Tag Archives: Catherine Balavage

Lady Gaga is to guest judge ‘So You Think You Can Dance’.

Posted on by

The ‘Edge Of Glory’ hitmaker – who is currently in Singapore as part of her ‘Monster’s Ball’ tour – will join permanent judges Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy on the panel of the Fox dance competition.

Show boss Nigel – also at the helm of ‘American Idol’ said: “Lady Gaga will give great advice on how to handle yourself, how to be creative with what you do, and how to be a fabulous performer.

“Her help is going to be invaluable.”

This isn’t the first time the 25-year-old singer has appeared on a US reality show.

In May, Lady Gaga acted as a guest mentor on ‘American Idol’ and instructed the four finalists – including eventual winner Scotty McCreery – on how to prepare for the live shows, telling the hopefuls to embrace their “sexy” sides and give the judges “a little drama”.

She said at the time: “I just want to give them senses of inspiration and confidence. And to help them bring out what’s really special about them.”

Frost Wine Reviews: Chardonnay Semillon

Posted on by

Hardys Stamp of Australia Chardonnay Semillon: This is a zesty, citrus, fruity wine with a crisp, dry finish. A delicious Chardonnay with buttery, subtle oaky goodness. Ripe apples and peaches. I can also taste lime.

Food matches: Asian dishes, corn dishes, lobster in butter.

Available from Tesco, Sainsbury, Morrisons Asda RRP £6.79

This wine is ideal for drinking now but can be kept for up to 1 year

Semillon

Semillon has a rich, waxy nearly fat texture but a low acidity, it’s often blended with Sauvignon Blanc. Semillon is a vigorous vine but it is a thin-skinned grape which leaves it susceptible to sunburn. It doesn’t really get diseases, but gets rot, the bad kind (Gray Rot) that destroys the grapes and the good kind (Noble Rot or botrytis) that shrivels the grapes to raisins.

Frost Wine Reviews: Banrock Station Shiraz Mataro

Posted on by

This Shiraz is very easy to drink, not necessary a good thing!, it has just the right amount of spice and fruitiness.  As a general rule of thumb, the darker a red wine the younger it is, the lighter it is, the older it is, this wine is just the right colour. It has pepper as the main aroma, and it has a lovely taste of blackberries, blackcurrants and plums. As I have said before, I am quite fussy about red wine although I liked this one. It taste great with spaghetti bolognese and doesn’t have a bad aftertaste. Also it is not too acidic.

The ideal accompaniment to enjoy with red meats such as venison or beef steak as well as mushroom based dishes.

Banrock Station’s new Eco packaging revealed.

Banrock Station is as passionate about crafting flavoursome Australian wine as it is about giving nature a helping hand. With a genuine passion and commitment to the environment, Banrock Station has donated £2.3m to 97 environmental projects in 13 countries. This dedication to the environment flows through the Banrock Station winery, to craft generously fruity wines packed with flavour.

This summer, Banrock Station is celebrating nature by unveiling a gorgeous new exterior to its eco-friendly collection of both classic and innovatively-styled wines.

Its sleek new look packaging, with distinguishing gold labelling, makes its full bodied Shiraz Mataro the ideal choice for dinner parties and crisp Colombard Chardonnay a refreshing accompaniment on those long lazy summer evenings spent with friends and loved ones.

Banrock Station strongly believe that, both now and in the future, nothing is more important than the earth, and by using best-practice and sustainable techniques, Banrock Station has expertly crafted the ideal setting for a wide variety of grapevines to thrive.

Banrock Station’s vast portfolio of world-renowned wines not only makes for an ideal gift for friends and family, but a gift that gives back to the earth in which it’s grown. Over the past decade, proceeds from every bottle sold have contributed to environmental projects in Britain, including the donation of £55,000 to The Co-operative’s Plan Bee campaign in 2010.

To learn more about the delicious selection of wines and the projects that their sales support visit www.banrockstation.com

Banrock Station wines are available at Morrisons, Sainsbury and Asda, for RRP £6.19

Frost Wine Reviews: Kumala Zenith Rosé

Posted on by

Kumala Zenith Rosé is a vibrant pink rosé. It is clean and fruity. Rosé is always a good bet for parties, you never know if people will like red or white. It is better to buy a Rosé as if it is slightly off, it is not as bad as a harsh red or a stale, acid white. The sweetness will mask anything gone wrong. I love Rosé, although some people can find certain brands too sweet.

I did not find the Zenith Rosé too sweet, it is a clean, fruity wine that has a lot of strawberry, perfect for summer. It has an average, and good, alcohol content of 12%. It is a South African wine made from red grapes. A small amount of French oak is fermented with the wine to give it’s strawberry flavour and the creamy aroma.

With lovely aromas of strawberry, this fruity wine is great for those looking to treat their taste buds alongside a delicious summer salad

Morrisons and JS RRP £8.99

Kate Middleton and Prince William Heckled by Protesters in Canada.

Posted on by

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are going to St Lawrence River on the third night of their tour of Canada.

The royal couple are going up river on board HMCS Montreal, a City Class Frigate of the Canadian Navy.
They will be surrounded by a crew of 225 for the 11 hour journey to Quebec. Although they have been given the most comfortable quarters, it seems incredibly unromantic for the newlyweds.

The couple will arrive in Quebec at 2pm BST and have been briefed about possible protesters and republicans.

The Quebec Resistance Network, which wants the province to become independent, have threatened to disrupt the visit where the couple will be given the freedom of the city. Previous royal visits have fared no better, being marred by violence between demonstrators and riot police. The Queen has not returned to Quebec City since protesters turned their backs on her and booed in 1964.

This comes after the Duke and Duchess facing their first organised protests against their visit to Canada on their arrival in Montreal on Saturday night.

Demonstrators had placards calling the couple “parasites” as they arrived at the world renowned Sainte-Justine university hospital. There were also lots of supporters to cheer the couple on. One of the main protesters, Guillaume Martin, told reporters: “We think the monarchy is something from the middle ages and we don’t want to pay for the trip.”

The Canadian government will be paying the £950,000 to host the couple, this amounts to only a few cents a head for the country’s population. The couple ignored the protesters and spent more than an hour chatting to child cancer patients inside the hospital.

Prince William welcomed the Canadians with; “Bonne fête, Canada, happy birthday,” in his speech.

Catherine Middleton had never been to Canada before, or America, which is also part of their tour.

The Inept Girl's Guide To Cooking: Scotch Broth Soup

Posted on by

Some cliche’s last because they are true, and the only Scottish cliches that I have found true (We’re not cheap!) are that we eat Scotch broth and porridge. I practically grew up on the stuff. If you get a big pot and make this soup, not only is it economical, it also lasts for days, even for a big family. It is also incredibly healthy. It is also so easy that I can do without trouble or injury. This is my family recipe….

You will need:
butterbeans (packet)
peas (packet)
Lentils (packet)
Broth Mix (packet)
Ham stock cubes (hard to find in West London, where I live, can also choose a vegetarian one)
Carrots 3 large at least
Leek

Steep the butterbean, peas and broth mix overnight, rinse in the morning, and then add stock cube once the water is hot.

Grate carrots and dice leek and then add lentils. Stir occasionally and keep an eye on it. Ideally I think it tastes better after being cooked for about 9 hours, get it ready about 9 in the morning and it usually ready about 6. It tastes even better the next day. you will need a good size pot.

And there you go! A healthy, filling meal for all the family that will last for a few days.

Chris Evans – 'Brutal' Pecs Appeal For ‘Captain America’

Posted on by

The actor had to bulk up to take on the role of the titular superhero in ‘Captain America: The First Avenger’ and although Chris usually loves exercise, the punishing regime was tough on his body and especially his pectoral muscles.

He said: “I don’t think my body is supposed to be as big as it got for Captain America. There was a strain on some joints. After a month and a half of training I found my right shoulder would click and my left pec would hurt. It was an ever-evolving workout, in which we always found ways to work around the parts of me that were sore. There are certain things that hurt more than others. But that seems to be pretty universal. Every guy I know has some sort of freak injury in their body.

“I’m a big fan of working out on my own. I put my headphones on and I’m pretty good at self- motivating. At the end of the day, I enjoy it. Once I’m there and once I get going, I tend to love it, and I feel good. If I don’t work out for a couple of days I feel lousy.”

Although he was happy with the results, Chris won’t be rushing to bulk up quite so much again, admitting the daily workouts were “brutal”.

He explained to Men’s Health magazine: ““It was gruelling, it was brutal and I’d find any excuse possible not to go. But I had to do it. I wasn’t trying to lose or tone – I was just looking to gain. The rule of thumb was: if you’re not eating, go get something.”

The full interview appears in the August issue of Men’s Health magazine, on sale Monday July 4.

Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul Spend Night In Haunted Hotel

Posted on by

The ‘X Factor’ judges checked into The Stoneleigh Hotel & Spa in Dallas but they had no idea about its reputation and while fellow judge L.A. Reid checked out almost as soon as he arrived, Simon and Paula stuck it out a little longer.

A source told Us Weekly magazine: “L.A. didn’t even know the story of the ghosts; he just couldn’t be inside the hotel. He was first to check in and left before the others arrived, saying it had a ‘weird feeling about it.’ Everyone joked he was being a diva, but when they heard about the hotel really being haunted they just thought he was smart!”

While Paula – who reportedly experienced her bathroom’s taps being turned on and off on their own – was left scared by the experience, sources say Simon enjoyed the spooky goings on.

The source added: “All the other judges were freaked out and insisted on changing hotels or rooms, but Simon was quite happy with the ghosts. He was fascinated by them. It wouldn’t surprise anyone if he insists on staying in only haunted hotels in future!”