Site move

I have moved my site to clairerecommends.com. I hope you will join me there for new posts.

Reading Spa in Bath

I had a truly lovely day yesterday. Despite driving to Bath and back I actually had energy last night that I don’t usually have so it must have been good.

Yesterday I went to Bath for a spa. Not the usual spa you get in Bath (I’m not keen on those. I don’t do massage etc as I don’t like people touching me.) Instead it was a Reading Spa. Mr B’s emporium is a lovely independent bookshop in a quiet street adjacent to some of the shopping streets. It is a real gem. Sadly, I didn’t get much time to browse its shelves but that just means I’ll have to return.

I went with a friend so mooched around some shops while she had her spa and then went in for mine. A mug of tea was supplied and we had a little chat and browse before my spa experience. Ed met me at about 1.30 and asked me about what I was reading, what I liked to read and what I wanted to try. I had tried to think about these questions in advance but he somehow guided me in such a way that I remembered even more and we really drilled down to the type of writing I enjoyed. Ed’s enthusiasm for books and reading  as infectious and the time flew by as he went off to find me books I might be interested in. I could have bought them all.

With time running out on the car park I made a quick selection making the most of the £55 of books included in the £80 price. They said they will email me a list of the books I didn’t take but I also took a quick photo.

I thoroughly recommend this experience for book lovers. And if reading’s not your thing it makes a great gift. And I will be returning just to spend time in that lovely bookshop although I might pop into a couple of shops too.

Rad more about Mr B’s Reading Spa

M&S Muslins

You're having a baby. You think let's do the John Lewis nursery visit. Everyone who already has babies tells you you need loads of muslin squares (they are not wrong). And so it happens. You buy loads of John Lewis muslins.

But it turns out the best muslin squares are from Marks and Spencer. Two main reasons:

1) They are thicker and so prove a better defence especially if your baby is cursed with reflux. It didn't seem a lot of milk going down but it seems like loads when you see it again. 

2) There is a proper hem on them. After 20 goes through the washing machine (that'll be about a month) the John Lewis ones start to fray and/or curl up. 

There is a price difference. John Lewis: £8.50 for 6. M&S £10 for 5 or £18 for 10. But I think it's worth it. Get them here.

Chrome update

Last year I wrote about Chrome, the then new internet browser from Google. Today, while trying to load a game via the new version of Internet Explorer I realised that I, by default, use Chrome.

Last time all I could do was give an early review and I was reasonably favourable. Today I recommend Chrome. And there are two main reasons why:

1. It loads fast. Noticeably fast. Both when you open it up and when browsing.

2. The home page as your most visited pages which is really handy, more than I thought it would be.

Compared to IE8 it is reliable. It has hardly ever crashed. IE8 keeps crashing!

When I wrote about Chrome in October 2008 I thought I wouldn't use it as my only browser because of the lack of RSS feed capability - turns out it doesn't matter, now I have got google reader set up how I like it I use that all the time.

I also thought I would miss the integration of gadgets into firefox. Nope, haven't missed them.

My friend at work likes the incognito mode because she shares a computer with her flatmate. So no trail left behind.

Chrome is my browser over 95% of the time at home. Now I just wish IT would load it onto the work machines.

Photo credit: Bauchidgw

Hot Cross Buns - Apple and Cinnamon

I love them. I hate ordinary hot cross bun becuase of the peel. Peel is wrong. These delicious things are peel free. Just lovely bits of apple and sultanas and some cinnamon to make them a bit more interesting.

A fabulous snack or breakfast or lunch. Try toasted with butter. Or not toasted with butter. Or not toasted with no butter. Not sure about toasted with no butter.

And buy one get one half price. What more could one want? Well BOGOF actually. Or for a pack of four to cost 10p, with a free M&S bag thrown in.

Good Friday is one week away. Get them while you can or else you'll have to wait about 8 months for them to reappear.

Benefit Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow

First of all I would like to blame my boyfriend for the gaps between blogposts. Who knew a boyfriend would take up so much time.

Anyway I wanted to tell the world about my love of Benefit Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow and in particular the Birthday Suit shade.

I use it everyday (excpet the days I stay at his when I use a 17 make up set i got for Christmas). I use it for work; I use it for nights out. It is subtle but apply a bit more and it's not so subtle.

I used to apply with my finger but I got upsold when restocking in Macy's in New York and now use a brush. I regretted my falling for the upselling but now am happy about it. Never really wore the blue mascara I got upsold as well though.

I like a lot of Benefit stuff but I worry about wasting it becuase it's not cheap. However, I replaced all my other eye shadows with this one and so it feels like value for money. After my friend showed me her new "Hello Flawless" I may have to buy that too. Over dinner we discussed how, as you reach thirty, you realise you may actually have to reapply make up during the day. I knew this but was in denial but maybe it is time to take the plunge and do it.

I am alerting you to this now because I fear "Birthday Suit" is being withdrawn. There is no trace of it on the Benefit site. Buy it now people. I will be. Two. Or maybe three.

Duo Boots

Last year I realised that knee high boots were not going away. They had been going as a good-thing-to-wear for over a decade and yet I had never owned a pair. Frankly there were two reasons. Number 1: the price of them, they are not cheap. You've got to love them. And Number 2: most importantly they wouldn't zip over my calves.

I don't know how I found out about Duo Boots but I'm really pleased they did. They do boots in 21 different calf fittings. So whatever your calf size: average, more than average (hand in the air), less than average. They do load and loads of styles casual, smart, calf length, colours, really high heels (definitely not for me).

Basically you measure your legs, order them online and they deliver to you. They have shops in Bath and Manchester (where you can get the boots right away) and fitting rooms in London, Edinburgh and Amsterdam where you can be measured and try them on before placing an order (and they are delivered to you). I went to the London fitting room on Saville Row and recommend that because I'm not sure I would have ordered the correct size.

Price wise –not the cheapest but as expensive as a good high street shop. And there is a sale on at the moment.

Ooh, they also do shoes… so tempting.