{i'm not dead.. yet}

Well, its certainly been a few weeks, or perhaps even months too long  lovelies. After a few too many exciting and time consuming but incredibly fun adventures I'm back at the desk - which unfortunately for me looks very little like this pastel affair. I am, however; wearing a ton of jewellery as per, opting for a similar pale pastel hue on my talons and have a large cup of strong coffee by my side, nursing myself to some kind of caffinated delusion I'm recovering better than I actually am from a crazy weekend on a farm in Somerset, also known as Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts - but more on that later. Sleep first. More sleep. The boy and I haven't made it past 10pm in the last two days..  I am (slowly but surely) back in business, so expect to see a fair bit more from me in the very near future! 

rachelle xo
♥

{a glamorous mix : for a not so glamorous week}

This 'bad blogger' business is only getting worse, nine posts throughout the entire of February is definitley disappointing  I can excuse myself for the last week which has been almost entirely written off due to a viral infection which has today been diagnosed as glandular fever.. lucky me!

The last week has been spent primarily in bed, on the sofa or in the doctors surgery - with a little shopping (hiya, nice new bath-time lovelies and Topshop purchases) with a little Nando's trip thrown in to try and sweat out out a fever. Glamorous, I know.

{a glamorous mix : a little romance}

Good Afternoon beauties; I'm indeed alive and well, just a little dazed and behind schedule with a pile of fun and exciting things that've been happening lately...

From London Fashion Week coverage entwined with too many pancakes and a lovely, romantic Valentines day and weekend, an incredibly entertaining and extensively filled Daily Mail app (how much crazy news can happen in a week?!) and a spur-of-the-moment haircut leaving me with a fringe you could certainly say I'm not too keen on (and trying to find ways to disguise the Farrah Fawcett qualities of it.. on tonight's agenda, manicure-monday and a session with a barrel of heated rollers..) you guys have taken somewhat of a back seat. I'm a bad blogger, and I promise that I'll try to do a little better..

Whats been happening in your worlds? By the way; I've been trying a few very exciting new beauty products out as of late so keep your peepers peeled for the unveiling of some exciting things.. rachelle xo

{happy weekend : cream in your coffee}

Happy Saturday beautiful ladies, its been a little while since I've managed to squeeze in a little happy weekend post, things have been so crazy around here with both work and play; more birthdays than I can remember and more friends to catch up with than I have time to call..

Its my lovely little Mam (northern dialect; see 'mother'... sorry I'm not sorry) 's birthday today so we have an exciting weekend ahead, plenty of celebrations and champagne are in order but first - the boy and I have some very exciting things to sort for ourselves...

{wishing you a magical christmas..}

Apologies that posts have been somewhat absent for the last few days and weeks..  I've taken a few days off to exchange work for play (with the exception of a tweet, or instagram or two), to exchange texts and emails for conversations over glasses of champagne and candlelight, for friends and family much too much dessert; for elf & love actually and mistletoe; for nights in front of the fire with those we love the most...

Wishing all of you beautiful readers the merriest and most magical Christmas time to spend time doing what you love best, with those you love best.

Happy Weekend: Warm Winter Whites

As far as I'm concerned; the holiday season simply gets better and better. Parties, cocktails, Christmas shopping, mulled wine, tree decorating and snuggling up in front of the fire while sheets of snow fall outside have been highlights of this past week...

The weekend has been as perfect as this past week; Christmas shopping is all now but done, family meals and special time spent with the boy, festive coffee and more mulled wine while snuggling on the sofa watching (my future husband) Jahmene wipe the floor with the other contestants on the X Factor..

A Guide To: The Boys Birthday

Buying occasion gifts for the men in our lives is notoriously difficult. I've been with my man almost four years, know him inside out and he truly knows me better than I know myself. But still; I can find it difficult choosing what to buy him each time his birthday rolls around.

Anniversaries are easy, as are little moments throughout the year when you spot something & just have to give it to them, "saw this & thought of you", but I must admit - I generally rely on the same fail-safe gifts on occasions like Christmas.

Whilst he doesn't have any hobbies I can stock up on, (unless I buy him a car - ladies if your man is a passionate sportsman or even trainspotter, think yourself lucky!) he does love whiskey. And clothes. And trips away. So I take advantage of my strengths  I can pick an outfit for him he'll adore (even if it is purely because he knows I'll love him in it) with my eyes closed, I know enough about any alcohol to see me through a gift purchase, and as you all know I adore travelling, so can plan a trip the pair of us will love.

If you follow me on twitter, luckily he doesn't use it.. you'll know I arranged a little trip to Barcelona for him this time around. Believe it or not, neither of us have been before - its a place we've always fancied but never gotten around to it, we tend to pick faraway shores and the amazing Europe breaks can get pushed aside. I also picked up a few jumpers from All Saints for him, a ton of Calvin Klein shorts and a couple of little 'stocking filler' type gifts. I've created a fail-proof collection of gifts for your boy, suitable for all gentlemen for any occasion...

My Happy List { № 1 } : The First Coffee

. . . The other week, stressed out beyond comprehension & working sixty hours per week, I realised how important it is to appreciate the things in life that make you happy - no matter how big or small they may be. Mini-pleasures. The first cup of coffee of the morning; a hot, strong, steaming cup served from a beautiful French press into a (always) white mug is always a glorious start to the day, no matter what else you have planned. Inexpensive glamour, the small luxuries in life allow you to live it up for a matter of pence. rachel xo

A Guide To: Jet Lag

w h a t  i s  j e t  l a g  ? . . .

The cause of jet lag is simple. As the body crosses time zones its circadian rhythms (the internal body clock that tells us when to sleep) becomes disrupted. Deprived of exterior stimuli (light, dark or a day-to-night routine) our body clock becomes confused. As a general rule, it takes one day to recover from every hour lost or gained.

h o w  t o  c u r e  i t  ? . . .

The golden rule is to try and book a flight which allows you to sleep while it is night at your destination. That way, immediatley on arrival, you can enjoy some daylight and try to enjoy a full days activities.

Happy Weekend: A Short City Break

... currently lying in the most gorgeous & comfortable king sized bed in a beautiful city centre hotel in Leeds, tapping away on the boys exciting new purchase, an iPad, before a day full of shopping, wandering hand in hand and drinking champagne in the Saturday sunshine. 

Two Beautiful Things: Monday Morning Coffee

Is there any better way to start the working week than with a large French press full of hot, strong coffee? My breakfast, however, was more of a rushed bowl of Special K rather than my favourite home made cranberry granola...

After the luxurious quiteness and rest of the weekend my blackberry is already buzzing with phonecalls, meeting arrangements, emails - yet this morning its accompanied by the (literally) buzzing security alarm in my office which has given up the ghost over the weekend and is sounding every two minutes. I await the alarm contractor with a pounding headache.

Have a better Monday than me, and a great week...

Rachel x

Table for Two: Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes

Few things sound more like perfection to me than chocolate or espresso. Combined - I am definitely going to be happy lady. Obviously, I was extatic to discover the Call me Cupcake recipe for what can only be described as utter perfection.

75g Butter

1/2tsp Vanilla Powder

1dl Cocoa Powder

1tsp Baking Soda

1tsp Baking Powder

2 & 1/2dl Sugar

1 Large Egg

1dl Hot Strong Coffee

1 & 1/2dl Buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 175 C. Line a cupcake tin with 12 cupcake liners. Melt the butter, add vanilla and let it cool. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder & sugar into a large bowl. Lightly whip the egg together with the buttermilk. Mix coffee with butter. Add all of the liquid ingredients to the dry ones and mix  until the batter is smooth but liquidy. Divide the batter between the 12 cupcake liners, filling them no more than 2/3 full. Bake for between 17-20 minutes.

200g Dark Chocolate (70%)

300g Softened Butter

3 1/2dl Powdered Sugar

1 1/2dl Cocoa Powder

2tbsp Espresso

1/2tsp Vanilla Powder

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler and leave to cool. Whip the butter until its white and fluffy. Gradually add the powdered sugar & cocoa powder and mix until smooth. Add the chocolate and whip. Add the espresso and vanilla powder and mix until the icing is smooth and fluffy. Pipe onto the cakes, sprinkle with some chocolate shavings & enjoy!

Rachel x