life! Saturday, January 24, 2009
T he Gazette
in association with
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INTERVIEW: Page 5
FASHION: Page 15
FAMILIES: Pages 16/17
PLUS: Your complete seven-day TV & radio listings
SEVENDAYS
WHIMSICAL COMEDY:
Your complete guide the week’s televis to ion
Anna’s bowing out
U
Anna Friel in Pushing
nless you’ve had bucket of sand your head in a months, you’ll for the past few be aware that bigwigs at the the American studios have been slashing programmes left right. and Unfortunately, the drama Pushing whimsical comedy Daisies (ITV1,
Dasies
Friday, 10pm) Anna Friel was starring Blighty’s own shows to suffer among the big-name better make the the chop. So fans had most of this, second final run. and It follows the fortunes of a young man (Ned) who can the grave with bring people back from one touch. The skill,
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however, comes them again, they’llat a price. If he touches die for ever. This means he has to resurrected love keep his hands off the “Chuck” Charles,of his life, Charlotte played by Friel. puts his ability Ned to good use, working a morally ambivalent with private investigator, Emerson Cod (star Chi McBride), to
crack murder cases by raising and asking them the dead to name their killers. In the second season premiere, goes undercover as a “Bee Girl” Chuck honey-based at a cosmetics their new spokesmodel company after is stung to death, and soon discovers that office politics deadly – literally. are
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24, 2009
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VALKYRIE (12A)
THEMOVIES
View all the latest movie trailers at www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk
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✔ life!
The Nazis are the new rock and roll choice – and it’s a dangerous game for Hollywood to play. German generals hatch a plan to assassinate Adolf Hitler and render the German war machine impotent. Tom Cruise stars as Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, the real-life mastermind behind the plot known as Project Valkyrie. His loyalty has been tested after losing an eye, hand and three fingers in an Allied bombing and he joins the resistance movement for the chance to change history. Rating: Reich or wrong?
FROST/NIXON (15)
UNDERWORLD 3: RISE OF THE LYCANS (15)
Oscar-winning director Ron Howard adapts Peter Morgan’s electrifying battle between Richard Nixon, the disgraced US president and David Frost, then out to make his name in the untold story of the1977 encounter that changed both of them. Reprising their roles from Morgan’s stageplay are Frank Langella, who won a Tony as Nixon, and Michael Sheen, who fully inhabited the part of Frost onstage in London and New York. This re-creates the interview and the weeks of behind-the-scenes manoeuvring between the men as negotiations were struck and deals were made. Rating: Wordygate
This prequel delves into the origins of theblood feud between the aristocratic vampires (Death Dealers) and the barbaric Lycans (werewolves). A young Lycan, Lucian (Michael Sheen - a far cry from his role in Frost/Nixon) emerges as a powerful leader who rallies the werewolves to rise against Viktor (Bill Nighy), the cruel vampire king who has persecuted them for centuries. Lucian is joined by his over, the beautiful vampire Sonja (Rhona Mitra), in a battle to free the Lycans. Rating: Rise and fall
THE WRESTLER (15)
Director Danny Boyle is back on top form and tipped to be back in the Oscar chase with a vivid, moving and exciting mingling of fable, travelogue and social commentary. Skins’ Dev Patel stars as Jamal, an orphan from the slums who has made it to the last question in the subcontinent’s version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. Convinced that he has been cheating, game show host Prem Kumar (Anil Kapoor) goes to painful lengths to prove Jamal is a fake. Rating: Pure delight
In the comeback corner it’s Mickey Rourke as an 80s professional wrestling star. Now, 20 years later, he ekes out a living performing for handfuls of diehard wrestling fans in high school gyms and community centres around New Jersey. Estranged from his daughter and unable to sustain any real relationships, Randy lives for the thrill of the show. But when a heart attack forces him into retirement his sense of identity starts to slip away and he has to choose – the ring or reality, what’s it going to be? Rating: Almost knockout
MILK (15)
DEFIANCE (15)
BEVERLY HILLS CHIHUAHUA (U)
BRIDE WARS (12A)
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (15)
The name’s Bielski....Tuvia Bielski. James Bond actor Daniel Craig rings the changes again, this time emerging as one of three Jewish brothers hiding from the Nazis in the woods of Belarus. It’s a sort of Robin Hood with machine guns as the trio recruit a band of like minded refugees using guerrilla tactics against the occupying army. Last Samurai director Edward Zwick tackles the true story earnestly to dispel the stereotypical image of Holocaust victims – though with a little too much gung ho considering recent world events. Rating: Stirred not shaken
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In this DIsney animation a pampered Beverly Hills Chihuahua named Chloe (voiced by Drew Barrymore) finds herself accidentally lost in the mean streets of Mexico without a day spa or Rodeo Drive boutique anywhere in sight. Now alone for the first time in her spoiled life, she must rely on some unexpected new friends – including a street-hardened German Shepherd named Delgado (Andy Garcia) and an amorous pup named Papi (George Lopez) – to lend her a paw and help her to find her inner strength on their incredible journey back home. Rating: Pretty woof
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Sean Penn rolls out his Oscar intentions. It’s 1972 in San Francisco and the newly out New Yorker Harvey Milk is determined to turn his new home on Castro Street into a gay friendly refuge. As Milk fights overwhelming odds to be elected – and thus become the first openly gay man voted into Californina public office – he realises that his local problem has assumed national significance. Penn dusts off his recent quiet spell to command almost every scene, capturing both the public face and private pain of a man with a mission. Rating: Cream of the crop
Successful lawyer Liv (Kate Hudson) and more subservient teacher Emma (Anne Hathaway) are best friends who since childhood have planned every detail of their respective weddings. At the top of their bridal “must have” list: a ceremony at New York’s ultimate bridal destination, the Plaza Hotel. Now, at age 26, they're both about to get married; they’re about to realize their dreams; and they’re about to live happily ever after. Or maybe not... a clerical error means they're to be married on the same date putting their friendship to the ultimate test. Rating: Chick flick
STARINTERVIEW
5MINUTES WITH
Donal MacIntyre
Michael Sheen reveals how he ended up stalking British talkshow host David Frost for his new movie
D
onal MacIntyre was born in Dublin in 1966. He worked as an investigative journalist on the sports series On the Line and ITV’s World In Action, before making headlines in 1999 when he presented his own series MacIntyre Undercover. Since then, he’s presented numerous other documentary series including MacIntrye’s Underworld, Edge of Existence, Return of the Tribe and Street Crime Live, and hosts a weekly show on Radio Five Live.
P
eople don’t tend to recognise the name Michael Sheen until you mention Tony Blair. Better known for his uncannily life-like impersonation of the former Prime Minister in the 2006 film The Queen, than for his roles in Blood Diamond and Laws Of Attraction, the boyish 39-year-old actor is still trying to break free from Downing Street. He’s managed an escape of sorts in new film Frost/Nixon, where he plays another British institution, Sir David Frost. The film began as a play by Peter Morgan and has already been a hit with stage critics, but will British film audiences admire his portrayal of the much-loved television journalist as much as they adored his Tony Blair? In Frost/Nixon, David Frost is presented as a failing 70s TV personality, desperate to boost his flagging career. In a bid to make his name, he buys the firstever television interview with disgraced ex-president Richard Nixon after the Watergate scandal. Hoping to force an admission of guilt from Nixon and make broadcasting history, Frost takes on the ferocious former president, who has other ideas. Michael says the reaction to the play on London, Broadway and finally on screen, has been extraordinary. “I talked with people who’ve seen the play, and the movie, and they say they get to a certain point and realise they haven’t breathed for a minute. Any story that makes anybody that engaged, well it’s a good sign. We were surprised when we started doing the play that people were on tenterhooks about it. Especially when most people know the outcome.’’ The Welsh actor’s knack for disappearing under the skins of famous men (he played Oscar’s lover in Wilde and Kenneth Williams in Fantabulosa) assured him a safe acting passage to Hollywood. But despite recent roles in Blood Diamond, alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, and Laws of Attraction, starring Pierce Brosnan and Julianne Moore, Michael still hasn’t managed to eclipse the fame of his “real life” characters. Frost/Nixon may change that. Watching his attempts to catch out the former president (Frank Langella), like a precocious puppy taunting a tiger, is utterly
SPARRING PARTNERS: Michael Sheen as David Frost and Frank Langella as Richard Nixon
Nixon and the war of words MOVIE MEN: Michael Sheen with director Ron Howard compelling. Critics say his performance as the tanned, egotistical Frost could win him an Oscar, with the movie already up for five Golden Globe awards. Michael knows he was fortunate to be cast as Frost. Director Ron Howard (A Beautiful Mind and Apollo 13) chose him ahead of established names like Kevin Bacon, Oliver Platt and Sam Rockwell, even though he’d never played a Hollywood lead. Michael, the son of a part-time Jack Nicholson lookalike, says the hardest part of moving the play from stage to film was keeping it real.
FACTFILE
■ Michael is soon to appear in another film written by Frost/Nixon and The Queen scriptwriter Peter Morgan. This time he’ll be playing Brian Clough, the famed footballer turned manager, who once said: “I wouldn’t say I’m the best manager in the business, but I’m in the top one.’’ ■ Not many actors have played former Prime Minister Tony Blair twice; once in the Channel 4 drama The Deal in 2003 and again in the film The Queen, starring Helen Mirren, in 2006. ■ Although Michael missed out on the sequel of the film Underworld, reports are that he’ll be back for the third instalment.
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“The challenge was to play someone who has, on the surface, a superficiality and lightweightness, but to try and get across how much things are unravelling underneath. “On film, I just had to trust that the inner life would get picked up by the camera. Whereas on stage you do a certain amount of projection, more broad strokes.’’ Michael was still a student when he first appeared in a West End production, starring opposite Vanessa Redgrave in When She Dance’. The sprite-like Welshman went on to receive three Laurence Olivier Award stage nominations in four years, before beginning a film career. But the former boyfriend of Kate Beckinsale, with whom he has a daughter, says that growing up in the small town of Port Talbot (also home to Richard Burton and Anthony Hopkins), was the thing that most helped him find the Frost role. “David Frost came from very humble beginnings and the idea of feeling slightly out of your depth is something that’s very strong in this film. “Frost always felt slightly on the outside and that his background was holding him back in some way, in the eyes of other people. That’s something I experienced – going to the big city and having that feeling of: ‘Am I going to be accepted?’’’ “Playing real people is sort of like a tightrope walk. On the one hand, the character exists as the character in this script. But the more research you do, the more you start to feel protective towards the real person. So it’s a balance between responsibility towards the story and responsibility towards the real person.’’ ■ Frost/Nixon was released at cinemas nationwide this weekend
If you had to be stuck in a lift with someone, who would it be? I think I’d probably go for Barack Obama at the moment, although Sarah Palin might be more interesting. What is your biggest fear? The dark and rats. I’m a twin, and my twin knows every single one of my fears from growing up in Ireland in the countryside. We walked to school together from when we were aged four or five, and the roads at night always terrified me. Do you have any superstitions? I tend to wear odd socks in moments of high danger. I’ll grab any socks to hand, whether they are my kids’ or my wife’s, but I do draw the line at tights. When I was growing up we used to carry a St Christopher’s medal for good health and we used to have a rabbit’s foot running around home on a keychain, but beyond that it’s just the odd socks now. If you could have only one song on your iPod, what would it be? For me, Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon and Garfunkel has always been a song that can raise the hairs on the back of my neck. What’s the most expensive thing you’ve bought, not including property? A canoe for around £2,500. At the time, I was competing in world championships for Ireland, and it didn’t make me go any faster, but a lot of my buddies paddled it and it went much faster with them in it than it did with me. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given? Mind the rhubarb. It was some parking advice given to me in Galway – I’m a terrible parker. When was the last time you cried and why? I’m completely pathetic when it comes to funerals. When I go to one, I cannot help feeling and being empathetic with the emotions of everyone around me, because I think when you go to events like that you live and breathe every one of your own losses – not just of loved ones, but of dreams and expectations. What’s your indulgence? It has to be coffee, at all times of the day and night. I’ll work 18 hours a day so long as there’s the occasional coffee. I can sleep on about four cups, not a problem – if anything, it helps me sleep. How environmentally friendly are you? Much better than I used to be. I do all the bottle drops and separation of rubbish, and we have one car when we need two, so I use public transport. How many texts do you send in a day? Maybe 20, but it depends. My phone bill has got much better – when I first arrived at Five, the first month it was £1,500. I was working abroad in India, Burma and Malaysia. Who’s the most famous person in your mobile? It’s probably Louis Walsh or Don Johnson. I know Louis because he’s Irish and we keep meeting in the green room of all these shows, and he’s a very funny, self-deprecating guy. I met Don Johnson in Los Angeles – he’s a friend of a friend.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
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WHAT’SON Fighting breaks out THERE’LL be fighting in the Tower Lounge tonight. But don’t dive for cover – this is all legitimate with a night of Flying High Boxing in the Bank Hey Street venue. With doors at 6pm and first bell at 8pm the event will feature Blackpool’s own Brian Rose with chief support by Jack Arnfield. The night also stars Mathew Askin, Chris Johnson, Carl Dilks and Scott Quigg with the debuts of Kieron Farrel, Terry Flanagan and Nick Quigley.
Stand by to swing
Pride party star line-up
THE annual Blackpool Pride launch party takes place at the Mardi Gras on Talbot Road on Thursday. Guests include Angie Langford as Shania Twain, vocal duo Unique 22, Sharon Wallace plus hostess Stella Artois. There will be a raffle with auction organised by by Roxy and DJ Keiron. Drinks promotions all day from noon until close – open until 3am and admission is free.
DANCE CLASSICS: The Pasadena Roof Orchestra
T
he Pasadena Roof Orchestra celebrates its 40th anniversary at Blackpool Grand Theatre on Sunday. Step into Blackpool’s most beautiful venue and swing with the music that has kept the Pasadena Roof Orchestra on the road since 1969 – an unstoppable mix of swing and hot dance music. For 40 years the UK-based orchestra has delighted audiences all over the world with music that personifies a lust for life, with its infectious beat and wonderful melodies. Swing is much more than a musical genre – its roots lie in the pre-war dance bands, and the roaring 20s which inspired the later big bands. In contrast to many other musical genres, swing has never really gone out of fashion over the decades and the Pasadena Roof Orchestra has played an important role in the recent resurgence of its popularity. When it comes to authentic swing music the orchestra has no equal and performs yearround with a line-up of 11 excellent jazz musicians under band leader and vocalist Duncan Galloway. With a background in theatre and music,
Duncan has been part of the orchestra for more than 10 years. The Pasadena Roof Orchestra was founded in 1969 by the master baker John Arthy – a long time devotee of the 1920s and 30s dance band music. In an old attic the bass and sousaphone player discovered more than 1,000 forgotten arrangements of swing and dance tunes from the 1920s to the 1940s. In autumn 1974 the first album was released and at the beginning of 1975 presented to the world music market at MIDEM in Cannes. The orchestra’s first tour followed. The orchestra is named after the song Home In Pasadena and plays virtuoso interpretations of original arrangements of the 20s and 30s. The repertoire currently comprises over 200 titles of jazz, early swing and dance music from the era. Tickets from £13 are on sale from the Grand Theatre box office. Call (01253) 290190 or book online at www.blackpoolgrand.co.uk Parking is available at a discounted rate at the secure West Street Car Park. Book your parking ticket when you book your show tickets from the box office and you can have parking from 5.30pm until 12.30am for £2.50.
ROUND&ABOUT ●
The Spring season at Lancaster University’s Nuffield Theatre starts on Thursday. There are a number of special commissions and the theatre is also celebrating 20 years of performance company Reckless Sleepers, by presenting one of the best pieces, The Last Supper. The Strange Names Collective will be presenting three “comically nightmarish” performances and there is a triple-bill of fresh work from up-andcoming regional artists in the Live Art North West
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Showcase. In February, the Nuffield is looking forward to the arrival of UK dance company Candoco This season also sees the Nuffield collaborating with its colleagues from Lancaster International Concerts Series in a day-long celebration of the work of composer Steve Reich.
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A new play based on the story of the Lancashire Witches is set to open at The Dukes on Thursday. Sabbat attempts to unravel the mysteries behind one of England’s
Top musicians in concert
FIRST CONCERT:The Calvert/ Turner duo
LYTHAM St Annes Music Circle’s first concert of the New Year will be given by the Calvert-Turner cello/harp duo on Friday. Rowena Calvert (cello) made her debut in the Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh, when only 12. She was a national finalist in the 2002 BBC Young Musician of the Year competition and studied at both the Royal Academy of Music and Royal Northern College of Music, graduating with first class honours. She has taken part in masterclasses with Rostropovich, Steven Isserlis and others. She is in great demand as a soloist and has received many awards. Eleanor Turner (harp) made her concerto debut at the age of 15 with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London and went on to win the 2007 Cardiff European Harp
Competition, her prize being a concert grand harp made by the renowned Italian Salvi company. The duo gave its first concert in 2003 and has a wide repertoire ranging from JS Bach to Saint-Saëns, from Gershwin to Ravi Shankar. Their website, www.calvertturnerduo.co.uk, gives further information The concert takes place at King Edward VII and Queen Mary School, Lytham at 7.30pm. Tickets are £8 for adults (free for school students) and can be obtained from the tourist office in St Annes, Woodlands Gallery in Ansdell, Plackitt & Booth’s bookshop in Lytham or the Violin Shop in Blackpool. Further information from Ron Naylor on (01253) 725155 or from www.concert-diary.com, LocalListOnline.com and www.stannestowncouncil.gov.uk
No plans for a new chapter
T
H
aving celebrated his 60th birthday and being the proud dad of twins born last May, Status Quo guitarist Rick Parfitt admits that time changes everything. Together with fellow Quo founder member Francis Rossi, Rick is celebrating a chart career which started an incredible 40 years ago with Pictures of Matchstick Men. The band is back in Blackpool on Thursday with an Opera House concert postponed from last month after the band’s drummer was taken ill as part of their extended Pictures – 40 Years of Hits tour. Rick says the strongest thing he will be drinking before going on stage will be a good cup of tea. “I’m not admitting getting older but at my age you’ve got to look after yourself,” he says. “I can’t do it with a hangover any more. We need plenty of water and oxygen and not as much heat and sweat.” Some 11 years after having a quadruple heart bypass and less than a year after being given the all-clear from a throat cancer scare, Rick admits he had to brace himself for the latest tour. “Apart from anything else we’ve changed the set around and it takes a lot of brain power to remember what is where,” he says. “There’s material in there we haven’t done for 39 years so it’s not a doddle. “Hopefully there’s something to please everyone – there’s even a bit of hippy trippy – but we won’t be wearing the old tie dyed shirt.” So does it seem like 40 years since the first hit? “ Yes, actually it does,” he admits. “Songs like Matchstick Men and Ice In The Sun reminds you what a long long time ago it was. Someone somewhere has probably added up the gigs – obviously it’s thousands, an indecent amount. Sometimes when we feel like we are our
Having married his third wife in 2006 and become father to twins last May he admits that life on the road might not be that bad after all. “If I’m honest it’s a little bit of a relief being back on the road,” he says. “At least it means I’ll get a good night’s sleep – no crying babies, no bottles to fill. But I do miss them.”
most famous legal trials and imagines the events leading up to the execution of the witches at Lancaster Castle in 1612. Sabbat runs from Thursday to Saturday, February 21. Box office: The Dukes, Moor Lane, Lancaster – (01524) 598500, tickets@dukes-lancaster.org or www.dukes-lancaster.org Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story is back at The Lowry on Salford Quays from Monday. The
show features over 20 of Buddy’s hits including Peggy Sue, That’ll Be The Day, Oh Boy, Rave On, Heartbeat and Raining In My Heart. ■ Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story. Monday to Saturday, evenings at 7.30pm, plus Wednesday and Saturday matinees, 2.30pm. Box office: 0870 787 5793 or www.thelowry.com High School Musical: The Ice Tour gives audiences the chance to re-live the infectious tunes and
●
DUKE’S DIARY
GOING STRONG: Status Quo have been on the road for 40 years
Still rockin’ on the road
own tribute band – but that’s why we change the set around.”
●
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Quo are already planning the next 12 months.
“We aren’t planning on stopping yet – well, not unless someone dies,” says Rick. “It’s a lot of travelling and a lot of shows but we do tend to live in the lap of luxury these days.” ■ Status Quo, Blackpool Opera House – Thursday, January 29. Ticket details, (0844) 856 1111.
memorable choreography of High School Musical, and its sequel High School Musical 2. The show is heading to the Liverpool Echo Arena from Thursday to Saturday followed by the MEN Arena from February 5-8. ■ To book tickets for Liverpool log on to www.accliverpool.com or call the Echo Arena box office on (0844) 8000 400. For Manchester ring (0870) 190 8000 or visit www.men-arena.com
ime was when I’d return from holiday and people would ask where I’d been or if I’d had a good time. These days they tend to inquire: “Have you written that book yet?” What book? I’ve never said I was going to write a book. I’ve never wanted to write a book. I used to write a bit of poetry but it was originally aimed at impressionable young women who volunteered to type up my handwritten meanderings (I stopped when I met The Manager who singularly isn’t impressed by such things). I had another stab at it when I was editing a house magazine in New York and there were occasional spaces to fill just before we went to print. It was never going to make me Poet Laureate but it did the job and helped pay the rent. I also once wrote a one act play but it was based on an idea by Dorothy Parker and I only really did it because I had a crush on the woman I wanted as the leading lady and I liked even more the posters which read “An Evening of One Act plays by Ibsen, Chekhov and Duke.” I have occasionally – and, in fact, quite recently – been asked to ghost write showbusiness autobiographies but, whilst being flattered, there just aren’t the hours in the day – or the night – to knuckle down to such things. I’m not going to bore you with details of what I have to churn out each week from this desk but by the time I get home from here the last thing I want to do is carry on writing. Even the shopping list is a bit of an imposition. It didn’t used to be that way. When I started in journalism there was barely a night when I didn’t write to someone – and they to me. Christmas was the big one. In the days before I was a round Robin myself I’d rattle out an annual round robin of a letter, summing up what we’d achieved in Duke Mansions over the past 12 months. Gradually the letters got shorter, then they became e-mails and now people are lucky to get a text from me (partly because I’ve still not quite mastered the art of it). A couple of my American friends still send an annual missive – but only because their children are going to save the world by speaking every language and discover a cure for every disease – and all before they reach the age of 25. I toyed with resurrecting the habit last Christmas but banned the idea when I realised judging a few talent shows, interviewing The Grumbleweeds (again), reviewing Legends (again) and managing a few short stays in British resorts they’d never heard of (again) just couldn’t compete with white water rafting down (or up) the Amazon. So the chances of writing a whole book seem slim don’t they? A colleague still has a shelf full of rejected manuscripts after years of updating ideas he dreamed up whilst travelling the world. As Snoopy would say: “It was a dark and stormy night ...” robin.duke@blackpoolgazette.co.uk
Saturday, January 24, 2009
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FOOD&DRINK LIQUIDNEWS
Fabulous tipples without alcohol The hot tip for 2009 is Hoppers, a range of ● UK-made ‘soft brews’. Hoppers are made in a brewery using hops and
malt and come in three flavours – apple, citrus and blackcurrant. They taste amazing with a frothy head, a fruity tang and a crisp, clean finish – but are completely alcohol free. Order online at www.juicebrewery.com. They cost £1.30 each, or £12.99 for a case of 12 online. Enter code BGFAA when ordering and you’ll receive free P&P (saving £4.50). If you’re really on a health kick,give yourself ● a headstart with this power-packed recipe from Kenwood. Their Smoothie 2GO (RRP £24.99) is also handy for more lethal cocktails.
JUMPING JACK 1 pear, peeled and cut into chunks, 1 banana, peeled and cut into chunks, 100ml soya milk 75ml yoghurt, 2tsp linseeds Put the pear, banana, linseeds and yoghurt into the Smoothie 2GO and top up with the soy milk. Blend until smooth. Serves one. To celebrate the 250th anniversary of Burns ● Night, Talisker single malt Scotch whisky is hosting the biggest ever
celebration with over 500 Talisker Burns Night at pubs and clubs. Those attending will also have the chance to toast the bard with a limited edition Talisker tipping glass. The nautical themed design allows the glass to tip on its side without spilling a drop. It is estimated more than two million drams of whisky to be drunk on Burns Night tomorrow, and the demand for haggis in England has been so great supermarkets stock it all year round. To find your nearest Talisker Burns Night visit www.taliskerburnsnight.co.uk If you want to lower your alcohol intake, the ● array of lighter options is growing. The neatly named Entwine range offers an
update on that old staple, the spritzer. These low-calorie, low-alcohol drinks mix white wine with pure fruit juice or sparkling water, so they’re also much lower in calories than the real thing. The Bucks Fizz – sparkling wine and Brazilian orange juice – would be good for a recovery brunch, while the Sauvignon Blanc Spritzer makes a light and lively aperitif.
YOURVIEW
MY RESTAURANT CHOICE I have visited several carveries with varying satisfaction. I would like to thank the staff at the Kingfisher carvery in Wesham. Having eaten there on a number of occasions I am delighted with the friendly and helpful service they have delivered on each occasion – Jon Harrison, Nateby Close, St Annes Tell us your favourite restaurant. e-mail life@blackpoolgazette.co.uk
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A
combination of beef and chicken is spiced up with a taste of the orient!
INGREDIENTS
(To serve four) 500g chicken fillet – sliced into four portions 400g fillet steak – sliced into four portions 1 red chilli finely sliced 4 spring onions finely chopped A small piece of fresh ginger grated A small handful of fresh coriander chopped Thai chilli dipping sauce Pinch of sugar Dry sherry or white wine or water
EATINGIN with Helen Crampton
of Le Bistro, Cleveleys
BEEFANDCHICKENWITH CHILLIGINGER ANDCORIANDER Olive oil Seasoning
METHOD
Add olive oil to frying pan and add the chicken breast and gently fry until cooked then add the fillet steak, searing on both sides. Add vegetables, dipping sauce and sugar. After a few minutes add the sherry/wine or water, add the coriander and add seasoning to your taste. When the fillet steak is cooked to your choice, serve with fresh noodles or green vegetables. To start: Butternut squash, carrot and red pepper soup To finish: Exotic fruit salad and coconut ice cream To drink: Carmenere 2005 Classic Reserve Vina Leyda Chile. To book: 853144
FOODEXTRA
Mushrooms can help you to shape up NEW research shows that mushrooms are an effective diet aid. The principle is simple: swap meat with mushrooms for four meals a week, and watch the weight slip away. Despite being much lower in calories, mushrooms are still tasty and filling, so you won’t be left hankering after sinful snacks later in the day. The Mushroom Bureau has commissioned UK dietician Sarah Schenker to come up with a healthy eating plan based on swapping meat for mushrooms in a number of popular recipes, with a daily limit of 1550 calories a day. See www.mushroom-uk.com for more information. Here’s a delicious recipe to help you find more room for fungi in your life.
MOROCCAN MUSHROOMS
This exotic dish is simple to prepare. The combination of chickpeas and mushrooms
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make it a satisfying feed. Serves 4 177 kcal and 9.4g fat per portion 30ml/2tbsp vegetable oil
1 red onion, sliced 450g/1lb mixed open and closed cup mushrooms 1 (400g) can chickpeas, drained 1 (400g) can chopped tomatoes 45ml/3tbsp harissa paste grated zest and juice of 1 lemon 45ml/3tbsp chopped flat parsley couscous to serve Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the onion and saute over a medium heat for four minutes. Add the mushrooms and saute for a further five minutes until the mushrooms are browned. Stir in the chickpeas, tomatoes, harissa paste and lemon juice. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for eight minutes. Remove the lid and season to taste. Mix the lemon zest and parsley together. Serve the mushrooms with couscous and a scattering of the lemon and parsley.
FOOD&DRINK
EATINGOUT
WINECORNER
by Jacqueline Morley
The Med, Blackpool
L
W
hen the midwinter temperature plunged below zero and the festivities were almost over, it was time for a taste of The Med. This long-established restaurant with a difference offers a warm welcome with Mediterranean as well as Greek cuisine. The difference is in the range of choice. We relaxed on a sofa in the cosy bar overlooking the town centre and studied what was on offer. There was Greek village music in the background and I enjoyed a bottle of Keo beer from Cyprus, while my wife sampled the Italian house rosé (£5.50 together). As well as Greek dishes, The Med offers French, Italian and English choices. There was an exceptionally wide range of starters on offer but, knowing the generous portions, we decided to share a new one to us. This was Sanagopitta (£5.25) which turned out to be fairly large, deep-fried filo parcels of spinach and Address: The Med feta cheese, served with a 21A Church Street, salad. We could have done Blackpool with more feta, but the Tel: (01253) 622936 pastry was delightfully light Open: Daily 5-10.30pm, and the whole dish closed Tues refreshed the tastebuds Booking: Not always perfectly. necessary By now we were seated at a Parking: Multi-storey car large windowside table in park opposite the heart of the restaurant, Cards: Most which is spacious but Vegetarian: Yes cleverly divided into areas Disabled: First floor dining and richly decorated. An Extras: Early bird offers, open-plan kitchen at the far Greek party nights in end brings a lively upstairs function suite atmosphere and service Children: Separate was impeccable from the menu experienced, international Value for money: 9/10 staff. Life! Rating: 9/10 For main courses, I had been tempted by the seafood specials which included sea bass, halibut and Dover meat rissoles; koupepia, vine leaves sole. I also knew of The Med’s stuffed with mince and rice; dolmathes, reputation for excellent beef steaks but, stuffed pepper, and a kebab of tender, in the end, it was a taste of the Greek charcoal-grilled pork with mushrooms. islands I longed for. Here there were Across the table, my wife opted for a many favourite choices too: the huge French favourite, steak Diane (£16.95). kleftiko lamb on the bone, or rich tavas This was battened slices of tenderised beef casserole, for examples. The most sirloin in a rich sauce of mushroom, onions, convenient answer turned out to be the tomatoes, red wine, brandy and cream, Med Special Platter (£12.95) with its served with delightful sauté potatoes with selection of dishes. finely chopped fried onions and a portion I particularly enjoyed my bowl of of (also rather under-cheesed) cauliflower moussaka with its layers of aubergines, mornay (£2.50) – overall, a rich and potatoes and savoury minced beef all delicious reminder of the best of topped with white cheese sauce – Mediterranean cuisine. outstandingly tasty. Other delights on If you have the time to make the most of the platter included keftedes, spicy that laid-back Med atmosphere, there are
FACTFILE
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up to 12-course feasts for two to enjoy, but the restaurant is also handy for the Grand Theatre and we were heading for a show. Fortunately, there was still time for dessert (£3.95 each). We opted for a banana fritter, lightly battered and served with honey and vanilla ice-cream, and a delightfully tasty Greek baklava of filo pastry with almonds and honey. To finish, back in the comfortable bar/reception, we had a filter coffee and an excellent liqueur coffee. My total bill was £55 – not bad for a taste of The Med in mid-winter Blackpool.
Roy Edmonds
et’s raise a glass to those who keep us smiling through the tears and fears of recession and ensure others still get a fair deal too. Fairtrade Fortnight starts next month but why wait that long? The world’s first Fairtrade wine, Thandi, is handy right now – top quality wines which are easy on the palate and the conscience. Thandi Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc Semillon, Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot and Pinot Noir are all award winners too. Thandi’s a Xhosa word meaning “nurturing love” and the range helps lift and empower previously disadvantaged people in South Africa, ploughing profits back into projects such as a creche for workers’ children and basic adult education, among other things. Thandi Chardonnay (pictured) is lightly oaked and buttery in texture, bursting with citrus, orange blossom and vanilla flavours. Serve well chilled and enjoy with dishes such as roast lemon-herb chicken (as featured in the Fairtrade Everyday Cookbook, consultant Ed Sophie Grigson Dorling Kindersley £16.99). The wine’s cheaper – £6.99 at Tesco. Try last year’s Veritas bronze award winner, Thandi Sauvignon Blanc Semillon, for delicacy of asparagus and green pepper flavours, tempered with touches of passion fruit – fantastic when served with fish dishes and a wedge of lime to match the citrus notes, or as a slightly acidic foil to the richness of a risotto. Thandi Sauvignon Semillon retails at £5.49 and is available from top ethical foodie store www. ethicalsuperstore.com. Same price and stockist for red wine lovers, with Thandi Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot’s mouth-watering blend of cassis and red berry flavours. My favourite? Thandi Pinot Noir, deliciously smooth with bright cherry fruit flavours, a good match for turkey or slow roasted pork, £7.99 at selected independents. WHAT’S NEW: Looking for divine inspiration? Then sink into a glass of d:vine, a new range of wines from leading German cooperative producer Moselland, whose modern, stylish look is designed to liven up the Germany section of the supermarket shelves. This d:vine Pinot Grigio (pictured) is fairly fabulous for the price, £4.98 at Asda. It’s selected from member growers from the region which sounds like a sneeze, Pfalz (bless you), where the warm, dry climate, dubbed the Toscana of Germany, give the varietal a fresh elegance of form, and greater complexity than some Italian counterparts. Grape travel time has been reduced too, which helps keep the freshness, and acidity, and with no oak ageing (hurrah to that) you get a bright, fruity bouquet, hitting just the right spot with food.
Don’t forget to send your booze news, clubs, favourite finds, swigs and tips to jacqui.morley@blackpoolgazette. co.uk
Saturday, January 24, 2009
life!
9
TIMEOUT NEW FICTION THE SECRET LIFE OF EVIE HAMILTON
Catherine Alliot
In literary Oxford, our scatty heroine, Evie, is suffering from a minor inferiority complex. Her life seems to be a series of self-confidence tests – her resentful sister-in-law, her stepmother and even her intelligent daughter. Her husband, Ant, is not the most reliable of men. Evie’s world is turned upside choice down by the news that Ant has a teenage daughter from a pre-marital affair, which provokes a tumultuous re-arrangement of Evie’s world. This funny, if slightly cloying book, is entirely character driven. Squabbles, petty jealousies, and misdemeanours litter Evie’s journey through insecurity. And despite tragic content, the tone never strays from fluffy fun. Michael Joseph, £12.99
✔ life!
INHUMAN REMAINS Quintin Jardine
After years of acting as partner and sometime wife to Oz Blackstone, Primavera Blackstone is striking out on her own. Oz has died of natural causes and Prim is living a life of ease in Spain with their son Tom. But her peace is shattered with the arrival of indomitable Auntie Ade, who is worried about the disappearance of her only son Frank, a loveable rogue who has done time for fraud but has supposedly turned over a new leaf. A reluctant Prim is press-ganged into looking for him. But when her Aunt goes missing too, the former sleuth’s assistant needs all her ingenuity to solve the mystery. Headline, £12.99
NEW NON-FICTION LOVE JUNKIE Rachel Resnick
This is like watching someone washing their trashy lingerie in public. It’s impossible not to stare, although you know it’s wrong. Los Angeles-based Resnick piles on the misery in this honest confession of disturbing sexual encounters, begging emails to lovers and a miserable childhood spent as the daughter of an alcoholic, sex-obsessed single mother. A self-confessed exhibitionist,
YOURVIEW
BOOKS
at times you sense that she’s revelling in the shock factor of her prose. But you can easily sympathise with her addiction to love – and the wrong kind of men – when she writes about her mother’s death at 14, and the families she had to stay with, because her father’s new wife was jealous of their relationship. There is real emotion in the tender passages about her parents. Bloomsbury, £10.99
CHILDREN’S CHOICE THE LOST ISLAND OF TAMARIND Nadia Aguiar
Thirteen-year-old Maya Nelson has spent her whole life living at sea with her marine biologist parents. When a violent storm erupts and Maya’s parents are washed overboard, life becomes anything but normal. The children manage to steer the boat towards the Island of Tamarind, which is beautiful and dangerous. Pirates patrol the waters, the islanders are at war and the king of the jungle is an evil child-stealer. This book is a terrific adventure story and a great page-turner. Puffin, £5.99
PAPERBACK CHOICE THE HEROINES Eileen Favorite
Described as ‘a chance to see Scarlett O’Hara and Emma Bovary off duty’ this lovely novel is set in a boarding house, where female literary heroines have a habit of taking refuge when their story lines take a turn for the worse – to the distress of the owners. Arrow, £7.99
NEWDVDs DVD: TROPIC THUNDER INEPT British director Damien Cockburn (Steve Coogan) watches in horror as his big budget war movie, penned by Vietnam vet John ‘Four Leaf’ Tayback (Nick Nolte), spirals out of control. With obnoxious producer Les Grossman (Tom Cruise) on his back, Damien takes extreme action. He strands his pampered stars – Tugg Speedman (Ben Stiller), Jeff Portnoy (Jack Black), Kirk Lazarus (Robert Downey Jr), Kevin Sandusky (Jay Baruchel) and rapper Alpa Chino (Brandon T Jackson) – in the jungle, hoping to capture the raw fear as they battle the elements for real. Unfortunately, the actors stumble into the domain of a bona fide drug lord (Soo Hoo). Life imitates art imitates life as the cast takes on a well-armed militia with only prop weapons and method acting to save them. Ben Stiller’s latest directorial offering unites some of Hollywood’s finest comic talents in a slam-bang satire of war epics including Apocalypse Now, Platoon and Full Metal Jacket. Tropic Thunder promises so much but fails to deliver, burdened with a flimsy screenplay and an irritating turn from Black as a jittery heroin
War film backfires on stars addict, who attempts to go cold turkey by asking his co-stars to tie him to a tree. The pre-film frolics – a fake advertisement for an energy drink called Booty Sweat and a trio of bogus trailers – are hysterical, making the main feature seem dull in comparison. Stiller plies his usual shtick while Downey Jr steals every scene as the blond, blue-eyed Australian thesp. An Oscar nomination would be deserved. (Cert 15, 102 mins, Paramount Home Entertainment, Comedy/Action, DVD £19.99/three-disc DVD £26.99/Blu-ray £26.99)
ON THE MARCH: Stars in the jungle
MUSIC
BOOKCLUB CHOICE 20 FRAGMENTS OF A RAVENOUS YOUTH Xiaolu
A new novel from an Orange Prize shortlisted author who writes about growing up in modern day China. Heroine Fenfang has travelled 1,800 miles to seek her fortune in Beijing and has no intention of returning to the sweet potato fields back home. Vintage, £7.99
THE LAST BOOK I READ
Katie Price’s Angel. It was a really good read and I didn’t expect this from the former glamour model. The story is about an aspiring model overcoming troubles in the industry – Jenna Hickson, 19, from Blackpool Tell us about your favourite read. e-mail life@blackpoolgazette.co.uk
10 life! LOGON www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk
TO LOSE MY LIFE
PAINT IT GOLD
THE ANTHEMS 2009
Having been pipped by Blackpool’s own Little Boots in the BBC ones to watch list this trio of former school friends who were previously called Fear Of Flying have a point to make. It’s a new name and new style but they are about as cheerful as an estate agent – nodding to the doomier end of Joy Division and Interpol with a retro touch of Tears For Fears for good measure. Good vocals though and catch the singles To Lose My Life and Death. Fiction Records
Adopting a stance somewhere between Siouxsie Sue and Suzie Quatro, Elena is a guitar toting, band fronting rock diva with an independent stance which has kept her outside of the mainstream since signing to this label almost four years ago. This isn’t going to improve her or their chances of filling stadiums but it’s one of that rare breed of record which takes on a new depth with each new listening. Debut single Pink Punk should have done more and the title track’s a grower too. Delicious Records
Not so much anything to do with 2009, this is simply the latest volume in the big selling annual series taking you back to the sounds and bands you saw or missed at last year’s festivals and major concerts. Hanging onto their space are The Dandy Warhols with the now classic Bohemian Like You and Edwyn Collins with A Girl LIke You, entering stage left are Frankmusik and 3 Little Words, and Glasvegas’ gem Daddy Gone. Elsewhere are The Killers, The Ting Tings. UMTV
White Lies
Elena
Various
TIMEOUT
GAMESGEAR
THE DVD RENTAL TOP 10 1 (1) Hancock 2 (-) Pineapple Express 3 (3) The Dark Knight 4 (4) Wall-E 5 (9) Hellboy 2: The Golden Army 6 (2) The Mummy Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor 7 (-) X Files, The - I Want To Believe 8 (7) Wanted 9 (6) Babylon A.D. 10 (-) The Chronicles Of Narnia - Prince Caspian
■ Chart supplied by www.block buster.co.uk
JUNGLE ADVENTURE: A scene from Tropic Thunder
OTHERDVDS
COLLEGE ROAD TRIP
Chief of police James Porter (Martin Lawrence) is a control freak and wraps his daughter Melanie (Raven-Symone) in cotton woo. James takes an active interest in selecting Melanie’s university, earmarking nearby Northwestern. But his 17-year-old daughter has her heart set on pre-law at Georgetown and lands an admissions interview. James insists on driving his little girl to the campus. Unfortunately the
LORD OF THE RINGS: CONQUEST Xbox 360
Lord of the Rings never fails to set the gaming fraternity’s collective pulse racing when details of a new release are made available. Conquest takes an easily accessible action/adventure slant on the many battles played out in the three films to hook fans of Tolkien’s epic work once again. The reward for completing a fantastically engaging heroic campaign is unlocking the evil one, which plays out the scenario of the ring falling into Sauron’s hands - a devilishly enjoyable experience. Crisp graphics, atmospheric sound and an easy to pick up and play control system make this the best next-gen hack’n’slash that 2009 has offered up so far. 4/5 £49.99
TOMB RAIDER: UNDERWORLD wheels quite literally come off the road trip, (Cert U, 79 mins, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, Comedy, DVD £13.99)
FLY ME TO THE MOON 3D In the summer of ’69, intrepid housefly Nat (voiced by Trevor Gagnon) and his best friends Scooter (David Gore) and IQ (Philip Daniel Bolden) yearn for excitement. Unfortunately, Nat’s
mother (Ripa) tends to smother him. Inspired by the antics of his globetrotting grandpa (Christopher Lloyd), who had a close encounter with Amelia Earhart’s mucus, Nat encourages Scooter and IQ to join him on the voyage of a lifetime by hitching a ride inside the helmets of Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins. (Cert U, 81 mins, Momentum Pictures Home Entertainment, Family/Comedy/Action, DVD £15.99)
PS2
It’s good to report that Tomb Raider: Underworld is an equally impressive return to form for Lara Croft on PS2, as she embarks on an incredible journey around the world to uncover the secrets of a forgotten power. Lara feels totally re-invigorated, with a wealth of new acrobatic abilities and weaponry to tackle the treacherous landscapes of Thailand, the Arctic sea and Mexico, to name but three. The graphics were never going to match its next-gen counterparts, yet the environments still cleverly hide a host of devised puzzles to tackle. You know you have a surefire winner here. 4/5 £29.99
MIRROR’S EDGE PC
SWIM
MOPPING UP KARMA
MAKIN’ WHOOPEE
Prediction – 103 will be one of the most under-rated eminently listenable songs of the year. With the choice joint timeless vocals of Morgan Nagler and Vanessa Corbala and bluesy guitar and bass backing these are not easy to categorise – unless you’ve got a rare copy of The Mugwumps debut and feel these could be their surrogate grandchildren. Acony
Bigger in the USA than her birthplace of Wales, Owen is one of those hard-to-categorise singer songwriters who develop a firm cult following. Number one fan is Richard Thompson who is bringing her to the UK for his 1,000 Years of Popular Music project. Vocally she has a touch of T’Pau’s Carol Decker but stylistically she’s equally at home with lounge pop as she is with big production rock. Courgette Records
Honey I’m home and I’ve bought you some tracks by John Coltrane, Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus and the Modern Jazz Quartet. Not recommended as a Valentine’s gift unless you really know your partner well but if they like Dr John with Rickie Lee Jones singing the title track of this impressive double CD collection and can tell you who made the original version of Birds and the Bees – sung here by Rufus Thomas – then propose at once. Rhino UK
The Whispertown 2000
✔
life!
Judith Owen
YOURVIEW e-mail life@blackpoolgazette.co.uk
Various
This is no ordinary first person title – let’s make that very clear from the outset. That alone should send you shooting to the shops to snap up this instant classic from EA. As Faith, a ‘Runner’ in a world where communication channels are highly monitored and the movement of information is closely watched, you’re launched into a career as one of these high-octane adrenalinpumping couriers. From the off, you’ll see first-hand how the incredible perspective and pace of movement push this game to the limits, as you find yourself on the
NEW RELEASE: Lord of the Rings: Conquest edge of the city, on the wrong side of the law, and out to discover the truth behind your sister’s wrongful framing for murder. 4/5 £34.99
JEEP THRILLS Wii
Some games should never have made it out of the developer’s studio and Jeep Thrills on PS2 was one of them. What’s all the more shocking is that it has been sit fit to transform to Wii and nearly all of the flaws that held this game back first time round, arise again. Slow, repetitive and poorly presented, this can hardly be classed as a racer, such is the pedestrian pace of proceedings. 2/5 £19.99
LOST IN BLUE 3 Nintendo DS
Lost on a desert island, with all the exotic trappings such an experience entails, the third installment of the Lost in Blue series has you guiding one of two stranded characters, each with their own personal history, through the mysterious isle, surviving the elements to stay alive. You’ll need to work cooperatively with other characters to gather food, explore the island and hunt dangerous wildlife, and by completing one character’s storyline you will unlock the storylines of two additional characters, allowing you to explore the island in different ways, experience new storylines, and uncover different endings. That’s a decent reward for fans of the series, but the whole feel and gameplay of this is remarkably similar to the first two, so you may find your patience tested. A decent adventure nonetheless. 3/5 £29.99
WEBSITE A fun experiment was the Real Snail Mail project (www.boredomresearch.net/rsm/). Real snails were fitted with tiny RFID chips on their shells, and placed in a luxurious tank full of food and things to slime on. You can send anyone you like an email via snail mail; it will be carried on a snail’s chip from the moment the snail touches a tiny RFID contact, and until it touches a matching contact on the other side of the tank. Just don’t expect them to see it in a hurry.
BROWSING AROUND
■ io9, an excellent blog about science fiction www.io9.com ■ Hilarious re-creation of Garfield, minus Garfield garfieldminusgarfield.net
Saturday, January 24, 2009
life! 11
WELLBEING
How to get a grip on your money SPENDING WELL
Ask most women what’s the best therapy for the blues and alongside chocolate and icecream, shopping will probably feature large on the list. But in these credit crunch times – when restraint rather than extravagance is the order of the day – shopping could have just the opposite effect on our well-being. All those “must have buys”, treats you “deserve” because of a bad week at work or a relationship split, can stretch an already overstretched budget to breaking point resulting in real stress and anxiety when bills roll in. Lifestyle expert and broadcaster, Jay Hunt, understands only too well the feeling of panic at seeing frightening bank statements and the often hopeless struggle to curb splurges and tackle debt. “Debts can creep up on you over a number of years,’’ she says. “My money problems happened in the ’80s when I was working in television with a lot of high earning glamorous people who thought nothing of eating out all the time, buying designer clothes and generally being extravagant. “I was so seduced by their lifestyle I copied their spending habits even though I couldn’t afford to.’’ Losing her job and finding her debt totalled £40,000 was a turning point. After five years – working seven days a week in two jobs and living on an often painfully tight budget – she cleared it and in so doing changed her relationship with money, as well as discovering a huge variety of ways to save instead of spend. Now she’s co-written a new practical fivestep plan to tackling money problems, Spendsmart (Piatkus, £10.99, available February 5) which draws on her personal experience and also on working as a copresenter on BBC’s Spendaholics, where individuals in debt are helped to overcome their problems. “Too many people just try in an unstructured way to ‘cut back’ their spending which rarely works,’’ Jay, 43, explains. “Rather like dieting where you really need to understand what makes you constantly go to the fridge, you also need to analyse what compels you to spend more than you can afford.’’ First: face up to the extent of your debt, then analyse the emotions that may lie behind the overspending, she advises. “The answer will probably surprise you and may have nothing to do with wanting the
DON’T PANIC: Jay Hunt and Benjamin Fry have advice to put you on the financial straight and narrow (left)
NEW YEAR WELL
goods you buy, but more the feelings that shopping helps you cope with or block out.’’ Then, she suggests a “detox” week, living on the minimum amount possible, to help you identify what you miss having or buying and what you can easily do without. “It’s so easy to waste money without even realising it just because it’s a habit, for instance buying take-away coffees or always picking up ‘extras’ in the garage shop or supermarket while you queue at the checkout. Those non-essentials can add up to a significant amount over a year,’’ she points out. The book, co-written with psychotherapist Benjamin Fry, includes – as well as a strategy to overhaul spending – a host of simple money saving suggestions, ranging from letting a spare room to the best websites offering money saving coupons, and easy tips on avoiding budget-busting temptations. “I know what that adrenalin rush is like when you see something that you know you can’t afford but really, really want,’’ Jay says. “It’s addictive but I also know that when you buy something you can’t afford, that feelgood high evaporates as soon as you’ve left the shop. “By contrast, the feeling of being in control of your money and your life is so much better and longer lasting!’’
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Former Spice Girl Emma Bunton (below) reveals her health and wellbeing resolutions. Unlike some of her fellow Spice Girls whose figures have yo-yoed, the 32-year-old has kept her toned size 10 body. “Although I’ve always been curvy and I like it that way, I do make sure I train three times a week in the gym, and my New Year resolution is to keep that up.’’ As the proud mother of 18-month-old son, Beau, by her long term boyfriend, musician Jade Jones, she says following a daily routine for her son helps her to be more disciplined about her fitness regime. “Before he was born I was terrible at sticking at things but as I’ve got older and become a mother it’s got easier,’’ Emma says. Breastfeeding her son and regular dancing sessions enabled her to lose her post baby weight and she says: “I didn’t want to follow a
strict diet after the birth so instead I’ve gradually shed the pounds by just getting the right nutrients, but by having smaller portions. “I’m quite used to that amount of food now and if I feel hungry I generally snack on fruit.’’ But she does confess that an occasional glass of champagne, crisps, and chocolate are her temptations. Emma laughs: “For me a diet without chocolate is never going to work – there are some things you can’t deny yourself!’’ She now aims to protect her health and well-being by starting the day with breakfast – usually camomile tea and wholemeal toast often with boiled eggs, followed by fruit. Emma, who’s launched the Hovis Wholemeal Challenge campaign to encourage people to switch to that instead of white bread, says: “I was never a breakfast person, but now my motto is ‘start the day right’. “I used to have horrible energy dips but I’ve discovered wholemeal and wholegrain make you feel more full for longer, give you energy, and having those breads instead of sweet, starchy white bread also stops me reaching for snacks like biscuits!’’
HEALTH&BEAUTY
Detox delights
SHAPINGUP
Emma Harris, Gazette health writer and qualified gym instructor, with her weekly look at staying healthy THE BIG QUESTION I have been watching Dancing on Ice on television and thought it looked like good exercise. Can you tell me about the fitness and health benefits?
Skin helper: Breakouts and dry patches are all too common at this time of year so boost your usual cleansing routine with a mask and - shock horror leave your face make-up free whenever you can to give your pores a break. Try Aveda Deep Cleansing Herbal Clay Masque, £24.47 (www.aveda.co.uk); Hair rehab: We’re all guilty of piling on the hair products during the festive season. Hairspray, serums and backcombing may have resulted in a January bird’s nest style so give your hair the equivalent of a workout with a detox. Try Toni & Guy Detox Shampoo, £5 (Boots).
G
iving our skin and hair a much-needed beauty breather at the start of the year is a blessing in disguise for the months ahead.
Ice-skating is good exercise. You get a good cardio-vascular work-out, for your heart and lungs and burn calories so it could help with weight management if you do it regularly. It’s also good for toning and shaping the legs as it uses all the major leg muscles and of course, the muscles in your bum! It will help develop strength in your legs too. It’s good for developing core strength – that’s the deep stabilising muscles around the centre of your body, your mid-section – as this is what helps you balance. Your balance and coordination will also improve through iceskating, as will joint stability and your flexibility. It’s also great for emotional well-being and can be a brilliant exercise to do socially as well. Enjoy!
Glossy hair, glowing skin and a spring in your step, anyone? Let’s show those science boffins just what a beauty detox can really do! African tonic: Bring a touch of African sunshine and magic into your beauty routine with Africology Slimming Detox Cream. Africology is an anti-ageing skin care system with 100 per cent natural plant extracts that capture the healing essences of Africa. Slimming Detox Cream (left), £31 (01277 634 938)
Body blitz: Skip the twominute shower and put a little TLC into your bathing and skincare routines. Regular bathing is essential to detoxification as it helps to clean the skin of the toxins it has released as well as opening up the pores. Saunas can also help. Try Champneys Aqua Therapy Recharging Bath Tonic (above), £8 (www.champneys.co.uk).
Purity cuppa: Try Dr Stuart’s Skin Purify Herbal Tea (right), £1.99, for cleansing from within. (01903 740 530/www. drstuarts.com).
EXPERTVIEW
GREEN TEA
BEAUTY TIP
Use moisturiser every day. Before leaving the house in the morning, apply a moisturiser with a 15 to 30 SPF. At night, before bed, apply a thick moisturiser to
soothe your skin after a day of damaging cold air – Blackpool-based beauty expert Sue Simpson
Let us have your beauty tip. e-mail life@blackpoolgazette.co.uk
YOURVIEW e-mail life@blackpoolgazette.co.uk
A cup of green tea a day will help keep your heart healthy, according to new research. The herbal drink is already known for its anti-cancer properties, and now research shows that drinking it also increases blood flow, which helps keep the heart in good condition. The tea apparently widens arteries, reducing the risk of blood clots. This is the first time it’s been proved to have short-term benefits.
TICK TOCK
Women who delay motherhood until their mid-30s are often aware of their biological clock, but now it seems men should also be aware of the ticking. Men have been found to suffer from decreased fertility from their mid-30s, with new research indicating that delaying fatherhood can substantially increase the risk of fertility problems.
AMAZING AVOCADOS
Packed with antioxidants, potassium, vitamins and good fats, avocados are a dream superfood and a complete meal in one natural package. They’re good for anything from skin breakouts to sexual problems, stress to heart disease, so pick up some next time you’re in the supermarket.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
life! 13
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FASHION&STYLE
Get in gear
MOVIE MAGIC: If the stunning costumes worn by Nicole Kidman in Baz Luhrmann’s blockbuster Australia have given you designs on a new look, award winning Catherine Martin has designed her first collection for the country’s leading outdoor brand, R.M.Williams. Martin, who created the costumes for her movie moghul husband’s latest offering, has designed a 21-piece collection of readyto-wear women’s wear and accessories. The collection is a combination of 1930s inspiration and authentic, traditional R.M.Williams finishing, updated for 2009. Pictured is the pale pink and sand Berry Springs Blouse – £369. From www.rmwilliams.com
GOODBUYS
Enjoy window shopping with life! in our weekly guide to tempting offers
I
f your enthusiasm for your new health regime is starting to flag, new fitness gear can provide just the motivation you need to pound the pavements, hit the pool or tackle the gym! Workout wonders: You’ll be jumping for joy in this cool gear from JD Sport. Mesh vest, from £17.99, cropped ruch pants, from £24.99.
Super shades: Brighten up monotonous cardio and weights routines with zingy citrus or jewel-like shades to inject some positivity into your workout. The canary yellow dance tee (below left) is from £9.99, and dance shorts from £12.99 at JD Sports. Chill out: Love the feeling of fresh air on your face? Don’t let the cold weather put you off pounding the streets. Techno
fibres will keep chills at bay for outdoor running. Try Casall wind breaker vest (second left), £59 ( 0207 357 7307/www.casall.co.uk). Pilates people: You don’t have to break into an unsightly sweat to tone up. Make like Madonna and Gwyneth and fashion your body into some serious yoga or Pilates poses in unrestrictive styles.
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This combo (second right) is from Sweaty Betty, the Karma pant, £25 and Hatha hoodie, £30 (www.sweatybetty.com) Style call: Work out in style with performance wear from Ellie Gray (below right). Tank top, £15 and roll waist crop pant, £22; cropped top, £15 and roll waist crop pant, £22; loose fit tee, £15 and black crop pant, £15. (www.elliegray.com)
ONE TO WATCH: The uber cool gadget Watcha is a funky time telling solution for adults and youngsters alike. Featured on television’s Something for the Weekend, it is gathering a cult following among celebrities, with pop stars City Girls and Holby City actress Rebecca Grant seen out and about sporting the digital watch. At a credit crunch busting price of only £9.95, it doesn’t cost you an arm or a leg. SWIM SISTERS: Water babies, take heart. You don’t have to slog it out on dry land to keep in trim. While it’s still chilly, nip to an indoor pool and swim some stylish lengths in a slinky new costume. This season, opt for a flattering dark base colour with flashes of sorbet or neon shades to stay bang on trend. Try BHS black and green sports swimsuit, £25. PRESENTS PLEASE: If you have any unwanted presents stashed away in a cupboard, you can help turn them into cash for Brian House Children’s Hospice, Bispham. The Gazette’s Eve supplement’s Presents of Mind Appeal is asking you to donate any unwanted goods for resale in Trinity’s charity shops, with every penny raised by their resale going to Brian House. You can hand them into collection points across the the Fylde including Trinity Hospice shops and local fire stations. For a full list check out www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk /presents-of-mind or see Eve in The Gazette on Tuesday. FAST FOOD: With just a quick steam in the microwave, dishes from Marks & Spencer’s new Eat Well Kitchen are ideal as a week-day lunch in the office. Perfect for vegetarians, meat eaters will also enjoy the satisfying choices such as canellini and borlotti beans with tender kale, broccoli in a rich tomato sauce, or hearty courgette, carrot and red peppers with couscous and an aromatic tomato sauce (all £2.99, 400g).
Saturday, January 24, 2009
life! 15
FAMILIES TRIPTIPS
Special events in memory of Holocaust
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THE Imperial War Museum North at Salford is hosting a range of commemorative events focusing on this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day theme of ‘Stand up to Hatred’. Highlights include two special talks, tours, storytelling and musical performances, focusing on the theme. Tomorrow Dr Tim Cole, author and senior lecturer in Social History at the University of Bristol, will speak about the experiences of Jewish children affected by the Holocaust. Using diaries, ghetto chronicles, memoirs and oral history, Dr Cole will look at how they adapted in
For your week ahead ARCHITECTURAL gems which escaped the bulldozers take centre stage in an exhibition at Manchester Central Library. Landmark 19th century buildings which have been saved from ruin will feature in the celebration of the era. Also included are photographs and records of buildings which did avoid demolition. The display has been set up by the Victorian Society to tell of their campaigns to save some of the country's most important buildings. The society, formed 50 years ago, successfully fought campaigns to save St Pancras station and Liverpool's Albert Docks. The Victoria Baths (above) in Manchester captured the public imagination after it was voted the winner of the BBC's Restoration competition in 2003, securing £3.5m to help restore it to its former glory. The organisation also helped to save the former Manchester Central station, now the Manchester Central conference venue. The exhibition, entitled Saving a Century, will run until February 28. Visting the Isle of Man this summer? The ● Pirates Of The Irish Sea exhibition at The House of Manannan in Peel is to be extended from
the end of March to the end of August. This should provide ample opportunity for North West visitors using the Steam Packet ferries. The many thousands of TT 2009 visitors will also get the opportunity to absorb the 'Caroline North' experience. Matthew Richardson continues to keep the Caroline North flame alight and is delighted that Manx National Heritage is the only heritage organisation in the world to have an museumstandard archive on offshore radio. The MCN London Motorcycle Show is ● back with spectacular stunts, more magnificent motorcycles from top manufacturers
and the chance to get your hands on everything you need for your bike in 2009. The MCN London Motorcycle Show will take over ExCeL for the third year running from Thursday until Sunday. Visitors will be impressed by the amazing Carole Nash Live Action Arena, where professional stunt riders will perform death-defying tricks that will have the crowd on the edge of their seats! Well worth a watch if you’re mad about motorbikes or jwant a fantastic fun day out! Call 0844 581 0752www.londonmotorcycleshow.com Dog lovers should visit Lytham’s Lowther ● Pavilion tomorrow. Fleetwood Canine Society is staging a dog show, 10am-4pm.
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The history of Lytham St Annes Inns and Hotels is the subject of an exhibition at Lytham Heritage Centre, which opens on Tuesday. The exhibition at the Henry Street centre, can be seen until March 1 (Tuesdays to Sundays).
YOURVIEW
MY FAVOURITE DAY OUT Walking up the hills near Arnside. You can see right out over the coast, sometimes even back as far as Blackpool and Preston on a clear day – Writer Mark Charlesworth who lives in St Annes Let us have your top day out destination. e-mail life@blackpoolgazette.co.uk
response to the radical changes they experienced, and how they resisted the Nazis. On Sunday February 1, Dr Mark Levene, author and Reader in History at the University of Southampton, will provide a contemporary approach by looking at how climate change causes transition and dislocation, and how we treat and respond to refugees in these situations. Younger visitors can engage with the theme in Stand up with Stories, special sessions about The Lonely Giant led by Romany storyteller Richard ONeill. Following rumours about the way he
First steam train for 50 years H
ere’s a new Tornado – but not of the Warton warplane kind! It’s the name of a £3million steam train – the first full-size steam locomotive to be built in more than 50 years – which has been given a lick of apple green paint, prior to going into passenger service. A team from The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust at the National Railway Museum in York, headed up by expert Tony Filby (pictured), have painted no. 60163 ready for its first passenger carrying mainline run on January 31. During the painstaking painting process, Tornado was stabled ‘behind the scenes’ in the NRM’s paint shop so its gleaming new appearance will surprise and delight its many supporters around the country. As well as painting locomotives, Tony’s steady hand is also put to good use painting signs carriages and all manner of other jobs within the museum but his real passion is locomotives.
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DAYOUT He explains: “To be a part of this great moment in locomotive history is a real high point in my career and as I retire in January I can’t think of a more fitting swan song. “I didn’t think when I started this job in 1975 that I would be painting a brand new locomotive built in Britain, so it’s a great pleasure.” David Elliott, Director of Engineering at The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, also describes this momentous event: “I can’t believe this moment has finally come. 18 years in the making and it’s a dream come true that it’s finally here; I can’t wait to get Tornado on the mainline where she belongs!“ The National Railway Museum is the largest railway museum in the world. Its
speaks and looks, a lonely giant is left to fend for himself in the woods. What has he really done wrong? Will anyone rescue him? These sessions explore this years Holocaust Memorial Day theme in an interactive and accessible way. Now in its eighth year, Holocaust Memorial Day is held annually on January 27, the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp by Soviet troops in 1945. It is an international commemoration of the lives lost in the Holocaust and other more recent genocides, as well as those affected by present day discrimination.
displays and collections are the most comprehensive and significant in their field, illustrating the history of British railways and railway engineering from the industrial revolution to the present day and beyond. Special exhibitions, hands-on interactive displays, live interpreters in the exhibition halls and drama programmes all help tell the incredible story of the train and its effects on society. Since it opened in 1975, the NRM’s unique blend of education and entertainment has thrilled over 20 million visitors, young and old. More than just a great attraction, it has always aimed to give school children and the wider public a broader understanding of Britain's industrial achievement. Before making a journey to see Tornado at the NRM, please check the locomotive is available for public viewing on 0844 153 139 or www.nrm.org.uk
OUTDOORS
THEWALK
A little taste of Yorkshire deep inside Lancs ...
F
ollowing the Battle of Bosworth Field that marked the end of the War of the Roses (victory going to Lancashire), a small tenacious group of Yorkists set up a guerrilla base above the Ribble Valley, near Langho. These desperate men conducted a private war against the now peace loving Lancastrians. For the most part this campaign was little more than a mild irritant to locals – Yorkists sneaking in and making apple pie beds, while their neighbours were tending the fields. However the lobbing of Yorkshire Puddings at travellers along the A59 made matters more serious. Lancastrians defended themselves by carrying flat pieces of wood made out of willow and thwacked the puddings back ... and the rest, they say is history! This is just one explanation as to why there is a village called York in the wedge of upland between Blackburn and the Ribble Valley. Here is a landscape of surprise and unexpectedness, overlooked by visitors to the county, but most rewarding when explored on foot. Start: Large lay-by Harwood Road. This is best accessed from Blackburn. From junction 6 of the M65, cross the roundabout following signs for the A6119 (Whitebirk Drive) towards Blackburn North and Clitheroe. At third set of traffic lights turn right onto Whalley Old Road. Follow this for two miles. At junction by the curry house turn left onto Rishton Road and then right into Harwood Road. The car park is a mile further on the right. Car park to York: 4.5k. Walk along the road towards Great Harwood and a conifer plantation. Just before plantation turn left onto a grassy track. Follow the track downhill towards Dean Clough Reservoir. Beyond a kissing gate the track peters out to become a narrow footpath. Descend with plantation on your right. As the path levels out you come to the first of a pair of kissing gates with a wall on the left. This gives way onto a broad track ahead. Keep straight. The track leads to Goldacre Lane, passing a car park. Turn left onto the lane and keep on it past the large farmstead by Bradley Hall. The lane bends to the right. Past a cottage called Shawcliff look for a wooden stile on the left. Cross this and
FACTFILE
Summary: Distance 7k 4 ½ m Time: 2-2½ hours Terrain: An easy walk with two moderate ascents. Muddy in places after wet weather. Map: OS Explorer 287 West Pennine Moors
WINTER BIRDLIFE
SURPRISE LANDSCAPE: Dean Clough Reservoir
White rose meets red
climb steeply towards a wall. Cross the track and a stile – then turn left along a less distinct path. On this section with the steep side of Sunny Bank on your right and surrounded by gorse, you may feel somewhat enclosed, but soon you reach a more open prospect. The path leads across fields to the north-east corner of Dean Clough reservoir. When you reach the wall, turn right to commence a short ascent. As the ground evens out you will arrive at a metal gate. Cross the stile next to it following the direction of the waymark arrow. As you reach the highest point on the grassy path beyond, you will be rewarded with a grand view of the Ribble Valley. More immediately, the village of York will be a short way in front of you.
York to Car Park: 2.5k. On reaching York Road turn left, pass the Lord Nelson, and leave the village. A short distance along take a footpath on the right. Although you are not at a great height the views are extensive encompassing a substantial chunk of Lancashire. Follow the path to where it gives out onto a lane. Across, at the entrance to Little Snodsworth Farm, follow the sign directing you across paddocks, to the left of a slurry pit, to a junction of lanes. Directly opposite cross a stile and take
YOURVIEW e-mail life@blackpoolgazette.co.uk
with Stuart Meredith
the path to a wall. Cross another stile and turn left. About 150m ahead you will reach a junction of paths. Even though no arrow directs right, this is the way to go; down the hill with a fence on your right crossing near the tip of the reservoir. You may be tempted to continue on the track hugging this shore of the reservoir, but your way is up, beside a ditch on a faint path. When you reach a broad track, turn left and this will lead you back to Harwood Road, directly opposite the lay-by. ● Walk by John Griffiths and Bob Clare. Hit www.lancashirewalks.com for more walks exploring the diversity of the Lancashire countryside.
The Fylde is a great place to be birding at any time of year but in winter it comes into its own. Sites like Marton Mere LNR and the Ribble Estuary are packed with thousands of birds and some of them are quite rare or unusual. At the Mere at this time of year there is usually a number of wintering Long Eared Owls (up to 10 recently) and a couple of Bitterns. During one recent winter an incredible nine Bitterns were counted here in a single day. The Bittern, which has just had its best UK breeding season on record, is a rare secretive heron that relies on its brown cryptic plumage to keep itself hidden amongst the reedbeds but freezing weather makes them a little easier to see than normal as they often come out onto the ice, in search of food, in hard weather. There’s also been a hybrid female Ferruginous Duck/Pochard of late at the Mere, that’s been testing the ID skills of local birders. On the Estuary a highlight has been a superb male Hen Harrier, the long staying Glossy Ibis and a herd of Bewick’s swans along with good numbers of little egrets. The ibis has now been in and around the Fylde for a couple of years and Warton Marsh is the best place to find it. 2008 was an exceptional year for rarities in the Fylde with an impressive list that included Ross’s Gull (above), no less than three Rose Coloured Starlings, Bonaparte’s Gull, Bluethroat, Red backed Shrike, Surf Scoter, American Golden Plover, Little Bunting, White Rumped Sandpiper, Spoonbill, Red Kite and Ross’s Goose amongst them. Other good local birds were a sprinkling of Waxwings, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Richards Pipit, Bean Goose and Black Tern. There was also a Lancashire record count of Little Egrets with Cattle Egrets and Great White Egret also reported ... but more of these birds next time. Diary Dates: Ribble Bird Tours Guided Walks ( Full Day ) January 29: FYLDE COAST. A full day birding around the Fylde. February 1: WADER ID & FARMLAND BIRDS Full details (01253 312043)/smrbt@blueyonder.co.uk Fylde Bird Club: Next Meeting: February 24. Illustrated talk: Aren’t Birds Brilliant, by Stuart Meredith. River Wyre Hotel, Poulton (7.45pm). Details (01253) 891281.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
life! 19
TRAVEL&HOLIDAYS
Here’s a selection of Gazette Travel offers... in association with Liverpool John Lennon Airport THE OPEN GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP
July 17, three days from £329.95
After the excitement of last year’s championship at Royal Birkdale, Southport, The Open moves on to Turnberry in Western Scotland for all the thrills and spills that links golf has to offer. This promises to be an event to remember as the demands of the links course put players through their paces. Includes return coach travel, two nights hotel accommodation, dinner on Friday and Saturday evening and full English breakfast on Saturday and Sunday morning, two days admission to The Open and coach transfers from the hotel to the course and return. Organised by Omega holidays ABTA V4782.
SOMME AND FLANDERS
June 26, four days from £225
This truly memorable commemorative tour has a very easy and relaxed itinerary. The holiday is based in the Lille are of France, which is ideally located for the programme of sightseeing excursions and commemorative visits, which take you into the heart of the Somme Valley, Ypres and the Battlefields of the First World War. Includes return coach travel, Channel crossings, 3 nights bed and continental breakfast, full day excursion to the Somme including Peronne, Thiepval, Beaumont Hamel and the Newfoundland Memorial, an en-route visit to Vimy Ridge and a full day excursion to Flanders including Ypres, Sanctuary Wood, passchendale, Tyne Cot and the Last Post ceremony. Organised by Mistral Holidays ABTA V0669.
CHESTER, PORTMEIRION & WELSH MOUNTAIN STEAM May 22, three days from £165
If you favour and appreciate the fine traditional architecture of yesteryear, rather that the glass and tubular steel constructions created today, then you are in for a real treat. This delightful tour takes you to Chester and also includes a train journey which offers spectacular views of North Wales undisturbed by the sights and sounds of modern life. Includes return coach travel, accommodation for two nights in a twin or double bedded room with private facilities, cooked breakfasts and three course evening meals throughout, a visit to Chester, entrance to Portmeirion and a journey on the Ffestiniog Railway from Blaenau Ffestiniog to Portmadog. Organised by Diamond holidays ABTA W0552.
SUNSHINE STOLL: The Costa Blanca is the ideal setting for a
W
ITH the Lake District and the Dales right on our doorstep, we are fortunate indeed to live close to some of the best walking country in England. Clean air and beautiful scenery - what more could you want? Well, we can all agree that sometimes when the cold winds whip across the Pennines, the air can be just a little too fresh! The solution? Try walking in the warmer climes of some of southern Europe’s beauty spots. And with flights from Blackpool International, great walking in the sunshine is also on our doorstep. Award winning tour operator, Preferred Travel Services, has a collection of walking holidays departing throughout 2009 which are all designed to suit mixed abilities so you can choose what suits your mood – and fitness! Or, even if you choose not to walk at all, you’ll still have a great holiday! From Blackpool you can fly to the sun in the Algarve, Mallorca, Costa Blanca and Tenerife where local guides will show you the best each region has to offer. Each holiday has at least three guided walks. In Tenerife you can explore the Garachico Hills and magnificent Mount Teide - the highest mountain in Spain. The superb Quinta Park Suites Hotel in Santa Ursula in the lush, green northern part of Tenerife is the ideal place to relax after an invigorating walk – or to get even fitter using the hotel’s extensive leisure facilities. Walks in Mallorca are low-altitude but nonetheless spectacular allowing you to discover the beautiful coastal scenery of the north part of the island directly from the front door of the Bella Playa Hotel in Cala Ratjada. In Portugal you can experience the gentle scenery of the Algarve Mountain range and the Guadiana River on the border with Spain from the Vila Gale Hotel in
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Warm up your walk CONTACTNUMBERS Call our 24-hour brochure hotline: 01772 838080 Other inquiries: Telephone as above or www.gazettetravel.co.uk
Tavira - a delightful town on the Eastern Algarve. The Costa Blanca might not spring to mind when you think of a walking holiday, but in Calpe there is the splendid Ifach rock and close by are the rugged peaks of the Alcantinas Mountains within easy reach of the Diamante Beach Hotel. These are well-crafted Walking Holidays, with the emphasis just as much on the “walking” as “holiday”. Flexibility is the key and on some walks there is the option of a less-strenuous,
shorter version. On the other hand, our local guides are always happy to suggest more walking options if it suits your appetite. The resorts chosen are all on the coast and, while not in the mass-market tourist areas, there are plenty of other things to see and do during your stay. The selected hotels are four stars, half-board is included and you can choose to stay one or two weeks. Other destinations include – The High Pyrenees in Andorra, Catalonia in Northern Spain, The Abruzzo Natural Park in Italy, The Tatra Mountains in Poland, Sherlock Holmes’ Bernese Oberland in Switzerland (with a ride on the ultra-scenic Goldenpass railway) and the island of Rhodes. These are not available from Blackpool International but are served by flights from Manchester and/or Liverpool. For a brochure giving full details, please telephone our brochureline. Organised by Preferred Travel Services ATOL 5537.
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Saturday, January 24, 2009
life! 23
SOCIETYDIARY
T
he Old Boys branch of the Blackpool Collegiate Old Students’ Association held their annual dinner at the Sheraton Hotel, North Shore.
YOUR STARS
With Cassandra Nye
For the week starting January 26 AQUARIUS (21 Jan-19 Feb) Quick decisions made in the next few days may see you doing a Uturn later. Of course in this New Year you want to see some rapid progress, but wasting energy, time and money in the wrong direction at the wrong time is possible. Timing is, in fact, crucial to your success at the moment. PISCES (20 Feb-20 Mar) Making your mark in the world is important to you right now. Indeed, it is a time of great expansion and change for you. With some things happening quickly, however, it is likely that some good advice is needed. ARIES (21 Mar-20 Apr) Get that optimism bouncing back again this week, beginning with a brilliant Eclipse. If something has got off to a bad start, you are being given a fresh blank page to write on. TAURUS (21 Apr-21 May) As an individual with a strong character, few would deny your need to come out on top. This could clash today with what someone else feels that you should be doing. How relevant is it who is right when the opposition is above you in rank or influence? GEMINI (22 May-21 June) Decisive action seems to be in order, but it may be more effective if left until nearer the weekend, when Jupiter and Saturn loosen up the tension. There is an urgency about you at the moment. Rushing headlong into anything is not the answer, however. CANCER (22 June-23 July) Everyone around you seems to have strong opinions this week. As far as business is concerned, some of them may be very useful. With your mind already full of ideas and plans, however, you could probably do without any extra ‘clutter!’ Indeed, at the moment you may find that each day throws up something new and surprising. LEO (24 July-23 Aug) Does someone seem a little strange this week? It could be because they want to tell you something but do not quite know where to start. Being sensitive to the feelings of those around you is essential if you are not to miss an important clue that will save you a lot of bother in the future. VIRGO (24 Aug-23 Sept) The need to see some kind of change happen fast can be very disruptive and even counter-productive. Patience is not one of your stronger virtues, especially when you feel in the right, but I urge it now. LIBRA (24 Sept-23 Oct) Being in a playful mood is a kind of reaction to something that is currently frustrating you. Seeking to escape the woes of the everyday by stepping out of the race can be a good thing. Certainly, in the short term, it eases tensions. SCORPIO (24 Oct-22 Nov) Flexibility is going to see you through a wild and unprecedented week. People and plans seem to come to you from all directions. Many are asking for your help or advice, maybe both. Be optimistic both for yourself and others. SAGITTARIUS (23 Nov-21 Dec) Drama is never far away from you, Sagittarius, but try to keep it out of your personal life this week. If you must have some kind of showdown, make it at the weekend. At that time you stand a better chance of coming out on top. CAPRICORN (22 Dec-20 Jan) Taking a steady approach this week may, at times, seem frustrating. However, this is not a time to rush ahead without a lot of thought. It would be easy, midweek, to become a drama queen and try to get your way by crashing the emotions of others. It won’t work, so why waste the energy and risk alienating friends?
Peter Worthington, Graham Parr and David Wallbank (secretary)
Don Cummins, Neil Scott and Peter Dyson
Jeff Holland, Michael Butterworth, Stan Croft and Keith Clark
Doug Moreton, Harry Hesketh, Jack Newton and Bob Wood
■ To order any of the photographs on this page, please contact our photo sales department on 01253 361867
Richard Eccles, Fred Ollerton and Eddie Redmayne
Trevor Pavelyn, Joan Pavelyn, Glenda Curwen and Brian Curwen
T
Ruth Minton, Paul Martland, Catherine Martland, George Robinson and Tricia Robinson
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he Fylde’s farming fraternity gathered for the annual Lytham Farmers’ Ball at the Grand Hotel, St Annes. Fylde Mayor Coun Susan Fazackerley was a VIP guest.
Twins Karen Hargreaves and Gillian Prew
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