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PORTMAN: BE INSPIRED
PORTMAN: BE INSPIRED
NOTICE BOARD
Our current issue is to excite you with the fun in exploring different cultures all over the world. We start our first issue in The Big Apple; we give you a little taster of what to expect if you have it on your bucket list. Portman travels from coast to coast taking you every step of the day. Next season we dive into Thai culture, when Portman travels across the world finding inspiring textures & specialty traditions in the heart of Bangkok: different ends of the spectrum to NY. CURRENT ISSUE: Portwoman Explores New York City Yorkshire Gal Tastes the Pie Make Your Own Pie Falling Back to British Heritage The Joys of Working in Newcastle Discover your New Festival Look
Ethos of Portman Portman explores some of the most inspiring places all over the world, documenting & taking you along with us. This issue focuses on contrasting cultures: the busy hype of New York City then clashes with the serenity of the Great British Countryside.
Keeping your Feet Dry for those Little Adventures
Portwoman Explores NYC New York, New York… So good they named it twice, it’s that time for Portwoman to explore. Aim was to discover the city its self, document some of the most breathe taking landmarks, dine in the tastiest places & be inspired. Here it is straight from the horse’s mouth.
“Weather may have been completely freezing, but the trip was truly phenomenal!�
Set your Creativity on Fire The streets of NY are alive with personality, full of colour’s & inspiring textures. Around every corner lies a breath-taking piece of artwork: graffiti in New York is a spectacle of desire in itself. The vibrancy of the colour’s illuminates the dullness created by the surrounding concrete jungle.
Bitter winds swoop down through the glass canyons of NYC every gust brought a chilling wave of icy wind. Cold is not the word to describe it, absolutely freezing seems an understatement. NYC: the big apple, full of polite citizens & excitement, it seems to be the most thrilling place to explore & potentially work. Viewing pictures of NY before going started to excite me for what to expect, but when you arrive it really does blow your mind. Streets are filled with the sounds of busy business people, car horns radiate throughout the city & the smell of freshly baked pretzels & hotdogs wafts down every avenue.
Times Square was first on my ‘Go-to’ list, establishing my surroundings in the city was important to make sure I stayed safe & understand the grid system of NY streets. Reading an in-depth map was a new thing for me, determining where something is on a map as extensive as the one I had was a huge challenge for the first day or so. Throwing me into the deep end was definitely the best way to do it, riding the subways, catching a yellow cab & walking through each street really made me feel like I knew the city like the back of my hand.
The Art of Rebellion The best art work in the world consists of a coordinated miss-match of colour’s & a rebellious way of expressing yourself. Contemporary graffiti art is plastered all over the walls of NY.
The Big Apple- Wait What? Obesity affects hundreds of thousands of people all over America but people have certain ignorance as to why. Going into American Food culture & seeing their eating habits was very insightful. It’s clear to say that portion sizes are way too big. Over 60% of people in New York alone are overweight, furthermore over 23% of this amount is clinically obese- these figures have been on the rise since 1985. Will New York lose its title of “The Big Apple”, and be replaced by “The Big Burger?”- Only time will tell.
Everyone is on the go all of the time; café’s & Starbucks operate a grab & go atmosphere- business people need service to be quick. Typically ‘fast food’ is really bad quality, but this style of fast eating on the go still maintains a high level of quality. Upon reflection of portion sizes in restaurants & café’s they seriously are supersized compared to the UK.
Irresistible is the word for the food. Full of sugar, spice & all things nice it really was impossible to stay clear of the fatty foods and to pick a healthier substitute. Not only was it hard to choose healthy, but there was not a lot of healthy dining places to eat at.
Welcome to Central Park: Do Not Feed the Animals Portion sizes speak for themselves, let’s be honest. It may be a country of desire & aspiration but no one can deny the fact of rising weight gain. In future years will animals become obese: due to over eating, consuming people’s waste food & being over fed by citizens?
Central park: A breath of fresh air for every American, the heart of Manhattan echoing sounds of birds & wildlife fill the air. Leaving the roaring streets of NY behind, entering into central park is like entering Narnia, a place of tranquility, free spaces & is alive with wildlife. Unbelievably noise pollution created by NYC life evaporates in the park; Mother Nature creates that most cherished form of escapism in this busy city.
City of Inspiration It really is impossible to walk the Streets of New York without taking a photograph of something interesting to the eye. The city is jam-packed with textures, colour’s & beautiful graffiti art. Covering the dull concrete walls of this packed city, with bold colour gives NYC a unique glow. It may be illegal vandalism, but without it New York would not be the same.
Reflection New York is the most amazing city I have visited; it’s packed with inspiration & full of interesting people. Politeness of citizens is unbelievable too, so courteous, friendly & helpful. My final thought goes to those who lose their lives in the 9/11 bombings. At ground zero silence radiated through as a mark of respect, insane thinking of the long lasting devastation caused by an event that happened in a few seconds. Extremely emotional witnessing people in never-ending mourning: words can’t explain the feeling of being in the middle of the site of destruction.
Taking you to your adventure
Yorkshire Gal Tastes The Pie Whilst exploring the beautiful sites that Newcastle has to offer, nothing is quite as comforting as finding a quiet authentic pub hidden in the Quayside. The Redhouse is by River Tyne, in an old building that is filled with bags of natural character. It was a perfect place to go after a cold walk around Newcastle, to walk into a pub and be greeted with an open log fire, real ale and homemade pies. The ambiance was a relaxing atmosphere that is hugged with the noise of peoples laughter.
Sitting in a softly padded booth, I thoroughly enjoyed a soothing glass of Zinfandel Rose; which has a sweet taste of summer. Whilst my father relished in a pint of Carat Gold, which he described as “bang on� and had a refreshing taste of hops, which left him wanting more. As the Redhouse only serves pie and mash, it was a simple easy process to order my meal; the staff were warm and welcoming. Firstly by selecting which flavour pie would suit my taste, which varied from the original steak and ale, to a vegetarian sweet potato, or the likes of goats cheese and spicy tomato; accommodating for all customers. It is then joined with a variety of choice in mash and liquor. This perfectly portioned meal was just right to fill my aching hunger. The taste of the red wine gravy was complementary to the steak pie; the combination of the two set my taste buds alight with the mix of the two flavours. After thoroughly enjoying the savory treat, I desired for something sweet to finish the dinner. I decided to have the chocolate brownie sandwich for desert, the mixture of the hot brownie next to the cold ice cream was refreshing and sorted out my little sugar fix.
The Redhouse has a variety of offers throughout the week; on Wednesdays it’s two pie meals for £10, compared to the standard £7.95 per meal, is a great offer. Also recently added was a take-away, this enables you to enjoy the homely food whilst under pressure at work or on the go. I would highly recommend this pub as a place for both family and romantic place to go as it is welcoming for everyone. With the light atmosphere and great company there’s no doubt you would have a great experience.
Make Your Own Pie
1. Season the steak with salt (optional) and freshly ground black pepper. Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan. Add the steak in batches and fry until browned all over, but not cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside. 2. Add the onion, mushrooms and carrots to the pan and fry for 10 minutes, stirring in the garlic for the last minute. 3. Stir in the steak, flour, tomato purée, thyme, bay leaf, stock, Worcestershire sauce and ale. 4. Bring to the boil, then cover. Reduce the heat and gently simmer for 1½ hours, until the beef is tender and the sauce has reduced and thickened. When cooked, allow to cool completely before making the pie. 5. Preheat the oven to 200°C, fan 180°C, gas 6. Spoon the cooled beef mixture into a 2.5-litre pie dish with a rim. Place a pie funnel or upturned egg cup in the center to help support the pastry. 6. Roll out the puff pastry until just larger than the top of the pie dish. Cut off a thin strip of pastry, brush with a little beaten egg and stick around the rim of the dish. Brush the pastry rim with more beaten egg and lay the pastry lid on top. 7. Seal the pastry edges by crimping with your fingers, and then brush the top with the remaining egg. Cut a hole in the pastry just above the pie funnel to let the steam escape. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the pastry is golden and the filling is bubbling, and then serve. Pie Recipe available for you own recipe book @ www.portman&you.co.uk
Falling Back to British Heritage Sometimes we hype about these big cities which carry new experiences, but a lot of the time we forget about the country we actually live in. Great Britain is full of rolling country hills, so much different wildlife & stunning views. Now we go back to our roots, taking a look at the raw countryside & remembering why we love Britain.
Falling in love with the tranquility of British countryside is way too easy, being surrounded by wildlife & the smell of pine trees is priceless.
Twist to Tweed The modern day gentleman styles tweed in a totally different way, tweed isn’t considered as classic as it once was. Classic vintage has evolved into a unique look, adding classic pieces & prints with fierce tattoos. On our very own British soil, we have an extensive history based around classic, rural pieces; an aesthetic that has always remained strong and relevant. Ditch the graphic tees, the leather and the puffer jacket and join in the Great British style.
The English hunter is not only a slayer of wildlife, but a style icon that has seen much resurgence in recent years.
The Joys of Working In Newcastle Interview with The Yesterday Society. Newcastle Grainger market is renowned for its low priced fresh fruit stalls & butchers but who would have known it is the prime location for a little self-employed Vintage Shop? The Yesterday Society is run by two young girls Rosie Skett & Rachel Johnson both 24; they have no previous experience in business or fashion- just a pure interest in fashion through the ages. We interviewed Rosie to find out her personal view of her business & working for herself:
When did “The Yesterday Society” store become reality? We started up an archive of clothes in June of last year, and then started renting our shop at the beginning of August 2014. Do you have a fashion background yourself? No, I only have a big interest in fashion I work part time at this stall & part time at my other job. I just love the 80’s & the 90’s era for clothing silhouette & fabrics, I love the silk ski style jackets. What is Rachel’s Fashion Interest? Rachel is more of a 50’s & 60’s type of girl: she loves the flower dresses. Where do you source your stock from? We started collecting vintage clothing online but we do now have a few main suppliers, a lot of the clothing has come in from Europe & the USA. Our clothing is handpicked by us, which makes it more personal for and to us.
Which fashion item is the best seller? I would probably say the ‘Levi’ garments such as the denim jackets are the best sellers, we sell them quite cheap too compared to other stores. Who is your most popular customer? We get a lot of students and a lot of Grainger market clients. Surprisingly some cliental includes older people: they like to have a look at the clothes they used to wear. Which are your cheapest & most expensive items? We sell accessories for as low as 50p to £1.00 and T-shirts from £6.00. Our most expensive item would be a leather jacket that sells for £38.
Do you accept card payments? Yes we do, not many people carry money with them these days, especially students. It just guarantee’s a sale if people have no cash but want to buy something- they can just pay by card. What is it like working with a friend? Would you say it’s difficult or easier to make decisions? You just learn to work with someone really, we have worked together in the past & Rachel is quite laid back anyways. We are really good friends too so she is easy to get along with. Do you enjoy working for your own business? Yes I do, it’s in a location that I like & I love fashion. END OF INTERVIEW
Inspiring is the word to describe this young girl, she is only 24 and has started her own business, it may only be little but it is a great start.
This year is all about the bold lip & accessories paired with minimalistic eye make-up, the focus on the face is the lip with details on the face- such as small gems or iridescent stars.
Discover your new Festival Look It’s that time of the year again, music festivals are quickly approaching. No matter which festival you’re going too, it’s essential to look the part. Here is our quick rundown of styling tips to get the coveted festival look.
Make a statement with chunky necklaces; keep the hair tied up off your face with patterned hair wraps. Important to keep your hair looking stylish, but keeping it practical & off your face. Sunglasses are a must have, why not try these new ‘Cat-eye’ sunglasses from River Island.
Styling Guide to Doc’s Pair with floor length maxi skirt, plain textured crop top & tie an extravagant patterned hair band to give the look a little ‘pop’. When picking out your new festival look, keep your eye on fashion icon Alexa Chung for simple but effective styling.
Summer styling full of fashion faux-pas’ & comes alive with colour’s. Every festival girl is different, where waterproofs, wellies & sun glasses are a must have. This year we are taken back to signature pieces & shapes from the 80’s & 90’s, shops are overrun with washed denim, high waist shorts & tie-dye. Coloured converse are “Hot” this year, wearing bold colour’s on your feet can brighten up an entire fashion look on the dullest of days.
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Go on, have fun...
Social Butterflies
Spice up your festival look with our online DIY style guide, full of hair dip-dying techniques, your essentials list & must do/ don’t at your next festival. You have an opinion? We want to hear it so keep in the loop with our Instagram, Twitter & Pinterest accounts. www.portman&you.co.uk Remember be inspired & we’ll see you next issue.