Author Archives: Catherine Balavage

Diet Coke throws fashion party of the year for 30th Birthday

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– Sparkling celeb-studded bash celebrates iconic brand and new Diet Coke hunk –

Last night saw the fashion fabulous crowd of Diet Coke fans gather at London’s Sketch to celebrate the brand’s 30th birthday. Guests including Pixie and Peaches Geldof, Pearl Lowe and Danny Goffey, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Laura Whitmore, Zoe Hardman, Jamelia, Ben Grimes, Jade Parfitt and the Made In Chelsea cast enjoyed a sparkling night that looked back at the brand’s dazzling 30-year history and also saw the unveiling of a new Diet Coke hunk.

The biggest surprise of the night saw pulses race when Andrew Cooper, the new Diet Coke hunk entered the room to the famous Etta James “I Just Want To Make Love To You” soundtrack. Back, and sexier than ever, the new hunk ad is set to become one of the most talked about campaigns, and men of the year.

Event host, Hilary Alexander treated guests to a journey across Diet Coke’s 30 years, talking through the exciting campaigns and collaborations that have helped the brand become a cultural icon. She also officially opened a specially curated three decades themed exhibition, which allowed guests to view some of the most exciting moments from the brand including celeb-led campaigns ‘Just for the Elle of it’ (1987), Whitney Houston’s Diet Coke advertising campaign (1988), Paula Abdul’s ‘There’s just one’ (1992), the first hunk Lucky Vanous’ test shots (1994) and Heidi Klum’s Oscar dress from the Diet Coke Heart Truth campaign (2009).

Quirky designer and stylist Patricia Field was there and showcased her limited edition range of ‘Diet Coke City Collection’ bottles. These follow in the line of previous campaigns such as Moschino, Karl Largerfeld, Jean Paul Gaultier and Diane Von Furstenberg, firmly cementing the brand as the ultimate fashionista accessory.

Music for the night saw style superblogger Bip Ling hit the decks, combining the ultimate party track favourites from the past three decades in a mega mix specially created for Diet Coke. VIP’s including Lilah Parsons, Jack Derges, Phil Clifton and Wretch 32, also enjoyed three-decade themed cocktails entitled ‘80’s Just For The Taste Of It’, ‘90’s Diet Coke Break’ and ‘00’s Love It Light’ all made using Diet Coke as well as decadent canapés.

Josephine de la Baume and Xiao Wen Ju Wearing Kenzo

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Josephine de la Baume and Xiao Wen Ju Wearing Kenzo | 2013 Sidaction Gala Dinner

Stylish girl and other half to Mark Ronson, Josephine de la Baume wears Kenzo to the 2013 Sidaction Gala Dinner.

She is wearing Kenzo’s Pre-fall 2013 Raindrops Structured Boatneck Wool Jacquard Cocktail Dress.

The Best Television Shows On Right Now

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We live in a golden age of television. Film and Television used to be completely separate, but now Martin Scorsese is producing Boardwalk Empire and movie stars frequent TV. The quality just keeps getting higher. Frost did a survey of our readers for the top television shows on right now, and here they are.

Breaking Bad

Breaking Bad is crack in television form, and aptly so as it is about a chemistry teacher who starts to sell meth after being diagnosed with lung cancer. It is by far one of the best things on television. I have never met someone who had a bad word to say about it.

Homeland

Like most people I was addicted to Homeland and I am already excited about the new series. Homelands big advantage is the chemistry between the characters. Brody, played by Damien Lewis, was supposed to be killed off in the first season but the chemistry between Lewis and Claire Danes’s Carrie was too good and he was kept on.

The Good Wife

One of the finest legal dramas. Julianna Margulies is brilliant as Alicia Florrick. The Good Wife is now in it’s fourth season and still going strong.

Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones is exciting and original. It is also not scared to kill of it’s lead characters. It is brilliant television and I am not just saying that because some of my friends are in it.

Boardwalk Empire

Boardwalk Empire is set in Atlantic City, New Jersey during the Prohibition era. It stars Steve Buscemi as Nucky Thompson and Kelly MacDonald as Margaret Schroeder. It is produced by Martin Scorsese and you can tell. Every scene is beautiful and the costumes are great. Has a great mixture of real and fake characters.

Dexter

The show about a serial killer who only kills other serial killers is genius. The next season will be the eighth and possibly last. All of the characters are amazing. Michael C Hall as Dexter is brilliant, and real life ex-wife Jennifer Carpenter plays his sister, Debbie. Who is possibly one of my favourite characters on television.


Covert Affair

Season Three of Covert Affairs was my favourite yet. Piper Perabo plays the CIA operative who falls in love easily. Season three had you on the edge of your seat. A show that has come into it’s own.

Revenge

Trashy TV at it’s best. It is like Dallas, but with a grudge.

Whitney

Hilarious comedy from comedian Whitney Cummings. It may not be well known in the United Kingdom but it deserves a wide audience for its cracking scripts that leave you laughing so much it hurts.

The Killing

I have to admit I have not seen this yet but promised to put it in as everyone else I know loves it, and is jealous that I have never seen it and have it to look forward to.

Suits

Brilliant legal drama now in its second season. On the run from a drug deal gone bad, Mike Ross, a brilliant college-dropout, finds himself a job working with Harvey Specter, one of New York City’s best lawyers. The relationship between Mike and Harvey is brilliant and, like The Good Wife, it has a strong female lead as one of the partners in the law firm.

The Big Bang Theory

The show is now the most watched show. It is funny and smart and the characters of the awkward physicists are likeable, lovable and rich in depth. Endlessly watchable.

How I Met Your Mother

Getting ready for its ninth and final season, where we will finally find out who the mother is. It is both popular and a cult classic. Ted searches for the woman of his dreams in New York City with the help of his four best friends. The cast of Josh Radnor, Jason Segel, Cobie Smulders and Neil Patrick Harris are all brilliant.

True Blood

Sexy, naughty, violent. In a world where vampires have “come out of the coffin”, Sookie Stackhouse, a telepathic waitress, discovers a new world of different creatures when she meets Bill Compton, a vampire.

Mad Men

A drama about one of New York’s most prestigious ad agencies at the beginning of the 1960s, focusing on one of the firm’s most mysterious but extremely talented ad executives, Donald Draper. This show is a big hit and the costumes have sparked a thousand fashion trends.

Sherlock

A modern update finds the famous detective and his doctor partner solving crime in 21st century London.
Benedict Cumberbatch is brilliant as Sherlock. The last episode of the last season was endlessly debated.

Downton Abbey

Beginning in the years leading up to World War I, the drama centers on the Crawley family and their servants. This was a runaway success on both sides of the Atlantic, making huge stars of all of the cast.


Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23

Chloe is a New York party girl with the morals of a pirate who bullies and causes trouble for her naive small town roommate June. Krysten Ritter and Dreama Walker are brilliant and James Van Der Beek sends himself up beautifully.


New Girl

After a bad break-up, Jess, an offbeat young woman, moves into an apartment loft with three single men. Zooey Deschanel is deserving of her own show.


Suburgatory

A teenage girl moves from the city to the suburbs. Jane Levy is brilliant and sarcastic, the script is amazing. Witty and brilliant.

Agree or disagree? Comment below.

Funniest Viral Video Ever? Bear Interrupts Samsung Crew

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Just what you need when you are trying to set up a shoot, a bear joining in on the fun. This video is the funniest video we have seen in a long time.

We all need clean clothes but doing a lot of washes at high temperatures is not good for the environment. Maybe one of the reasons the bear was so interested was that the Ecobubble from Samsung allows washing at 15degrees so uses 70% less energy than a 40degree wash cycle. Not only that but it mixes air and water to create bubbles allowing the detergent to quickly penetrate clothing. This means less energy, a smaller wash cycle and less wear-and-tear to clothing – result. It is advertising at it’s best, so well done Samsung for being entertaining.

http://www.samsung.com/uk/ecobubble/

Sponsored Post.

Government Urges GPs To Cut Pain Relief For Women Giving Birth

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A lot of things make being a woman seem unfair. Periods, unequal pay, the biological clock, having your breasts stared at. But life is unfair and you just get on with your life. I mean, there is only a certain amount of time a person can stress over things, but yesterday I read something that I think is worth stressing over. Whilst reading the March 2013 edition of Easy Living magazine, in an article entitled, ‘How Can That Fit Through There?’, I read the following:

“In August 2012, new guidelines were drawn up for GPs, urging them to encourage mothers-to-be to have a natural labour with as little pain relief as possible in a bid to save the NHS money – given that an epidural costs £200.

Frankly, if the NHS needs to cut things then a women in the worst pain imaginable trying to push a baby through a 10cm hole is not the most humane choice. If men gave birth, would these ‘guidelines’ have been put through? I don’t have children, but I have been in a relationship for three years and it is on my mind whether or not to have them. This piece of information is not encouraging. I doubt any of the taxpayers money was considered when it came to Kate Middleton and her morning sickness (and neither should it).

If women stopped having children the world would stop. We need to be given more respect for the ordeal of being pregnant for nine months and then giving birth. Childcare is also expensive. Maybe this is the governments answer to the population crisis? Anyway, it feels like an attack on women and completely inhumane. If someone gets drunk and falls over do they get pain relief? Yes, and they should. I don’t want to live in a country where a doctor will see someone in pain and not give them pain relief. If the government really wants to save money why don’t they cut the £400 per month food allowance MPs get while families rely on food banks to feed themselves. Or the money to pay their rent and mortgage. Most of the population does not get paid expenses on these things.

We are not ‘all in this together’, some of us have a great deal more pain to bear.

Beat the Winter Blues With Exercise

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Just because you’re confined to being indoors because  the roads are too dangerous for running or cycling in the dark, doesn’t mean you should halt your fitness regime.

 

 

 

At ICON, we know that working out over the winter months can be a challenge but it really doesn’t need to be. Here they share their top five, ultimate workout tips, which are sure to get you motivated.

 

Follow their simple steps to get the best from your workouts and maintain your fitness routines.

 

Tip 1: Winter Weight gain

The winter often leads to winter weight gain. The cold can make us develop extra excuses when it comes to our motivation to exercise.  Plus, many people suffer from mood changes during the winter months and turn to food for comfort.  The bitter truth is that you will only be wearing a big woolly jumper for a few months and soon you will have to face summer clothes again.  Try to maintain a healthy diet and exercise routine during the colder months and getting into shape in the summer will be much easier.

 

Tip 2: Feeling fit and using an indoor training kit

We suggest investing in functional training equipment that you can use in the comfort of your own home. Then you’ll have no excuse to avoid exercise – you won’t have to go to the gym or step outside into minus temperatures.  Plus, the introduction of an exciting new fitness gadget into your life will actually make you want to exercise. We recommend our ICON Health and Fitness range which includes a wide variety of home fitness equipment that will help you through every workout. We especially love their iFit Live™ programme, which is compatible with models from the ProForm and NordicTrack range.  This state of the art software allows you to run anywhere in the world all from the comfort of your own home, thanks to Google Maps™ technology.

 

Tip 3: maintain motivation

If you can imagine attaining your fitness goals, you will soon start to feel more positive, motivated and feel-good endorphins will be released.  As you start to see and feel the results then your motivation will be improved.

 

We suggest setting yourself small realistic goals.  By breaking your goals into smaller, more easily achieved steps, you can work towards your larger long-term goals. Start by walking a mile, then try jogging – build up the distance until you can tackle a marathon!

 

Tip 4: Train like an athlete.

You may not be an athletic hopeful, but adopting the physical and mental approach of an athlete will give you a positive approach to workouts and achieving your goals.

  • Athletes see direct results from their training and you can too. Try treating training as a task at work i.e. something on your to do list that must be completed by the end of the day.
  • Be smart with your exercise choices and get the most out of every workout. Mix your training up and keep your weekly programme varied.
  • Try short sprints, intervals and distance workouts on different days. When you begin to feel the benefits of all your effort then you will become more energised and motivated to continue. Prevent boredom…plan your week with sets, reps, distance and routes to keep your training interesting, challenging and fun.

 

Tip 5: Don’t freeze to feel fit!

As the days become shorter and the nights draw in, remember you can adapt your workout routine so you don’t have to freeze to get fit. Try circuit training in the comfort of your own home, or invest in a static bike or treadmill so you can maintain your cycling or running routine.  We are so impressed by the new ProForm Tour De France Bike. Boasting a 20% motorised incline and decline, Real Road™ resistance technology and iFit Live™ Technology, which is powered by Google Maps™. It has to be the ultimate in cycling workout kit.

 

You can also try booking a ski holiday, and embrace the fact you burn more calories in the cold.  When training outdoors however, make sure you adequately insulate your body and avoid sweat-absorbing material close to the skin and don’t forget a hat!

Rihanna: Shining Bright Like a Diamond

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Barbados goddess Rihanna is shining brighter than ever, designing for River Island and touring her new album all over the world. On the collaboration with River Island, Rihanna says:

“Launching at London Fashion Week is a dream come true for me. I have wanted to design my own collection for a long time and to present my collection for River Island alongside all of the other great design talent at LFW is a real privilege. I can’t wait to see the reaction from my fans and the fashion press!”

Rihanna has also started rehearsals for her new ‘Diamonds’ world tour. Rihanna will be touring her new album, Unapologetic and says that she is ‘hyped’ about it. The world tour starts in March. Click here to buy Rihanna tickets.

Rihanna has been sharing photos of herself on Instagram and also tweeting her excitement. Rihanna tweeted yesterday (23rd January)

“Diamonds World Tour. It’s approaching so quickly and I’m hype az s**t!. DIAMONDS WORLD TOUR #rehearsal.”

FUCK HUMBLE is a collaboration between DOPE and KING CHIP

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FUCK HUMBLE is a collaboration between DOPE and KING CHIP and is now available online. Limited to 100 tee shirts, 75 hoodies, and 100 hats. Everything was produced in the USA.

“Being too humble can be a setback at times. The ones who are taken advantage of the most are the most humble. Our world around us always reminds us to stay humble even though we all know nice guys finish last. The message behind this art is to let others know that you know your worth. Focus on being the best there ever was & spend less time revolving your world around the practice of humble. #FUCKHUMBLE”
– KING CHIP