Race around the world with ZSL - Zoos launches fundraising challenge to save endangered wildlife across the world

Race around the world with ZSL Charity behind London and Whipsnade Zoos launches ‘global’ fundraising challenge  from 1 June 2022 – 30 June 2022 

The international conservation charity behind London and Whipsnade Zoos, ZSL, is calling on animal lovers to get moving and walk, run, wheel or cycle ‘Around the World in 30 Days’ to raise vital money to save endangered wildlife across the world.  

 

Throughout the month of June, nature enthusiasts are being asked to collectively travel 40,075km - equal to the circumference of the globe to help fundraise in support ZSL’s conservation work around the world.  

 

Kicking off on 1 June, Around the World in 30 Days’ participants can set the distance they’d like to cover across the 30 days. Fundraise as much money as possible, then take on their challenge of choice whether it be running, walking, wheeling or cycling, whenever and wherever they’d like to, turning their daily exercise into fundraising. 

Fundraisers will add their efforts to a combined tracker, and every week they’ll unlock a new heart-warming story, showing how ZSL’s conservation makes a difference in some of the world's most important habitats. 

ZSL have come up with a list of animal inspired athletics to try, including hedgehogs who roam an average distance of 2km on a single night, meaning they reach an impressive 60km in total during June. While tigers prowl over 10km a night to find food, totalling 300km a month.  

 

ZSL urgently needs your support, visit zsl.org/AroundtheWorld to find out more and sign up now.  

 

Ambulance Movie Review

We were invited along to watch the pre screening on AMBULANCE movie and we were in for a real treat.

This enjoyable movie is packed with action from start to finish. The movie follows ex veteran Will who needs money to cover his wife’s medical bills, so looking for that extra cash he decides to visit his brother Danny for a job, but will gets more than be bargained for when Danny encourages will to join him on a bank heist, Will initial reaction is to say NO, but faced with his current dilemma and with the encouragement from brother Danny, Will joins Danny and his crew on the biggest bank heist in Los Angeles history.

But things do not go as planned and the brothers end up hijacking an ambulance carrying an injured police officer and Cam the EMT medic, a high-speed action packed chase follows all while Cam the EMT worker is trying to save the police officers life.

We were on the edge of our seats watching the story unfolded, there were also a few laugh out loud moments from the element of comedy that gave it a light-hearted feel during those tense action pack moments.

We loved this movie and we highly recommend this movie 10/10 from us.

AMBULANCE is now Showing across Cinemas in the UK.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat will return to The London Palladium for a strictly limited season this summer.

Jason Donovan will return as the roof-raising Pharaoh, whilst Jac Yarrow is once again taking on the title character which won him critical acclaim and a 2020 Olivier Award nomination for Best Actor in a Musical. Alexandra Burke will be joining the Joseph cast as The Narrator in the smash-hit sensation this summer.

Linzi Hateley – who starred in the original Palladium production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat – will make a sensational return as The Narrator in special performances this summer. Click here for more information.

Released as a concept album in 1969, the stage version of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat has become one of the worlds most beloved family musicals. The multi-award-winning show, which began life as a small scale school concert, has been performed hundreds of thousands of times including multiple runs in the West End and on Broadway, international number one tours, and productions in over 80 countries.

VENUE The London Palladium - Argyll Street, London W1F 7TF

TICKETS From £15.00 – No fees

RUNNING TIME Approx. 2 hours (incl. interval)

GALA NIGHT Thursday 15 July 2021, 7pm

THE MUSICAL PHENOMENON RETURNS - Wicked The Musical

Wicked, the West End and Broadway musical phenomenon that tells the incredible untold story of the Witches of Oz, will return to London’s Apollo Victoria Theatre later this year, with performances resuming on Wednesday 15 September 2021. 

Tickets for this booking period, which runs through to Sunday 22 May 2022, go on sale at 10am on Monday 17 May 2021. Wicked will play a Tuesday-Sunday performance schedule, with matinees on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. Visit www.WickedTheMusical.co.uk for all information.

Wicked will mark its 15th anniversary at the Apollo Victoria Theatre later in the year and will host a celebratory performance on Tuesday 28 September 2021.

The music and lyrics in Wicked are by the legendary composer Stephen Schwartz (whose enduringly popular musical Godspell celebrates its 50th Anniversary on 17 May 2021), with a book by Winnie Holzman (creator of the landmark American television series My So-Called Life). It is based on Gregory Maguire’s multi-million-copy bestseller, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West.

Soon to celebrate its 15th Anniversary in the West End, the iconic musical has already been seen by over 10 million people in London alone and played almost 6000 performances. Winner of over 100 major international awards, including three Tony Awards, two Olivier Awards, a Grammy Award and ten theatregoer-voted WhatsOnStage Awards (including three for ‘Best West End Show’), Wicked is already the 9th longest-running West End musical of all time. 

Michael McCabe, Executive Producer (UK) of Wicked said today: “Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman’s wondrous musical version of Gregory Maguire’s darkly brilliant fable is an allegory for, and of, our times. After the challenging year faced by everyone in our company, we are grateful to them for their resilience and patience and delighted that we can, at last, get back to telling this extraordinary story again. We look forward to audiences returning to Oz and to creating more unforgettable memories for everyone.”

The huge and enduring success of Wicked in London has seen the musical become a fundamental component in the cultural ecology of Victoria, playing a pivotal role in the health of the area’s leisure and hospitality landscape. Wicked draws in audiences from across the UK (as well as internationally) and helps to ensure Victoria remains an outstanding cultural destination The full cast will be confirmed at a later date. 

Wicked has music and lyrics by multi-Oscar, Golden Globe and Grammy Award winner Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Pippin, The Prince of Egypt; Disney’s Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Enchanted) and is based on the novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire and adapted for the stage by Winnie Holzman. Musical staging is by Tony Award-winner Wayne Cilento with direction by two-time Tony Award-winner Joe Mantello. 

All future performances will take place under Step 4 of UK Government protocols (all legal limits on social contact removed). Each performance will operate in full compliance with any Government and/or industry COVID-19 safety guidelines as applicable.

www.WickedTheMusical.co.uk

Tickets on sale at 10am on 17 May 2021

Performances resume on 15 September 2021

including Sunday matinees 

The Apollo Victoria Theatre, Wilton Road, London SW1V 1LG

Official UK website: www.WickedTheMusical.co.uk

Twitter: @WickedUK  |  Facebook: /WickedUK  |  Instagram: @WickedUK

Notting Hill's Instagrammable Locations

As it’s Easter weekend we decided to get out and about and explore Notting hill in London,
well known for the Notting hill carnival, portobello road market and its amazing instagrammable locations. We caught the central line tube to Holland Park station and within a short eight-minute walk we arrived at the much loved photographed spot of Stanley crescent.

Stanley Crescent is well known and photographed location due to its blooming pink blossom tree, it was a very busy location with influencers dressed in impressive tutus and pink dresses trying to capture that perfect shot, we could see why people would travel to this location and it was stunning, with the large white house and the contrast of the pink blossoms what wasn't there to like, an amazing corner of London to strike that pose. A frequented location for those wanting to a small oasis of beauty in the middle of London. 

We then made our way to portobello road on our route we passed some stunning homes full of colourful facades which defiantly deserved to be photographed, a must-have capture is outside Alice’s antique shop which was used as a film location for Mr Gruber's antique shop in the movie Paddington Bear 2. 

We headed to Denbigh Terrace here you will find an array of beautiful pastel homes which is great to capture those much-loved insta worthy shots.  Our next destination was Kensington park road when we stopped to buy a Jolly Ginger at Biscuiteers, a much-loved treat in our family, but often we order online so it was great to actually visit the shop in person. Biscuiteers is a beautiful looking shop both inside and out so defiantly worth a visit.

Our final destination of the morning was Luke Mews, here we bumped into a couple of lovely ladies who were also taking pictures, she kindly offered to capture us outside this stunning row of houses, we simply couldn't refuse.

Luke Mews is known for the stunning pink house. Notting Hill has so many amazing places that every photographer would love to capture and most Instagram influencers would be more delighted to share on their feed. We recommended going early morning to avoid the crowds and take a slow walk around the streets, these are just some of the locations, but if you explore you will certainly find more.

Peggy Porschen - king's Road

We were super excited to head down to the King's Road in Chelsea to Peggy Porschen. Peggy Porchen is every influencer's dream with its instagramable pink and floral facade and gorgeous looking cakes.

On arrival, we did what most would and that was to pose for some pictures amongst the floral decor. Once inside we were overwhelmed by the colourful selection of cupcakes and cookies. We opted for two cupcakes from the Easter Collection, an Easter Egg Chocolate Cupcake and a Hoppy Bunny Carrot Cupcake.

Easter Egg Chocolate Cupcake: This chocolate sponge cupcake comes complete with a large swirl of chocolate buttercream topped with a speckled praline egg and fondant sugar flower and leaf.

Our Verdict - The cake had a generous helping of tasty chocolate buttercream, the cake was moist and chocolaty with a light fluffy texture, it was very moreish I enjoyed every single bite, although it was quite pricey, but the presentation and taste made it worth every penny.

Cost £5.50

Hoppy Bunny Carrot Cupcake: A carrot and walnut sponge cupcake, topped with a swirl of lemon cheese frosting, decorated with a fondant sugar bunny, mini carrot, flower blossom, leaf and a mini chocolate egg.

Our Verdict - Once again the sponge cupcake was moist, light and flavoursome as I would expect a carrot cake to be, there were delicate pieces of walnut and carrot throughout, the frosting was sweet with a subtle hint of lemon. The cupcake was absolutely delicious a real treat. Once again a little on the pricy side, but you are paying for a tasty quality seasonal treat. 

Cost £6.00

Easter Cookies: Shortbread vanilla cookies, decorated with a rolled sugar paste fondant with piped icing detailing.

Our Verdict - How could we resist these cute cookies, we purchased two as there was no way we were going to share one, each cookie cost £8.95 which is slightly more than we would have liked to pay, but we appreciated the hand-decorated detail and presentation, the actual cookie was thick crumbly and soft and tasted really good.

Cost £8.95

Overall - We would defiantly return to Peggy Porschen again, Peggy Porschen is an experience that everyone should have a least once in their lifetime. 

Chi Chi London

When I was asked if I would like to try a Chi Chi London dress from their bridesmaid's collection, I jumped at the chance, I have purchased a couple of Chi-Chi London dresses in the past and always loved their design styles, they are high quality and the maxi length dresses are the perfect fit and length for my 5ft 7in height and size 12 frame. Choosing any Chi Chi dress is always easy, as they have so many beautiful styles available in a range of adorable colours sizes.

I opted for this Laced Bridesmaid Maxi Dress in Blue with open back detail.

 

The dress has long soft laced full-length sleeves and lace detailing which extends across the bodice of the dress, it has a  silk band on the waist followed by a finely pleated skirt which giving the dress an elegant flowing appearance, it's a maxi length which is perfect for me.

I felt like a princess in this gorgeous dress, the colour is an amazing light baby blue and the fit is true to size. I now own three Chi Chi dresses and have recently purchased another one for the summer. Chi Chi London has a gorgeous range of Cocktail, Prom, Evening and Maxi Dresses as well as accessories and shoes to help you complete your perfect outfit. check out www.chichiclothing.com to see this dress and more, along with their entire Bridesmaid Dresses range www.chichiclothing.com/wedding-hub.