When I was a little darling (yes, really!), we used to spend every Easter with my cousins at my grandparents house in the English countryside. We would wake up full of excitement, and rush down to breakfast to find an Easter treat laid out on the breakfast table for each of us. Later in the day, we would run around their big garden, baskets in hand, to find what the...

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There is a little known ultra super food hiding behind the over marketed and over priced big brand products right here in Chelsea. I have been using Chia Seeds to supplement both my clients’ health and mine for years and have been baffled as to how difficult they are to purchase here in the UK. The sales clerk in Revital Heath Shop on the King’s Road very nervously...

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March 19th 2012 sees the launch of Molton Brown’s new Skincare and Anti-ageing Bodycare collection. Offering low maintenance, high performance products with clinically proven results, the new range is engineered to help significantly improve the skin’s health and ageing process. Visibly effective and honestly explained with no ‘miracle cure’ claims or exaggerated promises, Molton Brown’s innovative no-nonsense capsule skincare collection offers four daily steps to naturally balanced, beautiful and radiant skin. Molton...

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Freelance Fashion Photographer Alice Luker recreates the spectacle of Dorian Grey’s dance with the devil amid the sumptuous environs of Blakes Hotel, South Kensington. Notebook TV was there to capture each sensual second behind the scenes of The Opium Den. Alice Luker was recently shortlisted for the prestigous AOP (Association Of Photographers) Open Awards 2011; winning ‘Public Choice’ with her image exhibited at the Trewman Brewery in London. Alice’s work has...

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A few months after I first had little darling, I remember going along to Gambado (a soft-play area) with a group of girlfriends and their babies. We were all very much in that post-baby haze (and hence obviously hadn’t done our research properly), but we walked straight in, took one look, and walked straight back out again! Places like Gambado (garish & loud!) are fun for kids but just awful...

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Gardening is a form of self-expression. Especially in the British garden. Designs may look laid back. Haphazard, even. But surprising juxtapositions rarely happen in the flowerbeds by chance. Such daring dualities are at the heart of London Blooms. The new trio of Jo Malone scents. Adorned by breathtaking botanical drawings. Reflecting the spirit of modern gardens. Synonymous with emotions. Open to the sun and rain. Somewhere to show off. Hide....

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I was invited along to the Champagne bar at the Grosvenor Hotel to find out about a distinctly cheeky package it has launched for the indulgent romantics amongst you. The days of Courtesans are long over but the at the Grosvenor they appear to live on. Not that I’m saying the Grosvenor by any means offers illicit services, but to celebrate the hotel’s 150th birthday they have created a rather romantic...

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Often described as the ‘ultimate red carpet experience’, and an encounter that is more frequently shared by passengers such as Her Majesty The Queen, Simon Cowell or indeed Lord Sugar, for many, riding in a Rolls Royce is recognised as the ultimate aspiration. Driving one however is quite something else. The Rolls Royce Ghost is the newest edition to the portfolio – smaller than the rest of its family, it nonetheless...

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As the newest recruit to your team of bloggers here at The Notebook Magazine, I thought I should allocate my first post as a means of introducing myself. My name is Cee Fee and I am a personal trainer here in SW3, most commonly spotted exercising with my clients in the beautiful Battersea Park and roaming the aisles of Waitrose on the Kings Road loading up groceries for my clients’...

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The Telegraph CRUISE Show is the place for anyone dreaming of a holiday afloat. There has never been a better time to discover your ideal cruising experience – it’s all about choice. Don’t forget to bring your non-cruising friends along too so they can discover why so many are now turning to holidays at sea! Notebook readers can get their hands on a reduced price ticket offer whereby advance tickets can...

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I am yet to find a person who wouldn’t fancy canapés. You know, the little bites most are so keen to have with the first sips of aperitif; the ones to tickle your taste buds and that simply add a nice touch to the evening. Canapés can range from simple toss-ups to fancy, luxurious treats. Just think of humble prune wrapped in bacon or a confit duck spoonful. One would take...

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A perfect weekend away started by leaving London so late that I was sure we weren’t going to make it to Kesgrave Hall at all. I fidgeted and worried and pressed my foot down on the imaginary gas pedals in the passenger side, but we still weren’t making good time. I decided to call ahead and let the hotel know that we were sure to miss our dinner reservation, a...

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As I walk into The Little Black Gallery, in Chelsea just off the Fulham Road, I’m greeted by the poppy, aural funk that is Jamiroquai’s first album. Perhaps it’s the cool sounding rhythms or the front man’s penchant for models, but either way it fits the scene and sets the mood. I’m here to see Models; Super ones. The image in pride of place in the front window is of Crawford...

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We’ve all seen the post card; deserted beach, palm tree, hammock, and from the dank and soggy climes of West London it’s quite easy to assume this portrait is a miracle of photo-shop, or perhaps a still frame from a time when the world was less populated with sun seekers. Not so, I’ve been lying in that very hammock, sipping on Pina Coladas, whilst gazing out over a pristine tropical bay...

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Did you know? Each year almost 7,000 women in the UK are diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and over 70% of these women sadly lose their life. If diagnosed earlier 90% could be saved! This shocking statistic is the reason why Elemis is delighted to be collaborating with The Eve Appeal, to help raise awareness of Ovarian Cancer this March. Elemis has created a Limited Edition Perfect Hands Anti-Ageing Treatment collection (£29.90,...

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We have all on occasion wished just once to be treated like a princess, offered the very finest available, perhaps only fit for a queen, and even though we have been repeatedly told that an Englishman’s home is his castle, sometimes all or any of the aforementioned aren’t quite enough. Sometimes you want to go the whole royal hog. Fortunately for us Londoners we live in a land where fairytales do...

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If you are looking for a quick getaway, not from a bank heist naturally but more from the daily drudge, a mere 45 minute drive from London will land you directly on the doorstep of Danesfield House, Hotel and Spa, set in glorious surroundings and overlooking the River Thames. Once there you will be greeted by personable and helpful staff who will show you to your room, we stayed in the...

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This week is Marmalade Week and yesterday I had the privilege to attend the Marmalade Awards breakfast at Fortnum & Mason. Scrambled eggs and ham were initially served, along with hot drinks and fruit juices. And as soon as our plates arrived, I reminisced about a long ago countryside experience when for the first time I had never seen eggs so golden: the true beauty of good eggs. A selection of award-winning...

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In my continual training to become an undercover agent (I speak multiple languages, take regular body combat classes and am caught out of the country on secret missions all too often), finding a suitable means of transport is imperative. In a nod to the original international man of mystery James Bond himself then, there can surely be only one option. Throw in the additional accolade of it being recently voted the...

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Ladies and gentlemen, the sun is O.U.T. Or at least it’s made a nice little appearance this past weekend, and I for one and hoping that this means spring is on the way. So, here is a list of my favorite places with outdoor seating where you can enjoy the sun with a glass of wine and a nice meal, along with a few tips. The Jam Tree
Our little family tried...

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