miss b loves....... Christmas!!

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas! Joyeux Noël!

              

and now for a song which I'm sure will make you want to get up and dance...

miss b loves.......seeing Father Christmas ice skating!

I was so pleased to catch a glimpse of Father Christmas ice skating at the open air ice rink on the square in Lytham St Annes yesterday!

miss b loves.......decorating the Christmas tree

Mulled wine, candles scented with cinnamon, orange and cloves, mince pies, Christmas music - the perfect ingredients for an afternoon decorating our Christmas tree............ 

miss b loves...............'Driving Home for Christmas' by Chris Rea and other Christmas favourites

                 

Nothing gets me in the Christmas mood more than Chris Rea singing 'Driving home for Christmas' - one of my favourite Christmas songs.  

miss b loves.......Shoestring Chic by Kerrie Hess

Paris based Australian illustrator, Kerrie Hess has worked for Chanel, Louboutin, McQueen, Vogue, and many others and has written this wonderfully illustrated book which gives readers tips on living the luxe life for less. 'Do you suffer with the affliction of Gucci taste on a Gap budget?' Kerrie asks in the introduction.......
                                                   

miss b loves......'teacup on thomas street', Manchester

I regularly visit Manchester but for some time now I have been disappointed by the distinct lack of really good tea shops until two weeks ago when I discovered teacup on thomas street in the heart of the trendy Northern Quarter. It's light and airy - so much bigger than you expect from the front window and so quirky with its polka dot table cloths,vintage-style crockery and bright red chunky tea pots........

                     

miss b loves..... animal print

         

  

I have often been a little wary of wearing animal print - well, too much of it, as in a dress or coat. Last winter, I wore my silk leopard print scarf now and again but having seen some stylish interpretations on the catwalk  I have become  addicted (still only accessories though!)........

miss b loves........afternoon tea at Gilpin Lodge Hotel, The English Lake District

I love the English Lake District at any time but especially in the autumn with the gorgeous rich golden colours.

I like it even more with the promise of afternoon tea on a Sunday afternoon in a Relais & Chateaux Hotel! The Gilpin Lodge afternoon tea is a very traditional affair served in the wonderfully comfy yet stylish lounge - this really is an upmarket English country house hotel!  

miss b loves....cocktails at the Voda Bar, Jumeirah Zabeel Saray Hotel, The Palm, Dubai

The ultra-chic Voda Bar

The new Ottoman-themed Jumeirah Zabeel Saray Hotel is located on the west cescent of Palm Jumeirah, Dubai. Its interior is lavish, influenced by Topkapi Palace in Istanbul with extravagent chandeliers and colourful artwork and marble but the purpose of our recent visit was to enjoy the ultra-chic surroundings of the Voda Bar, located on the ground level of the hotel.

The beautiful moon design chandelier
 in the opulent hotel lobby

This sophisticated bar just oozes style with the futuristic, white minimalist interior setting, sixties-style egg chairs and white sofas.

miss b loves..........The Alchemist's Chocolate Cake

                         

I'm a true chocoholic and I can't resist a new chocolate cake recipe. When I saw that one of the ingredients in The Alchemist's Chocolate Cake was pears, I knew I had to try it(Pears and chocolate are a perfect match - Poire Belle Hélène is one of my favourite French desserts.)

miss b loves.........Rosso Pink Fizz

miss b's pink fizz

I have been trying to recreate a delicious lemony Prosecco-based cocktail  which I recently discovered at Rosso at the Amwaj Rotana Hotel at The Walk, Jumeirah Beach Residence, Dubai Marina. It has been an absolute pleasure(!) experimenting with the measures but after several attempts I think I've got it right (well it's very very similar) and I'm calling it 'miss b's pink fizz' of course!

miss b loves .........Halloween

Halloween just would not be the same without a touch of orange and black around the house so my little ceramic pumpkin from France is looking very sweet in the lounge and I bought orange flowers for the kitchen - I hope you can see my wicked witch peeping out from behind the gerbera (I think she looks  quite cute and not at all scary with her purple hair!)

                        

There's no Halloween Party though this year just pumpkin soup, hotdogs and toffee apples for tea !

               

                 Happy Halloween!

                             



miss b loves......the Black and White Halloween Dessert Table from 'Glorious Treats'

Visit www.glorioustreats.blogspot.com for recipes 

This has to be the most chic and stylish Halloween display I have ever seen - so much more grown-up and sophisticated than the traditional orange and black theme we usually see.

Chocolate cupcakes with vanilla cream cheese
frosting
 and decorated Sugar Cookies

Happy Halloween!

Visit http://www.glorioustreats.blogspot.com/ for more gorgeous photos and recipes.

miss b loves.........'25 ways to wear a scarf'

Silk animal print scarf from bobochic

I am a huge fan of scarves and pashminas and wear them all through the year. They just completely change an outfit and I'm always trying to find unusual ways to wear them and love to experiment. I came across this great tutorial which shows 25 ideas and in only 4.5 minutes! It's from http://www.wendyslookbook.com/

 

Please let me know which ones you prefer! Leave a comment or email missb@bobochic.co.uk

miss b loves.......Paul bakery and pâtisserie

Tartelette citron

I first discovered Paul in Lille, Northern France which is where it all began way back in 1889 (well, the very first bakery was actually in Croix, near Lille). I have now visited quite a few on my travels (the branch at The Walk, JBR Dubai is a favourite) Now there are about 300 branches worldwide and several in London including Covent Garden, King's Road and of course there just had to be one in Baker Street!! Although Paul is a large chain, the bread is baked on the premises of each shop and it really feels like an independent neighbourhood bakery.

miss b loves....The Little Black Book of Style by Nina Garcia

  

I know that The Little Black Book of Style has been out since 2007 but as my bobochic blog is about all things stylish, I thought that it just had to get a mention (and it is one of my top three fashion books!) It's full of useful tips and tricks, and the gorgeous illustrations by Ruben Toledo are so chic.  

Born in Columbia, Nina Garcia was influenced by her very stylish parents and she has worked in the fashion industry for over fifteen years. Best known as a judge on Project Runway, fashion director at Marie Claire and formerly at Elle, in her book she shares all the very useful style knowledge she’s gathered over the years.

miss b loves........... Threadneedles Hotel, London

I've just made my return visit to Threadneedles Hotel, this time during the week when the area is vibrant and busy. My first visit was at weekend when many of the shops, cafés and restaurants are closed, as this is the business district, although this is apparently all set to change now that a new shopping centre has opened its doors near St Paul's.   

Located in the heart of the Square Mile (The City), Threadneedles is housed in a former Victorian banking hall with a beautiful stained glass domed ceiling which was apparently hand painted in 1856 and has survived two world wars!! It's a magnificent 5* boutique hotel which provides a luxurious sanctuary, an oasis of calm.

miss b loves......the key autumn winter 2011 / 2012 trends

 

The next few weeks will result in the usual dilemma - what to wear as the seasons change. There's always that tricky decision around this time - when shall I finally put away those summer clothes and wear the  new autumn looks? Even more difficult with the strange weather we're having - sun, rain, wind then sun all within one day sometimes within the hour!(miss b's tip - never leave home without a bobochic scarf or pashmina in your bag!!)  

Time to treat yourself to some key new season pieces..........

  

PRINTS - SPOTS, CIRCLES, SWIRLS......

Circles, swirls, polka dots and winter florals -the autumn/winter 2011-12 catwalks were a rich collage of print and pattern.

miss b loves...... Chocolat Chic

I just love stylish coffee shops/pâtisseries and here's another one in Dubai again!
It's at the far end of Dubai Marina on The Boardwalk not far fron the Sheraton Hotel on the ground floor of Dorra Bay appartments. There's an overall French theme with a huge Eiffel Tower picture across one wall and glossy, bright purple and white décor.

miss b loves .....Tea Palace, Covent Garden

I am a bit of a tea snob starting my day with Twinings English Breakfast (it just has to be Twinings!) with Earl Grey or Green Tea with mint as a favourite afternoon tipple. I'm not really very adventurous with tea - smoky lapsang souchong, iced teas etc. just aren't my thing but strolling through Covent Garden the other day I came across a gorgeous shop with two assistants outside with a glass tea infuser filled with tea and slices of fruit and they were offering samples of iced blood orange tea. I was so impressed with this summery, refreshing drink that I had to buy some (and the tea caddies are so stylish!)

miss b loves............ cupcakes

My favourite part of a birthday party has always been the fairy cakes preferably iced in pink with a cherry on top or, for a really special treat, butterfly cakes oozing with raspberry jam and whipped cream with a dusting of icing sugar on the 'wings'. However, these days I have moved on to the more grown-up cupcake. I have searched the world for the perfect one from the Magnolia Bakery in Bloomingdales to The Hummingbird Bakery in London via Fiona Cairns, More in Chicago and various coffee shops here and there but I think I've found cupcake heaven at Sugar Daddy's in Dubai Marina.

They display them in a gorgeous colour co-ordinated way with witty names describing them beautifully...Fake Blonde, Gold Digger, Beach Babe (complete with parasol!), Tanned and Toned (that's a chocolate cupcake with caramel frosting, of course)and obviously Red Velvet..... etc. etc.

                                                                                                 

miss b loves .........The Ivy, Dubai

The Ivy, Dubai opened its doors on 9th June 2011 at The Boulevard of the luxurious and iconic Jumeirah Emirates Towers. It has a brasserie-style menu with a selection of traditional Ivy dishes but takes account of local produce and regional inspiration...It sounded just perfect ......

                           
The question is whether this version of The Ivy will live up to the Soho London original. They've managed to recreate the look of the London restaurant with oak panelling and green leather banquettes and the food is certainly excellent with very well-trained, attentive and friendly staff who seem to enjoy interacting with the customers. However,for those obsessed with celebrity culture, for the time being, there may well be far fewer celebs to spot! (on our visit chef Gary Rhodes was enjoying his evening a few tables away)  

It was hard to believe that this was a newly opened restaurant as the busy, lively ambiance was that of an established one. So, the all important food .........The menu offers a wide range of dishes -there really is something for everyone but with the temperature outside hitting the 40s the iced tomato soup was an obvious choice. It was  perfect  with  baby mozzarella balls, cherry tomatoes and fresh basil leaves floating on top.

miss b loves........ Taksim, Beyoğlu Istanbul

 

A trip to Istanbul would not be complete without a day in Taksim, Beyoğlu the heart of Istanbul starting with a stroll around the Gelata district. There are beautiful old houses and buildings, cafés, quirky shops selling handicrafts including colourful pottery and stylish boutiques. Galata Tower is the most impressive monument of the district with its 360 degree view of the city from the top.

One of the gorgeous boutiques
 with an eclectic mix
 of inexpensive jewellery and discounted
designer clothes. 

Galata Tower

Amazing 360 views from the top of Galata Tower

                              
From Galata we made our way to Tünel Square and then continued along the İstiklâl Caddesi (Independence Avenue) which is pedestrianised (apart from the trams!)and has 2.5 kilometres of shops, cafés, pâtisseries, restaurants, bars and clubs, as well as bookshops, theatres, cinemas and art galleries.

miss b loves the fashion-inspired Afternoon Tea, Raffles Dubai

                                  

Since the British colonial rule, Singaporeans have enjoyed the English tradition of High Tea. The iconic Raffles Singapore has one of the most famous High Teas in the world and I too followed that tradition (a few years ago on a quick tour of Singapore) in the  Tiffin room with tea, finger sandwiches, chicken pies and pastries followed by the famed Singapore Sling cocktail which was apparently created by a Raffles bartender at the turn of the 19^th century.  

                                             Raffles Salon,Dubai

Raffles Dubai has recently introduced the ultimate 21^st century Afternoon Tea with a fashionable twist-‘The Collection’. As soon as I read the publicity I knew I had to try it and I was even more impressed with my fashionable tea than the traditional version.

The attention to detail was incredible with designer sandwiches and couture cakes in the shape of handbags, shoes, dresses and hats. My favourites included the smoked salmon tea dress with cream cheese bodice, the chocolate almond stiletto and the white chocolate passion fruit evening bag.They looked so perfect and too beautiful to eat(at first!) but with photos taken they were soon impossible to resist.

miss b loves..... Parisian Chic A Style Guide by Inès de la Fressange

PARISIAN CHIC A Style Guide by Inès de la Fressange

£19.99 (£11.04 with free delivery at Amazon!)

Model Inès de la Fressange was once the muse of Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel and is also a designer who has written this new guide to being stylish in the effortlessly chic way of so many 'Parisiennes'. I have always admired Inès as the epitome of French style and I couldn't wait to read her new book sharing many of the secrets she has accumulated throughout her time in the world of fashion.

The book has the feel of a gorgeous journal complete with its red ribbon bookmark and inside its just as creative. There's an easy to read layout with hand-written lists,beautiful photos of her equally chic daughter, Nine and Inès's quirky drawings all adding a really personal touch.

Inès's daughter, Nine, models Parisian chic style throughout  the book