Helen McCrory Wears David Morris Jewels at The 65th Emmy Awards

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The winner of the best subtle bling look is the beautiful Helen McCrory. She was spotted wearing David Morris jewels at the 65th annual Emmy Awards in the US.

Helen is wearing fancy vivid yellow diamond earrings with white marquise-cut diamond surrounds (totalling 9.86cts) and butterfly and flower ring with fancy vivid yellow diamonds and white pear-shape diamonds (totalling 7.19cts)

Damien Lewis, Helen McCrory, Emmys, pictures

Who: Helen McCrory

What: David Morris yellow diamond earrings and ring.

Where: 65th annual Emmy Awards

When: 22nd September 2013

What do you think?

David Mitchell Interview

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David Mitchell InterviewDavid Mitchell – Was It Something I Said? Coming soon to C4

Was It Something I Said? – what’s it all about?

It’s a comedy panel show about quotations. A quiz where people have to work out who said certain things or what certain people have said. So it’s about celebrities, historical figures, currents affairs and history. We’ve tried to make it jolly and irreverent and funny but also a bit informative and interesting. An amusing way of watching some comedians trying to solve a quiz about famous people and vaguely impart some interesting information about them at the same time.

 

And there is a Twitter element to the show too – how do you feel about Twitter?

Broadly speaking I’m against the internet. I don’t like it; I wish it wasn’t there. Nevertheless things change, the ice caps melt some changes are irreversible and the internet is definitely here to stay. Of all the aspects of the internet I’ve always found Twitter to be jollier, friendlier and more human than most. So, I quite like Twitter but I’m not of the internet generation. When I was a teenager and a student the internet didn’t really exist and I was fine with that and I feel when it comes to Twitter I’m very happy to sometimes chat, it’s a very useful way of telling people who are interested in stuff I do what I’m doing, but I don’t want to bare my soul.

People who grew up with the internet are much more open about their whole lives on Twitter or Facebook but I think we are in the early days of a learning process of how best to use it as an individual and I’m definitely erring on the side of caution and holding back as much of my privacy as I can.

I do think Twitter is quite useful when you’re not sure whether a news story is terrifying or not. Have a look at Twitter and see what the mood is. It is like taking the pulse of a whole civilisation. At the same time it can be fun, informative and inspiring yet it can be bullying and weird and reminds you crowds aren’t always wise.

Nevertheless I am 100% behind the interactivity of WISIS, you can play along to every question to every show, a world first apparently. What more harmless way of using the internet than allowing people to take part in a quotations based TV quiz…

 

Did you enjoy filming WISIS? and being the host?

I’d done a Big Fat Quiz of the Year with Richard Ayoade but had never done anything with Micky Flanagan and I like that over the course of the series the three of us got on well, interacted together and there was a nice chemistry between us. We had lots of great guests and tremendous people like Charles Dance, John Craven and Brian Blessed reading out the quotations so it was great fun to do. It was a little bit more nerve wracking than doing a series like Would I Lie To You for the fourth time, thinking I don’t know the ropes yet, haven’t figured out how it all works but still lots of fun and ultimately probably more satisfying. And particularly being the host is a very different role, chipping in some of the time but while managing the quiz and working out what to say to link the rounds. The great thing about being in the host’s chair is that you can make yourself look so knowledgeable.

But can be tricky, usually the panellists are people who are bright and want to talk and you need them to keep talking so you can’t slap them down hard because they might go quiet and then you’re stuck. So it is my policy generally to let them talk and drift…you never know in that kind of comic situation where a chat is going and some of the best material comes when things are allowed to run and breathe. We wanted it off the cuff and as organic and natural as possible so I tried not to be too school masterly about things. Fortunately I have no natural authority so very easy for me to do that.

 

You combine acting, writing and hosting seamlessly – how do you manage that?

I do like the range of work. They’re jobs I find satisfying in different ways. Going on a show as a panellist is the easiest fun in my job, you don’t have to think about it in advance. Whether hosting or writing or acting it takes a lot more preparation so in a sense it’s a lot more like work. But when you’ve written something that is performed and it gets laughs that is the most amazingly satisfying ‘I love it when a plan comes together’ sort of feeling.

I feel very lucky that my life involves all these different elements. I’ve recently been filming the comedy drama Ambassadors which is a very different process, long filming days, having to think about how a character would behave in situations I’ve never been in myself. I enjoy acting but I wouldn’t want to only do that, I’d also want to go along to a studio in the evening and make rude jokes. I would get bored doing any one thing exclusively. And of course the other thing is I don’t have to get too much work in any of them as I can build up a living across all four…”

 

Do you have a favourite moment from recording the show?

There are loads. I like the bits where we all get a bit silly and irreverent. I remember there was a quote from Catherine Zeta Jones about playing golf with her husband Michael Douglas. We essentially all started to imagine the scene of the two of them playing golf and that was very enjoyable and turned into a really fun bit of TV. It is moments like that, which for me, justify the existence of panel shows because no one would ever have written those words, it purely came out of that combination of people which proves panel shows can produce funny TV in a way you could never write into a sitcom or a sketch show and thereby justifies its place on screen. I think it is a great form of entertainment and we shouldn’t lose sight of that.

I hope people like WISIS? We want viewers to have a feeling of irreverence and warmth. Not a shouty, hostile environment but a chatty and interesting one.

 

Lastly are there any quotes you are particularly fond of?

One of my favourite quotes is attributed to Voltaire but people say it wasn’t actually him…either way it is a very wise thing – ‘I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it’.

I think that’s a very important idea especially for the internet. The idea too often at the moment is that people think those who say horrible things should be silenced rather than answered. I think we’d be a more healthy society if people used their freedom of speech to, as it were, reply to and rebuke people who say things they hate rather than use the law to silence them.

 

The Face Judge Caroline Winberg Wears Herve Leger

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Who: Caroline Winberg

What: Herve Leger Anais dress

Where: THE FACE campaign

Caroline Winberg,THE FACE, , campaign wearing , ANAIS dress , HERVE LEGER. The Anais dress is exclusive,Herve Leger

The gorgeous Caroline Winberg can be seen in the much anticipated TV show THE FACE promotional campaign wearing the ANAIS dress from HERVE LEGER. It is a beautiful and stunning dress and we have been drooling over it at Frost. The Anais dress is exclusively available in the UK at the London Herve Leger store (020 7201 2590).

The Great Wings Challenge London

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FRANK’S RedHot present The Ultimate Eating Competition in London!

 

Fancy a tasty challenge? With the rise of food challenges, following the success of TV programs such as Man V Food, we would all like to think we can get our teeth stuck into an eating competition! Well, FRANK’S RedHot is hosting one and asking how many Buffalo wings you can eat in five minutes? Taking place at StickyWings on Brick Lane on Sunday 13th of October, FRANK’S RedHot will be opening its doors between 1pm and 10pm to host a five minute four-person battle on the hour every hour. People will be treated to an afternoon and evening of eating, great fun and a healthy level of competitive spirit!

 

Competitions have already taken place in Bristol and Manchester where regional winners have been selected. Following the event on the 13th, two London winners will complete the four person line-up for an epic wing eating competition final which will be held on the 14th of November at 7pm at StickyWings. One person will be crowned ‘The Official FRANK’S RedHot Wings Eating Champion 2013’ and will be awarded a prize of £1500.

 

Come along and enjoy the original mouth-watering FRANK’S RedHot Buffalo wings, served exactly as they were in Anchor Bar back in ’64 in the UK’s very own Buffalo Wing Shack.

 

There is a small fee of £10 to enter so sign up at https://battleofbones.eventbrite.co.uk/ or in person at StickyWings Restaurant, 40 Brick Lane, to take part in one of the five minute London slots and be in with a chance of holding the ultimate title of FRANK’S RedHot Wings Eating Champion.

 

I Play With The Phrase Each Other | 21st Raindance Film Festival

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raindance film festival, 21, filmJay Alvarez’ debut feature is being heralded as a genuine first; the first film to be composed entirely of phone calls between characters. With a micro budget obtained via crowdsourcing and Craigslist sales, the filmmakers collaborated with a group of friends, family and first time actors in the Portland area where filming took place. In line with its niche, contemporary framing device the film was shot on an Iphone. It centres primarily on Jake (Will Hand), a young neurotic tempted to the big city by his old friend Sean (Alvarez), a wannabe poet. Sean’s life is far from comfortable and wholesome; he lives in a squalid flat and earns his money by conning naive Internet shoppers. When Jake arrives to find Sean missing and uncontactable he struggles to fit in to the cities bleak, nocturnal landscape as the lengthy phone conversations in each scene detail strained relationships with distant friends, former lovers and forgotten family.

 

On first impressions, I Play With The Phrase Each Other sounds like its central premise would be an obstacle to connecting with it. There is the danger of being too distant to engage or the incredibly lo-fi shooting style proving too amateurish. Thankfully on a filmmaking level every penny of the fund raising  has paid off. Filmed in a stark monochrome against a backdrop of recession stricken America, the film relentlessly probes the nights and urban decay of the characters environment. I was reminded of In Search Of A Midnight Kiss and, to a lesser extent, Clerks in its visual style.  Production value and cinematography are terrific and show off the filmmakers skills with such limited resources. Along with  the Web Fest also taking place at Raindance this year, its films like this which really show off the advancing availability of resources and technology to today’s independent filmmakers.

 

Alvarez claims that the films unique structure is ‘ an announcement of youngness’ and that it would ‘scream our modern nausea’.  It’s a bold claim that does initially strike very effectively. There’s a swift flow to the opening passages of the film as we are introduced to the key players and the framing device of phone calls creates a sense of distortion and isolation that feels frighteningly contemporary. An early shot boosts a central character’s bookshelf comprised of Hemingway, Thompson and Heller. There’s no disguising the scripts incredibly literary background; the dialogue is at once profane and witty with a fine line of pathos running throughout.  Where things do begin to falter somewhat is in the meandering manner of the conversations themselves. Alvarez throws such a large group of characters into the mix that it starts to become difficult to keep track of who is who and more worryingly, who to care about. Characters discuss everything from employment to sexuality, media and the economy yet only a small amount of it sticks. Characters are introduced then dropped completely  just as they are starting to become engaging or memorable.  The cast of unknowns and first time actors do an extremely impressive job with the material that does work and lingers in the mind. One notable example is hustler Jamario, played with a volatile mix of humour and intimidation by ‘Big Dogg’, an acquaintance of the director. Its a piece of casting that rings with utter authenticity.  Another is an unnamed retail manager portrayed by Robert Thrush, featuring in a running series of deadpan vignettes before a climactic and  lengthy voice message plays out across a tight close up. Its a beautiful yet uncomfortable scene that really gets to the heart of the notion of disconnect via modern communication. The film is desperately crying out for other scenes of this immediacy and tenderness.

 

All in all I Play With The Phrase Each Other is an eye catching debut and certainly bodes well for Jay Alvarez. Although ultimately it may be a film that is easier to admire than to love.

 

 

Young People Using Fertility MOTs

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Erica and Kenny An increasing number of young people are discovering the benefit of ‘fertility MOTs’, consultants have said, even if they have no immediate plans to start a family.

Patients can come in for fertility advice even if they aren’t yet trying for children, and have a full range of tests so they can decide when they should start thinking about a family.

Mrs Yasmin Sajjad, fertility consultant at Spire Liverpool Hospital said: “The growing popularity of our fertility MOTs reflects a rising trend of young couples and singles seeking peace of mind on their fertility status.”

As people get older some may find it increasingly difficult to conceive and fertility consultancy is valuable in providing early advice as to how long it is practical to wait.

Yasmin said: “At 25 – 27 years old a woman’s fertility is already starting to decline, and upon reaching 35, chances of conception have often halved. Women who take an early assessment of their fertility can make informed decisions about their options later down the line, including the possibility of having eggs frozen for a later date.”

Erica Wilson used the fertility MOT to help make an informed decision on when she and her husband should start trying for children, she said: “I came to Spire a few years ago for a fertility MOT at the age of 31.  I was keen to see if there were any issues, and help become better informed so myself and my husband Ken could find out when we should start trying for children.  It ended up being a very good decision because we found out early on that there were problems and it has given us time to address this.”

Erica is now going through a treatment called ICSI, Intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection.  This involves injecting a single sperm into an egg in order to fertilise it, it’s then transferred back to the woman’s womb as an embryo.

Erica said: “So far we have undergone a few treatments of ICSI through the NHS.  The treatment went smoothly but unfortunately it hasn’t worked.  It’s now been diagnosed by Mrs Sajjad that I have certain cells, which identify the embryo being put back in my womb as a foreign body and I am now on a course of steroid treatment which should prevent this.  Ken and I are now really hopeful that we can start a family and having a fertility MOT has given us the time to solve the issues, and have a good chance at trying for a family before time and the odds are against us.”

Yasmin also said that they have seen an increase in the use of the clinic by couples in the middle of trying for a family. “Many couples are leaving it later to try for children, which simply put means they can’t afford to wait around.  If they have been trying for a year with no success then they should visit a GP, but often taking this route can mean they end up on waiting lists for tests and to see a fertility expert.  This wait can mean the difference between having a child and not, as some couples have left it too close in terms of their fertility or accessing IVF on the NHS, where the cut off for funding is often around the age of 40.  This means that the women should be referred for assisted conception treatment at least six months before their 40th birthday.

“Many older couples are now choosing to pay privately to find out if there is an issue straight away, then they can decide what action to take.”

The Fertility MOT includes a range of packages, all of which require only two visits to the hospital within the space of a week. The comprehensive process will provide a full assessment of a patient’s ability to conceive and identify any underlying factors that may prevent natural conception down the line.

Packages are available for men, women, and couples. Men receive an expert semen analysis, while women will be given a pelvic ultrasound scan, urine test and tubal patency test. Both will also have a full blood test to check hormone status.

Upon the second visit the results are discussed and potential options will be laid out.  From there consultants can give expert advice on future options, and advise any appropriate treatments.

Yasmin added: “Modern hectic lifestyles mean that more couples are choosing to postpone a family until later in life, so a fertility MOT can be invaluable in checking one’s options before it’s too late.”

Spire Liverpool Hospital is holding an information event for couples planning a family on Thursday 24 October, from 6.30 – 9pm.

 

Culinary Creativity with Chocolate

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Toot Sweets Tempers Festive Flavour Fusions

Julia Wenlock from Shropshire was studying Television and Radio Production when a part-time job in Manchester at Belgium chocolatiers, Godiva, changed her direction and she found her love of all things chocolate. This was in 2002 and now eleven years later she is creating, making and selling her own uniquely stunning chocolate range. Her retail base is the Market Hall in Shrewsbury, Shropshire – which is filled with interesting producers, cafés and other quirky retailers. Having built a loyal customer base in her home town and across the county she has launched her chocolates online and is starting to develop opportunities beyond the county border…

tootsweets

Festive Fusions – ginger wine, chestnut and cranberries

For Christmas 2013 Toot Sweets is launching some of its most creative combinations so far. Julia has considered festive flavours and how they may work effectively in her chocolates. This has resulted in a Chestnut and Truffle Oil Caramel, Ginger Wine Truffle and something a little more ‘off the wall’ but it definitely works – an Umami Mushroom Truffle! These add to her chocolate bars, including flavour packed candied orange peel and chilli flakes or cranberry and pistachio. She also tempers familiar festive shapes and wreaths – these come in both small sizes and a large version, to hang decoratively on doors, with colourful edible arrangements. The Christmas collection is being launched ahead of Chocolate Week (7th September) at Brompton Cookery School, Shropshire which is run by TV-chef, Marcus Bean.

Moving On Up – retail background

Julia’s journey to retailing and making her own chocolates was helped greatly by the time at Godiva and Selfridges, Manchester, within the Grocery and Confectionery departments. Julia was selected for a place on the ‘Moving On Up Programme’, only five were chosen from regional stores and this gave her an opportunity to be trained as a future department manager. In 2007 her mother passed away and she thought that this was time to do something for herself back in Shrewsbury and her first experimentations with chocolate began. She started out selling other people’s chocolates but soon decided that the only way to really control the ingredients and quality, along with guaranteeing originality – was to sell only her own creations.

Award Winning – from great taste to international recognition

The first awards that Julia entered were in 2010 when she was successful in the Great Taste Awards for both her White Shropshire Lavender Truffle and her Dark Butterscotch. This was followed in 2011 by success with her Dark Shropshire Lavender Truffle. In 2012 Julia won the BBC Producers Bursary Award at the Winter BBC Good Food Show and she is returning in November as BBC Good Food Champion. Earlier in 2013, she entered the Academy of Chocolate Awards and achieved Silver for her Salted Caramel Truffle and this was followed in April by a nomination from the European semi-finals of the International Chocolate Awards – leading to a place in the finals, held during Chocolate Week this October.

Ingredients, techniques and imagination – only the best

Julia believes strongly that the best ingredients result in the best end product for her customer. She uses only three types of chocolate. Amedei – which is created by the Italian family business with Criollo and Trinitario cocoa beans, Marou – single origin chocolate from Vietnam and also Original Beans finest chocolate – for every Original Beans bar bought a tree is planted to replace this by the farmers in the rainforests. Julia most frequently hand-tempers her chocolate but also has a small tempering machine. Her creations are made using as many local ingredients as possible such as lavender from the Shropshire Lavender Farm and honey from the county’s youngest bee keeper, Tom Oliver. The centres are always made first and left to cool through the day or overnight and then shapes are hand-rolled or piped before being dipped or enrobed in chocolate and then decorated. Julia enjoys demonstrating her skills and regularly carries out workshops at shows and events.

Julia commented; “I know people often say this but I was genuinely inspired by my mother. Cooking and experimentation with exotic and new flavours was part of my childhood. I try to do this with Toot Sweets chocolates – making sure that the final combinations really work. Some make customers think for a second – particularly the mushroom one! I try to be innovative but also include some classics that everyone loves – they hopefully taste better because of the way that I make them and the ingredients that I use.”

 

Katie Piper Speaks About Her Pregnancy Joy

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BRAVE TV PRESENTER KATIE PIPER GIVES HER FIRST INTERVIEW SINCE ANNOUNCING HER PREGNANCY IN THIS SUNDAY’S FABULOUS MAG

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In this week’s Fabulous magazine’s special Inspiration Issue, acid attack survivor, Katie Piper opens up about her pregnancy joy: “I just feel very blessed. It’s incredible really. When I go into hospital to have the baby, it’ll be the first time I’ve been there for something nice.”

In the exclusive interview, which is accompanied by a photoshoot by legendary photographer, David Bailey, the 29-year-old presenter and model says she finds it strange when people say she’s inspired them: “I was put in a situation and had to decide whether to sink or swim, and I think most people would fight and get through it. It’s not until we get tested that we know how strong we are.”

Katie, whose baby is due in the Spring, also opens up about the moment she found out she was pregnant and the morning sickness she’s been suffering from ever since.

Also in this week’s edition, brave Michelle Heaton opens up about her decision to have a double mastectomy after she was told she had an 80 per cent chance of contracting breast cancer, while award-winning Sky News foreign correspondent Alex Crawford reveals what it’s like reporting from some of the world’s most dangerous war zones.

Fabulous magazine is available free in The Sun every Sunday.