THE BEST GIVEAWAY YET - Ida restaurant pasta making lesson for two and meal with wine to follow

I admire restaurants that are passionate about the food they create. IDA is a better example of this than any other with their homemade pasta and Italian attitude to life. Located in fashionable Queen’s Park, IDA is a short bus ride from Notting Hill and Portobello.

On the morning of Saturday 12th March IDA will be holding one of their legendary pasta making courses. A brilliant opportunity for beginners and experienced cooks, the class is run by IDA owners Avi and Simonetta Reichenbach and the restaurant’s talented chef Giacomo Matera. Students learn the techniques of kneading, stretching and cutting pasta -everything from tagliatelle to gnocchi to cannelloni; how to make a traditional sugo, the not so dark art of the perfect risotto, and the secrets of Italian cake-making. At lunchtime, participants sit down together over a glass (or three) of wine to enjoy the fruits of their labours; and leave with a detailed recipe sheet and certificate.

You can win a place for two (worth £80) on this fantastic and fun course, taking place on Saturday 12th March on the IDA premises in Queen’s Park. If you don’t live in London you can still enter and give the gift to a foodie friend or family member. But be quick the competition must end on Thursday 10th March so a winner can be chosen at random in time.
All you have to do is:

1) Be a follower on my blog, and write a comment below, telling me your following name
2) ‘Like’ the IDA Restaurant facebook page, here
3) Include your email address so the winner can be contacted

This is a really special GIVEAWAY. Handmade pasta is rarely made in restaurants in Italy anymore, let alone in the heart of London, and you have a chance to be part of it for free.

All the information you need can be found here.

If you can’t make the 12th March please still enter as it may be possible to accommodate you on another day’s course.

GIVEAWAY: Be my February Girl

It has always been a little ambition of mine to design clothes. When I was a teen I designed and made jewellery with my company ‘The Bead Hive’ (see here), and now I’m beginning to venture into the clothing idea. So I have decided to make a giveaway of my first, very simple, creation: a printed t-shirt.

February is my birthday month and if it’s anything like January, will be wet and dreary. So I want to make it a tiny bit brighter for one of you with a simple white t-shirt, easy to wear with anything, with the cute pink ‘February girl’ logo on the front; inside will be sewn one of my unique ‘thoroughlymodernmilly’ name tags. The t-shirt is a small, but is on the big side, and for those who are more petite: you can cut the seams and customise it as a baggy cropped tee - that’s what I’m doing with mine! Along with the t-shirt I will be throwing in some Mac make-up, yet to be decided on.

All you have to do to be in with a chance of being crowned the ‘February girl’ is:

1) Be a follower on my page, and tell me your name

2) Tell me in no more than 50 words, what is special about February for you and write it as a comment below.

Competition open to all readers worldwide, winner will be announced on Valentine’s Day, 14th February.

Going to Work in style...

What is your favourite day of the week? I would normally answer Friday, without hesitation...however, I'm beginning to change my mind. I find myself looking forward to Wednesday - the day that I excitedly retrieve my free Stylist magazine from the kind man at Hammersmith station.

Stylist magazine, now on its 31st issue, tackles a variety of topics, but is definitely geared more towards London's ladies. Fashion, food, beauty, politics and more are all discussed. Often they include interesting interviews and stories too. My favourite part is the double page 'Style List' at the front of the magazine, picturing 30 little gems, that are hot this week. In fact, this week I spotted a pretty gold necklace (worn by Carrie in SATC2!) and immediately went on the website to purchase one myself.

I came into work this morning (avec Stylist), and soon discovered that none of the girls in my office knew anything of this wonderful magazine. So, if nothing else I hope this blog post raises awareness and reminds you all to look out for Stylist magazine next Wednesday morning - you're sure to find it by the man screaming 'Stylist' at your nearest tube station!