Tag Archives: London

January's Magazines: Lady Gaga and Gwen Stefani Cover Stars.

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Lady Gaga takes the cover of Vanity Fair. She tells Vanity Fair: ‘I can’t commit to being an adult- I’m not ready.’

One of the main reasons I subscribe to Vanity Fair is the intelligent articles. I get my monthly dose of politics and economics. This month is no exception, there are brilliant articles to help you understand the economical crisis and a brilliant article on George F. Kennedy.

I really enjoyed Henry Aldord’s article on manners. It’s a sample from his book, Would it kill you to stop doing that?

  • Vanity Fair take Celine Dion out to lunch and she tells them she has over 3000 pair of shoes.
  • There is a brilliant article on Rick Perry, can he comeback?
  • Salman Rushdie on Lewis Carroll’s struggle to write his second book. ‘Follow that syndrome’ and how it helped him. Great piece.
  • The Japanese workers cleaning up Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
  • Rebecca Eaton, who has put her stamp on Downton Abbey and Upstairs Downstairs amongst others.
  • Michael Ovitz and his (alleged) failed takeover of IMG from the late Teddy Forstmann.
  • The wonderful Christopher Hitchens debates whether the phrase ‘what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger’ has merit.
  • The Queen and Prince Phillip in love. 16 pages on the blossoming of their love.
  • And P.D. James answers the Proust Questionnaire.

Marie Claire has Kelly Rowland on the cover. She talks Beyonce, men, music and admits she has cellulite.

There is a lot of clothes and shoes that will help you plan your wardrobe for next year, and lots of sparkly stuff for Christmas.

There is also a 2011 in review. Most magazines do this in December, watch out for Frosts.

  • Why famous men cheat, and does it sound like your man? Good article, and Lizzie Cundy tells Marie Claire how it felt when her husband cheated on her. Forgive and forget?
  • Four style savvy women share the party prepping secrets.
  • Janine di Giovanni goes in search of the truth about Aisha Gaddafi.
  • Should you tell your boss if your pregnant?
  • Matt Smith interview.
  • Who finds you the perfect date?
  • Jean Shrimpton’s Life story.
  • Amy Manson on the things she loves.
  • Future proof your looks.
  • Dakota Fanning’s beauty rules.
  • There is a very informative article on hormone problems, their symptoms and treatments.

Florence Welch take the cover of British Vogue and is interviewed inside. She tells Vogue: ‘I don’t think I’ll ever be polished. I’m integrally slightly scruffy. You know, you meet those women who are so cool? I’m striving for that so much!”.

  • In Vogue’s scrapbook there is a guide to flowers and their seasons and lots of floral dresses.
  • Sarah Lund from The Killing is interviews and asked about THAT jumper.
  • Women under siege, stories from women in Libya.
  • The new generation of female drummers.
  • Designing Duos.
  • Michael Kors
  • The Frieze Art; pictures and interviews from the art world’s fashion week.
  • Nomi Rapace interview.
  • Steven Spielberg and the cast for Warhorse.
  • Vogue’s great escapes. A brief history of Vogue shoots in foreign countries.
  • Three beauty hotshots show you how to par-down your make up bag.
  • Fast track your workout.

 

Glamour has X Factor’s Tulisa on the cover. She says ‘I don’t think I am anything like Cheryl, except we can both put a bit of volume in our hair’. She also says that she likes to ‘stick up for other women’. Which makes Frost like her. A lot.

  • Dermont O’Leary interview.
  • Don’t fear your fashion ghosts.
  • Get your dream job in 2012.
  • How to get blogged about.
  • The truth about food intolerance.
  • 3 Health problems you can fix yourself.
  • Can dating pro Matthew Hussey find you a man?
  • Tamara and Petra Ecclestone.
  • There is a good article on the rise of those awful pay day loan companies, beware of them at all costs!
  • Hollywood female stereotypes, a funny article by Mindy Kaling, writer of the US Office.
  • The truth about Hollywood stars selling their bodies when times get tough.
  • Give your closet a January detox with Danni Minogue.
  • Nicki Minaj interview and photo shoot.
  • How to get your s**t together. Sort out your wardrobe, make up bag, and everything else in your life.
  • Josh Duhamel interview.
  • The stars of 2012.
  • Your everything guide to skin.
  • Nicole Scherzinger on health and beauty.
  • The Devil in your diet: The low-down on sugar. Did you know that sugar has 4kcal per gram? There is also no difference between brown and white sugar.
  • 12 dinners for £50.

Tatler has Florence Brudenell-Bruce is on the cover. The girl that got away, Prince Harry’s ex tells Tatler that ‘one day everything will drop and I won’t be able to earn a living in my bikini’.

 

  • Free travel guide.
  • Rigby and Peller give Tatler their Mood Board.
  • What the recent overhaul of the royal succession means for the aristocracy.
  • Santa Sebag Montefiore launches a new skiing clothes line.
  • The Posh Commune.
  • Ella Hughes goes to an orgy.

  • Charles Gilkes and Duncan Stirling launch yet another party venue.
  • Quentin Letts sketchbook: Yvette Cooper.
  • Russian Billionaires at the High Court. Abramovich and Berezovsky go head to head.
  • Emma Freud reviews toasters.
  • Dafydd Jones on 30 years of chronicling the art crowd.
  • Writers on manners.
  • Joanne Lumley on her beauty routine.
  • Jo Malone on what she loves.

Gwen Stefani is on the cover of Instyle and is interviewed. Did you know she is friends with Angelina Jolie?

  • Where style starts: statement earrings.
  • Josephine de la Baume on her style.
  • Actors at the Toronto Film Festival.
  • Fashion insiders reveal what they cannot live without.
  • Tom Ford and Kate Bosworth. Tom has just launched a new make up range and Kate models
  • Instyle Shopping rules; jeans, vintage, lingerie, jewellery.
  • Instyle meets Jenna Lyons from J Crew.
  • Beyonce’s body rules.
  • Christmas Prep.
  • Megan Fox Up Close. Her beauty secrets.
  • Gizzi Erskine is In Style’s new columnist.

Tim Austin On Kindle Publishing Christmas Tails.

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Frost: You’ve written a book of short stories for Christmas – tell us a little about them.

Tim: I actually wrote the stories a few years back, as presents for friends and family. There are four stories and each has a different feel and genre. One is a children’s adventure in the style of Enid Blyton, one is a comic farce told in “net speak”, another is a Victorian ghost story.

Frost: But they’re all linked in some way?

Tim: They all contain Dogs, hence the Title; “Christmas Tails”.

Frost: What made you think of publishing them?

Tim: I was encouraged to share them by the people who I’d written them for and people who they had shown them to. The positive reaction took me by surprise, to be honest; I’ve written a few scripts here and there but nothing like this. It was quite flattering so I thought “why not?”
I initially did a short print run of one of the stories, “Dreams”, for local people in Yorkshire. It sold out. I was later told that it had been used in a high school assembly somewhere in Birmingham!

Frost: And now you’ve put the collection on the Kindle Bookstore?

Tim: Yes. It’s also available as a PDF from my website.

Frost: What made you go down the direct publishing route?

Tim: Time and cost, mainly. As an actor chasing work, I’ve little time to be running around after publishers – it’s a bit of a chore, frankly. I thought that publishing online would be the simplest and quickest way of getting the book out there.

Frost: And how have you found self-publishing? Successful? Tricky?

Tim: More difficult than I had expected, to be honest. The trouble with self-publishing is that you’re suddenly responsible for formatting and type-facing the book for use with e-readers (which is a steep learning curve!) as well as marketing the book itself. And the market for e-books is a little different to the market for paperbacks.

Frost: How so?

Tim: It seems to me, having now been poking around the forums and the dozens of e-book related sites on the net, that there is a new culture developing around e-books. The audience is pretty open to new works and new authors but they’re also pretty demanding – pricing is tricky, for example, and they’re not scared of telling you if something doesn’t work!
That said, I’ve found the publishers forum on Amazon very helpful and wonderfully supportive.

Frost: And what about your decision to give 50p per book to Children in Need?

Tim: Well, as much as the money would come in very handy, the important thing to me is having the book in people’s hands and enjoyed. I always feel the tiniest bit guilty that I’ve not been able to give as much as I’d like to the charity over the years and I want to make up for that. It’s a great charity and, with government support ebbing away from many of the causes that Children in Need supports, it just seems like the right thing to do.

Frost: Any future publishing plans?

Tim:
Not immediately. But who knows? If it sells well enough, there may – just may – be a sequel.

Frost: You read it here first.

To buy Christmas Tails, please visit Tim’s main site at www.tim-austin.co.uk or buy it from the Amazon Kindle Bookstore here; Christmas Tails

The Art of Making Friends by Carole Stone, Founder TheStoneClub

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I was desperately shy when I was starting out in the world but I’ve grown to love networking, and I now know how important it is in both your professional and social life. I think the secret of success in both cases is taking a real interest in other people, listening to what they say about themselves and what they do, and not just talking about yourself. I call it ‘good networking’, making the most of the people you meet to your mutual advantage.

We all feel a bit apprehensive when we walk into a room full of people we don’t know. This is equally true of a business conference or a social gathering. My advice is to make up your mind beforehand that you are going to ‘seize the moment’ and not leave before you have met at least one or two new people.

When you meet someone interesting you feel you want to see again make sure you get their contact details. Never leave it so that someone you want to see again takes your card and says they will contact you. You should be the one to come back with an email or call to make sure they remember you.

What if you approach someone who responds by snubbing you? Don’t worry: it happens to all of us at one time or another, and it’s only your pride that will take a temporary knock. You’ll soon get over it – and it is much better than missing the chance to talk to someone you really want to meet.

If you are at a professional gathering, try to find out who the other guests are and, if there are any speakers you want to meet afterwards, listen to them so that you have something sensible to say about the subject. If there is a chance to put questions to a speaker from the floor take the opportunity. State your name and the company, charity or organisation you are involved with and make your point briefly and clearly.

If it’s a gathering of friends for drinks or a party, and you are feeling really lost, just go up to someone like yourself who looks a bit lonely, and ask how they know the host, or whether they’ve been to the house before. Say you’re on your own and don’t know many of the guests there. Most people will be only too pleased to respond.

It is always a bonus to have somewhere to invite new people you meet and want to see again. A way of building a circle of friends that I have found very helpful indeed is what I call my ‘salon’. For a few weeks, set aside one day of the week – it must the same day and time each week and say that for one and a half hours (no longer) you will be in a certain place, a room in your office, your home, a corner of a coffee shop, and that you will be happy for your new contact to join you there – and perhaps bring a friend too. You’ll be amazed how many new and interesting people you will meet – and it needn’t be expensive. I ran my ‘salon’ at my office for many years and made dozens of new contacts.

Last year I established TheStoneClub, where members come together to meet each other – often together with experts in their field – to discuss business and social issues of the day. If you’re interested to know more about the Club do contact us.

Finally, before you go to bed, make a note of the people you’ve met during the day, with their contact details, in your electronic database. That’s the way to build a network that will make you the envy of all.

To find out more about Carole and join her network, go to her website.

BRITISH TODDLERS AT RISK OF NOT GETTING ENOUGH VITAMIN D THIS WINTER

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SHORTER WINTER days mean Britain’s toddlers risk not getting enough vitamin D, a vitamin needed for the growth and development of their bones, it is warned today by growingupmilkinfo.com.

A new survey reveals nearly eight out of 10 parents are not aware of toddlers’ specific nutritional needs and 74 per cent of British toddlers do not receive the vitamin supplements recommended by the UK Departments of Health for under-fives[1],[2]. Specifically, 9 out of 10 toddlers are failing to meet their recommended daily vitamin D reference nutrient intake3.

As the clocks go back and sunlight hours fall by up to half it becomes harder to get ‘The Sunshine Vitamin’ from sunlight alone. British children’s vitamin D-poor diets3 combined with low uptake of supplementation and a lack of knowledge amongst parents about their specific nutritional needs, mean toddlers could be missing out.

The research from growingupmilkinfo.com points towards the risk being highest in Edinburgh, Newcastle, Leeds and Sheffield, where vitamin supplement uptake is lowest[1], as is exposure to vitamin D-producing UVB sunlight. Toddlers of African-Caribbean and South Asian heritage are also at increased risk, as their skins’ increased melanin level means they are less able to produce vitamin D through exposure to sunlight4.

Shorter winter days

Vitamin D is made by the body on exposure to sunlight. In British wintertime, the number of daily sunshine hours drops by as much as half in some areas, especially in the north of the country, and the angle of the sun changes making it much more difficult for the body to make vitamin D.

Lack of knowledge for parents

Nearly eight out of 10 British parents are unaware that toddlers have specific nutritional needs and over half (54 per cent) say they never, rarely or occasionally consider a toddler’s specific nutritional requirements[1].

Nearly three-quarters of mums say they don’t give their toddler the vitamin supplements recommended by the UK Departments of Health. The Departments of Health recommend that ALL toddlers receive a daily supplement of vitamins A, C and D2.

Poor dietary uptake

The best source of vitamin D comes from UV light exposure. However in countries like the UK, where sunlight is limited, it is essential that toddlers also eat vitamin D rich foods. However, it can be hard to get toddlers to eat vitamin D rich foods – for example Government statistics show that the average consumption of oily fish is well below the recommendation5.

Simple steps parents can take to ensure toddlers are meeting their vitamin D needs include:

· Exposure to the summer (April-Oct) sun (without sunscreen) for 10 minutes a few times a week is enough for most people to produce vitamin D and store it for winter. However, some groups may not be able to get enough vitamin D exposure in this way. These groups include young children, those living north of Birmingham in the UK (due to the angle of the sun) and those of African-Caribbean and South Asian origin

· Take a daily children’s supplement of vitamins A, C and D

· Giving 2 x 150ml beakers of Growing Up Milk daily as part of a healthy balanced diet provides more than half a toddler’s daily recommended nutrient intake of vitamin D

· Include sources of vitamin D in the diet. Good sources include: fortified margarines and breakfast cereals, egg yolks, liver and oily fish

Get Marilyn Monroe Sexy.

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When people think of what makes a women sexy they often think of a fragile young actress who died in 1962. Marilyn Monroe is often though of as curvy due to her hour glass figure, but her measurements, according to her dressmaker, were:

Height: 5 feet, 5½ inches
Weight: 118-140 pounds
Bust: 35-37 inches
Waist: 22-23 inches
Hips: 35-36 inches
Bra size: 36D

This article also puts her at a size 8/10, slim, but with ample breasts and hips. If you are lacking in the curves department, or just want to enhance what you have got, Frost has located the underwear that Michelle Williams wore in her star turn as Marilyn in My Week With Marilyn.

Time to drop some hints to your boyfriend….

Padded Plunge Bra: £84.95

St Tropez Briefs: £62.95

www.rigbyandpeller.com

Lionel Blair Charades on Twitter This Christmas

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LIONEL BLAIR CHA, CHA, CHA-RADES ONTO TWITTER THIS CHRISTMAS

National treasure, dance legend and charade champion Lionel Blair is the face of the first live-streamed twitter charades game show on 8th December!

· Former ‘Give Us a Clue’ captain Lionel Blair is the face of the first live-streamed, Twitter-led Christmas charades.

· “Lionel Blair’s Twitter Christmas Charades” live streaming on 8th December

· Join in and guess via Twitter in real-time to win Lionel prizes

· Embed i-frame on your website so viewers can play along

Former ‘Give Us a Clue’ captain Lionel Blair is the face of the first live twitter-led homage of the popular family game show in a Christmas special created by digital agency Collective.

“Lionel Blair’s Twitter Christmas Charades” is the 21st century update on the popular family game and Blair, along with help from everyone playing along on Twitter and a panel, will be appearing live in London, ready to respond to the real-time guesses made via Twitter.

Tune in to www.collectivelondon.com on the 8th December and play along with Lionel via the live video stream for the chance to win some signed Lionel merchandise, and be hailed as a charade champion. Add your guess in real-time via Twitter, using hashtag #Lionelscharades.

More information can be found by following Collective London on Twitter @collectiveldn or on the agency’s Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/collectivelondon

Coming soon…. Host on the day Joe Fry will introduce the Christmas game show and explain the rules on a special videocast ahead of the big day!

How To Not Get Ripped off By a Rogue Trader

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Half of UK Homeowners Have Been Ripped Off by Rogue Traders – Survey reveals

According to Checkatrade.com – the UK’s most trusted website for monitoring the reputation of tradespeople – half of homeowners in the UK have been ripped off by a rogue trader or cowboy builder, while one in seven has been targeted three or more times.

The survey, conducted amongst 2,000 UK homeowners, found that Londoners are most at risk, with 53 per cent having fallen victim to rogue traders. In Northern Ireland just 3 in 10 have suffered at the hands of cowboys.

Despite the perception that older people are more likely to be preyed on by unscrupulous traders, the research highlighted that younger people are almost twice as likely to be ripped off as the over 50s.

Two-thirds of 18-24 year olds have already been ripped off at least once and a quarter three or more times. Only a third of over 55s have been regularly targeted.

Commenting on the findings, Kevin Byrne, founder of Checkatrade, said: “This research highlights the sheer scale of the problem we face in ‘Rip Off Britain’.

“Rogue traders perform substandard work for financial gain, a disgraceful and often lethal practice that ruins properties and costs people thousands of pounds every year.

“It is important that we vet and monitor trades companies to protect homeowners and their families from cowboys.

“Checking up on someone is quick, easy and free. It is an essential precaution that helps avoid accidents, disruption and financial loss.”

Top Tips to avoid rogue traders

* Watch out for contractors who cold call or doorstep you – ask yourself why they need to.
* Make sure you have adequate contact details for your trader in case things go wrong. In addition to a mobile number you should be looking for a landline number, office address and trade association membership details.
* Reputation is everything. Try to use builders who have been recommended to you by people you trust. Take up references from other satisfied customers who have had similar work done and have a look online.
* Have a look at www.checkatrade.com for details of tradespeople who have been vetted to a high standard, and had their insurance, qualifications and professional memberships verified, with scores out of ten from customers.
* Take the time to properly brief tradesmen and put it in writing to avoid any confusion. Be as detailed as possible.
* Obtain quotes from at least three contractors and insist on a written quotation or estimate for the work. Keep them all on file in case of any disagreement.
* To avoid costs spiralling, try and get the job done on a fixed-price basis in case the work takes longer than expected.
* Delayed start dates or long drawn out works can have a major knock on effect on any other buildings works so agree a start date and estimated finish date. However, trades can be delayed by factors outside of their control.
* Avoid anyone who specifically asks for cash – it is illegal to ask for cash payments if the trader does not put it through the books and declare it as taxable income. Cash jobs may result in a receipt not being given, without a receipt you will have no come back if things go wrong.
* Be careful about requests for upfront payments – it may imply they have cashflow problems. In our experience traders who ask for upfront payments often do so because they cannot get credit at their local builders’ merchants, which may indicate they are not financially healthy.
* Once you agree terms and before work starts draw up a simple contract, including the work to be done, the price and the timeframe. Any reputable builder will be happy to sign it, you should sign it yourself and have it witnessed and signed by an independent third party.
* Once work has begun, regularly check that works are on schedule and keep talking your contractor to make sure things are on track.

The British Comedy Awards: Who Will Be The King – Or Queen- of Comedy.

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The British Comedy Awards sponsored by Foster’s return to Channel 4 live from 9pm on December 16 with Jonathan Ross back at the helm and ready for mischief.

Nominations will be revealed in full during a one hour Channel 4 nominations show on December 11 at 10pm, a few days before the main event is broadcast live on Channel 4 from Fountain Studios in Wembley.

Today however, we can exclusively reveal the six nominees for the prestigious People’s Choice Award for the King or Queen of Comedy – the only category where the viewers choose the winner.

Reigning Queen of Comedy Miranda Hart will be defending her crown against star of Peep Show and 10 O’clock Live presenter David Mitchell, chat show supremo and guru of all things Eurovision, Graham Norton, Fresh Meat star, Jack Whitehall, BAFTA-winning comedian, actress and author Jo Brand and stand-up sensation and panel show favourite Sarah Millican.

People can vote for their favourite by calling 0901 616 4444 and selecting the following numbers to cast their vote.*

For DAVID MITCHELL press 1

For GRAHAM NORTON press 2

For JACK WHITEHALL press 3

For JO BRAND press 4

For MIRANDA HART press 5

For SARAH MILLICAN press 6

Lines open Monday 28 November and voting closes during the awards ceremony, shortly before the winner is revealed and we find out who is officially the funniest person in Britain.

Host Jonathan Ross said: “I’ve tried, but I can’t think of a more entertaining way to spend a winters evening then watching a room full of our best and brightest comedians get slowly drunk while they wait to see which of their rivals picks up an award. Surely that’s what Christmas is all about?

“To be hosting it again, for what feels like the 87th time, is also an honour and privilege and I will do my best, like the Batman facing a room full of Jokers, to keep things running smoothly”.

There are 17 categories in this year’s British Comedy Awards, including Best New British TV Comedy, Best Sitcom, Best Comedy Actor and Actress, Lifetime Achievement Award and Outstanding Contribution to British Comedy.

Previous winners include Russell Brand, Ricky Gervais, Alan Carr, Stephen Fry, Matt Lucas David Walliams. Sascha Baron Cohen and Peter Kay.

The event also attracts a star studded audience with recent guests including Goldie Hawn, Alec Baldwin, Madonna, Samuel L Jackson, Eva Mendes, Jack Black, Juliette Lewis, Matt Groening and JK Rowling.

For the latest news on this year’s event, go to www.channel4.com/britishcomedyawards.

Twitter: #ComedyAwards

TX Details

British Comedy Awards Nominations Show – Sunday 11 December at 10pm on Channel 4

British Comedy Awards – Friday 16 December live from 9pm on Channel 4

British Comedy Awards: Live Lock-In – Friday 16 December from 11pm on E4

Voting

*Calls cost 36p from a BT landline. Calls from other networks may be higher and from mobiles will cost considerably more. Touchtone phones only. Maximum 6 votes per caller. Details and Terms at channel4.com/comedyawards. Voting closes during the Comedy Awards on 16th December 2011