We kicked off the new year with the perfect antidote to a quiet, grey January, a relaxed and very special home dining experience. If you’re looking for a Private Chef in Marlow experience that feels personal and indulgent, Pinar’s Culinary Studio offers exactly that, bringing restaurant-quality dining (and cookery lessons) into your own kitchen.
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After a busy few weeks and returning from our family ski trip, it was such a treat to slow life down and enjoy time together at home. With no cooking, no washing up and no rushing out to a restaurant, we were able to relax properly.  We chatted about our New Year in the Alps and we started making plans for the year ahead. With my 60th birthday in December, I’m very much in planning mode, a private chef experience felt like the perfect way to start the year.  And how lucky am I to be able to share it with my husband, our children and their partners.

One of the things I loved most about this experience was how easy it felt from start to finish. From planning the menu to the final course being served, Pinar and her very able assistant Can took care of every detail, allowing us to enjoy the evening exactly as we wanted to - it was relaxed, unrushed and focused on good food and great conversation as well as lots of laughter.  And the best bit, I didn't have to keep leaving the table to look after everyone, Pinar was quietly in the background looking after me too.

​Here are a few more details about our evening, and why I’d wholeheartedly recommend a private chef experience at home especially if you have a special occasion coming up.

This is a gifted collaboration.

We’ve just returned from a brilliant family New Year ski trip to Morzine and Les Gets, celebrating the start of the year in the heart of the Portes du Soleil. This time, we weren’t just skiing with our grown-up children, their partners joined us too, making it a really special trip.  I felt very emotional and extremely blessed.

A New Year ski holiday is something I can wholeheartedly recommend. Getting away during the quieter days between Christmas and New Year felt like the perfect escape, with my favourite blue-sky days, stunning Alpine views and beautifully groomed pistes. While we didn’t have fresh snowfall, conditions were still excellent, although the temperatures were very cold at times!

We’ve been skiing in Morzine, Les Gets and Avoriaz for twenty years and this trip marked our first stay in Les Gets itself. It was an ideal base for exploring the Portes du Soleil and a reminder that staying warm and comfortable on the slopes is just as important as good snow.  My last ski trip was in April 2024 and that was the other extreme - very hot!  You can read my spring skiing tips here!
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In this post, I’m sharing highlights from our family ski trip, along with how I stayed warm and cosy on the mountain, including the winter essentials that made such a difference on those freezing New Year days and evenings.

This blog post contains gifted items and affiliate links.

Despite being a winter baby (I was born ten days before Christmas in 1966), I am not a fan of winter, I feel the cold, hate the dark nights and miss being able to get outside.  As soon as spring arrives, I am always excited see the spring flowers and can't wait to dine al fresco, I seek out sunshine at every opportunity!  And I admit to struggling a little with SAD  - Seasonal Affective Disorder - a type of depression that follows a seasonal pattern, symptoms include low mood, lethargy and loss of interest in activities.

But I am determined to get through this winter (and future winters) with more positivity and enthusiasm!  And the term 'wintering' is one I am exploring ....

In this post with Very, I’m sharing a few small changes I’m making to support my winter wellness and the comforting Christmas home products that are helping me create those calm and restorative moments.
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This blog post is sponsored by Very.

Red light therapy has become one of the biggest skincare and wellness trends of recent years. You’ve probably seen the red light masks all over social media, and many women in their 50s and beyond want to know whether they can really help with anti-ageing. Red light therapy is far more than a passing beauty fad, it’s backed by science, widely used in clinical settings, and offers benefits that go well beyond smoother skin.

In this blog post, I’m breaking down what red light therapy actually is, the proven benefits of red light therapy for midlife women, and how I use my own red light device at home. And if you’re thinking about investing in a mask or panel, I’ll also share what to look for so you can choose a device that’s genuinely effective, safe and worth the money.

​Earlier this year I finally invested in my own red light therapy device to use at home. I’d already experienced the benefits during facials and treatments at S-Thetics in Beaconsfield, where they use the highly rated medical-grade Celluma devices, so it had been on my wish list for a while. But with my husband recovering from a shoulder procedure, my own wrist issues flaring up, a touch of backache and the fact that I love the relaxation it brings, I decided it was time to stop putting it off, and I am so glad I did.  Yes it is a costly outlay but worth it - maybe time to add it to your gift wish list!