Simple Flower Arranging: Step-By-Step Designs & Techniques Book Review

Posted on January 24, 2014 by Frostie

Although this is in the wedding section the book works well for every day and every occasion. Simple Flower Arranging: Step-By-Step Designs & Techniques by Mark Welford & Stephen Wicks is a money-saving book, but also one with hours of funfor the creative and people who love flowers. Written by ex-Royal Ballet dancers and the owners of the award-winning destination florist Bloomsbury Flowers in Covent Garden, Mark Welford & Stephen Wicks have written a book to let blooming florists make amazing arrangements.

The book guides you through designs and techniques. There are over 60 different projects and the book teaches you to bring the professional touch to your arrangements. There are a lot of insider tips and it is very easy to read and understand.

The book also lets you take things around the home and use them to create great arrangements. The getting started section leaves you with a lot of knowledge; going through colour palette, vases, flower shapes, foliage and basic equipment. There is also chapters on maintence and tips.

The pictures and illustrations in the book are not only beautiful, but also make it easy to follow, along with the step-by-step guide. This is a very good book which allows you to make beautiful arrangements for every occasion.

Simple Flower Arranging is available here

Future Publishing Acquires Stake In Handpicked Media

Posted on January 24, 2014 by Catherine Balavage

Some very exciting news from Handpicked Media, which Frost Magazine is a part of, here it is in their own words:

Future has acquired a stake in Handpicked Media – a marketing agency for independent digital publishers – creating Handpicked Future Future plc, the international media group and leading digital business, today announces a strategic partnership with Handpicked Media.

The partnership sees Future acquire a 35% stake in Handpicked Media, which represents over 500 independent websites and blogs, reaching over 3.5 million unique users a month in the UK and six million globally. The Handpicked Future partnership provides Future with access to Handpicked’s roster of influential blogs and independent sites across a range of lifestyle channels including Fashion, Beauty and Entertainment. And in return Future will drive the effective commercialisation of those sites.

As a pioneering agency working in social media, Handpicked Media has curated a growing portfolio of influential sites across a range of lifestyle channels since it was launched in 2009 by entrepreneur Krista Madden. It manages the interaction between its community and a range of consumer brands, offering clients an array of opportunities to reach a very targeted and highly engaged audience.

Mark Wood, CEO of Future plc, says: “Handpicked has created a powerful social media proposition, curating a portfolio of leading independent sites and blogs across a range of sectors including beauty, fashion, lifestyle and entertainment. Our partnership grows Future’s digital audience in attractive new sectors and is another signal of Future’s intention to deliver greater audience engagement and diversified revenue opportunities from digital platforms.”

Handpicked Future solutions include social media strategy, blogger outreach, content creation, events and integrated campaigns for a range of brand partners including Gucci, Karen Millen, Vodafone, Nivea and Intel. Future will drive the next phase of commercialisation across the collective, with an initial focus on developing the women’s lifestyle offer, under Future Women Managing Director, Jo Morrell.

Jo says: “Future is all about digital innovation and creative content, and Handpicked Media shares that sensibility. Krista and her team have created a really powerful social platform, which Future can support, expand and commercialise. Our award-winning digital excellence offers tremendous opportunities for lifestyle, fashion and beauty brands to deeply engage their audiences through Handpicked Future. I’m thrilled to seal this partnership.”

Krista adds: “We are very excited to be working with Future to expand our audiences, while supporting and developing the talent we have. The combined expertise of the new Handpicked Future team brings innovation and a unique proposition across social and digital platforms.”

Future reaches 58 million global unique users a month online and in the last year so over five million digital editions of its products for tablet and smartphone devices.

Future is the PPA and AOP Consumer Digital Publisher of the Year and the BMA Media Company of the Year.

The Refinery | Restaurant Review

Posted on January 24, 2014 by Catherine Balavage

The Refinery is a good-looking restaurant in Southwark. It has a great vibe, lots of buzz and a sophisticated decor. We reviewed it on a Saturday and it was absolutely heaving.

Upon being handed the menu thinks get difficult, there is just so much to choose from. The menu is good and varied, something to suit every taste; from salads, to steaks to burgers. We notice on the special menu that there is some salmon and sea bass, the waitress (who is lovely and helpful) informs us that the fish is fresh, they get it from the market in the morning. I also spot a Negroni on the specials menu and immediately order it. Negroni’s are more bitter than my usual taste but I have a soft spot for them.

After much umming and ahing we finally decide on what to eat thanks to the waitress. We have prawn lollipops and a Mediterranean flatbread sharing platter to start. As you can see, presentation is impressive. The prawn lollipops in particular look great. The lollipops are amazing, perfect prawns in perfect batter. They come with an amazing sauce which also has just enough kick.

The Mediterranean flatbread is pitta bread, roast vegetables; peppers, aubergine and courgette- all great, two dips, both stunning. The homemade hummus has ruined me. I just don’t want to eat the supermarket stuff anymore. The baby ganoush is also superb.

We ordered some Strawberry Lemonade. It was delicious and fresh.

For our main we have the Pan-Fried Salmon which comes with stir-fried vegetables and teriyaki sauce, and the Cote De Boeuf Steak. All the steaks come with onion rings, chips, roast tomato and flat mushroom. To say it is a generous portion would be a vast understatement. I am so full after eating it that I have a coke float for dessert. More of which later.

The steak is amazing, well cooked and tender. I ordered it with a great peppercorn sauce. The tomato is roasted, I love roast tomato and the chips and mushroom are just as good. The onion rings are not greasy and are fried well. This was a very good choice; excellent meal.

The Pan-Fried Salmon is delicious; tender with stir-cooked vegetables and a wonderful teriyaki sauce. A great, Asian-influenced, meal. The fish is very fresh and the meal works beautifully.

A Porn Star Martini: great cocktail that comes with a prosecco chaser.

A Prince Charming. Another great cocktail. This one was fun and sweet.

A classic Negroni. The cocktails at the Refinery are of a very high standard, and they don’t skimp on the alcohol.

The brownie is very good. Warm and wonderfully chocolatey. It comes with ice-cream.

The Lemonade, the strawberry comes on the side. It is fun watching it become red.

For dessert I had a coke float as I was so full. This is a coke float with a difference: it has rum and sherry in it. They don’t skimp on their alcohol at the Refinery. There is no watering down of cocktails. The coke float is amazing and different. Very imaginative.

The Refinery is a brilliant restaurant. Definitely go and have a meal there. You won’t regret it.

B.K.S Iyengar Yoga The Path To Holistic Health Book Review

Posted on January 23, 2014 by Frostie

It is a book review special on Frost today and next up; time to get your yoga on.

B.K.S Iyengar is one of the greatest yoga teachers in the world and Iyengar Yoga is one of the most practiced yoga systems globally. Very impressive indeed.

This book gives you a lot of bang for your buck. The book is suitable for every age and ability and contains specially developed yoga sequences to alleviate over 80 ailments, ranging from IBS, asthma, arthritis and diabetes. I really liked that section. It takes each ailment and then there is step-by-step pictures of each sequence, along with a reference at the bottom to know which page to go to for a more in-depth guide to the move. There is also a 20-week course for beginners that is very handy. Each section is well-illustrated with lots of pictures.

There is also a celebration of B.K.S Iyengar life in his own words. Perfect whether a fan or a beginner wanting to know more. I find a lot of the quotes inspirational, as is B.K.S Iyengar’s life. This is a great in-depth book, full of inspiration and knowledge. Great for yoga lovers and beginners alike.

B.K.S. Iyengar Yoga: The Path to Holistic Health

Strength Training Exercises For Women Book Review

Posted on January 23, 2014 by Frostie

January is full of the best of intentions, it is the time of the year when we are determined to get healthy and fit, but usually gym membership and exercise classes fall by the wayside. I know a lot of the time the effort to leave the house is what really gets me so it is exercise DVDs and books all the way.

My first thoughts of Strength Training Exercises For Women: Tone, Sculpt, and Stay Strong For Life by Joan Pagano is that it is knowledgeable and easy-to-use. It starts by testing your fitness and checking your BMI with a handy table. The introduction and chapter on why lift weights? highlights the importance of weight lifting for women. It then goes into your training programme, which includes information on equipment, muscles and exercise, posture and alignment. I learn a lot.

There are a variety of programmes in the book. One of my favourites is the 15-minute Workouts- perfect for the time starved. When I have more time, the focused exercises are brilliant. You can choose the lower body, upper body or core body programme.

The book is easy-to-use; each exercise has lots of pictures and tips. I was very impressed with this book. I think it is great for any women who wants to reach her physical peak, or has wanted to do weights but needed a dedicated programme. Highly recommended.

Rolling Stones Only Contemporary Portrait Series Released in London

Posted on January 22, 2014 by Frostie

Michael Donald has been selected by Ronnie Wood to do new portraits of The Rolling Stones, the only series of contemporary portraits of the whole band to ever be released, to be displayed at Castle Fine Art from 7th Feb – 2nd March.

Half of the series was shot in Stagroves, the house Mick owned in 1971 where the band started to record Exile on Main Street. Ronnie was shot in London and Keith in New York. There are some fascinating stories to be told from the shoot.

Buy Your Very Own Ryan Gosling

Posted on January 22, 2014 by Frostie

For those with a Gosling obsession, and there are many; Fancy becoming Ryan Gosling’s personal stylist? The Ryan Gosling paperboy is the perfect way to get your Gosling Fix. Complete with a range of outfits from Drive to Notebook, You’ll be sure to have plenty of fun dressing and undressing your very own Gosling.

The Ryan Gosling Paperboy costs £6.95 from www.prezzybox.com

A Cocktail Fit For A Royal

Posted on January 22, 2014 by Frostie

To celebrate the arrival of Zara Phillip’s first child, a Royal baby girl who is sixteenth in line to the throne, Gallo Family Vineyards created a celebratory The Mini Monarch cocktail using Gallo Family Vineyards Summer White.

The Mini Monarch has sumptuous flavours of ripe apple, pear and citrus with subtle floral notes. Muddled with fresh strawberries, vodka, lemon and basil, this delicious cocktail is perfect for any royal celebration.

The Mini Monarch

6 oz. Gallo Family Vineyards Summer White

1 oz. vodka

5 Strawberries – keep 1 for garnish

1-tsp sugar

1 sprig basil

1 ounce lemon juice

– Blend all ingredients, except wine

– Strain into flute with a strawberry at the bottom

– Top with Gallo Family Vineyards Summer White

Gallo Family Vineyards Summer White has an RRP of £6.99 and is available from UK retailers including ASDA, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Co-op.