Author Archives: Catherine Balavage

Get smart for hearts with Alfa Romeo charity pocket squares, support Heart Research UK

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–          Alfa Romeo and fashion house PPQ create limited edition charity pocket squares for Heart Research UK

–          The Italian-made silk accessories were designed by Alfa ambassadors, including Dragon’s Den star Peter Jones, Chris Tomlinson and fashion label PPQ

–          On sale for £14.99 each from www.alfaromeo.co.uk/pocketsquares and participating Alfa Romeo dealers

–          Tweet this: @AlfaRomeoUK & @PPQClothing with @DragonJones design pocket squares to support @HeartResearchUK bit.ly/P3utV8 #GetSmartforHearts

 

Alfa Romeo has launched a new campaign in aid of Heart Research UK, encouraging fashion conscious members of the public to ‘get smart for hearts’ by wearing one of six specially designed pocket squares to support the charity’s fight against heart disease.

 

The limited edition pocket squares, priced at £14.99 each, are handmade in Italy using 100% Italian silk and designed by some well-known faces from the worlds of sport, business and fashion.

 

Design contributions have come from Dragons Den star and entrepreneur Peter Jones CBE; Team GB long jumper Chris Tomlinson and actor Tom Ellis,  together with fashion label PPQ and 2012 Alfa Romeo Young Designer of the Year Janine Clark.

 

Marking a landmark anniversary for Alfa Romeo, a sixth pocket square design celebrates 50 years of the Giulia. Launched in 1962, the Alfa Giulia was renowned for its style, performance and innovation, selling over a million examples during its 15 year production run.

 

Pocket squares, the fashion accessory à la mode among the sartorially inclined, have enjoyed a resurgence in popularity thanks to the likes of the Mad Men wardrobes and dapper Brit style icons such as actors Benedict Cumberbatch and Matt Smith, and musician Tinie Tempah. Major fashion labels including Dolce & Gabbana, Dunhill, Hermes and Louis Vuitton have all produced pocket squares as part of their recent collections.

 

Percy Parker, co-founder and designer at PPQ, says; “Pocket squares add colour and individuality to any formalwear. From business suits to black tie, they’re a must-have accessory for any well-heeled gentleman. With these limited edition Alfa pocket squares, now you can look the part, whilst benefitting a great cause.”

 

Just 6,000 Alfa pocket squares have been produced, going on sale from 3 September and available online from www.alfaromeo.co.uk/pocketsquares in participating Alfa Romeo showrooms. September will also mark a dedicated month of fundraising for the campaign, with nationwide support from Alfa’s dealer network.

 

Peter Jones CBE says; “This is a great project to be part of and I’m delighted with how my design has turned out. These accessories are beautifully made, stylish, sophisticated and they benefit a fantastic charity. So ‘tailor your ticker’ and show some heart for the great causes being helped.”

 

Damien Dally, Head of Brand, Alfa Romeo UK says; “Alfa’s brand strapline is ‘Without heart, we would be mere machines’ and that’s a poignant message for this campaign. We’re delighted to be supporting Heart Research UK’s important cause with a project that raises money and awareness through fashionable style. So get smart for your heart and wear a pocket square with pride this year.”

 

For more information on Alfa Pocket Squares, visit www.alfaromeo.co.uk/pocketsquares

 

To find out more about Heart Research UK, visit, http://www.heartresearch.org.uk/

Get Front Row Ready with Dr. Dukan’s ‘Fashion Week Bento Box’ Recipes.

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FOOD FIT FOR A FASHIONISTA

Get Front Row Ready with Dr. Dukan’s ‘Fashion Week Bento Box’ Recipe Collection


As models and journalists from across the globe get ready to hotfoot it from show to show and grab a quick lunch on the go at London Fashion Week, Dr. Dukan helps you stay in shape with a runway-ready Bento Box selection – bang on trend, delicious and diet-friendly!

So if you’re looking to achieve a slimmer silhouette and confidently channel next season’s styles, make sure you get the look you desire with these Asian inspired recipe ideas: Salmon Temaki, Sweet and Sour Rolls, Thai Style Noodle Salad and Little Chocolate and Matcha Cream Cakes. It’s fashion-forward food for fashion-ready bodies!

Thanks to Dr. Dukan – the man behind the plan – we can enjoy healthy food packed with goodness and flavour as well as designer looks and still lose those extra inches in fashionably fast time. Hailing an “eat as much as you want” policy with an extensive list of over 100 approved foods to choose from, the Dukan Diet can help you successfully shift those unwanted pounds without going hungry or missing out.

Please see Dr. Dukan’s “Fashion Week Bento Box” recipes below, which are ideal for the Cruise phase and for the PV days (protein and vegetable).

Salmon Temaki
1 serving
Preparation time: 5 min



1 fresh salmon fillet or 1 slice of smoked salmon
1 nori (seaweed) sheets, cut in half
1 tsp of Dijon mustard
1 tsp of low fat fromage frais


·     Cut the salmon in squares.
·     Mix the mustard with fromage frais (add more according to taste).
·     Mix the salmon with sauce and spread on 1 nori sheet, then roll it.


* Tip: you can add some cucumber sticks or other greens in each Temaki.

* Health Benefits: Salmon is full of Omega 3, and the seaweed is full of nutritional vitamins.


Sweet and Sour Rolls with Goji Berry Jam

1 serving
Preparation time: 5 min
Cooking time: 10 min



For the jam:
Can be refrigerated for up to 4 days

5 tbsp of Goji berries • water (enough to cover the berries)
1 tbsp liquid sweetener (or more to taste)
1 tsp of agar-agar powder
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp strawberry flavouring

·     Pour Goji berries into a small nonstick saucepan and cover them with water.
·     Add the liquid sweetener and lemon juice then bring to the boil.
·     Finally, add the agar-agar, mix thoroughly then leave to simmer for 7 minutes, constantly stirring the                            mixture as to prevent it from burning and sticking to the pan (add a little water if necessary).
·     When cooked, the berries must be inflated and caramelised
·     Place jam in a glass jar (it will keep for several days in the fridge).

For the paste:
30 g corn flour
1 tbsp skimmed milk powder
100 g low fat fromage frais or Quark
1 egg
30 g of baking powder or dried yeast


·      Mix all the ingredients together
·      Spread on to on a non-stick foil and bake it until brown at 180° C.
·      When cold, spread some Goji berry jam on it, add some turkey slices and a few salad leaves. Roll it and                      then cut into small pieces.

* Health Benefits: Goji Berries are a great source of antioxidants

Thai Style Noodle Salad

1 serving
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes


½ pack of shirataki noodles
Chopped fresh coriander
1 chicken breast
1 tbsp of low fat cream
1 drop of coconut flavouring (optional)
2 pinches of curry powder
1 tsp of sesame seeds
1 tbsp of soya sauce
1 tsp of rice vinegar (mirin)
1 or 2 pieces of steamed broccoli, chopped


·     Cook the shirataki noodles in boiling water for five minutes and then rinse them with cold water.  Leave              aside for later.
·     Cut the chicken breast in small pieces and cook it with low fat cream, curry powder and coconut
flavouring.  Let it cool.
·     Prepare the sauce by mixing soya sauce, rice vinegar, coriander and sesame seeds.
·     Add the chicken pieces to the shirataki noodles, add the steamed broccoli and pour the sauce over.

* Shirataki Noodles are calorie free and low in carbohydrates!


Little Chocolate and Matcha Cream Cakes

6 serving (two little pieces of cake for your dessert)
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes



For the biscuit:

4 eggs
2 tsp of corn flour
2 tsp of baking powder
2 tbsp of sweetener
1tbsp of low fat sugar free cocoa powder


For the Matcha cream:

200ml of skimmed milk
1 tsp of corn flour
1 tsp of Matcha powder
1 egg
3 sheets of gelatine
2 tbsp of sweetener

·      Separate the egg yolks from the whites, and put the egg whites in a large mixing bowl. Beat them at              high speed until stiff peaks form. In another bowl, mix the egg yolks with the sweetener, corn flour                baking powder and cocoa powder. Gently whisk in the egg whites. Mix everything well using a metal               whisk. Pour the mixture into a medium-sized square cake baking tin and bake for 10 mins, at 180° C in a                 pre-heated oven.

·      When the biscuit is done, put it in the fridge to cool.
·      Place the gelatine sheets into a mixing bowl with cold water and leave for 5 mins.
·      In another mixing bowl, combine the egg, corn flour and sweetener.
·      In a small saucepan, warm up the milk and add the Matcha powder.
·      Next, take the gelatin leaves, squeeze out the excess water and add them to the warm milk. Mix well to               make sure the gelatine is dissolved completely.
·      Slowly pour the warm milk over your egg mixture, mixing constantly. Pour the mixture back into the       saucepan and let it cook on a medium heat. You must continue to mix the cream and make sure it cooks        on a medium temperature.
·      After 5-6 mins the cream should start to thicken. Pour it into a mixing bowl and leave it in the fridge to               cool. In 1-2 hours, when the cream has cooled, you can start assembling the cake.
·      Cut the biscuit lengthwise in the middle and spread out the cream in the middle. Leave the cake in the               fridge over night.
·     Cut some little squares of this cake for your fashion week bento box!


* Top tip: Handbag staples for those on the go, during London Fashion Week, are Goji berries, Dukan Diet Oat Bran Bars, bottled water and Dukan Diet Oat Bran Biscuits!

Morrisons Christmas Range: What To Buy For Christmas

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It may seem strange to see a Christmas article so early but there is a reason: most companies have their Christmas PR days in July. There is always a lead up needed for Christmas articles. It is the same in acting, you film the Christmas specials six months early. By the time Christmas comes I feel I have been celebrating it for at least half the year.

Morrisons has launched an excellent Christmas range. The food is well-selected, reasonably priced and sourced by professionals in their field. Here are some reasons why I think Morrisons is great for Christmas….

Morrisons source livestock straight from farmers. They also sell black summer truffles at £99.99 a kilo…which means you can buy your own truffles for £3 or £4.

In 2011 they pledged to have more than 50 promotions each week to make it cheaper for customers to get their 5 a day. They average 93 promotions a week.

None of their fruit or veg goes to waste, what is not good enough for customers is given to animals.

I was lucky enough to taste some food made by Neil Nugent who is Morrisons Executive Chef and Head of Innovation, Ray Craven, meat specialist and Martin Clayton, bakery specialist. I have picked out my highlights below from the UK’s fourth-largest grocer.

Mince Pie & Cream Flavoured Popcorn.
The acronym OMG was made for this popcorn. It just tastes divine. Available from October 15.

Morrisons Best Champagne Brut has won the Which? Best Champagne Award twice.
“I am very prod of our Morrisons Best Champagne Brut as I handpicked the blend myself. It is multi-award-winning and adds a certain elegance and style to any meal or celebration.” Arabella Woodrow, Wine Specialist. I have tasted a lot of champagne and this is now my favourite. It just tastes amazing. No wonder is has been voted Best Champagne twice.

Beetroot Smoked Salmon, Smoked Halibut and Smoked Salmon
This salmon is delicious. I really liked the Beetroot salmon. The halibut was good too. A tip from Morrisons is to buy your salmon in advance and freeze it. Salmon has a long shelf life.

Christmas Tree Tear and Share Bread
This tastes great and it looks fun too. Wrap uneaten piece in cling film to make them last longer.

Panettone
Freshly baked and with 15% more fruit this year. Morrisons makes good panettone. I will be buying this again for Christmas.

Other highlights: Soda bread by Bryn Williams, White Christmas Pudding created by Claire Clarke MBE, Crusted Turkey by Nigel Haworth and Rustic Country Pate created by Pierre Koffmann.

Is time travel possible? How big is the universe? Science Questions Answered

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Frost Magazine loves everything science so we are very excited about The Times and The Sunday Times launching a month-long campaign that will see both newspapers publish a series of inspirational guides, pullout posters and supplements designed to help readers and their families get smarter.

The ‘Instant Wisdom’ campaign kicks-off this weekend (09/09) in The Sunday Times with the first part of ‘100 Answers Every Grown Up Needs To Know’, a free supplement that gives parents all the tools necessary to answer those tricky questions children ask. The second part will be in The Sunday Times the following weekend.

The Times will also run an eight-part ‘How to Be Smarter’ series which includes grammar training for grown ups; brain trainers; guidance on how to do a cryptic crossword; puzzles and a summary of the best bits of Shakespeare. The Sunday Times will consolidate the series with a double-sided activity poster featuring 75 facts and skills every child needs to know.

The campaign will culminate with The Sunday Times University Guide, the definitive university rankings providing prospective students with all the information they need to make the next step after school or college.

Paul Croughton, Commissioning Editor at The Sunday Times Magazine and Editor of the 100 Answers Every Grown Up Needs To Know supplement, said: “The Times and The Sunday Times are renowned for both authoritative and entertaining education and learning content. We publish the definitive universities and schools guides and our quizzes, crosswords and brainteasers are hugely popular with readers. The Instant Wisdom campaign will amalgamate and develop some of this great content over the course of four weeks to give families up and down the country a reason to come together, learn something new and help each other get smarter.”

The campaign is supported by UK-wide digital outdoor advertising, a radio promotional campaign and an interactive Instant Wisdom quiz free on The Sunday Times website.

Get smarter with these five questions and answers from 100 Answers Every Grown Up Needs To Know – published free inside The Sunday Times this weekend:

1. Is time travel possible? Amazingly, the known laws of physics don’t rule it out. According to Einstein’s theory of general relativity, it is theoretically possible to create a “wormhole” in the fabric of spacetime, allowing us to tunnel through to other eras. Obviously, nobody knows how to do it yet, and the results would be a bit mind-boggling. Suppose you jumped into a time machine, travelled back to when your grandfather was young… and accidentally landed on him before he’d met your grandmother. Then your parents could not exist, and neither could you — yet there you are, having flattened grandad. Many scientists think this “grandfather paradox” rules out time travel. Another bit of evidence is that we have yet to meet anyone from the future who has successfully travelled back in time — unless, of course, they’re here, but don’t like to talk about it. There is a way anyone can see into the past, though: look up. Gazing at Polaris, the north star, is to see it as it was back when Elizabeth I ruled England.

2. How big is the universe? Bigger than you can possibly imagine. In fact, the ancient Greeks came up with an argument for why the universe must be infinitely big. If it were only finite, it would have an edge, but that would mark the boundary with something else — which would then be part of the universe, and so on forever. Yet astronomers now know that, although the true universe may be infinite, we can see only a part of it. That’s because, ever since it was created in the Big Bang, 14 billion years ago, it has been expanding, with distant galaxies racing away from each other at an ever-faster rate. That means there’s a distance at which these galaxies seem to be receding from us at the speed of light — and so remain forever invisible. This marks the edge of the visible universe, and it’s about 46 billion light years away.

3. Is the Bermuda triangle real? Sure: it’s a triangular expanse of the Atlantic Ocean, spanning about 400,000 sq miles between Miami, Puerto Rico and Bermuda. But the idea that “bad things happen” to those who enter the triangle is another story. It began in the 1950s, with reports that five torpedo bombers and their 14 crew had vanished off the Florida coast in 1945. Soon people began looking into it, and that case, Flight 19, was joined by other odd events dating back to the mysterious loss in 1918 of the American supply ship Cyclops, with all 306 on board, near Bermuda. By the 1970s, a catalogue of strange disappearances had been linked to the triangle — along with a host of theories, ranging from rogue waves to alien abductions. The most likely, although not very exciting, explanation is simple probability: if you draw a huge triangle over one of the busiest shipping and flight zones in the world, chances are it’ll have seen a few odd events over the course of a century or so.

4. How do planes fly? When the Wright brothers made their first powered flight, in 1903, they had little understanding of the science that kept their ramshackle craft aloft. Yet amazingly, even today, many explanations of how planes fly are just plain wrong. Most talk about how the air passing over the curved top of a wing gets squeezed, and so moves faster than that passing underneath — creating a pressure difference that generates lift. But, while this sounds plausible, it’s based on laws of physics that just don’t apply in the case of air. The real answer to why aircraft fly is buried in something called the Navier-Stokes equations on fluid mechanics — formulas so complicated, nobody has ever completely solved them. This is a real problem for wing designers, who have been forced to rely on various mathematical tricks, scale models and computer simulations to design efficient wings. While they succeed in keeping planes aloft, the fact remains that there’s no simple way to explain how. Weird, no?

5. Is anything wetter than water? Weirdly, yes. To a scientist, the wetness of a liquid depends on its surface tension — that is, the tendency of its molecules to stick together, rather than spread over and into a surface. (The lower the surface tension, the wetter the liquid.) Oddly enough, water isn’t especially wet as liquids go: many others, including alcohol and acetic acid (vinegar), are much wetter. Water itself can be made wetter, though — by using “surfactants” such as soap, which reduce surface tension.

Michael Clarke Duncan Dead At 54: Film World Mourns.

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Michael Clarke Duncan has died at the age of 54, leaving the film world stunned. The star of The Green Mile and Armageddon was born in Chicago in 1957 to a single mother. He wanted to be an actor but choose to support his mother instead by working as a bouncer.

He was the Notorious B.I.G’s bodyguard until he switched assignments on the day he died. Disillusioned, he quit shortly after.

Tom Hanks, his co star in The Green Mile said he was, “terribly saddened at the loss of Big Mike. He was the treasure we all discovered on the set of The Green Mile. He was magic. He was a big love of man and his passing leaves us stunned.”

Clarke’s fiancee, reality TV personality Reverend Omarosa Manigault, said in a statement:

Duncan “suffered a myocardial infarction on July 13 and never fully recovered”, the statement said. “Manigault is grateful for all of your prayers and asks for privacy at this time. Celebrations of his life, both private and public, will be announced at a later date.”

DISPAIR London and Depaul UK unite to create limited edition product with a difference.

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Innovative men’s footwear brand DISPAIR London has embarked on an exciting new collaboration
with Depaul UK, the largest national youth homelessness charity in the UK, to offer the opportunity
for one young person to be a guest designer of a limited edition DISPAIR London shoe.

A competition to submit design ideas was opened to the young people helped by Depaul UK with
100% of profits from the winning design going directly to Depaul UK.

With inspiration originating from the laid back streets of Spitalfields, DISPAIR London fully endorses
individualism, and is ideal for those who don’t feel the desire to conform, who are comfortable to lead
their own way in fashion.

Depaul UK helps young people who are homeless, vulnerable and disadvantaged, and has helped
over 50,000 people since it was founded in 1989. While Depaul UK offers an immediate solution to
homelessness, Depaul UK protects young people who have become homeless, helps them to
progress beyond homelessness with training and employment schemes, and works with families to
prevent youth homelessness from happening in the first place.

The design competition proved to be hugely popular with well over the expected number of entrants.
The winner was chosen, a former resident of Depaul UK’s Simonside supported Newcastle
accommodation, with the design being put onto DISPAIR London’s most popular style, the
Winston, a loafer shoe with monk strap detailing.

DISPAIR London has since worked closely with Depaul UK and the competition winner on every
step of the process, offering the young person work experience in the fashion footwear industry and
being fully involved in the design process along the way.

The shoe will be part of DISPAIR London’s AW12 collection, available in navy, grey, off-white and
black. Hitting Topman stores in time for Christmas.

Can’t sell Cole to Newcastle

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With a car crash last week which left her with a bloody nose and her arm in a sling, things are going from bad to worse for Cheryl with tickets to her Newcastle show being ditched in her home town, with some tickets being listed on viagogo, Europe’s largest ticket marketplace,  below face value for just £25.

 

Despite being born and raised just around the corner from Newcastle’s Metro Radio Arena where she’ll be performing on 16th and 17th October, it appears the Geordie’s are unshore and will not be Calling her Name in the crowd.

 

Viagogo’s Ed Parkinson said: “It’s seems that the saying is ringing true – you can’t sell Cole to Newcastle.  We’re really surprised to see that even top seats are selling for less than their face value for Cheryl’s upcoming tour dates and anyone looking to bag a last minute bargain could get themselves some amazing seats.”

 

Gain Experience with the Cisco Design Certification Exams

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Become certified in one of the most popular and useful areas that Cisco has to offer. The design pathway can be mastered by becoming an associate, professional, or expert. Hands-on skill experience and knowledge of network design is required; prior to taking the exam, it is highly recommended that participants take advantage of the numerous training resources available through Cisco, along with the comprehensive practice exams offered by http://www.testslive.com/.

The Cisco Certified Design Associate (CCDA) certification can be attained by passing the 640-864 DESGN examination. Although no prerequisites are required, knowledge from the CCNA and CCNP levels of network switching will appear. The certification will validate the ability to design network infrastructures (switched and routed) and technologies. Obtaining the CCD Professional certification is only possible by passing three exams: 642-874 ARCH, 642-902 ROUTE, and 642-813 SWITCH. Each will cover specific information; advanced network design concepts and fundamentals will be assumed. The internetwork expert certification requires a passing score on the CCDE written exam and practical exam.

Exam information can be found under each certification area in the Learning section of the Cisco website. Earning any of the above exams is a major benefit when confronting employers. A Cisco certification is a strong representation of proper knowledge within the IT profession, and having one in possession can be the one thing that earns you a high-status, high paying job. Train, study, experience, and put your knowledge to the test with a design certification exam.