Tag Archives: Catherine Balavage

Four Paws Seeks Face for Laboratory Animal Campaign

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CALLING ALL BEAGLES… FOUR PAWS SEEKS FACE FOR LABORATORY ANIMAL CAMPAIGN!

All animals are wonderful and worthy of celebration, and all animals deserve a life free from pain, fear and suffering, which is why FOUR PAWS continues to campaign on behalf of laboratory (and other abused) animals.

Beagles are no exception…not only are they beautiful (inside and out), they are also the most widely used-and-abused breed of laboratory dog, partly because of their size and short hair (this facilitates vein accessibility) but partly because of their gentle and affectionate nature and great intelligence. Sadly they are also easy and relatively inexpensive to obtain from breeders.

Thousands of beagles are used worldwide in horrific experiments to test drugs and chemicals ranging from green tea to glue; tests involve repeated force-feeding or inhalation for days, months and sometimes years to induce toxic effects such as vomiting, convulsions, seizures, organ failure, paralysis and death. These beautiful dogs have also been exploited for decades in alcohol and tobacco research around the world.

Beagles (and other dogs) neither develop diseases nor respond to drugs in the same way as humans. To overcome key species differences, the disease must therefore be artificially induced, either surgically or chemically, in an attempt to provide a ‘model’ for humans. The dogs suffer not only from the disease itself, but also from the trauma of surgery or the toxic effects of other methods.

FOUR PAWS needs your help to capture the essence of what is so unique and wonderful about the beleaguered beagle. We are looking for a very special image that will be used to spearhead our laboratory animal campaign – it will be reproduced on our website and leaflets and used as part of our international campaigning work, so your beagle will become a star!

Please send us good-quality photos (preferably as an email attachment) of your beloved beagles with a note stating their name, sex, age and a little information about both their background (maybe your beagle companion has been rehomed from a laboratory?) and interests, and of course why you love him/her so much! Please don’t forget to include a brief note giving FOUR PAWS permission to reproduce the image.

Deadline for entries is 1st March, 2012, so start snapping! We can’t wait to hear from you and see photographs of your beagle best friends!

Email: marie-claire.macintosh@four-paws.org.uk
Postal address: c/o Marie-Claire Macintosh, FOUR PAWS, 32-36 Loman street,
London. SE1 0EH.

Win London Fashion Weekend Tickets. 4 Pairs to Give Away

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Win The Ultimate Fashionista Day Out!

Frost has a pair of VIP tickets and three pairs of runner up tickets to London Fashion Weekend 2012.

Chambord, the ‘spirit of fashion’ will be making a welcome return to VODAFONE London Fashion Weekend in February 2012, bringing with it an added touch of French chic to London’s fashion scene as well as hosting the exclusive Chambord Platinum Club Lounge.

Chambord black raspberry liqueur is the spirit of fashion and has been enjoyed by the style elite at some of the most exclusive designer parties.

Do you and your friends live and breathe fashion? Chambord and Frost magazine is giving you the chance to follow in the footsteps of the fashion crowd and win the ultimate fashionista day out. You could win a pair of tickets to London Fashion Weekend, plus entry to Chambord’s Platinum Club Lounge. Here you can enjoy a complimentary Chambord and Champagne while learning how to strike a model-worthy pose thanks to top fashion photographer Fabio Affuso who Chambord has enlisted to help you always look your most fashion fabulous in photos. Three runners up will win a pair of standard tickets to London Fashion Weekend.

For your chance to win follow @Frostmag on Twitter, and then tweet: ‘I want to go to London Fashion Week with @Frostmag and Chambord” or sign up to our newsletter. The winners will be revealed on Wednesday.

Over 18’s’ only we are afraid!

PLEASE ENJOY CHAMBORD RESPONSIBLY

This competition is now closed.

Made In Chelsea Stars Attend Launch of MEGAzine.

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Celebrities including Henry Holland, Cheska and Kate Walsh come out to celebrate the launch of Aigua Media’s Fashion and Beauty MEGAzine

Celebrities including Henry Holland, Cheska, Bobby Sabel, Kate Walsh and Lizzie Cundy come out to celebrate the launch of Aigua Media’s Fashion and Beauty MEGAZINE

Aigua Media last night launched the UK’s first Fashion and Beauty MEGAZINE. The company that owns top fashion sites including OSOYOU and Catwalk Queen showcased some ‘UK first’ website features to a host of guests including Henry Holland, Cheska, Kate Walsh, Lizzie Cundy, and Trinny Woodall.

With a reach of over 1.25 million, the MEGAzine is home to hot on the pulse commentary for fashion followers from the top style stalkers, the best bloggers and the readers themselves.

www.aiguamedia.com

Stars of the MEGAzine include:

OSOYOU – the ultimate shopping resource where the world searches, shops and shares

Kiss and Makeup – the most exciting shopping destination for beauty anywhere

Catwalk Queen – the first fashion blog ever to be invited to London Fashion Week

Shoewawa – for shoe, shoe and more shoe style

Baglady – bagging all the news, must-have buys and celebrity style handbags

RIBA Restaurant Review.

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RIBA restaurant at art deco gem 66 Portland Place, London W1

 

I have had many a party at RIBA, it is a wonderful venue. I had never eaten at the restaurant before and was incredibly impressed by the food and the service. No one likes to eat alone so I went to review this restaurant with my friend, New Statesman columnist Nicholas Lezard.

 

The venue is bright and airy, in the summer you can eat outside. There is always a lot going on at RIBA.

 

What I ate.

 

Middle white pork belly

 

Black pudding, quince

 

Jerusalem artichoke and red onion fritters

 

Braised lentils, grilled artichoke hearts

soft poached egg

 

Baby leaf salad, cherry tomatoes, cucumber

 

White chocolate mousse

 

Dark chocolate honeycomb, gold leaf

 

What Nicholas ate:

 

Seared scallops

 

Leeks, candied hazelnuts, black olive powder

 

Braised Yorkshire venison

 

Sautéed girolles, truffled mash, redcurrants

 

Sticky toffee pudding

 

Clotted cream, butterscotch sauce

 

Curly kale, garlic butter

 

The starter comes on black, granite slabs, a touch that I found different and original. They are very good at presentation. My pork belly was done perfectly.

 

The food tasted like heaven, the fritters I had were absolutely delicious. The different consistency of the ingredients of my main meal worked brilliantly. I didn’t know lentils could taste so good. My egg was poached perfectly. The fritters were crispy, as all fritters should be. At first I wasn’t sure how all the ingredients would work together, but they do, beautifully.

 

I had a side salad with my main even though it wasn’t necessarily needed. The main was very filling. I liked that they put balsamic vinegar on my salad. The staff were also attentive and eager to please.

 

My white chocolate mousse was absolutely divine and was a visual treat too.

 

To drink I had port and coca cola. Nicholas had red wine and port.

 

RIBA is a good restaurant, the food is divine, the staff expert and the location incredibly up-market. I highly recommend. I will definitely be eating here again.

 

 

Rupert Murdoch Flying to UK to Stop Sun Going Down.

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Rupert Murdoch is flying to London to meet staff at The Sun this week, after the arrests of five senior staff members over bribery allegations. The source told the AFP that Murdoch would fly to London “later in the week” and News International has said that Murdoch has given “personal assurance” that The Sun will not be closed like the News of the World.

The News of the World was closed on July in the midst of the phone hacking scandal.

 

News International chief executive Tom Mockridge said in an email to staff that Murdoch would stand by The Sun in the “greatest challenge” it faced.

 

“You should know that I have had a personal assurance today from Rupert Murdoch about his total commitment to continue to own and publish The Sun newspaper,” Mockridge said.

 

The Sun journalists that were arrested were deputy editor Geoff Webster, picture editor John Edwards, chief reporter John Kay, chief foreign correspondent Nick Parker and reporter John Sturgis.
News International has not made a statement on Murdoch coming to London, and neither has Murdoch himself.

 

Allegedly The Sun were furious at the fact that News Corp had handed over the information to police that led to the arrests.

 

Whitney Houston Dies Aged 48.

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Whitney Houston has died at the tragically young age of 48. Her death has left the entertainment industry in shock.

 

Houston was found dead in her room in the Beverly Hilton yesterday. The Los Angeles police said paramedics had tried to resuscitate Houston but they were unable and she was pronounced dead at 3.55pm local time.

 

Houston, who was one of the biggest selling artists of the 80s and 90s, had battled drug addiction. Police also said that there was no “obvious signs” of any criminal intent.

 

Houston had been due to make an appearance at the Grammy Awards tonight, and had been at rehearsals, as she was to perform for her mentor Clive Davis.

 

Aretha Franklin said: “I just can’t talk about it now, It’s so stunning and unbelievable. I couldn’t believe what I was reading coming across the TV screen. My heart goes out to Cissy, her daughter Bobby Kris, her family and Bobby.”

 

Tributes have been flooding in for the singer. Mariah Cary said she was “heartbroken”

 

“Heartbroken and in tears over the shocking death of my friend, the incomparable Ms. Whitney Houston,” Carey wrote on Twitter.

 

“My heartfelt condolences to Whitney’s family and to all her millions of fans throughout the world.

 

“She will never be forgotten as one of the greatest voices to ever grace the earth.”

 

In a statement, Dolly Parton said: “Mine is only one of millions of hearts broken over the death of Whitney Houston.

 

“I will always be grateful and in awe of the wonderful performance she did on my song and I can truly say from the bottom of my heart, “Whitney, I will always love you. You will be missed.”

 

Houston also starred in hit movies including The Bodyguard. She won multiple Grammys and sold millions of records.

As well as her drug addiction her 15-year marriage to Bobby Brown came to an end in 2007.

 

Brown told a sell-out crowd in Mississippi: “First of all, I want to tell you that I love you all. Second, I would like to say, I love you Whitney. The hardest thing for me to do is to come on this stage.”

 

Frost's Valentine's Day Gift Ideas

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Frost is a sucker for Valentine’s Day. With so much hate in the world what is wrong with a day celebrating love? Gift buying can be a nightmare so Frost has done some of the hard work so you don’t have to.

SWATCH 2012 Olympic Watches. Functional, cool, what better way to say ‘I love you’.

Stockist: WatchShop.com – www.WatchShop.com – 0844 736 5340

WatchShop.com Price: £36.00 each and free shipping in the UK

These Swatch Olympic 2012 watches are made from plastic/resin and powered by a quartz movement.

Created with one eye on fashion and the other on the upcoming London 2012 Olympic Games, they merge pro-sport aesthetics and classic London design. The new watches are available in brown/pink and blue colourways and each features the 2012 logo.

The designers have given a nod both to British fashion’s mod-heritage and the London 2012 Olympic Games logo by means of a two-toned palette.

Water resistant to 30 metres.

It’s never easy for a man to find that perfect give for his loved one on Valentine’s Day. But with these mobile phone cases featuring Rebecca Bonbon, a charming little French bulldog designed by the creator of Hello Kitty, it’s a lot easier. We think the range is cute.

Available in a wide range of designs and colours – rose, fuschia, white, black.

Managing Director, Andy Tow comments: “ Our range of accessories is continually expanding and we now have mobile phone cases for all occasions.”

If edible is more your thing then Pierre Herme should be your port of call. Try these, our mouths are watering already.

Macaron Envie (Composition: Macaron biscuit, violet cream with whole blackcurrants). A small round biscuit, with a crunchy outside and smooth, velvety violet cream filling with whole blackcurrants.

Valentine’s Day Gift Boxes

The Valentine’s collection also features limited edition boxes created by designer and scenographer Marianne Guély. The box, in vibrant shades of pink and green and filled with either macarons or chocolates, will make the perfect Valentine’s gift. Available from the 6th February in the boutique located at 13 Lowndes Street as well as in our in-store boutique at Selfridges.

Valentine’s 16-piece Macaron assortment: £33
Valentine’s 200g Chocolate Assortment: £31
Macaron Envie : £1.85 per piece
Available online at www.pierreherme.com

Feeling adventuress? Then try something fun and different.

Looking for an exciting way to woo your valentine this year? Does squeezing into a packed restaurant among hundreds of other couples sound particularly unromantic, and corny to you? Why not impress the love interest in your life with something completely out of the ordinary for a valentine’s date?

Go Ape! Tree Top Adventure has found a rising number of pri(mates) are visiting the forest adventure courses for a romantic date, taking the time to bond while helping each other tackle Tarzan swings, zip lines and rope ladders up in the tree-tops. With 27 courses set in beautiful countryside locations across the UK, Go Ape provides the perfect fun-filled adventure.

Prefer to keep your feet closer to the ground? Go Ape also has a range of other activities available for adventure-lovers wanting to escape the norm this Valentine’s Day. Explore the forest off-road with Go Ape! Forest Segways? The self-balancing electric segways are a totally unique way to tackle tough trails and have plenty of fun at the same time. Or why not jump on a bicycle in the great outdoors? Go Ape! Forest Biking is available in the beautiful setting of Black Park Country Park, Slough.

Or play it safe with stuff they will use and cherish forever;

Iconic striped china Cornishware from T.G.Green & Co. has a new addition to its range of Cornish Red for last minute Valentine’s Day gifts. A couple of mugs are a pair of red mugs which can be personalised with up to 12 letters each in a stylish gift box for £25. If two sets are bought postage is free from Cornishware maker T.G.Green & Co’s online shop www.tggreen.co.uk. The mugs solve any Valentine’s Day dilemmas with last orders for Valentine’s Day midnight on 5th February and also make great wedding presents.


Happy Valentine’s Day from Frost.

The Fringe Report Awards 2012

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John Park has run the Fringe Report for ten years, and I am as unhappy as the other 400 odd people who turned up to the Fringe Report Awards that The Fringe Report is ending this year. John has run the Fringe Report without profit and has connected everything and everyone on the fringe of London, and indeed, the UK.

James Aylett, James Yardley and Lynn Howes.

The Fringe Report Awards took place at Monday 6 February 2012 at The Leicester Square Theatre. The Leicester Square Theatre was packed with the great and good of Britain’s theatre and acting talent. [Disclaimer: I am an editor, writer and photographer for the Fringe Report].

Jack Bowman and Catherine Balavage

The awards were as fun as ever and the list of winners is below. Goodbye to the Fringe Report. The fringe now weeps at your loss.

Elliot Grove – Outstanding Achievement Award – Film
Steve Forster – Best PR – Theatre
Flavia Fraser-Cannon – Best Creative – Producer, Photographer, Publicist
Paul L Martin – Best Producer – Cabaret
Sibyl Madrigal – Best Music Curator (for Boat-Ting)
Performers Without Borders – Best Encouragers of Talent
Steve Henwood & Wendy Matthews – Best Festival Directors
Guy Chapman – Outstanding Achievement Award – PR
Kiki Kendrick – Best Creative – Actor and Writer
Becky Talbot – Best Presenter – Radio
Kevin Sampson – Outstanding Achievement Award – Literature & Film
Vocal Motions Elastic Theatre – Best Theatre Company
Sasha Regan – Best Venue Director
Adam Morley – Best Director – Theatre & Film
Ricky Dukes – Best Artistic Director (Lazarus Theatre Company)
James Hyland – Best Performer – Solo Show (for A Christmas Carol / Jacob Marley)
Paul Sayers & Simon Bolton – Best Shakespeare Producers (Rooftop Theatre)
Paul Levy – Best Publisher
Tactful Cactus – Best Short Film (for Starcrossed)
Alison Wright – Best PR – Arts
Stuart Price – Best Creative – Director & Writer
Laura Pitt-Pulford – Best Performer – Musical (for Parade at Southwark Playhouse)
Alexander Parsonage – Best Artistic Director (Finger In The Pie)
Andy McQuade – Best Director – Theatre
Catherine Brogan – Best Poet