The holiday looms, and so does Christmas. All you want to do is chill out after what’s been a hard year. But that’s not always the easiest thing to do – you know the bit about life being “the thing that happens while you’re making other plans”.

For some, chilling out may mean booking a camping site 20 km from the nearest village a year in advance. Or going into a Trappist monastery until the festive season is over.

But most people will have a more sociable time – either at home, visiting relatives, or at the seaside somewhere. Who knows, you might need to get back to the office in January to get some rest. In order to get the most out of your break , women24.com suggest that you try and avoid the following festive season stressors.

Guests galore. You have a big house, and over Christmas it fills up with aunties, grannies, nieces, uncles – you name it. Instead of looking after four people, you are now looking after twelve. This is no holiday for you, as you are the unofficial entertainment committee, the caterer, the conflict resolution specialist, and the local cleaner. If you live in a popular destination, you might have to put your foot down. Or at least put together a duty roster for the cooking and the cleaning. And, for heaven’s sake, don’t feel you have to be the unofficial tour guide. Take a day or two off and let the guests entertain themselves.

Feeding frenzy. Food, food, food. It’s all over during the Christmas season and it’s lying in wait for you everywhere, and we’re not talking about celery sticks either. It’s chips, cakes, cheese snacks, chocolates, to name but a few. And, after all, you’re on holiday. So why not? That’s fine, but just don’t get into a new habit. Most people end the festive season with quite a few kilos that were not there in November. Don’t become a festive season fatty.

Booze bonanza. From the office party to friends’ homes, to family barbecues – booze is no stranger to the festive season. And often, other people are paying for it. By all means have a beer or two, if you’re not driving, but don’t binge on booze. Drinking too much is something that carries its own punishment with it, a bit like eating that second helping of hot Indian curry. And do remember, that everyone likes you to have a drink or two, but nobody likes having a social embarrassment at their parties. Fall down drunk, or insult one of the other guests, and you can be sure you’ll be off the party list. Forever.

I’m so lonely. Some people wish everything could be a little quieter. Others wish for a break from the peace and quiet and they dream of the phone ringing or a horde of guests arriving. The secret is to arrange a few things in advance. Invite people for supper, get a friend to go with you to a movie, or organise a day or two away in a different place. Don’t wait until the festive season is upon you before doing something about your social calendar. It’s not going to happen by itself.

Exercise inertia. Most people give their exercise regimes a break during the festive season. It is, after all, the end of the year. Problem is, many people overindulge completely on the food front at the same time, and coupled with a fortnight of couch-potato-ism, your waistline might be expanding at the rate of knots. Go for a walk with the family, run along the beach, play volleyball. Do anything to burn up those extra calories. And get back into it early in the new year.

Credit card crisis. The last of the Big Spenders. If that describes you in the shopping centre with your Christmas bonus and your credit card, you’re obviously a sucker for all those Christmas ads. And you’re going to be stony broke in January, and depressed in February when the credit card statements start arriving. Point is that you can probably buy just as nice a present for R100 as you can for R200, or R400. You just need to plan it well. It’s the thought that counts, not the size of the present.

Sunburn stress. The sun in the southern hemisphere is vicious , and skin cancer is a real danger. And remember that the damage is cumulative. Burning yourself to a crisp or having a whimpering and sunburnt child on your hands, is no way to spend Christmas. Speak to your pharmacist and get a high-factor sunblock before you head for the beach. And speaking of the beach – watch out for bluebottles or pieces of broken glass in the sand.

Crowd control. Think of Christmas, and what many people see are teeming masses of people in a shopping centre, all of them with a mission, and accompanied by at least two unwilling and exhausted kids. It can be avoided – do your gift shopping in November and do a bulk grocery shop before 18 December. Milling crowds can be exhausting, and elicit everything but the Christmas spirit in you. In fact, it can bring on a bout of trolley rage.

Gift of the grab. Frantic last-minute gift-buying is a killer – not only don’t you get what you are looking for, you also spend a fortune on it. Rather than give unwanted and expensive presents, go for gift vouchers – at least people will appreciate them, even if they are not the most personal of offerings.

Family fest. Family. You get them, you don’t choose them. And never is it more obvious than at Christmas time when Uncle Freddy is holding forth on all his achievements, or Aunt Doris is slurring after her third beer. Or your cousin’s kids are running around screaming, chasing your poor cats. Then there are the endless questions about when you are going to tie the knot, have babies etc. Family get-togethers seldom do much for your self-esteem. Just repeat the mantra, “It will soon be over for another year.”

Arniston Bay has a wide wine range that will suit any palate for all the festive season occasions.

Source: women24.com

A recent study found that consuming a glass of red wine before dinner may help shed a few pounds by increasing a woman’s sense of fullness.

But some dieticians indicate that wine may also hurt a weight loss program because the wine reduces the ‘focus on appropriate eating’. In other words, after a little too much wine, the bag of potato chips may become irresistible.

Read more on winemag.com

Congratulations to Dirmü Gouws, Boudine Lohlun, Corly de Beer.

They are the winners  of the Head over Heels competition and we hope they enjoy their prizes.

 Thanks to everyone who entered and who contributed to make this a very successful competition.

The prizes: 

• - The first prize is a gift voucher for one pair of Jimmy Choo shoes. The gift voucher will be sufficient to cover the average cost of a pair of Jimmy Choo shoes. 
• - The second prize is a shopping spree. This comprises a gift voucher worth R4 000 for the mall closest to where the winner resides. 
• - The third prize comprises champagne hampers (a case of Arniston Bay sparkling champagne, a cool de sac and champagne stopper) and spa treatments (worth R500 each) for the winner and three friends. 

Arniston Bay is always been associated with the unwinding in tranquillity and we are set to continue this chill vibe at the forthcoming Women’s Show.

Shows and exhibitions can take its toll and really tire you out and that is why laid back brand , Arniston Bay  Wines,  decided to be the ‘Unwind Haven’  for visitors at this year’s Jo’burg Women’s Show.

This year’s Women’s Show promises to be an exciting event with numerous interesting talks, make up tips and exhibitions focusing on the celebration of being a women. The Show  will run from 27-29 August at the Coca Cola dome.

Come and join us for an unwinding glass of wine and stand a chance to win pampering foot hampers to revive tired tootsies.

For more info please visit: thewomensshow.co.za

Life is rushing by and we really don’t have the time to treat ourselves. But this Women’s day is probably the right day to get the batteries recharged,  relax and untwined. Do it,  you deserve it.

A few tips to relax and unwind, and to spoil yourself a bit this Women’s Day.

• Take a bubble bath

Light some candles. Play some of your favourite relaxing music. Run a warm bubble bath, and let your troubles soak away. Taking a warm bubble bath will relax your muscles, and put you in a more focused state. A glass of wine can also help to set the relaxing mood.

• Go to the spa

Getting a spa treatment is relaxing, and should help to get you in the right frame of mind to chill and relax

• Buy something for yourself

Treat yourself with something that you really like but never get the time to convince yourself to buy it.

• Get some rest

Take a timeout, rent a movie and relax at home. Me time is necessary and you never make time to spend with your best friend … you.

• Open a bottle of Arniston Bay bubbly

This wine has been described as an elegant wine with fresh bubbles and a crispy finish. This is just what you need to spoil and yourself.

Arniston Bay Wines salute all women who make a difference and we hope you enjoy your Women’s Day.

Source: essortment.com

Even though all women are affected with MCD – Manolo Compulsive Disorder – most don’t take things to Imelda Marcos extremes. But who’s to say that, with the resources, time and shelf space, they wouldn’t?

According to a UK study, British women possess £637 million (R8 billion) worth of high heels that they have never worn. ‘A woman’s predilection towards buying shoes is only occasionally a practical one,’ explains Sue Constable, a shoe heritage officer at Northampton Museum and Art Gallery, which holds a collection of more than 12,000 pairs. And if you’ve ever dispatched half your pay cheque on a pair of yellow neon mules with vertiginous heels, you will know exactly what she means.

But don’t worry: ‘Buying shoes fulfils another need,’ continues Constable. ‘The need to escape, to fantasise; the Cinderella factor.’ In other words, it’s enough to feel that those heels could whisk you safely down a red carpet, even if they’re more likely to end up sitting in their box.

‘For every practical purchase there is an aspirational purchase, and that is enormously beneficial for mental health and well-being,’ says Cary Cooper, a professor of psychology and health at the University of Lancaster. So, before your partner throws up his smelly trainers in protest, let him in on the cure for your addiction – increased cupboard space.

Source: docstoc.com

And now that you stand the chance of winning a pair of designer shoes, you’ll have even more reason to enjoy Arniston Bay wines. Send us the reason why you’re head over heels for Arniston Bay wines (the wine bottle must also have a starring role in your entry), and we’ll add another pair of enviable shoes to your collection.

Enter online by clicking here

The competition closes on 31 July 2010. Terms and conditions apply. 

COMPETITION:

Show us why you’re head over heels for Arniston Bay wines

-      Please note: To be eligible to enter, a bottle of Arniston Bay wine must be visible in your entry, regardless of whether it’s a photograph, video, etc

COMPETITION PRIZES:

First prize: Win a pair of designer shoes (Jimmy Choos, of course!) Second prize: Win a shopping spree Third prize: Champagne hampers and salon treatments for you and 3 friends

One for the ladies!

To celebrate the release of the Sex and the City movie sequal, Arniston Bay are offering a chance to win one of two hampers to the value of R500!

The hampers include a pedicure set, Sex & the City 1 DVD and a case Arniston Bay bubbly.

To enter visit:  winemag.co.za   

Remember:

You can also go to   www.arniston-bay.com  to stand a chance to win more prizes including a pair of Jimmy Choos, a shopping spree, spa treatments for you and your girls as well as bubbly.

Haul out your beloved heels, and huddle your girlfriends closer! Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha are stepping out in style again on the big screen for the Sex and the City movie sequel. And now, Arniston Bay is giving you even more reason to celebrate: simply show us why you’re head over heels for Arniston Bay bubbly and you could win a pair of designer shoes!

Distinctive, modern and definitely the best “accessory” for any occasion: you’d be forgiven for thinking we were describing an item from a SATC star’s wardrobe, when in fact we’re referring to our delectable Arniston Bay Charmat Brut. Little wonder it’s the drink of choice for fashionistas and the well-heeled for when celebrating with friends.

The link between champagne and shoes (or should we say Choos), dates back to the olden days when gentleman in fact used to drink champagne from a gorgeous lady’s shoe. In modern times, the ladies are far too fanatical about their footwear to allow such an act of opulence. (In fact, the only time they’re willing to part with their prized pairs is when kicking their feet up in Arniston or dipping their feet in the azure Arniston ocean.

Marilyn Monroe summed it up correctly when she said “I don’t know who invented high heels, but all women owe him a lot!”.  Luckily, you won’t owe much (the recommended retail price is R45) when you open a bottle of Arniston Bay Charmat Brut, a refreshing wine that’s perfect for life’s carefree moments.

Made from Colombar grapes, this non-vintage Charmat Brut is known for its fresh aromas, natural acid and zesty tropical fruit flavours. Arniston Bay winemaker, Abraham de Villiers, said: “This wine has wonderful aromas and a creamy, delicate palate, and is perfect for everything from pamper parties to a relaxing with a good book or an uplifting dinner party with friends.”

And now that you stand the chance of winning a pair of designer shoes, you’ll have even more reason to enjoy Arniston Bay wines. Send us the reason why you’re head over heels for Arniston Bay wines (the wine bottle must also have a starring role in your entry), and we’ll add another pair of enviable shoes to your collection.

Email your entries to info@arniston-bay.com with “Head over heels for Arniston Bay” in the subject line. The competition closes on 31 July 2010. Terms and conditions apply. 

COMPETITION:

Show us why you’re head over heels for Arniston Bay wines

-      Please note: To be eligible to enter, a bottle of Arniston Bay wine must be visible in your entry, regardless of whether it’s a photograph, video, etc

COMPETITION PRIZES:

First prize: Win a pair of designer shoes Second prize: Win a shopping spree Third prize: Champagne hampers and salon treatments for you and 3 friends

Sophia Loren once said, “When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child.”

Mother’s have been recognised in special ways for thousands of years. Mother’s Day is celebrated in over 40 countries around the world, the exact date and the way this event is celebrated, however, varies from country to country since Ancient Greece. In South Africa, Mother’s Day is celebrated on the second Sunday in the month of May (this year it falls on Sunday 9 May).

Let’s make sure we all tell our mom’s how special they are to us. Start from the very moment she wakes up. Ask anyone what the most important day of the year is to them and you will get answers ranging from their birthday to Christmas. How many will say Mother’s Day? Unfortunately, very few, for some reason Mother’s Day gets overlooked or down played a bit. Yes, there are commercials all over reminding you to send flowers or do something special… but where is the real sentiment? Your mom deserves a great reward for taking on the most rewarding yet thankless jobs on earth.

Allow her to put her feet up for a change and spoil her with the crisp taste of the Arniston Bay Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2009 vintage with its lifted cut grass and green pea aromas. It’s a treat for your palate with crisp acidity and is delicious with a variety of green salads, asparagus and any shell-fish dish. In fact why not cook her a great meal and serve her, the very best in premium wine.

From clubdine.co.za

The first SA Food bloggers conference was a wonderful day and will definitely become an annual event.

South African Food bloggers came together at the Cook’s Playground in Cape Town and it was amazing to meet (in person) some of the legends of SA food Blogging.

It was incredible to have online food personalities like  Browniegirl , Jeanne (the Cooksister) and Jenny (Giggling Gourmet ) under one roof at the same event.

The speakers gave very interesting views and tips and this all was fruits for thoughts.

Arniston Bay was proud to be a co-sponsor of this event and we truly hope that this event will become an annual highlight for SA food bloggers.

Read more…

Photos of this event visit can be seen here

Forget the candy and the flowers! If you really want to win over your sweetheart, give your Valentine a bottle of wine. Even Cupid knows that wine is the perfect sharing beverage.

According to a recent Online Survey in which both men and women participated equally, 59% said they would be happier to receive wine from their sweetheart on Valentine’s Day compared with 41% who would prefer a box of chocolates.

And what do most people think they will actually receive from their Valentine? Though 59% of those surveyed said they would prefer wine over candy for Valentine’s Day, only 14% expected that their sweetheart would really come through with a bottle of wine. Almost 50% expected to receive one of the old standbys–flowers (26%) or candy (23%). Another 21% didn’t even expect a token gift.

Read more …

So surprise and dazzle your Valentine with a good bottle of wine. The Arniston Bay Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 with its deep red colour and berry fruit aromas is just the right wine for your Valentine.

British wine consumers continued their new found love affair with Rosé wines as the sales of this pink wine has again outperformed the overall drink sector.

Demand for Rosé among women has pushed wine sales through the £5 billion barrier for the first time.

The market for non-sparkling wine grew by 6.5 per cent to £5.04 billion in the year to August.

Britons are on course to buy a record 100 million cases this year.

The wine market has significantly outperformed the overall drinks sector, which is up 5.6 per cent, said market analysts Nielsen.

Experts say much of the growth in wine sales has been driven by Rosé, sales of which were up 15 per cent, giving it a record 11 per cent share of all wine bought in supermarkets and off-licences.

Arniston Bay Brand news:

The Arniston Bay Pinotage Rosé  – with its lively strawberry and violet aromas and fruity taste – is immensely popular in the UK market. The Arniston Bay wine brand has experienced a marked sales increase over the past year – latest figures reveal that off-trade sales are up 29% by value and 31% by volume (AC Nielsen: 52 weeks to 05 September 2009).

Source: dailymail.co.uk

Have you ever wondered who came up the idea of heels? It seems that these shoes has been around for ages and women all around the world are loving their heels

Rumour has it that the heel was invented by Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519). Throughout history the heel has been enjoyed, by men and women, for its coquettish charm, as well as its height-helping inches.

Since the harlots of ancient Greece wore platforms to make them easier to spot, heels have been shorthand for sexy. Catherine de Medici, Italian wife of the Duke of Orleans and future Queen of France, commissioned a pair of heeled shoes for her first wedding in 1533 ‘both for fashion, and to increase her stature’. But it wasn’t until the 1590s that heels really caught on in Europe, says Susan North, a curator at the V&A. Elizabeth I was a devotee, but it wasn’t just the girls, says Susan: ‘The, er, vertically challenged Louis XIV of France wore red heels in the 1650s – though presumably when his courtiers caught up with the fashion he was back where he started! And in England, Charles II set the fashion for high heels after the Restoration, although men’s heels got lower again throughout the 18th century.’

A good heel is like a flash car, or an incredible work of art. It is worth bearing in mind that you assume different characters in different heights. heights go from (yawn) 5cm: practically flat; 7cm: day heel; 9cm foxy heel; 10.5cm: the true pro aesthetic

Walking in heels is like riding a bike – once you know how, you’ll never forget. But just like a bike, the first time you ride without stabilisers can be very precarious. Get the arches of your feet flexed and ready for some high heel hints.

Why is a catwalk called a catwalk?

The word first appeared in the Oxford English Dictionary in 1885 but as fashion historian Grace Rothstein, from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, reveals: ‘Catwalks were originally much narrower than you’d see today, so that more space could be afforded potential buyers. Combined with high heels, the walk was said to be so perilous that only a sure-footed cat could walk it.’ Now only women thinner than a moggy can strut it…

Source: docstoc.com

And perfectionistgal

The Salomon Featherbed Trail Run is a new cult event at the Knysna Oyster Festival.

Featherbed Nature Reserve is an iconic attraction for Knysna and the Garden Route – and although it’s been open to the public for twenty five years, this was the first time it’s opened its gates to an organised sporting event. Before the race, owner William Smith said that it was important to know that “we’re working with people who are sensitive to the ecology, who understand the problem and who aren’t out to grab.”

The runners themselves raved about the course and winner, Piet Jacobs (a 2:17 marathoner who took the Featherbed title in a blistering 49:14), said “my race went according to plan – I went really hard up the hills because my legs were still hurting a little bit from Sunday’s Night Run. I wanted to take it easy if I could on the down-hills and I knew that if I was in front in the last section the race would probably be mine because I come from a road running background.”

Deon Braun, publisher of Go Multi Magazine, personally took part in the race and said, “I found it varied, I found it very interesting, I think there was a lot of thought that went into it and I think it would suit a lot of runners.

Coelacanth Trail Run : 13 km.

The longer 13km Coelacanth Route will take you through incredible vistas including views across to the sheer cliffs of the Eastern Head, and out beyond the Indian Ocean to Buffalo Bay. Be prepared to be challenged by some hill work as you climb up from sea level to take in the splendour on the ridge line above the   Heads. Some well earned relief on the downhill into Lake Brenton and along the currently unused Outeniqua Choo Choo railway bridge to the Finish Line back at the Featherbed Paddle Steamer Jetty/Cruise Cafe.

Seahorse Trail Run : 8 km

The shorter 8km Seahorse Route takes a more direct line to the finish, but also enjoys breathtaking views across the Knysna Lagoon as you look over at Leisure Isle, Thesen Islands, the Knysna Waterfront and the historical Knysna Yacht Club. There is also a fair share of challenging hill work to make this a run to remember. The Seahorse route joins up with the Coelacanth Trail in Lake Brenton to share the same dash across the Outeniqua Choo Choo railway bridge to finish back at the Featherbed Paddle Steamer Jetty /Cruise Cafe.

For more info visit: magneticsouth

A survey carried out by German magazine Focus and Vinexpo has shown that when buying wine, German women focus more on origin and grape variety than on the price.

The typical female German wine consumer appreciates wine as a cultural product, and preferably enjoy wine with friends. This is the conclusion of an international study that has for the first time analysed female consumer behaviour with regard to wine in five different countries. Together with consumer and trade media, the world’s largest wine trade fair, Vinexpo, has analysed responses from more than 4.000 women questioned in Germany, France, England, the USA and Japan with regard to their preferences and customs with regard to wine. The German partners in this survey were the magazine Focus, and Focus Online.

Six of ten women stated that they drink wine at least once a week. Germany is in second place, at 66.1%, behind the USA at 92.5%. Questioned as to the reasons, why they drink wine, 79.3% of all respondents replied that they enjoyed the taste; in Germany, this figure was a high 82.2%. In France, the connection between food and wine is the most decisive factor for consuming wine. According to 87.8% of German women questioned, there is no problem in combining the consumption of wine with a healthy, balanced diet.

Women are very focused and conscious of what they are looking for when buying wine. The German female wine lover prefers to buy wine in a specialist retail shop (56.4%) rather than in a supermarket (49.6%). 48.2% of respondents buy wine directly at the estate. The Internet play a minor part – 21.1% of sales internationally, and only 7.7% in Germany.

As far as the Female German wine lover is concerned, origin is a decisive criterion in selecting a wine (65.3%), followed by grape variety (57.6%) and finally the price (35.7%). In the other four countries, women declared price was the most important criterion – 56.7% said so. Incidentally, red wines are more popular than white wines: Among all women questioned, 60.1% prefer red wine, in Germany the figure is 52.2%.

Source: wein-plus.com

Women buy eight out of 10 bottles of wine to drink at home, according to research.

Females are now the major buyers of wine, prompting experts to urge wine brands to cater for feminine tastes.

But the findings will fuel concerns that women are bingeing on cheap plonk in the secrecy of their own homes.

Their love affair with white wine – typified by Bridget Jones’s affection for Chardonnay – has faded. Instead 55 per cent say red is their favourite, followed by 35 per cent who favour white wine and seven per cent rose.

More than half (54 per cent) of the 1,300 British women questioned for Vinexpo said they were not put off by health warnings Some 4,306 women across the UK, France, Germany, Japan and the USA were questioned.

Source: Daily Express

Red wine may contain chemicals that help control weight gain, new research suggests.

Experiments at the University of Porto show that animals given red wine gained significantly less weight over an eight week period than animals kept under the same conditions, but given no red wine.

The key may be a chemical that occurs naturally in red wine that increases levels of oestrogen in the body. Oestrogen plays a role in the metabolism of fat, and also fat distribution.

Resveratrol, a substance abundant in red grape skins, is a form of oestrogen, according to a report in the Daily Mail.

The problem is that after a few glasses of red wine, my diet goes out the window and I start to nibble on snacks and ‘forbidden’. It is these sin snacks that are killing my diet.

Source: Marie Claire

Playing a certain type of music can enhance the way wine tastes, research by psychologists suggests.

 The Heriot Watt University study found people rated the change in taste by up to 60% depending on the melody heard.

The researchers said cabernet sauvignon was most affected by “powerful and heavy” music, and chardonnay by “zingy and refreshing” sounds.

Professor Adrian North said the study could lead retailers to put music recommendations on their wine bottles.

The research involved 250 students at the university who were offered a free glass of wine in exchange for their views.

 Brain theory

Four types of music were played – Carmina Burana by Orff (“powerful and heavy”), Waltz of the Flowers from The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky (“subtle and refined”), Just Can’t Get Enough by Nouvelle Vague (“zingy and refreshing”) and Slow Breakdown by Michael Brook (“mellow and soft”)

The white wine was rated 40% more zingy and refreshing when that music was played, but only 26% more mellow and soft when music in that category was heard.

The red was altered 25% by mellow and fresh music, yet 60% by powerful and heavy music.

The results were put down to “cognitive priming theory”, where the music sets up the brain to respond to the wine in a certain way.

“Wine manufacturers could recommend that while drinking a certain wine, you should listen to a certain sort of music,” Prof North said.

Here are some music and wine pairings suggestions

Cabernet Sauvignon: All Along The Watchtower (Jimi Hendrix), Honky Tonk Woman (Rolling Stones), Live And Let Die (Paul McCartney and Wings), Won’t Get Fooled Again (The Who)

Chardonnay: Atomic (Blondie), Rock DJ (Robbie Williams), What’s Love Got To Do With It (Tina Turner), Spinning Around (Kylie Minogue)

Syrah: Nessun Dorma (Puccini), Orinoco Flow (Enya), Chariots Of Fire (Vangelis), Canon (Johann Pachelbel)

Merlot: Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay (Otis Redding), Easy (Lionel Ritchie), Over The Rainbow (Eva Cassidy), Heartbeats (Jose Gonzalez)

Source: BBC

Valentine’s Day is a minefield. Whether you’re single or hooked-up the potential for misery is high because, much like New Year’s Eve, it rarely lives up to its reputation.

For the single ladies

1. Don’t fall into the trap of believing that because there won’t be some significant other mailing you a mass-produced cardboard sentiment this year, that you are somehow lacking or unworthy of love.

Valentine’s Day was designed specifically to sell greeting cards. (And to make single people miserable.) Does being single on Halloween make you wish you were a zombie? No. See how silly you’re being?

2. Unless you’re going out with a group of friends, stay away from bars. There is a certain breed of predatory guy who lives for February 14. He douses himself with cologne, opens his shirt an extra button and packs a pocket full of terrible pick-up lines. It may sound like it’d be cute to tell your grandchildren you met on Valentine’s day, but most likely the only thing you’ll come home with will take a full course of antibiotics to get rid of.

3. Don’t go into desperation dating overload, trying to scare up a date — any date — just so you won’t be home alone on V-Day. Only a masochist or a maniac would ask a woman out on a first date on 2/14. Here’s hoping you want neither.

4. Stay home and sulk if you want, but instead of making yourself miserable with romantic comedies, check out the “War of the Roses” or “Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer.” And whatever you do — don’t eat a pint of ice cream. Nobody should willingly reduce themselves to a cliché. Have some nachos instead.

For the taken ladies

1. If your boyfriend forgets what day it is, you have nobody but yourself to blame. Do you know when the World Series is? Probably not. If you want your man to remember something, remind him.

2. Along with the above, if you have big expectations for THE MOST ROMANTIC VALENTINE’S DAY EVER, you should also convey that. Hinting never works with men — whether it’s willful or just obliviousness, I’ve never heard of a heterosexual male who is capable of picking up a subtle hint.

Give him restaurant suggestions, remind him that he needs to make a reservation in advance, advise him that you’re getting him a gift (if you are), so he might want to select a little something for you. If you must, resort to PowerPoint and pie charts. It’s not very romantic, but it will get your point across.

3. You are not allowed to get upset if he doesn’t propose. Unless it’s completely spontaneous, V-Day proposals rate way high on the cheese-o-meter and you can hardly blame him for not wanting to be part of a real-life Diamonds R Us commercial.

4. Don’t you dare compare your relationships to other couples. Competitive dating is a loser’s game. That twosome making out at the next table? Chances are, they’re married to other people. Your bigmouth coworker who can’t stop talking about the ginormous rock her FIANCE (say it loud!) bought her? He’s probably compensating for shortcomings in other departments. The more in-your-face the display, the more likely they’re just masking the unhappy truth. Be glad for what you’ve got.

Source: CNN

The Fashion Police , unlike Chris Brown and Rihanna , were as usual present at the Grammy awards. Celeb critic Kimberly Couzens gave a few thumbs up and a few “please-do-not-try-this-fashion-at-home” comments.

 Thumbs up: Katy Perry in Basil Soda. She looks great in pink, her legs are covered, and she stayed true to her personal style by keeping the dress a little wild with the pleated shape at the waist.  

No-go: MIA. This outfit isn’t nearly as bad as the one she wore onstage, where she looked like a slutty bumblebee. M.I.A., we wish you the best with the baby and everything, but please give birth in the hospital. I was afraid she was going to pop onstage. That plus the overly revealing outfit was just too much to handle.

Thumbs up: Miley Cyrus in Herve Leger by Max Azria and Taylor Swift in Kaufman Franco.  Both dresses are classic black but have modern shapes and embellishments. I also love one-shoulder gowns – I think they are universally flattering.

No-go: Leann Rimes in Philosophy. I hate the detailing, the color combination, and the wrinkled skirt. I just hate it.

Thumbs up: Kate Beckinsale in Reem Acra. Love the detailing  

No-go: Jennifer Hudson.  The dress would look great on someone petite, and the colors would be perfect on Jennifer if they were made from a flowier gown with a soft-draped silhouette. It just looks uncomfortable.  

Source: kimberlycouzens.com

You’ve all heard them: dieting is easy. Just cut out fats and carbs, eat lots of popcorn and drink lots of fruit juice. Welcome to the Land of Diet Myths. Annchen Weideman, consultant dietician at the Vincent Pallotti Hospital in Cape Town, gives us the lowdown:

1. Drink lots of fruit juice, as long as it’s pure

Fruit juice is concentrated, dissolved fructose (70%) and glucose (30%). The average 200ml pure juice contains approximately six fruits. The human body copes well with small amounts of fructose and glucose from eating single servings of fresh fruit, where the pulp slows down rapid absorption of these simple sugars. Juices place a burden on the body to produce insulin in an effort to cope with large amounts of quickly absorbable sugars. In other words, eat your fruit, don’t drink it

2. Fat free is the only way to diet Health authorities have recommended “low-fat” or “fat-free” diets for almost four decades. The reasoning was that fat contains more kilojoules (38kJ per gram) than either carbohydrates or protein, containing 17kJ per gram.

It makes mathematical sense that if you eat equal quantities of these nutrients, fat will be most fattening. But this equation discounts several important facts: fat offers the highest satiety value, and severely restricting it from your diet will lead to incessant hunger, and also make it a lot more difficult to stick to any diet.

The second discounted point is the GI-lowering effect of fat with meals, and thirdly, the life-saving anti-inflammatory properties of omega-3 fats. By restricting all fats, we’ve probably increased our exposure to inflammatory conditions such as heart disease, abdominal obesity, hypertension, diabetes and certain cancers.

3. Base your meals on cereals and starches The Food Guide Pyramid has indeed become our tombstone. Many years of starchy eating (6 – 11 portions per day, as recommended) have fuelled our abdominal fat stores. This could lead to an increased production of insulin in response to chronic, large amounts of blood-sugar release from starches.

Fresh fruit and vegetables are a healthier alternative to starchy eating, since their biochemistry call for less insulin release. Fresh fruit and vegetables should be used to substitute half of our starches. No diet based on starch will promote or sustain weight loss

4. Jelly babies and marshmallows are fat free, and not fattening The food industry knows you confuse fats and sugars, and exploits this. If you think you can regularly, safely indulge in a packet of “fat free” jelly babies while you’re trying to lose weight, you’ve fallen in the trap. These products might be fat free, but contain concentrated sugar, with a high insulin-stimulating action. High insulin release is exactly what you want to avoid if you want lasting success with weight loss.

5. Eat at least five fruits daily This recommendation assumes that these five fruits will substitute extras in your diet, such as starches or desserts. It’s no use eating your daily junk diet, plus five fruits to soothe your conscience. Then even fruit is fattening

6. Avocado pear is fattening This healthy fruit has been unfairly blamed as fattening for too long. Fruit is generally fat free, and the fat in avocado is not “high fat”, “bad fat” or even fattening. Also – it has no effect on your cholesterol or blood-sugar levels

7. It’s what you eat – when is not important We often skimp on our food intake during the day, with the result that by late afternoon our need for blood-sugar replenishment overrides all reason. One of the main purposes of breakfast is to get a solid, slow supply of blood sugar going. Topped up by a sensible lunch and late-afternoon snack, your supper should be smallest of your meals.

Breakfast has 16 – 18 hours to metabolise, lunch has 10 – 12 hours, and supper usually has two or three hours before we expect our sleeping bodies to cope with the digestion of the largest meal of the day. That’s why we should “breakfast like a king and supper like a pauper”

8. Apple cider vinegar breaks down fats The only thing apple cider vinegar breaks down is the lining of your stomach. It will not make you thin, and what’s more, it could cause stomach ulcers if the vinegar is taken on a regular basis.

9. Breakfast cereal and breakfast bars will make you thin If you want to kick-start your insulin production to put your body in effective fat storage mode, try doing this. Having high-GI starch as your meals, plus bars loaded with sugars, harmful fats and more refined starch in between, will make sure that you become a yo-yo dieter. Be prepared to be a lot worse off than you were when you started this ridiculous diet.

10. Cream crackers, rice cakes and popcorn are ‘free foods’ Firstly, the need for free foods means that your diet has little satiety value, or you’re stimulating glucose and insulin spikes in a self-perpetuating cycle by means of bad eating habits.

Secondly, no refined starch-based foods are ‘free’. The term ‘free’ refers to the low-kilojoule content of these foods, but by frequently eating ‘free’ starches, you’re stimulating insulin production, and again, putting your body in good fat-storage mode. This has little to do with kilojoules

Source: health24.com

The festive season is famous for bringing family and friends together. This will undoubtedly result in more social eating and of course drinking. Here are some principles to apply this season:

Know your limits:

Safe and healthy alcohol intake levels are 30g/day for men and 20g/day for women (women generally have less of the enzyme that helps break down alcohol in the body).

This means that one unit of alcohol a day is considered safe and healthy for an adult female and two units for a male. One unit = 340ml beer, tot (25ml) spirits, 50ml port, sherry or muscadel or 120ml wine.

Moderation is key:

Spread your weekly alcohol allowance as evenly as possible over seven days. Infrequent bingeing on alcohol can bring on attacks of gout or pancreatitis, and may cause abnormalities in heart rhythms and increases your risk of cancer.

Stretch your intake:

Use plenty of ice, water or soda water in spirit drinks or white wine (to make a spritzer); this dilutes the alcohol while increasing the volume so you drink less. Ensure your first drink is some other liquid e.g. a mineral water or a cooldrink – your alcoholic beverage should not be used as a thirst quencher.

Arrive alive:

On average it will take the liver about an hour to break down one unit of alcohol. So even after a night’s sleep, if you have had six cans of beer or two bottles of wine, you could still be over the legal limit the next day. Remember that, when driving.

Being fitter makes no difference to the rate of absorption. But, the absence or presence of food and the type of fluid that accompanies the alcohol does. Alcohol consumed on an empty stomach is more rapidly absorbed. Water and fruit juices mixed with alcohol slow the absorption process, whereas carbonated drinks (because of the carbon dioxide) will speed it up. Warm alcohol is absorbed quicker than cold alcohol.

Weight gain:

The calorie content of alcoholic beverages (which depends on the percentage of alcohol, the type of beverage and the type of mixture) plus the behaviour associated with drinking all have their part to play in the effect it will have on your weight.

When drinking alcohol, you tend to snack more, especially on the high fat foods, often available in social drinking environments. Eating high in fat take-away food (e.g. pies or burgers) late at night is another typical problem which arises after drinking, especially in students and young adults.

If you are watching your waistline, consider that one unit of alcohol is roughly equivalent to a slice of bread. It is then prudent to occasionally substitute a carbohydrate during the day to compensate for a drink or two that night.

Apply the 24 hour rule for training:

Avoid alcohol in the 24 hours prior to exercise. After exercise, once you have rehydrated and refuelled with carbohydrates, enjoy alcohol (and here I must include the ‘in moderation’). However, if you have any soft tissue injuries or bruising, abstain from alcohol for another 24 hours.

Fake it:

My personal favourite – a Rock Shandy (soda water, angostura bitters, ice and a slice of lemon) gives the impression of being an alcoholic drink, but hardly contains alcohol and calories – a sneaky option when friends continuously want to buy you a drink when they spot you standing empty handed.

Did you know?

Using thinner, taller glasses (especially wine glasses) can help you reduce your consumption. Research shows that people consume more alcohol when drinking out of shorter, wider glasses.

By Karlien Smit RD (SA), Dietician for the SSISA Healthy Weight Programme, Shelly Meltzer & Associates, Sports Science Institute of South Africa (SSISA).

Source: iafrica.com

Top holiday packing tips for a fabulous and stress-free holiday

Do you pack as if you are going away for a month when you are only going away for a week?  Do you end up taking a whole lot of clothing that you never wear, or do you arrive at your destination only to realise that you left behind your most important item? Then these packing tips are for you.

Put some thought into what you’d like to take with you a week before the time.  Go into your wardrobe.  Choose two basic colours e.g. white and denim. Depending on your destination, your basics will either be trousers, shorts or skirts in basic colours. Then you select several tops to go with this and bear in mind that you might have some evenings of going out on the town, so select a glamour top that can also be worn with your basic items (trousers, shorts or skirts). This allows you to mix and match with ease.

Make a shopping list.See if anything you need is missing and make a shopping list. For example, do you have the correct bra for that top that you wish to wear? You might think that you have that cami, but find that it’s missing in action. 

 Select clothing that you love to wear and travels well. Most women enjoy wearing fabrics that breathe, such as cotton for a summer holiday. Choose items that have a slight stretch to them, such as cotton blends. This reduces creasing.

Pack to minimize creasing. Iron everything prior to and lay them as flat as possible with as little folding as possible. Take along with you a little travel steam iron. These are small and extremely easy to use.

Take along a little well sealed container of washing powder. This allows you to hand wash underwear or small items and reduces the number of items that you pack. If necessary, make use of your steam iron to get rid of the creasing after washing.

Put thought into shoes. Most women take too many shoes along. Make a list of the activities that you’re likely to embark on and pack your hiking boots for walking and then restrict your other pair of shoes to a thong or pair of shoes that you can easily dress up or down.

 Don’t forget your swimsuit. Take along a sarong or shapely kaftan if you prefer a bit of a cover-up.  Make sure that your sunhat is floppy or small so that it doesn’t get ruined and can literally be pushed into your suitcase.

Don’t forget your essential skin products.  Make sure to take a large container of sun screen lotion that best suits your skin type.  Too much sun may give you a tan this season, but a lot of wrinkles a few years from now.  Throw in a tube of ‘after-sun’ or aloe gel to cure sunburn for the patches of skin you possibly missed when applying your sun screen lotion.  Aloe gel is also really handy for insect bites, stings and burns.

 Decant your toiletry items into smaller plastic containers to increase space. Woolworths sells a wonderful little travel pack of small plastic containers that make packing your toiletries easy.

Most importantly, always pack clothing that will make you feel fabulous, reflect your holiday mood and enhance your holiday pleasure.

Source: spice4life.co.za

The eternal question looms: What is the ideal, universal gift for hosts, friends, business associates, service workers and, not least, the family physician?

I’d submit that – barring such obvious exceptions as Alcoholics Anonymous members or hardshell teetotalers – it’s hard to top a gift of wine. Wine is broadly available and widely enjoyed. It comes in a convenient size package and commands a range of prices all the way from the budget level to wretched excess, offering you something at every price point depending on your desire to impress.

When you’re looking for a wine gift that’s a perfect match for your recipient, though, there’s one little gotcha: Fine wine comes in almost infinite variety of style, flavour and price, and individuals’ tastes vary. A truly thoughtful giver may want to make an effort to find out what particular wines the recipient prefers: Red, white or pink? Bone-dry, just a touch of sugar or outright sweet? Bubbles or not? So many decisions! An easy alternative might be to stick with the most popular regions and grape varieties in an appropriate price range, figuring that you can’t go far wrong with the wines that fly off the shelves.

Here are a few specific suggestions aimed at making your wine-gifting experience a happy one for you and the person who opens your surprise package.

START AT A QUALITY FINE-WINE SHOP. Sure, you can pick up a cheap jug of mass-market wine at a neighbourhood liquor store, but your city’s better wine shops will likely offer you a broad selection of wine types and prices, and you can rely on the staff to give you savvy advice.

DON’T BE SHY ABOUT ASKING FOR ADVICE. Small wine shops are typically run by the owner; some large fine-wine shops seek to hire floor staff who can competently answer questions.

A LITTLE KNOWLEDGE. If you’re shy about asking for help, or find yourself in a warehouse-size store with no one to assist you, check out the popular wine regions and grapes and check the price tags to find something in your range. Red wine? The movie Sideways made Pinot Noir immensely popular, and Pinot is also the grape of French Burgundy, arguably one of the world’s great wines (and priced to match). Merlot is widely popular (despite being badly dissed in that same wine-country comedy) because it’s usually made as a fruity red wine with a mellow character. If you want a white, you can rarely go wrong with popular Chardonnay or a crisp Sauvignon Blanc.

FIZZ IS FUN. Just about everybody loves Champagne and similar sparkling wines, and the sound of a popping cork lets the world know that it’s party time. Genuine Champagne, the real thing from France, is pricey, ranging from R300 or so right up to the three-figure range. But it’s uniformly good, and when you’re looking for a more upscale gift, it’s hard to beat as a sure-fire pleaser.

If you want bubbles without breaking the budget, there are some more wallet-friendly Méthode Cap Classiques or Charmats such as the Arniston Bay Sparkling Brut which also makes a great gift.

SWEET STUFF. Dessert wines are rich, sweet and sumptuous; many of them also tend to be strong, many of them (like Port, Sherry and Madeira) “fortified” to 20 percent alcohol or so with a splash of brandy added to the sweet wine. There’s a wide range of dessert wines, from those mentioned to wines made from overripe, late-harvested grapes.

AT THE HIGH END. Things get a little more complicated if you’re seeking a spare-no-expense wine gift for someone you really want to impress. With the exception of Champagne, most “collectible” wines require years of maturing in a wine cellar under controlled temperature conditions before they’re ready to enjoy. Unless you know your recipient has a wine cellar and knows how to use it, it may be best to bypass this niche.

BOTTLES LARGE AND SMALL. Most wine comes in a standard 750 ml bottle. But for a particularly spectacular gift, seek out a magnum (double the size of a standard bottle) or even such rarities as a Jeroboam (3 litres or four bottles), and on up to the man-size Nebuchadnezzar (15 litres or 20 regular-size bottles in one). At the other end of the scale, how about a gift basket with a half-dozen “half-bottles,” the undersize 375 ml bottle that’s just enough when you’re drinking abstemiously or having dinner with a partner who doesn’t do wine.

There’s a huge range of options, and once you solve the basics, this is a great advantage: There’s something for just about everyone at just about any price. Happy holidays, and bottoms up!

Source: wineloverspage.com

Oscar-winning actress Hilary Swank has bought the film rights to best-selling lifestyle book French Women Don’t Get Fat.

According to news agency AFP, the 34-year-old US star (pictured) will produce a romantic comedy based on the book, which extols the virtues of a continental diet – meals rich in fat and carbohydrates.

Written by Mireille Guiliano, a former executive with Champagne house Veuve Clicquot, the book examines the reasons why Guiliano, who was used to a continental diet of bread, pastries, wine, and three-course meals, went to the US as an exchange student and ‘came back fat’.

According to Guiliano, the book ‘unlocks the secrets of the “French Paradox” – how to enjoy food and stay slim and healthy’.

The book topped the New York Times non-fiction bestseller list and has sold over 2m copies worldwide.

Although not as wine-led as recent wine films Bottle Shock and Sideways, according to reports, the film’s protagonist will be the boss of a Champagne house.

Swank has won two Academy Awards (Oscars): one for her role in the 1999 film Boys Don’t Cry and one, in 2005, for her portrayal of a boxer in Clint Eastwood’s Million Dollar Baby.