VIVA MANCHESTER & CHESHIRE AUTUMN 2014 (issue 18)

& TER HES NC MA

VIVA IRE ESH CH

AUTUMNAL

LUXE

Channel this season’s must have looks: texture, tailoring, comfy layers and denim

ROWETTA & ALEX GRAY It’s all about house music for Rowetta & Alex Gray

LIAM FRAY

THE COURTEENERS FRONT MAN takes time out in MCR’S THE Whiskey Jar to chat to VIVA

NEW YORK

BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY

VIVA GOES Stateside to take in some of the Big Apple’s Cinematic charms

www.peta.org.uk

VIVA AUTUMN 2014

I

t’s been such an amazing summer in Manchester, the sun is still shining down on our Mancunian heads!

The festival season kicked off at Parklife, with the likes of Rudimental and Snoop Dog rocking Heaton Park! It wasn’t all a happy festival vibe though and our thoughts go out to Robert Hart’s family.

The VIVA festival road-trip continued to The Eden festival, Sonisphere, Larmer Tree and Beat-Herder, all completely different and unique festivals in their own ways!

Setting-up camp with our Soulpad 4000 Ease Tent, from Cotswold Outdoor, we totally glammed it VIVA style!

We also took a trip to Lake Garda in Italy to meet up with Manchester’s Number-one, Rock Chick Rowetta from Happy Mondays, whose new house tune - with Alex Gray released this summer. ‘It’s All About House Music’ is blasting out at VIVA HQ as we speak!

Finally Courteeners front man, Liam Fray, takes time out from his busy schedule to have a chat with us. We met him, in The Whiskey Jar, for a good old chinwag and a few snaps.

It’s exciting times for The Courteeners with a new album release and a tour on the way. Liam had a lot to tell us!

By now you should know the VIVA Team like to party and we hosted an all-white VIP bash at DoubleTree By Hiltons SkyLounge. Celebrities and VIVA VIPs turned up to party the night away above Manchester’s skyline and, whilst the sun set, VIVA Ems span out some soulful house tunes.

It’s coming up to Autumn and while the sun is still out we all need to start thinking about our Autumn wardrobe.

Our fashion team have been working hard on creating that Autumnal Luxe. So channel this season’s must-have looks with our take on the autumn trends; texture, tailoring, comfy layers and denim.

A couple of the VIVA boys took a trip to the bright lights in the big city of New York and spent a week stateside to take in some of the Big Apple’s cinematic charms. It didn’t disappoint!

Summer of 2014, we have had a blast. Now bring on the atomic Autumn Manchester vibe and what it has to offer us!

Big Love VA Team VI

www.vivalifestyle.co.u k | VIVA | 05

info@vivalifestyle.co.uk | 0161 228 0065

VIVA WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY

www.viva-weddingphotography.com

VIVA INSIDE

FEATURES

FASHION

BEAUTY + HEALTH & FITNESS

16_ Interview with Liam Fray 22_ Autumnal Luxe fashion story 43_ Ready for baby coming home?

58_ New York: bright lights, big city 68_ DoubleTree By Hilton’s SkyLounge White Party 77_ It’s all about house music for Rowetta & Alex Gray

14_ 34_

VIVA’s hot catwalk picks Shop the highstreet

38_ Get the look this Autumn with Cassie Lomas 48_ Meet VIVA’s new health & fitness columnist, Sam Witter 49_ Drink Kangen Water 50_ Celebrity chef Andrew Nutter gets fit at Y Club

HOME, LEISURE, BUSINESS & TRAVEL 52_ On the wild side with VIVA’s cribs 55_ Get serious with this bit of camera kit 57_ Motorsport festival

FOOD AND DRINK 62_ Craftbrew steals the spot as Salford’s new destination 64_ Destination Don Giovannis 66_ Autumn drinks to warm the cockles

VIVA LAS MANCHESTER & CHESHIRE

LIVE MUSIC, THE ARTS AND FILM

70_ 70_ 71_ 72_

Elixir’s garden of earthly delights Walrus and the Pussy Cat Doll Meat, music and mayhem at Grillstock VIVA London news

74_ Team VIVA’s 2014 festival diary,VIP style 80_ Peter Hook takes over the VIVA ipod 82_ Ten Manc’s by Karin Albinsson 83_ The Greater Manchester Fringe 2014 highlights

TEAM VIVA Give us a little tweet...

The editor emma WILKINSON @VIVAEms

Art director REBECCA LEGON (not a social networker)

Sales & marketing LOUISE ADKIN @AngelMediaLou

Senior designer Ed Wilkinson @eddiewilky

Copy sub-editor KEITH McDONNELL @geraldthejag

Head of photography KARIN ALBINSSON

Fashion editor ROSS FORSYTHE @rossforsythe

Health & fitness editor SAM WITTER @samwitter1

Food editor emma CHADWICK @ChaddersLife

Beauty editor CASSIE LOMAS @cassielomas

Follow VIVA: facebook/vivamagazines twitter.com/vivamagazines youtube.com/vivamagazines

Issue 18 published August 2014 FRONT COVER & MAIN INTERVIEW CREDITS Model: Liam Fray Photographer: Karin Albinsson Photographer’s Assistant: Cyrus Bulsara Hair & Make-Up: Sarah Yorke Location: Whiskey Jar, Manchester CONTRIBUTOR WRITERS Ailish McDonnell Debbie Manley Claire Sinclaire Garry Hayes Georgina Jones Sam Bramwell CONTRIBUTOR PHOTOGRAPHERS Georgie Glass Will Wilkinson

Motoring editor JACK MARSDEN

Film editor DARREN R L GORDON @DarrenRLGordon

VIVA TV TOBIAS LONGMATE

Drink editor David marsden @DrinksEnthusist

VIVA London KIRI BLOORE @KiriBloore

VIVA website SHABIR hussain @shabby218

VIVA Magazine, Part 2nd Floor, Fourway House, 57 Hilton Street, Manchester, M1 2EJ Tel: 0161 2280065 email: info@vivalifestyle.co.uk website: www.vivalifestyle.co.uk A readership of 60,000 in the Manchester and Cheshire areas For annual subscription rates, please ring our enquiry line on 0161 2280065 or email info@vivalifestyle.co.uk. VIVA Manchester magazine is published quarterly (4 times a year) and is distributed in and around Manchester and Cheshire which includes Manchester city centre, Didsbury, Hale, Wilmslow, Altrincham, Chorlton and Salford.

Unsolicited manuscripts, artwork, photographic prints and transparencies are accepted only on the understanding that VIVA accepts no liability for loss or damage. No responsibility can be accepted for any breaches of obligation by advertisers. Strictly copyright all content VIVA Magazines. Reproduction, in part or whole, is forbidden without the express permission of the publishers. All prices included within this publication were correct at the time of print. All expressions and opinions demonstrated within this publication are those of the editor(s) including contributors.

www.vivalifestyle.co.u k | VIVA | 11

VIVA c o m p e t i t i o n s

You’ve Got To Be In It, To Win It! WIN...WIN... WIN...

1. PALL MAL MEDICAL - £100 WORTH OF

AESTHETICS

l treatments and cosmetic surgery Pall Mall Medical offer a range of non-surgica team of consultants and ienced exper and ed qualifi procedures with a well winner £100 worth of lucky one surgeons. Through VIVA they’re offering ents! aesthetic treatm le.co.uk with your name, email To enter, please email competition@vivalifesty Medical.’

Mall ‘Pall title t subjec and address, phone number

2. Golden Square Shopping Centre - £100 worth of gift vouchers

Golden Square Shoppi ng Centre in Warringto n is host to a huge ran stores, cafés and restau ge of major rants. They are offerin g one lucky VIVA winner of gift vouchers to spe £100 worth nd in the centre!

To enter, please email competition@vivalifest yle.co.uk with your nam address, phone number e, email and subject title ‘Golde n Square.’

3. An ECCO bag - worth £150+

lly selected by VIVA for one special This gorgeous green handbag has been specia of £150 and this gorgeous green will ds upwar retail VIVA reader to win! ECCO bags make a statement for any wardrobe. le.co.uk with your name, email To enter, please email competition@vivalifesty ’.

‘ECCO title t subjec and er numb address, phone

4. A year’s supply of Holland’s new Steak and Guinness pies

A gorgeous pie will com plement your Autumn issue of VIVA perfectly Holland’s is offering thr and ough VIVA, one lucky reader a year’s supply new Steak and Guinness of their pies!

To enter, please email competition@vivalifest yle.co.uk with your nam address, phone number e, email and subject title ‘Hollan d’s pies.’

5. Yoofiti Personalised Art

home. They range Yoofiti is the height of personalised art for your Americana kitsch and h Britis of best to ses, from graffiti canva styles. le.co.uk with your To enter, please email competition@vivalifesty t title ‘Yoofiti’. name, email address, phone number and subjec

6. OK-ecigs.com - an e-Cigarette supply worth £100+

With a much more health-conscio us public, e-Cigarettes have beco me the biggest craze for helping to quit smoking. We’re offering a supply worth over £100 to one lucky winn er!

To enter, please email competition@ vivalifestyle.co.uk with your nam e, email address, phone number and the subject title ‘e-Cigarette’.

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VIVA R A D A R HOT: Dynamo Magician I love magic. Ever since my Uncle Kenny showed me card tricks when I was little, I’ve loved watching magic whether it’s a street magician, someone at a party or the epic David Blaine. I just love the mystique and pageantry of it all. I met Dynamo last week and he did some tricks for me and my friends and wow! He’s by far my favourite magician, not only because he’s mind-blowing and an innovator of the tricks he can do but also because he’s a down-to-earth, northern lad from Bradford and he’s fit!

GUEST ON

The Radar

Grannies I love the elderly, I always have. Maybe it’s because I was brought up by my grandma but I have a lot of respect for that generation. I’m forever helping them with their shopping and offering them lifts if it looks like it’s about to rain. My friends think I’m a bit mad but I think we should all be giving up our seats on trains and buses and helping older people with things because they had it way harder than we do and I don’t see enough people offering to help them. A lot of older people get overlooked and ignored which makes me sad so I sometimes shout on their behalf. I could open an elderly union called ‘Roxy’s Golden Girls’ with bingo and afternoon tea and they could come to me with any problems to sort out.

WHAT’S HOT & WHAT’S NOT Flats and Au Natural I went out with the girls the other night and by midnight I was exhausted and needed my slippers! I’m all about wearing flats nowadays - unless I’m at an event in a frock. I’m loving wearing my Steve Madden sparkly pumps and Kurt Geiger do some gorgeous nude flip-flops which look nice with jeans. I’m only five foot one so I get mistaken for a kid at times but I’m all for comfort over heels on my days off when I’m zooming around. Plus, I find the fake tan, fake lashes and hair extensions with massive heels to be a little dated now. So, I’m braving it this summer with my new shorter hair and flats to be more natural and low maintenance. I’ll get back to you on how long it lasts!

Fellowes AeraMax Air Purifier I couldn’t survive summer without my air purifier and I have found the perfect one. I have a Fellowes AeraMax plugged in at home and, since getting it, I’ve not suffered half as much from the usual allergies and breathing problems that used to have me coughing, wheezing and sniffing my way through the summer.

It was very unattractive and altogether a real problem. Now, thanks to my little air purifer - the AeraMax is small, sleek, unobtrusive and filters the air brilliantly - I get such a good night’s sleep and feel so much better in the morning that I think every home should have one so that we can all breathe clean air whenever we’re indoors.

Rob my hairdresser in the Northern Quarter I’ve searched for years for a brilliant hair stylist and finally I’ve found him! Rob Czlapka. He has RCNQ, the hair workshop on Hilton Street in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. I’d had long, heavy extensions in for a movie role that I’d been away shooting (‘Wrong Turn 6’ for Twentieth Century Fox) and when I came back Rob transformed the condition and colour of my hair within an hour! He is as gorgeous and funny as he is talented and I wouldn’t let any other man get his hands on my locks!

This issue ’s guest ra dar was brought to you by actress and singe r Roxann e Pallett

Roxanne Pallett

NOT HOT: Mobile phones in the cinema/theatre People who turn their mobile phones on during a film at the cinema or at the theatre during the show. It’s so rude! Not only because it is insulting to what they’re watching but they’re distracting everyone sitting near them with the bright light! They must be so sad that they can’t survive two hours without desperately checking their Facebook page to see if their popularity has risen. I’ve lost count of the number of idiots who I’ve prodded in the shoulder to say turn your phone off! When I was on stage in a play at The Royal Court theatre some woman, sat on the front row, decided to turn her phone on. So I stopped the play, I froze my lines, held my position and glared at her until she looked up. After a solid minute of silence, we continued. She looked mortified…

Smelly people We’re so spoilt for choice with the array of deodorants, body lotions, perfumes and colognes nowadays and yet, I seem to notice, there are still people who whiff of body odour! How!? This CAN be helped! It’s not a disease or an illness, it’s denial! As a nation we should sort this out. How hard is it to shower daily and, even on a budget, spray on some Lynx or Impulse! Especially in the summer time when we have warm days!

Social Media I’m probably the only person of my generation who has never joined on Facebook or Twitter. When I joined Emmerdale in 2005 I stupidly googled my name out of pure curiosity and found a lot of nasty comments on forums which were pretty soul destroying to read.

I think I cried for days. Since then, I’ve never wanted to go near the internet and it made me stay away from social media because of the platform it gives bullies.

It’s a shame because I know a lot of people who enjoy interacting with their fans and followers but knowing how accessible it is for millions of people to voice their opinion of you and most of them be very judgemental and cruel, I’d rather be unreachable and have a dramafree life!

Spell my name right I don’t think it’s that hard to check someone’s name and spell it right. It’s not like Pallett is that hard to spell. It’s not like Economopolous! So you can imagine my despair when I get people spelling it with one T!

VIVA C A T W A L K T R E N D S 1.

2.

Erdem A/W 2014

3.

4.

ROMANTIC REDS...

This Season be a scarlet woman in our selection of the hottest catwalk colour. There are so many shades to work with, whether it be beautiful burgundy, chic crimson or magnificent maroon.

We recommend playing around with shape and texture by incorporating wool jumpers and oversized blazers to create a seriously cosy, autumnal look.

re A/W Chanel Haute Coutu

2014

1. Placket, Swing Dress, £80, Topshop.com 2. Strap Top, £29.99, Zara 3. Vamp Belted, Wool Crêpe Dress, £425, Goat 4. 1970 Intarsia, Wool Sweater, £270, Bella Freud at www.net-a-porter.com.

5. Strap Top, £29.99, Zara 6. Bryant Park, Saffiano Tote, £230, DKNY 7. Red Jersey Jacket, £40, River Island 8. Trousers, £39.99, Zara 9. Florita, Patent Slingback, £160, LK Bennett 10. Scarlett Ponte, Shift Dress, £12, www.boohoo.com

Alexis Mabille Haute Couture A/W 2014

words: Ross Forsythe

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5.

6.

7.

8.

10.

9.

1.

VIVA C A T W A L K T R E N D S 3.

2.

Totally Textured!

Sometimes clothes can get so boring.

I mean, who wants ANOTHER printed t-shirt? Patterns are so passé because this season it’s all about texture. Work a sportsluxe style with wet-look joggers, quilted jacket and an oversized tee or go for biker chic with a quilted leather jacket and textured denim. If you want to keep it simple, look to accessories for a small nod to this terrific trend by investing in some contrasting texture trainers or wallets.

1. Suede and Leather Panelled Sneakers, £280, Dolce & Gabbana 2. Half Zip, Leather Wallet, £95, Comme Des Garçons 3. Blue, Faded, Straight Leg Jeans, £775, Balmain 4. Jogging Pants, £45.99, Zara 5. Quilted Sleeve T-shirt, £130, Neil Barrett 6. Mesh Duffle Bag, £95, Marc by Marc Jacobs 7. Belgravia, High-Top Trainers, £475, Jimmy Choo 8. Grid Knit, Wool and Cashmere Sweater, £360, MCQ Alexander McQueen 9. Black, Quilted Wool Blend Jacket, £520, Just Cavalli 10. Indigo, Quilted Sweatshirt, £150, Paul Smith Jeans

James Lon

g A/W 2 014

4.

5.

6.

words: Ross Forsythe

7.

8.

10.

3.1 Phillip

Lim A/W 2

014

22/4 _Hommes

A/W 2014

9.

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LIAM FRAY Liam Fray takes time out in Manchester’s Whiskey Jar to chat to VIVA. Just getting back from London after playing The 100 Club with The Courteeners, (their first gig in seven months) a new album about to be released and a tour in the pipeline, the stylish rock’n’roller has a lot of exciting stuff to tell us...

Photography Karin Albinsson Interview Emma Wilkinson

VIVA I N T E R V I E W

S

itting patiently in the Whiskey Jar located in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, Team VIVA are extremely excited as we are about to do a photo-shoot and interview with one of Manchester’s biggest musicians, Liam Fray. It’s taken us a while to arrange this but the wait has been worth it and, hey, we don’t mind waiting nearly a year to speak to such a talent, ha ha!

Liam, with manager Conrad, enters the building looking particularly stylish, greets us with a big warm smile and admits he is still recovering from London where the Courteeners played The 100 Club. (their first gig in seven months) They used the gig to debut new material from their latest album ‘Concrete Love’ and it sounded like the boys hit London hard afterwards to celebrate a very successful return!

Surprisingly, the Fray comes across a bit shy in the shoot saying to Karin, our photographer, that he hates having his photo taken! This certainly doesn’t come across in most of the pictures that have ever been taken of him with that famous Manc attitude look!

After the shoot and just before digging into some of The Whiskey Jar’s famous pies, (which Liam turned down due to a strict juice diet about which he was very passionate he explained) VIVA Ems sat down with Fray for an in-depth little chat.

VIVAEms: How do you think the shoot went today?

Liam: Oh, it was absolutely fantastic. It was one of the best shoots I’ve done in a while. People think having their picture taken is easy.

It’s really difficult!

VIVAEms: You looked really relaxed.

Liam: I’m a good actor! It’s a line of secondary employment there, not modelling, acting.

VIVAEms: You’re quite a stylish guy, you didn’t actually want our VIVA stylist to dress you today you styled yourself and, I must admit, you do look extremely cool. Where do you shop in Manchester?

Liam: I’m gutted that Paul Smith closed down on Bridge Street.

That was a really cool shop but, most of the time, Selfridge’s plus I get bits from Oi Polloi. The only downside from Oi Polloi is, if you’re going to buy a coat that’s that expensive you don’t want everyone else to be wearing it but that tends to happen doesn’t it? That’s the only downside.

VIVAEms: Don’t you ever shop in Liam Gallagher’s Pretty Green?

Liam: Yeah, I’ve had bits from there! He sorts me out with bits plus it’s really well made. I think it’s easy for people to turn their noses up at it but, you know, it’s extremely well made and he cares about it a lot.

VIVAEms: What made you go from the Mancunian Oasis mop to the Morrissey quiff?

Liam: Well the girls were drying up so I had to. No, I mean, it just needed a. . . I just think change is good! I kind of wanted to get rid of the haircut for a while but I couldn’t decide, I think we were between albums - between albums two and three. You know what, I know why I did it! I broke my ankle and I was laid up and I was just feeling a bit sh*t so I though ‘f*ck it!’ I just needed a change.

VIVAEms: So the new album, ‘Concrete Love’ it’s out 18th August.

I love how you announced it on Twitter - ‘New f*cking album alert!’ ha ha! Actually, just going off the album subject quickly, about your profile picture on Twitter, you were listening to a tune when you got that picture taken. I bet I know what it is.

Liam: Go on then?

VIVAEms: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Spread Your Love.

Liam: Yes! VIVAEms: Ha ha, I knew it! No, when speaking to my brother yesterday I said I was interveiwing you today and he said he’d recently been to the ‘Face-to-Face: The Moving Portrait’ exhibition at the Royal Albert Hall by Tom Oxley that you were featured in and explained the whole concept behind the photos. It sounded really interesting!

Liam: It was stunning. I was so honoured because Tom’s such an amazing photographer. How we met was that he got in touch with our press office and said he wanted to do a documentary on a band, never done it before. We were going on tour across Europe so I said ‘come along.’ He stayed on the bus for three nights. We partied every night - he lives the life you know! Then, when we got back, he said he had this exhibition at Albert Hall. Basically, he filmed you getting your picture taken for about four minutes. It was such a cool concept, the moving pictures were like fifteen foot tall!. You’d spot like a blink or he’d tell you to turn to the side. It’s so unnerving. You can really tell some people are nervous on the camera.

VIVAEms: Right, so back to the album, you did a one-off special gig at London’s 100 Club on Monday, airing all the new material. Why the hell didn’t you do this gig in Manchester?

Liam: Ha ha! Well, we’ve kind of done every small venue there is in Manchester and then some and we have fans all over but Manchester will always be home. Manchester will always be where the heart is but I won’t be penned in by one city. I started this band to see the world and travel. I think there’s something to be said for not resting on your laurels and it’s exciting! First and foremost, it’s a legendary club. The Pistols, The Kinks, The Stones, The Clash, Chaz and Dave, all the greats have played there. So when it came up, we didn’t really think about it. It did upset some people that we weren’t playing in Manchester but that’s a nice thing you know. It’s a good upset!

VIVAEms: What was the reaction to the new material from the Londoners?

Liam: Really good! Really, really good. We opened with the new track ‘Small Bones’ which we’d never played before, we’ve never played any of those songs before. They were five new ones.

VIVAEms: It was the first time you’ve played together in seven months. Were you a bit rusty or was it straight back on top form?

Liam: It’s the longest we’ve gone without a gig since we started in 2006 or 2007. I think, because we started with that new one, that gave us confidence. If you start with something like that then there’s something to be said for taking a risk. If it comes off you’re laughing. There were obviously elements, like when you come onto the second verse from the chorus and you have a total mind blank. I turned around during ‘Sycophant’ and I was like, ‘I have no clue what my next verse is here at all’ and, a millisecond before I had to sing, it just came. When the first word comes out you’re fine. I think four albums in, that’s the time your repertoire grows. I read the other day, Biffy Clyro said every time you learn new stuff you have to push at least one old one out. So when you choose to play one of those old ones you have to relearn it!

VIVAEms: So you’ve got a big tour coming up. They haven’t announced the schedule yet but you are going to start it by headlining Reading and Leeds on the Radio One stage! That’s pretty big isn’t it?

Is that going to be your biggest gig to date?

Liam: Yeah, it’s massive. It’s the first festival I ever went to. I remember watching the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. I was into the Roses, and The Smiths and The Beatles. I saw this woman, who was from Brooklyn in New York, she had loads of eye make-up on, she was wearing a cape, she was spitting glitter, leather and Champagne - she was just like nothing I’d ever seen before and it was kind of exciting and I was excited by it. You know, some people would dismiss that or say they’re not into that and that was the kind of point where I was like, well if you’re not into that then f*ck you. I’m well into this. So it meant I could explore music that some kids in my class weren’t into and it opened up different avenues. They headlined that night. I’ve had a lot of good nights in that tent. So to be headlining it, is kind of surreal. >

‘We have fans all over but Manchester will always be home. Manchester will always be where the heart is.’

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VIVAEms: So I saw on the website as well, that if you pre-order the new album - the deluxe version - you get a free download of ‘Are You In Love With A Notion’ live at Castlefield Bowl, from last year, which was absolutely amazing! One of the best gigs I’ve ever ever been to.

Liam: Thank you very much.

VIVAEms: My friend actually came up for the weekend, from down south and I took him to that gig he had never heard of you guys before.

Liam: What?

VIVAEms: I know! What a loser, ha ha but after that gig he has become a massive fan! That must have been such a big buzz for you guys. Would you say that was your favourite gig to date?

Liam: Yeah, definitely a highlight.

VIVAEms: You sold out for two days!

Liam: Yeah, very quickly, they sold out in about an hour. We were surprised. You always hope those things are going to go well and sell tickets but we couldn’t have asked for it to go any better. We were bang on form. It came in the middle of a pretty busy summer but just at the right time. Sometimes you can feel a bit rusty and, if it comes to the end, you can feel a bit fatigued but we absolutely smashed it out of the park! We knew we were doing that gig for like about a year before, so everything we’d done from August the previous year - we’re talking about rehearsals, set lists, everything we’re going to do, what

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shirt you’re going to wear - but half-way through the second night, looking out at the crowd, I just thought, we’ve f*cking smashed this, simple as that. We’ve nailed it. Plus the support acts were great and we’re just glad everyone had such a good time. The crowd was just swaying at one point. Our crowds are the best crowds in the world, they’re f*cking amazing.

VIVAEms: I was going to say, the reason I love going to your gigs is because the fans just seem to know every tune word for word. It just gives you that crazy feeling inside you, you know what I mean?

Liam: It feels communal. It’s like the world’s biggest intimate gig. It feels intimate because everyone’s kind of in unison.

VIVAEms: Is there a track on the new album that you think is going to be the big track that everyone’s going to be singing along to?

Liam: Well, when we played London on Tuesday, ‘Summer’ got the best reception.

VIVAEms: Why did you put ‘Summer’ out first?

Liam: Because timing is key. It’s summer, it’s a feel-good song. We thought we’ve gotta get it out now and it’s really different to anything we’ve done before as well. It’s just got this really mod, old town, kind of - it’s just a really infectious song! I thought if you get that out first, people are going to be into it.

VIVAEms: Is there a certain theme behind the new album?

Liam: Greatness! I don’t know really, there’s an element of

‘Looking out at the crowd I just thought we’ve smashed this, simple as that. We’ve nailed it’ reflection but in a kind of positive way. Like looking back but letting go as well. There’s a song we had called ‘Let Go And Move On’ and it didn’t make it but I suppose that’s kind of the theme running through it. It’s fine looking back as long as you can still move on.

It’s when you’re looking back and you’re holding on that gets you into a pickle. I should finish more positive than that! Ha ha! What is the theme running through the album? We don’t really have one, I suppose. The common theme is me writing about how sh*t I am at writing about relationships which I’m trying to do in a funny way; to kind of not be bothered by it. Well, that’s kind of what it is. I just write every day and if something’s on my mind then I can just put it in a song and I know, hopefully, some people might like it. I’m quite lucky that I can do that because other people just have to sit at home and watch Hollyoaks and get pissed off. I can put it in a song and then everyone comes and buys the t-shirt. I’m quite lucky in that respect.

It’s cathartic, then I’m hoping at the same time somebody else gets to enjoy it and I am quite light hearted as well, I do poke fun at myself. I think, a lot more than people realise, I’m not really quite that serious but I think in every single photo shoot we do, the only thing I can do, (as you just witnessed) is that kind of serious ‘yeah, I’m in such a bad mood’ look.

VIVAEms: You’re a massive fan of football, supporting Manchester United. Are you excited about Louis Van Gaal being in charge next season?

Liam: Yeah it’s an exciting signing! He’s already brought some new players in. The names being thrown about at the moment are really exciting. I kind of feel sorry for David Moyes. I think everyone knew when he was appointed, it wasn’t the best choice in the world. It was the best that was available at the time. I think everyone knew it would be the manager after him who would sort it all out. I knew that was going to happen but I don’t think they should’ve after ten months, I don’t think that’s right. They should’ve given him a bit more time.

Any organisation that brings in forty-five million pounds then gets rid of the top line of staff - it just wouldn’t happen in any other company in the world. So I don’t see why it’s happened at a football club which relies upon the support of fans but I do think it’s good, I think it’s optimistic. I’m glad they’ve got a new kit by Adidas, there’ll be some retro kits knocking about over the next few years hopefully or inspired by retro kits.

VIVAEms: ‘You’re Not Nineteen Forever’ was named United’s official celebration song last year and you played it live at the victory parade in Albert Square, you must have been buzzing about that!

Liam: It’s kind of surreal, yeah. It was a good week that. It was my birthday that weekend and I think we were at Old Trafford and I felt like an employee. It was fun though. It was good to be back because I was a ball boy there when I was younger. I’ve been very lucky because I’ve seen behind the scenes a lot and a lot of people never get to see that so I feel very fortunate, I kind of feel like I’m on the inside. It’s like with any football club, whether you’re a city fan or a wolves fan or whatever, getting to see inside the club is really interesting and meeting the people as well. It’s easy to forget all the people who work at those football clubs, they’re the ones who make things work and tick.

All the staff were just so nice. I suppose you shouldn’t be surprised but I guess you feel like it’s going to be a kind of faceless corporation, a football club but it’s not - they’re just real, normal people who work hard. It was just really nice to see that.

VIVAEms: The Courteeners have just achieved so much so far but is there something you’re aiming for with the band that you haven’t had the opportunity to do yet?

Liam: It’s weird because you’re not really thinking about ticking boxes but I guess subconsciously you’re trying to make music for a living. You have to remind yourself that you’ve got the best job in the world. Sometimes when little niggle-y sh*t gets in the way, when you might be having a bad day, you’ve got to remind yourself that hang on I’m playing guitar for a living, I write songs, I’m so lucky. There’s little things; when someone you really like says something nice about you. Johnny Marr was on the radio the other day talking about us and he said something really kind. That kind of stuff, that keeps you going. Morrissey took us on tour, we supported Noel at Albert Hall, if you’d told me that ten years ago, well I’d never have believed you but you have to remember that that isn’t exactly a barometer of… I mean you can never take your foot off the gas, you can never think your last album was the best. No, your next one’s got to be your best.

You’ve got to try and improve, you’ve got to challenge yourself in the studio and you’ve got to challenge your fan base as well. It’s so easy to rest on your laurels like, we know what you like but we’re not going to give it to you. Every album we’ve done has been so different.

I think working with different producers over the years and just testing yourself really because, ultimately, the most reward comes when you test yourself. I feel great when we’ve done something out of our comfort zone. It’s so easy for us to do another ‘Hey Jude’ and people might want that but they wouldn’t after a while. It becomes boring.

So many bands make the same record twice. It doesn’t work like that.

Look at Arctic Monkeys for instance, their third, fourth and fifth albums are nothing like the first and second.

VIVAEms: I always love asking bands this question. What do you think you would be doing right now if you weren’t in the Courteeners?

Liam: I think I would be a teacher. My Mum’s a teacher, she actually retired today. I would have taught English or Art. I loved school, I had great teachers, I would have loved to get into photography too, the possibilities are endless! ■ The Courteeners new album ‘Concrete Love’ is out August 18th.

For tour announcement dates and other news go to: www.thecourteeners.com plus follow @thecourteeners @What_Liam_Said on Twitter. www.vivalifestyle.co.u k | VIVA | 21

Charlotte wears: Coat by Emma Robertson. Cuffs & Choker by Katie Rostron Tamara Mellon Suede Fringe Crop Top, £450, T By Alexander Wang Skirt, £155, both from Harvey Nichols

‘Autumnal Luxe’ Channel this season’s must have looks with our take on the autumn trends; Texture, tailoring, comfy layers and Denim.

Fashion Credits Photography & Post Production: Jay Mawson www.jaymawson.co.uk Art Direction: Adam Bryant adam@ethoshairdressing.com Stylist: Ross Forsythe Assisting: hannah charlotte and Elliott Callum (for information regarding graduate designers please contact ross@vivalifestyle.couk) Hair: Lizzie Bardsley us@ethoshairdressing.com Make-Up: Collette Casey & Sophie Bebb www.collettemakeup.co.uk Models: Josef & Charlotte Burton www.bossmodelmanagement.co.uk Location: NQ Photography Studio www.photographystudiomanchester.com VIVA TV: Tobias Longmate

Charlotte wears: Coat by Nayani Fernando Isabel Marant Kaftan Wrap, £375, Jimmy Choo 3/4 Biker Boot (worn throughout), £625, Tamara Mellon Skirt, £680, all from Harvey Nichols Pied A Terre Top, £35, from House of Fraser

Josef wears: Scarf, Stylist’s Own Top & Trousers by Marianne Callaghan

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Josef wears: Coat by Marianne Callaghan. Trousers by Emma Robertson Paul Smith Jeans Jumper, ÂŁ150, from Harvey Nichols

Charlotte wears: Scarf, Stylist’s Own Coat & Shirt by Katie Rostron J Brand Jeans, £230, from Selfridges

Josef wears: Paul Smith Scarf, £110, from Harvey Nichols Vest Top & Coat by Emma Robertson Trousers by Natalie Smith Boots, Stylist’s Own

Josef wears: Levis Shearling Jacket, £95, Nudie Jeans, £110, both from Selfridges Top by Marianne Callaghan. Boots, Stylist’s Own

Charlotte wears: Coat by Nayani Fernando Choker & Cropped Blazer both by Katie Rostron

e g a t o o f o e d i v s e n e c s e h t d n i k h e u . b o c h . c e l y t s Wat e f i l a iv v t a t o o h s n o i h s of this fa 32 | VIVA | w w w. v i va l i f e s t yle.c o.uk

1. Slim-Fit Shirt, £19.99, H&M

VIVA T R E N D S

2. Suede, Monk-Strap Shoes, £89.99, Mango

Shop The Highstreet

3. Canvas Parka, £29.99, H&M

4. Striped, Textured Shirt, £45.99, Mango

10. Structured Sweater, £22.99, Zara

Autumnal Gentleman

Autumn, that in-between season where it’s too warm to wear thick, heavy knits but too cool to brave it out in just a vest top. Tread the fine line with these amazing autumnal inspired finds on the high street. Colours such as reds, greens and browns are a focal point this season with a bit of print, such as tartan, thrown into the mix. Stylistically, utilise sharp tailoring, juxtaposed to soft oversized elements, to create a relaxed yet effortlessly cool aesthetic.

5. Chinley, Textured Crew Neck, £89, Ted Baker

words: Ross Forsythe

9. Dark Red, Longer Length Jumper,

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£14, River Island

7. Bronn, Classic Fit Chino, £85, Ted Baker

6. Dark Red, Tartan Scarf,

8. Retro Style Backpack, £49.99, Zara

£35, River Island

1. Deconstructed Trench, £5

9.99, Zara

VIVA T R E N D S

3. Navy, mohair slouchy jumper, £30, River Island

2. Burnout, Fabric Sweat, £46,

Shop The Highstreet Lets Get Cosy & Comfortable

Northern Weather, you either love it or hate it. Glorious sunshine one moment, then pouring rain the next. With the unpredictable elements it is best to play safe with these wondrously warming garments plucked from the high street. Layer up slouchy jumpers, oversized shirts and deconstructed jackets with cute preppy skirts in greys and reds for one effortlessly effective ensemble.

£34.99, Man

£34, Topshop

4. Check Shir t,

10. Oversized, check shirt,

go

Warehouse

5. Black & White, Ponti Trousers, £25, Miss Selfridge

words: Ross Forsythe

7. Tweed Print, Flippy Skirt,

9. The Carefree Cardi, £28, Oasis

£38, Oasis

8. Grey, Contrast Skirt, £45, Warehouse 6. Vagabond, Grace Nubuck, £80, Office

Free Lovin’ is the shade we just absolutely love! We don’t have to leave greens behind with the leaves, this emerald is to die for.

Aside from the gorgeous array of colours that are available with this nail trend; VIVA loves that this chip-free gel manicure also works as a nourishing treatment for your own natural nails.

The gel manicure is available in 150 colours, all separated into their own groups - are you into bronze, coppers and rusts or more of a bright blues, greens and yellows kind of girl? We love the quirky names Bio Sculpture have given each shade and we can’t wait to tell people that the colour we’re wearing is called ‘Her Majesty.’

The nail fun and artistry doesn’t have to stop there either, you can invest and enjoy added nail art to your Bio Sculpture gel manicure - as featured in the ‘Nail Art’ section of their website.

Bio Sculpture Gel Launches Fab New Shades For Autumn

Nails are a constant accessory and the perfect form of self expression, don’t let yours fall behind.

Manicures start at only £25, check it out: www.biosculpture.co.uk

Transform your nails this Autumn into something magical without the added cost of ruining your natural nail underneath!

Bio Sculpture is the gel manicure that the VIVA girls can’t stop talking about.

These gel nails are novel not just in colour but in price and treatment as well! Gone are the days of thin, cracked nail beds after your perfect manicure. Now you get the best of both worlds! Keep your natural nails pristine with the salon treatment from Bio Sculpture Gel. This innovative manicure is chip-free for up to three weeks and soaks right off when you’re done. (ready for your new treatment and colour) Be warned, these magnificent manicures are addictive but for this quality we can afford to get addicted!

The Artists Muse

Especially for Autumn, (tying in perfectly with this Autumn issue) Bio Sculpture are bringing us four enchanting new shades to match our brand new Fall wardrobes.

We are proud to present the four fabulous shades: Heart & Soul is a gorgeous caramel-y nude that proves that dark skies don’t have to translate into your fashion.

The Artist’s Muse will inspire you with its smokey hues of gorgeous grey and subtle undertones of sophisticated purple.

Pursuit Of Beauty makes you feel beautiful. This deepest of blues is the ideal alternative to black.

Free Lovin Heart & Soul Pursuit of Beauty

VIVA b e a u t y ggg

Get the look this autumn with Cassie Lomas, VIVA’S Beauty columnist and make-up artist to the stars!

The Folk theme has taken over the catwalks for Autumn and Winter awash with fairytale romanticism. Classic garments and comfort in clothing are teamed with sculpted cheekbones, brushed brows and vibrant, earthy watercolours.

<< Day Look When experimenting with this season’s textures, be sure to shine. With an injection of metallic hues and perfected skin, illumination is key. Pair down for the daytime, subtle definition with a classic black line can be the perfect complement to the rainbow of blues that are bang on-trend for this season.

Perfect your skin with a radiant foundation to brighten.

Give subtle smokes to the eye with a neutral palette and line the waterline with this season’s must-have dramatic, black liner such as Bobbi Brown long wear, gel eyeliner.

Using a gel instead of a kohl helps it to last longer.

Keep lips soft and nude and inject some colour into the nails with a slick of All that Jazz nail varnish in on-trend blue.

Contoured features finish this look with serious but subdued skin. Sweep a bronzer, we recommend Nars Bronzer in Laguna, with an angled brush under the cheekbones and over the eyelids using a soft applicator

Evening look >> Presses of pigment - Mac Pigments is our favourite - are the key to evening glamour this season, merged together to create a stream of colour. Use a clean brush to sweep all the tones together.

Pat Lancôme Hypnose mascara onto the lashes to get full and thick lashes. Take eyeshadow up high but limit definition to the lower brow by painting in a skintone colour cream like Laura Mercier concealer.

Brush over the skin with Becca illuminating perfector, a little mixed in with your foundation works well or as a highlight after your base.

Push the limits by adding a pop of colour to the lips, berry tones, like Shisheido Perfect Rouge, complement the earthy hues. Line the whole lip first for added staying power.

Keep your eye out online at www.vivalifestyle.co.uk for Cassie’s regular beauty reviews, news and events.

Follow Cassie on Twiter @cassielomas www.cassielomasmakeupacademy.co.uk

photos: Jay Mawson make-up: Cassie Lomas assisted by Emily Clarkson @Creativesagency hair: Claire Clarkson @Creativesagency

VIVA B E A U T Y THE OMBRE AUTUMN LOOK AND PREPARING FOR THE NEW ARRIVAL IN STYLE, Tina O’Brien reports...

Recovering from post-summer blues: Unfortunately I’m such a summer girl but my favourite thing about Autumn and Winter is the layers! I love playing around with hats, scarves and accessories. You can make a look so much more fun with layering.

Whimsical Wedding Wefts from Tatiana Hair Extensions

Always one to keep up ahead of the trends, Tatiana Karelina has put together a collection of stunning bridal hairstyles to provide inspiration on adding a modern, avant-garde touch to your wedding day look.

Commenting on her amazing hair creations Tatiana explains, “When we started brainstorming for this Bridal shoot we knew we wanted to create hair which could capture the essence of the modern bride – edgy and playful yet very elegant and feminine. My Team and I spent a lot of time brainstorming, creating mood boards and then hand-making the hairpieces for the shoot because we wanted to create something magical and inspiring. The model choice was key, we wanted to shoot with three models, with contrasting looks but ensure that, when the images were pulled together, they worked as a set. We managed to create six looks integrating different collections of our own custommade hairpieces for each hair do.”

THE OMBRE AUTUMN LOOK: I’ve just had my hair dyed ombre, not specifically for Autumn but I just fancied a change.

Ombre hair is so brilliant for you if you don’t have time to keep popping to the hair salon because regrowth is almost impossible to spot! Perfect for when you have a newborn and this is not for my hair but I’ve been using this amazing Bloom and Blossom Anti-Stretch-Mark Oil. It not only works brilliantly but it smells gorgeous too! I’ve also loved using Beefayre products at the moment - they’re all organic which is so important and it’s not just beauty products! Their beeswax candles are amazing!

Preparing for the baby’s arrival in style: In this muggy kind of weather, I’ve been wearing a lot of kaftans - they’re so comfortable, as well as keeping me stylish whilst pregnant! My favourite maternity shop at the moment is called Pink Blush. They really take care to make sure their clothes are fashionable and comfortable. We’ve also just painted the baby’s room and now everyone thinks we’re having a boy! We thought it would be more of a green-y blue but it’s very blue so I’ve invested in lots of cute bunting and bits in case it is a girl. I think it’s important not to just assign pink and blue to each gender.

Scarlett never wore much pink, I’m not a very pink-y girl.

Number one Autumn make-up must have: Eight Hour Cream Nourishing Lip Balm by Elizabeth Arden has been around forever but it’s still iconic and one of my must-haves. It’s not just good for your lips either. If my skin’s feeling a bit dry I’ll put it on my face before bed and it’ll be fixed in the morning! It’s used a lot by make-up artists on sets that don’t want lipstick but need the actor to wear something on their lips. The smell really reminds me of my Corrie days.

A VIVA favourite is The Bridal Updo, a created and vibrant orchid arrangement which adds a very feminine, yet quite funky element to the whole look. The idea is to show to the more adventurous bride various ways of accessorising with hair pieces, without using a lot of hair accessories.

Another VIVA favourite is The Voluminous Tumbling Curls, this is the height of femininity and provides a romantic Rapunzel aspect to complete your wedding day look.

Tatiana Hair Extensions home to the world’s finest hair extensions and world renowned specialists for more details: www.tatianahairextensions.co.uk

To book your appointment call: 0161 236 4467 or visit the salon in Manchester on Port Street in the NQ.

ina@tinx aob Love one T twitter

Follow m

The Best Botox Facts From Expert Dr Vik At Dermaskin...‘The Man Behind Keeping Mcr So Youthful’!

As well as having extremely experienced practitioners, Dermaskin’s professionalism and availability are a huge bonus. “Our clinic is open twelve hours a day for six days a week. We will be able to squeeze in any client if needed.”

As with anything, one would need to undergo a full consultation to see if there would be any point of having ‘baby Botox’ but, with prices starting at forty-nine pounds, it is ever so tempting.

Manchester cosmetic G.P. Dr Gautam is a local practicing doctor and a fully registered NHS G.P. and cosmetic expert. He has performed thousands of specialist non-surgical cosmetic treatments in the UK and abroad.

Dr Vik Gautam, Director of Dermaskin Clinic

W

ith an increase in demand for anti-wrinkle injections, a strange change has been reported by Dr Gautam. (director of Dermaskin Clinic) “Botox in Manchester has been increasing in demand year on year and, strangely, the average age has seen a decrease by three years to twenty-seven at our Manchester branch.”

For more information contact Dermaskin below:

Dermaskin Clinic, 66 Quay Street, Manchester M3 3EJ Tel: 0161 850 5060 | Email: info@dermaskin.co.uk Web: www.dermaskin.co.uk

Price reductions have allowed Botox treatments in Manchester to become more affordable and television programmes may have inadvertently increased the demand for such procedures.

Dr Gautam commented, “It is true that we do see an increasing number of younger clients for Botox treatments in Manchester but many times we just see them for a chat and advise them that they do not need Botox.” He continues, “It is with our honest approach that most of our new customers come with referrals and recommendations from existing clients.”

Botox prices in Manchester start from around ninety-nine pounds at Dermaskin, Manchester

Entrance to Dermaskin

Most clients are advised to book for a free consultation at Dermaskin’s new headquarters in Spinningfields, in the city centre. The free parking is a breath of fresh air in town. Dr Gautam, together with his brother is researching possible age-reversal treatments with specialists in the US. But is ‘Baby Botox’ the answer in these troubled financial times?

With the state of today’s finances, we’d assume that consumers would cut back on Botox and switch to promising potions and lotions but the opposite is the case!

“Less is more,” states Dr Gautam of Dermaskin Clinic, Manchester. “The subtle fresh look is sometimes more desirable than the frozen look and is cheaper too!” The growing trend of ‘baby Botox’ seems to be taking off in the last couple of years where consumers are looking to save some coin.

Waiting area at Dermaskin

www.vivalifestyle.co.u k | VIVA | 41

VIVA P A M P E R I N G & G R O O M I N G FOR THE BOYS 1.

NEW Bare Minerals BareSkin Foundation SPF 20. £26, from Selfridges.

2.

NEW Bio Sculpture Nail Polish (Pursuit

3.

Of Beauty shade)

n m u t AUSuT HAVE

£6.45, from biogel.co.uk

M

ls...

Beauty Essentia

4.

5.

6.

Illamasqua Glamore Nude Lipstick (Tease shade) £18.50, from Selfridges.

NEW Melvita Youthful Night Cream £38, from melvita.co.uk

NEW Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt Cologne.

100ml, £82, from Jo Malone

Revitalise & Refresh...

NEW Murad Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture. 50 ml, £64, from House Of Fraser.

42 | VIVA | w w w. v i va l i f e s t yle.c o.uk

1. Crème De La Mer Moisterising Gel Cream.

30ml, £105, from Selfridges.

2.Clinique For Men Face Scrub. 100ml, £18, from Debenhams.

3. GO24.7 Mint Thickening Shampoo. £10.95, from www.go247men.com 4. The Refinery Post Shave Gel. 100ml, £30.00, from www.the-refinery.com 5. Ted Baker Menthol-Infused Shave Gel. 150ml, £8.00, from Boots.

6. Aramis Adventurer Eau De Toilette. 110ml, £52.00, from Boots

Ready For Baby Coming Home? - Fear Not, VIVA Are Here, With Our Top ‘Welcome Home Baby’ Buys!

F

inally, one of the VIVA bosses is joining the world of parenting and we are eagerly awaiting the new baby’s arrival and membership of the team here at VIVA HQ. This exciting feature is going to follow VIVA Becs through her journey before and after the birth which, we hope, will help any of our readers who are trying for or expecting a baby.

It may have been a difficult when you were trying to conceive or perhaps it happened unexpectedly but it is now real and, with so many concerns on your mind, it can be quite stressful. Congratulations on making it through the ‘safe period’ from weeks six to twelve, it can be a worry as miscarriages are very common in the early stages of the first trimester.

Excitedly and nervously it’s time for the twelve week scan. (with an optional blood test to detect Down’s Syndrome) Luckily for me at this stage

of my pregnancy it was good news but anxiety doesn’t end there, unfortunately. You really can’t tell if any abnormalities or disabilities may exist until the big twenty week scan and mine will be just after this edition of VIVA has gone to print.

So I will be excited to find out the sex but anxious to know that the baby is ok.

With so many companies and brands out there trying to sell you everything and anything, this can be quite a scary time for new parents. So here at VIVA I conducted a survey - with a group of young mothers who have recently had children from aged twelve months to five years old - asking their advice on what they thought was most important and necessary for the new born baby’s home-coming.

I have created this ‘specialised top 10 shopping list’ around their expert feedback and I hope this helps you as much as it has helped me. >

www.vivalifestyle.co.u k | VIVA | 43

VIVA’s Top 10 Shopping List All that you need to welcome home the baby...

1. The Pram- It is very important for parents, when choosing a pram, to ensure that it is lightweight and easy to assemble (along with being fashionable and cool at the same time) that’s why I absolutely love the Joolz Day Studio Tailor, which meets all the above criteria and is the first stroller in the world that can be customised. You just know that you’ll be turning the heads of all the other envious mums when walking down the road with these super, pimped-out wheels!

1. Pram: www.myjoolz.co.uk

With either online or in-store customisation programme available, you can choose unique colours and materials from the extensive one hundred and twenty colour combinations and a total of twenty different colour packs. So you know that you will find something that suits your particular taste. Once you have chosen what you want your Joolz Tailor to look like, it will be carefully assembled according to your unique specifications and will be delivered to your home address with a cute little handwritten, personal message. The Joolz Tailor comes complete with a chassis, cot, seat, shopping basket, rain cover, nursery bag and foot muff. £999, available from www.my-joolz.co.uk 2. The Carseat- This ‘world exclusive’ Doona Car Seat, with integrated wheels, is ideal for busy mums, perfect for short trips out to the supermarket, collecting the kids from school and it even fits down the aisle of a ’plane. (so ideal for holiday getaways) With a click of a button, the car seat adapts into a stroller in less than 10 seconds. It is not recommended as a replacement for a pram or pushchair, but is a fantastic addition to it - especially if you are always on the go like me. It comes in five stylish colours, is rearward facing 0+ months car seat and will protect your child until they reach thirteen kilogrammes, so you can feel assured that even if you just use the Doona as a car seat, it is a great one at that! £299, available from Babies R Us, Mamas & Papas & Halfords.

2. Carseat: www.simpleparenting.co

3. Moses Basket- For the first three months of a baby’s life they generally sleep in the same room as you, so getting a comfortable and practical Moses basket is important. I fell in love with this contemporary design by Moba. It comes in a range of funky colours with a one hundred percent cotton liner and is made of a soft, tactile, synthetic material that is completely recyclable. (so great for the environment) This special material is hypo-allergenic – perfect for babies with sensitive skin or allergies. It’s an all-round great product which looks fantastic at the same time. £99, available from John Lewis 4. Breastpump- Every mother naturally wants to give their baby the best start in life and breastfeeding does exactly this but at the same time it is extremely confusing as how to go about it all. After lots of investigating, I decided that Medela, (the world’s leading breastpump provider) had the most factual and informative products and have recently (all new and exciting for mums) launched the new Swing Maxi. This latest double electric breastpump gave results that revealed that simultaneous pumping can produce up to eighteen percent more milk per session. The milk has a higher energy content and it is twice as fast which leaves more time to spend with baby! £239.99, available from Amazon, Mothercare & John Lewis 5. Steriliser- Germs and bacteria are a mother’s worst nightmare so a good steriliser is a must. According to the survey, a small portable microwave steriliser is preferred to the larger plug-in units, as they are convenient to take away with you on trips and holidays. That’s why the Vital baby Nurture™ Microwave Steam Steriliser fits these needs. It steams bottles in just 4 minutes, comes complete with two Vital bottles and tongs (although it is compatible with all other bottle types) and is great value for money.

3. Moses Basket: www.mobauk.com

£24.99, available from www.vitalbaby.co.uk 6. Maternity & Nursing Pillow- This is the greatest invention for a great night sleep and I advise you get this as soon as you start to feel uncomfortable.

I am using mine now and it has improved my sleep and comfort immensely.

Theraline’s Original Maternity and Nursing Pillow comes in an extensive range of colours; provides relief for legs, belly and a stressed back and safely moulds to your baby’s body when you are ready to breastfeed. £44.95, available from John Lewis & Amazon

4. Breast Pump: www.medela.com

VIVA k i d s

5. Steriliser: www.vitalbaby.co.uk 6. Maternity & Nursing Pillow: www.theraline.co.uk

7. Baby Monitor: www.babymoov.uk

9. Swaddle Blankets: www.babymoov.uk

7. The Baby Monitor- Relaxing is important when your baby is asleep, so a great monitor is a must and this one beats any competition the Babymoov’s award-winning, touch-screen monitor. (LovedByParents 2014 Gold Award ‘Best Video Monitor’ and Best Technology Accessory) With its ultra-intuitive design, that combines the core functionality of a traditional baby monitor with high-tech features, this next generation monitor incorporates handy voice activated controls, video recording and image capture and comes with a massive two hundred and fifty metre range, programmable alarm and motion detector, as well as built-in nightlight and lullabies. I don’t think there could possibly be a need for anything else! £160, available from Amazon 8. Baby Bath- Bath time must be fun and bending over the bath holding your newborn baby, will give you nothing but backache, so the Shnuggle Bath is perfect solution to this. It is made from strong, baby-safe foam that keeps water insulated and warmer for longer and the material is kind to your baby’s skin. It also features a cute baby bum bump to keep baby more secure in the bath. They come in a variety of pastel shades so you can colour-match any nursery.

8. Baby Bath: www.shnuggle.com

10. Baby Chair: www.bambeano.co.uk 9. Swaddle Blankets- Babies love the tight feeling of being wrapped up, it reminds them of feeling safe in the womb, so swaddle blankets provide this feeling for them. Babymoov has two fantastic blankets, the Cosycover from birth to three months and the Cosybag for three to six months; both make it easier for baby to fall asleep with a simple and reassuring wrap-around effect. They are made with two soft, airy materials, classic and fresh which are one hundred percent breathable. £30 each, available from Amazon 10. BABY CHAIR- This super cool award-winning Bambeano baby beanbag has won the Bizzy Baby Silver Award for two years running in the Baby Chairs and Swings category! It is soft, supportive and specially designed for newborns aged nought to six months (and as you can see, it looks extremely comfortable)! By safely securing them with an adjustable harness and molding to the shape of your baby’s body it cradles them, fully supported, in a semi-upright position that is great if you are getting on with the daily chores in full sight of baby. £44.99, available from Amazon

£30, available from John Lewis www.vivalifestyle.co.u k | VIVA | 45

VIVA HEALTH& FITNESS>

VIVA h e a l t h & f i t n e s s Celebrity Personal Trainer & VIVA Columnist, Sam Witter With His Health & Fitness Tips For Keeping Trim!

Goal setting The reason so many people have failed in the past to reach their goals - whether that is losing a dress size or getting the ultimate six pack - is down to consistency and motivation. You can achieve anything you want with the right focus and determination and I am a big believer in setting goals. Without a goal, why get up in the morning and go to work? Why do that seven o’clock gym session instead of sitting at home watching TV? Having something driving you is very important. Knowing what to eat and how to train is only half of the battle. Actually sticking to the plan and following it through is the hardest part.

Take some time to think about what it is you want to achieve and why you want to achieve it. Then make a plan to help you get there.

Next, write your goal down in as much detail as you can. Write the date you want to achieve it by and get some pictures or anything else that will help keep you focused. Then stick it somewhere you can see it every day, on the fridge or bedroom door are good places. I use this tool with all my clients and have found it one of the most valuable tools I have to help people achieve their goals.

Follow Sam on Twitter @samwitter1 www.samwitter.com

Fat loss tips When starting a new lifestyle plan it is important that you understand a few key tips that will make all the difference. Yes, it is very important to eat the right things and live an active lifestyle but that isn’t everything. The reason that so many people fail to lose weight and don’t get the results they want is because they aren’t doing a few simple things.

Excersise Often

Firstly, you need to be eating the right foods; i.e. a diet that is low in processed, simple carbohydrates and high in protein, good fats, fruit and vegetables. By eliminating or reducing the amount of simple carbohydrates you eat, you stabilise your blood sugar levels and your body will be in the fat-burning zone.

Secondly, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. You know the importance of drinking plenty of water - two to three litres a day is the recommendation. The human body is sixty-five percent water and we need to maintain the balance by replenishing our fluids daily which also helps your system to detox itself naturally.

(I have being trying a new healthy water system - Kangen Water - for some time now, as you can see on the next page and the results have been astonishing) Thirdly, exercise; you need to try and do something three to four times a week, just a quick thirty minute interval session, for instance. Lifting weights and interval training is the best approach when trying to lose fat, lots of lactic acid is produced and your heart rate will be raised, perfect to help you shift that unwanted fat.

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Eat Healthy & Balanced Meals

Drink Plenty Of Water & Hydrate

Drink Kangen Water, the nearest thing we will ever find to the proverbial ‘fountain of youth.’

SAM WITTER REPORTS

T

he human body is over sixty-five percent water so it makes sense that we need to drink at least two litres of the stuff every day to keep us healthy and help us flush all of life’s impurities from our systems. Tap water is good enough, at a pinch but contains plenty of chemicals and impurities of its own. I met with Kate and Damian from Fitness Water, who educated me a little about water and asked me to trial their Kangen Water system for two weeks.

The very first thing I noticed was the soft, pleasant taste with no chemically afternote. I was warned about the initial side-effects of detoxification and, indeed, for the first few days I was going to the toilet a lot more and I developed headaches but I also realised that I was thirsty a lot more often which had to be my body craving more of the Kangen water. After two days, as the headaches dwindled away, I began to feel more alert and focussed and my energy levels soared. My muscles hurt less after training and, just two weeks into the trial, I competed in the Greater Manchester Cycle (all fifty-two miles of it!) managing the best average speed I have ever done and the only difference to my training routine was the Kangen water.

From my own experience I now realise that most of us do not really appreciate the importance of drinking healthy water for our long-term health. I now have a Kangen Water machine fitted at home and I will keep you updated with my progress in terms of health and fitness.

THE HEALTH BENEFITS What exactly is Kangen Fitness Water?

It is alkaline, antioxidant, ionized water – produced via a Kangen water ioniser machine.

Is it safe, is it a fad? Yes – it is safe and no, it is definitely not a fad. In Japan the Kangen water ioniser is already a registered medical device, used in hospitals to sanitise and to treat various medical conditions. It has also been widely used in Japanese households for over forty years.

How does the machine work? The Kangen water filtration system removes many impurities from your tap water through the process of electrolysis. Many people use the water for drinking, cooking, cleaning and personal hygiene. It’s small and compact, about the size of a coffee machine and sits neatly next to your sink on the kitchen worktop.

How quickly can I expect to see the benefits from drinking Kangen Water? Everyone’s experience is different but, generally, you will start to feel the benefits within a few days and continue to improve over the following weeks, as you can see from the earlier part of this article.

Why haven’t we heard about the machines before now? Unfortunately, we live in a part of the world that favours cures rather than prevention. Kangen water has been a household name in Japan for over forty years and now the word has spread to America, where people are really beginning to understand the power of the body in its rightful state, and that prevention is better than cure.

Thankfully, awareness of Kangen Water is starting to grow in the UK and we are confident it will become a recognised household device here too.

Why is this better than bottled water? Bottled water is less regulated than tap water. It can often be bottled in harmful cheap plastic bottles, (NOT BPA free) years before being consumed.

What are the benefits? The Kangen Water System can help with: Reduction in body fat Anti-ageing Healthier skin Improved energy levels and reduced fatigue Greater endurance Improved overall health This ionized water may be the nearest thing we will ever find to the proverbial ‘fountain of youth.’

How can drinking Kangen Water help so many different conditions? Many illnesses and skin conditions are caused by dehydration and the body’s inability to heal itself. The root of the problem is that most of the water we drink isn’t absorbed at a cellular level, meaning that it doesn’t hydrate the body sufficiently.

How much does the Kangen water machine cost? The machines range from £1000 to £3000, have a 5-year warranty and a fifteen to twenty year lifespan. The cost can be spread over monthly payments and when you are looking at the long-term health benefits for the whole family, this is ‘priceless.’

Where can you get a machine or get more information? You can contact us direct on 07771 508 343 or visit our website www.fitnesswater.co.uk

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Why, Oh Y, Did I Agree To This?

Celebrity Chef, Andrew Nutter, finds out the hard way what’s cooking in the world of fitness at Manchester’s Y club.

A

s Andrew Nutter strolls into the Y, his need for fitness training is anything but apparent. OK, so he’s not overly ‘buff’ - that is to say he doesn’t look like he overdosed on steroids recently - but his middle-age spread is obviously still at home in his wardrobe as he isn’t sporting an over-expansive waistline either.

Prior to getting down to his assessment and training, he joins Rich Brodie - fitness guru extraordinaire - and the VIVA team to chew the fat a little. (or whatever the healthy option is when people just want to chinwag) You would think that healthy eating and michelin star cooking would be on diametrically opposite sides of any discussion but within minutes Rich and Andrew are not so much singing off the same hymn sheet as echoing each other. That’s part of the beauty of the Y. They deal with real people, leading real lives in the real world.

“You can eat just about anything you want,” intones Rich, “Just in moderation. If you set yourself a goal then we can see what you might want to eat and come up with an exercise plan accordingly.”

The crux of the discussion is that there is no hard and fast formula for diet. At the Y they talk to you as you are, as you eat and what you want to achieve and, as Rich talked to Andrew, I found myself, once again, thinking how different to those places that talk at you telling you, “What you NEED to do.” The difference and the reason that the Y is so successful, is beautifully illustrated by passing clients; all ages, all walks of life, all genders.

People saying hi to those that they see every day but also offering similar greetings to obvious strangers. It is a relaxed, friendly place where, it seems, people come to do more than just keep fit.

Speaking of keeping fit, it is at this point that Rich takes Andrew into the club to begin his training assessment.

They have gone through the questions and now it is time for Andrew to be put through his paces. People who are fit like keeping fit. Those of us who are not like watching other people getting there and so it was that we observed Rich gently coaxing - “one more, just give me one more” - Andrew into his first proper exercise in a very long time.

As said before Andrew did not seem relatively unfit but the various exercises that he was doing soon began to show both him and us that appearances can be deceptive. As he said afterwards, “You think you’re reasonably fit and you can do what you could always do but you soon find out that you’re just fooling yourself.” Ten minutes in and panting with exertion Andrew goes for his first drink of water. We noticed that as they are doing each exercise, Rich explains to Andrew what he is going to do, how it will feel and what it will achieve. > 50 | VIVA | w w w. v i va l i f e s t yle.c o.uk

VIVA H e a l t h & f i t n e s s

Then, as the exercise begins, he gently encourages Andrew to the end of the routine. It is a very clever yet very genuine technique. Even though we could see that it was hard work at times Andrew did complete each set and such was the effect of Rich’s methods that we were all rooting for Andrew as he racked up each little success.

As a finale we went outside for the last few reps.

The space around the Y club enjoys the ambience emanating from inside and the sense of caring stayed with Andrew as he finished off.

And what Did Andrew think of his session afterwards? “It was very, very good,” he gasped. “It showed me how unfit I really am but it also showed me how to remedy that.”

Final words? “I need a beer.” He stopped and thought carefully. “Then I can come back, work it off and earn myself another one.” ■ words: Keith Mcdonnell | photos: Georgie Glass

Y. Club, Liverpool Rd, Manchester, M3 4JR Web: www.yclub.org.uk | Tel: 0161 837 3535

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VIVA Cribs, ‘On 2.

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This brass bison head affixes to the wall for use as a jewellery stand, £40, urbanoutfitters.com These ‘Feather Shades’ come in pheasant, guinea fowl and partridge and are handmade to order, £160, from themintlist.com The statement French old mill vase is handmade with a hessian effect on light brown ceramic, £49.50 from pastellane.co.uk Wild & Wolf 1950’s Diner Phone in black is not just a home accessory but also a fully functioning phone, £69.95, from johnlewis.com The Homemade Gin Kit lets you make your own unique gin in just 36 hours, £39.99, from thefowndry.com

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The Wild Side’ 7.

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6. The vintage Heriz rug comes in a variety of colours, the one featured is ‘burnt orange,’ £84, from naken.co.uk 7. This jam jar table lamp can come with an orange cord, £60, from thetabcollective.com 8. The Ribbon Cast Iron Radiator comes in 500mm or 650mm, from £36, (per section) from castrads.com 9. The Marrakech Swing Chair gives the support of a chair with the comfort of a hammock, £200, from urbanoutfitters.com 10. This stool is made from one solid piece of a teak tree, £149, from dwell.co.uk www.vivalifestyle.co.u k | VIVA | 53

northmanchester.fm

/TheEarlyBirdsCazMatthewsEmmaWilkinson

@ealrybirdsmcr

THE EARLY BIRDS WITH CAZ MATTHEWS & EMMA WILKINSON

TUNE IN EVERY

TUESDAY FROM 8AM TO 10AM

VIVA G A D G E T S ‘F-stop’ camera bags, style and comfort

GET SERIOUS WITH THIS BIT OF CAMERA KIT...

The Bandon: a traditional shoulder bag with style. It has been thoughtfully designed for DSLR users with one or two lenses, Leica rangefinder or Micro 4/3 users. Featuring a brushed padded interior, it can be customised to suit your needs. In practise, VIVA found this bag to be very comfortable to wear all day, particularly if worn across your body. The bag is light, has plenty of pockets for spare batteries, memory cards, iPad/tablet and other extras you might carry around with you.

The Brooklyn Sling: is the ideal street camera bag that provides quick access for street shooters.Worn across the body, it can easily be brought forward to get at your camera in a moment without having to take it off. The shoulder padding is extremely comfortable and you feel as if you never need to take it off. The padded strap also has a nifty zipped pocket for your smart phone. Internally it can accommodate a DSLR and one or two lenses depending on your set-up and, like the ‘Bandon,’ there is a pocket for your iPad/tablet and cubby holes for batteries, memory cards, note book, etc.

Leica M the legend of the camera world!

If you are looking for a top of the range camera that turns heads, you cannot do better than this legendary make! This German-engineered, full frame, twenty-four megapixel beauty is all about quality of design and quality of images produced from such a small, full-frame, sensor camera. This camera, which is considerably smaller than your regular DSLR versions, oozes quality. So good that Henri Cartier-Bresson used a version of this Leica throughout his working life, producing some of the most iconic images of the last century! Buy an ‘M’ and you will be in good company with the likes of Bowie, Clapton and even Brad Pitt being aficionados of the brand!

As you can imagine this legend does not come cheap. You can pick one up at Stephens Premier Leica dealer in Manchester for £5100.00 for the body.

There are a range of lenses for the Leica M but none better than the silky, smooth-focusing and pin-sharp 50mm Summicron M F2 at £1,750.

Both bags come in three water resistant material colours, midnight blue, silver sage and light olive green and are priced at £68.00 for the ‘Bandon’ and £72.00 for the ‘Brooklyn Sling’.

You can order both bags from fstopgear.com

RICOH GR. a pocket rocket!

If you are looking for something a little less expensive but, at the same time top of the pile in its class, look no further than the Ricoh GR, one of the best performing pocket-sized cameras on the market. This pocket rocket packs a mighty punch with a 16.2 megapixel, APS-C, CMOS sensor usually found in larger DSLR cameras. This is not just a ‘point and shoot’ but a sophisticated image producer with great low light performance! Image quality is amazingly sharp with great colour rendition which also looks very filmic. This GR model - which has full HD movie recording - is an understated looker with its matte black stealth body and it feels nice and solid to hold.

In short, this is probably the best pocket camera you will ever need!

You can buy the Ricoh GR from London Camera Exchange, Manchester.

VIVA S 5* G ADGE T F IN D...

...AF T

ERSHO KZ

Sport bone conduction headphones! The only sports stereo headphones to offer uninhibited situational awareness. This is an ear-opening experience, safe for tuning into music and calls (with microphone on SPORTZ M3) and now complete with a sound quality that will shock you. Bone conduction is a technology that uses vibrations to transmit sound waves directly to the cochlea, great for cycling as you can still hear all the traffic around you!

Get these new age technology headphones from aftershokz.co.uk on sale now starting at £41.63

The Atlas Bar is an iconic, city centre bar in the heart of Manchester, situated within Deansgate railway arches. Recently fully refurbished, it now proudly presents the look and feel of Manchester. * Manchester’s largest gin range, over 100, and growing * Outside, heated and covered, south facing terrace * Caters for private and corporate events, including birthdays, meetings, networking functions, hen and stag dos, funerals, christenings, weddings *Coffees, Free WiFi, Bar Food and weekend BBQ’s *Month end DJ’s

376 Deansgate Manchester M3 4LY francesca@atlasbarmanchester.com naomi@atlasbarmanchester.com 0161 834 2124 Twitter: @TheAtlasBar Facebook: /Atlas-Bar

* Taking bookings for Christmas parties. Events tailored to your needs including canapés, buffet, bar menu, drinks packages, music and our signature Xmas “all weather” BBQ *Take a virtual tour of the bar at our website: atlasbarmanchester.com

events@thewhiskeyjar.com

VIVA m o t o r i n g Gentlemen start their engines and race to...

Motorsport Festival!

V

IVA Magazine nipped up the road to Bolton for a taste of Motorsport-glamour high life when the town played host to the fifth Bolton - Le Mans Motorsport Festival.

Celebrating the twin town status of Bolton and the world famous motor racing town of Le Mans, the festival was staged during the Le Mans’ Twenty-four hour race weekend in June!

Bright sunshine swelled the early morning crowds, eager to see the multi-million pound cars on display throughout the town centre, including a £350,000 Mercedes SL from Dynamic Conversions and the stunning sports coupé Jaguars from Farnell Jaguar Farnworth.

The Mayor of Bolton officially opened the Motorsport festival before taking a tour around the displays from some of Bolton’s best dealerships. Among the new models being showcased was Bolton Motorpark’s Mazda MX-5 Beach Party complete with a car-sized beach towel, deck chairs and parasols!

Lovers of sexy sports coupés got to see the stunning top-of-therange RCZ sports Coupé from Perrys Peugeot while fans of the BTCC (British Touring Car Champion-ship) were able to get up close and personal with the stunning racing Honda Civic courtesy of Gordons Honda.

BCC Citroen Bolton displayed their WRC (World Rally Championship) winning DS3 cars on ‘Rally Ally’ while the Market Place had Renault Bolton’s Brazilian Samba Dancers and Drummers bringing a touch of World Cup fever to the festival!

Gordons Ford completed the racing line-up with a Sports Styled Fiesta ST amongst their fabulous collection to celebrate their illustrious history at Le Mans.

Sunday saw a change of gear as the Town Hall steps provided the perfect backdrop to the Live music Stage headlined by X-Factor finalist, Stacey McClean performing a dynamic mix of soul and dance hits for the festival crowds. The entertainment later included live acoustic sets by talented musicians from across Bolton.

Live race commentary was provided by Le Mans’ Radio keeping the hundred and fifty thousand visitors up to speed with all the race action throughout the weekend before Audi Sport Team Joest was finally declared the race winner late on Sunday afternoon.

For images and details go to boltonlemansmotorsport.com Jack The GT Driver.

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Bright

lights,

big city

words garry hayes photography ed wilkinson

VIVA T R A V E L

New York City is famous for many things, its place in movie history chief among them. From towering skyscrapers to the romance of Central Park, VIVA Magazine spent a week Stateside this summer to take in some of the Big Apple’s cinematic charms. It didn’t disappoint

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t was Billy Crystal in his role as Harry Burns in the timeless ‘When Harry Met Sally’ who threw up the theory.

“Men and women can’t be friends,” he explains to Meg Ryan’s Sally Albright as they make their journey by road from Chicago to New York City. “Sex always gets in the way.”

The Big Apple is no different. From its tourist attractions to the tenements of Greenwich Village, it’s a city you cannot be friends with.

New York is a grand metropolis that overwhelms, demanding you make love to it.

How tender or hard that love is comes down to preference but either way travellers make a connection that is unlike most others.

New York’s beauty lies in its photogenic qualities. Whether it be a young Stanley Kubrick in his days as a documentary photographer, gangster and crime movies or big budget romantic comedies, no city is more beautifully captured. The camera loves it.

It was a balmy Friday in early June when we landed at JFK Airport, taking a cab ride to Manhattan through the Midtown tunnel.

Driving on the Queens Midtown Express

How we travelled • We flew Virgin Atlantic from Heathrow, with other routes available from Gatwick and Manchester. Visit www.virgin-atlantic. com for more information • We relaxed at Heathrow’s No.1 Lounge, which was booked through Holiday Extras who offer airport lounges at all major UK airports.

Free food and snacks, alcoholic and soft drinks,

way, approaching the Manhattan skyline is a sight to be marvelled.

Everywhere you are in New York, the Empire State Building dominates and it’s no different from the highway as Manhattan comes into view.

You can make out the Brooklyn, Manhattan and Williamsburg bridges to the south, with the financial district rising out of Downtown.

In the city’s north is the impressive Chrysler building, once New York’s tallest but straight ahead is the Empire State. That’s the focus, the counter around which the entire place revolves.

VIVA’s inspiration for visiting the Big Apple was cinema. Our hope was to sample a side of what makes this city what it is and as our taxi trundled along, we were getting our first taste.

The Empire State before us, our mind’s eye captured Meg Ryan on the building’s viewing deck waiting for Tom Hanks

newspapers and a comfortable place to relax are included in the price, from £17.50 per person. To book, visit www.HolidayExtras.co.uk or call 0800 1313 777 • We used the CityPass to make our way around NYC’s attractions. It covers entry to the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Empire State Building, Top of the Rock and offers discounts for many others. For more info on visiting NYC go to www.nycgo.com

to meet her in Sleepless in Seattle.

Was that King Kong climbing the spire? Or Will Ferrell in his guise of Buddy the Elf bringing some premature Christmas cheer along 34th Street?

It’s a building that has fascinated natives, filmmakers and tourists alike for 85 years and, despite the new structures that continue to be erected around it, remains a New York icon that is hard to match.

The city wouldn’t be the same without it, nor would it be without Central Park, Grand Central Station, Statue of Liberty and the Broadway theatres.

We experienced all four, tracking Macaulay Culkin through the park in Home Alone 2, walking the Mall down to Bethesda Fountain where crime, romance and debauchery have all been captured on film to entertain us.

It may have been set in Philadelphia in its movie form but the new home

• For more information on Rocky Broadway and to book tickets, visit www.RockyBroadway.com • En route, to and from Heathrow Airport, we travelled on the Heathrow Express train service. It’s the fastest mode of transport between Heathrow and central London, with trains running every 15 minutes, taking just 15 minutes. For more information and to book tickets, visit www.HeathrowExpress.com

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Gansevoort Park Hotel Perfectly situated on 29th Street and Park Avenue, the Gansevoort Park Hotel isn’t your usual city residence. In fact, it’s a total contradiction of itself but in the best possible way.

By day the GP is a classy establishment where high-level business meetings wouldn’t seem out of place, yet peel back the layers and it has everything to rival the trendy hotels downtown in the Meatpacking District.

Don’t let its smooth appearance deceive you into thinking this isn’t a place to hang out and absorb plenty of New York City’s darker side.

VIVA Magazine had travelled to the Big Apple with the intention of sampling the movie culture on offer, yet staying at the GP made us feel like film stars ourselves.

We stayed in a Park Avenue Suite, a vast room offering excellent views and home-from-home comfort, with its separate living and sleeping areas providing the perfect environment to unwind after a day pounding the sidewalks.

And what better way to prepare for a day’s sightseeing than taking a dip in the rooftop pool beneath the gaze of the Empire State Building?

The GP is a sanctuary placed right in the heart of the city: five blocks away from the shopping on 34th Street, it’s also a short cab journey to Greenwich Village for those interested in sampling a more hedonistic experience.

The hotel is a nocturnal beast, shirking off its laid back demeanour during daylight hours, replacing it with a lively, buzzing atmosphere that makes the most of its setting.

Movies often sell us dreams and the GP made us realise them.

For more information: Web: www.gansevoorthotelgroup.com Tel: +1 (212) 317 2900 Twitter: @GansevoortPark

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for Rocky these days is very much New York.

Sylvester Stallone’s boxing masterpiece has been transformed into a musical spectacular on Broadway, with its innovative sets and intelligent stage production making Balboa’s moment in the spotlight feel all the more real.

Visiting Grand Central, we mourned the death of Al Pacino in Carlito’s Way and couldn’t help indulging in a spot of more bubble gum sentiment by visiting the main concourse where Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis – among countless other Hollywood couples – sealed their bond in Friends With Benefits. We even ate at Pershing Square, the restaurant located opposite. ew York isn’t just Manhattan.

The four surrounding boroughs – Queens, the Bronx, Staten Island and Brooklyn – offer their own delights, of which we sampled the latter.

It was when he considered the thousands who make their daily commute across the Brooklyn Bridge in to Manhat-

tan that Arthur Miller found inspiration for his play A View from the Bridge.

It stripped back life for New Yorkers, showing a side of the city that isn’t always considered in Hollywood or elsewhere, revealing the harsh realities for a generation of immigrants earning a wage in Red Hook.

The docks to the west of Brooklyn aren’t too dissimilar now from those Miller described in the 1950s, but further east, Dumbo (an acronym for the neighbourhood otherwise known as Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass) continues to undergo its facelift. So much so, it’s not uncommon to rub shoulders with the rich and famous, as we ourselves did after an impromptu

VIVA T R A V E L

dream hotel downtown Left to right: Central Park’s rowing lake; crossing the Brooklyn Bridge; Once Upon a Time in America and Manhattan Bridge today; Rocky takes on Apollo Creed in Rocky Broadway

meeting with Ferrari’s Formula One driver Fernando Alonso (right).

The Spaniard was in town ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix, shooting an advert for Santander on the waterfront – a rather apt location given Dumbo’s long-held appeal for filmmakers.

It was here Cameron Crowe shot scenes for Vanilla Sky (the English language remake of the Spanish movie Open Your Eyes), while musi-

cian Ryan Adams famously used the back drop of Manhattan’s skyline for the video to his single New York, New York.

Four days after he had appeared beneath the Brooklyn Bridge, the Twin Towers firmly in frame, 9/11 changed the view for ever.

As Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridge all but meet not too far from that location, the ultimate delight for film fans comes on Washington Street.

The warehouses have been transformed into trendy apartments and shop fronts since the days when shipping was big business in these parts but one thing is no different – the view.

Remember, the Empire State Building dominates New York and from here the arches of the Manhattan Bridge reveal their own beauty, perfectly framing the building that has come to personify the city.

Sergio Leone used this view for one of the defining scenes in his masterpiece Once Upon a Time in America.

Little do they know, the young Noodles, Max Bercovicz et al skip across Washington Street to face their destiny – Manhattan Bridge in full view to witness a moment that changes the entire course of the movie.

It equally changed the course of our stay in New York, giving a perspective we hadn’t considered, showing the charms of Brooklyn.

And that’s New York.

Around every street corner, behind every door or window is often some sort of icon.

Movie culture has helped by playing its part in selling the dream and to experience it first hand makes it all the more real.

Sampling the delights of Midtown, we moved further south in Manhattan for the second part of our week in New York City.

Dream Hotel – it’s a confident name and one that could very easily backfire on the proprietors if it doesn’t live up to everything the sign above the door suggests.

Any feeling of trepidation it might not is instantly lifted when walking into the lobby, though. Whether it be the giant Star Spangled Banner made entirely from empty Mexican beer cans that takes pride of place or the sight of the swimming pool directly above you – viewed through its transparent floor – the Dream is what you want from a hotel in the Meatpacking District.

Commonly seen as the area from west 14th Street and south to Gansevoort Street, the Meatpacking District is to New York City what Hoxton is to London.

It’s young, vibrant and fun, with an artistic element in keeping with the more laidback Greenwich Village that neighbours it.

As you would expect with a hotel in an unconventional part of town, the rooms are a blend of old and new – the round port windows carrying a hint of maritime influence, with state-of-the-art lighting reminding you this is in fact the 21st century.

It’s a theme carried throughout, with rooms overlooking the pool giving the feel of being on a luxury yacht as you bask in the New York sun.

Be sure to check out the two resident clubs at Dream, too. PH-D rooftop bar gives excellent views in the evening, while the more exclusive Electric Room is a popular destination for revellers who can charm their way in.

For more information: Web: www.dreamhotels.com Tel: +1 (646) 625 4847 Twitter: @DreamDowntown

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VIVA c u i s i n e

Craftbrew

Craftbrew steals the spot as Salford’s new drinking & dining destination...

S

ummer is now truly upon us and all we want to do here at VIVA HQ is lounge around in the sun with a cheeky beer or two. So when we heard of the new CraftBrew bar opening in Salford Quays, we made a quick hop, skip and a jump over to the venue.

We were warmly welcomed by Simon Johnson, the director and owner of CraftBrew. When asked why choose Salford compared to a city centre location Simon explained, “I have spent six to twelve months searching for the perfect space to create a continental-inspired drinking and eating environment. Salford Quays was the perfect destination as it is up and coming with the University, the BBC and the Lowry so it creates a different crowd and clientèle compared to a city centre location.” With Simon’s knowledge and experience, he has been able to accumulate the broadest range and choice, with an intimate knowledge of the food and drink which is personally sourced that creates a real integrity and belief in his new venture.

We were absolutely blown away by the choice of food. Real thought has been put into creating a truly magnificent menu. On

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offer are simply delicious bar tapas, such as feta and roasted pepper bruschetta and mediterranean style pearl cous cous salad for those who just want to graze or summer-appropriate fresh leaf salads to soak up a speciality artisan beer. Our favourite is the Super food salad full to the brim of fresh goodness such as mixed beans, cous cous, cherry tomatoes, fire-roasted peppers with caramelised onion chutney.

The signature sharing boards, that are unique to CraftBrew, are a must have.

The Bavarian, which contains black forest ham, bratwurst with dips, smoked cheese, spicy salami, norlander bread and potato salad, was a firm favourite. The bratwurst was seasoned to perfection with authentic flavours that really complement and stay true to the region they are inspired by.

The beauty of CraftBrew is that it is open from eight-thirty am until late so earlybird workers, based in Media City, can pop in for an artisan breakfast sandwich, cheeky brew or Eteaket leaf teas such as bollywood dreams chai, gunpowder deluxe, (natural, sweet green tea) chillaxin chamomile and strawberries and cream for a quintessentially quirky british brew.

Craftbrew Digital World Centre, 1 Lowry Plaza, Salford Quays, M50 3UB Email: craftbrewsq@gmail.com Web: www.craftbrew-uk.com

VIVA c u i s i n e

Destination DON GIOVANNIS…

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elebrating its thirtieth birthday this year, classic Manchester Italian restaurant, Don Giovanni’s has launched a new summer menu and they invited VIVA to sample its delights – well it would be rude not to. For those of you who have not visited, it is a beautiful space with glittery chrome, winter white and Veuve Clicquot, orange-coloured booths complemented by a very chilled ambience. Friendly, Italian waiters you half recognise from around town and the occasional crooner create a seriously romantic vibe.

For Summer (and there is 50% off food in August so get down soon) the key changes at the Oxford Road eatery are largely fishy – but in a good way.

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The fish blackboard has now been added to the main menu, meaning you can choose delicious cod, sea bass or whatever takes your fancy whenever you want. There’s a new lobster dish as well - a given since their best seller is a superb lobster spaghetti - (my dish of choice and many others) which is a risotto but they have kept the ones we love on the menu.

We tried a couple of the new starters (from £4.25) to kick things off. Asparagus wrapped in parma ham was gorgeous with the salty ham wrapped around perfectly crunchy asparagus spears. The mushroom bruschetta has a lovely dolcelatte kick and, while mussels aren’t new to the menu, we couldn’t resist. They’re served in a pungent, tomato sauce with just the right amount of kick.

On to the mains (from £7.95) – well two mains actually, just to try it out you understand. We started with T-bone steak which is new to the menu - there are new veal, pasta and salad additions as well. It was a juicy, perfectly bloody, medium-rare beast of a steak; falling over the side of the plate and absolutely delicious with our choice of Rossini sauce, where the coarse liver, gravy and salivating steak, created a perfect mouthful.

The sides of roast potatoes with rosemary, (you can obviously have chips but I’ve had them before and they are beyond delicious) spinach and a salad, were also superb.

The second dish of lobster thermidor was a huge portion of crustacean and divine with a perfect fishy and cheese sauce taste. A classic cooked in a classic way and a dish everyone should have at least once. >

Don Giovannis

Puddings (from £3.25) are, again, old-school classics and I opted for the assorted gelato - which is made in the Oxford Road eatery - because I wanted to see if it tasted like the ones in Italy. It did, with that unmistakeable taste only true gelato has.

VIVAEms opted for a fruit salad which looked great but was a bit like ‘closing the stable door after the horse has bolted’ in terms of her diet.

Don Giovanni’s has a great choice of wines, beers, spirits and cocktails so we opted for fizz to wash it all down.

VIVA Verdict: Classic Italian cooking superbly done in a gorgeous setting and a bargain – especially in August! ■ Don Giovanni’s Restaurant, 1-2, Peter House, Oxford St, Manchester, M1 5AN Tel: 0161 228 2482 Web: dongiovannis.co.uk words: Emma Chadwick

50% OFF TERMS & CONDITIONS: * All tables must be booked in advance either on the telephone or through the email link: www.dongiovannis.co.uk/august50off * Supplements:- lobster thermidor £5, grill/fish section £3 per item * Management have the right to reserve admission at any time * Tables over 6 must contact the restaurant directly be telephone * Offer is available on food only. All diners must dine off the à la Carte menu only to get the discount * Offer is not valid in conjunction of any other offer

Autumn Drinks To Warm The Cockles...

A look at some Autumn highlights to keep your spirits up!

BÉNÉDICTINE LIQUEUR

THE CHOCOLATE BLOCK

A true French winter-warmer and staple of many a recipe. Light, with herbal honey notes on the nose and a soft texture of warm herbs and spice, it kicks off Autumn in classic style.

A rich, spicy red from South Africa. The Cabernet Sauvignon grapes produce ripe plum, black fruit and violet aromas, with plenty of spice on the long, velvet finish.

Try your hand at Milk & Honey Glass - Mug Ingredients 30 ml Bénédictine Milk 1 Orange slice 1 Cinnamon stick Method - Pour Bénédictine into the glass, add ice and top up with cold or hot milk.

Garnish with orange slice and cinnamon stick.

Available from MasterOfMalt.com: RRP £23.48

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Perfect with lamb, game and cheese in front of the fire.

Available from Corks Out: RRP £22.99

CHAIRMAN’S RESERVE SPICED RUM Created on the Caribbean island of St Lucia, Chairman’s Reserve is one of the most accoladed rums in the world. The blend of continuous still and pot still rums creates a winter warmer in the Spiced expression. Local spices and fruits are used including cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, vanilla, coconut, all-spice, lemon and orange as well as Richeria Grandis (bois bande) - a bark renowned in the Caribbean as a potent aphrodisiac - to give an added kick to the rum.

Perfect with ginger beer, a twist on a Mojito or splash it over ice.

Available from Corks Out: RRP £24.99

VIVA d r i n k Brought to you by Manchester-based Dave Marsland, aka. the Drinks Enthusiast...

LANGLEY’S NO.8 GIN Not to be missed, this Great British gin from Langley’s Distillery offers plenty of citrus and dry spice with a lingering finish that is both smooth and dry.

Enjoy a Gentleman’s Martini Glass - Martini Ingredients 50 ml Langley’s No. 8 15 ml Vermouth 5 ml Olive water/brine 1 Bella di Cerignola olive Method - Combine all of the ingredients in a cocktail tin and stir over cubed ice. Strain and pour into a small goblet. Garnish with the olive.

PENDERYN MADEIRA WHISKY Treat yourself to the Gold Medal award-winning, single malt whisky from the only distillery in Wales. Featuring a uniquely distilled, single malt whisky that is matured in bourbon barrels and finished in Madeira casks.

Offering a classic freshness with aromas of cream toffee, rich fruit and raisins. The palate is crisp with notes of tropical fruit, raisins and vanilla.

Available from Selfridges: RRP £56.99

EINSTÖK TOASTED PORTER The Einstök Brewery is located just sixty miles south of the Arctic Circle in the fishing port of Akureyri, Iceland. Offering an alternative to usual porters, this expression bursts with rich, smooth, roast-like aromas with some chocolate, toffee and liquorice notes.

Available from Harvey Nichols: RRP £2.35

Available from TheWhiskyExchange. com: RRP £29.95

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VIVA V I P E V E N T S

DoubleTree By Hilton’s SkyLounge White Party Is A Top Hit With Manchester’s VIP Party People

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he SkyLounge in DoubleTree

By Hilton was the perfect venue for a terrace party, encapsulating the best summer vibes as the sun shone over one of the best views in Manchester.

The spacious, open-plan room with beautiful terrace area suited the ‘white party’ theme superbly, with house beats from DJ VIVA Ems adding to the Ibiza feel of this extremely well received party.

Guests were met at the door with amazing fire tricks from a sequinned beauty, followed by a brilliant photo op on the VIVA couch as you waited (not very long) for the lift that took you to the eleventh floor. Once there you were quickly ticked off the guest list, offered some fun face paint done by the Cassie Lomas make-up academy girls and the fun began!

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There was an amazing array of cocktails, the choice included Bellinis, mojitos, champagne and wine. The food was also impeccable, with plates of gorgeous snacks to start, followed by meat fresh off the barbecue straight from the terrace outside. Everything was cooked to perfection and loved by all.

The room and terrace ended up packed with beautiful women, dapper men and celebrities including Rowetta of Happy Mondays; television and radio presenter, Terry Christian; celebrity chef, Andrew Nutter; Miss Manchester and British auto racing driver, Oliver Webb.

Terry Christian although dressed in black, the rebel, especially seemed to be enjoying himself, telling everyone how ‘brilliant’ he thought it was.

The SkyLounge is ideal for all your Summer and also Winter hosting needs this year as exemplified by this brilliant white party – although you don’t have to follow the all-white dress code theme!

Why not enjoy gorgeous cocktails, perfect food and soak up the Manchester skyline with DoubleTree by Hilton!

DoubleTree by Hilton MCR Piccadilly One Piccadilly Place, 1 Auburn St, Manchester, M1 3DG 0161 242 1000 ManchesterPiccadilly.DoubleTree.com

words: Georgina Jones | photos: Karin Allbinsson

Elixir’s Garden Of Earthly Delights

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elebs and VIPS flocked to the soulful sanctuary of Elixir where they enjoyed an evening of theatrical drinks, pampering and entertainment.

Elixir had created a ‘Garden of Earthly Delights’ - some astro turf, a VW van and plenty of cocktails from their new summertime menu. The ten tantalising new cocktails not only taste amazing but were presented in the most gorgeous way possible.

Inside Hollyoaks stars Jorgie Porter, Stephanie Waring, Kieron Richardson and Waterloo Road’s Roxanne Pallett enjoyed a slice of vintage

photos: Phil Tragen

The Bentley Manchester Ladies Day At Newhall Polo

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he Bentley Manchester Ladies’ day at Newhall Polo, organised by Gin and Jag, returned for its second year.

Guests, including Lady Yvonne Wrinch, Jude Cisse, Charlotte Dawson, Liz McClarnon, Magali Gorre, Claire Henry and Claire Ridley all showed their support for the extremely athletic teams. Some of the players were flown in especially from Argentina for the match and, an extremely worthy charity, Destination Florida.

Andrew Irlam, who owns Newhall Farm Estate, captained the winning words Claire Sinclaire

Kids’ Country team in a highly contested match against a team from Stobarts.

Lunch was called and the glamorati moved indoors, where Armand Beasley hosted a fashion show by Wilmslow outfitters, Black White Denim and Rumpus Resort.

Energy levels high, the entertainment was unrelenting with a vocal performance from David Julian acting as the catalyst for dancing in the isles and on the catwalk. A DJ was handed the baton for the remainder of the day playing firm favourites for the ladies to party away to.

oll)...

(D t a C y ss u P e h T d n Walrus A

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anchester’s legendary Walrus bar, located in the city’s chic Northern Quarter, celebrated its £100k refurbishment and new 2am opening with a mega party to mark the start of a weekly late-night Thursday session.

Former Pussy Cat Doll Kimberley Wyatt took to the decks for her Manchester DJ debut and was supported by nonother than our very own editor VIVA Ems. Kimberley told us, “I was super excited to be asked to perform a DJ set at Walrus. I’d heard so much about it and couldn’t wait to get up here and see the really cool basement for myself and set up. “

The party marked the start of a regular Thursday night DJ residency with legendary XFM DJ Gareth Brooks, along side Friday and Saturday late-night DJ sessions and live music and comedy nights on Sundays.

Changes to Walrus include opening up the basement area, new décor including booth seating and statement water features, new DJ booth, VIP area and new sound system. words: Ailish McDonnell

glamour with a decadent pamper inside Elixir’s secret powder room where celebrity HD Brows master stylist Rachael Hall and her team were on hand to perform beauty and brow makeovers alongside boutique soaps, fragrant features and heavenly refreshments.

The owners Jess and Dan Purnell told VIVA: “The response to the new cocktails has been fantastic. We wanted to create something people would talk about and enjoy. For us the experience is everything and with the Garden of Earthly Delights menu you can get all the twists you desire.” words Emma Chadwick

ek e h C d e c a F e r Ba Selfridge’s Beauty Project

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IVA ambled down to Selfridges to see their Beauty Project in action and to find out what it was all about.

Selfridge’s Beauty Project, is all about ‘a multi-faceted and thought-provoking exploration on the definition of beauty and what it means in today’s society.’

Selfridge’s are trying to promote the idea that beauty doesn’t have to mean a young, white, thin, conventionally attractive person but that everyone is beautiful in their own way. But, just in case they’re not, it’s quite handy Selfridges has a shed-load of products to sell you.

They had used ads which are not airbrushed to make their point and various people were giving talks, which included actor, presenter, stylist make up artist and beauty expert Armand Beasley.

Meat, Music And Mayhem Reign Supreme At Grillstock MCR!

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round eight thousand festival goers joined Grillstock’s rockabilly hoedown this year, headlined by the Vintage Trouble, DJ Yoda and Hayseed Dixie.

The King of the Grill competition got smokey with 1.5 tonnes of meat being cooked and British Bulldog BBQ taking the Grand Champion prize. The Chef’s Choice round, where competitors can cook anything on their barbecues, was won

by Risk it for a Brisket with a delicious Chilli.

Knockout er h ot n A t os H ’s ly el n The Don Event For Formal Fight Club

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ast year our own VIVA Ems was fighting our corner in the Formal Fight Club hosted by The Donnellys.This year we got to relax with some champagne and watch sixteen brave lads fight the same fight! The night was hosted by Wingman from Capital FM with many celebrities in attendance including Mani from The Stone Roses - who said: “I’m really excited about being here tonight.”

This was the fifth of the annual White Collar, boxing events now becoming a guaranteed sell-out every time! The boxers were an extreme range of people, from school teachers to chefs to motor traders, all refereed by Olympic bronze medallist Rob Reid.

The party continued after the event in The Palace Hotel’s nightclub ‘Applejacks’ where guests and boxers were let loose on the dance floor until the early hours of the morning. photos: Karin Albinsson

Brooklyn Brewery dished out its famous Lager and Summer Ale, while food vendors from all over the country barbecued brisket, ribs, hot dogs, pulled pork and other crowd pleasers.

Jon Finch, Co-Founder of Grillstock commented; “What an awesome weekend in Manchester. The quality of the food for King of the Grill blew us away and we hope everyone enjoyed two days of our Southern style hospitality. Big thanks to our sponsors Weber, Nokia, MixRadio, Brooklyn, Frank’s RedHot and French’s Mustard.”

VIVA LONDON NEWS!

TEN PILATES

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SHOUT IT FROM THE ROOFTOP

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he fun certainly doesn’t stop here, we are halfway through the summer and London, of course, is full of endless possibilities.

Although the sun might not shine every day, it’s always important to have the perfect escape for sunbathing and relaxing and a rooftop in London is exactly what is needed. So I have picked out two of my favourites to add to your bucket list of places to visit in London this summer.

DOCK KTICHEN ROOF TOP

The first is ‘The Queen Elizabeth’ rooftop on the South Bank. It is a total oasis away from the hustle and bustle of London and you feel miles apart from the stress that London can sometimes breath out. The woodland garden is inspirational and you can relax have a drink and a light snack.

The second rooftop is slightly different in style. The ‘Dock Kitchen’ in Ladbroke Grove is more for formal dining than the first. It has indoor and outdoor seating, making it the perfect place to have a lunch meeting which could easily carry on into the evening. southbankcentre.co.uk dockkitchen.co.uk

Another year at glasto

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he whirlwind continued and I was suddenly in a field in Pilton. Yes, of course, it was another year of Glastonbury. One of most incredible festivals you will go to. The atmosphere totally overwhelming, the crowds enormous and the rain?

Well, there is always rain.

It’s the only place on earth where you can be cold and wet for four days and love every single minute of it. Dolly Parton was just what was needed, she was absolutely brilliant. I have got to be honest, I didn’t see that many people, as you get lost in the moment and end up wandering around enjoying the atmosphere but I do know one thing, it was truly brilliant.

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VIVA LONDON AT GLASTOBURY

THE QUEEN ELIZABETH ROOF TOP

KIRI BLOORE REPORTS: It’s nearly autumn but we are still living the summer down in London.

ell, it’s been a very busy last few months for me, with lots of travel and adventure.

Covering the Lotus series certainly has kept me busy. So far we have been to Hockenheim, Zandvoort and Dijon and will be at Spa shortly for another weekend of epic racing.

One thing that I missed more than anything while away - well, two things - the first was cheddar cheese, Europe has a severe lack of it and the second is my new love, reformer Pilates.

Basically it is Pilates on reformer machines and the only way to describe it is life-changing. It sounds silly and I know lots of people now will be making mental references to their Pilates or yoga classes but I can promise you it is more intensive, exhilarating and incredibly toning for your body. I visit Ten Pilates in central London and I am certain of one thing, they are the best in town. If you have a spare hour, make sure you give it a go, you won’t look back and your bikini body will thank me. tenpilates.com

A TRIP TO another CAPITAL, riga

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e at VIVA London have been travelling around Europe finding the best holiday locations out there for you.

Our journey took us to a more unusual holiday destination in Northern Europe, Riga, the Capital of Latvia. A city with a beach a short train ride away, glorious sunshine and good food.

We decided to explore the luxury Latvia had to offer. First stop was the Gallery Park Hotel, which is the only hotel in Riga to be nominated as a five-star, superior, luxury hotel.

It certainly was that and so much more.

As we landed in Latvia the sun was setting and we walked through and out of one of the world’s tiniest airports in a matter of minutes, to thousands of red and green taxis.

Confusing certainly but take heed and follow the advice we were given ‘make sure you travel in the green taxis.’

A fifteen minute drive at a very affordable price of eleven Euros and we arrived at the splendid, Gallery Park Hotel.

Walking through the enormous iron gates to the foot of the magnificent building, we were immediately overwhelmed by its grandeur. Our room was spacious and stunning with a perfect view of Riga’s starry sky.

With a lot to pack in our schedule was tight, so it was straight to the Skyline bar on the twenty-sixth floor of the Radisson Blu hotel, to see Riga in its entirety. With an absolutely incredible view, yummy cocktails and music to dance the night away to, it should make it on to your bucket list of things to do in Riga.

An early night beckoned, as we were determined to make breakfast at the Gallery Park and it certainly didn’t disappoint. With everything from fruit to a full English, we were treated to the five-star luxury we had been promised.

Our whistle-stop tour was off again, stepping outside into glorious sunshine we saw the true soul of Riga with a marathon in full force. It was almost like being in London for a moment. We headed to the old town - the heartbeat of the city - for a spot of sightseeing and shopping. It became clear that this little city had the soul of one far greater.

Shops were similar to the UK, with chains such as H&M but if you are a savvy shopper and like to explore there are plenty of independent shops where you can pick up a bargain - even a vintage shop where I bought leather eighties jacket for one euro. On to our next challenge which was to cycle to the forest.

This is where, probably for the only time in your life, you will miss the Boris bike as to hire a bike you have to set up an account on the internet. Simple enough but a little time consuming. For about five Euros you can hire a bike for the day and cycling is simple and safe as you have to ride on the pavements, perfect for a novice like me.

If you have the time the forest is well worth a visit as it is only about a forty-five minute ride away and gives you the opportunity to see the whole of Riga. When you get to the Forest and the lake you will find the most idyllic and funky cafés, perched on the side of the water, serving cocktails, burgers and playing the obligatory chilled reggae. It finally felt like we were really on holiday.

Next, it was time to experience more of Riga, this time the nightlife. We headed out to an incredible club called ‘First’ which was totally unexpected. Narrow-mindedly you always think everything is better at home but this club had the style of a London club and the setting of one from Monaco but it was just missing a little vibe.

However, for one night only, it is well worth a visit.

Sunday morning and it was time to go to the beach, the part of the journey I was most excited about. We jumped on a train that took about 30 minutes to reach the beach town of Jurmala. Getting off the train was like stepping back in time, as crossing the tracks was the only option. It was impossible to imagine that just this morning we had been in the hustle and bustle of a city and we were about to enjoy the luxuries of white sand and blue sea.

Riga? Well, it was a truly wonderful experience, there is no place better than the Gallery Park hotel. It epitomises luxury in every way and will truly enhance your Riga experience. We definitely recommend it.

GALLERY PARK HOTEL 7, Kr.Valdemara Street, Riga, LV 1010, Latvia Tel.: +371 67338830 | E-mail: olesja.lipsne@galleryparkhotel.lv www.galleryparkhotel.lv | www.bestrestaurant.lv

VIVA l i v e m u s i c

. . . e l y t S P I V y diar l a v i t s e f 4 1 0 2 Team VIVA’s rklife a P : e n u J th 7 t Sa

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he festival season kicked off with a corker, Parklife, with the likes of Rudimental, Snoop Dog and Disclosure rocking Heaton Park!

Team VIVA headed down for the Saturday as we are the biggest fans of Rudimental and they didn’t disappoint. These guys are ultimately in our eyes the best band live at the moment and such a festival crowd pleaser.

You know when that first drum and base beat drops the crowd is going to erupt and yes they did at Parklife!

We bumped in to local boy Adio from Bipolar backstage who was absolutely buzzing after his set on the main stage, it was only this time last year that he was in the crowd watching some of his favourite artist play the main stage and now he was up their too.

But it was all about the doggy dog man himself on Saturday night, the Snoop Dog got the whole of Heaton Park bouncing through his hip-hop set, we are just so happy he’s been aloud back in the UK! But it wasn’t all a happy festival vibe though and our thoughts go out to Robert Hart’s family, RIP Robert.

The Temple created by WHP at Parklife

Snoop Dog rocking the main stage at Parklife

Adio from Bipolar Sunshine at Parklife

Disclosure at Parklife

onisphere Fri 4th-Sun 6th July: S

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or all you Metal fans there was no better place to be over the weekend of July 4th6th July than Sonisphere at Knebworth Park. Dress, for the weekend, was a sea of black with more tattoos than a fleet of sailors witnessing the greatness that is heavy rock.

Friday kicked off with the Prodigy headlining, doing what they do best - which is getting the crowd into a frenzy with their heavy dance beats.

Saturday saw Iron Maiden take to the stage to headline an amazing set by one of the all-timegreats of Rock. Notable others on the Saturday were Deftones, Slayer and the great drinking band, Alestorm, turning folk music into hard rock.

Sunday was probably the day most were keen to be at. Metallica, who smashed Glasto only a few days previously, proved that Heavy Metal is here to stay with a set that was nothing short of awesome.

VIVA loves Knebworth Park with its rolling parkland feel and easy access to all you need. It is the place to be if you wear black.

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Scary guy at Sonisphere Limbikit's front man Fred Durst at Sonisphere

Alice In Chains at Sonisphere

VIVA finds Metallica's VIP Room and sneak in!

ly Larmer Tree u J th 0 2 n u -S th 6 1 ed W

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We came across this dude keeping it wheel at Larmer Tree

e headed south to the lovely county of Dorset for the Larmer Tree Festival. Set among some of the most beautiful countryside you will ever see, Larmer Tree never fails to delight. In fact, in the last couple of years, Larmer Tree is really proud to have been awarded the UK Festival Awards for ‘Best Family Festival’ and ‘Best Toilets’ by festival-goers.

Tom Jones at Larmer Tree On stage with Dub Pistols at Larmer Tree

Frank Turner at Larmer Tree

Headlining this year were Tom Jones; Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls; Tom Odell; Squeeze and Staff Benda Bilili, together with an array of other great bands covering an eclectic mix of genres across five stages.

Away from the music, there was the Film club showing some great films introduced by Mark Kermode. The Comedy Club had a selection of established comedy stars alongside some brilliant new discoveries and there were other shows and talks including DJ Johnnie Walker talking about the fiftieth anniversary of Radio Caroline.

As always at Larmer Tree, there are plenty of things for kids to get involved in, including the Little Lawn Theatre, children’s workshops and, in the Hands-On tent, craft and creative things to do.

Larmer Tree is definitely one of those festivals where you come away feeling like you have had a really great time in a relaxed atmosphere, surrounded by lovely people and each year it seems to get better and better.

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MCR artist Jay Ego getting a bit of Beat Herder love Oooh Lala Team VIVA at Beat Herder

Mr Scruff & his Daughter rocking the forest at Beat Herder

VIVA Girl Karin with Boney M at Beat Herder

. . . d e u n i t n o c e b o T

ore than twelve thousand people descended on Ribble Valley for Beat-Herder Festival this year – a firm favourite in the calendar, according to avid festival fans.

What’s Beat-Hearder? we hear you cry. It’s where the usually quiet countryside of Lancashire’s Ribble Valley plays host to some of the biggest names from the music industry.

With its popularity growing year on year, the festival prides itself on being an independent event - meaning it has no sponsors and relies entirely on ticket sales when it opens to revellers.

When we were given this insight from the press team. We couldn’t believe it because the campsite alone is worth the ticket price of the festival, with views of the Ribble Valley and the stunning scenery set against the Pendle Hill backdrop.

Away from the campsite and into the main field, VIVA was at the heart of the press pit. We bagged the best interviews whilst dancing our socks off to an eclectic mix of beats and performances on the main stage from the likes

of Happy Mondays, Dub Pistols and Klangkarussell.

It was only as we interviewed Badly Drawn Boy - who was going through a rough patch apparently - [must have been the lack of water for a wash…] that we became aware of the energetic dancing in a house-trance wooded area known for its all-night raves.

Of course, we didn’t get any sleep and had blisters as big as gold balls due to all the partying in the park.

VIVA Ems, headlined in the Working Man’s tent [trust me, it was more glamorous than it sounds] alongside Howard Marks, who rocked out seventies tunes long into the night.

We were sceptical at first because Beat-Herder did not offer as much as some larger, commercial festivals but it certainly proved that it’s much more than just an after-party.

Yeah - it’s compact but the people and the growing mini-metropolis of surprises see it top the list of people’s ‘must-sees’ and ‘things-todo’ every festival season.

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VIVA M U S I C Capital Breakfast with Rob Ellis Weekdays 6-10 am

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n June 21st we took over Wembley stadium for our biggest ball EVER! Capital’s Summertime Ball, with Vodafone, saw artists like Pharrell Williams, Miley Cyrus and Ellie Goulding take to the stage alongside a host of other huge name acts. We sent loads of you down there to enjoy one of this summer’s biggest music events.

You can see all the pictures online at Capitalfm. com and watch some of the performances on Capital TV on Sky 388 and Freeview channel 56. It was amazing!

In Manchester, it’s been a very busy summer for us. We hosted the Manchester Day Parade in Albert Square and Exchange Square.

A beautiful day kept the party going with floats and performances from all corners of this fine city. Again, spot yourself in our amazing photo gallery at Capitalfm.com.

The sporting summer kicked off down at ITV’s Fever Pitch - by the old Coronation Street studios on Quay Street - for the World Cup 2014. Although England went out early, we were down there for all the pre-match warm-ups, as well as to check out the incredible England beach soccer team. We actually had a game of our own going on, with a bit of twist, it’s called ‘Brazil Nuts’ and involves just the lads! It’ll make your eyes water but have a look at the video, via our YouTube channel, (CapitalFMManchester) to see how the boys fared when we put our manhood on the line.

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The Color Run returned to the Etihad stadium with Rob and Wingman both getting involved by warming up the ten thousand runners for the happiest five k on the planet and probably the messiest!

The Premier League season is fast approaching, with both the red and blue sides of the city battling it out for bragging rights in Manchester.

If you get down to the City games before Kickoff you might see Wingman in City Square playing some tunes before the serious business on the pitch takes over.

Finally, on the sporting theme, our very own Producer Gorgeous - will be heading off to Amsterdam in September to compete in the European Long Distance Triathlon Championship, representing Great Britain in the thirty to thirty-four Age Group.

A two point four mile swim, one hundred and twelve miles on the bike and then a marathon – we’re wishing him good luck. He’ll need it!

Lastly, the other big news is that we are bringing back our Capital Juice night at The Comedy Store on Deansgate Locks! It’ll be back in September and, if the last one was anything to go by, it should be a cracking night. There will be some special guests and it all happens in front of a live audience. So come along and get involved. Keep listening for more info on tickets and we’ll see you then!

Rob, Rach & Wingman

ON THE VIVA MUSIC RADAR:

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ou can always rely on VIVA’s ‘Band on the radar’ to point you in the right direction for exciting new music and, in this edition, we’re helping you to get one step ahead of the game by tipping you off about a band that are about to explode onto the music scene.

YOUNG. (that’s right, full stop included!) are an energetic outfit made up of three exmusic students who have been hiding away in their studio for almost two years - in order to craft a show and hone their sound. They’re now getting ready to unleash it on the public.

Luckily for VIVA, we managed to catch one such outing when they played their first official gig at Night & Day Café in May. The show oozed energy from start to finish as the band jumped around the stage in front of the packed-out venue,

playing a repertoire of infectious songs filled with catchy guitar hooks and high-pitched chants leaving the audience little choice but to stand and gape in awe.

Just to make things even more exciting, YOUNG. have recently been confirmed as the latest signing for Scruff of the Neck Records in Manchester, with their debut release scheduled for November 2014. If first impressions are anything to go by then we feel pretty confident in saying you can expect big things to come from this band.

To listen to YOUNG.’s debut track ‘Mind Control’ visit www.soundcloud.com/ournameisYOUNG – we promise you won’t be disappointed. ournameisyoung.com scruffoftheneckrecords.com @OurNameIsYOUNG

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s All About House Music For Rowetta & Alex Gray >

Rowetta at Lake Garda, Italy

VIVA M U S I C

S

he sings with both Happy Mondays and Peter Hook & The Light. Will I.AM sampled ‘Reach Out’ on Black Eye Peas’ ‘Boom Boom Pow’ (plus it’s one of the most sampled vocals ever!) and now she’s hooked up with Italian music producer and DJ, Alex Gray to bring us potentially the biggest house tune of the summer, ‘It’s All About House Music.’

Yes, that’s right. You know who we’re talking about, Manchester’s Number One Rock Chick, Rowetta!

Being a little bit excited about Ro and Alex’s new house record release – and wanting to find out more – we decided to go on a secret VIVA mission to Italy to catch up with Ro and get a few snaps down by beautiful Lake Garda!

The two came together to work on the record when Alex contacted Ro asking to sample ‘Reach Out’ on one of his new tracks. Ro liked Alex’s work and was keen to collaborate but felt that they should do some new vocals together as ‘Reach Out’ had already been sampled so many times. “I really like the music Alex has done. He’s a top producer, top DJ and he’s Italian. I love Italians.

We got on straightaway, wanting the same sort of things in music,” says Ro. Alex studied classical music as a child and learnt to play piano at the age of twelve. His approach to music changed the night he went to a local club and saw Frankie Knuckles and David Morales do their thing! Alex immediately saw his way and has never looked back! He started DJing at seventeen and has always loved playing house music.

Six months ago, Alex launched his label “Wearemusic records” and has collaborated a number of times with Richard Grey, had several releases with Hotfingers records, (thanks to Manuel de la Mare) and worked as a producer (ghost) for a few major artists but working with Ro has been one of his biggest collaborations to date.

“You know she’s the queen of house music with her single Reach out” says Alex.

Alex sent ‘It’s All About House Music’ out to a few labels and it was CR2 Records that came back to him, quite quickly, wanting to sign. CR2, who are releasing the record as part of their tenth birthday celebrations, have also just released Nile Rodgers new solo single.“We were over the moon when CR2 came back to us interested in the record. Everyone knows I love Nile Rodgers plus they are one of the biggest House labels. We are really honoured to be working with them,” says Ro. But is it all about house music for Ro and Alex? “I do love house music, that’s where I started. This track is very different from the current EDM scene, it’s real house, so groovy with a strong bassline and Rowetta’s vocals are very strong and catchy,” says Alex.

The pair have already started working on other projects together. Ro explains “It’s not the same as ‘It’s All About House Music’ it’s a bit less housey, right up my street, a bit more disco.”

You might be wondering why VIVA met up with Ro in Italy and if it has anything to do with the new record!

Lake Garda is Ro’s favourite place to visit. She fell in love with the Lake and its surroundings the minute she got there – especially Malcesine village. “I first went over around the time I started working with Alex so there is an Italian connection and the perfect place to do a photo shoot and to invite my favourite magazine. I’m in a very happy place at the moment,” says Ro. And as for Alex, will he be coming over to party with us in Manchester soon? “I’ve never been to Manchester. I’ve been several times to London so I promise you, next time I come to the UK it will be Manchester!”

VIVA’s heard it and we love it, the biggest DJ in the world Tiesto has heard it and played it in his set, if you haven’t heard it yet you need to check it out NOW on Beatport, iTunes or Amazon.

Follow Rowetta and Alex on twitter for more updates: @Rowetta @discogray.

‘I really like the music Alex has done.

He’s a top producer, top DJ and he’s Italian.

I love Italians. We got on straightaway, wanting the same sort of things in music.’

Rowetta

78 | VIVA | w w w. v i va l i f e s t yle.c o.uk

‘You know she’s the queen of house music’ Alex

DJ and music producer Alex Gray

www.vivalifestyle.co.u k | VIVA | 79

‘Ride A White Swan’ T.Rex One of the first records I ever bought. Always reminds me of a wonderful summer and that wonderful feeling of being young and the school summer holidays stretching out endlessly in front of you. The joy of youth!

‘Sebastian’ Cockney Rebel The first song that made me realize there was more to music than pop. The power play on Radio Luxembourg. I waited patiently every hour for it. Sublime. An anarchic choice for a single.

‘Anarchy In The UK’ Sex Pistols This changed everything for me.

The world suddenly exploded. The power, inspiration, drive and anger I got from this single helped JOY DIVISION change the world.

‘Digital And Glass’ The Factory Sample Joy Division’s first single. The sleeve made by our own fair hands. The amazing feeling to hold it in your hand. It was like holding a new born baby. Great songs. Our possibilities were endless.

‘Thieves Like Us’ New Order

New Order | Joy Divison | The Light

PETER

HOOK

TAKES OVER THE

VIVA IPOD...

Follow Hooky on Twitter: @peter_hook1 www.peterhook.co.uk

80 | VIVA | w w w. v i va l i f e s t yle.c o.uk

The perfect use of the 12” format.

This was a much better song than BLUE MONDAY, in my opinion. A beautiful tune. I stole the bassline off HOT CHOCOLATE’S EMMA when I told Errol Brown, another Salford boy, he said “Good for you Hooky!”

‘Respect Yourself’ The Staple Singers I used to have to play this song, on my Dansette, every day. Once when I came in from work and again before I went out. It used to wash the troubles of the world away making life seem better every time I heard it.

‘Miami To Ibiza’ Swedish House Mafia vs Tinie Tempah A great single by a great performer. I watched him storm 5000 kids in Magaluf at MALLORCA ROCKS. I was inspired. A great rôle model and as fit as a butcher’s dog.

‘1963’ New Order What we have to celebrate with singles is the great’B’ side. I used to love buying a 7’ inch single to see what your favourite group would put on the much maligned ‘B’side. We put this one on the ‘B’side of TRUE FAITH one of our best songs ever. Top One Hooky’14

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Ten manc’s

by Karin Albinsson

When ‘Shameless’ came out, I fell in love with the character Micky. Every Tuesday night I would be in stitches laughing. Who was this guy? Was he really like that in real life?? I have been fortunate to meet the actor Ciarán Griffiths at several events and yes - there are similarities! Ciarán is the first to be featured in my new series of portraits ‘TEN MANC’s.’

Actor CIARÁN GRIFFITHS is an Irish Mancunian with a Welsh Dad. He grew up in Manchester but spent his childhood summers with his Dad in South Wales, where he would go swimming in the sea with his Great Granddad. Ciarán would also go with his Mum to Galway in the west of Ireland to visit family and friends. It was here he first showed his talent for acting. Ciarán explains, “I have been acting the goat ever since I can remember, performing Laurel and Hardy, word for word, in my Irish Granddad’s kitchen demanding FULL attention!”

At school in Manchester he was encouraged by his drama and language teachers, to take the acting further. He joined workshops run by a man called David Johnson, who taught the students the importance of discipline and time-keeping.

By the time he was in his early 20’s Ciarán was living in London and working on the TV series ‘The Bill.’ His life dramatically changed when his Mum suddenly died. This was a massive loss as he was very close to his Mum who was also his best friend.

Ciarán left London and returned to the north to be close to his family. He soon got a part in the series ‘Shameless’ where he enjoyed playing the character Micky together with a great cast of actors. Now, almost ten years on, he has just completed filming the nineteenth century period drama ‘The Mill.’ Ciarán tells me that he really enjoys being an actor, especially as he does not feel overly confident as himself but when taking on a character all the shyness disappears. His dream rôle would be to play an Irish rebel!

When not working he feels that routine is still essential and gets up early to do a circuit at the boxing club in Moss Side. He gets home for eleven am with time to read scripts in the afternoon and also finds time to run a drama workshop for kids at weekends.

At the end of our shoot I pack the studio lights away. Ciarán gets changed and puts on his old Bob Marley T-shirt. Shoot over, I take a last snap while he stands under the street light as the last bit of twilight is fading over Manchester - the city Ciarán describes as the best place in the world! The ‘snap’ was chosen over the well-planned studio shots as I felt it captured the man behind the actor.

Photo and words: Karin Albinsson 82 | VIVA | w w w. v i va l i f e s t yle.c o.uk

VIVA T H E A T R E

The Greater Man chester Fringe 2014 High Lights Moss Side stories, boxing, back-street boozers, cellars, a clown masterclass and a twist on the classics from Shakespeare and Chaucer - the Greater Manchester Fringe had it all this year. Debbie Manley reports...

G

MFringe has doubled in size every year. For thirtyone days, thirty-one venues were filled with one hundred and twenty-four intimate shows, attracting thousands of new fans – an incredible increase since its launch in 2012 when there were just eight venues.

One of the most exciting aspects of GMFringe is the innovative use of space. The venues are not theatres, the audiences are more diverse and the word is spreading organically through social media and more than twenty-five thousand viewed our website in July.

Len Johnson Fighter - the story of a Manchester boxer banned from fighting for the British belt because of his colour - featured a very physical performance from a ripped Jarreau Benjamin in a boxing ring created by Merial and Colin Pym. Written by actor Colin Connor, Len Johnson attracted coverage on Granada Reports. Boxing fans and Len’s family brought memorabilia, Jarreau signed autographs and the profits were donated to the Working Class Movement Library in Salford.

Paul Heaton’s pub, The King’s Arms in Salford, opened up the cellar for the first time and The Dumb Waiter sold out - in the midst of three floors of shows all performing simultaneously.

Perhaps the most unusual show was LoLo’s Shitting In Narnia that saw Lou Lowe performing her personal letter to David Cameron to twelve people in her camper van!

GMFringe’s reputation as a springboard for the Edinburgh Fringe is growing. The cast of Hamlet Private Eye, written by Alex Parry, performed for free at Joshua Brooks before hitting the road north with Glass Dagger Productions.

Comedians such as Phill Jupitus, Robin Ince, Harriet Dyer, the Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre, Gein’s Family Gift Shop, James Acaster and Fin Taylor also tried out their new Edinburgh Fringe shows.

A record number of shows sold out this year including poet JB Barrington and dramas: The Singular Exploits of Sherlock Holmes; Life Cycle; Be My Baby; Len Johnson Fighter; Godfrey’s Last Stand and Give A Little Love; Would You Change? Hardwired; Hacienda Tales and The Dumb Waiter.

It wasn’t just the quantity of the tickets sold this year that made the Greater Manchester Fringe so special – it was the quality, with more shows getting rave reviews from What’s On Stage and Manchester Theatre Awards than ever before. greatermanchesterfringe.co.uk

Jarreau Benjamin as Manchester boxer Len Johnson Photo by Shay Rowan

Hannah Blakeley and Leni Murphy in Be My Baby Photo by Natasha Bybik

The Dumb Waiter by Harold Pinter, presented by Ransack Theatre. Photo by Shay Rowan www.vivalifestyle.co.u k | VIVA | 83

VIVA L I S T I N G S

EVENTS, SHOWS & GIGS NOT TO MISS THIS AUTUMN

IN MANCHESTER &

CHESHIRE...

DEAD KENNEDYS

DEREK ACORAH’S ENLIGHTENMENT TOUR VENUE: EDGELEY PARK DATE: 30TH AUGUST TICKETS: £20

VENUE: CLUB ACADEMY DATE: 13TH AUGUST TICKETS: £17.50

WAR HORSE

VENUE: THE LOWRY DATE: 1st AUG to 20th SEPT TICKETS: FROM £17

Punk’s not dead as the Dead Kennedys tour again, reliving their fame from the hardcore punk scene of the 80s. Relive the past or pretend you were cool enough to be punk back then with what’s sure to be a heavy night of head-banging!

This iconic play, based on the book

by Michael Morpurgo and made famous by Stephen Spielberg’s film adaptation, returns to The Lowry for a long run between July and September.There is no excuse for missing this theatrical masterpiece.

ANT AND DEC’S TAKEAWAY ON TOUR VENUE: PHONES 4U ARENA DATE: 15TH & 16TH AUGUST TICKETS: FROM £27.50 Ant and Dec take their Takeaway on tour, promising special guests and amazing prizes.YOU could even end up being a part of the show! Get away from the telly and experience, in real life, what’s set to be the funniest night out you’ve had in ages.

PHARRELL WILLIAMS VENUE: PHONES 4U ARENA DATE: 9TH SEPTEMBER TICKETS: FROM £35

JERSEY BOYS VENUE: PALACE THEATRE DATE: 4th SEPT to 4th OCT TICKETS: FROM £21.90 Jersey Boys tells the true life story of four boys from the wrong side of the tracks who wrote their own songs, invented their own unique sound and sold a hundred and seventy-five million records worldwide. Everyone loves a musical and this is one you can’t miss.

Pharrell Williams should still be on your radar from the Blurred Lines controversy last summer and the massive hat mêlée this year. All qualms aside, nobody can deny that Happy is the feel-good hit of this summer and seeing him live would be just a dream!

Derek Acorah is one of Britain’s best loved mediums, and, whether you believe in it (or him) or not, you’re still going to love this one-off event at Edgeley Park.Voted Britain’s Favourite Male Medium by Soul and Spirit magazine, go find out why he deserves this title!

STEPHEN FRY LIVE! VENUE: BRIDGEWATER HALL DATE: 24TH SEPTEMBER TICKETS: £29:50 AZEALIA BANKS VENUE: THE ACADEMY DATE: 18TH SEPTEMBER TICKETS: £18.50 Featured in our last issue,Azealia Banks has pushed back her date to September and there are still tickets available to see the rap goddess!

We hope she wows us with a power rangers outfit and perfect pronunciation in view of her date moving.

Stephen Fry feels like the grandfather you always wanted to show up at parents’ evening and embarrass your teachers for you. Unfortunately he wasn’t but you can collect your free copy of his book, (included in the ticket price) enjoy his one man, stand-up show and get him to sign your copy after the show!

EVENTS AND SHOWS GIGS BEAUTY AND THE BEAST BALLET VENUE: THE LOWRY DATE: 24TH - 27th sept TICKETS: FROM £21

LEE EVANS MONSTERS TOUR VENUE: PHONES 4U ARENA DATE: 9TH - 12TH OCTOBER TICKETS: FROM £35.45

KYLIE VENUE: PHONES 4U ARENA DATE: 26TH SEPTEMBER TICKETS: FROM £40 Who wouldn’t want to see the inimitable Kylie Minogue in concert?

Now you can and we can’t wait!

As soon as you see the word ‘Kylie,’ you’re sold!

Birmingham Royal Ballet comes to Manchester to perform a startlingly beautiful rendition of the famous Disney film, Beauty and the Beast.

An amazing story complemented by amazing costumes, amazing sets and amazing dancers! Let loose your cultural side and go to the ballet.

ALAN DAVIES - LITTLE VICTORIES TOUR VENUE: THE LOWRY DATE: 4TH OCTOBER TICKETS: £27 You either love Alan Davies as the resident idiot on QI or the resident crime solver in Jonathan Creek but you will love him even more when you go see his stand-up show this October in the Lowry!

HENRY IV (PART I & II) VENUE: THE LOWRY DATE: 21ST - 25TH OCTOBER TICKETS: FROM £21

JOHN NEWMAN VENUE: O2 APOLLO DATE: 20TH & 22ND OCTOBER TICKETS: £19.50 John Newman is not just the amazing featured artist in Rudimental’s Feel The Love and Not Giving In but also a Brit Award nominee. He’s in Manchester for two nights to remind us that he is not just a guest performer on other tracks but an amazing artist in his own right!

Lee Evans is the go-to guy for when you want to watch a bit of stand-up on the telly - his jokes never tire and we can’t wait to find out what he has in store for us with his Monsters tour..

Come see the Royal Shakespeare Company’s amazing performances of, arguably, two of Shakespeare’s greatest plays, Henry IV Parts I and II.We believe seeing at least one Shakespeare performance a year is a cultural must!

KATY B VENUE: THE ACADEMY DATE: 25TH OCTOBER TICKETS: FROM £16

OKTOBERFEST VENUE: ALBERT SQUARE DATE: 22ND - 26TH OCT TICKETS: FROM £5

2014 has seen Katy B’s amazing comeback on the British music scene with a straight-to-number-one album in ‘Little Red.’ See her at the Academy, fresh from the festival circus and ready for - possibly - her biggest tour yet.

Celebrate the party of the year with Manchester’s answer to Munich’s Oktoberfest. Enjoy traditional music, lederhosen, bavarian culture and, of course, beer drinking.

www.vivalifestyle.co.u k | VIVA | 85

W ords B y DARREN R L GORDOn

VIVA C I N E M A R E L E A S E S

Twitter : @Dar renRLG ordon / @DNA_AC TINGLASS

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The Inbetweeners 2 6th August 2014

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1

The Equalizer - 26th September 2014

B

ased on the 80’s TV show - that I remember from being allowed to stay up really late in my youth. Denzel Washington reprises the role made famous by the late Edward Woodward. (not the one at MUFC) Robert McCall (Washington) is an ex-special ops man who has retired and gone to ground, only to find himself driven to take action when a young woman he has befriended (Chloe Grace Moretz) is kidnapped.

Does this plot sound vaguely familiar? Do you feel like you’ve seen this kind of movie before? A middle-aged and inconspicuous man, who is busy minding his own business, suddenly finds himself up against an army of bad guys.

Sometimes it seems as if every Hollywood leading man fancies this kind of rôle at some point and just looks for the vehicle. This particular project was originally intended for Russell Crowe’s resumé but instead director Antoine Fuqua and Washington re-establish the working relationship that made Training Day a modern classic. Don’t expect the same status for this film though.

nybody who has ever watched an episode of the T V show, never mind the first film based on these hormonally-challenged teenagers, will know what to expect.

Far too many of the references are much too inappropriate for a reputable publication and respectable column such as ours but, in the interests supporting British cinema and not spoiling your chance to have a bit of a giggle, I shall tell you that the boys end up heading down-under to see Jay. He is in ‘Oz’ on a gap year and enjoying the thrills of the Australian bush. If I say that the previous sentence has several double-entendres, you’ll get the idea of what to expect.

4

Expendables 3 14th August 2014

T

he third instalment in this, frankly, dreadful and cheesy franchise. A smorgasbord of current, ageing and aged action stars unite in a frenzy of big names. In this story Mel Gibson features as the bad guy but expect to see Stallone, Statham, Li, Lundgren, Schwarzenegger, Ford, Banderas and Wesley Snipes! Kelsey Grammer (Frasier, Side-Show Bob) also puts in an appearance. As per usual, expect lots of action, some questionable dialogue and quite a few explosions and gun-fights, plus elderly gentlemen contorting into some amazing physical positions given their somewhat significant years!

5

2

Sin City 2 - 22nd August 2014

A

lmost a decade since the original picture was released, Sin City 2 arrives amid great anticipation within the community that elevated its predecessor to cult status. If you haven’t seen the first film, I’d recommend giving it a watch or, if it’s been a while, simply dusting it off to immerse yourself in the dark and seedy, comic-strip universe that director Robert Rodriguez creates with such verve and attention to detail. The atmosphere and tone of these films is striking and, at points, mesmeric but it does take a little getting used to. The basic synopsis is that a number of Sin City’s residents find themselves in conflict with some of its less desirable inhabitants.

86 | VIVA | w w w. v i va l i f e s t yle.c o.uk

A

Sex Tape 17th July 2014

couples movie to take your partner to as the nights draw in and the summer fades into memory! Perhaps a means of warning about the potential peril that you face if a recording device finds its way into your bedroom. Cameron Diaz and Jason Segel star in this amusing comedy. The couple decide to spice things up a little by making a sex tape. All well and good until they discover that the film has uploaded to the ‘cloud’ and is therefore accessible to many of their friends, family and even her boss. The pair set out on a mission to prevent as many people as possible seeing it and to destroy any copies made.

VIVA D V D R E L E A S E S 3

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The Raid 2 11th August 2014

f you’re a fan of kick-ass action, fast moving sequences, incredible physicality and tension then this sequel will not let you down. Though it is slower in its build-up than the original, its spine-tingling, bloodthirsty climax is certainly worth the wait. (if you like that sort of thing) Perhaps the loss of the tower block took away from the pace but don’t let that put you off British director, Gareth Evan’s second instalment and, if IMDB is to be believed, expect at least one more helping of this franchise.

4

Captain America: The Winter Soldier 18th August 2014

C

hris Evans returns as the allAmerican hero Steve Rogers.

Still adjusting to the modern world, Rogers finds life after the battle of New York tough but it is about to get even tougher as he finds himself confronted with a familiar face who now possesses strength even Captain America struggles to combat.

Couple this with the rise of Hydra and any stability he was beginning to find is quickly dismantled. CA2 is a far better and more cared-for sequel than fellow Avenger ‘Thor’ was afforded.

The Marvel movie machine maintains magnificent momentum!

5

Transcendence - 25th August 2014

I

1

have a question for you, is Johnny Depp your favourite actor? I have another, what do you think of his films recently? If you take the industry at face value, JD (to his friends) is one of the most ‘A-list’ stars on the planet but this will quickly change if his recent record of box office flops continues. Projects such as ‘Dark Shadows,’ ‘The Lone Ranger’ and now this one have had very significant budgets. Films with finances of this size look to recoup their investment on opening weekend but the trail of failure looms large. Remember in 2005 when Clive Owen was in at least 4 films at the local multiplex, now you have to remind yourself of who he is. The business is a cruel one and no one is safe from the financial expectations. If you fail to put bums on seats, you don’t get many more opportunities. Perhaps, with regard to this film, JD might have a look at the fact that he spends much of the movie robotically delivering dialogue (not a comment on his craft but a quirk of the storyline) and thus is prevented from being the fascinating, dynamic and exciting character actor many of us have grown to love. The film? Average.

Amazing Spiderman 1-2 Box set 1st September 2014

A

ndrew Garfield’s reinvention of Peter Parker is fun, cheeky and witty. It has all the charisma and charm that Toby Maguire’s version just didn’t have. That is not to say that one is better than the other, just that the latter productions have an edgier feel to them. Spiderman finds himself pitted against two major opponents - or so one might think - but in truth, one of them really makes just a fleeting appearance in this movie. A sparky, energetic film that lacks the grittiness of some of the other Superhero projects.

300: Rise of an Empire - 29th September 2014

I

2

could sum this film up in one word but my editor wouldn’t be pleased. (even though the word would be perfect) So, the much anticipated follow-up to 300 arrives on DVD. Should you rush out and buy it and place it on the shelf next to your 300 one? NO! Why? Because it’s awful. (there’s the word) A limp, cheesy, weakly-written attempt to cash in on the success of its predecessor. I groaned so much while watching this, my neighbours though it was my lucky night. (they can’t tell excitement from despair) Lovely action sequences at times but the painful conversations, feigned angst and failure to provide us with anyone we truly care about - plus the most ridiculous sex scene I’ve seen in some time - make this an epic fail. A shame as there were some great actors in the cast.

www.vivalifestyle.co.u k | VIVA | 87

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