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3 Amazing Apps for iPhone Users

June 16, 2015 by Erica Hughes 18 Comments

There are many apps out there for the iPhone, and with user favorites such social media apps like Facebook and Twitter leading the way. However, there are many out there that are just as useful and amazing as the aforementioned apps but are virtually unknown. If you’ve always wanted to fill your iPhone with useful apps but are too busy to browse the plethora of apps available at the App Store, here are some of the best ones that seem to never make “the best of” lists but bring great functionality to your smartgadget.

FileThis

Do you view your utility bills via your trusty smartphone? If you do, you’ll love FileThis. This app allows you to gather and organize online statements and other documents that your credit card or insurance company mails you. The app smartly converts these documents to text-searchable PDF files and delivers it to the cloud service of your choice. With FileThis, you can always review your statements with ease. You will also never lose files even if you happen to misplace your phone since they’ll be stored in cloud.

SitOrSquat

When you travel to a non-English speaking country, don’t you just hate it when you can’t easily ask a trivial question like where the toilet is? SitorSquat is the world’s most convenient app for locating nearby toilets. Currently, the app has over 65,000 registered toilets worldwide and the database is still growing thanks to a dedicated community that helps update SitOrSquat regularly.

SnapGuide

Sometimes, learning how to do a certain task can be difficult if you just read text instructions. With SnapGuide, however, DIY guides are made easy. The app is filled with how-to guides for everything from art to food, and each is illustrated with detailed steps. It’s a great app to have around at all times, especially if you’re a bit of a DIY fan. Users can create guides of their own to share with the community.

Smartphones are quite possibly the fastest growing industry in the world, and it isn’t too surprising given the scope of people who use them now. According to the company that manages the entertainment site Pocket Fruity, mobile sales are expected to surpass $40 billion in 2015 so we will probably see more apps in the future that revolutionize the way we see things in every part of our lives.

Do you use a less than popular app that you feels is underappreciated? Share it with us in the comments section!

Father’s Day With Baylis & Harding

June 4, 2015 by Erica Hughes 74 Comments

Baylis & Harding have a lovely range to choose from if you want to buy yourself a little treat, but they have gift shopping sussed too with their lovely gift set ranges. This Father’s Day is no exception with this sleek SPORT Trio of Treats Gift Set contains a Hair & Body Wash, Shower Gel and Aftershave Balm, in the fresh and zesty Citrus Lime & Mint fragrance. Available now from both Asda and Tesco, priced at £7.50 (rrp), which I think that’s excellent value and the set looks like it would cost more.

If you’d like to win a set, Baylis & Harding have offered us a set to give away to readers of A Little Luxury For Me. You can enter via the Gleam widget below.

Competition Terms and Conditions
1. No bulk, third-party or automated entries.

2. Entrants must be UK residents aged 18 years or older.

3. The winners will be chosen by a random draw.

4. The winner will be notified by email and will have a week to claim their prize. Should they fail to respond within this time, an alternative winner will be selected.

5. Promoter is responsible for fulfilling the prize and full contact details of the winner will be passed onto the promoter.

6. Competition closes on 11 June 2015.
Baylis Father’s Day Little Luxury

Food Gusto at Ashby-de-la-Zouch

May 26, 2015 by Erica Hughes 24 Comments

At the weekend we went to Food Gusto at Ashby-de-la-Zouch.The venue was the town’s historic Bath Grounds and there was a good crowd in attendance. Entrance was £1 per over 15 year old. There was quite a selection of stalls to browse around, some of whom were familiar from the regular farmers’ markets held in Ashby, but others were new to the mix.

I loved that there was a wide choice of stalls and produce on offer, often with more than one type of each stall. So you could buy picture perfect cup cakes if that’s your thing or more rustic (more generous) slices and buns. Don’t those Battenburg slices look amazing? For me they are always a reminder of my childhood as we used to have a slice as a treat.

Today we sampled some of their delicious cookies which were crunchy on the outside and nicely gooey on the inside. Very moreish indeed.

There was a fabulous looking deli store from North’s, the resident purveyor of all things baked in Ashby. They had a lovely range of savoury and sweet treats to tempt you.

There were a wide range of pies from Brocklebys,. We tried a couple of these and found the Chicken one a little bland, but Summer Isle Salmon Pie was very tasty. One thing that was missing was a proper butcher’s stall. There was one stand selling burgers and sausages which they were cooking and you could buy some sausages to take home, but there wasn’t a traditional butchers, which was a shame given the wide range of produce available.

As well as food (and drink) stands that you’d expect, there were a number of community stands too, so there was something there for all the family. Luckily we won a bottle of wine on one stall, as you can imagine we came home pleased. There were even treats to be had for the family pooch with The Doggy Cookie Company on hand. Doesn’t the stall look so pretty and tempting?

Steak School with Miller & Carter

May 15, 2015 by Erica Hughes 26 Comments

This week I went back to school, Steak School that is to learn all about steaks and how to cook them. Miller & Carter organised the event to celebrate their recent Eblex award win for England’s Best Sirloin steak. Miller & Carter are owned by Birmingham based Mitchells & Butlers and it was great to find out more about a local firm.

So who are Eblex? They are the organisation for the beef and lamb industry and they introduced the awards this year to recognise and reward quality, innovation and excellence in beef and lamp production. There are 3 different competitions: Best Sirloin Steak, Best Innovative Steak and Best Steak Pie. Miller & Carter entered its 12oz sirloin steak to win the best ‘Foodservice’ category.

We found all about how Miller & Carter source their steaks and it taught us a lot about steak as we went along. I was brought up as very much a carnivore and meat was an important part of our family’s life. I spent a lot of time in butchers’ shops (or so it seemed) and the freezer was always full of meat. My husband isn’t quite such a dedicated meat-eater and isn’t as keen on beef as I am. Hence, I don’t very often cook steak, but I often choose it when we go out for a meal. It was good to hear that Miller & Carter source their meat very carefully and it is all reared on British farms. It’s important to me that my meat is produced ethically and I think it tastes better when a bit of care has gone into producing it. I was impressed with the care taken with the steaks in the kitchen and it certainly makes sense when you think it takes so long to produce the product, it deserves respect in the kitchen too. Traceability goes all the way to the table too, which is fantastic.

Next up we learnt how to cook our steaks and get the perfect diamond shape. It was very simple and I’d like to do it at home, but apparently using a griddle pan is not the way as it doesn’t heat evenly.

So some of the key tips I picked up were:

Choose good quality meat.
Let your steak breathe for 20-30 minutes before cooking. Letting it come up to room temperature will help it stay tender.
A good coating of oil (rapeseed ideally) and a seasoning of rock salt and pepper will get your steak ready for the pan or grill.
Cook on a high temperature as this will help seal the meat to lock in the flavour.
Let it rest before serving.

I loved that all the Miller & Carter steaks come served with parsley butter, seasoned fries, a slice of moreish onion loaf and a balsamic glazed beef tomato. They also come with your choice of lettuce wedge and steak sauce. It’s good that all these come included – I don’t like being charged extra for things that I feel are part of my main course.

Trying Out Degustabox

May 12, 2015 by Erica Hughes 23 Comments

Degustabox is a monthly subscription surprise tasting box. Every month they select and send out an exciting range of new and limited edition food products from well-known brands. I’ve come across these surprise subscription boxes before in the beauty world, but the difference here is that the box contains lots of lovely things to eat and drink. This is the haul that we got in this month’s box and you can see it’s quite impressive. The boxes cost £12.99 per month and the pack is worth approximately twice that and delivery is included, which I think is excellent value.

I liked that there was a wide range of goodies from things to use in cooking from scratch to snacks and drinks. Obviously, I’m familiar with Nando’s the restaurant chain, but I hadn’t realised that they made snacks too with similar flavours to their restaurant food. We have been trying out a range of drinks too from soft drink cans like these from Scheckters which are natural energy drinks and these from Idrinq which contain a useful range of vitamins and nutrients. Barry’s Tea is a brand I’ve been meaning to try for a while as Irish friends rave about it. I’ve been impressed by the strength of the tea bags – so often I find that tea bags don’t contain enough tea or enough good quality tea and you end up waiting ages for a brew. These probably aren’t for you if you like a weaker cup though. Those that like something a little stronger will have their eye on the Kingfisher beer. We were sent items from the alcohol box and the alcohol free box for the purposes of this review. There was also a delicious soft drink: Wonjo Hibiscus. This had a lovely exotic flavour and was made from 100% natural ingredients.

I tried out some of the microwaveable rice from Veetee for my lunches last week. This was a really quick and tasty way to get a meal for one. You’d want to use it with something else if it was your main meal, but it’s perfect a side dish or a snack. It took just 2 minutes in the microwave and doesn’t need to be kept in the fridge – a nice one to take to work if you have access to a microwave. For when you are planning to do a little more in the way of preparation, there are some quality tomato products from Cirio. These are ideal for using if you are making a ragu or a bolognese. For curry fans that like a little help with the seasoning, there are a couple of Schwartz’s packet curries.

Those with a sweet tooth aren’t forgotten either and there are Creamy Cookies from Debeukelaer (how good do they look?) and some chocolate treats from Kinder.

We’ve really enjoyed trying out a range of items from different quality food brands. We have tried out different brands for familiar items like tea and tried out some new products, which we might not have thought to buy. Even if you don’t want to try everything in your box, you are still getting excellent value for money. If you’d like to try out a box readers can get a £3.00 discount when registering. The discount code to use for your Degustabox is WCEKC.

Maille Mustard’s Summer Menu

May 1, 2015 by Erica Hughes 202 Comments

Going to a bistro was quite the thing in the seventies. The rustic style of French cooking seemed to appeal and the checked tablecloths were a stylistic feature. They tended to fall a bit out of fashion later, but there has been a resurgence of interest recently, in fact there is quite a gastro-bistro trend going on. For their latest seasonal collection, Maille have taken on the vibe and the tastes of the classic French bistro.

So what’s on the summer menu?

Mustard with Aubergine and a Hint of Rosemary

Suggested as an accompaniment to a goat cheese tarte tatin or a fillet of red mullet, this mustard packs in traditional Mediterranean flavours like aubergine and rosemary. It has a smooth texture and the aubergine provides a slightly smokey flavour which combines well with the aromatic rosemary.

Mustard with Red & Green Peppers, White Wine and a Touch of Espelette Chilli

Perfect paired with a classic French chicken supreme or a beef tartare or even a fillet of cod, this punchy mustard mixes red and green peppers, with the spicy taste of the espelette chilli. This is a mustard that can lift a dish and take it to another level. If your meal is a little bland, try a little on the side to provide some zing.

Mustard with Rhubarb, Strawberry and White Wine

Strawberries are the taste of summer for me and rhubarb is making a comeback this year. This is a great mustard to team up with a yoghurt or maybe some eggy bread.

I have another set of summer menu mustards to giveaway to readers of A Little Luxury For Me, so if you’d like to win enter via the Rafflecopter widget below.

Competition Terms and Conditions
1. No bulk, third-party or automated entries.

2. Entrants must be UK residents aged 18 years or older.

3. The winners will be chosen by a random draw.

4. The winner will be notified by email and will have a week to claim their prize. Should they fail to respond within this time, an alternative winner will be selected.

5. Promoter is responsible for fulfilling the prize and full contact details of the winner will be passed onto the promoter.

6. Competition closes on 15 May 2015.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Bonsai Socks

April 29, 2015 by Erica Hughes 27 Comments

I’m a big fan of bamboo as a fabric and I like using clothes made from it. It’s a very environmentally friendly material as it uses less water and pesticides to grow. From a wearer’s perspective, bamboo is anti-bacterial (no more smelly socks) and breathable. It’s that breathability that helps bamboo keep your feet cool in warmer climates and warm when it’s a bit chilly.

These Bonsai Socks are designed to be worn inside your wellies and they come up nice and long for that. Normally I wear two pairs of socks with wellies to keep my feet warm, but I think you could get away without doing that with these as my feet felt nice and toasty in them. In fact, I felt you got a lot of warmth for the thickness of them. We haven’t really had the weather for wellies recently (thankfully), so I opted to try these out with my walking boots instead. They are quite long for wearing with walking boots and you can either wear them up to your knee like I did (felt a little odd to start with, but otherwise fine) or you can wear them around your ankle if you prefer either scrunched down or folded.

Washing is easy and they come up very nicely, although they do take a little longer than the average sock to dry because they are quite thick. I can certainly see myself wearing these round the house in the winterwearing these round the house in the winter when I’m trying to avoid putting the heating on.

I loved the fact that they come in a cute little cardboard box with a carrying handle on it – it helps make them a nice gift to give especially to someone who enjoys getting outdoors.

Needing A Bit Of A Break

April 17, 2015 by Erica Hughes 26 Comments

Sometimes the pressures of work and daily life get a little too much and I feel the need to escape for a while. A great way of doing this is to get away for a little while and a change of scene is a good way of recharging the batteries. The thing is I don’t want to spend a fortune either, that would add to the stress instead of helping, so I’ve been looking at cheap holidays. If you look around and are a little bit flexible, you can find cheap holidays out there.

What sort of destination am I looking for? Somewhere warm, with good food and some places to visit appeals, so I’ve picked out somewhere I’ve been before that I know can deliver all of those things. Where do I have in mind? Sorrento.

Sorrento is easy to get to as you can fly into Naples airport from a lot of UK airports. The transfer time isn’t long and you’ll soon in your hotel. It’s not a place for sandy beaches (although there are some further along the Amalfi Coast), but there are still plenty of options. Most hotels have a pool and some even have a private ‘beach’ or bathing platform. You’ll be able to find a hotel terrace or a bar to sit in to drink in views like this one of Vesuvias.

We loved using Sorrento as a base for exploring as well as a place to relax in. You can take trips out to Pompeii, Positano and Capri. There’s no shortage of places to visit, including the big city of Naples itself. There are lots of coach trips which you can book onto or you can catch the train or a ferry. The ferry is a lovely alternative to the train if you are going into Naples for the day.

Are you in need of a break? Have you been looking at cheap holidays to get away from it all for a little while?

Pan Fried Tuna with Stir Fried Vegetables and Rice Noodles

April 12, 2015 by Erica Hughes 13 Comments

We love cooking and eating fish in this house, so we were delighted when The Saucy Fish Co had asked me to take part in their Amazing Together campaign. I picked out the tuna steaks to work with and they come with a sweet soy and chilli dressing. Working with this classic combination of the meaty tuna with the soy sauce, I’ve created a quick and easy Asian style dish using a range of stir fried vegetables teamed up with ever so easy rice noodles.

Ingredients

1 packet of Saucy Fish Co fish and sauce: seasoned tuna with sachet of sweet soy and chilli dressing
300g of straight to wok rice noodles
200g pak choi (cut into halves)
200g broccoli stems
120g oyster mushrooms (roughly chopped)
120g shitake mushrooms (roughly chopped)
3 cloves garlic
1 egg
handful dry roasted peanuts (crushed)
4 tablespoons of sesame oil
4 teaspoons of soy sauce

Serves 2 as main course

Method

1. Heat 1-2 tbsp of sesame oil in a large non stick wok over a high heat and pan fry the pak choi and broccoli with this and a couple of teaspoons of soy sauce plus the crushed garlic. Transfer to a warmed serving bowl and keep warm.

2. Adding a little more oil and soy as needed, pan fry the mushrooms for a couple of minutes and then add in the rice noodles for another minute. Add the egg and mix in thoroughly for the last minute of cooking.Transfer to serving bowl.

3. Clean out the pan with some kitchen paper and add more sesame oil. When hot, pan fry the tuna for 30 seconds to one minute each side depending on how you like your tuna done. Meanwhile heat up the sauce sachet following the pack instructions.

4. Serve up vegetables and noodles with tuna on the side with the sweet soy and chilli dressing. Garnish with the crushed peanuts.

Summing Up

This is a delicious dish inspired by Asian flavour combinations, which are amazing together. Ideal for a weekday evening meal as it’s so quick to prepare and cook.

Beauty & Go Drinks

March 11, 2015 by Erica Hughes 9 Comments

This week I’ve been testing (or do I mean treating) myself to Beauty & Go’s bioactive beauty drinks. Beauty & Go is the first and unique beauty drink enriched with MacroAntioxidants® from the skin of fruits. According to Beauty & Go, this makes them ‘highly antioxidant, ultra beneficial bioactives and macromolecules that protect and regenerate, strengthening your skin’s beauty and health.’

I’m liking the sound of that and the drinks taste good too. They are full of fruity flavour and are very tasty indeed. Difficult to pick out a favourite, but I’m liking the pineapple rich ‘Vitality’ which is helping fuel the writing of this post. I do feel that I have more energy after drinking it, but the idea is that it’s supposed to energize my skin too. Another pick would be ‘Anti-ageing’ which has a lot of pomegranates and raspberries in it, which make it taste delicious.

It’s difficult to judge results based on a few bottles, but I’m liking the fact that they don’t contain any added sugars and are fairly low in calories. If gluten-free is something you are looking for, then they can deliver that too.