Month: July 2020

TEAM ZOELLA JULY 5, 2020

Weekly Wants: New In Items We Are Obsessing Over

We’re sharing our favourite new-in style pieces this week (with a couple of isolation board games thrown in for good luck) that are making us excited for an opportunity to wear anything other than our well-loved loungewear.

The summer nights might be feeling longer, but with social distancing still in place it means less nights out on the town and more in front of our phones scrolling ASOS when we probably, maybe, definitely be winding down for bed. Ahem, no judgement pls.

We’re sharing our favourite new-in style pieces this week (with a couple of isolation board games thrown in for good luck) that are making us excited for an opportunity to wear anything other than our well loved loungewear. We didn’t think it was possible to grow old of the humble dressing gown, but here we are.

Charlotte

Summer dressing is my FAVE, I literally feel most ‘me’ in my warm-weather wardrobe and have been vicariously living through my ASOS saved folder for the past few weeks. Swimwear is something I find it really hard to nail, but high waisted bottoms have saved me in recent years and I feel 10/10 comfortable and happy in them.

Monki is my go-to this season- they have so many lovely bits including these gorgeous sandals which I’m adding to basket right about now!

*ASOS, And Other Stories sunflower print high waist bikini brief in yellow, £23 

*ASOS, & Other Stories sunflower print bikini top in yellow, £23 

*Monki, Puff sleeve cardigan, £30 

*ASOS, Monki Julie ginham double strap low heel in green check, £25 

*H&M, Bucket hat, £9.99 

Danielle

Even though it’s currently windy and raining as I write this, I’m going for a ‘high summer’ outfits after last week’s heatwave! I recently purchased this Swimming costume from H&M and it’s so comfortable and flattering, the crinkly style fabric is on-trend and the tortoiseshell hardware matches my sunglasses. I’m a sucker for wearing all white as soon as it’s sunny so to show off my tan I’m going with this oversized shirt, sandals and a sun visor to top the whole look off.

*H&M, Ribbed swimsuit, £24.99 

*H&M, Oversized shirt, £34.99

*And Other Stories, Diagonal Slingback Leather Sandals, £65 

*COS, OVERSIZED BRIM STRAW VISOR, £29 

Darcey

I’ve recently found my love for a midi skirt again, specifically a satin one! They just look lovely and I find them really flattering. Paired with a simple crop top and some chunky sandals, it’s a super easy look! My obsession with 90’s style shoulder bags continues so of course, I’d style it with one of those too.

*ASOS, ASOS DESIGN bias cut satin slip midi skirt in off white, £28

*ASOS, ASOS DESIGN slim fit racer front top in black, £8 

*ASOS, Teva midform universal chunky sandals in black, £50 

*ASOS, My Accessories London Exclusive nylon shoulder bag in taupe, £20 

Zoe

I have to admit I’ve been doing a bit more online shopping than normal recently and these are the bits that have landed on my doorstep (or will be imminently). Because we’ve had such amazing weather, I’ve definitely had my eye on some summer wardrobe bits! Although a little more pricey, I have fallen head over heels for the brand “meadows” and ordered this shirt and shorts combo and daffodil embroidered mom style jeans! I’ve also been obsessed with new games and highly recommend Quirkle & Blokus. You know me, I love a good IRL game.

Meadows, DAHLIA SHIRT ENGLISH STEMS, £145 

Meadows, BEGONIA JEANS DAFFODIL, £150

*Amazon, MindWare Qwirkle Game – Travel Size, £14.44 

*Amazon, Mattel Games Blokus Family Game, Strategy Game, £36.56 

Lareese

I’ve been on the hunt for some straight leg jeans for bloody ages and finally found the perfect pair from h&m – they’ll need to be surgically removed from me at this rate, that’s how much I’ve been wearing them. I’ve also recently become obsessed with pink gingham (must be a summer thing) and this set from Sezane is just beautiful!

*H&M, Straight High Ankle Jeans, £24.99 

*Sezane, Suzie Top, £65 

*Sezane, Lucas Shorts, £85 

Maddie

As much as I love layering up there’s something so easy about summer dressing. A crisp and comfortable floaty dress, cute accessories and some strappy sandals, bingo! I’ve recently just discovered this brand Mie and I’m pretty sure my bank balance is going to know about it!

*ASOS, ASOS DESIGN tiered cotton poplin smock midi dress in white, £32 

Mie, Sicily Dress, $145 

*And Other Stories, Strappy Leather Heeled Sandals, £85 

*Sezane, Joia Earrings, £85 

 

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TEAM ZOELLA JULY 3, 2020

June Book Club 2020: The Switch by Beth O’Leary

If ever there were a time to read a book that feels like a giant hug, it's now, and The Switch by best-selling author, Beth O’Leary, is just that.

If ever there were a time to read a book that feels like a giant hug, it’s now, and The Switch by best-selling author, Beth O’Leary, is just that.

Full of heart, warmth and laugh out loud brilliance, it’s an unputdownable book you’ll race through but feel utterly gutted to finish. Aren’t they the best kinda books?

Find out how the team rated this month’s book club in the gallery below!

When overachiever Leena Cotton is ordered to take a two-month sabbatical after blowing a big presentation at work, she escapes to her grandmother Eileen’s house for some overdue rest. Eileen is newly single and about to turn eighty. She’d like a second chance at love, but her tiny Yorkshire village doesn’t offer many eligible gentlemen.

Once Leena learns of Eileen’s romantic predicament, she proposes a solution: a two-month swap. Eileen can live in London and look for love. Meanwhile Leena will look after everything in rural Yorkshire. But with gossiping neighbours and difficult family dynamics to navigate up north, and trendy London flatmates and online dating to contend with in the city, stepping into one another’s shoes proves more difficult than either of them expected.

Leena learns that a long-distance relationship isn’t as romantic as she hoped it would be, and then there is the annoyingly perfect – and distractingly handsome – school teacher, who keeps showing up to outdo her efforts to impress the local villagers. Back in London, Eileen is a huge hit with her new neighbours, but is her perfect match nearer home than she first thought?

Lareese

So, I think this might be my favourite book we’ve read so far! Bursting with warmth, character and heart, every page felt like a soothing cup of hot choc. Told through the dual narratives of Leena and her 79-year-old grandmother Eileen (what a legend), The Switch is an endearing and life-affirming story about all the life there is to live, even after a loss. I particularly loved the dynamic between Eileen and Leena’s friends. Her character is such a hoot! It’s the perfect reading material for these anxious times and it just goes to show what good can come from stepping outside of your comfort zone. I already miss Eileen Cotton, she captured my heart with her sass and lust for life and I can only hope I’m that entertaining when I’m her age. As O’Leary says, I think I’ve been well and truly ‘Eileened’.

5/5

Would you recommend it? Yes
Would you read it again? Yes

Danielle

So this month I decided to tackle the dreadful job of getting out every piece of clothing I own and sorting it out. A job that would usually involve sweat, tears and heap of whining was possibly one of my favourite days of the month because of The Switch. I popped on my audible when I started and time FLEW by. It’s read by the AMAZING Daisy Edgar-Jones (Normal People) and the ICONIC Alison Steadman (Pam from Gavin and Stacey) so I knew I’d be in for a treat and BOY was I. This book has literally everything, so many different types of humour, really well-rounded characters, what I would consider as twists and turns because I never saw things coming, and generally really good pacing that kept me listening for two days straight. it tackled important themes like domestic abuse, loss and the grief that comes with it, and anxiety which make it even more relatable as I’m sure you will identify with at least one character. I loved Leena and Eileen’s relationship, their sassy dry sense of humour and the sheer productivity both of them possess. Truly such a warm lovely book to gobble up in the midst of the current pandemics, a wonderful escape. I’ve already bought Beth O’Leary’s The Flat Share and hope it’s just as brilliant.

5/5
Would you recommend it? Absolutely, go and read it!
Would you read it again? I Would definitely listen again

Zoe

The switch was just what I needed this month for the book club pick. I decided to listen on audible as I was a bit more limited for time this month and it meant I could listen on the go and whilst doing things around the house. Daisy Edgar Jones is my new girl crush after her role in normal people, so it was nice hearing her play the character Leena alongside another classic and very firm favourite actress of mine, Alison Steadman who played Leenas grandmother Eileen. When Eileen finds herself single and ready to mingle at 79 years old she trades places with her 29 year old granddaughter who is living in London. This is such a gloriously funny, warm and wholesome story with a healthy dollop of romance and real-ness. I found the characters so interesting and enjoyable and the book felt like pure escapism at such an uneasy time. This also re-ignited my love of listening to audiobooks, the actresses did an incredible job at capturing my attention and telling the story! I loved Beth’s writing style and dialogue and will be downloading The Flat Share (her debut novel that I’ve not read) immediately!

5/5
Would recommend!
Would read and listen to again!

Amy

I really enjoyed O’Leary’s first novel THE FLATSHARE so I was excited to get started on THE SWITCH. This was such a fun, easy read, and I loved getting the perspectives of the two very different characters in Leena and Eileen. Beth’s warm and engaging writing style is a joy to dive into. I think I particularly enjoyed Eileen’s perspective of an older woman enjoying a long-overdue adventure in London, and although the plot was quite predictable and some of the relationships a bit underdeveloped, it also delivered everything I was hoping from it, so it didn’t bother me in the least. I’m also quite keen to ditch my London life for a gorgeous village in rural Yorkshire – anyone want to SWITCH?
3.5/5
Would you recommend it? Definitely for the beach
Would you read it again? I don’t need to read it again

Maddie

This is exactly the book I needed to read right now. Pure joyful, wholesome escapism at its finest. I absolutely fell in love with the characters immediately and the author does a great job at setting the scene and back story straight away which is great for me as I really need a book to hook me in from the first paragraph, this definitely did. The book deals with a lot of real emotions and topics; grief and loss, anxiety and anger, love and family but it never feels too heavy and there is also a lot of humour thrown in to keep a very happy-go-lucky feel throughout. I love Eileen in particular, she is literally the character we all need in our lives right now. Determined to live her best life at 79 and not give up looking for love in a 21st-century world, I was rooting for her the whole way.

4/5
Would you recommend it? Yes
Would you read it again? Yes
TEAM ZOELLA JULY 2, 2020

20 Things To Do in July

Would you look at that! We’re Midway through the wild effing ride that 2020 is shaping up to be and let’s just say, the only way is up, right? It has to be.

Would you look at that! We’re Midway through the wild effing ride that 2020 is shaping up to be and let’s just say, the only way is up, right? It has to be.

It’s the perfect month to get to work on that summer bucket list. Ok, so Glastonbury didn’t happen this year but with cheap tinnies on tap, Adele on full blast, a tent in your garden and somewhere comfortable to poo, your garden is a close second.

Here’s 20 things to do in July!

1 Get a cold pint from the pub and enjoy every glorious moment. Who knew it would feel this good to be reunited with YEAST

2 Binge Little Fires Everywhere – Reesie Witherspoon is glorious, Kerry Washington a TRIUMPH

3 Go camping in your back garden. There’s no party like GLASTHOMEBURY

4 Celebrate 4th July!

5 Eat a summer dessert. Ain’t no mountain like a stiff peak.

6 Get your hair done after 4 long months…

7 And when the nice lady shows you her handiwork in the mirror at the end, let out an audible gasp. Who IS that person in the cape staring back at me?

8 Read Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams – the book of the year as voted at the British Book Awards and this month’s Zoella book club title

9 Pretend to be cut up about gyms not reopening for a while. Merhahaha, we only life banana bread now remember?

10 Leave your phone at home and sit in a park uninterrupted with a good book or podcast

11 Book a little staycation – our far-flung holiday plans are still left in tatters but a mini-break to the Cornish coast is full steam ahead.

Image Image Credit: @Ginaincornwall via Instagram

12 Make a ‘life after lockdown’ list full of all the things you want to do with your freedom. Sail the med? Eat at every restaurant you’ve missed? HUG every single family member for an uncomfortably long time?

13 Have a day at the beach and get sand in every orifice. But you don’t grumble because THIS IS LIVING

14 Sip on a proper coffee at a coffee shop brewed by an actual barista cries tears of joy

15 Go on a date! Dip that toe back in the Bumble water

16 Shop at one of your favourite local independent stores. Show them some love!

17 Go to a museum just because, WE CAN DO THAT NOW

18 Wear jeans for the first time in 4 months…

19 and realise exactly why you’ve avoided them for so long

20 Have a cinema date – social distancing guidelines still apply but hey, more popcorn for me

What will you be getting up to this July?

TEAM ZOELLA JULY 1, 2020

The Four Berry Pavlova To End All Summer Puddings

Summer puddings don’t get much better than pavlova. Crunchy on the outside with a chewy marshmallowy centre and piled high with ripe seasonal fruit & cream, it’s a classic warm-weather dessert.

Summer puddings don’t get much better than pavlova. Crunchy on the outside with a chewy marshmallowy centre and piled high with ripe seasonal fruit & cream, it’s a classic warm-weather dessert.

Light, voluminous and drizzled in tart raspberry sauce, it’s the perfect edible centrepiece for any garden party.

Although it’s typically served with fruit and soft whipped cream, the cloud-like dessert is super easy to tailor to your taste buds, so if you fancy rhubarb and custard or lemon curd, there’s plenty of opportunity to go off piste with the fillings and toppings.

The key ingredient for a show-stopping pav is patience. Handle your egg whites right and leave your meringue to cool down slowly and you’ll be laughing.

SERVES
PREP: 30 HRS COOK: 1 HR
MEDIUM
Open sidebar INGREDIENTS

Ingredients

For the meringue:

4 egg whites (room temperature)
250g caster sugar
1 tsp cornflour
1 tsp vanilla extract

 

For serving:

300g berries for topping
350ml cold double cream
Icing sugar for dusting

 

For the raspberry coulis (optional):

200g fresh /frozen raspberries
1 tbs water
1 tbs fresh lemon juice
1 tbs caster sugar

Preheat your oven to 140C fan.

In a large bowl, beat 4 egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form. You want to get as much air into the egg whites as possible. When separating your eggs, ensure no yolk gets in the bowl. The yolk contains fat, which will prevent the white from thickening.

With your mixer still running, add the caster sugar gradually a tablespoon at a time. Turn your mixer onto a high speed and whisk until the meringue looks thick and glossy. Gently fold in the cornflour and vanilla extract and gently whip on low speed just until incorporated.

Using a circular baking tray / dinner plate, mark out a 20cm circle on a sheet of baking parchment. Dab a small amount of the meringue in the 4 corners of a large baking tray, this will secure the baking parchment to the tray.

Place the baking parchment drawn side down and spoon the meringue mixture into the circle, spreading it evenly with a serving spoon or rubber spatula. You’ll need to squash it down a little bit, pushing it out to the edges to create a meringue nest with soft peaks around the outside.

Turn down the oven to 130C fan and bake for 1 hour until crisp on the outside. Turn the oven off and cool the meringue completely inside for a further 2 hours.

Ahead of serving, release the meringue from the baking paper gently, using a spatula if needed and place onto a large serving plate. Don’t worry if your meringue is cracked and imperfect, that’s the beauty of this pudd.

For the raspberry sauce if using, add the fruit into a saucepan with the lemon juice, sugar and water, bring to the boil and allow the fruit to cook for 5-10 minutes. Take off the heat and strain the raspberry mixture into a bowl using a fine mesh sieve, pressing the raspberries with a spoon to extract all the juice. Set the bowl aside to cool and pour into a small jug for serving.

When you’re ready to serve, whip the cream until soft peaks form and spoon into the centre of the meringue. Top with fresh berries of your choice, we’ve gone for strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries. Decorate with a dusting of icing sugar to serve and enjoy with a chilled glass of sparkling wine!