Tag Archives: Catherine Balavage

St Ives Event at The Hospital Club

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Last week I went to two Handpicked Media events. This one and this equally amazing St Ives event at The Hospital Club.

St Ives Apricot scrub has always been my favourite facial scrub. It is a high-end scrub with a budget price. I have been buying it for years. I did get a goodie bag with the scrub inside and I am doing their 7 day challenge. My skin is already glowing.

PSYCHOLOGIES Beauty Director Emine Rushton gave an amazing beauty talk, apparently the Egyptians used to exfoliate with a pumice stone! Ouch. Oh, and they still use Cochineal (E120 on ingredients list) which is the ‘crushed carcasses of the female Dactylopius coccus, a cactus-feeding scale insect’. Nice.

There were Apricot based cocktails and I tried them all. Another blogger also won the cute edible tree below. Brilliant night.

Autumn/Winter 2012 collections from Modalu, Nica and Fiorelli.

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I went along to see the Autumn/Winter 2012 collections from Modalu, Nica and Fiorelli. It reminded me of the quote that bags are to women what cars are to men. I already have enough handbags, but seeing the collections made me want to buy more.

Nica has an overall vintage feel, beautiful top-quality handbags. I love their Jessica handbag. Nica Kim launched her collection after winning a competition at Creative and impressed them so much she got her own collection. Fiorelli are fun, fashiony and good quality with lots of timeless designs. Modalu have based this collection on London Society and a celebration of quintessential British Style. Luxury accessories worth putting a dent in your bank account for (though it will be a small one, the bags are reasonably priced). I love their Pippa bag. Leave this page open on your computer as a hint to your boyfriend….

Rebekah Brooks & Husband to be Charged with Perverting the Course of Justice.

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Rebekah Brooks, the former News International chief executive, and her racehorse trainer husband, Charlie Brooks, are to be charged with perverting the course of justice during the phone-hacking scandal.

Mrs Brooks and her husband revealed the charger themselves in a statement which critiscised the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decision.

They said: “We have been informed by the Office of the Department of Public Prosecutions that we are to be charged with perverting the course of justice.

“We deplore this weak and unjust decision. After the further unprecedented posturing of the CPS we will respond later today after our return from the police station.”

Four other people are also to be charged which includes the personal assistant of Mrs Brooks’s, Cheryl Carter and Mark Hanna, head of security at News International.

There are a few different charges. Mrs Brooks has three against her, the rest have one. The charges include conspiring to conceal material from Scotland Yard detectives, conspiring to conceal documents, computers and other electronic equipment from detectives and conspiring to remove seven boxes of material from the archive of News International.

Alison Levitt QC, principal legal advisor to the Director of Public Prosecutions, revealed the details of the charges:

“The Crown Prosecution Service received a file of evidence from the Metropolitan Police Service on March 27 2012 in relation to seven suspects: Rebekah Brooks; Charles Brooks; Cheryl Carter, Mrs Brooks’ personal assistant; Mark Hanna, head of security at News International; Paul Edwards, Mrs Brooks’s chauffeur who was employed by News International; Daryl Jorsling and a seventh suspect – both of whom provided security for Mrs Brooks supplied by News International.

“All the evidence has now carefully been considered. Applying the two-stage test in the Code for Crown Prosecutors, I have concluded that in relation to all suspects except the seventh, there is sufficient evidence for there to be a realistic prospect of conviction.”

Baby, It’s Wet Outside.

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There has been torrential rain in the UK lately but apparently we are still in a drought. Anyway, while it is still droughting cats and dogs you may want to invest in some of these chic raincoats Frost has come across from the Cambridge Raincoat Company.


Water resistant, stylish, chic and ultra practical, the raincoats produced are sure to keep you protected and fashionable in all conditions. In the rain they’ll keep you dry, in the summer the breathable fabric will be a wave of fresh air. They are available in a range of beautiful colours to get you noticed and to brighten up any day.

Designed for commuting cyclists to be able to dress for their journey as well as the destination, the raincoats keep you dry from neck to knee, making sure that you avoid the disheveled and slightly distressed look that can occur en route. They really are the perfect answer for any occasion, cyclist or not.

I love the lining, the colours, the concept and just how unbelievably chic they are. I want one in every colour.

Eskimo PR Brand Watch.

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Sam Edelman: classic and quirky shoes. According to Frost writer Keshini Misha, Sam makes the best Chelsea boots.

 

The Pretty Dress Company.

Female figure loving dresses. Inspired by the glamorous females of the 1940’s and 1950’s. They hold in, push up and hug curves in all the right places. The name is accurate too, the dresses really are pretty.

I got a free tub of sweeties from My Sweetie Jar. Brilliant sweets. They offer a customisation service. Go to www.mysweetiejar.com if there is anyone you love enough to get some of these for.

BlackDressHQ sells nothing except beautiful and classy black dresses. I reckon Amanda Elisach would love this site. It was born because of the need to bring gorgeous Little Black Dresses all in one place. Gorgeous self- indulgence.

Prey of London. Luxe-rock inspired brand. Brilliant, edgy clothes. High end designs at mid market prices.

Simmi. Love your shoes.

Mou

POP Handset. It reduces radiation by 99%.

Bronx and Blink is the sister brand of Bronx. In fashion this season is Gothic Punk, 70’s Sophistication and Global Nomad.


Chinese Laundry. Brilliant shoes and accessories.

John Varvatos. Casual Luxury and rock’n’roll come together.

Sorel A classic brand. They have been making great footwear since 1962

Doll Boutique. Online retailer with a great range of brands. One-stop shopping heaven. Started in Glasgow in 2007, founder Arielle Shear felt that Glasgow was in need of something different from either high street or high-end designer fashion, but something in between, now we all have it at Dolls Boutique. Fresh, new, reasonably priced brands that are better quality than the high street.

D.L & Co call themselves Purveyors of curious goods. LA native Douglas Little aimed at bringing opulence and beauty to those who yearn for the uncommon and exquisite; and has managed beautifully.

See By Chloe. Sophisticated footwear. Just beautiful.

Vestry is dedicated to bring the latest trends. There are dresses to impress galore at the Vestry Online. Dresses start at £30 and their best-selling jeans are priced at £30. The Vesty used to be a major high street brand name but are now just online, and as popular as ever. Their site is full of beautiful clothes.

Moda in Pelle. A brilliant on trend footwear company. I love their country chic shoes, as well as power dressing, the affair and The Orient Express. Moda in Pelle have also launched a new range called Luxury Revel, it aims to create a ‘bridge between luxury shoes and accessible accessories’.

Juicy Couture. Needs no introduction. This LA brand’s new season range is more polished and put together says LeAnn Nealz, Juicy Couture CCO and Co-President. “I spend a lot of time travelling between London and Los Angeles, which got me thinking about this concept ‘LA Loves London’ – everything from Anita Pallenberg to T-Rex and Joni Mitchell”.

Soludos: Comfortable unisex shoes.

I personally really love the Brigitte Bardot range. She is a style icon who has really inspired me.

Tributes Flood in For MCA Adam Yauch.

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The music world is still in shock after losing founding Beastie Boy Adam Yauch at the young age of 47. Yauch had a three-year battle with cancer.

His loss has been felt heavily by music lovers the world over. Coldplay, Jay-Z, Green Day, Antony Kiedis, Eminem, Louise Mensch and The Strokes all payed tribute to the rapper. Kiedes said: “We lost a good man today. He left the world a lot of beauty. I hope you carry that flame. Adam was for real. You can see the Red Hot Chilli Peppers tribute video below.

Yauch was diagnosed with cancer of the preaortic gland and lymph node in July 2009.

He founded the Beastie Boys in 1979, with Mike “Mike D” Diamond, a school friend, and Adam “Ad-Rock” Horowitz. They started as a punk band, then they began experimenting with hip-hop.

The release of their first full album ‘Licensed To Ill’ became the first hip-hop album to top the Billboard album chart. The band released eight albums including ‘Paul’s Boutique’, ‘Check Your Head’ and ‘Ill Communication’.

Adam Yauch is survived by his wife, Dechen Wengdu, and their daughter Tenzin Losel. Rest in peace MCA, you are much missed.

Sundance London Film Festival 2012 Highlights

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Sundance London Film Festival 2012 Highlights

 

This year Sundance came to London with resounding success. Frost went along and has picked out some highlights.

Extranjero by Daniel Lumb & Crinan Campbell. This won the first ever Sundance London short film award, and rightly so. Well worth a watch.

The Return (Kthimi)

An amazing short film set in Kosovo. Everyone thought he died during the war but a man returns from being a prisoner of war and his wife, who he hasn’t seen in four years along with their son, has to tell him that she kept her rapists baby. Powerful and haunting.

Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared.

Weird but kind of wonderful.

Tooty’s Wedding

This short film is hilarious. Especially when the lead actress tells her husband “Yesterday a man said my breasts were a 7, which is actually quite high”.

Under African Skies by Joel Berlinger

Highly acclaimed at the festival. Paul Simon’s historic Graceland album sold millions of copies and united cultures, yet divided world opinion on the boundaries of art, politics, and commerce. On the occasion of the twenty-fifth anniversary of Graceland’s release, Simon returns to South Africa for a reunion concert that unearths the turbulent birth of the album. Despite its huge success as a popular fusion of American and African musical styles, Graceland spawned intense political crossfire. Simon was accused of breaking the United Nations’ cultural boycott of South Africa, which was designed to end apartheid.

 

I really liked this film. Very well-made and interesting story.


The Queen of Versailles
The Queen of Versailles premiered in the U.S. Documentary Competition at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival and received the U.S. Directing Award for Documentary. Sundance Institute  provided creative support for the film at the 2011 Creative Producing Summit.

 

A very good documentary. Worth watching.


 

Did you go to Sundance London? What did you think?