Sunday 6 November 2011

EDF Energy London Eye welcomes Christmas with all the trimmings

This winter the EDF Energy London Eye is bringing back Eyeskate, and it promises to be bigger and better than last year. Guests are invited to glide across the ice under the silhouette of London’s most iconic landmark, where they can also opt to experience the London Eye or the London Eye River Cruise to enjoy the best of London’s Christmas offerings.

The Eyeskate rink will open with a breathtaking, free performance of the well-renowned Nutcracker on Ice on Friday 18th November at 4pm. Choreographed and performed by the National Ice Skating Association, this enchanting display will bring a sprinkle of festive charm upon guests to the London Eye and passers-by on the South Bank. As the skaters expertly dazzle the audience to the Sugarplum songs, spectators won’t be able to resist the magical mood.

For an additional flutter of festive frolicking the EDF Energy London Eye will host a Spectacular Skate-Off on Sunday 4th December at 11am. This free-to-enter, open-to-all competition, judged by the head choreographers at the National Ice Skating Association, will see budding ice-skaters competing to win. All those who take part in the challenge will receive a complimentary ticket to the London Eye, but the real prize for the winner is being named the London Eye’s ice-skating champion.

Further in-season indulgences will abound at the EDF Energy London Eye this Christmas, as guests are invited to toast the winter cheer and embrace that festive feeling.

New for this Christmas is the Vinopolis Pommery Champagne Tasting Experience. Guests are invited to sample five elegant Champagnes, as experts from Vinopolis, the top London wine and Champagne tasting venue, guide them through the selection. Take-home notes are also provided, to ensure visitors can impress friends at their own Christmas parties.

Individual Mulled Wine Experiences are also on offer, ideal for small groups, couples or families to enjoy a cosy winter warmer. Alternatively, the Mulled Wine and Mince Pies Private Capsule, allows guests to sip on a warming glass of the season’s favourite beverage and devour delicious mince pies, all in their own private capsule.

For those who like to add a touch of glamour to their Christmas celebrations, the Champagne Capsule is the perfect way to indulge. Guests can relax and enjoy feeling spoiled as the host serves chilled Pommery Brut Royale Champagne with the option to add canapés, nibbles or mince pies.

Perfect for amorous couples, the Mistletoe Cupid’s Capsule provides the ultimate romantic opportunity to take in the stunning skyline and indulge that special someone. This charming treat is made complete with mistletoe, a bottle of Pommery Brut Royal Champagne and a box of luxury Charbonnel et Walker pink Champagne truffles.

For more information on the London Eye and to receive a 10% discount on bookings visit www.londoneye.com or follow the London Eye on twitter www.twitter.com/thelondoneye

Doodlenation.com - on a mission to get UK kids and adults colouring creatively

Families are being urged to enjoy fun and creative times together this Christmas, free from the annoying bleep of computerised gadgets – by colouring-in, on a massive scale.

Doodlenation.com produce giant, intricate colouring-in poster kits which are sure to absorb the whole family for hours, and probably days, on end over the festive period.  Both adults and children can enjoy the Herculean task ahead when confronted with an elaborate poster to complete.

The artwork comes in a range of themes to appeal to children, parents and colouring fans of all ages such as nature, animals, a world of Cyborgs, Native American themes, angels and a giant, intricately detailed, sun! The posters are unique and created specially by Canadian artist Julie Van Alstine.  

Doodlenation.com owner, mum Nancy Detchon, jumped on the idea of colouring-in giant posters when thinking of ways to entertain her own children ahead of a rainy holiday in the Lake District.

Nancy, 42, said: “The children were getting fed up with being stuck indoors and were already tiring of the toys they’d brought along. Luckily, I’d thought ahead and remembered how I used to love colouring in giant posters as a child. I’d been online and ordered some but they were very expensive. When I surprised them with the posters, I couldn’t believe the effect they had on our technology obsessed children. Initially the kids were overawed at the size of the task ahead of them. Then, they became quite obsessed and, more to the point, wonderfully quiet.

"My partner and I joined in too and before we knew it the whole family were sitting around the table chatting, laughing and being sociable together – whilst completing our giant work of art. The children enjoyed the task so much they asked if I’d order more posters for them and so the seed of an idea for my own business was sown.”

Parents appreciate Doodlenation.com’s non-reliance on technology and the fact the relaxing act of colouring-in the giant posters encourages children to be creative and sociable. Children tend to enjoy the challenge of the poster project as well as the satisfaction from completing a giant work of art.

For more information visit www.doodlenation.com where the posters can be viewed in more detail and purchased.

FACTFILE:
Doodlenation.com’s posters are black and white A1 size measuring 841mm x 597mm.
The matt paper is high quality 170gsm and there are seven individual posters to choose from.
Each poster is rolled into a recycled postal tube and comes with a set of 10 free high quality, double-ended, Staedtler felt tip pens made from environmentally-friendly, water-based ink. The pens also have ventilated caps to reduce a choking hazard if swallowed.
Shipping within the UK and to Europe is free.
Poster kits cost £16.99 each or two for £29.99.
In a bid to support the local economy Nancy has ensured the posters are printed in her home county of Derbyshire and plans to bring new poster themes to the range.

That's Food and Drink: Chemo Cookery- Ideas to Make Chemo More Tolerable

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iball3 Voted Toy Launch of the Year 2011, The Perfect Christmas Gift


iball3 The New Electronic 
Game
The stunning iball3 has been voted the top new toy of 2011!
The Amazing New iball3 Presses All the Right Buttons as the Perfect Christmas Gift.

The iball3 www.iball3.com, is a colourful, exciting, cutting edge electronic game. It is an interactive, brain training game with a world class on-line leader board, showcasing those who are the very best.

The brainchild of genius inventor Andrew Reeves, the unique iball3 has been voted the top new toy of 2011 by the Gadget show and is predicted to be a top 10 best seller this Christmas by Hamleys. The iball3 is suitable for any one aged 8+ and is the perfect Christmas gift for fans of games and gadgets. It is available from a wide number of specialist toy and major retailers or can be purchased on line via www.iball3.com, costing RRP £19.99.

What is the iball3?

• The iball3 is a clear electric blue ball with electronic wizardry inside. The iball3 has 6 light buttons and a single LED display. The iball3 can easily be played with by children (8+) or adults.

How does it Work?

• The object of the game is to turn on all the lights to the same colour within a specific time.

• Each iball3 is unique and has a pre-programmed registration number which allows you to compete on a World leader board at: www.iball3.com.

• The iball3 has two levels which reset after 90 seconds, which is plenty of time for practice games.

• The first level of the game (3 lights) must be completed within a time limit of 20 seconds before the iball3 moves to an automatic advancement sequence of 4 lights to level 2.

• Level 2 must be completed in less than 60 seconds if you want to have a chance of getting onto the World leader board. If the 4 light sequence is completed within 60 seconds you will be rewarded with a unique i-code that can be entered onto the World leader board. This special i-code once entered onto the iball3 website will let you know how long it took you to complete the game within hundredths of a second.

• You can easily Reset Level 2 to the original 3 light sequence game by Pressing buttons 1 & 5 at the same time.

• There are other special button sequences for turning sound off and re-displaying the unique serial number.

The iball3 “Elite”

• Players who achieve a sub 9 second time on the iball3 world leader board will be rewarded in 2012 with a free iball3 “elite”. The elite version has an extra 3rd level and has additional randomization processes to really test the very best in the brain training world.

• The www.iball3.com has a new elite world leader board to post “Elite world Record times” for those that can achieve success on the 3rd level game play.

Saturday 5 November 2011

That's Beauty and Living: Twinkling Toes For Party Season With Scholl

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For this Christmas, say it with words with Art on Tiles


 Art on Tiles – the bespoke hand painted tile company – is offering a chance for homeowners to express their individuality with a service offering hand painted tiles featuring the wording, layout and even the font of the client’s choosing.

Jonathan Waights, principal artist and founder says: “People can come up with whatever they like - it is a chance to be completely individual, witty or romantic, to quote someone else or make something up. Quotes about food and eating are very popular for the tiles above the stove. Quotes for the bathroom tend to be more romantic – or even a bit naughty.’

The Art on Tiles standard hand painted 5 inch tiles with one letter per tile can be ordered for £10 each and blank matching tiles are also available for £1.20 each. The brick shaped tiles shown here are £12 painted and £2.20 plain, with a moulded border available for an additional £4 each.

This range and others can be seen and ordered from www.artontiles.co.uk or readers can contact Jonathan direct on 01243 552346.

Examples of past commissions:

(EDITOR: This will make a Christmas present that will last, in effect, for ever. What a wonderful gift!) 

Where can you see a lock of Henry Ford's hair or a pigeon with three legs?

At Ripley’s Believe It or Not! London is one of the few attractions in London that remains open 365 days a year, including Chirstmas Day!

Guests can find a three legged pigeon, an eight legged Siamese calf and a lock of Henry Ford’s hair, along with in excess of 700 curiosities from all around the world on display, perfect for a family day out that is a little out of the ordinary.

Home to the weird, wonderful and just plain bizarre at the central London attraction you can check your weight against the world’s fattest man, take a peek at the 75 million year old dinosaur eggs or even threaten the young ones with the ultimate sanction – behave or risk ending up like one of the real Amazonian shrunken heads.

Ripley’s Believe It or Not! London is open seven days a week, 365 days a year from 10am until midnight. Tickets to this world of wonders situated in the heart of London’s West End start from £22.95 per adult and £18.95 per child. Family tickets are available from £73.95 based on two adults and two children. For full pricing options please visit www.ripleyslondon.com

Check for special Christmas events!