Absolute Brighton Magazine October 2009

ABSOLUTE BRIGHTON . ISSUE 57 . OCTOBER 2009

ISSUE 57 . OCTOBER 2009

GOOD GOA

INDIA’S TRANQUIL GEM www.absolutebrighton.tv

THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE

AN EXCLUSIVE WITH ACCLAIMED DIRECTOR RJ CUTLER

CREEPY COURSES

PUMPKIN RECIPES FOR HALLOWEEN FASHION . PROPERTY . TRAVEL . BEAUTY . EDUCATION . ART . FACES & PLACES

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Hair Mark WoolLey Makeup JANEEN WITHERSPOON Photography ALESSANDRO CECCHINI ART DIRECTION CREATIVE WASP

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CONTENTS

brighton

October 2009 . Issue 58 www.absolutebrighton.tv

ABSOLUTE FEATURES 10 Backstage Glamorous feminine fashion suitable for a starlet 20 The September Issue Director of the film everyone’s talking about, R.J.Cutler, discusses the making of the film that follows the Editor of US Vogue 48 Halloween Why do we go all witchy and ghouly on the last day of October?

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NEW 19 Absolute Socialite Diary Peter Jarrette shares a page from his busy schedule ABSOLUTE REGULARS 9 Editor’s Letter 16 Faces & Places 17 Absolute Celebrity Column with Austin Mutti-Mewse 18 Celebrity Get The Look Get the X Factor with Danni Minogue’s look 24 Turn Up The Heat The latest ingenious ways to heat your home 27 Red Carpet Gadgets Give your home a splash of colour with your everyday products 30 Absolute Hair with Mark Woolley 33 Dimple Free The best home products to help eliminate cellulite 34 Change Can Be Good How to cope with the symptoms of menopause 35 Absolute Life Coaching 37 Absolute Dental Column 39 Freedom Food Recipes in aid of farm animal week 41 Absolute Recipe’s For Halloween Keep your monsters happy with some pumpkin soup and pumpkin pie 45 Absolute Restaurant Review Our Editor visits Whites in Steyning 46 Absolute Restaurant and Bar Listings 50 Absolute Travel Escape to Goa - the perfect winter sun destination 54 Absolute News with Mo Hunter-Shine 56 Historically English Tim Parker takes a trip to Steyning 58 Absolute Education 62 Absolute Art 63 Absolute What’s On Out and about in Sussex 64 Absolute Motoring The new Aston Martin DBS Volente 71 Absolute Architecture 72 Absolute Law Matters 73 Absolute Business Matters 74 Absolute Distribution Points

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Aston Bourne

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Aston Bourne Hunter - Barbour速 - Dubarry 11 East Street, Brighton, East Sussex BN1 1HP Tel: 01273 227775 www.astonbourne.co.uk 24/9/09 11:22:12

EDITOR’S LETTER

Switchboard: 0845 389 0662 Fax: 0845 389 0663 www.absolutebrighton.tv

Goa, Page 50 Director / Editor: Verity Craig

Features / Design: Maureen Hunter-Shine

Sales Executive: Rishma Patel

Sales Executive: Lidia De Luca

The nights may be drawing in, but do not despair. There is so much to look forward to now. From Sales Executive: David Hall

getting those Halloween costumes dusted off and out of the cellar, to preparing how you’ll be spending the party season this Christmas.

We have two delicious Halloween recipes in this issue - pumpkin soup and pumpkin pie. (Page 41)

Accounts Department: Shelly Hicks

Two of my favourites, and perfect to cook on these darker nights. But why do we all go witchy and ghouly at the end of this month? We take a look at what Halloween is really all about and investigate the meanings to some of those traditions. (Page 48) Meanwhile, this month Tim Parker has taken a trip to the nearby picturesque countryside town

Accounts/finance: Adam Style

of Steyning, which refreshed his mind as to why this popular town attracts so many people from neighbouring towns for its history, shops and eateries. (Page 56) Steyning may also be the place that you could be contemplating to start doing that mammoth task the Christmas shopping! Well, in next months issue we’ll be running our annual Christmas gift guide

Managing Director: Paul Craig

to help you, as well as the best places to hold your parties.

Something I am going to make sure I do this month, is watch The September Issue. The film on the lips of everyone with an interest in the magazine world, has received great reviews across the globe

Advertising enquiries: sales@absolutebrighton.com Editorial e-mail: editorial@absolutebrighton.com

since its release last month. This docu-film follows the woman at the helm of US Vogue, who is

All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without prior written consent of Absolute brighton. The views and opinions expressed by contributors to this magazine may not necessarily represent the views of Absolute brighton.

Absolute brighton takes no responsibility for claims made in advertisements featured in this magazine.

Absolute brighton can take no responsibility for unsolicited material.

his view of Anna didn’t change from the one that is perceived by her colleagues and the public alike,

revered as much as respected. The director, R.J.Cutler says in our interview with him that, although

he came away with the utmost respect and admiration for the petite lady who fills big boots.

(Page 20) Enjoy your month!

Printed in the UK by THE MAGAZINE PRINTING COMPANY www.magprint.co.uk

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ABSOLUTE FASHION

BACKSTAGE

BY GREGG STONE

Adrienn wears: Swarovski purple crystal and rhinestone black dress with organza overlay by Graeme Black. Swarovski gun metal hyacinth ring and bracelet. Vintage purple paste earrings and evening bag from a selection at Strombolis Circus. L.K.Bennett black satin courts with diamante tassle

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Green satin shift dress with grey diamante trim by L.K.Bennett.

Wallis silver grey pearl drop earrings

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21/9/09 19:29:47

Jaeger Black violet petal print silk dress.

Freedom @ Topshop large diamante multicoloured necklace.

Clarks main collection purple ‘jingle roll’ satin evening bag.

L.K.Bennett purple satin evening shoes. Earrings as before

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ABSOLUTE FASHION

Teal silk black floral dress & ostrich feather evening bag by L.k.Bennett.

Freedom @Topshop long diamante earrings and Dorothy Perkins floral paste ring

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Blue Jersey Grecian style low back dress with cord tie detail, can be worn tied back or front, by Nico Didonna.

Raris jewellery Gilt Bronze ‘Space’ necklace worn on back.

Wallis blue crystal flower earrings

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Sara Berman black sequined Alicia bubble dress.

Clarks main collection, black beaded evening bag with chain strap.

Dorothy Perkins multi strand silver grey pearl necklace.

Drop earrings as before.

L.K.Bennett Satin courts with diamante tassle as before.

PHOTOGRAPHY AND STYLING BY GREGG STONE. www.greggstone.co.uk HAIR AND MAKE UP BY LUCIE PEMBERTON using CLINIQUE lucie@luciepemberton.com Model: Adrienne Dencsi @ www.nevs.co.uk

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ABSOLUTE

FACES & PLACES Airshow Art Designer Sibbald with his son Arran

TAKE TO THE SKIES IN SHOREHAM This year saw the 20th anniversary of the Royal Air Forces Association (RAFA) Airshow at Shoreham Airport, and record numbers turned out. Highlights included displays by the Vulcan, RAF Typhoon, Hawk, Hurricanes, Spitfires and Mustangs.

The Guinot wing walking team performed

Sir Winston with Cindy Periam Guinot Wing Walkers

their spectacular display, and many old favourites, like Haurel and Lardy, entertained the crowds.

Pictures John Periam The Typhoon

Jamie, Lucy and Grant enjoyed the view from their deck chairs

A display by the Paras The arrival of the Harrier

Ivor with Haurel and Lardy

Chief Of The Air Staff with Dame Vera Lynn

Roadmenders with Capt Manwaring

The Blades with CAS and Phil Sturley

Chelsea Pensioners

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ABSOLUTE CELEBRITY

O-BITCH-UARY…

With Austin Mutti-Mewse

!” ne go m I’ n he w e m t ou ab lk ta “Don’t The only A-list celebrity column in Sussex

Oh Brother! Nikki says BB’s ‘gone off the boil’

Remember Nikki Grahame? No, well she was the diminutive erstwhile Big Brother contestant of 2007. Grahame’s fame lingered on after her eviction briefly, talking to the media about spending most of her adolescence in psychiatric hospitals and battling with anorexia nervosa that all but left her comatosed, and near death at the age of 12. Her documentary, Dying To Be Thin, was released last year. Recently out of hospital following a car crash which left her with broken ribs, she’s been snapped rubbing shoulders with ‘A’ listers at red carpet events.

Nikki revealed she no longer watches Big Brother and isn’t surprised its been axed, “It’s really gone off the boil,” she said. “Everyone’s like so knowing the camera’s there,” she said adding, “I mean, I’m a drama queen 24-7 and that’s not for the cameras, that’s for real.”

Gerrard talks himself out of trouble with trophy chat Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has revealed that he is trying to concentrate on ‘The Game’, over the news that the man he accused of punching in a Liverpool nightclub is launching a civil action against him and six of his friends. Gerrard who was cleared of affray in July following the attack on businessman Marcus McGee, saw six of his friends receive suspended jail terms and community service. Asked by a fan about the incident Gerrard quickly changed the subject, “I’m desperate to claim the league title with the Reds; that would mean everything to me… I’m desperate to get that photo of me with my team-mates holding the Premier League trophy.” Well that would be so much better on the wall than a mug-shot wouldn’t it!

Jesus, Madonna and Child Madonna’s new video has a cast of hundreds, but look more carefully and you’ll see that one of the back-flipping teenagers is none other than 12-year-old Lourdes, Madonna’s dark-haired daughter. In her scene, Lourdes is cheered on by fellow dancefloor revellers as she bumps and grinds in ways reminiscent of her mother.

The video for Celebration also features Madonna’s youthful beau, Jesus, who plays a DJ who gets all down and dirty with Madonna as she out-manoeuvres the best of them in the club. Rumour had it that Madonna’s brother, Christopher Ciccone, who last year published a warts-and-all book, was going to sneak in shot, so she had security tightened… too bad, at almost 50, he’d have done a great impression of a dad at a disco.

All over for Eve There are some films that just can’t be remade; although this hasn’t stopped Hollywood trying with ‘Gone with the Wind’, ‘The Women’ and ‘The Wizard of Oz’ (all originally made in 1939). This time it’s the turn of the dialogue-driven 1950 classic ‘All About Eve’ to have a make-over. However, the problem is that despite the size of the pay cheque, the real talents are turning down the chance to play bitchy Margo Channing (Bette Davis in the original) and the scheming Eve Carrington (as marvellously portrayed by Ann Baxter). Meryl Streep said ‘no’, Barbara Streisand said the same, as has Susan Sarandon, and with word going around now to boycott the re-hash of a classic (as seen last year with the poorly received ‘The Women’), it seems the original will still be the best and O-Bitch-Uary says thank goodness for that!

Noisettes make a racket stateside ‘The Noisettes are the best live band in Britain’; well, according to the US press that is. The band has much to thank singer/bass player Shingai Shoniwa for its success. The commanding, daredevil front woman of this much-buzzed-about trio has not only got the music but the look, a mix of Joan Crawford-like shoulder-pad’s, Retro 80’s fashion and futuristic hair-styles that sets her above Little Boots, Lady Gaga and Amy Winehouse, and with a sound that’s been compared to a collision between Grace Jones, Deborah Harry and Karen O, the band is tipped for greater success yet with President Obama’s daughter Malia claiming to be a fan – watch this space.

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18/9/09 08:28:42

ABSOLUTE CELEBRITY LOOK

C ELEBRITY

LOOK Danni Minogue Being the sister of a famous singer is no problem for Danni, who has made herself as famous and respected as Kylie. She has found a new confidence with her boyfriend Kris Smith, and continues to make fair and intelligent judgements on the latest series of X factor, where she comfortably competes with Cheryl Cole by showing off her fashion style.

Photographic Rose Bubble Dress Top Shop £45 www.topshop.com Per Una Moonlight Pendant Necklace Marks & Spencer £15.00 www.marksandspencer.com

Office Latin Lover Leather Gladiator shoes £80 www.office.co.uk

Clix Clip-in Hair Extensions Racoon £7.99 www.hairextensionsnow.com

Lipstick Huge selection of lovely pink shades MAC £12.00 www.maccosmetics.co.uk

October Absolute Celeb Following the huge success of his old band Take That in their recent comeback, Robbie Williams has released a new single, ‘Bodies’, and a new album - Reality Killed the Video Star - due out next month. He has just launched a new music publishing company, and is hoping to be one of the next contestants on ‘I’m a celebrity, get me out of here.’

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ABSOLUTE SOCIALITE DIARY

THE WIND BLOWS IN THE TANTRUMS Each month PJ (aka Peter Jarrette, Brighton’s favourite socialite) will be sharing a diary note from his busy schedule (as well as some Brighton gossip). This month he’s been busy organising the party of the month for the launch of new hip night spot Ink bar.

Dear diary

S

WE ARE NOW TAKING NHS PATIENTS FOR A LIMITED PERIOD Latest dental techniques, quality care, advice and state of the art equipment with experienced and caring staff Preventative and Cosmetic Treatments Modern Practive, purpose built to the highest standards n Fully Wheelchair accessible n Friendly comfortable atmosphere n n

Mrs Vida Bagherzadeh D.D.S. 01273 820 888 Eaton Road Dental Practive 30 Eaton Road Hove East Sussex BN3 3QA

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Eaton Road Dental Practice are proud to be celebrating their 7th anniversary

eptember’s blustery season blew into Brighton and Hove with as much passion as had been displayed over the past few months by some of our most internationally famous celebrity couples. The swirling winds of our society brought good news in the form of Norman Cook and Zoe Ball’s announcement that they are expecting another little love bundle. How cute!

However, tempestuous, torrential downpours seemed a fitting metaphor for the biblical bust-up of the ‘Price-Andres.’ Turbulent is the only way to describe this start of the back to school, back to cool month. But now, ladies and gentlemen, you may loosen your seatbelts and relax as the social season begins to reach a smoother cruising altitude here in Brighton and Hove.

We’ve had an arrival of ventures looking to inject some fresh spirit and innovative ideas into the landscape, from Heather Mills’ V-Bites, to Pasha Du Pont’s appointment-only Hush Galleries in Brighton’s Castle Mews. On a sunny September Sunday afternoon, Lindsay Fergusson’s Model Search 2009 was held at the Komedia. Taking off later on the fashion runway was a slick, free, fashion show for busy East Street shoppers, with the chiselled and leggy Model Search winners. Spicing up the mannequin line-up was Juice FM’s Guy Lloyd and the indefatigable Ambrose Harcourt.

But the truly big storm that hovered for weeks just off radar to all but those in the know, was the thunderous explosion of INK; the super chic, uber cool, all new watering hole for the well-heeled over 25’s of our surf city’s soignée social animals. My own PR concern, Rock Hard and Fruity Promotions, was retained early on, to build up the rotating momentum by way of teaser ad campaigns in Brighton’s glossies and sound bites on regional radio. After a Facebook campaign informing a select crowd of the invite availability, those who managed to acquire the elusive tickets were directed through an RSVP process of first come, first served. This resulted in a rush which quickly closed the guest list after reaching some 700 confirmed attendees! Scores of slowpokes either couldn’t read the clearly printed directives to RSVP or were too out of the ‘social loop’ to fathom the greatness that awaited them at the INK launch… such as a well-known husband and wife design team and their whole compliment of shop girls (you know who!) Another PR, ignoring their PJ invite altogether, went as far as to contact my INK clients direct to see if there was ‘anything they could do for them,’ and everyone thought I had the brassiest neck in the city. The up-for-it party-happy Cheeky Girls motored down from London to mingle with guests and pose happily for the press…. cheeky cheeky.

Avoiding the cameras however, and in a very stormy mood, which dark haired high profiler was ensconced in the V-VIP rooms hidden away at the top of the multi-level nightspot…? Who was he? I couldn’t possibly say… but who said it was a ‘he’? Meanwhile the rumour mill down below churned - “Will she or won’t she show?”

What happened in the V-VIP room, stayed in the V-VIP room!

PJ www.gossiptv.co.uk www.facebook.com/peterjarrette www.twitter.com/socialitpete

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ABSOLUTE INTERVIEW

VOGUE

The big issue According to those in the know, September is the January of Fashion. In his new film The September Issue, award-winning director R J Cutler takes you behind the scenes with Ann Wintour, the renowned Editor of Vogue magazine, as she leads her team to produce the biggest edition ever. Absolute talks to RJ Cutler about the legendary Anna, her huge influence on the fashion world, her fund-raising activities and her journey to produce The September Issue What was your inspiration for the film?

I first thought about doing a project about Anna Wintour and Vogue when I read an article in New York Magazine about the Metropolitan Museum Costume Institute Ball, the annual fundraising gala that Anna oversees. It created such a fascinating portrait that I couldn’t help but be compelled. I knew who Anna was, of course, that she was a formidable and controversial figure in the fashion world, but I didn’t know much more about her than that. I’m always looking for subjects who care a tremendous amount about what they’re doing and are doing it as well as they possibly can under high stakes circumstances. Certainly this was the case with Anna Wintour.

So I called Vogue and went to New York and I had a couple of meetings with Patrick O’Connell, Anna’s Director of Communications. Nothing quite panned out, but I had a sense that eventually something would. Sure enough, a few weeks later the phone rang and Patrick said Anna has an idea, can you come out here the day after tomorrow? It was like being summoned to see the Queen. I like to joke that I was able to convince her to do this film by making her think that it was her idea, but the truth is that focusing on the September issue as a structure was indeed her suggestion. She said it was something she had always thought would make a great subject for a film. We talked about my approach, the fact that we don’t come in with an agenda or a thesis, instead our process is observational. She got it and we agreed to work together. When I said that I would have to have final cut, she said, “My 20

father was a journalist, I’m a journalist, I totally understand.” I was glad that she got it, that she knew I would have to have final cut, but I was also struck by the fact that she spoke so openly about her father. I thought there’s definitely something here, and I suspected that if I followed that thread it would lead me to a rich place.

Once Anna and I had agreed to work together, it still took another year to get all of our ducks in a row. We had to negotiate a contract with Condé Nast Publishing—it was highly unusual for them to have a camera crew present for almost nine months. And about that time, our good friends from A&E IndieFilms took the risk and came on board and agreed to finance the film and serve as executive producers.

Needless to say, that was the critical piece to making everything work.

" It was like being summoned to see the Queen" What was the biggest challenge?

How did you get them to commit?

Every film that you make is going to have its own specific world with its own unique set of challenges, and the world of Vogue was no exception. Sometimes the challenges are obvious. Like when you’re making a film about people who are really fashion conscious and are wearing expensive, delicate clothes, you can’t put lavs and

transmitters on them all day long. You’re going to need to record everything with a boom, and you’re going to need an awesome Sound Recordist, which is why we brought Eddie O’Connor on board.

Sometimes you’re faced with a challenge that’s made even more difficult by the fact that first you have to figure out what it is before you can set about overcoming it. At Vogue, for instance, we were filming a group of people who had been working together for years, in some cases for decades. They worked together with a fluidity that was almost deceptive. They communicated with nods and glances, not with grand pronouncements. When we first started filming there, we were stymied. When did that decision get made? How do you know that story’s happening? Who cut that photo spread? It was baffling. But then we realized that the creative process at Vogue is in the gestures, the glances, the conversations that last five seconds. It’s not that they sit down and they say okay now we will be creative and discuss what we’re going to do. Once we realized that, our jobs became much easier.

We knew what we were filming.

But the biggest challenge that we faced in making The September Issue was the fact that people in the fashion world are very suspicious of cameras. They’re used to a camera being the enemy, something that is prying and looking to catch you in a compromising position, something that’s judging you. And of course our presence is the opposite of that, our cameras are there not to judge but to observe. Convincing the people who worked there that we weren’t like other people with cameras was a huge challenge.

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ABSOLUTE FOOD

Anna Wintour in R.J. Cutler’s The September Issue Picture courstesy of A&E Indie Films - Actual Reality Pictures

What was the challenge of editing?

We shot over 300 hours on the film. That’s a lot of footage. We filmed for 8 months. The footage all had to be screened, chronicled and documented. And then we had to figure out our story. When people ask about the process of discovering the story, whether it’s in production or post-production, I like to tell the story of this interview I saw with the great hockey player Wayne Gretzky when he was at the height of his powers. He had won a bunch of Stanley Cups in a row, he was the greatest scorer in NHL history.

There appeared to be no end to what he could do. The interviewer asked, “Tell us Great One, how do you do it?” And Gretzky said, “Oh it’s quite simple. I just follow the puck.” And I remember thinking, “Of course Wayne Gretzky is the greatest hockey player the Earth has ever seen-- everyone else in the rink is slapping at the puck with their hockey sticks, trying to get it to do what they want it to do. Gretzky is following the puck and going where it wants to go.”

What is your favorite scene?

I love being in the Vogue office, being in the hallways, in the meetings, the moments in Anna’s office, I love all that. I’m a big verite fan. And of course, I love the scenes with Andre Leon Talley. And I love the way the film breaks the fourth wall, especially

towards the end of the movie. I’m also a huge fan of the way Bob Richman shot this film, the combination of intimate verite with those beautiful vistas of New York and Paris and the world of fashion. But I think probably the material I respond to most emotionally are the scenes that involve Anna confronting her family relationships.

The scenes with her daughter Bee; the scenes where she’s talking about her dad and her relationship with him; the footage that we see of Anna as a younger woman.

And most of all the sequence towards the end of the film, where Anna is reflecting on her relationship with her siblings and we see her at home with Bee, and we see her as one of the things she is in addition to an awesome, fearsome, Editor-in-Chief: a single working mum. Then we see her frustrated with her work, unhappy with the way the issue is going, contemplating the end of her career. In that one sequence, I think, we see a connection between work and family and history and her place in the world; we see her as a powerful business woman, as a sister and as a mum, and for me it all really comes together.

What were you most surprised about?

I didn’t realize just how prominent Anna Wintour’s position in the fashion industry

"this is a rapidly-growing 300-billion dollar global industry" was and the more I got to observe it, the more surprising I found it. You know, you can make a hit movie without Steven Spielberg’s blessing, and you can publish best-selling software without Bill Gates’ blessing, but you can’t really be a successful fashion designer right now without Anna Wintour’s blessing! And remember, this is a rapidly-growing 300-billion dollar global industry. Anna is such a singular figure, the way that every once in a long while individuals in various industries can be.

And it’s remarkable and surprising when you realize the scope of her power and influence. And this phenomenon is only enhanced, I think, by the fact that she’s a woman in a very public industry where the knives are kept sharp. Who’s to say how much of it is Anna and how much of it is Vogue, but indeed she occupies a unique position.

"...the biggest challenge that we faced in making The September Issue was the fact that people in the fashion world are very suspicious of cameras" ABSOLUTE

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FACES & PLACES David Christ and Trixie Harmer

Chic style at

INK

Brighton was finally awash with INK on an evening in September , when over 700 of the city’s clued up social set and London music industry bods attended the launch of Zoe Urben’s and Lloyd Power’s chic new nightspot.

Within one hour of opening the multi level champagne and cocktail venue was shoulder to shoulder, as guests grazed on exquisite pan Chinese canapés from Pearl’s and glitter covered sweet treats from JamQueen, designed to coordinate with the colour schemes of the varied party spaces.

Described by its interior design guru and DJ, Mr. Pete Haywood as “Frederick’s of Hollywood meets Miami Vice”, INK guests marvelled at the bespoke décor and also enjoyed the eye candy of semi-clad male models and slinky female models, supplied by Ms. Lindsay Fergusson.

Only a very, very lucky and select few were shown to INK’s much talked about V-VIP rooms hidden away at the top of this tower of style.

Daniel Saunders, Tommy Hayes, Michael Yeoman and Darren Boyd

Ink proprietor Zoe Urben

Katie Brencher, Michelle Ward and Aisha Ghani

Pictures GRAHAM FRANKS Charlie Urben, David Lilly and Paul Blake

Twins, Heidi and Victoria Bennett-Smith

Victoria Fullick and friends

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Pasha Du Valentine and Leonora Metzger

The Cheeky Girls with Conan and Jai from Absolute TV

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FACES & PLACES Artist Karren Urben and Karon Eubank

Heidi Bennett-Smith, Lisa Johnstone, Megan Russell and Emma Taylor

Python girl, Carol Cleveland

Louisa and Nadia

Luke Pumfrey and Holly Gracen

Hair and makeup by Victoria Allen and Zena Mc Carthy of Usual Suspects

Annette and Dave Day

Kath Marlow

Lindsay Fergusson with her LA9 Management Models

Zoe and Karren Urben

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22/9/09 14:53:10

ABSOLUTE INTERIORS

Turn up the heat!

With the darker nights drawing in and the temperatures dropping once again, now is a good time to look in to the latest options available to keep your home warm, toasty and stylish Hot Art Gone are the days of radiators simply being a source of heat for your home. With flamboyant designs, shapes and colours now available, the new age feature radiators allow you to heat your home not only sufficiently, but also stylishly.

There are many designs available to enhance any room from modern models for the bathroom or kitchen to graceful classics for your living areas, all in keeping with the interior deign and colour scheme of your home.

Pictured right is the perfect example of a radiator in the form of modern art. This cool design (called Supratherm) comes all the way from Germany, from a company called Sprinz.

Sprinz has designed a radiator that uses slabs of glass to generate heat. As if that weren’t good enough, you can choose different themes for your radiator including this fireplace theme.

The Supratherm can be used as a free standing radiator or you can wall mount it to make it feel even more like fine modern art. Sprinz shows the Supratherm in many different uses, from

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family rooms to bathrooms. If you can read German you can check out Sprinz website to see all of their designs.

Fired Up Although modern technology has introduced some fantastic options for modern ways to heat the home, for a traditional home there’s nothing like a real open fireplace.

The design options for a fireplace are endless.

From the fire surround to the mantle piece and type of fire (coal, electric etc), you’ll be sure to find one to suit your home.

An open fire can be the finishing touch to any home, and is always the most popular place to gather (people or animals!) And how about having one outside, such as the picture shown opposite? It could make the ideal place for dining al fresco dining on those cooler nights!

now being equipped with this popular form of heating throughout the house including hallways, kitchens and play rooms.

The reason it is proving to be a popular option is not only for its efficiency and economy, but also for it’s use of space; being fit under floors leaves extra wall space available for units (where radiators and such would otherwise be).

It is easy to fit too. If you are planning to put a new floor down in a room or are in the middle of doing an extension, now is the time to investigate under floor heating. Specialists can lay Supratherm glass radiator fire

Toasty Tootsies Under floor heating has become the way forward for a lot of people when deciding how to heat a new room or even a whole house.

In fact, the majority of new build homes are

ABSOLUTE

B1009_024_025 Interiors Heating 2 2

21/9/09 19:45:55

ABSOLUTE INTERIORS it for you in a day, alternatively, if you are a dab hand at DIY, under floor heating home packs are now available in most DIY stores.

Above: Funky radiators brighten up a contemporary interior space. Below: A stylish outside fire

A Natural Hot Water Solution…

If saving money (and helping the planet) is what you want to achieve with your water heating system, then solar water heating is for you.

Generated naturally from the sun’s reflection, solar water heating systems use free heat to warm domestic hot water. A conventional boiler or immersion heater is then used to make the water hotter, or to provide hot water when solar energy is unavailable.

Solar water heating systems use solar panels, called collectors, fitted to your roof (see picture right). These collect heat from the sun and use it to warm water, which is stored in a hot water cylinder.

The benefits of solar water heating is that you’ll receive hot water throughout the year, though you’ll need to heat the water further with a boiler or immersion heater during the winter months.You will also cut your bills; sunlight is free, so once you’ve paid for the initial installation your hot water costs will be reduced. And all this while cutting your carbon footprint - solar hot water is a green, renewable heating system and doesn’t release any harmful carbon dioxide or other pollutants.

Under floor heating

Solar panels

ABSOLUTE

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21/9/09 19:45:58

ABSOLUTE INTERIORS

RED CARPET

GADGETS

RED Red Heel Radio USB Gadget.

Why stop at shoes for your feet? Glamorise your desktop with a Stiletto Radio. £9.95 www.mymemory.co.uk

Red Lips Mouth Clock This luscious lips clock is guaranteed to brighten your day.

No matter whether you are waking up on a dark autumn morning or counting down the minutes to home time, this clock will help cheer you up and make you smile. Oh yes, and it tells the time too! £17.95 www.gadgets.co.uk

Bring some excitement into your daily life with these fabulous red gadgets and accessories

RED

Talking Rose Record your own personal message for that special person, and they can enjoy the sound of your voice while admiring their rose.

Each rose comes with a built in recorder which allows you to personalise it with a 10 second message.

Price: £8.50 www.gadgetsarcade.com

Chilli red mouse Add a bit of spice to your computer work! £25.00 www.heals.co.uk/Gadgets

KITCHEN RED

1092 Deluxe oven Add glamour to your kitchen with a glossy red stove. Falcon has launched three of its professional cookers: 900, 092 Deluxe and the 1092 Deluxe Induction in this delicious cherry red.

Prices from £4,079 www.johnlewis.com

Alessi - Anna G Red Corkscrew. Designed by Alessandro Mendini. £24.99. www.panik-design.com Red Measuring Spoon Set Set of red measuring spoons from Nigella Lawson’s living kitchen range, designed in association with Sebastian Conran. £5.95 www.onthetable.co.uk

Red Sony Reader Ideal for bookworms, this gizmo is the hi-tech way to carry up to 160 books at all times - and it’s available exclusively in ruby red from John Lewis. www.johnlewis.com www.sony.co.uk £199

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18/9/09 08:38:52

ORDER NOW FOR CHRISTMAS DELIVERY B1009_028 Sussex blind ad2 OCT091 1

23/9/09 10:59:34

ASTB_A4_Absolute_Brighton_Oct.indd 1

18/9/09 15:10:21

What a quiff!

Mark Woolley is the owner and creative director of Electric Hairdressing.

Mark splits his time between Brighton and London and is available for appointments on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

For appointments call 01273 202088 www.electric-hair.com

Celebrity steal their

style

By Mark Woolley

Electropop firecracker La Roux worked her statement quiff at this year’s Mercury Awards. Staying true to her distinctive style La Roux pulls off this sky scraping trend with ease. I’ve seen only the brave opting for this daring look. However, for those of us a little more reserved the quiff can add a sharp and unique touch to any style.

Part the hair using a tail comb to section and pull upwards over the crown during blow drying. For those with fine hair, once dry, invest in medium hair wax to hold your tresses in place yet still giving movement while those with thicker or longer locks should set the style in place using kirby grips after tucking the ends under and spray with a high hold hairspray! This style works perfectly on those with round faces as the height will elongates its shape. However, this look is all about wearing the right attitude to pull off its edgy elegance. I can’t fault La Roux’s cool aura and feel that anyone imitating her style should do, so when heading out on the town as the club scene is definitely the best place to show off this quirky trend.

LETTER OF THE MONTH My hair always suffers during the autumn months… it gets so frizzy and dry, is there anything out there that can prevent this?

Regular trims at the salon are integral to frizz prevention, this is the first point of call to stop the ends becoming badly split.

So do ensure that you visit your hairdresser every 6-8 weeks. I would also suggest investing in a moisturising shampoo and conditioner such as those from the Kerastase Nutritive range which will provide nourishment to the hair fibre. My top tip is to leave the Kerastase Masquintense deep conditioning treatment on as an overnight masque once a month throughout the colder months. This will restore the hair and stop excessive dryness, locking in moisture making the world of difference to your hair. A good serum will also help to smooth the hair down and stop any flyaways as the environmental stresses caused by the wind are extremely damaging it is important to give hair some extra TLC.

ESSENTIAL PRODUCTS TO

maintain this look L’Oreal Play Ball’s Deviation Paste will help you to re-create La Roux’s look by adding thickness and control to finer hair types with knockout appeal. Using fingertips work this matte paste into the hair to separate, control and define sections to achieve this style.

A Denman tailcomb is the perfect tool for sectioning and styling. The tail comb will glide through hair without damaging the hair or scalp making it a great tool to use when parting the hair when wet.

The teeth are also made to ensure a smooth and comfortable action working exceptionally well through both thick and fine hair types.

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The best and worst in the music industry

GOOD

V

✖

✓

✓

✖

✖

✓

BAD

From top left: Fearn Cotton Florence Welsh Rihanna Laura Marling Lily Allen Natasha Kahn

ABSOLUTE

B1009_030 M WOOLLEY OCT09.indd 1

22/9/09 07:45:36

SAFE IS SEXY!

ABSOLUTE HEALTH

Get a beautiful tan at Sun Chic, ensuring safety and satisfaction

W

orried About Tanning? If you’re using a salon without the latest tanning technology then perhaps you should be. Because safe is far more sexy!

As you are no doubt aware, there have been many recent horror stories about tanning in the press. What doesn’t make the press so often is that there are also many scientists that believe that sensible tanning is actually beneficial. Tanning in moderation will give your skin a natural defence against the UV rays from the sun. It is essential for the production of vitamin D, which has a number of important functions in the body. People who suffer with winter depression, also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) use it very effectively.

In a number of studies, it has actually been shown to decrease the risk of certain cancers including breast, colon and ovarian cancer and, of course, a golden tan keeps you looking good and feeling great!

A couple of years ago a group of people got together to open a new tanning salon. A tanning salon with a difference! They made it bright and spacious, they made it fully computerised, they stocked only the best brand name products for their customers and they purchased the latest, safest, tanning equipment, all the way from Italy!

Not only did they go out of their way to open the friendliest and most luxurious salon, they also wanted it to be the safest as well.

In 2007, scientific guidelines were published on the safest

levels of UV to be used in tanning; these are known as the ‘Zero¡3’ guidelines and they subsequently became law in a number of European countries. However, tanning salons in the UK are still able to operate outside these guidelines.

But Sun Chic Tanning wanted the safest possible equipment for their customers and therefore have been fully ‘Zero¡3’ compliant since their doors first opened, back in March 2008. www.SunChic.com is a hugely informative website, with oodles of information about tanning, tanning products and tanning safety, including information on ‘Zero¡3’ and the positive effect on Seasonal Affective Disorder; and Sun Chic staff are always available to answer any tanning questions you may have either in person, on the phone or by email.

So come to a salon with solariums that meet the latest safety guidelines, a salon where you tan gently and in comfort, a salon where your safety is their concern and where trained staff are on duty at all times, with your best interest at heart.

A safe tan takes a little time, come to the relaxed surroundings of Brighton’s premier tanning salon - Sun Chic Tanning.

Sun Chic 98 Western Road, Hove 01273 747974 www.sunchic.com

The only place for pure indulgence

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Products and Treatments for Men & Women

THE TREATMENT ROOMS 21 NEW ROAD, BRIGHTON BN1 1UF Tel: 01273 818444 info@thetreatmentrooms.com

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24/9/09 14:41:55

ABSOLUTE HEALTH

Losing the inches A

fter months of exercising and dieting I still couldn’t shift a few extra pounds on my stomach, so when I was invited to have Laser Lipo, with Sarah Hurst I jumped at the chance.

Sarah Hurst has been in the beauty industry for over 20 years. Based in Hollingbury, she carries out a number of procedures - Laser Lipo, Environ, Tanning to LHE Hair Removal to name just a few.

Slightly nervous, but still excited about having Laser Lipo, I did as instructed and avoided caffeine, eating and drinking an hour before the treatment. I arrived at the Salon which has excellent parking facilities outside. Immediately I noticed how tranquil the surrounding were and Sarah immediately put my anxiety to bed by talking me through the treatment and how it works.

Laser Lipo is conducted by using a machine called Lapex BCS. It is a cold red laser machine, and Sarah explained that machines of this type have been used for over 10 years to treat sports injuries and to help the body heal itself. The purpose of the Lapex BCS is to break down fat cells by concentrating on specific areas. Laser Lipo can be performed on your stomach, face, hips, thighs, back, under arms and on cellulite.

Not only does the treatment help you lose inches but it tightens skin, reduces cellulite and promotes skin rejuvenation.

The Laser paddles are placed on the skin and the

Rishma Patel gave Laser Lipo a go, and is delighted with the results

laser beams penetrate the skin deep enough to reach the fat. The laser targets fat cells to create pores in them, causing the fat to be released and dissolved, while also getting rid of excess water, Glycerol and fatty acids. Your metabolic rate needs to be increased to help the body get rid of the waste, therefore regular exercise is imperative when undergoing Laser Lipo.

Sarah then took measurements, so we could accurately take these measurements again once the treatment was over, to gauge a precise reading of how much I had lost. I laid back on the bed and had three diode laser paddles placed on the right side of my stomach secured by an elastic body strap, I then had two probe lasers placed over my lymphatic glands.

I couldn’t believe it, - it didn’t hurt one bit, and felt like having a hot water bottle on your stomach.

While having my treatment, Sarah talked to me about my diet and exercise regime, not only are you having a treatment that works wonders, you are also getting free nutrition advice. Sarah determined that I am eating too much bread and white carbohydrates, and suggested that this is probably the reason why I have fatigue in the afternoons.

Time flew by as Sarah and I chatted about previous clients that had undergone Laser Lipo with many of them dropping dress sizes. Sarah mentioned that

she has never had a client not lose anything with this treatment, and anxious to see what I had lost, I jumped off the bed and it was the moment of truth.

Taking measurements again, in exactly the same places, Sarah proudly announced I had lost 2.5 inches - a fair amount after 30 minutes of treatment.

Laser Lipo is by far the best non invasive treatment I have had, whilst not only achieving substantial results, it’s completely pain free, has no side effects and allows you to target those stubborn areas. I highly recommend that you book yourself in for a course of Laser Lipo with Sarah Hurst; with such professionalism and competitive costs you will not be disappointed. Book a course of four for £500 or a course of eight for £800, I know I certainly will!

Clients can book in for a ÂŁ50 trial treatment without obligation. This includes a free back massage with Massage Therapist James Wright.

Angels and Saints are looking for a Part time/full time hair stylist. Minimum of 5 years experience is required. Excellent salary package.

For further information please contact Kelly or Jodie

ANGELS ‘N’ SAINTS 5FM

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B1009_032 BEAUTY ADS and hurst e1 1

23/9/09 15:07:08

ABSOLUTE BEAUTY

Dimple Free

Cellulite is an age-old problem matter for women the world over, of all sizes and shapes. With many products promising to be able to rid and smooth away this troublesome effect, we choose some of the best available over the beauty counter Matis Paris

The New Self-Heating Cellu-Slimming Mask, joins four other products in the Response Corps range and completes an extremely effective four-step slimming programme for home use.

Price: 250ml. tube £24.47.

Rodial Bum Lift

This pioneering gel offers a true solution to all derriere doubts. When massaged gently into buttocks and thighs, the effect is instant.

Wheat protein immediately lifts, firms, smoothes and tones, but there are numerous long term effects too.

Visit www.rodial.co.uk for nearest stockist.

Price: £100 100ml.

Chanel Body Excellence Slim

This anti-cellulite cream has a polyfunctional formula that has been created as a result of extensive Chanel research, and is especially designed to reprogram the body’s slimming system.

Stockist number: 020 7493 3836.

Prices: £79.00.

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1 2

3

Elemis Body Sculpting Lipo-Refining Serum

6 5

Designed with a Lipo Refining trio of marine and plant extracts to help minimise the appearance of stubborn fatty deposits and reduce the visible signs of cellulite.

Price: 200ml £40

The Weleda Birch Range

This range uses leaves from organic silver birch which contain valuable flavanoids, which encourage secretion or elimination processes to flush out toxins. The products provide three steps to a smoother skin. www.weleda.co.uk Body Scrub £12.50 100ml Birch Cellulite Oil £12.10 100ml Birch Juice £6.25 200ml.

L’Oreal Perfectslim

Two special products to give you 24-hour anti-cellulite action. Make your jeans fit better in 4 weeks!

Available nationwide.

Perfectslim Night: £11.99 Perfectslim Day: £10.99.

Biotherm Celluli Laser Night

7

Joining the Biotherm range of anti and preventative cellulite products is Celluli-Laser Intensive Night – Biotherm’s first overnight treatment for the reduction of visible cellulite areas. Its four key processes make it the perfect product in the battle against cellulite.

Available from Boots stores nationwide Price: £35.00 ABSOLUTE

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21/9/09 19:51:10

ABSOLUTE HEALTH

Change can be good Women of a certain age the world over experience the Menopause, but why do some cultures manage to avoid some of the infamous symptoms that ladies in the West continue to suffer? Sheryl Waters tells us their secrets

T

Pre or post menopause? Some celebrities who are famous for experiencing the menopause (or rumoured to be). From top: Kim Cattrall age 54, Lulu age 60, Madonna age 51, Olivier Newton John age 61

Sheryl Walters is a kinesiologist, reflexologist and nutritionist and works in London and Brighton. Tel: (01273) 676551 / 07930 477091 www.sherylwalters.com

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here are women who glide through the menopause with flying colours, but most women aren’t so lucky. “The change” (as it is commonly known) can cause a number of mild to severe symptoms such as mood disturbances, vaginal dryness, sleep disturbances and of course those infamous hot flashes.

Yet many people don’t realize that these symptoms are a result of a physical imbalance. A toxic environment combined with the stressful modern day lifestyle means that most women’s hormone levels are out of balance, leading to a great deal of suffering during this time of their life.

The doctor will more than likely offer HRT as a solution. There is a great deal of controversy about how effective HRT really is, and it potentially comes with side effects that can cause more harm than good.

At any rate, it is a good idea to try to bring the body into balance and deal with symptoms naturally.

Lifestyle Water replaces fluids lost to perspiration during hot flashes and can even minimize hot flashes, so plenty of water should be consumed during the menopause.

Women in some cultures rarely experience hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms; their secret may be down to what is on their dinner plate. Japanese women, for example, are far less likely to suffer from menopausal symptoms than women in the West.

Their diets are filled with beans, such as soybeans, which contain phytoestrogens that seem to mimic some of the biological activities of female hormones and help the body deal with the change. Remember, processed Soya, such as Soya milk, is not healthy and will not have this benefit.

Supplements Calcium, magnesium and vitamin E are essential nutrients for getting through this time of life. Coldpressed oils, avocados and fresh, organic green leafy vegetables can provide these nutrients and should be increased as this time of life approaches. Watercress and fennel also have a positive impact on female health, as well as sea vegetables such as wakame and nori.

In addition to eating plenty of healthy, hormonebalancing foods, avoiding foods that can contribute to discomfort is also vital. Alcohol, caffeine, excess sugar, dairy, meat products and spicy food can all cause hot flashes, mood swings and other symptoms.

Studies have confirmed that women who smoke are also more likely to have a difficult menopause.

Regular exercise is essential, as it can help alleviate some women’s discomfort at this time. Yoga and tai chi exercise the body while also bringing the mind into balance.

Herbs that can also help alleviate the symptoms of the Menopause: Certain herbs have been used in ancient cultures to balance hormones and relieve menopause.

Black cohosh grows in Eastern North America. It contains phytochemicals that have been shown to help with menopause. It is believed that Black cohosh may contain phytoestrogens that work very much like natural estrogen. Black cohosh may work directly on the hypothalamus, which is located at the base of the brain and regulates body temperature, hormone production, and other functions associated with menopause. Black choosy can relieve symptoms including night sweats, hot flashes, anxiety, and depression. In a recent study, 80% of women taking a black cohosh supplement experienced an improvement in their hot flashes, sweating, and heart palpitations.

Dong quai, also known as Chinese Angelica, is a Chinese herb and is one of the most well-known herbs for treating the symptoms of menopause. Dong quai contains phytoestrogens that bind to the estrogen receptors in our body, increasing the levels of estrogen. Benefits include a reduction in hot flashes, mood swings, anxiety, and vaginal dryness. In clinical studies, women taking dong quai reported a 25% decrease in the severity of their symptoms.

Maca Root comes from South America, and has been used for centuries to treat menopause and other sexual health complaints. It helps to balance out estrogen and progesterone, as well as other hormones to relieve symptoms and promote optimum health. It is known to be highly effective at reducing hot flashes and vaginal dryness. It can also restore sex drive that was lost during menopause, boost memory and decrease the effects of osteoporosis.

Red clover grows naturally in Europe and Asia. It is well known as a powerful herb for all menopausal symptoms. Red clover is one of the primary sources of phytoestrogens, which are plant estrogens that mimic the female sex hormone. These phytoestrogens help to increase the levels of estrogen in the body, thus relieving menopausal symptoms. Studies on red clover have verified that it does reduce menopause symptoms such as hot flashes and mood swings. In a recent study in the Netherlands, women taking a red clover reported a 44% decrease in their hot flashes over 8 weeks. Red clover is also believed to fight osteoporosis, and increase the amount of high-density lipoprotein, or “good” cholesterol, in the bloodstream.

This has been linked to reducing the risk of heart disease in menopausal women.

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ABSOLUTE LIFE COACHING

NEEDS OR WANTS? Each month, Free Spirit Coaching respond to one of our reader's letters for guidance on an issue bothering them.

This month's letter asks: "Can you help? I’m sure I’m the only person who feels like this. The thing is, I work hard, have a busy home life, friends etc and have been trying to go on holiday for ages. Finally I’ve booked a break, the first break for over a year, and instead of feeling excited and pleased, I feel anxious and unable to relax."

Paula, Hove, age 36 Dear Paula, Sometimes we think we need things that we really only want. What do we mean by that? Well it sometimes looks like what we think we need, for example, to unwind and relax. Therefore taking a holiday means going often somewhere we don’t know, to be around people we are unfamiliar with, or to put it plainly to escape. And escape feels like an answer to how we are feeling, whatever that may be; tired, jaded or in need of 'a change'. Our lives at home are often places where we have a sense of being in control, make decisions, know what is happening and so on.

So when we take 'breaks' from our lives, what happens? For some of us that makes us feel uneasy and even anxious.

There are a few ways to deal with this. Ask yourself what you are escaping from and what you are looking for. What do you personally want your holiday to bring? Are you looking for quietness, sleep, rest and recuperation and is the holiday you have chosen going to bring these? How else might you bring these qualities into your life? Are there ways of increasing mental rest at home? Can you recuperate every day in some small way? How might the quality of your sleep improve?

Living everyday then turns your everyday into your holiday, or perhaps we should say the feeling you are looking for in a holiday, and then when your holiday comes you can choose a break that really answers your needs not your wants.

FreeSpirit now have spaces for new clients. If you want to try coaching, to get your life as you want it, or just want to have a good one-to-one conversation with one of our team, then email us at www.freespiritcoaching.com

Get that beautiful body all year round With our exclusive Endermologie Lipomassage An effective technique for controlling cellulite and reshaping the body using a combination of techniques to stimulate blood and lymph circulation whilst eliminating toxins

Tone and firm your body for a slimmer, smoother, more refined you at Beauty Secrets 65 Western Road, Hove, BN3 2JQ

Tel: 01273 822476 www.beautysecretssalonandspa.co.uk

B1009_035 Life coaching OCT09.in1 1

22/9/09 07:58:08

Rosalins

PAY £140 per month and receive 5 hours of hair & beauty treatments with SALON SELECT

SALON SELECT

Tel: 01273 604444

78 Trafalgar Street, Brighton, BN1 4EB BEAUTY Rosalins would like to introduce Italy’s most exclusive skin care range, Dibi and Olas natural facial ranges.

Crystal Clear products, Microdermabrasion, Oxygenation HAIR Rosalins are proud to be the first stockists in Brighton for the Inoa L’Oreal hair colour products, containing no ammonia or peroxide.

After nine treatments your hair will be like virgin hair!

Rosalins are offering Girls Night Out packages, the salon will be exclusively closed for you whether it be a pamper evening or a few treatments before you hit the town, enquire for further details.

15% off any beauty treatments 25% off hair colouring and highlights 30% off a full set of gel nails.

At Rosalins Salon Select we specialise in the highest standard of service, always putting the client’s needs first.

The Art & Science of Dentistry ‘We believe your smile is one of your greatest assets’ Ultimate cosmetic dental solutions and smile makeovers Whitening - In one hour with ZOOM advanced power Dental Implants Veneers and metal free crowns/bridges Hygienist Invisable braces with Invisalign Disposable instruments All treatments offered at 0%

20% off your first visit 43 Marina Square, Brighton Marina

Tel: 01273 628899

www.marinadentalcare.co.uk

B1009_036 BEAUTY ads.indd 1

We specialise in cosmetic dentistry, using the latest techniques in a state-of-the-art practice, at realistic prices in a calm & relaxed atmosphere

23/9/09 07:24:46

ABSOLUTE DENTAL COLUMN

Taking up the space!

Dr Farrokh Sharifzad from Marina Dentalcare discusses the various treatments to bridge that gap!

What to do about gaps in your smile?

Allan Carr has one. So does Chris Rock. But, for most people, there’s nothing funny about having a gap-toothed smile. When your teeth have wide spaces between them, you’ll find yourself embarrassed to talk, laugh, or enjoy life the way you should. Some people indeed find their smile very unattractive, rarely smile or cover their mouth with their hand when they laugh. This, as a rule, influences negatively on their self-esteem, having an impact on personal and professional relationships.

A natural, healthy-looking smile: Gaps can occur between any of your teeth, on both the top and bottom rows. They’re usually genetic, although they can also occur because of injury or gum disease. Gaps can be quite embarrassing. They are (rightly or wrongly) often associated with poor dental hygiene.

Aside from being aesthetically unappealing, gaps between teeth are also a breeding ground for bacteria, and can be the precursor to a host of dental problems, like gingivitis and cavities.

There are numerous easy, painless, and quick ways to repair a gap-toothed smile. The most popular method I use in my two practices is porcelain veneers, Porcelain veneers are thin shells of ceramic that can close the gaps between your teeth.

Porcelain veneers: The most popular types of dental veneers is made of porcelain, as they are stronger and last longer. They also give a more natural looking appearance.

They look and feel very much like real teeth, and they can be used to correct a variety of smile problems including cracks, chips, discolouration and gaps.

You can close those gaps in about a week, over the course of two dental appointments.

The porcelain veneers are permanently attached to the front surface of your teeth with special dental cement. Porcelain veneers are custom-created from a model of your mouth, and custom-coloured to match your natural teeth.

Once the porcelain veneers are applied, they are permanent, and you treat them as you would your natural teeth. Porcelain veneers cover the gaps between your teeth and you will be able to smile with confidence.

Other types of veneers, such as those made out of composite, will usual stain very quickly and will not last like porcelain veneers.

Composite veneers cost less than porcelain veneers, but they do not last very long and will need to be replaced. As they need replacing frequently, they will end up costing more in the long run.

How the Veneer Process Works: Applying veneers usually takes about a week from start to finish and typically includes two appointments after the initial consultation.

• During your initial consultation, you and I discuss your desired results and I give my opinion on the best solutions for obtaining the perfect smile for you. If you and I decide together that porcelain veneers are the best option, you can then schedule the rest of your veneer appointments.

• For your first veneer appointment, your teeth will be shaped to accommodate the thickness of the veneers and then a mould or impression, will be taken of your teeth. I

will send the impression to one of the best dental labs in the country, which will then create your custom veneers. I will receive your veneers back from the lab in about one week. You will be provided temporary veneers in the meantime.

• During the second appointment, the veneers will be inspected to insure a natural and attractive look. When both you and I are happy with them, the custom veneers will be permanently cemented to the front of your teeth.

• The last appointment will be a follow-up visit to make sure that your veneers are properly fitted and feel comfortable to you.

Finding the right dentist: It is important to know that the end result is highly dependent upon the skill of your cosmetic dentist. You want a dentist who has experience with creating, placing and colouring the veneers. Be sure and ask lots of questions beforehand, and ask to see Samples of past work. You want to find a cosmetic dentist, this is different from a traditional dentist.

The solution is simple and easy. Close those gaps between your teeth and open up your world with a dazzling new smile!

Don’t let gaps in your smile hold you back!

If you are interested in learning more about porcelain veneers, contact Dr Farrokh Sharifzad on 01273 628899 or visit www. marinadentalcare.co.uk for a complementary consultation.

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23/9/09 17:52:54

ABSOLUTE RECIPES

Freedom

Food Enjoy these delicious recipes for Farm Animal Week

F

reedom Food is the RSPCA’s farm animal welfare food labelling scheme, and its annual Farm Animal Week will run from October 19th – 25th this year.

The aim of the Freedom Food scheme is to raise the standards of welfare for all the animals which are reared for food. So this Farm Animal Week, try and do your bit towards improving farm animal welfare by making an extra effort to buy or ask for welfare-friendly products, such as those with the distinctive blue and white Freedom Food label.

It’s important to think about farm animal welfare when you are eating in or out. So this Farm Animal Week, an exciting new campaign called Simply Ask is being launched by Freedom Food to get people thinking about where the food on their plates comes from when they eat out in restaurants.

There will be a focus on eggs in particular for the launch of Simply Ask– as a staggering 85% of eggs used in restaurants, pubs and cafes still come from hens kept in battery cages.

You can get involved by asking where the eggs come from when you eat out and by visiting the RSPCA Freedom Food website – www. freedomfood.co.uk/simplyask - to view a list of food outlets using eggs from uncaged hens.

At home you can also try these tasty recipes from celebrity chefs.

Reader Offer!

The RSPCA Freedom Food’s new Celebrity Recipe Collection has been launched for Farm Animal Week, and we have 50 copies to give away.

The collection features recipes from Jamie Oliver, Ainsley Harriott and Phil Vickery amongst others – and isn’t available in the shops.

We will send the first 50 readers to email us a free copy.

Simply send your name and address to recipes@freedomfood.co.uk, putting ‘Brighton’ in the subject line, and the first 50 readers will be sent a copy.

Chicken Medallions

by Marguerite Patten Ideal option for a lunch with friends, this light and tasty meal will impress without taking hours to prepare.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes Cooking Time: 15 minutes Serves: 4 Ingredients 4 Freedom Food labelled chicken breasts 1 tbsp plain flour, seasoned with freshly ground salt and black pepper 50g / 2oz butter 1 tbsp of sunflower oil 4 tbsp chicken stock 2 tbsp fresh chives, snipped 1 tsp fresh rosemary leaves, chopped 1 tsp fresh coriander or parsley, chopped 2 tbsp of dry sherry 150ml / ¼ pint of single cream 2 large slices of bread 50g / 2oz liver pate, or amount to taste sprig of coriander or parsley, to serve Method Coat the chicken breasts with seasoned flour.

Heat 40g / 1½oz of the butter and the oil in a large frying pan. Add the chicken breasts, fry rapidly for 2 minutes on either side or until golden in colour.

Add the chicken stock, herbs and sherry and continue cooking for a further 10 minutes or until the chicken is tender. Stir in the cream, heat for 2 minutes and add any extra seasoning required.

While the chicken is cooking, cut the crusts off the slices of bread and divide each slice in half diagonally. Toast the bread on both sides, spread with the remaining butter and the liver pate and keep warm.

Place each Chicken Medallion on the croutes of bread. Pour the sauce around or serve separately.

Garnish with the parsley or coriander.

Caramelised Apples with Real Custard

by Nick Nairn Preparation Time: 10 -15 minutes Cooking Time: 20 minutes Serves: 6 For the custard: 150ml /Freedom Food labelled double cream 150m /5fl oz Freedom Food labelled full fat milk 1 vanilla pod 3 Freedom Food labelled egg yolks 25g /1oz caster sugar For caramelised apples: 275g /10oz caster sugar 6 granny smith apples, peeled and quartered Method Place the cream and milk into a thick-bottomed pan, over medium heat until simmering. Split the vanilla pod, scrape out the seeds, and add both to the pan. Set aside for 5 minutes.

Place the egg yolks and sugar for the custard into a bowl. Whisk until a thick fluffy mixture. Slowly pour the hot cream over the egg and sugar mixture stirring continually.

Pour mixture into a clean pan and place back on the medium heat, continuing to stir. Cook the mixture until it starts to thicken, taking care that it doesn’t become too hot. Once a light coating consistency is obtained, immediately sieve the mixture into a clean cold bowl. Cover with cling wrap to avoid skinning and allow to cool.

Meanwhile, place the sugar set aside for the apples into a large frying pan, over a medium heat. Allow the sugar to melt slowly and stir as little as possible, only doing so to fold in little areas of dark caramel, which start to appear.

After 6-8 minutes all of the sugar will be melted, however, allow to cook a little further (another 1-2 minutes should do). The caramel is ready when large bubbles appear along with a dark, acrid smoke. Remove the pan from the heat.

Carefully add the apples to the caramel. Ensure all the apples are well coated and return to a low heat until the apples are tender but still holding their shape. Divide the caramelised apples between bowls and serve with plenty of custard.

ABSOLUTE

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23/9/09 07:27:10

ABSOLUTE RECIPES

The Hour Of Darkness

Don’t scare your neighbours this Halloween with your cooking. Opt for one of these delicious recipes instead

Creamy Pumpkin Soup Serves 9

Ingredients 1420 ml chicken stock 9 g salt 980 g pumpkin puree 1 g chopped fresh parsley 160 g chopped onion 0.4 g chopped fresh thyme 1 clove garlic, minced 120 ml heavy whipping cream 5 whole black peppercorns Method Heat stock, salt, pumpkin, onion, thyme, garlic, and peppercorns.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes uncovered.

Puree the soup in small batches (1 cup at a time) using a food processor or blender.

Return to pan, and bring to a boil again. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for another 30 minutes, uncovered. Stir in heavy cream.

Pour into soup bowls and garnish with fresh parsley.

Tip:You can also spice this soup up by adding some coconut milk and fresh chilli!

Pumpkin Pie

by Anthony Worrell Thompson Serves 8 Ingredients For the pastry: Sweet short crust pastry case, or a packet of ready made sweet short crust pastry with 40g/11⁄2oz crushed pecans mixed in.

For the filling: 450 g/1lb prepared weight pumpkin flesh, cut into 1in/2.5 cm chunks, 2 large eggs plus 1 yolk (use the white for another dish), 3 oz/75g soft dark brown sugar, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1⁄2 level teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg,1⁄2 tsp ground allspice,1⁄2 tsp ground cloves, 1⁄2 tsp ground ginger,10 fl oz/275 ml double cream.

Method 1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

2. Use a shop bought sweet crust pastry case, about 9 inch/23 cm diameter and 11⁄2 inches/4 cm deep.

3. To make the filling, steam the pumpkin then place in a coarse sieve and press lightly to extract any excess water.

4. Then lightly whisk the eggs and extra yolk together in a large bowl.

5. Place the sugar, spices and the cream in a pan, bring to simmering point, giving it a whisk to mix everything together. Then pour it over the eggs and whisk it again briefly.

6. Now add the pumpkin pureé, still whisking to combine everything thoroughly.

7. Then pour the filling into your pastry case and bake for 35-40 minutes, by which time it will puff up round the edges but still feel slightly wobbly in the centre.

8. Then remove it from the oven and place the tin on a wire cooling rack. Serve chilled (stored loosely covered in foil in the fridge) with some equally chilled créme fraïche (or cream), but warm or at room temperature would be fine.

Tip: This pie is perfect for wrapping up in cling film and giving to ‘trick or treaters.’

ABSOLUTE

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18/9/09 08:51:28

B0910_042 Rendezvous.indd 1

18/9/09 09:07:39

Relax at BUDDIES

b New Music Nights �h e x Featuring the brilliant soul blues guitarist Phil Saatchi Friday nights 7.30 -11.00.

Miss Mandy Duo - a blend of smooth sultry jazz Saturday nights 7.30 -11.00

To compliment the wonderful food for the discerning clientele of past, present and future.

WE WELCOME YOU For VIP reservations contact Vernon Ward 01273 502097

BUDDIES 24 HOUR RESTAURANT

46-48 Kings Road, Brighton 01273 323 600

www.buddies24hour.net

5 bartholomews brighton bn1 1hg 01273 774222 mon-sat 10am-6pm sun 11am-5pm www.artatfive.com

B1009_043 REST ADS.indd 1

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23/9/09 13:31:37

B1009_044 ads.indd 1

24/9/09 15:51:46

ABSOLUTE RESTAURANT

The Great Whites Roast Verity Craig enjoys a lazy Sunday at Whites in nearby Steyning Keeping it in the family!

Proprietor David White with sons Dominic, Jolyon, Alex and George (and grandson Jasper!)

M

y favourite meal of the week has always been a Sunday roast dinner. There’s nothing quite like it. So when I heard that my husband Paul and I were going to Whites in nearby Steyning for a roast one lazy Sunday, I was thrilled. And mentioning it that day to my daughter Niomi while driving her to her Sunday job, always being one step ahead of me having enjoyed a roast at Whites herself recently, she told me that I was in for a real treat.

Formerly known as The White Horse pub for many years it is situated in a building that is part Grade II listed in the Steyning conservation area; it is actually reported that Charles I probably drank there.

The White Horse was originally a hotel but unfortunately was burnt down in 1946. However, part of the building was left standing and was turned into the pub.

The décor at Whites, as it is known today, is very stylish indeed. The current owners, the White family, have carried out extensive work. A classical French provance green adorns the windows and the large conservatory area of the restaurant, which was bustling with people upon our visit.

The White family are all hands on; the father. David and his four sons Alex, George, Jolyon and Dominic, all have an input in the family business, and their expertise and knowledge of their trade shines through. The place runs like clockwork, it clearly is a well-oiled machine. From the moment of our arrival we were greeted with smiling faces and courteous staff, before being shown to our table overlooking the conservatory area of the restaurant, by Alex (the eldest son). His sibling George then greeted us; both do the main day-to-day running of the establishment.

It was obvious that both were keen to make sure that our stay for lunch would be an enjoyable experience. It was so refreshing to meet such nice and friendly people who clearly care so much about their family business; both complemented one another about their skills in front of us and said how their dad was an inspiration. Incidentally, it was their father David who introduced the White family to the food and drink industry when he purchased The

Priory at Haywards Heath in the 1980s, which he owned until 2002.

So on to our meal, and what a great menu it was indeed. Nearly everything is local, and so to demonstrate this fact, after each listing of a dish there is in brackets exactly how many miles away it is from.

Like a lot of people with a good appetite, Paul likes to try a bit of all the meats offered as a roast dinner when dining out (in other words, my meal is usually dipped in to!) But at Whites, they have already thought about this by offering the Whites mixed roast (pork, beef and lamb) (£15.50), a bit of each of the meats with Yorkshire puddings and all (12 miles).

So with Paul’s decision made, I opted for the free range Norfolk roast chicken (£12.50). We were truly looking forward to our dinner as we sat with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc in hand.

The atmosphere at Whites is relaxed and comfortable, so one could easily spend the afternoon whiling away the hours. When out meals arrived, we both commented on how beautifully presented they were. From the creamed swede in an attractive little swirl (rather than a big dollop) to the slices of meat and crispy roast potatoes, and the gravy served in miniature gravy boats individually, we knew then that we were in for a treat. Having the mixed roast, Paul was also served some crackling in a side dish; something he would not normally eat since he is not in favour of the fat or the chewyness often found in crackling. However, proving their expertise with every single touch, the chefs in the large open kitchen had cooked it to a crisp - all devoured by Paul with some homemade apple sauce.

As I mentioned before, what really does come across at Whites is that this business is an ‘all hands on deck’ operation, and that goes for the whole team who are in tune with each other, all offering the same tip-top service, but without any of the fuss or noise often found in such a busy environment; I am sure this is another conscious effort. Everything is done very discreetly, a servile but friendly (not stiff) service. And like all successful businesses, I am sure it comes from the top.

My chicken was succulent and the taste blended perfectly with the vegetables and perfectly cooked potatoes; I particularly loved (and I mean ‘loved’) the creamed swede. It was the tastiest I had ever enjoyed.

Paul also thoroughly enjoyed his mixed roast meal, consuming all. We nearly didn’t have any space for desserts. However, being a real trooper when it comes to puddings, I just had to dip into one. Alex White gave me his recommendation of a traditional English dish: blackcurrant and calvados syllabub with honeycomb ice cream and pecan flapjack (£6), which I had spied being produced in the kitchen so I knew I had to opt for this. Meanwhile, Paul went for his after meal favourite, the Sussex cheeseboard (£7.50). Served on a black slate with various Sussex cheeses displayed, pointed out individually by Alex, all were delicious (yes, I sampled a piece from each.)

The syllabub was the first that I had ever tried, and it was scrumptious. And almost too pretty to eat being served in a cocktail style glass making each delicious layer of cream, blackcurrants and ice cream visible.

Although we were looking forward to visiting Whites for a roast dinner, it exceeded our expectations (I am sure we bored Alex by coming across so gushy, commenting on how impressed we were by the food and the whole experience - but we genuinely were.) With Paul being in the food and drink industry himself for nearly two decades now, he also has a keen eye when we are dining out (which I must admit has rubbed off on to me over the years).

Therefore, when we say ‘you must take a trip to Whites one lazy Sunday,’ we really do mean it. And while in the beautiful countryside setting of Steyning, take advantage and walk off that delicious meal afterwards!

Whites 23 High Street Steyning, West Sussex BN44 3YE. www.whitesbarkitchen.co.uk For bookings, telephone: 01903 812347 ABSOLUTE

B1009_045 Whites review.indd 1

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24/9/09 16:19:39

ABSOLUTE best

restaurants and bars...

Reflections Restaurant and bar Rendezvous Casino Brighton Marina Tel: 01273 605602 www.rendezvouscasino.com/ brighton

Havana Restaurant and bar 32 Duke Street Brighton Marina Tel: 01273 773388 Wokmania Oriental Cuisine 65-75 West Street Brighton Tel: 01273 746294

Coriander Restaurant & Deli North African & Latin cuisine 5 Hove Manor Parade Hove Tel: 01273 730850

Baloos Restaurant and Bar Wheatsheaf Road Woodmancote Tel: 01273 492077

Meze Meze Greek Cuisine 168-170 South Street Lancing Tel: 01903 765333

Pelham House Fine Dining St Andrews Lane Lewes Tel: 01273 488600

Merkaba - Myhotel Hotel Bar 17 Jubilee Street Brighton Tel: 01273 900300 Strada Italian Cuisine 160-161 North Street Brighton Tel: 01273 202070 Terraces Bar and grill Madeira Drive Brighton Tel: 01273 570526

Buddies 24-hour dining 46-48 Kings Road Brighton Tel: 01273 323600

Oki-Nami Sushi 6 New Road Brighton Tel: 01273 773777

Crown and Anchor Homemade British Pub Cuisine High Street Shoreham Tel: 01273 463500

Ginger Fox Gastro pub Henfield Rd, Albourne, Nr Brighton Tel: 01273 857888

Blanch House Fine Dining 17 Atlingworth Street Brighton Tel: 01273 603504

Buxted Park Fine dining hotel restaurant Buxted East Sussex Tel: 01825 733333

The Royal Oak Fine Cuisine Poynings West Sussex Tel: 01273 857389

Newick Park Restaurant and hotel Fine dining Newick Nr Lewes Tel: 01825 723633

The Dorset Fine dining pub food 22 Malling Street Lewes Tel: 01273 474823

Hotel du Vin Hotel and Bistro Ship Street Brighton Tel: 01273 718588

English's Of Brighton Classic Seafood Restaurant 29-31 East Street Brighton Tel: 01273 327980

The Real Eating Company Fine Dining 18 Cliffe High Street Lewes East Sussex Tel: 01273 402650

Whites Bar & Kitchen Homemade pub cuisine 23 High Street Steyning Tel: 01903 812347

La Cantina Traditional Mexican food 10 Kensington Gardens Brighton Tel: 01273 623683

Artisan Modern European 197 High Street Lewes Tel: 01273 479713

Terre a Terre Vegetarian Cuisine 71 East Street Brighton Tel: 01273 729051

The Coach House Homemade fine dining 59 Middle Street Brighton Tel: 01273 719000

Karma Late night Moroccan themed bar The Waterfront Brighton Marina Tel: 01273 818000

Chilli Pickle Indian cuisine 42 Meeting House Lane Brighton Tel: 01273 323824

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Cromwells at Golding Barn Fine Dining Henfield Road Nr Small Dole Tel: 01903 815999

Sabai Thai Gastrobar 165-169 Princes House Princes Place, Brighton Tel: 01273 773030

In Vino Veritas Tapas and bistro dining 103 North Road Brighton Tel: 01273 622522

ABSOLUTE

B1009_046 Listings OCT09.indd 1

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25/9/09 10:58:05

Halloween We all know the customs and costumes associated with Hallowe’en, but why do we go witchy and weird on the last day of October...?

T

he most popular and likely theory about Halloween is that it began as an ancient Celtic festival in Great Britain and Ireland.

Immigrants carried the tradition to North America where it gained in popularity, and is celebrated with relish. In turn, as part of American pop culture, Halloween has spread in popularity to most corners of the English speaking western world.

Originally Halloween was a pagan festival, based around the idea of linking the living with the dead - a time when contact became possible between the spirits and the physical world, and magical things were more likely to happen. Like most pagan festivals, it was absorbed into the festivals of the expanding Christian church, and became associated with All Hallows Day, or All Saints Day (November 1st). A vigil for the festival was held on All Hallows Evening on October 31st, and All Hallows Evening became Hallowe’en and later the Halloween we know today.

The celebration of Halloween survived most strongly in Ireland. It was an end of summer festival, and was often celebrated in each community with a bonfire to ward off the evil spirits. Children would go from door to door in disguise as creatures from the underworld to collect treats, mainly fruit, nuts and the like for the festivities, which today is known to us as Trick or Treat. These were used for playing traditional games like eating an apple on a string or bobbing for apples and other gifts in a basin of water, without using your hands. Salt might be sprinkled on the visiting children to ward off evil spirits. Carving turnips as ghoulish faces to hold candles became a popular part of the festival, which has been adapted to carving pumpkins.

The trick aspect to trick or treating as it emerged in North America seems to have more obscure origins. It may be a merging of the collection of treats with another separate old tradition, especially in Ireland, where children would sometimes engage in secretive mischief at

48

Halloween. The original intention was for the activities of mischievous Halloween spirits to be blamed. Usually the mischief consisted of playing some minor or witty tricks on some adults - often the less popular ones - things like moving or hiding everyday items during Halloween night.

In times past a refusal to give something when requested during trick or treating may have resulted in some prank, which was not always carried out in a spirit of good fun. Tossing eggs or flour at the house, or soaping windows, were common pranks. In most places today the trick aspect of trick or treating now survives more as a ritual than any real threat.

In Scotland and England the tradition of singing or other entertainment in return for the gifts collected was more common than the threat of a trick if nothing was given.

Celebrating Halloween nowadays involves a lot of dressing up and parties.

So once again we must thank our ancestors for putting in place a festival of fun!

Children would go from door to door in disguise as creatures from the underworld to collect treats, mainly fruit, nuts and the like...

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B1009_048 halloween.indd 1

22/9/09 08:08:25

BOOK NOW FOR CHRISTMAS! Go to our website for more details

www.mezemeze.net

ENJOY CHRISTMAS WITH A TWIST!

Buxted Park Hotel

AUTHENTIC GREEK FOOD & WINES

b

Indulge at Buxted Park AFTERNOON TEA A traditional English tea with delicious home-made pastries. £20 for two people when pre-booked. * LUNCH Spoil yourself in our exquisite restaurant ‘The Dining Room’.

Two-courses £15, three-courses £20 per person. *

x

CHRISTMAS Enjoy a 10% discount if you book by 20th October.

Arrive for a glass of Kir Royale before being shown to your appointed dining room for a traditional five-course Christmas Day lunch with all the trimmings, includes half a bottle of wine. £95 per person, £47.50 per child under 12 years. ** * Available Monday - Thursday until 30th November 2009. ** Terms and conditions apply. Quote FAB1.

168-170 South Street, Lancing West Sussex BN15 8AU

Tel: 01903 765333

0845 072 7412 handpickedhotels.co.uk Buxted Park Hotel, Buxted Uckfield, East Sussex TN22 4AY

HOTELS B U I L T

F O R

P L E A S U R E

5 bartholomews brighton bn1 1hg 01273 774222 mon-sat 10am-6pm sun 11am-5pm www.artatfive.com

Lunch

Street food snack designed for mixing and matching. Kadak kebab.

Samosa, Amritsari Cod. Mussel & Scallop stew with potato bonda.

Masala Dosa.

Kulfi with blackberry compotefruit & honeycomb Pistachio Kulfi Pistachio with Cherry Compote.

Lassis. Passion cooler.

Don’t miss our week day lunch thali and Kingfisher for£10. £10

Dinner

National award winning Oxtail Madras. Banjra venison with baby date naan & hung yoghurt. Panner Shashlick. Fiery Goan spiced scate wing.

Banana Leaf baked king prawns. Tandoori Seabass. Momos.

Raspberry Shrikhand . Maple Gulab Jaman. Indian sweetmeats.

Sunday Lunch

Sip on a Chilli pickle bloody Mary and enjoy the best of lunch and dinner Live sitar and tabla twice a month.

B1009_049 rest ads.indd 1 MEZE_MEZE_OCT.indd

24/9/09 23/9/09 17:17:12 13:28:16

ABSOLUTE TRAVEL

Indian Getaway Neil Geraghty visits what is still the perfect winter sun destination

I

t’s 2.30 in the morning and the sparkling marble foyer of Mumbai’s Taj President Hotel is echoing to the sound of laughter and designer heels. Mumbai’s glamorous young “metro generation” have been out partying at the President’s sexy little Wink Bar and the stockbrokers and Bollywood fashionistas are piling into limos and whizzing off downtown for a final night cap. Work hard and play hard is modern India’s new mantra but burning the candle at both ends comes at a price. Take a glance over the bonnets of the cute 1960s black and yellow fiat taxis that clog Mumbai’s streets and you’ll spot dozens of garish posters advertising a bewildering array of therapies for those all too familiar western scourges - obesity and stress.

Ask any of Mumbai’s young movers and shakers where they go to de-stress and they’ll all mention the same place – Goa. Just a 45 minute flight away, they think nothing of zipping down to Goa for the weekend and this new injection of moneyed glamour is rapidly turning this languid ex Portuguese colony into Mumbai’s Hamptons.

Of course the Brits have been coming to Goa for donkey’s years and in many respects Goa is still THE perfect winter sun destination.

Just as Britain plunges into infernal November gloom, Goa’s grey monsoon clouds blow away to reveal apricot coloured sands fringed by thousands of leaning coconut palms framed by eggshell blue skies and the sparkling Arabian Sea. India’s smallest State then settles down to bask in five months of glorious weather and just as the first daffodils are peeking out back home, the humidity rises and the monsoon clouds bubble up again.

50

Few destinations have such reliable winter sun credentials but although Goa has always projected itself as a luxury winter bolt hole, up until now it has been impossible to reach Goa in style.

This is because Goa airport is a military base and until recently only allowed foreign charter carriers brief landing slots during the high season. However, with India’s spectacular economic boom, the domestic market has grown exponentially and the airport has lowered restrictions to allow a burgeoning number of domestic flights. Hot on their heels Qatar Airways later this month becomes the first full service scheduled international airline flying into Goa. Gone are the days of late night hoi polloi charter flight departures. You can now set off at a civilized hour and settle back to enjoy exquisite Arabic meze and a top notch interactive inflight entertainment system. First class and business passengers will also have full use of Qatar Airways unique Premium Class Terminal where you can relax in elegant marble lounges, have an invigorating rain shower with refreshing Molton Brown toiletries and top off the 5 star treatment with a sauna, Jacuzzi and massage.

Goa itself is enjoying a much overdue makeover. India’s bright young professionals expect the very best in contemporary design and Goa’s chintzy 1970’s style resorts are far too passé for their tastes. Taj hotels, India’s premier hotel chain, have responded by upgrading their fine collection of beach resorts and opening up Vivanta, a startlingly funky urban oasis in Goa’s stylish little capital Panaji. Here you can brush shoulders with Mumbai’s Bollywood jet setters in Tease, Vivanta’s mellow cocktail bar, lounge 24/7 around

ABSOLUTE

B0910_050 TO 52 Travel GOA.indd 2

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ABSOLUTE TRAVEL “The UNESCO world heritage site of Old Goa has the finest collection of colonial buildings and is an extraordinary abandoned ghost town...”

Goa beach © India Tourism

the swish rooftop swimming pool and enjoy exquisite 24 hour dining - all allergy free to your specifications and not a trace of trans fats on the menu.

This attention to detail is typical of the high levels of service you encounter in Goa but it’s the laid back susegad lifestyle that makes Goa such an ideal place to relax. In the late 15th Century The Portuguese were the first European colonisers to arrive in India and in 1961, were the last to leave. Their 450 year stay in Goa has left a distinct easy going Latin legacy best summed up by the Portuguese word socegado meaning 'quiet sleepiness'. Long siestas and lingering lunches are the norm and along with a disarming friendliness it’s the perfect antidote for the high paced hustle and bustle of Mumbai.

The Portuguese legacy can be seen everywhere in Goa. It’s a beautiful lush State of jungle covered mountains and mirror smooth rivers. On almost every horizon you’ll spot beautiful white baroque churches poking up above the sparkling paddy fields. The Portuguese decreed that only churches could be painted white and the elegant colonial villas you see everywhere in Goa’s towns and villages are painted in vibrant reds, saffrons and blues. The UNESCO world heritage site of Old Goa has the finest collection of colonial buildings and is an extraordinary abandoned ghost town containing the most spectacular concentration of churches in Asia, all glittering with hundreds of kilos of gold leaf. In the sleepy backwaters of south Goa you can visit some fine colonial mansions. Casa

Toddy tapper © India Tourism

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18/9/09 09:04:06

ABSOLUTE TRAVEL River scene © India Tourism

Qatar Airways, one of the world’s fastest growing airlines, currently operates 42 flights a week between the UK and Doha, capital of the State of Qatar, with convenient onward connections to key business and leisure cities across the Middle East, Africa, South Asia and Far East, including 9 destinations in India.

With four-flights-a-day from London Heathrow, and daily from both London Gatwick and Manchester, Qatar Airways operates a young and modern fleet of aircraft featuring state-of-the-art technology - all long-haul aircraft feature fully interactive personal inflight audio and video entertainment in every seat in all classes of travel.

For more information on Taj Hotels resorts and palaces please visit www.tajhotels.com From October 25th 2009 Qatar Airways will be flying four times per week to the idyllic beach holiday destination of Goa from just £441. www.qatarairways.com

Figueirada is one of the most beautiful and is set in hibiscus filled gardens fluttering with sapphire winged butterflies. Owned by the impossibly aristocratic Maria Lourdes Figueredo de Albuqurque, this grande dame from a bygone era enjoys nothing more than showing visitors around the elegant wood panelled salons crammed with priceless Chinese porcelain. She talks wistfully of the endless balls held under the chandeliers when she was a girl and is in total despair over the hordes of “wicked” monkeys who wreak havoc with her roof tiles. .

Food is part and parcel of Goa’s susegad lifestyle and is a wonderful fusion of Portuguese seafood and fragrant coconut curries. Urbano de Rego is a legendary Goan chef and for 35 years has been perfecting the art of Goan cuisine at the Beach House in the Taj Holiday Village in Candolim. Even if you’re not staying here it’s worth a trip over to sample Rego’s heavenly food. Start with the golden crispy bacalhau (dried cod and breadcrumb rissoles) and as a main course try the delicately spiced xacuti chicken curry.

Puddings are a delight in Goa and Rego’s bebinca (egg and coconut layered pancakes) are meltingly sublime.

Of course Goa’s beaches are its main allure. The jewel in Goa’s crown is undoubtedly Palolem in the far south of the State. It regularly crops up in lists of the world’s most beautiful beaches and is a perfect 2km crescent of sparkling white sand. No permanent constructions are allowed on the beach and during the dry season locals erect dozens of whacky bamboo huts that nestle in the thick coconut groves. These become temporary homes to backpackers from all over the world who come here to take well deserved breaks from their strenuous round the world trips. There’s still a whiff of the old hippy lifestyle that was once a hallmark of Goa in the1970s. Meditation and yoga sessions take place on the sand while herds of sacred cows wander lazily along the beach paddling in the sparkling waves. At night the beach is transformed into a giant outdoor candlelit restaurant where you can enjoy some of the finest and cheapest seafood in Goa. Late into the night groups of backpackers sit around camp fires strumming guitars and spotting shooting stars. It’s a timelessly beautiful spot and a million miles away from the hectic hubbub of the new urban India.

It all happens on the beach! © India Tourism

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18/9/09 09:04:10

FACES & PLACES

FOOD FESTIVAL

FUN

Campbell Dickson and Jacqueline Collins from Rendezvous Casino

Brighton & Hove Food and Drink Festival kicked off with a bit of spice and bling at the Grosvenor Casino in Hove with around 100 festival partners, celebrities and city dignitaries enjoying a dress up do.

Festival Chair Roger Marlowe, Brighton & Hove Mayor Ann Norman, Celebrity Masterchef winner Chris Ellison and many local businesses participating in the festival, such as Natural PR, Pretty Clever Events and Style Accountants, were among the guests

Mike Holland and Chris Ellison

Jackie Saunders and Lisa Martinez, Grosvenor Casino

Lord Lieutenant Peter Field and Tony Leonard of Eat Sussex

enjoying tasty food and cocktails.

Dawn Higgins, General Manager of the Grosvenor Casino, who sponsored the party, welcomed guests and her team served up tasty canapĂŠs, champagne and stunning vodka martini cocktails.

The food festival went on to hold exciting foodie events, all through September.

Pictures Natural PR

Katherine Anderson from Oriental, Nick Harvey and Nathalie Gomez de Vera from Brighton Visitor

Laura Winter and Louise Clasby, both from Mayo Wynne Baxter

Julie Weeks, Nick Mosley of Brighton Visitor and Sarah Morgan

Scott Marshall of BHCC, Mayor Ann Norman, Paula Seager of Natural PR and Maddy Carr of Brighton Business Forum

Frank Jay, Lucy Forrester of Churchill Square and Jacqui Dolton

ABSOLUTE

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NEWSXTRA DOUBLE AWARD WINNING VENUE BEAT ITALIANS AT THEIR OWN GAME

News items brought to you

by Mo Hunter-Shine mo@absolutemagazine.co.uk

20 YEARS SUCCESS FOR NURSERY GROUP

Karma, bar/club/kitchen at Brighton Marina, is celebrating after scooping two awards from two major international brands.

Italian beer Peroni have awarded Karma with a fantastic accolade and prize after they outsold every other venue in the UK with the clean crisp Italian beer. Quite an achievement during a recession!

Proving that one award a month isn’t enough for Karma, the popular venue also received the National Customer Service Award from Havana Rum. The Karma bartenders beat off competition across the country with ‘superb dedication to their craft, in-depth knowledge of cocktail mixing and their second-to-none customer service.’

Jay Davis, General Manager at Karma said “We invest heavily in bartender training. We think you’ll recognise the difference. With Karma being a destination venue, we have to always be at the top of our game to keep our customers returning. These awards are a reflection of our staffs hard work and dedication.”

Karma also recently caused a stir in the town by bringing to its ranks the services of DJ Delboy; former founder and Manager of the Funkyfish Club, famed for his mixing skills on 4 decks.

It seems Karma is still top of the bar!

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This year Sussex’s leading day nursery provider Early Years Childcare PLC celebrates its 20th birthday.

The nursery group first opened its doors for business in 1989 and established itself with its setting on Dyke Road Avenue. Since then, the company has opened numerous new and unique nursery settings throughout Sussex and the South East of England.

To celebrate the milestone occasion, the company celebrated with an 80’s theme at their annual garden party, at the flagship nursery in Hove. Every year employees and their families are invited to the event where they celebrate the year’s achievements and commend employees through their ‘Company Awards’. The guests dressed to impress at the event and there was a mass

of vibrant colour, which included smurf’s, Timmy Mallet and a lot of 80’s disco dress.

This year Brighton & Hove Mayor Cllr Ann Norman was a special guest at the event, and was kind enough to present the staff awards to the winners.

The afternoon was finished off with the Mayor and Early Years Childcare’s Director David Wiltshire cutting a specially made cake, which was enjoyed by all!

The company’s nursery setting in Brighton was recently rated as ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted, following an inspection in May. For any more information please contact Early Years Childcare on 01273 778775 or email: charles.batchelor@earlyyearschildcare.co.uk

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NEWSXTRA NEW LEASE OF LIFE FOR ILL-TREATED DOG

TERMINALLY ILL CHILD CAN HAVE TRIP TO ORLANDO THANKS TO DREAM FLIGHT AND LOCAL CLUB FUNDING

Brighton & Hove Soiree Rotary Club have raised over £3,000 since July this year, for the charity Dream Flight, that provides once-in-a-lifetime-trips to Orlando for terminally ill children. President Georgina James presented a cheque to David and Jo Gawn from the charity, which will enable a child to enjoy a wonderful holiday this year.

A dog rescued from appalling conditions by Brighton & Hove City Council’s animal welfare team is enjoying a new lease of life.

Taz, a border collie, hit the headlines following a court case earlier this year. The dog had been kept in a Brighton flat, living amid piles of faeces and rubbish and rarely ever taken out for walks. As a result the animal weighed six stone when rescued - twice his ideal weight - his claws were overgrown and he was lethargic and uninterested in life.

Now Taz is making the most of the great outdoors and enjoying long walks on the Downs after being re-homed with new owner Colin Harman. Taz is also back to a healthy weight after being cared for in kennels before being rehomed.

Colin, from Worthing, wanted a dog to help him lose weight and he and his wife Diana adore Taz. He said: “I needed to walk more but didn’t like walking on my own. When Taz and I go for a walk we are in a different world, he loves it.”

PIT YOUR WITS AGAINST THE BIGGEST KNOW-IT-ALLS IN SUSSEX! The Martlets Quiz takes place on Thursday 8th October, at the Sussex County Cricket Ground in Hove. Tickets are on sale now, and the price includes a delicious sausage supper. The night will be hosted by everyone’s favourite neighbour, Mark Little.

Mark explains a bit more about the Martlets and lays down the quiz gauntlet; “As we all know, we are lucky to have a worthy institution such as The Martlets Hospice on our doorstep. A place of compassion and dignity. The Martlets exists through fundraising and donation so ‘roll-up, roll-up’ for The Martlets Quiz Night. Pit your wits against the biggest know-it-alls in Sussex.

Come on down if you think you’re smart enough!”

Quiz teams can be up to six people and the winning team will receive the Martlets Quiz trophy. The quiz starts at 7.30pm and tickets are £15. Call the Fundraising Office on 01273 747455 to buy tickets or email gemma@ themartletshospice.co.uk

2009 BRIGHTON AND HOVE BUSINESS AWARDS (BAHBAS) SHORTLIST Brighton has talent – as the shortlist for this year’s Brighton and Hove Business Awards certainly demonstrates.

Some of Brighton’s biggest and best – and youngest and newest – make the 39 finalists shortlisted for sixteen awards. View the list at www.bahba.co.uk. The winners will be announced at the Hilton Metropole on Friday 9th October.

For the sixth consecutive year, the BAHBAs have attracted an increasing number of entries from all

sectors of the city – particularly digital.

One of the digital companies which entered for the first time this year, Blast Theory, has been shortlisted in two categories, while The Book Nook is shortlisted for three awards – including New Kids.

The award for New Kids on the Block, sponsored

by Royal Mail, remains the most popular category of all and shows that, despite the recession, Brighton is still home to a number of successful

start-ups. This shortlist features four completely different businesses – a patisserie, a taxi service, a book shop and a sound production company.

Three companies will be defending their titles this year. The Hotel du Vin, which has won Best Place to Entertain Your Clients for two years running, will be hoping to take the trophy for a recordbreaking third time whilst The Duke of York’s Picturehouse will be defending its title of Best Customer Service for the second year.

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ABSOLUTE PLACES

What the doctor did for Steyning

St Andrews Churchyard with St Cuthman statue Picture courtesy of Cliff Carter Digital

Set in beautiful countryside, Steyning is one of the most interesting towns in Sussex, with an extraordinary and colourful history. Tim Parker takes a look back, and to the future

L

et me tell you about this friendly place, which has a real community spirit. There is a charming story of how Steyning came to prominence in Anglo Saxon times. It was due to a very unusual man: Saint Cuthman. Legend has it that Cutham went on a pilgrimage from the West Country to Canterbury carrying his mother in a wheelbarrow. The wheelbarrow was held up by a rope around his neck and twice this rope broke - the first time in an unfriendly village where the locals treated him badly. On leaving the village, Cuthman had his revenge by ordering heavy rain to destroy the villagers’ crops (presumably that was before he became a Saint). The next time his rope snapped and dumped his poor old mother on the ground was in Steyning, at the place where St Andrews Church now stands. This time the locals were friendly, and taking this as a sign from God, Cuthman built his own Church which was dedicated to him. As you enter Steyning, several signs carry an image of this remarkable feat.

It was no mean church that Cuthman built, Ethulwulf was buried in the church grounds. His tombstone now rests in the porch of St Andrew’s Church which replaced St Cuthman’s in Norman times. Who the devil was Ethulwulf, some of you may ask. Well, he was the father of King Alfred, the one who burnt the cakes and who was a great soldier who defeated the Danes. As the years went by, Steyning continued to grow

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and by the time of the Norman Conquest, its port carried more trade than Southampton. It had a thriving market and a Royal Mint. Local farmers did well on the excellent agricultural land which surrounds much of the town to the present day.

Despite a long standing feud that went on for the better part of four hundred years between the owners of Bramber Castle and the local Church, Steyning continued to prosper. But in the 14th Century disaster struck when the river Adur began to silt up and the port was closed. Slowly, the town went into decay but it managed to retain its market and return two MPs to parliament, becoming what was called in those days, a Rotten Borough. Then came a lifeline for the old town - in 1861 the railways arrived and a station was opened to serve the town.

The people of Steyning greeted the arrival of the railway with great enthusiasm, heralding its opening with a brass band and cheering crowds. There were no motor cars in those days and horse-drawn transport was slow and expensive. So the railway was good for the town, for its people and for its market. Furthermore, it gave the local farming community a real opportunity to find new markets. Once again the town’s population began to grow.

Although the great days would never return, Steyning did well in

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ABSOLUTE PLACES St Cuthman, wheeling his mother into Steyning!

the next hundred years, with its railway ensuring the survival of its agricultural market, one of the largest in the country. But there were great advantages for local people too and the branch line became very popular with its passengers. It would hold a train for an old lady to embark or for children late for school. It was reliable, punctual and the staff were always polite. Would that things were the same today!

It was in 1966 that the infamous Doctor Beeching (actually he was just a man working for a government wanting to cut costs) decided that the Steyning Branch Line would have to close. There was vigorous opposition and rumours of a conspiracy. But it was all to no avail and the line was closed. A lone trumpeter sounded the Last Post and just a few short years later, the Market shut forever.

I once met Doctor Beeching and I have to say that he made little impression on me one way or the other. We both worked for Imperial Chemical Industries, a great British Company now gone the way of the Steyning Branch Railway. He once sent me and other junior staff a memorandum saying: Great care should be taken in leaving water carafes on window sills, or in other places exposed to the sun as a fire might result.

“The people of Steyning greeted the arrival of the railway with great enthusiasm, heralding its opening with a brass band and cheering crowds... the railway was good for the town, for its people and for its market. Furthermore it gave the local farming community a real opportunity to find new markets.”

Until this last week I had not spent much time in Steyning for some years. I much enjoyed my visit - it must be a great place to live. Go and see St Andrew’s, the Norman Church. Opposite it on a grassy bank is a statue of St Cuthman; good to know he and his old mum are not forgotten. On the other side of the road there is a museum, a real treasure with friendly staff. You should also wander down the High Street. The shops and businesses have an old world charm and people smile and talk to one another on the streets...

However, Steyning, like many other small towns and villages across Sussex has a problem: how to attract young people and find jobs for them to do. Steyning is remarkably fortunate to have a large and very successful school. The school is the town’s largest employer, but it will

A summer evening in Steyning High Street Picture courtesy of Cliff Carter Digital

need more than that in the future. Young people have room to roam but what do they think about the place? I wish I had had the time to find out. There is a football club and a cricket club, one of the oldest in the country. The football club’s season, by the way, once started with the team marching behind a band in fancy dress. Steyning has a wealth of clubs, societies and interest groups but most of these are for older people. So, good people of Steyning, don’t let your marvellous town become a fossil - I am sure you won’t . Talking of fossils, some years ago my son Dominic picked up a stone in Steyning. It turned out be a 100-million-year-old sea urchin. Local shepherds kept them for luck.

Years ago when I first came to Steyning, there used to be a sign on the road to the West which read: Take care toads crossing. The toads were making for their annual love-in at the lake on the north side.

Now, to my delight, they have their own underground crossing. Was this imaginative solution inspired by St Cuthman, his mother or the Steyning Society? At the end of our perambulations round the town, Beth and I had a drink and a remarkably good lunch in Whites, a family run restaurant and coffee shop. There are no less than five Whites working in the business. What a transformation the family have made to the old, rather dull pub that I remember. We will return.

It was slow going driving back to Brighton, with too much traffic on the road, and I thought about the Branch Railway. It wasn’t Beeching who did it for Steyning, it was the damn government. Nothing has changed in these past forty years.

For more information about Steyning please visit www.steyningsouthdowns.com, and to view more excellent images of the town, please visit www.cliffccd.com

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Lancing College Choir in celebration L

ancing College Choral Scholars and organist Neil Cox, Director of Chapel Music at Lancing College joined the local community of Edburton and Fulking in marking the completion of their major, £300,000 restoration programme at historic St Andrew’s Church.

The choir made a real impact at a special Songs of Praise Thanksgiving service for major donors and fundraising campaign event organisers on Friday 11th September. The service, which coincided with the first day of a three-day flower festival at the church, was conducted by Rev Graham Jeffery , with contributions from The Ven Roger Combes, Archdeacon of Horsham, Canon Alan Spray and Rev Caroline Currer.

Responding to thanks for their performance, Neil Cox commented: “We are delighted to have sung at the Songs of Praise Thanksgiving Service on Friday evening. St Andrew’s Edburton is one of the neighbouring churches to Lancing College and its Chapel. The restoration project at St Andrew’s is hugely impressive and we understand its importance”.

The Friends of Lancing Chapel raise funds for the upkeep of the Chapel, which attracts thousands of visitors from all over the world. Standing above the Adur Valley, Lancing College Chapel is always an impressive sight and one of the best-known Sussex landmarks. Anyone who has seen the Chapel, even from afar, will recognise it as much more than a ‘school chapel’; it is an impressive, French Gothic style, sandstone monument to the founder of the College, Nathaniel Woodard, and his life’s work.

At the Western end, the 32-foot-diameter Rose Window – one of the largest in England – is made up of over 30,000 pieces of glass and its heraldic elements depict the unity of the schools of the Woodard Corporation in their central Minster.

The Henfield Flower Club, who designed and arranged the St Andrew’s flower festival with the help of members of the Steyning Flower Club and local parishioners, has a wealth of experience in church flower festivals. The club also staged From top: The choir enter St Andrew’s. Edburton. a flower festival in the Chapel of Lancing College in 2003 to Brighton Absolute Banner:Layout 7 23/9/09 13:52 Page 1 The choral singers in great voice. help raise funds for the restoration of stonework that had been Rev Caroline Currer, Lancing College HeadmasterJonathan Gillespie, and Rev Graham Jeffrey damaged by its exposed position.

BRIGHTON COLLEGE

“A CLASS ACT IN EVERY WAY”

Daily Telegraph, June 2009

OPEN MORNING Sixth Form 14th November 01273 704201/2 www.brightoncollege.net SCHOOL BUS B1009_058 Education1 OCT09.indd 1

S E RV I C E AC RO S S

SUSSEX

W E E K LY B O A R D I N G

FROM

13+

23/9/09 14:24:20

ABSOLUTE EDUCATION

Fit for the Future

By Alan Laurent, Head Master, Lancing College Preparatory School, Hove. parts – physical education and health education.

Providing a balanced diet is an essential ingredient within the school environment, and this usually consists of fruit and healthy snacks mid morning, a hot meal at lunchtime and making fresh water available at all times (including in class). This routine is a tried and tested method of training children As a parent of two young boys and into adopting sensible, healthy eating Head Master of Lancing College habits. Parents are encouraged to Preparatory School in Hove, I support support this by following a similar eating any measures to work with children routine at home, making it fun and into adopting a healthy lifestyle for the rewarding wherever possible. future. Getting our children interested A balanced curriculum including sport, in maintaining a healthy and active drama, art and music is a sound start. way of life is something we must start Along with this, at least 3 hours of teaching them about from a young PE/games tuition every week, topped age. Although school plays a huge up by optional activities, chosen by the role in this, there has to be team effort children themselves, to ensure physical between the school and parents for education is enjoyable and rewarding, the message and learning process to (whatever their sporting preferences be realised and adopted. may be). Providing children with Happy children are more likely to plenty of time and space to play is stay fit and active and fit active fundamental - you don’t need to teach children are more likely to stay happy, them to play, just provide them with therefore a crucial role for the school the space to do it in! Music, Drama and is about educating the WHOLE child Art help to give a creative stimulus. The - intellectually, spiritually and physically. mind is equally important if we are to In essence the whole school has to be keep the body healthy. modelled on providing a balanced In essence, a holistic education and fulfilling curriculum. How a school encompassing the whole natural Brightonestablishes Absolutethis Banner:Layout 12:35 Page 2 for their students7in 23/9/09 learning process supported by a terms of healthy living often forms two challenging yet rewarding physical

education and an understanding of sensible and healthy living is key to a fit future for your child. This is a responsibility I take most seriously in my role as Head Master. Most of all, as a parent myself, I believe that by supporting our children to develop their physical well being, so it forms part of their everyday lifestyle, we can help them achieve the best possible chance of maintaining that healthy balanced lifestyle into the future.

“OUTSTANDING” Ofsted Report 2009

BRIGHTON COLLEGE

BOYS AND GIRLS 3-18 (BOARDING FROM 13+)

For a personal tour please contact us on

01273 704201/2 www.brightoncollege.net SCHOOL BUS

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B1009_059 Education2 OCT09.indd 1

SUSSEX

W E E K LY B OA R D I N G

FROM

13+ 24/9/09 19:10:19

ABSOLUTE COMPETITION

Win an exquisite designer handbag J

o Cooper, the designer and creator of exquisite brand JOBEENY, began her career while still at school and has been producing clothing and accessories on a bespoke basis ever since. After school, Jo studied at the University of Brighton but by the age of 20 she developed itchy feet.

She told her parents that she was going to be famous and bought a one-way ticket to Milan, the world’s epicentre of fashion.

Jo set off with a gold and silver sprayed suitcase and matching customized Dr Martin boots, determined to demonstrate her talents to the industry’s world leaders.

She soon settled down to her ultimate dream life in fashion. However, she never knew what was around the next corner... while designing for a well known Italian designer, she met a man who was to become her husband. He was Egyptian, which meant that Jo’s life took a dramatic turn when she suddenly found herself living as an Islamic woman. She gave up her beloved fashion career and dedicated her time to being a wife and mother to her first son. Life became increasingly difficult for her to adapt to so many restrictions.

When Jo moved back to England with her husband, she became a mother again and gave birth to two more sons.

Jo threw herself into her children’s lives and was settled with the idea that her longed-for career had only a place in her past. But Jo’s dream became real once more, when one day in early 2007, Jo stumbled across a bag of art nouveau clasps that an aunt had given to her, and JOBEENY was born! The clasps inspired her to design and make her very first handbag.

Today, Jo is the creative and company director of JOBEENY and lives alone with her three sons in the wilderness of the Sussex countryside where she continues to design and create future heirlooms for generations to come.

COMPETITION:

To win your very own JOBEENY Exclusive Designer Handbag, just tell us: Which member of Jo’s family was the inspiration behind her handbag designs?

To enter this competition, answer the question and send together on a postcard with your name and contact details including email or tel no. to: JOBEENY Competition, RSVPR Audley House, Hove Street, Hove BN3 2DE. Closing date September 30th By supplying your email address, you agree that you may be contacted to receive details of future RSVPR promotions. If you do not wish to be contacted, please indicate on your entry.

The winner will receive a Contessa buffalo leather hand bag in camel from the JOBEENY Ultimate collection.

Three runners-up will each receive a JOBEENY Jute ecofriendly shopping bag.

Jo Cooper

Davina is a satisfied customer

A still space to rebalance and revitalise body and mind

Thai massage Avanced holistic massage with Julie Tucker

Home visits available Christmas gift vouchers for sale now Restore Clinic

Kensington Gardens, Brighton Contact Julie on 07771 533649 email: yogamonkeys@gmail.com

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FACES & PLACES

ART AT FIVE

event

Art at five, Brighton’s leading contemporary gallery, launched their exciting new exhibition ‘Dreamscapes’ in September.

The private view evening incorporated not only stunning art but delicious food, sponsored

by Moksha Caffe and an exuberant selection

Paola and Oli

of wine provided by Barefoot. The exhibition

Yvonne Coomber and Karen Ibberson

showcased an inspiring collection of work by three accomplished artists: Nick Vivian, Yvonne Coomber and Kim Anderson, and proved to be a huge success.

Nick Vivian and Andrey Bomko

Pictures by Art at five

Yvonne and friends

Mr and Mrs Taylor

NAKED EYE ART GALLERY

Special Guest Artist for October Peter Marlborough

Walk The Line by John T. Davis

32 WESTERN ROAD HOVE BN3 1AF 01273 204800 naked.eye@virgin.net www.nakedeyebrighton.com

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ABSOLUTE LONDON ART

Above: Quentin Crisp by Fergus Greer 1989. National Portrait Gallery, London. © Fergus Greer. Below: k.d.lang Le Meridien Hotel, London by Jill Furmanovsky 1992. © Jill Furmanovsky. Right: Joe Orton by Lewis Morley 1965.

National Portrait Gallery, London. © Lewis Morley Archive / NPG, London

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n important photography exhibition, Gay Icons, now running at the National Portrait Gallery, celebrates the contribution of gay people - and the significance of the gay icon - to history and culture. Sixty photographs have been selected

by Waheed Alli, Alan Hollinghurst, Elton John, Jackie Kay, Billie Jean King, Ian McKellen, Chris Smith, Ben Summerskill, Sandi Toksvig and Sarah Waters, with specially commissioned portraits of selectors by Mary McCartneen.

Not only does this exhibition include many well-known icons, who may or may not be gay themselves, it also reveals some surprises and will encourage a wide audience to think about familiar faces in new ways.

The ‘Gay Icons’ shown in the exhibition will include those people, living or dead, whatever their sexual orientation or interests, who the ten individual selectors regard as inspirational, or as a personal icon. Gay Icons brings together portraits of those people who are regarded as especially significant to each of the selectors, alongside those of the selectors themselves, all prominent gay figures in contemporary culture and society.

Gay Icons Now until 18th October 2009 Porter Gallery National Portrait Gallery, St Martin’s Place LONDON WC2H 0HE. Admission £5, Concessions £4.50/£4.

Free for Gallery Supporters Sponsored by Rosé d’Anjou Wines

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ABSOLUTE WHATS ON

BLASTS FROM THE PAST

Performers from the 60s and 70s had a huge impact on the music scene, and many of them are still going strong. October sees the appearance of a few old familiar faces in Sussex!

The Sensational 60’s Experience This quintessential 60s line up is packed with nostalgia. Remember The Tremeloes with Silence is Golden? How about The Marmalade - Reflections Of My Life and Ob La Di Ob La Da. The Dreamers (without Freddie) will also be there (I`m Telling you Now, If You Make A Fool Of Somebody, I Love You Baby), etc etc.

Step back in time and relive the past with three of the most influential bands of their time, during an evening true to the 60s when pop music was at its very best.

Worthing Assembly Hall, Stoke Abbot Road, Worthing Above: The Tremeloes Right: The Dreamers, without Freddie garrity, who left in 1986

Thursday 22nd October 2009 at 7.30pm Tickets £21.00, £18.50 Available from 01903 206206 or online at www.worthingtheatres.co.uk

Love is all around...

The Troggs + Spencer Davis + The Animals and Friends Three more of the most influential forerunners of British rock, come together on stage playing their incredible catalogue of unforgettable chart hits with: Spencer Davis classics: Gimme Some Lovin, Keep on Running, Somebody Help Me, I’m a Man and When I Come Home’ etc.

The Troggs - always remembered for the 60s anthem, Wild Thing - but it is just one of their many UK hits. With A Girl Like You, I Can’t Control Myself, and Love Is All

The Troggs

Around etc.

The Animals and Friends will be blasting out the hits, including Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood, We Gotta Get Out Of This Place and of course, the multi-million selling anthem, House of the Rising Sun. This incredible collection is not to be missed, as this fantastic line-up of music legends administer the perfect dose of 60’s magic.

60s Night Komedia, Brighton Gardner Street, Brighton Tickets £20.00 Available from www.komedia.co.uk/brighton or 0845 2938480

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ABSOLUTE MOTORING

ASTON STATIONS The drop-top version of the Aston Martin DBS Volante is a car James Bond would definitely be proud to own. Steve Walker reports.

P

resumably convertible cars are a big ‘no-no’ for members of Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Having your head exposed to the elements must be a major disadvantage when being pursued by a car load of angry Eastern Europeans with machine guns and rocket launchers, so Aston Martin’s most famous customer might not be too enamoured with the DBS Volante. Fortunately, any red-blooded individual without a ‘licence to kill’ and a ‘cat stroking psychopath’ making regular attempts on their life, will absolutely love it! Mr Bond can stick with his coupe.

Aston Martin has quite a history when it comes to convertible cars, with the DBS Volante being its 16th open-topped effort, joining a range that already included the Vantage Roadster and the DB9 Volante. The DBS is the marque’s current flagship and although it shares many common parts with the DB9, it also incorporates a number of modifications designed to provide greater sporting focus.

In convertible form, it adds the attraction of open air motoring into the mix but as with the standard DBS, this kind of quality, speed and exclusivity comes at a premium.

The engine bay isn’t where much of the DBS development budget was spent. The familiar 48-valve 6.0-litre V12 once found in the Vanquish resides here, though it’s been enhanced with a smarter bypass system that opens at higher revs to provide additional intake air and a more aggressive exhaust note. There’s also a slightly higher compression ratio and reprofiled inlet ports, all of which, Aston claims, gives the

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car a bit more zip at higher revs. Maximum power is identical in the Coupé and the Volante convertible with 510bhp and torque of 570Nm on tap but Volante owners will need to keep a tight hold on their hats and hair pieces before deploying it with the hood down.

The maximum torque of the DBS is produced at 5,750rpm, which sounds quite high but with 85% of that output available from 1,500rpm, the car isn’t lacking in muscle. Getting to 60mph is the work of 4.3s and the top speed is 191mph, so this convertible is equipped to live with the top supercars. The standard gearbox is a sixspeed manual but customers can opt for the wheel-mounted paddle shifters of the Touchtronic automatic.

The DBS Volante is another effortlessly beautiful car from Aston Martin although some of the DB9’s elegance has been lost in the process of making this higher performance model look sufficiently aggressive. The hood is a fabric item which can open in just 14 seconds and is engineered to give the best possible insulation from noise and the elements. It disappears beneath the sculpted rear tonneau cover which features twin humps that hide Aston’s ROPS Roll-Over-Protection-System that’s comprised of twin metal hoops that deploy to protect occupants in a roll situation.

Rigidity, or the loss of it, is always a major problem when removing the roof from a coupe to create a convertible but the DBS was designed with a Volante version in mind from the outset and the drop top car retains 75 per cent of the coupe’s chassis stiffness. The car

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also inherits the neat weight distribution of the DBS by locating its gearbox in the rear to counterbalance the effects of that big V12 that’s slung up front.

Equipment includes everything you would expect from a car like this: electric memory heated sports seats with ten-way electric adjustment, parking sensors, a trip computer, power-folding mirrors, some

“…there are plenty of people who would kill to own an Aston Martin DBS Volante, and with good reason” gorgeous 20-inch alloys, sat nav and a beautifully finished interior set off by an all-alloy centre console. There’s a very sophisticated car alarm and a tracking device should the worst happen. The stereo is a Bang & Olufsen BeoSound unit, the braking system uses carbon ceramic discs and the suspension is governed by Aston’s Adaptive Damping system. It’s nothing but the best for the DBS Volante.

Of course, a specification like the one of the DBS Volante doesn’t come cheap and the £50,000 price differential between this car and the ostensibly similar DB9 Volante will raise questions. With the DBS,

Aston Martin is asking customers to pay for a product that takes things a little bit further and at this top end of the automotive market, going a little further can cost a lot.

No one buys a car like this and expects it to be cheap to run. Don’t expect to average better than around 20mpg even if you do a fair few motorway miles. There’s also the irritation that the small fuel tank will make the car seem even thirstier than it is. Insurance of course is up at Group 20. Better news comes in terms of depreciation; because of the car’s exclusivity, expect residual values to be as high, if not higher, than an equivalent Ferrari’s. Servicing costs will inevitably be high, as for any supercar of this sort.

007 might be deterred by the prospect of assassins’ bullets piercing the fabric hood but there are plenty of people who would kill to own an Aston Martin DBS Volante, and with good reason. It’s largely what you would expect from a car that sits at the top of the Aston Martin product range with engineering, luxury, technology and performance coming together under a predictably exclusive price tag.

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21/9/09 20:05:23

Different fuel. Same spirit.

The new Cayenne Diesel.

From the beginning, the Porsche Cayenne has redefined the limits of performance.

Now the Cayenne offers a new kind of performance, a 3.0 litre V6 turbo diesel engine which, despite its 240 hp and 550 Nm of torque, delivers more than 30 mpg.

So the Cayenne’s range extends to around 621 miles on a single tank.

The Cayenne Diesel. From £495 per month to the limits you set.

Cash Price

£40,178.00

Deposit

£11,286.00

Amount of Credit

£28,892.00

Total Charges

£6,106.64

First Monthly Payment

£569.99

35 Monthly Payments

£494.99

Guaranteed Minimum Future Value Total Amount Payable

£17,104.00 £46,284.64

Typical 8.9% APR Call 01444 318170 or visit www.porsche.co.uk/midsussex

Porsche Centre Mid-Sussex Innovation Drive York Road Burgess Hill West Sussex RH15 9TW info@porschemidsussex.co.uk

Model featured is the Cayenne Diesel at £43,944 including metallic paint, 20" Cayenne SportDesign wheels, stainless steel skid plate (front), side running boards, 12 month road fund licence and first registration fee. Fuel consumption figures for the new Cayenne Diesel in mpg: Urban 24.4; Extra Urban 35.8; Combined 30.4. CO2 emissions (g/km) 244.

The Guaranteed Minimum Future Value is the value of the vehicle at the time your contract ends. Advertised finance offer available on a Cayenne Diesel model with 12 month road fund licence and first registration fee through Porsche Financial Services on a Porsche Preferences Plan, at participating Porsche Centres. Image shown for illustrative purposes only. Terms and conditions apply. Other finance offers are available but cannot be used in conjunction with this offer. All finance subject to status to over 18’s only. Subject to availability. £75 acceptance fee is included with first payment and £25 option to purchase fee is included in Guaranteed Minimum Future Value. Contract is based on annual mileage of 10,000 miles. Excess mileage will be charged at 20p per mile. Porsche Financial Services Great Britain Limited, Bath Road, Calcot, Reading, Berkshire, RG31 7SE. Registered in England number: 3708834. Porsche Financial Services Great Britain Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority in respect of insurance mediation activities only.

Job Number: 3928-9065 PAdvF-4P Publication: Absolute Brighton Execution code: PAdvF-4P

Date: 17/09/09

Operator: LB

Client: PCMS

Size: 297x210

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24/9/09 14:39:14

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21/11/07 4:56:08 pm

BARRY

HOUGH

SIMON

01273 274028

COX

01273 274061

BARRY HOUGH

01273 274028 Chartered Surveyors • Valuers Auctioneers • Estate Agents

Established 1825

BARRY 01273

HOUGH

SIMON

C O M M E R C I A 01273 L 274028 George Street Hove Restaurant/Café Established 1825 Premises M E Retail R C I 615 sq ft – 57.13 sq ms First Floor 249 sq ft – 23.13 sq ms To Let – New Lease

COX

274061

Chartered Surveyors • Valuers Auctioneers • Estate Agents

C O M

A L Brighton City Centre Take Away & Restaurant Currently Fish and Chips but would suit other uses.

Retail Area 735 sq ft - 68.26 sq ms To Let New Lease

St James’s Street Kemptown Retail Shop with Living accommodation above Large 2 bedroom accommodation Shop 246 sq ft – 22.84 sq ms Freehold For sale

St George’s Road Kemptown Lock up Shop in Busy Road Retail Area 297 sq ft – 27.6 sq ms Useful Basement 297 sq ft – 27.6 sq ms To Let – New Lease

Ditchling Nr Burgess Hill New units from 1536 sq ft (142.37 sq ms) to 7435 sq ms One of the UK’s top 70 Commercial Surveyors 2006 (Source: Estates Gazette) (690.71 sqinms) Street Brighton 0 1 2 7 3For Sale 3 or 2 To6Let1 7 1 LockBaker up Shop Off London Road 3 2 Q U E E N S R O A D , B R I G H T O N , Eand A S Tfull S U S S E X B N 1 3 Y E Brochure Retail Area 492 sq ft 45.71 sq ms E m a i l : c o m m s a l e s @ p s a n d b . c o . u k details on request Plus useful Store W E S T

S U S S E X

O F F I C E :

0 1 2 4 3

8 2 8 9 5 5

To Let New Lease

One of of the the UK’s UK’s top top 70 One 60 Commercial CommercialSurveyors Surveyorsinin2006 2009(Source: (Source:Estates EstatesGazette) Gazette)

0 1 2 7 3 3 2

Q U E E N S

R O A D , E m a i l :

W E S T

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E A S T

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c o m m s a l e s @ p s a n d b . c o . u k

S U S S E X

O F F I C E :

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18/9/09 15:07:56

Enjoy

France or Spain this Autumn

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What’s more, with our excellent variety of great value, ferry-inclusive breaks, there’s sure to be something to tempt you. So why not get away this autumn? It’s so easy with our wide range of sailings from Portsmouth and Poole.

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ABSOLUTE PROPERTY ISSUES

Looking on the Brit side - saying goodbye to the recession. With Liam Russelll

T

hings are looking up. The recession is over.

There you go, I said it. We were in a recession and it seems like only yesterday that bankers superseded estate agents as the nation’s most despised! In all seriousness though, there is a very real feeling that the nation has decided to work with the current situation and move forward. This is certainly true in the construction sector.

The first sign of the recession for Liam Russell Architects was the disappearance of the independent developer. Now they are back. Last month we took instruction from 3 such developers with private funding – all for schemes of 14 units upwards. In addition, the sites are genuinely free from the 2006/7 over-speculation. Real site values have returned.

Private client work is also showing a very real upturn.

Last month we began working with two new private clients on modest schemes to enlarge their homes and carry out interior design. Both clients are spending significant sums sensibly. Each client is looking at the long term and spending within their means.

In the education sector, independent schools we spoke with at the beginning of the year stated that no new work would be taking place for the next one

B1009_071 Liam article OCT09.ind1 1

or two years at least. They have also started flexing their muscles. New music suites, new sports halls, new early learning centres – all are signs that we hit a trough and now we are rising out of it.

We recently gave a talk on working with China to the Institute of Directors in Berkshire. It was clear that the breadth of experience and the skills acquired through other such downturns have stood Britain’s companies in very good stead – we are actually a fairly clever bunch (bankers excluded!) The sentiment was that Britain is a changing nation, that by embracing change rather than resisting it, the British will see a clear profit where others will flounder.

Pharmaceuticals, clothing, furniture, IT and even airports are trading as good as ever by all accounts.

For my practice, this means several things.

It means that our growth over the last two years, albeit modest, is sustainable. We did wonder what was happening – as others shed staff we were employing. On reflection leaving the profit we made in the company for training and the enhancement of our infrastructure, was the reason we continued to grow and it is now paying dividends.

Britain has a lot to be proud of. We are stable. We have one of the highest standards of living there is.

There is a disparity between the ‘haves and the havenots’. However, the have-nots are potentially much more likely to be given help than anywhere else in the world.

Perhaps the point here is that Britain is pushing ahead; by diversifying, re-packaging and re-branding its core-skills to create opportunities not seen by others. Take Jamie Oliver, who has seen more than his fare share of trial and tribulation. He is again the darling of a new generation of TV dining; his cleverly simple recipes have taken him from young chef to world wide brand, social commentator and now retailer – in Brighton’s Western Road.

So looking ahead I think we should feel optimistic.

We won the ashes. Andy Murray is number two in the world – soon to be number one. We are a clever bunch us Brits, and it seems we have gone and proved it once again.

Contact us to discuss your plans for the future.

Liam Russell Architects Ltd Tel: 0845 180 3676 Mob: 07971 573 422 Email: liam.russell@liamrussellarchitects.co.uk Website: www.liamrussellarchitects.com

22/9/09 08:34:58

,

ABSOLUTE LEGAL

The Companies Act 2006 A Major Milestone in Company Law, says Chris Clifton-Moore of Woolley Bevis Diplock LLP

T

he concept of a company’s limited liability, as confirmed in the 1897 case of Salomon v Salomon & Co Ltd, is the cornerstone and perhaps single most important principle of English company law. What was in effect created out of that case was a device enabling individuals to engage in trade where, if that trade was successful, it would engineer profits, but if it was unsuccessful it would not pay its debts in full.

The concept is based on the pretext that the company is an artificial legal personality that can be viewed as a distinct being separate from that of its creators, directors and members. Until recently, the legislature has imposed rather stringent rules on individuals wishing to set up limited companies and thus benefit from the protection of limited liability. However, it is evident that the legislature has relaxed its approach as the new provisions contained in the Companies Act 2006 come into force.

Passed in 2006, this Act reaches the final stage of implementation this October and will change the law for all companies operating in the United Kingdom. A number of these changes have

been specifically introduced to make it easier to set up a company. In particular, a company’s memorandum and articles of association (which define the company’s powers and internal regulations) are to be simplified. There will be a new set of model articles for private companies which will be shorter and simpler than those presently adopted by companies and written in plain language. The memorandum of association will be much simplified and will no longer contain an objects clause, so there will be no restriction on the scope of the company’s activities unless it chooses to restrict those activities in its articles.

As well as introducing a number of changes to the constitutional documents, the new legislation allows companies a greater degree of flexibility in choosing how they operate. The Act has already seen the implementation of less onerous rules for private companies. For example, it is no longer necessary to appoint a company secretary, nor is it a requirement to hold an annual general meeting (although you may still opt to do so if you wish). It is also no longer a requirement to obtain a unanimous vote for

resolutions and the members may now agree in writing to resolutions, subject to any variation to the contrary in the articles.

The Act constitutes the biggest change to company law in over 20 years and will have a lasting effect on the way that companies are set up and run. Given that the Act contains 1,300 clauses, it could be considered prudent for business owners to pay close attention to the final text and to seek legal opinion for clarification if needed.

If you are interested in setting up a new business or would like any further information and professional advice in relation to the Companies Act 2006 or any other company commercial law matters, please contact:Chris Clifton-Moore (Associate Solicitor)Woolley Bevis Diplock LLP Lanes End House 15 Prince Albert Street, Brighton BN1 1HY 01273 323231 chris.clifton-moore@wbdllp.com

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For a Christmas party with a Tropical Glow UÊÊ7 ÞÊ ÌÊë ViÊÕ«ÊÞ ÕÀÊVi iLÀ>Ì ÃÊ>ÌÊÌ iÊ > Ê À>ÃÃiÀ i°Ê UÊÊ-«>V ÕÃÊLÕÌÊ Ì >ÌiÊÌÀ « V> ÊL>ÀÊÜ iÀiÊÞ ÕÊV> Ê iiÌÊv ÀÊ«Ài ` iÀÊ`À ÃÊ­>ÌÊ*ÕLÊ«À Viî°Ê UÊÊ/ iÊÌ>L iÊ ÃÊÞ ÕÀÃÊv ÀÊÌ iÊi Ì ÀiÊiÛi }°Ê UÊÊ > V }ÊÌ Ê ÛiÊ Õà VÊ ÃÌÊ } ÌÃÊ Ê iVi LiÀ°Ê UÊÊ ÀÊ>ÊV>ÀivÀiiÊ«>ÀÌÞÊ>Ì Ã« iÀiÊ> `ÊwÀÃÌÊV >ÃÃÊv `Ê Ê ÕÝÕÀ ÕÃÊÃÕÀÀ Õ ` }Ã]Ê iÊ ÊÕð UÊ À ÃÌ >ÃÊVÀ>V iÀÃÊ«À Û `i`° ● Choice of 4-course Indonesian or European set menus @ 17.95 Each customer has a choice of our 4 course menu A or B www.balibrasserie.co.uk }ÃÜ>ÞÊ ÕÀÌ]Ê ÀÃÌÊ Ûi Õi]Ê ÛiÊ­ ÊÃi>vÀ Ì®ÊÊ/i \Êä£ÓÇÎÊÎÓÎn£äÊÊ >Ý\Êä£ÓÇÎÊÎÓnÓää A. INDONESIAN SET MENU Soup of the dayÊÃiÀÛi`ÊÜ Ì Ê*À>Ü Ê À>V iÀÃÊv Üi`ÊLÞÊ Chicken Satay Ü Ì ÊÛi}iÌ>L iÊÃi iVÌ Ê> `Ê«i> ÕÌÊÃ>ÕVi UÊUÊUÊUÊUÊUÊUÊUÊUÊUÊUÊUÊUÊUÊU The Main Course Hot Buffet - 7iÊ Û ÌiÊ ÕÀÊVÕÃÌ iÀÃÊÌ Ê i «Ê Ì i Ãi ÛiÃÊvÀ Ê ÕÀÊ`i } ÌvÕ Ê ÌÊLÕvviÌÊÌ>L i°Ê7iÊÃÕ}}iÃÌÊ Þ ÕÊÌÀÞÊ>ÊV L >Ì Ê vÊà iÊ Ìi Ã]Ê> `ÊÌ i ÊÀiÌÕÀ ÊÌ ÊÌ iÊ Ì>L iÊÌ ÊÌÀÞÊà iÊ Ì iÀð

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B. EUROPEAN SET MENU Soup of the Day v Üi`ÊLÞÊPrawn Cocktail ÀÊBali Egg Mayonnaise UÊUÊUÊUÊUÊUÊUÊUÊUÊUÊUÊUÊUÊUÊU Sizzling SteakÊ Ê*À iÊÀÕ «ÊÃÌi> Ê >À Ê ÃiÀÛi`Ê Ê>Êà ââ }Ê« >ÌÌiÀÊÜ Ì ÊÜ iÊ > `ÊVÀi> ÊÃ>ÕVi]Ê> `ÊÜ Ì ÊÌ >Ì ]Ê Õà À ÃÊ> `ÊÃ>ÕÌjÊ« Ì>Ì iÃ

24/9/09 17:34:41

ABSOLUTE FINANCIAL ISSUES Business Continuity Management Recovery Strategy Options.

SME Risk Management

T

his is the second part of a series of articles looking at risk management issues for small to medium enterprises (SMEs). Last month we looked at why you should have a Business Continuity Management strategy and the important first step in the process i.e. conducting a thorough Risk & Business Impact Assessment. This month I am addressing recovery strategy options and related insurance cover.

As part of the risk & business impact assessment you will have determined your recovery timescale objectives and identified the ‘minimum recovery requirements’ in terms of staff, IT and office infrastructure / services for each of your business functions. With this information you can assess your recovery options.

BCM Recovery Strategy Options There are a range of recovery strategy options that can be considered depending on the nature and size of your business and how quickly you need to be operational. A combination of some / all the following options can be utilized: l Transfer key business functions to an alternate company location l Have a reciprocal arrangement with another SME l Recover IT infrastructure / systems at a third party recovery facility l Continue business functions at a third party recovery facility

Roger Clifton-Moore discusses Continue business functions from ‘home’ workstations l Halt function until normal or alternate office facility if available When developing your recovery strategy an essential consideration for all is the ability to successfully recover and access the IT infrastructure and services before the business functions can be restarted. This is not just the central computers / data but also the voice & data communications networks. Your staff, wherever they are relocated, will need to access your systems, email and receive incoming business calls etc.

The do nothing option and those involving post disaster implementation of the IT / office infrastructure and services may appear to be attractive on cost grounds but provide a solution which has a built in excessive recovery delay, will lead to lost business data and is impossible to adequately pre-test. This in itself is an exposure that needs to be carefully considered.

BCM Insurance Cover Insurance cover is also an integral part of any business continuity strategy and needs to be reviewed in this context. However, insurance alone may provide you with some financial compensation but it does not give you longer term business continuity. If you cannot recover your business functions within an acceptable timeframe then it is likely your customers will go elsewhere and you could go out of business. l

In addition to the standard material damage cover, all business should also have ‘business interruption’ (BI) insurance. This will cover you for one or more year’s loss of income and also provide for ‘reinstatement of computer data’ and ‘increased cost of working’ (ICW) cover. The level of ICW cover required, depends on which recovery strategy you adopt and how long it will take you to get back to normal working.

There are many issues to be considered when developing your recovery strategy. Making use of an experienced third party can help you make a cost effective decision.

Next month’s article will look at the development of concise recovery plans for your business and stress the importance of keeping your contact information up to date and easily accessible off-site.

We are a Sussex based company, so if you would like further information about the services we can offer or would like a copy of our BCM risk checklist do email or contact me.

Roger Clifton-Moore MBCI Recovery Management International Business Continuity Management Phone: 01273 832 996 Mobile: 07860 438 267 Email: rmi-rcm@pavilion.co.uk www.thebci.org Member of the Business Continuity Institute

ABSOLUTE LEGAL

Accidents happen...

David Crosby says: Don’t let one change your life

C

rosby & Moore are Law Society approved specialists in Personal Injury & Medical Negligence claims. We offer a modern, results driven, friendly and sympathetic service to all of our clients. Unlike many of our competitors, all of our clients will always have their matter personally dealt with by a highly experienced solicitor. Your claim is very important to you, in recognition of that we believe only the most experienced and qualified solicitors should be entrusted to handle it. We accept instructions for most types of accident claims, with particular expertise in car, motorbike and bicycle accidents, accidents at work and on the public highway and in medical negligence disputes where the treatment received has fallen below an acceptable standard.

So if you have suffered an accident, there are four questions to ask:(1) Did your accident happen within the last three years?

(2) Did you sustain an injury in that accident that can be shown to have been caused by the negligence or omission of another party?

(3) Will your injury attract a monetary award that makes the claim economic for you to pursue?

(4) Does instructing a local and experienced solicitor, with whom you will deal face to face, matter to you?

If the answers to these questions is ‘yes’, then feel free to speak to us at no cost to yourself – after we have advised you, if you have a valid claim, you are then free to either take the matter further by instructing us, or instead leave things as they stand. We offer all forms of funding a claim, but in particular no win - no fee agreements so in practice it costs nothing to bring your claim.

Crosby & Moore Sussex House, 75 Church Road, Hove 01273 734600 ABSOLUTE

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EACH MONTH, ABSOLUTE BRIGHTON WILL BE DELIVERED TO SELECTED HOMES IN PRESTIGIOUS AREAS IN AND AROUND THE CITY. THIS MONTH’S AREA IS: STEYNING Just some of the many places where you can pick up your copy of Absolute Brighton BRIGHTON Brighton Station, Queens Road Jury’s Inn Hotel Studio 27, Queens Road Parsons, Son and Basley, Queens Road Starbucks, Churchill Square Oxygen, 74 West Street Moksha Café, 4/5 York Place, Nia Café, Trafalgar Street The Laines Deli, 31 Trafalgar Street Easy News, 29 Trafalgar Street The Point Hairdressers, Trafalgar Street Rosalins Hair and Beauty Salon, 78 Trafalgar St Fired Earth, Prince Albert Street Gars, 19 Prince Albert Street Ambience Gallery, Meeting House Lane Kellerwood, 12d Meeting House Lane Jeremy Hoye, 22a Ship Street Brighton Beautique, 14 Ship St She Said, Ship Street Gardens Reiss Clothing, East Street Toni & Guy, 68 East Street Champneys, 24 East Street Madame Geisha, East Street Regent Arcade Art at Five, Bartholomews Karen Millen, Nile Street Velvet, Bond Street Art @ Tailor Made, 3 Brighton Square Solutions inc, Hannington Quarter, Donatellos, 1-3 Brighton Square Fratellis, 20 Brighton Sqaure Starbucks, Market Square Elite dressmakers, The Lanes Browns, Duke Street Powder, 5a Duke St Look Fantastic, Duke Street Havana Restaurant, 32 Duke Street Hotel Du Vin, 2-6 Ship Street Electric, 18 Ship Street Leone Clare, Upper North Street Sabai Thai Restaurant. 165-169 Princes Place, North Street Juice FM, North Street Ha! Ha! Pavilion Buildings Dome Box Office, New Road Treatment Rooms, 21 New Road Okinami Restaurant, New Road Shine Hairdressers, Gloucester Road Midnight Communications, Foundry St Priory Partnership, Frederick Place Tower Point, North Road Wagamamas, North Road Myhotel, 17 Jubilee Square Skin Clinics, Jubilee Square LA Fitness, North Road O-zone, 21 – 23 Church Street Aruna Newsagents, 55 Gardner Street AIB Bank, Marlborough Place Graves Jenkins, 26 Marlborough Place Healys Solicitors, 8 Old Steine Venus Hairdresser, Old Steine Terraces, Madeira Drive Caffyns showroom, Preston Road, Wynne Baxter, 15-19 Dyke Road

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Blenios, Seven Dials Uden Estate Agents, Seven Dials John Hoole Estate Agents, 214 Dyke Rd Dyke Golf Club, Devil’s Dyke, Dyke Road Albion Hotel, King’s Road Parade Brighton Centre, Kings Road Brighton Metropole, Kings Road Cavendish House, Kings Road The Grand, Kings Road The Thistle Hotel, Bartholomews Old Ship Hotel, Kings Road Holiday Inn, 137 Kings Rd, Kings Hotel, 139-141 Kings Road Marina West Hotel, 26 Oriental Place Brighton House Hotel, 52 Regency Sq Pelirocco Hotel, 10 Regency Square Hotel Una, 55 Regency Square Brighton Racecourse, Freshfield Road

KEMPTOWN Seaspray Hotel, 25 New Steine The Square Hotel, 4 New Steine New Steine Hotel, 12a New Steine Blanch House, 17 Atlingworth Street New Madeira Hotel, Marine Parade Drakes Hotel, 44 Marine Parade Brighton Laser Clinic, Marine Parade Sun Qube 66 St George’s Road Spruce, 11 George Street Gin Gin Restaurant, 74 St James Street Forde Hairdressers, 88 St James Street Top to Toe, 46 Upper St James Street Four Seasons, 3 Upper Rock Gardens Alvia Hotel, 36 Upper Rock Gardens

BRIGHTON MARINA Karma, Waterfront Seatle Hotel, Waterfront Rendezvous Casino David Lloyd, Marina Walk of Fame Café, Waterfront Neilson, Locksview ASDA (Petrol station) Marina Dental Care, Marina Square

HOVE Skerritts, 23 Coleridge Street Tranquility in the City, 12 Boundary Rd Eaton Road Dental Practise, Eaton Rd The Cricketers, Hove Cricket Ground Tai Hair and Beauty, 7 Blatchington Rd Robbies Car Wash, Hove Station Zamaan, 38 Church Road Toast of Brighton, 40 Church Road La Fourchette, 42 Church Road Tingleys, 46 Church Road Callaways Estate Agents, 59 Church Rd Fabulous Floors, 67 Church Road Harry’s, Church Road Alpha Contracts, 51–53 Church Road Mishon Welton Estates, 94 Church Rd Waves, 99 Church Road Property Moves, 109 Church Road Hove Family Dental Practice, 11 New Church Road Misty’s, 116 Church Road

Coffee Republic, 57 Church Road Mishon Mackay, 170 Church Road Clinic Nine, 212 Church Road Lansdowne Place Hotel, Lansdowne Pl Arscotts, 54 Lansdowne Place Caffé Nero, The Drive J Farrington Dentist, 40 Norfolk Square Starbucks, Western Road Brighton White, 2 Hampton Place Design Interiors, 56 Western Road Beauty Secrets, 65 Western Road Barneys Restaurant, Western Road Caffe Nero, 208 Western Road Coffee Republic, 55 Western Road Spektra Hairdressing, 69 Western Road, Intoto Kitchens, 119/120 Western Road Nail Studio, 1 Brunswick Rd Brunswick Pub, Brunswick Road GK UNA hair salon, 19 Upper Market St Tin Drum, Second Ave Le Lion D’or, George Street The Hair and Nail Loft, George Street Diamond Nails, George Street Murray Media, 1 Blatchington Road Babylon Lounge, Western Esplanade The Lawns Café, Hove Lawns, Kingsway Hove Practice, 28 Wilbury Road Gym and Tonic, 42 Queen Victoria Road

PORTSLADE Tooth Smart, 137 Portland Road, Hove Southern FM, Franklin Road, Portslade Rivervale cars (Mazda), Victoria Rd Caffyns Volvo, Victoria Road, Portslade Hair and Beauty Lounge, Portland Road Westbourne Motors, 270 Portland Road TJ Signs, Portland Business Park

SHOREHAM/LANCING SOUTHWICK Frosts Cars, Brighton Road, Shoreham Glam, 14a High Street, Shoreham Stephanie Reed, 80 High Street Crown and Anchor, High St, Shoreham Identity Hair Salon, High St, Shoreham The Smile Studio, East St, Shoreham Hair and Nail lounge, 30 East Street, Crop Shop, 7 St Mary’s Road, Shoreham The Holmbush shopping centre Shoreham Airport Style and Silver, Bank House, Southwick Square

WORTHING Bryce’s Seafood, The Steine The Fish Factory, Brighton Sofa, Marine Parade Casa Ciro, Marine Parade Richard John Hair, 2 - 4 Royal Arcade Splash FM, Guildbourne Centre Shaun Slater Gould, Ann Street Liming Restaurant, 13/15 New Street Food Restaurant, New Street Euphoric. 17 Chandos Road Burlington Hotel, Marine Parade (Gio’s) Tangerine Bar, Marine Parade

Caffyns Plc, Goring Rd, Goring Montage, 29 Brighton Road

BURGESS HILL Porsche Mid-Sussex, York Road Burgess Hill Girls School, Keymer Road

LEWES Lewes District Council, Southover House, Southover Rd Chalk Gallery, 4 North Street Gorringes, 15 North Street Gorringes, Market Street Lewes Estates, High Street The Crown Inn, 191 High Street Seasons Of Lewes, 199 High Street Cubitt & West, 209 High Street Wycherley Estate Agents, 56 High Street Cheese Please, 46 High Street Bone, 36 High Street White Hart Hotel, High Street Pelham House Hotel, High Street Wynne Baxter, 221 High Street Shelleys Hotel, High Street Dome Hairdressing, High Street Laportes, 1 Lansdowne Place Esquire, 3 Lansdowne Place Equilibrium Health Centre, 16 Station St Avant Garde, 28 High Street Oyster lingerie, 5 North Court Dorset pub, 22 Malling St

OTHER AREAS Harwoods, London Road, Pulborough Polka Dot, Hurstpierpoint South Lodge Hotel, Lower Beeding The Royal Oak, Poynings Tottington Manor, Edburton, Henfield NK Hair, Brick Lane Henfield Richwards Estate Agents, Henfield White Mischief Weddings, Henfield Ghyll Manor, High St, Rusper Ripples Bathrooms, Keymer Rd, Hassocks Shepherd and Dog, Fulking White Horse Hotel, Rottingdean Bright on Beauty, Rottingdean Angels n’ Saints, Rottingdean Newick Park, Newick Buxted Park, Uckfield The Gallops, Woodmancote The Ginger Fox, Woodmancote Wickwoods, Albourne Cowdray Park, Cowdray, Midhurst Cromwells at Golding Barn, Small Dole Cherrywood Events, Stanmer House

PICK UP YOUR FREE COPY

TODAY!

ABSOLUTE

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23/9/09 13:42:20

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23/9/09 11:52:42

Hurst

Hurstpierpoint College Outstanding day & boarding education for boys & girls aged 4 to 18 years

Hurst offers the academic excellence essential to give students the best possible exam results they need for future success in life.

Just as importantly, we help our pupils to make the most of their talents, potential and personality. We enable them to develop skills and interests. We introduce them to a world of fresh opportunities and challenge and then we coach, support and inspire them to be the very best that they want to be. We help them to acquire the values, the integrity and the intellectual independence to guide them through the years to come.

We offer all this, and a great deal more, in one of the friendliest and most supportive school communities likely to be found anywhere. Find out more at www.hppc.co.uk and then come and see the school in action.

Hurst

realising your full potential

Scholarships and means-tested bursaries are available for exceptional candidates seeking to join the Prep School at 11+, Senior School at 13+ or Sixth Form at 16+

Saturday 3rd October Open Morning for Hurst Pre-Prep, Prep & Senior Schools Saturday 17th October Open Morning for Hurst Pre-Prep, Prep School & Sixth Form 10.30 am start, finishing with buffet lunch For more details, or to arrange a private visit, telephone 01273 836936