Touching down in Geneva late on Friday afternoon saw the start of an amazing trip to the Swiss town of Zermatt, renowned as one of the best ski areas in the Alps. This was to be the beginning of a weekend of fine wine, amazing food, luxurious accommodation and the company of one of the world’s best female snowboarders. Courtesy of Roxy I embarked on my exciting snowboarding adventure accompanied by two key fashion journalists from The Sun & Celebs on Sunday.
After just a short flight from London Heathrow and a two and a half hour transfer from Geneva airport we arrived at the remarkable 5 star, Chalet Les Anges. Greeted by a selection of friendly staff, we were quickly hustled inside a picture perfect wooden chalet where we were given a pair of cosy slippers and a glass of champagne to enjoy with the rest of the Roxy guests from across Europe. Amongst the first to usher us towards the roaring log fire to warm up was Torah herself, looking effortlessly beautiful in her casual Roxy attire.
Set in the Petit Village area of Zermatt, the Chalet Les Anges benefits from seven double bedrooms, sauna, steam room, Jacuzzi, lounge/dining area, a large BBQ terrace and fully qualified kitchen and waiting staff – not a bad place to spend a weekend?!
Despite the chilly outside temperatures the wooden chalets certainly retain their heat, offering the coziest environment in which to enjoy the delicious canapés that were promptly served………. and so the weekend of fine food had begun!
The Michelin star trained chefs served up a seven course gourmet banquet, featuring smoked salmon, foie gras, sorbet and the most divine crème brulee. Something I had never tried before was the edible rose that had been glazed in egg whites and icing sugar. Not only did it look too good to eat it tasted great.
After an amazing evening chatting to Torah and the Roxy team our cosy en suite bedrooms eagerly awaited us. Set on the untouched bed was a generous gift courtesy of Torah Bright, this included a pair of Limited Edition Goggles from her exclusive Bright Collection and a Roxy branded ginger bread cake…….. needless to say I couldn’t fit this in just yet!
Saturday 20th November
The first morning in Zermatt started at 7.30am sharp with a breakfast spread fit for a king. The endless amounts of delicious pastries, cereals, yoghurts, smoothies, fresh fruit, eggs, bacon, sausages, teas, freshly squeezed fruit juices and coffee was to set us up for the action packed day ahead.
Taking an electric powered taxi as Zermatt is a car free town, we set off fully kitted out in our Roxy outerwear with snowboards tucked under our arms. Taking the cable car, we headed up the glacier where the snow was in abundance and the trails were ready for riding. Instructor in tow, we enjoyed a thirty minute journey taking in the outstanding views and snapping at any given opportunity. Reaching our destination temperatures were showing at minus 15° and the blustery wind made it feel all the colder.
Starting at the very basics, our personal instructor gave the two UK journalists their first ever snowboarding lesson and for me, it was just great to go back over the basics and refresh my hazy snowboarding memories of last year in New Zealand.
A couple of hours down and a few falls later, time got the better of us and our snowboarding experience had come to an end. The girls made great effort learning how to link turns down the slope whilst George from Glamour Germany and myself tried our hand at a couple of new tricks.
I must say it is like riding a bike – you certainly don’t forget….. and now I’m itching to go on my next snowboarding adventure.
A beautiful and filling lunch was followed by massages for the UK girls and any first time bumps and bruises were quickly forgotten. The rest of the afternoon was spent chilling and chatting with Torah about her current Roxy collection and what’s in store for the next Autumn/Winter season. Having a passion for fashion and looking good on the slopes, she told us about her inspirations, design techniques and her top styling tips.
As 7pm drew near the Champagne was served along with another round of superb canapés, this time including scallops, goats’ cheese bruschetta and snails. Our final evening meal in Chalet Les Anges was a Swiss fondue feast. As a fondue first timer and a lover of cheese this was an extra special treat! And if that wasn’t enough we finished the evening off with a delicious chocolate fondue too!
Sunday 21st November
The last day of luxury saw the Roxy trip end with a relaxed two hour brunch and long-awaited dip in the outside Jacuzzi. Settling in the bubbling hot tub surrounded by snow-capped mountains we were lucky enough to catch a quick glimpse of Torah on her Roxy FW2011 photo-shoot.
Just before our departure back to Geneva, the sky cleared revealing the world famous Matterhorn brilliantly highlighted by the bright winter sunshine – the perfect way to end an awesome weekend……….
I would like to say a big thanks to Torah Bright and the Roxy Team for a 5 star weekend!
Franklin & Marshall Signing TentRelentless Freeze Festival, London
Friday 29th – Sunday 31st October 2010
On Friday 29th October, Franklin & Marshall made its debut appearance at the Relentless Freeze Festival, Battersea Power Station, as the Franklin & Marshall Signing Tent was unveiled. The F&M Signing Tent, an apres ski inspired lounge and dedicated signing area, was visited by some of the worlds top snowboarders, skiers and musicians over the course of the three day event, including; Canadian snowboarder Matts Kulisek, a selection of the Swedish Ski team, band Hanouken, Tony Vegas from renown DJ trio the Scratch Perverts and up and coming artist/musician Bluey Robinson, who is currently touring with Tinnie Tempah..
Inspired by a love of the outdoors and American college style, the F&M Signing Tent was created to form a relaxed apres ski lounge, which included a live DJ creating a relaxed lounge atmosphere.
Le Coq Sportif sponsor L'Eroica
Written by Gavin Campbell – Spinwell blogger
Tuesday 12th October 2010
What a weekend. Unbelievable, awesome, rad, mega, ace!
Having never been to L’Eroica and only having seen pictures on the internet I didn’t fully know what to expect but what came was among the best all-round cycling experience I have ever encountered. The atmosphere the whole weekend was electric, where 3000 like minded, fanatical individuals descend upon Gaiole in Chianti for two days of pure cycling nostalgia. Woolen jerseys and steel bikes aplenty, any man interested in the traditions of the cycle race can certainly find his fill here.
Day one on Saturday sees the flea market come into town, I say flea market it is a great big cycle jumble in English terms. Stretched out either side of Gaiole’s main road this jumble is big and not only is it big, it is good, very good. Everything you ever needed for your period build and all the accompaniments to go with it can be found here. Even the rarest of the rare is on the tables, it seems that the cream of Italy’s cycle merchandise dealers have landed in Chianti for the day to bless all of the hungry with their wares. You simply do not get a selection this good in the U.K.
If you are unhappy to ogle pantographed cranks and embroidered jerseys all day then you can visit the museum, where books, posters, videos and actual race bikes will greet you. Maybe taste and buy some local meat, fresh pasta, wine made in these hills, the food here is, well it’s just the absolute epitome of rustic goodness. This is, after all a cycling ‘holiday’ so it must be approached as such, take your time, see the sights, chat to the locals and the not so locals. Sometimes trying to speak to someone about your passion for cycles and cycling can be tiresome, remember though that every one here, each of the 3000 are more than happy to exchange verses on the virtue of the spoked wheel and tubed frame for they too are here for the exact reason you are.
The evenings see most people go off to their hotels or chalets to eat food and wine bought that day but we saw Le Coq’s Citroen HY van, looking fabulous in red, white and blue crank up the soundsystem for a grappa fuelled ipod party, but not after food with the stars. A sit down dinner with speeches from Italy’s cycling greats, it was like come dine with me with Fausto Coppi, yes, these were very old men.
Day two sees the cycle race along the fabled white gravel roads and Le Coq Sportif, my hosts, did a perfect job of organising cycles for everyone ( I rode a Campagnolo equipped 1977 Paletti ) and the registration procedure was just seamless. You need a number on your back, one on your bike and a stamp card and you are good to go, good to enter ‘race mode’ or ‘sportif mode’ for a day jam packed full of excitement and surprise. Depending on how your legs feel you can choose to ride either 38km, 75km, 135km or 205km but every one will be as pleasurable an experience as the next. Should you have any technical difficutlies someone will be along to help you out soon enough, such is the kinship on the road.
The roads ridden upon are made up of mainly white gravel paths called the Strade Bianche, fairly narrow in width and rutted like an ice ravaged mountain pass these roads are not to be taken softly. I have never ridden them but I can only imagine it to be like the cobbled straights of the paris-roubaix. Hang on tight, it’s going to get bumpy!
Along your way you will find a handful of food stops fully stocked up with local edible delights and alcohol too should you have the stomach.
Is it a race? Is is a ride? Who knows? But there are all levels out on the road, from the locals who hurtle past you and the vintage service car in front like a roller coaster coach direct and unrelenting to 90 year old men in full woolen suits being pushed up hills by boys half their age. This ‘race’ is legendary and I now know what the fuss is about. The moment tickets go on sale next year, I am buying one, or two.
Bestival closes festival season 2010
Written by ‘TF’ – Tea & Cake blogger
Thursday 16th September 2010
And so with the final flames of Bestival’s closing night bonfire finally burnt out, festival season 2010 has now drawn to a close.
The Isle of Wight-based festival has now been running for seven years and is at long last beginning to establish itself amongst the elite of the UK’s increasingly congested festival market. It’s hard to put your finger on just why Bestival works, but work it does.
Taking place in the middle of September, it rarely sees the type of glorious sunshine that this year’s Glastonbury enjoyed: two years ago a downpour of biblical proportions forced part of the site to be closed and numerous sets cancelled. This year’s cloud cover and hour-long shower seemed almost Mediterranean in comparison. Somehow, no-one seems to care either way.
You won’t find too many of the usual suspects on the bill either. The line-up offers guests (“guests“? “Punters” seemed somewhat colloquial and “gig-goers“ a bit Smash Hits) an eclectic mix of new acts just about to break into the mainstream - Hurts, Egyptian Hip Hop, Villagers - coupled with artists from years gone past who can still cut it on the big stage - Chic, The Wailers and Echo and the Bunnymen. The Prodigy can probably be added to that list nowadays too.
Perhaps the real secret to its success lies in its variety? Aside from the main stage and the Big Top - the largest of the indoor arenas - there is a seemingly endless supply of tents, bars and outdoor spaces to stagger upon. There’s a bandstand, a Women’s Institute tent selling cakes and presumably mild xenophobia, a burlesque dancing bar and an inflatable church. Arcadia, one of the more creative outdoor spaces - a stage protected by a 30ft high metal spider within whose “body” the djs are housed - scared the life out of me, quite frankly.
But if Bestival offers both the sublime and the ridiculous, it’s the ridiculous where it excels. The annual fancy dress party that takes place on the Saturday of the festival each year saw the crowd sport costumes that were expensively purchased, lovingly crafted or brilliantly improvised. He-Man, Mario, Luigi and Danger Mouse were all out in full force: it was like I’d died and woken up in my vision of heaven circa 1989. Albeit with a lot more cider, and only slightly more mud.
Still in the land of the ridiculous, some of the oddest, yet strangely most enjoyable entertainment could be found in the cabaret tent - where Johnny Woo and his Sink the Pink (yes that’s right, Sink the Pink) group of largely transvestite performers were holding court.
Twice I managed to accidentally stumble upon their performances, and twice they were an absolute riot - with a strange mix of break dancing, ballet and any other dancing you can imagine played out to soundtrack of camp classics and most brilliantly, Bruce Springsteen. Although I didn’t enjoy it anywhere near as much as the front row, which comprised a group of 12 year-old boys wildly ogling the group’s bikini-clad blonde female, whilst wearing paper crowns and clutching a bottle of cider.
The fact that my experience of this year’s Bestival involved watching Mr Motivator lead a 20,000 people strong exercise routine and my friend dancing on stage with Vanilla Ice in a makeshift cocktail bar, only strengthens the view that Bestival has to be one of the most unique and quite frankly bizarre festivals on the calendar. Yet it remains unbelievably good fun. It may seem on the surface to be contrived; with an over-reliance on ironic nods and knowing nudges, but somehow it all works without ever coming across as trying too hard.
If you haven't been, you should. And if you've been and didn't like it, I’m sure the Kaiser Chiefs will be playing Reading and Leeds some time soon.
There are three models available this season:
Whether you’re heading off for some winter sun or hitting the slopes this February, make sure you embrace the elegance and femininity of the 50s trend for this season with a pair of these glamorous two-toned butterfly-shaped Esprit sunglasses, available from the spring summer 2012 collection – your outfit won’t be complete without them.
An original range of t-shirts sporting designs from their archive. These everyday hero’s are available in navy blue, light blue, white and red. A Summer shoe selection to complete the look? How about new style Antibes in blue canvas or red nylite or the white and blue striped Provençale?
The Quiksilver Women's collection designed by American designer John Moore, for A/W 2011 includes a collaboration with Serena Mitnik-Miller, an artist, designer, photographer and curator living and working in the Outer-Sunset district of San Francisco, California.
Launching on 1st November and enabling you to get in the Christmas spirit, the gorgeous ALCATEL ONE TOUCH 810 has a unique QWERTY clamshell design, the only one of its kind in the UK and will be available for only £49.99. This beautiful pearl silver, compact and stylish handset is exclusive to Carphone Warehouse and will be available from stores nationwide and online at 
Nearly two thirds questioned admitted that they are less productive during the winter months, contributing this directly to a lack of sunshine. Sunshine is key for our well-being and few people realise just how crucial it is. The sunshine can not only instantly lift your mood but it’s also an essential source of vitamin D, otherwise known as the “sunshine vitamin”. Now thanks to NeuroSun you can get this crucial dose of vitamin D in a delicious, low-calorie drink, the first of its kind to hit the shelves.
The Malibu Winter Limited Edition is available from Selfridges (RRP £15) and other supermarkets nationwide.
The team at NeuroDrinks understand caffeine isn't something we always want in our diets, so with a few tweaks the new and improved NeuroTrim is now available without caffeine, but still with only 37 calories per bottle! If this isn't enough, the bottle has had a complete transformation and is now available in a stylish purple; one of the key colours across the winter catwalk fashion shows and reigning as one of the season's most leading and sumptuous trends. NeuroTrim offers an easy and revolutionary way to support weight-loss which can be added to your everyday diet.
The ALCATEL ONE TOUCH 602 has specially designed contents and cover so you can show your support for England in the Rugby World Cup and will be available from O2 stores nationwide and online at 
It's in the streets of a small Virginian town that Arthur Ashe hit his first tennis balls. His natural talent and strong willpower quickly led him to appearances on the world's biggest courts, culminating at Forest Hills in 1968 where he becomes the first African American player ever to win the US Open. His extraordinary career included 72 Grand Slam victories, amongst which was the Australian Open in 1970 and Wimbledon in 1982.
