Summer Days
Last week the sun finally showed its face again. It had been a while – some of us were beginning to feel a little vitamin D deficient – and I certainly felt at times that I was back in grey, dull Blighty (but a far warmer and more convenient version, of course!) Rain or shine, the mercury is on the rise, so here are my current high street picks for the arrival of summer:
Gap Denim Shorts $399 These are a great basic wardrobe essential (and Instant Goddess recommends buying online if you don’t want to hedge your bets as to whether they’ll be available in store); White embroidered T $199 Pull&Bear.
Fluro Orange Floral Lace Top $249 from Pull&Bear – team it with the Blue Knitted Bermudas $590 from Massimo Dutti or the denim Gap shorts above. The white embroidered top shown with the shorts above is also from Massimo Dutti, priced at $690.
Printed Halterneck Silk Top $690, and White Knitted Bermudas $590; Blue Halterneck Dress With Leather Straps $650, all Massimo Dutti.
Embroidered Dress $399 from Pull&Bear – this would make a great poolside coverup; Dress With Embroiderery Detail $299 from Stradivarius.
No summer collection would be complete without a pop of sunshine yellow: Printed Dress With Asymmetric Hem $599; Combination Dress in Yellow $499, both Zara.
Scarf Dress $1190; Long Silk Dress in Orange $1490, both from Massimo Dutti.
If you’ve been paying attention to the prices above you may have noticed references to Pull&Bear and Stradivarius – part of the Inditex group responsible for Massimo Dutti and Zara. As you know, I’m always on a mission to find fash for less cash in the ‘Kong, so last week I found myself heading up the orange Tung Chung line to Olympic, to hit 3 very reasonably priced shops – Pull&Bear, Stradivarius and Bershka (also part of Inditex). As always with cheaper brands, you need to watch the quality and choice of materials but with a keen eye you can pick up some very reasonably priced designs… so if you happen to be on the orange line, you know what to do!
Pull&Bear, Stradivarius, Bershka are all a stone’s throw from each other in Olympian City 2, Olympic, Kowloon, (exit D from Olympic MTR station).
Top of the Shops
I just happened to come across this little number from TopShop and had to share the love. I give you… The Pom Pom Flippy Dress, and with a name like that you’ll be hopping and skipping along the streets of Hong Kong without a care in the world!
PomPom Flippy Dress $1430 (approx.) and Whispered Crossover Wedges in Blue $500 (approx.) both TopShop.
Staccato Wedges
As you know, I do like a bit of bling here and there, especially on a shoe, and I’m also partial to an oh so comfy wedge, so when I popped into Staccato the other day my Instant Goddess radar immediately started to twitch when I saw these… oh, and do excuse the photography. I was happily whipping out the trusty iPhone when I got frogmarched out by security for the dastardly deed of taking photos… whatever next?!
Jewelled Low Wedges $859 and Snakeskin Effect Wedge $1390.
Midweek Meal Inspiration
This week I give you the one and only Domestic Goddess: Nigella Lawson’s Crab and Avocado Salad with Japanese Dressing. Apparently she doesn’t actually like the name Domestic Goddess but got saddled with it… I can think of worse! But I suppose entitling one of your books: “How to be a Domestic Goddess” isn’t really going to help your plight…
Anyway, for the men in our life who don’t ‘do’ salads, apparently her hubby Charles Saatchi (of huge advertising and art fame) doesn’t even notice it’s a salad. Best of all, I like her suggestion to instead invite a girlfriend over and crack open a bottle of chilled rosé! And if you’re in need of carbs, I gave it to my hubby wrapped in a tortilla which was gratefully received.
Tip 1: I used tinned white crab meat from M&S – it’s really good! Another reviewer of the recipe said she made it with tinned salmon which she said worked well.
Tip 2: I picked up my wasabi paste from a Japanese shop on Caine Road (I think it’s called 859), but you should also be able to find it in the Japanese aisle at one of the big western supermarkets. This also applies to Mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine) and rice vinegar.
Happy cooking!
Yogi tea saying of the week: “You’ll never leave where you are, unless you decide where you would rather be”.
Instant Goddess saying of the week: “Teleport me please to a poolside tropical paradise – just for a day or 2…”
Until next week Goddesses! And remember you are ALWAYS, ALWAYS worth it! XX