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Make this Valentine’s Day the best yet for your loved one

February 14 is almost here – the day of love and all things romantic.

Whatever you have planned this Valentine’s, find the perfect gift to say ‘I love you’, or ‘I want you’. Flowers and chocolates are a popular choice, traditional and safe, perfect if you’re admiring from afar and want to leave an anonymous gift. If you’re embarking on a new relationship – or are hoping it will lead to one – you can’t really go wrong with flowers and dinner. Just make sure you have an idea of the food he/she is into, and give exotic flowers a miss if you think allergies may be a problem!

If your partner loves to be pampered, book a beauty treatment that will leave them feeling good and looking great. A gift voucher may be the best option, so they can book in for the appointment themselves and have the luxury of choosing between a relaxing massage or rejuvenating aromatherapy facial.

If a romantic night in is what you have in mind, treat your partner to a massage in the comfort of your own home. Create the perfect mood with scented candles to provide low ambience – think romantic mood lighting. Choose aromatherapy massage oils carefully. Lavender is gentle and calming, but can make you feel so relaxed that you fall asleep five minutes into the massage! An uplifting scent like Bergamot is a better option, but remember to go easy on the fragrance, as you don’t want it overpowering.

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Craig Driver talks to Cristina Ricci about her new fantasy family flick Penelope

Penelope is a film based around the premise that we judge people on how they look.Why do you think we act in such a way?
I don’t know. Don’t they say it’s some kind of biological imperative kind of thing? I’ve heard it said that in looking for a partner for example you are looking for another immune system that will fill in the blanks in yours. There is some other biological theory I’ve heard somewhere. Also, you are supposed to be attracted to people who resemble your parents. That happens. Somebody finds a father figure or a mother figure.

How did you feel about how your character looked specifically?
Well, I think she does have a big nose. It is an abnormality and I think that it would be something anyone would definitely have to get past. So I don’t blame everyone in the film for their initial reaction, being a bit shocked or startled. I don’t think they have to run screaming, but I definitely think it’s proven with James McAvoy’s character Max that once he does talk to her and he does get to know her and they do click, they do respond to each other on an emotional level. But then when he sees her nose it is something he’s taken aback by. But he literally sees her and sees what she’s probably had to deal with for her whole life. There’s one particular scene, which is beautifully played by James because you get the feeling that what he’s thinking about is ’Oh God, she’s had to deal with this forever’, but he’s very aware of who she is in spite of it. But of course, we are all very superficial.

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Andrew Kay discovers that there’s a lot more than just good food behind the success of Cromwells in Small Dole

It’s a good job that Cromwells at Golding Barn, Small Dole, is easier to track down than proprietor Andy Blick. You simply drive to that complicated fly over at Shoreham and head north. Before long Golding Barn is there, on your left, in an enviable position with commanding views down the Adur Valley to the estuary.

Andy purchased the business a few years back and opened as Cromwells in 2006. Until then he had no experience of the restaurant business, but he fell in love with the building and immediately recognised its potential. It’s not a business route that I would recommend
and one that very few catering professionals can pull off. Launching a restaurant is one of the hardest things to attempt but undaunted he went ahead and, two years down the line, he is is firmly at the helm of a popular and thriving local food business. When I arrive I can smell good cooking at the far end of the car park – where normally you might only smell the distasteful stench of deep fat frying. At Cromwells I am getting great food aromas on the breeze.

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Sandra Omo finds bare is beautiful when it comes to castings

Recently I attended a casting call for a modelling competition. I had looked forward to this casting for a while, so I just wanted to do my best and, of course, get to be one of the short listed contestants. My dream does not end here – I also want to win. When I arrived at the casting venue there were already over a hundred hopefuls there. As more girls began to arrive, I looked around me and noticed the heavy make-up almost everyone was wearing. As if the heavy scary make up was not enough, you also needed to see the way most of the girls dressed. Mama Mia! (now I mean this literally), it was like an audition for Moulin Rouge. I kept looking around me, in the hope of finding some normality, in order to assure myself that I was not at the wrong casting, and that I had not read the casting call wrongly.

Well fortunately, or should I say unfortunately, I was at the right audition and the audition ‘proper’ soon began as the organisers welcomed everyone, introduced themselves, and made a few jokes. We all had a bit of a laugh but it was not going to be laughter all through as they soon announced that anyone below 5’7 should please leave as they will not be taking their applications any further. As about 30 girls filed out of the room, I wondered why they came in the first place? I mean it was clearly stated in the casting call that you had to be above 5’7 to attend but then I remembered that I, on a couple of occasions, have ignored such rules and still got into the competitions. So I guess they too were just taking the necessary risk that every model must learn to take occasionally.

“The occasion was not a drag queen night”

As the room settled down again, the organisers then began to talk about the make-up. They said the make-up most of the girls were wearing was scary and that the occasion was not a drag queen night, and that auditions are held so that casting directors can see the real you and your talent not your make-up abilities. As a result, they have provided facial wipes for everyone to take off their make-up as everyone will be auditioning without make-up. Boy, did they read my mind or something? This was exactly what I thought and I have never been this accurate.

As used facial wipes began to pile up on the floor, it occurred to the organisers that the wipes would not be enough so they sent for more. As the majority of the girls waited for more facial wipes, the organisers began to see the few who were without make-up. This pushed me to number 19 in the queue as I had only a lipgloss and mascara to wipe off so that didn’t consume more than half a wipe. The truth remains that there were some girls that wore no make–up whatsoever to the audition. Therefore, I did not understand why others had to wear too much. Moreover – believe me – most of them even looked better after removing their make-up.

Well I was glad because I finished early and was able to attend another casting that same day. The lesson is simple: girls please do not pancake your faces when attending auditions. Try to be as natural as you can, as this will show that you are confident. Any other thing, is putting too much icing on the cake, and you know what they say about too much sugar? It is the same with too much make-up.