bloomzy /

Now Open: Muji – Islington N1 Store, North London

On Thursday I headed to the Muji Islington N1 press event, which was held just before the customer opening event. This is the first Muji store to come to North London, and I know I am not the only one who is happy with this. You may be sat here right now scratching your head and saying “But Emma, the store has been open since last weekend?!” Well yes, you’d be correct, but Muji decided that it would be better to hold their event a few days later.  When I arrived I noticed a few people had already started queuing, and I was told that the customers are so dedicated they had started queuing over an hour before the event. Now that’s brand loyalty!
The new store has taken a lot of inspiration from the newer London stores, and from their stores in Japan. In fact they even had some of the Muji Japan team come over to give the finishing touches to the store. Looking outside in, the store looks classic and high-end. It’s slightly misleading as the store seems very small from the outside, however the team have made the most of the two floors and the fixtures, leaving the store looking more than spacious inside. The store has a great selection of Muji’s stock, which delighted me greatly; the storage, travel and candle selection is particularly impressive.
Muji is the perfect brand for those who live a modern, urban lifestyle. Selling high quality, minimalistic items from Japan, that could easily rival it’s competitors – I’m looking at you Sweden! I personally adore their storage items, and the little bits and bobs that make my home look better, and run easier. I’ve never bought any of their clothing (they sell women’s & men’s), but I was impressed with their use of French linen, and the quality tailoring of their basics. It’s safe to say I will be back again, and again, to the new Muji Islington N1 store.
Keep an eye out on my YouTube channel for my Muji haul video, coming soon!
bloomzy /

Nuffnang’s 1st Birthday Party

On Saturday afternoon someone let a bunch of bloggers, including myself, lose on the rooftop of Netil House (Netil 360 to be exact). It’s ok, don’t worry, we were given plenty of food and drinks to keep us happy (and snapping photos). Yes, it was Nuffnang’s First Birthday celebrations and we were ready to party!

There were props a plenty, so me, Alex, Honey & Jesse took full advantage. In blogger terms that means a mini photo shoot! So we pranced and posed all over the rooftop with the colourful balloons Nuffnang had provided us. After we had exhausted ourselves and our cameras, we retired to the shade to sip on Pimms and chat with our fellow bloggers. It was so lovely to finally meet Marlene, and catch-up with Steph, Sarah, Sara, Holly, Angela…there’s just too many wonderful Nuffnangers to keep up with! Time flew by as we laughed and swapped anecdotes. We worked up quite the appetite during the day, but thankfully Club Mexicana were on hand to serve us delicious vegan tacos. I am a meat eater, but I adore vegetarian and vegan food, and I was not let down by these tacos. They were scrumptiously spicy, and left me wanting more! Still, after so much savoury food I had room for a little something sweet. Thankfully the amazing Victoria Yum was at Netil Market, which just so happened to be directly below us. So I told everyone about her and convinced them to come down with me and buy up all of her cupcakes!

I’ve wanted to be a member of Nuffnang ever since I found out my girl Cheesie was with them. Unfortunately at that time they were only in Asia. Naturally as soon as I found out they were in the UK I joined straight away! Nuffnang may have only been around in the UK for one year, but they are already pros at hosting events. I feel so relaxed with them, and I know that they would gladly help me (and the others) if I ever needed it. Not only that, but Jesse has already become a good friend of mine – she inspires me so much and I truly believe that we were meant to meet. So thank you Nuffnang, for inspiring me in blogging, helping me meet so many amazing people, and for hosting us at your first birthday party. May it be the first of many! 

bloomzy /

Recipe: Cauliflower Base Pizza (Gluten-Free)

Cauliflower base pizza is something I’ve been toying with the idea of for a while. I first heard about it when a friend told me she had tried her hand at a gluten-free pizza. After reading up on it I found out that all you needed was cauliflower and egg for the base, which excited me greatly, as I can be a bit lazy in the kitchen. So I figured I’d try my hand at it and see what I could come up with on my own. This recipe is completely gluten-free and can be adapted to best fit your personal tastes. It may sound outrageous, but this has now become my favourite kind of pizza. I would gladly choose it over a regular base any day. Sayonara Dominos! Hello gluten-free heaven!

As a reference, most of the seasoning for this is done to taste so I haven’t used any measurements.
I’ve also recommended some alternatives for those who don’t like spice.

Ingredients:
350g Cauliflower – Frozen or Fresh
50g Mozzarella (approx)
3 Baby Tomatoes
1 Large Egg
Pesto (approx. 1 1/2 tablespoons)
Chopped Spring Onions (approx. 2)
Chilli Powder/Paprika
Dried Basil & Oregano
Salt & Pepper
Garlic Clove/s
Parmesan
What you need to do…
Pre-heat your oven to 200c/Gas Mark 7, and line a tray with greaseproof paper.
If you use frozen cauliflower, I would suggest defrosting it/cooking it slightly and squeezing out any excess water. Fresh cauliflower is easier to work with, but I have used frozen in this recipe as it’s just easier to keep a big bag in the freezer. 
After you have prepared your cauliflower cook it in the microwave for 5mins.
Let it cool, then place it in the blender, along with the garlic (I used 2 cloves).
Blend this for about 10 seconds, making sure you are left with crumbs, and not a puree.
Add your cauliflower and garlic mixture to a large bowl. To this add the egg, salt & pepper, dried basil & oregano, parmesan and the chilli powder (or paprika if you’re not a fan of spice) – to taste. Mix this together with a large spoon until you are left with a dough like texture. If you think your mixture is a bit wet, you can always add a little gluten-free self raising flour to bulk it up.
Once you have your mixture ready, roll it into a ball and place it on your lined tray. Press down onto the ball and create a large circle, making sure not to thin it out too much – you want a thickish crust. Don’t worry if it looks a bit messy, the rustic charm will add to the look and texture of the base once it is cooked. Place your ‘dough’ in the oven for around 15mins. Sometimes I turn it around halfway through, to make sure it is cooked evenly. 
Now your base is cooked, you can garnish it! Spread the pesto evenly over the base – you can add a little tomato puree (gluten-free) here if you like. Cut your tomatoes into quarters and scatter them over the pizza. I like to scatter the chopped spring onions over top of this. Finally, break up your mozzarella and cover the pizza with it. 
Bake your pizza in the oven, for around 10mins, until it has browned and the mozzarella has melted.
Cut in half and serve – I like to have it with potatoes or a salad.
This is a super quick and easy recipe that anyone can enjoy – even if you’re not on a gluten-free diet. Trust me! It’s just as filling as a regular pizza, but has a lot less calories and isn’t anywhere near as greasy. It also includes 2 of your 7 a day! 
As always, if you do try it out, tweet me or leave a comment here as I’d love to know what you think!
bloomzy /

Finchittida Finch Empress Collection

Finchittida Finch @ Luna & Curious
Last weekend I had to make a stop to see my favourite design-duo Finchittida Finch. You may remember that I interned for them last year and I am so proud to continue following them as they go from strength to strength. Their collections are now available to buy on ASOS and in selected Urban Outfitters stores. How awesome is that? It just goes to show that a little bit (ok, a lot) of hard work, goes a long way! So when I heard they had a pop-up just down the road from me you know I was gonna be there asap! Unfortunately I caught a nasty cold so I missed the party and free nail art (you know I’m sick if I miss out on nail art), but I did make it down for their final day.
The Empress Collection is Finchittida’s latest collection, and in my opinion, the best to date. I didn’t think I could love their pieces anymore but the ornate crowns, the avant garde glasses, and the subtle pops of colour have won me over. My favourite piece from the collection is the chain mail skirt. You can see the effort that has gone into making this such a gorgeous and intricate piece. However I know I’m not going to be sporting it down to the shops anytime soon, so for a more practical choice I’d choose any of the necklaces, especially the large gold ones. As you can see I visited with some friends (Alex, Federica & Honey), and we all picked some pieces to model. If I’d had longer I would have dressed up in everything…yes that means the chain mail too! Still, for now I’ll just live vicariously through Li-Ann Smal (the face of Finchittida Finch’s Empress Collection) – you can check out all of the jaw droppingly gorgeous photos in the Empress Collection Lookbook. I’d also suggest watching the beautiful behind-the-scenes film shot alongside the new lookbook.
You can shop the new collection at Finchittida Finch.
bloomzy /

OOTD: I Feel Blue

Top* – Persun | Trousers* – Persun | Bag* – Persun | Sandals* – FitFlop | Watch – Marc by Marc Jacobs

When you leave a bunch of bloggers alone together you know something is going to be photographed. This time round it meant an impromptu photo shoot at Netil 360, overlooking East London. Balloons and silly poses were the name of the game, as we tried to look as carefree and candid as you possibly can when you’re actually posing in front of a camera. Luckily I had some lovely blogger friends (Alex & Honey) on hand to help me laugh, and just generally act like a fool, whilst they took my outfit photos for me.
The weather was pretty warm on Saturday but it was also slightly deceptive. After spending most of my life in England I wasn’t to be fooled by the sun shining outside my window. Call me pessimistic if you will, but I knew that it was going to be a t-shirt and trouser kind of day. Luckily for me I had these gorgeous items from Persun just lying around, waiting for me to adorn myself with them. I got so many compliments on my ‘I Feel Blue’ top, which certainly didn’t leave me sad. It’s incredibly comfortable and left me feeling pretty chic, when paired with the trousers and more importantly the clutch! Yes, I actually went out for a whole day with only a clutch bag. That was not easy for someone who enjoys shoving their entire life into a bag, but I got by and I felt pretty cool in the process. I finished everything off with my new FitFlops – the comfiest sandals/flip-flops that you will ever find. They actually arrived that morning, which seemed to be a sign that yes, it would finally be warm enough to wear sandals. I love it when comfort meets fashion, because really I’m just an old lady inside who wants to walk around in a nightgown and memory foam slippers 24/7. Thankfully this outfit is slightly more fashionable though.
Thanks to Alex of alexianatouillia for taking these photos.
bloomzy /

Photo Diary: Rekorderlig ‘Apple & Guava’ Spirit of Summer Press Event

On Thursday evening I headed to St Paul’s for a beautifully Swedish affair. My favourite fruit cider (who am I kidding? It’s the ONLY cider I drink) Rekorderlig were hosting a press event to celebrate the launch of their new Summer flavour. That meant the fiancé and I were able to take in the amazing views from the Sky Bar (at The Grange Hotel) roof terrace as we sipped on the new Apple & Guava Rekorderlig. It’s juicy, sweet and very unique. After trying the new drink, I wanted to jump straight onto the cocktails (they’re my jam, yo!). Luckily Rekorderlig’s amazing mixologist Joel Persson was on hand to offer us some delicious beverages. My favourite was the Guava Semester, a succulently sweet cocktail made with Rekorderlig’s apple & guava, gin, apple juice, mint leaves, lime juice and sugar syrup. Now all I need is a stocked fridge and a pitcher to make it my drink of the Summer.
Once again Rekorderlig managed to host a chilled and enjoyable event. I loved the decor and more importantly the venue, which was the perfect Summer setting. This Summer I can definitely see myself chilling on a roof terrace with some friends, having a laugh and throwing back the Guava Semesters. Well done Rekorderlig, you’ve outdone yourself again!
Visit Rekorderlig to get your hands on their new flavour this Summer.
bloomzy /

Giveaway: Chill* Colourful Hair Dye

You’ll find it hard to meet someone who hasn’t dyed their hair, and over the last few years non-natural (think bold and pastel) hair colours have been ridiculously popular. I myself used to have a bright red shade, and my friends have hair colours ranging from pastel pink to bright turquoise. Still, it can be difficult to choose which colour, and even more annoying is the price that comes with a dye job. So I have teamed up with Chill* to offer 4 winners their choice of 2 of their hair dyes each, so you can colour your hair yourself at home. Yes, that does also mean that you won’t have to decide on only one colour, you can pick your favourite pair! You’ll be able to choose from their range of semi-permanent (up to 20 washes) dyes in a variety of amazing colours!
What can you win?
4 x Winners will win their choice of 2 x Chill* semi-permanent hair dyes

How to enter:
+ Be a follower of ‘Bloomzy’ via Bloglovin
+ Earn extra entries on Twitter, Facebook etc.
– Entrants who do not follow the rules will be disqualified.
– Twitter accounts created purely for giveaways will be disqualified.
This giveaway is open to UK participants only.
Running for 2 weeks (ending 14th June).
The prize is provided by and will be sent out by Chill*.