Yummie Coconut Balls

Every first Sunday of the month there is the Sunday Market in Westerpark, Amsterdam. Which is partly a so called farmers market and partly a place for small designers and artists to display and sell their items. I personally go there for the food and ambiance. Especially on a day when the sun is shining it's just a nice hangout spot with good music, food and drinks.

So May 4th it was the perfect day to make a stop at the Sunday Market.

After a quick stop at a stand with delicious Spanish hams, we walked by a stand which said " We <3 cocos". (translates to English; We love coconut). And coincidentally there is a weak coconut spot inside of me as well. After some research I found out that " We <3 Cocos" is a creation of Pieman.nl .
Pieman.nl is a bakery which bakes, amongst others, a various range of English pies.

I saw a display window with heaps of coconut balls. They all looked the same, but don't we all know ..... looks can be deceiving. So although they looked the same they are flavoured in 4 different ways. 1) plain coconut, 2) dark chocolate, 3) white chocolate, 4) ginger/pepper. We got the plain, dark chocolate & white chocolate versions.

The balls are made of raw coconut, with some sugar, vanilla and egg whites. So gluten free and they sure do taste DE-LI-CIOUS. It's of course sweet, but not too overwhelming and still  a bit chewy.
The one with the dark chocolate reminds me of a bounty bar but much better. Instead of chocolate covered coconut the chocolate is scattered around here and there. Which is perfect because it's all about the coconut with every now and then the taste of chocolate.

The white chocolate one doesn't really do it for me. I think it's even kinda funny tasting. Doesn't really ad anything to it.

Next time I am going to try the ginger-pepper one.

It's two thumbs up for the coconut balls / cocos balls from We <3 Cocos (Pieman.nl) .

Tony's Chocolonely-Crazy about chocolate, serious about people.

When talking about chocolate I can not think of one person who thinks... Ugh... no thank you! In all honesty I am not the biggest chocolate eater but that's more because I am more of a savoury kinda girl than a sweet tooth. Still, a piece of chocolate is kinda hard to resist. So when some of my colleagues at work started working on a project for a chocolate maker a lot of people got exited thinking of the possible chocolate coming around with that. And yes.... every once in a while... we would get a box of mini chocolates for the office. Hooray...!!

That's how I got in touch with Tony's Chocolonely. The chocolate maker they were working with. I had heard of them but never realized it was actually a Dutch company and that it was a company with such a clear and noble statement. A 100% slave free chocolate world. I don't want to make a big sob story of this, but I think we all know that things aren't always as equally divided as it should be and people are still being exploited to the good of others. That's why I like companies as Tony's Chocolonely. Of course what they do is such a small part of the bigger issue, but you have to start somewhere. And if I can help a teeny tiny bit by buying a piece of chocolate, that's ok by me! Don't mind it one bit. So with the excuse.. " I really really need to do a food piece on my blog I went of to get me some chocolate... "....

There are 5 flavours. Milk, Pure, Milk with hazelnut, Milk with nougat and Milk with caramel and sea salt. The first two I had already tasted at work. Not really special. To me it tastes like any other milk or pure chocolate bar. However, I really do love anything with caramel and it's well known that caramel and sea salt are besties of each other. So yes... that one was on top of my list to taste. Do I like it.... mwah... still haven't decided. While eating it you immediately taste the salt and yes it does it's work with the caramel and I was thinking..... "It's a keeper!!" But then the after taste. To my taste I keep tasting the sea salt too long. I would have rather ended with a caramely flavour. But then again my boyfriend really liked this one. Which proofs... to each his own taste.

Milk with hazelnut. Another one on my "gots to have" list. Can't go wrong with this one. It's just a yummy chocolate bar. In an ideal world there would be whole hazelnuts in the bar, but as they say themselves... "Our chocolate bars are unequally divided because things aren't fair in the chocolate world", so I can understand that this whole statement would go up in smoke if they would put whole nuts at an equal 5mm apart from each other in the bar. Side note.... I think it would be heaven to have the combo, hazelnut - caramel.... sigh...

Milk with nougat. This one is surprisingly good. Not much of a nougat fan but really liked it in combo with the chocolate. Made it a bit chewy. Can not say much more about this one then... "It's a keeper."

The website of Tony's is http://www.tonyschocolonely.com/ . It is in Dutch but they are working
 on their English site. Hope they are going to launch that soon. For the Dutchies amongst us. The chocolate bars can be bought at many places. For instance through the website. I got mine at Albert Heijn.

Some statements from their website:
* We are on our way to 100% slave free chocolate.
* We buy our cocoa directly from the cocoa farmers in Ghana and Ivory Coast
* We found it strange that all chocolate bars are divided into equal pieces while things aren't as equal in the cocoa industry. With dividing our chocolate bars in unequal pieces we want to make our chocolate fans clear that earnings are unequally divided in the cocoa industry.

Enjoy!!!

Max Factor - Wild Mega Volume Mascara

What is the one beauty item I can not do without? Easy.... that's mascara. Eyeshadow, lipstick, foundation can all do without, but I'm not leaving home without some mascara on my lashes.....and just maybe also a bit of blush on my cheeky cheeks...

I am not really loyal when it comes to beauty brands to be honest, but I don't really step of the "yellow brick road" when it comes to mascara. Lately I'm using either Maybelline Volume Express Falsies Mascara or Great Lash also from Maybelline. I tried some others but they don't really do it for me. So every now and then a little beauty fairy whispers in my ear to really try the one with the awesome packaging or the one in the flashing display. A couple of days ago I took a chance again with "one of the others". It wasn't the awesome packaging that attracted me towards this green fellow. To be honest it was the price. €10,- is more than fine by me. Although it also had me thinking... " € 10,-..??!! hummzz ... what good will that be?" . But I took the chance and thought I would share my experience with you.

So let's start with the look of it. It's ok. Not very impressive. Kinda olive greenish coloured bottled. But they reached the main purpose.... You know immediately what this mascara does or better said.. is supposed to do for your lashes. It gives you a Mega Volume. The brush has an hourglass shape. Was kinda sceptical in the beginning about it, but it really takes all lashes in one go. So a first hooray for this mascara.

Then of to the mascara itself and there you have my second hooray.... It's not too wet. Most mascara's I have tried are too wet. Especially when it's a new bottle. You need to apply several layers before it really hits off but not with this one. Still I like to put layer on layer on layer, but that's just because I think that's nice not because it doesn't really stick. And even after putting on several layers it doesn't clump. Does it give my lashes mega volume? Well.. Mega is a bit exaggerated, but it does give the lashes volume and it does shape them very good. I cannot deny that. What I also cannot deny is that I like this mascara enough that it will probably end up in my everyday make-up bag.

A thumbs up for the Max Factor Wild Mega Volume Mascara!!!

Kiss Everlasting Gel Nailpolish

So for christmas Santa brought me the PRO LED gel lamp from Kiss. Maybe once or twice I had mentioned that I  was curious to all those DIY gel nailpolish kits. Guess Santa picked that up somewhere. I was already kinda focused on Sensation nails. Why? Don't really know. Maybe it's because it is the (gel nailpolish) brand that is the easiest to get here in Holland. But the white bearded dude suprised me with the Led gel lamp from Kiss. Yay! So let's get started I was thinking, but too bad.... The lamp doesn't come with a starterkit included like most other lamps. And there comes the downside number one. I think it's pretty expensive compared to some other brands. The retailprice of the Led lamp here in Holland is around € 60,- and then you still have to buy your base gel, colour gel, top gel and gel cleanser. They do have a starterkit with these items which is around € 50,-. In this starterkit you'll find 3 mini's of 4ml. A base gel, colour gel and a top gel. A 12ml bottle of Gel cleanser, a mini file, buff block, manicure stick and a package with lint free wipes. Ofcourse you can also choose to get the full size bottles. They all contain 9ml and are around € 19,-. The prices kinda suprised me because Kiss isn't really a high end brand over here. Don't get me wrong... it also isn't a budget brand like Essence. Think it's somewhere in the middle. Anyway, in the end I got the starterkit. There are two choices. Lush a hot pink colour, the one I got and a French manicure kit.

Enough said about prices. Let's give it a try.

I already had shaped my nails, but before we can get polishing you'll need to buff the nails. That way the gel polish will attach better. After that take a lint free wipe and clean your nails with the gel cleanser. And now the fun part. Make sure you have everything ready to go. Put your lamp and bottles into place. But! but but but... Keep your bottles and brushes away from the Led lamp. If they are too close your polish will dry out!
Then take the base gel and apply a thin layer on your pointer, middle, ring and pinky finger. Now switch on your LED lamp and put your freshly polished fingers under the lamp for 30 seconds. And there comes pro #1. A timer is installed in the LED lamp so you exactly now when your 30 seconds are done. A beep goes off after 30 seconds and then it shuts down after another 30. So when the first 30 seconds are done you can go ahead with applying the basegel on your thumb. And again switch on the Led lamp and leave your thumb in there for 30 seconds. Now we're of to the colour gelpolish. Simply repeat the same steps as you have done with the base gel but this time leave your fingers under the LED lamp for 60 seconds. To protect the colour and give it a bit of a shine apply the Top gel and put it again under the LED lamp for 30 seconds. Then take a lint free wipe again and remove any excess gel residue with the gel cleanser.

And there you have it! Easy peasy. As we say in Holland... " A kid can do the laundry.. "
I must say I am pleasantly suprised with this kit. It was so easy to do and the result is really good. I heard stories about polishes pulling back after having them underneath the lamp, not necessarily with this brand but just in general. But that didn't happen. I think you have to really make sure you seal the edges of your nails and then that won't happen.

Quickly the pro's and cons so far:
Pro - Very easy to use. Especially the lamp with the timer.
         Colour looks nice and shiny.
Con - Fairly expensive in comparison to some other brands and less colour choices.

Now let's see if it stays on for the two weeks it promises. Very curious to the other colours in the Everlasting Gel Polish line.

ROCK STARLETS ~ Gwen Stefani for OPI

Like so many OPI is also one of my fav nailpolish brands. A quick dry guarantee and most of the time not more than 2 layers needed. After having the Mariah Carey collection it was a nice surprise when OPI announced a collaboration with Gwen Stefani. What comes to mind when I think of Gwen Stefani? Definitely a fashion icon. The pale skin with the popping red signature lipstick. A real power woman with an edge. So I was really curious what the collection would look like and eager to try them.

There are 7 colours to choose from. 1) Over & over A-Gwen, 2) In true Stefani fashion, 3) Push and Shove, 4) Love.Angel.Music.Baby, 5) I Sing in Color, 6) Hey Baby, 7) 4 in the morning.
The last four I got in a mini package and so those are the ones I could make swatches of.

So let's kick of with "I Sing in Color". A deep wine red colour. If you only put on one layer it is more of a purple-ish colour. I really like deep/dark red colours. Especially in the winter. This one has a nice finish. I had put on 2 layers, but maybe it was better to get 3.

    I Sing in Color

Timekeeping with La Mer Timepieces

About two weeks ago i ordered 2 watches from La Mer Collections and today finally a mailman stopped by with a little package sent from the US. I must say that i think that it is a fairly quick delivery, considering Christmas and New years was during those weeks and the whole world seems to stop time for those days.

Something short about La Mer Collections. La Mer was founded in 2001 by Martine Ilana after taking a year off from her design studies to travel to Africa and Asia. Her journeys inspired her to design these beautiful leather wrap watches. Every leather wrap watch is hand assembled.

Now back to the watches i received today. I am the lucky owner now of these two beauties.

  

I think it's always a bit tricky to purchase items like these from the web as pictures are always touched up a bit and the real thing can be a bit disappointing. However i was pleasantly surprised when i opened the two boxes they were stored in. The leather straps are light and soft. I was a bit worried that the chains on the watch were to heavy for my comfort, but it doesn't bother me while wearing. To me the watches are both elegant and casual. I can wear them to bling up my office outfit, but also with a t-shirt and jeans.

Retail prices in Europe are between € 100,- and € 200,-. However it's worth it to sign up for the newsletter of La Mer Collections. Not only do you receive a 20% discount coupon for your first order, you will also be informed when there is a sale. That is how i got informed by an online sample sale and could afford myself not one but TWO watches. Each watch was $ 40,- excl. shipping fee to Europe.

Go to www.lamercollections.com to check out the full collection.