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  • Fashion Faux Pas – Footwear

    There was a time man walked the earth barefoot, of course at that time man didn’t bathe, wore a loincloth and carried a club around with them.

    In today’s society man can do almost anything and can walk the earth in as many different styles of footwear as his heart so desires; Brogues, Loafers, Boots, Trainers, the list goes on. What’s the saying? ‘Give a guy the right pair of Penny Loafers and he can conquer the world?’ I’m sure it goes something like that. Why then, do I see so many guys wondering this planet wearing the most god-awful things on their feet? It’s almost like they woke up and strapped my version of hell to their ankles and thought ‘sod it! That will do,’ no boys, no!

    To help you avoid this tragic mess here’s a few mistakes to avoid!

    1, Crocs – I don’t care how comfy you say they are if you aren’t 5 years old or under it’s not cute! Originally created in 2002 they unfortunately and for reasons unknown to me took the world by storm however, they look cheap, frumpy and scream cheap tourist. When I thought it couldn’t get any worse in 2006 they invented Crocs Jewellery, otherwise known as ‘Jibbitz.’ So if you have no life or self-respect you can stick hello kitty charms to your toes. Jewellery for your goddamn Crocs, vom!

    2, Uggs (Muggs?) – A guy wearing Ugg Boots could quite possibly put me off a guy all together. Picture this, your first encounter in your dates bedroom and things are getting hot and steamy. You look over his shoulder and spot a pair of Ugg Boots amongst his footwear collection. Automatically this guy goes from hot to flaccid and the mood is dead! Ugg Boots on women, yes, Ugg Boots on men, no. You’re very welcome.

    3, Socks with Sandals – This one honestly just makes me laugh. Old Romans wore socks with sandals over 2000 years ago, where the trend should have died, but unfortunately it has become a popular faux pas among middle-aged men who’ve seemingly given up on style altogether.

    The sock and sandal combo is when a guy will for reasons better known to himself wear a pair of (usually beige) socks underneath the ugliest pair for sandals known to the 99p store. Perhaps he is super cold but loves his sandals too much? Perhaps he dressed in the dark? We will never know, only grimace.

    A FINAL NOTE
    If your footwear reflects any of the 3 examples above do not panic, this can be easily rectified with a trip to Westfield for a day of shopping. If you want advice regarding footwear you should have in your collection then let me know in the comment section and I will do my best to help you out!

  • Tom Daley Gets The Google Maps Treatment

    Google we love you…

    Google has added a picture of Tom Daley to its Maps – and gives users an opportunity to look around the diving board at 2012 LondonAquatic Centre.

    The shoot was done by idealinsight.co.uk, who have made a virtual tour of the Olympic venue. A statement on their website said:

    ‘The purpose of the project was to showcase the London Aquatics Centre’s incredible facilities to prospective customers and the general public in an interactive, engaging and stimulating way!

    Viewing the Google virtual tour brings the centre to life to help inspire visits and enables those who are simply curious to explore a famous London Olympic venue that saw world records literally smashed out of the water!’

  • How to lose the last few KILOS

    Darren Liddy, 27, has come a long way since 2011 when he embarked on a journey to lose over 7 stone.

    He says: ‘Generally I eat healthy, but I seem to be stuck in a rut as far as losing weight/body fat is concerned.

    At the minute I weigh 227lbs, I want to get down to at least 200lbs. But I can’t shift my last 27lbs. I’ve been on my own fitness journey for a year now, I started at 294lbs and as proud as I am of what I’ve achieved so far, I’m still not happy. I need to achieve my goal of being 200lbs so I can focus on getting the body of my dreams.’

    We’ve asked expert nutritionist Robert Hodson from Nutrition Expert to help Darren reach his goal.

    My first thing to say to you would be, don’t lose heart! You have already lost 67lbs which is a fantastic achievement. I know it can be frustrating, but weight loss plateaus are normal and do happen, however diligent you are with your eating & exercise regime. However, that’s not to say that there aren’t things that you can do to help kick start the weight loss once again.

    You’ve provided me with your current weight, but I wonder whether you have had your body fat % measured? If you haven’t, I highly recommend you do, as measuring and keeping a record of this will give you a much better indicator of how you’re doing. Simply monitoring your weight does not differentiate between changes in fat, muscle and water. If you are exercising regularly you are likely to be building muscle mass, and as muscle weighs more than fat, you could be burning fat but this not always registering on the scales.

    As you lose weight, not only does it become naturally harder to lose, but your metabolism slows down too. Because of this, your daily calorie requirements become lower, so this may be a good time to revisit your portion sizes. I would recommend switching from having 3 large meals a day, to 6 smaller meals. If this seems time-consuming, one idea may be to make your lunch as usual (for example), and split it into 2 portions. Regular eating will keep your metabolism fired up, and it will also make it easier to control your portion sizes and prevent overeating, as you will never be eating when you are really hungry. It is also important that you take time over your meals. It takes 20 minutes for your stomach to start to tell the brain that it’s full, so by chewing slowly and pausing between mouthfuls you will become much more in tune with your bodies hunger signals.

    Your current diet looks well balanced, and it’s great that you are getting a good source of protein into dinner every day in the form of fish or meat. Protein is great for satiety (it keeps you full up!) and it also promotes lean muscle tissue, which is beneficial for fat burning. It would be great if you could boost your breakfast with a bit more protein, and here are a few ideas of how to do this:

    • Top your porridge with nuts and seeds (such as almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds)
    • Have an egg-based breakfast e.g. 2 poached eggs on a slice of wholemeal toast or a mushroom omelette
    • Treat yourself to a cooked breakfast at weekends- 2 eggs (scrambled or poached), 2 slices of bacon, grilled mushrooms and tomatoes

    For lunches, make sure that your salad or sandwich (always choose wholegrain bread!) includes a good source of protein in the form of lean meat, fish, eggs, beans or pulses. You can also mix this up a bit by opting for a chunky soup- most supermarkets and coffee shops do good options now. Be wary of low-fat yoghurts as they often replace the fat with added sugars (this tends to be the case with many low-fat products).

    The healthier option is to opt for natural full-fat probiotic yoghurt, with some fresh fruit.

    At dinner, fill up on vegetables (particularly the green, leafy ones- broccoli, cabbage, spinach, kale) – these should always take up at least half your plate. Try switching your potatoes for sweet potatoes, and try quinoa as a high-protein alternative to rice. Finally, good luck, and keep us posted!

    Robert Hobson is a registered nutritionist and qualified trainer for the Royal Society of Public Health. He’s over 15 years experience in consulting people or organisations in food and nutrition. He has a BSc in Human Nutrition as well as an MSc in Public Health Nutrition. He used to work for the NHS promoting healthy eating and has specialised in helping government organisations meet nutritional standards and legislation.

  • Gay Marriage – The Fast Facts

    Same sex couples not in an existing legal partnership will be able to give notice of marriage from Thursday 13 March 2014, with the first marriages to take place on Saturday 29 March.

    Here are the key legal facts about marriage between same sex couples from Joanne Clark at law firm Lester Aldridge

    The majority of the provisions of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 come into force on 13 March 2014.

    In general terms, the law of England and Wales will apply in the same way to a marriage which has taken place between same sex couples as to a marriage between opposite sex couples.

    Married persons of the same sex will not be able to divorce on grounds of adultery or to have their marriage annulled on grounds of non-consummation.

    An existing civil partnership does not automatically become a marriage when the new Act comes into force but civil partners may choose to convert it.

    When a civil partnership is converted into a marriage, the civil partnership will end and the marriage will be treated as though it had existed from the date of the civil partnership. However, the regulations which will provide the procedure for converting a civil partnership into a marriage have not yet been made.

    Currently, the Civil Partnership Act provides that no religious service can be used at the signing of a civil partnership document. The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act however permits the marriage of a same sex couple in any appropriately registered building.

    There is provision in the new Act for same sex marriages contracted under foreign law to be recognised as marriages in England and Wales. This applies to existing marriages as well as those entered into in the future.

    No provision is made for civil partnerships entered into according to foreign laws to be converted into a same sex marriage.

    The intestacy rules will also apply to same sex married couples so that a spouse of a same sex marriage will benefit from their husband or wife’s estate.

  • COWELL: James Arthur Should Have Shut Up

    Simon Cowell has his claws out for past winners, Sam and James Arthur

    So it’s been announced that Simon Cowell and Cheryl will be returning to XFactor this year and Mr Cowell is wasting no time reminding people why they love him in the first place. He’s a complete bitch! Well done that man.

    First he had a swipe at Sam Bailey, he doesn’t hold out much hope for success it seems after it was reported in the Metro he said:

    Sam, we will wait and see,

    ‘She will have a very successful debut album. (Is she) going to be as good as the final year we did? No. That was a very special year. I would love to find another Olly Murs or something similar to Olly.’

    But it was on James Arthur he truly vented saying:

    ‘I think James, unfortunately, has had so many issues with what he has done publicly – which is a real issue with me. Somebody should have told him to shut up and just put the records out.’

    Last year James Arthur caused controversy after using an anti-gay slur in a rap he recorded in retaliation to a diss he received from an online troll.

     

  • INTERVIEW | Cheryl Baker

    We catch up with the gorgeously camp and ever youthful Cheryl Baker. Famous for ‘that’ skirt moment, winning Eurovision, Christmas Top of The Pops and co-hosting Record Breakers. Cheryl we bow down to thee….

    What is your favourite moment from your career?
    Winning Eurovision, without question, as that was always my ambition as a child. Eurovision is like the Olympic Gold of pop music, so to win that was amazing. Personally, though, my favourite moment was singing Mary’s Boy Child on stage with my sister when I was a teenager as that was when I decided I wanted to be on stage.

    Comparing Eurovision to the Olympics – no wonder you’re such a legend.

    What has been your campest moment?
    Again, winning Eurovision! And, when we did Christmas Top of the Pops, I was dressed as a Pixie for The Land of Make Believe. When we sang “run for the sun”, I was hoisted up in the air. It was pure pantomime and fabulous.

    Flying pixies on Christmas TOTP – 10 out of 10!

    What’s the most outrageous thing a fan has ever said / sent to you?
    Oh, that’s easy! I get hay-fever really badly and, one time, this girl asked me for my tissue. I said “No! It’s full of snot!” She just said “But it’s your snot!” Yuk!

    Erm.. VILE! Oh. My. God.

    Have you ever used your fame to get into a VIP area (don’t you know who I am)?
    No! I can’t stand that. I hate it so much. A really good friend, who I love dearly, bought me tickets for My Fair Lady at the National. She said to me we should go to the after-party, I said “No, I haven’t been invited.” but she just said “They’ll let you in; you’re Cheryl Baker!” I remember when I was in Co-Co in 1977, I was in a restaurant called The White Elephant on the River – everyone went there, it was the place to be. Davy Jones from the Monkees came in, and he was my idol, as that was my era. They said “I’m terribly sorry, Mr Jones, but there are no tables.” and he actually said “Don’t you know who I am?” and my heart just sank. He was my idol.

    We love a diva, but we love an unassuming one even more.

    What was the most breathtaking record you saw broken on Record Breakers?
    Roy Castle did the longest wing-walk. They wanted me to do it too. I tried for about 10 minutes but it was hell. Roy was terrified of heights but that’s how he dealt with his fears – by facing them. We both did the longest rope slide, from the top of Blackpool Tower, although that record was beaten shortly after by the Marines. We were both terrified. I raise my hat to Roy – so many of the records were about him facing his phobias.

    Why do you think the gays love Eurovision so much?
    I don’t know but I’m so glad they do! They love everything I love – musical theatre, pop music, Eurovision. I’m like a gay man. If I was a man, I would definitely be gay.

    Never change. Ever.

    What does it mean to you to be a gay icon?
    It means I have a real loyal following that say lovely things. They call me Dame Cheryl, which I love, even though it sounds a bit old! Gays are very happy to wear their heart on their sleeve. If they like something that other people say is camp or twee, they don’t care. Gay men and women are not afraid to come out and say they like something, and just be themselves.

    Dame Cheryl; we salute you. Gay Icon, Eurovision legend and Bethnal Green’s campest export. ∎

    Cheryl Baker currently appears as Mrs Cunningham in the UK tour of ‘Happy Days the Musical’. Tour dates and tickets from happydaysthemusical.com

  • Polari Salon Returns To Southbank On 17th March

    Paul Burston’s Polari Literary Salon returns on Monday 17th March.

    On the 17th March, Paul Burston’s Polari Literary Salon returns to the Southbank Centre in London and will have readings from leading gay and lesbian authors Maureen Duffy, Angela Clerkin, Andrew Asibong, Nicolas Collins and Carl Stanley.

    Maureen Duffy heads the bill. A leading lesbian author and poet, her many novels include the classic The Microcosm.

    Her latest, In Times Like These, is a fable that puts politics to its ultimate test. Jill Gardiner describes it as ‘a pacy, exciting read, centered around an out-lesbian MP and her artist girlfriend, whose well-established relationship is very much of our times.’

    Paul Burston’s celebrated Polari salon provides a platform for new and emerging LGBT literary talent and showcases the very best in queer writing.

    Weston Pavilion at Royal Festival Hall

    At the end of 2013, Time Out announced that it was to cut the LGBT Listings pages from its printed edition in London – the section was edited by Paul Burston.

  • Game Of Throne Actor Kristian Nairn Comes Out As Gay

    Game Of Thrones Actor Kristian Nairns Comes Out As Gay

    • Actor says he’s never tried to hide his sexuality
    • Has tried in the past to lead interviewers into asking him about being gay
    • Stars in the HBO drama Game Of Thrones

    The actor who plays the gentle giant Hador in the Game Of Thrones series has come out as gay in an interview on the Game of Thrones fan site winteriscoming.net.

    The 38-year-old said:

    ‘Well, in all honesty, when you talk about ‘the gay community’, you are talking about my community.

    ‘I am aware of it yeah, and I think it’s really lovely.

    ‘There’s not a day that I don’t get a few messages, but 99 per cent or more are super sweet and nothing smutty at all.’

    Nairn has never tried to hide his sexuality and has in fact try to lead interviewers to ask him.

    ‘I’ve never hidden my sexuality from anyone, my whole life in fact, and I’ve been waiting for someone to ask about it in an interview, because it’s not something you just blurt out.

    ‘I’ve tried to lead the questions a few times, to no avail.’

  • HOTEL REVIEW | Rica Hotel, Alta, Norway

    One of the best breakfasts I’ve ever had.

    If you happen to find yourself in Alta, in Norway, perhaps to see the Northern Lights or visit the world famous Ice Hotel, we suggest you check out the RICA Hotel, one of the two hotels available in one of the western world’s most northern cities.

    The Rica Hotels chain is unknown in the UK, but has 80 locations in Norway.

    Clean, modern lines await you as you check into the Hotel and all of the 241 rooms, set over 5 floors are comfortable and include a great bed and comfortable cushions.

    Check out is late – at 12:00PM and you can check in from 3PM. Rooms at the front of the hotel are afforded a stunning view of the mountains and the Northern Lights Cathedral, an amazing piece of modern architecture.

    There’s also a Saunas and Solarium – which should help you warm up from the arctic conditions outside the hotel. Temperatures can reach a staggering minus 20 degrees.

    What sets this hotel apart is the rather glorious food, especially the breakfast, which can, at some chains, be an insipid experience, however at the Rica it is one of the most pleasurable features. Wonderful and I’ve never had scrambled eggs like it.

    The evening meal was also just as delightful – and as a vegetarian the staff were more than accommodating with meal suggestions and ideas.

    And for those of you who need Internet, there is free Wifi – and it’s fast!

    Rooms from £104 per night (January 2015)

    http://www.rica-hotels.com

  • Gay Men Who Have Been Assaulted In Soho Asked To Contact Police

    Detectives in Ealing are appealing to members of the male gay community, who have been befriended in the Soho area of London and then assaulted or robbed either nearby or outside of central London, to contact them.

    • Gay Males are being targeted and the robbed in the Soho area in London
    • Men have been robbed and or assaulted
    • Police urge gay males who have had this done to them to come forward.

    Acting Detective Inspector Nick Doherty said: “If you have been a victim to this type of crime and it has previously gone unreported, I urge you to come forward and tell police. I believe they may be victims within the gay community who have been targeted and subjected to these attacks and I am determined to bring the person responsible to justice”

    If you are or know of anyone who has been a victim of this type of crime, please contact Ealing CID on 020 8721 7050 / 07824 598 361 or 101. Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org. Please quote reference 2505191/13.

    All calls are treated confidentially and with the utmost sensitivity.

  • ALBUM REVIEW | Kylie, Kiss Me Once

    ★★★★ |  Kylie, Kiss Me Once

    The shimmering pop queen is back with a confident new update to her sound, she’s also feeling sexy and she wants you to know it!

    INTO THE BLUE:
    After a year of chucking out some promo singles, Kylie is back to business good and proper, with the lead single from Kiss Me Once. An epic stringed euphoric song in the same vein as All The Lovers and one the few “Kylie” songs on the album. ★★★

    MILLION MILES:
    Guitar intro alert! Don’t panic about 13 seconds later along comes the big throbbing beat to reassure you everything is going to be OK. A dance-pop guitar pop infused banger that wouldn’t sound out of place on the “Fever” / “Light Years” album. A song about feeling detached from any sexual activity and enjoying it! ★★★★

    I WAS GONNA CANCEL:
    Also known as that Pharrell produced song, and you can tell! His trademark cowbell sound signature funky basslines are all in place, the addition of some electro beats, a ghostly choir that pops up elevates the song and like much of the album it rattles along at a fair pace, so it doesn’t out stay its welcome. ★★★

    SEXY LOVE:
    This is another song that starts off very Kylie, and it really wouldn’t sound out of place on the “Fever” album, it also wouldn’t sound out of place on Daft Punks “Random Access Memories”. It’s fun, it’s frothy, it’s flirty and it’s precisely the kind of dance-pop that Kylie does so well. ★★★★

    SEXERCISE:
    Sound the co-written by Sia Klaxon. An interesting track for both Kylie and Sia, a sexual innuendo laden offering that starts off with some lovely airy strings and then comes in the chunky dub-step flecked bassline. It’s perfectly matched with the whole tone of the lyrics. It IS going to divide a lot of her long term fans, you will either love it or hate it. I love it! ★★★★

    FEELS SO GOOD:
    A cover of the little known song Indiana by Tom Aspaul and produced by the uber trendy MNEK (who has just score a Top 5 hit with his latest single) It just seems like it belongs to Kylie, it’s perfect for her, again it’s that kind of fluttering breathless dance-pop that she does so well, and it’s a nice juxtaposition to the down and dirty affair of the previous track. An album highlight. ★★★★

    IF ONLY:
    Don’t panic your CD / Download isn’t warped! This a stuttering beat infused electro “ballad” It’s big sounding and the marching beat with futuristic synths come together to make something pretty unique and addictve. The chorus is huge btw, it’s the song I have been singing most after listening. ★★★★

    LES SEX:
    Starting off with some clockwork style beats (that remain throughout the track), it bursts into life a few seconds later and it doesn’t stop! It’s the only real cheeky wink to camp Kylie, and it feels like a very modern successor to her camp classic Your Disco Needs You. Weird electro-frog noises, big giant electro riffs, processed snatches of vocals, it’s all a bit bonkers really. It is a song that was made to be performed live and will probably be one of the highlights of her upcoming tour. ★★★

    KISS ME ONCE:
    The album’s title track is once again co-written by Sia, in fact after the very first sentence and after verse you will want to burst into a quick chant of “Tiataniummmmmm” This is properly brilliant. It sounds like a classic “SAW” produced track but with very modern bells and whistles attached, and it’s probably the most “Kylie” song on the whole album. And after all the flirty sex infused songs it’s nice to have a song about love conquering all. ★★★★★

    BEAUTIFUL
    Also known as the duet with Enrique Iglesias, and considering he is about to have a massive Top 5 hit with his new single, it’s perfect timing. It’s very electronic and the chorus is undeniably huge and it literally erupts out of nowhere, but the robotic vocodered vocals of the verses are really grating. It’s a very bold move and it definitely stands out and as a future single it may be just the song to get Kylie noticed again. Again it’s going to divide a lot of people. ★★★

    FINE:
    Saving the best for last? This ain’t no sad ballad album closer! It’s a nice 90’s house influenced solid dance-pop banger, the surprise stuttering looped male vocals as found on many of the biggest dance hits of the past year really help give this a very modern feel and it’s a great ending to the album. ★★★★★

    Overall this is perhaps the best Kylie album of her career, it’s modern without sounding try-hard and she seems refreshed and she sounds like she is absolutely loving singing it. It’s a great update to her “sound” and has a high replay factor, which is great since the sunny days are a coming!

    Into the Blue is out now to buy and “Kiss Me Once” is released next week March 17th and comes in a standard edition and deluxe edition.
    Buy Into the Blue here
    Order Kiss Me Once From iTunes here or from Amazon here

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