As the vibrant hues of spring begin to awaken nature from its winter slumber, so too does the season beckon us to indulge in its bountiful delights. In this enchanting time of renewal, our senses are tantalised by the freshest flavours, the most invigorating libations, and the promise of embracing a lifestyle that celebrates the spirit of rejuvenation. Welcome to 7* Life’s exclusive guide, where we invite you to immerse yourself in a symphony of tantalising food and beverages, and exquisite lifestyle experiences that embody the essence of spring’s awakening. Join us on a journey through the season’s finest offerings, where each bite, sip and moment savoured is a testament to the splendour of springtime luxury.
Mother’s Day
Flowers and chocolates are great, but also rather generic, so why not really treat mum this Mother’s Day to one of Lonely Planet’s fabulous new guidebooks for 2024. The Travel Hack Handbook is a practical, inspiring and handy paperback guide for savvy globetrotters, providing tips and tricks to adventure at the fraction of the cost. Lonely Planet’s Best Beaches is a beautiful, hardback coffee table book revealing 100 of the most incredible beaches in the world, from dazzling coves with sprawling coastlines to mystical shores with bright blue waters. Amazing Train Journeys features 60 of the world’s most unforgettable railway experiences, and is a beautifully illustrated and inspiring guide to slow and more sustainable travel. And Stargazing Around the World showcases 100 spectacular sites, including dark sky parks, observatories and wild mountains with essential travel tips so you can have the ultimate starry-eyed trip. These are a brilliant gift for the mother figure in your life, and will inspire them to book their next unforgettable trip.
Easter
For many of us, spring signifies Easter and with that comes the promise of Easter eggs of course. But, who says kids get to have all the fun? Multi award-winning, Dorset-based, independent, artisan chocolatier Chococo presents its range of lovingly handcrafted Easter eggs and bunnies for 2024. The range is handcrafted in Dorset by a principled bunch of chocolate lovers, led by founders Claire and Andy Burnet, all passionate about creating truly delicious chocolates which both taste good and do good. Our pick of the tasty bunch is the Milk Chocolate Honeycombe studded Easter Eggs (Large £32/400g, Medium £15/175g). A Chococo classic, these ever-popular Honeycombe-studded Easter eggs are available in both a 400g and 175g size. Each is crafted with Chococo’s signature 47% Colombia origin milk chocolate and giant chunks of crunchy honeycombe, handcrafted by the Chococo team with local Dorset honey from Field Honey Farms based in Swanage, studded inside. Each of these handcrafted eggs is hand-decorated with abstract splashes of natural yellow colour for a striking finish.
Easter Bunnies
Spring symbolises a time of new beginnings and for more than one of us in the 7* Life team, these new beginnings are spring babies. For the perfect coming home collection, this beautiful range of timeless quality newborn clothing is designed to nurture your little one. A curated collection of pieces that sit effortlessly together for easy day-to-day dressing, with attention to detail and considered features that make this clothing easy for parents to use and care for. ‘Welcome to the World’ brings together gentle materials with relaxed fits, in comfortable easy clothing for baby during their first weeks in the world. From the ‘Hello World’ Hat & Mitts 2-piece set to the ‘Welcome To The World’ Seedling Muslin Blanket, these are essential must-haves for all new parents this year. Our favourite from the collection is the super soft Embroidered Teddy Bear Romper!
Bank Holidays
As well as the Easter bank holiday weekend, spring also offers the two May bank holidays as well. So, what better way to celebrate the three- and four-day weekends than with some fizz! If you’re not drinking, then you can still raise a glass with Nozeco – the UK’s number 1 zero-alcohol option with subtle floral notes with hints of citrus fruit, apple and elderflower. Fine bubbles give it good structure and finish. This award-winning option is also vegan and a large glass is only around 70 calories. Pair this with Pasta al Limone, Fish and Chips, or a Lemon Tart this spring and thank us later.
Louis Couturier Crémant de Bordeaux
For those who are drinking over the upcoming spring bank holidays, we recommend the Louis Couturier Crémant de Bordeaux. This is a deliciously fresh, award-winning Crémant from the Bordeaux region of France, made the same way as Champagne but using the local grapes of the region. Full of peach and nectarine flavours and a subtle hint of toasty brioche, it pairs beautifully with Oysters, Quiche Lorraine, and a Cheese Board.
Fever Tree Summer Garden Tonic – Limited Edition
Offering a fresh twist on the classic G&T, this new, limited edition Summer Garden Tonic from Fever Tree features green apple, cucumber and bright botanicals. Enjoy it with a classic dry gin or on its own as an alcohol-free tipple. The unique label by British Artist Grace Helmer encapsulates the essence of a blooming summer garden. This is perfect for the upcoming three-day weekends and the first hints of summer sun in the comfort of your garden. Available at Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Tesco, and Asda.
Sunshine
Of course we’re all praying for sunshine come spring and with the sun, what better way to keep refreshed than with OTC Beverages? This is an organic, healthy, Caribbean inspired soft drink, extracted with water into a juice from natural raw ingredients. The tasty rang includes the premium Gingerbeer with a lovely little kick, the naturally refreshing Sorrel, and the uniquely satisfying Butterfly Pea Flower & Lime (all available in still or sparkling). These drinks are insanely delicious and all made from organic ingredients. Gorgeous on their own or used as mixers for cocktail concoctions, bring some Caribbean vibes into your life this spring with this must-try range.
Sauce Shop is an award-winning brand known for its artisanal sauces crafted with the finest ingredients. Founded in the Nottingham home kitchen of Pam and James Digva in 2014, Sauce Shop® has gone on to take the condiment market by storm. The brand has been recognised for its real ingredients and stand out flavour, winning over 35 Great Taste Awards! Having cornered off the sauce aisles nationally in supermarkets such as Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Asda and Booths, as well as independent retailers across the country, these guys have now featured on TV programmes such as Food Unwrapped, Ainsley’s Good Mood Food and Gordon Ramsay’s Future Food Stars. The headliner is the Buffalo Hot Sauce, which has proudly been awarded a 3-star Great Taste Award in the 2023 judging, one of only 248 entries globally awarded 3 stars. This is perfect with chicken wings when you start firing up those first BBQs of the year. Make sure you try the Honey Chipotle BBQ Sauce as well, a 2-star Great Taste Award winner, this is amazing with burgers lending your patty a lovely sweet and smoky jalapeño flavour.
