Thetford Open Gardens

Posted on March 16, 2016 by Margaret Graham

Thetford Open Gardens

10 am – 5.pm: Sunday 26th June 2016

Frost is really pleased to hear that Thetford Open Gardens are swinging into action again in June 2016.

Thetford Open Gardens has been going for ten years, and this year as a celebration, they are hoping to raise in excess of £10,000 for St Nicholas Hospice Care.

So, how did it all begin?

In 2007 Liz Hodgson had the idea of opening some of Thetford’s lovely gardens to the general public, and thereby raising much needed funds for St Nicholas Hospice Care.

This year about 30 gardens old and new will be open for garden lovers, including one which has opened every year. Although the hospice reaps the financial rewards, there have been many community benefits to the day. Local people are surprised by the amazing gardens hidden behind brick walls, the tranquillity of those running down to the river, and the ability of gardeners to fill a “potted” garden with such variety and colour.

Visitors from further away are surprised and delighted to find interesting gardens and a very warm welcome in the town.

Thetford and Croxton [7 gardens this year] ensure refreshments are provided at strategic locations throughout the day. It is possible to start with a ‘bacon butty’ and coffee, lunch on smoked salmon, sip afternoon tea out of china cups and end up with a glass of Pimms, all the while appreciating the flora and fauna in pleasant surroundings.

It is a great English tradition isn’t it, to saunter about, admiring the blooms, sipping Pimms – given ‘alf a chance. So why not join in.

There will be a chance to buy plants on the day and at the plant sale on May 7th 2016 outside St Cuthberts Church near the market place.

As part of the celebrations, there will be a flower festival in the local Methodist Church on Tanner Street entitled “There is some corner of a foreign field that is forever England”. The flower festival opens on Friday 24th June and runs until Sunday 26th June 10am – 4pm each day.

On Saturday 25th June Lake House, Castle Lane IP24 2ER will be open from 3pm for garden visitors with a programme. Then at 5.30pm the audience will start to arrive for the evening concert with an hour to enjoy their picnic before the fanfare sounds for the music. The Thetford Singers will top the bill, which will include musicians from the Thetford Academy and children’s voices.

‘Pop up’ Spring gardens will be announced on Facebook and Twitter. They will also be in aid of St Nicholas Hospice Care.

There will be a prize draw with 10 big prizes including an inclusive hotel break.

Programmes for the open gardens can be bought for £5 from Thetford Garden Centre (01842 763267) and Thetford’s Great Information Centre (01842 751975) and Hospice Shops. On the Sunday they will be available in Kings House Gardens in the centre of town.

Thetford Open Gardens is organised by Rachel Woods, Sue Norman and Jen and Brian Farrell. @ThetOpenGardens

Such a great cause, such great gardens, and lead Frost Magazine to the Pimms, please.

Not just a pretty ‘chu-chi, woo-chi, ooo-chi, coo-chi’ face

Posted on March 16, 2016 by Vicky Edwards

Kicking up her heels in Vulgaria rather than kicking people out of The Rovers, Michelle Collins tells Vicky Edwards how she loves playing alongside the most famous flying car in history…

Photo: Alastair Muir

Michelle Collins should be in a musical about an express train, not a flying car. Currently on tour with a brand new production of the family favourite Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, in which she plays Baroness Bomburst, her passion for the show and life in general is so animated that it’s hard to keep up.

“The Baroness is such an iconic role, but initially I wasn’t sure,” admitted Michelle, as we chatted in her dressing room. “But it is a really great fun part and I see myself more of a character actress now, so it was a chance to reinvent myself a bit.”

Any concerns she had about the show “going down the panto route” were swept away when Michelle discovered who the production’s creative team and other cast members were. A co-production between Music & Lyrics Limited and West Yorkshire Playhouse, the show had already been a smash-hit in Yorkshire. With Phill Jupitus, Martin Kemp and Jason Manford (and Lee Mead in Jason’s place for a section of the tour) also signed up, Michelle was instantly reassured and set about throwing herself into the role. Or rather roles. Plural.

“In the first half I play Mrs Phillips, secretary to Lord Scrumptious,” explained Michelle. “She’s quite passive-aggressive and is secretly in love with him, I think. The Baroness, in the second half, is quite clever. I’m not going to tell you who I based her on, that would be unfair, but it’s someone in the public eye,” she teased, adding: “To me the Baroness and the Baron are George and Mildred [of 70s TV sit com fame], but she’s always got the upper hand. He’s just a child who abuses his power and wants to be mothered.”

Agreeing that Chitty bears all the hallmarks of a traditional musical, for Michelle there’s a particular ingredient that makes it extra special.

“It’s the wonderful songs,” she sighed. “Some musicals don’t have memorable songs, but in Chitty every single one is unforgettable.”

But song and dance is not something she has huge amounts of experience in.

“I am definitely not a West End Wendy type,” she laughed. “I did a few tap classes as a kid but I gave it up because I didn’t like it that the lessons took place above funeral directors in the Holloway Road.”

Even though her CV includes a couple of musical credits (Daddy Cool and The Take That Story), for Michelle, neither entailed the epic, high-octane production numbers that Chitty demands.

“I have had to work really hard and I’ve found joints in my body that I never knew I had,” she said, with a playful grin. “But I’m 53 years old and I’m prancing around the stage in my fishnets and heels, so life could be a lot worse.”

When it comes to having sufficient stamina for a show like Chitty, an experience earlier this year made her realise that she’s tougher than she thought: the TV show Bear Grylls: Mission Survive.

“It was seriously hard-core,” she said of her time in the South African Bush. “It was beautiful, but weather-wise it was extreme and we lived off soldier’s rations. For me to even be in it was a challenge, but I definitely found out that I am more courageous than I thought I was.”

Best known on TV as conniving Cindy Beale in EastEnders and feisty landlady Stella Price in Coronation Street, Michelle also has a clutch of impressive film and theatre roles to her name. Not bad for a girl who at 17 was turned down by every single drama school in London.

“I went to quite an academic grammar school. My mum was a single parent and we didn’t have much money, so stage school was out of the question. I started at the Cockpit Youth Theatre when I was 15. That’s when I realised that I really wanted to act.”

Joining the pop group Mari Wilson and the Wilsations at 18, Michelle hasn’t looked back. Of being rejected by drama schools she shrugged. Having achieved success under her own steam it’s not something that troubles her and, typically, she uses the experience as a silver lining to encourage others.

“I always tell young people that positives can come out of failure and not to let it put you off.”

That determination and focus is still much in evidence.

“With two shows a day I have to conserve my energy, but I’m trying to use the time when I’m not on stage constructively,” she said. “I’ve just produced a short film which I’ve written and I’m acting in, and I’ve written a kids’ book that I hope will come out later this year.”

There’s also her ‘Women in Media’ networking group that she created and runs with comedian Brenda Gilhooly. “We set it up as a forum where women can share ideas, inspiration and expertise. We meet monthly and have breakfast, listen to a guest speaker and chew the fat,” she told me.

A real no-nonsense grafter, given her schedule there’s not much time for relaxation, but when she does snatch some free time her needs are pretty low maintenance.

Michelle reflects that touring does bring home how much she misses her daughter, now away at university, her mum, her boyfriend and little pooch, Humphrey.

“Walking my dog in the park with my boyfriend, seeing my mum and catching up with my daughter – simple pleasures are what I love most,” she said.

“I thrive on being busy and being busy makes you appreciate the simple moments more.”

Putting the finishing touches to her make-up ahead of curtain up, we returned to chatting about the enduring success of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

“It is a show that has heart, honesty and truth,” she declared, giving a smile as wide as Chitty’s wingspan. “I’m so excited by how popular it is – we have packed houses at every performance!”

The success is well deserved. The entire cast and crew work their socks off.

As for the Baroness, she’s marvelously minxy. Michelle, on the other hand, with her infectious enthusiasm, husky laugh and determination to work hard but enjoy the ride, is a delightful tonic.

For more information, visit www.chittythemusical.co.uk
Facebook: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang The Musical
Twitter: @ChittyMusical / #chittymusical

Vicky Edwards

30 Days of Gratitude Day Sixteen #30daysofgratitude

Posted on March 16, 2016 by Catherine Balavage

Today I am grateful for magazines. I love reading magazines and I subscribe to many. They are one of the small pleasures in life. Some people have been rude about my love of magazines, I have been told to read books instead (I do read books, thanks. It is possible to read both). In fact, once while I was in a queue to buy a magazine the man in front of me turned and sneered at my choose of purchase and said, ‘You should go and buy a book love’. Seriously, what a tosser. All of those people who told me I was wasting my time reading magazines were wrong because now I am a freelance writer and publisher. I have been in some of those magazines I idolised in my youth. Below is an old picture of Glamour. I have read Glamour from the very first issue and I love it. It is such a great, empowering magazine. What magazines do you love?

Catch up on other days:

Day 1.
Day 2.

What are you grateful for?

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream All-Over Miracle Oil Review

Posted on March 16, 2016 by Catherine Balavage

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Oil Review

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream has been a beauty staple for years now. A beauty classic that sells by the millions. Now it comes in the popular oil form. Years ago no one would have thought we would be putting oil on our faces and hair, but even shampoo comes in oil form these days. Far from begin greasy, the best oils just hydrate and penetrate deeper. So much so for Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream All-Over Miracle Oil. It has all the benefits, and uses, of the original cream, in a luxurious oil which has a delicate, light, citrus, floral fragrance. It is clinically proven to moisturise for 8-12 hours and comes in a beautiful bottle. It is not too oily, I like the texture and it goes on well without leaving a film of grease. It hydrates and leaves you glowing. It can be used head-to-toe, on skin, hair and nails. What more could you want? Frost loves….

Moisturisers by Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour All-Over Miracle Oil is available here and at feelunique.com

30 Days of Gratitude Day Fifteen #30daysofgratitude

Posted on March 15, 2016 by Catherine Balavage

Half way through and today I am grateful for chocolate. A little too grateful the scales will attest, but grateful nevertheless. I eat chocolate pretty much everyday. I am trying to stop so my son does not grow up with bad habits so if anyone knows of anything as yummy as chocolate for pudding then please let me know. I will be so grateful.

Catch up on other days:

Day 1.
Day 2.

What are you grateful for?

Interview with Fitness Expert and Trainer Adrian Collins by Kris Martinez

Posted on March 15, 2016 by Catherine Balavage

Adrian Collins is one of the best trainers in the fitness industry. His exercise plan, ‘The Social Butterfly Programme’ has been featured in the Mail Online and The Sunday Times Style Magazine. The programme, which is 6-8 weeks is completely personalised to suit individual goals and promises to fit around the schedules of busy professionals.

Being a busy person myself, I was eager to learn more about the programme and how it works.

When I arrived at Adrian’s gym near Old Street station, I was expecting to be thrown into a hardcore army style workout, but it was the exact opposite of that. Instead, Adrian had me do a few simple exercises, which he used to assess my posture. Knowing nothing about me, Adrian was able to deduce that I used to dance. He was also able to see areas where I was tight.

After assessing my posture, Adrian took me through a few exercises that would not only help me reach my goal of toning up, but also help with my posture issues.

Adrian took the time to get to know me and find out what my goals were. His style of training is brilliant. He uses a mix of pilates and strength training, which keeps things fun and interesting. He also gave me exercises to do on my own time that help with my posture issues. If you are in the London area, I definitely recommend checking him out. For those of you who live elsewhere, Adrian also offers online training. Prices start at £380.

After our work out, I had the opportunity to ask Adrian some health and fitness questions.

1. What is your theory behind the Social Butterfly Program?

I created the Social Butterfly Program as being a city based trainer I know how hectic people’s lifestyles are. It’s the perfect regime for city dwelling, party loving people with busy social schedules. It’s completely personalised to your goals. Wether it’s focusing on s desired body type, re alignment or shaping up for a special event, it’s tailor made to make you look fantastic and stay motivated.

2. What do you say to people, who say they don’t have the time to workout?

Time management is needed here. Usually from my experience being able to fit in a workout in your day structure without making it too much of an inconvenience is key. Try a morning workout HIIT before work or on your lunch break having your meals around this in preparation.. This is why I promote a 15/20 min HIIT to my clients to achieve on their off days from training with me.

3. What tips do you have for people who don’t have access to a gym?

It’s not necessary to have to go and use a gym to create a good workout routine. Many of my clients don’t have gym memberships I use a private hired studio or train in parks or at homes. There are some great outdoor spaces for working out, try finding a hill or a flight of stairs is one of my recommendations, as you can really get a burn on different intervals using these. And there is a lot you can do with your own body weight for exercises. It is affordable to purchase some basic workout equipment these days. I like using resistance bands with clients which helps with more pull exercises etc..

4. What is the best way to tone up?

Consistency – sticking to a routine and keeping your food clean… This combined with a good resistance based program can work wonders on toning your structure.

But this all relates back to goal setting if you put your mind in the right place and follow a consistent routine with your eating habits sleep and shocking up the exercise program this can create a snow ball effect to your metabolism

5. What is your favourite type of workout and why?

It depends on my mood and if I’m aiming for a specific goal. From boxing pad work to heavy lifting and squating to Pilates. I rate the Pilates reformer highly, if I’m feeling a bit tight from weights I like the challenge this machine brings when doing specific exercises. Once you get past the basics there are some full on moves which can really challenge your body.

6. What are good pre and post workout snacks?

I try and avoid the idea of snacking (the body works on digestion of foods with insulin response, snacking can screw this up and forces you to hit insulin spikes etc), But you do need to fuel your workouts and get the right ingredients in within 45mins, post workout to optimise muscle recovery.

Key foods that help promote a fuel efficient workout are apples, almonds and post work out protein and carb are needed for muscle recovery. Look to keep this clean as poss if you want to optimise muscle tone, I find white fish or a breast of chicken with sweet potatoes or basmati rice with good greens for fibre to help get this ingredient through your digestive system in optimal time and ease.

7. What exercises do you recommend to get rid of love handles?

Assessing your diet, getting the correct sleep pattern and with an optimal exercise program in place will all help to rid this area if that is your goal. Targeting muscle groups in isolation can be great for specific toning and look but, if you are unfamiliar with targeted exercises I wouldn’t recommend isolation as there are implications to the rest of your kinetic chain if your technique isn’t spot on. So, for this I would recommend compound exercises and a good Pilates balance / alignment and core routine to help support your structure before upping exercises for isolation..

8. What is your favourite exercise and why?

Again this always changes dependant upon where I am with my own training routine at the time. I do like compound exercise such as deadlifting as this hits my whole body. But, I also enjoy sports as exercise such as swimming, surfing, snowboarding…

9. If you’re out having a drink, what is a good choice to go for?

Other than water! If you tend to have the “occasional” alcoholic beverage try sticking to clear drinks, champaign, vodka tonic… And also try slipping water in between to stay hydrated as this will really have a difference in how you feel the next day. Clear drinks give your digestive system an easier time in dealing with the toxins and the extra H20 helps the system flow these toxins quicker.

10. If your goal is to shed some weight and tone up, how many times a week do you recommend working out? And how long should your workouts be?

Quality rather than quantity, I’ve always said. Ask yourself next time you hit the gym is this challenging for me? How much time am I spending on moving or am I sat here on my phone breaking my workouts not concentrating on my exercise/movements. Yes there is a key amount of days and time you want to spend in optimising your weight toning goals, that is why I have most clients I see on the Social Butterfly Program take on the intense level with three to four sessions a week. I also, encourage them to take on the 15 minute HIITs on the days we don’t train usually over the weekends for optimal metabolism boosting effects.

For more workout reviews, interviews, and delicious recipes be sure to follow my blog, at Fit About Town.

Why American People Love Donald Trump By Beate Chelette

Posted on March 14, 2016 by Frostie

Why American People Love Trump By Beate Chelette

Credit: wikipedia

At her lowest point, Beate Chelette was $135,000 in debt, a single mother, and forced to leave her home. Only 18 months later, she sold her image licensing business to Bill Gates in a multimillion dollar deal. Chelette is a nationally known ‘gender decoder,’ respected speaker, career coach, consummate entrepreneur, and author of Happy Woman Happy World. Beate is also the founder of The Women’s Code, a unique guide to women leadership and personal and career success that offers a new code of conduct for today’s business, private, and digital worlds.

The last few months have left me dazed and confused as to why the American people love Donald Trump. I’ve written about it, I’ve unfriended Facebook friends who asked me to endorse him, and I’ll admit I have even learned a few marketing tricks from his campaign.

By anyone’s playbook, Trump is a bully, a narcissist, a misogynist, and a racist. Plus, he’s attracting dangerous followers like members of the Ku Klux Klan. Even his right-hand salute was compared to Hitler’s hand gesture. Despite his politically incorrect behavior and self-bravado, again and again Trump comes out on top.

American people are loving Trump in record numbers. Why?

What we are seeing now is a passionate rift between those who like Trump for his brashness, and those who fear what could happen to our country with a man like him in power. This is what prompted me to take a deeper look at what exactly Trump says that resonates with Americans. It didn’t click until I read Thomas Frank’s article, which you can find here.

At the very bottom of this election sits a deep-rooted dissatisfaction with our systems. Let’s go through the list of what wiped out the American middle class and the hard-working, blue collar employee who used to be able to support his family.

We were told our children need college degrees. With rising tuition, shorter classes, more requirements, and schedules that keep our kids in school an average of one year longer, the stress of such an education puts families in debt, often for life.

The promised land of gainful employment that a college degree guarantees may as well be Shangri-La. In my daughter’s circle of friends, the picture is dire. They are disillusioned, unemployed or working less than part time, living at home, and fighting over minimum wage jobs just to stay afloat. One friend shares a single waitressing job with a woman who used to be a manager until her company laid off their middle-aged women.

Parents put a second mortgage on their homes to support their kids. If they were able to hold on to their houses during the big recession, they still have a long way to being mortgage-free. Many will die in debt. Parents used to be able to lean on their children for financial support in their later years, but now their children don’t have any money to spare. The slide into poverty seems inevitable.

Healthcare is out of control. How is it possible that an outpatient procedure like an Epidural that lasts 10 minutes can put you back $15-25,000? Insane deductibles and co-pays add to the issues. Can anyone actually afford to get sick? If you do, you could be paying back those expenses for the rest of your life.

Corporations are under pressure. Americans can’t afford to buy as much now that production jobs have been outsourced to cheap labor countries like China, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Fewer jobs at home means less disposable income for Americans. Suddenly, organizations are in trouble and the middle class is wiped out. Right now you want to be either young with a great, sexy idea that disrupts the market, or already financially set for life. If you are anywhere in the middle, you are screwed.

When this country was doing well we opened the borders, as Reagan did, to invite farm workers. It made sense because we needed cheap laborers to do the less desirable jobs that we don’t want to do. We are college educated, after all. This works great when things are good. It falls apart when there are no jobs in the middle for Americans; the top and the bottom are already occupied.

And this is where Trump comes in.

People are tired of losing. They are afraid the little they have left could be lost at any moment. And who isn’t disgusted when a CEO gets fired and is given a multimillion dollar parting gift bonus? Trump nails these pains and fears and dissatisfactions. He promises to be the bully who will shake things up. He has no problem blackmailing, negotiating, or forcing the other side to relent to his wishes. And why wouldn’t they? He’s the Almighty Trump and this is his track record. Truly, he has no plan other than to “change it.”

The American people support Trump because they want to send a message to the system. This is his appeal. Trump will tell the establishments what we want to tell them ourselves, and Americans believe the establishments will listen to a bully.

The bank bailout did nothing for the people, or so we believe. Of course, we didn’t live through the outcome of not providing the bailout, so we don’t really know how bad it could have been if banks were allowed to fold. What we now witness is the effect on our lives and the people around us. Like my girlfriend who lost her house at 62-years-old after battling with the bank for five years. The refinancing they offered was merely an extension of her debt. Total fail. She can’t get back on her feet financially, is such an emotional mess that she can’t focus on work, and the stress of her fight for survival has literally paralyzed her—she awoke one morning unable to move her left arm. There are millions of stories like my friend’s.

That is why Trump is so popular—he promises to be strong enough, independent enough, and crazy enough to take the system on. He will send a message to anyone, anywhere.

Who wouldn’t want that? In some ways I do, too. Let’s shake things up.

But then…

On the flipside, those amongst us who look into the future and carefully examine the past know this type of populism comes with great danger.

History shows that great fear leaders who understand pain-point marketing can rise to unprecedented heights. And once they are in power, they keep manipulating the system, like Putin, Hitler, Castro and many other dictators have done before. In the long run they can cause irreparable harm to a country and its people. And that worries me more than anything else.

30 Days of Gratitude Day Fourteen #30daysofgratitude

Posted on March 14, 2016 by Catherine Balavage

Today I am grateful for the greatest of all British things: the NHS. The National Health Service is one of the greatest things in Britain, no, the world. Full of hard working people and funded by taxpayers because healthcare is a basic human right. I dread to think how much I have cost the NHS over the years. Founded in 1948, it is the largest and the oldest single-payer healthcare system in the world. It is not perfect, I had my son on the NHS and I cannot say it was a wonderful experience, but I got an emergency C section in the end, by a wonderful female surgeon, and I have no doubt that they saved the life of my son and I. Because that is the thing about the NHS; it is not perfect, but it is always there in a crisis, always there when you need it the most. Dear NHS and everyone who works in it: I LOVE YOU.