The coolest cool bag from Anorak

For those who want to picnic in style, it's all very well having a marvellously authentic wicker basket and gingham mat, but who wants soggy brie and tepid wine spoiling their day?

The only answer is a cool bag, and until now we've not seen many that were as classy and chic as this one. Covered in a sky blue and white seagull print with its own matching, waterproof mat, this is the perfect accessory for camping, festivals or just for keeping under the desk for next time the rain holds off long enough for an impromptu picnic. Buy it online at Anorak, where it's available for £55.

Design Porn: Cafe de Paris Screen

That's right, the Domestic Sluts' obsession with all things Parisian continues. This time in the shape of this gorgeous monochromatic dressing screen from The French Bedroom Company. It's double-sided, meaning you can have a view of the iconic Arc de Triomphe as you feast on coffee and croissants from your bed, or of the Eiffel Tower as you slob on the sofa watching Friends re-runs and eating peanut butter straight from the jar. Darling, whatever the room or activity, this screen would give it a dose of Parisian chic. It's £245, but the obligatory beret and Serge Gainsbourg records are sadly not included.

Sluttishly Savoury: Spicy Pork Stir Fry

“Oh Lord please don't burn us don't kill or toast your flock. Don't put us on the barbecue or simmer us in stock. Don't bake or baste or boil us or stir-fry us in a wok” Monty Python

I love a good stir fry. They're a bit studenty, but a great way to knock up a quick meal from the contents of your fridge, and providing you put in some strong flavours to give them a bit of oomf, they can be very tasty.

The key to a great stir fry is to do all your preparation first. It's no good waiting until you've started cooking the spring onions to chop your veg, as everything will burn and you'll end up with a wok-full of charcoal. Forward planning is the answer, and once you start to cook it's all over pretty quickly.

In this stir fry I've used oyster sauce to give it a salty kick. This dark, sticky Chinese sauce gives a great umami hit to this dish, so don't be shy with it.

Spicy Pork Stir Fry (serves 2)

You'll need:

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 pork chop, cut into bite sized chunks
• 125g baby sweetcorn, sliced
• 125g mange tout, sliced
• 4 spring onions, sliced
• 2 red chillies, chopped very finely (leave the seeds in if you like it spicy)
• 1 clove garlic, chopped very finely
• 1 bunch coriander, leaves and stems chopped separately
• 150g cooked noodles (or Amoy straight to wok noodles if you're lazy like me), snipped with scissors into shorter lengths
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 bunch mint, leaves picked and chopped 

Make it!

• First, get your wok nice and hot. Once it's hot, add the oil.
• Fry the pork pieces until they start to brown nicely.
• Add the sweetcorn and mange tout, stirring all the time. Cook for a couple of minutes.
• Add the spring onions, chillies, garlic and chopped coriander stems, stirring briskly to make sure they don't burn. Cook until the pork is cooked through - cut a piece open if you're not sure.
• Stir through the snipped noodles, oyster sauce and sesame oil. 
• Add more oyster sauce to taste, if you like (I love the stuff!). Stir through the coriander and mint leaves.

Shoe Porn: Dotty Miss Selfridge Courts

These Miss Selfridge court shoes have everything don't they? I love the clumpy heel and the platform, they make the shoes a bit more modern. But, the dotty polka dots and bow mean that these are still a really classic design. Usually I'm not a fan of shoes with bows, but these are very cool. I think the colour helps them. I don't think they'd look as good in typical white or red. Frankly £40 is a bargain.

Bowled Over

I adore these Sri Lankan bowls from Plumo. I'm forever losing my jewellery, and it ends up littered all over my bedroom. But a few of these little bowls might just answer all of my problems. I love the bulk buys at Plumo - you'll get three of these for your £19 (reduced from £25) but you won't know which ones. As they're all so wonderfully pretty, that suits me just fine.

Tobias and the Angel Lampshades

I've always been a fan of Tobias and the Angel's furniture (especially this yellow chest of drawers), but I've only just discovered that they do antique lampshades as well. And they're very very pretty indeed! A mix of antique bases, made of interesting bric-a-brac, and really very pretty shades.


I'd really quite like a couple of these stout bottle lampshades.


I love ideas that turn old into new, and this oil can lampshade base is a great idea.


You can choose which shade you'd like, and I think I'd choose this map one.

Bag Lust: Devoted 2 Vintage

I've only just come across Devoted 2 Vintage, but I get a sneaking suspicion that from now on they're going to getting plenty more of my pennies than the bank manager might like. They've got a mammoth selection of delicious vintage dresses, from 1930s evening gowns to colourful 70s day dresses. But whilst their range of ravishing frocks is certainly enough to tempt me into splashing the cash, it's the accessories and bags that I'm especially taken by.

Usually, it's cheaper to buy a new handbag, fancy hat or pair of sunglasses than a new dress, but it can still feel like a whole new outfit when you debut your luscious new item. But where you'd look after your favourite frock and treat it with the love and care it deserves, getting your grubby mitts on vintage accessories in mint condition can be trickier, purely because they're more likely to have been battered beyond repair through being used. But Devoted 2 Vintage seem to do it all at top quality (and, it has to be said, prices to match. But let's just ignore that bit for now). This 1920s embroidered oriental silk purse is £120, but handbag prices start from as low as £8, so it's well worth having a nosey through their wares in the hopes of bagging a bargain.This 1950s suede purse is £24 and with its cute gold clasp it'd be perfect for keeping your valuables safe as you jitterbug and jive the night away.

Last but not least, this 1940s red snakeskin bag is now in the sale, reduced from £95 to £75. Who wants to treat me?