REVIEW - Godiva's Valentine's Chocolates

Here's a tip for the guys, if you are going to buy her chocolates for Valentine's Day you had better make sure they're good ones. I was sent some lovely confectionery from the well-known chocolatier Godiva.

First up, I tried the new limited edition Mont D'amour collection (it's a hard life right). This selection is about innovation and craftsmanship in the form of delicious mousse-based fillings featuring ingredients from France, Belgium, Japan and Sicily.

Fraises Des Bois is a wild strawberry mousse covered in dark chocolate. The flavour of the mousse was soft and subtle and the intense chocolate provided a pleasant contrast.

Cassis Marron features chestnut mousse with blackcurrant filling, covered with milk chocolate and blackcurrant powder. This was the most intensely flavoured of the bunch, rich, aromatic and seductive with a surprising tang of blackcurrant.

Noisette Citron is Sicilian lemon and hazelnut mousse in white chocolate. I loved this one, fresh, creamy and light I'd probably choose it over the darker chocolates any day. The nuttiness is barely there, almost just hinted at and it's not too sharp or sweet either.

Matcha was a little different, featuring Japanese green tea mousse in dark chocolate. Not my favourite of the bunch but a nice twist that some might find pleasantly surprising.

Fraise is a dark chcolate cased strawberry mousse including fruit from the Belgian region of Wepion. This was another favourite of mine, really creamy and velvety, subtle flavours and not overly sweet. Very easy to eat a few (or perhaps I'm just greedy).

In addition to this fabulous selection, my boyfriend helped me test out the Godiva Valentine's Coeur Fraise chocolates which came in a set of five. They are filled with a similar mouse to the Fraise chocolate from the collection above, but they are covered in white chocolate and finished off with a dainty little red heart made from chocolate.

I've one more set to try, but I think I might save that one to give to my Valentine on Valentine's Day itself. I'm certain there will be no complaints at all... the way to a man's heart and all that.

FOOD - Salad Stats Infographic

Some interesting stats that would suggest Americans are big salad eaters.



Infographic from... Mint.com Personal Finances

THRIFT - Do More With Less Challenge

I was enlisted by VoucherCodes.co.uk and their Most Wanted blog to join their 'do more with less' challenge, a concept that's on most people's minds during the month of January. We are all trying to make up for over-spending at Christmas time, and feeling the pinch from making our pay packets stretch further. On top of that, I went on holiday over Christmas so I've had a nice big credit card bill to pay. It's time to get savvy!

Some people might opt for charity shops, vintage stores, boot sales etc. but actually, there are great deals to be had on the high street too, especially when it comes to homeware.

My approach to this challenge was to focus on what I actually need right now, and staying within the £50 budget. In January it doesn't really make sense to just go for impulse buys, regardless of what a good deal it might be.

I'm time-poor as well as money poor right now so I decided to check out the online sales. Although I work in online retail, I very rarely shop online. Having recently bought a (desperately needed) new bed and mattress in the sales the thing at the top of my shopping list were two extra pillows and a new bed linen set.

I looked around and did some price comparison and then finally opted for the Debenhams sale where I was able to snap up the following...

2 hollowfibre pillows set - £7. with 28 reviews and an average rating of 4.5 stars, this was a bargain buy. At just £3.50 a pillow, these would be perfect for sitting under neath my other two feather pillows that I already have. I've since tried them out and they are light, soft and definitely help me get a good night's sleep, which is the general aim. These aren't about looking pretty.

Green 'Joni Ribbon' bed linen set - Was £75, now £37.50. I love crisp white bed linen, and the green accent and pleats are a nice fresh touch. Again, this product had a 5 star rating through its customer reviews which really helps. The other selling point of this set is that it will fit with different decor, so if I end up moving in 6 months it's not going to look out of place. Yes you can get cheaper sets, but quality is really important with bedding in my eyes, it needs to wash well and feel nice against your skin.

Extra tips... 

• When shopping online, look at the ratings and reviews for a product. You don't want the hassle of having to send something back because it wasn't quite what you thought
• Shop when there is free online delivery, or see if there is a collect-from-store service which should be free
• Keep an eye on any voucher codes sites to see if there's an offer somewhere you are intending to shop, obviously VoucherCodes.co.uk is one to check.
• Check out the returns policy, if it's free you won't run the risk of extra expenditure if you need to send it back

DRINK - Douwe Egberts ground coffee packs

Coffee lovers, this post is for you! Over the past couple of months I've been trying out some coffee from Douwe Egberts. I went out and got a cafetiere and invited my work colleagues to help themselves to six new varieties of coffee. Read on or find out more on Facebook.

House Blend (Strength 3)  This is a great blend for everyday coffee, something you can drink at your desk at leisure. True coffee lovers mind find it a bit bland, but for me it was tasty and very easy to drink.

Café Milano (Strength 3) A laid-back blend with Italian charm. This wasn't cited as anyone's favourite, but was nice enough.

Flavourful Decaff (Strength 3) This was perfect for the office because one of my colleagues is actually allergic to caffeine. We all tried the decaff coffee and agreed there was no compromise on flavour, a good switch for anyone concerned about their caffeine intake.

Time Together (Strength 4) One of my co-workers said: "This coffee is quite nutty and smooth. Enjoyable with milk and very easy to drink as it isn’t bitter at all." I tried it too and found it to be quite enjoyable, even for a non-coffee drinker.

Morning Americano (Strength 5) designed to be drunk first thing in the morning, this coffee packs just enough punch to get your started.

Fired Up (Strength 6)  with dark-roasted beans and intense flavours this was a favourite of the more hardened coffee drinkers. Definitely a bit too strong for me, but if you like your coffee dark and strong it's a winner. One colleague said: "Fired Up’ packs a punch with deep, rich flavour. Surprisingly it isn’t bitter but it’s strength is in the strong, earthy taste. A wake up call and a half!"

We didn't have a coffee machine so I picked up a really inexpensive cafetiere at Debenhams.

SHOPPING - Top Home Buys for January

The sales are in full swing and that means there are bargains to be had. I've picked out a few pieces that have caught my eye in January...

Red Napkin Holder Bull & Matador - Bouf - Was £15, Now £12

You've gotta love this quirky addition to your dining table. Of course, it works best if you pony use red paper napkins too. It's a great little gift idea as well.

Designer Radiators - B&Q

Radiators can be ugly old things, so if you've doing up your home then getting some sleek designer radiators is a fab idea. I love ones which use up spaces that otherwise wouldn't be used, like under the low window pictured, and I love the mirrored version even more - such a practical yet stylish solution. For a limited time, B&Q are offering 15% off.

A La Cornue CornuFé 110 cooker

Agyness Deyn has one of these in her New York apartment and George Clooney and Brad Pitt are also reported to have one. They come in some great colours too including refreshing pastels. 

By Nature Wildlife Havens

By Nature has launched a new set of pretty widlife havens, including a nesting box, bird feeder and insect hotel. Not only are they a great idea for supporting the wildlife near your home, they look really fab too. I love the pastel accent shade. The are all under £15. They have been designed by Sophie Conran, interior designer and daughter of Sir Terence Conran. 

The S'well Wine Bottle (available in USA)

This 750ml bottle is designed to keep white wine chilled at picnics or social events. S'well wine bottles are handy and keeps wine cool for up to 24 hours, plus the stainless steel won't add any flavour to the wine itself. 

SHOPPING - Top Home Buys for November

1. And Chocolate Print - Bouf - £35

Show someone you care with this fab typographical print from One Must Dash, available at Bouf. I'm a big fan of monochrome prints and that's what I've got in my home. It somehow jars less with your decor which is also great if you move home quite a bit and want something to work with any decor. 

2. Chick A Dee Smoke Alarm - Dutch by Design - £42.50

This quirky smoke alarm is a first for me as I've never seen someone do something different with this functional essential. You have to have one so it may as well look pretty.

3. The Edible Flower Bouquet - By Nature - £35

Like the idea of giving a bunch of flowers but don't like the wastage? What about giving a bunch that can be eaten afterwards? By Nature have a fab herb bouquet which can be used in the kitchen for a fully functional gift. The bunch includes bay, sage, chillis, rosemary and pepperleaf - what a fab idea!