Affinity Magazine February 2017

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AFFINITY LUXURY LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

FREE www.affinitymag.co.uk

February 2017

Look of Love

Gorgeous gifts for her

FEBRUARY 2017 ISSUE 69

Tempt your Tastebuds at The Knife & Cleaver

Time for Clean Sleeping Gwyneth Paltrow shows us how

Le Jardin des Douars

Crème de la Crème Body lotions to a little Moroccan sunshine

Fun with Flamingos quench your skin

add some of these quirky accessories to your home

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Welcome...

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Did anyone else blink and felt January just disappeared? We certainly did and now we’re welcoming the month of February, that for many of you means a little extra Looooove, with Valentine’s Day just around the corner.

They say the way to a man’s heart is through food, so we thought we’d help you out a little here with our monthly recipes (page 52) that will be sure to have him begging for more (food that is!)

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Talking of LOVE, we bring you a round up of some of our favourite Valentine’s Gifts that we certainly wouldn’t mind waking up to on 14th February (page 34).

Enough talk of Love, lets talk travel – this month we’ve been trying out Essaouira in Morocco one of the fabulous places you’re guaranteed winter sunshine (page 72). If you don’t want to head too far why not hop on a train to London and pay a visit to Sofitel St James, turn to page 76 to see what we thought of this Five Star Hotel.

1. Bora Bora Heels £85, Clutch £60 Dune London 2. Cartier Baiser Fou Perfume £56 - £95 John Lewis 3. Make It Happen Notebook £16.99 The White Stuff 4. Flowers 'Highland Fling' £65 - £125 Wildabout.co.uk 5. Ted Baker Large Blossom Necklace £99 jewellery4.co.uk

The nights are getting lighter and weather (we hope) slightly milder, which means it’s time to add some new season fashion to our wardrobes, page 39 brings you some of the trends that will be hitting the shops in the next few months.

Finally whether you’re married, in a relationship or single there is plenty of love and friendship to go around the whole year not just on 14th February - Remember it’s all about having fun, so go out and do just that!

Until next month Lots of LOVE

Jane x www.affinitymag.co.uk

Cover Marks & Spencer

Editor: Jane Fry jane@affinitymag.co.uk 01234 962106 - 07507 602401 Advertising: Gwen D’Souza affinitymaggwen@gmail.com 07506 770554 Graphic Design and Photography: David Zita dave@affinitymag.co.uk facebook.com/AffinityMag

@affinitymagz

linkedin.com/pub/jane-zita-fry

All adverts are printed in good faith. Affinity cannot take responsibility for the content of adverts. Advertisements are accepted on the understanding that descriptions of goods and services are accurate. Reproduction in whole or in part is strictly prohibited.Printed in the UK by Regal Litho 01908 270400.

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What does your kitchen mean to you?

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CONTENTS

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Beauty News Built to Learn Clean Sleeping is here Being Optimistic Spritual Guidance Mini Wonders Loafing Around Foodie News Forest Green Emerging Trends Seeing Red Check it Out Relax on the River Your Stars

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A Little ME Time

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elaxing on my own with a glass of wine in one hand, a little online shopping on a tablet in the other, where am I? I expect most of you have come to the conclusion I’m sat at home enjoying a little ME time. Well you’ve got one thing right - The ME time but the rest is wrong! I am actually sat in the ‘Art Deco’ themed private salon room at The 5 star Bedford High Street Hair and Beauty Salon ‘VENUS’.

Normally a trip to the salon, albeit some time for yourself means there’s a lot of disruptions from moving from one chair for your hair colour, to another for your hair to be washed, then back again for the cutting and styling – not to mention the distractions from stylists at other stations chatting to their clients, or each other, and let’s not forget that you actually look like an alien from outer space for everyone to see - with foils, colour or rollers in your hair.

So being given peace and tranquility in your own private salon room with tea, coffee, soft drinks and wine along with a tablet for you to catch up on emails, update social media, a little online retail therapy and being able to stay in one chair for the whole time is a real treat.

Whether it’s a wash and blow

dry, or cut and colour from a stylist who has been trained by the SASSOON Academy, you can be assured you’ll know what it feels like to be treated like an A list celebrity. It is this attention to detail that has this salon in a league of its own, there’s even an Egyptian themed arrival lounge full of magazines, comfy sofas and of course WIFI. And fear not men aren’t neglected here either they have ‘Jeeves’ with the same large arrival lounge, known as The Officer’s Mess, 7 themed individual grooming rooms that include ‘Sweeney Todd’ D-Day and ‘Captain Cook’ as well as the ‘Warrior Room’ a special colour room with its own play station and then let’s not forget there’s beer!

It’s rather apt that the salons’ address is “The Penthouse Suite” with Venus on one floor and Jeeves on another so both salons really are ‘Men Only’ and ‘Women Only’ – Don’t take my word for it though, go and see for yourself, you’ll be truly amazed at this hidden gem in the middle of Bedford High Street.

Venus Hair and Beauty 80 High Street, Bedford 01234 210280 venus-hairandbeauty.co.uk

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Perfect Partners

Gingembre Rouge Roger&Gallet have launched its Gingembre Rouge Intense fragrance, created in Paris.

Notes include pink berries, ginger, safran flower, iris concrète, cedar, patchouli and tolu essences. RRP £40.50 for 50ml and available from Marks & Spencer and House of Fraser nationwide.

BEAUTY UPDATES Making a SPLASH!

SPLASH Hydrating Setting Mist (£30.27, www.algenist.com) is a multi-functional, alcohol free, non-drying, serum in a mist from Algenist. Designed to instantly hydrate and set make-up for all day wear, delivering water balance and preventing environmental dehydration.

Crayola meets Clinique

Get vibrant, nourishing colour with the Limited Edition Clinique Crayola™ Chubby Sticks.

Looking distinctly like a set of eight richlycoloured Crayolas, Clinique’s much-loved chubbies both moisturise and tint. With pencilstyle applicators, the sticks relieve dry and cracked lips. Nourishing, soft and smooth, the chubbies each leave a subtle sheen for happy, kissable lips. Available from John Lewis for £17.50 each.

The White Company and Deciem have curated together to create an advanced skincare collection comprising of six products. For true protection against ageing, this results-led collection doesn’t just minimise lines, it also addresses skin’s firmness, clarity, texture, circulation and ability to self-renew too. Products include Super Balm Gentle Daily Deep Cleanser (£25), Super Serum Advanced Multi-Depth Concentrate (£40), Advanced Hydration SkinPerfecting Moisturiser (£30), Eye Revive Daily Brightening Eye Cream (£20), Night Oil Overnight Renewal Treatment (£30) and Hand Elixir UltraHydrating & Protecting Hand Cream (£20).

A One Stop Box of Goodness Vitalize Care have just launched ‘Vitabox’ – a one stop box of daily vitamins & goodness perfect for those with busy lifestyles. Jam packed with daily strips of four vitamins which provide you with all the nutrients to make your body feel healthy and vitalized. The daily tablets include; Omega 3,6,9 – Green tea – Multivitamins and Co-Enzyme Q10. A monthly subscription is £25.99 per month and available from www.vitalizecare.com 18

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Charlotte Tilbury Red Carpet Red £23 Selfridges Too faced Melted Lipstick in Melted Velvet £19, Debenhams Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy in Impassioned £25, Debenhams Dior Rouge Lipstick in Dior No. 999 YSL Rouge Pur Couture in Le Rouge £26 John Lewis Rimmel Kate Lipstick 01 £5.49, Boots Urban Decay Vice Lipstick in Sheer-F Bomb £15 Debenhams The Ritual of Cleopatra in Pure Red £16, Rituals Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Fire & Ice £7.99 Boots

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Unlearn - a relatively new concept which many of you will have seen in a recent advert for a car - the advice being to let go of what you know. But actually it is something we could all try to understand and practice. There are, of course, many different types of learning and usually we make an effort to learn and indeed encourage our children to learn. Every skill we have - we have generally ‘learned’ whether it is walking and talking, reading, riding a bike or cooking, we have at one time or another learned how to do it. Then there are the academic, professional or vocational knowledge and skills, everything from chemistry for pharmacists, to wiring for electricians that individuals will have learned. Notice as well that we ‘learn’ both skills and knowledge as many of the things we do every day require both. We need to know for example what the ingredients are for a spaghetti bolognaise (and how to get these), as well as having the

skill of putting them together in the right way to make the dish.

But as well as all that useful sort of learning we also go through life learning all sorts of other things. Sometimes our learning is based on our experience, we may for example, have an idea that public transport is a good means of travel but if the first few times we use it we are cold, delayed, don’t get a seat on the bus or train, then we may ‘learn’ that actually we don’t think it’s a good way to travel at all.

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The only way our brains cope with the amount of knowledge and information it’s given is to group things together into themes, we develop schemes for things. So if we meet someone new we don’t have to spend ages inputting what we see to make broad decisions on their

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But perhaps the most important area of ‘unlearning’ that we need is in what we think and believe about ourselves.

The first truth to establish is that most aspects of ourselves and our personality can change - humans are endlessly adaptable and while somethings like eye colour and certain physical features may be tough to alter, there are an awful lot of aspects of our bodies, minds and emotions that we can change - or unlearn.

A good place to start is with our abilities, specifically those things we have spent a lot of time being told, telling ourselves, or somehow ‘learning’ and believing to be true.

Start by simply thinking of something you don’t feel you can do well. The kind of thing you would actively try and get out of. Then think for a minute why it is you can’t do it. I’m not talking about specific or difficult skills - but fairly ordinary things like, drawing or navigating, sports or quizzes, singing or spelling. Then ask yourself when you last actually tried to do this. Often what happens is that we don’t feel good at something, so we stop doing it.

That is understandable, none of us like to be put in a position where we feel inadequate. Yet how do we get to be good at things, well usually by practicing and, of course, if we don’t like doing something we will usually avoid it, therefore we will never improve.

But in terms of how we think about ourselves, what we can and can’t do and our beliefs about that - they may not be terribly damaging. Or they may. I have worked with people who feel that they will never be happy, never have a fulfilling relationship or never be ‘successful’. Partly this is because that is what they have ‘learned’, either from parents, experiences when growing up or experiences as an adult. This is where ‘unlearning’ or letting go of what we know - or what we think we know - becomes crucial if we want to be free to live life to the full.

Deep seated beliefs that have been held for a long time may be quite hard to shift, but it is possible for someone who wants to change. If you are reading this and wondering how you would know that you have these beliefs, then simply start tuning in to your self-chatter the running commentary that comes from within your own brain. The commentary that accompanies you most of the day. So when a friend asks if you’d do something for example, immediately there is that inner voice that tells you that maybe you’d better not - because you can’t do it, or won’t enjoy it. This is not rational decision making but the reflex sort of response based on what you think you know about yourself. That is a good place to start with a challenge to yourself - which can be internal of course. So if your inner voice says ‘you know you can’t do that’ ask yourself ‘who says’ and spend a bit of time exploring where that idea came from and whether now might be a good time to get rid of that belief - to let it go and ‘unlearn’ it.

age, gender, ethnicity etc. and we may in addition make certain personal judgements based on a host of other perceptions we have.

Sometimes this presents us with areas we need to unlearn. If you grow up, for example, thinking or being told that all Londoners are monarchists or big fans of the Queen you may need to meet quite a few who are not, before you change your mind. We use generalisations to deal with the volume of information that we need to take in but any time we are grouping people together, using words like all, never or always, we need to be wary.

Humans are individuals and, while certain groups may share certain features, there is very rarely a good reason to describe an individual in terms of features of a group because we are all individuals.

For more information visit www.attunededucation.com contact Sheila on 07921193479 info@attunededucation.com 23

Crème de la Crème

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Just because your body’s covered in layers of clothes, doesn’t mean it should be neglected. Make sure you use a good body moisturiser to keep your skin soft and smooth during the winter months.

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Molton Brown Delicious Rhubarb & Rose Body Lotion £25 Neal's Yard Aromatic Body Butter £23, nealsyardremedies.com Gorgeous Cow Blissful Body Lotion £20 cowshedonline.com Soap & Glory The Righteous Body Butter £10 Boots Laura Mercier Fresh Fig Body Souffle £45 John Lewis Katherine Daniels Nourishing Hydrating Balm £25 katherinedanielscosmetics.com ESPA Deeply Nourishing Body Cream £49 Murad Collagen Support Body Cream £38 John Lewis The Body Shop Body Butter in Pink Grapefruit & Vineyard Peach £13

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Time for Some

Clean Sleeping Y

ou might think that clean eating is the best way to get your health back on track, but how's your sleep?

women sleep-deprived and stumbling through the day like a zombie.”

Backed by Gwyneth Paltrow in her new book, Goop Clean Beauty (Goop.com), she swears that her youthful glow and slim physique are down to a good night’s sleep. She says: “Sleep plays such a powerful role in determining your appetite and energy levels that I believe it should be your first priority — even before you think about your diet.”

In a recent study it was found that in the UK, we are some of the worst sleepers in the world, with 37% saying that they weren’t getting enough sleep.

With some hints from Gwyneth, and some of our expert’s advice, we’ve put together the ultimate clean sleeping guide:

“The lifestyle I lead is based not just on clean eating, but also on clean sleeping: at least seven or eight hours of good, quality sleep – and ideally even 10.”

Gwyneth explains that particularly as she approaches middle age, sleep is becoming a more important part in her healthy lifestyle: “That’s because the body repairs itself and detoxifies overnight, and it’s this process — happening efficiently — that allows you to look your best the next day. But as menopause approaches, changes in hormones can lead to troubled sleep. It might be night sweats, or thoughts rushing through your mind, but the undulating hormonal cocktail of midlife commonly leaves

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Say No to Midnight Munchies If you’re really looking forward to a proper nights sleep, make sure you stay out of the kitchen and away from temptations after dinner!

Gwyneth says to ban bedtime snacks and explains that you should have a 12 hour fasting window, which means finishing dinner by 8pm and having breakfast at 8am.

Dr Marilyn Glenville, the UK’s leading nutritionist and author of ‘Natural Alternatives to Sugar’ explains: “Ensure you are eating little and often during the day to keep your blood sugar steady. This will ensure that the hormone cortisol will start to wind down when you go to bed, as it is supposed to do.”

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is necessary for good skin health. But did you know that Vitamin C contributes to the collagen formation?

Vitamin C is necessary to help rebuild the collagen and is often found in face creams. So don’t forget to get your Vitamin C for healthy looking skin.”

Keep Your Toes Toasty Although it might not be for everyone, the clean sleeping guide includes wearing some form of heated socks to regulate the temperature of your feet while you sleep. If you’re looking to kill two birds with one stone, Carnation’s Silver Socks (£12, firstaidfast.co.uk) are an ideal option as the silver keeps your feet at a constantly comfortable temperature as well as destroying any foot odour.

Meditate with a “Psychic Sleep” Gwyneth recommends using “Physic Sleep”, a form of meditation that allows your body to get all the benefits of sleep while you’re actually still awake! There are many meditation apps on the market and you can find playlists on YouTube.

Not only is meditation beneficial for your sleep it also great for reducing stress and easing anxiety. Shona explains: “Meditation is now gaining mainstream recognition through scientific research for its ability to reduce stress. Those in stressful jobs or situations can benefit enormously from meditative practice. It can be done anywhere, such as on the bus or train into work and even 5 minutes can be helpful to clear your mind and feel refreshed.”

“Try and avoid large meals and too much hard-to-digest food for three to four hours before going to bed”

Gwyneth Says Relax One of the simplest ways to have a good clean sleep is to make sure you’re completely relaxed when you go to bed.

Gwyneth recommends a head or foot massage but you can also distress after a long day with a bath with essential oils.

Marilyn says: “Try using aromatherapy oils, such as bergamot, lavender, roman chamomile and marjoram in a warm bath, just before bed. A few drops of lavender oil on your pillow at bedtime can also help.”

Change Your Pillows Gwyneth swears by copper infused pillows as part of her clean sleeping lifestyle. The copper can help boost the skin’s collagen and elastin levels and has been proven to have antibacterial qualities.

If you’re not quite on the same budget as Gwynnie you can always boost your collagen levels through your diet.

Collagen is found in dark green vegetables, citrus fruits and peppers.

Shona Wilkinson, nutritionist at SuperfoodUK.com, adds: “You may have read that collagen 27

Tech Free Bedroom You’ve heard it once and now you’re hearing it from Gwyneth, make sure your bedroom is a technology free zone. That’s phones, TV, computers, everything. Shona says: “Establish the mood of the room that you sleep in, making it a calm and relaxing environment. This includes the colour of the walls, bed linen and décor and avoiding very bright, stimulating colours. Make sure you keep work out of the bedroom, as well as distractions like mobile phones, computers and TVs.”

Supplement Your Sleep If you’re looking for a little natural help Gwyneth’s health guru, Dr Frank Lipman has got you covered. For those who have trouble sleeping, one of the supplements he suggests is magnesium. Magnesium is known as ‘nature’s tranquiliser’ and helps relax our muscles; it is also needed for conversion of tryptophan to serotonin and melatonin, which helps you sleep.

Nutritionist, Cassandra Barns says: “Many of us live hectic, stressful lives, and are more exposed to environmental and food toxins, which can make us more prone to a magnesium deficiency. Try to include dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds, fish, whole grains and bananas in your diet, which are all rich in magnesium.

Alternatively, to make sure you’re getting your daily dose I would recommend taking Natures Plus KalmAssure Magnesium Powder (£24.50, www.naturesplus.co.uk), which are very easy to absorb and easily delivered to the tissues. You will see the difference after 3 months.

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Midlife Madness Too Much Choice

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am all for choice. In many ways that to me is what makes a good life. I can choose what I watch on TV, where I go for holidays, what I buy in the supermarket, what I wear, where I go and the job I do, and generally even who I spend time with - except at work and sometimes family - but let’s not go there!

of those options fit the bill! All I want is to speak to a real person but of course that is a really tough option - in fact an impossible option. I have had long calm conversations and angry aggressive exchanges (don’t worry no one was hurt in the making of that dialogue) with machines. The thing is they don’t always sound like a machine and I forget they aren’t programmed to listen to my rants - clearly they should be and at that point I should be put through to a person NOT given the same darned options again - that is cruelty to phones, as I feel an almost uncontrollable urge to hurl the phone at the wall! Yes, it could be dangerous if I had a cat, or a dog! But I do have a husband and it’s not especially good for him.

So when I am offered a choice, generally I like that, but I must confess that sometimes recently there has been far too much choice over what seems inherently simple. I am a bit of a fan of online shopping and I am decisive - I am one of those folks who knows what they want. The bit that throws me is all the choice I get AFTER I’ve made my choice. In fact that’s when the hassle starts - do I want it delivered or should I click and collect. But I have learnt ‘collecting’ can sometimes cost, SO I often end up going for this option, thinking I might as well save myself the effort and get it delivered, but up pops a charge for this option and then I have to back track. Now delivery is surely a simple option. You would think! But of course there are numerous options all with different costs and times and messages to write to the deliverers, and options for tracking and, of course, numerous options for payments from paypal to any card under the sun - more choices to be made! It seems to me they are in danger of destroying the reason for their own existence - the fact that on line shopping is easier!!!

So a good way to cheer myself up would be to go somewhere nice for coffee. Don’t do it. Stay home, make your own coffee. If not there will be so many choices your mind will boggle and you will forget why you even thought it was a good plan to go to a café for a coffee. The tea or coffee decision is often made before I walk in, but then numerous other choices emerge. Size - well clearly I want a cup. Yes, but do I want small, medium or large but of course, they don’t call them that they invent new names like primo or maxi or goodness knows what - and some of them are an absolute bucketful. No woman past the first flush of youth, and certainly not a mother, could drink one without spending the rest of the day looking for a ‘ladies’. And it doesn’t end there - it’s all the types of coffee and milk and flavourings.

The other time I hate choice is when I am ringing someone, a company - often with a problem - and there is this blooming computerised answer machine that gives me simply loads of options BUT NOT THE RIGHT ONE. So I listen to it all again ruling each one out in my head as I go - nope I decide definitely none

So you can’t ask for a coffee you have to ask for, for example, a skinny, one shot, cappuccino with cinnamon flavouring, no chocolate sprinkles and sweetener rather than sugar. Exhausting at best.

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Optimism

The Importance of

Many people see positivity as a genetic trait – something they are either born with, or not. In the same way that we might talk about our eye colour or height, many of us will describe ourselves as naturally optimistic or pessimistic.

However, your brain can change! In the same way that we can train our brains to appreciate healthy food, we can train ourselves to have a more positive outlook on life.

When you find yourself thinking those negative thoughts about yourself, your circumstances, or even about others, STOP! Instead, force yourself to think of three positive things instead – there will always be something. If you persevere with looking for the good, instead of the bad, it will become a habit. It’s well worth the effort – the benefits of being more optimistic are now being recognised in numerous studies …

Improved heart health According to a new study from the University of Illinois, having a positive outlook on life could provide you with better heart health. The study of more than 5,100 adults, found that those people who were most optimistic, were twice as likely to be in ideal cardiovascular health, compared with their pessimistic counterparts, with significantly better blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Not only this, but the optimists were also more likely to be physically active and have healthier BMIs.

rather than our IQ? And being positive could help you to achieve better results in smaller tasks – in fact, studies have shown that people who are encouraged to think positively before a maths test actually did better than others!

Better chances of ditching the junk food Struggling to lose that last half a stone? We all know that when we’re feeling negative, we instinctively turn to sugary and fatty foods that will give our bodies a quick burst of energy and feel-good hormones. However, this is swiftly followed by a crash in our blood sugar levels – leaving us feeling even worse than before. These junk foods also do little to help us lose any weight, adding to those negative feelings that left us reaching for the junk food in the first place! So instead, try focusing on the positives – think about how hard you’ve worked so far, and how good you’ll feel when you finally reach your goal weight, and you’ll find those negative yearnings for junk food soon dissipate!

More likely to stick with your fitness goals Thinking about fitness in a negative way will make you more likely to bail at the first opportunity. Studies show that a positive frame of mind helps people to stick with their fitness regimes as well as their healthy eating goals. Once you get exercising, that positivity is helped even more by the endorphins or feel-good hormones that exercise releases. If you find that the thought of heading to the gym leaves you feeling miserable (I don’t blame you!), then ditch the gym!

Try finding different ways you could keep fit – fitness classes, swimming, or brisk walks in the fresh air. There’s something out there for everyone, and when you’ve found an activity that you really enjoy, those positive feelings will make you more likely to stick with it for the long-haul.

More likely to succeed You might think that succeeding would lead you to feeling happier, but in actual fact, it works the other way round.

Studies show that positivity and a happier outlook will increase your chances of success. For example, did you know that three quarters our success at work is linked to our optimism and how well we manage and deal with stress, www.vavistalife.com 30

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Veda Therapeutics Carolyn wood Herbal Medicine - Ayuverda Naturopathy - Therapeutic Massage - Ear Acupuncture

Herbalist (Dip Herb) Naturopath (Dip ND) MAMH, MANP, ITEC

As a herbalist and naturopath I can help you with

• Immunity • Skin Conditions • Digestive Complaints • Hormonal imbalances • Heart health & Circulation • Energy & Wellbeing • Insomnia • Depression • Other chronic health conditions • Acute coughs & colds

07944 886502 carolyn612@btinternet.com www.vedatherapeutics.co.uk

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A4 Cinema Lightbox £10.19 www.thefowndry.com

Diptyque Rosa Mundi Candle £48 Selfridges

AFFINITY HOT PICKS

Murad Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture £49.50 John Lewis

Bag £22 River Island

Roberto Cavalli Rose Jewel Tea Cup and Saucer www.kofc.co.uk

Grey Camel Sweatshirt £180 Uzma Bozai

This month’s must have gifts and accessories

Stella & Dot Cecily Chandelier Earrings £46 www.stelladot.co.uk

Joanna Buchanan Bee Napkin Rings £35 (set of 2) John Lewis

Tatty Devine Gin Coin Purse £14.99 www.totally-funky.co.uk

Shetland Wool Rabbit Door Stops £29 www.indigoandrose.co.uk

Little Book of Hygge £4.99 Amazon

Champagne VIRGINIE T. with Ice Bucket £66 www.champagnevirginiet.com

Stell & Dot Ansley Cuff £40 www.stelladot.co.uk

Pestle & Mortar Hyaluronic Acid _£36.00 www.pestleandmortarcosmetics.com

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A Little Spiritual Guidance

W

hether you’re a believer or a skeptic you can’t fail to notice that more and more people are looking at a more spiritual guide to life, whether it’s meditating, Reiki, reflexology, crystal therapy, positive energizing your home the list is endless.

Once the reading was finished, I had 5 minutes of Reiki – focusing around my head, ears and shoulders, where Lynzie guided energy into me, helping towards creating a clear mind, total relaxation and to release any emotional blockages I was holding onto.

There are many reasons to seek spiritual guidance including Love, Money, Relationships, Work and Grief – you have probably hit a crossroads in your life and want to know what path to take next, there is no specific reason it differs for everyone.

Afterwards I felt uplifted from the whole experience, the reading and the Reiki together had brought about a positive energy in me and I felt like skipping out the door.

For me I am a believer and have regular readings, meditate, Reiki – some readings are not as good as others and I am always looking for new people to visit, so I was pleasantly surprised when I opened up my inbox to an invite from a lovely lady caked Lynzie inviting me along for a reading and a little Reiki combined.

When ever you have a reading or anything spirituality related its easy to get carried away in the moment and once you leave your mind goes blank as you try to remember everything that has happened/been said to you, but fear not, with Lynzie she sends you a written synopsis of everything you’ve covered and it’s then you notice things that you hadn’t taken note of during your session.

Arriving at Lynzie’s, the atmosphere is one of calm and relaxation, with a few candles lit around the room (but not too many to make you think you’re about to have to call the fire brigade out!) You feel at ease straight away and after a brief introduction she begins. If you can keep your mind still so she can really tap into the vibrations and energy of your reading, it helps.

Lynzie is definitely someone that I will visit again, her calming demeanor, accuracy and making me feel relaxed was perfect. Whether you’re already into all things spiritual, just want a little guidance with your life, have some unanswered questions, or just want some Reiki then Lynzie is the one to help you seek guidance to help you see things clearer.

All readings are different dependent on the answers/outcome you are looking for. Lynzie used several different decks of cards for me. I have to say each deck gave an insight into different areas of my life, which were fascinating and very apt. Lynzie tackles the reading as if she is in a conversation with an old friend, which stops any feelings of anxiousness and helps you relax, so you enjoy the whole experience.

*Lynzie offers Reiki, general readings, angel readings, mediumistic readings and more.

Trinity Healing Phone: 075637 71415 Email: lynzie111@hotmail.co.uk www.lynzie111.com

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Be my Valentine

View Quest Hepburn DAB Radio £199 Littlewoods

Narciso Rodriguez Perfume £59 Debenhams

“You’ll be spoilt for choice with our round up of gorgeous gifts for your Valentine”

Tresor Paris Filigree Heart Crystal Esrrings £69 tresorparis.com Thomas Sabo Two-Toned Sterling Silver Bracelet £125 watchshop.com

Christian Lacroix Love Cushion £95 Amara

Salvatore Ferragamo Ladies' Cuore Diamond Watch £1,460 watchshop.com

Lace Cami £38 Lace Wrap £45 Boux Avenue

Emma Bridgewater LOVE Throw £140 House of Fraser

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Betsy Heart Necklace £120 88&cloudless.co.uk

Look Lovely Pouch £8.99 Paperchase

Straight from The Heart Chocolates £39 Hotel Chocolat

Body and Soul Collection £32 joancollinsbeauty.com

Clara by Janet Reger Bra £22.50, Briefs £12.50 Debenhams

Chasing Rainbows Love You Mug £8.oo House of Fraser

The Story of Us Print £58 betsybenn.co.uk

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OPEN DATES WEDDING Sunday 5th - 11am to 3pm February Thursday 23rd - 4pm to 8pm to 3pm March Sunday 19th - 11am

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FASHION

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Yes to

Yellow Raincoat £34.99 New Look

Lace Bomber Jacket £65 Elvi

Dress £69 House of Fraser

Paper Dolls Crochet Dress £60 Little Mistress Marks & Spencer

Dress £50 Dorothy Perkins

Dress £89 Marks & Spencer

Ben de Lisi Bag Debenhams Autograph Top £45 Marks & Spencer

T-Shirt £17.50 The White Stuff

Suede Heels Faith

Bird Print Scarf £10 M&Co

Mac £75 River Island

Slogan Jumper £19.99 New Look

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Mini Wonders

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“Mini skirts are still a hot fashion trend, dress up or down, tights or bare legs the look you create is entirely your own”

Aztec Embroidered Mini Skirt £45 River Island

Embroidered Mini Skirt £55 River Island

Embellished Mini Skirt £55 Miss Selfridge

Zip Mini Skirt £28 Next

Suede Mini Skirt £70 Debenhams

Tweed Mini Skirt £149 Dubarry of Ireland Suedette Mini Skirt £45 Oliver Bonas

Faux Leather Mini Skirt £35 River Island

Button Mini Skirt £179 Jigsaw

Check Mini Skirt £249 Jigsaw

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Bold as Blue

Split Sleeve Jumper £22.99 New Look Satin Blouse £79 Sosander Skinny Trousers £22 Topshop rexfeatures

Earrings River Island Cami Dress £40 Dorothy Perkins Shirt Dress Topshop

Paper Dolls Dress £52 Little Mistress

Suede Heels £25.99 New Look

Culotte Jumpsuit £79 Elvi

Blouse £32 Topshop

Funnel Neck Dress £399 Jigsaw

Lace Skirt £40 Dorothy Perkins

Odele Jumper £75 People Tree

Barely there

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blush

Pashmina £39 Phase Eight

Dress £24.99 New Look Blouse £28 River Island

Savannah Earrings £25 Hobbs

Ben de Lisi

Sweatshirt £38 Next

Wide Trousers £24.99 New Look

Jumpsuit £48 River Island

Patent Box Bag £29 House of Fraser

Top £14.99 New Look Skinny Jeans £22.99 New Look Backless Mules £55 River Island Jacket £35 Marks & Spencer

Jumper River Island

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Loafing around “A must have wardrobe staple is a pair of loafers, take your pick from our favourites”

Blue Loafers £90 Dune

Emico Loafer £69.95 Moda in Pelle

White Loafers £27.99 Bon Prix Guru Loafers £75 Dune London

Faith Silver Loafers £35 Debenhams Suedette Loafers £45 River Island

Monochrome Loafers £25 Very

Snaffle Loafer £16 Matalan

Gondola Loafers £70 Dune London

Printed Loafers £32 Next

Gingham Loafers £25.99 New Look

Grey Suedette Loafers £29.99 New Look

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FOOD & DRINK

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Flutter into Spring With Mother’s Day and Easter coming up, Paxton Chocolate has created a beautiful range of gifts for chocolate connoisseurs.

Carefully handmade, with visually beautiful butterfly designs, the new range is as stunning as it is delicious. With prices starting from £3.95 this pretty selection of gift ideas includes boxes of its iconic Signature Thins, its unique, individuallywrapped Giant Thins, boxes of egg-shaped Champagne truffles and two beautiful handmade Easter eggs decorated and filled with Signature thins. All available to order from www.paxton chocolate.com

NEWS

FOODIE

Romance is in The Air Enjoy a Valentine’s Day Afternoon Tea at Whittlebury Hall Hotel & Spa between 6th and 19th February and indulge in red velvet and rose water cup cake, dark chocolate and almond praline truffle, raspberry macaron, warm fruit scones, strawberry preserve and clotted cream, Prosecco jelly, Champagne oyster, cucumber, smoked salmon finger s a n d w i c h e s , asparagus, quail egg and goats cheese crostini and a choice of tea or coffee, priced at £29.95.

Power Food

Pamper yourself with more than 80 delicious, organic & energizing power food recipes from Dutch superstar and best-selling author Rens Kroes’ new book ‘Power Food’ With hectic and busy schedules, it can be difficult to lead a healthy and balanced lifestyle, so Rens has created a combination of healthy food, sufficient exercise and relaxation to help us lead a happy and balanced life. Priced at £15.99 and published by Fair Winds.

It’s Better with Bags

Your morning coffee just got a whole lot better, with Lyons Coffee Bags (£2.60 a box from Sainsbury’s) – These individually wrapped coffee bags are available in three strength varieties, plus a decaffeinated option – and are the perfect solution for people on the go who love high quality coffee but not the price tag and want convenience without compromising on taste.

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Time to Dine at

The Knife & Cleaver

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An appetizer of dough balls with garlic and sage butter, accompanied our drinks whilst we waited for our starters to arrive. Smoked salmon tartare with avocado mousse and horseradish crackers – the avocado mousse complimented the chunks of fresh salmon perfectly with the crisp horseradish crackers adding texture and strong flavours. Woburn pheasant and bacon salad with pineapple and hazelnuts was hubbies choice, the pheasant was served in a bowl made from lettuce with a soft texture and deliciously tasty, the warm pineapple added a fruity contrast to the rich meat, An unusual but impressive balancing act.

n the middle of the village of Houghton Conquest, directly opposite the Grade I listed church (where incidentally I got married), is the recently renovated Knife and Cleaver, part of a family of classic British pubs brought to you from Epic Pubs.

Originally a 17th century country inn, The Knife and Cleaver offers a relaxed environment reflecting the best in British design. Décor is rustic, with a modern twist, making it, aesthetically speaking, a real hit, throw in the warm and friendly atmosphere and if the food is as good as first impressions then we’re in for a real treat!

With an extensive drinks menu, it’s easy to enjoy your favourite tipple, including wines, cocktails, mocktails and beers. Not that I’m predictable but those that know me know I am a bubble girl so of course what else would I choose? So with a glass of prosecco in hand we were shown to our table to decide what delights we wanted to choose off the menu.

Hubbie must have changed his mind at least 5 times for his mains, before finally settling on The Fisherman’s sharing platter, only there would be no sharing taking place here! This was a feast of fresh fish including shell on prawns, mini crab cakes, Oak smoked salmon and mackerel all served with toasted sour dough and lime aioli - faultless was the verdict on this, with all the fish tasting as if it had just been caught.

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My choice was from the specials board, another fish dish but this time in the form of pan fried cod with potato terrine, tender stem broccoli and toasted almonds, as with every dish served so far presentation was perfect, in fact everything looked too good to eat, but needs must!

The cod was meaty, and combined with the textures of the firm broccoli stem soft potatoe terrine and crunchy hazelnuts each mouthful was a fusion of flavours that were a real treat.

Service between courses was attentive and knowledgeable.

Desserts are not always dishes I give into, as I just don’t have the room. I was however severely tempted from the delightful looking desserts on offer, but I finally decided no and settled for a peppermint tea instead. The same cannot be said for hubbie who chose an iced walnut and apple parfait with cinnamon crumble, the waitress must have read my mind when she brought an extra spoon – for in her words “just in case” and of course how can I describe something if I don’t taste it – and am I glad I did a wonderful decadence of creamy parfait and chunky apples merging together.

If our experience is anything to go by, The Knife and Cleaver is going to become a definite hit.

The place to pop into for a drink, a cozy meal for two, a family get together, business meeting or girlie catch up or even an overnight stay (there are 9 rooms) because it’s somewhere you know you’ll be guaranteed some delicious food, a warm and friendly atmosphere and a bed for the night!

The Knife & Cleaver The Grove, Houghton Conquest 01234 930789 theknifeandcleaver.com

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Mediterranean Baked Sweet Potatoes “Not only is this dish savoury and sweet, it’s also seriously healthy”

Ingredients 4 medium sweet potatoes 1 (425g) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained 1/2 tbsp olive oil 1/2 tsp each cumin, coriander, cinnamon, smoked (or regular) paprika Pinch of sea salt or lemon juice GARLIC HERB SAUCE 1/4 cup (60g) hummus Juice of 1/2 lemon 3/4 - 1 tsp dried dill 3 cloves garlic, minced Water or unsweetened almond milk to thin Sea salt to taste TOPPINGS (optional) 1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, diced 1/4 cup chopped parsley, minced 2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice Chili garlic sauce

Method

Preheat oven to 400F/ 200C/ Gas 6 and line a large baking sheet with foil.

Rinse and scrub potatoes and cut in half-length wise. This will speed cooking time. Otherwise leave whole and bake longer (approximately double the time (45 min - 1 hour).

Toss rinsed and drained chickpeas with olive oil and spices and place on a foil-lined baking sheet.

Rub the sweet potatoes with a bit of olive oil and place face down on the same baking sheet. While the sweet potatoes and chickpeas are roasting, prepare your sauce by adding all ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisking to combine, only adding enough water or almond milk to thin so it’s pourable. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Add more garlic for more zing, salt for savoriness, lemon juice for freshness, and dill for a more intense herb flavor.

Also prepare the parsley-tomato topping by tossing tomatoes and parsley with lemon juice and setting aside to marinate.

Once sweet potatoes are fork tender and the chickpeas are golden brown roughly 25 minutes - remove from oven.

For serving, flip potatoes flesh-side up and smash down the insides a little bit. Then top with chickpeas, sauce and parsley-tomato garnish. Serve immediately. www.minimalistbaker.com

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Chicken and Rice with Broccoli Pesto “A delicious recipe to keep you warm on a cold winters evening�

Ingredients 1 cup jasmine rice 2 small heads broccoli, florets removed and blanched 1 cup fresh basil leaves 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan 1/4 cup almonds 1 clove garlic 1 tsp kosher salt 8 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs Freshly ground black pepper Crushed red pepper flakes for garnish

Method Cook rice according to package directions.

Make pesto: In the bowl of a food processor, combine half the broccoli, basil, and 1/2 cup olive oil and pulse until combined. Add Parmesan, almonds, garlic and salt and blend until combined.

Season chicken thighs generously with salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat remaining tablespoon oil. Add chicken and cook until skin is crispy and chicken no longer pink, 10 to 12 minutes per side.

Transfer to a plate.

Add cooked rice to skillet and stir until coated in chicken juices. Return chicken to skillet and add remaining broccoli.

Dollop with broccoli pesto and sprinkle with crushed red pepper flakes. www.delish.com

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Banana & Baileys Bread & Butter Pudding “With super-gooey bananas, pecans, chocolate and creamy Baileys, this bread and butter pudding is a real treat �

Method

Ingredients 75 g unsalted butter , plus extra for greasing, softened 7 to 8 slices good-quality white bread 100g golden caster sugar , plus 1 heaped tablespoon for sprinkling 1 vanilla pod, halved lengthways and seeds scraped out 4 large free-range eggs 600 ml double cream 600 ml semi-skimmed milk 4 ripe bananas 75 g pecan nuts 100 ml Baileys 100 g dark chocolate (optional)

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Lightly butter the bread on one side, then cut each piece in half diagonally.

Whisk the sugar, vanilla seeds and eggs together in a large bowl until well combined, then pour in the cream and milk and continue whisking until smooth. Peel and roughly slice the bananas, then roughly bash up the pecans and chocolate, (if using). Rub the inside of a baking dish (roughly 25cm x 30cm) with a little butter, then layer up the bread (butter-side up), bananas, pecans and chocolate, finishing with a final layer of bread (again butter-side up). Drizzle over the Baileys and custardy mixture, then leave to stand for around 20 minutes, or until the bread begins to soak up the liquid.

Bake in the hot oven for around 35 minutes, or until set around the edges but still wobbly in the middle. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly, then serve as it is, or sprinkle over the caster sugar and blast with a blowtorch to caramelise the top. Delicious served with good-quality vanilla ice cream. www.jamieoliver.com 54

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Valentines Day

14th February £25 per person Special Gifts for ladies Valentine's Hotel Package available Dinner, Bed & Breakfast Please call us for more info

Pancake/Pudding Night

24th February £16 for a main course and as many desserts/pancakes you can squeeze in

"

"

It’s Valentine's Day this month, which means it’s the perfect time to indulge in somebubbles, we bring you a selection that won’t break the bank

Philippe Michel Cremant du Jura Made in the same way as Champagne, from 100% Chardonnay grapes, this wine has a sophisticated subtlety with stimulating fresh citrus notes and a lovely length, delivering a crisp and zingy finish with floral and brioche notes. £7.49, Aldi

Tapas Night

10th March Celebrate with a 3 course menu, £20 per person.

Pudding Night

17th March £16 per person for a main and as many desserts as you can squeeze in

Mother's Day

26th March Give us a call to see what offers we have to spoil your mum

01234 781678

info@millhouse-riverside.co.uk www.millhouse-riverside.co.uk millhouse_hotel Millhouse Hotel and Riverside Restaurant Mill Road, Sharnbrook, Bedford MK44 1NP

Veuve Monsigny Champagne Brut This blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier has been aged in cellars to enhance its complexity, elegance and length, best served as an aperitif or with light food. £9.99, Aldi

Valdobbiadene Prosecco Spumante Superiore DOCG Enjoy a glass of crisp and dry Prosecco with a slice of cake as an afternoon treat. Light and refreshing with pleasing bubbles, attractive autumn fruits and delicate floral touches makes this an easy drinking bottle of fizz. £6.99, Aldi

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Interiors

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Green

Orla Kiely Large Cushion £42 Amara

Forest

Cubic Clock £25 Cuckooland

Single Stem Vase £1 Wilko

One of the favourite colour palettes for 2017 is green, and these interiors are some of our favourites

Velvet Ombre Cushion £27 Oliver Bonas

Decorative Bowl £5 Wilko

Ten Green Bottles Notice Board £85 Beyond the Fridge

Ben de Lisi Loveseat £450 Debenhams Shore Plant £5 Sainsbury's Home

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Votive Candle £3 Matalan

Cancun Green Cube £119 IN-SPACES

Glass Vase £12 Sainsbury's Home

Fern Picture £50 Laura Ashley

Liberty Rug £230 Debenhams

Morphy Richards Kettle Very

Cube Shelves £25 Very

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Flamingo

Fun

The Flamingo trend is not only fun, bright and beautiful, it is due to gain even more popularity this year

Fenella Smith Flamingo Mug £14.50 John Lewis

Cartwheels and Conkers Flamingo Print £40 John Lewis

Flamingo Doormat £10.50 The Farthing.co.uk

Luxury Cushion £42 Cuckooland.com Flamingo Storage Box £3.95 TK Maxx

Flamingo Cushion £20 John Lewis

Metal Bookends £47 DaWanda Flamingo Stroll Cushion £28.95 Arthouse

Flamingo Dinner Plate £29.50 Percy

Felicity Flamingo Wallpaper £28 John Lewis

Flamingo Salt & Pepper Pots £6.99 TK Maxx

Linea Flamingo Snow Globe £25 House of Fraser

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'You know as well as I do: no-one outfoxes a fox!'

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oggis, Bunce and Bean, three greedy, smelly, horrid farmers hate the cunning Mr Fox.

Mr Fox is smart, clever and rather fantastic, but he doesn’t realise how determined the farmers are to get revenge. Can he hatch a plan to save his family and friends? Can they outrun the diggers and outsmart the farmers? And can Rabbit shut up long enough not to give the game away?

This brand new family show is a playful re-telling of Roald Dahl’s much-loved book; a brilliantly witty tale of the clever Mr Fox outfoxing three greedy farmers, brought to life on stage.

Roald Dahl’s Fantastic Mr Fox is family fun at its finest. A juicy tale of greed, pride and the power of friendship, this flagship production for the Roald Dahl centenary celebrations, promises a dahlicious theatrical feast with live music and songs and gloriumptious designs. A wondercrump treat for the whole family Tues 7th – Sat 11th March Milton Keynes Theatre 0844 8717652 www.atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes

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D

Seeing Red!

aytona and Dino; 250 and F40; GTO and California – names and numbers that, as any self-respecting petrol head will know, can only mean one thing: Ferrari.

This year – 2017 – marks the 70th anniversary of Ferrari road cars, an event that will be marked by an incredible display of 20 of the greatest cars ever to wear the famous Prancing Horse.

The cars, together conservatively valued at more than £120 million, will form one of the major attractions at next month’s eagerly-anticipated London Classic Car Show which runs from 23rd -26th February at ExCeL, London.

Among the greats confirmed are a 275 GTB, 250

California, 250 GT SWB, Daytona, Dino, an F40, 250 Lusso, an Enzo plus a revered 250 GTO, which on its own is worth more than £30 million. The special anniversary showcase is being curated by The London Classic Car Show together with renowned London-based performance car expert Joe Macari.

“With these spectacular machines on display, the centrepiece of the London Classic Car Show will be a veritable ‘red sea’ of Ferraris showing the evolution of the marque over its seven decades,” said event director Bas Bungish.

Classic Ferraris won’t be restricted to the 70th anniversary display either, as single-seaters, sports racers and modern supercars will be representing the marque

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in another of the show’s attractions, The Perfect Ten. Fifty of the world’s most desirable classics under ten headings – saloon, coupé, convertible, sports car, supercar, hatchback, shooting-break, sports racer, streamliner and single-seater – will be paraded along The Grand Avenue, a roadway that runs through the centre of the show. The Grand Avenue allows visitors to see and hear their favourites in action and indoors – no need to brave the elements outside.

New for this year is The Grand Avenue’s Open Paddock, allowing visitors to get even closer to the star cars while another innovation is the Beaulieu Pop-up Autojumble.

Top-class stalls will bring a flavour of the world-famous autojumble to London by selling classic car parts, books and magazines and motoring ephemera.

The Pop-up Autojumble will form part of Car Club Square, where some of the country’s leading one-make clubs will be staging displays of their favourite machines and with club members on hand to discuss the merits of their chosen marque or model.

Now in its third year, the London Classic Car Show is bigger than ever and will have more than 700 stunning classic cars on display, some for sale from leading dealers in the classic world.

And this year it incorporates a second show, Historic Motorsport International (HMI), which is devoted to historic racing and rallying and will include 50th anniversary celebrations for the Ford DFV Grand Prix engine and the birth of Formula Ford.

Entry to the London Classic Car Show incorporates free entry to HMI. Historic Motorsport International will open its’ doors at 12 noon on Thursday, 23rd February while the London Classic Car Show will burst into life at 3pm that afternoon.

Tickets to the 2017 London Classic Car Show/HMI are now available from the show website – thelondonclassiccarshow.co.uk – and start at £24 for single adult entry (£27 on the door on the day).

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Fry’s Footie Corner

I

I am sure they will fancy their chances in a one-off fixture against anybody at Wembley Stadium and a second successive campaign in Europe will be a tremendous achievement for a club that were playing League One football not so long ago.

am writing this column ahead of the closure of the January transfer window, but it does not take a man with a crystal ball to be able to write with some confidence that the final hours were mayhem.

Every club wants to improve their squad and with the restriction of signings throughout the rest of the campaign, managers want to ensure they have cover in all areas of their squad.

In fact with Leicester winning the title last year and Leeds challenging for automatic promotion from the Championship, it really does give teams like Peterborough a boost in our quest to be successful.

Those teams have demonstrated that it can be done to go from next to bottom to the top – Bournemouth are another example.

With Chelsea appearing to run away with the title in the Premier League, a lot of the closest challengers will feel reaching the top four is their silverware. Manchester City, Arsenal, Tottenham and Liverpool will all feel they are in with a realistic chance, while Manchester United have shown a level of consistency in recent weeks and have put themselves back in the picture.

Of course, in today’s modern world you have to live within your means too and that is vitally important to achieve. The second half of the season will be an entertaining one, I have no doubt about that!

Liverpool have faltered somewhat in 2017 and crashed out of the EFL Cup at the semi-final stage with a shock loss to Southampton. The Saints don’t get the credit they deserve as a club, not just for the way they integrate players from the Academy into their first team, but also how they cope with managers leaving and players handing in transfer requests.

Enjoy your football

Barry Fry 68

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1

Check it Out “Whether it’s smart or casual check shirts are a classic choice season after season”

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Blue Check Shirt £32 Debenhams Red Check Shirt £39.95 White Stuff Checked Shirt £22 Next Check Shirt £79 Jaeger Label Lab Dallas Check Shirt £55 House of Fraser Melange Check Shirt £49.95 White Stuff Green Check Shirt £32 Debenhams John Rocha Check Shirt £42 Debenhams

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TRAVEL

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Sunshine and Serenity

Le Jardin des Douars in Morocco at

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After weathering cold winter nights and long dark days, we‘re all feeling the need for a little sunshine, which is really easy if you’re happy to pop on a plane for a 10 hour flight to the Caribbean, but what about somewhere a little closer to home?

We’ve found the perfect place – with temperatures averaging 22C, won’t have you feeling jet lagged for 48 hours, only takes 3 hours from London to get there and you’ll arrive still in the same time zone – The charming little Moroccan port of Essaouira and I couldn’t wait to explore and experience it for myself.

With a busy few months behind us, we decided to visit Essaouira, for a few days of pure relaxation, with a little exploring thrown in. We had found the most perfect retreat for the relaxing part of our trip Le Jardin des Douars a hidden gem (I know a lot of hotels are described as this, but this really was) - the terracotta washed Moroccan palace style buildings set in absolutely stunning gardens was an oasis of calm and tranquility.

Hidden pathways lead us to our room – A Luxe room (on the ground floor) with its own terrace that overlooks the adult only swimming pool and just steps away from the spa. Traditionally Moroccan inside with a comfortable King-sized bed, rugs and candles dotted around, a large beldi style shower in the bathroom and an inviting fireplace (the temperature does drop in the evenings), with a regularly stocked basket of wood all blend together effortlessly to create a real hideaway to enjoy the simpler things in life without any distractions.

Having freshened up, it was time to head over to the main hotel, another example of Moroccan architecture, terracotta pillars, tiled floors,

hidden nooks and crannies, open fires, mosaics and of course more candles. Steps lead down from the hotel to the gorgeous terrace surrounded by more of the beautiful gardens, scattered with wicker sofas with large plush cushions, you could sit here listening and watching the world go by for hours, but we’d come specifically to enjoy a glass of wine (similar prices to the UK) and watch the sunset over the hills, a sight that simply takes your breath away. Nothing is too much trouble for the staff here; they are attentive and always smiling.

Once the sun has gone down the temperature certainly does change so we retired inside to finish our drinks in front of the roaring fire in Le Ksar, sumptuously decorated in red and orange tones, with a large cushioned lounge area in front of the fire (this is Le Jardin des Douars casual dining room) friendly and lively, a great space for adults and children to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner. But as it was just the two of us and it was about getting away from it all we ate dinner in the adults only La Table des Douars – an intimate dining room lit only by small lamps with an assortment of mirrors adorning the walls and cozy nooks. The menu included dishes such as Linguine with courgettes, garden herbs juice, grilled almonds and parmesan - Lamb shanks, pea puree and parmesan chips Crunchy pan seared foie gras and Leek confit with beetroot and cranberry, all of which were beautifully presented and had a definite Moroccan feel with a slight French influence. The ultimate foodie pleasure for me though was the dessert a ‘Tea Gourmand’ (or coffee if you prefer) a cup of tea served with small portions of desserts - I do believe that this little delight is a secret that needs to be shared.

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An evening stroll through the gardens took us back to our room, where we fell asleep surrounded by silence apart from the odd crackle from the fire that we had lit.

Next morning we indulged in a continental breakfast of Moroccan pancakes, breads, home-made jams, cooked eggs, fruit salad and fresh orange juice, as well as tea, coffee and hot chocolate before making our way to the adults-only luxurious and secluded infinity pool for a morning of doing well…..absolutely nothing! With views over the lush Mahgreb landscape, wrought iron day beds, large parasols and silence! It is as if anyone lazing round the pool knows it’s a sanctuary, talking in hushed tones, reading their books, lying on the loungers or just enjoying the warm jade green water of the pool. On the other side of the main hotel, is another pool surrounded by shade-providing olive and argan trees and perfect for families.

That afternoon we headed into Essaouria, using the shuttle service provided by the hotel (there is a charge for this) and 15-minutes later we were strolling along the beach trying to decide where to stop for refreshments. We settled on a chic looking beach fronted café/restaurant where we enjoyed coffee (a Gourmand for me of course), and took pleasure in watching the surfers and the camels having fun on the beach (not together I hasten to add) this area is popular for surfers, thanks to the strong North Easterly winds, and if that’s not enough to tempt you did you know that some scenes from Game of Thrones was filmed here.

Coffees and people/camel watching finished we wandered down to the fishing port to watch the sun go down – not only do the tourists gather here so do a lot of the locals along with their families. Next up is the labyrinth of colourful souks, selling anything from souvenirs to fresh spices along with traditional restaurants serving local specialities and fresh seafood.

A completely different experience than in Marrakech, there is no hassle factor here and making eye contact doesn’t mean you’ll be chased for the next 20 minutes.

This bustling port, with its history, captivating souks, delicious food, endless beaches and glorious sunsets is a joy to wander around.

A stay at Jardin des Douars, wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the spa, where you can enjoy a traditional hammam ritual, as well as many other treatments, you’ll be pampered Moroccan style using products most of them made from Argan oil and suitable for the North African sun.

We spent five tranquil days at Le Jardin des Douars leaving completely refreshed and ready to face the madness that awaited us once back home.

Le Jardin des Douars offers you the best of both worlds, a tranquil retreat within an oasis of lush botanical landscapes that you can enjoy day after day, but if you need just a little hustle and bustle thrown in the mix then the beach/harbour is just 15 minutes away.

BOOK IT

Prices start from £591 for 4 nights in a Luxe Room for 2 people including breakfast.

Flights with Easy Jet direct to Essaouira start from £57.99 return per person *Prices based on a stay in March 2017

www.lesjardinsdesdouars.com

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British and French Luxury Combine

Sofitel St James at

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ondon beckoned us again this month, along with a little shopping (well you can’t come to London and not do a little retail therapy), and the compulsory glass (or two) of Champagne at Searcys Champagne Bar, we were heading to Sofitel St James.

Originally built as the opulent headquarters of Cox and Company Bank in 1923 and now a grade II listed building – Sofitel St James is a 5-star luxury hotel in an exceptional location, just a stones throw from Buckingham Palace, Clarence House, Piccadilly Circus and practically everything else a tourist would want to see when in London.

The hotel blends old and new together effortlessly and has a distinctive French feel about it.

Stepping into the lobby, with its opulent colours adorning the walls, deep red sofas and gold hues dotted around along with beautiful displays of blooming flowers it’s hard to believe this elegant lobby was once a banking hall.

Check in was smooth and efficient, with a welcome drink to sip on whilst filing in the relevant paperwork.

Then it was off to explore our room – a Premium Luxury Room, looking out onto Waterloo Place and the Crimean War Memorial, a perfect vantage spot to people watch.

Dinner is served in The Balcon, a French brasserieinspired restaurant. Airy and bright with flattering lighting, wooden floors and two spiral staircases, which lead up to a wooden balcony (thus The Balcon) overlooking the restaurant. We order a glass of wine to enjoy whilst we browse the menu, a selection of French and traditional British dishes with a twist. Lamb Wellington and Pan Seared Foie Gras arrive as our starters, both were beautifully presented and tasted delicious – the skinned salmon fillet, with mussels, chorizo, grilled cauliflower and chickpeas that followed was an amalgamation of different flavours that proved a real treat and the coast Dover sole Meuniere with potatoes and brown shrimps couldn’t have been fresher.

I opted out of dessert (only because I was too full), but hubbie didn’t let the side down and he chose the apple and quince tart tatin with a port and prune ice cream; this not only looked delightful, but was the perfect end to a French/British dining experience.

Time to retire for the night and see if the Sofitel MyBed™ lived up to its reputation – Yes it certainly did!

It was incredibly comfy and I felt as if I’d been wrapped in my own fluffy cocoon whilst I slept. I could have stayed in bed all morning but word had reached me how good breakfast was.

The room itself was much more modern, though no less luxurious than the rest of the hotel, with high ceilings, dark contemporary décor and furniture with of course a King Size Sofitel MyBed™ (a famous innovative combination of a bed base, mattress and a featherbed, plus a downy soft duvet and generously sized pillows all coming together for a great nights sleep – I’ll let you know if it works later). The bathroom definitely had the French influence with Hermes toiletries, opulent black marble surroundings, a walk in shower and a chequered floor. It was hard to believe that the hustle and bustle of a busy London street was just outside.

Served in The Balcon the smell of homemade pastries and breads greet you as you take your seat amidst food stations that are dispersed around the restaurant – Fruit juices and smoothies, breads and pastries, fruit, yoghurts, meats and cheeses and a hot buffet all have their own spot – you really are spoilt for choice and then there’s the option of ordering something from the menu.

Time for tea I do believe, so we headed down the Rose Lounge with its subtle colours of pink and cream, feature fireplace, book cases full of books and even more gorgeous displays of flowers (this time roses).

Guests can enjoy a traditional afternoon tea, Parisienne pastries, and scones all whilst listening to the relaxing music from the resident harpist. Here is somewhere you could sit and relax for hours, Unfortunately we had a dinner engagement awaiting us so after a freshen up back in our room we headed down to dinner.

BOOK IT

Breakfast here is a truly indulgent treat making it a perfect end to a memorable stay at a hotel that manages to combine English heritage with French hospitality.

Prices start from £434 for a Premium Luxury Room for 2 people including breakfast. Prices start from £348 for a Superior Room for 2 people including breakfast.

*Prices based on a stay in March 2017

www.sofitelstjames.com

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Relaxing on a

River Cruise

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erhaps you like exploring historic cities on mini breaks, or usually you enjoy escorted tours taking you from destination to destination and treating you to a wealth of history and culture, or perhaps you enjoy the exemplary service and the advantage of only unpacking once on an ocean cruise ship. You can enjoy all of this – and more – on a river cruise.

Sailing between destinations along the waterways of Europe and beyond, a river cruise will take you into the heart of charming cities, usually offering some free time to explore, as well as fascinating tours (usually included in the price of the holiday) which give you a deeper insight into the history and culture of the city and region. A much smaller floating hotel than most ocean cruises, a river ship is a floating hotel nonetheless, offering attentive and personalised service, and – of course – there’s no need to unpack between each destination.

River cruising takes the best of all these types of holiday, and offers an enhanced experience.

Although river ships are more constrained in how tall and wide they can be than ocean ships – which can be built to carry in excess of 5,000 people, or just 50 – and you’ll never find a multitude of dining venues and waterslides onboard, you will nonetheless still enjoy sumptuous comfort, stunning views of the changing scenery outside, plus an enhanced emphasis on shore-side experiences, which is arguably where most river cruise lines focus their attention to differentiate themselves. Most river cruise lines will include tours and excursions in

the price, while those that don’t may offer additional excursion packages to allow guests the flexibility to explore both independently and with fellow guests as much as they like. Many river cruise lines will also offer unique and exclusive experiences, such as extravagant dinners in private castles (sometimes hosted by a member of royalty or aristocracy), wine-tastings in vineyards off the beaten track, or after-hours cocktail receptions and visits in museums. Plus, there’s a wide range of ‘themed cruises’ – from gastronomic, wine or beer themed cruises to cycling, or even offering a more in-depth look into specific areas of history, even featuring special guest lecturers.

As river cruising becomes ever popular, there’s even an increasing focus on reaching out to different people, with cruise lines such as ARosa, Tauck, and Uniworld appealing to multi-generational families.

Recently Uniworld announced an industry-first to launch in 2018: river cruises specifically designed with millennials (or people aged 18-40) in mind. So whoever you are, there’s a river cruise out there for you.

There’s so many advantages of a river cruise, the only thing left to decide is: which river first?

BOOK IT!

Contact the experts at Select Travel Holidays, who’ll help you find the ideal river cruise just for you. www.selecttravelholidays.co.uk

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STARS Manish Kumar Arora (K.P. Astrologer, Numerologist, Tarot Card Reader & Vastu Consultant) reveals what’s in store for you this month

Aquarius (20 January – 18 February) The pull between a sense of responsibility to others and your own emotional needs is a strong one this month and many of you will have to make a decision that represents both a beginning and an end. Only you can say where your destiny lies. Affairs of the heart will play a strong part in this month. Dealings with interesting or unusual persons of the opposite sex may play a part for some while creative or spiritual activities and people could play a role for others.

Favourable Dates: February 5, 9, 14, 18, 23, 27 Favourable Colours: White & Yellow

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Pisces (19 February – 20 March) This month brings an expansive period, widening your vision and stimulating you with new ideas about what you can achieve. The support or assistance of friends will be invaluable and you may make fortunate connections or meet with unusual people. Opportunity may come through those you meet. You may expand your activities into other areas of skill or endeavour through the influence of others.

Favourable Dates: February 1, 6, 10, 15, 19, 25 Favourable Colours: Red & Yellow

different, you can feel different.

Favourable Dates: February 4, 6, 13, 15, 22, 24 Favourable Colours: Red & Yellow

Virgo (23 August – 22 September) You may be looking at your career direction with a view to making change. Your responsibilities or obligations could be difficult to manage. You may experience a loss of familiar leisure activities because of a major change of circumstances or commitments. There may be a major domestic change or a new start for some. For others, it may be that interest and enthusiasm for an old situation will be renewed.

Favourable Dates: February 2, 8, 11, 17, 20, 26 Favourable Colours : Blue & Yellow

Aries (21 March – 19 April) This month will bring an increase in responsibility or workload for some while for others there will be a change in the pattern of daily tasks, perhaps brought about by an end, a separation or a new cycle in the family. The month also brings new romance, new ideals and new dreams, yet you can pull the plug on old passions as interest or enthusiasm for the familiar wanes and fades.

Favourable Dates: February 1, 2, 10, 11, 19, 20 Favourable Colours: Blue & White

Libra (23 September – 22 October) This month may bring transformational change. There will be encounters or dramatic events that will shift your life into a new course.. There will be intensity and stress, but many of you will find that extraordinary new possibilities or dimensions will emerge as a consequence of a new sense of destiny. There will be connections with new and different people. which may lead some of you down the romantic path.

Favourable Dates: February 8, 9, 17, 18, 26, 27 Favourable Colours: Blue & Red

Taurus (20 April – 20 May) You will find that you are now able to walk a path you've been preparing for. You may come into new opportunities for travel and movement and will find that some doors will close and new ones will have to be opened. Healthcare or outdoors activity may contribute to your development.

There could be an unexpected expense that may stretch the budget. News may cause you to review your financial situation.

Favourable Dates: February 1, 5, 10, 14, 19, 23 Favourable Colours: Red & Grey

Scorpio (23 October – 21 November) You might be drawn down the path of study, either metaphysical or behavioural. Some might find themselves in the worlds of power or high finance or simply among powerful but challenging people where others will find themselves in a new sector of the community, with new interests and concerns. There could be a problem with joint finances or holdings. Put new regimes of healthcare or selfnurture in place, as and when necessary Favourable Dates: February 4, 5, 13, 14, 22, 23 Favourable Colours: Green & Yellow

Gemini (21 May – 20 June) You may need to find a new kind of emotional life, one that gives you freedom. It will be important that your own sense of purpose and direction doesn't keep taking a back seat to the needs of those around you. The art of compromise will be essential to the process. A new start in romance may come. Creative projects may be subject to delay or blockage. Speculative ventures may not pay expected dividends.

Favourable Dates: February 2, 5, 11, 14, 20, 23 Favourable Colours: Red & Green

Sagittarius (22 November - 21 December) It is time to surge forward in a new direction. Get new ventures or projects underway. Be bold and determined to break new ground. However, you may need to realize it will take time and effort to get things off the ground. If you're looking for the easy road or the quick fix, you'll be disappointed. If you're in for the long haul and set something important and meaningful in motion, you'll be richly rewarded in time.

Favourable Dates: February 3, 7, 12, 16, 21, 25 Favourable Colours : Red & White

Cancer (21 June – 22 July) Communication skills and new ideas are keys that will help to keep your working life on track. New knowledge combined with a good orderly approach and effective health routines will see you flourish and also help to hold at bay any added weight of responsibility that may come from your dealings with partners and close associates.

There may be a rise in status for the partner as opportunity comes and contracts are negotiated.

Favourable Dates: February 7, 9, 16, 18, 25, 27 Favourable Colours: Blue & White Leo (23 July – 22 August) There will be radical shifts with regard to money over this time. Some of you will come into changed fortunes, suddenly or unexpectedly. Some will reach new heights while others will level off. You may be seeking new romance or reviving the romantic flair and flavour with your nearest and dearest. Self-beautification and changes of image may be an important theme for some. If you look

Capricorn ( 22 December – 19 January) You will have an increased workload or a new line of work altogether. This may see you operating in a more solitary capacity than usual It will be important to balance the demands of your work regime with changed requirements in the healthcare department. For those in a relationship, it's time to add zest or interest to your life together. New interests and new social relationships could lift you up and leave you sparkling.

Favourable Dates: February 2, 3, 11, 12, 20, 21 Favourable Colours: Red & Yellow

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manishastroconsultant manish@manishastrologer.com

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A quiet night in...

Get your Sh*t Together by Sarah Knight

Ever find yourself stuck at the office - or even just glued to the couch, when you really want to get out (for once), get to the gym (at last), and get started on that "someday" project you're always putting off? It's time to get your sh*t together.

In The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F*ck, "anti-guru" Sarah Knight introduced readers to the joys of mental decluttering. This book takes you one step further--organizing the f*cks you want and need to give, and cutting through the bullsh*t cycle of self-sabotage to get happy and stay that way.

You'll discover: The Power of Negative Thinking Three simple tools for getting your sh*t together How to spend less and save more Ways to manage anxiety, avoid avoidance, and conquer your fear of failure And tons of other awesome sh*t!

The Founder

Michael Keaton headlines as the man who made McDonald’s the biggest fast-food chain in the world.

It’s the multi-billion dollar fast food corporation that serves, on average, 68 million customers a day in 119 countries across the world. But how did McDonald’s become the world-conquering force it is today? This gripping drama tells the story of Ray Kroc (Michael Keaton), a travelling salesman who turned two brothers' humble hamburger stand into the most successful fast-food brand in the world through a combination of ambition, persistence, and ruthlessness.

This fascinating story comes to the big screen courtesy of writer Robert D. Siegel (The Wrestler) and director John Lee Hancock (Saving Mr Banks).

Release Date: 10th February

Jack Reacher Never Go Back

Jack Reacher returns with his particular brand of justice in this new story; Never Go Back. When Army Major Susan Turner, who heads Reacher's old investigative unit, is arrested for Treason, Reacher will stop at nothing to prove her innocence and to uncover the truth behind a major government conspiracy involving soldiers who are being killed.

Release Date: 27th February

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AFFINITY LUXURY LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

FREE www.affinitymag.co.uk

December2016

Style Edit

Lady of The Manor

Emerald Dreams Think Pink Our favourite fashion pieces for Autumn

DECEMBER 2016

be inspired with our Green Interiors

ISSUE 67

Ginaissance

We try out the latest Gins

a stay at Llangoed Hall will have you feeling like one

October is all about your Breast’s