Pick of the sales - Office Walk All Over Wedges

The new season stock is gradually coming in but there's still a few stores that have sale stock still to shift. My pick of the sales from this week is this fab pair of wedges from Office shoes. The picture doesn't really do them justice. The gorgeous tan colour works brilliant with jeans and goes well with dresses and skirts giving the illusion of extra long legs as they tone in with your skin. As with most wedges they are super comfy and would work well for an office or for play!

If tan isn't your thing these also come in a lovely black.

There are still a few sizes remaining online and in store.
office.co.uk

Lust after item of the week - Zara blazer

Finally the new season stock is coming into the shops. I really like this new blazer from Zara. It comes in navy and in black. The fit is great. It's perfect as you'll see from the pic with skinny black jeans for a night out but would also work great for a smart casual look with jeans, a white tee and smart brown belt from Massimo.

It retails for €79.99 and it's one of those pieces you know you're going to have forever!

Buy it online at zara.com or also available in store.

Pixlr.com photo editor

I came across this super handy website the other day that allows you to edit your photos using funky filters and lots of different tools to get the most from your favourite snaps.

The best thing about this site.... the spot removal tool! How many times have you taken a picture that you lovely only to be put off it by that big pimple on your chin? Now you can remove all signs of spots, blemishes and boils to reveal the perfect picture!

I was a little doubtful about if this could really work but having tried it out on a recent profile pic it does! A little bit of magic with the tool and my skin was spot free!

Try it out for yourself:
pixlr.com

Waxperts - the genuine experts on all things wax

Ok so you may know from my previous blog entries that I'm a big fan of laser hair removal, so as you can guess, it's been a while since I've been to a waxing salon. But having heard a number of my friends going on and on and pardon the pun 'waxing lyrical' about the wonderful Ellen Kavanagh and her company Waxperts that I felt obliged to share this with you.

It also seemed even more note worthy now that Ellen has brought out her own range of waxing products that include hot wax, strip wax, cleanser, pre and post waxing oils. The wax is super-pliable at low temperatures, leaving the skin really conditioned and a super smooth finish.

It is one of the most advanced waxes on the market - specially formulated with advanced polymers that cling to the hair and not the skin. This is of particular benefit to those with moles or skin tags. This means the wax grips and removes the hair only, with no skin drag or sticky residue, leaving all moles in place. You'll be glad to hear this also means less pain! I've been assured by the girls that this really is the case!

So if you fancy paying Ellen and her team a visit before your next summer holiday preen go to waxperts.ie or you can call them on 01-2140757.

Lust after item of the week - Oasis Stencil Print Maxi

Passsed by the window of Oasis the other day and spotted this fab dress. It's part of the new Summer collection. The pic doesn't do it justice. It's gorgeous!!!

This is perfect for a Summer bbq teamed with gold gladiator flats and chunky brown bangles or could easily be dressed up with heels and a sparkly gold clutch bag. It also comes at a snip of a price only €50.

It's available in store and online at oasis-stores.com

Pancake Smores..... delish!

Having just munched every combination of pancake I could make using simple office ingredients.... Nutella, lemon, honey etc I found this gorgeous and very indulgent recipe for Pancake Smores which I'm going to try tonight. (Worth noting incase you see it coming up a LOT more frequently in my blog that Smores are my new favourite obsession since I spent a whole night recently drinking Smores cocktails in the States... a little piece of heaven if I may say so!) So here goes:

Whole Wheat Chocolate Smores Pancakes
Makes 8-10  3” pancakes

Pancake Ingredients:
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
3 tablespoons sour cream

Marshmallow Sauce Ingredients:
1 cup marshmallow Fluff
2 tablespoons boiling water

Method:
1. In a large bowl, whisk the flours, baking powder, cocoa powder, brown sugar, and salt.

2. In a measuring cup or small bowl, whisk the egg into the milk. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Add the sour cream and give the batter one final stir.

3. Spoon a quarter cup of batter onto a griddle or skillet set over medium heat that has been coated with nonstick cooking spray. Flip after 3-4 minutes, just as you notice bubbles forming around the edges of each pancake, and cook 2 minutes more.

4. For the Marshmallow sauce, stir Fluff and water together in a small bowl. Drizzle over pancakes.

5. Add some grated chocolate flakes and mini marshmallows to serve and voila!

Lust after item of the week - French Connection Richie Strapless Dress

This lovely boob tube dress has a really faint digital print on it. It could easily be made to work for day time with a pair of wedges and a cardi or could be dressed up for night with a glitzy bag and some sparkly heels.

It's new in to French Connection and retails at €190.

Buy it online at frenchconnection.com

Gluten Free - Galaxy Chocolate Brownies... Mmmmm

Such a delicious gluten free treat. The Galaxy chocolate really gives them that divine lush taste!

Ingredients:
150 g unsalted butter,
plus extra for greasing
120 g plain chocolate
60 g galaxy chocolate
175 g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs
50 – 75 g white mix (like a gluten free flour can be bought in Tesco's etc)
200 g galaxy chocolate
Cocoa powder, for dusting

1. Preheat the oven to 160’C / fan 140’C / Gas mark 3. Grease and line a tin. Melt the 120g plain and 60g galaxy chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water.

2. Beat the sugar and vanilla extract into the melted chocolate. Whisk the eggs in, one at a time, and then the white mix.

3. Stir in the chunks of galaxy chocolate and pour into the greased and lined tin. Bake for 30 – 40 minutes, until a skewer comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool before removing from the tin.

Voila! For an extra bit of yummyness you can buy some Betty Crocker icing for the top and decorate with Raspberries!

Lust after item of the week - ASOS wrap dress

Check out this girly white wrap dress from ASOS with a gorgeous sequin cuff detail to dress it up! The wrap style and gathered waist suit almost all figures. Team it up with a gold chain and gold sparkly shoes for the night time or summery wedges for a more daytime look. Only €62.89 from ASOS. Perfect for introducing Spring back into your dreary black wardrobes!

Buy it online at asos.com

Ruby Rouge Spring Summer 2012 Fashion Show

The gorgeous Ruby Rouge boutique are holding their Spring Summer Fashion Show at 7.30pm on the 15th March at the equally fabulous Seafield Hotel. They will be showing off the next Season of some of their great brands from around the globe. They have three ticket options available - the New York, Paris or London tickets. Each with it's own little level of special to suit your needs.

The New York includes a gorgeous champagne dinner, the fashion show and an overnight stay with late checkout. (perfect for that champagne hangover!)

The Paris includes the gorgeous champagne dinner and the fashion show.

The London includes canapes and champagne on arrival followed by the show.

For more information or to buy your tickets you can call Ruby Rouge on 053 9484722. Believe me ladies.... it's worth the trip!

50% off treatments at The Spa Dundrum

Here's an awesome New Year offer from The Spa in Dundrum. They are offering a delightful 50% discount on manis, pedis and a range of treatments until February 12th! Now you've no excuse for neglecting those tosies this winter!!

For more information, contact the team on 012165050.

Fashionista Event February 4th

Fashionista Events Ireland are holding their next event in Dublin on the 4th February in Fallon & Byrne from 11am to 2pm. The event gives you the opportunity to refresh your wardrobe in a post Celtic Tiger era! Sellers can clear their wardrobe of still new or barely worn designer clothes and handbags - bought when money was no object! The buyers benefit from a quality injection of "new to you" designer label fashion - without the hefty price tag!

For more detail check out their website fashionistaeventsireland

A great cause and a great treatment! Free threading day in The Body Shop

This is such a lovely idea. You can get fab looking eyebrows and do something good a the same time! The free threading day will take place in all The Body Shop stores on Tuesday 31st January.

For those who haven’t had this before, eyebrow threading is where they use a pure, thin, twisted cotton thread which is rolled over untidy brows, plucking the hair at the follicle level. Unlike tweezing, where single hairs are pulled out one at a time, threading can remove an entire row of hair, resulting in a straighter line.

I'm a big fan of this method... much much better than trying to tweeze yourself (and ending up like a bald eagle like I have on so many occasions!). So go on, treat yourself and donate to a great cause at the same time!

YSL Forever Youth Liberator range

This week Yves Saint Laurent are launching their Forever Youth Liberator range, which uses science to ‘trick’ the skin into regenerating by artificially boosting levels of glycans, complex sugars that play a crucial role in the structure of healthy skin.

Experts in ‘glycomics’ or glycobiology – the study of glycans – say they are vital to maintaining the body’s systems but decline in old age, with the skin particularly effected. To develop the new range, YSL parent company L’Oreal enlisted the help of chemist Professor Peter Seeberger, of the Max Planck Institute. In two years of research he found that glycans have a role to play in almost every aspect of what skin looks like and also discovered the number of glycans in our skin diminishes with age, meaning cells no longer receive the messages they need to maintain youthful-looking skin. The team realised that by artificially raising the levels of glycans in older skin, you could trick it into behaving like younger skin. In tests on 118 women, 68% said their skin looked more luminous, 80% said wrinkles were less visible, while 72% said skin was more plumped.

YSL beauty counters in the UK alone have already taken over 5,000 pre-orders! Can't wait to try this out! Anything for staying younger!

Get the perfect Miss Piggy look!

The fabulous Miss Piggy, the sexiest swine on the block, has been raking in the beauty contracts on the back of her latest movie - Disney’s The Muppets. To celebrate her relaunch she's teaming up with some super brand including OPI and The Balm. Her latest venture is an online exclusive from Mac.

Her collection comprises of just three pieces: Miss Piggy Pink eyeshadow, a fab frosted pink colour (€15), Penultimate Eye Liner in true black (€19) and a set of falsies, 36 Lash (€12). Really looking forward to the eye liner in particular.... this will definitely help achieve the Miss Piggy Hollywood look!

The collection will be available from Feb on the Mac website.

January detox in the Ritz Carlton Powerscourt

If like me you're finding it hard to keep the January detox going (totally broke it in Fallon and Byrne last night.... yum!) why not visit the Ritz Carlton spa for a bit of a detox boost and pampering? They've got a super Detox & Renew offer on at the moment which they've designed to help you cleanse, purify and detox the body and mind.

The treatment starts with a lymphatic skin brushing, followed by a detox body wrap, a massage with detox body oil, a circuit class and a vibro plate appointment. To finish they do an oriental head massage. It all sounds heavenly - minus maybe the circuit class.... but definitely a good way to keep the detox going and help you boost your system.

The price is €130 for Monday to Friday and €150 for Saturday and Sunday. For more information you can call the spa on 012749710.

Cadbury Creme Egg Cupcakes

This is soooooo not helping the January diet but oh my gosh.... Cadburys have just posted an amazing recipe for Creme Egg Cupcakes! I'm in heaven at the sound of these things. As soon as the Jan/Feb diet is over I am definitely making these! For those who have already given up the New Years resolution... here's the recipe below! Nom nom.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup golden corn syrup
3 cups icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla yellow food colouring (optional)
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs, separated
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

 

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
 

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder 

½ teaspoon baking soda 

½ teaspoon salt 

1 ¼ cups milk
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter, softened


Method:
First you will want to prep the "creme egg" filling. Beat 1/4 cup of the soft butter until fluffy. Add syrup, icing sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla and beat until well combined. If desired, stir in some yellow food colouring until a pale yellow. Reserve in fridge and let set up.

Turn oven on to 350F. Grease a muffin tin and line with paper cups. In a double boiler melt the unsweetened chocolate, stirring regularly. You can start mixing the cupcake batter while it melts and then turn the double boiler off when the chocolate is melted. These cupcakes are easiest in a mixer, but can be done with a hand mixer or even an able pair of hands. Beat butter until light and fluffy and add in sugar until well combined. Separate the egg whites into a large bowl and beat the egg yolks into the sugar one at a time. Slowly add in melted chocolate and vanilla.

In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Alternately fold in dry ingredients and milk in a few batches. Don't over mix! Beat the egg whites to soft peaks and fold in.

Divide the batter into the muffins cups. Remove the creme filling from the fridge and roll out 12 balls no bigger than a centimetre in diameter. In the centre of each cupcake press in a ball of filling as deep as possible. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Bake for 35 minutes.

Transfer cupcakes to a rack and let cool.

In the meantime combine the last 1/4 cup of butter with the remaining creme filling and beat until uniform. Transfer to a piping bag. The cupcakes should have little holes in the middle. Put your icing into a piping bag and pipe a dollop into the centre of each cupcake.

I gather eating these warm is the best way to do it!

Lust after item of the week - Oasis straw clutch bag

I was xpose doing a thing last night on the new accessory range for Oasis. I really like this straw clutch bag they have. It's small enough to still look sleek and fit in your hand comfortably but there's still a good bit of room for the necessary makeup, phone, keys etc. It's only €31 from Oasis stores. A lovely accessory to dress up any outfit!

New Vera Wang - Princess Night

Princess Night the latest perfume offering from Vera Wang is part mischievous, part glam, but all sparkle!

The fragrance is a floral exotic woody scent. Its first impressions include sweet wild berries, watermelon, and raspberry. Like the other perfumes in the range it is somewhat spicy and is definitely long lasting. The bottle is so fab it's worth buying the product for it alone! Dipped in deep purple glitter, it captures the essence of a Princess after dark.

Available soon from all the usual Vera Wang outlets - BT's, Harvey Nichols etc.

Broccoli and Cheddar Cheese Soup

I came across this gorgeous simple recipe on Donal Skehans website the other day. Such a lovely winter warmer and perfect for making a batch on Sunday to get you through the first few lunches of the week.

Ingredients for 4 
A good knob of butter
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large potato, peeled and diced
1 large head of broccoli, broken into florets
1l vegetable stock
100g cheddar cheese, grated
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to season

The Method

Add the butter to a medium pot over a medium heat until it begins to foam.

Add in the onion, garlic and potato and fry gently until the onion is soft.  Add in the broccoli and stir through.

Pour in the stock and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until the broccoli is tender. You check this by piercing it with a fork.

Take the pot off the heat and, using a hand blender, blitz until smooth. Season with sea salt and ground black pepper and stir through half the cheddar cheese and taste.

Serve the soup in deep bowls with crusty bread and an extra sprinkling of cheddar cheese.

For more great recipes log on to his site donalskehan.com

Trend alert! T-strap shoes are the next big thing for spring.

The T-strap shoe is huge news for spring--it was paired with practically every look on the runway at Calvin Klein (above), and eager celebs have already been seen out in them.

From left: Kate Bosworth in Chloé shoes; Mila Kunis in Elie Saab shoes; Fergie in shoes from her own collection; Chloe Moretz in head-to-toe Calvin Klein.

Unless you've got perfect pins like these stars I know it's not always easy to pull off the ankle strap look. If you do fancy giving it a try look for a pair of shoes with a more narrow strap at the top so it's less visually cutting on the leg.

Lust after item of the week - Warehouse Mint Lace Jumper

I am so glad to finally see the end of the sales and the new seasons stock coming in! I'm ready for the lighter shades to make an entrance in preparation for Spring time. So my lust after item of the week is this jumper from Warehouse. This gorgeous mint and lace jumper is a perfect buy that will look amazing with white skinny jeans and either nude patent shoes or gold sandals. It's also a quite reasonable €52.

You can either buy it online from warehouse.co.uk or it's also available in stores.