Glamoursleuth

Preposterously Pink, Red, Orange and Peach Shoes and Sandals – 20 Pairs Perfect for Summer

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia Davidson) — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:53:00 +0000

If anyone had told me this time last year that I would be coveting a pair of pink, red, orange or peach shoes (or sandals) to step around in this summer I would have laughed them off, however there are so many on show online and in the stores, and they look….well…..just so seductive and wearable that I’ll freely admit that I’m seriously tempted.

I have to say that were I going to put serious money into a pair of summer shoes they would be gold or nude, as I consider those any thinking woman’s wardrobe staple and necessary in every height, shape or style (gold as in sandals, rather than shoes however). But if you love colour in the summer you can spend the earth on a pair of orange patent Christian Louboutin sling-backs or Charlotte Olympia red leather sandals. Alternatively you can pay a visit to M&S and invest a far far smaller amount into a pair of orange suede stiletto heel ankle strap sandals.

If I’m going to buy something very colourful that will probably only last one season and for a few months, I have to say I’d be tempted to spend less rather than more but there are red and orange shoes at everything from designer to high street prices.

Red and orange shoes and sandals look sexy and flattering on gleaming toned legs and with anything from jeans to floaty summer maxis and sleek little dresses. Keep your other accessories neutral and use these shoes to add a blink of bright to something simple and modern.

The All New Fitflop – Ready to Run In

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia Davidson) — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 11:17:00 +0000

Having written before about how I must have run over a quarter of a mile in my Fitflop sandals a while back at Chicago airport, and having had my favourite pair chewed by puppies not that long ago, I thought it was time to re-visit this excellently comfortable brand. Fitflop are not the sandals (or shoes) you’re going to want to wear out to drinks in town most likely, but they’ll get you there so happily that you probably won’t want to take them off.

The whole point of Fitflop is the microwobble board technology in the sole which is supposed to tone your legs and bum as you walk, activating certain muscles and also diffusing underfoot pressure. I can’t vouch for their effectiveness, only to say that they are the most comfortable sandals I have walked in, let alone run in.

New into the collection are the Fitflop Flare for those who like a bit of sparkle, alongside their mainstay (and cheaper Astrid). Then there’s the pillar box red Kys slide, which has a cork wrapped sole; back strapped and sparkling again Limited Edition Fitflop Suisei, the Super T Sneaker and more including clog type slippers which if you slip into in the morning you’ll find you may forget to change later. Having just sneaked a peak under my desk I can see I haven’t yet stepped out of mine…….

Fitflop may seem like a bit of an investment for something you may not have tried before – they’re definitely not cheap, I can only say that I’ve had my (now chewed pair) of gold sandals for about five years and I’m still wearing them. And I’ll be adding to my collection very shortly. And as for the slippers……time to go and put on my trainers.

There are loads of places you can find Fitflop, search on Amazon and you’ll find some good discounts, if they have the particular pair you’re looking for in your size, however the place I have always bought mine is Cloggs, where the range is excellent and the delivery as speedy as you could ask. Cloggs stock lots of other footwear brands including Converse, Ugg Australia and Ash.

Why This is the Best Push-up Strapless Bra and Where to Buy it.

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia Davidson) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 13:00:00 +0000

There are loads of push-up strapless bras on the market, every lingerie brand has one, but this one is comfortable, elegant, totally strapless (so no multi-way or straps of any kind to deal with) and once you’ve tried it you won’t want to wear anything else when you want no straps and a bit of oomph (or more, depending on what size you are).

Wonderbra’s Ultimate Strapless Bra is not one of those that grabs you round the back as some strapless bras do, is made in a soft wearable fibre, and will give you uplift whatever size you are – it comes in plain nude and black, black, red or white lace. There is deeper support underneath to make sure it stays in place, and a deeper plunge then many other strapless bras. Sizes go from A right through to G. The bra is true to size.
Yes there are cheaper strapless bras on the market, but this is the best I have come across, and it comes in a gorgeous shade of red as well. You’ll find it at Figleaves, and also on Amazon, where if they have your size you may find a good discount. This is the perfect strapless bra to wear under party dresses and strappy sundresses and (sorry) it will never let you down.

Having been without broadband for the past week and a half I should have it back tomorrow, thanks to the wonderful service from Talk Talk. All broadband operators seem to have us right over a barrel, but Talk Talk have really come through. Once I found the right person to talk to via LinkedIn. More over on www.webhints.co.uk

Where to find Summer’s Pretty and Plain T-shirts in a Rainbow of Colours

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia Davidson) — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 15:48:00 +0000

T-shirts are a summer staple whatever the weather, and as someone who normally collects hers in the US I decided to do a trawl of the high street to find the equivalent here, good value, colour rich, and as pretty or plain as you might want.

Not being a patterned t-shirt person I decided that I was looking for two things, high quality, a variety of necklines and care-easy. I visited several stores, online and off, looking for a good choice, and I have to say it was a task. I expected to find what I was looking for at M&S but if the style was there it wasn’t in a fabric I wanted, and some of the colours were right out of any spectrum that I would want to wear.

The best choices were undoubtedly Uniqlo and White Stuff. The former for the shapes and colours (and price) of fairly basic styles but with flattering necklines and fine fabrics – all perfect for layering, and the latter for some of the prettiest t-shirts and tops in different paintbox colours, about three times the price of Uniqlo, but more wearable on their own.

At Uniqlo you’ll find just about every colour under the sun, from brights to faded neutrals and at White Stuff the colour palette is designed to work with the whole range, so there isn’t such a choice. Both have excellent white options for summer.

I don’t think you can have too many t-shirts in your cupboard, for wearing out under a jacket, for going hiking in (!) wearing to the gym or simply slipping over your favourite pair of jeans. I have to say that patterned t-shirts leave me totally cold, embellished? Maybe. Unqlo is perfect for plain coloured t-shirts and White Stuff for t-shirt tops to dress up as much as you want. And by the way both are selling out fast, particularly in white – of course, summer’s favourite non-colour……

All Charged Up and Ready to Go–Two Handbag Friendly Portable iPhone Chargers

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia Davidson) — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 09:34:00 +0000

As someone who is obsessed with keeping their mobile charged, and used to carrying two charged Blackberry batteries around with them (yes I’ve got it badly) it came as a shock to find out that I couldn’t go on doing this with my new iPhone. Researching portable iPhone chargers I came across these two and they both do the job excellently well. One is for days out and the other will take you away for a weekend. And you can carry both around with you.

This Power Bank portable iPhone 5 charger is inexpensive and took a few days to arrive. I have to say that the cable that came with it was not that good, however the charger itself is excellent. Charge it up, slip it into your bag, and it’ll give you a good back-up charge for a day out. As I had Blackberry chargers from my previous mobile the fact that the cable that came with this was slightly squashed at the important end didn’t bother me, it may do you, however I don’t see anything else to rival this by price, weight or efficiency.

To call the Anker a portable iphone charger is slightly misleading as it will charge anything from your iPad to your Xperia and pretty much everything in between. It has two USB ports and a load of different adaptors for Blackberry, Apple and onwards. It is slightly heavier as you’d expect from something carrying quite so much of a punch, and you need to take the cable with you, which you don’t with my other choice, however if you’re going on a long haul flight or a weekend away it will do the job with ease, and can charge two pieces of kit at the same time.

There are a lot of iphone cases with batteries you can buy, however I prefer something separate which I can just use when I need it. These two chargers seem flexible enough to cover most eventualities and to cope with my need to being fully charged at all times.

Stuck as I am at the moment without internet as someone has hijacked my broadband line, and relying on friends and outposts with wi-fi to be able to work until it is sorted, I’m currently ensconced at the Landmark in London, where wi-fi will set you back a fiver for the day and the people couldn’t be more helpful. Which charger do I have with me? Daft question, actually I have both. Just in case…………

Hot Heels for Sunny Days – Gold and Silver Sandals from Designer to High Street

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia Davidson) — Thu, 30 May 2013 09:19:00 +0000

The hottest of heels make your legs look longer, make you walk tall, and pack a punch for the holidays from beach to bar. As soon as the sun comes out an essential part of your packing, summer wardrobe or summer sandal collection has to be a pair of gold or silver sandals, and preferably more than one pair at different heights.

Being neutral in colour, gold and silver sandals can really flatter your legs, and add some lift (literally and figuratively) to whatever you’re wearing. Whereas metallic shoes and pumps can sometimes look overdone, a pair of strappy sandals will work with just about anything, and the higher the quality the longer they should last.

These three pairs of gold sandals, by Givenchy, Musa and Diane von Furstenberg would take you from beach to bar with ease and dress up anything from a simple sun dress to a party perfect maxi dress.

A really hot pair of heels will be vertiginously high to the point where you can’t walk very far in them, however as a gold (I just prefer it to silver) sandal collector I can recommend having several pairs at different heights, some to slip into with your favourite summer dress for a glass of something chilled in the garden, some mid height that you can actually walk in (and we’re not taking about long distance) and others for just stepping out of a cab in at your favourite restaurant.

Brands to look out for, where you’ll find a good range of gold and silver sandals, are LK Bennett and Dune although the department stores usually have the best choice overall. Make sure when you buy a pair that the foot bed is padded enough for you to be able to wear them for a while.

Gold and silver sandals work with pretty well anything you wear when the sun’s out, they can become your all day summer shoe provided you can actually walk in them and the better quality you invest in the longer they’ll last.

Moving away from the subject of hot heels but staying with metallics, a pair of gold or silver ballet flats will stand you in good stead for just about anything, and can be slipped into your bag to change into if you get tired of heels. One of the best collections is to be found at Zalando, with a large range of brands on offer from Guess to Michael Michael Kors.

How to Make Meringue | Delia Smith | Tried and Tested

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia Davidson) — Mon, 27 May 2013 09:06:00 +0000

Knowing how to make meringue will stand you in good stead for summer dinners, parties and all sorts of other occasions when you want something that you can make well in advance and bring out with aplomb knowing that many just can’t get it quite right. And yet with the right instructions they are very easy to make.

I must have made meringues hundreds of times as my kids love them. And along with Delia Smith’s wonderful chocolate mousse have brought out these two desserts, made a couple of days before, in large quantities to feed huge numbers. There will always be those who eschew desserts, but if you want something to please the sweet toothed and of which there will never be anything left, then these are your answer.

There are simple tricks for how to make meringues perfectly:

Make sure your bowl and whisk are absolutely clean or your egg whites may not beat up.

Don’t allow any egg yolk to go into your egg white – again it may not beat properly. So break each egg separately (I use a couple of mugs) before adding the white in with the rest.

Have some non stick baking tray liner at the ready – you can’t use greaseproof paper here, they will stick. You can buy this at Lakeland and also at Amazon and you can use it over and over again and for anything where you want non-stick. You just clean it and put it away after use.

Beat your egg whites and sugar together until the mixture stands in stiff peaks but don’t overbeat.

Follow Delia Smith’s excellent steps on how to make meringues and you won’t go wrong. I always use a large beater (mine is a Kenwood) and five or six egg whites will make you a large round meringue to use as a base for summer fruits, banana and ginger, or anything else you want.

Balthazar Restaurant – A French Bistro from New York to Covent Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia Davidson) — Sun, 26 May 2013 10:41:00 +0000

The first Balthazar restaurant was opened in New York by Keith McNally in 1997 and offers a French bistro menu. It arrived in Covent Garden, London in February 2013 and on the recommendation of a friend I visited it with said friend and the eldest son last week.

This is an attractive restaurant, bustling, noisy and the menu is very French. It was also completely full and but when I arrived needing an extra place for my son there was no hesitation, just a two minute wait.

Balthazar is open all day, for breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner but if you want a proper table for a meal there you’ll have to book. There have been mixed reviews – read Jay Rayner at The Observer, Matthew Norman at The Telegraph and Nicholas Lander at the FT. I would have liked more of my moules to be open, but the whole experience was great fun and after all they have only just opened. I went there for lunch and would certainly do so again.

It doesn’t compare, food wise, with some of the great French bistros I’ve visited, such as Le Dome in Paris (coming up shortly) but we should give it a chance and in the meantime, getting a table will continue to be difficult.

Balthazar Restaurant: 4-6 Russell Street, London WC2 020 3301 1155

Dresses for Curvy Girls – How to Buy a Dress Online

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia Davidson) — Sat, 25 May 2013 12:10:00 +0000

Let’s be clear – when I say dresses for ‘curvy’ girls – I mean girls/women of any age who have curves. It doesn’t matter what size you are, every curvy girl can look great in a dress, the trick is to find the right fabric and style and then make it your own.

The first thing, if you’re curvy, is to look for a dress with a waist that will flatter your curves rather than camouflage. Wrap, fixed wrap and ruched styles are great. As are dresses in jersey and fabrics that contain enough stretch so that they skim over bumps and highlight your best points.

An hour glass figure is the sexiest there is, just look at Marilyn Monroe and today Christina Hendricks to find women who have made the absolute most of their curves – so if you’re blessed with curves don’t hide them, enjoy and flaunt them.

If you’re thinking of buying a dress online make sure of the following:

Buy your correct size, but remember that high street brands tend to come up larger than designer brands.

Look for wrap, ruched and cross front styles.

Make sure your dress has stretch in it if you want it to hug all of your curves

A v neck will be more flattering and add length as compared with a high neck dress.

Look for a slim skirted dress – flared skirts, pleats and too much fabric will add width, which you don’t want.

Don’t buy anything with horizontal stripes, or colour-blocking, particularly if the colour changes at the waist, again this will add width.

Make sure the skirt length is the best length for you. Anything too long will look frumpy. Make the effort to have your dress shortened if you need to.

Note that wrap dresses can look great, but real wrap dresses can sometimes have a lot of fabric in the skirt which will add width. Fixed wrap dresses can often be easier.

And on a final note: Nude heels or gold sandals will always make your legs look longer – avoiding ankle straps unless you have very slim legs.

Online Shopping Safety – Ten Top Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia Davidson) — Sun, 19 May 2013 11:58:00 +0000

Online shopping safety is often overlooked when you find the dress/bag/pair of shoes of your dreams at an irresistible price. The instinct is to immediately buy. Most of the time you will be safe, your credit card details will be secure and your order will arrive exactly as you expect. But not always. We all shop so much online today that online shopping safety is not considered often enough, so here are ten top tips to read and remember as they always apply;

1. Keep your cards safe always. Most internet fraud happens because someone has got hold of one of your cards in the real world. Provided you’ve reported your loss you do have a come-back, however the best advice is to not let anyone get their hands on one of your cards in the first place.

2. Look for the Verified by Visa and MasterCard SecureCode logos which means that you have an extra level of security. Sign up for these schemes and keep your passwords safe.

3. Look for independent customer reviews, these will tell you a great deal about the site you’re considering purchasing from. Customer reviews have become so common now that you may ask yourself, if you’re on a website not offering them, why they’re not. A page of testimonials doesn’t really count, although it may be helpful for you to read, as they can be written by anyone.

4. Also look for trusted accreditation scheme logos such as Trusted Shops/Internet Shopping is Safe. Click through to make sure that the logos go to the correct place – not many people bother to do this.

5. Make sure that your anti-virus software is up to date. Don’t allow lapses. There are several very good options; Norton is considered one of the best. Here’s a post on other paid-for options for online shopping safety, which may well give you better coverage than their free counterparts.

6. Use the latest version of your browser. These are always being updated and are easily downloaded. Click here for Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Chrome.

7. You should see the small padlock icon appear, and your browser URL prefix change to https:// once you click on check-out. This tells you that your transaction is secure.

8. Log out of any sites you have browsed or shopped from. Don’t just close your browser – you may stay logged in otherwise.

9. Never give anyone your pin number or password – anyone who asked you will probably be fraudulent. Be aware that reputable websites will never ask you, by email or otherwise.

10. If you’re not shopping from a household name stop for a moment and make sure that you can see accreditation logo/s and the logo of the payment services provider (PSP) such as PayPal, Protx and Secure Trading.

Also: Keep a record, either printed or in an online folder, of any purchases you’ve made online, and make sure that your goods have arrived and that the proper payment has been debited to your account.

Online shopping safety depends on you knowing the above, and keeping it in mind when you’re purchasing online. It’s worth taking a moment to ensure that you’re properly aware.

Zoom Cafe Blandford Street London | Delicious Food in a Tiny Bustling Restaurant

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia Davidson) — Sat, 18 May 2013 08:40:00 +0000

Zoom Cafe is one of those restaurants (because it’s more than a cafe) that unless you read about it or hear about it from a friend, or live or work nearby, you’re unlikely to come across.

Simply designed and very small this is the place to come to if you want a quick or informal and not expensive lunch or dinner, and many do, as when I’ve been there it’s always been full. Having been turned away the first time I tried to visit I now book ahead every time.

Situated just around the corner from the top of Thayer Street (or bottom of Marylebone High Street), Zoom Cafe doesn’t immediately draw you in, unless you spot the number of diners, dressed in anything from jeans to suits, sitting at tables close together and obviously having a good time.

Start with marinated olives with your glass of wine, go the whole hog and have a three course meal or, as we did yesterday, choose one course (the son had a grilled chicken burger and thin, beautifully cooked chips and I had grilled sea bass with salad). The food is always delicious whether you go for one of the unusual salads or something more traditional and the menu is extremely varied.

I’ve been to Zoom Cafe more times than I can count and I’ll be back there again soon. Don’t complain about the closeness of the tables, go somewhere else if you can’t deal with that, the owner and staff are friendly, knowledgeable and quick and the excellent modern international food makes this restaurant well worth a visit.

On a final note or two, to book call 020 7935 4626 - Zoom Cafe is situated at 1 Blandford Street, London, W1U 3DA.

Finish with a wonderful cappuccino and don’t forget the biscotti – they’re out of this world and extremely dangerous to dieters. And no I didn’t.

20 of the Prettiest Sundresses to Buy Right Now

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia Davidson) — Mon, 13 May 2013 11:59:00 +0000

Sundresses are those hard to find, flattering dresses that you put on as soon as the sun comes out with a sexy little pair of gold sandals, flat or otherwise, to take away with you, wear out to lunch or simply for lazing around in the garden. The whole point of a sundress is that it is supposed to be pretty, baring smooth toned arms (!) and legs and in some halter and very strappy styles showing off even more.

These dresses are all out there on the high street and in the designer stores right now, and if the sun hasn’t appeared yet properly it’s well to be prepared for when it does, for these dresses, once summer arrives, will go with you everywhere, easy to pack, and ready to wear whenever.

You can pay as much or as little as you want for a sundress, some of the best are to be found at stores such as Boden, Joules and White Stuff who are excellent at producing little numbers that work dressed up or down. Otherwise you can browse the designer boutiques who usually have less choice because, after all, if you’re going to sink a small fortune into a dress, it may as well be your next little designer black dress, rather than something snappily strappy and only wearable when the sun shines.

From floral prints to broderie fabrics and simple jersey styles to halterneck, v neck, wrap or empire line you’ll find sundresses in a wide choice of styles. My preference is always fine cotton or jersey for their beautifully light ability to be folded and packed and then put on the instant there are sunny skies, wherever I am.

On another note – if you’re thinking of going to see The Great Gatsby don’t hesitate – go. Leo DiCaprio is superb as Gatsby and the filming and sets are incredible and completely over the top which you’d expect from a Baz Luhrmann epic whilst maintaining the tragedy of the story.

Also Renoir, in French, and a slightly more difficult movie to watch, but beautiful with the gorgeous light of Provence.

Houston on a Plate–Underbelly Restaurant–A Best Kept Houston Secret

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia Davidson) — Wed, 08 May 2013 14:57:00 +0000

Underbelly is one of those restaurants that if you didn’t know about it and were visiting Houston it might pass you by entirely as it’s one of Houston’s best kept secrets and not a tourist destination in any way. Described by Zagat as ‘the most anticipated new restaurant’, this is not a grand five course restaurant, nor a quick food emporium, but a huge modern barn of a restaurant created by chef Chris Shepherd and offering the embodiment of Houston flavours and culture in a totally idiosyncratic way.

I visited other restaurants in Houston and more about those, however, as a Londoner and established Brit this was a visit full of such personality and joie de vivre that it had to top my list.

The restaurant has been designed around modern Southern architecture and includes a wall of pictures of people and places that have inspired Chris Shepherd, a barn lit ceiling over the huge dining space, beautifully arranged books and jars of pickles lining the walls and above all the loud din of happy diners. Underbelly is always full and by the way if you’re in Houston and want to go there you need to book at least a month in advance.

Calling Houston ‘The new American Creole city of the South’, Underbelly offers an unusual and always changing menu to suit the produce of the seasons where you order ‘dishes’ rather than courses, although you can have them in the order you want. I chose chicken with Strawberry BBQ sauce, slaw and cornbread which was exceptional and tasted by all as being the best choice, but you can also have such delicacies as ‘Crispy Bay Anchovies with Aioli’, ‘Roasted Beets, Garlic Lemon Puree and Goats Cheese’ and Wagyu Pot Roast. See the full dinner menu for yourself here.

This is not a menu you’re likely to come across anywhere else, and with the open kitchen and noisy, happy eaters, some in shorts and all casually dressed not a restaurant that would translate easily to a city such as Paris or London which but in Houston, Texas was just about perfect. Beam me back there please soon……… and in the meantime read Zagat’s post about Underbelly

Designer Fashion Online–The Top Ten Places to Shop this Spring

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia Davidson) — Thu, 02 May 2013 15:39:00 +0000

Shopping for designer clothes and accessories online can be daunting – by virtue of the fact that there’s just so much to choose from. Take into account the sheer amount of information, that every brand is represented online and if you have a favourite designer their full collection can most likely be viewed over up to six online boutiques, then you can spend an age just browsing without really getting anywhere.

The best places to shop online for designer fashion are those who have produced their websites with you in mind, inevitably, and who offer a shopping experience that can be as fast or slow as you want. You can sit down with a cuppa, read the trend report, browse the lookbook and seek advice from the ‘wardrobe experts/personal shoppers’. Alternatively, for those more time poor, you can go directly to the category or designer of your choice and bag your new dress, handbag, pair of shoes or earrings in less than a minute and in all probability have it delivered to your door the following day.

Then again I’m looking for fashion websites that are not just beautifully designed, but who also offer a seriously good range, of designers, products across all categories and prices, as although I may be after that McQueen dress this may just not be the moment, and I’ll settle for the treat of a J Crew t-shirt instead for the time being.

Speaking of treats and moving on to gifts, all these designer fashion emporiums know full well that every girl likes a new pair of shoes, a pair of earrings or a beautifully embellished new season’s bag, particularly if it’s a gift, so they offer high quality gift wrapping services to take the pain out of gift shopping – we’re more and more time poor, if not cash rich, and this can solve numerous gifting problems. A beautifully wrapped gift from any of these places will bring a smile of anticipation.

So here are my favourite 10 places to shop for designer fashion and accessories online;

Net-a-Porter.com
Matches Fashion JulesB
Selfridges
My Wardrobe
My Theresa
Style Bop
Cruise Fashion
Harrods
Coggles

Of course there are many more places to find fashion online, from designer to high street, but these 10 should be enough to start with, and how much time do you have, anyway?

Isabel de Pedro–Designs for the Real Woman

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia Davidson) — Wed, 01 May 2013 12:33:00 +0000

Isabel de Pedro is a Spanish designer creating feminine and sexy clothes for real women. Although there are separates in the collection, the real strength lies in her dresses, with shapes from traditionally styled wrap and tea dresses to contemporary draping and prints.

Isabel de Pedro is a brand you won’t find in many places online or in the stores, and Jules B carries the best collection, along with other brands such as Joseph, J Brand, Paul Smith Black and Hoss Intropia plus Armani Jeans and H By Hudson.

All of the fabrics are in luxury quality and nearly all have an element of stretch, making a flattering fit easier over a curvy figure. Expect to be noticed in these dresses, which you’re unlikely to see anywhere else, unlike most high street labels.

Getting Ready to Go Sleeveless…………How to Tone Your Arms | Updated

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia Davidson) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:24:00 +0000

Spring, summer and the challenge of Michelle Obama arms and the sleeveless dress is looming right on the horizon. There are plenty of long sleeved and three quarter sleeved options out there, but how much more enjoyable to be able to bare it all and show off toned arms. How to tone your arms is easily solved, but you need to get going right now.

Don't think this is difficult, nor that age bears any relation to whether or not you can have sleek smooth sexy arms and shoulders - all it takes is a bit of time and motivation - after all, who wants to cover up all of the time?

If you leave this until a few weeks before the sun comes right out you’re not allowing enough time to get great results. Toning up your arms is easy and doesn’t have to take a lot of time, however you need to take a run at it.

Going on diets, cardio at the gym or anywhere else - they can both be great for your weight. Spot toning is what will succeed on those areas that you specifically want to improve, be they arms, waist, core, bum or thighs. Don’t listen to anyone who says they don’t work, they do. And I know these things.

I go to a gym when I travel, and work out at home when I’m in the UK. It’s worth building up a small amount of kit to use at home, there are no excuses, you don’t have to go out and you can use any spare moments you have. This is an excellent Pilates DVD with 10 minute segments and a very good section for arms at the beginning. It works, I promise you. And you can do the arms segment every day. Be aware that what seem to be light weights to start with get heavy very quickly as you do a lot of repetitions, so start with something easy.

Ogling and envying Michelle Obama's trim, toned arms, Gwyneth Paltrow's or Eva Mendes' is a reason to get motivated, they're no different from you other than their motivation.

Here is a very good set of exercises to start with published by Fitness Magazine, particularly the first six, including dumbell curls, chair dips and pull-overs.

And if you need any more motivation – think of yourself going sleeveless in just a few weeks, and that great feeling when you know you don’t need a cardigan, shrug or wrap to cover anything up………,

Delia Smith’s Scone Recipe for the Perfect British Afternoon Tea

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia Davidson) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 16:08:00 +0000

Delia Smith’s Scone Recipe is one of those recipes I’ve tried and tested many times. You’ll find scone recipes everywhere from fancy fruit scones to cheese scones, buttermilk scones and the simplest of basic scones but to my mind the best scone recipe is one that works every time and provides the perfect light and airy base for clotted cream (or heavy whipped cream) and home made or the finest quality raspberry jam.

Just a word, when making these I suggest you double up on the scone recipe ingredients as you will find they mysteriously disappear off your baking tray when you’re trying to cool them to get them ready to serve. In any case they will all be gone in a flash.

The traditional British afternoon tea of course looks for other goodies such as cucumber or egg sandwiches and probably chocolate cake, and if you take your tea at the Ritz London (book well beforehand) or any other grand tea-serving place it’ll be served on a three tier cake stand such as this one from Amara

Having said that to my mind the best scones need no other food to be served with them, and to guild the lily with sandwiches and cake just takes away from the joy eating scones on their own. Be warned, one scone may allow you room for dinner, two or more most certainly will not.

I’ve written this post for the Adolphus Hotel in Dallas, where I currently am (Dallas, not the hotel), and with whom I’ve recently been Tweeting about the British Afternoon Tea, so for them, we Brits pronounce scone as ‘on’, unless we are quite grand, in which case it should be pronounced scone, as in ‘tone’. Not to be confused with biscuits, of course…………..and by the way. The cream goes on the jam in my house – I’m happy to say that the Ritz appears to agree with me. But it is a point that can be debated.

How to Get Dallas Perfect Pins | The Best Body Scrubs and | Moisturiser with Fake Tan

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia Davidson) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 13:36:00 +0000

How to Get Dallas Perfect Pins and the Best Body Scrubs plus Moisturiser with Fake Tan. It may still be April, and a little (!) on the chilly side, however shortly no doubt we’re about to get hit with a heat wave to make up for the freezing winter and then it’ll be leg baring time with a vengeance.

On the other side of the pond everyone expects that the cold days will alternate with blistering heat, particularly here in Texas, and so unless they really want to cover up all the time most women are ready to bare their pins at a moments notice. Which takes some work of course. You’ll need one of the best body scrubs plus a moisturiser with fake tan to work it the way I do.

If you really want perfect pins you’ll no doubt have been out running with a trainer at 5am every morning, beating it down to the gym, using leg weights etc etc but for those who haven’t gone or don’t go that route it’s not too late to get your legs looking good for when the sun comes out.

One of the best ways to get good looking legs and banish the winter blues is to first use a body scrub, and then moisturise as much as you can. I like to use a moisturiser with just a hint of fake tan, as I don’t like too much sun and last minute tanning products are risky to me, My all time favourite is Shiseido Daily Bronze. There are loads of excellent body scrubs out there also, but these three are the ones I return to over and over again.

Use both every day and moisturise preferably twice a day. And of course this applies to arms as well.

Other useful pin perfecting activities are to go get a pedicure and then keep it up, buy some ankle weights (and use the best Pilates DVD out there whilst wearing them) or hot tail it down to the gym and use the cross trainer or treadmill (not necessarily to run, but to walk uphill, as I do).

Every little bit will help, and the earlier you start the better.

I’m out in Dallas right now and used to the vagaries of the weather, 70 degrees in January is no surprise falling to around 45 the next day – seriously, so you really do have to be ready for anything. April? It’s getting hot, just before it gets too hot……..

WhatsApp Messenger – The Best Tool for Messaging?

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia Davidson) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 13:02:00 +0000

WhatsApp Messenger is a cross-platform mobile messaging app which you can use instead of texting as it uses your internet data plan, so you don’t have to pay for SMS. So far so good. Free messaging? Yes please.

It works whether you’re using an iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, Windows Phone or Nokia and messaging is usually extremely fast. You can also create groups, send images, video and audio media messages.

It’s great is you’re messaging people in the same country, or who you know are on wi-fi (and you are) as yes, then it is free. However, because it uses your internet connection, if you’re roaming, or if you’ve exceeded your data limit, then there will be charges.

WhatsApp Messenger uses your phone's internet connection to send and receive messages, pictures, audio, video, location, and contacts. As long as your phone is not roaming and you have not exceeded your data limit, messaging over WhatsApp should not cost you extra.

If you’re overseas and you’re on wi-fi you should not incur charges, however be aware that it’s all too easy to continue using it when away and without wi-fi and end up with a bill from your provider, so don’t let yourself get caught out.

WhatsApp has now grown to have a bigger user base than Twitter (although you are comparing chalk and cheese) according to an article in the Daily Telegraph a short while back. Have a read.

From Issa to Oasis – 8 Very Different Lace Dresses for Spring

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia Davidson) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 12:25:00 +0000

Lace dresses have to be a staple in any dress collecting woman’s wardrobe. Lace is always feminine, and depending on the style, lace dresses can be flirty, sexy, outrageous, bodycon, skater skirted, daytime, night-time, red, blue, black and onwards.

The black lace dress is pretty well strictly for evening, although some wear it otherwise, but from powder ivory to red, nude lined blue, printed and neon lined you can rock a lace dress to your next daytime, wedding or summer party.

These dresses cover a multitude of occasions, from Oasis’ black lace bodycon dress which will get you looked at, for the right or wrong reasons, wherever you choose to wear it, to Hoss Intropia’s pretty red lace belted dress (which also comes in black, by the way).

Diane von Furstenberg’s Zarita lace dress now comes in every colour from blue and orange to black and although many have attempted to copy it there’s a certain je ne sais quoi about the style and the exposed zip all the way down the back that puts it apart.

Start with black and make your say through the colour spectrum if you can.

Komali Dallas – Abraham Salum’s Modern Mexican Restaurant and his Recipe for Enchiladas Verdes de Pollo

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia Davidson) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 14:09:00 +0000

I’ve written about Mexican restaurants in Dallas before, inevitably, as Dallas is the home to some wonderful eateries – some purely Mexican, most a combination of Texan and Mexican and all with spicy tasty dishes that keep you wanting to go back.

A couple of weeks ago, intending to visit Abraham Salum’s eponymous restaurant, it suddenly seemed an interesting idea to try his other restaurant next door - Komali. Where Salum is modern American fare beautifully executed Komali is all new Mexican and it’s well worth a visit as this is Mexican food you will never have had before, and in the style of the top world acclaimed restaurants in Mexico City such as Pujol of Enrique Olivera.

Chef Abraham Salum is a graduate of the New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier, Vermont and travelled the kitchens of France, Belgium, Mexico and the US before launching here in Dallas. Salum has made frequent appearances on the local morning show Good Morning Texas, and was also invited to be a Celebrity chef for Super Bowl XLV at the new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, TX.

At Komali, Salum offers a fresh take on the cuisine of his native Mexico. Komali comes from the Aztec word for an open fire griddle, as was used by the people of Mexico to prepare tortillas and toast cacao beans for coffee.

If you can get to Dallas you have to put this on your list of restaurants to visit as this is very different to traditional Tex-Mex cuisine and everything I tried, from the fish Ceviche to the grilled red snapper tacos was totally delicious.

Komali
4152 Cole Ave, Suite 106
Dallas, TX 75204
Tel. 214.252.0200
Abraham Salum’s Recipe for Enchiladas Verdes de Pollo
(Chicken Enchiladas with Tomatillo Salsa)
serves 6

For the Enchiladas:
1 lb of cooked shredded chicken meat
olive oil
1 yellow onion
2 cloves of garlic
3 each dried pasilla chiles, seeded
1 cup of chicken stock
salt and pepper
18 corn tortillas
Saute the onion, garlic and pasilla in a bit of olive oil, add the chicken stock and let cook for a few minutes. Puree and add to the chicken together with the cilantro, salt and pepper. Dip the tortillas in a bit of hot oil to warm them up and roll the enchiladas.

For the Salsa verde:1 lb of tomatillos
1 yellow onion diced
3 cloves of garlic
1 cup of chopped cilantro
1 quart of chicken stock
2 jalapeños
salt and pepper
Put all ingredients in a sauce pot and bring to a boil, let cook until the tomatillos are very soft and puree. Season with salt and pepper.

To assemble:
Place three enchiladas per plate and pour sauce over them, top with shredded lettuce and drizzle some mexican crema, top with queso fresco and sliced avocado then serve.

Killer Heels to Catch the Bus In – 12 Perfect Leg Lengthening Pairs.

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia Davidson) — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 11:02:00 +0000

Who doesn’t love to wear killer heels – shoes or sandals with sky high heels that make your legs look longer, make you feel and walk taller, and look sexy whatever you pair them with. All of the shoes here are neutral as befits a) spring and summer and b) those who want their legs to look longer as opposed to a contrast colour, clunky heel or gladiator straps.

Most killer heels you can’t actually walk in. Yes you can slide across the seat and out of the car on arrival. Yes you can walk elegantly down the stairs in them. But travel any distance in them and you’ll be crippled if not for life at least for the evening and the following day. Most likely you’ll end up slipping them off when you most want to walk tall because quite frankly you’ll be in such pain you’ll have given up caring.

On the subject of height there are also some ridiculously high platform shoes out there which, let’s face it, if you fall over in them you’ll probably break an ankle, not to mention the fact that they look completely over the top.

Onwards. One of the things I do when buying a new pair of killer heels is test the foot-bed – ie; how much padding there is. And if you buy an expensive pair with leather soles expect walking to be more tiring. It can be hard to tell when buying online, but shoes with platforms and certain brands have recognised that you may want a bit more support if you’re going to be able to travel anywhere on foot in their shoes.

It’s hard to tell a pair of designer heels from a pair of less expensive ones a great deal of the time and with many designers having brought out diffusion ranges of shoes which bear their name but are less expensive you may prefer to invest in several pairs you can walk in from different labels.

Coya Restaurant – Peruvian Perfection in Piccadilly

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia Davidson) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 12:24:00 +0000

Coya is a Peruvian restaurant and bar (and Member’s Lounge) recently launched in the heart of Piccadilly by Arjan Waney, of Zuma, The Arts Club and La Petite Maison. I went there for lunch a short while back and will repeat my visit next week – this one is definitely on my list of great places to eat out in in London. It’s perfect at lunchtime for business lunches and girls’ day out lunches as well, and in the evening expect a strong Latin vibe.

Coya’s Head chef is Sanjay Dwivedi, who has not only cooked for The Rolling Stones on their world tour but has appeared on TV's Iron Chef. In preparation for taking over the kitchen at Coya he spent a year travelling around South America and worked at Astrid Y Gaston in Lima.

There are three open kitchens at Coya, The Ceviche Bar, the Charcoal Grill and the Central Kitchen but to me the most important elements were the delicious food, the excellent service and the attractive atmosphere. Everything we tried was extremely tasty and different. Don’t come here if you only like the traditional, but if you like trying unique flavours from far off lands as I do you’ll feel very much at home.

Voted by Zagat as One of the 10 Hottest Restaurants in the World - for anyone who likes to eat something other than standard European/Mediterranean cooking, to sample dishes they may well not have come across before in an authentic atmosphere and of course to try somewhere new this is well worth a visit.

Just a note – they offer a set lunch menu which we were not immediately offered when we arrived there. So ask for it – it’s excellent, more food than you can eat, and well worth the price with the added benefit that your bank manager won’t be after you for ordering a la carte where, although everything looks utterly delicious, you can spend a small fortune. Of course if you’re being entertained you’re not going to worry………

Coya Restaurant; 118 Piccadilly, London W1J 7NW Phone:020 7042 7118

How to Wear Stripes – 10 Striped Dresses for Curvy Girls

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia Davidson) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 19:56:00 +0000

Striped dresses are always in abundance at springtime, but there’s an art to knowing how to wear stripes which is even more complicated if you’re lucky enough to be curvy. A curvy shape needs to be very careful about stripes, the width, how much they stand out – ie making sure they don’t walk into the room before you do, the colours and the contrast.

Look carefully and you’ll find some flattering examples, sexy, easy to slip into, wearable all day, and not looking too much as if you’ve just stepped off a boat. Which many of them do, frankly. And some striped dresses are just too girly for words. What you want is a striped dress that looks effortlessly this season, with a modern cut, the right length, and a pair of killer heels.

I may be stating the obvious, but steer away from wide stripes on a short dress as they will make you look wider, and black contrasting with white will also stand out the most. Look for less contrasting colours, narrower stripes, fabric that will give and an elongating shape.

My favourites have to be French Connection’s long red and ivory striped halter neck maxi dress, Escada’s purple and black ‘striped’ dress, and Mango’s blue summer holiday tank dress. All of them? Why not?……… the only problem is…..when to wear them?

From City Socks to Country Socks – Socks Online at Perilla

noreply@blogger.com (Patricia Davidson) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 14:47:00 +0000

This Easter forego the chocolate and dive into the online sock emporium at Perilla specialising in alpaca city socks, country socks, bed socks and thermal socks all of which are designed to keep you warm, and let’s face it, judging by the forecast warm is what you need to be right now.

Perilla have developed their own collection of socks which they offer online, country socks in unusual colours such as pale pink, raspberry and pillar box red for the girls, and sedge green and mulberry for the boys. These are alpaca knee length country socks for Wellie boots - luxury socks made of 75% alpaca and 25% nylon, ribbed with an in-built cushioned sole and hand linked toe seams for extra comfort. What more could you want for your next walk outside?

Then for those who need something smarter there are the City Socks, which come individually or gift boxed and a choice of colours to suit everyone, from the flamboyant to otherwise, and including raspberry, purple and red (along with black, navy and brown) for those who love a little more colour in their life, even if they don’t want it totally on display. These are perfect everyday socks for the city, made from 75% Alpaca these are a plain knitted sock that fit in normal shoes. Even in warm weather they breathe naturally and keep feet at a perfect temperature all the time.

If buying socks online seems a prosaic task you need to check out Perilla, where you’ll also find walking socks and ski socks – pretty well every sock you could possibly need, and with every style shown in just about every colourway choosing couldn’t be easier. As a tried and tested website I know that the service at Perilla is second to none as well.