A Little Square Blog
You’re Only As Good As Your Last…Enchilada!
We have always heard the catch phrase: “You’re only as good as your last…. i.e. fashion collection … directed movie … or even Enchilada!” So, I have decided to take that to heart and put my thoughts of local haunts in virtual space to let my customer base know of some great and not-so-great restaurants, venues and children’s play establishments we have frequented in London. A little more know-how can’t hurt, right?
I live near Nottinghill and my husband and I love Mexican food and its culture! We have tried a lot of restaurants all over and have only found a few that really stand out as exceptional. One of them is Crazy Homies, owned by Tom Conran, on Westbourne Park Road W2. Tom is also the owner of Lucky Seven’s next door, conveniently, they share the bar and the kitchen above and below.
Apart from its über-cool décor and music, Crazy Homies is one of my favourite places serving some of the best Mexcian food in London – HANDS DOWN! The food is great, ambience no where to be matched, and the margaritas are original, i.e. the ‘Skinny Agave’ made with Agave Honey instead of Triple-Sec – it’s lovely.
The food at Crazy Homies was inspired by street vendors and local Taquerias throughout Mexico. Their 4-dip-dipping platter is scrumptious and a great starter with puréed Smokey Chipotle Peppers dip, Tomatillo dip, Salsa, and fresh Guacamole served with chips. But it’s the enchiladas that get us every single time! The chicken is always perfectly cooked with an original blend of spices and they’re mild enough for children!
We even recently watched the World Cup match Netherlands vs Uruguay and the experience felt like we were in a private club – service, food and all. The service is impeccable, their staff is attentive and more importantly, knowledgeable of their food, beverages and establishment.
Visit Crazy Homies at 125 Westbourne Park Road, W2 5QL, 0207 727 6771. Viva Mexico!
London to Paris here we go – Alex Bikes to Paris!
CLICK HERE TO DONATE: http://www.justgiving.com/alexbikestoParis
Well, I have been training since February, after signing up to take part in the big ride from London to Paris on behalf of Children In Crisis – a charity that raises funds and awareness for children’s education all through out Africa.
It’s been a very interesting ride, no pun intended, learning about the bike, how to ride the bike, and how to respect and learn about long haul rides. Just learning how to use the gears properly has been a challenge, but requires every bit of concentration. And clipping in and out of my pedals has been daunting, but something I think I have mastered enough for the journey.
I have my gear packed: padded shorts, gloves, rainproof jacket and pants, clip-in shoes, neoprene shoe covers, Camelbak pack filled with energy bars, energy drink, loads of Vaseline, and finally an outfit for my big celebration dinner once we cross the finish line under the Eiffel Tower in Paris!
I have only been training for a little but feel great and know I will carry on this new found exercise regime. My hat is off to Lance Armstrong, a true inspiration and someone I will think of often especially as we push up the mountain passes!
I am packing my car in a few and will rest up for the big start tomorrow morning at 7:30 a.m. It’s an early night in and early start on.
CLICK HERE TO DONATE: http://www.justgiving.com/alexbikestoParis
Planes, Trains & Automobiles…and 5 cities later!
Planes, Trains & Automobiles…and 5 cities later!
John Hughes is one my all-time favourite filmmakers and one of his best films to date is ‘Planes, Trains & Automobiles’ starring John Candy and Steve Martin.
One of the main characters, Neal Page (Steve Martin), just wants to get home for Thanksgiving after his flight was cancelled due to bad weather – so he decides on other means of transportation to get home. Sound familiar?
And to his absolute horror and disgust, Neal is thrown together with Del Griffith (John Candy), an annoying Salesman that pushes shower curtain rings on the likes of anyone willing to listen to his pitch. He’s loud, yaps like a junkyard dog, offering his twist on life with advice, obnoxious mindless conversation, and very tasteless jokes. The story really starts to take off after Neal starts his journey in one direction and Del follows suit…this story falls into line with what 2/3 of the world experienced first hand last week.
It would have been nice to actually end up with a happy ending as Neal and Del had – a beautiful concerned wife, a nice warm cozy home with a fabulous holiday dinner waiting for them… But, such is Hollywood.
However, last week, the volcano Eyjafjallajökul, located on the small island of Iceland, erupted (exploded is more like it) spewing tiny particles of glass, ice, ash, and mud into the atmosphere, bringing the aviation world to a virtual standstill for 6 days!
We can’t say it was every man for himself as the helpless airlines stood by, clueless on how to handle this enormous natural disaster. From Hong Kong to Los Angeles to the Bahamas, we all looked at one another, scratching our heads, waiting for answers.
The question is: What do you do when Mother Nature makes a house call to 6.5 billion people at the same time? Apparently, there are no underwritten terms in any insurance clause covering a colossal call of nature! And apparently, no one is financially responsible either!
We were one of the few fortunate families to have been staying in a hotel room in New York City when it erupted allowing us to sleep in the comfort of a warm bed with food at our beck and call – and I thank our lucky stars for that too!
But there was this moment of clarity, it was almost as if the movie had been written for that specific moment. Just waiting to be told again and again and again. My heart especially went out to those who were running out of money, having started and ending their holiday plans in the very airport(s) they started their journey, only to be quashed as ‘The Cloud‘ spread over the Atlantic and over most European airspace.
As we stood by the phone, along with millions of other travelers, waiting for a sign of hope and faith that the cloud would subside or atleast sink into safer air zones, the call came after 6 long days.
I was apprehensive to leave the hotel with my three children and husband in tow, knowing that once we parted, the room, our safety zone, would no longer be ours. So I packed what snacks we had, 7 sandwich baggies full, formula and clean bottles for the baby, and set off to JFK in a taxi.
It was nerve racking! As a mother, you start to think about what you packed in the diaper bag. Did I pack enough food? Diapers? Do I have extra clothes for ‘accidents’? I mean, come on, it was an hour and half flight to Detroit! But you don’t know any of these answers until your travel plans start to unravel, the kids start to scream because they are hungry, all at the same time!
My husband and I did not eat at all during the mahem and every time he secretly reached into one of the snack bags, I would slap his hand, saying it was for the children!
We boarded a plane bound for Detroit, and to our absolute irritation, we hear the Captain blurt over the speaker “Ladies and Gentlemen, there seems to be a light that’s on the fritz on the dashboard… (big sigh)… and we don’t know why. The Maintenance crew is coming to fill out the paperwork to fix the problem. Please make yourselves comfortable, you are free to walk around the cabin.” Now, as a well seasoned traveler, that’s never a good sign when the Pilot lets everyone loose!
3 hours later…we are still sitting in this dock, about a mile from the actual airport, waiting for this light to be fixed and the proper paperwork to be filled out. One of the passengers was getting antsy and demanded answers. We were all curios but just too afraid to ask. He then said “If we do not push off in 10 minutes, I want off the plane – bags or no bags! Half of these people had no intentions of going to Detroit – we are all trying to get back to Europe!”
Now, in any given circumstance, I would have been completely disgusted with this individual but absorbing the magnitude of the situation and realizing we had a connecting flight to make, probably the only one left, I found myself silently cheering him on. Mutiny never sounded so good!
Nevertheless, we pushed off in those 10 minutes and the flight was underway. I think the thought of having atleast 10 passengers demanding to get off with loose baggage in the plane’s belly and even the cost of it, scared the Union boys and the flight crew! So suddenly we were off.
We made our connecting flight, only to hear how so many had started their return home AND the second half of their journey to be ‘Cancelled’ mid-flight. We landed in Paris, to wait for the next part of our journey to London via the Eurostar.
The train station was absolute mahem! There were no trollies available to transport baggage to the train. You saw families, singles, the ederly, all of which were waiting around for spare tickets. Anything to get waitlisted on the last train of the evening!
We found ourselves running through Gare de Nord train station with minutes to spare…I had to leave my infant son on the tarmac to get the other bags on board. A mother reached out and explained her own little toddler was worried about the boy in the pram and asked where his mommy was. I winked and quickly said “Don’t worry Sweetheart, I have eyes in the back of my head and there is no way anyone will be left behind”. He smiled as did she.
Ironically, nobody was checking tickets. I did overhear a woman working for Eurostar say 200 people missed the train and that the train itself was overbooked by 100. There were atleast 11 empty seats in our cabin after we took off from the train station. Where was everyone?
We finally got to London and took a taxi home. I kissed the ground as we entered the property. I was so excited we made it home but still felt incredibly sad for all of the other travelers who weren’t in the comfort of their own homes.
At the end of it all, it took us 36 hours and 5 cities to get home via planes, trains and automobiles…what did it take you?
You know, my mother always says when there is a disaster at hand “We will all look back and laugh about this some day.” I think John Hughes had the same thoughts and many a journey…
Go out and buy ‘ Planes, Trains & Automobiles‘ by John Hughes (1987). It’s a great film and one we should never forget!
Week 1: It’s A Bum Wrap
Week 1: It’s A Bum Wrap
Today, I am officially starting my blog for my training towards the big ride to Paris. It’s called ‘Training Days’ and we hope you’ll follow, pass it along to friends as well as enjoy!
Wednesday: 3rd March
Boy does my BUM HURT! Getting used to the bike saddle is one thing and sitting for lengthy periods of time is another. But, what I found out today, is what any experienced cyclist already knows: equipment is key and the right saddle, shoes and bike shorts are more than just accessories but essential tools to succeed!
Now, I know that! And for those of you who have already sponsored me, or are considering sponsoring me, please, don’t worry! I can handle this. I am just working out the bumps in the road for the moment.
My trainer, Brian, is hooking me up with what I need to get my ass in gear! Pardon the expression, but Brian’s motivations are clear and encouraging. He loves to see his clients achieve challenging goals at least once a year, especially anyone over 40 years of age! As for Brian, he’s climbed Mount Kilimanjaro 7 times!!!! He is an expert when it comes to mental strength and endurance, so he knows how to get this girl into shape and ready!
Another key part of this training, it seems obvious, is nutrition. I have this saying to keep me in check whenever I feel my addictive personality starting to kick in and I see that chocolate bar thinking it has a free-hall pass:
“Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should!”
It’s all about moderation and a little (more) restraint. I am no longer going out 3-5 times a week, I have cut that down to 1-2 times on the weekend. And the red wine is (almost) no longer part of my diet – just vodka, water and fresh lime juice – try it! What does Bethhenny from The Real Housewives of New York drink – the ‘Skinny Girl’s Margarita’? Well, try this one, it’s less fussy, delicious, and this is my Lime-Aid! Free of preservatives, no sugar or colours added!
And yesterday, I got a notice in my e-mail from ‘Just Giving’ notifying me of a donation. I must say, I am even more inspired as I received the biggest donation to my charity to date – that of £1,000 from a private donor! I am so excited and now am feeling the pressure to perform!
I am off to buy my padded shorts, my shoes, and a new saddle at Cycle Surgery – what do they say? Oh, yes, it’s a Bum Wrap!
Remember to sponsor me in the big ride! Click on the link below:
Getting Back On The Bike
Back On The Bike
It’s been a few years (and a few kids) since I have been inspired to do anything athletically challenging. The last time I even attempted was for my wedding 10 years ago! The thought of that silk white dress accentuating every last problem area proved too much for me to handle! I couldn’t get on that stationary bike fast enough and as for my caloric intake, well I dropped that by half! I must say I did pull it off. My chest was even concave! There is nothing like a little panic and tissue stuffing to figure things out, right?
After three children, starting a business, many drop-offs and pick-ups, playdates and loads of school lessons later, I find myself a few extra ‘pebbles’ heavy and at a crossroad. I turned 41 this past summer and as usual, things just don’t fit as well as they once did. And I’ve realized my priorities as well as my perspectives in life have changed. It’s not just about that white dress anymore – it’s about living a healthy lifestyle and helping others especially those in need.
So, I am inspired, once again, to get back on the bike! But this time, I found a different, more rewarding goal to get me motivated. In a first attempt, I have decided to sign up for a charity bike ride from London to Paris raising money and awareness for Children In Crisis.
It is a rigorous bike ride being held in June 2010. Myself along with 49 other crazy riders, will be riding over 300 kms (approx 180 miles), averaging 100 kms (62 miles) a day! The first leg of the ride consists of downhill terrain, which is a bit hilly, but nothing us ‘amateurs’ can’t handle.
Getting into France however, is another story. It will consist of steep hills and slick roads. Only one race and one person comes to mind – Lance Armstrong! YIKES! I am equally excited and scared to death! I only hope I can finish in one piece! BUT I remind myself, it is for a good cause and that will be my driving force to the finish line!
I chose Children In Crisis (CIC) because I believe that every child deserves the right to an education. CIC was established in the UK in 1993 to give children in the world’s poorest countries the education they need to help transform their lives.
Fact: Worldwide, one in six children are denied an education. That’s approximately 72 million children!
At the heart of the CIC is the belief that education is the best possible route out of poverty, bringing hope for a better future for both families and communities.
Education is paramount!
Children in Crisis’ vision is of a world where all children have access to education enabling children to live positive and healthy lives and to contribute to the development of their society.
I will be updating my blog weekly until the ride, then I’ll try to write daily on our progress – Please support, follow and above all else, PASS THIS ON TO YOUR FRIENDS! It should be a lot of fun!
For donations, please click on:
http://www.justgiving.com/AlexbikestoParis
Thank you! Alex Currie
Squeaky Clean and Fresh Faces
Squeaky Clean Hair and Fresh Faces
Like most mothers of families with 1 to a gazillion kids, I have a very busy, hectic social and activity-ridden schedule of school, birthday parties, playdates, afterschool activities, and hair raising park-time usually ending up, as expected, head-to-toe filth!
Our daily cleaning routine ranges from cleaning behind the ears to dodging Nit infestations. It’s all about tackling, prevention and containment. I can’t give myself full credit of keeping tabs on the laundry, but, I will give myself full Kudos to discovering what *celebrity mums, Diane Lane and Brooke Shields, have discovered: The Original Little Sprouts natural hair and skin care collection for children ages 0+. I, like them, SWEAR by it!
One of my daughters has really un-ruly, long, dry, curly hair. Before ‘Sprouts’, as I like to call it, she screamed and ran away when the brush came out. Now, she will sit still and hand it to me.
We use all of the products, but mostly my children are styled with three of the top selling products: The Natural Shampoo, The Deep Conditioner, and The Miracle Detangler – emphasis on ‘Miracle’! The end results are tangle-free, smooth, silky, gorgeous locks, camera ready for any close-up.
For mother’s peace of mind, this is an organic hair and skin care collection. Sprouts is hormone and chemical free. There are no added essential citrus oils, are free of insect attractors such as honey, soda & fruit fragrances, and are vegetarian and vegan approved.
But my peace of mind came to our daily morning routines when she handed me the Detangler on her own. Pure joy and resolve! The Natural Shampoo’s added benefit contains organic rosemary and basil, which can help repel against lice and insects. And from what I can see, we have been Nit-free for 4 years – and that’s no joke!
A little square is a believer in this collection and hope you will give it a go. Once tried, you’re hooked, and no going back to any of those commercial You-Know-Who’s!
And to jumpstart this new way of cleaning style, a little square is introducing 2 new deals to its customers:
- The Natural Shampoo 354ml reg. £12.95
- The Deep Conditioner 354ml reg. £13.95
- The Large Miracle Detangler 354ml reg. £16.95
NOW ALL FOR £38.00!
(SAVINGS £5.85)
The Original Little Sprouts Loyalty Card:
Sign up and celebrate your new Sprouts discovery with a little square’s “The Original Little Sprouts Loyalty Card”. Buy 6 full priced items and get The Natural Shampoo FREE after final purchase. A little square keeps purchases on record in main office and does not sell information to any parties. Must read through and agree to the Loyalty Card’s Terms and conditions to receive free shampoo.
*Celebrities Mums include Diane Lane, Brooke Shields, Deborah Messing, and Cindy Crawford
Picky Perfect Kid Friendly Asparagus and Leek Soup
Picky-Perfect-Kid-Friendly Asparagus and Leek Soup
There’s nothing worse than a picky eater – especially a 6 year old – under your roof when you’re a loyal, hardcore “Foody”. My partner and I have a real appreciation for good food and good wine from various cultures and try new things every week.
But as children grow and, god forbid, you have a picky eater, their palettes don’t change too much. So whatever stage your child’s palette remains in, so does yours. Speaking from experience, I must admit, one of my least favourite stages is the ‘Pasta and Butter ONLY’. And when we are with the children on the weekends all together, our choice of restaurants is limited and dominated by this particular palette. After a while it becomes icky and uninspiring – blah!
For inspiration, I watch the Food Channel on television. I regularly tune into Nigella Lawson’s Nigella Express or The Barefoot Contessa’s Ina Garten, and love to squirm with the contestants on Greg Wallace and John Torode’s Masterchef Goes Large (big fan!). If I cannot watch and am overloaded with things to do in the house, it’s fantastic background noise. Either shows are soothing, hugely entertaining, and interesting – I always get a kick out of the delicious end results! And we don’t need to talk about all of those fabulous trinkets and toys in the kitchen – my cupboards are bulging!
But better yet, my picky eater has inspired me to be more inventive and creative in the kitchen and today, she’s almost cured! I now experiment with spices, veggies, meats, and textures. Every daily challenge takes me to a new level of understanding and appreciation of food and I am even taking cooking classes!
And one of my ‘accidents’ has now become a tried and true recipe – Asparagus and Leek Soup – even children like it! It can be spicy, so keep the heat down for the kids!
Picky Perfect Kid Friendly Asparagus and Leek Soup
Ingredients
3 bushels of asparagus – approximately 30 stalks
2 large leeks
3-4 cups of chicken stock (preferably 2-3 OXO cubes, it’s quick and reliable!)
Unsalted butter
1 tub of Philadelphia Creamed Cheese, regular
¼ cup of milk (optional for thickness)
Tobasco to taste
Cayenne Pepper (optional)
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
For Croutons
Simply cut up slices of bread in small squares and sauté in butter and salt.
Soup feeds 4-6 people.
Essential equipment is a sauté pan, large boiling pot, standing blender, colander, wooden spoon and a fine netted sieve.
Wash the asparagus and especially the leeks, they may still be a bit gritty. Cut a little off the ends of the asparagus and either steam or boil in lightly salted water for approximately 6-8 minutes. Make sure they are soft and floppy. From the leeks, remove the first layer, it can be a bit worn and lose its flavour quickly. Finely slice the leeks and sauté in butter until soft and translucent.
Drain the asparagus, place them with the leeks into the standing blender. Add approximately 2-2 ½ cups of chicken stock. Blend until very smooth. You may need to add a little more stock to pass through the sieve. Once smooth, pour liquid into the sieve over the pot. Gently turn your wooden spoon clockwise to push the liquid through. This will take a few gos, and once you are through, discard the pulp into the bin.
Add the remaining chicken stock into your pot. Please watch the amount as you don’t want to have a runny soup. Add the tub of creamed cheese, a little nob of butter, salt and pepper to taste. Now this is where the heat comes in. Add a dash of cayenne pepper and a few sprinkles of Tobasco. Keep adding to your liking. I prefer mine with a kick, so I go for it!
Now the soup is ready to eat! However, I prefer to let sit on the stove, in room temperature, for about an hour. This helps it to come alive! Or if you like, keep it in the refrigerator overnight, for a stronger, more robust, thicker soup.
Heat and serve. As a suggestion for garnish add fresh croutons and/or shredded Parmesan cheese.
Bon Appétit!
Solving The Identity Crisis’s
As we all know, it’s hard enough going through life trying to pave our own paths, owning every decision we make and keeping track of all of our own ‘bits’.
However, what’s even harder, as a seasoned parent, is trying to find your own child’s belongings after school, in their own ocean of extra ‘bits’. Your actions tend to be swift and thoughtful whilst ensuring you’re not tossing someone else’s child in front of you as you lunge over the desks in hopes of reaching your child’s lost lonely sock in the deep corner! But inevitably, no matter how precautious we are, it happens. We end up with the wrong stuff! How many times have we taken in the wrong items ranging from hats, to scarves, to shoes, to scooters!!!
Well, worry no more! a little square is doing its small ‘bit’ to help parents everywhere – we’re introducing one answer to help. Now featuring a solution to your problems – Owny Rubber Bands. Designed specifically with children in mind – but more for parents’ peace of mind. They are stretchy, durable, and best yet, come in a fabulous variety of bright colours and designs! Choose from hearts to footballs to dinosaurs – there’s something for everyone!
And as our luggage tags do for luggage on those over-packed airport carousel’s, spotting your bits now comes just that little bit easier! They are great for scooters, bags, school supplies, collectible fashion bands and even work well as party bag closures – their purposes are endless! And parents can wear them too!
Themes are Diggers, Football, Dinosaur, Skulls, Hearts, Stars, Slippers, and flowers. Measuring approximately 1.5cm wideX18cm round. Not suitable for children under 3 years.
Fred The Egg – F.T.E.
My eldest daughter is almost 7 years old and is practicing her poetry writing. Her teacher has asked me to help and follow up on her new found talent. We have been in deep discussion on the many ways of ‘How To’ write and rhyme at the same time. She’s getting pretty good at it, I must say. Yesterday we came up with Fred the Egg, F.T.E., and here it goes…
Fred The Egg – F.T.E.
One day, Fred The Egg F.T.E. was laying in the sun
Then he baked and he cooked
until his little shell shook
Then the egg cracked
The little bird clapped
and shouted “Hello World!”
Not too bad baby girl!
A Very Little Catalogue Indeed!
Proud to introduce our very first catalogue! A Little Square’s catalogue has just been released yesterday, November 3, 2009, and is filled with fabulous new gift ideas for the holiday season.
From my personal journey of moving to London, to starting an at-home business from scratch, and pouring my creativity into everything I do—I am thrilled to finally release this catalogue to all of you!
A Little Square’s first catalogue is the product of four years of anticipation, excitement, motivation and nerves to release something tangible, colorful and lively for my customer base. I have spent these years building up my business in Kensington while attending charity events and in the process have met so many remarkable women all over the UK while doing so. My customers and children have inspired me to tackle the daunting task of a catalogue release, but the task was well worth it!
Since opening, A Little Square prides itself on offering collections not offered throughout Europe—namely our bows and headbands. The palette is exclusive to us with specific school colours for uniforms to holidays—take a look and make your match!
This catalogue is a mum’s no-fail guide for filling up Christmas stockings with excitement this season. Most popular items and stocking stuffer ideas featured are the: Pink Ribbon Watches, with eleven interchangeable ribbons; Dear Santa, I can explain…Long Sleeved T-Shirt; Huggy Buddies, baby animal blankets; and First Tooth Boxes for the tooth fairy to discover. There are even fabulous Mili b polka dot knickers for our Yummy Mummies—there’s something for everyone!
I hope to bring the warmth and cheer of the holiday season closer to everyone with this winter catalogue. Many thanks to those who have inspired me and helped me create a final product. To me this catalogue only marks the beginning of A Little Square’s journey. As a small business owner, I am continually looking into the future. What could be next… a retail store?
To place an order with us follow the simple registration directions on our website, assign a password, and you are all set. If you prefer to speak to one of our team members please call 0207 837 7532 and we’ll take care of you!
We hope you enjoy the catalogue and the 10% discount everyone receives on the first order!