As a follow up on my Childs Farm  post, we’ve had the products at home for a while now and they are going down a treat, the girls love that they have their own products separate from the boys.

It’s great that the boys wash is for hair and body in one, as Oscar is the biggest culprit for wasting conditioner!! Smells great, lathers up nicely and a good sized bottle. The product names and illustrations are very cool too.  I definitley recommend them.

We’ve got them on sale at The Club – you can also buy them online at http://www.childsfarm.com/ .  The website is so cute – hover over the animals to see what noise they make!

Fancy bringing some celebrity ‘Star Light’ into your living room?

Our FAVE charity Starlight has teamed up with a host of high profile names in the first ever celebrity lampshade auction launched on eBay.

Each lampshade comes with a ‘Chelsea Floor Lamp’ designed by Alexander Miles and all proceeds go directly to Starlight!  These exclusive one-off lampshades have been designed by: Ricky Gervais, Jonathan Ross, Nicole Scherzinger, Bill Nighy, Stereophonics, William Tempest, Daisy de Villeneuve, Sam Taylor-Wood, Linford Christie and Stephen Webster!

Each lamp is available to buy on eBay until 18th February 2012.

You can also check out the lampshades in person too – they’re on display in the Palm Court at The Langham London Hotel during the auction period.

These SERIOUSLY cool lamps are on auction via eBay at www.starlightsforstarlight.co.uk

WE REALLY WANT ONE!!!

Valentines is a lovely time of the year to remember your loved ones, and in particular our little treasures.

Usually I leave a card under their pillow with a special something that I love about them. From silly things like ‘how you dribble in your sleep’ to encouraging things like ‘because you learnt to spell your name’

Last year  I went  the whole hog and gave them a ’10 things I love about you’ list! It does always pull at my heart strings when they come back to me and interrogate me as to my reasons why I love that particular thing – with kids its always why!

My husband always sends them anonymous individual cards, even going as far as cutting the letters out of magazines to disguise his writing – which they love!!! Although you can only get away with it for a fewyears!

Whatever you choose to do Valentines is a lovely lovely celebration!

We all kind of know that we should keep an eye on what is in our kids products, and there are so many products out there now, claiming to be all natural and free of nasty stuff. On a recent Boots shop, I found myself standing there, wondering how I could justify £8 for a 150ml bottle of baby soap that would last my family all of a week – but it was the only organic one they had. I decided to investigate a bit further about what exactly is ok. I found an expert to do a Q&A for us, she has started her own brand of kiddy shampoo and wash called Childs Farm and it’s pretty faba rooney!  I figured she knows what she is talking about!

A little bit about Joanna -

Joanna Jenson is a former Investment Banker who has always led a double life; work during the week, countryside and horses at the weekends.  Having fleed from big city life, she now has two young girls as well as fields of horses and ponies, sheep, bantams, ducks and dogs all at the real life Childs Farm in Hampshire, which is where her delicious range of kiddy wash products started their life ……

What made you set up Childs farm?

I’ve always been interested in herbalism and using natural ingredients, I was frustrated at not being able to find any hair products for my girls that could cut through their horrific tangles,  and didn’t smell of lavender.  Many of the ‘organic’ products I bought didn’t work, and many other products were full of hideous chemicals I wasn’t putting anywhere near a child.  And the focus was babies and toddlers: nothing for anyone over 3 or 4, and we didn’t want a Disney spin off which was cheap and harsh on the skin.  Realising the strong connection the young have with ponies and tractors,  and having a friend who is a children’s  illustrator, we decided to get a great product and present it in a great way. Bingo – Childs Farm!

You must have had to do a lot of research!!!!

The children’s bathroom was FULL of products!  We have tried everything on the market,  looking at what worked and what didn’t.  Then it was the ingredients that we had to scrutinise:  lots of trawling through scientific journals, lots of questions to chemists, lots
of disbelief at some of the stuff written on the internet. I have notebooks full of the most bizarre stuff, and of course, I started making my own to see really what it turned out like.

What was some of the most interesting stuff you found out?

Two things: one, was the properties of some of the most delicious smelling essential oils. For example, Tangerine Oil has the same calming and soothing properties as lavender but smells FANASTIC – it’s known as ‘happy juice’ round here! Although tea tree oil is a natural antiseptic, it is not proven to be offensive to nits, so including it in your ingredients list and claiming it is a deterrent is simply not accurate.

Secondly, cheap shampoos and washes for children can be really damaging to young skin. Products which look attractive to children are not necessarily suitable for children, yet how are you supposed to know?

Tell us a bit about your range and what makes it unique?

Our launch range has 3 products for girls (Shampoo, conditioner and bubble bath)
and 2 for boys (hair and body wash, and bubble bath).  We have another three products ready to launch before Easter too.

All of them have fabulous fruity fragrances,  they all work and they all look grrreat.  The package images are of ponies and farmyard animals having  fun and each design has something new to see in it every time you look.  The images are made of photocollage:  each image is made out of wrapping paper, hair, bubble wrap, buttons,  and all glued together

And all the animals are real, and you can read all about them on the website. www.childsfarm.com

The lovely ladies at the Bupa Cromwell would like to take us out for lunch to pick our brains about a new woman’s centre they are planning. They have booked a table at The Hansom Cab, to treat us to a delicious lunch at Marco Pierre Whites new restaurant. In return they want to ask us a few questions about what we think is missing in woman’s health.

Any excuse to leave the office I say!

Monday 6th February, 1pm @ The Hansom Cab. Please contact me if you would like to come along.

I am super excited about Stella & Dots trunk show at the club.  Come and see us after hours on Wednesday 18th Jan from 7:30-9:30 and check out the range.  Stella & Dot is a boutique-style jewellery and accessories line, designed in New York and available exclusivley through in-home ‘Trunk Shows’ by Independent stylists and online. One of our members is hosting the event and you are all welcome. Stella & Dot jewellery has been featured in InStyle, Vogue, and Glamour.  Plus there are fabulous finds for under £40.

I love, love, love the jewellery from Stella & Dot and can’t wait to have them in the club.  Hope to see you there x

It’s that time of year where, after the festive period, resolutions are made to help us get back into shape!  I love yoga and pilates BUT I’m also very bad at seeing resolutions through so am really not the best judge…step in the VERY lovely Angela (one of our members who used own a Pilates studio in America) who offered to test them out…we think she’s a pretty good judge!!

TEN PILATES:

Located in Notting Hill, 10 Pilates has been a staple in the dynamic Pilates scene for over 4 years.  In addition to Pilates, 10 offers personal training, spinning and physiotherapy. What I appreciated about my workout at 10 was the attention to detail. The instructors all have exercise science degrees and want to give you not only a great workout,
but one that is technically based. The instructor certainly gave hands on cues and was able to help all 8 of us in class (up to 10 allowed in each class). I really liked that there were different level classes offered from beginner to advanced. A light-filled, large studio was enveloped with pumping music and an entire class of shaky legs by the end of the workout! 10 is a solid choice for your workout needs.

Please check Maggie & Rose for some discount cards that can be applied to your first class.

VITA PILATES:

Vita Pilates is the new kid on the block conveniently located in Knightsbridge near Walton Street. Vita’s studio is amazing!! There is a warm, family-friendly feeling here that was rather refreshing. The instructor I experienced gave a well-paced, challenging workout. She was spot-on from a technical perspective as she is the studio’s in-house physiotherapist (pretty rare to find a physiotherapist that is part of the workout, too). Vita also offers massage and aromatherapy services and I loved the aromatherapy products throughout the space. Vita is co-owned by one of our very lovely M&R members Frederica and she is offering you all an amazing offer for the New Year. You can try a small group session for free!! And if you like, there is a special rate of £120 for 6 classes.

Call and mention Maggie & Rose .

Pi Studios:

Pi Pilates is the ONLY studio in London that I went to that teaches the traditional Pilates method as it was intended to be taught by Mr Joseph Pilates himself. While the other dynamic Pilates studios only have reformers, Pi has the full range of Pilates equipment including the reformer, Cadillac, wunda chair, ladder barrel and ped-o-pul. Pi has locations in both Chelsea and Battersea. I had the pleasure of visiting the Battersea location and working with the studio owner, Holly Murray. Holly is an extremely qualified instructor and amazingly precise with her cues and hands-on spotting. I enjoyed a smaller workout group here, too (2-4 people for reformer-based classes). I left the workout feeling challenged, energized and was certainly sore in my abdominals, arms and legs the next day. I could go on and on about Pi, their quality teachers and program, but will end
with telling you that, overall, my workout here was top-notch and I certainly left the studio feeling taller and had that inner workout glow!

Evolve Wellness Centre:

With a fresh and eco feel to this South Kensington studio, Evolve Wellness Centre delivered on their website’s promise of an urban sanctuary for healthy living.  I love that Evolve has it’s own rooftop garden, access to many innovative wellness workshops, retreats, homeopathy, massage, ayurveda, life coaching, a room for private yoga sessions, a variety of yoga and Pilates classes and an on-site acupuncturist all under one roof (filled with lovely foliage). The studios here are clean and well – lit and the larger studio has a lovely outdoor view of the mews street. The studio has ample changing and shower facilities to accommodate your needs. My instructors here were both fabulous with cueing, alignment and creating flow in the classroom. Rachel Okimo is the best Vinyasa flow instructor I have worked with in years.  Be sure to check out her classes on Mondays and Thursdays!  Evolve is offering 3 classes for £25 – Bargain!

triyoga:

I had the pleasure of visiting triyoga’s beautiful Chelsea studio, which is a modern, clean space with a welcoming ambiance. I found the staff there very warm and friendly and ready to help me get acquainted with all the studio offerings. The class list is extensive here – everything from Anusara, to Mummy and Me and Vinyasa Yoga. The classes serve beginners to advanced students. The studio itself was the best of all the Yoga studios I visited. The vaulted ceilings and sound proof windows made for an ideal Om environment. The treatments brochure at TriYoga was the most comprehensive one I have seen. Reflexology, La Stone facial, qi gong and Thai Yoga massage are just a few to help you gain optimal wellness. There are also a number of workshops that are available to both students and teachers at all of the studio locations. My teacher, Mimi, was brilliant with her pose description and yoga philosophy. Hit the studio’s fresh juice bar/cafe with healthy, delicious offerings on your way out (or stop and shop their yogi clothing gear) and figure out how and when you can back here sooner than later.  Trust me, you’ll like it here.

The Life Centre:

Located in Notting Hill, The Life Centre has been a yoga studio landmark in London for years (you can sense this place has been on solid foundation for over a decade). There are two large studios in Notting Hill and I love the skylight feature on the lower level. Who doesn’t want to glimpse the clouds rolling by during their sun salutations?!  Both instructors that I worked with were solid in their instruction, hands on cueing and flow. If you are pregnant or have a baby, Tara is your go-to yoga guru gal – she rocks! She will take you sensibly and safely through prenatal yoga and mum/baby class. There are a slew of other offerings here including massage, acupuncture (Dr Zhu is great for many female related health issues), reiki, pregnancy massage, nutritional therapy, homeopathy, cranio
sacral therapy, aromatherapy and MORE.

So there we go…a low down Andrea’s fave Pilates and Yoga studios in the area! Enjoy x

We’ve been privileged enough to have been given exclusive FREE theatre tickets to see a totally awesome children’s Christmas show this Friday at 3pm.  The show is suitable for ages 2 – 7.  Want to find out more?  Please contact Anna, anna@maggieandrose.com and she’ll reveal all.  I can assure you it will be the PERFECT treat to kick off the Christmas holidays.

On Thursday 1st December – the lovely people at Belgravia Books allowed me to come down and read our new “This book is Totally Christmassy” book to a class from Eaton House school – it was so much fun and awesome to be able to share it with the little cuties.

I adore book stores and am a little saddened by the fact that most books are now bought on line, there is nothing better than taking your kids to a lovely book shop and letting them explore books. Allowing them to make the choice of what they would like to read is a great skill for later life.

So I definitely recommend paying a visit to Belgravia Books in Victoria. Everyone is so friendly and gives great advice– they have fantastic range of books from children’s books to travel, politics and cookbooks. Art, photography cards, notebooks and gift stationery are also available to but – and my favourite bit about it…they serve fresh tea and coffee and sometimes delicious homemade cake.

We asked our lovely friend Guy from the store to give us a few Christmas pressie tips:

Top three for Dad’s:

 Private Eye: The first 50 years, £25

 All Hell let Loose: Max Hastings, £30 (History of the 2nd World War)

 Londoners: Craig Taylor, £25 (Every aspect of London life covered in a series of interviews.

Top three for kids:

 The LEGO Ideas books, £16.99

 The Ladybird Book of London, £4.99

 Moomin and the Winter Snow, £6.99

For further tips click on this link: http://www.belgraviabooks.com/default.aspm

Anna and I were really touched by the turnout at our fabulous book launch, there is always a moment of panic before a big event, where you are lying awake at night imagining that no one will come – but thankfully loads of you popped in to show your support – Phew!!!

An EXTRA special big thanks goes out to the lovely team at Ralph Lauren who helped make the day happen, kept us topped up with bubbles and delicious treats and allowed us to get crafty in their gorgeous store.

And to the Ralph Lauren Santa – who was a hit with all little ones, many of you told us he was the best they had seen!!

Loving the feedback on the books as well – ‘the best yet’ according to most of you! There is still time to grab one and get creating with the kids now the holidays have begun. We are sold out at the club ( more on the way we hope ) But get themonline at Alex and Alexa, in store at Ralph Lauren Kids – and hopefully from most other bookstores.

Again a HUGE HUGE thank you to all of you that came, supported and purchased we truly appreciate it!