In this week's round up of utterly inessential items to amaze and beguile, Alexandra Fraser takes a look at a solid chocolate ice cream cone, the world's most expensive (probably) ice bucket and the ultimate solution to losing your passport in the airport.
Scrub-a-dub-dub takes on a new meaning
When it comes to hand scrubs, you have to believe the hype. They leave you with baby soft skin and this particular one smells incredible. Is it necessary? No. But neither are office dogs and I have it on good authority that our Features Editor’s black labrador is the highlight of people’s (my) week.
Bergamot & Blood Orange hand scrub, from £15, Tam Mason, www.tammason.co.uk
Because it’s the worst thing you could ever lose in the airport
You need it, your mother needs it, my mother needs it and so on. Hadoro Paris have created a passport cover with a built-in Bluetooth tracker, enabling you to use your phone to find your passport. Now if only I could find my phone…
Passport cover from around £225 from Hadoro Paris, www.hadoro.com
Because people that rich don’t know where their fridges are
There’s not much to say about a £7,000 ice bucket… bottoms (and stocks) up, I guess.
Sterling-silver ice bucket, £7,000 from Theo Fennell, www.theofennell.com
Nigel the owl strikes again
This wonderful notebook celebrates Ettinger’s 85 years of producing beautiful leather goods. Only 85 of these lovely notebooks have been produced, featuring illustrations of the idiosyncratic Nigel the Owl. The paper books inside are crafted by Royal Warrant-holding Barnard & Westwood and 15% of the proceeds will go to the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust.
Chestnut Ettinger X Rory Dobner notebook, £265 from www.ettinger.co.uk
A new take on ‘chocolate ice cream’
Mr Whippy got down on his knees and thanked the geniuses at Choc on Choc when they created this fine example of confectionary. Layers of milk and white chocolate and pieces of fudge abound and (the best news yet) it’s solid.
Please form an orderly queue.
Chocolate Ice Creams, £18 for a set of two from Choc on Choc, www.choconchoc.co.uk
Do these still work
If you have a pool, you simply need a proper parasol under which to drink cocktails and laugh candidly without a care in the world.
Etta parasol (2m/6½ft), £399 from East London Parasol Company, www.eastlondonparasols.com
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
The utterly inessential Glyndebourne shopping list: A rug, a picnic basket and a £26,000 bangle…
We've rounded up all the utterly inessential products that you absolutely do not need (top hats for Ascot aside) to
The Utterly Inessential Wimbledon Shopping List
We've rounded up all the utterly inessential products — posh tennis gear, in other words — that you absolutely do not need
The utterly royal shopping list, from beautiful winter flowers to hand-made suits that defy disposable culture
For one week only we've transformed our regular utterly inessential shopping list into an utterly royal shopping list, to coincide
The Utterly Inessential Wedding Shopping List: From beautiful bouquets to romantic getaways
As the excitement of last night begins to fade into memory, we hold dear in our hearts those who are
The Utterly Inessential Polo Shopping List: Everything you’ll need for The Hurlingham Polo International Day and beyond
Looking ahead to this Saturday, Alexandra Fraser rounds up all of the Utterly Inessential items you may desire to attend
The Utterly Inessential Easter List: Bunny headphones, a terrific toothbrush and eggs, from scotch to cheese to (of course) chocolate
What ho! It's time for our regularly scheduled decadence to receive its regularly scheduled seasonal edit. This week we're considering
The Utterly Inessential Ascot Shopping List: How to safely navigate one of British society’s most draconian dress codes
We've rounded up all the utterly inessential products that you absolutely do not need (top hats for Ascot aside) to
The Utterly Inessential Chelsea Shopping List: What you’ll need for the famed Flower Show, from chic sunglasses to an obligatory brolly
We've rounded up all the utterly inessential products that you absolutely do not need (top hats for Ascot aside) to
The utterly inessential shopping list: A gold Ferrari, your very own private island and a stunning timepiece to watch
Forget about the big things. You can keep the necessities. Don't tell us about the must-haves. Alexandra Fraser takes a
