The Utterly Inessential Shopping List: A chocolate subscription, Highgrove's sugar bowl and an in-home bowling alley

Forget about the big things. You can keep the necessities. Don't tell us about the must-haves. Alexandra Fraser takes a look at a few little luxuries which, in a world too full of strife and woe, will help ease your way through life with a smile on your face.

The Bath House
(Image credit: Platform Property)

Burgers and spice and everything nice

Rooted Spices TRIO BBQ

Although the weather is shocking today, tomorrow and Saturday, hope is on the horizon for a sunny Sunday and a bloody good BBQ.

It may be easier to wack sausages and chops straight out of a packet and onto a grill, but a little Turkish Aleppo Pepper, Shichimi Togarashi and Turkish Sumac are sure to add a bi of bang to your barby.

BBQ Trio from Rooted Spices, £13.50, www.rootedspices.com


Just a spoonful of royal flare

No, you don't need a Highgrove sugar bowl. But don't you want one?

Royal Gardens sugar bowl, £14.95, Highgrove Royal Gardens, www.highgrovegardens.com


For the real feel, get it three sizes too big

Tielle Love Luxury Velour Bath Robe_308969232_414059191

There's just something about a hotel-style bathrobe that says 'I'm going to sit on my bed clad in white towelling fabric for three hours watching TV and miss my dinner reservation', something which just happens to be one my of favourite activities in the entire world.

Hotel velour robe, £65, Tielle, www.tielleloveluxury.co.uk


Cheese, Chocolate and Country Life: The Wonderful World of Subscriptions

(Image credit: Charlotte Flower)

The future truly is having things delivered to your door to minimise human interaction throughout the day. For three months, you could be the lucky recipient of nine chocolates filled with seasonally-flavoured ganache – bon appetite.

Three-month chocolate-box subscription: Seasonal flavours, £38, Charlotte Flower Chocolates, www.charlotteflowerchocolates.com


Time for wine

Le Grand Ballon Sauvignon Blanc

(Image credit: Waitrose Cellar)

According to our wine expert Harry Eyres, 'Once upon a time, Sauvignon from the Loire had to be Sancerre or Pouilly-Fumé.' This is no longer the case.

Le Grand Ballon Sauvignon Blanc Val de Loire 2018, from an estate on the Cher near Chenonceaux, has 'attractive, blackcurranty ripeness and satisfying texture, as well as crispness.'

Le Grand Ballon Sauvignon Blanc Val de Loire 2018, £8.99; www.waitrosecellar.com


Bring the carnival to your home

The Bath House

(Image credit: Platform Property)

No one needs a home with its own bowling alley, cinema room and cross bedroom motif, but someone is going to get one.

The Bath House is on the market with Platform Property via OnTheMarket.com for £1.5 million. For more more information and images, read the full story


Bacchus

Credit: Picasa

The Utterly Inessential Marathon Shopping List: The ulitmate survival kit, headphones to drown out the pain and a marathon where one can run with wine

This week on Utterly Inessential, we admire those who take part in one of the world's biggest fundraising events as

Glyndebourne

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(Image credit: Leo Acker/Country Life Picture L)

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Credit: Foyle Fireworks

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Catherine Fitzgerald

Credit: Catherine Fitzgerald

The Utterly Inessential Shopping List: Boat Race boots, beautiful benches and better-late-than-never bouquets

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1977 Ferrari 512 BB

Credit: TIM SCOTT

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PAUL masterclass tart

Credit: Giles Christopher

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Alexandra Fraser
Ally is a writer, editor and social media superstar who has worked for the Royal Horticultural Society and British Rowing, but she kicked off her career at Country Life after graduating from University College London with a degree in Classics. In recent years she's split her time between Winchester and London, all while raising a cocker spaniel called Wilf. For questions, recommendations or to pass on dog training tips, find her at alexandralilyfraser@gmail.com.