We think this might be one of the greatest ideas ever: on demand champagne delivered straight to your door with two champagne flute. And within ten minutes if you live in certain areas of London. We love.
One of the most extravagant app offerings in town, Gett Clicquot (a.k.a on demand champagne), is being cut to just £39 from an original £50 in line with Black Friday, to truly celebrate the upcoming online and offline shopping frenzy!
Gett partnered with Veuve Clicquot to launch the on demand champagne delivery service this summer. That’s right, a bottle of yellow label, chilled Veuve Clicquot, delivered to your door with two champagne flutes within ten minutes via scooter, throughout specific areas in London.
Users will receive their bottle of champagne, supplied by Amathus, available from 4pm – 10pm every day in and around Central, Soho, Covent Garden, Shoreditch, Clerkenwell, the City, Knightsbridge, Chelsea, Belgravia and Kensington.
Additionally, Gett are offering a Black Cab Friday deal whereby, when 3 rides or more are taken with Gett over the Cyber Weekend, Fri 27th-29th, they’ll be gifting users with £5 free cab credits.
Reunited after seven years, consummate crowd pleasers, G4, know how to put on a show.
Having reformed in November 2014 for a ‘One Night Only’ show in London, G4 quickly realised that a public appetite for more G4 was definitely still there.
With the occasional prom feel and doo-wop backbone, their harmonious blends had the Norwich Cathedral spire in a spin and the roof bosses twitching, with the handsome wooden arches and stained glass acting as the perfect backdrop for this sell-out performance, the first of their Christmas By Candlelight tour.
G4 made good on their promise to fill the set full of G4 classics as well as tracks from the ‘Christmas By Candlelight’ album, offering up ‘Danny Boy’ and ‘You Raise Me Up’, backed up by accompanying guitarist and pianist, combining in acoustical heaven.
In their younger years, churches and choir singing played a huge role in group’s Christmas experiences.
With that in mind, G4 were inspired to run a singing competition called Christmas Star Search, designed to identify talented young singers under the age of 16. The winner (to open the tour in Norwich and close the tour in Brighton), was Toby Peters, who joined the group onstage to sing the first verse of ‘Once in Royal David’s City’.
The Cathedral fell silent, a pitch-perfect performance.
With their truly immersive and harmonious blends, they were joined by the Norwich Rock Choir for ‘Oh Come All Ye Faithful’ – a haunting performance, synonymous with the reputation of this exuberant collection of beautiful singers who went on to accompany with exceptional harmonies.
This was the 21st time the Rock Choir have performed with G4, celebrating their 10th anniversary this year with a fantastic collaboration with the reunited group.
Throughout the tour, a member of the audience is invited on stage to be serenaded by the group, a genuine touching indication of the passion G4 feel towards their loyal audience.
This was the 21st time the Rock Choir have performed with G4, celebrating their 10th anniversary this year with a fantastic collaboration with the reunited group.
Opening the second half with ‘Silent Night’ from the back of the Cathedral, the quartet respectfully stepped down the main aisle to the haunting pipes of Norwich Cathedral organ.
Since reuniting, G4 have played to over 15,000 this year alone and dedicated their last song, ‘Bring Him Home’ (Les Misérables), to all people with missing friends and family.
Ending the show with a medley of Christmas favourites, the sing-along audience were left in no doubt that Christmas was just around the corner and G4 were back for good… which suggests that niceness really does go a long way.
With a series of eight shows in beautiful churches and cathedrals nationwide, these intimate shows see Jonathan, Ben, Mike and Nick share the songs from their eagerly-awaited new album, “G4 Christmas” including Christmas classics and carols, all delivered up-close and personal in some of the UK’s most iconic historic venues. “G4 Christmas”, G4’s fourth album, created with Pledge Music, released on 16th November.
Due to the overwhelming demand for G4, they are delighted to return to the stage in 2016 with their new and exciting ‘Back For Good’ tour, which is set to further showcase their flawless vocals in even more towns and cities nationwide.
Join G4 in what promises to be yet another spellbinding performance. Tickets now on sale! Available direct from the venues below: 3rd April 2016, 7.30pm POOLE The Lighthouse 0844 406 8666 Buy Tickets 4th April 2016, 7.30pm IPSWICH Regent Theatre 01473 433100 Buy Tickets 5th April 2016, 7.30pm – CROYDON Fairfield Halls 020 8688 9291 Buy Tickets 6th April 2016, 7.30pm SKEGNESS Embassy Theatre 01507 613100 Buy Tickets 7th April 2016, 7.30pm DORKING Halls 01306 881717 Buy Tickets 8th April 2016, 7.30pm LONDON Cadogan Hall 020 7730 4500 Buy Tickets 10th April 2016, 7.30pm AYLESBURY The Waterside 0844 871 7607 Buy Tickets 11th April 2016, 7.30pm BIRMINGHAM Town Hall 0121 345 0600 Buy Tickets 12th April 2016, 7.30pm LEEDS City Varieties 0113 243 0808 Buy Tickets 13th April 2016, 7.30pm PORTSMOUTH Guildhall 0844 847 2362 Buy Tickets 17th April 2016, 9.00pm EASTLEIGH Concorde Club 023 8065 1478 Buy Tickets 18th April 2016, 7.30pm TORQUAY Princess Theatre 0844 871 3023 Buy Tickets 19th April 2016, 7.30pm STOKE Victoria Hall 0844 871 7649 Buy Tickets 20th April 2016, 7.30pm GRIMSBY Auditorium 0300 300 0035 Buy Tickets 21st April 2016, 7.30pm – FOLKESTONE Leas Cliff Hall – 0844 871 3015 Buy Tickets
About G4…
G4 are a four-piece British vocal troupe who first came to prominence when they finished second in Series 1 of The X Factor in 2004, and are known for their operatic delivery of modern pop songs. Originally a barbershop quartet,[1] the members met at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, from which the name G4, standing for “Guildhall 4”, derives.
Rock Choir is the UK’s largest and most popular contemporary choir, with nearly 20,000 members in over 320 local communities nationwide. It offers adults and teenagers the chance to sing and perform popular contemporary songs, with no auditions and no requirements to read music or have any previous singing experience. Rock Choir is for anyone who just loves to sing! The choir’s popularity is phenomenal and its achievements are extraordinary. It has released two top twenty albums and performed en-masse at the 02 Arena (London), the Liverpool Echo Arena, Wembley Arena, Hammersmith Apollo, NEC and the Royal Albert Hall. In 2011, Rock Choir was the subject of a popular 3-part ITV1 documentary ‘The Choir That Rocks’ and has made numerous other TV appearances, including BBC Breakfast, The One Show, Good Morning Britain, The Paul O’Grady Show and The Alan Titchmarsh Show. Rock Choir’s uplifting ethos of fun, friendship and community spirit is a huge part of its attraction. At an individual level, it helps improve people’s self-confidence, enables them to develop new singing skills and enjoy a dynamic new social life. Singing together and achieving such a great sound gives members a huge sense of fulfilment. Added to this is the glamour and excitement of performing in public, which, for many, is a truly liberating experience!
Jo Youle, Chief Executive of the charity Missing People says “We’re thrilled to have been chosen by the wonderful G4 boys as their charity partner for the Christmas album and tour. Not only will their powerful and inspirational voices uplift and inspire us, they are also supporting our Home for Christmas Appeal which will help us to offer a lifeline to missing people and their families at what can be an incredibly lonely and heartbreaking time of year.” Every two minutes, someone goes missing in the UK. For their families the thought of Christmas without them is heartbreaking. The charity Missing People offers a lifeline when someone disappears, bringing missing adults and children home to their loved ones and supporting the families left behind. Missing People’s Home for Christmas Appeal is aiming to raise £20,000 to help the charity provide their vital helpline at the most difficult time of the year. G4 will be supporting the Home for Christmas Appeal by holding a series of collections at their Christmas By Candlelight tour.
Norwich Cathedral is an English cathedral located in Norwich, Norfolk, dedicated to the Holy and Undivided Trinity. It is the cathedral church for the Church of EnglandDiocese of Norwich and is one of the Norwich 12 heritage sites.
The cathedral was begun in 1096 and constructed out of flint and mortar and faced with a cream-coloured Caen limestone. A Saxon settlement and two churches were demolished to make room for the buildings. The cathedral was completed in 1145 with the Norman tower still seen today topped with a wooden spire covered with lead. Several episodes of damage necessitated rebuilding of the east end and spire but since the final erection of the stone spire in 1480 there have been few fundamental alterations to the fabric.
The large cloister has over 1,000 bosses including several hundred carved and ornately painted ones.
Norwich Cathedral has the second largest cloisters, only outsized by Salisbury Cathedral. The cathedral close is one of the largest in England and one of the largest in Europe and has more people living within it than any other close. The cathedral spire, measuring at 315 ft or 96 m, is the second tallest in England despite being partly rebuilt after being struck by lightning in 1169, just 23 months after its completion, which led to the building being set on fire. Measuring 461 ft or 140.5 m long and, with the transepts, 177 ft or 54 m wide at completion, Norwich Cathedral was the largest building in East Anglia.
NEW RESEARCH REVIEW WARNS THAT POOR DIETS OF OLDER PEOPLE BOOSTS RISK OF PREMATURE AGEING
Millions of older people in the UK are putting their long term health at risk because their diets are low in certain key vitamins, minerals and fatty acids, says a new research review commissioned by the
Health Supplements Information Service (HSIS).
The review, about to be published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, assessed the evidence from 34 randomised controlled trials, published 2005-2015, where adults aged 50 years and over had been given nutritional supplements.
The gold standard Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were used to ensure that only high quality studies were included in the analysis.
Commenting on the research review, GP Dr Paul Stillman, an advisor to HSIS notes:
“The data results show promising results for many nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids from fish oils, B vitamins, calcium, vitamin D and vitamin K to name a few:
Increasing omega-3 intakes from fish oils appeared to have a role in improving memory, reducing the risk of dry eye, lowering depression scores and levels of leucocyte telomere oxidative stress (a marker of how fast cells are aging) while supporting muscle protein synthesis (which helps older people remain active and avoid falls);
Folic acid and B12 supplementation were found to impact positively on cognitive function (particularly memory);
Combinations of calcium and vitamin D appeared most effective for fracture prevention
Multivitamin use was associated with reduced total cancer risk, improved reported energy levels and enhanced mood.”
However, it was clear from dietary surveys that intakes of key nutrients were low in significant groups of older people. Lead author, Dr Carrie Ruxton, comments: “Vitamin D is a key nutrient for healthy ageing, with a proven role in maintaining normal bone health and immune function. Yet dietary intakes in older British adults are just 30-40% of the recommendation with more than one fifth found to be clinically deficient. Risk of deficiency is also high for iron where 14% of older adults have low blood levels of haemoglobin leading to anaemia, poor immune function and poor cognitive health if not corrected. Smaller groups have inadequate intakes of B vitamins and calcium with those over 65 years most at risk of vitamin B12 deficiency. Average intakes of omega-3 fatty acids remain below the recommended 450mg per day because two thirds of older adults don’t eat oily fish on a regular basis.”
Dr Ruxton adds: “People’s bodies age at different speeds and it would appear that having the right diet can slow this process, therefore helping people to stay healthier for longer. While research is still at an early stage, there are promising results for fish oils, B vitamins, calcium and vitamin D. Taking more of these nutrients, from foods plus vitamin and mineral supplements, could help older people age more healthily and would certainly do no harm if intakes remain within recommendations”.
About HSIS…
The Health Supplements Information Service (HSIS) (www.hsis.org.uk; Tel: 020 7052 8955) is an independent information body, set up to provide balanced information on vitamins and minerals. It is supported by a restricted educational grant from the Proprietary Association of Great Britain (PAGB).
Being safe in business is important. Lawsuits or worse could happen if you do not make sure your products work well and have no faults. the business world is littered with stories of companies that did not make the necessary steps to protect their company and their customers. In fact, since 1995 manufacturers have had to make sure they get their machines assessed to make sure they conform to safety standards. A CE marking confirms that the machinery adheres to all of the necessaryhealth and safety requirements of the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC as well as other relevant EU directives. In fact, all machinery imported from non-EU countries requires a CE mark, irrespective of the year of construction.
We have all seen CE markings on things we have bought but how do you get one? A company like Pilz, who are an accredited inspection body for machinery and safeguarding devices, will do all of the work for you. Pilz are one of the only companies that are prepared to take responsibility for the conformity assessment procedure. They sign as the authorised representative on the declaration of conformity, confirming that the requirements of the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC have been met. Their staff work to a high level of technical competence and they leave you with peace of mind, knowing that your machinery reaches the required quality. This not only guarantee access to European market but it means you will have Pilz as your representative. Doing CE markings with Pilz also protects your workforces without compromising on productivity.
After Pilz identify and apply the relevant standards and directives, carrying our the necessary inspections, tests and measurements, you will have a complete CE-marking in conformance with legal requirements. For extra peace of mind they also create and archive the required legal documents and manage the certificate. Great stuff indeed.
As Christmas approaches, it’s nice to round off a good meal with a glass of something sweet. Traditionally you’d expect to have a glass of Port or a dessert wine such as Tokay (Hungarian) or Sauternes (French) – preferably in front of a fire.
However there are some great varieties from Australia and New Zealand. De Bortoli in South Australia has produced ‘Old Boys 21’, which is described as ‘barrel aged tawny’. To all intents and purposes this is a sort of Port, although for legal reasons the word ‘Port’ does not appear anywhere on the bottle.
Tawny port is aged in small casks. So it tends to oxidise more than the ruby port. This gives it a flavour of dried fruit – figs, raisins and lots of spice. It’s an ideal accompaniment for apple or pear tart or caramel. Old Boys 21 has these characteristics. It positively bursts with flavour. I really enjoyed it, although I’m a bit of a traditionalist and would probably want to buy a genuine bottle of Port, simply because it has a bit of a cachet and everyone will know what to expect.
Ned Noble Sauvignon Blanc 2014 is from the wine growing area of Marlborough in New Zealand. The word ‘noble’ suggests that it has been allowed to stay on the vine until affected by fungal ‘noble rot’ which results in a sweeter more intense wine. This is lovely: full of flavours of tropical fruit – lychees and passion fruit. It’s a bit syrupy, so you wouldn’t want to drink more than a couple of glasses, but it’s just the thing for a small drink after dinner. Alternately, keep a bottle out at Christmas and give a glass with a biscuit or a slice of cake. It’s a treat and reasonably priced.
The Mousetrap on Tour Chichester Festival Theatre Until 28 November www.cft.org.uk
Photograph by Liza Maria Dawson
It is almost inconceivable that after 63 years there is anyone who hasn’t seen the world’s longest running play, and yet the Festival Theatre was full of wannabe sleuths last night.
Opening with an eerie whistling of the nursery rhyme Three Blind Mice, the killer doesn’t faff about – the first murder of the night takes place almost before the house lights have gone out.
Cut to Monkswell Manor, a guest house being run by a young couple whose enthusiasm is offset by their complete inexperience of running such a business.
As the snow falls and guests arrive at Monkswell, swiftly becoming stranded there by the wintery deluge, it becomes clear that among their number is someone with murder in mind – but who?
The mistress of suspense, Christie’s script certainly cranks up the tension beautifully. Everyone could be linked to the murderer and could therefore be a target. Menace and anticipation transcend the stage and the audience, as a man, quivers with anticipation.
There are a few laughs to relieve the apprehension, mainly born of Christie’s superb observations of character and human nature, but in the main the evening is more inclined to baited breath than belly laughs.
A bit more ham than cheese in places (some of the cast are guilty as charged when it comes to occasional overacting), the intrigue and enticement to find out who the killer is makes forgiveness of such over-the-top moments easy to grant.
Particularly strong performances come from Anne Kavanagh as the magnificent battle-axe Mrs Boyle, and also Luke Jenkins as a suitably authoritative Sgt. Trotter. Edward Elgood also convinces as the immature and borderline-bonkers Christopher Wren, who could just as easily wield a machete as he could a feather duster.
Is The Mousetrap dated? Truthfully, yes. But it is also a British classic; a splendid piece of ripe Stilton that should be embraced and enjoyed absolutely in its original form.
At Christmas it is impossible to go wrong with an edible gift. Especially if it sparkles or is chocolate. Here are our favs.
Extra Special Louis Bernard Champagne from ASDA.com
Silver medal award-winning Premier cru. Fresh and elegant. Rich with biscuity hints. A very good champagne indeed. From Asda.
Asda Extra Special Mixology Belgian Chocolate Truffles
These are just amazing. Come in champagne, mojito and strawberry daiquiri. They are scrumptious beyond words. Nothing artificial, they taste like the real thing. Yum. From asda.com
Asda Extra Special Belgian Chocolate Bauble Truffles.
A medley of chocolate truffles with salted caramel truffle and a rich Christmas Pudding inspired fusion. Unique and yummy. From asda.com
Carluccio’s Clemente in Camicia
There are almost no words to describe how delicious these candied clementines covered in chocolate are. Just WOW. From http://www.carluccios.com
Carluccio’s Vin Santo e Cantucci
This gift set from Carluccio’s is superb. Amazing cantucci and vin santo to dip it into. Yum. www.carluccios.com
Arabica Spices: Ras El Hanout, Kabsa Spices, Za’atar and Lebanese 7 Spice.
Great spices to put in soups and stews, on meat or anything else you can think of. Make great stocking fillers. Arabica Food and Spice was born out of a passion for the food of the Levant — the sun-drenched lands of the Eastern Mediterranean
Its founders, Jordanian Jad and Londoner James have travelled extensively through Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine and Israel to procure the finest Levantine produce. Our range boasts a culinary kaleidoscope of delicacies, epitomising the breadth of flavour, colour and texture of one the world’s finest food cultures. http://www.arabicafoodandspice.com
Carluccio’s Panettone
It’s not Christmas without panettone and this one is amazing. An Italian slice of heaven. From http://www.carluccios.com
Where better to relax after a days shopping or for a pre-theatre supper than the Magnum Restaurant and bar on Albany Street in Edinburgh,
After a hard day shopping, my daughter-in-law and I, left the buzz of Princes Street behind and headed for the calm of Albany Street. We could see the twinkling lights of the restaurant beckoning us as we hurried through the rain past the handsome Georgian buildings. We were welcomed into the warm atmosphere of the restaurant by David, the restaurant manager.
Divested of our coats, we were ushered to a table by the window and before we could say, ‘cosy as toast’ we were relaxing with a glass of deliciously Chardonnay.
The light, juicy scallops – which I chose after much deliberation; everything on the menu looked scrummy – were served with wild mushrooms and a puree of cauliflower and vanilla which was as light as air, and maple syrup which I adore. I followed this with hake, cooked to perfection with clams and little cubes of chorizo.
Jessica was in ecstasies over the seared breast of pigeon with roasted pumpkin, red onion and herb dressing followed by maple glazed pork, pumpkin purée, black pudding, crispy pancetta, saffron potatoes and broccoli.
The olive bread could have been fresher but it didn’t stop us using it to mop up the delicious sauces.
David left us to relax with the dessert menu and I eventually decided on warm pear and ginger crumble with ice-cream while Jessica chose dark chocolate and popcorn tart served with popcorn ice-cream which she complemented with a glass of Merlot.
Needless to say, we cleared our plates, leaving not even enough room for one of their delicious coffees.
The Magnum is well worth a visit; the wine was divine: oakey Chardonnay with buttery layers, and a Merlot with that rich, subtle aroma of burnt toffee which goes so well with dark chocolate.
Chef Dow’s dishes have just enough quirkiness to make you think about what you are eating without leaving you apprehensive about trying something new.
Although not yet one of the few super chefs in Scotland, he is certainly one to watch.
We think this might be one of the greatest ideas ever: on demand champagne delivered straight to your door with two champagne flute. And within ten minutes if you live in certain areas of London. We love.
