Here comes the sun

For the first time last week, I squinted my eyes whilst walking to work and realised it was the season for sunglasses again, hurrah! To me, sunglasses are essential. They cover up all manner of sins; a late night, an early morning, hay fever, or you could go crazy and use them to protect your eyes from Mr. Sunshine.

I always stick to the same style (bigger the better) but often like the look of other shapes and colours. So, whats out there that I can get for under £20 (I'm partial to losing them) that's a little bit different?

For the nerd in you, I really love these Ciara Catseye sunglasses from Oasis. I love the shape, and the soft pink colours contrasting with the multi brown on the top of the frame. They remind me of my first ever glasses I got as a kid - a tad nerdy. Did I say I love them? At £16, they're worth every penny.

Thelma and Louise anyone? Somebody please buy these so I don't have to. I'd wear these whilst driving in an open-top car listening to Young Hearts Run Free...oh well, I can dream. These Cherry Flat Top sunglasses are also £16, from Topshop, and crying out to be bought. Fun huh?

Sun, sea and sand. What's missing? These glasses I say. They are super sweet and only £8 from Dorothy Perkins. I'd be able to afford a 99 ice cream too and still have some change left from a tenner. To the beach!

I think these are my favourite although they do fall into the 'bigger is better' category. I love the colour, it's much softer than the usual dark brown or black I go for. I'd wear these happily ambling through the fields at Glastonbury, dreaming of the old days...ah! From H&M, at only £4.99, I might buy two.

This guest post was written by the always wonderful Lisa from Matilde Heart Manech. She has excellent sunglasses. We always break ours.

Sluttishly Vegan: Crispy Japanese Spiced Tofu with broccoli and cashew nuts

Due to a growing obsession with Japanese cuisine I have recently been treating myself to a whole range of weird and wonderful ingredients to play with in the kitchen.

On one of my recent food shopping trips it would seem I decided to throw in some tofu. Despite consuming plenty of the stuff when I was a vegan I always found it quite bland, so I was curious to see what my Japanese spices and I could come up with to tickle the taste buds.

The resulting recipe is not only super quick and easy to make but, quite frankly, so tasty that I have already eaten it four times in the last week. I made it for one but please do play around with the quantities if you want it to serve a few of you

Crispy Japanese Spiced Tofu with Broccoli and Cashew Nuts (serves 1)

You will need:

• 1 tsp of Shichimi Togarashi (Japanese Seven Spice Powder)
• 15g fine polenta
• 150g firm tofu, cut into large cubes
• 1tsp Sesame Oil
• 1 tbsp Groundnut Oil
• Handful of Broccoli Florets
• 25g Cashew Nuts
• 1tbsp Soy Sauce
• 3 tbsp Rice Wine
• portion of cooked noodles (I used udon noodles)

Make It!

1. Mix the Shichimi Togarashi and fine polenta in a bowl and coat the tofu cubes thoroughly on all sides with the polenta and spice mix.

2. Heat the sesame and groundnut oil in a frying pan. Fry the tofu until crispy and golden on all sides, remove from the frying pan and set aside.

3. Throw in the broccoli and cashew nuts into the frying pan, along with the soy sauce and rice wine. Stir fry for a couple of minutes and then add in your drained, cooked noodles being sure to coat with the sauce.

4. Put the noodles, broccoli and cashew nuts in a bowl and top with the tofu. Eat, enjoy and let your love affair with tofu commence.

Design Porn: Babushka Nesting Glasses

You'll be aware that we love our Russian dolls here at Sluttery HQ. These Babushka glasses are rapidly becoming an essential item for me, not least because I broke the last of my tumblers last week, smashing it with such force that I'm still picking bits of it out of the washing machine. Woe.

This trio of colourful glasses is £15.95 from fancy London shop Selfridges, which has now deigned to allow the proles to buy things online. Why not drink your Babička out of your Babushkas? Err, ignore the fact that sounds a bit rude. Just buy them to cheer up your kitchen cupboards.

Hannah Turner Owl Egg Cups

I can't deny it, I'm getting a little sick of BIRDS ON EVERYTHING. This video sums up how I feel right now about BIRDS ON EVERYTHING:



But sometimes, little bird motifs fly into my internet browser, and I really really like them. Despite being annoyed with BIRDS ON EVERYTHING. Like these owl egg cups that I spotted over on About Your Dress.


Look at the sleepy thing! Now I can't be mad at owls and birds on everything, because these are just too cute.

These little guys are by Hannah Turner, and they're perfect for Easter.


Want one? They're not cheap (cheap) they're £29.99 each and you can buy them at From the Wilde. Sometimes, putting birds on everything isn't a bad thing.

Sluttery Travels: The Lovestruck, Scotland

I didn't think that I'd be writing about a horse box today. But until this morning, I didn't know about The Lovestruck, a cabin converted from a horse box into a cute little Scottish haven.


Now, The Lovestruck isn't exactly five star accommodation. But it's cute. Like a really rustic caravan.


There's a double bed, and also a fold out double as well, so it's great for a getaway with friends, as well as a little romantic hiding spot. But where is it?


At the moment, The Lovestruck is currently in Mhor, Perthshire. It's right by Loch Voli. Now, I've not been, but I'm fairly certain that no loch in Scotland is ugly. Lake views, rolling hills, countryside - all dead certs here.


If you're not smitten with the idea of totally roughing it, you're right by Mhor Hotel so if you fancy popping in for breakfast, you can. They'll even make up a breakfast basket for you so you can sit outside in the sun with your tea and toast.

Fancy staying here? A two night stay in The Lovestruck will cost just £250 and you can book through Canopy & Stars. Bet you didn't think you'd consider stay in a horse box today, did you?

Not Your Grandmother's Vodka: Babicka Vodka

Confesion: I've never seen the point of spending more than £8 on plain vodka. I will happily pay double that if you flavour it with vanilla, raspberry, blueberries, apple, bees, jam, cigarettes, whatever. But just a bottle of vodka? They all taste the same, right?

When I got sent a £35 bottle of Babička vodka, I feared it would be wasted on me. Would I be able to tell this from the 50p shots of vodka I used to down at a terrible club in Coventry? Would this induce flashbacks to dancing to Kenickie while drinking what tasted like paint stripper?

Well, of COURSE not. Babička is infused with wormwood - the stuff in absinthe that's meant to make you hallucinate - and apparently comes from a recipe invented by 16th century babičkas, the Czech term for peasant grandmothers. Those old ladies knew what they were doing because this is smooth enough to drink neat. It doesn't burn the back of your throat but creates a pleasant buzzing warmth, and leaves a delicious subtle aftertaste of aniseed and vanilla. It goes very nicely with tonic or cranberry juice.

At £35, it'll be an occasional purchase for me. It would make a lovely gift, especially as it comes in such a sleek, sexy bottle. Get yours from Harvey Nichols, The Whiskey Exchange or The Drink Shop (where it's currently £24.95). Try not to think about the fact it translates as Nana Vodka and get your martini on.

Chocolate Egg Moulds

Did Easter sneak up on everyone else? Usually I've bought eggs, planned to eat little lambs, and had time to get excited about two four day weeks. But instead, I'm all in a fluster and have no eggs and no Easter things planned.

But I still want to make my own. Because that looks like fun. This egg mould from Culture Label is perfect. And as they rightly point out, you could use it to make jelly eggs too, which I'm now finding infinitely more exciting than chocolate. How much do you want to give people jellied eggs wrapped up in pretty paper?

Want to make your own eggs? This silicon mould is just £8.50 from Hunter Gatherer's Culture Label shop. Or, you could buy your own from this little collection of Easter eggs.