Author Archives: Frostie

Errazuriz The White Blend 2011 Wine Review

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This wine is new for us: a blend. Some of us were a bit befuddled by the concept and unsure what to expect. In fact, we were sent three wines from Errazuriz and this was the overall favourite. (The others were Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc: also good). The Blend 2011 is a blend of three different grapes: Roussanne (55.0%), Marsanne (30.0%) and Viognier (15.0%). All from the Aconcagua Valley. It is 13.5% Alcohol and you can drink now or two-to-five-years from now.

The Blend White. errazuriz

The main thing about this wine is it’s uniqueness; it has typical Roussanne aromas like pear, honey, hawthorn, almonds and honeysuckle. The wine has plenty of flavour and complexity. It does not have that terrible aftertaste a lot of white wines have. Greenish-yellow in colour, the wine is also fresh. We’re a fan. Delicious.

Enjoy with: pizza, pasta, casseroles, stew, mild creamy cheeses, oriental food.

 

Travel trends: Hot Tips For 2014 Plus 2013 Best Performers

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Morocco, Barbados and Kenya were the big success stories for 2013

Montenegro is hotly tipped for 2014, while Spain and Portugal continue to perform well

Morocco has outperformed any other worldwide holiday destination in terms of increased bookings for 2013, according to loveholidays.com

Montenegro, top travel destinations, travel trends, Data from the online travel agency reveals bookings to Morocco are up a staggering 1,100% year-on-year. Barbados and Kenya have seen bookings soar, by 800% and 700% respectively, while regular favourites Spain and Portugal also report big increases.

Montenegro, meanwhile, is being tipped as the next big destination in 2014, after it too showed a healthy increase in bookings last year.

Morocco holidays: up 1,100%

Morocco has been boosted in recent years, partly since easyJet launched flights to the destination. Since then, UK holidaymakers have started to realise what great value it is, and because it’s only a three-hour flight away, it’s possible to nip over for a short break.

loveholidays.com founder Alex Francis says: “Morocco is a very decently priced option for people who want to set foot on exotic soil and experience ‘Africa’ from as little as £150 per person.”

“Air capacity from the UK is increasing by 60% this winter with easyJet, for example, further expanding with the launch of a Bristol-Marrakesh service last month. It’s not surprising the Moroccan Tourist Board is predicting double-digit growth in travellers to the country. We think Morocco has still further to go.”

Barbados holidays: up 800%

Barbados is served with a great selection of flights from UK airports and transfer times from the airport to resort are shorter than some of the other Caribbean destinations.

Francis says: “It’s relatively safe and very “British” – you could say it’s got a ‘faraway familiarity’ about it, which is why it’s a firm favourite among Brits. This year, the Barbados Tourism Authority ran a promotion in conjunction with selected hotels giving tourists ‘free spending money’, redeemable at restaurants and attractions, to boost low-season bookings – and this definitely helped raise the island’s profile as a value-for-money destination.

“In addition, Barbados’ best-known export, Rihanna, is never far out of the media spotlight, ensuring regular publicity for the island.”

Kenya holidays: up 700%

Tourism to Kenya reached record levels three years ago, with British travellers making up the biggest proportion of its one million visitors. Political unrest, terrorism and rare instances of attacks on holidaymakers since then have kept the destination in the spotlight for the wrong reasons. But Kenya is so unusual that it never takes long to bounce back. Hence a 700% increase in demand.

Francis says: “There really is nowhere on earth like Kenya and safari holidays combined with a few days on the beach are really popular. Prices remain keen, so a bargain safari and beach holiday in Kenya is perfectly possible.”

Montenegro holidays: up 300%

“Our money’s on Montenegro as a hot destination for 2014. It’s a tiny country, but it’s going to be huge this year, with tourists flocking to the resort of Becici and the nearby Medieval town of Budva. Upmarket accommodation providers, such as Regent Hotels and Resorts and Kerzner International’s One&Only, are opening new properties in 2014; however, even on a smaller budget, it’s easy to experience Montenegro in style and comfort.”

“The four-star Hotel Montenegro Beach in Becici has proved really popular this year. As far as value for money goes, it’s hard to beat – and that’s why we’re tipping Montenegro as one to watch this year,” predicts Francis.

Spain and Portugal holidays: up 571% and 616% respectively

The original summer holiday destination for Brits – Spain – has been back in favour for a few years now. It’s not surprising, since it’s got brilliant flight links, offering the convenience of flying from a local airport in the vast majority of cases. Its neighbour, Portugal, is also a staple favourite and both destinations have a loyal repeat visitor clientele.

“In addition, these are two destinations that, even throughout the economic downturn, still represent great value for money, especially holidays to Spain,” says Francis.

“It’s just over two hours away and has stayed relatively ‘cheap’ while other destinations have shot up in price. Spain is consistently our big seller.”

Other high-performing destinations during 2013, and expected to prove popular next year, are: Tunisia (up 408%); Canary Islands (up 340%); Egypt (up 317%); Aruba (up 300%); Jamaica (up 289%); Balearic Islands (up 267%); Turkey (up 271%) and Slovenia (up 250%).

 

Miley Cyrus For Marc Jacobs Campaign

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Miley Cyrus’s first fashion campaign is for Marc Jacobs Spring Summer 2014. Shot by David Sims and Katie Grand, we barely recognised her with her clothes on.

Marc Jacobs said to WWD: ‘We wanted this beach with girls kind of sulky and broody, and we thought it would be cool if it was Miley with what could be two friends, feeling distant and quite dark. We all just love her and her entire being, her energy, her talent, her intelligence, everything. There’s nothing I don’t like about her. She is just genuine and very natural.’

However Juergen Teller, who usually shoots Marc Jacobs campaigns, didn’t shoot the campaign this time; ‘I have worked with Juergen for years and love him as an artist. He just didn’t want to shoot her.’ Ouch.

Miley Cyrus for Marc Jacobs

What do you think?

Top Cosmetic Surgeries of 2013

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·      473% increase in arm lifts as patients wave goodbye to bingo wings

·      Buffalo hump removal up 350% in 2013

·      ‘Moobs’ a hot topic as enquiries for male breast removal doubles

·      221% increase in those opting for buttock lifts

 

From Kim Kardashian’s infamous derriere tweet sparking surgery rumours, to Heidi Montag’s breast reduction –in 2013 cosmetic surgery was a talking point. New statistics from clinic comparison site WhatClinic.com, shows what cosmetic treatments were hot or not in 2013.

Arm lifts saw a whopping 473% increase in 2013 as many patients waved goodbye to those dreaded bingo wings. Fluctuations in weight and growing older can cause the upper arm skin to sag, which is what the surgery – also known as brachioplasty – corrects. The cost, however, is not for the faint hearted – averaging £3,872 – over a third (35%) more than it cost in 2012.

beyonce booty most wantedWith Beyonce’s booty once again taking centre stage in her raunchy new video, ‘Partition’, it’s not surprising that enquiries into buttock lifts more than tripled (221%) last year. However, the surgery, which aims to contour and sculpt patients’ rears, comes with a hefty price tag of around £4,226 and experts recommend no physical exertion for three to six weeks following treatment.

One of the more unusual procedures trending in 2013 was buffalo hump removal, which had no interest in 2012, but saw a 350% increase in 2013. This surgery removes the fatty build-up at the base of the neck caused by excessive weight gain. Although it’s still not widely available in the UK, demand amongst British patients is certainly on the up.

It wasn’t just women going under the knife in 2013, as male breast reduction enquiries more than doubled (119%) last year. However, over a third (35%) of those looking to banish their ‘moobs’, went overseas to countries such as Poland, the Czech Republic and Belgium, where surgeries are considerably cheaper.

Full abdominoplasty, also known as a tummy tuck, saw enquiries fall by half (46%) last year, while abdominal etching dropped by almost a fifth (17%). Etching, hugely popular in the 1990s, is aimed at people who are quite fit but have a small amount of fat covering their abs. Demand for both procedures is now falling as many patients opt for alternatives like fat transfer, which saw a 126% increase in the past 12 months.

Mini-facelifts also dropped by 60% as less invasive treatments, such as non-surgical facelifts and dermal fillers (both up 93%) and Thermage skin tightening (up 80%) proved more popular with patients.

The following table shows the treatments that have seen the biggest increases in enquiries in 2013:

 

Treatment

% increase in enquiries over past 12 months

Average price

Arm lift

473%

£3,872

Buffalo hump removal

350%

£3,315

Cleft lip palate

260%

£350

Buttock lift

221%

£4,226

Eyelid surgery

158%

£2,125

Thigh lift

141%

£4,298

Fat transfer

126%

£2,548

Neck liposuction

123%

£2,142

Male breast reduction

119%

£3,493

Neck lift

110%

£3,258

 

The following table shows the treatments that have seen the biggest decreases in enquiries in 2013:

 

Treatment

% decrease in past 12 months

Average price

Genital reshaping

-74%

£4,707

Mini facelift

-60%

£4,299

Asian bkepharoplasty

-57%

£1,000

Full abdominoplasty

-46%

£4,912

Breast reconstruction

-41%

£5,794

Eye lift

-32%

£1,191

Pectoral implants

-28%

n/a

Nasal tip surgery

-18%

£2,317

Abdominal etching

-17%

£5,313

Jaw contouring

-16%

£1,625

BBC To Commercialise World Service

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BBC_TV_CentreThe BBC have unveiled plans to commercialise the 80-year-old World Service, causing anger in some parts.  Coverage of politics will be downplayed. The BBC is to take over funding of the World Service from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. It will transfer to licence-fee funding in April. One of the reforms may be advertising on the site, which staff believe that the changes are in part to attract advertisers, outside of the UK the BBC relies on commercials on it’s channels and websites. BBC Global News Ltd lost £800,000 last year, and £21million was lost in the UK operation according to accounts, most of the loss was offset by advertising and sponsorship money made overseas.

A spokesperson for the BBC told The Independent: “The BBC’s reputation for providing impartial and independent news will always take precedence over wider commercial goals. Our experience with World News, bbc.com and some limited World Service commercial activity shows that these forms of funding are generally accepted by audiences outside the UK, and that editorial standards and public service priorities can be maintained.”

 

However Shadow culture minister Helen Goodman said: “The proposed drift away from the core purpose of the World Service is precisely what people feared when this Government said that the Foreign Office would no longer finance it. It’s really important that the World Service stays on mission as a reliable, truthful broadcaster of important news to people in places where this is not otherwise available.”

 

What do you think? Is commercialisation a good or bad thing? Is this just a sign of the times?

 

How to Spot a Lying Used Car Seller

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Nose touching, mouth covering, fidgeting and throat clearing are all common signs of someone telling a lie and detecting these signals could save used car buyers from making a costly mistake.  Vehicle information expert HPI is urging consumers to be on their guard and pay attention to more than a vehicle’s body work, but a seller’s body language and facial expressions too.

HPI check. how to spot a lying used car salesperson

“Have you ever had that uneasy feeling that someone was lying to you but didn’t know why you felt that way? It could be because you’ve subconsciously noticed their lying signs,” explains Shane Teskey, Senior Consumer Services Manager at HPI.  “Trust your instincts.  Pay close attention to body language and facial expressions.  For example, look for nose touching and mouth covering. People touch their noses more frequently when they’re lying. They’re also more likely to cover their mouths.

 

“Of course, if you are buying online you can’t look the seller in the eye or take into consideration how they are behaving so investigate the seller’s history by reviewing the ratings from other buyers to ensure you’re dealing with someone who will deliver the car according to the terms you are offered.”

 

Another potential tell-tale sign of lying to look for is nodding, says HPI. When the head is nodding or shaking in contrast to what is being said, buyers should be on their guard.  “Make sure the seller isn’t giving you inconsistent signals,” continues Shane Teskey.  “Does your used car seller look shifty? Perhaps constantly fidgeting? Too much fidgeting, either with their own clothing, jewellery, hair or things around them, could indicate that they are feeling uneasy and may be lying to you about the car’s history.”

 

Buyers should try to observe the level of “mirroring” going on between themselves and the seller. When two people have a conversation, they naturally mirror the behaviour of each other, but unscrupulous sellers mirror significantly less when lying.  Finally, pay attention to the person’s throat. Excessive lubrication of the throat by swallowing, throat clearing or gulping may indicate someone is dealing with a dodgy seller.

 

Shane Teskey concludes, “We always urge buyers to take along someone else with them when going to view a car.  Having a second pair of eyes to check out the seller whilst you check out the bodywork will never go amiss.   And if you don’t know much about cars, try to take someone who does know a thing or two, or invest in the services of an independent vehicle inspection.  Most importantly, don’t let your heart rule your head and trust your instincts.  If the car looks too good to be true, it probably is.”

 

The best way to avoid being deceived by devious used car sellers is to get the official HPI Check online at www.hpicheck.com, via it’s App (now available from iTunes) or by phone – which will confirm if a vehicle has been stolen, written-off, or has outstanding finance against it.  The official HPI Check also includes a mileage check as standard, using its National Mileage Register (NMR), which holds more than 160 million mileage records, helping buyers avoid the risk of buying a clocked vehicle.  In addition, the HPI Check offers a Guarantee of up to £30,000 in the event of the information it provides being inaccurate or incomplete, offering added financial protection to used car buyers.  For the ultimate peace of mind, used  car buyers can invest in a 202 point vehicle inspection by a qualified engineer with the new HPI Inspection.

 

How to Spot a Lying Used Car Seller

 

1.    Look for nose touching and mouth covering

 

2.    Watch when the person nods. If the head is nodding or shaking in contrast to what is being said, this can be a tell-tale sign that they are lying.

 

3.    Beware of constant fidgeting.

 

4.    Observe the level of mirroring.

 

5.    Watch the person’s throat for excessive swallowing, throat clearing or gulping.