Christmas Gift List For The Family

Posted on November 4, 2016 by Frostie

Great gifts to bring the family together.

Lucky Voice Karaoke Kit

This brilliant kit turns your home computer into the ultimate karaoke machine with access to thousands of songs. We love the gold microphone too.

Lucky Voice is ramping up the festive spirit this Christmas, with an array of at-home Karaoke Kits, perfect for kick-starting everyone’s party mood.

The karaoke lovers have even given the kits a special twist this year, launching a limited edition range of Christmas-jumper inspired microphones, available to buy exclusively from shop.luckyvoice.com from Tuesday 1st November. Festive fun aside, all Kits come in a host of fun colours (from hot pink to electric blue) and are priced from £50 (£60 for the Gold and Festive versions).

Lucky Voice’s at-home kits are a stress-free addition to the Christmas shopping list, being available to buy everywhere from QVC.co.uk and Amazon.co.uk to Urban Outfitters, Selfridges, Toys R Us and Maplin. They’re also easy to use (no midnight assembling for tired parents here); simply connect the laptop and speakers to the kit, create an account and get singing.

This is also a gift that avoids the need for expensive CDs or downloads, you just stream directly from Lucky Voice Online Karaoke (luckyvoicekaraoke.com) and pick from over 8,000 songs. Users can search for favourite artists and tunes, build playlists or simply click the ‘I Feel Lucky’ button and let Lucky Voice do the work.

As if that isn’t enough seasonal cheer, Lucky Voice has also created the ultimate karaoke app for iPhone and iPad, allowing users to party like it’s Christmas, wherever they are. This is free to download from the app store for iPhone and iPad, and allows users to stream all their favourite songs instantly. The 7-day free trial leads to a £1.49/week subscription fee.

Charlie Elek, Head of Digital at Lucky Voice says, “We absolutely love Christmas at Lucky Voice – what can be more fun than letting your hair down with a good old festive singsong? This is why we’ll be hosting karaoke sessions at Hamleys in London and Fenwick and Bentalls nationwide, free for anyone to join. Help us get the Christmas party started, see www.luckyvoicekaraoke.com for more information.”

Lucky Voice Karaoke Machine is available here.

Mary Berry Cooks The Perfect Step By Step

We love this book from national treasure Mary Berry. It even comes with a free tote bag.

Mary Berry Cooks The Perfect is available here.

Mr & Mrs Family Edition

A great way for the family to get to know each other more.

Mr & Mrs Family Edition Box Game is available here.

Where to go When. The World’s Best Destinations

Perfect for the family to plan their next trip. This book tells you where to go at the right time.

Where To Go When: The World’s Best Destinations is available here.

Vegetarian Food For Healthy Kids

Over 100 quick and easy vegetarian recipes for healthy kids. A great book for healthy family meals.

Vegetarian Food for Healthy Kids: Over 100 Quick and Easy Nutrient Packed Recipes is available here.

In the Mood for Quick Family Food

Tasty and stress-free food for busy parents. A great book.

In the Mood for Quick Family Food: Simple, Fast and Delicious Recipes for Every Family is available here.

The World in My Kitchen

This smart book lets the family cook recipes from around the globe. All while educating your child and broadening their horizon. Wonderful.

The World in My Kitchen: Global Recipes for Kids to Discover and Cook is available here.

Cookie Crumbles Baking Kits

These baking kits are perfect for busy parents. Many parent want to bake with their children but it is too time-consuming and exhausting. With these kits you just mix, bake and then enjoy. They have lots of great baking kits for Christmas.

www.cookiecrumbles.co.uk

Muffin Mix Kit is available here.

Johanna’s Christmas: A Festive Colouring Book

A great, creative colouring book. From one of the best illustrators out there, Johanna Basford. Great designs for hours of entertainment.

Johanna’s Christmas: A Festive Colouring Book is available here.

Ice cream for the festive season

Posted on October 30, 2016 by Jack Shamash

Two new flavours from Judes

Christmas is just a few weeks away and you need something to go with all those mince pies and Christmas puddings. If you like ice-cream then Judes have a couple of new offerings that are ideal for the festivities.

Brown Butter Pecan (£3.00 for 500g) is full of swirls of caramel, lovely buttery flavours and chunks of real caramelised nuts. It is absolutely delicious and is made with stacks of fresh milk and natural ingredients.

If you like the flavour of whisky, the firm also has a Hot Toddy ice cream (£4.79 for 500g), made with cinnamon and Laphroaig single malt whisky. Again, it is just the sort of thing to serve in depths of winter, preferably in front of a blazing fire or – if you can’t manage that – a warm radiator.

Aldi’s superb Christmas offerings

Posted on September 29, 2016 by Jack Shamash

Champagnes and sparkling wines from Aldi

Over the last few years Aldi’s wines have been one of the great success stories of British retail. This year – in addition to the normal ranges – they have got some superb sparkling wines and Ports, which are ideal for Christmas and which will also make superb gifts.

Last week Aldi unveiled its range of wines for Autumn/Winter 2016. They are continuing with the extremely successful Exquisite Collection – a range of good quality wines for around £6 a bottle. I really enjoyed the Claire Valley Riesling (£6.99), but they are all worth drinking.

More exciting was a range of excellent sparkling wines. The Valdobbiadene Prosecco Spumante, was a classy prosecco – lots of citrus flavours and medium dry – for £7.49. If you want to create a bit of a splash at Christmas, then the Veuve Monsigny Champagne Brut at £10.99 is an absolute bargain. Lovely light grain – not too fizzy – and a refreshing slight taste of toast. The ideal thing to bring along to a party.

Another interesting sparkling wine is Asti Spumante at £4.99. This is a bit retro – a throwback to the seventies. But it’s fun. It isn’t too alcoholic (7 per cent ABV), it has lovely flavours of ripe pears and would be just the thing for younger people who currently drink cider. Stick a bottle on the table at Christmas dinner!

The collection of fortified wines is also pretty impressive. If you want to splash out Maynard’s Late Bottled Vintage Port 1992 at £19.99 has lovely flavours of chocolate and cherries and a slight hint of pepper. If you’re on a budget Maynards also do a 2012 Late Bottled Vintage Port for £9.99 – which is almost as nice.

Great wines in lovely bottles – Aldi has some exciting ports for Christmas

Oh, and there’s a Maynard’s 40 year old tawny port for £29.99. It comes in a lovely bottle and makes a great gift. Tawny ports are made in much smaller barrels than ruby ports, so there is more oxidation. Ruby ports taste of fresh fruit, tawny ports taste of dried fruit. This one has lovely flavours of dried figs, dates, raisins. It would make a great gift and would be just the thing to serve with the mince pies.

Get Set for The Spirit Show launching December ’16

Posted on June 15, 2016 by Kesh

This Winter see’s the UK launch of the alcohol industry’s hotly tipped Premium Spirit Show and we’re happy to announce its going to be hosted it in good ol’ London Town. Taking place at The Business Design Centre in the heart of Angel, traders from all ends of the Spirit world… not the phantom kind, will be showcasing their brands to traders and consumers alike. From a host of Premium Whisky Distilleries to a number of Boutique Gin and Vodka producers, this will certainly be the place to be for all customers/traders wishing to explore something old or new and discover something inspiring. With Organisers expecting close to 10,000 visitors over the two-day duration, no wonder it has been billed as “The Ultimate Tasting Event.”

The Spirit Show will focus on it’s premium market of Whiskies, Gin, Vodka and Rum but will also feature Champagnes, Wines and Fine Foods making it the ultimate fancy, boozy weekend. The weekend will also feature tastings and expert discussions, cookery demo’s and a host of other fun-filled activities all set within a backdrop of Live Music, entertainment and some other surprises.

We’re sure this is going to be a sell out so get into the Christmas Spirit and sign up for The Spirit Show’s newsletter for information about pre-sale tickets. Corporate and group packages are also available in case you fancy ditching The Christmas Party. Or avoid the Christmas Party complete and impress someone with the must have ticket of the year.

Ticket’s will be launched soon so sign up for info here;

The Spirit Show

December 9-10

The Business Design Centre,
Upper Street
Angel Islington.

Any one for Krakow at Christmas? By Margaret Graham

Posted on January 4, 2016 by Margaret Graham

No, not crackers, Krakow. We’ve been to Krakow at various times of the year, and it is one of the most beautiful and fascinating East European cities, affordable (perhaps because it’s not in the Euro?) with friendly, English speaking inhabitants.

We traveled with Easyjet (trouble free) and were upgraded to fantastic 5* Hotel Stary, with superb facilities and staff. Try the sauna, pool, salt cave and gym – though the gym was not on my agenda – I know my limits.

The main square is a rectangular space surrounded by historic townhouses and churches. The center of the square is dominated by the Cloth Hall), rebuilt in 1555 in the Renaissance style, topped by a parapet decorated with carved masks, with the interior elegantly decorated for Christmas.

On one side of the Cloth Hall is the Town Hall Tower, on the other the 10th century Church of St. Adalbert and 1898 Adam Mickiewicz Monument. Rising above the square are the Gothic towers of St. Mary’s Basilica. On the hour I gather a member of the fire service trumpets the hour. Sure enough we could see the glint of the instrument.

Yes, glint, because the weather was spring-like.

We took a free walking tour with Good Cracow Tours: www.goodcracowtours.eu (you merely tip at the end). Our guide was Eugene, formerly a lawyer and hip-hop dancer (yes really) from the Ukraine. He is knowledgeable, funny and friendly. We learned a great deal and had fun.

Around the square are many restaurants which are warm whatever the weather (there are heaters) and you can sit there and watch the world go by, as well as the horse drawn carriages.

Choose to eat within the glass-enclosed pavements areas or down one of the side streets. You must try our favourite dish, soup in a bread bowl. You can eat the lid, and indeed, pull off parts of the sides. Delicious. Don’t forget hot chocolate. I swear it is just melted chocolate. Not a calorie amongst it.

Other places to visit are the Bishop’s Palace in Kraków which is the seat of the Krakow metropolitan Curia, and the traditional residence of Krakow bishops since the late 14th century.

Between 1958 and 1978the palace was a residence of Cardinal Karol Wojtyła, who in October 1978 became the first Slavic Pope in history, adopting the name John Paul II.

At Christmas the square is alive with the Christmas Market, buskers, and events.

The bars and clubs are open into the early hours of the morning to the relief of our son.

On a more sombre note, visitors should visit the old Jewish Quarter (Kazimierz District) from which thousands of Jews which the Nazis were savagely herded to the Ghetto to the north of the district. There is now a memorial in the form of oversized bronze chairs on the Plac Bohaterow Getta, very near to square. This square is very close to Schindler’s Factory which now houses an excellent museum covering not just the Nazis occupation, but the Soviet one too.

It was from this ghetto that the Jews were transported to death camps, including the nearby Auschwitz. We took a walking tour around Kazimierz though not with Good Crakow Tours because we needed a morning tour, but left it early on because of the flippant attitude of the guide. She showed a total lack of respect for the suffering of the Jews, and their dispersal (see the film Schindler’s List).

We continued on our own, strolling along ancient narrow streets, visiting the Old Synagogue which is now a museum: thought provoking and unforgettable. It is an extraordinary experience to walk these streets which have seen so much, and which is regenerating as a thriving arts and residential area. It is good to see that there is a Jewish presence, albeit it understandably small.

Take lunch in the old market square and have a look at the small enclosed area with the menorah railings.

And what about the Restaurant Szara Kazimierz – excellent food and lovely friendly service. But this is the case at all the Krakow restaurants and cafes.

Frost totally recommends Krakow. A wonderful Christmas destination, in fact, a great all year round destination, and don’t forget to seek out Eugene or any of the other Good Crakow Tour guides – just look for the green umbrellas in front of St Mary’s and say hello from Frost Magazine.

Hair : From Desk to Disco

Posted on December 21, 2015 by Frostie

Andrew Jose : Award winning celebrity hairdresser and brand ambassador for SALON SCIENCE® haircare says . . .

Grown up party hair on the go is the perfect balance of polished, effortless yet timeless hair that is elegant and fun.
Do bear in mind that less is more. If you have a statement dress, then keep the hair simple, if you have a simple dress then the hair can become more of a statement!
Do take into consideration head shape and the balance of your facial features when choosing a party hair up. A style that is soft and flattering on most face shape is the low chignon or bun.
Always tease hair at the crown to give volume and leave soft tendrils around the face
Soft waves and a side parting can take your style to the next level – a vintage take on a modern style looks timeless and chic.
Always wash hair the day before putting it up to combat hair being too slippery.
Teasing (back combing) and dry shampoo is a must have for volume and staying power.
Great hair takes time DON’T rush it! If you are creating the style yourself, practise your look as some techniques can be challenging. Trial your style the day before to get it right on the night.
Always carry an emergency fix kit, a couple of bobby pins, a small backcombing brush and a handbag sized hairspray is essential!
Whether it’s a simple braid for decoration or a halo dutch braid for on-trend and current looking statement hair, simply adding a plait can give a contemporary twist to a simple classic style.

Speedy tricks for styling hair on the go.

Hair ups are a great option for when you are short on time but need a high impact style for the day. If the thought of doing a hair up at home without expert help feels daunting, then help is at hand.

Salon Science Brand Ambassador and award winning hairdresser Andrew Jose has created three simple, yet stunning styles for chic hair at home (without getting your fingers in a twist)

Any trends?

Hair jewellery is a big trend for winter – glam up a pony tail with gold cuff detail around a low slung pony for on trend metallic glamour

Your get-good-hair-quick kit!

Salon Science Swiss Apple Cellumax volumising Foam (£17.00 Boots)
Swiss Grape Reglosse Smoothing Serum (£18.00 Boots)
A soft bristled brush (Mason and Pearson)
Pin tail comb
Kirby grips
Dry shampoo
Velcro rollers
Hair spray

The Plait Bun

Easy AND elegant, the plait bun can be sleek and polished or made to be looser and slightly messed up for daytime.

Flip hair upside down, apply Salon Science Swiss Apple Cellumax Volumising Mousse (£17.00) at the root

Back comb at the crown to create volume and ensure the style will stay in place.
Leave two sections at each side of your parting at the front
Back comb the hair in the ponytail, and twist hair around the base of the pony tail creating a bun and pin in to place
Create two braids with the sections left out at the front of the hair, secure the ends with thin loom bands, pull back and pin around the bun

The half up twist

One of this season’s biggest hair trends, the half up style is a sneaky way of making a lazy day hairstyle seem cool – the top half of your hair is up, and the rest is down.

Spritz Swiss Grape Salon Science Reprotectant Thermal Crème (£16.00) over damp hair

Using a big barrelled brush – give hair a smooth blow dry. Then using irons or tongs, create a loose lazy wave

Add dry shampoo at the root for texture and backcomb at the crown – the Lee Stafford Dry Shampoo is great. Adjust height to your own preference and pin top hair piece into place.
Using thumbs and palms, pull the top half of your hair back into a half ponytail from about an inch above the ears, leaving most of your lengths free. pull the hair out at the crown a little to create more volume.
Make a hole right above the hairband by using your finger, splitting the hair in two and flip the ponytail through. Tighten the pony
Pull out strands at the front to mess up the style a little

Variation of this look is the ‘Hun’ or the ‘half bun’

Instead of flipping hair through the pony – simply back comb the half pony tail and wrap it around the base of the hairband – and pin into place
wear it high and sleek or low and undone – depending on your mood

Tips on using dry shampoo if you haven’t time to wash it

A great tip for dry shampoo application is to section hair off with clips, spray a line of dry shampoo and repeat throughout oily areas. Wait for a couple of minutes then brush through with soft bristled brush to evenly distribute the oil absorbing powder. For best results do this in the evening before you go to bed and then again in the morning to counteract oil build up overnight

STOCKISTS

Salon Science available exclusively at Boots Nationwide and Boots.com
www.salonscience.com

Andrew Jose Hair Salon
http://www.andrewjose.com/
1 Charlotte street, London W1

Last Minute Christmas Gift Guide for Mums: Chambord & Licor 43

Posted on December 20, 2015 by Frostie

Panicking about what to get mum for Christmas? These two make great stocking fillers or proper presents for mum: Licor 43 (the premium, Spanish liqueur) and Chambord (the premium French Black Raspberry liqueur). The Chambord 20cl bottle is available in a beautiful gold box, and is the perfect stocking filler. It retails at all major supermarkets throughout the UK for just £7.50. Licor 43 70cl (700ml) bottle is available from ASDA stores and asda.com nationwide as well as through www.drinksupermarket.com with an RRP of £17.50-£17.99.

Cocktail recipe ideas below.

Licor 43 winter serves for 2015

Mulled Wine 43

50 ml Licor 43
125 ml shiraz
15 ml lemon juice
1x sugar cube
4 dashes of angostura bitters
4 dashes of orange bitters
1x cinnamon stick

Soak sugar cube in both bitters, place soaked cube, lemon juice and wine into a pan and place on the hob until hot. Add Licor 43 and pour into a balon glass. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.

Spiced Cider

50ml Licor 43
125ml cider (apple or pear)
15ml lemon juice
2x barspoons of honey
4 dashes of angostura bitters
4x dashes of orange bitters

Place all the ingredients, except the Licor 43 into a pan and heat on the hob until warm. Add the Licor 43 and pour into a balon glass.

Spanish 43 Coffee

• 25ml Licor 43
• Black coffee
• Whipped cream
• Cocoa powder

Warm the Licor 43 and pour into the coffee. Top carefully with the whipped cream and garnish with cocoa powder.

Chambord Royale

You take the fizz, you top with Chambord, and puff! Now watch the bubbles storm.

Ingredients

Chambord Black Raspberry Liqueur
Champagne, prosecco or cava

Method
Pour your favourite fizz into a flute glass and top with Chambord. Garnish with a raspberry.

French Martini

Christmas calls for a classic cocktail. Take pineapple juice and shake, shake, shake it with Chambord and vodka and voila! You have the French Martini.

Ingredients

15ml Chambord Black Raspberry Liqueur
50ml vodka
60ml pineapple Juice

Method
Vigorously shake Chambord with vodka, pineapple juice and plenty of ice.

Chambord Very Berry

Brrr. When the snow is cold but the fire is burning, warm your hands with a Chambord Very Berry.

Ingredients

25ml Chambord Black Raspberry Liqueur
125ml red wine
25ml fresh lemon juice
Spoonful of sugar
3 raspberries
Slice of lemon studded with cloves

Method

Crush raspberries in a wine glass with sugar, then add Chambord, wine, and lemon juice. Top with hot water and garnish with a slice of lemon.

For more inspiration visit www.facebook.com/ChambordUK

The Christmas tree looks best when there are presents beneath it. Wish your friends and family Joyeux Noel with a 20cl bottle of Chambord packaged in a beautiful gold box. Available from all major supermarkets (asda.com, tesco.com, sainsburys.co.uk) throughout the UK. RRP: £7.50. Bon!

Pop-Up To Covent Garden And Celebrate A Chanel Christmas…

Posted on December 19, 2015 by Corinne Tuddenham-Finn

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

What could be more special than a festive pop-up featuring a giant snow globe and offering free flash makeovers – after all, you deserve it after the chaos of all the Christmas shopping, right?

CHANEL are offering shoppers and beauty fans a pep-up at their Covent Garden pop-up located a few steps away from the Chanel beauty boutique at the piazza, which is the temporary space before becoming Chanel’s permanent bigger home next year.

The exquisite pop-up pays homage to the world of Chanel No.5 as depicted in the Baz Luhrmann-directed campaign starring Gisele Bündchen.

In 2012, CHANEL opened its pop-up covering 57 square metres of Covent Garden, inspired by London’s vibrant personality – the first of its kind in the UK.

Featuring some of the world’s leading make-up artists, theatrical artists, nail technicians and models, the Chanel pop-up beauty boutique debuted exclusive products, showcased London’s first ever Chanel nail bar, offered bespoke make-up tutorials and now offer their discerning customers the experience of having a specialist fragrance expert to guide you through the extensive Chanel scent collection.

“No elegance is possible without perfume” – Mademoiselle Chanel

With a vintage-inspired décor, the Chanel beauty parlour draws you in from the cold with its giant snow globe, complete with illuminated number five, welcoming you to take part in a variety of workshops and events throughout December.

Settle down on the plush red cinema chairs for a manicure – using Rouge Noir, naturellement – or pop by for a complimentary 15-minute flash makeover, the perfect shop-to-cocktails refresh.

If you wish to linger longer, book in for a full one-hour makeover for £45 (redeemable against products bought). Whether you want to learn how to master the art of the up-do or perfect your smokey eye, the professionals will be on hand to impart their words of wisdom.

Makeover complete, there’s the irresistible chance to channel your inner Gisele with a photobooth from The London Lightbox – pose in front of the backdrop featured in the campaign and receive a print-out photo as a souvenir of your jaunt into the world of Chanel. And if you can’t resist the temptation to shop, of course there are plenty of little black boxes to take home too.

Offering a personalised gift wrapping service, complete with a hand written message by a CHANEL calligrapher alongside a choice of quotes from Mademoiselle Chanel herself, this delightful pop-up will kick-start your Christmas and indulge your inner ‘me’ time…

Chanel Christmas at Covent Garden is open until the end of December.

To book an appointment please call 0203 077 1198 or email covent.garden2@chanel.co.uk.

Chanel Christmas at Covent Garden

6a The Market The Piazza Covent Garden London WC2E 8RF

Frost Magazine

Books and Lifestyle

Tag Archives: christmas

Ice cream for the festive season

Aldi’s superb Christmas offerings

Get Set for The Spirit Show launching December ’16

Any one for Krakow at Christmas? By Margaret Graham

Hair : From Desk to Disco

Last Minute Christmas Gift Guide for Mums: Chambord & Licor 43