Me, in a Nutshell

If you’re anything like me, you’re curious about the face behind the words.

I’m going to share some of my favorite bits about beauty, fashion and home decor with you, but also a few things about who I really am.

I’m actually pretty lazy. I work hard only because we can’t afford a butler.

My favorite kitchen gadget is a plumber’s torch.

I don’t like sharing my chocolate, unless I really like you.

Grocery-shopping is my exercise regimen.

Your stilton is safe with me, but your parmesan isn’t.

I am nuts about shoes and I buy them for people I love.

Daisy inspired the logo for my site, which I created using MS Paint.

I love Massive Attack, Albinoni, J Majik, Sting and the Chipmunks Christmas album.

If I ever won the lottery, I would travel the world over and over again.

Gigi, The Quiet Man, The Taming of the Shrew, Moonstruck and My Big Fat Greek Wedding are my favorite movies.

Favorite reading material: Magazines and other people’s blogs

Some of my Favorite Things

Here are a few of my fav things. These are not sponsored, but items that I really have and use at home. Periodically new items will pop up. So, keep an eye out and tell me about some of your favorite things.

I love jewelry, especially those with sentimental meaning. Most days, there are two necklaces wrapped around my neck: One is an orchid pendant that Shawn got me for my 40th birthday. Along with the orchid, I wear another pendant depicting a mother and baby with the Indian OM symbol. My father gave it to my mother and she passed it onto me on my first Mother’s Day. I carry my loved ones with me everywhere I go with these two special tokens.

My theory about fashion is that every woman has trademark beauty that is all her own. Wear whatever makes you happy and compliments your figure, regardless of current trends, haute designers and magazine features. A women who is comfortable in her clothes radiates confidence and happiness. That is what amounts to real beauty, at any age.

I wear what I like. Red shoes are my trademark and the first pair I had were a pair of Swedish clogs when I was a little girl. You could hear me coming from a mile away, which alerted my grandmother to whatever mischief I had or was about to perform!

I still wear red shoes, currently a pretty pair of patent heels.

The pearl white Hello Kitty bowler is my every-day bag, especially because it has plenty of room for diapers, wipes, crayons, coloring books and snacks for my little blue-eyed beauty.

Coco Beauty

Every woman is uniquely beautiful. What makes her most alluring is her confidence and trademark smile. One of the most important items in a beauty arsenal is water. We just don’t drink enough of it. Water is crucial to circulation, hydrating the body, carrying nutrients to cells and removing toxins. Keep a tall glass of ice water handy all day and enjoy refreshing sips.

If I’m in a rush, I’ll slap some blush on and grab my keys. Sometimes I like bright red lipstick (L’Oreal British Red with liner), but, if I do that, nothing goes over my eyes. Eyeliner, mascara with red lips make me look like the wife of a mob boss. I often go with the that 1960’s look with big, bold eyes and barely-there lips.

The best facial scrub comes right from the kitchen! Just before bathing, mix a tablespoon of ordinary white granulated sugar and a few drops of olive oil. Allow the steam from the shower to moisturize your face for a few minutes, then rub gently over your cheeks, chin, nose, forehead. Rinse and wash with a gentle facial soap for a fresh, clean look.

Don’t waste beaucoup bucks on fancy high-end beauty products that promise the Fountain of Youth.

Neutrogena makes top-notch products without the highbrow price tag. Mom got me into Rapid Tone Repair recently and I just love it, because it nourishes my skin, helps it repair and heal. Follow with a light moisturizer like Clinique’s Moisture Surge to feed thirsty skin. Keep up with this routine and in about a week, you’ll be surprised at the beautiful face staring at you through the mirror.

Matte foundation looks so lovely, but I don’t seem to do well with having it all over my face. Applied only under my eyes and the shadowed areas between the bridge of my nose and eyes brightens my whole face.

I have light olive complexion and have learned which shades compliment me best. Nude-toned lipstick is my favourite if I want to showcase the eyes. When I’m not wearing any eyeliner or shadow, brick-red lips add just the right amount of colour to my face.

Rose water is a natural, refreshing facial toner. I keep a bottle in my bathroom caddy with cotton pads. Before bedtime, I wash my face, then apply rose water. The cooling effect and fragrant scent give me sweet dreams.

Paloma Picasso is my signature fragrance since I was in my teens. The warm, spicy scent is so enticing. More recently, I have found Signorina, which has a more delicate and sophisticated scent.

Coco Home

Our home is a comfortable environment with mostly Eastern effects. Persian rugs, a bronze Shiva, books about cooking and art, copper items, wooden kokeshi dolls, bronze Daikoku, a burlap piggy, kilim pillows, clay Buddha, botanical metal objects are among the many things you’ll find around our place. The only room that doesn’t fit that theme is our bathroom, which is rather dated. We are planning an overhaul, all based around some beautiful Persian, patterned tiles and a large, open, walk-in shower made from just one shower glass panel. That’s the idea anyway! We are always changing things and renovating different rooms. My favourite tips are moving furniture around, as that can make a room feel brand new, and redecorating (even if it is just one wall, for example adding a feature wall). We often have Cumbria Painters coming into our home to paint the walls different colours. I love pinterest and as soon as I set my heart on a design, I always want to change our current decor. Painting the walls different colours means that I don’t have to change any of belongings but makes the room feel brand new, but it hasn’t stopped me considering more major works like having Graceland Window Installation in the living room. I’ve not followed through on it yet, but maybe one day!

The Old Dutch copper mugs with the brass handles are a recent obsession. I’ve always loved the warm glow of copper and cannot resist anything (teapots, I’m crazy for teapots) made of copper. I spent most of the night at my cousin’s wedding reception talking about how much I loved my mug more than the drink that it contained. My sister finally bought one for me and it’s everyone’s fav at the house, especially Daisy.

The drafting desk is such a beauty. It is from Cost Plus World Market. I got it for Shawn’s birthday as I wanted him to have a cool desk and assembled it all by myself. We bought some cheap office furniture to go with it and we’re now so happy with our home office. The desk is the pice de rsistance. Antique Depression era glassware, colourful German, Japanese and American pottery are gifts from my parents that make the table so uniquely beautiful and every meal extra special. Making flowers arrangements is always relaxing. Fresh blooms bring life to any room.

We love traveling and visiting friends, but coming home is always a treat. It is a happy refuge that we have made uniquely our own.

Request a Recipe

If you have any questions, are looking for a specific recipe you’d like to me feature or just want to say “Hi,” I’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment or write to me at coco [at] cocointhekitchen [dot] com.

Keep healthy.
Be happy.
Stay beautiful.