Alison Hammond surprises commuters at Paddington station dressed as ticket inspector
Telly’s Alison Hammond has left morning commuters stunned as fans spotted the celeb at Paddington station this morning (15 June) – dressed as a ticket inspector. But all is not quite as it seems. Dolled up in a sparkling red sequin jacket and matching hat, the This Morning presenter could be seen handing out secret envelopes to lucky commuters – shouting “Hey babe, come and get your points!“. The envelopes contain points to help people save money on future train travel with Virgin Trains Ticketing, as well as unlocking hundreds of rewards, with Alison announcing that she is working as their ‘Chief Points Inspector’ for the day. Londoners have been left chuffed by the treat, with many taking the opportunity to snap selfies with the TV star. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter “Lovely to meet @AlisonHammond this morning at London Paddington,” said Shane Andrews MBE, who took the opportunity to pose with the presenter. “Alison has such wonderful energy! A big thank you to her for the 10,000 #virginred points!” Another person tagged Virgin founder, Richard Branson: “I found the Chief Points Inspector @richardbranson and about to open my red envelope from @AlisonHammond... Thanks @VirginTrainsTicketing now I better catch my train!!! #VirginPoints.” Standing on a train platform, Alison greeted commuters as they disembarked from trains. “I’m loving it, this is so much fun!” she said. “The points enable those who download the app to redeem points for booking train tickets, with rewards including everything from Greggs sausage rolls to flights to New York.” Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-06-15 19:30
Paula Gonu: Influencer eats her knee cartilage, feeds it to her boyfriend in spaghetti dish
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WTA defends its court after No. 1 Sabalenka calls conditions at finals 'another level of disrespect'
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2023-10-30 23:22
Seasonal affective disorder: Can you eat to improve your mood?
As the clocks go back and the days get shorter, we could all do with a boost in serotonin to fight the winter blues. One way to get just that is a spicy, vibrant, warming meal. Recent studies show that one in three Brits admit to being affected by seasonal affective disorder, with younger adults more likely to experience the mood disorder. In an attempt to lift moods through foods, I’ve created a dish that contains ingredients scientifically proven to boost your mood and warm the winter nights ahead. This beef cheek jungle curry brings the heat, with jungle curry being one of the spiciest curries to come out of Thailand. The chemical capsaicin, found in chillies, acts as an endorphin that makes our body release serotonin, which helps to lift your mood. Originating from northern Thailand, the dish is traditionally cooked out using only stock rather than coconut milk, adding to this fiery curry’s intensity and vibrant orange colour. Research has shown that bright colours can also trigger the release of serotonin to help fight those winter blues. The science Heat It’s reported that even a whiff of ginger can improve your mood. No Thai curry would complete without a healthy amount of ginger and garlic, but it’s fresh chillies that really pack a punch. Capsaicin, a chemical compound found in chillies, triggers the release of endorphins that can boost your mood, and may even reduce stress and anxiety. Increase the heat levels to give yourself a boost, and to keep warm when the cold weather kicks in. Colour Our brains respond to colour by stimulating glands which regulate hormones, including serotonin. Research has shown that bright colours can trigger the release of serotonin, which is responsible for making us feel happy and satisfied. The bright reds of my jungle curry signal excitement to the brain, whilst orange and yellow hues are the feel-good colours of the rainbow, eliciting feelings of happiness, optimism and hope. Lean proteins It’s no secret that protein is vital for a balanced diet. According to mental health charity MIND, diets high in protein can support your mental health. Protein contains amino acids which your brain needs to produce neurotransmitters – these help regulate thoughts and feelings. Beef cheek is inexpensive and packed with protein, it works perfectly in this jungle curry. Beef cheeky jungle curry recipe Serves: 2 Ingredients: 1 pot jungle curry Payst 2 tbsp vegetable oil 2 tbsp coriander roots, washed and finely chopped 4 garlic cloves, peeled 2 tbsp wild ginger, krachai, peeled and roughly chopped (regular ginger can be used instead) ½ tbsp coarse sea salt 200g beef cheek, trimmed (any slow cook beef can be used) 2 whole stick lemongrasses, bruised in a pestle 20g galangal, bruised in a pestle 4 kaffir lime leaves, torn slightly to release flavour 2 tbsp table salt 1 whole garlic head, sliced in two across the cloves 4 banana shallots, chopped in half 1 tbsp caster sugar 2 tbsp fish sauce 10g hot Vietnamese mint (optional) 10g betel leaves (optional, spinach can be used instead) 10g coriander 10g Thai sweet basil 10g fresh curry leaves 30g new potatoes, chopped in half 30g green beans 1 head pak choi, core removed and chopped into bite sized pieces. Fresh chillies to taste Method: 1. Firstly, braise the beef cheeks. In a large oven-proof pan submerge the beef cheeks in water and then add the lemongrass sticks, bruised galangal, lime leaves, banana shallots, table salt and whole garlic. Cover the surface of the liquid with parchment paper and the pan with tin foil to protect from the direct heat of the oven and then cook in a pre-heated oven at 100C for 8 hours (this is best cooked overnight). Check the beef cheeks before removing from the oven, they should easily be chopped with a spoon with tenderness. When cooked, remove from the oven and leave to one side to use immediately. 2. In the meantime, cook out the paste. When cooking a jungle curry, it is fried in 2 stages and then boiled, this is for depth of flavour. To start, pound the coriander root, wild ginger and garlic cloves to a paste, using the sea salt as an abrasive. 3. Next heat the vegetable oil in a wok or non-stick pan and then proceed to fry out the paste, scraping and stirring constantly. When the paste begins to darken slightly, add the jungle curry paste and continue to cook out the paste, making sure it doesn’t stick and burn, at this point add the kaffir lime leaves and the lemongrass from the beef braising stock. Continue to fry the paste until it begins to darken in colour and then add the sugar and fry for a further minute until the sugar has caramelised and the paste has darkened a little more. 4. Next de-glaze the pan with the fish sauce, 300ml of beef braising stock and bring to a simmer. Once simmering add the potatoes and continue to simmer for 10 minutes until the potatoes are beginning to soften. At this point add the pak choi, green beans and beef cheeks and use a little more braising stock if needed, then continue to simmer until all ingredients are softened and edible. 5. Lastly add all the herbs and gently toss them through the hot curry and then serve immediately, the curry should be loose, yet rich and spicy with a salty edge. Serve the beef cheek jungle curry in bowls with steamed jasmine rice, if you like top with crispy garlic, shallots and fresh chillies. The winter Mood Boosting recipe has been created by Sebby Holmes, Head Chef and owner of Farang and PAYST Read More The Independent high street Christmas sandwich and drink taste test How to host a dinner party for under £2 per portion Three new cookbooks worth buying, from James Martin to the Hairy Bikers Pearly Cow, Margate, restaurant review: Go for the steak, but stay for the potatoes What does Saturday Kitchen’s Matt Tebbutt cook at home? Don’t throw away Thanksgiving leftovers - here’s what you can do with them
2023-11-24 14:30
Naomi Watts pays tribute to Treat Williams after 'Feud' co-star's death at 71: 'My best scene partner'
Treat Williams, who died in a motorcycle accident on June 12, was best recognized for his leading parts in 'Everwood' and 'Hair'
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Women’s World Cup 2023 LIVE: Philippines stun New Zealand before Norway face Switzerland
Women’s World Cup co-hosts New Zealand were stunned by debutants Philippines, who claimed their first ever victory at the tournament with a 1-0 win in Wellington. Sarina Bolden’s historic goal midway through the first half was enough to secure a seismic upset, with Jacqui Hand’s equaliser disallowed for offside as New Zealand failed to back up their opening victory over Norway. The result blows Group A wide open, with Norway looking to bounce back from their opening defeat when they take on Switzerland in an all-European clash. Earlier on Tuesday, Catalina Usme and 18-year-old star Linda Caicedo scored to give Colombia a 2-0 victory over South Korea in their opening game. Monday saw Brazil kick things off with a comfortable 4-0 victory over Panama as Ary Borges scored a hat-trick, while Italy beat Argentina 1-0 in the first game of the day with veteran striker Cristiana Girelli coming off the bench to grab the winner. Germany thrashed Morocco 6-0. Follow the latest World Cup scores, updates and news in today’s live blog Read More Women’s World Cup TV schedule: How to watch every match today Women’s football world rankings: Who could take No 1 at the World Cup? When do England women play next? World Cup fixtures and route to the final
2023-07-25 15:47
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Andrew Tate's followers wonder if he is closeted after he 'chooses' transwoman over woman: 'Dude is gay but can't face it'
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Southwest Airlines adds former Republican Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri to its board of directors
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2023-07-17 23:24
NBA rumors: Doc Rivers might not be unemployed for long after all
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2023-05-19 06:17
'He was in the bar': Michael J Fox recalls how Woody Harrelson was there when he got his first Parkinson's symptoms
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Adin Ross hurls abuses at Darvin Ham following Lakers' elimination: 'I want to kill you'
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