Above Us The Sky by Milly Adams Book Review

Above Us The Sky by Milly AdamsMilly Adams is an exciting new author, with a wonderful knack of bringing characters to life vividly and bringing the story off the page and into the imagination. Above Us The Sky is a brilliantly researched, and hugely enjoyable novel. Sad in places but ultimately uplifting, this book is set in wartime Britain. Phyllie, a young teacher, is a great character. She becomes a surrogate mother to her pupils. She is particularly protective of Jake, a Jewish boy who has to put up with anti-Semitism. She is a great teacher but finds it hard to adjust to country life and custom. As things become tough she finds love and support in community.

This is an engaging and entertaining story of love and loss. The attention to detail is superb. I loved that the role of the Women’s Institute was including in the novel and you really feel like you are in the submarine, such is the brilliance of her writing. This is a well-written book and a stunning debut. I cannot wait for another Milly Adam’s book as this one is educational, entertaining and riveting all at once.

A compelling new Second World War novel. Evacuees, the WI, and keeping calm and carrying on. Perfect for fans of Katie Flynn and Ellie Dean.

As the threat of bombing raids intensifies, newly-qualified teacher, Phyllis Saunders, is evacuated with her school to Dorset.

Here she encounters prejudice and suspicion. But she is determined to make the best of life, for herself and the children in her care. All the while her fiancé and submariner, Sammy, is facing danger out at sea.

Then the Blitz hits London and Phyllis, trying to persuade her mother to return to Dorset with her, gets caught up in it herself. Shaken but alive, she returns to the relative peace of the countryside. But soon she is nursing a secret she can tell no one.

Until the news that Sammy’s submarine has been sunk reaches her, and she is forced to make a decision she hopes she will never regret…

Above Us The Sky is available here.

 

 

Pop-Up To Covent Garden And Celebrate A Chanel Christmas…


It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

What could be more special than a festive pop-up featuring a giant snow globe and offering free flash makeovers – after all, you deserve it after the chaos of all the Christmas shopping, right?

CHANEL are offering shoppers and beauty fans a pep-up at their Covent Garden pop-up located a few steps away from the Chanel beauty boutique at the piazza, which is the temporary space before becoming Chanel’s permanent bigger home next year.

The exquisite pop-up pays homage to the world of Chanel No.5 as depicted in the Baz Luhrmann-directed campaign starring Gisele Bündchen.

In 2012, CHANEL opened its pop-up covering 57 square metres of Covent Garden, inspired by London’s vibrant personality – the first of its kind in the UK.

Featuring some of the world’s leading make-up artists, theatrical artists, nail technicians and models, the Chanel pop-up beauty boutique debuted exclusive products, showcased London’s first ever Chanel nail bar, offered bespoke make-up tutorials and now offer their discerning customers the experience of having a specialist fragrance expert to guide you through the extensive Chanel scent collection.

 “No elegance is possible without perfume”  Mademoiselle Chanel

With a vintage-inspired décor, the Chanel beauty parlour draws you in from the cold with its giant snow globe, complete with illuminated number five, welcoming you to take part in a variety of workshops and events throughout December.

 Settle down on the plush red cinema chairs for a manicure – using Rouge Noir, naturellement – or pop by for a complimentary 15-minute flash makeover, the perfect shop-to-cocktails refresh.

If you wish to linger longer, book in for a full one-hour makeover for £45 (redeemable against products bought). Whether you want to learn how to master the art of the up-do or perfect your smokey eye, the professionals will be on hand to impart their words of wisdom.

Makeover complete, there’s the irresistible chance to channel your inner Gisele with a photobooth from The London Lightbox – pose in front of the backdrop featured in the campaign and receive a print-out photo as a souvenir of your jaunt into the world of Chanel. And if you can’t resist the temptation to shop, of course there are plenty of little black boxes to take home too.

Offering a personalised gift wrapping service, complete with a hand written message by a CHANEL calligrapher alongside a choice of quotes from Mademoiselle Chanel herself, this delightful pop-up will kick-start your Christmas and indulge your inner ‘me’ time…

Chanel Christmas at Covent Garden is open until the end of December.

To book an appointment please call 0203 077 1198 or email covent.garden2@chanel.co.uk.

Chanel Christmas at Covent Garden

6a The Market The Piazza Covent Garden London WC2E 8RF

www.chanelatcoventgarden.com

 

The Christmas gift with a conscience

The Christmas gift with a conscienceHIV:ADIS

Think HIV/AIDS isn’t a problem anymore? AIDS is the leading cause of death for teenagers in Africa and the second leading cause of death among teenagers globally. 

 Introducing the Christmas gift with a conscience: Styloko.com and the new Red Box Shop: http://redboxshop.styloko.com/  for Christmas in aid of MTV Staying Alive Foundation

The Styloko concept is simple; a pop up online store selling a plethora of fabulous Red Boxes perfect for anyone with a serious love of fashion and culture. Each box is filled with desirable products, including jewellery, make-up, watches and even beautiful books, kindly donated by leading brands such as Chanel, The Cambridge Satchel Company, Timex, Radley, Fake Bake, Swatch, Kendra Scott Jewelry and Dana Rebecca Designs.

All proceeds from The Red Box Shop are going to aids projects around the world, particularly in Africa.  HIV/AIDS is still a  devastating global disease and the second leading cause of death among teenagers globally. The store will run through the 20th of December.

Every single penny/cent from the sale of the red boxes will go straight to helping raising global awareness for HIV/AIDS.

@mtvstayingalive  @styloko

The mission of the MTV Staying Alive Foundation is to stop the spread of HIV before it starts. They provide funding and training to youth-led HIV-prevention projects around the world, helping them develop the skills to build innovative, culturally relevant and sustainable organisations that lead the fight against HIV on the ground.  Their relationship with MTV means that the ground-breaking content they produce reaches millions of young people globally.

 Since the international grants and training programme was established in 2005, they have given US $5.3 million to over 500 youth-led projects in 66 countries, directly educated 2.7 million young people on HIV, distributed 7 million condoms and tested 200,000 young people for HIV.

 

 

Avoid Waking up Next to a Sad Cracked Phone Screen This Festive Season

Over a quarter of UK revellers aged 18-40 have damaged their phone on a night out. London named the clumsiest region (29%), and Newcastle the most accident-prone city (23%). Only 1 in 10 covered by insurance. Average amount spent on repairs is £49, roughly double the price of a protective case

Sound familiar? The Christmas party season is in full swing and we’ve all been there. A “get into the spirit” festive tipple turns into seventeen “IT’S CHRIIIIIISTMAAAAS” Jager bombs, or perhaps cocktails, and before you know it, you’ve a smashed phone screen staring back at you, accompanied by a hollow feeling of regret.

Ahead of ‘Mad Friday’, the last Friday before Christmas and most popular for office parties, it has been revealed that 27% of lumbering UK revellers aged 18-40 have damaged their phone on a night out. In the survey of 2,000 British adults, conducted by Griffin Technology, Newcastle topped the list of clumsy cities, while London is the region reporting most mobile emergencies.

As only 12% of damages were covered by insurance, our resident Griffin Gadgetologist, the brains behind the tough-as-nails Survivor phone cases, is on a mission to help the buttery-fingered amongst you.

So  here are some top tips to avoid having to fork out for a pricey repair, or even a new phone, come Christmas.

Avoid waking up next to a sad cracked phone screen this festive season

Resist the urge to take a bathroom selfie: tiled flooring and all that running water (amongst other things) spells disaster for your phone, both inside and out. Research shows water damage comes second only to cracked screens as the cause of smartphone failure, so do your phone a favour and protect them from the elements.

 

Watch out for office geeks in YOLO party mode: if you must grab that group shot on the dance floor, stand well out of the way of errant dancers. Christmas does funny things to people – we tend to get overexcited and fling our arms in the air like we just don’t care, cue phones being knocked out of hands left, right and centre.

 

Keep it zipped: the more barriers there are to your phone, the less chance it has of falling to its demise. Whether it’s a zipped compartment in a handbag or buttoned pockets, something to stop you reaching for it every 10 seconds can work wonders.

 

Invest in a super-sturdy phone case:if you’ve been known to hit the deck after a few shandies, it could be worth taking a good hard look at your phone’s attire to decide if it’s up to the job. Even if you’re the type to dance on tables, Griffin’s new Survivor Summit and Journey cases survive drops of up to 3 metres!

Avoid waking up next to a sad cracked phone screen this festive season griffins

Simplicity is key: everyone knows that nothing says it better than an emoji, but the tinier the buttons and more intricate your conversation, the longer it takes to text and the more likely your phone is to slip from your hand. Do everyone a favour and stick to the classic … “by the bar”.

 

Don’t drink too much: not a popular tip, but it works.


Finally, and perhaps the icing on the cake – try a tough case, and put your minds at rest: the toughest Griffin Survivor cases yet are available now from

http://bit.ly/GriffinTechnology

 

 

Burt’s Bees For Christmas

Frost loves these products, always have.

This Christmas they have a great range of these distinctive earth-friendly, natural health and beauty care products, which they’ve been making for 30 years. The 2015 Christmas gift collection  can be seen on www.burtsbees.co.uk

Frost has had a look at some  of their ranges:

Burt's Bees Vanilla Bean Lip Balm £3.99.

100% natural Wild cherry and vanilla Bean lip Balms.

rrp £3.99 – tube (4.25g)
rrp £4.99 – tin & squeezable (8.5g/9.92g)

These lip Balms are formulated to nourish and moisturise, protecting lips from winter’s cold winds.  If you haven’t tried them, then it would be a good idea to discover the naturally moisturising benefits. Available in Beeswax, honey, pink grapefruit, ultra conditioning, mango, pomegranate, Blueberry & dark chocolate, açai Berry, coconut & pear, Wild cherry and vanilla Bean.

Burt's Bees Blueberry & Dark Chcolate Lip Balm £3.99

But don’t ignore:

Lip Crayons ∙ Creamy ∙ Full-Coverage ∙ Matte Colour rrp £8.99 each (3.11g)

Available in six shades, these crayons are lightweight moisture for everyday wear formula infused with shea Butter, Kendi oil and Jojoba oil.

Lip Shimmer ∙ Luminescent ∙ Antioxidant-Rich ∙ Moisturising Shea Butter and antioxidant-rich fruit oils moisturise, nourish and soften lips naturally and lovingly. available in 11 shades, including fresh and flattering colours apricot and grapefruit.

Tinted Lip Balm ∙ Sheer ∙ Moisturising ∙ Conditioning rrp £5.99 each (4.25g)

These tinted balms give you a hint of colour with a soft, sweet flavour and natural ingredients that moisturise and condition your lips. available in 9 shades, including new Zinnia.

Lip Gloss ∙ Rich ∙ Pearlised

rrp £8.99 each (6ml)

Combined with natural oils rich in nutrients to leave your lips soft, shiny and 100% naturally beautiful. available in 12 shades, including new harvest time and solar eclipse.

Burts Bees have all sorts of products available for Christmas this year. 

And there are various scrummy gift packs.  Try:

Burt's Bees Naturally Beeautiful Collection £19.99 (

Burt’s Bees Naturally Beautiful Collection £19.99

And

Burt's Bees Naturally Gifted- Online Exclusive (Out of pack) £15.99.

Burt’s Bees Naturally Gifted- Online Exclusive £15.99

Have a look at www.burtsbees.co.uk

 

 

 

Real Easy Wonderoos Reusable Nappy Review

Real Easy - the washable nappy manufactured by Wonderoos

The words ‘reusable nappy’ can strike fear into a parents heart. We know it is better for the environment and the purse but in a sleep-deprived zombie state we tend to go for the easy option. That is until you try one and it isn’t as hard as you think. Especially with Real Easy – the washable nappy manufactured by Wonderoos. The all-in-one, one-size pocket nappy comes with lots of buttons to make sure it fits your baby well, the design is beautiful and gender neutral. The nappy even feels great. It feels silky-soft on the outside and the inserts also feel nice and are comfortable for baby. The soft micro fleece lining keeps baby feeling comfy and dry, while the thirsty soakers take care of the wetness.

Each Wonderoos V3 Pocket Nappy is the equivalent to approximately 300 disposable nappies. One size fits 8-35lbs. You just adjust to fit from birth to potty. They even have unique girl/boy settings on inserts. The nappy is a little bulky so not all clothes will look streamlined on baby. However we can honestly say that we love this nappy. Great for baby, great for the environment and it saves money. What more could you want? This nappy has won many awards and rightly so. Very impressive. Frost loves.  Wonderoos One-Size Pocket Nappy can be bought here.

reusablenappyreviewReal Easy – the washable nappy manufactured by Wonderoos  – has won the coveted Consumer Choice Award in the Best Baby & Toddler Gear Awards 2015 in the reusable nappy category.

The Best Baby and Toddler Gear Awards allow companies from across the nursery industry to have their products assessed by experts along with a team of parents carefully selected for genuine and unbiased reviews.

Christine McRitchie Venus Award 250

Christine McRitchie, Brand Owner, comments, “Having acquired Real Easy nappies in October 2014, we re-launched the brand at Harrogate International Nursery Fair in March 2015.  To have now won the Consumer Choice Award, which is awarded to the product with the most online votes, is a demonstration of the amazing support and loyalty of our customers”.

 

Real Easy is a sized All-in-One reusable nappy, designed to be easy on, easy to change, easy to wash – really easy.  Real Easy nappies come in several sizes to give the best fit at each stage, and are constructed with a soft micro fleece lining to keep baby feeling comfy and dry, while the thirsty soakers take care of the wetness.

 

Earthwise Trading Ltd focuses on manufacturing, distributing and retailing reusable nappies and reusable menstrual products that reduce waste, save money, and work in harmony with nature.

 

About Christine McRitchie:

Earlier in 2015 Christine was crowned Britain’s Best Online Business as director of Earthwise Trading in the Venus Awards.

Christine lives in Long Wittenham, Oxfordshire with her husband and their four daughters (who have provided lots of nappy changing experience along the way).

The Earthwise Trading story began in Christine’s kitchen 10 years ago, and since then her business has kept over 7.5 million disposable nappies out of landfill.

 

In other news from the company…

 

Earthwise Trading Ltd, manufacturer of award-winning Wonderoos V3 nappies is proud to announce the launch of their new collection of delightful prints.

 

The four gender-neutral designs – entitled Elf Magic, Polar Life, Monsters and Dragons – have been created by an exciting young British designer. Elf Magic is a Limited Edition print, only 300 have been produced and demand is expected to be high, while the other three designs have been added to the long-term design portfolio.

 

Christine McRitchie, Director of Earthwise Trading, comments, “We’re so excited to be launching this new range of prints, they’re bold and bright and full of fun – and will appeal to children and parents alike.”

 

Wonderoos V3 are the original single-sized pocket nappy and have been awarded a gold Gentle Parenting award, Bronze Prima baby awards and Bronze Dad’s award in 2015. Wonderoos V3 has also achieved the 2015 Mumsnet Best Award for the second consecutive year and has recently been shortlisted for the 2016 Mother and Baby award.

 

 

 

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara by Frances Colville

A LITTLE LIFE by HANYA YANAGIHARA by Frances Colville

A Little Life by American author Hanya Yanagihara is quite simply the best book I’ve read all year, and very well deserving of its Man Booker Prize short listing.  It’s  a book, I think, which will stand out for future generations in the way that Middlemarch or War and Peace or Birdsong stand out as epic studies of life in the time period in which they are set.  It hooks you in on the first page and keeps you enthralled until the very last word.  It’s one of those books which you almost can’t bear to read, and yet can’t not read.  It’s harrowing, enlightening, disturbing, haunting, uplifting and absolutely compelling.

 

A Little Life is the tale of four college friends who meet at sixteen and remain linked throughout their lives. There isn’t much in the way of plot and if you want a strong storyline this isn’t for you.  But that’s not the point of this book.  Told from various viewpoints, but with one central character throughout, it’s about friendship, love, relationships, identity, memory, grief, pain, abuse and death.  The characterisation is superb and the main characters will linger in your head long after you’ve finished reading the book.  But above all it’s the beauty and intelligence of the language which grabs you and won’t let you go.  I’m often guilty of skim reading, but I can honestly say I read every single word of this book just to make sure I didn’t miss anything.  Here’s just one example –  ‘A small memory he could contain, but as the days go by and he waits for Willem, he recognizes that this is a long eel of a memory, slippery and uncatchable, and it whipsaws its way through him, its tail slapping against his organs so that he feels the memory as something alive and wounding, feels its meaty, powerful smack against his intestines, his heart, his lungs.’

 

Beware though – it’s a lengthy book and definitely not a quick read and you’ll need to allocate a chunk of your life to it because you won’t be able to set it aside.

 

A Little Life is published by Picador and is currently available as a hardback and eBook.

 

 

Salon Science Hair Review Special

salonscience2 salonscience3 salonscienceas salonsciencehaircare salonsciencereviewSalon Science CELLULUXE Shampoo and Conditioner. For anti-ageing and restored volumne.

Really works to leave hair healthier, shinier and younger-looking. Restores volume.

A luxurious cleanser enriched with nourishing phytonutrients, CELLULUXE™ SHAMPOO contains powerful plant stem cell extracts of a rare Swiss Apple, to restore volume and rebuild fine, fragile and ageing hair.

Containing a youth replenishing formulation, CELLULUXE™ SHAMPOO protects and rejuvenates tired looking hair for optimum health, vitality and thickness. For anti-ageing and restored volume.

and

A luxurious light weight conditioner enriched with nourishing actives and shine enhancing components to repair and rebuild fine, fragile, ageing hair.

A youth replenishing formula using powerful plant stem cell extracts of a rare Swiss Apple, CELLULUXE™ CONDITIONER hydrates and nourishes from root to tip, leaving hair silky soft and shining with health.

Salon Science Cellutensive Masque

A great, indulgent masque that leaves hair looking gorgeous and your scalp happy. 

For Anti-Ageing and Restored Volume

A rejuvenating, anti-ageing treatment enriched with the advanced plant stem cells of a rare Swiss Apple to protect the longevity of hair cells whilst improving the hair’s health, strength and thickness. Formulated with Keratin and Wheat Protein, the CELLUTENSIVE™ MASQUE is a deeply nourishing treatment. Contains powerful repairing actives to prolong vibrancy and shine with lightweight, yet deep conditioning. CELLUTENSIVE™ MASQUE ensures hair is radiantly youthful and visibly replenished.

Reglosse Smoothing Serum. For repair and radiance.

Great at controlling frizzy hair. Great stuff. 

For Repair and Radiance

REGLOSSE™ is a rich, smoothing serum containing tocopherol and grape seed extract to tame and instantly nourish dry, frizzy, uncontrollable hair. Like a glossing top coat for hair, the REGLOSSE™ SMOOTHING SERUM repairs split ends and smoothes unruly flyaways for a radiant, silky soft finish.

Proaccelerant Treatment 3. For targeting Hair loss.

Targets hair loss, giving you thicker hair. 

An intensive scalp treatment formulated with AnaGain™, an Organic Pea Sprout extract that is rich in restorative proteins, starch and fibres. These rebalancing, organic phytonutrients combined with stimulating caffeine agents work to prolong the life cycle of hair and encourage growth at the root.

Continuous use of PROACCELERANT™ 3 TREATMENT gives denser, thicker, fuller hair in 3 months*.

Recorrect Leave In Treatment.

Very nourishing. Great for dry hair, leaves it hydrated and looking fab. 

For Repair and Radiance

A deeply nourishing corrective treatment containing agents to immediately saturate, restore and retexturise porous and damaged hair. Formulated with GSP-T which combines Swiss Grape seed procyanidins and natural tocopherol to help prevent colour fade, leaving hair vibrant and radiating health.

Hydrafoliant Scalp Scrub

A great scalp scrub that is powerful, leaving your scalp cleansed, smoother and clearer. Helps with scalp problems and leaves hair radiant. 

For Hydration and Scalp Relief

A luxurious pre-shampoo scalp treatment containing powerful exfoliants to lift and remove skin cells for a visibly smoother and clearer scalp.

Formulated with the water-binding compounds of a rare Organic Cactus to hydrate and to soothe irritated itchy scalps. HYDRAFOLIANT™ nourishes and nurtures whilst clearing the way for healthy, radiant hair and helping with scalp problems.