Author Archives: Catherine Balavage

SUNDANCE LONDON TO HOST ROYAL PREMIERE OF HARMONY.

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SUNDANCE LONDON TO HOST ROYAL PREMIERE OF

HARMONY: A New Way of Looking at Our World

HRH THE PRINCE OF WALES TO INTRODUCE FILM INSPIRED BY HIS VISION TO COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE

Sundance Institute and The O2 announced today announced that HRH The Prince of Wales will introduce the Worldwide Theatrical Premiere screening of the film HARMONY: A New Way of Looking at Our World at the first-ever Sundance London film and music festival on 28 April at The O2. HRH will be joined by Sundance Institute President & Founder Robert Redford.

HARMONY, by filmmakers Stuart Sender and Julie Bergman Sender, tells the story of how for more than three decades HRH The Prince of Wales has worked side by side with a surprising and dynamic array of environmental activists, government and business leaders, artists, architects and visionaries to address the global environmental and economic crisis and find solutions towards a more sustainable, spiritual and harmonious relationship with the planet. HARMONY is narrated by HRH and produced and directed by a team of filmmakers with Academy Award and Directors Guild nominations to their credit. The screening will be followed by an extended Q&A with the filmmakers as well as Tony Juniper and Ian Skelly, authors of the book that inspired the film.

Robert Redford, President & Founder of Sundance Institute, said: “HRH The Prince of Wales and I share a dedication to preserving the environment and to identifying innovative and yet realistic ways to do so. This important film showcases his diligence, passion and achievement which includes his efforts to amplify the work of social innovators on the front lines of change the world over. In this wonderful journey he shows us what can be an inspired future.”

The royal premiere of HARMONY will be one of a number of Special Events taking place at Sundance London, including: an intimate performance by Rufus and Martha Wainwright following the world premiere of Lian Lunson’s film about the music of their mother; The debut theatrical screening of Coming Up For Air, a documentary about Placebo; and the 25th anniversary screening of River’s Edge, which premiered at the 1987 Sundance Film Festival. Additional events and performances include the Opening Night event An Evening With Robert Redford And T Bone Burnett; Tricky and Martina Topley-Bird performing Maxinquaye; and screenings of 14 feature-length and eight short films from the 2012 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, U.S.A.

Sundance London takes place at The O2 from 26-29 April. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.sundance-london.com.

Hot Tights For Summer.

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I love tights and stockings. They are such a brilliant way to update your look. Frost has sourced some cool tights for this season and reviewed them for you.

Black Opaque tights.

You really cannot go wrong with Black Opaque tights. These Charnos 60d ones are comfortable (a rare thing in some tights) the waistband doesn’t hurt and they look great. Full marks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Charnos Simple Bare Tights in Nude. These are 7D with the strength of 15 denier. The packaging says that they let legs breathe and they do. The tights feel very nice. They are good quality and they look good. They don’t snag easily and the waistband doesn’t hurt. A big thing for me. Some tights seem to cut you in half at the waist, and that’s not healthy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Ava Hold Up has been made to celebrate 75 years of Charnos. It has a Leaf Print Back-seam Hold-up. Which is Silver.

These are elegantly sexy. Really lovely hold ups that stay on and look good. The band is comfy to. The silver leaf print back-seam is a beautiful detail. They are elegant and fashionable. These really do stay up all day. No slipping or sliding.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Black Hold ups. Fan net design. Satin lace top.
These are far too comfy for something so beautiful. The band is good around the leg too. They stay up well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Charnos Killer Figure opaque control tights. Tones bum, tum and thighs. Smooths your shape. Comfort waistband. Lifts the bottom.

These are slightly hard to get into but are very comfortable for control tights. The do smooth out your shape. It may be in my head but I did seem a little more toned the next day. They are good tights which look good on. I don’t feel like all of my internal organs are being squeezed together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stocking tights: Stripe mock hold up design tights.

These are huge at the moment; Tights that look like stockings. Lots of celebrities may have been seen wearing them but the look is still fresh. These mock stocking tights look great and are good quality. The are tamer than some of the ones I have seen, more elegant. They are both wearable and glamorous.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3 pair pack of socks. Eros pink mix. One size.

And let’s add some socks in. These Charnos cotton socks are comfortable and look good. They Eros pink mix is very sweet too. They are just very cute. The socks are good quality and don’t cut off your circulation.

What tights will you be wearing this year?

The Bike-Owner’s Handbook | Book review.

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I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was divine. It is a classy, illustrated book on everything you could possibly want to know about your bike. There is nothing you won’t learn how to fix.

The book is small and lightweight, a proper handbook rather than those ones that claim to be a handbook but give you a dead arm and a broken bag. I know you shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover but this handbook has a great one. It reminded me of a moleskin notebook.

Inside is a step-by-step guide to everything you ever wanted to know about your bike with beautiful illustrations. No matter how hard you find instructions it talks you gently through puncture repair, brake and gear adjustments, cleaning and maintenance. I really liked this book. It is a great addition to your library and a must for cyclists and bicycle lovers.

The Bike-Owners Handbook written by Peter Drinkell.

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Get Lisbeth Salander Style

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The catwalk may be a sea of pastel colours and grown up, Mad-Men-style clothes, but, really, who wants to conform? Certainly not Lisbeth Salander from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

The piercings, the tattoos, the incredibly cool hair do; she certainly strikes out on her own. She wears a lot of black, vests, hoodies, black trousers. She has a touch of goth but she is very striking. If you are feeling daring in time for summer, get her look.

 

 

 

 

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is out on Blu-ray and DVD on 23rd April courtesy of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

 

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – the gripping, hard-edged thriller based on the first of Stieg Larsson’s suspenseful and spell-binding “Millennium” trilogy – arrives on Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital Download on April 23. This highly anticipated motion picture from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment brings together an all-star ensemble cast led by Daniel Craig (James Bond franchise), Rooney Mara (The Social Network), Golden Globe® nominee Robin Wright (1994, Best Actress, Forrest Gump), Stellan Skarsgård (Thor), Golden Globe® winner Christopher Plummer (2012, Best Performance by an Actor In A SupportingRole, Beginners) and Joely Richardson (TV’s “Nip/Tuck”).

Earning $200 million in box office worldwide, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo has received five Academy Award® nominations including Actress in a Leading Role (Rooney Mara), Cinematography, Film Editing, Sound Editing and Sound Mixing. The film adaptation was directed by David Fincher with screenplay by Academy Award® winner Steven Zaillian (2002, Writing (Original), Gangs of New York) who executive produced along with Mikael Wallen and Anni Faurbye Fernandez (both Headhunters). Original music is by Academy Award® winners Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (2011, Best Original Score, The Social Network).The two-disc Blu-ray™ includes nearly four hours of special features.

Disgraced journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Craig) accepts an invitation to surreptitiously investigate a forty year old unsolved murder on behalf of the victim’s uncle, Swedish industrialist Henrik Vanger (Plummer). Meanwhile, tattooed hacker Lisbeth Salander (Mara), hired to investigate Blomkvist, discovers the truth behind the conspiracy that led to his fall from grace. Thrown together by fate, the unlikely duo uncovers a secret history of murder and sexual abuse festering beneath the veneer of Sweden’s industrial past, all the while drawing close to a quiet evil waiting to engulf them both.

UK ‘is hovering on the brink of a double dip recession’.

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The UK is hovering on the brink of a double dip recession Official Gross Domestic Product (GDP) figures due out on Wednesday are expected to show the UK narrowly escaping a double dip recession; however many experts predict we’re still not safe. With mixed signals coming from different sectors and unemployment decreasing only marginally, albeit for the first time in a year, the UK seems to be teetering on the edge. The fragile economic conditions and high unemployment are putting many households under pressure to save money. This is fuelling the growth and popularity of cashback sites and discount culture; websites such as TopCashBack have nearly doubled the amount of its members in the past 12 months alone.

 

Natasha-Rachel Smith, Spokesperson for TopCashBack, said, “Households are under increasing pressure to save money and cut costs, especially since the UK fell into financial turmoil five years ago. With many households saddled with debt, consumers are reluctant to pay more than they deem is absolutely necessary for purchases, and are drawn by the savings and discounts offered through the innovative techniques of the internet, such as cashback sites.” Natasha-Rachel added, “The strong growth in demand for such online offerings is being fuelled by the recessionary environment, fragile consumer confidence and a strong desire for people to conserve their cash as steadfastly as possible.”

Chase PR AW12 Press Preview: Brand Watch

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I went along to Chase PR’s press preview. They have some brilliant brands and I picked out some brands to watch.

Butterfly Twists. This are great fold-able shoes and boots. Perfect to have in your bag to whip out when the heels start to hurt.

Daniel Hechter – Crease proof tailored suits. A brilliant idea. A range for travellers and commuters.

Sebago shoes. Most of the brands are using the patriotic colours of red, blue and white for the Olympic/Jubilee year. Sebago have a great new range of shoes.

I love Cat footwear. They also do heels and boots now.

These glasses go dark in the sun and become sunglasses – so cool.

Storm – the only British watch brand. They do great watches and jewellery.

Energie have some great colourful jeans and Christmas type jumpers.

Gok Wan also has a new line of shapewear out.

Red or Dead have great clothes – lots of lace- and some really awesome shoes. Including some green sequined ones. I like!

Miss Sixty. A lot of clothes have a grown-up vibe. Influences from Mad Men and Pam Am. There is a definite vintage vibe. As well as coloured denim.

Patagonia

Bright, coloured waterproof coats.

Geox has a brilliant range of breathable shoes. They stop your feet getting too hot.

And of course...Paul Costelloe. A designer legend.

Sure Maximum Protection Event and Review

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On Tuesday I was invited to a Sure Maximum Protection Event at Vanilla. I was also given a sample of the deodorant to try out beforehand. When I arrived I was greeted by lots of lovely people and there were lots of themed cocktails (three flavours. I tried them all!), and games. I won the quotes game by pairing famous women to their quotes and won two tickets to LoveBox in June. Very excited to be seeing Lana Del Ray. It was a great night with brilliant company.

Back to the deodorant: it works. After I received it I went to the gym and my underarms stayed dry. I was very impressed. it really works. It smells great too. There are three super conditioning, maximum protection deodorants available in Confident, Sensitive and Clean Fresh Scent. They use a Trisolid formula which has three components:

* The maximum wetness protection ever from Sure
* Encapsulated odour-fighting technology, and
* Skin moisturising ingredients.

There was a scientist at the event who did a neat little trick, showing how the deodorant stops a glass of water which is covered in a cloth pouring any water out. Very cool.

Sure Maximum Protection is definitely my deodorant of choice now. RRP of £5.09 for 45ml.

 

 

First-ever Sundance London Short Film Competition Winner Announced.

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EXTRANJERO WINS FIRST-EVER SUNDANCE LONDON SHORT FILM COMPETITION

Film by Daniel Lumb and Crinan Campbell from north London to screen at Sundance London

Extranjero, a five-minute film from Daniel Lumb and Crinan Campbell, was announced today as the winner of the Short Film Competition at the first-ever Sundance London film and music festival, 26-29 April at The O2. The film will screen as part of the official Short Film programme at the festival and is available for immediate viewing here.

Extranjero, shot over just two days, gives the viewer a unique and unusual take on immigration as it follows a refugee trying to run from his past as well as the confusion in his own mind. Lumb, 32, from north London, and Campbell, 31, also from north London, met as flat mates six years ago and submitted the short film after friends encouraged them to.

Launched in November 2011, the Short Film Competition, a collaborative effort with the Royal Borough of Greenwich and Ravensbourne, invited UK-based filmmakers to enter original pieces between three and five minutes in length around the theme ‘Story of Our Time.’ In addition to Extranjero, finalists for the competition were: Bonsai, by Ben Williams; Two Doors Down, by Scott Ward; The Story of Our Time, by Sam Gould; and This Film Was Shot on Digital, by Ian Waldron Mantgani.

Lumb said: “Extranjero is quite an experimental film. We wanted to comment on people you don’t really know about, and Extranjero was the result. Winning the competition is a dream for both us. As film geeks it’s amazing to be associated with Sundance.”

Trevor Groth, Director of Programming for the Sundance Film Festival, said: “The jury was struck by the high level of craft and ingenuity in the submissions. Filmmakers embraced the theme ‘Story of Our Time’ and created wonderfully diverse and entertaining films. Ultimately the jury selected Extranjero for its commanding cinematic storytelling and arresting visuals that offer an alternate perspective on an imperative global issue.”

Chris Roberts, Leader of Greenwich Council added: “We are delighted to support Sundance London, and this competition will help showcase our local filmmakers to the world. The Royal Borough of Greenwich has a wealth of locations that includes everything from industrial warehouses, the largest expanse of parkland in London, historic buildings and a wealth of riverfront locations. The rich diversity of locations makes Royal Greenwich an ideal backdrop to film and have attracted productions as diverse as Children of Men and Pirates of the Caribbean.”

Previously announced events and performances for Sundance London include: a rare intimate concert performance by Placebo; Tricky and Martina Topley-Bird performing Maxinquaye; a performance by Rufus and Martha Wainwright following the world premiere of Lian Lunson’s film about the music of their mother, folk singer Kate McGarrigle; and screenings of 14 feature-length and eight short films from the 2012 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, U.S.A.

Sundance London, supported by Presenting Partner Sony Entertainment Network, takes place 26-29 April at The O2. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.sundance-london.com.