Tag Archives: father’s

Christmas Gift List For Your Dad

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Dads are great so they deserve a great present. FACT. Take your pick from this lot.

christmasgiftlistsfordad

Olloclip 4-IN-1 Photo Lens

Olloclip

We loved reviewing this. It is pretty cool and makes taking pictures on a smartphone a professional experience. This lens will let you get amazing shots. The Apple users can’t wait until the one for the iPhone comes out.

Olloclip the creators of innovative smartphone lens attachments, have recently released the newest addition to their product range; the 4-in-1 for Samsung S4 and S5. Leveraging the phenomenal success of its iPhone flagship product, the olloclip 4-IN-1 Photo Lens systems for the Samsung Galaxy S5 and S4 features four lenses (fisheye, wide-angle and two macros –10x and 15x) in one small package weighing less than an ounce.

This product is available on all apple products and there are plans for the IPhone 6 versions in the pipeline. This product is ideal for snap happy smartphone users allowing them to create digital SLR quality images without the baggage. . RRP: £59.99, available in all Apple stores and online. www.Olloclip.com and here.

 

Nuevue

Nuevue

This is brilliant, very handy. iPhones can be hard to clean, this is convenient and works well. Nuevue have released the world’s first antimicrobial smartphone and tablet cases that clear away the nasty smears and fingerprints on the device’s screen in one easy slide. Whilst consumers may be travelling on holiday or the simple commute the antimicrobial technology not only cleans the screen quickly and easily — with a simple sliding motion — but eliminate microbes as well.

RRP from £34.99, available at Nuevue.com and here.

 

Personal Weather Station by Netatmo

Personal Weather Station by Netatmo-

This is amazing. Just an amazing invention. We had a lot of fun reviewing this. You can monitor the weather, C02, humidity, temperature, air quality indoors and out, barometric pressure and acoustic comfort. It allows the user to monitor indoor/ outdoor air quality with the help of two stylish cylinders that communicate their activity through a free App. It measures the humidity, CO2 and sound levels as well as the temperature – RRP £139. Available in all Apple Stores and online at Netatmo.com and here.

 

Kingston Technology Datatraveller MicroDuo 3.0

This is convenient and brilliant. Great for travelling dads or just those with a lot of data to shift. The DataTraveler microDuo 3.0 expands the storage of AndroidTM devices up to 64GB, easily moving large files, photos, videos and music from a phone or tablet to the USB drive and back. The USB 3.0 to MicroUSB dual interface drive can be used with any USB On-The-Go compatible device and allows users to transfer data without plugging into a computer. From Ebuyer.com

 

Leitz Complete Power Sleeve For 10 inch Tablet

This a brilliant, high-quality sleeve for dads tablet. Is lightweight and robust and looks very sleek and cool. A great present.

Around £24.30 Via Amazon

 

 

Nearly Half of Working Mums Would Consider Sharing Parental Leave

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keeping children entertained on car journeysSome 44% of working mums would consider sharing their maternity leave with their partner, according to Workingmums.co.uk annual survey.

The number of women who would consider sharing their leave when the new shared parenting legislation comes in next year has risen by 3% since last year and may in part be due to a rising number of women who are the main breadwinners in their families – over 17% of women who were living with a partner say they are the main breadwinner and only in a small number of cases is this because their partner has been made redundant or had to reduce their hours.

The survey of over 2,390 working parents, sponsored by McDonald’s Restaurants Ltd, covers a wide variety of issues, from childcare and flexible working to finances, discrimination and self employment.

It shows that, despite the rise in women breadwinners, the number of women who claim to split childcare and housework equally with their partners is just 21%, down from 27% last year. Some 17% say their partners work flexibly with 4% of partners working part time.

Many women said the economic situation was affecting how long they took for maternity leave. Some 46% had returned to work early due to the recession or cost of living. Some 10% only took between one and three months’ maternity leave. The majority, however, took between seven and 12 months. Although 70% said they went back to work because they needed the money, 60% said they would work even if money was not an issue.

Other findings from the survey include:

– 56% of women say they earn less pro-rata than they did before having children.

– 49% say employers discriminate more against women in the current climate

– 60% think they have to work harder than men due to unconscious bias

– the number of parents using grandparents for childcare has risen. 56% make use of grandparents to reduce their childcare costs, 18% use tax credits, 25% have childcare vouchers; 23% use friends; 8% get older siblings to help and 18% get help from other relatives [many use a combination of options]

– 41% [up 11% on last year] spent nothing on childcare while 20% pay over £500 per month

– 32% say homeworking is their most favoured type of flexible working and homeworking is the most likely thing to encourage more women to work full time.

– 53% said that more flexible working would aid them in their career development

– Most women got the flexible working they requested, but 23% did not with 11% feeling their employer did not even consider their request at all

– Only 13% who had taken a career break found a job fairly easily afterwards

– Most women [53%] want part-time work and 15% of part timers work at least 6-8 hours extra a week

– Just 4% do a job share

– 74% of working mums are logging on to emails outside of their working hours, with 48% doing so regularly.

– 14% of respondents were on a zero hours contract or variable shifts – of these 54% prefer it as it offers flexibility, but 17% find it difficult to arrange all the childcare they need. 28% like it for the flexibility but also find it a challenge with childcare.

Gillian Nissim, founder of Workingmums.co.uk, said: “Our annual survey always throws up a wealth of information on the way women are working or would like to work and what the hurdles many face when attempting to reach their potential. It is interesting to note the appetite for shared parenting in the light of expectations that initial take-up will not be significant. This perhaps reflects a growing awareness among couples of the link between equality in the workplace and at home. It is vital that policy supports parents in having greater choice over how they balance work and family life.”

 

Great Gifts For Dad | Father’s Day Gift Guide

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It is father’s day tomorrow but you can still buy your dad something. If you buy online he might not get it on time, but, hey, it’s the thought that counts. We have done all of the hard work for you, here are some great gifts.

slatecheeseandboardknifeset

Taylor’s Eye Witness – professional knives for foodie dads

Taylor’s Eye Witness have an eco-friendly range. They use ethically sourced, raw materials to create quality tools for your kitchen. This Slate Cheese Board & Knife Set is beautiful and practical all in one. http://taylors-eye-witness.co.uk/

blacksheepcoffee

Black Sheep Coffee – fine Robusta Rivaval coffee for caffeine crazed dads

Black Sheep Coffee has launched the UK’s first fine Robusta bean product, set to turn the heads of coffee connoisseurs and seriously shake up the scene. It’s new Robusta Revival has a surprisingly different taste profile to the Arabica beans that currently saturate the premium end of the market… rich, creamy and sweet, with a less acidic tone reminiscent of walnut and dark chocolate. Very good coffee.

eauto

E-auto – a great car cleaning range for petrol-head dads 

The e-auto range works using the same microfiber technology  as it’s sister brand e-cloth and uses just water to clean as well. Products such as the e-auto dual action mitt quickly and thoroughly remove dirt without the need for harsh and expensive cleaning products. This is a great car cleaning kit. http://www.e-cloth.com/e-auto-range

workforcesocks

Workforce socks http://www.workforcesocks.co.uk/index.php

These are socks that are great for anyone that enjoys walking, gardening, has a construction job or just spends a lot of time on their feet! Everyone needs socks and these are great for practical dads.

multicigecigarettes

multiCIG,the UK’s premium e-cigarette brand, is perfect for anyone wanting to encourage their dad to quit smoking traditional cigarettes. Tar and odour free, they are healthier than normal cigarettes. http://www.multicig.co.uk/

afternoontea

The five-star Athenaeum Hotel in Mayfair is doing a bespoke gentleman’s afternoon tea including Wild boar sausage rolls, miniature steak & ale pies and includes a dram of single malt scotch Whisky for every Dad. Priced at £34.50 and available from 12-7pm until 30th June.

gillray

Gillray’s Steakhouse & Bar in the London Marriott Hotel County Hall is offering a free Aston Martin for every Dad dinning on Sunday! The traditional English steak house will be serving roast beef with all the trimmings and a match box Aston Martin for Dads.

pearapplespiritjackhigh

These spirits are great and unique. We loved them.

Vintage Pear Spirit (Owler) ABV 40%The Vintage Pear Spirit is made from the fruit of rare pear trees – which once appeared to be dying out. With names such as Hedgehog, Cowslip and Painted Lady, these unique and exquisite varieties ensure a refined drink – with a distinct pear flavour. A touch of fruity floral elegance.

Available in 700ml, 500ml and 50ml bottle.

700ml – £49.00/ 500ml – £39.00/ 50ml – £5.50

Vintage Apple Spirit ABV 40%

A similar product to the Vintage Pear Spirit – made from milled Gloucestershire apples that are grown on the farm. The end result is a spirit with a punchy tang and apple aroma.

Available in 700ml, 500ml and 50ml bottle.

700ml – £45.00/ 500ml – £35.00/ 50ml – £5.50

700ml and 500ml bottles are presented in a Charles Martell tube – which depict the view of May Hill from Hunt’s Court Farm.

Jack High Cider Spirit ABV 40%

A modern spirit distilled from local cider – it is diluted with spring water from the farm and aged in oak barrels to provide a warmer, mellower drink – almost like a delicate malt whisky. In January 2014, Charles Martell introduced Jack High Junior – a 5cl miniature bottle. Jack High Spirit comes in three light-hearted label designs; ‘Cider Spirit with mud on its boots’, Cider spirit that’s as strong as an ox’ and ‘Cider Spirit that was born in a barn’.

Available in 500ml and 50ml bottle.

500ml – £30.00/ NEW 50ml bottle – £5.00

 

Some cocktail ideas for the above.

 

Vintage Pear Perfect Serve

50ml Charles Martell Vintage Pear Spirit
1 slice cinnamon coated pear
Add ice to a rocks glass and pour over the Charles Martell Vintage Pear Spirit. Cut a slice of fresh pear and sprinkle some cinnamon onto one side. Slide the cinnamon coated pear into the side of the glass, swirl and enjoy.Vintage Pear Sour
50ml Charles Martell Vintage Pear Spirit
15ml egg white
25ml lemon juice
10ml sugar syrup
1 dash orange bitters
Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with cubed ice and shake very hard. Double strain the mixture over fresh cubed ice in a rocks glass and garnish with a slice of fresh pear.

 


Vintage Apple Perfect Serve
50ml Charles Martell Vintage Apple Spirit
4 slice apple fan
1 dash orange bitters
Fill a rocks glass with cubed ice and pour over Charles Martell Vintage Apple spirit. Add a dash of orange bitters and stir gently, top with ice if needed and garnish with an apple fan.

 

Vintage Apple Elegance
50ml Charles Martell Vintage Apple Spirit
25ml Elderflower Liqueur
20ml fresh lime juice
2 dashes rhubarb bitters
Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with cubed ice and shake hard. Double strain the cocktail into a large wine glass filled with cubed ice and garnish with an edible flower and a mint sprig.
Apple Jack
50ml Jack High Cider Spirit
120ml apple juice
Fill a Kilner jar with cubed ice and pour over a double measure of Jack High Cider Spirit. Top the drink with apple juice (non-cloudy) and stir well. Garnish with an apple fan.

 

Jack High Mojito
50ml Jack High Cider Spirit
15ml sugar syrup
40ml fresh lime juice
10 fresh mint leaves
100ml soda water
Stir sugar syrup and lime juice in the bottom of a Collins glass and fill with crushed ice. Add the Jack High Cider Spirit and churn well to mix all of the flavours. Top the cocktail with soda water and crushed ice.
Garnish with a straw and a mint sprig.

 


Jack High Fruity Cup
50ml Jack High Cider Spirit
Mixed summer berries
6 fresh mint leaves
15ml fresh lime juice
100ml still lemonade
30ml soda water
Add plenty of cubed ice into a large wine glass and top with a handful of mixed berries and mint leaves. Pour over lime juice and Jack High Cider Spirit. Top with still lemonade and soda water – stir very well and top with cubed ice if required. Add a straw and enjoy!

 

All recipes Charles Martell and BlackLeaf Events.