What if…you had to marry the first person you kissed

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Unhappy bride

Unhappy bride - Photo by Johnny Jet (Flickr)

On average, a woman needs to kiss 22 men to find Mr. Right, according to new research. For some, that might not seem like a lot, to others, it might seem like plenty. So what if you could give up the search and settle for the first guy you kissed?

Don’t get me wrong, there are the lucky exception who meet the man of their dreams right away, but unfortunately, for many of us it’s not that easy. I for one, am still searching.

Looking back, the thought of marrying the first person I kissed doesn’t seem that appealing. To start with, I was 11 years old and it lasted all of 10 seconds. His name was Kyle and he was my primary school boyfriend.

If we’re talking about “real” kisses, by which I mean, not as a result of teenage truth or dare, then it would be with a guy I met at sixth form and dated for 2 years. At the time, he ticked all the boxes – tall, dark and handsome. The thought of marrying him may have been a little apprehensive, seeing as we were only 17 when we met but for all intents and purposes he was ‘the one’ I wanted to be with.

Three years later, and it’s a totally different story. We broke up, I went to university and he dropped out of college with UFC, girls and the pub taking full priority over his life. Bitter? Absolutely.

Remaining friends with an ex is hard at the best of times but if I had to marry the first person I kissed, I think I would go insane. Having been through a couple of bad break-ups and seeing friends who were dating, now not be able to stay in the same room as each other, I’ve become quite cynical towards relationships and marriage in general. I guess only time will tell, maybe once I’ve kissed 22 frogs, I’ll finally find my prince.

Step-by-step guide to a yummy banana cake!

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Banana cake!

Banana cake!

The good thing about this cake, is that you can feel better about eating it…I mean bananas count as one of your five a day after all. It’s really easy to make, and coming from someone who has burnt pasta before, I really mean it!

Ingredients:

2-3 bananas
140g self-raising flour
65g butter
85g demerara sugar
1 egg
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla essence
65g milk

Method:

First, pre-heat the oven at 180 degrees/Gas Mark 4 so it’s nice and warm when you’re ready to start cooking and then weigh up all the ingredients.

All ingredients

All ingredients

Pour the milk into a jug and crack the egg into it. As you begin mixing, add the rest of the ingredients, whisking until smooth.

Mixing the egg and milk

Mixing the egg and milk

Now comes the messy bit, mash up the bananas with your hands and stir to make a caramel coloured mixture.

Mixing the banana and other ingredients

Mixing the banana and other ingredients

Grease two baking tins and spread the mixture evenly into both. And that’s all it takes! Put them in the oven for 30 minutes and if you want, you can prepare the topping while you wait – whether it be melted chocolate, warm raspberries or honey that takes your fancy.

It only takes half an hour!

It only takes half an hour!

When it’s done, remove the tins carefully from the oven – using oven gloves or a thick tea-towel. Remember, safety first!

The cakes are ready!

The cakes are ready!

You can check it’s cooked by sticking a knife into the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean then it’s ready to eat, if not then stick it back in the oven for a couple of minutes. Now you’ve got yourself a yummy golden banana cake, you can now enjoy the subtle sweet taste! It can be eaten with ice cream, custard, chocolate, butter, jam…the list is endless. Oh and don’t forget to lick the spoon afterwards :).

Don't forget to lick the spoon!

Don't forget to lick the spoon!

International Women’s Day: 100 years of fighting for equality

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Women marching

Women marching

Today marks the 100th year of International Women’s Day. Since the early 1900s, women have been fighting for equal rights and respect. Without the hard work of feminists, women still wouldn’t be able to vote or work and would still be treated like second-class citizens compared to men.

Unfortunately, in some parts of the world, this is still a reality for many women. In parts of India, the pressure to have a boy is so intense, that 7,000 female foetuses are aborted every day. Others are abandoned, starved or thrown away after birth.

In Pakistan, women are subjected to acid attacks if they refuse a marriage proposal. Throughout the world, women are still forced into arranged marriages and sometimes tricked by their own family. If they escape, they are disowned or sometimes killed.

Every year, over 70 million girls are deprived of even a basic education, and 60 million are sexually assaulted on their way to school.

Women are responsible for two-thirds of work done worldwide but only earn 10% of the annual income and 1% of the property.

You may think equality isn’t something to worry about in the UK. But in 2011, men are still likely to earn more money, even in the same job.  Men have a better chance of entering political office or becoming a company director. A man is less likely to be judged for promiscuous behavior and little chance of falling victim to sexual assault.

Over 30,000 women in the UK loose their jobs annually, for falling pregnant. A man has no such worries if he becomes a parent.

One in four women are subject to domestic violence, and in the UK, two women die every week as a result.

While many think the fight is over for women, there is no room for complacency or taking our rights for granted. Throughout the world, women are still fighting for basic human rights and women around the world need to group together and support them. Many women don’t consider themselves feminist, or feel it is relevant to them, but would you want to live in a world with no human rights? To live in constant fear of abuse? And no chance of freedom and independence?

Think again girls, we’ve come a long way, but there’s still battles to fight yet.

A girl’s cheap guide to Milan

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The Duomo Cathedral in Milan, by Stacey Cosens

Romantic old-time glamour, with an urban heartbeat. A place often overlooked for city weekends, Milan has some excellent hidden delights.

Think Milan, and you think fashion. As one of the fashion capitals of the world, Milan hosts designers such as Moschino and Versace. As you walk into the city’s Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, your eyes are drawn to its two central main players Prada and Louis Vuttion.

The other thing that will grab your eye in the Galleria is its rather posh McDonalds. Careful not to break the elegant theme of the shopping mall too much, it’s usual logo, is black and gold to match it’s neighbours. Everything has a touch of elegance here.

In the main Piazza del Duomo, you will find yourself surrounded by tourists and pidgeons as you stare at the main attraction, the Duomo Cathedral. Visible from throughout the city, and one of the biggest cathedrals in the world, the gothic Duomo cathedral has over 3000 statues built into its walls. As you circle this magnificent building, the sheer detail of this building is remarkable. The cathedral took over five centuries to complete, and it’s easy to see why.

A short walk down the road from the Piazza del Duomo is the Castello Sforzesco. The 14th century castle was once home to the Visconti family and restored to its original splendour by the equally aristocratic Sforza family in the 1450s.

The castle is now considered one of Milan’s most loved attractions, and hosts twelve mini-museums running all the way from Palaeolithic history through to 1950s furniture. If you don’t fancy exploring the museums, just walking through its grounds is entertaining enough. Outside you are greeted by an impressive water fountain and as you walk through the grounds you’ll spot statues and courtyards before you come into Milan’s answer to Central Park.

While you explore Milan’s historic monuments, you’ll have a sense of being transported to another time. The city has so much history, and you’ll get an instant sense of this.

While exploring Milan’s intertwining streets and avoiding getting flattened by the ever present trams, you’ll find yourself on Milan’s main high street, think of it as Milan’s Oxford Street. As you make your way down this road you’ll spot familar brands such as H&M and Mango, as well as less familiar European brands such as Pull and Bear and local boutiques.

No matter what your budget, you should find something that catches your eye. Pull and Bear is a particularly impressive brand with cheap t-shirts and stylish fashion staples; it is the perfect mix of H&M and Topshop. While we have a few of our own Pull and Bear stores in the UK, it’s well worth checking out the Milan store with its blaring dance music and three floors of clothes.

Flights and hotels are cheaper than you think, Ryanair has previously sold return flights to Milan for as little as £2 and hotels can be as little as £35 per night. This city is perfect for a short two day break.

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