Frost has come across an excellent wine cocktail guide from the great people at formulawine.co.uk. Mixologists from five London based cocktail bars (Callooh Callay, Sketch, Stories, Detroit bar and Dabbous) have created cocktail recipes containing wine and we have a graphic to display the recipes. The guide gives delicious wine cocktail recipes but also interesting new places to visit around London. Let us know what you think. Will you try them all?
Catalyst: Contemporary Art and War
Major New Exhibition
12 October 2013 – 23 February 2014, IWM North Special Exhibitions Gallery
Free Entry, Donations Welcome
IWM holds an unrivalled collection of twentieth and twenty-first century British art. Now, IWM North, part of Imperial War Museums, in Manchester is presenting the first major exhibition of IWM’s collection of contemporary art produced since the First Gulf War – placing more than 20 years of work by over 40 artists in this national collection on public display together for the first time.
The exhibition includes Steve McQueen’s Queen and Country, an installation of facsimile stamp sheets bearing photographic portraits of British service personnel killed in Iraq, and Photo Op, kennardphillipps’ very different comment on the war in Iraq, showing Tony Blair taking a ‘selfie’ in front of an explosion. This large-scale, free exhibition features responses to conflict since the First Gulf War by some of the most significant artists exploring war and conflict today – such as Langlands and Bell, Miroslaw Balka, Willie Doherty, Paul Seawright, Ori Gersht, Jananne Al Ani and Edmund Clark.
Catalyst : Contemporary Art and War reveals how war has been crucial subject matter for contemporary artists in the last two decades. Visitors will explore the rich, varied and moving artistic response to conflict in a media age. Hear from the artists themselves and discover what motivates people to create art about conflict. Explore the ways in which art can prompt us to think more deeply about current events, their immediate impact and their long-term implications.
Through more than 70 works, the exhibition will show the broad range of approaches artists use to explore this vast and complex subject. The exhibition showcases installations, photography, film, sculpture, oil paintings, prints and book works; varying from the highly moving to the humorous, philosophical or outraged.
In recent years the media has become an acknowledged weapon of battle. At a time when our understanding of war is increasingly shaped by the media and the internet, discover how art can prompt us to consider the way the media not only influences our current perceptions of conflict, but how it shapes the way history is written. Rasheed Araeen’s White Stallion explores the role of the media by questioning the nature of propaganda during the First Gulf War, while Paul Seawright seeks an alternative way of photographing war through his images of empty, but lethal minefields in Afghanistan.
Artists are often driven by their own experiences, political views or a desire to protest. Taysir Batniji’s series of estate agent details for destroyed homes in Gaza is a tongue-in-cheek comment on the situation in Palestine. Some artists aim to counter common opinions, while others explore the legacy of their own family history, or the long-term impact of conflict. Willie Doherty’s photograph Unapproved Road, showing a rural makeshift roadblock, suggests a violent past event and reminds us of the significance of land and territory in Northern Ireland during the Troubles.
Langlands and Bell’s interactive installation, The House of Osama bin Laden, where visitors perform an inconclusive search for bin Laden, or Edmund Clark’s photographs of Guantanamo, both reflect on points in time where the traditional boundaries and ethics of conflict are called into question.
Accompanying the work on display there will be a series of new interviews, specially commissioned by IWM, with artists whose work is on display, including Langlands and Bell, kennardphillipps and Paul Seawright.
Catalyst: Contemporary Art and War presents a unique opportunity to view new and recent acquisitions to IWM’s Collections, including works by Taysir Batniji, and Edmund Clark, films by Kerry Tribe and Ori Gersht, and a print series by Miroslaw Balka. The exhibition presents some of IWM’s official commissions: Queen and Country, Steve McQueen’s response to the war in Iraq; Paul Seawright’s photographs of Afghanistan and Langland and Bell’s unnerving interactive installation: The House of Osama Bin Laden.
IWM North itself – designed by world renowned architect Daniel Libeskind to represent a globe shattered by conflict – is a contemporary response to war. A major season of events will accompany the exhibition.
Coinciding with this major exhibition at IWM North, IWM London are hosting IWM Contemporary in autumn 2013 – a new programme of free contemporary art and photography exhibitions and public events.
Connect with IWM North and share your thoughts on Twitter via @I_W_M #SeeArtHere or on Facebook at Facebook.com/iwm.north
Catalyst: Contemporary Art and War is supported by The Little Green Paint Company.
Graham Boxer, IWM North Director, said: ‘IWM North is a venue for challenging exhibitions; a place for visitors to discuss big questions relating to war and conflict and our lives today. Catalyst: Contemporary Art and War contains some of the most important artworks on this theme of the past 25 years – on display together for the first time – and explores why war has inspired such creativity.’
Jack the Giant Slayer is now available on DVD & Blu-ray.
Unleashed on the Earth for the first time in centuries, the giants strive to reclaim the land they once lost, forcing Jack (Nicholas Hoult), into the battle of this life to stop them and rescue the princess!
Win a Jack the Giant Slayer Combo Pack (Blu-ray + DVD + Ultraviolet). Giveaway open to residents of the United Kingdom. To win follow @Frostmag on Twitter and Tweet, ‘I want to win Jack The Giant Slayer’ with @Frostmag’ or like us on Facebook. Alternatively, sign up to our newsletter. Or subscribe to Frost Magazine TV on YouTube here: http://t.co/9etf8j0kkz
You have the power! Control the moving GIFs and power the action in the movie with a swipe of your mouse! The Giant Soundboard lets you compose your own mashup of sounds from Jack The Giant Slayer, which your kids will enjoy for hours! Test your bravery and take the How Brave Are You? QUIZ to see if you’re as brave as our hero Jack.
View the Jack the Giant Slayer Blog App here:
The competition is only running for a week so hurry!
Apple has just launched two new phones. The more expensive and faster 5S and the new cheaper plastic 5C. Here are the first look specifications for the 5S (5C coming soon).
iPhone 5S Specifications
New Colours
The iPhone 5S will come in new colours; silver, space grey and gold
8 Mega Pixel Camera
Apple claims to have made big strides with the iPhone camera, despite deliberately not focusing on increasing the number of pixels. Apple claims that the bigger pixels take better pictures.
Tim Cook said ‘We think deeply about the experience we want to create’
It has a brand new sensor with an aperture of f/2.2. The sensor is also 15% larger which should help it to perform better in low light. Like the Samsung S4 the new iPhone camera now features a burst mode which takes up 10 shots per second. The video camera can now take slow motion video at 120fps in 720p.
Perhaps the biggest hardware feature of the camera is a new ‘True Tone’ dual LED flash. This should make a big difference to the cameras performance in low light. Until now the small bright flashes on all smartphone have always taken poor quality images. We’ll have to wait and see if Apples prove to be true.
Fingerprint Sensor
The fingerprint sensor has been integrated into the Apple home button. The sensor can apparently read your finger from any direction. It can be used to unlock the phone but also as an authentication when making a purchase from the app store. It has also been speculated that app developers will create new applications which will take advantage of the feature, although fingerprint data is encyrpted and will be stored inside the phone and won’t be to iCloud or Apple’s servers.
A7 Chip
Apple claims its new chip is the first 64bit chip in a smartphone. Apple claims the new chip will run much faster than previous phones, perhaps even twice as fast. It should be much better at playing more powerful games as Apple demonstrated. It has been fully optimised to run with iOS 7. Apple’s new operating system.
M7 Chip
The new M7 chip continuously measures motion data from the accelerometer, gyroscope, and compass which should make it possible to develop a range of new apps, especially health and fitness apps which have become very popular recently. This technology may also point to a future Apple smartwatch.
Battery Life
Battery life is improved. It has 250 hours of standby, 10 hours of browsing on LTE, and 10 hours of talk on 3G. This might actually be the most useful of all the 5S’s features as many previous smartphones struggle to last for a day.
iOS 7
The new iPhone 5S will come with Apples brand new operating system iOS 7. Apple already showed off iOS 7 during the summer (It will be possible to download on the 18th September). iOS 7 is Apples biggest software overhaul for a long time. The user interface has been completely redesigned by Johnny Ive. The new operating system is packed with loads of new features. One of the biggest is Apples new radio service which will compete with Spotify and Pandora. Apple should hopefully improve on its heavily criticised map application. It will probably be the software optimised with the new hardware which will be the main reason to buy this phone.
Price
The iPhone 5S will start at $199 for the 16GB model on a two-year contract, 32GB at $299 and 64GB at $399.
If you think Miley Cyrus’s VMA Twerking performance was raunchy, (and let’s face it, it was, Especially grinding into Robin Thicke who seems such a fan of disrobed women), then watch her ‘Wrecking Ball’ Video. You have probably seen it already. If not then you will see Cyrus completely naked riding a wrecking ball.
We like her music, but we would like it a lot more if she did not exploit herself. What do you think? Should she put some clothes on and let the music speak for itself? Or is she just really good at publicity?
The new Hunger Games film, Catching Fire is the most hotly anticipated film coming out this Autumn/Winter. Released on November 11, 2013, it is the sequel to the mega hit Hunger Games which grossed a staggering $687 million worldwide. To whet your appetite here are some posters, featuring the Oscar-winning lead actress Jennifer Lawrence.
Are you excited?
Pregnant and stylish, Halle Berry looked great with her daughter Nahla in Los Angeles. She was spotted carrying her new Gerard Dare Mini Simple Bag. The bag retails at £310. The Hollywood star is a huge fan of the brand.
The 47-year-old looked amazing taking her daughter to a play date. Halle can be seen soon in the new X Men film: Days of Future Past.
What do you think? Does she look great?
This October will see the launch of the Quintessentially Weddings Atelier, bringing the world’s finest wedding artisans all in one house for the discerning, style conscious bride and groom.
Reimagining the wedding show, the Quintessentially Wedding Atelier presents a unique, ‘behind the scenes’, experiential showcase of couture designers, artisanal crafts and luxury products, from statement designer gowns to fine jewels, innovative wedding gastronomy to the ancient art of calligraphy.
Hosted over two days on 26th and 27th October, the By-Appointment-Only event – held at the beautiful Robert Adam Georgian Townhouse, 29 Portland Place – will allow guests to immerse themselves in authentic luxury as designers and luminaires reveal the secrets of their highly skilled crafts.
Headlining with a Spring and Fall 2014 Bridal Collection – the latter being seen for the first time in the UK – iconic fashion house Oscar de la Renta will be making their debut onto the London show scene at the Atelier with a selection of beautiful gowns from their bridal collections. The house (first established in 1965) opened a store on Mount Street earlier this year with a dedicated bridal salon that will be brought to life as part of the Atelier.
Diamond master craftsmen, engravers and gemologists from iconic jeweller, Tiffany & Co will be demonstrating their skills in a pop-up version of their New York emporium alongside archival pieces, including a diamond brooch given to Elizabeth Taylor by Richard Burton.
Guests will discover interactive master classes and workshops with some of the world’s most coveted luxury brands and designers. There will be a stunning parade of gowns throughout the event from world class designers including Vera Wang, Monique Lhuillier, Johanna Johnson, Valentino, Peter Langner and Marchesa in association with Browns Bride, as well as access to the experts from Alice Temperley and Roland Mouret, who will showcase their collection designed for the thoroughly modern, fashion conscious bride. Quintessentially Vodka will be mixed by The Connaught Hotel’s world champion mixologist, and canapés and tasters will be provided by legendary luxury department store Harrods, debuting their gourmet catering. Royal photographer Hugo Bernard and Royal Wedding cake maker Fiona Cairns will be on hand to add a regal touch to proceedings.
Winston Churchill’s beautiful stately home, Blenheim Palace, will collaborate with artisan stationers Cutture to create a 3D theatrical set and upstairs, hidden in an intimate boudoir, Agent Provocateur will introduce their latest never-seen-before collections and lead talks on the Trousseau – the ‘hope chest’ received by a bride upon her marriage overflowing with gems, lacy sweet nothings and ballgowns to entertain in.
There will be a Groom’s Tailoring Salon for bespoke attire, sartorial elegance classes from insider experts, as well as top tips from leading make-up artists, stylists and nutritionists.
Adding substance to style, the Quintessentially Weddings Atelier will showcase the knowledge, passion and talent behind each expert. The Atelier will provide an unrivalled opportunity to forge connections with brands and talent that can transform a wedding into a luxuriously adventurous and truly memorable affair. With further names to be announced, stay tuned…
26th – 27th October 2013
10am – 6pm
29 Portland Place, London
Tickets are complimentary. Places are limited.
For further information and to register visit