Peterborough For sale

We saw in the Evening Telegraph that the Queensgate centre is up for sale...! While it might all be a giant rumour (who knows?) is it a good thing or a bad thing?

Reba's opinion is that it might be a good thing (sorry Queensgate) Shopping in Peterborough needs a shot of enthusiasm....! Peterborough is in competition with many other centres and we need to have a good offer. We're of the opinion that someone needs to give the city centre as a whole a lot of love and attention and not just see it as a cash cow !

How about some arches over the ends of the shopping streets - Cowgate, Priestgate, Bridge street, with some statues of local historical figures... something from our heritage, something that breaks up the concrete walkways....! Please, lets add some personality to this city !!!

Now we know we're not the biggest employer in the city, but its sad to see so many empty shops - Principles & Adams Kids have gone, with Dorothy Perkins, Wallis and Burtons all moved into BHS unit - that doesn't bode well! - and now Niro, Faith shoes and Envy are reported to be going too !

Surely it can't be a good time to sell a shopping centre? Or maybe thats exactly why its up for sale? Now, if only we had a few million spare..... we could do good deeds

You can read about it here:

http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news/Queensgate-centre-may-be-put.5160936.jp?articlepage=1

Just arrived !

Max C is a London brand that has caught the attention of the fashionistas since its launch only two years ago (aaaah) Based in London, and taking a lot of their design aesthetic from our eclectic capital, their design team have created an cool range of exciting clothing and accessories, with influences from around the world.

This is a collection with an affordable pricetag (maybe its the living in London bit) they know how it feels to have no money, but want to look good?) Anyway, its a vintage feel collection, with a range of funky high fashion bags supporting it, and now belts too !

Max C is mostly stocked in independent boutiques like ourselves and more recently some fashion stores, and maybe its the London thing, or maybe its because they're new, but we really like their stuff, its bright, vivid and fun !

Like this new Summer handbag, its a clutch with a secret strap inside, so you can be lazy like me and wear it over the shoulder, two looks for the price of one - always a winner with us !

Happy Easter

The year is running away with us, can't believe it already Easter...? We must be getting older, i don't remember life going so fast before? Ok, so its Easter - Yum ! Time for chocolates and days off - a heady combination :-)

If you don't celebrate Easter, then why not join us in a celebration of Spring... Its bright when you get up and its bright when you go home, sooooo much more cheerful !

Chocolate is the epicentre of Easter for many, and we love it, best enjoyed guilt free we say... We don't understand why so many "so called" chocolate lovers complain about the calories in chocolate, when all true chocoholics know that it is a vegetable. It comes from the cocoa bean, beans are veggies, 'nuff said.

So, to finish as we're getting chocolate cravings just writing about it.....Our thought for the day(a little tongue in cheek):In the beginning, the Lord created chocolate, and he saw that it was good. Then he separated the light from the dark, and it was better.

Happy Easter everyone !

Funky glasses back in store !

‘About Face’ are a young, dynamic company with fresh and pretty distinctive accessories. The ‘About Eyes’ range which we're stocking, gives reading glasses an funky edge with fresh and fashionable designs, sometimes you need one vital accessory to make-or-break an outfit or just to work on your own unique look.....

All the reading glasses come with their own case to keep them safe. Prices from £9.99 - £14.99, but, as you can imagine, at those prices they sell out fast so pop in to see our full range to get the wow-factor of eyewear (not to mention the wow-factor of price tags!).

We love these glasses -they cover the spectrum from smart to sassy and apparently you agree with us !

See you soon !

An Inconvenient Truth !

OMG i'm probably the last person in the western world to have seen this movie! It was on last night, and I was in the mood for it, I mean I've heard about it, but i was never in the right place or it wasn't the right time. Anyway last night was the right place and right time, and i was shocked !

What a giant of a man ! I was blown away by him and his humility in the face of a crushing defeat because now i understand what winning the Presidency meant to him - more than just becoming President, it meant that he could have tackled this head on and made a difference - and we all know that he pretty much won - to have been so close and not make it, must have been - ah i can't imagine it !

Anyway, he obviously took a step back and thought, right then, how am i going to spread the word now in the face of this setback? So he made a movie, and he travels the world showing it to everyone and explaining it (here comes the science) and i was blown away by him, his movie and the facts it portrays, as every normal thinking human being would have to be....

So, i'm off today to see what we can do in our own small way and to spread the word about this incredible movie and this incredible man...! Have a brilliant day x

All the fun of the fair !

OK, so this post is a little late, but the fair was in town last week (Stamford) and it was fab ! Freezing for some unexplained reason, but fab ! I don't know what it is about visiting the fair that makes us all feel about five years old, but whatever it is, I'm loving it !

So, while i'm a great big chicken - its true ! I did venture onto some whizzy fast things, screaming our heads off all the way - ah the fun ! What can beat the dodgems, they are one of the few things that is just as good as you remember them being when you were a kid !

Nothing beats the sight of Stamford from the air from the big wheel - like i said, freezing, but worth it :-) Candyfloss anyone?

Keep calm and carry on !

It was good advice in World War 2, and its good advice today !

I love these retro posters, and i'm thrilled that i've just found one in pink. They're from an original World War 2 poster that was never in wide commission, and recently since their discovery by Barter Book, they've enjoyed emerging fame...!

There's others too, "Loose lips may sink ships" and "Tea revives you" how true ! But this is my favourite, I love the whole idea of not making a drama out of everything, and stoically carrying on, how very British, along with Victoria Sponge, cups of Tea and the weather - fabulous !

New Momiji Dolls have arrived!

Momiji are gorgeous little collectible friendship dolls. Joanna Zhou is one of our all time favourite designers. Her range is inspired by Japanese street fashion. Now she's back with three new designs called the Cosplay Collection.

Cosplay is the word you get when you mix costumes and play. Cosplay has become a Japanese subculture centred on dressing as characters from manga, anime, and video games. Cosplay fans gather to see each other’s costumes, show off their own elaborate handmade creations, take loads of pictures, and in short have loads of fun.

Each Momiji Doll in the Cosplay collection is a Momiji doll in a costume! The one pictured here is Polo she's dressed up in this adorable polar bear outfit! Polo says " cuddles save me from muddles. I like furry boots and mocha"

Like other Momiji Dolls, at the base of Donut, Polo and Tiny is a teeny card to write a teeny message. Pass it on.

Spread the love!

Don't get in a fluster this Mother's day, checkout our cheeky checklist so you can have a fun day !

Don’t get into a panic this mother’s day, follow our 8 simple steps to have a relaxed day with your mum:

1. Buy your card in advance, or if you’re making one, start it early enough for the glue to be dry ! Make sure everyone’s signed it.

2. Flowers sell out really fast around Mother’s day, so buy them a day or two in advance, or pre-order them, so you don’t end up at the garage…. Mum’s notice these things !

3. If you’re buying a present online, do it soon, and allow for delivery times. Wrap your present in advance so you’re not rushing around trying to do it as your mum walks in…

4. If you’re going out for dinner, make sure you have a reservation. Restaurants are really really full on Mother’s day. Make your reservation at least a week in advance (more would be better)

5. If you’re going out for the day, buy tickets in advance if possible

6. If staying at home and you’re cooking, make sure you’ve got everything you’ll need !

7. Make sure everyone knows what’s happening, so no-one gets left out and gets upset

8. Check your camera – make sure your batteries are charged

Step nine - Relax and have fun with your mum !

Friendly warning !

I've just got to write and tell you about something that makes steam come out of my ears !! To all you Sunday Posh ground car booters who park in the KFC car park - Be careful !!!

I made this mistake a couple of weeks ago and it cost me £125 to get my car released !!! Aaaargh, money I really couldn't afford, and can I just say that the clampy people are not the friendliest in the world - if you get my meaning :-( The fine is £125 and they only accept cash! )

I went past there this morning on my way to work, and there were at least 6 cars clamped today, (someone's making a lot of money ? !) and it makes me mad ! I don't want this clamping firm to get any richer by ruining peoples day. So there you have it, don't park there, and tell everyone you know too please.

Enjoy our lovely sunny Sunday (daffodils and sunshine, brilliant !)
Reba car parking alert team ;-)

Nostalgic fashions at the new Sue Ryder shop

Sue Ryder care, our local charity, is opening its first ‘vintage and retro’ store in Peterborough's high street. There'll be nostalgic fashions and timeless classics. They open today - 14th March on Bridge Street.....!

The charity retailer raises funds to provide care and social support for people with conditions such as Cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, Huntington’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, Stroke and Dementia. They are among the top 3 UK charity retailers. Locally they have a store in Eye, but this new shop is described as a specialist store, selling retro and vintage labelled stock. Shoppers will be able to buy what Sue Ryder Care describes as ‘vintage elegant classics, or retro chick at bargain prices’.

We wish them all the best, the local Sue Ryder hospice does a fabulous job and we support them !

Red nose day Friday 13th March

It's extraordinary to think that Comic relief was launched in 1985 !

The idea behind it was so simple - Comic Relief would make the public laugh while they raised money to help people in desperate need.

So far there's been eleven Red Nose Days that've raised more than £420m.

Now thats more than funny - that's flippin astounding !

Do something funny for money this comic relief day

Go on, have a laugh !

Hearts a flutter

This new Nica handbag had our hearts racing this week....!

In this Summer's muted coral shade, and oh so cute, with its clip on accessories and lots of pockets for all our terribly important stuff, we've voted it a winner...!

Nica are a new brand, only launched in 2006. Their collections mix design, fabrics and prints to create an innovative and individual look. Although the handbags are designed in London the range shows strong influences from around the globe and each piece is adorned with the Nica signature detail.

Uniquely designed charms, beading and embroidery, we love these handbags and it seems that you do too.... check out the new Summer collection in store...

Finally got to see Slumdog Millionaire !

As someone who goes to India pretty often, i was really curious to see if they'd be able to get across the assault on your senses that is India.

From the territorial dogs in the street, the chai wallah's, the amazing rail system that works beyond all reason and logic, because it really shouldn't. The beggars and the slum shanty towns, the rickshaws (Indian helicopter !) and the love affair with the man that is Amitabh Bachan ! Didn't see any roaming cows though, and not so many of my favourites, the ambassador taxis, but i think Danny did a great job !

Slumdog millionarire's got the lot, punch and pizzazz: a strong, clear, instantly graspable storyline and fabulous cinematography. It's definitely got that quirky-underdog twinkle and the awards are well deserved. How he managed to film a movie in the slums and in the street without a million onlookers is quite simply a feat in itself, and the other thing you don't get to see from the movie, is how flippin hot it is, noisy, or crowded...

If you haven't seen it yet, here's the rundown : The movie is about the Indian version of the hit TV show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Its the story of Jamal Malik, a former Mumbai street-kid who has a job making tea at a call centre. He astonishes all of India by entering the show as a contestant and triumphantly getting question after question right. Is he a fraud or is something weird going on? His amazing winning streak means he has to come back the next evening for the final big-money question. But overnight he is interrogated by Mumbai police (and they're not fluffy people) convinced he is a cheat. They take him through each of the questions he got right, and Jamal's life story unfolds in flashback as hereveals that each question, has a special significance.

The movie, differs from the book, which i really enjoyed, but i guess that at 2hrs, they just couldn't fit any more in. Its a brilliant feelgood movie, of indomitable spirit overcoming and of course - getting the beautiful girl !

Give yourself a treat and suspend your cares for a couple of hours - You'll be glad you did ..!

Elsie Belle - We're loving it ....

Elsie belle, is a cute but edgy jewellery range we've found, that creates a unique look, by using a mixture of vintage, modern and repro components.

It's loved by fashionisatas and has a celeb following including, Duffy, Holly Willoughby, Jenny Frost and toe tappin Rachel Stevens

We love it, because its just a bit different, and who wants to look like everyone else ? Our favourite? Well, its a tough call between the cutesy Deery me necklace or the big love in the mail necklace, which has had loads of press

Breaking news ........The top selling mail me a letter necklace is back in stock now, in medium or large and silver or gold.... finally !

See you soon, enjoy the sunshine...

Nene Valley living - Features Reba's Spring bright colours

Nene Valley living featured some of Reba's lovely Spring bright jewellery in their zingy Spring fashion trend this month.

The colours for the Spring are bright and cheery and we've got some fabulous jewellery to match, or accessorise any outfit. With sunshine over Peterborough and the emergence of daffodils and Spring lambs, who wants to be encased in muted colours any more?

So bring on long lazy summer days, beer gardens and flip flops - we can't wait !

Backwards in High Heels - the impossible art of being a woman !

I love this book! It's one of those rare books that you want to earmark, scribble in and rush out and buy for all your girlfriends, its absolutely fabulous !

Its title comes from the old saying, that Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, only backwards and in high heels ! Its a book for everywoman struggling to make sense of the contradictory demands of living in the 21st century, and it tells it exactly how it is.

Within its pages is everything an intelligent woman might want to know about the nuances of every conceivable topic: big subjects, such as love, motherhood, feminism, politics, grief, ageing, as well as the “shallower” stuff. Except, in this book, as in most women's heads, and their lives, the demarcation between the deep and the shallow is so slight that its barely noticeable.

What the authors show is exactly what it is like being female in 2009. They have reinvented this genre and made it properly grown-up. They're playful, they swear and make jokes, but they mean every word and best of all, there isn't a patronising sentence in the book.

It assumes that its readers will be adult women who are au fait with life's complexities, know how to live and how to think, but would like a little reinforcement every now and then. Or a little shaking out of worn mental grooves.

Here's what the Times critic said about this book "intensely charming, like a clever, fascinating woman in an impeccable little black dress at a dinner party where every other woman is flashing her fake tits and batting her eyelashes. Backwards in High Heels tells it how it is, and you occasionally get the sense that the wise information contained within its pages has been hard-won"

We don't sell this book in Reba, so its not an advert, its more of an extollation, buy this for your mum, your sister, your best friend or your cousin - It really is all that it promises on the cover and she will thank you for it !