Day in South Kensington

The other day Harriet & I wound up with a couple of hours to kill in South Ken, a lovely part of South West London full of little boutiques & museums. It was a beautiful, sunny day but bitterly cold! So bundled up like the Michelin man we went for a coffee in my favourite my cafe Le Pain Quotidien. They serve their coffee in little bowls instead of cups, which feels so lovely on cold hands. Harriet and I both went for a frothy Cappuccino. They have the most amazing selection of patisseries which are freshly made each day. Harriet indulged in an almond croissant and I couldn't help myself & ordered a chocolate brownie. 

Then we went for a little wonder around the shops in South Ken. Harriet, being the gym buff, had a cheeky look at the Stella McCartney range for Adidas. 

In the evening I went out for dinner with my sister and her boyfriend. We went to the Big Easy on the King's Road which is modeled on American crabshacks. I absolutely LOVE this place. It always has such a vibrant, loud atmosphere and even on a Wednesday night it was difficult to book a table! The decor is so quirky and authentic. They do an amazing deal for 1 1/4 lbs of Lobster with chips, salad AND a frozen margarita or beer all for £14.95 (bargain!!). All 3 of us went for the lobster!

I hope you enjoyed this post guys! Let me know if you want more lifestyle & restaurant recommendation posts!

Isobel x

Isobel's Diet - Update #1

As you might be aware, from a previous blog post I did two weeks ago, I have embarked on the 5:2 diet (intermittent fasting/ alternate day fasting). 

Getty Images

The premise of the diet is that you fast (eat only 500 calories) for two days a week and the rest of the week you eat completely normally. So I have been on the diet for two weeks now and would love to update you on how it's going. Well, it's going really well! I'm not going to sit here and lie and say that the fast days have been easy (I have done 5 fast days in all) because they aren't but the truth is that they are bearable to get through because I know in the back of my mind if I want to eat something "I can always have it tomorrow". 

And boy do I! I feel like I pig out on my 'feast' days but actually, because my stomach has undoubtedly shrunk, I am probably being more reserved and making wiser, healthier choices with what I do eat. Apart from the obvious benefits (4lb weight loss!!) I am feeling much better in myself. I feel like my digestion is a lot better. I also feel like I have a better awareness of what my body needs and when. On my "feast" days, if I feel hungry, I will eat, but if I don't, I definitely won't just have something for the sake of it!

On my "fast" days I pretty much eat the same things. Dinner is normally a poached egg on wholemeal toast with spinach. I tend not to stray too far away from this as I hate counting calories and it's just easier for me to eat the same things and know I am not going over the 500 calorie limit. On "feast" days I just eat as usual. Dinner for me is normally something like a big bowl of pasta with salad.

A little heads up for other intermittent fasters out there - Miracle Noodles. 

As the website states 'Imagine a world where noodles are calorie free!' Miracle noodles are very low calorie pasta & rice products. Soy, wheat & gluten-free their main ingredient is water! I first read about them in a fantastic article by Anita Chaudhuri in last weekend's Sunday Times Style. I can't wait to try these, they could potentially be a perfect 'fast day' meal!

Let me know if you have tried the 5:2 diet (& how you are doing if your still going!) or Miracle Noodles, would love to hear your thoughts!

Isobel x



January Sales #2

As I typed my last post on the goodies I had accumulated during the sales, I told myself that I was done. No more shopping & spending in January. However during an innocent wander down The Kings Road today with Isobel, she mentioned that she would like a look in Anthropologie as she had never actually been inside. Seeing as it was bitterly cold outside I conceded that a quick browse wouldn't do any harm.

It turned out that Anthropologie have an AMAZING sale on. Not only were there still racks & racks of heavily reduced clothes on offer (& a full range of sizes) everything in the sale was an EXTRA 20% off the marked price!

I was very restrained & only left with one thing.

'Cross-Front Jersey Dress'

This dress was originally £148, reduced to £24.95... Then with the extra 20% off came down to £19.50!

It fits beautifully & I love the space-dyed cobalt blue colour for Spring. It could be worn with tights & boots straight away but I think I'm going to save it for when it gets a little warmer & I can look forward to wearing it with bare legs. The fact that it has sleeves & an extra lining will make it the perfect item for British Spring/Summer weather which can definitely still be quite chilly.

After I had paid for this I removed myself from the shop before my magpie instincts could home in on anything else, but after having a little look on their website it seems there are lots of other gems in there! Definitely worth taking a look if you haven't had much luck in the sales as of yet.

& remember there's an extra 20% off the marked price at the checkout!

Harriet x

Two Loves London featured on MCM

A big thank you to Mademoiselle Robot who featured our 'What's in our Handbags' post on her blog at MCM.

Laetitia from Mademoiselle Robot is a brilliant fashion & lifestyle blogger based in London who (amongst many other things!) writes posts for MCM, I seriously recommend you check her out, if of course you haven't already!

You can view the featured post on MCM here! & Laetitia's own personal blog here!

Harriet x

What's in my Glossy Box

Hoorah! My first ever Glossy Box came yesterday. It was such a lovely treat coming home after a long day at work to a cute little box hiding on my door step. So I thought I'd share with you what I got inside. If you are unaware of the concept of Glossy Box (where have you been!?), it is a company that sends you a box of sample sized beauty goodies each month. You never know what you are going to get, which is part of the fun of it, but there is a list of brands you could be sent on their website. The best thing about it is it only costs £10 a month (plus £2.95 P&P) and you get to sample loads of different products without having to go out and buy the full sizes!

I absolutely love how Glossy Boxes look so lovingly put together and the packaging is gorgeous. This months box (of course being January) is all about the detox.

So...what's inside!?

Duck Island Limited - Body Lotion
Have never heard of this brand before so eager to try it out. This is a body lotion with a definite mandarin and bergamot fragrance (think body shop mandarin shower gel).

Elemis Fresh Skin - Skin Glow Facial Exfoliator
I've been wanting to try some Elemis products for ages so was pleased when I saw this one. It smells very fruity. Can't wait to try this exfoliator instead of my usual Origins Modern Friction.

Premae Skincare - Balance Rescue Face Tonique
This one I am probably the most excited to try! Again another brand I have never tried before. This is a "step 2" toner product. It smells amazingly of lemongrass which is such a fresh and reviving scent - great for the detox theme. Also, Glossy Box subscribers can get 20% off the next purchase from premaeskin.com so if I like this one I will be sure to re-purchase!

Jason - Lip Bee Healthier
This is a great one for me as I am addicted to lip balms. This one smells like After Eight mints and has a tingly feeling when applied.

Monu - Aromatic Mask
Apparently this is a warming clay mask. Smells of Lavender - looks like another lovely product which I can't wait to try out. I haven't indulged in a face mask in a while so this will be a welcomed treat!

There is also a "Glossy dreams" sleep mask which, to be honest, I probably wont use but it's a nice added extra that makes the box feel more special.

Is anyone subscribed to Glossy Box? If so, I would love to know your thoughts on this months box. Harriet is currently debating whether to subscribe to the Carmine or Feel Unique beauty boxes. Does anyone have any recommendations?

Isobel x

Two Loves #3

Harriet Loves

Skinny Hot Chocolate

picture source weheartit.com

I order this with 1 pump of chocolate syrup & no cream. This makes the drink come in at about 10g of sugar & 7g of protein. I walk my dog every morning along the Southbank & there's a Starbucks conveniently placed halfway through the 5k walk. The freezing cold weather & early mornings have been making this sweet hot treat very welcome!

Wholefoods

picture source wholefoods.com

Wholefoods is a treasure trove for health & food lovers! Crammed with gorgeous fresh produce and hard to find healthy buys, its impossible for me to leave here without a bag of (guilt free) goodies. My favourite things that I keep going back for are the nut butters (pecan & almond are the best I've tried!), fresh guacamole, fresh chopped fruit pots (for an on the go snack) & tinned pumpkin (almost impossible to find in the UK!).

Isobel Loves

Water

Bottled, tap, still or sparkling I just can't get enough of the stuff this week. I don't know whether this is to do with the 5:2 diet I am currently on (see my blog post on it here) or just simply the time of year. I am even drinking water in place of cups of tea/coffee and soft drinks that I normally turn to when thirsty. This is so much better for me and I am loving the effects of my new found hydration!

Graffiti Oyster Card Holder

I got this in my stocking at Christmas. Having never used an oyster card holder before, preferring to shove my oyster card in my purse/pockets/various compartments in my bag, I was surprised at how useful I have found it. I use it every day, always easy to find in my bag, it also has space to keep my railcard in too - so handy! This carder comes in luxurious leather and lovely bright colours.

Harriet & Isobel x

Harriet's Picks SS/13

I enjoyed the post Isobel did on her SS/13 picks so much I thought I'd do a little one of my own.
As the new seasons collections make their way into stores, a few pieces have already drifted onto my wishlist....

Clockwise from top right -
'Mademoiselle Round-Frame Acetate Sunglasses' - Illesteva, £180
Hopefully we'll have lots of spring sunshine in London this year & this pair of bright purple sunnies are guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
'Giselle Fit & Flare Frill Dress in Cream' Reiss, £159
I'm having a bit of a love affair with monochrome at the moment. I love how Reiss have styled this dress on the website with a black leather jacket & black sandals.
'Colour-Block Suede Sandals' - Gucci, £430
Mint & moss with black detailing. I think these are perfect spring/summer sandals.
'Two-Tone Nautical Dress' - H&M, £14.99
I couldn't do this list without including an item with stripes. A great 'throw it on' dress if your in a rush just add some simple accessories & your good to go.
'Cropped Jacket in Beige' H&M, £24.99
A cute cropped jacket that will go with anything in a light spring colour. I would wear this with jeans & flats to head out for some shopping & lunch.
'Rose-Print Crepe Bustier Dress' - Dolce & Gabbana, £880
I think this would be THE perfect 'summer wedding dress' plus its timeless & classic so will last you for years.
'First Lady Tote' - MCM, £640
Saving the best for last, I stumbled across this bag today & it shot straight to the top of my wishlist. I love the fresh cornflower blue colour & the classic structure/shape. The MCM obsession continues - bag heaven.

Harriet x

January Sales!

'Whoever said money can't buy happiness simply didn't know where to go shopping'
Bo Derek - (80s Actress/ Model & Pinup)

So I have a shopping problem, some of my earliest memories are of discovering the joys of shopping & if I'm being honest (& very shallow) it's probably my favourite pastime.

As I mentioned in my very first blog post I have some saving to do in 2013, this means hiding my credit cards and reigning in the spending somewhat. However if its on sale and an absolute bargain then I don't see that as cheating. Plus I need it. Obviously.

I was going to wait until all of my January Sale bargains had arrived before I did this post, but some of them are taking a while to get here & I wanted to have it up before the sales end, so some items will still be available!

First stop SPACE.NK, I had completely forgotten to check out this luxury beauty sale until I saw the video Vivianna Does Makeup did on the bits she picked up! This is what I went for.

'Little Treat' by Aromatherapy Associates. £12 - reduced to £6.

I LOVE Aromatherapy Associates, such a gorgeous luxury brand. I saw these 'Little Treats' before Christmas but forgot to go back & pick any up, so I was delighted to see them 50% off in the sale! I picked up quite a few of these as I think they make an adorable little gift for someone. 

'Blueberry Water Booster' by Dr. Brandt. £30 - reduced to £15.

I've used this supplement before & had great results from doing so. It's a green tea concentrate with each dropper full equivalent to drinking 15 (!!) cups of the potent antioxidant filled stuff. It gives me the same great benefits that I get from a regular green tea habit - but as I'm not wild on the taste of green tea this is a great alternative for me! Great skin, health & energy levels? Yes please!

'Salon Glaze Conditioner' by Frederic Fekkai. £24 reduced to £12.

Already a fan of Frederic Fekkai hair products I thought I'd give this a whirl. As someone with wavy hair I'm always looking to add shine (our hair reflects less light) so hopefully this will live up to its claims & the brand.

'Shaker Bottle' by David Kirsch. £5.50 reduced to £2.50.

I added this to my basket as it'll be handy for preparing my protein shakes on the go. 

'Lip and Cheek Palette- The Pinks' by Kevyn Aucoin. £44 reduced to £22.

My most exciting Space NK purchase! The picture really doesn't do this palette justice, the colours are gorgeous, bright & right up my street. I've had a play around with it and I'm so impressed, great texture & pigmentation. 3 lip glosses, a cream blush & a lipstick all with a lovely big mirror, I think this is a bit of a bargain at £22, new handbag essential!

THE OUTNET

Not technically 'January Sale' but heavily discounted none the less.

'Paris Can Wait' Jersey Top by Zoe Karssen. £65 reduced to £39.

I love Zoe Karssen's designs, I live in basics like her jersey tops and tees but I'm not sure I would pay full price for them. They stock a lot of her last seasons line on The Outnet & after the discount they are much more purse friendly. I can't wait to wear this with skinny jeans, biker boots & a cute jacket, casual outfit done.

WAREHOUSE

'Colour Block Tweed Biker'. £65 reduced to £20.

I saw someone wearing this way back in the Autumn and loved it. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this little gem in the sale at £20! I snapped it up straight away. I love the oxblood colour and cropped biker style, a great item to freshen up my winter wardrobe.

ZARA

After being distinctly underwhelmed with the Zara sale first time round, I had another look today & noticed that there have been some serious markdowns in the meantime!

'Printed Platform Wedge' £49.99 reduced to £16.99.
An elegant monochrome wedge, I think these will look great with a dark manicure & black skinny jeans in the Winter or a tan, coral nails & a white skirt in Summer.

'Studded Cowboy Low Cut Boots'. £69.99 reduced to £19.99.
I couldn't let these boots pass me by! £20 for real leather boots is pretty hard to beat. I know I'll get a lot of wear out of these, the small heel means that I can run about all day in them & I love a pair of brown ankle boots (see this post).

'Neon Studded Bracelet'. £15.99 reduced to £3.99.
Again I saw this bracelet a while ago and was drawn to the neon colour and chunky studs. However I'm glad I waited - £4 is a lot easier to justify than £16! Another addition to my neon jewellery collection that I love teaming with neutral grey & black clothing.

&....... I'm still contemplating these!

'High Platform Sandal'. £49.99 reduced to £19.99.
I WANT these! I love the bright cherry red and the pop of colour it would bring to an outfit. But I really don't need another pair of heels......

'Studded Hell Ballerina'. £29.99 reduced to £16.99.
A basic black ballerina shoe with a twist. Perfect with black skinny jeans.

'Wool Herringbone Jacket'. £69.99 reduced to £39.99.

I Love the cut of this jacket. I think it would be a super stylish & flattering addition to my wardrobe. In a cool tone dark grey that I love.

Did you pick up any bargains in the sale? I would love to hear what you got. One shopping addict to another ;)

Harriet x

Review - Hair Rescue L'Occitane en Provence

I just thought I'd do a quick post on a product that i am LOVING at the moment. It is the L'Occitane en Provence - Repairing Mask for Dry & Damaged Hair. 

L'Occitane en Provence - Repairing Mask for Dry & Damaged Hair - £20 

So I must confess that I, like a lot of people I'm sure, burn the hell out of my hair with heat styling and as a result it is incredibly dry. I also have naturally wavy, wispy hair that tends to be dry anyway (think scarecrow). Throw in wind, rain and central heating that comes with Winter and you have a recipe for disaster! So I've decided to take control of the frizz and start treating my hair with a little more respect. I've ditched the "drug store" cheap-ies and have been sampling lots of different higher-end hair products and have stumbled upon this one which I adore. 

This is a hair treatment that you can use once or twice a week in between your shampoo and conditioner. Leave it on for 5-10 minutes. It's a lovely thick, creamy conditioning mask, it has the consistency of hand cream and smells beautiful and luxurious. It doesn't feel at all oily even though it contains a "natural vegetable complex of 5 essential oils" including sunflower and wheat oils! Sometimes I feel (as my hair is quite fine/thin) that masks can be heavy, weigh my hair down and give that "not quite washed out my conditioner properly" feeling. This one leaves my hair feeling soft, deeply conditioned and somehow still feeling squeaky clean. Since using it my hair feels a lot stronger and smoother in general even when not using it. At £20 for 250ml it's a bit pricey but totally worth every penny! I'm sure this is going to last me a long time too as I only use a small amount each time. 

Let me know if you've tried this product or do you know of any other good products for dry hair?

Isobel x

Healthy Tip, Eating Out

I am a big believer in the 80/20 diet. That is to say I don't believe that you should ever deprive yourself of anything.

So you have a big sweet tooth? Then allow yourself a little bit of what you fancy, just offset it with exercise and a balanced diet.

It sounds simple enough but in a time of quick fixes & crash diets it can be far more tempting to embark on something like a 'Drop 7lbs in 7 Days' juice diet which offers immediate  results. The truth is this will do absolutely nothing for getting you your dream body. It will place your body in starvation mode, meaning when you start eating again your body will cling on to everything that crosses your lips assuming that you might suddenly starve it again. This means that you body fat % will go up, even if you are slim, you will most likely end up with the 'skinny fat' syndrome so many women complain of. The thing I hear most often when talking to women about their fitness/health goals, is the request to 'tone up'! The worst thing you can do in terms of getting that toned firm body is to crash diet & starve yourself. Your body is like a furnace & needs fuel to work at its maximum, burn calories & turn into a fat torching machine!

So in the spirit of 80/20 I don't feel that you have to avoid eating out by any means. You just have to be clever about it.

If you are absolutely longing for a 'bad' rich, creamy pasta dish. Then order it. (Even better if your dinner partner will share it with you, then you can each order a side salad to have with it). By allowing your body to have what it is craving, your craving will go away, and you won't find yourself trying to satisfy it with other foods that probably add up to the calories of the original dish anyway.

This isn't to say you should eat whatever you want, whenever you want. But by exercising control over your diet 80% of the time, a weekly treat of something delicious won't affect your ability to pull on your skinny jeans the next morning. The other benefit you get from limiting your intake of 'bad' foods, is that when you do indulge you will enjoy them SO much more!

All this said, let me get on to my top tips for dining out whilst staying on track with your diet & fitness.

1. Order just 2 things off the menu! 

This means 2 things out of the combination of 'alcoholic drink, starter, main course, dessert'

This is my most self-practiced rule! I normally order a small glass of wine & a main course, or a main course & a light dessert. Skip ordering all four elements unless its a big blowout meal and you will be able dine out far more often & avoid the groggy feeling the next day.

2. Pick your restaurant wisely!

Try to go for a non-chain restaurant, the ingredients have a much higher chance of being better quality, less processed and freshly cooked!

3. Check the menu ahead of time!

When picking a location for a meal out have a browse through the restaurant's websites, most will have menus online. This will allow you to pick the restaurant with the cleanest sounding food. 

4. Don't feel guilty!

If you do find yourself going all out and having a bottle of wine, a plate of creamy pasta & a tiramisu don't beat yourself up about it. Enjoy it. Recognise that you are eating something that is a TREAT (not a regular) & make the most of it. One bad day won't instantly make you gain weight. Start the next day with lots of water, a big mug of green tea, put your trainers on & go for a long walk. It won't be long before you're feeling back on track!

all images courtesy of weheartit.com

Harriet x