Monthly Archives: February 2016

Try the Best of British at newly vamped Boyds Grill & Wine Bar

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Boyds Entrance area

This week saw the re-launch of Boyds Grill & Wine Bar situated in the heart of London’s Trafalgar Square. Created by Charles Boyd and designed by Paul Clarke and Nick Preece, this masterful creation has a menu every bit as striking and luxurious as the fine furnishings and exquisite chandeliers. It is the distinct personality of Boyd’s that really does set this restaurant apart with quality touches such as their innovative use of the finest British produce to create their varied menu.

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At Boyds, the use of British produce doesn’t have to mean ‘Pub Grub’ and Executive Chef, Nate Brewster really has pulled out all the stops to showcase his international cooking techniques to the finest British ingredients. The Sipsmith Gin Cured Salmon was particularly impressive served up in Sashimi style pieces with Daikon and Buttermilk Sorbet as well as the Seven Hour Braised Lamb Leg with Carrot and Apple puree. The meat dishes on the menu are particularly impressive with lamb so tender it will literally melt in your mouth. But fear not, if it is classics you’re after, your needs will be met with a Nate Brewster twist. Try the Mac and Wookey Hole cheese bite with BBQ sauce. It really is every bit as indulgent as it sounds and will leave your mouth-watering for more.

Boyds Kitchen Bar area

The space has been designed to suit all needs whether it’s for a casual bite at the bar or a more formal dining experience. Boyds have ensured that the same menu is available in all the areas and please don’t let the historic Victorian clad interior fool you into thinking only fine fayre is on offer. Boyds have ensured that it’s a venue you can pop in for nibbles after work, pre-theatre or for a quick bite at lunch. We recommend trying out the tapas style meats and cheeses on offer, all British may we add. The fine selections have been sourced from top UK producers such as White Lake Cheese and Trealy Farm only the best at Boyds.

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As well as their great British food offering, Boyds Grill & Wine Bar will be serving the very best of wines at good value prices as well as a selection of tasty cocktails. All the wines can be enjoyed by the glass, thanks to the newly installed ‘By the Glass’ machine which preserves the wines at their peak.

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All in all, Boyds has a very unique and pleasant feel. The beautiful bronze bar and stunning artwork really transport you to Old England with a contemporary twist and the impressive, well thought out menu will leave you more than satisfied. Every dish is Instagram-worthy may we add, so if you’re looking to wow your followers with some impressive looking dishes or wow your date, mum, manager, new client with some outstanding food and ambience than look no further than Boyds Grill & Wine Bar.

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The restaurant is open all day and evening Monday to Saturday from 8:00am – 11:30pm.

                                                                                      Boyds Grill & Wine Bar


8 Northumberland Avenue,

London, WC2N 5BY

Tel: 0207 808 3344


www.boydsgrillandwinebar.co.uk

From Both Ends of the Stethoscope by Dr Kathleen Thompson Book Launch

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From Both Ends of the Stethoscope by Dr Kathleen Thompson Book Launch
Frost was exceptionally pleased to be invited to the launch of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope by Dr Kathleen Thompson. Yes, we had champagne, and yes, the eats were fantastic, and most of us wore masks, but it it was the occasion. It was such fun, and the ideal way to launch a book – a book which after all, could be life changing.

From Both Ends of the Stethoscope by Dr Kathleen Thompson Book Launch4
Frost’s Margaret Graham, duly masked meeting those waiting to buy a copy of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope

If you haven’t yet readthis guide which Dr Thompson wrote to help those with breast cancer, you should do so. She  explains the ins and outs of treatment, the questions to ask, and includes wise words on helping to prevent a recurrence. All this alongside her own journey to recovery from the disease.
From Both Ends of the Stethoscope by Dr Kathleen Thompson Book Launch1 From Both Ends of the Stethoscope by Dr Kathleen Thompson Book Launch2
Dr Kathleen Thompson signing copies of her books.

Frost is proud to include a further excerpt from this truly fascinating book.

Chapter 1

Let’s face it, cancer is what happens to other people. Poor souls, with the sword of Damocles swinging on a fraying thread over their heads, these are people who are inevitably going to die, and soon. Of course we feel sorry for them — we’ll send them a card, a basket of fruit, some flowers, but we certainly don’t have plans to join their exclusive club.

Well guess what? All of us have cancer cells in our bodies on a fairly regular basis, and more than one in three of us in the western world will experience some form of cancer during our lives. So I’m afraid there’s a fairly high chance of ‘us’ becoming ‘them’. Maybe you’re reading this because you’ve already joined the ‘club’.

The good news is, our bodies are very capable of fighting cancer. Indeed, most of the time cancer cells are destroyed as soon as they develop, much in the way that our immune system hunts down and destroys bacteria or viruses. Other times, the cancer sneaks through our defences, but even if it does, it can still be overcome. I say ‘can’ because despite all efforts, some people do succumb. To keep things in perspective though, many cancer sufferers live to a very respectable old age, and eventually fill up completely different columns in the ‘cause of death’ statistics.

Cancer is on the increase, and there are many theories as to why. So, what steps can we take to reduce our chance of getting cancer, or to help fight an existing cancer? I have some ideas for you inside this book.

But first, who am I? What qualifications do I have that would permit me to offer you advice in what could be an extremely traumatic time? I’m a medical doctor. I’m on the wrong side of fifty and divorced. I have two fabulous children, a loving extended family and some good friends. I’d always worked hard, but I was starting to ease off, take up more hobbies and enjoy myself — when my life changed.

Like you, I never thought I would get cancer.

As a doctor, I would sympathise with cancer patients and offer them encouragement from within my armour-plated white-coat. They were the patients, I was the doctor. Simple.

Even when my developing cancer crept into my consciousness, I ignored it, and my own advice.

Maybe it would just go away.

But it didn’t, and I had to face the realisation that my life might be cut very short. Then, on top of that, I had to negotiate my way through complicated highly-specialised medical treatments and, on occasions, challenge medical decisions. I found this extremely hard, even as a doctor, because I was also a vulnerable patient, and I was depending on other doctors for my survival.

Cancer taught me a great deal. Primarily it taught me that diagnosis is not a death sentence. People can and do survive cancer, most of the time. However, being forced to face the possibility of my imminent demise, I gradually learned not to fear death either. I also learned to appreciate every day of this wonderful thing called life.

I have a lot to share with you, so welcome to Cancer Club —whether you have cancer yourself or you know someone who has.
From Both Ends Of The Stethoscope by Dr Kathleen Thompson

Available from: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Both-Ends-Stethoscope

 

 

 

Journey to Death by Leigh Russell Review by Frances Colville

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Journey to Death by Leigh Russell Review by Frances Colville

The first of a new series by established crime writer Leigh Russell, Journey to Death is set on an island in The Seychelles.  Lucy Hall arrives on the island with her parents for a holiday following the traumatic break-up of a relationship, but soon becomes aware that all is not as it seems.  Behind the warmth and tranquility of a popular tourist destination lies a dark and mysterious threat to the safety of Lucy and her family.  Is someone trying to frighten or even kill them, and if so, why?

 

Lucy is an appealing if rather naive character who steps up to try  to solve a crime in which the authorities are not particularly interested.  I enjoyed the setting, and the descriptions of the island and its beaches and thought the book was generally well plotted.  There were a few occasions when it was all a bit slow and tedious and I wanted things to speed up and get sorted.  But overall it’s a good read – uncomplicated and easy to follow.  And intriguing enough to make you want to get to the end and discover how it all works out.

 

Journey to Death is a stand-alone book but the seeds are sown within it for a new crime series featuring Lucy Hall.  Published February 2016 by Thomas & Mercer (an imprint of Amazon Publishing) and available in paperback and e-book versions.

 

 

Spandau Baddie: Martin Kemp Meets Vicky Edwards

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Martin Kemp tells Vicky Edwards why his musical theatre debut is going with a bang-bang…

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Photo credit: Alastair Muir

From gangster Reggie Kray to evil control freak Steve Owen in EastEnders, Martin Kemp is extremely good at being bad. Currently on tour in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang playing the Childcatcher, arguably one of the most iconic villains of all time, Martin is drawing on his previous roles for inspiration, but admits that there’s unchartered territory to explore when it comes to the character that regularly tops the polls of movie monsters.
“The Childcatcher is an exaggerated version of everything I have ever done before, but it comes from a completely different angle,” explained Martin. “He’s a step away from reality; all the characters are really, especially in the second half when we go to Vulgaria.
“In the first half I play a character called the Junk Man, but in the second half that kind of Alice in Wonderland thing happens and the Junk Man becomes the Childcatcher. Robert Helpmann did an amazing job [in the film], but my physicality is not the same as his; I don’t have his ballet background, so instead I try to bring a bit more horror to the role.”
Judging from the booing that fills the theatre before he has even set foot on the stage, he’s clearly doing that very effectively.
“Kids are scared of the name: Childcatcher. When the Baron says “Call for the Childcatcher!” I can feel the tension in the theatre and then I hear the boos,” he laughed, adding, “But that’s part of the whole experience. If you haven’t laughed, cried and been scared then you haven’t seen a good show. You need to be taken to all those places.”
And with cheers at the curtain call almost taking the roof off the theatre, it seems that it’s a journey that audiences of all ages are delighted to undertake. A co-production between Music & Lyrics Limited and West Yorkshire Playhouse, this brand spanking new reimagining of the much-loved Sherman Brothers musical is winning critical acclaim as well as standing ovations.
“Ten years ago I saw the show in London and the main thing I remembered about it afterwards was the car,” said Martin. “But now it’s very much about the story. It amazes me, but every night I walk out of stage door and people are there saying how much they loved the whole show. From old people who saw the movie on their first date to kids meeting Chitty for the very first time, the demographic is extraordinary. Yes, it’s changed from the book, and then again from the film and again from the original stage musical, but it really works. We’re sending people home with big smiles on their faces.”
As for his fellow cast members, mention them and it is Martin with a big smile on his face. “It’s a great cast,” he enthused. “I’ve worked with Michelle [Collins] before and it’s lovely to work with her again, but they are all brilliant performers.” And so they are. Funny men Jason Manford as Caractacus Potts and Phill Jupitus as Lord Scrumptious and Baron Bomburst are joined by Martin and Michelle, as well as Andy Hockley of Phantom of the Opera fame as Grandpa Potts, and West End leading lady Amy Griffiths as Truly Scrumptious. Add to that a world class company of singers and dancers and you have a show that is dazzling, star-studded and that absolutely lives up to the ‘fantasmagorical’ praise.
But while the story of Chitty might have been knocking around for a good while, musical theatre is a new challenge for Martin.
“One reason I am here is that I have never done a musical before and I thought this might be a nice way to dip my toe in. I love trying new things and I love working with new people.”
That happy-go-lucky, have-a-go attitude wasn’t always there, however. In fact, as a child he confesses that he struggled with crippling shyness.
“I’ve been doing this a while now but at the age of eight I was incredibly shy, so my mum sent me to Anna Scher’s drama workshops,” said Martin, who knows first-hand what an advantage drama classes can be to children.
“What drama clubs give you is a small amount of this magic dust called charisma. I always say that I owe everything to Anna Scher because she formed my personality as a kid.”
Pointing out that whether you become an actor or join a band or you just use that acquired confidence to get through interviews when you’re 16, Martin is certain that drama clubs are a fantastic way of developing both character and life skills.
As for children watching live theatre, absorbing stories close up rather than on a screen, Martin loves the way they get totally involved.
“Adults watch, but kids believe and become part of the world they see unfolding; they just dive in,” he nodded.
“For Chitty we recently did what is called a ‘Relaxed Performance’ for children with disabilities and conditions like Autism. The show was adapted around the audience’s needs and it was a wonderful thing to be part of.”
A member of one of the most popular bands of all time, star of movies, TV and now a musical, Martin certainly can’t complain of always doing the same old same old.
“I have always changed it up a bit and I like never knowing what’s around the corner,” he laughed, although actually this time he does know what is coming next.
“I have just finished a year on tour with Spandau which was wonderful, but it’s this great big machine that needs five artic trucks and a 100-strong crew. When you play huge arenas the size of Wembley you know that to people at the back you’re just a speck of dust in the distance and that you’ll never get to meet those people. So in May I am doing the sort of antidote to not meeting people with a show that’s going to tour called An Audience with Martin Kemp. I’ll be travelling around England chatting about my life and career and taking questions from the audience. Yeah, it’s going to be different and fun,” he grinned.
With such a busy professional life, relaxation, he says, comes in the form of painting.“That’s my down time. Sometimes it shuts me off from the world and I lose myself completely.” Asked what he paints and the smile that stole my sixteen-year-old heart lights up his face again. “I paint rock ‘n’ roll,” he says with a chuckle.
Super-talented, funny, warm and with rock ‘n’ roll artistic flair to boot, however brilliantly nasty he is as the Childcatcher, in real life Martin Kemp is a total sweetie.
Vicky Edwards

 

One in Five Women have felt Sexually Discriminated Against in the Workplace

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Some bad news on the equality front: a third of working women have experienced discrimination and harassment in the workplace, according to research.

They’ve been spoken over or had opinions dismissed in meetings, received unwelcome comments on their appearance or clothing and been called “woman” and “clever girl”.

The poll of 2,000 working women revealed many have had their work and achievements hijacked by male colleagues or have experienced unwanted touching, brushing or stroking from other members of their team.

One woman lost her job after refusing a marriage proposal from her line manager while another was frequently ordered to make her male colleagues their drinks.

Another reported a male employee was taken on to do the same job as her – and later discovered he was being paid £1,000 more.

And a female shop worker ended up getting unwanted texts from a security guard who went into the manager’s office and took her mobile phone number from personnel records.

Georgina Calvert-Lee, Senior Litigation Counsel at law firm McAllister Olivarius, which commissioned the research to understand better what women are facing in the workplace, said: “It’s sad to hear that these kinds of things continue and are so widespread. It confirms what our clients tell us about their own experiences.

“We’re sure many women will feel as though they are the only ones having to deal with situations like this.

“But we’re certain there will be women out there who don’t actually realise they’re experiencing sexual discrimination or harassment.”

“Sometimes it can feel a bit daunting speaking up; especially if you’re afraid of losing your job for standing your ground.

“But the only way these situations are going to be solved is by making others aware of it and not suffering in silence.”

Of the 42 per cent of women who have ever taken maternity leave, one in 10 said they felt discriminated against when they returned to work.

One mum explained that once she had returned to work after maternity leave her job had ‘disappeared’, and she was given menial tasks which weren’t enough to fill the day.

Another respondent said her manager had told her there was no point in promoting young female staff as “they all leave on maternity anyway”.

One in six women in management said they have been called ‘bossy’ when instructing another member of staff.

Four in 10 women have experienced colleagues trying to turn workplace conversations into sexualised ones.

In fact one in five have felt sexually discriminated against in their current workplace at least once.

Twenty four per cent of women in work have never sought help for the bad experiences they’ve had in at work – but have considered it.

And because of this, many women believe it would make sense to make sure sexual discrimination should be discussed in the work place so it’s recognised a little easier.

Georgina added: “Women who have experienced sexual discrimination and harassment don’t need to suffer in silence.

“It’s illegal, and you can get help. Good companies want to fix it. Other companies can be persuaded by legal action”.

McAllister Olivarius is an international law firm representing people who face discrimination in their professional lives.

 

TOP 10 MOST FREQUENT DISCRIMINATION AND HARRASSMENT INCIDENTS IN THE WORK PLACE FOR WOMEN

 

1. Been spoken over of had their opinion dismissed in meetings

2. Received unwelcome comments on appearance or clothes

3. Been called “woman”, “clever girl” or other dismissive terms

4. Been asked to make tea or run errands more than male colleagues

5. Felt unable to complain about being treated unprofessionally for fear of being accused of being oversensitive

6. Been referred to as ‘bossy’ due to instructing another member of staff

7. Been judged / commented on for their sexual attractiveness

8. Having credit for their work taken by male colleagues

9. Been assumed to be the assistant / PA or lower ranking member of staff

10. Experienced unwanted touching, brushing or stroking from other colleagues

 

 

106-year-old Virginia McLaurin Dances With The Obamas At The White House

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106-year-old Virginia McLaurin Dances With The Obamas At The White HouseAt Frost we almost cried at this amazing video of 106-year-old Virginia McLaurin dancing with joy when she met the Obamas at The White House. Her happiness at a black President being in the White House is so touching and says a lot about how far we have come. The First Lady is graceful and tells McLaurin, ‘I want to be like you when I grow up’. The White House shared the touching video of McLaurin fulfilling her dream of visiting the White House and meeting President Obama for Black History Month. She said she was ‘so happy’ to have lived to see a black president of the United States.

Get Stunning Results with the Revolutionary ‘A-Lift Facial’ by Nouveau Skin Therapy

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A Lift 2
A firm, facial favourite with Celebrities and Beauty Therapists alike, Nouveau Skin Therapy focus on bringing the most effective, natural and scientific developments in anti-ageing skin rejuvenation to consumers and salons across the UK. They’re committed to cater for a wide range of skin goals and with their revolutionary £30 A-Lift Facial, you’ll be stunned by the A List results.

What sets the A-Lift Facial a bar above regular facials is that it pretty much gives you the results of a surgical procedure without the need for any needles or scalpels. Yes, it is completely non-evasive and such results are achieved by the use of machines designed for sports injuries to increase ATP production in the cells. In short, this promotes skin regeneration, improves muscle tone and stimulates the skin to act younger by using a series of nano-currents. This also produces an increase of collagen. No wonder why it’s a firm favourite with stars such as Sadie Frost, Ellie Golding and Lisa Snowden.

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We were lucky enough to try out the A-Lift facial and even though The Anti-Ageing effect is not personally what I’m after at present, it was still the best facial I have ever had. My skin was instantly brighter, tighter and rejuvenated. Perfect for this brisk winter weather, we would definitely recommend it as the ideal skin therapy. One of the best things was that I didn’t have a single breakout after, nor was there any sign of skin redness. The facial lasts up to 50 minutes and includes lymphatic drainage which effectively rids your skin of toxins. Perfect if you’re in need of an overall boost and some down time. Priced at £30 this facial really is a no brainer and we would recommend it as the perfect lunch-time treat, pre-party pick-me-up or Mother’s Day Gift.

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You can look up salons nearest to you where they offer this treatment here;

To find out more visit www.nouveaubeautygroup.com

Best Chinese New Year Ever by Alex Bannard – Bangkok Correspondent

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The year of the monkey.

Best Chinese New Year Ever by Alex Bannard - Bangkok Correspondentgoldentemple1

 

My first Chinese New Year (well not my first, I’m 45, there have been many) but the first I have celebrated was amazing, energizing and inspiring, spiritual and serene. Since I arrived in Bangkok I have wanted to do a cycle tour of the city. A very good friend invited me up join her and her cousin. On the day we realized our tour coincided with Chinese New Year and were a little doubtful of whether being bound for Chinatown on saddle was such a good idea. We couldn’t have been more wrong.

 

We arrived at the Follow Me headquarters a little late but we were welcomed warmly & joined by a Japanese girl who was in Bangkok over the weekend for work. We were dispatched to watch an amusing induction movie on cycle conduct before wobbling out of the drive and heading off.

 

Navigating the narrow soi’s was at times precarious especially if there was on-coming traffic either on foot or 2 wheels but we soon got the hang of it. Our first stop off was at a local Wat home of a primary school. The King, Rama 6 was educated at Oxford over 100 years ago and travelled around Europe. He saw children being educated in schools initiated the building of primary schools in the same grounds as the temples, the monks becoming the teachers. To this day many of these schools survive today. Matthew our guide, was educated in such a school.

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Matthew’s Thai name is Thew meaning good view, a fitting name since he was born to be a guide and gave us a great insight and view of Bangkok, full of knowledge and very entertaining. He proceeded to tell us about his 15 days training as a monk, common in Thailand and a huge honour.  He was 25, the lessons he learnt and the 15 days immersed in the spiritual life of a monk changed his life.

 

pic 3 customs house

 

Next stop was the old customs house along side the river. Now derelict it is soon to be renovated into a luxury hotel. We made our way past the modern post office, the old British embassy. Then we went to the Chinese temple which was amazing.

 

pic 4 chinese temple

 

The Doctor Buddha resides in this temple, so called because of his healing hands during his lifetime.

 

pic 5. doctor

 

Locals who desire better health will pilgrimage to this temple but on Chinese New Year, the temple was buzzing, incense filled the air & tall thick red candles bought by local families, labeled with the family name burned brightly.

 

pic 6 candles

 

It was a very special moment to celebrate the dawning of the year of the monkey 2259 (2016 on the Gregorian calendar).

We cycled into Chinatown. Red lanterns adorned shop alcoves. Banners hung across the street and almost everyone was either dressed in traditional Chinese dress or red. The atmosphere was electric, carnival like. And it was barely 10am.
pic 7 shopping in Chinatown

 

I needed to buy Chinese New Year costumes for the kids and myself so we could join in the celebrations at school and got very lucky with some great purchases. Then I got the kids a Chinese New Year dragon…when in Rome and all that. Talk about taking multi-tasking to the next level.

 

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The next stop was the flower market. The flower market runs 24 hours a day. It is divided into the offerings section and the wedding section. Don’t get them confused and take flowers from the wrong section to the wrong event, it could get awkward. We saw 50 roses for 80bht approx £2 and other Valentine treats, such as roses styled out of Ferrero Rocher, a perfect Valentine’s treat for Mr P.

 

pic 9 roses

 

Then we loaded the bikes on the river taxi to go across the river to another local Wat, The Royal Temple. Not known on the tourist circuit since it nestles next door to and is overshadowed by the Arun Wat but since this is enfolded in scaffolding rendering it hugely underwhelming, Matthew took us next door.

 

pic 10 Royal Wat

 

This fabulous set of temples is usually quiet during the week but since it was Chinese New Year it was absolutely bustling. The air was again heavily incense infused, the bells ringing in our ears as the worshippers cleansed their spirits by chiming every bell.

 

pic 11 ringing

 

Matthew gave us each 2 lotus flowers and showed us how to fold the lotus leaves to reveal the flower, a wonderfully therapeutic exercise, almost meditative in its essence.

 

pic 12 Folding Lotus Leaves

Then we made an offering to the Buddha of the flowers and wound our way back to our bikes through the throng.

 

Back on the saddle we wove through more Soi’s glimpsing snatches of Thai life: small dark shop openings; flashes of flatscreen TV’s through part open doorways; women sitting on wooden seats watching the world go by; kids playing bare foot in the street; family members asleep on the floor and lots of greetings of ‘Sawadee ka’ and ‘Happy new year’. It was marvelous.

 

Every so often through the tour we would venture onto the main roads and on the way home we certainly navigated the busiest roads, 3 and 4 lanes in both directions but it was not as treacherous as I thought it would be. The smaller roads, where cars has slowed to allow us through were more so as the moped drivers whizzed through the gaps, reminding everyone who really is king of the road in Bangkok.

 

Back at base we were awarded an ice cream and the possibility of a foot spa in the pool of tiny hungry fishes, I declined this with my sights set on Dean and Delucca round the corner and a well deserved New York style lunch for a change, but is a great tour, a totally different way to explore and experience Bangkok with or without the added festivities of Chinese New Year.

 

pic 13.frostbangkokcorrespondent

 

Later that week, the kids and I headed to school adorned in our Chinese New Year outfits for a morning of welcoming in the year of the monkey. In Foundation Stage the children made lanterns, lucky money and ribbons amongst other traditional crafts. The girls cavorted with their ribbons along to videos of professionals doing the same before we headed to the Chinese New Year assembly. A wonderful celebration showcasing the best of Bangkok’s Chinese music, Kung Fu & off course the finale with the Chinese Dragons. Next year we’re planning to join the Chinese Dragon Parade and party in Chinatown.

 

pic 14 Golden Budha

 

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