Ever Onwards, The Duo Go, Heading For The Rocky Mountaineer by Jan Speedie and Margaret Graham

Posted on July 10, 2015 by Margaret Graham

Jasper reminded us of the bush towns of Australia with its pioneer homes.

Whilst there we saw many lakes, and rivers, always with the mountains in the background, and a coach which bore the wonderful sign, totally appropriate for women like us, with delusions of grandeur.

This coach took us to Maligne Lake and Canyon. It is the most tranquil of lakes where sound carries extraordinarily clearly, so it didn’t remain peaceful once our lot hit it.

Then, it was the day of the birthday. Margaret was greeted with a banner on the door. No more can she say 21 years of age and on to the station, where the Rocky Mountaineer waited. We were in a red leaf carriage, the bottom of the pile, we suppose, but it was nonetheless fantastic.

We had the lovely Shino to ply us with food and drink, and a viewing platform either end of the carriage. We began our journey along the ‘First Passage of the West’ retracing the steps of the early 19^th century adventurers. We was as always, the snowy mountains, forests and tranquil lakes. Aware that we were leaving the Rockies, we looked long and hard. Never have we seen such scenery, and never have we seen such a l-o-n-g train.

Jan had arranged a cake, so happy birthday was sung, but no bumps. Then the Rocky Mountaineer gave her a couple of prints and a bottle of champagne. Obviously she shared it all (well, not the prints)

We follow the path of the Fraser River until we join the North Thompson River to Kamloops where we stop for the night. Shino kept us entertained with stories of the early pioneers and their perilous journeys and we ware always on the lookout for the elusive wild life. The only thing we saw were bald eagles, but too far away to photograph.

Finally we drew into Kamloops, and another birthday celebration in the evening.

www.rockymountaineer.com

The Ongoing Odyssey of Two Old Dears on The Loose in Canada By Jan Speedie & Margaret Graham

Posted on July 9, 2015 by Margaret Graham

All our body clocks were still grappling with real time, Canada, and Margaret’s had rather more to worry about, so while she lazed about in a darkened room, Jan hit the road with the gang, heading for Lake Louise.

Before we arrived at this iconic lake we made several stops on our way always looking out for wildlife –black or grizzle bears, elk, moose, big horned sheep and mountain goats.

Our first stop was the Lake Louise ski centre. Surrounded by snowy peaks everywhere it was easy to imagine the winter scene. The only occupant of the piste was a black bear, looking for a fresh patch of dandelions, their favourite pudding.

Back on our coach, the next stop was the Spiral Tunnels an amazing piece of engineering and design, built in 1909 to prevent further fatal accidents as the trains struggle to ascend and descend Big Hill in the Kicking Horse Pass. The tunnels form the shape of a figure of eight, and although a longer route, it reduces the gradient and provides a safer passage for the freight and passenger trains. It is still in use today.

We stopped to look at many waterfalls on our way to the Emerald Lake which is one of the 61 lakes in the Yoho National Park. The lake is enclosed by mountains and was discovered by Tom Wilson in 1882. The remarkable colour is caused by the fine particles of glacial sediment (Rock Flour) descending into the lake. From November to March the lake is frozen but for our visit the weather was perfect and the colour incredible.

This beautiful lake is surrounded by larch trees and overlooking the lake is the famous Fairmont Chateau hotel. No hotel lunch for us, a picnic admiring the lake and a quick wander on one of the many trails surrounding the lake.

Bow River, Yoho National Park

Johnnie Walker Red Label Takes It To The Wax…

Posted on July 8, 2015 by Corinne Tuddenham-Finn

TASTY ‘TACHE FOR THOSE IN THE MO…

– Whisky experts unveil the first ever moustache wax that enhances the flavour of your drink –

On 7th July 2015, Johnnie Walker® Red Label – the world’s most iconic whisky released an innovative range of moustache waxes in three bold flavours.

Designed to specifically compliment the Johnnie and Ginger serve – a fiery blend of Johnnie Walker Red Label whisky, ginger ale and a wedge of lime – The Boldest Wax collection has been expertly mixed by hand using 100% natural beeswax.

Connoisseurs will be able to choose from three bold blends – Piperine Pepper, Citrus Essence or Ginger Root – which not only provide scents that linger beneath the nostrils, but equally intensifies the flavour of the serve with every sip.

Mixologist Rich Woods, Head of Cocktail and Spirit Development at Duck & Waffle and Sushi Samba, says:

The citrus wax delivers real energy, and the flavours work together to give the drink a boost that really lifts a Johnnie & Ginger. This stands in contrast to the Piperine Pepper, which subtly brings out the more sophisticated fruit and caramel aromas in the drink. Finally there’s the Ginger Root, which delivers an immediate kick – and is definitely one for those who prefer a more fiery experience.

The collaboration is in response to the growing ‘mo’ trend – no longer just adorned as a mischievous motif in November – with facial hair now gracing the faces of the boldest fashion-conscious men all year round.

Oscar Ocaña, JOHNNIE WALKER Brand Director said:

“The Boldest Wax is designed to specifically enhance the flavour of a Johnnie & Ginger, and give men the chance to maintain their style on the go. John Walker was a proud moustache wearer himself – and as someone who could appreciate a classic when combined with something bold and new – we’re sure he’d have sniffed out a moustache wax that enhances the flavour of a Johnnie & Ginger as a great idea.”

Head Barber Chris Ward, from Huckle the Barber adds:

“In the last few years the number of men who request that I leave their ‘tash when shaving them has grown massively. The Boldest Wax is a great accessory for them – they’ll love how it enhances the flavour of a Johnnie & Ginger in a really unique way – and also that they can keep control of their style on the go, so they can keep looking bold all night long.”

The pocket-size wax collection was six months in the making and is now available exclusively through East London grooming hotspot Huckle The Barber (hucklethebarber.com) priced at £7.99 each (or the set of three for £20) until stocks last.

John Walker, the man himself, has a history with ginger mixers.

Brewing equipment and several barrels were found in his distillery, showing the hallmarks of that pioneering spirit for which he’s famous.

But as a man always looking forward, he’d see no justice in leaving the legacy of Johnnie & Ginger there.

A ‘Johnnie & Ginger grooming experience’ (wet shave, or facial hair grooming, and one pot of The Boldest Wax) is £35, and is available in store at Huckle the Barbers until 2nd August 2015.

Henley Royal Regatta 2015

Posted on July 8, 2015 by Sarah Bacchus

Henley Royal Regatta is one event we look forward to each year with much excitement. Henley Regatta is a huge highlight if you love fashion and style like us. Planning what to wear is one of the main things on most ladies lips. Do you wear a hat? What length dress is acceptable. Well read on if you need a little insight!

If you are attending the event and don’t have a ticket for any enclosures then the dress code is whatever you like. Its free entry to Henley but some bars along the river bank will charge for you entry to get in. From £10-£50. Like The Mahiki Bar that will have various charges the later into the evening you go. It can become a rather expensive day out so be prepared to save those pennies if your planning on partying a little harder!

When in the stewards enclosure the dress code is smart, but ladies those dresses can be above the knee if you like. Unlike the Royal enclosure that has a very strict dress code. Below the knee dresses for the ladies, no trousers or jumpsuits and most certainly wear a hat. Gentlemen hats are an option…No shorts or denim and good breading depicts blazers.

Thousands of vivacious and stunning visitors plan their wardrobes in advance for this 5 day event. For us its the main reason to go, aside from the fizz and the rowing! Also catching up with good friends from all over the world.

As you may already know myself and my photographer husband like to portray any event in a more visual way. So here are a few snaps of the Saturday when we attended. If you are planning an event and need photography services nip over to www.2boxes.co.uk We can help you with everything you may need. Now back to the fashion scene we snapped.

This lady created this stunning hat herself!

We had the most incredible day and if you want to see more from our day just nip over to slbstyle.com in a few days time to see the fun we had!

The 100 Most Iconic Wedding Dresses

Posted on July 8, 2015 by Frostie

Just in time for wedding season, vashi.com have put together the 100 most iconic wedding dresses of all time. Sigh, we love them all.

If you are getting married then get your hands on a copy of The Wedding Survival Guide: How To Plan Your Big Day Without Losing Your Sanity. It has great advice on planning your perfect wedding and is written by our editor, Catherine Balavage. It is also available in Ebook format and is a great guide for wedding planning.

Two Old Ducks Hit The Canadian Rockies by Jan Speedie & Margaret Graham

Posted on July 8, 2015 by Margaret Graham

It seemed like a good idea at the time, but was it? As all things do, it began with just one question: ‘Where shall we go to celebrate this sort of birthday?’

We met at primary school when we were nine, a million years ago, and both had one of those birthdays this year. We decided on the Rockies, by train. Would we go it alone, or with a company? We decided on Great Train Journeys. Dr Diffey was in charge of us, a former headmaster, which caused some palpitations as detentions were a feature of Margaret’s school days. He was far from the usual model, a real legend.

We landed at Calgary at the beginning of June, imagining Calgary to be a small rodeo town, but it’s thriving and huge. We set off by coach across the prairies, heading for Banff, in the Rockies.

We saw the Rockies from a great distance, and why not, they’re huge. We were lucky and arrived in a heatwave. Normally there is a British amount of rain and the mountains can be hidden, but we had a full frontal view at all times.

Feeling a little travelled out we hit Banff, toddling into the Caribou Hotel with our luggage. Margaret was smug because she had stuffed her clothes into something little bigger than a weekend case. Jan was just a small step up.

Then a quick look round in the clean clear air of the mountains. Banff is a tourist town, but why not? A perfect centre, with restaurants, shops, and lots of activities on offer. The next morning, Keith Diffey gathered us up, assuring us that it wasn’t like herding cats, but not sure we believed him. We clambered on board a converted school bus, and headed for Bow River where we were to – no, not white water raft, but just raft for an hour.

Another glorious day it was, as we were ‘oared’ rather than rowed along this most shallow of rivers. It has very few fish, as there isn’t enough to sustain more than the odd trout. The same could be said for the land either side. We saw the occasional caribou, but no bears, which we had rather expected. We passed weather eroded rocks.

And stopped to see the golden willow, which the First Nation Indians would use for headaches. Much as we use aspirin for ours, though willow is common to both medications.

We reached a gently sloping bank, and there was the bus, waiting to return us to Banff. As Margaret reached terra firma, she began to feel dreadful. Travel sickness? Onto the bus we went, Margaret with her voluminous handbag as always – thank heavens. (much like Tinky Winky the teletubby) As we travelled, she upchucked into the only receptacle, the handbag, of course, or rather the scarf lying on the top. A memorable moment for in the vicinity .

Jan spent a delightful afternoon dawdling along the river bank at Banff – alone. Margaret did not see the light of day for a good 24 hours, wondering quite where the high temperature had come from. There is, you will be thrilled to hear, no illustration of these events, especially not a selfie.

She did not emerge for the trip to Lake Louise, but instead managed to get into Banff and gave a chemist the option of shooting or medicating her. He gave her antibiotics, and anti-this, and anti-that, which got her upright and so the odyssey continued. More later.

https://www.greatrail.com/

Terracycle Leads the Way in Tackling Recyclable Food Packaging

Posted on July 7, 2015 by Aidan

With concerns about the state of our environment continuing to grow, businesses and individuals around the globe are looking to reduce their carbon footprint and minimise the waste they generate in their daily production routines. With this in mind, American start-up Terracycle was launched back in 2002 by 19-year-old American student Tom Szaky and spread to the UK in 2009.

More than five years later, the recycling initiative has expanded to include more than a million of Britain’s inhabitants collecting almost 23 million units of rubbish and recycling them to raise £368,400 for charitable causes… and counting! Among other areas, food packaging has become one of the most lucrative sources of waste recycling, thanks to the forethought of Terracycle and some of their like-minded partners.

A coffee revolution

Who doesn’t start the day with a scalding hot mug of delicious coffee? Think of all of those coffee pods, though, and the foil packaging which contained them and the amount of waste produced every time they are throw into the rubbish bin. However, such needless profligacy can now be avoided by recycling old and used discs.

Environmentally conscious brand Tassimo has struck a deal with Terracycle to make all of their T-discs (and the outer foil wrapping that comes with them) 100% recyclable. Those wishing to participate don’t even need to clean them off before mailing the boxes in – the coffee grounds will be separated at the other end and composted separately, thus making it easy to get people involved. As for the foil and plastic itself, it will be cleaned off, chopped up and then transformed into practical items that we can all benefit from, such as park benches.

A biscuit with your beverage?

The perfect accompaniment to a gourmet coffee is a good old-fashioned biscuit – and they also make great partners in recycling, too. Cookie tycoons McVities are conducting a “Wrappers to Riches” initiative with Terracycle, in which recycling participants can earn money for a charity of their choice, as well as goody bags full of the biscuits.

The project is open to businesses, schools or individuals who simply need to send in their used wrappers and their names will be automatically entered into a prize draw for the charitable donations. The top two contributors who send in the most units will be awarded for their industry by receiving even more biscuits… whose wrappers they can recycle again! The converted material will be given another lease of life as tote bags, pencil cases and plastic lumber.

Ella-cycle

Baby food company Ella’s Kitchen have long been renowned for their environmentally friendly methods of organic production, but now they have gone one step farther by ensuring all of their packaging can be recycled in collaboration with Terracycle, as well.

Baby food pouches, caps and snack wrappers are sent in to the recycling plant. Here, they can be either kept intact and stitched together to form nifty-looking tote bags and pencil cases or shredded down into miniscule pieces and melded together to make place mats or trash cans.

Image credit.

Summer Book Special | What To Read

Posted on July 7, 2015 by Frostie

Five Days Later by Julie Lawson Timmer

This book was hard to put down. A beautiful and heart-breaking novel on love and lost, it is simply stunning. A must-read.

Mara is a successful lawyer, and devoted wife and mother. Struggling with a devastating illness, she has set herself five days to make the ultimate decision for her family.

Scott lives a thousand miles away, and is a foster parent to a troubled eight-year-old. Scott is facing his own five day countdown until his beloved foster son is returned to his biological mother.

The two connect through an online forum, and find a friendship to help guide them through the most difficult, and momentous, week of their lives.

Five Days Left is available here.

Some kind of wonderful by Sarah Morgan

A great, engaging, fun story. Sarah Morgan has a talent for writing great in-depth characters. This is the second book in the Puffin Island series. A good read that is hard to put down.

Her whole life, Puffin Islander Brittany Forrest has dreamed of adventure. And at the age of eighteen, she thought she’d found it in bad boy Zachary Flynn. But after just ten tempestuous, smouldering days, their whirlwind marriage went up in smoke, and Brittany resolved to put him out of her mind forever.
Zach knows he let Brittany down, but being back on Puffin Island and seeing Brittany again stirs up long-buried emotions. This daredevil pilot has never felt worthy of her, yet he can’t stay away—even when he knows the chemistry between them will only complicate his life.

As long, hot summer days on the beach dissolve into sultry, starry nights, Brittany and Zach find that the sparks between them are more powerful than ever. Could it be that the second time around, their dreams of a happy-ever-after will finally come true?

Fall in love with the all new Puffin Island series from Sarah Morgan, the bestselling author who brought you Sleigh Bells in the Snow:

Some Kind of Wonderful is available here.

A Meditation on Murder by Robert Thorogood

From the creator of BBC drama Death in Paradise, this great crime novel is riveting and full of twists that will keep you guessing. An enjoyable read, perfect for fans of crime novels.

An original story from the creator and writer of the hit BBC One TV series, Death in Paradise, featuring on-screen favourite detective, DI Richard Poole.
Enhance your enjoyment of the series as, for the first time, Robert Thorogood brings the characters to life on the page in an all-new locked-room mystery.

Aslan Kennedy has an idyllic life: leader of a spiritual retreat for wealthy holidaymakers on one of the Caribbean’s most unspoilt islands, Saint Marie. Until he’s murdered, that is. The case seems open and shut: when Aslan was killed he was inside a locked room with only five other people, one of whom has already confessed to the murder.

Detective Inspector Richard Poole is hot, bothered, and fed up with talking to witnesses who’d rather discuss his ‘aura’ than their whereabouts at the time of the murder. But he also knows that the facts of the case don’t quite stack up. In fact, he’s convinced that the person who’s just confessed to the murder is the one person who couldn’t have done it. Determined to track down the real killer, DI Poole is soon on the trail, and no stone will be left unturned.

A must read for fans of the TV series and Agatha Christie crime classics featuring Marple and Poirot.

A Meditation on Murder is available here.

A Summer Promise by Katie Flynn

This wartime novel is a heartwarming romance novel. Believable and engaging.

From the bestselling author Katie Flynn. Growing up in the Yorkshire Dales, Maddy Hebditch can’t imagine the changes that war will bring when she joins the ATS.

1938: Maddy Hebditch has been living in poverty with her cantankerous grandmother since she was orphaned when she was just five, and it’s a constant struggle to stay out of the workhouse.

However, though life is hard, Maddy has her friends Alice, Marigold and Tom to help her. Together the four spend their summers exploring the Dales and making plans for the future.

Until war breaks out and everything changes.

As the four go their separate ways, Maddy joins the ATS, where she is recruited for one of the most dangerous jobs a woman could do in wartime: the Ack Ack sites.

All four face dangers as the war worsens, but when Tom is terribly injured, Maddy’s world falls apart…

A Summer Promise is available here.

Doris Day Vintage Club by Fiona Harper

A brilliant and unique novel. Hard to put down and lots of fun. Make sure you pack this amazing novel in your suitcase, it is the perfect holiday read and essential for fans of Doris Day.

Claire Bixby grew up watching Doris Day films at her grandmother’s house and yearned to live in a world like the one on the screen – sunny, colourful and where happy endings were guaranteed. But recently Claire’s opportunities for a little ‘pillow talk’ have been thin on the ground.

Until she meets new client Nic who comes into her travel agency looking to book the perfect get away. Too bad it’s for two!

But as Nic and Claire get closer, the sparks start to fly, and Claire’s questioning everything Doris taught her about romance.

Can true love ever really be just like it is in the movies?

Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps…

The Doris Day Vintage Film Club is available here.

Nightingales at War by Donna Douglas

The latest in the Nightingales series, this is a heart-warming tale of friendship and love. A great coming-of-age drama set in pre-war London. A touching novel which is perfect for fans of Call The Midwife.

As the war takes its toll, the Nightingale nurses must do their bit for king and country…

Dora is the devoted mother of twin babies but, determined to help the war effort, she goes back to work at the Nightingale Hospital.

More used to nights out in the West End, Jennifer and Cissy volunteer in the hope of tending to handsome soldiers. They soon find out that nursing isn’t quite what they were expecting.

For shy and troubled Eve, the hospital provides an escape from the pressures of home, but the life of a nurse is never easy, especially at wartime.

Can the nurses rally together while war rages all around them? And will the Nightingale Hospital survive the Blitz?

Nightingales at War is available here.

Russian Tattoo by Elena Gorokhova

A stunning page-turner. This is the second memoir from Elena Gorokhova and it is a fascinating and beautiful tale on the mother-daughter bond, Candid and full of emotion, this book is a great read.

The possibility of leaving Russia was never as thrilling as the prospect of leaving my mother.’

When Elena Gorokhova arrives in America, the only link back to her Russian past is a suitcase filled with twenty kilograms of what used to be her life. Navigating a country she had been taught to fear, Elena begins to carve out a new life in an unfamiliar world.

Before the birth of Elena’s daughter, her mother comes to visit and stays for twenty-four years. Elena, must struggle with the challenge of raising an American daughter whilst living with her controlling mother, a mirror image of her Motherland.

Russian Tattoo is the story of what it means to be an outsider, and what happens when the cultures of our past and present collide. Above all, it is an insightful portrait of mothers and daughters.

Russian Tattoo is available here.

The Umbrian Thursday Night Supper Club by Markena de Blasi

We loved this book. A wonderful novel about a group of women in Italy who meet up on Thursday night to talk and cook. Full of wonderful description and amazing recipes you can cook yourself, this book takes you into the heart of Italy. This is a true story that never stops entertaining. Full of emotion, it perfectly evokes Italy and the Italian people. Wonderful. You cannot wait to find out what happens to these women and what happens in their lives.

Pull up a chair for the true story of the Umbrian Thursday night supper club.

Every week on a Thursday evening, a group of four Italian rural women gather in a derelict stone house in the hills above Italy’s Orvieto. There – along with their friend, Marlena – they cook together, sit down to a beautiful supper, drink their beloved local wines, and talk.

Here, surrounded by candle light, good food and friendship, Miranda, Ninucia, Paolina and Gilda tell their life stories of loves lost and found, of ageing and abandonment, of mafia grudges and family feuds, and of cherished ingredients and recipes whose secrets have been passed down through the generations. Around this table, these five friends share their food and all that life has offered them – the good and the bad.

For fans of all things Italian, and the thousands of readers who loved Deborah Rodriquez’s The Kabul Beauty School; Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love and Deborah Moggach’s Best Exotic Marigold Hotel;

The Umbrian Thursday Night Supper Club is available here.

Villa America by Liza Klaussmann

One of the books of the moment, and rightly so. This book is a stunning and sophisticated page-turner. This tale of marriage set in the 1920s on the French Riviera is a glorious read.

Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Pablo Picasso, Cole and Linda Porter, Ernest Hemingway, John Dos Passos – all are summer guests of Gerald and Sara Murphy. Visionary, misunderstood, and from vastly different backgrounds, the Murphys met and married young, and set forth to create a beautiful world. They alight on Villa America: their coastal oasis of artistic genius, debauched parties, impeccable style and flamboyant imagination. But before long, a stranger enters into their relationship, and their marriage must accommodate an intensity that neither had forseen. When tragedy strikes, their friends reach out to them, but the golden bowl is shattered, and neither Gerald nor Sara will ever be the same.

Ravishing, heart-breaking, and written with enviable poise, Villa America delivers on all the promise of Liza Klaussmann’s bestselling debut, Tigers in Red Weather. It is an overwhelming, unforgettable novel.

Villa America is available here.

Everyday Detox by Megan Gilmore

Too many diet books are based on deprivation. This book makes being healthy easy and delicious. Megan Gilmore has practical recipes that are easy to make and she focuses on simply daily changes. This great book will make you healthy and is so great and simple you won’t even notice it is happening.

This no-nonsense approach to healthy detoxing by certified holistic health coach and blogger Megan Gilmore offers 100 delicious and properly combined recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner, including smoothies, snacks and desserts to help you lose weight and feel great. Each recipe is gluten- and sugar-free and include vegan, vegetarian and grain-free alternatives.

Whilst most diets and detoxes require all-or-nothing approaches which encourage unhealthy cycles of restriction followed by bingeing, Everyday Detox takes a realistic, sensible approach to healthy eating and weight loss. The simple, delicious recipes, such as Coconut Banana Muffins, Cauliflower Fried Rice, Baked Spaghetti and Double Chocolate Brownies, will help you to discover the benefits of using all-natural, wholefood ingredients that not only promote good health but stave off feelings of hunger and deprivation. And since each recipe has been designed to promote good gut health while gently removing toxins, you won’t feel bloated or uncomfortable after eating.

Packed with invaluable advice on how to stock a detox-friendly kitchen, and a handy food combination cheat sheet to help you to enjoy the benefits – and the results – of Everyday Detox without delay, this is an essential no-fuss approach to looking and feeling great!

Everyday Detox: 100 Easy Recipes to Remove Toxins, Promote Gut Health and Lose Weight Naturally is available here.

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