The Belle of the New Year’s Eve Ball

The party season is in full swing, with much joy at lunches and dinners with friends (my family lives abroad).

I have already taken my festive outfit for the New Year’s Eve party out of the wardrobe. I will wear this beautiful green tulle skirt by Julia Gloor (purchased in November) and an old (so, so, so old!) black pullover, which still looks brand new.

And, for one night, I will trade my ballerinas for these high heel ankle boots.

To finish off the look, I’m going to put on these gloves and this faux fur coat by Carla G. to keep warm when we stick our noses outside to see the fireworks.

A hint of perfume for that final touch.

I have decided that I’m going to put on make-up. After all, it’s not New Year’s Eve every day! As luck is on my side, my Lancôme Advent calendar came full of make-up and beauty products. Since I am not skilled in make-up, I have asked my beautician and friend L. to give me some tips for using what I have in my make-up bag.

I’m buzzing in anticipation of New Year’s Eve.

Boutique suggestion for NYE outfits

If  you ask me, I’m not someone who is super trendy and I am especially not the first one to jump on new fashions. Moreover, shopping is not something I do frequently.

However, I do like to pay a visit to gorgeous fashion shops that offer quality items and limited editions without having to spend a fortune at the same time.

This is why I want to suggest an exquisite boutique to you where you can find something special to wear for New Year’s Eve.

From a beautiful dress to a nice blazer, a gorgeous blouse or even accessories, one nice piece is all it takes to make the difference. You don’t need to buy a whole wardrobe. Do we agree?

Here is my suggestion (you can find more info on the shop’s Facebook page or website).

Happy shopping my dears!!!

Julia Gloor is one of those stores, or rather showrooms, full of treasures! - It offers a dream range of clothes and accessories. If you don’t know it yet, you will love it! I advise you to take a peek at this store.

Julie Gloor

Showroom Mode & Accessoires

8 rue Pictet-de-Bock

1205 Genève

(Plainpalais)

Open Tuesday to Thursday from 9:30 to 19h00

Otherwise by appointment on +41 78 788 18 68

Website: http://www.juliegloor.com

Author Margarida Rebelo Pinto

The second author I would like to recommend to you for December is Margarida Rebelo Pinto, little known abroad, but famous in Portugal.

Margarida Rebelo Pinto was born in Lisbon in June 1965. She obtained her Master’s degree in Modern Literature. She started work as a journalist and wrote articles for very celebrated magazines and newspapers, such as Elle, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire and Vogue. Margarida Rebelo Pinto is Portugal’s current best-selling author. She was named one of the 25 most influential women in Portuguese contemporary society. She has a son. She loves tea and long walks.

Margarida, writes about love and women in today’s society. This is the topic of all of her novels. Her books are romantic, sincere, nostalgic, funny and easy to read. Her intuitive analyses of behaviour and relationships between men and women are accusatory.  She excels at writing about generations of Old Portuguese families and reflects on the evolution of Portuguese society: the good and the bad things in it.

Margarida has her detractors, who do not consider her as a “real” writer. But the reading public has had its say... Yes, her books are best sellers in Portugal and are widely sold in Spain, Brazil, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Lithuania. Her novels move people, they bring something into their lives. What determines the value of a writer? In my eyes, her (or his) universe, her own talented written skills and style, her passion to take us on an extraordinary journey... As I said in my “About Me” page, I have no training in this field, but I can’t live without books. They fulfil me and I am willing to read a book as long as the writing is engaging.

The first time I came across one of Margarida’s books was in June 2006 while on vacation in Lisbon. I remember it as if it was yesterday. I was at FNAC and found a book that looked like a diary, so cute... I started reading it and couldn’t put it down. Within minutes I felt my heart beating faster and tears coming to my eyes. The book was “Diário da tua Ausência” (in English Diary of your absence), a beautifully written story about a break-up, the end of a love affair. It drove me into all the feelings you go through when you lose the person you love (sadness, despair, loneliness, anger, resilience and acceptance). I have read it four times since then.

My Christmas Table!

Those of you who have followed my blog for a long time are already well acquainted with my deep and unconditional love for table dressing. I think a gorgeous table is a promise of a great moment to come!!

Last year, a faithful reader sent me an email asking me for a suggestion for decorating a Chrisrmas table. This surprised and touched me a lot and it was with great pleasure that I shared my 2015 Christmas dinner table (I hope you will enjoy this year’s one too, Tamara).

This year (this will be my dinner Christmas table decoration in 4 days’ time) I have favoured natural tones. With the exception of the sky blue wrappers of the chocolate balls, some pink hypericum sprigs and brown pine cones, everything is beige or white.

I keep my table pretty simple and it varies very little from year to year. I add some trinkets and DIY items, but the essential remains... There is the timeless white tablecloth and matching napkins, beautiful old handmade embroidery, a family gift. Candles are a must, too.

The rest depends on the mood of the moment, really. So this time I have prepared a central table decoration with a silver plate and embellished it with beige baubles and stars, pine cones and a few pink hypericum sprigs, white candles and miniature porcelain angels in pastel/gold colours.

Champagne and Crémant d’Alsace are “must haves”

For dessert, we will have the stars of Italian and Britain Christmas cakes: a “Pennetone with glazed chestnuts and raisins” and a “Christmas Pudding”. This cake “gang” is wickedly good.

Et voilà!! It took me less than an hour and only a few pennies prepare this table for the special day.

Best desserts in Geneva - 4th Quarter 2016

This post normally celebrates my favourite desserts from a cafe/bakery/pastry shop in Geneva. I have only documented delicacies here that I have tried personally (and many times).

For this quarter, the choice of cakes is small but equally fabulous. The cakes in Siciliani are to eat and cry for more. As its name indicates, Siciliani is an Italian pastry shop. Since its opened more than a year ago, this cake shop met with great success and is full of people day and night. They also have a restaurant area in case you want to dine.

Here are a few Italian cakes from the vast selection they offer.

Are you ready for the show???

Siciliani

Rue Caroline 8

1227 Les Acacias - Geneva

Tram 15 stop Acacias

Tél.: +4122 342 3854

Cannolo is a pastry of the Sicily region. Cannoli consist of tube-shaped shells of fried pastry dough, filled with a sweet, creamy filling usually containing ricotta. Other variants are flavoured with vanilla orange flower water. Chopped pistachios are used to decorate the cream at the open ends of the pastries.

Cassata Siciliana is a traditional cake from Sicily. Cassata consists of a round sponge cake moistened with liqueur and layered with ricotta cheese, candied peel, and a chocolate or vanilla filling. It is covered with a shell of marzipan and green pastel coloured icing. Then it is topped with candied fruit depicting cherries.

Rum Baba is a small yeast cake soaked in strong alcohol, usually rum, and sometimes filled with whipped cream or pastry cream. It is most typically made in individual servings (in a small tapered cylinder shape). The batter for baba is even richer than brioche batter, and includes eggs, milk and butter.

Bignè alla crema is a delicious choux pastry filled with Italian vanilla cream or a simple whipped cream, with a fresh raspberry on top.

Italian biscuits

 

These are my genuine personal opinions and favourites, otherwise I would not have written about these cakes. As always with all my posts, this is not sponsored.

Winter Wonderland

On Sunday, we went for a brisk stroll in the countryside near Loex. As you can see, the trees were wearing their winter coat of frost.

These snapshots were taken with my smartphone.

Have a great week

Christmas Gift Idea - Apple Chutney

For Christmas I always add a DIY gift that I have made to the main present that I offer. In the middle of November, when I saw this recipe, I knew it would be a spectacular Christmas gift idea. You see, in my entourage, we all love exotic things and Indian food. As luck was on my side, there was a huge promotion on Swiss apples here in the area. So, I prepared this recipe on a Saturday afternoon. I hope you like it as much as we do.

Ingredients (Makes 6 small jars)

1.5kg apples (Golden apples if you prefer a sweeter chutney, Belle de Boskoop apples if you want it more tangy/acidulous)

1 onion

250g of yellow sugar

1 teaspoon Cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon clove powder

1 teaspoon ginger powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon powder

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

250ml of cider vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Peel the apples, remove the cores, and cut them into not too large cubes. Finely chop the onion.

2. Put the apples, chopped onion, all the spices, sugar and vinegar in a pan and season with a little salt and pepper. Stir well to mix together all the ingredients and bring to the boil.

3. Reduce the heat to minimum and cook about 30 to 40 minutes until it is a soft, very aromatic mixture.

4. Place chutney, while still hot, in previously sterilised jars, close and store in a dry place.

5. Decorate with a pretty sticker and write down the serving suggestions.

To sterilise jars, wash and thoroughly rinse them in hot water. Place wet jars in a low oven to dry off and keep warm. Fill with hot chutney and cover with a waxed disc (waxed side down). Leave to cool, place a cellophane disc over the top and seal with an elastic band.

Et  voilà one thing done!