Tag Archives: Labels

Living Gluten-Free | Book Review

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livingglutenfreeGluten-Free is the new food trend. And while living gluten-free used to be extremely difficult it has gradually gotten better. The need has met the demand. Gluten-free is now widely available and common in the mainstream media. Living Gluten-free is getting easier but it still has it’s challenges. Can these book help? Let’s find out.

Living gluten-free for dummies is a comprehensive guide to eating gluten-free. It talks you through the medical benefits of eating gluten-free, has almost 100 great recipes, and give you guidance on reading food labels.

The book also has great advice on coeliac disease, tells you about tests and lets you know what misdiagnoses you should look out for. Chapter 3 even has an entire chapter on coeliac disease. I don’t have coeliac disease but it would be a great resource for those who do. In fact 10p from every sale of the book goes to Coeliac UK.

The lists of food with and without gluten is also handy. As is the chapter on making sure food is gluten-free. There is also a table on shopping on a budget. This book is a really good resource on buying, eating and cooking gluten-free food. It certainly makes a daunting task much easier and tastier. The recipes are good. There is something there for everyone and not a horrible, cardboard-tasting meal in sight. For those who miss pasta or bread, there are even recipes to make your own. There is also a good amount of dessert recipes. Yum.

If you love eating out or are away from home a lot there is also a chapter to make sure you don’t fall off the wagon. For those with kids, there is a chapter on raising children gluten-free too.

Living Gluten-Free For Dummies

Higher Online Fraud Risk at Christmas

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RESEARCH SHOWS THAT CHRISTMAS SHOPPERS FACE HIGHER ONLINE FRAUD RISK

– Xmas shoppers set to spend 14% more online this year¹

– Only 8% of women aged 26 to 35 update anti-virus software²

– Be Card Smart Online advice can help every Christmas shopper stay safe online

In the lead-up to Christmas, The UK Cards Association is running its successful Be Card Smart Online campaign again. The focus this year is on younger female shoppers, as research shows they are at greater risk of online fraud as many of them are failing to take simple steps to stay safe when they shop over the internet.

Banking industry initiatives coupled with cardholders being more aware of fraud prevention measures have resulted in a 40 per cent drop in card fraud losses in the past couple of years, down from £609.9 million in 2008 to £365.4 million last year.

However, research from the National Fraud Authority (NFA) has revealed that only 8 per cent of women aged 26-35 protect their computers with up-to-date anti-virus software. In response, the Be Card Smart Online campaign is urging young women in particular to follow the simple checklist below to reduce their chances of being a fraud victim this Christmas.

More than 35 million of us shopped online in the past year – 52 per cent up on the 23 million who shopped online just six years ago. And figures from the Interactive Media in Retail Group (IMRG) forecast that UK shoppers are set to spend £7.75 billion online between 28 November and 31 December, an increase of 14 per cent from the £6.8 billion spent online last Christmas.

As part of the campaign these top tips will be featured online at selected shopping websites until the end of December and also at www.becardsmart.org.uk:

1 Keep your PC protected by installing up-to-date anti-virus software. Ensure your browser is set at its highest level of security notification and monitoring – the safety options are not always activated by

default. Turn on ‘automatic updates’ when asked. This will allow you to decide when and how updates are installed.

2 Look for the padlock symbol – especially if you’re buying from a website for the first time. It’s a good indication that the online retailer is reputable.

3 Register your cards with Verified by Visa, MasterCard SecureCode or American Express SafeKey when prompted. It is quick and easy and makes shopping online even safer.

4 Always log out after shopping online and save the confirmation e-mail as a record of your order.

The UK’s banking and retail industries are fully supportive of the Be Card Smart Online campaign. Katy Worobec, Head of Fraud Control for The UK Cards Association, says:

“Christmas should be a time for taking things easy, but unfortunately fraudsters don’t stop targeting our cards over the festive period. This is why we are urging anyone who is planning to shop online this Christmas not to be complacent about security. You are your own best front-line of defence and following Be Card Smart Online’s simple steps can help prevent you becoming another fraud statistic.”

In addition, shoppers can make sure that gift buying online is stress-free by doing the following:

· Be sure you know who you are dealing with – always access the website you are planning to buy from by typing the address into your web browser.

· Ensure you are the only person that knows your PIN – never share it with anyone, either in person, over the telephone or in an email.

· Trust your instincts – if an offer looks too good to believe then there is usually a catch. Be suspicious of prices that are too good to be true.

· Keep records – keep details of your order and the retailer’s terms and conditions, returns policy, delivery conditions, postal address (not a post office box) and phone number (not a mobile number). Having this information will help if you subsequently encounter difficulties with your order. Keep your receipts and check these against your statement. If you spot a transaction you did not authorise tell your card company immediately.

· Section 75 protection – if you are buying something between £100 and £30,000 consider using a credit card, as you will then have extra protection through Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act. This covers you whether the online retailer is based in the UK or abroad. Section 75 states that should a problem subsequently arise, such as the company going out of business, you can claim your money back from your credit card company.

· Fraud protection – If you are an innocent victim of any type of card fraud you will not suffer any financial loss.

Anyone who is unfortunate enough to be the victim of card fraud should report the incident first to their card company and then to Action Fraud at www.actionfraud.org.uk.

More information about shopping safely online is available at www.becardsmart.org.uk.

¹ source: Interactive Media in Retail Group (IMRG) Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index

² source: research commissioned by the National Fraud Authority (NFA)

Belvedere launches "Dream Job" to find golbal brand ambassador.

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Super-premium vodka brand Belvedere, owned by Moët Hennessy, has announced the launch of its worldwide “Dream Job” campaign. The successful candidate will be awarded the once in a lifetime job as a $100,000 Global Brand Ambassador role. Working alongside Head of Spirit Creation and Mixology Claire Smith, representing the brand on a global stage, the winner will travel the world educating bartenders on how best to enjoy Belvedere, and creating innovative and exciting cocktails.?

Bartenders, mixologists, and vodka enthusiasts from around the world will be invited to submit short videos to Belvedere Vodka’s official Facebook fan page showcasing their mixology skills, and demonstrating why they should be selected for the dream job.

After entries close on 15th October, a panel of experts will select a shortlist of UK and European semi-finalists who will compete in a series of cocktail-making and presentation challenges at an event hosted at a top London bar and judged by a panel headed up by a top industry name. Entrants will have to demonstrate their creativity and skills with challenges including creating ten Belvedere Vodka cocktails in ten minutes. ??

The top two semi-finalists will go through to the Global Final, taking place in Los Angeles on 15th December, with seven finalists from across the world appearing in front of a celebrity judging panel to be presented with the final challenge, before an overall winner is declared.??

Commenting on the “Dream Job”, Claire Smith, Head of Spirit Creation and Mixology for Belvedere Vodka said “We are thrilled to extend such a tremendous opportunity to so many talented bartenders and mixologists around the world; it is our hope that the competition not only unites those ?with a keen understanding of super premium vodka, but also inspires a higher level of innovation and creativity in cocktail creation that our new Global Brand Ambassador will help to ‘fine tune’ for our plans and projects next year.”?

Emesha. Brilliant New Clothing line. {Style}

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Emesha launches new collection at Estethica

Emesha is being heralded as the exciting, new sustainable brand to watch – and the collection will be shown for the first time in the UK at Estethica at London Fashion Week.

Emesha is the sporty-luxe label for the woman who does not want to compromise on style and quality. Experimental pattern cutting, draping and crisp tailoring techniques are combined to create clean silhouettes and feminine looks.

The covetable AW10 collection combines strong masculine and ultra feminine elements, representing the ever changing emotions of a woman – with inspiration coming from the emotional extremes of love and hate, happiness and sadness, soft and rough. These feelings are reflected in the mix of shapes, colours and fabrics, combining draping with cutting edge tailoring to all blend into a visually balanced collection.

The collection includes masculine pieces such as cargo pants and romantic feminine draping, with little black dresses to compliment the daywear pieces, all worn rough for an urban chic look. The colour palette includes khakis, blacks, greys, beiges and a touch of bright pink in a range of fabrics from soft silks to hard woolens.

Expert production skills result in a collection with superior attention to detail and the highest standard of quality, a veritable abundance of playful but wearable pieces.

www.emesha.com

Emesha Nagy founded her label Emesha in 2008 having graduated from the London College of Fashion in 2006 and was selected to show her graduate collection at the Swatch Alternative Fashion Week in London. Her previous experience includes working with Vivienne Westwood and Jasper Conran.

The Emesha label was launched in the United States at Nolcha Fashion Week, New York to exceptional reviews and Emesha Nagy noted as a “One To Watch” by Nolcha.

Emesha is fully committed to environmental and social responsibilities. The fabrics used are 100% natural, therefore fully bio-degradable. The brand’s mission is to always source new eco-friendly fabrics, use sustainable materials and recycle as much as possible. They aim to use recycled paper for letterheads and labels, and promote e-brochures to save paper waste.

Emesha practices fair wage policy and production is organized to help the depriving fashion industry in Hungary to survive the difficult economic and social changes.

Estethica, London Fashion Week, Somerset House 19th – 23rd February.

Sales Enquiries

sales@emesha.com

Tel: +44 (0) 77590 32999

Press and Showroom Enquiries

For further media enquiries, interviews and images, please contact Felicities

Alison Lowe, Felicities Ltd

Tel: 0207 377 6030

alison@felicities.co.uk