A unique new online sexual health service allows people to test themselves for STIs in the privacy of their own home and get results by text message within seven days.
Category: Lifestyle
-
Six In Ten Of Us Are Embarrassed By Our Homes
Six in ten Brits admit to being embarrassed about the state of their home, a study has revealed.
-
GARDEN| Bring In The Spring
This is one of our favourite times of year in the garden – although also the most unpredictable.
Bright clear days can seduce you into feeling like it’s springtime and then a sleety snow shower takes you right back into the murky depths of winter. The weather is a cruel mistress indeed! This year we’re all about the flowers in our garden so keeping one step ahead of the changeable weather is going to be key.
Last year we started out planting a few alpines on a rock that sits at the back of our garden. This year we’re going to keep adding to this to create a backdrop that has colour and interest all year round. Since we started we’ve really enjoyed watching how the alpines from last season have found their home on the seemingly implantable rock.
February can bring strong winds and unforgiving cold – we’ve watched the little plants bend and dance in the wind – but they’re clearly at home. Standing their ground and biding their time for the calmer and warmer times ahead.
To do our bit for these growing plants we’ve been keenly deadheading them and keeping an eye to make sure their not sitting in any pools of water that may collect – they do like good drainage. So far. So good.
What is an Alpine?
The name Alpine, conjures up images of high altitude, rocky slopes and harsh conditions. Quite appropriate really, sat here in Mid Wales. The Alpines we grow in our gardens are usually hardy plants that require really good drainage. Their ability to grow on sheer rock faces is difficult to imagine until you’ve seen them in action! Provided you get them in the right place (some like full sun, others prefer some shade) these plants will flourish and spread across their position creating the most natural looking plants in the most unnatural locations. They make a suitable starter if you’re a beginner and are a great way to make the most hostile of surfaces into a beautifully flowering garden.
Getting organised.
For us it’s still all about clearing up the garden, keeping on top of leaves and other debris that flies into our garden.
We’re also using this time to sort out last year’s seed packets. The great thing about seeds is everything you need to know is written on the back! Who’d have thought! Most of the seed packets we’ve got at the moment have come as freebies on gardening magazines so we’re brushing up on where they like to be planted and at what time of the year. Any that we don’t think will like our conditions are going on a ‘swap’ pile that we’ll take round to our friends in the village over the next few weeks.
Now is also the time to check your soil. You can pick up PH testing kits cheaply and check your own soil. Once you know what you’ve got, you can add different composts and mixes to change the composition. If your soil is dense and holds a lot of water – mixing grit into the soil can improve drainage massively. As always think ahead – work out what sort of plants you’re preparing to plant and prepare the soil accordingly.
Look at what’s working now – and what isn’t!
This is a brilliant time to have a look at what is going to happen in your garden throughout the spring and summer. Plants have had a winter of weather and you can really see which of last year’s new plants are happy in their current location.
So now’s the time to identify gaps in your flowerbeds and planting areas and work out what to put in them. If you know what you’ve got already and what flowers when, you can plan to put in plants that flower at other times to keep your garden looking vibrant all year round. Planting like this is a real skill and it can take a lifetime to master. You can play with flower colours, leaf shapes, plant heights – the only limit is your imagination.
If you’re looking for inspiration visit local show gardens and National Trust gardens to ask the experts what they do. Planting beautiful flower beds full of interest and imagination all year round is one of the most rewarding parts of gardening, and the results can be truly spectacular – so get cracking!
We’d love to see pics of how your gardens are coming along this year! Get in touch by searching ‘Andy and Adam’s’ on Facebook or follow @andyandadams on Twitter.
-
Best Sips For Spring 2015
Ahh… the sweet smell of spring… and it’s coming from my cup. Gone are the evenings of the mulled wines and ciders, the hot toddies, and as much as we want it to be, summer isn’t quite here so it doesn’t seem right to be shoving umbrellas in fruity long drinks with sugared rims… yet.
Here are some sips for spring that I feel match the season perfectly.
It’s also worth mentioning that where reviewed on Amazon these products have scored highly in the 5 star range, as well as the nod from us…
Licor43. Spain’s number 1 selling liqueur, and after tasting this I now know why. A special blend of 43 ingredients, hence its name. For me it is similar to Tuaca (a favourite amongst us Brightonians reading this).
Tussock Jumper Moscato Rose Wine. This light and spritzer-like rosé has great sweet and citrusy flavours making it a perfect fit for a dessert wine. It does have a surprise element to it as you don’t expect it to be bubbly, but it does make a lovely twist.
The Wild Geese Irish Honey Liqueur. A premium smooth whiskey that is blended with 100% pure natural honey.
It really is a smoothy this one and I love the honey element adding a touch of sweetness to a drink that would normally make my face screw up rather unattractively.
Qcumber Sparkling Drink. A refreshing and light sparkling water with no preservatives, artificial colours, sweeteners, or flavouring. Just the natural essence of cucumber infused with fizzy spring water, made here in the UK.
A touch sweet but not overly so. Lovely solo with ice, but this would go amazingly with a pitcher of Pimms. Alternatively, stick your gin in it!
Pimento. With sweet and spicy flavours set to be a food trend for 2015, what’s to not say this combo can’t translate into drinks? Only recently available in the UK, Pimento is an alcohol free ginger beer with a fiery kick.
This is so refreshing and I love how they have captured the chilli element in a strong but not overpowering flavour. If you’re having a night off the sauce then check out their range of mocktail recipes at; www.pimentodrink.com
I love Cawston’s Beetroot & Apple press before exercising, but it’s really great to see Cawston developing their brand further with their new range of vegetable / fruit drinks. 750Ml packs in Sweet Greens, Sunshine Blend, and Radiant Roots varieties. Never from concentrate and all natural. Coming soon to shelves for Spring.
The first sunny evenings of spring always have me heading for a chilled cider. Rekorderlig have a wide range of flavoured ciders for those who like to break the apple norm. A personal favourite is their new limited edition passionflower cider.
Made from passionfruit and Swedish spring water this is one to sip with the sun shining on your face as you dream of the Swedish guy that sadly wasn’t there to serve it to you.
-
HOME | Spring Drinking, Sweet Sips For Spring
Ahh.. the sweet smell of Spring… and it’s coming from my cup. Gone are the evenings of the mulled wines and ciders, the hot toddy’s, and as much as we want it to be, Summer isn’t here and it doesn’t seem quite right to be shoving umbrella’s in fruity long drink things with sugared rims…yet. Here are some sips for Spring that I feel match the season perfectly
It’s also worth mentioning that where reviewed on Amazon these products have scored highly in the 5 star range, as well as the nod from us…
The Wild Geese Irish Honey Liqueur
The rise of the hive. Bees are extremely popular at the moment. Symbolically a honey bee represents immortality and resurrection, but the benefits of the bee continue to make health news more recently with people taking bee pollen and propolis as health supplements.
However, A slightly more fun approach on bee product trends comes in the form of The Wild Geese Irish Honey Liqueur. A premium smooth whiskey that is blended with 100% pure natural honey.
It really is a smoothy this one and I love the honey element adding a touch of sweetness to a drink that would normally make my face screw up rather unattractively.
£25.99 70cl bottle, TheDrinkShop.com
Licor43
Spain’s number 1 selling liqueur. And after tasting this, I now know why. A special blend of 43 ingredients, hence it’s name. For me it is similar to Tuaca (a favourite amongst us Brightonians reading this). However, I would now favour Licor43 as there is no after-burn and the main flavour note is vanilla without it being overly sickly sweet.
This is perfect chilled, sipped slow, taken as a shot or why not try adding to Prosecco to create the L43 Royal, perfect for a Spring soiree :
Ingredients
- 25ml Licor 43
- 1tsp rindless marmalade
- Dash of prosecco
Method
Mix the Licor 43 and marmalade in the bottom of a champagne flute, top with prosecco and stir.
Licor 43 is available in selected Asda stores nationwide and from www.drinksupermarket.com with a RRP of £17.50 – £17.99.
-
RECIPE | Black Quinoa with Beetroot & Pistachios
Serves 2 | Prep 5 mins | Cook 15-20 mins
Side Dish / Gluten Free / Iron Packed / Digestion Helper
This is a recipe that manifested out of me suddenly realising I had forgotten an essential ingredient whilst at the shop for the original side dish I had planned! My forgetfulness and inability to stick to a list has often landed me in prime opportunities for a creative quickie in the kitchen. The crunchy quinoa and pistachios are tossed with silky earthy beetroot and fresh parsley. The natural flavours of this dish are essentially earthy & mellow, so this would be best suited with the main part of the meal having a sharp distinctive flavour. Why not try it with Lemon & Garlic Roasted Halloumi.
BLACK QUINOA – Quinoa is a fantastic source of protein, especially for those that avoid eating meats. Quinoa is classed as a complete protein, meaning that it contains all 10 essential amino acids which you can normally only find within animal product. As well as providing a good supply of dietary fibre, (1 cup of) black quinoa will also supply 20% of your daily intake of folate (a B-vitamin essential for skin, liver, eyes, and hair), and 15% of Iron (red blood cells need this to carry oxygen around in the body). (SOURCE: http://www.livestrong.com/article/497045-benefits-of-black-quinoa/ )
BEETROOT- Beetroot are high in potassium, magnesium, iron, vitamin A, B6, C, folic acid and anti-oxidants. (SOURCE http://www.webmd.boots.com/healthy-eating/guide/beetroot-benefits ) The nitrates in beetroot help lower blood pressure and may help heart disease. (SOURCE http://www.undergroundhealth.com/12-healthiest-foods-on-earth/ )
PISTACHIOS – Rich in mono-unsaturated fats like oleic acid make the pistachio nut a good source of anti-oxidants. Pistachio nuts also contain carotenes, vitamin E, polyphenolic anti-oxidant compounds which help remove free-radicals from the body. They are also rich in the essentials for boosting our immune system; copper, manganese, iron, zinc and selenium. (SOURCE: http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/pistachio.html )
Pistachios also contain potassium which will work alongside the fibre in the quinoa to aid healthy digestion.
PARSLEY – The vitamin C content is higher than oranges (53% of your recommended daily intake in 30g of fresh parsley). Within the same 30g you will get 553% of your daily intake for vitamin K (healthy bones). It’s packed full of antioxidants, vitamin A, folate, iron. and can help neutralize carcinogens. It’s also great at neutralizing garlic breath! (SOURCE: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=100 )
Containing a high amount of enzymes, parsley benefits healthy digestive activity .
Ingredients.
150g black quinoa
150g beetroot, cooked in natural juices, cubed
30g pistachios, bashed
Bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped
Olive oil
Pinch of pepper
Method.
- Cook the quinoa according to packet instructions in simmering water (15-20 mins).
- Drain the quinoa and rinse under the cold tap in a sieve.
- Mix together all the ingredients in a bowl along with a tablespoon of olive oil. Serve.
-
Can Am Spyder F3-S, Best thing out of Canada since Celine Dion
Is it a car? Not really. Is it a motorbike? Definitely not. So what is it? Only the best thing to come out Canada since Celine Dion, the Can Am Spyder F3-S.
Beneath the outlandish bodywork sits a grunty 1330cc 3 cylinder engine pushing out 115bhp through a 6 speed gearbox. While 115bhp is a bit underwhelming in a car, the Spyder weighs less than 500kgs complete with this particular rider. That translates to 0-60 mph in 4.8 seconds or about the same as an Aston Martin V8 Vantage, happy days. Cranking the hand operated throttle open fully for the first time confirms there’s some lead in its pencil. Keep it pinned past 4500 rpm and things get plain silly. I’ve never driven or ridden anything that can overtake as quickly as this.
To keep you safe with all this performance, Can Am have added their Vehicle Stability System (VSS). It knows when you do something stupid and then sorts it out with electronic witchcraft. Don’t get me wrong, you don’t suddenly become impervious to harm but at no point during the test did I feel any sense of impending doom. This included one near brown trouser moment involving a mountain road, a sheep and a hard stop from the far side of 60mph. Even with plenty of bumps the F3-S stopped perfectly straight and with plenty of time to spare. Brake fade was never an issue either. Having two wheels up front also means the Spyder won’t topple over under heavy cornering.
One thing you have to get used to quickly is being the centre of attention wherever you go. Sitting in traffic, cars travelling the opposite direction were slowing and stopping just to catch a better look while pedestrian’s heads spin round wherever you go. If the standard looks aren’t individual enough, there are a range of packages to customise the look of your machine. The test vehicle pictured has the ‘Muscle Attitude’ package bringing matt black stripes, Akrapovič silencer (particularly epic in tunnels), a small spoiler, additional lights and a couple of other trinkets.
To ride/drive/pilot, the F3-S never fully feels like a bike due to the width and the fact you don’t lean it into a corner. It never fully feels like a car either due to the handlebars and riding position. What you do get is the feeling of openness you get on a bike but with a feeling of increased security thanks to the two front wheels and VSS. For cruising this is ideal as the great visibility coupled to the comfortable and fully adjustable riding position means you can ride for hours with surprising ease. Even after a day of riding on a mixture of dual carriageways, country lanes and mountain passes I still felt I could jump back in the saddle and do it all over again.
Naturally there are some downsides. The VSS is barely noticeable 99% of the time but can be intrusive if you’re really on it. On track the brakes could come on abruptly and almost stop the F3-S if your corner entry was too ambitious. Wannabe drifters will be disappointed too, some wagging of the tail can be felt but never enough to warrant much more than a twitch of opposite lock before the traction control stepped in. If I’m nit-picking, the horn button was also too close to the indicators, causing the odd embarrassing honk in towns. It’s not cheap either, the RRP of the F3 starts at £15,999 while the F3-S model tested was £18,399 including the optional and very good semi-automatic gearbox.
So, what to make of it then? To compare it directly to a car or bike seems a bit unfair as at the end of the day it is more of a weekend toy than serious transport solution. Take practicality out of it and the Spyder does start to make sense. At £18k, no other new vehicle will turn as many heads or be as crushingly rapid in a package that could be handled by a relative novice. As for the on limit handling and electronic intervention, I think it’s fair to say balls out is not the Spyder’s preferred pace. Back things off a little and it impresses with its combination of acceleration, comfort and stability. As a totally unique, well made, surefooted cruiser that just happens to be mind scrambling fast in a straight line, the Can Am Spyder F3-S is a hell of a machine.
-
The Week In Cars: Geneva Gems
After weeks of dribbled information and teaser images, the Geneva Motor Show 2015 is now in full swing With major launches from manufacturers across the globe, it’s been tough to call my top 10. From sportscars to 4x4s and even a 6×6, there’s something for everyone here.
-
Gay Fans Of World Cup Football May Face Humiliating Tests By Qatar
LGBT football fans who may want to attend the 2022 World cup, due to take place in Qatar may face humiliating tests in order to enter the country, in which being gay is illegal.
Despite a number of worrying questions over human rights, Qatar has been awarded the hosting obligations for the World cup in 2022, by FIFA.
Currently, gay men face between one and three years in prison if caught. In November 2014, the Qatari sports minister said that the country would find “Creative” solutions to gay people. He told AP, “It’s exactly like the alcohol question.”
“[Qatar doesn’t want to create] this impression, illusion that we don’t care about our tradition and our ethical values.
“We are studying all these issues. We can adapt, we can be creative to have people coming and enjoying the games without losing the essence of our culture and respecting the preference of the people coming here.
“I think there is a lot we can do.”
It has been suggested that members of the Gulf Cooperation Countries, which include; Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are developing a test that will be able to detect the sexuality of visitors to its countries.
The test was first reported on in 2013 after Kuwait’s director of public health Yousouf Mindkar said, “gays will be barred.”
Speaking to Kuwait Newspaper Al Rai, he said, “Health centres conduct the routine medical check to assess the health of the expatriates when they come into the GCC countries. However, we will take stricter measures that will help us detect gays who will be then barred from entering Kuwait or any of the GCC member states.”
Gay rights groups have criticised FIFA for choosing Qatar to host the event.
An advertising ‘modesty’ campaign has already begun teaching visitors to the nation about acceptable behaviour including what and whatnot to wear, with the slogan, “If You Are In Qatar You Are One of Us…”
Today the FIFA taskforce has recommended that the World cup event should take place in November and December due to concerns regarding the health of player and spectators, who are unaccustomed to temperatures that can exceed 40C in the summer months.
-
Geneva Motor Show Preview: Ten Star Cars
Between the 5th and 15th of March, Geneva in Switzerland will be home to the first major European auto show of the year. Although we are still a couple of weeks away, there have already been some major announcements. Here’s my top ten.