Does my bum look big in this?

{ May 14, 2008 @ 6:44 pm } · { News Feature, Uncategorized }
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Ok, big news ladies! Aparently it is actually healthy to have a big bum! Who would have thought it?

Experts have revealed how having a big bum could actually lower your chances of having diabetes. Where on the other side of it a big waist and tummy is, as expected, not good for you.

But enough of the depressing news, we all hear enough of that every day! Instead of singing Big Girls you are Beautiful, maybe Mika should chance it to Big Bottomed Girls you are Beautiful.

The Sun were one of the first to cover this story. Headlined Rounder Bums cut risk of diabetes the article drew from Beyonce’s curvier figure to show the public what they meant. Along with J Lo she is known for her bigger than average bum.

The claimed researchers discovered this finding from tests on mice at Harvard Medical School, Boston. They found that the fat which settles on the curvier part of your derriere help and boost sensitivity to insulin. The shape of a woman with a bigger bum is a pear shape. (If you are unsure what shape you are check out the Daily Mail’s feature on the wise words of Trinny and Susannah.)

The girls can offer advice about which shape you are and how to dress for it

This Morning’s, Dr Chris, covered this topic in his regular health section on the show, after the Sun had published their article. He commented on how researchers had come across this and compared it to the more apple shaped women out there. Basically a woman described as having an apple shape has a bigger stomach and carries a certain amount of fat. It was claimed to be classed as overweight and a possible diabetic your waist would be over the average. For men the average is 37 inches and for women a shocking 32!

The Sun also discussed apple shapes claiming that women who carried fat around their waist were almost at double the risk than those with larger bottoms.

Research leader Dr Ronald Kahn told the Sun: “It’s an important result. Not only does it say not all fat is bad but it points to a special aspect of fat.”

So now when you ask your other half “Does my bum look big in this?” And he insensitively asnswers ‘yes’. Turn back around to him and proudly reply “Fantastic that’s what I was aiming for!” You go girls!

10th Premier League for Fergie with the Reds

{ May 14, 2008 @ 12:02 pm } · { Sport }
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It seems there is no stopping Sir Alex Ferguson or in fact his worldclass Red Devils. They have just added to their past success in the Premier League. To make it even better, they still have their eyes set on the Champion’s League final, only Chelsea stand in the way of their dream, lets hope they bottle it, just like they did in the League.

Sir Alex celebrates yet another league title

 

Manchester United are on fine form to win the Champion’s League, and after a stunning season who can say they dont derserve it. They have the right mix of new and young talent coupled with experience. Ronaldo has scored an amazing 41 goals this season and with the final still to come he’s sure to be wanting at least one more. Sporting Life claimed cheeky Ronaldo is trying for 50 next year.

Ronaldo recently to MUTV and Inside United – The Offical Manchester United magazine, it’s all down to the fans.

“The songs create a buzz, put’s smiles on supporters’ faces and lift the player they are about. United’s fans have many songs but I dont understand them all… I think the support is fantastic, not just at Old Trafford but in away games, too. It’s a gift to us and makes the players feel confident.”  Cristiano Ronaldo

 It’s fair to say Manchester United are favourites to fill pages in the newspapers. They constantly hit the headlines and no player can do anything that’s not under scrutiny. Take Ronaldo for example, one of the teams’ major talent. It sometimes seems it the job of the press to put him down. Whether its victimising him over England’s appalling display in Euro 2006 and making him the sole person to blame for their demise, or criticising his skill with the ball and his so-called lack of concentration. Hmmm… lack of concentration but still scoring 41 goals?

The champagne in his hair has hardly dried and yet the specualtion of Fergie’s probable spending spree this summer has already begun. The Independent on Tue 13th May claimed he is already setting his sights on new talent. Chief Executive at Man U applauds Ferguson’s abilty to pick players who integrate quickly into the already established, successful side.

Meanwhile, the Mirror from the same day focused on the teams celebrations. ‘WAGS to riches’. In fact it was mostly directed at the players wives with a side story about the money been given to the manager to sign deals with new players. He also disclosed the difficulty he feels of picking the side for the final.

“The hardest part is not picking the team, but telling players they haven’t even made the bench. But someone has to make the decision. Im not looking forward to it but I know I have to do it.” Sir Alex Ferguson

Before the semi final Paul Scholes openly told the press he wanted no sympathy. He was banned for the 1999 final and Sir Alex had insisted he was guaranteed a place in this years. He didn’t want it to given to him… he wanted to earn it. His 14th minute smashing shot meant he had definitely earned it. Fergie told CNN he’d be the first person on the team sheet.

Scholes earnt his place in the Champions Leaue Final

Ok, this season might not have been won may a spectacular margin but leaving it to the last game of the season added to the pressure… a pressure United thrive on. A pressure Ferguson understands and admires the players’ mentality. He told the Mirror: “The great thing about these players is they dont play with fear.”

Each and every players wants to stay and fight for United. Ronaldo, despite Real Madrid’s claims, has spoken about his loyalty to the club claiming it is where he belongs. One of the most experienced players, Ryan Giggs, has claimed that he can be a super sub like Ole and Teddy in the 1999 treble winning season. And he put his abilty where his mouth was on Sunday, scoring the winning goal in their game against Wigan.

Super sub claims

United on Fire is a blog solely dedicated to the success of the team. The blog which earnt the most responses was that on “Will Fergie retire if we win the Champion’s League.” Everyone has their own opinion and often people cannot agree. Some argue the Champion’s League isn’t the only thing that drives this man. While others think it’ll be good enough to show he is the best manager for Man U by beating Sir Matt Busby’s one Champion’s League trophy with his two.

To be honest I think this man will not rest until he absolutely needs to. From his groovy little dance on the touchline on the full-time whistle, to his hearfelt speech of thanks, on the pitch, to players and fans alike during the ceremony, he is 100 per cent United. I’d even go as far to say this man will die on the sidelines. He will not go without a fight! 

Relive the Champions League Final 1999 here;

Everyone’s talking about… Sex and the City

{ May 13, 2008 @ 6:19 pm } · { fashion }
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It seems everyone has gone Sex and the City mad. The film premiered on the 12th May in London, with lots of celebrities walked down the red carpet full of expectation and excitement.

The film has been hyped up for at least a year now and it’s rumoured to not disappoint. There was something for everyone in the series. The sassy characters and the true-to-life storylines meant most women found themselves relating to either Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Charlotte (Kristin Davis), Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) or Samantha (Kim Cattrall).

The fashion of the series was always a popular topic for conversation and the film has been no different. The trailer has been offering tantalising clips for months now. With each month that went by a few more clips have been added and has the left fans guessing what might happen in this lastest edition to the women’s lives. Might there be a wedding? Or even a death after Samantha’s cancer scare in the recent series? Or might it include a one of the infamous dream sequences SATC became known for?

Everyone is talking about it and as usual the charcters and actresses’ fashion has been hitting the headlines. Some refer to the fashion as the ’sixth character’  in the series, like the BBC News website did on Tuesday 13th May. The BBC claimed expectations for stars setting the red carpet alive with style and glamour were rife.

 Sarah Jessica Parker, otherwise known as Carrie in SATC arrived to chants of hysteria in the crowd, donning a show-stopping, green number by soring ensemble by British designer Alexander McQueen. As always her wacky dress sense was one of the main talking points.

It even entered for discussion on Loose Women. Coleen Nolan was the main ring leader and while the others, including Jane McDonald, raved about the premiere and the dresses the women wore, Coleen commented on SJP’s wacky outfit. ‘The dress was gorgeous’ she stated, ‘but that hat?’ And then she proceeded to bring out a plant pot and place it on her head. ‘She ruined a great outfit.’ The others were mortified. ‘But that’s Carrie’ screeched Jane.

SJP re-launches her wacky style

Drapers online claimed the women dressed themselves… and it showed. The absence of the Patricia Feild (who has her own blog on fashio and is the show and film’ fashion designer) showed and although the all looked amazing their signature style wasn’t quite there.  Did they expect the actresses to turn up as their characters? Isn’t it time we all came to terms with the fact their only actresses and the people we love on the screen are not actually the real people?

But then in contradictory paragraph later they claim the women managed to channel their characters’ style into their outfits. Kim Catrall (Samantha) wore a sexy Vivienne Westwood, which while not the most flattering on her shape it was something similar to that which on-screen Samantha might wear.

Kim sticks to sexy Samantha\'s rules

Cynthia Nixon, once claimed by Patricia Field to be the most awkward to dress becuase of her innate lack of style wowed the crowds in the biggest fashion-conscious statement of all of them. A black, maxi dress with a daring neckline, showed no evidence of her past issues with her weight during the plotline. A far cry from the suit wearing Miranda in the series.

Cynthia flaunts her assets in a flaunty black number

Kristin Davis stuck closely to her character, Charlotte, in a scarlett vintage dress. Sticking closely to the style we are used to seeing her wear onscreen.

Kristin oozes class just like Charlotte

The SATC girls have long since been setting trends. Recently Eve magazine highlighted the styles we loved and copied and the not-so popular ‘dodgy’ trends. For example Carrie started the corsage trend a couple of years ago or even the raid through your Grandad’s wardrobe after she wore a flat cap!

So why now?

{ April 24, 2008 @ 3:03 pm } · { News Feature }
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The retaurant and pub trade has come under much scrutiny in the last year or so. Hundreds of establishments have been forced to stop trading and close their businesses. Why? The press has printed numerous articles blaming everything from the smoking ban to cheaper prices meaning even stiffer competition from the supermarkets. The Telegraph recently claimed up to four village pubs a day are closing down. In the same article they say that the industry is facing the lowest beer sales since the Great Depression.

It\'s been almost a year since punters first started seeing these signs in pubs ans restaurantsLancashire Evening Post ran a front page story on Wed May 7th claiming more than 20 Preston pubs are set to go in £1.7 million sell-off. However the LEP claims the closures will not be down to the smoking ban or even low priced competition in supermarkets. Instad it seems the problems are thanks to high taxes and soaring costs.

Pub bosses have said to be forseeing trouble ahead for sometime and have no issued a stark warning that in three years the traditional local pub could die out. Soaring costs of alcohol have caused the landlords to start other money making schemes. For example the landlord at the Plunginton Hotel has set about making money from his bowling green claiming that alcohol prices have left little room to make a profit from. Other money making shcemes in the North West have seen barber shops and even laundrettes installed into them!

So why, has my brother chosen now to set up his own business? Gareth says: “I like a challenge!” He’s not wrong there!

“What’s the point in running an already successful business - someone else’s business, helping and maintaining their business and not seeing the benfits yourself, when you can put what you have learnt into your own business and learn even more along the way.” Gareth Higgins – pub/restaurant landlord

A major problem, it seems, is the smoking ban. Despite many restaurants and pubs providing heated areas for the smokers it is having an affect. People don’t like to be made to feel like lepers but unfortunately being sent outside everytime you spark up is making the smokers grumble.

 Smoking area

“You have to look at the positives. Ok, so the smoking ban is making people think twice about drinking or eating out – but on the other hand the customers who keep coming back appreciate the lack of coloured walls stained by smoking, or the taste of smoke on their palette as they eat. We have just been through the winter. The grumbles are not so much about going outside – but the weather outside. It’s nearly summer – people like to sit outside then anyway. If you keep looking at the negatives, the odds are your business will be closed before the beginning of 2009.”

Some pubs still dont have smoking areas

Advertising advertising advertising

{ April 24, 2008 @ 2:34 pm } · { Uncategorized }
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So, my brothers restaurant has been open for nearly 5 months.  And a lot has happened. Last time I wrote it was just before Christmas and  was heading back to Wales for my xmas ‘holiday’. Otherwise known as a working holiday.

As we all know you cannot plan when a place comes available. Considering his timing wasn’t fantastic and he missed the Christmas bookings he had a busy December. Curiosity won him customers and the the best part… they keep coming back! Local people were dying to see how he’d change it and the main thing… if the place had been shown the luxury of a mop and bucket!

The old men, sorry I mean the ‘regulars’ came to prop the bar up and despite their grumbles about the lack of tv and how “Jayne and Pete wouldn’t have done it like that” they have warmed to my brother. As it turns most of them were friends with our Taid and so he’s proved himself to be a ‘local lad.’ Jayne and Pete are of course the old owners and have now moved to a different place in the next village. On the opening night they claimed the ‘food wouldnt work’ however, most of them have been in for a meal and are now not just regular drinkers but regular eaters to… so much for it not working then??

 Despite it being his first Christmas and the late opening date, Gaz wasnt happy. “We need more custom.”

So Gareth decided more advertising was the way forward. He used his old contacts at the local newspapers and placed adverts in there. A few days later came the call with the mardy voice. “How do you fancy helping me out with a little leafleting?” A little leafleting? Yeh ok….. 4000 leaflets later I was still delivering!

But it was worth it. The leaflets worked, new customers were coming out of his ears and old customers were still coming back. A review has recently been written by a secret shopper. A raving review with high compliments aplenty and one half soaked negative… and only a gesture im sure to try to level the review out. The music was slightly too loud… but the reviwer admits they were sat under a speaker.

In my opinion if thats the worst thing they can say… they are not doing bad… in Gareths opinion… it’s GOT to be better!

Now he employs someone to do the leafleting and he has regular adverts in the local newspapers. Advertising has definitely proven key.

Moving on and moving up!

{ December 7, 2007 @ 12:54 pm } · { Uncategorized }
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So my brother has just opened a restaurant. His first one. I don’t know who’s more nervous. His wife, our dad or my brother himself.

Their nerves will not be for his lack of ability, there is no questioning that after 11 years working in a well-known restaurant in North Wales, he does understand the business. He knows what works and what doesn’t. You could argue that he has never had official training but isn’t the best type of training hands-on experience anyway?

He worked his way through the ranks, from KP to Commis chef, from Commis chef to Head chef, from Head Chef to Manager; and all by the age of 21! He’s notched up a few years experience of managing by now and at 24 and newly married he decided now was the time to move on!

So why the nerves?! My brother doesn’t do things by halves, not only is he recently married but he’s also just had a baby girl! When he got the keys the place was disgusting. The previous owners obviously didnt employ a cleaner! His wife has openly admitted she is much more used to standing on the other side of the bar to where she is now required to work, and her claims of still being on maternity leave fell on deaf ears!

The whole of our family pulled together, the place was gutted and re-decorated and he opened on his planned date and on time! And I can see my Xmas holiday disappearing without trace as Im roped in to work for him… sisterly labour does after all come cheap!!