Category Archives: Life & Style

Life & Style

Hyde Park Winter Wonderland 2018

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Winter Wonderland 2018

© IMG 2018

I have always loved Christmas and few things are more Christmassy than Hyde Park Winter Wonderland. As a Londoner Winter Wonderland marks the start of the festive season. We went to the family press day on the 25th November. We started off with meeting the Teletubbies and then we went on some rides. My son, who used to be known as the Frost baby but is now a preschooler, loved the trains, the dodgems, being spun around on a purple penguin; along with a variety of other rides. There is everything from rollercoasters to basketball games. There is a huge amount to do.

Winter Wonderland 2018

© IMG 2018

The first event we started off with was Magical Ice Kingdom presents The Secret Forest, it is a truly stunning walk through event of stunning ice sculptures. It has plenty of photo opportunities. You can have your picture taken on an ice throne. You can also go down an ice slide. We did both.

Winter Wonderland 2018

© IMG 2018

Winter Wonderland 2018

© IMG 2018

Winter Wonderland 2018

© IMG 2018

We also headed to the circus to see Zippos Christmas Circus. It was truly stunning. The performers are amazing and we were left in awe. There was trapeze and a man balancing a woman on his head which showed huge skill from them both. It is the perfect length for children at 45 minutes. Highly recommended.

We also saw the The Snowman™ Experience. Done by Backyard Cinema, this is a wonderful and immersive experience. it brings back childhood nostalgia and happy memories. Backyard Cinema do excellent cinema screenings which immerse you into the world of the film. This was fun for children and adults alike.

We spent an entire day at Winter Wonderland and we had a huge amount of fun. We also had some crêpes and mulled wine at the Bavarian Village.

Running from 23rd November 2018 until 6th January 2019, Winter Wonderland will be open every day from 10am – 10pm, except Christmas Day. It is a fun day out and we recommend it. See what else there is on offer here.

With FREE entry to Hyde Park Winter Wonderland it is a must go to festive event.

 

hydeparkwinterwonderland.com

 

 

 

Fernando Alonso Celebrates His F1 Retirement At Amber Lounge Abu Dhabi

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Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, 24 & 25 November, 11pm-6am
Amber Lounge Abu Dhabi, Yas Links Golf Club, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi

It was a night that will go down in history as Amber Lounge welcomed the Formula 1 drivers, teams and party-loving international guests for the celebration of the year.

Photo credit:  Amber Lounge

F1 drivers entered Amber Lounge’s luxury oasis on Sunday night and let their hair down for one of the greatest end-of-season parties to date. Fernando Alonso, departing from the Championship after 17 years, was joined by his fellow drivers Max Verstappen, Kevin Magnussen, Carlos Sainz, Esteban Ocon, Pierre Gasly, Stoffel Vandoorne, Marcus Ericsson, Brendon Hartley, Sergey Sirotkin, Antonio Gionivazzi.

International cricketer Chris Gayle and former pro football player Michael Brown were also spotted in the crowd.

Photo credit:  Amber Lounge

When the time came to say goodbye to the Spaniard, the club plunged into darkness for the ‘Black Out’ moment, then lit up with 17 specially designed bottles of Moët Champagne filled with sparklers and flashing lights. Each bottle signified a year he has competed in Formula 1.

Emotions ran high as Sigala announced the exclusive bottle moment which was delivered in true Amber Lounge style, fueling the euphoric atmosphere. Joining Sigala on stage Alonso soaked up the elated vibes as the superstar DJ revved up the ecstatic crowd with an ultra-energetic performance. 

Photo credit:  Amber Lounge

To add to the electric energy, the Grey Goose bar illuminated the exclusive party. The ‘For The Hunters’ inspired terrace area was a favourite for partygoers after a chic but relaxing vibe.

Max Verstappen

Kevin Magnussen

Esteban Ocon

Sergey Sirotki

Marcus Ericsson

Fernando Alonso

Photo credits: Amber Lounge

Amber Lounge will be back in 2019 bigger and better than ever, with parties and luxury events and experiences both inside and outside F1. The next event, Amber Lounge Monaco on May 24th, 25th and 26th, will offer the ultimate in luxury race viewing on the trackside Celebrity Yachts, terraces or Paddock Clubs combined with a unique party experience and Amber Lounge Charity Fashion Show.

Sonia Irvine said: “It was one of the most incredible nights we’ve ever had at Amber Lounge. Although it was sad to see a much-loved driver as Fernando end his career in F1, we were honoured to hold the official celebrations for him. I think what we created was worthy of an F1 legend.”

Photo credits: Amber lounge

For more information on Amber Lounge, visit: http://www.amber-lounge.com/abu-dhabi 
To book tickets and tables, call: +971 55 291 4013 or contact abudhabi@amber-lounge.com

About Amber Lounge…

Amber Lounge was founded by Sonia Irvine, who has worked in F1 for two decades. Sonia is regarded as a pioneer of F1 nightlife experiences and continues to create the most sought-after events on the F1 calendar.

The Amber Lounge experience consists of Formula 1 race viewing hospitality options as well as post-race afterparties, dining, charity, fashion and tailor-made events throughout the year. In 2018 it took place in Monaco, Singapore and Abu Dhabi. http://amber-lounge.com/index.php/tickets/

AMBER LOUNGE 2018/2019 EVENT SCHEDULE
Abu Dhabi 24/25 November | Monaco 24/25/26 May 2019 | Singapore 21/22 September 2019

FROST’S FAVOURITE… KITCHEN GADGETS

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We’re all about making life that little bit easier and have done some digging to find the kitchen gadgets that will help do just that when you’re cooking up a storm…

Magimix Vision toaster – £52.99

Toast is to Brits like, well, a cup of tea is to Brits For centuries have we devastated what makes the perfect shade of tea and the perfect shade of toast. We’ve all experienced the frustration of multiple toast , just to get it right. Thanks to the Magimix vision, you can watch your toast browning away to your perfection. Not only is this gadget a brilliant invention but it’s also got a great retro look too.

Where can I buy? Wayfair

 

AnySharp Pro Knife Sharpener – £19.99

There’s no better feeling than taking to the kitchen with a new set of knives. On the contrary, there’s no worse feeling than when that knife has gone so blunt it struggles to cut through an onion. Introducing the AnySharp Pro. This unique invention can sharpen hardened steel knives, chef’s knives and even serrated blades, making it unlike anything else on the market. After just a few strokes, your tired old knives will as good as new and as sharp as ever.

Where can I buy? Amazon

 

The LazyPan All-in-One Frying Pan – £39.99

What better way to start a winter weekend morning than with a flavoursome fry up? Sadly, with said fry up tends to be a plethora of pots and pans to wash afterwards, making the whole concept a lot less appetising. Enter, Lazypan. This pan is split into five sections meaning there’s less hob hopping and you’re able to keep the kitchen organised and tidy as you prep the most important meal of the day – yummy!

Where can I buy? The Fowndry

 

Zerowater 12 cup water filter – £39.99

This is one of those gadgets that you’ll not be able to live without once you’ve tried it. The Zerowater removes virtually all dissolved solids and containments from tap water with a five stage filtration system and to be honest, there’s a lot more contamination than you’d expect. The Zerowater machine comes with a digital water meter which measures the total dissolvable solids – fancy!

Where can I buy? Zerowater

 

 

 

Dedication for Meditation with Inhere Meditation Pods

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“Meditation is bringing the mind home” – Sagyal Rinpoche The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying

City life is not only fast and furious but also taxing on our mind and body’s. It seems like everyday is a rise and grind affair and time we dedicate to ourselves is ever dwindling. Yes, we often give ourselves a break and take time away from work to rest and recuperate and relax away from our homes, but what about those moments in life when we are unable to escape the norm. There has to be some kind of respite that we can achieve in our natural habitat. Major tech companies are starting to focus some attention on how to ensure their staff are functioning at their best by introducing sleep pods, break out rooms etc, but what about everyone else. What do you have at your workplace which allows you to align your thoughts and get back to you? 

Inhere founded by Adiba Osmani and Ghazal Abrishamchi  provides Londoners with meditation studios in Central London. Inhere meaning ‘to exist from within’ became the companies ethos and they wanted to bring a sacred meditation space to utilise within the workplace so they developed their revolutionary Meditation Pod. To debut their pod in an adequate location, they teamed up with luxury co-working space Uncommon and unveiled their creation for customers to use at their leisure. The collaboration was born, as both Inhere and Uncommon are based on the same values. Uncommon’s workplaces are based around health and wellbeing paired with design and technology. The spaces are designed to create an environment which are open and natural using plenty of outdoor light, plants and woods.

The Uncommon spaces showcase the new meditation pod which is a little ‘haven away from London Life’. With a selection of 10, 15, 20 and 30 minute guided meditations, customers can choose from an array of soothing sounds to accompany their relaxation time. The pod is a safe enclosure created from wood and allowing plenty of natural light to flood in to create a bright and airy space. Customers can lounge, sit or lie horizontally on the comfiest meditation chair complete with foot rest and place the headset on to drift into your own relaxation time. Alongside this, Inhere are set to open the most advanced drop-in meditation studio in Central London targeting City workers helping to bust any work related stress. 

To find out more about Inhere visit https://www.inherestudio.com

To book spaces at Uncommon and try out the new meditation pods visit https://www.inherestudio.com 

The Christmas Dinner: Shopping the pain free way!

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The Christmas Dinner 2018

Every year I wait for a message from my friend, Liz Fossu to say ‘ The List is up!’. Those four little words are the signal to go shopping. And I hate shopping!

Shopping as my contribution to The Christmas Dinner is the one exception – instead of misery it brings me joy. Someone else has done all the hard work creating the list and putting it up on Amazon. All I have to do is click. I chose four gifts this time – one on behalf of each of my grandchildren. Gifts range from colouring books for £4.99 to holdalls at £19.99. There are scarves, gloves, earphones and a whole host of other gifts to choose from; and the accumulated effect of choosing these gifts spreads joy and goodwill for a whole lot longer than a cup of expensive coffee that costs about the same price.

I have to admit that this is my favourite part of Christmas and I don’t even have to move from my desk to enjoy it. Who’d have thought it?

The Christmas Dinner 2018 Leeds

A huge amount of work goes into making every Christmas Dinner a success. The project was founded by Lemn Sissay, MBE – a care leaver himself. Each year the project grows as more cities set up their own Christmas List and gather a team of volunteers to make Christmas Special for hundreds of young people leaving the care system. Until Liz began sending me her messages I had no idea. I took for granted my big family Christmases – don’t we all. How often I have longed for five minutes peace after all the wrapping that takes hours and is demolished in seconds. But spare a thought for those young people who leave the care system and would crave a boisterous family Christmas. Many of them live in B and Bs, bedsits, or sofa surf. In the same circumstances would you look forward to Christmas?

All the volunteers have busy lives, frenetic jobs, careers and families; they are teachers, lawyers, photographers, PAs – yet they give up their free time, limited as it is, to plan, organise and deliver a wonderful Christmas Day for young people aged 16-25.

It isn’t just Christmas Day that takes up their time but the hours and hours of planning that making each event a fabulous success. There are venues to be secured, food and drink supplies, decorations, transport, people prepared to cook, people to serve – and wash up – oh yes, and all that wrapping. Can you imagine! I live too far away to join in with the Leeds wrapping (sighs with relief) but I’m sure if I didn’t I would enjoy the camaraderie and infectious enthusiasm that is generated when people come together with good will and generous spirit. Because that’s what Christmas is all about after all, isn’t it?

Why not pop over and discover the Christmas List on Amazon. It’s my kind of stress free giving.

And if you want to see what a great time everyone had last year you can watch this great video below.

Spicy Pumpkin Soup – the perfect Halloween Recipe

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As Autumn is slowing creeping up upon us shops are displaying their Halloween goods and every supermarket is piled high with pumpkins. The tradition of pumpkin carving comes of course from America, but its origins go much further back. The Celts first carved faces into hollowed out turnips and put in a small candle to light the way home for friendly spirits. These carved vegetables were eventually known as Jack O’Lanterns by the Irish descendants of the Celts who had a legend about a farmer making a bargain with the devil himself that left his spirit unable to enter either heaven or hell and so he was forced to wander the earth for all eternity.

 

Pumpkins are versatile seasonal ingredients that can be used in a number of dishes such as soups, salads an as really tasty side dish as well as the classic spiced pumpkin pie at American Thanksgiving. The outside skins can be quite tough, so you will need a good sharp knife and to be careful. If you don’t feel that happy tackling a whole one you can buy prepared fresh or frozen squash in most supermarkets as well as many of the other ingredients. Pumpkin flesh tends to be a little sweeter and has a higher moisture content so makes excellent soups and purees, the flesh from squashes is a little firmer and great for roasting or adding to curries and stews.

Pumpkin, Chilli and Ginger Soup

This is a brilliant warming soup to serve right through Autumn and the Winter months. You can substitute the cream with Crème Fraiche and omit the butter and substitute creamed coconut for a Vegan alternative. Most supermarkets stock frozen garlic and ginger they taste great and save on wastage.

1 medium Pumpkin, about 1kg weight, peeled and deseeded

700 ml hot Vegetable stock

150 ml Thick Jersey Cream

2 Onions, peeled and sliced

2 large Carrots, peeled and sliced

2 cloves of Garlic, crushed

1 large Red Chilli, sliced

A 4 cm piece of Ginger, peeled and grated

Juice and zest of 1 fresh Lime

4 tablespoons quality Olive Oil

2 tablespoons Butter

2 tablespoons Plain Flour

Jersey Sea Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper

 

Heat your oven to 400 F / 200° C / Gas Mark 6. Mix the pumpkin, onion, and carrots in the olive oil and place in a large, deep roasting tin with half the olive oil. Bake in the oven for thirty to forty minutes, stirring a couple of times to help the vegetables cook evenly until they are caramelised and cooked through.

Melt the butter in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, then add the garlic, ginger and chilli cook without burning for a couple of minutes then add the flour and stir. Add the roasted vegetables and the vegetable stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for twenty minutes stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. When cool puree with a stick blender or in a food processor until smooth and pour into a clean pan. Add the lime juice and zest and the cream and reheat with boiling, check the seasoning and serve. Can be made in advance and stored in the fridge for three days without the cream.

‘Silver Sliders’ encouraged to celebrate National Grandparents Day

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Move over Mother’s Day, we’ve heard about a new national day that’s deserving of a card, cake and right ol’ celebration – Nationals Grandparents Day!

Unlike most gatherings you’ll this Sunday, London’s iconic ArcelorMittal Orbit will be drawing in the ‘Silver Sliders’ and offering free (yes, FREE) opportunities for grandparents to Ride The Slide.

ArcelorMittal Orbit gives riders an exhilarating 40 seconds, as they speed through its 12 hair-raising twists and turns. Beats a roast at the local pub, right?

In case you were under a rock in 2012, the ArcelorMittal Orbit was built to be an ‘extra’ for the Olympic Games which were hosted in London but has since been transformed into the world’s longest and tallest tunnel slide in the world.

So, if you’re looking for a way to celebrate your grandparents this Sunday – do it with the slide!

Daring grandparents can have a go for free on Sunday 7th October between 10am and 5pm when they bring along a family member. All they need to do is book online and enter the code GrandSlide.

HEAD TO HAKKASAN FOR CHINESE GOLDEN WEEK

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Yesterday saw the start of the Chinese National Holiday, Golden Week. The seven day festival celebrates travelling at a prime time in the country but for those in London, there are still plenty of ways to get involved.

Top of our list? Taking a trip to Hakkasan, two of Central London’s Michelin star Chinese restaurant.

Hakkasan is embracing the holiday and has launched a limited edition, exclusive eight course golden menu. Guests will walk through a ‘river of gold’ as they enter and the menu incorporates gold dim sum and a gold dessert. Scrummy.

A highlight of the exclusive menu is the Golden dim sum trio which begins the eight courses, featuring a crispy lamb puff, chilli crab dumpling and har gau covered in gold leaf.

Also gracing the golden menu is Crispy suckling pig with spiced soy sauce and steamed black kingfish fillet with saffron sauce in addition to Salted egg yolk fried rice. The Golden Week menu finishes off with a Touch of Gold, an exclusive black and gold dessert featuring poached kumquat, sesame crumble, black sesame tuile and a Venezuelan chocolate foam. YUM.

Fancy some liquid gold? Try the Golden Week cocktail, featuring Diplomático Planas white rum, pomelo, lemon and five spice, topped off with Louis Roederer Champagne and sprayed with gold mist.

Whilst Hakasan’s golden menu isn’t something to try on a budget break, it’s definitely worth splashing out for at £88 per person. (Keeping in tradition with China’s lucky number eight) for parties of two or more.

It’s available at both Hakkasan Hanway Place and Hakkasan Mayfair until 7th October.