New flat time!

So... after the disappointment of a few months ago, when we were gazumped and failed to exchange on a lovely little flat in South West London, we've managed to find a new place in South East London!!

We exchanged around a month ago, so were just waiting to get a completion date, which we got yesterday! So if everything goes smoothly, we will be able to move into the flat on the first week of the new year! New year, New flat! I'm so excited!!! :)

If there are any lovely people out there looking to buy us any moving in presents, these are always welcome, from my previous post, but I've found a few more things that I'd love in my new home:

My obsession with all things faeceted has not decreased! I'm especially in love with these set of 3 herb plant pots.

As we have quite a large outdoor space, we are thinking of having lots of lanterns to give it a Morrocan vibe.

And I fell in love with this stool the moment I saw it:

As I love my tea so much, this mug/bowl would be great in the morning:

Of course.. anything from Anthropologie is always welcome like this trivet:

Oh and Happy New Year everybody! I hope that 2012 brings everyone plenty of happiness and love. Will be blogging pics of the new flat once we move in...

Arrival of my curiosity box...

Firstly, I'd like to say, what a great idea this has been and I've loved being a part of it. I can't wait for the next one. Since the first Christmas boxes have been posted, I've been eagerly rushing home after work to check whether my box had arrived. This morning (Saturday), I was relaxing in bed as it was much too cold to get up and I hear a knock on the door. I didn't think anything of it, so my boyfriend went to answer the door, and lo and behold, it was my curiosity box! The postman asked him if he was a curious person and as he was still semi asleep, he didn't say much, but the postman handed him the box anyway.

As soon as he came through the door, I was very excited to see a cylindrical parcel wrapped in brown paper in his hands and he announced 'your curiosity box is here!' I madly scrambled to get my camera before tearing open the box (with some help of a pair of scissors as it was so well wrapped up!). On the envelope, which was addressed 'Hello Curious Friend' and at the bottom was written 'Can boxes come in various shapes and sizes? Maybe not, but enclosed is my gift for you'

As I will soon be moving to a new flat, my curious friend sent some carefully chosen things to help me:

1. A winter wonderland Bath bomb and bath salts 'to aid relaxation after a long day moving, decorating or... whatever!'

2. Some homemade Christmas bunting to add some festive spirit!

3. A small pocket of inspiration- to aid future crafty projects

4. Sunflower seeds- a great addition to any home be it in the garden or a single pot

5. Balloons for the house warming party

6. Chocolate coins- why not!

7. A beautiful Indian bauble from Bath Christmas market

8. A pretty tin- top hold whatever you wish

Thank you very much my curious friend! I can't wait to move into my new flat so I can plant my sunflower seeds, fill my colourful tin with homemade biscuits, relax with the bath bomb and put up the gorgeous bunting... in the meanwhile, I'll be munching on the yummy chocolate coins!

Here is the link to the box I sent, which was gratefully received by my curious friend...

http://thecuriositybox.blogspot.com/2011/12/curious-christmas-box-13.html

The Curiosity project

Saw this website http://thecuriositybox.blogspot.com and had to sign up!

Quote from the webiste: 'The Curiosity Project is the brain child of wedding planner & stylist Tiffany Grant-Riley, who felt that with all the fabulous social media available at our finger tips enabling people across the world to communicate like never before there was still something missing.
The Curiosity Project is, simply put, a mass exchange of personally chosen gifts between anonymous participants. I give, you receive. You give, I receive...'


I love this idea- we all communicate now-a-days via e-mail/facebook/twitter etc and everyone loves receiving post- I even get exicted when my parcel from Amazon or ASOS comes through even though I know what I've ordered! So I think this idea is great! Imagine receiving an unknown box full of goodies from a like minded individual?
Have a look at all the previous boxes sent- they all contain amazing creative things, it's hard to choose my favourite!- but I think my fave has to be the Morroccan box as I love Marrakesh- my boyfriend took me there for my first birthday that we celebrated together.

I've already signed up and have a few thoughts as to what I want to include in the box I'm going to send out, so watch this space for photos of a Curiosity box (in hopefully my new flat!!!- all a bit hush hush at the moment- don't want to jinx it as we all know what happened last time!)

I'd encourage people to sign up and spread the curiosity box loving around the world! There are a few rules:



The Rules


❒ Once you've entered your name will be put into a hat and each participant will be drawn a secret recipient to send their Curiosity Box to.

❒ Once you've entered your address it cannot be changed, so make sure your parcel is being delivered somewhere safe where it will be received.

❒ The name of the recipient will remain secret (unless you are posting abroad) but the address will be emailed to you the day before the project starts (see 'To Enter' below).

❒ You will be told if your recipient is male or female.

❒ The maximum budget is £20 but you don't have to spend the exact amount.

❒ Each participant must use a box to fill. The size of the box doesn't matter, although be aware of postage weight etc.

❒ Make sure you address the box to 'The Curiosity Project' so as the recipient knows what it is when it arrives.

❒ You may include sweets or cosmetics providing you have checked what is allowed entry into your destination country via custom control and they are properly sealed.

❒ Your personal details will be forwarded only once to your secret project partner. Your information is not shared with any third parties.

❒ Please email your photos of your box and your reaction as soon as you receive it-we have hundreds of boxes to blog!

To Enter

❒ Participants may enter from anywhere in the world, just ensure you have a permanent address.

❒ Entry closes at midnight on Nov 7th 2011.

❒ You'll receive your partner's address by Nov 14th 2011.

❒ You must have mailed your box by the 14th of December 2011.

❒ The project will close on Jan 10th 2012.

Decor8 Book launch

 As I am was on the edge of buying my own place, I recently got into looking at design blogs for the home as well as for fashion. When Holly Becker from Decor8 announced that she was coming to London for the launch of her book, I was very excited!

It was held in Liberty on the 3rd floor in a room dedicated to crockery, kitchenwares and decorating books. A perfect site! Holly and Sania Pell decorated a very Summery table using fabrics and bits found in the store, so you could recreate it in your own home.

There was even a video taken and if you look closely- you can see me wearing my khaki skirt and cream beret standing in line to get my book signed.

Holly was great and chatted a little to everyone as she signed copies of her book that she has published along with Joanna Copeland.

Fish nibblings

When the bf and I went to Dubai earlier this year, we saw 'Fisho' the fish spa at the Wild wadi water park . It looked really weird and although I'd heard about it before, I'd never known or seen anyone who has had the experience.

So, a deal came up on groupon (if you've not heard about this site, you have to get on it!) giving 30 mins of a 'fish spa' for £9 instead of the regular £30. BARGAIN!!! :) So I bought it as a treat earlier last month for when we were to move into our new flat because I thought that we would be on our feet a lot and so this would be nice to relax after all the moving. Little did I know that was not to be... oh well... so we went along last weekend.

The boyf's hairy feet ( I call them hobbit feet)

 My prettier feet

Me enjoying the sensation, wearing leopard print shirt from Zara, necklace was bought in a market in Vietnam and trousers are from Berskha

The boyf looking like he's about to burst out laughing! His top is from Uniqlo and trousers are from Urban outfitters.

The initial sensation was quite bizarre- it felt so ticklish, I just kept on giggling! the little Garra Rufa fish (or doctor fish as they are sometimes called) don't actually have teeth (the boyf had images of mini piranha's nibbling at his feet) they suck the dead skin off your feet. The sensation takes a bit of getting used to but it does become pleasant and afterwards we both did feel like our feet were softer, especially in places like the heel.

This is very popular in Asia but at least 14 states in the US have banned it due to safety reasons. So, if you do book a fish spa, please ensure that you go to a respectable establishment! I would definitely go again and maybe have a pedi afterwards :)

Soft little felt balls

That's what I think of when I think of apricots... slightly fuzzy on the outside with a sweet fresh taste.

Looking around the blogosphere, a lot of foodie blogs I read have been cooking with apricots, as they are in season, so I thought that I would give it a go.

Yummy looking Gluten and dairy free apricot and pistachio clafoutis made by Canelle et Vanille

Apricots & Honey Panna Cotta from the lovely Tartelette

Apricot Lemon Hazelnut Bars by the ever sweet Dessert first girl

 

I though I'd taken a pic of the tart I made, but checking back on my camera I forgot!! Doh!!!

Oh well.... here is the recipe I used to make my tart, how do you like your apricots?

 



Recipe taken from bbcgoodfood

 

Ingredients

 

¾ tub mascarpone (or the whole tub if you have a very big case) , sweetened with 2 tbsp icing sugar

1 ready-made pastry case, baked blind

10 apricots , as ripe as possible, halved and stoned (if your apricots aren't soft, poach them first)

2 tbsp apricot jam , a really good one, mixed with 1-2 tbsp Amaretto (optional)

My changes:

I made my own shortcrust pastry using this delicious recipe.
Instead of apricot jam and amaretto, I used 2 tbsp of honey and 2 tbsp of whiskey

Instructions

1.Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Spread the mascarpone into the pastry case. Push the apricot halves into the case, cut-side down. Brush the apricots with the jam mixture and drizzle over any extra.

2.Bake for 30 minutes or until the apricots are soft. Cool before cutting as the filling will be runny.

Treats in the kitchen

Pineapple and coconut cupcakes with a rum buttercream frosting (Pina colada cupcakes)

I made this for one of my best friends, I went around to her place for the evening, got crazily drunk on rum (not the same stuff I used in the frosting) and collapsed on her sofa while watching 'The Goonies' (brillian classic 80's film!) Here's the recipe:

Pina Colada cupcakes:

Ingredients

300g plain flour

4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

225g caster sugar

50g fresh grated coconut (able to use dessicated coconut too)

50ml vegetable oil

225ml milk

1 egg (lightly beaten)

150g canned crushed pineapple in juice, drained

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C/ 400°F/ Gas Mark 6. Line cupcake/ muffin tins with paper cases or grease tin.

2. Mix flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl, stir in the coconut. In a separate bowl, mix together the oil, milk and egg. 

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix briefly until just combined, then stir in the drained pineapple.

3. Spoon the batter into the prepared tin, dividing evenly. Bake in the oven for 15-18 mins or until risen and golden. Cool in the tin and turn out on to a wire rack to cool further before frosting.

Frosting

Ingredients

300g icing sugar

50g unsalted butter

120g cream cheese

2 tblsp White Rum

Method

Beat the icing sugar and butter together with an electric whisk until the mixture comes together and is well mixed. Add rum and beat until mixed. Add in cream cheese in one go and beat until completely incorporated. Beat until frosting is light and fluffy. Don't overbeat (like I did) as it can become runny.

Top each cupcake with some frosting and a bit of pineapple. Lovely to have with a 'sex on the beach' cocktail or even a pina colada!