The May Fair Hotel Appoints Artist in Residence For Art13 London

Situated in the heart of the Mayfair village, the May Fair Hotel has been a by-word for artistry and elegance since the twenties. To celebrate it’s status as the official hotel partner for Art13 London; London’s most exciting new art fair (Olympia Grand Hall, 1-3 March 2013), the luxury hotel has appointed it’s very first Artist in Residence.

 

British fashion and celebrity portrait artist Marc McGreevy has been commissioned by the May Fair Hotel to capture the scenes, sights and sounds of one of London’s most iconic hotels. Guests of the hotel during Art13 London will have the opportunity to take home their very own unique portraits by Marc McGreevy and view the artwork on an exclusive online gallery.

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Images left to right: Marc McGreevy; Charlie France sketch by Marc McGreevy; Jourdan Dunn sketch by Marc McGreevy; The May Fair Hotel, London.

 

Marc McGreevy is an internationally acclaimed fashion artist and designer.  He began his career designing fashion layouts and creating unique jewellery collections for high fashion magazines such as Elle and Vogue.  Marc’s passion for fashion and illustration coupled with his natural creativity has secured him a position as one of Britain’s finest.  He now travels the world illustrating the most spectacular fashions with unrivalled flair, sophistication and poise.  Previous commissions include Jerry Hall, Actor David Morrissey, Actresses Joan Collins, Linda Gray, Kim Cattrall and Academic Germaine Greer.

 

Marc McGreevy will be in residence at the May Fair Hotel daily from 3pm-6pm, 1-3 March 2013.  Guests will have the opportunity to take their own exclusive art-work home with them. Illustrations will also be exhibited in an online gallery www.themayfairhotel.co.uk.

 

The May Fair Hotel, 
Stratton Street, 
London, 
W1J 8LT,

 

 

Time For Personalisation With Nameplates?

In today’s samey world a little personalisation never goes amiss. In fact signs and symbols accompany our lives at every turn, and in the office that can make employees feel like they are part of the business family. Nothing is more satisfying for an employee than starting in the bottom rung of a company and working their way up to an office and personal nameplates.

Whether we are driving or in a store, signs let us know where to go and warn us of danger ahead. In fact a world without signs would be a scary one indeed, and definitely one that is less interesting. And can you imagine trying to find your way around a hospital without nameplates on the door? You would never know what doctor to go to. A world without nameplates and signs would be hard to navigate.

In fact I think nameplates are so cool, and a sign that you have arrived, that I am thinking of getting my own nameplate, as the editor-at-large of this very magazine. It is going to feel very satisfying. Why not?

If you had your own nameplate what would it say?

Catching some ZZZZ’s – Choosing The Right Mattress For You

Recent studies have shown that having a new mattress improved sleep quality by 62.0%, sleep comfort by 70.8% and reduced back pain by 55.3% and back stiffness by 50.7% over a four-week period. That’s a huge change in someone’s quality of life and it’s all down to their mattress. We spend an awful lot of time asleep, yet take for granted all the effects that it has on us.  It’s not simply a case of getting enough sleep, but the quality of sleep that counts and that is impacted by your surroundings and, specifically, your mattress.

The average life of your mattress is around 9 years. In 9 years you will spend approximately 24,000 hours in bed, so it is reasonable to suggest that your mattress is an investment not to be taken lightly. Choosing the right mattress is essential to a happy relationship with your bed, so follow our guide to help you make the right decision.

Contrary to popular belief, a hard mattress is not necessarily the best for your back. Provided that the mattress has a good quality structure, the softness is down to personal preference. Choose a mattress retailer who specialises in mattresses to ensure that the structure of the mattress has not been compromised for comfortable padding that will only last a few years.

Don’t be afraid to slip off your shoes and lay on several mattresses at the store to try them out. If you’re in the right store the salespeople will encourage you to do so. All the mattresses will feel comfortable at first, especially if it has been a rather arduous shopping trip, so you will need to spend a good 15 minutes laying on the mattress, in which time if it is too firm or soft, your back will probably start to let you know or you may feel uncomfortable when you stand again.

Think about the needs of your partner too. If you are co-sleeping, you will need to ensure that what’s perfect for you in a mattress is suitable for your partner.

Do your research. It’s so easy to be bombarded with jargon and science and the wide array or types of mattress technology now available. Before you start shopping, find out about the different types of mattresses and the pros and cons to each so you are already armed with knowledge.

Once you’ve made your choice, ensure that your mattress comes with a warranty or 30 day in-home trial. A higher end mattress should come with this guarantee, which will give you peace of mind that if you’ve made a colossal mistake, you won’t have to live with discomfort.

Now you’ve got your new mattress, looking after it properly will ensure that it stays in good condition. Air your mattress every morning by just throwing the bedclothes off for 20 minutes to allow the body moisture collected overnight to evaporate. Vacuum your mattress every time you change your bedclothes, this will help to keep dust mites to a minimum and help to keep your mattress clean.

Sweet Dreams!

Win Tickets To Exclusive PokerStars Launch Party

The UK poker scene is set for a massive boost of energy with the launch of PokerStars LIVE at The Hippodrome Casino and the start of the London Poker Festival, reinforcing London’s place as one of the world’s greatest poker destinations.

Opening its doors to the public on Tuesday 5th March, PokerStars LIVE will offer tournaments and cash games 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to players of all levels of experience. Whether a seasoned poker pro or a first-timer looking to try their hand, PokerStars LIVE will offer games and tournaments to suit many tastes.

And Frost Magazine has a pair of tickets to giveaway for the launch of the new live poker experience at London’s iconic Hippodrome Casino. As part of the launch celebrations, PokerStars will be hosting a VIP/Celeb party on Monday 4th March with an informal poker tournament included in the evening.

The competition offers invited guests the chance to play against each other in a quick format for prizes including iPad minis, Kindle Fires as well as a Macbook Pro.
With the bar fully stocked, canapés on order, PokerStars launch party is set to be the talk of London town…
To win follow @Frostmag on Twitter or Frost’s editor, @Balavage. Alternatively, sign up to our newsletter.

PokerStars LIVE launches in grand style as host to the London Poker Festival, alongside the Grosvenor Victoria Casino on Edgware Road. The festival will incorporate events from both the UK and Ireland Poker Tour (UKIPT), and the European Poker Tour (EPT), to create a spectacular 11-day poker extravaganza.

 

Over 2,000 players from all over the world are expected to head to the capital to take part in the events with buy-ins from as little as £100.  The crown jewel of the festival will be the £5,000 buy-in EPT Main Event which will see the winner take home a top prize likely to be in the region of £1 million. Many players will have won their travel, accommodation and tournament buy-in online at PokerStars.com for as little as £1.10.

 

UK media personality and Team PokerStars Pro, Victoria Coren was the first female player to win an EPT event back in Season 3 when she won on home turf to take home the top prize of £500,000. She said “I’m very excited about my first visit to The Hippodrome Casino for the opening of PokerStars LIVE. PokerStars is without question the best online poker site, so I’m looking forward to seeing what they can do with a live card room! As for the London Poker Festival, I’m counting the days as if it was Christmas. Everyone will be flooding into London from around Britain and Ireland for the UKIPT, and from around the world for the EPT, and I love it when my home town becomes the international centre of poker action for that magical couple of weeks.”

 

The EPT is now in its 9th year, and has paid out in excess of £250 million in prize pools, and visited classically glamorous destinations such as Prague, Sanremo and Monaco.

For more details on the London Poker Festival:  www.europeanpokertour.com/tournaments/london/

 

 

“The Economics of Happiness” Byron Bay hosts major international conference

Ancient Futures: Learning From Ladakh is one of my favourite books, and I loved the documentary, “The Economics of Happiness“, so I really wanted to bring the Economics of Happiness conference to your attention.

Prominent economists, bestselling authors and indigenous activists from more than a dozen countriesare coming together for a conference entitled ‘The Economics of Happiness’, to be held in Byron Bay, NSW, from March 15 to 17, 2013.

The conference will highlight the social and environmental impact of economic globalization, and explore the potential for more localized economies worldwide.

The focus will be: “We know what we are against; it’s now time to decide what we’re for.

Speakers include:

  • Mark Anielski, the author of The Economics of Happiness: Building Genuine Wealth and an advisor
    to numerous governments and corporations.
  • Keibo Oiwa, the co-author (with David Suzuki) of The Japan We Never Knew: A Journey of
    Discovery and professor of International Studies
  • Manish Jain, a Harvard-educated grassroots activist, focusing on radical alternatives to
    conventional development and education.
  • Winona LaDuke, co-founder of the Indigenous Women’s Network and Ralph Nader’s two-time
    presidential running-mate.
  • Charles Eisenstein, the author of Sacred Economics and a world-renowned speaker on the ‘gift
    economy’.
  • Michael Shuman, the author of Local Dollars, Local Sense and director of research and economic
    development at the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies.

“Economic localisation is the key to sustaining biological and cultural diversity – to sustaining life itself.
The sooner we shift towards the local, the sooner we will begin healing our planet, our communities, and
ourselves.” – Helena Norberg-Hodge

 

There will also be live Skype presentations from two of the world’s foremost environmentalists,
Vandana Shiva and Bill McKibben.

The conference is the second in a series of three events organised by the International Society for
Ecology and Culture (ISEC). The first took place in the USA in 2012; the final conference will be in Japan
in 2014.

ISEC’s Director, Helena Norberg-Hodge, is a pioneer of the localisation movement and recipient of the
2012 Goi Peace Prize. She is the author of the bestselling Ancient Futures and producer of the award-
winning documentary, The Economics of Happiness.

March 20 of each year is designated by the United Nations as the International Day of Happiness.

For more details, including a full list of speakers www.theeconomicsofhappiness.org

Oscars 2013 | The Highlights

We love the Oscars here at Frost, so we put together some of the best videos and pictures into a post for you. Enjoy!

The winners:

Best Picture Winner: Argo (Grant Heslov, Ben Affleck, George Clooney)
Best Actor in a Leading Role Winner: Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln)
Best Actress in a Leading Role Winner: Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook)
Best Director Winner: Ang Lee (Life of Pi)

The Outfits:

Seth MacFarlane’s best moments.

Ben Affleck’s acceptance speech.

The Les Miserables cast singing

Although Jennifer Lawrence falling over was not a highlight, how she dealt with it afterwards was. She once again proved that she is down to earth and gracious.

ABC News did a very good recap.

We are super proud that Brit Adele won an Oscar for Skyfall. Here is a great interview with her.

What did you think about the Oscars? Did you agree with who won?

Why I Love Audio Books

I am a ferocious reader. In my other life as an actor I have been known to read a book a day on set. But as I get more busy one of the things I hate the most is that I do not have time to read. This is why I love buying an audio book. I recently bought Rob Lowe’s Stories I Only Tell My Friends and Lowe narrated the story himself. This brings an entire new dimension to the experience of books and especially autobiographies. It is one thing to read Lowe’s book, but to hear him tell his own story is pretty cool.

You can ‘read’ while working, doing your emails, cleaning, walking. Audio books may not be new, but they have really taken off in recent years, and I think it is because we are getting busier all the time. I am also someone who multitasks all of the time, so audio books are perfect for me. I even listen to audio books when I have free time now.

I believe that when someone is well-read it comes across in how they think and speak. Nothing educates people more than books. People who have problems with their eyes and people with dyslexia can also enjoy audio books.

Do you love audio books? What is your favourite audio book?

Audiobooks can be bought easily online on audiogo.com

Spring Clean Your Body

Christmas may be a mere memory now but some of us are still in need of a spring clean for our body. I know I certainly do. So with spring on the way I started to finally detox myself and get in the best shape of my life. Here are some of the things I kick-started the spring clean with.

Pukka Wheatgrass Juice Powder

Wheatgrass?! Yes, I know it is very LA, but not only did it make me feel energised and healthy, but I also liked the taste. Wheatgrass is one of the most nourishing foods in the world and you can tell when you are drinking it. It just makes you feel instantly better. It is health in a glass.

Wheat Grass Juice naturally supports the body’s ability to cleanse itself due to its high chlorophyll content. It is one of the most nourishing foods in the world containing an easy to digest broad spectrum of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, proteins and antioxidants, but daily juicing can be a real pain – who really has time to pick and juice fresh Wheat Grass every day!?

Why not try Pukka Herb’s easy-to-use Wheat Grass Juice Powder instead? Unlike many other wheat grass products available, to ensure optimum potency, we use only concentrated fresh cold dried organic wheat grass juice, and now, for the first time, it is even available in a hand handbag friendly sachet for juicing on the go!

Pukka Herbs’ Fibre Plus

The fibre plus, like the wheatgrass, is in a handy sachet. You just add it to 250ml to water and you are good to go. It doesn’t taste as good as the wheatgrass but still leaves you feeling cleansed. It is a brilliant idea and has a lot of goodness in a condensed form.

Overindulging rich foods and alcohol can often result in indigestion. Pukka’s powerful new Fibre Plus sachets can help alleviate your digestive dramas. Containing a powerful blend of soluble and insoluble organic fibre blended to support and maintain a healthy and regular digestive system, its high fibre content lubricates the bowels, heals inflammation, and replenishes gut flora.

Clean Greens

Drinking this just gave me energy. Instantly. It made me feel healthy. I am inspired to buy these in bulk along with the wheatgrass. You can read below to find out exactly what it does, but I swear by these now. They just leaves you feeling cleansed and healthy. I have been trying to find a natural way to get more energy and I really think I have found it. They get the Frost thumbs up.

Alkalises & Oxygenates: Helps carry oxygen to the blood.

Mineralises: Minerals in these super-green foods help reduce food cravings.

Detoxifies: Removes unwanted substances causing stagnation, congestion from the body channels, organs, tissues and cells.

Reduces inflammation: Reduces inflammation throughout the digestive tract and liver.

The chlorophyll rich ingredients in Clean Greens helps carry out all of these vital functions and acts as a potent food based antioxidant that is intended to reduce premature ageing and bring you lasting vitality.

Pukka Herbs are available from Amazon UK and health stores.

After looking after your insides it is time to give your skin some attention.

 

As Jameela Jamil lands her dream job presenting the Radio One chart show, she also reveals the secret to her glowing skin and guess what?… It doesn’t cost a bomb!

Jameela credits the Dr Organic Manuka Honey Skincare range to her glowing skin and when asked what her top beauty tip is, she describes how “I throw on my Dr Organic Manuka Honey Rescue Cream, and go about my day”. She also loves the Dr Organic Manuka Honey Skin Lotion stating: “It smells so delicious I could eat my face!”

Dr Organic’s Manuka Honey Rescue Cream provides deep nourishment to skin leaving it feeling protected and intensely hydrated. Apply a small amount to the face, gently work into the skin and enjoy the gorgeous scent of Manuka Honey that will leave your skin silky and soft. Available from Holland & Barrett.

White Tea

Super healthy white tea is best brew for 2013 detox

Health-conscious shoppers have began searching for healthier alternatives to the morning caffeine hit or post-work pint.

This ‘detox January’ trend has driven brands like Tetley to launch green tea ranges, plugging the health benefits that the lower-caffeine and antioxidant-rich alternative to black tea is known to possess.

But east London tea entrepreneur Joe Kinch is backing a different, whiter horse – he knows that white tea is the perfect way to kick-start a healthy 2013.

Packed with antioxidants that boost the immune system, improve brain function, and can help prevent diseases like cancer and heart disease, and with very little caffeine, white tea is green tea’s healthier younger brother.

Both white and green teas come from the same tea plant, Camellia sinensis, but white tealeaves are harvested at a younger age than green tea leaves.

Because white and green teas are treated gently and not overly processed, they retain most of their beneficial antioxidants. White tea is the least processed of the two, as it isn’t fermented at all, but is simply steamed and dried. Since white tea is less processed, it retains a higher amount of antioxidants.

The antioxidants found in white tea have many health promoting properties from boosting cardiovascular health, helping to lower cholesterol, and enhancing weight loss.

In fact, a 2009 study by Kingston University and Neal’s Yard Remedies, found that white tea not only boosts health but can also combat age-associated wrinkles and other signs of ageing.

While green tea contains around 20g of caffeine, white has around 15g, making it perfect for people trying to avoid the less pleasant side effects of too much caffeinated stimulation.

White tea is considered rare and is usually more expensive than green, as it can only be hand picked during a few days of early spring and has to be handled with such care. But Joe’s Tea Co’s is set be the first tea company to make the health benefits of white tea available to the average Joe. Health-conscious shoppers can get a box of ‘Whiter than White’ online or in Harvey Nichols’ stores across the UK for less than a fiver.

Joe Kinch, owner of Joe’s Tea Co, said:

“I’ve been drinking white tea this January as I returned to work after a few days of over-indulgence – I hope people embrace it for its great flavour and super health benefits!”

Pharmacy-assured bespoke vitamins at the click of a mouse

A new way of taking vitamins has been launched which will change the way millions of people can access this important part of the health market, using innovative new daily vitamin pouches.

thrivevitamins.co.uk tailors the supply of vitamins to the user’s own lifestyle and brings pharmacy assured service to the online marketplace.

The service, established by retail expert Alan Beesley and pharmacist Brian Duggan, with support from Peter Batty, the chief executive of one of the North of England’s largest pharmacy groups, provides a personalised 28 day supply of vitamins unique to the customer’s own lifestyle and health and wellbeing needs.

The daily pouches instil a regimented approach to taking vitamins, which is both convenient and portable.

Using state of the art robotics, alongside the company’s professional experience in pharmacy and e-commerce, the vitamins are sealed in convenient teabag sized daily pouches, each printed with the customer’s name and the contents.

Brian Duggan said: “Prior to the launch of Thrive Vitamins, the marketplace could not cope with the requirements for individualised vitamin programmes, but we have developed a system which learns about the customer and recommends vitamin plans to suit their lifestyle.

“Rather than a bottle of one specific supplement, such as Zinc, the bespoke packs contain the mix of vitamins needed at regular intervals, meaning the service is efficient, removing the over-selling of products, which are in excess of the customer’s needs.”

Alan Beesley, who created the Thrive Vitamins brand, said: “We wanted to provide a more convenient, personalised service to compliment a customers lifestyle. So, we created an easy way to ensure customers receive the supplements they need, when they need them and in handy daily dose pouches.

“Our team includes pharmacists, retailers and even has a former member of the Royal Logistics Corps, whose organisation skills were utilised for 13 years ensuring the British Army had the equipment it needs. All together, we have developed an unique, professional and simple system which we believe will be popular with individuals and families alike.”