The clothing range that pleasantly surprised me this week

Let's talk about Marks & Spencer's clothing. M&S has always had a bit of a rap for being a bit 'mumsy'. When I was growing up, I always thought it was more targeted to the middle aged / older woman, so never really considered M&S when I needed new clothing. Then three years ago at London Fashion Weekend I saw M&S through new eyes. In no way was it 'mumsy', it was actually bang on trend. And let's not forget that celebrities like Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Alexa Chung are lining up to launch their own collections with M&S. Alexa Chung very soon in fact (launching this month... I can't wait!) It dawned on me the other day that I hadn't been to Marks & Spencer's clothing department (or looked online) for a little while, and thought it was high time I fixed that. To my surprise, I came up with a huge wishlist of all the items I adored (I certainly didn't think I'd be be bookmarking that many items!) So today dear friends, I am sharing my top picks with you...

Khaki jacket - Very Alexa Chung, don't you think? Wear with the bluest jeans and whitest sneakers to complete the look.

Trench coat - I do love a long coat, but being tan and in this faux suede sort of material, this coat ticks two extra boxes.

Cat purse - How cute is this purse?! Forever the crazy cat lady, I definitely need one of these in my life!

Suede lattice mules - I love cut out shoes and this tan coloured slip on pair would look perfect set against deep blue jeans.

Spotty box bag - A dead ringer for the Reiss box bags - but for a fraction of the price!

Lace blouse - Another Alexa Chung style find! This looks light and airy - perfect for the warmer weather

Tan pencil skirt - The perfect rust / tan colour. I would style this with a simple white blouse tucked in for lady-like elegance.

Tan leather jacket - .... ok faux leather, but looks pretty realistic, don't you think?

Textured wool jacket - This reminds me of a jacket I once bought (from another store) which I loved but returned as I couldn't justify the price. This jacket from M&S is a cheaper alternative to the one I saw before, but looks every inch as luxe.

Printed culottes - I've never owned a pair of culottes before, but I love this print of these ones so much I may now have to!

Tan handbag - Never have I seen a Mulberry dupe as good as this. I realise it probably wasn't designed to be a Mulberry dupe, but boy, does it look realistic! Perfect for people like me who have always dreamed of owning a Mulberry bag

Lace off the shoulder dress - I love this style of dress. I found a similar one lately elsewhere but the quality was so poor in comparison (sheer, paper thin and really, really short). This M&S offering is a much better length.

Graffiti print shirt - How eye catching is the print on this shirt?? It looks so high fashion and would look great paired with a leather skirt or worn underneath a jumpsuit or play suit.

Light blue sweater - The sweater of dreams. I need this in my wardrobe tomorrow yesterday.

Foil print skirt - This A line skirt looks almost oriental, so is great for that East meets West look. I love the metallic jacquard print set against the khaki colouring of the skirt.
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 I know this feature may seem more directed to my UK readers than my overseas readers, but nothing could be further from the truth! Marks & Spencer does ship abroad to over 30 countries and has dedicated websites for Europe, the US and so on. So if you like any of the above and aren't from the United Kingdom, it isn't necessary game over for you!

Which items from Marks & Spencer are your favourites?

Red velvet cupcake wine and a very warming winter stew

Bonjour! The last few days have passed in a blur of cake, boissons chaudes, crazy French driving and arctic conditions. We didn't expect it to be that cold in Paris - resulting in me wearing pretty much all the clothes I'd packed every single day in order to stay warm. After spending a few days in the city, we caught the last train back to London and used the day after to recuperate. Having the house to ourselves, we went into town to stock up, and made the most of the kitchen. To drink we had this bottle of Red Velvet Cupcake wine which we've found in Marks & Spencer before. Previously we bought it for the novelty factor, but ended up actually really enjoying it's smooth consistency and chocolatey notes.

To start we cooked scallops and chorizo in a lemon garlic butter sauce

We also picked up some cod to make our homemade Spanish inspired fish stew. 

With lots of herbs, tomatoes and paprika, it's the perfect pick-me-up for a chilly day.

Crusty olive bread was ideal for dipping into that wonderfully smokey rich sauce.

To finish, we had chocolate melt in the middle puddings

Having been in Versailles the day before, we watched Marie Antoinette, trying to recognise all the different rooms of the chateau, scarcely believing that we were on French soil less than 24 hours ago! Paris pictures to follow!

Hello New Year

I'd originally pinned my hopes on seeing the London fireworks with friends this year, but with the rain quite literally putting a damper on things, we quickly changed our plans. As much as I love a meal out, New Year's Eve prices are ridiculous - £80-100 per head for tiny portions? No thank you. With the last minute offer of a free house, we decided to have a night in instead fuelled with cider, home cooked food and a bottle of bubbly. The menu I devised was very last minute but hit the spot. We ate devoured:

Sea bass coated with a garlic, herb, lemon and cheese crust, roasted Mediterranean veg, and potato croquettes with a chestnut crust:

Balsamic mushrooms stuffed with spinach, garlic, pine nuts and cheese:

Deliciously rich chocolate cups topped with a chocolate straw

We filled up glasses preparing for the countdown

And nibbled on shop bought macaroons from M&S as a post-dinner treat:

Seeing the Southbank on the TV and all the rain, we had no regrets whatsoever and as luck may have it, had a much better view of the fireworks this way ;) Relieved to be indoors and dry, we laughed, talked and danced into the night. New Year's Day was a bit of a bed day to be honest with you. I'm staying on a couple more days then I'm heading back home for the weekend for a birthday. I won't be blogging about my new year's resolutions as I never really make any.

What did you do on NYE? Do you have any New Year's Resolutions?