WomenTalking UK

'So Much For That'

Tricia — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:01:12 +0000

Patricia Mcloughlin reviews the latest book from Lionel Shriver.

Lionel Shriver, the author of Orange Prize-winning 'We Need to Talk About Kevin' translated into 25 languages and recently made into a film, has tackled a subject you'd imagine to be totally depressing in 'So Much For That', published by Harper.

Peopled by several characters whose lives are blighted by desperate illness and the equally crippling cost of healthcare in the USA, it nonetheless has the ability to make you laugh aloud in the midst of dark times.

You can't help but feel for Shep Knacker, a good man who always does the right thing by family and friends, while saving for an eventual escape from the daily grind. 'The Afterlife' that he will have on an African island one day is derided by those who think it's all make believe, that he will never go.

But Shep, who has sold his successful handyman business to a former employee that you would like to push under a truck and then foolishly stayed on in a reversal of roles is about to fly off to his chosen destination. Pemba is an island of blue seas, white sands and the smell of cloves. He has bought tickets for himself, his tricksy wife Glynis and his taciturn, computer addict, teenage son, Zach..

But he hasn't reckoned for Glynis laying claim to his life and his health insurance. And what follows is a a tough old trek through cancer and chemo, while you warm to Glynis the more she cold shoulders the mealy-mouthed visitors who want her to behave well.

Neither Glynis nor Flicka, the daughter of Glynis and Shep's best friends, the fabulously furious Jackson and ever stoical Carol, behave well. Flicka suffering from a degenerative disease, drools and ensnarls like a sick animal. She doesn't threaten eventual suicide as much as promise it, while Glynis is intent on punishing the world and especially Shep for this rare cancer on which she has declared crazily expensive war.

And there we have it. What is a life worth? Is a hundred thousand dollars a proper price tag for some experimental drug that might bring a couple more weeks of abject misery?

When Jackson loses his fury and Shep's retired minister father loses his faith in God there'll be truly bloody consequences but ultimately a bloody good solution to the weight of the world.

Read Shriver's 'So Much for That', it takes on that last taboo – death - with a humour and humanity that will have a lasting impact.

Patricia McLoughlin

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Maria Elia – Flavour Forecast 2012.

Poppy Watt — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:07:58 +0000

Food like fashion has tastes in vogue and Poppy Watt talked to head chef, author and TV personality, Maria Elia, about her partnership with McCormick and Schwartz for the 2012 Flavour Forecast

Maria Elia has always loved experimenting with tastes and unusual ingredients in the kitchen and she’s passionate ahead of culinary and flavour trends.

The McCormick 2012 Flavor Forecast offered the perfect opportunity to create innovative recipes, applying a fresh perspective on tradition and balancing modern tastes and cultural authenticity.

The Flavour Forecast enlists the help of an international group of experts including: chefs, sensory scientists, trend trackers and food technologists, who collaborate annually to identify emerging culinary trends and flavours.

The forecast acts as a catalyst for innovation among food manufacturers and foodservice professionals. Schwartz collaborated with Maria Elia, who added her own personal twist on the Flavour Forecast by developing six contemporary new recipes appealing to the UK palate.

These include:

• Raw Lamb Kibbeh and Asian Pear Salad Honours Roots

• Watermelon Cooler Cocktail takes you on a Quest for the Ultimate

• Honey, Harissa Marinated Aubergines wrapped in Kataifi brings Veggies back in Vogue

• Jerusalem Artichoke and Vanilla Soup with Seared Scallops gives Simplicity the Shine

• Red Tea Ganache with a Cinnamon and Plum Compote encourages Flavourful Swaps

• Blueberry and Cardamom Glazed Ham reminds that flavour has No Boundaries

“It's been a fun and exciting challenge; a global adventure to inspire the palate!" Says Maria. “My years of experience in kitchens all over the world have helped in blending flavours with tantalising results.”

From a young age Maria knew she was destined to be a chef. “I was inspired by the cooking in my Cypriot father’s restaurant, in Richmond upon Thames. My father worked in the kitchen and my mother ran front of house. My grandmother was there too, helping in the kitchen, so it was a real family affair.

“My nursery school was based locally so my mother could collect me and take me back to the restaurant where I would watch my father perform. There was so much excitement and energy in the kitchen. I got to know many of the customers and was able to take food out to the regular diners.

“Sundays were fun. My father and I would go shooting together and on our return with the pheasants and pigeons, we would prepare the birds while sitting on the back doorstep.

“Pickled pigeon breast was my favourite dish. It’s a Cypriot speciality, which I still love today. I would take it to school in my lunchbox with taramasalata and other unusual delights to the horror of my school chums!”

At the age of 16 Maria won a five-year scholarship from the Trust House Forte catering college. This rigorous apprenticeship combined the opportunity to work in some of London’s leading establishments with learning management skills and studying wine.

“That’s when I discovered a new love!” says Maria. “I was fascinated by the whole process of wine and achieved the highest grades in the country for my wine exams. It’s been a passion ever since and I’d love to own a vineyard one day.”

Maria worked in a wide range of restaurants in the UK and abroad. Working as a chef onboard a millionaire’s private yacht for two and a half years gave her endless choices and new discoveries.

“Shopping in exotic markets, discovering new ingredients and eating at portside restaurants was quite an education,” she recalls. “You taste things you never knew existed and have the chance to put wonderful flavours together. The locals were always willing to share a recipe or two.”

Travelling the world has given Maria familiarity with different food cultures, which in turn can be used to create the wow! factor.

Maria is now Head Chef at Joe’s Restaurant in South Kensington where she lets the food that she is cooking do the talking. “I like my dishes to be ‘ooooh yeah!’ a bit different,” says Maria. “Flavours should be memorable and a fresh taste makes your taste buds more alive.”

Maria has became a regular on Great Food Live, Daily and Saturday Cooks, Daily Cooks Challenge, Food Poker, Ready Steady Cook and Market Kitchen and she also writes for BBC Good Food, Olive, Food and Travel, Waitrose and Sainsbury’s Magazines.

“My father is still in the restaurant business back in Cyprus running his own taverna,” says Maria. “Its always a bit of a busman’s holiday when I visit – I am either offered a job in the kitchen or font of house!! Having my own restaurant some day would be my ultimate dream – I just need to find myself an investor!”

For more information on the McCormick 2012 Flavour Forecast visit http://www.schwartz.co.uk/Whats-Hot/Flavour-Forecast-2012.aspx

Poppy Watt

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Poppy Watt did something amazing – she gave blood.

Poppy Watt — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:23:33 +0000

96% of us rely on the other 4% to give blood. Please don’t leave it to someone else – if Poppy can do you probably could too

I had already signed up to the organ donation scheme so that in the event of my death someone’s life might be saved by getting a transplant.

I’d talked about becoming a blood donor but never actually got around to it. My fear of the unknown guaranteed that whenever the NHS blood donor vans were in town I always had a legitimate excuse for being elsewhere.

But I gave myself a good talking to and made my first appointment for the end of 2011. It was sandwiched between a day’s work and an evening engagement, so that I had no time to think or worry about giving blood.

I was inevitably late and the last to arrive but the whole experience was great. All the staff were amazing – friendly and caring and clearly dedicated to doing an excellent job.

On arrival I did a double-take, there in our local Council-owned ballroom was a scene from the blitz. Alas my vivid imagination and the expectation of my own private booth!

Where partygoers usually tripped the light fantastic, were ranked blue beds, a donor lying on each and hooked up with their very own tubes and blood bags.

They were people of all ages and I was amazed to see so many teenagers. So much for the supposed lack of conscience of today’s young people.

Once I had registered, a tiny drop of blood was taken from my fingertip. This was to determine my haemoglobin level and ensure that giving blood would not make me anaemic. As all was well, I could deliver the red stuff.

Generally you will donate about 470ml of blood and this is quickly replaced by your body. This amount works out at no more than 13 per cent of your blood volume and your body soon replaces all the cells and fluids that have been lost.

Whilst the blood was being taken I had Elvis Presley playing on the radio in one ear and was given numerous movement exercises to complete, making the session fly by – these involved leg crossing and uncrossing and clenching of the fist and buttocks.

About 10 minutes later the job was done. A glass of orange or a cup of tea and a snack were on offer and then I was on my way.

The whole process was hygienic, quick, simple and painless. I felt great afterwards that I had so simply done something so worthwhile. I immediately booked my next appointment for 16 weeks later.

The remarkable medical story of donating blood stretches back over 300 years. On 28^th November 1666 the famous diarist Samuel Pepys recorded that the first ever transfusion recipient was “ in perfect good health’

That historical patient was a spaniel, and his donor a ‘little mastiff’, according to the minutes of the Royal Society. The spaniel survived and scientists were encouraged to move on to human subjects.

If you’re generally healthy and aged between 17 and 65, do something amazing.... Give blood

For more information go to http://www.blood.co.uk

Poppy Watt

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Tracy Thomas and The Great Little Trading Company

Tricia — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:10:34 +0000

Patricia McLoughlin talked to Tracy Thomas company executive at The Great Little Trading Company, who always takes her work home.

How many hours do we spend trawling the shops for essential equipment, storage solutions or fun-filled toys and games for children?

Out on the chilly High Street or in the over-heated shopping centre, there we all are, desperately hauling wailing toddlers or fuming pre-teens around yet another store. And much of what’s out there is either garish or uninspiring, unless money is no object.

So let’s thank an expert testing team for putting the Great into award-winning online children’s retailer Great Little Trading Company.

Step up children and take a bow because this testing team consists of the real consumers, the kids.

“Yes,” laughs Tracy Thomas, Head of Buying and Merchandise, whose eight-year-old son Dion and three-year-old daughter Bryony are avid testers, “kids are more honest than adults. They tell it like it is. Dion will happily say, ‘No Mum this is boring’. And when it passes the test I know because he begs ‘Can we keep it?’”

The business was started some 16 years ago by two American women living in England and taken over eight years ago by father of three Jamie Reeve. The website tells you, “We're mums and dads ourselves. We know there’s nothing simple about being a parent, so our job is to source as many innovative, useful, exclusive and hard-to-find products from the UK and further afield, that cover all aspects of family life.”

According to Tracy, products must pass the children test but also “prove their worth” on three counts, they must be fun, stylish and make life more comfortable. This is not a company that wants to reside in tacky town, where long suffering parents live amongst hideous kiddy stuff until, hopefully, their offspring grow out of it.

“We are always looking to tick the boxes on practical, stylish and fun,” says Tracy. “What we sell is hard to find. We seem to be filling a gap in the market that nobody else is covering. This is probably because we are doing it with our parents’ heads on.”

A lot of the range, like bean bags and chairs, come from the UK, much of the furniture from Portugal, textiles from India and the storage from China.

“While we all have our opinions in the company, our individual tastes and preferences,” says Tracy, “we also have to look at what is going to have widespread appeal. Our whole reason for being is essentially to make life easier for families.”

A trip around the site reveals so many must-haves. Whether it’s a wigwam or a roll up piano, a telescope or a snooker table, a toy hospital or fire station, the toys are great. Maybe you want UV swimwear or sunhats, or a three-wheel scooter.

But for my money it’s the neat solutions to all the mess that comes with kids. I love the hallway storage bench, which might, just might, persuade them not to leave their shoes kicked off inside the door. Then there’s the fabulous under bed play table and drawers, imagine just hiding it all away under the bed. But my number one favourite, after shuffling through all those books for an age in a forlorn hunt for ‘Can’t You Sleep Little Bear?’ when no other would do – is the gallery book shelf, where I can see the front covers and stack paperbacks of varying sizes.

Whatever the problem, the Great Little Trading Company seems to have an answer and an innovative one that won’t look out of place in your home.

Then they have given thought to the elements of online buying that really are a pain. There is express deliver should you need it, free returns for everything and a standard delivery charge of £3.95 on all orders, no matter what you spend.

Frequently secured awards such as the Best Children’s Retailer at the UK’s Mail Order Industry Awards are, says Tracy, “very important. They give us credibility and that’s great because we constantly need to find new customers, who are coming to us for the first time.”

That’s a given when your consumers arrive as babies and move out of your range around ten years old.

So the Great little Trading Company had better get all the testing time they can out of the Thomas children, along with Grace, Amber, Tom, Eliza, Sally and Evie before they get to the age where they say, “No way, Mum, find someone else to test the folding bed and the lunchbox!”

Patricia McLoughlin

Special 15% off at GLTC for Women’s Talking Readers

Enter code WOMTALK in your basket at gltc.co.uk

Offer ends Sunday 19^th Feb 2012

15% off on orders over £25, plus Free Returns on everything; just enter the code WOMTALK in your basket at gltc.co.uk. Valid on online orders only until Sunday 19^th Feb 2012. Standard delivery is £3.95.

This offer is not for re-sale or further publication and cannot be applied to previously bought items. Not valid in conjunction with any other GLTC or Internet offer.

Other conditions may apply – please visit gltc.co.uk/terms for full terms and conditions.

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Sony Vita

Poppy Watt — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:50:02 +0000

We take a look at the new Vita, Sony’s latest handheld console.

Many people would say that the era of the dedicated handheld device has passed, with the initial launch of the Nintendo 3DS being less successful than expected and mobile phones and portable devices such as Apple’s iPad and iTouch proving they are more than capable of delivering a gaming experience at a fraction of the cost.

Some people would question Sony’s wisdom of launching a new console in what are difficult financial times, especially after the relatively low number of global units they were able to shift with the PSP GO.

Still, the Japanese electronic giant appears undeterred and upon closer inspection, perhaps they have a few reasons to remain optimistic.

If we look at the unit itself, there’s no denying it’s a desirable piece of kit, put together in shiny black plastic and metal, with a large 5” touchscreen, not one but two analogue sticks, a four directional pad and a front facing camera.

Across the top are two shoulder buttons, a power button, volume keys and two concealed slots, one of which houses Vita games whilst the other is an accessory port. To all intents and purposes it’s a “beefed-up” PSP but when held in your hands, it does feel a little more substantial.

Along the back of the unit is a touch sensitive track pad area, which can be used as an additional control option in some games but whether most developers decide to employ it remains to be seen. There’s also a rear-facing camera and a host of connection ports, including USB, memory card slot, headphone port and the 3G version sports an extra SIM car slot. It goes without saying the device is wireless and Bluetooth enabled.

When you compare it to its biggest rival, the Nintendo 3DS, it certainly appears a lot bulkier but then from a technological perspective, there’s a lot more under the “hood”. This is certainly a console that has plenty of punch but specifications mean nothing if you don’t have the software to exploit it. Can it deliver? The Vita’s quad-core processor certainly promises a lot.

As a big fan of the Apple iTouch and iPad, the one thing that I have never quite been able to get to grips with is the virtual joy pads. Playing games on these devices – at least for me – has always left me feeling like something is missing. At least when you switch on a Vita game and dive into the action you feel like you are really participating.

Compared to most smartphones it does fit more comfortably in the hand – probably because of its larger size – and though there are a few loading screens to endure, once the experience begins you are quickly drawn in.

A special mention should go to the display, which is sharp and detailed with excellent colour reproduction and instantly engaging. You feel like you are entering something special the moment the system powers up.

Launch titles such as Uncharted: Golden Abyss and Wipeout 2048 go a long way to showing off just what this console is capable of producing but there is still the big question mark of software prices looming large over Vita when compared to its competitors.

Will consumers be prepared to fork out £30+ for a premium title when you can grab top end alternatives from the iTunes store for a fraction of the price and download them instantly?

I see this as Sony’s greatest hurdle in many respects. Vita is certainly not set to be to everyone’s taste and it is going to take deep pockets to enjoy thoroughly but with many titles set to be made availably digitally, Sony is keen to demonstrate a willingness to play Apple at its own game where it can.

They are also looking to market the device as much more than just a gaming unit, with its networking capabilities, video and music and web browsing functionality but at its heart, I see this as the ultimate portable console.

Overall, if you are in the market for a real games’ console then I feel that Sony’s latest baby should be top of your list.

With several key launch titles due on release day (February 22^nd) and coming in two variations (with or without 3G) Vita carries a recommended retail price of £230 or £270 depending on which edition you choose. We suggest you shop around, as there are many bundle deals to be had on the web and if you are feeling lucky, then enter our competition as we have a WIFI unit up for grabs.

Day One Launch Titles:

• Uncharted: Golden Abyss (£44.99)
• WipEout 2048 (£34.99)
• Everybody's Golf (£34.99)
• Modnation Racers: Road Trip (£34.99)
• Little Deviants (£24.99)
• Reality Fighters (£24.99)

Day One Digital Titles:

• Escape Plan
• MotorStorm RC
• Hustle Kings
• Superstar Dust Delta
• Top Darts

Poppy Watt

Women Talking has a fabulous Sony Vita (WIFI Version) up for grabs for one lucky subscriber.

To win you firstly need to answer the following question:

What is the name of the central character in the Vita title Uncharted: Golden Abyss?

Send your answer to competitions@womentalking.co.uk ensuring you put the word VITA in the subject header and include your unique Women Talking username with the submission.

This competition is only open to Women Talking subscribers aged 16 years and older and any submission without a valid username will not be eligible for entry.

The competition closes on March 11^th and the winner will be announced soon after.

Please note this prize only includes the basic games console and does not come with any software titles.

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Kate Fearnley – Colourful Creations

Poppy Watt — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 23:51:51 +0000

Poppy Watt talks to Kate Fearnley, the British fashion designer who has taken her creations from Middlesbrough to the catwalk and global glossy magazines.

The fashion industry is a tough terrain for a young up and coming designer and having an edge is just one part of the package you need to succeed.

Kate Fearnley certainly has that cutting edge, her individual designs appearing in glossy magazines worldwide and on many a catwalk. After winning numerous awards, including Cosmopolitan’s 2009 award for Ultimate Young Fashion Entrepreneur of the year, Kate Fearnley Ltd has really taken off.

“I design quirky and sophisticated occasion wear for women of 25-40,” says Kate. “My styles are vibrant, creative, and flattering to the natural curves of a woman’s body. I guess the uniqueness comes from the quality for the price. It’s rare, if not impossible, to find my kind of workmanship at the prices we charge.

“My inspiration comes from the Hollywood icons of the fifties – Audrey Hepburn is my ultimate style icon. My role model has to be the iconic Vivienne Westwood, who has overcome numerous financial difficulties with her business. I think she’s fabulous. I love the theatre of what she does.

“I feel there is too much black in the world – I love working with vibrant colours and different textures which allow the wearer to stand out from the crowd and feel unique.”

Kate’s designs have earned her a following from the likes of Pixie Lott, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Zoe Salmon and members of Girls Aloud.

“I feel great, when I see my designs being worn by the celebrities” says Kate “but I get a real buzz seeing everyday people looking fabulous in them too. That makes me feel really proud. I remember when my friend had just had a baby and was going to a wedding. She was a dress size larger and had no confidence at all. I told her to trust me and put her in one of my dresses. She looked so lovely that she cried and went off like a new woman to have a fantastic time. That’s why I do what I do!”

Kate was born in a little village called Newtoon-Under-Roseberry, close to Middlesbrough where her company and boutique are now based.

Coming from a creative family Kate learned her sewing skills from a very early age, customizing, not always successfully, clothes and accessories with her own unique style.

“My aunt was a fashion designer” Says Kate “I was very close to her growing up. We lost her when I was 15, which made me even more determined to follow in her footsteps

“After graduating from Northumbria University in 1997 with a BA (Hons) fashion degree I used to work for a local company that made clubwear, a great experience and my first step onto the fashion ladder.

“The company went bust, so I bought all their machines back in 2002. Then my father wanted to retire from his Middlesbrough record shop and I bought it from him and with a grant from the Princes Trust set up the business. With the additional help of a friendly bank manager and sheer grit and determination in selling dresses my business was under way.

“It was the highlight of my career when I won the Cosmopolitain’s 2009 award for Ultimate Young Fashion Entrepreneur of the year. It was amazing. Funny though – one minute I was at 10 Downing Street, and the next I was sitting on the floor of a train back to Middlesbrough as I couldn’t get a seat, and back to business as usual! It always makes me feel proud when I see my award – I couldn’t believe it when they said my name.

“It is hard, running your own business but I have never thought of giving up. I have been blessed with fantastic support from great staff, family and friends. I know when to switch off, but I definitely work hard!

Kate’s designs are now available in over 50 stockists throughout the UK and Ireland and through her website: www.katefearnleyboutique.co.uk

Poppy Watt

Women Talking would like to offer you the chance to win a Kate Fearnley handbag.

To win all you need to do is answer the following question

What is coming soon in the shop collection?

www.katefearnleyboutique.co.uk

Send your answers to competitions@womentalking.co.uk ensuring you place the word Kate Fearnley in the subject header and also include your Women Talking username with the submission.

This competition is only open to Women Talking subscribers so any entry with a valid username will not be accepted.

The competition closes on March 4^th and the winners will be announced soon afterwards.

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Bin Sensé

George Vaughan — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 21:37:03 +0000

We look at an alternative to the standard kitchen bin, courtesy of made.com.

Tired of pedal bins that stand out for all the wrong reasons or never quite work the way you expect them to? Innovative furniture company made.com might have found the solution with their range of infrared sensor bins that bring a measure of style and sophistication to the kitchen.

Available in a selection of colours, ranging from traditional silver and black to the more unconventional bright blue or yellow and coming in two sizes – 30L or 50L – these slim line bins are hygienic and sleek, as much a feature as a waste unit.

The defining characteristic is the Infrared technology employed in the top of the unit that activates the lid to open when you hover your hand above the sensors. It then closes after 5 seconds of inactivity.

Easy to clean, in non-corrosive iron and a smooth finish, the bins have a removable inner bucket and will take most standard bin bags.

With the 50L version retailing at £49 and the smaller 30L version at £39, the Sensé range offers a high level of quality for a very reasonable price. The company’s claim that you are saving over 50% on equivalent high street prices is – in my opinion – a legitimate one.

If you’re in the market for a new bin then you will be hard pressed to find a more stylish or money saving alternative and with the smaller 30L versions just as suitable for the study as they are for the kitchen, you could easily be tempted to buying more than just the one.

Battery powered but with the option to also connect the unit to the mains with a power adaptor (sold separately) the Sensé range barely puts a foot wrong.

For more information on this and other products in the made.com range be sure to visit their website at www.made.com but also look out for more features on other innovations from made.com coming soon.

George R Vaughan

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Scope

Lilly Light — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 13:00:20 +0000

Lilly Light delivers your stars for February and Valentine's Day!

Aries
Things may have been looking financially tight for you over January but with the Christmas spending out of the way you will start to get back on your feet and regain some semblance of stability to your bank balance again. This is likely to have your financial manager sleeping a lot more soundly as well as you! However, do not be impulsive and suddenly blow everything just because you have money to spend because the plans you have made for the year will not be achieved without some careful saving. What you don’t put away will be missed later in the year. Valentine’s Day will see you celebrating in some style and the opportunity will come to you to put on your glad rags and get out on the town so take the time to enjoy yourself. Good fortune comes to you from a whispered promise on the 17^th so keep those ears keen!

Taurus
Money concerns will be slightly alleviated this month as you begin to structure your finances and plan for the future. In the past, you may have found that your priorities have lain more in the present with little concern for tomorrow but now, finally, you have discovered a place and a person in life that makes you want to lay down some solid roots and grow. However, before this can happen you need to abandon your fears and follow your heart. Put the past behind you and believe in what is to come otherwise there is little chance of you making any progress. On the work front, frustrations may arise with a project that has dragged for two long but stick with it because the resolution is almost in sight. A mystery card on the 14^th will signal an unknown admirer but also spark the fire for a dispute with a current partner.

Gemini
The world that you had come to accept and feel comfortable in is about to take a huge turn for the worst as the foundations of your life are shaken and disturbed in a manner you would never have conceived imaginable. The main point of concern centers around a relative who has given you much worry and grief over the last few months and now the consequences of their actions are about to be felt in the most devastating of ways. The best that you can hope for here is the comfort of your family to support you and carry you through the worst. One thing is certain: after February you will never quite be the person you once were again. However, above all else, you must look to the future and cling to the hope that time can settle differences and heal better than anything else.

Cancer
February may see you kicking off a big family dispute as your crabby nature exceeds all previous displays and makes you the center of attention – for all the wrong reasons. Never one to hold back when you feel misjudged or hurt you could push your outspoken anger a little too far and hurt or offend some people who don’t really deserve to feel the wrath of your tongue. Still, you won’t have it all your own way and if you step on the wrong toes – namely those of an earth or fire sign – then you could be blasted straight back into your shell with a retaliation that exceeds your expectations. My advice would be for you to have your say and then step back from the situation if you want to have a peaceful month. On the work front, a new job opportunity could be presented to you that may make you reconsider your future in a big way on the 10^th.

Leo
You could be in for fireworks this month Leo as a mystery admirer takes his or her chance to reveal the true extent of their feelings to you with mixed results – especially if some of you are involved with another person! Don’t be too surprised when the Valentine’s card comes through the post but prepare to have to wriggle yourself free from an awkward position when you are questioned on the matter by family, friends and in some cases partners. This isn’t to say that you won’t be flattered and even that some of you might be tempted. Many Leos will have started the year feeling somewhat flat and unhappy with a relationship and this type of interest might be just what you need to inject a little excitement back into your life. Whatever else, it does suggest that the time has come to sort out any current emotional problems and move on.

Virgo
The signs are good for you this month and all the omens suggest that you will have a good month in most areas of your life. Your main problem could in fact be complacency so beware of overconfidence. In the work place your achievements will have not passed by unnoticed and several people have been watching your progress with interest. A colleague may need your support through a difficult time and you should make every effort to assist them since they will be experiencing something that you too had to suffer personally some time ago. Be sympathetic: this is your opportunity to put your knowledge to good use. On the home front, a relationship could be suffering a little due to the long hours you have been putting in and the time might be right for a short break. Europe beckons!

Libra
Troubled times lie ahead for you this month Libra as the possessiveness of a partner begins to take its toll on your thinking and you start to set your sights further afield. Commitment in this instance is something you fear and there is every indication that you are not quite as contented as you once were. The need for truth is at hand because if you shy away from facing up to a problem then you may quickly discover that what could have been dealt with simply may grow to be a most uncomfortable hurdle. Try and settle things before the 14^th otherwise you may discover this problem growing deep roots! A family member who has been ill for sometime could come to you for advice and you may have to make a few sacrifices as you try to come to terms with their needs.

Scorpio
Things may have been going well in a relationship but they are about to take a turn for the worst as your strong sense of control leads you into a head-on conflict with a partner just before Valentine’s Day. Not the best timing but then you were never one to take such things into account. You often speak your mind and then ponder over the errors of your words afterwards. On this occasion you need to assess whether what you are doing is really worthwhile since your words could hurt even more than you intend them to. The number 9 will hold a special key to ambition and success in your preferred field of work so look out for it when it surfaces. Finally, be ready to help a friend or relative in financial difficulty as they could your assistance even more than they are letting on.

Sagittarius
For the last few weeks you may have been feeling under the weather and the strain of family matters may be wearing heavily upon you. You need to reassess your role and ignore the guilt others are trying to impress upon you. If the need arises, a break away from your environment – even for a few days – will do you a great deal of good. Matters financial will see you applying for a loan, perhaps to purchase a new car, but shop around because the first thing you come across will not be the one to go for. The 7^th February may see you paying a visit to the hospital, but not for yourself. The colour orange is a fortuitous omen in matters legal. Finally, be prepared to offer your shoulder to a friend in need who is going through a difficult time right now.

Capricorn
Prepare for the challenge of a lifetime here as the existence you have been used to is turned completely on its head. Your past errors are about to catch up on you in a big way and they could end up bringing others down with you. Lack of thought in the past will cost you dearly now and for many Capricorns, 2002 will end up being the year after which nothing will be the same. You may find that matters of finance show no signs of improvement and February will not provide you with any respite in this area. The 3^rd sees you involved in an argument that could get violent if not controlled, whilst the 26^th offers hope in a family disagreement.

Aquarius
The seeds of financial success are yours to plant in February with rich rewards set to come in the middle part of the year. A young child is proving particularly loving and may lead you to reflect on your good fortune where family members are concerned. A surprise piece of good news will reach you around the 17^th, concerning a matter which has proved to be a particular worry over recent months. It is the starting point for a consolidation of your efforts to achieve the goals that you seek to attain. You may feel slightly low over a sick relative or friend around the 6^th and any support you can give will be warmly appreciated. A windfall from an unexpected source arrives on February 25^th but watch yourself with DIY on the 19^th.

Pisces
You are about to experience a new era in your life and many of the initial changes are not likely to be ones you can adapt to easily. More than anything, you need to focus on the things that matter in life and perhaps for the first time, bury the pride that has held you back for so long and open your heart to the people who really care. Financially, you may find that things will be tight but you should be sure that you do not cling to possessions just for the sake of it. The letters G and H and the colour red also feature in connection with finances so if you have the foresight look to them for an answer. Any travel plans for the months ahead should be checked as an unforeseen problem could arise at the last minute. The number 31 is lucky if it appears as the last two digits of a phone number.

Lilly Light

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Smacking – Not Such a Simple Truth

Tricia — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:57:48 +0000

Patricia McLoughlin, a mum who doesn’t subscribe to smacking, says sometimes the damage was done a generation ago

It was many years ago that I wrote an article in a national newspaper, having secured an estimate of a hundred young children every year dying or being severely injured at the hands of their parents or those close to them.

And so it is interesting to see the same figure still being given by Professor Terence Stephenson, Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health President, in his letter to the Daily Telegraph condemning the practice of parents smacking their kids.

The article I was writing all those years ago focused on the worst kind of parental abuse and I did meet mothers who, after neglecting or abusing their children, were being helped by an NSPCC special unit.

As a mother myself, and one who never subscribed to hitting children, on the basis that the smallest and most vulnerable in our society should surely be afforded equal protection to that of fully-grown adults, I anticipated detesting the women I was about to meet and interview.

What I found were a group of mothers who had been so damaged by their own childhood experiences that it was hard not to weep over their stories. I also found a very special group of NSPCC people who took on the role of parenting these damaged parents. What a special breed they were. How difficult to see that bruised and broken little child, then nurture and help the parent perpetrator.

But they did help them, finding homes, jobs, nursery places, helping them manage finances and their lives and even, on 24-hour call, riding to the rescue when anger or grief overwhelmed the mothers. The children were not permanently removed but protected, the mothers helped to become mothers, the cycle of deprivation broken. At the time the London unit’s success rate regarding re-offending was 100%.

But on all levels we want a quick fix. The parents who hit do so rather than as Professor Stephenson says taking a positive approach, setting stronger boundaries for their children.

Columnist Christine Odone prompted the Professor to speak out when she praised Labour MP David Lammy, a former education minister, who opined that last summer’s riots were partly caused by parents being scared to smack their children.

The truth is that far too few parents are scared of smacking their children. And it’s also true that as a society we are too grudging and shortsighted to see the worth of investing in prevention, in breaking that cycle of deprivation that makes monsters of mothers and yet another generation that will raise a fist rather than a well-adjusted child.

Patricia McLoughlin

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Win with Cosmetofruit

George Vaughan — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:43:58 +0000

For your chance to win an 32gb iPod Touch with Cosmetofruit simply click below.

Cosmetofruit is a new drinkable elixir from Chile, made from polyphenois and flavonoids (antioxidants) of different berries that detoxify and boost wellness from the inside out with just a 4ml daily dose.

A 100% natural product, Cosmetofruit helps to fight free radical damage, repair skin and prevent signs of aging from within and comes in three different varieties.

The Total Booster with its Phytonutr-A-Berries complex, with wild murta and cranberries.

The Luxurious Hair and Nails with its Phytonutr-A-Berries complex maqui and wild blackberries.

The Face Anti-Aging with its Phytonutr-A-Berries complex grapes and blueberries.

As part of their extensive launch in the UK, they would like to gain your opinion on Cosmetofruit in the form of this brief questionnaire.

You will also be put in the draw to win a brand new 32gb iPod Touch.

Simply complete the brief questionnaire and return it to competitions@womentalking.co.uk ensuring you include your Women Talking username with the submission and put the word Questionnaire in the subject header. To download the questionanire just click on the attachement below, complete it and then send it back as an attachment with your email.

Entries must be returned by February 10^th and the winner of the Apple 32gb iPod Touch will be contacted soon after.

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Sarah Rayner – Two Week Wait

Tricia — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:28:31 +0000

Patricia McLoughlin talked to successful novelist Sarah Rayner whose ‘Two Week Wait’, published by Picador, may not fit the chick lit genre but will sell outside the box. 'It’s Not Chick Lit But We Like It'.

You have to write about what you know, is advice often given to aspiring novelists. And talking to Sarah Rayner, whose excellent ‘One Moment, One Morning’ has sold 220,000 copies in the UK and has just gone on sale in America, it’s a little disconcerting to discover the parallels between her life and that in the pages of her book.

Sarah lives in Brighton – ditto, she used to be a copywriter in a London ad agency, ditto, she has a partner who’s a chef who can turn his hand to building, well almost, the character in the novel was a builder who could cook, and that character has a problem with alcohol, whereas her partner, does not... Now it begins to get complicated. I soon discover why.

“The characters are an amalgam of some of my friends and me. If I’m not in them, then how do I know how they feel?” explains Sarah. “And yes my friends know they are in there. As far as I know they don’t mind because the characters are pretty likeable. Mind you, none of us expected them to be so widely read!”

I read ‘One Moment, One Morning’ over Christmas and loved it, like most of the other 219,999 readers. It is, as Sarah says “accessible” but chick lit it’s not. “Well, I knew that if I killed someone it couldn’t be portrayed as glittery chick lit,” laughs Sarah.

Well, not if you kill him on the third page – that’s kind of a clue, dear reader, that this is not girl meets boy, lives happily ever after!

The determination to avoid the genre came after two earlier novels that sat more happily in the chick lit category but each sold around 10,000 in the UK. “Which is okay, and they also sold for some reason, very well in the Netherlands,” says Sarah. “Nevertheless, when I wrote them I was in my 30s, whereas now I’ve lived a bit more, and I think about things– rather more deeply. I also wanted to raise the bar for my writing, and my agent, Vivien Green, who’s been with me from the start said, ‘Can’t you write about cancer, Sarah?’

“I knew what she was getting at – she didn’t specifically mean write about terminal illness - she meant write a book on a deeper, more emotional level. She gave me the confidence to write a more mature book and I thought it might appeal to readers who had grown up with me.”

Sarah hadn’t accounted for her agent’s next move – to submit the new novel to publishers anonymously. She didn’t want Sarah’s novel to be judged as straightforward chick lit.

“I was in two minds about it because it disregarded the fact that I was a published author. And endless publishers turned it down. The reaction was always the same, ‘We like it but don’t know how to market it.’

“‘One Moment, One Morning’ might not be not literature with a capital L in that it’s very accessible,” says Sarah. “But there are plenty of women who want a stimulating read about social issues.”

Ah yes, as good old Picador discovered - 220,000 of them and counting. “I believe the very reason that the other publishers turned it down is the reason it has been successful,” says Sarah.

And so to killing a main character after some 800 words. “Initially, the incident on the train was inspired by something that happened and, like one of the characters, after somebody was taken ill on my commute from Brighton to London I shared a taxi with strangers.”

Just as Anna did in the book en route to her copywriting shift.

But now Sarah’s new book is about to hit the shelves – first exclusively in Waterstone’s (yes mine still has an apostrophe!) for a month from February 2, then throughout the trade.

However, unlike the characters in ‘The Two Week Wait’, Sarah has not had IVF and has not decided that she must, simply must, have a child. She has a 13-year- old stepson, Sebastian, who spends weekends with her and his dad, Tom, and a nephew and nieces she is very close to.

“Having children, or not having children, is something I had thought about but I was never so keen that I was prepared to go and do it on my own. I would only have wanted children as part of a loving relationship and I met Tom we were in our 40s, and he already had a child.”

But writing copy for a fertility clinic brought Sarah into the world of IVF and the act of sharing, whereby one woman donates eggs to another woman. It’s a way to get round the legalities, a kind of capitalistic altruism.

“I was in the agency writing all these experiences of women having children against the odds and soon we were having a heated discussion about having a child that’s not genetically yours, the ethical issues and so forth. I realised ‘What a meaty subject. What an idea for a book!’”

Then Sarah realised that because a lot of women who go to the clinics are gay she could use Lou, a character from ‘One Moment…’ as one of the -characters in her new novel.

“It continues Lou’s story but it’s not a sequel,” says Sarah. ‘It’s very much a standalone story, about Lou and another woman, Cath, and she is completely new.

“I haven’t been through IVF myself, so not having been through it, I put a message on my Facebook page asking anyone who had had children against the odds to get in touch.

“About a dozen came forward and I had some very emotional conversations with them. They helped me connect with the situation my characters find themselves in. But writing it was tough because it did make me examine my own story as well.

Sarah says to some extent her books have been her babies and giving them away to be scrutinised, criticised, has been difficult. On the whole book critics and public liked ‘One Moment…’ But online the one-star ratings on Amazon came as something of a shock.

“People can be quite malicious,” says Sarah. “Most have been very nice but if they want to tell you they like your book they’ll often write or email, whereas if it’s something negative they’ll make it an online review. That worried me when writing ‘The Two Week Wait’. If someone liked my previous book and this doesn’t meet their expectations, then I suspect they’ll go online saying they liked the other one a lot more. But at least now I’m a bit more prepared for it.

Sarah admits that had she had children she might not now have four books to her name. She grew up in Richmond-on-Thames, with two brothers, Will and Ben, both of whom now work in TV news. Her mother, Mary Rayner, (now retired) was a successful children’s book author and illustrator.

“Mum always encouraged me. There are two older mothers in ‘The Two Week Wait’ and when people ask which is mine I always say, ‘The nice one!’ I actually wrote a lot of ‘The Two Week Wait’ at her home in Wiltshire. My stepfather died two years ago, so I hope that my being in her home was not too much of a trial for her.

“I don’t let her read my books until I’ve finished them, but her feedback once I’m done is always very useful. When editing, I can rely on her to say what is superfluous, what I can lose. For example what medical information was needed to make sense of the ‘The Two Week Wait’ story and what wasn’t.”

Sarah is pleased, too, that her stepmother has read and likes her books. She lives in Hampstead with Sarah’s father, who is 85 and - is no longer in good health.

Now, with ‘The Two Week Wait’ hitting the UK and ‘One Moment, One Morning’ out in the USA, she says, “The turnaround time for this book was very fast as I only finished it in October. So I’ve decided I’m not starting another until next summer.”

Instead, she is looking at re-editing and re-issuing her first two – maybe she’ll kill someone off….who knows?

The Two Week Wait is available from Picador priced £12.99

Patricia McLoughlin

Women Talking is pleased to be able to offer 5 copies of ‘The Two Week Wait’

To win all you need to do is answer the following question:

Name another one of Sarah’s books.

For help visit http://www.thecreativepumpkin.com

Send your answers to competitions@womentalking.co.uk ensuring you place the word Sarah Rayner in the subject header and also include your Women Talking username with the submission.

This competition is only open to Women Talking subscribers so any entry with a valid username will not be accepted.

The competition closes on February 26th and the winners will be announced soon afterwards.

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ARK Skincare

George Vaughan — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 23:45:57 +0000

Links to http://www.arkskincare.com.

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Chocolates For Valentine’s Day!

George Vaughan — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 23:34:14 +0000

Win A William Curley Chocolate Hamper worth £100 and a copy of Couture Chocolate!

William Curley is the foremost Chocolatier in the UK and as a special treat he is offering one lucky subscriber the chance to win a luxury £100 hamper of his finest chocolates together with a copy of his new book, the critically acclaimed Couture Chocolate.

There is also the chance of two runner-up prizes of Couture Chocolate.

For your chance to win all you need to do is answer the following question:

Name one of William Curley’s award winning chocolates?

Send your answer to competitions@womentalking.co.uk ensuring you include your Women Talking username with the submission and also put the words Valentine Hamper in the subject header.

The competition closes on February 12^th and the winner and runners up will be announced soon after.

Please note the winning hamper may differ from the image shown.

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Champagne Gosset Grand Rosé for that Special Valentine

Poppy Watt — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 22:52:56 +0000

Poppy Watt discovers what makes Pink Champagne so special and says you could be sharing a bottle with your loved one this valentine.

Drinking Champagne is synonymous with celebrations, parties and pampering.

Maybe it’s the pop of the cork, the bubbles rising, the feeling that this is something special, that creates the whole Champagne sensation for me. Then, hey presto make that champagne pink and you take it to yet another level.

Pink Champagne speaks to me of celebrity, of luxury, of beautiful people picnicking on a riverbank. It’s all summer fruits and effervescence. In glamour terms it’s in a class of its own.

And when better to add sparkle to an occasion than Valentine’s Day? But don’t just nip into the local supermarket and go for the money off option. This is a special occasion that calls for something truly special.

First, you are looking for Champagne and that means it has been produced exclusively within the Champagne region of France, otherwise it is classified as a sparkling wine. Then there’s the grape variety: the primary grapes used in Champagne are the Pinot Noir, the Chardonnay and the Pinot Meunier.

Now let’s look at pedigree. This is Valentine’s Day, after all. So let’s opt for real history and Gosset, the oldest wine house of the Champagne region in northeastern France. Gosset was founded in 1584 when Jean Gosset, a grape grower in Ay, left a vineyard to his grandson, Pierre Gosset, who after producing and exporting mainly red wines, turned his talents to the production of outstanding Champagne.

Gosset currently produce two wonderful Rosé Champagnes, perfect for any special occasion: non vintage Grand Rosé and vintage Celebris Rosé.

Rosé Champagne is produced either by the saignée (or ‘bleeding’) method, where the wine is simply allowed to have more contact with the red grape skins, or the more widely used method practiced by Champagne Gosset, which is to blend a small proportion of still red wine from the region to the white champagne.

Their Grand Rosé Champagne is a delicate pale salmon-pink, enriched by ruby-red reflections. Pop the cork and you’ll enjoy an aroma explosion of fresh strawberries and the finest strawberry jam. Then the anticipated taste, a voluptuous strawberry flavour with just a hint of sweetness.

Who could resist? But saying it with this special Champagne will see you splashing out around £55 a bottle. It’s an “I love you - I love you not” decision! Certainly there will be no mistaking the intent.

The ideal drinking temperature for Champagne is at 7 to 9 °C (45 to 48 °F) so chill in the fridge for a couple of hours or pop the bottle in a bucket of ice and water before opening. This will also ensure that the Champagne is less gassy and can be opened without spillage. It is best to serve champagne in tall thin tulips or flute, which keep the bubbles effervescing.

If you really want to push the boat try the Champagne Gosset Celebris 2003 Rosé Extra Brut – this one is very dry but deliciously fruity and true to the character of all Gosset champagnes. Champagne Gosset Celebris 2003 Rosé is perfect for that very special occasion or person and retails at around £120 a bottle.

Champagne Gosset is available from most independent fine wine shops and retailers including Berry Bros, Fortnum & Mason, Selfridges, Harrods and Harvey Nichols.

Poppy Watt

For your chance to win a bottle of Grand Rosé, just answer the following question:

What region do the grapes in the Gosset blends come from?

www.champagne-gosset.com

Send your answers to competitions@womentalking.co.uk ensuring you place the word Gosset Champagne in the subject header and also include your Women Talking username with the submission. This competition is only open to Women Talking subscribers so any entry with a valid username will not be accepted.

The competition closes on February 12^th and the winners will be announced soon afterwards.

Finally all entrants must be 18 years or over.

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Fashion Statement with Suzannah Roach

Suzannah Roach — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:28:53 +0000

Suzannah Roach has been watching the beautiful people flaunting the Dior in far-flung places and wondering why it winds her up

The Last Resort?

What is it about the January fashion news that gets me so wound up? The constant reminder that we are all meant to lose weight with the “Celebrity diets that work” headlines? The New Year insistence that we should also be improving our careers, our houses and updating our wardrobes? Or is it the models, celebrities and anyone in the media spotlight flaunting it along a beach in Barbados or St Barts in the Resort Collections of the luxury brands?

Oh yes! It is actually the Resort Collections that wind me up the most. It’s the neon and monochrome images of the Resort Collections not the diets or the skinny models who look like they haven’t even eat a slice of turkey never mind the entire box of Quality Street.

So what are Resort Collections? Officially, they are targeted at the more seasoned traveller who holidays between November and February in hot climes, or as Versace once described these customers “our more seasoned jet-setters”. These clothes are aimed at the higher end customer and bearing in mind which designers focus on this capsule wardrobe it says a lot. Chanel, Dior and Ralph Lauren lead the way, with other more main-stream clothing designers leaving them to this small, illusive, affluent customer.

However, over the past couple years there seems to have been more emphasis put on this short-of lived and elitist range. Not only is the higher end of the high street trying this niche market but the men are getting in on the act too. The tricky economy is causing retailers to look for that extra market share in any which way. Resort Collections are a chance to encourage customers to make that additional purchase, tucked in between the autumn/winter range usually based on chunky knits and boots, and the spring/summer range veering towards light summer dresses and sandals.

Retailers now have to move faster to find the pulse. Consumers, ie you and I, are no longer prepared to see images in a magazine or on web pages of next season’s likely trends, then wait another two to three months before these fashion items are available to buy. Ready to wear ranges have to be faster and more readily available. This has led retailers to review their ranges and their manufacturing. Ranges are changed more regularly and customers are now able to buy something new from their favourite retailers much more frequently, whether it’s high end or high street retailing.

Whether you like this new shopping mentality or not, there is no doubt that fast and furious fashion is here. People’s buying habits are becoming more considered since the economic downturn. There was a stage a few years back where people were spending without thinking and pushing retailers to be less thoughtful about their ranges and, some would even say, more cut-throat with their manufacturing as well as their marketing. Thankfully, retailers as well as customers are becoming more aware of quality. The general public wants quality, something that will last. The one-wear mentality has gone, replaced by cost-per-wear.

This brings me back to my January exasperation. Resort fashion just flies in the face of everything that has improved in fashion over the past few years. It has retained that feeling of decadence and wealth. Amid economic talk of double-dip recessions, Resort Fashion Collections continue to grow. Luxury brands continue to grow, albeit thanks to wealthy Russians propping up this market.

Retailers will only provide these additional ranges if there is a market for them and they are continuing to expand. Everyone likes a pick me up in these depressing months but there is something about Resort Collections that just seem to rub the majority of the public’s nose in it. While we feeling the pinch from Christmas (in the wallet and waistband), there are still the select few who parade down beaches in their Resort Collections with never a thought about the cost of that extra range that has slipped in between seasons.

It feels too ostentatious during this uncertain period. I am all for people celebrating their own success and enjoying their time off if they have worked hard. But do we really need to see bright neon shorts and bra tops that are so on trend this Resort season when we are all huddled over a leafy salad waiting for the decent TV series to start again?

A small neon green monster seems to be nudging my elbow as I write. Resort fashion fury? Might it just be jealousy? I’ll leave you, dear reader, to decide.

Suzannah Roach

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Stewed!

Poppy Watt — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 18:45:49 +0000

Poppy Watt serves up the latest in one-pot wonders!

Whether you love cooking or only have a kitchen because it came with the house, 33-year-old passionate foodie Alan Rosenthal has the perfect product for you.

For the reluctant cook or the woman in a hurry, he has created one-pot convenient meals called Stewed! and if you want to create your own warming stew for a winter’s day he has come up with a creative cookbook featuring no less than 80 delicious dishes.

Entrepreneur Alan’s one-pot meals are a range of gluten-free beef, chicken, pork and vegetarian stews and a mouth-watering goulash. The pots take a matter of minutes to heat through from chilled or frozen and are really mouth-watering. They contain chunky meat and vegetables and account for between one and three of your five a day, depending on the flavour you choose.

Alan knew a fantastic new collection of dishes would appeal to all generations of stew lovers, when he created his Stewed! cookbook.

“Stews are communal food made for sharing, a medley of raw ingredients cooked together in a single pot to create a delicious symphony of flavours and textures” says Alan. “They are economical, tasty and comforting.”

His recipes come from all over the world, with imaginative ingredient combinations and simple, straightforward recipes that anyone can make at home. They include prawn and chicken jambalaya, Brazilian black bean chorizo and pork stew, Catalan fish stew with almonds and peppers, beef in Barolo, and Persian lamb and quince stew, to name but a few.

Divided into chapters by region, the Stewed! cookbook offers tempting recipes from the Americas, British Isles, Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. They are ideal for dinner parties and casual lunches because they can be made in advance, allowing you to relax when your guests arrive.

Alan has always loved food and cooking but only went professional in 2007 when he quit his job in DVD product management to follow his heart. Since then he has worked as a private chef on a vineyard near Bordeaux and in London restaurant kitchens before immersing himself in stew!

“I was convinced there was a gap in the market,” says Alan. “I believed in the idea and went for it. In January 2008 I listened to the little voice in my head and took the plunge. I sold my first pot of stew at the Alexandra Palace farmers' market in north London, the feedback was fantastic and this encouraged me to make dishes full time. Stewed! was an instant success. After Budgens started stocking the brand, Ocado, Waitrose and Sainsbury’s came on board.”

It seems that being in a stew has certainly worked for Alan. Why not try it too?

Poppy Watt

Women Talking is pleased to be able to offer 3 copies of the Stewed! Cookbook.

To win all you need to do is answer the following question

Name one of the flavours in the range a of Stewed!

For help visit www.steweduk.co.uk

Send your answers to competitions@womentalking.co.uk ensuring you place the word Stewed! in the subject header and also include your Women Talking username with the submission. This competition is only open to Women Talking subscribers so any entry with a valid username will not be accepted.

The competition closes on February 12th and the winners will be announced soon afterwards.

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Menier Cooking Chocolate with a past and present!

Poppy Watt — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 18:31:03 +0000

Home baking is having a revival and cooking with chocolate is particularly popular. Poppy Watt finds out more about Menier - the oldest chocolate brand in the world.

Antoine Brutus Menier founded Menier almost 200 years ago, in 1816. The venture sprang from Menier’s hardware company in Paris. Although not trained as a pharmacist, Antoine began preparing and selling a variety of powders for medicinal purposes. He used the chocolate as a medicinal powder and to coat the bitter-tasting pills and so for the first few years the company's production of chocolate was very limited.

But Antoine was a man with vision, an entrepreneur and innovator. He pioneered the conching, or mixing, process, which made mass production of premium chocolate possible and led to his company’s rapid expansion.

Soon he needed a larger production facility at Noisiel. Initially used as a grinding works for the production of medicinal powders, the Noisiel location was modernised, becoming in 1830 the first mechanised mass production factory for cocoa powder in France.

Following the production of solid chocolate, Antoine introduced a block of chocolate wrapped in decorative yellow paper. By 1842, the success of the chocolate business had seen further growth of the Noisiel plant and by 1853 annual chocolate production reached 4,000 tons.

Antoine was adept at creating new ideas and introduced small sticks of dark chocolate to put into bread. This saw chocolate kiosques spring up on pavements all over the country, their design still used for the familiar French newspaper kiosques. They were so popular that soon everyone was lining up to buy miniature chocolate bars.

Antoine”s unique advertising strategy used posters by Firmin Bouisset showing a little girl writing ‘Chocolat Menier’ on a wall or window. The cute chocolate graffiti became their logo and a symbol of their worldwide success. The original posters and promotional items are still in demand today, as are the reproductions.

In 1878 Menier chocolate won seven gold medals at the World's Fair in Paris and at the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago Menier became hailed as the leading chocolate makers in the world.

With production ever increasing came new bases in New York and London, with Menier Chocolate controlled and run by the Menier family for more that 150 years, up to 1965.

The Menier Chocolate Factory in London’s Southwark, lay derelict since the 1980s until reopened in 2004 as an award-winning 180-seat theatre and a popular arts complex that incorporates an art gallery and restaurant.

Today the Nestle Company owns Menier. It is the fastest growing cooking chocolate brand in the UK and the leader in dark cooking chocolate. Its success is partly down to the lengthy grinding process that creates a smaller particle size than most of its competitors. It is this that results in its smooth texture; perfect for that special occasion masterpiece and superior flavour ideal for enhancing a spicy Chilli or the gamey flavours of venison.

Although the dark chocolate is still the consumers’ favourite, the company recently launched a milk chocolate variety. This is proving to very popular and is complemented by the white chocolate bar, which is growing in sales. The combinations of flavours are endless and Menier makes a big difference for imaginative cooking.

For a couple of recipe suggestions to try please click here

Poppy Watt

If you would like the opportunity to win 5 cartons of Menier cooking chocolate (each containing 20 bars) just answer the following question:

What colour is the wrapper for the 70% dark chocolate?

Send your answer to competitions@womentalking.co.uk ensuring you put the words Menier Cooking Chocolate in the subject header and also including your unique username with the submission.

The competition closes on 12^th February and the winner will be contacted soon after.

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Shula Starkey & ARK Skincare

Poppy Watt — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 18:10:36 +0000

Shula Starkey the founder of beauty brand ARK Age Aware Skincare shares her thoughts with Poppy Watt about skin care, ageing and the beauty industry.

“I have always had an interest in my skin health and body wellness,” says Shula. “My passion for skincare has grown over the years. Our inner health and lifestyle choices show through our skin. Good skin is healthy skin, it gives self-confidence and empowers women.”

“I’ve always been interested in health and beauty, as well as loving creative subjects like Art and Design at school,” says Shula who was born in Liverpool and moved to London in her early twenties.

“I studied Feng Shui and Reiki, which inspired me to open my own salon. I wanted a salon with a different ethos to those already on the market. ARK came from the combination of my name and my husband’s name. Though it has come to represent our philosophy and stands for Acts of Random Kindness. Here at ARK we believe that we should always go that step further to be kind to others.”

“Finding the right location and premises was my first objective and it was imperative that the products were all produced in the UK, something I am very proud of. Our first salon opened in 1998 in Fulham and since then we have opened several salons and have performed over 100,000 facial treatments.”

Developed over four years of research, ARK Age Aware Skincare is the result of collaboration with Dr. Penny Kendall-Reed, a naturopathic doctor and expert in preventative health and nutrition.

ARK Age Aware Skincare looks at your skin’s changing needs as you age, rather than skin type. It focuses on the physiological and environmental changes that your skin undergoes as you get older and aims to support these natural chemical and hormonal processes by nourishing the skin from the inside and protecting it from the outside. This is what ARK calls “age appropriate” skincare treatment.

There are two main skin transition periods, they believe, in the ageing process where there is a dramatic shift in hormone production and a significant change in the way the body functions. These are in the late 20s to early 30s and in the late 50s to early 60s. By looking at these transition periods, Ark Age Aware Skincare has divided its skin therapy into three “age appropriate” product lines:

Age Prepare (Teens to mid-30s – protection for younger skins), Age Maintain (late 30s to 50 – nourishment for skin showing signs of ageing) and Age Repair (50 plus – support for mature skin with established signs of age)

ARK believes that the best possible maintenance programme for your skin is one that evolves as you evolve.

The range comprises of 40 face and body products including a range of therapeutic Skin Response Serums to treat specific skin conditions.

“Age Maintain Moisturiser and the Hydrating Serum are ARK’s bestsellers,” says Shula, “both are highly effective, multi-tasking products, which treat a number of skin concerns in one formulation. Both are quickly absorbed into the skin, leaving no surface residue.”

The dispensing system for the moisturisers allows you to dispense the correct amount, avoiding wastage. This airless pump allows ARK to use more active ingredients, which helps avoid cross contamination and oxidation.

Shula’s dedication has earned ARK an enviable reputation as a leading skincare brand. Her philosophy in life and in business lies very much in Eastern traditions and her mantra of living in the moment keeps her and her team focused on being the best they can be every day to deliver service and excellence in all they do.

“I am surrounded by the support of my friends, family, husband and an amazing team. A project like this is something you can’t do on your own,” she says. “My mother and younger sister have been a great help in product development and ideas for the future. Between the three of us we each fall into a separate age appropriate skin care range, becoming the faces of ARK Age Aware Skincare.

“When you care passionately about your business, it is difficult to stop it taking over your whole life, but I love every moment of it.”

Poppy Watt

Women Talking would like to offer one of our readers the opportunity to try one of the ARK Age Aware Skincare products for themselves.

To enter answer the following question and state which product in the range you would like to win:

How long does an ARK Age Awareness Assessment take?

For assistance visit www.arkskincare.com

Send your answers to competitions@womentalking.co.uk ensuring you place the words ARK in the subject header and also include your Women Talking username with the submission. This competition is only open to Women Talking subscribers so any entry with a valid username will not be accepted.

The competition closes on February 12^th and the winners will be announced soon afterwards.

Jan Flyer

George Vaughan — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:13:08 +0000

Links to http://www.womentalking.co.uk.

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Twins – Why two into one won’t go!

Tricia — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 01:24:30 +0000

Patricia McLoughlin tells parents of twins and multiples – please stop turning them into a sideshow.

Driving down the road this morning I found myself yelling at the mother of two little girls, “Don’t do that to them!”

And what was the provocation? Was she beating them with a stick? Berating them in public? Had she dressed them in spike heels and micro mini skirts?

No these two eight or nine year olds were undoubtedly the focus of attention for all other road users because they were what my own twin daughters when little described as “real twins.”

There was mum tripping along the pavement holding two identically gloved hands, while the siblings sported identical bobble hats, identical jackets, identical trousers, identical backpacks (pink of course) and even – dear God – identical footwear.

Why, I wondered, would she do that to them? Yes, you may be hugely proud of your identical twins but why would you want to expose them to the constant scrutiny of strangers, to make them some celebrity sideshow before they have even established their own identities.

It is, I have to admit, a matter of some pressure when you produce identical twins. Push the buggy up the High Street or around the shopping centre and you won’t be able to count on both hands the number of times you are asked the same question. I wanted to pin a notice to the hood stating “Yes, they are twins now f off!”

And you have to be very sensitive sometimes too. In the food section of M & S, I stifled the urge to snap at one lady asking the same old question and just as well. Seconds later she told me that one of her twins had died in the womb.

You come under pressure too from aunties and grandparents who just love to bestow matching sets of clothes on you. What fun, what joy. Like I can have them all laundered, matched up and ready to pop on for each sortie. Can I hell and why would I want to?

Fortunately, as a journalist I got to interview an expert on twins and multiple births when expecting mine. And how glad I was that I did. Don’t make them one person, she advised, don’t dress them the same and never buy enough toys for one hoping that they’ll share.

Sometimes it was tricky. Why when shopping is there always one very attractive little coat and another not quite as nice? Sometimes I got the same thing but in different colours and you could bet both wanted the same one. As my daughters got older, I’d buy two items, hide them behind my back and tell them to choose hands.

Then there were uniform issues. Identical school sweaters, identical ballet leotards and a dance teacher who got their names wrong every time. Aha! Haircuts, I decided. So one would be shorn and the other not – the dance teacher still got them wrong and both wanted long hair so they’d switch, just confusing everyone more.

Their best friends always knew their identity and scolded their mummies for making mistakes and as they grew up there was hair dye, or not hair dye as the case may be.

When they were about the age of the “real twins” a friend who was a national newspaper fashion editor asked if they would take part in a feature on what clothes identical twins choose. I asked them. No way! No way were they going to appear as twins. Money was offered. Tell them we’ll do it, they yelled.

Off they were trotted separately to Gap and H & M, their favourite clothes outlets if they had them, as they hated shopping. Both were tomboys. Both opted for tacksuit bottoms, hoodies, T-shirts, baseball caps and boots. Hey presto! At the photo shoot, “real twins” emerged. And, of course, the article failed to mention that though they might choose similar clothes they’d never have gone through the door dressed that way.

Get them with an agency, advised the photographer. They’d make money on fish finger ads and the like. But the money arrived. What they thought had been promised for each turned out to be between them. They fumed and so did I. Their modelling days were over, particularly as it cost me three days work.

But why do parents deliberately turn two into one and parade them about the streets? There’s an expectation, yes, and they may not want to disappoint their public but what small child wants to be constrained to a situation where even their hair bobbles have to match?

OK, so it will do little harm in their baby days and it is great to be the envy of all those loonies who assure you that “I always wanted twins,” as if you ordered them from a catalogue.

But please, please, all parents of twins or multiples stop and think. Would you want to be part of a double act or a matching foursome? Might you just want to be left in peace to grow up just as you? Even if genetically identical, wouldn’t you like to be your own person?

Throw away one pair of boots, one hat, one rucksack. Give them and yourself a break and “Don’t do that to them!”

Patricia McLoughlin

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