Category Archives: Life & Style

How To Make Steak And Ale Pie

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The first thing you need to know about making steak and ale pie is that it takes a long time. I mean hours. I underestimated this the first time I cooked and ended up eating at midnight. The second thing is; if you get it right it is the best pie in the world. My notoriously fussy fiancee loves it, calling it the best pie he has ever tasted. High praise indeed. Here is how you can make someone happy through their stomach.

You will need:

400g braising steak, cut into small, chunky pieces

3 tbsp plain flour

salt and pepper

3 tbsp olive oil

300ml brown ale. I use London Pride.

3 garlic cloves

3 onions

4 carrots

1 fresh or dried bay leaf

A handful of fresh thyme sprigs

300ml beef stock

1 tbsp tomato purée

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar ( I used red wine vinegar the first time, shown in the picture, balsamic vinegar is much better. Use sparingly)

500g mushrooms

A knob of butter

For the pastry: Buy it from the supermarket. Life is too short. You will need two packs of shortcrust or puff pastry.

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To start; chop the onions, garlic, carrots and mushrooms. This will make it easier as you go along. Make sure you cut the beef into bite-size chunks, using a separate chopping board.

Add some olive oil to a pan, add the onions and garlic and cook on a medium heat until golden-brown, then add the beef. Cook the beef until brown and no pink bits are left. Then add the ale, the thyme, bay leaf and season with salt and pepper.

Add the beef stock and then the carrots and mushrooms. Stir and then leave to cook for 90 minutes.

Get a casserole dish and cover the shortcrust pastry (you can also use puff pastry) with it, leaving some for the top. Take the filling and pour into the casserole dish. Put the rest of the shortcrust pastry on top. Cover the top.

Put in a pre-heated oven for 30 minutes at 200C/400F/Gas 6 or until golden brown. Take out of the oven and leave to cool for a little while. Enjoy!

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how to make steak and ale pie

Reviewing the Bodog Sportsbook: One of the Best Platforms for Live NFL In-Play Betting

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Football is one of the most popular sports in the world today and online football betting is quickly becoming the venue of choice that fans are utilising to place well-educated wagers in an attempt to win substantial sums of money. As should be expected in an age where the Internet offers nearly countless virtual gambling sites, certain platforms are more beneficial than others at providing reliable sportsbook betting services. Although understanding the latest football predictions is certainly important, it is equally critical to only employ such sites that can offer the best overall gaming experience. One such site that has gained a considerable amount of attention recently is the online gaming giant Bodog. So, let us have a quick look at the best features that fans should seek out when determining what are some of the best online sports wagering site to join.

Reviewing the Bodog Sportsbook- One of the Best Platforms for Live NFL In-Play Betting

Follow all the action in the NFL with Bodog’s Online Sportsbook

Keeping Abreast of the Latest NFL Developments

The first thing to recall when developing a robust football betting strategy is the necessity to be aware of any and all recent updates and changes. A few of the main areas that fans of sports betting online need to keep in mind are:
·        Recent injuries and/or recovery predictions.
·        Point spreads.
·        Player history.
·        Industry favourites.
·        Playing conditions (weather, temperature, location).

All of these variables will absolutely affect the outcome of a particular match. For example, news has emerged that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers may be courting Carson Palmer for a new quarterback position. Reports have also surfaced that Antoine Winfield (formerly of the Minnesota Vikings) may be slated for a reunion with the team. Each of these stories can represent potential game changers when engaging in sports betting online. While official social media sites are excellent at providing the most pertinent updates, web sites such as Bodog also provide all of the latest news directly included in their betting platform.

American Versus European

It must be remembered that American football may not be completely familiar to European wagering enthusiasts. Indeed, there are a great many differences between American and European football. Not only is it critical to understand the rules of the game, but any online sportsbook betting software needs to be equally as easy to work with. This streamlined integration will allow fans to place more of an emphasis on their bets as opposed to having to learn the intricacies of an obscure system. Bodog’s sportsbooks are some of the easiest to understand and the software can be downloaded in a matter of minutes.

Other Benefits and Tips

An equally important factor in weighing which site may prove to be the most beneficial betting platform is the number of amenities that the provider offers. For example, not only should a clear image of the odds and amounts wagered be present, but a massive variety of player and team props is desirable. Furthermore, real-time betting possibilities are becoming greatly favoured in the age of high-speed Internet and mobile access. Sites such as Bodog provide an online sports book that allows for such integrated betting strategies as well as the ability for members to download a mobile phone application to place bets while out and about.

Matched Bonuses

A final amenity that only the most reputable sites provide is to match a member’s but up to one hundred per cent. Bodog takes this advantage a step further; offering a one-time welcome bonus that matches a first deposit one hundred per cent for up to one hundred dollars. Simply stated, a member begins winning by signing up alone! If we combine this service with state-of-the art software, real-time customer support and an easy to navigate web page, it is clear to appreciate the need for betting aficionados to only choose the largest sites when placing a NFL wager.

To be certain, NFL betting is not for everyone. Some individuals may be interested in the latest films while others will instead enjoy a lazy afternoon in the shade. Nonetheless, those who are avid sports betting fans should keep in mind all of the aforementioned variables to make certain that they receive the most out of their online gaming experience.


 

 

Achieve Oscar-Winning Skin

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While red carpet glitz and glamour is achieved by fabulous stylists and make-up artists, fresh, glowing skin is definitely the best accessory- and you don’t need a celebrity budget to look good.

Follow Facial Therapist and Skincare Expert Amanda Elias’ inexpensive solutions to Oscar-Winning Skin:

EXFOLIATING

WHY? Exfoliating removes the dead skin layer which sits on the surface of our healthy, new skin. When there is an accumulation of dead skin, it leaves the complexion looking lifeless and grey because light isn’t reflected evenly. By removing this dead skin the light will reflect evenly and directly off your healthy skin.

oscarwinningskin

HOW? You can achieve beautiful skin with scrubs but my personal recommendation would always be chemical exfoliation. Using a product daily that contains AHA’s (like Glycolic Acid or Lactic Acid) or a BHA (like Salicylic Acid) will gently exfoliate by loosening the bond that holds the dead skin to the surface, rather than scrubbing it which can cause irritation and inflammation in sensitive or problem skin. Don’t let the word acid scare you; daily use products typically contain a concentration of 10% AHA and lower so although powerful, they won’t burn the skin.

SUFFERING WITH ACNE OR BLACKHEADS? Exfoliation is the key treatment. These conditions occur when dead skin and oil gets trapped within the pores and bacteria breeds. By removing the dead skin you’re helping to prevent these blockages which in turn will reduce the breakouts. Using chemical exfoliants rather than a manual scrub will also help to fade any discolouration left over from spots.

FIGHTING THE SIGNS OF AGEING? Glycolic and lactic acid helps by increasing cell turnover, this in turn stimulates the production of collagen which is the support matrix of the skin. Collagen starts to break down as we get older which is why we want to stimulate the body to produce more; lots of collagen means plumper skin and less wrinkles.

UNEVEN SKIN ON THE BODY? If you have rough skin with red dots on your arms, thighs or bottom this could be a condition called Keratosis Pilaris. This is caused by too much keratin, found in the top layer of the skin, blocks the pores. There is no cure but exfoliating, especially with AHA’s and BHA’s, can make a dramatic difference to the appearance and texture of the skin.

So you’re well exfoliated, now there’s cleansing and moisturising.

CLEANSING is essential to keep the skin healthy and you looking your best. The majority don’t cleanse enough; twice in the evening (note evening not night) and once in the morning. If you find cleansing often strips your skin, change your cleanser. Use a cleanser designed for your skin type and steer clear of soap. With its high PH, soap can cause dryness as well as help bacteria to breed in problem skin.

MOISTURISING is vital, particularly with product that contains an SPF. In the winter UVA is still present in the atmosphere; while UVA doesn’t burn us (it’s the UVB rays from the sun that cause burning) it can still cause premature ageing and is the number one cause of ageing to our skin. No matter what anti-ageing products you use, if you don’t use an SPF daily- even when it’s grey and miserable- you’re not fighting ageing.

When choosing a moisturiser make sure you choose one for your skin type to keep your skin moisturised and therefore youthful.

If you have oily skin but you use an anti-wrinkle cream designed for mature skin, it’s likely to cause breakouts and can leave the skin looking puffy. If you don’t like moisturising because it leave a sheen on the skin, look for a moisturiser that has a matte finish.

GLOW Leonardo Dicaprio dazzled on the red carpet showing off an enviable tan recently. To get a healthy, natural looking glow I would recommend a spray tan for both men and women. If you’d rather give it a go yourself, try a tan like Cocoa Brown which gives a gentle tan in only an hour. If you have facial hair, be careful to gently rub as close to the hair as possible or you’ll have a tan line around the hair.

Highly experienced within the industry, Amanda Elias is the brains behind effective yet affordable skincare brand, Bravura London  a business founded following Amanda’s own skin problems and subsequent discovery of using AHA, BHA and Hydraulic Acid for troubled skins.

 

Get Your Hair Party Ready For Australia Day With Aussie Haircare

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aussiehaircareDid you know that it will be Australia Day soon? In fact it is on Sunday 26th January. To celebrate @Aussie_Hair_UK, Beautyandthedirt and The Sunday Girl are hosting a Twitter party this Friday between 12.30 and 1.30.

The Aussie Hair Care expert Liz Taw will be on hand to answer hair questions so you can get your hair party-ready for all of those Australia Day parties. You need to use the hashtag #aussieparty to take part. There is a lot of great party-hair looks around at the moment. We have been taking inspiration from the Golden Globes and the SAG/AFTRA awards.

Aussie will be giving away 10 sets of two products to those who tweet either a question for Liz or generally take part – these will be chosen at random throughout the chat and the winners will be dm’d.

Another reason to be excited: Aussie is launching brand new Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Light Deep Treatment Mousse, RRP £4.99, in store at the start of February. These are the perfect products to prepare your hair to make sure it’s healthy, shiny and party ready.

These are the perfect treatment for finer hair in need of deep hydration and nourishment. You will also be able to get your hands on 3 Minute Miracle Light Aussome Volume and 3 Minute Miracle Light Mega, which are both light weight conditioning mousses. There is also Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Light treatments. They fit in perfectly with your usual shower routine – start with your Aussie shampoo and conditioner of choice, follow with the whipped-cream like mousse, leave-in for 3 minutes then wash out for deep conditioning goodness. Now it’s easier than ever to ramp up your everyday hair routine with a little touch of magic; each treatment will help to nourish fine locks like they have never been nourished before.

The Aussie philosophy is: “There’s more to life than hair, but it’s a good place to start” Too true.

 

PRIZE DRAW

 

How to Enter:

 

To enter, please visit the Aussie Twitter page:

https://twitter.com/Aussie_Hair_UK

 

Participate in Twitter chat, Friday 24th January 2014, 12.30pm – 1.30pm using hashtag #AussieParty 

  • Must use #AussieParty

After the closing time and date of Friday 24th January, 1.30pm, 10 entries will be selected at random by an independent person to win a full range of either Aussie Aussome Volume range or Aussie Mega range

  • First five winners selected at random will win a set of Aussome Volume range (all six variants). Next five entrants will win a set of Mega range (all 3 variants)
  • Prize in detail:
  • Five sets of:
    • Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Light Aussome Volume Deep Treatment Mousse
    • Aussie Aussome Volume Shampoo (300ml variant)
    • Aussie Aussome Volume Conditioner (250ml variant)
    • Aussie Dual Personality Aussome Volume + Gloss Hairspray
    • Aussie Dual Personailty Aussome Volume Conditioning Gel Spray
    • Aussie Dual Personaility Aussome Volume + Conditioning Mousse

Five sets of:

  • Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Light Mega Deep Treatment Mousse
  • Aussie Mega Shampoo (300ml variant)
  • Aussie Mega Instant Conditioner (250ml variant)
    • 10 winners in total to be chosen at random

 

Terms and conditions

  1. This Free Prize Draw is open to all residents in the UK and ROI aged 18 years and over, excluding employees of Procter & Gamble UK and its affiliates or agents, the families of such employees and any other person connected with this promotion.
  2. No purchase required.
  3. Only one entry per person. No bulk or third party entries accepted.
  4. To enter Tweet and use the hashtag #AussieParty by 1.30pm on 24/01/2014 
  5. All entries received by 1.30pm on 24/01/2014 will be entered into a Free Prize Draw, and the first five entries randomly selected by an independent person will win:
  • Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Light Aussome Volume Deep Treatment Mousse
  • Aussie Aussome Volume Shampoo (300ml variant)
  • Aussie Aussome Volume Conditioner (250ml variant)
  • Aussie Dual Personality Aussome Volume + Gloss Hairspray
  • Aussie Dual Personailty Aussome Volume Conditioning Gel Spray
  • Aussie Dual Personaility Aussome Volume + Conditioning Mousse

The next five entries selected by an independent person will win:

  • Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Light Mega Deep Treatment Mousse
  • Aussie Mega Shampoo (300ml variant)
  • Aussie Mega Instant Conditioner (250ml variant)
  1. There will be no runner up prizes. The prizes are as stated and cannot be transferred, sold or exchanged. There is no cash alternative.  Only one prize per household.
  2. Winners will be notified by Twitter private message within 6 days of the closing date.  In the event the claim for a prize is not received by the Promoter within 4 days of notification, the Promoter reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Please allow 28 days for delivery after prize claim being received.
  3. The Promoter reserves the right to substitute the prize of equal or greater value in the event of unavailability due to circumstances beyond the Promoter’s control.
  4. By entering this Free Prize Draw, entrants agree to be bound by the rules and by any other requirements set out in the promotional material.

10. Your personal details will only be used for the purposes of administering this promotion and for no other purposes. For more information on our privacy policy, please visit:

http://www.pg.com/privacy/english/privacy_notice.shtml

11.  By entering the Free Prize Draw, the winner consents to any publicity generated as a result of the draw and use on websites, magazines or mobile services at any time without further consent or payment.

 

RULES OF ENTRY/SUBMISSION:

This Promotion is for your personal entertainment and we hope you will enjoy it while abiding by the following rules:

By entering the Promotion, you agree to be bound by these Terms & Conditions. Procter & Gamble reserve the right to modify the content of these Terms & Conditions with retrospective effect at any time without prior notice for the sole purpose of ensuring the good execution of the Promotion, with no detrimental effect on the participants.

 

(a)   You represent that:

All content that you submit is original and accurate

You are not an employee of Procter & Gamble nor do you work for or are contracted by an affiliate or agency of P&G hired by P&G to promote and/or sell P&G Products

Your submission (or any portion of it) has not been included in nor is planned for use in any other advertising or promotional materials, for P&G or any third party

Your submission will be made without any prior payment or promise of payment having been made to you or the expectation to you of any payment, benefit or advantage in return for your proposed submission, except for the possibility of having your submission used for P&G promotional purposes as explained below.

The statements you make or opinions you convey reflect your true and honest opinion of and experience with the P&G products mentioned in your submission

If your submissions contain any images of persons who are minor of age, you represent that you are the legal guardian of the minor depicted and agree to the minor being featured in the submissions.

 

(b)   You should not upload

any content belonging to anybody else, such as material which contains trademarks and/or copyright protected material, any material broadcast on TV or Radio, or any other material that does not belong to you;

any sensitive information about someone’s mental or physical health, political or religious beliefs;

anything that is derogatory or defamatory to any person or members of a particular race, nationality, sex, sexual orientation or religion or incite hatred of particular groups;

anything that is illegal, abusive, offensive, obscene, bullying or name calling of other people;

anything that in any way exposes information of a private nature (including but not limited to person identifiable information such as websites, addresses, email addresses, contact information, etc), is spam, is sexually explicit, depicts violence, sadism or cruelty;

anything that condones illegal drug usage;

anything that portrays any corporation or Aussie negatively;

anything which promotes your own products or services or any third party’s products or services;

Any information known by you to be false, inaccurate or misleading;

Any programming or materials containing any Trojan horses, computer viruses, worms, harmful codes, or other potentially damaging computer programmes or files

If the Promotion requires a photo or any audiovisual content such as video of you being uploaded, it must be a photo or audiovisual content of you and nobody else, famous or otherwise. Such video should not contain any music.

You retain all of your ownership rights in your uploaded content and by entering the Promotion and uploading your content, there is no assignment of any intellectual property rights in your material to Procter & Gamble. However, by submitting your content, you hereby grant to Procter & Gamble a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, transferrable licence to use, reproduce, distribute and display the content, in whole or in part, on (Aussie website address) where you submit your content from time to time required for the purposes of the Promotion. You understand that your entry may be accessible by all viewers of the (Aussie Twitter Application) onto which it is uploaded and that it is not subject to any obligation of confidence on part of P&G or its third party service providers and agents. This licence granted by you terminates when you remove or delete any material from the (https://secure.easyanswer.net/aussietwittercompetition) or at the latest X months after the end of the Promotion.

You understand and agree that P&G has the right (but not the obligation) to monitor, review, remove or refuse your submission or any portion thereof, and you acknowledge that you are entirely responsible for the contents of any submissions.

 

DISCLAIMER:

  • ·         You agree that entry into this Promotion shall be at your sole risk. To the fullest extent permitted by law, this Twitter Page is made available to you “as is” and Procter & Gamble, its officers, directors, employees, and agents make no warranties or representations about the accuracy or completeness of the content on the (Aussie Twitter page) and the corresponding (Aussie Application) or the content of any sites linked to this site and assumes no liability or responsibility for any damages, injuries, technical issues of any kind.

INDEMNITY

  • By entering the Promotion, you agree to defend, indemnify and hold harmless Procter & Gamble, its directors, employees and agents, from and against any and all claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs or expenses (including but not limited to legal fees) arising from: (i) your use of and access to the (Aussie Twitter page) and the corresponding (Aussie Application; (ii) your breach of any of these terms; (iii) your breach of any third party rights, including without limitation any copyright, intellectual property, or privacy right; (iv) your breach of any laws and regulation in creating, posting and/or subsequently amending your submissions; or (v) any claim that any one of your submissions caused damage to a third party. This indemnity shall survive the duration of the Promotion.

JURISDICTION:

  • For UK residents this Promotion is governed by the laws of England and subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Courts of England over any matter arising under or in connection with the Promotion. For ROI residents, this Promotion is governed by the laws of the Republic of Ireland over any matter arising under or in connection with the Promotion.

 

 

NOTIFY & TAKE-DOWN PROCEDURE:

  • If you are a third party and you believe that any content hosted on the Aussie Twitter page and the corresponding (Aussie Twitter Application) infringes your copyright or other intellectual property rights, please notify Procter & Gamble as soon as possible at the address below and we will remove the content with immediate effect. Procter & Gamble disclaims any liability whatsoever for an infringement, and will not be responsible for any claims, costs, damages or actions in respect of any alleged or actual infringement. Rights holders should contact the users who uploaded the content directly if they wish to discuss any claims.

ACCEPTANCE OF Ts&Cs:

  • By clicking agree below, you agree to the items set out below.

Terms & conditions of use

  • I confirm that I am at least 18 years old
  • I understand that my submission will become public if I upload it to the Aussie UK and Ireland Twitter page (including my user name and photo).
  • I allow Aussie and our partners and agencies to re-use the content I submit, in accordance with the Terms and Conditions below, without further compensation.
  • I confirm that I own the rights to the content I upload and that I am not using any content which infringes anybody else’s rights or that uses or depicts anybody else’s name or picture.
  • If I submit content that depicts images of a person who is minor, I confirm that I am the legal guardian of the minor depicted in the submission. As the legal guardian of the minor depicted, I acknowledge that I agree to the minor being featured in the submission and in other uses of the content as stated in the Terms and Conditions below.

You will be required to scroll through the entire agreement and click the ‘Agree’ button.

If you do not agree to the terms, do not click the button and download your image.

 

PROMOTER: Procter & Gamble UK, Weybridge, Surrey, KT13 0XP

 

Sponsored Post

Millie Mackintosh Reveals Beauty Secret

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Her perfectly toned and tanned physique have dominated the fashion and beauty headlines since starring in hit TV show Made in Chelsea; the scripted reality following the lives of London’s rich and famous.

This weekend Millie Mackintosh revealed the £7.99 bottle behind her gorgeous glow and flawless complexion; Cocoa Brown by Marissa Carter 1 HOUR TAN.

milliemackintosh

Accompanying enviable before and after shots, Millie wrote; “Discovered @CocoaBrownTan this weekend! Such a gorgeous natural glow in just 60mins. #love #besttan #notorange”.

But it’s not just Millie crediting the award-winning beauty essential for a flawless, natural, A-List finish. Cocoa Brown 1 HOUR TAN caused a frenzy among beauty bloggers when it launched in 2013, selling out 15 weeks of stock in 2 hours. 3 bottles of the tan fly off the shelves every single minute!

Cocoa Brown 1 HOUR TAN is available in selected UK Primark Stores, online at www.feelunique.com and in UK Superdrug stores nationwide – RRP £7.99.

The Bakewell Soap Company Luscious Lips Green Apple Review

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Winter always plays havoc with my lips and I hate it. Almost as much as I hate lip balms that don’t work and ones with loads of chemicals, don’t they realise you will ingest some of the balm? Which is why I love natural products. The Bakewell Soap Company Luscious Lips lip balm is packed full of natural ingredients; a blend of shea, cocoa butter and apricot.

The Bakewell Soap Company Luscious Lips Green Apple

It smells great, like apple obviously, but in a natural, not sickly way. The balm feels good on, not sticky.  It leaves your lips feeling moisturised and protected. They have vitamin E for extra protection and it is long-lasting.

The packaging is simple and works well, adding to the natural vibe. It comes in seven different flavours and costs `£2.95/£3.95. Available from notonthehighstreet.com

http://www.bakewellsoap.co.uk/

Two Copies Of Penthouse North To Giveaway

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penthousenorthdvdgiveawayWe have two copies of Penthouse North to giveaway.

Fresh from his leading role in Robocop 2014 Michael Keaton (Batman) stars alongside Michelle Monaghan (Source Code) in action-packed thriller Penthouse North, from Sleeping with the Enemy director Joseph Ruben (Money Train) which comes to DVD and Blu-ray on 3 February 2014.

It’s New Year’s Eve in New York City and a young woman’s (Monahan) penthouse is invaded by Hollander (Keaton) and his sadistic partner. The vicious pair will do whatever it takes  – torture, tear the place apart and even kill to find what they’re looking for. While the party rages outside, inside Penthouse North Sara must fight for her life. It’s kill or be killed in this pulse-pounding, non-stop fight to the finish thriller.

To win follow @Frostmag on Twitter and Tweet, ‘I want to win Penthouse North with @Frostmag’ or like us on Facebook.  Alternatively, sign up to our newsletter. Or subscribe to Frost Magazine TV on YouTube here: http://t.co/9etf8j0kkz.

The competition ends on January 31st 2014.

Julia Grinham On Upper Street And Handmade Shoes | Interview

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Julia Grinham - Upper streetWhat made you start Upper Street?

It all began when I was at dinner with my sister and co-founder Katy and I noticed that she was wearing a fabulous pair of heels. I asked where she’d bought them, imagining that she had splashed out on a top designer ready-to-wear brand but I was really amazed to find out that she had designed them herself and had them custom made in an independent offline boutique. Of course, I was so jealous as I am one of those women who always goes shopping for a shoe that only seems to exist in my head, and I really wanted to design my own shoes too – how amazing would it be to have a pair of shoes that were completely unique and also perfect for me?.. This for us was our “aha!” moment and we decided to create a service in an online environment that enabled women across the world to design their own beautiful shoes from the comfort of their home, and have them delivered to them in just a few weeks.

What was the hardest thing about setting it up?

With neither Katy or I coming from a footwear background, we had a huge learning curve in terms of product development and managing the craftsmanship of the shoes to ensure that they are both exceptionally beautiful and extremely comfortable to wear. We knew we couldn’t do this on our own so brought some really experienced professionals to design the range and help find top suppliers. As our business has evolved we’ve been able to establish our own workshop. That certainly wasn’t easy but means that today everyone within the business – from customer services right through to the person who beautifully hand packages each pair of shoes – each shares the same passion of making that individual customer experience really special.

Tell us a bit about the company

Upper Street is a luxurious online made-to-order shoe label that is revolutionising the way women shop for shoes. Women can choose from hundreds of different styles, colours, materials and heels to create over 4 million unique designs. Styles can be created online using innovative 3D shoe designer technology or via a personal appointment in the Shoe Lounge at Upper Street’s North London townhouse. Shoes are hand-made, lovingly packaged and delivered to customer’s doors within 3-4 weeks

What makes your shoes different?

When we first launched, there was nowhere else women could design their own high quality,
beautifully made shoes online. Having shoes made to order in places like Mayfair costs a fortune, and for us it was important to make our shoes more accessible, whilst still giving a luxury product and experience. Over time, the online shoe design market has become more competitive, but Upper Street still stands head and shoulders above those competitors for a number of reasons; the high quality, beauty and comfort of our shoes; the uniqueness of our true-to-life and easy to use 3D Shoe Designer; and our obsessive attention to customer service. Key to this is the personalisation of the whole experience which includes beautiful packaging, a handwritten note in the box, personalised swatch books, free studio appointments, special orders, full design advice, free alterations and a no-
quibbles returns policy.

Do you think made to order is the way forward?

We believe so. Fashion is now so accessible and available, that people are realising that real luxury is having your own personal stamp on what you wear. And this is where Upper Street comes in. We provide the tools, in a very easy-to use website, that let the customer’s imagination run free. It also means that consumers don’t have to be tied to the latest fashion trends. If navy blue is not seen on this season’s runways it doesn’t matter, you can still create navy shoes.

How much do the shoes cost?

Design your own Upper Street shoes cost between £195-£350. Luxurious gifts are available in a range of values and packages, the perfect present for shoe lovers

Do you get any unusual requests?

Yes plenty! We’ve helped a bride design shoes in animal print as she was getting married in a zoo, 4” heels in the customer’s football team colours and one of the most unusual was a pair of shoes which were screen printed with dinosaur motifs for a museum opening. We also worked on a charity project with Save the Children last year where we created shoes for a number of celebrities; the designs took inspiration from their childhood dreams. We created some fantastic Wizard of Oz-inspired ruby slippers for Helena Bonham Carter. That was fun!

What business tips can you give to others who want to start a business?

My advice would be, don’t underestimate how much energy, time and resource you will need to
build a consumer brand. Focus on building relationships in the industry with people who can help you understand its nuances, find the right resources, and also explore who you can partner with to reach new audiences more rapidly. We’re a premium, experience led business, so finding the right brand to align with is absolutely crucial so that we build long-term value.

What is the best and worst thing about running Upper Street?

It’s rewarding to create something that makes a difference to people at an individual level. The process of designing your own shoes makes women feel amazing. I get an immense sense of pride when I read all the lovely emails we get from our customers. Many are really emotionally charged ,- we get heart-felt essays! Being surrounded by beautiful shoes every day isn’t bad either!

The most challenging thing is that it can be hard to switch off from the business and there have been times when I’ve let my passion for Upper Street overflow into my personal life. I’m much better these days at separating my time between work and my private life and turning off the iPhone! I guess that’s become easier as the business has become more established.

What’s next for you?

2013 was a really great year and 2014 is going to see Upper Street go from strength to strength with several new product launches and an exciting new concept retail store later on this year.