The Sunday Review 0.03

This week has been pretty slow on the blog as we have both been pretty busy. We've wanted to get posts up but haven't been stressing too much about it as this is something we are doing for fun. If this was my day job I would definitely be a little anxious that we haven't posted daily, but we really don't want to get too caught up in the pressures that blogging can put on you, especially after reading this post by blogger Victoria of VIPXO.
As to what did happen on the blog this week. Recipe wise I tried my hand at a Salted Caramel and Chocolate Torte.
It was a very decadent dessert, and surprisingly easier than I initially thought it was. If you read this post, you will know that I'm going to be trying this again but in individual tart tins, and with a different type of chocolate.
The weekend bag was the other post this week. I gave you a little sneak peek into what I carry around on the weekend, when I put my big weekday bags away and give my shoulders a rest.
Today is a day of rest and reflection. Reflecting on the highs and lows that all seemed to happen in such a short space of time in the last few days.
The lows being the terrible attacks in Tunisia, Kuwait and France. The knowledge that life is so fragile and can truly be altered in mere seconds is always a wake up call to treat each day as if it could be your last. Our thoughts and prayers go out to any and everyone affected by these tragedies.
These awful things should also make us extaa grateful for the highs. The fact that the US Government has acknowledged that everybody has the right to love who they wish is an amazing step in the right direction towards equality. So Congrats USA #LoveWins.
Preparing for the week ahead. We are aiming for four blog posts a week but we have such differing schedules we tend to just fit it all in when we can. Lets just say its a working progress, and we really are working on it.

I hope you've all had a good week and lovely Sunday
S.x

The Weekend Bag

I'm guilty of carrying the world around with me on a day to day basis. If you need paracetamol, a tissue, some spare socks or even a snack I've probably got you covered. It's a habit I've definitely picked up from my mum and needless to say my shoulder and back is usually aching by the end of the day.
Downsizing from big Mary Poppins style bags is never easy, but for the weekends I manage to whittle the cavernous abyss of my daily bag down to a few select items. I call it my Weekend bag, just a few essentials I like to carry around with me to get me through those two blissful days.

What's In My Bag:
My bag is by Dorothy Perkins, they've sold out in this style but they have it in black and blue here and here.
Phone: iPhone
Headphones: Sony

Makeup:
Sleek Base Duo Kit in Barley (335)
Sleek Matte Me Lip Cream in Birthday Suit (436)
Rimmel Exaggerate Lip Liner in East End Snob
Nivea Hydro Care Lip Balm

Jewelery:
Selection of rings from OU and Amelia May

(Not pictured card holder and keys.)
For a little bag it fits quite a lot even if I do have to play a bit of tetris to get everything in.
My top tip for downsizing is simple. Buy a smaller bag. I know, I know not much of a big secret but if your bag is too small to hold anything but what you really need, figuring out what the essentials are becomes a lot easier.
What essential do you keep in your bag, do you downsize over the weekends?
S.x

Salted Cramel Chocolate Torte

Last week on the blog the first recipe post went up, an easy and quick risotto style dish using Orzo. This week I promised you a super sweet treat. A salted caramel and chocolate torte that is so decadent it should be illegal. Here is the recipe.

You will need:
175g Digestive Biscuits
85g Butter (melted)
397g Caramel (a whole tin of Carnation Caramel)
1Tsp Coarse Sea Salt
300g Plain Chocolate (70%)
600ml Double Cream
25g Icing Sugar
2Tsp Vanilla Extract

Directions:
note: It's advised to use a loose-bottomed cake tin for easy removal of the torte later. The original recipe also includes lining the tin with baking parchment. I didn't line my tin or grease it, I used a non stick quiche tin instead of a rounded tin as I thought the fluted edge would look prettier. My tin is around 25cm whereas the recipe calls for a 20cm tin. I added four more biscuits and a little extra butter so that the mixture would fit my tin.

Starting with the base, crush the biscuits up in a bowl. You can do this by bashing them with the end of a rolling pin first or using a food processor like I did.
Once the biscuits are all crushed up, add the melted butter and stir until you get the consistency of wet sand. Firmly press the biscuit mixture into the bottom of your cake/quiche tin and chill for 10 minutes.

Whilst the base is chilling, begin the salted caramel filling. Take two tablespoons of the caramel and place in a separate bowl for later. Stir the sea salt into the remainder of the caramel. Once the base has chilled spoon the salted caramel mixture onto the centre of the base, leaving a 1-2cm border. Chill this for 20 minutes. ( I chilled mine for a few hours as I had a few errands to run. With something like this I'd assume the longer you can chill it the better)

Take one tablespoon of the double cream and add to the two tablespoons of caramel you put aside earlier.
At this point you need to make a ganache to cover the torte. There are two ways you can do this the first is by melting the chocolate in a double boiler and then adding the cream as per the original recipe. I tried this first but the mixture curdled. I'm not sure how or why it went wrong, it just did and it was annoying.
The second time round I heated the double cream until it was just about boiling. I then poured it onto the broken up pieces of chocolate and stirred until I had a smooth creamy mixture. Much easier!
Sift in the Icing sugar and stir in the vanilla extract. Leave the mixture to cool for 10 minutes.

Once the chocolate has cooled down ladle or pour onto the biscuit base. Firstly around the biscuit border so that it seals in the salted caramel centre. Then fill the entire tin, give it a gentle shake to smooth out the surface and leave for at least 5 hours or up to 24 hours until firm.

Remove the torte from the tin carefully. Using a loose bottomed tin will make this easier, I didn't line my tin but used a non stick tin and my torte cane out with little effort.
Using the caramel and double cream mixture you set aside earlier place into a piping bag or small food bag and snip off the end. You can use this mixture to decorate your torte however you want. Serve with single cream and enjoy.

The Verdict:
This was a completely new recipe for me and although I had a little setback with the chocolate, overall it went really well. I know I described this recipe as decadent and it truly is. R and I shared one slice and even that felt too much.
I love the finish and look of this torte, taste wise it really wasn't for me. It kills me to say that because it looks so delicious but I just didn't like it. I think if you are a lover of plain/dark chocolate this will be fine but I hate dark chocolate so that's probably why I didn't like it.
When I first read the recipe I thought of substituting the dark chocolate with milk or white then thought it may alter the recipe too much and not taste the way it was intended so decided not too. I

n hindsight I don't think using a different type of chocolate would make it any different, just more enjoyable for my taste-buds. R who also is not a fan of dark chocolate really didn't like it. We embarrassingly enough scraped the chocolate off and enjoyed the biscuit and salted caramel base by itself.
I'll definitely be trying this again, probably in smaller individual tins and with milk chocolate instead of plain. Keep a look out on our Instagram for those at a later date.

I hope you enjoyed this recipe and please let us know if you decide to try it in the future
Recipe adapted from Good Food
S.x

The Sunday Review: 0.02

This week has been pretty busy yet somehow uneventful. I've found myself caught up in the details this week planning, writing mental lists and over thinking to an unhealthy degree. It's great just to switch off sometimes and that is what I've been doing today. I mentioned previously my love for Sundays and how this day always makes me feel at peace. Today is no different. Getting to just chill with my family and sit down to Sunday dinner, crack silly jokes and have a relaxed evening is what I look forward to every week.
This week was our first full week of blogging. Hi lights include R finally getting a post up. You can see that here.
Our first style/fashion post, with the classic Bardot style top taking centre stage. It's a summer staple and I took you through three ways to rock it this summer. See that post here.
The first recipe also went up this week. A quick, easy and delicious risotto style dish that we cant get enough of in our house. See that post here.
Next week I'm attempting a super sweet and decadent recipe for the blog, so fingers crossed all goes well. R has finally finished her exams and has some great ideas for upcoming posts so keep an eye out for those in the near future.
I hope you've all had a great week and have enjoyed our blog posts so far. We want to once again say a huge thank-you to those of you who have been liking our posts on Instagram. It's great to see what we are posting is well received (even if we don't have many followers :p)
Have a great Sunday.
S.x

Recipe: Orzo Risotto

In our house, when it comes to eating there are two things we love. Italian food and Nigella Lawson. The simplicity and sheer deliciousness of her recipes, keeps smiles on our faces and our stomachs full. When thinking about kicking off the recipes on this blog, I thought I'd start with a dish that is both easy and a firm favourite in our house. Pasta Risotto with Peas and Pancetta. Bonuses of this dish is that it's incredibly easy, as in a total novice could do it. It's fast, delicious and you only need one pot.
Now I know what you're thinking. What is Pasta Risotto? Traditionally risotto is made with a special type of rice and it can be tricky and a little time consuming if you don't know what you're doing. Using a small rice shaped pasta called Orzo is a great alternative to  traditional risotto as it gives your dish the same risotto like feel without all the extra work. For example with risotto you have to add the stock gradually whilst continually stirring, with orzo you can add water and leave the pasta to cook and soak up all the flavourful liquid. Now onto the recipe.

You will need:
2 Tbsp of a Garlic Infused Oil
150g Cubed Pancetta
150g Frozen Petits Pois
250g Orzo Pasta
625ml Boiling Water
1 Tbsp Soft Unsalted Butter
2 Tbsp Grated Parmesan
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat the oil in a heavy bottom pan, big enough to hold all the ingredients and boiling water. When the oil is hot add the pancetta and cook, Stirring until it starts to brown. Add the peas and stir the mixture together until the frozen look leaves the peas.

Add the pasta and stir it into the pancetta and peas mixture. 

Once the mixture has been combined, add in the boiling water. At this point you should also add salt. This should be done with a light hand as the pancetta is salty, as is the parmesan we will be adding later. Turn down the heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes, checking on it a couple of times and giving it a stir to stop it from sticking and to see if you need to add a little more water from the kettle.

You will know when it is ready as the pasta will be soft and starchy and the water absorbed. 

Beat the butter and parmesan into the pan, and season with salt and pepper to your liking. 

Serve immediately in warm bowls. 

This is a great easy and filling dish. The recipe states this amount will serve two hungry adults or four small children, however I find this is enough to serve four adults for a light lunch or as a side at an evening meal.

I hope you enjoyed the first recipe on the blog. Let me know if you give it a try and be sure to tag me in any Instagram pictures of your attempt.

Recipe adapted from Nigellissima 

S.x

The Bardot Top

#SummerStaple The Bardot Top by esssandour featuring leather shoes

 Topshop Gingham Joni Jeans, Bardot Off-Shoulder Top, Levi 501's, Pencil skirt, Converse Sneakers, Solillas leather shoes, Mango d'Orsay flat shoes

Whenever summer rolls around there are certain items of clothing that always stick out as being a summer staple. Items that it pays to invest in, to have in your preserves for when the warmer weather starts creeping in. The Bardot off the shoulder style top is one of those items. Here I've posted three ways that I would wear this summer staple over the coming summer months.

First with a black and white plaid pair of jeans and a statement pair of d'Orsay flats. Black and white skinny fit cropped pants, with a Bardot style top always has me dreaming of summers in the south of France in the 1960's. The pop of red from the classic d'Orsay flats just adds that little something special to this monochrome outfit.

The second look features what I consider to be two other summer staples. Denim cut offs and a pair of Chucks. I think everyone has in the past, or does now own a pair of denim shorts and a pair of Converses. They're not just summer staples but life staples! I tend to always stick to black or white converses but I've secretly always wanted a pink pair, I think this might be the year I just go for it.

Finally a look that's a little new to me but one I think everyone will be rocking this summer. It's no secret that if you follow fashion the 70's is a huge trend at the moment. I'm a very reluctant admirer of this trend. You will not ever catch me in a pair of flares. Suede, denim or any other material. Suede camel skirts,I'm totally down with though. If you're into following the trend authentically, a pair of strappy gladiator style or suede lace up sandals would be the way to go. I however have been eyeing up these leopard Solillas sandals on office for ages, and definitely prefer them to the all out 70's look.

What do you think of the Bardot style tops and the outfits I've put together? What would you consider a summer style staple?

S.x

Big Bang MADE Album Opening

Hello fellow people of the world. This is R with my first post on the blog. This is a special opening of my favourite Korean band, Big Bang's new album named MADE. Back in 2013 when I first discovered K-Pop the theory of true love became real. Never (apart from Celine Dion) have I ever loved a band or singer so much. I could remember the day so clear when I clicked Fantastic Baby after watching PSY's Gangnam Style and knowing that this band will forever stay my favourite band. Don't get me wrong I like many other Korean Bands, but its Big Bang. But without further ado lets get on with it.

The first thing I got out the box was the CD. I got the black version as it looked nicer to me personally. On the front it had the logo of the 5 lines and the M. On the back it had the bigger version of the 5 lines and the track list. Which consist of the songs Bae Bae and Loser with the instrumental versions.

When you look inside you see the disc with the hands of who I presume is G-Dragon and the back of the booklet, which says Big Bang.

Through out the booklet there is pictures of all the members from the video set of the song Loser and the lyrics of the two songs. Both of which are in Korean. The two pictures that I really liked, was the one of Daesung and my bias TOP. Bias in Korea means the member of the group that you like more then the other members of the group.

When you order the MADE album you get a picture that's a gift. I got a picture of again what I presume again is G-Dragon's hand, and from what I know you could get full pictures of the members.

In another small packet you get more pictures of the members at their concert. On the front it also has their names. When you turn the photographs around there is the signatures of all the members. My favourite obviously being TOP's.

The last, but my most Favourite thing is the poster. The poster shows Big Bang with their backs to the camera. From what I know when you order the CD you can choose whether you want a poster or not. This is the choice I got on the website, I used (KPoptown) so do check on other websites if you are going to purchase it.

I hope you enjoyed this opening of the MADE CD by Big Bang. xoxo R

The Sunday Review: 0.01

Sunday is actually my favourite day of the week. Everything just feels easy on a Sunday. There isn't the usual rushing around you get during the week, or the pressure to do something fun and exciting on Friday and Saturday to prove you have a life. It's just a day where you can do what ever you want and most importantly at your own pace.

In the spirit of lazy Sundays I've decided to put together the blog highlights of the past week in one easy to read post.

On Tuesday we decided to start our blog. See our first post here. Blogging is something we've both thought about for a long time but taking that initial first step was a little scary. The internet is so over saturated with blogs of all types, and we were sure our little start up would get lost in the mix. At the same time the idea of blogging really appealed to us, being able to share this little space with my sister and document the things we love to do, both together and apart  overrode our fears and pushed us to take the plunge.

On Thursday we had a picnic. R finished school early. She's in her last year of school and in the midst of exams, which is why she's yet to get a post up. I promise, it's coming. We decided to have an impromptu picnic as the sun was out and it seemed like a nice day. This quickly turned into more of an indoor picnic when the wind picked up and decided not to cooperate with our plans. It was still nice to sit with the family and have a semi al-fresco lunch.

Friday was all about the June BirchboxXFrenchsole collaboration. I took you through all the exciting products from my Birchbox, with a little mini review of each product. The sale is only two days away and I cant wait to possibly purchase my first pair of Frenchsole flats.

Saturday was Skincare. I am constantly trying to find a routine that is easy, somewhat inexpensive and effective. For now I think I've achieved that, I posted all about my current skincare routine and asked if you guys had any suggestions of product I should add.

So that's this weeks posts all wrapped up. Next week is our second week of blogging and future post include a post by R (finally), a recipe that is a firm favourite in our house and a haul. 

We want to both thank all of you who have visited our blog so far. We have both really been surprised by the page views we've received in such a short amount of time as well as all the follows and likes on our various social media sites. Thank you again and we'll see you next week.

S&R

My Skin Care Routine

It's taken a while and more than a few hits and misses but I've finally worked out a skin care routine that is currently working for me. My skin type is Normal/Dry and I luckily don't break out much. When I do its usually on my forehead, which may be down to my overzealous application of hair products.
My main complaint with most products I've used in the past is that they claim to be for dry skin but my face would always feel so dehydrated after using them.
The main change in the dehydration of my skin is probably down to how much water I now drink. I wasn't very good at getting my eight litres a day and I sometimes still struggle. On the days when I do manage, it's always a good skin day.
I start my routine with a cleanse. I really have been to hell and back looking for a good cleanser. I tried the typical drugstore brands like Garnier and Soap & Glory, even higher end drugstore brands like Origin and La Roche Posay. Nothing worked for me and I was about to drop a hefty amount of money in Space;NK when I received a small sample of Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish with a Boots order I had made. I instantly knew of the brand, after all it is a beauty blogger favourite. I thought it couldn't hurt to try it out and I am so glad I did.
Putting this on my face feels so decadent it's rich, creamy, moisturising and mildly scented. A bonus for me and my sensitive nose. Another added bonus is being able to rub the cleanser over my eyes with no stinging. I also use the Liz Earle Gentle Face Exfoliator two to three times a week depending on how my skin is feeling. As the name would suggest its super gentle and doesn't leave my face feeling stripped or raw after use.

I use La Roche Posay Micellar Water as a toner. Probably not what it's meant for but it works for me. My only problem with this is I'm pretty sure the new bottle is not the same as the one I had been using previously, it's also now nowhere to be found on the Boots website. Am I the only one a little confused by their range? Anywho back to the micellar water. This is for sensitive skin, which technically I don't have but I like it. After cleansing my face, this gives me almost a second cleanse and leaves my face feeling squeaky clean and ready for moisturiser.

Special mention also goes to the La Roche Posay Rosaliac Make-up Removal Gel. Initially it was a little weird removing my make-up with a gel textured product but you get used to it. It's really gentle on the skin whilst getting the job done. what more can you ask for.

A decent moisturiser is also something that took me a while to find. Here's why. I hate moisturisers that leave your face still dry, tacky, greasy or even worse with a grey cast. Unfortunately that is every moisturiser I seemed to have tried in my quest for a decent one. After a thorough Google search that turned up nothing, I decided to trawl through one of my favourite beauty bloggers +ViviannaDoesMakeup's archives to see if I could find something I would like that wouldn't break the bank. Lo and behold good old Anna came up trumps with a suggestion of a brand I hadn't heard much about. Yes to Carrots. With Anna's high praise, the price and knowing I could get it delivered the very next day thanks to ASOS Premier. I headed to the checkout and impatiently awaited its arrival.
I love the whole concept of the brand and was pleased to say that the product more than delivered on my hopes for a good moisturiser. It contains both carrot and sweet almond oil and is more thick than day creams I've used in the past. In saying that it sinks in to the face well, without leaving that dreaded tacky feeling and is a pleasure to put on my face. As it is a little thicker than I'm used to, I also use it at night with a drop or two of Vitamin E oil. My only minor dislike is the strength of the smell. Not the smell as a whole, as I do think it's quite nice. For my tender nose however it is a little strong.

To finish up this post I thought I'd tell you about what I like to call my rescue products. I reach for these products when my skin is either feeling super dehydrated or when I need a good deep pore cleansing. The first is the Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask. I'm really not going to go into too much detail with this one as there are roughly a million and one much more extensive reviews out there in the bloggersphere. I will however say that there is a reason it is so widely loved, if you haven't given it a go I promise it will change your life.
Same goes for the Origins Clear Improvement Active Charchol Mask. It's a blogger fav, with reason and I love it too. It gets right into the skin and cleans out the pres leaving you with soft "I can't believe this is my face skin"

So that's it. My current skincare routine. I know its not as extensive as some other peoples but it's what works for me. I'm currently testing out the Nude ProGenius Omega Treatment Oil I got in my Birchbox and will be adding that permanently into my routine from now on.
What are your favourite skincare products that you think I should give a try?
S.x

June Birchbox

In our household monthly subscription boxes are definitely a thing. I love subscription boxes for their convenience and mostly the ability to try out a range of new and exciting products without the commitment and price of a full sized purchase.
Birchbx is a subscription box that I love, and for only £12.95 a month including p&p you can't really go wrong. I decided to show you what I received in my box this month and my first thoughts on the products included.
This month Birchbox has collaborated with luxury British footwear brand French Sole. The collaboration includes one of three limited edition box designs with a matching shoe bag. Being quite the Francophile I chose the French themed box, with typical navy and blue breton stripes on top and a classic red on the bottom.

The first product in the box is a Perfume sample, perfume samples are always great for someone like me who tends to buy and stick with the same perfume without changing it up. The sample is by English Laundry, the fragrance No.7 is a female version of their classic No.7 men's fragrance. It is a very summer appropriate scent. Unfortunately the scent really wasn't for me so I wont be purchasing the full size. I would recommend this for girls who prefer floral and fruity fragrances, which is the opposite of what I like.

The second product was quite a large sample (100ml) of the Cowshed Knackered Cow Relaxing Body Lotion. I love it. Just like the title would suggest, this lotion is super relaxing and contains my favourite essential oils, Lavender and Eucalyptus as main ingredients. So that's me sold. It's kind of a given that anything by Cowshed would end up on my loves list, I'm strongly contemplating purchasing the full size in the bath and shower gel. I think it would be an extremely welcomed addition to my night time routine.

Nude is a brand I've always been curious about but never really taken the plunge with. In my box this month I received the Nude ProGenius Omega Treatment Oil. It's a nourishing oil packed with plant oils and Omega 3, 6,7 and 9 designed to give your skin a much needed dose of nutrients. I've only just started using this so I cant give a  full review, after one use however I really liked it. I used two to three drops which I warmed in my hands before pressing onto my face. It sunk into the skin quickly and did not leave any oily residue. I will continue to use this and keep you updated.

Beauty Protector Protect and Oil, is another new product for me. I'm yet to try it but the description sounds good. A hair oil that leaves your hair shiny, glossy and also acts as a heat and UV ray protector. I'll be giving this a go when I next wash my hair.

I'm not particularly loyal to any one mascara. I'm currently using Soap & Glory Thick & Fast Mascara in black. Always in black. It does the job but the overly large wand sometimes makes it difficult for me to apply my mascara precisely, especially on my bottom lashes. The ModelCo Powerlash Black Mascara also has a pretty big wand but nowhere as large as the S&G. the mascara is quite thick in texture and coats the lashes evenly without making them feel dragged down. It's quite a build-able mascara but I prefer just one to two layers.

Transfer tattoos are nothing new, I am after all a 90's kid. The recent revival of this trend in metallic hues is both nostalgic and exciting for a child of the 90's. I only just go them so haven't tried them out yet but the reviews for the STYLondon Metallic Tattoos are all positive and seem to have pretty good longevity. Look out for pics of them when I apply, on our Instagram.

I hope you enjoyed this post. Stay tuned for lots more in the coming weeks.

S.x

Picnic On A Thursday

R finished school early today and as the sun was out and it was such a lovely day we decided to have a spontaneous picnic at home. I picked up some sweet treats and fruit from the supermarket, whilst R headed to our local bakery to get some chicken and bacon baguettes. We initially planned to have our picnic outside but the great British weather, as usual deceived us with its bright skies. In reality it was actually pretty chilly and our picnic blanket didn't stand a chance against the breeze. We ended up hunkering down around the table and flinging the back doors open to let in the sun and brisk breeze.

How was your Thursday afternoon?

S&R