Traveling in Style

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Louis Vuitton. I know I'm a very lucky girl to have quite the collection of handbags and wallets from the famous French design house. As I say to Mr D, they are a good investment as they stand the test of time and will one day be handed over to Lady Sadie.

I was a little concerned when late last year Marc Jacobs (my gay husband crush) abruptly resigned as Creative Director for Louis Vuitton. Marc during his 16 years at LV took the brand from a more traditional and mature aesthetic to something so over the top and creative while at the same time paying homage to it's traditional roots.

Rest assured though that Nicolas Ghesquiere has firmly made his mark if this truly beautiful and epic campaign is anything to go by.

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Dip Dye Love

For a while now I've been searching Doha for pastel coloured dining chairs. Do you think I can find them? No! I could have ordered them on line and had them shipped over but the cost and hassle of doing that was not going to work...well it wasn't going to work for Mr D.

After scouring Pinterest for some inspiration, I came across a new trend in DIY...dip dying.

This is going to suit me perfectly, we've got white dining chairs that I can now customise to get the look that I want without having to spend a fortune doing it.

So stay tuned for me first foray into DIY....well if I'm being honest it will be Mr D doing the actual DIY and I will project manage from the sofa.

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Summer Daze

The last few days in Doha have been absolutely glorious, not too cold and not too warm. You can sense Summer is in the air and it won't be long until the only way to cool off is to jump into an icy cold pool.

Shortly I'll begin shopping for new swimsuits and kaftans. I refuse to wear a bikini but I still like to feel sexy and glamourous in my one piece. These are the looks I'll be going for this year.

Good Reads

I am an avid reader, I have been since I was a little girl. I love crawling into bed early at night and tucking up with a great book. I spend a lot of time reading waiting for the school gates to open each afternoon and my favourite holiday, is a beach holiday where I can lay by the pool and read and read and read. 

I'm always storing away ideas of what my dream house will look like when we eventually move back home, without doubt it will come equipped with some kind of library and cosy reading area.

Late last year, a group of us girls got together and started a book club. We meet once a month over dinner, and generally talk about the chosen book for about 5 minutes before spending the next couple of hours chit chatting away. What I love about Book Clubs is that you tend to read books that perhaps you'd never think to pick up and sometimes those books turn out to be some of the best things you've read. 

Some of the books I've been reading lately and loved!

What have you been reading lately?

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My Day Makeup Look

Today I thought I would share with you the make up I use pretty much on a daily basis. I'm a beauty and makeup freak...no wonder my first career was as a Beauty Therapist!

I tend to stick to the same products that work best for me. I spend a lot on foundation and skin care but will only buy cheap mascara as I like to change the tube every two months.

I'm a huge fan of bright lipstick and when I'm feeling really drab and run down, a pop of colour makes me feel so much better. At the moment I'm into pinks and oranges during the day.

I've recently jumped on the BB cream trend. I started off with Sephora but found I didn't like it on my skin at all. Lately I've been using the Estee Lauder version and I must say I'm now a convert!

I carry my Lancome compact with me at all times....at all times! It's great for when you've been running around all day like a mad woman and need a quick touch up.

Finally, I'm here to tell you that primer is your friend! A good foundation primer without doubt improves how makeup looks on your skin, providing a smooth surface and helps keep your makeup melt proof.

So there you have it, a little insight into my daily makeup routine.

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1. Lancome La Base Pro Primer

2. Estee Lauder Daywear BB Cream

3. Lancome Colour Ideal Compact Pro

4. Chanel Crayon Sourcils Eyebrow Pencil

5. Chanel Irreelle Duo Silky Eye Shadow

6. Lancome Le Crayon Kohl Eyeliner

7. Cover Girl Lash Blast Mascara

8. NARS The Multiple in Palm Beach

9. MAC Candy Yum-Yum Lipstick

Cinnamon Baked Doughnuts

One of the first things I do when I arrive back home in Australia is go straight to a good old fashioned bakery for a proper cinnamon doughnut. There is nothing else that beats a good old fashioned Aussie doughnut. 

Sure in Doha we have Krispy Kreme, Dunkin' Donuts and Tim Horton's but they just don't cut the mustard.

I decided to try my hand at making my own. I baked these doughnuts rather than deep fry them and I was very skeptical at first but honestly these doughnuts are melt in your mouth and about as close as I can get to an Australian doughnut.

Now you don't want to go making these too often as they are full of all the stuff that is bad for you but tastes so good! I had one and quickly sent Sadie off to tell the kids in the compound that there were doughnuts so I'm not tempted to sit in my PJs and eat the lot of them!

Enjoy
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Ingredients
Serves 12

Baking spray
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 1/4 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla

For the topping

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Spray 2 doughnut pans well. Into a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, melted butter and vanilla. Stir the wet mixture into the dry ingredients until just combined. Spoon the batter into the baking pans, filling each one a little more than three-quarters full. Bake for 17 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then tap the doughnuts out onto a sheet pan. For the topping, melt the 8 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Dip each doughnut in the butter and then in the cinnamon sugar.

Flowers + Jugs

I've been thinking a lot lately about the beautiful things I have in storage in Melbourne. When we moved to Abu Dhabi in 2008 we thought we'd be away for only a year.  We moved half way across the world with only a suitcase each to our name (ok maybe I had 2...or 3. Nearly 6 years on and we've now settled in Doha, I'm beginning to think about all those wonderful engagement and wedding gifts and all the trinkets I've collected.

Some of my most treasured wedding gifts (I didn't have a registry) were some divine jugs given to me by close family friends. I used to go to the flower market or local florist each week and fill these jugs with gorgeous blooming flowers.

So while the Mr and I try to decide whether to have our things shipped to us or keep them in Australia, I'll leave you with some truly beautiful images....flowers + jugs.

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Images sourced from here

A Stripey Leopard

I love when patterns collide to make an oh so beautiful punch. Nothing does this better for me than leopard print and stripes. It is a daring and and bold way to wear an outfit.

Recently on a night out I paired a striped top with a leopard clutch.

I found these inspiring outfits on Pinterest. I'm slowly becoming a little obsessed with Pinterest!

Thursday Night In

Thursday nights in Doha marks the beginning of the weekend. Thursday's are our Friday's, Friday's are our Saturday's...you see where I'm going.

After a really busy week and a super fun weekend planned I want to spend my Thursday night in my most comfy PJs, glass of red wine in hand and some tasty snacks curled up on the couch. Mr D is out on the town tonight with friends so there'll be no arguments about what movie to watch, it's my call..."Blue Jasmine".

Tomorrow I'm so looking forward to a girlie brunch at the W Hotel, sipping on cocktails and eating superb Asian cuisine at Spice Market. I'll be back with a new post on Saturday.

I hope wherever you are, you're having the start of a wonderful weekend.

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The Table Is Set

Yesterday I shared with you my love of entertaining. I really love nothing more than good friends coming over sharing good food, good drinks and good tales.

I always try to make my home as inviting as possible and I like my guests to feel that I've made an effort for them. One way of doing this is a lovely table setting. My favourite table cloth is one I purchased in Bali last year which I've used to death but it looks so pretty that I can't bear to use any of my other linens.

My favourite table cloth from Bali, set for an intimate dinner party.

My casual linens, also from Bali. Ready for a Boxing Day BBQ

I found some great inspiration pictures on Pinterest today. You can't go wrong with a heap of candles and some fresh flowers!

Potato Salad - Take Two

Here at Chez Derrig we entertain a lot. Pretty much a weekend doesn't go by without us having friends around for casual meals, take away, fancy dinner parties or our favourite...BBQ. 

I think I love BBQs mostly because all my work gets done before the guests arrive as all I have to worry about is setting the table and throwing together a few salads. Mr D always takes the helm at the BBQ and he can whip up a pretty tasty meat platter. 

My latest version of a potato salad has been making its rounds here lately and is a more creamier version than my original potato salad that I shared with you here. 

Ingredients
Serves 8 as a side salad
1.5 kg baby potatoes
Salt
1 cup mayonnaise (I use low fat)
1/4 cup buttermilk (sometimes buttermilk is hard to find in Doha so I substitute with Labneh)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
1/2 cup fresh chopped dill 
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped red onion

Method
Place the potatoes and 2 tablespoons of salt in a large pot of water. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are barely tender when pierced with a knife. Drain the potatoes in a colander, then place the colander with the potatoes over the empty pot and cover with a clean, dry tea towel. Allow the potatoes to steam for 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, buttermilk/labneh, mustards, dill, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Set aside.

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in quarters of in half, depending on their size. Place the cut potatoes in a large bowl. While the potatoes are still warm, pour enough dressing over them to moisten. Add the celery and red onion, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Toss well, cover and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavours to blend. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Note
This recipe is adapted from Ina Garten.

Party Dresses with Chocolate Fish

Today I am guest blogging for Doha's premier children's party planner Chocolate Fish Parties.

Click here to head on over to Chocolate Fish

Lisbon Bazaar

I had the absolute pleasure last week of meeting Joana from Lisbon Bazaar, an accessories and fashion retailer in Doha. Joana sources the most stunning accessories, women and girls clothing from her native Portugal and sells them through the thriving Doha Flea Markets.

I spent a couple of hours with some girlfriends pouring through the collection and trying on the most exquisite jewelry.

What I love most about Lisbon Bazaar is what Joana has to offer is something a little different from what you can get at the high street stores. I myself don't like to spend a great deal on costume jewelry and the prices at Lisbon Bazaar and very very reasonable.

You can visit Lisbon Bazaar online here or if you are based in Doha you can visit Lisbon Bazaar at the next Doha Flea Market, details here.

Thank you again to the lovely Joana for allowing me to visit her showroom.

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