Category Archives: Life & Style

Hape Garden Friends Play Arch – Makes One Yearn for Childhood – by Dr Kathleen Thompson

Posted on by

 

 

 

It must be boring being a baby sometimes – unable to move where you want, and relying on a much larger person to guess your needs and attend to them.

So thank goodness for Hape’s Garden Friends Play Arch.  The strong orange and turquoise fabric-covered arch attaches easily and securely to the sides of most babies’ cribs, leaving the brightly-coloured soft toys to dangle down for Baby to see, and when old enough, he can play with them too.

All the toys are made of different shapes and colours. In the centre of the arch flies a large brightly-coloured bumblebee, whose blue, geometrically-embossed wings, make pretty designs in the sunlight.  Below the bumblebee, a teether-ring rattle hangs low enough for an older baby to grab and put in his mouth to sooth his gums.

On one side of the arch is a chunky red apple rattle, with two little dangly wooden toys hanging below, and on the other side, a dangling  leaf and a star.

Lots to stimulate Baby’s vision, hearing and touch, and so attractive. This lovely crib toy is available from Amazon at £34.38 – it makes a fabulous present.

                            

 

 

By Dr K Thompson, author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q

http://faitobooks.co.uk

 

Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice.

Teething, Eating and Painting – Great Gifts As Baby Gets Bigger  – by Dr Kathleen Thompson

Posted on by

 

 

 

I’m a sucker for cute baby toys, and Bonnie the Octopus Teether (which comes with its own suckers) is irresistible.  It’s very light, and shaped to make it easy for small babies to grab and, importantly, to keep hold.  The eight tentacles, are covered in firm suckers (see, I told you) and have soft spikes underneath, which provide an interesting texture for Baby to chew, and to help with teething and sore gums – the tentacles reach the back teeth too which is a bonus. The sweet little face is topped by a hat in a colour of your choice – pink, yellow, blue, orange or lilac. And the hat isn’t just ornamental either – it has soft ridges for Baby to chew on too.

It’s made of silicone so can be used as a bath toy. It can also be popped in the dishwasher for a good clean, and it’s freezer safe, which is handy if baby is really suffering with their teeth. What a lovely and novel toy.

At £13.95 from BabyToLove I know my little grandson will love it (unless I can’t bear to part with it of course).

 

 

Talking of my grandson, if your little one’s teeth are causing them to dribble too, you may be interested in the Bclip. Like many of the cleverest designs, simplicity is the key. It’s a moulded strip of food-grade rubber, with a large attractive clip on each end, which fits around the back of your child’s neck – that’s it. You can clip any piece of fabric or even paper to the clips, creating an instant bib or apron. Select the size and shape – a tea towel, a large piece of drawing paper, a paper serviette, the choice is all yours.

So if you’re out and realize you’ve forgotten a bib, or Baby has just spat mashed potato all over your only one, the Bclip is a lifesaver. It looks attractive, takes up almost no room in your baby bag and you can grab a paper serviette or anything else to hand and make an instant bib.

And if your older child heads for some paints or felt-tips whilst wearing his best jumper, fear not – grab a large piece of drawing paper and clip it around his neck with the Bclip, and the instant apron will help protect his jumper from a Van Gogh-style rework.

Then when he’s finished – you chuck the paper away – my favourite type of washing up.

Easy to wipe clean and flexible – for comfort or stuffing in a bag, it’s a useful buy at  £9.95 from BabyToLove once again.

 

By Dr K Thompson, author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q

http://faitobooks.co.uk

 

Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice.

Hape Bumblebee Pram Rattle – Cute as a Button  – by Dr Kathleen Thompson

Posted on by

 

 

Encouraging Baby’s love of bees and the environment from the earliest age, Hape have created this charming Bumblebee Pram Rattle. It clips easily onto a pram, pushchair or cot  and dangles for Baby to watch or, as he gets older, grab and shake. The red sunflower at the top contains a sweet tinkly rattle. Underneath it flies a large brightly-coloured bee, whose blue wings are geometrically-embossed, creating pretty designs when the sunlight shines through them.

The bumblebee and flower are made of soft stuffed fabric. Below them hangs a bright green leaf and below that a second, teether ring rattle.

Oodles of visual stimulation for the youngest babies, and once they reach the grab and chew age, a whole new set of activities – they could be occupied for hours.

You can get your very own one from Wicked Uncle (what a great name for a children’s gift company)  at £10.95

 

By Dr K Thompson, author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q

http://faitobooks.co.uk

 

Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice.

Terra Terra in Finchley Road offers it all: Review by Joshua Edwards

Posted on by

Terra Terra in Finchley Road has just opened its doors and it calls itself a neighbourhood Italian all day Restaurant & Café. I went to the opening party to see whether it was a jack of all trades or a restaurant that genuinely offers it all. The tables and chairs had temporarily been removed to make way for the DJ booth and the array of people that had come to celebrate the night, and make the most of the prosecco on offer.

 

D Js Ben Bridgewater and Dan Lywood

 

 

                  D J Lady Mary Charteris

 

The head chef Massimo Miolo has shaped the menu by seeking inspiration from his childhood in Italy. Inspired by Florence and Bologna’s food markets, the menu infuses new and old recipes along with traditional and modern cooking techniques. The result being exciting yet simple Italian dishes.

Set over two floors, it has the space to cater for most occasions. Diners can expect to be seated at street level whilst those looking to sample the thoughtfully chosen Italian wines and uniquely tweaked classic cocktails will descend to the lower ground wine bar. When summer returns, visitors can also enjoy the tucked away terrace hidden from the bustle of Finchley Road – a perfect place for a drink or two.

 

On opening night the bubbles flowed whilst a number of DJs kept the stylish “Insta” crowd swaying from one side of the room to the other. I on the other hand had my eyes on the platters of exquisitely filled fresh pasta shells decorated with an artistic scattering of edible flowers and swirls of fragrant dressings. I chatted with the chefs as they prepared fresh pizza style breads topped with wild mushrooms and watched as they baked them in their impressive stone oven. It was worth the wait.

image courtesy of Joshua Edwards

On a normal day you can expect a small but well-balanced menu with fresh pastas, pizzas and small plates on offer. And for the commuters there is a breakfast menu you would expect to see in any stylish London café, a variety of egg dishes, granola and freshly made smoothies.

Like the menu, the interior mixes new with old. The walls and the colours instantly remind you of a Tuscan kitchen but the overall effect is a modern and sophisticated space with soft lighting and square hanging ceiling panels.

 

Finchley Road is not graced with an abundance of bars and restaurants that offer something different. Terra Terra certainly is a great addition that looks like it can offer it all.

Photography: Richard Young

To book a table at Terra Terra, Reservations: terraterra.co.uk, opentable.co.uk

Phone: 020 8912 6320

The address is: 120 Finchley Road, London NW3 5JB

The social media handles and hashtags are: @terraterrauk and #terraterratime

Cork Earrings from Trend Tonic Studios:  reviewed by Natalie Jayne Peeke

Posted on by

 

What is Trend Tonic?

 

In 2018 whilst cooped up in hospital Kerry started a truly unique earring business. As of February, this year she started to handmake each pair using beautiful lightweight cork. Kerry offers a wide range of shapes and colours so that the buyer can customise a pair to their own taste. Finding inspiration for shapes and colours all around her from seasonal colours to a pattern on her bed sheet.  A lot of thought does go into producing a shape that will suit most face types as well as researching colour and shape anatomy. But it’s not only the shape – who else uses cork?

When asked why she uses cork Kerry explained that she did not want to use leather and products such as faux leather which contain plastics that can take up to 500 years to degrade. With this information a conscious and ethical decision was made to use cork.

Trend Tonic is rapidly growing in popularity, and its easy to see why. Stunning handmade, fully customisable, lightweight, eco-friendly earrings, which stand out in the crowd

Why do I love them?

Whilst scrolling through Facebook I saw a picture that a friend had posted of some beautiful statement earrings. I read the caption about how beautiful and lightweight they are. Up to this point I only wore earrings at special occasions as I find the weight uncomfortable. It was at this point that my editor on Frost Magazine suggested I checked out the Trend Tonic products.

 

First I selected what shape of earring I wanted, I chose teardrop, then I got to choose what colour I wanted, I chose a very neutral colour which was called ‘crocodile’, then I even got to chose what colour hook so I chose silver.

The cost? An appetising £10.

The earrings arrived promptly. The weight was perfect, and the look. But they aren’t just for the younger generation. My mum also loved them and went on to order two pairs herself – each pair was as unique and creative as my own.

What’s more they’re eco-friendly.

To find out more – go to:

www.trendtonic.co.uk

 

SISTER SCRIBES: SUSANNA BAVIN ON A CHANGE OF NAME

Posted on by

In common with many women, I have gone through the process of a name change. I have twice gone through the hassle of changing my surname. Incidentally, if ever you have to send away your marriage certificate, do include in your covering letter a specific instruction that the certificate should be returned to you after the admin people have finished with it. Some years ago, I blithely sent off my marriage certificate… and it wasn’t returned. Not only that, but no one in the office could track it down. In the end, it transpired that someone had stashed it away in the safe – and all because I hadn’t given a specific instruction to return it!

Anyway, I am in the process of having another change of name, but this time it is to introduce a new pen name – Polly Heron – and it’s because I have a new publisher – Corvus, which is the commercial fiction imprint of Atlantic Books. The Corvus list includes women’s fiction, romance, historical fiction, sci-fi, crime and thrillers. As a saga writer, I’m not sure whether I come under ‘historical’ or ‘romance.’ Possibly a bit of both.

My first book for Corvus is the start of a series. Both the series and the first book are called The Surplus Girls. So who were the surplus girls, exactly?

They were the generation of young women, who, after the Great War, were left without the possibility of marriage, because of the appalling death toll exacted on the battlefields. This was at a time when marriage to a man who could support you and the children you would have, was pretty well universally regarded as the correct and desirable aim for any girl. So these young women, whose possible husbands had perished, found themselves – unexpectedly and without preparation – in the position of facing a future of providing for themselves. Not only that, but no woman could hope to earn as much as a man, even a man doing the same job (sounds familiar?).

Writing about the 1920s is something I have done before, in two of my books written as Susanna Bavin – The Deserter’s Daughter and A Respectable Woman. Although the decade was all but a century ago, to me it feels very close. My parents weren’t exactly spring chickens when they had their children and they were themselves born in the 1920s, so it is an era I grew up hearing about when family tales were told and, of course, I have family photographs as well.

It is in some ways perhaps a bit odd to write about surplus girls in the context of a saga in which, by definition, the heroine will end up with the hero and therefore no longer be a surplus girl, but I hope I have also conveyed both the universal shock and sorrow that pervaded society at the loss of such a large number of men and also the way that these losses brought the lives of individual girls and women into a new, sharper focus as they faced life on their own.

Know these 5 Easy Travel Hacks

Posted on by

from https://unsplash.com/photos/SaVlzqe9068 free Travelling can get insanely overwhelming. Just when you get to the airport, you might realize you forgot your air ticket or even your credit cards. The thrill of traveling can quickly get under your skin and cause a lot of confusion.

Whether you are traveling alone or not, how you travel matters. Even though it is just for a few days, some tips can help you travel better and remain happy throughout your trip. Here are five simple and easy travel hacks that should make to your checklist before you leave your house:

1. Pack early enough

Trying to get everything done last minute is the reason you end up forgetting a lot of your stuff. If you know you have to travel, pack your items a day or two in advance. It is a great way to make sure you put some thought into what you are packing for your trip. Besides, if you find that you do not have some of the things you might need for your journey, you will have ample time to go shopping and get everything you need.

Make sure you start by packing the most important items before anything else. This includes tickets, passports, to mention a few. You also want to separate the items you will need to retrieve along the journey and those that can’t wait until you get to your destination.

2. Use See-through packing bags

 

The one way to make sure you have packed everything before you leave is by checking what you have in your suitcases or bags. However, this can be problematic if you used the typical colored packing bags. It takes way too much time to check through every packing bag to account for all your items.

Instead, see-through packing bags makes it a lot easier for you to see what is in your bags without having to disorganized everything and start from scratch. It may also help to have a list of what you need to pack for your trip way in advance.

3. Pick a Travel Jacket with Lots of Zip-Shut Pockets

A lot of the forgetfulness comes when you have to pack too much but do not have enough space for everything. Every time you have to reopen your bags to add or remove another, you stand the risk of forgetting some of the most important things.

Regardless of how many bags you plan to carry with you, consider a travel jacket with several zip-shut pockets. This will create more storage room for the tiny items that are still important for your journey. It is also the best way to make sure you can easily trace the small stuff, including the best dog shampoo for dry skin, if you are traveling with your dog.

4. Park in the Same Area at the Hotel

The last thing you need is to spend hours finding where you parked your car in a foreign place. At the hotel you stay at, make sure you establish a routine on how and where you park your car. This is very important especially for big hotels that have people coming in and out from different places. It is even more important when you have a rental car. Since you are not used to how the rental car looks like, avoid any mishaps and confusion by parking in the same area all the time.

5. Mark your stuff as fragile

If you are flying to your destination, the way your luggage is handled at the airport can be annoying. Trying to protect your designer clothes, bags and shoes may not sell it at the checkpoints. Instead, mark your items as fragile. This does not mean they will not be checked, only that they will be handled carefully. Airline workers will not want to break any stuff, which means the fragile marking will be worthwhile.

 

Advertorial 

Derrière On A G-String – Sadlers Wells Theatre. Review by Paul Vates

Posted on by

 

 

at Lilian Baylis Studio, Sadlers Wells Theatre, London

 

“Utterly, utterly magnificent.”

 

 

 

The director of this ‘cheeky’ dance/sketch/comedy show is Alfred Taylor-Gaunt. He thinks people have a fixed idea of what dance is and that it can put them off going to see it.

 

So – collect half a dozen dancers, let them co-create sketches with classical music as a background and anything can unfold. The result is 100% a clowning show – they just happen to be dancing beautifully.

 

The sketches come thick and fast, with over a dozen in the first half alone, all choreographed to music. Covering so many topics: losing a ticket at the airport (Flight Of The Bumblebee) to putting a duvet cover onto a duvet (Dance Of The Hours), getting mugged by charity collectors (Dambusters March) to queuing at a bus stop (Sailor’s Hornpipe). There is an operating theatre scene and a football match, there is romance and there is laughter. Plus the running gags – never forget the brilliant running gags!

 

 

I am a massive fan of Slava’s Snowshow – the Russian clown spectacular that keeps reappearing because of its popularity. I saw it in its first incarnation in the UK and have watched it blossom. Derrière On A G-String has that potential. It is a pure joy to watch. Still a little rough and ready at the edges – nothing a few clown workshops couldn’t smooth out – but Taylor-Gaunt’s creation will make you laugh. It is rude, risque and naughty all at once, but it is pure, honest and magical. Funny sketches – tick. Classical music – tick. Excellent contemporary dancing – tick. A standing ovation to the whole company and, especially, the performers: Jonathan Mewett, Sammy Moore, Alex Murray, Ruth Emily Plaxton, Joshua Sinclair-Evans and Aisling Tara.

 

 

If this show manages to tour – I can only but cheer and fist-pump the air. We may be living in dark and scary times, full of doubt and fear. But this show is a perfect antidote. 90 minutes of escapist theatre. Utterly, utterly magnificent. Bravo. Bravo.

 

Photography                             Jamie Scott

Director and Choroegrapher       Alfred Taylor-Gaunt

Producer                                   The VERY Top Secret Dance Company

Designer                                   Libby Todd

Sound Design                           Thomas Cheeseman

Twitter                                      #derriereonagstring, #putyourcheeksontheseats

@taylorgaunt_uk, @verytopsecretdc

Age 14+