EK One Issue 11 by Stuart Keeler

www.ek-one.co.uk

one

ISSUE 11 MARCH/APRIL 2011 FREE

Tracey Emin

MARGATE’S INFAMOUS ART DARLING

VIVA VIENNA

WEDDING BELLS

ART FOR ALL

Soak up Austria’s unique culture

Big day inspiration in our wedding special

Turner Contemporary opens it’s doors

Kitchen showroom open 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 4pm Saturday Unit 15, Heron Business Centre, Henwood, Ashford, Kent TN24 8DH Telephone 01233 645530 Walderslade Shopping Centre (Opposite Co-op) Walderslade Road, Chatham, Kent ME5 9LR Telephone 01634 868721

Website www.roma-interiors.co.uk 2

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WITH THE COLD HARD MONTHS OF JANUARY & FEBRUARY BEHIND US, IT’S TIME TO ENJOY SPRING ONCE AGAIN. Welcome to the March/April edition of EK One Magazine, bringing with it the joy of brighter, warmer weather, Easter celebrations, wedding ideas and the latest style tips. Our cover star for this issue is the iconic Tracey Emin - love her or hate her, she has made a very influential mark on British art. Having spent part of her life in Margate, she would be thrilled to see the opening of the Turner Contemporary, occurring on 16th April. Mother’s day is on 3rd April and we’ve got a great selection of gift ideas to treat your mum, ranging from pampering treats to adrenaline fuelled days out! This issue, we’ve a wedding special at the back of the magazine, forming your complete resource for planning your special day. Featuring tips, trends, ideas and inspiration on a variety of wedding themes from beautiful gowns to honeymoon destinations, make-up and hair trends to choosing the right photographer and a pick of the some of the best Kent venues for the ceremony itself. The end of April welcomes Easter and we’ve got some gift ideas to make it egg-stra special! Check our what’s on pages too for details of some of the regions Easter Egg hunts and activities to keep the children entertained. For those green-fingered individuals, you’ll find plenty of help and advice on creating your perfect garden space this issue, from tips on growing your own vegetables to forming the perfect family-friendly outdoor areas. Don’t forget to keep sending us your images for our local photography showcase. This edition, we have selected some examples from our photographer Matt Bristow (RubberDuckDoes Photography), highlighting the natural and man-made beauty Kent has to offer. You can keep up to date with everything at EK One by checking our twitter page; @ekonemagazine, and via our facebook group; www.facebook.com/ekonelifestyle. All that’s left for me to say is a very big thank you to all our readers and subscribers. If you have comments or feedback about any part of the magazine, we’d love to hear from you at info@ek-one.co.uk.You can keep up to date with everything at EK One by checking our twitter page; @ekonemagazine, and via our facebook group; www.facebook.com/ekonelifestyle.

Stuart Keeler // Editor stuart.keeler@thanet-publishing.co.uk

For all advertising queries please contact Peter Nichols at peter.nichols@thanet-publishing.co.uk or 01843 282520

11 ISSUE

OUT WITH THE OLD...

Event

3rd March - 3rd April 2011 Welcome in the Spring with our Home Event. Fabulous products, wonderful service and great value. Visit the store to see more! See our brochure at www.online-brochures.net/files/9372 5

CONT 80

wedding special

80 83 84 86 6

Gorgeous Gowns Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hot for Weddings Hair Trends Kent Venues

90 92 96 98

Wedding Photography - Get the Shot Bridal Make-up Heavenly Honeymoons Wedding Fayre Guide

TENTS 18 cover story 26

Tracey Emin

EK One takes a look at the darling of Margate’s art scene.

regular features 10 14 76

News EK One Likes What’s On

days out 16

Wildwood

Kent history 18

Leeds Castle

travel 22

Vienna

art 24

Turner Centre

gift ideas 30 48

Mother’s Day Easter

homes & gardens 32 34 36 39

Luxury interiors Family friendly gardens Summer gardening Vegetables

food & drink 40 42 44 45 47

Posillipo review Recipe: Chocolate Fondant Recipe: Crispy Duck Egg Cocktails Peen’s review

fashion & wellbeing 54 62 64 66 67 68

Women’s fashion Handbags Fashion Trends Colonic Hydrotherapy Wellbeing with Anne Nielsen MRI Peventicum

finance 71

Music & money

technology 73

Meridian M80 review 7

Your place for shopping and leisure

Restaurants, cafes, casino and cinema

Over 40 fashion and lifestyle stores

Free parking

Opening hours for the centre Mon-Fri Sat Sun

09.30-19.30 09.30-18.30 11.00-17.00

(Leisure hours vary)

A256/254 Broadstairs East Kent www.westwoodx.co.uk

Image courtesy of Debenhams

www.ek-one.co.uk EK One @ Thanet Publishing, Union Crescent, Margate, Kent, CT9 1NU Tel: 01843 282500 Fax: 01843 282501 info@ek-one.co.uk www.ek-one.co.uk Editor Stuart Keeler stuart.keeler@thanet-publishing.co.uk Sales Manager Peter Nichols peter.nichols@thanet-publishing.co.uk Creative Director Lorna Morris lorna.morris@thanet-publishing.co.uk Sales Executive Antony Holter antony.holter@thanet-publishing.co.uk Managing Director Phillip Moore Feature Writers: Melody Miller, Natasha Roberts Contributors: Alan Langley, Anne Nielsen, Barry Carthew, Ben Walton, Chloë Barker, Deborah Eastlake, Fiona Paterson, Gemma Watts, Holly Hanrahan, Ian Dexter, Jude Adams, Lee Andrews, Peter da Silva, Richard Phillips, Stuart Miller Contributing Photographers: Alan Langley, Deborah Eastlake, Joanna Lane, Matt Bristow

Norfolkline is now DFDS Seaways Dover - France Ferry

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For all advertising queries please contact Peter Nichols peter.nichols@thanet-publishing.co.uk

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Tracey Emin cover image © Corbis Images The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Publisher. © Copyright 2011. All parts reserved. No part of EK One may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of th epublishers. EK One will make every effort to return picture material but it is sent at the owner’s risk. Due to the nature of printing processes, images can be subject to a variation and therefore the publishers cannot be held responsible for such variation.

NEWS

ARE YOUR TREASURES LOST AT SEA? Cross-channel ferry operator DFDS Seaways’ New Year’s Resolution is to try and reunite items left on its ferries with their owners.

Last year, Dover Harbour Board handed responsibility for lost property found on ferries and around the Port, over to the ferry operators. Since then, the operations team at DFDS Seaways has worked hard

to reunite many lost items from its vessels, and corresponding areas in the Port. Some items have been successfully restored to their owners. One boy, for example, was reunited with the teddy bear he thought had been lost forever, and was delighted to discover that his teddy had sailed to France and back. A man reunited with his wallet, with all the money intact, as well as a priceless photo of his father. Another widow was also reunited with a sentimental item that belonged to her late husband. More items lie languishing in the depths of Dover Port, waiting to be reclaimed. Among those are the usual suspects that you might expect to see, including mobile phones, glasses, keys etc, but there are also some surprising things left behind, including a pushchair, keys to a safe, and even a white shoe! Other valuable lost property includes 54 passports and ID documents, which remain unclaimed, one wedding ring, and even a piece of medical equipment from a doctor’s bag. www.dfdsseaways.co.uk

First time buyers benefit from offer A recent report by the House Builders Federation (HBF) stated that without any assistance from the ‘bank of Mum and Dad’, the average age for a first time buyer in the UK is 38. Despite such reports, Mary-Jayne Francis, a 22 year old travel consultant, and her partner, 27 year old builder, John Hall, have recently purchased a two bedroom semi-detached home at Pentland Homes’ Bayeuxfields development in Kent, without any financial help as the couple took advantage of Pentland Homes’ offer to pay 5% deposit for first time buyers. Janet Burnell, sales and marketing director for Pentland Homes, says: “Mortgage availability is a huge obstacle for first time buyers because of the strict lending criteria. Currently, providing you have a 10-20% deposit and a good credit rating, mortgage deals are available, but raising the deposit is very difficult. To help first time buyers to secure a

mortgage, we are offering to pay 5% towards their deposit – this means that by adding the other 5%, most of the first time buyers we deal with are able to secure a 90% loan to value mortgage.” Mary-Jayne and John have only recently moved into their house but plan to stay

there for at least another five years. Prices of the two bedroom homes at Bayeuxfields start from £163,000. For further information, contact the sales office on 01303 893080 or visit www.pentlandhomes.co.uk

Destination Madeira

Manston Airport has announced new summer flights to Madeira courtesey of Atlantic Holidays; the largest independent specialist tour operator to the sundrenched Portuguese island. Direct flights will depart on 13 and 20 June and the charter will be operated by Monarch Airlines - one of the best-known names in UK travel. Prices start at £519 for 7 nights bed and breakfast or £621 half board in The Estrelicia Hotel. Madeira is considered to be one of the safest holiday destinations in the world. It’s just 35 miles long by 13 miles wide and occupies a superb position in the Atlantic Ocean, having practically the most perfect climate in the world; It’s never too hot and averages a maximum of 24°C during the summer months and a minimum of 17°C during the winter. Paula Horne said: “We’re delighted to offer flights to Madeira this summer with Atlantic Holidays and Monarch. Only four hours away from Kent and with excellent flight times, our new service will appeal both to families wanting a high-quality package holiday and to those who want flight-only to get out to their timeshare.” For more information, go to www.atlanticholidays.net/mse or call 01452 381 888.

A Year in the Life of Following the success of last years A Year in the Life project, the organisers at Kent Creative Arts are running the project again in 2011, not only in Faversham but also in Canterbury and on the Isle of Sheppey. The aim of this project is to capture a year in the life of each area and present 365 photographs (one for each day of 2011) taken by a team of volunteer photographers. The project will represent the three areas as they are today, showing the different views, styles and feelings that each photographer brings to the project.

Canterbury published and exhibitions to be organised in 2012. Anybody can join and take photographs, amateurs or professionals. The project is about community, and it’s about showing each area as seen by its people, so the variety of contributors is essential to show different views.

Information about Kent Creative Arts and details about how to take part are available on the Kent Creative Arts website: www.kentcreativearts.co.uk

Photographs will feature people and places as seen by those who live or work there. The project will capture some hidden aspects too, activities that not everyone notices or gets a chance to see. The images will create a diary for today and a record for the future. The organisers are building communities of local photographers in all three locations to photograph each day from 1st January to 31st December, for books to be

DAYS OUT NEWS

Haunted Rochester Since 2009, local historian Kevin Payne with his friend and co-author Neil Arnold, have delved extensively into the dark and turbulent history of Rochester to write a book all about the subject, entitled ‘Haunted Rochester’. They have discovered that much of it’s past still lingers on in the shadows. The writers have been inundated with reports of supernatural sightings and experiences from others. The history of Rochester is embedded with morbid tales of death throughout it’s past. For a long time there was a roman garrison stationed there, several bloody sieges have taken place at the Norman castle (which dominates Rochester), and

the cathedral has been ransacked and looted, laying waste to its occupants. In 1665, the plague wiped out more than 500 citizens as well. Murder was always commonplace and many executions were staged in the city, from hangings to burning at the stake. So much suffering has left a dark emotional undercurrent. The book doesn’t set out to prove the existence of ghosts (that belief remains with the individual). It is laid out as if the reader was walking through the city from the Chatham stretch, doing their own ghost walk. However, for the truly courageous, in conjunction with the book, Neil Arnold is conducting a Haunted Rochester ghost walk/talk every month.

For more information please visit www.hauntedrochester.blogspot.com ‘Haunted Rochester’ is published by the History Press at £9.99 and is due out in April.

Awards for Dreams at Eastwell Manor On 30th January, Dreams at Eastwell Manor in Ashford was awarded 2011 Crown Salon status at Guinot’s annual Crown Awards. Receiving Crown Salon status is an acknowledgement of the exceptional level of standards within the salon. It demonstrates outstanding quality and dedication within the field of professional skincare. Only 51 of Guinot’s 1600 salons across the UK and Ireland met the stringent criteria to qualify for this year’s awards. Having achieved exceptional levels of customer service and professionalism, whilst performing the highest quality treatment practices, guests and beauty experts gathered together to celebrate their hard work and success. Dreams at Eastwell Manor has been in business for 11 years and have acquired great skill and knowledge in performing a full range of Guinot face and body treatments. Their beautiful surroundings and outstanding customer service make for a luxurious and enjoyable experience. Always striving to improve standards and achievements, Dreams at Eastwell Manor treats each client as unique, listening to skincare

concerns and advising on beauty goals. The salon is now offering the newly enhanced Hydradermie² facial treatment with Double Ionisation and double the results.

For more information: 01233 213 111 dreams@eastwellmanor.co.uk www.eastwellmanor.co.uk

Posillipo Ristorante and pizzeria Ristorante and pizzeria

Faversham

Broadstairs

Fresh & Delicious Italian Food

Canterbury

Provender Mill, Belvedere Road, Faversham, ME13 7LD

14 Albion Street, Broadstairs, CT10 1LU

16 The Borough, Canterbury, CT1 2DR

Tel: 01795 590580

Tel: 01843 601133

Tel: 01227 761471

www.posillipo.co.uk THE COURT YARD Oyster Bar & Restaurant

‘The Old Coach House’ Sondes Road, Deal, Kent, CT14 7BW ALL OUR DISHES HAVE BEEN SPECIALLY CREATED USING ONLY THE FINEST OF INGREDIENTS AND OUR PASSION FOR GREAT FOOD. FRESH FOOD IS SERVED FROM MIDDAY UNTIL 10 P.M. (Closed all day Monday & sunday evenings)

PURVEYORS OF FINE WINES UNIQUE REAL ALES EXCLUSIVE MENUS LIGHT LUNCHES LIGHT SNACKS SUNDAY LUNCH WITH LIVE JAZZ BAND FINE WINES & CHAMPAGNES CONTINENTAL COFFEES PRIVATE PARTIES & SPECIAL EVENTS CLASSIC MOVIE NIGHTS WITH DINNER APPROVED OUTSIDE CATERERS FOR DEAL, WALMER & DOVER CASTLES

Reservations: 01303 366661 www.thecourtyarddeal.com 13

EK ONE LIKES Knockeen Hills Elderflower Gin Elderflower is one of Knockeen Hills’ super-premium traditional ‘London Cut’ Dry Gins which has uniquely achieved a very noticeably softer delivery of spirit on the palate, by additionally using five times distilled Irish Spirit at every stage in its production. This process also involves natural Elderflower and other natural botanicals, steeped in the spirit for 24 hours, resulting in a delightfully soft spirit with strong juniper overlaid by elderflower notes. Each batch is produced under constant supervision in selected small amounts to ensure maximum quality throughout. Available in 50cl, 70cl or 1l bottles from: Lower Hardes Farm Shop, Canterbury (01227 700 947), or online at www.thedrinkshop.com

Diva Popcorn Flavoured popcorn is hugely popular in America and is said to be the next big thing in snacking in the UK. Diva popcorn is leading the way as the UK’s first air-popped flavoured popcorn brand, available in four different flavours – Sea Salt & Balsamic Vinegar, Camembert, Gouda & Brie, Rock Salt and Sweet Chipotle Chili.

EK ONE

Full of antioxidents, vitamins B and E, minerals and fibre, it really is a great way to snack as each bag only contains about 100 calories and less than 0.4g saturated fat. Diva can be found in Harrods, Harvey Nichols, and many sandwich, farm and health shops plus premium high street health chains. Available now - 85p

Poliform Axia Sideboard Elegant furniture manufacturers Poliform bring you the stunning Axia sideboard as part of their new range, featuring a metal base, leaf doors with a pin hinge to facilitate 180˚ opening and an open display element. Available in spessart oak, white elm or the full range of 28 Poliform matt lacquer colours, you really are spoilt for choice! Available now, these beautiful crafted pieces will grace any room and with so many colour options, you might find it hard to settle on just the one! www.poliformuk.com 020 7368 7600

Bathrooms International Papillon Bath If you’re after something a little special for your dream bathroom, look no further than the gorgeous Papillon Bath from Bathrooms International. Carved from a single block of stone, the unusual shape defies the standard concept on bath design and lets you lie back and relax in its elegantly curved interior. The Papillon holds a generous 295 litres of water and is available in Carrara marble, black granite or limestone. Whatever style you choose though, you can be guaranteed a luxurious centrepiece for your bathing experience. Available now from £37,440 www.bathroomsint.com / 020 7838 7788

LIKES... Our top picks of what’s new and hot Delonghi Super Compact As coffee becomes more and more a part of our everyday life, we start to crave those exotic blends that we love so much in coffee shops and look to bring that café experience into our own homes. Let’s face it though, who really has room for a large café style coffee machine? That’s where the Delonghi Super Compact comes in. An all-in-one bean-to-cup machine, the super compact features a milk carafe to make perfectly frothed fresh milk, an adjustable coffee dispenser to cater for all cup sizes and an integrated bean grinder with seven adjustable settings. All this comes in a really small footprint so you won’t have to give up valuable worktop space. Available now - £799.99 www.delonghi.co.uk

The Boucan British chocolatier and cacao grower Hotel Chocolat has launched The boucan; a first of its kind cacao-inspired restaurant nestled in its cacao plantation in Saint Lucia; The Rabot Estate. The menu infuses local dishes with fresh cacao harvested from the estate and is a must for chocolate lovers everywhere. The menu explores both savory & sweet dishes, with the chefs taking their inspiration from the fresh cacao growing all around the estate, together with amazing local fish and seafood, salad leaves, vegetables and plentiful fruit. The desserts as you would expect, make full and imaginative use of the estate cacao, with each evening meal rounded off with the day’s new chocolate creation. Menu ranges from £5-£18 www.thehotelchocolat.com

Peter Jones Clothing Entrepreneur Peter Jones, best known for his sharp style and business acumen on primetime BBC Two show Dragons’ Den, has launched his own collection of smart men’s business wear; The Peter Jones Collection. The range, including shirts, ties, cufflinks and socks is perfect for those looking to recreate Peter Jones’ business wardrobe from the Den and all of the profits generated from The Peter Jones Collection will be donated to the Peter Jones Foundation - which funds two distinct causes; the National Enterprise Academy and Forgotten Children. Available now - from £9.50 www.peterjonescollection.tv

DAYS OUT

Where the wild things are...

Words by Fiona Paterson

...Wildwood Wildwood is an ideal day out for all the family where you can come â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;nose to noseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; with British Wildlife as you meet animals from the British countryside in their most natural of settings; an ancient woodland that dates back to the Domesday Book.

DAYS OUT Run by The Wildwood Trust, Wildwood is not just a wild animal centre but is also a unique conservation project, which tells the changing story of British wildlife and woodlands over the last 1,000 years. Enjoy your day among the same animals that would have lived in the wild wood that covered much of Britain so long ago and which gave Wildwood its name. Set in 40 acres of ancient woodland on the edge of the forest of Blean near Canterbury in Kent, Wildwood holds a stunning collection of over 300 British animals in semi-natural enclosures, laid out around a twisting woodland trail. Wildwood offers its visitors a truly inspirational way to learn about the natural history of Britain by actually seeing the wildlife that once lived here. Wildwood contains only British or once British species, the park also has it’s own flora and fauna. Wildwood’s collection of British animals includes native species like badgers and otters, which arrived in Britain after the last Ice Age - crossing the land bridge between Britain to France, before sea levels rose and created the British Isles. Introduced species are also present, such as North American mink, which were brought to Britain deliberately, and formerly native and currently extinct species like wolves, lynx, wild horses,

bison, wild boar and beaver, which used to live here but were hunted to extinction. Many of these species are endangered both here and in Europe and some of the animals are taking part in major conservation projects to help scientists understand and cater for the needs of wild populations. Wildwood is situated in a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), and is one of only a handful of sites in the country where the rare heath fritillary butterfly flourishes. The woods are managed on a coppice rotation, as they have always been which involves harvesting the trees every 5-20 years by cutting them down to ground level and allowing them to grow back from the remaining stump (stool). The resulting timber is then put to good use with the majority of our enclosures being constructed using timber from the park itself. Opening in 1999 as a visionary project to create a centre of excellence for the conservation of British wildlife, just three years after admitting the public, Wildwood received charitable status and the Wildwood Trust formally took over the management of the centre on December 1, 2002. Now 10 years old, Wildwood continues to grow its collection of animals and develop its conservation projects. The park aims to link each of the animals to a conservation programme so that every species in captivity is working to conserve its wild cousins. This could be either by helping scientists to understand more

about the needs of these animals in the wild, or undertaking practical work with other conservation organisations. The Trust’s vision is to bring back our true ‘wildwood’, by restoring Britain’s land to its natural state. This involves releasing large wild herbivores such as wild horses and developing conservation grazing systems to restore natural ecological processes to help Britain team with wildlife again. They also run a highly successful programme of Conservation Projects – being the UK’s leading experts in rescuing and re-establishing colonies of Britain’s most threatened mammal; the water vole. Wildwood Trust has also pioneered the use of ancient wild horses to restore nature reserve. Wildwood Trust has been at the forefront of efforts to re-establish the European Beaver back in Britain where they belong. Green credentials are also a strong point for the park, being powered by energy from sustainable sources such as a huge wind turbine which provides most of the electricity. In addition to the wind turbine, Wildwood has wood or pellet stoves, solar thermal systems for hot water, and solar electric panels. Operating on a pushpull system, in times of peak demand Wildwood draws power from the national grid, but for the rest of the year Wildwood puts power back into the grid. They also compost waste animal food, recycle donated wood from local DIY suppliers and source animal feed from donations by local supermarkets, farmers’ markets and stores. These measures make the park more efficient, and mean the efforts to save rare and endangered wildlife do not contribute to global warming and climate change. Open all year (opening times vary depending on the season)

Wildwood, Herne Common, Nr Canterbury, Kent, CT6 7LQ 01227 712 111 www.wildwoodtrust.org

HISTORY

Visiting Leeds castle hardly shows the 900 years of history and 500 acres of beautiful parkland, situated in the heart of Kent. This beautiful landmark has been home to a diverse range of figures in its long history. Words by Gemma Watts

Leeds Castle

The Saxon manor of Esledes was an ideal place for the descendant of one of William the Conqueror’s lords, Robert de Crevecoeur, to fortify and build a castle in 1119. It passed into royal hands in 1278 and became part of the Queen of England’s dower - the settlement widowed queens received upon the death of their husbands. Over the course of 150 years it was held by six mediaeval queens: Eleanor of Castile; Margaret of France; Isabella of France, Joan of Navarre; Anne of Bohemia and Catherine de Valois. In Tudor times Henry VIII visited frequently, notably with his Queen, Catherine of Aragon, and their entire court on the way to the tournament of the Field of the Cloth of Gold, which took place in France in 1520. Henry’s son, King Edward VI, granted the castle to one of Henry’s courtiers for his services. Since then it has been in private ownership. It has been used as a garrison, a prison and a convalescent home, as well as being the home of the Culpeper, Fairfax, and Wykeham Martin families. The gardens offer continuous colour throughout the year. From a mass of spring bulbs and wild flowers in the Wood Garden, through fragrant herbs and roses in the quintessentially English Culpeper Garden, to late flowering borders in the drought-resistant Mediterranean Lady

Baillie Garden, each established at various times throughout the castle’s past. Leeds Castle is Kent’s beautiful Royal Palace, having been home to six Medieval Queens during its 900 year history. To celebrate this connection, it will be celebrating the Royal wedding of HRH Prince William of Wales to Miss Catherine Middleton on the 29 April by displaying the event live on a big screen in the beautiful grounds of the Castle. Leeds Castle is located near Maidstone in Kent just off Junction 8 of the M20 and only one hour’s drive from London. Grounds open at 10am daily and the castle is open from 10.30am. Last admission is 4.30pm and gates close at 6pm.

For more information visit: www.leeds-castle.com

WELLBEING

PHOTOGRAPH SHOWS ‘ALLINGTON’ KITCHEN

Great value detached homes at Bayeuxfields Three and four bedroom detached homes Including: ■ Garage ■ Ensuite to master bedroom ■ Underfloor heating

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Sales Office open 7 days week 10am - 5pm

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five bedroom luxury detached family home with underfloor heating, conservatory, landscaped garden and double garage. Our showhome and includes all curtains, flooring and light fittings! Westbourne Heights is ideally situated between Folkestone and Sandgate.

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TRAVEL

View

Vienna

this Spring...

Being named the most liveable city several years in a row must mean you are doing things right. Words by Peter da Silva

Once you arrive in Vienna you soon see why the city has retained its crown. Half of the city’s total area is accounted for by gardens, parks, wooded and agricultural land. The rest is like a museum - everywhere you look the skyline and landmarks are breathtaking. It is safe to say that no other European city’s history is as visible as Vienna’s. This prosperous city makes for an ideal city break all year round, with spring time the most exhilarating as the sun shines on the grandiose sights. Getting your bearings couldn’t be easier and Vienna’s historic centre is the ideal starting point. The 1st District; Innere Stadt is like an outdoor museum and you could easily spend the entire duration of any short break in this museum! The Gothic cathedral forms an ideal backdrop, which leads to the Imperial Palace and amongst all this history you will cross paths with day-to-day local residents who live amongst such highlights, making Vienna’s city centre very liveable which is unlike anything you tend to encounter in other major European city centres. If your eyes enjoy 19th century and Baroque architecture then you may never need to venture away from the Innere Stadt. The distinctive Stephansdom dominates Vienna’s skyline and some of the major sites to head for include ‘Ringstrasse’ where you can witness the great bourgeois. Whilst you never actually leave the outdoor museum that is Vienna - if it rains head indoors to the MuseumsQuartier - as recently as 2001 this newish area emerged and offers a nod towards modernity and is home to MUMOK - Vienna’s premier contemporary art collection. With all this cultural diversity, eating and drinking also rank highly in Vienna. But before you sit down for the usual meals, opt for coffee and cake in one of the many Viennese Coffeehouses - which are equally as grand as the rest of the city. These coffeehouses are a way of life. In a city of under 2 million people, there are over 800 coffeehouses and most offer a unique vision of coffee and the many ways

to enjoy it. People don’t just sip but they play games, read newspapers, gossip and people watch, and these places are always full. The coffeehouses carry some historic significance and whilst over the years they may have changed physically, their philosophy remains the same as interpreted by Stefan Zweig; “a democratic club where a cup of coffee can be had cheaply and where for this pittance every guest can sit, discuss, write, play cards, receive mail and above all, consume an unlimited number of newspapers and magazines for hours on end.” The experience with a tour guidebook is just as good and you emerge full of energy for your next discovery. The metro, should you need to use it, functions efficiently and quickly. In fact everything in Vienna is efficient. Trams criss-cross the city and can take you to visit the Freud Museum (check seasonal opening times before you go). For dinner, head to the Osterreicher im MAK - one of Vienna’s top restaurants in a stunning venue. Modern Austrian and European dishes are served in what was recently the most celebrated new opening in Vienna. The restaurant is buzzing at night and in the spring there is an outdoor alfresco bar to enjoy. Sample local wines also whilst in Viennayou won’t be disappointed. Believe it

or not the city is home to around 700 hectares of land under vines and is a winegrowing region in its own right. The Le Meridien Vienna hotel is your ideal hotel to stay in- centrally located and a favourite of visitors from across the world. The hotel’s lobby and entrance is theatrical and inviting. The bedrooms, whilst minimalist are comfortable and come complete with excellent bathrooms. Breakfast is very impressive and a great way to start the day with guidebook in hand. The hotel offers a gym, broadband internet access and a concierge and airport transfer facility. By night the restaurant and bar are destinations within themselves and Vienna’s elite seem to love the ambiance particularly at weekends when the cocktails flow and the beats kick in.

Further Information: Vienna’s airport is centrally located and from the UK many airlines serve Vienna including BA. Visit ba.com for what seemed the best flight times and fares at time of booking. www.vienna.info www.lemeridien-vienna.com 1, Opernring 13-15 from €190.00

ART

Turner Contemporary Words by ChloĂŤ Barker

The Eruption of the Soufriere Mountains in the Island of St. Vincent, 30th April 1812 by Turner, Joseph Mallord William (1775-1851)

Turner Contemporary is a visual arts organisation based in the historic seaside town of Margate, Kent, home for many years to JMW Turner. Since 2001 the organisation has been running exhibitions, community events and a successful learning programme using temporary spaces around Margate, but this will change on 16 April 2011 when the gallery will open. The gallery will be the largest contemporary art space in the South East outside London and the choice of the Stirling Prize winning practice, David Chipperfield Architects, ensures international attention. The organisation is ambitious as Director Victoria Pomery explains; “We aim to develop Turner Contemporary into one of the country’s leading visual arts venues, attracting local, regional, national and international visitors. We have an exhibition programme that includes leading contemporary artists, but we will also always have work by JMW Turner on show. It was Turner’s own love of Margate and the East Kent coast that inspired this project and inspires us still today.” Turner returned to Margate many times following his first visit at the age of 11 and produced over 100 landscapes of the area. Now the gallery stands on the site of the guesthouse in which Turner often stayed during his visits to the town. It is at the forefront of plans to redevelop Britain’s

original seaside town, attracting visitors and investment to the area. The opening exhibition, Revealed: Turner Contemporary Opens, is centred on JMW Turner’s extraordinary but lesser-known painting The Eruption of the Souffrier Mountains, in the Island of St Vincent, at Midnight, on the 30th of April, 1812, from a Sketch Taken at the Time by Hugh P. Keane, Esqre 1815. Alongside the work of six major international artists Daniel Buren, Russell Crotty, Teresita Fernandez, Douglas Gordon, Ellen Harvey and Conrad Shawcross, including three important new commissions. The exhibition runs until 4th September 2011, whilst the second exhibition Nothing in the World but Youth takes place 17th September 2011 - 8th January 2012, exploring how youth experience has been reflected in art, culture and the media from the late nineteenth century to the present day and includes work by Sarah Lucas, Peter Blake and Andy Warhol. In 2012 visitors can see the first exhibition dedicated to Turner, Turner and the Elements from 28th January – 13th May 2012. The major exhibition of works by JMW Turner explores the important role that the depiction of the elements played in Turner’s landscapes, watercolours and late paintings. Turner and the Elements is in collaboration with international galleries; the Bucerius Kunst Forum, Hamburg and National Museum, Cracow. Victoria Pomery is quick to point out that the gallery will present more than just exhibitions. “We will be offering a

busy programme of events, workshops, talks, tours in and around the gallery to complement the art. At the same time, learning remains at the core of what we do and we have an ambitious schools programme that aims to reach every school in Kent, and we continue to develop new projects with community groups in the region”. The gallery aims to attract 150,000 visitors in the first year with the majority of those visitors Turner Contemporary hopes will be Kent residents. There will be high expectations when the gallery opens but Turner Contemporary promises to be an impressive new centre for arts for Margate and the whole South East region. In the long term Turner Contemporary aims to be a national and internationally renowned gallery based in the South East. Turner Contemporary is already attracting attention from major figures in the art world such as Sir Nicholas Serota, Director of Tate who recently commented that “Turner Contemporary promises to become an exciting new voice in Margate and the country’s broader cultural landscape. There will be high expectations when it opens on 16 April, but Turner Contemporary promises to be an amazing new centre for arts for Margate and the whole region.”

For further information: www.turnercontemporary.org Twitter: @TCMargate

COVER STORY

Tracey Emin With the opening oF the Turner Contemporary in Margate, EK One looks back over the career of one of Britainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most notorious artists and her links to Kent.

TRAVEL COVER STORY Words by Melody Miller ‘Notorious’ is a word that has often been used to describe Tracey Emin, an artist who came to the forefront of British modern art in the 1990’s with installations such as the infamous ‘tent’: Everyone I Have Ever Slept With, 1963-95 and her equally controversial 1997 Turner prize contender My Bed. As disarmingly honest in person as she is in her art, celebrity status came hand in hand with her artistic achievements, but at heart Emin is a story-teller with her own life embodying the narrative; an element that has become her signature. Born in 1963, she spend the first part of her life living in Margate’s Hotel International run by her Turkish Cypriot father, a man that made no secret of the fact he had two families. Tracey’s ideas of love and loyalty were seemingly obscured from the beginning as Ervin Emin maintained two households and numerous children, but at seven years old Tracey went from living in the hotel to “squatting in the staff quarters” as the business was lost. Her parents separated soon after and at thirteen Emin left school, exploring the seafront with the youth of Margate, her teenage years being

promiscuous and destructive; her way of looking for answers. “Why go to another country - why not just sleep with someone to get experience?” It echoes the nature of her art; that experience and knowledge are often to be found within confusion, suffering and self-destruction and it is Emin’s ability to translate this acutely personal material into expressions of universal emotions that has elevated her art to international success.

work and giving up art completely. “I didn’t want to make art again until I could justify it, parallel with my life.” How do you justify art? Emin never asks the easy questions, but explores the answers relentlessly using herself as the central source of her work, the exploitation of her past being offered in her search for this ‘justification.’

“Why go to another country - why not just sleep with someone to get experience?”

Despite her lack of qualifications, Emin completed an art degree at the Maidstone College of Art going on to study at the Royal College of Art, but left without graduating, unhappy and dissatisfied with the course, and herself. What followed was a destructive line of relationships and two abortions which left her convinced that all she had done artistically had been ‘rubbish’, consequently destroying all her

It was artist Sarah Lucas that reignited the fire in 1992, Emin describing the friendship as ‘wild and brilliant’ as they opened “The Shop” together in Bethnal Green in 1993 making and selling their merchandise. It gave Emin the platform and encouragement she needed leading to her first exhibition at the White Cube, London, calling it “My Major Retrospective” as she said she believed it would also be her last. But the title suggests more than a lack of self-belief. The ‘retrospective’ tone implies that the important events had already occurred in the artist’s life. Deeply confessional, Emin’s artistic career has seen her unashamedly expose her past, a tale that includes poverty, rape, promiscuity, loneliness, and heartbreak. Every tremor felt has been splashed onto canvas, woven and sewn, twisted into neon lights, trauma translated into art. Perhaps this is the justification for her suffering that she was looking for; that it has brought her success. She has lectured internationally, been made Royal Academician by the Royal Academy of arts and had numerous international exhibitions, winning awards world-wide, but success isn’t Emin’s motivation.

“I need art like I need God” she wrote on a wall in chalk back in 1995, saying she barely realised what she had written at the time, at the period in her life when she had no intention of making art. She didn’t mean the words in irony, but in sincerity. It was to be the title of her 1997 exhibition at the South London Gallery that saw her publicly rise as one of the Young British

Knowing My Enemy 2002 © Tracey Emin Photo: Stephen White, Courtesy White Cube

Artists (YBAs), her Turner prize nomination following in the same year. Not winning the prize though, brought forth another period of self-destruction for the artist that suggests drawing from subject matter so personal can be a double edged sword; Emin’s inspiration is fresh and available to her, which indeed propels her art, but it must be exhausting to keep past sufferings so close to the surface, never letting them heal.

face intimacy and confront collective issues of the personal-political, of religion, sexuality and feminism, with a force that few other contemporary artists have achieved. Her work is vigorous but needy, delicate but crude; a seesaw where Tracey sits on both seats.

“...her work makes audiences face intimacy and confront collective issues...”

Just Love Me 1998 © Tracey Emin Photo: Todd-White Art Photography Courtesy White Cube

To be in an exhibition of Tracy Emin can feel like being stuck in a therapist’s office; a never-ending examination of intimacy splashed on walls and installations of all the details that have built and broken a person. But her work makes audiences

Where the casual observer may see brashness or vulgarity, the inquisitive eye can see the delicacy in Emin’s sparse lines. It’s under here that Tracey Emin the ‘celebrity’ - who famously appeared drunk on live television - vanishes, and the artist appears; the scrawny sketches jutting across the page balanced with quiet, often tender words that enlarge the experience of her art for her audience. The desperation is delicately placed, laced

with wit and her dry humour as the words and images weigh against each other to create the desired effect. Tracey Emin is always exploring boundaries and then marching straight across them; an intriguing aspect of her latest exhibition at the Hayward Gallery will be its interactive element, visitors having the opportunity to send messages to the artist via a computerised message board installed in the heart of the gallery. The show, opening in May 2011, is the first major survey in London of her work, from early rarely-seen pieces to new unseen installations, making TRACEY EMIN: LOVE IS WHAT YOU WANT an exciting chance to see key pieces of one of Britain’s most celebrated artists, as well as a series of outdoor sculptors especially created for the Hayward. The exhibition offers an opportunity to see the career of such a renowned British artist as a spectrum; for those cautious of the notorious Emin as well as her devoted following, this is an opportunity not to be missed.

TRACEY EMIN: LOVE IS WHAT YOU WANT opens 8th May and runs until 29th August 2011 at the Hayward Gallery Southbank Centre London SE1 8XX.

GIFTS

Mum’s the word Words by Natasha Roberts

Stylish & Sophisticated Why not give your mother the gift of relaxation with a luxury bathing set from the White Company, such as the uplifting Verveine set with it’s citrusy scent. If your mum has a taste for jewellery but you don’t know exactly what she would like then head down to Marks and Spencer and select from their range of jewellery boxes to ensure her valuables are beautifully stored.

E very

spring we get the chance to show our mothers just how much we love them by doing something special . W e all deserve to put our feet up and be pampered now and again and on 3 rd A pril it ’ s the turn of mothers everywhere , so why not do something special for yours ? H ere at EK O ne we ’ ve done the hard work for you and selected some gorgeous gifts , which will really show her how much you care .

Traditional & Homely Most mothers are left in charge of the family cooking so now is the time to turn the tables and let mum put her feet up. Instead of going to a restaurant why not purchase a delicious hamper from Spicers of Hythe. Especially enjoyable if the weather is warm and the food can be enjoyed al fresco.

Lover of the Outdoors Treat your green-fingered mum to a gift from the beautiful Burgon & Ball range, such as the really useful seed packet organiser. A sportier mum might like something from the huge range of sportswear, accessories and equipment at John Lewis.

Don’t let treasured photographs lay in boxes unseen; choose one of you with your mum and have it framed for her sitting room. A gift she can treasure forever. Perhaps your mum enjoys sewing but her kit is getting a little tattered? If so, she’s bound to be thrilled with a brand new sewing kit complete with all the modern accessories.

Alternatively, take a look at the gift experiences at Virgin’s website; www.virginexperiencedays.co.uk for a real adrenaline rush.

Fun-loving Social Butterfly If your mum enjoys being the party hostess then she might enjoy a gift selected from the glassware range at John Lewis. If you want to really splash out why not head to their handbag department and choose her something that will go perfectly with her party dress? Alternatively you could purchase a gift set of her favourite perfume so she always smells gorgeous on every social occasion.

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Luxury

INTERIORS

The Look of

How would you describe luxury?

By Jude Adams

Wikipedia’s description is as follows: ‘…very wealthy and comfortable surroundings; something desirable but expensive; something very pleasant but not a necessity in life.’ Generally we would agree with those things. But…whilst luxury can and often does match all of those words I would protest that it doesn’t have to mean those things literally. I refer especially to wealthy and expensive. Why? Because through good Interior Design it is possible to create a feeling of those things without the associated, or expected cost! Ultimately we would all wish to live in a pleasant and comfortable environment. It will take a clever eye, flair and not least of all some graft to make it look wealthy and expensive too, but a good look cannot happen overnight and will not come easily for everyone. The process is the same for all design projects. You have to start with a vision, a concept developed from a clients brief. If it is a look of luxury you want, a good designer should be able to give you that… without having to re-mortgage your home. The reality is that a lot of people are under the misconception that you have to spend a lot of money, buy the priciest furnishings and fittings and use high end products to create that look - you don’t!

Putting a certain look together on a lower than expected budget can be challenging, but also be far more exciting and rewarding in the long term. Sourcing is key and putting things together properly. Even the most fancy of homes where expensive brand names have been used, including the most expensive paints, fabrics and lighting systems, will very often

look far from luxurious if they have been put together by someone without the skills to do the job. In fact this will often stick out like a sore thumb and the result will rather resemble a “flash” interiors store. So…luxury does not have to mean wealth; luxury does not have to mean expensive. But to be true to it’s meaning it should appear to be both of those things…a good look, the look you want can be delivered provide it is done with creativity, care and expertise.

Jude Adams The Little Funky Design company www.thelittlefunkydesigncompany.co.uk jude@thelittlefunkydesigncompany.co.uk 07795 424070

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GARDENS

FAMILY FRIENDLY GARDENS

- with style! WORDS BY IAN DEXTER

Mention the word ‘child friendly’, or ‘family friendly’ garden and immediately all thoughts of a stylish outdoor living space fly out of the window, to be replaced with images of sterile, uninspiring and generally cluttered outside play zones. 34

PROFILE However, creating a fantastic garden that not only provides a safe but also inviting area for children to play in does not need to be at the expense of all the other desirable benefits which go hand in hand with a great outside living space. A well thought out outdoor room is capable of delivering a host of features combining the need for a dedicated play area, alfresco entertainment, relaxing retreat, stunning planting and even the ubiquitous grow your own vegetable patch! Careful planning and inventive design flair are what is required to ensure that the quest to create a haven where children can indulge their love of outdoor play does not supersede the needs of other family members, nor compromise the overall aesthetic appeal of the garden. A point well summarised by Sunday Telegraph writer and motherof-two Bunny Guinness who says in her book ‘Family Gardens’; “we seem to veer between extremes, either the whole garden becomes merely an area to contain plastic climbing frames and the like, that make any attempt to create an attractive garden impossible, or else any hint of family fun is banished, sacrificed to the cause of a garden that is purely for admiring”. Cool fun Creating a garden that is FUN as well as safe can be a challenge in its own right. No one wants to dampen youth’s spirit for adventure, but nor do parents want to have to constantly stand guard to police behaviour around potentially hazardous (and therefore ultra attractive to kids!)

features. The introduction of enticing cool dens, secret footpaths and even a mini raised bed to fire the enthusiasm to join the GYO revolution can do wonders to capture the imagination of most children - but without jeopardizing their safety. Balance this with the all important bespoke active play zone where equipment such as climbing frames, swings, slides and trampolines can be installed - ideally on a recommended play surface and well away from any concreted play areas, walls, fences or large bushes - and your kids will be happy to idle away the hours in the great outdoors.

living. However, you also need to be aware of the need for easy access to the kitchen and a power source for outdoor lighting or sound systems. Shading is also important when addressing the ideal spot for outdoor eating but this can generally be easily remedied by introducing a parasol, contemporary sail or even specialist awning. And remember to replace any damaged pavers as soon as cracks appear or if they work loose, since these can so often be responsible for causing a child to endure a nasty trip. Always ensure paving is laid properly by a professional (especially on steps).

Partition perfection

Maintenance matters

Knowing your kids are safe and having fun is one matter, but you don’t necessarily want their outdoor room dominating the whole garden landscape. This is where employing creative screening to divide the outdoor space into ‘rooms’ can come into its own. Natural hedging, fort like palisades (which will also double up as a means of protecting choice shrubs), living willow screens or ‘fedge’ (cross between a fence and a hedge), chunky pergolas or designer inspired unusual fencing panels can all be used to great effect to introduce a sense of structure and organised order into your outdoor space.

A fabulous garden will soon lose its appeal if most of the family’s leisure time is spent maintaining (rather than enjoying) it. Don’t opt for a dramatic large, curving lawn as the focal point for your garden unless you are prepared to invest the necessary amount of time to retains its good looks. Consider the inclusion of mowing strips around any grassed areas to make child’s play of keeping lawn edges neat and manicured. Talk to your designer about the use of coloured aggregates, mulches and gravel to help keep weeds at bay in plant borders and if you plan to include a heavy emphasis on specimen plants which require careful nurturing, discuss the option of installing an automated irrigation system.

Alfresco dining Most families will want to have the opportunity to enjoy eating alfresco when the weather permits so it is important to factor this feature into any garden make over plans. A dedicated surface which will comfortably house a table and chairs is an obvious starting point, ideally sited beyond the property’s patio doors to enable a seamless transition from indoor to outdoor

For more advice on how to create the perfect family garden, contact Lime Orchard on 0845 5391467 or visit www.limeorchard.co.uk for further details of the company’s garden transformation service.

SUN

GARDENS

...here comes the

With summer just around the corner there is plenty we can be doing to get our gardens ready for the warmer weather. To ensure your garden is beautiful all season long, take a look at our advice on springing into action for summer. Words by Natasha Roberts

luscious lawns

pruning

If your lawn is looking a bit worse for wear then now is the time to lay down new turf, put down lawn fertiliser and sprinkle grass seeds. As soon as there are signs of new growth then it is time to get out the mower and use it on a high setting.

It is important to give plants a good trim in spring so prune any shrubs, evergreen hedges and climbers, and remove dead leaves from perennials. Make sure you’ve given your tools a good sharpen to make quick, clean cuts.

plant & nourish

For a garden full of flowers this summer plant flowering bulbs now, taking care to choose colours which will compliment the rest of the garden. By putting peat down around the bases of acid loving plants, you will ensure your rhododendrons, magnolias, camellias, and azaleas will be in top condition for the summer months ahead.

an English rose If you are looking to achieve a traditional English look and a fragrant garden this summer, now is the time to plant lots of roses as well. They will need a lot of spraying to keep them in good condition but they are undoubtedly worth the effort.

Our ten top tips to get your garden ready for summer:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Don’t over-water the soil as seeds will decay with too much moisture.

Ensure the glass of your greenhouse is clean and clear to enable maximum light exposure to plants.

Always choose plump and firm bulbs, for the best results.

Bubble wrap serves as an excellent lining for pots and containers, whilst newspaper makes a great liner for hanging baskets.

Maintain roses all summer long by applying fertiliser and spray with fungicides.

Trap slugs by putting a small quantity of beer in a jar lid and setting it down amongst your plants.

Select the plants that will best suit your garden – always bear in mind light, shade, temperature and condition of the soil.

Do not plant too closely as this can cause plant diseases.

Keep a close watch on plants as they grow to enable you to eradicate any diseases quickly.

Prepare the soil thoroughly before planting, ensuring correct pH, texture and condition.

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Dining Club 500 will be launching their East Kent micro-network in the Spring of 2011. In excess of 10,000 membership cards will be distributed prior to the launch via local charities, fundraisers (such as hospitals, schools, churches and sports clubs) and selected resellers. We are looking to appoint 50 suitable restaurants across East Kent to join our network - quality restaurants that feel they can handle an additional 250 card holders, who on average will bring into each establishment approximately an additional 800 paying diners, all that Dining Club 500 ask of each restaurant is to provide their own unique concession for our card holders, this concession is entirely up to the discretion of the restaurant, all restaurants interested in finding out the full details on how to become a Dining Club 500 member restaurant please contact our sales director Mr Darren O’Connor on 07792-066863 alternatively you can email darren@diningclub500.com Every membership card is sold with a specially produced quality 24 page brochure that will feature every restaurant within this East Kent micro-network, this ‘free’ advertising will support every restaurant participating with editorial, contact details, news about their

establishment as well as their unique concession offered to Dining Club 500 membership card holders. Dining Club 500 will be appointing 3000 member restaurants across the whole of the UK throughout 2011, as well as our membership card being a lifelong benefit to our card holders, our membership cards are always accepted at every appointed Dining Club 500 member restaurant, making their one-off purchase price of just £24.99 unbelievable value, a really tangible beneficial asset to own. Dining Club 500 operates a fully updated web directory where every member restaurant is highlighted, many with video promos that offer the diner a unique insight into what the restaurant looks and feels like prior to their reservation.

For more information visit: www.diningclub500.com

GARDENS

Spring

Vegetable planting guide:

Words by Natasha Roberts

In the previous issue of EK One we looked at growing your own vegetables, a trend which has swept up and down the country. With over 15 million people already becoming self-sufficient fruit and vegetable growers, kitchen gardens are set to stay and here in the south east, with less rain and warmer temperatures, we are in the prime location to grow great food. For anyone longing to join in with this green-fingered garden revolution now is the time to start planting. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve laid out a spring guide to show you how to produce your very own delicious and nutritious vegetables this coming season. When choosing which vegetables to grow it is important to consider what sort of garden you have, because different vegetables will grow better and favour different conditions. In particular, consider how much space you have available, lighting and the condition of the soil. For most vegetables, it is best to wait until mid April or even May if you want to sow outdoors, so whilst we wait for the weather to warm up why not plant hardier

vegetables first, such as onions, radishes and potatoes. For onions, the best method is to purchase some sets from your garden centre and plant in a small shallow hole, ensuring just the neck is visible above the soil. Take care not to over-water them and ensure any weeds are quickly removed. The onions will be ready to dig up when the plant leaves turn yellow. Radishes, cauliflower, broad beans and carrots should not be sown in freshly manured soil, so ensure preparation is done some weeks (if not months) beforehand. Information on how deep to plant the seeds will vary according to type, which should be selected according to the conditions of your garden. Be sure to check the packet for instructions. If you have a spacious garden and wish to grow potatoes, take care to only purchase certified seed potatoes to minimise the risk of a diseased crop. They should be planted in rows about two feet apart and will be ready to harvest around 10 weeks later.

As the season progresses you can start planting more delicate vegetables, such as tomatoes; a favourite among vegetable growers. Begin by mixing compost with about a quarter as much vermiculite (which can be bought from your local garden centre) and fill your container to about 3 inches, then water. Sprinkle on just a few more seeds than you plan to grow and add a thin layer of vermiculite over the top. Leave on a windowsill for around eight weeks before dividing and transferring to larger containers.

REVIEW

An Italian in

Faversham If you happen to pass along Faversham creek, you will probably notice the beautifully converted mill building that is Posillipo’s newest presence in Kent. For the driver or pedestrian, the restaurant is a little more tucked away, just up from the high street, but still easily reachable. Words by Stuart Keeler

On arrival (as a driver), I was happy to see ample parking in front of the building, negating the all too common hassle of having to find a suitable parking space when dining out in more built up areas.

What I also noticed (being late in the evening) was the welcoming illuminations of the impressive glass-covered veranda that dominated the front entrance to the restaurant, which doubled up as a delightful outdoor dining area for hungry patrons. Service was exceptional right from the door; being welcomed in with a pleasant smile and a friendly attitude. Manageress Nora Björkqvist was herself working front of house and personally showed us to our table. Having personally dined in the Broadstairs sister-branch of the company, I was eager to see what the Faversham experience had to offer and how it would differ. Due to our early arrival, we were one of the evening’s first guests to arrive but before long the seats started to fill quickly and near the end of the evening we’d see almost all of the tables filled – quite an impressive boast for a restaurant that was still in it’s infancy!

Soon it was time to order our starters and we decided upon the Antipasto all Italiana for Two - a delicious sounding selection of cured meat, marinated vegetables, mozzarella, olives and bruschetta. We also opted for a Focaccie (hand stretched pizza bread) from their sizable range and upon recommendation from our attentive waiter, chose the Rosmarino; flavoured with rosemary, sea salt and garlic. Whilst waiting for our starters to be prepared, we noticed the vast amount of local artwork that dressed the walls. This served to add brightness and life into the atmosphere and also provided a good link to the local landscape and the artists within it. We also perused the leaflet that adorned our table, which detailed the events occurring in the forthcoming months. These include specially themed nights (including set menus), entertainment and live music, showing that the branch is creating diversity in its offerings. What this means is that rather than dining once and ticking the restaurant off your list of ‘establishments to try’, you will want to return to sample another night and the restaurant provides a welcoming hub to meet with friends, family or loved ones, whatever the occasion. Our starters arrived and the Antipasto was lovingly prepared and laid out on a large plate between my dining partner and myself. The Rosemarino Focaccie was a pleasant surprise. The strong garlic was offset by the ample rosemary that adorned the surface of the bread, delivering a delightfully balanced taste. For our mains, we both took the advice of our ever-attentive waiter Dylan and opted for the sea bass and king prawns in an olive oil, garlic, white wine and Amalfi lemon sauce. This was one of the many specials available on the day in addition to the regular running menu. Amalfi lemons, hailing from the Almafi coast region of Italy, are considered to be the ‘Prince of Italian lemons’ with an intense aroma and flavour perfect for cooking.

The bass was soft and cooked well, working beautifully with the Amalfi lemon and white wine sauce. The lemon flavour was certainly strong enough to give presence but was not overpowering as the flavours combined together. The king prawns were cooked to perfection; just enough to give them bite without drying them out through overcooking (something that I personally hate to see). Suitably full after our generous portions, I couldn’t leave without sampling a dessert. I scoured the board for something petite but satisfying and settled for vino and biscotti - a glass of fine dessert wine with biscotti biscuits. My dining partner chose something a little more adventurous in the form of warm chocolate fondant with ice cream. Upon their arrival, both of us were impressed with the presentation of my partner’s dessert, complete with a negative

impression of a fork in cocoa dusting! It not only looked good but tasted wonderful too, with the perfect texture of hot oozing fondant and fresh tasting cold ice cream melting in the mouth. My dessert wine was a refreshingly light end to my meal and the crunchy biscotti complimented it well. As we finished, Dylan came back over to not only clear our plates but also offer us anything else we desired from menu and bar. As mentioned earlier the service was exceptional and Dylan’s personal attentiveness no less so. We were made to feel that he genuinely cared for our needs and although (as a waiter should) he visited many tables that night, he always made us feel that he was dealing with us on a personal level. Nora was also busy during the night, attending to tables herself and talking with the customers to make sure everything was just right. With such high service, good food and value for money dining, Posillipo in Faversham is a very welcoming restaurant that you will want to go back to again and again. I can imagine how delightful it must be in the summer to sit outside for lunch and relax on the riverbank watching the world go by.

Further Information: Posillipo Faversham Provender Mill, Belvedere Road, Faversham, ME13 7LD 01795 590580 norabjorkqvist@posillipo.co.uk www.posillipo.co.uk

RECIPE RICHARD PHILLIPS With an early restaurant career starting off at London’s famous Savoy Hotel, going on to work alongside the likes of the Roux Brothers at La Gavaroche and then becoming Head Chef for Marco Pierre White at The Criterion, Mirabelle and Les Saveurs, it’s no wonder Richard Phillips had his own Michelin starred restaurant by the age of 29. Further excellent grounding prepared him for creating his own restaurant, having come from two years with the Schrager Hotel Group, putting together and directing teams in both the Sanderson Hotel and St Martin’s Lane, the first hotels owned by this group outside United States. After his runaway success with that first restaurant Thackeray’s, in Tunbridge Wells and then Hengist in Aylesford, Richard took the opportunity in 2008 to create another outstanding restaurant, this time alongside England’s leading wine producer. Having recently been awarded two AA rosettes and Kent English Restaurant of the Year 2009, Richard Phillips at Chapel Down is fast becoming East Kent’s leading restaurant experience. At the same time as being at the helm of these three thriving restaurants, Richard is now a recognised television personality, regularly appearing on popular shows including ‘Ready Steady Cook’, ‘Saturday Kitchen’ and ‘Daily Cooks Challenge’. Follow Richard on twitter @RPhillipsChef or join the facebook group ‘Richard Phillips Restaurants Kent’ for up to date restaurant information and the latest special offers.

Steamed Rhubarb Sponge with Vanilla Custard Serves 6 Sponge puddings

Vanilla Custard

350g rhubarb (diced)

125ml milk

3 large eggs, separated

250ml double cream

100g caster sugar

1 vanilla pod (split and seeds scraped)

½ vanilla pod (split) 20g butter, melted 150ml buttermilk

4 egg yolks 75g caster sugar

190g self raising flour, sifted ½ tsp baking powder

METHOD Sponge Puddings 1. Preheat the oven to 180°c. 2.

Reserve 100g of rhubarb for a purée and cook the remaining 250g for a few minutes in sugar syrup, to take away the bite. Allow to cool.

Butter and sugar 6 x 200ml pudding moulds, then divide the 250g of cooled rhubarb between the moulds.

Beat the egg whites to a stiff peak. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until light and fluffy.

Scrape the seeds of the vanilla pod into the egg yolk mix, then stir in the melted butter and buttermilk.

Gently mix in the flour and baking powder to form a batter, then fold in the egg whites.

Spoon the mix into the prepared moulds, leaving a slight gap at the top of the mould.

Stand the moulds in a water bath and cover with tin foil

Cook for 30 minutes, rotating halfway through cooking.

10. Remove from the water bath and allow to sit for a few minutes. Vanilla Custard

Bring the milk, cream and vanilla to the boil.

Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until pale and creamy.

Whisk the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture.

Place into a bowl over a Bain Marie and stir until the desired consistency is achieved.

Pass through a fine sieve and serve immediately.

To serve: 1.

Turn out the sponge into the centre of the bowl, pour a little of the rhubarb purée over the top then drizzle the warm custard around.

www.pearsonsarmsbyrichardphillips.co.uk www.richardphillipsatchapeldown.co.uk www.thackerays-restaurant.co.uk www.hengistrestaurant.co.uk

AGE & SONS “

The finest restaurant in Thanet opened last year: Age & Sons, a three-storey conversion of a warehouse in a courtyard behind the seafront. Don’t miss co-owner Harriet Leigh’s mind blowing expresso martinis in the basement bar.

”

Stephen Emms, The Observer

Michelin Bib Gourmand Award 2010 The Independent Food & Drinks Award 2009 – Runner up “Best Restaurant” Kent Restaurnt Awards 2010 – “Best Café”

Age & Sons Restaurant & Café Bar Charlotte Court, Ramsgate, Thanet, Kent CT11 8HE Tel: 01843 851515 www.ageandsons.co.uk

Andalucian Arabic Cuisine

www.cafemauresque.com 8 Butchery Ln Canterbury CT1 2JR 01227 464 300

RECIPE JASON FREEDMAN: Life started for Jason as a 15-year-old kitchen porter in Canterbury on leaving school. Moving away to work in Southampton Restaurants, he rose through the ranks eventually gaining the experience to man the helm of a string of beautiful country pubs and hotels in Kent. By 1995 he was running his own successful and reputable outside-catering company. 2003 saw him purchase a traditional but very seasonal beach-side cafĂŠ in panoramic Minnis Bay. He seized the opportunity to transform and create a restaurant that reflected his ethos and personality. Jason champions home-cooking, fresh local produce, local suppliers and the local community. In seven short years and despite a devastating fire in 2009 he established a beacon in Thanet. The Minnis is recognised for its inventive, constantly evolving menu and has garnered a reputation for quality and ethically sourcing its products. Its testament is in attracting repeat custom from around the country, as well as the local county. The young kitchen porter is now a mature successful chef, established businessman, irrepressible, enthusiastic and above all well respected - backed by a very loyal, very local team.

Crispy Duck Egg with Bacon & Watercress Puree

Serves 4

Carefully peel the duck eggs and leave to one side.

Deep-fry the coated duck eggs in hot oil for 4 minutes until crispy.

4 fresh farm duck eggs

Blanch the watercress in salted boiling water, remove and refresh in cold water.

Drain the watercress and place into a food processor with the vegetable stock. Blitz until smooth and pass through a sieve to remove any small bits that remain.

Gently heat the watercress puree and pour into four deep bowls. Place the crispy duck egg in the centre and top with the crispy bacon.

12 rashers sweet cured streaky bacon 1 bunch watercress 500ml vegetable stock 1 egg beaten Plain flour Breadcrumbs Oil (for deep frying) Method

Bring a pan of water to a rapid boil and gently immerse the duck eggs.

Cook for 5 minutes, remove and refresh in cold water.

Place the bacon on a baking tray and cook in a hot oven until crispy (usually 5-6 minutes).

Roll the peeled duck eggs in flour to coat and then roll in the beaten egg, making sure that it is well covered. Finally roll in the breadcrumbs, making sure it is completely covered.

At The Minnis we cure our own bacon for this dish, but for ease I recommend using a good sweet dry cured bacon.

The Minnis Bar & Restaurant The Parade Birchington, Kent CT7 9QP Tel: 01843 841844 E.Mail: the.minnis@virgin.net

COCKTAILS

Get ready for summer Try my English Garden cocktail, it’s refreshing, light, green and vibrant; everything you would associate with Kent – ‘The Garden of England’. You will need: 20ml elderflower infused gin 20ml cucumber infused gin 15ml sugar syrup 10ml freshly squeezed lime juice 50ml pressed apple juice To garnish: Julienne of cucumber Sprig of mint

Method: 1.

Place the infused gins, sugar syrup and lime juice into a cocktail shaker.

Fill with ice and shake hard to an eight second count.

Pour out into an ice filled glass and top up with apple juice

Garnish with cucumber and/or mint as desired.

LEE’S Top Tip I always like to infuse my own alcohols because it gives real punch to a cocktail and allows you to give it your own personal touch. Infuse the alcohol with your chosen ingredient(s) for at least a week. The longer you can leave it the better and more intense the result will be. If you haven’t got time to infuse your own gin then we would recommend Hendricks as a cucumber based gin, available in most supermarkets, and Knockeen Hills elderflower gin, available online.

Lee Andrews is the resident cocktail expert at Age & Sons Ramsgate. Always experimenting with new brands, Lee is at the forefront of developments in the cocktail industry.

The Minnis Bar & Restaurant

Tel: 01843 841844

e.mail: the.minnis@virgin.net www.theminnis.co.uk

REVIEW

Words by Antony Holter

Peens

Situated seconds from Broadstairs luxurious sands lies Peens; a welcoming vibrant gastro bar with a reputation that could rival the best. On our arrival we were welcomed by a relaxed yet sophisticated décor, before being greeted by chef and proprietor Matt Peen. Matt described to us how before arriving in November 2005, the building was a rundown old ice cream parlour before he decided to undertake the conversion into the popular dining establishment it is today. Having always had a connection to the local area, Matt felt that it was important to use local produce in his cooking, sourcing his meat, fish and as many ingredients as he can from local suppliers, some of which comes from the harbour mere yards away. As we sat down we were served a delicious jug of homemade lemonade, which brought back fond memories of summer for me. It wasn’t long before the starters arrived; king prawns with a little kick of chilli and a plate of beautifully cooked sardines which were divine. The fish melted in the mouth and offered a great taste of the seaside to start our dining experience. With a glass of lemonade to freshen up the palate we were ready for the next course and after the quality of the starters, expectations were high. Our next course was succulent filets of smoked mackerel on a bed of greens, with crispy pancetta and sautéed potatoes. The mackerel was very flavourful and the moist texture perfectly complimented the slight crunch coming from the pancetta.

After sampling some superb fish dishes, it was time for the main event; roasted pork belly with crackling served with mashed potatoes and garlic spinach. The pork was cooked plain and simple - no fuss, just real care and attention to roasting the joint well, which was refreshing to hear. This resulted in very tender pork which just got better with every mouthful. This had to be my personal dish of the day! Almost full, we ploughed on - it seemed a shame to miss out on the fabulous food Matt was spoiling us with. Next on the agenda was devilled Kidneys on toast. Now, kidneys I have to say are not really one of my favourite things to eat, but I am glad I tried them! The Kidneys were cooked well and accompanied by a lovely rich, strong sauce which had a powerful kick to it. The lovely chunk of toasted bread served well to mop up all that was left of the sauce. With all the mains sampled, it was time for dessert and I was unsure if I was going to be able to fit it in, but I simply had to - I have never turned down a desert so I am not going to start now! We were presented with two desserts; one was a wonderfully creamy and light crème brûlée with a pleasantly glazed top, the other a deliciously rich chocolate treat, which served as a perfect way the end the meal. Peens have built a local reputation with a lot of regular, loyal customers and it’s not hard to see why. A friendly atmosphere is combined with a menu where every dish is cooked to perfection, using wonderfully fresh local produce.

GIFTS

Easter Gifts & Trails Words by Natasha Roberts

With the East Kent countryside in bloom and the scent of freshly mowed grass in the air, Easter is a wonderful time to share with your nearest and dearest. Of course Easter wouldn’t be Easter without fine food and delicious gifts so take a look at EK One’s recommendations to make this one to remember. It’s always nice to send out good wishes at Easter so pop along to Marks and Spencer to choose from their delightful range. If you have small children who enjoy arts and crafts they will be sure to enjoy one of the many DIY card kits available at shops such as WHSmiths. If you are a health conscious parent and want to give your child a non-chocolate gift, Marks and Spencer do a gorgeous little waddling duck whilst the bedtime ‘snuggle bunny’ puppet book from John Lewis makes another delightful option. If you are searching for a gift for a baby

they also do a very sweet range of rabbit soothers and blankets. To make your table extra special for Easter Sunday, head on down to John Lewis and visit their range of Easter tableware, which offers everything from egg wreaths and cosies to tablemats and crackers. For anyone who fancies doing some baking take a look at the BBC Good Food website for recipes on how to make everything from hot cross buns and simnel cakes to Easter muffins and spiced fruit loaf.

To keep the children out from under your feet while you cook the dinner, make use of the Easter Egg Hunt pack available at Waitrose. They also do an impressive, not to mention delicious, range of larger Easter eggs which suit every age and taste. For an even wider selection pop into Hotel Chocolat who do a range of unusual chocolates as well as luxurious Easter eggs. If you don’t feel like staying in for Easter then why not attend a giant Easter egg hunt such as the one in Hartsdown Park, Margate or the Annual Easter Egg Trail at Hever Castle. Alternatively, pay a visit to the National Trust’s Knole in Sevenokas, which offers children the chance to take part in Easter Trails and an enjoyable day out for the whole family.

JUSTFITTEDKITCHENS For a kitchen that is more than just a little bit special...

Why not take a visit to Just Fitted Kitchens - with the ability to manufacture their handmade kitchens in any shape, size, height and colour you really can style your kitchen to your own exacting requirements, whilst still maintaining the highest quality for less than you may think. Offering an individual service that can cover every element of your new kitchen from the latest appliances at trade prices, worktops of any kind to a team of experienced fitters, plumbers and electricians. Customer service is a priority for this low overhead, value for money company so whether you are looking for a hand-painted, wooden or modern hi-gloss kitchen make Just Fitted Kitchens top of your list for 2011. For customers who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need the complete service Just Fitted Kitchens offer a cost effective and highly successful supply only service.

01227 730537 www.justfittedkitchens.com

FASHION

Two trendy...

in association with Fenwicks

Watercolour Dress ÂŁ169, Damsel in a Dress

Lily Diva Dress ÂŁ149, Damsel in a Dress

FASHION

Daisy Dress £169, Damsel in a Dress

Filligree Dress ÂŁ169, Damsel in a Dress

FASHION

Tie Cardigan Jueles ÂŁ75, Masai

Holly Dress ÂŁ79, Masai

FASHION

Honora Dress ÂŁ79, Masai

Petra Trousers ÂŁ79, Masai

FASHION

Bags of

Style

This spring we are talking about handbags and how to make them work best for us. Handbags come in all shapes and sizes, just like we do. The right bag can help accentuate some of our best features, while drawing attention away from areas we’re not too keen on.

If you are petite, it’s best to avoid the larger carryalls. These tend to overwhelm a smaller frame, making it appear shorter than it is. Instead try a cute clutch, which can be used day or night. These also look great in bold colours and patterns, as they can add flair to your ensemble without drawing attention to your height.

For the pear-shaped girl, a shorter-strapped bag works best by drawing attention up and away from the areas you would rather not accentuate, as opposed to a bag with longer straps that grazes the hip. You don’t want a bag that will draw attention down towards your hips and thighs. Wearing it higher up and throwing in a splash of colour will keep the eyes off your problem area.

An apple-shaped body would be most complimented by a bag that hangs lower down. You want the bag to accentuate your hips rather than your upper body, as well as lengthening your waist. A small clutch also works well for this body type and the latest trend is carrying a clutch as your everyday bag, which is flattering to the figure

While boy-shaped types can get away with pretty much any size and shape of bag, bright colours and geometric patterns work well to add some definition to an otherwise curve-less shape. Hip skimming bags can add some oomph to small hips and a cute flirty handbag can define narrow shoulders when worn on the arm.

Adding the right handbag for your body is a simple and effective way to flatter your figure. After all, you wouldn’t want to wear jeans that didn’t make your bum look fantastic right? So why carry a bag that doesn’t fit you fabulously? The Guess spring 2011 collection is now in store at Design 29, alongside Emporio Armani, DKNY and many more. For more information, visit www.design29.org

FASHION

Deborah Eastlake is a Personal Style Advisor at Ashford Designer Outlet. She has picked out some on trend Spring/Summer outfits from the centre to suit your body shape, whatever it may be. Deborah has spent years in London running a Vintage Clothing boutique, she has sold clothes to many high profile customers such as; Jenny Packam, Kate Moss and Jean Paul Gautier. She has since returned to her home town in Kent and started working as a Style Advisor for Ashford Designer Outlet. Top Heavy Minimize your bust by wearing a natural colour on your top, match with printed trousers to balance your figure. Larger handbags are also better on your frame; this one from NEXT Outlet is a great find. Black body from NEXT Outlet - Outlet Price £12.00, Animal print Hareem trousers from NEXT Outlet Outlet price £14.00, Wide Belt from NEXT Outlet - Outlet price £5.00, Black bag from NEXT Outlet - Outlet price £14.00

solutions for your shape 64

Petite Figure

Slender Figure

Hour Glass Figure

Go for a dress that finishes above the knee, block colours and brights are great for this season and perfect for your figure. Be brave with this must have bright pink cardigan form Phase Eight.

Feminine nudes are back in Trend for this Spring/Summer, add a skinny belt to your straight up and down figure to form a waist. I love this skinny animal print belt from VERO MODA.

Purple Dress from Phase Eight - RRP £71.25 Outlet price £66.50, Pink Cardigan from Phase Eight - RRP £49.00 Outlet price £34.30, Long Beads from Phase Eight - RRP £39.00 Outlet price £19.50

White vest top from GAP - Outlet Price £8.99 or 2 for £12.99, High Waisted trousers from VERO MODA - Outlet Price £32.00, Cardigan with detail on cuff from VERO MODA - RRP £18.00 Outlet Price £12.00, Animal print Belt from VERO MODA - Outlet Price £5.00

Accentuate your fantastic waist by placing a large belt over this ladylike dress, push your sleeves up to make them 3/4 length as this will flatter your waist line too! This versatile little jacket from VERO MODA is a sound investment for this summer. 50's style Print Dress from VERO MODA - RRP £48.00 Outlet price £34.00, Wide Belt from VERO MODA - Outlet price £5.00, Biker Jacket from VREO MODA - RRP £39.00 Outlet price £20.00

Visit Deborah at the Outlet for advice on how to dress for your body shape as well as colours that suit you the best, she can also suggest new styles and ideas, and show you where all the best bargains are hidden; sign up for a 2 hour free appointment via the website www.ashforddesigneroutlet.com Phone 01233 695903 or email personalstylist@ ashforddesigneroutlet.com

WELLBEING

Spring Clean EK One investigates the nuances of colonic hydrotherapy. Is it really as scary as it sounds?

If you’re still feeling a bit bloated after the Christmas and New Year indulgences and want to give your insides a refresh then colonic hydrotherapy might be your answer. Colonic hydrotherapy is a safe and effective way of cleansing the colon of waste material by repeated gentle flushing of water which is inserted into the colon through the rectum. Waste material builds up in our colons and can become toxic if it remains for some time leading to a variety of health symptoms, a reduced ability for our body to absorb nutrients, and sluggish bowel movements. There are a few clinics that offer this service in in the East Kent area but I popped down to the Burlington Hotel in Folkestone where the newly opened Trinity Clinic operates from on the ground floor. It’s owner, Kelly Sanguiseppe, is incredibly friendly and will immediately help to put you at ease with a welcoming smile and an offer of mineral water. Kelly will then talk through your medical history and any symptoms or discomfort you may be suffering from so as to better understand how you could benefit from colonic hydrotherapy. After your treatment she may make recommendations regarding your diet or concerning supplements that could aid your digestive system. Having completed the initial consultation I was taken through to the treatment and asked to change into a wrap around towel in the bathroom designated to clinic visitors only. Once settled on the couch I began by lying on my side so that the tube could be inserted easily. The insertion part is admittedly a little uncomfortable

but doesn’t remain so. After insertion Kelly helped me to lie on my back before beginning the treatment. The whole treatment lasts approximately 45 minutes to an hour and involves several gallons of water being let into your colon, gentle stomach massage, and water and waste being let out again. This process is repeated several times and I found it to be mildly uncomfortable from time to time due to blockages. Most people do not experience discomfort but those who suffer from digestive problems, such as IBS, may have some small patches of discomfort. On completion of the treatment I was given plenty of time in the bathroom to make myself comfortable and change. Kelly allows half an hour at the end of each treatment for visitors to ensure they are comfortable before their journey home. I felt quite sleepy for the rest of the afternoon but reaction to the treatment can vary from person to person, some will feel completely energised afterwards. However I woke up the next day to a completely flat stomach and feeling very light which was a wonderful feeling. I will definitely be going back. The Trinity Clinic has started working together with the director of The Cleansing For Life! method, Anne-Lise Miller, to introduce a new programme of detox breaks to the Burlington Hotel this spring. These vary in length from three days to ten days and aim to deeply cleanse and detoxify your body through controlled vegetable juice fasting, colonic hydrotherapy, massage and saunas.

For more information please visit: www.trinity-wellbeing.co.uk www.cleansingforlife.co.uk

indy Crawford has recently teamed up with her personal dermatologist of many years and well known antiageing guru; Dr Jean-Louis Sebagh to produce an affordable skincare line that will leave the skin feeling rejuvenated and diminish redness and dry patches.

Supermodel Beauty

What sets these apart from other antiageing products is apparently an extract from a rare and unique cantaloupe melon, which is known for its antioxidant properties. Here comes the science bit. Antioxidants are molecules that can be found in many foods as well as dietary supplements and they are believed to promote health and perhaps even prevent diseases. Free radicals, on the other hand, are the bad guys and are responsible for tissue damage and ageing. Antioxidants can prevent the free radicals from inflicting extensive damage and wrinkles on our skin, which is caused by the depletion of collagen levels. With this secret weapon to combat the signs of ageing, the introductory kit, which retails at £29.99, includes 5 products including a lovely smelling Glowing Serum. For further information: www.meaningfulbeauty.co.uk 0808 161 2019

ccording to their website, Bremenn Research Labs is about solving specific problems in specific areas of the body, rather than just creating yet another wrinkle cream and their latest products; the Instant Forehead Smoother and the 6 in 1 Miracle Skin Cream, come with promises of reducing deep furrows, brightening the appearance of the skin and maintaining elasticity and tone. Slightly suspicious of such lofty claims, I decide to put the products to the test and with a 100% money-back guarantee, if I’m not entirely satisfied with the purchase I have nothing to lose, apart from some crow’s feet and fine lines. If you’re after that ironed look sported by the likes of Jordan and Kylie Minogue, you will be disappointed because Botox this isn’t but I have been slightly surprised to see that the lines on my forehead do appear slightly less pronounced and as you only have to apply it sparingly, the jar will go a long way. For further information: www.victoriahealth.com Available at Harvey Nichols, Selfridges and Urban Retreat Harrods.

Botox in a Jar? 67

WELLBEING

Words by Anne Nielsen

Full Body MOT - VIP style Having suffered from back pain since I was 18 when I was diagnosed with a degenerative L5 disc, I’m on a mission to find out why the symptoms persist.

‘irregular’ from the conversation between Julie and Kristin. However, once I’m on the treadmill for the exercise stress test, the irregularity seems to disappear and I’m later informed there’s no need for concern.

With the NHS being of no help, I find myself at Preventicum, the crème de la crème of private clinics, which boasts state of the art technology including the pièce de résistance; a radiation free MRI scanner.

Slightly sweaty after my uphill walk (I decline to run due to my back problems), it’s time for the ultrasound and Yogini first looks at the arteries in my neck while explaining that more and more young people have furring in these arteries which can obstruct blood flow. She pronounces mine fur free and I’m handed over to the radiologist for the MRI scan, which I’m slightly apprehensive about. Through a small mirror above my head I can see Naomi and Matt, which is comforting and I can hit a buzzer if I need to talk to them. The first scan starts and in between each scan I’m told how long the next will take. Before I know it I’ve been in there for 45 minutes and the loud noise the scanner makes is strangely relaxing.

On arrival I’m taken to my own private room, which resembles a luxury hotel with comfortable cream leather chairs, a desk and TV. My check-up starts off with nurse Julie taking a blood sample for more than 40 blood tests, which is then couriered to a lab in the West End and the results will be back in a couple of hours. I then have a physical examination with Medical Director Dr Savin who talks me through the medical questionnaire I filled in beforehand. Physical over, I’m handed back to Julie and the centre’s Cardiac Physiologist, Kristin for a lung capacity test. My first attempt is pathetic so I give it another go and it’s all good. I’m then wired up for the ECG but before I even hit the treadmill, I pick out ‘premature’ and

It’s back to Yogini again for another ultrasound, this time of my abdomen, pelvis and bladder and the last in this barrage of tests is a hearing test followed by a glaucoma test and it’s finally time for lunch. I then sit down with Dr Savin for my results

and although my cholesterol is above the recommended level, he assures me I have a lot of good cholesterol and have less than 1 % risk of having a heart attack in the next 10 years. Consultant Radiologist, Dr Babar, however, has less good news about my back as it turns out L4 and L3 are also showing signs of degeneration but they are not pressing on any nerves. We turn to look at my brain in all its weird and wonderful glory and with a DVD of the MRI images, I finally leave after 4 hours and I will receive a full report in the next couple of weeks. This level of expertise, service and professionalism does come with a price tag that some people may find prohibitive but you really cannot put a price on your health. If you haven’t made a New Year’s resolution yet, maybe this could be it: invest in your health. I know I will.

For further information: Prices start at £675. www.preventicum.co.uk Preventicum, Shepherds West, Rockley Road, London W14 0DA 020 7605 6900

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WIN!

WIN

‘KEY TO THE CASTLE’ TICKETS FOR LEEDS CASTLE

Leeds Castle is Kent’s beautiful Royal Palace, having been home to six Medieval Queens during its 900year history and a preferred residence of Henry VIII. Enjoy a spring walk around the gardens and grounds of the castle and visit the Aviary - home to over 100 species of birds from all over the world. Lady Baillie kept exotic birds for much of her life, specialising in Australian Finches and Parakeets. Tours take place daily. Now is a fantastic time to visit, with a full calendar of events planned for 2011 including a live outdoor screening of the Royal Wedding, Spring into Easter, Medieval Jousting plus two exciting new attractions coming soon. Look out for the exciting Siege! attraction which will open in the Spring. EK One have teamed up with Leeds Castle to offer one lucky reader a family Key to the Castle ticket, which will last for a whole year and allow you entry to many included daytime events. There are also three runners up prizes of a pair of Key to the Castle tickets up for grabs. With a ‘Key to the Castle’ ticket, you can visit the Leeds Castle as many times as you like for a whole year.

For your chance to win, simply answer the following question:

What is the name of one of the new attractions coming to Leeds Castle in 2011? Email your answer, name, address and telephone number to win@ek-one.co.uk to be in with a chance of winning.

East Kent Farmers Markets

March/April CAPEL-LE-FERNE Village Hall, Lancaster Avenue 10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th March 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th April

HYTHE Methodist Church Hall, Prospect Road 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. 12th, 26th March 9th, 23rd April

WHITSTABLE

DEAL Town Hall, High Street 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th March 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th April

St. Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hall, Oxford Street 9:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. 12th, 26th March 9th, 23rd April

ELHAM CHARTHAM COMMUNITY Village Hall, Station Road 2:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th, 31st March 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th April

The Rose and Crown (Courtyard), High Street 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. 13th, 27th March 10th, 24th April

ST. MARGARETS-AT-CLIFFE WHITFIELD Village Hall, Sandwich Road 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th, 31st March 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th April

CHALLOCK Memorial Hall, Blind Lane 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. 4th, 18th March 1st, 15th April

WYE The Small Green 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. 5th, 19th March 2nd, 16th April BRIDGE Red Lion Pub, High Street 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. 12th, 26th March 9th, 23rd April

Village Hall, Reach Road 9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. 25th March 29th April

SANDWICH Guidhall, Cattle Market 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. 26th March 30th April

CLIFTONVILLE Oval Lawns, Eastern Esplanade 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. 27th March 24th April

WAREHORNE Village Hall, Church Road 10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. 27th March 24th April

For more markets & information: www.kfma.org.uk

FINANCE

WHEN DOES A BAND Words by Stuart Miller

BECOME A BUSINESS? Over the past few years, H M Revenue & Customs (HMRC) started a major crackdown on groups of people who are making money and not declaring it as earned income. Over the last year, one of the most common targets for HMRC has been musicians. There is a belief amongst many musicians that they don’t have to declare their income until they are signed to a record label and are making a lot of money. Based on HMRC guidelines, any person receiving payment for a service or make use of their skills should declare this under self-assessment. Therefore, if you have ever received income from performing in a band or as a solo artist, you should be declaring this income. Now, I’ll be honest, this does seem a little excessive if you’re only making £10 here and there for the odd gig. I’m not saying that everyone should start panicking that they’re going to be investigated by HMRC for not declaring income or registering themselves as self-employed musicians but if it is discovered that you haven’t declared this income, you could receive penalties and be charged interest on any unpaid tax. It should also be mentioned that HMRC are now keeping an eye on pubs and clubs which put on live music shows. These venues have now been asked to start keeping a record of the names and

addresses of all the people who they pay throughout the financial year for performing music. This information will be handed to HMRC on request.

employed musician within three months of your first paid gig. If you register after three months you could receive a penalty from HMRC of £100.00.

If you have to declare all your income, you can offset any expenses relating to your band against any income you receive. This can include expenses such as new guitar strings, drum sticks and advertising costs. You can also claim a proportion of rehearsal costs if you pay for a rehearsal space. If you have made a profit from your earnings after deductions, you would be taxed at the same rate as you would be through your employment income. However, if you have made a loss, you may be able to offset this against your employment earnings. This could lead to you receiving a tax rebate.

Keep a record of all the venues that you perform at along with the dates and income you receive. As a majority of your income will be paid to you in cash, there will be no paper trail and this is why keeping a record is important.

As mentioned in this article, any income received outside of your employment should be declared to HMRC. After speaking with an HMRC officer regarding this subject, their view is that while the income received initially is low and potentially loss making, throughout the year the income could increase substantially and therefore lead to a high tax liability. This is why all musicians should declare details of their income and expenditure to HMRC. If you are to register yourself as a selfemployed musician, I would suggest you do the following; Make sure you register yourself as a self-

Don’t include expenses that are unrelated to your performances. Despite what many musicians believe, buying alcohol before or after a gig does not count as a legitimate business expense! If you have any questions regarding this subject or if you have any other taxation queries, please feel free to send me an email or call me and I’ll be more than happy to help.

Stuart Miller Client Tax Manager Email: smiller@pentins.co.uk Tel: 01227 763400

St Lawrence College Junior School Co-educational, day & boarding school 3 - 11 years

✔

Traditional values

✔

Focused teaching

✔

Cutting-edge I.C.T.

✔

Small classes

✔

Outstanding facilities

✔

Excellent value

Independent Education can be more affordable than you think

Further information is available from the Junior School Secretary:

St Lawrence College Junior School, Ramsgate, Kent CT11 7AF Tel: 01843 572912 Email: mag@slcuk.com www.slcuk.com St Lawrence College exists to provide education for children. Charity No 307921 72

GADGETS

Good things come in small packages Meridian Audio prove they know a thing or two about sound processing with the compact yet fully featured M80 system. Words by Stuart KeeleR

Inside the beautifully curved EXTERIOR you’ll find all the technology that really makes this system sing. Fully digital, the M80 has powerful digital signal processing (DSP) technology behind the sound and gives real depth and clarity to the listener. DSP used to be a bad word years ago because many cheap systems that incorporated the technology utilised it poorly with inferior processing - trying to beef up an already poor sound, which resulted in aural mess. With experts in psychoacoustics and mechanical engineering in the form of Bob Stuart and Allen Boothroyd behind the Meridian legacy, you know that any product they design is going to be something a little special. The M80 certainly fits this ethos well. At their Cambridgeshire home of operations, the facility features a dedicated research and development team working hard every day to find new advances in sound technology. Some may think this is a trifling fact but much to the contrary; it proves that Meridian Audio are striving to be the best in their field to provide simply the finest listening experience across the board. They care for their customers and if you ever get the pleasure of meeting Bob or Alan, you will

quickly see that they are just two men that love listening to music! Meridian Audio is a passion for them, not just a business. How this relates to the M80 is the way in which that passion has discovered how to squeeze an amazing sound out of such a compact system. Featuring 80W of power, the dedicated left, right and sub drivers deliver an excellent balance of tones with perfect clarity. Even the enclosure has been carefully custom made using a mineralfilled composite to ensure maximum rigidity and stability, maximising the performance of the loudspeakers within. I tested the system both in my relatively small office and in the confines of my home. I can happily say that it coped with both environments very well, with absolutely no loss of performance or difference in sound. In fact, once home I could really test the M80, turning the volume up and allowing the music to fill the room. For 80W, the speakers sure do put out a lot of sound and happily broadcast in my living room with no distortion or change in bass response. That’s a key point to make here as well - whilst the M80 sounds great at high volume, it sounds no less exciting at more moderate levels thanks to the way the DSP handles the signal.

package consisting of CD and DVD player, analogue and digital radios, ipod connectivity via the dedicated i80 dock and a handy remote control. Connectivity is high too with plenty of input and output ports on the back allowing you to utilise the M80’s DSP system. Putting all the technology aside though, the M80 not only performs but looks delightful too. Each unit incorporates a hand-tooled leather strip along its crest (available in three colours) - crafted by experts with experience producing the finest leather for many luxury British cars. The Meridian Audio M80 is available now and priced at £1,495, which is a small price to pay for the incredible level of detail and expertise that graces this compact unit.

Further Information: www.meridian-audio.com

With the M80, you get the complete

(above) Chalk Stacks, Botany Bay, Margate (below) Cornfields, Whitfield Nr. Dover

(above) Chillenden Windmill (below) Night time snowy wander

(above) The Grand Shaft, Dover

(below) Sunset at Shakespears Beach, Dover

Our photographer Matt Bristow at Rubber Duck Does Photography shares his view of Kent. www.rubberduckdoes.com GET PUBLISHED! If you would like to see your photographs of Kent featured in the next issue of EK One then please email high-resolution images to info@ek-one.co.uk with details of where the image was taken and your contact information.

WHAT’S ON

Until 27th March Art in the Dockyard @ Chatham Dockyard Some of the best creative talent from Kent will be exhibited at The Historic Dockyard Chatham during February and March in No. 1 Smithery: The Gallery 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. The Historic Dockyard Chatham, Dock Road, Chatham, ME4 4TZ www.thedockyard.co.uk

11th March Beer & Food Night @ The Secret Garden, Mersham le Hatch A four course dinner, including beer tasting for £28.50pp. The evening will be hosted by Julian Hellington, Master Brewer - who will be giving a talk and also speaking to guests personally. The Beers will also be available to buy and take home at the end of the evening. Wine & other drinks also available. £28.50 per person 7:00 p.m. The Secret Garden, Hythe Road, Mersham le Hatch, Near Ashford, TN25 5NH 01233 501586 www.secretgardenkent.co.uk

15th March Opera Romantica @ Posillipo, Faversham Live Italian opera evening featuring Cameo Opera with a three course set menu. £32.95 Posillipo, Provender Mill, Belvedere Road, ME13 7LD www.posillipo.co.uk

21st March Jimmy Carr - Laughter Therapy @ Leas Cliff Hall ‘Laughter Therapy’ is Jimmy’s ninth solo show. It’ll be an evening of nonstop jokes, gags and banter. If you’ve got a sick sense of humour then maybe laughter is the best medicine. Not to be taken if you have a sensitive disposition or an overactive moral compass. £28.75 7:30 p.m. Leas Cliff Hall, The Leas, Folkestone, CT20 2DZ www.leascliffhall.org.uk

9th - 15th April The Castle Quest @ Dover Castle Follow the clues hidden around the castle and solve the mystery to earn a prize. Standard castle admission prices 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Dover Castle, east of Dover town centre, CT16 1HU www.english-heritage.org.uk

9th - 25th April Hopper’s Easter Eggstravaganza There’s a whole host of eggciting activities planned at the Hop Farm, including the chance to see cute spring animals and new attractions. Daily Easter Egg hunts will satisfy those with a sweet tooth and for the more creative types Easter Bonnet making in the Pottery Centre is a sure bet. Standard Hop Farm admission prices The Hop Farm, Paddock Wood, Tonbridge, TN12 6PY www.thehopfarm.co.uk

16th & 17th April Time Travellers Go… Gruesome @ Dover Castle For those with a stomach for the more gruesome side of history! Youngsters can journey into the horrors of medieval surgery and disease. Standard castle admission prices 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Dover Castle, east of Dover town centre, CT16 1HU www.english-heritage.org.uk

18th - 25th April Easter Quest Walmer Castle and Gardens Crack the clues to complete the ‘egg-citing’ trail! Find the missing eggs around the grounds and complete the Easter quest to be rewarded with a yummy Easter prize. Standard castle admission prices 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Walmer Castle & Gardens, Kingsdown Road, Deal, CT14 7LJ www.english-heritage.org.uk

22nd - 25th April Quex Easter Event Traditional Easter at Quex, join the Major in an Egg Hunt. Bonnet making and Easter Bonnet Parade, Egg Painting, Giant Easter Egg Raffle, Carriage Rides. Standard admission prices. 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Quex Park, Birchington, CT7 0BH www.quexmuseum.org

22nd - 25th April Easter Gardening Trail @ Leeds Castle The perfect spring weekend for the whole family. Children can follow a trail through the grounds to collect an Easter egg from the Bunny Burrows. Scarecrow and Easter craft activities will be on offer in a craft marquee on the pavilion lawn. Standard castle admission prices

29th April Fireworks & Open Air Cinema @ Leeds Castle Following the excitement of the royal wedding, Leeds Castle will be carrying on the celebrations into the evening with an open air screening of ‘Mamma Mia!’, followed by a fireworks display. Gates open 6:00 p.m. Adults: £20.00 / Children: £15.00 (Tickets must be pre-booked) 01622 880008 Leeds Castle, Maidstone, ME17 1PL www.leeds-castle.com

30th April ‘Have a Go’ Longbow @ Leeds Castle

Leeds Castle, Maidstone, ME17 1PL www.leeds-castle.com

22nd - 25th April Time Travellers Go… Through the Ages

Pre–book a practice archery session, perfect for anyone who has always wanted to have a go at firing a traditional longbow.

For those who wonder if they could have made it as a gladiator or a fearless knight! Find out as you travel through time and discover the tricks-of-the-trade of characters from the past.

£15.00 for a 45 minute session. Pre–registration required fraternity@longbow-archers.com www.longbow-archers.com

Standard castle admission prices 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Dover Castle, east of Dover town centre, CT16 1HU www.english-heritage.org.uk

29th April Royal Wedding Celebration @ Leeds Castle Commemorate the royal wedding of HRH Prince William of Wales to Miss Catherine Middleton at Leeds Castle. The Royal Wedding will be broadcast live on a big screen. Standard castle admission prices Leeds Castle, Maidstone, ME17 1PL www.leeds-castle.com

30th April - 2nd May Kent County Fair @ The Hop Farm Enjoy a great weekend package or a fun-packed family day out with undercover entertainment! For 2011, the show will be a celebration of Kent life, past and present, with an emphasis on Kentish crafts, Kent produce, poultry, wildlife, the history of hop picking in Kent, country dancing and the chance to experience old favorites along with some exciting new inclusions to the daily programme. There will also be live music throughout the day. Day ticket: £12.80 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. The Hop Farm, Paddock Wood, Tonbridge, TN12 6PY www.kentcountyfair.net

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Don’t miss out on Issue 12 of EK One published for May/June 2011. 78

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one

Weddings Your guide to the perfect Kentish wedding

GORGEOUS GOWNS Look the part with beautiful dresses

HONEYMOON HEAVEN Top destinations around the world

WEDDING FAYRE GUIDE

Explore the best outlets and suppliers 79

Gorgeous WEDDING

Samantha by Victoria Jane from Country Brides, Dover £1950

Emily by Beverly Lister £1900

Chapel by Beverly Lister £1950

White Rose Pearl from Bridal Way, Ramsgate £399

Jackie by Beverly Lister £1550

Gowns Jasmine by Beverly Lister £1945

By Alfred Angelo from Country Brides, Dover £1025

Lopez by Beverly Lister £2300

Lola by Beverly Lister £2000

1181 R E S TAU R A N T

The perfect venue

Licensed for Wedding & Civil Ceremonies 5 Acres of Gardens and Grounds From 20 to 100 Guests 15 Bedrooms Fresh Local Food Marquee Available Outdoor Wedding’s in the Lake View Gazebo The Perfect Romantic Setting for any Wedding

Please Contact Eva for all your wedding needs Tel: 01227 733892 • Email: hotel@howfield.net • Website: www.howfield.net * Midweek Specials * 82H OW F I E L D M A N O R H OT E L , H OW F I E L D L A N E , C H A RT H A M H ATC H , C A N T E R BU RY, K E N T C T 4 7 H Q

WEDDING

top tips for a

wonderful wedding

Spring Weddings Wedding planning and design company The Pink Pumpkin give ideas for the perfect Spring weddings… •

Spring is a fabulous time for a wedding and often has warm and dry weather, but it can be unpredictable so make sure you’re prepared for wet weather. Hire or buy pretty parasols such as those from Paradise Parasols, which can be in your colour scheme and really add a pretty touch

•

Take advantage of the gorgeous flowers that are available in the spring time – tulips, daffodils, narcissus and lots of other lovely delicate flowers are available. For an unusual centrepiece, use potted plants; cover the pot in a nice fabric or wallpaper and tie with ribbon. One of the guests on each table can then take the whole arrangement home at the end of the evening.

Wedding Trends

•

Give packets of seeds of the flowers used in your bouquet and the arrangements as favours.

The online wedding bloggers at RockMyWedding.co.uk give us their top ideas for the latest trends…

•

Spring is also a great time for seasonal food. Talk to your caterer about what is available; asparagus, Welsh lamb and rhubarb are all at their best during this time of the year and your wedding breakfast will taste amazing.

•

For spring colours, think pale lemons, lilac, pinks and fresh greens. Bridesmaids don’t have to wear identical dresses; either pick a colour and let them choose their own style, or perhaps have them in differing shades of the same hue. Or take inspiration from Sex and The City and have them in completely different dresses. You could incorporate a colour into your gown; a pale gold sash or some pastel coloured beading perhaps.

The gown with pockets - The last few years have seen the slinky, sexy evening-esque bridal gown reign supreme. In 2011 we predict a shift back towards the “big dress” only with a much more fashion forward vibe, we love the princess shapes that feature undeniably cool pocket detail in particular.

•

The ice-cream bar - The sweetie bar has been a huge hit over the last few years and we predict a similar selection of gorgeous treats for guests in 2011, only this time icecream will be the choice du jour! Brides can really go to town on the decor and presentation with a huge selection of flavours and delicious toppings.

•

Statement Jewellery - We are seeing more and more unique jewellery and embellished headpieces as wedding day accessories. We predict 2011 will see even more statement choices including cuff style bracelets and the use of coloured gems and stones, really representing the bride’s personal style and preferences.

•

Neutral is the new black - In terms of colour palette 2011 brides will be choosing soft muted neutrals with bridesmaids in flattering shades of beige, pale grey and flesh pink creating the perfect blank canvas for bold blooms and creative decor ideas.

For further information on The Pink Pumpkin visit www.thepinkpumpkin.co.uk

For further inspiration and trends visit www.rockmywedding.co.uk

heavenly hair

WEDDING

Parisian hair designer Severin Hubert predicts the trends for Summer 2011 bridal hair

• Brides will be looking for either a full up do or down look, rather than half up - half down and nothing too structured. • For a touch of Hollywood glamour, Rita Hayworth style curls will be popular – hair is styled down, creating big curls or to one side with waves for a natural look. • Contemporary vintage will be a key look combining 90s style with a twist of the 20s. Hair is styled with finger waves on the side with a messy side bun. • Large volume and backcombing will return. Brides will be looking to create a ‘Brigitte Bardot style’ for effortless glamour. • Sleek and Chic Parisian hairstyles. Again, nothing too structured with hair swept to one side creating a neat, high side bun. Founded by Parisian hair designer Severin Hubert and his partner Roz Edwards, The Hepburn Collection offers bespoke wedding hair design and a unique bridal concierge service. Since its launch in 1996, The Hepburn Collection has worked with some of the industry’s most reputable brands providing the highest levels of service and style for high profile clients both in the UK and internationally. For further information visit www.hepburncollection.com

The Secret Garden is situated on the beautiful peaceful Mersham Hatch Estate, formerly owned by Lord Brabourne. Occupying a 19th Century building once home to the estate’s horses & carriages, The Secret Garden can be found in a cobbled courtyard and once entering the courtyard, the reason for our name will become apparent. The main coach house can accommodate 60 - 120 guests and has large double doors that open onto a south facing undercover terrace which overlooks the beautiful walled Victorian gardens. The gardens incorporate a large kitchen garden where we grow seasonal fruit, vegetables & flowers and the well kept lawn is where you will find our marquee April to October. There is also a network of gravel paths, box hedging and ancient espalier fruit trees. The Secret Garden has quickly gained a reputation for excellent food, service and fine wines. We have been nominated in the top three of the Produced in Kent Best Restaurant awards for the last two years. We can cater for all requirements and pride ourselves in offering 1st class service which will make any event a truly remarkable occasion. Our team of Chefs will create a menu to suit any requirement or budget. Both the Main Coach House and terrace are licensed.

01233 501586 info@secretgardenkent.co.uk www.secretgardenkent.co.uk Stephanie Wanstall, Secret Garden, Hythe Road (A20), Mersham Le Hatch, Near Ashford, Kent, TN25 5NH

…...a naturally inspiring wedding venue on the East Coast of Kent

Award winning wedding venue Licensed for ceremonies Panoramic natural daylight throughout Stunning seaside location Surrounded by a glorious garden Backdrop of the iconic White Cliffs of Dover

Call: 01304 851 737 Visit: www.pinescalyx.co.uk The Pines Calyx, The Pines Garden St. Margaret’s Bay, Kent CT15 6DZ

WEDDING

Short Notice Nuptials at

Quex Park Since making Quex House and its Hannah Dining Suite in Quex Park available for fully inclusive midweek weddings, the Kent country house in Birchington has received numerous enquiries for short-term availability. Wedding parties have typically been planned up to 18 months in advance, though the recent trend seems to be for much shorter lead times. Often the length of time between announcing an engagement and having the actual ceremony is largely determined by availability of suitable venues, which are often booked for at least a year and a half in advance for summer weekends. Whereas previously many couples had opted for winter weddings to beat the wait, growing numbers are choosing midweek dates. Holding your wedding during the week has considerable advantages. Not least of which is cost. Apart from generally having availability, many key suppliers will offer considerable discounts for weekday nuptials - particularly hotels, car hire companies, photographers, caterers, bands and DJs. Brides are also more likely to receive a less hurried service from hairdressers and make up artists who are likely to have a considerable number of clients to care for on their big day on a typical Saturday during summer.

For those thinking of embarking on a wedding inside 3 months, careful planning is vital according to Quex Park’s dedicated Wedding & Function Coordinator, Vivenne Smith. “A good tip is to choose a reception venue that is also licensed for civil ceremonies, it will keep logistical issues to a minimum.” she said, adding; “Pick a venue where the wedding co-ordinator you brief in the lead up will be there on the day - you don’t want a total stranger who has little knowledge of what to make your wedding day unique.” Vivienne has drawn up a 12-point checklist for couples that decide on a quick wedding – 1.

Check potential dates with principle guests

Ascertain the availability of a registrar or priest (Quex will do this)

Book the venue

Draw up a guest list and send invites

Brief your wedding coordinator or planner - they should be able to recommend key suppliers such as photographers, dressmakers, formal hire, florists, cake makers, and local bands. They should also be able to recommend a range of local hotels, B&Bs and taxi firms.

Make a gift list

Book your hairdresser and make up artist

Buy the rings

Book the wedding night accommodation

10. Plan menus and running orders with timings with your co-ordinator 11. Choose a honeymoon 12. Enjoy your hen/stag parties, relax and enjoy the day Quex does not necessarily advocate whirlwind weddings, but is aware that there are many established couples that have been together for a considerable period, and when they make the decision to commit - they want to get married as soon as possible.

Further information: Quex House, Quex Park, Park Lane, Birchington CT7 0BH 01843 842168 www.quexpark.co.uk

WEDDING VENUES

Canterbury cathedral Lodge

Leeds Castle, Maidstone

Situated within a wonderful and unique location in the beautiful grounds of Canterbury Cathedral, sits an often unknown wedding gem. For those seeking a truly exceptional venue and outstanding hospitality, Canterbury Cathedral Lodge offers wedding receptions for up to 120 guests for a sit down wedding breakfast. A hidden treasure is the beautiful Campanile garden that sits in an elevated position overlooking the Cathedral and providing a stunning backdrop.

Leeds Castle is an idyllic setting for the most romantic of weddings. A choice of venues within the castle and grounds combine to create a perfect location for wedding ceremonies and celebrations. For the perfect end to the perfect wedding, the castle offers magnificently furnished State bedrooms for an overnight stay. From the initial enquiry to the great day itself, the service is tailored to meet your specific requirements and ensure that the wedding day runs as smoothly as possible.

Further Information: Canterbury Cathedral Lodge, The Precincts, Canterbury, CT1 2EH www.canterburycathedrallodge.org

Further Information: 01622 767813 Leeds Castle, Maidstone, ME17 1PL www.leedscastleweddings.com

Splendid settings

Celebrate your big day in style, at these fantastic Kent venues.

Chapel Down, Tenterden

Secret Garden, Mersham Hatch

Finding the right wedding venue is completely subjective: different things will make you fall in love with one over another, but if the location isn’t right, it is unlikely to grab you. And ‘location’ doesn’t get much better than a lush green vineyard in the heart of the Kentish countryside. Rows and rows of vines, set against incredible views, provide the perfect backdrop for quirky wedding pictures. If you are looking for somewhere a little out of the ordinary, Chapel Down’s location is sure to grab you.

Occupying a 19th Century building once home to the estates horses & carriages, the Secret Garden can be found in a cobbled Courtyard and once inside, the reason for it’s name will become apparent!

Further Information: Call Alexandra on 01580 761616 / 07980 767635 Tenterden Vineyard, Small Hythe, Tenterden, TN30 7NG www.weddingsatchapeldown.co.uk

The main coach house has large double doors that open onto a south facing undercover terrace, which overlooks the beautiful walled Victorian gardens. The well kept lawns are perfect for a marquee. Secret Garden, Hythe Road (A20), Mersham Le Hatch, Near Ashford, TN25 5NH info@secretgardenkent.co.uk www.secretgadenkent.co.uk

WEDDING VENUES

Let your memories bloom

A country house with genuine English charm and character, Mount Ephraim is surrounded by 10 acres of enchanting Edwardian gardens. From the moment you make your spectacular entrance down the sweeping staircase, to your secret stroll in the beautiful gardens while sipping champagne, taste the lingering memories of sumptuous food in a picturesque setting on your wedding day. Mount Ephraim is licensed for civil ceremonies for 100 people in the elegant and formal Grand Hall and under the Edwardian stone Pavilion at the heart of these romantic gardens; each has an impressive sweeping staircase. Wedding Breakfasts and Receptions can be held in the house, with wedding breakfasts for up to 100 people in the Drawing Room and for evening parties of up to 200 people. For larger wedding parties - or if you simply prefer to have

a marquee, there is the option of hiring the gardens for a marquee reception for up to 500 people on the lawn with the impressive backdrop of the country house. 2011 brings exciting new developments at Mount Ephraim including a new Boutique Bar that will be in place by April, which provides the luxury of a dedicated bar room at the heart of the house creating extra space and a new dimension to your big day. Located in the ‘Little Blue Sitting Room’ adorned with a stunning Victorian mirror over the fire mantelpiece, this room is flooded with natural daylight and has a very calm and elegant charm. Leading directly off the Main Hall and merely a step away from the Drawing Room where the wedding breakfasts take place, you could not ask for a better hub for your wedding party.

Also coming soon, an exclusive new suite for bridal preparations complete with classical furnishings, a sitting room and a beautiful en-suite bathroom with plenty of space perfect for the bride-to-be and her trusted entourage to enjoy.

For further information: info@mountephraimgardens.co.uk www.mountephraimgardens.co.uk Mount Ephraim Gardens, Staplestreet, Hernhill, Faversham, ME13 9TX 01227 751 496

WEDDING

Lights, Camera, Satisfaction Alan Langley has years of experience running his own specialist wedding photography business; Dover Design Photography. Here he brings you his inside knowledge on what to expect for your special day, and how to make those memories stand out forever.

Wedding Photography is a competitive business and there are good and bad examples in every budget range. People often try and classify photography into specific styles - reportage is often requested but I am not entirely sure people know what they are asking for. Pure reportage offers fly on the wall coverage with no staged shots. Then there is contemporary or traditional, where your photographer bosses the wedding party around making sure he gets all of his standard shots - taking forever to get that cake cutting spectacular. In reality most photographers fit somewhere in between, trying to do a bit of both - telling the story of the day with the essential group shots. The ‘getting ready’ shots are becoming more and more popular, such as ones of the girls having their hair and make-up done, with their glasses of bubbly in hand. Coverage into the evening reception is also becoming normal, people want party pictures and rightly so. No running off straight after the first dance! Photo-booths - loved by some hated by others, are also on the up with some photographers even offering themed booths. Another thing that is growing in

popularity is engagement or pre-wedding photo-shoots. More and more of us are offering this; it is a great opportunity for the couple to get to know the photographer and vice versa. Speaking from experience I cannot recommend these highly enough. Retro styled pictures are fashionable at the moment but beware, as with anything trendy think how they will look in a couple of year’s time. Albums are becoming less popular, with people wanting story telling photo-books. These vary tremendously in quality but as is usually the case, you get what you pay for. Some of the top quality press printed photo books are stunning while those at the cheaper end can offer great value for money. If I were getting married today - I would expect a DVD of the high-resolution images. Some photographers still want to hang on to this legacy or expect you to pay through the nose for the privilege. I know what I would expect.

Dover Design Photography 07739 280016 / 01304 826360 alan@doverdesign.co.uk http://doverdesign.co.uk

a hidden wedding gem Situated within a wonderful and unique location in the grounds of Canterbury Cathedral, sits a modern and contemporary wedding reception venue accommodating up to 120 guests for a sit down wedding breakfast. Imagine enjoying a champagne drinks reception in the beautiful Campanile garden, with the Cathedral as a stunning backdrop. Wedding guests can enjoy well appointed overnight guest accommodation with Cathedral views from all rooms. Canterbury Cathedral Lodge The Precincts, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 2EH Tel: 01227 865350 Fax: 01227 865388 Email: meet@canterbury-cathedral.org

www.canterburycathedrallodge.org

Mount Ephraim Gardens offers you the best of both worlds â&#x20AC;&#x201C; sumptuous classical interiors coupled with 10 acres of beautiful Edwardian gardens. With stunning landscaped gardens perfect for picnics, marquees or champagnefuelled mingling, summer is sensational at Mount Ephraim. Planning a wedding for any other British season can prove challenging but at Mount Ephraim, your wedding day will be perfect whatever the weather. Our Grand Hall and Drawing Rooms are beautifully decorated to complement any style of wedding. From civil ceremonies, wedding breakfasts and evening parties large or small, inside or out, you can have your dream day in true country house style.

Mount Ephraim Gardens. The perfect wedding venue for every season.

Photos: www.davidfenwick.co.uk

WEDDING

Make-up made simple Words by Holly Hanrahan Photos by Joanna Lane

Transform ation photoshoo ts with Holly Hanrahan make-up ar tist and photograp her Jo Lan e:

just £99!

Growing Up, I’m guessing all little girls fantasise about their wedding day and how they will dazzle everyone with their beauty. They all want the perfect dress and the perfect version of themselves to wear that dress.

When it comes to radiating that magical beauty as you walk down the aisle, do you really think it is the dress, the hair and the make-up that is the focus of the congregation? Of course not! It is you, your special relationship with them individually, your smile, your energy that they can feel, you will be full of love and anticipation as you are about to seal your vows and tell the world you are uniting forever with your partner. The perfect, dress, hair, make-up etc. is really for your own benefit so that you feel that love and confidence within yourself. Brides, for me, should simply look beautiful. There are hundreds of makeup combinations to enhance features or disguise features and they are all unique to that particular bride, so looking for the set make-up format is futile. As a makeup artist, it is my job to look at a face and simply know how to bring its beauty to life. Most of us know our faces well enough to know what just works and makes us feel better, but faces change as we get older, we can get stuck in our ways so that what used to enhance, no longer works as well. An experienced make-up artist can show you how subtle things that you may not have thought of can make a huge difference, achieving a look that is not too unlike your natural beauty. Half the battle to looking your most radiant on your wedding day is having great skin, not too oily, not too dry and hopefully free from blemishes. This can easily be achieved if you start a daily skincare routine morning and night with some good quality products well in advance. I love botanical products because they are free from chemicals, animal fats and mineral oils, all the things that are secretly used in the industry to bulk up cheap face creams that interfere with the skins natural balance. Wedding World in Folkestone are holding free skincare workshops for brides at home using a botanical range by the Swiss skincare range ‘Arbonne’ a kind of try before you buy option. I have witnessed first hand (as their resident artist) how they have achieved some astonishing results! Contact them via their website (www. weddingworldkent.com) and ask for a ‘Swiss Beauty Workshop’. The longevity of your make-up is a very important factor on your wedding day.

Includes m ake-up, shoot and a free photograp h 10 x 8

You hope to still look polished when you dance your last dance. I would suggest using primers on the skin, lashes, eyes and lips. Priming the skin can also reduce the appearance of fine lines once you have your foundation on. Lots of companies offer a range of primers so they are readily available. My kit consists of all sorts of different products by Mac, Arbonne, Chanel, Clinique, Make-up Forever, Dior, YSL, Nars to name but a few... perhaps more pricey than the usual drugstore brands but these tend to achieve much better results and contain those important long lasting ingredients and qualities. You also tend to use less of these high quality products too. Foundation is your best friend on your wedding day, you want your skin to look it’s most even and beautiful it’s ever looked, and stay throughout the day. It also makes for fabulous photos. I love the new airbrushing system by Airbase, as it is sprayed on to the skin blending beautifully and lasting all day and night due to it’s silicone base. Conventional foundations can look just as good, as long as you pick one that suits your skin type, your age and your preferred look. Foundations come in matt (no shine) to satin (leaves a sheen on the skin). The younger your skin the more matt you can take, but I would say from age 35 upwards a satin finish gives a lovely youthful glow. As well as the correct finish you must choose the correct shade too and avoid trying to use the foundation to bronze up. You can do that with bronzer afterwards but your foundation should always be accurate to your natural skin tone, else you will risk patchiness. Ask the counter girl to do a full-face application and wear it for at least an hour, looking at it in daylight to see how it sits on the skin and the shade it dries to (they can sometimes dry a darker colour). It is quite a minefield, but set aside a shopping day to try on and see how each one looks and feels. Foundation needs to be brought to life with some colour on the cheeks otherwise it can look flat. Cream blush is dewy and pretty on mature skins, iridescent powder blush works well on younger skins teamed with matt eye shadow. A pretty pale peach matt blush looks beautiful on pale blonde blue-eyed brides and a baby pink on the apples of olive skinned dark haired brides gives a lovely balance. Make-up styles on the eyes is the most diverse part of the bridal look. I usually

get asked to ‘just do what you think’, but it depends on what you are used to seeing on yourself. Some brides always wear a certain style of liner and feel strange without it for example, so I try to gauge the right type of look and tailor it to the individual. However, brides are getting bolder these days. The two biggest growing bridal makeup trends are featured in this article. One is of clean and neat eye make-up with a bold lip colour - very 1940s/50s (this works fantastic with a vintage style dress) and the other is the red carpet favourite; dark, smouldering, smoky eyes allowed to do all the talking with a paired down lip colour in a neutral, peach or light pink (works fantastic in contrast to a simple elegant gown). Whether you choose to do your own makeup or you work together with a make-up artist, trust in your instincts when it comes to what works on your face, you know it best and if anything looks slightly ‘odd’ to you even in the subtlest way, then it is not working for you. Make-up should simply enhance and you will instinctively know when it is doing the opposite. Sometimes some enhanced lashes, groomed defined brows, a pop of colour on the lips and cheeks is all you need to radiate that ultimate bridal beauty. But more importantly, simply allow your inner beauty to ooze out from within and outshine the dress, the flowers, the accessories, the hair do, even the make-up... so that all people see, is your beautiful spirit.

Further Information: www.hollyhanrahan.co.uk www.facebook.com/hollyhanrahanmakeup 07544456349 holly.hanrahan@gmail.com www.joannalanephotography.co.uk 01303 771 675 joannalanephotography@googlemail.com Thanks to Wedding World, Folkestone. for supplying the dresses, shoes, hair accessories and jewellery: www.weddingworldkent.com info@weddingworldkent.com 01303 850735

WEDDING

“Brides should simply look beautiful.” 94

Vintage Make-up in steps

Using a flat eye shadow brush, pack on a white/cream eye shadow under the brow bone and on the lower lid close to lash line.

Define the crease with a deeper brown and a smaller brush then blend into the caramel brown with your fluffy brush.

Using a liquid liner or gel liner starting right on the lash line, draw as neat as possible a black line with a flick at the outer corner.

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Using a fluffy blending brush, blend on a caramel matt brown eye shadow between the white/cream areas contouring your socket line.

Using a dampened angle brush and a matt eye shadow to match your hair colour, define your brows; slightly fuller and sharper than usual for the vintage look.

Complete with your choice of red lip, there are so many tones of red so take time to find one that you feel suits you best.

WEDDING

indulge yourselves EK One’s top honeymoon destination guide for 2011

Huvafen Fushi, Maldives

Set within its very own lagoon, Huvafen Fushi is a naturalist’s wonderland, where the stunning environment, both above and below the waterline, is an attraction in itself. Offering 44 contemporary bungalows and pavilions, each room type showcases its own distinctive design and either feature direct access to the beach or are situated on tropical waters. A visit to Huvafen Fushi’s LIME Spa, the world’s first underwater spa, is a must for any honeymooners visiting the island! http://huvafenfushi.peraquum.com

Rosewood Mayakoba, Mexico Surrounded by the jungle’s emerald embrace, Rosewood Mayakobá is imbued with the spirit of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. A journey to this serene world captivates the soul with stunning natural beauty and pure refinement. Situated along a mile-long arc of white Caribbean sand on the Riviera Maya, Rosewood Mayakobá is the heart of a 1,600 acre luxury resort enclave located south of Cancun and north of the seaside village of Playa del Carmen. It makes an idyllic honeymoon retreat. www.rosewoodmayakoba.com

North Island, Seychelles Four nights on an unspoilt Seychelles island in a totally private and self-contained villa - the perfect honeymoon! Comprising three granite outcrops with a tropical interior, North Island is one of the most spectacular eco tropical retreats in the world. Villa 11 is the jewel in the island’s crown – recently renovated to include a home entertainment centre, this new “pure honeymoon” experience offers the ultimate in privacy and proximity to nature. Stretching over 750 square metres with cascading terraces leading down onto a private beach entry to the ocean, the property’s highlights include a jaw-dropping bathroom with panoramic views across East Beach to Mahe, Praslin and beyond, outdoor shower, a huge bath complete with champagne ledge, and al fresco massage beds on the sunken deck www.wilderness-safaris.com

HONEYMOON HEAVEN

Sivory Punta Cana Boutique Hotel, Dominican Republic Tucked away amidst a lush tropical landscape and set facing a vast private beach, lapped by the waters of the Caribbean Sea, Sivory Punta Cana Boutique Hotel Dominican Republic provides the stuff of dreams. Expect the most exquisite gourmet food, a select wine cellar and a holistic spa and wellness centre. Treat yourselves to accommodation in a Deluxe Junior Suite, complete with private helicopter arrival transfer, private beach check-in with chilled towel service & champagne, caviar hors d’oeuvres & a bottle of chilled champagne upon arrival, couple treatments at Sivory’s Aquarea Spa & Wellness Centre, candle lit dinner on the beach and a nightly turndown service with chocolate dipped fruits. www.slh.com 00 800 525 48000

Peter Island, British Virgin Islands The stunning Peter Island Resort & Spa in the BVI is surrounded by the sparkling waters of the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Sir Francis Drake Channel. Exuding a casual, welcoming informality, this beautiful resort is synonymous with unparalleled relaxation. Accessible only by boat or helicopter, Peter Island’s private location makes it the perfect destination for guests seeking a serene and calming getaway, and now, like its equally glamorous neighbour, Necker Island, the whole of Peter Island Resort & Spa can be booked exclusively for private stays with their All-to-Yourself programme. www.peterisland.com

Petit St. Vincent, Grenadines This small private island located in the island nation of St. Vincent in the Grenadines is full of natural beauty, making it very peaceful and quiet. Privacy, discretion and friendly, non-intrusive service are key to this privately owned hide away. PSV is available for exclusive rental throughout the year, subject to availability. The ultimate venue for a secluded honeymoon retreat, guests can opt to take over the entire property for their very own private island experience. www.psvresort.com

WEDDING WHAT’S ON

wedding fayres spring 2011

26th March 2011 Wedding Bells at the Railway Bell Set in a village location, we host your reception in our grounds within a traditional lined marquee. The first 10 brides receive a themed bridal pack and treats for those there after.

6th March 2011 Museum of Kent Life Wedding Show Every bride receives a goody bag and a copy of Brides Etc magazine Pre-register online to save time on the day www.mainweddingsandevents.co.uk Free admission enquiries@kentlife.org.uk www.kentlife.org.uk

12th March 2011 Wedding Fair at The Marquis at Alkham See how the venue works for all types of weddings, sample some of the michelin rated food and taste some of the fantastic English wines the Marquis are proud to champion. 12:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Ample parking. reception@themarquisatalkham.co.uk www.themarquisatalkham.co.uk

13th March 2011 The Wedding Experience at UK Paper Leisure Club An exhibition of the best local wedding specialists at this prestigious wedding show, in Sittingbourne. Located within this long established and central venue. 10:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. info@wedding-experience.co.uk www.wedding-experience.co.uk

13th March 2011 Leas Cliff Hall Wedding Show Every bride receives a goody bag and a copy of Brides Etc magazine Pre-register online to save time on the day www. mainweddingsandevents.co.uk Free admission www.leascliffhall.co.uk 01245 231 188

20th March 2011 Port Lympne Mansion Wedding Fayre Come to view our amazing Mansion with glorious panoramic views across the terraced lawns to the English Channel and meet some of our wedding specialists, who will be exhibiting truly amazing products. 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Free admission www.aspinallfoundation.org 01303 234198

We have a range of specially selected exhibitors from the local area offering bespoke services. 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Free admission and parking 07789937638

27th March 2011 Wedding Fayre at Westgate Pavilion. Over 25 Exhibitors, bridal Fashion Shows and live Music. Reception drink on arrival Free admission. 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. 07989 397185

27th March 2011 Westenhanger Castle Wedding Show Every bride receives a goody bag and a copy of Brides Etc magazine Pre-register online to save time on the day www.mainweddingsandevents.co.uk Free admission www.westenhangercastle.co.uk 01245 231 188

3rd April 2011 Ashford International Hotel: Spring Season Exhibition The exhibition brings together the best local wedding specialists for the largest and best attended wedding show in Ashford. 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. 01233 219988

14th April 2011 The Wedding Experience at Ramada Hotel & Resort Maidstone The exhibition brings together around 40 of the best local wedding specialists for the largest evening wedding show in Kent. Free admission 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. info@wedding-experience.co.uk www.wedding-experience.co.uk

1st May 2011 Wedding Experience at Kent Showground, Detling The largest regional wedding show in the South of England with over 200 exhibitors and attracting over 1,000 couples planning their wedding day. Exquisite fashion show with entertainment, presentations and interactive entertainment on stage throughout the day. Free admission. 10:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. http://kenteventcentre.co.uk

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