Nike: The Chosen

Nike's first ever all action sports spot is dark and explosive

Working in collaboration with Los Angeles based agency 72andSunny, Nike has launched a new global campaign, based as always on the Just Do It strategy, entitled The Chosen. A film made up of a series of epic action sports commercials and behind the scenes features, it features the likes of Paul Rodriguez, Danny Kass and surfer Julian Wilson amongst others.

Shot by renowned cinematographer Lance Acord, the filming takes place in the inky darkness of night using a combination of lighting techniques; huge rigs, spotlights and the odd firework create scenes with a pretty cinematic feel. It's not the first time someone has shot action sports in this style, but it's definitely one of the few times all of these sports have come together in one coherent commercial - the result is a seriously good-looking piece of content that appeals to both the core and mainstream views alike. The footage premièred on Facebook yesterday evening (2nd June). Fans of Nike 6.0 (the brands' action sports offshoot) were alerted through the social network and tuned in from 7-8pm GMT to watch the action and participate in the live chat stream.

Nike is also running a video contest inviting skaters, surfers, BMX riders, snowboarders and skiers to submit a footage of themselves and friends. It's a great prize for a budding action sports fan - the chance to travel with the Nike team and get access to exclusive Nike products and experiences. This will run within Facebook and winners will be determined by fan support, Nike and their roster of elite athletes.

http://nike.com/chosen

Vaseline - Love it?

Vaseline has released a brand new flavoured lip balm which is sure to have people divided.

With most brands offering just strawberry and other fruity options Vaseline have decided to widen their options with Marmite Vaseline.

They say....

'Following over a decade of in-depth research, it was clear the ‘yeast extract’ lip care market was not being catered for. So the lip experts at Vaseline and flavour junkies at Marmite have finally joined forces to create a mouthwatering new flavour.

Like Batman and Robin, cheese and pineapple, and, erm, Jedward….this is the partnership everyone’s been waiting for. Guaranteeing healthy looking lips and protection from the elements, Vaseline Lip Therapy Marmite is also rich in B vitamins and 100% vegetarian.'

More information on the limited edition Vaseline Lip Therapy Marmite (RRP £1.99) is available here.

Will you be buying this? I certainly shall.

The Man Saver

This clever app makes sure you (yes, boys!) don't forget any relationship milestone, and gives you advance warning so you can make romantic plans.

There may be nothing worse a man can do in a relationship than forget his anniversary. If such forgetfulness happens, one of two scenarios will likely ensue: a rushed panic to make a dinner reservation, find a gift, and locate an open flower shop before it’s too late, or forgetting altogether and get hounded for years (or until you break up) about that one time you forgot your anniversary. Trust me with this one, you will pay a price for this blunder of all blunders. While I am a fan of iindividuals who can remember by themselves or have the smarts to write that special date down, the MANsaver app (free) could be the lifesaver of those who tend to forget.

The clever app asks you to enter whether you are dating or married and the start date of your relationship. From that simple information, the MANsaver app generates reminders for every possible anniversary, holiday, and milestone that could possibly occur. It has all the important dates covered, but even reminds you about absurdities like “100 days of dating” that only the crazy girls would pull on you, so you’re safe no matter what. Push notifications give you a generous five-day notice on important dates as well as a day-of reminder in case you still haven’t made that reservation. To get even more ambitious, the app gives you creative date ideas, gift options, and sentimental drafts of text messages. I'm not so sure that plagiarising an overly-sweet text message will put you in your girl’s good graces, but remember that big one-year anniversary definitely will. If possible, I suggest also plugging in her/my birthday. Wouldn’t want to miss that one.

What...you think that I only get the ladies because I'm the most re-dunk-u-lous-ly good looking news anchor in town? Stay classy Man Saver.

- R. Burgandy

Lick It...

It's interactive. It has a cat. It makes you uncomfortable. It's so Skittles and it's so good.

A Screen Legend

Dubbed 'the last of the Hollywood greats', the much-loved actress's life had held the public imagination from the moment she first appeared on screen in 1942, not only for her beauty and glamour, but also for her turbulent personal life, her many marriages and her tireless charity work.

Born to American parents in London in 1932, Dame Elizabeth starred in her first film, There’s One Born Every Minute, at just 10 years old. She then skyrocketed in to fame at the age of 12 after her role as Velvet Brown in National Velvet but, like many childhood stars, she struggled for the public to accept her in more mature roles and for MGM, the production company to which she was signed, to give her more serious parts.

However, in 1960 Taylor went on to land one of her most famous roles as Cleopatra, complete with a million dollar pay cheque - a first for any Hollywood actress. Taylor starred opposite Richard Burton, whom Taylor went on to marry twice, marking the start of an iconic Hollywood relationship.

It was no secret that as captivating she was on screen, and it was Taylor’s glamorous, provocative personal life that lead to the most interest. She married a total of eight times in her life (she was divorced seven times and widowed once), although it is thought she never got over Burton and was inconsolable following his death in 1984, saying "perhaps we loved each other too much".

Taylor was always ahead of the times, from her controversial movie roles, to her personal life, and in 2009 she managed to break the mould again by joining - and becoming an active user of - Twitter. She used the medium to both promote the various good causes she was a supporter of (including many AIDS charities) and to share inspirational words of wisdom. One of her final tweets, referring to rumours of a film about her and Richard Burton's life together, read "No one is going to play Elizabeth Taylor, but Elizabeth Taylor herself.. Not at least until I'm dead, and at the moment I'm having too much fun being alive...and I plan on staying that way. Happiness to all."

Dame Elizabeth Taylor passed away today (23 March 2011) at Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre in LA. She will endure as one of Hollywood’s greatest and most glamorous icons, and she will be greatly missed.

Bizarre foods: European "delicacies," by country

What constitutes "food" is relative, depending upon what part of the world you call home. In Asia, pretty much anything on no (snakes), two, four, six, or eight legs is up for grabs. Europe, however, has its own culinary oddities, as detailed below. Got maggots?

Iceland
Hákarl: Fermented, dried Greenland or basking shark. This tasty treat is prepared by burying the beheaded and gutted shark in a shallow hole in the ground for six to 12 weeks. Unsurprisingly, the end result is considered noxious to pretty much everyone on the planet aside from Icelanders.

Norway
Smalahove: Boiled lamb's head, traditionally served at Christmas. The brain is removed, and the head salted and dried before boiling. Because they're the fattiest bits, the ear and eye are eaten first. More fun than a wishbone.

Sardinia (yes, it's in Italy, but this one deserved its own listing)
Casu marzu: This sheep's milk cheese has maggots added to it during ripening, because their digestive action creates an "advanced level" of fermentation (also known as "decomposition"). Some people prefer to eat the soupy results sans critters, while the stout of heart go for the whole package. Be forewarned: according to Wikipedia, irate maggots can propel themselves for distances up to six inches. Here's fly in your eye.

Northern Sweden or Finland
Lappkok: This charmingly-named concoction consists of blodpalt--a dumpling made with reindeer blood and wheat or rye flour--served with reindeer bone marrow. Well, Santa's herd had to retire sometime.

Sweden
Lutefisk: This dried whitefish treated with lye is beloved by Scandinavians and their American Midwestern ancestors (let's just say it's an acquired taste). It's traditionally served with potatoes or other root vegetables, gravy or white sauce, and akvavit.

Scotland
Haggis: Who doesn't love a cooked sheep's stomach stuffed with its lungs, heart, and liver, combined with oatmeal?

Poland
Nozki: Literally "cold feet," this dish of jellied pig's trotters isn't as repulsive as it sounds. The meat is simmered with herbs and spices until falling off the bone, and set in gelatin. Think of how much fun this would be as a Jello shot.

Ukraine
Salo: The cured fatback of pork is actually quite delicious, and similar to Italian lardo when seasoned. It's chopped and used as a condiment, or eaten straight-up on bread. Plan your angioplasty accordingly.

England/Ireland
Black (or blood) pudding: Technically a sausage, this mixture of animal blood (usually pork), spices, fat, and oatmeal or other grains is surprisingly good. It's served uncooked, fried, grilled, or boiled. Sound bad? At least it's not called Spotted Dick.

Italy
Stracotto d'asino: A northern Italian donkey stew, often served as a pasta sauce. Donkey and horse are eaten throughout Italy, but this particular dish is a specialty of Veneto, and Mantua, in Lombardy.

France
Tête de veau: You have to love that the venerable French culinary bible, Larousse Gastronomique, describes this dish of boiled calf's head as, "a gelatinous variety of white offal." Mmm. While there are many different preparations for the classical dish, it was traditionally served with cocks' combs and kidneys, calves sweetbreads, and mushrooms.

Eastern Europe
P'tcha: A calves' foot jelly enjoyed by Ashkenazi Jews throughout this part of Europe. It's uh, high in protein.

Germany
Zungenwurst: This sausage is made of pork blood and rind; pickled ox tongue, and a grain filler, such as barley. It's available dried, or can be browned in butter or bacon fat before eating. And bacon makes everything better.


Netherlands
Paardenrookvlees: Culinarily-speaking, the Dutch usually cop grief for their proclivity for pickled herring and eating mayonnaise on their french fries. That's because most Americans don't know this smoked horse meat is a popular sandwich filling. Trust me: Seabiscuit tastes pretty good.

Greece
Kokoretsi: Lamb or goat intestines wrapped around seasoned offal (lungs, hearts, sweetbreads, kidneys), threaded onto a skewer, and cooked on a spit. You know what's good with grilled meat? Meat.

The Augmented Effect

There has been a huge rise in the amount of augmented reality advertising billboards that are creating dynamic experiences around the world, and this one by Lynx brings sexy angels to Victoria station. As you can see from the video commuters are encouraged to interact with the ads and this draws attention from around the station and creates a level of engagement that a normal billboard could only really ever dream of getting.

See the clip above to find out how they wowed people.

Word spread fast as travelers found they could interact with the angels in virtual reality on a big screen, after stepping on a special floormat. We're wondering how many people missed their trains as a result.....

The campaign was created by BBH, London.

EDIBLE PEN

Do you chew on your pen when concentrating?

Me too!!! ...and so does young Dutch designer Dave Hakkens, who has recently come up with a pen which you can chew on and entirely eat.

"When looking at the pen I noticed that you only use the ink, the other stuff is just there to hold filling more comfortably. Isn’t it possible to eat the whole cover?" He says of the starting point for his idea.

Hakkens gathered a number of pens and looked closely at which ones were the best ones to chew on.

Armed with that information, he then made three different molds and started testing out different types of candy; investigating crucial pen chewing considerations such as the breaking points, flavours and which designs and textures 'chew' the best.

"When I found the shape and candy, I made a final model in peppermint flavour. The candy which is used doesn’t stick on anything and doesn't feel dirty when you hold it in your hands or when eating it afterwards" he says.

Dave's edible pen contains twenty pieces of candy and is filled with edible ink - the only thing which isn't edible is the small point which you write with - and when it's finished you throw this nib away or put it in a new re-fill pen.

Tasty.

Shabby Chic

By now, it’s probably no secret: One of my passions is for the country. Don’t get me wrong, I love the ‘City’, but the country oozes quintessentially British-ness in abundance.

I also definitely have a thing for old houses. I have relationships with them, I will build entire trips around them, I study their crevices and crown moldings and broken floor tiles, making up stories about the people who spent lifetimes living and dreaming in the rooms.

The Lodge, my Devonshire residence, is a pretty 4 bed cottage positioned deep in a tree-filled cleft on the fringe of Dartmoor. Encompassed by fields filled with calves, lambs and miniature ponies, it’s a farmers heaven, and it’s my haven.

The Lodge itself is a 16th-century stone building (originally a 2 up, 2 down, now with a few extensions here and there), located at the foot of the long, windy driveway which takes you to the impressive, yet slightly imposing, Hall. Both the Hall, which is a candidate for the ficticious Baskerville Hall featured in Conan Doyle’s ‘The Hound of the Baskervilles’, and the Lodge are totally isolated, accessible only by a narrow lane edged by overgrown hedges and not so strategically placed blind bends, followed by a dirt track. It’s edge of your seat stuff, so generally a rambling old pick-up truck is needed!

As a family we’ve fixed up, furnished and decorated the space (but not too much), turning the historical stone house into the most amazingly simple and pared-down retreat–for the inner artists and writer, anyone else who appreciates scaling back, and you know, channeling their inner Laura Ingalls Wilder (is that just me?).

Inside, there’s open fires, well-worn vintage furniture, ancient books scattered across window ledges and a collections of paraffin lamps. Outside you’ll see a ‘wild garden’, a self-made pond (oh yes, we hired a digger and a dumper and got our hands dirty!), rolling hills, moor and a compostable barn with stables and sheep/cow pens). It’s a boon for those who agree that the ultimate luxury these days is peace, solitude and a dreamy old house on a big swath of pretty land.

This is where I shall be hiding out during the long 11 day Easter break. Go forth!

Sheenism: Comedy or tragedy?

Like any good Internet meme, there comes a point of saturation where sheer delight turns to absolute disgust and overload. Take that sheer disgust and multiply it by three and there you have it: Charlie Sheen.

So, putting it simply, I’ve totally bought into the, freshly freed of the burden of making a television show, Charlie Sheen hype.

I have to admit that I’m loathe to pay any attention to celebrity meltdowns, but it would seem that Sheen has been sweeping our nation, invading our homes and businesses, spreading like a fog via seemingly innocuous sites.

In the latest sign of the coming apocalypse, the “unemployed” actor has announced via Twitter that he is “looking to hire a “#winning social media intern with #TigerBlood.” That lucky someone will help him keep his more than 2 million new followers up-to-date — and likely be asked to assist Sheen in a plethora of illegal and incriminating activities.

Unlike Sheen, if you weren’t born with Adonis DNA, and don’t really have tiger blood coursing through your veins, then this Tiger Blood image will allow you to compensate….

So to all you brave men and certifiably insane women who want to get in on the hell-train that is Charlie Sheen — and obviously there will be a staggering number of you — feel free to apply here. The deadline is March 11. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.

As a member of the Internet community, all I know is that as long as Sheen keeps cranking out amazing quotes like, “I’m so tired of pretending my life isn’t perfect and bitching and just winning every second and I’m not perfect and bitchin,” he will have a home in my Twitter feed.

#FAIL

Misery Bear needs YOU.

Comic Relief is just around the corner (18 March), and supermodel and former Stylist cover star Kate Moss has become the latest celebrity to 'do something funny for money', starring in the hilarious video above in which she meets Misery Bear.

The notoriously private supermodel is currently planning the year's (second) most spectacular wedding - however, if this vid is to be believed, fiancé Jamie Hince isn't the only man in her life...

Watch the video here

Lest we forget...

The new Serpo exhibition at the Serpentine Gallery has opened this week.

Nancy Serpo, a leading pioneer of feminist art, made her mark on paper with pen and pencil, ink and gouache, stencil and collage, and while one might argue that many men have done so too, Spero is unequivocal.

To describe her creations as simply as works on paper, for instance, is to ignore a central point. Spero made no other kind of work. She did not paint with oil on canvas, the typical medium for the typical artist (principally male), and she did not sculpt.

The works on display explore issues of subjugation, brutality and the abuse of power and uses a broad range of visual sources, including Etruscan and Roman frescos, mythology, fashion magazines and feminist history.

War, torture, violence against women: These prominent words speak for themselves and are clearly a form of political expression, no matter that they offer no opinions and propose no solutions.

Where Serpo really finds form is in the imagination, in the delicate but horrifying figments formed using gouache (which is so diluted, it lies pale on the page.) She produced these year after year, all through the Vietnam war, her rage and despair ceases to diminish.

These images on display are unforgettable and this is the way Serpo intended them. They represent her at her strongest: a conscience making art to an absolute and unmistaken purpose.

The exhibition is the first major presentation of the American artists work since she died in 2009.

Lest we ever forget the horrors of war.

Follow the link to Aesthetica Magazine's blog to read a memoir of Nancy Spero by fellow American feminist artist, Kiki Smith.

A Spotify Milestone - Cracking the US

When Spotify launched in the autumn of 2008, it was greeted with delight by music fans. The idea of a comprehensive, free and legal digital jukebox seemed almost too good to be true.

It’s been a strange old ride over here in the UK for Spotify.

Everyone's had it.

Everyone's felt a little bit of anger at the adverts (...mainly because they didn’t want to pay for it...and if you pay for it it's not free music right?)

Spotify now has 10 million users, and this web of premium, unlimited (15% are now paying customers)and open users is thickening. This on-line music service is officially the largest of its kind in the world.

Shortly the co-founded Swedish company will move to the US and is currently on the verge of a deal with Universal Music Group. Pretty cool for a recent start-up eh?!

The Wonderman

Tinie Tempah, the wonderman who can apparently do anything, has done something else. He's only gone and launched an online game. What next!?!

The Brit Award winner and man that charms everyones hearts stars within the game as a super hero and uses all sounds created by the man himself. Make Tinie run, jump and blast through 7 levels to get your name on a leader board of players. Other highlights of the game include Tinie Tempah being given the option to ‘risk it for a chocolate biscuit’, become invincible when he puts on his crazy sun protectors and running past collaborators Ellie Goulding and Kelly Rowland.

The game is free and can be found here.

Is there nothing this boy won’t turn his hand to, and turn it well?

What if cats had thumbs?

Why do cats stare when you are pouring milk?

This is the incredibly captivating, yet slightly bizarre new Cravendale cat advert which has got everyone asking: What if cats had thumbs?

The lead cat in the advert, Bertrum, a shrewd and wiley creature intent on world domination, has been an active user of social networks for some time…apparently.

Follow him on Twitter at @bertrumthumbcat

Jog on kitties.

Dior Furore: They tried to make me go to rehab.....

Don't worry Galliano, Mel Gibson and Charlie Sheen will no doubt take you under their (right) wing.

Replacing the fired John Galliano at Dior is arguably the biggest decision Bernard Arnault will ever make. (Mostly because there was less riding on the position when he first hired Galliano in the Nineties.)

Since Galliano’s reign at the storied Paris fashion house was a time of major financial growth, Arnault needs to choose someone who can continue on that commercial path without compromising design. It’s a tough one, mostly because many of the designers proven capable of this are already stationed in plum creative director roles. Will Arnault look outside LVMH to replace Galliano, or will he make some swaps within the empire? I’ve crafted some educated guesses.

Marc Jacobs?

Alber Elbaz?

Kate and Laura Mulleavy?

Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig?

Riccardo Tisci?

Hedi Slimane?

Erdem Moralioglu?

Dries Van Noten?

I can guarantee that the new employee won’t be an American. Dior, after all, couldn’t be more French if it tried, and there’s something about American design that just doesn’t quite approximate France’s way of doing things. The replacement will also have to be capable of turning out a couple of couture collections a year. With that in mind, any one of the above 8 candidates would make a splendid addition to the stable of designers at LVMH.

Oh Lord won't you buy me....

This high impact ad is a set of three: Passion, Music and Paint

Left brain: I am the left brain. I am a scientist. A mathematician. I love the familiar. I categorize. I am accurate. Linear. Analytical. Strategic. I am practical. Always in control. A master of words and language. Realistic. I calculate equations and play with numbers. I am order. I am logic. I know exactly who I am.

Right brain: I am the right brain. I am creativity. A free spirit. I am passion. Yearning. Sensuality. I am the sound of roaring laughter. I am taste. The feeling of sand beneath bare feat. I am movement. Vivid colors. I am the urge to paint on an empty canvas. I am boundless imagination. Art. Poetry. I sense. I feel. I am everything I wanted to be.

Advertising agency Shalmor Avnon Amichay / Y&R Interactive (Tel Aviv, Israel) created these three print advertisements for Mercedes Benz. The left and the right side of the brain are used to describe what the car manufacturer stands for.

In the late 1960s Roger Sperry discovered that the human brain has two different ways of thinking. The left brain is verbal and processes information in an analytical (led by logic) and sequential way, looking first at the pieces then putting them together to get the whole. The right brain - on the other hand - is visual and processes information in an intuitive (led by feelings) and simultaneous way, looking first at the whole picture then the details.

Personally I own an abundance of marker pens, sticky notes and take control of numerous whiteboards in the office usually means one thing - it's time to brainstorm, to "think outside the box", let one's creative juices flow, join an "ideas shower".

Finding the right balance between the left brain and right brain is not about congruence and co-existence. It's about collaboration and cohesion. Finding the sweet spot that brings all that’s quantitative and data-driven in harmony with the magic and poetry of ideas.

Val D'I Lash

I've recently returned from a decadent week on the slopes in Tignes and Val d'Isère - Espace Killy. After negotiating La Face and La Sache we all needed a stiff après-ski session...

La Folie Douce is where we headed.

France seems to have entered the fray and leading the way is Val d’Isère where La Folie Douce - mountain restaurant and self-styled “highest club in Europe” - is causing a bit of a stir.

So what’s the big deal?

In a few short years, the charismatic Kely Starlight and his team have taken the French après-ski scene to another level with their unique brand of live electro-house, dished up daily.

Pretty jovial stuff, no? But behind the fun and frolics lie a talented and highly professional bunch of musicians fronted by Kely, lead singer, entrepreneur and showman extraordinaire (some might even say enfant terrible).

What’s more, the Folie is spreading! New this year is La Folie Douce - Val Thorens: same format, different team, more mayhem – and soon other resorts may also be in the frame. Watch this space.

Folklore: The Humble Pie

With their newly won Protected Geographical Status, the name of the Cornish pasty can no longer be taken in vain.

The humble Cornish pasty has achieved European status, a sort of appellation d'origine contrôlée to protect regional food specialities. This little Cornish delicacy now joins the rarified ranks of champagne, gorgonzola and parmesan-reggiano.

If I was a Cornish nationalist I'd be out there waving St Piran's flag, singing verses from Trelawny (…a good sword and a trusty hand, a faithful heart and true, King James's men shall understand, what Cornish lads can do…). I'm not. But I do have an abode in Devon (I'm going to class myself as a Cornish neighbour), so it's good to know that my neighbouring county finally has the monopoly on the denomination of their exquisite regional dish. For nine years the Cornish Pasty Association has fought for Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status. Now, hurrah, only pasties made in Cornwall can claim a Cornish identity.

Under EU law, PGI foods must be "produced or processed or prepared within the geographical area". So no more copy-cat Cornish pasties made in, I don't know, London, or Leeds, or even Le Havre. No more nonsense at the British Pie Awards, either (there was a bit of an outcry from the Cornish camp, when Chunk, a pie-maker from Devon, won first prize in the Cornish pasty category in 2009). And the directive doesn't stop at the pasty's origins. Like Swaledale cheese, Melton Mowbray Pork Pies or Arbroath smokies (all British foods with PGI status) there are certain qualities, traditions, to uphold.

Now, I do like a good pasty, I really do. I've decided I'm genetically programmed to sniff one out the moment I get within a mile or two of, say, Bodmin Moor. And it's kind of true. As soon as I cross the border (welcome to Kernow, goodbye Devon), I get an itch, a hunger for a hot pasty.

A few of my favourite things: Mulberry's foxes and front-row hounds

Seeing as I seem to be sticking with a very 'British' theme. I thought I'd share my 5 favourite British brands:

Mulberry
Emma Bridgewater
John Lewis/Waitrose
Marmite (Have you tried the new cheese?!)
Barbour

This brings me on to London Fashion Week 2011 and in particular Mulburry's inspiration, bringing together British cult fashion and British cult literature.

Sunday 20th February began with a forest full of flora and fauna decorating the runway, and no less than seven furry fashionistas of the canine variety in the front row (one wearing Mulberry finery, another being toted in it), it was clear that this collection was going to be a wild one.

Turns out, Mulberry designer Emma Hill was inspired by "Fantastic Mr. Fox" (both the Roald Dahl book and the Wes Anderson film) all the way down to the hardware on the latest Alexa handbag (tiny gold fox-head rivets on the turn locks).

The clothing had a cute fox-and-hounds, English countryside vibe. Anderson would have loved the burgundy corduroy swing jacket and matching skirt, and the whimsical bird-print dress. There was also plenty for the urban fashion animal to wear, including jodphurs tucked into wedge heel boots, long skirts in autumnal prints and checks, worn with wooly sweaters and pompom scarves. Bags -- the Alexa, the Bayswater, the Carter and more -- came in deep colors of mock crocodile.

Clemence Poesy and Kirsten Dunst were the front-row attraction at the early show. But the four-legged starlets that came to the second showing were a lot more fun to watch, especially the St. Bernard that looked as if he wanted to take a bite out of the diminutive terrier walking a model down the runway.

A perfect rural idyll. Who's keen for a long weekend hunting, shooting and fishing with evenings by a log burner reading Roald Dahl's Fantastic Mr Fox surrounded by the moody, ethereal tones of a Turner landscape? Me please!!!

I Heart LDN

The price of a taxi in London could make a person faint. Come to that, the price of a ride on the Underground could bring on the vapours, too. The same could be said for a night out in one of the capital’s dining establishments. I am, unapologetically, a South-West Londoner, having defected to SW6 two years ago, so I’m biased. Living in West London, the East almost seems like a foreign country. Like any good Londoner, I love to complain about the city I’ve lived in, or in close proximity to for the entirety of my life.

I’d like to say I’m a well travelled individual. I’ve traipsed and trespassed around the world for a year. I’ve foraged through small towns and rambled, searched and explored large cities. But none compare to LDN. For example, there is no Borough Market anywhere else is the world. Yes, there are plenty of similar markets. Not the same. In Borough you can even request the name of the pig you are about to devour.
London has totally held on to its reputation as one of Europe's hippest capitals with new landmarks and trendy hotels, restaurants and clubs opening up all the time. The hotel scene is ever expanding with recent openings including boutique hotels and stylish B&B accommodation in the pretty neighbourhoods of Notting Hill and Chelsea as well as more centrally in Bloomsbury and Mayfair. London is steeped in history and architecture, with prominent sights at every turn, from Big Ben to the London Eye, the National Gallery to the Tate Modern. All I can say is London is a timeless city offering a fascinating mix of old and new.

London is a queer, mysterious place. London has the London Stone and the grave of William Blake, though no one really knows exactly where he lies. London has double-decker buses, a thrill that never palls even for a native. London is less impressed with itself than New York, although that city no longer proclaims itself “The Capital of the World”, as it used to. I like that London shrugs and lets its citizens get on with their lives - even if it costs them an arm and a leg to do so.

Pass the sick bag

Not everyone in the UK is looking forward to the upcoming nuptials of Wills and Kate (apart from the days off, of course. YES.). For republicans everywhere, illustrator Lydia Leith has an essential Royal Wedding accessory.

Leith's screenprinted souvenir sick bags (under the punning brand name Throne Up) are available from her website at £3 each. As they say on the front, non-Royalists may want to keep them handy on April 29.

So What If You Don't Sleep Enough?

Actually, you'll die earlier, be fatter, and be worse at your job.

How many times have you told yourself (especially when you're up at 2 a.m. on a Sunday night): "Eh, it's just sleep." Is it just sleep, though? What happens to your health when you're not sleeping enough?

These facts are pretty gobsmacking. For example, we, as a nation, seem pretty tired all the time: Only 7% of people get eight hours of sleep a night. But the effects of this might be calamitous: Getting less sleep is associated with a 200% rise in cancer, a 100% rise in heart disease, and a 20% rise in the likelihood you'll be dead in 20 years. Not only will you be less healthy, you'll be fatter. People who sleep an hour more each day lose 14.3 pounds per year. (?!!). And 1 in 3 women find themselves too sleepy for sex

Scientists are inching closer to an explanation of how all this might be the case. (It really does seem that the lack of sleep itself is the problem, rather than lack of sleep being merely correlated with some other thing, such as alcohol consumption, which is causing all the problems.) Studies have shown that sleeping too little effectively puts the body on "high alert," creating increased stress hormones and chemicals associated with inflammation.

That said, sleeping too much can be almost as a dangerous as not sleeping enough. If you sleep over nine hours a day, you're more likely to be fat, diabetic, depressed, and have heart disease. So get eight hours, but no more.

Crazy App: Which Side of Your Face Is Better Looking?

Do you prefer your left side and wish your right side looked the same? Presto!

Back in the day, all you needed to test your own hotness was a mirror and a quick squeeze of the hiney. Then science (and a lot of creative interpretation) went and got involved and now the only thing anyone cares about is a symmetrical mug. Perfectly spaced eyes? Equally proportioned nostrils?

It was only a matter of time, then, before someone developed an app that generates images of a more even-faced and therefore, a presumably beautiful you. And you thought the world had run out of ways to make you hate yourself.

Here’s how the app, called Echoism, works: It takes a picture of you, then splits the image into a left and a right section. The images are then mirrored to create two separate, symmetrical identities, one showing what you’d look like if the left side of your face were dominant; the other showing right-side dominance.

So not only do you get to admire how you’d appear with the impossible facial symmetry of Amber Valletta, you get proof, once and for all, that yes, the left side of your face is droopier than the right, and no you cannot photograph it. (Right, Mariah?)

Many of the pictures are utterly, completely, and totally frightening (which probably has a lot to do with the crappiness of camera phones). Half the people resemble aliens. The rest could pass for some combination of Frankenstein and Alan Carr. Everyone's rendered ugly in a similar way, and there's something sort of beautiful about that. Right?

The World's Most Imposing Mountain Peaks

I've always wanted to climb a mountain. I have, however, accomplished one (and it's slightly embarrassing!) Australia's Mt Kosciuszko, at 2228m (some sources say 2229m), or 7310 feet located in the Snowy Mountains in Kosciuszko National Park in southern New South Wales. Sounds impressive. It's not.


I've always been amazed by the courage and folly of trying to climb a 20,000 foot mountain just because it's there. Which is why I am delighted to find this elegantly designed infographic, by Audree Lapierre of FFunction.

It simply shows the world's Seven Summits - the tallest mountains of each of the seven continents, which together form a kind of grand slam for world-class mountaineers.

The chart shows the rankings of a mountain's "prominence." Also called autonomous height, relative height, or simply prime factor, it's basically a measure of how tall a mountain is relative to its surrounding topography. So you actually learn a little bit about what it feels like to climb a given summit. If a mountain is tall but has a low prominence, then it probably doesn't feel all that dramatic - you may feel like you're on top of simple one mountain among many others. But mountains with higher prominence jut up from the land around them - the loom over the surrounding landscape. Thus, when climbed, they offer a more dramatic sense of ascent and greater views. And once you're at the top, the give you more of a sense of being on the literal top of the world.

Let the ascending commence.

How Big?

Starbucks rolls out its belated entry into the super-size category, the bladder-bursting Trenta (that's "thirty" in Italian)— 31 ounces of iced coffee, milk, and sugar—in 14 states across the USA. The coffee-drinker's version of the 'Big Gulp' will become available nationwide by May 3. Lord help us all.

Not only does the drink contain the caffeine equivalent of four cups of coffee, but, as the excellent graphic from Canada's National Post demonstrates, it's nearly equivalent to the average stomach capacity and about a quarter the volume it could take to rupture your stomach.

WOW.

You also end up with an alarming-sounding proposition if you scale up an iced hazelnut mocha made with semi-skimmed milk and whipped cream (from Starbucks' UK offering). As a Trenta this would add up to 929.2 calories, 24.3g of saturated fat, and 122g of sugar.

And of course for most people, the problems with a 916ml iced coffee will be purely logistical - where do you put it, how quickly can you drink it and one may have a slight apres consumption toilet issue?

In a nation fighting obesity, the arrival of a giant new cup in the US coffee shops of Starbucks might leave some people scratching their heads.

Hair of the Dog? A Big Dog.

So, engaging in some mid-week 'public house' action seems like a good idea until you wake up with your tongue stuck to the roof of your mouth and your head beating like an African drum. I can safely say I cannot cope with even entertaining the idea of boozing on a school night any longer.

But is there really anything you can do to relieve the morning after the night before? S

Such is the desperation to find a hangover remedy (at this very moment in time), that I'm going to do a minor bit of research to hunt down THE cure. If all else fails, I should really just go to bed and stay there until the world becomes clearer.

Milk thistle

Theory: An extract of the milk thistle plant — available as a tablet or a liquid — is thought to aid liver function and help the body to metabolise alcohol more quickly.

Hangover rating: 2/5 Milk thistle contains silybin and silymarin that have been shown in some studies to protect the liver from toxins and to possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. However, most studies have been carried out on alcoholics and there is no proof that it can help TO cure or prevent a hangover.

Bacon sandwich

Theory: It is the hangover cure for many — its smell and taste often prove irresistible. Tradition has it that the bread soaks up the alcohol.

Hangover rating: 5/5 A recent study at Newcastle University’s Centre for Life confirmed that a bacon sarnie can indeed provide relief. “Bread doesn’t soak up alcohol but is high in carbohydrates that boost blood-sugar levels and speed up the metabolism, helping to get rid of alcohol quickly,” says the researcher Elin Roberts. “Bingeing on alcohol depletes brain neurotransmitters but bacon, which is rich in protein, contains amino acids that top these up and make you feel better.”

Black coffee and paracetamol

Theory: Caffeine is thought to kick-start your system, while paracetamol can ease the aches and pains.

Hangover rating:0/5 Black coffee alone can make your hangover worse, according to researchers at Temple University in Philadelphia. Take paracetamol, too, and the effects could be deadly, suggest scientists from the University of Washington. Caffeine triples the amount of a toxic by-product created when paracetamol is broken down. It’s the same as the substance responsible for liver damage when alcohol and paracetamol react together.

Isotonic sports drinks

Theory: These contain tiny, easily digestible particles of carbohydrate that makers claim can help to rehydrate at a faster rate than water.

Hangover rating: 4/5 Dehydration causes loss of body salts, or electrolytes, including magnesium, potassium and chloride. “Sports drinks are probably among the best remedies as they also help to restore blood sugar levels,” says Louise Sutton, a dietician from the Carnegie Centre for sports Performance and Wellbeing at Leeds Metropolitan University. “The drink will provide some calories and can rehydrate the body up to 40 per cent more effectively than water.”

Exercise

Theory: According to new research from the Government, one person in five believes that sweating off a hangover is the most effective approach. Findings from a recent Department of Health survey suggest that 3.8 million adults pull on their trainers the day after over-indulging on alcohol.

Hangover rating: 0/5 No chance it will work, says Gillian Merron, the Minister for Public Health. “You’re not going to compensate with a workout.” Sutton adds that exercise will simply compound the body’s fluid debt.

Water

Theory: Drinking water throughout a drinking session and before bed will negate the effects of alcohol.

Hangover rating:3/5 According to Sue Baic: alcohol is a diuretic so many symptoms are linked to dehydration. If you alternate alcoholic drinks with water, it will dilute some of the nasty by-products of alcohol.”

Hair of the dog

Theory: Having another drink can ease you into recovery.

Hangover rating: 1/5 Withdrawal symptoms from alcohol do contribute to suffering, but drinking more is not advisable. “Although another drink might alleviate symptoms, you are really postponing the point at which you will feel better,” Sutton says.

Prickly pear cactus

Theory: Available as a powder or in pill form, an extract of this cactus plant taken prior to a night on the tiles could reduce the likelihood of a thumping head.

Hangover rating: 4/5 It could help, according to a study at Tulane University in New Orleans, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Researchers tested 64 healthy medical students and the extract reduced three of nine hangover symptoms — nausea, dry mouth and loss of appetite — and halved the risk of a severe hangover.

Alka-Seltzer

Theory: The effervescent tablets contain aspirin, paracetamol and caffeine, and the idea is to take them when you get home rather than the following morning, when you might not be able to keep them down.

Hangover rating: 1/5 They can be helpful for a headache and to neutralise excess stomach acid. “But the main benefit probably comes from the water they are dissolved in,” says Sutton. ”They are worth a try unless your stomach is sensitive, in which case they could prove an irritant to the lining.”

Artichoke extract

Theory: Extract of artichoke leaves help the liver to process alcohol.

Hangover rating: 2/5 The journal Phytomedicine last year showed that a supplement containing a 400mg extract of artichoke leaf extract (such as Cynara Artichoke and Digestiherb) helped stomach problems, and there is anecdotal evidence that it reduces indigestion, an upset stomach and nausea. But not all experts agree and a review in the Canadian Medical Association Journal said that it does nothing to cure a hangover. A review of herbal hangover cures in the British Medical Journal a few years ago found none of them to be beneficial.

Eggs

Theory: Often consumed as part of the hangover fry-up, eggs are also consumed raw by some who believe a substance called cysteine helps to fight free radical damage to the body.

Hangover rating: 1/5 “I can’t imagine anyone wanting cooked eggs, let alone raw ones, when they feel queasy,” says Sutton. “Eating helps and the albumen in eggs could offer relief to the stomach, but toast and water is an easier option.”

Sleep

Theory: James Garbutt, a professor of psychiatry at the University of North Carolina who specialises in alcohol studies, recently concluded that no hangover cure will work. So, why not crawl under the duvet and sleep it off?

Hangover rating: 3/5 In theory it will work; in practice many symptoms are an indirect result of a chemical called acetaldehyde, produced as your body metabolises booze. It makes you hot and sweaty, increasing your heart rate and making your stomach churn. It is when acetaldehyde accumulates that you vomit. But the metabolism of alcohol interferes with rapid eye-movement sleep, which means that you find it difficult to drop off or you keep waking up. You could try the Hangover Pillow (ruthwhiteyoga.com) stuffed with juniper, fennel, mustard and peppermint, designed to prevent a sore head.

Worcestershire sauce cocktail

Theory: Jeeves confronted Bertie Wooster’s hangover with a supposedly magic cocktail of raw egg, Worcestershire sauce and red pepper. “Gentlemen have told me they have found it extremely invigorating,” Jeeves said.

Hangover rating:0/5 “I can’t imagine anyone being able to stomach Worcestershire sauce, nor having the patience to follow a recipe,” says Sutton. And eating a raw egg could increase the risk of salmonella poisoning. Not quite what your stomach is after.

To conclude, the only real way to deal with a hangover is with gumption. Bring it on and make a mountain out of it. I'm now lining up water on my desk, contemplating eating a huge amount of pasta for breakfast, telling my colleagues my head is about to fall off and speaking to my partners in crime, explaining that I'm NEVER going to look at a bottle of vodka ever again. Standard. Oh, and I believe a cream cheese sandwich can pretty much cure anything and that is what I shall consume for lunch.Apparently it's all in the balance of carbs and fats for the perfect way to treat a hangover.

My new rule. Prevention is better than cure.

That'll work until circa 12 noon tomorrow when I frequent Supper Club for Love Brunch. Oh dear.

Fancy some Scarlett bubbly?

No one could ever really accuse the sultry and mysterious Scarlett Johansson of being bubbly.

Moet & Chandon has announced its new international advertising campaign featuring Scarlett Johansson, the ambassador for the brand since March 2009, and shot by British photographer Tim Walker. The campaign took place on the Moet & Chandon Estate in Epernay, France. Walker's new photographs bring to life the rich heritage and savoir-faire of the world's leading champagne.

Judging on these pictures, sales of the champagne are no doubt set to go through the roof.

The 'Plane' Truth

An anonymous flight attendant recently posted an open letter “to the flying public” on the Internet: “We’re sorry we have no pillows. We’re sorry we’re out of blankets. We’re sorry the airplane is too cold. We’re sorry the airplane is too hot. We’re sorry the overhead bins are full. ... We’re sorry that’s not the seat you wanted. We’re sorry there’s a restless toddler/overweight/offensive-smelling passenger seated next to you. ... We’re sorry that guy makes you uncomfortable because he ‘looks like a terrorist. ...’ ”

This sorry state of affairs ends with an admonition: “The glory days of pillows, blankets, magazines, and a hot meal for everyone are long gone. Our job is to get you from point A to point B safely and at the cheapest possible cost to you and the company.”

Let us now observe a moment of silence for the golden age of travel.

The changing dynamic of airline service seems to parallel the shifting role of airline personnel, whatever they’re called. In the earliest days of commercial flight, there were teenage “cabin boys,” and the first female stewardesses had to be registered nurses. (Such know-how would have been most welcome several years ago when, en route to back from Australia, I cleverly gave myself food poisoning from the sushi I consumed mid-journey in Hong-Kong airport.It’s bad, very bad, when you hear “Is there a doctor or nurse on board?” over the loudspeaker and realise it’s for you.)

From a feminist perspective, it was progress when flight attendants won the right to gain a few pounds, to let their hair go gray, to be pregnant, or to have a Y chromosome: The Civil Rights Act of 1964 insisted that men could do the job, too, thus making a little full circle back to those early cabin boys. Fishnet stockings and hot pants were replaced by androgynous trouser suits. But as the dress code changed, so did the up-in-the-air experience. Air travel became democratic and accessible. The 800 million of us who pass through airports all over the world every year now comprise a remote and motley crew. We book our flights online, check in at kiosks, board in T-shirts and flip-flops, and withdraw under headsets and earbuds.

There’s a slightly schizophrenic message from the industry these days, as if it’s taking the temperature of public nostalgia for the era of “coffee, tea, or me,” at the same time that technology is replacing the “me” factor. Continental is experimenting with subway-style “self-boarding” that bypasses an agent at the gate. The most overt sign that airlines no longer view flight attendants as personal service providers is Virgin America’s touch screen for ordering food on board; the intimate exchange with the person who brings your meal down the aisle approximates the bond with a delivery guy who brings kung pao chicken to your house. No tipping.

On the completely opposite hand, Virgin Atlantic has a new commercial featuring stunning young women in lipstick-red uniforms and super duper high heels pointing out the exit rows with vampy choreography and ripping open their bodices to serve ice cream.



So what’s it to be? Androids handing out peanuts, with a hologram showing how to inflate a life vest? Or stewardesses in stilettos and Spanx? Perhaps a return to teenage boys, recruited out of the Scouts?

Until the industry decides on a paradigm for the 21st century, better pack a sandwich and fasten your seatbelt. It could be a bumpy ride

Top 10 things to throw yourself off

Have you had a good plummet lately? No? Nor have I.

It seems to have come to light that, after reading the top 10 list of 'things to throw yourself off', I have a distinct lack of accomplished 'weightlessness'.

I have achieved 1/10. I obviously need to up my game.

I managed the 15,000ft dive over Lake Taupo, one of the last remaining active-volcano regions in New Zealand. Snow-capped volcanoes beckoned me whilst I was roaming the word. It was epic to say the least. (See picture).

Well, if you’d like to add an adrenaline rush and an element of danger to your next trip, see below for a list of ten of the best places around the world to enjoy the feeling of weightlessness you can only get from the perfect fling. Are you ready to take the plunge?

1. BASE jumping the New River Gorge Bridge, USA

2. Bungee jumping at Victoria Falls, Zambia/Zimbabwe

3. Skydiving over Lake Taupo, New Zealand

4. Paragliding Sedona Red Rocks, USA

5. Zip lining the treetops of Dugango, USA

6. Hang-gliding the mountains of Barlioche, Argentina

7. Paragliding Mount Baba Dağ, Turkey

8. Hang-gliding the Sierra Nevada mountains near Granada, Spain

9. BASE jumping from the Sky Tower, New Zealand

10. Cave-diving in the caverns of Cenote Dos Ojos, Mexico

Chanel Makeup Meets Robots In Disguise? Yes, Please!

Animating Chanel from lionel bui on Vimeo.

Talking about creativity, while taking sips of my morning grande skinny vanilla latte (with an extra shot), I stumbled upon this animated short film from Chanel.

Makeup guru, Peter Philips, Chanel's Global Creative Director of Makeup, conceptualised the animation and whipped up this ridiculously epic short film (I believe semi Transformer inspired).

Cleverly titled "Here Comes the Beauty Pack," Philips fashions compacts, glosses, lipsticks, and brushes into a flying robot, a spider, a model, and more. It creatively features such adorable characters as a jet-propelled robot, a spider, a Sun God and a miniskirt-wearing model—all created entirely with Chanel's compacts, glosses, nail polishes and brushes.

Animation has never been so chic.

Makeup powers, activate!

(Extra bonus points for creative use of Chanel's tweed blush!)

Familyship

My Step-Mother decided it was 'time' to purchase 'familyship' bracelets.

Not wanting to go down the generic Links or Pandora route, we all fell in love with Antonio Ben Chimol's leather rainbow bracelets in a little boutique in a nearby village of Ashburton (Devonshire).

Antonio Ben Chimol knows how to mix passion, courage, elegance, irreverence and provocation into each of his designs.

It is quite obvious his inspiration is taken from unusual places. Technology, mechanics, or aeronautics, which have influenced his creations in their usablity, resistance and originality. What impressed us the most about these bracelets is the versatility. Chimol became known as the first jewellery designer to use the magnetic locking clasp, giving these bracelets a unique edge, simplifying the ease of use as well as increasing their durability.

Made from the finest quality Italian leather and in a range of colours, the bracelets suit both my father (who owns a more sturdy 'manly' version), as well as my teenage sister.

They are definitely a mark of sophisticated style, and a reminder of my strong 'Familyship'.

The only problem is that I now want one in every colour.

Guerilla for Ray-Ban

First came colours. Now, Ray-Ban is proud to introduce Rare Prints, a collection of colourful new patterns.

Some brands and concepts seem to be born into the world via alternative marketing, marketing using the streets. Ray-Ban is doing just that and have just launched a massive global marketing effort to target the young, brave and nonconformist consumer in Paris.

Guerilla marketing is all about reaching a large audience, creating buzz and increasing ROI...all with a very minimal budget.

Ray-Ban's campaign consisted of printing out Ray-Ban sunglasses and sticking them on random posters, statues and other public artefacts.

Whilst guerilla marketing campaigns seldom provide excellent visibility, it must fall back on something...press coverage.

Come to London please.

The Eye of the Beholder...

It began as a global search for the most inspirational and provocative nature photography and you are now able to see the magnificent, inspiring and unique images captured by the best of the best.

Veolia Environement Wildlife Photographer of the Year called on photographers of all ages to enter images that reveal the natural world as it has never been seen before.

Some photographers wait for weeks in order to catch that one great action shot, some set up elaborate timing systems, others have simply seen an opportunity, grabbed a camera and produced a unique picture of the natural world. Each holds a magical story, and each and every image captured me like never before...

After spending almost 3 hours memorized by the 100 plus photographs, I almost fell in love with them all, however below is a snapshot of my utter favourites, along with their stories...



Sharp reflection:
Jochen went to the mountains of Aiguilles Rouges in the French Alps specifically to take photographs of ibex. These wild goats are high-altitude grazers, well adapted to the steep, rocky terrain of the Mont Blanc region. Having spent all afternoon taking photographs of ibex, Jochen set up his tripod to photograph the pin-sharp reflection of the jagged mountains in the smooth surface of the Lac des Chéserys. 'There were interesting cloud formations, and with no wind, the reflections were perfect,' says Jochen. 'Then a lone ibex walked by in the distance, completing the image.'



Turtle in Trouble:
It's an image that communicates in one emotive hit the damage being done to the world's oceans. Jordi came across this desperate scene when sailing between Barcelona and the Balearic Islands, hoping to photograph dolphins. 'I spotted the abandoned net drifting along the surface,' says Jordi. As he dived down to investigate, he could see the loggerhead turtle tangled up in the netting. 'The poor creature must have been trapped for some days, it was so badly knotted up.' Though it could just reach the surface to breathe by extending its neck, it was still sentenced to a long, cruel death. 'I felt as though it were looking at me for help as it tried to bite through the netting.' Jordi released it, allowing one individual a second chance. Given that all species of sea turtles are endangered, they need all the help they can get.



The Moment:
'Today, as it's Christmas Day, we'll photograph a cheetah kill,' Bridgena announced to her family. They promptly fell about laughing. They had, after all, spent five days watching a trio of cheetahs in South Africa's Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park without seeing any activity. But Bridgena had discovered that the cheetah brothers had a favourite watch-out dune and a routine. By driving out at dawn to the spot, she hoped to be in position before rather than after any hunt. It was a good call. The cheetahs were positioned up on the dune, only the tops of their heads visible. When a trail of springbok passed by below, the brothers ignored the adults. But the moment a young springbok appeared, they sprinted after it, one heading it off, one tripping it up and the third making the kill. Within ten seconds it was over. The cheetahs had their meal and Bridgena had a phenomenal shot.



Fire on the Pantanal:
Walking back one evening from his hide to the farm where he was staying, Bence first smelt the fire. Turning off the trail, he came to 'the awe-inspiring sight' of a curtain of fire stretching across the Pantanal. It may have been started naturally or by cattle farmers clearing the land to stimulate grass growth. 'The tallest flames must have been nearly 5 metres [16 feet] high,' says Bence. 'With such intense firelight, it was a challenge to work out how to photograph the scene. I used a long-exposure and stretched out my arm to cover the flames with my hands to expose the stars. Then, for the last second or so, I took away my hands to expose the flames.' With the crackling noise and the intensity of the heat, it was a memorable event. 'At times, the smoke was terrible. But at least it kept the mosquitoes away.'

Handmade to Perfection...

This ad for the Volkswagen 'Phaeton' is superb, and possibly the best i've seen for a while. Quite impressive use of shadowplay techniques, a great art direction and post-production by the Germany based studio Deli Pictures.

Isn't it beautiful what hands can do?

Pretty damn cool.

I went, I saw, I ate...

I am aware I have a common food theme. This will be the last for a while. Promise.

Looking through my travelling photos I was swiftly reminded of my Indian travels. Not only did I fall in Love with India as a country, I feel into a deep love affair with the food.

I wasn't Indian food aficionados before I visited India, possibly due to New Years Incident. One New Years a few friends and myself participated in an Indian 'cook off' prior to 20 others joined for a rather large supper party.I proceeded to concoct THE strongest curry blowing our brains out with the hottest food I’d ever encountered.

I recall wincing and sweating...and what followed for us all did mean henceforth, I “didn’t like Indian food.”

Nearly three weeks in Mumbai and Goa produced good eats along with stunning photos.

Everything about India was overload – colours, sounds, flavours. Diesel, ammonia, incense, smog, curry spice and refuse mating with one another to create something that is genetically India.

It seems ridiculous that I would love a country that is so dirty, crowded, hot and teeming with disease, but I love it despite and because of those things. Walking down dirt roads in the midst of a cornucopia of aluminum, mud, stone, woven baskets and a smattering of livestock to the strangest symphony of life-threatening traffic you have ever seen, you could happen upon anything and it would be a normalcy to Indians when to you it's the most unforgettable thing happened in your whole life!

For me that is the allure, the intoxicantcy, the joy and the sorrow mingled of the beautiful India. I deeply understand why the former Queen of England once called India the Jewel of her Crown.

Beneath the poverty and all of India that is foul and disgusting there is a brooding of the potential to be the most majestic destination in all the earth. India is teeming with disease but it is also teeming with resources. Woven fabric of brilliant colours, marble, spices, and where it is unspoiled, gorgeous jungles as a backyard.

I think I semi fell in love....

X-rated: The Edamame

I don't know about you....but I find edamame in the pods completely addicting. Slightly salty and steamy hot, I just can't stop myself when they're set out before me.

I think a bowl before dinner is not only a delicious and healthy way to start a meal, but it's also a great way to gather the troops around the table as you put the finishing touches on whatever the main course might be.

And though I was first introduced to edamame in Japanese restaurants, they needn't strictly be a precursor to Asian feasts.

The Edamame is a versatile little dude. It taste great on its own, but what makes it completely addicting to me is the simple pairing of really good salt to compliment its natural nuttiness.

Add chilli for a lip tingle. Of course you'll lick your fingers and exhale with satisfaction as your reach for another, and another. You won't be able to stop

A healthy pinch and squeeeeeze of highly aromatic lemon just adds to the sensuality.

…have you been Travel Snobbed?

It's funny when you talk to some travellers. By this I mean, no matter how many places you have seen and new cultures you have experienced someone will always try and out do you!

“Travel Snob!"

Like the idiot who told me I haven't travelled properly through in Asia until I frequented Nepal. Hello, but I’ve been to Tibet. Does that not count?

When mulling over the topic of travel snobbery, and whether is truly exists, the first question seemed to be a bit of a no-brainer as I personally felt the collective answers would be a resounding “Yes."

Travel snobbery exists. It’s probably going to ooze all over this very blog in the guise of anti-snobbery. I imagine it as a slobbering beast that roams the globe, almost always “off the beaten track”.

Its backpack will be the lightest, it's been away the longest, and of course its tales are the tallest, and capable of usurping even the hardiest of travellers. It can usually be heard coming with the battle cry of “Why didn’t you…”, which echoes through the most secret dorm rooms and rarest cabanas of the world.

Interestingly, it’s nearly died one more time than you and definitely spent a pound less.

It’s cooked eggs with remote locals, and trekked where no man has EVER been before.

The most fascinating element of the snob is, perhaps tellingly, ‘it’ travels alone.

QR Code Cupcakes

Oh, I would like some of these.

Montreal based clevercupcakes have come up with a blinder this time...cupcakes with a QR Code on top!

OK, so great thing about these cupcakes is that the QR Code actually works. (only with an iphone, and I seem to have a blackberry #FAIL) So, apparently, if you have an iPhone with the ScanLife App you should end up on the Montreal Science Center Website. COOL.

Between a Rock and a Waterfall

Visiting Cape Town I'm sure it would be ridiculously easy to follow the beaten track and explore the many tourist attractions that lure throngs of visitors, but the Mother City has so much more to offer.

Welcome to the extreme sport of kloofing, South Africa's ramped-up version of canyoneering. The only way out is down.

All manner of walking, scrambling, climbing, swimming, plunging, jumping, bumslides (i like)or abseiling 'rappelling' could be involved.

FYI: The recommended technique for jumping into water is the 'pin drop', which apparently involves hitting the water with your body as straight as possible and your hands held firmly by your sides. Closing your mouth completely is probably also a good idea (to avoid biting your tongue).

Looks like I'm off to South Africa then...