A Dozen Cities

The Sunday Times produced their top hot dozen cities -
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel/holiday_type/breaks/article7056736.ece.
Sit back and enjoy the comments made by Times readers:

My personal fave is, like me, short and sweet:

Bath? BATH!!- is someone having a laugh?

Bath

A nonsense that you feature traffic-clogged Bath and not sublime, atmospheric and wonderful Venice.

Bath???? Are you hallucinating?

Havana

Bath and Havana? I think not.

London

London is always the winner - sunny Turnpike Lane and Wood Green, ahh the memories. Dog do, kfc wrappers and barf up to your ankles, grumpy rude folk everywhere, a fiver a pint, 60 quid for the footie. Gives me a headache every time.

As for London, the pictures I've seen of ladies on a night out doesn't make for very "hot" even if they are wearing stilletos and short dresses!

London is glamourous at a price. It is overpriced and unwelcoming unless you have pots of money and no expectations. It is burdened with traffic, litter and pollution. Yes there are attractions but as a whole, the city is not a winner in this category. With airports situated far away from the City you can spend as much time getting into the centre as you did on your flights to London.

New York

Berlin

Berlin? I was there last week for the first time and found it as much fun as a cold bath.

Paris

Paris? You have to be kidding. Paris is a late middle-aged woman with only self-denial hiding the saggy flesh and wrinkles. Romantic? Technically being possible, but only with the light out and after considerable intake of alcohol - dont delay search for your flights to Paris today.

Stockholm

Stockholm? STOCKHOLM? Over, say, Moscow, Shanghai, Tokyo, Rio, Sydney? Who is paying these writers?

Even Helsinki is better than Stockholm, not to mention Copenhagen.

Other cities on the list:

Istanbul
St Petersburg
Rome
Seville
Tangier

Man? - Clean Up Your Act - Dove for men

Are you anwashed man?

Heres a New Soap For You

Men - Get over it and be comfortable with who you are.

Don't be shy to try beauty products for men. Dove for men give you a chance to clean up your act and no longer be seen as a dirty old man. Be a clean chap.

Nigella Talks Dirty at Christmas

Nigella Talks Dirty While Getting Excited about Christmas

Funny video of nigella talking dirty at Christmas.

From dirty thoughts we turn to a helathy Christams dinner and there is a natural association between Christmas and Nigella the Kitchen Godess.

Here we see a rare video of Nigella creating in a stir as she talks dirty whilst in her kitchen.

Dirty Food - Eating on Public Transport

Dirty Eating Habits on Public Transport

Eating and drinking on public transport should be a total no-no ... it's whiffy, unsightly, gooey and fantastically dirty unncessary ...

None of these grub munchers are really desperately hungry, they just feel like eating something ... no way is it essential to do it in confined, crowded spaces like buses or tubes ...

They've just got to organise their time better (get up early enough to eat before leaving the house) and plan their day more effectively; and even if a meal has been missed because of their incompetence or poor time-management ... well, just wait (it's not difficult, really) until the journey's finished...

What no-one seems to have pointed out here is that while on buses eating and drinking can be a bit annoying, on the tube left-over food attracts vermin, which is an actual health hazard. Most tube stations seem to have at least a few mice (some smell strongly of them), and I suspect that the only reason we don't see rats is that they are rather more shy.

What about cracking open a Christmas Hamper?

However there are special occasions when food and drink can be consumed. For example take a weary Christmas shopper returning with the spoils of festive retail merriment. In a moment of reflection the shopper could crak open one of their gifts - christmas hampers would be ideal - and share the luxury and joy of the present

Bottom line - ban cooked or smelly food from public transport or at least show some consideration for those around you. Fine people who leave their litter on buses or trains or give courts the power to make them serve some kind of unpaid community service clearing the mess left by wrappers and spilt sticky drinks on public transport.

Avoid Dirty Swimwear - Carefully Apply Suntan Lotion

Suntan lotion and new swimwear

So you've booked a well earned holiday and are lookng forward to relaxing by the pool or taking a dip in the clear blue seas on a far away beach holiday. Time for buying those essential holiday items - suntan lotion and new swimwear.

You may have read smart advice about sun protection - especially if the swimwear you are going to wear is very "dirty" revealing more than you would say sunbathing in a park - the latest fashions for thong bikinis and strings are more like sexy lingerie than swimming costumes.

Dirty Squirty

Be careful where you squirt your suntan lotion - swimwear is easily stained by blobs of oil that didn't get rubbed in properly. The last thing you want to be noticed for is a dirty greasy gusset encrusted with sand. One smart idea we learned from the swimsuit issue models is to use once a day p20 sunfilter which you can apply first thing in the morning while you are completely naked and once it has been absorbed you can slip on any garments you like without fearing them getting dirty.

Big brand name suntan lotion may smell wonderful and feel luxurious to apply but at the end of the day they are generally ineffective pots gloop with designer price tags.

Designer women's swimwear

Like all things stylish swimwear comes at a price - checking out the latest boutiques reveals that the skimpyer the swimming costume the higher the price. Women's swimwear is another fantasy for designers and fashinistas to drool over. Each year new ranges are modeled by girls who make them look amazing and encouraging sales to women who in the harsh light of the changing room, begin to feel insecure in comparison to the catwalk girls. Failure to have a bikini wax and mis-application of fake tan lotion take their toll making the most sophisticated swimsuit look like a cheap tarts dirty playsuit.

Swimmers playing dirty tricks

Once all you needed to compete in a swimming race was a pair of trunks for him and a one-piece swimming costume for her but now in the pursuit of speed the trend for aquadynamic swimwear such as bodysuits

Such costumes should be banished and swimming contests judged on more than simply speed - consideration as to cut, flair and pattern of outfit along with attention to the type of material used.

Dirty Sofa - Prevent your sofa becoming filthy

Take Care of Your New Sofa - Don't let it become dirty

By Elena Price - The Dirty Furniture Detective

If you buy a good quality sofa, it should last for many years, but there are some things that you can do in order to make sure that your new sofa stands the test of time. The most important factor in caring for a sofa is to follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer – if there is any discrepancy between the information provided in this article and the instructions provided by the manufacturer of your new sofa, you should follow the manufacturer’s instructions. However, here are some general hints and tips on how to care for a sofa.

Dirty Leather Sofas

Leather sofas are very durable, but in order to keep your new leather sofa looking its best, clean it regularly using a damp cloth. You can use specialist leather cleaning products on your sofa, but should only use them every now and then. Never use any other cleaning products containing detergents or chemicals, or cleaning products which are alcohol-based on your sofa, as they may damage the leather.

If you spill something on your leather sofa, use a damp cloth immediately in order to ensure that it doesn’t stain. However, if this doesn’t do the trick, it’s best to call in a professional to clean the dirty sofa.

Prevent Fabric Sofas Becoming Dirty

The best way to keep a fabric sofa clean is to vacuum it regularly using the upholstery attachment on your vacuum cleaner. Avoid cleaning your sofa with a brush as this can damage some fabrics. When you are choosing a new fabric sofa, look for one which has cushions and seats with removable, washable covers, as this will make your sofa easy to clean. If you do have a sofa with washable covers, make sure that you wash them all at the same time in order to ensure that one cover doesn’t fade before the others.

Many furniture retailers sell sofas that are made using stain-resistant fabrics, so you may want to look for one like this. However, if you do spill something on your sofa, use a damp cloth to mop it up straight away and, as with leather sofas, you should avoid using cleaning products containing detergents or chemicals.

General Sofa Care Tips

Whether you choose a leather sofa or a fabric sofa, you should make sure that you position it away from direct heat or air conditioning. You should also keep your sofa and upholsterd furniture out of direct sunlight in order to prevent fading, although you can find some sofas on the market that are suitable for use in sunny rooms.

Avoid sitting on your sofa if your dirty clothes are damp as if your clothes aren’t colour-fast, they may stain the upholstery, and don’t leave newspapers on the sofa as the ink may stain it.

You should also try to ensure that you use all of the seats on your sofa – although many people have a seat that they sit in out of habit, this seat will become worn quicker than the others. You should also make sure that nobody sits on the arm of the sofa, as this could damage it.

If you are looking for a new sofa, then make sure you choose one that is high quality, as this will mean that it will last longer.

be sure to use a shopping price comparison site if the sofa you choose is from a big brand name of furniture manufacturer

If you are shopping for a new sofa online, you can check the product specifications of the sofa that you like in order to make ensure that it has any features that you want, such as washable covers or fade-resistant fabric.

Dirty House - Bedroom Spring Cleaning Short Cuts

With the unpredictable weather in May many people find it the ideal time to give the home 'a good seeing to' and begin their spring cleaning. It makes sense to wait until dirty, smokey fires are no longer lit before tackling the 'big job' of giving the house a proper deep clean.

Most people start with high expectations about thoroughly cleaning the house "from top to bottom" but once the enormity of the task hits home are happy to consider shortcuts and corner cutting.

Top Tips and Short Cuts for Spring Cleaning in the Bedroom

The logical place to start would be of course the bedroom. Apart from a 'good going over' with a vacuum and perhaps decorating what better way to spruce up this room than 'splashing out' on new bedding and matching curtains? Well chosen luxury, high quality bedding sets not only look great but quality bedding also helps better sleep. There is no excuse for not finding an attractive duvet cover or set of bedclothes - superstars are now queuing up to putt their names to bedding - offering the crass marketing message of Get into bed with #name of celebrity#. Kylie Minogue launched an interesting piece of branding possibly with the intent of covering the "dirty pants" image that the established incontinence products had become famous for with her Kylie at Home Duvets Bedding sets and adding a twist to the strap line "slip between the sheets with Kylie"

You can find curtain fabrics that either match or compliment your bedding and depending on your level of skill run up your own designs or alternatively choose a set of ready made curtains to create a whole new look for your boudoir. A whole lot easier that arranging for the curtains to be dry cleaned or risking danger of ruining them cleaning them yourself.

Another consideration in the pursuit of a good nights kip would be to install blackout blinds as an alternative to curtains.

There - Spring Cleaning the bedroom is easy - just clean it as normal then replace the bed linen and curtains to give the bedroom a fresh clean feel.

Dirty Job Done