Huxley's Bar and Bistro

It's so nice to see Huxley's back up and running as one of the staple restaurants in Chipping Campden. I say again as just a couple of years ago this place was on the market, again, and not operating as a business at all. Until Andre, the owner came along and found a way of creatively using the unusual small space that is Huxley's restaurant. Managed by Marco Porta, this place is sheer cosiness even on the hot summers day we ventured out on. Outside you'll find a gorgeous courtyard with wooden tables and large parasols complete with a mix of acoustic italian and modern music playing.

You maybe in the heart of Chipping Campden but Huxley's courtyard transports you to Southern Italy for an hour or 2. Bliss!  

The menu is easy to navigate with a mix of choices to help build your experience. Four types of Bruschetta for a light nibble at lunch, sharing boards and authentic antipasti for the social ones or soup of the day for something cosy. We both (I met up with my lovely mum for lunch) chose the delicious goats cheese salad and we were so pleasantly surprised when it arrived. A really generous amount of melt in your mouth goats cheese served with oil soaked peppers, crostini and beautiful rustic green leaves.

I also had a locally pressed juice made from Gloucestershire apples to wash my lunch down with. I can honestly say I enjoyed every mouthful. 

  

Not got the time for a meal? The coffee is the best I've tasted in Chipping Campden in 10 years and comes with a gorgeous little biscuit or for that extra naughty treat beautiful homemade cakes, I think I was told they are made by the managers Mum? 

Everything is served on beautiful rustic crockery, made in England too which I always think is a treat! 

  

The staff are a team of local friendly faces which if you have lived in Chipping Campden all your life you will recognise, but if not you'll appreciate the comfortable atmosphere they create. Not forgetting Percy the regular house guest, or is that pest? Either way we giggled at the notice that was on the table we happened to pick!

I can't wait to visit in the winter (by the way if you haven't been to Chipping Campden around Christmas...GO!)  and eat inside where the teeny cosy restaurant, sit by the fire and read a complimentary newspaper, with another one of those yummy biscuits served on the side of my coffee! 

Thank you Huxley's, we'll be back soon!

Millie and Meg x

KIN Juicery

KIN Juicery is a brand new Cheltenham based company making their very own raw, cold pressed, healthy juices and smoothies.

The Duffy siblings Hannah, Alicia and Josh have teamed up with nutritionist friend Naomi to create a menu of KIN juices and smoothies which are tasty, good for you and make you smile... Oh & best of all, they are delivered straight to your doorstep. 

Chipping Campden

Chipping Campden is one of my favourite places in the Cotswolds. I may not live there anymore, nor did I live there throughout my whole childhood, but I have a whole metaphorical memorabilia box full of happy times throughout 10 years of being a 'campdener'.

Plus my Mum and Dad still live there and I pretty much worked in every pub and restaurant at one time or another so I still class myself as a local! 

Mangle & Wringer

Until The Applestore at Batsford Arboretum (see our blog about this lovely Aladdin's cave here) became a proud stockist of Mangle & Wringer cleaning products, we had never heard of the locally made, non-toxic, all natural range from The Cotswolds. 

What makes Mangle & Wringer cleaning products so special, you ask? Where do we start.

ALL of Mangle & Wringer cleaning products are made using old fashioned, home made recipes, using all natural ingredients which are therefore, all recognisable and easy to understand. You can 100% trust what is written on the labels. Vanessa Willes founded Mangle & Wringer in 2012 after adopting her housekeepers, Bette Smith's passion for non-toxic cleaning products which are not harmful to the environment or to use. Bette Smith, a housekeeper since she was 14 years old, a successful laundry owner and a local Gloucestershire lady taught Vanessa Willes and her team everything they now know about making beautiful, affective and non-toxic cleaning products. So do you see what is special about this Cotswold company now?

What first attracted us to pick up a bottle of Mangle & Wringer and learn more about Vanessa Willes's company was the sleek and chic packaging. Something you very rarely... actually, almost never see when it comes to cleaning products. Lets face it, cleaning is not the most glamorous of tasks and definitely is not top of our 'favourite things to do' list. Especially when you live in a little country cottage with messy boys and a old cocker spaniel. 

The Mangle & Wringer range is so attractive that Vanessa practically put marigolds on us herself and sent us home skipping to spring clean.

We purchased a bottle of 'Good for Glass' spray from The Applestore and loved it. No streaks, amazing!

Then Vanessa kindly sent us a goody box full of her products, a bag of 'Natural Bleach' and bag of 'Pure Laundry', a spray bottle of 'Spray and Go', a tub of 'Bathroom Balm' and a tub of 'Kitchen Cleanser'.

After testing the whole range, carefully following directions and gushing at all the lovely packaging we must say we are really impressed. 

The 'Spray and Go' spray was our favourite. We used it ALL over the house, on side tables, kitchen work surfaced, skirting boards and window sills. It smelt very vinegary with a hint of lemon zest but that didn't bother us, in fact we actually liked it. There is nothing worse than using a cleaning product that then hits the back of your throat and makes you cough for the next 15 minutes. 'Spray and Go' made everything sparkle, smell clean and look fresh. We loved it! 

Now, I think we can all agree there is nothing better than crawling into bed and slipping under freshly cleaned sheets. So when we unwrapped the handmade 'Pure Laundry' powder that was the first job on our list. Very simply, we added a large scoop of the laundry power and a smaller scoop of the 'Natural Bleach' powder in to the washing machine. Luckily, it was also a lovely sunny day so they the sheets got to air dry outside which is another one of life's little luxuries. When dried, they smelt and felt beautifully clean. They didn't smell of artificial chemicals, overly sweet and sickly like you get with so many branded products and the softness made for a comfy night sleep. Bliss!

As you might be able to tell, we are sold! We love the products, the packaging, the values of the company and most importantly.. they work! Try them out for yourself by visiting Mangle & Wringer online shop or if you live in Gloucestershire, The Applestore might be your closest stockist.

Follow Mangle & Wringer on Twitter  and Facebook and make sure you visit Vanessa's beautiful websites for lots more information on the whole range,  to shop any of the products we've spoken about and please please please read about Bette Smith and how she inspired Vanessa to continue her passion for non-toxic cleaning products. It is such a heart warming, touching story.