Category Archives: Life & Style

Summer Wine Review

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Stowells Cabernet Merlot

I really like this red wine. Red wine is not usually my thing as the wrong one gives me a headache, but I think I have found a winner. This one is reasonably priced and medium-bodied and a little sweet. It is very smooth. A really good fruity red wine. It goes down very easily so you might drink too much. Never put red wine in the fridge. It is not meant to be drank cold.

Nottage Hill Chardonnay 2011

This is a nice white wine. Quite light. It doesn’t taste cheap or like acid as some white wines do. Has a very good, fruity flavour. Eat with white meat and always keep white wine and rose in the fridge.

Has tastes of melon and tropical fruit with subtle oak characters.

Hardys Crest Sparkling Rose

This is not my favourite Rose. I like my Rose sweet and this is the least sweet Rose I have ever tried. It is much drier than most rose’s but is perfect if you want some fizz. However, I know a lot of people who would love Hardys Crest Sparkling Rose because it is not overly sweet. It is an affordable, sparkling wine which is good for summer. Just not to my tastes.

Does it Work? | Chlorella

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I am an actress and since nearly every film and TV show is now filmed on HD I am always looking for ways to make sure my skin looks perfect. Here is the first of my ‘Does it Work?’ reviews on beauty and health products. We tell you whether or not it actually works.

 

Chlorella: The new Crème De La Mer?

 

I have to be honest here, I have never tried Crème De Lar Mer, but I do know it works because some of my rich friends told me. So when I was sent Chlorella to review and they said it was the new Crème De Lar Mer I got excited about finding something that works for a fraction of the price. Sun Chlorella ‘A’ also has a celebrity fan club, Miranda Kerr describes her beauty regime as such “To keep my skin in check I always eat lots of greens and take Chlorella supplements and drink lots of water”. Victoria Beckham, Fergie and Sadie Frost are also fans.

 

But did it work for me? Yes, my skin did become clearer and I felt better. One of my friends said I was ‘glowing’. I also felt like I had more energy. My nails even seem to stop splitting. So I am converted. It actually did make me healthier and improve my skin.

Sun Chlorella ‘A’ is a single-celled green algae . It is entirely natural and balanced and is packed with vitamins. It also has the iron equivalent of nine cups of spinach. If you can afford £21.95 per month I would definitely include this in your beauty regime.

 

Available from www.sunchlorella.co.uk or www.victoriahealth.com

Montezuma: The Best Chocolate in the World.

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Montezuma is a British chocolate company that makes the best chocolate in the world, and, dammit, it makes me feel so proud. Upon receiving Montezuma’s Monkey Bars in the post I was so happy that I actually couldn’t speak for at least a minute.

 

Montezuma have just brought out new Monkey Bars that are bigger than an ipad. These half-kilo slabs of pure chocolate heaven are named after Cockney rhyming slang for ‘500’. They measure an impressive 10” by 6”. They have been inspired for this special year for Britain; the Royal Jubilee and the Olympics in case you have been living in a cave.

 

I tried the Nanny Goat; Venezuelan Milk Chocolate with salted peanuts and butterscotch, and Adam & Eve; Venezuelan Milk Chocolate with Orange and Hazelnuts. It was so hard to pick a favourite but the latter just managed it. Rick Stein call this family business “food obsession at its best” but that’s an understatement. They also mix chocolate with traditional desserts like Eton Mess, Spotted Dick and Apple Crumble. Montezuma’s chocolate it one of my favourite things in the world, and, no, I am not being paid to say that.

 

Available from montezumas.co.uk, one of their stores [there is one in Spitalfields in London that I pass and nearly spend all of my money in], and John Lewis. They may be £13.99 but they are worth every penny. Foodie Heaven.

Add a touch of vintage to your ready-to-wear wardrobe: ShopStyle 1st Event announced.

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Add a touch of vintage to your ready-to-wear wardrobe

with these top tips from Mrs Jones for SHOPSTYLE.CO.UK

Have you ever fancied adding a touch of vintage glamour to your high street party dress, but then frozen in fear when you face paying for something that smells like it has a history? How much is a fair price? What’s an investment? And what’s a mistake?

To mark the launch of ShopStyle.co.uk’s vintage styling evening with Mary’s Living & Giving (the charity shops set up by Mary Portas) and in aid of Save the Children, the UK’s leading online fashion shopping site has invited celebrity stylist Mrs Jones (clients include Rihanna, Goldfrapp and Paloma Faith) to give her top vintage shopping tips.

Mrs Jones for ShopStyle.co.uk says vintage clothes shopping can be fun but warns of the pitfalls. “Check fabrics carefully as the smallest hole will enlarge before you know it. I bought a silk dress for a video thinking I could repair it to last forever. The garment was in tatters by the time the shoot was over”.

Mrs Jones tips for vintage shopping:

Where to Shop

· The best places to get a vintage bargain are normally charity shops and boot sales. Not only are you finding some great items when shopping at a charity shop, but you’ll also be aiding those in need.

· Vintage clothing stores can be found in most major cities. They have some beautiful collections but can be pricey. This is good for people who want the vintage look but don’t want to do the searching.

· Auction web sites are great for vintage shopping. Be careful you don’t get carried away on bidding, stick to your maximum limit otherwise it’s not a bargain. Look out for bad pictures (some purposely upside down). Be sure to read the garment details. Some items look great in an image but if the fabric is synthetic polyester (unless you’re going for the 70s look), you may be disappointed when it arrives.

· Vintage fairs and festivals are becoming popular throughout the UK. You’ll find experts in vintage clothing selling their wares and whilst some pieces may be expensive, many vendors also have bargains.

How to Shop

· Don’t be put off by smells. Some bits can have a whiff of mothballs or smell a bit musty.
These can easily be removed with a trip to the dry cleaners. Although, and it is not very pleasing, body odor left on garments is one of the most difficult smells to get rid of, even with dry cleaning.

· Some old clothes and accessories such as handbags can look beautiful and very tempting but be careful as they can just disintegrate especially silk and lace. Give the garment a little test, pull the fabric in both hands and with your thumb nails give it a rub/scratch. If you see the threads of the fabric move about or crumble, leave it on the rack.

· Make sure you try things on or properly hold up to your body if you don’t like the idea of trying before cleaning. Older clothes are generally a lot smaller as people were smaller than they are now. (eg., a size 12 will usually be a size 10.)

ShopStyle.co.uk will host its first in-store event on 29th March at Mary’s Living & Giving in Notting Hill, London, in aid of Save the Children. With canapés and champagne in hand, guests will enjoy their very own vintage styling tips from Mrs Jones and take part in an amazing fashion raffle. ShopStyle.co.uk’s online style team will also be on hand to help digital fashionistas find out how to bag the best vintage and new fashion online.

WHO: ShopStyle.co.uk and Mary’s Living & Giving Shop

WHAT: Styling tips, champagne and canapés, raffles and fundraising for Save the Children

WHEN: 29th March 2012 from 6pm – 9pm

WHERE: Mary’s Living & Giving Shop (Notting Hill location)

177 Westbourne Grove

London

W11 2SB

Entry to the shopping evening is free, however there will be a small gift for all guests who show up with stylish donations of their pre-loved designer fashion or vintage pieces.

Frost will be there, we hope you will be too.

Calling all football fans! Win a training session with Anton Ferdinand

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Calling all football fans! Win a training session with Anton Ferdinand

A once in a lifetime opportunity is up for grabs for budding footballers and fans of Anton Ferdinand and Queens Park Rangers FC, all in the name of charity.

Premier League footballer Anton Ferdinand is taking time out from his rigorous training schedule to support Billi Mucklow and Cara Kilbey of The Only Way is Essex, who are aiming to raise a massive £10,000 for Samaritans. Anton is offering an hour’s football training session for ten lucky people, to help raise vital funds for the charity that answers more than 5 million calls a year from people who are struggling to cope.

To be in with a chance to win this dream prize, bidders need to take part in an online auction which is open now and will run until midday on Monday 2 April 2012. Place a bid now by visiting http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150786207098 The 5 highest bidders will win the opportunity for them and a friend to attend a training session with Anton which will take place at Lucozade Powerleague Docklands on Wednesday 18 April at 2pm.

Anton said: “I’m really pleased that I am able to offer this prize and support Billi and Cara in their marathon challenge. Samaritans is a fantastic charity that offers 24 hour confidential support to anyone, no matter what the problem. Get bidding, I will make sure this is a training session you will never forget!”

On Sunday 22 April Billi and Cara, from The Only Way is Essex are running the Virgin London Marathon in aid of Samaritans. As well as putting themselves through a punishing training schedule in preparation for the 26.2 mile race, the girls have been busy enlisting their celebrity friends to help them reach their fundraising target.

Billi said: “Massive thanks to Anton for donating this prize and supporting us in our crazy quest!”
Cara continued: “We really believe in the work of Samaritans and hope that the general public get behind us and help us raise as much money as possible so the charity can continue their lifesaving work.”

To help Cara and Billi reach their huge fundraising target, please sponsor them by visiting their Virgin Money Giving page: www.virginmoneygiving.com/BilliandCara

Spring Cleaning tips to spritz your home

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Did you know the average family of four sheds up to 3lbs of skin per year? Or that your carpet can hold up to 2lbs of dirt per square foot? Surprisingly, despite these shocking facts over 80 per cent of homeowners have never washed their carpets!

As well as this, 45 per cent of homeowners don’t remove their shoes before walking on their carpets and worryingly, four out of ten people eat food which has been dropped on the floor.

With a rise in a hectic lifestyle and the onset of the economic downturn, the traditional Spring Clean is no longer a top priority which is why many of us rarely spend time or money deep cleaning our carpets.

Which is why Rug Doctor, the carpet cleaning experts have come up with some top tips for Frost Readers on how to do a spring cleaning that won’t burden your finances or your time!

1. Take it one room at a time

Make sure you plan ahead and choose where to begin, make a list of the areas you want to target and tackle them one step at a time. Be sure to budget time for distractions too-unexpected visitors and phone calls are inevitable!

2. Declutter before your clean

Always declutter before a polish, make sure your area is good to go before you don your gloves and spray.

3. Deep clean those carpets

Nothing refreshes a room more than a clean carpet.

4. Make your vases blooming lovely

What better way to freshen up your home than with a bunch of sweet-smelling blooms. Handpick some flowers from your garden for a sweet-smelling aroma.

5. Add a splash of vinegar to make those windows shine

A top tip for making those windows squeaky clean is to add some vinegar to water and spray onto the glass, then simply wipe clean with a dust free cloth.

6. Care for your curtains

Are your curtains looking drab? Well take them down, remove the hooks and give them a quick cycle in the dryer with a wet towel to rid the dust.

7. Revamp your wardrobe

Empty your wardrobe of all your clothes and give it a good scrub, you never know you might find a couple of items you’d forgotten about too.

8. Open the windows for fresh air

Winter is over so open up those windows and let the good fresh air billow through your home.

9. Start from the top and work your way down

With each room start at the ceiling and get rid of the cobwebs before working your way down walls and finishing with the floor.

10. Get the kids to lend a hand

Share the workload with your loved ones, even the most unwilling helper can make a big difference in the work load.

CELEBS TWEET IN SUPPORT OF DROP4DROP FOR WORLD WATER DAY

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Twitter is good for so many things, but the main one is raising awareness, and this week celebrities tweeted in aid of Drop4Drop.

March 22nd was World Water Day. Rihanna, Cheryl Cole, Russell Simons, Stephen Fry, Paloma Faith and Rob Thomas have all tweeted in support of drop4drop to get clean water for all. Follow @lifewater_ and @drop4drop.

Life water is the British bottled water company founded by Simon Konecki and Lucas White. drop4drop is Life water’s charity and was also founded by Simon and Lucas.

Storm Launch New Range | Preview

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I love watches. It must run in the family as my dad has well over 100. The first ever watch I bought was a Storm watch, it was silver with a big purple face. So it is fair to say I am a fan of the brand. I went along to The Sanderson Hotel to check out their new range.

Storm are always have cutting edge designs. Their watches are well made and beautiful to boot. Storm is the only recognised British watch brand on the market today. Storm is still quite young, it was launched in 1989. Their range has expanded to include not only watches but also jewellery, bags, eye wear, sleepwear and fragrances. All of which is sold in 45 countries internationally. Well, it’s enough to make you feel proud.

I will be honest and say that I did not know that Storm did perfume, but they do, for him and her. The packaging is slick (like everything with Storm) and the smell of the Touch and Electric are both divine.

The Touch gift set is only £19.99 for 100ml fragrance and 150ml of shower gel. It smells the right side of tropical with lemon, green leaf and tropical fruits on the top note with a blend of white jasmine, cedar amber and brown sugar. The make version runs along the same lines but is a but different with patchouli and sandalwood, ginger and lavender. Makes me want to eat it….

Another thing I love about Storm is that I am not allergic to any of their jewellery. I really love men’s watches on women, I am partial to a chunky watch, but love a slimmer, elegant one for evenings. I have chosen some of my favourites from the range. Which was a hard thing to do, as I love them all!

Featured watch: Atlas

Bion. £99.99

Black Out

Dualon

Elody Gold

A multifunctional timepiece with a pearl dial, sparkling crystals and stainless steel case and strap. The Elody is Storm Black’s Newest gem. It has Swiss movement and Storm Black’s signature Onyx set in the crown. This watch is perfect if you want a bit of luxury in your life. Price is £279.99 – £319.99.

Excalibur

Limited Edition with only 5.000 piece available worldwide. Has a wonderful fully exposed watch face showing it’s mechanisms. Also water-resistant up to 50m. Silver: £369.99

Kelli

This is very in at the moment. It embraces this seasons colouring blocking trends. Has cut away strap. £99.99

Trilogy

This is another limited edition piece. Only 3,000 made. It has 3 time zone, raised face, leather strap, stainless steel case and is water resistance up to 50m. Perfect for travellers. From £169.99

It is the Olympic year and Storm is a British brand, so it makes sense for the Nexon to have the colours of the British flag featured in the polycarbonate links in racing stripe form. RRP £109.99

The Una also has patriotic style. These stylish watches can be bought in red, white and blue. £69.99 – £84.99.

Storm also does some great bags for men and women.

And some great jewellery.