Epigram issue 359 - The Croft issue 20

'Welcome to Bristol... You'll never escape!' | Cover art by Harry Boucher

the croft

Lifestyle

p. 4 Black Queer Safe Spaces

Style

p. 8 Drag up your Halloween

Wellbeing

p. 11 How Halloween helped me love my body

Food

p. 15 Sri Lankan pumpkin curry

Travel

p. 21 Autumn in North America issue 20 26.10.21

2 lifestyle 6 style 10 wellbeing 14 food 18 travel top stories

10 Facing your fears

16 L-Ghadam talMejtin recipe

22 Halloween

costume quiz

Editor’s letter

elcome to the second edition of The Croft this academic year! We are so excited to be back in magazine form as Epigram’s lifestyle insert.

This year, we’re focusing on student creativity – as you can see from our (slightly terrifying) gorgeous cover designed by Harry Boucher. The talent on our campus is bursting at the seams. If you have any interest in designing a cover or illustrations for us, get in touch!

I get nostalgic when I remember that ‘fear’, a pressing feeling of anticipation, that accompanied the early bit of term. Having now written more essays than I can remember, rolled my eyes (internally) at people dallying on Woodland Road and suffered through far more virtual seminars than I would wish on anyone, it’s easy to forget how it feels to be new to the city and university. Hopefully our Freshers’ special gave you some ideas for the first few weeks.

I always find this time of year a little frightening – not in terms of ghosts and ghouls but thanks to the impending assessments, multitude of colds going around and the stress of having to work out how to dress for the weather. However, with the intensity of the autumn term comes the beautiful changing leaves, an excuse to stay in bed a little longer in the mornings, and the return of I’m a Celebrity.

I’m very excited to leave the house this Halloween – despite the fun of last year’s lockeddown celebrations (my flatmates, my cat and I donned our finery and danced the night away to Kate Bush). For inspiration, Style gives a little background to Halloween dressing on page 8, and Wellbeing shares an empowering story of how Halloween helped one writer love her body on page 10.

On page 15, Food teaches us to cook a Sri Lankan curry, a perfect way to use up those bits of pumpkin you’d normally discard after carving.

We are also celebrating Black History Month at The Croft. On page 4, Arni Lewis discusses the best safe spaces in Bristol for members of the Black LGBTQIA+ community, and page 13 features an interview with Sophie Brown, founder of Stepping Sistas, a Bristol walking group for women of colour.

Whether you’re looking forward to a wild night out or would rather cosy up at home and wait for the Christmas cheer to inevitably creep in on 1st November, we hope you find something inspiring and entertaining in our pages.

THE TEAM The Croft Co-Editor-in-Chief ROSIE ANGEL-CLARK The Croft Co-Editor-in-Chief SAVANNAH COOMBE The Croft Deputy Editor SANJANA IDNANI The Croft Chief Proofreader CIARA ALLEN The Croft Sub-Editor ELIN ALEXANDER Style Editor JENNY GALLAGHER Style Digital Editor ANIA TOWNSIN Style Deputy Editor ANNA JOHNSON Style Sub-Editor FARAH THORNDYCRAFT Wellbeing Editor EMILY FROMANT Wellbeing Digital Editor CHARLIE TONKS Wellbeing Co-Deputy Editor ASHA SULLIVAN Wellbeing CoDeputy Editor MADDY WHEELER Wellbeing Sub-Editor ELLIE SPENCELEY Food Editor MADDY CLEGG Food Digital Editor LOU CRAVEN Food Deputy Editor DANIEL BARGIONI Food Sub-Editor PHOEBE ALTMAN Travel Editor XANDER BRETT Travel Digital Editor MIA AUSTIN Travel Deputy Editor LUCY RAWLINGS Travel International Deputy Editor JENNY BARRUOL Travel Sub-Editor ORLA MCHALE Puzzles Editor PATRICK SULLIVAN Puzzles Sub-Editor GRACE BARNES Front Cover HARRY BOUCHER

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Bethany Marris

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Co-Editor-in-Chief ROSIE ANGEL-CLARK Co-Editor-in-Chief SAVANNAH COOMBE Deputy Editor SANJANA IDNANI

lifestyle

Pillow Talk Column: House of Mirrors The Croft's resident 'sexpert', Carrie Brizshaw, explains how to incorporate mirrors into the bedroom

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irror, mirror on the wall… what’s the hottest sex of all? One of the greatest tips I have for sex is the introduction of mirrors. I came – literally – to this realisation when a past bedroom happened to have six mirror panels running alongside the bed.

I soon realised the fun this allowed, and I don’t see myself quitting any time soon.

Something that often puts people off using mirrors during sex is negative body image. My answer to that: get the porn-perfect picture out of your head. Sex is supposed to be messy and fun, we can’t always achieve the passion-fuelled thrusting and moaning portrayed in the media. It’s okay to let your sexual partner see all your imperfections. If they hold them against you they’re not the kind of person you want to be sleeping with. Mirror play can even help you get over insecurities and realise that they’re not a true reflection of who you are (haha). When you see first-hand how much you turn your partner on, it’s hard not to feel sexy (not that your self-worth should EVER be derived from someone else’s opinion of you).

So, let’s get down to the dirty details.

You don’t need to go out and buy a massive floor-to-ceiling mirror to make this work. It’s a good idea to use a detached mirror for range of movement. A full-length mirror that isn’t fixed to the wall is perfect and Argos sells them for just £10. I recommend placing the mirror alongside the bed so you can both get a sexy side angle view. This is position-dependent however and if you’re doing any form of doggy style you might want to face

the mirror for a truly mind-blowing sight. This can be a great way to introduce eye contact to doggy, something many people find it can lack.

If you don’t have a mobile mirror but have one fixed above a desk, don’t shy away from a seated position on a chair in front of it or even using the desk itself. This might not be something you do as often, but it can be a really nice change from your classic poses.

The other option for a mirror is going handheld. Most people are already a big fan of watching penetration up close and personal. It’s a highly favoured angle in porn (but again, let’s not see porn as representative of real life). Use a hand mirror to get into harder-to-see places and try to angle it so both partners can see.

My main tip is just don’t be shy! Experiment as much as you can with a variety of different positions and angles. If you’re too shy to start with a mirror in the bedroom, then start in the shower with a steamed-up mirror.

Titanic-style.

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Black Queer Safe Spaces Arni Lewis rounds up the best safe and fun spaces for the Black LGBTQIA community in Bristol

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ctober is Black History Month and during this time in particular, people come together to discuss Black history, success and have further discussions into how Black people navigate the world. However, Black LGBTQIA+ issues are still rarely part of this discussion.

ated – such as ballroom culture – often by cis white people.

Feeling othered is a common experience that most black queer people can identify with and the pressure and fatigue that comes with it is very real.

Consequently, safe spaces for Black queer people are so necessary for the sake of our mental health and social lives.

This speaks to a wider problem about how Black queer people are represented and treated within the LGBTQIA+ community. For many Black queer people, there simply aren’t enough safe and inclusive queer spaces available to them.

Because of all the hard work and sacrifices our queer forepersons made, seeking out queer people and queer spaces – especially at university – is easier than it ever has been.

Many queer spaces cater for a specific type of queer person – usually a cis queer white man or woman, leading Black queer people to feel uncomfortable and out of place in spaces that should be the most welcoming and safe for them.

But knowing which spaces are safe and intersectional can be difficult and trying each one in turn can be overwhelming.

To help with this, here is a roundup of some of the options that Bristol has to offer.

Indeed, Gay Times released an article discussing how Black queer people feel pushed out of the spaces they actually cre-

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Afro-Ca ribb ean

An obvious choice for Black Bristol students, the Afro-Caribbean society holds events and socials every week including club nights and non-alcoholic events where you can meet other students. They also have a legendary ball and their own football team. You can access smaller societies through them such as the AfroLit Society, a relaxed book club that focuses on black writers, stories and experiences.

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The Indigo Network put on monthly social and cultural events for lesbian / LBTQ+ women and our allies. These include comedy nights, drag shows and music of every genre. They have a huge mailing list of over 2,000 people and they are the largest LBTQ+ network outside of London. They also run Hush nights at the Queenshilling and Basement 45 nightclub. Indigo also regularly donates and fundraises for several LGBTQIA+ charities.

The ct BME Collective is a group for people in the South West. They have a lot of events for the Afro-Caribbean diaspora including meals out, movie and documentary screenings.

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I will never not recommend here as a go-to for a night out!

With more Doc Martens per capita than any other bar in Bristol, the Queen’s Shilling is one of Bristol’s most vital queer institutions.

It’s one of the most inclusive nights out I have ever experienced and also strives to be a safe space.

‘You’: a short story lifestyle

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Rebecca Widdowson pens a Halloween tale

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ou open the front door with its weary creak, shouldering it shut as you pocket your keys. Best not to lose them again.

‘Hello?’ you call. But no one replies. You’re not all that surprised, your lecture schedule is wildly different to your housemates’.

Still, you shiver, blaming the constant cold and that one housemate who insists on keeping the heating off in the early evening, despite the nights drawing in.

A cup of tea, that’s what you need. It will warm you up nicely.

So you wander to the kitchen, feet soundless on the navy blue carpet. It takes you a second longer than it should to find the light switch – almost as if it’s on the wrong side of the door – and the kitchen flickers into focus.

Something’s wrong, you can feel it. That prickling sensation that starts at the base of your spine, then climbs your vertebrae like a ladder, bone by bone, until it’s got its claws around your neck.

You try to distract yourself by reaching for the kettle, carrying it over to the sink, relishing the steady rush of water that smashes the silence.

It’s only when you set the kettle down to boil that you realise.

There’s a breeze blowing through the kitchen. It’s catching the steam spewing from the kettle’s spout, playing with it. Where’s it coming from? All the windows are shut, their glass speckled with rain, which just leaves …

The back door looks like it belongs ng to a completely different house, with -C lar k its peeling paint and rusted hinges. Has it always looked like this? You shake your head. You don’t remember.

The door is open, gaping like a toothless mouth. The darkness beyond is absolute, but you think you catch a glimpse of something moving, the barest blink of motion.

Dread grips your heart until your common sense kicks in. The bins are kept at the back of the house; one of your housemates must be taking them out. You move towards the door, already drafting a funny comment about the bin rota, when the kitchen light extinguishes with a violent pop. You wince, glancing back towards the light for the barest second.

That second was your mistake.

Something slithers past you in the dark. Brushing your knuckles with a touch so faint your brain desperately tries to deny it, but you know you’re lying to yourself. Your skin prickles with goosebumps, every fibre of your body shouting, screaming at you.

‘H-hello?’ your voice is weak, trembling. You blink once. Twice.

Your eyelids heavy, that tempting tug of unconsciousness calling to you, welcoming you with open arms. And then—a piercing whistle snaps you back to reality. The kettle has boiled. But before you can reach it, something unnaturally cold wraps itself around your wrist. You don’t dare look down to see what it is— it’s too dark anyway — but stumble backwards, wrenching your hand from its icy grip as you stagger from the kitchen.

The rest of the house lies in darkness — why didn’t you turn on m/

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the lights? Now you have to navigate blind.

The only noise is the pounding of your pulse in your ears as you make a break for the stairs, for the safety of your room. Until you hear something altogether more sinister.

Laughter. Someone’s laughing at you. The sound makes your stomach curl in on itself, sends shivers shuddering down your spine. Hand gripping the banister, you start to climb. One step.

Two steps. Three. Each one putting precious distance between you and the thing lurking below.

Its laughter hasn’t stopped; if anything, it’s multiplied, echoing off the walls, and settling in your ears. You grit your teeth. Block it out. Keep moving.

You make it another two steps before something latches itself around your ankle, the sensation so sharp, so sudden, you freeze.

Then you remember how to scream. How to kick.

The thing howls when your foot makes contact, and the impact sends nail-like jolts of pain up your leg. But you don’t care because you’re free. You scrabble up the stairs on your hands and knees.

A solitary stroke of moonlight slashes across the landing, illuminating a clear path towards your bedroom. You make a break for it.

But the thing is determined not to let you go. It grabs you again, leaching the warmth from your ankle so fast it hurts. And now you’re twisted off-balance, wobbling unsteadily from left to right before giving in to gravity and hitting the floor with a heavy thump.

This is it, there’s nowhere left to run. And then — you wake up, blinking blearily, unsure where you are.

Then your eyes settle on the rows of scratchy seats and fluorescent lights, and you realise. You fell asleep in your lecture.

‘Are you alright?’ Your friend looks at you worriedly. ‘You were making noises.’

‘Oh, sorry,’ you say, ‘was I?’ Your friend can’t hold back their laugh as they pack away their laptop. ‘Yeah, it was weird. Like you were having a nightmare or something.’

‘Or something,’ you mutter, slumping forward in your seat, overwhelmingly tired now that you’re not running for your life.

So tired, in fact, you don’t wonder why their laugh makes you shudder.

‘Although,’ your friend continues, whispering now, ‘that lecture was enough to send anyone to sleep.’

You can’t help it. You smile.

All around you, people are starting to file out in small groups, chatting about their plans for the weekend. You shake your head, still half-asleep. It’s a small wonder to realise you have a weekend to enjoy, especially when your ankle is still icy. Or maybe that’s just the chill of the lecture theatre. Either way, you shiver.

‘Did you dream about anything in particular?’ your friend asks, shouldering their bag as they offer you a hand up.

‘Uh …’ Your voice dies in your throat. Their hand is cold, unbelievably so. For a second, it’s enough to blur the line between dream and reality. Then they drop your hand, and the moment passes. It dawns on you then what the nightmare was trying to tell you. ‘Actually, I think it was trying to tell me to take a nap.’

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Editor JENNY GALLAGHER Digital Editor ANIA TOWNSIN Deputy Editor ANNA JOHNSON

The iconic imitating the iconic Beatrice Fitzmaurice shares celebrity Halloween looks from across the years

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he first iconic celebrity Halloween look that comes to mind is Gigi Hadid’s replication of Sandy’s racy look in the hit 1978 film Grease in 2015, and Kylie Jenner as Christina Aguilera in her look for the 2002 Dirrty music video. After further research I couldn’t help but notice the sway away from conventional ghoulish Halloween costumes to imitations of other distinguished characters or even other celebrities. Perhaps the most iconic look is an embodiment of the iconic themselves.

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Top model Anok Yai also created a striking look by taking inspiration from another element controlling comic character, X-Men’s Storm in 2019.

Halloween is one excuse to embody that iconic person we’ve always wanted to be… even the most iconic celebrities want to dress as someone seemingly more remarkable. Clearly even the 2020 global pandemic didn’t stop our celebs making the effort on their Halloween costumes. Whilst we’ve all had a gruesome year, I’m intrigued to know what iconic Halloween costumes 2021 will bring…

@anokyai

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There have clearly been some timeless looks with Kim Kardashian posing as Uma Thurman’s character Poison Ivy from the 1997 Batman film in 2011.

style Seriously spooky DIY decorations

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This would be a great last minute, student budget friendly idea… Got a white shirt and black trousers? Perfect! All you need is the distinctive black bob and you’re on your way. no shoes required…

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If you fancy some Halloween magic then here is how to whip up your own colour changing witches' brew!

Boil up some red cabbage until you get a rich purple juice. Strain off the liquid and then simply pour into glasses and top up with extra water. Add various acids and alkalis of different strengths (vinegar, lemon juice, baking powder etc) and watch the colours change !

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And of course who could forget the classic carved pumpkin. Grab a pumpkin (or whatever carvable fruit you have to hand - I've seen butternut squashes, oranges and peppers all used in declining order of success...), slice off the t o p , hollow out the inside and get carving your a most fearsome faces! on

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From celeb to comic book villain, there’s no denying that the key is to take on the characters of fierce females in exact detail. Emily Ratajkowski embodied Mia Wallace, Thurman’s character in the cult classic 1994 film Pulp Fiction, in her effortless 2014 Halloween look.

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omemade Halloween creatures are a quick and cheap way to spookify your space. To create ghosts galore take tissue and pinch the centre so it falls down from the middle, then draw a frightening face on one side with black sharpie. Hang up from the centre with a piece of thread and just like that you have yourself a new boo!

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Fiona Defty shares her top tips for decorating in style

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Drag up your Halloween!

Violet Allmark shares her advice on incorporating Drag into your costume and tells The Croft about discovering her alterego drag persona (@ettaboydrag)

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all me your average Halloween-obsessed queer, but when the first sighting of amber-rusted leaves lining the dampish pavements is accompanied by the warming aroma of chai lattes.

Perhaps it was my American upbringing that instilled in me a belief that Halloween was the holiday of the year. Cloaked in an obscure costume my mum had spent weeks making for me, I felt a corporeal sense of elation fuelled by the neighbour-gifted sugar rush and the sudden lurching of a motion sensor skeleton.

Nowadays, the euphoria I feel in the spooky season doesn’t emanate from sprinting door to door, but from conceptualising a character and –with the help of drag– bringing it to life. How can I do this, you ask?

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Boo, look no further:

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From experience, it’s best to be as specific as you can when deciding on a costume. This will only help to direct your styling choices and your hunt for items. Recreating a fictional character is an amazing way to work with a defined visual representation as a guide for your recreation.

For the last pre-COVID Halloween, I went as the SpongeBob in Drag meme.

It was so niche, yet it was instantly a visually identifiable character for others and offered a pre-established personality I could step into, yielding giggles, gawks and gags all night.

Elevating your costume

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The difference between a good costume and a spellbinding ensemble is all in the details. Once your concept is defined, you can direct your attention to searching through charity shops, eBay and your housemate’s wardrobe for elements of clothing, accessories and props that will spark magic into your costume.

Remember: it’s less about perfect accuracy and more about your commitment to your chosen character. I found the perfect dress for Femme SpongeRoberta in a thrift store and made her hat and purse out of craft foam - there’s no need to break the bank to kill a look.

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Conjuring up your costume

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'Drag-ing' up your costume!

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rest of the world dressed up, offers a low-risk opportunity a defined conception of who ghostly and disembodied state, explore parts of yourself that dormant before.

Who knows what wonderful chaos you could create after an eve of trick-or-treats?

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I didn’t realise until long after I was painted bright yellow that my SpongeBob in Drag look was, in fact, drag. A similar query may be rattling in your head: I’ve got a costume, but is it drag?

I think this dilemma demands a questioning – not of whether your costume is drag – but of how drag can be defined.

Rooted in the transgressive and satiric representation of gender, class, and social archetypes by LGBTQIA+ people of colour in Ballroom culture, drag is about breaking boundaries through creative expression. For me, manifesting as a famous porous sea-organism kickstarted my journey as a drag thing. With the

Halloween costumes: a brief history Anna Johnson gives the low-down on the origin of halloween costumes

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he significance of dressing up for Halloween originally began over 2000 years ago. Initiated by the Celtics for the pagan festival of Samhain, many believed that the thirty first of October was the day that lines blurred between the worlds of the living and dead.

It was commonly believed that the souls of spirits could walk the streets on this day and play tricks on the living. People would sport animal heads as masks/hats and use their skins as coats to hide from these ghosts, hoping that the ghouls would mistake them as one of their own. These costumes were made by the wearers and were often very simple.

During the ninth century, Christianity had developed a stronger and more widespread presence throughout Europe and the festival became more religious. The costumes were still worn to disguise people against evil spirits, but were now based on Christian figures, such as saints, demons or angels. So, if you and a pal are going as a classic devil-angel combo this year, now you know where this costume tradition came from.

It was in America in the mid-1900s that Halloween became secular. This was when retailers began to mass-produce costumes. We began to see a blend of the previous costumes worn over the years, as well as new influences of Irish customs and traditions, which led to scarier concepts such as zombies, witches, werewolves and skeletons.

In the last century, we have seen Halloween costumes become more and more creative as people fear the worst: looking ‘basic’. Many people want to choose something original and witty in order to be the only person in the room wearing that costume.

This leads to all kinds of new ideas, so n such as political figures, visual embodiment of wordplay, or even Drag Spongebob.

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Editor EMILY FROMANT Digital Editor CHARLIE TONKS Co-Deputy Editor ASHA SULLIVAN Co-Deputy Editor MADDY WHEELER

Facing my biggest fears

Amy Hirtenstein speaks about facing her fears after a very scary experience Trigger warning: references to sexual assault

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I was really, really scared.

When I was home I quickly settled into a routine of never doing anything out of my comfort zone. I would only go into town and then home.

But after my friend at university called me and told me how miserable she was, and how she was contemplating dropping out and going home, I had a realisation.

I was giving her advice about how to handle conflict and how to be brave, whilst I was hiding at home.

I realised that university was never going to feel comfortable.

Hiding at home had provided the temporary comfort I needed to recover, but I couldn’t stay there. Everyone needs a little support when they get scared — you want to feel protected and cared for.

However, if you stay in your comfort zone for too long, the fear you have can settle itself deep into your bones. You can forget that feeling comfortable means you miss out on all of the uncomfortable and terrifying things the world has to offer.

When I finally decided to head back to Bristol and face my fear- it wasn’t because I wasn’t scared anymore. It was because I knew that my fear was not shifting anytime soon and hiding in my parents house waiting for the monsters to go away was not getting me anywhere.

When you are scared of something, a monster that is so big you cannot ever face it and win, you’ve got to stop waiting to feel brave. You never will. Sometimes the best thing you can do is just try to sit with the fear for a little bit. Let it come with you to university lectures and nights out, to the grocery store and when you try to sleep.

Prove to yourself that you can be absolutely terrified, and your world can keep going. y Hi /Am ram Epig

alloween has always been my least favorite holiday. It never quite measured up to my expectations; whether it was via malfunctioning costumes, grumpy neighbours or the weird burn eating too much candy leaves in your mouth — Halloween never went right.

But last Halloween was supposed to be different. Despite COVID-19 regulations, Halloween of 2020 was accompanied by a strong sense of anticipation. Everyone was going to go out and flat parties were going to be hosted.

The night started off great- I was dressed as a nurse, I’d had a few glasses of wine in me and I was vibing at Thekla with my little bubble of six. Unfortunately, I didn’t know that Halloween of 2020 was quickly going to become one of the worst nights of my life.

It was all going well until Drunk Amy took to the streets of Bristol at around 2 am to buy more alcohol with a group of strangers she’d met at a flat party. Upon arrival, I realised I’d forgotten my ID and volunteered to wait outside the store.

I was then dragged into an alleyway and sexually assaulted by a stranger.

Suddenly someone who wasn’t scared of anything ended up calling her Dad to pick her up from University one month in.

As someone who has never ever had a ‘fear’ — the experience of being scared was a foreign one.

I’ve always listened to True Crime podcasts to fall asleep and I love rollercoasters.

But when I was home I found myself scared of everything. I refused to engage with my lectures, I only wanted to leave the house to walk around the block and I point-blank refused to return to Bristol.

I had lost all trust in myself and I saw, for the first time, how incredibly vulnerable

wellbeing How Halloween helped me love my body Maia Roston tells us of her journey to self love

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ach year as Halloween approaches and, especially a s my friends and I grow older, the emphasis is almost entirely on the outfit.

The outfit that holds such expectancy, anticipation and, unfortunately for many, extreme trepidation. It is of course natural to observe people on a night out but on Halloween this is heightened as it is suddenly more acceptable to wear less clothing than usual, for boys but more predominantly for girls. I believe a woman can choose to dress in whatever way she desires but this thought is more widely shared when adopting a different character’s style. It is almost as if it is more acceptable when girls are not dressing as themselves but someone entirely different. What does not change though is the male gaze. In feminist theory, the male gaze is the

act of depicting women from a masculine perspective that represents women as sexual objects for the pleasure of t h e male onlooker.

Although as I said before it is more widely accepted to dress in more revealing clothing on Halloween, what does not falter is the unwanted attention from men that women are subject to. I recently tried on a ‘dress up’ outfit that I felt confident in but thoughts started to percolate in my mind and suddenly it was what everyone else would think which impacted the way I felt. I was seeking validation as I showed a group of my male friends my outfit, in order for them to express that it was not too inappropriate or scarce.

I was assured that I should feel confident and wear it with pride, which did comfort me. However, I then questioned myself as to why I felt the need to have male validation. Why should my boy friends approve what I wear?

E v e n if one of them did not like it or told me it was ‘too much’ I should not have f e l t the need t o seek their approval.

Epigram / Emily Fromant

I urge you to remember that ultimately the only person whose opinion matters is yours.

This Halloween and everyday, dress in whatever makes you comfortable and confident. People will always be judgmental but what you feel intrinsically is of greatest significance. Feel empowered in your sense of style and therefore feel empowered going about everyday life. I believe that feeling quietly confident can make all the difference to your overall outlook in every way.

Being true to yourself at university

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Abigail Sutcliffe talks about the importance of individuality

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hen I arrived at my first-year accommodation I Mak experienced an overwhelming desire for a fresh ey start, maybe even a reinvention of myself — if I In ou rr could pull it off. This felt like a natural reaction my first year, my bedroom oo to leaving my home-town life behind. However, in hindsight, as walls were plastered with posters m much as embracing my new and ‘improved’ identity provided and photographs, mostly reflecting my film distraction from being home-sick, nervous, or even lonely, and music taste. Some of my neighbours decided the long-term impact of my inauthenticity frustrated me. to decorate their rooms with prints showing support Finding friends that appear compatible with your ‘new’ for their football team or photographs of themselves and persona is easy, maybe because far too often we are all friends. I have so many fond memories of popping my head attempting to project a similar image. However, enjoying round a new friend’s door and being drawn in by especially inyour social life and feeling at home when surrounded by triguing décor.

In my accommodation, everyone’s rooms people who bring out the best of your true self, or who were more or less identical, but through decoration share the same sense of humour as you, is far easier. your room can become individual. Having a sort of haven where I could relax and enjoy my own special space was so important to me. I really recommend taking ividuality d n the time to be creative and to make i r ou y your room your own. Reinforce e Being at r your own authenticity with your yourself when surrounded leb surroundings, whether this e by unfamiliar faces can be daunting.

C is permanently having your We all assume that we are under constant yoga mat set-up or desigscrutiny and judgement from everyone else. I nating a specific corner don’t think I stopped getting heart palpitations of your desk for your before socialising until my second term. I even own mini-bar. remember telling people I liked drum and bass; a white lie that now makes me laugh. If I’d have known that my most confident and outgoing flatmates all experienced moments, usually behind closed doors, when they too felt anxious about people not liking their real selves, I would have just admitted that I didn’t really know what drum and bass was. Pretending to like a particular type of music (or any sort of pretending) didn’t help me find friends whose company I enjoyed or who looked out for me. During freshers, you soon realise that people are more open-minded than you oes a long way think. ile g

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The most effective strategy I found for making friends (whether that’s a future-housemate-lifelong-friend or a buddy to get the bus with) was to take a couple of deep breaths and simply try and be my friendly, approachable self. As I prepare to wave off my younger sister as she embarks on her long-awaited freshers journey, the most pertinent piece of advice I have given her is that everyone is feeling nervous so just be your warm, kind self and you’ll attract some lovely friends.

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Emily Fromant interviews Steppin Sistas founder Sophie Brown

reated in April 2021 by Sophie Brown, ‘Steppin Sistas’ aims to reach out to women of colour in the Bristol area to encourage an interest in walking, wellness, and bonding over similar lived experiences. Earlier last month, Steppin Sistas walked 30 miles (48 km) in 30 days to raise funds for the city’s BAME mental health charity Nilaari. In conversation with Sophie Brown, founder, writer and wellness advocate, we hear her thoughts and hopes for the future of Steppin Sistas.

Wellness is so targeted towards slim, white women, how can we open the space for more inclusivity?

Walking and mental health: does it really work? Why is walking such a passion for you?

It can be difficult, as many do not understand what women of colour go through because they have never experienced our situation. It can be hard to make people understand that sometimes we do not feel welcome or safe in certain spaces.

It is very subtle discrimination, and obviously it has come a long way, but more attention needs to be focused on the mental health of women of colour.

It truly does work. The natural environment can help you to feel more grounded, less stressed.

I have been walking since I was 12 years old, and it has really helped me through hormonal changes, I have noticed my mood changes when I walk as well.

I have written an Amazon book: Words of Wisdom, talking a bit more around my experience.

What precautions do you take to keep members safe?

ph ie So

Eastville Park is a stunning walk, it is flat and very safe and so beautiful.

It is rather busy, so you’ll never be isolated or alone and an easy walk so it’s suitable for beginners.

Br ow n

How would you advise getting into walking as a woman – safest trails, favourite trails in Bristol?

There are many precautions we take as a group. I take risk assessment walks to scope out an area before we go, to ensure it’s safe and determine how difficult it will be.

I also use repeated walks, where I am familiar with the terrain and route. We are also always accompanied by health and safety marshals. In our Facebook posts we also include a description of upcoming walks, scheduled weather, and equipment/recommend attire – this way, you know if a walk is appropriate for your ability.

We want to have fun, and be safe as well.

What are your plans for the future? Any new and exciting things in How can we get involved? the works?

As part of Black History Month, the University of Bristol is The main thing I am working on is stretching things out more.

Working on more walks, we are also collaborating with other walking groups for larger walks in Bath and Avon. We’ve also been getting involved with Cotswold Outdoors. In the future, I would like to hold a walking camping trip for members to get together and relax.

I have also been nominated for the Bristol MTM award for health and wellbeing, which is very exciting; I am also a little anxious as I am not the best public speaker, but am very grateful as well.

collaborating with Bristol Steppin Sistas, on 18th October with an incredible walk through Harbourside and Leigh Woods.

The aim is to help motivate women of colour to visit places they would not have ventured to: rural areas around Bristol and further afield. You can register for the event on the Eventbrite website, and we encourage all women of colour (Black, Asian and other minority groups) to get involved.

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Editor MADDY CLEGG Deputy Editor DANIEL BARGIONI Digital Editor LOU CRAVEN

Poppy Cooks: the food you need

Maddy Clegg chats with Poppy O’Teale about her new book and favourite recipes

P

oppy O’Teale, otherwise known as ‘Poppy Cooks’, has just released her debut cookbook and earned herself the title of ‘the poster girl for TikTok cooks’ by The Times. I sat down to discuss her new book, favourite recipes and her Spotify musts when cooking up a storm!

You mentioned that when you wanted to start making videos you didn't want anyone to laugh, so you chose TikTok as a platform.

You now have 1.8 million followers, how does that feel?

Well, it's quite a lot to kind of get your head around! On the few occasions I have gone out, I have been recognised which is not what I am used to at all. I’m extremely grateful for all the followers’ support but it is very new to me having worked as a chef for 10 years in the background!

On TikTok you’re limited to creating content in a matter of minutes. How was the experience of being able to cultivate your own book without that time pressure?

It was really good fun. All of the recipes that are in the book are the stuff that I enjoy eating; there’s no judgement attached. The book isn’t about transforming people into Michelin starred chefs, it’s just about bringing delicious food into the home. I want anybody to be able to open my book, whether it’s someone with a high skill set in the kitchen or someone who is just about holding knives - it’s about encouraging people to have freedom in the kitchen!

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was younger when looking through my cupboards was a toastie filled with a can of tuna, a tin of spaghetti hoops and some cheese – delicious!

Everything can be made so simple; you’ve just got to have a go.

Once you know what you like to eat, just make it easy. If you like pasta, try making different sauces from what’s in your cupboard and just experiment. Instead of seeing it as a chore, see it as an escape from studying for half an hour to make something delicious and nutritious.

If you could only take one recipe from your book to a desert island, which one would you take with you?

I am quite a greedy person and I like to shove things in my mouth. One of my favourite ones to eat and is perfect for students, in the batter chapter, is the potato bhaji burger.

You can make it vegan and it’s just everything about an onion bhaji that’s fantastic, then mixed with potato, then battered, then fried whilst sitting in a bath of mango chutney. It’s spicy and sweet, you have texture and all these flavours, it’s just everything and one of my favourite things to make.

You’ve worked with Michelin star chefs in their restaurants, so how is it to have the creative freedom on TikTok to make your own content rather than always answering to head chefs?

It’s so encouraging to hear you say that Yeah, it's really great. Over the past year and a half, because ultimately cooking is a learning I've been able to discover how I like to eat and what curve, isn't it? sort of food I like to cook. I’m not going to Yeah! A lot of perfection surrounds whack out a gel every time I want to cook Poppy Cooks: The Food You Need food these days. That’s one of the reaanything at home, so it's been nice to see my

by Poppy O’Toole is published by sons I didn’t do Instagram a few years style come through.

Bloomsbury, £16.99. Photography by ago because I was embarrassed that the It’s a lot more of home cooking and comLouise Hagger. way I eat at home is very different to forting food than a lot of the chefs that I've how I cook at work. I just want something worked with will ever make. quick and delicious that I can shove in my gob and enjoy every mouthful! It doesn’t need to be fancy. It just needs to be deliWe heard you love to belt out Britney in the kitchen. Do you have cious food – ‘the food you need’, excuse the pun! any other go-tos on the speaker when it's all getting a bit much in the kitchen?

Do you have any advice to students who I am a massive fan of Stevie Wonder and have started at university and haven't all the pop princesses: Britney, Christina, Hover over cooked much in the kitchen and might feel Lady Gaga – all of them! the QR code for a little overwhelmed by it?

But also, I'm a big fan of Jamiroquai a sneak peek of You need to just have some blind conwhich might be a bit embarrassing but, recipes from the fidence. Sometimes the best food comes sorry, but I love them, I just love them. Anbook to try before out of the weirdest combinations. One of ything jazzy and a bit funky is my cup of you buy! my favourite things I ever made when I tea!

food

Sri Lankan Pumpkin Curry Milan Perera teaches us how to make the most out of our pumpkins this halloween

I

a er er

t’s that time of the year again when carved golden pumpkins stare at you from front gardens with their menacing grin as you walk by. After helping to create that spooky spectacle for Halloween, this fine vegetable is gathered into bins to rot for no good reason. Looking for a quick recipe to use up those unloved pumpkins? Here is my go-to: Sri Lankan pumpkin curry. Sri Lankan curries are charEpi acterised by the delicious creaminess of coconut milk, g ra m /M augmented with a rich palette of aromatic spices and ila n rounded off with the nuttiness of desiccated cocoP nut; this recipe is no different. Here is the quick rundown: Approximate cooking time – 30 minutes.

Serves 4

Ingredients 450g pumpkin 2 tbsp oil 1/2 tsp mustard seeds 1 small red onion, thinly sliced 10 curry leaves (approximately) 1 green chili, sliced 1 stick of cinnamon 1 tsp ginger and garlic paste 1/2 tsp of chilli powder 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder 1/2 tsp of cumin powder 1/2 tsp of curry powder

Method 1) Wash the pumpkin, then cut it into similar-sized cubes by cutting into 2x1-inch wedges or

cutting them in half again for 1x1-inch pieces. Make sure to leave the skin on so that they maintain their shape and don’t turn into a pumpkin puree as they simmer!

2) Heat a pan and add oil.

3) When the oil starts to spit, add the sliced onion, mustard seeds, curry leaves and the cinnamon stick (be careful not to burn yourself on the hot oil!).

4) Gently fry the mixture until the sliced onion turns soft and translucent then add the garlic and

¾ tin of canned coconut milk ginger paste and let it cook for another minute.

1/2 cup of water

5) Add the cubed pumpkins followed by the curry powder, chilli, turmeric, and cumin. Stir gently, enabling the pumpkin pieces to soak up the spice mixture.

3/4 tsp of rock salt

6) Now it is time to bring the star ingredient to the mix: coconut milk. Add ½ tin of coconut milk,

Desiccated coconut flakes

green chilli, salt, and water and bring to the boil.

Cashews, roasted Bunch of fresh parsley

7) Close the lid, lower the heat to medium and let it simmer for a further 15 minutes.

8) Add the remaining ¼ can of coconut milk, reduce the heat to low and cook for 5 more minutes.

9) Add the desiccated coconut flakes and cashews and stir into the mix before garnishing with fresh parsley.

Serve with rice, flat bread, or Sri Lankan coconut roti.

This is true indulgence in a bowl whilst also being vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free!

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A Maltese Halloween...

Matthew Randell shares the Maltese tradition of L-Ghadam tal-Mejtin for Halloween and how you can make your own

L

-Għadam tal-Mejtin, literally translated:“The Bones of the Dead”. These traditional Maltese almond biscuits originate from the small archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea just off the coast of Italy. I have fond memories of childhood holidays, sleeping on the floor of my greataunt’s flat in Żejtun, a city in the South East where my paternal grandmother is from. Being a very Catholic country, Halloween is not a massive holiday in Malta so despite their spooky shape, these biscuits were originally created to celebrate ‘All Souls Day’ (The Day of The Dead), which is celebrated on 2nd November.

Brittle biscuits with an almond paste “marrow” filling, these days għadam tal-mejtin are sold in shops across the country during October and November. The bones were originally intended to honour deceased relatives, but nowadays they tend to just be

a seasonal snack. In fact, the Maltese people love these sweet treats so much they eat the exact same thing at Easter - but cut into much friendlier shapes and are called figolli.

Once cooled, enjoy as they are or dip into a mix of icing sugar and water for that boney-white topping. As you can see, my presentation needs some work, but the great taste is hard to mess up!

I’ll definitely be making treat-sized versions for guests at future Halloween parties. If you aren’t planning a trip to the Mediterranean anytime soon then never fear, they’re not too hard to make at home:

Ingredients For the dough: 500g plain flour 227g cold butter, grated 150g caster sugar 1 large lemon, zest 2 medium egg yolks 60ml water 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

ram Epig

16

e atth /M

w

ell nd a R

For the filling: 270g ground almonds 170g caster sugar 100g icing sugar 2 egg whites Extra lemon zest

Method

1) Mix the dough ingredients together in a large bowl until smooth and chill for an hour.

2) Preheat the oven to 200°C. 3) Meanwhile, make the paste filling by mixing together all of the remaining ingredients.

4) Once the dough is chilled, cut out bone shapes about 0.5 cm in thickness and cut out slightly smaller bone shapes from the paste filling.

5) Assemble by sandwiching the paste between the two larger biscuit bones.

6) Brush the edges of the biscuits with milk and press firmly down to seal the biscuit with the filling enclosed.

7) Bake for around 20 minutes, ideally until just before they turn a golden brown.

food

How to: Oktoberfest in Bristol

In light of Oktoberfest, Rosie Barden reveals the best places for a pint in Bristol

Epigram / Rosie Barden

The first pub on the list is the wellknown White Harte situated right by campus on Park Row. This pub

is obviously great for students considering its location, you can easily grab a drink after a long day of lectures without going out of your way.

The environment is inviting and cosy with its armchairs and warm lighting, and its colourful and trendy décor

entices us as students. As well as this, they have a vast selection of different beers on tap and some delicious IPA cans which aren’t commonly found at student pubs. Most importantly, however, is the list of offers presented throughout the week, on both food and drink, meaning your bank account will also approve of you buying a pint here!

quintessential pub atmosphere, but with a modern feel to it. Their pint selection is optimal and although a brew will cost you around the £5 mark, the fact that they offer brewery tours arguably makes it worthwhile!

This pub promises authenticity as well as a truly delicious pint.

Next up is The Grace on Gloucester Road. I discovered this pub by chance and would highly recommend this venue if you are looking for a charming beer garden.

The outdoor area is its main attraction; it’s a lively yet intimate atmosphere making it ideal if you don’t want to feel over-crowded. Every pint on the menu is less than a fiver, and they also have a wide selection of decently priced wines if that’s more your thing.

Lastly, if you’re interested in a great pub that has its own mini brewery, the King Street Brewhouse is certainly worth a visit.

Found in the City Centre, it’s situated amongst some of the most historic and ornate architecture of Bristol’s Old City. Inside, you’re met with a

ar de n

I

n light of the annual Oktoberfest, the greatest beer festival globally, it seems an appropriate time to consider where students can acquire the best pint in Bristol. There are several vital elements to consider when deciding the ‘best’ pint for students; it needs to strike that perfect balance between great taste, cosy pub atmosphere and ultimately, it needs to be decently priced.

am Epigr

ie os /R

B

A spooky night-in alternative

Juliette Dudley provides a seasonal cocktail recipe to make at home if you don’t fancy the pub

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his spectacular twist on a Screwdriver will make the headline at any event! The black dye added to the vodka will create a scream-worthy variation that will be a hit this Halloween! Try not to make these in advance as the colours will mix and you won’t get that sunrise effect.

Serves 4

Ingredients 100ml vodka

Black food colouring 500ml orange juice 4 tbsp grenadine

Method

Add the food colouring to the vodka until you are satisfied with the pigment.

Divide the mixture between glasses, then add orange juice followed by a spoon of grenadine on top. Do not mix.

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Editor XANDER BRETT Digital Editor MIA AUSTIN Deputy Editor LUCY RAWLINGS

Pinpointing the ‘No Time to Die’ filming locations

The Travel Team locates the settings

from the latest 007 thriller

Norway

T

Italy

Courte

sy o f IM DB

he Norwegian government reportedly gave 47m NOK (£4m) in tax breaks to help draw production here, and the country was the first location of filming, back in March 2019: only the second time it has featured in a Bond film, since a brief appearance as the location of a secret UN base in You Only Live Twice.. Léa Seydoux, transformed to blonde beauty in white trousers as Madeleine Swann, hides out in the frozen wastes of Norway, speaking French but watching NRK. Her house is the location of the film’s terrifying opening scene when she is a child.

That will be somewhat repeated later in the film to the next generation. Production returned in June to shoot a car chase just south of Kristiansand, over the Atlanterhavsveien bridge, and again that winter.

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f tesy o Cour

IMDB

Scotland and the Faroe Islands Bond is from Scotland, and it featured heavily in The World Is Not Enough and Skyfall (Bond’s fiftieth anniversary).

In No Time to Die, it doubles for Norway during cross country car chases.

Stunts were filmed in the forests of Cairngorms, and at the Ardverikie Estate on the shores of Loch Laggan.

Bond 25 ends on a disputed island between Russia and Japan. But it’s in fact located just north of Scotland, in the Faroe Islands: a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark… which makes this North Atlantic archipelago the location of the biggest bombshell ending to any film in history. Crews spent three days on Kalsoy island, filming aerial shots at Trøllanes and the Kallur promontory.

Italy’s elegance has long been a draw for the Bond franchise. Spectre includes a scene shot at St Peter’s Square in Rome, while scenes of From Russia with Love and Moonraker were shot in Venice… oh, and who could forget Casino Royale’s destruction of the city! The subsequent film, Quantum of Solace, starts during Siena’s palio, while parts of For Your Eyes Only were shot in the Veneto, and The Spy Who Loved Me finishes action in Sardinia.

The opening car chase of No Time to Die takes place in Matera, a town in the southern region of Basilicata, synonymous with its cave dwellings. These grottoes were inhabited by the town’s impoverished residents until 1952 and are now a tourist attraction.

In No Time to Die, we’re given sweeping vistas of Matera from a hotel balcony, and Bond is brought into the action at the local cemetery, later making a perilous rope jump off a bridge, filmed nearby in Gravina, Puglia. The sweeping coastal car journeys, reusing Louis Armstrong’s music, were filmed near Sapri in Campania.

Jamaica It was in Jamaica, at his Goldeneye estate, that Ian Fleming penned his first Bond novel. The Caribbean is no stranger to the books and films, given its sun and sand. It was here that Honey Ryder made her sumptuous arrival in Dr No, emerging from the sea in a white bikini, clasping two shells.

The franchise returned to film Live and Let Die, and the Caribbean also features in Thunderball, Licence to Kill, GoldenEye, Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace. Bond’s retirement villa at Port Antonio is not unlike the location of his last retirement in Skyfall. He sails up to his jetty and takes a trip into town, to be met by Felix Leiter, his old CIA friend.

Epigram / Xander Brett

travel

On the Ground: France

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Morgan Collins shares his thoughts from Paris

Epigram / Morgan Collins

’m working in a pop-up art shop, which means my routine is varied. I often work long into the evenings, so the boulangerie run and errands need to be done in the morning.

I work until 8pm, then head home on the Metro. But, living with three other students, our weekends can be reserved for the sightseeing we didn’t have time for during the week.

From what I’ve been reading, I wouldn’t be surprised if President Macron is re-elected. In general, the French have been pleased with how he handled the pandemic (despite a few controversies over the vaccine roll-out and subsequent passport).

On a personal level, however, people haven’t warmed to him.

That being said, Marine Le Pen will have more adversaries this time around, and many far-right rivals could take her votes away. Certainly, outliers, such as former EU Chief Brexit Negotiator Michel Barnier, could cause issues for both candidates.

Barnier proved he could see through a complete project, and his European credentials are stronger than Macron’s. That’s important for the French. ... And it brings me to my next point: the departure of Chan-

cellor Merkel over the border. Merkel and Macron have done a lot together, not least with the Covid-19 recovery patches. Her replacement could well be more frugal in those terms, so France is concerned by her stepping down. What’s more, while Germany doesn’t have nuclear weapons, the AUKUS nuclear agreement has seen France react badly. It was a massive slap in the face, as they assumed they had a good working relationship with Australia.

Nuclear power is massive here, creating many jobs for many people, and that makes this agreement sting. It’s worrying, to a certain extent, in an American context too. If this instance is anything to go by, the UK, US and Australia are more than likely to leave France – and Europe – out of future endeavours There’s no shortage of things to do. Recently, a memorial covering of the Arc de Triomphe was unveiled by President Macron.

It’s a tribute to Christo, the modern artist who covered such landmarks as the Pont Neuf and Reichstag in fabric. I went down to see it, and it was – as expected – awe-inspiring and suitably grand.

Fäviken has gone, so student budgets can stretch northwards

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Xander Brett embarks on a gastronomic tour through Swedish Jämtland

washed up my supper, picked up my suitcase and left the apartment, walking downhill to Stockholm’s Central Station. I was on my way to the night train, heading north to Östersund. The sunlight line is in Gävle, and we passed through before semi-darkness reached Stockholm.

It meant, therefore, we ‘skipped the night’. Pulling in as the sun rose, I was greeted by Fia Gulliksson. We met in London two years ago, during recordings for the Skavlan talk show. She was over in the UK to revitalise the Pantechnicon building in Belgravia, transforming it to a Nordic-Japanese culinary tower, with restaurants on five floors. Fia is Östersund’s local hero, responsible for inserting her town onto the UNESCO list of Creative Cities. When her friend, Magnus Nilsson, opened his Fäviken restaurant in the region, Netflix, PBS and magazine critics were flown in from across the world.

Before long it had two Michelin stars, voted Europe’s second-best restaurant. Walking through town, Fia was stopped almost every metre.

She took me to a hotel for breakfast, then it was down to work at Gomorron Östersund: a shared office space for over ninety companies. When their new centre opens, they’ll house up to a thousand businesses under one roof. For a city of under 50,000, the transformation is amazing. I was whisked to the outskirts of town, recording links for a documentary. Then, an hour or so later, picked up from the studio, given lunch at a restaurant downtown, and we began our drive west.

Our destination was Flammans Skafferi on the Norwegian frontier. We’d stop first at a food producer, then at a textile mill.

From there, it was on to the village of Järpen, where Fia pointed out a green-roofed cottage: Magnus Nilsson’s place. Half an hour later and we swung by a teachers’ party and cruised into Åre, the largest ski resort in Scandinavia.

This is where Zlatan Ibrahimović, Sweden’s most exported footballer, hangs out. We were there during the Euros, but he was out of play with a knee injury, so there was a flurry of excitement when we saw the distinctive ponytail disappear behind the gates of his luxury pad. In one of the smart hotels, we had a drink and a slice of Skagen toast. Then we pushed on to the spectacular Tännforsen waterfall and, with jazz on the stereo, finished up in Storlien. The frontier was closed and Fia’s friend, Lena Flaten, was confined to her restaurant on the Swedish side, despite also running a hotel in her native Norway.

Storlien has a population of just 70 people, so she serves gourmet pizzas to whoever passes through. That evening, it was the local workmen. During the ski season, it’s the Swedish king and

queen. The royal family have a cabin overlooking the village, and Lena told me they either order takeaways or come down in person to sit under blankets (Queen Silvia likes the fire). We stayed overnight adjacent to the restaurant, drinking into the early hours.

The next morning we took breakfast outside, looking out at a sunrise over the snow-topped mountains. Snowmobiles were parked up until winter and, after a walk up the hill, we switched on the radio and headed back to Östersund. After an hour, Fia announced that we’d stop for lunch at a friend’s restaurant.

She flicked up the indicators in Duved, swung past a petrol station and came to a halt outside a red block of flats with no visible advertising. Miraculously, as with Lena’s little wooden cabin, as we sat in the carpark, looking across the road to a winter clothing shop, we were handed a selection of clean, delicate masterpieces. This was Trägårn, and it’s a result of Fäviken’s planned breakup in 2019.

When Magnus Nilsson moved on, his staff dissolved into the region. Tightly trained world chefs began transforming local cafés. Trägårn, for example, is Epigram / Xander Brett run by a former Fäviken employee, and the fivestrong team under her care includes a chef from Cornwall.

After lunch, we finished up the trip via one more deli, a replenishing of the salted liquorice supply, and a moose hunt on the backroads, before driving back through Östersund to arrive at Fia’s complex (complete with a boathouse looking out at the lake: the front windows open towards boats anchored for concerts). There was just time for dinner, cooked by her husband, Martin, before I was driven to the station for the night train south.

Before 2010, the only arrivals were a dribble of skiers. That changed with Fäviken and, for a while, the rich descended.

When the restaurant disintegrated, however, along with its 3,000 SEK (£250) menu, the rich stopped coming. But Fäviken’s chefs stayed on. And with no one to serve but the locals, it meant putting the spill off from Europe’s second-best restaurant on the side of a backroad. Healthcare isn’t free in Sweden, and the state relies on private childcare.

Swedes have embraced capitalism, vocally refusing descriptions of a welfare state. So why do its citizens vote every year for the Social Democrats and happily throw 60 per cent of hardearned wages at each other? Perhaps this is the answer… so that their money can be shared to such an extent that in one restaurant by the customs post, freshly foraged, gourmet pizzas can be enjoyed by both kings and workmen in the same evening, seated around the same wooden table. This, surely, is Sweden’s capitalist equality put happily into action.

travel

The Fall holidays of North America

Lucy Rawlings details Halloween in the United States and Thanksgiving further north in Canada... where, yes, they have their own version

I

Epigram / Xander Brett

t’s Spooky Season! As one of the most highly anticipated holidays of the year, Halloween 2021 is set to be a big one.

With last year’s celebrations being somewhat thwarted, most of us are excited to once again be getting dressed up for parties and trick-or-treating. Although most students in the UK see Halloween as an excuse to host an event loosely tied to the holiday, in the US things are taken much more seriously. Despite its Celtic roots, this now beloved holiday, brought by the Irish and the Scots immigrants during the 1840s, has become an almost completely secularised festival. It has also become highly commercialised. In 2020, Americans spent 8.8 billion dollars on Halloween preparations.

But that’s the point. In America, Halloween isn’t for just one night. Planning takes place months in advance, and people even begin decorating their houses as early as late September. According to a YouGov survey of 1,500 American adults, 16 per cent said it was alright to put decorations out between Labor Day (6th September) and 30th September. This is a small percentage of the group, but 47 per cent said they’d be getting out the carved pumpkins and Halloween wreaths between 1st and 15th October.

Of course, this seems excessive, but I guess it’s what makes the event so much more of an event.

The obvious things, like having sufficient candy for trick-ortreaters and making sure the house looks adequately spooky

are important for a successful Halloween, but barrels for apple bobbing, pumpkins galore to make the most impressive jack-olantern, and a good stock of scary films are standard too. The annual trip to the pumpkin patch is a big deal for Americans.

It provides the opportunity to choose from the finest selection of pumpkins ready for carving. Picking the correct candy (and enough of it) is also vital, as it’s likely the whole neighbourhood will be visiting. In the UK trick-or-treating is generally accepted, but in the US it’s near-enough essential that each and every house in the neighbourhood takes part.

Another holiday that falls around, well, Fall, is Canadian Thanksgiving. Different from its American cousin, the Canadian version is celebrated on the second Monday in October and is an opportunity to acknowledge the harvest and other blessings of the last year. There’s not much to differentiate between the two versions (similar food, a similar way of celebrating and the same significance), but it must be noted that the main difference is timing. Because Canada is further north, the harvest begins much earlier. It’s generally a time to spend with family, relax and give thanks for the bountiful year that has just passed. Celebrated by eating delicious food and enjoying a break from work, Canadian Thanksgiving is low key in comparison to the American version… there’s no one who can compete with the USA when it comes to public holidays.

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Credit: Grace Barnes

Everyone in the city desrves to see my ensemble.

The waterfront is my runway.

Which is scarier?

Low rise jeans

A 9am on 1st November

Early 2000s pop icon

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No.

Your favourite character from Shrek

Life and soul of the party?

No thanks! I can barely sleep without a night light anyway

Horror films?

The scariest thing at this party is the social interaction

The spotlight finds me!

Yes. Traumatise me.

Relationship status?

Pick up line?

Something bold about tricks and treats

A shared student kitchen is the perfect setting for a disturbing Halloween

Club or house party?

Leave a two metre gap

Horror film nightmare

In a relationship / co-dependence on best friend is pushing the boundaries

Couples costume

Stick with the true Gnomeo and Juliet?

Really make the spirit of Halloween Or even regular most out of your We all have one. and frighten your Romeo and Juliet if new low rise jeans And it's Gingy. But fellow party-goers. you're lucky enough by copying an iconic any book or film Maybe you'll turn to have a plus one Christina or Britney character will do out like Cady in that resembles a moment. for you (unless it's young Leonardo Just don't start needlessly obscure. Mean Girls, or maybe you'll pull it off .

DiCaprio. singing.

Don't be that guy).

How big is the budget?

Thank you SFE

A condiment or tasty snack

Hello adult-sized avocado costume...

Food-basedconversationstarters will save you and if you like a challenge, make it sexy.

I'm already 30k in debt!

I'll have to impress with my personality...

Patch-up job

Empty the contents of your wardrobe onto the floor and see if inspiration strikes.

Alternatively, raid your flatmate's wardrobe and go as them.

lifestyle

Epigram /

I was visiting family in Maine, US when I was eight. My cousins lived in an old house near a lake. The arrival went fine and my older sister Rita and I were sharing one of the many rooms in the house. I slept in the bottom bunk and she slept in the top one. There had always been a weird, uneasy feeling in the house. One of the nights I woke up from my sleep in the middle of the night. I could see one of my Beanie Babies on the floor. Next to it was a figure reaching for the toy. It was a silhouette, white, fuzzy and with little definition. It felt like a big older man. 'What are you doing?', I said as I shut my eyes in terror. Then I heard a big bang. Rita had fallen off the top bunk. She was screaming in fear and had a nosebleed, probably from the impact.

The fuzzy man had disappeared and two of my cousins, alarmed, rushed into the room to check on us. There was never another encounter.

Gr ac e

us

rnes Ba

o m y on n -A

When I was little me and my family lived in an old house in the countryside that used to be a barn. It was a very creaky house and knocking and rattling sounds sometimes came from the small basement. It used to scare me but never worried my parents.

What was strange was that when our neighbour used to come round to see us with her dog Peggy, Peggy used to sit at the door to the basement barking and we didn’t know why.

One day my dad replaced some of the floor tiles in the basement and found a human handprint in the stone underneath.

Afterwards, Peggy never sat and barked by the door again.

-A no nym ous

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Secrets of the cosmos

The Croft’s resident clairvoyant explains what the stars have in store for you in November Sag

o t

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It might’ve felt like every one of 22 your goals recently came up against a rock – but November blesses you with an eased burden. A little extra hard work will show you how far you’ve truly come. From the 5th, any strained relationships with those closeby will begin to heal: that flatmate who keeps stealing your oat milk will no longer seem so wicked.

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Venus pushes you to face reality when it comes to love this month, whether you’ve been in denial about your romantic feelings for someone or you’re having to accept a hard truth. Either way, make way for a new, eventful phase. From the 19th, you’re hit with a sense of wanderlust – it might be time to knuckle down and work for now, but holidays are just around the corner…

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whether they’re romantic, friendly or work-related – are blossoming this month as Jupiter’s luck energises you to make meaningful connections.

From the 5th, you’re hard to resist… The lunar eclipse on the 19th may stir uncertainty in your career plans – look closely and you’ll realise what feels like a setback is actually an opportunity!

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Things are heating up as Mars storms through your house of passion: now’s a time to follow your heart over your head. The new moon on the 4th rockets your magnetism and communication skills, so make the most of your desirability! The focus is on creation: if you’re exploring a new activity, career path or relationship, it’s the perfect time for things to blossom.

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22 A u Partnerships of all kinds – gus

Relationships are at the front of your mind this month, and a drive to dispel loneliness kicks in as your search becomes almost a mission.

Venus stirs a desire to expand your horizons and you may find yourself planning a trip or simply venturing to the other side of Bristol – whatever it is you find on your travels may soon become very close to your heart.

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month, with essays, projects and presentations coming out of your ears. It won't bog you down though, as a whole host of planets lend you the strength to achieve your goals. If you’re single, you’ll stumble across the most unlikely opportunity early in the month: whoever you’d least expect to give you butterflies may just do so.

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Ge m Ju i You’re busier than ever this 21 May

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Your focus is on new, new, new this month, and you’re ready for a fresh start. Allow yourself to clear out whatever is weighing you down, and you’ll uncover opportunities you’d forgotten existed. With the full moon in your sign on the 19th comes decadence, pampering and perhaps a touch of romance: prepare for a cosy night in!

Your academic life is taking off as r just-out-of-sight dreams reveal themselves in reality. Routine will be all-important when it comes to relationships this month, so keeping up with your seminars and extra-curriculars may really pay off. The lunar eclipse in your house of communication on the 19th sets you up for any public speaking or business ventures.

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Your career ambitions are building momentum as fiery Mars charges through your house of aspirations and professional life all month long. You’re seeing your hard work start to pay off in all areas of life: if you’re looking for love, it’ll come from someone you’ve already put effort into getting to know – maybe an old friend or even (dare I say it) an ex.

Jupiter urges you to realise the reality of some financial pressures this month, and you’re feeling the drive to work on your career goals and plan for the future. You’re not just feeling introspective though: as Mars warms up your social sector it’ll feel like everyone you meet is a new best friend!

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It’s a wild month for you! Your 1 energy is boundless, and you’re somehow everywhere at once without spreading yourself too thin. Keep an eye on your finances, though, as Venus heats up your house of money and possessions – you could be due a windfall, but equally you may fall prey to an impulse (but no doubt spectacular) buy!

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It’s Scorpio season, the most intense of the year – and don’t you know it.

It’s buckle-down time, and the new moon in your sign on the 4th energises your mission. From the 22nd, whatever you’ve been *manifesting* will start to come to fruition. The lunar eclipse on the 19th fires up your relationships, reminding you to learn from your romantic past before charging ahead to the future.

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Illustrations by Alice Proctor

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