The Fat Duck, Bray, UK

Getting a reservation at The Fat Duck is as difficult as finding hen's teeth. They open reservation lines (phone and web) two months in advance and if you don't get in the minute they open, you're doomed to fail. As it happens, Boyfriend Drew lucked out and secured a wait list cancellation for a Saturday night reservation - a hen's teeth booking if I ever saw one - and I can only wish a heartfelt "thanks" to the person who gave it up and hope they get to experience the divine delights of this incredible restaurant one day in the future.Regularly rating in the world's top restaurants (currently #2 in the Elite Traveler & Laurent-Perrier awards, and #33 on S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna's The World's 50 Best Restaurants), this three-Michelin-starred gem is the creation of self-taught culinary genius Heston Blumenthal, he of the crazy concoctions such as meat fruit and egg and bacon icecream. The Fat Duck is located more or less in the middle of nowhere (five minutes from central Maidenhead, which is 40 minutes by train from London) in a tiny village called Bray - tiny being the operative word. Amongst the dainty little houses also resides Blumenthal's other culinary ventures, The Hinds Head (one Michelin star, Pub of the Year in 2011) and The Crown at Bray (a traditional British pub).It's hard to know where to begin with our gastronomy adventure that is dinner at The Fat Duck - and how much to reveal in my review. After sitting down at our table, waiters swept over to our neighbours with something truly intriguing and as I peeked over my shoulder to take another glance, I was cheekily warned, "Don't look! It'll ruin the surprise!" For the advantage The Fat Duck has over all of its competitors is that of expecting the unexpected.Having seen the episode of Masterchef: The Professionals where the finalists were sent to The Fat Duck for training, a few covers of signature courses were blown in the process. At the time, it made me want to go there more, but sitting in the restaurant with all this wonderment going on around us, I wished I had gone there with a clear mind and let dish after dish explode it in a fantastical manner.I will tell you what you can expect on the menu; but I won't tell you how you can expect it to be served. And I'm only going to show you select photos I took - ones which prevent the surprises from being revealed entirely. On the 14-course menu (yep, better put your eating pants on!) we have aperitifs of vodka and lime, and gin and tonic, presented in a very cool fashion; a decadent combination of quail jelly, crayfish cream and chicken liver parfait served with a slice of truffle toast and spectacular oak moss; the earthy snail porridge, which is exactly as the name suggests; my personal favourite, the delightful Mad Hatter's Tea Party, with mock turtle soup and a toast sandwich; "Sound of the Sea", a multi-sensory experience with edible sand; the unusual but refreshing combination of lamb with cucumber; the perplexing Eggs in Verjus (c. 1726), Verjus in Egg (c. 2013), which is actually a dessert; and the aptly-titled final course "Like a Kid in a Sweet Shop", which takes me right back to the days of childhood birthday parties where everyone departs with a lolly bag.While most dishes were mouth-wateringly delicious, my palate was challenged by a few of the courses. The "Sound of the Sea" needs to be eaten altogether - and quickly, otherwise the sea foam turns the sand into a congealed mess. The Salmon Poached in a Liquorice Gel was almost too sweet for my taste buds, but thankfully the sprinkling of grapefruit cells gave a much-welcomed zest to the dish. The Hot and Iced tea was the least liked of all courses - it's exactly what it says it is (one part hot iced tea, the other cool iced tea, in the same cup), though it has a thicker, gel-like texture and, as Boyfriend Drew said, it "tastes like lemon Fairy liquid smells". It was hard to get past the image of washing dishes while drinking this dish.The Fat Duck is not just a restaurant - it's a theatre production of great gourmet skill, designed to delight and entrance its audience with the most complex presentation methods ever seen. Some people may baulk at the cost of the tasting menu (and there is only the tasting menu - no á la carte options here), but be assured you are not just having a fancy meal, you're having the most unique, tasty and surprising meal you've ever had in your life. And speaking of surprises, the biggest one was left until the very end, when I was presented with my "Like a Kid in a Sweet Shop" bag with an extra bonus inside - a (belated) birthday card signed by the man himself, Heston Blumenthal.(If you can, save the contents of your Sweet Shop bag for a later date - not too late, as there is an expiry date on the bottom - so you can make the Fat Duck experience last longer. And the Queen of Hearts is so deliciously ingenious you'll want to savour her sober, perhaps with a cup of tea, and wish you had a full deck.)The Fat Duck, High Street, Bray, Berkshire, SL6 2AQ. Open for lunch Tuesday - Saturday from noon; dinner Tuesday - Saturday from 7pm. 14-course tasting menu £195 per person plus service. We drank 2012 René Muré Signature Pinot Gris from Alsace (£60) and Château Belá Egon Muller Riesling from Slovakia (£60).By Lisa Tan

Royal Ascot wrap, 2013

Royal Ascot is a week for the human stayers. It's not for the sprinters, or the middle-distance hopefuls - it's for the Makybe Divas and the Yeatses among us. Never mind the two- or three-day back up of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, there are no days of rest in this five-day feast of top-shelf racing and fashion, so you need to be prepared. You need to have studied the form guide well. And you need to be looking your absolute best.As superficial as it sounds, it's one of my goals to complete the Royal Ascot challenge - if Her Majesty the Queen can do it, then so can I, albeit without royal hospitality but with age firmly on my side. This year my boyfriend and I attended three days (one up from last year) - opening day Tuesday, Friday, and the closer, Saturday - and planning for these was stressful enough. But the way I see it, it's necessary training for next year when (hopefully) I'll complete the five-day festival of equine elegance with ease.Ascot in all its Royal splendour truly is a magnificent sight. The majestic grandstand, looming above the sunken parade ring where the sounds of the brass band fill the air; the greenery of the Royal Enclosure garden, punctuated by bursts of colour from attendees in eye-catching ensembles and exotic hats; and the long, lush straight, flanked by hordes of keen racegoers eager to glimpse a champion or two, or the arrival of Queen Elizabeth II in her traditional horse-and-carriage.Royal Ascot, for the most part, is as much about fashion as it is horses. Although, unlike most major racing carnivals in the UK and Australia, they do not have a Fashions on the Field or Best Dressed competition (apparently it is viewed as an unnecessary event and would do nothing to enhance Royal Ascot's reputation). Nevertheless, ladies plan meticulously for many months to perfect their Royal Ascot wardrobes and I think it makes a refreshing change to see so many women put so much effort into their outfits when there is no lure of prizes on offer.While I am usually one who has dreams (nightmares?) about my Royal Ascot outfits several months before the big day, I somehow found myself making a mad dash into Harrods the Friday before, frantically looking for a dress/skirt/any item of clothing that would match a different hat I hadn't planned on wearing, because my chosen sample had been unexpectedly requested for a shoot the day before (and press always trumps personal use). Which is how I found myself wearing the following outfit:That's a Milly colour-burst silk dress, Alexander McQueen peeptoe pumps, and "Edie" from my SS13 collection. Shelley also had to rejig her hat decision, and settled on "Mary" from SS13, with a tailored LBD from Australian store Cue and Dior heels.While the Royal Ascot dress code has been a hot topic of conversation in the media (and our apartment) in recent weeks, it did nothing to dull the enthusiasm of the mega-hat wearers who frequent the racecourse every year in the most attention-seeking headwear. Of the images shown below, only the gentleman with the floral headdress was ejected from the Royal Enclosure (I assume he merely removed the flowers and replaced the top hat to be allowed entry), while mad hatter Tracy Rose (centre, right) was apparently refused entry for having too short a skirt.Shorts skirts were something I was particularly worried about, given my Friday outfit was definitely above-the-knee. However, the Royal Ascot Royal Enclosure dress code states skirts should be "of modest length, defined as falling just above the knee or longer" and given I saw my dress double on Tuesday (phew!) wandering around the Royal Enclosure, plus several other women with hemlines reaching to mid-thigh (yes, really), I breathed a sigh of relief and wore the outfit as planned.I must say, I don't go out of my way to purposely challenge dress codes, but this photo was taken from below so I'm fairly certain my hem isn't *that* short. The outfit consists of a cropped tuxedo jacket from Paule Ka, Chanel tweed dress and t-bar sandals, chunky pearl necklace from Oasis, and the "Penelope" hat from my SS13 collection. And for the record, I was never questioned about my skirt length.Boyfriend's sis, Kate, was also in attendance with us, and had been planning her outfit for months. Taking cues from her Peter Pilotto blouse, she decided to mix in another pattern and wore the "Marilyn" hat from SS13. Her ensemble is finished with a peplum skirt from New Look and classic court shoes by Chanel.Saturday at Royal Ascot is always the most fun day, and the most relaxed day - but that doesn't mean we lapse in the fashion stakes! Traditionally the busiest day of the carnival, Saturday sees an interesting mix of racegoers with some opting for finery, others opting for fun, and a few opting for comfort (ahem, Kate in her flat shoes).Saving perhaps the best for last, Kate and I donned our final ensembles and prayed the forecast of all-day rain wouldn't eventuate. As it turned out, the wind was more of a concern but it was a happy coincidence we chose the most wind-resistant hats to wear - Kate's was even tied to her head.Wearing a dress she purchased in Las Vegas in December (that's how far ahead she plans) and one of my one-off millinery creations which she chose to wear in November ("Do not let anyone else wear this, it's mine!"), Kate looked a picture of 50s-inspired elegance while I channelled the Great Gatsby years of the 1920s.Saturday's outfit comprised a Balenciaga dress I had bought a couple of years back for a wedding , teamed with a sparkly tweed, chain-trimmed jacket from the unlikeliest of places - boohoo.com. I strapped on the same Chanel t-bar pumps as Friday (which continue to prove my theory that Chanel heels are the most comfortable in the land), pulled on a cloche hat, "Amelie", from my SS12 collection, and piled on a couple of black beaded necklaces.It would be rude not to acknowledge the effort of the men of Royal Ascot. I know, all they have to do is wear the same suit, and the same hat - hell, the same waistcoat even! - and change their shirt and tie. But that's the lazy man's approach, and (luckily for me), boyfriend Drew takes pride in his raceday appearance like many other male attendees. Here's a compilation of his raceday ensembles:Drew celebrated the first day of Royal Ascot in a rather daring fashion, wearing an all-black Marc Wallace morning suit, shirt, bespoke waistcoat and top hat, styled with a turquoise tie (I can only assume to complement my outfit, awww...) and the unlikeliest of accessories: Lucius Malfoy's wand enclosed in a cane. Yes, it's slightly geeky, but no one knew until he whipped it out and tried to conjure up a winner in the fourth.Friday's outfit was more traditional, comprising a grey Favourbrook morning suit, bespoke aqua waistcoat, aqua tie and pocket square, and grey top hat. The cane was left at home for fear he would lose it, plus using spells to find winners proved a fruitless exercise.Saturday's outfit featured a very special garment, which I had sewn up speedily on Thursday: the horse print silk waistcoat. The silk is actually used in my SS13 collection (as seen on Kate's Friday hat, "Marilyn") and somehow I had enough leftovers to make a giant waistcoat (all of his waistcoats are bespoke because he is so ridiculously tall - 6'6"). He paired it with the grey morning suit, another black shirt, black patterned tie and grey top hat for a very classic, but chic final day outfit.The bets had been placed, the horses had raced and the brass horns were blazing in the bandstand, signalling the end to another Royal Ascot carnival. Tired and hungry, we retreated to our nearby B&B for some much needed R&R and next year's five-day challenge was the last thing on our minds. Until the following morning, when our B&B hosts asked if they could attend one of the days with us next year. And so the planning begins...By Lisa Tan

Hunting for bargains

It's half-way into winter and I'm over the cold and dressing in five layers everyday. The latest resort collections have been shown (I'll show my resort edit soon) and I'm already dreaming of sunshine and spring! But reality sinks in and I've got a few more weeks of the cold to suffer. On the plus side its sale time and winter stock is on sale everywhere! I'm a girl with champagne tastes on a beer budget so here's my tips for maximizing and getting the most out of your fashion dollar.1. Stalk your prey. Been lusting after something? If there's still plenty on the rack play the waiting game and see if you can get it cheaper next week, or the week after... When it's the last lonely garment in your size it's time to strike!2. Check and compare prices online AND in every currency. Some online stores allow you to purchase in different currencies and from different countries' sites. It isn't necessarily the best option to buy in your home currency from your home store. Do remember to factor in exchange fees and extra postage costs.As a side note to this- if I go into a store and get great service, I believe in paying for it. It's bad manners to try things on in a shop and Google for better prices online in the change rooms.3. Sign up to mailing lists of your favourite stores and follow them on Facebook, Instagram and twitter. Loyalty programs and being the first to know about sales is valuable if you are loyal to certain brands and stores.3. Don't get swept up by a 'bargain'. If you didn't like it at full price, look away at the sale price. Just because a dress is 80% off doesn't mean it's no longer ugly.4. Buy for next season. I use sale time to buy basics for the following season.I also let items 'bake' in my wardrobe. If something is amazing a great price but doesn't work with my current look I consider buying it anyway. Some of my favourite pieces have been unworn for a year or two then 'bake' long enough to become an important and loved part of my wardrobe. The key is to remember to take it out and see how you can wear it. Re-read tip #3!Great wardrobes are built up over time, not overnight.5. Buy quality. The items that get hauled out year after year are my better quality items. That doesn't mean expensive either. I look for well made garments and natural fibres. Quality garments will also help you look more polished with less effort.Finally, accept that some items are worth eating soup for a week to own. Ok, this isn't a sale hunting tip but working in fashion I have learnt that everyone fashionable I know will cry poor, yet will still find the $$$ for a new outfit. It's all about priorities! By Angela.