Spring Fashion, Families and Holidays

HOT BRANDS COOL PLACES FASHION CULTURE LIFESTYLE

MAY 2014

Spring Fashion, Families and Holidays...

EDITOR’S LETTER Welcome to our Spring Fashion, Families and Holidays Issue, full of ideas of how to enjoy Spring and to prepare for Summer!!

This month we also have inspiring interviews with Lucy Gaiger and Conchita-Maria Scott, Founders of Atticus & Gilda, Ian Newman, Founder of Footpath Holidays and Debbie Haynes, Co-Director of milkandhoney.

There is still time to support Fashion Targets Breast Cancer 2014 and we highlight some of the items in the 2014 collection. This year’s collection includes stylish designs from high street favourties M&S, River Island, Warehouse, Topshop, Laura Ashley, Debenhams and new partner Superga. Each piece carrying a minimum 30% donation to Breakthrough Breast Cancer’s vital work. Embodying some of 2014’s top trends for Spring/Summer. fashiontargetsbreastcancer.org.uk http://www.breakthrough.org.uk/ Finally, we also review some delightful books just published.

We have new discoveries every week in our Directory and regular newsletters.

Do take the time to drop by!

Until the next time……. www.hotbrandscoolplaces.com Picture Credits Front cover image courtesy of http://www.akvillas.com Other images throughout the magazine supplied by the various companies, or publishers featured.

Please Note All information about products and services are supplied to us by the individual organizations, or agencies acting on their behalf. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that all information is accurate, it may be subject to change. Please check with individual organizations for the latest information about all events, products, or news items.

Inclusion in this magazine does not imply endorsement by Hot Brands Cool Places. Hot Brands Cool Places does not accept responsibility for the content of any external site.

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POWDER BYRNE Powder Byrne is the luxury holiday company for parents. And kids. With over 30 years of experience creating bespoke family getaways to the world’s top ski and sun destinations, we’d love to put together the perfect holiday for you. www.powderbyrne.com

CARRIER At Carrier, we have more than 30 years of experience creating luxury holidays. Our holidays are personal, bespoke and tailor-made to the desires of each holidaymaker, and we leave no stone unturned and no detail overlooked. www.carrier.co.uk

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NUMBER ONE DART MARINA Number One Dart Marina is an exquisite home in a breath-taking location by the River Dart in Dartmouth, Devon. A stunning combination of views, luxury and style, within a few steps of Dart Marina Hotel & Spa, see more at www.dartmarina.com/numberone

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HOLIDAYS PLEASE Book your holiday with Holidaysplease, an award winning online travel agency offering luxury tailor made holidays to worldwide destinations. Experience an amazing holiday to destinations including the Indian Ocean, the Caribbean, Far East and more! www.holidaysplease.co.uk

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HARBOUR HOTELS Drenched in natural beauty, history and culture, the Harbour Hotels collection offers views and surrounding areas that can rival any Mediterranean destination. With hotels dotted along the south coast, the Harbour Hotels Collection boasts four incredible waterside havens, all with one thing in common simply breath-taking views – and a boutique Dorset seaside hideaway. www.harbourhotels.co.uk

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BAILEY ROBINSON Bailey Robinson are a British based luxury travel company providing tailor made holidays across hand-picked global locations. Our experts will create a holiday to match your requirements and help you choose the best location for your month of travel. www.baileyrobinson.com

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SALCOMBE HOLIDAY HOMES Salcombe Holiday Homes have a fabulous portfolio of beautiful coastal holiday homes in Salcombe, Devon. Some with amazing sea views, some luxurious with beautiful gardens and swimming pools... all are personally inspected by our experienced team. Tell us what you’re looking for and we’ll show you a house you’ll love. www.salcombe.com 01548 843485

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Hot Brands Cool Places spoke with Lucy Gaiger and Conchita-Maria Scott, Founders of Atticus & Gilda for an exclusive interview

INTERVIEW 10

What inspired you to establish Atticus & Gilda?

We are so lucky to have had such fascinating and varied careers working on many great West End theatre productions and we have also travelled extensively for our work.

Travelling and our love of clothes gave us the inspiration to start Atticus & Gilda in 2013.

The styling of English, Oriental and Indian clothes is a big inspiration and we wanted to incorporate these into our own brand of premium children’s nightwear and accessories using pure cottons and silks, with no logos.

You both have fascinating backgrounds, how have you incorporated this experience into Atticus and Gilda?

We are extremely fortunate to work with some very talented people and between us have many unusual sources and contacts. With our own great knowledge of fabrics and colour we love to experiment with dyes, printing and trimmings especially on our accessories range for brides and flower girls.

All of these contain either vintage pieces or remnants of theatre costumes from shows we have worked on.

Do you have favourite items within your range?

Of course we love them all but the Jem and Eli pyjamas are so versatile.

You can team them with cutoffs on the beach or by the pool and they are ideal to wear straight in to lunch or dinner, much more stylish than a t-shirt. Our boys mix and match the refreshing colours and always get great comments, as they look so different.

What are your hopes for the future?

We would love to see Atticus & Gilda develop into a key brand for the globetrotting child and be stocked in lifestyle and fashion shops in the UK and abroad. We are developing a range of sleepover bags and 2015 will see lighter weight cotton for the hottest holiday destinations though we will keep our classic cotton poplin for the English weather.

Do you have personal favourite holiday destination?

Conchita regularly visits family in Spain and loved her time in South Africa and I love to see family in Portugal and Sweden. We have travelled to astonishing places such as Russia, Australia, China, Korea and Japan but they were definitely not holidays!

What do you always pack in your suitcase?

Good quality flip flops, new sunglasses and Indian cotton tops from our good friend Dilip Shah in Portobello Road. http://www.atticusandgilda.co.uk/ Image credit Lucy Gaiger and Conchita-Maria Scott copyright Laura Lewis.

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WHITE RABBIT ENGLAND White Rabbit England is a luxury childrens’ brand founded in 2001 by sisters Charlotte Thompson and Victoria Sullivan. We design and manufacture lighting and interiors for the nursery and special gifts for little ones. Our award winning White Rabbit lamp represents perfectly the uniqueness and quality of both the design and manufacture of everything we do to create heirlooms of the future. “Designed by us, made for you, keep forever” www.whiterabbitengland.com

LITTLE LUCY WILLOW The exclusive luxury children’s furniture and accessory company that prides itself on designing unique collections of beautifully crafted furniture. Designed and built to the very highest standards here in England, our furniture is always in stock. Committed to quality, our furniture has a variety of colour and bespoke options and comes with a reassuring 10-year guarantee. www.littlelucywillow.co.uk

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MY HEART AND HOME Time for bed sleepy head! We offer a beautiful range of traditional cotton nightwear and a charming selection of keepsake gifts, rag dolls and teddies for little ones.

New spring styles now in stock. www.myheartandhome.co.uk

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RUFUS RABBIT This month Rufus is feeling in the mood to celebrate everything pink so we’ve put together a few of our favourite baby girl gifts. New for Spring we have Musical Rufus and some limited edition yummy handmade temptations for the lucky ones who get there first! Enjoy xxx www.rufusrabbit.co.uk

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LUXURY AND LITTLE ONES Luxury and Little Ones have chosen ten of their favourite images of luxury ski chalets in their collection for a luxury family ski holiday. Think soft play in the basement, children’s entertainer after a day on the slopes while mum and day have a soak in the outdoor Jacuzzi, indoor slide, cinemas with popcorn machines, childcare at the chalet or an indoor pool for some splash time amongst some of the facilities on offer along with any baby items you would need.

Please contact Kathryn on 0845 900 3870 / info@luxuryandlittleones.com / www. luxuryandlittleones.com to book any of these chalets or ask for any further information.

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BRAMBLE ROSE Bramble Rose creates beautifully embroidered keepsakes, clothing and extra special gifts for babies, children and weddings. Using high quality fabrics and designs, you can choose from personalised blankets, drawstring bags, dressing gowns, rag dolls and commemorative teddies. Whatever the occasion and whatever the gift, you can be sure you’re giving someone something special they’ll want to cherish forever.

Visit www.bramble-rose.co.uk or call us on 07846 232 816.

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INTERVIEW

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Hot Brands Cool Places spoke with Ian Newman, Founder of Footpath Holidays for an exclusive interview.

What inspired you to establish Footpath Holidays?

I left the armed forces with an outdoor leadership qualification. Much of my walking and mountain experience was gained in the wild areas of Britain, such as the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales, Snowdonia and Scotland.

I grew up in the Tamar valley with Dartmoor and Cornwall on my doorstep and much of my military training took me into wild places too. I run the business with my wife, Suzanne.

Suzanne’s parents started Footpath Holidays in 1982. I led a number of walking weeks for them and this gave me the opportunity to reconnect with some of the less wild areas such as the Cotswolds. In 1992 Suzanne’s parents wanted to retire, so it seemed natural for us to take the business forward from there.

You have people who keep returning year after year, what do people love about walking holidays?

I think different people like many different aspects, but generally speaking the individuals who take walking holidays enjoy the opportunity of taking some moderate exercise in beautiful areas and letting someone who knows the area plan their trip. This means they will see the best of the scenery and get to see some of the less obvious things (which independent travellers might miss).

The question really is ‘why do they come back to Footpath Holidays time after time’? The answer to that is that they trust our product. We try to set realistic expectations and endeavour to exceed them, rather than make extravagant claims which cannot be lived up to. One of the aspects that our guests appreciate the most is Suzanne’s pernickety attention to detail in making arrangements. If the background arrangements like transport and accommodation work seamlessly, all that’s left is to enjoy your holiday!

What are some of the most popular walks within your portfolio?

As we attract a multinational clientele we sometimes get high numbers of bookings for unexpected area, usually because a TV station in North America or Europe might have shown an item about a particular area.

Year in, year out the Cotswolds, the Yorkshire Dales, The Thames Path and South West Coast Path are very popular (and rightly so).

Do you have personal favourite walk?

Well, I have dozens! There is a wealth of world-class walking in Britain. The coast of North Cornwall between Tintagel and Trebarwith Strand always thrills me , which is high praise for a walk that I have guided over a hundred times! I get the same feelings in Swaledale, North Yorkshire and the Newlands Valley in the Lake District.

If you were to put me on the spot and tell me that I only had one walk left in me, it would have to be around the Holnicote estate on Exmoor, taking in Dunkery Beacon, Bossington Hill, Selworthy Beacon, Allerford and Horner (with the obligatory stop at Periwinkle cottage tearoom at Selworthy Green). At the moment we offer this on a self-guided holiday.

People who go to Exmoor always love it, the battle is getting them to go there because it doesn’t have a very high profile. It’s everything you would expect from the West Country all in one place.

When walks in places like these no longer thrill and inspire me, I’ll know it’s time to stop and, maybe, buy a set of video games but I don’t anticipate that happening very soon!

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What are your hopes for the future?

Business-wise I’d like to see Footpath Holidays grow steadily to a point where, perhaps, our daughters could get involved. Speaking more broadly, I hope that the next generation can be inspired to appreciate and cherish wild places and fragile environments. If people, especially young people, can be encouraged to engage with nature, there’s a good chance that, as a society, we will have the will to preserve it.

What do you always pack when you go on a walking tour ?

A good water proof jacket. If it’s waterproof, it’s wind proof. If the weather isn’t wet or windy you can still sit on it when you stop for a snack! If you don’t have it with you, it seems that rain is almost guaranteed! http://www.footpath-holidays.com/

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AUDLEY TRAVEL Audley Travel is an award-winning tour operator that specialises in tailor-made trips and small group tours to over 80 countries around the world. Using their extensive, first-hand knowledge, Audley’s country specialists build itineraries that match their clients’ individual interests, budget, pace and accommodation preferences to create unique travel experiences. www.audleytravel.com

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NEW ZEALAND IN DEPTH Founded by Paul Carberry in 2003, New Zealand in Depth specialise in creating tailormade holidays to New Zealand. Paul has spent more than a year of his life on the ground in New Zealand and offers a genuine personal service, taking the time to understand his clients, their interests and their needs. This is the only way to create a truly bespoke holiday experience. www.newzealandindepth.com

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INNTRAVEL Inntravel specialise in Slow holidays, which reveal the lesser-taken path and offer a truly individual holiday experience. From carefully crafted self-guided walking and cycling holidays, to inspiring winter snow holidays, uncover hidden corners and authentic local experiences along the way. www.inntravel.co.uk

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KESGRAVE HALL Step back, relax and indulge at milsoms Kesgrave Hall, a contemporary 4-star hotel with 23 fabulous bedrooms ranging from standard through to the ‘top grade’. Plenty of theatre can be found in the restaurant overlooked by the Engine Room, with head chef Stuart Oliver championing all that is great about Suffolk produce. www.kesgravehall.com

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SUFFOLK COTTAGE HOLIDAYS Whether you are looking for contemporary chic or classic comfort, Suffolk Cottage Holidays’ stylish, luxury cottages are the very best in Suffolk. In the heart of Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, our coastal and countryside cottages are set in some of East Anglia’s finest locations. www.suffolkcottageholidays.com/

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Hot Brands Cool Places spoke with Debbie Haynes, Co-Director of milkandhoney for an exclusive interview.

INTERVIEW 26

What was your inspiration behind milkandhoney?

After a career in the business services industry myself and my co-directors were looking for a new challenge and a change. We toyed around with a few ideas for brand new businesses however, whilst we were researching these we saw a very small online textiles business was for sale: milkandhoney. The reason that milkandhoney drew us to it was firstly the name, the quality and ethos around the brand and also the potential to expand it commercially, as well as running the online site.

Our venture into the world of textiles has been, mostly, a very refreshing one! Developing milkandhoney is a bit like your favourite hobby becoming your job. In essence business method i.e sales/marketing/operations are similar no matter what your product so in that sense it’s been fine. The greater challenge has been the product and industry knowledge that I previously took for granted.

Our ongoing inspiration behind milkandhoney is a love of quality natural products, and making these more widely available to everyone hence our strap line … affordable luxury.

What is the secret behind a deliciously comfortable bed?

Try not to compromise on mattresses, pillows or duvets – choose natural products and buy the best you can comfortably afford or you will regret it later. Purchasing a good quality mattress is essential as this is the ‘foundation’ of your comfort, ensuring that you have the size and depth of mattress that suits you or your partner’s needs and sleeping habits, there’s nothing worse than being kneed in the back all night! If you have to compromise, save money on the bed not the mattress.

Good quality pillows are hugely important, have at least two pillows per person for comfort, and if you really want to splash out add continental style large square pillows to add depth, style and comfort. Personally I love a soft indulgent pillow on top of a firmer one.

On our website we have written a guide to Choosing the Perfect Duvet, our aim was to make simple what can prove to be a confusing experience. Duvets made from natural products, ours are all made 100% from natural products, work with your body both in terms of heat and shape. A ‘natural’ duvet will drape around your body, unlike a synthetic duvet, so there will be no draughts to give you a chill during the night. For a deliciously comfortable bed you need to make sure that the warmth of your duvet is right for the time of year as well as for the temperature of your home, there’s nothing worse than shivering in bed through the winter! Also essential is that that your duvet is large enough, ideally I’d advise always go for at least one size larger than your bed i.e. double bed, king size duvet. Nothing worse than fighting for cover when all you want to do is sleep!

Lastly, try to dress your bed with natural bed linen using neutral colours to create a calm and inviting environment.

What do you love about running your own company?

What I love about running your own business is that it allows you the freedom to make your own decisions, your own rules and also your own mistakes! The freedom and ability to turn your own ideas and dreams into a reality is great however it’s really hard work too.

When you run your own business you don’t really ever get time away from it, especially when the business is in its’ infancy and there aren’t other staff to hold the reins whilst you take a much needed break.

Our driving philosophy within milkandhoney is to be honest about our product, the quality and the pricing.

This applies to our dealings with our customers, our retailers our suppliers and ourselves!

What advice would you give to someone thinking of starting their own business?

Firstly it’s a huge advantage if your business is focused around something you are genuinely excited by and interested in. No matter how well you feel you know your chosen market/ product always research all aspects thoroughly and always expect it to be much tougher than you think it will be. Most of all though enjoy it!

How would you like milkandhoney to develop?

It was a brave decision when we took on and re-launched the milkandhoney brand with our new website eighteen months ago, the economy was pretty much at its lowest ebb with consumer spending at an alltime low. As a result, I don’t think we really knew what to expect in terms of traffic, product take up, customer satisfaction to name but a few. Most successful has been our ranges for Little Ones, especially our luxurious cot and cotbed duvets and pillows which are all 100% natural and therefore kind to the body, affording parents peace of mind. With the ranges being stocked by a number of boutique and online retailers, in addition to attracting a healthy number of orders via the milkandhoney website, this is an area which we are passionate about developing further.

We don’t see milkandhoney as a mass market brand as we believe that we would have to compromise on the quality, and possibly the ethics (all milkandhoney products are manufactured in the EU, namely Portugal and Germany). We prefer to concentrate our efforts working with independent department stores who we are finding are looking to source quality brands/products not widely available, boutique nursery retailers and online retailers. This across all of our ranges which include elegant table linen, classic bed linen, cotton throws, duvets and pillows.

Our aim is to continue to grow milkandhoney, providing customers with personally selected products of the highest quality, products that we ourselves love having around us. milkandhoney … a world of affordable luxury What makes a perfect holiday for you?

My friends and family do find it a source of amusement that I love luxury items such as linens, gorgeous food, clothes, chocolate Labradors etc. and to have a lovely home and yet I’m happy as anything up to my knees in mud, no make-up on camping and walking in all weathers!

The perfect holiday for me is one with a notable cultural difference, I fell in love with Marrakech for its’ abundance of colours, scents and absolute chaos, Thailand for its’ gentle people and stunning scenery. At first sight of an ‘English breakfast served here’ sign I’m off!!

Most importantly though, no matter what the holiday, it is definitely the company I’m with that matters most! Travelling with my son Josh, then aged 8, through the Sahara and over the Atlas mountains was an experience that I wouldn’t have wanted to share with anyone else, it was simply magical! http://www.milk-and-honey.co.uk/

THE AURORA ZONE Designed to maximise your chances of seeing the Aurora Borealis at its peak, The Aurora Zone has created the widest range of Northern Lights holidays in Finland, Sweden, Norway and Iceland. www.theaurorazone.com

BLUE AND WHITE LOCATIONS The ever popular “split-weeks” as we like to call them, where you can book some of the best chalets in the alps on a per room basis are available for the non peak weeks of the season in the top resorts of Verbier and Val d’Isere. Offering all the benefits of a private chalet but with the accessibility of a hotel make them perfect for smaller groups or couples. Take a look at the resort pages here: www.blueandwhitelocations.com/verbier www.blueandwhitelocations.com/val-disere

BOVEY CASTLE Bovey Castle is a five-star hotel set within a 275-acre private estate with its own championship golf course, offering guests the unpretentious grandeur and sumptuous dĂŠcor of true English luxury on Dartmoor National Park www.boveycastle.com

BEACON PARK BOATS Beacon Park Boats is a family-run business offering luxury narrowboat holidays on the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal in the Brecon Beacons National Park, South Wales.

Alasdair and Sarah Kirkpatrick combine their love of design, craftsmanship, boating, engineering and hospitality to give you the very best in canal boat holiday experiences. https://beaconparkboats.com/

WILDERNESS COTTAGES Wilderness Cottages offer a variety of self catering holiday properties throughout Scotland. These range in size from small cosy cottages, ideal for honeymoon couples and romantic holidays, or larger holiday cottages to sleep from six to twelve. From remote crofts to stays in luxury apartments we have properties to suit all tastes. Many cottages are open all year, have log fires and make pets welcome. http://www.wildernesscottages.co.uk/

SYKES COTTAGES Give yourself something to look forward to with a holiday from Sykes Cottages. With over 4,000 self-catering holiday cottages throughout the UK and Ireland, you’ll be spoilt for choice when planning your 2014 getaway. To find out more, visit our website or give us a call. www.sykescottages.co.uk

EXCLUSIVE ESCAPES Exclusive Escapes provide you with wonderful villas and boutique hotels all exclusive to them. All their villas offer a ‘hotel-service’ with welcome hamper, daily maid cleaning and car hire. In 2013 Exclusive Escapes expanded its coastal programme to include top-of-therange seafront townhouses and in 2014 has unveiled a host of brand new opportunities to explore south west Turkey including the introduction of a new region and the launch of a brand new hotel Alavya, and four brand new super chic coastal villas, and guided trekking on a new long-distance path-the Carian Trail. www.exclusiveescapes.co.uk/

Special Feature

SUPERGA LAURA ASHLEY

RIVER ISLAND

M&S

M&S

WAREHOUSE

DEBENHAMS

Fashion Targets Breast Cancer 2014 collection includes stylish designs from high street favourties M&S, River Island, Warehouse, Topshop, Laura Ashley, Debenhams and new partner Superga.

The UK’s most powerful fashion campaign launches on 7th April, with each piece carrying a minimum 30% donation to Breakthrough Breast Cancer’s vital work. Embodying some of 2014’s top trends for Spring/Summer, you can see the full range at www.fashiontargetsbreastcancer.org.uk http://www.breakthrough.org.uk/

TRUCE LONDON Truce is a boutique, semi couture high fashion label based in Notting Hill. Our clothes are vibrant and quirky with an understated chic sophistication. Our biannual collections consist, of the finest handcrafted cashmere from Scotland and beautifully designed, dresses, skirts and tops. We offer an opportunity to acquire unique, one-off pieces made by seamstresses in the UK that are feminine and easy to wear. Truce offers a very personal one-to-one service to our clients. Quality and attention to detail are paramount, everything is sourced and produced in the UK. http://trucelondon.com/

BY ELISE If you think seriously about jewellery (and who doesn’t?) then you will be delighted to visit Elise’s website www.byelise.com. This highly-regarded and well-established label specializes in baroque pearl jewellery offering earrings, necklaces, bracelets and fashion accessories much of which has been designed, created and strung here in the UK. www.byelise.com

REVIEWS Cakes In Bloom - Peggy Porschen Synopsis: Cakes In Bloom is a celebration of Peggy Porschen’s skill, style and experience and the first time that she has shared her repertoire of incomparable sugar blooms with her legions of fans.

Peggy reveals the secrets to making more than 30 gorgeous life-like flowers, from roses, peonies and pansies to cherry blossom, orchids and poppies. The range of 24 cakes includes miniature cakes, large cakes and tiered cakes, demonstrating the simplest use of a single flower as well as inspired combinations of blooms. The wealth of ideas and variations will suit a wide range of occasions from birthdays, anniversaries and weddings to simple but special tea parties.

The book reflects Peggy’s mastery and creativity of a breath-taking array of flowers and is the ultimate reference and inspiration for sugarcrafters. http://www.amazon.co.uk/ Hot Brands Cool Places Verdict This is a beautiful book full of the most exquisite flower designs, as with all her creations, Peggy’s cakes are as good to eat as they are to look at, so she has included a number of signature recipes for delicious cakes and fail-safe fillings, as well as her tried and tested flower paste recipe and basic layering and icing techniques. Highly Recommended!

Nathan Outlaw’s Fish Kitchen- Nathan Outlaw Synopsis: Like all top chefs, Nathan Outlaw is constantly evolving his cooking and creating fantastic new dishes in his kitchens. Here he shares his latest innovations in an exciting collection of over 70 recipes, every one of them photographed by David Loftus. The theme is simplicity: easy-to-prepare recipes based on sustainable species and easy-to-obtain ingredients. The recipes that follow are mouthwatering: Whisky-cured salmon with kohlrabi and horseradish yoghurt; Scallops with hazelnut butter and watercress; and Seafood burger with celeriac and apple salad, to name a few. And for those who are buying whole fish - or catching their own - there is a step-by-step illustrated guide to their preparation. http://www.amazon.co.uk/ Hot Brands Cool Places Verdict We loved Nathan Outlaw’s British Seafood and this second book is equally inspiring. The book is divided into chapters by cooking technique: raw, cured, pickled and soused, smoked, steamed, poached, boiled and braised, grilled, barbecued, baked, pan-fried and deep-fried. Nathan begins each with an explanation of the particular technique, revealing the secrets of his simple approach to it, and detailing the varieties he considers best suited to the technique.

This is an elegant easy-to-use cookbook for all fish lovers looking for fresh inspiration in the kitchen. Highly Recommended!

Cabana The Cookbook: Brasilian Barbecue & Beyond- David Ponte Lizzy Barber & Jamie Barber Synopsis: Cabana: The Cookbook includes at its heart recipes for vibrant, zingy, spicy barbecue dishes which are certain to make 2014 the summer of all things Brasilian. Whether you’ll be glued to the World Cup, or seeking refuge from the football with a cool drink in the garden, this book contains all the recipes you need for a long, hot summer of barbecue.

Packed with colourful photography as well as over 80 recipes, this book offers a slice of modern Brasilian life with stories about the origins of each recipe and excursions ranging from how to dance the samba, to the story of how the Scots brought futebol to Brasil. http://www.amazon.co.uk/ Hot Brands Cool Places Verdict Cabana: The Cookbook is divided into Brasilian breakfasts, Bar Snacks, Starters and Street Food, Brasilian Barbeque, Sauces, Dips and Marinades, New-Style Brasilian Classics, Sides and Salads, Desserts, Sweets and Treats, Juices, Cocktails and Refrescos. A vibrant celebration of Brasilian food.

Highly Recommended!

Bright Bazaar - Will Taylor Synopsis: Dive into a refreshing take on colour from one of the world’s leading interiors bloggers, Will Taylor of Bright.Bazaar: West Elm’s “go-to blogger for colour inspiration.” What began as a popular blog attracting over 400,000 readers a month is now a gorgeous, colour-popping book sure to delight and inspire all.

Praised by design star Jonathan Adler as “a true talent with a keen eye,” Will guides you through making the most of the cornerstone of your life – where you live. He starts by giving you jumping-off points for considering how to use colour. Next, he arms you with the know-how needed to replicate the looks through using ten colour cocktails, from soft and delicate pastel hues to bright and bold colour statements.

Each colour scheme begins with Will sharing his personal photographs and the memories that inspired each palette. He then goes on to show how these inspirations can be used in real-life decorating via easy-totranslate examples, complete with colour checklists, swatch scrapbooks, illuminating room analyses and nuggets of Will’s colour secrets.

More than 350 brand new colour photographs invite you into homes both big and small across the world. Bright Bazaar’s take on colour is packed with personality and heart, playful but informative, and brimming with useful decorating ideas to make any home more beautiful. http://jacquismallpub.com/competition Hot Brands Cool Places Verdict Inspiring and uplifting this is a stunning book, full of vibrant colour and overflowing with fabulous examples of how to inject colour and happiness into every room of your home. Highly Recommended!

Lucienne Day In the Spirit of the Age- Andrew Casey Synopsis: Lucienne Day was part of a new generation of designers who came to the forefront of the British textile industry in the immediate postwar period. Setting a new standard in originality and quality, both in Britain and abroad, she believed that good design should be mass produced for the many and not just the few, and that it could improve the lives of ordinary people. Though designing primarily for textiles, she successfully moved into other areas of design such as patterns for carpets, ceramics and wallpaper.

Lucienne Day had an independent spirit as a designer and was sharp, hardworking and had strong ideas about all aspects of design. Her breakthrough pattern ‘Calyx’, which is now considered to be an iconic 20th-century textile design, was first shown at the Festival of Britiai in 1951.

Day maintained her position as one of the most important designers for over 25 years and was one of the first designers to be recognised internationally for her work both in Britain and abroad.

The book features a range of illustrations, archive photography and beautiful examples of Lucienne Day’s original artwork for both textiles and carpet design, as well as pattern book illustrations for her ceramic designs. A short essay by Karin Conradi, Lucienne Day’s niece, who handsewed the designer’s silk mosaics for 16 years, adds further insight. http://www.antiquecollectorsclub.com/ Hot Brands Cool Places Verdict We have always loved the designs of Lucienne Day and this beautifully illustrated book gives a rare insight into the depth and range of the designs created by this imaginative and very talented designer. Full of inspiration for any aspiring designer or anyone interested in interior design. Highly Recommended!

Sublime Nature- Photographs That Awe and Inspire- Christina Mittermeier Synopsis: This exquisite and inspiring book of landscape photography from National Geographic captures the beauty of nature in all its breathtaking variations. Natural scenery, whether mountain peaks against a crystal blue sky or shimmering expanses of ocean or desert, the exquisite geometry of tide marks on a beach or the perfection of a moss-laden path, affects us deeply, by turns eliciting joy, peace, awe, and a state of grace. Sublime Nature collects images that inspire these emotions, culled from the world’s leading photographers.

Interspersed throughout the book are inspiring quotations from the world’s leading naturalists and environmentalists, including Henry David Thoreau, John Muir, Rachel Carson, and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Thoreau reminds us that “Nature is full of genius, full of divinity,” while his friend Emerson declares, “Lose yourself in nature and find peace.”. http://www.amazon.co.uk/ Hot Brands Cool Places Verdict This is an utterly beautiful book, the breathtaking images are collated into the following: Awe, Grace, Joy and Peace. Poetic and inspiring, Sublime Nature stunningly captures our special relationship with nature in all its abundant incarnations, and inspires us to reap its life-giving and wondrous gifts and to care about protecting its future. Highly Recommended!

ABERCROMBIE & KENT VILLAS Abercrombie & Kent Villas offer a wide range of luxury villas throughout Europe, from French chateaux to Tuscan farmhouses. As well as beautiful properties, we can also help organise the finer things that make your holiday complete with everything from private chefs to local hosts to help you make the most of your stay. www.abercrombiekent.co.uk

EXPERIENCE TRAVEL GROUP Enriching the lives of the world’s most passionate travellers. Bespoke, luxury experienced based holidays in Asia. Experience is everything! www.experiencetravelgroup.com

HOT BRANDS COOL PLACES www.hotbrandscoolplaces.com