Author Archives: Catherine Balavage

Zaggora Hotpants Review: Do They Work?

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I have heard of leggings and tight with special technology that makes people slimmer or improves cellulite, but I have never heard of a product which claims it can do it that has such a following. Zaggora have over 250,000 likes on Facebookand have sold over 420,000 pairs of their ‘HotPants’

The Hotpants have Celu‐Lite™ technology which increases core body temperature while being active leading to increase in calorific expenditure during and after working out as well as short-term weight loss immediately following working out. The Celu-lite technology has specifically designed lining which insulates and increases heat generation during working out to deliver better results in the short and long-term.

So, that is the science over, but do they work?

I have been exercising to lose the last bit of extra weight I still had from Christmas (ahem) and there was just this bit from my stomach that would not budge. I tried everything; working out 6 days a week, not eating dessert, spanx, but it would not budge. Until the hotpant. I decided to do the two-week challenge, but to be honest, I did not need the other week.

All I did was exercising in them three times that week for one hour and wore them (underneath my clothes) for another day. I lost about 2 inches from my waist and an inch and a half from my hips. My legs are also slimmer. The little bit of annoying weight in my stomach has gone. The hotpants would also be amazing in winter: brilliant thermals!

I recommend these. I don’t know if you could just wear them and sit around the house, but as long as you exert yourself in them they definitely work. You can even wear them doing housework. They at least double the benefits of your workout.

Zaggoro Hotpants: Frost loves.

[Disclaimer: I received a free pair of hotpants to review]

beActive LAUNCHES NEW TRANSMEDIA SERIES BEAT GIRL

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Multi-award-winning transmedia production company beActive has today announced the launch of Beat Girl, a live action music drama which will shoot in Dublin and London over the next four weeks.

Beat Girl follows 21-year-old Heather’s journey through music. Following the death of her pianist mother, Heather’s only option is to move in with her estranged father and half-brother. She turns to music and DJing to help her make some sense out of life. Heather is determined to continue her mother’s legacy and decides to audition for a place at a prestigious music school. But finding a balance between her music and career as a DJ leaves her divided; struggling to commit to her dreams and friendships against the backdrop of a turbulent home life. Heather soon discovers that music is inseparable from feelings and without the emotions, the dreams and the people we love, life, just like music, would not make sense.

Targeted at 18-35 year old women, Beat Girl will feature on several platforms, including online and social media, TV, books, magazines and iPhone/iPad applications. A Beat Girl novel and interactive eBook will go on sale in June at the same time as the Beat Girl mobile game.

Content Television and Digital holds the international online and broadcast distribution rights to the series, which it will debut at MIPTV as a 12×2’, 6×22’ and 1×90’ feature. Content Television and Digital will be at Stand RB.44 at MIPTV.

beActive’s co-founder and CEO Nuno Bernardo said: “It’s a great time for us to begin shooting Beat Girl. The series follows in the footsteps of the hugely successful Sofia’s Diary and demonstrates our continued commitment to engaging with audiences across multiple platforms, and really showcases us as being one of the leading producers of multiplatform content. We hope fans around the world will love Beat Girl just as much as Sofia”.

Heretics launches with bold provocative collection

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Few things in life beat a cool T-shirt and Heretics, created by London based designer Tom Wells, are bold and provocative. They are being worn by not only men but also women as ‘boyfriend’ style tee’s.

Female icons Daisy Lowe and Lana Del Ray have been great ambassadors of the brand some of the tee’s (skulls and astronaut prints) are penned by celebrated artist, Alex Konahin.

New menswear brand, Heretics, launches its debut collection of striking and distinctive printed T-shirts aimed at fashion-conscious men. With T-shirt weather fast approaching and trend forecasts looking bright, it is the perfect time for Heretics to introduce its first range, its flashes of colour, intricate detailing and sometimes risqué images complimenting current moods perfectly. Priced reasonably between £25-£30 per t-shirt the Heretics brand is already stirring an interest amongst other discerning gentlemen, its success stamped as inevitable.

By definition, Heretics refers to anyone who does not conform to an established attitude, doctrine, or principle. In a time where people are celebrating individuality and embracing boldness (Adele’s flicking of the finger at the Brits recently, for example), the idea of expressing oneself is paralleled throughout the Heretics line. Controversial, sexualised images of women are the feature of some of the pieces, one of which focuses on a woman holding a diamond-encrusted gun to her head with the words, ‘It’s All About Me’ below. Patriots will appreciate that the range is made in the UK in London in a bid to keep the company local; something which few brands can claim.

Some t-shirts in the collection feature urbane-detailed artwork by “Biro Man”, an artist who spent over a month creating pieces used in the range with, as the nickname suggests, a biro pen. A closer look at the Mexican skull design reveals the meticulous nature of his artwork with all of the artist’s precise detailing in all its glory. Other pieces in the collection are embellished with vividly intense hues. Flashes of colour used in the “Lust” and “Imagine” pieces are particularly striking and is a modern take on artist of the 60s and champion of the famous pop art movement, Andy Warhol.

Calling all ‘Beliebers’! The Perfume Shop is preparing for a Bieber bonanza!

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Guard your girlfriends and lock up your daughters… Justin Bieber is coming to town! In anticipation of the Prince of Pops performance at the Summertime Ball, The Perfume Shop has prepared a specific Belieber action plan and sent bespoke ‘Extreme Justin Bieber SOS packs’ to stores to cater for the pandemonium. Key stores will be armed and ready with tissues for emotional outbursts and Bieber lollipops to increase the blood sugar levels of screaming fans!

The exclusive pack has been developed following phenomenal sales of his debut perfume ‘Someday’. The female scent which only launched in September last year came top out of 12 other perfumes and resulted in a third of overall celebrity scent sales for 2011.

Key stores including Westfield Stratford, Bluewater and White City are preparing for floods of Justin Bieber fans to accommodate the hysteria expected at the weekend. Similarly to a ‘flood’ contingency plan, The Perfume Shop has drafted in additional support to help the teams in store, including Justin Bieber cut outs, scented posters, masks and balloons!

National Advertising & PR Manager, Michelle D’vaz said, “Bieber fever is still going strong The Perfume Shop! ‘Someday’ has an incredibly successful launch and continues to be a top seller. We wanted to celebrate with our shoppers ahead of his visit to the UK and look forward to meeting all the young Beliebers in stores this weekend!”

More Justin Bieber news exclusive to The Perfume Shop coming soon!

So, How Do Charities Spend Your Money?

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Oxfam launches nationwide search to find a member of the public to see for themselves how money donated to the charity is spent

Oxfam is today launching a nationwide search to find a member of the public to travel to one of their projects and see for themselves how money donated to the charity is spent. The successful applicant of this unique opportunity will report back with their personal experience of Oxfam’s work helping communities out of poverty and will feature in a major advertising campaign.

Oxfam’s research highlights that uncertainty about whether donated money gets to where it’s needed or if it even makes a difference long term can be a major barrier to giving. The ‘See For Yourself’ campaign aims to dispel these myths and show how giving just £3 a month to Oxfam really can transform people’s lives. The core of the initiative is being open and honest about how donated money is spent by showing Oxfam’s work from an impartial point of view.

Earlier this year mum-of-two and Oxfam supporter, Jodie Sandford, became the first person ever to take part in ‘See For Yourself’ when she travelled to Zimbabwe to see Oxfam’s work first-hand. Now, in an unprecedented step, the charity is widening the recruitment for the next phase and is specifically looking for someone who is not an Oxfam supporter to travel with them to Malawi, southeast Africa.

Oxfam are looking for someone who is curious and not afraid to ask questions. They will need to be willing to embrace new experiences as the trip itself will be physically and emotionally challenging. The journey will take them to an Oxfam project, where they will meet the local people and share their personal account of their thoughts and feelings about directly witnessing Oxfam’s work.

The whole experience will be filmed as part of a TV, print and online campaign which will launch this autumn to encourage more people to donate to Oxfam on a regular basis.

Oxfam’s Paul Vanags, Head of Public Fundraising added: “Regular donations make Oxfam’s life-changing, life-saving projects possible but we urgently need to do more. We believe that the most powerful way to encourage more people to give is to show them our work through the eyes of someone impartial who’s never seen it before. This trip will not only offer an experience of a lifetime, it will also form the basis of a major initiative to help us find new regular supporters.”

Prospective candidates will need to hold a valid UK passport and be available to travel for up to two weeks in July or August 2012. Recruitment is open from 6-14 June 2012 and Oxfam will be interviewing short-listed applicants on 21-22 June 2012.

To apply go to www.oxfam.org.uk/apply

JOE McELDERRY OFFICIALLY OPENS TEENAGE CANCER TRUST UNIT

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JOE McELDERRY OFFICIALLY OPENS TEENAGE CANCER TRUST UNIT IN NEWCASTLE

Teenage Cancer Trust ambassador Joe McElderry officially opened Teenage Cancer Trust’s new state-of-the-art unit at the Freeman Hospital, Newcastle.

The £220,000 unit opened to patients earlier this year and will provide care for 18 to 24 year olds with cancer from across the North East and Cumbria. It complements the charity’s existing unit at the Great North Children’s hospital for 13-19 year olds. Young people aged 13-24 diagnosed with cancer in the North East now have access to specialist services.

The new unit in Newcastle includes seven inpatient beds and will provide a home from home for many young people and their families. Unlike ‘ordinary’ hospital wards, it has a kitchen, pool table and a recreational area including a digital jukebox and access to media facilities such as the internet, TV and music. The charity has also provided a further en-suite room on Ward 33 for patients who are in isolation after receiving a bone marrow transplant.

The new unit will bring young people together to be treated by teenage cancer experts in an environment tailored to their needs. Designed to feel like a home from home, the walls are bright, each room is individually styled, the furniture is funky and there’s always a place to watch films and surf the net. Combined with specialist nursing staff, the unit has everything to make a young person’s stay in hospital comfortable.

Speaking at the event, Joe said: “Teenage Cancer Trust is an absolutely amazing charity. These units feel like home and really help to boost morale for the young people being treated here. Not only do they look great, but there is a real family atmosphere in the charity and I love that! I’m so proud to have been asked to open this spectacular new unit today and have thoroughly enjoyed looking around and meeting the inspiring young people that are already benefiting from this great service.”

Dave Shaw, Deputy Director of Services at Teenage Cancer Trust, “We are incredibly excited to see the unit up and running and are confident that our patients, their families and unit staff will benefit from the specialist support and care it provides. I would like to say a huge thank you to the Hospital and to everyone who has been involved in supporting Teenage Cancer Trust locally over the last few years.”

The state-of-the-art unit is a result of years of determined fundraising by Teenage Cancer Trust and supporters. Matthew and Hilary Engel lost their 13 year old son Laurie to a rare and aggressive cancer in 2005. Since then the family have raised over £1.1million for Teenage Cancer Trust, and have kindly donated over £160,000 to this new unit in Newcastle. Their tireless fundraising has ensured that young people across the country are treated in an environment suited to their age.

Teenage Cancer Trust is the only UK charity dedicated to improving the quality of life and chances of survival for the six young people aged between 13 and 24 diagnosed with cancer every day. We build specialist units within NHS hospitals bringing young people together to be treated by teenage cancer experts in a place designed just for them. We want every young person with cancer to have access to this specialist support, no matter where they live.

Traditionally treated alongside children or elderly patients at the end of their lives, young people can feel extremely isolated during treatment, some never meeting another young person with cancer. Being treated alongside others their own age can make a huge difference to their whole experience.

Teenage Cancer Trust also educates young people and health professionals about cancer to ensure a swift diagnosis and referral to specialist support. Cancer in young people is rare but we want young people to know the common signs and symptoms so they can seek medical advice if they are worried.

Donations are still needed for the upkeep of Teenage Cancer Trust’s unit and to provide services in the region. For more information about Teenage Cancer Trust and how you can get involved, visit www.teenagecancertrust.org

Teenage Cancer Trust’s North East Fundraising Board has pledged to raise £100,000 over the next year to help support teenagers and young adult diagnosed with cancer in the region. All funds raised by the Board will go towards the running costs of both Teenage Cancer Trust units in Newcastle. To kick-start their fundraising, they are holding a Glitz and Glamour ball in October. If you’d like to get involved by sponsoring the event, providing auction prizes or would simply like to find out more please contact Jonathan Wallis by emailing Jonathanwallis@georgefwhite.co.uk

JENNIE ANNOUNCES NEW RESTAURANT VENTURE

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Jennie McAlpine has announced an exciting new venue with long-term partner Chris Farr to refurbish a Manchester landmark. Corrie actress Jennie and Chris, an experienced restaurant manager, will be opening a new restaurant in the city centre in Autumn 2012. Situated on Old Bank Street, off St Anne’s Square, Annies will cater for lunches, evening service and private functions, as well as pre and post theatre menus for the neighbouring Royal Exchange. The new restaurant will be housed in what used to be known as Bar 5 and prior to that The Conservatory. Having been closed for several years, a major refurbishment programme is now underway. Commented Jennie: “I am so excited to be working with Chris on this new venture. We hope to create a space that will deliver on style, with all the comforts of home. Our menu will centre around classic British food. It’s going to be a busy summer with filming commitments and the refurbishment but we have a great team in place to help make it all happen.“ Annies is scheduled to open early Autumn 2012.

Play the Very Lazy Footie Feast Challenge during the Euros this summer

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Play the Very Lazy Footie Feast Challenge during the Euros this summer
New online game for super fast footie food!

Forget junk food and pizzas for half time. With a new online game from cooking ingredient specialist Very Lazy, you can now whip up a quick and tasty half time treat for you and your mates and be back in front of the TV for the second half. Easy Peasy.

The challenge is simple. All you need is a few key ingredients, a pan or wok and the Very Lazy Footie Feast Challenge online game! Here’s how it works:
• Start off with a base of noodles during the first half of the game
• Every time you spot one of the listed events, click the circle on the pitch [right] to add an ingredient to your dish
• Get in the kitchen at half time and cook your dish in 10 minutes
• Relax and watch the second half of the game with your Very Lazy dish
When a red card is produced the game won’t be the only thing hotting up as you add some Very Lazy red chillies to the mix! The Footie Feast Challenge is more fun and a lot healthier and quicker than ordering a takeaway. Footie fans have an easy recipe for half time and begrudging viewers will have a fun game to pass the time while the match is on!

The ingredients needed to play the full game are: Very Lazy red chillies, Very Lazy ginger, Very Lazy garlic, cooked chicken, prawns, mushrooms, spring onions, soy sauce, cashew nuts, red pepper, sesame oil, bean sprouts, honey, greens and nutmeg. But don’t worry if you are missing some of the ingredients – feel free to swap them for one of your family favourites.

Very Lazy may not be able to give England an advantage on the pitch, but its range of top notch essential cooking ingredients does give you an unfair advantage in the kitchen, allowing you to whip up a footie feast in just ten minutes.

Have some Very Lazy fun by visiting www.facebook.com/VeryLazyFood and clicking on the Footie Challenge icon. But don’t worry if you miss the first match, here’s a list of some other key fixtures:

• France V England: Mon 11 June, 17:00
• Sweden V England: Fri 11 June, 19:45
• England V Ukraine: Tues 19 June, 19:45
• Quarter finals: Thurs 21 June – Sun 25 June
• Semi finals: Weds 17 June – Thurs 18 June
• The final: Sun 1 July, 19:45