'Honestly Healthy For Life' Book Launch

Last week I attended the launch of vegetarian chef Natasha Corrett and nutritionist Vicki Edgson’s second alkaline cookbook, ‘Honestly Healthy for Life,’ at Notting Hill’s Bumpkin. With over 100 new and anticipated easy-to-make recipes to choose from, this book promises a diet that will boost your energy and immune system, improve your mood and aid digestion. Fear not sweet teeth, HH also offers some healthier versions of your naughty favourites, including sticky toffee pudding and doughnuts! (*cue my face lighting up!)

The alkaline diet has become one of the biggest eating trends of recent years, with Victoria Beckham naming Honestly Healthy as her favourite cookbook.  To summise, our blood is 7.35/7.45 on the pH scale, making it slightly alkaline, so staying clear of acid forming foods, and eating more alkaline meals, keeps us at our optimum health.  

Above:  Guests, including Laura Whitmore, Sienna Miller (in an elegant nude Chloé shirt and sparkly Jimmy Choo brogues which hadmy inner magpie squawking with envy) and Jo Wood all enjoyed bite-size quinoa beetroot and spinach burgers, mini-slices of orange and almond cake, crunchy toffee popcorn (yum!) and vodka coconut mojitos.  

Above:  Natasha’s proud-as-punch mummy interior designer Kelly Hoppen.
Below:  On yer Honestly Healthy Bike!  With Natasha Corrett and Katy Wickremesinghe.

Below:  The London Chatter wearing a dusky pink jacket from H&M (RRP. £39.99), Black Ripped Jeans from Zara (RRP. £39.99), Senso Qimat Boots in concrete (RRP. £152.00), Mulberry Lily (RRP. £750.00) and a leopard print coat similar here from Topshop).

Raw Green Curry with Courgette Noodles. 

A quick, fool-proof recipe packed full of flavour from ‘Honestly Healthy For Life.'

Ingredients:
 
For the Sauce:
1/3 cup dried or fresh curry leaves
1 cup raw cashew nuts, soaked for 30 minutes and drained
½ cup water
Juice ½ a lime
½ cup coriander, chopped
Generous ¾ cup coconut milk
1 tsp each of ground cumin, ground ginger, dried lemongrass, fresh chilli (chopped), ginger root (grated) and ground coriander

For the Courgette Noodles:
5 courgettes
1 cup bean sprouts
1 ½ cup snow/sugar snap peas
200g baby corn, sliced
raw cashews to garnish

Instructions:

Put all of the sauce ingredients into a blender and whiz until smooth. Set aside. Spiralize the courgettes, and mix through the sauce. Next, add in the chopped vegetables and pack everything into containers and refrigerate until ready to serve. If you prefer you can make the sauce a day or so ahead and mix with the spiralized noodles just before serving.Garnish with a sprinkle of cashews and coriander leaves just before eating.

Below:  The London Chatter featured in Grazia Magazine.

‘Honestly Healthy for Life’ is available HERE from Amazon (RRP. £̶2̶5̶.̶0̶0̶ £12.41)

Lululemon's Movement Yoga Class at the Royal Opera House

I am known for many things, but my athleticism would not be one of them!  Having not moved quicker than a strut in the last decade, I was more than a little apprehensive when invited to take part in Lululemon Athletica’s 400 person Movement Yoga Class… Lets face it, that’s a 399 people to make a complete fool of myself in front of!

I was then generously sent the most comfortable, super sleek and sculpting Lululemon‘Wunder Under Pants’ (RRP. £72.00) made with Full-On Luon™ 'second-skin' fabric, and I immediately felt more confident… Well, at least I would look the part!  #AllTheGearNoIdea

My girlfriends and I made our way to the beyond stunning Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, alongside a beyond huuuge and enthusiastic crowd of self-named ‘Lulu-Heads.’  Despite originating in Canada and being the ‘go-to’ yoga wear brand in the US,  Lululemon has clearly built a seriously impressive cult following within the UK.  

The massive (and free!) yoga class was held in the Royal Opera House’s vast conservatory and with the sunshine streaming through it’s glass ceiling, we begun the hour long jivamuktiyoga class, conducted by Emma Henry and assisted by a more than helpful hoard of yogi adjusters, whilst the London Philharmonic Orchestra played live classical music. The whole experience was nothing short of euphoric and other worldly.

I will never forget the beautiful, heavenly sound of the orchestra playing ‘Adagio for Strings’ (below) during the relaxed Savasana (a.k.a 'Corpse Pose!) Prosecco and dark chocolate was served afterwards and we were all allowed to keep our Lululemon yoga mats ('The Mat' RRP. £62.00).  Exercising might not be so terrible after all… Namaste. 

Lululemon will be opening it’s first UK store in Covent Garden on the 28th of March. 
In the lead up, the brand will be teaming up with 13 yoga studios across London offering complimentary 'Cheeky Yoga!'  Can't get out of work to join in?  Fear not... Print out a doctors note to give to your boss from the Lululemon website!  See HERE for details. 

 

All She Wants for Christmas 2013

We all know that most men fear, dread and loathe shopping so rather than ‘accidentally’ flambéing him instead of the Christmas Pudding as thanks for that last minute, delightfully flammable red underwear he left for you under the tree (“but it’s festive!”) may I suggest you help the poor fella out this year by kindly leaving this page open on his desktop…!  

Above (Clockwise) L-R: Kate: The Kate Moss Book – RRP. £50.00, Jonathan Adler’s Mr and Mrs Muse Mug at Amara – RRP. £24.30, Topshop Rasberry Bow Heels – RRP. £55.00, Anya Hindmarch Girlie Stuff Wash Bag – RRP. £95.00, Princess Tam Tam’s Folie Bra – RRP. £58.00

Above (Clockwise) L-R:  Dannijo Joanie Stud Earrings at Matches – RRP. £125.00, Topshop Collar Jacquard Dress – RRP. £75.00, Monica Vinader’s Gold Vermeil Stacking Rings - RRP. £50.00 - £100.00, Anthropologie Lady Bugs Dinner Plate – RRP. £24.00, Anthropologie Multitude Hairbands – RRP. £14.00 

Above (Clockwise) L-R:  Smythson 'Shoe Queen' Leather Notebook at Matches - RRP. £38.00, Topshop Velvet Sequin Pencil Skirt – RRP. £42.00, ‘Isabella Blow: Fashion Galore!’ at Amazon – RRP. £37.50 £23.25, Limited Edition Diptyque Candles at Space.NK– RRP. £25.00 -£45.00. Graham and Green Ceramic Animal Boxes – RRP. £15.00 - £18.00 

Above (Clockwise) L-R: DVF Diane Von Furstenberg Lips-Print Iphone Cover - RRP. £30.00£21.00, Wilbur & Gussie’s Penny Clutch - £295.00, Soru’s Double Green Opal Ring in Gold –RRP. £120.00, Beulah’s Shibani Shawl – RRP. £120.00 (10% from each Shabani shawl purchase goes to the UN’s Blue Heart Campaign against human trafficking), Biscuiteers Nativity Biscuit Set – RRP. £35.00, Just Ballerinas’ Leopard Print Slippers – RRP. £139.00

Thank you to actresses Anna Kendrick, Sienna Miller, Tara Summers and Ella Smith,  presenter Louise Roe and fashionistas Savannah Miller, Tanya Semikoz and Natasha Rufus Isaacs, for sharing with The London Chatter their 2013 Christmas wishes. xxxx


Sophie Gass Nail Boutique

This is not just any nail salon (yes, I heard that in an M&S voiceover too!) Sophie Gass is a concept fashion, flowers and nail boutique in the heart of Holland Park.  Launching in 2012, ex-banker Sophie not only offers luxurious, yet reasonably priced, nail treatments, but also one-off, affordable fashion pieces and accessories alongside beautiful flower arrangements and an array of other gifts;  a one stop ‘spoil-me’ shop!  Errrm, a place to relax, pamper and shop? HOW was this wondrous haven not already on my speed dial?! 

I was kindly invited to by Sophie (above right) for a Shellac Manicure, a popular gel polish that lasts for up to three weeks and dries almost instantly.  After finally deciding on Wild Fire Red (the amount of time I spend choosing my nail colour, you'd think actual lives were at stake... "Do I cut (choose) the red wire (polish) or the blue?!"   The nail treatments themselves, starting at an ultra reasonable £16.00, feel utterly indulgent and the antithesis of the now commonly seen New-York style London nail bar experiences! Sophie Gass is both chic and calm (think NEOM candles, ipads on your cream leather pedi-chairs and tea served in cups that look like works of art!) and a week later (above, with my rescue kittens Harry and Lloyd!) my nails look just as glossy and vibrant - Thank you Sophie!

The exclusive range of clothes, affordable accessories and sparkling jewellery are all designed by Sophie herself and are available from as little as £15.00. There is very little chance of walking out of the door without a small treat for yourself or a girlfriend, andSophie Gass gift cards are, unsurprisingly, incredibly popular. The items designed for children are both creative and beyond adorable – especially the little animal hats above!

A definite new TLC favourite, Sophie Gass can be found at 4 Ladbroke Grove, W11.

Alexa Chung for Eyeko

Alexa Chung has joined up with British beauty brand Eyeko to create a capsule collection of eye make up.  Alexa has always felt naked without her 1960’s cat-eye liquid eyeliner flick, something she has become synonymous with, admitting ”it's my comfort blanket."  Having had an Eyeko eyeliner used on her by a make-up artist on a recent shoot she decided to meet with the brand’s directors, “I just felt the whole company seemed fun and it got my creative juices flowing… it became quite an organic collaboration.”  

Alexa’s Eyeko collection will sport her name, her own artwork and have kooky names (such as the ‘eye do’ liquid liner) that she has chosen.  The set will cost £35.00 and will be exclusively launched at Selfridges Oxford Street on November 14th where she will be meeting and greeting her fans eager to also have the most fash-lashes in town. 

Jennifer Lawrence for AW'13 Dior

I think Jennifer Lawrence’s latest A/W'13 Dior adverts, Captured by Willy Vanderperre, showing the Oscar-winning actress fresh faced wearing minimal make-up, are breathtaking.  Her porcelain skin and piercing blue eyes take centre stage in the campaign which features a grey cashmere coat and several of the latest covertable Diorbags.  GREAT eyebrows J-Law! 

Alber Elbaz for Lancôme

Alber Elbaz, creative director of Lanvin, has collaborated with Lancôme on his first make-up collection – and the results are predictably gorgeous! The super glamorous, limited edition capsule collection, entitled Lancôme Hypnôse, is covered in fun illustrations and divided into four main themes; Définicilis, Doll, Star and Drama. Available in shops this week, from £18.50, I have my eyes (literally) on the mascaras… all of them!
 
Youcef S. Nabi, Lancôme president, said in a statement that Alber's "sense of luxury, his vision of femininity and that hint of audacity resonate perfectly with the new values of the Maison Lancôme. We are extremely proud and happy that, with us, he is set to channel his universe into the world of make-up for the very first time."

Massato London

This week I had an amazing blow-dry at the recently opened Massato London hair salon in South Kensington (54 Fulham Road, SW3).  Massato, a renowned Japanese hairdresser who has tousled the golden locks of Kate Moss and created styles which have adorned the covers of Vogue, already has three popular salons in Paris and two in Asia.  The London salon is bright, white, minimalist and modern with reclining chair beds for you to oh-so-comfortably have your hair washed and head blissfully massaged.  Whist sipping on champagne and being spoiled with sushi and sweets, my hair was treated with delicious smelling Massato ‘Bien Etre De Vos Cheveux’ products (available in store) and given some much appreciated va va voom volume and shine.  
Merci, ありがとう, Thank you!

Massato London is open Monday - Saturday (9am-7pm)
(Blow-dry from £55.00)

Prancercising

Need a new exercise regime ahead of the summer? Look no further... Prancercising!  Described by its 61 year old creator Joanna Rohrback, in uncomfortably tight white leggings, as "a springy, rhythmic way of moving forward, similar to a horse's gait," prancercising has become an internet sensation.  The workout includes trotting ("it's really hot!") galloping ("we are gonna really cut the noose and let it loose!") and shadowboxing ("it's better to be punching into space than in your face!")  If horsing about along a path is neigh your thing, watching this video will at least have you in stitches.

MAC Cosmetics Archie's Girls Makeup Collection

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Growing up, Archie Comics were to me then what Vogue is to me now;  Betty andVeronica were my Cara and Alexa.  You can imagine therefore, just HOW excited I was to see the new MAC Cosmetics collaboration with my much loved American comic books. 
With palates of bubblegum pinks and corals for the girly-girl Betty’s out there, and vampy, spoiling hues of berry red and scarlet for the Veronica’s out there, this make up range is adorable.  Want Want Want!!! (Yes… clearly I am a Veronica.

Individual items and sets are available from MAC Cosmetics.  RRP. £11.00 - £39.50