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THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE CONTROVERSIAL IN FASHION AND LIFESTYLE

/amandazipsitup

Amanda Zips It Up brings together some of Amanda’s experiences, observations, travels and fashion likes & dislikes. Thankfully, containing more “likes” than the “dis” variety. Amanda spends her time in London, Mallorca and Ibiza researching fashion from every angle. Zips It Up is a part tongue-in-cheek, part brutally honest look at this world that she inhabits. From the Fashion Week catwalks of London, New York, Paris and Milan to the backstreet boho boutiques of Palma and the Balearic beaches of Ibiza, it’s all here. Enjoy. Amanda O’Riordan x

HEAT & ICE-COLD CRYOTHERAPY CHAMBERS

Plunging yourself into minus 85-degree cold is always going to be a shock to the system, but there’s something adrenalineinducing about plunging there straight from a sizzling 90 degrees. ‘Shocks’ aren’t always a bad thing. For the skin and muscles, they can work wonders — enter the Harvey Nichols’ ice-cold cryotherapy chamber and its new heat pod: a full-body, infra-red cocoon designed to make you sweat. This exercise is known as biohacking: a process of “tricking” our bodies into implementing the same responses it would if you were freezing cold or hot and sweaty. Or, for maximum results, both in quick succession. Experts say that the two together will burn calories, boost muscle recovery and leave skin glowing. The treatment is popular with athletes and A-listers looking for instant results: subjecting the body to -90 degrees Celsius for two or three minutes constricts blood vessels, producing a fight-or-flight response in the body. Circulation and collagen will increase, inflammation will reduce and muscles will relax — plus you’ll get a rush of endorphins. Everyone from Kate Moss to Cristiano Ronaldo have given it a go. Heat at Harvey Nichols is a dry-heat, infrared sauna body pod set between 30 and 90 degrees centigrade, the first of its kind in the UK. It’s designed to make you sweat, and even at 65 degrees, you’ll be dripping within minutes. The 30-minute treatment has you lying in a space-like machine, head peeking out, in front of a touchscreen. From there you can adjust settings to suit your mood: to up the sweat count, you can do a HIIT class with resistance bands or some (really) hot yoga — the screen shows your calories burned and experts say you can burn up to 600 calories in one half-hour session. There are also meditative options. The pod comes with a choice of aromas LED light colours and, a massage option using vibrations. You can have also a facial in there. Sweat produced during our Heat sessions promotes detoxification of cholesterol, heavy metals and other toxins. Then it’s time for the Cryotherapy Chamber. The two chambers used in tandem is the “ultimate” form of contrast therapy, a technique known for stimulating metabolic activity and circulation without putting it under stress. This makes it a popular injury-recovery method but it’s not just for athletes. Going hot and cold has known benefits — results include improved cardio fitness, muscle recovery, cellulite loss and better sleep. It’s a wonder treatment for skin: heat makes your blood rise to your body’s surface and opens pores. Cold brings the blood back to vital organs and contracts pores to regular sizes, reinforcing your body’s natural defence system. Sessions have also been proven to increase endorphins.

YEEZY CROCS IN 2020

It’s a brand-new year and this is going to be 2020’s most random footwear fad. And the first person to set the new trend is a six year-old. It’s rare for a six-year-old to cause such a ruckus, but when said child is North West, the daughter of two of the most famous people in the world, and she’s wearing her Dad’s (Kanye West’s) new Yeezy range, we pay attention. North was pictured at Disneyland with her mum Kim Kardashian last summer, sporting an unconventional white foam slipper. The sartorial choice raised eyebrows at the time, but now all the pieces of the puzzle are slotting into place. Instagram account ‘YeezyMafia’, which has a following of 2.1million, has leaked images of the shoe, reportedly named the Yeezy Foam Runner. The shoe, which Twitter users are dubbing ‘Yeezy Crocs’, appears to be constructed of a foam material and perforated sole, similar to that of Crocs. It’s believed that the Yeezy Foam Runner will be available sometime in 2020, although no official statements from the brand have been made about a release date or its price point. Would we wear them? They’re still ‘Crocs’ in nature, but adorned with the infinitely cooler Yeezy label. I’m a fashion victim, so it’s a yes from me.

SOLLER VALLEY STORIES by Soller Shirley

The ‘Hidden Valley’ is the local name for our area. Soller and the Port have lived for generations as the independent, entrepreneurial society behind the Coll mountain range. When the train arrived, 100 years ago, cutting its way through the mountain, it found a self supporting society with little interest on what was behind it. Instead the Soller Valley looked to the sea from the Port to deliver its goods to France and beyond. This is the reason that French is the third language of the area next to Mallorquin and Castellano. ‘Vive la difference’ would be the gutsy feeling of the time which continues to this day. There are a myriad of stories which emanate from this area I love. As a story teller I am interested in the past and the future of this great place in the universe. I look forward to sharing so many of them with you. Highly traditional yet embracing modernity is my definition of this place. The celebration of the Fiestas is a great example of this. Many visitors and residents rarely go to church but their lives are dominated by the church calendar. The traditional fiestas and celebrations have been in existence for generations. They are added to annually by 2020 type events and ancient and modern happily co-exist. Spring brings the cyclists to our world either

Shirley Roberts

enjoying the ride or challenging themselves on our mountain routes. They take the same space here as all the walkers who are ready to tackle the mountains of Route 221. To walk, to cycle, to swim, to sit on the beach and build sandcastles is all possible in our world. Add to that the glorious sunsets and the celebrations as the sun slides into the sea every day and you might understand our world in all its glory. As March and April arrive the celebrations are many. The first comes in on March 20th which begins the Orange Fiesta of 2020. A weekend of Orange celebrations in Soller Square to begin the fun. After that cheap tickets on the Soller train bring in people for the next two weeks to taste the Orange menus in participating restaurants. Soller is known as the Valley of the Orange and has a connection to the Canoneta Orange. Such deliciousness has to be experienced so look out for them in our local shops and supermarkets. As March gives way to April we arrive into the Easter season. Soller is one of the places in Mallorca which have daily Penitents Parades. Services in the huge church of St Bartholomew every day from Maundy Thursday to Easter Sunday are accompanied by the parades of the Fraternities of Soller. We live in a noisy world here but it is silence in the streets as the parades, in all their solemnity, pass by. The Soller Valley is open for business with fine hotels and restaurants occupying space and a choice of budgets. The thousands of people who return every year for their fix of the Solleric world are so very welcome. This is also the same for the Mallorca residents who love to visit us for our Market Day Saturdays and our monthly fiestas. All roads lead to Soller for many here and we are always happy to see them. The Soller Valley is on the map in 2020. The word is out and has been encouraged by many viewers of the TV and Films shot in the area. Thousands come to experience what they have seen on their screens. So much to see, so many stories to tell, so many gastronomic, sporting and cultural experiences to enjoy. Come and see us soon – you are very welcome.