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The weekend is upon us once again and on Fridays I like to review what I did and achieved during the week. This week has been mainly about early September work meetings, a photo shoot with photographer Kip Carroll to launch an exciting new project next week, some gym trips and a LOT of sitting in traffic The volume of cars on the road increases about tenfold at this time of year but on the plus side, the weather is usually amazing when all the kids go back to school. ‘Tis Murphy’s law!

Just thought I’d share a few snapshots of my week in review. Have a wonderful weekend!

www.kipcarroll.com

 

R xXx

I was sorry to hear recently that legendary Hollywood veteran actor, Michael Douglas (65), has been diagnosed with throat cancer. He has spoken about his cancer battle for the first time in public on David Letterman’s Late show, explaining how he has begun his chemotherapy and radiation treatment and has high hopes of beating the disease.

Douglas also revealed that he’s battling stage four throat cancer, caused by his smoking and drinking, and now must cope with an eight-week battle through treatment to fight it. He spoke of how it’s “intense, and so they’ve got to go at it. No, you like to be down at stage one, but it has not – the big thing you’re always worried about is it spreading, I am head and neck, nothing’s gone down, and the expectations are good. The percentages are very good. I would hate to say, but right now, it looks like it should be 80 percent, and with certain hospitals and everything, it does improve.”

The actor also added how his wife, actress Catherine Zeta Jones, has been “so supportive”.

Watch the footage from the Letterman Show here: Michael Douglas on David Letterman

Wishing Michael Douglas the very best of luck in his fight to beat cancer.

RxXx

Sultry new pictures have just been released of 35 year-old mother of one supermodel Kate Moss in the new 2010/11 advertising campaign for jeweller David Yurman. The nude shots, in which Kate is wearing nothing but a heavy chain bracelet and necklace, were taken in Caribbean paradise St Bart’s, by the highly acclaimed photographer Peter Lindbergh. He has also shot such supermodels as Milla Jovovich, Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell, Claudia Schiffer. Lucky fella!

www.davidyurman.com

www.peterlindbergh.com

 

 

 

 

Meanwhile, Giorgio Armani Cosmetics has just introduced Hollywood hottie Megan Fox as the new face of its mascara, Eyes to Kill Excess. 

According to the make-up giant, bewitching eyes with fluttering heavy lashes are set to take centre stage for Autumn 2010. Giorgio Armani has upped the volume with Eyes to Kill Excess, the ultimate weapon in eye seduction. In the darkest black, this exceptionally volumising mascara arms the lashes instantly, accentuating the eye with more depth and intensity. As Linda Cantello, International Face Designer for Giorgio Armani Cosmetics, explains,“Born of Eyes To Kill, this mascara ups the ante, taking volume and intensity to a new level, leaving lashes fuller and darker than ever before, yet no clumps or blobs!” 

I have used this mascara every single day since Armani at Brown Thomas kindly sent me one to try out, and believe me, it keeps its promises! A coat of it to lengthen and thicken your lashes is perfect for daytime, no need for eye shadow or liner, especially if under time pressure in the mornings.

Giorgio Armani Cosmetics – Eyes to Kill Excess RRP €29.00. Will be available 8^th October exclusively in Brown Thomas Dublin and Brown Thomas Cork.

 

 R xXx

Let’s face it, us discerning consumers are always on the search for amazing value, particularly when it comes to restaurants. The Celtic Tiger wave of pretentious fancy-pants Michelin-starred restaurants have, I believe, lost their appeal, while those that offer delicious food for superb value have been the real survivors of the recession. I had one such experience last night in the multi award-winning Indian restaurant, Rasam, in Glasthule. It’s not often that I go out to dinner on a whim – I only usually do for birthdays or anniversaries – as I just became sick of paying far too much for mediocre food and inadequate service. But last night my boyfriend decided to treat us to a romantic Sunday evening date. Hey, I wasn’t complaining!

The elegant decor of Rasam really creates a relaxed atmosphere, and the warm hospitality we received upon arrival was more than just a social formality. We were made to feel welcome and appreciated. The menu offers a wide range of starters and mains, with the regional origins of each dish printed beside it adding an authentic touch. There’s also a lengthy list of vegetarian dishes, from which I chose a mushroom dish to start with and a Saag Paneer main course, which consists of spinach and mild Indian cheese. Wes chose prawns for his starter and a chicken tikka masala for main course, plus a portion of pilau rice and a plain naan bread. As I don’t eat a lot of rice, I just decided to taste a little of his rather than order my own bowl. We also ordered a bottle of still water and a half bottle of Pinot Grigio. As we were anticipating the arrival of our starters and nibbling on crispy poppadoms with garlicky homemade houmous, we were surprised with a delicious aubergine hors d’oeuvre with a delicately spiced yoghurt sauce. Our starters were just faultless, my lightly fried mushrooms served with both a tangy mango salsa and spicy tomato sauce. My eyes had been bigger than my stomach so I was starting to feel a little full after the starter but had just enough room for the next course, which arrived quite promptly. Wes gave his tikka masala a big thumbs up, while my saag paneer was just so delicious. It was lightly spiced, creamy and velvety but not too heavy, and with generous chunks of Panneer. We also shared a side dish of crunchy cauliflower with coriander and cumin.

Feeling extremely satisfied and very impressed with the food and service, we decided not to order any coffees or dessert, though we gratefully accepted a complimentary digestif and selection of chocolates. We couldn’t believe our eyes when the bill arrived – for two starters, two large main courses, a side dish, a portion of rice, two naan breads, a half bottle of wine and bottle of water (not to mention the other generous additions), our bill came to just €68!! We both expected to have paid much more than that for what we got.

I couldn’t recommend Rasam more highly, especially as it’s hard to feel guilty treating yourself to a meal that’s such great value. We’re already planning our return!

www.rasam.ie

R xXx

I recently mentioned how much of a privilege it is to be involved in The Irish Heart Foundation’s most recent campaign, Go Red For Women. The purpose of it is to highlight how heart disease and stroke combined is the biggest killer of women in Ireland, a fact I was definitely surprised to learn as it’s so often considered a male disease. Today at Dublin’s CHQ I joined a line-up of ladies in red for a photo shoot to support the Irish Heart Foundation heart month campaign – these included actress Martina Stanley who plays Dolores from Fair City, singer Hazel Kaneswaran, TV3 presenter Sinead Desmond and Nessa Childers MEP.

Dr Kate McGarry Consultant Physician and Chair of the Irish Heart Foundation’s Council on Women and CVD said: “Every two hours a woman dies in Ireland from cardiovascular disease (heart, stroke and blood vessel diseases). When it comes to health issues, women are more concerned about breast cancer even though seven times as many women die from heart disease and stroke in Ireland each year. Our goal is to alert women that especially after the menopause, they are at risk of heart attack and stroke, as much as any man. But the good news is that a positive lifestyle can alter risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Go Red for Women is a wake-up call to every woman in Ireland to take care of her heart health.”

Medical Director of the Irish Heart Foundation, Consultant Cardiologist, Dr Angie Brown said: “The campaign also aims to highlight that the signs and symptoms of heart attack may be different for women to those of men. A woman may experience more vague symptoms such as nausea, tiredness, shortness of breath, rather than the more usual crushing pain in the chest. Unfortunately this may mean that women delay in getting to the hospital and therefore lose valuable time for the necessary treatment.”

Red Alert messages for women:

Be active – at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity 5 times a week
Eat a healthy diet – eat more fruit and vegetables and fresh foods; eat less fat, fries and convenience foods
If you smoke, stop – the risk of CVD is reduced by half, one year after quitting
Have regular blood pressure and cholesterol checks with your family doctor
Know your family history and the signs and symptoms of heart disease.
Go easy on alcohol – no more than 14 standard drinks per week.
Enjoy life. Take time out for yourself and keep in touch with friends

Signs and symptoms of heart attack in women can include:

Chest discomfort. Squeezing, uncomfortable pressure or pain in the centre of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes.
Discomfort and/or pain spreading to other areas of the upper body such as the shoulders, neck or upper arms
Shortness of breath, unexplained weakness or fatigue, anxiety or unusual nervousness, indigestion or gas-like pain, breaking out ion a cold sweat, nausea, vomiting, light-headedness and collapse.
Dizziness and/or fainting.

Unfortunately there is a history of female heart disease on one side of my family which has made us all cautious. It is worth being aware of and looking after your heart health starting from your teens and twenties – the earlier the better. It would also be of great benefit to encourage your Mum, Aunts, Grannies, sisters, cousins and  female friends, particularly those post-menopause, to have a look at the website for the Irish Heart Foundation – www.irishheart.ie

Look out for more information and pictures in tomorrow’s (26/8) national press, plus a special heart health feature in next Tuesday’s Daily Mail.

Wear red this month and help raise awareness.

Pictures: Colin Keegan

RxXx

…..MISS MEXICO JIMENA NAVARRETE!! Congratulations to the sexy, sultry and undoubtedly most deserving delegate of all 83 ladies in the competition held last night in the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Las Vegas. Jimena rocked the catwalk in her flowing red evening gown which perfectly complimented her Latina looks, and wowed the panel of judges with her buff bikini bod.

It was great to see delegates from all corners of the world make up the top five: Latin America, the Caribbean, Oceania, Asia and Europe were each represented.

The 1st Runner-up was Miss Jamaica, Yendi Phillips. I would have been happy to see this lady take the crown too, she had such self-confidence and sex appeal on stage, plus an incredibly athletic, gym-honed physique.

The 2nd runner-up was the smiling, bubbly Miss Australia, Jesinta Campell, who also scooped the prize for Miss Congeniality. Jesinta looked stunning in a shimmering fitted metallic gown and also boasted one of the fittest bikini bodies of the entire competition. While Jesinta wasn’t one of the top favourites for pageant fans and pundits in online polls, I had a strong suspicion she’d place high as she’s a great speaker and clearly loved by the Miss Universe organisation, judging by the amount of times she appeared on videos uploaded onto the official website. Always a dead giveaway!

The 3rd runner-up at the Donald Trump-owned pageant was Miss Ukraine, Anna Poslavskaya, voted the Queen of Europe. This statuesque Eastern European, with her full lips and high cheekbones, reminds me in some pictures of a FAR more beautiful Mischa Barton. She looked sensational in her nude, streamlined evening gown.

Finally, the 4th runner-up completing the top 5 was Miss Phillipines, Venus Raj, definitely the most hyped contestant thanks to her massive fan following in her native country. Venus, with her slinky bikini body, smooth mocha skin and big smile, came across as one of the most self-assured and communicative delegates in the competition, so I was a little disappointed when she floundered slightly on the final question and seemed disingenuous. But she did look amazing in her fluid silver dress and high glossy bun.

Making up the top ten were:

Jamaica
Mexico
Philippines
Ireland
Australia
Puerto Rico
Ukraine
South Africa
Albania
Guatemala

And the top 15 announced at the beginning of the live telecast:

Puerto Rico
Ukraine
Mexico
Belgium
Ireland
South Africa
France
Australia
Jamaica
Russia
Albania
Colombia
Guatemala
Czech Republic
Philippines

Best National Costume & Miss Photogenic: Miss Thailand

Both Miss USA and Miss Venezuela, countries with a brilliant track record in Miss Universe, were omitted from the top 15 which certainly caused quite a stir.

Miss Universe Ireland, Rozanna Purcell, who placed 7th behind Miss Albania, was most definitely the strongest and most competent delegate that Ireland has ever sent to Miss Universe and I would have loved to see her up there in the top 5 instead of Ukraine. Roz worked so hard on the run-up to the pageant, completely transforming herself from the girl who had won her national competition only a few weeks earlier, and was consistently polished throughout the entire pageant. She was a major favourite for the crown, and deservingly so. She strutted supermodel-style down the catwalk in her bikini and looked like a goddess in her shimmering, perfectly fitted, one-shoulder evening gown.

Rozanna represented Ireland with elegance and finesse, always preened to perfection, and never once showing any glimmer of strain from the intense pressured placed on her by her many thousands of fans worldwide.

Roz, we are SO proud of you! Many will conclude that you were robbed, but that’s the nature of international beauty pageants – there will always be complaints and questioning of scores.

No doubt you’ll enjoy a huge welcome party when you return home, and then you have the rest of your year as Miss Universe Ireland to enjoy, quite apart from what promises to be a long and successful career in whatever you choose to do. This is only the beginning!

CONGRATULATIONS once more on being such a wonderful ambassador for Ireland

www.missuniverse.com

R xXx

The testosterone in the air on yesterday’s sunny Sunday afternoon was palpable as hundreds of car enthusiasts assembled at the expansive forecourt of Punchestown Racecourse to take part in the World Record Attempt for the most amount of Subarus participating in a convoy. The current Guinness World Record stands at 339 cars. Organisers of the event were aiming to raise a total of €50,000 to be split evenly between the two charities involved – The ISPCA and Autism Action. As I’ve worked closely with the ISPCA over the past few years in fund-raising and awareness campaigns, I was invited along to participate in the Subaru parade through the local Kildare countryside, take a few pics and hand out various awards.

The roar of souped-up engines reverberated across the concrete as we set off on the Garda-escorted drive, while waving locals lined the pavements. It was certainly a different experience for me as I’ve never actually attended a car show and should really have worn ear plugs! But the main priority was to raise as much dosh as possible for the beneficiary charities. In fact, I never even found out if the current world record was actually met or bettered yesterday – I suspect it was just a brilliant reason for Subaru owners and petrol-heads from all over Ireland to gather together for an afternoon of macho messing.

R xXx

Here are some pics shot at the beginning of the summer by the talented Lili Forberg, which ended up in two recent editions of Stellar Magazine (the yellow cover June issue was the best-selling one ever!).

The shoot was styled by Corina Gaffey, with make up by Kate O’Reilly and hair by Maurice Flynn. The creative, fun team was an absolute pleasure to work with which made the long day of shooting super enjoyable

WEBSITE – http://www.misslili.net
BLOG – http://missliliphoto.wordpress.com
MYSPACE http://www.myspace.com/missliliphoto

R xXx

Well I’m back on Irish soil after a few days away in the UK for the wedding of my cousin, Genevieve Davison, and have just about caught up on sleep. I’m just getting too old for late nights! It was a beautiful ceremony in Clifton College Chapel, followed by a great party in an old house in Somerset. A lot of fun, dancing and wedding cake was had…. and of course my Dad couldn’t resist grabbing the mic from the bemused wedding band singer to belt out a rendition of ‘Pretty Woman’ in honour of the stunning bride. By now they will have set off on their romantic honeymoon cruise around the Caribbean. Enjoy it and congratulations once more to Genevieve and Craig!

Now recharged, I’m looking forward to enjoying the rest of the weekend and just thought I’d share with you my current obsession……. cinnamon! I tend to go through phases of loving a particular band/song/movie/outfit for a few weeks, and ever since my trainer at BodyByrne Fitness revealed that a dab of ground cinnamon on your tongue is one of the most effective ways to combat sugar cravings, I’ve been hooked! I’ve been sprinkling the warm, fragrant sweetness on muesli, into plain soya yoghurt, fresh fruit salads and mixing it into vanilla protein shakes.

Cinnamon is gathered from the dried inner bark of the branches of a small, tropical, evergreen laurel tree. The bark is peeled off and, as the pieces are dried, they curl up into quills. These are the common cinnamon sticks that are used in herb teas and for baking, but ground cinnamon is also widely available.

I’ve been reading about the many health benefits of the spice too…. In Chinese medicine, cinnamon is one of the most widely used “warming” herbs that aid in circulation and digestion. It is a common ingredient used in tea for nausea during pregnancy. It is also used following delivery to decrease hemorrhage. Cinnamon raises vitality, warms the system, stimulates all the vital functions of the body, counteracts congestion, improves digestion, relieves abdominal spasms and aids in peripheral circulation.

The health benefits of cinnamon can be attributed to its antibacterial, antifungal, antimicrobial, astringent and anti clotting properties. Cinnamon is rich in essential minerals such as manganese, iron and calcium. It is also rich in fiber.

So next time you fancy a sweet treat, step away from the sugar and give cinnamon a try