Cocktails for a lovely, er, spring day

The sun is shining, the birds are singing... oh wait. It ISN'T and THEY AREN'T. It's meant to be spring. There are meant to be daffodils lining the roadside, and lambs frolicking in green grass. Instead, the majority of the country is being pounded with hail and snow and sleet and frost and smog. Maybe not smog. However this shouldn't stop you from breaking out the picnic blanket and pretending it's spring anyway. Because imagination. So, clear your front room up a bit and whack the heating on full power. Lay the blanket. Pack a hamper, and...

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Calling all cat ladies! The top five cat t-shirts for all occasions

It's fair to say we love our feline friends here. So what better way to tell the world you're a loving, caring cat lady than with your very own cat tee? I apologise in advance for the clawful puns (LOL). Here's our pick of the best: These Folk have designed a t-shirt worthy of any beginner cat fan. Called Copious Cats, we assume because it literally features every type of feline. There are Bengal cats, Persian cats and Scottish fold cats... it's a must for anyone who needs to brush up on their breed identification skills. Team this tee with...

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WIN! A Chang Beer Goodie Bag - CLOSED

It's that time of year. And although our fair isle's been a lot chillier than we're used to in March, we can't help but notice summer's on its way. Time to start thinking about where your next holiday will take you. Ibiza? America? Or maybe somewhere more exotic? One of my favourite places in the world is Thailand. I first visited in 2004, and have been back too many times to count since. From Khao San Road, the street in Bangkok which is at the heart of any backpacker, to the tiny undeveloped island of Koh Lipe where nighlife is a beach...

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Make a song and dance of it

There is something rather special about having an excuse to make an extra effort to look good. And still, thousands of years after it was first introduced, the theatre provides just that chance. It gives you the perfect excuse to shop for a new outfit or drag out your favourite items from your wardrobe, to spend a little extra time working on your hair and make-up, and not to forget that the little glass of champagne or wine in your hand does nothing but encourage the good feeling that a night out at the theatre brings with it. As one of the...

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Whiten your teeth the safe way (and without looking like Ross from Friends)

We all know pearly white teeth are the sign of a healthy body. And in the quest for perfect gnashers, we're increasingly taking advantage of tooth whitening procedures and products, be it for special occasions (because no one wants yellow teeth on their wedding snaps) or to improve our everyday confidence. It's seen as one of those little luxuries - a quick and painless pick-me-up. Yet, despite the huge amount of press attention the subject has received in recent months, there's mass confusion about the legalities and safety of salon and home...

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Thermae Bath Spa review - serenity, scenery, and er, sick (not literally though)

Have you ever wanted to stand, dripping wet, on a rooftop in the rain, in the middle of March? For reasons unfathomable, I did. My girlfriends and I trotted off to Bath for the day to seek out solace and the healing properties of spring water. According to their website,  the spa sits on a natural spring which was used by local people thousands of years ago for healing properties, and just for a bit of fun and relaxation. In fact, in the 1500s Queen Elizabeth I made Bath a city, and declared that the public must always have access to the...

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Social media and the rise of the eternal dieter

Put it away, Monroe. As a kid, I used to be really chubby. Adults would often pinch my cheeks and squeal in delight about their chubbiness. My mother would often call me her little elephant, but I wouldn’t want to bore you with my childhood traumas. I'll leave that to my therapist. Instead, I wanted to address a topic a vast majority of women can relate to. The topic that comes up in almost every conversation, along with those dreaded words 'weight loss', 'scales', 'fat', or 'skinny'. Did those words just send a virtual shiver down your...

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A yes, no and maybe for chocolate wine

There are many things that go well together. Milk and cookies. Apple and crumbled biscuits. Chocolate and wine. But together. Blended. That's right, chocolate wine. I confess, I'm a chocoholic. I think this stems from when I was younger because every Thursday my mum and dad would take little Laura and little Lou to Tesco, where we'd each pick out our own full-size tub of Ben & Jerry's ice cream and head home to watch Friends while devouring Phish Food, and whatever flavour it was my family chose. It was a well-loved family tradition, because...

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Recipe: Courgette, Bacon and Blue Cheese Tart

To round off Bacon Week, what better ingredient to use than some lovely, salty, crisp bacon. Rather than a greasy (but delicious) bacon butty, this is a low-fat, simple dish. You can replace the courgette with any vegetables that are left over in your fridge. The saltiness of the bacon and the sharpness of the blue cheese blend really well with the smooth and subtle custard. And the best bit? The tart is even nicer when warmed up the next day....

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Why I acted like a complete fangirl when I bumped into a celebrity, even though I didn't like that particular celebrity very much

Better hair, better clothes, better looking, better bodies. Celebrities are better versions of us, generally, except the unhinged ones like Britney. I am a little bit obsessed with celebrities. Even ones I don’t like. Case in point - this weekend I pressed the button for the lift, the doors opened and out walked Michelle Heaton, with husband and baby in pram. Just the baby in a pram, to be clear. The husband was walking all of his own accord. Now, I don’t care much for Michelle Heaton. It took me a few minutes to remember the name of the...

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Recipe: BackDoor Kitchen's Carbonara di Fave

As an admittedly curious gal, I was most excited when the BackDoor Kitchen tweeted me about a secret supperclub in Bermondsey, one of my favourite places in London. Secrets are ALL the rage right now. Secret kitchens, secret bars... make anything even remotely secret and I am all up on that. And as a half-Sicilian, I was even more excited when I realised the chefs are Italian natives themselves. Bring on the arancini, polpetti, carne, canolli... etc. After a bit more of a chat, and me being extremely cheeky, Rob kindly whipped up this exclusive...

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Social Networks: Whose life are you sharing anyway?

A new survey revealed that one third of UK women lies about their life at least once a month on social networking sites. The other two thirds were lying at the time of questioning. Because we all do it. The things they most exaggerate about are what they’re doing at the moment (like pretending they’re out having a good time when they’re home alone) and how much they’ve had to drink, as well as jobs and holidays. We should probably all be terribly shocked that we’re deceiving our friends. But we’ve all done it, we all know everyone else does it,...

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Here's how to... live with cats

It’s fair to say cats are one of the most charismatic pet animals that you could own. I mean, the internet is full of them, from Grumpy Cat to LOLcats. And they seem to be the only pet to garner the obsessive cult of the cat-lady. I mean, you haven’t heard of a budgie-lady, or fish-man, right? So how can it be an animal the RSPCA cited as the most popular in the UK can be so difficult to live with? Cats have always had a reputation as being easy to care for; they keep themselves company, take themselves for walks, and can feed themselves...

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Crayola Hair: it's not just for cartoons

So apparently blondes have more fun and brunettes are troublemakers, but what about women who refuse both and go their own way instead? Loads of celebs are making statements with crazy hair colour; be it cobalt blue, dark green or pastel pink. If you rock it your way, it works. Little Mix’s Perrie Edwards, with her stunning lilac waves and that beautiful floral headband looks like some kind of forest nymph. Delicate, serene and definitely feminine, you’d expect to find her practising her scales whilst wistfully gazing across a meadow of wild...

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Forget haute dogs, have a bacon truffle instead

I love a good rasher of bacon as much as the next person. It's the kind of convenient snack you can fashion into a simple sarnie with a dollop of ketchup. Equally, you can easily find yourself relaxing at home on a Sunday with a typical English fry up on your lap, with a few rashers of bacon looking quite at home on the plate. Unless you’re a veggie - and apologies to you if you are, we'll forgive you if you decide to give this article a miss - then I need to invite you to read on because I think you’re missing out. Missing out on what? Missing...

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Recipe: Lavender Syrup Buns with Cream Cheese Frosting

These little lavender-hued buns taste as sweet as they look! Made with a quick and simple lavender syrup, the taste is delicate and smooth. Topped off perfectly with pastel icing and cute accessories, they're perfect for a party, hen-do or simply an indulgent tea and cake treat. Enjoy! ...

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Those are some killer heels. Literally

I don't know about you, but I like my fashion wearable. Whilst most mags are packed with clothes and accessories impatiently waiting out of your grasp until payday, sneak a peak at the runways of London, Paris, Milan and New York and you’ll find fashion that makes your whole face scrunch up. They may kill your dignity - I don’t know many people who would wear a haystack hat but thumbs up if you’ve given it a go - but they ain't gonna kill you. The same can’t be said of fashion trends from the past. Ouch. Lead cosmetics People as far back as...

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In the news: a signal for change

With the papal conclave (a lock-in at the Sistine Chapel where cardinals vote on who the new Pope should be) dominating headlines and Twitter this week, we thought it was worth a discussion. Whether you believe in a higher power or not, the decisions made will have real repercussions to 1.2billion people all over the world. Why? Because every pope in the modern age has been European. But things have changed. The world has never been so small. With Catholicism growing in South America and Africa, and both continents offering up their contenders...

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St Pancras Spa - a cavernous, calm space in central London

I'm all about convenience when it comes to pampering. I love having a massage, and as I write this I'm in dire need of a facial. But it has to be in an easily accessible location or chances are I'll never find the time to treat myself. So this is why the St Pancras Spa is great for Londoners and commuters alike. Located right next to King's Cross station (it's pretty much built onto the station) it's perfect if you've been working and need a relaxing few hours before your commute home.   The first time I came here I was reviewing the place...

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I'll have the Sweet Chilli Tea, and she'll have the Hibiscus Bliss

It's hard to believe, or remember, but I never used to like tea. No, it was either hot water or a coffee for me. I'd only ever accept a brew when it was forced upon me, and it would either be too milky, too strong or just odd. Then, I started a job in a creative agency and every half hour someone would offer to make tea for the team. They guzzled the stuff. So, in order to seem polite and part of the team, I'd accept. And over time I started a healthy addiction that's still in force this very day. The Brits have had a fascination with a good...

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20th March is National Macaron Day

Macarons have taken the foodie world by storm. Wonderfully colourful and absolutely delicious, they're now a main feature of afternoon teas, weddings and parties up and down the country. If you've never had one, you're missing out. The shells are made of soft meringue, and filled with a flavoured buttercream . Many a diet has been broken thanks to these little lushes. Can you tell I'm a fan? If you've never had one, you'll have every reason to this month, because on the 20th of March, the UK celebrates National Macaron Day for the second year...

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You'd rather what?!

Watch out for crabs I couldn't believe my eyes when a survey popped into my inbox the other day. So, we know us Brits love the idea of camping. There's nothing new there. In fact, if you haven't spent at least one soggy summer trapped in a tent or caravan with a portable loo and a bed that doubles up as a kitchen table, then you're very lucky. Now, though, more people would prefer camping and caravanning abroad than checking into a hotel. Camping is a long-standing tradition going back to the 1940s. Back then, everything was done with a cheap...

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Here's how to... befriend a neighbour

Neighbours. Everybody does, indeed, need good neighbours. But with most people living next to, above or beneath total strangers, it can be hard to work up the courage to find out who they are. Especially if you've shared a wall or fence for years and barely said two words to each other. I blame the internet. So. Here's how to strike up a conversation with those strange people next door. If you're brave, all it takes is giving them a knock. If they are in, apologise for not having the time to meet properly. Compliment them on their wheelie bin...

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six out of ten

Wine + boredom = magazine Hi, and welcome to six out of ten, the online lifestyle magazine for people who want to have fun in whatever way it means to them. I should start by giving an intro, shouldn't I. My name's Laura, I'm the editor of this here online mag, and a journalist slash copywriter slash PR bod. I've written for lots of different brands, like New Look, H&M, M&S, Which?, More Th>n, Wahanda and more. As for PR, my clients have included small vintage boutiques to huge national bar chains. So it's quite a mixed bag. I...

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