A Little Square

mumpreneuruk.com loves us!

root — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 01:27:06 +0000

This month mumpreneuruk.com ran a product review on one of our favourite products. They love our site! Read the full story.

See us on Parentdish!

als — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 15:31:41 +0000

Our Gund Brown Puppy Huggy Buddy is featuring in the AOL parenting gift guide, read the full article here.

Look at us!

als — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 18:19:06 +0000

This week we appeared on popular blog “mummys little monkey” with a post highlighting our Funky Feet Shaggy Sheep Shoes. Mummy’s Little Monkey says “Are these, or are these not, the most adorable slippers you’ve ever seen?” . . . you’ll need to read the full article to hear the rest of her comments.

Tex Mex Queso Dip

als — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 21:51:38 +0000

I am a Texan by birth and have always loved Tex-Mex food, it’s basically Mexican food with a Texas twist. Since living here in London, I have had a real struggle to find a true Tex-Mex meal. There are a variety of great restaurants around my neighborhood: Crazy Homies in Nottinghill (cal-Mex – so L.A., CA), Taqueria in Nottinghill (authentic Mexican), Loco Mexicano in Nottinghill(Cubano-Mexican), Mexi-Cali in Chelsea Fulham Road (Cal-Mex), La Perla in Covent Gardens(Cal-Mex), and Wahaca in Covent Gardens (authentic Southwestern Mexican).. but none that remind me of what I know from my childhood.

So most times, it’s best to bring what you know to your own kitchen. With that said, I’d like to share one recipe that my family has been making for the past 20 years: Tex Mex Queso Dip. It’s a great dip for cocktail parties or even as a meal, it’s delicious and easy easy easy to make!

I wrote in an earlier Blog, Reaching for the Skyco, about American products that can be found at Skyco.uk.com here in the UK. They are canned Rotel Diced Tomatoes and Chiles and a block of Velveeta cheese. All else can be found in any supermarket in your own neighborhood.

This is an easy recipe to follow and a sure winner at any get-together over the Holidays or summer BBQ’s!

* Equipment absolutely needed is a double boiler.

Ingredients to purchase from SKYCO:

1 can of Rotel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chopped Chiles

1 16oz Bar of Velveeta Cheese

1 jar of Medium to Hot Pace Picante Sauce (optional)

Ingredients to purchase from any supermarket:

150-200g of Mild Cheddar cheese

150 ml of Whole milk

2-3 bags Doritos Tortilla Chips (Dippers preferably)

Preparation:

Heat up the water in the pot of the double boiler. Cut Velveeta cheese, mild cheddar cheese into cubes and place into bowl with milk. Heat over boiling water in pot until it starts to melt together. Add one can of Rotel and stir occasionally. It should take about 20-25 minutes for the mix to combine and melt together. Add 150 ml of Pace Picante Salsa to mix. Add more Pace Picante Salsa to your liking. The cheese should be melted, smooth and chunky with chiles and salsa . Heat up tortilla chips in low heated oven and serve once dip is finished.

Best with Modelo or Tres Equis (XXX) and Margaritas!

Reaching for the SKYCO

als — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 09:34:06 +0000

I have lived in London with my family for over 7 years and we have enjoyed every thing that it has to offer. The Parks, the architecture, the restaurants and fashion, the schools, the day-in-and-day out living, even the Cabbies are fabulous. Although I consider myself a die-hard Londonite, I do miss an occasional bag of American goodies - bring on the Pop Tarts PLEASE!

Searching for American food was a bit daunting a few years ago, but after much research through friends and the internet, I finally found a few internet businesses and even small boutique stores, that carry the likes of Lucky Charms to Kraft Mac&Cheese even Kosher Pickles! I feel like I am right at home…only 3000 miles away!

I am a huge supporter of small businesses across the UK and prefer to buy through them rather than the larger giants that seem to squash them as quickly as they come out! However, the ones I mention below have stood strong and proven they can withstand the storm!

One company I like in particular is Skyco. They are a small, family run business importing goods from all over the United States. They are friendly, very professional, quick, and turn your orders around faster than you can say Velveeta! Skyco also participates in many of the charity Christmas Fairs across London, visiting popular neighbourhoods through out, making sure we get our fix of Dr Pepper, Tootsie Rollsand even A1 Steaksauce before the holidays! Just call Jean, she’ll hook you up!

There are the larger grocery chain stores, like Waitrose and Sainsbury that carry Kraft Mac&Cheese, Aunt Jemima’s Pancake Mix and Pancake Syrup, but not the small treats you may have grown up loving like Butterfingers, Pepperidge Farm’s Goldfish even Stove Top Stuffing! Even Costco has what we need over here, only it comes in massive bulk, which at the end of the day, you have to figure what’s more important, space or food?

Even if you are not American, these businesses have many a goody that would be great to introduce to your family, i.e. Wholegrain Cheerios, in the Yellow Box, which have absolutely no sugar! It’s great for beginner-eaters too!

And coming next week, my sisters and I have a few fantastic easy recipes to follow of yummy dips and casseroles for parties and the whole family! Our first recipe to share will be Tex-Mex Queso, most ingredients for this dip are found between Skyco and Sainsbury, we’ll specify which in the instructions. Don’t miss it, my husband swears by this one!

Watch for the ‘Fabulous Recipes’ category.

Please come back to find out more!

Here are a few other best kept secrets I’d like to share. Shop and eat well!

Internet:

http://www.skyco.uk.com (full range)

http://www.americansoda.co.uk (full range)

http://www.americanfooduk.co.uk (full range)

http://www.americansweets.co.uk (full range)

http://www.cybercandy.co.uk (sweets)

http://www.costco.co.uk/ (full range, BULK BUYS ONLY)

Stores:

Tom’s Deli (Nottinghill, limited variety)

Waitrose (limited variety)

Sainsbury (limited variety)

Costco (Watford, BULK BUYS ONLY)

Miracles Can Happen

als — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 19:02:47 +0000

Jack of all trades is what I like to call myself when someone asks what I do. I juggle 3 kids, a business, after school sport activities, kids birthday parties, and volunteering for local communities – so time for me is difficult. Although I try to make it to the gym twice a week and walk everywhere I possibly can, there are still some ‘problem areas’ I have had difficulty shifting since ‘Number 3’ came along.

Achieving the perfect body can seem a bit out of reach and working at it is, well…hard work. I do eat better, drink loads of water, and spend more time with my children rather than playing Bunco with my girlfriends. So, what seems to be my issue? Those darn problem areas that only plastic surgeons have the maps to!

Ladies, there is light at the end of this tunnel. I recently picked up two new products that usually target new and expectant mummies. They relieve discomfort, they repare skin as it stretches, and apart from that, from their all natural ingredients, they massage the skin on the tummy while it grows! So why are these products not promoted to the likes of me? I am not pregnant!

Well, I took a gander and tried them and they have proven to be a miracle! I use them because I am getting results! The first is The Miracle Oil (100ml). Made from Argan oil, rich in Omega 6 and 9, it nourishes, it firms and helps put the elasticity back in your skin while passion-flower and sweet almond oils gently soothe and soften. And it is great at reducing the appearance of healed scars and damaged, uneven skin tone.

I know it’s been a while since I had my last child, but there’s never time like the present. Like a daily routine, I simply massage the oil in first then at night I use the second product, The Body Smoother (190ml) to help re-hydrate those problem areas. Made from a super-nourishing blend of centella, hibiscus, and shea butter, it increases elasticity, boosts moisture and helps reduce the appearance of stretch marks and cellulite.

As we prepare for winter in the UK and its unpredictable weather, a little square is offering a special deal on both The Miracle Oil and The Body Smoother for you to enjoy for only £25.00 – saving you £3.98!

Try them both, get that miracle working and feel great!

You’re Only As Good As Your Last…Enchilada!

als — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 17:16:42 +0000

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!

als — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 15:37:10 +0000

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!

als — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 16:11:53 +0000

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

als — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 18:06:34 +0000

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: 3^rd 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:

http://www.justgiving.com/AlexbikestoParis