Latest news with #MikeReid
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ben Shephard reveals EastEnders character inspired health journey
Ben Shephard looked "like Frank Butcher" before embarking on his fitness journey. The 50-year-old TV presenter has joked that he looked like the iconic 'EastEnders' character, played by Mike Reid, before he made a concerted effort to get in tip-top shape. Ben told Men's Health magazine: "I looked a bit more like Frank Butcher than I thought I should have at that stage of life. "No one said anything at the time – it was way before social media. But I knew it was a moment to catch myself. I had to get back on it." Ben has "always focused on the outcome" amid his fitness journey. The TV presenter also admitted to feeling an enormous sense of achievement after completing a strenuous run. He shared: "The agony of putting those shoes on first thing in the morning and taking those first few steps is nothing compared with the euphoria of taking them off and having a glass of water when you finish. But you only get that once you've finished the bit in the middle. "That's the thing I've always held on to. Some days you're shattered – especially back in the days of my old job. But I knew that if I put the time in I would get the value tenfold down the line. I have always focused on the outcome." Ben has even developed a friendly rivalry with his sons. The TV star explained: "I've really, really enjoyed proving to my 18-year-old and 19-year-old sons that I can still compete with them. "We love training together. And when they say I look like I've trained hard ... they've been really inspired by that, particularly my eldest, Sam." Ben celebrated his 50th birthday in December, and he's conscious of where he's at in his life. He shared: "I'm much more conscious of the fact that I've probably got less time ahead of me than I have behind me – that's the reality of it. "I was working with Alison Hammond last week and when she turned 50, someone said to her, 'Welcome to the fifth floor.' That felt like a lovely way of describing it – you're still looking up to those other floors, but looking down as well."
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Port hosts electric ferry demonstration. Can we expect to see that service in Olympia?
About 50 people, including Port of Olympia commissioners and other area elected officials, were on hand Thursday afternoon to see and ride on an electric passenger ferry at the Port Plaza dock on Budd Inlet's West Bay. The port hosted the event and now the questions begin, including: What would it take to introduce the service here and provide it for destinations north of Olympia? That work will begin with a market study to determine the demand for such a service, said Mike Reid, the port's community and economic development director. He's not certain the ultimate destination would be Seattle, but it might be Des Moines, connecting travelers to shuttles or light rail as they make their way to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. By traveling by ferry, travelers could avoid the unpredictability of Interstate 5 traffic and the cost of parking for an extended stay, Reid said. 'I actually think we could be competitive in that market,' he said. The port's event began at 3 p.m. Meanwhile, the Artemis EF-12 Escape Water Taxi was busy getting its batteries charged at Swantown Marina on East Bay. It then headed north, turned left and came south on West Bay quickly and quietly before it banked hard and pulled up to the Port Plaza dock. 'The vessel combines a number of different technologies,' said David Tyler, co-founder of Artemis Technologies. 'It has electric propulsion units, high-voltage batteries that have been developed from the automotive sector, and hydrofoils, which are basically a wing under the water. As the boat accelerates, it creates lift, pops a boat up out of the water, reducing the drag and providing a huge efficiency saving.' The vessel on hand was specified for 12 passengers, but can accommodate up to 30, Tyler said. The Belfast-based company is also working on a 150-passenger boat that is expected to be launched later this year. Although the company is based in Europe, its North American division is in Brooklyn, New York, and the business recently entered into a memorandum of understanding for manufacturing services with Delta Marine, a luxury boat builder in Tukwila. Here's the important part: The water taxi can travel about 50 nautical miles on a one-hour charge at a speed around 25 knots, he said. At slower speeds, it can cover about 100 miles on the same charge, Tyler said. Artemis undertook a similar demonstration between Bremerton and Port Orchard, Tyler said. That trip normally takes about 10 minutes, but they completed it in two-and-a-half minutes, spending a couple of dollars in electricity in the process, he said. 'I think once you start to provide a better service to people on the water, both in terms of ride comfort and speed, then you can really start to grow demand for ferry services and build the market,' Tyler said. For any of this to happen, Port Commissioner Jasmine Vasavada envisions that the port would need help from the state or elsewhere to pay for the upfront costs of the vessel, but would benefit from the lower operating costs of an electric ferry. Her understanding is that the water taxi on display represents $250,000 in savings to operate here versus a traditional fuel-powered vessel, she said. The state took steps to help ferry services this past legislative session, said state Rep. Lisa Parshley of Olympia, who was at Thursday's demonstration. House Bill 1923 sought to increase the availability of passenger-only ferries by establishing the Mosquito Fleet Act, so named for a boat-based transportation service that used to exist in Puget Sound. 'Expand the types of entities that can form a passenger-only ferry service district, as well as the locations where they can be formed,' the proposed legislation reads. Although that bill died in the Senate Transportation Committee, it has not gone away, and lawmakers are expected to revisit it during the next legislative session, Parshley said. Parshley seemed more than ready to embrace a local ferry service after a recent drive north to the University of Washington in Seattle took four hours. 'It took me two and a half hours to get to the Sea-Tac exit — two and a half freaking hours — and then another hour and a half to get to where I needed to go,' she said.
Metro
02-05-2025
- Climate
- Metro
9 tips for a delicious BBQ — and the mistake where 'so many go wrong'
You know the British summer has finally arrived when you can smell BBQ in the air. We may end up with raw sausages and burnt-to-a-crisp steaks, but that doesn't stop us getting the Barbie on the minute the sun comes out. With temperatures peaking this week, Brits have just a few more days of sun before cooler weather returns — so, there's no time like the present to get grilling. However, we all know that cooking the perfect BBQ meal is a fine art, and no one wants to disappoint the army of hungry guests desperately waiting for that first chicken drumstick to be ready. Need some help? Mike Reid, culinary director of Gaucho, shared his top BBQ tips – from pre-cooking to the clean up, so you can nail that first BBQ of the year… A poor workman always blame his tools, so make sure you have a great pair of tongs and a spatula to cook with. Mike also recommends finding good brushes and spray bottles to apply marinades while cooking. 'You don't need a BBQ fork though – they can do more harm than good when grilling as they create holes in your food and allow the juices to pour out,' he says. Getting the timing right before you start cooking is more important than you think. 'Make sure you always take your meat out of the fridge at least half an hour in advance of cooking it,' Mike explains. 'This will ensure it cooks all the way through at the desired temperature without having to overcook it. 'This is important when cooking meat or fish which needs to be slightly under in the middle.' This is a big one that can make or break your BBQ, as Mike says 'moisture is where so many people go wrong on the BBQ', and that marinades are important here. 'Marinades don't just add flavour, they help to keep food moist on the BBQ too. 'You need to keep basting your meat and veggies in butter, oil or marinades to keep them moist.' Don't let the veg be an after thought – give them some pizzazz too. 'A dry rub or marinade will turbo charge the flavour of the food you're cooking,' notes Mike. 'They're not just for meats, but veggies too. 'Cooking over flames is a great way to extract flavour from vegetables. I am a firm believer in going against the trend of cutting your vegetables small for the grill, I think it's much better to leave them bigger or even whole and cook them for longer on a gentler heat to really extract their flavour.' Struggling to get the BBQ going? Mike share 'a great little hack'. He says: 'When out on the road or camping is to simply scrunch up a piece of paper towel, cover in vegetable oil and then light in the middle of your coals. 'It burns hotter and longer this way and will kick start your coals.' Then, wait for the perfect flame to actually start cooking your meat. 'If cooking with coal or wood, once lit, don't rush to cook on them – give it time to die down,' Mike says. 'You need to wait for them to fully ignite and turn white. That is the best time to start cook, and when you should add your food.' When cooking steak, remember that each cut needs to be cooked differently. Mike says: 'Generally the rule to work with is the higher the fat content the higher the initial heat you cook it on. 'You want that beautiful caramelisation on the first side. Whereas if you have a leaner cut like fillet or rump, you want a gentler heat to cook over as you don't have much fat to be rendering.' Mike advises using wood chips with certain types of meat for the best flavour. He suggests: 'Try using wood chips, especially when cooking fish – smoke and fish go hand in hand. Adding woodchips to your coals is a great way of getting extra smoke on to your food, enhancing the flavour considerably. 'If you soak them first in water, it will slow down how quickly they burn and generate more smoke. 'Choose what type of woodchips you will use depending on what you cook; apple wood is mild and fruity and goes well with pork, cedar is strong and is best for smoking fatty foods for example.' No one likes a soggy pasta salad, but Mike suggests an unusual ingredient. 'Try adding some BBQ fruits to your salads for an interesting twist,' says Mike. 'Always go for what's in season for the best flavour and price but some of my favourites include peaches, watermelon, mango, apple and pear. 'To cook, don't add any fat, just let the fruit release its natural sugars which will caramelise it. Then just add to a nice peppery salad, using watercress or rocket, perhaps a little goat's cheese or burrata and your guests will be blown away.' For the bit people enjoy least, Mike has some hacks to make it easier. More Trending 'To clean your grill, spray with vinegar, leave for about 5 minutes and then scrub clean with some scrunched-up foil. 'Brewed coffee is also a great way to tackle grease on your BBQ, given its level of acidity. Just pour into a large basin and soak your grates for around an hour. View More » 'Rinse with warm water, and they will be good as new. This also works for utensils.' Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: Sandringham Estate forced to close after 'plumbing issue' on hottest day of the year MORE: Slower than usual? The warm weather is affecting your brain MORE: Map shows where in the UK is set to reach 29 degrees this week
