Sunday by Cassia Beck

This 'Sunday' print sums up everything wonderful about Sundays. Hunting through vintage rails, lazy shopping in flea markets, cosying up in old-fashioned knits. Everything being easy.

It's from Cassia Beck and it's $25. Have a great weekend everyone.

A bella umbrella at Dorothy Perkins

Stop this rain now. And the snow. And the hail. And every other sort of silly weather too. It's getting really boring.

On a brighter note, Dorothy Perkins have a great range of umbrellas at the moment to help you start singing and dancing in the rain.

By far my favourite is this polka-dot number. Polka-dots are scientifically proven to cheer you up on a grey day (well, works for me anyway). Plus, the striking yellow and black colour scheme gives it a really retro look and will help you pretend you're a 60s dolly with your brolly.

On a more practical note, the big dome will keep you extra dry and it looks likes it's not going to blow inside out at the slightest gust of wind.

Even more cheery is the price of just £10, meaning you can save your money for another rainy day.

Lacy Days

Hello lover!

I spotted this lace mac in Warehouse whilst I was dress shopping, and it's just gorgeous! It's such a unique piece. It's actually lace, that's not a print. Look, here's a close up:


There's such a vintage feel about this coat. The grey won't suit everyone, but if you're pale enough to wear it, and you've got a spare £90, you really should snap this up before I do. It's adorable and destined to be a wardrobe classic.

Etsy Pick: Hide 'n' Seek by Hidden Eloise

Earlier this month, Paperchase got into a whole lot of trouble. After Hide 'n' Seek designer Eloise alleged that her drawings were stolen by the stationery company, the internet went a little bit crazy. The designer who 'borrowed' the pose of one of Eloise's characters admitted this, and things calmed down, in part anyway. But, I'm curious about Hidden Eloise's designs, so I took a look at her Etsy shop.


I love that the postcards have rounded edges. But I also like that this little girl wants to make friends with a giant bear. Fab.


She's got a boat in her hair! Hehe!


This is the design that was being disputed. It's very pretty indeed although no doubt some of you will choose to stay firmly on the fence about the plagiarism issue. Despite how the dispute ended, if you like Eloise's work, hop over to her Etsy shop and buy your favourite piece.

Step n Pep Salt & Pepper Shakers

Ever since Domestic Sluttery became ever-so-slightly-obsessed with the Suck UK salt and pepper bots that we featured late last year, I've been keeping an eye out for any other designs which might rival them in awesomeness.

And I'm quite taken with these cutesy little critters, by Koziol. Made from semi-transparent red acrylic, each of the shaker set has concealed magnets in their hands. This means that you can arrange them in any configuration and they'll stay connected, so that they look like they're dancing.

They're £22.50, from Red Candy, and there's even a matching toothpick dispenser. Who knew eating your greens could be this much fun?

Book review: House of Lachasse

Before I read House of Lachasse I only knew of Lachasse in passing, as an old English couture house that once had such fashion luminaries as Hardy Amies and Digby Morton as designers. Being something of a fan of vintage fashion, I was intrigued to learn more. However, I soon found out the subtitle 'The story of a very English gentleman' is more illustrative of the contents of the book than the main title. Those who want a comprehensive history of Lachasse or a glossy coffee table tome may be disappointed as it's essentially the memoirs of Peter Lewis-Crown, a man who started at the couture house as an apprentice in 1948 before going on to become director and later the sole owner of the company up until its closure in 2007.

Disappointingly, there's only a small discussion of the foundation of the house in the 1920s and even Amies and Morton are briefly skimmed over (you can see some of their clothes for Lachasse from the 40s and 50s here). The focus isn't really on Lachasse at all until Lewis-Crown arrives there in chapter five. By this time we've learnt all about his childhood in Hunstanton and less than remarkable art school years.

Fascinating episodes and people are mentioned over the course of the book though, frustratingly, he never seems to focus on what you want him to. For example, he mentions how he lectured amazing talents such as Bill Gibb and John Galliano at Central Saint Martins but his summation of this period is only a disappointing (but typical): 'I always found, however, it was the students who always dressed neatly and with the utmost care who I later read about in the fashion columns of the glossy magazines'.

Where Lewis-Crown is best is focusing on the inner mechanisms of a post-war couture house and especially the role of mannequins, as models were then called. Here he does manages to give a genuine insight into a glamorous and now lost world. However, for any in-depth discussions on those subjects, I'd recommend you get a copy of The Golden Age of Couture instead.

Over the course of the book I began feel like I was at a dinner party, sat next to someone like Bridget Jones' mum's boyfriend Julian: initially quite diverting, terribly proper and smartly dressed but overly fussy and prone to reels of unimpressive and outdated name dropping. Betty Boothroyd was one of the few of the hundreds of names mentioned that I actually recognised and, if she is your star celebrity client, you clearly need to think again.

There are quite a few typos in the book too, my favourite being the misspelling Def Leppard as Def Leopard (he bumped into someone from the band at a party). It sums up quite nicely the memories of a man who simply doesn't engage with popular culture. The final chapter on 'The Future of Fashion' despairs of a society which might prefer to don casual clothes and to stay in and watch the telly, rather than frequenting Society parties. Goodness knows what he'd think of the Sluts. Regretfully, this Slut didn't think too much of his book either.

Think I've judged an old man too unfairly? You can get the book for £9.74 on Amazon and judge for yourself.

Chic (Not Crazy) Cat Lady: Alessi Tigrito Pet Bowls

Riddle me this. You love your kitty, but you're definitely not a crazy cat lady. You recognise the need to lavish love, affection, toys and tasty cat treats on your much-adored pet, but you also want your home to stay looking stylish, and not end up looking like a circus, pet shop or wild animal's lair. So what's a design-conscious lady to do?

Why, invest in these Alessi Tigrito cat bowls, of course. The stainless steel bowls are removable for easy cleaning, and the stand's tail acts as a convenient handle. Meaning your kitty can feel like king of the castle, but you can rest assured that your home still looks swish. They come in a range of other colours, and cost £38.95, from Beth Stevens.

Bollocks to Baking: Buttercup Cake Shop

I don't know about you, but I frequently suffer from shopping induced exhaustion when indulging in retail therapy. All that traipsing around, carrying bags and elbowing other girls out of the way is a tiring business. So it came as a great relief to find that Buttercup cake shop has expanded from Kensington, to both Bluewater and Westfield shopping centres. It's the perfect place to refuel after fighting the crowds for a Sonia Rykiel for H&M sweater.

Once I'd found the Westfield stand - in the middle of the shops between Dwell and Habitat - I perched at the jolly lime green bar and asked for the Buttercup bestseller. This turned out to be the cutesy Red Velvet, subtle chocolate sponge died a not-so-subtle red, topped with vanilla cream cheese frosting and a dinky pink heart on the top. The sponge was springy and not too dry, and the topping sweet without being sickly.

Even better was the banoffee cupcake - the banana cake was deliciously moist, while the butterscotch icing and toffee curls were a super-sweet hit.

The cakes are made by hand every day and cost £2.50 each or £28 for a box of £12. Buttercup also make large cakes (from £30) and mini cupcakes (£39 for 35) to order. Delivery is available in Central London (order online), or cakes can be collected from Westfield.

These are the perfect pick-me-up when you're feeling shopped out and in need of a sugar fix.

Design Porn: Diesel with Foscarini Graf Table Lamp

These sexy table lamps, by Diesel with Foscarini, are my latest fantasy item. They have lush chrome stands, lightning bolt on/off switches, and feature monochromatic fabric shades with a 'wet paint' finish. The shades are printed with bold graphic designs, and are available in a choice of 'natural' or 'techno'. Modern but urban, they're the kind of thing you might expect to see in trendy cocktail bars or fancy hotel foyers, but I also think they'd work well as a statement piece in a lounge, as long as you kept other furniture and accessories simple. They're £247, from Mac & Mac Interiors.

Drink me! Disney Couture at Accessories Online

I know everyone is excited by the new Alice in Wonderland. But nothing will beat the 50s original for me. The White Rabbit is my favourite. So adorable. And I've always loved the idea that you can drink a magical potion and become tiny enough to fit down a rabbit hole. Lewis Carroll is a genius and the original illustrated Alice manuscript happens to be on display at The British Library at the moment.

Disney Couture could have so easily been like jewellery for kids. But luckily, with pieces like this 'drink me' bottle necklace, it's really rather wonderful. I'm not a fan of the whole range, but this piece is very special. The cork is removable so you can keep secret things in the bottle. Like magical potions to make you tiny. It's £29.95 from Accessories Online.

The new face of Habitat

Remember a while back you got to nose about our homes as part of the Face of Habitat campaign? Well meet Alyson Hislop. She won the competition and will soon be the face of Habitat in a new ad campaign. Picked as the winner because of her fun and sense of colour, Alyson "couldn't speak for an hour" when she was told she'd won! We can't wait to see the new adverts!

Congratulations, Alyson!

Kitchen classics: Skyline utensils

I fondly remember these (now) retro Skyline utensils from both my mum and my granny's kitchens, in fact I'm pretty sure that Mum's potato masher is still going strong. Lakeland have resurrected these classics, updating them with polypropylene handles to replace the original wooden ones.

The starter kit is made up of five basics: Round Ladle, Straining Spoon, Fish Slice, Measuring Spoon and Masher. Even better, it comes with its own hanging rack and is on sale at half price, for £9.99. You can also build up your own collection piece by piece, from £1.99 - now, what's a Batter Whip and do I need one?

H! by Henry Holland at Debenhams

Just before Henry Holland launched his collection for Debenhams, a couple of Domestic Sluts were invited to take a peek at a few pieces. To be honest I expected everything to be plaid, denim or adorned with studs - as someone who shies away from trends, this would not have been A Good Thing. But I was pleasantly surprised to find that most of it was wearable and wouldn't date after one season.

We got to choose an outfit to go home with. Gail went for the above Purple Square Spot Dress (£30) and said "I spotted this short but cute number as soon as we walked in. I love the Peter Pan collar and the fit is flattering for busty girls. Apparently it's Henry's take on the classic polka dot - by making them into squares - and it's going to be perfect with my vintage blocky grey heels and opaque tights 'til the weather perks up."

I chose this Black Floral Tea Dress (£30):

I love that the angry florals stop it from looking too twee - all too easy with puffed sleeves and a flouncy skirt. It also looks really good with black opaque tights, so I won't have to wait for sunshine and/or decent weather before wearing it.

This Tan 'Quentin' Satchel (£40) goes with pretty much everything in the range (and my wardrobe):

Even if you're not particularly into Henry Holland you'll find something to like in this range. But I'm sure that fans of House of Holland will love the fact they can get one of his designs from just £4.

Sluttishly Easy: Bread and Butter Pudding

I've decided to take advantage of the revoltingly rainy weather outside and do what I do best on rainy days. Namely, over-indulge in wintery comfort foods without guilt. And what better traditional, old-fashioned dessert than a good ol' British bread and butter pudding?

This recipe is a handy way of using up the ends of loaves that are almost past their best. It's simple, sweet and stodgy, and goes great with custard, ice-cream or an accompanying large tipple of something creamy, like a boozy hot chocolate or Bailey's.

What you'll need is:
(Serves 4)
8 slices of bread, buttered and sliced into either triangles or soldiers
(I use plain white, but you can use whatever bread you like best)
100g raisins, currants or sultanas (or a mix of all three)
50g sugar
1 pint milk
2 eggs
Nutmeg
Large oven-proof dish, like a casserole dish, to bake in

All you need to do is:
1.Grease your dish and stick your oven on so it can be pre-heating to 100C.
2.Arrange your bread soldiers butter side up so that they cover the bottom of the dish.
3.Chuck in half your fruit and a third of your sugar, sprinkling so that they're spread across the bread.
4.Add another layer of bread, then another layer of fruit and sugar, and finally one last layer of bread.
5.In a jug or bowl, whisk together the eggs and the milk, then pour over the top of the pudding.
6.Make a brew and chillax for twenty minutes or so until the egg and milk mixture has soaked into the bread.
7.Sprinkle the last third of sugar and the nutmeg across the top of the pudding, then bake for 50 minutes until the top is crispy and gold. Wait until it's cooled enough that you don't burn your tongue, but serve whilst it's still warm.

Book review: Meals in Heels

Nothing is worse than getting stressed over entertaining, ending up spending all your time in the kitchen fretting while your guests get pissed without you. I've learnt the hard way. Over-ambitious dishes are no fun and it's important to plan ahead.

Jennifer Joyce is a girl after my own heart - in her new book she shows us how to entertain with ease. And Jennifer's entertaining is a little more sophisticated than just ordering in from Domino's and hoping for the best.

Meals on Heels is a party girl's bible. It's not only packed to the brim with glamorous sounding menu options (Crab, Saffron & Watercress Tart, anyone?), but each recipe has tips on how to make part, or all of the dish ahead, how to present it (Joyce is a food stylist) and what to serve it with.

The book is divided into the usual canapes, starters, mains, desserts, but what I found really handy was the introductory section which gives full menu ideas for different seasons of the year, plus tips on how to put together a balanced menu yourself and how much to feed people. There are some stylish touches, like wrapping lemon wedges in muslin tied with ribbon, so guests don't get pips in their food.

The recipes themselves are mouthwatering - Profiteroles with Salted Caramel Sauce, Mini Beef Wellingtons, Duck and Mango Salad, I could go on. I put the Goan Tomato and Coconut Fish Curry to the test and it went down very well indeed. Tasty, filling and, best of all, the entire curry sauce could be made ahead and refrigerated with only a final 5 minutes of cooking before serving.

The book feels very luxurious, with thick glossy pages (perfect for wiping curry splatters off!) and quirky illustrations. My one criticism is that, for all Joyce's food styling credentials and presentation tips, there aren't any photos to give you an idea how the finished dish should be presented.

However, the recipes are straightforward and easy to follow, without being dumbed down or boring. I'll certainly be referring back to it next time I'm panicking about feeding a crowd.

Meals on Heels is published by Murdoch Books and is available on Amazon for £7.78, RRP £12.99.

Lily & Lime Teacake Shopper Bag

Remember teacakes? Resplendent in their kitschy red and silver foil packaging and yellow cardboard box, they were the perfect accompaniment to a cup of tea. After all, what's not to love about a confectionery item that combines chocolate, marshmallow and biscuit in retro-presented individual portions? Sadly, they're not often seen these days, except on dusty shelves in dodgy newsagents where, even though you might be sorely tempted, you know full well they won't be as good as you remember.

If you want to honour the humble teacake and its iconic appearance, then this shopper bag lets you show off your appreciation for this sweet British treat without fretting about any calorie-related implications. The teacake design has a foil-like finish and is printed on a cotton bag, making it practical but stylish, and much more dapper and eco-friendly than carting round plastic carrier bags. It's £18.95, by Lily & Lime.

Etsy Pick: Darth Vader Wine Stopper

Ever do that thing where you think you'll easily polish off a bottle of wine, so you chuck the cork away and then fall asleep on the sofa after half of one glass, leaving you with an open bottle and no method of safely stashing it away until wine-thirst next strikes?

Of course you have. If you're anything like me, you probably do it at least once a week.

But have you wished you had easy access to a fearsome dark cyborg and ruler of the Galactic Empire to guard your delicious alcohol and keep it sealed until you're next in need of a large glass? No? Maybe that's just me, then.

Either way, I'm loving this Darth Vader wine stopper, which comes with its own cape, lightsaber, and standard-sized cork, making him perfect for almost all wine bottles. He's 15USD, from Coolstoppers on Etsy.

Design Porn: Postcarden

Not only does Postcarden have a name that makes me smile (oh I do love a good pun) it looks like just about the easiest gardening in the world. And, a very cute present indeed. Who wouldn't want a garden in the post?

Choose your design, pop in the pop (with a stamp for a large envelope, but double check with the postie just to make sure) and then wait for your garden goodies to arrive at the destination. Then hurrah! All your friend needs to create their own little garden! They pour in the seeds, add some water and in a few days, they've got themselves a cute little allotment. A yummy cress allotment that you can eat with your dinner. Yay.

It's a classier version of growing cress hair in a pot, and such a unique gift. There's even space for you to write your message - it's just a postcard, after all. The wonderful Postcarden will cost you just £7.50. I think even I'll be able to cope with this kind of gardening.

Sexy Stationery: Pin-Up Girl Greeting Cards

You know by now what a sucker I am for buxom ladies in retro outfits. I won't rest until my entire house has curvaceous and coy pin-ups printed onto every surface, from shot glasses, to mugs and mirrors. So, predictably, I'm completely enamoured with these saucy vintage-inspired greeting cards, from Not Mass Produced. They're cheeky but classy, and because they're blank inside, they're perfect for having handy for last minute birthday/congratulations/leaving do emergencies. And at £8.50 for a set of four, they're not bad value either.

The Love Heart that lasts forever

Awww! This is adorable. Seeing as it's not Valentine's anymore, this silver-plated Love Heart from Colloco might be a strange thing to suggest. But I like it. It's cute, a little bit silly and more than a little bit romantic. I like presents like that all year 'round. They're £20, but you only need one. Just don't accidentally eat it.

Cupcake decorating at The Cocoa Box

Much as I believe that the cake is the most important part of a cupcake to get right, the fun of making (and eating) them is in the pretty decorations. Trouble is, I'm not exactly au fait with a piping bag and my creations often look amateurish at best. So I was more than happy to take the Cocktails and Cupcakes class run by The Cocoa Box in Hampstead, North London.

We had eight cupcakes each just out of the oven (baked in the same room, actually) for decorating but more were handed around for snacking purposes. Cocktails were delicious and unlimited, like all cocktails should be.

Edible glitter, sugarpaste, fondant icing, sweeties butterfly cutters and piping bags full of frosting was provided - basically everything you could ever possibly need to make your cupcakes look all spangly and sparkly:

I expected the class to be reminiscent of my GCSE Food Technology lessons (where you can't so much as crack an egg without the teacher's say so) but it was much more relaxed. Our Instructor Lisa would occasionally stop to teach us how to make sugarpaste roses or use the piping bag, but she pretty much let us get on with it.

I don't think the combination of sugar and cocktails helped my decorating skills. I made a bit of a mess:

But the afternoon was so much fun and perfect for people who haven't done cake decorating before. I chose to make my cupcakes as gaudy as can be - think frosting, marshmallows AND red glitter - and nobody batted an eyelid. I'd imagine that the classes would make a nice alternative to clubbing for a hen party, too.

Book a place at the Cupcake and Cocktails class here for £45, or check out The Cocoa Box's other classes.

Cocktail Hour: The Sidecar

The Ritz in Paris lay claim to inventing this drink after the 1st world war, and who am I to argue with them? It's such a classic drink, and it's a great way to kick off your week. If you can kick off your week in The Hemingway Bar at The Ritz, well that would be fabulous. But if that's unlikely to happen, here's how to make one yourself:

You'll need:

• 35ml Brandy
• 25ml triple sec
• lemon juice

Mix it!

Shake everything up with some ice, pour into a sugar-rimmed glass. Best enjoyed whilst lounging in a giant leather sofa, I'd imagine.

Flickr image from Ingridtaylar's photostream.

Bollocks to Baking: Fortnum & Mason Nursery Biscuits

I will admit that I am a sucker for anything that comes in a pretty tin. If that tin happens to be filled with Nursery Rhyme butter biscuits from Fortnum & Mason, well, all the better. What I really love is that the tin doubles as a musical box, and plays the appropriate nursery rhyme to you when it's opened!

So if I can make sure to only take out one cookie each time, then it may prevent me expanding 'til I Pop like the Weasel.

Different designs and tunes available, £9.95.

Paris Melody Card Holder

Three weeks later after my trip to Paris and I'm still staring lovingly at the holiday snaps. Why can't I see something as stunning as the Eiffel Tower from my bedroom window? Why can't I have steak frites and wine for dinner every day? Humph.

Anyway. Because of this I'm loving anything that will remind me of my trip to Paris, including this card holder (£6) from Lazy Oaf. Not only is it super French, it's got space for up to 16 of my favourite pieces of plastic.

Pedlars Spring Collection

I often forget about Pedlars. It's a little out of my budget, but that doesn't mean that they're not full of wonderful things that I really really want. Like this little lot from the new collection.


Gorgeous! Gorgeous! Gorgeous! This leather satchel is £95, but look at that yellow!


These bulb vases are such a great shape. They start from £12.50.

Wow. Just wow. One of these light boxes would look fabulous in my bedroom above the door. Of course, as they're £450 I wouldn't be able to pay rent, but my lighting would look lovely.

Go check out the rest of their collection!

Sluttishly Savoury: Thai green curry with prawns

Like everyone else (it seems) I've spent a lot of the past week sniffling, coughing and generally feeling germy. When I feel like this the last thing I want to do is cook - the idea of chopping, frying and standing up doesn't really appeal. But neither does the idea of having toast for dinner again. So I compromise and make this really easy Thai green curry with prawns. Yes it involves chopping, frying and not being on the sofa but it's so worth it. And the chilli really helps with snivelly noses.

You will need (serves 2 greedy people):

200ml coconut milk
150g prawns
Half an onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
Handful of frozen green veg like broccoli or spinach. Whatever you fancy, really.
1 whole stalk of lemongrass, crushed (just bash it with a rolling pin)
1 small green chilli, finely chopped
Fresh coriander, chopped
Squeeze of fresh lime juice
Oil for frying
Salt to taste

Make it!

1. Fry the onion and garlic in a bit of oil on a low heat. After a minute or so, add the chopped chilli.

2. Fry for another minute.

3. Once everything starts to smell delicious add the coconut milk, prawns, lemongrass and frozen veg.

4. Simmer on a low heat for 20 minutes. If you have a cold, go back to watching your bad telly of choice.

That's it! All done. Serve with lots of fluffy white rice and a smug smile.

Flickr image from sporkist's photostream

Blogs We Love: Little Green Notebook

Little Green Notebook is a stunning collection of interiors inspiration. Written by Jenny, an interior designer herself, I bet you can't read this without wanting to renovate your entire home. Everything she shows you is not only beautiful, but achievable as well. At least she makes it look that way.

But that's what good home design is all about isn't it? It's accessible, it's comfortable. It fits in with your life and your home. It makes your life more beautiful. Little Green Notebook takes simple things and uses them to inspire, so you can make your life that little bit better.


It might seem far-fetched, but I believe that a lick of paint can to wonders to lift your mood and your home (so much so that I've been inspired to paint Domestic Sluttery HQ bright teal today). If nothing else, Little Green Notebook will want to hang brollies from the ceiling. That would be fun.

Ben de Lisi Mac at Debenhams

Well done, Debenhams. Not only is this belted mac FREAKIN' STUNNING, but it's also in cobalt blue (as you can clearly see for yourself). Why is that important? Well, usually I hate cobalt blue. It's my least favourite colour, but with the amazing black trim at the bottom, and the black piping, I adore it. It's from the Ben de Lisi range and it's a rather reasonable £80. Perfect for the 'rain/not rain' weather we seem to be having at the moment.

Thanks to @CattyJaques for sharing this with us! Want to show us pretty things? Follow us on Twitter or Facebook, or you can send us emails and say hello.

A TV advert, a train station and a stripy makeover

When I saw the pictures of Carlisle train station, I couldn't help but smile. It was revamped for a Homebase advert of all things, and actually, it looks pretty darn fabulous with all of those stripes! (And I love the collection of lampshades dangling in the background.)


It's so fabulous that residents are campaigning on Facebook to keep it that way. And honestly, I can see why. I like it stripy! It's pretty! Imagine if all train stations looked like this. That would make waiting for a train much more fun.

Want stripes in your own home? Then how about this rug from Habitat:

These stripy bathroom accessories are £12 from Next Home.

Want stripes in your kitchen? This teapot from Whittards is £10. It also comes in red, and there's matching items. You can mix and match with spots the same shade to make your stripes that little bit more interesting.


Stripes are definitely more interesting than polka dots.

Sluttery Faves: Megan Price at Mr.PS

I have fallen for Megan Price's whimsical Mr.PS homewares and accessories - Yes Please to her reversible '(In)Decision Shopper', £12, although it's a close contest between this one and the 'Sweet Sundae'.

I think that at £9, a couple of these tea towels will be making their way to my kitchen shortly. I love that the 'Veggie Breakfast' list came about to appease the non-meaters who couldn't face washing up with the fab 'Big Breakfast' design which is available as a mug, print and tea towel.

Bone china mugs are £8 each, and this one might be my favourite - the cuckoo clock pointing out that it's almost 4.00pm is on the back of the mug.

Megan is Etsy's Featured Seller today, so you can read lots more about her inspirations there. Tea and cake feature heavily. She's our kind of girl.

Seaside Hues at Florestine

This handmade jug from Florestine is everything I'm daydreaming about today. Bright seas, sunbathing, a stunning beachhouse. Dangling my toes off a pier into a sea this colour would be wonderful right now. But, as that's unlikely, I'm going to stump up the £39 for this, and put some tasty cocktails in it instead. That's almost as good, right?