Wedding Planning For Dummies | Book Review

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It is well-known that planning a wedding is hard. But it is not until you actually plan a wedding that you realise that it is even harder than you thought it would be. And then some.

weddingplanningfordummiesbookreview

The mixture of organisation, planning, ideas and different family members is quite a toxic mix, making even simple decisions seems insurmountable sometimes. I am planning my own wedding at the moment and it is rapidly approaching. So when Wedding Planning For Dummies dropped through our letterbox I was incredibly happy. I am that dummy and I need that book.

Before a relative reads this and panics about how close the wedding is, it is mostly done, I am just worried I will forget something. Not so with this book. It is thorough and fun to read. What’s more, it taught me things that I never even knew. It may be a ‘For Dummies’ book but, like all in the series, it leaves you feeling very competent in the end.

It has lots of tips on how to not pay too much, tips on finding the perfect venue, ideas for making your wedding personal and suggestions for the invitations.  Actually, it just has every basis covered that you will need for your wedmin.

It even tells you the different types of marquees you can get and I loved the section on how much alcohol to order depending on how many guests you have. It really was invaluable. Brilliant book, a must read for those planning their wedding. The authors really know their stuff.

Wedding Planning For Dummies is available here.

Interview with Alexander Devrient

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Interviewing the talented Alexander Devrient was such fun, he’s dashing, eloquent and such a gentleman. You will recognise him for his latest role in Emmerdale Farm as the french love interest to Kerry. His rather dramatic entrance was too funny for words and if you watched it I am sure it would have had you gripped. The story line is unfolding and he is fast becoming one of my favourite actors. I am not going to spoil it for you in anyway, but you must keep your eyes on this rather beautiful chap.

He’s worked with the likes of Guy Richie on the set of Sherlock Holmes, and Jude Law was very excited to work with him, as was I the other day. I got to photograph this wonderful TV personality and create some rather cool images for the interview. We had such a great chat and he was a joy yo work with.

  Alexander Devrient

Q. What made you get into acting and was it at an early age you knew you had a calling.

A. I’ve always tremendously enjoyed acting and performing. I took drama classes as a kid, played in every school play and later, managed to see a lot of professional theatre as a teenager.

Saying that, it was only at University that I realised I wanted to make a profession out of my passion. I applied for Drama School in my 3rd year of studying Economics and International Relations. I felt I had to give it a shot and luckily I got in. A few months after finishing my degree I started acting training.

Q. Where did you grow up.

A. I grew up in Brussels, Belgium but my dad is Argentinean/German and my mum is Lebanese. My household was always a mishmash of languages. My mum spoke French to us, my dad German. When they didn’t want us to understand what they were saying they spoke Spanish.

Alexander Devrient

Q. How have your parents influenced your career

A. My parents have always been very supportive but my biggest influence has been my Lebanese granddad. He’s performed on stages in Cambridge, Paris and Beirut since 1957. He absolutely adores theatre. In February, I was playing Anglo-French production Poilu & Tommy here in London. We opened the same night as he did with his play in Beirut. He’s 80 years old now. Magic!

 

Q. What was it like to be asked to join the cast of Emmerdale

A. It was a beautiful feeling indeed. Emmerdale is a British TV institution, the first episode was aired in 1972. The longevity of this series is incredible.

 

Q. What would be the biggest achievement you could imagine

A. Leaving a lasting mark in the industry for generations to come.

 

 

Q. Working with such great actors and directors it must be hard when you are not working on a project. How do you stay focused and motivated

A. I attend workshops, go to the theatre, and watch films. It’s important to be in tune with the industry and learn from the best.

I also work as a Voice Over artist and do the occasional freelance broadcasting work.

 Alexander Devrient

Q. What role would you just love to play.

A. Gabriel Macht’s Harvey Specter in Suits.

 

Q. Who in history would you have loved to star with

A. Klaus Kinski, Rita Hayworth and Jack Nicholson would have to top that list.

 

Q. You have striking looks, do you get spotted and recognised in the street, if so how do you respond.

A. I can still roam the streets relatively freely but when I do get stopped the responses to my work are always very positive which is great.

 

Alexander Devrient

Q. What has been the most wonderful experience to come out of acting

A. I get to work with an array of talented people from all around the world and what do we do? We essentially tell stories. That’s a wonderful gift that comes with acting.

 

Q. One last cheeky question…what role do you think you could have played far better than the original and why!!

A. Give me the chance to play Lestat de Lioncourt and I’ll show you why.

We really look forward to following your career and all you lovely readers make sure you do to! Follow Alexander on Twitter @ADevrient if you want to pop me a little tweet I’m over here @sarahbacchus for any other information regarding my photography head over to sarahbacchus.com and take a look at our lifestyle blog SLBStyle.com 

This interview and shoot was held at the beautiful Mamounia Lounge in Mayfair, I want to thank them for their hospitality and for allowing me to take over an entire room for a few hours! Tweet them @MamounialLounge

Erin O’Connor Poses Nude At Eight And A Half Months

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Erin O’Connor has done a Demi, posing nude at eight and a half months pregnant. She was photographed by Nick Knight and he posted it on his Instagram account. The pose is typically arty and Erin looks great.

Credit: Nick Knight Instagram

Credit: Nick Knight Instagram

What do you think? Would you pose nude when pregnant?

Students Can Win £3,000 By Showing Their Love of Learning

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Imagine you’re inspiring the next generation of students to study your subject at university. Now bottle that enthusiasm and distil it into a winning formula…

Students with a passion for their subject can win £3,000 by entering the annual UCAS/The Times Love Learning competition.

Today’s undergraduates must explain why their subject has captured their heart and mind – and why others should follow them into higher education.

abe59350-0010-386c-8ce3-7d3770026b97Students can write a 500 word essay or, new for this year, create a 30 second video clip. But the challenge is the same in both categories – inspire the next generation armed with the knowledge of what higher level learning is really about.

Mary Curnock Cook, Chief Executive of UCAS said: “Higher education is about much more than three years’ study to gain a qualification. It’s a journey of personal discovery, a peeling of the onion that reveals layers of talent, confidence and the sheer exuberance that comes with engagement in learning.

“The video category brings a new dimension to the competition and I know that we’ll receive some very creative pieces showing the next generation how university broadens the mind, and is more than just a smart career move.”

Two winners (one essay writer and one video producer) will each receive £3,000 plus have the opportunity to spend a day at The Times offices in London. Three runners up in each category will each win £1,000.

The competition is open now, and closes at midnight on 30 June 2014.

The Love Learning competition is launching during Universities Week 2014 which runs from 9 -15 June 2014, Universities across the UK are inviting everyone to be inspired, get involved and discover the work that they are doing to improve the way we live our lives.

More information can be found at www.ucas.com/lovelearning and on The Times website.

 

 

Busaba Eathai Kingston Riverside Is Now Open

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busabaethaikingstonFrost favourite Busaba Eathai has now opened its 11th restaurant in Kingston, located at the picturesque Kingston Riverside, next to the historic Kingston Bridge.

New dishes recently trialed at the Busaba Eathai Songkran pop-up at Fairground, Haggerston, feature on the menu at the new Kingston restaurant, such as Isaan grilled pork and a selection of summer salads, all inspired by the executive chef Jude Sangsida’s recent trip to Thailand. Another first for Busaba, and long-awaited by many fans of the brand, the Kingston Riverside branch offers Thai style desserts, such as mango sticky rice and sweet plantain fritters with vanilla bean ice cream.

The new site has 135 covers, including outdoor seating on a 30 cover riverside terrace. The interior is in a familiar Busaba Eathai style, featuring communal teak tables and benches in dark wood. A new lounge bar concept recently launched at the Old Street branch, includes a bar snack menu of small plates and cocktails including Lemongrass and Thai basil Martini and Tamarind Negroni.

Busaba Eathai Kingston Riverside is now open at 4 Riverside Walk, Kingston-upon-Thames, KT1 1QN.

STUBBS, ENGLAND: S57C, Tack Step With Fastener

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STUBBS, ENGLAND

S57C, Tack Step With Fastener

Retail Price: £30.00

Spec:

Height 30 cm
Length 39 cm
Width 28 cm
Weight 2.41 kg

It was the colour that first attracted me to this STUBBS grooming box (or the ‘tack step with fastener’ as it’s called on the STUBBS website). It’s bang on trend for this season in a gorgeous ocean blue and comes with a contrasting black steel handle, silver fastener and STUBBS logo moulded into the unique STUBBYTHENE material that this box is made from. The grooming box is also available in pink, green, red and black – but the blue is definitely my favourite.

stubbsenglandreview4 stubbsenglandreviewboxreview stubbsreview stubbsenglandreviewbox stubbsenglandreviewequestrian stubbsenglandreviewhorses stubbsenglandreview1 stubbsenglandreviewmelissavolpi

What really sealed my love for this product though is its strength. My two horses share their paddock with cows during the summer months and because of this; it’s essential that all the products I use on a daily basis are strong enough to withstand the weight of a curious calf or a hefty heifer. Try as I might to shoo them away at grooming time, these cows often surround my field shelter (which is located at the top of our 11-acre hill) looking for something to play with. And 9 times out of 10, that something has been my STUBBS grooming box! I have arrived at the horses most days to find said grooming box lying on its side at the bottom of our paddock, next to the gate, which is a very long way from the field shelter where it should reside!

The STUBBS grooming box has amazed me though – it has no dents and still looks as good as new. I have tried out many grooming boxes over the years, but none have survived such abuse.

The only addition I would like to see is an internal partition. The STUBBS grooming box is the perfect size to accommodate both grooming brushes and grooming products like shampoos and mane and tail conditioners etc, but both get lost in this space. A separate compartment inside this box, to keep the grooming bottles upright and away from the brushes, would be a welcome addition.

That said, the colour and strength of the STUBBS grooming box have won me over and my star rating for this product is 4.5 out of 5. I can honestly say that the STUBBS grooming box has been the best grooming box (by far) that I have ever owned. And it’s not just suitable for the equestrian enthusiast either. I think it would be a useful gift for the fishing, hunting, sailing or gardening enthusiast too. It’s a sturdy box with a lid and a fastener for a padlock, that will keep any items safe and clean.

PHOTOS TO FOLLOW…

Notes:

 STUBBS is a family owned manufacturing business, producing all their own products in their own factories in England.  Established in 1836, on what is still their main site, they have an international reputation for quality and originality.  They design all their own products and cover many trades including steel fabrication, plastic coating, joinery and even plastic moulding, all on site.

 

What we like:

 

THE STRENGTH/STUBBYTHENE MOULDING

 

THE FASTENER

 

THE CHOICE OF COLOURS

 

THE SIZE

 

THE LIGHTNESS

 

THE VERSATILITY

 

Our star * rating: 4.5 out of 5

 

 Contact:

www.stubbsengland.com/

 

*This is Frost magazine’s first ever-equestrian product review. We have lots of horsey stuff to review this summer and aim to make this equestrian section as varied and informative as possible. Next on our list is a set of 4 black John whitaker training bandages…

 

Things To Do Before 30: High Rolling Poker

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I have always been a very low-risk type of person, but in another alternate universe I am not such a mouse. I am a hard-core, high-stakes, high-rolling poker millionaire. Poker is something that has become hugely popular in recent years. It is glamarous and the stakes are super high. You can lose big but you can also become a millionaire. There is also a certain amount of skill involved, so you can tip the odds in your favour. Victoria Coren is one of the big names that made poker mainstream. She has total winnings of a staggering £1.43million after becoming the first ever two-time winner of the European Poker Tour. This year she won a cash prize of £391,932 – and a watch worth more than £4,000.

I would have loved to have taken part in the PCA 10 Poker 2013 – $100k Super High Roller Poker. Unfortunately I don’t have the skill yet, but hopefully one day. Until then I can live vicariously through episode one of the $100k PCA 2013 Super High Roller live Poker Star, starring Phil Ivey, Antonio Esfandiari, Steve O’Dwyer and Ike Haxton, with cameo appearances from Phil Hellmuth and Tom Dwan. Poker 2013 live tournament series. Day 2 at PCA 2013 live poker tournament and the prizepool is set at a cool $5.7m, with over $2m going to the winner. Who will win the battle of the finest mind in Poker? Our feature table line-up is stellar: Tom Dwan, Antonio Esfandiari, ElkY, Dan Shak, Steve O’Dwyer, Vivek Rajkumar and JC Alvarado.

£5.7 million prize pool? Over £2 million going to the winner. Wowzers. There is also a really good cast of the great and good of poker.

After the excitement of that episode you can check out episode two which is as good as the first poker live tournament.

What do you think?

This post is sponsored by Spreaditfast

Natwest Everywoman Awards Invites Entries For 2014

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suitUK’s leading programme for female entrepreneurship seeks enterprising stars

 

Female entrepreneurs following in the footsteps of Jo Malone MBE, Hilary Devey CBE, Kelly Hoppen MBE and Cath Kidston MBE are being sought as the 2014 NatWest everywoman Awards open for entry. Britain’s most successful programme supporting female enterprise has attracted thousands of entries and recognised the achievements of dozens of women in its 12 year history. At its annual ceremony stories of extraordinary tenacity and determination are brought to the fore as the cream of the business and political worlds celebrate the achievements of the UK’s leading business owners.

 

There are now almost 1.5 million women self-employed in the UK, which represents an increase of around 300,000 since before the economic downturn*. Whilst on the increase, this figure is still disproportionately low compared with the number of male-owned businesses, and the NatWest everywoman Awards aims to address the imbalance, highlighting the achievements of exceptional women of all ages. By raising awareness and creating role models, the Awards’ purpose is to show others that anything is possible and give them the confidence and courage to follow their business dreams.

 

The NatWest everywoman Awards are free to enter and individuals can be nominated or can enter themselves at www.everywoman.com/ewawards. The core categories are:

Artemis – for a woman running a business who is aged 25 or under.

Demeter – for a woman running a business who is aged between 26 and 35.

Athena – for a woman running a business who is aged between 36 and 49.

Hera – for a woman running a business who is aged 50 or over.

 

Specialist category:

 

Iris – This Award is given to the most inspirational and successful female entrepreneur who runs a business that uses technology in an innovative and disruptive way. Sponsored by IBM.

Maxine Benson MBE, co-founder of everywoman comments: “With categories according to age we aim to show the development of businesses from the hungry start-ups fuelled by passion and determination through to mature, global organisations that make significant contributions to the economy and employment. We have identified that role models are crucial in their influence of women making decisions about their professional future and these awards are important in highlighting success stories and inspiring future generations of entrepreneurs. The profile attributed by the awards has helped many of our winners and finalists grow their businesses further, and provides valuable networking opportunities.”

Anne McPherson, Managing Director, Enterprise at NatWest says, “We are delighted to support the NatWest everywoman awards for the 12th year in a row. These awards have showcased many excellent role models over the years, and have offered great encouragement to female entrepreneurs at all stages of their business journey. At NatWest, we have seen a tangible increase in the number of women starting up in business, and we continue to be committed to encouraging more women to do so. To this end, we have a network of over 200 externally accredited Women in Business Specialists across the country who share and understand our customers’ ambitions, and provide business advice, networking and mentoring opportunities to help them build successful businesses and fulfil their potential”.

 

Nominations are made online at www.everywoman.com/ewawards until 7 July.

 

The winners will be announced at a ceremony held on 3 December 2014 at The Dorchester Hotel, London and will be attended by hundreds of the UK’s leading businesswomen, politicians, media and VIPS. For further information and for table bookings, please contact everywoman directly on 020 7981 2574.