Social life every Day

As Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall hits our television screens, we look at the myths surrounding Tudor food and Henry VIII's legendary appetite There are two 'facts’ that everyone knows about Henry VIII. First that he had six wives ( although there's plenty of debate about that ). Second that he was a terrible glutton, gnawing on vast haunches of meat at a great table and tossing the bones greasily over his shoulder. But we need to modify this second 'fact’, for Tudor food was far more subtle and refined than the clichés allow... Feasts were meticulously planned during Henry’s reign
 In the first episode of Wolf Hall on BBC2 , Thomas More (played by Anton Lesser) was seen hosting an elaborate meal, with a variety of dishes laid out buffet-style simultaneously, as was the custom. After eating his herring, Mark Rylance as Thomas Cromwell exclaimed 'You must give me the recipe for this sauce!', which was perhaps the only inauthentic touch. In...

Sony's consumer electronics division is in an ongoing state of flux. Having already given up on PCs and e-readers, the company recently pledged to make fewer TVs and smartphones in a bid to get its books back in the black. How Sony's strategizing will affect its output of tablets remains unclear, but no doubt a keen eye is being kept on the reception of its latest slate, the  Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact  (don't let that mouthful of a moniker fool you -- Sony only classes the 8-inch tablet as "compact" to differentiate it from its two previous 10.1-inch devices). The company is renowned for the quality of its premium products, and like the  two   smartphones  that make up the rest of the Z3 family, its newest tablet is a testament to that legacy. Cutting to the chase, it's an elegant and powerful device, but with prices starting at $445/£300, those credentials might not be enough to make you choose Sony over the competition. GALLERY | 30 PHOTOS Sony Xper...

TV  instant replay  helped drive football to the throne of US sports, and its inventor, CBS Sports Director Tony Verna,  has died at 81 . Verna was a brash 30-year-old when he first tried the tech in a 1963 Army/Navy football game, but was only able to use it on a single play -- the final scoring drive -- thanks to technical problems. Since the replay was at normal speed and TV viewers had never seen one before, many assumed the quarterback had scored again. That prompted announcer Lindsey Nelson to cry, "This is not live! Ladies and gentlemen, Army did not score again!" Standard Ampex videotape machines at the time weighed 1,300 pounds and were impossible to cue up. Verna managed to cajole one from his CBS bosses for the Army vs. Navy game, along with some used videotape from "I Love Lucy." He put tones on the soundtrack that would that would help him identify plays to re-air, a clever, jury-rigged way to get around the machines' limitations. Fans clearly ...

Club Nintendo is closing down. What's Club Nintendo, you ask? That's probably why it's closing. The rewards program has been running since 2007, but outside of Japan it's never really captured the public's attention. It offers "Stars" to gamers that register and fill out surveys on their purchases, which can then be exchanged for vouchers, trinkets and the occasional exclusive item -- like this  awesome throwback SNES controller  for Wii. The shutdown will happen slowly over the next few months. If you're not already a member, you can sign up and start earning Stars until March 31st. Nintendo says that its New 3DS systems -- available next month -- will not earn Stars, although all other hardware and software will do. North American members have until June 30th to spend their hard-earned Stars on whatever perks their interest (more physical and software reward options will be added over the coming months, so it might be worth waiting). In Europe...

She's lit up the catwalk for the likes of Balmain, Givenchy and Victoria's Secret.  But Rosie Huntington-Whiteley puts her flawless figure to work in designs by two of Australia's leading labels in the February issue of  ELLE Australia . The statuesque bombshell slips her 5ft 8in frame into a body bearing ensemble by Dion Lee, a favourtie of Lara Bingle's, in one image from the shoot. Look cut-out for it in Rosie's Dion Lee crop top £425 DION LEE Cut-out crepe halterneck top Similar one at Net-A-Porter Buy now She can go from posing in her lingerie for M&S to working androgynous chic in a suit, but this look from Rosie Huntington-Whiteley epitomises her love of girl-meets-boy style, thanks to Aussie designer Dion Lee. Rosie poses in a series of shots for Elle magazine wearing the designer’s sculpting all-black designs which have seen him ascend swiftly to the forefront of Australian fashion. He’s not going Down Under any time soon! An...

Dr Ugwumadu says more women are asking about feminine hygiene Female patients want to know if they should use a special spray or wash He thinks they worsen women's anxiety and could be 'a waste of money' And using such products could mean infections go undiagnosed Many women worry about feminine hygiene. But, in recent years, I've noticed that more and more of my female patients are coming in and asking if they should be using a special spray or wash to help. Such products have been around for a long time, but a recent survey by British market research firm Mintel found that a quarter of women aged 16 or over had used feminine wipes and/or a feminine wash in the past six months. Take a look on the shelves of any High Street pharmacy and you'll see products such as Canesfresh Gentle Refreshing Mousse, Balance Activ Fresh pH Balanced Intimate Wipes and Vagisil Odour Shield Intimate Spray.    The vagina is a perfectly-balanced ecosystem, and the bacter...

Whetehr you prefer savoury or sweet, these delicious breakfasts will set you up for the day January is a time for staying indoors, and these recipes are perfect for a cold, grey Sunday at home. One of the reasons I love to cook is that I like to look after people. Cooking is an act of love and respect. Feelings that can be difficult to communicate in other ways can be shown by just making someone a cup of tea or a bit of toast. I like to think friends at home and even guests at my restaurants will feel the emotion behind the food. Making breakfast is the best example of this gesture. People are at their most vulnerable in the morning and a good breakfast can set them up for the day. Sometimes in the morning we want a sugar hit, and my   gingerbread pancakes   will deliver that in style. They’re great with stewed fruit or even a cheeky scattering of boozy marinated prunes, or, if you still have some kicking around, brandy butter. If you prefer a savoury breakfa...