Liberty X and The Proclaimers at the Castlegate Hogmanay Party New Years Eve Aberdeen

It’s great to see some top pop acts coming to see in the New Year in Aberdeen town centre on the 31st December 2005. Liberty X and The Proclaimers will be memorable company to see in 2006. Well done to Northsound Radio for enticing these fabulous musical groups to the Granite City for Hogmanay.

We usually pop up to see the fireball ceremony at Stonehaven followed by the fireworks display before making our way to the Town Centre to watch the fire jugglers and dancers. But this year it’ll have to be the shindig at Aberdeen Town Centre.

Space Cadets Channel 4 Programme

Space Cadets Channel 4

I was all excited last night whilst watching Lost on Channel 4 – not because it was nearing bedtime and Mrs B was looking alluring – but because there was one of those teaser one second flash adverts for a forthcoming TV programme called Space Cadets. I thought it was for the excellent comedy science fiction programme that was on in the late 1990’s which was written by Still Game and Chewin The Fat stars Greg Hemphill and Ford Kiernan which starred such great Scots like Sylvester McCoy and Fred Macaulay along with some of the UK’s leading comics Craig Charles (Red Dwarf) and Bill Bailey (Black Books).

But no this is a fantastically original reality TV programme that takes volunteers and trains them to be astronauts and blasts them out to outer space – or so they think! They’ve been transported to Russia to train – which is in fact a helicopter flight around the UK! Off the helicopter they hop and enter a UK based training camp which is a former American Airbase.

Their cosmonaut training using the latest NASA and Soviet technology is really film sets from Space Cowboys which starred Clint Eastwood, Tommy Lee Jones and James Garner and also from the film Deep Impact which starred Robert Duvall, Elijah Wood and Morgan Freeman.

This joke hoax is going to be such fun to watch – I can’t believe how gullible people are – mind you I firmly believe the Clangers are real!

One of the contestants is an actor who is there to make sure the pretence is kept up.

The Space Cadet programme starts on Channel 4 on Wednesday December 7 at 9pm and if none of the 100 contestants (only 4 go to outer space) twig the farce then it’ll be on for 10 days.

Digital viewers can see more live TV on E4 hosted by Johnny Vaughan and Alex Zane.
Cannae wait to see this – in between watching I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here.

But don’t tell the missus if I find this more alluring than her!!

Chris

Karate In Aberdeen Peterhead and Fraserburgh

I’m really proud of my two children who attained another grade of karate belt last week. They are taught by karate Sensei Mark (5th Dan) and Libby (4th Dan) Donaghy who teach at Aberdeen, Peterhead and Fraserburgh.

The two karate kids have only been doing it for about 18 months and have sailed through several belts. It’s given them great fun, discipline and more muscles – gonnae have to watch myself - the wee lass already wacks a big punch if I annoy her! It’s costly too – I have to pay them a tenner award each time they pass a grading! Fortunately it’s a really cheap sport – only £3 a lesson.

Mark is such a great tutor – he makes each class such fun for the children whilst teaching them the disciplines and moves of Shi-Gaku-Kan Shotogun Karate. They play games such as having to run from one end of the hall to the other without being caught by the instructors – if caught they get to beat up the instructor using karate moves – the kids love it. I love it because it burns off all their energy, giving them a real skill and they’ve made loads of friends.



Chris

AECC Aberdeen Wedding Show

I’m so lucky to have wed my bonnie lass – or so the missus tells me! Tomorrow sees the Aberdeen Exhibition Conference Centre Annual Wedding Show.


Miss Commonwealth Scotland is to guest model at areas biggest wedding show.

Miss Commonwealth Scotland, Amanda-Jane Taylor was recently chosen as the ‘The Official Face of La’Orr Boutique’ and will guest model for La’Orr Boutique from 1p.m. – 3.30p.m. at the AECC Wedding Exhibition on Saturday 5th & Sunday 6th November.

Since November 2004 when she was crowned Miss Commonwealth Scotland and went on to win 1st runner up in Miss Commonwealth International from 54 countries worldwide, Amanda-Jane has been wearing & promoting both La’Orr Boutique’s own bespoke dress label and their wide range of exclusive designer dresses.

Most recently she has appeared on the front cover of Dedicated 2 Weddings magazine wearing a stunning wedding gown adorned in Swarovski crystals supplied by La’Orr Boutique and will wear a similarly stunning dress at the areas largest wedding show.

Starting only in July 2004 La’Orr Boutique has gone from strength to strength now stocking over 250 gowns, many of which are exclusive to La’Orr Boutique in Scotland. With wedding dress prices ranging at only £109 to over £5600 La’Orr Boutique has something to suit everyone’s budget. They also stock a wide range of evening & prom dresses for other special occasions. In addition to the extensive dress range La’Orr Boutique also stock a massive range of over 800 accessories including shoes, tiaras, bags, veils and gloves to name but a few.

Amanda-Jane has recently heard she is to be crowned Miss Commonwealth Scotland for the 2nd year at the star studded Miss Commonwealth International at the London Palladium on November 27th where she has also been requested to sing.

La’Orr Boutique will design an exclusive tartan and purple silk evening dress for the glitzy event which Miss Commonwealth Scotland will wear at this year’s finale. Set to wow the judges and audience alike, the slinky number has been designed to promote all things Scottish, the tartan train will be joined by a contrasting Celtic clasp.

Not only one of the most successful beauty queen’s in Scotland, Amanda-Jane’s modelling and singing success has become known throughout the country ; now signed to 7 model agencies, not only the Face of La’Orr Boutique, she was also chosen as Mattel’s Face of Barbie. Hardly out of the papers since, she has in addition fronted magazines and many charity campaigns, appeared in television and press advertisements, models almost weekly at fashion shows and now sings at many varied events.

In under the first year as reigning Miss Commonwealth Scotland she has also helped raise almost half a million pounds for charities locally, nationally and internationally.

TV Programme Rome on BBC2 starring Kevin McKidd

Elgin loon Kevin McKidd is on the television tonight on BBC 2 at 9pm in the TV series Rome.

If his face looks familiar then you may recognise him from the films Trainspotting or Dog Soldiers – how chuffed am I that a sequel is being made! This was a great werewolf film – they should use Mrs B as an extra – she’s much scarier than any werewolf and doesnae need nae makeup!

It’s great to see North East people doing so well and we’ve produced some fine actors and actresses, such as Mark Wood (Aberdeen) and Peter Mullan (Peterhead). There are also up and coming actresses Ashley Rae from Banchory and Natalia Gomes from Ellon.

Fireworks and Bonfires Displays In Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire

Hope you all had a great Halloween night and are looking forward to bonfire night on Saturday the 5th November.

There are many organised bonfire and firework events and throughout the City and County. Most displays are professionally run and so much safer than setting off a few rockets, Catherine wheels and bangers in the back garden or in public areas than parks. Some events are free or are run to help raise funds for charity. As well as helping you and your children and family being safe on Guy Fawkes Night you get the added attraction of entertainment, stalls, hot dog and BBQ stands and more.


Have fun and be safe.

Chris