AboutMyGeneration - Information, Inspiration, Motivation

Norway - The Essence of Nature Peter Morrell heads to Northern Norway in search of the Midnight Sun and finds a lot more besides Standing on a promontory overlooking a fjord, dark, rocky islands floated below like whales.  Above them a molten orb hovered, turning the surrounding sea into liquid gold. Peter was in Northern Norway paying homage to the midnight sun which in summer bathes the landscape with light continuously for more than 1600 hours. But there’s a lot more to do than just look at the sun and with perpetual daylight he certainly packed a lot in to his trip. Read about Peter's Arctic adventure by clicking here... ____________________________ Ancient places, New beginnings Liz Gill discovers high life luxury and enjoyable adventure in a renewed Khao Lak, Thailand Khao Lak was one of the areas in Thailand hardest hit by the tsunami that swept through on Boxing Day in 2004 causing total devastation. Liz Gill has recently enjoyed a stay at the Sarojin In Khao Lak, a luxury boutique hotel that was one of the many casualties of the catastrophe.  Despite many poignant reminders she finds a place of great natural beauty where it is not just the hotel that has been completely restored but nature itself Click here.. to read about this paradise on earth ____________________________ How to choose the right vacuum cleaner Great tips from AEG-Electrolux + your chance to win a vacuum cleaner Floor coverings are one of the biggest expenses in the home, so it makes sense to keep them looking good for as long as possible. Regular cleaning with the right type of cleaner will help keep floors looking newer for longer. There’s a wide choice available and it is important that you find the cleaner that is right for your home and lifestyle.  Elizabeth Farmer, Marketing Manager of Electrolux offers some advice to help you choose. To read more and find out how you can win an AEG-Electrolux vacuum cleaner click here...  _________________________________ Angela Malik Cookery School Peter Morrell cooks up some Chinese treats At the Taste of London Festival recently Peter stopped by a stand to watch a cookery demonstration by a dynamic young chef called Angela Malik. Her relaxed approached and confident manner held the audience in thrall. So when he got the opportunity to join one of her classes in her Acton based cookery school a short while later he jumped at the chance. The subject of the course was dim sum, the little Chinese appetisers that are becoming more and more popular. To find out how the course went click here... _________________________________ Mon Plaisir Peter Morrell finds a little piece of Paris in London About four years ago Peter's daughter spent a year studying in Paris. So for a period of 12 months he had a place to stay in what many regard as the foodie capital of the world. The local area close to her flat offered numerous family run restaurants, tucked down side streets out of tourists’ range. Sadly those memories of authentic Parisian cuisine expired along with the lease on his daughter’s apartment. That is until he stumbling across Mon Plaisir, London's oldest French restaurant. This is a little piece of Paris in London - even the street outside is cobbled. To read the review click here... _________________________________ Is your financial future at risk? Find out what you need to do to secure a prosperous retirement We all know how important it is to have some sort of financial plan for retirement. But while most of us have a savings plan in place, it seems many of us have no idea of our partner’s plans, meaning we could be missing out on increasing our investment. And whilst planning for our future is vital, it is also important to ensure our children are provided for when we are gone. But how often do you talk to your partner about financial planning? And do you really know what questions to ask? To secure your financial future watch this web TV show by clicking here... _________________________________ Get back to work with confidence By Caryn Franklin Knowing how to dress will help you when you return to the workplace Going back to work after time off with the kids can be a terrifying prospect. And not only because you might be wondering if you’ve forgotten how to actually use your brain. But there’s also that big worry of ‘What do I wear?’ Former fashion editor Caryn Franklin has interviewed everyone from Yves Saint Laurent to Georgio Armani and is a nationally known British fashion expert having had her own TV shows on BBC, ITV, Discovery and UKTV. Click here... to read Caryn’s top tips on how to dress when heading back to work.  _________________________________ The Editor's Diary 25th August 2010 Chris Hurley, the Editor of AMG spends a lot of time out gathering news for the web site. She also has a busy home life to contend with. Her diary is a round-up of the amusing things that happen to her either working at AMG or trying to lead a normal life at home. There are stories about men in pink shorts, getting stuck in security doors, drinking at -10 degrees, meeting Gordon Ramsay and many, many more. To read about the latest trials and tribulations in the life of a web site editor click here... _________________________________ Introducing the MOB Blog Chris Hurley's Mother of the Bride Diary After two years of planning for her daughter's wedding the big day finally arrived at the beginning of August. All those months of shopping, wine tasting, venue viewing, band listening, menu planning, guest list compiling, hen nighting and generally panicking paid off as the final result was a roaring success. Read all about the final days, the day itself and the aftermath in her still to be continued blog. Yet to come is an entry in which Chris will be tallking about 'lessons learnt' to help others planning a wedding avoid some of the pitfalls. To read her MOB blog and see some photos click here... _________________________________ Learn to cook in your lunch hour at L’atelier des Chefs Peter Morrell visits this cookery school in central London and discovers how to acquire some new skills as well as enjoy some good food in his lunch break Strolling through central London after lunch Peter was replete and rather pleased with himself. Undoubtedly the warm spring sunshine had enhanced his mood along with the contentment following some excellent French food.  But the real satisfaction came from the knowledge that he had prepared and cooked the food himself at a L'aterlier des Chefs course. To find out how you could be producing restaurant quality meals in great value courses click here... _________________________________ Attracting The Relationships You Deserve? Are you Fed up with people treating you badly? Tired of being put upon at work? Attracting potential partners who seem not to respect you? Unclear how to achieve the best for yourself? Know you are worth more but can’t quite work out what that is? Feeling that your behaviours have a will of their own? Registered NLP life coach, Michelle Zelli, suggests that setting personal boundaries might be the key to healthy relationships and strong self-esteem but many people are not aware of how to create and define their personal boundaries. To find out how to start building those boundaries click here...  _________________________________ Are you addicted to worry? Michelle Zelli talks about quitting the habit Worrying is one of the most prevalent thought addictions, keeping us stuck in a state of disarray. A particular worry will become a repetitive thought pattern that we accept as part of our day-to-day life. Do you find yourself worrying about what might happen? The “what ifs'?” Do you have a constant niggle of fear and worry buzzing through you that is so deeply embedded you simply take it for granted? Life Coach, Michelle Zelli, provides a simple strategy that will quickly move you away from worry and towards a happier life. Click here... to find out how  _________________________________      Follow what is happening on AboutMyGeneration with Twitter AMG now has its own Twitter page so you can see the minute that Competitions, Discounts, Offers and articles are published. The AMG Twitter Address is www.twitter.com/amgmembers _________________________________ Carters World The Sound of Music... In his extensive travels across the globe, travel writer, TV presenter and broadcaster, John Carter, has encountered many weird and wonderful things – but he’s just discovered something which is ‘music to his ears!’   To read about his ideas for ‘staycations’ with added interest click here... _________________________________ The AboutMyGeneration Theatre Club Welcome to the August theatre club offers. A great headline deal this month, Andrew Lloyd webber's Love Never Dies is available with a 25% discount. This spectacular, multi-million pound show is a roller coaster ride of obsession and intrigue starring an acclaimed cast including Ramin Karimloo as The Phantom, Sierra Boggess as Christine and Joseph Millson, Liz Robertson and Summer Strallen. Offer Valid Monday-Thursday performances from 30th August until 21st October 2010. There are also some really fantastic deals for Billy Elliot, Sister Act and The Jersey Boys to name but three. But it doesn't finish there We have Hair, Sherlock Holmes at half price, Burn The Floor, Dirty Dancing and Grease. There are also some super deals that include dinner and even hotel stays. Click here... to find out how you can see these great West End shows at bargain prices.

Libya - A cruise into antiquity John Westbrooke goes to Libya the same way the ancients did – by sea Aboard the cruise ship Discovery, John enjoyed visiting Valletta, Palermo and Barcelona but there was no doubt in his mind that the most memorable ports of call were in Libya.  Visiting a number of well preserved antiquities are just some of the highlights of this fascinating destination To read more click here... ____________________________ Redhook Farringdon Peter Morrell visits this atmospheric, US style Surf ‘n' Turf restaurant in what is fast becoming the centre of London’s culinary universe Peter thinks that there must be something in the air in Clerkenwell, because within walking distance of Farringdon station there are so many restaurants that he would happily go back to again and again. The good restaurant count has increased by one with the recent opening of Redhook in Turnmill Street. This is a U.S. surf and turf style eaterie housed in a well designed ex-industrial space with tiles and exposed brickwork. Tasty steaks, succulent seafood and creative cocktails are all on the menu. To read Peter's review of this latest addition to Clerkenwell's culinary credentials click here... ____________________________ Return to the Olive Farm By Carol Drinkwater Peter Morrell reviews the latest book in Carol Drinkwater’s popular Olive series In this very personal memoir, Carol invites us to enjoy the ups and downs of life on her beloved olive farm, Appassionata, in Provence as she returns after a trip around the Mediterranean to life with her husband Michel and his burgeoning family. The warm welcome and the homecoming celebrations are quickly overshadowed by some disturbing events that have occurred in her absence. The bee colony that has regularly wintered at Carol's farm has been decimated, poisoned by the insecticides that are used to treat her olive trees. Carol is faced with a moral dilemma but eventually makes some tough choices and decides that organic and insecticide free is the way forward. To read the full review about life on her Olive Farm click here... _________________________________ Amsterdam then and now Chris Hurley revisits one of her favourite places, thirty years on Back in the eighties Amsterdam was one of her favourite place to spend the weekend.  It was very cheap and always very cheerful.  With so many vibrant bars, reasonably priced restaurants and budget accommodation a good time was guaranteed. She returns for a weekend wondering if the city will still appeal nearly three decades on. To read more click here... _________________________________ Femfresh The Femfresh philosophy is simple: “You wouldn’t use harsh products on your face, so why on your most delicate skin?” Bladder weakness affects millions of women across the UK. There are several different causes of the condition in women but the two main ones are weakened pelvic floor muscles and the menopause. During the menopause, the changing hormones also cause a change in the natural pH-balance of a woman’s intimate skin, which has a different pH to body skin. This can lead to irritation and discomfort. Femfresh intimate cleansing products are not only designed to be gentle to your intimate skin but also help to restore the natural pH-balance; great for sensitive or irritated skin. For more details on Femfresh products click here... _________________________________ Yes your sex drive IS changing-  that’s the good news Continuing her series of guest blogs, author of Fifty & Fabulous: The Best Years of a Woman’s Life, Jaki Scarcello talks about the effect of aging on a woman’s sex drive.  She feels that this change is viewed by many with gravity and an unneccessary degree of pessimism.  She dares to suggest it could even be a change for the better. To read more click here...  _________________________________ Travel News A monthly look at new travel ideas by Peter Morrell 1st August 2010 The range of holiday destinations and travel themes is vast and new options, appealing to just about every interest, are appearing all the time.  At AMG we get to hear about so many unusual and interesting possibilities that we thought we would bring you the best of them in our monthly Travel News.  Not only will you discover ideas that you may not have considered before but you will also find special offers and last minute discounts. There's news of trips to some great destinations and adventures this month that include Georgia, New Orleans, West Virginia, Las Vegas, Hawaii, Manitoba, Cyprus and Lebanon. Also someting about the Amtrak train from Chicago to New Orleans, the Opera Babes on a Fred. Olsen cruise ,a literary weekend with Louis de Bernières and how about a cruise ship to yourself? To read Travel News click here... _________________________________ Bored out of your Mind? Here’s the first step to change If you are feeling bored and tired with yourself, the fastest and most effective way to change the situation is to add more new thoughts and experiences to your life. If we keep feeding our brain the same old stuff that keeps us firmly within our comfort zone we become tired and jaded. Stretch your mind out of that comfortable place where you have allowed it to reside and grasp the opportunity to re-evaluate what you are constantly telling yourself. Registered NLP practitioner and life coach, Michelle Zelli tells you how to take the very first step to feeling alive again. To read more click here...  _________________________________ Booze Newz Peter Morrell, Food and Drink Editor of AMG reports on the latest liquid surprises and delights  Updated 3rd September 2010 In this month's edition Peter has been sampling the latest Cava to hit the shelves, Anna De Codorniu, the first Cava to include Chardonnay. He has been considering changing to Martini if it saves him time in the gym and there is news of a pub opening at Tower Bridge, the Draft House. Its aim is to elevate the status of beer and has got some very interesting drinks on offer. It's coming up for Autumn and the very popular Oktoberfest in London will once again be held at the Bavarian Beerhouse in Old Street. There is a brief introducing to the relatively unknown but excellent wines from the Alsace and there is a birthday to celebrate, Jack Daniels is 160 years old. The final booze tally from his daughter's wedding has now been calculated and it was large! Click here... to read Booze Newz and find out more _________________________________ Food Newz Peter Morrell, Food and Drink Editor of AMG reports on all things foodie Updated 2nd September 2010 Welcome to Food Newz, the column that covers everything foodie. In this month's edition Peter describes the trials and tribulations of putting together a cheese cake for his daughter's wedding. Staying with the cheese theme Brue Valley Farms have developed a new cheddar for Marks and Spencer and there is news of the upcoming British Cheese week. Pastaio Giovanni Rana has a delicious new range of ravioli available. Selfridges are stocking the basic ingredients to make some exciting Malaysian food and if you don't want to cook it then there is a night hawker food market for one night only in Trafalgar Square in September. Lyod Grossman has launched some 'For One' sauces and Heinz have created the first flavoured salad cream in nearly 100 years. And on the restaurant front Bel Canto is combining food with opera and there is a review of Redhook a lovely surf 'n' turf eaterie in Clerkenwell. Click here... to read Food Newz and find out more _________________________________ Are You Getting the Most out of Your Retirement? After what seems like a lifetime of hectic family life and work demands, retirement can seem like a foreign concept.   But retirement is your chance to do all the things you have always wanted to do but never had the time for.  So if you are bored or listless with retired life, then it is time you started taking advantage of this wonderful opportunity.  Kimberly Aardal makes a few suggestions on how, once retired,  you can live your life to the fullest, click here... to read _________________________________ If you knew sushi Peter Morrell learns the art of sushi and finds the cooking to be the easy bit The Okura Hotel in Amsterdam, is not only a very luxurious hotel but it also boasts some of the best restaurants in Amsterdam, their Sazanka Teppanyaki Restaurant is superb and the more traditional Yamazato restaurant is the only traditional Japanese restaurant in Europe to have been awarded a Michelin star. Based on all this expertise, a culinary centre called a Taste of Okura has recently opened. It offers a number of courses in both Japanese and European cooking, in a state of the art kitchen. Peter recently went on the Taste of Sushi course at the culinary centre, read about his experiences by clicking here...  _________________________________ Tried and Tested At AMG office a positive mountain of stuff arrives for us to try every day. We give them a try and publish news of the best products. Kitchen utensils, cosmetics, beauty aids and exercise equipment are just some of the things that have been covered in the past. So keep on coming back as new reviews are being posted all the time. To read more click here... _________________________________ Want to speak to Granny? Poke her Surprising results about older people and new technology Renowned for not being able to set a video recorder, it seems pensioners are more tech savvy than we give them credit for.  New research revealed today highlights that nearly two thirds of the over 55s use social networks to keep in touch, 94 per cent use email as their preferred method of communication and one in ten has a Twitter account. The findings, commissioned by retirement village specialist Audley, found that the older generation are increasingly using new technology to communicate. With family and friends spread all over the world, email, Facebook and Twitter are just some of the channels used to keep in touch. To read more click here...

Fabulous at 50 - Womens' Confidence is Booming

Read these articles on relationships. Brought to you in association with www.armchairadvice.co.uk

Dating Again
Starting out again can be daunting. Here is some practical advice on making that first date a success. Find out how to take the first step to happiness by clicking here...

Making Conversation
For some people, making conversation on that first date is easy, but if you are one of the many who get tongue-tied when nervous, click here... for some tips and guidance

Attraction
Being attractive to others is the key to starting that relationship. Read some great advice by clicking here... 

Here are links to some other Competition Sites

The Prize Finder - UK Competitions

UK Competitions - Competition Site

Just Competitions

Competitors Companion

UK Wins

Compaholics