Carluccio's Penne Giadiniera

I love Italian food so admittedly I'm a little biased but the first time I tried the Penne Giadiniera at Carluccio's, I thought I was in heaven! This dish is simple but so incredibly tasty and satisfying, large penne pasta drizzled with olive oil, copious amounts of garlic and grated courgettes. Topped with little balls of crunchy spinach deliciousness. This dish is so satisfying and the beauty of it is that you can have it with a vegetarian friend as there's not morcel of meat or fish in sight.

And that's not all folks, Antonio Carluccio sets the charitable standard for other restaurants by donating 50p from every dish of Penne Giardiniera to Action Against Hunger, the humanitarian charity that works in over 40 countries helping families to feed their children and build a sustainable future.

A visit to Carluccio's is highly recommended, aside from yummy Italian dishes in the restaurant, each branch has an adjacent deli which serves up anything from fresh olives to huge scrumptious meringues to diving slices of carrot cake topped with a cream cheese icing. But if geography prevents you from visiting the restaurants located all over the UK and Dubai, then try making this dish yourself. The recipe can be found on their food blog. http://www.carluccios.com/our-food/blog/food/my-first-blog-item

If your creation makes your mouth water, you can just imagine how much better it will taste when you try the real thing made by the Italian master chefs and how much better you'll feel knowing that you're satisfyng your taste buds and your social conscience.

Who is Jimmy Choo?

I have read so much about the amazing Ms Tamara Mellon, the genius behind Jimmy Choo that I was convinced that Jimmy Choo was a made up name rather than infact the name of the Malaysian designer who should be credited for these amazingly sexy shoes that have helped many women rediscover their inner goddess.
Imagine my surprise after reading countless articles about Tamara Mellon and her unshakeable confidence and style, the former shopgirl who founded Jimmy Choo 14 years ago to come across an article in my local magazine, Le -Limited Edition about the real albeit small in size Mr Jimmy Choo.
I must have read dozens of article which give absolutely no credit to the man whose name we so love to wear. Jimmy Choo OBE is of Chinese descent, he made his first pair of shoes aged 11 and graduated from Cordwainers Technical College in London Borough of Hackney. He co-founded Jimmy Choo Ltd with Tamara Mellon in 1983 although we'd never know this reading the glossies. Apparently the two fell out in 2001 and he later sold his 50% share of the ready to wear company but still works on the couture range.
Whilst I appreciate the appeal of a sexy feisty businesswoman who seems to have been the brains and certainly finance behind the brand, we still have to give credit and kudos to the man whose creativity and name has left so many of us in awe of this smokingly sexy brand.
Here's to you Mr Choo and your fabulous shoes!

My heart strings have really been pulled with John Lewis' new TV advert set to Billy Joel's beautfiul song, 'She's Always a Woman'. At first I couldn't figure out it's magic hold over me or why I identified with it so much (why, on God's Green Earth does it reduce me to tears each and every time?). But I finally put my finger on it and realised that it speaks to the many stages that women go through in life. I smiled to think how my parents lovingly cared for me when I was only little and totally dependent on them...the fabulous college years...falling in love...having the bambino's...raising said bambino's.

It makes me realise how one must live in the present and that my life is going as it should be--the fun bits and the less than fun bits.

Apparently, John Lewis has a lifetime commitment to me. I never knew it, but I believe they just may do.