'In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars.' 

F.Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

The roaring 20s is all the rage with the arrival of Baz Luhrmann's long-awaited epic film adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic jazz-age novel The Great Gatsby looming on the horizon. With a star-studded cast featuring the finest of Hollywood's bright young talent Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan and Tobey Maguire, the film promises to impress, with its effortless glamour and iconic art deco style.

The Mint Julep was Gatsby's tipple of choice and now you can make your own! What better way to celebrate National Cocktail Day 2013!

MINT JULEP

this granddaddy of cocktails was a favourite among the guests at jay gatsby’s infamous parties. These days it’s a cocktail for the more discerning amongst us.
• • •
15 ml sugar syrup
3 mint sprigs
60 ml bourbon
Serves 1
• • •
Muddle the sugar, one mint sprig and the bourbon in
a rocks glass. Add crushed ice and garnish with the remaining mint sprigs. Serve with two straws.

Gatsby Cocktails is published by Ryland Peters & Small and is available here.

Saturday 18th May 2013, La Fromagerie, 2–6 Moxon Street, Marylebone, 9.30am–11.30am

Sydney-born food & travel writer and author of the newly published A Suitcase and A Spatula, Tori Haschka, will be holding a brunch workshop at London’s finest foodie emporium, La Fromagerie, Marylebone.

Tori’s globetrotting food adventures have taken her from New York to San Francisco via Iowa, from Berlin to Bilbao, Cairo, Rome, Reykjavik, Morocco, Bologna, Venice, Val d’Isère to Stockholm just to name a few…not forgetting London. You can follow Tori’s travels through her food blog: www.eatori.com

The brunch will begin with coffee and a Latte Banana Bread made with Le Piantagioni Coffee paired with deliciously creamy butter from Monsieur Bordier in Brittany. You will then venture to Iceland with Blueberry Skyr – cinnamon & almond crumble layered with blueberries & creamy Greek yoghurt. This will be followed by a Tartine of Roast Red Grapes & Walnuts with Labne made especially for the event. And to round things off there will be Pea, Basil & Feta Fritters with Roasted Tomatoes, paired with a chilled glass of Prosecco.

Throughout brunch, Tori will demonstrate some of the recipes as she shares her memories, anecdotes and culinary musings from her travels to the four corners of the globe.
 Discover the places that inspired her dishes from beaches, chalets, dappled terraces, souks, tapas bars and tavernas – all beautifully captured in her book.

Tickets are £35. To reserve in advance please telephone La Fromagerie for further details: 020 7935 0341 or visit www.lafromagerie.co.uk

A Suitcase and A Spatula by Tori Haschka is published by Ryland Peters & Small and is available here

I have “There’s a story at the bottom of this bottle” tattooed on my left arm. Those nine words encapsulate what I love most about beer. Every beer has a story made up of numerous interlinking stories: the story of how it’s brewed; why it’s brewed; and the people who brewed it. It’s also about the ingredients that were used and the story behind them: how they were produced and where they originated. Combine those ingredients to create a beer style, and that style then has its own history, whether it has been developed over time or is an innovative introduction.

Then there’s the story of you, the drinker, who, getting to the bottom of the bottle, are more refreshed and relaxed, and also now involved by adding your own narrative to the beer’s story—that might be how the beer made you feel, where you had it, or who you drank it with. Whatever it is, attaching your story to the beers you drink gives them so much more meaning. Just think about the best beer you’ve ever had: I bet you can remember the moment you drank the beer better than the way it actually tasted.

Trying to cover the whole world of craft beer has shown me just how exciting, innovative, and inspiring the brewing community is. It’s also shown how history plays a big role in the present. What I’ve come to regard as the most interesting fact about beer is how it’s always changing and always has been changing. The story of India Pale Ale is one of the most of ten repeated, but we know the story as a soundbite of a snapshot taken at one particular moment. We don’t see the wholeevolving biography. Look at it on a larger screen and there are so many changes as it evolves every decade or so to suit new tastes. And that’s still happening: think about American IPAs in 1993, then think about them in 2003, and then again in 2013. And it’s happening with every beer style on the bar; beers evolve with the flavors and inspiration of the time, although style names tend to stay the same.

It’s that evolution which makes beer exciting and sets the premise for this book: what are the most interesting and best-tasting beers brewed in the world right now? At the same time, though it’s great to see all the new stuff, it’s also important to know what happened before because this very often provides the context or inspiration for new developments, and there are so many classic beers that we shouldn’t overlook while spending a lot of time searching for new tastes. History, too, whether it’s being made, followed, or providing inspiration, is always there and always important. Beer is continuously progressing and
updating itself—and that’s exciting.

Craft Beer World

celebrates the stories of beers made around the world. It celebrates how they are made, where, why, and by whom. It also celebrates the drinking moment and how beer plays a role in our lives. This is a snapshot of the world of craft beer. It shows a small part of what’s happening—too small, in fact, as I’m only sorry I couldn’t get another 350 beers in—and there’s so much more to be discovered: so many new beers, so many classics to revisit, so many new breweries to drink at, and so many more stories to be told.

Craft Beer World by Mark Dredge is published by CICO Books and is available to buy now, either from Amazon and other online outlets or at all good bookshops!

Sydney-born food and travel writer, and intrepid gourmet, Tori Haschka celebrates the launch of her book A Suitcase and a Spatula and whips up a feast...

April arrived in a flurry of snow and ended on a decidedly warmer note with a sudden profusion of cherry blossom cheering the skyline.

And so it was last week, when we crammed ourselves into a black cab and headed westwards towards the setting sun and Books for Cooks in Notting Hill. Anyone even slightly inclined towards all things culinary needs little excuse to visit what is arguably the finest of all cookery book emporiums, and last Thursday it provided the perfect venue to celebrate the launch of A Suitcase and a Spatula: recipes and stories from around the world by Sydney-born food and travel writer, Tori Haschka.

When we arrived, our author was already fully ensconced in preparing delicacies for her guests to feast upon during the evening. She had lovingly hollowed out countless cucumber ‘crowns’ to be filled with meltingly more-ish Scottish smoked salmon. Platters of mini crostini awaited their topping of homemade labna and roasted red grapes. While triangles of oven-crisp pitas infused with olive oil and garlic were to provide the perfect shovel-like implement for bowls of freshly blitzed fava dip sprinkled with baby capers.

Guests arrived to the popping of cava corks and clinking of glasses and soon the shop was packed to capacity. In the manner of a ship’s captain on the calmest of seas, our redoubtable host, Eric Treuille, surveyed the scene from the vantage of the shop’s till point.

Silence was called and Tori spoke. And what a speech! Glasses were raised for the final toast, and plates of Anzac cookies (the event happily coincided with Anzac day) each with their own hearty dollop of freshly whipped goats’ curd, were passed around.

Washing up done and all goodbyes said, our author with her husband and companion in travels, Andrew (The Hungry One, to whom the book is dedicated) set off into the night.

The Hunter Valley

The vineyards of the Hunter Valley are where we got married. Two and a half hours from Sydney, it’s an area best known for ballsy Shirazes (with their classic notes of ‘sweaty saddle’), pleasant vistas and mildly twee stores stocked with olive oil and nut-studded chocolate. A day of driving around the vineyards traditionally ended with us sharing a bottle of red at the Tuscany Wine Estate and drinking in their view over the valley. This spot has the added lure of being next door to the Binnorie Dairy and their famed labna, a strained yogurt cheese. These tartines transport us straight back to the weekends we spent in the Hunter Valley planning our wedding. On top of the charred bread and labna are blistered red grapes and toasted nuts. As for the labna, you could buy it from the Binnorie Dairy. Or you could make it yourself with the aid of a few hours, some yogurt and cloth. This is best eaten while letting a glass of good red breathe, avoiding finalizing seating charts and musing about whether doing your first dance to Van Morrison’s Brown-Eyed Girl is too much of a cliché.

Tartines with Labna, roasted Red Grapes & Walnuts

250 g/1 cup full-fat Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon salt

Tartines

60 red grapes (a medium bunch)

100 g/3⁄4 cup (about 40) walnuts, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon sugar

4 slices of good sourdough bread

1⁄2 garlic clove

salt and black pepper

Serves 4 for lunch, as part of a tasting plate-style meal

Begin the labna at least 6 hours before you plan on eating. Mix together the Greek yogurt and the salt. Line a strainer with 2 pieces of muslin/cheesecloth, or J-cloth/Chux. Set the strainer and the cloth over a bowl. Pour the yogurt and the salt into the strainer, cover the top with the ends of the cloth and allow to strain for at least 6 hours.

After 6 hours, squeeze the cloth to help the curds separate from the whey. The yogurt should have the consistency of cream cheese. You should end up with 125 g/1⁄2 cup labna. Transfer to a covered container and chill in the fridge until ready to use. Alternatively, you can roll it into small balls and cover them with olive oil (it will last in the fridge for about 1 week).

Preheat the oven to 220˚C (425˚F) Gas 7. Put the grapes and walnuts on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with olive oil and sugar. Roast for 20 minutes, until the grapes have started to wrinkle. Grill/broil or toast the sourdough. When it is nicely brown, rub the toast with the cut side of the garlic.

Spread the slices of toast with a tablespoon of labna, then pile on the grapes and walnuts. Season generously with salt and pepper.

A Suitcase and a Spatula by Tori Haschka is published by Ryland Peters & Small and is available to purchase here.

You might know that wild garlic is in season right now... but did you also know that it features in The Forager's Kitchen, the new book from Fiona Bird?

No, well here's Fi's recipe for Minted Pea and Ramps (Wild Garlic) Soup to serve 4 people...

What to forage and find:

* 31⁄2 oz (100g) ramps (wild garlic) stalks

* 1 tablespoon olive oil

* Knob of butter

* 10 oz (275g) scrubbed new potatoes

* 41⁄2 cups (1 litre) vegetable stock

* 1 cup (150g) freshly  shelled peas

* 3 mint leaves, finely shredded

* Freshly ground black pepper

* A handful of ramps (wild garlic) flowers

What to do:

1 Wash and finely slice the ramps (wild garlic) stalks.

2 Heat the oil and butter in a saucepan and cook the ramps over low heat for 1 minute.

3 Cut the new potatoes into small pieces and cook with the ramps for another 1–2 minutes, stirring often.

4 Add 3ó cups (800ml) of the stock and bring to a boil. Cover the pan and simmer for 8–10 minutes until the potatoes are soft.

5 Add the peas and mint, and simmer for another 3 minutes to cook the peas.

6 Remove the pan from the heat, and allow it to cool for a minute.

7 Blend the peas and potatoes in a food processor, and return to the pan, or use a

hand blender.

8 Use the remainder of the stock to rinse around the food processor bowl, and add enough to the saucepan to reach the desired consistency.

9 Heat over low heat to warm through, season with freshly ground pepper, and serve as soon as possible in warm bowls.

Scatter ramps (wild garlic) flowers over the soup just prior to serving. If you wish,

decorate with a swirl of crème fraîche.

Wild Notes

Decorate the soup with a swirl of crème fraîche and ramps (wild garlic) flowers.

For a really minty soup, use mint tea in place of stock, and one shredded

mint leaf. On a hot summer day, serve this soup cold with ramps ice cubes.

Recipe from the new book by Fiona Bird, The Forager's Kitchen which is published by CICO Books and is out now!

Welcome to the wicked world of Dr Burnorium; the ultimate purveyor of pain and leading hot-sauce expert.  After decades of travelling around the globe in search of the most potent peppers, the doctor has personally tried and tested the finest, tastiest and most importantly, hottest sauces that the world has to offer.

To share his wealth of knowledge and experience, the great man recently wrote a book entitled 'Dr Burnorium's Compendium of Hot Sauces'.

It was created as a challenge to any self-professed lover of spice, and for the first time, the Doctor was able to share his favourite recipes, ranging from the internal damnation offered by the Colon Cleaner to the insane heat that emanates from his own evil creation: Psycho Juice. This fiery guide is not only full of original recipes but comes packed with the stories behind the sauces, reviews and a closer look at the chillis that cause all the pain.

Since then, Dr Burnorium (and his sauces) have gone on to feature in the Wall Street Journal...

The Times...

And is soon to be on both The One Show (next Friday, 12th April)...

and The Food Programme on Sunday 14th April...

So after twenty years of hard work, we feel that the Doctor has finally become an overnight taste sense-ation!

Dr Burnorium’s Compendium of Hot Sauces is published by Dog ‘n’ Bone Books and is available from all good bookshops and online outlets.

 Visit Dr B's website at: www.hotsauceemporium.co.uk

Skinny Jeans? Check. Charity-shop Clothing? Check. Non-prescription glasses? Check. These items have become the uniform for a new breed of young people - hipsters - determined to take over cities with their 'alternative ways' whilst overloading on irony and striving to be original and creative. Here's Kara Simsek, author of 'So You Think You're a Hipster' on this growing phenomenon.

What happened to your local area? Where did all these twenty-somethings in beanies and ripped skinny jeans come from? Why does the air hang thick with the foul stench of soya milk lattes and organic cupcakes?

What are these strange bikes with brightly colored frames and no brakes? Why is everyone walking a pug or carrying a freshly baked rye baguette under their arm?

How can there be twelve graphic design agencies based in one building? What the hell is a pop-up organic burrito truck? How does that girl make a living from DJing when she just plays an iPod at a dingy bar once a week? Who are these people protesting against globalization as they Instagram photos of each other messing around on skateboards?

Sounds like you’ve woken up to find your neighbourhood transformed in to a hipster ghetto.

Want to have a night out? Your option is warehouse party, warehouse party, or fanzine fundraiser… in a warehouse. Don’t need glasses? No worries, just pretend, everyone else is. Not worn that sweater since you were ten? Put it on.

No longer can you buy a pint of Heineken at the local bar, it’s craft beers only. Say hello to Blueberry Ale and Williamsburg Hop Pilsner, and prepare your tastebuds for locally sourced tomato juice in your Saturday morning Bloody Mary. You like scotch eggs now they’ve been made by an organic artisan who trained in France.

Try and fit in. Wear something outrageous

when shopping for groceries (at local retailers only, big-name supermarkets are a no-no), start a blog, get a specific interest that allows you to sit comfortably and look down on everyday people that know nothing about art-house cinema from the 1970s or thrash bands from New York state, who can’t tell the difference between Flaubert and Baudelaire. Tell people you’re relocating to Scandinavia to design eco-furniture and live off the land. To fish and knit and blog and be free from the constraints of Capitalism and the big city.

Remember, you’re better than everyone else. And you’re NOT a hipster.

Labels are so lame. And you’re better than that.

 Extracted from 'So You Think You're A Hipster' by Kara Simsek published by CICO Books which is out now!

This week we are thrilled to be joined by Clare Youngs, author of the newly published Folk Art Needlecraft.  Clare reveals her greatest craft inspirations, why she has been so influenced by Folk Art and her biggest craft disaster.  There is hope for us all!

 1) Let’s start by getting to know you, who are you, where are you from and when did you first stat crafting?  I am a designer/maker working mainly with paper and fabric. I have lived most of my life in London but two years ago decided to relocate to the Kent coast with my family and mini dachshund – Otis. I have made things for as long as I can remember. I come from a very creative family. My mum bought me craft books when I was little and I still use them today. I learnt to sew on an ancient sewing machine handed down from my grandmother but mostly I used to hand sew, often in miniature. I had a tiny 3cm troll that had a complete wardrobe of clothes including evening dresses and bikinis! Later when I got my first home, sewing was an essential skill. I made curtains, cushions and having a bit of an obsession with chairs from the 50’s, I taught myself a bit of upholstery as well!

2)    Who is your greatest crafty inspiration and why?  I have a huge admiration for Julie Arkell, who is so incredibly creative and makes the most enchanting, funny and quirky little characters. She uses a combination of papier-mâché, paint, knitting and sewing in her creations. Each one is different and I never tire of looking at them.

3)    Tell us a bit about your new book Folk Art Needlecraft, why did you decide on the folk art theme?  I really enjoyed researching and writing Scandinavian Needlecraft and knew at the time that I wanted to write a follow on book but this time taking inspiration from around the world. I am fascinated by traditional crafts made by ordinary working people who have made essential items for their homes and decorated them with carvings, painting and sewing techniques. The variety of motifs and patterns across the world are immense and although many of the symbols are similar, each country or region has its own distinctive identity. I love the way that folk art embroidery is an ancient tradition that has been passed down through the generations but is still relevant today and can be adapted to create beautiful contemporary pieces that will fit into even the most modern interior.

 4)    We know you are a multi-talented crafter, your previous title Book Art focused on paper craft, why did you decide to go with needlework for this new book?  I love working in both fabric and paper and have been lucky enough to work equally on each craft with Cico. I do love hand sewing, especially embroidery. I think it is the artist and illustrator side of me that likes ‘drawing’ with thread. The actual act of embroidering is very relaxing and you can put it in your bag and take it anywhere. You can also sew while watching the telly and not feel guilty about wasting time!

5)  Have you ever had a crafting disaster?  Yes! I have 4 children and have had many birthday parties to organise. I decided to make a piñata for one party. It started off with papier-mâché around a balloon. Then I made a hole and placed sweets into the middle and added a few more layers of paper. It seemed to be taking ages to dry so I left it out in the sun to try and dry it out. I then painted it and hung it from a tree. It was a strange blobby looking thing. When it was time to break into it, no matter how many times or how hard it was hit, it would not break open. We had to saw it open in the end and the sweets had turned to a gooey mess!

6) If you had to pick your favourite project from Folk Art needlecraft, what would it be and why?  I think it would have to be the Pippi Rug. I have a thing about clogs. I really like them and have used them a few times as a design motif in projects. I like the mix of colours and the way I could bring in some scraps of my own hand printed textile designs into the project.

7)  How have your travelling experiences influenced your crafting?  Have any countries in particular had an impact?  As a child our family summer holidays were spent traveling down to the south of Spain and Italy in the car. My Dad would drive miles off the route to take us to some cathedral or castle. I was 7 years old when we first started going and although it wasn’t always fun with 4 kids in the back of a car, I think it is where my love of traveling started. I kept a journal and started doing little drawings and collecting interesting labels and tickets to stick in. I still keep an ideas journal and sketchbook with me at all times.  Traveling in the region of Rajasthan in India introduced me to wonderful textiles, quilts and hand blocking techniques in particular. The Cloth house in Berwick Street is one of my favourite places to buy fabric and they source much of their fabric from India. I have a real respect for Scandinavian design and it is a huge influence in my work. A recent trip to Stockholm in Sweden confirmed this love. One exhibition of the traditional crafts of the nomadic Sami people of northern arctic Scandinavia was particularly inspiring, with artefacts beautifully decorated with richly coloured embroideries.

8) What new ventures do you have in the works?  I am working on a new book for Cico at the moment while working up ideas for a needlecraft book. This year I want to branch out into stationery and craft kits, so I am working on designs for this venture. I am running workshops during the Easter holidays. I am also taking part in an event for 12 designer/makers at the Pie Factory Gallery in Margate from the 22^nd to the 24^th of March called Brighter Days. I will be running a workshop based on the Jumping jack project in Book art. The workshop is on Saturday 23^rd of March. It starts at 12.00 midday, is free and should be a lot of fun so all are welcome!

Thank you for joining us Clare!  If you are feeling suitably inspired Folk Art Needlecraft is available here.  Check out Clare's website for more Folk Art Inspiration: www.clareyoungs.co.uk

Folk Art Needlecraft is published by Cico Books.

Annie Sloan's new book Color Recipes for Painted Furniture and More has just become available so we thought it would be a good time to share a few words from her on why she wrote this book...

Over the years I have written many books, but this one is very personal as it charts the renovation of our farmhouse in northern France.

Above: The farmhouse, built from stones with cob (mud and straw) walls, has other outbuildings which we currently use as storage. I particularly love this old oak door, and am planning to restore and reinstate the old fence. Although we have owned the property for more than 20 years, over the past 12 months we have extended the house and redecorated throughout. This has given me a wonderful opportunity to experiment with new techniques (such as using my paint to dye fabrics) and the perfect excuse to buy more furniture from local markets and village fairs.

We chose the house because it is easy to get to from our home in Oxford. It takes an hour to reach the port on the south coast of England, and from there we catch the “midnight” ferry. After sleeping overnight on-board, we arrive in France in the early morning, with just another hour’s drive ahead of us. The house is situated in the middle of the green and rolling Normandy countryside, an area renowned for its milk and cream, from the famous Normandy cows, and also for its apples.

There are orchards everywhere, and cider and calvados, the delicious apple brandy, are produced in abundance.

The house started as a retreat for the whole family, where the children could run about and do as they liked. We stayed there every summer, spending our days on the nearby beaches or in the surrounding countryside. The children played in the fields of tall maize and rode their bikes along the empty roads. They searched for glowworms, played in the tiny stream, made hideouts in the attics and sheds, and generally had a good time. We spent Christmases there, too, and even though it was very cold, we would soon warm up sitting by the big log fire and have tremendous fun.

The house is old. One of the beams in the kitchen has the date 1776 carved into the wood, although parts of the building may actually be older than that. On the ground floor, the walls are made of stone, with mud walls above, which was the traditional way to build houses all over Britain and Europe. The previous owners had tried their hand at modernization, and we spent ages removing the hardboard and plastic they had used to cover the ancient wooden beams, as well as scraping green gloss paint from the walls.

As the house is located in the heart of the French countryside, I chose to decorate it in a predominantly French rustic style. But, as you would imagine, I have also included other influences that continue to inspire me. When I decorate a room, I start with one large item of furniture as the pivotal piece against which everything else is measured.

I have divided the book into six chapters, with the first on how to use color and make up your own using my paints.

This is followed by chapters on each of the decorating styles that are important to me: French Style, Boho Chic, Swedish Style, Country, and Modern Contemporary. I have broadly allocated a room for each of these styles but, naturally, there is some overlap, so you will find a Boho Chic painted chandelier in the Swedish room, for instance. Colors in one room will also feature in another. It is in this way that the rooms work together and always feel connected.

Annie Sloan's book, Color Recipes for Painted Furniture and More is available now. You can order the book direct from Annie's website, our own or all good bookshops and online stockists.

Selina Lake looking pretty in pink. And blue.

This week we’re chatting to interiors stylist and author Selina Lake, whose fourth book Pretty Pastel Style is published any day now.

1. Selina, in your book you demonstrate just how versatile pastels can be. Do you think this is why the trend is making a comeback?Last season we saw all the big fashion designers championing pastels on the catwalks. This spring pastels are very much on trend and the look is moving into homes & interiors. We all love the lure of yesteryear, even the high street has been in on the act in the past few years producing ‘Vintage Style’ pieces and pastels work really well with genuine vintage finds,  especially slightly faded items. I like the versatility of the Pastel colour palette, cool shades of mint and sky blues mixed with pops of neon or metallics can give a modern space an edge while peachy pinks can add a sense of glamour. The pastel trend takes inspiration from the 50’s mixing the ice cream shades often found in American dinners and Miami in the Art Deco period and has an up-to-date twist with handmade items mixed with new prints and designs. Pastels conjure up a sweet, happy, spring-like feel so how could you not become a fan of the trend?

2. How was your bedroom decorated when you were little? When I was really little I shared a room with my older sister Aimee, we had 80’s pale pink wallpaper with little white lambs and Care Bears bedding on our beds. We also had a big collection of My Little Ponies and old bedside tables which my dad painted white – it was quite Pretty Pastel come to think of it!

3.You travel far and wide on shoots for your work, aside from London, where else would you like to live? I’ve absolutely loved working in Norway, I have been there twice now, both in summer time and I love their timber houses and sense of style. The people I have met there have all been so welcoming and lovely and the roads are so quiet – way better than the heavy traffic in London! Although I’m not sure I’d like to have 6 months of snow in the winter months even if it does look like wonderland.

4.If you could pick just one piece of furniture to accompany you on a desert island, what would it be? A large comfy bed with loads of floral cushions and eiderdowns. It would make a perfect sunbed by day and be cosy when the sun went down – I’d also want a mosquito net attached.

5.You have your own blog selinalake.blogspot.com/ and are an avid user of facebook, instagram and twitter. What effect do you think social media has on the sale of books?  Yes I’m a fan of social media you can find me @selinalake on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and now Vine. It’s a great way to connect with fellow creatives and along with using as a form of self promotion, I now use it as a tool for when I’m researching a new project. I think it defiantly helps with book sales as more people get to know about me and my work. I’m really lucky fans of my books are often posting images or messages saying what they love about my books and what’s inspired them and I always re-tweet or share their sweet comments.

6.You get to see inside so many lovely homes for your work. Is there any one home in particular you’d like to step inside? I’m fortunate to get to look around lots of interesting homes and spaces. I like to find unusual places to do my photoshoots,  so I get really excited when I stumble on a great new location.  Next week I’m shooting in an old barn and abandoned Mansion House. I’d also love to stay at the hotel Meryl Streep’s character Donna Carmichael runs in the film Mamma Mia.

7.Who has been your main influence in life? My parents, Valerie & Ronald. They have always encouraged my creative side and have inspired me to realise my dreams. I’m so lucky to have had them support me throughout my life especially with my career.

8.What are you planning to do next? This spring and summer I will be busy promoting my new book.  I am hosting a Pretty Pastel Style Book Launch & Fair on Friday 22^nd March at Market House in the Royal Borough of Kingston which I’m really looking forward to.  I’ve handpicked a number of designer /makers who will be part of the fair, setting up their stalls and selling their handmade and vintage pieces. I also have loads of styling work booked in for various clients and some very special projects which I will be revealing on my blog soon.

9.Bike or car? Both – I need my car for work as I’m always loading it up with flowers and props and driving across the country for my photoshoots. I also love riding my blue Victoria Pendelton Somerby bike from Halfords which I featured in Pretty Pastel Style. I ride along the River Thames into Kingston with my husband.

Selina’s Pretty Pastel Book Launch and Fair featuring craft and vintage stalls takes place on Friday 22^nd March at Market House, Market Place, Kingston Upon Thames 11am – 6pm. All are welcome. In fact the more the merrier and everyone who comes along will get the chance to enter a free prize draw to win a Halford’s Victoria Pendleton bike in the most perfect shade of pastel blue. See you there!  http://selinalake.blogspot.co.uk/

Pretty Pastel Style by Selina Lake is published  by Ryland Peters & Small on 14th March