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

www.chanelatcoventgarden.com

The Christmas gift with a conscience

Posted on December 18, 2015 by Frostie

Think HIV/AIDS isn’t a problem anymore? AIDS is the leading cause of death for teenagers in Africa and the second leading cause of death among teenagers globally.

Introducing the Christmas gift with a conscience: Styloko.com and the new Red Box Shop: http://redboxshop.styloko.com/ for Christmas in aid of MTV Staying Alive Foundation

The Styloko concept is simple; a pop up online store selling a plethora of fabulous Red Boxes perfect for anyone with a serious love of fashion and culture. Each box is filled with desirable products, including jewellery, make-up, watches and even beautiful books, kindly donated by leading brands such as Chanel, The Cambridge Satchel Company, Timex, Radley, Fake Bake, Swatch, Kendra Scott Jewelry and Dana Rebecca Designs.

All proceeds from The Red Box Shop are going to aids projects around the world, particularly in Africa. HIV/AIDS is still a devastating global disease and the second leading cause of death among teenagers globally. The store will run through the 20th of December.

Every single penny/cent from the sale of the red boxes will go straight to helping raising global awareness for HIV/AIDS.

@mtvstayingalive @styloko

The mission of the MTV Staying Alive Foundation is to stop the spread of HIV before it starts. They provide funding and training to youth-led HIV-prevention projects around the world, helping them develop the skills to build innovative, culturally relevant and sustainable organisations that lead the fight against HIV on the ground. Their relationship with MTV means that the ground-breaking content they produce reaches millions of young people globally.

Since the international grants and training programme was established in 2005, they have given US $5.3 million to over 500 youth-led projects in 66 countries, directly educated 2.7 million young people on HIV, distributed 7 million condoms and tested 200,000 young people for HIV.

Avoid Waking up Next to a Sad Cracked Phone Screen This Festive Season

Posted on December 17, 2015 by Margaret Graham

Over a quarter of UK revellers aged 18-40 have damaged their phone on a night out. London named the clumsiest region (29%), and Newcastle the most accident-prone city (23%). Only 1 in 10 covered by insurance. Average amount spent on repairs is £49, roughly double the price of a protective case

Sound familiar? The Christmas party season is in full swing and we’ve all been there. A “get into the spirit” festive tipple turns into seventeen “IT’S CHRIIIIIISTMAAAAS” Jager bombs, or perhaps cocktails, and before you know it, you’ve a smashed phone screen staring back at you, accompanied by a hollow feeling of regret.

Ahead of ‘Mad Friday’, the last Friday before Christmas and most popular for office parties, it has been revealed that 27% of lumbering UK revellers aged 18-40 have damaged their phone on a night out. In the survey of 2,000 British adults, conducted by Griffin Technology, Newcastle topped the list of clumsy cities, while London is the region reporting most mobile emergencies.

As only 12% of damages were covered by insurance, our resident Griffin Gadgetologist, the brains behind the tough-as-nails Survivor phone cases, is on a mission to help the buttery-fingered amongst you.

So here are some top tips to avoid having to fork out for a pricey repair, or even a new phone, come Christmas.

Resist the urge to take a bathroom selfie: tiled flooring and all that running water (amongst other things) spells disaster for your phone, both inside and out. Research shows water damage comes second only to cracked screens as the cause of smartphone failure, so do your phone a favour and protect them from the elements.

Watch out for office geeks in YOLO party mode: if you must grab that group shot on the dance floor, stand well out of the way of errant dancers. Christmas does funny things to people – we tend to get overexcited and fling our arms in the air like we just don’t care, cue phones being knocked out of hands left, right and centre.

Keep it zipped: the more barriers there are to your phone, the less chance it has of falling to its demise. Whether it’s a zipped compartment in a handbag or buttoned pockets, something to stop you reaching for it every 10 seconds can work wonders.

Invest in a super-sturdy phone case:if you’ve been known to hit the deck after a few shandies, it could be worth taking a good hard look at your phone’s attire to decide if it’s up to the job. Even if you’re the type to dance on tables, Griffin’s new Survivor Summit and Journey cases survive drops of up to 3 metres!

Simplicity is key: everyone knows that nothing says it better than an emoji, but the tinier the buttons and more intricate your conversation, the longer it takes to text and the more likely your phone is to slip from your hand. Do everyone a favour and stick to the classic … “by the bar”.

Don’t drink too much: not a popular tip, but it works.

Finally, and perhaps the icing on the cake – try a tough case, and put your minds at rest: the toughest Griffin Survivor cases yet are available now from

http://bit.ly/GriffinTechnology

Burt’s Bees For Christmas

Posted on December 17, 2015 by Margaret Graham

Frost loves these products, always have.

This Christmas they have a great range of these distinctive earth-friendly, natural health and beauty care products, which they’ve been making for 30 years. The 2015 Christmas gift collection can be seen on www.burtsbees.co.uk

Frost has had a look at some of their ranges:

100% natural Wild cherry and vanilla Bean lip Balms.

rrp £3.99 – tube (4.25g) rrp £4.99 – tin & squeezable (8.5g/9.92g)

These lip Balms are formulated to nourish and moisturise, protecting lips from winter’s cold winds. If you haven’t tried them, then it would be a good idea to discover the naturally moisturising benefits. Available in Beeswax, honey, pink grapefruit, ultra conditioning, mango, pomegranate, Blueberry & dark chocolate, açai Berry, coconut & pear, Wild cherry and vanilla Bean.

But don’t ignore:

Lip Crayons ∙ Creamy ∙ Full-Coverage ∙ Matte Colour rrp £8.99 each (3.11g)

Available in six shades, these crayons are lightweight moisture for everyday wear formula infused with shea Butter, Kendi oil and Jojoba oil.

Lip Shimmer ∙ Luminescent ∙ Antioxidant-Rich ∙ Moisturising Shea Butter and antioxidant-rich fruit oils moisturise, nourish and soften lips naturally and lovingly. available in 11 shades, including fresh and flattering colours apricot and grapefruit.

Tinted Lip Balm ∙ Sheer ∙ Moisturising ∙ Conditioning rrp £5.99 each (4.25g)

These tinted balms give you a hint of colour with a soft, sweet flavour and natural ingredients that moisturise and condition your lips. available in 9 shades, including new Zinnia.

Lip Gloss ∙ Rich ∙ Pearlised

rrp £8.99 each (6ml)

Combined with natural oils rich in nutrients to leave your lips soft, shiny and 100% naturally beautiful. available in 12 shades, including new harvest time and solar eclipse.

Burts Bees have all sorts of products available for Christmas this year.

And there are various scrummy gift packs. Try:

Burt’s Bees Naturally Beautiful Collection £19.99

And

Burt’s Bees Naturally Gifted- Online Exclusive £15.99

Have a look at www.burtsbees.co.uk

Buy George… Treat Someone This Christmas With George Clooney’s Award-Winning Casamigos Tequila

Posted on December 17, 2015 by Corinne Tuddenham-Finn

TREAT FRIENDS AND FAMILY THIS CHRISTMAS TO RANDE GERBER, GEORGE CLOONEY AND MICHAEL MELDMAN’S AWARD-WINNING

CASAMIGOS TEQUILA

Brought To You By Those Who Drink It

Let the good times flow this Christmas by treating friends and family to a bottle of award-winning Casamigos Tequila. “Brought To You By Those Who Drink It,” Casamigos Tequila is privately owned by George Clooney and longtime friend, bar and restaurant mogul Rande Gerber, and Discovery Land Company CEO & founder Michael Meldman.

Casamigos is named after Gerber and Clooney’s houses in Mexico, and roughly translates to “House of Friends.”

Tequila-filled nights with friends is how Casamigos was born. Casamigos was originally created out of Clooney and Gerber’s desire to enjoy the best-tasting, smoothest tequila and was always intended for personal use, to be shared with family and friends.

Casamigos is currently available in Blanco, Reposado and Añejo. These small batch, ultra-premium tequilas are made from the finest hand-selected 100% Blue Weber agaves, grown in the rich red clay soil and cool climate of Mexico’s Jalisco Highlands for a minimum of seven years. After harvest, the agave piñas are roasted in traditional brick ovens for seventy-two hours before undergoing an extra-slow fermentation process over an additional eighty hours, nearly double the industry standard. Casamigos’ Blanco rests for two months, whilst Casamigos Reposado and Casamigos Añejo are aged 7 and 14 months respectively in the finest premium American white oak barrels, which have been carefully reconditioned after being used to age the finest premium whiskey.

“Casamigos Blanco is crisp and clear, with subtle hints of vanilla and a smooth finish, Casamigos Reposado is smooth and clean with hints of caramel, and Casamigos Añejo is a perfect balance of sweetness from the Blue Weber agaves, layered with barrel oak and subtle hints of spice with a lingering smooth finish. All expressions are great served neat or on the rocks, and are the perfect base for premium cocktails,” says Gerber.

Before going into the bottle, each batch is tasted and approved by our master distiller, Gerber and Clooney, to ensure the highest quality. Each batch is then numbered and signed by Gerber and Clooney. Casamigos’ authentic minimalist design reflects the men who created it.

“We worked on the creation of Casamigos Tequila with our master distiller in Jalisco, Mexico, for years and held many blind tastings until we knew we got it right. We’ve been drinking Casamigos with friends and family for over six years,” says Clooney.

Casamigos is available in the United States, Bahamas, Canada, Hong Kong, and the UK, and has garnered the highest accolades from the spirit industry’s most well respected authority figures. Awards and ratings include the highest rated gold medals from Los Angeles International Spirits Competition, the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, The Beverage Testing Institute, The New York World Wine & Spirits Competition, The Spirits of Mexico Tasting Competition and many more. Additionally, Casamigos was rated “Excellent, Highly Recommend” by The Ultimate Spirits Challenge, received the coveted 5 star rating from BevX Magazine, “A perfect tequila,” A rating, from Good Spirit News, named “Best Tequila in the World” by Men’s Journal magazine and Oprah Winfrey lists Casamigos as “The Smoothest, The Best.”

Casamigos Tequila is available to purchase at Selfridges and Harvey Nichols this Christmas:

www.selfridges.com

Casamigos Blanco: £62.99

Casamigos Reposado: £69.99

Casamigos Añejo: £77.99

www.harveynichols.com

Casamigos Blanco: £62.50

Casamigos Reposado: £69.50

Casamigos Añejo: £75.00

For more information on Casamigos Tequila, please visit www.casamigostequila.com.

Follow Casamigos Tequila on Facebook at Facebook.com/casamigostequila, and on Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest @Casamigos

About Casamigos Tequila…

Brought To You By Those Who Drink It. Privately owned by George Clooney and longtime friend, bar and restaurant mogul Rande Gerber, and Discovery Land Company CEO & founder Michael Meldman, tequila-filled nights with friends is how Casamigos was born. Launched in the UK in March 2015, these small batch, ultra-premium tequilas are made from the finest hand-selected 100% Blue Weber agaves grown in the rich red clay soil and cool climate of Mexico’s Jalisco Highlands for a minimum of seven years. Casamigos Blanco is crisp and clear, with subtle hints of vanilla and a smooth finish, Casamigos Reposado is smooth and clean with hints of caramel. Casamigos Añejo is aged 14 months and has a beautifully pure and refined complex aroma, with soft caramel and vanilla notes.

About The Amigos…

It’s safe to say these men know a thing or two about toasting good times. As founder of the Gerber Group and Gerber Spirits, Rande has extensive experience within the restaurant and bar industries, previously owning establishments in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and around the world. George Clooney is an Academy Award-winning actor, director, producer – and now, tequila maker. Mike Meldman’s Discovery Land Company consists of 17 luxury residential private club communities and resorts including Baker’s Bay in the Bahamas and The Yellowstone Club, Big Sky Montana.

Déjà-Vu Boutique Offers The Ultimate Christmas Gift… Bring On The Stellé Bling!

Posted on December 16, 2015 by Corinne Tuddenham-Finn

It’s around about now, a week before Christmas, that the ideal gift for that special person is nowhere to be found, and time is running out!

So before you resort to the obligatory perfume and last-minute gift voucher, I’m about to save the day.

Introducing…

Stellé Audio Mini-Clutch (Dazzling Diamond)

The Dazzling Diamond mini-clutch is quite possibly the ultimate bling accessory this season – perfect for Christmas parties, a thoughtful birthday or prom gift to squirrel away or the ultimate gift for the bride-to-be! But this clutch has a hidden secret. It’s not just a clutch bag, it’s a high-tech, state-of-the-art box of magic which will pair with any Bluetooth device, with a built-in speaker for hands-free calls, lasting up to 15 hours once charged, so can even be used to charge your phone if it’s running out of juice!

Personally, this clutch accompanies every evening event I attend, not just because of its dazzling looks, but teamed up with my phone, I can make and receive calls when space is limited or I need a conference-call type conversation with other members of my team. The Dazzling Diamond mini-clutch is packed along with the Louboutins for cruising, allowing me to listen to internet radio anywhere in the world with a crisp and clear sound quality expected of a superior brand such as Stellé.

The clutch opens up to reveal an inside pocket – big enough to hold a lipstick, a bank card and a little cash… but the opposite side is dedicated to a larger than average sized mirror!

The bag comes complete with an across-the-body chain and a detachable chunky plastic quality bracelet featuring the Stelle logo – so stylish!

Offering the best in sound quality and design, the Stellé Mini-Clutch Speaker^™effortlessly pairs with any Bluetooth-enabled device, has a built-in speakerphone for hands-free calls and can connect to non-Bluetooth devices via aux-in jack and can charge any USB-enabled device.

You’ll find the Stellé Mini-Clutch Speaker^™ available for purchase at Déjà-Vu Boutique Ipswich, offering a ‘chic & unique’ shopping experience.

Renowned for being the top-to-toe ‘unique boutique’ in the area, you’re sure to be inspired by the gorgeous fashion, bags, jewellery and accessories on show, shop in style within their elegant surroundings – their ranges are hand-selected specifically so that customers can find something different in-store and not ‘run of the mill’, with ethical chemical and cruielty-free beauty ranges perfectly complimenting their in-store offer, providing something different from other shops.

http://www.dejavuboutique.co.uk

The Stellé Audio Mini-Clutch is also available in metallic purple…

…STOP PRESS…STOP PRESS…STOP PRESS…STOP PRESS… STOP PRESS…STOP PRESS…STOP PRESS…STOP PRESS…STOP PRESS…STOP PRESS…STOP PRESS…STOP PRESS…

I understand quantities of the Dazzling Diamond are extremely low for Christmas 2015 and the metallic purple clutch has sold out completely in-store, but both products are available to pre-order for 2016.

Technical details about the Stellé Mini-Clutch Speaker^™ …

The Stellé Mini-Clutch Speaker^™ includes a powerful six-watt stereo digital amplifier, delivering optimal audio performance, a stereo speaker system with two 1-inch full range drivers and bass radiator, built-in microphone for Speakerphone capabilities and a Bluetooth^® wireless range of up to 50 feet.

Product Dimensions: 6.4” (W) x 4.3” (H) x 2.9” (D)

Product Weight 1.5 lbs.

Pocket fits mobile devices up to 5.5” x 2.75”, including the iPhone 6.

Price: Dazzling Diamond – £169 (plus postage and packing) – please call for stock availability for Christmas delivery! Metallic Purple – £129 (plus postage and packing) (2016 pre-order only)

About Deja-Vu Boutique…

^{No. 10 Norwich Road

Ipswich

IP1 2NG

(Close to Coes)}

Opening Times

Monday	Closed
Tuesday	10:00 am – 5.30pm
Wednesday	10:00 am – 5:30pm
Thursday	10:00 am – 5:30pm
Friday	10:00 am – 6.00pm
Saturday	10:00 am – 6.00pm
Sunday	Closed

Tel: 01473 404592

info@dejavuboutique.co.uk

Chichester Christmas Market

Posted on December 16, 2015 by Tracy Baines

Not another Christmas market I hear you mutter. Exactly. That’s what I thought as well as we drove into Chichester and saw the signs at every roundabout. Another market, same stalls, same goods on offer but I was delighted to find that it wasn’t like that at all. It was perfect serendipity – we had arrived for a business meeting and stumbled upon something quite special.

The tree was up in the square, the choir singing carols, lights lit a little too early but then it is Christmas after all. Even Joseph was there with the baby Jesus and two Donkeys – although Mary was nowhere to be seen.

We wandered along the stalls drinking in what each one had to offer. Yes, some stalls were repetitions of what you would find on any market but I was delighted to find most of them weren’t. I was immediately tempted by the festive wreaths at Farmyard Flowers, two of the florists busily working in the background to finish orders. They really were quite stunning and very affordable. A festive table decoration was £10 which won’t break the bank.

West Green Pottery offered something different for those wanting something more lasting. Potter Sue Mills has been hand-throwing stoneware pottery since 1976 and each item is beautifully decorated with hares, owls, mice, birds, butterflies and oak leaves. She also has an Etsy shop.

Dog lovers could be satisfied with the items on Bottle Green Homes. I immediately checked out the Springer Spaniel Tea towels – quite accurate with The VeryVeryVery Spirited Springer. Oh yes, I’ll have one of those.

Artist Rob Huxley was hard at work behind a beautiful display of his paintings and I was happy to stop for a moment to watch him transform a small canvas into a boat awash on a dark sea. I hope he didn’t mind me looking over his shoulder, it would drive me mad. Suddenly conscious of this I moved swiftly on.

Working my way among the stalls I slowly filled my bags with a little something for everyone else but managed to rein myself in before I damaged my credit rating. I’ve always fancied my very own War Horse and this family would look lovely in my garden but sad to say it was still there when we left. I didn’t think I could squash it into a Mini Cooper.

We finished off with a pot of tea and a toasted teacake at The Buttery which is housed in an old crypt. It felt very Christmassy sitting there in the golden glow of the afternoon and I was loathe to leave but an aversion to traffic jams galvanised me to move.

The market is certainly something to plan for next year. There is a free park and ride but we always park in the Festival Theatre car park. It’s relatively cheap and you can use the underpass to get straight on to the main shopping thoroughfares.

CHRISTMAS PAST & PRESENT by Jenny Falcon

Posted on December 16, 2015 by Margaret Graham

The lights garnishing the tree twinkle

Peeping out from amongst the shiny baubles

Dotted between the dark green pine branches

The sparkling ornaments, the foil wrapped chocolates

The olive trees stand still, silent, protective

Lit by the myriad stars, one shining extra brightly

The leaves gently flutter, quietly applauding

Sensing their privileged position by the stable

The street is full of noise and colour

Crowds bustling in and out of bulging shops

Carols playing, children squeaking with excitement

Preparations reaching a festive crescendo

Inside the stable, it is peaceful

The donkey, a little restless, hooves muffled by the straw

Knows this day he’s carried a special load

His big brown eyes watch in awe

Supermarket tills are working to exhaustion

Trolleys groan under the weight of Christmas fare

Pyramids of goods, demolished in seasonal frenzy

Unbelievable quantities, gratuitous excess

The inn keeper offers some bread and gruel

He has little to spare, the inn is full

He promises a lad will milk the cow

To give to the young mother, cradling the infant

The smell of roasting turkey, goose or beef

Mixes with the rich wafts of Christmas pudding

Mince pies, crouching in their crisp pastry coats

And spicy cinnamon immersed in the mulled wine.

The hay spread thickly on the earthen floor

Smells sweet, though slightly damp

Wood smoke blows through, just gently

As the door to the inn opens and closes

Guests arrive, parcels are placed under the tree

Fascinating shapes, brightly wrapped and ribboned

Soon to reveal the secrets within

Leaving forlorn piles of discarded, crumpled paper

Shepherds shuffle in, sheep trot behind

The Wise Men, majestic, mysterious offer their gifts

The new parents, happy but bewildered, smile their thanks

The baby, focus of all attention, sleeps on

Frost Magazine

Books and Lifestyle

Category Archives: Christmas

The Christmas gift with a conscience

Avoid Waking up Next to a Sad Cracked Phone Screen This Festive Season

Burt’s Bees For Christmas

Buy George… Treat Someone This Christmas With George Clooney’s Award-Winning Casamigos Tequila

Déjà-Vu Boutique Offers The Ultimate Christmas Gift… Bring On The Stellé Bling!

Chichester Christmas Market

CHRISTMAS PAST & PRESENT by Jenny Falcon

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