{Royal Obsessions} | 1701 Nougat

Hi lovelies! Today I’m starting a new little piece called Royal Obsessions. In this piece I will tell you about all the things I am currently obsessed with.

My latest obsession is 1701 nougat because nougat is one of my favourite sweet treats. Although nougat is commonly known as a French confection, it actually originated in Cremona, Italy at the wedding feast of Bianca Maria Visconti and Francesco Sforza! Further research even suggests that it could have originated in the Middle East where it is still eaten and given as a gift. Fine nougat is made with roasted seeds or nuts which are folded into a paste of honey, sugar and egg whites. Despite the use of two sweet ingredients, the candy should not be excessively sweet. It should be pleasant with a delicate honey flavour. The texture must be soft and almost like a marshmallow but should still hold together.

Image by Layla Shaik Photography x Princess of Jozi

The name 1701 relates to the year that nougat became famous in Montelimar, France. The business began in 2009 by owner Nick’s mother Lianne. It was a gingerbread-man for Lianne Scher's little daughter’s lunch box that culminated in her having an own label of ginger biscuits, chocolate chip cookies, shortbread, Florentines and crunchies and then nougat. Once Nick graduated with a BA in Brand Building and Management he decided to build a brand around his mother’s nougat. 1701 prides itself on being “handmade the French way”. The brand sticks to the basic French recipe, using fresh egg whites, good quality honey and roasted nuts. There are no added stabilizers, preservatives, thickeners or gelatine. This process means that the sweets don’t look uniform but for me this just adds to the charm of the brand. The nougat comes in 2 variants; roasted macadamia and roasted almond.

Anyone who knows me knows I’m extremely fussy about my nougat. I can confidently say that 1701 nougat is heavenly! It’s really soft and melty, the nuts are perfectly roasted and it has that distinct honey flavour with just the right amount of sweetness. The sweets are light and airy and don’t make you feel too guilty after eating more than a few ;) Another thing that impresses me about 1701 is the attention to detail when it comes to packaging. The boxes are pastel and gold and are so pretty! They make the perfect gifts! (My birthday is next month! *hint)

You can find 1701 products online at www.1701.co.za or at the following stockists.

- Broadacres Super Spar

- Hobart Road Super Spar

- Ferndale Super Spar

- Country Meat Fourways & Bryanston

- The Jungle (Jan Smuts Avenue)

- Cottage Flowers Hyde Park Shopping Centre

- Three Mary’s (44 Stanley Avenue)

- Galleon Pharmacy Hyde Park Shopping Centre

- Craighall Spar

- Monument Park Super Spar

- Thrupps

I will update the list as it grows.

Until next time

Love and sparkles

Zaakira xox

Miss Veet SA 2015

I know that a few posts back I promised I would tell you which lovely lady won Miss Veet SA this year. Last week we gathered at the beautiful Four Seasons Westcliff and sipped mocktails and canapés while we eagerly anticipated the announcement.

Veet has been a part of my life since my teen years. I personally feel that there are very few drugstore bath and beauty products that truly understand young women and Veet is definitely one them.

I have a very low pain threshold (I’m currently DYING because my wisdom tooth decided to be unwise and grow) so when those pesky leg hairs began showing up I refused to go get them waxed. I made my Mom buy me some Veet cream that I’d seen on TV and I haven’t regretted it since. The chemical smell is minimal, the results are practically instant and totally painless and it’s moisturizing as heck. The results also last quite a few days and as the years went by Veet have made their product even better with quicker in-shower versions, light versions for sensitive skin and new scents.  As I got older I decided to take the plunge and try out the Veet wax strips for my face. Despite smelling good they work really well and didn’t hurt as much as I expected them to. I now use a combination of the creams and wax strips to keep my skin smooth and soft.

Veet is a brand and product that I am really comfortable with and I think that it will be a part of my life for a long time to come if not forever. Being a part of the Miss Veet SA process this year was lots of fun.  As I’ve mentioned before, Miss Veet is so much more than just pretty faces and long, smooth legs. It’s about feminity, empowerment and encouraging these girls to go fourth and be more than just what they look like. This is why I was pretty delighted when one of my favourites, Odirile Sepang was named Miss Veet SA for 2015. She stood out for me in her views about empowerment and I’m really excited to see what she does with her title.

Congratulations Odirile!

Until next time

Love and sparkles

Zaakira xox

(Images supplied by Zebra Square)

{OOTD} | There Has Been an Awakening

T-shirt – Shuaib’s(MrP I think)| Jeans – Lucky Brand | Shoes – ZARA | Necklace – Lovisa | Spiral Ring and Bracelet – Swarovski | Sunglasses - MrP

In wouldn’t call myself a full on Star Wars nerd but I do really enjoy the franchise and the culture that it has produced. I of course would love to own a light saber (black? Could I get a black one?) and my favourite character is Han Solo (obvs!). My dilemma however, is that I don’t actually know which side I’d be on. Rebellion sounds so me but the Dark Side really intrigues me.

The recently released teaser trailer has got me pretty excited for Episode VII (that light saber though!) and so I thought I would have some fun with this outfit and the photos. It was a pretty last minute idea since I was wearing the t-shirt and we found this awesome empty plot to shoot in while driving around. This is why my jeans are so annoyingly creased! I must mention that these Lucky Brand (Charlie Super Skinnys) jeans are the most comfortable pair of skinnys I own. The fabric is extremely soft and breathable so it’s a perfect pair for those hot days and balmy nights in summer.  I had these recently purchased heels in the car which really brought the outfit together. What really got me though was that I am wearing M.A.C Rebel lipstick! Maybe I do belong in the Rebellion after all! ;)

Oh yes! I also got my hair cut today! Its quite a plunge because its way shorter and pretty asymmetrical. Perfect for the summer although I hope I can manage to maintain it as time passes.

Are you a fan of Star Wars? How do you feel about the new teaser?

Until next time

“Sorry about the mess” – Han Solo (Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope)

Love and sparkles

Zaakira xox