Frost’s Valentine’s Day Special

So it is that time of year again, where the lovers of the world show each other how they feel. Gift buying can be a nightmare so Frost has put together a guide.

You cannot go wrong with The Body Shop. They do not test on animals and always have great products. They do excellent gift sets and underwear may be a cliche but most women love something from La Senza.

Perfume is something that pretty much all women love. Get some at halfpriceperfumes.co.uk and then take your other half out for a meal with the money you save.

Shoes are the way to a women’s heart, and men are partial to them too. There are some beautiful shoes at zalando.co.uk

Get some excellent grooming products for the man in your life from mankind.co.uk

uk.loccitane.com products are classy and smell divine. I buy their hand creams for the people I love in my life.

Fifty Shades of Grey is still selling like hotcakes and it might get your women in the mood. No, not that one, the good one. You can get her the book on Christian Grey or some other erotic books from Amazon.co.uk.

Benefit Cosmetics are sassy, cool and well packaged, and that is before you even use the product. Perfect for the wow factor.

Forget the Valentine’s Day clichés, if you’re looking to ignite your lover’s imagination this year, then the Kobo Mini eReader is the perfect gift, at just £59.99 from WH Smith.

Proving that great gifts come in small packages, the Kobo Mini is the world’s smallest and most stylish eReader currently on the market. Preload your lover’s Kobo Mini with romantic poetry and love stories to truly get hearts racing – and with over 3 million ebooks to choose from and one million that are absolutely FREE, the Kobo Mini is a thoughtful gift that’s sure to seal the deal.

Coming with a 5” screen and device that holds over 1,000 ebooks, the Kobo Mini perfectly slips into a clutch bag or jacket pocket. Available in either black or white, you can customise your eReader by choosing from Kobo’s selection of signature quilted back interchangeable back covers that come in a selection of colours, designed for comfort.

Other great gifts include the Kobo Glo eReader – which comes with front-light, and Kobo Arc – Kobo’s new tablet which comes with tapestries to hold all your favourites so you can easily find them on the interface.

The Kobo Mini is available from WH Smith at £59.99 and all good retailers.

With Valentine’s Day coming up, award winning online marketplace notonthehighstreet.com is helping people make a truly meaningful romantic gesture this February with their innovative #Tweetheart campaign.

 

From today, anyone can tweet a romantic message (or comment on the notonthehighstreet.com Facebook page) using the #Tweetheart tag, along with their declaration of love, and notonthehighstreet.com will select five messages to bring to life with teams of musicians and artists in London.

• Five winners will receive a bespoke ‘live gift’ sent wherever in London the lucky recipient is to be found, whether in their office, at a restaurant or walking in the park.
• Specially selected acts will work with notonthehighstreet.com to create a surprise tailored to the content of the selected tweet or Facebook entry.
• notonthehighstreet.com will record the ‘live gift’ to create a lasting, romantic memento for the winers.
• #tweetheart follows on from 2012’s successful campaign with popular duo The Coopers.

The Itchy Feet Dance Academy: Thursday 14th February, Valentine’s event at Concrete, Shoreditch

WHAT: An evening of vintage dance lessons, pizza and cocktails to the sound of rock n roll, rhythm and blues and swing. Sure to get your feet moving, Itchy Feet dance instructors will be on site to teach you toe-tapping moves to dance the night away without the pressure of bright lights and the dreaded dance studio. Professional cocktail makers will be on hand to help you pluck up the courage to take what you’ve learnt to the floor and let your moves do the talking. You can also win prizes through a series of dance competitions during the night and raid a giant dressing up box to get you into the spirit.

WHERE: Concrete (under Pizza East), 56 Shoreditch High Street, East London, E1 6JJ

WHEN: Thursday 14th February 2013, 7.30pm till 1am

WHO: Itchy Feet’s resident DJ, Leo Bedford, will be playing a mix of rock n roll, blues and swing throughout the night. Itchy Feet dance instructors will be hosting a 90-minute dance lesson in a laidback venue to get hips swinging and souls beating.

TICKETS: Tickets are priced at £14 each or £25 per couple, which includes buffet pizza and dance lesson. For those wanting to just join the after party, post dance lessons and food, tickets cost £5. Buy tickets at http://buytickets.at/itchyfeet/7104.



Set Hearts Racing this Valentine’s with Sumptuous Sharing Steaks and Flirty Cocktails at Gillray’s Steakhouse & Bar

This Valentine’s Day satisfy your and your loved one’s heart’s desires with a unique Sharing Steaks menu and selection of bespoke, amorous ~Ish Gin cocktails available at Gillray’s Steakhouse & Bar. Located on the banks of the river Thames it is the perfect spot for romance.

Gillray’s own Executive Chef Gareth Bowen will be lovingly preparing a trio of 1kg, hand selected sharing steaks for you and your loved one to choose from and devour, all served with roasted cherry vine tomatoes, Portobello mushrooms and a choice of sauces.

Choose from the Chateaubriand 35 day dry aged Angus Beef Fillet steak, priced at £90 for two, Skirt Steak servedsliced from 35 day dry aged Angus Beef Plate steak, renowned for its flavour and priced at £40, or Gillray’s own signature Bull’s Head double rib chop, priced at £55. A selection of sides sourced from the finest producers in England including truffle and Old Winchester chips, Purple Sprouting Broccoli, Hazelnuts and Yorkshire Blue and Chili Roasted Local Squash.

The team at Gillray’s Bar has partnered with the London Dry ~Ish Gin to create an exclusive collection of cocktails – the prefect libations to inspire an evening of flirty romance, either as an aperitif or nightcap.

The selection includes:

Provocative – £10

~Ish Gin lusciously combined with velvet falernum and elderflower cordial, served with a scoop of champagne and elderflower sorbet

Stiletto – £10

~Ish Gin in a naughty combination with apple liqueur, fresh lemon juice a scoop of bramley apple sorbet

Chocolat~Ish £20 (to share)

A spicy combination of ~Ish Gin, red chilli tincture, dark & milk chocolate liqueurs and a touch of cayenne pepper, served in a tall martini glass

The Sharing Steaks Menu is available from Monday 11 – Sunday 17 February.

The ~Ish Gin collection of cocktails is available throughout February.

An English steakhouse of the finest design, Gillray’s Steakhouse & Bar pays homage to top quality beef. The menu features nine cuts of steak, with the Bull’s Head – weighing in at an incredible 1000g – at its helm, whilst the bar offers a selection of no less than 39 English gins.

Also available are a range of in-house gin infusions and tinctures including blood orange, cardamom and mandarin and fennel seed. Non-gin drinkers can choose from ten English beers, six English vodkas and a selection of the finest English wines.

Offering a sophisticated and stylish Thames-side destination, with stunning views over the illuminated Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, there is simply no better place to enjoy English gin with a touch of vintage glamour.

Want a testosterone boost without an expensive injection?

Nature’s Plus T MALE puts the ‘super’ back into man

It’s all over the news – an increasing number of men are looking to Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) to boost their flagging sex drives and inject some energy into their day.

Stressful careers, overindulgence and poor nutrition are all contributing to burnt out men, leading many to go to the extreme of having expensive testosterone injections. If you are looking for a injection of testosterone without a needle then why not try Nature’s Plus T MALE? The unique formula can be taken in tablet form and the all-natural ingredients mean you don’t have to worry about any of the unwanted side effects that can be associated with TRT.

High potency zinc found in Nature’s Plus T MALE aids maintenance of healthy, natural testosterone concentrations in men. Zinc supports fertility, while vitamin B6 reduces tiredness and fatigue and assists the regulation of hormonal activity. T MALE also provides the body with selenium, which offers nutritional support for normal sperm production (spermatogenesis) and calcium, another key mineral for the production of testosterone.

 

“GO ON, BREAK UP THIS VALENTINE’S DAY” – IT’S THE ANTI-VALENTINE’S DAY!

One in ten (15%) people have broken up with a loved one around Valentine’s Day, according to new research by Nationwide Building Society*. But the Society says “breaking up is not always a bad thing.”

“It all depends on the relationship and what you want to get out of it. If your relationship is not working, then change is not always a bad thing. For example, this Valentine’s Day we are encouraging those who have been let down by their bank or have a bad financial services relationship, to make the split and switch their current account to us, as we are a building society we do not have shareholders to satisfy we can focus on our customers.

 

 

Løv Organic loose leaf Rose tea, packaged in an eye-catching pink reusable tin, is the ideal blend of luxury, fun and romance this Valentine’s Day. The black China tea is lightly scented with organic rose blossoms for a wonderfully delicate flavour. The perfect present, it is available at John Lewis and Selfridges priced from £8.99.
www.lov-organic.com

Celebrate the 14th by indulging in a selection of Cocomaya’s exquisite chocolates and artisan cakes and biscuits. Heart-shaped all-butter shortbread biscuits (from £2.50-£3.00 apiece) come wrapped in beautiful packaging to make for the perfect present. For an intimate gift, create a bespoke Name Bar with white, milk or dark chocolate and finish it off with a sprinkle of glitter or personalised decoration, a quirky way to spell out your love. www.cocomaya.co.uk.

Give Your Man Morning Glory this Valentine’s Day

Make Your Valentine’s Day Go With a Bang with Rude Health’s Naughty Breakfast Range

Recent health studies show that when it comes to getting your man in the mood this Valentine’s Day it really is all about having your oats, and leading cereal maker Rude Health has the perfect recipe to put the passion into your Valentine’s Day breakfast.

The most common cause for not having sex is because people are too tired, with one in three married Brits even saying sex has become a chore. Well, top independent food producer Rude Health, which is stocked in Waitrose and Sainsbury’s, has come up with the perfect solution to keep Britain in the mood this Valentine’s Day with its energy boosting Morning Glory porridge.

Porridge oats are rich in a variety of vitamins and minerals that are known to affect how we feel. These include: zinc, vitamin B6, iron, folic acid, calcium and magnesium to name a few. It is reported that a single serving of porridge oats contains 17% of the required daily intake of zinc, therefore making porridge the perfect answer for sustaining you for longer in bed.

So forget the champagne, oysters and chocolate, make sure you feed your man a hearty bowl of Rude Health’s porridge to make your Valentine’s Day go with a bang.

Rude Health founder, Nick Barnard said: “At Rude Health we produce food that gives you enough energy to stay in rude health all day.

“We’ve always maintained that you should breakfast like a king and it’s interesting to see that most Britons now cite being too tired to have sex. Start your day with a bowl of porridge and you’ll get all the energy you need for morning activities of any kind.”

Pixengo: New iPhone App helps men deliver on Valentine’s Day

Looking for the perfect way to say “I love you” to your girlfriend or wife this Valentine’s Day? Are you too skint to buy a card or just too lazy to drive to the shop and buy one? Perhaps you’re inept enough to forget the date completely and spend the day frantically trying to arrange that ‘surprise’ gift or trip.

Fortunately, there is now a new way to send your loved one a Valentine’s Day message. It takes just a few minutes and doesn’t cost a penny.

Pixengo, an innovative new App for the iPhone available to download from iTunes, is FREE and allows you to add thoughts and emotions to still images by fusing them with 30 second sound bites. Record a funny message, whisper sweet nothings or even propose if you are brave. Let your photos do the talking!

Pixengo means you can send personalised Valentine’s Day greetings to your partner. Capture a photo using the App or select an existing one from your camera roll – perhaps one of you, a screenshot of the flowers you forgot to buy or the necklace you ‘definitely’ ordered that hasn’t turned up yet. If you want to enhance the image Pixengo comes complete with special creative tools and filters.

Add a recording and share privately (or publicly!) via your Pixengo stream, email, Facebook or Twitter with the one you love. If you mess up you can rerecord, simple.

Lucky recipients see the photo, click on a play button to listen to the sound clip and have the option to like or comment. They can view ‘Pixengos’ in a web browser on their mobile or a computer; they do not need the App.

Although some might see Pixengo as a get out of jail free card it actually complements traditional gifts brilliantly, earning brownie points for gentlemen who remember and prepare for Valentine’s Day in advance.

For instance, if you’ve arranged a surprise trip why not send your partner a Pixengo clue? Or a picture of the intimate dinner you’ve laid out for when they return from work, complete with a seductive message? Pixengo allows you to add the finishing touch to what will hopefully be a perfect Valentine’s Day.

Check out our examples (click on the play icon in the top left hand corner to hear the clip):

The mankini (it’s exactly how it sounds): http://new.pixengo.com/p/18GD7CM
A romantic dinner (not a brilliant effort!): http://new.pixengo.com/p/18GD5PA

Sealed with a kiss this Valentines at Flavour No5 Cavendish Sq

London’s hottest new restaurant offering

Wine, dine and impress your Valentine at the exclusive restaurant, Flavour at the beautiful and opulent No5 Cavendish Sq overlooking the picturesque views of Cavendish Square – the perfect backdrop for a romantic evening.

Exclusively for Valentine’s Day, Flavour at No5 Cavendish Sq are offering an exceptional Valentine’s dining package which includes a six course tasting menu lovingly prepared by Jamie Oliver trained chefs and a complimentary glass of prosecco complete with romantic background music to get you in the mood for love!

Pre-booking is recommended – for reservations please call Flavour at No5 Cavendish Sq on 0207 079 5003. Price per person is £35. For more information visit www.no5cavendishsq.com

Valentine’s Day Set 6 Course Dinner Menu 2013

Starters

Bruschetta of buffalo Mozzarella with smashed peas and broad beans in fused with lemon and mint dressing

Warm salad of wood pigeon with frisée, mâché, cranberries and raspberry and thyme dressing

Mains

Six hour porchetta with roast onion purée confit baby carrots, grilled baby leeks and fennel with calvados jus

Gnocchi with shiitake, oyster and portobello mushrooms in thyme cream sauce

Deserts

Wild strawberry fool

Chocolate, orange and pistachio semifreddo with candied orange

No5 Cavendish Sq are also offering diners who wish to continue the romance into the night a special room rate of £208 including breakfast and complimentary upgrade subject to availability.

On 14th, 15th and 16th February No5 Cavendish Sq are including a bottle of prosecco and chocolate covered strawberries with any hotel room bookings.

YOU MAKE ME FEEL LIKE A…. NATURAL APHRODISIAC

ONE of the last remaining tea producers in Britain, Higher Living is described as ‘the Rolls-Royce of tea’ and has firmly established itself as a leading expert in the world of herbal tea.

So much so in fact, that not only are the 23 blends 100% organic and extremely tasty, but three of them possess the natural ingredients needed to light up your Valentine’s night.

While some turn to alcohol to accompany a romantic evening, the health conscious and tee-total may have been lacking in assistance with sensual gusto… Well not anymore.

One for the ladies, Fennel is notably high in phytoestrogens, natural estrogen-like chemicals found in plants. In fact, in the 1930’s, fennel was considered to be used as a source for synthetic estrogen*. Ladies’, slip into something more comfortable and get the kettle on!

Chillies can fire you up in more ways than one. They contain the chemical capsaicin that can induce the release of endorphins to create a temporary high. Capsaicin also speeds up the metabolism and increases circulation, responses that are similar to those experienced when being intimate*.

One for the guys, Licorice has been used in ancient China for its love and lust provoking properties*. Research has revealed that the secret to Licorice could be the smell itself as it has shown to stimulate the male libido in a number of scientific studies**.

Higher Living Tea is priced from £1.99 RRP and available to buy from Asda, Tesco, Waitrose, Holland & Barrett, Planet Organic and Whole Foods.

Cornish Red mugs for Valentine’s Day

A pair of personalised Cornishware striped mugs make an unusual gift to say ‘I love you’ on Valentine’s Day. The two mugs come in a handsome striped gift box for £30 including p&p (+ £1.00 per letter for up to 12 characters on each mug) from Cornishware makers T.G.Green’s online shop. www.tggreen.co.uk Last orders for bespoke mugs is 10th February.

Sexy, Fun and Outright Awesome Valentines Day Gift ideas from Desire and Pleasure

Valentines Day is a time to show the one you love just how much you love them and what better way than getting up close and personal and taking things into the bedroom for some after hours fun!

This Valentines Day, unleash your inner sexual desires with the help of Desire and Pleasure and this range of sexy, fun products to try…

Dim the lights, start the fire and keep warm this winter whilst making signature Belvedere cocktails in the comfort of your own home.

Cosy up with your loved one and induce your creative juices this Valentine’s Day by making and drinking your very own Belvedere Cupid’s Bow. Served in a classic Martini glass, the easy to make cocktail is made with delightful splashes of simple syrup, lemon juice and half a dozen fresh raspberries – a real boost of sweet ingredient’s that can be enjoyed in true Belvedere style.


Belvedere Cupid’s Bow Recipe

50ml / 2 oz Belvedere Pure Vodka
15ml / ¼ oz Simple Syrup
20ml / ½ oz Lemon Juice
6 Raspberries
Dash Egg White

Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a raspberry.

To push your mixology skills even further, try your luck at also making the Belvedere Skinny Swizzle and Belvedere Grapefruit Caipiroska. Please find images and recipes attached for your use (further Belvedere bottle imagery available on request).

For the full range of signature Belvedere cocktail recipes, please visit http://www.belvederevodka.com/browse-drinks.

What’s more, all profits made from sales on Desire and Pleasure are used to support the invaluable sexual health charity work of the FPA (Family Planning Association).

Check out these amazing umbrellas from Fulton. My favourite are the ones from Cath Kidston and Lulu Guinness

Palmes d’Or Rosé 2005 vintage, £120

Champagne Palmes d’Or Rosé 2005 was created more than 25 years ago by Mr Nicolas Feuillatte, as a tribute to an opera diva he once met in New York, where he was living at the time. With its sensual shape and honeycombed sides that capture the light to magnificent effect, Palmes d’Or Rosé 2005 Vintage makes the perfect drink to celebrate Valentine’s Day with extravagance and lavishness.

Available at John Lewis online.

Champagne Brut Rosé, £30

Salmon pink with silver tints, this sublime Champagne works from starter to dessert. Thanks to the large proportion of Pinot Noir grapes in the blend it offers up aromas of blueberry, blackcurrant and raspberry. Refreshingly dry, but with enough flavour to pair it with food, a chilled bottle of Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Rosé will be the ideal Champagne offer or to simply enjoy with friends on 14th February 2013.

Available at John Lewis Stores and John Lewis online.

The historical shopping store Selfridges has some excellent gifts. Clothes, make up and perfume all under one roof. There is nothing they do not sell, even fridges. (boom, boom)

Handmade from QVC this Valentine’s Day

“Spread a little bit of love on Valentine’s day and send all of your favourite people a Valentines card to let them know how much they mean to you. Happy Crafting!” – Stephanie Weightman, QVC’s Craft Expert

Fed up with the usual roses and shop-bought cards on Valentine’s Day? Why not get crafty to show your loved one just how special they are? Decorate the house, a card or simply create individual jewellery with love. Be thoughtful and creative this Valentine’s Day with QVC.

Martha Stewart Enchanted Heart Large Double Punch

Item number,  501115, QVC price £17.75

This upright punch creates crisp, perfectly shaped cut-outs. Great for decorating Valentine’s Day cards, scrapbook pages, party favours, or custom gift tags.

Martha Stewart Set of 12 Glitter Paints

Item number,  590909, QVC price £23.25

 

Features a collection of glitter paints in a variety of vibrant colours. Perfect for all craft painting techniques, including brush painting and detailing, sponging, stencilling, stamping and lots more.

Set of 5 Hearts & Sentiments Stencils

Item number, 590488. QVC price, £13.00

These stainless steel stencils are ideal for use as dry embossing templates for embossing on paper, scrapbook embossing and embossing with paste, as well as using for tracing and stencilling. Add another dimension to your paper crafts with this set.

Set of 60 Mini Rose Buds

Item number, 502148. QVC price, £9.50

 

Features bunches of mini rose buds in beige, peach, red, dusky pink and raspberry shades. Add a beautiful dimension to your Valentine’s Card making with these stunning fabric rosebuds, wire stemmed to allow perfect positioning.

Morrisons Christmas Range: What To Buy For Christmas

It may seem strange to see a Christmas article so early but there is a reason: most companies have their Christmas PR days in July. There is always a lead up needed for Christmas articles. It is the same in acting, you film the Christmas specials six months early. By the time Christmas comes I feel I have been celebrating it for at least half the year.

Morrisons has launched an excellent Christmas range. The food is well-selected, reasonably priced and sourced by professionals in their field. Here are some reasons why I think Morrisons is great for Christmas….

Morrisons source livestock straight from farmers. They also sell black summer truffles at £99.99 a kilo…which means you can buy your own truffles for £3 or £4.

In 2011 they pledged to have more than 50 promotions each week to make it cheaper for customers to get their 5 a day. They average 93 promotions a week.

None of their fruit or veg goes to waste, what is not good enough for customers is given to animals.

I was lucky enough to taste some food made by Neil Nugent who is Morrisons Executive Chef and Head of Innovation, Ray Craven, meat specialist and Martin Clayton, bakery specialist. I have picked out my highlights below from the UK’s fourth-largest grocer.

Mince Pie & Cream Flavoured Popcorn.
The acronym OMG was made for this popcorn. It just tastes divine. Available from October 15.

Morrisons Best Champagne Brut has won the Which? Best Champagne Award twice.
“I am very prod of our Morrisons Best Champagne Brut as I handpicked the blend myself. It is multi-award-winning and adds a certain elegance and style to any meal or celebration.” Arabella WoodrowWine Specialist. I have tasted a lot of champagne and this is now my favourite. It just tastes amazing. No wonder is has been voted Best Champagne twice.

Beetroot Smoked Salmon, Smoked Halibut and Smoked Salmon
This salmon is delicious. I really liked the Beetroot salmon. The halibut was good too. A tip from Morrisons is to buy your salmon in advance and freeze it. Salmon has a long shelf life.

Christmas Tree Tear and Share Bread
This tastes great and it looks fun too. Wrap uneaten piece in cling film to make them last longer.

Panettone
Freshly baked and with 15% more fruit this year. Morrisons makes good panettone. I will be buying this again for Christmas.

Other highlights: Soda bread by Bryn Williams, White Christmas Pudding created by Claire Clarke MBE, Crusted Turkey by Nigel Haworth and Rustic Country Pate created by Pierre Koffmann.

Win London Fashion Weekend Tickets. 4 Pairs to Give Away

Win The Ultimate Fashionista Day Out!

Frost has a pair of VIP tickets and three pairs of runner up tickets to London Fashion Weekend 2012.

Chambord, the ‘spirit of fashion’ will be making a welcome return to VODAFONE London Fashion Weekend in February 2012, bringing with it an added touch of French chic to London’s fashion scene as well as hosting the exclusive Chambord Platinum Club Lounge.

Chambord black raspberry liqueur is the spirit of fashion and has been enjoyed by the style elite at some of the most exclusive designer parties.

Do you and your friends live and breathe fashion? Chambord and Frost magazine is giving you the chance to follow in the footsteps of the fashion crowd and win the ultimate fashionista day out. You could win a pair of tickets to London Fashion Weekend, plus entry to Chambord’s Platinum Club Lounge. Here you can enjoy a complimentary Chambord and Champagne while learning how to strike a model-worthy pose thanks to top fashion photographer Fabio Affuso who Chambord has enlisted to help you always look your most fashion fabulous in photos. Three runners up will win a pair of standard tickets to London Fashion Weekend.

For your chance to win follow @Frostmag on Twitter, and then tweet: ‘I want to go to London Fashion Week with @Frostmag and Chambord” or sign up to our newsletter. The winners will be revealed on Wednesday.

Over 18’s’ only we are afraid!

PLEASE ENJOY CHAMBORD RESPONSIBLY

This competition is now closed.

The Greatest Movie Ever Sold, New Frontiers in film financing.

The Greatest Movie Ever Sold directed by Morgan Spurlock.

Where and When: Thursday 29th September at BFI Southbank

On Thursday I saw Morgan Spurlock’s new documentary about branding, advertising and product placement, which is entirely funded by branding, advertising and product placement.

Afterward, a panel of experts from film and advertising discussed how producers can create new synergies and forms of production finance without losing their artistic integrity. The panel included; Pippa Cross, Producer of Chalet Girl, Duncan Forrester, Head of Public Affairs, Volvo, Darryl Collis, Director of Seesaw Media, Pete Buckingham, Head of Distribution and Exhibition at the BFI

“Nothing like a cold call to let you know how little power you have.” Morgan Spurlock.

What I learned:

1) The Greatest Movie Ever Sold was the first film to be in profit before it hit theatres

2) Spurlock ‘didn’t negotiate for success’ so the brands didn’t have to pay him any more money when the movie became a runaway success.

3) In the first few months, The Greatest Movie Ever Sold had over 900 million media impressions.

4) Spurlock called over 100 ad agencies and 650 companies to contribute to the documentary, only 15 companies said yes. A success rate of only 2%.

5) Pom juice is 40% as effective as Viagra for helping a man sustain an erection.

6) Volvo did not pay to be in Twilight, the filmmakers stayed true to the fact that Edward drives a Volvo in the book. But they have people come in and buy the car Edward drives after seeing the movies, even though it’s a £35-50,000 investment.

7) A big champagne company turned down the opportunity to be in The King’s Speech because they ‘didn’t do period films’.

8) Morgan Spurlock could not legally disparage the entire country of Germany in or around the Mini that he was given for the film. Most of the contracts had a non-disparagement clause.

9) Spurlock said all of the brands asked for ROI (return on investment) but not of them got it.

10) Ditto for the final cut, Spurlock says: ‘Retain final cut or it’s not your film”. However, if your film costs more than $40-50 million, you will not get final cut.

11) Spurlock’s advice to filmmakers when negotiating with brands and advertisers is: Always know what you are willing to give up. Integrity is valuable.

12) Fed ex did not pay to be in Castaway.

13) The film uses all of the things it criticise in the beginning to sell the film to you later

14) Old Navy gave Spurlock a cheque for £200,000 after seeing the documentary at the Sundance Premiere.

15) The brands have bigger lawyer than you.

16) Pippa Cross had to spend 2K on CGI to get ride of a beer bottle on Shooting Dogs because the beer brand did not want to be associated with the genocide.

17) The Social Network has Mark Zuckerberg and the rest of the cast using Sony laptops, but, factually, the real people the film is based on would have been using Apple Macs.

18) Pippa Cross got Tesco vouchers for Chalet Girl, and the best Ski brands on board.

19) Morgan Spurlock made a deal with a tri-state pet discount store; you could get a goldfish and after the first one died, use a voucher to get another one. Like Spurlock does in the film.

20) Spurlock tried to get a gun company onboard, but they all said no.

21) The lawyer Morgan interviews in his documentary tells of of the term ‘Faction’. Where fact and fiction meet, and what advertisers use to confuse you and integrate their products into your favourite TV shows and Films.

The documentary is essential viewing for anyone interested in film, or raising finance.

Kate & William: Get Free Glass Of Champagne At Gilgamesh

Celebrate The Royal Wedding at Gilgamesh

To celebrate Wills and Kate tying the knot, acclaimed Camden restaurant Gilgamesh is throwing a lavish Royal Wedding Reception.

As well as screening the ceremony live, Gilgamesh will be serving an English/Pan-Asian brunch, featuring dishes themed around all things Royal.

On Friday 29 April, the renowned North London hotspot will be the perfect place to celebrate the Royal Wedding. From 11am-5pm diners can choose from fantastic dishes including Sandringham Ham with Poached Free-Range Eggs and Hollandaise Sauce, Buckingham Hot-Pot and Lady-in-Waiting Chocolate Cake.

As an added bonus, guests named William or Kate will receive a complimentary glass of Champagne on arrival, provided they show photo ID.

So head to Gilgamesh for a day that promises to keep the corks popping. For bookings contact reservations@gilgameshbar.com or call 0207 428 4922(ext 2).
GILGAMESH

Camden View

Camden Stables Market

Chalk Farm Road

London NW1 8AH

Tel: 020 7482 5757

www.gilgameshbar.com

JACOB’S CREEK AND BBC SATURDAY KITCHEN WINE EXPERTS BRING A LITTLE SPARKLE TO CHRISTMAS

Leading Australian wine brand and award-winning wine duo demystify bubbles ahead of the festive period

Can’t spot a Prosecco from a Cava; don’t know a Brut from a Demi-Sec? Well fear not because BBC Saturday Kitchen wine experts, Peter Richards and Susie Barrie, have joined forces with the UK’s best-selling sparkling wine brand1, Jacob’s Creek, to produce the ultimate guide to fizz, ‘A Taste of Sparkling’, just in time for those Christmas celebrations.

This eye- and ear-friendly vodcast objectively guides you through the sometimes confusing world of sparkling wine. Taking in everything from Asti to Champagne, it helps you make sense of sparkling wine; from how to open the bottle correctly, to when to serve different sparkling wines, and with what.

We enjoy more sparkling wine at Christmas than at any other time of the year, so when better to make sense of the world of fizz and impress your family and friends? Peter and Susie run the Winchester Wine School and, like Jacob’s Creek, their mission is to help you get the most out of your fizz whatever the occasion.The vodcast is a simple way to bolster your wine knowledge with small interesting snippets that capture the imagination. Did you know, for example, that due to the number of bubbles in a bottle of Champagne, the pressure inside the bottle is the same as that in the wheel of a double decker bus? No? Then this vodcast is for you.

http://db.tt/Pnaf9DO Jacob’s creek podcast.

As Susie says, “For many of us, shopping for wine is a complicated and intimidating experience, with most decisions based on price and familiarity. Like us, Jacob’s Creek wants to help people expand their horizons and discover new wines and tastes that they may not have tried before”.

Visit www.jacobscreek.co.uk/united-kingdom/news/a-taste-of-sparkling to start your sparkling wine adventure.

Champagne fizz with friends this Christmas. {Food & Drink}

Christmas is the perfect excuse to open a bottle of Champagne and celebrate the year in style with loved ones. The Champagne Information Bureau has compiled a list of top tips and dispelled some myths on how to serve and enjoy the ultimate luxurious drink this festive season:

Quantity – a bottle of Champagne serves about seven Champagne flutes. When served as an aperitif, allow one bottle for every three or four guests, but at a meal, serve one bottle for every two or three.

Temperature – Champagne takes around three hours to chill in the fridge. For a quicker result, place the bottle in a bucket filled with equal parts ice and water. This takes about thirty minutes. Never put Champagne bottles in the freezer as it will dumb down the aroma and flavours.

Open – Be brave! Slant the bottle at a 45 degree angle away from guests. Untwist (exactly six half turns) and remove the wire muzzle. Grasp the cork firmly with thumb and forefinger and twist the bottle slowly letting the pressure help to push the cork out. It should sigh rather than pop.

Serve – Champagne is best served in a tulip-shaped glass or a flute. Do not serve in a saucer-shaped glass as the aroma and bubbles will disperse. Serve by holding the glass upright. Pour a small quantity of Champagne in the glass and allow it to settle before filling two-thirds full.

Enjoy – hold the glass by the stem or even better at the base to avoid warming the drink. Between glasses, store the opened bottle of Champagne in an ice bucket for no more than three hours. Contrary to popular belief, a silver spoon placed in the neck of an open bottle does not prevent the Champagne going flat.

Store – keep un-opened Champagne horizontally in a cool, dark place away from heat, light and severe temperature variations.

Francoise Peretti, Director of the Champagne Information Bureau, says:

“Don’t be Champagne shy this Christmas! Make sure you look around for different styles and brands – there is a wide diversity of Champagne which will suit your occasion. Year-end celebrations are a great time to experiment and explore.”

We're not at Home to Champagne Charlie {Politics}

As has been widely reported, this year’s Conservative Party Conference, like its predecessor, will feature a ban on what many might see as the Tories’ beverage of choice – champagne, naturally. We are told that at last year’s conference, the drink would have been seen as a premature celebration of victory – and it’s true that nothing is punished by the British public more swiftly than perceived arrogance; just ask the Labour Party after their narrow loss against John Major’s Conservatives.

At this year’s Conference, the mood (or at least the mood the Party wants to project) is sober and business-like. The past few months since the election could be seen, perhaps, as a ‘phoney war’, a kind of hiatus – up until now, cuts have been discussed, options tabled, and Ministers have argued for the necessity of continued spending in their Departments. Now, within two weeks, the axe will begin to fall in earnest and the public will begin to see what 25% cuts in Government spending actually look like.  Accountancy firm BDO and other experts have warned that the cuts are likely to push the country into a second recession, as businesses make their own cuts in anticipation of shrinking markets. Against this background, it would be foolish, indeed, to celebrate too overtly in front of the cameras.

Yet the Conservatives, in fact, have much to celebrate. Of course, winning the election, for one thing, even if the result was the Coalition. Perhaps even more important is how smoothly the Coalition formed and how harmonious it is for the most part – It’s been said of David Cameron that he prefers consensus to confrontation, and he seems to be thriving on it.

But it’s not just about consensus – this is a radical Government – if anyone had missed that point, it was made clear by David Cameron’s invitation to Margaret Thatcher to visit 10 Downing Street in June. Margaret Thatcher herself was the leader of the most revolutionary administration since the Welfare State was born in 1945 under Clemet Attlee.  Thatcher’s revolution, of course, was about shrinking, not enlarging, the State, and David Cameron intends to complete it.

Under Thatcher, the State got out of the business of running industries. Under Cameron, the State will continue to provide the essentials to those who have no alternative, but it will no longer be a viable option for those who prefer not to work to rely on the State as a lifestyle choice. The planned cuts in Housing Benefit for the long-term unemployed are part of this strategy; while they may sound harsh, Ian Duncan Smith’s intended radical reforms to the welfare system will ensure that taking work always pays and that the culture of warehousing people on benefits for life is brought to an end.

The process will undoubtedly be painful, particularly for those State employees who lose their jobs in this process. But we should remember one thing – while the 1980s were also painful for many as the economy changed from State Socialism to free enterprise, by the mid-1990s Britain’s economy was rock-solid, house prices were reasonable, and levels of employment were increasing.

David Cameron’s rejigging of the economy is unavoidable, not least because the country is broke – but people may be pleasantly surprised to see what emerges from the process.

It would be hard to blame Conference delegates for taking a discreet swig of champagne from a paper cup, given the circumstances.

Stephen Canning is the editor of The Tory Boy ( http://www.thetoryboy.com ) one of the fatest growing online political news blogs. He is also the Chairman of the Braintree Conservative Future and is actively involved in local, regional and national politics. Join him on Twitter (@StephenCanning) for regular political news and information.