Category Archives: Alcohol

Feb 24 2015

Some parenting wins worthy of a little Moet darling!

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Becoming a mum is hard. So much so that you might imagine there will never be a time you’ll get around to drinking the champagne that some well-meaning, but totally clueless, pal bought you to celebrate the fact your baby emerged blue, covered in gunk and blinking into the world.

Even when breastfeeding gives way to bottles and mission of pumping and dumping is long gone, there are still plenty of familiar baby dramas to prevent you enjoying a glass of chilled bubbles of an evening; there’s the split moment when transferring from bath to nappy that they’ll pick to offload their dinner; the never-ending rounds of Buzz Lightyear Goes to Nursery that your child insists on you reading before you dare switch on their nightlight; or maybe you have a baby that actively hates their nursery and will rattle the bars of their cot for hours until you sandwich them in between mummy and daddy.

Yet as you acclimatise to your new role, you’ll find there are excuses aplenty for cracking open a bottle of Moet and Chandon Champagne. In fact, if you don’t, you’re apt to go a bit crazy.

Here are my little parenting wins this month:

Heidi now naps!

Heidi Jumperoo

Unbelievably, after months of trying, my daughter is finally beginning to yawn after a frantic session on her Jumperoo. Better yet, when we pop her in her cot for a rest, she actually plays with, and coos at her dollies before her little head hits the pillow. Trust me this is major progress. Heidi used to rattle the bars as fervently as a prisoner suffering from claustrophobia.

sleeping 2

Even better still - sometimes the two will nap at the same time! It’s then, and only then, you realise you’ve really cracked this parenting game.

sleeping

The Postman Obsession has given way to Toy Story

I don’t want to judge Postman Pat too harshly. The 2014 movie was actually pretty watchable with Ronan Keating, Stephen Mangan, Rupert Grint, and Jim Broadbent among those providing the voice-overs. Yet when you’re being pestered to put it on every single day, three times a day, you begin to fantasise about putting your head in the freezer.

At least there are three Toy Story movies, and there’s plenty of adult humour to keep me from regressing to a three-year-old by the time Craig comes home from work. Better yet, we actually bought Dexter several Toy Story toys for Christmas. At the time my sweet well-mannered two-year-old gave them a cursory nod then threw them behind the sofa. Now we’re gradually introducing them as bribes for fuss-free tooth-brushing. Result!

Heidi is giving as good as she gets

Dex and Heidi

My 10-month-old daughter is now standing up to her big brother and demanding he share his toys. She used to get a whack around the head with a chunk of Duplo for her troubles and fall to the floor wailing. Now she’ll sidle in next to him and shoulder barge into whatever game he’s playing. I guess she’s now immune to concussion and has worked out that a bash or two is worth it if you can get your hands on Fireman Sam’s fire station. photo 2-20

The lump on my breast turned out to be nothing

Joking aside, I’ve had a pretty naff month. I found a lump on my breast earlier this week and sadly it wasn’t result of superb aim from my toddler whilst eating his cereal. I couldn’t book my own doctors appointment because I was scared, so Craig had to do it for me. He booked a little time off work to be there with me and hold my hand and I’m eternally grateful I had him there to support me.

I wasn’t as nervous as I thought I’d be at the doctors surgery. Before she’d even asked what was wrong, I was removing my bra! In fact, she even tried to stop me for fear of interruption by a colleague, gesturing I might be more comfortable if I park my bum on a seat behind her curtain, but she quickly stopped when she saw the pleading look in my eyes - it said, just get on with it.

I’ve now been reassured the lump is within my skin, and not my breast tissue. This doesn’t mean we’re completely out of the woods and I’m still scheduled for further tests, but to my mind, it does mean they can lop it off (if needs be) without there being too much cosmetic damage to my breast.

The main threat is gone, and that means a glass of bubbly.

So what are you celebrating this month?

 

Jan 15 2015

Sound advice for common winter health issues

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Winter is the season for flu and colds. Flu can be debilitating, and even dangerous, so it’s vital that you protect yourself against winter’s health problems.

Protect your health

If you’re a smoker then you’re aware that you’re already damaging your health. Smokers are more likely to suffer from bronchial and other types of chest infections than other members of the population. One way in which you can try to give up the noxious weed is to invest in Phoenix Electronic Cigarettes as an alternative to traditional smoking.

Don’t drink too much alcohol

Alcohol in moderation is fine. Alcohol in excess isn’t. If you drink too much your body will become rundown, and this may mean that you’re less able to fight off seasonal bugs. The Drink Aware websites suggests that it isn’t just the liver that’s affected by too much booze, your body as a whole may be weakened. Keep consumption at a sensible level.

Have a flu jab

Pensioners, those with serious health conditions and young children are all eligible for an NHS flu jab. The NHS website has a list of those who qualify for this service. You can also get a flu vaccination from your local high street pharmacy. It’s well worth having a vaccination, as the flu bug seems to grow stronger on an annual basis, will knock you out for about five days and makes you feel weak for some time after.

Always wash your hands

It might sound obvious, but many people still don’t wash their hands regularly. In an article in The Daily Mail, clinical scientist Dr Nicola Goddard states that, “Although most infections are mainly carried in the air and transmitted by the ‘aerosol’ effect when someone sneezes, germs can be transmitted by physical contact and enter the body when infected hands touch vulnerable parts like our eye mouths and noses.”

Also, try to use disposable towels and handkerchiefs rather than those made from material, as these are far more hygienic.

Don’t visit someone with a flu or cold

You can always help a neighbour with a parcel of food or soup, but you don’t have to enter their house to give them the food. You could place it in a porch for them, and notify their family that you have prepared a meal, and leave it to them to actually feed the invalid. Unless you’ve had a flu jab, it’s a good idea to steer clear of anyone who might contaminate you.

Look after your general health

You can always build up your immune system with some exercise, a healthy diet and some herbal preparations. Garlic wards off most diseases as do zinc supplements. Echinacea has a good reputation for strengthening the body’s immune system, and a daily teaspoon of Propolis, made from honey, is also good for you. As long as your diet is good, you keep warm and you drink plenty of water, you may get off lightly this winter and avoid illness.

 

Nov 26 2014

The Naked Beer Company

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Having discovered a real love for craft beer, when The Naked Beer Co recently braved a #bloggerswanted on Twitter, I grabbed my iPhone and threw my hat in the ring. I figure, if there’s any other newbies to the-craft-beer-scene, my amateur reviews will be among the more accessible that Google has to show for itself.

Luckily they picked me, before I had resort to stalking them!

So who are they?

There are 3 flagship beers from this Worthing-based brewery; Freudian Slip Special Ale, Streaker IPA, and the moreish Porter Indecent Exposure. I’m sure there’s something vaguely poetic and romantic I should be saying about their provenance, but having never been there, and being incredibly inexperienced in this sort of thing I’ll have to pass. Needless to say, Sussex appears to be a bit of a hotspot for independent brewers, ale-friendly gastro-pubs and drinker’s festivals - sounds like heaven.

The brewery is the love child of head brewer (Rob) who is now 5 years in the game (formerly of Bristol Beer Factory and Ascot Ales). Having honed the skills, itchy feet and a desire to brew with wreckless abandon saw him start Naked Beer Co in February 2014.

With their 3 flagship beers having been selected for the Indigo Pub List in Brighton, the Naked Beer Co has grand ambitions for the winter quarter with shiny new toys and a couple of seasonal releases in the pipeline (Beer pundit Rachel Smith has more on this over on her blog Look at Brew).

The Review

So when that tightly-bound parcel arrived on my doorstep I tore into the parcel tape with all the frenzy of Jason Voorhees. Once they’d had their obligatory 24 hours rest, the beers were ready to be savoured and we whisked the kiddies off to bed to get stuck in. Their motto being ‘Break the rules, challenge the status quo, let your instincts rule‘ meant we were expecting dizzy concoctions and surprising flavours, and we weren’t disappointed!

Freudian Slip - 6.5% Special ale

This what Craig and I (like the amateurs we are!) class as a wader, meaning you wade through it as you would a liquidized dessert; savouring flavours and wincing as they come through. It was the colour of rusty nails with murky brown, red and ginger hues, yet showed a real clarity in the light despite its syrupy viscosity. The off white head one-finger head quickly dissipated to a fine bubbly lace leaving a bold, smooth yet complex glass.

An aroma of dried fruits, Dime Bars and smoke wafts before your nose conjuring images of halloween and campfires. It packs a real punch with the bitterness of currants and raisins juxtaposed with sweet caramel and ginger nut. The aftertaste (think espresso and toffee apples) lingers on your tounge, the sides of your mouth, and in between your teeth like cloying honey helping it live on beyond the glass.

Being by far the most boozy and mysterious of the three, I loved it. Craig pulled a few faces and was less keen, but bitters are less to his taste anyway.

Streaker - 4% IPA

Right up Craig’s street, I left this one to the pale ale pro himself. It’s an easy pour, materialising as a cloudy yet pretty burnt amber colour in the glass. Pops of citrus shine through leaving a delicate sweet aftertaste that dries all too quicly and calls you back for more. I got a mix of stewed tropical fruits (mango, pineapple and lemon), yet Craig was pretty sold on a citrus mix of mandarins, orange and clementines.

The head holds firm throughout and the consistency was pithier and yeastier than expected, yet not unpleasant. At 4% it’s a great entry level ale for the uninitiated and could easily keep the lads lubricated during one of Sky Sport’s Super Saturdays (or whatever they like to watch nowadays) without seeing them stumble into the road on the way home.

Indecent Exposure - 4.5% Porter

Right up my street, this is one of the least alcoholic porters I’ve tried. It pours smoothly leaving a glorious thick frothy caramel-coloured head. It’s a bloody triumph and goes great with mounds of cushions, soft lighting, and an iced dessert. I denied myself this one night until Heidi finally succumbed to sleep after a rough night teething. When I finally sank into the sofa and Craig poured me this, I felt the stress ebb away.
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Aromas of devilishly dark chocolate, espresso and raspberries punch through, yet it offers a seriously creamy smooth mouthful. It’s perfectly balanced yet full of accomplished rich flavours; mocha, ‘pillow chocolates’, berries, dried fruits, molasses and Horlicks. The lightly carbonated hoppy mix is silky smooth on the throat and there’s comfort to be had knowing it’s only 4.5%.
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All this needed, is more of it - there’s something a little disappointing about drinking a lush, fragrant and full-bodied porter from a half-full pint glass.
Want to try it? Well cases are available from the website, or you can taste it from the barrel against a backdrop of live music, good food or comedy at a number of Indigo pubs in the Sussex area.
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