BEST READS FOR HOLIDAY 2016... GET STUCK IN!
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PRIMA.CO.UK AUGUST 2016
Make Summer SIMPLE @ Cool fashion fixes for every shape & budget! @ Savvy cash savers do more & spend less! new recipes @ Easy super fast, super tasty!
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Kirstie Why craft is
oh-so sexy now!
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With summer’s three Fs... fresh air, fitness & friends
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Get the SLEEP OF YOUR DREAMS
Welcome
Let’s get CREATIVE! 12
42
Our cover girl this month, Kirstie Allsopp, has achieved so many things and is such a fantastic inspiration. In the Prima office, we’re addicted to all her TV shows; just how brilliant was the recent series of Love It Or List It? More than anyone, Kirstie has made crafting cool again by showing how it’s done – on TV and also through her live event, The Handmade Fair, which takes place at Hampton Court Palace in September. If you haven’t been before, I urge you to try to fit it in your diary – you’ll love it, and may just hit on a new hobby, too! As Kirstie says, ‘Working with your hands is so good for your mind. Like a lot of people, I get real therapeutic pleasure out of craft… it’s the ultimate antidote to a busy life.’ We could all do with a bit more me-time, so we have lots to keep your hands busy in this issue, from knits and bakes to our cute dress pattern (for girls of all ages!), plus upcyling ideas. Experimenting with new dishes is another great way to get creative and I, for one, can’t wait to try out the recipes from last year’s Great British Bake Off winner, Nadiya Hussain (page 106). Her Bengali korma and her green mango and fish curry both sound delicious! If, like us, you’re into TV cookery shows, you Free probably watched Jane Devonshire lift this L’Occitane year’s MasterChef trophy a couple of months shower gel ago. She talks exclusively to us this issue – turns out Jane is a Prima reader just like you! Enjoy!
Nautical makes
128
70
We’re ready for Rio! Caroline Quentin gears up, and has a great idea for how the Games could be even better… (page 162) Readers turn sport into a business (page 48) Get fit and shape up this summer – it’s just about finding the right activity for you (page 72)
GABY HUDDART, EDITOR
126
Nadiya’s um! recipes – y
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Don’t miss the September issue, OUT 4 AUGUST PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016 5
What’s inside
August 2016 18
28 60 112 36 FASHION INSPIRATION 18
On the cover
Your time to shine
Modern metallics that will take you from daytime to playtime
28 31 32
On the cover
Summer switch-ups
How to get out of your style rut this season Happy feet! Show off your pedi in a pair of fab flip-flops On the cover
34 gorgeous sleeves
We’ve got you covered!
42 ‘Food is about fun, happiness and love...’ MasterChef winner Jane Devonshire talks exclusively to Prima about how cooking helped her through tough times How the simple two-piece can leave you in pieces
how keeping a diary can help you deal with life’s problems
52 It all started one summer...
36
reveals the relaxation benefits of crafting and shares her tips for enjoying an easier life A place of our own... After a busy day, these women escape to their peaceful retreats
Find out how to update your make-up routine with help from Kazia Pelka’s masterclasses
71 Try it, use it, love it! The latest beauty buys and news
48 ‘We turned sport into a made their favourite pastimes pay
‘Craft is the antidote to a busy life’ Kirstie Allsopp
66 ‘Help us find a fresh new look!’
journal’ Elaine Kingett reveals
business!’ Meet the women who
On the cover
guide Our beauty editor answers some of the most common hair and make-up queries of the season
46 ‘The healing power of a
latest fashion news and offers
12
60 Your summer beauty survival
45 ‘Bikini-ready? Not a chance!’
35 Buy it, wear it, love it! The
INSPIRING READS
BEAUTIFUL YOU
YOUR HEALTH 72
Three writers spill the beans on how they found romance in the sun
it out in the gym – these fresh-air activities will tone up your figure
56 How you can win at anything! Medal-winning athletes share their life lessons that you can apply to your routine – today!
77 Help with strains, sprains and sports injuries Dr Sarah’s advice on what to do when exercise results in ouch!
162 Let the fun and games begin... The Olympics and Strictly should join forces, suggests actress and Prima columnist Caroline Quentin
On the cover It’s summer… let’s change shape! Forget slogging
80
On the cover Get the sleep of your dreams Our experts’
shortcuts to shuteye
È
PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016 7
48
66
32
106
100 GREAT ADVICE
100 My small garden of wonder
86 Happy holidays for single parents! Going away in a group
104
can provide comfort, support and a lot of laughs, reveal two mums
88
On the cover
Summer money fixes
Whether home or away, our handy guide will cut your holiday costs
COOKERY 106
139 Take 5... healthy short breaks 112
140 Bays of wonder Whether you 116 120
HOME STYLE 92 In the summertime... Sarah Beeny’s feelgood ideas for both outside and indoors
On the cover
98
provide one couple with their longed-for Devon home Hello, sailor! Contemporary coastal accessories for your home
8 PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016
Nautical but nice
132 Lisa Comfort customises it!
135
Nadiya’s fabulous
Brighten up your beachwear with our dip-dyed sarong Sew it, make it, love it! Craft fairs and creative inspiration The right stripes Knit a stylish striped top or a cropped cardi
123
Off winner Nadiya Hussain shares some favourite recipes Bring on the burgers! Brilliant twists on the humble burger Salad days Forget limp lettuce and try these fresh salads instead
EVERY MONTH
On the cover Delicious no-bake desserts Tantalising treats that
148
take next to no time to prepare – piece of cake! Cook it, eat it, love it! The latest foodie must-buys and know-how
161 Where to buy Stockist details
94 ‘Our seaside dream was meant to be’ How fate intervened to
On the cover
Seaside makes for a sunny look
flavours The Great British Bake
Don’t leave home without them!
want adventure or to simply relax, there’s a perfect beach for you
128
134
90 Gadgets the travel pros love Get away – and get fit, too
How space-saving tricks helped one reader’s garden grow Style it, grow it, love it! The latest home and garden trends
11
Prima loves Tropical buys to get you into the samba spirit for Rio
146
On the cover Your summer reads sorted! Holiday 2016’s page-turners Your time off & time out Your
guide to this month’s entertainment
TREATS FOR YOU 70
MAKE IT 126
On the cover Summer dressing for girls of all ages This month’s
exclusive Prima pattern
On the cover FREE L’Occitane verbena shower gel 153 Win! Win! Win! Fab goodies 154 £100 prize For your story 157 Puzzles Win cash prizes!
Cover photo: Nicky Johnston Hair & make-up: Julia Bell using Giorgio Armani cosmetics and skincare Kirstie wears: Jacket, Marks & Spencer. Dress, collectif.co.uk. Earrings, Pebble London. Necklaces and ring, Kirstie’s own. Prop styling: Theoda Solms Iles Props: Decadent Decs in Pink Honeycomb; Decadent Decs PomPom Pink Mix, all Talking Tables
98
GO FOR GOLD!
SMELLS LIKE SUMMER
Set off your outfit with this fun Estella Bartlett Midnight Jungle Pineapple pendant, £19, John Lewis, or this stylish Rio v-shaped fan necklace, £19.50, Oliver Bonas
A gorgeous citrussy scent with a hint of gin and tonic! What’s not to like? CK One Summer EDT, £33 for 100ml, Boots
TOTALLY TROPICAL Cover-ups don’t come nicer than this embellished kaftan, £38, Butterfly by Matthew Williamson at Debenhams
JUMP TO IT Keep it cool day or night with a sassy, wide-legged, halterneck jumpsuit, £65, Simply Be
Prima
loves Channel that Rio 2016 vibe with our colourful, tropicalinspired finds
COSTUME DRAMA Be queen of the beach in this fabulous Fantasie Kuranda asymmetric swimsuit, £76, House of Fraser
TUTTI FRUITY This stylish, striped shopper with fruity detailing is a joy to hold! Bag, £32, Accessorize
PLAY BY THE MULES Keep your tootsies cool in a pair of on-trend denim mules, £77.43, Soludos
PIECES OF PARADISE! Pack your treasures into these eye-catching Parrot Paradise storage cases, £20 for 3, Sass & Belle For where to buy, see page 161
PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016 11
‘CRAFT IS THE
antidote TO A
Kirstie Allsopp talks to Prima about how crafting is the best way to relax, gives her tips for an easier life and reveals a secret desire to be Ant-Man!
busy life’
P
The joy of craft Working with your hands is so good for your mind. Like a lot of people, I get real therapeutic pleasure out of craft and doing even the simplest stuff with my hands. Last weekend, for example, I spent two hours scrubbing and polishing two old silver-plated lamp bases and re-felting their bottoms. It’s weird, but for me that’s the ultimate antidote to my busy life. Popping on the radio while polishing, altering, adapting or creating something with my own hands is my way of relaxing, my me-time. Upcycling is my favourite activity at the moment. We’re often fed the idea that we need to buy, buy, buy new things all the time, when we have unloved items in our home that can be revamped beautifully. Recently, I got to work on a small fold-up table 12 PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016
with a horrid stained leatherette top. I found a great piece of fabric, cut it to size, then took a knife and gently eased it under the outer rim. And ta-da – the functional little table was completely transformed! My Handmade Fair is a big celebration of creativity. It’s a salute to all kinds of skills, from sewing and knitting to sugar craft and crocheting, plus paper crafts, upcycling and, of course, plenty of pom-pom making! It’s a fun day out at which every visitor has the chance to make something in one of the workshops, to listen to a whole range of talks from the masters of handmade products – and also to ask them questions. I like to think of it as the handmade world’s answer to something like the Cheltenham Literary Festival.
It’s not meant to be a shopping or eating experience. But, oh my goodness, you can definitely do both! I’m especially proud of all our stalls: the sellers have been selected because they offer the best and most creative products for sale. There’s also gorgeous grub on offer, from crepes and chapattis to churros, or you can bring a picnic. It’s a hugely relaxed affair. Still, I was a bag of nerves for the first show, back in 2014. In fact, I was almost physically sick on the first day. You hear such horror stories of, say, Christmas fairs where the kids all leave in tears because they’re so disappointed. I thought, ‘If people
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Kirstie wears: Trench coat; dress, both Hobbs. Shoes and ring, Kirstie’s own. Earrings; bracelet, both Basia Zarzycka
resenter, property expert and Queen of make do and mend Kirstie Allsopp, 44, lives with her partner, Ben Andersen, and their two sons, Bay, nine, and Oscar, seven. She is also stepmum to Ben’s sons from a previous marriage, Hal, 14, and Orion, 17. She’s back at the helm of this year’s Handmade Fair in September at Hampton Court Palace. It offers a hugely enjoyable weekend of skills workshops, on-stage discussions with handicraft experts, including Sewing Bee’s Patrick Grant and decorative paint expert Annie Sloan, and also features 250 stalls of unique handmade items to buy.
Meet your cover star
PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016 13
Kirstie wears: Jacket, Mint Velvet. Dress, collectif.co.uk. Sandals, Kirstie’s own. Earrings, Basia Zarzycka
‘The Handmade Fair is a chance for me to sit down with so many great women and listen to what they have to say’
14 PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016
Meet your cover star are paying money to come and have an experience and it doesn’t match up to their expectations, it will kill me!’
mountains for one week and on the coast for the second. The children adore it and so do we.
Fortunately, the feedback was terrific. And I think I achieved my aim, which was to share the pleasure and excitement that I’ve experienced from sampling all kinds of handmade crafts while doing my Homemade Home shows on Channel 4. I like to think that the show has introduced people to crafts that they’ve been able to fall in love with and then take further.
My family is my number-one priority. And as much as I love my job, I’d never put it before them. There are no bad stages in motherhood. Yes, children can be blood-sucking, grey-hairinducing creatures because, quite naturally, they are the most important people in their own lives. But for me, the payback is that I love my children so much. I find then amazing and funny, and seeing them grow up, learning about the world and absorbing everything around them is such a total joy. I even look forward to the teenage years and get quite angry about the current culture of parents moaning about teenagers. When you have a child, you buy the whole package, and the teenage years are part of it.
We welcome men to the show with open arms. But, to be honest, the show is mostly for the girls. And, for me, it’s a chance to sit down with so many great women – working mums, women running small businesses, stay-athome mums with an interest in crafts – and listen to what they have to say. All sorts of things come out during the on-stage sessions, too. Emma Bridgewater was asked how she managed to juggle her amazing pottery business with being a mum and she said, ‘If you asked my kids, they might say I don’t manage it at all!’ She also said, ‘The one thing I know is that the sheets aren’t changed as often as they ought to be,’ which was a lovely way of explaining that no one has it all.
Family time Summer is the best season… although I’m quite pale and do have to be careful in the sun and slap on a high factor. I especially love it because I get to spend the most time with my boys. I work really hard on my shows Location, Location, Location and Love It Or List It and I fulfil my commitments to the various charities that I support during term time but, in the summer holidays, I down tools. We’ll be on holiday in Morocco this summer. We’re going with two other families for the second year running and it’s wonderful that not just the adults but also all the children are great friends. We’ll be in the
Kids grow faster than I would like. And I can’t believe that my lovely stepsons, who I adore, are already so grown up. Orion, the eldest, is already in the lower sixth form and looking at possible universities. I think, ‘How on earth did that happen? You were only five when I first knew you!’ There are two kinds of love. First, there’s the love you have for your children. It’s fierce and passionate but also fearful because, the moment, they are placed in your arms, you
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KIRSTIE IN BRIEF What’s your favourite corner of the UK? I think the UK is like a natural Disney World. We’re a tiny island with so many different worlds: Yorkshire – beautiful; the Lake District and Scotland – ditto. I could go on. Out of loyalty, though, I’ll say Devon, my second home. Two moors, two shores. Who could ask for more? What would your superpower be? I wouldn’t mind being Ant-Man – the Paul Rudd character in Captain America. As he shrinks in size, his power to combat evil grows. Your greatest bugbear? Litter louts. Another superpower would be wielding a huge magnet that could pick them and their litter up and dangle them from a great height. I’d say, ‘Right, now promise you’ll never do it again!’ What law would you introduce? I’d make it so much easier to buy and sell houses. There is so much red tape and stress involved. And it takes people – who often have a pressing reason to sell or buy – months and months to move. It’s a thoroughly stupid system. What are your favoured charities? Keep Britain Tidy, Home-Start UK, Stand Up To Cancer, and the Prince’s Regeneration Trust. What is your signature dish? I’m currently obsessed with marinating the hell out of everything – whether it’s shrimps, salmon, steak or scallops. Use 25ml of soy sauce, 25ml of balsamic vinegar and 12ml of maple syrup. Add pepper, grated garlic and ginger and chopped chilli and place in a zip-lock bag before chucking in the fridge for whenever you need to cook something quick, easy and delicious. What is your life motto? Try to seize the day. Or maybe SEE the day is better, by which I mean give it all you have, but don’t beat yourself up if you don’t achieve everything you set out to.
PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016 15
Meet your cover star
Ben wears the trousers in our relationship. And I’m happy with that because I have enough of being in charge in every other area of my life. I think it’s quite modern and feminist of me to say, ‘You know what? I’ve decided that I don’t want to be the boss in the relationship.’ We don’t feel the need to marry. For which I partly blame our next-door neighbours Emma Freud and Richard Curtis, who have never done it either. Like them, we’re happy as we are. To be honest, it’s the only unconventional thing in my otherwise very conventional life! The current trend for overblown, vastly expensive weddings worries me too. All that money for just one day, when couples have so many other financial pressures. Why? People often imagine that Phil Spencer and I are an item. But I’m not his type and he’s not
mine. Although, after 17 years of presenting shows like Location, Location, Location together, we are best friends – best friends who wind each other up enormously. I find Phil’s inability to embrace an online calendar, for example (he still has a paper diary!) and the way he has to iron every shirt twice, maddening. And my loudness gets to him. He recently moved to the country and has named one of his chickens (the noisiest one) Kirstie! But, seriously, Phil is a great man, a devoted dad and an excellent friend. And each of us would trust the other with our life.
I love being in my forties. And despite the loss of my mum two years ago, and the speed with which my children are growing up, I’m probably happier than I’ve ever been. Last Sunday, we had a party with about 50 kids and 30 adults. We had food, wine and sunshine and it was the most idyllic day. I took stock for a minute and thought. ‘Appreciate this, it’s as good as it gets.’ • The Handmade Fair, which is sponsored by Hobbycraft, is at Hampton Court Palace from 16-18 September. For tickets, see thehandmadefair.com
Kirstie’s tips for an EASIER LIFE INVEST IN AN ELECTRIC RICE COOKER. You can buy one so cheaply. Switch it on, put in rice, salt, pepper and a bit of coconut oil and it will cook and be perfect whenever you’re ready to eat it – even hours later.
don’t need, want or like. That dress has never been worn for a reason. Those shoes that were too small when you bought them won’t miraculously fit you tomorrow. Getting rid of your junk is very cleansing.
where they belong. Knowing where to find things is a stress-buster.
DON’T BE A BEAST OF BURDEN WHEN YOU LEAVE THE HOUSE. Organise your handbag and only carry
what you really need. That ALLOCATE A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING and make-up bag doesn’t need
DECLUTTER LIKE CRAZY. Pack the children make sure that everyone and pets off for 24 hours and throw away what you
16 PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016
in the family gets into the habit of putting things back
to carry every lipstick and mascara that you own. Have a smaller one just for
make-up items that you might need on the move. The rest can stay at home in a bigger bag.
BE REALISTIC ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN ACHIEVE. When it comes to things like crafting, don’t try to do everything. Pick a couple of things and do them well and say to yourself. ‘The rest just isn’t going to happen.’
Feature: Daphne Lockyer Photos: Nicky Johnston Styling: Rachel Fanconi Hair & make-up: Julia Bell using Giorgio Armani cosmetics and skincare Kirstie wears: Jacket, Marks & Spencer. Dress, collectif.co.uk. Earrings, Pebble London. Necklaces and ring, Kirstie’s own Prop styling: Theoda Solms Iles Props: Decadent Decs in Pink Honeycomb; Decadent Decs PomPom Pink Mix, both Talking Tables. Autograph Sweet Avalanche pale pink rose bouquet; Fairtrade pink rose bouquet, both Marks & Spencer
know that if they ever came to harm, it would destroy you. Then there’s the love that I feel for my partner, Ben, which is more constant and solid. It’s a very happy love. I am always pleased to see him. He is always pleased to see me. We are totally free and relaxed in each other’s company. That’s a wonderful feeling.
Summer glamour
YOUR TIME TO
SHINE
Sprinkle a little sparkle into your wardrobe this summer with these soft, attering, modern metallics that work day or night
18 PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016
FLOAT ON Choosing white as your failsafe summer neutral keeps things bright and breezy. Team a floaty skirt with soft, silver knitwear for a modern, laid-back look. Silky pleated skirt, £89, 6-18, Coast. Silver top, £35, 8-22, Wallis. Sandals, £79, 3-8, Moda in Pelle
È
Summer glamour
SHINE BRIGHTLY OPPOSITE Invest in a pair of statement trousers for an all-occasion update. Pair with a simple T-shirt and metallic flats for easy daytime glam; add heels and a silk top for evenings out. Trousers, £169, 8-20, Luisa Cerano. V-neck top, £35, 8-20, Marks & Spencer. Layered necklace, £29, Z at Accessorize
DRESS IT UP THIS PAGE Go all out with a head-turning, shimmering long dress that oozes glamour. Keep accessories to a minimum – just add a pair of thong sandals and a neutral clutch bag and you’re good to go. Silver sequin maxi dress, £95, 6-22, Next. Sandals, £14.99, 3-7, H&M
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PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016 21
START WITH SPARKLES If bold embellishments and megawatt shine feels too much, try pearlised sequins for an understated, elegant shimmer. A simple tunic looks great with slim jeans for a shape-enhancing silhouette. Sequin tunic, ÂŁ39.99, s-l, Zara. Zip-pocket skinny trousers, ÂŁ35, 6-18, Next
Summer glamour
KEEP IT SIMPLE A shirt dress is a brilliant wardrobe all-rounder. Up the fashion stakes this season with a sumptuous silk style that will see you from day to night. Shirt dress, £175, 4-14, Reiss. Gold leather tote, £65, Accessorize. Metallic bronze sandals, £79, 2-9, Pretty Ballerinas
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Summer glamour
PLAY IT COOL Sun-kissed skin is all you need for this pretty, embellished playsuit. The loosely draped top and three-quarter sleeves make for a chic top-half cover-up. Keep heels to a minimum – if you need a bit of height, try a low, wedge-style. Beaded playsuit, £90, 8-16, Rochelle Humes at Very. Earrings, £10, J by Jasper Conran at Debenhams
24 PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016
MAKE AN ENTRANCE... ... in a head-turning, floorlength skirt. The flowing silk is super feminine and the pleated panels add movement without bulk. Balance with a fitted T-shirt or fine-knit sweater. Full-length silk skirt, £139, 6-18, Coast. Bronze metallic top, £45, 6-18, Mint Velvet. Necklace, £45, Lola Rose. Sandals, £29.99, 3-8, New Look
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Summer glamour
HOME AND AWAY THIS PAGE Go for gold in this easy-to-wear striped sweater. Team with lace shorts for a fun holiday look or wear over a slip dress on cooler days back home. A great summer multitasker, wherever you are! Striped top, £49, 8-16, The White Company. Shorts, £55, 8-18, Phase Eight. Gold gladiator espadrilles, £28, 3-8, Dolcis at Debenhams
BIKER CHIC OPPOSITE A broderie cotton biker jacket is a perfect summer cover-up. Wear with metallic tops and casual trousers and finish your look with a pair of platform sandals. Fabulous! Biker jacket, £129, 6-18, Mint Velvet. Silver vest, £45, 8-16, The White Company. Trousers, £29, 8-16, Very. Silver metallic sandals, £22, 3-9, Next With special thanks to James English Productions (jamesenglishproductions.com)
For where to buy, see page 161
PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016 27
Photos: Catherine Harbour Styling: Jo Atkinson Assisted by: Helen Johnson Hair & make-up: James Butterfield
Stuck in a style rut? Not any more! Here’s how to shake up your look in an instant...
Bright heels are an amazing mood lifter! Lace skirt, £22.99, 6-16, New Look
THE RUT YOUR
WARDROBE IS STUCK IN NEUTRAL
Sleeveless top, £39, 6-18, Coast
THE FIX Feeling colour shy? Adding just one accent shade will give your neutrals an instant boost! Orange is a great starting point as it flatters most skin tones and pairs beautifully with black, navy, grey and white. Heeled sandals, £49, 3-8, J by Jasper Conran at Debenhams
THE RUT
YOU LIVE IN TRACKSUIT BOTTOMS AT THE WEEKEND THE FIX Tailored, dressy joggers have the same comfort factor but with more sophisticated fabrics and cool details. Team yours with silk tees and metallic trainers for an up-to-the-minute take on casual.
Striped dress, £55, 6-20, La Redoute
L-R Navy floral, £59, 8-18, Phase Eight. Monochrome striped, £19.99, 6-14, Mango. Red floral, £22, 6-18, Next
WITH EVERYTHING! THE FIX Loafers and brogues are comfortable yet super chic, and add instant polish to every look. Treat your feet to buttery soft lace-ups and luxe leather loafers and step through the season in style. 28 PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016
Punched brogues, £79.95, 3-8, Moda in Pelle
Neutral tones look great with bare legs
THE RUT YOUR PLAIN
OUTFITS ALL LACK THE X-FACTOR THE FIX Pep things up with splashy prints and punchy patterns. Summery stripes and bold florals will give you instant style cred – opt for one print, or get clash happy and work the look top to toe.
Feature: Helen Johnson
THE RUT TRAINERS
Your fashion refresh THE RUT ANY COLOUR
THE RUT YOU ALWAYS
AS LONG AS IT’S BLACK!
WEAR TROUSERS
THE FIX Adding a bright accessory
THE FIX Up your
will break up dark outfits and give you that feelgood factor – so relax, there’s no need to go colour crazy!
Splash out on some seriously stunning heels
Heeled sandals, £60, 2-9, River Island
Earrings, £12, United Colors of Benetton
Bejewelled denim shirt, £30, 8-24, V by Very
style status instantly in a jumpsuit. Having a what-can-I-wear day? Slip on a chic all-in-one and you’re good to go! From culotte shapes to tailored cuts, there’s a style for everyone this season.
THE RUT YOU WEAR JEANS EVERY DAY THE FIX A denim skirt is just as casual as jeans but gives you a fresh, feminine shape. For the ultimate flatter-factor, choose a dark-wash A-line shape and wear with heels to cheat your way to longer-looking legs.
Denim skirt, £49.95, 6-14, Massimo Dutti
THE RUT YOUR BEAUTIFUL BASICS FEEL SAME-Y THE FIX Reboot your wardrobe staples with embellishment, texture and embroidery to make a simple staple stand out. Think embellished denim, Breton tops with sequin collars and cool leather panels.
FROM TOP Floral, £39, 8-24, Very. Wrap, £75, 8-16, Yumi. Palm print, £26, 6-22, Next
THE RUT YOU THROW A
BLAZER OVER EVERYTHING THE FIX Lightweight bomber jackets will fast-track you into the new season. They look great with everything, from smart tailoring to denim – be on-trend and opt for satin, florals or embroidery. FROM LEFT Navy floral, £29.99, xs-l, Zara. Pink satin, £59, 6-22, M&S. Grey embroidery, £65, 6-18, H! by Henry Holland at Debenhams
For where to buy, see page 161
PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016 29
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HAPPY FEET! g, Zigza 90p, s -l,
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Team with a colour-pop pedi! uoise pattern, £15, 4-8, White Stuff Turq
Feature: Helen Johnson Photos: Agata Pec at Hearst Studios
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ometric, £2, 3-8, Prim Pink ge ark
For where to buy, see page 161
PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016 31
34
GORGEOUS SLEEVES
We’ve got you covered!
Bashful about your upper arms? There’s no need to be shy with these fab buys
DRESSES WITH SLEEVES? YES, PLEASE!
Tunic, £99, xs-xl, Monsoon
Pink, £55, 12-32, Simply Be
Up to size 32
Dress, £39, 8-22; bag, £18, both M&Co
Crochet, £110, 8-18, Phase Eight
An all-over print will disguise problem areas
Tiered, £55, 8-22, Per Una at M&S Tea, £65, 12-32, Simply Be Oriental, £69, 8-16, Darling London
Add a statement necklace under the collar 32 PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016
FAB LOOK!
Up to size 32
The clever draping and ruching on this dress is perfect for hiding a tummy!
Chic for your shape
PICK OF THE ARM-FRIENDLY TOPS! Kaftan, £48, 10-22; jeans, £55, 8-24, both Long Tall Sally Broderie, £99, 8-14, Hallhuber Blooms, £69, 8-18, Phase Eight
Ditsy, £18, 8-22, George
Balance the proportions of floaty tops by wearing with skinny jeans A fit-and-flare dress will flatter all shapes and sizes
Peasant, £49, 8-22, Monsoon
Boho, £39.99, xs-xl, Lindex
Up to size 32 Maxi, £45, 6-14, Lost Ink at House of Fraser
Folklore, £35, 14-32, Evans
This dress doubles as the perfect beach cover-up
Floaty sleeves will balance out a pear shape Glam, £125, 6-18, Biba at House of Fraser
Flared, £119, 6-16, Hallhuber
Floral, £35, 10-26, JD Williams Smock, £28, 6-22, Dorothy Perkins
Paisley, £14, 8-22, George
Up to size 26 An empire-line top is great for highlighting a waist and bust, as well as hiding a tummy
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PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016 33
Ruffles and frills are a hot trend this season! Belted, £19.99, 8-18, New Look
Frill, £32, 8-16, Oasis
Ruffle, £35, 8-20, Wallis Pussy bow, £16, 8-20, Matalan
MAKE FRIENDS WITH THE COLD SHOULDER
Aztec stripe, £14.99, 6-18, New Look
Exfoliate and buff to get your shoulders summer-ready
Chiffon, £40, 8-16, Sapphire for Wallis Bell, £25, 6-22, Next
Give a nod to the 1950s and team with red heels Spot, £45, 8-22, M&Co
Pleated, £27.50, 8-24, Collection at M&S
Gypsy, £25, 8-24, Very Tribal, £45, 8-16, Joy
We love this blouse! It’s perfect for going from day to night – just add a slick of red lipstick Embroidered, £29.99, xs-xl, Lindex
34 PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016
Printed, £12, 8-20, Matalan
Dress, £18, 6-20, F&F at Tesco
Feature: Lindsay Baker
Chic for your shape
Style solutions from our acting senior fashion editor WENDY RIGG
WORLD TRAVELLER From holiday-ready Embellished dress, £149, maxis and billowy 8-18; trousers, peasant blouses, £39, s-xl, both to glam party dresses Monsoon and luxe embellished dresses – the Artisan collection at Monsoon is ideal for stylish summer days. But what makes it extra special is that all items are handmade by skilled artisans from across Asia as part of Monsoon’s commitment to craftspeople and their communities.
MAKE IT PERSONAL Top, £39, 8-22, Monsoon
Maxi dress, £59, s-xl, Artisan at Monsoon
Mark special memories with Dower & Hall’s new engravable jewellery. Add names, initials, dates and messages to silver or 18ct gold vermeil pendants, bracelets or charms for a truly personal gift or keepsake. Prices start at £30.
Buy it, wear it,
Beach bag, £8, Primark
love it! Necklace, £17.99, New Look
Trend alert!
PERFECT MATCH This co-coordinating cossie and cover-up will make beachside dressing a breeze!
UPDATE YOUR UNDIES
Shake your pom-poms Oh-so-pretty pom-poms are popping up on our favourite accessories. Add a fun flourish to outfits with rainbow-bright bags, sensational sandals and fab jewellery!
Sandals, £35, 3-7, Office
Great value We love g sets! matchin Swimsuit, £14, 8-18; beach dress, £16, 8-22, both George at Asda
Summer’s floaty dresses, strappy tops and sheer fabrics mean it’s time to show your lingerie drawer some love! Swap basic bras for luxe lace styles in soft pastel tones that will sit prettily under lightweight summer layers. Bra, £18, s-l; briefs, £10, s-l, both Figleaves
PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016 35
Find a little peace!
A place of
OUR OWN... Amid the hustle and bustle of daily life, do you ever crave having somewhere beautiful and peaceful that’s just for you? Meet four women who discovered the joy of having a summer sanctuary
‘I arrive frazzled and leave calm and in control’ Natalie Brown, 35, is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives in Hove, East Sussex, with her husband Rob, 38, and their children Bluebell, four, and Maximilian, 18 months.
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riving to my allotment every Saturday, a sense of euphoria sweeps over me. It’s the one place where I can just be me. Not Mummy, not a wife, not an employee, just Natalie. I have no responsibilities, there are no demands, and my time is my own. Ironically, the original plan was to visit the allotment as a family. Rob and I have always lived in flats, but once our daughter was born, I craved some outside space – just a place to have a picnic, play in a paddling pool, grow flowers and produce food for ourselves. We moved to Hove in 2012 and I immediately put my name down for an allotment at a council-owned plot. I was overjoyed when, in December 2014, I received a letter to say a plot was ours. Costing just £36 a year, it was a bargain. I had visions of us spending weekends there, gardening, relaxing and playing. Within six months though, everyone but me had lost interest. My husband was training for a sports challenge and saw the allotment as a chore that was taking him away from his real passion: running. My daughter
36 PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016
would complain she was cold and bored, and my son was only a baby. I felt bitterly disappointed it hadn’t become the family activity I’d hoped it would be. I was worried I wouldn’t have the time or energy to manage it on my own, so I initially planned to give it up. But the more I thought about it, the more I realised how much the allotment had come to mean to me. Working from home means that unless I’m on the nursery run or doing a food shop, I’m always in our flat, which can
feel stifling. And, at the end of a stressful day, there’s laundry to be done, toys to be tidied and meals to be prepared. It’s impossible to switch off from all of that. The allotment, I realised, had become a retreat for me from day-to-day life. I felt relaxed while I was there and rejuvenated when I left. My husband had his hobby, I thought, why shouldn’t I have mine? Now, I can’t believe I nearly gave it up. I don’t know what I’d do without it.
Every Saturday, I leave Rob in charge of the children and spend around six hours there. Sometimes I’ll go on a weekday evening, too, until it gets dark. When I arrive, I unlock the little shed I erected, which has a table and two chairs inside, some bunting and my gardening tools. I bring a packed lunch and a Thermos of coffee with me and, if it’s sunny, I’ll spread out a blanket on the grass and flick through my magazines. There’s no electricity connected to the shed, so it’s a screen-free zone, apart from my mobile, which I bring for emergencies. I prune the rosebushes I’ve planted, and tend to the soft fruits and vegetables I’m growing. I love the neatness of my shed, and the orderly rows of plants. It’s such a contrast to the chaos of home, where there are toys and sticky handprints everywhere! When I arrive, I’m frazzled and my mind is racing. But within an hour of being there, I feel calm and in control again. Physically, I feel tired in a healthy way from working in the fresh air, and I always sleep well that night. It’s no exaggeration to say that the allotment makes me a better mother and wife. When I come home, I have more patience, I am upbeat, and feel revived. I don’t feel remotely guilty about enjoying my time away from family life – I believe it’s healthy for us to be alone sometimes and have time to miss each other.’ • Natalie blogs at crummymummy.co.uk
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‘The allotment makes me a better wife and mother – I don’t know what I’d do without it’
‘My she-shed is my greatest luxury’ Kim Morris, 57, works in retail. She lives in Wingrave, Buckinghamshire, with her husband Alan, 63, and their children George, 23, and Briony, 22.
shell in-between hospital appointments and now it’s my beautiful bolthole. I needed a distraction, something positive to focus on rather than dwell on what was, of course, a very difficult time, and the shed provided that. Every day, hen I was diagnosed with breast cancer I woke up feeling enthusiastic about creating my little oasis, and the mental last year, I couldn’t boost that gave me was so unexpected. have imagined what When my husband first suggested an important role my “she-shed” would play in my recovery. I have a “she-shed” built to house my The shed was built in our garden not textiles and haberdashery, I was sceptical. long after I’d had surgery. With five The thought of all my precious things weeks off work to have radiotherapy, out in the garden, in the cold and damp, I threw myself into transforming the empty horrified me. And would I really want
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to leave the house to go and spend time there, to do my sewing and crafting? Now, as Alan frequently reminds me, I realise what a fantastic idea it was to create a dedicated space, away from the house, just for me. I’m a lifelong hoarder and, by summer 2015, the bedroom in our home that I’d commandeered for myself was full to bursting with my collections of Sylko cotton reels, vintage fabrics and Japanese craft books, among other treasures. A loft conversion was too complicated, a house extension would have spoiled the look of our home so, reluctantly at first, I began to look into garden sheds. The one we chose is 12 feet by 14 feet and was built on site by a specialist company.
A RETREAT OF WONDER What began life as somewhere to store things has become my greatest luxury. Despite my initial misgivings, being completely separate from the house is one of the shed’s biggest attributes. Walking down the garden, I can shake off any worries about home or work. And, when I’m in the shed, there are no phones ringing, or people talking to me, no emails to answer or meetings to rush to. I feel completely cocooned. These days, my shed has many functions. It houses floor-to-ceiling lengths of fabrics and baskets – full of everything from wooden pegs to darning mushrooms – that hang from the ceiling. Here, I sew and make crafts, such as jewellery. I enjoy looking at all the colours and fabrics. It’s such a treat for the senses – a showcase of all the things that make me happy. I work full time in London, but drop in to the shed every day, even if it’s just for a few minutes in the evenings. At weekends, I’ll spend hours there – I lose track of time and Alan will usually knock on the door to tell me dinner is ready, as I never take my mobile. The best thing about having my shed in my garden is that I never feel sad turning off the lights and locking it up. I always know I can pop back whenever I want to. I’ve even inspired friends to get their own! It’s the first thing I see in the morning when I open my curtains, and it never fails to thrill me that it’s mine.’
Find a little peace!
‘My beach hut is more than a place to relax. It connects me to memories of my dad’
‘A sense of contentment washes over me’ Lisa Gregory, 50, is a hairstylist. She lives in Exeter with her partner Steve, 58, and has three grown-up stepchildren.
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ven though I’ve been lucky enough to have travelled around the world, nothing compares to watching the sun set over the Cornish coast from the comfort of my little beach hut. I sit on the deck outside with a glass of wine in my hand and just close my eyes, inhaling the sea air and listening to the waves lapping on to the beach in front of me. It’s absolutely heavenly. For me, the beach hut is much more than just a place to relax – it’s an important connection to my childhood and memories of my wonderful dad, who passed away eight years ago. For the first 17 years of my life, we took our family holiday at the nearby seaside resort of Tolcarne, staying in the same hotel for two weeks every summer. When the tide was out, Dad and I would walk on the beach, known as Lusty Glaze. We’d chat, fish in the rock
pools and just enjoy our time together. My partner Steve has a holiday home 10 minutes from Lusty Glaze and, when a friend told us that you could lease the huts on the beach, I was determined to get one. There was a huge waiting list – it took eight years for me to reach the top! When I got the call in March 2013 to say I’d finally been allocated a hut, I was thrilled. I pay £1,250 a year and the hut is mine for as long as I want it. I can’t imagine giving it up, it’s such a focal part of my life. At least twice a month, Steve and I drive down from Exeter for a few days. While he plays golf, I go to the hut and spend all day there. A sense of contentment washes over me the moment I unlock the doors. Steve had a sign with “Lisa’s Hut” carved on it, which I’ve hung on the door. I’ve styled the interior with a holiday theme, filling it with shells from the beach and things I’ve collected from
my travels. I don’t want a home from home, I want to feel as if I’m on holiday when I’m there. I upcycled a tea trolley to act as a table, and had two chairs and a lampshade upholstered with Cath Kidston fabric. I only wish there was space for a bed because I’d love to stay! I do very little at the hut. I walk on the beach, read or just sit on the decking outside and watch the sea. It’s very cathartic and in stark contrast to my daily life running my busy hair salon. Steve pops over to have breakfast on the gas stove I installed, or to watch the sun set with me. And I’m not territorial – I’ll happily loan the hut to friends if I’m going abroad, or invite them down for the day. Part of the joy it gives me is being able to share it with other people. I feel a strong connection to my dad when I’m there. He adored that part of the world and passed that love on to me. I think he’d approve of the small, but perfect, place of my own that I’ve found.’
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PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016 39
Find a little peace!
‘My time on the boat is entirely my own’
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alking out of my office in London after a busy day, there’s only one thing on my mind: stepping on to my beloved narrowboat. I visit it most days, as well as at weekends and sometimes I sleep over there, too. It really is my little sanctuary in the heart of the city. It’s moored at the St Pancras Cruising Club, just 15 minutes
from where I work, and 10 minutes from home. But it may as well be miles away… My love of boats dates back 20 years, when a university friend bought a narrowboat and moored it here. In those days, we used it as a place to have parties, drink a few beers and hang out. When she got married, she sold her boat, but I didn’t want to lose my connections with the club where I’d made so many friends. By then a boat lover myself, I decided to buy my own. I’m now on my second, called Bluto after the character in Popeye, which
I bought in 2012. It’s around 40 years old, seven foot wide and 40 feet long. It cost around £8,000. As I’ve got older, and my lifestyle has changed, so has my use of the boat. While it was once a place to socialise, and to take on trips to have adventures, it’s evolved into a personal retreat. I do still take it out for a few weeks every summer, sailing it on the Thames or River Lea, but most of the time it’s moored. And, apart from the odd time my husband pops in, or I invite a neighbouring boat owner over for a glass of wine, it’s a place just for me to relax, drink tea and be creative. I treat the boat like a canvas, and enjoy painting the interior. From the floors to the window panes, it’s been every shade imaginable. I’m sure some people might think it’s a bit crazy, but that’s the joy of it being my retreat – it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks! There’s an open-plan kitchen/living area with a sofa bed, a bathroom with a small shower and toilet, a second living space with an open fire, and two decks. Apart from some repairs and a bit of remodelling, I haven’t done much to Bluto and have kept it basic. I want it to be a simple place – a complete escape from modern life and all its trappings. I have a paperwork ban on the boat; I never take my work there, as I want to protect it from any negativity or stress.
‘It’s a place for me to relax and be creative. It’s been painted every shade imaginable!’ My husband Graham has his hobbies and he’s very happy that I have my boat. We both need our own space and it’s healthy to have different interests. I’ve made some wonderful friendships with other boat owners, most of whom also use their boats as personal retreats. There’s an unspoken understanding at the club that if your doors are closed, you want to be left alone. Popping round uninvited isn’t the done thing. What I love most is that when I’m on the boat, I’m free from responsibility or expectations. My time is entirely my own.’ 40 PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016
Feature: Eimear O’Hagan Photos: Thomas Skovsende, Angela Nott
Fay Walsh, 41, lives in London with her husband Graham, 51. She is a partner in an engineering company.
‘FOOD is about fun, HAPPINESS and love...’ O
n a rainy day last year, Jane, 50, filled out the application form for the BBC’s flagship cooking competition, MasterChef. Despite having two decades of midweek suppers under her belt, Jane was convinced that nothing would come of it. How wrong she was! After beating thousands of amateur chefs to make it on to the live shows, she wowed the judges by turning simple ingredients into showstopping creations. And, after a faultless final – including a dish of cockles and winkles inspired by her childhood – she was crowned champion. Jane’s victory was all the more poignant as it marked the end of a lengthy battle with cancer, which began in her early forties. She’s now been in remission for three years.
Mum-of-four Jane is used to cooking for her hungry horde! 42 PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016
Since MasterChef, my feet haven’t touched the floor. None of my friends knew I was doing the show until the first episode was on television. Only my closest family knew that I’d won and they had to keep it a secret for months. We watched the final episode at home with friends and, when they announced that I’d won, it was all screaming and Champagne. It wasn’t until I sat down and watched it on my own a few days later that I heard all the lovely things the judges said about me – then I really cried. Being on the show unleashed a creative side I didn’t know I had. Just being there gave me the confidence to try out some wacky ideas. By the end, I was having food dreams and waking up at 3am thinking, ‘Oh! I could do that!’ You really do put your heart and soul on a plate and then get judged for it. It made me feel like a little girl – I just wanted to hear, ‘That was nice, have a gold star!’ When I was a child, my dad was forever bringing home weird and wonderful ingredients. We were very much a working-class family. My dad was a market trader – he ran the cheese and egg stall outside The Crown pub on Cricklewood Broadway in London and I helped out there from the age of 11. Whatever Dad brought home, Mum would cook it. She’d make brawn
MasterChef judges Gregg Wallace and John Torode with Jane
(terrine made from a pig’s head), giblet stew and winkles – because if you don’t have a lot of money, that’s the sort of food you eat. For us, the weirdest thing he brought home was a pomegranate; we had no idea what to do with it and sat there for hours picking at it with pins! Food should be about fun, happiness and love. My husband Mark and I were in our early twenties when we met. When we first started dating, he cooked me a roast dinner. He was probably trying to impress me, but he made the most awful lumpy gravy – it was so bad, I had to rescue it! But it’s the mistakes that make things fun. That’s the wonderful thing about food – if it goes wrong, it’s not the be all and end all. If you’re going to do something, make sure you do your best. When I was working, I was very much a career woman. I went to temp at a company that was the first importer of compact PCs into the UK. I ended up in the marketing department and loved my job so much that when I was pregnant for the first time, people would say, ‘I can’t imagine you as a mum’. When I ended up staying at home with the children, it took me by surprise as much as anyone else. We’re a very strong family unit. I’m lucky to have such a lovely husband and
Feature: Nikki Osman Photos: David Rose/The Telegraph, BBC
Hands up if, like us, you cheered when Jane Devonshire won MasterChef? Now, the mum-offour talks exclusively to Prima about following her dreams and how cooking helped her through cancer
Prima people great kids. Sam is 23, Rebecca is 21, Harry is 17, and Ben is 13, and, when you have teenagers, it’s not always sweetness and light. But I like the noise and the busyness of it all. I’ve always tried to have an open house – it’s our place that will be invaded by hordes of teenagers or a group of them that are still there from the night before. I’ll often find myself cooking breakfast for 10 hungry boys. It meant that when I went on MasterChef, I knew the mass-catering challenge wasn’t going to be an issue for me! Food is integral to who I am and how I feel about home and family. I grew up with a family who sat around the kitchen table every night and that’s the thing I’ve taken into my own family life. The children have grown up in the kitchen. We’d be talking and I’d hand one of them a knife and they’d get on with chopping some carrots. Then we’d all sit down and eat together. For me, that’s very important. My youngest son Ben was very ill as a child and it very quickly became apparent that there was something wrong. It was a relief when he was diagnosed with coeliac disease – an allergy to gluten. When you’re cooking gluten-free meals, you really have to cook from scratch – you can’t rely on the occasional shop-bought pizza. For me, it just underlined what I was already doing and I integrated the rules into the way I already cooked. It meant that when I went on MasterChef, most of what I made was gluten-free, too – because that’s how I cook. Being diagnosed with breast cancer came completely out of the blue. I didn’t have a family history of the disease and I’d always eaten healthily. I just checked myself one day and found a lump. During that time, cooking became even more important to me. When you’re poorly, all the things you normally do – the ironing, the hoovering – can be forgotten. But the kitchen is my comfort zone – it’s where I go when I’m stressed, and cooking was something I could still do for my family.
I knew if I could just get a meal on the table and we could all sit down and talk, then it would be okay. Going through that proved how important food is to me. I’m over the moon to be 50. My birthday was in April and I marked it with a big party at home with lots of family, lots of friends and lots of bubbles! It was a real celebration. I get quite frustrated when people moan about getting older because getting older is a privilege and a joy. Now all these doors are opening for me, which is amazing. It’s so thrilling to be sitting here at 50 not knowing what the future will bring. The worst thing would be to go through life and think, ‘I wish I’d done that’. My family and I were fanatical about MasterChef, and going on the show was scary, but I loved it. I believe that whatever it is you want to do, just go and do it. Even if you don’t succeed, at least you’ll have tried, and that’s an amazing thing in itself. Go for it! • janecdevonshire.com
JANE’S TOP COOKERY TIPS Read lots of recipes. I find that something will always catch my eye and work its way into my everyday food. If you cook the same thing, it becomes boring – it’s a great way to mix things up. Taste your food. Recipes are there to start you off, but they can’t tell you to add more lemon, salt or chilli – that comes down to you and your palate. Trust your instincts, add a little at a time, and when you’re happy, stop! Be led by ingredients. I don’t plan meals religiously. When I’m walking around the supermarket, I’ll look for ingredients that appeal and build a meal around them – like new-season asparagus or Jersey Royal potatoes. Always make extra. If I’m making chilli for six people, I’ll just make it for 12, and stick the leftovers in the freezer. That way, the next time a horde of hungry teenagers pile through the door, I know I have a home-cooked meal ready to go!
Feeling inspired? Head to prima.co.uk for Jane’s delicious spatchcock chicken recipe
That’s life!
‘Bikini-ready? Not a chance!’ After years spent yearning for the perfect beach body, Fiona Gibson has finally found happiness with a figureflattering one-piece...
Photos: Getty
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his month, the bikini turns 70. But I won’t be celebrating. The garment was the brainchild of French designer Louis Réard, who came up with the concept after witnessing women rolling down their swimsuits on the beach, and it rapidly went mainstream. I can’t help but wonder how much anxiety he could have saved womankind if he’d never bothered. If only he’d turned his attention to, say, the bottom-shrinking trouser or the hip-hiding skirt, instead of sending generations of women out into the world in their bra and pants! Where bikinis are concerned, we seem to lose all reason. We talk about becoming ‘bikini-ready’, shunning cake while wittering, ‘Oh no! It’s only a week away!’ as if that longed-for holiday was a terrible medical procedure we’ve been dreading. Nothing makes a woman feel like substandard goods like bikini shopping. Year after year, we try different styles in a bid to find The One. It’s like dating the wrong kind of man, over and over – if the wrong kind of man made us cry in changing rooms, that is. The galling thing is, every woman that I know would look perfectly fine – perfectly real – in a bikini. So why do we all have such a hang-up about it? Well, it sure doesn’t help that the bar has been set ridiculously high. Think bikini, and who springs to mind? Elizabeth Hurley, so fond of the darn things she designs
her own range (usually white and in postage-stamp-size proportions). More ego-crushing yet, Ursula Andress still represents the epitome of bikini-clad loveliness – 54 years after the Bond movie Dr No came out, in which she emerged goddess-like from the sea. Honestly, what hope is there for us mere mortals? For years, I forced myself to wear bikinis because that’s what you did on your holidays. I’d hunch on the sand, horribly conscious of my ample bottom, insignificant boobs and never-flat-enough stomach – not because I felt terrible about myself all the time, but because my scrappy little bikini made me feel that way. A decade or so later, after two pregnancies, my middle zone was decidedly porridge-like, yet still I felt obliged to show it and wear a Réard two-piece simply because I was holidaying somewhere slightly warmer than Glasgow. By the time I reached my mid-forties, I had resorted to the ludicrous measure of trying to wear bikinis in the size I wanted to be, rather than the size I really was. As a result, the last time I wore one, the top pinged open in front of my husband and our three children – the little plastic fastener shooting off and nearly taking one of the kids’ eyes out. ‘Ooh, bit too small for you, is it?’ my husband said with a smirk. ‘Cheaply made,’ I shot back. There and then, I decided to quit bikinis. I gave them up, just like I gave up smoking, and eating jellies made of gin. I have now bought myself a horribly expensive swimsuit instead – halterneck, 1950s-style – and it is worth every single
penny. It holds me in where I need it, while showing off all the right bits and, as well as doing wonders for my body, it has the power to boost my mood. Clearly I’m too long in the tooth for a holiday romance, but holidaying with my halterneck one-piece friend, I think I have finally found The One – or at least one that doesn’t leave me in tears in the changing room. Bon voyage! • Fiona’s latest novel is The Women Who Upped And Left (Avon, £7.99)
‘Nothing makes a woman feel inadequate like bikini shopping’
The HEALING POWER of a
JOURNAL What started as a way to vent as a teenager became a lifelong ritual for Elaine Kingett. But keeping a diary would change her life in ways she never imagined
46 PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016
Keeping a diary, making up poetry and scribbling down song lyrics can help people get over emotional distress, according to research.
Photos: Angela Spain Elaine wears: Top, £49; jeans, £49, both Monsoon. Wedges, £32, Next. Notebook, £12.99, Filofax
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his summer, do something for yourself: buy a cheap notebook and start writing things down. It doesn’t have to be pricey or have a fancy cover – it’s what you’ll be putting in it that counts. I can hear your excuses already. You can’t spell? It doesn’t matter. Your handwriting is terrible? Who cares? You don’t know where to start? Start on the first page – today! I know the transformative power of putting pen to paper better than most. I’ll never forget my first journal: a Letts leather-bound, five-year diary – blood red with a brass lock. It was a necessity growing up the eldest of four in a noisy, crowded house in Basingstoke. Aged 15, I was an argumentative little so-andso who, according to my mother, “loved the sound of her own voice”. The journal was a longed-for gift from my parents, and it changed my life. Whenever the heat was on downstairs, I’d hide in my bedroom, pouring out my frustration and fears into those pages. It was my safe space – somewhere I could truly admit how I felt without fear of being told off or cut short. Admittedly, it was mostly about boys, spots and falling out with friends. But among the daily dramas of teenage life were some
Dear diary
landmark moments, too – like the day when, aged 17, I met Jerry, the man who’d later become my husband. Three days later, in black biro, I scribbled, “Am going out with Jerry. He’s very sweet.” In the years that followed, my journal recorded all the major milestones: a scrap of paper lists the guests I invited to my 21st birthday; there were letters to Jerry, even after he became my husband; and endless poems written for my children when they each came into the world. One note records the date my son Jamie, now 36, did his first poo in the toilet (a fact I love reminding him of!). Over the years, scribbling in my notebooks became a ritual as familiar to me as any other. But it wasn’t until tragedy touched my life that I came to realise the therapeutic value of my writing.
MY BEST FRIEND Jerry was diagnosed with terminal leukaemia and, overnight, my pocketsized journal became my best friend. I carried it with me everywhere. It was something to occupy my brain and hands while spending hours in hospital wards and waiting rooms. While Jerry slept, I’d describe the room, list the sounds and smells, plus the crisis diet of crackers and Pepsi Max that I’d adopted. I gave myself permission to be honest, too. In between lists of the drugs Jerry was taking were rage-filled rants about
GET CREATIVE ON A WRITING HOLIDAY Elaine runs fully inclusive, weeklong therapeutic creative writing holidays in stunning locations in Spain, France and Wales. No experience is necessary and you’ll return home with sky-high self-esteem, new friendships and a notebook of memories and stories. Visit write-it-down.co.uk.
the unfairness of life and panic-stricken paragraphs on the terror of being left alone. In the real world, I had to be the coping, caring wife and mother, but within those pages I could be indulgent, self-centred and angry. During that difficult time, unravelling my thoughts on to the page gave me breathing space, a virtual hug and, after Jerry’s death, the energy to carry on. Then, four years later, both my parents passed away within three months of one another. Writing for myself became my emotional crutch once again. But it was only then that I discovered I wasn’t the first in my family to discover journaling. I was clearing out my parents’ house with my siblings one day when I found a treasure trove of family history in their loft – letters, birthday cards and journals. Reading them, I was so moved by their diary entries – and one affected me more than most. “Met Alan Kilford. He’s rather sweet,” wrote my mother – an
WRITE OF PASSAGE: HOW TO START JOURNALING Find a piece of paper and a pen and, for the next five minutes, write down anything that comes into your head, however disjointed or bizarre it might be. Keep your pen on the paper and, if you can’t think of anything to write, repeat what you’ve just written – even if it’s simply, ‘I can’t think what to write.’ Don’t worry about spelling, complete sentences or the state of your handwriting – even swear if you want to! Tomorrow, do it for 10 minutes, and repeat the next day. Carry a notebook with you and find inspiration in the everyday. Who were you with when you bought this magazine? Where were you? What were you wearing? What was the date? Use it for shopping lists, to-do lists and websites. Stick in photos, get friends to add comments and children to draw pictures. Don’t worry about stains – it’s all part of your story. In fact, draw a ring around them and describe them, too. There are no rules or limits.
entry I’d unknowingly echoed 20 years later in my own journal. Reading my mother’s diaries taught me so much about her life. She came from a generation where children were seen and not heard. She’d never even shared her age with me, let alone her doubts, insecurities and fears. But reading her diaries opened up my heart to her, and helped me to understand the woman I’d never really known.
CHANGING LIVES I realised then what an important part of my life notebooks had become. Not only had they been my lifeline in my hour of need, they’d taught me so much about the people I loved. If the simple act of putting pen to paper could change my life, I wondered if it could help other people in the same way. I decided to set up a writing group to share what I’d learned with others. I began by gathering small groups of new mothers at my home in London to help them explore their feelings at one of the most important stages in their lives. Sitting on my sofa, they’d scribble away, while I fed them tea and cake. I didn’t know what to expect – but what happened next surprised and amazed me. One young woman told me I’d made her feel like a better mother, another confided her deepest secrets, and one even invited me to her wedding. We shared stories, laughter and tears and, through those meetings, friendships were forged. Five years, and many hundreds of fascinating stories later, those group meetings have evolved into something even bigger. I now run therapeutic and creative writing holidays for people from all walks of life. They’re open to everyone, regardless of their writing experience and, once people start writing, the progress of their lives and their creativity amazes them all. For me, the best part is hearing someone read out their work, and say, “I don’t know where that came from!” Writing changed my life – but I can only tell my own story, just as only you can tell yours.’ PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016 47
Kitchen table talent
‘WE TURNED SPORT
INTO A BUSINESS!’ Meet the women whose activity enterprises are on a winning streak
‘I help people get back on their bikes’ Lynn Bye, 49, from Ilkley, Yorkshire, knew that finding the right cycling gear could be a struggle, which set the wheels in motion for a new business.
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ver the years, I’d spent a lot of time outside the changing rooms in bike shops, waiting for my husband, Richard, to emerge. He would gingerly pull the curtain back, revealing a less-than-attractive sight – a 6ft 3in man squeezed into a pair of tiny Lycra shorts, which left nothing to the imagination! Richard has always loved to be active, but his size meant that he’s always been “the fat lad at the back”. On cycling trips with his mates, he’d be puffing up hills, only to whizz past them all on the way down because weight was on his side! Like many cyclists, he wanted the proper gear, but finding the right size was tricky. One day, Richard asked what I thought about starting our own cycling clothing company. It was out of the blue, but it came at a good time: my property business had just finished a big project, so I was at a loose end, while Richard, who was working in IT at the time, wanted a new challenge. We decided to go for it, calling the business Fat Lad At The Back (or FLAB for short), inspired by Richard’s nickname. While I enjoyed going out for a ride on a Sunday – especially if it involved cake at the end – I wasn’t much of cyclist. But having worked in fashion merchandise
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years earlier, I knew about clothes. If Richard was the fat lad at the back, I was the arty-farty lass – a term which has since become my unofficial title! I did extensive research, looking up what was on sale and asking cyclists on Facebook what they really wanted. We soon realised that there were hundreds of men like Richard trying to squeeze into ill-fitting Lycra, and all of them said the same thing: that they wanted longer body jerseys to cover their tummies. Based on the feedback, and using my creative skills, I sat at the kitchen table and sketched out some designs. Next, we needed to find a factory. I rang hundreds of places in the UK, only to find that most had a template that only went up to a 46-inch chest. But we wanted to go beyond that. Six months later, a factory in Italy agreed to manufacture our range – they specialised in kit for professional and semi-professional cyclists, so we knew they’d do a good job. Now, our clothes cater for those up to a 58-inch chest! Thrilled that our dream was poised to become reality, we survived by calling in favours. A friend designed our website and Richard and I worked for free while living off our savings. The main cost was our stock, which was around £5,000. We began with couple of hundred pieces – men’s short-sleeved tops and trousers – and I packaged it all at home. But after
five months, we outsourced packaging and delivery to a specialist company. As we prepared to launch our website in October 2013, we sent a press release to journalists. But we could never have anticipated what would happen next. When the site went live, so many people tried to access it that it crashed, and we were out of stock within a matter of hours! Our publicity was done almost entirely through word of mouth and social media and soon after we launched, women started telling us they also felt exposed in unflattering gear. So, just like before, we responded to demand. In 2014, we launched our womenswear range and were amazed by how quickly it took off. One of our most popular items is the In The Pink jersey, £59.99, while our top seller for men is still the Balmy jersey, £49.99. In May, we organised a cycling event in Yorkshire, which 460 people attended, and we regularly have stands at cycling shows across the country. Richard and I work well as a team and our skills – my creativity and his logic – complement each other’s. Fun is at the centre of our brand. Even now, people look at our FLAB logo and say, “That’s me!” I want people to be proud of their bodies, and enjoy exercise – and if a cycle ride involves cake at the end, then so much the better.’ • Visit fatladattheback.com
‘So many people placed orders that we ran out of stock within hours’
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Lynn models her fabulous FLAB cyclewear
LYNN’S BUSINESS TIPS Do your research before you commit to anything. Don’t assume there’s a gap in the market. Be adaptable – our womenswear range was designed as a result of customer demand. Brand is key. Make your business stand out with a snappy name or concept, which sets it apart.
Kitchen table talent
‘You’re never too old to boogie and bounce!’ Jenny Belcher, 51, from Tamworth, Staffordshire, has turned her fitness hobby into a global business.
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s pop music filled the air, and disco lights flashed, I watched with wonder as an 87-year-old lady did the splits in mid-air before landing safely on her trampoline with a bounce and a smile. Since setting up a business combining exercise and dance on trampolines, I’ve learned you’re never too old to have a boogie and a bounce! I bought my first trampoline after reading about the exercise benefits: the low-impact workout is easy on joints and increases circulation. Working in marketing for the leisure industry, I enjoyed being active, so I was open to trying something new and set up
Jenny on her innovative T-Bar trampoline
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“What do you do on your trampoline?” the 40-inch trampoline in my kitchen. someone asked. One morning, I came downstairs to “Well, we bounce around, and we find my children, Sam, then eight, and have a little boogie,” I said. With that, Charlotte, then six, jumping around on Boogie Bounce was born! the trampoline to music. They were I bought 10 trampolines for £100 each, giggling and out of breath – working then went on an exercise-to-music course hard but enjoying it, too. I decided to to learn safe ways to work out. Once swap my usual star jumps for some dance moves and, after devising a short I was qualified to teach, I set up evening routine, I began to do it every day. classes in our village hall, distributed I couldn’t believe the results. After leaflets and told everyone I knew. Soon, I was inundated with calls. After a few weeks, I’d lost weight and toned a couple of months, the demand had up. My husband Andy also noticed grown so much that I was able to quit the difference, and when I told my my day job to run Boogie Bounce full friends my secret, they each bought a time. I increased the number of classes trampoline and I began to hold informal until they were classes at home. virtually running I’d found a gap in JENNY’S BUSINESS TIPS back to back, the fitness market Passion is contagious. If you Monday to Friday, – all I needed was believe in what you’re doing, and bought more a name. so will others. trampolines. Within Whatever you think the business four months, I’d will cost, double or treble it. recouped my start-up Assess what’s out there, then fix costs of £2,000. your price according to your area. But three years In the north, classes cost around ago, I had a fall while £5. In London, they’re closer to £10. climbing a mountain on holiday in Spain. I had surgery on my knee, leaving me in a wheelchair and then on crutches for three months. With a staff of instructors, Boogie Bounce was still thriving, but I wondered if I’d get back on a trampoline again. And I may not have were it not for Andy. He suggested holding a handlebar as I bounced, and drew up a design that we had made. That was the T-bar model – and it transformed my classes. Not only could I steady myself with my arms, I got a full-body workout. It also meant that Boogie Bounce became accessible to all – those recovering from injury, the blind, and the elderly, too. In the last three years, Boogie Bounce has gone global, with classes in eight countries across Europe, as well as in Australia and Pakistan. I never thought it would be so huge, and it feels amazing to be an international businesswoman. This year, we’re celebrating our 20th anniversary. I’m doing something I love and am fitter and happier than ever. I’ve well and truly bounced back!’ • Visit boogiebounce.com
Liz’s fencing classes hit the spot!
‘Children love the thrill of sparring together!’
Feature: Ella Dove Photos: Angela Nott, Simon Wilkinson, Beverley Sallis Photography Liz was photographed at Sherborne Prep School
Liz Williams, 45, from Swindon, Wiltshire, went from stay-at-home mum to sword-wielding instructor.
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atching the children’s faces light up as I demonstrate how to lunge and parry, my heart swells with pride. Teaching fencing to autistic children is a world away from my old life working in retail marketing, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. People with autism often find team sports disconcerting, but the parameters of fencing can be comforting. There are strict rules, so nothing is unexpected. Parents often say that my classes have brought their child out of their shell. I was only looking for a hobby when I signed up to a six-week beginners’
LIZ’S BUSINESS TIPS Stay on top of trends within your market – it will give you an edge. Be prepared to compete with big businesses. Being able to react quickly gives you an advantage. Plan ahead as much as possible to prepare for all eventualities.
course in fencing. As an action-film addict, I couldn’t wait to give it a go. It turned out I had a knack for it. I had good co-ordination and, because I was a pianist, the flexible wrist movement required to grip the sword came naturally. By the end of the course, I wanted to carry on. I’d given up my job when my children were born to look after them. I wanted to work again, but with three kids under 10, I needed something flexible. I loved the idea of working with children and, in my previous role, I’d done a lot of teaching, so I wondered if I could combine my skills and coach fencing. It was a big commitment, but when my husband, Daryl, who has his own IT business, said that I should follow my passion, I went for it. I signed up for coaching with both the British Academy of Fencing and British Fencing, and gained Level 2 qualifications in all three types of weapon – foil, épée, and sabre. Each course and exam cost around £400. Using a credit card, I spent £2,000 on fencing kits for 12 children and paid £60 to join the British Academy of Fencing, which also covered my insurance. Next, I started approaching local schools and, using my contacts from the school gate,
I began to generate some interest. After a brainstorming session with my family around the kitchen table – and many cups of coffee – we decided to call the business Buccaneer Blades. We launched in 2007, and from the first lesson the children loved the thrill of holding a weapon and feeling a little dangerous, even if they weren’t. Younger children and beginners use blunt plastic weapons to ensure safety, plus each class is tailored to its age group and skill level. From children’s parties, I branched out into after-school clubs and corporate team-building events – some people love the prospect of sparring with their boss! But my favourite classes are those with children who have special needs. I now sub-contract seven brilliant coaches, and earn more than I ever did in retail. The business pays the mortgage, and I’m hoping to expand it this year. Buccaneer Blades has become a real family affair: Daryl’s web company looks after the website, while my children, Grace, 14, Lucy, 11, and Harry, 10, all have lessons. As for me, I’m so glad I trusted my instincts and took that leap of faith. It’s the best decision I’ve ever made.’ • Visit buccaneerblades.co.uk PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016 51
Finding love
It all started one
SUMMER... We all have memories of sun-kissed days filled with romance and laughter. Here, three writers recall how they got that loving feeling
‘We ate ice cream and kissed’ When Rosie Blake’s friend dragged her to a Christian camp one summer, she thought she’d be bored. Instead, she met her first love.
According to my diary, we were a good match. “We get on very well,” I wrote. “His star sign is Cancer, which is meant to be a fab match for a Scorpio!” We spent our evenings watching films together and one day, while we were eating Mr Whippy ice creams, our lips touched for the first time. It was clumsy y summer of love began and he tasted like raspberry sauce. But I took to my diary immediately to report at an English holiday in capital letters that: “WE PULLED”. camp. My best friend A week later it was time to say had dragged me there goodbye, but we arranged to meet again and, as it was a camp for Christians, in Bristol. There we spent an idyllic four I imagined it would be more Songs Of days wandering in the sunshine, drinking Praise than Dirty Dancing. So nobody milkshakes overlooking the suspension was more surprised than me when, on bridge and holding hands in the cinema. a north Devon campsite, I experienced I remember watching students the stomach-churning feeling of love for sunbathing on the grass, and thinking I’d the first time. found myself in the coolest city in the Before that summer, I’d had little world. I wept on the train back home. interest in the opposite sex. But when, For weeks, he called and wrote me sitting round the campfire, I saw him for letters – each one annotated with a the first time, the feeling was utterly diagram of his fantasy football team. But overwhelming. I was a fresh-faced 15 year old experimenting with tie-dyeing I lived 120 miles away in Portsmouth and, my clothes and highlighting my hair using once the summer turned into September, lemon juice. He was a Newcastle United the phone calls and letters dried up. I was gutted. But that summer of love fan from Bristol, with blonde curtains, would leave its mark on me in more called Dan. And that summer I learned more about love (and Alan Shearer) than ways than one. When I came to apply I could ever have imagined. for university, that image of students
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sunbathing on the grass returned to me. I applied, got in, and ended up living in Bristol for most of my twenties. I’m happily married now, but never did forget the boy with the blonde curtains. Last month, I moved house, and when I found my old diaries, the memories of that summer came flooding back – from declarations of love in huge cartoon-like letters to unfiltered streams of consciousness in my trademark teenage scrawl. It made for hilarious – if a little excruciating – reading, but it was wonderful to read a play-by-play account of my first summer of love.’ • Rosie’s latest book, How To Find Your (First) Husband (Corvus, £7.99), is out now
Rosie at 15, when she met her first love
‘I eloped with my husband!’ Sarah Perry left her London life behind to escape to the countryside, and found herself having a second honeymoon.
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ne summer afternoon in 2013, I watched my husband queuing to buy crab from a Norfolk seafood shack. His black curls stuck up at all angles from the wind, and his neck was brown from the sun; then he turned and waved, and made some funny gesture to make me laugh. Quite an ordinary scene, I suppose – but to me, it seemed miraculous. Because Rob and I had run away – eloped I often say, as if one can elope after 13 years of marriage. More than a decade in London had worn us down: Rob was a police officer, and over the years the interminable nights had left him gaunt and grey. He never
complained, either then or now, about what he saw and did – the dying boy he found in a London street, beaten by a gang; the criminal who attacked him with acid, leaving him in hospital – but it was like watching all the lights in a building go out one by one. He had begun to develop a stooped walk, and the gentle humour that used to liven almost everything he said seemed to have drained away. Meanwhile, I was riding a wave that was about to leave me shipwrecked. I was studying for a PhD while working full time and, as if afraid to have a moment’s peace, I was also working as a freelance writer. It was around that time that Rob’s mother died, very suddenly, having only been ill for three days. When, not long after the funeral, I found out I was finally pregnant after three years of trying, it seemed somehow a gift. But it was not to be and I miscarried within a month.
Then and now: Sarah and Rob on their wedding day (top) and their new life in Norfolk
Suddenly, one thing seemed absolutely clear: we needed to get out of London – and sharpish! We made arrangements to move out of our rented flat, handed in our notices at our respective jobs, and within weeks we’d pitched up in a chilly Victorian terrace in Norwich. We had no jobs, no friends, no connections whatsoever – nothing but a premonition, on my part, that all would be well. Rob started studying for a master’s at the University of East Anglia and I plugged away at my novel, and we gradually settled into our new life. The changes weren’t instant – even Norfolk can’t work miracles – but that long, hot summer we found ourselves again. At Sheringham, we got tipsy on Pimm’s as Morris dancers swaggered up to the bar with tankards fastened to their belts; at Brancaster beach, we bathed in the warm waters of the Wash. We walked arm in arm around Cromer lifeboat museum, tearful at heroic tales; we picnicked in the grounds of stately homes and hunted out curlews and sandpipers on the Burnham marshes. For the first time in our lives, we had a garden: we grew sweet peas by the armful, and cooked cheap sausages on a portable barbecue. It was a summer of healing, as much as one of love. I never loved that grave and
‘We got tipsy on Pimm’s and swam in warm waters’
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Finding love weary man any less than the laughing boy I’d married. However, inch by inch, the years rolled back. I watched my husband stand a little taller, laugh a little more often and always be ready with that bear-like hug of his. Now and then – sitting sleepily in the garden drinking gin and tonic as the ice
cracked in the glass – I’d say, “When do we have to go back to London; when is the summer over?” and he’d laugh, and say, “Never, love, never. It’s okay, we’re home.” And he turned out to be right – we’ve never left.’ • Sarah’s latest book, The Essex Serpent (Serpent's Tail, £14.99), is out now
Swept off her feet: Sarah and Will
Sarah Vaughan was licking her wounds after a painful break-up when she met a handsome stranger at the baggage carousel.
tiny Greek arrivals hall, I realised I’d have to be a bit sociable if I wanted to avoid a miserable two weeks. Scouring the room for anyone who looked like they might be going sailing, I spied three young men wearing backpacks. They looked sweet and non-threatening – no chance of romance there, I thought. Then the one with his back to me turned he summer of 1999 didn’t around and shot me a wide, open grin start as a romantic high – and I felt a jolt of attraction so strong point. In fact, it was quite I thought everyone in the room must the reverse. After being dumped in the springtime by a boyfriend have noticed. His name was Will. I’d briefly thought of as the love of my The guys ended up on the same coach life, I was adamant I didn’t want another transfer and, by the end of the journey, relationship. Why would I risk having my had persuaded me to move from a room in the village to their hotel. I’d always heart pummelled again? But, having worked through a long, hot been cynical about holiday romances summer, I was tired and in need of a – a cliché that can never translate into holiday. With all my the real world – so girlfriends coupled I tried to dismiss up, I decided that I what was happening – an independent 26 as an ego-boosting year old who didn’t fling. Will might need a man – was have been six foot going to take myself on a break alone, tall with dark hair, high cheekbones, a dusting of freckles and an ability to make on a sailing holiday in Greece. I didn’t feel quite so defiant at 5.30am me laugh, but the last thing I wanted was at Gatwick airport. Wracked with nerves, to get involved with anyone, right? It wasn’t until we went sailing together I plucked off half my eyebrows and, as – and nearly capsized – that I began to my plane took off, my stomach was a mesh of anxiety. By the time I entered the feel my cynicism melting away. While
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‘I began to feel my cynicism melting away’
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I panicked, he remained calm, and out on the water we talked for hours, fleshing out our childhoods and our hopes for the future. The guys only stayed a week, and on Will’s final night we danced to Dancing Queen in the local taverna, then walked barefoot along a moonlit beach. When he left, I played it cool. There was talk of a party a fortnight later, not far from my flat, and they said they’d be in touch. I thought Will would be, but who knew what might happen in two weeks? Then I got home to find a parcel filled with penny chews – which I’d revealed I’d been forbidden as a child – and a message on my answer machine. What happened next? Well, dear reader, I married him! Nearly 17 years and two children later, we’ve yet to return to Kalamata. Perhaps I fear it won’t be as magical as I remember, or maybe it’s because we’ve been too busy forging new holiday memories. But at least I’m no longer cynical when someone tells me about their holiday romance. It really can lead to a happy ending.’ • Sarah’s latest book, The Farm At The Edge Of The World (Hodder & Stoughton, £16.99), is out now
Compiled by: Nikki Osman Photos: Getty, Jamie Drew
‘We danced together, then walked barefoot along a moonlit beach’
How YOU can at anything! The competitors going to Rio have focus, motivation and courage in spades. Just imagine what you could achieve in daily life if you could tap into that medal-winning mindset
Think like an Olympian!
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atching Olympic athletes line up at the start of a race, waiting for the starter gun, you might think that their world is a million miles away from your own. But the mantras they use to get them to the finish line can be applied to everything – from getting out of bed on the right side in the morning to nailing that job interview. These former and current Olympians reveal how all of us can be the best version of ourselves.
LIFE LESSON Have a strategy ‘Plan ahead for every scenario,’ says BARONESS TANNI GREYTHOMPSON DBE, who has won 16 Paralympic medals. ‘There are many parallels between life and sport: you need to know what your goals are and understand your strengths and weaknesses. This makes planning a vital skill. My training group used to practise all sorts of scenarios. This included getting a wheelchair puncture two minutes before a race, so that we would have some idea of how to handle it happening in a race situation. Evaluate what you do and refine the plan. This is a skill that can be easily transferred into lots of other areas of your life. Ultimately, you may make a couple of wrong decisions, but when you’re in the middle of something, you can’t spend time thinking – there’s plenty of time for analysis after the event.’ • Tanni is a trustee of the Tennis Foundation. For more information, visit lta.org.uk/tennis-foundation
LIFE LESSON Give a task your full attention ‘If you’re going to do something, do it properly,’ advises rower JAMES CRACKNELL OBE, who won gold in both the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games. ‘It takes as much time to do something half-heartedly as it does to do it properly, so you might as well give it 100%. It’s not going to take you any longer, but the result will be very different. That’s the way I approach training, and it applies to various things in life. In a job, you can drift through the day box-ticking – or you can do it properly. If you’re looking after your kids for three hours, and you’re thinking, “I should be doing something else”, the kids aren’t going to enjoy it and neither will you. Instead, focus on it, make the most of them and, ultimately, everyone’s going to enjoy it more.’
LIFE LESSON Never give up ‘If you get knocked down six times, stand up seven!’ says SHARRON DAVIES MBE, Olympic silver medallist swimmer. ‘To be a top-level athlete, you have to realise that you will get knocked down and you will fail. It’s the people who get up again and again and again who eventually get to the top. This life lesson applies to everything,
from work to relationships. Accept that not everything’s going to go your way, but have the bravery and persistence to keep plugging away. You’re going to have highs and you’re going to have lows. It’s the people who push through the lows who make it.’
LIFE LESSON Cherish your cheerleaders ‘Draw strength from the people who love you,’ says heptathlete KATARINA JOHNSON-THOMPSON, who is part of Team GB 2016.
‘If I’m having a tough day, it’s the support that spurs me on’
‘When I came off the track at the London Olympics in 2012, the best moment was seeing how proud my family were. If I’m having a tough day at training I think about all the support I have, and it spurs me on. I still train in my hometown of Liverpool, so I spend a lot of time with my mum, nan and dogs. I feel so lucky to have their love and support – I wouldn’t be where I am today without it. My advice is to draw strength from those around you.’ • Katarina is the face of Dulux’s Colour Of The Year, Cherished Gold
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Think like an Olympian!
LIFE LESSON Always focus ‘Don’t get distracted,’ says cyclist DANI KING MBE, who won gold in 2012.
‘Channel your anxiety in a positive way,’ says archer MEL CLARKE, who won bronze in the 2008 Paralympics and silver in 2012. ‘I knew that I would feel nervous competing but instead of being put off by these feelings, I embraced them. I worked out that when I was anxious, I felt sick and my heart rate went up, so I tried to replicate that anxiety during my training by putting myself under pressure – such as visualising the experience of competing. I surrounded myself with photos of an arena and trained while listening to a recording of crowd noise. When it came to the big day, I still felt nervous, but I knew that I could shoot an arrow, despite feeling that way. This approach – channelling your anxiety in a positive way – can help with anything you feel nervous about, from job interviews to public speaking.’
LIFE LESSON Let people help you ‘Having a guide dog boosts my confidence,’ says sprinter LIBBY CLEGG, who won silver at the 2012 Paralympic games and is part of Team GB 2016. ‘When I was first registered as blind, I didn’t want to get a guide dog. I was quite stubborn, because I wanted to be
independent. But since getting Hatti, my life has changed for the better. She comes everywhere with me, including to training sessions, and having Hatti by my side gives me confidence off the track, too. She has made me feel like I can do anything, and I know I can trust her fully. My advice would be to find your own “training partner” in life and use them as a form of motivation whenever you need a little push. If they believe that you can do something, then you really can!’ • Libby is an ambassador for Eukanuba (eukanuba.dk), educating dog owners on pet nutrition
LIFE LESSON Practice makes perfect ‘Success is not a chance event,’ says former pentathlete GREG WHYTE OBE, who is now an author and a performance coach for Olympic athletes. ‘Many psychological traits that define Olympians are shared with successful people in all walks of life. Some may be innate but others can be developed, such as dedication, resilience and belief that you can succeed. Success is not a chance event – you need to practise. And ensure you’re doing so with a perfect technique to optimise your performance – otherwise, irrespective of time and effort, you won’t reap the same benefits.’ • Greg’s pregnancy health book, Bump It Up (Transworld, £14.99), is out 25 August 58 PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016
Winning mentality: thinking like an athlete can mean a better you
Feature: Olivia Gordon Photos: Getty, Rex, Jumpfoto
LIFE LESSON Embrace your nerves
‘An Olympic medal-winning mindset is about focus. I was determined to do everything I could to put myself in the best possible shape for that moment of competing. Leading up to the event, I’d think about the process of riding a bike to ensure I wasn’t getting distracted by the scale of the event, the noise levels in the velodrome, or how my life could change if I won a medal. I try to do everything to the best of my ability off the bike, too. Focusing on a goal and not being preoccupied by things around you can help anyone succeed in everyday life. If you’re facing a big event – whether it’s giving a speech or hosting a party – try not to think about what others will think, or different possible outcomes. Just focus on going through what you need to do step by step.’ • Dani is a member of the Wiggle High5 women’s professional cycling team. For more information, visit wiggle.co.uk
Beauty solutions
SUMMER BEAUTY survival guide
Your
Panda eyes? Frizzy hair? Don’t fret, we have the answers to your questions. Here’s how to look gorgeous from head to toe – however hot it gets!
Q
BEAT THE SHINE
Is there a way I can stay shine-free all day?
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There’s a big difference between a glowing complexion and a shiny one. Make a few easy changes for a mattifying result… 1. CLEANSE CORRECTLY Firstly, you need to get the prep right. An oil-free formula gel is best when it comes to cleanser. We love bareMinerals True Oasis Oil-Free Replenishing Gel Cream (£29), as it gently cleanses the skin of excess sebum. 2. MOISTURISER SWAP Changing your regular moisturiser is key. Vichy Normaderm Anti-Blemish Care (£14.50) is great for
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balancing skin that’s prone to breakouts. For instant shine control, you’ll love Caudalíe Moisturizing Mattifying Fluid (£23). 3. GO OIL-FREE Lighten your coverage with an oil-free formula. The Laura Mercier Oil-Free Tinted Moisturiser (£34, Space.NK) is loved by make-up artists. ‘It’s a great base for the heat, as it has a light-medium coverage and a lightweight, fresh feel,’ says Caroline Young, artistry director at Laura Mercier. 4. POWDER FINISH For touch-ups on the go, keep a translucent powder in your bag to absorb extra shine and combat hot flushes. For a compact with a difference, try bareMinerals Invisible Light Translucent Powder Duo (£28, from 7 July), as it also has a beautiful sheer highlighter for added glow. If you’re looking for a matte bronzer, try Urban Decay Beached Bronzer (£20).
Q
MELT-PROOF MAKE-UP How do I avoid panda eyes?
A
There are three really easy ways to stop your eye make-up from smudging in the midday heat...
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Make your eyeshadow last all day by applying Blinc Eye Shadow Primer (£19.50, Beauty Bay) underneath. It fills in fine lines, providing a smooth lid for the make-up to adhere to. Choose a waterproof eyeliner that will stay put all day. We love Make Up For Ever Aqua XL Eye Pencils (£15 each, Debenhams) that come in 20 shades. Be brave and try a vibrant pop of blue (see above) – it’s the ‘it’ colour of 2016. For your lashes, try Bourjois Volume Reveal Mascara in Waterproof Black (£9.99, nationwide from 6 July). This smudge-free formula catches every lash, and it comes with a very helpful magnifying mirror, too.
GIVE LIPS A LITTLE LOVE Lipsticks can be high maintenance in the heat, so swap yours for a natural-tinted balm that has built-in protection in, too. For a shiny finish, you can’t beat Lanolips Tinted Balms SPF30 (£8.16 each). For buildable colour, try No7 Lovely Lips Lip Balm SPF15 (£9, Boots).
Q
DOUBLE DEFENCE Do I really need a sunscreen every day? Yes, it’s not just for holidays. UV damage still occurs when you’re going about your daily routine – even on a cloudy day. Use a product that has a minimum of SPF30 to stop your skin from burning. But you also need a formula that protects you from the ageing UVA rays that penetrate deeper into our skin and age it. These formulas do just that: The Body Shop Skin Defence Multi-Protection Essence SPF50 (£16); Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins Mega-Defense Advanced Daily UV Defender SPF45 (£30).
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Beauty solutions 2 Time Bomb OverExposed Sun Damage Rescue (£39 for 40ml). A holiday must-have! This lovely product will kickstart your complexion 1 Solait Moisturising Sun Lotion SPF30 (£1.99 into repair mode after for 50ml, Superdrug). Cute and handbag-sized. sun exposure.
‘Covering up with a hat or scarf is the best way to protect hair from the sun’
PACK SMART
5 OGX Shampoo and Conditioner (£2.49 each for 88.7ml). The brilliant cleansing duos are now available as minis, too.
Taking a carry-on only? These will lighten the load…
3 Clinique Take The Day Off Micellar Cleansing Towelettes (£16). Great for removing waterproof make-up!
4 Smashbox L.A. Lights Blendable Lip & Cheek Color (£25). Match your cheeks with your lips – Mulholland Mauve (above) is a suit-all nude!
SUMMER HAIR DILEMMAS Warmer weather can be hard on hair, but it’s now easier than ever to go from frazzled to fabulous...
Q
THE HAIR-DYE QUESTION
Do I colour my hair before or after my holiday? Colouring hair before heading off on a sunny holiday seems like a great idea but as excessive sun exposure fades colour (and let’s not get started on chlorine!), it’s better to wait until you return before dyeing. If you just can’t hold off, covering up with a scarf or hat is the best way to protect hair from the sun. Using targeted products, such as Aussie Beach Mate Shampoo and Conditioner (£4.19 each, Boots), keeps hair hydrated and healthy, too, thanks to their generous amount of moisturising oils.
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TAME THAT FRIZZ
QA
How can I stop my hair looking straw-like in the heat? Take back control of the frizzies as soon as you step out of the shower. ‘Scrubbing hair with a towel causes friction, which raises the cuticle and causes frizz,’ says Peter Bailey, Unilever’s senior development manager. ‘Wrap hair in a towel for at least 10 minutes before styling to absorb excess moisture.’ Using a styling cream is a must, too. Using L’Oréal Professionel Mythic Oil Crème Universelle (£14.49, Look Fantastic) before blow-drying will change your life – it’s a multitasker with superpowers: hydrating, preventing frizz and adding hold.
PEAK PROTECTION
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Do I need to shield my hair from the sun? If you’re not a fan of wearing a floppy hat when out and about in the day, then, yes! Too much sun will make your hair feel brittle and lifeless. Try Aveda’s Shea Butter Sun Care Protective Hair Veil (£21.50) – it protects hair for up to 16 hours! For really dry hair, Phyto Plage Protective Sun Oil (£14) nourishes and hydrates.
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Beauty solutions
THE BIG REVEAL Be proud to show off your pins and feet this summer by following these expert tips...
Q
LOVELIER LEGS
I hate getting my legs out and only do so for special occasions. How can I make the best of them? Want your legs to look longer and leaner? We’ll let you into a little secret make-up artists use. You might have heard of strobing your face (highlighting certain areas to catch the light and give a fab glow). Well, by creating the same optical illusion to contour your limbs, you’ll have longer-looking, lovelier legs, just like that. This Works Perfect Legs Sculpt & Shine (£28)
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is a clever roll-on that you apply down your shins for a beautiful golden, suit-all glow. A bronzing body oil will also do the trick, like the delicious-smelling Temple Spa Goldentini (£25), which can be used all over on any skin on show. If you already own a highlighting palette, work that into your legs, too, but remember to blend well. The Gosh Lumi Drops (£7.99, Superdrug) are fab if you’re on a budget.
Q
YOUR DIY PEDI
I moisturise and file my feet once a week, but they’re always in bad shape. Should I be doing more? The key to perfect sandal feet is maintenance. Follow these quick steps and you’ll see a huge difference... FILE AWAY Dry heels should be filed once a week. ‘Filing regularly and consistently is the only way to keep hard patches at bay,’ says podiatrist Michael Harrison-Blount. BUFF AND BRIGHTEN Keep brittle nails healthy by buffing them smooth and massaging in Scholl Velvet Smooth Nail Care Oil (£7.99, Boots) at least once a week. KEEP HYDRATED The skin on the soles of our feet is up to 12 times thicker than anywhere else on the body so a regular moisturiser won’t cut it. Switch to a foot-specific cream with hydrating ingredients to give feet some much-needed TLC. We love Margaret Dabbs Conditioning Foot Cream for Happy Feet (£7.50, M&S) or L’Occitane Shea Butter Foot Cream (£19). Use at night and wake up to perfect tootsies!
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Feature: Sabine Wiesel Photos: Urbanlip.com, Getty
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COOL HUES, NAILED ON! Finish your pedi by painting your toes in oceanic hues – they’re the shades of summer! Go for a marine green, such as Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Barracuda (£6.99, from 6 July), or a sky blue like OPI Nail Lacquer in Fearlessly Alice (£12.50). For a classic turquoise, opt for No7 Gel-Look Shine Nail Colour in Beach Blues (£7, Boots). And for the real wow factor, choose the gorgeous metallic Essie Nail Lacquer in Aruba Blue (£7.99, Boots). For where to buy, see page 161
‘Help us find a
FRESH
new look!’ Claire Roberts
Beauty expert Kazia Pelka gives us a masterclass in how to work some magic into our make-up routines. So if you’re stuck in a rut, see how a few tweaks can get you gorgeous – fast!
Claire, 44, works on a paediatric ward and is from Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. She has been using the same make-up and techniques since her twenties and it’s all starting to look a bit heavy. She thinks her skin looks tired and she has some uneven pigmentation on her face and neck and wants to know what she can do about it. With a wedding coming up and a day at the races planned, she’d like a whole new look.
BEFORE
KAZIA’S VERDICT Make-up formulations and techniques have improved so much in recent years. For instance, layering products (starting with a primer), gives a lighter, longer-lasting finish, so Claire needs to bring her routine into the 21st century. She thinks the pigmentation is caused by overindulgence in the sun when she was younger, but hormones are also to blame. Claire has gorgeous features, so it’s time to make the most of them.
KAZIA’S MASTERCLASS MAGIC
BASE First, I prepped Claire’s skin with a primer to tone down areas of uneven colour. Sensibly, she uses a moisturiser with SPF. Using a kabuki brush, I worked a little light fluid foundation (with SPF15) all over her face, blending it over her jawline and a little way down her neck to even out the colour. 66 PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016
EYEBROWS With her dark hair and full fringe, Claire needs bold make-up to stop her eyes from disappearing. Her brows have a strong shape and colour but, like most of us, she has areas that are a little sparse. Using a brow pen, I drew in lots of individual ‘hairs’ and then finished off with an eyebrow pencil.
HIGHLIGHTER Claire was keen to try upward flicks of eyeliner, which suited her and had the effect of ‘lifting’ her eyes. I accentuated this look by gently patting a sheer highlighter at the top of her cheekbones. A little can also be used to add a gleam to her browbones, which will help bring them out from under her fringe.
CONCEALER When Claire’s eyes were finished, I applied concealer with a small brush to a couple of little dark spots on her complexion. I patted this into her skin and set it with a little loose powder.
LIP PENCIL For her lips, I wanted definition with warm colour to match her skin tone. I didn’t want Claire’s lips to look heavily made up, so I lined them with a dark, nude pencil then filled them in very lightly. I showed Claire how, with the pencil as a base, she could vary the effect day-to-day by using a different lip colour.
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Beauty for grown-ups
CLAIRE’S NEW BEAUTY KIT Barry M Illuminating Strobe Cream in Iced Bronze (£4.50)
Chanel Vitalumière Satin Smoothing Fluid Make-Up SPF 15 (£36)
Delilah Brow Line Retractable Eye Brow Pencil (£20)
Delilah Foundation Kabuki brush (£42)
BEFORE
Angela Hardy
Angela, 50, an admin assistant for the NHS from Runcorn, Cheshire, is in a make-up rut. She has been wearing the same pink eyeshadow for years and would love to be braver with her eye make-up. She’d like to learn how to contour (the art of enhancing an area of the face through make-up) and treat areas of redness on her skin. Angela’s about to celebrate her silver wedding anniversary – what better time for a beauty refresh!
MASK As Angela had been up early, I started with a beauty mask to give her skin a healthy glow and tackle any signs of fatigue. My advice to her was to use masks regularly, depending on how her skin feels on the day. If I’m not in a hurry after my morning shower, I put on a mask for 10 minutes while I make tea. There are no rules – once a week is fine.
the pink for a glam, almost metallic grey to bring out Angela’s hazel-green eyes. I brushed it over two-thirds of the eyelids and highlighted the inner corners of the eyes and browbones with a Champagne shade. For a fresher look, I ran a brown pencil below her eyes for definition and finished with lashings of black mascara.
lip pencil on Angela’s lips, applying it to the edge of her natural lip line. A slick of pink lip gloss on top made her lips look fuller.
KAZIA’S VERDICT
CONTOUR First, I applied a light base then, with a chubby brush and the darkest shade in the palette, pressed it into the hollow beneath the outer part of her cheekbones and blended forward a little. Use sparingly and apply more, if you need to. Finally, I applied highlighter to the top of her cheekbones.
ANGELA’S NEW BEAUTY KIT Lâncome Contour Pro Lip Coloring Stick in Rose Rose (£18)
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EYESHADOW I ditched
LIPGLOSS I used a pink
Who’d have guessed Angela’s 50? She has great skin, which is a testament to her rigorous skincare regime. On the downside, she’s a fan of make-up remover wipes, which dry out skin when used daily. And the pink eyeshadow has to go! As we get older, the skin around the eyes starts to get a little redder, which can give that ‘tired look’. Pink eyeshadow only exaggerates this.
Chanel Ombre Essentielle in Ebony (£23)
PRIMER Angela’s had an aggressive eyebrow wax, leaving the skin above her brows looking a little red. Even though the mask soothed things down, I applied a primer to smooth out any little wrinkles – it also provides a great base for longer-lasting make-up. I used a gentle tapping motion to energise the skin while applying it.
Bobbi Brown Lip Gloss in Rosy (£19)
Photos: Claire Collins Hair & make-up: Anna Durston Styling: Helen Johnson Claire wears: Top, Coast Angela wears: Top, Debenhams. Earrings, H&M Laura wears: Top, Twist & Tango
KAZIA’S MASTERCLASS MAGIC
Beauty for grown-ups KAZIA’S MASTERCLASS MAGIC
EYESHADOW I used a BEFORE
Laura Freedman
Laura, 46, is a Pilates teacher from London, and a busy working mum of three. She goes to bed late, is up early and, with her job, her day is packed with activity. She wants to look more groomed with a make-up routine that won’t take long but will last all day. To cover up any tiredness, Laura wears a little make-up, concealer and mascara, but would love to shake things up and find a new look.
cream shade on the inner part of Laura’s lids and a soft shade of heather on the outer part, into the socket and underneath the eye. I dotted a navy eye pencil into her eyelashes, along the top lid, and the outer half of her lower lashes, then blended it with the eyeshadow. Navy brings out her eye colour and makes her look less tired.
CONCEALER To hide telltale tired pink skin, I added a dot of luminous concealer pen to the inner corners of the eyes and the dark skin circles and then blended it. By applying eye make-up first, it’s easier to see which areas need concealer. It also means you can avoid using too many layers of product, which have an ageing effect, particularly around the eyes.
added a few fake lashes to the outer corners of the top lids so that Laura’s eyes pop! Using tweezers to hold the lash, apply a dot of eyelash glue to the end of a lash. Wait a few seconds for the glue to get tacky, then place on to your skin as close to the lash line as possible and wait to dry. Repeat as needed. Top tip: use a magnifying mirror.
LIPS I outlined Laura’s lips with a soft, pink pencil and filled them in. Then I applied lipstick with a brush – the gloss formula makes the lips look plumper. Gorgeous!
KAZIA’S VERDICT The signs of fatigue on the face tend to be the same for most people – dehydrated, sallow skin, areas of redness, particularly around the eyes, and dark shadows underneath. Laura and I spoke about her incorporating a quick make-up routine into her busy morning schedule, which would give her confidence for the working day without taking up too much of her precious time.
LASHES After mascara, I
BLUSHER After applying a base, I set it with a little lilac-coloured loose powder to counteract any sallowness, then applied a pink blusher high on Laura’s cheekbones. Pink, in the right place, is youthful and adds radiance – exactly what we wanted! A gleam of highlighter above the blusher and below the brows finished the job.
LAURA’S NEW BEAUTY KIT Bobbi Brown Lip Pencil in Pale Pink (£16.50) Tarte Rainforest Of The Sea Aquacealer Concealer (£27, QVC) Delilah Colour Blush Compact Powder Blusher in Lullaby (£26)
For where to buy, see page 161
PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016 69
Just for you
FREE L’OCCITANE VERBENA SHOWER GEL L
’Occitane is delighted to offer all Prima readers a FREE Verbena Shower Gel, worth more than £5. Among the aromatic herbs that grow in Provence, it’s verbena’s invigorating lemony freshness that’s renowned for reviving the body and mind. Energising the senses, it helps banish fatigue and relieve stress, while softening and soothing skin. The shower gel within this collection is also bursting with added extracts of orange, geranium and lemon tree, making it the perfect mood-booster to start your day.
AND THAT’S NOT ALL... As well as claiming your free shower gel, L’Occitane is offering all readers an indulgent hand and arm massage when they visit the store. What’s more, if you spend £15 or more, you will also receive a FREE Hand Cream Duo, worth £5!
L’Occitane Verbena Shower Gel for every reader Name: Email: Address:
Postcode:
By providing your details, you will become a L’Occitane VIP. This entitles you to receive invitations to VIP-only events, previews of new products and exclusive offers. L’Occitane will not pass on your details to any other company. If you do not wish to become a VIP and receive offers from L’Occitane by email or post, please tick here [ ] Offer subject to availability. Terms and conditions apply.*
HOW TO CLAIM Simply fill in the voucher and take it to your nearest L’Occitane boutique before the 5 August 2016 to collect your free Verbena Shower Gel.* To find your nearest L’Occitane boutique, visit loccitane.co.uk/ boutiques or call 0800 368 9000.
*Terms & Conditions: 1 The offer is valid until 5 August 2016 only, while stocks last 2 Offer entitles the bearer to a free Verbena Shower Gel 70ml at L’Occitane boutiques in the UK & Ireland only 3 Offer excludes the following boutiques: Bicester Village, Cheshire Oaks, Portsmouth, Kildare, all department stores, airport stores and any other independent L’Occitane stockists 4 Offer subject to availability 5 Offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer, cannot be exchanged for cash and no alternative product can be chosen 6 Only one voucher and one product per customer 7 Photocopied, damaged, defaced or incomplete vouchers will not be accepted 8 Free Hand Cream Duo only valid when making a purchase of £15 or more. Duo contains Almond Hand Cream 10ml and Shea Hand Cream 10ml. Subject to availability. Offer expires 5 August 2016.
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Head-to-toe treats from our beauty editor SABINE WIESEL
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OF THE BEST ON THE BEAUTY DESK
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CLEVER COVERAGE I’m obsessed with cushion compacts that hold liquid foundation, and now they’ve arrived on the high street. L’Oréal Paris Nude Magique Cushion (£14.99) creates a fresh, dewy finish when you’re on the go. QUICKER CLEANSING Waterproof make-up can be a pain to take off at bedtime – but help is at hand. Cleansing oils are fab for the job and break it down quickly. I love Simple Kind to Skin Hydrating Cleansing Oil (£6.99, from 5 July). The grapeseed oil-based formula feels gorgeous and all you need is a couple of drops. Brilliant value! LIP SERVICE Finding the perfect red lippy can take a lifetime. We put Lipstick Queen Lipstick in Eden (£22, Space NK) to the test on people with every hair colour and complexion and, trust me, this glossy apple red suits all. Everyone will be talking about it!
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3 Try it, use it,
love it! I love...
Photos: Camera Press
OH-SO SENSITIVE One of my fave brands for sensitive skin has just launched a night-time soother for even the most allergy-prone. La Roche-Posay Toleriane Ultra Overnight (£17.50) will have you waking fresh-faced every day. What’s more, it can reduce your sensitivity with continued use. How good is that?
For where to buy, see page 161
BEAUTY SOS Q I’m fed up with my fine, thinning hair. I’ve started to take Viviscal hair supplements, but is there anything that works in the short term, too? Gillian Daniels, Southampton
A Try cleansing with Klorane Shampoo With Flax Fiber (£8) and Conditioning Balm (£8.50, both lookfantastic.com). This ultra-lightweight duo uses flax fibres to lift hair at the root and boost volume by coating each hair strand. Team them with a thickening styling cream: I love Philip Kingsley PK Prep Plumping Cream (£18.50, Marks & Spencer), as there’s none of the stickiness you get with budget brands. To hide thinning patches or a widened parting, try brushing in Viviscal Conceal & Densify Volumizing Fibers (£19.99, Boots), which stick to hair to conceal thinning. Genius!
APPLY CALYPSO ONCE. RELAX ALL DAY.
It’s summer... let’s change shape!
News flash! Forget the gym – finding a great new figure is all about the three Fs: fresh air, friends and fun!
Feeling a little less-than toned right now? Maybe your waist has kinda vanished, tum’s a bit puffy and those arms too jiggly? Before you try some deny-yourself diet or sign up for an endless gym slog, hit the great outdoors with a new fitness move that gets you hooked while the sun shines. Trust us, by autumn you’ll have a fab new figure, bags of energy and be so into it that you’ll carry on regardless of the weather! Just match your shapechanging must-have to an amazing all-over fitness move!
Turn on to tennis for toned legs, arms and shoulders!
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kay, we know that Wimbledon tickles our tennis gene every year, but this time around give in to the urge to pick up a racket and go for it! Why tennis? It’s the nearest thing to a trendy HIIT (high-intensity interval training) workout without it feeling like a slog. ‘As you’re constantly running, stopping and changing direction, the stop-start nature of tennis means you need short bursts of energy – and those varying intervals are great for building stamina,’ says Sam Richardson of the Lawn Tennis Association. Spot shaping? It’s ideal for tightening up your jiggly bits – especially those bingo wings! ‘Playing tennis works all the major muscle groups,’ says Sam. ‘In particular, your arms, legs, core and shoulders, plus it helps strengthen bones.’ A result for us gals
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of an age who feel that everything’s slackening and we need postmenopausal protection from osteoporosis. Extra benefits? It increases your fitness and decreases the risk of conditions such as high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. Ever too late? Never! Join a group and, trust us, there’s always someone of the same ability. We know an 80-plus reader who plays every week and looks a good 20 years younger! Where do you start? There are tons of entry points into tennis, but we like a couple that spin out of the Lawn Tennis Association’s Go Hit It campaign… Tennis Tuesdays Perfect for newbies, these all-female training sessions make
tennis fun. Sessions cost from £5, depending on the venue, and run until October. Visit tennistuesdays.co.uk. Local Tennis Leagues Not played for a while? Then these are a great way to get back in form. Players of similar ability are grouped for fun, competitive matches. Visit lta.org.uk/play.
Get fit, feel great!
Try fitness walking for great posture and a flat tum!
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ust because we can all do it, it doesn’t mean walking isn’t effective! It may sound mild-mannered, but loads of studies are revealing its many plus points. Why walking? Because it’s just darling at helping us get fit, building stamina and boosting our longevity! Which way’s best? Start gently with a few slow-paced minutes a day, then aim for at least 30 minutes, five times a week. Devotees call it the 30-minute miracle! When that feels easy, the outdoors becomes your beautiful new gym. So aim for distance walks, hikes and rambles. Spot shaping? If you want to tone up and lose weight, it’s all about technique – pumping your slightly bent arms to open up your shoulders, rolling through your foot from heel to toe and upping your speed with shorter steps to transform a walk into a full-body workout. Walking with purpose does more than up your stamina and speed – it improves your posture and refines your body shape, especially around the waistline. Extra benefits? It’s good for reducing blood pressure, helping deal with type 2 diabetes, increasing flexibility and much more. Ever too late? Walking is perfect for any age, any stage. Fans report that, along with improved fitness, it makes them feel happier and look younger. Result! Where do you start? Well, you could just slip on your trainers and go, but research shows that if you join a group you’ll stick at it for longer. So why not try… Walkactive Created by Joanna Hall, it features a unique abdominal move that shapes your middle. Visit walkactive.com. Nordic walking Using poles for support and to improve your stride, it’s super-easy on joints. Visit nordicwalking.co.uk. Walking For Health Organised by local authorities, it’s free and perfect for newbies, the ‘mature’ and those recovering from health problems. Visit walkingforhealth.org.uk.
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‘WALKING IS MY GUILTY PLEASURE!’ A holiday in Scotland was Allison Bond’s wake-up call. ‘I encountered lots of hills and found that I could barely breathe after going up a short slope! So I initially took up walking to improve my fitness, but it also helps keep my weight steady – my knees know before I do if I’ve put on a few pounds, and complain heartily. Apart from improving muscle tone
and leg strength, it’s the head that it improves most. You are in the moment, so it’s almost meditative. It’s my time, my freedom, my guilty pleasure. I was just over 40 when I began walking seriously. Now, at 54, I walk up to 18 miles a day and still have the energy to walk to the pub! My walking group is fabulous – it’s great to share experiences, laugh together and recall funny incidents.’
Join a fitness group for all-over fat burning!
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hey can look like a full-on boot camp, but a well-run group is ideal if you want the double whammy of shaping up and having fun. There are lots to choose from, but British Military Fitness (BMF) is easy to access and ideal for newbies. Why group fitness? As there’s no such thing as a routine session, you can forget
‘THE CLASSES HAVE BEEN A GAME-CHANGER’ Clare Lyons, from Manchester, hit 15st through comfort eating to cope with her son’s illness. A change of diet and some running helped her lose weight, but joining a BMF group with a friend boosted her weight loss (now more than 4st) and upped her wellbeing. ‘It’s been great at improving my mental health. Training releases pent-up emotions, and the sociable atmosphere and the friends I’ve made at classes all help – it’s like a big family. It’s been a game-changer for me.’
about boredom setting in. For real body reshaping, work it with a weight-loss plan and you’ll see the most exciting changes. The right fit? Don’t let your current fitness, or lack of it, hold you back. At BMF, coloured tops let instructors know you’re either a beginner, intermediate or advanced, so no one gets left behind. ‘Every class includes a warm-up, then at least 50 minutes’ exercise as an individual, in pairs or as a team,’ says Garry Kerr at BMF. ‘It’s all about camaraderie. We ensure everyone works to their own ability.’ Spot shaping? Thanks to the smart mix of cardio and strength training, all muscle groups get targeted, helping you burn fat. Extra benefits? Outdoor exercise helps lift the blues, easing anxiety and depression via a blast of feelgood endorphins. Ever too late? ‘We have members who are 40-plus and some of 80!’ says Garry. ‘Remember that you’re joining a welcoming group rather than going it alone.’ Where do you start? Check your local park for groups or visit britmilfit.com. From £32 per month for unlimited membership.
Get on your bike for reshaped legs, hips and bottom!
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ycling is a new national pastime and if you still haven’t got back on your bike, then you’re missing out on a super-easy way to get in shape. Why cycling? It’s easier on the joints than jogging or walking, a great calorie burner and body toner, plus it cuts stress, thanks to the endorphin release as you pedal! ‘Plus, after the initial cost of buying a bike, it’s free,’ says Adrienne Horne from British Cycling Breeze. ‘Unlike gym membership, you can use your bike to go to the shops, for your commute or to take the kids to school.’ Yes, every trip equals a workout!
Spot shaping? It targets legs and buttocks. ‘I’m curvy and everything has firmed up, and my legs are toned,’ says Adrienne. Extra benefits? The action isn’t confined to below the waist. Cycling gives you a cardio workout, leading to benefits such as better sleep and improved digestion. Ever too late? ‘No,’ says Adrienne. ‘Two of my cycling buddies are in their sixties and give everyone a run for their money.’ Where do you start? Try a women-only ride. ‘It’s a great way to get advice when you’re starting out,’ says Adrienne. ‘Plus, there’s usually a coffee and cake stop involved – guilt-free, of course, as you’ve earned it on the ride there!’ Visit breezebikerides.com or goskyride.com.
‘CYCLING MADE ME HEALTHY AND HAPPY!’ Megan Billin, from Surrey, took up cycling to get to work. ‘It was only a two-mile round trip, but it was such a struggle. I then joined friends on weekend rides and pushed myself to do five miles – it was such a confidence booster! Each time I’d go a bit further and can now do a 25 or 40-mile ride at weekends. I’ve even cycled to Paris. My legs are toned, I’ve got a waist and I feel healthier and happier. After a bike ride, I’m tired but feel alive with a sense of achievement.’
Get fit, feel great! MORE OUTDOOR SHAPE-UPS NETBALL You may have hated it at school, but you’ll love its cardio, body toning and weight-loss potential now. Find Back To Netball sessions at englandnetball.co.uk and other initiatives at sport.wales and www.netballscotland.com.
Be a football fan for a fab calorie burn and flexi hips!
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Feature: Daisy Gough Photos: Getty, Thinkstock, Jumpfoto
aybe not top of your list for shape-up potential but, trust us, it’s a fitnesstransforming sport that can be a whole lot of fun for us gals. Why football? It’s widely believed that an hour of football can burn around 500 calories. Not bad for a fun sport, but what else? ‘It improves muscle tone by giving you an all-over body workout, while also building stamina,’ says sports coach Mel Capleton. Good news indeed. Too blokey for you? Join an all-ladies football group and you’ll see the feminine side of the beautiful game. ‘A great session will start with a group warm-up and some stretching, followed by drills for passing and running with the ball and ending with a match,’ says Mel. Devotees love both the training and the match at the end, plus the social bit of having a coffee and a chat later!
Spot shaping? It’s the biz for body toning and far more fun than the drudge of the gym. ‘What people don’t realise is that it’s a full-body workout that, without stressing any one joint, helps work your core, glutes and hip flexors – all key areas for those who are 40-plus,’ advises Mel. Extra benefits? ‘Research shows that those exercising in a group are more likely to continue due to the social aspect,’ says Mel. ‘Outside exercise also helps to combat depression, build confidence, as well as adding a dose of vitamin D.’ Ever too late? Definitely not, says Mel. ‘Participants are usually 35-plus and haven’t done any regular fitness work since having children – and sometimes none at all! It’s all about having fun, getting fit and being outdoors.’ Where do you start? Check out your local park for footie fitness. Sessions with Mel at Open Air Fit in London cost £12 for a drop-in class. For details, visit openairfit.com. For coaching sessions, visit thefa.com/my-football/justplay.
ROUNDERS Come on, you know it’s fun! Good for hand-eye co-ordination, with added aerobic running and arm-toning swiping thrown in! To find a team near you, visit roundersengland.co.uk. VOLLEYBALL Whether on grass or a beach, it’s a fun way to boost your metabolism, tone those arms and shoulders, and burn calories (around 585 in just 45 minutes!). To find a club near you, visit volleyballengland.org. BOWLS Don’t laugh. After all, where else can you get a fun sport with added leg lunges and arm action? You could be the hippest at your local club. Or try new barefoot bowls – a laid-back import from Oz with a big social add-on: booze and street food. Amazing! It’s currently only available in London and Nottingham, but it’s growing fast! Visit barefootbowls.co.uk.
‘WE’RE DIFFERENT TO GYM JUNKIES AND WE LAUGH A LOT!’ After having baby number four, Karine Wiggin, from London, met a friend who had just joined an Open Air Fit ladies football group. ‘I was in the baby phase, when you’re not thinking about exercise or your levels of fitness. I just thought it looked like fun: it was outdoors, didn’t involve the gym and I could take the baby with me. Football soon becomes less about fitness and more about the skills. After a match, you’re on a complete high – suddenly, you get why blokes enjoy it! We all bring positive energy to the session. Being outside – even playing in the rain – makes you feel fantastic and you find yourself not being precious about the weather. I feel good in myself, stronger and more energetic. We’re a different kind of people to the gym junkies – sessions are more holistic, we have fun and we all laugh… a lot!’ PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016 75
Best of health
Help with STRAINS,
&
sprains sports injuries
Dr Sarah Brewer, GP and expert in complementary medicine, offers advice for when exercise results in ouch!
T
aking regular exercise is one of the best things you can do for your health. As well as helping you to maintain a healthy weight, it can lower raised blood pressure and cholesterol, and improve blood supply to your heart and brain. Exercise is also an excellent stress-buster. However, if you overdo it, haven’t warmed up and cooled down, or if you’re using the wrong techniques and equipment, you can end up injured.
STRAINS AND SPRAINS Caused by A sudden twisting movement or fall. A strain is caused when a muscle is overused or suddenly stretched, so the muscle fibres tear, or pull apart. This is more likely if you haven’t warmed up before exercise or if your muscles are tense or fatigued. A sprain is caused when a ligament – the tough, fibrous tissue that holds the bones of a joint together – is overstretched or torn. Spot it Sprains cause a rapid swelling of the joint – most commonly the ankle or knee. For both, the tissue damage causes inflammation and pain, tenderness and swelling. Even mild strains and sprains can result in stiffness and reduced mobility unless they are treated quickly. Treat it Remember the acronym, ICER: Ice Apply an ice pack (such as a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a clean cloth) as quickly as possible. Compression Apply a tubular compression support to minimise swelling when joints are injured. Elevation Raise the injured area to help reduce swelling – for example, prop a twisted ankle on a chair or wear a sling to elevate an injured wrist to shoulder level. Rest To prevent further damage, rest for 24 hours. Once the pain has eased, you can usually start to exercise gently, but don’t return to full activity until the injury is fully healed. If in doubt… See a physiotherapist. Seek medical advice if the pain or swelling is severe, if you think a muscle or ligament may be torn (you can’t bend a joint properly or a muscle is oddly bunched), if there is a flesh wound or bleeding, or if there is a possibility of a bone fracture.
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PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016 77
Caused by Overuse. Tennis elbow is related to repeated, excessive wrist extension – as well as using a racket, it can result from gripping any item too tightly, for example a paint brush or hammer. It is more common in the over-forties – possibly because of the age-related degenerative changes that can occur in tendons. Smokers also seem to be more susceptible. Spot it Pain when picking up and holding a cup is such a good indicator of tennis elbow, it’s known as the ‘coffee-cup sign’. Tennis elbow causes a localised tenderness on the outer, bony part of the elbow, with stiffness or aching – chiefly in the morning – and worsening pain when grasping an object. Treat it With painkillers, especially topical treatments, such as ibuprofen or gels. A tennis elbow strap or brace may also help. If symptoms are severe or persistent, you may be referred for physiotherapy. I’m a great believer in applying magnetic patches to improve blood flow, too. Symptoms usually subside within a year, but can recur. To avoid it returning, ease into activities that involve repetitive movements of the wrist and elbow. If you play tennis, have your racket and technique assessed by a professional. If in doubt… Tell your doctor if you have pain that limits your activities, or if you notice weakness or numbness in the hand.
BACK PAIN Caused by Some experts blame the rise in cases of back pain on the increased popularity of exercise routines that encourage you to undertake strenuous activity without warming up. If you are overweight and unfit, you are at higher risk – apart from having to
carry a heavier load, your back will not be well supported by your abdominal muscles. Spot it Pain from damaged tissues may cause the surrounding muscles to go into spasm, resulting in pain and tenderness over a larger area. This spasm may be enough to temporarily pull your spine out of shape (scoliosis), which puts excess strain on yet more ligaments and muscles. As you get older, your intervertebral discs start to wear out and stiffen, and this can weaken a disc’s protective outer layer so the soft core bursts through when under pressure. The centre of the disc often presses on the root of a spinal nerve to cause muscle weakness, pins and needles, spasm and pain in the back. If it presses on the roots of the sciatic nerve, pain will shoot down the leg to cause sciatica. Treat it Gentle exercise helps to maintain mobility and muscle strength, so stay as active as you can. When sitting, keep square on your chair, with your bottom well back and your spine upright, and sleep on a mattress that’s not overly hard or soft. If in doubt… Seek medical advice, especially if symptoms worsen, you develop shooting pains or pins and needles, numbness or weakness in any part of the body, or if you notice difficulty with bladder or bowel control.
CAN YOU REALLY RUB IT BETTER? The action of rubbing really can reduce the pain of a knock or a sprain by stimulating the nerve endings and helping to overwhelm the signals reaching the brain. The same concept plays a role when using rubin creams and gels to treat injuries and painful joints. The action of massaging in a cream, ointment or gel helps to warm the area and increases blood flow. This
allows the cream’s active analgesic ingredients to sink into the skin more readily. Guidelines from NICE advise doctors to consider topical treatments ahead of oral painkillers for mild to moderate joint pain, as they can be equally effective, without the potential side effects of stomach irritation, bleeding and kidney or liver problems. Popular topical joint treatments include
glucosamine gel, celadrin cream and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory gels containing medicines, such as ibuprofen or diclofenac. Try Puressentiel Muscles & Joints Soothing Balm (£7.99 for 30ml, Boots), Glucosamine Gel (£13.95 for 150ml, healthspan.co.uk) and Voltarol Pain-eze Emulgel (£7.29 for 50g, Boots).
You can follow Dr Sarah on Twitter @DrSarahB, or read her nutritional blog at drsarahbrewer.com
Photos: Getty
TENNIS ELBOW
GET THE
SLEEP OF YOUR DREAMS
Do hot nights leave you tossing and turning? Don’t let summer spoil your slumber – here’s how to fall asleep faster!
F
orget what you hear about those high-flying heroes who only need a few hours’ sleep. There’s nothing heroic about scrimping on shuteye. In fact, experts believe that getting enough slumber is as important to your health as a sensible diet and regular exercise.
A lack of sleep causes levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin to rise, leaving you craving more sugary foods, so a few nights of tossing and turning can add inches to your waistline. More worryingly, it can increase your risk of heart disease, diabetes, dementia and cancer. ‘Women who do night shifts for three years have 65% more risk of developing breast cancer because their natural sleep pattern is disrupted,’ says Dr Neil Stanley, one of the UK’s leading sleep experts. ‘What’s more, you’ve a similar risk with insomnia.’ So how do you know if you’re getting sufficient shuteye? ‘Catching recurrent colds is a classic sign of poor sleep,’ says Sammy Margo, author of The Good Sleep Guide (Ebury Press, £10.99). ‘Lack of sleep is known to drain your immune system. In one study of people deliberately given the common cold virus, those who slept for fewer than six hours a night were four times more likely to go down with the sniffles than those getting seven hours.’ A study by the University of Berkeley, California, also found that poor sleepers are less able to tell the difference 80 PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016
Feeling hot?
If menopausal hormones are getting you in a sweat, there’s a good reason why. A drop in oestrogen affects the between happy and angry faces. So if hypothalamus (the part of your brain the whole world seems to be against that controls body temperature) and you, ask yourself if your night-time that’s why hot flushes and night sweats habits could be to blame. are such a common symptom. If you’re What can you do about it? First, take suffering, talk to your GP about HRT as a good look at your bedtime routine. the benefits of better sleep quality may The most common cause of insomnia outweigh the small risks. is poor sleep hygiene – not giving your Natural approaches include herbal bedtime the importance it deserves. remedies. ‘Working with menopausal ‘If you’re just switching off the TV women, I’ve found sage to be the and flopping into bed, you’re asking single most effective herb for night for trouble,’ says Sammy. ‘Your sweats,’ says medical herbalist busy, active brain needs to Deanne Greenwood (natural be treated like a dimmer helpformenopause.uk). Your busy, switch and allowed to ‘Make a tea with the fresh active brain needs wind down slowly. or dried herb and drink to be treated like a Ideally, you should throughout the day, dimmer switch and allow about 40 particularly before bed.’ minutes to wind It’s also important to allowed to wind down with a relaxing limit the triggers. Avoid down slowly. routine, which might or restrict alcohol, caffeine, include a bath and hot, cigarettes and spicy food, milky drink or herbal tea. The which tamper with your body’s first thing to do is to switch off your natural thermostat. phone and tablet. Their non-stop See your GP if your night sweats are notifications will overstimulate your really disruptive – as well as being a brain and the blue light they emit could feature of menopause, they can also also disrupt your production of the be a sign of some serious diseases, sleep hormone, melatonin.’ including some cancers.
Shortcuts to shuteye
3
SIMPLE TRICKS TO KEEP YOUR COOL
The best medicine
You can buy herbal sleeping tablets off the shelf at your local chemist, and can also get stronger medicines over the counter. ‘These are antihistamines – allergy medicines, which cause drowsiness as a side effect,’ says Sid Dajani, pharmacist and USE A FAN. Cool your bedroom spokesperson for the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. ‘They to the optimum temperature for include Nytol (diphenhydramine), and Sominex (promethazine), sleep. This is anywhere between which is stronger still. They’re not addictive, but can interfere 18 and 21°C. with other medicines, and you should limit them to a maximum of seven doses a month. If you need them more often, ask DITCH THE DUVET. Instead, your pharmacist for advice in case an underlying problem is sleep in breathable cotton causing your sleeplessness.’ sheets and blankets so you If pharmacy remedies haven’t worked, your GP can prescribe can remove layers, if necessary. something stronger, but usually only for one to two weeks. ‘So-called Z pills, like zopiclone, are less addictive than CHANGE YOUR PJs. If you suffer older ones such as temazepam and diazepam. If you regularly wake from night sweats, Or, for long-term treatment, a low dose (10-20mg) up drenched, try Bamboo Touch Sleepwear talk to your GP and of the antidepressant amitriptyline will make you drowsy, while also relieving the underlying (£75, lavendertouch.co.uk). avoid or restrict anxiety that’s most likely to be keeping you The pyjamas are made from alcohol, caffeine, awake,’ says GP Dr Tanvir Jamil. bamboo viscose, which cigarettes and dries quicker on the body spicy food. than cotton and helps control your body temperature.
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‘Swap your duvet for sheets and blankets so you can remove layers’
Shortcuts to shuteye
Ask the experts
Q
Switch to a sleep-friendly diet ‘Eat kiwi fruit – they’re My husband snores like a train, but he packed with vitamin C to keep stress hormones in refuses to believe it. Ear check,’ says Judy Watson, nutritional therapy consultant. plugs aren’t sufficient to ‘Consider supplements, too – multi-strain probiotics block out the cacophony. and 5HTP both help the body produce serotonin What can I do? (vital for making the sleep hormone melatonin), while magnesium, lemon balm and tulsi drops Record the evidence! (£3.50 from holylama.co.uk) all help to relax the body.’ We can just about Dose up on nature’s sedatives ‘Mix tinctures of valerian survive on two consecutive and passionflower. Both influence GABA – a chemical in nights of bad sleep, but on the brain – to calm your mind and help you relax,’ says the third night, your husband medical herbalist Lucy Stephens of revaclinic.com. ‘Or needs to give you a break try A. Vogel’s Dormeasan (£4.15 for 15ml, avogel.co.uk), and sleep in the spare room. which contains valerian with hops, another ‘We always recommend that relaxing herb, and Passiflora Complex the snorer is the one If you feel (£9.75 for 50ml, avogel.co.uk), to leave the bed, as which has passionflower and oat his sleep is more or tired in the herb. Or see a medical herbalist less guaranteed daytime, it could for a stronger formula.’ wherever he is,’ be a sign of Find your sleepy spot ‘Rub says Sammy Margo. underactive thyroid the top of your ear where or diabetes, so it’s there’s an obvious hollow How can I get worth asking your towards the area closest to your back to sleep face. It’s one of the most relaxing after I wake in the GP for a test. points in the body,’ says Gillian Berry middle of the night? from the British Acupuncture Council. Even if you take a Pop a homeopathic pill ‘Try chamomilla if sleeping pill to get off you’re feeling tired but can’t get off to sleep, cocculus to sleep, most will only work for insomnia caused by mental and physical exhaustion, for four or five hours, says coffea if you have too many thoughts running through Dr Neil Stanley. ‘There’s no your head, or arnica if you’re overtired and restless,’ drug licensed to help you get says Susanne Haar, homeopath at Nelsons Homeopathic back off to sleep, because Pharmacy. ‘Chew two pills every two hours between there’s a risk it will make you meals for the first six doses, then four times a day for tired during the day. You up to five days or until symptoms improve. But if need to distract yourself from symptoms worsen or persist, consult a doctor.’ the need to sleep. Create Sniff and sleep Aromatherapy oils can also be helpful. a non-stressful problem to Spritz your pillow with lavender, melissa or a powerful solve – I like planning the oil such as Aromatherapy Associates Deep Relax Balm layout of my fantasy private (£19.50, aromatherapyassociates.com), which contains jet! If you’re still awake after vetivert, camomile and sandalwood. Massage it on your 20 minutes, do something temples and pulse points to increase its effectiveness. else. Unload the dishwasher, do a bit of ironing, or read a magazine – then put yourself back to bed.’
A
Q
A
Q A
How can I stop waking up too early? ‘This can be a sign of depression or anxiety – or you could just be a lark rather than an owl,’ says Dr Stanley. ‘Many people wake earlier as they get older, too.
Use your time more productively and stop fretting about getting back to sleep.’ If daylight is waking you, invest in blackout blinds or use a sleep mask to create the same effect.
Q A
I seem to be sleeping well, so why do I feel tired during the day? Check out any underlying problems with your GP. ‘Diabetes and an underactive thyroid can cause daytime tiredness. But sleepiness is not necessarily a medical problem,’ says Dr Stanley. ‘Even though you’re tired, try to be active – and resist the urge to nap. Staying awake and alert during the day will prepare you for sleep at bedtime.’
Q A
Why am I so slow to get going in the morning? ‘If you know it’s not because of an extra glass of wine the night before, then you’re either going to bed too late or being woken in the wrong part of one of your 90 to 120-minute sleep cycles,’ says Sammy. ‘Ban weekend lie-ins and use your alarm clock. Your body craves regularity and will naturally start to wake at the same time every day if you let it. Go for an early morning walk – that dose of daylight helps to set your circadian rhythm, so you will be ready for sleep in 16 to 18 hours’ time, and less likely to burn the midnight oil. ‘You could also consider downloading a sleep cycle app (try Sleep Cycle, sleepcycle.com) for your phone. It will sense when you’re entering a lighter phase of sleep, waking you at an appropriate time.’
Feature: Karen Evennett Photos: Getty. Conditions and treatments vary from person to person. Consult your GP about any specific concerns and before following medical advice in this article
The natural approach
Life’s for LIVING
L
ife is full of joyous moments. For Andoulla, 55, the greatest of these is being outside in the garden, her perfect sanctuary. ‘I first started gardening when my children were small,’ she says. ‘When I was little, I remember my mother growing tomatoes in our old Victorian garden in Islington. I used to follow her every step. It’s definitely an inherited love.’
Even through the winter months, Andoulla often spends all day outside, reshaping beds, planting flowers and filling hanging baskets. Understandable, then, that she refuses to let bladder weakness get in her way. ‘When my husband and I bought our second home, I redesigned our whole garden,’ she says. ‘For me, gardening is far more than a hobby. It’s become a way of life.’
‘I often spend all day in the garden, even in winter. For me, it’s more than a hobby – it’s a way of life.’
*TENA Lady 2015 Never Be Afraid To Laugh Survey of 2,000 women **Terms & conditions apply
Andoulla Andrews has always loved nature – and she’s determined that nothing stops her from spending as much time outdoors as possible
Prima promotion
GROWING CONFIDENCE Andoulla enjoys cooking nutritious meals full of fresh, home-grown produce. ‘Being completely selfsufficient when it comes to vegetables is immensely rewarding,’ she says. ‘I supply the ingredients and my husband does the cooking. The hard work pays off when we’re laughing around the table together.’ Working as a freelance HR consultant means Andoulla’s always on the go, travelling to meetings and working long hours. As one of 47% of women who experience bladder weakness in the UK*, she has no time to let it stand in her way. ‘To begin with, bladder weakness affected all aspects of my life, from digging and lifting to long car journeys to visiting clients,’ she says. ‘I used to be scared of potential embarrassment, but discovering TENA Lady products has brought me newfound confidence and the peace of mind to live my life without stress or worry. Now, I’m enjoying every moment!’
Andoulla loves gardening and seeing the fruits – and vegetables – of her labour. ‘Being self-sufficient when it comes to vegetables is immensely rewarding,’ she says.
‘I’ve discovered new-found confidence and the peace of mind to live my life without stress or worry. I’m enjoying every moment!’ TENA Lady products offer Triple Protection against leaks, odour and moisture, so you can have complete peace of mind and get back to enjoying life. For more information and free sample**, visit TENA.co.uk.
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Family matters
Happy holidays for SINGLE PARENTS!
Going away in a group can provide support, comfort and a lot of laughs, as these two single mums found out
‘We give kids the holidays they deserve’ CHRISSIE LEWANDOWSKI, 48, who lives in Stockport with her daughters Kiera, 15, and Haidee, 14, hated holidays as a single mum, until she came up with the perfect solution. 86 PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016
‘S
itting outside our tent as the sun set over the green hills of the Peak District should have been special, but that evening only brings back awful memories. As my daughters, Kiera, then five, and Haidee, who was four, slept soundly in their sleeping bags, I was outside on my own, lonely and self-conscious in a campsite full of families. It was our first holiday since their dad and I had split up the previous year after 10 years, and it
Advice for you was proving to be one of the hardest things I’d faced as a single parent. Instead of the strong, independent woman I longed to be, I felt like a failure. The other tents were filled with couples and their children, happily barbecuing or chatting together – the kind of family we used to be. I was also exhausted. On holiday with two youngsters, the only break I got was when they were asleep. Emotionally raw and unable to think objectively, I felt like the other mums were either looking at me with pity or saw me as a threat. I tried to put on a brave face for the girls, but once they’d gone to bed, I allowed the tears to flow. I felt different from the other families in that camping field – going on holiday as a single parent wasn’t much of a holiday at all. Nevertheless, I persisted. For our next trip, we tried a short break to Mallorca. That time it was the logistics that were the nightmare. Trying to look after two young children and all our cases in the airport was practically impossible. I was also nervous. What if something happened to me while we were away? With no one to share my concerns with, my thoughts spiralled out of control.
Even sitting by the pool turned me into a bag of nerves and I felt self-conscious about not being in a neat family unit. Back home, I shared my feelings on a few single-parent forums, which had become my lifeline since I’d been on my own. Some people knew how mentally and physically draining it had been for me because they had been there, too.
TAKING ACTION That’s when I suggested that maybe we should do something about it. Having not even met these people face to face, I cobbled together a camping weekend in the Peak District the following year for seven families like ours. It was a massive “eureka!” moment. Not only did the kids have fun, but the adults loved it, too. We’d shared so much on online forums, it felt like we already knew each other. It couldn’t have been more different from that camping trip a year earlier. This time, we were the group having lots of fun. It was so comforting to have people to talk to and to turn to for help, and the kids soon made new friends. After that, things quickly spiralled. Sixty people came along to a weekend in a hostel I organised a few months later, then 80 of us got together at New Year.
‘Our first group trip was a massive “eureka!” moment – it changed my life’
I was doing most of the organising, rushing home from my full-time marketing job and spending evenings researching trips and co-ordinating everyone coming along. I even set up a website to pull it together. Less than two years after our first group trip, I realised that if I wanted to do it properly I needed to give up my job and give the site my full attention. So, in 2008, I set up Single with Kids. It had already evolved to meet the needs of families like mine, so I knew exactly what people were looking for. With little money to invest, I found word of mouth was the best way for people to find out about it. It was satisfying to know it grew because it was what people wanted rather than because I’d thrown lots of money at it! Since then, we’ve organised trips all over the UK and Europe. A co-ordinator goes on every holiday; part organiser, part mum and part counsellor, they provide an extra pair of hands. Like any holidaymakers, our mums and dads go to have a good time, to get away from daily stresses, and to give their kids the happy holiday they deserve. Holidaying with other single families changed my life, and hundreds of others’ lives, too. No one should be weeping on their own on holiday. As I found out, it’s much better to pack away your troubles and have the time of your life instead!’ • singlewithkids.co.uk
‘We can’t wait to go away again!’ Mum-of-three Rebecca McNamara, 39, from East Preston, reveals why she is now a camping convert.
Feature: Mel Hunter Main photo: Getty
A ‘
s I watched my children, Courtney, 13, Rhys, 11, and Alfie, eight, dangling their crabbing lines over the quay, straining their necks to look in their friends’ buckets to see if they’d been lucky yet, there was no doubt this was a great holiday – something I didn’t think we’d ever have again. After I’d split up with the kids’ dad four years ago, I tried to recreate the happy family breaks we’d had at holiday parks. But once the children were in bed and I was sitting by myself watching television, the tears would start to roll. I was lonely,
bored and I could have watched TV at home and saved myself £1,000! I decided that holidays weren’t worth the hassle anymore, especially as Alfie has health problems. I couldn’t face finding somewhere to go and resigned myself to having days out instead. Then I saw something on Facebook about Campmates – camping holidays for single-parent families. I’d tried camping in the past and found it stressful, but from the moment we arrived at the campsite in the New Forest last summer, I was put at ease. The tent was already up, the kids made friends easily, and I was soon chatting
to the other mums and dads. It made me realise all the things I’d missed about holidays, like being able to share special moments with others. I’ve now been on four trips and have more planned for summer. I’ve rediscovered that holiday feeling and can’t wait to get back under canvas. I never thought I’d say that!’ • campmates.co.uk
Visit our fab new Family channel at prima.co.uk/family PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016 87
Brilliant money moves
Spend a little, live a lot, with our savvy ways to cut costs over the summer holidays – whether you and your family are home or away
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CASH ON THE GO
If you’re travelling abroad, don’t leave it until you get to the airport to buy local currency – you’ll pay a premium by not planning ahead. To get the best deal, compare rates at Travelmoneymax.com. Then the cheapest option is to buy online and pick it up locally. If you’ve left it too late to do that, with Travelex, you can pick it up at the airport. Prefer to buy on the high street? Check out The Post Office, Marks & Spencer and Debenhams.
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AVERT A CRISIS
Take photos of important documents you need to travel with – including insurance, passport, credit card helplines – and email them to yourself or store in an online storage system, such as Dropbox. That way, if your bag is stolen, you will still be able to access your details.
88 PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016
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FIND THE CHEAPEST TIME TO FLY
languages that make haggling with the local market traders or getting directions easier, use Google Translate. There’s a clever app for booking flights You can even use your camera to called Hopper. It will predict when your instantly translate text in 26 languages! desired flights will be cheapest and recommend whether to book or wait. Don’t waste time getting lost – use Citymapper. Whatever your mode of transport TRY SOME BARGAIN – whether by foot, car PRACTICAL DESTINATIONS or Tube – it will get APPS The Post Office’s annual holiday you from A-B with For instant, Cost Barometer says the cheapest estimated arrival times. reliable currency beach resorts to stay at this year are: conversions, Sunny Beach, Bulgaria download free app DIVIDE AND The Algarve, Portugal XE Currency. It’s CONQUER Limassol, Cyprus ideal for checking how Travelling long distances Costa del Sol, Spain much of a bargain that in the UK by rail can souvenir really is. be super expensive but, by splitting up your return rail Need to check what your rights are journey and buying single tickets, you regarding holiday purchases or want to could save yourself some money. Use complain about service at a restaurant? the free Tickety Split app to check the We rate the ECC-Net: Travel app. cheapest way to do it. For useful phrases in 90 different
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Advice for you
6
BE CARD SMART
If you’re holidaying abroad, the No.1 rule is to tell your bank and credit card provider you are going (this takes two minutes if you bank online) or your card may be blocked. If you need to use an ATM when you’re there, use your debit not credit card as charges can be higher. Think ahead – to incur fewer charges, it’s better to make a few large withdrawals rather than lots of smaller ones.
7
USE THE RIGHT CREDIT CARD OVERSEAS
If you’re going to use a credit card, pick one with low overseas fees: Creation Everyday: 0% foreign purchase fee; 12.9% APR on purchases and representative. Lloyds Bank Avios Rewards: 0% foreign purchase fee; 0% on purchases for 24 months (then 18.94%); 23.7% APR; £24 annual fee; Avios rewards. Halifax Online Clarity: 0% foreign purchase fee; 18.95% on purchases; 18.9% APR.
8
GET THE BUS HOME
Get your student offspring home from £1.50 inter-city across Europe with Megabus.com – it covers train travel as well. Don’t be put off if the cheap tickets have gone, there’ll still be big discounts.
9 Feature: Caroline Bloor, Victoria Crowe, Carrie-Ann Skinner Photos: Getty
DON’T PAY FOR YOUR HEALTH CARD!
You need to renew your EHIC card every five years for access to stateprovided healthcare in Europe on your holiday, but remember you should never pay for your card. The same applies to websites offering to process your passport renewal for a handling fee. No need – head to gov.uk for both EHIC and passport renewal.
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MAKE SURE DUTY-FREE REALLY IS A BARGAIN
Take your ‘holiday goggles’ off when considering duty-free bargains at the airport and do your homework first. In the age of discount supermarkets, duty-free alcohol may not be any cheaper than elsewhere. Electronic items and gadgets are frequently cheaper online. But you can save money on cosmetics and perfumes.
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A CAR FOR LESS
There are plenty of online comparison sites to find you a good deal on car hire, so make the most of them. But, most importantly, buy excess waiver insurance BEFORE you travel, which means you don’t have to pay anything in the event of an accident. It will cost much less than if you buy it through your car hire company.
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REASONS TO GET A CURRENCY CARD
You simply load money – in the currency you need – on to the card and use like a conventional bankcard. The exchange rate is fixed, but that is the only potential disadvantage. Buy online – try ICE, Travelex, FairFX and Caxton FX. The beauty of a currency card is… No charges for using it. Some cards allow you to load more than one currency. Thieves don’t have access to your bank account if it’s stolen. You can top it up online, by phone or text – ideal for kids and students.
13
CHECK YOUR PASSPORTS EARLY
Some countries, such as Thailand and Turkey, require that your passport should be valid for a minimum period of six months from the date of your arrival, so check the expiry date on your passport before booking. Forward planning will save you £100-plus a day of time and a whole load of stress! Standard passport renewal costs £72.50 and takes about three weeks, whereas an emergency one-day renewal will set you back £128.
14
MAKE YOUR DELAY PAY
It’s now much easier to claim compensation for a train delay. Delay Repay is the national scheme that most train companies use to compensate you for delays of more than 30 minutes or cancellations. Bookmark the form on your rail operator’s website. If you’re a regular rail user, sign up to delayrepaysniper.com for daily updates on late trains on your route. You can get a 30-day free trial, then it’s from £2.99 per month.
If your flight’s delayed or cancelled, check out what you may be entitled to at moneysavingexpert.com/travel/flightdelays. There’s a free tool to help you apply, too (some sites charge a fee).
15
MAKE YOUR CAR JOURNEYS MORE ECONOMICAL BY: Driving smoothly (quick acceleration and breaking harshly uses more juice!). Checking that your tyres are at the correct pressure. Finding cheap petrol nationwide at Petrolprices.com and save up to 2p a litre.
16
DONʼT GET STUNG BY AIRPORT PARKING
It’s never too late to book in advance; even if it’s only a day before you fly, check airport parking comparison sites (book via Moneysavingexpert.com for additional discounts). Check out JustPark and Parklet for alternative, private places to park that can be much cheaper than official car parks.
17
BUY A RAILCARD FOR A THIRD OFF TICKETS
Most cost £30 (or swap £15 of Tesco Clubcard vouchers for one). Students with an NUS Extra discount card save 11% on the cost of a 16-25 railcard. And if you have an Annual Gold Card season ticket, you get discounts, such as one-third off the cost of tickets for three adults and 60% off for children travelling with you.
18
GET ENTERTAINMENT AT A DISCOUNT
Planning on covering a lot of ground this summer? Days Out Guide offers 2 for 1 on a number of attractions when you go by train. Print off as many vouchers as you need, travel by train and then show your voucher and train tickets when you arrive. Also, check out Visit Britain for free and low-cost activities in your area.
Tech savvy
Gadgets the travel pros
LOVE
The flight attendant
The professional travel guru
Rebecca Wadsworth has worked as British Airways worldwide cabin crew for more than 15 years. ‘I try to catch up on correspondence when I have downtime overseas. I write a lot of emails on my phone or tablet and it’s much quicker with a keyboard. I use LG’s Bluetooth Rollable Keyboard (£79.99, Amazon), which can be rolled up to the size of a stick of rock. I’m also never without my Kindle (from £47.99, Amazon). I use a basic model, as I find the battery life is good. I have lots of travel guides stored on it, as well as favourite novels. After struggling to apply my make-up during a power cut at a hotel, I bought a Go Travel 9 LED torch (£8.99, John Lewis). I swear by it now and find it really useful when I’m sorting through unfamiliar currency in a dark taxi.’
Writer and broadcaster Simon Calder is the travel editor of independent.co.uk and also tweets about travel @SimonCalder. ‘My Mophie Powerstation phone charger (from £49.95, Mophie) was the only thing that stood
90 PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016
Forget those fly-by-night fads – Lindsay Calder asks the experts to reveal the gizmos they’ll use for the long haul
between me and communications meltdown when I climbed Aconcagua in Argentina in 2014. And I always travel with a rubber band to attach my iPhone to a suitable fixture (coat rack, window latch, road sign…) for live or recorded Facebook and TV reports – I used to carry a complicated bracket arrangement, but then realised it was just excess baggage.’
The travel magazine editor Phoebe Smith is editor of Wanderlust magazine and regularly travels to far-flung destinations. ‘If, like me, you take a lot of photos and videos when you are travelling, it’s easy to get carried away and fill your phone’s memory. The Leef iAccess reader (£49.99, Amazon) is a saviour. Plug it into the charging port of your phone and you can transfer photos and videos on to it, instantly clearing
space for more pictures. Better still, you can also keep it plugged into your phone and set it to save photos directly on to the Leef’s memory card, leaving more memory for useful apps that you need while travelling. To get started, slot a microSD card into the reader and download the app on to your phone. Then transfer your photos on to a computer by slotting the memory card into an adaptor.’
For where to buy, see page 161
Advice for you
The pilot Kat Woodruffe is a senior first officer at British Airways and has been a long-haul pilot for 11 years. ‘FaceTime video calling is indispensable for chatting to my two young children. I’ve found that trying to prearrange a time doesn’t work very well, so a quick WhatsApp message means I can jump on to Wi-Fi in a cafe and check in with the family. I always wear my Fitbit Charge HR (£119.99) and, when I get to our destination, I’ll head out for a run or long walk. It not only helps to keep me healthy, but also gets me out exploring. I listen to music while I run and after trying lots of headphones over the years, I have finally splashed out on a Bluetooth pair.’
The family adventure blogger Kirstie Pelling runs the Family Adventure Project travel blog with her husband Stuart and their three children (familyadventureproject.org). ‘An iPhone 6S Plus (from £619) is our ultimate all-in-one travel gadget. It’s a travel guide, navigator, notebook, entertainment centre, expense tracker, translator and torch. Its camera is good enough for general photography and,
The cruise company manager Vanessa Black is a human resources manager for cruise company Royal Caribbean International. ‘I travel a lot for work and my Cloud Nine The Original Iron hair straighteners (£129.95) come everywhere with me. They have both a UK and a European plug and are compatible with any voltage. I also take an iPad to keep in touch with family and friends. Royal Caribbean has Voom onboard its ships, which is the fastest Wi-Fi at sea, so even when I’m away I’m able to Skype my friends and family – fantastic for staying in touch and keeping homesickness at bay.’
with iMovie, we can shoot, edit and upload videos, too. The phone takes a lot of knocks, so it’s well protected in an OtterBox Defender case (£49.99). We also carry a Powermonkey Extreme charger (£120, PowerTraveller), which has the capacity to recharge the phone several times over and also has a solar panel to top up the power.’
The travelling dog Former Battersea rescue dog, Attlee, and owner Jane Common travel Britain for website phileasdogg.com. He has also written a book, Phileas Dogg’s Guide To Dog-Friendly Holidays In Britain (Constable, £12.99). ‘I enjoy an evening down the pub mixing with the locals on my travels and my
Photos: Getty, Alamy
The package holiday insider Abigail Blackburn is general manager of content at Thomson and First Choice, overseeing holiday brochures and web pages. ‘What with all the phones and tablets in our family, I can never have enough USB charge sockets when travelling. The Go Travel Worldwide Adaptor with Twin USB Charger (£29.99, John Lewis) is the best I’ve found because it comes with two USBs, so no What a picture! one misses out on Get everyone in power. I like to extend with a selfie stick the range of a typical selfie to fit in my sons, too, so I love my Rollei Selfie Stick (£41.99, Amazon). It’s a great way to capture tourist landmarks for those we-were-there snaps!’
reversible highvisibility Barclay Bandana (£12, Poppy & Rufus) makes me stand out during nights on the town. It slips on to my collar, so I look dapper in bright blue by day and dazzling in high-viz silver by night. Jane appreciates my Beco Pet collapsible travel bowl (from £3.99), because it’s light to carry, environmentally friendly and also dishwasher-proof. I like it because it means dinner is served!’
The online traveller Helen Wright’s travel website passportstamps.uk gives travel advice and personal views on destinations. ‘I use a GoPro Hero4 action camera (from £329.99) when travelling. It’s waterproof and bash-proof and has Wi-Fi, so I can send photos directly to my smartphone for Instagram and Facebook. I recently spent more than three months travelling the world with my partner Simon, and to make sure I have Wi-Fi wherever I am, I have a Vodafone R207 portable Wi-Fi device (£24 plus data charges), which runs off a 3G connection and is especially useful when we’re camping. Noise-cancelling headphones are a must for long plane journeys. Sony MDR-ZX770BN Bluetooth headphones (from £99.99, John Lewis) are cable-free and cancel out 98% of ambient noise.’ PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016 91
Sarah Beeny’s
Love yourHOME
In the
Squeeze every last drop of enjoyment from the summer holidays with Sarah’s inspired ideas – sunshine or not…
summertıme... FLY THE FLAG I love to see a national flag in the garden. And it doesn’t have to be a Union Jack – I’m a big fan of Brazil, as I have family there. A flag in support of any other country you favour during the Olympics is a great way to brighten the garden, plus you can use it as a summer tablecloth in years to come.
GIVE A SHOUT-OUT TO THE SUMMERHOUSE I’m thrilled about the resurgence of the humble garden shed. I was brought up by a shed-building father and have always been fascinated by them. Self-assembly summerhouses are particularly good, as they’re so affordable. Their new-found popularity is due to the fact that square footage in homes is now so expensive that people naturally want to expand into the garden, too. However, the best part is that they add a whole new dimension to your outside space. Lumley shiplap timber summerhouse, from £342, B&Q
CREATE A WATERING PLAN Unless you have a fantastically well-planted garden, you’ll find that there are times in the summer when it starts to look a bit dull and droopy. This is easily remedied with an inexpensive, easy-to-fit watering system – the ‘drip system’ varieties are the cheapest (visit hozelock.co.uk). With one in place, all you have to do is occasionally buy colourful, reasonably priced bedding plants throughout the season and you’ll have a garden fit for the queen. It really is that simple! 92 PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016
Green interiors blended with garden greenery create a summery vibe. Walls in Greener Pasture, Valspar Premium Walls & Ceilings (£27 for 2.5L) RIGHT Bench in Cabana Glow, Valspar Garden Colours (£22 for 2.5L)
BLEND SHADES OF GORGEOUS GREEN I love using the colour green indoors, as well as out. I think summer’s the time to pull as much of the greenery from your garden into your home as you can. That way, if you leave all your doors open all day, you can simply blend and extend your home to include the space of the outdoors. I find the odd splash of green paint in the garden looks fantastic working with your garden greenery, too. If you don’t have a garden, get out the largest serving dishes that you never use and fill with herbs or miniature tomato plants and voilà – you have greenery to make the indoors summery.
BE INSPIRED BY YOUR TRAVELS I love a city break. Over the years, my husband Graham and I have enjoyed trips to Venice, Cairo, Ljubljana and Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic. These places are so exciting in terms of architecture, but it’s the use of colour abroad that thrills us most. A dirty yellow in Tuscany works because Colours at home, of the way the sun shines on it and how it sits against other colours. It’s such as Tuscan yellow, amazing how fab holiday knick-knacks can look back home. We always bring keep holiday memories back something from a trip that lives with us for years. We once went to Paris alive. Olive oil cruet, and found cool china toothbrush mugs – we’re still enjoying them years later. £22, Kensington Design
Photos: Nicky Johnston, Hearst Magazines UK, Getty, Martin Desjardins/Oredia Sarah wears: Shirt, Zara
RELAX IN STYLE Depending on the light and the weather, I love relaxing in different parts of my garden. To create a shady, rustic corner, fix a simple frame and cover with rolls of bark fencing. It will allow you to enjoy the garden in comfort, whether in blazing sunshine, during a light shower or on a balmy evening surrounded by tea lights. We all love the idea of sitting back and relaxing under a fabulous sunshade, awning or sail, but nice ones are pricey. Thankfully, you can create the same vibe for a fraction of the cost. Simply buy a load of fabric from a marquee lining supplier (you can try eBay, but you might need to machine-stitch the edges) and then use wires from the corners or edges to ‘pull’ it into position, either over a pole, a frame or by securing cables into fixings on a garden wall or fence post. For the ultimate in relaxation, set up a hammock. You can buy fab ones stretched across a standing frame and they fit in smallish spaces – preferably under a tree!
Bow hammock, £149, Living It Up
For a summery feel all year round, try Shutter Store’s tier-on-tier shutters (from £168 per sq metre)
KEEP THAT SUMMER FEELING There are a few tricks you can use to keep things bright and breezy throughout the year. One of these is to use shutters. They are a tremendous option that add value to a home and just have a fabulous dreamy feel to them. The shutters at The Shutter Store are the highest quality and the most affordable I’ve found. In my own home, I also have a load of matching picture frames hung in the playroom that display our kids’ drawings. They make the room feel much brighter, lighter and, yes, sunnier. Having one area in a home that is less formal and more relaxed is a really big asset. PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016 93
‘Our seaside dream was meant to be’ Penelope and Julian Carnell have transformed a neglected Georgian house into a tranquil Devon home, with echoes of New England style
‘W
ABOVE Penelope and Julian with beloved dog Percy. Their lovely Georgian house is just yards from the water.
hen it comes to choosing a house, I’m a firm believer in fate,’ says Penelope. ‘I really think that if you’re meant to live in a certain house, then you’ll find it eventually. You just need to be patient.’ This is just what the Carnells had to be once they had set their hearts on finding their dream home in a lovely coastal village in Devon, while living in a restored bungalow in Exeter. Five years passed before their present home – an 18th-century townhouse – hit the market. ‘The moment we stepped inside, I knew this was the one,’ says Penelope. The previous owner had lived there for more than
half a century and, despite the ancient, rust-coloured carpet and peeling blue paintwork, the couple felt the house had ‘the most wonderful atmosphere’. As the house was Grade-II listed, the couple were unable to tweak the existing layout, but they began planning an internal renovation with an open-ended timescale. To their delight, many original features had been retained, including two Georgian fireplaces. The carpets were pulled back to reveal oak floorboards, which were restored and now look amazing in the dining area and two bedrooms. The first step was to renovate the bathroom and master bedroom to create a liveable base while the rest
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SITTING ROOM Cranberry velvet upholstery adds drama against Fired Earth’s Flake White Matt Emulsion on the walls. The Victorian chest of drawers and rare Italian nautical prints by Nando Luraschi were all bought at auction.
No place like home
‘I knew this house was the one. It has the most wonderful atmosphere’
DINING ROOM LEFT & ABOVE The white-painted table and chairs help to create an air of restful simplicity. ‘We’ve found that Fired Earth’s The Paint Collection Eggshell is brilliant on wood, and have used it throughout our home,’ says Penelope.
KITCHEN ABOVE ‘I chose freestanding units, as I wanted the kitchen to have a relaxed feel,’ says Penelope. Fired Earth Old Tuscan Travertine floor tiles provide an Italian look. For traditional light fittings, such as this glam glass chandelier, try Antique Chandeliers. PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016 95
of the work was carried out. ‘We saw the house as a work in progress, so we didn’t mind the disruption,’ says Penelope. ‘I think interiors need to evolve over time, and it’s a mistake to do things too quickly.’ After their home had been rewired, re-plumbed, its internal walls replastered, and a freestanding French country-style kitchen had been installed, it was time to fine-tune the decor. Penelope and Julian chose a calming, neutral palette of soft whites and greys and added finishing touches in the shape of nautical maps, prints and carvings. Along with coastal influences, the couple’s inspirations include a love of Italy. The stunning crystal chandelier in their kitchen evokes an Italian palazzo, while the antique mirror in their bedroom remains deliberately unrestored. Penelope took charge of selecting the curtains and soft furnishings. ‘I’ve worked in the fashion industry and now have a boutique in the village called Siena, so I know that choosing the right fabrics is key to creating a mood,’ she says. Neutral, coastal-inspired shades prevail. Pristine white linens and gauzy voile drapes are layered with heavier calico, while upholstery includes a mix of linens, silks and velvets to create an elegant and comfortable living space. ‘Our home is our hobby, and we really do enjoy the process of getting it as we want it,’ says Penelope. ‘We’ve made a home that we can sit back and enjoy living in for years to come.’
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BEDROOM BELOW The upholstered bed and large gilt mirror add a touch of continental style to this delightful guest room.
No place like home
Feature: Jane Bowles/GAP Interiors Photos: Colin Poole/GAP Interiors
MASTER BEDROOM ABOVE The muted white and grey decor makes Penelope and Julian’s favourite room a tranquil retreat.
‘I think interiors need to evolve over time. It’s a mistake to do things too quickly’
BEDROOM LEFT Tucked neatly away under the eaves, this attic bedroom has a calm, coastal theme.
GARDEN RIGHT Penelope and Julian’s ‘secret garden’ is a stone’s throw from the water’s edge. TOP RIGHT The New England-style summerhouse in the garden is Percy’s hideaway.
LOVE THE COASTAL STYLE? Turn over for more fab ideas and buys! PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016 97
Striped fabric is an easy way to work the look
Tripod table lamp with white shade, £28, The White Lighthouse
Fish-shaped serving plate, £49.99, Zara Home
Coastal Chic driftwood photo frame, £13, Sass & Belle
Tablecloth in Devon Stripe Bluebell, edged in Ticking 2 Black, both £24.50 per metre, Ian Mankin
Nautical glass bottles, £30 for 2, The Contemporary Home
HELLO, SAILOR!
Anchor design storage jar, £8.95, Coastal Home
Nautical melamine dinner plates, £17.50 for 4, Marks & Spencer
Nothing says ahoy summer more than contemporary, coastal-inspired buys...
Puffin tray, £15, The National Trust
Enamel teapot in Pigeon Grey, £22, Falcon
Compiled by: Gary Irwin
CUSHIONS WITH COAST APPEAL Prince’s Trust Sailor, £7, George Home
Evans Lichfield Westward Ho, £15, Festive Glories
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Mugs, £8 each; tea towels, from £7; egg cups, £8 for 2; jug, £18; dip pots, £10 for 3; glassware, from £5-15, Fishie on a Dishie range; coasters, £8 for 6; salad bowl, £15; serving board £20, All The National Trust
For where to buy, see page 161
Bring the coast to you
Chrome wall clock with belt, £21, The White Lighthouse
IT’S A BREEZE Set off your coastal scheme with co-ordinating flowers. Prima’s new Summer Breeze collection includes white lilies, blue agapanthus and white roses for a perfect finishing touch. ‘What a catch!’ lampshade, £37, Sophie Allport
Coastal kitchen collection, from £3 for a tea towel, all Sainsbury’s
The kitchen is the perfect place for a hint of nautical
From £24.99 (medium, £28.99; above), flyingflowers.co.uk
Round chrome shoal trivet, £14.95, Coastal Home
Rattan-effect Worthing dining chair (with seat pad) in Grey, £249, Marks & Spencer
Wooden oar hooks, £22, The White Lighthouse Linea Regatta vertical stripe mug, £10, House of Fraser
Tall (64cm), distressed bleached wood lantern, £99, Marks & Spencer
Providence cupboard with drawers, £96, The White Lighthouse
Prince’s Trust tea towels, £4 for 3, George Home
Heart wood-effect sculpture, £20, Next PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016 99
Small garden, big ideas
My small garden of
WONDER
100 PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016
H
ow do you pack a small garden with flowers and shrubs without making it look cramped? ‘You use plants creatively,’ says Pamela Johnson, who, as a garden designer called upon to make the most of urban plots, practises what she preaches in her own small, rectangular town garden in southwest London. For instance, there are fences bordering three sides of the garden, but they are obscured by masses of flowers and foliage. ‘Make the boundaries disappear, then you won’t see where your garden begins and ends, and it will look far larger,’ she says. ‘I use wall shrubs, such as ceanothus and pyracantha, because they give better coverage than climbers. You can use any
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Using clever spacesaving tricks and planting ideas, Pamela Johnson has totally transformed her outdoor retreat
WHAT A LOVELY LAWN! ABOVE Pamela’s husband Gethyn installed a metal edging around the lawn, not just for precise mowing, but to stop his wife’s habit of ‘stealing planting space’!
BREAKING BOUNDARIES LEFT Pots blur boundaries and create an illusion of space.
SECRET SHED BELOW The shed has been hidden behind lavenders and lots of foliage so it doesn’t ruin the overall effect of the garden.
Small garden, big ideas HEDGE FUN LEFT A low box hedge creates a green wall – a lovely feature on the patio.
WINDOW DRESSING BELOW Pamela’s French windows are framed with evergreen jasmine Trachelospermum jasminoides and white ‘Climbing Iceberg’ roses. The terracotta window boxes are filled with bright diascia and verbena.
SPLASH OF COLOUR BELOW Pamela believes ‘more is more’ when it comes to pots – yellow lilies and white snapdragons star in the show.
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Terracotta window boxes hold pink diascia and plum trailing verbena, while the evergreen jasmine Trachelospermum jasminoides and white ‘Climbing Iceberg’ roses clamber up the wall by the windows. In front of the patio, Pamela cleverly created a planting wall, so that a pool of blue flowers, such as Convolvulus sabatius, cascades down to irises and blue salvias below. ‘I often put in planting walls in small gardens,’ she says. ‘They create two levels, giving you more space. You can produce a similar effect for less money by using two rows of planters.’ A garden shed sits to one side and has a flat roof, which Pamela topped with an extra-tall lavender, called ‘Grosso’. On the other side of the patio is a collection of hostas in containers, which, unusually, show no signs at all of slug or snail damage. Her trick is to band the pots with copper tape, which deters the pests. ‘What makes a real difference, I think, is replacing the top layer of compost every spring, where eggs tend to be buried, and adding a mulch of pebbles,’ she says. A self-confessed plantaholic, Pamela is no plant snob, but chooses shrubs on their merits, such as the evergreen Fatsia japonica, which takes pride of place at the bottom of the garden. ‘It’s much-maligned, but it’s good in shade, so I use it a lot in town gardens.’ Any garden that’s as overflowing with plants as this one is never going to be low-maintenance, says Pamela. ‘You have to prune constantly, stake and support plants, as well as coax them to do your bidding. Really, it’s all about letting them know who’s boss.’
PAMELA’S POINTERS FOR A GREAT LITTLE GARDEN When you feed plants in pots, use slow-release fertiliser, not the liquid variety – it runs straight through, so doesn’t do much good. I’ve learned from experience that with borders, less is more; while in pots, more is more. Keep a few plants in black plastic pots so that when you want the garden to look its best, you can drop them into empty spaces in the border. Lilies grow well in heavy soil, but mark the spot where you planted the bulbs so you don't put the spade through them!
Feature: Pattie Barron Photos: Marianne Majerus
shrubs that have floppy growth, like euonymus and abelia, which are happy to be pointed in the right direction.’ A small garden needs a simple, strong layout, and Pamela offsets the plentiful planting with a showcase lawn that is kept picture-perfect by husband Gethyn. The patio, which takes up about a third of the outside area, is where Pamela has been ingenious about using every last inch of space. Two stone lions flank the garden steps leading to the lawn, and each sits close to a large terracotta pot containing the David Austin blush pink rose ‘Wildeve’. More containers packed with herbs, decorative grasses, white snapdragons and other pretty bedding plants create an entire border of pots. Years ago, Pamela dug out a planting strip along the back of the patio and, after struggling to choose the right plants, replaced them with a box hedge. Neatly clipped, it makes a great low green wall.
Fab home and garden ideas from associate editor GARY IRWIN
Let’s party, Rio-style
Make it mono
Having a garden do to celebrate the Olympics? Get into the samba spirit with these buys...
The black and white look is one we’ve seen in the home and now it’s big in the garden, too. Outside woodwork, fences and sheds all look amazing painted in daring black (it’s another Scandi trend that’s taking off here) and contrast brilliantly against white walls. Add pops of colour and lots of greenery to soften the overall effect. Decking painted in Sadolin Decking Stain & Protector in Ebony, £33.99 for 2.5L; chairs and table in Sandtex 10-Year Exterior Gloss paint in Hot Mustard and Smokey Grey, £23.52 for 1L, all B&Q
Glass jars with straws, £2.99 each, Dobbies
Style it, grow it,
love it! ALL-WEATHER PLEASURE
BUYS OF THE MONTH
You might not want to chance taking your best cushions outside, so have a look at these fab outdoor versions, made in durable, water-resistant, wipe-clean fabric. Sorted! Outdoor cushions, from The Brits Cushion Collection, £14.99 each, Bean Bag Bazaar
IN THE HOT SEAT! Garden benches, as lovely as they are, aren’t usually associated with comfort. Step forward this stylish beauty – it’s perfect for lounging on with your Prima!
Hartman Lena Lounge wooden garden bench, £248, Internetgardener.co.uk
104 PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016
Matthew Williamson margarita glass, £4; cocktail shaker, £3, both Debenhams
Melamine floral serving tray, £15, Marks & Spencer
ORIENT EXPRESSED This beautiful bedlinen looks like a work of art and is sure to lift any bedroom into another realm. The soft mint green background creates a fresh look with a stunning Oriental print in fuchsia pink and iridescent blue. The cover’s high-quality, 220 thread count cotton sateen also has such a soft and silky feel that you’ll want to stay in bed all day long!
Egg chair, £60, George Home
Flight of the Orient design, from £85 for a double; housewife pillowcases, £35 for 2; feather-filled cushion, £25, all Ted Baker at Ashley Wilde
For where to buy, see page 161
Who will look after him when you’re gone? You promised your dog a lifetime of companionship and love. But, if you should die first, who would look after him then? Battersea will help you keep your promise, and will care for him until we find him the perfect new home. The Forever Loved card gives you peace of mind and the knowledge that your promise won’t die with you. Keep your promise to your beloved pets with a Forever Loved card from Battersea. Send or call for your free information pack about leaving a gift in your Will. Mr/Mrs/Ms/other
First name
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Battersea Dogs & Cats Home would love to call you, to talk about the amazing difference you have made and how your financial support can help more dogs and cats. Please share your telephone number if you’re happy for us to contact you in this way. Battersea Dogs & Cats Home would like to contact you by post in future about how your financial support can help our dogs and cats. If you do not wish to be contacted please let us know by writing on this form or using the contact details below. Supporter Services contact details: Freepost RTLJ-ETCZ-SCCZ, Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, 4 Battersea Park Road, London SW8 4AA Email: fundraising@battersea.org.uk battersea.org.uk/forever Registered charity No. 206394 AC51
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Family favourites
Nadiya’s
fabulous flavours Last year’s Great British Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain shares some of her brilliant taste-sensation recipes – all created with simplicity in mind, too!
M
y kitchen is so much more than a room. It’s the place where so much more happens than just cooking or baking. It’s the place where I cook for sustenance. Bake for love. Where we congregate for company. Dance for fun. The exclusive venue for date night, teatime and after-school tantrums. The place where we cook together and everyone’s the boss.
Chilli cheese burritos This chilli is quick and easy and can be cooked on the stove, or in the slow cooker ready for when you get home from work. The warm tortilla wrapped around the rice, chilli and cheese is a winning combo. I add an extra bowl of raw onions and jalapeños for more adventurous members of our family. SERVES 4 (2 WRAPS EACH) PREP 15 minutes COOK 30 minutes (chilli can be frozen) FOR THE CHILLI • 1 tablespoon olive oil • 1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped • 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed • 500g lean lamb or beef mince 106 PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016
• 700g passata • 400g red kidney beans, drained and rinsed • 1 tablespoon ground cumin • 1 teaspoon mild chilli powder • salt and freshly ground black pepper TO SERVE • 8 corn tortillas • 200g cooked white rice (about 85g uncooked) • 125g Cheddar cheese, grated • 125g soured cream • large handful of coriander, roughly chopped (½ small packet)
‘This recipe makes plenty, as leftovers are great to use in jacket potatoes or pasta’
Heat the oil in a large frying pan, then add the onion and garlic. Cook for 10 minutes over a low to medium heat until the onion has softened. Remove from the pan and place in a bowl. Add the mince to the same pan and cook for another 5 minutes, until brown, using a wooden spoon to separate out the strands. Add the onions back into the pan. Now add the passata, kidney beans, cumin, chilli powder and salt and pepper to taste. Stir and cook over a medium heat for 15 minutes, until thickened. Meanwhile, have all the other elements ready on the table so that everyone can make their own burrito. Warm the tortillas in the oven for 5 minutes at 220°C/fan 200°C, or according to the instructions on the back of the packet.
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Bengali korma The korma I grew up with had an aroma that took over the house and hit you in the face when you walked into the kitchen. It is the mildest of curries, but also one of the tastiest by far and is cooked with meat on the bone, in a rich sauce and finished with boiled eggs. SERVES 4 PREP 20 minutes COOK 1 hour 30 minutes (can be frozen without eggs) • 5 tablespoons butter • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil • 1 large cinnamon stick • 3 bay leaves • 5 whole cardamom pods • 1 whole star anise • 10 cloves of garlic, peeled
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• 7.5cm piece of ginger, peeled • 2 teaspoons fine sea salt • 2 large onions, finely chopped • 200ml water • 4 chicken thighs and 4 chicken drumsticks • 8 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and quartered • 6 green chillies, split lengthways and seeds removed for less heat Put a large pan over a medium heat and add the butter and oil. Once the oil is hot, put in the cinnamon stick, bay leaves, cardamom pods and star anise. Heat until the spices darken slightly. Blitz the garlic and ginger in a food processor, and add a little water so that they form a paste, then add this to the
pan with the salt. Cook gently over a low heat for 10 minutes. Now add the onions and cook gently for another 20 minutes. Add the 200ml water and continue to cook gently until the onions melt down completely. To help the process along, you can use a potato masher. Be sure to keep stirring and making sure the bottom doesn’t catch. What you don’t want to do is colour the onions. Add water 100ml at a time if it starts to catch. Now add the chicken to the pan, cover and leave it to cook over a medium heat, which should take around 15 minutes. Once the chicken is cooked, add the eggs and cook for 10 minutes more. Finally, add the split green chillies.
Family favourites
Spiced yoghurt chicken skewers with a fennel, watercress & mint salad
Green mango and fish curry Where we are from in Bangladesh, fish is readily available and eaten in abundance, and very often is combined with fruit. So whenever my mum managed to source green mango, she would make this wonderful curry. My recipe has a subtle hint of garlic, and the tartness from the unripe mango is simply delicious. It is a light and fresh curry that goes perfectly with rice. SERVES 2-3 PREP 20 minutes COOK 25 minutes (cannot be frozen) • 3 tablespoons olive oil • 5 cloves of garlic, chopped • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric • ½ teaspoon chilli powder • 2 small green (unripe) mangoes, peeled, stoned and sliced • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt • 1 teaspoon tamarind paste • 200ml water • 400g haddock fillets, skinned, cut into chunks • 3 green chillies, split lengthways • a large handful of coriander, chopped Put a pan over a medium heat, and add the oil and the garlic. Cook until the garlic is golden, then add the turmeric, chilli powder, green mangoes and salt, and cook over a low heat for 3 minutes. Now add the tamarind paste and the water, and lower the heat. Leave it all to cook for 10 minutes, until the mango is tender but has not completely melted away. Add the fish and stir it in. Cover and cook for a further 10 minutes. Once the fish is cooked, take the pan off the heat and add the chillies and coriander. Serve with hot basmati rice.
I grew up with a dad who worked in restaurants, and he would come home with amazing skewered kebabs that came straight out of a 200°C tandoor. They were always moist, spiced beautifully and charred to perfection. These skewers have just the right amount of spice, and if cooked on a hot griddle they achieve a similar charred effect with an amazing flavour. Together with the salad they make a fresh and healthy lunch. MAKES 6 SKEWERS PREP 25 minutes, plus marinating (can be frozen once marinated and skewered) COOK 20 minutes FOR THE SKEWERS • 1 tablespoon olive oil • 4cm piece of ginger, peeled and chopped • 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped • 1 green chilli, finely chopped (deseeded for less heat) • salt, to taste • 130ml Greek yoghurt • ½ teaspoon chilli powder • ½ teaspoon turmeric • 1 teaspoon ground cumin • ½ teaspoon sugar • 1 teaspoon paprika • 1 teaspoon garam masala • 600g skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 3cm-square pieces FOR THE SALAD • 2 large handfuls of tender watercress (around 50g) • ½ bulb fennel, very thinly sliced • 1 large handful of fresh mint, roughly chopped (1 small pack) • 2 tablespoons lemon juice • 1 tablespoon olive oil To make the skewers Preheat the oven to 200°C/ fan 180°C. Rub two baking trays with a thin layer of olive oil. Using a pestle and
mortar, bash the ginger, garlic and chilli with a pinch of salt until you have a smooth paste. Now add all the other ingredients, including some more salt to taste. Give it a good mix. Alternatively, this can be done in a food processor. Rub the paste all over the chicken pieces and leave, covered, to marinate for at least 30 minutes – longer if possible. Shake any excess marinade off the chicken and thread the pieces on to skewers (if you are using wooden sticks, soak them in cold water for 15 minutes before use). Put the skewers on the baking trays and cook for 20 minutes, turning once halfway through to make sure they cook evenly. To make the salad Put the watercress, sliced fennel and mint in a bowl, and toss with the lemon juice and olive oil. Serve the salad with the skewers.
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Nutmeg and orange baked cheesecake
‘The warmth of the nutmeg in this cheesecake works especially well when paired with the sharpness of the orange’
110 PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016
SERVES 10 PREP 30 minutes, plus chilling and cooling COOK 1 hour (can be frozen without topping) FOR THE BASE • 250g digestive biscuits • 115g unsalted butter, melted FOR THE FILLING • 500g full-fat cream cheese • 200g caster sugar • 4 medium eggs • 300ml whipping cream • 2 tablespoons plain flour • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg • 1 tablespoon lemon juice • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract TO SERVE • 200ml whipping cream, whipped • 2 large oranges, peeled and segmented • ground nutmeg, for sprinkling To make the base Lightly grease a 23cm round loose-bottomed tin. Blitz the biscuits in a food processor until they resemble fine breadcrumbs. Add the melted butter and process again for a few seconds to mix. Press the crumbs on to the base of the tin, then chill for 1 hour in the fridge. To make the filling Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C. Beat the cream cheese and sugar together with a handheld mixer for a minute, then add the eggs and cream. Mix for about 3 minutes on the medium setting. Now add the flour, nutmeg, lemon juice and vanilla extract, and continue mixing to combine. Pour the mixture on to the chilled crust. Bake in the oven for 1 hour, or until the cheesecake is golden brown on the edges – it should still have a very slight wobble in the middle if you shake it gently. Turn off the oven and let the cheesecake sit in the oven for 2 hours. Then open the oven door and let it stand for another hour. Letting it cool slowly like this will help prevent the cheesecake from cracking. Put the cheesecake in the fridge to chill overnight. To serve Take the cheesecake out of the tin. Top with the whipped cream, then arrange the orange segments on top and sprinkle with nutmeg.
Photos: Holly Pickering. © 2016 penguinrandomhouse.co.uk
A baked cheesecake is a labour of love: there are a few stages, and a lot of leaving it around in the oven to cool – not to mention the whole resting-it-overnight-in-the-fridge thing. If you’re impatient like I am, then this is a massive test of will. But I promise that all these steps mean you will be rewarded with a thick, creamy cheesecake that tastes delicious.
Family favourites
‘The meringues are my favourite things to wrap in Cellophane, seal with matching ribbons and give out as gifts’
Rose, white chocolate & pistachio meringue kisses I love making meringues, especially these little kisses. There is something quite soothing about piping rows of them to an exact size. The combination of rose pink with creamy white chocolate and vibrant purple and green crushed pistachios makes these both colourful and delicious. They’re great for any occasion. MAKES 44 PREP 25 minutes COOK 1 hour FOR THE MERINGUES • 2 medium egg whites • 1⁄8 teaspoon cream of tartar • 110g caster sugar • ½ teaspoon rose water • a few drops of pink food colouring FOR THE DECORATION • 100g white chocolate, chopped • 50g unsalted shelled pistachios Preheat the oven to 100°C/fan 80°C. Line two baking sheets with baking paper or silicone pads. Fit a piping bag with a large star-shaped nozzle. Line two trays with greaseproof paper. Put the egg whites in a mixing bowl and whisk until you have stiff peaks, then add the cream of tartar. Add the
sugar a teaspoonful at a time, until all the sugar is incorporated. Now add the rose water and the pink food colouring, and mix thoroughly. The meringue mixture should now be glossy, shiny and thick. Spoon the meringue mixture into the piping bag and pipe rosettes about 3cm wide. Leave a 2cm gap between the meringue kisses. Bake in the oven for between 1 hour and 1 hour 15 minutes. The meringues should be dry to the touch and will come easily off the lining. Leave them to cool on a wire rack for a few minutes while you melt the white chocolate. Melt the white chocolate in the microwave, or in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Crush the pistachios to a fine powder in a food
processor. Dip the bases of the meringues into the melted chocolate, and scrape off any excess. Now dip them in the crushed pistachios, and leave them to set on the prepared trays. The meringue kisses can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week. They are beautiful tumbled in a jar and eaten when you need a sugar hit. I also like them to top a tall, naked cake.
• Extracted from Nadiya’s Kitchen by Nadiya Hussain, published by Michael Joseph at £20.
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BRING ON THE
BURGERS! There’s more to a burger than meat and a bun, as these mouthwateringly inventive recipes show. Savour them indoors or out...
Crowd-pleasing bites Try this For a smoky flavour, start burgers on the barbecue, then put in the oven until cooked through.
The ultimate cheeseburger A classic recipe you’ll turn to time and time again. Succulent and delicious! MAKES 4 PREP 20min, plus optional chilling COOK about 20min • 500g (1lb 2oz) good-quality steak mince • ½ small onion, finely chopped • 1 medium egg • ½tbsp Dijon mustard • 100g (3½oz) fresh white breadcrumbs • 2tbsp sunflower oil • 8 Cheddar cheese slices TO SERVE • 4 sesame burger buns • Gem lettuce leaves, optional • Tomato slices, optional • Gherkin spears, optional 1 Put the mince into a large bowl and mix in the chopped onion, egg, mustard, breadcrumbs and plenty of seasoning. Divide the mixture equally into four and shape each portion into a flattened patty. Arrange on a plate, then cover and chill for 30min, if you have time. 2 Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat and fry the burgers for 8min, turning once, until each side is well browned. Arrange the burgers on a baking tray and lay a slice of cheese on top of each one. Put into the oven and cook for 12min, adding another slice of cheese after 6min. 3 Meanwhile, toast the buns. Check to make sure the burgers are cooked through and serve in the buns, topped with lettuce leaves, tomato slices and gherkin spears, if you like. Great with chips and a crisp green salad. PER SERVING: CALS 718; FAT 39g; SAT FAT 18g; CARBS 45g
Tuna toast burger Wow with this simple take on a burger – the presentation is almost chef-like! MAKES 4 PREP 25min COOK about 15min • 3tbsp toasted sesame oil • 1tbsp vegetable oil • 2.5cm (1in) piece fresh root ginger, grated • 4 x 125g (4oz) tuna steaks • 1 cucumber, ends trimmed • ½tbsp rice wine vinegar • ½-1tbsp red chilli, to taste, deseeded and finely chopped • ½tbsp sesame seeds • 4 slices from a large bloomer loaf • Soy sauce, to drizzle 1 In a bowl, mix together 1tbsp sesame oil with vegetable oil and ginger. Brush
over the tuna steaks and set aside. 2 Peel the cucumber into ribbons with a vegetable peeler and put into a bowl with the remaining sesame oil, the vinegar, chilli, sesame seeds and some seasoning. Set aside. 3 Heat a griddle pan. Add bread slices for 2-3min each side until toasted with charred lines. Divide among four plates. 4 Add the tuna steaks to the griddle pan and cook for 4min, turning once. You can cook your steaks for longer or shorter, depending on your preference. 5 Place a tuna steak on to each slice of toast and top with cucumber salad. Drizzle with a little soy sauce and serve. PER SERVING: CALS 293; FAT 10g; SAT FAT 2g; CARBS 19g
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Mexican chickpea veggie burgers A delicious way to use storecupboard chickpeas and lentils.
Try this For an even leaner burger, replace the chicken breasts with 500g (1lb 2oz) turkey breast mince.
Honey-mustard chicken burger The mix of sweet and piquant flavours really tickles the taste buds. MAKES 4 PREP 30min, plus optional chilling COOK about 15min • 4 skinless chicken breasts, roughly chopped • 1tbsp wholegrain mustard • 1½tbsp runny honey • 1 medium egg • 75g (3oz) fresh white breadcrumbs • Zest of 1 lemon, finely grated • 1tbsp olive oil TO SERVE • 3tbsp mayonnaise • 3tbsp half-fat crème fraîche • ½tbsp lemon juice • ½tbsp wholegrain mustard • 4 floury white baps • Gem lettuce leaves, optional • Tomato slices, optional 1 To make the burgers, whizz the chicken in a food processor until it resembles mince, then add to a bowl. Mix in mustard, 1tbsp honey, egg, breadcrumbs, lemon zest and season. 114 PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016
2 Divide mixture equally into four and shape each portion into a flattened patty. Arrange on a plate, then cover and chill for 30min, if you have time. 3 Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6. Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high hob and brown burgers for 5min, turning occasionally. Transfer to a baking sheet, brush the tops of the burgers with the remaining honey and cook in the oven for a further 10-12min, or until cooked through. 4 Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise, crème fraîche, lemon juice, mustard and some seasoning. Set aside. Halve and toast the baps. 5 Serve the burgers in the toasted baps, topped with lettuce and tomato slices, if you like, with some mustard sauce. PER SERVING: CALS 587; FAT 24g; SAT FAT 6g; CARBS 47g
• 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed • 1 large egg • 400g tin lentils, drained and rinsed • 1 green chilli, deseeded, finely chopped • 75g (3oz) fresh white breadcrumbs • 4 spring onions, finely sliced • Zest of 1 lime, finely grated • Small handful of fresh coriander, chopped • 1tbsp olive oil TO SERVE • 1 avocado, peeled, stoned and sliced • Juice of 1 lime • 2 spring onions, finely sliced • 2 tomatoes, finely chopped • Small handful of fresh coriander, chopped, plus extra to garnish • 4 large flour tortilla wraps • Sour cream, optional, to serve 1 Put the chickpeas and egg into a food processor and whizz until smooth. Scrape mixture into a bowl and stir in lentils, chilli, breadcrumbs, 4 spring onions, lime zest and coriander and mix. Divide mixture into four and shape each into a flattened patty. 2 Heat oil in a frying pan and fry patties for 10min, turning once, until golden. 3 Meanwhile, put avocado slices in a bowl and squeeze over ½ the lime juice. In a separate bowl, mix the spring onions, tomatoes, coriander and remaining lime juice. 4 Serve burgers, avocado and salsa folded into the tortillas, with sour cream, if you like. PER SERVING: CALS 499; FAT 15g; SAT FAT 3g; CARBS 75g
Feature: Suzannah Butcher & Elizabeth Hutchinson Recipes: Meike Beck & Monaz Dumasia Photos: Myles New Prop styling: Jenny Iggleden
MAKES 4 PREP 25min COOK about 18min
Crowd-pleasing bites
Curried turkey lettuce burgers Turkey mince minus the bun makes this the healthier burger option – with no compromise on taste! MAKES 4 PREP 25min COOK about 20min • 500g (1lb 2oz) turkey breast mince • 2tbsp medium curry paste (we used Patak’s Balti paste) • 1 shallot, finely chopped • 1 garlic clove, crushed • Small handful of fresh parsley, chopped, plus extra to garnish • 3tbsp mango chutney (we love Geeta’s) • ½tbsp vegetable oil
• Gem lettuce leaves, to serve 1 Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6. Put the turkey mince, curry paste, shallot, garlic, parsley and 1tbsp mango chutney into a large bowl and season. Mix until well combined. Divide the mixture equally into four and shape each portion into a flattened patty. 2 Brush the patties with oil and arrange
on a non-stick baking tray. Cook for 15-18min, or until the burgers are golden brown and cooked through. 3 Place each burger on to a lettuce leaf and top with the remaining mango chutney and some parsley. Add a second lettuce leaf on top, and serve! PER SERVING: CALS 281; FAT 12g; SAT FAT 3g; CARBS 8g
Let’s eat healthy
SALAD DAYS Sarah Raven’s salad ideas are full of tasty good-for-you ingredients. Best of all, there’s not a limp lettuce leaf in sight!
Asparagus, pea and broad bean salad A perfect light lunch for summer, using tasty vegetables. With several stages – roasting onions, as well as making a basil sauce and a salad – this recipe looks more complicated than it actually is. SERVES 4 AS A MAIN COURSE; 6 AS A STARTER (USING HALF THE SAUCE) 548 calories for 4 servings; 365 for 6 servings • 160g freshly podded peas (frozen are also fine) • 200g freshly podded broad beans (frozen are also fine) • 1 bunch of thin asparagus (about 220g) • 1-2 tbsp cold-pressed rapeseed oil • Small handful of basil or mint leaves • Julienned zest of 2 lemons and juice of 1 lemon • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling • Sea salt and black pepper FOR THE ROASTED ONIONS • 4 red onions (about 400g) • 2 tbsp aged balsamic vinegar • 2 tbsp maple syrup • 50ml olive oil • Sea salt and black pepper FOR THE BASIL SAUCE • 50g bunch of basil • 1 garlic clove, peeled • Sea salt and black pepper • 150ml extra virgin olive oil 116 PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. 2 Start with the roasted onions. Peel and slice into rings (5mm thick), then spread on a baking tray. Stir in the balsamic vinegar, maple syrup and olive oil. Season and roast for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through the cooking time. 3 Meanwhile, make the basil sauce. Put the leaves from the basil in the bowl of a food processor with the garlic and season. Keep processing until chopped, slowly adding the extra virgin olive oil. Or you can use a pestle and mortar. (Any sauce not used will keep for a week in the fridge.) 4 To make the salad, first blanch the peas, boiling them for 2 minutes, then drain and refresh in cold water. Do the same with the broad beans, then slip off their outer grey-green skins. 5 Griddle the asparagus until lightly charred. Don’t oil the pan. Get it hot before adding the asparagus and brush with a little rapeseed oil while griddling. 6 Mix the vegetables with the fresh basil or mint. Add lemon juice to taste, drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil and toss. 7 Arrange the vegetables on a serving plate, add the onions and drizzle with some of the basil sauce. Finally, sprinkle over the lemon zest.
Slow-cooked tomato with feta and basil Tomatoes are even better for us cooked than they are raw: once cooked, they contain up to three times the amount of nutrients. Also, leave the skins on – this is where most of the goodness is concentrated. SERVES 4 AS A STARTER OR A SIDE SALAD 245 calories per serving
• Extra virgin olive oil • Sea salt and black pepper • Good handful of basil • 4 handfuls of salad and other herbs, such as rocket, flat-leaf parsley, tarragon, coriander and sorrel • Juice of ½ lemon • 100g feta, crumbled • 20g pine nuts, dry-fried
• 500g tomatoes (a selection of colours and sizes), halved • 6-7 garlic cloves, finely sliced • A few sprigs of thyme, leaves picked, or 1 tsp dried thyme
1 Preheat the oven to 220°C/gas mark 7. 2 Arrange the tomatoes in a single layer on non-stick or lined baking trays. Put a slice of garlic on each, sprinkle with thyme, add a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and some salt and black pepper. Roast in the hot oven for 10 minutes. Turn the oven down to 120°C/gas mark ½, and continue cooking the tomatoes for 50-60 minutes. If using cherry tomatoes, check them halfway through cooking, as they will be ready sooner. Remove and allow to cool. 3 Put the salad leaves and herbs into a mixing bowl. Pour over 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, the lemon juice and add some salt and pepper. Toss well to combine. Divide the salad leaves and herbs between four plates and add a quarter of the slow-cooked tomatoes to each one. Sprinkle with the feta and pine nuts.
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Let’s eat healthy
Quinoa, courgette and lemon salad Use a mix of courgette colours. You can add a nice flavour by toasting the quinoa in a dry frying pan for a minute before boiling for 10-15 minutes.
• 300g quinoa, white or red • 675ml vegetable stock or good-quality bouillon • 4 small, or 2 medium, courgettes (about 300g) • 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil • Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon • 1 garlic clove, crushed (optional) • Sea salt and black pepper • About 60g mixed spring herbs (coriander, with flowers if possible, mint, flat-leaf parsley, chervil and sorrel), chopped (save a few mint and coriander leaves for garnish) • 30g pumpkin or sunflower seeds, or pine nuts, dry-fried • 200g feta, roughly crumbled (optional) 1 Rinse the quinoa in a sieve under a running tap, then dry fry if you wish. Put it into a pan with the stock (if using fresh stock, not bouillon, add a pinch
of salt). Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently without a lid for 10-15 minutes, or until all the liquid has evaporated. The cooked seed has a tiny curly tail and should have a slight bite to it. Take off the heat (do not drain), put the lid on, and leave to rest in the pan for 5 minutes. 2 Spoon quinoa into a serving bowl, then fork through and allow to cool. 3 Thinly slice the courgettes into a bowl. Pour over the extra virgin olive oil, add the zest and juice of the lemon and crushed garlic (if using). Season and give it a stir. Marinate for half an hour, or 15 minutes if you like the courgettes to have more bite. Add the courgette mixture, herbs and dry-fried seeds to the quinoa. Stir and season with salt and pepper, and possibly a little lemon juice or extra virgin olive oil, to taste. Sprinkle over the feta (if using), and some whole coriander or mint leaves.
Jewelled freekeh Freekeh is unripe green wheat that’s been roasted for a delicious smoky taste. You can replace it with brown rice or bulgur wheat. SERVES 8 282 calories per serving • 50g dried cranberries • 75g dried apricots (ideally organic) • 60g raisins • 250g freekeh • 2 tbsp coldpressed rapeseed oil • 1 small onion, finely chopped • 1 medium (250300g) fennel bulb, chopped • 1 cinnamon stick • 10 cardamom pods
or 1 tsp cardamom seeds • 1 tsp coriander seeds • 1 litre hot chicken or vegetable stock • 50g pistachio kernels, dry-fried • Sea salt and black pepper TO SERVE • Handful of mixed herbs or edible flower petals • Seeds of 1 pomegranate
1 Put the cranberries, apricots and raisins into a jug and cover with boiling water. Soak for 20 minutes, then drain. Wash the freekeh in a sieve under a cold tap, and drain. 2 Put the rapeseed oil in a saucepan and heat gently. Add the onion and fennel and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the freekeh, cinnamon stick, cardamom and coriander, stirring well to ensure all the grains get coated in the oil. Pour in the stock, bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and cook, simmering gently with the lid on, for 5 minutes. Take the lid off and continue to simmer for 10 minutes, or until the liquid has been absorbed. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in cranberries, apricots, raisins and the pistachio nuts. Taste, and season with salt and black pepper. Scatter with the herbs or edible petals and the pomegranate seeds. Serve warm or cold. • Recipes from Good Good Food by Sarah Raven (Bloomsbury, £25) 118 PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016
Photos: Jonathan Buckley
SERVES 6-8 AS A SIDE SALAD 448 calories for 6 servings; 336 for 8
Easy-peasy puds
Delicious
NO-BAKE
DESSERTS
It’s summer, so you don’t want to have the oven on for hours baking. Try these seriously easy sweet treats instead
Decadent raspberry mousse cake Make up to a day ahead and store covered in the fridge. SERVES 10 PREP 30min, plus cooling and chilling COOK 10min
Photo: Kate Whitaker
• 100g pack brandy snap baskets, crushed • 400g (14oz) frozen raspberries, defrosted on kitchen paper • 2tbsp icing sugar • 8 gelatine leaves • 225ml (8fl oz) whole milk • 425ml (14fl oz) double cream • 4 large eggs, separated • 200g (7oz) caster sugar
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1 Line the sides of a 23cm (9in) spring-form cake tin with baking parchment. Cover the base with the crushed brandy snaps. 2 Set aside 100g (3½oz) of the best raspberries. Put remainder into a pan with icing sugar and 2tbsp water. Heat, stirring occasionally, until fruit softens. Sieve into a bowl – you should have around 250ml (9fl oz). Discard pips and let purée cool. 3 Cover six gelatine leaves with cold water and leave for 10min.
Heat milk and 225ml (8fl oz) of the cream in a pan until nearly boiling. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Meanwhile, in a bowl, beat together the egg yolks and 150g (5oz) caster sugar. Gradually add the hot milk mixture, stirring after each addition. Rinse out pan, pour in mixture and return to hob. 4 Heat gently, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Strain through a sieve into a bowl. Lift gelatine out of water; squeeze well. Whisk into hot custard until dissolved. Top with greaseproof paper to stop a skin forming, then cool for 30min. When cooled, stir in 6tbsp of raspberry purée. 5 Whisk egg whites in a bowl until stiff. Add remaining caster sugar and whisk until thick. In a separate bowl, whip remaining cream until peaking. Fold whites into cream; fold in cooled custard. Pour into tin, then drizzle over 3tbsp of purée. Put reserved raspberries on top; cover and chill for 2hr. 6 Soak remaining gelatine. Gently heat remaining purée until just simmering. Lift gelatine out of water and squeeze. Whisk into purée and leave until just cool. 7 Pour cooled purée over mousse; shake tin gently to spread topping. Cover and chill for 4hr or overnight. To serve, remove from tin, transfer to a plate and peel off paper.
Cranberry, ginger & white chocolate parfait Super creamy, this pudding will certainly provide the wow factor at your next get-together!
TOP TIP
SERVES 6-8 Prep 30min, plus freezing COOK about 10min
Photo: Philip Webb
This recipe is easier to make with a free-standing mixer, or enlist a helper to pour while you whisk.
• 150g (5oz) frozen cranberries, defrosted • 2tbsp caster sugar • 50g (2oz) amaretti biscuits • 225g (8oz) granulated sugar • 2 medium egg whites • 300ml (½ pint) double cream • 100g (31⁄2oz) white chocolate chips • 2 balls of stem ginger, diced 1 Heat the cranberries gently with the caster sugar and 2tbsp of water until they release their juices. Blitz in a blender until smooth and set aside. 2 Dampen a 900ml (1½ pint) loaf tin with water and line with clingfilm so it overlaps the edges. Blitz the biscuits in a food processor until they resemble fine breadcrumbs. Spread over the base of the tin. 3 Dissolve the granulated sugar in a pan with 150ml (5fl oz) of water over a gentle heat. Boil the syrup to 120°C (if you don’t have a sugar thermometer, drop a teaspoon of the mix into a bowl of cold water – it should come together as a firm ball). Plunge the pan base into cold water to stop further cooking. 4 While cooking the syrup, whisk the egg whites to the stiff-peak stage. In a separate bowl, whisk the cream until it just softly peaks. 5 With the motor running, whisk the hot sugar syrup immediately into the egg whites. Keep whisking until cool. 6 Fold one large spoonful of cream into the mix, then the rest, followed by the chocolate and ginger. 7 Using half of the ice cream and cranberry purée, spoon alternate layers into the loaf tin. Swirl with a skewer to create ripple patterns. Repeat with the rest of the ice cream and purée. Cover with clingfilm and freeze until firm. Remove 20min before serving and cut into slices.
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Easy-peasy puds
Fruity yoghurt lollies Use your favourite berries to create new flavour and colour combinations.
• 225g (8oz) blackberries • 25g (1oz) caster sugar • 150g (5oz) 0% fat Greek yoghurt • 4tsp runny honey YOU WILL NEED Lolly sticks and four 75ml (3fl oz) moulds 1 Put berries and sugar into a pan with 1tbsp water. Heat gently to melt sugar, then turn up the heat and bring to the boil – stirring and mashing occasionally with a wooden spoon so the berries release their juice. Simmer for 8min, then leave to cool completely. 2 In a medium bowl, stir together the yoghurt and the honey. Fill four ice lolly moulds with a spoonful of cooled berries, followed by a layer of yoghurt mixture and then another of cooled berries. Alternatively, you can half-fill four 150ml (¼ pint) plastic drinking cups. Push a lolly stick into the centre of each mould and freeze until solid, for at least 5hr. 3 Gently twist lollies or dip briefly into hot water to unmould. If using drinking cups, use a pair of scissors to carefully cut the plastic off. Serve immediately.
GET AHEAD! Make to end of step 3 up to a day ahead. Simply complete recipe to serve.
Chocolate torte SERVES 10 PREP 15min • 200g (7oz) plain chocolate, broken into pieces • 25g (1oz) butter, melted, plus extra to grease • 1½tbsp golden syrup • 125g (4oz) butter biscuits, finely crushed • 40g (1½oz) icing sugar, plus extra to dust • 300ml (½ pint) double cream, at room temperature • 2-3tbsp amaretto, optional, to decorate • Plain chocolate, grated • Raspberries, to serve 1 Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Set aside to cool 122 PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016
for 10min. Grease and line the sides of a 20.5cm (8in) loose-bottomed cake tin with baking parchment. 2 In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, golden syrup and crushed biscuits. Press mixture into the base of the prepared tin. 3 Sift the icing sugar into a separate bowl. Pour in cream and amaretto, if using, and whisk until the cream just holds its shape. Using a metal spoon, fold the cooled chocolate into the cream mix. Spoon chocolate mix into cake tin, level the surface, cover and chill until ready to serve. 4 Transfer torte to a serving plate. Peel off paper and scatter over grated chocolate. Decorate with a few raspberries and lightly dust with icing sugar. Slice to serve.
Photo: Kate Whitaker
The amaretto adds a grown-up twist – orange liqueur works well, too!
Photo: Ria Osborne Feature: Suzannah Butcher & Elizabeth Hutchinson Recipes: Hearst Magazines UK
MAKES 4 PREP 20min, plus freezing COOK about 10min
Culinary delights from food editor HEATHER WHINNEY
WRAP IT, STUFF IT OR FILL IT… Make a meal (or two) with these tasty breads – simply add your favourite filling!
❶ Mission Deli
original wraps (£1.70 for a pack of 8). These new wraps are super soft so they don’t dry out and are large enough to cram in loads of salad and avocado for a healthy lunch. Other flavours include multigrain, sweet chilli and Mediterranean herb.
Season’s best fish!
❷ Santa Maria
pulled chicken dinner kit (£3.99 for 405g, Morrisons). This kit comes with mini tortillas, sauce and seasonings. Add chicken and cook in the bag provided. Great for an easy Friday night supper.
At this time of year, I take the opportunity to cook plenty of fresh fish, such as seasonal mackerel, sardines, lemon sole and turbot. Roast or grill with a drizzle of olive oil and lemon wedges. Fragrant herbs, such as parsley, tarragon and chervil, are at their best for salads right now, while raspberries and plums are sweet and succulent – what more could we ask for? Maybe some bread and cheese (and a glass of wine!) to savour the best of British summer eating. Enjoy!
FROZEN ASSET
Photo: StockFood
Ice-cream making is a breeze – and a lot of fun –thanks to this clever gadget. Simply freeze the dish 24 hours in advance, then create your ice-cream mixture and pour it into the frozen dish. Fold then mix and voilà – the tasty treat appears in minutes! You can also use the dish for frozen yoghurts and sorbets. Chef’n Sweet Spot Ice Cream Maker (29cm dish, two scoops and recipes), £39.99, Lakeland
Cook it, eat it,
love it!
❸ Genius plain bagels
(£2 for a pack of 4, Tesco). These are top of my list for an on-the-go breakfast – toasted and filled with cream cheese and smoked salmon. They’re moreish, soft and gluten-free, too!
BOOK OF THE MONTH
Pastry, pronto! If you wish you could show off your pastry skills and whip up a gorgeous millefeuille but are put off by the amount of work involved, try these new ready-prepared sugared sheets. The light, crisp Italian pastry – Millefoglie – needs little more than layering up with berries and cream and a dusting of icing sugar. Bellissima! Arden & Amici Millefoglie, £1.79 for 200g, Tesco
For where to buy, see page 161
If you think you’re not a salad lover, Savour: Salads For All Seasons (Jacqui Small, £25) by Peter Gordon will change your mind. How does lamb, baked pitta, figs, feta, tomato, cucumber and mint sound? Or how about egg, smoked mackerel, beetroot, apple and dill miso mustard dressing? Delicious! Chapter choices of meat, fish, grain, cheese or vegetable make the book easy to use and the beautiful photography will certainly inspire your creativity!
PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016 123
yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy y y y y y y y y y Make it+Sew it+ KNIT it+ GIVE it + Love it y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y see over the page FOR our fab 13-PAGE makes SECTION y y | yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
GET MAKING!
PRIMA.CO.UK August 2016 125
EXCLUSIVE PATTERN* from Prima & Create and Craft
www.createandcraft.tv
SUMMER DRESSING FOR GIRLS OF ALL AGES Our bumper pattern includes two pretty dresses for you and a cute and easy-to-make dress or top for the little girl in your life ❶ With its figure-
❸ A must-pack for
flattering fit and knockout colour, this fab frock is the perfect occasion piece – that’s all those garden parties and summer weddings sorted!
a summer city break. Glam up your dress with a pair of heeled sandals, or keep it casual in flats.
Round sunglasses (in model’s hand), £17.99, Mango. Heeled sandals, Clutch bag, £32, Accessorize. £17.99, 4-9, New Look Embroidered heels, £250, 3-8, LK Bennett
❹ Comfy and casual,
❷ Little ones will love this easy, breezy dress – perfect for picnics, parties and day trips to the seaside.
this pretty top pairs perfectly with cotton shorts or skinny jeans. It’s a little girl’s summer superhero!
Straw trilby, £12.95, Gap Kids. Yellow sandals, £18.50, 3-12, Next
White leggings, £3.50, 3-16; pink sunglasses, £6; sandals, £18.50, 3-12, all Next
126 PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016
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yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy Make it your way! y y y Need to know y Create and Craft TV is your y one-stop shop for all your sewing and knitting needs! Head to y createandcraft.tv to find out more. y y WOMEN’S SIZES 10-20 GIRLS’ SIZES 2-8 y The woman’s V-neck dress can be made y sleeveless or with short sleeves. It y has a full skirt with soft, unpressed pleats and fastens with a centre back y zip. The girl’s A-line dress or top has y contrasting fabric ties that are threaded y through the neck casing and tied at y the shoulders to create the gathers. FABRICS y We used cotton Jacquard and printed y cotton for the woman’s dress and y printed cottons for the girl’s dress and top. All fabrics are from Mad Jak. y INSTRUCTIONS y The pattern pieces, cutting layouts y and sewing instructions are all on y the Prima pattern. y y y y y y y y y y y y y y TO ORDER THIS MONTH’S EXCLUSIVE PATTERN, call y 0900 140 1003* (or, from the Republic y of Ireland, 1560 716 142*). If you’re a y subscriber and have opted in, the pattern will be included FREE every y month with your copy of Prima. y y y y 3 4 y y For where to buy, see page 161 y yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy Front
Back
Back
Front
Front
Back
Front
Back
*Calls cost £1.50 per minute plus your telephone company’s network access charge (ROI €1.28 per minute) and should last no longer than two minutes. You must be over 18 to call. UK SP: Spoke, 0333 202 3390. ROI SP: Phonovation/Spoke, 014378815. Lines close midnight, 31 August 2016. PLEASE ALLOW 28 DAYS FOR DELIVERY.
Feature: Janet Palmer Photos: Hearst Studios Styling: Helen Johnson Assisted by: Ellie Attwell Hair & make-up: Anna Durston Illustrations: Terry Evans
yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy y y y y y y y y Capture that holiday feeling in your home y with these simple seaside makes y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y | y yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
Nautical but nice
128 PRIMA.CO.UK August 2016
yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy Makes ahoy! y y Upcycle a junk-shop find into y Finish a stunning piece of furniture y in a day! To Make y You will need Remove any dirt from the ❶ at a builders’ y • Cupboard cupboard with a damp cloth. Rub merchant) • Sandpaper y the cupboard all over with sandpaper, • White matt acrylic • Primer y so the paint adheres to the surface. eggshell paint • Flat brush Paint with primer and leave to dry. y • Paper and pencil • Blue matt acrylic Give the cupboard two coats of blue ❷ (for the template) eggshell paint y paint, leaving it to dry between coats. • Two ovals of MDF • Small paint brush y Paint the top of the cupboard and the • Darker blue acrylic 1.5cm x 32cm x ovals with white paint. Leave to dry. y 18cm (buy on eBay eggshell tester pot Using a pencil and paper, trace the ❸ y • Wood glue or have them cut boat template (right) on to the centre y of the white ovals. Using the small NOTE y paint brush, carefully paint the boats in a darker shade of blue. Attach the If you use special furniture paint, you y ovals to the front of the cupboard don’t need to use a primer. Annie Sloan y using wood glue. and Rust-Oleum have good ranges. y y y y y Give a straw basket a new lease of life y with a coat of paint and pretty buttons y y You will need y • Basket-style bag • Needle and thread y • Newspaper • Selection of buttons • White spray in a variety of sizes y and shades of blue paint y • Narrow ribbon • Pencil y y To make y ❶ Place the bag on newspaper in a well-ventilated area (preferably outside). y Spray evenly with y white paint. Leave to y dry and add another y coat, if necessary. Using a pencil, ❷ y transfer the anchor y template (right) on to y the front of your bag. Sew on buttons y ❸ to form an anchor. y ❹ Stitch a ribbon y border around the Quick y bottom of the bag. and sew Wind ribbon around y the handles; stitch simple! y ends to secure. È y | y yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
Shipshape
Enlarge as required
Beach holdall
Enlarge as required
PRIMA.CO.UK August 2016 129
yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy y y y y Clear clutter from the bathroom with these jolly y buckets – you’ll smile every time you see them! y You will need y • Metal buckets y A doddle • White spray paint y • Wide paintbrush to do! • Blue paint y • Chalk (or paint, if preferred) for labels y y To make y ❶ In a well-ventilated area (preferably outside), spray-paint y the buckets inside and out. Allow paint to dry completely y before applying a further coat, if necessary. ❷ Use the paintbrush to apply a streak of blue paint y approximately 6cm by 4cm on the front of the bucket, y and leave to dry. Use the chalk (or paint, if preferred) y to write the owner’s name on the blue panel. y y y y Give an old mirror a y beach-hut-style twist y y You will need y • Round mirror, with or without frame Ready-cut MDF circle (try eBay) y •• Glue y • Lengthgunof rope y • Half metre of wide ribbon y • Hook y NOTE y Before ordering your MDF, measure your y mirror and allow enough space all the way Make in for your rope border. You could get y around less than y the pieces cut at a builders’ merchant. an hour y To make y ❶ Place your mirror in the centre of the once centred, secure the mirror y MDF; using a glue gun. y ❷ Place the rope around the edge of y the mirror and attach using a glue gun. the MDF is completely covered y ❸andEnsure there are no gaps between the coils. y Trim the ends of the rope and, to stop y them fraying, carefully singe with a lighter. y ❹ Attach ribbon to hide the ends of the and add a hook at the back of the y rope MDF so you can hang it up on the wall. y | y yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
buckets of fun
Feature: Catherine Woram Photos: Sussie Bell, Gallo Images/You Huisgenoot/Megan Miller, Pellerin Jean-Baptiste, Camera Press Illustrations: Terry Evans
Porthole mirror
130 PRIMA.CO.UK August 2016
yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy Makes ahoy! y y y y Brighten up your dining table with a funky y stencilled runner and y matching napkins y y You will need y • White fabric (we used cotton curtains from Ikea) y • Scissors y • Plastic dust sheet Time y • Masking tape to get y • Colourfast fabric paint creative! (we used Liquitex blues y from The Stencil Library) y • Stencil brush y • Sewing machine • Coloured sewing thread y • Iron y • White sewing thread y y To make the runner y ❶ Cut a length of fabric y measuring 50cm x 150cm for the runner. Lay a plastic y dust sheet on a flat surface y and place the runner on top, y ready for stencilling. Stick a long line of masking y ❷ tape along one long border of y the runner, about 6cm in from y the edge. Then stick another y long line of tape about 6cm away, slightly angled. Stick y short pieces of masking tape y across them, grouping them y to form a design as shown in the picture, leaving gaps about y the same width as the tape to y be painted in. Because of the y angled tape, these horizontal y lines will graduate in size. Dab the bands with paint using a stencil six lengths of masking tape across When dry, remove the masking tape ❺ y brush to create texture rather than from the fabric. Use a zigzag stitch in the edge of napkin, starting at one y coloured thread to sew horizontal lines corner, about 1.5cm apart. Angle a solid stripe. Leave to dry. y across the runner, about 10cm apart. the masking tape slightly to give ❸ Repeat on the opposite long border of the runner. Again, you can angle the the uneven design. Leave the rest Fold and press a hem of about 1.5cm y ❻ second long piece of tape, so the lines of the fabric to the inside twice on all of the napkin clear. y are graduated in the opposite direction. four sides and machine stitch in white. ❷ Apply fabric paint using the stencil y brush. When the paint is dry, remove ❹ Lay three rows of masking tape down y the masking tape. the centre of the runner, a couple of centimetres apart, and paint the two To make the napkins Use a zigzag stitch to sew lines ❸ y stripes in your chosen colours, dabbing between each fabric stripe to finish. ❶ Cut a square of fabric measuring y with a stencil brush. Leave to dry. Hem in the same way as the runner. 45cm x 45cm for each napkin. Lay y For more genius ideas to make, visit prima.co.uk/craft | y yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
Blue horizon
PRIMA.CO.UK August 2016 131
yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy y y y y y y y y y y y y y Get beach-ready in no time with this y oh-so-simple sarong. Simply dip-dye y in your favourite shade and it’s a wrap! y y y y THE STEpS y sarong. Starting near the bottom corner Use a tape measure to work out y how long and wide you want the of the folded edge, keep the line at y sarong to be. It will need to be wider 90 degrees to the folded edge for than you are so you’ll have enough the first few centimetres, before curving y fabric to tie in a knot at the side. up towards the opposite edge, just y over a third of the way up. Keep the y line smooth, so it’s easier to cut. y Cut along the line, then try the sarong on and check that you’re happy y with the shape. Adjust as necessary, y cutting more fabric away if needed. y y y y y Cut or rip the sheet into your required dimensions. y Iron out all the creases in the fabric y and fold it in half vertically. Lay it on a y large table. y You will need y • Tape measure overlocker y • Single white • Bucket Using a sewing machine or y sheet overlocker, zigzag stitch or overlock • Fabric dye around the raw edges of the fabric. • Scissors • Salt y • Iron • Measuring jug Put the sarong on a rinse wash to y • Fabric pen • Stainless-steel remove any ‘dressing’ on the fabric y • Sewing spoon – this will help it to absorb the dye – Using the fabric pen, draw a large ❹ then leave it damp. curve to create a rounded edge for your machine or y y y | y yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
Lisa Comfort Customises it! Dip-dYe sarong
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132 PRIMA.CO.UK August 2016
Photos: Thomas Skovsende
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yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy Make it for your hols y y y y y y y y Make y in an y afternoon! y In a bucket, mix up the dye and add y ❽ the salt, following the manufacturer’s y instructions. The salt fixes the dye. y y y y y y y y y y Fold the sarong to fit in the bucket. Dip the y bottom third into the dye. Leave for 20 minutes. y y y y y y y y y y y y Dip the next third in, leaving it to soak for a further 10 minutes. y 11 If you want to dye the remaining third, y you can dip it for a further five minutes. y If you prefer your sarong to be white at the top, as I did, then miss out this stage. y 12 Carefully remove the sarong from y the bucket and rinse out the excess dye. y Leave it to dry flat. y 13 Iron out any creases in the sarong, then it’s ready to take on your hols! y y y | y yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy 8
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PRIMA.CO.UK August 2016 133
Get creative with SUE McNEILL, editor of Prima Makes
A special thank you These new birthday and thank you cards from Papermash can be easily personalised. Simply add a few strips of colourful or patterned washi tape to a paper insert that slips into the card. £3.95 for three (in brown, black and white), Papermash.
HOME SWEET HOME This sweet cross-stitch kit contains everything you will need to complete the picture. Frame your handiwork and hang it on your wall, or give it as a house-warming gift to friends or family. £3.95, Dotcomgiftshop. The finished cross-stitch fits a 13x18cm frame, try Ikea for similar.
love it! Sew it, make it,
AUGUST DATES FOR YOUR DIARY 4-7 August Countryfile Live Blenheim Palace, Woodstock; tickets at country filelive.com 26-29 August Chilterns Craft & Design Show, Stoner Park, Henley-on-Thames; tickets at thecraft shows.co.uk
MIX IT UP Annie Sloan is known for her lovely selection of
paints that are ideal for upcycling projects. And now she’s launched a range of products to make painting even easier. Sanding pads come in packs of three different grades – use the coarse pad for a distressed look on furniture or the fine pad for a very smooth finish. Washable and reusable, the pads are a snip at only £3.95. The MixMat, which has Annie’s doodles on one side and a colour wheel on the other, is perfect for small decorative paint projects, such as stencilling and stamping. Simply clean with warm soapy water and a sponge after use. £15.95, Annie Sloan.
They’ll grow on you... Gardeners will love these pretty ribbons from Berisfords. Tie round a bunch of flowers or use as a finishing touch on a pot plant to make a lovely gift. In three ranges, Home Grown, Daisy (right) and Natural Gingham. From 75p a metre, Berisfords. 134 PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016
Colour, not clutter Banish mess from your craft room or desk forever with the help of this brightly coloured range of desk accessories. All of the items are stackable and come in a range of colours, so you can mix and match. From £5.99, Avery.
yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy Knitting pretty! y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y Designed exclusively for y Prima by Erika Knight, this y on-trend, stripy cover-up y is perfect to throw on for y cool summer evenings y y y y KNIT y in just one y weekend! y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y TURN THE PAGE FOR FULL INSTRUCTIONS y y | yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
the right
stripeS
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136 PRIMA.CO.UK August 2016
yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy y Knitting pretty! y STRIPE SEQUENCE y STRIPED TOP 12 rows A, 12 rows B, 12 rows C. y MEASUREMENTS y To fit bust: 76-81(86-92:97-102: 107-112) BACK Finished measurements: Bust With 3.75mm needles and A, cast on y cm; 86(96:108:120:134)cm; Length 95(105:119:133:147) sts and beg with a k y 51(53:55:57:59)cm row, work in st-st, following the stripe y sequence above, until work measures 27(28:29:30:31)cm from cast on edge, MATERIALS y 3(3:3:4:4) 50g hanks of Erika Knight with a p row. y studio linen in each of Milk (A) and Bone ending Shape for sleeves y (B) and 2(3:3:3:4) 50g hanks in Neo (C). Next row (RS) K3, m1F, k to last 3 sts, y Pair of 3.75mm knitting needles and m1F, k3. Next row P3, m1F, p to last 3 Shape shoulders sts, m1F, p3. Rep last 2 rows twice 3.75mm circular needle. y one Next row P to last 14(16:18:20:22) sts, more. 107(117:131:145:159) sts. Cast on Stitch holders. y Large-eyed blunt-tipped sewing up 13(14:14:15:15) sts at beg of next 2 rows. wrap next st, turn and k to end of row. y needle. 133(145:159:175:189) sts. Place a marker Next row P to last 28(32:36:40:44) sts, at each end of last row to show start of wrap next st, turn and k to end of row. y TENSION Next row P across all sts, picking up armholes. Cont straight until armhole y 22 sts and 30 rows to 10cm square the wraps as you work to avoid holes. measures 21(22:23:24:25)cm from y over st-st using 3.75mm needles. Leave sts on a holder. With RS facing, markers, ending with a p row. slip centre 25(25:27:27:29) sts onto a Shape back neck and shoulders y holder, rejoin yarn to rem sts and work Next row (RS) K54(60:66:74:80) sts, ABBREVIATIONS y alt alternate; beg beginning; cm as follows: Next row Cast off 4 sts, k to turn and leave rem sts on a stitch y centimetre(s); cont continue; dec end of row. Next row P to end. Rep last holder. Next row Cast off 4 sts, p to y decrease; foll follow(s)(ing); inc 2 rows twice more. 42(48:54:62:68) sts. last 14(16:18:20:22) sts, wrap next st, Shape shoulders turn and k to end of row. Next row increase; k knit; m1F pick up strand y row K to last 14(16:18:20:22) sts, between st just worked and next st with Cast off 4 sts, p to last 28(32:36:40:44) y tip of left needle k or p into front of it; p sts, wrap next st, turn and k to end of Next wrap next st, turn and p to end of row. y purl; patt pattern; rem remain(ing); rep row. Next row Cast off 4 sts, work Next row K to last 28(32:36:40:44) sts, wrap next st, turn and p to end of row. y repeat; RS right side; st(s) stitch(es); across all sts as set, picking up the Next row K across all sts, picking up wraps as you work to avoid holes. st-st stocking stitch; tbl through back y loop; tog together; WS wrong side. the wraps as you work to avoid holes. 42(48:54:62:68) sts. Leave sts on a y Leave sts on a holder. holder. With RS facing, slip centre y NOTES 25(25:27:27:29) sts onto a holder, rejoin yarn and cast off 4 sts, k to last NECKBAND y Short row shaping (for working the 14(16:18:20:22) sts, wrap next st, turn wrong sides together, join both shoulders) y On a k row work to the point where and p to end of row. Next row Cast With shoulders using the three needle cast y the knitting is to be turned, with the off 4 sts, k to last 28(32:36:40:44) sts, off method, so that the seam is on the y yarn at the back of the work, slip the wrap next st, turn and p to end of outside of your work. With RS facing, 3.75mm circular needle and the colour row. Next row Cast off 4 sts, work first st from the left to the right needle y purlwise. Take the yarn to the front of across all sts as set, picking up the used to join the shoulders, pick up y the work between the needles, slip the wraps as you work to avoid holes. and k18 sts down right front neck, y st back onto the left needle, return the Leave sts on a holder. k25(25:27:27:29) sts from centre yarn to the back between the needles. front holder, 18 sts up left front neck y You’ve now wrapped the slipped st, turn. FRONT 12 sts down right back neck, y On a p row work to the point where Work as given for Back until 6 rows and k25(25:27:27:29) sts from centre back y the knitting is to be turned, with the fewer have been worked than on Back holder, then pick up and k12 sts up y yarn at the front of the work, slip the to the start of shoulder shaping, ending back left neck. 110(110:114:114:118) sts. with a p row. st from the left to the right needle K 2 rounds. Cast off. y first Shape neck purlwise. Take the yarn to the back y of the work between the needles, Next row K54(60:66:74:80) sts, turn TO MAKE UP y slip the st back on the left needle, and leave rem sts on a holder. Next Weave in yarn ends. Gently steam row Cast off 4 sts, p to end of row. return the yarn to the front between work on reverse to enhance the yarn. y Next row K to end. Rep last 2 rows Join both side seams, with mattress st, the needles. You have now wrapped y the slipped st, turn. twice more. 42(48:54:62:68) sts. carefully matching the stripes. y y | yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy y y y y y y y Be on-trend y in this stylish, y scoop-neck top y y y ENJOY y a tougher y challenge! y MEASUREMENTS y To fit bust 81-86(91-97:102-107:112-117:122y 127)cm; Finished measurements: Bust y 86(95:107:121:133)cm; Length 40(42:44:46:48)cm; Sleeve length 6cm for all sizes. y y MATERIALS y 6(7:8:9:10) 50g of Rowan All Seasons Cotton in Sky 268. y Pair each of 4mm and 4.5mm knitting needles Two shell buttons. y y TENSION y 17 sts and 26 rows to 10cm square over patt using 4.5mm needles. y y ABBREVIATIONS y alt alternate; beg beginning; cm centimetres; cont y continue; dec decrease; foll following; inc increase; k knit; p purl; patt pattern; rem remaining; rep repeat; y RS right side; st(s) stitch(es); tog together; yf yarn y forward; WS wrong side. y BACK y With 4mm needles, cast on 74(82:90:102:114) sts. y 1st row (RS) K2, [p2, k2] to end. 2nd row P2, [k2, p2] y to end. Rep these 2 rows 3 times more and y dec(dec:inc:inc:dec) 1 st in centre of last row. 73(81:91:103:113) sts. Change to 4.5mm needles. Beg y and ending rows as shown on chart for correct size y and garment piece, and repeating the 26-row repeat y throughout, work as follows: Cont straight until back measures 20(21:22:23:24)cm, ending with a WS row. y Shape armholes y Keeping patt correct, cast off 3 sts at beg of next y 2 rows, dec 1 st at each end of next 3(3:5:7:9) y rows, then on foll 1(3:4:6:6) alt rows, then on foll 4th row. 57(61:65:69:75) sts. Cont straight y until armhole measures 18(19:20:21:22)cm, y ending with a WS row. È y y | yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
Cute cropped cardie
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138 PRIMA.CO.UK August 2016
Feature: Rosy Tucker Photos: Hearst Studios. Taken from Rowan Knitting and Crochet Magazine 59, £12.95.
yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy y Knitting pretty! Shape front neck Shape armhole shoulders y Shape Next row (RS) Work 2 tog, patt Keeping patt correct, cast off 3 sts at beg Keeping patt correct, cast off 2(3:3:4:4) y sts at beg of next 2 rows, then 23(27:30:36:40) sts, turn and leave of next row. 44(48:53:59:64) sts. Dec 1 st y 3(3:3:4:4) sts at beg of foll 2 rows. at armhole edge of next 3(3:4:4:4) rows. rem 16(16:17:17:18) sts on a holder (for 41(45:49:55:60) sts. Work 1(1:0:0:0) row, 47(49:53:53:59) sts. neckband). 24(28:31:37:41) sts. Keeping y ending with a WS row. Shape back neck patt correct, dec 1 st at neck edge of y Next row (RS) Cast off 3(3:4:4:5) sts, next 6 rows, then 4 foll alt rows, foll 4th soShape y patt until there are 6(7:7:7:8) sts on right row, then on next 6th row, at the same Next rowfront(RS)neck Patt 16(16:17:17:18) sts, slip y needle, turn, leaving rem sts on a these sts onto a holder, patt to last 2 sts, time, dec 1 st at armhole edge of work 2 tog. 24(28:31:37:41) sts. Complete Cast off 3 sts at beg of next 4th(2nd:2nd:next:next] row and foll y holder. to match left front, reversing shapings. row, then rem 3(4:4:4:5) sts on foll row. 0(0:0:1:3) rows, then on foll 0(1:3:6:6) y With RS facing, slip centre alt rows, then on 0(1:1:1:1) foll 4th row. y 29(29:31:31:33) sts onto a holder, rejoin 11(13:14:16:18) sts. Cont straight until SLEEVES With 4mm needles, cast on yarn and patt to end. Complete to left front matches Back to shoulder y 54(54:58:58:62) sts. Work 8 rows in rib as match first side, reversing shapings. shaping, ending with a WS row. y given for Back and dec(inc:dec:inc:dec) Shape shoulder y LEFT FRONT Cast off 2(3:3:4:4) sts at beg of next row 1 st in centre of last row. 53(55:57:59:61) y With 4mm needles, cast on and foll –(2:1:2:1) alt rows, then 3(–:4:–:5) sts. Change to 4.5mm needles. Beg and 48(52:56:64:68) sts. 1st row (RS) K2, at beg of foll 2(–:1:–:1) alt rows. Work ending rows as shown for correct size y [p2, k2] to last 6 sts, p1, k5. 2nd row K6, sts 1 row. Cast off rem 3(4:4:4:5) sts. and garment piece, cont in patt from chart, y p2, [k2, p2] to end. These 2 rows form repeating the 26 row repeat throughout, y the rib and 6 front edge sts. Cont as set RIGHT FRONT as follows: Inc 1 st at each end of next row for a further 5 rows. 8th row (WS) [Patt and foll alt row, taking inc sts into patt. With 4mm needles, cast on y 32 sts, work 2 tog] 0(0:0:1:0) times, patt 57(59:61:63:65) sts. Cont straight until 48(52:56:64:68) sts. 1st row (RS) K5, p1, y to last 2(2:0:2:2) sts, [work 2 tog] sleeve measures 6cm, ending with k2, [p2, k2] to end. 2nd row P2, [k2, p2] y 1(1:0:1:1) times. 47(51:56:62:67) sts. to last 6 sts, k6. These 2 rows form the a WS row. y Change to 4.5mm needles. Beg and rib with 6 front edge sts. Cont as set for Shape top y ending rows as shown for correct size a further 5 rows. 8th row (WS) [Work 2 Keeping patt correct, cast off 3 sts at garment piece work from chart tog] 1(1:0:1:1) times, [patt 30 sts, work 2 beg of next 2 rows. 51(53:55:57:59) sts. y and repeating the 26-row repeat tog] 0(0:0:1:0) times, patt to end. 1 st at each end of next 3 rows, y throughout, as follows: 1st row (RS) Patt 47(51:56:62:67) sts. Change to 4.5mm Dec then on foll alt row, then on 5 foll 4th rows. 33(35:37:39:41) sts. Work 1 row, y first 41(45:50:56:61) sts as 1st chart row, needles. Beg and ending rows as p1, k5. 2nd row K6, patt rem shown for correct size and garment dec 1 st at each end of next row y 41(45:50:56:61) sts as 2nd chart row. piece work from chart repeating the then and every foll RS row until 27 sts rem, y These 2 rows set the position of the 26-row patt repeat throughout, as then at each end of foll 7 rows. Cast off y chart with 6 front edge sts. Cont follows: 1st row (RS) K5, p1, patt rem rem 13 sts. straight until left front matches Back 41(45:50:56:61) sts as 1st chart row. y NECKBAND of armhole shaping, ending 2nd row Patt first 41(45:50:56:61) sts as y towithbega WS row. 2nd chart row, k6. These 2 rows set the Join shoulder seams. With RS facing and y Shape armhole 4mm needles, slip 16(16:17:17:18) sts from position of the chart with 6 front edge y Keeping patt correct, cast off 3 sts at sts. Cont straight until 6 rows fewer right front holder onto a needle, pick up k34(36:38:40:42) sts up right front beg of next row. Work 1 row. Dec 1 st at have been worked than on Back to beg y armhole edge of next 3(3:4:4:4) rows. of armhole shaping, so ending with a and neck, 3 sts down right back neck, k across y 41(45:49:55:60) sts. Work 1(1:0:0:0) row, WS row. Next (1st buttonhole) row (RS) 29(29:31:31:33) sts from back holder, pick y so ending with a WS row. up and k3 sts up left back neck and K1, k2tog, yf, patt to end. Work 6 rows. 34(36:38:40:42) sts down left front neck, y then patt across 16(16:17:17:18) sts from left y front holder. 134(138:146:150:158) sts. 1st y row (WS) K6, p2, [k2, p2] to last 6 sts, k6. y 2nd row K5, p1, k2, [p2, k2] to last 6 sts, p1, k5. These 2 rows form the rib with front y edge sts as set. Work 1 row. Next (2nd y buttonhole) row (RS) K1, k2tog, yf, patt to y end. Work a further 4 rows. Cast off in patt. y TO MAKE UP y Sew sleeves into armholes. Join side y and sleeve seams. Sew on buttons. y | yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
Great escapes
Take 5...
From yoga to Nordic walking, you can find wellness while having a fab time away from it all
healthy short breaks Nordic walking in Sussex
Feature: Jane Anderson Main photo: Getty. Prices correct at time of going to press
For an uplifting weekend of Nordic walking, head to Ockenden Manor. Here, resident Nordic walker, Jacob Parsons, will take you striding along the South Downs Way and the High Weald Landscape Trail, fuelled by Michelin-starred food and spa pampering. Bliss! HEALTH KICK Two nights for two people, including full English breakfast, neck, back and shoulder massage, indulgent foot massage, two dinners, a picnic lunch and Nordic walking, costs from £754. Call 0800 089 3929 or visit prideofbritainhotels.com.
Welsh fitness adventure
Yoga bliss in France
Stretch yourself in Scotland
Turkish sun, sports and spa
Up for a challenge? Preseli Venture’s new Fitness and Adventure Weekend features two adventure half days, fitness-focused workshops – including Zumba, circuits and trail running to local beaches – plus a session with a professional wellbeing practitioner to help you recharge your mind, body and spirit. HEALTH KICK From £265 per person, including two nights at a five-star eco lodge on 2-4 September, including all meals and activities. Call 01348 837709 or visit preseliventure.co.uk.
Join yoga and mindfulness teacher Kirsty Gallagher at an empowering retreat designed to zest up your life. Find her at Les Passeroses, a gorgeous stone farmhouse with a pool and light-filled yoga barn, for a week of bliss from 20 or 27 August. HEALTH KICK Seven nights from £690 per person (sharing a triple room), including all meals, chai and tiffin, vinyasa flow and yin yoga, meditation and philosophy classes. Call 07980 594877 or visit kirstygallagher.com. Eurostar to Angoulême from around £138 return (eurostar.com).
Head to the beautiful hills of Argyll for a health-giving stay at ecoYoga. This stone bothy on the River Liever is home to a yoga space, as well as a communal kitchen, dining room and 10 cabins. You can even take an alfresco bath next to a rushing waterfall. Guests can also head out on foraging trips for soft berries from June until September. HEALTH KICK Hatha, ashtanga and lyengar yoga retreats from £445 per person for four nights. Call 0117 204 7830 or visit canopyandstars.com.
Head to the sun for a health boost at the Hillside Beach Club near Fethiye, surrounded by canyons, historical ruins and bays. Indulge in complimentary sunrise and sunset yoga, enjoy a digital detox on the adult-only, silent beach (no mobiles allowed!), relax in the Turkish hammam and get moving with Pilates, Latin dance, aqua fitness, beach volleyball and more. HEALTH KICK Five nights’ full board from £699 per person, including return flights from London Gatwick. Call 0344 493 0787 or visit britishairways.com. PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016 139
Bays of wonder Whatever your idea of beach heaven – from sweeping sands to surfing paradise – there’s a perfect place by the sea for you. Here are our world favourites
FARAWAY PLACES Chilled, tropical THAILAND THE BEACH Nang Thong BEST FOR Castaway bliss hailand is renowned for its golden-sand beaches – just like those featured in the film The Beach. Phuket is a hot spot and the Sands Khao Lak resort sits right by the gorgeous Nang Thong Beach where you can chill out and gaze at the turquoise sea or take part in activities, including
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volleyball, scuba diving, yoga, walking programmes, giant chess or even watch movies under the stars! BOOK IT Emirates Holidays offers seven nights’ all-inclusive for the price of five in a Sands Room at Nang Thong Beach, including return Emirates flights, from £1,095 per person. Call 020 8972 8949 or visit emiratesholidays.co.uk.
The Sands Khao Lak resort has plenty of plush rooms
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Stretch out, relax
Dreamy Boa Vista, CAPE VERDE THE BEACH Praia de Cruz BEST FOR Spotting loggerhead turtles between July and September
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he Atlantic archipelago of Cape Verde, off the west coast of Africa, is still under the radar for most holidaymakers, yet its vast stretches of untouched white sands and turquoise sea are the stuff of dream tropical
getaways – but at a fraction of the price. The island of Boa Vista is a beach lover’s paradise, with Praia de Cruz standing out from the crowd as it offers a combination of snorkelling, scuba diving and turtle spotting.
Cool, iconic Durban, SOUTH AFRICA THE BEACHES Dairy, Bay of Plenty, North Beach and South Beach BEST FOR Body boarding and surfing outh Africa has some of the world’s most stunning beaches and with the rand being such amazing value against the pound, a long-haul escape is a bargain once you’re there (an average bottle of beer costs 91p!). Durban is regarded as South Africa’s seaside playground, with North Beach being Durban’s body boarding hot spot, while South Beach is a swimmer’s delight. If surfing is more to your liking, head to The Bay of Plenty or Dairy beaches. BOOK IT Premier Holidays offers a sevennight break to Durban staying at the Southern Sun Elangeni & Maharani, with breakfast, from £3,725 for a family of four during October halfterm, including return flights. Call 0844 493 7542 or visit premierholidays.co.uk.
BOOK IT The Cape Verde Experience offers seven nights at the Italian-themed, three-star Marine Club Hotel overlooking the bay from £898 per person, including breakfast, flights and transfers. Call 01489 866969 or visit capeverde.co.uk.
There’s so much to do at Daytona
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Whether you want to relax or do something sporty, Durban has a beach for you
Fun, affordable FLORIDA THE BEACH Daytona BEST FOR Boardwalk and pier fun hanks to its 23-mile-long stretch of glorious sand, Daytona is known as The Original American Beach. About an hour’s drive north of Orlando, it’s ideal for those who like a lot of action! It has arcades, boardwalk rides, great-value shopping and free summer concerts, not to mention swimming and surfing. This summer sees the opening of the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America, plus there’s a new Ale Trail with nine microbreweries and taprooms to discover after a day on the sand. Wow. BOOK IT Seven nights’ room-only at The Shores Resort & Spa on the beach costs from £2,339 for a family of four with Virgin/Delta flights from Manchester. Call 020 7939 7775 or visit ocean-florida.co.uk.
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EUROPE’S FINEST Undiscovered Cíes Islands, SPAIN THE BEACH Rodas BEST FOR Children, unspoilt sand and wildlife spotting
Rodas is a wildlife haven and ideal for kids of all ages!
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olidaymakers heading to Galicia, northwestern Spain, can expect to see spectacular landscapes. But for unspoilt stretches of sand (the region has an incredible 141 Blue Flags), head to the Cíes Islands, a protected reserve with unique wildlife. Consisting of three islands off the coast of Galicia, the southernmost ones of Isla Monteagudo and the Isla de Montefaro are connected by Rodas Beach – a gently shelving stretch of sand that’s ideal for kids who want to paddle in the sea. BOOK IT Stay in the threebedroom Casa Cangas, which is just 500m from the stunning beaches of Rias Baixas, including Nerga and Viño. With its own private pool, outdoor Jacuzzi and playhouse for children, the villa costs from £631 per week. Call 020 3384 7066 or visit spainholiday.com and search 21152.
The rustic Atlantic coast, FRANCE THE BEACH Hossegor BEST FOR A digital detox or a rustic-chic Robinson Crusoe-style family break, head to Cabane de la Plage, a charming cabin situated among the sand and surf of Hossegor, southwest France. Enjoy surfing on your doorstep, and take some lessons with the experts, plus this cute bolthole is just a short walk from all the local amenities – perfect for beach lovers who want to go barefoot all holiday. The compact, cabin-style rooms have an outside deck facing the sea with a boat-like feel to
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them. With no TV or Wi-Fi, this is the ideal place to sit back, relax and unplug by the sea. BOOK IT Cabane de la Plage sleeps six and costs from £1,190 per week. Call 01395 576655 or visit alternativeaquitaine.co.uk and search ‘Cabane de la Plage’. Take the ferry and a family car with P&O Ferries from Dover to Calais from £199, or fly to Biarritz with Ryanair for £84 return.
Get away from it all at Hossegor INSET The cosy Cabane de la Plage
Stretch out, relax
Rugged, refreshing BRITTANY THE BEACH Bot Conan BEST FOR Exploring rock pools he Finistère coastline of Brittany in France is known for its sandy beaches and rocky coves, but Plage de Bot Conan – between Cap Coz and Beg Meil – is a real find. Access is gained via the coastal footpath, and the sand is fine and the water clear blue. Kids will love the sailing lessons at the Sailing Club in Fouesnant Cornouaille, plus its kayaks,
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Secret, chic COSTA BRAVA
catamarans, dinghies and windsurfing. Meanwhile, adults can head into the village of Beg Meil for crepes and cider. BOOK IT Bot Conan Lodge has safari lodge tents with vintage interiors, from £95 per night (based on five sharing). Call 0117 204 7830 or visit canopyandstars.co.uk. Catch a ferry from Portsmouth to St Malo from £179 one way for a car and two passengers (brittany-ferries.co.uk).
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Aiguablava – voted the best beach in Catalonia
THE BEACH Aiguablava BEST FOR Families and couples who love fantastic food by the beach lthough it’s not far from Barcelona, the Costa Brava still manages to retain its intimacy, making it an ideal place if you want to experience the Med. It’s home to secret coves and quaint villages, such as Cadaqués, near the home of Salvador Dalí. You’ll also find Aiguablava beach – voted the best in Catalonia. BOOK IT Hostal Spa Empúries, near the seaside town of L’Escala, is a chic hotel with parquet floors and luxe Chesterfields. Families will love the roomy suites and kids’ club, while mums can indulge in the glam spa. A week’s stay costs from £476 per person, room-only. Call 0117 946 7072 or visit i-escape.com/hostal-empuries. Fly to Girona with Ryanair from £128 return.
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Stretch out, relax
CLOSE TO HOME
Three Cliffs Bay boasts both natural beauty and watersports
Amazing sands on the ISLE OF WIGHT THE BEACH Compton BEST FOR Fossil hunting ne of the Isle of Wight’s best-kept secrets, Compton Beach is located in West Wight, and is a two-mile stretch of contrasting golden and dark sands, with rolling seas and tumbling multicoloured sandstone cliffs. It’s secluded, so remember to take your own picnics, surfboards and windbreaks. Thankfully, the odd ice cream van makes it on to the sand! It’s a great place to hunt for fossils or you can join a guided fossil walk. BOOK IT Compton Farm camping and caravan site offers caravan holiday homes from £300 per week. Camping costs from £16 per pitch per night. Call 01983 740215 or visit comptonfarm.co.uk.
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THE BEACH Three Cliffs Bay BEST FOR Bracing walks he bays of the Gower Peninsula are akin to the dramatic beaches you might find in Australia or New Zealand, with long swathes of fine, yellow sand with rugged cliffs and countryside forming stunning backdrops. Three Cliffs Bay, and neighbouring Oxwich and Rhossili Bays, are hot spots for watersports, including surfing (lessons are available),
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coasteering, windsurfing, sailing and, on calm days, stand-up paddle boarding. BOOK IT Quality Unearthed offers two traditional Mongolian yurts, Shiva and Shakti, within easy reach of these beaches. Sleeping up to six on futon-style beds, they have cosy log burners and adjacent kitchens with gas hobs and pizza stones. Three nights in August start from £403. Call 01348 830922 or visit qualityunearthed.co.uk.
Escape to Alderney, CHANNEL ISLANDS THE BEACH Braye BEST FOR Picnics itting on the northern coast of Alderney – the third largest Channel Island – Braye Beach is sheltered by a breakwater that stretches three-quarters of a mile out to sea, making it ideal for sunbathing and picnics. It’s also a great base for spying wildlife, including the rare blonde hedgehog, dolphins and even grey Atlantic seals. BOOK IT The chic Braye Beach Hotel sits by the beach and its restaurant serves fresh local produce, including lobster and scallops. Double rooms cost from £100 per night, with breakfast. Call 0800 2800550 or visit brayebeach.com. Fly from Southampton to Aurigny from £208 per person return (aurigny.com).
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Braye Beach Hotel makes the most of the delicious Channel Island produce
Feature: Jane Anderson Photos: Getty, Alamy, Chris George. Prices correct at the time of going to press
Gorgeous Gower Peninsula, SOUTH WALES
Your SUMMER READS sorted! Books editor Cathy Rentzenbrink’s favourite page-turners to enjoy, whether you’re at home or away
Three journeys into the last century DAUGHTERS OF CASTLE DEVERILL by Santa Montefiore (Simon & Schuster, £12.99) It’s 1925 and the Deverill’s castle is in ruins. Celia, having married into money, is determined to restore her home. But then the stock markets fall... Out 22 July
THE INVITATION by Lucy Foley (HarperCollins, £12.99) When Hal Jacobs is invited on to a luxury yacht bound for the Cannes film festival, he meets the beautiful Stella – a mysterious American who’s hiding a dark secret. Out 14 July
THE MUSE by Jessie Burton (Picador, £12.99) A lost painting with a secret history binds together the two strands of this sumptuous tale set in 1930s Spain and 1960s London. Love, art, mystery and unforgettable characters. Out now
One great autobiography SPECTACLES: A MEMOIR by Sue Perkins (Penguin, £7.99) A hilarious and heartwarming account of the ups, downs and roundabouts of Sue’s journey, from growing up in Croydon to presenting The Great British Bake Off. Fun and rather moving. Out 28 July
Three escapist romantic comedies THE PLUMBERRY SCHOOL OF COMFORT FOOD by Cathy Bramley (Corgi, £7.99) Verity Bloom is preparing for the opening of the Plumberry School of Comfort Food when tragedy strikes. Can she conjure up a bit of magic to find happiness for everyone? Out now
YOU HAD ME AT MERLOT by Lisa Dickenson (Sphere, £7.99) Laurie wants to find love and persuades her friend Elle to tag along on a singles’ holiday in Tuscany. Good wine will be on the menu, but will romance? Out now
THE BACHELOR by Tilly Bagshawe (Harper, £7.99) Self-made millionaire Henry Saxton-Brae and his supermodel fiancée live in Hanborough Castle. Flora is hired to do the renovations, but soon sees that it’s not only the castle that needs fixing… Out now
Get into the good books! Three love stories HOW TO FIND LOVE IN A BOOKSHOP by Veronica Henry (Orion, £12.99) Nightingale Books is full of interesting customers with secrets. Owner Emilia is struggling to keep it open – but what about the promise she made to her father? Out now
FALLING by Jane Green (Macmillan, £14.99) Exhausted from her career in New York, Emma hires a cottage in Connecticut. Her landlord is a handyman and not really her type. Will love blossom? Out 14 July
THE SONGBIRD by Marcia Willett (Bantam Press, £16.99) Mattie has loved Tim for years, but can tell he is troubled by a secret. Can she help him to open up and will he be able to return her love? Out now
Three twisty thrillers I SEE YOU by Clare Mackintosh (Sphere, £12.99) Zoe is shocked to see a photo of herself in the classified ads of a London newspaper. The next day the photo is of a different woman. Who can be behind it, and what might they be up to? Out 28 July
LIE WITH ME by Sabine Durrant (Mulholland Books, £14.99) Paul tells a white lie to impress an old acquaintance, but little does he know that it will lead to a nightmare scenario when she invites him to her holiday home in Greece. Out 28 July
THE WOMAN IN CABIN 10 by Ruth Ware (Harvill Secker, £9.99) Journalist Lo Blacklock hopes that a trip on a luxury cruiser to see the Northern Lights will distract her from heartbreak. But then she sees a body thrown overboard from the next cabin… Out now
Three poolside page-turners I FOUND YOU by Lisa Jewell (Century, £12.99) In Yorkshire, Alice takes in a man she found on the beach who has no memory. In Surrey, Lily reports her husband missing and police discover his passport is a fake. What is the link? Out 14 July
TRULY MADLY GUILTY by Liane Moriarty (Michael Joseph, £14.99) Cellist Clementine is practising for an audition when her friend asks her to come to a barbecue. What should be a welcome distraction soon spirals out of control… Out 28 July
THE SWIMMING POOL by Louise Candlish (Penguin, £12.99) Natalie enjoys hanging out with an elite group at the local lido during the summer holidays. But what secrets and dangers lurk beneath the surface? Out now
MEET THE AUTHOR… Jessie Burton
Photos: Getty, Harry Borden
Did you always want to be a writer? No, but I always wrote. My main aim in life, from about five to 25, was to be an actress. I achieved that, to a degree, but then writing took over. What are the best and worst things about the life of a writer? The best thing? The parallel lives you can have. Ideas that interest me but I can’t have in real life – such as imaginary people, fantasies, dreams. I can live them out in my words and make them a form of reality. The worst thing is when what you see on the page is not what remains stuck inside your head. I also don’t like the sustained isolation, but you can’t write a novel by committee.
Who or what inspires you? People who fight for better social equality. My best friends – a teacher in a challenging school and a radiologist for the NHS – inspire me, too; they are far more useful than I am. Can you tell us about your routine? I don’t have a fixed routine. I only really concentrate in the evening, when the world falls quieter. I have a studio in the garden where I work, but I write on trains, on my phone, on receipts. I try to remember to do some exercise, too, as I’m pretty sure we’re not supposed to sit down all day. What books do you like to read? I love beautiful, yet understated, prose.
The kind of sentence that makes you stop and want to underline it with a pencil. But I also like to be gripped by a strong voice and character. What advice would you give to someone who wants to write? Well, first and foremost, you should do it for yourself. Don’t worry about what people might think of it – you can deal with that later! And don’t expect a masterpiece first time round. It takes time. Be patient, but don’t give in at the first hurdle – which, by the way, is about the third sentence into the first paragraph of the first chapter. PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016 147
That’s entertainment
Your time off
& time out
THIS MONTH’S BEST TV, FILMS, LIVE SHOWS AND MORE
An evening out at the movies
Coming to a venue near you THE BIG FEASTIVAL
Matt Damon returns as the shadowy one-time CIA agent who’s fallen foul of his former bosses. And the character has lost none of his powers. Part tortured soul, part lethal operative, Bourne finds himself drawn out of the shadows in a thrilling tale that also stars Julia Stiles and Tommy Lee Jones. Incredible stunts and a twisty plot makes this a Bourne winner. Out 27 July
Pecs appeal: Matt Damon is back as Jason Bourne
GHOSTBUSTERS
THE BFG
NINE LIVES
Thirty-two years on from the original, we now see an all-female gang of Ghostbusters, headed up by Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy (last seen together in Bridesmaids). This hilarious 3D romp sees the girls don overalls to propel an army of restless souls towards the light, after they threaten to take over New York City. Look out for Chris Hemsworth as Ghostbuster HQ’s dishy receptionist. Out 11 July
Not since ET has Steven Spielberg directed a more magical movie than this! Based on Roald Dahl’s classic tale, a little girl called Sophie (played by Ruby Barnhill), encounters a Big Friendly Giant (Mark Rylance) and an unlikely friendship develops. Together they must see off the bad giants, who have names like Fleshlumpeater and Bloodbottler, to make the world a safer place. Out 22 July
In this comedy, Tom Brand (Kevin Spacey) is a billionaire who puts work first and fails to appreciate his family. He leaves his 11-yearold daughter’s birthday gift to the last minute and ends up buying a cat – Mr Fuzzypants – from a ‘mystical’ pet shop. On the way home, he crashes the car and wakes up trapped in the animal’s body. His unsuspecting family adopts this odd, stubborn feline, while Tom works out how to become human again. Out 5 August
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Billed as a ‘feelgood festival for all the family’, Blur bassistJamie Oliver and Tinie Tempah turned-cheesemaker Alex James hosts this food and music extravaganza on his Cotswolds farm to raise money for the Jamie Oliver Food Foundation. Look out for live appearances from top chefs, including Jamie himself, as well as Raymond Blanc and Nadiya Hussain, while Mark Ronson and Tinie Tempah, among others, provide the music. 26-28 August; thebigfeastival.com.
BEAR GRYLLS: ENDEAVOUR Bear Grylls brings his taste for adventure to an arena near you in a UK tour that celebrates some of mankind’s greatest feats of courage and endurance. Using groundbreaking special effects, this immersive theatrical spectacle provides a real sense of how it might feel to climb Everest or swim with sharks – from the comfort of your seat, of course! Book ahead now. 7-30 October; axs.com.
HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD This summer’s hot ticket follows on from the epilogue of the seventh Harry Potter book/ film, The Deathly Hallows. Harry’s now middleaged and his son Albus is starting Hogwarts. Co-created by JK Rowling and the team behind the brilliant stage adaptation of Let The Right One In, this two-part show (the theatre makes booking both parts fairly easy) is on now at the Palace Theatre. Tickets are hard to come by, but some go on sale each Friday for the next week. Harrypottertheplay.com. The new Harry, Albus and Ginny
Feature: Daphne Lockyer Photos: Charlie Gray, BBC, Love Productions, Getty
JASON BOURNE
A QUICK TANGO WITH
Craig Revel Horwood Ian Hart, Toby Jones, Vicky McClure and Stephen Graham all star in The Secret Agent
What’s on TV THE SECRET AGENT BBC One Screenwriter Tony Marchant blows the cobwebs off Joseph Conrad’s 1907 novel of the same name to bring us a three-part spy thriller with surprisingly modern relevance. Toby Jones stars as Verloc – proprietor of a seedy Soho store and a secret Russian agent – who drags his family into a tragic terror plot.
MY MOTHER AND OTHER STRANGERS BBC One This five-part Second World War drama, set in rural Northern Ireland, tells the story of what happens when a small parish is turned upside down by the arrival of thousands of US Army Air Force personnel. Will the once happy and united Coyne family survive when handsome US captain Dreyfuss (played by Aaron Staton from Mad Men) comes a calling? Don’t miss it.
500 QUESTIONS ITV Giles Coren hosts a brand-new quiz from August that promises to be an intense battle of brain power, strategy and stamina! Contestants go head-to-head to see who gets closest to 500 questions correct and who’ll be the first to get three wrong in a row. There’s no help, no hints and no multiple choice, either!
THE GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF BBC One A new batch of bakers head for the tent from early August. Judges Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry (below) have created 30 new challenges that will test baking prowess, creativity and skill in a bid to find Britain’s best amateur baker. Presenters Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc are back, too. On your marks, get set… bake!
Aussie-born dancer and Strictly Come Dancing judge, Craig, 51, is currently the choreographer and director for Sister Act, now going on a UK tour Sister Act has been a hit in the West End and on Broadway, seen worldwide by six million people. How do you bring a new spin to it? For a start, we have musicians on stage rather than in the orchestra pit. It’s a brilliant way of helping the story to unfold in a high-energy way. We’re lucky to have Alexandra Burke (former X Factor winner) play Delores Van Cartier – the 1970s disco diva who takes shelter in a convent after witnessing a murder. She makes the part totally her own. Were you a fan of the original film starring Whoopi Goldberg? Very much so, and I wanted to return to the simple essence of that film. Over the years, productions have moved away from the heartfelt story about a girl who escapes a life lived among rat bags and discovers herself in the process. It’s a simple story of the power of good over evil. That’s what our production is all about. It’s set in the 1970s – is that an era that appeals to you? It’s one of my favourite decades by far. I adore disco and everything that goes with it – no one could deny that the music in this production more than does that era justice. Please tell us you’re nicer to the stars in your production than the contestants on Strictly? Haha! As a director, you do have to be generous, to listen and make people feel confident. You’re part teacher and part psychiatrist. Unlike Strictly, I’ve chosen the stars in my shows, so I know they’re brilliant and I have a responsibility to make them as good as they can be. It’s the antithesis of my role on Strictly, where I’m purely there to judge and
to give my opinion, which is not always the one people want to hear! Do you get a lot of flack from the public who think you’re too mean? It was worse at the start when people didn’t get my sense of humour. They thought I was Mr Nasty, but I think they see now that’s not it at all. My role is to help people at home make more informed choices when they vote. I’m tough, but not unfair. As for my delivery, that’s just me. Far worse was said to me by my dance teachers when I was in training! You split with your partner, Damon Scott, earlier this year. Any chance of new love on the horizon? I’m on Match.com but I’m sure that people look at my picture and think, ‘Oh no, it’s that bloke on the telly!’ But seriously, I’m so much happier by myself. Relationships are difficult in my business, especially when on tour. Being away for months was one of the reasons for the break-up. You lost your father last December, so it’s been a difficult few months… Yes, it’s been tough. When my dad was dying, I had three different projects on the go, including panto – and I couldn’t get out of any of the contracts. So I’d be working till late and then Skype-ing Australia at 3am. It didn’t hit me until it was all over, at which point I did collapse. How did you recover? Fortunately, I was booked on the Strictly cruise in April and my mum and one of my sisters joined me for a few weeks. They watched my Q&A and dance sessions, and we went all over Europe. It was very healing. • The national tour of Sister Act opens at Leicester Curve on 30 July. For tickets, visit sisteractuktour.co.uk. PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016 149
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Fun for you... GIVEAWAYS, PUZZLES AND A FAB SHORT STORY!
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It’s so easy to win! Let’s go retro!
A feelgood spa getaway The award-winning, four-star Whittlebury Hall Hotel & Spa in Northamptonshire is giving one reader a two-night spa break for two, worth £1,000†! This fab getaway includes daily breakfast and three-course dinners on both nights, plus use of the Heat and Ice Experiences, spa and leisure club facilities. Not a winner? Buy an Escape and Spa Stay this summer and get a complimentary express treatment on us††! Visit whittleburyhall.co.uk/escapeextra. Call 0905 789 1001 (80ppm)*. Text PRIMAGIVE1 to 88600 (£1.50)**. Write to Prima/Whittlebury Hall GVPRAL16063. For full T&Cs, see page 161
Take a trip down memory lane and immerse yourself in 90s nostalgia with Groov-e’s new range of retro-themed products. Four lucky readers will get their hands on a prize worth £175! Each bundle includes a Retro Boombox (worth £45), a Personal CD Player (worth £25), a Solar Bank Portable Charger (worth £50), a pair of Tempo Bluetooth Headphones (worth £40) and a Bluetooth Selfie Stick (worth £15)! So dig out those old CDs and get your groove on! Available at groov-e.co.uk, Tesco and Amazon. Call 0905 789 1004 (80ppm)*. Text PRIMAGIVE4 to 88600 (£1.50)**. Write to Prima/Groov-e GVPRAL16066.
†,††
Compiled by: Jacqui Bartley Photo: Alamy
Time for a cool down Keep your pet refreshed during the summer months with this Scruffs Cool Mat from petslovescruffs.com. There are 25 up for grabs, each worth £34.99! Filled with a petfriendly gel, the self-cooling mat is around 5-10°C cooler than room temperature. When in use, the mat will retain its cooling properties for approximately one hour. To reset, simply leave unused for one hour – no need to freeze or refrigerate. The mat measures 120cm x 75cm; simply use alone or pop in your pet bed. Call 0905 789 1002 (80ppm)*. Text PRIMAGIVE2 to 88600 (£1.50)**. Write to Prima/Scruffs GVPRAL16064.
Care for your hair Revamp your ’do with these goodies from Salon Science. There are 13 sets of the Salon Science Swiss Grape Repair & Radiance haircare collection to give away, each worth £77! The set includes shampoo, conditioner, leave-in treatment, heat protection and serum. These products nourish and strengthen dry, frizzy and over-processed hair. Formulated with fortifying keratin, protective antioxidants and grape seed extract, Swiss Grape cleverly prevents colour fade and heat damage, leaving hair silky soft. Available exclusively from Boots. Call 0905 789 1003 (80ppm)*. Text PRIMAGIVE3 to 88600 (£1.50)**. Write to Prima/ Salon Science GVPRAL16065.
HOW TO ENTER: Call the 0905 number, or text PRIMAGIVE followed by the number of the giveaway you wish to enter, then a space and your contact details, to 88600 (£1.50) by midnight, 31 August 2016. For example: text PRIMAGIVE1 Jane Smith, 1 The Cottage, London AB1 2CD. Or, send your name and address on a postcard to: The Data Solutions Centre, Worksop S80 2RT, prefixed by the offer name and code, by 3 September 2016. A separate stamped postcard is needed for each offer. *Calls cost 80p per minute plus your telephone company’s network access charge and will last no longer than two minutes. **Texts cost £1.50 plus your usual network operator rate. Lines close midnight, 31 August 2016. If you phone or text your entry after the advertised closing date, you will not be entered but you will be charged. Winners will be selected at random after the closing date. SP: Spoke, 0333 202 3390. DATA PROTECTION: Hearst Magazines UK & HSL may mail, email, SMS or phone you with offers, products and services reflecting your preferences. If you don’t want to receive offers from us, please write ‘No offers’ in the top left-hand part of your postal entry or text ‘Offers No’ if you enter by text. For our data policy, see hearst.co.uk/dp.
PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016 153
Relax with
WIN £100
READER SHORT STORY
Making up
The hunt for the perfect mascara brings one woman more than luscious lashes
T
ally’s obsession started at the age of 14, when she was rifling through her mother’s make-up bag. She opened a plastic case to reveal a block of black mascara and a small brush. It was well-used and water had eroded the centre, but there was plenty of it left around the edges. She spat inelegantly on to the brush and rubbed hard into the block. Sitting in front of the mirror, she applied the mascara carefully and squealed as her teenage lashes grew to showgirl length. From that day on, Tally was hooked. Three years later, Tally met Lucy Newman at the local college. They were a match made in eye-enhancing heaven. Every Saturday they met in town for coffee and cake, and then headed to the chemist in the market square. They were the best of days, and Tally and Lucy were best friends until, in their twenties, Tally made a negative remark about Lucy’s boyfriend, Chris, and the friendship ended. Life moved on, and the following 20 years brought many
mascara highs: the false-lash effect; 200% magnification; and the revolutionary white mascara base coat. Of course, the lows were very low: the wet look and 3D effect were best forgotten. Nowadays, it was all about the brush, and this, too, had not been without issue. There was that conference in Madrid, where the round-ended comb of her beloved mascara had grazed her eye, and she spent the event with a nasty bloodshot look – very distracting for the potential customers she was there to meet. Now her wand of choice was nicely curved with even, thick bristles for maximum length and separation. Tally had volumised, lengthened and plumped for two decades, and the addiction showed no sign of abating. In town to buy a newly launched mascara, Tally paused outside the same high-street chemist that she and Lucy had made their own. She smiled at the advertising board in the window, which detailed the new product as ‘sensational dark black’. Can black get any darker? Still, she was excited. The store was busy, and making her way down the
COMPETITION RULES: Prize is £100. Entry to the competition and acceptance of the prize constitutes permission to use the winner’s name for promotional purposes and for publishing within Prima without additional consultation. Entries may be edited for publication. This competition is not open to employees of Hearst Magazines UK or their direct family members. The most deserving entry, in Prima’s sole opinion, will be chosen as the winner. Only the winner will be contacted personally. The prize is as stated, although Hearst Magazines UK reserves the right to change the prize in the event of unforeseen circumstances. If it is in Hearst Magazines UK’s opinion
cosmetic aisle proved challenging. As Tally arrived at the display she could see that the shelf showcasing the new mascara was all but empty – just one red tube remained. She felt a jolt of panic and moved in to pluck it from the plastic tray. As she did so, she became conscious of a woman next to her and she automatically turned. The woman looked familiar: blonde, bobbed hair, smartly dressed and very well made up. As Tally took all this in, the woman turned to face her. ‘Tally?’ ‘Lucy!’ They hugged – a genuine why-did-we-leave-it-so-long? hug. ‘I can’t believe it! It’s been almost 20 years. You look great. Are you living locally?’ asked Tally. ‘Yes, we moved south 12 years ago, but Chris and I recently divorced, so I’m back. You were right, Tal – he was a creep. It just took me two decades and three teenagers to realise it.’ ‘Don’t tell me – you’re here for the new “dark black” edition?’
Illustration: Emma Block
DO YOU HAVE A WAY WITH WORDS? This month’s winning author is Angela Borrowdale from Windermere, Cumbria, who wins £100! She says: ‘Like many women, I’ve always loved make-up, and that obsession
Tally nodded towards the mascara, still waiting on the shelf. ‘Yes. You too? Shall we draw lots for it?’ As the two friends mused about their ongoing compulsion, a third woman joined them. She was swift, almost ninja-like in her approach. Before either of them had a chance to clock that they were under attack, the stranger stretched out her arm and plucked the red tube from its holder, then vanished as quickly as she had arrived. Tally and Lucy were speechless. They looked at the empty stand and then at each other. ‘There’s a new kid in town then, Tal.’ ‘Apparently.’ They laughed – it was the uncontrollable laughter of two teenagers, standing in the same chemist many Saturdays ago. Lucy placed her hand on Tally’s shoulder. ‘Fancy a coffee?’ ‘Yes I do. In fact, let’s make it a regular Saturday date. Coffee, cake, chemist. Just as it should be.’
inspired my story. It’s brilliant to have it appear in Prima – I’m still smiling about it!’ For your chance to win, simply email your entry of 800 words maximum to yourwinningstory@hearst.co.uk or post to Your Winning Story,
Prima Features, 72 Broadwick Street, London W1F 9EP, including your name, address, phone number and a good-quality photograph. Please note that, unfortunately, Prima cannot return any photographs or stories.
that no entries are deemed of a publishable standard, Hearst Magazines UK reserves the right not to award any prize. Hearst Magazines UK does not accept any responsibility for lost entries. Proof of sending is not proof of receipt. Hearst Magazines UK’s decision is final in every situation, including any not covered above, and no correspondence will be entered into. Entrants will be deemed to have accepted these rules and agreed to be bound by them. Hearst Magazines UK shall be permitted to exclude any entrant at any time at its sole discretion. By entering the competition, you agree that the copyright and all other rights in respect of the entry shall be assigned to Hearst Magazines UK.
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ACTUAL SIZE
Fun with
Puzzles for you to enjoy Three pages of fun – with cash prizes to win!
WIN £50
ACROSS 7 International radio code for the letter ‘U’ (7) 9 Go off (like a volcano) (5) 10 & 21D Author of The BFG, recently made for the big screen by Steven Spielberg (5,4) 11 Material a tanner works with (7) 12 Mai ___, rum-based cocktail (3) 13 Mr Burns’s long-suffering assistant in The Simpsons (8) 16 Burn slowly with smoke but no flame (8) 17 French word for ‘good’ (3) 19 Water ___, animal whose milk is used to make a variety of mozzarella (7) 21 Type of kebab (5) 22 Went by car (5) 23 In ___, colluding with, in league (7)
CROSSWORD 1
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DOWN 1 Mexican dish made from a tortilla wrapped around a savoury filling of beef or beans, eg (7) 2 Enclosure for a pet lizard, eg (8) 3 Precious metal with the chemical symbol Au (4) 4 Figurative expression such as ‘Life is a rollercoaster’ (8) 5 When ___ comes to shove, saying (4) 6 180˚ rotation (1-4) 8 Comedienne and actress who co-hosts The Great British Bake Off with Sue Perkins (3,8) 13 Meat products that are the main ingredient in toad-in-the-hole (8) 14 The Swiss Family ___, classic novel by Johann David Wyss (8) 15 Ursula ___, actress best known for her breakthrough role as Bond girl Honey Ryder in the first official 007 film, Dr No (7) 18 Humble home? (5) 20 I’ve been waiting on you hand and ___, saying (4) 21 See 10A
15 16
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1 DOWN
8 DOWN
19 ACROSS
Call with your answer on 0906 470 1001* Solve the crossword in the usual way. When completed correctly, the yellow squares, reading top to bottom, left to right, will spell out your prize answer (big, big, big, 7). Call 0906 470 1001* and leave your name, address and the answer. All calls cost 65p per minute, plus your telephone company’s network access charge, and should last no longer than two minutes. You can also write in – see HOW TO ENTER (on the following page).
È
PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016 157
Fun with
WIN £50
CODEWORD A B C D E F G
For £50, see if Take That singer Howard Donald can help you work out the number code for each letter of the alphabet. We’ve placed the letter H, now you do the same with the letters O, W, A, R and D, and on you go. When you’re done, use your key grid to find out the prize word. Call 0906 470 1002* and leave your name, address and the answer. All calls cost 65p per minute, plus your telephone company’s network access charge, and should last no longer than two minutes. You can also write in – see HOW TO ENTER (below).
1
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I 4 J 5 K 21 L 1 M H N 19 O 11 P 4 Q R 18 S 13 T U V 26 W X Y Z 6
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H O W A R D 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26
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COMPETITION RULES OF ENTRY: Only one entry per person. The closing date for phone entries is midnight, 31 August 2016. The closing date for postal entries is three working days later. The competition is only open to UK residents over the age of 18. Entry to the competition and acceptance of the prize constitutes permission to use the winner’s names for promotional purposes without additional consultation. This competition is not open to employees of Hearst Magazines UK, the promoters or their family members. The prize winners will be selected from the entries received by an independent panel. Only the winners will be contacted. Prizes must be taken as stated and cannot be deferred, although Hearst Magazines UK reserves the right to change the prizes in the event of unforeseen circumstances. There will be no cash alternative. Hearst Magazines UK does not accept responsibility for late or lost entries. Proof of sending is not proof of receipt. Hearst Magazines UK’s decision is final in every situation, including any not covered above, and no correspondence will be entered into. Entrants will be deemed to have accepted these rules and to agree to be bound by them. Hearst Magazines UK shall be permitted to exclude any entrant at any time at its sole discretion. Where Hearst Magazines UK runs a competition with a promoter such that the promoter is responsible for the selection and/or the provision of prizes, then Hearst Magazines UK shall not be responsible for, or have any liability for, the provision of such prizes. If there is any conflict with these rules and the specific competition rules, then the latter take preference. Data Protection: For our privacy policy, visit hearst.co.uk/dp. SP: Spoke, call 0333 202 3390.
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You can contact Prima at 72 Broadwick Street, London W1F 9EP. Tel: 020 7312 3887. Email: prima@ hearst.co.uk. Prices and availability were checked at the time of going to press, but we cannot be held responsible for any later changes. ©2016 Hearst Magazines UK ISSN 0951 8622, 72 Broadwick Street, London W1F 9EP. Published monthly. All rights reserved. No part of Prima may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means, either wholly or in part, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Not to be resold, lent, hired out or otherwise disposed of by way of trade at more than the recommended retail price (subject to VAT in Republic of Ireland) or in a mutilated condition. Printed by Quad/ Graphics in Poland; travel edition printed by Precision Colour Printing Ltd in Telford. For existing subscription enquiries, change of address and back-issue orders for Prima, please call our enquiry line 0844 848 5203*, email qualitymagazines@subscription.co.uk, or write to Prima, Hearst Magazines UK, Tower House, Sovereign Park, Lathkill Street, Market Harborough, Leicestershire LE16 9EF. Please quote your subscription number in all correspondence. For new and renewal orders, please call 0844 848 1601*, or visit qualitymagazines.co.uk. Phone lines are open weekdays, 8am-9.30pm; Saturdays, 8am-4pm. *BT landline calls to 0844 numbers will cost no more than 5p per minute; calls from mobiles and other networks usually cost more. Prima magazine, ISSN 0951 8622, is published monthly (12 times per year) by Hearst Magazines UK c/o USACAN Media Corp 123A Distribution Way Building H-1, Suite 104 Plattsburgh, NY 12901. Periodicals Postage paid at Plattsburgh, NY. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Prima Magazine c/o Express Mag, PO box 2769, Plattsburgh, NY 12901-0239. The Publisher, editors and authors accept no responsibility in respect of any products, goods or services that may be advertised or referred to in this issue or for any errors, omissions, mis-statements or mistakes in any such advertisements or references.
8
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YOUR KEY GRID: 24 8
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Call with your answer on 0906 470 1002* *YOU CAN CALL WITH YOUR ANSWERS (see numbers with the Win £50 puzzles), leaving your name and address. Or you can write in – send your answer on a postcard with your contact details to: Prima Puzzles, /PUPRAN16307 (for the Crossword), /PUPRAN16308 (for the Codeword) or /PUPRAN16309 (for the Arrow-word), The Data Solutions Centre, Worksop S80 2RT. The closing date is midnight, 31 August 2016 (three working days later for postal entries). If you call to enter after the closing date, you will not be entered but you will be charged. The competition is open to UK residents only and the usual rules apply. DATA PROTECTION: We will use the information you supply to process your competition entry. For our privacy policy, visit hearst.co.uk/dp. SP: Spoke, call 0333 202 3390.
158 PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016
LAST MONTH’S JUST FOR FUN SOLUTIONS SUDOKU
HOW TO ENTER
TOUGH STUFF
EASY PEASY
MAY 2016 PRIZE SOLUTIONS CROSSWORD Finalise ARROW-WORD Sixty pence
CODEWORD Emerald ✽ Solutions to this month’s
prize-winning puzzles will be in the November 2016 issue.
ARROW-WORD
WIN £50
Put your feet up and win £50 at the same time!
Fill in the grid according to the arrows. When done, the shaded yellow squares will reveal the answer to the following question: The mortar used to bind stones in the Great Wall of China was made with what foodstuff? (6,4) Maiden name indicator
Vim, energy
Join on to, connect
Fete
In good shape
Fire a gun
Close by
Division Sphere of the school year
Well-known
Highest adult male voice
Deplete, grow fewer
Kitchen cabinet
Sea eagle
Poked your nose in! Might, power
Formal agreement, settlement
Pod vegetable
Golf peg
___ John, Rocket Man singer
Group of eight musicians
Rogue, scoundrel
Deep down, your true nature (2,5)
Lucky charm
Paintings, sculptures, etc
Where two points meet
Upper limb Snitch (slang)
Join in and WIN
Ancient Roman garment
£50
Serving platter ___fit, tantrum
Repulse Conscious of Thickness (of rope, eg)
Cheeseeating rodent
Noah’s vessel
Paddle
Stylish
Prohibit
Fill in the answers to the clues and the letters in the 10 shaded squares will spell out your prize answer Writing sheet material
Reckless, impetuous
Zone, region
Berate, tell off
Sir ___ Newton, physicist Crooked, wonky
Dog’s feet
Financial gain
Compiled by: Cheryl Foreman Photos: Getty, Rex, BBC
4 6 3 1 7 5 1 8 5 4 3 7 6 2 9 6 7 1 8 3 4
Lubricate Country in South America
Pope’s official residence
Green tree part
Pasta (still with a bite) (2,5)
Remember Piece of metal money
Football governing body (inits)
Drinks US state delicately
Cold, creamy dessert ___ Hathaway, US actress
Call 0906 470 1003* and leave your name, address and the answer. All calls cost 65p per minute, plus your telephone company’s network access charge, and should last no longer than two minutes. You can also write in – see HOW TO ENTER (opposite page).
2 1 5 8 4 6 4 6 9 4 6 9 3 7 1 9 4 2 3 4 5 9 3 7 7 6 5 EASY PEASY
Long story
Computer symbol
Small, red salad ingredient
Tax
Tavern
Needy
Will ___, is adequate enough
Sheffield metal Not now – in a while
Unhappy
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FUN PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016 159
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Terms & conditions: Whittlebury Hall Hotel & Spa: †Subject to availability. This prize is non-transferable, non-refundable, has no cash equivalent and full prepayment is required at time of booking. This prize cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer or promotion. This prize is available Sunday to Thursday only. Guests must be aged 18 years or over. This competition is not open to the employees of Whittlebury Hall and their family members. Accommodation is based on 2 people sharing a standard room. Prize to be booked and taken by 30 November 2016. £60 single supplement applies. Heat and Ice Experiences to be taken on the day of arrival. ††Offer: a complimentary 25-minute express treatment, when purchasing an Escape and Spa Stay from £99 per person, applies to new purchases only. Offer valid for bookings taken until 2 September 2016.
PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016 161
Slice of life
Let the fun and games begin... Olympic sport or a musical matinee? Let’s combine the two, suggests our columnist Caroline Quentin
This MONTH… I’m making
Chilli jam – I’ve had a bumper crop of chillies this year.
I’m sewing
‘Who knows, there may be shot put to a samba beat?’
162 PRIMA.CO.UK | August 2016
A bag with a drawstring to hold my daughter’s dance shoes when she heads off to college.
I’m sowing
Poppies, cornflowers and calendulas to provide early flowers next year. Super easy.
Photos: Tony Briggs, Getty, Alamy, StockFood Caroline wears: Dress, A Day In A Life. Earrings, necklaces and bangles from a selection at Taking Shape, Rebecca at House of Fraser, Dorothy Perkins, Wallis, Daisy & Eve at Evans, Very
W
hen Gaby, our esteemed editor here at Prima, suggested I write about the forthcoming Olympics, I broke out in a sweat. Not because I’d just finished the 100m hurdles, but because I know nothing about sport. I was thrilled when London hosted the Games four years ago. It was great for the capital and for the country and, when my husband got tickets on the internet lottery, I tried my best to look delighted. I knew that they were hard to come by and that lots of people, desperate to go, weren’t lucky enough to get seats. I crossed my fingers and prayed for synchronised swimming... My prayers were not answered. The day came for the first event and we headed off to the Olympic park to see women’s hockey. It was the Team GB – lots of fabulously fit young women at the top of their game – playing fabulously fit young women from somewhere else, who were not quite at the top of their game because Team GB beat them. I’d love to tell you more about the match but, due to my ignorance, the subtleties passed me by. It was the first and only hockey game I’ve ever seen... and is likely to remain so. A few days later, I dutifully went with my family to see some basketball. My son is a fan and it was the first live game any of us had ever been to. We were full of excited anticipation. I felt privileged to take a seat in the HUGE court or ring or whatever it was I took a seat in but, truthfully, once the
starting klaxon sounded, I didn’t understand a single moment of what took place. My husband and son seemed to be enjoying it, and even my teenage daughter appeared to derive some pleasure from watching FANTASTICALLY tall men throwing balls into nets. I struggled to keep up – and keep my eyes open – so amused myself by studying the audience, as I like to think of them, having spent most of my life in theatre. Men, women and kids were beside themselves at, what seemed to me, to be a haphazard game of catch! Now for a confession: I never made it to the third event we had tickets for – judo. I just couldn’t face the thought of grown men chucking each other on to a spongy mat in their jammies. I still feel sheepish when I admit that instead of watching martial arts with my family, I snuck off to see a musical matinee. Perhaps if basketball players sang while they played or if pentathletes threw on a few sequins, the sport thing would be much improved. Of course, Brazil is hosting this year’s Olympic Games and, with carnival in their culture, it’s bound to be a bit more showbiz. Who knows, there might be shot put to a samba beat? Maybe the athlete with the best costume will win gold? The legacy of the London Olympics was meant to be engaging more people in sport. Well, move over Sebastian Coe. I have an idea that will combine the Strictly Come Dancing audience with track and field fans. It’s going to be huge and still competitive, but much more glamorous. The way I see it, we’ll all be winners. Strike up the band and let the games begin!