2016 ZINE
from the president Welcome to the fourth Borough Belles zine. This year has been an amazing one for the Belles and the WI as a whole, celebrating 100 years of women getting together to get stuff done. Inside you’ll find a few highlights of the festivities, a roundup of our running/dancing/swimming/craft/ book clubs activities, top tips, favourite places, great cakes (of course) and our first short story! Enjoy! Muireann and the BBWI committee xo Spring 2016
…Test your knowledge and take the BB quiz… 1. What year was Borough Belles WI set up? 2. How many social clubs do Borough Belles run? For a bonus point, who runs the lido club? 3. What is the Borough Belles mascot? 4. Name two TV shows the Borough Belles have appeared on? 5. Who are the Borough Belles 'cake fairies' for every month? 6. Which local fair do Borough Belles support every year? 7. Who did the Borough Belles partner with in 2014 to run a hand cream workshop? 8. What was the Borough Belles first ever meeting about?
9. Name two other London WIs the Borough Belles have organised activities with 10. What is the WI’s motto?
Cocktail menu Outline Start with a keen observation, combined with a variety of opinions and very little true information – a cocktail with very little body
Elizabeth is Missing A shot of forgetfulness, mixed with a variety of post-it notes and finished with a sprig of madness – an unforgettable drink
Everything is Illuminated Start with an un-disclosed European liquor, combine with language barriers and an untraditional hero – a drink that comes with a sparkler that is somewhat underwhelming
We need to talk about Kevin A mixture of sorrow, confusion and anger…pummelled together with letters of revelation – the nightcap you don’t need but can’t resist
The Miniaturist A smoky wooden liquor infused with sorrow, loneliness and confusion and finished with an unnecessary miniature cherry – an intriguing cocktail to inspire and confuse
A Spool of Blue Thread Start with a family home, mix in an estranged child, a variety of children and grandchildren and finish with a porch swing – a cocktail to baffle the consumer as to its purpose
When God was a Rabbit A pinch of uncertainty, mixed with a childhood friendship and a pet rabbit called God – a fascinating and unexpected drink
Dancing Belles’ A-Z of Dance Styles (Ok, some of them are a bit of a stretch!) and some of our favourite places to try them!
Argentine tango Belly dance Cancan Disco English Country Dance Flamenco (Bump and) Grind Hip hop Interpretive
Jive
Kathak Line dancing Moonwalk Northern soul Dance Off Polka Quadrille Rumba Swing Tap Upa Habanera Vogue Waltz FoXtrot YMCA Zydeco
Rouges at the Rivoli Ballroom, Brockley
Cecil Sharp House, Camden
Cuba Libre, Waterloo
Your cousin’s wedding
LIDO CLUB
Swimming outside is the best – and here’s our list of the best places in London to get your fix. We’re spoilt for choice in South London, but there are great days out further afield too. Save the unheated ones for hot days though! Tooting Bec Lido Huge, and beloved for its multi-coloured changing huts, this is one of London’s oldest ‘bathing lakes’. Charlton Lido Pleasantly no frills, and a lot less busy than most of the others! Brockwell Lido This pool is housed in Art Deco Grade IIlisted buildings to make your swim feel extra glamorous. It also has a brilliant café and regular fun events like film nights and vintage fairs. Oasis Sports Centre The rooftop outdoor pool at the Oasis in Covent Garden seems like an amazing central London secret. Lots of people are in on it though so it can get crowded! Hampstead Heath Swimming Ponds These were originally clay pits, but now the three pools (ladies, men and mixed) are one of the only places in town you can properly immerse yourself in nature. Serpentine Lido The other place to get up close and personal with the ducks and fishes, the Serpentine is open to all from May to September (you have to be a member of the Serpentine Swimming Club to join in the famous Christmas Day race) King’s Cross Pond Club The newest kid on the block, this is a freshwater public swimming bath originally built as an art installation. It’s small so you need to book your slot in advance.
Park Road Pools This 1920s facility has diving areas and grassy slopes for sunbathing. Parliament Hill Lido Another Grade II-listed lido, Parliament Hill is big and busy. Finchley Lido This lido is small with a grassy terrace – opening is weather dependent but if you’re unlucky (or want somewhere to warm up after) there’s a cinema and bowling alley in the same complex. Uxbridge Lido This one is a proper 1930s beauty with fountains at either end. London Fields Lido Like many of the lidos, this one was saved from demolition by tenacious local campaigners and their hard work has paid off with how well used it is now. Kings Oak Lido Take a trip to Epping Forest for a brilliant day out. This lido has champagne beds, a tiki bar and a beach club! Richmond Pools The pool is only open during the summer months but any time is a good time to visit beautiful Richmond. Lastly, Ruislip Lido You can’t swim here so it’s doesn’t quite make the list. But it’s the nearest beach you can get to and still be (sort of) in London! It’s a 60-acre lake with sandy beaches and a volunteer-run narrow gauge railway around the lake and into Ruislip woods. And you can at least paddle.
Listen up !
http://www.npr.org/programs/invisibilia/ Lulu Miller and Alix Spiegel explore the intangible forces that shape human behaviour – things like ideas, beliefs, assumptions and emotions. 5 wonderful podcasts narrated by soft-spoken Lulu and Alix take us through our thoughts, fear, how a blind persons sees through clicking like a bat, entanglement of emotions and the power of categories in shaping what we see and experience. I am waiting with excitement for the second season to start.
www.thisamericanlife.org Public radio show from Chicago. Top-notch journalism on a wide range of subjects, backgrounds and issues from the United States of America. The show has been around since 1995 and so there is a lot of wonderful material to listen to. If you don’t know where to start go to the favourite’s page.
http://longestshortesttime.com/ Podcast created by Hilary Frank after a traumatic childbirth. Hilary set out to collect and share stories from other mothers, parents, grand-parents and non-parents on everything relating to childbirth and child-rearing. The “tell-it-like-it-is” approach will make you smile, laugh and cry.
The title says it all. Half an hour long podcasts on any subject from history: going from well-known historical battles (Hastings) or events (the great potato famine) to lesser known historical figures (Nellie Melba) and events (Emu War). Tracy Wilson and Holly Frey have the incredible ability to dust of any subject and bring it to live for us to listen with enjoyment.
(by Christel)
There are some wonderful podcasts out there on the net which I want to share with you. They are great to listen to while you are working, keeping yourself busy or just chilling out.
http://www.missedinhistory.com/
www.bbc.co.uk/radio The treasure trove of podcasts and radio shows which doesn’t need an introduction. Anything ranging from women’s issues (Woman’s Hour) to food (The Kitchen Cabinet) to much much more.
Listen up !
http://www.npr.org/programs/invisibilia/ Lulu Miller and Alix Spiegel explore the intangible forces that shape human behaviour – things like ideas, beliefs, assumptions and emotions. 5 wonderful podcasts narrated by soft-spoken Lulu and Alix take us through our thoughts, fear, how a blind persons sees through clicking like a bat, entanglement of emotions and the power of categories in shaping what we see and experience. I am waiting with excitement for the second season to start.
www.thisamericanlife.org Public radio show from Chicago. Top-notch journalism on a wide range of subjects, backgrounds and issues from the United States of America. The show has been around since 1995 and so there is a lot of wonderful material to listen to. If you don’t know where to start go to the favourite’s page.
http://longestshortesttime.com/ Podcast created by Hilary Frank after a traumatic childbirth. Hilary set out to collect and share stories from other mothers, parents, grand-parents and non-parents on everything relating to childbirth and child-rearing. The “tell-it-like-it-is” approach will make you smile, laugh and cry.
The title says it all. Half an hour long podcasts on any subject from history: going from well-known historical battles (Hastings) or events (the great potato famine) to lesser known historical figures (Nellie Melba) and events (Emu War). Tracy Wilson and Holly Frey have the incredible ability to dust of any subject and bring it to live for us to listen with enjoyment.
(by Christel)
There are some wonderful podcasts out there on the net which I want to share with you. They are great to listen to while you are working, keeping yourself busy or just chilling out.
http://www.missedinhistory.com/
www.bbc.co.uk/radio The treasure trove of podcasts and radio shows which doesn’t need an introduction. Anything ranging from women’s issues (Woman’s Hour) to food (The Kitchen Cabinet) to much much more.
COMICS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR GREAT COMICS BY FEMALE AUTHORS* Ms Marvel Volume 1: No Normal - G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona Funny, sweet story about a teenage Muslim superhero protecting New Jersey Read if you like stories about: Superheroes - Dealing with Prejudice - Families Persepolis - Marjane Satrapi Insightful account of Satrapi's life in Iran during & after the Islamic revolution Read if you like stories about: Coming of Age - Cultural Clashes - Iran Through The Woods - Emily Carroll For adults only, these twisted tales will have you hiding under the covers! Read if you like stories about: Fairy Tales - Horror - Monsters The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage - Sydney Padua Offbeat alternate history comic where Ada Lovelace and Charles Babbage build an analytical engine and use it to "fight crime" - gloriously weird. Read if you like stories about: Steampunk - Women in STEM - Victorian Era Hark A Vagrant - Kate Beaton Hilarious strips that fondly riff everything from The Brontes to femme fatales Read if you like stories about: History - Classical Literature - Feminism *IN HONOUR OF THE PROTESTS ABOUT THE ANGOULÊME COMICS FESTIVAL EARLIER THIS YEAR
At Bray - by Katherine Hayes A pinkish light fell as the peacocks picked at the lawn. Guests loved it. So charming, and, how quaint were often said. The charm wore off when Louise saw the mildew but, it was good of Meg to ask her down . “We’re a houseful but stay over at the island. You can’t be alone at Christmas.” Out on the terrace Louise saw a lone duck navigate the river current. Then she walked via the footbridge to the house. Dinner with Meg’s friends. A lot of wine. Meg said, “You aren’t to take against me when you get back together with Corin.” Before Louise could reply Meg said, “and no, not if.” Louise fell asleep on the couch. Early in the morning, she went back to her room. She wanted a hot bath. She didn’t want to think about Corin. Louise walked down the corridor with its too mauve wallpaper. She shivered, the heating was off. A small shard of light streamed from under her bedroom door. She pushed it open. Corin, sat on the bed, drinking her coffee, wrapped in her blanket. His blonde hair was all on end. Corin pulled the blanket around himself defensively. “Meg’s idea this…” Louise’s heart sank. Silently she filled the kettle. There was only tea left. She didn’t like the funny preserved milk in tea. “I want you to come back. I…I like you.”
“People who like each other still get divorced,” Louise said. “Not us,” he said, “Not us.” A peacock stalked past looking in at Corin. “Bloody hell!” “One of the pair, I think.” She sat on the bed in silence. “No harm done?” asked Meg after lunch. Louise still angry, kept silent. Meg rattled on, failing to cover her embarrassment. “My father was a serial wife disposer. My mother was number three.” “How many did he get through?” asked Louise. “Four, he died soon after.” Meg took a sip of her drink. Louise felt bad. “Corin isn’t like that,” Meg said. They both looked over at Corin in conversation with one of Meg’s guests. “He’s sorry,” urged Meg. Walking away from the house Corin stood by the car. “Come back home.” “I’ve the room at the flat,” Louise said. “I’ll get your things, just come.” He looked hopeful and gave a wave as the car moved down the drive. The light was going. Louise went out on the terrace. An airy sound came as the waters rushed on. She’d wait, then decide. That was best.
Museums By Candlelight Some of my favourite small London museums also open occasionally in the evening with their rooms lit solely by flickering candles. It’s a little bit counter-intuitive to visit a museum by candlelight – after all you won’t really be able to see the objects on display! But actually it’s a wonderfully evocative way to experience these historic homes as their past inhabitants would have done.
Sir John Soane’s Museum 13 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London WC2A 3BP This is the former home of the architect Sir John Soane, and it is kept just as he had it, every inch taken up with collections of antiquities, sculptures, architectural models, paintings and architectural drawings. It’s an extraordinary place and in the candlelight you are connected not only to this 18th/19th century man but further back to the Romans whose fragments cover the walls and even to Egyptian royalty – Seti I’s sarcophagus rests in the basement! 6 to 9pm on the first Tuesday of the month. Get there as early as you can and expect a queue!
Charles Dickens Museum 48 Doughty Street, London WC1N 2LX Transport yourself back to Victorian times and experience Dickens’ house the way he did – he often wrote late into the night by candlelight in what he called ‘a ruddy, homely… glow’. There’s even a Library Bar with books to browse, and a pretty walled garden. Irregular dates, check with the museum
Dennis Severs’ House 18 Folgate Street, London E1 6BX Dennis Severs’ house is not exactly a museum but a little bit like a time capsule. As you progress through the house you also follow its inhabitants from wealthy 17th century silk merchants through to harder times as the 20th century approaches, catching a sound here or coming across a half-eaten meal in the kitchen. The experience is silent, and something like stepping into a painting. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday – it’s especially atmospheric at Christmastime.
Bicarbonate of Soda as a… face scrub…. That’s right get the bicarb out of the kitchen cupboard and use it as a gentle and inexpensive face scrub! Mix a teaspoon full of the bicarbonate of soda with water to make a paste Apply the paste to your face and neck, with your fingertips, use a circular motion ensuring it is evenly covered Wash your face thoroughly Enjoy a healthy glow!
eat me!
Feel good fermented food Fermented veggies have proven health benefits. They’re good for your gut! It is surprisingly easy to do. Here’s a few top tips to get started...
Fool Proof Fermentation Tips
Choose your veggies. Use cabbage as a base and add other veggies such as carrot, radishes, beetroot, cucumber. You may even like to add an apple (Granny Smith apples are good)
Peel your veggies (the skins can be very bitter)
Chop them up or leave them whole but make sure all veggies in a batch are roughly the same size - keep one large cabbage leaf aside
Add some aromatic flavours—garlic, nigella, cumin or fennel seeds are all nice additions (lots of ideas online)
Weigh your veggies to work out how much salt to use (roughly 1.5 tbsps per pound of veggies
Put your veggies in a big bowl and use your hands to rub in the salt (use sea salt or rock salt) until the veggies produce a liquid brine
Transfer your veggies into a mason jar and pack them very tightly
Pour the brine over the top of the veggies. If needed top up with water to cover them
Use the cabbage leaf to pack the veggies tightly into the jar and push down the lid
Leave to ferment out of direct sunlight in a warm spot or five to seven days
Check daily and add more water if required
Do the taste test! If you’re happy transfer the jar to the fridge and enjoy!
First time fermenting? Give these a go.
Asian Kimchi— napa cabbage, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, spring onions and carrots
Simple sauerkraut—red or white cabbage and sea salt
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Recipe: My favourite chocolate cake
I created this recipe to avoid wasting a glut of ruby beets that arrived in my veg box (I’m too lazy to pickle). The cake takes minutes to prep and still seems to work when I use fewer eggs, or more almonds and less chocolate, if I’m feeling virtuous. Add grated ginger, or a zesty cream cheese frosting, for a twist. Prep time: 10 minutes Cooking: 35-40 minutes Serves: 8-10 Ingredients: 4 eggs 300g cooked beetroot (roasted or use a pre-cooked pack) 1 tbsp raw cacao powder (plus extra for dusting) 125g ground almonds 4 tbsp honey 4 tbsp hemp seed oil 1 tsp baking powder 85g melted dark chocolate Method:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Preheat oven to 180C and line and grease a spring form baking tin. Put cooked beetroot and eggs into a blender. Blitz until smooth. Add honey, cacao, and baking powder and blitz again. Gently fold in the almonds. Combine the melted chocolate and hemp seed oil in a bowl and slowly add to the beetroot mixture. Pour into the cake tin and back for 35-40 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool and dust with extra cacao power before serving.
Sarah M.
BB Quiz answers… 1. 2009 2. Five: Belles of Fire, Cocktails & Pages, Craft Club, Lido Club and Dancing Belles. Jess runs the Lido Club 3. The bee 4. The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice, Great British menu, Channel 5 News 5. The Choir With No Name 6. Bermondsey Street Festival 7. The Garden Museum, Lambeth 8. Cupcakes 9. Shoreditch Sisters, Gothic Valley 10.Inspiring women!
Match the Belle to the cake answers…
Alison loves… Paris-Brest Amelia loves… Upside Down Cake Catherine R loves… Millionaires Shortbread Catherine S loves… Carrot Cake Ellie loves… Sticky Toffee Pudding Johanna loves… Lemon Drizzle Cake Katie loves… Red Velvet Cake Muireann loves… Chocolate Eclairs Ruth loves… Coffee & Walnut Cake Sally loves… Ginger Cake Sarah loves… Chocolate Beetroot Cake