A Touch Of Romance, With Sensual Scents, Seductive Velvets & Ravishing Jewellery!

A Touch Of Romance, With Sensual Scents, Seductive Velvets & Ravishing Jewellery! Good Morning, I do hope that you have had a good week? Mine began rather well as The Good Doctor and I celebrated our anniversary is style with cocktails at the Zetter Townhouse - mine is a 'Wishful Negroni' and an absolutely delicious dinner at 'The Gate' in Marylebone where the Manager very kindly sent us over 2 glasses of champagne to start the evening! If you are a vegetarian/vegan couple, it is very rare to be able to eat everything on a menu let alone for the food to be exquisite. I thought that I would share my Red Thai Curry with the prettiest rice on the planet and the DG's Chocolate Bomb pudding just prior to having hot chocolate sauce poured over it - a moment in which I witnessed true bliss spreading across someone's face! We went for a walk on Peckham Rye Common on Sunday before luncheon and I was rather surprised to see a male pheasant strutting his stuff! He was being mobbed by rooks - one of them was trying to pull his tail feathers out! I dislike bullies so gave them a severe talking to and shooed the rather startled creature into the long grass so I am hoping that he found his way home. I'm afraid that the Rye is a little too urban an environment for country dwellers! We then booked a trip to my French house for Easter so that we have something to look forward to, and have fixed Feb 29th as the date to begin our search for a new home in Hove, so 2020 is shaping up very nicely! The stroll was life affirming as the daffodils and crocuses are in full bloom and the buds are on the trees so it looks like the cycle of life is about to begin again and it cannot come soon enough for me! I hate the darkness of winter and love the Spring and Summer. I am also looking forward to our new collections arriving and packing away the scarves and tweed hats. As this Friday is Valentine's Day I thought that I would indulge in a little romance. We British can be a little cynical about these things however I heartily approve of all those national celebrations like Mother's Day and Valentine's Day where one is encouraged to take time from a busy existence to think of the happiness of others and spoil them a little. I shall be cooking a candlelit supper for the GD, served in the dining room - sadly we don't use it that often but it does work well for special occasions ! I like to be a bit original when it comes to gifting and so have selected some stylish yet sensual alternatives to flowers and chocolates (although these are always most welcome!). Scent is the perfect gift for Valentine's Day as it can convey so many emotions in an olfactory format. Soft and romantic, dark and sensual or, lets be frank, downright salacious! The palette is infinite and I have selected just a few that say 'I Love You' in different ways. Shop Now - Perfumers Workshop - Tea Rose (EdP) 60ml - £52 There is nothing like soft florals to add a dash of romance to the proceedings, with roses, jasmine and gardenia among my favourites. Princess Diana's 'Tea Rose' is a British scent that is naturalistic, yet sophisticated and joyful. It conjures summer lawns and sunshine with a touch of glamour. It is one of the loveliest florals in the fragrance firmament and the perfect gift for an English rose! Shop Now - Tocca - Florence (EdP) 50ml - £68.00  'Florence' by Tocca is more complex and elegant - my Mother is a huge fan and she is both! 'Florence' is a best seller and she deserves to be. She is a slice of Parisienne sophisticate with the crisp white shirt of bergamot over a pencil skirt of Gardenia - extremely seductive and knowing. Add to this heady confection a dreamy base of blonde woods and frankly no man is safe. She is a siren's call and I'm not sure if even being strapped to a mast could prevent complete captivation! Shop Now - Carthusia - Fiori Di Capri (EdP) 100ml - £80.00 'Fiori di Capri' from Carthusia is exactly what is says on the bottle and is a classic; a cornucopia of virtually every flower under the sun from gardenia, orange blossom and Turkish rose to iris, hyacinth and violets with a dash of honey, wild strawberry and Damascus plum. It is youthful, uplifting and, due to its home on the island of the super-wealthy, has long been beloved by High Society and counted the very glamorous Jackie Onassis among its legion of fans. Shop Now - Histoires de Parfums - Tuberose 2 Virginale (EdP) 60ml - £85.00 Shop Now - Nasomatto - Narcotic V (EdE) 30ml - £124.00 Shop Now - Hiram Green - Moon Bloom (EdP) 50ml - £135.00 When it comes to sex, the tuberose is unbeatable. In India, where the bloom is grown, only married women are permitted to harvest them as the scent is said to drive gentlemen wild with desire! We have a number of perfect examples and I would recommend the lighter, purer essence of 'Tuberose 2 Virginale' from Histoire de Parfums which is creamy and perfect while Nasomatto's 'Narcotic V' celebrates the hypnotic, drug-like intensity of the flower. Finally, for pure, unadulterated, sexual allure look no further than the natural perfume 'Moon Bloom' from Hiram Green which is, I am happy to report, positively indecent! Shop Now - Gruhme - No.14 (EdT) 100ml - £45.00 Shop Now - Castle Forbes - Forbes of Forbes (EdP) 100ml - £60.00 Shop Now - Caron - L'Anarchiste de Caron (EdT) 125ml - £68.00 For gentlemen, I love the bright urban style of Gruhme No 14, with it's lemony opening, patchouli heart and warm woody base and the rather hirsute Scottish elegance of Forbes of Forbes (made in a castle by Lady Forbes herself!). For toe-curling, pantheresque masculinity  then L'Anarchiste by Caron is lithe and sinuous with cedar, guaiac and sandalwood over a smooth, growling musk -  I like to think that there is a little bit of the anarchist in all of us! Shop Now - Cotton Velvet Cushion - £99 We have just taken deliver of a new cache of screen printed velvet cushions including the romantic 'Amour' and 'Lovebirds',  which are the loveliest of gifts as they will be a constant (and luxurious) reminder of one's devotion every day of the year, and one cannot put a price on romance or lumbar support! Shop Now - Bamboo Boxers - £15 Shop Now - Aphrodite Jewellery Collection - From £25 Bamboo Boxers are environmentally responsible, handsome and incredibly soft to wear - plus this brand helps the Giant Panda. The 'Aphrodite (goddess of love and beauty) Jewellery Collection' of gold and silver plated wire rings, bracelets and earrings are handmade in the UK, minimal and stylish - a lovely gift that won't break the bank. Shop Now - Raw Stone Drop Earrings - Rose Quartz - £27.00 Our stunning, rough-cut, Rose Quartz earrings are just back in the store and these too are a lovely gesture as Rose Quartz is one of the gemstones that represents love. Shop Now - Leather Travel Wallet - £58.00 And finally, if you really want to impress and push the boat out then might I suggest a very smart leather travel wallet with tickets for a romantic getaway for two tucked inside ( I do hope that the GD is reading this!). The Lovely Lene and I are off to Frankfurt very early tomorrow morning for the largest homeware design show in Europe! We shall be walking our feet off in pursuit of the extra special  and I cannot wait to see what the new season will bring.  I shall let you know next week. Until then, auf wiedersehen meine freunde und ein schönes wochenende. Michaelx