Retail therapy

Aug 5 2008 by Hannah Davies, The Journal

BALSAMICO Rich Balsamic Glaze comes in seven delicious flavours – Fig, Cherry, Original, Garlic, Vanilla, Chilli and White Balsamico. It's made using grape juice from Lambrusco and Trebbiano grapes from Modena, the home of balsamic vinegar in Italy. The grape juice is reduced, fermented and carefully blended with traditional, well-aged balsamic vinegar to make a light, zesty and fat-free glaze that you can drizzle over summer salads or use in barbecue marinades. They're £2.99 each from Imaginative Cuisine and you can find them at Sainsbury's (Original), Asda (Original, Garlic) and Harvey Nichols (all flavours) or at www.imaginativecuisine.com.

HAVEN’T heard of Kangaroo Poo? You have now! The cult Australian surfwear brand has linked up with the Teenage Cancer Trust to produce this funky Board Angels T-shirt. It's a wannabe surfer's dream and costs just £5.99 from www.mandmdirect.com (call 08716 641 333 for other stockists). For every Kangaroo Poo garment sold in the UK through the website, mandmdirect.com will make a donation to the charity, which is devoted to improving the lives of young people with cancer.

BLACK Orchid Voile de Fleur is the fragrance to wear if you're heading out on a date to see new Batman film The Dark Knight. It's a classic floral with a touch of dark glamour – light, floral notes are surrounded by a blend of black truffle, ylang, fresh bergamot, lotus wood and decadent noir gourmand. Even Batman would find this perfume, seductively packaged in a jet-black 1920s-style flacon, hard to resist. Tom Ford's Black Orchid Voile De Fleur, from £29, is available from selected House of Fraser stores, Selfridges and Harvey Nichols nationwide (call 08700 342 566 for stockists).

TICK tock, tick tock - brighten up a kitchen with this generously sized wall clock. It's hand painted in bold, colourful numbers and perfect for busy households. Polka Dot Clock, £39.95, by Emma Bridgewater (020 7371 5489 or www.emmabridgewater.co.uk).

THE Olympic Games start within days, but there's still time to invest in a new flatscreen TV. M&S Technology have just launched this ruby-red 19-inch flat panel, which promises the sharpest images and high quality sound. Let's hope Team GB brings back gold from Beijing. S51 Flatscreen 19-inch HD Ready LCD TV with built-in DVD player, £319, from Marks & Spencer (0845 603 1603 or www.marksandspencer.com).