Soiree Classic Wine Aerator review

A few months ago we went to dinner with some friends who had one of these nifty little gadgets. Now before you roll your eyes heavenwards and think 'not another gadget I won't use and don't need' I am hear to tell you that after trying out the Soiree Classic Wine Aerator at our friends, I went out and bought one!

Why? because when you open a bottle of red wine you can pour it straight into a glass and it will taste amazing! We did a taste test pouring a little wine into a glass and tasting it then pouring a fresh amount out through the Aerator. There is simply no comparison between the two - it really does work!

It's a pretty little glass bubble that you put like a cork into the top of your open bottle of wine. It works by infusing oxygen into the wine which improves the taste and enhances the flavour and instead of decanting a whole bottle into a decanter you can do as little as one glass. It works with red, white and rose wine and there is absolutely no mess. It comes with a storage stand which you need as it is delicate. This would make the perfect present for those that like to drink wine and will be a welcome household gadget you won't be sad you've bought.


I bought one from a local shop but they are on sale now on Amazon.co.uk for £19.50 - well worth the money!

Order a Lucy Scott Traybake this Valentine's Day

It's nearly Valentine's Day and the perfect Valentine's gift to send to someone you love has to be in the form of a handmade chocolate brownie heart. This one is from one of my favourite bakers - Lucy Scott from Lucy Scott Traybakes, who will deliver in the UK. Check out her site - in the office we have a lust for her Salted Caramel Chocolate Brownies which would also make a fantastic present for someone special....
Lucy Scott Valentine's Heart is £17 plus postage and packaging

Hotel Chocolat - gifts that are not just for girls

Some very good friends came to dinner last weekend and they bought me a real treat knowing I love chocolate and chilli in equal measure. These Chilli Penguins from Hotel Chocolat make the perfect gift and stocking filler - I certainly wouldn't turn my nose up at a second box! They are 70% dark chocolate so you won't want to eat loads (and that is why I still have some left) and are a modest £6.50.

Looking at their site to write this post I was also rather taken by this Rather Large Christmas Cracker which contains 40 chocolates and 12 party hats and jokes all for £38 which for this quality of chocolate and the novelty alone is well worth the spend.


There is also an amazing Festive Wreath with cookies, caramel and 50% milk chocolate which you definitely won't want to hang outside... It's hand-made, is £20 and serves 8 as an after-dinner dessert - another fantastic talking point or a brilliant gift to take to friends...

Molton Brown Frequent Traveller Gift Set Review

Molton Brown Frequent Traveller Collection 

Here is another fine product from Molton Brown which I found in the recent goody bag I picked up at their event recently. I (along with millions of others) do think that men in particular are difficult to buy for - this doesn't improve the older they get believe me! So a man (or woman) who travels a lot will find this Frequent Traveller collection a real treat I'm sure. I also think it's brilliant value for money.

It has all be carefully thought out for those who travel. The six piece collection is for body, skin and senses - so perfect for reviving you when tired. Concentrated plant and mineral actives and high-impact aroma oils including cempaka leaf oil, ardeche ambrusca grapeleaf, chinese yean shi extract and malachite all helps to refresh, hydrate and sooth at every stage of a trip. Every single product smelt delicious and was easily absorbed into the skin. I love these products because of the high quality of the essential oils at a great price - so the scents linger and your skin feels amazingly soft after using them.

These sets come in a variety of contents and this one contains the following

1 clear travel bag
1 Warming Eucalyptus bath and Shower 100ml
1 Ultrasmooth Coco de Mer Body Lotion 100ml (this smells gorgeous)
1 Relaxing Yyan Zhi Mist 30ml (another lovely scent here)
1 Skinboost 24hr Moisture Mist 10ml (particularly good after long-haul)

And all for £40 which I think is a pretty good price as Molton Brown products go a long way. Here is another Molton Brown review of the Mahina fragrance due out in January and which I am addicted to!

Cow & Co - shopping made easy

I love a site that has a few surprises and things I haven't seen before, so if you do too then check out Cow and Co who stock everything from lighting to clothing and have a sale on at the moment! I particularly love their individual take on a football supporters shirt!

Poole Pottery cup and saucer, £20

21st Birthday Presents and beyond...

There seem to be a significant number of significant birthday's around at the moment. 18th's, 21st's, 40th's, 50th's - it's been an expensive year and it's set to continue to be so for the foreseeable future.

I do try to search out the unusual and pick up things as I go along - both in the shops and online. So I am always happy to be introduced to new shops and online stores who will help me in that important quest for  21st birthday presents or similar.

Getting something which is personalised, whether a washbag, shopper, calendar, or even a cushion is always a way round just giving the same old thing time and time again (or vouchers).

Memories can be displayed on a bag

....or even on a deckchair!

I particularly like the deckchair as it is unisex and you can fit loads of pictures on making it extra personal. And you can turn your personalised gift into a bit of a 'fan' gift too. Got a guy whose obsessed with Spurs or Man Utd? Then make him up a collage of his team memorabilia and pictures of him at those all important matches. You could have great fun with pictures for a baby shower gift or a hen-night. Once you let your imagination run wild you really could come up with a gift that is memorable and shows that you've put a bit of individual effort in - and everyone always appreciates that...

Ros Shiers - illustrations for sale

I came across Ros Shiers' great little site when looking for something completely different and I am putting it on my 'ideal presents for those I don't know what to buy for their birthday/xmas etc' list.

Ros Shiers is a London based illustrator who creates beautiful prints that have loving notes and words to inspire - she will also create something bespoke if you have a favourite quote or saying.... She studied at Brighton University and her clients include Stella McCartney, Nokia and Quadrille. Prices start at around £10 for a tea-towel.

Presents for Sixty Year Olds - what do you get?

My neighbour has just turned sixty and is having a big party to celebrate. Sixty year olds of a previous generation were definitely OLD, now again just like forty is the new thirty, sixty is definitely the new fifty and that is certainly the case with my neighbour. He does the gym, works from a home office at the bottom of the garden, has a history in the music industry and still has his finger firmly on the pulse, which is not weak but vibrant and strong. He also is a bugger to buy for. Not only is he my sixty year old neighbour but he's a man and they are always difficult anyway. If he wants a boy's toy he'll go and buy himself one. I wouldn't want to choose clothes for him - way too personal. And a bottle of champagne? Nice though it is it's a bit lacking in thought really.
So I was fascinated to read about how the brains behind Tyrells crisps, one William Chase, decided to go into vodka production as he had too many potatoes on his hands. Chase Vodka quickly went on to win the Best Vodka in the World award in 2010 at the San Fransisco Spirits Awards - an amazing success that needs to be celebrated more in the UK I reckon.

According to a feature in The Guardian he had no distilling experience but decided to aim for the connoisseur market and invested 3 million in a distillery. The potatoes have a slight natural sweetness so the vodka has a distinctive flavour. 'The reason other people stopped making vodka out of potatoes is because you need so many spuds.' Chase tells The Guardian, 'The first time we made vodka we had an artic-load of spuds and there was only a few litres.' 'You can get a bit more of a yield out of wheat but with potatoes it has a natural sweetness to the product and the consistency of a fine wine.'
He now produces 1,000 bottles a week and it's loved by Americans but understandably less so by the Poles and Russians!
Now I felt I was on to something in terms of a gift idea for the 'man who has everything' so popped into John Lewis who I knew stocked a limited supply of the brand. I had read somewhere that they had produced a very limited batch of Marmalade Vodka so was amazed to see an unlimited supply on the shelves next to the original brand. This is the original limited to 1000 bottles label...

Photo - thestyleking.com

And this is what you can now buy in John Lewis, Waitrose and from their website.

 They make this by 'marinading our Chase Vodka with the finest Seville Orange Marmalade and then infusing it in our Alambic Copper Pot still to create this totally unique marmalade experience.' Wow - the perfect gift for a sixty year old, a limited edition vodka with a twist! They suggest he tries it neat, chilled or use it to make a Breakfast Martini - problem sorted!

Folksy.com - modern British craft

Once upon a time I was an art student with a passion for textiles and even now I can't resist hand-made products that have that folk-art feel. I have recently discovered Folksy.com which showcases the best of British craft. If the word craft immediately puts you in mind of crocheted 'lady' toilet-roll holders and lace mats then think again - these are about as far removed from that as you can get.

Loving this jewellery with an angel (£16) that will last way beyond Christmas.

And this i-pad sleeve in soft leather for £50.

Cup-cakes come as candle-holders for £13.

As you can see this is far from the usual crafty items but are made in the UK with the most remote supplier being Alison Moore Designs in the Orkney Islands. Buy British and support local crafts people!