Monthly Archives: July 2011

Frost Wine Reviews: Kumala Zenith Rosé

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Kumala Zenith Rosé is a vibrant pink rosé. It is clean and fruity. Rosé is always a good bet for parties, you never know if people will like red or white. It is better to buy a Rosé as if it is slightly off, it is not as bad as a harsh red or a stale, acid white. The sweetness will mask anything gone wrong. I love Rosé, although some people can find certain brands too sweet.

I did not find the Zenith Rosé too sweet, it is a clean, fruity wine that has a lot of strawberry, perfect for summer. It has an average, and good, alcohol content of 12%. It is a South African wine made from red grapes. A small amount of French oak is fermented with the wine to give it’s strawberry flavour and the creamy aroma.

With lovely aromas of strawberry, this fruity wine is great for those looking to treat their taste buds alongside a delicious summer salad

Morrisons and JS RRP £8.99

Kate Middleton and Prince William Heckled by Protesters in Canada.

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The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are going to St Lawrence River on the third night of their tour of Canada.

The royal couple are going up river on board HMCS Montreal, a City Class Frigate of the Canadian Navy.
They will be surrounded by a crew of 225 for the 11 hour journey to Quebec. Although they have been given the most comfortable quarters, it seems incredibly unromantic for the newlyweds.

The couple will arrive in Quebec at 2pm BST and have been briefed about possible protesters and republicans.

The Quebec Resistance Network, which wants the province to become independent, have threatened to disrupt the visit where the couple will be given the freedom of the city. Previous royal visits have fared no better, being marred by violence between demonstrators and riot police. The Queen has not returned to Quebec City since protesters turned their backs on her and booed in 1964.

This comes after the Duke and Duchess facing their first organised protests against their visit to Canada on their arrival in Montreal on Saturday night.

Demonstrators had placards calling the couple “parasites” as they arrived at the world renowned Sainte-Justine university hospital. There were also lots of supporters to cheer the couple on. One of the main protesters, Guillaume Martin, told reporters: “We think the monarchy is something from the middle ages and we don’t want to pay for the trip.”

The Canadian government will be paying the £950,000 to host the couple, this amounts to only a few cents a head for the country’s population. The couple ignored the protesters and spent more than an hour chatting to child cancer patients inside the hospital.

Prince William welcomed the Canadians with; “Bonne fête, Canada, happy birthday,” in his speech.

Catherine Middleton had never been to Canada before, or America, which is also part of their tour.

Djokovic Wins First Wimbledon Title

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Novak Djokovic won his first Wimbledon championship in a thrilling 4 set match against former champion Rafael Nadal.

On a packed centre court Djokovic won the match, 6-4 6-1 1-6 6-3. His win ended a twenty match winning streak for Nadal at Wimbledon.

Djokovic surprisingly dominated the first two sets, winning them 6-4 6-1. He played phenomenal tennis. Fans and pundits were left stunned at his early dominance over Nadal, often cited as one of the greatest players ever.

But those who then wrote Nadal off, did so far too quickly. The third set saw a complete reverse. Djokovic’s level dropped and Nadal capitalised, winning the set easily 6-1.

At this stage many thought Nadal might go on to win the match. Nadal had an early opportunity in the fourth set to break Djokovic but he failed to take advantage. With that Nadal’s momentum was lost and Djokovic managed to sneak a break.  All of a sudden he found himself serving for the match. He managed to hold his nerve in a tricky final game.

This was the first time Djokovic has won Wimbledon; his previous best effort was the semi-finals. Nadal was typically sporting after his defeat and promised to be back next year. Djokovic was unsurprisingly overjoyed with his win.

 

The Inept Girl's Guide To Cooking: Scotch Broth Soup

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Some cliche’s last because they are true, and the only Scottish cliches that I have found true (We’re not cheap!) are that we eat Scotch broth and porridge. I practically grew up on the stuff. If you get a big pot and make this soup, not only is it economical, it also lasts for days, even for a big family. It is also incredibly healthy. It is also so easy that I can do without trouble or injury. This is my family recipe….

You will need:
butterbeans (packet)
peas (packet)
Lentils (packet)
Broth Mix (packet)
Ham stock cubes (hard to find in West London, where I live, can also choose a vegetarian one)
Carrots 3 large at least
Leek

Steep the butterbean, peas and broth mix overnight, rinse in the morning, and then add stock cube once the water is hot.

Grate carrots and dice leek and then add lentils. Stir occasionally and keep an eye on it. Ideally I think it tastes better after being cooked for about 9 hours, get it ready about 9 in the morning and it usually ready about 6. It tastes even better the next day. you will need a good size pot.

And there you go! A healthy, filling meal for all the family that will last for a few days.

Chris Evans – 'Brutal' Pecs Appeal For ‘Captain America’

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The actor had to bulk up to take on the role of the titular superhero in ‘Captain America: The First Avenger’ and although Chris usually loves exercise, the punishing regime was tough on his body and especially his pectoral muscles.

He said: “I don’t think my body is supposed to be as big as it got for Captain America. There was a strain on some joints. After a month and a half of training I found my right shoulder would click and my left pec would hurt. It was an ever-evolving workout, in which we always found ways to work around the parts of me that were sore. There are certain things that hurt more than others. But that seems to be pretty universal. Every guy I know has some sort of freak injury in their body.

“I’m a big fan of working out on my own. I put my headphones on and I’m pretty good at self- motivating. At the end of the day, I enjoy it. Once I’m there and once I get going, I tend to love it, and I feel good. If I don’t work out for a couple of days I feel lousy.”

Although he was happy with the results, Chris won’t be rushing to bulk up quite so much again, admitting the daily workouts were “brutal”.

He explained to Men’s Health magazine: ““It was gruelling, it was brutal and I’d find any excuse possible not to go. But I had to do it. I wasn’t trying to lose or tone – I was just looking to gain. The rule of thumb was: if you’re not eating, go get something.”

The full interview appears in the August issue of Men’s Health magazine, on sale Monday July 4.

Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul Spend Night In Haunted Hotel

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The ‘X Factor’ judges checked into The Stoneleigh Hotel & Spa in Dallas but they had no idea about its reputation and while fellow judge L.A. Reid checked out almost as soon as he arrived, Simon and Paula stuck it out a little longer.

A source told Us Weekly magazine: “L.A. didn’t even know the story of the ghosts; he just couldn’t be inside the hotel. He was first to check in and left before the others arrived, saying it had a ‘weird feeling about it.’ Everyone joked he was being a diva, but when they heard about the hotel really being haunted they just thought he was smart!”

While Paula – who reportedly experienced her bathroom’s taps being turned on and off on their own – was left scared by the experience, sources say Simon enjoyed the spooky goings on.

The source added: “All the other judges were freaked out and insisted on changing hotels or rooms, but Simon was quite happy with the ghosts. He was fascinated by them. It wouldn’t surprise anyone if he insists on staying in only haunted hotels in future!”

Cheryl Cole celebrates 28th birthday

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Cheryl Cole celebrated her 28th birthday at London’s Sanderson Hotel last night.

The former ‘X Factor’ star partied with friends including Nicola Roberts, Kimberley Walsh and Black Eyed Peas singer will.i.am, Cheryl is trying to get over her shock sacking from the US version of the show.

A friend told The Sun newspaper: ‘Her moping about ‘The X Factor’ is over. She’s determined to jumpstart her career. She still has America in her sights.’

Cheryl wore Stella McCartney white dress for the occasion.

Ex-husband Ashley did not make an appearance despite rumour’s the couple are back together.

Cheryl has only been seen in public twice since she was replaced by Nicole Scherzinger on ‘The X Factor’, the other time at the US embassy in London earlier this week – she wanted to let her fans know she was doing fine.

She wrote on her website: ‘I have had the time that I have not had in so long to just chill with my loved ones and do the normal things that I like to do. See my friends and family and be with my doggys. It feels long overdue and sooooo good, even my feet are happy to not have to wear a pair of high heels hehe.

‘It also breaks my heart a little when i hear that some of you worry about me and need to know that I am ok, so I want to PROMISE you that I am absolutely fine and more than OK! (sic)’

Motherhood has given Alicia Keys a “reason in life”.

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The ‘Empire State of Mind’ hitmaker – who has an eight-month-old son, Egypt, with husband Swizz Beatz – says becoming a mum has changed her life in a “fun” way.

She explained: “Motherhood is heaven. It’s so purposeful and such fun. I feel much wiser in the choices I make. I have a reason in life I never had before.”

Alicia’s new outlook on life is a far cry from when the 30-year-old singer first found success and she admitted her fame was “scary” to begin with.

She told the Daily Mail newspaper: “I suddenly found myself doing tours, TV shows and flying every day.

“Everyone wanted a piece of me and that was scary. Being from New York, I covered that up.”

Now with a successful career and a happy personal life, Alicia is looking to the future and first on the agenda is a collaboration with Kings of Leon.

She said: “For a while I’ve wanted to do something with Kings of Leon. I definitely want to do it – I’m just waiting for the right moment.”