GLAMPING: Jollydays, North Yorkshire

Words & Prodution: Claire Bingham; Pictures: GAP Interiors/Chris Tubbs

WITH THE realisation that the simplest things can be glamorous, upscaled camping has become the current ultimate outdoor experience. Rekindling a love affair with the great outdoors with her luxury-tented accommodation in the vale of York [see left and below in the gallery], Carolyn van Outersterp shows Claire Bingham how to have the perfect family camping holiday - even in the snow!

The family: Carolyn and husband and their four children Galatea (14) Midori (13), Angel (6) and Alto (8) live in an 18th century listed farmhouse a couple of minutes drive away from the woodland.

Claire Bingham: How did Jollydays come about?
Carolyn van Outersterp: For a long time it has been our dream. For all the years whilst we were running our business CVO Firevault [an upmarket fireplace company] in London it was something we always wanted to do. What directly influenced the decision was a trip to a friend’s wedding in Uganda where we all camped on the snowy slopes of Mount Kenya. That was when the idea really got lodged in my brain. I thought, if they can do it here…

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Posted 12 December 2011 in Lifestyle + Interiors, Travel

REAL-LIFE LONDON: Easton, Quin & Ivy’s rooms

Photographs: Light Locations & Courtney Adamo.

WHEN Courtney Adamo - one of the bloggers behind Babyccino Kids - bought and renovated her home in north London last year, making the interior perfect was the last thing on her mind. Luckily for Courtney, she had a host of friends willing to give away furniture to help her complete the project. The result is beautiful and calm - although Courtney claims, “my husband and I always say that seeing photos of our house makes us realise how boring it is!!! It needs serious help in the design department, but after renovating the whole thing last year, we’re taking a break from spending.”

Courtney isn’t so critical of her kids’ rooms, even though they too have mostly happened rather than being planned. For example, she says two-year-old Ivy’s room, pictured above and below right, is “a bit of a hodge-podge of random things that ended up in there when we were moving in. We placed that Ercol chair in her room for lack of a better place at the time, but I liked it so much in there we never moved it. Same goes for the lamp in the corner, the storage boxes at the foot of her bed, and some of the art on the fireplace mantle.” Read the rest of this article

Posted 31 October 2011 in Real Life Interiors

EAT: Zid Zid Kids’ Moroccan Pancakes

WHEN JULIE KLEAR - founder of Zid Zid Kids and Marrakech resident - tweeted about her family’s breakfast of Moroccan pancakes, we couldn’t resist but ask for the recipe.

Here’s Julie’s version of Moroccan pancakes, known locally as M’semmen or Msimen… Enjoy making (and eating) them with your kids.

INGREDIENTS

3 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups white flour
2 and 1/2 cups water
1 Tablespoon salt
Vegetable oil for kneading as needed Read the rest of this article

Posted 8 August 2011 in Eating / Drinking

ANTI-ALLERGY BAKING: Knead Bakery

IT’S A FUNNY THING eating delicious goodies that don’t contain any of the bad things cakes, biccies and muffins are renowned for. Because you question the very reason you’re doing it at all - especially when you don’t get that familiar sugar high after stuffing your face on a chocolate brownie.

But there’s a very good reason Sim Smith has launched Knead, a new bakery producing cookies, muffins (blueberry muffin, pictured left), carrot cake and chocolate brownies that are completely safe for multi-allery sufferers. She’s one herself.

All too aware that the growing number of bakery ranges offering gluten, dairy, wheat or sugar free foods often only address one allergy issue - Sim’s new bakery goodies address ALL allergens in one fell swoop. As a girl who can barely touch food (she’s allergic to cane sugar, yeast, dairy and gluten) on her journeys around town, Sim was determined others - and in particular the growing number of children suffering from multi-allergies - should be able to enjoy sweet treats just like her. Read the rest of this article

Posted 12 May 2011 in Eating / Drinking

REAL LIFE, VENICE, CALIFORNIA: Jesse’s home

JOHN TRIPP, FATHER to Jesse, 3, and Sam, 14 months, leads something of a double life. By night he’s a DJ, playing the Standard Hotel in Hollywood, as well as at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery Screenings. By day he runs Jesse’s Threads, a vintage kids’ clothing store full of the kind of original 70s threads you and I used to wear back in the day (www.jessesthreads.com).

John’s home is equally retro, and is imbued with as many stories as the clothes he sells. The 1905 Craftsman house he shares with his actress wife, Tina Holmes, and the two boys is full of “furniture we found at flea markets, auctions, on the street, and from our families.” Luckily John and Tina’s families have impeccable taste. Read the rest of this article

Posted 12 May 2011 in Real Life Interiors