More than 30,000 people per year suffer a cardiac arrest when their heart suddenly stops beating.
The chance of survival if you are not already in a hospital is less than 10 per cent.
The new study used medical records from half a million Brits and estimated up to 63 per cent of cardiac arrests could be prevented with healthier lifestyles.
Study author Dr Huihuan Luo said eating more fruit, staying slim and maintaining healthy blood pressure and good mental health were top ways to reduce the risk.
In addition, consuming champagne or red or white wine appeared to reduce the risk by around 30 per cent.
Writing in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology, Dr Luo said: “Our results suggested that consumption of certain types of alcohol, such as red and white wine, might protect against sudden cardiac death.”
About eight in 10 adults in the UK regularly drink alcohol and white wine is one of the most popular orders.
Past studies suggest that a potent antioxidant in red wine grapes – resveratrol – may be good for heart and brain health.
I tested best-selling celeb wines… winner was a dreamy, satin-like rosé while loser was a rustic £6 red that’s rough around the edges
Commenting on the study, Nick Grubic of the University of Toronto, said: “One of the study’s most intriguing findings is the protective effect associated with champagne and white wine.
“Numerous studies have supported the theory that moderate alcohol consumption may have a negative correlation with cardiovascular risk.
“Traditionally, red wine has been attributed with these benefits owing to its high polyphenol content, particularly resveratrol.
“However, white wine and champagne may also have cardiovascular advantages.
“The underlying mechanisms remain unclear but these findings reinforce the idea that the benefits of moderate alcohol consumption may be more complex than previously assumed.”
In L.A., there are two types of locals: those who have a Google Maps list filled with recommendations ready to go for every scenario. And those those who panic at the very thought of having to curate an itinerary, whether it be for an overzealous auntie who’s in town and wants to see “all the sights!” during a weekend trip, or a group of friends who want to grab dinner and drinks but all have different dietary restrictions and budgets.
If you fall into the latter group, we want to help.
We’d like to be your personal L.A. concierge, if you will. Tell us what you’re looking for in terms of things to do around L.A. and, if we select your question, we’ll tap into our expertise as local experience guides to help you come up with a plan.
Need suggestions for where to host a big birthday party on a restaurant patio? Or are you in search of fun and accessible places to take your uncle who uses a wheelchair and is visiting L.A. for the first time? Are you an Eastsider looking for a halfway-point lunch spot to meet your Westside bestie? Are you wanting to find the perfect spot that isn’t a bar to take your crush on a first date? Or are you looking for places to take your hard-to-impress teenage sister who never knows what they want to do? (I’m talking to you, Krysten.)
If you’re willing to share your specific L.A. quandary publicly, fill out the form below. We’d love to help you plan the best day (or few hours) ever in a future story.
COCA-COLA fans are raving over the company’s version of one of the world’s most recognisable drinks as it lands in UK stores for the first time.
The drinks giant has brought one of its most popular mixed drinks, described as a “game-changer”, from the US to Britain.
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Coca-Cola has launched its new pre-mixed cocktail which combines the classic beverage with Bacardi rum
Its Bacardi & Coca-Cola ready-to-drink beverage, which is a take on the famed Cuba Libre cocktail, is available now across major supermarkets.
One keen-eyed shopper had spotted the new product online, sharing the good news in a Facebook group.
Cuba Libres are usually made with Bacardi Rum, Coca-Cola, and lime, and the beverage maker hopes its pre-mixed drink will achieve the same taste as a freshly made cocktail.
The 250ml cans have an RRP of £2.30 and are 5 per cent alcohol by volume (ABV).
Elaine Maher, associate director, Alcohol Ready-to-Drink at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) GB, said the drink would help bring together the two iconic brands of Bacardi and Coca-Cola to create a trusted product, reports Better Retailing.
She added: “Bacardí & Coca-Cola builds on the natural synergy between two globally iconic brands – Cola-Cola is the world’s most popular Cola, while Bacardí holds a quarter share of the growing global rum market.
“With over a century of heritage, this serve is already one of the world’s most recognisable bar calls – bringing it into the ready-to-drink space meets strong consumer demand for trusted, convenient choices without compromising on quality.
“It also marks the next step in our strategy to premiumise the category by bringing world-class brands together, building on the success of Coca-Cola with Jack Daniel’s and Sprite with Absolut Vodka.”
The classic JD and Coke drink has been available in supermarkets for some time – but this is a new cherry-flavoured twist.
Battle Of The Tinned Cocktails
For Coke fans, the new product will be available in more stores nationwide from April.
Jack Daniel‘s and Coca-Cola first collaborated to make pre-mixed cans in March 2023.
However, this is the first time a new flavour has been released.
The drink is being described as the “ultimate fusion of boldness and refreshment”.
Its description states: “This premium crafted ready-to-drink cocktail brings together the robust flavour of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey with the radiant, tart notes of Coca-Cola Cherry, creating an experience that’s both unmistakably delicious and refreshingly unique.”
While attempting to catch a breeze in Isabel and Helen’s “Take Flight” art installation with interconnected windmills during the first (scorching) weekend of Coachella, a mysterious purple structure caught my eye. As I approached it, I noticed the yellow Takis logo in the corner. Figuring that the enclosed space was at the very least shaded and at best air-conditioned, I quickly got in line.
The neon-lighted activation features interactive walls guests can “graffiti” using special pens and plenty of photo ops, but I was most interested in free samples of the rolled tortilla chips, including the new Blue Heat flavor that tastes like Cool Ranch Doritos but crunchier and with more heat.
This was the first freebie I nabbed in the festival that’s become as much a showcase for elaborate headliner stage sets as it is for dynamic (and often pricy) food options. If you’re heading to the Empire Polo Club for Weekend 2, here are my vetted recommendations for where to eat and drink.
In the same area as the Takis, find Korean spice brand Buldak along with Hi-Chew gummies, and don’t miss Travis Scott’s “Mad Max”-reminiscent activation. The headlining rapper was in charge of “designing the desert” this year (though his influence isn’t felt much beyond this pop-up) and partnered with Erewhon to give out free ginger shots.
Eating and drinking your way through various brand freebies is a hack for anyone who’s trying to save money at the three-day festival that costs upward of $600 for general admission tickets. If you need something heavier than a snack (and you will), there are still plenty of affordable options scattered throughout the grounds.
At Indio Central Market, Italian deli All’Antico Vinaio is offering its signature focaccia sandwiches, including the festival-exclusive La Coachella with prosciutto, stracciatella, sun-dried tomato and basil. At $14, it’s the most expensive item on the menu. The rest of the sandwiches are $12 each.
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Dallas-based Sandoitchi is just a few stalls down with a menu of Japanese sandwiches on fluffy white bread, including strawberry with chantilly cream, Spam and eggs, egg salad and chicken katsu. Most items are between $20 and $25, but if you’ve got money to burn, there’s an A5 Wagyu katsu and caviar sando for $250.
For a cool treat, stop by McConnell’s Ice Cream or Happy Ice, tucked on opposite corners of the food hall. You can also grab a fresh young coconut from Farmhouse Kitchen for $12 — get your money’s worth by scraping out the meat after you’ve finished the hydrating drink.
Near the Sonora Tent, Smorgasburg L.A. vendor Mano Po is bringing Filipino flavors to the festival, including longganisa lumpia that come six to an order for $14 (a veggie option is also available), a longganisa burger for $15 and garlic shrimp with rice for $22.
Butter garlic shrimp and rice from Mano Po, available near the Sonora Tent at Coachella.
(Danielle Dorsey / Los Angeles Times )
In the same area, College Boy Cheesesteaks is an L.A.-based pop-up from former Philadelphians who got sick of traveling back east to satisfy their craving for Philly cheesesteaks. The squishy Amoroso’s roll is packed with finely shaved Black Angus beef, fried onions and melted American cheese — though mushrooms and halal chicken are also available as fillings. I followed the advice of the person who took my order and added sautéed mushrooms and pepperoncini to my sandwich, bringing my total to $25. Without those additions, the cheesesteak is $18 on its own or $25 with fries.
Across from the Gobi Tent, the Aperol Piazza is an excuse to soak in aperitivo culture. Lounge under the umbrellas, take photos in the marigold-tinted space and learn how to make the perfect Aperol spritz.
Behind the piazza, you’ll find Postmates’Pizza Remix, featuring Prince Street Pizza’s signature Sicilian-style square slices topped with ingredients from local restaurants. I’m campaigning for them to add the slice from Bridgetown Roti, with honey-jerk chicken and mango chutney, to the permanent menu.
If Weekend 2 temperatures are similarly assaulting as they were at Weekend 1, you’ll want to seek out the tiki bar oasis in 12 Peaks VIP Area near Menotti’s coffee stand. Upon entry, you’ll find yourself under a cover of leaning palm trees, with a pond that laps up against a palapa bar serving tropical, fruity cocktails to a reggaeton-pop soundtrack that bounces between Sean Paul and Calvin Harris.
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A breeze flows through the windows, and shaded benches border the pond-lake. It’s tempting to wait out the afternoon heat in this clandestine watering hole, evidenced by the long line of festivalgoers waiting for more people to leave so they can finally make their way in. Visit early to beat the crowds.
This year, two dining experiences competed as the most luxurious at the festival. Outstanding in the Field returned to the VIP Rose Garden with a multicourse family-style dinner served every evening at sunset. Held at a long communal table, the dinner includes wine pairings and a welcome cocktail from Gray Whale Gin, plus all-day access to the rose garden for those who purchased the dinner but don’t have VIP wristbands.
On Saturday, chef Diego Argoti of the Estrano pop-up and former executive chef of now-shuttered Poltergeist, brought a sense of chaotic whimsy to the feast with platters of battered frog legs drizzled with Sichuan pepper buffalo sauce, grilled beef tongue with strawberry puttanesca and refried lentils, plus a pandan butter mochi cake with rum raisin boba that glowed green thanks to a dusting of lime leaf sour patch.
Battered frog legs with a side of blue-cheese labneh at chef Diego Argoti’s Outstanding in the Field dinner.
(Danielle Dorsey / Los Angeles Times)
Weekend 2 dinners will be prepared by Eric Greenspan, the newly appointed chef for Hollywood’s forthcoming Tesla diner; Wolfgang Puck’s son and protégé Byron Lazaroff-Puck; and Danielle and Alessandro Zecca of Highland Park’s Mexican-Italian restaurant Amiga Amore.
Coachella’s other opulent dining experience comes courtesy of global Nikkei restaurant chain Nobu, in partnership with Red Bull energy drink. Together, the brands have erected Red Bull Mirage, a multilevel playground across from the EDM-focused Quasar Stage. There are open-air booths facing the stage where guests can order bottle service with a la carte options from Nobu, while the interior features a chef’s counter with omakase service.
Those who have experienced the upscale restaurant might find the $350 tasting menu lacking — the fish is still fresh and high-quality, with popular items like rock shrimp tempura and yellowtail jalapeño, but not the signature black cod with miso.
For the second year in a row, 12 Peaks VIP Area was home to my favorite bites. Something Good was my first full meal at the festival, but the potato flautas proved memorable, with three, crispy king-size corn tortillas wrapped around garlic mashed potato and dressed with queso fresco, crema, cabbage, pickled red onion, cilantro and your choice of red or green salsa (I had mine doused with both).
Chubby Club comes courtesy of Chubby Group, behind Chubby Cattle BBQ in Little Tokyo, with a host of Wagyu and uni-filled options, including a savory uni ice cream with uni, sushi rice, soy sauce, wasabi and seaweed flakes piled into an ice cream cone. But it was the fried Wagyu and pork dumplings that stood out most to me. The chewy morsels come sopping in soy sauce and flecked with chile flakes, with a rich and juicy meat filling.
After attempting to order caviar-topped chicken nuggets at Camphor (they were sold out of nuggets), I found my caviar fix at Sumo Dog, a Japanese-inspired hot dog chain with multiple California locations. At $45, the wasabi and caviar tots are considerably cheaper than the $100 caviar nuggets served at Camphor.
The tots were crispy and well seasoned, topped with togarashi crème fraîche that carried a faint citrus taste with subtle heat. The wasabi sauce was sinus-clearing, with a generous portion of the black pearls gleaming on top. I found a grassy spot facing the Coachella Stage and waited for Megan Thee Stallion to begin her set, ready for some “real hot girl s—.”
LIDL shoppers have been left gutted after a fizzy fermented drink was discontinued.
Punters were left distraught after the German retailer, which has over 960 UK branches, confirmed it has discontinued its kombucha range.
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Solevita organic kombucha, ginger raspberry has been discontinued in UK Lidl storesCredit: Lidl
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LIDL has soared in popularity in recent yearsCredit: Getty
A disgruntled customer who had traipsed to multiple stores searching for the gut-friendly tipple begged the supermarket giant to bring it back.
Abbey Proctor wrote on X: “Why has the kombucha been discontinued?
“It was sooo good! We need it back!”
The store replied: “Hey! Sorry about this. What store do you shop at and we will pass this on to see if we can get it back to you?”
Abbey responded that she shops in Sheffield Road, Chesterfield, and the nearby Chatsworth Road store but had been informed by staff that it had been discontinued.
Catching up with the fate of its own product, Lidl confirmed that the fermented tea drink had been discontinued.
Anita wrote on the @LidlGB X account: “The item is discontinued at the moment, but we will pass your interest in this product onto our Buying Team to see if we can get it back ASAP.”
Fans of the drink had enthusiastically reviewed the drink as packing a “pungent” punch, in a good way, “good value” and “very kombucha-ery.”
This latest blow to Lidl fans comes after shoppers were repeatedly frustrated when other fan favorites were axed last year.
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Lidl confirmed the newsCredit: X
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Lidl’s Cronuts are also being discontinuedCredit: Credit: B&M Bargains, Extreme Money Saving Deals and More Facebook group
The cronut, branded “amazing” by multiple shoppers on X, caused an uproar when it disappeared from the shelves last August.
Shoppers were also dismayed when the Elderflower Mexican Lime was discontinued.
Booze fans claimed it was the perfect pairing with summery spirits.
The bacteria and probiotics in Kombucha support your gut microbiome, streamlining your digestive and immune functions. It has even been linked to improved mental health.
The drink is beloved by Kourtney Kardashian, who adds a cheeky splash of tequila on her website, Poosh.
It has even been claimed that it helps “blast fat stores” and puts your body in a fasted state even if you’ve just gobbled you’re lunch.
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Walking barefoot across the cool tile floor, her silver face gems twinkling in the sunlight, sound bath practitioner and energy healer Maya Andreeva distributed paper cups filled with brown liquid to the 20 mostly youngish adults seated on yoga mats and blankets on the ground.
They had gathered this Saturday morning on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in the courtyard behind the Japanese skincare store Albion Garden to attend Echoes of the Heart, a two-hour cacao, breathwork and sound bath workshop that promised to guide participants toward “deep self-exploration, energetic healing and profound relaxation.”
“Just allow yourself to feel the intention within you,” said Greta Ruljevaite, founder of the wellness brand Xpansion who co-led the workshop with Andreeva. “Speak it into the cacao, your intention, your wisdom, what you choose to let go of. Anything and everything: Speak it into the cacao.”
Maya Andreeva and Greta Ruljevaite, co-leaders of the Echoes of the Heart workshop, put their intentions into cups of cacao.
(Jean Marc Bertolet)
Around the room, participants gazed reverently into their paper cups, some of them mouthing words silently.
“Now bring it up to your heartspace, connecting to your heart,” she continued, as ambient music droned in the background. “Bring it down to the earth for grounding, and then back to your heartspace. … One more inhale together … and drink your cacao.”
With great gravity, they drank.
Over the next two hours the group was first led by Ruljevaite through a breathwork series, and then a sound healing session facilitated by Andreeva. The cacao part of the workshop may have been minimal, but afterward, attendee Saim Alam said the warm, slightly bitter beverage deepened his experience of the event.
“I was genuinely in such a state of bliss the whole time,” he said.
Small edible flowers float on the surface of a cup of cacao at a recent cacao, breathwork and sound healing workshop in Venice.
(Deborah Netburn / Los Angeles Times)
If you want to make the drink yourself, Holy Cacao sells Ecuadorean cacao at farmers markets in Hollywood, Mar Vista, Malibu and Marina del Rey. Local farmers market vendor Arcana Apothecary sells a $60, one-pound block of cacao that is made entirely by women in Guatemala, and pure organic cacao powder is available at Erewhon.
“People hosting cacao experiences continues to grow,” said Nick Meador, who sells ceremonial-grade cacao (an unofficial designation that suggests minimal processing) online through Soul Lift Cacao, the company he founded in 2018. “People want something that gives them a sense of embodied spirituality and cacao is so gentle, you can’t even say there are side effects.”
Practitioners claim that consuming cacao opens the heart, helping drinkers feel more compassionate, blissful, energized and loving. And because it does not have psychedelic properties like other substances labeled “plant medicines,” it is a safe and easy way to experiment with consciousness-altering natural compounds. Consider it ayahuasca lite.
“I was genuinely in such a state of bliss the whole time.”
— Saim Alam, cacao ceremony attendee
“It’s not like any drug I’ve ever taken,” said Kat Ho, who started leading cacao ceremonies in 2021 after being introduced to the drink during the pandemic by an influencer on YouTube. “It’s so mild. Your mind feels a little more loose and you feel a little more clear in the things you want to do.”
When folklorist Taylor Burby was researching cacao ceremonies for her recent graduate thesis, she found that more than 89% of the 118 participants she interviewed said they like to consume cacao because it is a legal, more accessible plant medicine.
Attendees of a cacao, breathwork and sound healing workshop hold cups of cacao at their heart center.
(Jean Marc Bertolet)
“If you take mushrooms you don’t know what’s going to happen,” Burby said. “With cacao you might feel yourself getting warmer or giddy or peaceful, but you have more control over your experience.”
The physical effects of cacao have not been studied as much as coffee, but research suggests that chemical compounds present in cacao can affect mood by increasing both alertness and cognition, and also improve cardiovascular health by lowering blood pressure. And because cacao has much less caffeine than coffee, fans say it gives them an energetic boost without making them jumpy.
“I can feel my shoulders drop, my chest opens,” Andreeva said. “I have felt the energy running through my body like little tingles in spaces where I don’t usually feel that.”
Making ceremonial cacao is a multistep process that traditionally begins with fermenting the seeds of the cacao fruit in their own pulp, drying them in the sun, roasting them over an open fire and then grinding them until they form a paste, which gets poured into a mold to harden.
To prepare the cacao for the Echoes of the Heart workshop, Ruljevaite used a ball of cacao that she had purchased on a recent trip to Guatemala. The night before she meditated over the dark brown sphere, filling it with intentions, and then shaved it into small pieces; mixed it with warm water, oat milk, a little manuka honey and vanilla; and then frothed it. She brought it to the event in an electric Crock-Pot. Just before serving, she and Andreeva whistled over it for a few moments, infusing it with “light language” to give it more potency. Then they ladled the liquid into small cups.
In South and Central America cacao is often served mixed just with water, but without any sweeteners it’s very bitter.
“Our Western tastebuds are not really ready for the traditional experience of cacao,” Andreeva said. “Anywhere I’ve gone in L.A. to drink cacao, it’s never just been raw.”
Archaeological evidence suggests that cacao has been cultivated in Mesoamerica for at least 5,000 years. It was served at betrothals and other celebrations and was a favorite drink of Maya and Aztec nobility, especially in places where it had to be imported, said Rosemary Joyce, a recently retired professor of anthropology at UC Berkeley and an expert on the history of cacao. Texts from the 16th century show the plant was used by Indigenous people medicinally to treat an array of ailments and cacao was consumed in rituals and ceremonies, mostly to repair relationships between the human and spirit worlds, she said.
Joyce has been offered traditional cacao while doing fieldwork in Honduras.
Maya Andreeva, a sound bath practitioner and yoga teacher, ladles cacao from a pot into a paper cup.
(Deborah Netburn / Los Angeles Times)
“It tastes like medicine — there’s no way around it,” she said.
Despite its storied history, her research suggests that ancient uses of cacao in Mesoamerica bear little resemblance to the rituals many Westerners are crafting today.
“It’s a tricky area,” she said. “The ceremonies they did required cacao, but the purpose of the ceremony was not to commune with the spirit of cacao or have it come down and take over your body. That’s a very Western notion.”
Most modern-day cacao ceremonies trace their origin to Keith Wilson, a geologist, adventurer and founder of Keith’s Cacao, who became known as the “Chocolate Shaman.” Wilson, who died last year at his home in Guatemala, claims he was contacted by the cacao spirit in 2003 and given the mission of reintroducing ceremonial cacao to a world that had mostly forgotten about it. He began serving cacao to visitors on his porch, and friends started calling them “cacao ceremonies.” Over time, the area around Lake Atitlán where he settled became known for its cacao ceremonies. Visitors brought the practice back to their home countries.
Meador prefers to label his cacao events “cacao experiences” or “modern cacao ceremonies” to make it clear they are not derived from ancient Indigenous rituals.
“I don’t want to be like a policeman,” he said, “but I teach people to be careful with the words we choose. There are many voices in the conversation and there are people in the U.S. who don’t really actually know that much about it.”
Today in L.A., cacao ceremonies are often paired with other healing modalities such as breathwork, yoga, meditation and dance. Some facilitators will evoke the spirit of cacao, who is supposed to be loving, nurturing and even a bit promiscuous. Burby, the folklorist, once heard it described as “the grandmother that still has sex, rather than the grandma who is over and done and retired.” A facilitator might remind attendees that cacao is a heart opener, that after drinking it one might feel warm, clear and more alert. But after that, anything goes.
“There are just as many ways to practice as people practicing,” Burby said.
Back at Echoes of the Heart, Andreeva and Ruljevaite make it clear they are far from cacao experts. But they had both had positive experiences with the drink and wanted to share it with those who attended their workshop.
“I see it as this beautiful welcoming bridge back to yourself,” Ruljevaite said. “And with a lot of prayers and intention infused in it, and the power and reverence of the community, it heightens and amplifies its benefits.”
But from today, customers can once again get £2 off all food and drink when they spend £10 or more.
Deal Drop offers are available for redemption via McDelivery, delivering straight to customers’ doors, as well as in-store – all through the McDonald’s app.
This special offer will appear in the Rewards and Offers section of the MyMcDonald’s app and can be redeemed once per customer, either for McDelivery or in-store, until 11.29pm tonight.
The update follows recent changes to McDonald’s menu, which have created a buzz among its loyal customer base.
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SPARKLING water may aid weight loss by encouraging the body to burn sugar, research claims.
Carbon dioxide in the bubbles can force red blood cells to consume glucose before it turns to fat, it suggests.
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Sparkling water may aid weight loss by encouraging the body to burn sugar, research claimsCredit: Getty
Dr Akira Takahashi, a Japanese kidney specialist, said slimmers often drink fizzy water because it is more filling than still.
He said effects are not strong enough to melt flab on its own, but could help with shedding weight due to blood acidity levels.
Dr Takahashi, of the Tesseikai Neurosurgery Hospital, said the body converts the CO2 in the bubbles into bicarbonate, making the blood less acidic and more alkaline. This speeds up the process of red blood cells soaking up sugar.
But he admitted the theory needs human studies.
He wrote in the journal BMJ Nutrition Prevention and Health: “CO2 in carbonated water may promote weight loss by enhancing glucose uptake and metabolism in red blood cells.
However, carbonated water is not a stand-alone solution for weight loss.”
He also warned of unwanted side-effects of excessive consumption, including bloating. A YouGov poll found just 19 per cent of Brits prefer sparkling water to still.
Prof Keith Frayn, of the University of Oxford, was “sceptical”.
He said: “Even if it were possible to show the carbon dioxide in fizzy drinks increases the use of glucose by red blood cells, that will not necessarily lead to weight loss.”
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Police are investigating a report that a woman had her drink spiked in one of the bars in the Houses of Parliament.
The parliamentary researcher reported her drink had been tampered with to bar staff and security in the early evening of Tuesday 7 January, the second day of Parliament after the festive break.
The alleged incident happened in the Strangers’ Bar, which is is open to MPs and their guests as well as parliamentary staff, at about 18:30.
A Met Police spokesperson confirmed an investigation is underway and the victim is being supported, but no arrests have been made “at this stage”.
A UK Parliament spokesperson also confirmed the alleged spiking, as first reported by Politico.
He said: “We are aware of an incident which took place on the parliamentary estate in early January, which was reported to parliamentary security and is now being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Service.”
Just before the Christmas break, a group of Labour backbench MPs submitted plans to curb sales of alcohol in Parliament during office hours to a committee looking at modernisation of Parliament.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper condemned spiking as “a disturbing and serious crime which can have a damaging and long-lasting impact on victims” as the government pledged a crackdown on violence against women and girls through the Crime and Policing Bill.
Parliament’s official complaints authority, the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS) has criticised Westminster’s heavy drinking culture as a “frequent factor” in complaints and breaches of the code of conduct.
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In 2019, Pablo Moix and Steve Livigni’s Venice bar hidden behind Scopa Italian Roots was catching fire as one of the nation’s most unusual drinking destinations. The pair had spent years scouring Southern California and beyond for the rarest spirits, particularly whiskies and tequilas, procuring bottles that went back a half-century. One could taste rare mezcals or bourbons made in the 1970s from recipes that no longer exist. An expensive foray into connoisseurship, Old Lightning wasn’t built to weather a pandemic. It took Moix, with new partners Sal Autora and Mario Gudemi, four years to reopen, and what a windfall for Southern California’s drinking culture that they’re back in action. Staffers will ask after your interests and preferences. A short, ever-changing list of cocktails dips into aged spirits as ingredients, and it would be a pleasant part of an evening to swing by for a drink or two in the cloistered, handsome room. The big thrills here, though, come with splurging on flights of peerless finds. Give the bartenders a price and they’ll work with your budget. The flavors of decades-old ryes are particularly twisting: spicy, sweet, layered, complicated. To sip one is to swallow a detective novel.
M&S has confirmed it has discontinued a popular Christmas drink and shoppers are demanding it’s brought back.
The popular retailer has ditched its Clementine Hot Chocolate this festive season.
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M&S has confirmed it has discontinued a popular Christmas drinkCredit: Getty
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The Clementine Hot Chocolate was discontinuedCredit: Facebook / M&S – Bexhill
The hot chocolate featured Belgian chocolate flakes with some citrus notes.
Shoppers loved the sweet drink – but unfortunately, M&S confirmed it had been discontinued.
A user on X begged for the retailer to bring the flavour back – saying how her family “hasn’t stopped talking about it for 2 years since Christmas 2022.”
M&S replied that they had passed the feedback onto their Food Team to let them know people want it back.
They added: “I know it’s sad when the items you love are discontinued!
“We do appreciate customer feedback, so hopefully it will be something the marketing team and suppliers consider for the future.”
M&S have been approached for comment.
It comes a mere few days after Cadbury’s confirmed it has discontinued a popular Christmas chocolate bar and shoppers are demanding it’s brought back.
The chocolate maker has ditched its Dairy Milk Winter Orange Crisp Chocolate Bar this festive season.
The 360g bar was made of smooth chocolate enhanced with tangy orange crisps, and it became a festive favourite for fans of the choclatier.
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It was released as the same time as the Dairy Milk winter mint crisp bar, which has also proved to be a hit with shoppers.
But this week, the manufacturer announced the bar has been withdrawn from shops to make way for more flavours.
It comes after one X user asked Cadbury if the bar would be returning to shelves this Christmas.
They wrote: “@CadburyUK will you be bringing back the orange festive crisp bar this year? Pleeeeeeasse.”
The company responded, writing: “Hi there, we’re always adapting our Christmas range to ensure there’s something new for everyone. This year, we’ve made a few updates we think you will love.
“We understand some will miss the Dairy Milk Orange Crisp Bar.
“Who knows, we might see them again next year. We hope this helps.”
The disappointed customer wrote back to say: “Fingers crossed it’s back next year! Me and my friends miss it!”
