Sø•Well

IBIZA: HOUSE OF WOW

16/8/2023

Picture, Nelleke Strijkers, HOUSE OF WOW, IBIZA, DINING, FOOD, RESTAURANT, holiday, vintage, restaurant, so well, SoEdited,

Dutch designer Nelleke Strijkers creates concept for newly relaunched Ibiza restaurant

Creative Director: Christopher George

House of WOW is a super stylish new restaurant venue and events space in Ibiza, relaunched for 2023 and already heralded by the media as one of the hottest new places to eat on the island. Located just outside Santa Gertrudis, House of WOW is a true hidden gem where Islanders can enjoy amazing cocktails and delicious food at reasonable prices, in a super-stylish setting.

The design for House of Wow was conceived by Dutch creative visionary Nelleke Strijkers who saw the potential in the empty industrial space 3 years ago. Nelleke was founder of Dutch concept store SPRMRTK which sold a curated edit of fashion, art and design but also lots of classic vintage pieces. Nelleke also created a wholesale vintage furniture business - selling vintage was at the heart of her aesthetic and her own house has been featured in British and Dutch Vogue.

Nelleke explains, “I have been working with vintage for 21 years. I love it as it’s original, different and you can design a space without things looking the same, so you can really create your own look. When I entered the House of WOW space 3 years ago it was empty. There was just a roof, no bar or interiors, almost like an aircraft hangar – but I saw the potential with this blank canvas. “

Many of the vintage pieces were damaged and in need of a revamp, so Nelleke worked with innovative prize-winning Dutch company Cooloo (cooloo.nl) who design ecological coatings which transform waste streams into high-end coatings for furniture, interior projects and design applications. Concrete, leather left over from shoes and bags, jeans, cork and even shredded banknotes are recycled into beautiful upholstery, acoustic materials or complete interior make-overs. Tables and toilets were covered with black concrete, left over olive pits were used for chairs and recycled leather for cushions on the Bali Beds - all completely sustainable. House of WOW is the first business in Spain to work with the Cooloo. “It’s a way of reinventing vintage pieces that have beautiful shape but are damaged”, Nelleke explains.

House of WOW also houses a fashion store, selling an eclectic mix of unique vintage finds such as beautiful Gaultier pieces from the 90s, Nelleke’s own designs and a curated edit of lesser-known brands (Nelleke was the first to sell Vetements and Acme Jeans in Amsterdam).
With a refreshingly relaxed philosophy of no minimum spend and an intimate home from home atmosphere, the restaurant is fast becoming a favourite for an al fresco dinner in the tropical garden space (with an events table for up to 26 people), or to be enjoyed in a private corner of the sexy and stylish warehouse-style interior, decorated with rich colours, vintage furnishings, lush plants and low-key lighting.

Also new this year at House of WOW is an indoor venue space for cultural events. There will be a series of exciting workshops, talks and one-off unique happenings for visitors to attend from the worlds of film, music, art, sex, photography, fashion, psychedelics, wellbeing and literature. Watch this space for information.
The restaurant and garden are perfect for large parties and late night dinners and can host up to 250. For 2023 the kitchen headed is up by Ibizencan Chef Cristina Duenas Gledson (formerly Hostel La Torre, Portofina, The Giri café, Atzaro, Boulder & Co and Pied a Terre London among others). Guests will be able to enjoy a delicious menu with the freshest flavours and a Balearic twist, created from seasonal, local and natural ingredients, complimented by local wines and delicious bespoke cocktails, all at great price points

Picture, Picture, Nelleke Strijkers, HOUSE OF WOW, IBIZA, DINING, FOOD, RESTAURANT, holiday, vintage, restaurant, so well, SoEdited,

House of WOW will be open 11 months a year, in summer season six days a week, from 7pm to with a late-night kitchen open until 1.30am and a clubhouse space open until 3am. For more information visit the House of WOW website https://www.wow-ibiza.com/ or follow them on social media for the latest updates.

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Greenhouse glory with hartley BOTANIC

15/8/2023

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Picture, Hartley botanic, greenhouse, glasshouse, gardening, winter veg, summer season, wellbeing, so well

A Hartley Botanic Victorian Villa Glasshouse - Derbyshire, UK

Wellbeing Editor: Emma Rice

As the weather gets colder, and after the abundance of spring and summer, it may feel that there is not much to do in your Greenhouse or Glasshouse. However, the first months of autumn offer a useful window of preparation, and if used wisely, can ensure you and your garden are prepared for whatever the winter weather holds. Hartley Botanic, England’s most historic and respected Glasshouse and Greenhouse manufacturer has provided insight into how to make the most of your Greenhouse this autumn, it’s online magazine also offers a wealth of know-how when it comes to Greenhouse growing and ownership: Gardening Tips & News from Expert Gardeners - Hartley Botanic (hartley-botanic.co.uk)

Early autumn gardening
The end of September is the time to reduce watering as temperatures drop. It is also time to take semi-ripe cuttings from tender plants like pelargoniums and salvias for overwintering if you haven’t already done so. Ideally, they should be kept in a frost-free Glasshouse with divisions of chives, thyme, parsley lemon balm, mint and French tarragon; one of the benefits of a glasshouse is an extended cropping season. Indeed, most hardy herbs can be grown under cover through winter, so it’s worth potting extra for this purpose, growing under glass also makes the foliage softer and more aromatic.

Remove individual leaves around aubergines, tomatoes, peppers and cucumber and begin composting aubergines that have finished cropping to create more space in the Greenhouse, capturing more sunlight and improving air circulation around the plants that remain. Greenhouses can also produce many crops for eating fresh throughout autumn to early winter. The season for summer edibles: cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and aubergines, can be extended for several weeks under cover.

Flowers and edibles during autumn and winter
One of the delights of having a Greenhouse is to produce out-of-season flowers. By providing extra warmth, plants which are normally dormant during early autumn and winter months can be ‘woken early’ and will look their best several months ahead of those grown naturally outdoors. Some, such as hyacinths, are often available as ‘prepared’ bulbs, i.e. they have been treated to simulate an artificial winter and will therefore spring into growth as soon as planted. Buy quality bulbs in autumn and plant closely in pots using peat-free potting compost and keep them in cool, deep shade under the Greenhouse bench until the leaves are 5cm long.

Pick your plants with their flowering schedule in mind to keep blooms coming month after month. To get spring flowers as early as February and March, just pot up a few primulas and put them in your Greenhouse. And while you’re planning a flowering schedule, don’t forget about bulbs, such as amaryllis and paperwhites. Simply plant the bulbs in pots about 6 to 8 weeks before you want the blooms. Also, for those in-between times, African violets (Saintpaulia) and cape primroses (Streptocarpus) can be in bloom in a warm, frost free Greenhouse virtually all winter long.

While it is still warm and sunny, sow trays, pots or old growing bags in your Greenhouse with ‘cut and come again’ crops which you can harvest throughout autumn and into winter. If you are looking for inspirational species ideas, try land cress, oriental salad leaves like pak choi, mizuna and mibuna. Or stick to classic lettuce varieties, like ‘Valdor’, chicory and radishes. You can also add brassica crops for microgreens which you can harvest earlier.

Autumn cleaning
Along with spring, autumn provides a natural opportunity to do some essential Greenhouse cleaning, keeping your most powerful gardening space looking beautiful and functioning efficiently. Aim to clean up both the inside and outside of your Greenhouse on a warm and dry autumn day. Clean the windows of your Greenhouse, not forgetting to pay attention to the individual frames. You can remove moss from overlapping panes with an old kitchen knife or plant label. Check your gutters are clear of leaves and clean down pipes. Scoop leaves out with your hands, (wear gloves) and flush debris away with a hosepipe or watering can. Organic matter can be composted. Protecting and removing any delicate plants, clean the floor of your Greenhouse and disinfect all benches, shelving and equipment – this will help to control pests and diseases.

September is the ideal month for treating vine weevil. You should try to eradicate pests and diseases from tender plants before bringing them into the Greenhouse over winter.

Preparing for the cold
As the temperatures outside drop, so too do those inside the Greenhouse. Check your Greenhouse heater to make sure it’s working before the onset of cold weather. There are pros and cons to insulating the Greenhouse with bubble wrap in winter. If you do choose to do it, an important consideration is to maintain a balance between the amount of light, heat conservation and ventilation. Full insulation reduces the amount of light coming into the Greenhouse and increases humidity which can cause disease problems. To minimise this, be sure to remember to cut holes for the ventilators.

If you live in an area where winters are usually mild, it is worth taking the gamble of not insulating at all but have a heater and protective layers on standby should the weather change. If plants need shelter more than protection from the frost it is preferable to wrap them individually with fleece in the Greenhouse.  Costs can be reduced by using three layers of fleece and keeping the compost in pots and borders almost dry.

There are, however, alternative options. You can divide the Greenhouse into two halves, one with, and the other without insulation, dividing the spaces with a curtain of fleece or bubble wrap.

All Hartley Botanic’s Glasshouses and Greenhouses are handmade, bespoke, and made to order. Customers interested in purchasing a Hartley Botanic Greenhouse should visit http://www.hartley-botanic.co.uk or call 01457 819 155for more information.

Wellbeing Editor: Emma Rice

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we do HAPPY holidayzzzz

29/12/2021

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christmas, new year, holidays, celebrations, food, Christmas, x

Article: Alexander James

The yuletide season derailed by Covid or family feuds? We're not ones
to be conventional at SoEdited, and we're here to bring you an
international flavour so you can hang out the festive season a little
longer.

Celebrations are still going on in other parts of the world well into
the new year. Russia does not start celebrating Christmas for another
week, and the Chinese prepare for the New Year next month. And with
travel restrictions at a global high, you can do it all from your
computer.

In Australia and New Zealand you'd be better off swapping santa boots
for flip flops, as it's time to head to the beach and spark up a
barbie through the holiday season. Make it as portable as possible,
with a 'barbecue briefcase' that folds up, with a picnic set to boot
from Kikkerland (Kikkerland.com, £25) and chuck some prawns and
lobster on the barbie' for an authentic Down Under experience
(www.thefishsociety.co.uk).

Or get the South African braai experience with some internationally flavoured bangers from Heck (heckfood.com)
otherwise try them laced with booze from Dickies (dickiesbangers.com) or the traditional farmhouse from OIlie and Lucy's (www.ollieandlucys.co.uk).

In South Africa it's tradition to serve it with a juicy
steak.(thesteakshop.co.uk) or gourmet burger (waagyuburger.co.uk).
They still keep the Christmas cracker tradition alive, and there’s a lot
better out there than those with a cheap plastic fish, like Caroun’s
gin crackers (tesco.com)

christmas, new year, holidays, celebrations, food, Christmas, briefcase barbecue

But if you want to trade meat for veggie, tucking in to a plant-based
imitation turkey. In the last 12-months, vegan food has leaped ahead
in quality of taste. Companies like Beyond Meat creating burgers,
sausages and mince that taste better than the real thing, and with
none of the cholesterol. Now you can pick up a festive vegan 'turkey
crowns' at a pinch of the price of the full-blooded bird such as
Aldi's (£10, groceries.aldi.co.uk) and with less of the bloating too.

beyonds meat, christmas, vegetarian, food, holidays, celebration

If you think that's going overboard, check out Jamaica's traditions
which includes ackee, saltfish, breadfruit, fried plantains and boiled
bananas. You’d better save room for dinner too, where jerk chicken,
curry goat, stewed oxtail and rice and peas are served up. The best of
which you can get from Juici Jerk (juicijerk.com) and the New Kingston
(newkingstonjamaicancuisine.com).

Perhaps the most bizarre festive custom is in Japan where Christmas
and New Year is marked by heading to KFC, even though the country does
not officially mark the holiday, the population heads for the local
Colonel Sanders delicacy at this time of year, with boxes ordered
two-months in advance. Thankfully you can get a bargain bucket big
enough to feed six (£25, kfc.co.uk) in moments, or go lean and mean
with Tesco's Southern Fried Chicken (£2.20, tesco.com) and use a air
fryer to cook a healthy alternative such as the Tower and Ninja
brands, now going for a bargain (from £60 at ao.com)

In Ukraine you can be sure of a traditional Christmas, but you'll have
to wait for January 7th to indulge. That's when you get stuck into a
traditional 12-course feast, one to symbolise each disciple. The
dishes are rustic classics, such as roasted whole lamb joints such as
Aldi's rack of lamb (£12, groceries.aldi.co.uk). Each course is
punctuated by drinking vodka shots, and you can wash it down with the
latest Ukrainian vodka, Dima's, renowned as the best vodka to sip with
food, and traditionally served with pickles (dimasvodka.com)

aldi, celebration, holiday, christmas, rack of lamb

Throw away the Scotch and get stuck into the, um, Welsh. The latest
whisky to wow the critics is not made north of the border, but west of
it. Penderyn is fast over-taking the style factor of Irish, Scottish
and Japanese whisky, and distilled using waters that are filtered by
as they flow through the Brecon Beacons, to create the foundations of
this sip that has scooped 70 gold awards at international events. You
can also do some virtual tastings with its sister drink Siddiqui. Rest
assured, it has nothing to do with the Mayor of London. It’s a rum
that is probably the only alcohol drink to have come from the Middle
East: (www.penderyn.wales).

Penderyn, whisky, whales, celebration, holiday. christmas

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burn more calories when you walk

12/8/2021

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Curves, power walking, walking fitness. brace your core, hilly route. power arms, stair exercise, posture, joanna dase

SoWell Editor: Emma Rice

To amp up the calorie burn, fitness expert at Curves, Joanna Dase, has shared her 7 smart strategies to maximise your walks. To benefit from a walking routine, you need to maintain it frequently and continually find new ways to challenge yourself.

During the pandemic you might’ve adopted a new love for walking. Daily strolls have been the escape for many over the past year and a half, but could you be burning more calories when you walk? The number of calories you burn depends on speed, distance, weight, and the area you’re walking on such as hills or flat surfaces. Walking is a great low impact way to keep your body moving and can aid weight loss for those who can’t tolerate vigorous workouts. You can turn a casual wander into a fitness challenge by factors such as having the correct posture and bracing your core.

1. Brace your core
When you’re walking, engage your muscles by bracing your abdominals and keeping your arms swinging. Mirror the actions you would do on a cross trainer to create an energetic rhythm. By bracing your core, you will burn more calories as the action increases your heart rate by around five beats per minute.

2. Choose a hilly route
To make a change from ground level, walk uphill. Find a route which includes a higher elevation, this will increase the resistance and challenges your cardiovascular system. Whilst downhill might feel like an easy task, it does provide your body with benefits. Downhill walking trains your body in deceleration and makes use of different muscles and joints. As people age, downhill walking is important to maintain as it can prevent falls.

3. Use your arms
Adding arm movements to your walks can increase calorie burn and intensity. Swing your arms in an exaggerated manner to power walk, the impact will benefit the whole body. For an added push, bend your elbows 90 degrees and pump them as you stride. This helps to speed your pace and burn up to 15% more calories.

4. Use stairs
Walking up and down steps provides a challenge compared to walking on flat surfaces. This is because it requires different muscle groups, and ones which you don’t use often. Using the stairs can almost double your calorie burn. If your walk doesn’t include steps, incorporate the use of stairs in your home before you set off, a perfect warm up technique.

5. Correct posture
Ensure your body is walking tall and not slouched. The correct posture will help you to avoid post walk aches and injuries. A simple trick is to stand with your heels and head against a wall before you set off and try to maintain that position on your walk. This will engage your core and help boost your metabolism. When you arrive at a crossing, take a deep breath, and stretch your spine to help maintain the correct posture for the duration of the walk.

6. Pick up the pace
If you find yourself strolling at the same pace, adding energetic music or walking with a faster paced friend could be the ideal motivator. Matching your steps to a beat of a song will turn your steps short but powerful. Walking faster boosts calorie burn by increasing your heart rate and producing sweat.

7. Integrate intervals
Adding intervals will help to power up your workout. Change the intensity by adding a few bursts of faster walking in between a normal pace. After a warmup, complete 40 seconds of fast power walking followed by 2 minutes of normal pace walking. Continue this routine for the duration, adding in arm movements to the power walking when needed.

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A CUPPA BRAIN HEALTH

15/3/2021

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There has never been a better reason to pop the kettle on as new research just published in the Journal of Human Nutrition commissioned by the Tea Advisory Panel shows how just 2-3 cups of black and green tea a day can help boost brain and mind health.

I have recently cut my dairy products, this mainly being milk in my cup of tea and coffee. And now have made the leap to a healthy tea for my relaxation, digestion and what now seems my brain! With over a third of Europe experiencing a mental disorder, it’s time to take our brain and mind health more seriously.

This latest research review commissioned by the Tea Advisory Panel (TAP; www.teaadvisorypanel.com) involving 557 study participants, explains that previous research focused primarily on green tea, however the latest studies analyse black, oolong and green tea, focusing on the benefits they provide for our brain, mental wellbeing and cognition

Lead co-author, GP, Dr Gill Jenkins and an advisor to TAP adds:
“All three teas contain thousands of different bioactive compounds, making them extremely beneficial for our mind. In fact, the aroma of inhaling tea can help reduce stress.

In one study the inhalation of black tea aroma (Darjeeling and Assam) reduced salivary chromogranin-A levels (a stress marker) when participants were subject to 30 minutes of mental arithmetic stress.

The various compounds within tea include alkaloids, flavonoids, amino acids such as L. theanine, vitamins A, C and K and phenolic acids.

The amino acid L-theanine is a key component in black, oolong and green tea and works synergistically with caffeine, by thwarting the ‘jittery’ effect caffeine has on the body, whilst still helping to improve focus and reducing anxiety and stress.

In fact, just 50mg of L-theanine was shown to provide benefits. As one cup of black tea provides around 20mg of L-theanine, just 2-3 cups of black tea a day led to participants showing improved attention and mental stimulation.

One study actually showed how higher levels of L-theanine and caffeine (100mg and 50mg respectively) lead to participants undertaking fewer errors during tasks than participants given placebo L-theanine and caffeine intervention. Another amino acid, γ-Aminobutyric aminobutyric acid (GABA), is present in green tea leaves and has been found to reduce stress levels bought on by mental tasks.

Co-author, Dr Chris Etheridge adds: “Other Reviews9 say that green tea polyphenols can help reduce the risk of age-related neurodegeneration.

An additional key component of tea, proven to help with mental wellbeing and brain health; epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). This is a type of antioxidant-filled polyphenol, demonstrated to provide anti-inflammatory actions,9 and is particularly prominent in green tea as well as oolong tea.

According to research, the process of EGCG passing through the small and large intestine, could help in the reduction of neurodegenerative diseases10 such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Plus, studies also show how EGCG could prompt a more attentive, relaxed state.”

A staggering two thirds of the world population are tea drinkers, so this promising research will be welcome news to most, who may now decide to reap the benefits of 2-3 cups of tea a day. Especially as mental and neurological disease currently represent one of the greatest global burdens of disease.

Need more reasons to drink tea? Dr Gill Jenkins explains:
“Studies have also shown how drinking 2-3 cups of tea a day has been linked to lower risks of type 2 diabetes, stroke, coronary artery disease and cardiac death.

the evidence is clear: 2-3 cups of tea a day may help alleviate stress and anxiety which is great news for our brain health, whilst keeping us focused and calm. At a time when brain and mind wellbeing has never been a hotter topic, small additions like this to our day to day life could make a big difference.

Well it's time to put that kettle on again!

Check out: www.teaadvisorypanel.com

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HALLELUJAH! A SEX TOY THAT SUCKS...

12/3/2021

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BY SARA DARLING
LELO HAVE NAILED THE LONG INTENSE ORGASM

Let’s face it, the last twelve months have been pretty lonely. Even more so if you’re single. No human contact, no light caresses, intimate touches and most certainly no kissing!

It’s no wonder that people like me are looking to enhance their self pleasure. Look after number one as no-one else is..

And the clever developers at Lelo have upped the ante on their super popular Cruise toy. Ideal for us girls, it’s a vibrator without a penis! The Cruise 2 is a completely new notion for me, as all my playthings have automatically come with a shaft of some description, or at least an object that is inserted into your love box.

But the Cruise 2 is perfect for those looking to take a break from the bang bang of a vibrator. Rather than aiming to stretch you open with an oversized dildo and fill you up with plastic, this neat and nifty piece of equipment is shaped like a clam shell, and has a mouth type opening that clamps externally onto the vulva to do some investigative nibbling and blowing. Instead of using a stimulating motor, the science comes from sonic pulses which externally excite the clitoris, and is a pretty awesome idea for those who need clit-stim to cum.

Coined SenSonic technology, you can actually use the toy anywhere you fancy including on your nipples or bum, as the design has a body friendly shape and is created to transmit sensual vibrations wherever you choose.

Meaning the whole affair of getting down to business is rather genteel. Light yourself some candles, put on some Barry White (or equivalent) and slip down your pants (actually it’s not even necessary to take off your knickers as the ergonomic toy fits in your palm perfectly and we all know you can have some hand play without removing anything but I digress) and introduce the deep, comfortable, silicone mouth opening to your lady bits and let the fast- or gentle suction-style sonic waves get to work their magic for your most intense orgasm yet.

You will probably have to have a bit of banter with the buttons to find out how to turn it on, and which adjuster does what- they’re pretty close together and you *may be concentrating on other things! But the fun part starts when you let your new virtual squeeze get to work. Starting ever so softly, there are twelve programmes to choose from, which cover just about every fantasy- and believe me, there is nothing like this sensation of getting intimately simulated by a giant stereo speaker.

You can keep going for hours as the new improved charge keeps pulsing, revving, waving, vibrating or sucking for up to 120 minutes! What man could ever do that?! And for those times when you do get carried away, the new technology means the pressure doesn’t fade with contact.

You also get a USB cord for charging, a warranty and instructions; and very useful for people like me- a discreet travel pouch!

It’s a different experience from a real live lover, but it may very well be the next best thing.
Buy yours here

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sTEEPS ONE SHOT *MAY put hairs on your chest!

12/3/2021

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STEEPS ONE SHOT IS ALL YOU NEED TO AWAKEN YOUR SENSES AND BUILD RESISTANCE. #RARR!

BY SARA DARLING

Personal trainer Jamie Baird has taken his quest to promote wellbeing to a new level and has founded a new easy to swallow potion that ticks all your daily boost boxes in one drinkable combination. Steeps One Shot is completely free of wheat, gluten, preservatives, chemicals and dairy, and is keto and paleo friendly.

The elixir is a fiery blend of raw, organic ingredients, based on a concoction from the 70s which started with fermented apple cider vinegar. The essential ingredients: turmeric, ginger, chilli, garlic, onion and horseradish ensure a winning combination of antibacterial and antioxidant properties, with horseradish aiding congestion, turmeric boosting metabolism and immunity and the ginger and garlic are poor man's penicillin and have been celebrated for centuries as wonder foods.

I can’t deny it wasn’t zingy - the combination of spice and vinegar will ensure that! But for pickle lovers like me, I took it in my stride, and after a couple of weeks daily use it was the perfect afternoon pick me up- but it can also be added as a dressing to food or diluted with juice, hot water or honey to take the edge off.

Even though the weather might be turning for the better, taking a shot of Steeps One Shot every day (with food to stop any burps), will keep you gut in optimum health and get your metabolism and digestion firing on all cylinders.

The organic, natural ingredients provide anti-inflammatory properties all year round, and I can say from imbibing a small bottle over two weeks, it gives your energy a kick start- so is ideal for any afternoon slumps, I feel pretty unstoppable actually! As well as utilising the garlic to ward off any lurgies, the natural ingredients are said to lower blood sugar, curb cravings and aid digestion.

Arriving with a measured shot glass, you can choose whether you need to be ‘on it' and down the 10ml, 'supercharged' or 'unstoppable' (recommended 30ml). Be warned- unstoppable for fire breathers only!

STEEPS ONE SHOT is available in two different size bottles: 250ml (RRP £12.95) and 750ml (RRP £34.95) and is available as yearly and quarterly subscriptions.

You could also try the ‘On It’ Starter Pack, containing 1x 250ml bottles, 1x bottle of Organic tomato juice and 1x enamel cup, perfect for mixing (RRP £19.95).
Or the ‘Supercharged’ Starter Pack consists of 2x 250ml bottles and a 1x STEEPS shot glass (RRP £24.90).

Although the company is growing Jamie still makes Steeps One Shot at home and he writes a personal note to everyone who buys a bottle.
How could you resist?

Check out more here
Instagram/steepsoneshot
Facebook/steepsoneshot

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GOODBYE GRIME - HELLO FRESH FACE!

23/2/2021

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YOUR FACE WILL LOVE YOU WITH LIZ EARLE
BY SARA DARLING

If you’re anything like me, you’ll be taking more consideration to what we are putting in and on our bodies at the moment, with wellness being a hot topic.

We’ve been told that organic food is better for our bodies, so it follows that it will benefit our beauty routine too. Fortunately there are plenty of natural skincare brands out there.
I recently revisited Liz Earle, who has been around since the nineties, but with new brands popping up all the time, hasn’t been on my radar for ages! However, her faithful fans have stuck with the products through thick and thin, and her products are the failsafe of many a makeup artist on photoshoots.

With the weather as it is, my skin is in very much need of some TLC, so the Overnight Restore Routine seemed like it would tick my skin need boxes. Coming in handy size bathroom range, the limited edition range consists of a unique Cica Restore Skin Paste, a cleanser, two of the classic cotton washcloths, and a bottle of skin tonic.

The natural, botanical products are unscented and designed to be used daily for an instant boost. With a plant-based cleanser to remove the daily grime, the hot cloth adds a spa touch in steaming the naturally active ingredients- eucalyptus and cocoa butter to dislodge dead skin cells and melt everyday grime, revealing your face but somehow a little bit younger- and a brighter, clearer complexion.

I haven’t actually been wearing much makeup during lockdown- thanks to Zoom meets, but it doesn’t mean that my face hasn’t attracted some everyday grime. My normal routine is the occasional face pack for a deep cleanse, and moisturising twice a day, so I thought now is the perfect time to go back to basics and give my skin some TLC. The Liz Earle hot cloth is an iconic, daily deep cleansing routine, and is a great indicator of the amount of residue, dirt and excess oils that your skin actually harbours every day- which quite frankly, is a lot!

My mum (being old school) is a huge advocate of a daily CTM (cleanse, tone, moisturise), and has remarkable skin, so after many years of nagging, I finally took her advice and got stuck into an evening routine. After seven days straight of using the Overnight Restore products on my face and neck, it was remarkable how grubby my cloths were getting- my face collected so much grime every day, which I had not realised before!

This was actually quite encouraging, and seeing all the gunk that you remove is a big bonus. It is more of a faff as you have to stand by the sink for, oooh a few minutes to ensure the cloth is soaked hot, but that's when you massage in the cleanser. Give your face the once over to remove the melted grime and the cleanser, paying special attention to any creases, and splash with cold water. Follow by the Instant Boost skin tonic to close the pores and bingo- my skin feels instantly more fresh and tight.

The night time routine comes with a lovely scented Cica Restore Skin Paste, which was a thick moisturiser to finish off your routine, however, I am not used to sleeping in anything heavy, so thought I would keep it for a twice a week treat. Packed with powerful, skin-enhancing ingredients to restore the skin’s balance and reverse any signs of ageing, the paste adds a protective layer which penetrates skin all night and should be rinsed off in the morning- resulting in nourished skin that lasts 48 hours.

The new me feels fresher and more sparklyl! Not only does my skin feel more hydrated, brightened and nourished; I may not be able to get to the spa for a facial any time soon, but this is a definite at home boost.

Buy Liz Earle at Boots here

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SWITCH UP YOUR SWEAT ROUTINE WITH AN EX BELT

14/2/2021

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REAL ATHLETES WEAR PVC!
BY SARA DARLING

When the Ex belt arrived through the post, I felt a bit like “He Man”. Packing a powerful punch with it’s attitude, this superhero belt has many uses. Arriving as black fibre waist belt and two rubber bands, it appeared to be quite an easy bit of kit to assemble and the stretchy belt was pretty comfortable- although I was a little self conscious (as it’s not terribly fashionable). But saying that, neither is my gym kit!

Determined to continue exercising at home, I was opening up all options, and was trying to switch up my “new normal” routine, by adding some spice, and the Ex belt was the extra pizzazz that I needed.

I’m normally a pilates fan, and did a bit of googling to find some band lessons, and bingo, the Ex belt was a perfect resistance band, so not only is it good for stretching, it’s great for resistance training and core work.

Further googling enlightened me to more stretchy-exercise joys! The Ex-belt in particular can particularly jazz up your jogging and give your arms a good workout too. So as well as stretching and strength training, the versatile straps can be added into pretty much every machine based routine that you follow at the gym.

One of the great things about the Ex belt is you can wear it all day long without and dip into an arm lift or squat whenever the urge takes you- it's so easy to fit into your regular routine. I found myself putting it on in the morning and adding a few arm curls every half hour or so. I do squats while I’m brushing my teeth, and fifty sit ups after lunch. I haven’t got a six pack yet, but I can definitely feel the burn when I’m using it- 30 % more by all accounts...

And even though I’m not travelling at the moment, the compact size means I‘ll be able to stash it in my case for my work trips, and use it in my hotel room- even if I just enjoy a nightly power stretch.

It is such a simple yet effective concept. The bands also have a much stronger resistance than I expected, and there is an awful lot you can do with it, and the simplicity of a belt makes your yoga moves, jogging or even boxing so much more varied. The two lightweight bands can be switched up to add all kinds of resistance, so it's like having a whole playground at your disposal.

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VALENTINES DAY GIFTS FOR THE ONE YOU LOVE- THAT INCLUDES YOU!

4/2/2021

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SPOIL THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON IN YOUR LIFE THIS VALENTINE'S DAY
BY SARA DARLING

What could say you love yourself more than treating yourself to something luxe for Valentines Day. Whether you indulge in your favourite film, your favourite bottle of wine or with one of these celebratory buys, make sure Valentine’s Day is all about you.

Even if you have a partner you may not be able to spend the day of the cupid with your loved one thanks to lockdown, but panic not! Here's my pick of what I'm picking up for myself, just to tell me that I’m special!

You can't go wrong with some bling- there's jewellery for everyone, and you don’t need a partner to buy it for you.

Nothing says I love me, more than this Electric Goddess Star necklace by Rachel Jackson London (well, if you’re into statement jewels that is!) and ANYTHING from US brand Celeste Starr is on my tick list. Her collections as strong enough to be stand alone pieces- or perfect for stacking if you’re greedy like me and can’t decide!

Valentine’s day falls on a Sunday this year, so there’s no excuse not to be comfy, and these may just be the most inventive strides on the market! Jeaks are the latest kicks to be seen in, and these ones by Graysey London are like second skin. The innovative panels of soft stretch fabric bring a unique contrast to your inner legs, which not only gives you an instantly slimmer leg, it replaces hard denim seams. Win win!

Couple your happy legs with this Benny T shirt, from sustainable brand Lucy and Yak, and you’ll be a walking grin. Not only it made from super soft organic cotton-remember that girls in pink will make everyone wink. The ideal Instagram combination.

Whatever you choose to do in the day, it should be completely self indulgent. Music, dancing, yoga, reading, film or a walk- make sure you take time for you to love yourself. And then, love yourself some more by taking a deep soak in the tub. Set the mood with some candles- I’m obsessing over the scent of these natural Plum & Ashby beauts, which not only look pretty, the scent lingers for hours.

Grab yourself a glass of bubbly (mine’s a Ruinart if I may be so bold!) and put your order in for this Victoria + Albert Baths bathrack which has clever indents for holding your glass of fizz. Immerse yourself and expect plenty of innapopriate lolling with Dolly Alderton’s latest funny “Everything I know about Love” novel which will resonate with anyone who has ever been on a second date!

Jump out of the bath, and slip into a slinky robe - I love this one by Jules B, and be kind to your hair! An Aquis hair turban is made of microfibres, so discourages frizz and reduces the need for heat products and associated damage resulting in happy healthy locks.

Just because you’re staying at home for the evening, it doesn’t mean your style needs to be sacrificed, these Fat Face lounge pants are made from super snug cotton, they are perfect to curl up in alone, and are the ideal addition to a posh top, should you need to slide into a Zoom call! But if you’re not planning any calls, you can switch your electronics off, and turn your vibes on for some well deserved self pleasure. You may want to finish your primping with some Charlotte Tilbury Magic Crystal Elixir face serum, with some facial yoga moves, so you get the full spa experience.

The Sona 2 Cruise by Lelo is an inventive self pleasure massager that uses sonic waves to create a gentle sucking motion that mimics oral sex. With twelve settings it provides both internal and external stimulation to the entire clitoris, and doesn’t even resemble a penis (if you are off men!) and it’s waterproof, so you can use it in the shower too…

Or for something more traditional, slip one of the Planet Organic 'SmileMakers’ into your basket with your weekly shop. Made from premium, waterproof silicone, there’s a range of vibrators to suit all kinds of sizists! I’m quite partial to the Tennis Coach….

You should by now, be feeling pretty pleased with yourself, and if you’ve spent Valentine’s alone- pah! It’s just another day. Remember that I love you.

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Dutch designer Nelleke Strijkers creates concept for newly relaunched Ibiza restaurant