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Monthly Archives: March 2015

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Anyone who went to an Irish primary or secondary school will no doubt remember studying the stories of Frank O'Connor at some stage.

Frank's tales are beloved all over the world, but they hold a particular charm for us Irish.

Whether you wept over Angela's Ashes or read and re-read First Confession for English class, no school years were complete without a good dose of Frank's writing and charm.

Now three of the author's most famous (and hilarious) short stories, My Oedipus Complex, The Genius and First Confession are being brought to life on stage.

God Bless The Child was performed to packed audiences in Cork's Everyman Theatre and at the end of this month it'll hit Dublin.

The play runs at the Gaiety Theatre from March 31st – April 11th and is sure to be a sell-out!

Meet young Michael, who goes into mortal combat with his father when he returns from the First World War, Larry, a genius who can't understand why the world can't keep up with him, and Jackie, who has the grim task of not only making his first confession and communion, but must also deal with his very obstreperous grandmother.

Ticket prices start at €19.65 and can be purchased in person at the GaietyTheatre, over the phone on 0818 719 388 (group bookings call 01 648 6029) and online at www.ticketmaster.ie.

And of course, don't forget to enter our competition – we're giving away a pair of tickets to the play for one lucky SHEmazing! reader.

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Zayn Malik sent One Direction fans into a frenzy yesterday when he suddenly quit the band's world tour to fly home to the UK.

Although the official 1D statement said that Zayn had pulled out of future gigs due to stress, it's widely believed the real reason for his shock departure was his fiancée Perrie Edwards.

Zayn found himself in the doghouse earlier this week after he was pictured looking seriously flirty with another woman while partying in Thailand.

The singer apologised publicly on Twitter two days ago before deciding it would be better done in person:

The 1D star arrived back to the UK in the early hours of this morning, and was pictured entering the couple's shared London home at around 5am.

It's not clear what went on after that, but Perrie was pictured leaving the house by herself around five hours later, carrying an overnight bag and getting into a taxi.

Well… that certainly doesn't look good!

It was definitely a big show of love for Zayn to quit the One Direction tour, but we reckon it's going to take more than five hours for him to win Perrie back.

Hopefully he's got some more plans up his sleeve to show her how sorry he is!

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The temptation to grab something on the go for lunch when you're short of time is huge, which is why we love this recipe which saves time (and money)!

You can make the filling ahead and simply fill the wraps when you're ready to eat.

This would also make a great light dinner with some cous-cous or salad on the side.

This special O'Hellmann's recipe was created by Irish chef Kevin Dundon and it features in the new 'Dollop-A-Day' recipe book, filled with bespoke Irish recipes all featuring a ‘dollop’ of mayonnaise.

Chicken & Roast Pepper Wrap
Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 4 chicken fillets, flattened/ butterflied
  • 1 red chilli
  • 40g fresh coriander leaves
  • 2 red peppers, diced
  • 1 yellow pepper, diced
  • 1 red onion, chopped
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3 tablespoons of basil pesto
  • 4 tbsp O’Hellmann’s Mayonnaise
  • 2 tomatoes, sliced
  • 200g white cheddar, grated
  • 8-12 medium size flour tortillas

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4
  2. In a bowl, combine 50g of O’Hellmann’s, chilli and coriander. Add the chicken and coat with the flavoured mayonnaise.  Cover with cling film and leave to marinate for 30 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, place the peppers into a baking tray. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle over olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until softened completely. Remove to cool.
  4. In a small bowl, combine the remaining mayonnaise and pesto.
  5. Heat the griddle pan to medium and remove the excess of mayonnaise from the chicken. Add some olive oil in the pan and cook the chicken for 4 – 5 minutes on each side until cooked through.
  6. Place on a board, slice the chicken into pieces and serve immediately with tortilla wraps, pesto mayonnaise, tomatoes, white cheddar and the roasted peppers.
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When Sky Sports presenter Natalie Pinkham introduced her new baby boy to the world via Twitter eight weeks ago, the picture of a happy mum and baby seemed like any other.

But Natalie has revealed that her labour was extremely traumatic and that she or the baby could have died or been left seriously harmed.

“I was rushed in for an emergency caesarean as they found I was filled with meconium, effectively poo which the baby could breathe in,” the Formula 1 presenter revealed in an interview with The Sun.

“The poor baby was really struggling.”

And it wasn’t only Natalie that was worried – her family were bracing themselves for bad news too. “My mum’s a very calm person… but she admitted to me recently that she was thinking ‘I’m going to lose my daughter and my grandchild,'” said Natalie.

Natalie says her husband Owain Walbyoff was there for her the whole time. “He was unbelievable. He just kept holding my face and saying ‘I love you, it’s going to be okay,'” the star revealed.

Thankfully baby Wilfred was born safely, and aside from some post-birth bladder problems Natalie is now doing fine. However, not all deliveries go as smoothly — some newborns face serious complications, leading parents to ask what is meconium aspiration syndrome, a condition that occurs when a baby breathes in a mix of meconium and amniotic fluid during birth.

Natalie and Owain tied the knot in 2012 and this is their first child. We’re delighted to hear that both mum and baby are doing so well now.

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Sometimes when it comes to food, your go-to chicken stir-fry recipe just won't do!

If you're having friends over or are looking to impress someone special with your culinary talents, you have to try out this gorgeous recipe.

Pastry can often be daunting, especially if you haven't made it before, but we guarantee you – this recipe is foolproof!

This special O'Hellmann's recipe was created by Irish chef Kevin Dundon and it features in the new 'Dollop-A-Day' recipe book, filled with bespoke Irish recipes all featuring a ‘dollop’ of mayonnaise.

Prawn & Creamed Leek Tartlet with Parmesan Pastry
Makes 10 – 12 Tartlets

Ingredients:

Parmesan Pastry:

  • 350g Plain flour
  • 175g Butter, cubed
  • 30g Parmesan, finely grated
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 60ml water

Prawns:

  • 36 Tiger Prawns, tails intact
  • 2 tbsp O’Hellmann’s Mayonnaise
  • 2 cloves garlic, diced
  • 1 tsp Olive Oil

Creamed Leeks:

  • 3 Large Leeks, thinly sliced
  • 2 shallots
  • 100ml white wine
  • 150ml Cream
  • 100 g Parmesan

Garnish:

  • 12 Cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 2 tbsp Olive oil
  • Lemon wedges to serve
  • Salt & pepper

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 190C/375F/Gas Mark 5.
  2. First prepare the pastry: Sift the flour into a glass bowl and add the cubed butter, incorporate the flour and butter until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the Parmesan cheese and stir through. Create a well in the centre of the mixture and add the egg yolk and water and work until the dough comes together.
  3. Cover with cling film, place in the fridge for at least half an hour.
  4. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface Divide the pastry into 10 – 12 equal pieces and roll each piece of pastry to a 5mm depth.
  5. Grease 10 – 12 tartlet cases and press each pastry disc into place. Place on a baking tray and fill with baking ceramic beans. Place in the fridge for half an hour to rest.
  6. Bake blind in the oven for 15 – 18 minutes until cooked.
  7. In the meantime, combine the garlic and O’Hellmann’s in a bowl.  Add the prawns and allow to marinade in the flavoured mayonnaise. Preheat a griddle pan and add a little olive oil. Skewer 3 – 4 prawns onto wooden or metal skewers and lay on the griddle pan. Cook for 1 – 2 minutes on each side, then remove from the pan and keep warm.
  8. In the same pan add the leek and shallots and cook over a medium heat for 3 -5 minutes until softened.
  9. Add the white wine, and cream and cook for a further 4 – 5 minutes until reduced and coating the back of a spoon. Season with salt and pepper.
  10. Divide the leek mixture between each pastry case and top with 3 – 4 prawns add the parmesan and place under a hot grill for a minute or two to melt the parmesan.
  11. Dress with some cherry tomatoes and baby green leaves and some O’Hellmann’s.
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Ok… it's not Violet… it's not Excalibur Anaconda… but it's still a little weird!

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds welcomed their first child together, a little girl, just after Christmas.

As with many celebrity couples, they have tried hard to keep all details about their new arrival under wraps. We don't expect to see a picture of Baby Reynolds-Lively anytime soon, but we finally have confirmation of her name from Ryan himself!

The actor revealed the truth during a TODAY appearance, although he couldn't resist joking around a bit first.

"It is Butternut Summersquash,” the 38-year-old said. “No, it’s out there! It’s out there. It’s James. Everyone knows and I told everyone who would listen that.”

Rumours that the couple had indeed named their daughter James began circulating about a month ago, and it seems they were indeed correct.

"Before it was out there I didn’t want to be the first guy screaming it out to the media because as we know, little girls turn into teenage girls and little teenage girls sometimes scan through the archives and go, ‘Why did you do that?’"

What a considerate dad – little James is a very lucky girl!

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Actress and singer Hilary Duff is definitely making a point of revamping her look after going through some big changes in her life.

Hilary filed for divorce from her husband Mike Comrie last month, just days after reports of him drunkenly and forcefully coming on to a number of women at a Beverly Hills restaurant hit the media.

The pair have a three-year old son together and had been separated for over a year. However Hilary seemed to have been holding off on filing divorce papers in the hopes of a reunion, openly saying in an interview late last year that there was still a chance she and Mike would get back together.

Now though, it's all official and the mum-of-one seems keen to move onward and upward. The first place to start? Her hair!

Hilary has moved on from her signature natural blonde look to something altogether more wild with a bleached turquoise 'do. The star shared a few pictures this week as she got used to the new look, posting this update from the salon with the caption, "@Ambahhh turned me into a mermaid last night.":

 

@Ambahhh turned me into a mermaid last night … love all u girls @riawnacapri @nikkilee901 @ninezeroone xx

A photo posted by Hilary Duff (@hilaryduff) on

She also posted this picture of the dyed style in better light yesterday, writing, "Keeping this really simple today":

 

Keeping this really simple today 

A photo posted by Hilary Duff (@hilaryduff) on

We know it's a big change but we kinda love it!

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No matter how recently or not you broke up with your former other half, looking back through your last texts or WhatsApp messages is going to be a little bit heartwrenching.

Well, most of the time.

Youtube stars Eva and Mel asked NYC singles to read back the very last message they received from an ex, and the results are a little different to what you might expect.

From a short and simple "on my way" (for "the talk" we're guessing) to a cryptic "lolololololololololololol," the results are equal measures funny and awkward.

Well worth a watch!

 

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American magazine Us Weekly has issued an apology to Kendall Jenner and her family after the model hit back at them for fabricating a number of quotes.

Earlier this week, Us' website published an interview with the 19-year-old in which she spoke openly about her father Bruce Jenner's decision to undergo a sex change.

"He's a wonderful man. And just because he's changing shoes now, so to speak, doesn't make him less wonderful. I will always love my dad, whether he's a man or a woman," the interview quoted Kendall as saying.

Hours later the reality star took to Twitter to blast the magazine, saying, "Shame on US Weekly for making up quotes. I NEVER said those things. I never spoke to them."

The article was still visible on the website for most of yesterday but a retraction and apology was finally published yesterday evening. 

The freelance reporter who wrote the article apparently still alleges that the quotes were true, but as there was no proof Us admitted that they had decided to remove the story from their site.

"When Ms. Jenner denied, via Twitter, that the interview took place, Us Weekly immediately reached out to the freelance reporter. He stood by the interview, and continues to maintain that the quotes are accurate," the statement read. 

"However, after attempting to reconfirm his account, editors of Us have concerns about the veracity of this interview and the circumstances under which it was obtained. We would like to retract the story entirely and have removed it from our website. We sincerely apologise to Ms. Jenner and her family."

That's that cleared up… for now anyway!

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It's all over for Bradley Cooper and his model girlfriend Suki Waterhouse!

The star couple have been together for two years but sources confirm they have split, saying the main reason was that the pair were not spending enough time together due to their busy schedules.

The couple generally kept quiet about their relationship, but they were often seen at red carpet events together, including this year's Oscars where Bradley was nominated as Best Actor for his role in American Sniper. 

However it's thought the pair may have parted ways before awards season and only decided to attend the Academy Awards together to avoid speculation.

Just recently it was reported that English model Suki had been "warming" Bradley up to the idea of marriage, and she also spoke to Elle in December 2013 about wanting to start a family in the relatively near future.

"I really like the idea of having kids in not too long," she said at the time. "Not, like, now. And not next year. But in not too long."

We hope the couple find new happiness soon.

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No matter how good your intentions are, sometimes it can be difficult to motivate yourself to stay on track when it comes to getting fit and eating well.

Irish TV personality and health and fitness fanatic Kathryn Thomas recently launched a new venture, Pure Results, designed for people of all ages and fitness levels who want to tone up and start feeling great about their bodies.

Each seven day Pure Results Bootcamp takes place in the stunning surroundings of West Cork's Inish Beg island, and the price includes accommodation, all meals, a full training programme including everything from boxing to hill runs, as well as water-based activities and relaxing yoga.

All participants are given a two week bespoke nutrition and exercise programme after the bootcamp finishes, allowing them to continue to reach and stick to their lifestyle goals throughout their daily life.

Interested? Our S! TV reporter Niamh Geaney caught up with Kathryn to find out more!

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Kylie Jenner is pictured so often with a full face of make-up that you'd be forgiven for thinking she naturally looked like that, false eyelashes and all.

But the 17-year-old proved she's still a fresh-faced beauty underneath everything when she stepped out for a relaxed shopping trip this week near her home in Calabasas, California.

The youngest member of the Kardashian-Jenner clan went on a cosmetics shopping haul in her local branch of Sephora, and no doubt went make-up free to give her a proper chance to try out some new products.

The natural look suits her!

Kylie was careful to shield her face from the cameras as she left the store – lets be honest, she was probably legging it home to do her make-up…

This more relaxed side of Kylie comes just days after the reality star sparked some serious controversy by posting a picture on Instagram of herself posing with crowds of fans as they pressed themselves against the other side of a glass door, with the caption, "they keep me company while I shop lol, love you guys."

 

A photo posted by Kylizzle (@kyliejenner) on

Commenters criticised Kylie's decision to post the image, calling it "awful," with one follower writing, "I weep for humanity."

Hopefully she starts showing off the chilled-out, make-up free side of her a little more rather than posting strange photos like the one above!

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