Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda...My Summer Holiday Must Haves (but didn't)

Following on from my previous blog post, re the I Don't Know How She Does It trailer, I expressed that I'm always run a little ragged and forever juggling a million and one things.  This was very true of the weeks leading up to my much mentioned trip to Marbella.  I had it all planned, how I was going to update my summer wardrobe, which beauty products of both the budget and luxe variety I was going to shell out on and what I was going to blog about, to schedule for whilst I was away.  As most of you know the last didn't happen, so you'll probably not be overly surprised to read that neither of the first two points did either.  You may even recall a pre Marbella post about the very fashionably organised, travel shopping website, Style Passport, that I didn't even get the chance to utilise, despite the fact it would have simplified and relaxed the entire holiday prep experience.  It became apparent that the expression "if only I'd had time" was escaping my mouth quite regularly and so I bring to you Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda, everything I wish I'd known about/had time to purchase before my trip.

I've dreamed about being uber sophsticated and whipping out my facial mist, mid land, whilst adjusting my pashmina.  I'm more likely to be seen trying to de-static my hair and downing a G and T in fear that we'll crash.  As you can imagine I'm never the most refreshed looking, post plane, so Aesop's Facial Hydrating Mist wouldn't have gone a-miss...



Style Passport £16



I'm also not a "make-up to the beach" kinda gal, which I'm not too sure was the right attitude in Marbella.   I spotted Becca's Beach Tint in Fig on Style Passport, however, which would have been spot on to add some relaxed glamour, after beginning to feel and look a little squiffy at Ocean Club's Champagne Spray Party...

Style Passport £20

There was the Nars Laguna Beach powder bronzer in Sephora, Puerto Banus, on my last day and I loved, loved, loved!  It emphasised my tan, adding just enough sparkle to create a glow, without looking like I'd sprinkled glitter all over my cheeks...



Nars £24





These are some pretty magnificently loud towels by Sex and the City costume designer, Patricia Field, that would have been a risky shipping purchase just days before my trip...damn it...

Patricia Field $25

Patricia Field $25

Patricia Field $25

Hmm, which to purchase for my next holiday though?  All suggestions welcome.

I've also been coveting these jewels for some time now, designed by quirky creator of Maggie Angus, Anna Evans.  Her latest range, as usual, adds a playful twist to trends of the moment.  From Miami to Ibiza promises to complete your look as you sip cocktails by the harbour....I'd prefer my own yacht...



Maggie Angus £15



Maggie Angus £23.99

Maggie Angus £15

Maggie Angus £19.99

Whilst grabbing the info for my much dreamed of beach towels, earlier in the week, I also stumbled across a pair of flip-flops I am entitling, The Wild Card.  They won't be for everybody but my God do I think they're cool...

Sorry, had to show you them in all three colours.  Just. Had. To.  All available at Patricia Field for $18.

What's on your Summer Holiday must have list?

*Images taken from http://www.style-passport.com/, http://www.patriciafield.com/ and http://www.maggieangus.com/

The Art of Summer

With T minus 7 days until I head to Marbella I am officially declaring To Elle and Back a holiday zone.

For weeks now I've stumbled across many a make-up delight that have taken full advantage of the upcoming summer season.  Each item has put it's own little spin on sun, sea and sand.  The unique touches to the packaging, product, name are bound to brighten up any girls make-up bag.  All virtually impossible to resist.



£18 at Simple Beauty



The DuWop Mermaid Antique Sea Shell eye compact promises to adorn you in a chic shimmer.  Personally it's the adorable shell themed packaging that's sold it for me.  Purchasing solely for packaging would be irresponsible though, right?  On the other hand it would look super cool whilst lounging by the pool.  "Mirror anyone?"...."Just let me grab my trusty shell!"

£29 at Estee Lauder

Who doesn't love a starfish sprawled across a sandy dune?  Again a cute slant on bronzer that made me rush to the nearest Estee Lauder counter.  This has been hailed by many a beauty blogger for being a superbly light bronzer, allowing for paler skins to gain a healthy glow without looking like they've been tangoed.  I had this applied in store with a view to purchase.  However, it wasn't for me.  I personally didn't like the shade on my skin as it seemed too peachy and I suppose I am still very much married to my Chanel bronzer.  I can't quite tell if I'm stuck in my ways or whether it is perhaps the most amazing bronzer in the World but most pale (no pun intended) into comparison and I'm afraid this includes the Bronze Goddess Sea Star.  If my purchase was based on the visual concept alone though, consider it a staple in my beauty bag!

£73 at Space NK

I started obsessing over owning my very own Sea Turtle embossed eyeshadows, cheek tint and liner after Mindy Kaling tweeted an image of this pallette from Chantecaille about a month ago. Then I popped into Space NK, saw the beauty in real life and fell in love all over again only to discover that YIKES it's a whopping £73.  It is created with the highest quality pearl and pigment particles and it is divine.  I guess I don't need to eat on holiday and if I didn't then I'd get drunk quicker and then I'd spend even less money, therefore meaning essentially I could justify this extravagance, right? RIGHT???

£29 at Selfridges

Finally the Nars Laguna Multiple doesn't quite have the artistic tendencies of the prior products but it's called Laguna.  To me this is reminiscent of sunkissed teenagers, hanging out at the beach and Lauren Conrad.  Anything that can potentially give me a Lauren Conrad lifestyle is a must have.

* Images taken from http://www.simplebeauty.co.uk/, http://www.esteelauder.co.uk/, http://www.spacenk.co.uk/  and http://www.selfridges.co.uk/ 

To Buy or Not to Buy? A Shopaholic's Demise...

I received this email this morning...

...which is never good news because it means I inevitably dream about doing this...

So of course I bounded over to discover this little gem....

Adam at The Outnet

....which I have fallen desperately in love with.

Why do I like it?  Well it lands just on the right side of sophisticated fun.  A little nod to the 80's with this lame (this should read lam-eh not lame but how you do those slanty things on a PC I'll never know) skirt and it's BABY PINK!  Baby pink and lame *cough* lam-eh, the perfect mix of tacky edge.  I want it.  I need it.  I must have it.  For £108 it of course isn't too pricey, unless of course you have a holiday looming and still need to purchase for, plus acquire spending money for, along with attempting to reimburse your credit card, which is exactly where I currently am on this fine Tuesday.  Damn it.

For £108 I also should purchase for pure *social Louisa* but I can't help but team it with a chiffon black shirt, my flat black bandage sandals and some funky gold statement jewellery for *work Louisa*....It is £108 from £215 though...oh what to do?!

To buy or not to buy? That is the question.

I need support in this moment of great quandary.

Honourable mentions should also go to these fabulous credit busting finds...

Elizabeth and James £110 from £315

Mechante of London £182 from £520

Sigerson Morrison £216 from £480

Alexander Wang £602 from £1720

All available at The Outnet with up to 70% with no end date specified.

*Images taken from http://www.theoutnet.com/ and http://www.eonline.com/ 

The Stove on Sunday: Dukan Pancakes

So I haven't posted in a long time.  Like 5 months long.  Which is bad and doesn't really scream credible blogger that loves to write but even though I haven't physically posted I have been creating posts in my head for some time and I still keep up to date with all my fave blogs that I adore to read.  Spiritually I have still been a part of the blogging World.  I do love to write and I have really missed this thing which is why finally I've sat myself in our dining room at this very computer and began to compose this post.  I can't promise I won't fall off the radar again but I'm hoping that it won't be the case.  I actually really enjoy these moments of solitude whilst I gather my thoughts and ideas.  I get a buzz from experiencing or seeing things and immediately declaring in my head that "they shall be a part of this blog post with this title and I'm going to say this about it" but unfortunately of late (these past 5 months) that is as far as my blogging process has ever gotten.  My absence has been both due to my busy life and laziness.  The laziness is actually what follows my hectic schedule.  I work a full time job, with a long enough commute ( who doesn't I hear you scream) and then teach on a Saturday.  Both take up an enormous amount of my time and then with trying to fit a social life and some moments to just crash in, by the time I even have the opportunity to sit here and post, I just want to sleep.  I also have giveaway prizes that have never been sent from December which just makes me feel evil, rude and a fraud.  Another reason that I attribute my lack of posting to, sheer embarrassment.  Those that won shall expect an email from me today just checking addresses in case anyones circumstances have changed and they shall also get an extra something as my means of apology/bribe!

On that note I wanted to start my reunion with what I hope will become a regular post The Stove on Sunday.  I can't really define a genre for my blog as I am a mish mash of lots of different things which is why my interests are so varied and therefore there is no strong link between any of my posts.  I'm not a beauty blog, a fashion blog or a food blog.  I'm all of those things.  I'm also a movie, book and restaurant reviewer, a dweller on memories and someone that generally likes to regale people with moments from my life, hunourous or otherwise.  And so I begin...(again!)...

I'm headed to Marbella in under two weeks, which horrifies me as I type this as I really haven't prepared myself.  One thing I have made sure I've organised by the 26th however, is my diet.  I don't really need to lose weight, in fact most people look at me like I'm a crazy person when I say I'm on one and that I've lost half a stone (7lbs) BUT I have been eating way more than necessary of late, especially cakes, biscuits and chocolate, at work and there have been a nice ring of rolls that have formed around my waist line.  Ones that I have been perfectly happy to keep under wraps, until now.  The recent series of The Only Way is Essex has also helped spurr me on.  I by no means wish to look like any of the girls on that show, it's just not my style but I do know that there will be a lot of girls that do look like them by the pool on my upcoming trip (including possibly them) and I know that I have to feel confident and comfortable in my own body, especially if there are going to be these perfectly coiffed beauties around to compare myself to.  My mum has been on the Dukan Diet for some time now and lost about 2 stone and the whole hype of this new-found fat buster has been extra relevant due to it supposedly being the diet of choice by the Middletons before the Royal Wedding. 

So in true TOWIE style I decided to take on their much beloved phrase of "No carbs before Marbs" and embrace the Dukan, at least for a little while.  I'm really pleased with the diet and the results so far and I really don't feel like I've been too deprived.  Feeling like I'm missing out on my favourite foods is a big no no for me!  One of the things that has kept me going is my mum and the fact that she knows all these little sources for finding low in fat and low in carb ways to create food that isn't too far off the mark of what you would eat in your normal day to day life.  Which brings me to the matter in hand...pancakes with cinnamon butter.  How could these possibly be low in fat and good for you?  Because it's the Dukan way.

I think these are lovely and you don't need to be on the Dukan diet to enjoy them.  When it comes down to it we all love indulgent things but if anyone is watching the pounds or generally feels horrifically bloated after such a treat then this is the best way to combat those issues without compromising on flavour.

You Will Need

1 egg

Oat bran

Less than 2% fat natural yoghurt (check sugars as well, they should be under 6g)

Less than 5% fat cream cheese (same rules apply, it should really be less than 2% but thats virtually impossible with cream cheese unless you make it yourself)

Cinnamon

Sweetener

1.  Put the frying pan on a high heat with just a drop of oil so as not to burn the pancakes.

2.  Mix the egg, a tablespoon and a half of oat bran and a tablespoon of the yoghurt together.  This will create the batter.

3.  Mix a tablespoon of the cream cheese with your desired amount of cinnamon and a sprinkling of sweetener in a seperate bowl.

4. When the pan is steaming hot pour in the batter mix to create a small fat scotch pancake style size and cook until brown on both sides (they will be slightly softer than your average pancakes).

5.  Serve the pancakes hot with a dollop of the cinnamon butter on top which should warm also and begin to melt a little.

Simples.  The ingredients make two pancakes and if you're on the Dukan diet is the most you should have of anything like this for the day.  This breakfast really hits the spot though without making me feel like an absolute heffer, as pancakes so often do with me!

I teamed this with the very last of my favourite french vanilla coffee from Dunkin Donuts (sob!) and old episodes of Dawson's Creek.  A blissful start to any Sunday.

A picture of my pancakes would have been really good here but I didn't take one and so that's life.

*Pictures taken from (in order) destructoid.com, the Mail Online and hopingforsomthingtohopefor.blogspot.com