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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009
I moved house over the weekend and I now finally have a Christmas tree. It’s our last day in the office today and this evening will see me holding a bauble in one hand and a glass of mulled wine in the other - decorating my tree. It will be the perfect way to mark this new start [...]
Best viral ads of 2009
Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009
As we reach the end of the year, it’s inevitable that we are inundated with ‘Best of 2009′ lists. No matter what the topic - best books, best gadgets, best TV moments, best music singles, most viewed YouTube videos… you name it.
So, since this year has seen the launch of our new website, and, for me, been an eye-opening [...]
My Xmas Holiday Book List
Monday, December 21st, 2009
It’s that wonderful time of year when, with a holiday on the horizon, I’m planning my reading list with care. If I was famous, and flew by private jet so had no baggage restrictions and had my luggage carted around for me, my bags would be filled to the brim with books. But as it [...]
Judging a person by what they read
Friday, December 18th, 2009
I am currently in between reads. I finished The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and now am impatiently waiting for my sister to finish Andre Agassi’s new autobiography Open so I can read it. I’m a big tennis fan and my sister professes that it has the best opening chapter she’s ever read.
So, as I was saying…I’m [...]
Fantastic Polenastics
Thursday, December 17th, 2009
I am a pole-dance convert – for purely fitness reasons!
A good friend of mine is a polenastic fanatic (’polenastics‘ is pole-dancing as exercise) - so much so she has installed her own pole in the living room so that she can work out on it every day. This seemed a little excessive to me, until [...]
The angel/fairy debate
Wednesday, December 16th, 2009
It might be verging on the ludicrous, but my hubby and I were arguing the other night over whether the creature perching on the top of our Christmas tree was an angel or a fairy.
Don’t get me started, but I have been subsumed into the Crooks tradition that only an angel/fairy on top of the [...]
Xmas tips - free stuff, offers and deadlines
Tuesday, December 15th, 2009
A few quick thoughts if you (like me) find yourself in the midst of a last-minute panic about Xmas presents.
Don’t miss the chance to win a free book, in time for you to to wrap up and put under the tree by visiting Sleuths’ Ink Blog featuring Richard Jay Parker as the guest blogger. Comment [...]
BATTLE OF THE BOOK CLUBS!
Monday, December 14th, 2009
As Amanda Ross (former producer of the Richard & Judy Book Club) gets ready to launch the new TV Book Club, sans the celebrity couple, Richard and Judy have announced they will continue to recommend titles to readers with a new book club on their own website.
The lesser-known Christmas traditions…
Monday, December 14th, 2009
When I was younger I had an Italian friend who got a lump of coal on Christmas. I remember being shocked – a lump of coal? But then she started gnawing at the black lump in her hand and I realised my mistake. Her version of Father Christmas (La Befana) was not as mean as [...]
The not-so-Oxford-Dictionary definition for ‘caboose’…
Friday, December 11th, 2009
We recently ran a competition to see who could come up with the best alternative definition for the word ‘Caboose’ (read our previous blog). Well, let me tell you I’ve never had so much fun getting entries in! You are a funny lot you Allison & Busby fans! Hats off to your imagination!
We asked the [...]
Chocoholics’ Heaven
Thursday, December 10th, 2009
A quick news flash for all my fellow dedicated chocoholics out there…
I heard on the grapevine that London’s Southbank Centre is hosting a winter Chocolate Festival this weekend, from the 11th to the 13th December. It’s free admission and will include chocolate-making demonstrations, edible art, book signings, tastings (ooh, yes please!), sweet talks by the [...]
Favourite things at Xmas
Wednesday, December 9th, 2009
I’m a sucker for a number of things at this time of year as the urge to get all Christmassey descends upon me.
Firstly, beautiful stationery. Particularly gorgeous, thick pads and journals, cards and I was even drooling over be-a-utiful bookplates online the other day.
Secondly, cookery books (featuring James Martin if possible…ahem…) with plenty of pictures. [...]
Susan Wooldridge & Roberta Taylor at Wanstead Library, London
Wednesday, December 9th, 2009
Enjoy an evening with two of Britain’s beloved actresses as they talk about and sign copies of their new books at Wanstead Library, London on Friday 11th Dec.
Cold Green Fingers
Tuesday, December 8th, 2009
At this time of the year I almost forget I have a garden. In the summer, while the sun still shines, I’ll happily potter about when I get home from work. But in the winter, when it’s pitch black outside and usually raining or freezing cold, it’s not quite as appealing.
I’m also never sure what [...]
Getting that Christmas feeling
Monday, December 7th, 2009
This weekend we took my little nephew to the Winter Wonderland fair in Hyde Park for his first experience on a merry-go-round. This was followed by an electric Reindeer ride, video footage of which will no doubt be replayed incessantly to family members over Christmas - what with me looking ecstatic on the back of [...]
Simple pleasures
Friday, December 4th, 2009
I’ve been wanting to do this for a while now but last week I finally ordered my first organic food and veg box. There are a few companies to pick from but I opted for Woodfield Organics and their standard Fruit & Veg Mix. I stepped out to work yesterday morning and there it was [...]
A winter warmer
Thursday, December 3rd, 2009
Now that winter’s most definitely arrived, my taste buds have started craving comfort food. This soup is just perfect, and it’s spicy enough to warm you up from the inside!
Curried Apple and Mint Soup (Serves 6)
Ingredients:
30g (1 oz) butter
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 tbsp curry powder (mild)
900ml (1.5pt) veg stock
750g (1.5lbs) cooking apples, peeled, cored [...]
Thierry Henry Hoover
Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009
Over the past few days my ears have been picking up bizarro news stories left, right and centre, but the one that has really stuck in my mind made me picture homes and work places across Ireland becoming neglected and bedraggled-looking soon.
Y’see, following a certain (dirty, stinking, cheating…) incident involving Thierry Henry, apparently scores of [...]
3 for 2 on James Anderson Trilogy
Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009
James Anderson’s bestselling ‘The Affair of…’Trilogy will delight any mystery-lover and make for a lovely gift set! You can now get all 3 titles for the price of 2. Buy the three books and then submit promo code AFFAIR3 in your shopping basket to get your discount.
Scrooge’s Christmas Guide
Tuesday, December 1st, 2009
I saw this gem on a website ostensibly giving Christmas gift ideas for hapless husbands, boyfriends and brothers. Soon to be ex-husbands, ex-boyfriends and ex-siblings.
Apparently Twittering your weight is all the rage at the moment – having your weekly weigh-in broadcast worldwide is the ideal way to keep the winter wobbles at bay. And this [...]
Recently, thanks to the lovely Lesley, I was given two months’ free subscription to Lovefilm.com, and, a month in, I’m loving it! It comes as a surprise each time I find a new DVD waiting for me – like a little present.
The latest to drop through my letterbox was The Changeling, starring Angelina Jolie and [...]
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