Stepanovich Blog

There may still be a chill in the air and it’s not quite shorts and t-shirt weather yet but the daffodils are almost out, the days are getting longer and the smell of spring is well and truly here.

It’s about now that any fashion savvy fashionista has one thing and one thing only on their minds……their summer wardrobe. London Fashion Week has been prompting people to think about fashion and clothing after the long, dark winter and all the fashion magazines are beginning to feature summer fashion tips and advice.
As much as any fashionista loves wearing boots and let’s face it, there were stunning ones around this winter, it has been long since many have seen their toes! It’s been too cold to have toes uncovered for any longer than it takes to have a shower and thick socks have ruled.

Footwear is an excellent place to start when first thinking of a summer wardrobe. The summer styles are in all the shops both on the high street and online, the styles are fresh and the full range of sizes are available so no disappointment. Close your eyes and think of sandals, holidays and sand between your toes! And think about all the festivals coming up. The UK does see its fair share of rain at these events so take your Hunter Wellies but also your sandals.

A far more recent brand but one experiencing huge popularity is Crocs. Crocs are known for their unbelievable comfort with the Crocs Cayman being the original and most popular style. As with many brands, new and innovative styles are being launched each season whilst keeping the ethos of the Crocs brand of letting your feet bend easily and expand naturally for maximum comfort.

In terms of both womens sandals and mens sandals, the rise in comfort footwear is very much welcome. The summer is chilled out and about having fun so sandals such as from Birkenstock and Crocs give that chilled vibe.

The winter we have come to expect for many years in the United Kingdom, proves problematic for those who run, cycle or do any form of outdoor kit fit activity. The severe weather the UK experienced last winter was thought to be an exception with flooding and snow experienced but it seems a very similar picture this year. In November 2010 alone, many parts of the country were flooded and now one of the coldest spells with more snow for decades has descended upon us.

There are many ways in which bad weather inconveniences us and of course, some more important than others but should this bad weather last weeks as last year, the ability to keep active and fit is also hindered. So too is keeping warm. Keeping warm is something each of us can do and none more so than keeping our feet warm. For the fashionista, looking good should not suffer either.

FitFlop have designed a boot that not only keeps feet warm but gives a work out at the same time. Perfect at this time of year when people can’t get out running or cycling. Whether it’s enabling an extra work out whilst walking to work or purely just walking around the office, shop floor or factory, the new FitFlop boots look stylish, keeps feet warm and allows you to wear fitness footwear all year round. From another health point of view, they improve posture and provide relief from plantar fasciitis, heel spurs, chronic back pain, sciatica, osteoarthritis, from lower limb oedema, and restless leg syndrome. These problems are often compelled by the cold so it is even more important in the winter months to continue to wear such fitness footwear.

The new leather Fitflop boots offer pull-on practicality, a soft, flexible fit, and–all the time you’re walking in them–toning. Wear the FitFlop Mukluk short with skinny jeans, a skirt or tights all season long. Put a pair on and get a workout whilst walking. What is so clever about such fitness footwear is the fact they combine fitness along with health benefits but for these boots look fantastic. They are various colours and styles available to suit every age and really no one would ever know these kinds of boots were fitness boots at all.

Choosing a gift should be an enjoyable experience - for most of us, the hardest part is coming up with an all time great idea.

Of course choosing and purchasing the right gift is only the start. Next it’s trying to organise the wrapping or it and ensuring it arrives to the recipient looking a million dollars no matter how much has been spent. More and more gifts are now being sent by courier or mail with friends and family often living some miles away. With work and life commitments making many of us victims of having very little time and leaving jobs like gift purchasing to the last minute, the ability to be able to find a gift, purchase it online from that outlet and even have it wrapped or gifted boxed and sent direct to the recipient, we doesn’t get any more convenient and helpful.

Fragrances are always a popular choice. Fine fragrances are not usually purchased yourself as they can be quite expensive. The nature of the beautiful bottles and packaging make a fragrance gift something really special. ‘niche’ fine fragrances can now be purchased from specialist department stores sourced from around the world so you can be sure of buying a unique scent that is not available on every high street. Fragrances make great gifts for him too. Men are even less likely to purchase an aftershave for themselves. There is now a huge choice of men’s fragrances ranging from the heavy and more traditional scents to the fresh and lively modern scents.

Department stores should be the first port of call when looking for great gift ideas. They stock a large cross section of articles for men, women and children of all ages and tastes. Department store assistants are often very helpful and advice can be sought. A very comforting thought for many men when buying for their loved one!

In general, the interior design of the home is being taken more seriously and is being enjoyed even by the average home owners. We are starting to see famous and notable designers creating ranges for leading brands which is enabling the homeowner to achieve an individual or more sophisticated look.

To complement the interest people have in cooking and dinner parties the items on a dining table and the settings should be strongly considered. How the food looks on a plate is extremely important as well as how the plate looks within the table setting. The look of the food is the first impression and as is regularly said, you eat with your eyes. The food itself needs to look appealing but what it is presented on can also greatly affect the way the dish looks. Top chefs know the importance of this and they will be the ones that choose the dinnerware range for the restaurant. Only a few years ago, a standard plate would be used to serve all the dishes. Now there are curved, square, rectangle, oval and shallow bowls.

You cutlery then needs to match the dinnerware. A traditional set of cutlery would look out of place next to a modern square plate for example. Likewise, a modern set of cutlery would not feel right with a traditional set of china plates. Leading cutlery brands such as Arthur Price cutlery have been manufacturing high grade cutlery for over 100 years. Their traditional ranges remain popular but they have introduced contemporary ranges in keeping with the modern look that many home owners are requesting.

One of the leading modern cutlery brands at the moment and one which is synonymous with innovative design is Villeroy and Boch. Villeroy and Boch cutlery as with other brands of such stature retain a timeless design but firmly keeping with a contemporary look. Due to the nature of stainless steel, cutlery can be a real statement on a dining table. For a customer wanting to achieve a very contemporary look, modern cutlery perfect finishing touch.

Holidaycottagescumbria.com are pleased to announce the addition of Hardcragg Hall to their portfolio of Lake District self catering properties.

Hardcragg Hall is the latest addition to Holidaycottagescumbria.com Cumbria portfolio of 5 individually owned luxury Lake District holiday cottages. Hardcragg Hall is the pinnacle of 5 star luxury self catering accommodation and can facilitate large groups of up to 14 guests with its 7 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms. This stunning Elizabethan manor house makes an excellent choice for luxury family holidays, short breaks, celebrations, special occasions, wedding guests, parties, large groups or for a get together of family or friends.

Hardcragg Hall is steeped in history and dates back to 1563 and this grade II listed country manor house is reputed to be the oldest building in the local area. There are several spacious reception rooms that all interconnect, including the dining room, drawing room, bar area, breakfast room, library, the oak panelled entrance hall area with its roaring log fire and the snug lounge with patio doors leading out into the landscaped gardens and grounds. The recently furnished farmhouse kitchen is superbly equipped with everything you will need to cater for large groups or couples alike and boasts a four oven Aga.

This large Lake District self catering accommodation sleeps 10+ is ideally located in Grange-over-Sands on the Southern edge of the English Lake District. Grange over Sands is one of Cumbria’s secret gems and is the Lake District’s principle sea side town. This is an ideal location for scenic fell and woodland walks, together with a mile long, traffic free promenade overlooking the sands of Morecambe Bay.
(more…)

Spring time in the Western Lake District - Lambs, daffodils and action galore…
The snow on the fells is giving way to snowdrops. By May, the beautiful Eskdale valley is carpeted in bluebells. But one flower in particular is associated with the Lakes – and you can visit Wordsworth’s house for a fascinating re-creation of his early life, when gardens were planted with foodstuffs, not daffodils. While in Cockermouth, why not pop into the Lakeland Sheep & Wool Centre to see the spring lambs?
It’s a perfect time of year for bracing walks and rides. Try the coastal paths around Whitehaven, the guided walks from Keswick Rambles, or the meandering 27-mile Smugglers’ Route from Maryport to Ireby. Take to the beach on horseback, courtesy of Allonby Riding School. Play golf at one of several excellent courses such as the Silecroft and Silloth links, or Eskdale, where the 14th green is set within a huge trout pond and there’s private fishing too.

Summer time in the Western Lake District - Sun, sails and sound-checks
Summer’s here and the time is right for dancing in the streets of Whitehaven, Silloth, Cockermouth… Local festivities and music festivals abound. Don’t miss Workington’s ‘Paint the Town Red’, the multi-award-winning Solfest, the Seaton Carnival, the Festival of Fools at Muncaster Castle, Millom’s Scarecrow Festival or the impressively named CockRock, to name but a few.
What better time to hit the quiet beaches of Allonby, St Bees and Haverigg, to try the fascinating town and harbour walks in Egremont and Harrington – or to set out by foot or on bike along the famous Coast to Coast routes? There are many Lake District Accommodation venues and Lake District hotels to stay at. There are strolls, hikes and rides for all the family, from coastal walks at Flimby to pony rides on Silecroft beach, organised through the Murthwaithe Green Trekking Centre. Golf at Workington and the Harrington driving range? Or what about a perfect, lazy day’s fishing on the Salterbeck reservoir, or from the pier at Whitehaven?
Of course when the sun is dancing on the Lakes, the urge to get out on the water is irresistible. So don’t resist.
(more…)

Cottages are becoming more and more popular for UK holidays but they can be quite expensive and the locations of them can be a little too remote for some tourists.

Static caravans are a good choice for combing the freedom of self catering whilst being in the heart of the area you are staying in. They provide a cheaper alternative to a cottage rental and the caravan sites often have a convenience shop and a bar. There are many caravan sites in Devon and this area attracts a lot of tourists for its good weather, long white sandy beaches and an excellent range of activities. Alternatively, many of the Devon caravan sites offer touring caravans for sale.

The magnificent North Devon coastline has a choice of beaches including Woolacombe, which has been acknowledged as one of the top ten beaches in the world and is a regular winner of both Blue Flag and Premier Awards for beach safety and cleanliness. There are also the beaches of Croyde, Saunton and Westward Ho!, all of which rival the most exotic of Mediterranean resorts.

(more…)

Being adequately protected on a motorcycle doesn’t just mean wearing a helmet.

It is often under estimated the importance of wearing the correct type of motorcycle clothing from gloves through to boots and even the correct garments underneath. Most motorcyclists know the importance of wearing a helmet but there are still some that do not wear adequate clothing on the rest of their body.

Leathers come in a wide range of styles to suit the bikes, riders and different needs and situations. The leather used for motorcycle gear is a very tough form of leather to give maximum protection. All aspects of the suit or separate are tested from the seams to the zips to check for tearing, impact abrasion, cut and burst resistance. Armour for extra protection is inserted into the shoulder area, back, hips, knees and elbows such as in the Alpinestars clothing range. Leather is the most traditional form of motorbike clothing but even that has advanced in recent years. Kangaroo skin is now used, especially for race suits, as it gives great protection and maximum comfort. The kangaroo skin moulds to the body ergonomically with great movement which is why it is so popular when in a racing position.

Specialist motorcycling clothing has really gone forward during the past few years with advances in manufacturing techniques, materials and product development. Leather used to be the only material for motorcycling clothing but there are now a choice of materials including nylon and Kevlar. These materials are much lighter than leather making them more comfortable whilst riding but they are also far better for protection against the weather. The ballistic nylon and Kevlar materials have fantastic anti abrasion properties. These materials took over 1700 cycles on an abrasion test before failure. If you put that against a pair of jeans which failed after 50 cycles, it is evident the importance of such protective clothing.    

Ballistic nylon (e.g. Cordura) and Kevlar materials keep warmth in when needed but also allow vents in the design of the garment to let air in when it is hot. Textile garments dry out much faster than leathers so when touring, clothing made from these materials are a good idea. Many of the top motorcycle clothing brands such as Dainese and Spidi do both leather and textile ranges.

(more…)

Flamingo Gifts stock a varied and unique range of gifts to suit everyone and all occasions. From kitsch to traditional, from adults to children, we have everything your heart desires. So much so you’ll find it easy to treat yourself and your loved ones.

Flamingos are always on the lookout for new and interesting gifts to add to their Aladdin’s cave of treasures. They cater for any budget, and offer the lowest price possible for extremely high quality goods and pride themselves on providing a top class service. They stock a large selection of cards and wrapping paper so your whole occasion can be sorted in one easy shop.

Many of Flamingo’s products were gifts of the year, which shows we buy only the best, and are guaranteed to bring a smile to anyone’s face. Such gifts include grow your own chilli plants, cushions, candles and lip glosses good enough to eat. You could even become a laird or lady, or own a share in playboy if you so desire.

Choose from an assorted array of mugs, from monopoly designs to vimrod and many more.

Edible banana slugs and build your own Lamborghini are perfect gifts for the jack the lads. Door mats, teapots, tasteful photo frames and personalised eye-catching clocks are ideal for mother dearest.

Where as young fillies in the family will adore the simply stunning make up bags, ice cream lip balms, and momiji dolls. 

Flamingo gifts are perfect for every occasion, whether you are looking for Valentines Day gifts, Birthday gifts, Wedding gifts, Christening gifts, Christmas gifts or just treating that special someone.