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Here at #TeamCoco we love life, we love travel and above many other things, we love our food. You won’t find us sharing crash diet tips, worrying about our size or commenting on others. As a hard-fast team of feminists in a world of negative media reporting on women, it’s not our style and we cannot abide anyone who does flaunt any of that around.

This said, when we come across innovative little brands giving us the experience we crave, with added health benefits we just can’t say no. When some info about the new Liora Beauty Chocolate (liora-chocolate.com) came across our desk, we just had to snap a piece off to share with you.

Liora craft smallbatch artisanal chocolates with therapeutic benefits such as Cleopatra’s Conquest with black cumin – used by Egyptian pharoahs and the likes of Cleopatra and Nefertiti as a beauty treatment – and cardamon – filled with essential vitamins and minerals and often added to medicines by the romans. With 9 different beautifully packaged chocolates promising beauty perks in addition to your chocolate fix, we’re excited to try them all.

Find out more about Liora Beauty Chocolate over at liora-chocolate.com

As we see more and more stories of our oceans and seas being infested with plastic waste, this has come to the forefront of all our minds. Looking around we currently use an insane amount of plastic to go about our daily lives.

We at #TeamCoco want to be part of the revolution of change in whatever way we can, so starting small and gaining momentum is our way to move forward with reducing plastic from our lives.

Simply starting with our beauty regime, there are plenty of new options for plastic free beauty and we have found one that immediately stands out perfectly to us.

The brand BEN&ANNA have introduced a selection of paper tube plastic free natural deodorants ‘Natural Soda Deodorant’ in seven varieties. All BEN&ANNA’s deodorants are set in a push-up paper tube which totally eliminates the use of plastic from your daily use of deodorant.

There is a different fragrance for all preferences from florals to fruity and oaky to fresh. They include; Indian Mandarine, Pink Grapefruit, Pure, Persian Lime, Vanilla Orchid, Provence, and Nordic Timber. All are good to the skin and kind to the environment – a win win situation when trying to tackle your personal battle to attempt a plastic free beauty regime.

 

Priced at £9.95 for a 60g paper tube. Available from All Natural Me online or search for Ben & Anna UK for more info.

Saturday 23rd June sees the wonderful National Pink Day take place, and as you know #TeamCoco love a bit of pink!

The creative flavoursome geniuses that are MARTINI have put together a rather fabulous simple cocktail, which sits perfectly with National Pink Day and perfectly with House of Coco Magazine’s Millennial followers.

The ‘Millennial Pink’ cocktail celebrates the colour pink and is a combination of MARTINI Rosato & Tonic, with a slice of something fab. It’s a refreshing drink, ideal for hot summer evenings, lazy Sunday afternoons, or to enjoy with friends. It looks pretty, it tastes delish, and it screams sunshine in a glass!

Recipe:
Fill your glass with ice
Fill half your glass with (75ml) MARTINI Rosato
Fill the remaining half with (75ml) tonic water
Garnish with wedge of grapefruit
Boom, it’s ready

Enjoy responsibly, and be drink aware.
You must be over 18 to enjoy this drink in the UK.

For all fellow vodka drinkers out there, currently the only thing on everyone’s lips is gin, so you’re going to have to see what all that hype is about because gin is definitely bossing the world right now.

Now that’s off our chest let’s tell you about one of our #TeamCoco faves, BULLGOG London Dry Gin, in all its splendour. This sturdy black bottle with traditional bulldog collar wrapped around the neck of the bottle is truly British in style and design. It looks slightly mean with the shape and stature of the bottle, and it absolutely shouts in a loud voice that it is ‘sexy as hell’.

BULLDOG Gin goes through a refined distilling process where it is infused with 12 botanicals inside a copper pot still, then the resulting vapour passes through a condenser to produce an essence. This essence is compounded with a neutral spirit, which breaks the liquid down with added demineralised water required for bottling. Once the gin reaches the correct flavour and aromatic standards it will be bottled.

Put simply, we love this gin. It’s got attitude, it’s a sexy gin, and when muddled with the right mixers it becomes perfection.

The 12 botanicals included are lemon, almond, lavender, coriander, angelica, juniper, white poppy, oris, dragon eye, cassia, lotus leaves, and liquorice.

BULLDOG Gin is priced at £22 for 70cl (40% vol). Available from most UK supermarkets, and high street gin stores.

To make a BULLDOG Supersonic GIN & Tonic you will need; 50ml BULLDOG Gin, 100ml Fever Tree Aromatic Tonic Water, 10ml Cassis, and a few fresh blackberries and sprig of mint.

Drink responsibly, be drink aware.

We know how to holiday like millionaires here at #TeamCoco (even without the million pound budget), and now everyone can join the latest UK holiday trend this summer and vacay like a millionaire.

Savvy British holidaymakers are starting to join the yachting set and holiday like a millionaire on a boat for a fraction of the price. Thanks to the global leader in online boat rental Click&Boat, the ‘airbnb of the seas’, a summer break on a yacht is now more accessible than ever.

The innovative platform has radically changed the world of sailing by allowing boat owners to hire out yachts when not in use quickly and conveniently, which means it is often up to 30% cheaper to hire a boat on this peer-to-peer platform versus a traditional yacht charter company. Boats can be hired from as little as £49 a day, so you could say this truly disruptive website has literally rocked the boat!

Launched in France in 2013, Click&Boat now offers 22,000 boats for hire in 26 countries. This means that you can access a wide range of sailing vessels moored all over the world that are suitable for different occasions. For instance, travellers can hire a captained yacht for a truly memorable fortnight honeymoon in the Caribbean, or for an unforgettable wedding anniversary in Croatia, or simply take a catamaran out for the day in Catalonia with a group of friends.

In just a few minutes, families can easily book a houseboat for the school summer break, and romantics can now pop the question to their beloved after a day of Greek Island-hopping on an exclusively hired yacht – and for much less than you’d think.

Since its inception, Click&Boat has gained an international following of sailing enthusiasts, and those in the know in the UK have taken to this concept wholeheartedly. The UK is now one of Click&Boat’s biggest markets, and this year the site has seen a staggering 245% growth rate in terms of UK boat renters.

Feedback via customer testimonials on the site (currently 40,000) suggests that the website’s easy navigation and huge range of boats for all budgets and occasions is key to the sites growing popularity.

So, how about it – are you going to book a private yacht this summer?

Search for Click&Boat online to find out more about hiring boats in the UK and overseas this summer.

Oh how we adore gin here at House of Coco Magazine, it’s one of those quintessentially British things we love as much as a steaming hot cup of tea and eating fish and chips.

So, when we heard that British brand Partridges had released an all new variation to their award-winning gin we instantly needed to know more.

The independent, family-run London grocer Partridges, and Royal Warrant holder launched the Original Chelsea Flower Gin in 2017 to celebrate its 45th Anniversary, and has since launched No.2 Chelsea Flower Gin this year to commemorate the recent royal wedding, also to tie-in with the famous British Chelsea Flower Show, and in perfect time for World Gin Day (9th June).

The Original Chelsea Flower Gin contains 19 botanicals including rose petals, marigold, verbena, cassia bark and juniper. Ideally served with tonic, on ice and with a selection of borage flowers and rose petals. Priced at £29.95 for 50cl, £3.99 for 5cl.

No.2 Chelsea Flower Gin is infused with bergamot, lemon and vanilla. Perfectly served on ice, with tonic, earl grey tea (chilled), a dash of honey and a slice of bergamot or lime. Priced at £29.95 for 50cl, £3.99 for 5cl.

#TeamCoco are totally into the fact that each Partridges limited edition gin bottle is hand filled, personally numbered by hand, and finally sealed with hot molten wax.

For more info about all variations of the Chelsea Flower Gins, search for Partridges Grocer online.

Chin-chin. Be drink aware, and drink responsibly.

“The world has not experienced quality gin until it has tasted the wonders of York Gin.” Quote by #TeamCoco’s Rachel McAlley after trying York Gin for the first time.

As we all know, gin is the latest ongoing trend within the drinks industry. Every decent bar, pub, restaurant and indie seemingly has a unique selection of gins these days, and we’re thrilled to say Yorkshire’s very own York Gin recently launched and the gin they produce is going from strength to strength.

Just 2-months ago, York Gin bottled and sold their first ever gin and the business is now producing gin at the rate of knots. After 12-months of meticulous gin testing, tasting, and producing to get the perfect recipe, York Gin was born.

Emma Godivala, Paul Crossman, Pete McNichol, and Harry Cooke are the brains behind York Gin. Paul and Pete both have knowledge of the drinks industry as Paul is landlord of The Swan in York, and Pete is previous pub landlord of The Swan. Emma has a marketing background and simply loves gin, she is a customer of Paul’s, and Harry is a local neighbour and customer of the pub. The four of them, along with a friend who recently passed away, Jon Farrow decided that gin was the only thing missing from the York scene, thus the York Gin Company arrived in the city.

Emma says; “We’ve been amazed by the demand for our gin. Having said that, we did spend over a year perfecting the recipe. I’m a massive gin fan – and I love York Gin. So maybe it shouldn’t be so much of a surprise that everyone who tastes it loves it too.”

York Gin can be found at all good bars and restaurants around Yorkshire and is moving steadily across the UK – soon to be in a venue near you!

Search for York Gin online to find out more.

Iphoria combines cute statement slogans, colourful prints and motifs, and fashionable functionality to create a quirky range of accessories that are definitely House of Coco approved. From graphic rechargeable phone cases, transparent in flight bags, and funky exchangeable strap micro-bags; Iphoria’s accessories are enough to make any wanderlust enthusiast swoon.

Team Coco sits down with Iphoria’s founder, Milena Jaeckel, who started Iphoria straight out of university. We talk about the challenges of being a young businesswoman, the inspiration behind her latest collection, and what makes her a Girl Boss.

Milena Jaeckel of Iphoria

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background, what inspired you to start Iphoria?
I was born 1989 in Niedersachen. After school, I began studying fashion design before I eventually switched to international management. During my studies, I realised that there were no fashionable accessories for all my technological gadgets — and this was pretty much where the idea for Iphoria came from.

2. What kind of woman you are designing for? Who is the Iphoria woman?
The Iphoria Woman is a modern Cosmopolitan Woman who lives in a big city, loves fashion, works hard and travels a lot.

3. Talk us through your latest collection. Do you have a favourite piece?
Our latest collection is very colourful and super fun. Apart from our classic phone cases, bags, sunglasses cases and other accessories, we added some cool new products; such as the wireless QI charger and our new Inflight bags as well. They are so functional and stylish;one of my favourites. However, I also love the cashmere collection as it looks great, has amazing quality, and it is super comfortable.

4. What has been the biggest challenge you have faced as an entrepreneur so far?
The biggest challenge is to keep on going and believing in your idea. Even if you have doubts, you have to stay strong and believe that it will all work out in the end.
Also for me — as I was pretty young when I founded Iphoria. I had to negotiate with people who were twice my age and had more experience than I did. Sometimes it was hard to be taken seriously as a businesswoman.

5. What’s next for you and Iphoria? Any new exciting projects in the pipeline?
We have some new projects and cool collaborations planned which I can’t really talk about, but I can promise you that they are going to be super exciting – so watch this space!

6. What advice do you have for women who would like to become a GirlBoss like yourself?
Being a GirlBoss means hard work. You have to be tough and confident. Dare to realize your dreams, and most importantly: Believe in yourself and your idea!

“The biggest challenge is to keep on going and believing in your idea. Even if you have doubts, you have to stay strong and believe that it will all work out in the end.” – Milena Jaeckel

IPHORIA

Here at House of Coco, there is a never shortage of new places to discover. We round up the best concept hotels in the world; from the Arctic Circle to the caves of Capadoccia. These amazing concept hotels are a must in any traveller’s bucket list – and are all definitely Team Coco approved.

IceHotel, Jukkasjärvi Sweden

Just 200 kilometres north of the Artic Circle, sits the Icehotel – a marvel of both architectural design and natural splendour. The first hotel of its kind, The Icehotel undergoes a metamorphosis every year, with its rooms and being built over the winter and melting away with the coming of spring. The Torne River supplies enough ice (about 4000 tons of ice every ten-seconds), for the Icehotel to rebuild itself every winter. Artists, architects, industrial engineers, and graphic designers from all over the world come to the small village of Jukkasjärvi to take part in the process.

If you are planning to visit the Icehotel in spring don’t fret – The hotel also offers a year round experience with Icehotel365 – all thanks to its solar panels. Icehotel365 is a sprawling 2100 square metre space that houses nine deluxe suites, eleven art suites, a private sauna, and an ice bar — maintained at a constant negative five degrees celsius. In collaboration with Hans Eek, Swedish architect and sustainability designer, Icehotel365 runs from the solar power gained from the midnight sun; thus combining state of the art architecture with a minimal carbon foot print. A unique and sustainable concept that Team Coco can definitely get behind.

Baraza Resort & Spa, The Zanzibar Collection

There are not a lot of destinations in the world that beget the same magic and mystery as Zanzibar. In this idyllic island paradise, the Zanzibar Collection’s selection of luxury five star properties undeniably make for the ultimate island getaway.

On the South Eastern coast of the exotic island, the Baraza Resort & Spa is carefully designed to reflect he island’s stunning natural beauty with the history and culture of the Omani Arabs who inhabited this tropical paradise. The resort boasts thirty luxury villas, each one evoking the magical era of sultans; and filled with exquisite luxury amenities. They also offers a gorgeous Yoga in Paradise concept that combines the benefits of Yoga with an array of island activities including; scuba diving, Swahili cooking lessons, swimming with dolphins, and spa treatments at the world-renowned Frangipani Spa. The Baraza Resort & Spa is definitely on top of our list for a rejuvenating retreat in one of the most beautiful islands in the world.

Hotel Heureka, Venice Italy

The recently opened Hotel Heureka is a gorgeous new design hotel concept in Venice, combining grandeur and history. The property dates back to the 16th century, and the renovation has taken into account all the possible modern luxuries any discerning traveller would desire. If you’ve ever wondered what it was like to live the life of Venetian nobility, then the Hotel Heureka has the perfect atmosphere for you.

Located in the vibrant north western Sestiere of Cannaregio, (it’s the Notting Hill of Venice) the Hotel Heureka lets you experience the decadence of a traditional Venetian palazzo, with its gorgeous Italian mosaics and vaulted ceilings. The hotel overlooks the Madonna dell’Orto canal, and an elegant stone balustrade decorates its classic façade. Built around the layout of a “portego” which is a typical Venetian passage, the Hotel Heureka masterfully maintains the unique dictates of traditional Venetian architecture; and within its classical walls, a twist of contemporary design plays out. With ten beautiful rooms, each one distinct in character with Rubelli silks at the windows, Lacroix tapestries as bedheads, and the most sensational bathrooms, you can be sure that a stay here will be unique. Rather like the art in the house, by Julian Kohl. So, if you ever find yourself in Venice, call in for a fresh Spritz in the private garden; it’s the best place to immerse yourself in the grandiose spirit of this magical city.

Museum Hotel, Capadoccia Turkey

The Museum Hotel sits in a very special region in Cappadocia, and is undeniably one of the most extraordinary hotels in the world. Built within the picturesque stone cliffs of the Tekeli District, the Museum Hotel is a combination of thousand year old historical ruins, natural caves, and stone houses — all impeccably restored for the modern age.

No two rooms in the Museum Hotel are the same. Each of the hotel’s thirty rooms are built from natural yellow stone, and filled with priceless antiquities from the Ottoman, Seljuk, Roman, and Hittite periods. Surrounded by all this history, it is no wonder that the Museum’s Hotel “living museum” concept lives up to its name, with the hotel being the only Relais & Chateaux accredited property in the whole of Turkey. Not to mention, each room boasts panoramic views of the inimitable Capdoccian landscape; where you can see Mt.Ecriyes, the Red Valley, and Love Valley from the distance. Definitely Team Coco approved.

Levin Iglut-Golden Crown, Finland

Theres are very few natural wonders as mesmerising as the Northern lights; and at the Levin Glut-Golden Crown, not only do you get the best view of this rare and beautiful sight, you also get the best glass igloo experience that the Finnish Lapland has to offer.

The family operated Levin Iglut Golden crown is located at a dizzying 340 metres above sea level, at the very top of the Levi Fell and with picturesque views of the Fell Landscape. Their twenty-four glass igloos are roofed over with heated glass and are fully equipped with luxury amenities. If you are travelling in a bigger group, then the Northern Lights House, which features two large double bedrooms, a private sauna and jacuzzi, and a panoramic window for Northern lights viewing — is perfect for you. It seems that every aspect of the Levin Iglut takes advantage of its gorgeous natural surroundings. The hotel’s restaurant, Aurora Sky, allows guests to enjoy locally sourced Scandinavian flavours with an unobstructed view of the spectacular icy landscapes below.

Niyama Private Islands, Maldives

Team Coco loves an island getaway, but the Niyama Private Islands disrupts the luxury island concept over its head with its unparalleled set of culinary experiences. Ever wondered what it was like to have a gourmet meal at the bottom of the sea? Niyama Private Island shows you how.

Set across two private islands connected by a single wooden bridge that traverses the Indian Ocean, this special Maldivian resort in the South-Western atoll of Dhaalu takes barefoot luxury to the next level. The twin islands are appropriately named Play and Chill – each one with their own distinctive feel and exclusive dining experiences. It is an understatement to say that the culinary concepts on offer at Niyama Private Islands are some of the most unique in the world. Tribal is the only African restaurant in the Maldives, while Edge is the hotel’s floating fine dining restaurant set 1 km out at sea. Nest is an Asian fusion restaurant set high above in the tree tops that offers a gravity defying dining experience like no other. On the other end of the spectrum is Subsix – an underwater restaurant that allows Niyama Private Island’s guests to eat at the bottom of the Indian ocean. Niyama Private Islands not only allows guests to experience the paradisiacal surroundings of the Maldives, but also invites them toe expand their culinary boundaries, and should definitely be on any food-lovers bucket list.

I’m sure, dear #TeamCoco reader, that you’ve felt it too. That feeling when you wake up in the morning on a Saturday, to find no food in the fridge, that your debit card has just tipped too far into your overdraft so your magazine subscription bounced and to top it all off a lovely letter that may as well be in Ancient Greek from your buddies at HMRC has appeared on your doormat. Then your bestie What’s Apps you about the flat she just bought (um, who does that?) and invites you out for a celebratory drink which you would go for but you’ve been working such long hours recently that nothing is clean and your keys have been swallowed whole by your floordrobe.

I know for a fact that it’s not just me as our amazing girl boss interviewee today, Lottie, has founded a new platform to help people like me who are apparently adults but not entirely sure how we got there… enter The Adult Bible (www.theadultbible.co.uk) ; something I’m reverently referring to as the ‘Newsround’ explainer for grown-ups.

HOC: Lottie, firstly thank you for creating this platform! What made you come up with the idea?

Lottie: I came out of university feeling educated, but not filled with practical life skills – as I know is the case with a lot of people – there’s a lot I had to figure out for myself, like how to buy a house, register for council tax and take a gas meter reading, all of which I hadn’t really needed to know before university. I trawled the internet and asked my parents, but I’m a fairly impatient and independent person so I found this method both time-consuming and frustrating.

I’d already started to take note on things like stamp duty and how to host a dinner party (I’m a dinner party fanatic!), but I knew I wasn’t the only one who would be thinking about this….

When I spoke to friends and family they too said that there are a lot of things they didn’t get taught you at school. I felt determined to combat the issue by turning all of my findings into a bible, to help people with growing up. From this, The Adult Bible was born!

HOC: Technically we’re meant to be adults at 18 but so much stuff I need to know these days I did not learn in my formative years! Are there key topics that we just can’t deal with as twenty-somethings and upwards?

Lottie: I’d like to think there’s nothing we can’t deal with as young adults, however everyone’s situation is different. For example, some people will have experienced university and probably the process of renting a house with friends, meaning they’ll be better prepared if they need to go through this again once they leave, or later in life. Others get a job at 16, and have plenty of work experience but might still live at home with their parents.

There are also topics which I think very few people in their early twenties think of dealing with yet, like wills and understanding the importance of a pension. This is the very reason The Adult Bible exists – I want to address topics like this and provide everyone with the same information they need to best deal with growing up. There’s nothing we can’t do if we have easy access to information and put our minds to it!

HOC: I’m all about self-empowerment but sometimes I just can’t adult – I can deliver a presentation to a board of senior execs but can I get round to sorting out my contactless debit card that hasn’t been contactless for over a year…?! Let us in on something you just can’t get your adult brain around?

Lottie: Well despite researching for hours when I was writing about washing on the website I still have absolutely no idea how to wash my clothes in the machine, nor what any of the buttons on the machine actually are.. I just guess if I have to, but in our house normally my boyfriend does most the washing – he’s somewhat of a domestic god, thank goodness!

HOC: How do you run ‘The Adult Bible’, you mentioned you currently work full-time?

Lottie: I spend my evenings writing and researching, and a lot of lunch breaks on the phone. I’m very fortunate to have an investor so I have a small team to help me out with day-to-day tasks so that I can concentrate on growing the brand and exploring new opportunities.

HOC: We feel you, #TEAMCOCO is a squad of ‘slashies’ as well! What are your plans for ‘The Adult Bible’ going forwards?

Lottie: I’m super excited for the site to grow, I have huge plans for The Adult Bible. I think there’s a whole range of universal topics and responsibilities everyone should know about and understand, even if they’re not putting them into practice yet or ever! Topics like travel, applying for a job or even managing finances…

I’m currently talking to app developers because I’d love for The Adult Bible to be even more easily accessible, and we’re also in talks with another company to put on masterclasses with expert speakers in and around London, which will be fab. Plans for next year are even bigger; definitely watch this space!

My plan is to continue to create more pages and blogs which cater to everyone – we do encourage this over on the website, but I’d love more people to get in touch with any suggestions for what they’d like to see covered…

Let Lottie know what you can’t adult at over at @TheAdultBible (Insta, Twitter, FB) and www.theadultbible.co.uk