Chelmsford Magazine Inspired FEBRUARY

Inspired LOCAL RELEVANT CHATTY

RECIPES FOR ROMANCE GENTS– SPRUCE UP YOUR SKINCARE! CAN YOU LOSE WEIGHT IN YOUR SLEEP? FUN FITNESS IT’S ALL ABOUT ENJOYING YOURSELF

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT BEAUTY?

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This month in Inspired

Editor

RECIPES FOR ROMANCE

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We’ve covered fashion for gents, ladies and even some super-cute kids outfits that will make you want to borrow a toddler.

CAN YOU LOSE WEIGHT IN YOUR SLEEP?

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FUN FITNESS

CHATTY

18 LADIES FASHION

37 THE GARDEN

Have a wonderful February!

40 OUT TO EAT...?

All the best

22 GENTLEMEN’S DEN 42 MOTORS 26 GENTLEMAN’S

FASHION 28 JUNIOR 30 HOME STYLE Sarah Clark - M 07799 777018 sarah.clark@inspiredessex.co.uk

Advertising & Creative Director

Lee Doran - M 077 66 73 49 27 lee.doran@inspiredessex.co.uk

Office Telephone: Publisher: Office Address:

01245 252575 Leed Limited TTC House, 86 Broomfield Road, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 2SS.

If you’re feeling opinionated, feel free to let me know what you think about beauty. Not the going to a spa, or getting your nails done fun type of beauty, but the Botox and boob job type of beauty that some women are even encouraging their daughters to get into from a young age. Or kids’ beauty pageants – do they make your blood boil or are they just a bit of fun?

We’re working on our new look to bring you even more features as from next month – we’d love to know what you think. If you’d like to contribute to the magazine, we’re all ears and we welcome your thoughts.

6 LADIES TIME OUT 38 DINE IN STYLE

Editor

Hello again and welcome to a slightly romantically tinged, new look Inspired. If you’re still looking for the perfect Valentine’s gift, card or even some sexy underwear, we have plenty of ideas for you. We even have a feature on amethysts if jewellery purchasing is on the cards.

Don’t worry if you’re not feeling the least bit romantic, though, as we’ve still got plenty for you to read. If you’re stuck with too much ‘stuff’ and nowhere to put any of it, you just have to take a look at our great inspirational storage feature. If you’ve never thought of using that dead space in your home creatively before, now could be the time.

GENTS– SPRUCE UP YOUR SKIN CARE!

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Welcome

Sarah

Twitter: @inspiredessex Email: Sarah.clark@inspiredessex.co.uk www.inspiredessex.co.uk

44 CINEMA 45 BUSINESS 47 BE INSPIRED 50 WHAT’S ON Inspired magazine is distributed in Essex FREE to selected homes, businesses, dentists, doctors, train stations, Odeon Cinemas and Broomfield Hospital.

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The material in Inspired is subject to copyright.

All rights reserved.

Copyright ©2011 Leed Limited TA Inspired Magazine

FEBRUARY ISSUE 10

2012

Inspired Magazine, a Leed Limited publication, is published on a monthly basis. The publisher, editors and contributors accept no responsibility in respect of any products, goods or services that may be advertised or referred to in this issue or for any errors, omissions, misstatements or mistakes in any such advertisements or references.

The views expressed in Inspired magazine are those of the respective contributors, not necessarily those of the publishers. Reproduction in part or full is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher

Chatty

Essex and the not-so single girl Well, if you haven’t noticed already, it’s nearly Valentine’s Day and you’d be forgiven for thinking that the only colour shops were allowed to display in their windows was red. It’s all about the pink fluffy hearts and soppy declarations of love…but spare a thought, you loved up masses, for those who are single on the big V-Day. I know I’m one of the loved-up masses myself these days, and Valentine’s Day is just going to be fun. I don’t know if we’re doing the cards and presents thing yet, when I jokingly mentioned big expensive gifts he muttered something about saving for our holiday in March so I’m not pushing it. But I expect there will at least be a card.

This time last year I was single and getting a bit fed up with it. So Valentine’s Day was just a reminder of the fact I was going to be sitting indoors alone with a DVD on the night where everyone else seems to be coupled-up.

I decided not to let the constant adverts for cosy nights in, chocolates, wine and everything romantic get the better of me…I went to the local supermarket, bought MYSELF some flowers, wine and chocolate and I spent the whole evening watching chick flicks.

Blogging for Happiness – by Ellen Arnison It seems everyone has a blog these days. They are becoming just as popular as spray tans, Ugg boots and Kindles. So you’re considering joining the pack... here are a few things you need to think about.

Freelance journalist and mum of three Ellen Arnison, whose online take on family life has turned into an internet success story, has written a book called Blogging for Happiness about how she did it.

Ellen said: “Blogging for Happiness is a book that is about doing just that; writing online to make you feel better about what is going on around you.”

“The book details the process from simply how to get the blog up and running, how to avoid the pitfalls and how to get your views across.

“It also explains the best way to try and make some money from your writing. Blogging is one of the fastest growing markets out there and there is plenty of room for more people to join in and tell the world about their lives.”

Blogging for Happiness is available at Amazon.co.uk. http://bundance.blogspot.com/

Fancy a bit of blogging? Here’s Ellen’s tips on what to ask yourself: Why do you want to blog? “Because everyone else is” isn’t really a good enough reason.

The main reasons include because you love writing; you have something important/interesting to tell the world; you want to be creative; you like keeping a diary; you’re competitive; you want to make money. All these reasons are good enough but your answer will dictate how you go about it.

What will you put in your blog? Are you going to fill it with photos, videos, or carefully crafted words? All three even? Are you going to have a theme or topic – or just blog where the wind blows you? It’s your blog to do your own thing with, however, if you are competitive or want to make money from your blog, you stand a better chance of success if you find a niche.

Who is going to read your blog? Unless you take privacy steps, anyone can read it - your mum, the man who lives next door or even your boss. Just because you don’t tell them you are blogging, doesn’t mean they won’t find it. You have two ways of looking at this: either to assume that everyone will visit your little corner of the internet and clean up your act accordingly or decide to keep them out.

How do I get them to read? Unless you are writing about something really juicy that is likely to get found by search engines, you need to tell people about your blog. (Hint: if you write about Justin Beiber, Robert Pattinson or Pippa Middleton’s backside, you’ll get internet traffic)

Don’t even ask about the year before. I got stood up half an hour before I was due to go on a date with someone, he texted me to say he had a hangover just as I was leaving to meet him! How rude!

Anyway…to all of you – have a great day. And if you haven’t got anyone to spoil you, do what I did and spoil yourself! Go on…you’re worth it…

Twitter is a great ally in the battle for readers: tweet, tweet and tweet again. Let Facebook know what you’re up to. And join in as many relevant groups, forums and conversations as you can. Visit other people’s blogs – follow them, comment on them and play nice. They are quite likely to return the compliment!

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Chatty

Oooh Saucy!

Scribbler.com has unveiled a new look website in time for Valentine’s Day, and has launched its very own product range for the first time ever.

The Valentines cards can be personalised to suit on the swanky new website, and you can choose to upload photos, change the text

on the front of the card, and type a personal message inside. None of your soppy stuff here though, all the cards are cheeky and a little bit naughty – if you’re looking for love hearts and teddy bears you might not find what you are looking for here. But for a bit of fun, check out the range! www.scribbler.com

Knit Your Own Boyfriend

If you’re a singleton, Valentine’s Day can be a tedious time, full of reminders of your single-girl status. Perhaps you love being single though, you get the bathroom to yourself, there are no damp towels left lying around and you have full control of the remote at all times!?

There’s no such thing as a perfect boyfriend – but you can always create one if a lack of male presence in the home is something you want to rectify. Create your very own quiet, compliant man that won’t moan at you for wanting to watch an entire Desperate Housewives box set when the football is on, just by following the instructions enclosed to create a soft and cuddly handsome young chap.

Love is…

Have you ever wondered how you measure up when it comes to splashing out on your beloved? Well, according to Standard Life, we love to be generous, despite dire financial predictions. That includes Valentine’s day!

Every month couples splash out an average of £34 treating each other, with men leading the way, spending £42 compared to women spending just £26 18-24 year old males spend only £20 a month on their partners on average. To put this in perspective, 18-24 year old males spend an average of £27 a month on paid for TV subscriptions The good news for girls is that as men get older their generosity increases, with men aged 45-54 spending nearly £50 (£49) on average each month on their partners Women are at their most generous when aged 25-34, where they spend an average of £32 a month on their partners

Thinking about your partner Men and women devote nearly an hour each day (50 minutes) to thinking about their other half 18-24 year old men are the least romantic, thinking about their partners for only 36 minutes a day on average, whereas 18-24 year females spend over 59 minutes on average every day thinking about their partner (this is more than one whole day a month) Men over 55 are spending almost an hour (55 minutes) a day thinking about their partners, the highest of any male age group, while women spend the most time thinking of their partners when they are 18-24 Nearly a quarter of people think that if they spent as much time thinking about their finances as they do on their emotional relationships then their finances would be in far better shape.

So….love isn’t actually dead!

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He’s a great listener, he’s loyal, and he’ll accompany you anywhere you go – he doesn’t even complain about shopping! Show him off at home or in the office and make all your friends jealous!

Price: £9.99 www.iwantoneofthose.com

Ladies Time Out

Milsoms Hotels – Perfect Romantic Getaway in Essex

As we all know February is THE Month for Romance. As much as we all say ‘oh I’m not that fussed about Valentines day’ we secretly love an excuse to spoil out loved ones and be spoiled ourselves, so what better excuse than the month of love itself.

The Milsom Hotel group are special romantic break offer throughout the month of February (excluding the 14th and Saturday nights at

Must read this...

Maison Talbooth). This overnight stay with a three course dinner and full English breakfast also has the added treat of chocolates and Champagne in your room on arrival.

are the stuff that rom-coms are made of. They are the kind of places where you can just relax, enjoy each others company and, to use a cliché, fall in love all over again.

These beautiful hotels, located throughout Essex, are perfect for a Valentine’s getaway.

Intimate, luxurious and romantic, these hotels

Prices start from £100 per person. For more information on this fantastic offer, or Milsons Hotels in general visit www.milsomhotels.com

Must watch this...

Northanger Abbey

Need to listen to this...

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Tribes – Baby

Ah, now this one’s a bit tricky as the last book I

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy finds George Smiley (Gary

If you want to be listening to the next hot new thing,

actually read is a few hundred years old. I was the

Oldman), a recently retired MI6 agent, doing his best

you heard it here first. Unless you buy NME and then

lucky recipient of a Kindle for Christmas, and my two

to adjust to a life outside the secret service. However,

you probably read it there already. Camden-based gui-

goals when I unwrapped the little beauty were to (a)

when a disgraced agent reappears with information

tar band Tribes are set to hit the big time in 2012 with

buy a sparkly case for it so that I can actually take it

concerning a mole at the heart of the service, Smiley

the help of a bucketful of hype, and in this case I think

to places without stressing I’m going to break it and

is drawn back into the murky field of espionage.

their brand of ever-so-slightly retro jangly melancholy probably deserves all the awards it’s likely to get.

(b) download lots of the free classics and read them.

Starting with the complete works of Jane Austen. Yes,

Tasked with investigating which of his trusted former

really.

colleagues has chosen to betray him and their coun-

Anything that sounds like Suede circa 1994 is always

try, Smiley narrows his search to four suspects - all

going to float my boat musically, and that, along with a

I’ve also downloaded ‘I, Alan’ – the Alan Partridge

experienced, skilled and successful agents - but past

smattering of Stone Roses and a tinge of The Pixies is

auto-biography, and several chick lit guilty pleasures

histories, rivalries and friendships make it far from

what this is. According to Amazon, “Frontman Johnny

that I will be reading at leisure. But the first book I

easy to pinpoint the man who is eating away at the

Lloyd does like to ring out a bit of sentiment, trembling

managed to finish was actually Northanger Abbey

heart of the British establishment.

“What use is God if you can’t see him?” on Nightdriving, or thinking of the children on gay love scandal

and it was really rather good once I got past the oldfashioned turns of phrase and convoluted ways of

An acting masterclass from the crème de la crème of

Sappho: “How d’ya tell a son that his daddy left his

describing things.

British film (Colin Firth (The King’s Speech), Tom Hardy

mum when she fell in love / with a girl like you?”

(Inception), Mark Strong (Kick Ass), Benedict CumberNow to find a suitably sparkly Kindle case…

batch (Sherlock) and inspired direction from Let the

We Were Children is Bowie-esque crossed with Brett

Right One In’s Tomas Alfredson make this gripping and

Anderson styling and some really jangly guitars, and

tense adaptation of John le Carré’s classic spy novel

the poignant Corner of an English Field, is an elegy

essential viewing.

to the band’s late friend Charlie Haddon of Ou Est Le Swimming Pool.

Rated 15 | Released 30 January 2012 This band will be big in 2012, the album is pretty damn good…whether they will make it past the ‘difficult second album’ remains to be seen but for now…I’m sold. Released 18 January 2012

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Ladies Time Out

Lifehouse Style for Chantelle and Alex

Pins and Needles – by Alice Langley

The Essex Acupuncture Rooms, set in the tranquil location of Writtle, is a true Essex gem.

This multi-bed clinic (the first in the region) offers affordable acupuncture in an authentic and tranquil setting. The multi-bed style clinic, common in the Far East, has the added benefit of a community spirit that emerges when several people are cared for in a shared space.

Patients consistently report that they like the sense of togetherness and further to this an energy field is created when several people are treated in this way, which can enhance the power of one’s healing experience, just as in practicing Yoga or Tai Chi.

understand the person not the illness, meaning you get a wonderful service tailored to your individual needs.

The word has clearly got out about Lifehouse

If you want to find out more about acupuncture, and the people behind the needles, the best place to look is the website, where you’ll not only find all the serious stuff about what it is and how it works, but you’ll also be able to have a good read of the 30 day blog challenge where Colette and Sue chat animatedly about what they do. The blog is definitely worth a read if you’re thinking about taking the plunge and having a treatment.

Apparently the twosome had a spa day at Lifehouse in January and pregnant Chantelle tried the mum-to-be treatment ‘Hands, Knees and Bumps-a-Daisy’, while Alex relaxed with the Iconic Massage.

Set up and run by Colette Day and Sue MacDonald, both registered acupuncturists, accredited by the British Acupuncture Council, who also have the additional benefits of years of experience in midwifery and nursing,

Contact Sue or Colette on tel: 01245 710017 or at www.essexacupunctureroom.co.uk Clinic opening times are currently Tuesday afternoons 14.00 – 20.00

Hello Flawless!

Benefit have given us another reason to visit the makeup counter this spring, with the launch of ‘Hello Flawless’ Oxygen Wow brightening liquid foundation. This miracle worker builds from light to medium coverage for a natural complexion and the exclusive Oxygen Wow Hydrating Complex delivers

Spa – the latest celebs to announce that they’ve spent some down time in the charming health spa are OK magazine staples Chantelle Houghton and Alex Reid.

Hands, Knees and Bumps-a-Daisy is a calming BABOR treatment that’s designed to relax expectant mums and condition the skin as well, including a gorgeous stress-busting back massage and a conditioning pack for the bump! Your legs and arms are also rubbed – because it feels nice – but also because it helps to sort out any pesky water retention that pregnant ladies are a bit prone to.

It’s not the only pregnancy spa treatment on offer at Lifehouse – if you want to treat you and your bump to some extra TLC there’s also the lovely Fabulous Pins treatment that will help soothe your aching legs, when they throb after days of carrying around a little person. Perfect pins and refreshed tootsies will be yours after this yummy treatment

instant results that will have you looking flawless in a flash. Nine out-of-this-world shades, one flawless match for you.

Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow brightening liquid foundation oil free SPF 25 Price - £24.50 Available April 2012 – be patient, ladies! www.benefitcosmetics.co.uk Inspired

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I loved Lifehouse and I’m not surprised that the celebs are starting to pick up on it. My experience of the spa in Essex is that it doesn’t really matter who you are, you get treated like a star anyway. If you’re pregnant and need an excuse to book a pamper day, make like the B-listers and get yourself down to Thorpe-le-Soken, pronto…

Ladies Time Out

Feel Good Fitness Fun Fitness The thought of getting fit doesn’t have to fill you with dread anymore! Whether you’re up for working indoors, outdoors or at home, there’s an option that will make you smile while you sweat.

In the last year, classes like Zumba® fitness have led people into a less structured class format. Less structure can mean more fun, giving more people an incentive to give a fitness class a go. Having tried a class myself, I know they are fun - it’s more about moving and keeping fit than looking perfect.

Gillian Reeves, Virgin Active’s national group exercise manager, told me “The Zumba philosophy of fun with fitness as an additional benefit fits with Virgin Active’s goals. People are looking for a community in their exercise class, which drives a sociable environment.”

Zumba With a Twist More Miami pool party than a boring exercise class, Aqua Zumba pool classes take Zumba® into the swimming pool. The world music and high energy moves are the same, but the ‘Aqua’ instructor presents the class from pool-side, directing the movements to Salsa, Merengue, Cumbia, Reggeton and other rhythms, whilst using water resistance for an invigorating workout. The aim of the class is to have fun and getting fit is an additional bonus!

Let’s Hear it for Essex Bootcamp You can get fit without setting foot in a gym, with the help of the lovely people at Essex Boot camp. Over 70 per cent of members use the Boot Camp as an alternative to the gym, and it’s a surefire way to get some fresh air and fun while you’re working out. Don’t let the ‘Boot camp’ tag put you off, it’s suitable for pretty much every level of fitness and I’m reliably informed that the trainers aren’t mean at all!

Each session is an hour of seriously fun outdoors training, in parks, woodlands and forests which uses ex-military or specialist fitness instructors to challenge you and get you fit with a smile on your face! Every session is different, so you won’t get workout boredom, either. www.essexbootcamp.co.uk

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Fitness Trends

Ladies Time Out

Fitness 2012 The experts at Virgin have been busy predicting the top fitness trends for 2012.Tim Foster, Virgin Active’s head of fitness experience predicts that fitness trends in 2012 will be shorter and higher intensity.

Get Fit Quick “At Virgin Active we have recognised the physical benefits of shorter workouts since the introduction of Fast Classes (20 minute instructor-led intensive sessions on the gym floor) several years ago. Fast Classes are popular with members who enjoy coming to the club but are looking for an effective whole body workout in a short space of time, before picking the children up from school, meeting friends for a drink or rushing back to work from lunch.”

Going Online The world of fitness will move even further online in 2012, as more of us have access to online goal setting, tracking and competing. This means we get to track our progress and boost motivation. Tim Foster explains, “. The trend for more goal focused workouts will complement access to online tracking. People will be able to compete against themselves or their peers, and going online to record their progress will ensure constant motivation and achievement.”

Freestyle Classes and Fusion fun Less structured classes like Zumba Fitness have been the runaway success in fitness clubs all over the UK. The unstructured approach isn’t as intimidating as some more traditional classes, the music is fun and the instructors have the freedom to chop and change routines as they see fit, giving class members a bit more variety and fun.

As well as the more unstructured Zumba classes, another prediction from experts at Virgin Active is that fusion classes will be the next big thing, with Krank Fusion (Kranking and Spinning) and martial arts with dance classes already under way.

Olympic Fitness As the 2012 Olympics approach, people are naturally starting to think about athletic fitness too. Virgin Active will be working with a very high profile British athlete to create classes for members that will be made up of athletics based drills, designed to focus on speed, agility and quickness (SAQ) in both a 20 minute Fast Class format and 30 minute studio class.

Innovation People are looking for more excitement and variety from their fitness, this leads to more innovation. Look out for unusual new fitness concepts like TRX Riptrainer, Aqua Zumba®, mind and body inspired suspension training and the nationwide rollout of willPower & grace®.

Find out more about classes and new innovations at: www.virginactive.co.uk

It’s dirty and tough ..and you will love Essex Boot Camp!

The County’s leading Boot Camp offering over 200 sessions per month. >> Outdoor training with ex-military fully qualified staff >> 1 hour of enjoyable & motivating exercise >> All fitness levels welcome >> Located at popular parks all across Essex

essexbootcamp.co.uk

Essex

Boot Camp.

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Ladies Time Out

Weight loss by Hypnosis

Beauty and the Beast

Everyone has an Achilles’ heel, and with me it’s always been my weight. I’ve done every diet you can imagine, from the Slim Fast (with its accompanying unpleasant side effects) to ‘Eat Yourself Slim’, Weightwatchers, Slimming World and everything in between. A few years ago I vowed to give up on dieting as the only time in recent years that I’ve managed to lose anything was when I separated from my ex-husband and replaced food with wine for a few weeks. I felt dreadful but you wouldn’t believe how many compliments I got on my weight loss!

Call me a terrible hypocrite, given my love for anything spa-related and penchant for pretty nails and Benefit make up – but I’ve just watched a TV programme that’s inspired me to rant and get all opinionated. Called ‘Botox Mums’ – the show looked at mothers who encouraged their daughters not just to make the most of their looks – but to ‘enhance’ them with plastic surgery as soon as they were old enough to spell ‘liposuction.’

I might be wrong, but to me, beauty is all about having fun, and feeling good. It’s about having a relaxing facial, buying a new lipstick, getting your hair done or having a manicure.

I’ve never seen the appeal of Botox, fillers and surgery because they don’t strike me as being fun – they all seem too much like pain to be remotely life-enhancing. No pain, no gain has never been my motto…

Dracula Therapy I heard about a new therapy called Dracula Therapy recently - also known as S3 or Stimulated Self Serum Skin Therapy, which is apparently the hottest news in anti-ageing treatments. It’s only available in a few places at the moment but basically it involves having blood taken from your arm, which is separated out into the red blood cells, clear serum and platelets. Vitamins and amino acids are added and then this supercharged serum is injected all over your face, including the forehead and around the eyes. Fancy that? I don’t. I think I prefer to use something like the latest Garnier

Miracle Blemish Balm cream which smells lovely, feels nice and only costs about £7.99.

When it comes to kids though, I actually think it’s morally wrong to bring little girls up to be mini-glamour models. Sarah Burge is a 50 year old mum who revels in her title of ‘British Barbie’ and has had countless surgeries. She’s also given her 15 year old daughter Botox and given her seven year old, Poppy, a voucher to put towards her first boob job when she’s 18. She doesn’t see anything wrong with this, saying “Appearance is everything” and setting up a website for Poppy showcasing her poledancing talents (I kid you not) and taking her to ‘Pageant Bootcamp.’

Those girls are going to grow up thinking life is all about how they look…and if they don’t make it as actresses, glamour models or dancers, they will feel as if they’ve failed. There’s nothing wrong with little girls dressing up, trying their mum’s make up and shoes, and older girls wanting to experiment with hair, nails, make up and everything else…if that’s what they WANT. Telling kids that ‘appearance is everything’ is just so shallow and wrong, though.

Beauty should be playful, enjoyable, fun and a part of a girl’s life – NOT the be all and end all.

Shouldn’t it?

I know I’m *cough* 40 but am I really out of touch? What do you think? Do you agree with seven year olds wanting breast surgery? I’d love to hear your views…

Sarah.clark@inspiredessex.co.uk Twitter @inspiredessex

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Anyway, being editor of Inspired has its perks and towards the end of last year I was approached by the A&L Clinic in Ipswich, who wanted to offer me an opportunity to sample some of their services. They offer dentistry, cosmetic and more, along with conscious sedation for dentist-phobics. Also on offer is Botox and cosmetic fillers, which weren’t appealing, but one thing did catch my eye.

Among the other services was a hypnotherapist called Patricia Pajak who did ‘hypno-gastric band’ therapy. I decided it would be great to find out a bit more and an appointment was arranged. Patricia has been practising hypnotherapy for some years, and has a list of qualifications as long as my arm, but she told me she’s been particularly successful with her weight loss related hypnotherapies, which include the gastric band. We decided not to attempt that on me, although it was an option, and instead Patricia offered to try her ‘option 2’ which is a mixture of hypnotherapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Neuro-linguistic programming and psychotherapy. Well I figured something would stick!

So, it’s early days and there’s a lot of homework, but at the moment we’re just getting to grips with when and why I overeat (boredom and stress seem to be clear winners) and talking me out of doing it. There’s lots of homework, including listening to a short hypnotherapy CD every day and keeping a food diary – but she is confident she can get me my figure back with a little bit of work on both sides. I’ll keep you posted! www.aandlclinics.com/

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Ladies Time Out

A collection of Contemporary Resin Rings from interior angle.

Challenging the received opinion that all jewellery must be made from precious metals, the designer works with salt, a product normally found on the kitchen table, combining it with resin and silver to create wearable pieces of art. These beautiful alchemical pieces remind us of the elemental nature of salt - a substance without which we cannot live.

The concept of using salt crystals was inspired by a trip that the designer had taken to Israel.

She noted how crystals of salt formed on the body as it dried naturally after swimming in the Dead Sea and as a result the skin sparkled as if covered by a thousand gemstones. These natural ‘jewels’ had appeared as if from nowhere, and so began a fascination and exploration of this natural product. www.interiorangle.co.uk

The Eternal Necklace…

You’ve heard of eternity rings, well let us introduce the Eternal Necklace from Lily and Lime.

It’s without beginning or end, a simple reminder of eternity. This gorgeous textured sterling silver necklace makes a perfectly formed ultrafeminine gift, and the perfect Valentine’s gift for a girl who has (almost) everything. Handmade in the UK and gift-boxed.

Price: £32 | www.lilyandlime.co.uk

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Ladies Time Out

Know your Amethyst!

Amethyst is a gorgeous gem, a favourite of many and also February’s birthstone. It’s also the zodiac stone for anyone who’s born under the Pisces star sign.

Amethyst is a very popular gem, and although it has to be purple, it does come in a variety of different shades. The name ‘amethyst’ actually comes from the Greek word for ‘not drunk’ which is probably something to do with the fact that they believed it could ward off the effects of alcohol. Unfortunately, this has since proved not to be true.

The amethyst isn’t the same everywhere, and there are varieties that are particular to a region or even to a specific mine. Experts can sometimes identify the source mine that a particular amethyst came from, just by looking at its shape, inclusions, and how it’s been formed.

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Vera Cruz, Mexico – produces very pale, clear, prismatic crystals.

Guerrero, Mexico - dark, deep purple, prismatic crystals, sometimes with a clear

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•

•

•

or white quartz exterior. These are some of the most valuable amethysts in the world.

Minas Gerais and Rio Grande do Sul, Bahaia, Brazil are usually light to medium in colour and only coloured at the tops of the crystals. Most clusters form with grey, white and blue agate and have a green exterior.

Maraba, Brazil - large crystals with una tractive surfaces that are of a pale to medium colour and often carved or cut into slices. The large ‘Maraba points’ are polished away to remove the rough surface, revealing a beautiful purple amethyst inside.

Thunder Bay, Canada - a distinct red hematite inclusion just below the surface of the crystals is unique to this area.

Uruguay - crystals are dark to medium and can have a grey or brown exterior. The crystals are usually coloured throughout, unlike the Brazilian crystals.

•

•

Africa - crystals are usually large but not attractive. However, the interior colour and clarity are excellent.

Ural Mountains, Russia - a very clear and dark variety that is cut for fine expensive jewellery - natural uncut clusters are rarely on the market.

Often, cut gems of amethyst are graded using the terms: Siberian, Uruguayan or Bahain to represent high medium and low grade respectively, regardless of the actual source. Because of the patchiness of the colour distribution in the crystals, Amethyst is often cut as brilliant round cuts to maximize the colour.

Purple is traditionally the colour of royalty and amethyst has been used for centuries to adorn rich and powerful monarchs and rulers. Today, amethyst is a lovely, affordable gemstone that’s available in a wide variety of settings for beautiful jewellery.

Maskell Jewellery www.maskelljewellery.com

Hand Made Specialist Family-Run Business with over 30 yrs experience. We offer an impeccable service, with internal designers to meet your every need; whether it is a traditional, modern or bespoke design you will find we are very competitive in price.

Clients are treated with the warmest welcome and professional personal service and have included celebrity clientele.

Contact us in confidence, and be sure to be greeted with the warmest welcome: 07984 048590 or email us at maska-@hotmail.co.uk

Bespoke Engagement rings & Wedding rings Free no obligation consultation at our workshop or your home.

Find us on Facebook - Maskell Jewellery

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In the Mix Resident Hairdresser on the X Factor Jamie Stevens has styled the tresses of the Little Mix ladies from start to finish to great acclaim – none other than style chameleon Rihanna told Leigh-Ann how much she loved her hair when she appeared on the show!

“Perrie was an absolute dream to work with, she was happy to go with whatever I suggested.

At the start we lightened her hair and added extensions but she really let me play around with her look, experimenting with Beehives, buns, top knots, curly and straight hair.”

Stylist to the stars Jamie, whose clients include Elle Macpherson, Eva Herzigova and Hugh Grant, has shaped the girls’ unique style from their initial transformations:

Here are Jamie’s Highlights from 10 weeks of Little Mix:

“I shaved one side of Leigh-Ann’s head and coloured the other side pillar-box red. To take Jesy’s hair bang on trend, I worked in a soft root stretch with darker roots and lighter ends.

We’ve coloured Jade’s hair a lovely deep plum and lightened Perrie’s hair; she’s now a gorgeous platinum ash blonde and we’ve added hair extensions.”

Ice cream Diner “This week, the theme was 1950s and we went with a 1950s style ice cream diner feel with Little Mix. We gave the girls 1950s style rolls with a modern edge. My favourite look of the whole show was Perrie’s chignon, which we tonged so it had a nice Marcel wave down the front.”

Little Mix’s Beehive “In the semi-final, we gave all the girls a modern twist on the 1960s beehive. We applied Matrix’s Loosely Defined to wet hair to give it thickness and then we blow-dried their hair

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with a medium round brush. To get that beehive shape, we worked Mega Dust all the way through the hair to give it that initial volume and then added a tiny bit of backcomb to create that massive mound of volume, which we visually started to manipulate up into the beehive shape and secured with kirby grips and a strong hold hairspray.”

The Final Showdown “For the final show, we went for simpler hair. We gave all four girls curly hair to start so it could have a natural progression from curly to a softer curl and then a wave as it dropped. My key product was Matrix’s Go Big, which is an amazing blow dry volume mousse, which I mixed with Loosely Defined texture cream to make sure the hair would hold the curls over the whole day. My hero product throughout the shows has been Matrix’s Mega Dust Volume Texturiser, a volumising dust that I applied to all the girls to give them lots of body for the final showdown. I finished it all off with a little bit of Shine Serum to keep the look super glossy.”

Ladies Time Out

Keeping hair youthful with Redken Charley McEwan has tended to the tresses of Kelly Rowland and Sienna Miller to name a few. The beauty expert revealed how you can get this season’s 40s style waves by using mousse before blow-drying then setting hair with heated rollers. Let hair cool, then brush out to loosen the waves,” he told Closer magazine.

Charley also recommends that we take care of our hair, especially as we get older, and says “Prevent hair getting brittle as you age by investing in a conditioner and hair mask for older hair.” He added that his favourite product for maintaining luscious locks is Redken Time Reset Youth Revitalizer.

This intensive rinse-out mask spreads evenly through hair to provide intense, deep conditioning with a dose of peptides and ceramide for targeted repair. It detangles to ease combability, rebalances lost moisture and helps restore hair’s youthful shine.

FREE RED

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Luxury Treatment with a cut & finish with this advert or mention Inspired!

Opulent Styling To book an appointment call:

01245 256 872 www.hairitage.co.uk

Kings Head Walk | Chelmsford | CM2 6FH

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Ladies Time Out

Spa Facial in your Kitchen Feeling a little short of cash? Well fear not, even if you can’t stretch to expensive moisturisers or a day at a spa, you too can have great skin. Try these recipes from the experts at the Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa, just close your eyes, spritz some essential oils around and pretend you’re having a spa facial…

Lemon Salt Scrub – Detoxifying and fabulous for dry skin!

• 1/2 lemon • 50g fresh ginger • 500g salt Jojoba or any vegetable oil.

Chop the lemon and ginger, or use a blender to coarsely chop it. Mix all of the salt, lemon and ginger together in a bowl, making sure the juice of the lemon is included. Add oil depending on how rough or smooth you want the scrub to be.

For the best results - scrub onto dry skin before showering and spend at least 10-15 minutes massaging in on to your whole body.

Invigorating Coffee Scrub • • •

500ml natural yoghurt 1 tablespoon instant coffee powder 1 tablespoon brown sugar

Natural yoghurt is rich in enzymes so this scrub is very effective for exfoliating your skin. Mix the coffee, sugar and yoghurt in a bowl. For the best results - scrub onto dry skin before showering and spend at least 10-15 minutes massaging in on to your whole body. For silky smooth skin, apply moisturiser after shower.

Refreshing Cucumber and Honey Facial – Cool down and refresh your face • • • • •

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1 tablespoon natural yoghurt 1 tablespoon honey 20 thin slices fresh cucumber Rose water or cucumber water Your own moisturiser

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Yoghurt is rich in enzymes which makes natural yoghurt an excellent cleanser. Apply and massage gently for one minute before cleaning with a warm wet towel. Tone the skin with your daily toner to rebalance your skin ph.

Honey is calming for the skin so apply and massage for around three minutes, using sticky honey if available. Lie down and apply cucumber slices to your face on top of the honey, finish by putting two on your eye lids.

Leave for 10-15 minutes. Remove the slices and use a warm, wet towel to remove honey residues. Tone again and apply moisturiser. www.sheraton.com/maldives

Jimmy Choo

Bath and Body Treats from M&S

Ladies Time Out

gels and comforting hand & body lotions, cleansing hand washes and sparkling eau de toilettes will all leave your skin feeling smooth and delicately fragranced.

Jimmy Choo is synonymous with elegance and style when it comes to classy shoes – so we’re all expecting good things from the latest addition to the fragrance collection. The new Eau de Toilette, a sophisticated twist on the original Jimmy Choo Parfum, starts with green top notes of ginger before giving way to heart notes of tea rose and tiger orchid and a layer of cedarwood to the scent. Described by some reviewers as a ‘fruitchouli’ it’s pretty wearable and not too strong, with a hint of sweetness once it’s settled down.

And the bottle is cute too!

Jimmy Choo Eau de Toilette is on sale at selected department stores and Jimmy Choo boutiques.

Price: £34 for 40ml, £44 for 60ml and £58 for 100ml

Luxury bathing is made all the easier by Noir’s budget-friendly prices, a Hand & Nail Cream costs £3.50 while a deliciously fragrant Foam Bath costs just £7.50. www.markasandspencer.com If you’re looking for a little indulgent pick-me-up, check out Noir, a new, luxurious collection of bath and body treats from Marks & Spencer.

Noir comes in a trio of fragrances – Freesia & Honey, Neroli & Sandalwood and Grapefruit & Cassis. Enriched with Vitamin E, the heady, energising and uplifting formulations will leave your skin feeling gorgeously soft and beautifully pampered.

They’re the perfect pre-Valentine’s date pick-me-up and a great way to transform your bathing and body routine from the everyday into a chic pampering experience. Foam baths and heavenly body creams, refreshing shower

Beautiful flowers for

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For Someone Special From poinsettia to mistletoe, Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without the compulsory festive blooms. Vibrant reds and deep greens form the perfect backdrop for Christmas festivities as well as offering the ideal last minute gift.

With an exclusive DELIVERY FREE with Inspired, Look better than ever with a beautiful New Year bloom.

Broomfield Road, Chelmsford, (opposite the Ship Public House) Tel: 01245 255579 www.eternalbloom-chelmsford.co.uk

We are also able to “theme” your floral design from bridal bouquet, complement button hole, table-top arrangement to table-centre floral design using flowers appropriate to the era.

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Ladies Fashion

The Dress is back!

Well for some of us the dress never actually went away, but the spring and summer collections are awash with girly prettiness at the moment, following on from the late 2011 tea dress trend. What better time to think pretty than Valentines?

Get yourself down to the high street and inspect the latest collections from everybody’s favourite perennial fashion staple, M&S. They’ve released the cutest, girliest range of affordable dresses you ever did see, and of course you know that being from M&S you can rely on them lasting longer than one season. Choose wisely and that floral creation you’ve picked out for a romantic Valentines date will still be serving you well come spring 2013!

Go pretty in pink with the adorably girly Park Avenue dress, or jazz it up with some strong floral prints instead. If sophisticated and floaty is more your thing, the beautiful Limited Collection Eden Dress is great for making an ethereal impression too.

Further down the high street, New Look has this funky maxi dress – it seems that maxi is still very much ‘in’ for 2012 and our love affair with the curve-skimming, ankle length maxi style is set to carry on until we decide. New Look has gone down the animal print road big style this season, with the SS12 offering featuring fierce prints and tribal influences but there’s also a healthy dose of sherbet brights and sugary pastels to pretty things up if animal prints really don’t float your boat. New Look also loves lace and tulle too, with a bit of crystallised embellishment and a side order of floaty fabrics, so girly girls won’t be at all disappointed.

Marks and Spencer Park Avenue Dress

Marks and Spencer Limited Collection Eden Dress

Marks and Spencer Enlarged Flower Print Dress

New Look Beaded Maxi Dress

Simply Be have also gone with the maxi and run with it as fast as they can, and their latest collections are studded with jewel brights and colour blocks with a little bit of jewelled pizazz that can be dressed up or toned down depending on how hot your date is, or you want it to be… www.marksandspencer.com www.simplybe.co.uk www.newlook.com

New Look Jewel Bright dress

New Look Tribal Print Maxi Dress

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Ladies Fashion

Valentines va-va-voom Slip into the demi for a vampy Valentines twist. Or the Halle chemise for a more subtle approach...

We know it’s a cliché but when it comes to boys and Valentine’s Day, they do love a bit of sexy lingerie. Not to wear themselves, you understand. Or maybe just when you go out.

But I digress. Anne Summers have some seriously sexy undies in store ready for February 14, so if you want to tempt your man (or indeed, your woman) with a little treat, check out this fabulous range of luxe fabrics, hot designs and glamour-ama sets.

Or, for a fashion focused look which oozes sex appeal... the Adelphi, Alecia and Olympia sets tick all the boxes!

Westfield Stratford City – which has already become one of the store’s top five in the UK.

• There are around 14,000 Anne Summers parties every week at the peak time, which is Christmas. A typical party raises around £200, but around Christmas time it can be £800.

Did you know?

• Anne Summers as we know it started in 1981 when Jacqueline Gold went to a Tupperware party in an east London flat and realised that selling underwear to women in their own homes could be a gold mine! She launched the Party Plan concept that year.

• The only Anne Summers store outside of the UK and Ireland is in Valencia, Spain • Ann Summers sells 2.5m vibrators a year the best-sellers being the 11-strong family of Rampant Rabbits! www.annsummers.com

The gorgeous Anne Summers website was revamped at the end of 2011 to make browsing sexy lingerie (and anything else that takes your fancy) even more fun…and there’s a fab new Anne Summers store in the new

Designs on TopShop

Sizing up H&M H&M are claiming their corner of the plus-size fashion market as of Spring 2012, and rebranding ‘Big is Beautiful’ as H&M+, because “fashion will always come before size at H&M.” The fab new H&M+ collection is due for its big (if you’ll excuse the pun) launch this Spring, and will hit the stores with a range of modern essentials available in UK sizes 18-28 that can be worn for the whole season.

There’s the perfect long sweater to wear with skinny jeans, while a flirty blazer looks fresh with a pair of bright trousers. Other basics such as white shirts and ankle-length trousers create the beginnings of a wardrobe that will grow as the seasons develop with H&M+. www.hm.com

Jewellery designer Patricia Nicolás has collaborated with Topshop for SS12, launching into Freedom at Topshop’s jewellery boutique.

Her collection features signature elements such as moustaches, angelic crosses, bold fluorescent colours and hand-woven interlocking chains. More recent features include gold, silver and rhodium plated fingers with enamel colours polka dot nails, silver snakes, gold snails and semi-precious stones in vintage-style settings. Prices range from £65 to £300 and the collection is now available at Topshop. www.patricianicolas.com | www.topshop.com Inspired

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Ladies Fashion

Jimmy Choo is attention-seeking this season, so look out for the stunning new ad campaign from this month, tempting you to invest in some of the sexiest shoes and bags you’ll see this spring.

Handbag at the Altar: Poised provocatively against a Grecian statue, the covetable bag is JUSTINE - a new sportswear inspired handbag with slouch appeal – matched with LETITIA a double-buckle platform sandal in coral, on a gravity-defying, not for the faint-hearted 145 mm heel.

Handbags at Dawn also features JUSTINE, in light khaki with a contrasting block of yellow python, in centre stage in the crux of a heated tug-o-war.

The tribal and ethnic are woven literally and decoratively into the collection with the IRIS sandal in leather macramé, combined with CAYLA clutch in acid yellow, matt and shiny crocodile.

Jimmy Choo

Animal prints and exotics complete the campaign, with MYRA another sexy 145mm pin heel in leopard print, teamed with CAILIN a gorgeous clutch that mixes crocodile, python and elaphe attached by chain to a wrist cuff.

Get saving, girls… www.jimmychoo.com

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Inspired (Fashion) A4_Layout 1 19/01/2012 17:31 Page 1

Look this season Get the

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Gentleman’s Den

Skincare tips for the boys

Skincare is a serious issue, and it’s no longer acceptable to ignore that fact if you want to get (or keep) a girl or boyfriend. Your face is what most people will notice first about you, so make a good impression by looking after your skin.

Do NOT steal your girlfriend’s skin products Look, we know she has far too much of everything and it clutters up the bathroom, but when it comes to skincare, you really do have to buy your own. There are aisles full of the stuff in Boots, Superdrug and pretty much every other chemist or department store, so be a big brave boy and treat yourself to something that’s actually designed for male skin.

It isn’t just a cynical marketing ploy; men’s skin can be up to 20 per cent thicker than women’s, as well as being more oily and ageing differently.

If you want to look your best you need to use products which cater for this and women’s products just aren’t up to the job. Plus, she’ll be really annoyed if she finds out you’ve been pinching her best Clarins face cream anyway.

Shave slowly

Even if you’re in a hurry, you won’t gain any advantages by rushing your daily shaving routine. If you take the time to prepare and do it properly, you’ll notice the difference and it will be easier, too. Yes, really. This is because stubble takes a little while to soften enough for shaving, anything up to two minutes. Try shaving after you’ve had your morning shower and see the difference.

Stay out of the sun!

Or at the very least, cover up when you’re out in it. The sun is the worst enemy of your skin, and it’s not just the obvious things like skin cancer that you need to worry about, sun damage is also the culprit when it comes to 80 per cent of wrinkles. You don’t want to end up looking like an old handbag so cover up with a daily moisturiser which contains SPF15 or more, yes, even in winter.

Less can be more…

If your skin is looking a bit dull and tired, a good exfoliation can freshen it up and make you feel so much better. The trouble is, you can have too much of a good thing and overdoing the facial scrubs and exfoliators can be harsh on your skin. You’re not sanding down a skirting board, your skin is delicate!

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Scrubbing your face too hard with anything can irritate it and sensitise it so that you’re more prone to dryness and even premature ageing, which is not good. Go gentle with the product, apply it with your fingertips and use gentle circular motions once a week to make sure your skin gets the full benefit.

Keep the aftershave subtle We’ve all laughed at the bloke who smells as if he’s bathed in Old Spice or something equally revolting…but don’t let that man be you! Subtly fragranced is great, and does tend to attract the ladies, but overkill on the scent is off-putting and reeks of “didn’t have enough time for a shower this morning” – this is even true of the most expensive scents but especially so for the cheaper ones.

A rule of thumb is that generally, if you can smell your own aftershave strongly after five minutes, you’ve probably overdone it. Stick to a couple of sprays from a distance of at least six inches away and you should be deliciously scented rather than overpoweringly smelly...

Gentleman’s Den

Phil Clifton

‘I’m a bit of an aftershave whore!’

You will recognise Phil Clifton from the ‘Backstage Show’ for Channel 5’s ‘Don’t Stop Believing’ and also for presenting Channel 4’s popular morning music show ‘Freshly Squeezed’ with Jameela Jamil, Matt Edmondson and Georgie Okell. This year Phil featured in the Red Pages’ Hot 100 to Look Out For list and he has been recently announced as the online and radio host of THE BRITS 2012.

Do you have a daily grooming routine?

I make sure to trim my beard every day and I also moisturise. I may use well known products like Nivea and Garnier for Men but they work for me, I really like L’Oreal Men Expert Hydra Energetic Ice Cool Eye Roll On, it’s an absolute game changer.

What is the one product you can’t live without?

It would have to be hair products, my hair is annoyingly fine and without them I can look like an adolescent, virginal choir boy.

Do you pay particular attention to your skin?

I was told off by a make-up artist after she saw me using soap and water, very bad business that, apparently! I recently went for my first

spray tan as the lovely folk at Vita Liberata suggested I gave it a go, and I have to say I actually enjoyed the experience, and the results looked great and natural.

What is your favourite fragrance?

To be honest I’m a bit of an aftershave whore. I will basically wear anything apart from Joop, as it reminds me of being a teenager. I still receive aftershave from my mum at Christmas, so for at least the first few months of the year she decides. If I’m buying for myself I’ll usually opt for Armani, although today I’m wearing Paco Rabanne’s 1 Million.

What does being well groomed mean to you?

I think that the whole grooming thing is definitely something I started to take a lot more seriously when I hit my twenties. So now if I’m filming or have a DJ gig then I will really make an effort, but if I’m doing a voice I’m very happy to rock up in my scruffs.

When do you think you have looked your best and why?

I think that I look my smartest after a haircut, I always get mine done at HOBS and they have never let me down. I never pay a ridiculous amount for a decent cut as I know from experience that a lot of high street salons an be the best!

How do you stay fresh?

I’m a shower guy all the way! I’ll follow this with deodorant, face wash, moisturiser, and body spray. Oh and some eye-drops, I’ve got really in to those lately.

Why are guys are taking more interest in their appearance?

There is definately more media exposure for men’s grooming now, and more magazines that are orientated around men’s lifestyle, rather than tits and arse orientated lad mags. I suppose this can’t be a bad thing….right?

Can you recall a grooming disaster?

I once had dreadlocks. I’ll leave that there.

For more about grooming go oto: www. thegroomingguide.com Inspired

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Gentlemen’s Den Viktor & Rolf’s cult female fragrance Flowerbomb has celebrity fans all over the place (Cheryl Cole among them) and was crying out for a sexy male version, so the ‘noses’ went into action and have created Spicebomb. The gorgeous fragrance was previewed exclusively in Harrods at the end of January – but don’t worry, it will hit the shelves across the rest of the UK from March.

New Spice?

bottle is a chunkier, hand grenade style version of the Flowerbomb ball, complete with the trademark V&R ‘wax’ stamp as the pin.

If you fancy investing in a bottle, it will be available in 90ml (£60) and 50ml (£45) bottles, plus a deodorant spray (£18), aftershave balm (£30) and shower gel (£25).

The men’s scent has been designed by perfumier Olivier Polge, who also worked on Flowerbomb and Eau Mega for Viktor & Rolf. It’s very much a man’s scent, with heady notes of chilli, saffron, leather, tobacco and vetiver, along with bergamot, grapefruit and pink pepper. The

Around the World in 80 Scams

There are 10 main sections to the app: Section 1:Hotels and other accommodation scams Section 2: Transport scams Section 3: Cash, ATM and credit card scams Section 4: Travel agent and travel club scams Section 5: Shopping scams Around the World in 80 Scams is an essential travel app for travellers, available for iPhone and iPad. It’s designed to help travellers avoid the common travelling scams that have caught people out over the years. The app is a practical, focused, and detailed guide to 80 of the most common scams and crimes world travellers might encounter. Being aware of scammers’ tricks is the best way of avoiding them altogether; forewarned is forearmed.

The app is for anybody who travels and wants to avoid being scammed. It is especially helpful for newer voyagers such as Gap Year travellers and students, and Around the World trekkers.

Even more experienced people and lifelong travellers are likely to discover new information that will help protect them from trouble.

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Section 6: Eating, drinking and gambling scams Section 7: Government scams Section 8: E-mail and Internet scams Section 9: Begging and street hustling scams Section 10: Extortion, blackmail and fraud scams Around the World in 80 Scams: an Essential Travel App costs £6.99 from iTunes. And could potentially save you a fortune!

Gentleman’s Den

Gadgets Gadgets Gadgets

The Cube

This will keep you occupied for hours…

Beer o’Clock

Pretty much all printers claim that they can produce photo-quality images, and to be fair, some of them do come close. But an inkjet printer, while it can give you some high quality images, might be consigned to printer heaven once you’ve seen what you can get from one of these.

Well, there’s nothing wrong with being aspirational, and if the ultimate in boy-gadgets is your cup of tea, why not set your heart on one of these and instantly transport yourself back to childhood?

Most homes seem to be adorned with a proliferation of girly clocks and pictures, so grab a bit of male-oriented time-keeping with this cool Budweiser Wall Clock, handmade in the United Kingdom from an original glass Budweiser Beer Bottle.

The Photo Cube Smartphone Printer uses dye sublimation technology which means it gives you high quality prints that will even rival what you could get if you trotted down to the local print shop. And best of all, it prints them directly from your iPad, iPhone or Android device.

It’s compact, too just plug your iPhone or iPod in the top, or connect an iPad or Android device via USB and it’ll even charge them for you.

Download the free Photocube app and clip the cartridge into place and off you go!

You’ll need a reasonably big room of course, and a very understanding girlfriend or wife, but if you have both and a spare £1300 or so, you can take a trip back to old school gaming whenever you feel like it with this brilliant arcade machine.

Price £16 | www.thegreatgiftcompany.com Featuring the classic Street Fighter 2 this game will entertain you and your guests for hours!

If retro fighting is your thing, then this is the perfect addition to your games room…

Price: £1295 www.beautifulmodernthing.com

Price £119.99 | www.firebox.com

The gadget Show Tickets for the Gadget Show Live 2012, at the Birmingham NEC, are on sale now.

As well as entertainment from Jason, Jon, Ortis, Pollyanna, and Suzi in the SUPER THEATRE the 2012 show will be packed with entertaining and interactive features like the Active Zone, UK Inventors Village, Game Zone and Music Zone.

Tickets are selling fast, so if you’re a gadget fiend, get on the website and get your pass to the show of our dreams. Just imagine, a whole exhibition room full of things you didn’t know you needed, but you know you’ll be coveting big time as soon as you see.

It’s eco-friendly as well as very cool and perfectly blokey, will look great in any kitchen or part of the house you’ve got a boy’s corner, and well, we like it.

Tickets to Gadget Show Live 2011 sold out months in advance so be sure to book as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

Dates: • Wednesday 11th April

• Thursday 12th April

• Friday 13th April • Saturday 14th April SOLD OUT • Sunday 15th April SOLD OUT

www.gadgetshowlive.net

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Gentlemen’s Fashion

Spring into 2012

Jacamo is fast becoming the place to go for style at any size if you’re of the male persuasion – and with Freddie Flintoff on board the profile of the size-inclusive brand is on the up and up. The latest collection from Freddie was launched in January and features spring-into-summer must haves, all designed by the cricketing legend himself.

The Freddie collection is easy to wear, and covers all eventualities from casual chilling out to a proper posh night on the town – suits to jeans and everything you can think of in between.

You can find the whole range at www.jacamo.co.uk

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Gentleman’s Fashion

Impress the ladies with Beckham boxers…

There’s no stopping those busy Beckhams when it comes to fashion collections, and if you thought it was all about Victoria – well you’d be wrong. If you want to get a bit of Beckham-style action, you could start with wearing his pants…well, sort of.

David Beckham’s debut Bodywear collection for H&M introduces nine underwear styles for men, all designed exclusively by David’s in-house team and sold only at H&M. The undies are designed for a great fit and function, plus comfort and design, and they aren’t over-branded, so you don’t have to worry about walking around with a massive Becks logo on your behind!

There’s something for everyone, from classic briefs to boxers, vests, T-shirts, pyjamas and even long johns. The collection is a result of eighteen months of research and development, and if you’re interested, you can buy the set from H&M stores as well as online from February 2012. But they can’t give you a bod like Becks… www.hm.com

TopMan Trends TopMan always likes to push the boundaries when it comes to design, and this season is no exception with the award-winning British menswear designer Omar Kashoura joining existing LENS favourites J.W. Anderson, New Power Studio, Dusty, Uniforms for the Dedicated and Dexter Wong.

LENS is the brainchild of TopMan Design Director Gordon Richardson and ‘b Store’ Founder Matthew Murphy. The idea is to create a space to showcase the cream of young emerging menswear talent from both here and abroad. LENS will be available at the Oxford Circus store on February 16th to coincide with the start of London Fashion Week and will available online too.

• Dusty is more of a sporty look with black satin shorts that suit a man with a gym-honed body as well as a white mesh hooded sleeveless tracksuit.

London-based Omar is renowned for tailoring and creating wearable style that’s all about, in his own words, ‘hyper masculinity and relaxed elegance’. Omar’s debut LENS collection mixes lightweight knitwear, pastel preppy zip off collar shirts, all over print kimono t-shirts and formal luxe evening shirts.

• Dexter Wong’s collection is based around zip detailing on black jersey and shirting, and Hawaiian printed white shirts.

• Uniforms for the Dedicated are going with the eclectic Scandinavian utility work wear theme with relaxed jersey pieces in a creamy colour palette and striped mandarin collared short sleeved shirts.

Also in the LENS collection at TopMan : • J.W. Anderson – the place to go if you’re in the market for a bit of polka dot silk shirting, Aztec and tribal print t-shirts and shorts, oxford bag chinos, or an ‘inspired by Olympics of the past’ knitted vest.

• New Power Studio (featured) have used photographic prints of childhood scenes on oversized t-shirts and sweatshirts, and towelling joggers.

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TopMan is showcasing the ‘Working Class Hero’ look along with many other high street retailers this season, and if you think it’s a look for you, it’s basically just a matter of mixing up sportswear and a mod influence, with lots of textures and layering. Try wearing a jersey jacket over a bold striped jumpers or a stylish patterned shirt with an ever-so-slightly clashy printed tee. Jeans and chinos both complement the look so it depends on you whether you make the look Brit casual or US preppy. www.topman.com

Junior

Oh Baby

Or the lovely floral blouse and trouser combo that’s

Also from Baby K, the slightly more subdued but pretty

perfect for getting into mischief in; and it doesn’t even

as a picture Multi Colour Stripe Dress is sure to win

matter if it gets a bit grubby as the whole ensemble is

some hearts this spring.

a fashionably frugal £8.

If you haven’t got a baby, or toddler, it’s almost worth

Of course, he’d be mortified that you called him cute

borrowing one just so that you can dress the little cutie

Moving on to Mothercare, the Baby K range is cuter

but any little boy would look kind of sweet in the fish

up in some of the coolest little person’s clothes and

than ever with a nod to tropical beaches (in February?)

print top, proving that Baby K has the ‘Aaaah effect’

accessories we’ve seen for ages.

and we couldn’t resist bringing you the Paradise Print

when it comes to little boys, too. Not too girly but still

Dress, Paradise Print shorts, and White Shirt which

toddler-sweet, the top will be one of his favourites for

Matalan Kids have gone all out for the cute factor with

are perfect for brightening up a dull day with a small

as long as he still fits into it, we’d hazard a guess.

their latest collection, all very affordable as well. Just

person in bright clothes. If they were twenty years

Rocking the preppy look form a very young age,

look at these adorable tees, perfect to match up with

older they’d never get away with it but as toddlers we’ll

Mothercare also comes up trumps with this Varsity

the oh-so-pretty floral pull on hat at just £3.

let the gaudy prints go…

Jacket for toddlers…making sure the little darlings are on-trend before they even know what a trend is! www.mothercare.com | www.matalan.co.uk

Temporary Toys

Money’s a bit tight for most of us, and little luxuries like toys aren’t really on the priority list, especially as the kids seem to grow out of them, get bored with them and want the next big thing seemingly five minutes after clamouring for what they’ve just been given.

Crazy Cat

That’s where ToyBoxLive.co.uk comes in, a new business which was born out of MD Alison Chesworth’s own experience as a first time mother to Theia who is now 18 months old.

“When I was pregnant I had no idea of how much a baby would change my life and that costs would quickly mount up.” Alison explained. “Having worked in

Cute, cuddly and with some real funky moves this

marketing I was looking for something else to do that

adorable dancing cat is no ordinary speaker! Designed

would support being a mother and wondered why

to work with almost any audio source with a 3.5mm

no-one in the UK was offering online toy rental.”

input jack which makes it compatible with Smartphones, MP3 players, computers, laptops and

Alison found that her home was quickly filling up with

more, the Dancing Cat Speaker not only plays your

toys that were only needed for a month or so, and

music, it dances to it too. Simply connect it to your

speaking to other mother revealed this to be a

chosen audio player using the cable provided and

common problem. Not only were there huge costs

watch it bop about in time to the music being played.

associated with buying new toys every month there was also the issue of space and unnecessary clutter.

If you just want it to play the music without the accompanying choreography, give its left paw a

ToyBoxLive.co.uk is an online toy rental service that

squeeze – there’s a button hidden inside that’ll

allows children to learn through play by letting parents

switch the dancing off when it gets on your nerves.

choose toys for their children then change them as and when required for a subscription of just £24.99

Price - £32.99

per month. With no contract, parents are able to select

www.iwantoneofthose.com

toys and once their child has grown out of them or wants something different they simply send them back to toyboxlive.co.uk and the new toys they have selected online are delivered to their door.

Find out more at www.ToyBoxLive.co.uk

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Junior

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Home style

But where are we going to put it?

It’s the curse of the modern living space – lack of storage. With smaller houses and flats, and all of us seemingly quite able to accumulate more clutter than a third-world country, the problem we often face is where on earth to put everything.

Whether it’s finding room for all the paperwork in a home office, keeping the toys tidy in a child’s bedroom, or just keeping the kitchen clutter-free, there’s a home storage solution for every problem, whether you want to go all out for a personalised storage concept or just find nice furniture and boxes to squirrel things away in.

We’ll be looking at the thorny issue of de-cluttering in another issue…but for now here are a few great ideas for keeping the house nice and tidy.

Big Ideas Neville Johnson proudly boast that they can make the most out of any home’s potential by making sure that absolutely every space and corner is used for something, which is really important if you live in a smaller home. It’s not all about functionality though – the company

makes stunning yet practical room concepts for every room in the house and can even create you a home office in the loft:.

Neville Johnson are experts at creating storage in spaces that hadn’t even been considered such as the neglected area under the stairs as well as incorporating the idea of storage into a

room’s scheme by using hidden storage compartments to hide away ugly, but useful items such as DVD players - maximising storage and minimising clutter.

Prices start from £4,000. www.nevillejohnson.co.uk

Another handy option for making the most of available places is shelving, and that’s where Poliform excel. Their wall system offers a whole range of options for lots of different spaces, and as well as being modular and adaptable, the shelving comes in a choice of over 30 finishes, including woods, matt and glossy lacquers, so you can get exactly the right look for your home. www.poliformuk.com

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Home style

The Home Office With more of us than ever working from home, there has to be somewhere to put all the associated work-related clutter. Sharps has a wide range of home office fitted furniture options for home workers that can really make the most of places in your home that you might have thought were ‘dead space’.

According to Sharps, “For some people, a separate home office is the perfect solution, but Sharps understands that space can sometimes be limited.

“If you think there’s no space to fit a home office, think again. A Sharps designer can help you rethink your rooms and find a way to incorporate a desk, shelving unit and even display cases into even awkward spaces. For instance, the area underneath your stairs could be the perfect place to keep your computer and work organised.” www.sharps.co.uk

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Home style

Places to hide things If you can’t really stretch to a complete room redesign, much as you might love one, you’ll have to make do with picking the right furniture for the job. There are some ingenious storage solutions if you know where to look, so that you no longer have to look despondently at that pile of old magazines in the corner, you can replace it with a gorgeous piece of furniture that hides a multitude of untidiness sins.

Chosen by Vogue as one of the Top 40 Trends of 2012, the Camouflage Company specialises in what they call ‘utility chic’ and what we’d call ‘pretty places to hide stuff’. For example, this super pretty floral chest costs a mere £40 but would look so lovely in a bedroom. And will hide a fair amount of bits and pieces.

For something really quirky that will brighten up bedrooms and living rooms alike, go nautical with this handmade Boat Shaped Shelving Unit. It’s hand crafted and painted, and the quirky wooden boat comes with two shelves for displaying books, picture frames and other pretty things.

Price £79.95 www.homehomehome.co.uk

This Mid Century coloured drawer bookshelf is funky and perfectly on-trend, with four shelves above brightly coloured drawers with retro metal handles. The 1950s look is finished with angled black legs, giving this retro shelf unit a classic look. It’s almost worth buying extra stuff just so that you can justify spending out on somewhere like this to put it!

Price: £679.00 www.artisanti.com

For a bit of rustic charm and kookiness, this storage box is perfect for prettying up dull room space and it’s also practical for storing those little nick knacks in too.

Price £17.95 www.kindlehouse.co.uk

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Home style

Chefs Accessories With every celebrity chef – and quite a few non-celebrity chefs – all getting on the ‘bringing out a recipe book’ bandwagon, it’s hardly surprising that the humble cookery stand has been enjoying a surge in popularity.

What better excuse do you need than this to actually get one of the trusty cookery books down from the shelf and start cooking instead of just looking at the pictures? This one’s come all the way Amsterdam and with any luck its rustic charm will inspire you to cook up a storm a la Jamie or Nigella…

Price: £27 | www.jasmineway.co.uk

Hanging Storage Baskets

Sugar Candy Kisses We know that you really don’t NEED one of these, but when you’ve got one, you’re just going to fall in love with it. You remember when you used to go to the seaside as a child, or the funfair, and the small of candy floss was so intoxicatingly sweet that even now, when you smell it, you’re transported right back to your childhood? The floss magically jumps into a scrumptious cloud and brings those childhood memories flooding right back...

Storing things away neatly seems such a bore.

Not any more...these crisp check fabric raffia baskets by Rice have a dual purpose, they are handy for keeping all those little bits and pieces that you can never find a home for in one place and they are pretty to look at too. £19.50 | www.kindlehouse.co.uk

Price: £44.99 | www.drinkstuff.com

Go dotty for spotty Spots never seem to go out of fashion, and we love this gorgeous collection from Berry Red, which features bright and cheery mugs, oven dishes, jugs and casserole dishes in a splosh of reds, blues and browns. Mix ‘em up for a bit of fun or get a matching set if you prefer a bit of order in your kitchen cupboards, but you’ll love this kitchenware for years to come.

Fresh and pretty light blue polka dot jug, one litre capacity - Price: £33 Set of two baking dishes in navy blue with white polka dot – Price £40 Classic stoneware red and white polka dot mug - Price: £11.50 Small casserole dish with lid – Price £12 www.berryred.co.uk

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with carpets

free

G N I R O O L F Y COUNTR

fitting!

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Conditions apply

FLOORING AT PRICES YOU

CAN AFFORD FOR EVERYDAY LIVING STOCK ROLL

Certified Quality Service.

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Solid Wood Laminates Naturals Carpets Vinyls FRE NEXT DA E DELIVER Y Y!

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OPEN 7 DAYS 01245 250 074

www.countryflooring.co.uk

MAKING THE OLD LOOK LIKE NEW

Floor Sanding Wood Floor Repair

Staining, Oil & Lacquer Restorations

TESCO

SAT NAV CM2 6LG Meadowside

TOWN CENTER

Victoria Rd

CHELMSFORD

Springfield Rd To Army & Navy

Country Flooring

EASY PARKING at rear via Meadowside

Home style

How to look after your wooden floor If you’ve splashed out on a gorgeous new wooden

Don’t let any spills fester! If there’s an accident,

Cover the floor with a doormat if it’s in places that

floor, first and foremost you’ll want to know how to

someone’s knocked or spilled something on the floor,

get heavy use or are prone to dirt.

keep it looking lovely. Here’s our top tips on

make sure it’s dealt with right away. If water soaks

maintaining the look of a wooden floor…

into the core, it swells, which can cause the edges of

Take your heels off indoors. Remember it’s not rude

the board to ride up and look terrible. It only takes a

to ask visitors to remove their shoes, especially if they

Give it a clean sweep daily – all it needs is a quick

few minutes to wipe up a spill and it’s so worth it to

are in stiletto heels which can leave dents and marks

going-over with a brush or a vacuum cleaner on a

keep your flooring looking great.

on a wooden floor.

or grime that can cause discolouration and dullness.

Keep it protected – don’t get careless and damage

Sun damage – exposure to sunlight can change the

Don’t let it get too wet. Many manufacturers and

the surface by doing something that can be avoided,

colour of wooden floors, so remember this when it

fitters will recommend their own cleaner for the job,

like dragging heavy furniture instead of lifting it or not

comes to deciding where to place your mats. If you

so take their advice but make sure that you don’t

protecting the floor with protector pads. It’s easy to

put one in front of a window, you could end up with a

overdo it when it comes to the floor cleaner. Soaking

avoid cracking or breaking the floor if you just take the

rug shaped dark patch…

the floor in liquid will cause damage over time so less

time to put felt pads on the feet of your sofas, chairs

is definitely more.

and tables.

daily basis and this will stop any build-up of dust, dirt

For more advice on how to look after your new wooden flooring, ask the experts at Country Flooring in Chelmsford.

Country Flooring OPEN 7 DAYS 01245 250 074 www.countryflooring.co.uk Inspired

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Home Details

The best playrooms in the world…ever?

This funky, colourful shelving is from Inhouse Interiors,

Case Study - Children’s Rooms in Chelsea

“For one room, we designed 2 double wardrobes to

a contemporary furniture design studio located in

“A family with four children in Chelsea, London were

fit within the alcoves and a double bed.

Battersea. The company prides itself on creating

looking for a helping hand with the refurbishment

everything from scratch and doesn’t have any

of their whole house… in particular their walk-in

“For the other room, we designed a bunk bed unit that

individual items of furniture for sale on the website,

wardrobe for the master bedroom. Their architect had

incorporated toy storage and 3 beds (1 being a roll-out

just examples of some of the funky creations they’ve

almost given up with what to do with the space they

bed), with matching double wardrobes and low-level

come up with for different parts of the home.

had to use! A family friend we were working with at the

rollout storage.

time recommended us to them, and we paid them a We love the colourful designs and the fact that

“All the furniture was completed with custom cut-out

design visit.

feature handles and finished in hardwearing white

everything’s a one-off. If you do too, you can find out more at www.inhouseinteriors.com

“After coming up with a practical solution for the mas-

satin lacquer. A very happy family all round, and four

ter bedroom’s walk-in wardrobe, we were asked

very happy children… for the moment anyway!”

to design 2 bedrooms for the children.

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“Sleeping Beauties” - Grant Whitaker Spring bulbs are the subterranean show queens of the garden. Planted and forgotten about, they burst into life like nothing else in February and March, or as soon as the weather decides to perk itself up.

Planted back in September/October (you did remember didn’t you?) and providing the weather is as mild as they predict, your bulbs may now be starting to show the first signs of life. Fresh shoots emerging from the ground are the first glimmers of hope that spring is on its way and that the warmer months aren’t too far away.

We’re all familiar with swaths of daffodils lining the road sides and roundabouts, but there are plenty of other fantastic spring bulbs to look out for.

Snowdrops should be flowering now. They have attractive nodding flowers and look amazing under trees or in large drifts in the lawn.

The Garden

Crocus are a must – their white, yellow and purple flowers can’t fail to catch your eye on a dreary winters day – the spice, saffron, comes from the autumn flowering variety.

for the usual yellow. Whites, creams, dwarfs, doubles and scented varieties are all available and look great in the garden, or in spring pots and containers.

You may be familiar with hyacinth as an indoor bulb, but its waxy flowers and fantastic fragrance can be used to great effect in the garden and look stunning when used in tubs and containers.

If you didn’t get the chance to plant your spring bulbs at the end of last year, all is not lost. You can buy potted bulbs that have been grown on for you, set them out in the garden as you would any other plant, allowing you to enjoy all the show and scent that you would otherwise have missed out on.

Tulips are back in fashion now and with many new varieties, you’re spoilt for choice. Colours range from almost black, through to iridescent purples and pinks. With doubles, singles, frilly and showy flowers, there’s something for everyone.

Don’t poo-poo the humble daffodil either!

Roundabouts or not, it’s a beautiful, reliable, early flower and with new varieties being introduced all the time, you don’t have to opt

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Dine in Style

Gotta Love Valentine’s Cupcakes

Give this Valentine’s Day a twist of sheer loveliness in the form of Valentine Cupcakes with Loseley Summer Meadow Butter. These little delights will bring an element of light, fluffy love and happiness to the table on the key date of the year to unlock all hearts. (Makes ten small cupcakes) Ingredients: For the Cakes: • 1 Egg (free range) • 75g Plain flour (or use self-raising and omit the baking powder) • 50g Sugar • 62g Loseley Summer Meadow Butter • ½ tsp Baking powder • 3 tsp Pixley Berries blackcurrant cordial 3 tsp • Few drops Pink food colouring (optional)

Line a bun tin with fairy cake cases. Fill each case 2/3 with batter and bake at 190C / GM 5 for about 12 minutes.

Chef’s Tip: The secret to fluffy buttercream is to beat the butter really well before you add any sugar. The trick is to make the butter cream in the food processor to prevent the kitchen being covered in clouds of icing sugar. If you make it with a hand mixer you will need to add the icing sugar slowly to the butter.

Put the butter in the food processor bowl and process for a minute or so, until soft and fluffy.

Pour in the icing sugar and cordial, put the lid back on and cover with a damp tea towel, and process again. Scrape the sides down adding more cordial or icing sugar if needed and process again.

For the Frosting: If you will be spreading rather than piping your frosting you will need rather less.

• 75g Loseley Summer Meadow Butter • 250g Icing sugar • 1-2 tbs Pixley Berries blackcurrant cordial

Decorate your cakes, using sprinkles and love hearts. Both the raw cake batter and the frosting freeze well.

Method: Add the eggs, butter, flour, sugar, baking powder & salt to a bowl and beat with a hand whisk until blended. Add the cordial and briefly mix again. The batter should be loose enough to dollop off a spoon.

Loseley Chilled Foods are available from the chilled cabinet of local independent grocers, Waitrose and Ocado. Visit www.loseley.com for more information.

Loseley Summer Meadow Butter is packed in a 250g tub and costs £1.39p.

Viva Strawberry, Toasted Almond and Caramel Pancakes A truly indulgent pancake recipe, this is something you’ll want to eat more often than just once a year on Pancake Day! Ideal for breakfast or dessert, the strawberry, caramel and yoghurt topping is also delicious on toasted waffles or slices of Madeira cake.

Serves 4 (2 pancakes each) Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 10 Minutes You’ll need: For the pancakes: 100g flour 2 eggs, beaten 300ml milk Oil for frying For the filling: 20 Viva strawberries, chopped 2tsp sugar 1 tbsp caramel sauce 300ml Greek yoghurt 2 tbsp, heaped, toasted almonds

What to do: 1. In a bowl, sprinkle the sugar over the strawberries and leave to macerate while you make the pancakes. Switch your oven on to a low heat.

2. Place the flour in a bowl and gently whisk in the milk and eggs so you have a lump free batter. It should be the consistency of singe cream.

3. Heat a medium sized frying pan on a medium heat then wipe it with oil. Ladle enough batter into the pan to coat the base with an even, thin layer when you tilt it around the pan.

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4. Leave the batter to stand until the top side looks dry and the bottom is golden, usually around 30 seconds. Using a fish slice or a flick of the wrist, turn or flip the pancake to cook the other side. Once cooked pop it on a plate, cover with foil and keep it warm in the oven. Repeat this till al the batter is used up and you have a pile of pancakes.

5. Gently fold the juicy strawberries and caramel through the yoghurt till it just ripples.

Serve 2 pancakes per person topped with a dollop of the yoghurt mixture and scatter with almonds.

Food Trends 2012

Dine in Style

Wondering what will be, quite literally, hot, in 2012? Well we asked My Secret Kitchen for their predictions for 2012…

4 Forage, forage, forage – expect to see a rise in types of mushrooms, herbs and berries in people’s dishes. Wild garlic anyone?

1 Price Increases: Yuck. The prices of raw materials have gone up and anything grown in the ground has increased in cost, especially the basics. People are having to consider even more carefully about what they put in their shopping basket.

5 Whatever Twitter says – As social networking becomes viral, people want to share the good and bad things about food.

Although we can’t predict what ‘that’ will be.

2 Granny’s cooking – Retro was big in 2011 and the desire for security and safety in an uncertain environment will steer us towards old family recipes. Look out for dumplings, suet puddings and the like…

6 The rise of the minor celebrity chef – there will be a big rise in passionate cooks moving into doing video blogs of their recipes.

It won’t be Delia’s goose fat as the big thing next year, it will be a Youtube special chef. My Secret Kitchen will be jumping on this trend with a new video blog starting soon.

3 More of the Grain – Home baking and cooking is a hot trend, and whole grains are great value for money. Quinoa, oats and cornmeal could see a surge in 2012.

7 Moroccan – Full of Spices and flavours, a healthy diet with grain and greens and a little different with not too many expensive ingredients.

8 South American – Peru is widely predicted to be the big flavour country in the ‘States for 2012 so we expect this to jump over to the UK along with Brazil. And if the food goes superbly with Caipirinhas we won’t be complaining.

9 French Macaroons – 2011 was the year of the Whoopie Pie, an attractive and fun filled cake. One of the key reasons for its popularity was it looked cute. We think French macaroons will be big for 2012 for a similar reason, so expect to see gaudy shop windows full of ‘em.

10 Back to the Dinner Table – As family values become ever more important, there will be a push to get more social interaction into the family dinner table which has declined over recent years.

My Secret Kitchen www.mysecretkitchen.co.uk

Bring me sunshine!

Is the gloomy weather making you long for sunshine? Well, we can’t help much there but we do have something that might make you think sunny thoughts as you eat it. Colour mood charts show yellow as a happy sunshine colour and during the long, dark, winter months a little sunshine could be just what you need to get rid of those winter blues!

To help lift your spirits, the lovely people at Cartmel Village Shop have created a delicious, individual, handmade Lemon Drizzle Sponge Pudding which combines soft, zesty, lemon

sponge with 33% finest lemon curd. With the increase in demand for personal pudding portions, Cartmel’s Lemon Drizzle Sponge Pudding will be available in individual 120g servings priced £1.50 or, if you really must share, 500g servings priced £4.25.

Cartmel Village Shop puddings are available to buy from the Cartmel Village Shop in Cartmel, Cumbria and online at www.cartmelvillageshop.co.uk as well as branches of Waitrose, Booths, Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, Fortnum & Mason, and independent fine foods shops.

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To find your nearest stockist contact the nice people at Cartmel Village Shop on 015395 58300.

Want to eat out tonight?

Eating out

Inspired recommends American Restaurant

Casual, Portuguese

Pizzeria Restaurant

1.

16. Nando’s 01245 344506

32. Pizza Hut 01245 261643

Back Inn Time 01245 269983 VICTORIA ROAD, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 1NY

2.

Frankie & Benny’s New York 01245 343790 6, The Army & Navy, Parkway, Chelmsford, CM2 7GY

Bistro 3.

Hot House Bar & Bistro, The 01245 491248 57 New St, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 1AT

Chinese Restaurant 4.

Lantern Restaurant 01245 491088 17-21 Broomfield Road, CM1 1SY

4.

Imperial Chinese Buffet 01245 250759 1st floor, 11-15 Baddow Rd, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 0BX

5.

San Chinese Restaurant 01245 290099 136 Moulsham St, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 0JT

6.

Zen Noodle Bar 01245 353899 86-87 Duke St, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 1JP

British, Modern British 7.

County Kitchen at The County Hotel 01245 455700 29 Rainsford Road, Chelmsford, CM1 2PZ

8.

The Blue Bridge 01245 422891 1 Bridge Street, Writtle, Chelmsford, CM1 3EY

9.

The Lion Inn 01245 394900 Main Road, Boreham, Chelmsford, CM3 3JA

10. Mustard Bistro 01245 266612 37 New London Rd, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 0ND

11. Rosewood Restaurant 01277 829990 Greenwoods Hotel, Stock Road, Stock, Essex, CM4 9BE

12. Russells 01245 478484 Bell Street, Great Baddow, Chelmsford, CM2 7JF

European Restaurant 13. Barda Restaurant & Bar 01245 357799 30-32 Broomfield Rd, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 1SW

14. Grahams on The Green 01245 422432 12-14 The Green, Writtle, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 3DU

15. The Punch Bowl Restaurant 01245 231222 High Easter, Chelmsford, CM1 4QW

1 - 5 Grays Brewery Yard, Springfield Road, CM2 6QR

5 Moulsham St, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 0HR

Mexican

33. Pizza Hut 01245 496490

17. Chiquito 01245 240800

Chelmer Village Retail Park, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 6XE

Local Pubs

Army & Navy, Parkway, Chelmsford, CM2 7GY

34. Two Brewers Public House, The 01245 268801

French Restaurant 18. Cafe Rouge 01245 250588

80 Springfield Rd, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 6JY

35. Chequers Inn, The 01245 422744

219 Moulsham St, Chelmsford, Essex,

Indian Restaurant

1 Chequers Rd, Writtle, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 3NG

19. Balti King 01245 264038

36. Rose & Crown Public House 01245 420266

190 Moulsham St, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 0LG

57 The Green, Writtle, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 3DT

20. Bilash Restaurant 01245 352690

Seafood Restaurant 37. Loch Fyne Restaurant 01245 293620

7 Baddow Rd, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 0BX

21. Gulshan 01245 259017

109-111 Bond St, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 1GD

Steak

32-33 New St, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 1PH

38. Masons Steak Restaurant 01245 346877

22. Radoni Indian Restaurant 01245 347772 170 Rainsford Rd, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 2PD

London Rd, Widford, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 8TE

23. Shahjan Tandoori 01245 262703

39. Seabrights Barn - Carvery & Grill 01245 478033

9 Baddow Rd, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 0BX

Galleywood Rd, Great Baddow, Chelmsford, CM2 8DL

Italian Restaurant

Thai Restaurant

24. Strada Restaurant 01245 491991

40. Lanthai Authentic Thai Restaurant 01245 290600

12 Baddow Rd, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 0DG

Imperial House, Victoria Rd, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 1NY

41. Lanthong Thai Restaurant 01245 494525

25. Sapori 01245 268179 Atlantic Hotel, Chelmsford, CM1 1PP

first floor 6a, Baddow Rd, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 0DG

42. Siam Cottage Thai Restaurant 01245 352245

26. La Vista Italian Restaurant 01245 478884 23 Church St, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 7HX

44 Moulsham St, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 0HY

27. On the Square Restaurant 01245 505880 1 Exchange Way, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 1XB

Let people know about

28. Pizza Express 01245 491466

your restaurant

219 Moulsham St, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 0LR

ONLY £14.50

29. Prezzo 01245 264335 113-115 Bond St, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 1GD

Modern Pub

to advertise for a whole MONTH

30. Alma, The 01245 256783 37 Arbour Lane, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 7RG

31. hooga 01245 356811

call 01245 252575 for details

16 Victoria Road, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 1NZ

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Everest Gurkha Bar & Restaurant

Loch Fyne

The Bay Horse

Back Inn Time

We would like to invite you into the

Situated on Bond Street, our restaurant

Situated in the heart of Chelmsford this

TAKE YOUR TASTE BUDS ON A JOURNEY

restaurant for a fine-dining and cultural

has a large bar area, restaurant seating

beautiful 15th Century Tudor Style

ACROSS AMERICA

experience with our truly authentic

for 120 guests. Come and join us for the

building, maintains all its original

Head on down to Back-Inn Time!

Nepalese cuisine that is sure to give

freshest, most delicious seafood - we’re

features, with the decor and quirkiness

Steak, Mexican chill, ribs, 10 different

you an exotic taster of the vibrant yet

open all day from breakfast through to

of a more modern, contemporary

all-American burgers… and plenty to

equally peaceful country. There will be

dinner for drinks, light snacks and

cutting edge establishment. The

offer seafood-lovers and vegetarians.

frequent dates of Live Jazz Night, with a

seafood feasts! We are delighted to

beautiful Bay Horse in Moulsham

Serious desserts, too. Marshmallow

cleared dance floor for our customers to

offer a first rate à la carte menu at our

Street has been transformed into an

sundae, waffles and baked vanilla

catch the rhythm including special

Loch Fyne Chelmsford restaurant and

amazing upmarket eatery, combining a

cheesecake… to name just three. Plus a

traditional performances of Nepalese

you will be treated to a great array

traditional wine bar and bistro concept,

range of beers, cocktails and fine wines,

folklore dancing. We hope you can come

of fresh and seasonal dishes that are

with exquisite yet contemporary tastes.

of course. The atmosphere’s relaxed

to enjoy the Nepalese atmosphere and

perfect for every palate - come down

The ultimate destination for mouth

and family-orientated. We’ve got a great

we look forward to welcoming you.

and see us soon.

watering food, refreshing drinks and

kids’ menu, with games and colouring to

exceptional service.

keep them occupied.

European

British, Modern

American

Finest Nepalese Cuisine

01245 493929 8-10 Broomfield Road www.everestgurkhabarandrestaurant.co.uk

01245 293620 Bond St, Chelmsford www.lochfyne-restaurants.com

01245 251 371 Moulsham Street, Chelmsford www.bayhorsechelmsford.com

01245 269983 Victoria Road, Chelmsford www.backinntime.co.uk

The Lion Inn

The Blue Bridge

Strada

Sapori Ristorante

The Lion Inn offers diners a unique

Our restaurant has been finely fitted

Strada describes itself as ‘a group of

Located in the Atlantic Hotel. Translated

eating and drinking experience as well

to the highest standard, and we strive

stylish, contemporary Italian restaurants,

“Sapori” is italian for flavours. This es-

as hotel facilities and a new style to rival

to maintain a comfortable and inviting

serving good quality, simple and freshly

sence has been incorporated in every

many. Our menu is based on good pub

atmosphere from the moment you walk

prepared dishes’. Each outlet retains

detail of this elegant restaurant and

grub that’s been given a continental

in right up until its time to reluctantly go

the feel of being a local neighbourhood

bar. The menu focuses on the region of

feel. We know you’d expect to find

home We offer our delicious A’la Carte

Italian restaurant. The menu includes

Abruzzo on the Adriatic coast. Sapori

steak, fish & chips and a delicious

Menu Tuesday to Saturday lunch and

pastas, risottos, salads, and fish dishes,

offers an a la carte menu, as well as a

shortcrust pastry pie but we also hope

dinner and excellent value set lunches

but they are best known for their quality

bar menu for those who prefer a lighter

to tempt you with Thai style mussels

Tuesday to Saturday, Traditional Sunday

pizzas. They present authentic Italian

meal. Specialising in fresh seafood,

and rotisserie garlic & herb chicken to

lunch is accompanied by A’la Carte

dishes in contemporary surroundings

home-made pasta with a variety of

name but a few of the freshly prepared

specials

and aim to use only the freshest and

mouth watering sauces, rustic breads

and cooked to order dishes on our

finest ingredients, imported from Italy

and flamboyant desserts.

menu.

to provide exactly the kind of rustic,

British, Modern

European

Italian

Italian

traditional dishes.

01245 394900 Boreham, Chelmsford www.lioninnhotel.co.uk

01245 422891 Writtle, Chelmsford www.thebluebridgewrittle.co.uk

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FEBRUARY ISSUE 10

2012

01245 268 179 New Street, Chelmsford www.saporiitalian.co.uk

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A Love affair with 4x4’s

For many years now, the Land Rover/Range Rover brand has shown its brilliance by producing an off road vehicle that blends off road might with opulent luxury. Now we have a New Land Rover to feast our eyes on – the Land Rover Evoque. This vehicle is the latest to be added to this manufacturer’s blood line.

This new vehicle is sure to whet the appetite of any car lover and no doubt people will be queuing to be the first to test drive this car.

Frankfurt Motor show Land Rover showcased their extensive range, which included the much loved Range Rover Sport and the covers taken off the new Defender- the DC100 concept car.

This concept is expected to replace the legendary Defender model in the near future.

The Range Rover Evoque has been designed as an SVU rather than a traditional 4×4. Although this car comes equipped with a 4×4 system, many of these cars will never see anything more than some loose chipping off a freshly laid stretch of road.

Motors

This vehicle was launched with two model choices (3 and 5 doors).The design is fresh and modern and really looks the part on any driveway or car park that you wish to park it in.

Sales of new Land Rovers are set to increase with this latest addition as it will not only appeal to traditional ‘Rangy’ lovers but also to those that may not have considered a Range Rover before. The vehicle also comes with three levels of trim.

Pure: This is the standard model that Land Rover builds and comes well equipped with gadgets and safety equipment.

Prestige: This is the luxury version. It is this type of car that Range Rover are most famous for. The new Land Rover is clad with all that signifies this quality vehicle.

Dynamic: This version is the sports alternative, again this is fine example of what is possible when it comes to SVU’s.

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The Celebrity Stamp The new Range Rover was designed by Gerry McGovern, but names like Victoria Beckham have been linked with elements of the design.

Range Rover are all too aware of the stiff completion from the likes of Audi and BMW, but the advantage they have over these car makers is that they are primarily an SVU/OFF road specialist, hence they have the experience and the history.

Today’s car market is now full to the brim with well built cars from all corners of the world. In this economic climate, the 4×4 market was set to have a fall as many of the vehicles produced were classed as gas guzzlers, however makers like Land Rover have responded well to this as they have started the development of Hybrid type vehicles which are viewed by many as the way forward when it comes to protecting our environment.

Cinema

What to look out for at the ODEON this month...

Jack And Jill

Man On A Ledge

Chronicle

* Genre: Comedy * UK release date: 3/2/2012 * Directed by: Dennis Dugan

* Genre: Thriller * UK release date: 3/2/2012 * Directed by: Asger Leth

* Genre: Science Fiction * UK release date: 3/2/2012 * Directed by: Josh Trank

Who´s in it? Adam Sandler, Katie Holmes, Al Pacino

Who´s in it? Sam Worthington, Elizabeth Banks, Jamie Bell

Who´s in it? Michael B. Jordan, Michael Kelly, Alex Russell

What´s the plot? Comedy ‘Jack and Jill’ follows Jack Sadelstein (Adam Sandler), a successful LA advertising executive who’d enjoy the perfect life if it wasn’t for one thing...his infuriating twin sister Jill (also played by Adam Sandler).

What´s the plot? Thriller ‘Man on a Ledge’ takes you to the edge of your seat as an ex-con and wanted fugitive threatens suicide from a Manhattan hotel rooftop, whilst an unconventional police psychologist tries to talk him down.

What´s the plot? Sci-fi thriller ‘Chronicle’ tells the cautionary tale of three Oregon high school friends who develop amazing powers after being exposed to a mysterious substance deep in the woods.

Each year, his happy existence is shattered when she arrives for her annual Thanksgiving visit. But this time, she threatens to become a permanent fixture of the Sadelstein home when she refuses to leave.

As the negotiations lengthen, she realises that his motives may be not be what they seem, and may well be connected to the recordbreaking diamond heist that’s taking place as the tension between them builds.

‘Jack and Jill’ also stars Katie Holmes (Batman Begins) and Al Pacino (Ocean’s Thirteen, The Godfather).

‘Man on a Ledge’ stars Sam Worthington (Clash of the Titans) and Elizabeth Banks (Scrubs).

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

Martha Marcy May Marlene

* Genre: Action, Adventure * UK release date: 3/2/2012 * Directed by: Brad Peyton

* Genre: Drama * UK release date: 3/2/2012 * Directed by: Sean Durkin

Who´s in it? Josh Hutcherson, Dwayne Johnson, Michael Caine

Who´s in it? Elizabeth Olsen, Sarah Paulson, John Hawkes

What´s the plot? The sequel to the 2008 hit ‘Journey to the Centre of the Earth’, 3D adventure ‘Journey 2: The Mysterious Island’ follows young Sean Anderson (Josh Hutcherson) on his quest to find the source of a coded message received from an incredible island that shouldn’t exist.

What´s the plot? Tense psychological thriller ‘Martha Marcy May Marlene’ follows a young woman who escapes from the clutches of an evil cult and its charismatic leader Patrick.

Together with his stepfather, a helicopter pilot and his strong-willed daughter they set out to find the island, rescue its lone inhabitant and escape before the island and its treasures are buried forever.

Haunted by painful memories and increasing paranoia, she desperately tries to return to normal life with her family, but soon starts to believe the cult may not have given her up that easily and are secretly trying to claim her back.

CMYK

‘Martha Marcy May Marlene’ stars Elizabeth Olsen (Silent House) and Sarah Paulson (New Year’s Eve).

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Initially using their newfound skills for fun, they soon find that darker forces are at work as their lives begin to take a sinister turn.

From director Josh Trank, ‘Chronicle’ stars Michael B. Jordan (The Wire), Michael Kelly (The Sopranos) and Alex Russell (Almost Kings).

Business

Dig Your Well Before You’re Thirsty!

A month of 2012 gone and huge business and employment uncertainty. When the next round of reorganisations and efficiency initiatives takes place, the reality is that your next ‘review’ could be THE final one!

Job vacancies are frequently published internally before ‘going public’ and your network will tell you about them. Many companies encourage this with referral bonuses. Take advantage.

Is there anything to be done? Yes, “Dig that well” now, develop networks outside your employer, before you need them.

Here’s my advice - get networking with your peers in other companies. Start with your professional expertise - there’ll be an association to join and networking meetings to attend.

From my own experience, I left a lifetime’s corporate career and lost my network. I never knew what being ‘thirsty’ meant until then. And I’ve spent 2 years rebuilding one.

The key is to build a contact network of people you’ve met, like, know and trust - and who trust you - before that fateful P45.

Hunt around for these networks, they exist.

Once found, work at them. The Meet - Like Know - Trust journey takes time. Months, not weeks. You’ll need to add in meeting-up for coffee, lunches, a drink or too. Remember the Social Media side, Linked In specifically, and engage with the people you’ve met physically as well as those you’ve only met online.

Then think of a niche that you belong to, for example, your ethnicity, your gender. There are networks built around these. Think too of your local area, it may be that you use redundancy positively to change lifestyle - from commuting to working locally. So, what evening business networks run in your area?

And make this your, belated, new, New Year’s resolution, Build your trusted network before you’re thirsty!

Synopsis: Living Inside the Brand works with growing businesses to establish themselves as a Brand - building customers into loyal fans who want to buy, buy more often and tell their friends how satisfied they are.

WWW. livinginsidethebrand.com

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Business

Ask a professional One of the great things about rolling into a New Year is the opportunity to look toward the future. With that in mind, a revolutionary service has been launched that gives business owners free access to professional advice on the issues that really matter to them.

Registering on the new site will give you access to free advice from real professionals on legal, financial and HR issues, and you’ll get an answer to your question within an hour, from a real solicitor, financial advisor, accountant or HR professional.

Registration is completely free, and all you have to do is type a question into the portal at www. aska-professional.co.uk and you’ll get an email response from a suitable professional.

The amazing thing about this is that there really isn’t a catch. There are 500 professionals ready to answer business questions 24/7, and if you’ve got a burning question, the service could save you time and cash.

A BBC news report recently highlighted that “The very smallest companies are the UK’s job creators yet they don’t have the resources to deal with EU or UK government legislation. They don’t have the money to cope with all the tax, the regulations, and the red tape.”

A service like this could be perfect for answering those one-off odd questions, and helping businesses to get to grips with the things they need to know about so that they don’t fall foul of regulations they didn’t even

know about. It’s not just about money – finding a good accountant (if you don’t have one already) is a task in itself, and as we all know, taking the time out to make an appointment with a professional can take up valuable time that small, scaled down businesses just don’t have.

Paul Careless, CEO of aska-profssional.co.uk said, “Selling a service or product and making a profit margin carries unforeseen or unexpected circumstances along the way. Using a solicitor or accountant, although practical, is often seen as a luxury to many small businesses as expert advice and assistance can be expensive. The costs for using professionals, even for simple and straightforward day to day needs, can very quickly add up”. www.aska-professional.co.uk

If you’re serious about having a truly exceptional corporate brand, then we are serious about giving you the results you deserve.

Logo Design Corporate branding Rebranding Stationary Design

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Why wait until tomorrow.... Call or go to our website

01245 252575 | www.leedltd.com

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Sue Thomason

Be Inspired

The Curvy Revolution

Sue Thomason is a bit of a genius, with some forward-thinking ideas about weight and body image that are ruffling a few feathers in the diet industry.

Sue is Editorial Director of Beautiful Magazine, which hit the headlines in 2011 for featuring only women of size 12 and over, but it’s a publication for all women, not just the plus sized section. Previously, Sue worked as a journalist on leading women’s magazines, and she says; “As a journalist, looking at the thin ideal and seeing anyone with an inch of cellulite having it circled in red and insulting words written about it, and reading about celebrities eating habits was a part of my daily work life.”

Disillusioned Sue became disillusioned with this drip drip of diet and body hatred, and started researching weight loss and health – poring over 700 self-help books, thousands of medical trial reports, psychological papers, scientific test results and more. She has been writing about the subject ever since, and has helped many women with her approach to overeating.

Sue runs the Overeating Therapy courses and retreats (for more info go to: www.overeatingtherapy.co.uk) and also blogs for Huffington Post.

In addition to working hard on Beautiful Magazine, Sue is also passionate about turning the diet industry on its head, which she sees as perpetuating the body hatred-dieting-diet failure- body hatred circle that keeps people fat and indeed makes the problem much, much worse.

The Overeating Therapy Programme “If you think of the programme as more than Overeating Therapy but as a ‘life therapy’ as you’ll see soon that that is really what it is completely life changing. As a non over eater you whole worlds opens up and you can see right out into it clearly for the first time. AND not only see it but experience it.” Louise Clarke Sue says, “Plus size and proud women are at the forefront of a revolution, fighting against the pressure to be thin, using positive discrimination in the form of plus size promotion and positive body image.”

For more information: Beautiful Magazine: www.beautifulmagazine.co.uk Photographer: Andre Schneider | Stylist: Gabi Gregg | Make-up: Tara Taylor | Hair: Alicia Fajardo Inspired

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Lakesides year of good deeds

If you thought that Lakeside was all about shopping, well you’d be partly right of course.

But the staff at the centre like to give back, and in 2011 they worked hard to deliver 21 Good Deeds for the local community and charities in the Essex area.

In recognition of the shopping centre’s 21st birthday, staff from a range of departments took time out from their usual activities to lend a helping hand and give something back to 21 different good causes.

At the start of the year, to launch the campaign, the team redecorated part of St Luke’s Hospice in Basildon; built a new storage shed for the Tilbury Seafarer’s Association; funded new equipment for the Brainwave Centre in Witham; and replaced Canewdon Mother & Toddler Group’s toys after theirs were sadly vandalised Throughout the spring and summer months, the Lakeside volunteers went out and about to support the local community, often getting their hands dirty along the way. They completed a gardening project for Little Havens Children’s

Hospice in Thundersley; built a large workshop for Treetops School in Grays; and hosted a giant coffee morning to support the local branches of Macmillan Cancer Support.

Local causes were also helped throughout the year with donations of much-needed equipment and apparatus, including tents for the Rayleigh Air Training Corps; a new training kit for Aveley YFC Mini Millers; home ware for one of The Sick Children’s Trust’s home-from-homes in East London; supplies for the Essex Police Sexual Abuse and Rape Centre in Brentwood; a TV to help train Crossroads Carers in Romford; power chair football equipment for Panathlon Challenge in South Ockendon; and toys for Thurrock Women’s Aid. Lakeside also sponsored a Look Good…Feel Better workshop at Southend Hospital; an ArtsAdventures workshop; and even an assistance dog called Geoffrey for Canine Partners in Chelmsford!

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Finally, as the campaign approached its last few deeds at the end of the year, the shopping centre bought equipment for the Havering and District Stroke Club, Romford District Scouts and First Responders who work across the entire Essex region. And, as a final act of kindness, Lakeside enabled the Royal British Legion to purchase a brand new boiler for a couple in Walton–on-the–Naze who were down on their luck and would have been completely without heating this Christmas.

Sophie Scott, Marketing Manager for Lakeside, says; “Lakeside’s 21 Good Deeds campaign was our way of giving back to the community in our big birthday year. We’re delighted that we’ve managed to achieve so much and help so many in 2011.

“We will, of course, be continuing our charitable work next year and look forward to supporting many more good causes in the local area.”

Mid Essex Hospital Services

NHS

NHS Trust

CAN YOU HELP with Fundraising?

Local Support We recently caught up with a few of our Golden Bond marathon runners to see how their training is going and if nerves are starting to set in now the big day is only a few months away! Here’s what they said...

Dear reader I wanted to run the marathon as it’s a massive personal challenge and will be a fantastic achievement should I complete it. Better still, it gives me the opportunity to raise money for one of our plastics wards and it’s a great way of saying thank you to a unit I’ve spent a wonderful 4 years at. And let’s not forget it’s a great opportunity to get into shape and improve my fitness.

The training is going quite well, although it is hard to stick to my schedule with such a busy job. Getting up extra early in the morning to go for a run is no fun! I’m managing 4 runs a week with one session a week with a personal trainer at the gym to mix things up.

I’m absolutely looking forward to the event although you never think your going to be ready for it! I’ll be relying on my family and friends to cheer me on. - Adam Sierakowski Dear reader My family are my motivation for doing the London Marathon, as my daughter was recently treated at the Broomfield Burns unit, so to say thank you to the staff and give something back to your great hospital I decided to run the London Marathon to raise extra funds for them.

I still regard myself as a novice runner but I am very motivated to complete the marathon, and am enjoying training which at the moment involves running two or three times a week.

I am very much looking forward to the day event, and I am sure that I will be very nervous, but if I keep on training, and putting in the miles, I will reach that finishing line.

I would like to praise all the staff at Broomfield for the very hard work, I am very proud to be running the Virgin London Marathon for Broomfield Hospital. - Umberto Pesci

Winter Warmers

To find out how you can help raise funds, organise an event, or donate money Telephone: 01245 514559 or 01245 514460 Email: Yvonne.Carter@meht.nhs.uk or Helen.West@meht.nhs.uk

Christmas comes early thanks to Council staff

Tiny patients on the neo natal unit at will be especially warm this winter thanks to the creative talents of Kay Stewart, who recently delivered a wonderful assortment of her hand-made baby garments and pretty blankets.

Staff from the HR department at Essex County Council bought some Christmas cheer to patients by donating gifts to the Children’s burns unit and the Elderly wards.

The selection of goodies suitable for some of our youngest, and some of our more mature patients, will be handed out over Christmas and will no doubt bring a smile to those having to spend time in hospital over the holidays.

Pictured: Sue Hursit, Play Specialist, ready to give out Christmas presents to the children.

Dear reader This year will be my fourth marathon, and training is going well so far. I have a schedule that I use for each marathon and at the moment I’m about a month ahead - even though I’ve taken a little break recently as I’ve got a new baby at home. At the moment I’m running 14 miles and I hope to be up to between 22 and 24 miles before the day itself, I think it’s important to know that you can go the distance not just physically but mentally as well - 26 miles is a long way!

Previously I’ve always run with my colleagues in the Essex Police but this year I’m running on my own which will be a different experience.

I’m hoping to run a bit faster as I will be able to set my own pace but I’ll miss running with the group as we’ve always had a laugh and support each other all the way round the course.

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Kay, who is part of the NHS Product Community Services Team in Braintree, says that she gets a lot of pleasure from knitting and sewing these little garments especially for such a good cause. Kay said: “It’s a great way to relax even though I’m busy knitting away, and it’s something I can do even when I’m sitting watching TV.” Pictured: Kay Stewart joins neonatal staff Lillian Wager, Emily Morris (holding baby Alex) and Nicky Sayer around the unit’s Christmas tree to try out some of the new blankets for size!

When I started running as a group with the Essex Police, one of my colleagues suggested raising money for Broomfield Hospital after his mum received excellent treatment there and we’ve supported the hospital ever since. I live and work in Chelmsford and I think it’s important to support a local cause, particularly when it’s touched the life of someone you know. This year, I’m really pleased to be raising money for the ‘Let’s Face It’ appeal, which has been established to raise funds to buy new equipment and amenities for patients who have had reconstructive surgery following head and neck cancer or trauma.

I’m not feeling nervous since I’ve got a bit of experience now, I’m just focusing on my training and if I keep it up I’m sure it will all go well on the day! I’ll be setting up a justgiving sponsorship page soon for anyone who wants to support me so please keep an eye out Gerry Parker

www.chelmsford.gov.uk/theatres

What’s on?

Comedy Showcase Thursday 23 February 7.45pm Civic Theatre A selection of top-class stand-ups strut their comedic stuff on the Civic theatre stage at this regular comedy night brought to you by local promoter Ben Cormack.

Phil Kay British Comedy Award Winner - Best Stand-Up “One of the greatest comedic odysseys ever witnessed” ***** - Time Out “A gift from the gods” ***** - Metro

Jeff Innocent “It should be made law that every british citizen go and see Jeff Innocent - he’s that funny” - Evening Standard “Extremely talented” - Time Out “Clever, honest, funny. Not only hugely likeable comedy but fabulously subversive” The Scotsman

Matt Green “An explosion of comedy that left everyone in stitches” ***** - Three Weeks “A solidly funny act” - Chortle “Not only charming and affable but also disarmingly intelligent” - The List

Andrew Watts Winner, Reading Comedy Festival New Act of

The Year “Exquisitely funny” - Time Out “There’s intelligent wit, honesty and more interesting and provocative thoughts in his show than many comics manage in a decade” - The Scotsman

Ellie Taylor Star of ITV’s Show Me The Funny “Fantastic!” - Kate Copstick “Sharp, sassy and extremely funny” - 2Entertain Age suitability: 16 years + Tickets: £10.00 Registered unemployed and full-time (FE/HE) students: £10.00 £1 off full price and standard concessionary tickets for Leisure Plus cardholders

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CAD Services 3D MODELLING 2D CAD SERVICES 3D VISUALISATION Manufacturing drawings for the: Engineering, Joinery & plastics industries

We supply all Joinery Design & Detailing with working drawings and cutting sheets

3236 2430 802

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QTY 12 12 2 6 12 2

DESCRIPTION Rib-1 Rib-2 Rib Insert Ribb-Rear Spacer Ribb-Front Spacer Rib Insert

Parts List MATERIAL MDF MDF Softwood Softwood Softwood Softwood

THICKNESS 12.00 mm 12.00 mm 23.00 mm 44.00 mm 44.00 mm 44.00 mm

LENGTH 2430 mm 806 mm 1300 mm 2982 mm 1650 mm 1400 mm

WIDTH 277 mm 277 mm 70 mm 44 mm 44 mm 44 mm

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60

253

Gadsby Wicks - Priory Place

R212.50 Ø50

DRAWING Nr

+44 (0)1245 257194 +44 (0)7779 392870 info@komtecltd.com www.komtecltd.com

NG/PP/AV-100

REV

A

quality, handmade

furniture...

RAVENNA

Ash frame

Medium sofa in ‘C’ grade fabric.

MRP £1815 Chair - MRP £1119

AYRLP £1439

AYRLP £889

New range for 2012...

3 finishes - pebble, coffee or sage

PINTO

Dining table plus 4 upholstered chairs.

MRP £2085

MADE IN UK

AYRLP £1659

Choice of two chairs - upholstered/wooden back

EVERGREEN

MADE IN UK

MADE IN UK

Available in a wide choice of fabrics, including leather

ive a...

Plus, don’t forget - rece

£5 gift voucher for every £100 spent on either beds, furniture or flooring!

New orders only - see instore for full details.

Voucher promotion valid until 18/02/12

7 wood finishes & 100 fabrics

2 seater sofa in ‘C’ grade fabric.

MRP £2199 Chair - MRP £1089

AYRLP £1749 AYRLP £865

AYRLP - All Year Round Low Price.

All prices stated are ‘Prices from’.

220 Moulsham Street, Chelmsford

Free delivery...

on all furniture & bed orders over £499 within our trading area.

Low cost

disposal...

of your old furniture on these ranges.

36 months interest free credit available Subject to status. up to

Tel:

01245 490101

George Yard, 9-15 Rayne Rd, Braintree

Tel:

01376 321303 Find us

Follow us

www.chelmsfordstar.coop A part of Chelmsford Star Co-operative Society Limited