My favourite chocolate cake recipe

ok, ok, I know; no one but me cares for recipes like this one. It is nothing more but a sophisticated 'devil's food cake'. But it's just the christmas feeling I get whenever this recipe pops up on my laptop screen, that makes it so addictive. Besides, I always blame the endorphin that comes with this chocolate beauty. But we all know chocolate makes us feel good. It's just that this one does it in one hell of a way!

For the recipe, go to:

http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/old-fashioned-chocolate-cake-119

IN HER SHOES

Oh yes they did! Believe it or not, Rachel Bilson -a true fashion icon- and shoe god Steve Madden have created a line of shoes together for Shoe Mint. From red velvet to leopard, and from studs to ankle straps; the line really is something to add to my (already neverending) christmas wishlist. Though I am quite skeptic about 'like us on facebook and win shoes' campaigns, you should try! Who knows, maybe you'll be the one to get away with a few pairs, for free!

PS: my second column will come out this month again, i'll keep you posted!

DUTCH VOGUE

I was already wondering; where the hell is our own, dutch vogue?! Even men have their own (yes, there is a men's vogue) and so do A LOT of countries all over the world. If you have done your homework and kept track of fashion news the past couple of days, you would have noticed Fiona Hering (columnist for Glamour) talking about her new job as a columnist for Vogue! This gives us evidence that an actual dutch vogue will come, yay! Karin Swerink, who was glamour's chief-editor, will take place in vogue's board as well, as chief-editor! The question when you can acually dribble over the magazine, remains unknown for now! I guess meanwhile,  patience, lots of twilight and christmas diners will keep us entertained.....
Can't wait!
XOXO

Louise Roe tips: how NOT to be a plain jane

Oh lord. This is one lady that has everything I want. Incredible style? Check. Good looking boyfriend? Check. Writer's job? Check. Right now, I am obsessing over her new MTV make-over show: Plain Jane. The thing is: who doesn't seem like a plain jane next to this long-legged and well-educated TV goddess? Though I should be watching the plain janes' mile-stones and fashion fiascos, I cannot seem to take my eyes/ears of Roe's british accent, her skyhigh heels and her eye catching dresses. Each time, the shows revolves around Roe, swinging her magic want and abacadabra: a lady is born!
Her five tips to avoid becoming a Plain Jane, make perfect new years resolutions, though buying just one dress is probably not something I can promise......her tips (love them!):

1. Look in the mirror naked. To dress your body, you need to know your body, and few of us are aware what specific shape we are. Are you top heavy? Apple? Pear? Column or hourglass? Wherever your flesh goes in and out, there are garments in the mall designed to specifically suit your shape. ‘Will it work on my figure,’ should be your first thought when shopping, as opposed to being distracted by trend, color, price, fabric or which celebrity last wore it in the gossip magazines.

2. Buy the boy a drink. Women rarely buy the first drink, and chances are he’ll be flattered. Don’t be an aggressive cougar about it, but casually offering a beer to the guy you’ve got your eye on is a refreshing change from the usual motion of waiting for him make the first move.

3. Learn to walk in high heels. Practice makes perfect, and platforms or wedges are the easiest to balance in. Heels make you stand up straighter, they’re slimming, and they really make a difference to the silhouette and attitude you give off when you enter a room, trust me!

4. Buy a red dress. If you’re single. You’re statistically more likely to be chatted up if you’re in red. I’d go for a one-shoulder shape, it’s elegant and chic and shows just enough skin to tickle a boy’s fancy.

5. Re-organise your closet. We only wear about a quarter of the clothes we own, mainy because our wardrobes are such a mess. Most things are lost and ignored in a messy bundle at the back. So get everything out on the bed, be objective about whether that decade-old little black dress could be updated with some new accessories or by a nip and tuck from the tailor. Color-coordinate the rest and split everything into winter and summer, too.

(These are from Roe's blog: http://www.louiseroe.com/)

Love, 

noor

MY COLUMN IN (NEW) MAGAZINE 'FASHIONISTA'

MY COLUMN IN (NEW) MAGAZINE 'FASHIONISTA'

LONDON: DOs and DONTs

It was about a month ago, that the money I had saved was urgently calling my name to spend it. As I am a sucker for shopping, I agreed. London was waiting for me. And especially when christmas is in sight, there is something about (no, not Mary) London. Why? Maybe because christmas lights are draped above the streets. Maybe because I cannot reject christmas sales such as Boxing Day. Or maybe, because the christmas-department in Harrods is so big, I walked three rounds looking for the exit and I was eventually brought outside by a security guy.

DOs
- Old Spitalfields market: Brick lane East London. Second hand Shakespeare and Dickens, homemade english sponge cakes, fur, up and coming designer clothes; need I say more?

- Portobello Road: Notting Hill. Walk in the beatles' footsteps, eat a red velvet cupcake at hummingbird bakery, visit the bookstore from the movie Notting Hill (warning: it is now a shoeshop, unfortunately), and the market on sunday is great!

- Topshop Brompton Road: one that is pretty quiet compared to others (like oxford street)

- exhibitions at Victoria & Albert museum (south kensington): very inspiring, is all I can say (see a gorilla made out of NEEDLES,below). It is my favourite museum in London, but of course Tate Modern, the design museum, British museum, the tower of london, etc. are also quite fascinating!

- the Seven Dial streets; just like the nine streets in amsterdam, except there are seven. Very cute lunchcafes and boutiques. Try: SNOG, a trendy yoghurt and topping place. And there is a candy store that has EVERY sort of candy you like. Makes me feel like I am seven again. Candy cakes is filled with cakes, pies and cupcakesl if you are a sweet tooth like me of course.

- Camden town: northern London. I can't seem to find words to describe this part of london. A lot of vintage, mixed with punk, markets and tourists. A whole lot of everything actually, but it is definetely somewhere you can spend your afternoon.

- Harrods: you cannot leave London without having seen harrods.
- Lay back, eat scones, drink tea: have a high tea at Dean Street Townhouse 69 (dean street, 15 pond pp). Quite fancy, but I guess that's what high tea is all about.
- Yauatscha dimsum&sushi: broadwickstreet Soho. You might bump into someone famous while picking up their famous cookies or having dinner. Very, very nice (not sounding like Borad)

- DO a night of theatre: but DONT be as stupid as I am by thinking you'll do that on sunday, because all shows are all week except sunday!

AWKWARD.

If you weren't convinced already: this is the part where you are. It seems a typically American MTV show, but I think there's more to it than that. Jenna Hamilton, the main character of the show, often finds herself in painfully AWKWARD situations. The whole show revolves around a misunderstandig Jenna's entire highschool seems to know about: everyone thinks she tried to kill herself. While she struggles to lose her image as 'that girl', two guys fall in love with Jenna and her no nonsense way of living. It is very funny sometimes and for me, words such as Queen Bee-atches are enough. The show won me over.

WISDOM IN THE WOOL (KNITTED BY GRANNIES)

Grannies Inc.
Talk about cute: you design your own woolly jumper,hat, scarf,etc. : and actual grannies knit them for you. Not only you're helping the elderly; there is also 'wisdom in the wool'. Visit there website and do!:

http://www.granniesinc.co.uk/

NAILSINC. MAGNETIC NAILPOLISH

This is something I just added to my chrismas wishlist. You simply apply the nailpolish to your nails (purple, silver or gold), and you immediately hold the magnet (located in the cap of the bottle) above each nail. The pieces metal in the nailpolish react on the magnet by making some sort of 'stripes'. Well, all I can say is: try!!! It is the coolest nailpolish alive. For now.

Versace for H&M

Not only Stella McCartney, Karl Lagerfield, Roberto Cavalli and Matthew Williamson have designed clothing for H&M; now the skinny, scary-looking Donatella Versace is going to design a line as well. The amount of shimmering, shining studs and sparkles, deep cut-outs and elegance will probably be too much to comprehend, but still: it is definetely something to be excited about.
In stores November 17th. Here are some preview pics.

Gossip girl is back: Yes, then zero.

Good morning upper east siders!
I am truly sorry about breaking my promise by saying these three words, but still: oh-my-god. It seems like Blake Lively got over her one-on-one time with Dicaprio and Leighton Meester over her trials (with her mother!), because Gossip Girl just started season 5! Us seventeen year-olds cannot wait to behold the dramatic wonders set in a fairytail-like place called;  Manhattan. So get your Ben&Jerry (the two most faithfull friends on earth), tell everyone to shut up and do your fashion homework, as the prettiest clothing passes by. Visit sidereel.com and watch it now: Gossip Girl season 5-episode 1 - Yes, then zero.

XOXO, noor

Tunes in my head!

You might recognize this song of Ikea's commercial, but other than that, this song is great! So it doesn't have that humming beat you can't get out of your head; it does have the Alabama atmosphere and 50 year old whisle. Listen and get your hippy style on and go back in time.

Sunday Market Westergasfabriek

Coming up: october 2nd and november 13th Sunday Market Westergasfabriek.
Time: 12.00-18.00
Entrance: free

I've never been here before, but I am certaintly checking it out. Every first sunday of the month, you can find fashion, design, art, food and other stuff at this Sunday Market. So if you have nothing to do, I'd say take a look! http://www.sundaymarket.nl/

DO IT YOURSELF PRADA PRINT

This is for every girl out there who cannot afford a Prada dress, or does not want to spend your entire monthly income one a piece of clothing -which is very reasonable, I think-. So get those scissor hands, needles and strings out there and make your own dress. Who said looking extravagant should be expensive? 

Alexa Chung for Madewell 2011

I am literally sitting on the edge of my seat, waiting for september 22. Why? The girl with the cute shortcut hair, who's dating an Artic Monkey and never seems to be out of style, is designing a line for Madewell, NYC. I feel like such a girl when saying this; but I really can't wait!!






This is the video ad for Alexa Chung for Madewell, filmed in Austen, Texas!

Charlotte Ronson's house

Charlotte Ronson might not be all about the pink and the perfect whenever she's wandering around Lindsay Lohan, but her house sure is. I find it quite inspiring to enter someone's door -well in theory anyway- and see how people express themself into furniture.

The mustache sweater!

Yes, this might not be the prettiest sweater ever seen, but it is fairtrade organic cotton, and an eye-catcher! It comes in all sizes (S-XXL), is unisex and is €59,00

The Open Shop Amsterdam 

Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 291

Shoes that make you stop

I know they're quite outrageous and extravagant, but they're the kind of shoes that make anyone passing you by on the street stop, and look at them. That's what every girl wants, right?
Cafe Moda Kalverstraat, €44

Louis Theroux

Despite his dreary way of speaking, his not-so-charming looks and his typical english appearance; i love this man. Really, this englishman can find the weird, the wicked and the crazy in the world, and show them to you in his documentaries. Whether he is showing you some 80-year old woman who's addicted to gambling, america's must hated family or a neighbourhood where you might not want to be, it's funny and yet crazy at the same time. He raps and makes people believe they can contact aliens, which he obviously does not believe. This man brings every word so dull and so sarcastic, it is actually really funny. They're my favourite documentaries! 

Tonight (12/09/11,  21.30, Amsterdam, VPRO/Nederland 3) there's one of his documentaries (which i've never seen), but you can always find his unusual documentaries at websites too ! 

Louis Theroux 

http://louistheroux.com/

Cinnamon Rolls

Yep, it's monday afternoon and i got bored, so baking was the only option in sight. Since Bridget Jones seems to be on television daily and i can hear the winter calling for me, the urge to try this recipe became inevitable. Just the smell of these cinnamon rolls -which are originally from Norway, but the americans picked them up- makes trying this worth it. Best scent i've ever smelled, and surprisingly enough, it's a Nigella Lawson recipe.

-serves 20 cinnamon rolls-
DOUGH
600 gr (plain) flour
100 gr sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
21 gr yeast
100 gr unsalted butter
4 dl/400 ml milk

STUFFING
150 gr soft butter
150 gr sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg, whipped
+rolling pin and baking tin

Preheat oven at 230 degrees.
Mix the dry ingredients first; flour, sugar,salt and yeast. Then mix the other ingredients in another bowl; milk, eggs and the melted (in microwave) butter. This leaves you with two options; you can either mix these two bowls of ingredients with your hands, or you can put them in your food processor. Either way; mix untill a ball of dough forms. Don't worry if the mixture doesn't has the exact ball shape; it just needs to stick together and be really elastic and smooth. Then grease a clean bowl with some sunflower oil (just a little!) and put the 'ball' of dough in the bowl, and cover up with some plastic foil and let is rise/rest for 25 minutes.

Take 1/3 of the dough, and roll out the dough on your work sheet as big as your baking tin (and your hands, your rolling pin, your dough and your work sheet NEED to be smeared with flour! or you won't be able to get the dough of your hands/work sheet. Then furnish your baking tin (bottom and sides) with baking foil, and cover your bottom with the rolled out square of dough. Then take the rest of the dough, and roll it out into a square of 25 x 50 cm. Mix the softened butter, the sugar and the cinnamon and grease the entire dough square with this mixture. Then roll the dough, from the long side, so you get a 50 cm long roll. Then cut the roll into twenty slices/'coins' (each 2 cm thick). Then put every slice flat in the baking tin (it doesn't matter if the rolls touch eachother, they'll rise anyway!). Whip the egg and grease the rolls with the whipped egg. Let is rise for 15 minutes.

Now but the rolls into the oven for 20-25 minutes. If they're golden brown, rising and deliciously-smelling, they're ready!! Cut the rolls between the 'curls' and eat them warm on a rainy afternoon.

Where to go: IJhallen

Those girls slandering through the streets, in their petticoats, lighting up their cigaret and their hairs pinned up high. I believe those girls wouldn't stand out if you'd place them maybe twenty or thirty years back in time. I kind of miss that no-nonsense weather. Which is exactly why I am SO excited about the IJhallen!

The IJhallen is the biggest flea market in the Netherlands and if I should believe those cigaret 'n petticoat kind of girls, it should be amazing! This market is the definition of vintage. Some information:

Where: NDSM-werf Amsterdam, Neveritaweg 15 

When: September 17th and 18th - October 8th and 9th - October 16th

Price: 4 euros p.p.

How: you can either wander through the five hundred stables, or buy your own attic crap yourself. If you want to sell your own stuff, make sure you register that in time. Here is the Ijhallen's website, in case you want to subscribe yourself: http://www.ijhallen.nl/

Gadgets to die for

Good morning early birdies, 

remember that movie Juno? The one that became kind of a taboo since there's a sixteen year old getting pregnant? Well anyways, besides Ellen Page's (= Juno) belly which I definitely NOT envy, I do envy her something else; her burger phone! Here are the pictures and some where-to-buy ebay options....I'm going to get one! 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/Mobile-Home-Phones-/14675/i.html?_nkw=hamburger+phone

Sex and the City's Flirtini recipe

This is a recipe which i found while watching an episode of SATC. The fact that this cocktail originates from a show that great, is enough to make me wanna try. You too?
Also, I made these cocktails at my seventeenth birthday, and believe it or not, after 3 glasses of this, you really will flirt with any one....

1/5 vodka
2/5 champagne
2/5 pineapple juice

Very simple; just mix these ammounts of ingredients, either in each glass or in one big bowl (which is really easy when throwing a party). But make sure those three ingredients are well chilled before making the cocktail; put them in your fridge for at least two hours. You can even chill the glasses in your fridge.

For cake's sake

When i turned seventeen, someone got me a cupcake course. Normally, anything that contains sugar, fat or chocolate gets eaten by me in an instant. I can't ignore those sweet smelling treats calling my name from the fridge. But those 8 cupcakes i made in those two and a half hours; those remained untouched. They were just too beautiful to eat. This course (which costs 50 euros p.p. and takes 2,5 hours) is the perfect gift or drug to a feeling of  low self-esteem in the kitchen. As a wise woman once said; girls just want to have fun. And this is some way of doing that.

Sugarlicious
Jan Pieter Heijestraat 117
Amsterdam, the Netherlands
http://www.sugarlicious.nl/workshops/cupcakes

How to make an origami dollar ring

This is something my friend in Los Angeles taught me, and whenever this ring (made out of a dollar!!) is around one of my fingers, i get A LOT of compliments thrown at me. Eventhough i say so myself, it is really original and you wouldn't believe how many of these rings i've made for my friends....so, no more origami for me, it is your turn now! Here comes a little video of how to make this ring exactly and a picture of my ring collection (you can see the dollar ring at the far right)...good luck!

Spot of the day: American Bookstore Spui Amsterdam

There are those times when you just wish you weren't surrounded by people who think their crazy ugly glasses makes them have an individual style, speak english as if they've never spoken it before or say things they don't even mean. The big F and long-lasting furrow stamped on my forehead are my way of saying; i'm not like you. Well at least, that is the main thing i'm avoiding in my life. But whenever those people i fear most are everywhere to be seen, there is one place where any normal human being can find me; the American Bookstore. Whether I'm reading Magnolia Bakery's cookbook or just flipping through some embarrassing family pictures, this is a home. Hours pass by as summer does. Here are a few of my favourite books which make me laugh, cry or even dribble...

1. Post Secret - this is a book full of 'extraordinary confessions from ordinary lives', such as: 'I waste office supplies because i hate my boss' or 'i love getting my period, it gives me an excuse to be bitchy and irritable'. 
2. I love your style by Amanda Brooks - tips, inspiration and the roots of style; how to define and refine your personal style.
3. Teen Vogue - this book full of clothing and style crushes really just makes your jaw drop. 
4. Wreck this Journal - this is really cool! Every page gives you an assignment which leaves you with an amazing piece of art in the end. You have to draw, paint, cut, paste and think, and eventually, you made yourself a book full of creativity. 
5. Taschen's New York - whether you like NYC, Paris, Berlin or London; Taschen's tells you exactly which restaurants, shops and hotels to visit. 
6. Young sleek and full of hell - an amazing book of well-taken pictures which produce the exact feeling New York gives you. 

Recipe: chocolate raspberry pavlova

Since I've  promised to put my favourite recipes out there, here's one of my favourite desserts. Really, i believe Nigella Lawson could make anything taste good, so the fact that this is one of the best cakes ever, is no surprise. But be cautious though; eggwhites are really tricky. Make sure you do NOT overbeat the eggwhites (that will remove the air in the eggs and the cake will fail rising), but beat the eggs well enough so it is stiff and you can turn the bowl upside down, without everything dropping on the floor! Good luck, and really, this pavlova is incredible!

INGREDIENTS

• 
• 

FOR THE CHOCOLATE MERINGUE BASE:

• 6 egg whites
• 300g caster sugar
• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder, sieved
• 1 teaspoon balsamic or red wine vinegar
• 50g dark chocolate, finely chopped

FOR THE TOPPING:

• 500ml double cream
• 500g raspberries
• 2-3 tablespoons coarsely grated dark chocolate

METHOD

Serves: 8-10.

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4 and line a baking tray with baking parchment.
2. Beat the egg whites until satiny peaks form, and then beat in the sugar a spoonful at a time until the meringue is stiff and shiny. Sprinkle over the cocoa and vinegar, and the chopped chocolate. Then gently fold everything until the cocoa is thoroughly mixed in. Mound on to a baking sheet in a fat circle approximately 23cm in diameter, smoothing the sides and top. Place in the oven, then immediately turn the temperature down to 150°C/gas mark 2 and cook for about one to one and a quarter hours. When it's ready it should look crisp around the edges and on the sides and be dry on top, but when you prod the centre you should feel the promise of squidginess beneath your fingers. Turn off the oven and open the door slightly, and let the chocolate meringue disc cool completely.
3. When you're ready to serve, invert on to a big, flat-bottomed plate. Whisk the cream till thick but still soft and pile it on top of the meringue, then scatter over the raspberries. Coarsely grate the chocolate so that you get curls rather than rubble, as you don't want the raspberries' luscious colour and form to be obscured, and sprinkle haphazardly over the top, letting some fall, as it will, on the plate's rim.

What are we wearing today?

Black skinny jeans - BDG
White top - ZARA
Vest - Zipper Amsterdam
Leather bag - Marc Jacobs
Leather bracelet - Filipa K
Love ring - Zipper Amsterdam
Sunglasses - Retrosuperfuture

Funny fact

The average person spends two weeks of their lives kissing.

Three great stores 9 streets Amsterdam

If you ask me, one of the great things about blogs is discovering the roots of a city and finding out where to go. These are three teeny-tiny stores in the so-called nine streets ( negen straatjes Amsterdam) which you wouldn't  have found on your own, but you shouldn't pass by without having those second hand chloe wedges or skull rings in your hands.

PS a.k.a Depot Deluxe - Oude Spiegelstraat Amsterdam
This store does the word vintage some good!! Every designer, from Chanel to Chloe, is not beyond your reach and even quite affordable in here!

Rika - Oude Spiegelstraat Amsterdam
No it is not imagination you are seeing stars everywhere in Rika's store! Stars and skulls seem to be their trade mark, and i quite like it! Kind of pricy, unfortunately.

The Darling - Runstraat 4 Amsterdam
Their cupcake 'n clothing concept makes every seventeen year old girl babble.