Recipes, blogs and advice direct from the Easy Living magazine editors At Easy Living we love nothing more than combining the stylish, the indulgent and the practical to glorious effect, so we're very taken with the idea by womenswear boutique Sefton (on Upper Street in Islington, ) of hosting a chic shopping morning for mums on September 16th(from 9.30am to 12.30am). It's a chance to browse through their… http://www.easyliving.co.uk/blog/news/chic-mums-shopping-morning 2010-09-04T17:59:58.200361Z I am all for a spot of guilt-free shopping - and what better excuse than Laura Bailey's (an Easy Living favourite and cover star) new jewellery collection for brilliant ethical, 'trade not aid' company Made - the accessories brand with a conscience? All their products are created by local artisans within disadvantaged communities in East Africa.… http://www.easyliving.co.uk/blog/news/made-by-laura 2010-09-04T17:59:58.200361Z Have you read something brilliant lately? A novel so good you have to physically restrain yourself from forcing it upon friends, family and complete strangers? Here's your chance to recommend it to said strangers - your fellow Easy Living readers. For each issue of Easy Living now features not one but two books pages: My Life in Books and Your… http://www.easyliving.co.uk/blog/news/08/2010/literary-living 2010-09-04T17:59:58.200361Z I am a serious fan of tea bag tidies - once you have used one, it'll change your life, trust me. No more tell-tale drips from kettle to bin, no more soggy teabags grubbily drying out on an envelope on the desk. The new Liberty print tea set, part of the ever-expanding Liberty-print range at the London emporium, has won me over - it's completely… http://www.easyliving.co.uk/blog/news/08/2010/libertea 2010-09-04T17:59:58.200361Z Mention The White Company and most people will nod sagely and reference the (excellent) bed linen and lifestyle-envy-inducing catalogue. But they've also been busy building up a rather impressive sartorial line of covetable basics - and creating a new lifestyle store. Fashion first: the new autumn range has some pieces which quietly nod to… http://www.easyliving.co.uk/blog/fashion/itll-be-all-white 2010-09-04T17:59:58.200361Z Gorgeous books, gorgeous covers. Vintage Books have re-jacketed a series of novels which have all been adapted for the silver screen, and subsequently become cult movies. The chic monochrome covers each feature a quote from the novel, in a font which reflects the atmosphere, era and style of the book. Judge a book by its cover? Us? Hell yes. The… http://www.easyliving.co.uk/blog/news/08/2010/vintage-loves-film 2010-09-04T17:59:58.200361Z Until recently I'd never worn lipstick. I would admire women on the street with red lips, write about the right lip shade instantly updating your look and tentatively test new season colours only to immediately wipe them off again. Whatever the shade, I felt painted lips were too attention-grabbing, too 'shouty' compared to soft, smoky eyes.… http://www.easyliving.co.uk/blog/beauty/08-2010/lipstick-revolution 2010-09-04T17:59:58.200361Z If you can make it to London on Thursday 23rd September, I will be at the fabulous new Origins counter in Selfridges' world famous Beauty Hall to meet you and help solve your skin, hair and make-up dilemmas. This special event takes place every year - all of the major magazine Beauty Directors team up with their favourite brands to offer readers… http://www.easyliving.co.uk/blog/beauty/08-2010/one-to-one-beauty-advice 2010-09-04T17:59:58.200361Z I had what can only be described (a little floridly, I'll admit) as an olfactory odyssey and indulgently sumptuous feast when I was recently treated to the new 'Eclectic Afternoon Tea' at The Soho Hotel. The champagne tea is an experience introduced to each of Kit Kemp's string of boutique hotels in London's West End, which also include The… http://www.easyliving.co.uk/blog/news/08/2010/a-deliciously-sensory-afternoon-tea 2010-09-04T17:59:58.200361Z Stumped when it comes to buying the perfect gift for a small child? I've just recieved top marks (phew!) from a tricky to please parent with my christening gift of a one-off commission from Devon-based children's illustrator Lucy Neale. Her whimsical ink, collage and water colour scenes are beautifully Quentin Blake-esque: animals getting up to… http://www.easyliving.co.uk/blog/news/bespoke-kids-art 2010-09-04T17:59:58.200361Z Our new September Issue is now on sale, and the gossip in our corner of the office is that it's so packed with stuff, we'll have to take it on holiday to get through it all. From Giles Coren's musings on makeup, an interview with the fascinating Liv Tyler, modern family politics, illegal US skin products, ten minute recipes, warehouse living,… http://www.easyliving.co.uk/blog/news/08/2010/the-september-issue 2010-09-04T17:59:58.200361Z This is an amazing story that weaves love, triumph over adversity and relentless, but rewarding perseverance. It tells the story of Kimberley and her mother, who move to New York from Hong Kong hoping to embark on a new life of fortune and opportunity. However, sharing their horrific apartment with rats and cockroaches, it's not the straightforward… http://www.easyliving.co.uk/blog/news/girl-in-translation-book-review 2010-09-04T17:59:58.200361Z We've got an amazing new Maple and Pecan cupcake recipe! It's the result of a 'design a cupcake' competition for the Primrose Bakery, who are helping a charity called 'Wellbeing of Women'. The charity improves women's health through education and funding medical research and training. The winner, Annice Curtis from Kent, was chosen from… http://www.easyliving.co.uk/blog/food/08-2010/primrose-passion 2010-09-04T17:59:58.200361Z Trying to find a stylish DAB digital radio can be a toughie. We're not enormous fans of the stainless steel/fake wood effect that afflict the design sensibilities of radio designers. Problem solved by Roberts Radio. They do admittedly have an awful lot of (I'm sure, excellent) modern looking bits and bobs, but luckily they are still making… http://www.easyliving.co.uk/blog/homes/07-2010/dab-hand 2010-09-04T17:59:58.200361Z For the homes opener picnic in this month's August issue I went in search of the picture perfect meadow to shoot in but it was far from plain sailing! All initial ambitions of shooting in a leafy London park were foiled by the amount of red tape involved so we headed out of town to my parents farmhouse that sits in a sleepy village near… http://www.easyliving.co.uk/blog/homes/07-2010/in-search-of-the-perfect-picnic 2010-09-04T17:59:58.200361Z Those delightful ladies at Rococo Nails have been beavering away creating new colours and fantastic ideas for Autumn. They showed us their new Autumn/Winter pallette - (the first picture above), and created some amazing looks to show us just how exciting nails are predicted to be when the cold weather comes. They even created a black gloss… http://www.easyliving.co.uk/blog/beauty/07-2010/new-rococo- 2010-09-04T17:59:58.2160018Z French Sole has a sale on, and these dinky little numbers have caught our eye. At £50, they're almost half price. Great for the rest of the summer! Snap up a stylish bargain... http://www.easyliving.co.uk/blog/fashion/07-2010/o-sole-mio 2010-09-04T17:59:58.2160018Z There were so many books that we wanted to include in our summer book round up (in this month's issue), but that we didn't have room for… here are the very best of the rest… LITERARY NOVELS The Whole Wide Beauty, Emily Woof (£12.99, Faber and Faber) A captivating family saga exploring the painful truths about how we behave in relationships… http://www.easyliving.co.uk/blog/news/more-brilliant-summer-books 2010-09-04T17:59:58.2160018Z Delicate, crusts-off cucumber sandwiches, perfect squares of cake and lashings of freshly-brewed tea in china cups… a traditional afternoon tea is a heavenly treat. When faced with that elegant tiered tower of goodies I can't resist ploughing through till the very last crumb. So imagine my internal scream when I read that most afternoon teas… http://www.easyliving.co.uk/blog/food/the-new-afternoon-tea- 2010-09-04T17:59:58.2160018Z I love London in the summer. And those languid, lazy days when everyone else has decamped to the countryside, the garden or the nearest lido are perfect for catching up on a spot of culture. My hit list includes: Sargent and the Sea the Royal Academy ( until 26 September) for a taste of the portrait painter's lesser-known, but idyllic, seascapes;… http://www.easyliving.co.uk/blog/news/a-very-cultural-summer 2010-09-04T17:59:58.2160018Z I think about exercise a bit more than I actually do it, but since meeting Lee Saxby a few days ago, I'd like to think that I'll do it as much (well, nearly) as I think about it. Lee is a top running coach and passionate about doing it barefoot. I met him in his small but perfectly formed gym in West Hampstead so he could teach me how to run… http://www.easyliving.co.uk/blog/health/07-2010/barefoot-running 2010-09-04T17:59:58.2160018Z According to top oncologist and Macmillan's Chief Medical Officer, Jane Maher, skin cancer is the fastest rising of all the cancers. 'The fastest rising cancer is melanoma so thinking carefully about how often you're in the sun and wearing sun block is really important. Also, if you have children make sure they don't get burnt and build up long… http://www.easyliving.co.uk/blog/health/07-2010/skin-cancer 2010-09-04T17:59:58.2160018Z What's the difference between a physiotherapist, an osteopath and a chiropractor? A classic question to which the answer, according to Doctor of Chiropractic, Dominic Cheetham, is not a lot. Yes, a physio focuses more on muscular issues, an osteo on muscular skeletal and a chiro on skeletal muscular, but the key thing when deciding which to go… http://www.easyliving.co.uk/blog/health/07-2010/tackling-aches-and-pains 2010-09-04T17:59:58.2160018Z Now the sunny weather seems to have retreated into a boring sultry gloom, we're trying to brighten up the rest of the July by pretending we're in Barbados. Part of this involves the odd rum punch. If you've never had rum punch before - beware. Two of these bad boys, and walking becomes mysteriously tricky. I have some amusing and slightly… http://www.easyliving.co.uk/blog/food/06-2010/rum-with-a-punch 2010-09-04T17:59:58.2160018Z I don't know about you, but I used to play a game of Russian Roulette every morning with my make up bag. When eye shadows and blushers are packaged in almost identical containers, it can be very annoying to plough your way through 3 eye shadow boxes before you hit upon the blusher you need. But now I have solved the confusion; I simply put a… http://www.easyliving.co.uk/blog/beauty/06-2010/colour-coding 2010-09-04T17:59:58.2160018Z Our exciting new issue is out tomorrow! From an in-depth interview with the amazingly multi-talented Kirsty Young, to brilliant advice from ten women in the public eye, web dating stories and yummy recipes, beauty ideas and fab fashion - it's got tons to devour and savour. On newsstands tomorrow morning or subscribe here: Subscribe… http://www.easyliving.co.uk/blog/news/06-2010/august-issue 2010-09-04T17:59:58.2160018Z Ok, you may not find yourself in Paris everyday but if by chance you do, the Yves Saint Laurent Retrospective at the Petit Palais Museum, is a must-see, (open until the end of August.) Exhibitions like this can sometimes disappoint; giving you a taster but not enough to really sink your teeth into. However, room after room is dedicated to the… http://www.easyliving.co.uk/blog/fashion/06-2010/yves-saint-laurent-retrospective---paris 2010-09-04T17:59:58.2160018Z I've just returned from a photo shoot in Italy where conversation among the team one morning turned to what we would do if we had the chance of a different career. Not, of course because we chose the wrong one, but more of a what if? I know that I would love to be a perfume 'nose'. I am absolutely fascinated by scent and consequently have a… http://www.easyliving.co.uk/blog/beauty/06-2010/minty-fresh 2010-09-04T17:59:58.2160018Z We went a bit crazy in the garden centre yesterday... It's like a sweet shop, you just can't help wanting it all. Luscious roses, alpines, grasses, and an amazing array of dinky border plants whipped us into a state of frenzy that usually only happens when shoe shopping. We went very retro (carrying on from our earlier geranium-fest) and… http://www.easyliving.co.uk/blog/homes/06-2010/floral-frenzy 2010-09-04T17:59:58.2160018Z Hay fever and contact lenses aren't always compatible with mascara so last summer I experimented with an eye-lash tint and perm courtesy of Sue Marsh at Eye-Tec. I woke up with perfectly curled and lengthened lashes every day for two months. Friends asked me whether I'd had lash extensions (too fiddly by far for my liking) while men, always fans… http://www.easyliving.co.uk/blog/beauty/06-2010/a-mascaraless-summer-(1) 2010-09-04T17:59:58.2160018Z 9/4/2010 6:59:57 PM http://www.easyliving.co.uk 9/4/2010 6:59:57 PM condenet.technical@condenast.co.uk