The Summer Fruits Hangover Smoothie

Exams are nearly over (finally!), the holidays are creeping upon us, and with the sunshine comes the alcohol and messy nights. So when you're nursing your head and yearning for a cure, remember this fool-proof recipe for yourself or someone else who is worse for wear this holiday.

Being the fabulous and generous sister I am, I created this for my older brother who got wrecked on a night out, who needed a serious detox and remedy. 

This recipe can be adapted for vegans due to alternatives such as plant-based yoghurt from brands like Alpro. You could also use maple syrup instead of honey too.

What You'll Need:

• A Blender or food processor.
• Half of a banana.
• 190g of frozen summer fruits.
• 175ml of Plain Greek Style Yoghurt.
• 1 tablespoon of honey.

For decoration, you could sprinkle some chia seeds on top of the smoothie alongside a sweet little strawberry, or you could pick your own alternatives like chocolate shavings or a couple of cherries.

Method:

1. Put all of the ingredients into the food processor or blender and then purée the mixture until all of the solids have been liquefied.
2. Once the smoothie is of a liquid consistency, serve the smoothie immediately for a quick, cool and refreshing remedy for those with a not-so pleasant head the morning after.

Soundtrack to this creation? Right here.

Unlike some poor souls, I have finished all of my exams; now I have a long and beautiful summertime to pursue, which is when this concoction might come in handy!

Hope you all have a loveeeeeely summer,

Thank you for reading!

Love, Grace x

ARTISTIC AND UNIQUE HOT SOX

Hot Sox's Famous Artist Series

"Johannes Vermeer's masterwood, the Girl with the Pearl Earring can only be found in two places - The Hague and your feet." - Hot Sox

Carry a piece of culture with you on the soles of your feet with Hot Sox, whose series ranges from the Mona Lisa by Leonardo Da Vinci to Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh. Art lover or not, these statement socks are made for anyone - whether you're a fashionista or a quirky companion.

Amidst their eye-catching, miniature pieces of classic art, Hot Sox also create pleasant and patterned socks which are for those who indulge in the simpler things in life, like the simple bouclé striped trouser sock or the cashmere socks.  

Not only do I adore the simple beauty of the Girl with Pearl Earring, but I couldn't resist the temptation of owning my own minute edition; you can own you're own pair in red (like the pair I've purchased) or in purple. Personally, I think the red appears more like a Cherry Red, rather than a pillarbox red (if that means anything to you).

The 58% cotton socks are really comfy and I can't wait to wear them; with such bold socks it'll be tricky to coordinate them with an outfit if I don't surround my outfit around them. In the future I am sure to invest in some of their crazy and confident designs, for myself, or for friends as they are the perfect little gift for anyone.

Alongside the purchase of these fabulous socks which I ordered through Topshop online, I purchased some 70s inspired clogs which are the footwear rave of this summer.

You can read about The Comeback of the Clog here!

The combination of the clog AND the funky graphic socks are daring; what do you think of them? Quirky or questionable? Let me know in the comments below!

 Here are some of my personal favourites: 

• The Scream by Edvard Munch
• The Kiss by Gustav Klimt
• The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli

 “Every portrait that is painted with feeling is a portrait of the artist, not of the sitter.” 

― Oscar Wilde

 Thank you for reading, 

Love, Grace x

THE COMEBACK OF THE CLOG THIS SUMMER

Photographic credit to this website.

Instead of heading to the Netherlands any time soon, you can grab the shoe staple trend of the summer, which has been slipped out of its cultural history and into our wardrobe.

Unlike the traditional clog (as seen on the left), this season's favourite shoe comes in more modest colours, and in a range of materials from suede to synthetic material, which are (thankfully) more comfortable than the classic souvenir.

As of yesterday, I received my precious purchase in the post; I am now a proud owner of this bold statement that has risen from the 1970s, which has been mixed with modern style to produce a pair of two-part leather clogs with a chunky four inch wooden platform and heel.

After unwrapping the god-like delight, a ritual that occurs after every purchase of a clothing item proceeded swiftly - matching up this new item to my current wardrobe gives me a sense of excitement for when I will get the chance to wear it/them.

These outrageously iconic shoes give vibrant attitude to even the simplest of dresses and outfits. I specifically searched for a shoe with a closed toe so that I could integrate the shoes with both winter and summer. With a closed toe, I can surely wear these clogs with a pair of funky socks or woollen tights when the cold weather seeps back into our British so-called summertime.

With the use of the magical internet and Topshop online, I ordered myself some cultural and artistic socks alongside the leather clogs, with the aim of pursuing this delectable vision.

Where From and for How Much?

The Leather Wooden Clogs are from Topshop, and so are the Hot Sox which feature girl with the pearl earrings.

By coincidence, both items have links to the Netherlands; Girl with a Pearl Earring was painted by the Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer whereas the clog originates from several different countries, including Holland.

You can read more about the playful Hot Sox here!

THE CLOGS are incredibly comfortable but I'm still getting to grips with the smooth frictionless bottoms (how ironic). The thick heel and platform provide perfect stability when walking and the leather is simply gorgeous and timeless. The clogs shall go perfect with this season's crush on all things denim and 70s for a vintage take on daytime style, or you could pair them with simple bohemian-styled blouses with flared jeans. For a chic night-time outfit, wear the clogs with rich fabrics like silk and satin or retro-patterned clothing like a shift dress.

Check back soon on my blog for a post with guidance on how to style clogs!

Thank you for reading,

Love Grace x

Mixed Berry Nice Cream

Nice cream is the perfect, most simple snack ever that you can make effortlessly within a short space of time, which has been essential over these past few weeks whilst I've been revising for my GCSEs (sigh of relief because I only have three left).

This blog will eventually contain personal entries as well as different vegan and gluten-free snacks and meals which I am new to, as I am a from a full-blown meat-eating, bread-toasting type of family. I want to eat healthily, but happily. Simple? Yes.

This recipe has taken inspiration from a nice-cream recipe that the wondrous and vast  internet has gifted me - you can find it here on this link.

Need a soundtrack to this concoction? Right Here!

Mixed Berry Nice Cream (serves 4)

This super-healthy guilt-free desert or snack is so easy, delicious, and only 62 calories per servings. For relatively lazy people like myself, this is a simple masterpiece. 

• Vegan
• Gluten Free
• Low Calorie
• Wheat Free
• Dairy Free

What you need:

• 170 grams of frozen mixed berries.
• A food processor or blender
• (Optional) 12.5g of mixed nuts.
• (Optional) 1 tablespoon of maple syrup.
• (Optional) 15g of chia seeds.

My chosen toppings are optional as you can top this nice cream with anything such as fruit, or non-vegan treats like chocolate or sweets. The maple syrup could be swapped for honey or chocolate sauce for other non-vegan alternatives.

For this recipe, you could freeze chopped fresh fruit or tinned fruit instead of buying a pre-frozen packet of mixed fruit.

Method

1. Purée the mixed frozen berries in the food processor or blender until smooth. If the mixture divides into solid fruit and puréed fruit, simply stir the mixture and resume puréeing.
2. Once all of the fruit has been puréed, transfer the mixture into a freezer-safe container and freeze until solid, about 4 hours. Keep in mind that the nice cream usually takes 15 minutes to soften at room temperature.
3. When serving the nice cream, it can be topped with the chia seeds, maple syrup and mixed nuts, or your own personal alternatives.

Please comment below if you have any queries or questions. 

Thanks for reading, and Enjoy!

Love, Grace