30 Days of Gratitude Day Eight #30daysofgratitude

Posted on March 8, 2016 by Catherine Balavage

Today I am grateful for books. I have loved reading all my life. There are very few pleasures in life as great as reading a good book. My love of reading has also given me a career that I love, and broadened my view of the world. Reading is great for the imagination and it makes you smarter. Some of these books are written by Frost contributing editor Margaret Graham and some others were written by me. Margaret is a bestselling author for Random House so she is on another level. I hope I get there one day.

Catch up on other days:

Day 1.
Day 2.

What are you grateful for?

Words for the Wounded Host Their Annual LitFest Literary Festival

Posted on March 7, 2016 by Frostie

Great excitement – Words for the Wounded which raises funds for wounded troops and veterans by creating opportunities for aspiring writers and readers is holding its annual LitFest again on April 16th.

The WforW LitFest Day will be held as always at the lovely Downley Community Centre, School Close, Downley, High Wycombe HP13 5TR
10.00am to 5.00pm.

As everyone knows by now, the three grannies, Margaret Graham, Jan Speedie (both Frost Magazine writers) and Penny Deacon absorb all the costs of the charity and therefore 100% of everything they raise goes to where it should.

The speakers this year are: Sunday Times No 1 bestselling author and a patron of WforW – Elizabeth Buchan talking about her work.

Jemima Hunt, editor and literary agent, and director of The Writers’ Practice with advice on editing your work and attracting an agent.
Tracy Baines, successful women’s magazine short story writer with tips about getting published.

Further excitement as Catherine Balavage, blogger and editor of Frost Magazine will be joining the day to talk about blogging, running a magazine, and her various successful books.

Paul Vates, the brilliant actor, and friend of Words for the Wounded, will be reading from the work of our speakers.

Sharon Bennett will be displaying her art.

Cost £35 (which includes lunch with wine, morning coffee and afternoon tea)

For Tickets, send a cheque or postal order to: (cheques payable to Words for the Wounded)
Words for the Wounded
12 Woodcote Green, Downley, High Wycombe, HP13 5UN
Please include a SAE

Trains from London are frequent, and there are taxis for the 10 minute journey.

www.wordsforthewounded.co.uk

30 Days of Gratitude Day Seven #30daysofgratitude

Posted on March 7, 2016 by Catherine Balavage

Today I am grateful for good food. My husband and I are both foodies. Food is the only thing I really spend money on other than my son. And it is so worth it. We eat out when we can (it helps that we review restaurants) and we buy the best food we can afford. My husband is also a great cook. So I am grateful for my husbands culinary skills as well as good food in general. The below picture is dumplings from Hakkasan. One of my favourite restaurants in London. Yum.

Catch up on other days:

Day 1.
Day 2.

What are you grateful for?

30 Days of Gratitude Day Six #30daysofgratitude

Posted on March 6, 2016 by Catherine Balavage

Today I am grateful for mothers. Not only my amazing mother, but mothers everywhere. Most of whom work 24/7, seven days a week and not only don’t get paid, but sometimes don’t even get any gratitude. Mothers are amazing, here is to them.

Catch up on other days:

Day 1.
Day 2.

Day 3.

Day 4.

Day 5.

What are you grateful for?

Brunch out at Gaucho with their impressive Electro Brunch

Posted on March 5, 2016 by Kesh

Known for it’s unbeatable Argentinian fayre, Gaucho tops the list for exquisite steak and a wine list that would make Jilly Goolden weep. As if they couldn’t get any better, introducing the Gaucho Electro Brunch available 11-3pm every Saturday. We were chomping at the bit to try out this one and it really topped the list.

With a menu worthy of a King, unlimited cocktails, Domaine Chandon and Bloody Mary’s we think this is quite possibly top of the Brunch. Steak lovers, prepare to face your ultimate fantasy, there is certainly plenty of Steak and with other menu items such as Avocado on Sourdough Bread, Pancakes with Dulce De Leche and Eggs Florentine, the menu has really been executed with every taste in mind featuring all your Brunch favourites.

If you’re tee-total or if you just fancy a fresher option, fear not, the blend your own juice bar was a particular highlight. With a table of seasonal fruit and veg, just take your pick of whatever you like and voila, the fantastic hosts will mix you up a special custom juice in no time.

The menu has been designed for you to feast your way through every dish after all you do have a good 4 hours to enjoy everything. The Sandwich items are slightly larger if you would prefer a bigger dish, but we recommend trying out everything you can as many times as you can. We were thoroughly stuffed to the eyeballs when we had left but not gonna lie, definitely wished I had time to order at least 3 of the items again.

The impressive feasting and the outrageously cool ambience of Gaucho are just a few reasons why everyone should pay them a visit at least once in their lifetime. But with a price tag of only £45pp Electro Brunch is a no-brainer. Eat, drink and be merry and let Gaucho’s Electro Brunch be the motivation which gets you out of bed on a Saturday.

The Electro Brunch will take place every Saturday at Gaucho Piccadilly, Gaucho Chancery Lane and Gaucho Smithfield from 11am to 3pm with unlimited food and drinks included for a price of £45 per person.
For more information call Gaucho or visit: www.gauchorestaurants.co.uk/restaurants/piccadilly

30 Days of Gratitude Day 5 #30daysofgratitude

Posted on March 5, 2016 by Catherine Balavage

Today I am grateful for my family who were always there with their love and support. My husband jokes that my parents are always bailing us out of a crisis and he is right. When he got sick after our wedding they came in the early hours of the morning with clothes for him (after taking him to the hospital in the first place) and when I was in labour with our son my parents were a godsend. It is not just my parents I am grateful for; but also my brothers, aunts, uncles, cousins and in-laws. So, yes, today I am incredibly grateful for my family. I love them and they are amazing.

Catch up on other days:
Day 1.
Day 2.

Day 3.

Day 4.

What are you grateful for?

Who Cooked Adam Smith’s Dinner? by Katrine Marçal

Posted on March 4, 2016 by Tracy Baines

A Story about Women and Economics

For two hundred years, economics has argued that the world turns because of self-interest and this logic has spread from the market to how we shop, work and date. But what if our unpaid labour – particularly the work of caring, cleaning and cooking traditionally performed by women- was valued by economics? What would our society look like then? From Adam Smith’s dinner table to the recent financial crisis Katrine Marçal tackles the myth of self-interest and shows us how out economics is failing us, and how much better things could be.

Adam Smith was able to write The Wealth of Nations because he went home to his mother who cooked, cleaned and nurtured him. Would society benefit if these qualities were not only valued but received remuneration on an appropriate scale?

This is an overview of economics written with wit and clarity and challenging the notion of Economic Man. The Equal Pay Act came into force in Britain over 45 years ago and despite this women still earn less than men. So called ‘women’s work’ is still underpaid, undervalued and overlooked. Feminism is about money, says Marçal and proceeds to tell the reader exactly why this is so. Well researched and written; who would have thought that economics could be so interesting? Thanks to Marçal’s erudite writing it is and I enjoyed this book far more than I expected. It made me think about feminism and finances it a totally different way.

The one quote I will definitely take away is that:

‘Men teach us that there are things worth dying for. Women teach us that there are things worth living for.’

Highly recommended.

Who Cooked Adam Smith’s Dinner is published by Portobello Books

Mumm Brut Rosé Champagne The Perfect Mother’s Day Gift

Posted on March 4, 2016 by Catherine Balavage

It can be hard to buy mum the best gift for mother’s day but it is nigh on impossible to go wrong with champagne, and even more so with Mumm’s Brut Rosé Champagne. I have often said the colour of a rosé is a good indicator of how good it is and this is a gorgeous, fresh, light rose. Not too red, but not too pale either. It is luxurious, fresh, decadent and of the highest quality. I am a huge fan of rosé champagne and this one has beautiful notes of red berries. Perfect.

Mumm Rosé offers finesse in both taste and design. A beautifully drawn rose – designed by the great Franco-Japanese artist and friend of the House, Léonard Foujita – adorns the bottle. Within, notes of red berries expand into delicate scents of caramelised vanilla. The result is a luscious champagne dominated by Pinot Noir and created by Maison Mumm, a Champagne House whose founding mantra of providing “Only the best” continues today.

Maison Mumm, established in 1827, is the official champagne for celebration, its iconic red sash symbol celebrates an ancient French distinction for bravery – the Legion d’Honeur.

This is Mumm’s first ever Rosé champagne, offering an iconic rose watercolour design and dynamic freshness to charm mothers of all ages..

Available online and inshore at Waitrose.com for £29.99