Not too long ago, Tequila options were limited.  Tequila used to be dark brown and tasted terrible. It was not sipped, it was used in margarita’s loaded with sugar or taken as a shot following by salt, lime, intense gagging and possibly vomiting.  Yes, it was that bad.

Over the last decade or so, many new tequila brands have hit the market.  It is confusing to know what kind to order and how to drink it. Similar to wine and bourbon, tequila is tastier the longer it is aged.

The team at RaveReviews.com created The Definitive Guide On The 5 Types of Tequila. Learn these tips and you will sound worldly and impressive the next time you are on a date or out with friends.

Best Type For Mixed Drinks:

1. Blanco or Silver: Requires little aging.  The flavor is sweet intense agave and is great for mixed drinks.
2. Joven or Gold: Requires little aging and is a combination of Blanco and Reposado

Best Type For Margarita’s:

3. Reposado: Must be aged 2-12 months. It goes down mellow and smooth.

Best Type For Sipping:

4. Extra Anejo: Must be aged for 1-3 years. The taste has vanilla and floral notes.
5. Joven or Gold: Must be aged for at least 3-years and is both smooth and complex.

Which one will you be choosing?

Dressing for a heated office inside and Baltic weather outdoors is difficult for any man. If you want to look smart and business-ready when it’s dark, cold and stormy; you need to think about fusing fashion and functionality.

To give you a hand, River Island, a leading UK retailer of men’s fashion, has put together a series of expert tips on how to get prepared for this season’s poor weather.

Layering

2017 is all about layering and how to do it. Layering is basically combining your clothing for maximum style, comfort and functionality, and experts have proven it’s far more effective to trap body heat by wearing multiple thin layers rather than one thick tier.

However, picking out what top matches what bottoms is simple, but working out how to wear three or more layers that all complement each other and your lower half is much harder. Especially when you factor in that you have to look business-ready and be prepared for bad weather.

Layering provides heat retention and more scope to spin your own style into an outfit. Keep these key points in mind when layering to avoid messing it up:

• Layer from thin to thick: if you get hot, it’s easiest to remove the bulkier top layer at work to cool you down quickly.
• Make sure your outer hemlines are longer than the ones below.
• Be wary of colours: layering means potentially combining several colours in one outfit. For business, it’s best to stick to different hues of the same neutral shades such as greys, navies, blacks, browns, and creams.
• Keep a check on your outline: layering is going to add bulk, so use the right fits and fabrics to minimise losing your smart, tailored silhouette.
• Don’t let your shirt collar hang over your knitted neckline.
• Avoid wearing multiple designs: layering too many contrasting fabric patterns looks messy and immature — not what you need in the workplace.

Outdoor enthusiasts like snowboarders and mountain climbers have been using the layering technique for decades. Adapting it to fashion is another animal. Now we’re going to check out how to layer from base to final tier.

Tops and shirts

Your work shirt is your bottom layer — although, you can wear an undershirt or vest if your office is particularly cool. Go for long-sleeve style to help your arms retain heat and give the formal look that short-sleeve shirts can’t. Wear a thick material for added warmth, such as flannel or denim.

Don’t think you need to change the overall look and formality of your shirt just because the season is getting colder, though. Keep with the stylish button-fronted, turn-down collar and look for shirts with a plain or subtle pattern and tailored design to ensure you look on-point during tough meetings.

Knitwear

Now it’s time for your middle layer — the main insulator. During autumn and winter, the best choice for this clothing tier is knitwear. Whether it’s a chunky jumper, open-style cardigan or cashmere sweater; woollen textiles are champions when it comes to keeping you winter and business ready.

There’s a huge variety of formal knitwear out there. Merino wool and cashmere sweaters are two of the smarter and more luxurious knitwear styles, which make them good options for the office. Plus, if you get these in a V-neck rather than crew-neck, you have the space to show off a tie to add to your formal appeal. If your workplace is more smart-casual, why not wear a plain white t-shirt with a grey ribbed, open-panel cardigan?

Chances are this will be your most visible layer while you’re working indoors, so don’t rely on your final layer to make the outfit. It should look stylish and ‘together’ without any additions — i.e. just the base and middle layers. You can also take advantage of this mid-layer to project a true winter colour, such as dark red, cobalt blue and emerald green to reflect on-trend, seasonal style.

Trousers

Sticking with plain, neutral-colour pants is best when layering so you can easily complement the potentially more colourful parts of your outfit, like the shirt, jumper and cardigan. As we mentioned, fabric is key when you’re dressing for the office in winter. Go for pants in thicker fabrics, if possible, and wear slim- or skinny- fit styles that can easily tuck into boots and stay safe from the wet ground outside.

Blazers and suits

Wearing a suit or blazer jacket over a knitted jumper or sweater is a top move if you want to project confidence and sophistication at work this season. The first step is to make sure the final layer matches the rest, so check that the colours complement each other and if in doubt, go for neutral.  Then, pick a fabric that’s going to keep you warm and comfortable, such as tweed or a wool blend. Since you’ll be wearing these inside, you could probably go for lighter shades, and keep the darker hues for your winter coat.

Footwear

Shoes are the foundations we build our outfits on, but they’re also one of the biggest barriers between us and the ice, rain and snow. If it fits in with your workplace, swap your brogues for Chelsea boots to dodge wet socks pre-9am. These ankle-cut shoes are right on-trend and go with any trousers, from tapered suit pants to slim-leg chinos, so you’re guaranteed to easily match them with your layered outfits on a dark morning. Even if you don’t feel you can get away with this style of footwear, why not wear them to the office and change into more formal shoes — like derby shoes, loafers and brogues — for the day?

Outerwear

Even though you won’t be wearing it about the office, it’s still important that your coat complements your workwear. For easiness, go for a neutral shade that complements any colour shoe, such as khaki, camel, black, or charcoal.

If your employer expects smart and formal attire Monday to Friday, finish off your layered look with a belted trench coat or double-breasted overcoat to maintain a high-class appearance on dark, cold evenings. For something equally on-trend with less of the formality, borg-collar jackets are ideal for showing off your layers while keeping you protected from the elements. Mod-style hooded parkas and urban-centric puffer jackets are alternative ways to put your own stamp on your winter office style. Wear your winter coat with a blanket scarf and waffle-knit gloves for the ultimate winter- and work- ready sign-off.

This season, think layers and knitwear to strike the perfect fashion-focused, winter-ready outfit.

Different rules apply in different countries, and it’s not just the amount but the manner in which you give the reward. Here is a guide to what you should tip and where so you have one less thing to think about when travelling aboard.

USA – 20% tip

Famous for its tipping culture, when travelling to the United States a substantial tip is expected and there will be trouble if you don’t. Restaurant waiting staff, housekeepers, taxis and tour guides will expect a 10%-20% tip in addition to the normal price. Make sure you account for this when accepting a taxi journey, drink or meal out.

Spain – 5% tip

As one of the most popular travel destinations for Brits this summer you’ll be pleased to know that Spain doesn’t have a strong tipping culture, however tips are accepted and it is becoming more commonplace. A small gesture of €1 to €5 would be kindly received by waiting staff and tour guides.

France – 10-15% tip

Service comprise or service charge is included by law in France so tipping is not always expected. Where it isn’t included, a tip of 10-15% is adequate for restaurant staff and a smaller tip of €1 to €5 is ok when taking a taxi or paying for drinks. As a general rule taxi drivers would expect in the region of 10% of the fare.

Japan – 0% tip

Tipping in Japan is frowned upon, in fact it can be insulting, even if you feel that the level of service deserves a bonus the staff will rarely accept it. Good service is considered part of the job so rewarding it can cause offence. However, there is an exception, tour guides often rely on tips to contribute to their wage. It is often best to discuss this discretely with the tour guide to establish a preference. Sometimes a tour guide will accept tips as ‘flower money’ so they can choose their own flowers for their home. This may sound unlikely to the western traveller but actually it is completely genuine.

China – 20% tip

In China, tipping is very much expected. The rise of domestic tourism and the affluent middle class means that tour guides and drivers and other tourist staff have come to expect to be generously tipped.

Germany – 10% tip

Customs differ in Germany, the tip should be given directly to the member of staff not left behind. A service charge is not included in the final restaurant bill so it is up to you to reward good service, typically 10% of the final bill.

India – 10-15% tip

Tipping in India is very much part of the culture and everyone expects to be tipped. For the western traveller there is a dizzying number of people needing to be tipped, and a set hierarchy of tipping amounts which can be overwhelming, even though the actual amounts are very small. If you’re travelling with a local guide it may be helpful to discuss it with them and agree how to approach rewarding each person.

Australia/ New Zealand – 5% tip

Tipping down under is discretionary, there are no rules and it is not expected as waiting staff get paid a relatively higher wage than those in other countries. Rounding up the bill at the bar or in a taxi is common and will be a popular and polite gesture.

Travel Money Club guarantees members the best exchange rates on foreign currency or their money back. For more information please visit www.travelmoneyclub.co.uk

TAG is a film about a bunch of 40-something childhood friends who keep that spark of friendship alive through a ridiculously long-running version of the kid’s classic game. A light-hearted comedy which retains a sweet charm to it, it has a great cast with good chemistry, though it suffers from a slightly inconsistent tone.

There’s some knock-out jokes, killer sight gags and top-notch action scenes, the last of which mock the superhero films that Jeremy Renner, who the group is trying to tag, is known for. Renner plays Jerry Pierce – the sole member of the group who is a tag-virgin so to speak, never been tagged – and he’s the target the rest of the gang are gunning for through the film. The stakes are raised by the fact that it’s Jerry’s wedding, but all is not as it seems.

The cast make this film, Helms is charmingly sweet but determined, Hamm revels in his character’s arrogance, Joe Jackson is the lovable stoner and Hannibal Buress effortlessly goes deadpan for some of the best lines. Shout-outs too for Isla Fisher’s insanely fun antics and Rashida Jones in a brief but intriguing role as the old flame.

The story goes a bit too serious towards the ending which confuses the tone, but this doesn’t get in the way of the laid-back camaraderie of it all – you really get the feeling the actors are relishing every second of it. Stick around for the end credits as it has the real life footage from the story that inspired the film – and though it’s only a few brief flashes, it’s really charmingly adorable, with some brilliant gags.

Like a Millennium Falcon without its navigation computer, Solo just doesn’t know where it wants to go.

Production issues aside, the Star Wars/Disney empire continues to trudge onwards towards the world’s wallets with Solo: A Star Wars Story…but this time, Disney’s barrage of AT-AT Walkers seemed to have tripped up. Though more of a Luke fan myself, I was genuinely excited to hear when Solo was announced, as there was a huge scope for fun, excitement and a general ‘Indiana Jones’-style caper which would have charmed even the most cynical cinema-goer. So, it’s with great disappointment that Solo falls at nearly every hurdle and though a relatively well-made film, it doesn’t add anything to series.

There’s clever gags and comedic moments which don’t mix well with rather heavy underlying themes, and a general lack of imagination outside of the early big train action scene. You can feel the influence of Guardians of the Galaxy throughout (there’s even a Rocket Raccoon-alike) and in a bizarre twist, Marvels’ take on Star Wars outdoes Lucasfilm at its own game. With a universe of exciting locales to jump around in, Solo’s locations don’t add anything, most are generic, and you’ll have seen them before in many other sci-fi films. Despite this, Solo looks good if a bit grimy – the special effects are top-notch, cinematography is reasonable, and the music is workmanlike in application with occasional flurries of emotion. The train scene at the start is compelling and well thought-out, with a great sense of tension, but the latter ‘big’ moments are of diminishing returns in both originality and tension.

The script methodically ticks off a lot of back story – Solo’s name, dashboard dice, his blaster, outfit, Chewie, and that’s about it. The narrative treads water and focuses on a somewhat unbelievable romance for its core, but even worse than that it doesn’t dare to make Han unlikeable or do anything particularly heinous, meaning there’s no arc for him – he’s pre-packaged as the ‘good guy’ whose flaw is being a bit rough around the edges. You could argue they were holding off this character progression for the next film, but it was needed here. On top of the structure, there’s some terrible immersion-ruining dialogue which although few and far between, felt amateurish and immediately recalled what Harrison Ford told George Lucas back on the original films “You can type this shit, but you can’t say it!”.

One of the greatest shames is that the film’s break-out performance from Donald Glover doesn’t get enough time to shine, and when he’s on screen it’s very apparent who can and can’t entice the audience with charisma, charm and wit. Alden Ehrenreich tries his best but isn’t given any demanding scenes, and to be fair, balancing imitating Ford with an original spin on it is a nigh-impossible task for most actors. Woody Harrelson puts in a decent performance and gets more moments to shine as the grizzled mentor, while Phoebe Waller-Bridge has a few killer scenes with her freedom-fighting droid L3-37. The less said about Emilia Clarke’s Qi’ra the better, but suffice to say, in comparing love interests, Carrie Fisher’s Leia has more fire, energy and charm in just one of her hair buns.

It baffles me that was so much of a desire to film this particularly take on the character, with Lawrence Kasdan, acclaimed Star Wars/Indy scribe, pushing heavily for Disney to make his script. The film doesn’t really have anything new, interesting or exciting to say, which, given the incredible universe and set of iconic characters it has to play with, is just a bit sad. Time to get Marvel on board to get this piece of junk back on course to hyperspace and fun-filled escapades.

Can the immortal shock-value contract killer still make you laugh and feel terribly guilty for doing so?

Ryan Reynolds, the spunky, all-Canadian wonderboy who took a fourth-wall breaking Marvel anti-hero from a bizarre side-character in a Wolverine film to his own blockbuster success makes this film worth seeing. If you get off on his snappy one-liners, never ending supply of dick jokes and clever quips to the audience, you’ll be in A-ha-ven, sorry heaven. The comedic timing, sight gags and Reynold’s zany energy overcame the first film’s somewhat bland main villian and overall main plot, it felt like a throwback to gonzo film making – doing it on the cheap but having a shitload of fun doing it and poking fun at the big budget superhero conveyor belt.

Deadpool 2 likes to finish to a different tune. We still have the laugh-a-minute gags, edginess and Ryan Reynolds, but there’s a lot more CGI, more ‘set pieces’ and the overall plot feels like an extra, clumsy third leg, grafted on from Marvel Studios – this extra limb brings more emotion, a larger cast and lots of potential for spin-offs, sequels and ‘franchises’. Enough of ‘third leg’ jokes though, this doesn’t bring down the film overall, but there’s just slight mismatch of tone.

But lets back to the humour. Practically every line is dripping with raunchiness, edginess and whatever dirty jokes they can throw at the screen without getting an 18/R-rated sticker slapped on it. We get slapdowns of Marvel/DC (no one is left unscathed…Hawkeye), fanny-pack shaming, Taylor Swift(!?), plus even Frozen gets burned for its theme’s uncanny resemblance to a Barbera Streisand classic.

Speaking of the music, it plays a larger part here with a bunch of licensed classic tracks, the best being DMX’s fiery anthem ‘X Gon’ Give It To Ya’, plus some South-Park-esque dramatic, yet hilarious vocal harmonies towards the end.

When the scenes aren’t splashing in blood, the action is great, especially one elegantly crafted one where a character gets rather lucky in avoiding immenent death. There’s a lot more thought gone into the set pieces here, and it’s a great improvement on the budget-restricted action of the first film, they may have got a ton more briefcases full of money to make this but they didn’t all splurge it on the white stuff.

Shout-outs have to go to the extended cast, and though they offer more Disney-franchise-dollars, Zazie Beetz holds her own with comic timing, as does breakout March of the Wilderpeople star Julian Dennison, who though well used, should have been on the screen more! Mr Brolin has the unviable task of playing the straight man to Reynolds’ comedian, as Collusus did in the first film, but adds a gristled heart as he channels Terminator 2 Arnie, while much love goes to the criminally underused Rob Delaney (apparently most of his scenes were improv). Keep your eye out for cameos, they’ll fly by in a flash, but they’re gobsmackingly special.

Deadpool 2 is a delicious cocktail of sharp, tangy humour blended with a shit-load of blood and topped off with some standout performance cherries. It’s definitely an acquired taste, and not particularly filling, but once it gets down your throat it’s sure to satisfy.

InsureandGo have got customers covered for their next sun-soaked adventure whether that is an action-packed family trip to Europe or a scenic cruise in the Caribbean. The UK’s leading travel insurance specialist has picked out the top spots to guarantee sun this spring and as the weather in the UK picks up, a staycation is not ruled out. InsureandGo offer a range of different policies for one-off holidays, cruises, staycations within the UK and optional cover for sports and activities, making travel this spring that little bit easier. 

LONG HAUL…

A cruise around the Caribbean is the perfect place to guarantee sunshine. Rum, sun and steel drums are the perfect combination for the ideal trip and a cruise enables travellers to take in more than one destination and to pick the best beach on offer in the islands!

InsureandGo offers cruise cover that covers holidaymakers for problems exclusive to cruise travel such as itinerary changes, unused excursions and missed port departure.

MID HAUL…

Far too long in the shadow of its Emirati neighbours, Bahrain is now a top holiday contender with temperatures 30+ degrees in the spring. With beautiful mosques, bazaars, heritage museums and stunning beaches to explore there is no stopping the small nation from becoming the next big tourist destination. And of course, in post Bahrain Grand Prix mania, adrenaline junkies can drive in the dazzling desert on a dune buggy course or try out pearl diving into the blue, which is a new activity on offer to tourists in 2018.

All of InsureandGo’s policies cover a wide range of 50 activities and sports, including scuba diving.*

SHORT HAUL…

Vitamin ‘sea’ seekers can bask on the sun-soaked beaches of Mallorca, the largest of the Balearic Islands. Delicious cuisine, blood pumping water sports and beautiful scenery, endless cycle trails and quaint harbours make it the perfect family destination. Holidaymakers can head to Sóller for a tram ride through the town, past orange groves and to the glistening coast or stop off in Sant Elm on the west of the island for traditional tapas in the countless taverns along the sunny beachfront.

InsureandGo offers multi-trip travel insurance that covers kids for free and lasts the whole year, so families don’t have to worry about getting insured each time a quick short haul trip takes their fancy.

STAYCATION…

Holidaymakers should take advantage of any sunshine in the UK and book their next holiday within the British Isles. Make the most of the great outdoors in the Brecon Beacons with huge open spaces in the National Park to soak up the sun and try out something new such as horse riding, rafting and abseiling to make it a holiday to remember.

We all see ourselves as a summer stud with a brilliant bronzed glow, but thanks to air-con, high outdoor temperatures and oil build-up, the reality is that you could be looking more dud than stud. Bulldog of course, have created a sun-savvy skincare routine so that you can enjoy your summer without worrying about oily skin and imperfections.

Cleanse  
Your skin is prone to be oily in the summer so use a balancing formula every morning and evening to remove excess oil without stripping it.
Oil Control Face Wash (£4.50, 150ml) contains witch hazel, willow bark and juniper. It’s been formulated to deeply cleanse the skin and leave it feeling thoroughly refreshed.     

Exfoliate  
An exfoliator buffs away dull, dead skin cells to leave you with a clear complexion. Scrub away the day after cleansing in the evening twice a week.
Oil Control Face Scrub (£5.00, 125ml) Boasting black charcoal to exfoliate the skin, this scrub will minimise excess oil and leave the skin feeling smooth and soft.

Moisturise
Even though your skin might feel greasy you still need to hydrate it daily with a moisturiser. Choose a mattifying formula that will absorb quickly in to the skin.
Oil Control Moisturiser (£6.00, 100ml) leaves the skin feeling smooth and looking healthier. It was designed to provide lightweight hydration whilst leaving a mattified finish.

Don’t Forget About Your Body  
Chances are, you’ll be exposing more skin than usual so keep it hydrated and looking healthy.
Original Body Lotion (£4.50, 250ml) is super nourishing and delivers 24hr hydration to leave your skin feeling smooth all day. It contains aloe vera, camelina oil and green tea.

With this being Spielberg’s 33rd full length feature it wouldn’t be wrong to worry if he’s just phoning it in by now, but this is so far from the case here. Making computer game heavy concepts can be a tough act to crack. Spielberg (and the writers) just get it. Having dabbled in the industry himself with incredible gem that was The Dig back in the 90s, the director evokes the fun, suspense and adventure but without the pitfalls other films with game tie-ins often fall for. The movie’s over the top racing scene is as CGI-heavy as you can get, but still feels grounded in reality with its clever use of cinematography that obeys the rules of traditional cinema.

Understandably Ready Player One lives and breathes nostalgia, and while you don’t need to get the references to understand it, viewers who don’t may feel a little left behind. The nostalgia isn’t just limited to cameos, cars and cassette tapes. The plot itself harks back to the old adventure films from the years it references (70s, 80s) with McGuffins galore, actual old film scenes, and a (SPOILER) finale shout out to the grail scene in Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade.

While Blade Runner and the like nailed the dystopian effects of a tech-led future, the story doesn’t delve too deep into the real dreariness, despair and horrors of the real world, but this is a more positive film and it’s understandable why it glosses over this.

The film rushes through most of its 2 hours and 20 minutes at breakneck pace, with a giddy sugary sense of fun throughout all of its spectacular set pieces. It takes the technological savviness and innovations of Minority Report, and slathers it with the youthful innocence, excitement and adventure that was served up in Tintin.