Cambridge Edition December

Cambridge december 2013

Cambridgeshire’s quality lifestyle magazine www.cambsedition.co.uk

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MILL ROAD

[ Independent ]

CHRISTMAS Gift guide

LET’S GET

MERRY!

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Arts & Culture 19/11/13 08:55:16

have a family ticket* to give away for Saturday 28th December 3pm *Family ticket – 2 adults and 2 children

WIN TICKETS!

The Russian Ice Stars presents Peter Pan on Ice

Second to the right,’ said Peter, ‘and then straight on to the Peterborough Arena!

The world-renowned Russian Ice Stars brings to your theatre a new adaptation of this famous fantasy adventure by J.M. Barrie.

Wendy, Michael and John are visited in the nursery by Peter Pan himself, who teaches them to fly with the help of Tinker Bell, and takes them on a magical journey to Never Land.

Packed with all your favorite characters including Tiger Lilly, Mr Smee and the vengeful Captain Hook whose appetite for revenge is perfectly recreated in this spectacular adaptation on ice.

So come with me, where dreams are born, and time is never planned. Just think of happy things, and your heart will fly on wings, forever, in Never Never Land!

www.peterpan-onice.com (Follow the signs to Peterborough)

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“A wonderful Christmas treat for all the family”

Tickets from

£15

Family Tickets only

£55

*

*

sponsored by

Anglia Co-operative www.angliacooperative.co.uk

Friday 27th, Saturday 28th, Sunday 29th December 2013

In association with

at The Peterborough Arena East of England Showground For more information or to purchase tickets

Call the Ticket Hotline 0844 338 8000 (24 hours) or visit the website: www.peterpan-onice.com (Follow the signs to Peterborough) Peter Pan.indd 3

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contents

December 2013 81

29 100 7 • Five Things To Do Our top things to do in Cambridge this December

52-53 • Competition Win an incredible hand-picked Christmas hamper worth over £1500!

9-12 • Nightlife From club nights to comedy and gigs, we’ve got the low-down on after-hours fun this month

59 • Indie of the Month We pay a visit to Urban Larder, the farm shop and gift emporium bringing rural produce to city slickers

14 • music Slate the Disco give us their top must-see gigs of the month

63-66 • Food News A round-up of all gastronomical goingson in the county this month

19-26 • Arts & Culture Details of David Attenborough’s visit and more in our bumper arts section

69 • Restaurant Review This month we visit d’Arry’s Cookhouse & Wine Shop on King Street

29-31 • Festive Theatre We round-up the best festive shows to see this month

71 • Food Column Chef and food writer Alex Rushmer reflects on the family habits and table traditions of Christmas

33 • Family Have fun with the family this December 34-35 • Mill Road Winter Fair Don’t miss the party on Cambridge’s most cosmopolitan street – details inside 38-39 • Group Spotlight Nicola Foley visits a Sunday service with a difference in this month’s Group Spotlight 41 • Anti-Christmas Ideas If you need a break from baubles and Slade, this feature is for you!

42-43 • Listings Our full guide to what’s on in Cambridge this December 44-45 • New Year’s Eve Looking for New Year’s Eve ideas? Here’s what’s going on in the city and beyond

Welcome Hello and welcome to the Christmas Edition! The December issue is always one of the most fun to put together and this year has been no exception. I’m pleased as punch to say that for the first time, our Christmas Gift Guide is made up entirely of products from independent retailers – turn to page 81 to get inspired and see what our fantastic local shops have got on offer. Fancy seeing a show? Check out our guide to what’s happening in Cambridge theatreland this month from page 29; and for that all-important New Year’s Eve night out, we also round up the cream of the crop, from decadent cabaret dining to a full-on, glowsticks at the ready rave at Cambridge Junction. Because we’re aware that not everybody is brimming over with festive spirit at this time of year, we’ve also selected our favourite ‘anti Christmas’ events on page 41. See you on the other side!

NICOLA FOLEY, EDITOR

Cover Art The artwork on this month’s cover is Snow Treasure by Ann WinderBoyle. Ann is a mixed-media collage artist who creates beautiful retro images that explore themes of childhood, time and space. She will once again be exhibiting at Byard Art’s Christmas exhibition this month, which runs until 31 December. To see more of her work, visit www.annwinder-boyle.co.uk

72-74 • Recipes Scandinavian decorations are all the rage, so what about some traditional Swedish fare this Christmas?

76 • Drinks Hal Wilson of Cambridge Wine Merchants busts a few myths and shares his dos and don’ts of Christmas drinking 81-85 • Gift Guide Pick up the perfect present at one of Cambridge’s wonderful independent shops and boutiques 89-92 • Fashion The editor rounds up her top styles for the sparkliest of seasons 94-96 • Beauty How to pull off the perfect party look

47 • Community What’s been happening in your neighbourhood lately

100-106 • Interiors Pick up some ideas for a sophisticated home in our guide to seasonal décor

50-51 • Christmas Fairs Get crafty and pick up some presents at these gorgeous local Christmas craft fairs

110 • Pets Scampers unveil their favourite products to treat your pets with this Christmas

EDITORIAL

Contributors

Editor Nicola Foley 01223 499459 nicolafoley@bright-publishing.com Features editor Jennifer Shelton 01223 499463 jennifershelton@bright-publishing.com

Alex Rushmer, Charlotte Griffiths, Daisy Dickinson, Angelina Villa-Clarke, Ruthie Collins, Charlotte Phillips, Sian Townsend, Jordan Worland, Hal Wilson

Sub editors Lisa Clatworthy, Hannah Bealey & Siobhan Godwood

Design & Production

Advertising

Designer Nicole Henson 01223 499450 nicolehenson@bright-publishing.com

Senior sales executive Claire McGrath 01223 499461 clairemcgrath@bright-publishing.com

Designer Emily Stowe 01223 499450 emilystowe@bright-publishing.com

Senior sales executive Lucy Nelson 01223 499451 lucynelson@bright-publishing.com

publishing directors Andy Brogden & Matt Pluck 01223 499450

Key accounts manager Julie Skeet 01223 499464 julieskeet@bright-publishing.com

www.bright-publishing.com

CAMBRIDGE EDITION Magazine • Bright Publishing Ltd, Bright House, 82 High Street, Sawston, Cambridgeshire CB22 3HJ 01223 499450, www.cambsedition.co.uk • All rights reserved. Material contained in this publication may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without prior permission of the publishers. • Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of Cambridge Edition or Bright Publishing Ltd, which do not accept any liability for loss or damage. • Every effort has been made to ensure all information is correct. • Cambridge Edition is a free publication that is distributed in Cambridge and the surrounding area

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5 things to do

5

thingsthistomonth do

Tour Anglesey Abbey Take a breather from Christmas and go behind the scenes at Cambridge’s favourite stately home. Downton Abbey may have ended, but here’s a chance to go below stairs at the enchanting Anglesey Abbey, as the house opens up for a month of unique conservation tours.

Find out how the National Trust look after 40 rooms packed with precious artifacts, how they keep woodworm from nibbling the 16th century dining table and what goes on once all the visitors have gone home. Tours run Tuesday-Friday until 31 December, at 12pm and 1.30pm.

Tickets are £3.50 (NT members go free). www.nationaltrust.org.uk

Leave a gift at the Giving Tree

Take a moment to remember those less fortunate than us this festive season and put a gift under the Giving Tree.

Located in the Grafton Centre, by BHS, it’s now in its seventh year and supports local children’s charities including Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust and EACH. Just collect a tag with a child’s name and age, choose a gift for them and place it under the tree.

Lance Stanbury, centre manager at The Grafton says: “Over 40,000 gifts have been donated to children’s charities over the last six years and this wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of The Grafton shoppers. Everyone is so busy buying Christmas presents for their family and friends, so it is fantastic that people still stop and take the time to think of others who are less fortunate.”

The Giving Tree will be standing in The Grafton Centre until 20 December. www.graftoncentre.co.uk

Christmas is THE time to see a show, and there are some fabulous concerts, pantos, comedy nights and children’s theatre to choose from this year (oh yes there are!). In our Festive Theatre Guide, we talk fake bosoms with the Arts Theatre panto dame and delved into the miniature world of Thumbelina to bring you a comprehensive, entertaining round-up of the best shows this Christmas. See page 29 for some of our choices.

Ghost Stories at the Leper Chapel Mill Road Winter Fair Don’t forget to visit Mill Road on 7 December, when the whole area will come alive with performers, music and street food for a celebration of local life – complete with a huge carnival procession.

The Romsey Town Rollerbillies will be dishing out cakes on skates, there’ll be hundreds of stalls and we’ll be there too, so come and say hi! (More on page 34). www.millroadwinterfair.org

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See a festive show

The ancient Leper Chapel is to become the atmospheric setting for a four-night run of ghost stories. Each performance is based on a tale written by M R James – one of the greatest writers of English supernatural tales – and performed by Robert Lloyd Parry. Catch A Pleasing Terror on 5 December, Oh Whistle… (6 Dec), A Warning to the Curious (7 Dec) and Count Magnus (8 Dec). Tickets are £10/£12, performances at 8pm. Contact roblloydparry@hotmail.com to book. www.cambridgeppf.org

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DECEMBER

Neon Moon Burlesque Supper Club Experience the spectacle of a Neon Moon Supper Club on 1 December, when dancers and performers decked in dazzling costumes will put the theatre back into dining.

The evening takes place in the beautiful Willow Tree pub/restaurant in Bourn, an enchanting den of decadence, known for its excellent food (it features in both the Michelin Pub Guide and Good Pub Guide).

Tucked away in the countryside, it’s one of the region’s best-kept secrets. Tickets are £50 per person, including a five-course tasting menu, welcome cocktail and entertainment.

Dress code is vintage, burlesque and Christmas inspired; the evening starts at 7pm sharp.

Come back on 22 December for the Christmas Jazz ‘Jazzitation’, and see our New Year’s Eve guide for details of their biggest party of the year… www.thewillowtreebourn.com

Shed Seven Relive the heady days of Britpop as York’s biggest export since Rowntree’s fruit gums returns with a brand new tour. Shed Seven rose to fame in 1994 with the release of their first album, Change Giver, and a stream of Top 40 hits soon followed, including Speakeasy, Getting Better, Chasing Rainbows and Going for Gold. In 1996, they had more hit singles than any other act that year and by 1999 they’d already released a greatest hits album. The band played a farewell tour in 2003, but in 2007 they were back, releasing their latest EP in 2011 to the delight of their fans – so-called ‘Shed Heads’.

Their Cambridge gig, on 17 December, is part of their first full UK tour in two years, following successful appearances at last year’s T in the Park and V Festival. Says frontman Rick Witter: “The Sheds are pleased to announce that we will be touring again this year in the run-up to the Christmas holidays. We've still got it, so yeah, we're gonna flaunt it… We are looking forward to playing once more for our loyal following. See you down the front.”

Just don’t ask them how they got their name – they’re thought to give a different answer in every interview! Doors are at 7pm, tickets £19.50. www.junction.co.uk

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nightlife

Early Night Club For those of us who love a good dance, but don’t fancy jostling alongside teenagers to the latest R&B chart hits while spilling Jägerbombs all over our shoes – there is another way. On 5 December, La Raza is hosting another Early Night Club, created especially for the more discerning clubber who doesn’t want to wait till midnight to get their groove on. The club was started four years ago, after designer Nick Welsh, marketing consultant Alex Ruczaj and entrepreneur Vicky Fenton decided they’d had enough of feeling old whenever they went dancing, and set out to create something for people like them. It’s been a roaring success ever since.

On the night, they’ll be playing good music that everyone’s heard of (think Michael Jackson, Scissor Sisters, Stone Roses), serving fab cocktails and tapas and getting everyone up on the dance floor enjoying themselves.

Doors open at 7.30pm and the DJ starts playing at 8pm, finishing at 11.30pm to give you enough time to get back for the babysitter. Tickets are £8.

Also at La Raza this month, they’re throwing a New York loft party-inspired night, promising the coolest disco beats and 70s sounds, with DJ Milian on the decks. NIICE is a brand new club night for the venue; it’s on Friday 13 December (9pm-2am). Tickets are £5 on the door. www.laraza.co.uk

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Dowsing Christmas Cocktail For a hootenanny-style Saturday night gig of glitter balls, musical magic and cocktails, look to Cambridge Corn Exchange, where they’re hosting a one-off show as part of the venue’s Christmas season on 21 December. The Dowsing Christmas Cocktail will feature top musicians including singer-songwriter Boo Hewerdine who, together with the group, will be giving the debut performance of I Hear Your Voice; a sensitive and soulful track inspired by seeing the Dowsing Sound Collective at Ely Cathedral. On top of that there’ll be bands and singers covering the likes of Basement Jaxx, Mumford & Sons, Goldfrapp and Paloma Faith, plus a few old favourites too.

The Dowsing Sound Collective is a unique grass-roots ‘immersive’ music collective of 120 voices and instrumentalists, and the brainchild of DJ and choral scholar Andrea Cockerton.

“It’s going to be an extraordinary gig,” says Andrea. “We’re tackling a slightly irreverent seasonal set list that includes original covers of contemporary artists – think Basement Jaxx, Mumford & Sons, Tracey Thorn, Tom Waits, The Pogues – sounding like you’ve never heard them before, with a handful of traditional retro and Christmas favourites thrown in for added tinsel factor. And we’re launching our own cocktail as well!”

The Dowsing Sound Collective is challenging all the preconceptions of large-scale vocal music through its song choices, unconventional line-up (made up of both seasoned musicians and first-time singers) and philanthropic ambition. A percentage of all gig profits goes directly to the The Dosoco Foundation (www.thedosocofoundation.org), which is to be formally launched on the night and will provide grants to the community to promote health and well-being through music. Starts 7.30pm, tickets are £18 (concessions £15). www.cornex.co.uk

Deacon Blue After the huge success of their 2012 album, The Hipsters, Scottish rockers Deacon Blue are back on their biggest tour in a decade, stopping by the Corn Exchange on 6 December. Formed in Glasgow in 1985, the band soon made their name with Raintown, a chart success and a nofrills, undisguised homage to their home city, which gave us the singles Dignity, Chocolate Girl and Loaded. They followed up with When The World Knows Your Name, which reached number one in the UK album charts and, despite a short-lived split in the 90s, have been playing gigs and making records ever since.

The show starts at 7.30pm and tickets are priced from £29.50. Last year’s 25-year anniversary tour sold out, so get in quick! www.cornex.co.uk

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nightlife

now

booking

Russell Kane

An Evening of Burlesque If ever there was a time to get your glam on, it’s Christmas. At the Corn Exchange this month, showstopping performers, magicians, acrobats and burlesque stars will be presenting An Evening of Burlesque, promising decadent thrills from the start. Billed as ‘all tease, no sleaze’, the show focuses on witty routines, spectacular costumes and fun, glamorous song and dance numbers.

It comes to Cambridge straight from the West End, and has been hailed a ‘sensation’ by The Guardian and ‘captivating to watch’ by the Mail on Sunday.

Starts at 7.30pm, 7 December; tickets cost £25. www.cornex.co.uk

60s & 70s Disco Flashback!

That some of the best music came out of the 60s and 70s can hardly be contested, and when it comes to dancing, nothing beats a boogie to the Jackson Five or Chic. Right? That’s the thinking at Bedford Lodge, where they’re holding a retro disco on 12, 18 and 19 December, along with a three-course dinner. Indulge your inner mod, rocker, hippie or punk and party like it’s 1969 – there’ll be a prize for the best dressed too, so look out those old flares and feather boas, and test your 60s and 70s trivia in the quiz.

Arrival drinks are at 7pm, followed by dinner at 7.30pm – choose from sea bass, turkey, beef or a baked pudding of wild mushroom and herbs for the main. After dessert and tea, coffee and mince pies, the disco will commence, with last orders at the bar at 12.15am. Tickets are £46 per head. www.bedfordlodgehotel.co.uk

Warning at the Junction The daddy of all drum and bass nights returns to the Junction this month for a Christmas special on 7 December. As always, they’ve got the crème de la crème of the genre spinning tunes: this month’s line-up includes turntable legends Hype, Friction, Mampi Swift, Kenny Ken and Barrington, plus Skibadee and Shabba. The event kicks off at 10pm and the party runs right the way through until 6am. Tickets are £16 in advance, strictly over 18s only. www.junction.co.uk

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8 February, Corn Exchange, £17.50 Ponder the essence of stature with Essex boy comic and presenter Russell Kane in his new show, Smallness. Why are Brits fascinated with size? And what does it all mean?

Book at: www.cornex.co.uk

RENT

9 February, Corn Exchange, £25/£28 Musical theatre fans, don’t miss this West End and Broadway hit when it comes our way in 2014.

Book at: www.cornex.co.uk

Rizzle Kicks

21 February, Corn Exchange, £17.50 Larger than life hip hop pop duo Rizzle Kicks will be performing chart toppers including Mama Do The Hump and Down With The Trumpets.

Book at: www.cornex. co.uk

John Cooper Clarke

5 March 2014, Cambridge Junction, £19.50 The rock star poet returns to Cambridge for another night of satirical, humorous witticisms, delivered in his own unique, rapid-fire style.

Book at: www.junction.co.uk

The Overtones

17 March 2014, Corn Exchange, £28.50/£38.50 Five-piece vocal harmony band, The Overtones, bring their major UK tour to our city for a special night of doowop, 50s inspired tunes mixed with modern pop and R&B. Book at: www.cornex.co.uk

Paul Hollywood

12 May 2014, Corn Exchange, £28.50 The blue-eyed baker sets out on a live national tour next year to demonstrate recipes, reveal some baking secrets and share stories from his life as a TV chef.

Book at: www.cornex.co.uk

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nightlife

Gigs at Hot Numbers Gwydir Street’s small but perfectly formed coffee house will be alive with music this month – highly apt considering the place takes its name from a former record shop (on neighbouring Kingston Street). Now, it’s a cosmopolitan coffee house, which roasts its own beans and serves top cakes along with some of the best coffee in Cambridge. It’s opening late on 5 December for an open mic night to showcase Cambridge’s rich musical talent. Head along from 7.30pm10pm. Then, on 6 December (6.30pm-10pm) catch Freedom Sound! for jazzinspired music on vinyl, or check out The Accidentalists on 7 December (4pm6pm) who’ll be playing a selection of music as part of Mill Road Winter Fair.

On 12 December, Bristol-based singer/songwriter Phil King will be delighting drinkers with his soulful sound (7.30pm-10pm), while The Sound of Pop take over on 15 December for an afternoon of psych-pop/sonic R&B (3pm-5.30pm).

Finally, 19 December sees Tom Colborn, Cambridge’s very own blues man, perform some fine acoustic blues from 7.30pm. www.hotnumberscoffee.co.uk

Jesterlarf Cambridge Junction’s comedy night returns with Paul Pirie as the headliner this month. The Scottish-born comic, described as ‘a hilarious rubber faced clown’ by the Scotsman (which we think is a compliment), started his standup career in 2006 and has since emerged as one of the most successful new acts on the circuit. He’s appeared on TV, film and radio as well as on stage, and taken his physical, one-liner-loaded routines as far as Australia.

Joining him on the night is Aussie act Benny Boot, plus Glaswegian storyteller Larry Dean – with surreal, Irish compère Michael Legge holding everything together.

Jesterlarf takes place 6 December, 7.45pm; tickets are £12. www.junction.co.uk

Looped The Fountain on Regent Street is inviting all its favourite DJs who’ve played there over the past year to put together a huge Christmas party on 14 December. It’ll take place across all three floors of the venue, featuring an eclectic mix of music from Andy Guy, MHouse, Lewis Clements and Oliver BlakeWilliams. There’ll also be mince pies on tap, festive hats and more, ready to make your Christmas very merry indeed.

The Looped Christmas Special gets going from 10pm until 3am, tickets are £3 (free before 10pm). www.thefountain.co.uk

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Church of Noise Xmas Party If you look for something a little louder, heavier and more moshable in your music, try the Church of Noise night at The Portland Arms, specialising in classic rock, heavy metal and more. On 14 December it’s their Christmas party – but don’t expect cutesy tinsel, fairy lights and Cliff’s Mistletoe & Wine: rather let your hair down to an array of classic covers performed by Suffolk band Shoot The Glass, who love nothing better than rocking out to Metallica, Iron Maiden and Stone Sour, and reducing any nearby mince pies to a pile of quivering crumbs! It’s £4 on the door, 8pm-11pm. www.theportlandarms.co.uk

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MUSIC

Jordan Worland from local music website Slate the Disco selects his must-see gigs in Cambridge this month orried that the only music you’ll hear this month will include jingling sleigh bells?

Concerned by the prospect of hearing Walking In The Air on every trip to the shops? Distraught by the thought that the only live music you’ll see this festive period will be Christmas carollers on your doorstep? Fear not, Cambridge has a string of top-notch gigs to get yourself to this month.

Our gig of the month comes from an artist who is actually playing twice in Cambridge in December, therefore we’re making Sivu our must-see performer of the month. Sivu, real name James Page, is a Cambridge lad who was seen performing round the city under his actual name a couple of years ago. Page took the decision to move to London to further his career and 2013 has seen that gamble pay off. Sivu has picked up a recording deal, worked with famed producer Charlie Andrew (Alt-J’s producer) and his single and EP releases to date have picked up many favourable reviews.

For those new to Sivu you should note that he doesn’t fit the normal ‘singersongwriter’ suit. Instead his own intricate style blends dreamy acoustics with subtle electronic touches, making a left-field, darker pop sound; think Bjork, Beck or Wild Beasts.

We’ve been waiting all year for Sivu to play Cambridge, and in December he’s here twice, firstly opening for Stornoway – more on them later – and then as part of a

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co-headline tour with Marika Hackman on the 12th.

Marika Hackman’s music channels something very different to the happyclappy nature of recent folk; hers is a far more potent vision in the lineage of Syd Barrett, but presented by an enigmatic beauty with a striking vocal delivery more akin to that of Nico. Hackman and Sivu play a co-headlined date at The Portland Arms on 12 December.

Oxford quartet Stornoway play Cambridge Junction on 1 December. They create classic pop with a folk underbelly; compositionally, instrumentally and, above all, lyrically, Stornoway are a sophisticated and rich listen. Opening for them is Sivu, as we’ve mentioned!

Cambridge Ska legends Big 10 take to The Portland Arms stage on the 27th. Get your tickets early for this one as this heavy monster show will be a busy one.

One of this year’s biggest local success stories Forest also play The Portland Arms this month. Catch these fuzzy, disjointed slacker indie lads on the 21st.

Support on the night comes from Akuso, a melodic rock band who play a leaner, hook-heavy style of rock.

picks Tyde first came to public attention when their remarkable musicianship captivated the audience at the 2009 final of the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Awards.

Hailing from the North of England and Scottish Borders, the three musicians took the name Tyde as a nod to their origins. They play The Portland Arms on 4 December; expect furious and frantic folk tunes with beautiful harmonies.

Mike Dignam brings his Heart To Heart tour to Cambridge on the tenth, playing The Portland Arms, whilst local singer songwriters Ezio play the J1 at Cambridge Junction on the 21st.

Skater-influenced punk rock trio Gnarwolves return to Cambridge on 13 December, and joining them on the bill at the Portland Arms are Nai Harvest, a duo who play catchy emo/punk music.

Completing the line-up are Cambridge’s finest Bloody Knees, a band who – quite rightly – will be huge next year.

Producer, DJ, bass music heavyweight and multi-instrumentalist Flux Pavilion plays Cambridge Junction on the 5th in what will be another packed gig.

Tell us about your gig at www.slatethedisco.com

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Merry Christmas from the Ca mbridge Edition Tea m Arts & Culture ● Nightlife ● Food & Drink ● Interiors ● Fashion ● Competitions ● Community ●

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ARTS & CULTURE

We explore the arts and culture scene in Cambridge, showcasing some of the many exciting exhibitions and projects taking place around the city

Attenborough opens Fitzwilliam exhibition The world’s most famous naturalist, Sir David Attenborough, is poised to open a new exhibition at the Fitzwilliam Museum this month, showcasing the work of artist John Craxton – a man whose life story sounds more like a Hollywood epic.

Craxton was a prolific globetrotter who reflected his travels in his work, and was a close friend of Attenborough. To those in the know, he’s one of the great British artists of the 20th century, though his work remains largely unknown. A World of Private Mystery will be the first exhibition to chart his life and career, featuring a carefully chosen selection of over 60 of his finest pictures.

From his bohemian upbringing in London, Craxton went on to experience some of the most exciting cultural events of the 20th century, from attending the 1937 exhibition where Picasso’s Guernica was exhibited to fighting in the Second World War with Lucian Freud.

Craxton met Freud aged 19, and together they became driving forces of the modern British art movement – even drawing together in and around Cambridge in the 1940s. He liked it here, but, according to Craxton: “The willow trees are nice and amazing, but I would

prefer an olive tree growing out of a Greek ruin.” Fair enough.

Craxton’s talent and charisma saw him gallivanting with ballerinas, flying in borrowed bombers with ambassador’s wives and finally settling in Crete, succumbing to the lure of ruins and olive trees. His later work draws on the light and colour of the Mediterranean, taking inspiration from myth and history.

Sir David Attenborough commented: “In Crete John learned what he described as a very salutary lesson for a painter – that life is more important than art. And he certainly relished life to the full. He enjoyed riding across Europe between Crete and London on his Triumph Tiger motorcycle.

He loved parties, enjoying them in both embassies and village bars with equal gusto. He loved food – particularly eccentric, unusual food. One of my great pleasures in life was to be taken by John to his favourite harbourside restaurant in Chania and be given a dish of boiled sea creatures which even I, who am supposed to have some knowledge of the animal kingdom, found hard to identify.”

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A World of Private Mystery: John Craxton (1922-2009) is at the Fitzwilliam Museum from 3 December to 21 April 2014. Admission is free. www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

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ARTS & CULTURE

Kettle’s Yard: A Lasting Legacy Primitive art, modernism, philosophy and literature all get a look-in at the new exhibition at Kettle’s Yard this month. A Lasting Legacy gives an insight into the life of Victor Skipp, a historian and writer, who amassed an extraordinary collection of art and objects.

Skipp, who died in 2010 aged 85, left his entire estate to Kettle’s Yard. He specialised in writing about the Industrial Revolution of the West Midlands, was passionate about art and philosophy, and developed an eclectic collection of art and artefacts throughout his life.

Skipp’s house became a place of art and philosophy, where minimalist art is placed side by side with tribal rugs, African sculpture and a range of objects reflecting his interest in pre-industrial

societies in Africa and Asia. He was a committed modernist and his library included 20th century poetry, literature and literary criticism; he also wrote extensively on art and philosophy.

Skipp’s collection ranged from Indian miniature paintings from the 17th and 18th centuries, to works by modern and contemporary British artists including Ivon Hitchens, Ceri Richards, Francis Davidson, Linda Karshan and Alison Turnbull. The exhibition will display a selection of these and recreate sections of the house that reflect Skipp’s original vision. A film by Candida Richardson that documents the house will also be shown.

Runs throughout December until 26 January. Admission is free. www.kettlesyard.co.uk

certainly the largest, gift of its kind to a state school, the £10 million-plus Saffron Hall has a seating capacity of 730 and boasts an exceptional adjustable acoustic. It is the result of a partnership between the school and the Yellow Car Charitable Trust.

The first season programme features world-renowned pianist John Lilll, feminist Germaine Greer and stage and TV actor Patricia Routledge. The emphasis for the programme is on

British artists and icons who can inspire their student listeners.

More concerts and events will be announced throughout the season.

Tickets are available online, by calling 0845 548 7650 or in person at Saffron Walden Tourist Information Centre. www.saffronhall.com

Saffron Hall Saffron Walden has a brand new, stateof-the-art concert hall, designed to provide performance space for school and community events, while attracting visiting artists from far and wide.

It stands in the grounds of Saffron Walden County High School, and will be at the disposal of around 2,000 students for assemblies, rehearsals and events, taking full advantage of both Saffron Hall’s space and its technology.

Believed to be the first, and almost

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ARTS & CULTURE

BYARD ART Hop over to Byard Art where they’re hosting their Christmas Cracker exhibition, running until 31 December.

The work on show will include original paintings, sculptures, ceramics, jewellery and photography by over 50 different artists from the region. The gallery, situated on King’s Parade, is open 9.30am-5.30pm Monday-Saturday, 11am-5pm Sunday; admission is free. www.byardart.co.uk

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ARTS & CULTURE

THE ART INSIDER

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The Winter Fair takes over Mill Road on Saturday 7 December

Adam Cash

T

he official countdown to Christmas – the season of parties, glitz and pressie hunting – starts now. This year, I am vowing not to spend Christmas Eve in John Lewis staring at bottles of pickled fruit like they represent that finally found ‘perfect gift’ heaven. Living on a boat, we’re planning to moor up outside the gorgeous Fort St George pub this year, for a drink and a jolly – but also because we’re planning on giving them an especially illustrated print of the place, with its boater neighbours, to say thanks for being so good to the boats on the river this year. Giving a piece of art as a gift has a real magic to it – I’ve always been inspired by the idea of a creative, gift economy (check Lewis Hyde’s classic book, The Gift), as apparently has Cambridge University graduate actress and model Lily Cole, who launched her new network Impossible back in September. The thing about gifting is that it involves no money whatsoever. Want to learn how to take photos, but can’t afford to take a class? Or wish you could find someone to paint your portrait – for free?

Pop your wish on www.impossible.com and wait for it to be granted! A wonderful treat indeed.

Closer to home in Cambridge, your go-to gifting place is the ever-wonderful Facebook page Life Is A Gift, founded by Cambridge poet Nick Stibbs.

But (most) practising artists need a bit of money to live in this modern world, so what better way to support artists, than by buying from them? Small business day falls on 7 December, which is also the Mill Road Winter Fair, so that’s even more reason to visit one of Cambridge’s most popular streets and pick up works made by local artists and designer-makers.

While you’re there check the Map Project, which is exhibiting its Arts Council funded visual research into public space in East Cambridge, in the Covent Garden Drama Centre as part of the Fair’s art centre.

Or visit artist Katy Bailey’s Winter Art Fair at her home on 14-15 December – think roaring fire, mulled wine, homemade goodies, art from Bailey and her friends, such as Tess Ainley, as well as food from the likes of Limoncello. Gorgeous!

Spoken word artist Hollie McNish's new albu m is out in time for Christmas

DJ Scuff's hip hop albu m – the perfect accompaniment to baking!

Check out Katy’s website or email her to find out more.

There’s also a Christmas Fair at the Art Salon running until 22 December, curated by dynamic duo Mandy Knapp and Karen Jinks. They’ll be selling their beautiful mixed-media pieces, prints and gifts, alongside ten other designer-makers, many of whom are based at the Art Salon.

I’m looking forward to giving performance poet Hollie McNish’s new album of spoken word poetry to someone as a pressie – possibly my Auntie Janet!

Hollie is fast becoming one of the UK’s leading performers, her street-smart poems are smashing their way out of traditional spoken word platforms and going viral on You Tube, some with well over a million views. Commissioned by the likes of Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, she writes lyrically fluid and internationally

relevant pieces on immigration, love, breastfeeding and being a woman – with quite a bit of swearing. My auntie probably won’t love the swearing, but, as a nurse, is trained in all things breastfeeding so will definitely appreciate ‘Embarrassed’ – search for it on YouTube. Inspired by the sell-out Poets vs Rappers show at the Junction Hollie organised back in October, I might even treat my Grandma to an album of UK hip hop made by former Delegates of Culture legend DJ Scuff (cofounder and designer for Cambridgeshirebased cult label Supreme Being) to listen to at our annual mince pie making session this year! My Grandma is lucky indeed.

Whatever you do this Christmas though, make sure you relax. It’s total mayhem, I know, but behind all the craziness is a whole lot of love. Happy holidays all!

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ARTS & CULTURE

Cambridge revisited

Solomon’s Knot The baroque collective, Solomon’s Knot, present a concert of beautiful Christmas music, performed in the ideal setting of Trinity College Chapel. Following the success of last year’s ‘Chamber Messiah’, the musicians bring their daring format to Bach’s seasonal masterpiece, Weihnachts-Oratorium, cantatas I-VI. Just 19 instrumentalists will take on the score, without a conductor, supporting eight soloists who will sing the choruses and arias from memory. It takes place on 5 December, 7.30pm, and promises to be a Christmas oratorio the likes of which you’ve never seen!

Tickets are £10/£20/£25. www.cambridgeearlymusic.org

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A collection of photographs of Cambridge have been digitally remastered for an exhibition, offering a unique view of the past. The pictures give an insight into the changing face of Cambridge, showing a quiet university town with little or no industry, (the main employers being the colleges and university) – a far cry from the busy cosmopolitan city we know today. Many scenes are instantly recognisable, some show considerable alteration, while others have disappeared completely.

The photographs were discovered at the Ramsey and Muspratt studio, which operated from Post Office Terrace in Cambridge, and by the time it closed in the mid 1980s, was thought to be one of the oldest photography studios in the country. The last owner of the historic studio was Peter Lofts, who ‘inherited’ the collection when he bought Ramsey and Muspratt in 1978, and has used modern editing software to give the photographs a new lease of life.

“They’re fascinating,” he says, “as they show Cambridge as quite a different town to what it is today.” The shots date from the 1860s up to the 1970s, and include portraits taken by Ramsey and Muspratt themselves: two pioneering women who ran the studio between 1932 and 1978.

“When Ramsey and Muspratt started, the idea of two women going into business as photographers was regarded as a bit of a laugh,” says Peter.

“Lettice Ramsey read moral sciences at Newnham, and married a mathematician who died very early in his life. She was left with two children and in want of an income. She knew Helen Muspratt, who had studied photography, and they got together to form the business.

“They took it on from two gentlemen, who thought it strange that two women could fancy their photographic prowess enough to open a studio! But they ran the business successfully for 40 years.”

Expected to fail within the first month, instead the two women made quite a name for themselves, expanding into Oxford and drawing high-profile clientele including Virginia Woolf, Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath and the Rothschilds family. As well as charting the history of Cambridge, the exhibition also tells the fascinating story of the studio itself. “I hadn’t realised, when I bought it, that I was taking on all this archive material,” says Peter. “I just thought I was taking on a studio, so it was a bit of a surprise!

“It was an enormous place,” he describes. “You went in through the reception and the studio was upstairs, and there was a garden in the middle.

It was like a fairy tale really. But as with all fairy tales, it had to come to an end.

It was in need of a lot of repair, and the college didn’t want to take it on, and we couldn’t reach an agreement about rent, so it closed in the 1980s. But it was a really inspiring place to work.”

Cambridge Revisited runs from 25 November to 1 December on the third floor of the Central Library, with a reduced collection remaining throughout December. More pictures of Cambridge, plus portraits from Ramsey and Muspratt themselves, can be found on Peter’s website. www.loftyimages.co.uk

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ARTS & CULTURE

X-operative Spell. Using a patchwork of images and sounds, it pieces together a compelling picture of Britain at the turn of the millennium, playing with the ideas of cryptic codes and repeating patterns.

In this special screening, Adam will describe his intentions for the piece, in conversation with writer and critic Rob Young of The Wire magazine. Takes place 3-5pm. Then, on 14 December, catch

an afternoon of talks from 3pm to 5pm, featuring Rory Macbeth on The Wanderer by Franz Kafka and a live musical performance by Chris Evans (the other one…) and Will Holder. www.wysingartscentre.org

Images: Rozena Toscani

An exhibition about books, knowledge and how we learn what we know will decamp to Wysing Arts Centre in Bourn this month. X-Operative will see X Marks the Bökship setting up in the rural arts space for a part exhibition, part event series and part shop, serving artists and creatives in the area.

Wysing also opens its doors to Adam Chodzko on 7 December for a talk and an exhibition on his project, Plan for a

Cambridge Edition goes….

lino printing With crafting all the rage, lots of us will be making our own cards (and even presents, if we’re feeling confident) this Christmas.

Not only is it lovely to receive something that’s home-made, there’s great pleasure in making it, too, as we found out recently at a local craft workshop.

Jean-Mary Myers runs Betty Makes – named after her nana, who taught her how to knit – from a small, sunny studio in Newmarket. She holds several classes each month, from crochet and sewing to lampshade making, with lots of Christmassy events coming up this month. I joined her first Christmas workshop, a lino printing class, and spent a hugely enjoyable day drawing, cutting and stamping at her big wooden table, surrounded by beautiful examples of her work for inspiration. The classes are sociable too: there were just four of us and we shared stories and ideas as we worked, then stopped for a home-made lunch of soup and mince pies, served on pretty vintage crockery, before continuing on with our creations.

I’ve always enjoyed art, but it’s not always easy to find the time or motivation to get out your paints or craft box and spend an afternoon just ‘making’. Here, however, you’re free to indulge your arty side, blissfully without distractions, and focus on nothing but the shape of a reindeer’s nose or how to mix the most Christmassy shade of red.

Jean-Mary provides all the materials (unless stated otherwise, and you’re free to bring your own things too), and there are plenty of books to consult for inspiration, as well as the host herself, who’s always ready with a helpful comment or suggestion. It’s a wonderfully sociable and therapeutic way to spend an afternoon or evening, and I came away feeling like I’d been to a spa: inspired and relaxed – albeit with a little more paint on my hands. www.bettymakes.co.uk

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Coming up…

2 December: Lampshade making Bring some gorgeous fabric and learn how to turn it into a unique, professionally finished drum lampshade.

(6.30-8.30pm; £35) 8 December: Lino printing Create your own lino stamp then set to work making cards and gift tags for Christmas.

(11am-3pm; £28) 10 December: Craft & chat Bring whatever you’re making and join other crafters for tea, cake and a chat.

(7-9.30pm; £2) The Betty Makes studio is located upstairs at The White Tara Health & Beauty Clinic, 7 All Saints Road, Newmarket CB8 8ES

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ARTS & CULTURE

Open Art Exhibition Local artists have an opportunity to showcase their work at the Atrium, a large gallery space at Cottenham Village College, at an exhibition running 30 November-1 December. Since July, artists with wide-ranging styles, both contemporary and traditional, have been submitting work for the exhibition, which is run by artists on a voluntary basis. From these works 20 will be chosen to be featured as part of a yearlong online exhibition. A ‘Best in Show’ will be chosen for a £500 prize with five runners-up winning £100 each. There will also be a People’s Choice Award, voted for by visitors to the exhibition who will also have the chance of winning the picture they like best under £150 via a free prize draw at the close of the exhibition.

Says Rosemary Millar, speaking on behalf of the organisers: “This exhibition offers an opportunity for professionals and amateurs alike to display their work in one of the most outstanding exhibition spaces in Cambridgeshire.”

There will be a preview reception with drinks and nibbles on 29 November, tickets £5. www.attheatrium.org.uk

On White: Porcelain stories from the Fitzwilliam 1000 pots encased in two walk-through vitrines will be on show at the Fitzwilliam museum, as part of a unique, contemporary-minded exhibition on porcelain. On White: Porcelain stories from the Fitzwilliam sees three galleries taken over by renowned potter and Cambridge graduate Edmund de Waal, who will use it to display objects collected and inspired by his residency in China last summer. There’ll also be letters, photographs and pieces from the museum’s permanent collection. It runs throughout December and admission is free. www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

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theatre

words Jennifer Shelton

festive tre thea

From traditional pantos to festive music concerts and a bit of mad science, we round-up the Christmas offerings from Cambridge theatreland Thumbelina’s Great Big Adventure Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale about a tiny girl who goes on the adventure of a lifetime forms the inspiration for Cambridge Junction’s 2013 Christmas show, running from 14 December to 4 January 2014.

Thumbelina’s Great Big Adventure follows the intrepid Thumbelina as she makes her way through a forest full of animals and birds in a quest to get back home. Performed by award-winning physical theatre company Dancing Brick, it fuses puppetry, live music, songs and drama – all topped off with a dusting of snow.

“The aim was to create a really fun, bold show for all ages,” says Thomas Eccleshare, writer and performer at Dancing Brick. “It’s an adventure story, and one of the things we really loved about the story is the idea of different scales – so there’ll be giant blades of grass with normal-sized actors, then other times there’ll be puppets… so we’ll be playing with scale all the time.”

Thumbelina herself is played by Valentina Ceschi, who joins Thomas as artistic director.

She adds: “We wanted to create a show we’d want to see ourselves; something that’ll appeal to the Pixar generation. We went back to the original story and looked at what we liked about it, and how we could update it. So in our version there’s more danger, it’s more modern and Thumbelina is more of a driving force in her own destiny.”

They’ve put a Disney style spin on the supporting cast of characters, too. “There’s a gangster mole, who runs the cabaret where Thumbelina ends up,” says Thomas.

“He’s a kind of Al Capone like blind mole.

Then there’s a bird, who Thumbelina saves, a toad, some singing fish and a mysterious, morally ambiguous mouse!”

Though not traditionally a Christmas story, Thumbelina’s Great Big Adventure will certainly leave you feeling festive, as Thomas explains: “The story begins in

Thumbelina’s Granny’s house, which is a snow-covered Norwegian-style cottage, and the themes are all about home and family, which are strong traditional Christmas values.”

“It’s a great adventure story that everyone can come and see – with or without children!” adds Valentina.

Tickets are £8/£12 (£30 family of four); times vary, check online. www.junction.co.uk

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theatre

5 Dec 12 Jan Robin Hood Gather your merriest men, women and children for a night of panto fun at Cambridge Arts Theatre! Following on from last year’s Jack and the Beanstalk, Robin Hood rides into town for the first time in nearly 50 years to get you into the Christmas spirit. Expect a mix of new and familiar faces on stage: West End star Ross Hunter (Rock of Ages) will be pulling on the green tights as Robin, joined by Stephen Beckett (last year’s Squire Nastee) as the villainous sheriff and Dreamboats and Petticoats star Lorna Want as Maid Marian. And the show wouldn’t be complete without a dame – played once more by Cambridge favourite, Matt Crosby, who’s looking forward to getting back into a bra and wig as Nurse Nellie.

“I’m back as a dame, and I can’t wait,” says Matt. “Last year was terrifying – I felt

like Bernard Manning in a dress – but I really loved my costumes. We’re working on a few modifications this year though. Last year we used beans for the boobs – not baked beans, hard beans – but I get really hot on stage and my body heat started cooking the beans in my boob bag! They all swelled up so by the end of the run my boobs were twice the size. I couldn’t get into any of my dresses anymore.

“Last year the dame was a bit of a maneater,” he continues, “but this time she’s more of a prude – more of a lady. She’s Marian’s nurse, and they don’t talk about men very much – though we’ll find out why later in the show.”

Matt spent the summer writing the script with seasoned panto-penner Michael Fentiman, and can’t wait to be back in Cambridge with the old gang. He’s even

bringing his daughter, two-year-old Clara, to watch the show.

“I brought her to see me for the first time last year,” says Matt. “We weren’t sure how she would react to seeing me in a dress, so we told her that we were going to visit Auntie Matilda in Cambridge. But as soon as she saw me, she said ‘Hello Daddy!’, so maybe the make-up needs to be a bit better this year…”

He adds: “It’s going to be great getting everyone back together this year – and the Arts Theatre is just a wonderful place to be at Christmas. The cast, the people who work there… and the people that go. They’re the ones who keep the theatre alive.”

Robin Hood runs from 5 December to 12 January; prices and times vary, check the website for details. www.cambridgeartstheatre.com

Dr Bunhead’s Very Dangerous Christmas Show What’s more flammable, custard or jelly?

How loud is the world’s loudest Christmas cracker? And can reindeer really fly? Stand back and put your lab glasses on as TV stunt scientist Dr Bunhead (as seen on Brainiac and Blue Peter) presents his Very Dangerous Christmas Show, ready to bust all those Christmas myths and mysteries

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and tackle the sort of experiments your average science teacher wouldn’t touch with a six-foot candy cane!

Expect lots of excitement and loud noises – and that’s just the audience!

Tickets are £13.50 and the show runs 1115 December, at various times. www.cornex.co.uk

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18/11/13 12:42:54

theatre

Aladdin Escape on a magic carpet to the Mumford Theatre from 20 to 22 December, where Chaplins Pantos are putting on a spectacular performance of Aladdin. Journey through the magical city of Old Peking, where our young hero Aladdin takes on the evil Abanazar (boo!) with a little help from a friendly genie. Expect colourful costumes, silly antics and all the staples of the Great British pantomime.

Tickets are £7.50, and times vary. See online for details. Suitable for ages 4+. www.anglia.ac.uk

The Princess

and the Pea

What do you get when you take a bunch of excitable students, a gooseberry soufflé, an evil queen and Christmas? Why, the ADC and Footlights’ annual pantomime, that’s what! This year, the university’s finest actors, comedians, writers, dancers and singers are staging a wonderfully wonky production of The Princess and the Pea. Leave anything you thought you knew about the story at the door and enter this wacky, wonderful world, where the Vikings are terribly polite, our heroine is washing socks and there’s something going on with the vegetables…

It’s an early one, showing from 27 November to 7 December at 7.45pm (& 2.30pm Thurs & Sat). Tickets £8/£10/£12. www.adctheatre.com

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Winter

Wonderland

A beautiful city at any time of year, Ely really comes into its own at Christmas. This year, at the cathedral, join the Cathedral Choirs, The Ely Imps and a jazz quintet for a seasonal concert – with added swing! Together they’ll be performing a programme of festive favourites, from Chestnuts Roasting to Walking in a Winter Wonderland, underneath a magnificent twinkling Christmas tree.

It starts at 7.30pm, 7 December. Tickets are £10/£15/£20, available online or from the Ely Cathedral Box Office – 01353 660349.

As well as the concert, you can also pick up a ticket (£15) to attend an interval reception at the splendid Lady Chapel, with champagne and canapés. www.elycathedral.org

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family

What the Ladybird

Heard

Make Mince P ies!

Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks’ charming children’s story comes to life at Cambridge Corn Exchange, 11-15 December. Down on the farm, two robbers are plotting to steal the farmer’s prize cow. But the smallest, quietest creature in the farmyard is about to stop them in their tracks… A fun, colourful story for children aged 2+, What the Ladybird Heard also features live music and plenty of audience participation! Tickets are £12.50, showtimes are 11am (and 1.30pm on Friday). Check website for details and to book. www.cornex.co.uk

Christmas

at Denny Abbey

The family-friendly museum in Waterbeach will turn into a Christmas wonderland on 7 December, offering things to see and do for all ages.

Taking place from noon, there’ll be a mini craft fair, free Christmas trail, a raffle and more, followed by carols from 4pm, performed in the Abbey Farmhouse by the Friends of the Farmland Museum. The tea room will also be open, serving warming drinks and festive treats. Normal admission charges apply. www.farmlandmuseum.org.uk

Sing-along Joseph

Bring the family along for an interactive screening of the 1999 classic stage story of Joseph and his coat of many colours. There’ll be subtitles on-screen so you can sing along to your favourite tunes – and why not dress up too? There’ll be a host to judge the best dressed and give out some free fun packs, as well as leading you in some groovy moves. Tickets are £10/£12.50/£15, showtime is 5pm on 22 December. www.cornex.co.uk

Visit Santa

Nothing beats a home-made mince pie, so why not head along to the Cambridge Cookery School and learn how to make some from scratch? They’re perfect for freezing, so you can save a batch to eat on Christmas Day itself, and you’ll also learn to make Swedish saffron twists while you’re at it – all within the school’s stylish, contemporary kitchen.

What’s more, the class is open to parents and children, so it’s a great opportunity to do something Christmassy together, as well as getting delicious results at the end of it.

The class runs 10am-12pm on 19 December and costs £40, including some refreshments. Suitable for ages 7-11 years. www.cambridgecookeryschool.com

Make a Film

for Christmas

Budding young filmmakers might be interested in Anglia Ruskin University’s Make a Film for Christmas event, being held on 7 December. Two workshops are taking place simultaneously: choose from making your own stop-motion animation with Lizzie Hobbs, or make a fast, funny, 60-second film while learning how to use HD cameras, microphones and clapperboards with Ryd Cook. Both cost £45 each and run 10am4pm. Suitable for ages 10-13 years. www.picturehouses.co.uk

at Shepreth

After welcoming Bill Oddie in October, our local Wildlife Park gets a visit from Santa this month, who’ll be turning the newly opened Education and Discovery Centre into a ‘jungle grotto’, filled with pressies and perhaps even a sprinkling of snow. Come and meet the jolly fellow on 7, 8, 14, 15 or 21-24 December, between 1-4pm. Tickets are £10, including a gift – only if you’re good, of course! Shepreth's Rebecca Willers says: “All money raised from the Shepreth Santa Jungle Grotto goes directly to our Hedgehog Hospital, so your visit will not only bring a smile to your little one’s face, but also our hedgehog carers’, as you can help them save a life this Christmas.” www.sheprethwildlifepark.co.uk

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news

words NICOLA FOLEY

M ILL ROA D

W INTER FA IR *****

The most colourful corner of Cambridge is gearing up for its huge annual shindig on 7 December. Here’s what’s in store for 2013...

is a proud partner of Mill Road Winter Fair

T

he Mill Road area, famed for its vibrant community and wonderful array of independent cafés, shops and restaurants, welcomes back its annual Winter Fair this month, and the organisers are promising to pull out all the stops for yet another memorable shindig.

Taking place on 7 December, this muchloved event is a huge celebration of all that this colourful corner of Cambridge has to offer, featuring an array of stalls and entertainment. Once again, the road will be closed to traffic from East to Coleridge for the day, meaning that you can grab a hot drink and something to eat and roam freely around the area enjoying the attractions, which run from 10.30am to 4.30pm.

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Proceedings kick off with a ceremony in Ditchburn Gardens, during which the mayor will officially open the event alongside a few musical numbers by the Greater Bibleway Gospel Choir. The parade, which this year starts at 12.30pm, looks set to bring a hefty dose of carnival spirit to Cambridge with a dazzling show that features more than 200 local people, ranging from schoolchildren to professional artists, pensioners and local musicians.

Organised in partnership with carnival company Kinetica, those involved have been rehearsing weekly since October – so it’s sure to be quite a spectacle.

As ever, the event will be catering fantastically for kids, with loads of family activities taking place including a drop-in

storytelling and craft session at St Philip’s Church. The now famous HATS! at Romsey Mill will also make its return, giving kids and grown-ups alike the chance to channel their inner designer and give millinery a go, using a mountain of fabric, paper, card, and every kind of recycled material, with prizes for the best efforts!

If you’re looking to stock up on some Christmas pressies with some of our finest local traders, you’ll be spoilt for choice at the markets and craft fairs taking place at various locations including Donkey Common and Ditchburn Gardens.

Showcasing their wares will be companies such as Buckles Books, Emma Bennett Collage, Cambridge Umbrella and Bluebell & Buttons, as well as gorgeous illustrations

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15/11/13 16:35:32

NEWS

The parade is set to bring a dose of carnival spirit to Cambridge with a dazzling show

Images Adam Cash

and designs by Jo Clarke Design, cute and quirky dolls from Ogl Doll Plush Designs and the eye-catching t-shirts and other textiles from Checkpoint Reality.

There’s also Mill Road’s fantastic selection of shops to explore, from the antiques treasure trove that is the Old Chemist Shop, to the groaning shelves of artisan produce at Italian delicatessen Limoncello, to the brilliant charity shops that line the street. Once you need a break, we recommend a pint at the ludicrously Christmassy Empress on Thoday Street, or popping into the Cambridge Blue on Gwydir Street, where they will have their annual visit from some real life reindeer!

The food at the Fair is always a huge draw and this year will be no exception.

Once again, the Gwydir Street car park will be the setting for a packed food fair with plenty of opportunities to enjoy a plethora of foodie delights. Treats on offer include traditional Spanish cuisine from Azahar Artisan Spanish Food, ice creams from Jack’s Gelato, the ever-brilliant burgers from Steak & Honour and luxury hot chocolates and roast chestnuts from the brilliant Beijo Bebidas.

Foodie highlights over at Donkey Common meanwhile are sure to include the range of delicious cakes from Afternoon Tease (who recently opened a café on King Street), Cambridge Chimney Cake, CamCattle Burgers and the spirits and seasonal liquors from English Spirit.

Romsey town’s own roller derby team, the Rollerbillies, will also be out in force, serving up cakes on skates and raising money for Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre.

Entertainment-wise, there’s a packed line-up of live music for all the family to enjoy throughout the day, including jazz outfit The Accidentalists, Cambridge University Brass Band and hugely popular local band Fred’s House. There’ll also be dancing from Cambridge Lindyhoppers and the Gog Magog Molly Men. All in all, it promises to be a great day out and a great day for Cambridge; don’t forget to come and say hi to the Cambridge Edition team on our stall, we’ll see you there! www.millroadwinterfair.org

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Cambridge Edition | December 2013 | 35

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group spotlight

Group spotlight

S u n d ay A s s e m b ly Is it possible to have all of the ‘best bits’ of religion without the actual religion bit?

Nicola Foley headed along to Cambridge’s new ‘atheist church’ to find out t’s 11am on a Sunday morning. By rights the only thing I should be doing now is nursing a hangover and a fry-up somewhere.

But I’m not, I’m queuing up outside the Junction getting ready to experience Cambridge’s very first Sunday Assembly: a new ‘atheist church’ which is currently in the midst of a global roadshow, recruiting new members everywhere from Nottingham to New York, and generating quite a buzz.

The brainchild of two stand-up comedians, Sanderson Jones and Pippa Evans, the original impetus for the Sunday Assembly came when the pair discovered a mutual dream of creating something similar to a church, with all the best bits of religion, but for non-believers.

“By myself I probably wouldn’t have done it,” admits co-founder Pippa. “I would have just been like ‘oh that’s a good idea, but I bet it could never happen’. But I was in the car with Sanderson on the way to a gig and because he had the same idea we motivated each other to do it.”

“I actually went to church from a young age and I loved it,” she continues. “But then I stopped believing in God, and it became a bit awkward going to church! When I left, I missed church – but I didn’t miss God, and I wondered if it might be possible to have a church without God. It turned out that we could.”

The Sunday Assembly was born.

The grand plan? To create a global, godless congregation that encourages people to join together, contribute to their community and fulfil their potential. The motto at the heart of the movement is a persuasive one: ‘live better, help often and wonder more’ – but aside from that, there’s no dogma, no doctrine, and definitely no deity.

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Instead, there are cool songs, interesting talks, the chance to regularly meet with people in your community, tea, cake and a palpable sense of fun. It’s estimated that here are some three hundred million people around the world who identify as having no religion, and Sunday Assembly wants to reach them. Their fundamental goal, according to their promotional literature, is to help people celebrate life, relish their existence and be the best that they can be, “combining inspiration, technology and community to bring human potential to dizzying new heights.”

Intrigued, and a teensy bit concerned that I was about to get sucked into the world’s most cleverly marketed cult, I headed into the Junction with around 100 or so others – mostly white, nicely dressed, with a broad spread of ages and a handful

of families with young kids.

The structure of the Assembly is brazenly lifted from your average church service, except here, the ‘hymns’ are rousing pop songs (like You’ve Got The Love and Walking on Sunshine) and the sermons consist of thought-provoking talks by interesting and inspiring people who have something to say – for example Jocelyn Cutler from Cambridge Carbon Footprint, who offered an entertaining talk on sustainability and living a squeaky green lifestyle. There’s even a collection pot at the end – to help pay for these (free to attend) events and raise the necessary money for more satellite congregations around the world.

The uber charismatic, bearded Sanderson bounds around on stage being generally hilarious and winning,

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15/11/13 12:38:29

group spotlight

encouraging the assembled crowd to think about how they can live better lives and make the most of every precious minute of ‘this one life we know we have’.

Pippa, his rather more wry, but equally hilarious sidekick, offers a talk on doing your best – whilst apologising for her ‘naturally sarcastic voice’. There’s also a bit of poetry courtesy of Fay Roberts, as well as some time for private, prayer-like contemplation.

It’s a potent mix. Looking around during one of the musical numbers, led by brilliant local band Tiger Blue, I see most of the crowd singing their hearts out, throwing their hands around, laughing and chucking their inhibitions out the window. There’s something intrinsically uplifting about joining together with a bunch of strangers and having a good old singalong, and it definitely got me thinking about the fact that organised religion shouldn’t have a monopoly on these kind of social gatherings.

Enjoying some tea and cake afterwards, I chat to various attendees about their reasons for coming along. For some it’s plain old curiosity, for one lady, it’s a simple desire to feel more part of her community.

The success rate of Sunday Assemblies so far certainly seems to prove that the appetite is there.

“We’re lucky to have had a lot of press interest,” says Pippa, when I ask how they’re spreading the ‘good word’. “And then there’s Twitter and Facebook and things. People seem to find it. People love it. We’re linking more and more – we’ve got ten Sunday Assemblies now. It will be 40 by the end of the year.”

One can see how, in the relatively atheist-friendly UK, the reception to the Sunday Assembly would be warm to indifferent, but I’m interested in how it’s been received in other, more religious corners of the globe.

“In America, atheism is a very different thing to what it is over here – here it’s

‘Live better, help often and wonder more’ is the motto. But apart from that, there’s no dogma, no doctrine, and definitely no deity

almost assumed sometimes,” agrees Pippa.

“But over there it’s a really big thing; like you have to ‘come out’ as an atheist. So that’s where we experienced some of the more hardcore atheists and the more hardcore religious people.”

Conversely, Pippa tells me that various religious figures have actually come out in support of their movement, including Dave Tomlinson, well-respected vicar and the author of How to be a bad Christian… and a better human being.

“He’s supported us, and loves us asking questions about stuff. There are lots of people who support us actually – and if people who are religious do come along they can see that what we’re doing isn’t against them, and it isn’t about trying to make a point against them. It’s about

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finding another space for people who maybe want similar things, but just don’t believe in God.” So, what’s the plan for the future of Sunday Assembly?

“Our short-term goal is to make sure that each and every Assembly grows and creates an actual community – a community within the Sunday Assembly and also that affects the community outside the Assembly in a positive way. Long term, we want to have a Sunday Assembly in any town, village or city that wants one.”

The next Sunday Assembly in Cambridge will be held on 1 December. www.sundayassembly.com Twitter: @SundayAssyCambs

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ANTI CHRISTMAS

Christmas

We get it. Not everybody is brimming over with festive cheer. Here’s our selection of things to do in Cambridge if you’re looking for an escape from the yuletide onslaught

The Alternative Christmas Party Put a quirky slant on Christmas with a visit to Cambridge’s Corpus Playroom, where Breakanegg Theatre Company are throwing The Alternative Christmas Party. If you’ve tired of mince pies and mulled wine already, come along to this farcical non-festive celebration. Presented in several one-act plays, you’ll meet some Victorians, ponder the state of Australian television and the madness of family life – with songs. It runs 16-17 December, 7pm and tickets are £5/£6. www.corpusplayroom.com

Star of wonder Marvel at the magic of science with an evening spent stargazing right here in Cambridge. The Institute of Astronomy on Madingley Road are holding open evenings every Wednesday this month, giving you the chance to explore the skies through their modern telescopes, which they’ll set up out on the lawns (weather permitting). You’ll also hear experts give a talk, plus have an opportunity to look through the historical Northumberland and Thorrowgood telescopes inside the department.

Doors open at 6.50pm for a 7.15pm talk and all are free to attend. Bring warm clothes and a torch wrapped in something red, like a sweet wrapper, so as not to spoil anyone’s night vision! www.ast.cam.ac.uk

R*E*P*E*A*T

anti-Christmas party

If there’s one place you won’t be forced to wear a rubbish paper hat and force-fed mince pies it’s The Portland Arms, which this month is proving somewhat of a sanctuary for those wanting to escape the garish glow of Christmas. R*E*P*E*A*T are holding their annual anti-Christmas party, featuring live music from local bands. The £4 entry fee goes towards Love Music Hate Racism.

8-11pm, 30 December. www.theportlandarms.co.uk

Wisdom Trail

at The Missing Sock

This quirky pub in Stow-cum-Quy are inviting little ones to take the ‘Generation Journey’ Wisdom Trail – a part obstacle course, part lesson which will teach them to think about others at this time of year.

Starting at 2pm at the pub’s double-decker bus, a wise man will lead groups on an adventure through tunnels, in-between trees and around fire pits, meeting animals and people who each need help, and have something to teach about greed, material values and the gift of giving. The journey ends with a story round the fire.

The Missing Sock ask that you donate what you can, and all donations will go to local charities.

It will take place on the first three Sundays of December. www.themissingsock.co.uk

Escape the chill Ok, we can’t promise the blue skies and hazy heat of the Med, but you can escape the drizzle of December and pretend you’re on holiday with a trip to one of Cambridge’s more exotic restaurants. For a Greek feast, look to the sunny Olive Grove on Regent Street, with its white and blue, beach-inspired décor and mixed-grill Christmas menu. Try La Mimosa (by Jesus Green), La Margherita (Magdalene Street) or De Luca Cucina & Bar (Regent Street) for traditional Italian flavours and hospitality, or push back the riad door to the brilliant Bedouin on Mill Road to tuck into a Moroccan tagine. For authentic Indian food, try Prana, also on Mill Road; meanwhile The Orchid on Newmarket Road is serving up a Christmas menu along the lines of Thai turkey salad rolls, Japanese grilled mackerel and scallops with fried rice. You can even do karaoke there too – beats charades, right?

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LISTINGS

What’s on 1 December

Basement Tours Time: Various Location: Wimpole Hall Price: £5.80/£10.70 Description: Learn about life below stairs with an in-depth tour of Wimpole’s servants’ quarters, including rooms not on the usual visitor route (also 21, 22, 28 & 29 Dec). Members go free. nationaltrust.org.uk

4 December

An Evening with Rowan Williams Time: 6.30pm Location: Heffers Price: £12 Description: The former archbishop of Canterbury joins philosopher and novelist Ray Tallis and writer and presenter Alison Joseph to discuss faith and science at Heffers bookshop. stores.blackwell.co.uk

4 December

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University Challenge Time: 1.15pm Location: Fitzwilliam Museum Price: Free Description: The conservators take on the collections in this fun Cambridge event. fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

5 December Christmas Gift & Craft Fair Time: 10am-4pm Location: Burgess Hall, St Ives Price: £1 (under 16s free) Description: Last year over 2000 visitors came to look round the St Ives Christmas Fair, which sets up in the Burgess Hall once again this year. There’ll be more than 100 stalls, craft demonstrations and events throughout the day, plus food talks and tastings. huntingdonshire.gov.uk

1 December

DIRTY WARS Time: 8.15pm Location: Arts Picturehouse Price: £8.50/£10 Description: Watch the Rick Rowley directed film, in which a reporter stumbles upon a US raid gone wrong in Afghanistan and a quest to expose the truth ensues.

Afterwards join in a discussion with producers Brenda Coughlin and Anthony Arnove. picturehouses.co.uk

Open Mic Night Time: 8-10pm Location: Hot Numbers Cafe Price: Free entry Description: A showcase of Cambridge’s emerging musical talent. Enjoy a beer, coffee or home-made cake while you’re there. hotnumberscoffee.co.uk

5 December - 12 January

Robin Hood Time: Various Location: Cambridge Arts Theatre Price: Various Description: Visiting Cambridge for the first time in 50 years, Robin Hood brings forest antics, song and dance numbers – in fact, everything you need for a great night of Christmassy entertainment. cambridgeartstheatre.com

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6 December

Christmas Market & Craft Fayre Time: 9am-8.30pm Location: Saffron Walden Price: Free Description: The pretty market town of Saffron Walden really comes into its own at Christmas; plan a visit to their festival fayre for craft stalls, gift ideas and great local food and drink. visitsaffronwalden.gov.uk

7 December

Mill Road Winter Fair Time: 10.30am-4.30pm Location: Mill Road Price: Free Description: Cambridge’s biggest winter street festival sees performers, artists and local vendors unite for a day-long event, with food stalls, craft stalls and more. millroadwinterfair.org

10

Visit Santa!

8&15 dec

Time: 11am-3pm Location: Wood Green Animal Shelter Price: £6.50 Description: The Godmanchester Centre gets a visit from Santa and his ‘reindog’ – come and meet them in the grotto and have a go at some of the craft activities on hand. woodgreen.org.uk

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Ian Rankin Time: 7pm Location: St Andrew’s Baptist Church Price: £8 Description: The crime writer gives a talk before taking a year off from writing – your last time to see him for a while. He’ll be discussing his new Rebus book, Saints of the Shadow Bible. stores.blackwell.co.uk

CAROL CONCERT Time: 7.30pm Location: Audley End House Price: £15 Description: Join in the yuletide celebrations at the big house by singing carols in the Great Hall. A glass of wine or a soft drink is included. english-heritage.org.uk

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DEC

The Old Curiosity Shop Time: 7.45pm (& 2.30pm Sat) Location: ADC Theatre Price: £7-£10 Description: See Charles Dickens’s celebrated tale of moneylending and family fortunes, featuring memorable characters such as Nell Trent, the villainous Daniel Quilp and careless Dick Swiveller. adctheatre.com

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LISTINGS

Images from left to right:

See Shed Seven on 17 December, or to get in touch with winter’s wildlife see some of the Botanic Garden’s archive short films. Or why not celebrate a Victorian Christmas at the Mumford Theatre on 15 December, to see how it used to be?

11-12 December

BOTANIC GARDEN ON FILM Time: 1pm (Wed), 5pm (Thurs) Location: Arts Picturehouse Price: £4/£5 Description: Delve inside the Garden’s film archive and see a man who tamed robins and the 1953 coronation garden party, as well as other short films centred on this exotic green space within the city. cambridgeshirefilmconsortium. org

13 December

NIICE Time: 9pm-2am Location: La Raza Price: £5 Description: Go on a night out with a difference this month.

Inspired by the New York loft parties of the 1970s, Niice will feature the coolest deep disco beats and 70s sounds, soulful house, rum and big mumma vocals. laraza.co.uk

15 December

15 December

Gingerbread Magic Time: 11am-3pm Location: Cambridge Cookery School Price: £125 Description: Learn how to construct a gingerbread house that Hansel & Gretel would be proud of or a range of festive biscuits at this adult class in gingerbread. Led by top Cambridge baker, Fiona McDuff, it’s perfect for beginners and keen bakers alike. cambridgecookeryschool.com

Time: 7.30pm Location: Ely Cathedral Price: £10-£20 Description: Visit one of Britain’s most stunning cathedrals for an evening of carols and seasonal music, performed by the Cathedral Choristers and the Choir of Ely Cathedral. elycathedral.org

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Time: 7pm Location: Junction Price: £19.50 Description: York’s answer to indie are back on the road, bringing their latest numbers, and all the classics, to Cambridge.

After all, it’s 15 years since the release of their landmark album A Maximum High, so why not have a bit of a party? junction.co.uk

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DEC

Time: 7.30pm Location: Trinity College Chapel Price: £20/£25 Description: Soak up the atmosphere of Trinity College Chapel and hear soaring music by Vivaldi, Mudge, Telemann and Bach, as performed by The Musical and Amicable Society. cambridgeearlymusic.org

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Hark The Herald

Shed Seven

CUSTARD COMEDY Time: 8.15pm Location: Comberton Sports and Arts Centre Price: £10 Description: Treat yourself to an evening of laughs. This month’s Christmas show headliner is Anthony King, a deadpan deliverer of devilishly droll oneliners who has supported Jo Brand, Lee Evans and Eddie Izzard on stage. wegottickets.com/event/245197

CONCERTI FOR CHRISTMAS

Time: Various Location: Cambridge Junction Price: £8/£12 Description: Venture into a world where toadstools are as high as trees, fish sing and beetles have bags of attitude.

This charming family show features puppets, music and even a sprinkle of snow. junction.co.uk

14 dec 4 jan

13 December

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Thumbelina’s Great Big Adventure

A Victorian Christmas Time: 3.30pm Location: Mumford Theatre Price: £7.50/£8.50/£10 Description: Celebrate Christmas like the Victorians did, with songs, carols, tales and drama.

After you’ve sung your heart out, the afternoon will culminate in a Christmas retelling of a fun, family story from the court of King Arthur – an era the Victorians often drew on for inspiration. anglia.ac.uk

dec

23 December

Family Christmas Concert Time: 4pm Location: Corn Exchange Price: £5-£8 Description: The Cambridgeshire County Youth Orchestra join the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra for a programme of festive family favourites, from White Christmas to The Snowman. Special guest narrator to be announced… cornex.co.uk Cambridge Edition | December 2013 | 43

18/11/13 17:24:45

NEW YEAR'S EVE

WORDS sian townsend

new year’s eve guide

It’s always the most hyped night out of the year, so make it one to remember with our guide to what’s on in and around Cambridge

Cabaret Dining If you fancy a decadent New Year’s Eve full of theatre, fine food and a dazzling dash of the unexpected, we recommend checking out the always delightful Willow Tree in Bourn this 31 December.

Their event, which costs £90 per person, includes a sumptuous five-course feast (and at this place, you know the food is going to be spectacular), as well as live cabaret and burlesque style entertainment form the quirky Gossamer Vaudeville Thread Company. From 11pm-1am, there will be dancing and tunes aplenty of the electro swing variety. Dress code is ‘vintage glamour and black tie’.

Starts 8pm.

29 High Street, Bourn CB23 2SQ, 01954 719775 www.thewillowtreebourn.com

Hotel Felix In their usual sophisticated style, Hotel Felix’s New Year’s Eve is set to be a night to remember. The food on offer includes decadent offerings such as a mosaic of game terrine, crab ravioli and saddle of venison, as well as a vegetarian dream of chicory and Stilton tarte Tatin. After your meal you can enjoy live jazz until midnight has been well and truly toasted.

The night costs £70 per person, including a glass of mandarin sparkle, three courses and live music. Revellers can go the whole hog and dine, party and stay the night from £295 per room. If you choose to stay you will be greeted with a full English the next morning, plus if you are feeling particular lazy you can while the day away in front of the roaring fire and indulge in one of their signature afternoon teas later in the day.

Whitehouse Lane, Huntingdon Road, CB3 0LX, 01223 277977, www.hotelfelix.co.uk

White Noise If an all-night, full-on rave is your idea of a good night out, head to Cambridge’s biggest New Year’s Eve club night: White Noise at Cambridge Junction. Hosted by local faves Plastique, the night features B Traits – queen of carnival bass music and Radio 1 DJ, plus Kove, hotly tipped for greatness in 2014. The event runs from 10pm to 6am and costs £13 per person.

Just remember to book early because NYE at Cambridge Junction is always a sell-out.

Clifton Way, Cambridge, CB1 7GX, 01223 511511, www.junction.co.uk

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19/11/13 09:04:15

NEW YEAR'S EVE

Cambridge Arts Picturehouse Enjoy a refined New Year’s afternoon treat at the Arts Picturehouse, which is showing Berlin Philharmonic New Year’s Eve Gala. The screening will include two of the most popular Hungarian Dances by Brahms, and three of the Slavonic Dances by Dvořák, as well as melodies from the ballet Gayane by the Soviet Armenian composer Aram Khachaturian. £20 for non-members and the special screening starts at 4.30pm.

38-39 St Andrew’s Street, CB2 3AR, 0871 902 5720, www.picturehouses.co.uk

Hotel du Vin Celebrate in style at Hotel du Vin’s New Year’s Eve bash. Start your evening of celebrations in the library with champagne and canapés to nibble on as you recline in your finery on a large comfy sofa. Then head through to the bistro for a four-course feast, complete with coffee and petit fours. Once you are suitably sated and ready to party, the library will play host to a live band until the clock strikes midnight. The evening costs £129 and guests are asked to dress in black tie attire. Alternatively, two people can dine, party and stay for £489, including a full English breakfast to aid recovery on the first day of 2014.

15-19 Trumpington Street, CB2 1QA, 0844 7364 253, www.hotelduvin.com

Alimentum Cambridge’s stylish Michelin starred restaurant Alimentum will be treating New Year’s Eve diners to a ten-course extravaganza created by talented head chef and patron Mark Poynton. Alongside sensational food and wine, there will also be live music throughout the evening. Priced at £110 per person (wine flights priced at £40 or £60 per person).

152-154 Hills Road, CB2 8PB, 01223 413000, www.restaurantalimentum.co.uk

The River Bar Steakhouse and Grill There’s an indulgent feast on offer at the River Bar Steakhouse and Grill. In the restaurant’s stylish setting, you’ll be greeted with a glass of Prosecco, then enjoy meaty masterpieces including Ox Cheek Mulligatawny Soup, Braised Tail Risotto, Carpaccio of Fillet, and Roasted Sirloin (£67 per person, flight of wine £23).

Quayside, Cambridge CB5 8AQ, 01223 307030, www.riverbarsteakhouse.com

The Burgess Hall At The Burgess Hall in St Ives they’re pulling out all the stops this New Year’s Eve. The evening kicks off with a drinks reception, followed by a disco, a hog roast and buffet up until 10.30pm, and confetti cannons at midnight to welcome in 2014 in truly explosive style! £20 per ticket, 8pm-2am.

One Leisure St Ives, Westwood Road, St Ives, Cambridgeshire PE27 6WU, 01480 388500 www.burgesshall.net

d’Arry’s Popular blues and rock trio Chris Newman, Stella Hensley and Art Toper will be showing off their unique mix to toast the start of 2014 at d’Arry’s. The group will perform for diners after they indulge in the mouth-watering three-course menu. Tempting options include a starter of beetroot and whisky-cured salmon, thyme-rubbed pheasant breast for main and a dazzling dessert of Bailey’s and coffee brûlée. Music will run from 10pm to 1am and tickets are £59.95 per person.

2-4 King Street, CB1 1LN, 01223 505015, www.darrys.co.uk

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community

The latest news from your local hub

Carol Service for Headway Head over to the United Reformed Church in Fulbourn on 18 December (at 11am) for a carol service organised by Headway Cambridgeshire, a specialist charity that supports those affected by a brain injury. If last year’s interesting interpretation of the nativity story is anything to go by, this year’s service looks to be a real treat. Headway invites you to stay afterwards for a chat, drink and mince pie. www.headway-cambs.org.uk

Four-star retiree

After 21 years as general manager at Best Western Plus, the Gonville Hotel, Roderick Watson is retiring. Roderick has seen the hotel, and indeed the city, undergo a major transformation over the years, including a recent £2 million redevelopment and achieving fourstar status. He will be handing over the reigns to his experienced former deputy, Christopher Ogston; we wish them both well in their new ventures.

The Shelford

Feast

A whopping £21,000 has Great Shelf ord Twent y one thousand pounds been donated 21,000 only to nearly 40 good causes in and around Great Shelford after the village put on its most successful feast to date. The Shelford Feast is a week packed full of live music, comedy, community events and of course, plenty of food and drink.

It has been held on and off in one form or another since medieval times and in its modern incarnation has raised more than £215,000 over the last 20 years.

Look out for The Shelford Feast which will be returning next July for another week of fundraising fun. www.shelfordfeast.co.uk

FoodCycle

Cambridge raff le

A hamper brimming with a smorgasbord of local produce fresh from Jesus College farmers’ market (and kindly donated by the college itself) has been raffled off by the charity FoodCycle Cambridge. The charity is run by volunteers who work hard to provide a nutritious meal for those at risk of food poverty and social isolation. The raffle raised £140, which will go straight towards helping feed those in need in the local community.

If you would like to get involved with FoodCycle, to help out or donate, head over to their website. www.foodcycle.org.uk

Science teacher and fundraiser extraordinaire retires You might recognise Elaine Jarman, head of science at Cambridge Centre for Sixthform Studies, as she has collected for charity at Cambridge rail station for 25 years.

Along with her students, Elaine has raised an impressive £100,000 for charities, including Children in Need, Comic Relief and Macmillan Cancer. To coincide with her retirement from the sixth form college this Christmas (where she has worked for 28 years), Elaine will also be hanging up her collection bucket. Elaine is leaving with many fond memories of the school and students, especially from her time collecting with many of them. Happy retirement Elaine!

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TICKETS FROM

£9

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christmas

Christmas Fairs Christmas may be just around the corner, but there’s still plenty of time to make your way around a couple of these fabulous, festive fairs and pick up some goodies Images courtesy of Derek Langley

Burwash Manor

All Saints Market Cambridge’s favourite craft fair gets festive this month with an even bigger helping of wonderful home-made items. Every Saturday this month until Christmas, local stallholders will be showcasing their wares, from bags and belts, bowls and badges to cards, jewellery, jigsaws and sculptures, and even more. It’s open from 10am-4.30pm and admission is free. Keep an eye on the Cambridge Craft Market’s Facebook page for details of selected opening times throughout the weeks in the run up to 25 December. www.facebook.com/CambridgeCraftMarket

The Chequers Christmas Shopping Event The newly refurbished Chequers Pub in the heart of Cottenham is hosting a shopping event on 7 December. A unique evening of festivities, it’s the first the pub has held, and they’re expecting a great turnout from the community and beyond. There’ll be various goods on sale from 11am-4pm, and money raised will go towards Breast Cancer Care.

A family-run pub on Cottenham High Street, The Chequers is known for its great food, wide selection of drinks, roaring fires and beautiful, welcoming interiors – a real homely countryside pub with style. www.facebook.com/ChequersPubCottenham

The lovely cluster of shops at Burwash will be getting into the Christmas craft spirit with their Christmas Marquee, resplendent with stunning displays of decorations from around the world. Inside, discover an array of truly unique Christmas accessories, from candles to ribbons, cards to table linens, china to crackers, lights to wrapping paper. Then visit Burwash Art for their Mixed Winter Show, running until 29 December, featuring work from local artists.

This is all in addition to Burwash’s existing shops, many of them havens for the home crafter, and all of them providing lots of great inspiration. And there’s a gorgeous café too, for that muchneeded cup of tea and mince pie after all that shopping... www.burwash manor.com

Cambridge Art Salon If you’re looking for an arty gift, or something ornamental that you won’t find anywhere else, Cambridge Art Salon could be the place to find it. Throughout December, local artists Karen and Mandy will be turning the gallery space into an arts and crafts ‘grotto’, with beautiful works by Cambridge designer/makers on display.

Says Mandy: "We have curated mixed shows previously here at the Art Salon, and enjoy placing the contrasting works together. The works by the artists are so

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diverse, it is always interesting to see what we have to play with.

“What people like about the Salon is that is has a great vibe: it’s very welcoming and not stuffy at all. Works will be for sale, so it offers a fantastic alternative to shopping on the high street for festive gifts.”

There’ll be 12 stalls displaying mixed media pieces, prints and gifts, and the craft fair will be open all day from 10am-5.30pm Friday-Sunday; 5pm-7pm Thursdays. www.cambridgeartsalon.org.uk

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christmas

Haddenham Galleries Head to Haddenham Galleries' Christmas Cornucopia near Ely, open every day until December 24, 10am-5pm. The perfect place wto pick up an unusual card or handmade gift, it's promising an 'Aladdin's Cave' of yultide wonders. A real destination in itself, Haddenham Galleries makes for a great Christmassy day out. www.haddenhamgallery.co.uk

Christmas at Saffron Walden Plan a Christmassy visit to pretty Saffron Walden, which will be holding a Christmas Market & Craft Fayre at the Town Hall on 6 December. From 9am-8.30pm, take in the seasonal stalls and meet Father Christmas, then stop off at one of the town’s charming tea rooms for a refuel. The market is free to attend. www.visitsaffronwalden.gov.uk

St Neots Gift Show At The Priory Centre in St Neots on 7 December, pick up a unique gift or new decorations at this one-stop shop for gifts, crafts, produce and more. Last year saw over 35 stands and plenty of visitors. It runs 10am-1pm. www.facebook.com/ stneotsfestivegiftshow

Duxford Advent Market A German-style market will be cropping up in Duxford this month, offering a range of beautiful Christmas craft stalls and artisan food stalls. Held in the atmospheric redundant medieval church of St John’s on 7 December, it’s a lovely, atmospheric way to do your Christmas shopping. www.duxadvent.com

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Further afie

ld…

Bury St Edmunds Christmas Fayre One of the biggest festive events in East Anglia, the Bury St Edmunds Christmas Fayre returns for another long weekend of eclectic stalls, entertainment and more. Taking place all across town, and in the picturesque Abbey Gardens, shoppers can pick up gifts from the craft market and jewellery stalls, browse the food tents for local pickles, cheeses, meats and other larder treats, and soak up the atmosphere as the town is transformed into a bustling and magical winter wonderland. There’s still time to make it – 1 December is the final day. www.burystedmundschristmasfayre. co.uk

Blackthorpe Barn Nestled within Rougham Estate, just outside Bury St Edmunds, Blackthorpe Barn hosts arts and crafts events all year, with their Christmas event the biggest of them all. The building will be transformed into a bustling marketplace with Nordic decorations, handmade gifts and fair trade ornaments across over 60 stalls. The market will be running each weekend from 16 November until 15 December. There’s also a café selling home-made cakes, then meet Santa in his outdoor grotto. www.blackthorpebarn.com

Stamford Christmas Festival Taking place 10am-4.30pm on 1 December, the Stamford Christmas Festival regularly attracts a whopping 1,500 visitors, all keen to soak up the atmosphere, see the Christmas lights switch-on and enjoy a festive day out. Amongst the 150+ trade stalls, selling everything from crafts and decorations to food and drink, there’ll be entertainment, a Santa’s grotto, carol singing and much more. www.visitstamford.com

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COMPETITiON

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The Big Edition

Christmas Giveaway!

ONE R E READ ALL S WIN ESE TH S! PRIZE

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1. Hotel Chocolat The decadent Bliss chocolate Hamper, worth £150, features a smorgasbord of chocolatey delights from luxury chocolate store Hotel Chocolat, including the Milk Oblivion Sleekster Selection, Salted Caramel and Pecan Spread, a bag of Strawberry White Puddles, Nutty Chocolate Log, Classic Milky Liquid Chocolat, Champagne Truffles and Spotlight On Midnight Mints. www.hotelchocolat.com 2. ElajÉ Luxury salon Elajé Hair & Beauty in Cambridge is renowned for its relaxing ambience and superb treatments delivered by its highly skilled and super-friendly team. We’re giving away a pair of £100 vouchers to our winner, entitling the winner and a friend to a relaxing full-body aromatherapy massage or, if they prefer, a luxurious Dermalogica facial. The voucher also includes a Smoothie Spa manicure and Smoothie Spa pedicure to ensure the winner will feel revitalised from top to toe! www.elaje.co.uk

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3. CATHERINE BEST Win this gorgeous pair of amethyst studs from renowned jewellery brand Catherine Best. Worth over £95, these elegant, timeless earrings are set with faceted amethyst and make a striking and glamorous statement this festive season. www.catherinebest.com 4. Men’s Gift Company Harlequin Enamel Cufflinks (£74.99), made of sterling silver and enamel, feature a traditional double chain fitting, and add a bold splash of colour to any formal outfit.

The plain cufflink is suitable for engraving with either a monogram or the initials of your choice – go in store for options. www.mensgiftcompany.co.uk

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5. Luxury Christmas Hamper The Devon Hampers Luxury Christmas Hamper in a fine wicker basket has something for all the family and is packed full of Devon’s festive favourites, worth £78. It includes: Georgie Porgie Christmas pud (serves 3-4); Devon Scone Company Mince Pies (6); Pyman’s Pâtés – chicken, brandy, port, cranberry and duck, mulled wine and port; Hogs Bottom Devon Chutney (320g jar) and Honey Mustard (170g jar); Hillside Oat and Seed Crunch Biscuits (130g); Heron Valley mulling spices; Sharpham’s Brie (250g); Tea’s Me Frostea mulling spice tea (125g bag); Lyme Bay Mulled Cider (75cl); Classic Portlebay Popcorn; and Mrs Gill’s delicious Top Iced Xmas cake (6"). www.devonhampers.com 6. Big Cup Little Cup We’re giving away a Discovery Starter pack from new Cambridge-based coffee company Big Cup Little Cup, which creates premium coffee blends for your Nespresso® machine. This pack is the ultimate world tour of its luxury range, featuring 200 capsules of java goodness. www.bigcuplittlecup.com

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COMPETITiON

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TH WOR R OVE ! £1500

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7. Manor Florist This exquisite arrangement from Manor Florist at Burwash Manor will be a perfect Christmas decoration for your home.

The arrangement features a selection of flowers and festive foliage inside a clear glass globe vase, offering a stylish alternative to the traditional Christmas arrangement. Worth £29.99. www.burwashmanor.com 8. Kiehl’s Founded over 160 years ago, Kiehl’s now stocks a coveted range of luxurious face, body and hair products in its Cambridge store, as well as a men’s range, and you can pop in for some free samples. This gift box includes a limited edition Crème de Corps, Ultimate Strength Hand Salve, Midnight Recovery Concentrate, BB cream and Aromatic Blends EDT. Worth £85. kiehls.cambridge@uk.loreal.com 9. Cambridge Cookery School Cambridge Cookery School has provided us with two gorgeous tea light holders, worth £10 each. The Iittala Kivi Votive will add a touch of sophistication to any home this winter. www.cambridgecookeryschool.com

10. Lush Gift Set The beautiful White Christmas set (£67.95) from handmade cosmetic specialist Lush contains a fabulous collection of ballistics, melts and bubble bars for your bath and sweetly scented soaps for your hands and body to keep you clean and smelling delightful. www.lush.co.uk 11. Scudamore’s Annual Boating Tickets There can be no activity more quintessentially Cambridge than enjoying a leisurely punt down the river, and our lucky hamper winner will be able to enjoy this, as well as canoeing, rowing and kayaking, every day, for the whole of 2014. We’re giving away a fantastic Pepys Annual Ticket, provided by local favourites Scudamore’s. This prize is for two people to share and is worth an amazing £250. www.scudamores.com

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12. Daisy Baby Koo-di Travel Cot (worth £55.95), is a lightweight, pop-up travel cot from Daisy Baby which is easy to assemble and folds away into its own carry bag. With a soft padded mattress and integrated mosquito net, baby will sleep comfortably during days out, on holiday, or when staying away. www.daisybabyshop.co.uk

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13. VIRGIN BALLOON FLIGHTS Experience the ultimate thrill with a hot air balloon ride courtesy of Virgin Balloon Flights. Our lucky winner will receive a pair of tickets worth £310, to be used at any one of 100 launch sites around the UK, which offer at least one hour in the air, with a champagne toast and a souvenir certificate signed by Sir Richard Branson. www.virginballoonflights.co.uk

To be in with a chance of winning this prize, head to www.cambsedition.co.uk. The winner will be announced on 20 December, in time for delivery before Christmas.

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news

CAMBRIDGE BID MONTHLY UPDATE

Welcome Hello and welcome to the December update from Cambridge BID. With Christmas imminent, now is a great time to explore Cambridge’s vibrant shopping scene – if you’re in need of some inspiration on where to head, check out the Christmas BID magazine, which is out now.

Last month saw the annual Sparkle & Shine Ball, which was a huge success – raising a fantastic £3,150 for our chosen charity, Blue Smile (turn over for the full story). We’d like to take this opportunity to thank everybody who supported the event, either by attending or donating prizes. We’d also like to say a special thank you to Elms BMW and MINI Cambridge, who kindly sponsored the Big Christmas Lights Switch On – don’t the lights look wonderful this year? Merry Christmas to everybody, and see you in 2014.

What is the Cambridge BID? The Cambridge Business Improvement District, or BID, is an initiative set up by Cambridge businesses and organisations to ensure continued investment in Cambridge City Centre.

Businesses within the Cambridge BID area (shown in the map, right), were given the opportunity to vote for or against the BID during the ballot and on 1 November 2012 a vote in favour of the BID was returned, paving the way for an organisation which will ensure sustained investment in this historic city and the delivery of a wide range of projects and initiatives.

Find out more at www.cambridgebid.co.uk Follow us on twitter at @cambridgebid

Discover Cambridge markets The Victorian fountain, usually hidden by copious stalls and canopies, forms the centre of Cambridge Market, which itself forms the historical core of Cambridge’s retail and trading hub.

From 10am to 4pm Monday to Saturday, you’ll find local traders out in force selling everything from books and bags to fruit, artisan bread, clothes and woolly footstools, with an even bigger craft offering on Sundays. Regular traders include Arcturus Jewellery, Caffe Mobile, Cambridge Poetry Stall, Retrovert, Peter Graves Florist and lots more. Round the corner on Trinity Street, the All Saints Market is another great place to visit for an unusual handmade item. Open every Saturday from 10am to 4pm (and some weekdays in the lead-up to Christmas), there’s plenty to peruse and purchase, such as paintings and prints by Rachel Hutchins, textiles from Stabo and toys from Doug Bates.

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news

Spotlight on… The Arts Quarter Just off the Market Square, The Arts Quarter – which links the Cambridge Arts Theatre, Corn Exchange and Guildhall – is currently one of the most buzzing areas of the city. This year alone it’s seen the opening of CAU, Caffè Sicilia, the new Zizzi and the Pint Shop, adding to the already varied offering in this historic, charming corner of Cambridge.

Book lovers among you are probably already aware of the lovely Angel Bookshop, a unique, traditional-style bookshop on Bene’t Street with friendly staff and a pretty interior. Pop in for the latest paperback, browse their kids’ zone and maybe find a fun toy or arty postcard at great prices. Round the corner there’s Callyco, for all your crafting needs, while Cath Kidston is just a few doors down.

Don’t forget to look in at Cambridge Contemporary Art, and for beautiful jewellery, homeware and gifts, there’s Podarok, which took over from Arcadia just

CallyCo last November.

“We have over 60 suppliers, including local Cambridge artists, so there’s a massive range,” says Vincent at Podarok (which means ‘gift’ in Russian). “We also won Cambridge BID’s Best Overall Customer Experience award for 2013, in the mixed independent business category,” he says.

When it’s time for refuelling, stop off at the historic Eagle pub or Bene’t’s Café.

Anyone in Cambridge with a sewing machine is sure to be a regular at CallyCo, a beautiful crafts, furnishings and sewing shop just off Market Square. Festooned with bunting, colourful cushions and other homeware items, it’s perfect for picking up something gorgeous for your home, and for getting inspiration and ideas. Spend an enjoyable half an hour picking out buttons and ribbons from their display jars, find an unusual new colour of wool or get a few yards of fine, patterned fabric measured out.

Whether you’re a whizz with a Singer or still mastering the crossstitch, you’re sure to find lots to catch your eye in this emporium of pretty things. Plus, keep an eye out for their courses, held in store.

Details online. www.callyco.com

Cambridge Tourist Information Centre Cambridge Tourist Information Centre is situated within the Guildhall, on Peas Hill, and is a must-stop for anyone visiting the city centre. Here, you can buy tickets for punting, King’s College Chapel and other attractions, book your travel tickets or accommodation, find out about a walking tour or just pick up a map, guidebook, or get pointed in the right direction.

Their official tours are a great way to see the city, even if you think you know it. Let a qualified Blue or Green Badge guide take you to all the city’s hot spots, including both town and university sites. These leave from the TIC most days, or, find out about the city’s night-time ghost tours for an alternative view of Cambridge. Opening times are 10am-5pm, MondaySaturday. Call 0871 226 8006. www.visitcambridge.org

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news

Out now!

Sparkle & Shine Ball Cambridge BID hosted its much-revered Sparkle & Shine Ball on Thursday 14 November, inviting local businesses from across Cambridge to don their finery and raise money for a good cause.

After bubbles, canapés and a sit-down meal at The DoubleTree by Hilton, an auction and raffle took place, raising money for the Blue Smile Project. Lots included luxury breaks to Italy and Croatia, plus a weekend at the opera.

Tim Bryson, chair of the board of trustees, also gave a presentation about Blue Smile, which works with children aged 3-13 with behavioural or mental health issues, to provide professional care and support, ensuring that every child gets the best from their schooldays.

Through providing specialist support in schools, he explained, the charity can help children reach their full potential and turn their lives around. A total of £3,150 was raised on the night – well done to everyone who took part.

For more information about Blue Smile, or how to donate, visit their website. www.bluesmileproject.org

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Packed with fantastic gift ideas, essential local information and unmissable events, the Cambridge BID 2013 Christmas magazine is out now. To help you on your way with your festive retail therapy, we profile what you can expect from our city’s shopping centres, as well as what the many and varied shops out on our historic streets will be offering, and of course, some of the wonderful and surprising finds that you might encounter in Cambridge markets.

There’s also an extensive gift guide, with perfect presents for every budget, plus some inspiration for dining out in the city this Christmas.

From a traditional panto to the Mill Road Winter Fair, we also offer some seasonal events highlights to make sure you make the most out of your Cambridge Christmas. Plus, there’s the chance to win some great prizes, with competitions from John Lewis, Grafton Centre, Lion Yard, the Corn Exchange and more.

Look out for your copy around the city centre.

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indie of the month

words Jennifer Shelton images Charlotte griffiths

INDEPENDENT OF THE MONTH

Urban Larder

An ever-changing array of tasty food and a gorgeous selection of crafts, cards and quirky gifts make this Mill Road indie a cult hit. Jennifer Shelton finds out more

veryone loves an independent shop: the kind with homemade cakes on the counter, arty postcards on display and friendly owners chatting to their regulars.

It makes shopping more of an adventure, more of an experience, and there’s something rather romantic about returning home with a bag of groceries and a fresh loaf under your arm than sitting in and waiting for an online supermarket delivery.

In reality, though, we’re doing more online shopping than ever before, and modern life is threatening to steer us away from our locals. Polly Plouviez of Urban Larder is under no illusions, but explains that just buying a few essentials from shops like these could make all the difference to them.

“People have less money to spend at the moment, and apparently 50 per cent of people are now doing their shopping online,” she says level-headedly, as we chat over a latte in the window seat at Urban Larder. “But everyone loves independent shops like this – they’ll come in and they love having a look around, but unless people support these shops, they’ll lose them forever. Even if people just come in to buy eggs and bread, it might just save the high street.”

Polly, formerly a designer-maker from London, opened Urban Larder four years ago – a novel concept aiming to bring the traditional farm shop to the city. She got her inspiration while working as a wedding

coordinator with Audley End House: “I used to drive round the country looking at other sites, and I’d always see these lovely farm shops, and thought what a shame it was that they had to be out in the country!

Then when I was made redundant from English Heritage I decided to set up the shop, and that’s how Urban Larder came about.”

Urban Larder’s first home was in Hope Street Yard, before moving to its current location on Mill Road a year later. It’s a welcoming space and somewhat of an emporium, with cheery, quirky furniture, fantastic coffee served in colourful mugs, shelves filled with enticing home-made gifts and craft pieces and eclectic artwork from local artists displayed (and for sale) on the walls.

The food, however, is the shop’s true claim to fame. A plate of chunky brownies compete with tempting custard tarts for my attention, along with tea loaves and lemon cakes, while swirly chalkboards promise hot soup, tasty quiches and madeto-order sandwiches.

“The shop has evolved quite a bit: we’ve had a lot of people interested in gluten free and dairy free, which is a real fast-growing market, so that area of our business has developed,” says Polly.

“I’ve got a really good supplier who makes amazing gluten free and dairy free bread and cakes – you can’t tell the difference between that and non-gluten free. And I sell it to people who choose

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to go gluten free as part of a healthier lifestyle. Our systems aren’t really built to process wheat, and too much dairy can make us feel bloated, or sluggish. I think that’s why it’s catching on.

“One of our favourite dishes,” she continues, “is our spanakopita, which comes from a local Greek guy. We sell Portuguese custard tarts from Adilia’s Norfolk Street Bakery, and I’ve just started using a great new gluten-free bakery called the Treehouse Bakery, which makes gorgeous cakes. We also specialise in local art, gifts and cards. There’s always new stuff coming in.”

Polly's creative eye (she studied textile design) explains the beautiful patterns and colours around the shop, from beautiful fabric bags to sheets of printed giftwrap.

Polly is hoping to encourage more creative types to use Urban Larder as a meeting space, already having knitting and writing groups meeting here. And as of this month you can now shop at Urban Larder online.

Still, it’s always nice to pop in – don’t forget to stop by if you’re round this way for the Mill Road Winter Fair, where Polly will be serving delicious pulled-pork rolls.

Beat that, Tesco…

No.9 The Broadway, Mill Road CB1 3NA, 01223 212462, www.urbanlarder.co.uk

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CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY ARMS

New Year’s Eve Dinner Dance Say farewell to 2013 in fantastic fashion, with a black tie dinner dance

LIVE BAND AND DISCO UNTIL 2AM Glass of Champagne at midnight

Canapés are served between 7.00pm and 7.45pm with dinner served at 8.00pm.

MENU Smoked Scottish salmon, dressed native crab, micro herbs,British lobster jelly or White bean velouté, with truffle oil ____________ Champagne and passion fruit sorbet ____________ Seared fillet of Scottish beef, textures of onion, fondant potato, glazed carrots and red wine sauce or Homemade gnocchi with a mozzarella fritter, basil purée and cherry tomatoes ____________ Assiette of chocolate or A selection of English unpasteurised cheeses, homemade chutney, celery and grapes Freshly brewed coffee with Petit fours £85.00 per person One night accommodation from £290 | Two nights accommodation from £350 The above rate includes: accommodation in a standard room for two people, Gala dinner on New Year’s Eve, bed and English breakfast

To book call 01223 273009 or e-mail enquiries@universityarmshotel.com

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FOOD

F OOD N EWS

A monthly round-up of gastronomic goings-on in Cambridge and the surrounding area

Christmas at Poets House If you’re struggling with the family politics this Christmas – whose parents do you go to? Should you host them or they host you? – there is a diplomatic option: have your Christmas meal at Poets House. Stay overnight for two nights and have them make Christmas dinner for £310 per person.

Arrive on Christmas Eve and the hotel will take care of you, serving mulled wine and crumpets by the fire that night and Christmas lunch on the day. Then make use of their board games, or take a walk around Ely on Boxing Day before heading home.

The stylish boutique hotel in Ely is tempting Christmas diners through the doors with a series of foodie offers this December. Their new menu features a mouth-watering combination of turkey stuffed with apricot and sage, maple and mustardglazed ham and pan-roasted sea bream. Sample the whole menu in their modern dining room, at three courses for £33 per person, or opt for the £45 Boxing Day brunch. There’s aslo a package for New Year’s Eve – check out our write-up on page 44. www.poetshouse.com

Observer Food AWARDS Five of our great food establishments received a well-earned nod in the Observer Food Monthly Awards, announced at the end of October this year.

In the Eastern region, coolly understated Mill Road cocktail lounge 196 was runner-up for Best Place to Drink; the Rainbow Café off King’s Parade found its ethical values rewarded in the Best Ethical Restaurant category (runner-up), the Gog Magog Hills Farm Shop came in as runner-up for Best Independent Retailer, while The Hole in the Wall, Little Wilbraham, was placed as runner-up for Best Sunday Lunch and Best Restaurant. Famous Michelin-starred eaterie Midsummer House also received a nod in the latter category. Well done, everybody!

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Cambridge Cookery School In another fantastic bit of local foodie news, we're delighted to announce that last month, Cambridge Cookery School recieved the hugely prestigious UK Cookery School of the Year Award – pipping a plethora of top London schools to the post.

Fancy seeing precisely what makes them so good? You’re in luck as they’ve got a host of tempting seasonal classes taking place throughout December, starting with a Festive Chocolate Workshop on 7 December (2-4pm). Here, learn how to create a molten chocolate fondant, share a glass of bubbly and make some truffles to take home. It’s £40 per person (ladies only, sorry lads!), or £75 to bring a friend.

On 11 December, get useful tips on cooking the perfect turkey, ham or goose (7-10pm, £125), or create an impressive gingerbread house in Gingerbread Magic (15 December, 11am-3pm, £125). www.cambridgecookeryschool.com

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Food news FOOD

Blue Moon rises...

N EW I NG OPEN

After the widespread dismay at the closure of The Man On The Moon earlier this year, the Norfolk Street pub has now reopened as The Blue Moon, and will be headed up by the owners of nearby popular Gwydir Street watering hole, The Cambridge Blue. Terri and Jethro (pictured) are hoping to have it up and running by Christmas after a full refurbishment, creating a relaxed vibe and offering some live music and events. We'll keep you posted – and find them on Facebook for further updates. www.facebook.com/bluemooncambridge

Village launches cookbook A huge community feast recently took place in Bourn, celebrating the launch of a new cookbook which brings together art, food and the local community. The elegant, artist-designed Bourn Cookery Book III is the result of a collaboration between Wysing Arts Centre and Mark and Jo Proud of Manor Farm.

Started originally to raise funds for St Helena & St Mary Parish Church in Bourn, previous editions in 1992 and 2007 documented the favourite recipes of the village’s own residents.

Recipes for the new book, which will continue the tradition of raising money for the church, have again been contributed by families and businesses within the village – but also by artists and those associated with Wysing since the time of its transition from farm to art centre 25 years ago.

Margaret Greenwood and Pat Russell, creators of the first two books and who kindly allowed the tradition of the Bourn Cookery Book to continue, also provided recipes. Contributions include resident artist Seb Patane’s Sicilian spaghetti and Jo Proud’s Manor Farm’s marinated pork in a creamy pepper sauce – and range from a simple sandwich to more complex cakes.

Donna Lynas, director of Wysing Arts Centre, said: “It has been lovely working on this project which has been

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a real look into the past for us, with some of Wysing’s original founders of 25 years ago contributing recipes to this version of the book.

“Some of the recipes have also come down the generations through the family members of our Bourn neighbours and working on the book has been a unique way to bring all of those histories into the present, through a shared interest in food and cooking. All of which has been brought together in artist Giles Round’s elegant and simple book design.”

Jo, whose family has been living at the farm for generations and who helped illustrate the first edition, said: “It is a great community project and we’re really pleased to have been involved with something that celebrates the history of families in the village and delicious food.”

Mark added: “What is interesting is that the new book also shows how the village has changed and has become more diverse. The people submitting recipes, whether residents or artists, have got connections with places all over the world, which means there’s also a huge diversity of good food.”

You can buy the book at Wysing Arts Centre in Bourn.

Franglais Kitchen supper club If you love a good supper club, you’ll be glad to her there’s yet another one popping up in Cambridge – the Franglais Kitchen. Their next dining event is on 11 December and will feature a modern Indian fusion menu, held at a secret, city centre location. They use only seasonal, locally sourced ingredients and there’ll be a whole five courses to tuck into, starting with welcome canapés and cocktails, for just £30 per head. On the menu is spiced duck leg and mango chaat, lamb haleem stew, spiced roasted poussin or barbecued vegetables with tandoori spices, couscous and cucumber raita, with chai spiced chocolate mousse to finish.

There’ll be home-made Indian lemonade on the night, but feel free to bring your own booze if you want to have a drink of something a little stronger. www.franglaiskitchen.com

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18/11/13 17:26:48

FOOD

Espresso Library It’s always good to hear about an independent business pipping a chain to the post, and that was the case with Espresso Library – a brand new café opening on East Road. The home-spun venture was chosen to occupy the commercial space at the base of the new Parkside Place development, which incorporates the new Cambridge fire station, over the likes of Subway OPEN I NG and several national huge road cycling coffee chains. It’s due to community in Cambridge, open in January, and sounds but not always enough very interesting indeed… places for them to hang out in “The reason we called it a ‘library’ groups. So we’re going to have a rack is because we wanted to encompass for bikes inside, so if people are going things that are from completely out on rides, they can bring their bikes different areas,” says Malgo Dzierugo, in while they have a piece of cake. an art historian who’s lived, worked and “But the main focus,” she continues, studied in Cambridge, and decided to “is the coffee. The coffee scene in the open a café with partner John.

UK is really blossoming and we’ve got “It’s a big venue which gives us the some really high-end equipment lined chance to be versatile: we’re planning up and a head barrister who’s worked to have a little art gallery inside, in top coffee shops in London.” displaying fun things that are relevant Espresso Library will also offer to Cambridge. I’ve got about three a wide selection of food, including or four exhibitions lined up already. gluten-free cakes and healthy bites And there’ll be books and an area for which will taste great too. reading and relaxing too.

The café is due to open in January, “It’s a fusion of both of our passions,” and the pair are delighted at how she continues. “I’ve worked with coffee things have worked out. “Grosvner for several years, in Hot Numbers and and Savills actually turned down a lot as head barista at Fitzbillies. John used of chains because they wanted to get to be a maths teacher – he just wanted someone independent and passionate a change!” who’d create something different,” says John, a keen cyclist, has also made Malgo, “so we really appreciate that.” sure the café will be bike friendly, Twitter: @EspressoLibrary as Malgo explains: “There’s such a www.facebook.com/espressolibrary

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New World Wines tour On 4 December, there’s a Tour of the New World wines tasting going on at the Cherry Hinton branch of Cambridge Wine Merchants. Head along for 7.30pm and enjoy a taste tour of American, Australian, Chilean, South African and New Zealand wines – tickets are £15.

Or, on 10 December, take advantage of the experts’ top tips when it comes to choosing your Christmas tipples. There'll be Christmassy nibbles and seasonal treats to enjoy while you pair your reds, whites or sparklings to your Christmas meal, and you could also stock up on some pressies.

Tickets are £15 each, but if you buy six you get one free ticket – a perfect excuse to bring along some friends. Takes place at the Cherry Hinton branch; 7.30pm. www.cambridgewine.com

Loch Fyne Christmas Menu Treat yourself to Christmas dinner out this year at Loch Fyne, which is offering a sumptuous Christmas Day menu. This one's perfect if you’re not a fan of the traditional turkey dinner, with a range of dishes that includes scallops, game terrine, lobster bisque or goat’s cheese to start, and turkey, venison, halibut, sole or truffle ravioli for your main. And how about Belgian chocolate mousse, apple tarte Tatin, Christmas pud, crème brûlée or cheese with figs and shortbread, coffee and petit fours? The menu has been created by executive chef Douglas Wright and is designed to celebrate the restaurant’s love of the loch – with a seasonal twist. It’s £54.95 per head (4 courses), and there's also a special Christmas menu running thoughout the month at £19.99 for 3 courses. www.lochfyneseafoodandgrill.co.uk

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Cambridge Edition | December 2013 | 65

18/11/13 14:38:41

FOOD

PUB of th

e MONT

Festive Afternoon Tea After a long day’s Christmas shopping, head for Hotel du Vin for a breather where they’re putting a festive twist on their classic Afternoon Teas throughout December. In their elegant bistro, indulge in tempting towers of finger sandwiches, mini mince pies and yule log – all washed down with a pot of tea or mulled wine. It’s served 2-5pm, and priced at £14.50. www.hotelduvin.com

Pint Shop If you haven’t checked out this little gem, which opened to a great reception last month, we recommend a visit as soon as you can. A topquality food and drink establishment, (think real ales and locally distilled gin, alongside gorgeous seasonal platters), their Christmas menu looks like an excellent option for a slap up lunch. Try a quail scotch egg, potted pork on toast or cheese-crusted parsnips, followed by the likes of coal-grilled cod with cockles, spitroast crown of capon with damson jam or celeriac, leek and Lancashire cheese pie, with a cheeseboard and pudding.

It’s £23 for two courses (lunchtime), or three courses for £29.

Find the Pint Shop on 10 Peas Hill, near the Corn Exchange. www.pintshop.co.uk

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H

The Kingston Arms

O

ne of Cambridge’s most popular pubs, The Kingston Arms stands in all its royal-blue glory down Kingston Road, part of the Mill Road ‘real ale pubs’ community. It seems to get that balance just right, attracting a loyal crowd of local drinkers and diners looking for a friendly, cosy pub that’s lively but civilised, and traditional yet on the ball. Pop by for dinner, make it a stop-off on your Friday night crawl, or spend a lazy Sunday on one of their comfy sofas playing board games.

They’ve also got (brilliantly retro) PCs and free Wi-Fi, “so you can do your emails while you have a beer,” says operations manager Michael Pearson. “It just adds to the feel of a place where you can come and relax.”

If you still need convincing, the list of awards to their name should help. As well as a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence, a nod from CAMRA and a mention in The Guardian’s Top 10 Budget Restaurants & Cafés in Cambridge, The Kingston was named the city’s Best Independent Pub in a competition organised by MP Julian Huppert this year. To top it off, our Editor proclaims their chips to be “the best in Cambridge!”

Michael says it’s this combination of top ales, a welcoming environment and great food that keeps enticing people back.

“We’re a well-established ale house with lots of regulars. We feel quite blessed; there are several good pubs in the area but we all feed off each other. We’re part of the ‘ale tour’ and get a lot of people coming through the door as part of that.”

The Kingston Arms are Cask Marque accredited, and serve a good selection of ales, bottled beers and ciders. They’re constantly changing their guest ale offerings, meaning there’s always something new to discover. “We have six regular ales, which people know will be here, and five guest ales

which are ever changing, and usually sourced from East Anglia,” says Michael.

So what’s their bestselling tipple? “The Brewers Gold is probably our most popular, also the Oakham JHB,” Michael says.

The food is delicious, and much of it’s locally sourced too: the kitchen staff use a local butcher, while other suppliers include Cambridge Cheese Company and local greengrocers.

Explains Michael: “The food is a big draw and we’ve got quite an extensive menu. We serve traditional English dishes with some European influences as well, and have a regularly changing specials board. Our head chef, Robert Waight, has been with us about two and a half years, and he’s made a really big impact.”

Keep an eye on their midweek deals, too.

Tuesday is pie and pint night, Wednesday is steak and wine night (get a free bottle of wine with two rib-eye steaks), then on Thursdays you’ll find three special curries on the board. They also do great breakfasts on the weekend and top notch roast dinners on the Sundays too.

The pub is currently under the charge of Jane and Paul, landlords at the Kingston for the past 15 years. “When Jane and Paul took it over, it was a real spit-and-sawdust boozer, and they’ve turned it around,” says Michael, who joined the team three years ago.

“It’s a really nice crowd here; I’ve never been at a pub with such a nice mixed bunch,” he continues. “The best bit about it is interacting with the customers. That’s the main reason I do it. It’s nice to see familiar faces and new ones too, and people enjoying themselves, really. It’s great being surrounded by people having a good time.”

Book now for their Christmas menu, £28 per person including Christmas Day. www.kingston-arms.co.uk

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18/11/13 13:09:11

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Restaurant Review

d’Arry’s Cookhouse & Wine Shop Delectable food, a brilliant atmosphere and one of the best wine lists in town make this King Street favourite a true Cambridge great

Arry’s has had a special place in the heart of many a Cambridge foodie ever since it first graced King Street with its presence, perhaps thanks to the two key elements that have always been at the core of the restaurant’s philosophy: to serve excellent food and well-matched, delicious wines. Even a kitchen fire in 2008 couldn’t keep them from this mission – d’Arry’s re-opened its doors just a few months later and is now happily settled as one of the finest eateries in the flourishing Cambridge dining scene.

It was with great delight that my companion and I made our way into the cosy building that sprawls 2-4 King Street, past the 20-seater private dining space (known as the Tasting Room), which sits on the left of the entrance, walls adorned with hundreds of wine bottles. A big part of d’Arry’s charm is its lovely atmosphere – gently buzzing, twinkling with candlelight and oozing relaxed sophistication. Whilst the weather may not have been up to it on our visit, in our experience the pretty courtyard out back is also a fine location for whiling away a summer evening accompanied by a bottle of the finest d’Arry’s has to offer.

An array of specials and an extensive clipboard menu greeted us, and with a little help from the friendly waiter we finally arrived at our choices: two special

dishes, which change according to their suppliers’ availability, and two dishes from the clipboard. Broken up into ‘small plates’ and ‘large plates’, the informally structured menu echoes the relaxed dining experience on offer in the restaurant.

We took the advice of the waitress and started with a chargrilled fillet of beef salad with accompaniment of pickled vegetables, beautifully presented with an onion-seed dressing that looked a little like caviar across the plate. The vinegared vegetables were a delicious counter to the juicy beef, and this was judged to be a perfectly light way to start a meal. The other starter was a small plate of crispy squid with pan-fried garlic and chilli prawns. The squid was crisp and light without being rubbery, and the prawns were literally dripping in garlic. Finger-licking stuff.

At this point we opted for a bottle of wine from the Australian d’Arenberg winery to accompany our meal. After perusing the extensive, well-stocked wine list that boasts more than 30 of the winemaker’s vintages (amongst others) we chose the Hermit Crab Viognier Marsanne. Extremely drinkable with notes of spiced stone fruits and a flinty finish – this was the ideal partner for our meal.

For mains we tucked into a perfectly pink and tender roast breast of duck

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with baked squash, buttered kale and fig sauce, and a warming creamy haddock and prawn pie with a Parmesan crust – accompanied by d’Arry’s sensational chips for dunking purposes. Though this course amply filled our bellies, it felt rude not to accept our host’s offer of a peek at the small but perfectly formed dessert menu chalkboard – so we decided to share a squidgy chocolate pistachio brownie served with pistachio ice cream, and opted for a glass of the sticky sweet d’Arenberg Noble Prankster dessert wine to accompany this course. A heavenly denouement to a fantastic meal.

Extremely contented, we rolled out.

If you’ve not yet sampled the delights of a night at d’Arry’s, then we urge you to indulge at the next possible opportunity; we suggest taking your friends and enjoying some of their excellent wine over a sharing plate or two. Like the McLaren Vale wines to be found adorning the walls of the snug bar and restaurant, d’Arry’s is ideally balanced: elegant, but not pretentious, and totally focused on flavour.

2-4 King Street, CB1 1LN, 01223 505015, www.darrys.co.uk

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18/11/13 16:29:42

FOOD

WORDS alex rushmer

Who needs Turkey?

Alex Rushmer embraces his Scandinavian roots for a Christmas of braised, cured, pickled delicacies that have him going back for seconds, thirds, fourths...

here are few fixed points on Christmas Day. Presents might remain untouched until after the turkey has been consumed, or there could be a sea of wrapping paper carpeting the floor before the first pinwheel of smoked salmon has been nibbled. Some refuse to contemplate the thought of a hearty libation before the sun begins to set and others will actively encourage the brushing of one’s teeth with Buck’s Fizz. A mid-morning walk would be shunned by those who prefer a comforting amble to the local pub in the afternoon. Christmas Day is by and large a flexible day, timetabled by each family’s requirements.

Since 1957 though, there has been a single immoveable moment on 25 December. The Queen’s Christmas Message is a regal pole star around which the nation rotates in an orbit of feasting, imbibing, gift giving, board gaming, squabbling and snoozing. It’s comforting to know that regardless of your family’s inherited traditions and timetables there is a brief window of certainty.

There is a similar convention too in my ancestral home of Sweden. Every year at three o’clock on the afternoon of Christmas Eve, the nation comes to a grinding halt as conversations cease and televisions are turned on. The atmosphere

Images courtesy of John Lewis

T

The components of the Swedish julbord are cooked, braised, baked and cured over a couple of weeks is one of tense respect and solemnity born out of a tradition that post-dates The Queen’s Message by only two years.

Except it is not the monarch or other high-ranking apparatchik of public office who addresses the nation but Disney’s perennially frustrated and terminally angry Anatidae Donald Duck. Only after the credits roll on Kalle Anka och hans vänner önskar God Jul (Donald Duck and friends wish you all a Merry Christmas) does the feasting commence. And what a feast it is. One of the traditions that my mother has maintained since moving to England in the late 1970s is that of the julbord, a delicious buffet of cured fish, cold cuts, cured pork, meatballs, cheese and other delights that serves as the Swedish equivalent of turkey, sprouts and cranberry sauce.

There is a wonderful flexibility to the julbord both in terms of its contents and the laid-back approach with which guests load their plates over numerous visits to the table, progressing from cold items to hot and possibly even back again over the course of two, three or four hours. I’ve even been known to return to the feast

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after finally retiring to bed only to decide that there is still a modicum of room remaining in my heaving belly that could only be filled by a piece of knäckebröd with a morsel of pickled herring balanced atop. It is also a far less stressful process than bringing together countless elements each requiring oven space, at precisely the same time, that necessitate the traditional British yuletide offering.

The components of the Swedish julbord are cooked, braised, baked and cured in large batches over a couple of weeks leaving less of a frenzy and more of a relaxed unveiling come the celebrations which, as a chef, has major plus points.

And that’s before we even get started on the great flavours of red cabbage, meatballs and Jansson’s Temptation.

So for the Christmas feast this year why not try shunning tradition and heading north to the wild climes of Scandinavia for culinary inspiration? I guarantee it will be less stressful and more delicious than any turkey, no matter how carefully prepared. For those who can’t contemplate the notion of a turkey-less Christmas, perhaps we can compromise instead on a little bit of Duck?

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eating in

Words Alex Rushmer images CHARLOTTE GRIFFITHS

Recipe

Aside from the centrepiece of a glazed ham, these three recipes are, for me, the cornerstone of the Swedish Christmas smorgasbord. All can be prepared in advance and are delightfully easy to cook

Swedish meatballs There can’t be many of you who haven’t refuelled on a plate of meatballs after the stresses of a schlep around Ikea. The key here is a combination of pork and beef mince as well as soaked bread in place of breadcrumbs which results in a meatball that is both moist and flavoursome.

Ingred ients 500g lean minced pork 500g minced beef 2 slices of white bread 200ml milk 2 egg yolks a pinch of ground allspice 1 onion, finely diced 1tsp cooking oil 1tsp table salt black pepper 1tbsp plain f lour 1 litre beef stock 250ml double cream

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1. Soak the bread in milk for five minutes

then squeeze out any excess liquid and set to one side.

2. In a shallow frying pan, soften the diced onion over a gentle heat along with the cooking oil and a pinch of salt for ten minutes, stirring regularly, ensuring the onion doesn’t colour or burn.

3. If you have a stand mixer use the beating attachment to mix together the minced beef, pork, soaked bread, cooked onion, egg yolks, salt, pepper and allspice. If not, combine the ingredients using your hands.

4. Cook off a small amount of the mixture and taste it to check you have the

makes

24-28 Meatballs

seasoning correct. If not, adjust the salt and pepper levels and try again. If so, shape into equal-sized meatballs – they should be about 50g each.

5. Fry them off in batches to caramelise and colour the outside then place in a casserole or lidded saucepan. Use the same frying pan to cook the plain flour for a minute or so then add the beef stock and cream.

6. Pour over the meatballs and cook in a preheated oven at 150°C for 45 minutes.

Either serve them immediately or leave to cool and refrigerate for up to three days. Reheat as and when necessary.

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15/11/13 11:43:37

eating in

Ingred ients 500g herring fillets 100g curing salt or table salt (not sea salt) 500ml white wine vinegar 125g caster sugar 1tbsp black peppercorns 1 white onion, peeled and finely sliced 1 carrot, peeled and finely sliced 1 /2 tbsp coriander seeds 1 /2 tbsp allspice berries 4 bay leaves

Pickled herring Swedish style

Despite being a constant feature on the Christmas table for as long as I can remember, I was well beyond my teenage years before I could fully appreciate the wonder of properly cured herring. Perhaps I finally grew into my heritage. Now I can’t get enough of them. The very best foodstuff to eat with ice cold schnapps, of which there is plenty come Christmas Eve. Less so by Christmas Day.

1. Begin by making the pickling liquid.

Place the vinegar, sugar, onion, carrot, bay leaves and spices in a pan and gently bring to the boil. Leave to cool at room temperature then refrigerate.

2. Lay the herring fillets out in a single layer on a plastic tray and sprinkle generously with the salt. It may look like a lot but it will get washed off.

3. Cover and leave in the fridge for one or two hours. The herring should give off plenty of moisture and the flesh will tighten up.

4. Rinse the fillets in plenty of cold water then add to the pickling liquid, cover tightly and leave to cure for at least two days. Eat when the feeling takes hold.

Jansson’s Temptation Cream. Butter. Onions. Potatoes. Sprats. If there is a greater combination of ingredients I am yet to find it. This is a supremely decadent Swedish take on a dauphinois, so-called because the eponymous and pious Jansson could supposedly resist all earthly pleasures save this one. If you can’t find cured sprats, anchovies will make a fine substitute.

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C. Grease an

ovenproof dish with a little butter and start layering the potatoes in the base.

Cover with a thin layer of onions and then a few of the sprats.

2. Season with plenty of black pepper and a delicate sprinkling of salt. Repeat until the dish is full or you have run out of ingredients. The more layers the better.

3. Combine the cream and milk and pour over the top until it comes to within a centimetre of the top of the dish.

Sprinkle the top with breadcrumbs and bake in the oven for an hour.

4. Leave to cool slightly before diving in.

But only slightly.

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Ingred ients 8 waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into french fries 1 large white onion, peeled and sliced 15 tinned cured sprat fillets, or the same number of anchovies in oil 150ml double cream 150ml milk 50g butter plenty of black pepper a pinch of salt a handful of panko (Japanesestyle) breadcrumbs

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Cook your best ever turkey

Recipe match

with Gog Magog Hills & KellyBronze. It’s easy, it’s just a matter of timing...

1. Remove the bird from the fridge. Leave

it to stand at room temperature for two hours before cooking. Don’t panic, it won’t go off as it warms...

2. Place the turkey, breast down, in the roasting tin and season the back of the bird with salt and pepper. Most of the fat deposits are on the back of the bird and they percolate through the breast that will then cook in its own juices.

3. Place a large peeled onion in the cavity for extra flavour. We do not recommend stuffing the bird as the meat will become overcooked. Cook the stuffing separately to get all of those lovely crispy bits!

4. Forget the foil – covering your turkey in foil will cause it to steam rather than roast and you will lose that naughty crispy skin.

5. Preheat the oven to 180°C (gas mark 4) before putting the turkey in the

oven. For fan-assisted ovens reduce the temperature to 160°C. The slow-growing KellyBronze turkey cooks quickly: a 4kg bird should be roasted for two hours (add a further 15 minutes per additional kilogram, for example 5kg for 2¼ hours and so on).

6. Turn the turkey over (to brown the breast) 30 minutes before the end of cooking time. Season the breast of the bird with salt and pepper and place back in the oven.

7. To check, insert a skewer into the thigh and when the juices run clear, remove from the oven. If the juices are pink, place back in the oven and keep checking at ten-minute intervals.

8. Finally, and of great importance, allow to stand for 30 to 60 minutes before carving. We promise it won’t go cold – besides it’ll give you plenty of time to do your roasties!

Reared at Gog Magog Hills Farm Shop, the KellyBronze turkey has been awarded The Best British Turkey for the eighth consecutive year.

01223 248352; www.gogmagoghills.com

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Pickled herrings are salty and oily and go well with champagne, but even better with the trophy-winning Alegria Manzanilla, a seven-yearold very dry and salty sherry that makes a gorgeous aperitif. Sherry is such good value and enjoying a renaissance, so catch that wave!

Swedish meatballs and delectation potatoes (otherwise known as Jansson’s temptation) are so comforting they need the wine equivalent of a cashmere jumper for accompaniment. Another trophy-winning wine is CrozesHermitage, La Matiniere 2010.

It’s a wonderful expression of the Syrah or Shiraz grape from the Rhone valley: black, ripe brambly fruit, full flavoured but fresh too, with a hint of spice. Both are available by the glass at The Hole in the Wall and by the bottle at Cambridge Wine Merchants.

In association with Cambridge Wine Merchants

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18/11/13 17:28:51

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18/11/13 09:02:43

drinks

Christmas Drinking: WORDS HAL WILSON

dos and don'ts

Get in the festive spirit with these tips for tasty tipples from Hal Wilson, owner of Cambridge Wine Merchants. Cheers! lanning the drinks for Christmas can be confusing, expensive and enough to drive you to the bottle. You’ve got plenty on your plate already, buying presents, sorting the family get-togethers and organising all the food. Providing just the right tipple for every moment of the holiday can seem a Herculean task.

But don’t worry, I’ve got a few tips to make the experience of buying Christmas drinks an informed and enjoyable one. I’ll also arm you with some buying advice to help you make sensible choices. And finally, there are some myths that need debunking at this time of potential excess.

Dos • Keep it simple. You know what you like so play to your own strengths and buy the types of drinks you will enjoy.

• Match food and wine. Don’t sweat it! Most wine is made to go with food and there is no such thing as one perfect wine for a given dish. In matters of taste, individual judgement reigns supreme.

Wines should complement food, so powerful flavours can take powerful wines, more delicate dishes should have lighter wines. For example, team a pepper steak with spicy Syrah like the trophy-winning Crozes Hermitage 2010 La Matiniere (£13.99). Most fish dishes are well matched with a delicate dry white like Chablis Tradition La Pierrelée 2011 (£14.99), which won a gold medal this year.

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Match sweetness in desserts with sweetness in wine. Richer, buttery or fattier dishes should be accompanied by wines with more acidity to balance them. Duck and Pinot noir is a lovely match. Try Mount Hector Pinot Noir 2010 from New Zealand’s Wairarapa region (£13.99).

• Buy better and drink less. At this time of year, buy the best wines you can afford. More expensive wines are usually higher quality, with more subtle aromas and flavours (although see Don’ts below for some scandalous supermarket practices).

• Have some fun with seasonal drinks.

Whether it’s mulled wine, hot spiced cider, sloe gin or quince vodka, the lovely aromas of cinnamon, clove, vanilla and even star anise are very evocative. And making your own drinks can be fun, plus they make very good gifts.

Don’ts • Don’t trust supermarkets to sell you good-value wines. The BBC Watchdog programme, The Guardian and Daily Mail have all recently exposed the truth behind the common supermarket practice of ramping up prices in order to discount them heavily. Many wines were found to be on deep discount for much of the year, meaning that the wines, in Oz Clarke’s words, “were never worth more than the promotional price in the first place”. This also means you will find supermarket shelves filled with, as The Guardian’s Fiona Beckett wrote, “a ridiculous number of wines currently selling at more than £10 that ought to be – and no doubt will be – half that price”. What you can do is visit an independent merchant – and Cambridge is full of them – which just doesn’t use that trick on its customers.

• Don’t fall into gender stereotypes. Men and women have been found to have very similar tastes and reasons when it comes to wine drinking. Trying to second-guess people’s taste on the basis of gender is a mug’s game.

Myths • Champagne does not stay fizzy if you place a silver teaspoon in the bottle neck.

• Beer drinking has nothing to do with developing a beer belly.

•Absinthe is not and never has been hallucinogenic.

• There is no such thing as a hangover cure.

Sorry! Just avoid the hangover in the first place by making sure you drink plenty of water while drinking alcohol, avoid spicy food and drink slowly.

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15/11/13 11:46:11

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e b u o y l l i w When ? s a m t s i r h C s i h t e v i r d o safe t

Outfit: sorted. Hair: done. Taxi home: booked. Cheeky little presents for your friends that you all said you wouldn’t do this year: wrapped.

All that’s left are some finishing touches in front of the mirror (just in case that special someone hovers too close to the mistletoe) and you’re ready for your Christmas big night out.

The wine flows over dinner and you have a couple of (large) glasses before heading to the bar to start the real festivities. A couple of rounds later, Dave from across the corridor brings out the shots… it’s definitely turning into the big night out you expected. Good job you booked that taxi for one o’clock.

The call from the cabbie to say he’s outside brings proceedings to a close, and five painful renditions of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” later you’re back home, still wearing the party hat from your cracker, or was it Dave’s?

The next morning the alarm thunders through your head like a train and the realisation dawns that you promised Mum you’d help her with some last minute shopping for the family. You need to pick Mum up by 11 and you might feel a bit delicate but you don’t think about whether you’re safe to drive… do you?

Thankfully, help is at hand. A quick log on to www.morning-after.org.uk and you can calculate the approximate time your body will take to process the previous night’s consumption:

2 x large glass wine = approximately 8 hours 2 x bottles lager/alcopops = approximately 4 hours 2 x shots = approximately 3 hours Adding 1 hour for initial absorption to be on the safe side gives a staggering total of 16 hours from when you have your last drink. In this case, based on finishing drinking at one a.m. when the taxi arrived, you may not be safe to drive until five p.m.!

Looks like Mum will have to pick you up or you risk a minimum 12 month driving ban, a criminal record, a fine of up to £5,000 and an endorsement on your license for 11 years… or worse!

For more information and to have your say, join Cambridgeshire Road Safety on Facebook

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18/11/13 16:52:30

gift guide

1

[ Independent ]

4

Gift guide

for her

Gorgeous gifts for the lady in your life, all from our local independent retailers

2

3

5 9

6 8 7

SHOP

LOCAL

1. Galla Vellamo Bag by Marimekko £95 Nord, Sussex Street 2. Johnny Egg Gin O'Clock Sign £40 Design Essentials, designessentials.org.uk 3. Teacups £40 for a set of 6 Petrus Design, Bridge Street 4. Chick Frills set £70 Boudoir Femme, King’s Street 5. Alex Monroe Flying Swallow Stud Earrings £100 Podarok, Bene’t Street

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10

6. Pintail Candles Patchouli & Tibetan Musk Candle Tin £4.95 Ark, St Mary's Passage 7. Cambridge Satchel Chelsea Collection 13’’ in Honeysuckle £125 Cambridge Satchel Company, Rose Crescent 8. Sea Salt Gloves £18 Cuckoo, Burwash Manor 9. Heart Tealight Holders £3.49 each, The Christmas Shop, Burwash Manor 10. Love/Velo Lights £150 Ark, St Mary's Passage

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gift guide

[ Independent ]

4

Gift guide

for him

3

Great gifts for the man in your life, all from our local independent retailers

1

2

6

7

8

5

9 10

SHOP

LOCAL

1. Bertie Bike £745 BEG Bicycles, Hemingford Grey 2. Boots £145 Petrus Design, Bridge Street 3. Stussy Matthew Cuff Pom-Pom Beanie £32 Dogfish, Trinity Street 4. Marimekko Rainer silk tie £72 Nord, Sussex Street 5. Cambridge Umbrella £23.99 Jacks on Trinity, Trinity Street 6. Gin Tailoring Gift Voucher from £160 (+VAT)

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11

Cambridge Distillery, Histon www.cambridgedistillery.co.uk 7. Sandqvist Lars-Goran Bag £150 Dogfish, Trinity Street 8. Satchel £56 Podarok, Bene’t Street 9. Bridge of Sighs Mug £9.99 Jacks on Trinity, Trinity Street 10. Bow Tie £25 Ark, St Mary's Passage 11. Coffee Gift Box (contains 3x250g) £28 Hot Numbers, Gwydir Street

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gift guide

[ Independent ]

Gift guide

for kids

Treat your little ones to something special from one of our indies

4

3

1 2

6

8

9

7 5 10

SHOP

LOCAL

1. Jellycat Bashful Beige Bunny (31cm) £15 Cambridge Toy Shop, Sussex Street 2. Toby Tiger Hat £14.99 Cuckoo Kids, Burwash Manor 3. Petit Jour Paris Elmer Box £12.50 Rocking Horse, Burwash Manor 4. Organic Cotton First Toy £15 Ark, St Mary’s Passage 5. Santa is Coming to Cambridge £4.99 The Christmas Shop, Burwash Manor

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6. Penguin Popper £8 Cambridge Toy Shop, Sussex Street 7. Mouse in a Matchbox £7.99 Jibber Jabber, Station Road, St. Ives 8. Wellies £16 Cuckoo Kids, Burwash Manor 9. Tiger Stool £19.99 Gift Smith, Burwash Manor 10. ‘Instant Illusion’ Magic Drawer £4 Que Sera, High Street, Buckden

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JOBO JIB4

Regular Price: £259.00 Special Price:

£199

The perfect gift this Christmas!

Quality German designed Action Camera - the highly rated JOBO JIB 4 offers one of the quickest camera-recording chipsets on the market.

NASA pictures of the first flight to the moon (Apollo 11) were processed using JOBO equipment and this excellent action video camera is the latest design from JOBO that offers it all; excellent HD quality video with slow motion and still options. Whether you are biking, surfing, ski-ing or diving this versatile camera can do it all and return the highest quality HD video; no matter if you need 60 metres waterproofing or optimum shock protection. The camera comes with a very high-level accessory package (see website for full list) and many settings you will not find in any other cameras on the market, all with fantastic German design and quality. Pretty much every attachment you could ever want is included in the package - much more is included, as standard, than the GoPro - and this is one of the many reasons the OsBridge Team love this camera. Now we are also including a free 8GB memory card and official JOBO remote control.

Must have accessory

Remote Control FREE! with every purchase

JOBO chest harness only

£29.95

– sold separately £18.95

the must have item for your JOBO JIB 4 camera: original JOBO manufactured remote control unit with crocodile clip/belt fitting and amazing 10 metre range.

The award winning Magicshine MJ-880 £129 usual price £159 Dazzlingly bright, the award winning Magicshine MJ 880 high quality mountainbike light.

Incredible 2000 lumens output, 6061-T6 aircraft aluminium casing, fantastic value for money now at the amazing price of £129.

Go on, you know you want one!

Buy online at www.os-bridge.com OsBridge proud to be founded in Cambridge.

Free UK Delivery and 12 month no quibble guarantee on everything.

Authorised JOBO, MINOX and Magicshine main dealers.

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gift guide

Christmas AT As Christmas inches closer, the number of shopping days are slowly running out. Lion Yard in Cambridge makes Christmas shopping easy – with over 40 high street stores, there are hundreds of gift ideas for Christmas wish lists.

For Him:

For Her: Ernest Jones has a beautiful range of diamonds with up to 50 per cent off this Christmas, with a price to suit everyone, starting at just £30. Treat the lady in your life to a bit of glitz and glamour.

For that special present she’ll love, Seiko Solar Two Tone Rose Gold Bracelet Watch from F. Hinds has beautiful detailing, with rose gold, two tones, mother of pearl dial with rose gold bars and hands. Water resistant. £139.

Get more gifts for your money this Christmas; Thomas Sabo is offering an exclusive Charm Bakery Set gift, when you spend over £125 this Christmas on jewellery and watches.

For party accessories she’ll love, Miss Selfridge has a great range of hard-case jewelled clutch bags. Prices range from £35 to £39.

For that must-have Christmas party dress, New Look’s gorgeous gold, sequin, sleeveless bodycon dress is just £24.99.

Wrap up warm with the Fred Perry Offshore Parka Jacket, £120, exclusive to JD Sports, or Superdry has a fantastic selection of men’s gilets from only £60.

If it’s winterwear he’s after, Superdry also has a cosy range of woolly patterned jumpers and cardigans, from just £60.

Complete his look this Christmas with something from the stylish Chelsea Boot collection at Timberland (from £125).

Old Guys Rule has a fantastic range of affordable retro gifts this year, so have a look in store.

For perfect stocking filler solutions, the new Tiger store has a whole host of funky products available, including moustache-shaped wine stoppers (£2).

For the kids: Tiger also has a great range of gifts for kids, from mini iPhone speaker key rings (£7), cool animal phone cases from £3, to these colourful jewelled headphones (£8).

This Christmas, Thorntons will be running a fantastic three for two offer across a delicious range of chocolate gifts including snowmen, reindeer and Santas. Perfect for the kids this Christmas.

For a huge range of kids’ footwear, Clarks has a wide selection of stylish winter boots for both boys and girls at great prices. Prices start at just £28.

What’s on This Christmas, Lion Yard Shopping Centre in Cambridge will be hosting a variety of family friendly events to inject a generous helping of festive cheer. Here’s what’s going on in the run-up to Christmas: Live performance from Sofasonic Date: Saturday 7 December Time: 10am-5pm Local band Sofasonic will be entertaining Lion Yard visitors with some festive classics and even including a few of their own acoustic numbers.

Jigsaw Dance Group performance and Christmas activities Date: Saturday 14 December Time: 10am-4pm Jigsaw, the locally based dance group, will be performing festive dance routines (with intervals) throughout the day to entertain shoppers and get everyone in the Christmas spirit. The cheerleaders will be performing to popular Christmas songs and hosting a workshop, where children can make reindeer food and fairy dust! What’s more, there will be a Christmas photo booth, for shoppers to have their picture taken with Father Christmas, a fairy or even Spiderman!

Infusion Physical Theatre Christmas Mime Performance Date: Saturday 21 December Time: 10am-5pm Infusion Physical Theatre will be performing a festive display of mime to classic winter songs to entertain those last-minute Christmas shoppers.

Prices subject to change.

While stocks last.

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FASHION NEWS

Fashion News

Tan boot £165 Modish, GREEN STREET, cambridge

Picks from the indies Our favourite styles from local independent fashion boutiques

LOVE White Tartan Shift Dress £30 Ruby Rooms, saffron walden

Black boot £145 Modish, Green Street, cambridge

Bodyfrock Evelyn dress £189.95 Cuckoo, St Mary's Passage, CAMBRIDGE

Needle Florence Knit £165 Boudoir Femme, king street, cambridge

LUNA BRACeLETS £11-£19 Petrus Design, cambridge

satchel £196.95 Cuckoo, Burwash manor, barton

Adelite Blue Glitter Heel £185 Anna, high street, Saffron Walden

Fashion Show & VIP Event On 3 December, pop along to Hobbs at the Grand Arcade for a special VIP customer event, 6.30-9.30pm. The evening will include a fashion show featuring highlights of Hobbs’ latest style treats, along with drinks and nibbles to enjoy while you admire the range. There’ll also be a raffle in aid of Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life campaign, as well as the chance to indulge in some bargain retail therapy with 15 per cent off everything in store. Tickets for the event are £10. www.grandarcade.co.uk

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Image courtesy of Miss Selfridge

FASHION

PartyTIME

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15/11/13 11:46:58

FASHION Christmas Jumper £20 Tu at Sainsbury’s, www.sainsburys.co.uk

’Tis the season for some serious glitz and glamour and, as ever, the high street is overflowing with gorgeous gowns and showstopping party dresses which are guaranteed to make you the centre of attention this party season. Regardless of whatever else fashion has been doing during the course of the year, sequins are a seasonal staple come Christmas time. Our pick of the glittery bunch includes this cute short number from Mango and House of Fraser’s uber sophisticated draped pencil dress. Fancy a bit of Gatsby glam? Miss Selfridge have a range of 1920s-inspired frocks – ideal for those who love a vintage vibe.

Knitted Fluffy Snow Jumper £44 Topshop, grand arcade, cambridge Mango Embellished Dress now £80.50 ASOS, www.asos.com

Beaded Fishtail Maxi Dress now £103.50 MISS SELFRIDGE, lion yard, cambridge

Red Herring reindeer jumper now £28 Debenhams, grafton centre, cambridge

Principles by Ben De Lisi sequin dress now £72 Debenhams, grafton centre, cambridge Bead Satin Shift Dress £180 Topshop, grand arcade, cambridge

dress £145 shrug £125 Earrings £18 necklace £24 available at House of Fraser

Flower Fluff Prom Dress £75 Topshop, grand arcade, cambridge

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Bellfield Christmas Jumper With Stag Print And Patterned Sleeves £38 ASOS, www.asos.com

Christmas

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FASHION

Winter brights

Dark skies needn’t mean you need to wear darker colours.

Boys, beat the winter blues with a burst of colour in your wardrobe Fairisle Snowflake Jumper £30 Topman

JACQUARD KNIT SWEATER £45.99 Zara Jumper £15 Joggers £9 Primark

Carhartt Acrylic Watch Beanie Hat £20 ASOS

Glen Lossie Tartan Lambswool Scarf £16 ASOS Rains Long Jacket £85 ASOS Frankie Brogue £69.99 Office

Norse Projects Elka Classic Jacket £135 Dogfish

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Red Herring scarf now £20 Debenhams

Red Herring hat now £12.80 Debenhams

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Image courtesy of MAC

beauty

Top cheat tip: For those who struggle with blending eyeshadows for a smoky look, we’ve found that Lord & Berry’s Kajal Eyeliner Stick is quick and easy to slick on and smudge with results that’ll last all night (£12, www.asos.com).

WORDS Daisy Dickinson & Charlotte Griffiths

Pulling off the

perfect party look

’Tis the season for high glamour looks and we’ve pulled together our favourite products that are perfect for parties, or for stashing in a special someone’s stocking…

Smoky sensation

The smoky eye is a classic look that’s perfect for Christmas glamour. The trick is to take your time using a paler shade as a base, working the colour across to the inner corner, and then use a darker shade blended into the outer eyelid and crease.

Benecos’ natural Quattro Eyeshadow palette in ‘Beautiful Eyes’ (£6.95, www. benecos.co.uk) contains four shades that are perfect for the job. Sweep the dusky pink eyeshadow over the entire eyelid and create a kitten flick using the purple shade at the outer corner. Dampen an eyeshadow brush and apply the chocolate eyeshadow to your upper and lower lash line to achieve deeper definition. For a beautifully frosted look and something we’d love to see in our own Christmas stockings (hint hint!), MAC’s Divine Night Mineralize Eye Shadows (£19) are available in a range of pretty pearly shades.

A thin line of glitter eyeliner above the darker line is a neat way to add extra sparkle: these Collection Glam Crystal liners are perfect (£2.99, Superdrug).

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15/11/13 11:51:43

beauty

Festive fingertips Pulling off the perfect Xmas office party outfit is often the hottest topic of conversation during the months leading up to the event. But don’t forget the details: make sure your nails are noticed with one of Mavala’s six jewel collection nail polishes (£4.50, John Lewis) – we love the thick glitter and hard-wearing coverage. For a high street bargain pop into Primark and treat yourself to a glitter polish by Angelica for only £2.75 with seriously amazing coverage! Need something a little more subtle? Try MAC’s new metallic shade Military: a matte black with silver frost which looks perfect after only one coat. If you’re short for time, try these Ted Baker nail wraps, or artificial nails. They’re super quick to apply and are available in the designer’s trademark beautiful patterns (from £7.50, Boots).

Glow all night

Party pout

For a glow that stays with you into the wee hours, it’s all about priming your skin! Try switching your usual primer with one that offers a little shimmer. Arbonne’s Sheer Glow Highlighter (£31, www. arbonneinternational.co.uk) can be used under or over make-up for a dewy look, then finish off with MAC’s Mineralize Skinfinish in ‘Centre of Attention’ (£22, John Lewis).

Tradition would dictate that you choose between a strong lip or strong eye, but for the festive season we say go for both – as long as you choose complementary colours, there’s no reason why you can’t go heavy on both. A glossy finish always looks great for a party so try Sleek’s gloss (£4.99, Superdrug) which will give your lips colour without breaking the bank.

On the lash We love a good pair of false eyelashes: they can instantly transform a look and give you a more wide-awake appearance. We’ve recently discovered the brand Shavata who have a fab range of City lashes, (£8, www.shavata.co.uk) each named after a city in the UK; how could we resist the beautiful Cambridge lashes! For something a little more daring, how about Eylure’s Katy Perry Showtime Lashes (£7.99, www.asos.co.uk) or Bourjois’ Miss Couture lashes (£11.99, Superdrug). Mascara-wise, we’re loving Eye of Horus’s goddess mascara (£20.40, www.eyeofhorus.uk.com).

No time for falsies? Pop your own mascara into a cup of hot water for a few minutes – this will soften the formula allowing you to coat every single lash individually.

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Party Hair Sometimes a speedy but glamorous dayto-night transformation is in order – we asked Julia Gaudio, owner of Elajé Hair & Beauty, for some tips to transform your look. “Creating something different with your hair makes an immediate impact and is a fantastic way to give your look the wow factor. The good news is it can be easy to do. Here are some simple steps that will see you through the party season in style,” says Julia.

Long & luxurious If you’re used to wearing your hair down, try an updo. 60s inspired hair is massively on-trend. Lightly backcomb unwashed hair and use wadding or a bun doughnut to emphasise volume and height. Pin in place and brush the outer hair to smooth it, leaving some ends loose. Secure with elegant jewellery for a sophisticated look.

Sleek & short Just because you have short hair doesn’t mean you can’t transform your look. With a good moulding cream you can create an edgy quiff while the rest of the hair can be slicked back or texturised. The trick is to use just enough product to get the look without weighing the hair down – then spritz with a strong hold hairspray.

Perfect party pastels Pastel shades are still hot and chalk dyeing is a quick and easy way to temporarily dye your hair. Buy chalks from your hair salon or you can use real chalk to achieve instant pastel tones. Style your hair first and make sure you spray each section with hairspray before applying the chalk – this acts as a bond for the colour to attach to the hair and makes it easier to remove.

Keen to get that party look?

Elajé hair & beauty are offering 20% discount for new visitors to their salon - just quote EDIT01 when booking your treat!

Discount applies to all services and treatments for new clients on their first visit. Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer.

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beauty news

Beautynews Bedford Lodge Spa Put Christmas shopping to the back of your mind for an evening and relax with a special Winter Twilight Spa Package at Bedford Lodge. The hotel and spa in Newmarket is inviting anyone feeling swamped by Christmas preparations to indulge in this relaxing, muscle-reviving treatment, which includes a massage or mini ESPA facial, use of the hydrotherapy and heat experiences, a snuggly robe and slippers plus a hot drink. Ahhhh!

The Winter Twilight Package is available between 4pm and 9pm, priced at £70. www.bedfordlodgehotelspa.co.uk

Dragonfly Beauty Spa Indulge in the fabulous pre-Christmas party package at Dragonfly Beauty Spa, Burwash Manor, and get yourself dancefloor ready from top to toe. The salon, if you haven’t already been, is situated amongst the lovely shops and boutiques at Burwash, in Barton. It was recently taken over by Catherine Karr, who aims to offer even more treatments, pamper evenings and products to put a little luxury in your life.

The Christmas party package, running throughout December, includes an express Shellac manicure, eyelash and eyebrow tint, full-body spray tan and a complimentary glass of champagne and chocolate truffles, for £50 (normally £75).

It's all part of Catherine's aim to create an antidote to the stresses of daily life - something she knows plenty about.

“I’d been in accountancy for 20 years in Cambridge and London, specialising in insolvency, before I came to Dragonfly," she says. "But I got to the stage when I needed a change. When Dragonfly came up for sale, I started making enquiries and officially took over on 22 October.

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It was a big change but all’s going well, and the location couldn't be better. This is something of my own which I can nurture and take forward. In a big company you’re just a chess piece really, and I wanted to be in charge of my own destiny.”

She adds: “I’ve always had an interest in beauty; I like that happy, relaxing environment you get at a salon, and being able to make people feel good - it's quite different to the corporate world! I’ve aimed to create a lovely environment that people will look forward to coming back to and give them that break from the hustle and bustle of life.” www.burwashdragonfly.com

Face The Day Winter is the worst season for our skin, with harsh, chilly winds interspersed with blasts of drying central heating making us reach for the moisturiser more often than usual.

As such, we were delighted to hear about Face The Day, a brand new skincare range that’s come to the market, created just down the road by a family company in Saffron Walden. Their luxurious range of face creams, body butters, lip balms and moisturisers are ethically sourced, vitamin enriched and designed to nourish and regenerate skin. They’ve got some lovely gift boxes too – have a look at their website for details. www.face-the-day.co.uk

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INTERIORS

WORDS ANGELINA VILLA-CLARKE

Home for the

FIRESIDE TREATS tree £150, decorations from £1.75; Hansa animal plush toys from £4.99; Logan quilt cover £30; all John Lewis (08456 049049; www.johnlewis.com)

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INTERIORS

We’re sure you’ll be decking your rooms with more than just a few boughs of holly this Christmas.

Looking for inspiration? Then our festive guide to seasonal décor will inspire you to add a sprinkle of sparkle and a touch of magic to your home hether it’s a perfectly colourcoordinated scheme or a mix of much-loved hand-medowns, dressing your home for Christmas is a uniquely personal affair.

You may festoon every clear surface with glittering baubles or you may lean towards a pared-back minimalist approach.

Whatever style catches your eye, there’s no doubt that it’s the most wonderful time of year to make your home the best it can be.

A STAR IS BORN This neon nativity set will brighten up your home. From £8, all Sainsbury's (www.sainsburys.co.uk)

W

COLOUR FRENZY If we can’t indulge in our love for eyepopping colours and chintz at Christmas, then we never will. If you are a veritable magpie, attracted by the multicoloured hues of flashing lights and even flashier baubles, then this is the look for you.

Blues, purples and pinks may not be traditional but they are fun, and used in the right way can look stylish. White Christmas trees, neon baubles and garish decorations? Bring it on. For this is not about matching but clashing – have fun and go wild.

Anne Bannell, owner of Jacks on Trinity, based in the centre of Cambridge (01223 354403, www.jacksontrinity. co.uk) specialises in all things British.

Nostalgic products, British icons and Cambridge images are all part and parcel of the interesting products she sells and when it comes to Christmas, the ethos is continued. What’s more, tree decorations, such as velvet London taxis, corgis and red buses, vintage stickers and enamel baubles, all come in vivid, bright hues.

“Every year, whether I am in the UK or abroad, I try to collect a decoration for the tree,” she tells us. “Each one relates to a holiday and then every Christmas the tree is full of lovely memories from around the world. The children love seeing them again and again each year. Some of the

best-dressed trees are not themed, but a great mix of old and new, each decoration bringing something special to the tree!”

Also inspired by British traditions are the must-have decorations available from the London Transport Museum (sure to turn into cult products of the future).

Christmas trees, stars and glass baubles are made out of the green, red and black material taken from the old District Line moquette seat covers (0207 565 7295; www.ltmuseumshop.co.uk). Genius!

When it comes to Christmas décor, Gisela Graham is the reigning queen. Her extensive range of products for Christmas covers every theme you can think of, but most charming of all are her pretty coloured fairies – such as the Cotton Reel Fairy and the Highland Forest Fairy – ideal to take pride of place as the crowning glory of your tree (020 7708 4956, www. giselagraham.co.uk).

Meanwhile, perfect for adding to your basket when you are shopping for your turkey this year, is an item or two from Sainsbury’s Neon Christmas collection (www.sainsburys.co.uk). Vivid pink decoupage baubles, primary-coloured nativity sets and gold stag heads are part of a line-up of festive homewares from the supermarket that is surprisingly bang on trend for 2013.

Finally, as most of Christmas is centred around food anyway, why not continue the colour theme on your dining table?

Carluccio’s pretty Frutta di Marzapane baskets and Fiocchi di Neve look stunning set in glass bowls as a centrepiece, and are good enough to eat, literally (020 7580 3050; www.carluccios.com).

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NEON DEER Blitzen baubles, £8 for three, Habitat (0844 499 1111; www.habitat.co.uk)

TRADITION WITH A TWIST Cute corgis, from £11.99 from Cambridge-based Jacks on Trinity (01223 354403; www.jacksontrinity.co.uk)

COLOURFUL CHRISTMAS Traditional and modern decorations abound at Homesense. Baubles £2.99 (01923 473561; www.homesense.com)

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INTERIORS

RUSTIC CHIC From carved wooden hearts to roughhewn wreaths, from hand-painted animal cut-outs and greeting cards to natural living garlands, the rustic look has never been so widespread or so popular with a multitude of goodies to be found up and down the high street this year. There is just so much to choose from.

Inspired by traditional, outdoorsy motifs and crafts of old, the homespun look is one that will add heart to your home. Tartan accessories – think rugs, cushions and even crockery, as seen at Johnstons of Elgin (01343 554 040, www. johnstonscashmere.com) – add warmth and texture and bring a seasonal Scottish feel to the home.

Traditional style decorations, made in tin, felt and wood, lend a native folk quality, inspired by a Nordic sensibility.

Source yours at Sainsbury’s and Habitat and check out homeware shop Swanky Maison, which champions the best of British design, for an eclectic mix of rustic gems (www.swankymaison.com).

“At Swanky Maison we love the charm of the rustic chic Christmas style,” says Emma Sharman, director. “Our range of British designers mix fabrics, such as felt and linen, for simplistic yet striking homespun designs.”

For a sophisticated take on the Nordic theme, check out Nina’s House, a justopened concept store on King’s Road in Chelsea, London (020 7751 5827, www. ninashouse.com). Founded by interior designer Nina Bigbie, it is a one-stop shop for unusual crafted items, all sourced and edited by Nina herself.

Tartan accessories – think rugs, cushions and even crockery – add warmth and texture

TABLE TOPICS The Rufus range for Christmas includes pine cone candles, wooden doves and rustic tableware. From £2, Habitat (0844 499 1111; www.habitat.co.uk)

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NORDIC FOLK Rustic accessories at Sainsbury’s are inspired by a homespun, crafted look. From £3, Sainsbury’s (www.sainsburys.co.uk)

SEASON'S GREETINGS Luxury partridge and pear crackers are handmade in Dorset and have a quirky British sensibility. £55 for a box of six, Thornback & Peel (0207 242 7478; www.thornbackandpeel.co.uk)

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FREE GRANITE UPGRADE on kitchens over £15,000*

BY DESIGN KITCHENS & BATHROOMS 20% OFF all Villeroy & Boch sanitaryware and tiles*

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INTERIORS

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4 1 Bespoke stag head plaque, £299, Johnstons of Elgin (www. johnstonscashmere.com) 2 Typography apron and tea towel, from £9.95, Victoria Eggs (www.victoriaeggs.co.uk) 3, 4 & 5 Felt angel, £2; bird and leaf wreath, £8; grey tin heart, £3 – all Sainsbury’s (www.sainsburys.co.uk) 6 Tweed dog doorstop, £39, Johnstons of Elgin 7 Scottish Heritage cushions, £95, Johnstons of Elgin

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To glam up the all-white look and avoid it looking too stark, add a few hits of sparkle and shine “The Nordic look is simple yet stylish,” she agrees. “To achieve it at home, I would recommend wintry cushions, such as the range by Nord, small furry Gstaad stools for that warm ski-chalet feel and a single stunning decorative piece in gold or silver,

by Clare Malet designs.”

Meanwhile Cambridge-based designer Victoria Eggs has given rusticity a modern twist with her Festive Fun range of aprons, mugs and tea towels all inspired by vintage motifs and typography (020 7704 2840; www.victoriaeggs.co.uk). “The mix of vintage typography evokes nostalgia, making you feel right at home and ready to deck the halls,” she smiles.

The contemporary twist on traditional outdoorsy motifs can also be seen at Thornback and Peel (0207 242 7478; www.thornbackandpeel.co.uk), where quirky homeware is inspired by an eclectic mixture of Victoriana, natural imagery and garden emblems combined with a dash

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of British humour. Seek out linen napkins, handprinted with images of partridges, pears, turkeys and stags, as well as crackers available in the same range.

Over at Nest (Homestuff with History), in Burwash Manor, Cambridge (01223 262211, www.homestuffwithhistory. co.uk), the festive range is one made up of unique, vintage items. “In terms of creating a rustic Christmas – my advice would be don’t be too fussy!” says Kathryn Brown, owner.

“One piece of beaten-up furniture can be really eye-catching, while a room full of mismatched items, if they’re all things you love, are bound to look interesting and exciting. Small items, especially the sort of things that you won’t find on every high street, are what will make your own Christmas styling memorable – vintage tins are great for looking good, hiding things in, storing chocolates and even ‘wrapping’ problem-sized presents.”

GUIDING STAR Mix bold shapes with your white accessories. £11.95, Rigby & Mac (020 8761 1011; www.rigbyandmac.com)

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INTERIORS

WINTER WONDERS Take the all-white look into the bedroom with Bedeck's Tranquility collection of linens. From £12 (0845 6030861; www.bedeckhome.com)

LEFT Stock up on decorations at Rigby & Mac, such as these white origami fairy lights. £36 (020 8761 1011; www.rigbyandmac.com)

OPULENT WHITES

SILVER SETTINGS How to do Christmas elegantly.

Accessories from £6, The White Company (0844 736 4222; www.thewhitecompany.com)

PURE AND SIMPLE Take a look at the offerings from The White Company for its chic take on Christmas. Decorations from £4 (0844 736 4222; www.thewhitecompany.com)

“Doing a festive decor ‘whiteout’ is the simplest way to suit the tastes of everyone in your household whilst maintaining a coherent aesthetic,” claims Linda Holmes, creative director of Lux Deco, a luxury website specialising in curated and exclusive home brands (0203 586 1536; www.luxdeco.com). “On the one hand, it's evocative of traditional snowy days and frosty winter scenes; on the other, it’s a brilliantly purist look that’s teeming with modern elegance.”

While the all-white look may be too disciplined for some of us who are tied to the allure of colourful chintz, it is undoubtedly one of the most stunning and chic – perfectly complementing the modern home. Master of the style is, of course, The White Company (0844 736 4222, www.thewhitecompany.com), whose Christmas collection this year includes a covetable array of silvered candlesticks, white stars and diamond orbs.

To glam up the all-white look and avoid it looking too stark, add a few hits of sparkle and shine with crystal accessories and silver accents, such as the silver leaf, glitter and diamante decorations available from the Winter Palace collection at Joanna Wood (020 7730 5064, www. joannawood.co.uk).

Inspired by the romance of a luxurious ice palace, the interior designer agrees that white is a stunning look for Christmas.

Joanna explains, “This theme plays on

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the romance and glamour of winter with references to ice tones and plenty of glitter.” She advises: “Start your scheme with your base decorations in silver, white and neutral tones. Ensure the placement of decorations is planned in advance to echo the symmetry of snowflakes and the grandeur of royalty. Once happy with the spread of your base decorations, add the finishing touches with glitter, diamonds and any larger decorations.”

Once you have your core stock of white decorations, it is a relatively easy look to achieve. Look for affordable items, such as paper stars and origami angel lights (both available at Rigby & Mac, 020 8761 1011, www.rigbyandmac.com), and bedeck surfaces with white fairy lights and softly lit church candles.

Having house guests to stay this year?

Then you can continue the theme in the bedrooms by making up beds in soft white linens, cosied up with fur throws and dreamy blankets. Check out Bedeck’s Tranquility and Dawn ranges for inspiration (0845 603 0861, www.bedeck.com).

Lastly, don’t forget that your dining table can also be a highlight by using all-white crockery, fine linens, white flowers and silver accessories. Habitat’s Scandinavian-inspired crockery, including cake stands and jugs, are perfect for the big day – and, best of all, you can continue to use them all year round (0844 499 1111, www.habitat.co.uk). It may look serene but simply add colour with plenty of lively conversation and frivolity.

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INTERIORS

GOLD RUSH You don’t have to go far to achieve a gilt on gilt festive theme; add a touch of sparkle to your basket at Sainsbury’s. From £1.50 (www.sainsburys.co.uk)

ABOVE Lights £20; decorations from £2.50; cake stand £25; all John Lewis (08456 049049; www.johnlewis.com) BELOW The Enchanted Forest collection from Voyage Decoration, from £37.50 (0141 641 1700; www. voyagedecoration.com)

STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN Festoon your stairs with garlands of twinkling lights from Habitat. From £15 (0844 499 1111; www.habitat.co.uk)

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GLITZ AND GLITTER Christmas is the best excuse there is to break out the bling. If you want to achieve a luxurious look, then use different hues of metallics – gold, silvers, coppers and platinum. Mix sparkly, shiny and matte accents to help create balance and texture and to avoid things looking too gaudy.

You don’t have to confine the look to specific Christmas decorations, either.

Branch out to the rest of your home and achieve a wintery glam feel with crystalembellished cushions, shimmery throws and gilt fabrics. Voyage Decoration’s Enchanted Forest collection includes a range of stunning accessories, perfect for beautifying your home (0141 641 1700, www.voyagedecoration.com).

Another way to add glitz in a stylish way is to concentrate it to one or two showstopping arrangements, carefully dotted around the home. It translates the style but also keeps the decorative elements simple and chic. You could fill a glass hurricane bowl, or a group of apothecary jars of varying heights, with an assortment of

sparkly holiday ornaments, for instance, and then surround it with twinkling lights, an abundance of tinsel or even a cluster of shimmery feathers.

Interior designer Joanna Wood explains how getting creative yourself at Christmas can achieve the best effects: “Christmas tables deserve a huge, striking centrepiece. Be creative and use apples and pears, sprayed either gold or silver, they will last for the whole festive duration.

You can also make a simple yet stylish tree topper out of willow branches – spray them white with added glitter. And for impact on a big tree, incorporate fairy lights into it to make it twinkle more.”

If time is short, however, nothing beats a spot of retail therapy to refresh your stock of Christmas decorations. A perfect place to source new glittery additions is The Secret Garden’s dedicated Christmas Shop at Burwash Manor in Cambridge. It is crammed with stunning festive accessories sourced from around the world (01223 260040, www.burwashmanor.co.uk) and is the ideal place to be inspired for the season ahead. Happy holidays!

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advertisement feature

Sch0larships at St Mary’s

St Mary’s aims to reward talent and academic prowess with their scholarship scheme

S

t Mary’s scholarship provision aims to celebrate outstanding academic, creative and sporting achievement and service to the wider community.

Scholarships are designed to provide girls with the opportunity to develop their gifts and talents.

Our school is renowned for its academic prowess and superb pastoral care. The results our girls achieve in their public examinations tend to surpass expectations across all academic and creative subjects and our passionate teachers inspire students to enjoy reaching their academic potential. We aspire to build on the Catholic Christian vision of Mary Ward, our foundress and a pioneer in female education who established schools across Europe 400 years ago to enable young women to develop their gifts and talents. Our scholarship programme is broad in its scope and focused in its objectives. We aim to meet the needs and interests of our students and to further that, have recently introduced popular scholarships in Creative Writing and Technology.

Applications for the various scholarships are invited from current students and any girls who would like to join St Mary’s. Scholarships are awarded up to the value of 20 per cent of the school fees, and a one-off payment of £250 is made to support each student in their additional learning.

Students may apply for any number of scholarships, but successful applicants can only hold a maximum of two awards up to the value of 20 per cent of school fees. The number of awards made each year and in each category is dependent on the standard of the applicants. This is at the discretion of our headmistress, Charlotte Avery.

The length of the award varies. For Year 7 (11+) scholarships, the award lasts while the students are in Years 7 and 8; for Year 9 (13+), the award lasts the duration of Years 9 to 13 and for Year 12 (16+) scholarships, the award is for the whole of

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Our school is renowned for its academic prowess

Sixth Form. Students must maintain high standards of academic achievement and behaviour to retain a scholarship.

How to apply Scholarship applicants will need to provide evidence of their ability and aptitude, in the form of an examination, submission of portfolio or audition. Girls will also be interviewed by a member of St Mary’s Senior Leadership Team.

To apply for a scholarship, all students need to complete a scholarship application form and submit this by the application deadline. Scholarship applications from external candidates will only be considered if they have also returned a completed registration form and paid the registration fee. External applications will need to be supported by a reference and referees are required to write directly to the Academic Registrar.

Applicants for Year 7 (11+) and Year 9 (13+) scholarships need to apply by 31 December, for the award to be made for the following September.

If you have any questions, call 01223 224167 or email admissions@ stmaryscambridge.co.uk. For details on the scholarships on offer, visit our admissions section on our website to view our scholarships and bursaries brochure. www.stmaryscambridge.co.uk

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19/11/13 09:18:36

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CHRISTMAS VELVET RIBBONS & BELLS COLLARS, AVAILABLE IN TWO SIZES, PRICES START AT £4.49

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All available from Scampers – Northfield Crossroads, A142 Soham bypass, Soham, Ely, Cambs CB7 5UF, 01353 720431, www.scampers.co.uk

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All Roads Lead to Scampers A thousand Christmas gift ideas for pets and their people!

“The Scampers Experience” • Natural, Healthy pet foods • Qualified Pet Care Advisers • Only the best natural Treats • One – to – one personal guidance • Unbelievable range of toys and bedding • Free tasting table • Raw food specialists • Expert puppy and kitten advice • Probably the best range for cats in the UK

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Christmas Hours: 24th December 9am -3pm, Christmas Day & Boxing Day - Closed, 27th December 9am - 6pm

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Artek Design

Replacement dwelling house, set in five acres, in the countryside. A sustainable, carbonpositive design, our approach ensured that the application received unanimous support at the planning committee.

Small apartment block for prominent corner site in residential area close to Cambridge centre.

An adjacent block, in a similar style, lead us to this Art Deco brushed design.

Pastiche, vernacular, call it what you will!

Modern homes taking their architectural detailing from the historic buildings within the immediate locality – albeit in a modern manner, with modern proportions – are often what clients desire.

This narrow infill plot within a village north of Cambridge easily accommodated this cottage-style property.

Replacement dwelling in central Cambridge. Seven bedrooms, on three floors with a massive open-plan, split-level living space providing 350m2 of stylish residential accommodation.

This received unanimous planning committee backing at the first attempt.

Restoration and extension of magnificent arts and crafts house set in 15 acres of Broadband grounds. Proposals included a new pool complex, recreational buildings and a five car garage all of considerable character. The proposals received the full backing of planning officers and received planning permission at the first attempt

WHAT WE DO: • Feasibility Studies, rough sketches, visualisations • Cost Estimates • Building and Land Surveys • Conceptual Design and Consultations • Planning Advice and applications specialising in difficult planning situations • Construction drawings and specifications • Specialist Engineering • Selection of suitable Building Contractors • Design Estimates • Tendering and evaluation • Contract Administration • Site Control • Project Management and Planning • Party Wall Work and Associated activities • Final Account checking and verification • Ensuring works are correctly completed

PROJECTS WE UNDERTAKE: • Stylish Domestic Extensions, alterations and refurbishments • New Character dwellings in urban and rural locations • Multi unit Residential developments both urban and rural • Listed building refurbishments and adaptation • Commercial buildings

Replacement Dwelling west of Cambridge set in 5 acres, currently at the design phase.

We accept commissions for new individual dwellings, multiunit residential developments, domestic alterations & extensions and commercial property project in both modern and traditional architectural styles, usually with client budgets of between £100k - £10m in value References and portfolio of previous projects available on request.

Please note that we provide a full professional service to all of our clients and do not offer a plans and applications only service

• Office buildings, refits and refurbishments • Workshops both light and heavy industry • Shop fit out and alterations • Bio Mass Power Generation facilities • Laboratories • Vegetable processing and packaging • Clean Room environments • Soft Play environments

A Chartered Architectural Practice 17 Topcliffe Way, Cambridge Tel: 01223 519086 artek.indd 1

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