Review: The Gob Stopper

Click ‘N’ Mix allows you to fill a traditionally stylish Kilner jar full of the retro sweets you love and get them delivered straight to you.

Pick 'n' mix in my bloom days was like a wonderful bag of tricks, back when penny pick and mix sweets were actually closer to costing pennies, but now I don't have to save pocket money for a week, no more. Yet scouting around I rarely see family run independent businesses who are thriving amongst the big chain supermarkets, displaying their beloved glass sweet jars.

Courtesy of The Gob Stopper I tried the Click ‘N’ Mix, which is an online pick n mix, catering towards your nostalgic sweets buds but you also get to keep the beloved Kilner glass jar too with the delightful nifty clip top. I got to choose three or more specific types of sweet from the long list of favourites and they arrived in a couple of days packaged neatly and securely. 

I chose my faves White Chocolate Mice.. Icy Chocolate Cups & Black Jacks. Opening the jar unleashed the classic retro sweet aroma. My jar is sat in the study and it looks so nice that I almost didn't want to eat the sweets, but that didn't last long! I think it makes for a thoughtful gift sending a jar of memories, from a family run business, rekindling our love affair with retro sweets. 

Thanks for the stroll down memory lane! What is your favorite sweets in a pick and mix ? 

Review: Chocolate by Genevie

Blighting my harbingers of spring, as it's began to snow once again, I guess it's expected, after-all it is February, the month where chocolates are also very much desired. I don't know about you..but I crave them whenever the opportunity calls for it. So was thrilled to review the valentines box from Chocolate by Genevie. I wasn't sure I'd be in to receive the package, but what was super, that these chocolates are letterbox friendly!

I welcome little cocoa cabins through the letterbox any-day! I liked the variety of chocolate that came in the valentine decorated box, had my fave's with truffles, pralines and pistachio. All the flavors complimented each other well, whilst I was in my chocolate fun maze. I would personally go for the classy black satin box with a heart shaped window outer packaging.

I have to say I'm not a fan of the commercial side of Valentines Day, but Chocolate by Genevie are a small family business and I'm all for championing smaller, local businesses who are dedicated to creating a more personal & warm touch whilst sourcing and supplying chocolate that is second to none, that is one of the advantages of not buying store brought, as well as knowing your other half put some thought in buying you chocolates.

Baker Days: Letterbox Cake Review

Small enough to slip through a letterbox, but large enough to celebrate the big occasions 

I buy all my greeting cards online and prefer to personalise them, and send them directly to the recipient, without having to leave the house. But I've often wondered ' wouldn't it be great if you could slip a cake through a letterbox like you can with a card!? ' without leaving the house, it could be a perfect remedy for last minute gift/cake buying?! Turns out Baker Days have done just that! Yay!  

Courtesy of Baker Days I was sent the letterbox cake that I personalised via the online store options, the cake had arrived through the letterbox, my postman, decided to attach the small sturdy A5 box with a pile of letters with an elastic band. Here I began to think the cake could arrive a little roughhoused, but my fear was completely unfounded. The cake arrived, well packaged in a pretty stripey tin, along with some fun party goodies seen above.  

I chose the all congratulations perfect evening cake, with Madeira sponge, once I sampled the cake it tasted lovely light and moist, beneath the not too sweet and sickly icing, better than most store buy products, it is large enough to serve 3-4 people at a push.

Above all, I am impressed with the surprise factor this gift would bring. No one in their right mind would assume a personalised cake along with balloons, candles, card and tooter could arrive through the letterbox along with their letter bills and correspondence.... until now! I give my hyena howl of approval :) 

Beat the London Olympic brand police

As the final week countdown to the London 2012 Olympics is ticking down, the Olympic brand police will hit the streets out in full force! patrolling the areas outside and around the Olympic venue clamping down on any unauthorised use of words and images associated with the games.

Those fortunate to have London 2012 tickets have an exhaustive list of prohibited items to take into the stadium – enforcing sponsors' multimillion pound marketing deals. Pepsi t-shirts and wearing Nike footwear could get you banned, in order to protect official sponsors Coca-Cola and Adidas.

“The limitations on non-sponsors certainly are not helpful to local businesses hoping to capitalize on the Games,” says Jim Andrews, a senior vice president at IEG. But rules have been implemented “in the name of protecting the official sponsors,” he adds. “However, when they are perceived to be heavy-handed, they often backfire.” Other rules are created in the spirit of keeping the Games’ appearance non-commercial, “even though everyone knows that it is not the reality. It does set the Games apart from almost all other sports events, though, and does add to the Olympic mystique.”

BANNED FROM THE GAMES 

Oversized hats 

Balls, rackets, frisbees
Large flags and banners
Clothing with political statements or commercial signage
Noisemakers
Large golf-style umbrellas
Long-lens cameras and tripods
Excessive amounts of food
Liquids greater than 100ml

It's great to see some have taken a more creative and radical approach with bypassing the rules while some have created new rebellious campaigns mocking the brand police!

1. Banksy unveils new pieces commenting on the Olympics 

2. Witty souvenir tote bags designed by Hackney based illustrator Toby Leigh at ThatBigEventInLondon.co.uk

3.  House Cafe and Gallery, in Camberwell. 

4.  Illegal Olympic billboard spotted in Victoria Park London. 

For those tourists worried about travel and getting around London fromatob.com is a nifty search engine providing the fastest and cheapest connection for your journey. 

The Olympics, and indeed no sports events in modern times are just about sports, but seem to be sadly about corporate greed at its' finest . The sportsmen and women are becoming secondary at best. I wont let this dampen my enthusiasm for the games and the Olympic spirit, hopefully the same applies to you readers too!

Tasty Things No.3

one might call this a whole schmear of gewgaw that i encountered whilst riffling through haphazard hours. 

Row 1 :

 envelope handbag with a buckle closure bracelet by werelse x mango at werelse

cat teepee at loyal luxe

Row 2 :

 rottweiler print pvc zip pouch wallet by givenchy over at luisaviaroma

fallen trees turned into public bookcases in berlin via bookcrossing

Row 3 :

oversized notknot pillows by umemi at reykjavik corner store

yummy food packaging gnomo baguette designed by losiento studio

Row 4 :

musical wine glasses are the toast of the town buy at luna & curious

salt made from tears centuries-old craft with the freshest human tears at hoxton street monster supplies

Sweet Tooth Tango

These little sweet treats were a hit at my sisters birthday tea, we indulged our sweet tooth to the size of an elephant’s tusk ! and washed it down with our favourite peach and strawberry bellini. Birthdays are an excellent excuse to bring in some cupcakes chocolate truffle cake & french macarons, but having problems with transport that week and not able to go out of town to get to my usual patisserie, I stumbled upon Cameo Cupcakes who deliver right to your door. They proved to be quite ideal and now that I know I have the convenience that they deliver to my door... I'm sure I wont able to resist when a chance arises ! 

Stoyn Sculpture Ice Cream Heads

Alas yesterday and today I've been melting like a Ice Cream in the heat, finally some good weather has arrived, so it's fitting to have stumbled across these delicious looking sculpting iconic figures of Ice Cream heads, with the exemplers of Darth Vader, Ernesto Che Guevara,  Vladimir Mayakovsky, Donald Duck, Marilyn Monroe, Mickey Mouse and Mario. ~ I'm actually quite fond of the cardboard cutout Popsicle heads too, a super way of marketing the Ice Cream by Stoyn the Russian advertising agency. 

Moreover I'm glad to hear they have organic flavors such as Cranberry with vodka (Mayakovsky), blueberry with licorice (Darth Vader) and mate with rum (Che Guevara) it's quite creative and intelligent that these flavors have been picked out to match with each figure head's personality. ~ I hope they never melt they look far too good!  Photo's via Beautiful Life    

Henna Art on Cakes

Mehndi inspired patterns //I cant find the source for these images, let me know if it;s yours!