Tuesday, 19 September 2023

Christmas Cocktails - Add a Touch of Magic and Elegance to Your Festive Celebrations

With the expert assistance of Devon's very own multiple award-winning Salcombe Gin, you'll be able to add more than a touch of class and magic to your Christmas and New Year festive celebrations this year with two stunning cocktails curated by the expert distillers at Salcombe Distilling Co. 

Whether you'll all be gathered 'round the festive fireplace with loved ones, or hosting a merry Christmas soirée for your friends and neighbours, Salcombe Gin's Christmas cocktails are the genuinely ultimate indulgence to make your Yuletide festivities sparkle and glitter.

'The Wanderer' features the multi-award winning classic citrus forward Salcombe Gin 'Start Point' and 'Southern Sky' features the equally excellent and highly decorated Salcombe Gin 'Rosé Sainte Marie', a dry rose gin with no sugar added.


'The Wanderer'

This elegant and wintery take on a classic Martinez is the perfect Christmas Eve tipple. 'The Wanderer' combines the complex flavours of Salcombe Gin 'Start Point' with seasonal notes of pine syrup and festive spice from the vermouth.

50ml Salcombe Gin 'Start Point'

15ml Knightor Rosso Vermouth

10ml William Fox Pine Syrup

2 dashes Angostura bitters

Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. Bourbon Cocktail Cherry to garnish

Chill a Nick and Nora glass with ice and place to one side

Place the 'Start Point', Vermouth, pine syrup and Angostura bitters into a cocktail shaker, fill with ice and shake vigorously for 15 seconds

Remove the ice from the Nick and Nora glass, and use a hawthorn strainer to strain the mixture into the glass

Garnish with a cocktail cherry, leaving the stem on


'Southern Sky'

A celebration of sophistication. 'Southern Sky' is a delicate balance of Salcombe Gin Rosé Sainte Marie's floral and red berry sweetness, with the cherry citrus of Knightor Rosé Vermouth and sharp raspberry of Chambord, infused with an earthy thyme backbone. Its glorious peach colour is reminiscent of a low winter sunset over the Mediterranean Sea.

25ml Salcombe Gin 'Rosé Sainte Marie'

15ml Knightor Rosé Vermouth

15ml Thyme infused Chambord*

Champagne to top up

Chill a Champagne saucer with ice and place to one side

Place the 'Rosé  Sainte Marie', vermouth and thyme infused Chambord into a mixing jug, fill with ice and stir with a bar spoon for 20 seconds

Remove the ice from the champagne saucer and use a julep strainer to strain the mic into the glass

Top with your favourite Champagne

*To make the thyme infused Chambord, add 3 sprigs of thyme to half a bottle of Chambord and leave in the fridge for four days, shaking every day. Strain through a fine mesh sieve to carefully remove the thyme.

Enjoy these exceptional creations safe in the knowledge that every bottle of Salcombe Gin sold makes our oceans healthier, with 1% of the UK net sales revenue donated to the Marine Conservation Society to protect and regenerate precious ocean habitats.

For further information about Salcombe Gin, visit www.salcombegin.com, follow SalcombeGin on Instagram and Facebook. 

Monday, 18 September 2023

Sunday, 17 September 2023

Leake Street venue added by Camm and Hooper

London-based events company Camm & Hooper has expanded its venue portfolio with the addition of 26 Leake Street, which is an absolutely stunning 11,000 sq. ft. post-industrial space located in London’s South Bank. 

The venue features three beautifully renovated railway arches beneath Waterloo station and can accommodate up to 1,200 guests. With its exposed brickwork and cool, eerie atmosphere, 26 Leake Street provides a blank canvas that can be transformed for a wide range of events.

The venue’s unique aesthetic makes it the perfect setting for immersive and experiential events, such as film premier parties, brand activations, fashion shows, music events, or corporate functions. This latest addition to Camm & Hooper’s rapidly growing venue portfolio is a testament to the resilience of the events industry.

Camm & Hooper’s CEO, Derick Martin, said, "We're really delighted to have acquired 26 Leake Street, which joins our versatile London venue portfolio. 

"We now have a venue to suit every occasion, from the Grade II listed Banking Hall and the award-winning Victorian Bath House to South Bank's OXO2 and our newly launched Tanner Warehouse - all beautiful and unique in their own right. 

The aesthetic of the Waterloo arches provides that all-important dramatic backdrop for show-stopping events of every shape and size, with a capacity to cater for up to 1200 guests. Whether it's hosting film premier parties, brand activations, fashion shows, music events, or corporate functions, we are thrilled about this latest expansion to our venue portfolio. Its rapid growth is a testament to the resilience of the events industry and the great team behind the Camm & Hooper brand."

https://cammhooper.com

Friday, 15 September 2023

Haier UK recently launched its first range of small kitchen appliances that are ideal Christmas gifts

Haier UK recently launched its first range of small kitchen appliances that are ideal Christmas gifts. And here they are!

That's Christmas believes that these will make excellent Christmas gifts for the home chefs in your life!

KDSA Blender  

SSP £179.99 October launch

Power: 1200W

Multi-serve Jug:

Capacity: 1.7L Glass

Blades: 6

Personal Cup: 

Capacity: 0.6L Tritan Plastic

Blades: 4

Automatic Programmes: 

Ice Crushing, Smoothie and Auto-clean

Manuel Variable Speeds: 5
Pulse Function: Yes
Grab Handle with Safety Protection System
Dishwasher Safe: Jug, Personal Cup, Blades and Accessories
Accessories: 2in1 Tamper Spatula, Personal Cup and Lid
Main Body Material: Metal

KDSA Chopper 

SSP £79.99 October launch

Power: 550W

Capacity: 0.5L

Material: Glass

Blades: 4

Removable Blades: Yes

Variable Pulsing Power: Yes Dishwasher Safe: Bowl and Blades 

Main Body Material: Metal


KDSA Hand Blender SSP 

£129.99 October launch


Power: 1000W

Metal Blender

Dual Whisks

Potato Masher

Chopper:
Capacity: 0.5L

Material: Glass

Blades: 4

Removable Blades: Yes

KDSA Kettle 

SSP £119.00 October launch


Power: 3000W

Max Capacity: 1.7L

Max Cups: 7 Cups

Min. Capacity: 0.25L

Min. Cup: 1 Cup

Precise Temperature: 40-100°C 

Removable Lid: Yes 

Lid Opening: 13cm 

Removable filter: Yes

Washable filter: Yes

Internal Gauge: Yes 

Gauge indication: Cups/L

Sound Alert: Yes

Main Body Material: Metal


KDSA Multi Beverage device
 
SSP £149.99 November launch

Power: 700W

Capacity: 0.35L

Programmes: Hot Foam, Cold Foam, Hot Milk, Coffee, Tea, Hot Chocolate and Infusion

Internal Gauge: Yes

Non-stick Coating: Yes

LED Touch Controls

Accessories: Metal Filter, Cleaning Brush, Doser

Main Body Material: Metal


KDSA Toaster 

SSP £119.99 October launch

Power: 3000W

Slots: 2

Slots Depth: 15cm

Slot Width: 3.5cm

Automatic Functions:

Small Bread – Prevent burning

Crispy Side – Toasted inside and soft outside

Favourite – Programmable memory function

Toasting Levels: 7 Levels

High Lift Lever: Up to 3cm lift

Lift & Look: Check the toasting progress without cancelling. 

Full LED Touch Panel Control

Cord Storage: Yes

Accessories: Anti-dust lid (My wife has declared this innovation to be one of the best she has ever seen!)

Main Body Material: Metal

To learn more and to check out their other stunning kitchen products (fridges, freezers, washing machines, tumble dryers, wine coolers, etc, etc.) visit https://www.haier-europe.com/en_GB

STABILO has your gifting Christmas covered

This Christmas, STABILO has stocking fillers all wrapped up! With STABILO you can gift your loved ones a wide range of STABILO products to help their inspiration and boost their creativity flourish.

Brighten up the festive season by using the STABILO Boss Original Highlighters. These iconic highlighters come in a variety of perfect, eye-catching colours perfect for organising and studying,  making them a perfect gift for professionals and students alike.

The STABILO Woody 3 in 1 is the ultimate artistic tool for imaginative young children and is a Christmas gift that is likely to harness and inspire creativity.  Adding even more arty options, the STABILO Pen 68 Max provides endless opportunities! Its 24 vibrant colours, and a premium fibre-top and chisel top, allows you to bring ideas to life and can be used by everyone from beginners all the way up to expert artists. 

From colouring to organising there’s a STABILO product that's great for everyone. Encourage artistic expression and productivity with thoughtful presents for any age. Make the holiday season brighter, one stroke of vibrant colour at a time!

To find out what STABILO has on offer please visit https://www.stabilo.com/uk

That's Books and Entertainment: Happy Birthday, Time Team! Time Team is celebratin...

That's Books and Entertainment: Happy Birthday, Time Team! Time Team is celebratin...: Time Team is celebrating its 30th birthday with new dig investigating an Iron Age complex near Corfe Castle, Dorset. The British archaeology...

Thursday, 14 September 2023

Get ready to enter the Lushiverse and explore Lush’s 2023 Christmas collection!

Lush’s 2023 Christmas range will officially land in Lush shops and online from Thursday 21st September, with a special early launch at Lush on Oxford Street a week early (today, 14th September 2023)!

As the festive season draws near, Lush’s 2023 festive range encourages customers to shoot for the stars and expand their inner spaces, embracing the magic of fresh, handmade products to spark moments of calm, creativity, celebration and excitement.

From designing products using ethically sourced ingredients, to ensuring any packaging can be treasured and reused or returned to Lush’s Green Hub, customers can be assured that planet Earth has been considered at every stage of the invention and production of this range.

Bathing

Lush co-founder and product inventor, Mo Constantine invented the bath bomb in her garden shed in 1989. A lot of innovation has gone on since then, but bath bombs remain a best seller at Lush, with over 13 million made and sold in the UK last year!

Sleepy Bear Bath Bomb

£3.75 / €5.00 from Lush

Vegan Society approved & self-preserving

You are feeling bear-y sleepy… Drift off together into a dreamland of relaxing lavender, tonka and oaty waters. The tonka beans in this cuddly bath bomb are sourced from the Kayapo communities of Brazil’s rainforest.

Magical Santa Bath Bomb

£6.00 / €7.00 from Lush

Vegan Society approved & self-preserving

Christmas bath art magic with a rainbow firework display from our jolly, old Santa. Feel sensitive skin calmed with creamy rice starch, while your mood is lifted with a blend of Sicilian lemon and warming Rosewood oils.

Shoot For The Stars Bath Bomb

£6.00 / €7.00 from Lush

Vegan Society approved & self-preserving

A starry night awaits when you shoot this into your bath. A treat for your skin, sweetly scented with moisturising creams of coconut and cocoa.

Butterbear Bath Bomb

£3.50 / €4.50 from Lush

Vegan Society approved & self-preserving

Wrap yourself in a bear hug of comforting ylang ylang oil and softening Fair Trade organic cocoa butter.

Snowy Bath Bomb

£4.50 / €5.50 from Lush

Vegan & self-preserving

More than just a cute face! The lemongrass in this smiley snowman is grown and processed by our partners in South East India, who embed minimal interference farming and other regenerative practices into their work. 

Catch Me If You Can Bath Bomb

£5.50 / €6.00 from Lush

Vegan & self-preserving

Run, run, run as fast as you can to drop this glittering ginger and cocoa butter delight into your bath. Not only will you be bathing in festive sparkle, you’ll also be supporting cocoa butter suppliers from Sierra Leone, who’s agroforestry plantations protect the Gola Rainforest

Cinnamon Roll Bubble Bar

£7.00 / €8.50 from Lush

Vegan Society approved & self-preserving

Their secret spice mix for a warming, red and gold bubbly bath.


Reindeer Bubble Bar

£6.00 / €7.50 from Lush

Vegan & self-preserving

Reindeers don’t really eat carrots, but they love lichen, mosses and even seaweed! This Reindeer contains Irish moss seaweed for silky water that cares for your skin in a long soak.

Shower Products

Uplifting and invigorating scents bring a party to every shower with this year’s limited-edition range, all housed in Lush’s recycled and recyclable packaging.

Remember, there’s money to be saved by bringing your empty bottles and black pots back to your nearest Lush store – five returned black pots equals a free fresh face mask, or every pot, bottle and tub counts as 50p each off your final total!

Berry Berry Christmas Shower Gel

From £8.00 / €9.50 from Lush

Vegan and self-preserving

A super cleansing shower gel to help you cut through a grey winter’s day in the Northern Hemisphere or refresh in over a summery Christmas for those in the global south. Keep your skin feeling vibrant and clean!

Bouncing Santa Shower Jelly

£8.00 / €9.50 from Lush

Vegan Society approved & self-preserving

Santa Claus is bouncing to town! He’s making a list, he’s showering twice, he’s gonna find out who’s naughty or nice.

Body Care Products

The finest, natural, ethically sourced ingredients are hand blended in Dorset, England to make Lush’s moisturising body lotions. Hydrate dry skin and treat yourself to a self care moment!

Once Upon A Time Body Lotion

From £10.00 / €14.00 from Lush

Vegan & self-preserving

Step into a crisp apple fairytale. Your skin will feel happy ever after; the combination of illipe and murumuru butters creates a highly moisturising and nourishing blend.

Skincare & Lip Care

Facial and lip skin is some of the softest on the body – so treat it to the best, natural ingredients and no preservatives. Formulated to support the skin’s natural microbiome, to nourish both your complexion, and the protective microorganisms that live there.

Candy Cane Lip Butter

£5.00 / €6.00 from Lush

Vegan & self-preserving

Perfectly portable for your softest seasonal pouts!

Snowman Sheet Mask

£7.50 / €9.50 from Lush

Vegan & self-preserving

It’s your turn to chill with the help of this smiley snowman. Pop it on, kick back and take ten minutes to hydrate and calm your skin with calamine and oatmeal.

Soap

Handmade and palm oil-free, these soaps are more than just fun and beautifully scented, they’re part of Lush’s packaging-free cosmetics revolution. Suitable for hands, face or a full body wash, Lush soaps use the finest, natural ingredients to create a luxurious lather that’s better for you, and the planet.


Snow Bear Soap

£5.50 / €7.00 from Lush


Vegan Society approved & self-preserving

A Snowcake-scented soapy bear that makes a perfect gift.


Christmas Cranberry Soap

£6.00 / €7.50 from Lush

Vegan Society approved & self-preserving

Cut a big chunk of their punchy fresh cranberry soap, scented with sweet wild orange and softening rice bran oil.

Fragrances

Inspired by art, poetry and culture, Lush’s fine fragrances are all formulated in-house and blended using the world’s best essential oils and absolutes. Lush fragrances uplift, inspire and delight with ethically-sourced ingredients that restore and regenerate beautiful landscapes and support the communities that live in them. 

Turmeric Latte Perfume

From £30.00 / €40.00 from Lush

Vegan Society approved & self-preserving

As the nights draw in, snuggle up with velvety vanilla and rich milky undertones of tonka absolute. Incredibly long lasting, with excellent projection leaving admirers as you pass on by.

With fragrances, colours and characters evoking the joy of the Christmas season, customers can voyage through Lush’s festive galaxy and discover returning favourites, new arrivals, inventions and innovations from the experts in bathing.

It wouldn’t be Christmas without Lush’s Snow Fairy, and there’s no mistaking this sweet candy scent is a winter icon. Along with brand new additions to the range, the 2023 Snow Fairy bath bomb has had a dusting of magic from Lush’s manufacturing experts, with a new look that’s a whole planet waiting to be explored.

Snow Dragon Bath Bomb


£3.75 / €5.00 from Lush

Vegan & self-preserving

Bringing the magic and beauty of dragons to the bathroom with Lush’s very own Snow Dragon. This legendary creature is packed with coarse sea salt, which dissolves in the water to soothe muscles and a reinvigorating trilogy of essential oils – lemon myrtle, grapefruit and ylang ylang to add some energy to the bath.


Snow Drift Bath Bomb

£5.50 / €6.50 from Lush

Vegan Society approved & self-preserving


Create your own wonderland with glistening blue swathes drifting across the bath. Releasing fresh, clean eucalyptus and peppermint scent, with added lemongrass oil to put a spring in your step.


Lump of Coal Bath Bomb

£4.00 / €5.00 from Lush

Vegan Society approved & self-preserving

Has someone been naughty? This lump of coal is nothing but nice, with warming cinnamon, clove and orange oils.

Sweet Pudding Bath Bomb

£4.50 / €5.50 from Lush

Vegan Society approved & self-preserving

Fancy a sweet almond bath with a sprinkling of icing sugar? Pretty please, with a holly on top.

Penguin Bath Bomb

£5.50 / €6.50 from Lush

Vegan & self-preserving

This dapper penguin is designed for a cheerful soak, with uplifting citrus oils from hand collected Italian fruits. Each of these arctic friends had their nose hand painted by a member of Lush Manufacturing.

The Wishing Lamp Bath Bomb

£9.50 / €12.00 from Lush

Vegan & self-preserving

 Three baths in one – a bath for each wish! Use all at once or one at a time whenever you need to believe. Before each bath, declare your true wish aloud before fizzing it away.

Candy Cane Bubble Bar

£5.00 / €6.50 from Lush

Vegan Society approved & self-preserving


Hang it on your tree or just swish it in the bath for mountains of sweet peppermint bubbles. 


Bath Bot

£150.00 from Lush

To really expand your inner space and wellbeing, Bath Bot (£150.00) launches in time for the festive season.  Lush’s first step into the consumer tech category, Bath Bot is identical in size and shape to Lush’s iconic bath bomb and features a distinctive domed convex speaker for 180-degree sound and full-spectrum multidirectional lights that fill your bath and bathroom with a radiant light show. Pair with the Bathe feature on the Lush app for the ultimate sensory-transformational experience. 


Yog Nog Shower Gel

From £8.00 / €9.50 from Lush

Vegan and self-preserving

This traditional golden sweet, spicy shower gel is a true Lush classic! Glycerine and maple syrup water support the skin to retain its moisture, perfect for seasonal skin that needs some extra care and sparkle.


Strawberry Santa Foaming Shower Wash

£6.00 / €8.00 from Lush

Vegan & self-preserving

Foaming, festive full body exfoliation!


Snowball Eye Pads

£3.50 / €5.00 from Lush

Vegan & self-preserving

Late nights festivities and early winter mornings? These hydrating, glycerine-packed snowballs have you covered.


Gingerbread Lip Scrub

£7.00 / €9.50 from Lush

Vegan & self-preserving

A sweet exfoliating treat. A scrub filled with traditional winter baking ingredients – carob, cinnamon, ginger, clove, cocoa powder.


Father Christmas Sheet Mask

£7.50 / €9.50 from Lush

Vegan & self-preserving

Get in the spirit for the big day, the jolliest sheet mask is coming to town.


Baked Alaska Soap

£6.00 / €7.00 from Lush

Vegan Society approved & self-preserving

With a popping candy crust and a soya milk centre, our moisturising rapeseed and coconut soap will lather up for a zesty grapefruit wash that brightens your day.


Golden Linseed Soap

£6.00 / €7.50 from Lush

Vegan & self-preserving

Let the festivities begin! Don your crown and get ready to party with hands softened by golden linseeds, and a warming sweet scent.


Vanillary Perfume

From £25.00 / €35.00 from Lush

Vegan Society approved & self-preserving

Fudge-like and deliciously sweet, this long-lasting and indulgent scent leaves you wanting more. Vanilla and tonka combine with a little help from jasmine, creating a stirring vanilla perfume.

Lush has been awarded the RSPCA Good Business Award for 2006, 2007 and 2009, along with the 2006 PETA Trailblazer Award for Animal Welfare. Co-founders Mark and Mo Constantine were awarded OBEs for services to the beauty industry in the new years honours list 2010. Lush was the winner of the Best in Business Award at the 2014 Observer Ethical Awards, World’s Most Ethical Retailer at the 2016 World Retail Congress and the shops and website are regularly voted at the top of Which? magazine’s customer service surveys.

Today Lush operates in 48 countries with over 886 shops, 38 websites shipping worldwide and a global network of native apps, broadcasting channels and digital communities in over 30 languages. www.lush.com