Saturday, June 13, 2020

Iced coffee in the summer



In the summertime I love an iced coffee and often order one when I’m in a café in preference to a hot coffee. One day at Starbucks, the name Sweet Cream Cold Brew caught my eye. I don’t usually take sugar, but ‘Sweet Cream’ has a certain allure to it, so of course I ordered it. It was YUM!

I then searched for ways to make it at home for myself, because it’s not inexpensive, plus most of the cup is filled with ice, which encouraged my frugal mind even more.

First I started learning about cold brew, which is an education in itself. I found out that coffee brewed with cold water means the resultant coffee has less bitterness, because the coffee grounds aren’t burned with the hot water (or something like that).

I also found out that you DON’T need to go out and purchase fancy cold brew equipment, unless you want to of course (those tall carafes do look pretty cool). But I thought to myself, that’s just like using a plunger (cafetiere/French press) or even pouring cold water directly on top of the coffee grounds in a drip filter machine.

I used my plunger, with the most coarsely ground coffee available, and brewed it for twenty hours roughly, as that’s how long I read Starbucks do it for. You make it really strong – in an eight-cup plunger, one cup coffee grounds to seven cups water.

This Jamie Oliver recipe here is helpful, but why you have to make it in a jar is beyond me. https://www.jamieoliver.com/features/how-to-make-cold-brew-coffee/

And then comes the sweet cream. The recipe I used for the photo here involved sweetened condensed milk, half-and-half (which we can’t get here in New Zealand so I mix equal quantities of milk and cream) and vanilla extract. It was a while back that I first looked up the recipe, but I’m 99% sure I used this one:

https://www.thekitchn.com/vanilla-sweet-cream-258257

I know the sweet cream drink probably has *a few* calories but it’s a treat for me, not an everyday occurrence. My usual coffee with cream poured over ice (or an Americano with cream in the winter) is a nice alternative.

Are you a fan of iced or cold brew coffee too?

xx Fiona

Genie Beauty products


It’s rare that I am ever offered products to try, so I was excited to receive a message asking if I would like to be sent a selection of products from the (new to me) Genie Beauty skincare and cosmetics range.

Um, yes please! I love all makeup and skincare, and especially trying new products.

Not long after, a box arrived in the mail. Of course within a few days I had tried everything 😊 The Dream Cream (how cool is that name) is deliciously thick and creamy, unscented too.

Wow, the exfoliator (which I forgot to put in the photo as it was already in my shower!) is a power house, and when I read the label I found out why: It’s called Exfoliate3 Triple Action and is described as a microdermabrasion exfoliant face scrub. I love a good scrub and it made my skin smooth and yummy.

I love the Glow Getter Illuminating Bronzing Powder in Coral. I used it on my cheeks and around the edges of my face (hairline and chic etc), and used the figure 3 technique taught to me by a makeup artist once. You do each side of your face starting at your temples, sweep down to your cheekbone and then again down to your chin. I also used just the bronzer side of the palette as an eyeshadow.
Then the lovely Superglide Gel Eyeliner in Espresso, a rich dark brown, which slid on easily. To finish, I used the Million Dollar Lash Booster, which I thought was a type of lash serum, but actually is an undercoat and really pumped up my lashes once I started applying the Million Dollar Mascara.

I had a look at their website, and the prices seem quite reasonable, which is nice. I would definitely use all the products I’ve tried again.

If you would like to try a new brand, why not check them out? And thank you Genie Beauty for your kindness 😊

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geniebeautyproducts/

 
On Facebook: https://www.instagram.com/geniebeautyproducts/https://www.instagram.com/geniebeautyproducts/

linktr.ee/geniebeautyproducts 😘😘😘



Tuesday, June 9, 2020

New season's fashion :)


The Claphnes went shopping for their first ever jerseys and love them 💝💝 They chose cozy hot pink fleece (Daphne gets mistaken for a boy ALL THE TIME so pink was necessary 🤣).

You can see from the second photo that Daphne much prefers being at home in the country, although the dog expert I had a session with in the early days said it was good for her socialisation and confidence 😬 I don’t know about that, I think she would be happy to have a very tight-knit social circle and not stray too far from home.

Anyway, aside from their introvert tendencies (just like their mum), they are loving their new winter wardrobe 🤩



Monday, June 8, 2020

Ralph Lauren home style


Sharing a photo of my mum’s elegant home style today.

She has given me a love of mixing old and new, shopping at auctions and second-hand stores, and building a look that is uniquely ‘me’ by choosing things that I love. When you do this, your style builds over time to become your own.

Also, ‘more dash than cash’, I think, is an important part of both of our styles. We are both quite thrifty (which doesn’t necessarily mean choosing the cheapest, but going for value, quality and cost-per-use).


Do you have a genetic home decor style too?

Sunday, June 7, 2020

A week of writing


Hello chic friends!  I have had a bit of a break from my blog and social media this week.  We spent a few days out of town visiting family, and I have also been writing a lot.  It's beautiful crisp winter weather here in New Zealand, which is just perfect for hunkering down in my office at my computer, and taking breaks to walk the dogs in our paddock.

I have two writing projects on the go - I can never just stick to the one book at a time, it seems!  One I plan to release this month, and one next month.  I have already written a third of my next book 'Thirty Chic Days Vol. 3', and I am on target to finish the draft by the end of this month.

However, I was so energized by putting out a quick-to-read Kindle-only book last month, that I decided to do another this month.  I have decided it is going to be called 'The Chic Closet', and it will be a mix of new material and chapters inspired by favourite posts on my blog.

I would love to hear from you about a chapter you would love to see in The Chic Closet.  If you could name/choose a chapter, what would it be?  Please tell me and I will do my best to include it.

And the same with Thirty Chic Days Vol. 3 - maybe you have a chapter idea you would love to read but it's not about clothing or style.  I'd love to hear that too.

I have heard from readers that they are unable to order the print copy of my Spanish translation of Thirty Chic Days - 'Treinta Dias Chic', and I can't either.  I placed an order for some author copies of my book and was only able to order the English language titles.  I had a chat with a polite young gentleman at Amazon and he said I was lucky to be able to order any print copies as many departments have been shut down due to the current pandemic situation. So if you are having trouble ordering a paperback of one of my titles, that will be why.

I hope you are all doing well, and I look forward to connecting with you as per normal next week!

xx Fiona

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You can find me here too:



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https://payhip.com/b/P0jC

I've been wanting to get my audiobook onto Audible for a long time, and I received some encouraging news this week.  Currently, only authors from a handful of countries can upload their audiobooks to Audible, however this could change in early 2021.  Australia and New Zealand authors are due to come on board then.  Yay!  I will definitely record all my book as audiobooks once this option is available.

In the meantime, if you would like me to read my first, and most popular, book to you, you can listen to chapter samples and order it here from my eStore.  And fingers crossed I can be on Audible soon!

Sunday, May 31, 2020

Something for my Spanish readers :)

https://amzn.to/36Q84LW

I am thrilled to announce the release of the first of my Spanish editions.  'Thirty Chic Days' is now available for my Spanish readers.  It was translated by my brother's partner Armando, who is from Colombia and a native Spanish speaker.

Armando diligently worked away at the translation, and reckons he knows the book inside out by now, since he has read it at least half-a-dozen times :)  My brother said he is sick of hearing 'How Fiona would do this' etc.  He is indirectly receiving sisterly nagging from me!

So if you speak Spanish, I would love to hear your thoughts on the first of my Spanish editions.  And if you know anyone who speaks Spanish and might enjoy the topics I write about, please let them know about 'Treinta Días Chic'!

You can find the new book on Amazon Kindle and in paperback here.

It really has been a bookstravaganza this month, hasn't it?  With three releases?  The chic stars were definitely aligned :)

xx Fiona

Saturday, May 30, 2020

How to self-soothe without food


Thank you to everyone who voted towards my book cover dilemma!  I am leaning towards having the covers match, as many of you have said this is important.  Plus, the look is cleaner.  I really appreciate that you took the time to vote :)

One of my lovely readers emailed me with her own dilemma.  She has been emotional and eating at those feelings during this hard time, which I find totally understandable.  I was asked to share my best tips to soothe ourselves without food, and I can definitely let you know what has worked for me.  I am also a person who finds it easy to eat to feel better, but I know it's not going to do me any favours in the long run.

1. Draw a line in the sand over past eating and don't keep going back to it and how you shouldn't have done it.  You can't change the past so this is just crazy-making.  Forget it and move on.

2.  Relax your mind.  Often when I feel like eating when I'm not even hungry, it's to slow my mind down.  Now that I know this, I can just stop and breathe a bit, stop what I'm doing and take the dogs for a run around the paddock (or a walk around the block with an audio book on in my old city life).  Lying on the ground doing stretches feels amazing too.  If you are at work you could do some standing stretches where you have your hands tall over your head and stretch from side to side.  Go into the bathroom if you feel self-conscious.

3.  Choose a small size and indulge in it.  My go-to for feeding my feelings used to be sugar and carbs.  Popcorn, sweets, chocolate.  During lockdown and I let myself have a bit of this, but quickly remembered why I don't buy it any more.  However, I do love a good-quality milk chocolate (Whittakers 33% from New Zealand is my absolute favourite, Nigella Lawson's too), so I buy myself a small bar when I do the grocery shopping - just the one - and relish it on the way home.  It's wonderful and I have no eater's remorse afterwards.

4.  Have a hot drink.  I read somewhere ages ago that a hot drink gives us the same sense of soothing wellbeing as eating something.  So when I feel like eating something between meals (when my previous meal was definitely healthy and substantial), I make a green tea or a Twinings black tea with trim milk or a peppermint tea and sip it.  By the time I've finished, I have forgotten about a snack and I feel calmed.

5.  Turn a wretched day into a spa day.  Cosset yourself with gentle self-care and declare your day over.  Even if it's only the afternoon.  Take anything absolutely non-essential off your list and take your time doing the necessary things.  Enjoy your dinner, sip a bedtime herbal tea, read your book and turn in early.  Perhaps rest is what you are really after when you turn to food.

What do you do when you feel like eating everything in sight to calm yourself down?  What's worked well in the past?  Please share.

And thank you to my lovely reader for your great question!

xx Fiona