Tag Archives: South Africa

Christmas Gifts : A Guide to Great Spirits and Liqueurs

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Foxhole Gin

Try an innovative English Gin this Christmas, multi-award winning Foxhole Gin has been created with a passion for sustainability. Distilled with a spirit made from tonnes of pressed grapes wineries usually throw away, Foxhole Gin rescues them to produce a beautifully balanced, aromatic and charming spirit. You’re bound to impress with their sophisticated packaging with a unique and impressive gin to match inside. Foxhole have a curated a selection of their range ideal for Christmas including;

Foxhole miniatures are a great stocking filler.

If you’re looking for a gift for collectors try the marc 3 limited gift pack which contains a 700ml bottle of the Foxhole Gin: marc 3 gift wrapped and adorned with an antique copper Foxhole spirits badge. marc 3 is strictly limited to 500 bottles due to the 8760 hrs it takes to produce this using the valuable 2015 by products from Sussex Vineyards.

Digital Gift Cards,

Available in (£10, £25, £50, £75, £100) this can be used to purchase any Foxhole Gin products on their online store including tonics.

foxholespirits.com

Baileys

This Christmas there are five different Baileys for you to try. For someone who like to keep it traditional we have Baileys Original and this year they have launched their new dairy free Baileys Almande. Blending crushed almonds, almond oil and essence of real vanilla, this new product is dairy free and vegan friendly and available at whole foods stores across the UK. Also available is the Baileys Chocolate Luxe blended with Belgian Chocolate and Baileys Original Irish Cream, Baileys Coffee and Baileys Orange Truffle.

baileys.com


Greenall’s Sloe Gin

Greenall’s the traditional British Gin have recently launched their new Sloe Gin recipe which is designed to be the perfect winter tipple. This ruby red blend of sweet sloe berries produces strong notes of almonds and cherry. Greenall’s created with a traditional, hand-crafted recipe has been made to be enjoyed not just as a liqueur but also as a great base for a cocktail. We highly recommend the ‘take it sloe toddy’ as your ultimate winter warmer. Greenall’s Sloe Gin is made through a completely natural and hands on method using only the product of the 8 weeks of sloe berry maceration. No additional juices or artificial colours are added and mixing is done by hand using the traditional Greenall’s recipe which has remained unchanged for more than 250 years.

Greenall’s Sloe Gin is available to buy through amazon.co.uk priced at £18 a bottle.

amazon.co.uk

Amarula

Personally, no feast is complete without an Irish Coffee and my perfect variation of one would definitely contain Amarula. This mysterious and creamy liqueur is distilled in South Africa and produced from the fruit of the Marula tree is aged in french oak before being blended into its luxurious creamy texture giving it a sweet honey caramel texture. This versatile liqueur can be enjoyed on the rocks, as a spicy winter warmer and even in desserts for all the bakers out there. Amarula has a 24month shelf life but we can’t guarantee it will last that long in your drinks cupboard as you won’t be able to get enough of it’s luxurious taste and texture.

Amarula is available in 700ml bottles and available to buy from multiple major retailers priced at £12.50 a bottle.

A Day in the Life of Tracy Baines

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traceybaines

 

My life is full of distractions, it always has been. It’s one of the hazards of working from home. These days the distractions are mostly delightful and indulgent. First of all we have a new puppy, Harry, a springer spaniel and for the time being his needs come first. At the moment he’s snoozing in his bed at my feet but mostly he’s biting at my files and books and I am constantly telling him NO. He’ll learn.

harry

Once I’ve fed him and myself I’ll get to work on something easy like a blog post, just to get the writing flowing. If I start with emails it’s all too easy to get distracted so I leave that for later when I need a brain break.

 

I’m working on a book about my experience with my daughter’s eating disorder and the effect it had on the family. It was the kind of book I needed when we discovered how ill she was. It’s hard work as it brings back the awfulness of the situation so after about an hour I’m looking for something lighter to play with.  I might edit a couple of chapters of my novel or work on the second Nelly’s Jellies picture book for children, or an article or short story. I write for magazines such as You, (South Africa), That’s Life Fast Fiction, (Australia) and most of the UK women’s magazines.

 

After lunch my daughter usually appears with my grandchildren, Elsie and Hadley. The kettle goes on and we sit and chat and generally let the grandkids call the tune. So it might be CBeebies with Mr Bloom and Show Me, Show Me, or an hour in the garden. Sometimes my son comes over with his wife and my grandson, Huxley, and then the house becomes full and noisy and before long I want to escape to the quiet of my office and get back to work.

grandchildren I tend to use the afternoons for admin or going out for lunch with my husband. I can’t say long suffering husband as it’s been the other way around for years and now it’s my turn to pursue my writing career. When he goes out to the golf club  I might work for an hour or two in the office, editing a short story unless I’m teaching in which case I might arrive early to class and work on something or catch up on reading and research. I try to use as many ‘bits’ of time as productively as I can to work on my writing as for years that was all that was available to me. I think that’s why short stories are perfect if you don’t have a lot of time to write. You don’t have to hold so much in your head all and yet you have the satisfaction of seeing your work in print. A quick fix if you like.

 

 

 

Fever Trails’ Remix of ‘Low’, Debut From Neo-Soul London duo Youth

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Listen to Fever Trails’ Remix of ‘Low’, the debut from neo-soul London duo Youth. It is more suited to the stereo than the dancefloor. Original track can be heard HERE and downloaded for free.

YOUTH Image Low Video

Fever Trails are seen as one of the most up and coming producers in Cape Town, South Africa and has got lots of people extremely excited. This remix has already had some glowing feedback.

Let us know what you think.

 

 

PR Fired After Racist Aids Tweet

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Justine Sacco, formally the head of corporate communications for Barry Diller’s New York-based internet empire InterActive Corp, has been fired after a racist tweet which went viral while she was in the air for an 11-hour flight from London to Cape Town, where she flew to be with her family over Christmas. Sacco issued a statement on Sunday to the Star newspaper in South Africa. She also deleted the tweet and then her entire twitter account after landing. The tweet (below) was retweeted over 2000 times and went viral after Buzzfeed picked it up and the hashtag #HasJustineLandedYet trended.

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In her statement Sacco said she was in “anguish knowing that my remarks have caused pain to so many people. Words cannot express how sorry I am, and how necessary it is for me to apologize to the people of South Africa, who I have offended due to a needless and careless tweet.

There is an AIDS crisis taking place in this country, that we read about in America, but do not live with or face on a continuous basis. Unfortunately, it is terribly easy to be cavalier about an epidemic that one has never witnessed firsthand.”

Sacco was born in South Africa and her father still lives there.

And the best response is this tweet from Ellie mac @ellenmc

 

What do you think?

FIRE IN BABYLON PREMIERE; Sport and Film Collide.

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WALK THE RED, GOLD AND GREEN CARPET WITH THE STARS AT THE
FIRE IN BABYLON PREMIERE

The must attend premiere of the month takes place on Monday 9th May as celebrities from the world of sport and film gather to celebrate the release of the highly acclaimed FIRE IN BABYLON.

Taking place at the Odeon, Leicester Square, the premiere is opening its doors to the public and if you’re a sports or cricket fan this is an event not to be missed!

FIRE IN BABYLON charts the glorious supremacy of the West Indies cricket team throughout the late ‘70s and ‘80s and proves the bat and ball were more effective than gunfire in the battle against racial injustice and struggle for black rights.

In a turbulent era of apartheid in South Africa; race-riots in England and civil unrest in the Caribbean, the West Indian cricketers struck a wonderfully defiant blow at the forces of white prejudice world-wide.

With Caribbean flair, fearless spirit and a thumping reggae beat, they hijacked the genteel game of the privileged elite and replayed it on their own terms.

If you’d like to be in the presence of legends such as Sir Viv Richards and Michael Holding amongst a host of others then book your seat today and don’t miss this amazing and inspirational film.

Ticket prices range from £100 for the Royal Circle, £50 for the Rear Circle and £25 for Stalls. Simply log on to www.odeon.co.uk and go to London Leicester Sq/ Fire in Babylon.

To view the official trailer of FIRE IN BABYLON visit: www.fireinbabylon.com

FIRE IN BABYLON will be screened as a limited release in cinemas nationwide on May 20 2011
Followed by the DVD release on June 6 2011

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www.twitter.com/fireinbabylon

David Beckham World Cup interview. Exclusive to Yahoo! and Frost.

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Frost Magazine, in association with Yahoo! gets the inside scoop from David Beckham on England’s disappointing World Cup campaign and tells us which players have impressed him in South Africa.

What was your assessment of England at the World Cup?

We didn’t play at the level we knew that we were capable of. Over the four matches we weren’t good enough and regardless of the goal that never was, Germany played better than we did over the 90 minutes and deserved to go through. Having seen the lads in training, the spirit was good, everyone trained at a really high level, it was just disappointing we couldn’t transfer that onto the pitch. As a team, we have to learn from everything that’s happened, come back stronger and play to our potential.

What was the experience of watching from the bench like?

It was different and at times I wanted to get out onto the pitch and play! It was frustrating at times, but purely because I know what the players out on the pitch are capable of. I have to say the fans were unbelievable, like they always are. It must have been really tough, having spent the time and money they did and the team were so desperate to give them the success their support deserved.

Have your experiences in South Africa and the success of Diego Maradona given you the urge to take up coaching?

While I am flattered to be talked about as a coach and am always available for my country, whenever I am needed, I still see myself as a player and remain supportive of the manager. Diego has done a great job so far though and I wish him well.

Who do you think is in with a shout of winning the World Cup?

It’s a tough one, there are a few teams who are very closely matched and will be there or thereabouts. Argentina looked strong in qualifying from their group with three wins from three and are a potent attacking force with the likes of Messi, Tevez and Higuain. The Germans have such pedigree at World Cups and seem to get better as each tournament progresses. Brazil are Brazil, so you’d expect them to do well and maybe go on to the final. I love watching them play football, all the players are so relaxed and comfortable on the ball. I was lucky enough to play with a few in my career and they are without doubt some of the most skillful athletes.

My other two picks would be Netherlands and Spain. The Dutch have pace throughout their side and with Van Persie, Sneijder and Robben, they have potential match-winners. Spain, despite their shock defeat at the hands of Switzerland, are unbelievably strong all over the pitch. Villa is on red-hot form at the moment and if Torres starts scoring, they are going to be a handful for anyone. That’s before you consider Xavi, Iniesta, Silva, Alonso, Fabregas, need I go on?

Which players have impressed you at the tournament so far?

With all the pressure on Messi, prior to the tournament, he’s been a star-performer so far for me. He’s been brilliant on the ball and an important link man for Argentina and instrumental in their four wins so far. Sneijder has been in fine form for the Dutch and scored some vital goals. I’ve also been impressed with Chile as a team and Sanchez, bags of pace and trickery. Diego Forlan for Uruguay has scored goals but also worked hard for the team, the same can be said for Ozil for Germany. I’d heard a bit about him before the tournament and he hasn’t disappointed, at the centre of many German attacks. David Villa has been Spain’s standout performer. He has scored goals, created chances and worked his socks off for his team and looks a good bet to be the top scorer at the World Cup.

How will the performance of Team USA affect the development of football in the US?

It can only be positive. I thought USA played well in the tournament and it will stand them in good stead for future tournaments. I know TV viewing figures were considerably more in the US compared to the World Cup four years ago. The MLS is getting stronger all the time and the increase in the number of youth leagues will all help in the development of football in the US.

Got something you’d like to ask David Beckham? Then head over to Yahoo! Answers. The football legend and global superstar will be answering the best of your questions in a unique video interview on Wednesday 14 July, with live video link-ups to 18 countries – shown exclusively on Yahoo!. So get thinking and submit a question today.

Stefans TV Picks.

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Monday 14th – Channel 4, 23:15
Once again we dive into the world of Televisual Wonderment, and the week is starting on a high with the brilliant Mr Eddie Izzard. His show Dressed to Kill is a fantastic piece of stand up and even though it’s 12 years since it was recorded in San Francisco, its still holds up against (and in my opinion is still better than) most of the comedy shows today. So sit back and marvel in the seemingly unplanned unrehearsed ramblings about history, space, movies, Italians saying Ciao and his famous Cake or Death routine.

Tuesday 15th – Sky Movies Premier, 23:40
Korea’s movie industry isn’t that well known over here, even with this sad fact, they’re still responsible for some of my favourite films, from the famous like OldBoy to the lesser known, but often recommended by me, I’m A Cyborg, But that’s OK. Their new big movie to hit our shores is The Good, The Bad, The Weird, a funny, action packed Western that spends the majority of its time either in elaborate mass gunfights or marathon length horse chases. The Good, The Bad, The Weird thankfully retains the casts original voices and hasn’t been confined to the dire pile of dubbed movies, however having said this, the subtitles aren’t great and for the likes of me (who sometimes forgets to put his glasses on) it was occasionally hard to read as the words bled into the pale desert landscapes. But even with this it’s still a brilliant movie that you should stay up late for.

Wednesday 16th – Discovery, 18:00
As those who’ve read my articles know, I love movies, even with all their unbelievable acts. I occasionally find myself, while watching an explosion filled, bullet dodging actioner if it is really possible to jump of a high cliff into freezing water and survive, or drive a car through a fire without melting the tyres, and when these questions arise…enter the Mythbusters. Mythbusters is all about two wannabe mad scientists, Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman, proving or disproving scientific myth and rumour. In this weeks double bill the guys turn their attention to the gory myth of body splitting via a snapped High Tension Cable and in the second episode they study the film Wanted in an attempt to re-create the bullet curving technique. With additional experiments and theorem smashing by the henchmen of the team Grant Imahara (electronics/robotics), Tory Bellici (builder) and Kari Byron (nerd pin up girl) Mythbusters is as humorous as it is fact filled. Loadsa fun to watch.

Thursday 17th – BBC 4, 21:00
Comedy can be a great way to change people’s outlook or highlight political issues in a way that appeals to the masses. Starting in the 60’s an nearly taking over in the 80’s political satire has always been a major comedy genre and in Frost on Satire we see it’s beginnings with programmes like ‘That Was the Week that Was’, interviews with comedians from both the UK and the US about the power of satire and clips showing the greatest satirical TV moments from the last 50 years. Expect some outstanding comedy most likely including the likes of the Cleese, Barker and Corbett sketch ‘Class’ and Ben Elton when he was great!

Friday 18th – ITV1, 18:30
Sorry to all those who are sick of all the red crosses all over the place, who only visit a select few pubs and already hate and despise vuvuzelas with a vengeance but once again England are taking to a South African pitch, this time to play Algeria in the World Cup Live, and so say the annoying football shirt clad loud braying majority (of which I am one) C’MON ENGLAAAANNNND!

Saturday 19th – ITV2, 12:00
After growing up in the 80’s I have many fond memories, some of the most prominent are ones of me and my friends riding our bikes, all pretending to have a little brown wrinkly alien joining us on our adventures. Yes of course, I’m talking about E.T The Extra Terrestrial. If your old enough to remember watching it, then reminisce back to more innocent times while watching a bunch of kids outwit highly trained agents on their BMX’s and if your too young or haven’t seen it….I feel sorry for you, make sure you catch this masterpiece of cinematic storytelling, I just really really hope it isn’t the re-mastered version and those agents are still carrying guns!

Sunday 20th – BBC4, 21:00
I am saddened, the weather is promising a glorious summer, and I am attending no festivals. Glastonbury, Download, Isle of Wight, Reading….all denied to me this year, so I’ll have to be contented with highlights on the telly-box. Celebrating the 40th anniversary of Glastonbury this year, Glastonbury at 40 will be sharing the history of the UK’s most famous festival. Narrated by Mark Radcliff, we will be treated to archive footage ranging from muddy hippies to the clean trainer’d Jay-Z and music from a plethora of bands who have played there over the years.