Tag Archives: Catherine Balavage

Revealed: the Brits are a Nation of Hoarders

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There is more than £2.5 billion worth of unwanted goods cluttering homes across the UK, confirming that the Brits are a nation of hoarders.

The recent survey by Cash Converters identified that more than 75% of UK households have redundant items taking up valuable living space, when they could be earning the owners money.

Finances are still tight for many families across the country, so with the potential to unlock hundreds of pounds worth of cash by getting rid of unused items, we would be foolish not to. DVDs, Mobile Phones and obsolete games consoles topped the list of most unwanted items that are lying dormant in people’s homes.

The UK’s number one retailer of buying and selling pre-owned goods, Cash Converters has more than 190 stores across the UK that offer to buy and sell a wide variety of items, including musical instruments, HiFis, TVs, CDs and DVDs and DIY tools.

David Patrick, chief executive of Cash Converters is staggered at the value that is currently not being unlocked in people’s superfluous belongings. He said: “Almost 13 million homes have admitted to keeping hold of unused items. Often people come into our stores surprised at what we will buy from them not realising that the unwanted items in their homes could be making them money.

“At Cash Converters we’re keen to highlight how you can make money from items you already own, as we all continue to feel the pinch and look for ways to raise some extra cash. It may be you only need some money to tide you over, in which case we offer the option to get your item back, known as a Buyback.

“Buyback is a really straightforward and quick service to use. Customers bring in an item along with some up to date identification; a price is agreed and the customer gets the cash and up to 28 days option to buy back the goods. Of course, if you realise you can live without that old Playstation 3 or the guitar you meant to learn to play but never did, you can simply leave it with Cash Converters.”

For more information visit www.cashconverters.co.uk

Catherine Zeta-Jones Set To Star As Viking

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Catherine Zeta-Jones has been tipped to play a 6ft 3in blonde VIKING in a new £10million Hollywood movie, it emerged yesterday.

The Bafta Award-winning actress, known for her long brunette locks, will have to cut and bleach her hair for the lead role in romantic flick, Ragged Cliffs.

Executives at Welsh publishing house Dinefwr Press have already started work on the book’s Big Screen adaptation, and are keen to cast the Chicago star, 41, as the leading lady.

The movie tells the story of heroine Lise Jacobson, a “staggering tall and beautiful” Danish woman who starts a troubled new life on Wales’ Gower Peninsula.

She must rely on the “passion of her Celtic mother” and the “warrior spirit” of her Viking forefathers to overcome deceit, betrayal and revenge.

Secrecy surrounds the movie, and there is still “some way” to go before the picture is given the official go-ahead, but bosses at Dinefwr, which published the novel of the same name, revealed they have contacted Swansea-born Zeta-Jones for the starring role.

It will be the publisher’s first major motion picture, but follows the publication of a string of critically-acclaimed fiction titles.

A spokesman for Dinefwr said: “We can confirm that Mrs Zeta-Jones has been contacted, via her agent, for a potential leading part in the movie.

“We are unable to discuss any more of the details, but believe Mrs Zeta-Jones would be the perfect person for the role.”

Ragged Cliffs was penned by Welsh author Julian Ruck in 2006. It was first published by Dinefwr in 2010 but was earmarked for screen adaptation “from the outset”.

Ruck, who lives near Swansea, South Wales, said: “I am thrilled at the idea of Catherine Zeta-Jones taking the lead role in a £10million film adaptation of Ragged Cliffs.

“She is one of Wales’ greatest exports and being from the Gower Peninsula herself, she seems the ideal candidate to play the strong, passionate Lise.”

Blue Sky Scrubs Makes Medical Community Look Chic

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Just because they are busy saving lives doesn’t mean doctors and nurses don’t need to look chic – a maxim that Blue Sky Scrubs have taken to heart.

The company offer a large variety of medical apparel, from a variety of lab coats, hats, jackets, shirts and scrub – including burnt orange scrubs -.and are determined to make sure that medical professionals look their best.

Blue Sky Scrubs even has jewellery that looks fabulous and can double as lanyards – and perhaps with one eye on the surgeon of the future, they even have scrubs for children. Of course, we at Frost love companies that let people do their job while looking their best and mightily approves of the design and price. Blue Sky Scrubs have a sterling silver toggle clasp that has four uses, a long necklace, a short necklace, a lanyard and a bracelet. It even has matching earrings. Getting lanyards for students is also a great idea as they can stay with their groups.

If you are in the medical profession (and even if you aren’t, anyone who has seen the amazing TV show Scrubs might have a thing for someone in the uniform) go to their website http://www.blueskyscrubs.com/categories/Scrubs/Scrubs-for-Women/Original-Scrubs/

We give them the Frost stamp of approval for their brilliant design and low cost functionality. Playing doctors and nurses was never so much fun!

Brigitte Bardot Voted Most Stylish Woman Ever

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– ALMOST A THIRD OF BRITS VOTED BRIGITTE BARDOT MOST STYLISH WOMAN OF ALL TIME – BEATING VICTORIA BECKHAM & CHERYL COLE TO TOP SPOT
– 62% POLLED ADMIT FRENCH WOMEN ARE MOST STYLISH OF ALL TIME
– PARIS VOTED WORLD’S MOST STYLISH CITY, CLOSELY FOLLOWED BY MILAN

French actress Brigitte Bardot has been voted the most stylish woman of all time in a new UK-wide poll.

The 1960’s film star outscored a bevy of beauties, including a number of dazzling British female style icons, to land the crown as the world’s most stylish woman.

She polled almost three out of every 10 votes cast (29.5%) in the nationwide poll of 3,000 Brits across the UK by iconic orange soft drink Orangina.

Legendary English rose and Hollywood icon, Elizabeth Taylor, who sadly died this year, came a very close second, with just a few percentage points between her and Bardot.

Bardot, the former fashion model, actress and singer, is now aged 76 and is a world-renowned animal rights activist. But in her 1960’s heyday she was lauded across the world as the epitome of glamorous French style, with her dress sense and iconic hairstyle copied in shops, fashion houses and hair salons in across the globe.

The poll results also illustrate that the English can’t help but admire the French for their cutting-edge style.

A massive 62% of those polled said that France was quite rightly renowned as the home of the most stylish women throughout history.

Famous French women such as fashion queen Coco Chanel, actresses such as Juliette Binoche, Catherine Deneuve and Emmanuelle Béart, and former model now president’s wife Carla Bruni, have helped establish French femmes as the leading lights in the global style stakes, according to those polled in the national study.

Paris also won the vote for the world’s most stylish city too, beating Milan into second place, New York into third and London into fourth.

Orangina spokesman, Steven Simpson, said: “The British and the French may have had their differences historically, but it is clear the French sense of style hasn’t been lost on the British.

“Brigitte Bardot is the epitome of classic French styling and despite being out of the limelight for all these years, she is still held up as a style icon.

“She was the pin-up girl for a golden age and has never been forgotten in France and, it seems, in Britain. The fact that she still ranks higher in style terms than some of Britain’s won modern style queens says it all.”

The top ten most stylish women of all time are-

Brigitte Bardot
Elizabeth Taylor
Victoria Beckham
Cheryl Cole
Joan Collins
Audrey Hepburn
Grace Kelly
Sophia Loren
Marilyn Monroe
Princess Diana

Who you gonna call?…APL

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The Association of Professional Landscapers (APL) are looking to promote the good name of landscape gardeners after a clean sweep at the recent Chelsea Flower Show.

Every single member of the APL who entered the prestigious and iconic show last week came away with coveted medals, including three golds and the Best in Show, Urban Garden award.

With some 76% of garden owners believing it’s important for their garden to look good, professional assistance is in demand, but a number of gardeners have learned the hard way that not all landscape gardeners are qualified to do the job.

APL say their exceptional record at Chelsea is testament to the extremely high standards required of and adhered to by all APL members and are urging those gardeners who lack green fingers to call a quality assured member of the APL to get their garden in perfect shape for summer.

For the first time, garden owners can view behind the scenes footage of the rigorous inspection process all APL members undergo each year to ensure APL Customer Charter criteria are being met. The ‘APL Inspection Video’, created by SweetPotatoPictures can be found on the APL website, www.landscaper.org.uk and shows independent inspector Neville Stein carrying out an assessment of a Holland Landscapes project in Essex.

Stein, along with other independent assessors visit members each year while they are working on a landscape project to evaluate everything from paperwork to technical processes – including assessing everything from the quality of hard and soft landscaping and technical competencies through to insurance policies and risk assessments. Over and above these stringent inspections, the APL is also the only landscaping scheme operator of TrustMark, a Government-endorsed initiative promoting professional trades people to consumers.

Stein said: “The whole process is extremely thorough. We scrutinise the fundamental elements of landscaping such as examining the health of plants, checking if trees have been planted correctly and even ensure that all correspondence between the landscaper and client is clear and detailed. I am confident that every customer who deals with an APL certified landscaper will receive the highest quality landscaping in Britain.”

Mark Gregory, Chairman of the APL and Gold Medal Winner at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show added: “ Rogue Traders get lots of publicity which proves a big problem for the landscape trade. Luckily, we’re able to reassure customers that as an APL member, we’ve been thoroughly vetted by independent inspectors.

“I would encourage anyone out there who has been freshly inspired by Chelsea, to get creative in their gardens and contact their local APL landscape contractor in the knowledge that they will be dealing with true professionals.”

Starr Man: Ringo Starr Announces European Tour

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Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band return to the road for the 12th All Starr tour this summer. Joining Starr will be Rick Derringer on guitar, Richard Page on bass, Wally Palmar on guitar & harmonica, Edgar Winter on sax and keyboards, Gary Wright on keyboards and Gregg Bissonette on drums.

The twenty eight-date tour kicks off in Kiev, Ukraine on 4th June, stopping in Russia, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Latvia, Poland, Britain, France, Czech Republic, Italy, Holland and Germany before concluding in Vienna, Austria on 17th July.

4th June, Kiev, Ukraine, Palace Of Ukraine

6th June, Moscow, Russia, Crocus City Hall

7th June, St Petersburg, Russia, Big Concert Hall

10th June, Gothenburg, Sweden, Liseberg

11th June, Oslo, Norway, Norwegian Wood Festival

12th June, Randers, Denmark, Vaerket

14th June, Riga, Latvia, Arena Riga

15th June, Warsaw, Poland, Sala Kongresowa

17th June, London, England, Hampton Court

18th June, Liverpool, England, Empire

20th June, Birmingham, England, Symphony Hall

22nd JuneManchester, England, Opera House

23rd June, Glasgow, Scotland, Clyde Auditorium

24th June, Bournemouth, England, BIC

26th June, Paris, France, Palais des Sports

28th June, Budapest, Hungary, Sport Arena

29th June, Prague, Czech Republic, KCP Congress Centre

2nd July, Lyon, France, Centre de Congres

3rd July, Milan, Italy, Civic Arena

4th July, Rome, Italy, Auditorium Cavea

7th July, Hamburg, Germany, Stadtpark

9th July, Weert, Holland, Bospop Festival

10th July, Dusseldorf, Germany, Philipshalle

12th July, Berlin, Germany, Tempodrom

13th July, Munich, Germany, Circus Krone

14th July, Salzburg, Austria, Halle 1

16th July, Frankfurt, Germany, Jahrhunderthalle

17th July, Vienna, Austria, Open Air Arena

Ringo Starr is one of the world’s brightest musical luminaries. He has enjoyed a successful and dynamic solo career as a singer, songwriter and drummer, an active musical collaborator and as an actor. Drawing inspiration from classic blues, soul, country, honky-tonk and rock ‘n’ roll, Ringo continues to play an important role in modern music with his solo recording and touring.

Ringo Starr’s music, as a solo artist and as a Beatle, is permeated with his personality. His warmth and humour, and his exceptional musicianship have given us songs we all know and love, including ‘It Don’t Come Easy’, ‘With A Little Help From My Friends’, ‘Yellow Submarine, ‘Don’t Pass Me By’, ‘Octopus’ Garden’, ‘Photograph’, ‘Back Off Boogaloo’, ‘You’re Sixteen (You’re Beautiful And You’re Mine)’, ‘Don’t Go Where the Road Don’t Go’, ‘The No No Song’ and ‘Never Without You’.

The All Starr Band has toured consistently since its inception in 1989. Based on the concept “everybody on stage is a star in their own right”, each concert sees Ringo performing songs from his solo and Beatles’ career and each Starr performing hits from their own careers. Over the years the revolving line up has included such stellar artists as Joe Walsh, Dr. John, Todd Rundgren, Timothy B. Schmidt, John Entwhistle, Peter Frampton, Sheila E., Rod Argent and Paul Carrack.

Returning to the stage for the 2011 tour are the six All Starr band members who toured with Ringo in 2010:

Rick Derringer is a noted rock guitarist, vocalist and entertainer who was just 17 when his band The McCoys recorded the No.1 hit ‘Hang On Sloopy’ in the summer of 1965, knocking ‘Yesterday’ by The Beatles from the top spot. He later played with both Edgar Winter and Johnny Winter and found further success with his hit single ‘Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo’ and with his eponymous band Derringer. Throughout the 70’s and 80’s he appeared on numerous albums with artists Alice Cooper, Richie Havens, Todd Rundgren, Cyndi Lauper, Barbra Streisand, Kiss and Steely Dan. In the mid-80’s, Derringer discovered Weird Al Yankovic, producing music for Grammy-winning albums and videos and the 2006 Grammy Awards brought Rick his third Grammy with his participation on the Les Paul 90th birthday tribute CD.

Born in the USA in 1953, Richard Page is best known as the singer/bassist for the multi-platinum, Grammy nominated group Mr. Mister. In the late 70’s and early 80’s Richard recorded three albums under the moniker of Pages with Steve George. Page has retained a cult following in many areas of the world. The pair formed Mr Mister in the mid 80s. The band released three albums and had several world-wide hits, including ‘Broken Wings’ and ‘Kyrie’. They split in 1990 and a fourth Mr Mister album, ‘PULL’ remained unreleased for 20 years. It has been remastered and is currently available on Richard’s own record label, Little Dume Records. Page has recorded two solo albums, ‘Shelter Me’ and ‘Peculiar Life’, as well as providing backing vocals for artists such as Elton John, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Barbara Streisand and Elvis Costello among many more. As a songwriter Page has had songs recorded by Madonna, Leona Lewis, Josh Groban, Celine Dion and Hall & Oates to name just a few.

Wally Palmar, lead vocalist, harmonica, rhythm guitar player, and founding member of The Romantics, is amongst one of the most recognized voices of the 80’s. The group’s self-titled debut album yielded the hit ‘What I Like About You’, which carries on throughout the decades. Other singles include, ‘When I Look In Your Eyes’, ‘One in a Million’, and the international hit ‘Talking In Your Sleep’. The Romantics are continuously being re-introduced to new generations today via the extensive airplay on contemporary, rock and satellite radio, commercials and movie soundtracks. Never content to simply rest on his red-leathered laurels, Palmar continues to write, record and tour around the world with The Romantics.

Edgar Winter is an accomplished jazz, rock and blues keyboard player and saxophonist as well as a vocalist who found success in the early 70s and has continued to record throughout the 80s, 90s and 00s. Edgar has worked with noted guitarists Rick Derringer and Ronnie Montrose as well as his older brother Johnny Winter (a noted blues / rock guitarist). In 1972 Edgar had a #1 hit with the instrumental ‘Frankenstein’, taken from his acclaimed album ‘They Only Come Out At Night’. Edgar also enjoyed great success with the hit ‘Free Ride’ as well as ‘Dying To Live’ which Eminem produced for the hit movie ‘Tupac’. Edgar Winter’s songs have appeared on the soundtracks to over 20 films.

Over the course of his 40-year career which began in the UK with the rock band Spooky Tooth, Gary Wright has played before millions of fans and his music has appeared in blockbuster movies & TV shows as well as being played on radio every day. A pioneer of using synthesizers in pop music as heard on his worldwide hits ‘Dream Weaver’ and ‘Love Is Alive,’ Gary has inspired generations of mainstream artists including Eminem, Mya, Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes, Anastacia and DJ Armand Van Helden all of whom have either sampled or covered his songs. Gary’s world-unifying vision and musical prowess were recently displayed on ‘Connected’ his first pop-rock album for 20 years. Gary joined the All Starr Band in 2008.

Drummer and vocalist Gregg Bissonette comes from a musical family, where his father was also a drummer, his mother a pianist, brother a bass player and sister a violinist. Gregg played on three albums by former Van Halen vocalist David Lee Roth, with the first ‘Eat ‘Em And Smile’ one of the most acclaimed rock albums of the mid 80s. Since then Gregg has recorded and toured with a number of artists, including Toto, ELO, Santana, Andrea Bocelli, The Maynard Ferguson Big Band, Spinal Tap and James Taylor. Having first worked and toured with Ringo Starr in 2003 (alongside his brother Matt on bass and vocals), Gregg has been an All Starr member since 2008 and this is his third tour as an All Starr.

www.ringostarr.com

First Lady Michelle Obama Gives Voice to Women

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Democratic political consultant Lena Kennedy announced today that First Lady Michelle Obama is attending a fundraising luncheon at the private home of Ann and Robert Hamilton in Pasadena on Monday, June 13. The fundraiser is being organized by Southern California Women For Obama, a local grassroots initiative headed by Kennedy to help women get engaged in the political process and ensure their voice is heard.

“We expect about 500 attendees, a turnout similar to earlier Obama fundraisers we’ve hosted in Pasadena during the presidential campaign,” adds Kennedy.

“We are honored to be one of only two fundraisers the First Lady will attend during her visit to Southern California,” explains Los Angeles business executive and Presidential Partner Teena Hostovich, who is co-chairing the event with Kennedy. “Attendees at our luncheon will be a good cross-section of President Obama’s constituents in Los Angeles, one that is diverse culturally, socially, and economically.”

More than 450 women attended a reception rally hosted at the home of Lesley and Rob Levy on May 15 to kick off President Obama’s re-election campaign and offer women meaning ways to get involved in the political process. Hostovich, who served as the evening’s emcee, introduced various speakers including Congresswoman Judy Chu, John Emerson & Ken Solomon, California Co-Chairs, President Obama National Finance Committee, Eric Bauman, Vice Chair California Democratic Party, Honorable Wendy Greuel, Los Angeles City Controller, and Los Angeles Councilwoman Jan Perry.

The luncheon will begin at 11 a.m. Individual tickets are $1,000. Special $10,000-a-couple tickets are also available, allowing a photo opportunity and private time with the First Lady. For more information, contact Lena Kennedy at 626-765-6206 or email at Lkennedy@LLKAssociates.com.

Fresh Meat: Channel 4 Announces New Comedy Drama

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From the award-winning creators of Peep Show, Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong, and with a brilliant young cast, Fresh Meat is Channel 4’s latest comedy drama series, currently filming on location in Manchester.

Spanning eight episodes, the series follows a group of six students about to embark on the most exciting period of their lives thus far – University! Away from home for the first time, on the brink of adult life, they are about to discover who they really are. From the moment they ship up as freshers at their shared house, their lives are destined to collide, overlap and run the whole gamut of appalling behaviour and terrible errors of judgment.

They are: JP (Jack Whitehall), public school boy with good teeth and an inflated sense of entitlement; Kingsley (Joe Thomas), charming, loveable and crushingly insecure; Josie (Kimberley Nixon), overly enthusiastic, determined to experience ‘new things’, however bad they are for you. Then there’s socially awkward and know-it-all Howard (Greg McHugh); straight talking, hard-living Vod (Zawe Ashton); and finally Oregon (Charlotte Ritchie), desperate to be cool and terrified of being boring.

C4 Head of Drama, Camilla Campbell, says: ‘I am delighted to be able to announce our exciting cast of the best of today’s talent for a brand-new comedy drama series for Channel 4.

“Sam and Jesse are bringing their customary incisive comedy to the drama output, and the result is a hilarious and painfully truthful series about being a student.”

Fresh Meat will be made by Objective Productions and Lime Pictures, and produced by Rhonda Smith.The series is executive produced by Judy Counihan and Phil Clarke for Objective Productions, and Tony Wood for Lime.