Monthly Archives: August 2011

Sophie Michell and Ocado: Tweet Yourself Thin – Summer Recipes

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Sophie Michell will be doing recipes every day for Frost. Perfect if you have to fit into a bikini or some swimming shorts soon. Yum!

MONDAY

Bircher Muesli with Almonds and Agave Syrup
Serves 4

Prep time 10 minutes, plus overnight soaking

Ingredients

200g rolled oats
400ml apple juice
100g natural yoghurt
1 green apple
1 tbsp Agave syrup
Handful of almonds (that have been soaked overnight in water, as well then washed clean)
Handful of raspberries
1. Mix the oats and the apple juice together, then cover in clingfilm and leave overnight.

2. When you are ready to eat it, coarsely grate the apple and mix in along with the yoghurt. Add more apple juice at this point if you want the mix looser.

3. Then spoon into individual serving bowls and top with the raspberries, almonds and a little drizzle of agave syrup.

I soaked the almonds overnight to neutralise the enzyme inhibitors. This makes the nuts easier to digest and the nutrients easier to absorb.

Char-grilled Halloumi, Aubergine and Courgettes with Tomato Vinaigrette

Serves 4

Prep time 10 minutes
Cooking time 15 minutes

Ingredients

250g halloumi
2 courgettes
2 medium aubergines
2 tbsp olive oil
Dressing;
2 ripe plum tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
75ml extra virgin olive oil
25ml white balsamic
1 pinch of caster sugar
1 tsbp of chopped fresh mint

1. Slice the halloumi, aubergine and courgettes into ½ cm slices. Then switch the oven on at 180C. Heat up a large frying pan and add some of the oil (approx a tbsp full) and then season the aubergine and courgettes. When the oil is very hot, fry the aubergine and courgettes off, until golden brown in batches, make sure the aubergine in particular are cooked well. Then take out of the oil and place on a baking tray in the oven while you cook the rest.

2. While the veggies are cooking, make the dressing. To do this, add the garlic, tomatoes, olive oil, vinegar, mint, sugar and seasoning to a blender and blitz until quite smooth, but with a little texture.

3. Then heat up a griddle pan and oil the halloumi on both sides. When the pan is smoking hot, lay the halloumi slices on the griddle and cook for 3 minutes each side. Then plate the courgettes,
aubergine and halloumi on to 4 plates and drizzle with the dressing.

Parmesan, Paprika and Cornmeal Chicken escalopes with French Bean, Avocado and Cherry Tomato Salad
Serves 4

Prep time 30 minutes
Cooking time 15 minutes

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts (approx 180g per breast)
250g fine cornmeal or semolina
50g finely grated parmesan
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp celery salt
1 tsp dried oregano
2 eggs
20ml milk
100g flour
Salad;
300g trimmed French beans
250g cherry tomatoes
4 spring onions
1 hass avocado
1 clove of garlic, minced
Small handful of de-stalked fresh coriander
1 juicy lime
1 tsbp olive oil
Sea salt and pepper

1. Take the chicken breasts and cut in half width ways. Then take two large bowls. Mix the egg and milk in one bowl and the cornmeal, parmesan, paprika, celery salt and oregano in the second one.

2. Dredge the chicken through the egg wash, dropping off any excess and then through the cornmeal, patting the extra on to the chicken. Than place them on a plate and repeat with all the
pieces of chicken. Preheat the oven to 180C.

3. Place a saucepan of water on to boil, when boiling rapidly add the French beans and cook for 4 minutes, then drain off and refresh under cold water. Pat dry, then adds to a large bowl. Halve the
cherry tomatoes and add to the same bowl, along with sliced spring onions, and the peeled and diced avocado. Then add the minced garlic, whole coriander leaves, squeeze in the lime and season.
Trim the little gem lettuce and break into its natural leaves and arrange on a platter, arrange the French bean salad in the middle.

4. Heat up about 2 tsbp of olive oil in a large frying pan and then fry the chicken breasts off in batches, for about 4 minutes each side or until crisp and golden. When done, pop in the oven for 5
minutes, and then serve.

I often serve this with sweet potato wedges and chilli cornbread for a more substantial meal.

‘Tweet Yourself Thin’ with @sophiemichell for @ocadoUK

Glasgow-Based UK SEO Agency Expands Into USA

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In the midst of all the doom and gloom during the current economic downturn, it’s unusual to hear about a local company going against the grain. Micrositez are a Glasgow-based Digital Marketing Agency specialising in SEO, Web Design, Link Building and PPC and were established in 2004.

In the UK, the award-winning SEO company is based in Glasgow’s Digital Media Quarter in The Hub complex (opposite BBC Scotland) with a London regional office at One Canada Square in Canary Wharf. The ambitious team at Micrositez currently manage SEO, Pay Per Click and Website Design Campaigns for a growing portfolio of UK based big brand names, mid-sized and start-up companies.

In early 2011, Micrositez decided to expand into the US market where they had already won clients in recent years from both Glasgow and London, creating 40 new jobs. “Expansion into the USA allows us to better service our current US clients and actually having a state of the art office space in the heart of Orlando’s Hi-Tech Corridor will allow us to scale up our new US client wins,” says Micrositez CEO Scot Crone.

While most small businesses which are being hit hard by the current economic conditions are laying off staff and or closing branches (or at least maintaining a safer holding pattern), Micrositez seem determined to blaze their own trail. In the emerging Digital Marketing Agency space Micrositez have emerged in recent years as one of the key players in Search Engine Optimisation (SEO UK) and are one of those businesses worth keeping an eye on.

For more information on Search Engine Optimization contact Chief Commercial Officer Gareth Cunningham on 0141 419 9952 or email: gareth.cunningham@micrositez.co.uk

Wendy's Baby Diary: 18 Weeks – I Nearly Gave Up David Tennant

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Babies come with sacrifices – social, financial, habitual – and I’ve got used to giving up / reducing alcohol, caffeine & sleep amongst others. But this week called for the sacrifice of Much Ado About Nothing tickets, starring David Tennant and Catherine Tate, as it was becoming a logistical and babysitting nightmare.

I’m happy to report it all worked out at the last minute, and we had our first evening out without Dillon in the four months since he was born. Great show too.

What the baby has been doing this week
If I place Dillon on his back, he will usually roll onto his front, then holds his head and bottom in the air and proudly rocks in that place – his knees push forwards but he hasn’t worked out what to do with his hands. Eventually he cries in frustration and I change his position.

Teething – Dillon started to teeth a couple of weeks ago. Symptoms are lots of saliva, pushing his fists in his mouth, trying to bite down on any passing piece of fabric or toy and the ubiquitous crying. I’ve had some good advice from a friend who recommended Calpol and a gum gel which relieves soreness. We got Dentinox, but there are other brands. We have teething rings for him which also work. Apparently babies can start to feel their teeth coming through up to two months before they appear, and will continue to teeth up to 2 ½ years old.

Goods
Dillon was given a great toy from M&S called My First Magic Mirror Laptop which plays songs at the touch of a button. It’s marketed for one-year-olds but Dillon likes the music, lights and mirror and bashes away at the buttons indiscriminately with his fist and usually manages to press something. I’m sure the batteries will wear out soon.

Pushchair – if you are choosing a pram this one item will take a lot of thought, as well as being one of the most expensive purchases. We settled on a Quinny Buzz travel system which has a three wheel base and is compatible with a car seat, a cot and a chair. It suits our lifestyle, which includes lots of trips in the car and outdoor walks with the dog. Its downsides are size (width) and weight (quite heavy) but then so is the car seat.

Pets
We have a five-year-old chocolate Labrador and we had concerns about how the dog would get on with the baby. The dog is quite boisterous and strong, although he is good with other people’s children. It has been a gradual integration helped by separating parts of the house with baby gates and the dog instructed to keep away from toys, mats and chairs which belong to the baby. However, this did not stop the brand new Bumbo chair from being chewed (wrecked). We are now onto a second Bumbo, which is kept out of the dog’s reach.

Exhaustion
Earlier on this week, I was feeling really drained and didn’t make it out of the house to see a friend as arranged. I’m feeling rejuvenated after my evening to see Shakespeare in the West End and weekends are always better as my husband is around to help. I’m not sure what advice to give, as I think I need it myself. But babies are more work than I appreciated and when I’m struggling I need to ask for help. I think I have a good support network and it’s a case of dismissing feelings of pride and inadequacy, and being honest. I’m sure lots of mums have times when you feel like you’re not coping.

Until next time – I get by with a little help from my friends.

© Wendy Thomson
Wendy Thomson is the editor of http://www.femalearts.com an online publication which promotes women in the arts and in business.

Prose & Cons: A Melancholic Comedy

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After the success of Bridesmaids, a new wave of films with strong female characters are hitting cinema screens. Prose & Cons is a black, melancholic comedy set in the world of artistic frustration and writers block.

Sarah [Played by Catherine Balavage] is one of the new waves of poets. Her book sold millions of copies, but now she hasn’t written anything for over 160 days, and her publisher is getting restless. After an ultimatum from her publisher, and a horrendous poetry reading that went viral on twitter and YouTube, Sarah becomes increasingly desperate for new material. Her actions have far-reaching consequences that will change the lives of all of those around her.

Directed by Richard Wright and produced and written by Richard and Catherine; Prose & Cons is a film about writer’s block, consequences, friends and the resilience of typewriters.

Follow the film on Twitter here: @undersadtears

Here is the directors production diary: http://undersadtears.wordpress.com/

You can keep up to date on Prose & Cons IMDB Page

And more info on Catherine here: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2952107/

Released 28th November 2011.

This Month's Magazines; Jennifer Lopez Believes in Love, 9/11 Anniversary.

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Note: Magazines come out a month in advance. September’s magazines are Augusts.

The September issue of Vogue is out and the advertisers have made the issue heavy enough to use as a dumbbell. No complaints from me.

It is the International Collections special and there are lots of clothes to fawn over, Labels and trends to be urban cool, and accessories that make a difference in Vogue’s Big Fashion Issue.

There is a brilliant article on the history of Gucci, Paloma Picasso revisits Venice and talks about her journey to becoming a jewellery designer, Dries Van Noten gives a guide to his Antwerp, up-coming actress, producer and writer Brit Marling is interviewed (Frost loves her), Rifat Ozbek is doing Robin Birley’s new club, Ruperts; Good two page article.

Olivia Wilde talks Haiti and Childhood, there are a lot of autumn clothes that all look too hot, it’s 30c in London at the moment!, Miss V has her excellent social diary, there is a 9 page spread on the turbulent life of John Galliano, Tom Ford on his new cosmetic line and an article on the new David Bailey film. I noticed afterward that in the shops you get a free fashion DVD. However, I did not get this as a subscriber. Bad form.

Emily Mortimer is on the cover of this month’s Tatler and there is an interview inside.

There is a free gift but not for subscribers, grr.

There is a moving tribute to Tatler senior editor John Graham, Princess Tatiana of Greece and Denmark, A guide to nightclubs, An article on what it is like to stay on Abramovich’s yacht and the Royal Family residences, who sits where at White’s, Secret Cinema, Kate Middleton joins Competitive Princessing, Sir Michael Sorrell, What to wear: looking posh on less dosh, Legendary Lotharios, Rich Kids, a good 6 page spread on Tina Brown.

Guy Pelly, Astrid Harbord and Jake Warren have a new club, 37 year old Sam Leith goes back to school, Diana Von Furstenberg tells all about what she loves.

There is also lots of Travel and the Bystander (the social diary). Kate Middleton makes an appearance at the Derby with William, as does Elton John’s annual White Tie & Tiara Ball.

Frost has been complain that Marie Claire has not been giving its subscribers free gifts because of ‘cost’, and this month’s issue came with a free gift. It would seem someone listened but, alas, no. In the shops you get a free nail polish and a conditioner. I just got a conditioner.

Anne Hathaway is on the cover and interviewed inside. There is a good article on what to wear to fashion week (which I will be listening to!), an interview with Mulberry bag designer Emma Hill, an interview with Katie Holmes, how to get French style, what the New York fashion pack wear, China’s fashion, what men won’t tell you until the third date, Should you move abroad?, 9/11 Anniversary, A good three page article on Stella McCartney, The X Factor, Beyonce, Oh Land, a One Day Special; article on the book and interviews with cast and lots & lots of fashion and beauty.

Vanity Fair has Jennifer Lopez on the cover and her first interview since her divorce inside. She says she is “an eternal optimist about love…it’s still my biggest dream.”

L’Wren Scott gives us the low-down on her stuff, in Fairground there is a lot of lovely picture of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in Hollywood attending the BAFTA party.

Also articles on Michael Buble, Private Eye’s 50th anniversary, Agnes B, how the US failed to stop 9/11, Hackers, The 2011 Best Dressed List; Tilda Swinton, The Duchess of Cambridge, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, Andrea Dellal, Johnny Depp, Vanessa Paradis and Arpad Busson all feature, There is a celebrity portraits of Angelina Jolie amongst others, Michael Lewis investigates German attitudes towards money, the actors who play the Duke and Duchess of Windsor are photographed and interviewed for Madonna’s new film W.E, Designers and their muse, John Currin.

Glamour has Mila Kunis on the cover and she is interviewed inside.

How to be a Cavalli Girl, Feminism, Fall in love with your job again, How to eat well if you have £15 until pay day, 9/11 Anniversary article, Career rules rewritten, What sex feels like, Jim Sturgess interview, Are you Destroying your own love life?, Comedian Jack Whitehall, Why do women want to be WAGs?, Fashion’s Hot 100, How to have a great hair month, How to get more energy.

Phew!

Red has Laura Bailey on the cover and has a free bodywash. Laura is interviewed inside. There is a good article on no kids and no regrets, the original supermodels and what they are doing now, an article on people’s on/off duty wardrobes,

My City, My shopping guide, The looks that sum up a city. Anjum Anand show Red around her life, 8 Lessons in love and loss, four women reveal the moment they found their dream property, Dominic Cooper, Adele, Tom Ellis, Will Young, Colin Farrell, Fiona Neill, Jo Whiley’s Festival Guide, 4 ways to update your face, How to get radiance, there are a lot of good recipes, cooking with in season vegetables , paella, home made curry, global shopping guide, find your health/life balance, what is causing your breast pain and Audrey Tautou tells all about the best things in life.

[This page will get updates as more magazines come out. Thank you.]

US Loses Triple AAA Credit Rating

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One of the world’s three leading credit agencies has downgraded US debt. Standard and Poors cut the US credit rating one notch to AA+ with a negative outlook.

The agency argues that the deficit reduction plan passed by congress didn’t go far enough in addressing the US deficit. Whilst the US debt to GDP ratio is already high at 65.2% of GDP, total government liability is actually far greater when including government agencies such as Medicare and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

The two main other credit agencies said last night that they had no plans to downgrade US debt in the near future.
Officials in Washington were furious with the decision and claimed to have uncovered a two trillion dollar error in the agencies analysis. The impact on the markets remains to be seen. Given the panic of the last week investors have been piling into US government bonds pushing yields to record lows despite the US government debt problems. This latest downgrade couldn’t have come at a worse time but we will have to wait until Monday to see the impact it has on the markets.

Investors will be worried that the downgrade may impact the wider economy, president Obama has already warned of the impact a downgrade would have. The downgrade threatens the dollars status as the world’s reserve currency. The instability could have severe consequences for the world as a whole.

Get Your Web Hosting Choice Right

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With the boom of the internet having your own website has become essential for everyone from actors to dentists. Since you usually sign up for a year it is important to get the right one. When searching for your web hosting
make sure you shop around.

There is a Best Hosting Award that breaks the awards down into sections, including the cheapest web hosting, best for business, best customer service and the best hosting for different computer systems to name just a few. It should stop any expensive mistakes. If you get a hosting company with bad customer service you could lose custom and credibility.

This site also has a hosting guide so it pretty much covers all of your hosting questions, and all your hosting needs. I love their signs of poor SEO guide, and it also gives you an overview of web SEO online.

Check out the Top Ten Hosting sites http://webhostingrating.com/

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

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*WARNING! MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!*

After ten years, the end of the Harry Potter saga has finally come to an end. It is one of the most anticipated summer blockbuster movies of 2011 and it is just as insanely popular when the book was released at our local bookstores. The result is just as exciting as you’d expect a movie finale.

The story continues as Harry, Ron, and Hermione continue to destroy Voldemort’s last remaining Horcruxes (each individual item Voldemort has put his soul to make himself immortal). Meanwhile, Hogwarts is under the control of Death-Eaters and Dementors. The story is just continues straight from Part 1 and you can really feel Harry’s struggle to destroy the last remaining Horcruxes. Even showing Voldemort slowly, and eventually, growing more vulnerable as the story progresses. For those who have read the books, it won’t come to any surprise with the few twists here and there (i.e. Ciarán Hinds as Dumbledore’s brother, Aberforth Dumbledore). A lot is at stake and director David Yates really dwells on that very well! The only problem I have is the time duration; Part 1 was 2 hours and 26 minutes, this film is only 2 hours 10 minutes long. It feels a lot shorter than it says, when it honestly should have been a lot longer to really show the epic story and scale of the production.

The performances from the three main leads are nothing to write about but they have improved over the years during the film series run. The film features an amazing British ensemble cast; Alan Rickman, Gary Oldman, David Thewlis, Ralph Fiennes, Maggie Smith, Helena Bonham Carter, Jason Isaacs, Julie Walters and even David Yates collaborator Kelly Macdonald (State of Play mini-series and The Girl in the Café) gets an appearance as Helena Ravenclaw. As much it is fantastic to see such huge names in a film like Harry Potter, the time duration comes to affect and limits their screen-time. Fiennes, however, does show he is having a lot of fun playing Voldemort but also shows a twisted charismatic presence you don’t get a lot from villains nowadays.

The production value is top-notch, you can see a lot of effort and care has been put on this epic finale. The sets look fantastic, the visual effects look dazzling and the orchestral score (by Alexandre Desplat) really brings the emotional core to the story and overall film. The final battle between Harry and Voldemort is rather intense but it all feels rushed and quite lacking compared to other epics (The Lord of the Rings). Though Warner Bros. doesn’t pull any stops and really does deliver quite an event.

Overall; it is the film Harry Potter fans want from a finale and it is the best in the series. Not quite as the big bang it was anticipating but still has enough to keep you satisfied through-out. You can’t deny the Harry Potter film series will have Hollywood keep its eye on British filmmaking and finding talent overseas. An immensely well made production, strongly recommended.

4 out of 5