Ode to my Fabulous Bag

I don't think that I have ever received so many compliments for a handbag ever, so I have decided that this bag needs its very own post! The Zara plaited shopper that I posted about back in July has been used almost every day since I caved and purchased it, after seeing how lovely it looked on my friend Kat's super blog.  It really is a fab bag, goes with everything and fits so much inside it.  It made an excellent hand luggage option too as I could get everything from the Ipad to baby wipes inside it and it has a detachable shoulder strap and to cap it all off it is really gorgeous leather too, so it is going to age really well. 

Here she is;



And one of us together....

Oh, and for AW they have a beautiful burgundy version, which is darker IRL, I saw it in Rome..

The search is on for a Biker Jacket

I have decided that I really do need (well really would like) a decent biker jacket!  I know, I have been lusting after a proper one for ages and now that I fit in to my old Oasis leather jacket again (a few lbs lighter than I was, yay!) I have realised just how much I use it, and therefore have a *need*.  The trouble is that the All Saints Walker is out of stock in my size, in fact it has disappeared off the site entirely, otherwise I would have taken the plunge with that first.  I can't actually find any others that I really love, this by Malene Birger number is lovely looking, BUT the hardware is gold, which doesn't work for me, bikers need silver hardware IMO.  Oh, it is also an eyewatering £550


This Isabella Oliver Biker is also one that I have had my eye on for ages and tried to buy with a 50% discount code once - trouble is the code doubled the price, rather than halve it - and I had had a few glasses of wine so gave up.. Again, I am not sure that I want to spend £370 on an Baukjen (as it is now called) item. Ridiculous name change IMO, just as an aside.



So argh I am not really winning, but the hunt is on - and I am doing some overtime in October to finance this investment... watch this space!

Easy Banana Cake

My little boy loves to cook, and I love that he does, the only trouble is that he often wants to 'create' things at all times of the day and night, leading to much stress if I happen to say no!  Happily this morning's request (after we had dropped his sister at school and done horses) was to make Nana Cake.. now, I just so happened to have overripe (read dead) bananas and all of the other ingredients, so at 8.30 this morning that is what we did.  I haven't made banana cake since I was at school, I am no GBBO contestant, and I detest bananas... but the boy is a huge fan of both so that is fine with me.  I used butter instead of margerine which has made the cake even more moist and dense - we love it like that but if you prefer it fluffier then I guess you should stick with marg.  Zach is tucking in to a slice as I type :) Happy Friday everyone.

Easy Banana Cake

Wine Bargains!

I think that it is a common known fact that I like my wine!  Oh yes, my Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc especially.. It isn't always the cheapest option on the wine list but I do love it, so imagine my joy when I found out that Tesco are having a wine event at the moment and, if you buy by the case (of 6) you get up to 40% off some wines!  WOWIE, that is a decent saving.  So, feeling like a proper grown up I have placed an order for 1 case of Oyster Bay and 1 case of Nobilo - to be delivered on Saturday.  The Oyster Bay is down to £31.50 a case, and for a wine that you pick up in Waitrose for £9.99 a bottle, what is not to love?  It is never usually on such a good discount so grab it whilst you can peeps

http://www.tesco.com/wine/

The month that flew past..

I'm back! Wow what a month it's been since I last updated here.. There has been much change, some sadness, a difficult time for me - but I'm not going to dwell on that here- there is positive stuff to focus on too so I shall do just that.

My sister came back home with Andrew on August 10th, we set up the big screen in the living room to watch the Olympic closing ceremony on Sunday and had a house full to enjoy it, Kaz was down to stay, Steve and my Parents joined us and we stayed up drinking until 5am, yikes.. The week that followed was lovely, despite the fact that I had to work - and on the 17th the 5 of us caught the 3pm flight from the beautiful Terminal 5 over to Roma.  My apartment at San Gregorio was perfect, Rigs had bought loads of food and goodies for us and it was perfectly well set up for us all (well except for the dodgy cheese grater and the quite frankly tiny sink!!) the weather was the hottest it has been for the 10 years I have been going and the place was parched, but so dramatically beautiful all the same.  We had a brilliant time, swimming, riding, generally having fun all together and getting in some well earned rest.  It was so lovely to have friends come and stay too, Saf, Ram and the kids, and Kitty and Damon with their lovely little Reggie and also the Freeman family, as well as Mum and Dad, who really should have stayed longer.  A fun time was had by all, in a fabulous setting with great friends there too.

Andrew and Zach were just amazing, so cute together but SO NAUGHTY!! One of their highlights was the day that we were invited over to a friend of Andrea's for aperativo, him and his boyfriend own a beautiful split level apartment at Montelcheschi - immaculate in every way - and they are soo very nice that a pre lunch drink ended up in a full on afternoon of much laughter.. anyway at around 2pm I went in to check on the little boys only to find the living room (where they had been watching ice age) eerily quiet.. I ventured up the stairs only to find the two of them starkers, in the bath tub sliding around covered in Garnier Fructis conditioner!!!!! The MORTIFICATION!!! Anyway, happily Sean and Stein were darling and found it very funny but Riggy and I nearly died!  They pretty much spent the entire holiday at each other's side and had such fun.  Teya was brilliant too, she conquered her breast stroke and her diving is fantastic.  Her suntan is pretty enviable too.  Was such a lovely time and we didn't want to come home.  It was lovely that we spent that last day before flying home in Roma seeing the sights.  Teya has done the Romans in school so bringing the history to life was very special indeed. 

So, here are a few pics from our amazing time away - we all miss La Casella and its lovely people (esp Gabriella!) very much and look forward to returning very soon..