THE PERFECT RECIPE FOR THE PERFECT BIG BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION....

With my big birthday looming, the question was what to do to celebrate?

A party with all my best girlfriends was what I really wanted....followed by special time with my family, and so the plans came together!

With the table set for 25 fabulous girlfriends....

Beautiful and delicious food prepared by a wonderful daughter....

A stunning cake made by a talented friend....

Fun, chat and much laughter around the table...

Plenty of bubbles.....

 Some VIP guests..!

It really was the perfect recipe for the start to a perfect big birthday celebration!  

***

Part two is over the next few days, when Mr. W and I head off for the exotic charms of Marrakech with our lovely family joining us for the last few days.  I look forward to sharing with you on my return, the beautiful sights and colours of Marrakech, and in the meantime, you can follow along on Instagram @sophiahomelifestyle 

***

Thank you everyone who took the time to leave such kind and lovely birthday wishes on Instagram this week and thank you for reading!

Sophia xx

A VERY SPECIAL BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION!

Set high in the Morena Mountains, 80km north of Seville in the heart of Andalucia, you will find a truly magical place called 'Trasierra'.

This historic 16th Century house is a privately owned boutique hotel, which has been run and owned by Charlotte Scott and her family for the past 35 years….

With its stunning interiors….eclectic, artistic, understated and so effortless….

Romantic and supremely comfortable bedrooms….

Beautiful gardens, with shady and tranquil hidden corners….

It truly was the most fabulous place to spend a long weekend…..and not just any weekend….for it was the most generous, special and very personal birthday celebration for my gorgeous friend Sarah, who was celebrating a 'big' birthday. She and her husband James so generously invited close friends and family to enjoy 'Trasierra' exclusively for four days.

Four days of fun and laughter, enjoying the most delicious food and wine, trips to Seville to 'The old fish market' for lunch and wine tasting in a beautiful local vineyard, gorgeous walks amongst stunning scenery, yoga, massage and relaxation….and of course, much

dancing and partying….the fantastic Spanish 'gypsy' band and Flamenco dancers were something we shall remember for ever!

As we enjoyed the last fabulous dinner on Sunday night in the spectacular candle lit courtyard, I know I was not alone amongst our fellow guests, in feeling that we had experienced four extremely special days indeed….the most generous and spoiling of invitations, that was also so personal, genuine and intimate.  A chance for us all to spend very special time with our hosts and fellow guests in a truly unique, beautiful and magical place...

Thank you, thank you,  to our dear friends Sarah and James….our celebrations with you both at 'Trasierra' will stay in our hearts for ever….xxx

'Trassierra'……

***

Wishing you all a very happy weekend!

Sophia xxx

THE RECIPE FOR A PERFECT CELEBRATION….

ALL PICTURES: SOPHIA HOME

If you have a special family celebration….what do you consider to be the vital ingredients for that perfect celebration recipe?

Wanting to keep his BIG birthday fairly 'low key', we gave Mr. SH an intimate lunch here at home this weekend, with immediate family and a few close dear friends….it was a very happy day!

With his love for his garden being the theme of the special lunch, the table was set….

….with vintage small 'tom pots' filled with herbs and flowers and 'named' slate seed markers…

Canapés were lovingly made by our daughter, who just happens to work as a private chef (always handy!)….delicious asian crab on watermelon, topped with an edible viola….

Gaspacho 'shots' with spicy butternut squash, chicken, carrot and guacamole tacos…

 Lime and coriander poppadoms filled with the most mouth watering pear, cashew, mint and coriander spicy filling….

With my own input of making slow cooked loin of pork, with salads from the garden….and with dessert, birthday cake and cheeseboard to follow, we did not go hungry!

How were we to work off all that feasting?

By christening the new 'Pétanque' (Boules) pitch that my husband and youngest son have recently enjoyed building together….

So back to those ingredients for the perfect celebration recipe?  

Good friends
Good food
Good wine
Good fun!

***

Wishing you a very happy week ahead!

Sophia xx

I WANT TO KEEP DUCKS….!

Do any of you keep ducks?

My good friend Amanda does, and every time I visit her and see them, I think of how much I would love to keep some!

These gorgeous things are Campbells and Pekins….don't you just love their adorable duck house, with its cascade of rambling roses, which used to be an old outside 'privy' in the garden of Amanda's beautiful 'William and Mary' house.

Yes, I could be very tempted….we have a natural pond by our orchard…it would be perfect…and they could live in our old abandoned chicken house at night….mmm....I can feel a plan coming together!

Wishing you all a very happy Thursday!

Sophia xx

A BREAKFAST GET-TOGETHER...

Regular readers will know that I set up a small 'Garden group' last year….nothing too serious, but just a friendly and fun group of keen, 'green fingered' girlfriends who get together every few weeks to visit and get inspiration from each others gardens and also the occasional formal garden or nursery outing too.  

It is also a great excuse to have a good chat and catchup too!

Yesterday it was my turn to host our get together, and as we are all also juggling work and busy lives, I thought it might be a fun idea to meet bright and early and have breakfast together, so that we would all still have time to get on with our busy days ahead.  However hectic our lives can be, it is still so important to make time for your friends too, don't you think!

They do say that 'breakfast' is the most important meal of the day, and after fresh fruit salad and yoghurt, followed by smoked salmon and scrambled eggs we were then ready for a tour of progress here in the garden and some enjoyable swapping of plants and ideas. 

A fun and happy start to the day….

Are you part of a garden group or any other group for that matter?  Do tell.

If you do not have a garden group in your area, and it sounds like something you would like to be a part of,  I would urge you to start your own like I did…. sharing ideas, inspiration, plants and friendship is always fun!

I hope you are having a happy week….

Sophia x

AN INDULGENT TREAT!

PHOTO: SOPHIA HOME

PHOTO: SOPHIA HOME

Happy Wednesday!

I do hope your week is going well?

After the recent glorious autumn warmth and sunshine, it is a bit of a shock to wake this morning to torrential rain and bleak skies....and to drive home last night early evening in the semi dark.  Yes, I think Autumn is truly upon us now.  Although I embrace the changing season, I share with you today some pictures of our dining room table, set for an evening last week....with the late afternoon sunshine streaming in....one of the last late summer days I think.

 The table was set for a special girls' supper that my daughter Georgie and I hosted for a couple of her close girlfriends whom she was at school with a few years ago, along with their lovely 'Mums'.  With 'bubbles' flowing, a delicious dinner of seabass with beetroot, asparagus and avocado, prepared by Georgie, and much chat and laughter, it was a memorable reunion evening.  Always an honour and a treat for us Mums to socialise with our daughters, and to share their busy young adult lives and new adventures!

PHOTO: SOPHIA HOME

This 'Girls' evening would of course not have been complete without....you guessed it......chocolate!

This desert was a combined effort by both myself and Georgie....little stacks of chocolate meringue, layered with a chocolate créme patissiére, with raspberries and blueberries....

PHOTO: SOPHIA HOME

Totally indulgent.....and very yummy!

I leave you now with this delicious recipe, which we adapted from Nigella's 'How to be a Domestic Goddess' book......while I my friends am off to the gym, to burn off all those calories!

*****

'Gooey Chocolate Stack'

For the meringue discs:

6 large egg whites

300g golden caster sugar

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

For the créme patisiére:

6 large egg yolks

100g golden caster sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 tablespoons plain flour

300 ml full fat milk

300 ml double cream

10g best dark chocolate, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

20g pistachios, chopped (optional for decoration)

Raspberries and blueberries (my own adaptation)

Preheat oven to 140 degrees/gas mark 1

The original recipe, which I usually make, creates one large 3 layered stack, but we on this occasion made six small individual stacks...either way, the above recipe is enough for both. 

Line 3 baking sheets with parchment and draw a 20 cm circle on each one....or smaller individual ones.

Whisk egg whites until stiff, add the sugar a spoonful at a time.  Sprinkle over the cocoa and vinegar and fold in gently.

Divide meringue between the circles, spreading evenly.  Cook for 1 hour, then turn the oven off, leaving the meringues in until cool.  

To make the créme patissiére, beat the egg yolks and sugar together, then add the cocoa and flour, whisking well.  Warm the milk and cream in a saucepan, then whisking, pour this onto the eggs and sugar before pouring everything back into the saucepan on the heat and, stirring constantly, bring it to the boil.  When the mixture has thickened, take it off the heat and stir in the melted chocolate and vanilla.

When cool, assemble the stacks, layering each meringue with the chocolate créme, raspberries and blueberries, and sprinkle with chopped pistachios if using.

Enjoy!

***** 

Wishing you a very happy day!

Sophia xx

A 'PARTY' WEEKEND IN LONDON!

Good morning everyone!

I do hope you have all had a lovely weekend? Whether busy or restful....I hope it was all you had hoped it would be?  Ours was definitely busy.....and a lot of fun!  

My regular readers know, that I am most definitely a 'country girl' at heart.  Usually at weekends, I love nothing better than to be in our beautiful rural 'bubble' of home, enjoying our garden projects, walking our dogs and seeing friends and family for relaxed get togethers.  However, I also adore the buzz of the city, and the party girl in me welcomes the occasional fix of London life.

We returned home last night, to the peaceful sanctuary of home, and the restful prospect of sleep....(and very excited dogs!).....from a fabulous two days in town.  Central to this very spoiling weekend, was the wonderful 21st birthday dinner of the daughter of close friends of ours, which was held at the beautiful Corinthia Hotel, which is situated in the heart of London.  

PHOTOS: SOPHIA HOME

This stunning hotel is housed in a beautiful Victorian former government building, dating back to 1885, and has been given new life as one of London's most stylish new hotel destinations.  

Contemporary, striking, light filled spaces....yet luxurious and comfortable.....with stunning artwork and lighting, which definitely caught my eye......

Beautiful 'hydrangea' displays throughout......supplied by the 'Harrods' florist and shop concession, housed within the hotel..... 

A popular venue for afternoon 'champagne teas'.....

Drinks in the relaxed 'outside' atrium area, with roaring fire.....

....or in the stunning 'Northall' bar, where we enjoyed champagne with our fellow guests before a delicious dinner for 40 close family and friends of the birthday girl, in an equally striking adjoining private dining-room....a wonderful evening, which ended with the 'young' leaving to hit the town, and the rest of us 'not quite so young' to relax and carry on our own party in the hotel's jazz bar......finally falling in to bed in our fabulously comfortable hotel room in the early hours....

Feeling a little 'weary' the next day after our fun late night and partying the night before....we 'blew away the cobwebs' with a brisk walk along the Thames up to Covent Garden for reviving coffee, and then back down to Trafalgar Square for a quick browse around the National Portrait Gallery before meeting our three children for a wonderful 'brasserie' lunch.....delicious food and a chance to catch up with their busy young lives.

A big thank you to our dear friends for their very generous and enjoyable hospitality, as always.....what a fabulous party it was!

So....after such a spoiling weekend, it is back to earth with a bump this Monday morning!  Catching up with paperwork and housework, but later attending what should be an enjoyable charity lunch, in aid of a local hospice, with an interesting guest speaker.....more of that during the week.

Wishing you a lovely day!

Sophia xx