowl, mix together the butter and sugars until it becomes light and fluffy. Add in the beaten egg and vanilla essence and mix together thoroughly.
3. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt, into the mixture until it blends and becomes smooth. Then add in the chopped Crunchie Bars pieces and fold them into the mixture.
4. Spoon the mixture into 3 inch balls and place onto prepared baking approximately 1 inch apart.
5. Place them in the middle of your oven and cook for 10-12 minutes until the cookies become firm around the edges and begin to brown.
6. Remove from oven and leave the cookies to cool on a wire rack.

All that’s left to do is enjoy!

These will make for a great treat to eat over the weekend and get you in the mood to have some fun!

p.s. How many of you remember those “Friday Feeling” Crunchie adverts from the 90’s. . .am I showing my age?

MUSIC: Metal Book, Alberteen’s Debut Album, On General Release

I recommended a live gig by the wonderful Alberteen, back in December. I am now delighted to recommend their recently released debut album. A heady clash of darkly cinematic psych-pop, it has been receiving a string of outstanding reviews. Think Nick Cave strutting with David Lynch, to a beat provided by Preminger: an album to get your pivots shifting.

THEATRE: Odyssey, Battersea Arts Centre, Until February 25th.

The mesmeric Paper Cinema present a production of live animation for adults. Based on Homer’s masterpiece, Odyssey features exquisite illustrations, skilled puppetry and cinematic projection. From a suitcase packed with cut-out paper puppets, emerges a captivating tale set to a live score – magical.

ART: Robert Montgomery, It Turned Out This Way Cos You Dreamed It This Way, KK Outlet, Until February 25th.

KK present It Turned Out This Way Cos You Dreamed It This Way, the first solo show in over a year by the Scottish Artist Robert Montgomery. Renowned for his affecting poetry, his work can be seen in a variety of contexts – on hijacked billboards in the UK, emblazed on the streets of Paris, lit up over the New York skyline, on the sides of trucks in Turkey. Here he will reveal a series of billboard poems, alongside a major new work from his Recycled Sunlight Series (a series of poems in light) and a collection of his drawings and watercolours. Described as “somewhere between Jenny Holzer and T.S. Eliot”, Montgomery is one to watch.

FILM: Rooftop Film Club, The Yard, Until March 3rd

Following last year’s pop-up theatre, The Yard – hidden in the depths of Hackney Wick – is being put back to good use, with a fortnight of film screenings. Presented by the good people behind Rooftop Film Club and Underground Film Club, there seems to be a cult classic theme – with films including ‘Reservoir Dogs’, ‘Purple Rain’, ‘The Lost Boys’, ‘Purple Rain’, ‘Labyrinth’ and ‘Back To The Future’ . The run also features Chick Flick Tuesdays, with ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ and ‘Dirty Dancing’. The Yard Cafe and bar will be running alongside the screenings and I am told there will be a spot of dancing . . .

WILDCARD: Pancake Day, Everywhere/Anywhere, Tuesday 21st February

Shrove Tuesday aka Pancake Day returns. Thank goodness. Treat yourself to a dish of deliciousness (and perhaps check out one of the numerous pancake races across the capital).

p.s If you’re looking for perfect pancakes this Pancake Day then be sure to head over to Groupon and pick up this great deal for a Cooks Professional Mini Pancake Maker for £14.99 from James Russell. That’s over 60% off!

Photographs by: pfig