Related Posts
Looking For a Panto Treat? – Head to Hackney Empire
Hackney Empire pantos are renowned for being one of the best on offer each year. ‘Oh, no they’re not’ – Oh yes they most definitely are!
And while taking my two (nearly three!) year old daughter to her first pantomime, I couldn’t have wished for a better introduction to the theatre.
This year the east London theatre welcomed Joanna Riding to star in Dick Whittington and his Cat. The show was full of laughs, especially with Steve Elias in the role of the panto dame and Tony Whittle as Alderman Fitzgerald – they were the perfect comedy duo – and while my daughter definitely did not warm to the King Rat played by Kat B, he was also hilarious; playing up to the audience’s boos and hisses.
I must admit, even I was scared when a giant gorilla/king kong type character clambered on stage using some sort of puppetry/stilt walkers inside (although I still haven’t quite got my head round how they did that!), but my little one took it fairly well and didn’t bat an eyelid.
Vocally it was Dick Whittington’s love interest Alexia Khadime who stole the show alongside Elias who could more than hold a note or two.
All in all a great show and what better excuse to support your local theatre? Go check it out.
www.hackneyempire.co.uk
Hape toys – great for the imagination
WHENEVER we go to playgroups, at some point my toddler will make a beeline for the pretend kitchen areas.
He loves the role play of making me a cup of tea or something to eat! So it was great to try out the Hape Pop-up Toaster Set at home.
It definitely came at the right time for us as we were stuck in the house as my son had a viral infection. #funtimes
So it was a great distraction for him as we pretended to make breakfast together. Sometimes I was lucky enough to be served breakfast on the sofa!
The classic wooden set comprises of seven pieces including a toaster that pops up two slices of bread, a plate, knife, butter and honey pot.
I absolutely adore wooden playsets, for me they’ll always have the edge over mass produced plastic toys – although don’t get me wrong, you’ll still find lots of plastic toys in my home too!
Made to last, they’re the sort of thing you pass down from child to child.
Toys like this are great for your little one’s imagination – it makes you realise how much they actually watch you while you’re at work in the kitchen!
The Hape Kitchen and Food range also includes a Tea Set for Two and even a Coffee Machine – very millennial!
Available to purchase from Hape’s Amazon store.
Spanx – a woman’s best friend?
Celebrities have long been singing the praises of Spanx, not just for the way it sucks in our lumps and bumps in all the right places, but because the right pair can also give you the perfect hour-glass figure which is becoming increasingly popular amongst both stylists and fashionistas.
Just in from the Spanx press day, which I decided to go to at the last minute to see what was on offer, as I was having what could only be described as a ‘fat day, week, month…’ (you get the picture!), I was impressed by the extent of the range available. Admittedly I never had any interest in owning a pair of Spanx before having my daughter, but now I can definitely see the benefits!
From the hardcore bodyshapers to the Haute Contour range featuring delicate lacy bodysuits offering lighter support and retailing at around £200, to the Active wear for the gym (yep, ladies, you can even exercise safe in the knowledge that no-one is judging your pot belly) and the Mama Spanx range for pregnant women looking for extra support for their bumps (apparently the singer Adele is currently using them during her pregnancy).
Spanx have definitely researched their market and seem to offer something for everyone – even the boys are not left out, with t-shirts and boxer shorts which come complete with a ‘3D pouch’…
www.spanx.co.uk
Hollywood star, philanthropist and all round cool guy – Samuel L Jackson
Trying to remain just as cool, calm and collected as the man himself, I recently had a one to one with Hollywood superstar Samuel L Jackson (silent scream).
Fresh from celebrating Django Unchained’s win at the BAFTAs, presenting an award on the night and hosting another charity event two days before that – phew! – this was a man on total form, friendly and animatedly talking about his latest fundraiser.
Launching the Affinity Real Estate Shooting Stars Benefit 2013 at the Moet and Chandon offices in London, over a glass of bubbly (what else?), Jackson spoke enthusiastically about the golfing event in June where those prepared to part with a certain amount of cash can putt holes alongside celebrity players.
Pushing Jackson to say which A-list players he’d like to get on board – Luke Wilson and Alice Cooper have taken part in the past – he replied: “People like golf and people tend to open their pockets to play with, I guess, famous people… and they have a good time and it’s a great way to engage with people in the community and to help raise awareness among certain charities.
“We’re talking to a lot of people – so we’ll see what happens. We don’t really bring people onboard because they’re good golfers, we bring them because they’re good people. You have to be social, people come to have a laugh, make friends and take photographs, so we try to chose people who are personable and wanna come and have a good time.”
Jackson’s mother passed away last year after battling with Alzheimer’s, so funds raised from this year’s event will go towards the Samuel L Jackson Foundation and fund research into Dementia and Alzheimer’s, as Jackson added ‘that could be me one day’.
The Affinity Real Estate Shooting Stars Benefit takes place June 14-15. www.shootingstarsbenefit.com