Author Archives: Frostie

Discover And Be Discovered At 22nd Raindance Film Festival

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From World Cinema to British film, documentaries and shorts, Raindance Film Festival returns to London to showcase the best in Independent film

raindancefilmfestival

Raindance Film Festival, the UK’s largest independent Film Festival, will be showcasing the very best in new independent cinema for its 22nd year at Vue Piccadilly London, from the 24th September – 5th October 2014.

 

The Festival is committed to discovering and promoting bold new talent who create innovative and boundary pushing films, allowing audiences to discover an alternative experience to their usual trip to the cinema.

 

The line-up of films on offer spans across genres, ranging from rom-coms to black comedies, psychological thrillers and sci-fi, to documentaries and music and art focused films – really delivering something for everyone.

 

Raindance filmgoers are also likely to be among the first to view cult classics of the future – with previous Raindance-premiered hits including the Blair Witch Project, Memento, Ghost World and Love Exposure.
The quality of films across all categories is reflected in the fact that one short film screened at Raindance will be crowned ‘Film of the Festival’, and will be awarded an Academy Award Short List position. 

 

New to this year, Raindance has scoured the regions to discover the industry’s best up and coming filmmaking talent. The chosen six new creative’s work will be screened in the shorts category, giving cinemagoers the chance to view fresh filmmaking from across the UK.

 

Anyone wishing to attend the festival can buy a Raindance Festival Pass, which will give access to every film screened at the festival, or simply pick up tickets on a film by film basis.

 

Raindance is committed to making film accessible to all, so the organisers endeavour to keep prices as reasonable as possible, with many screening tickets available for less than £10.

 

The full festival programme and access to tickets for the 2014 festival will be available on raindancefestival.org at the start of September.

 

 

Eva Green Exudes Timeless Beauty In The 2015 Campari Calendar

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Sin City super star Eva Green announced as leading lady in Campari Calendar alongside Julia Fullerton-Batten, the first ever female photographer to lead the project

 

Campari has officially unveiled the Hollywood actress Eva Green as the star of the 2015 Campari Calendar. The stunning French born actress will take the lead role in this year’s iconic Calendar, entitled ‘Mythology Mixology’, which is dedicated to celebrating Campari’s unique and colourful history and the intrinsic stories linked to twelve of its best-loved classic cocktails.

evagreencampari

Eva Green began her career on stage in 2001 by starring in Turcaret directed by Gerard Deshartes and Jalousie en trios faxdirected by Didier Long. Her screen debut was in 2002 when she was cast as the female lead in Bernardo Bertolucci’s critically-acclaimed, The Dreamers. In 2006, Eva starred opposite Daniel Craig in Casino Royale, the 21st film in the James Bond franchise. Eva played “Vesper Lynd”, a mysterious blend of vulnerability and strength and the only woman that James Bond ever truly loved. The film was nominated for 9 BAFTA’s in February 2007 with Eva winning The BAFTA Rising Star Award, voted for by the public.

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Eva has most recently been seen in the Showtime TV Series Penny Dreadful which made its debut in May and sees her play lead role of Vanessa Ives alongside Timothy Dalton and Josh Hartnett. Eva has also recently been seen in the lead role of ‘Artemesia’ in 300: Rose of an Empire and in August will be seen starring in the Sin City prequel Sin City: A Dame to Kill for. Eva follows in the footsteps of previous Campari Calendar heroines, including stylish and passionate actresses, Salma Hayek, Eva Mendes, Jessica Alba, Milla Jovovich, Penelope Cruz and Uma Thurman.

 Eva Green said: “To work with an iconic worldwide brand such as Campari is an honour and a privilege. There is something very special about this year’s theme as it strikes a compelling and almost magical balance between the classic and the contemporary. At the root of each image is this rich sense of history behind each of Campari’s best loved cocktails but they are presented in a way that is ultra modern, exuding imagination and style. It’s a thing of incredible beauty and clearly shows that whilst some of these recipes are over 100 years old, they are still relevant to and adored in today’s world. It is that sense of timelessness that has been captured so wonderfully in this year’s Calendar, thanks to the creative input from our photographer Julia Fullerton-Batten and all the talented people who worked on the set.”

Shooting the 16th edition of the globally renowned Campari Calendar is Julia Fullerton-Batten, a worldwide acclaimed and exhibited fine art photographer and the first ever woman to get behind the lens on the Calendar project. Julia founded her success in 2005 with ‘Teenage Stories’, an evocative narrative that depicts the transition of a teenage girl to womanhood. Since then, she has exhibited work all over the world. Her unusual locations, highly creative settings, street case models and cinematic lighting are hallmarks of her very distinctive style of photography, all of which are techniques evident in this year’s Campari Calendar.

Julia Fullerton-Batten said: “Campari has always had an inherent ability to recreate itself and keep the brand image fresh, inspiring and imaginative. This is a goal I constantly strive towards in my own work too, so you could say it was a partnership made in heaven from the very beginning. This year’s theme was an interesting challenge, as there was an important job to do in terms of taking historical anecdotes and invigorating them with a modern edge. I’m confident we managed to strike that delicate balance with this year’s imagery and it certainly helped working with someone as beautiful and as talented as Eva Green, who was just as passionate about getting the shots right as we were.”

 

Celebrate a Great British Tradition During National Afternoon Tea Week

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11th-17th August

tea
In 1840 Anne, the seventh Duchess of Bedford, started requesting tea, bread and cake at 4pm to stave off hunger until dinner and soon after afternoon tea became a much-loved, quintessentially British tradition.

National Afternoon Tea Week celebrates this great heritage with a week of activities, themed menus and offers in hotels, restaurants and tearooms across the UK in August.

Whether you’re an afternoon tea aficionado or yet to enjoy the delights of delectable treats with tea, during National Afternoon Tea Week you’ll be able to enjoy 25% off a range of afternoon teas. Iconic afternoon tea destinations already taking part include The Dochester, Kettners, Sketch and The Corinthia Hotel London with many more to be announced shortly.

Keith Newton, founder of Afternoon Tea Week, says ‘We created Afternoon Tea Week to celebrate this most British of dining traditions and to give tourists and locals alike the opportunity to step inside and experience some of the country’s most exquisite afternoon tea venues. From famous five-star hotels in London to a castle in Gloucestershire, luxury stores to double decker buses, there’s something for everyone.’

Find out what’s happening in your region on afternoontea.co.uk, the online home of afternoon tea.

 

 

Mind The Gender Gap – Men (Apparently) Make The Best Bosses

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Frost has come across a survey we are not sure about. Do men really make the best bosses? 56% of people in a staff bay survey thought so, but we would like your input. Do men or women make the best bosses or does gender not matter when it comes to leadership? Let us know by commenting below or emailing us at frost magazine@gmail.com

  • 56% said they thought men make the best office generals
  • Just 4% of those surveyed said “they didn’t mind” whether a man or woman was their boss
  • Survey comes on back of recent ONS figures showing gender pay gap has decreased since the 1970s but disparity between what men and women take home today still differs dramatically after the age of 30.

 

suitamnestypaulcostelloeThe gender gap might be closing in the office, but men still make the best bosses, that’s the message from a new survey by social media-based recruitment specialists, staffbay.com

 

staffbay.com, which uses social media to bring jobseekers and employers together, asked 15,000 workers which gender they would prefer as a boss, and 56 per cent of them said they thought men make the best office generals. Interestingly, 62 per cent of those questioned were men, and just 4 per cent of those surveyed said “they didn’t mind” whether a man or woman was their boss.

 

staffbay co-founder, Tony Wilmot says that, although attitudes are changing, there still exists a gender divide in the workplace.

 

“The results of our latest survey show that, when it comes to taking up positions of power at work, men still rule the roost. What is particularly shocking about our survey is that only 4 per cent of those surveyed are ambivalent about the gender of their boss.

 

Tony adds: “In 1953, Gallup ran a poll showing that 66 per cent would choose a male boss and only 5 per cent a female one. Thankfully, times are changing. No-one wants to live in a male dominated world, as this only deters young, female talent from entering the workplace.

 

“We know from seeing behind the scenes at staffbay.com, that there are more young females than ever applying for traditionally male roles, and we welcome this. Our message is: get yourselves out there – become the bosses and business leaders of tomorrow.”

 

The survey comes on the back of recent Office of National Statistics Figures which showed that the gender pay gap has decreased since the 1970s but the disparity between what men and women take home today still differs dramatically after the age of 30.

 

Figures show that in 1975, 16 to 18 year olds of both sexes were paid similar sums but this changed after the age of 18 with men earning more than women at every age group. At that time, the biggest percentage pay gap was for 38 year olds, with male employees receiving on average 61 per cent more than their female counterparts.

 

“It’s time for this to change,” says Tony. “By pushing themselves forward and showing their talents off to prospective employers, fast-rising females can make sure this gap closes. We urge them to do all they can to make sure the gender balance is equal.”

 

 

Primrose’s Kitchen Raw Superfood Smoothies Recipe

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Primrose’s Kitchen is celebrated International Raw Food Day by encouraging customers to ‘think raw’!

primrosekitchenrawfoodsmoothierecipe

After the recent launch of the delicious Raw Nut Butters, a wonderful source of protein and a great alternative to traditional nut butters such as peanut butters, Planet Organic is running a raw food promotion throughout the month of July including not only the nut butters but also Primrose’s Kitchen Superfood Powders in Brain, Cleanse, and Energy.

 

Primrose’s Kitchen is also encouraging people to try Raw Superfood smoothies and boost their protein:

 

 

 

Ingredients

1 cup raw almond milk

2 frozen organic bananas

1 cup organic baby spinach

¼ cup raw almonds, soaked

¼ cup goji berries (3 to 4 reserved for garnish)

1 tablespoon raw cashew butter

1 teaspoon raw coconut shreds (for garnish)

1 teaspoon organic raw cacao nibs (for garnish)

1 teaspoon raw Brazil nuts, ground fine (for garnish)

 

Instructions

Place all ingredients (except garnishes) in a high-speed blender.

Blend until smooth and creamy.

Pour into a tall glass and garnish with goji berries, coconut, cacao nibs, and Brazil nuts.

 

Thinking outside of the box and opening minds to the potential of raw foods is key to naturopathic nutrition. Famous fans of Primrose’s Kitchen included Millie Makintosh of Made In Chelsea fame.

 

 

The Hertz Complex – No Control

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Following brilliant reviews and international airplay for ‘Maybe I Know’ and ‘Bassy’, from their forthcoming EP ‘A New Habit’, we’re highlighting another track from the EP that shows a very different side to the band.  

The Hertz Complex - No Control

No Control is stripped back to focus on Neil O’Keeffe’s vocals, a simple yet utterly beautiful song that contrasts perfectly with the lo-fi fuzz guitar and shimmering Post-Punk creations the band are known for.


Neil O’Keeffe (lead vocals, guitar) and Paul Keane (guitar) have a songwriting partnership that transgresses borders.  Hailing originally from Cork, Ireland, they have set up camp in the emerging artists’ haven that is Deptford, London. 

Here they draw on a mix of influences from their Irish roots to bands such as The Chameleons, Joy Division, Whipping Boy and Howling Wolf, resulting in their own eclectic version of post punk.  Joining Neil and Paul are Benjamin Balan (drums) and Chris Keelan (bass). Originally from Canada, they form a solid, driving rhythm section that provides the foundation to The Hertz Complex’s dynamic interlacing guitar work.
 
The four-piece aim to bring a forgotten passion back into music and this musical salvation has certainly been delivered – an ever-growing army of fans, festival appearances and a headline slot at LA’s legendary Whisky A Go Go are testament to that fact.  The Hertz Complex’s highly anticipated debut EP comes on the back of news that one of their songs will be featured in a movie soundtrack, another sure sign that this band are making music that is essential listening.

 

 

Really Wild Adventures: Michaela Strachan To Host Live Shows At Howletts

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Visitors at Howletts Wild Animal Park, one of Kent’s most popular visitor attractions, are in for a treat on 29th July as one of TV’s most popular and charismatic presenters,Michaela Strachan, hosts the Really Wild Adventures Show at the park.

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Michaela will be hosting her popular children’s show on Tuesday 29th July at the wild animal park, near Canterbury.  Inspired by her book, the Really Wild Adventures Show is an entertaining journey into the world of animals for all the family. The interactive show is packed full of music, humour and fascinating wildlife facts.

The shows will run throughout the day at 11am, 1.30pm and 3pm. Entry to the show is free with a valid day ticket, Howletts Passport or Gold Card. Michaela will also be holding a book signing after each show.

Michaela is best known for presenting wildlife programmes such as ‘The Really Wild Show’, ‘Michaela’s Wild Challenge’, ‘Orangutan Diaries’, ‘Elephant Diaries’ , ‘Michaela’s Zoo Babies’ and ‘The Great Penguin Rescue’ as well as ‘Countryfile’, ‘Autumnwatch’, ‘Springwatch’ and ‘Winterwatch’ for the BBC.

The live shows kick off the start of the summer holidays at Howletts which will see different activities and themes taking place throughout July and August 2014.

For more information please visit
www.aspinallfoundation.org/howletts/forthcoming-events or call 0844 842 4647.

PARK DETAILS

Howletts Wild Animal Park
Bekesbourne
Nr. Canterbury
Kent CT4 5EL

 

 

Introducing Munki: A Cocktail & Champagne Lounge Launching In Putney

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munkiPutneyOn Saturday 26th July, cocktail and champagne lounge, Munki, will open at No.12 Putney High Street, adjacent to Putney Bridge. Munki will serve innovative cocktails within a speakeasy style setting with a colonial twist. The venue has a luxury finish, with paneled walls, soft lighting and antique furniture, to create the illusion of an informal library and invite guests to relax and unwind over while savouring a drink.

 

Munki is split over three floors, with a total of 100 covers. The ground floor bar is glass fronted, with an intricate tree design etched into the windows. Towards the rear is the library room, an intimate snug area ideal for a date, with additional seating on a mezzanine level seating with a view of the River Thames, suited to groups and available to reserve for get-togethers and celebrations. A walled garden behind the venue provides a sheltered spot for a drink under the stars.

 

Cocktails at Munki, created by Bar Manager Sophia Lysaczenko, strike the perfect balance by using a few quality and fresh ingredients to create the definitive drink. At Munki, focus is upon the quality of the drinks: with premium spirits, infused syrups made on site, fresh juices, and organic ingredients chosen where possible. Munki’s ethos is to be service orientated, always going above and beyond to provide an unrivalled personalised touch.

 

The playful cocktail menu will offer a selection of original creations split into different sections including Heritage,Martinis and New World. Heritage cocktails will include well-honed classics such as Old Fashioned, Negroni andNuclear Daiquiri. The iconic Martini is given a creative twist with the Putney Petal Martini (pink grapefruit Belvedere vodka, dash of rose water, lychee and guava juice poured over crystallised violet petals and topped with Veuve Clicquot Rose and floating rose buds) and Our Breakfast Martini (Tanqueray London Dry Gin, St Germain Elderflower Liqueur, grapefruit juice, lemon juice and a spoonful of orange marmalade). New World cocktails will offer the classics with a modern spin including Rhubarb Flip (Bacardi Gold Rum, Rhuby Rhubarb Liqueur, whole egg, splash of cream, rhubarb infused sugar syrup, rhubarb bitters), A Lady Sour (Belvedere Pure Vodka, apricot jam, lemon juice, egg white, vanilla sugar syrup with a maraschino cherry garnish and a splash of Angostura Bitters) and Black Mineral Margarita (Illegal Anejo Mezcal Tequila, Tuaca Vanilla Citrus Liqueur, spoon of agave honey, lime juice) to be served in a black mineral salt rimmed glass.

 

A ‘Cocktail Shot Lab’ will provide a little magic to any party with miniature cocktails served in potion bottles. Some signature cocktail shots are Wishing Powder (herbal sweet and sour, frozen Agwa De Bolivia coca leaf liqueur, green chartreuse liqueur and lime juice) and The Elixir (aromatic, a sovereign remedy, belvedere vodka, Chambord raspberry liqueur, rhubarb sugar syrup and juicy berries).  For those wishing to keep a clear head, ‘Play it Safe’ alcohol free cocktails will be available including the Peach Punch (peach puree, fresh raspberries, thyme sprigs, rhubarb infused sugar syrup, lemon zest and lemonade top).

 

To complement the drinks, a bar menu will also be available offering a selection of appetizers, ideal for grazing on whilst sipping a cocktail. Munki has partnered with the Putney Pantry, situated over the road, to provide a more substantial selection of light bites such as locally sourced organic stuffed peppers. Bespoke food packages for events and occasions will also be offered.

 

Guests visiting on a Thursday evening will be treated to live music sessions from 7pm to midnight. Munki will also play host to fun-filled events and experiences such as singles nights, outdoor film screenings, cocktail master classes and exclusive venue hires.

 

Munki is the ideal destination to appreciate the craftsmanship of a skilled cocktail, or enjoy a glass of champagne, within a relaxed speakeasy atmosphere. Munki invites locals and visitors from further afield to swing by – promising only the best experience from the first to the last drink.