Tag Archives: rugby

What’s On This Weekend

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A round up of another glorious four-day week with a host of spectacular activities in and around The Capital. Our top picks include;

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The London Whisky Weekender 1-3rd;

Starting today, The London Whisky Weekender will transform the East London venue, Oval Space into a Dramtastic dream. With Whisky’s to try from all around The World this is the perfect day out for any Whisky Lover of any degree. Enjoy a dram of something you love or something brand new amidst a backdrop of blues music and some quality street food.

For tickets and info;

Whisky

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Saturday Brunch at Gaucho’s Electro Brunch;

From 11am-3pm every Saturday, work your way through Gaucho’s impressive, unlimited brunch menu complete with cocktails and sparkling wine. Available at their Canary Wharf, Piccadilly and Smithfield branches and priced at £45 this is the absolute perfect way to start the weekend.

For more info and booking;

Brunch

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Feast of Rugby takeover Urban Food Fest 2nd April;

This year’s HSBC London Sevens will be celebrating their partnership with Urban Food Fest by hosting a ‘Feast of Rugby’ takeover at the Shoreditch street food market on Saturday 2nd April.The market will be fully HSBC London Sevens themed and there will be special guest appearances from the England sevens team – who will be helping vendors cook up a storm on the day. From France to Fiji, think Sweet and Savoury Crêpes, slow roasted and pulled pork burgers and Venezuelan Maize arepas. Yum Yum.

Entry is free just turn up;

Euro Car Parks
162-167 Shoreditch High Street, Shoreditch
London, E1

For more info;

Food 

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The cosiest “Night In” at Pillow Cinema.

This Saturday, snuggle up to a loved one… or two in a stunning Tudor House setting in the heart of Hackney and enjoy a screening of either Romeo and Juliet or The Danish Girl. Complimentary blankets and fatboy beanbags provided. All you need to do is turn up for a super chill Saturday Night at The Movies.

For tickets and info;

Cinema

Head over to Chicago Rib Shack for some ‘Scrum-‘tious’ #ribsandrugby

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The Rugby World Cup is well under way and if you weren’t lucky enough to nab yourself a ticket, hot-foot it down to Chicago Rib Shack and treat yourself to a sensational side of Ribs with your Rugby!

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The Chicago Rib Shack was born from a delicious dream, the owner, the late Bob Payton had over 30 years ago. He wanted to bring the most authentic American BBQ restaurant to Europe and boy did he. Since then hundreds of restaurants across London have followed suit trying to replicate this All-American BBQ style but none with as much determination and passion as Chicago Rib Shack. The first Chicago Rib Shack opened in Knightsbridge to a glowing reception however after Bob Payton died the restaurant sadly closed. Just three years ago, Chicago Rib Shack re-opened and boasts a menu curated with as much love and soul as when Bob had his dream all those years ago.

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We were privileged enough to try out their mouth-watering menu and cocktails whilst enjoying a game of footy on the TV. Naturally the Ribs were my top option all round, but as I was dining with a Veggie, opted for the Baby Back Ribs instead of the Ribshack Top 4 which also includes Beef Ribs… next time for sure. The Ribs were succulent, tender and melt in your mouth delicious with a side of Sweet Potato Fries and Mac n Cheese all three complimented each other just right. The portions were generous but the food was so delicious I could have easily had more out of pure appreciation for the treats they had to offer. We also ordered a portion of Mac and Cheese bites, I must confess I am a Mac and Cheese connoisseur so if this is on the menu, it’s getting ordered. The Mac and Cheese side order also comes with optional Jalapeños or Bacon but we chose to get it plain. My favourite thing about it was the sauce was just the perfect balance of creamy and light, not too stodgy like some, not overly salted like a lot of other restaurants, and the pasta was cooked perfectly. The Mac and Cheese bites were like little Arancini balls filled with yummy Mac and Cheese, again the perfect consistency without the excessive salt and stodge, served with a delicious tomato jam. Alongside the Ribs, these complimented perfectly with yummy tender meat. For the Veggie option we opted for the Veggie Stack Burger which is a Grilled Courgette, Sweet Potato and Aubergine topped with Red Pesto, Goats Cheese and Rocket. This could only be described as the most delicious tasting Veggie option which we’ve ever had and trust us, we eat out a lot. As well as just Ribs, Chicago Rib Shack offer a range of Salads, Grilled Chicken and Fish Cakes just in case you don’t fancy any Ribs but to be honest, major food envy will consume you and once you’ve had a taste you will be making your way back here to try all of the other options on the menu.

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The overall ambience of the place is laid back and in true American style, welcoming and friendly. We dined at the Clapham branch and being set under the arches, the interior was enough to create a relaxed atmosphere but still special enough for a date night or special evening out. The staff were every bit as wonderful as the food and went above and beyond our call of duty, even letting us order cocktails off menu even though the selection was more than ample!

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Chicago Rib Shack have branches in Clapham, Westfield Stratford, Twickenham and Leeds. They also run a host of other deals; see below for our favourites. So fear not if you don’t manage to get down for Ribs and Rugby, make sure to check them out regardless because you would be ‘Rib’-iculous not too!

Mondays – 50% of all food after 5pm
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday – 2 for 1 on all Cocktails
Thursday – Burger Day, Burgers, Fries and a Drink for a tenner

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http://www.thechicagoribshack.co.uk

Toulouse City Guide | Travel

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Sometimes it is hard being a writer and editor, especially one with their own magazine. Going to the South of France to review Toulouse was not one of those times. In fact, it is now one of my favourite places in the entire world and I will definitely be returning. The Pink City of Haut-Garonne is called the pink city because of the brickwork of the buildings. It is the 4th largest city in France with 437,000 inhabitants and it is beautiful, dynamic and friendly.

toulouse

We flew with BMI Regional via Birmingham. We also had a great time in the No.1 Traveller lounge at Birmingham Airport before flying to Toulouse Business Class. The flight was incredibly enjoyable and included free food and drink. The service on-board was also great. Our air steward, Michael Love, seemed to know what we wanted before we did and kept us happy with Gin & Tonics and brilliant, yes it is possible, plane food.

BMI Regional plane

Toulouse is the birthplace of Concorde, the Ariane Rocket and the home of Airbus.Toulouse has also had a 100-year love affair with rugby. Stade Toulousain are one of the Northern Hemispheres best teams. 7 million passengers are transported via Toulouse Blagnac Airport every year.

Toulouse has more than 2000 hours of sun a year and more than 1000 restaurants. Sold yet? Whether the answer is yes or no, read on….

We arrived in Toulouse via Toulouse Blagnac Airport, a beautiful and stylish airport and made our way to our hotel, the Citiz Hotel, a modern four star hotel in the heart of Toulouse. It opened in 2010. The hotel has air-conditioning, free wifi and a car park near the hotel entrance. The hotel faces Wilson square and is only a 15 minute drive from Blagnac airport. My hotel room was incredibly stylish, the bed was large and comfy, the bathroom was elegant and the shower powerful. There was a minibar, safe and a flatscreen TV. I also had a balcony and a wardrobe. The hotel also does a great breakfast spread and the staff are very helpful.

Rio Loco, the world music festival that happens every year on the 21st of June to get all of France partying, happened while we were there. We had lots of fun listening to all of the different music and went to bed in the early hours.It was like one huge street party. Definitely recommended.

National Music Day in Toulouse

We went on a walking tour offered by the Toulouse Tourist Board.This was informative and very enjoyable, a great way to see the city. Great things to see include The Capitole (the City Hall), Saint-Sernin Basilica, The Jacobins Convent, The Hotel d’Assezat (built by Nicholas Bachelier for Pierre d’Assezat who made his fortune from Woad, a plant used in dyeing. More of which later), the river Garonne and The Augustins Museum, an amazing fine arts museum with beautiful pieces. It has a lot of 19th century sculptures.

J'GO Toulouse

J’Go, 16 Place Victor Hugo, 31000 Toulouse. Tel: 05 61 23 02 03. They accommodate people regardless of importance and budget and have authentic cuisine from the love of Gascon culture. The fruit and vegetables are grown by farmers in the South West and is in season. They also buy the whole carcass of animals from farmers in their region. The food we had was amazing and a brass band started playing outside while we were eating. The waiter also really knew his stuff.  Check the pictures out here.

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Cite de L’Espace. Avenue Jean Gonord – BP 25855 – 31506 Toulouse cedex 5. This wonderful space adventure theme park is dedicated to space. We went to Mars (Almost), walked on the moon thanks to the Moonrunner (I was six times less than my usual weight, which was great!), and saw a documentary on the Hubble Telescope in their glorious IMAX Big Screen 3D cinema. The theme park covers 5 hectares and receives 270,000 visitor a year, but it should be more, Globally, 50 million Euro has been invested into the Cite de L’Espace and it shows in the quality. They do tours in English in the summer and have had over 4 million visitors.

There is also a 53 meter high Ariane rocket, I am now one of the privileged few to go into Soyuz Vessel, the indestructible Russian spacecraft. There was authentic Moon Rock on loan from NASA which was brought back by astronauts during the Apollo 15 landing, rock from Mars, great photos which show how the earth looks from up close, to outer space, there is also exhibitions, a children’s area, a planetarium, restaurant and lots of experiments to test yourself on. Do not go to Toulouse and not go to the Cite de L’Espace. It is a must visit.

Cite de L’Espace is accessible to disabled people.

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Le Chai Saint-Sauveur, 30 rue Bernard-Mule- 31400 Toulouse. Tel: 05 61 54 27 20

This was a brilliant restaurant with a rustic, country feel. The food was amazing and so were the staff. Highly recommended. See the food here.

Terre de pastel

Terre de Pastel is a museum, boutique, spa and restaurant opened in June 2013 in Toulouse-Labege. The spa is amazing, with lots of different treatments, an idyllic swimming pool, sauna, Turkish bath, jacuzzi, herbal tea shop and a gym. The museum is informative, telling the story of the woad plant which is responsible for the pastel, the wonderful blue colour. You will learn about the history of blue, the symbol of blue, traditional applications and all about the woad plant, which grows in a field and looks like a rapeseed field; pretty and yellow. Sandrine Banessy, the owner and also author of books on woad, showed us how the woad dyes fabric. It was incredibly interesting and the woad will continue to dye the fabric blue until the fabric is dry.

The shop at Terre de Pastel made me want to spend all of my euros and go over my luggage allowance. There is a great selection of homeware, cosmetics, food, haberdashery and books. It is almost all blue. There is also a restaurant with great food and wine.

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Le Py-R. 19 descente de la Halle aux Poissons – 31000 Toulouse. Tel: 05 61 25 51 52. Chef Pierre Lambinon has won many awards and it was easy to see why, the food in his small gastronomic restaurant was amazing and unique. Pictures here.

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The Victor Hugo Marketplace. This is the most prestigious marketplace in all of France. It has 5 small restaurants on its upper floor. I bought some great cheese here.

All of the above places are where you should go if you visit Toulouse. It is a wonderful city and everyone I know loves it. Frost loves….

For more pictures check out Toulouse in Instagram Pictures Part 1, 2 and 3.

Get the Toulouse en Liberte City Card at the Tourism Office to get more than 250 discounts on hotels, restaurants, museums, shops and tours.You can also explore by boat.

www.toulouse-tourisme.com

www.toulouse-visit.com

www.tourisme-midi-pyrenees.com

www.uk.toulouse-tourisme.com

Have you ever been to Toulouse? Make recommendations below.

About No.1 Traveller – fast facts

· No.1 Traveller specialises in premium hospitality and provides a complete ‘driveway to runway’ service – smart Chauffeur-driven airport transfers, express train tickets, airport parking, airport meet-and-greet and airport lounges (No.1 Traveller’s own collection, plus associate lounges abroad)

· It works with airlines, businesses and individuals to offer a convenient and comfortable service to take the stress out of going to and through airports – the smart traveller’s choice

· No.1 Traveller can be booked by anyone at www.No1Traveller.com or passengers can make their way to the reception of the airport lounge on the day

Airport lounge: Birmingham

· Opened October 2012; the first of No.1 Traveller’s lounges outside London

· Accessible to all passengers travelling through the airport

· Open daily from 0430hrs – 2030hrs; facilities include a range of seating areas across two levels, fully-tended bar, bistro area serving complimentary hot and cold dishes, complimentary newspapers, magazines and internet access

· Entry £27.50 per adult at reception, for up to three hours access (children £17.50 each), £22.50 if booked in advance (children £15)

BMI regional operates over 450 flights a week throughout the UK and Europe with one way prices starting from £59. bmi regional flies from Aberdeen, Antwerp, Bristol, Bremen, Billund, Birmingham, Bristol, Brussels, Copenhagen, Glasgow, Gothenburg, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Esbjerg, Frankfurt, Hannover, Hamburg, Lyon, Milan, Munich, Norwich, Manchester, Toulouse and Zurich. All flights include complimentary food & drink on-board, free 20kg hold baggage allowance and 30 minute check-in. bmi regional is the world’s most punctual airline having recently been crowned the title for the 8th consecutive year.  For more information, visit www.bmiregional.com.

Canterbury Shoes | Fashion

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Here at Frost we love comfort. We think these shoes are cool and comfy.

Canterbury, are a traditionally a rugby brand but also offers a wide range of high performance men’s and women’s sports clothing alongside more recreational sportswear. Canterbury have just released a new Lifestyle collection- which include their new casual footwear range.

 

Staying true to Canterbury’s brand heritage, each style is named after towns in New Zealand and have touches of the unique ‘Uglies’ tradition with each shoe having different coloured heel, tongue or inside. Each style is designed for comfort, with the Canterbury logo clearly displayed on either the side panel or heel and are available in three different colours- ensuring Canterbury’s renowned quality and style continues off the field. 

Rugby World Cup Fans Face Hotel Hike.

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RUGBY WORLD CUP FANS FACE AVERAGE HOTEL PRICE HIKES OF 29%

Impact of major sporting events on room rates revealed in Hotels.com new HPI

British rugby fans travelling to the World Cup in New Zealand are facing steep average price increases of 29% for hotel rooms, according to the latest Hotels.com Hotel Price Index (HPI).

The booking demand for the six-week tournament in the first six months of the year contributed to the sharp rise with the average room rates in the host cities of Wellington up 29% to £73 per night and Auckland up 11% to £68 per night. The overall rate in New Zealand itself also rose 14% to £70.

As well as big rugby showpieces, the Hotels.com report reveals how Formula One Grand Prix racing can affect prices and occupancy rates in venue cities with the sport being one of the factors behind a 22% jump in Melbourne to £96 and a 5% rise in Barcelona to£102.

Sports fans also helped to boost the price of a room in London by 3% to £113 with the city at full occupancy for the Wimbledon tennis tournament.

The latest HPI also charts how prices can fall dramatically after a major sports event such as the football World Cup in South Africa. The country saw its average room rate tumble by 17% in the first six months of the year to £105 with host cities Cape Town down 20% to £100 and Johannesburg down 13% to £111.

The statistics could provide a pointer to what could happen in London before, during and after the 2012 Olympics with some industry insiders already predicting rates could jump as high as 50%.

Alison Couper of Hotels.com, said: “Prestige sporting events are key drivers of hotel prices and can lead to double-digit percentage increases as many rugby fans have found.

“What is happening in New Zealand and what happened in South Africa could provide a foretaste for what might occur in London next year. It is expected that several thousand additional hotel rooms will be available in the city in the run-up to the 2012 Olympics. However, despite the extra capacity, we would urge people thinking of coming to London next summer to book their accommodation as soon as they can as the demand and prices could soar the closer we get to the event.

“London is always popular with both domestic and foreign travellers but the Games are set to take that popularity to a new level.”

The impact of other non-sporting, one-off events on hotel prices could also be seen in the report. Dublin witnessed a 7% increase in the average cost of a room to £73 with the visits of the Queen and Barack Obama in May enhancing the city’s profile and appeal. Dusseldorf also saw an increase by 17% to £100 after the German city hosted the Eurovision Song Contest in May.

The Hotels.com HPI tracks the real prices paid per hotel room (rather than advertised rates) for 125,000 properties around the world. The latest HPI looks at prices in the first half of 2011 compared tothose in the first half of 2010.

ENGLAND RUGBY STARS CLOSE LONDON FASHION WEEK IN STYLE BY STRIPPING OFF FOR CHARITY

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It takes a lot to get Genevieve and I excited. Rugby stars Ugo Monye, Danny Care, Nils Mordt and Seb Stegmann stripping off to help Ghanaian children’s charity AfriKids, managed to do it though.

Perfectly toned Rugby stars Ugo Monye, Danny Care, Nils Mordt and Seb Stegmann got their kit off in support of Deutsche Bank’s charity of the year, AfriKids, bringing London Fashion Week to a close with The Alternative London Fashion Event. I have never heard grown women scream so much in my life.

Monye made his first public appearance for the Ghanaian children’s charity AfriKids, bringing along his England Rugby pals to bare all (well, almost!) for the evening and support the event, at the exclusive One Mayfair. The beautiful converted church setting showcased some of the world’s most recognised designer’s autumn and winter collection pieces, alongside some African designers connected to AfriKids. Not only did the England stars parade in the designer underwear, but guests also bid for the skimpy items protecting their modesty in an auction at the end of the night.

Thanks to the likes of Jaeger, Ted Baker, The Couture Gallery, Wolford, Frank Usher and many other designers who donated pieces from their latest collections, nearly £20,000 was generated on the night which will go directly to help improve life for Ghana’s most vulnerable and disadvantaged children, including the ‘spirit children’.

During the evening the audience were also given the chance to bid for a dinner date with Ugo and former England Captain Nick Easter

About AfriKids.

AfriKids is a Child Rights organisation set up nearly a decade ago to work on traditional children’s projects including foster homes, schools and street child centres and also more groundbreaking initiatives which tackle complex cultural issues, including child trafficking, child labour and the spirit child phenomenon. During her gap year in 1997, Georgie Fienberg, Founder of AfriKids, realised that there was a dire need to prevent the deaths of so-called ‘spirit children’. ‘Spirit Children’ are those whose mothers die during childbirth, which are then regarded by African society and culture as outcasts to live and survive on the fringes of society.

As well as financing and delivering sustainable child rights projects, AfriKids owns and runs businesses, including a medical centre, an eco-lodge and several ethical trade programmes. AfriKids aims for its Western office, based in London, to be redundant by 2018.

www.afrikids.org