Editor: Imogen Palmer lifestyle@ epigram.org.uk
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Lifestyle
The end is nigh So, the world is going to end this year. On December 21st 2012, the apocalypse will arrive, as predicted by the ancient Mayan calendar. It sounds pretty far-fetched, but the astrological predictions made by the Maya thousands of years ago have been startlingly accurate so far - they successfully predicted the dates of every single solar eclipse stretching thousands of years into the future, including two that modern astronomers thought wouldn’t happen! They knew years in advance that their civilisation would be destroyed by invaders, and accepted it as fate or the will of the gods. In just seven months time, the Mayan long count calendar reaches its next, and last, significant date: the end of the thirteenth ka’tun and the day that the universe ends, just as they foretold. No-one really knows how Armageddon will happen, but all the options are quite enticing. Solar flare, meteor swarm, or (my personal favourite) a miniature black hole that crushes everyone into a delicious singularity of death and destruction. All in all there’s enough supporting the theory to make an impending apocalypse all too plausible.
ka’tun was in 1618, and if I remember my GCSE History correctly the world didn’t end in 1618. Even the Mayans themselves certainly didn’t think that the world would end in 2012: they even predicted important events and anniversaries that aren’t supposed to happen for years to come. To academics, the very idea that the Mayans believed the world will end this year is ‘a complete fabrication and a chance for a lot of people to cash in.’ So if there’s no real reason why we should believe in this bogus apocalypse, why is it such a popular idea? Extensive research (aka twenty minutes with Google) reveals that predictions of the end of the world aren’t specific to 2012 at all. We aren’t fascinated by the world ending this year - we’re fascinated by the world ending every year! Hell, just this year we’ve had the Rapture, the Large Hadron Collider, the Rapture (again), solar flares, and a near miss with an asteroid as well as the Mayan calendar. Going by this data, the world is going to end every two months, on average. Even if the Mayan apocalypse does happen, there’ll have been 3.5 apocalypses (apocalypsi?) by then anyway - my advice is to just stop worrying and enjoy how awesome things are in the meantime.
The one slight problem with the theory is that it’s complete and utter bullshit - almost every word in the first paragraph of this article is a lie The Mayan calendar does reach the end of a ka’tun this year, but that doesn’t mean anything significant: it happens quite a lot, really. The end of the last
Stephen Clements
Deputy: Imogen Rowley irowley@ epigram.org.uk
Deputy: Mariah Hedges deputylifestyle@ epigram.org.uk
Disaster films
A cultural obsess
ion
The best:
I Am Legend
This film presents New York City drowning in a fast spreading measles virus. 90% of humanity are dead and Will Smith (the last healthy man) must find an antidote and save the city. With scares of bird flu and swine flu epidemics becoming more and more recent, this film isn’t as unbelievable as we might like to think.
Brave New World Based on Aldous Huxley’s classic sci-fi novel, which was originally written in expression of Huxley’s fear of modernity after the Industrial Revolution. Similar to The Island, civilians live in artificial, polygamous environments, a situation which – as Bernard Marx (the protagonist) finds out – is not ideal to fall in love. Brave New World shows a life where science rules humanity… a thrilling and threatening concept for even modern viewers.
Children of Men This film explores a highly fascinating premise you kick yourself for not thinking up first. Set in 2027, twenty years of human infertility has caused unspeakable damage and Clive Owen must help the only sign of salvation (a pregnant lady) survive the chaos. Nominated for three Academy Awards and three BAFTA awards, this apocalyptic thriller has met huge critical acclaim.
and the worst:
Retreat
Staring Cillian Murphy, Jamie Bell and Thandie Newton, the retreat is the tale of a couple who just so happen to go on a romantic getaway to a deserted coastal cottage the same weekend that a lethal airborne virus from Mexico spreads across Europe. What a coincidence! This film is apocalyptically bad, relying too much on the big names it contains than its storyline.
Kate Samuelson
Travel
So this is it then, the end of the line. With the end of term coming up we’re sad to say this is our final e2 and we’ve not taken it too well. As far as some of us concerned it may as well be the end of the world. To celebrate the end of the year, the end of exams and the end of Epigram (for now) we’ve looked to the future. Claiming ‘the end is nigh’ was probably a bit melodramatic. We’re still getting to grips with it.
e2 was brought to you by Lifestyle : Imogen Palmer, Mariah Hedges and Imogen Rowley What’s On : Olivia Stephany Fashion : Francesca Clayton and Lizzy Bullock Travel : Verity Stockdale
with e2 editor : Matthew McCrory illustrator : Sophie Sladen
cover photography : Tristan Martin
14.05.2012
d n a l e t s a W e h t f o s g Kin
Ancient Histo ry
Accounting and Finance
When the dust clouds have settled and our Glorious Insect Overlords have moved on to their next planetary conquest, re-establishing a stable economy is going to be a top priority. With our metals melted and banking systems sentient, it’s a great opportunity for a thriving barter system. How many crowbars is a gas mask worth? Is half a leg a fair trade for a litre of petrol? That’s why these number-crunching hotshots will be (literally) headhunted.
When praying to a higher power is the only hope you have left, it’s important to get the words right. Furthermore, establishing a cult is a great way to get the shambling, mutated hordes of survivors under your thumb. Learn from the masters.
Used to being top of the rubbish tip, lawyers will find it very difficult to adapt when they realise that a firmly issued subpoena is not going to stop a robotic T-Rex from tearing off their limbs, and that suing the company that made it is not going to bring Canada back. I predict a nervous breakdown and loss of faculties within three days. And if you thought lawyers were evil when they were sane...
Sure, at first, doctors, nurses, and anyone who’s ever picked up a medical textbook will be in high demand. Serious injuries will be very common, and any local warlord worth his salt will want his own personal cadre of medics. The problem is, their desirability will lead to them being constantly fought over and traded like stale chewing gum. They might be able to live (in chains) to see the new dawn, but the horrors and human depravity they’ve witnessed won’t make them any fun at parties. Tom Bloom
As we all know, mistake number one in the apocalypse is to go outside. Packs of the undead, killer viruses, and rampant evangelists; it’s a mutated jungle out there. It’s much safer to stay inside at the blackboard and never even notice what’s going on.
in the event of the
Lost in the mountains of pure abstraction, the mathematicians will be safe from madness of the foothills of reality. Also, everyone knows that the only way a killer robot can be defeated is with a logical paradox. And this false sentence is certainly a paradox. For many more, time to start sitting in on set theory lectures.
APOCALYPSE?
Law
Medicine
Mathematics
How useful is your degree
Theology
Science is useless, and the age of reason has descended into chaos. As the saying goes, ‘there are no atheists in fallout shelters.’
History repeats, and these guys come prepared. When a global EMP pulse renders all modern technology useless, knowing your gladius from your katara and, more importantly, knowing which end can take the head off a marauding lizardman, is going to be worth all the hours spent in the library.
Biochemistry
Zombie Fo dder
Those biohazard suits are not nearly as safe as they look. When the world’s children turn into rabid ratpeople, this department will seal themselves in their labs, promising to come up with the solution in a test tube. Break down their doors a month later, and everyone’s got the rage virus. Avoid this department like the plague.
Politics nal o i t a n r e t n I & Relations Pride comes before a fallout. When everybody else is sensibly running away from the bloated cosmic horror that has rent spacetime in twain, these idealistic fools will be trying to establish summits and treaties, insisting ‘give peace a chance’ while being flayed by tentacles. When North Korea launches nuclear bombs, these sons of Kissinger will be sitting smugly in their faux-ivory towers, trying to tell anyone who’ll listen exactly whose fault it is, ignoring all common sense and pleas to get in a shelter. There is no place for politics in the real world.
Lifestyle
Editor: Imogen Palmer lifestyle@ epigram.org.uk
Society Slut
What’s On Fashion
Deputy: Imogen Rowley irowley@ epigram.org.uk
Who will be immortalised forever in the all-hallowed hall of the Slut Awards? My well-situated dwelling in the union’s laundry room has made it easy to keep a track of the ins, outs, whotheres and hereabouts of the Bristol society scene.
Winner: UBTV
‘What?!’ the crowds exclaim, ‘since when was there a TV society? I, like, love TV and that, I do.’ Yes, readers, there has always been a TV society, aptly named ‘Blink TV’ because blink, and you might have missed it (such wit). After drowning in the turbulent ocean of poor organisation and painful unpopularity for a few years, Blink TV has emerged from the cocoon of reinvention like a turkey from the ashes. Legal action from another company called Blink TV might have motivated the metamorphosis somewhat but the swish new website, fancy-pants name and actually producing content certainly saved this society from suffocating in the bitter soot of flaccid disappointment.
Winner : Wingardium Levio-Soc Runner up : Expeditions Soc
Our very own on campus pseudo-religious cult managed to make the big time this year by getting on the telly-box playing with broomsticks in a field. Their re-enactment of the favourite sport of their glasses-wearing demi-God has, for some reason, turned into a ‘trend’ which has taken universities across the country by storm. Not only are they too keen for anyone’s good, but they are also the largest society in Bristol, with 545 members, followed by Expeditions who have a valiant 475. Expeditions Soc gets a mention in this category because not only does their name and concept ooze twisted images of boy scouts and orienteering, but their commitment for going to god-knowswhere to climb god-knows-what-mountain for god-knows-what-reason is admirable. Wrong word. Notable. It is notable. The Slut has another expedition for you called make it from one end of the Woodland Road Complex to the other without getting lost. It’s cheap, it’s fast, and there are no fucking mountains.
Winner : Pole-Dancing Soc
The Slut was flattered to receive scores of emails from pole-dancers from across the country who’d been motivated enough by my experience at Pole-dancing Soc to write in and tell me their thoughts about it. Always a sucker for feedback, I particularly appreciated the following comments: ‘By the way when have you ever come across a jaguar - this is Britain: in the 21st century,’ and ‘how can you say ‘fighting a jagur [sic]’ comes under ‘real life fitness’ for goodness sake!? I’m pretty sure most people don’t fight jaguars on a day-to-day basis!’
on’s s k c a J d r a How s for Top Five Tip
g Job-seekins Graduate
1. Don’t be a show off. Try not to lord your degree over everyone else by using long words or quoting obscure people. I once had a guy interview for the role of my assistant and he used the word ‘serendipity’ twice. Utter wanker. 2. Don’t aim too high. You’re hugely under qualified for the majority of jobs, having had no real world experience. Let’s see how useful Plato is when you’re washing dishes. That’s why the Polish are doing so well - they don’t waste time with learning. [Is this racist? Get Marta to check.]
How could I have been so misled? Thank you for your kindness.
Winner : Speleological Soc Winner : Yoga Soc
I thought I’d seen and heard it all before I went to Yoga Soc. No siree, I still get the tremors and ‘period corner’ flashbacks when I’m on the 5th floor.
Sure, this may not be the most obvious award but I felt these guys deserved something for being the oldest society (established 1919 before the union was built in 1965) and for having a wicked-awesome name. Congrats.
Overall Slut Fave Award Winner : UOB Netball
Travel
Deputy: Mariah Hedges deputylifestyle@ epigram.org.uk
Well done ladies, you proved that the ‘Calendar Girls’ effect still hasn’t petered out, no matter how many hundreds of nudey calendars are produced in imitation. They don’t even need delightfully saucy WI members or to be for charity anymore. Common sense dictates that the words ‘naked’, ‘calendar’, ‘netball’ and ‘girls’ combined cause more people to reach into their pockets than ‘the big issue’ or ‘cancer’ ever will. It was the mention on the Daily Mail website that was the tipping point, turning you guys from mere naked bodies into naked somebodies, and earned you this award.
And the OSFA goes to…well. What can I say? I’m never happier than when I’m getting intimate or getting competitive, so it was a toss-up between Massage Soc and Debating. In the end, Debating won out. Why? Tearing into someone’s argument on a suitable platform is fun and, what’s more, the debaters are so dedicated to the cause, they can’t stop debating: I found a group of them debating the identity of yours truly on Facebook. Enormously flattered to be the source of dispute. It’s been a pleasure but I must vacate my humble abode. The bearded porter and the ginger one want to do their washing.
3. Don’t be modest. I considered calling this one ‘definitely embellish’. With the right wording you can make a BTEC in Performing Arts (pathetic) look like a good 2:1 in Drama (less pathetic). Alternatively, just lie. I once managed an entire branch of Maryland Fried Chicken for three months with literally shit all qualifications. It took them that long to work out that I didn’t have a Masters in Food Tech, the fools. 4. Don’t be lazy. My assistant/cleaner Marta is both efficient and cheap, often working for mere pounds an hour. That’s the kind of competition you’re up against and it won’t be easy. Often in interviews I like to accuse the other candidates of sexual harassment and/or casual homophobia, particularly if the interviewer looks like he could be one. It sometimes works. 5. Don’t be boring. Students often think that dull analysis is more important than interesting facts. Wrong. I like to start an interview/pitch/ date with a trivia nugget such as ‘You’re longer in the morning than you are in the evening’ or ‘Somewhere in the world a human just died.’ It grabs their attention by its horns, allowing you to saddle up and ride your way to victory. God speed.
14.05.2012 of a street ‘watershed’, just like TV. At 9pm each shop will convert into an empty nightclub with a pervy barman and two drunk girls who aren’t afraid to be the first on the dancefloor.
T
hey approach the surface, stumbling awkwardly up the stairs to the stinking archway, their exhausted bodies drenched in sweat, glazed eyes scanning the street whilst they shout incoherent abuse out into the night. But what will Lizard Lounge be like 100 years from now? To be honest even today it bears an uncanny resemblance to scenes from ’28 Days Later’. I can recall numerous times when I have staggered into Lounge looking for signs of intelligent life and instead found grunting zombies twitching and shaking to the ‘beatz’. But hey, the drinks are cheap and where else do the barmen give you free lollipops in such a flirtatious gesture that oozes with phallic symbolism? In one hundred years time when dubstep is so vintage it’s studied by scholars, what will Bristol’s clubs be like? The trends in how we get our rocks off lean more and more towards dancing to music designed to
manipulate our heart rate. Music that typically begins with one and a half minutes of ‘build’ followed by the inevitable ‘drop’ where we proceed to jump around like world peace collided with Christmas day. In the future I predict we’ll get over our fixation of ‘the drop’ and instead move towards a new appreciation of ‘the crescendo’. This will be through the re-invention of classical music (imagine Wagner with boops and beeps over the top). Instead of dancing to set lists we’ll dance to symphonies and sonatas, Bunker will remain popular with it’s ‘I’ll be Bach’ nights, we’ll chill to Stravinsky in Syndicate and Bristol’s reputation for being so damn retro will be maintained. Park Street one hundred years on will see it finally giving in to its functional duality of providing boutiques and cafes during the day and greasy nightclubs and snacks by night. In fact I see it becoming more systematic with the introduction
But what about Clifton? Surely if any part of Bristol is going to keep hold of an ounce of class it’s Clifton, with it’s pretty delis, adorable dress shops and impressive collections of objet d’art. Will this epicentre of trinkets and organic sandwiches still be the middle class sanctuary that spawned generations of botoxed yoga mummies? No! In the 1980s Clifton was a cool part of town boasting the best in new age reggae, wicked beats and serious tunes. I shit you not! A century on this will have returned, causing a mass move from shabby chic to just plain shabby, al fresco to Tesco and wine bars to Wetherspoons. People will start walking round in headphones and ripped jeans and all the well-off people will leave. I honestly think that in the future Stokes Croft will become the new Clifton. Either that or it will cease to exist- a possible result of the unwise addition of a Waitrose in twenty years time. What a dirty and edgy place Bristol will become?! A trendy Frankenstein town filled with vapid fashionistas and bucket-loads of creative edge. Sounds like Soho with hills. Oh the horror!
Lizzie Skrzypiec
s ’ a r o d n Pa Box It would be a lie to say I have not felt the cruel pain of neglect of late. Having travelled far and wide this year just passed I have nourished my spirit and soul with a host of places and people, that I might dispense to you the very best advice, oh poor and pasty peons. It is a truth most evident that this has rather taken its toll. I find myself soul-sick, bow-legged and weary, trudging across the continent with little other than a change of clothes and a set of freshly-laundered prophylactics. Each fresh email from your pathetic magazine’s wretched editor leaves me leaves me dreading the next endless continuum of inane and childish problems to wrench apart mine essence. Yet despite the strenuous efforts on my part to adjust the brains of some of Bristol’s more delicate flowers, the communiqués have all but ceased - much like my parents’ sex life following the discovery of my secret sisters. The blame must fall on Twitter, micro-blogging site du jour. Why would one bother sending questions to a well-bred, erudite, enlightened sophisticate, when you could receive a deluge of opinions in the blink of an eye from the subhuman denizens of that dark and squalid hole? Why bother in this day and age to seek an informed and adult response when you can assuage your fears with a rhetorical question?
Editor: Olivia Stephany whatson@epigram.org.uk
@e2WhatsOn
Best of Bristol Lifestyle
Festivals
This academic year may be drawing to a close but that means the beginning of the festival season. Bristol offers an array of festivals across numerous genres, meaning there’s post-exam entertainment up ahead and some inspiration to get you through.
1. Dot to Dot, 2nd June
Competing with the newly founded and very sought-after Love Saves the Day, Dot to Dot takes place on the first weekend in June. Headlined this year by The Drums and Pulled Apart By Horses, the festival has, in the past, featured bands such as The XX and Laura Marling. It’s probably not unreasonable to expect to find some big up-and-coming artists performing here. Performances take place at a range of Bristol venues including the O2, Start the Bus and Thekla. Dot to Dot also takes place in Nottingham and Manchester, featuring all the same performers over the following two days, if you fancy heading up north on the 3rd or 4th.
2. Upfest, 2nd – 4th June
What’s On
Also during the first weekend in June is Europe’s largest urban art festival, Upfest. Based around North Street and the Southville area, this isn’t your typical festival but is set to feature the work of internationally-renowned graffiti artists whilst also offering tutorials in painting. In addition to this, there’ll also be DJs, live bands and beatboxers – definitely worth checking out. Plus, it’s free so what’s stopping you?
3. Festival of Nature, 16th – 17th June The UK’s largest free celebration of the natural world might be a nerdy title, but Bristol’s ‘tourist event of the year’ is definitely worth checking out if it’s your thing! Based down at the Harbourside, the event is set to feature loads of interactive exhibitions, a programme jam-packed with interesting talks and a festival market.
4. Bristol Harbour Festival, 20th – 22nd July Another free event, this festival brings a combination of circus, dance, music and theatre performances to the Harbourside. Having celebrated its 40th birthday last year, this is an established festival which seems to be adding new features annually. There really is a huge range of events going on which stretch across the performing arts – involvement of the SS Great Britain, M Shed and Arnolfini contrast with performances in the Dance Village.
Travel
Fashion
5. BrisFest, 22nd – 23rd September Moving to Ashton Court this year, BrisFest is the city’s community music festival. Combining music, street art, theatre, comedy and circus, this is another festival which has something to suit all tastes. The line up for this year is yet to be announced; however, previous artists have included Dub FX, Nicky Blackmarket and October Live. Lucy de Greeff
The end of an era
As I sit here chewing on my 4-way Bic, ignoring my work, making eyes at handsome boys in the library and staring into the abyss of torment that is impending finals, I’m starting to get all nostalgic about my time at Bristol. As High Renaissance Man so eloquently put it, ‘If you were to take the gritty, urbaneness of Manchester, and mix it with the academia of Oxbridge, you get somewhere close to Bristol. Imagine, if you will, a drug-fuelled after-party…on a punt’. While this is certainly a droll way of putting it, everything down to the very streets of this city is nothing short of legendary; the renowned Whiteladies Road leading from the beautiful green of the Downs to the party capital of the Triangle, running onto the deservedly famous Park Street (as seen in that hair-raising opening sequence of the third series of Skins), leading down to the Floating Harbour of the stunning Bristol docks. The city is a living legend. With such diversity from gorgeous Clifton
Village to edgy Stokes Croft, Bristol is a city of microcosms. There are those who have likened a sunny walk along the waterfront to being on holiday, areas of Clifton to walking onto a period film set, and parts of Stokes Croft to the most awe-inspiring cultural hubs in existence. If you want to pick herbs to season your supper from a public herb garden, then wash down your supper supping cider on a boat, followed by cocktails in a secret prohibition bar, then dance the night away in a magic club, and move on to a warehouse and get grimy until the sun rises? There is nowhere better to do so than here. What is it about Bristol that I will miss the most? My long-term relationship with Sainsburys Basics everything, Scoopaway, The Canteen (as someone once said, ‘a place to sit and write poetry with other artists and vegetarians’), going to war with Abode on a regular basis, Brandon Hill, bottles of wine for
a fiver in Roo Bar, the Best of Bristol lecture series (honestly, so worth checking it out), lazy afternoons at the White Lion, Lizard Lounge (the nightclub for people who want to vomit and fall asleep in a puddle of their own making), WOMAD at Bristol Zoo, sophisticated soirées in Hyde & Co, and not-so-sophisticatedly telling the magicians in Illusions on a regular basis that I love them because they pulled my card out of their left nostril. The city has also inspired me enormously, watching the ‘See No Evil’ graffiti project come together on Nelson Street (and deciding to spray my room orange – I refer you back to the war with Abode), FUZE
(motivating me to take up hip hop dancing) and Clicendales (inspiring me to take my clothes off in front of hundreds of people when I hear LMFAO). Oh stop now; I’m starting to tear all over my dissertation. I’m going to miss this place more than I can say – here’s to the last four years, and to those lucky bastards who have it all to come. Verity Stockdale
14.05.2012 MADE IN HEAVEN
PAUL MERTON: OUT OF MY HEAD Paul Merton is probably best known for his TV appearances in Have I Got News For You, Room 101 and as a panellist on Radio 4’s Just a Minute. In this new show, Merton delves into the melting pot that is his brain and treats us to a night of his trademark surreal observations, black humour and lightning-quick improvisation.
22 May – 30 June The Hippodrome £21 - £56
25 May Colston Hall £20-£23
18-20 May Tobacco Factory £11 concessions
20 May Arnolfini £6 student
CAFÉ DE FLORE
HEADHUNTERS
Jean-Marc Vallée makes a return to French language filmmaking after The Young Victoria with this mystical, somewhat supernatural tale of love and loss. Elegant and heartwrenching, this is a powerful unconventional ode to love.
From Jo Nesbo, Headhunters is centred around the charismatic Roger Brown (Aksel Hennie), a top recruitment headhunter who seems to have it all. To maintain his lifestyle, he’s also an accomplished art thief and is lured into a dangerous game of cat and mouse when he goes after the biggest heist of his life.
Until 24 May Watershed £6.50 student
27-29 May The Cube £4
Screen
HOW TO START A REVOLUTION You may not have heard of Noble-Prize nominee Gene Sharp, but his writings on nonviolent revolution have inspired a new generation of protesters living under authoritarian regimes. This event includes a screening of this highly praised documentary and an on-stage interview with the film’s director.
KEANE
SHIT THE BED!
For those of you who were lucky enough to get a ticket before it sold out, this festival is sure to be a highlight of the year with performances from Annie Mac, Bonobo and Mr Scruff, just to name a few. Don’t forget to buy
Always been a big fan of Keane and wished they came back on the scene? You’re in luck. Keane will play their first UK tour in three years this May and June, providing the first opportunity for fans to hear material from their new album!
Whatever you do, make sure you don’t miss the last Shit the Bed of the year! Bring Summer in with a bang with this insane lineup featuring headline acts Skream and P Money (more to be announced at a later date). Not one to be missed.
5 June O2 Academy £27.50
16 June Motion £15
3 June Castle Park Sold out
OLYMPIC TORCH RELAY
Celebrating its tenth anniversary in Bristol, The Affordable Art Fair will host a huge selection of paintings, sculpture, photography and prints priced between £40 and £4,000. Head down to Brunel’s Old Station to pick
Don’t miss out on Bristol‘s turn at proudly hosting the Olympic Flame as it enters the city on day four of the London 2012 Relay. Come down and support our Torchbearers as they represent our city in one of the most significant and exciting events to ever take place in the UK!
up some bargains.
18 – 20 May Brunel’s Old Station £4 in advance
22 - 23 May Around Bristol Free
IN BETWEEN TIME FESTIVAL Leave the city behind and enter the world of the forest. In Between Time presents a very special kind of festival. Situated in a field and a forest, Up To Nature is a three-day weekender of performance, talks, walks, bands, bonfires, banquets and ball games. 29 June – 1 July Woodchester Park £34
Extras
AFFORDABLE ART FAIR
Sound
LOVE SAVES THE DAY
your Afterparty tickets (there are two events taking place at Motion and Lakota).
Stage
Following the critically acclaimed ‘Love and War’, the Mark Bruce Company presents its new, savagely beautiful dance theatre production. With music ranging from Debussy and Lead Belly to Queens of the Stone Age, this dark, sometimes comic piece interrogates the very idea of heaven.
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA Far beneath the majesty and splendour of the Paris Opera House hides the Phantom in a shadowy existence. Shamed by his physical appearance and feared by all, the love he holds for his beautiful protégée Christine Daaé is so strong that even her heart cannot resist.
Editor: Francesca Clayton fashion@ epigram.org.uk
Fashion
F
ashion is nothing if not an industry which heartily embraces the new, so it should come as no surprise that a digital revolution is already firmly in place. From the live streaming of catwalk shows to the continual tweets offered courtesy of either bloggers or the brands themselves, it is apparent that fashion’s relationship with the digital goes beyond the print on a Mary Katrantzou dress. Miuccia Prada has been particularly quick to embrace the new wealth of technological possibilities, with both Miu Miu and Prada shows being live streamed on sites such as Style.com. In Britain, the great success story has been that of Burberry Prorsum, who not only live stream their shows, but make designs available for purchase via their website a few seconds after the show ends. This encourages sales as it catches people in the moment of postcatwalk adrenaline rush. Still captivated by the excitement of the new designs, there is no enforced ‘Do I really need this?’ period, only the heady buzz of ‘I want that NOW!’ One of the main comments regarding this technological change is that it ‘democratises’ fashion. This, of course, can be a bad thing as fashion thrives on being elitist. It has to be founded on dreams and products which are partly desirable because they are so inaccessible to the majority. Tom Ford has deliberately shunned making his shows accessible to anyone but a handful of invited guests, who are not allowed to tweet or take photos.
It has been presumed that Ford’s rejection of digitalising his collections is down to a type of snobbery. However, he also prefers to not use the catwalk as a display platform at all, regardless of who is watching. Speaking at the Vogue Festival 2012, he explained that “The reason I present in a small controlled way is that so much of what makes my clothes special is the cut, the stitching, the lining - things that would be lost on the catwalk.”
This year Burberry became the first ever British fashion brand to report record sales of £1.3 billion in 6 months.
Wishlist
even use his choice to his advantage, for many up and coming designers the internet is their number one marketing tool. A quick look at Style. com will reveal that along with Prada and Burberry, there will be a sizable collection of new names as well. However, there is still room for democracy in the digital revolution. It is within Tumblr, Twitter, the blogosphere and (latest obsession) Pinterest, that fashion has disseminated like never before. For not only do we now have access to established fashionistas or brands spreading their style news and inspiration, we are also able to show the world our own mood boards of inspiration and street style.
Earrings, Urban Outfitters, £12
Whilst Vogue.co.uk features a ‘Today I’m Wearing’ slot profiling the daily sartorial choices of a chosen celebrity, there are also legions of blogs dedicated to exactly the same idea compiled by individuals across the globe.
Presumably this loss would be even greater on a computer screen or iPad.
Top, Topshop, £12 Miu Miu ‘The Powder Room’ by Zoe Cassavetess
Travel
Welcome to the future
Burberry Prorsum A/W 12
What’s On
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Deputy: Lizzy Bullock deputyfashion@ epigram.org.uk
Tom Ford aside, the idea that digital technology truly democratizes fashion is still slightly suspect. Instead, it is more accurate to think of it in the same terms as owning a designer lipstick or perfume: it offers lower-income customers the chance to get a glimpse into or own a tiny snippet of what they truly covet. As with cosmetics, it cements a brand’s international image and allows a little access into the world of designer fashion. Miu Miu’s website
Clutch, French Connection, £65
offers a wide
Tom Ford
Yet, as with selection of exclusive cosmetics, there is online content, still a gulf between including a series of owning a Chanel And it’s not just short films made by nail varnish in Vogue leading female filmmakers Particulière and a the charge: which explore “the bouclé jacket. No practically all of feminine love affair matter how many the established with Miu Miu.” shows go over to live magazines offer streaming, it will still websites rich with not be the same as actually exclusive online content. being at the event. Reading the As price points can be high tweet is not the same as sending it. for magazines - particularly the luxe, experimental ones like Dazed and Furthermore, while Tom Ford Confused, I-D and Wonderland - this can opt out of the makes more content freely available. technology, and With the additional access to catwalk shows and backstage gossip now available it seems there was never a better time to not only be inspired by designers, but also to share all your pinned, tweeted and blogged ideas with likeminded people. Vive le revolution. Rosemary Wagg
Shorts, River Island, £25
Shoes, Superga, £40
14.05.2012
MILITARY
Coming soon: A/W 12
Topshop Unique A/W 12 Shirt, Zara, £59.99
Jason Wu A/W 12 Alexander McQueen A/W 12
PEPLUMS
Topshop Unique A/W 12
PURPLE
Victoria Beckham A/W 12
Prada A/W 12
Balenciaga A/W 12
Dress, Annie Greenabell, £50
Prada A/W 12
COLLARS
Erdem A/W 12
Alexander McQueen A/W 12
Victoria Beckham A/W 12
Mary Katrantzou A/W 12 Collar, Asos, £15 Mary Katrantzou A/W 12
Mary Katrantzou A/W 12
Matthew Williamson A/W12
Victoria Beckham A/W 12
Page by Francesca Clayton
Editor: Francesca Clayton fashion@ epigram.org.uk
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Sarah Burton has received universal critical acclaim since taking the reigns at Alexander McQueen - but what did you think of this futuristic tiered creation?
‘Draco Malfoy hair, Elizabeth I ruff, Miss Havisham dress... a combination of references that shouldn’t work, but they do.’ Lizzy, Deputy Fashion Editor
In March of last year, Galliano was fired from Dior after making antiSemitic slurs; his infamous “I love Hitler” incident went viral and subsequently saw Galliano being found guilty of making “public insults based on origin, religious affiliation, race or ethnicity”. Hailed as fashion’s ‘bad boy’ for his provocative style, Galliano energised Dior after he joined as creative director in 1996, translating non-traditional and often exotic cultures into fashion masterpieces, increasing sales and making it a jewel of the LVMH luxury empire. But Simons’s succession could mark the end of the theatricality that so characterised the Galliano era. Since its inception in 1947, Dior has embodied values of hyper-femininity and luxury. Simons’s reputation for trend-setting minimalistic designs is the antithesis to Galliano’s
flamboyant costume-led designs of the last 15 years and suggests a more understated, simplistic direction at Dior. Simons studied industrial design at university and this is evident in his characteristically architectural, minimalist aesthetic. His use of vibrant colour and clean lines has had a huge impact on the British high street. His vision for Dior seeks, he says, to pay homage to the style of Christian Dior himself, who founded the fashion house 66 years ago.
Simons for Jil Sander
‘I didn’t realise Daft Punk had branched out into designing bathroom ornaments...’ Jon, History, third year
fter more than a year of speculation and intrigue the most high profile vacancy in fashion has at last been filled. Parisian fashion house Dior has chosen Raf Simons to succeed John Galliano as the legendary fashion houses new creative director.
Galliano for Dior
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Alexander McQueen A/W 12
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Deputy: Lizzy Bullock deputyfashion@ epigram.org.uk
“My aim is a very modern Dior, but at the end of the day, I also look back,” Simons told the New York Times, referring to what he calls “mid-century modernism”. Simons is only wthe sixth designer to helm Christian Dior - following the founder, Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferré, and John Galliano in the role and will make his Dior debut at Paris couture week in July: the first time he has designed for the market. Amy Louise-Salter
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The American Dream
Designers have shrugged off the gloom of recession this season for the retro glamour of 1950s America. Take style inspiration from America’s golden age in lax denim playsuits, pointy courts and a bandana to update the look – and don’t forget that no self-respecting American would be caught without a pair of cat-eye shades.
Prada pioneered the trend this season, with muscle-car print motif accessories and feisty flame-backed court shoes. Copy their look with this colour-pop pair from Zara. It’s all about celebrating femininity, so squeeze yourself into a pencil skirt and make sure to team with a bralet or bandeau to expose this season’s focus: the midriff.
Sugary shades are still huge this season, so look to Topshop for retro shapes in pastel colours. Team tight cut-off denim trousers with printed halternecks for that fun ‘hand-jive’ vibe. Throw a washed pink jacket over anything to replicate the Pink Ladies’ iconic look and accessorize with sparkly statement jewellery and sunglasses from Asos.
For a tougher take on the look, take a note or two from new it-girl Rita Ora. A simple crop top teamed with denim that’s a little rough around the edges makes for a more pared-down style. To win double fashion points, pick tie-dye shorts and channel the 90s-revival trend we are set to see this summer. Lizi Woolgar
From left: Sunglasses, Whistles, £45, Playsuit, Maryjanefashion.com, £29.95, Top, New Look, £16.99, Pencil Skirt, Oasis, £45, Shoes, Zara, £29.99, Sunglasses, AJ Morgan at Asos, £15, Halterneck, Topshop, £26, Jeans, Miss Selfridge, £40, Denim bralet, Topshop, £25, Shorts, Topshop, £32
14.05.2012
Glitter Bomb Clockwise from top: Look One Vaseline, £1.80. Green glitter. Papermania Adhesive Stones in Aqua. Rimmel Trio Eyeshadow in Orion, £6.49. Look Two Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Funtine Fuschia, £6.29. Natural Collection Juicy Lips Gloss in Vanilla £1.99. Bobbi Brown Lipliner in Ballet Pink, £15. Multicoloured glitter. Look Three Natural Collection Juicy Lips Gloss in Vanilla £1.99. Gold glitter.
Used throughout: Mac Studio Sculpt Foundation in NC20, £23. Rimmel Professional Eyebrow Pencil, £2.99. Maybelline The Colossal Volum’ Express Mascara, £7.19.
new tricks the latest beauty looks for spring/summer 2012
Editor: Francesca Clayton fashion@ epigram.org.uk
Deputy: Lizzy Bullock deputyfashion@ epigram.org.uk
From right: Look One Maybelline Colour Tattoo 24HR in Turquoise Forever, £4.99. Lipstick, stylist’s own. Look Two Bourjouis Little Round Pot Eyeshadow in Anis, £6.49. Lipstick, as before. Look Three Boots 17 Solo Eyeshadow in Punky Purple, £3.89. Boots 17 Soft Liner Pen Eyeliner in Jet, £3.99. Boots No.7 Stay Perfect Nail Colour in Me! Me! Me!, £7. Lipstick as before.
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Bright Eyes
Photographer: Zoe Nash Styling: Francesca Clayton and Lizzy Bullock Hair & Makeup: Rosalind Russell Model: Georgia Graham With thanks to Jamie Corbin
14.05.2012
Beauty Sweet Charity From high-street shops to high end brands, the beauty industry has a well-established history of supporting charitable causes. Since its launch in 1990 The Body Shop Foundation has donated more than £11 million to charitable organisations across the world, while 100% of the sales from MAC’s Viva Glam range (currently fronted by Nicky Minaj and Ricky Martin) go towards combatting AIDS and HIV. It makes sense then, that an upcoming charity event organised by a former Bristol student is being sponsored by yet another generously minded cosmetics company.
Colour Pop From left: Look One Boots 17 Supreme Shine Lipstick in Pink Posey, £4.99. Look Two Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick in Coral in Gold £4.99. Look Three Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Funtine Fuschia, £6.29. Barry M Nail Paint in Ice Cream Blue, £2.99.
Bristol graduate Nadia Abdulla recently set up Pearl Productions as a way of raising money and awareness for Macmillan Cancer Support and Meningitis UK. Their debut ballet production ‘SYMBA’ will take place in London in November but the launch event happened on Friday 4th May right here in Bristol, featuring not only stunning performances from the cast of SYMBA, but also a hair and beauty fashion show courtesy of The Hair and Cosmetic Company. Put together by SYMBA’s Artistic Director Azra Teja, the show featured a range of natural beauty looks designed to take you from day to night. Lips were kept subtle to allow the dramatic smokey eye to take centre stage, while hair was swept to the side and tumbled down the models’ shoulders in loose waves. The natural hairstyles were complimented perfectly by a selection of elegant maxi dresses - ideal for going from beach to bar. Chiffon kaftans and short summer dresses appeared in vibrant colours like coral and turquoise, while statement animal and floral prints, were combined with beaded chandelier earrings to offer a Summery take on this season’s tribal trend. The final look of the night was a hot pink full length evening dress designed by Teja herself. The gown featured delicate crystal embellishment and was worn with a dramatic, dishevelled up-do accessorised by a statement floral headpiece. Francesca Clayton
Editor: Verity Stockdale travel@ epigram.org.uk
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Gentrification in Germany’s artistic capital Berlin, once considered cheap and trendy, is undergoing a gentrification process that is pushing up the cost of living; yet that has not deterred creative types from continuing to flock to the city and perpetuating its reputation as Germany’s artistic capital. Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit famously said in 2004 that the city was ‘poor but sexy.’ However, it appears that despite becoming more affluent, there are still abundant spaces for creativity. Former German culture secretary, Michael Naumann, says that the city is a ‘thriving and lively’ hub for artists from all over the world, who come to ‘create their own Berlin.’ ‘Tourists do not come here for the vanished wall’, Naumann said, in reference to the former division between east and west Berlin. They come here because it is a ‘transitory oasis, a capital of itself.’ For US indie band The Drums, Berlin has always been a favourite gig destination. ‘There is something electric about the city and the people,’ they said in
‘Non-Berliners from wealthy backgrounds are revamping former bohemian districts.’ an interview. Unlike others, the lead singer of the band, Jonathan Pierce, believes that gentrification will in fact benefit the city, resulting in better ‘art, music and extreme originality.’
system. Naumann dismissed criticism that established artists were the main beneficiaries of generous state subsidies. He said a ‘grassroot fund’, worth the equivalent of about €10 million, had been set up to promote alternative art in Berlin, including smaller photography and theatre projects. Interim, a small radical magazine, blames outsiders for the city’s accelerating gentrification. NonBerliners from wealthy backgrounds are revamping former bohemian districts such as Prenzlauer Berg and Kreuzberg, they argue.
Emma-Victoria Farr
‘The more wealthy people who move into this town, the better for the arts because they can fund and buy the work,’ Naumann agreed. Berlin’s many tourists provide much needed income for the arts; the arts, in turn, draw more visitors to the German capital. ‘Berlin would be nothing if not for its artists,’ Naumann told an audience at the 2011 International Literature Festival in the German capital.
Gentrification has entered the political debate, with both the Green and the Social Democrat (SPD) parties offering proposals to stem the flow of Berlin’s so-called yuppification during a recent state election campaign. The Greens called for ‘just social diversity and urban development’ in gentrified areas, while the SPD suggested capping rent increases in modernized flats at 9%.
now lives in Wedding, was drawn to the city for pragmatic reasons. ‘I can afford to be a full-time musician here,’ she said in an interview, adding that the city also offered a welcoming environment to artists. As opposed to ‘cut-throat’ London, Berlin has ‘a community that welcomes new ideas; it is totally open,’ said the singer. The English indie band, Veronica Falls, agreed that gentrification was changing the face of Berlin, forcing art and music venues to close or move elsewhere. ‘Venues change when they relocate; they will not have the same atmosphere’, they said. Nevertheless, the London band prefers gigs in mainland Europe to ones at home, simply because ‘people are friendly and you get better treatment.’ For them, Berlin’s appeal lies in its ‘fascinating history and political turmoil.’
‘Berlin would be nothing if not for its artists.’
Meanwhile, plans to evict artists from the city’s most famous squat, Tacheles, and redevelop the building to turn a profit, have sparked an uproar in the artistic community. Artists, forced to look elsewhere for cheaper rents and larger spaces, are now relocating to alternative districts such as Wedding and Moabit, according to Silke Neumann, the spokeswoman of the Art Berlin Contemporary Fair (ABC). ‘I do not think that there is a city with as much artistic talent as Berlin,’ Neumann said. Kat Frankie, an Australian singer who moved to Berlin six years ago and
The question is whether Berlin can maintain its artistic spirit with the continuing influx of new money, or whether this will fundamentally alter its bohemian image as things become more commercial. Although the artists need financial support, too much wealth could spoil their style. At the forefront of this tension stand the residents of Tacheles, in permanent protest, unsure of their future and anticipating eviction. Will the outcome of their story be a sign of what is to come? Only time will tell. Emma-Victoria Farr
Emma-Victoria Farr
The former culture secretary said that newcomers to Berlin were attracted by the combination of the ‘sinister appeal of the past,’ and its diverse cultural scene, which is perceived as an expression of freedom. Overall, German funding of the arts exceeds €1 billion ($1.33 billion) each year, with state subsidies having always been an important part of the political
Emma-Victoria Farr
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The future for Berlin
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14.05.2012
Couscous, camels and killer carts you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how far your money goes and the experiences your cash can buy. Accommodation needn’t be expensive either. Whilst there are an abundance of swanky ‘riads’ and upmarket hotels nowadays catering to people with a bit more cash than your average student, there are a plethora of budget hotels available, which, when you find a good one, can be a hidden gem. The Hotel Aday in Marrakech is one; a mere two-minute walk from the main square (Djemaa el-Fna), you can sleep on the roof terrace for a measly £2.40 per night.
Morocco’s main gateway from the UK is Marrakech; easily the most touristy city in the country but definitely not the only city worth visiting. With low-cost airlines such as Ryanair and easyJet sending an increasing amount of flights to Marrakech, as well as other fascinating places such as Fez, there’s never been a better time to visit. You can frequently snap up a return ticket for less than £100 return, and once you’re in Morocco,
After you’ve dumped your bags, get yourself to the square and, before you can say ‘cous cous’, you’ll be experiencing delicious Moroccan cuisine for under £3 for a sumptuous main course. Totally different in character by night and day, the square is one of the most spectacular sights in the city; by day, it’s home to 30+ freshlysqueezed orange-juice
stalls, street sellers and snake-charmers, and at night it plays host to over 40 outdoor popup food stalls, musical displays and storytellers. It is a truly an entrancing experience. After you’ve wandered around Marrakech for a few days, got lost in the labyrinth of souks selling everything from teapots to tagines, bartered hard to get the prices down to one acceptable to us students, and possibly
‘3000 camels might have exceeded my luggage allowance’
nearly been killed by a herd of goats in the street (believe me, it happens), the perfect antidote can be a trip to a side of Morocco seen by few of the Marrakech masses. Most budget hotels, including the aforementioned Hotel Aday, have deals with tour operators who operate small, shared tours of varying lengths and itineraries, complete with low prices. For £65, you
can be whisked away in a minibus (probably with a driver who thinks he belongs in Formula 1) to experience places including, but not limited to, the Atlas Mountains, ancient, picturesque towns like Ait Benhaddou and Tinghir, and, the highlight, a night at the spectacular Erg Chebbi dunes in the Sahara, sleeping in a Berber tent, complete with two hourlong camel rides. It is fantastically good value and certainly not an experience you’ll forget in a hurry. Though the endless hassle from traders and need to haggle for everything can be a pain, without wanting to sound too corny, it is all countered by the amazing experience Morocco offers. It’s pretty hard not to be mesmerised as you ride a camel at sunset through the desert, watching the dunes go by, or as you soak in the amazing atmosphere of the cities. Morocco is an accessible, affordable adventure for you to discover – give it a try and you won’t regret it. Alex Bradbrook
“ It’s home time.”
Nicola Reid
It’s a place where in the space of 24 hours, you can go from the hustle and bustle of the legendary souks in Marrakech, to riding a camel across the Sahara Desert, via the snow-capped peaks of the underrated yet awe-inspiring Atlas Mountains. You could be lying on the beach the next day, or sightseeing in an ancient Berber town, depending on what you feel like. The best thing of all, however, is that you could be doing all of that for less than £250 for a trip of 8 days? No
word of a lie, it’s possible, and it might just be one of the best holidays you’ve ever experienced.
Alex Bradbrook
Morocco could be best described in one word: random. That’s certainly what was flashing through my mind after I nearly got run over by a donkey pulling a cart full of avocados in Fez. It also resonated again when I was asked by a market trader in Marrakech if I would sell my female companion to him for 3000 camels. Tempting though it was, unfortunately, I think they might have exceeded my luggage allowance.
AIRMAIL
At Bristol university, language students are required to spend at least nine months in their chosen country during their third year abroad. While this might be our tutors’ way of suggesting that we should really extend our period of residency (don’t get me wrong, I’ve had a spectacular time living in Spain’s showcase city, Barcelona), I’m going to be calling an end to the year abroad at the nine-month finishing line. It’s home time. Our University tutors know that we will come back to Bristol in fourth year miraculously, and finally, fluent in our languages. However, for me, this ‘time out’ wasn’t just about being sent to a Spanish-speaking country solely to become bilingual. Language fluency deteriorates over time, but there are other aspects of the Erasmus experience which are far more everlasting than the language skills that I have acquired over the last nine months. There is being in a foreign country, and then there is living in one. The most important thing for me this year has in fact been taking those one-off opportunities right there in front of me, for this short period of time. I became fluent in the process, but it has been about far more than that. I’d been in Barcelona about a month when a friend invited me sailing with him one weekend. Now, nine months later, I’m completely smitten with the sport, even though previously I had no burning desire to set foot on a boat. It makes me think; I might never have sailed in my life if it had not been for that spontaneous decision I made one weekend during my year abroad.
Alex Bradbrook
The reality of the year abroad is that we’ve removed ourselves from home comforts, and uprooted ourselves for a temporary period of time in the unfamiliar environment of a foreign country, only for it all to be taken away when the final whistle blows and fourth year beckons. As soon as such a time limit is put on something, it’s important to make it all count. I feel like I did, and now I’m ready to bid Barcelona a very fond adiéu.
Nicola Reid Foreign Correspondent - Spain
Editor: Verity Stockdale travel@ epigram.org.uk
The ancient wonders of the world are visited by many to appreciate their historical prowess. However, for those not into the old and crumbling, their more modern equivalents are perfect for an interest in art, modern technology and occasionally wanting to go up pretty high and drop something down. The bigger, stronger and crazier buildings all feed our growing fascination with the uncertain technological future. Although it may be a while before dissertation-writing robots show up, we can count on an unspoken competition for countries and cities to attempt to out-culture each other with their architecture. Firstly, in keeping with ‘the bigger, the better’, consider the Burj Kalifa in Dubai. Standing proud at 829.84m, it is the tallest structure in the world, and so definitely not for those with even a minor case of vertigo. For the brave, travelling up to the 124th floor to get the incredible 360 degree view of Dubai’s more miniature looking skyscrapers and desert, is incredible. However, if you’re less of a spiderman and more a lover of the land, stick to the base of this phenomenal structure. Situated in the world’s largest shopping mall, it is complete with an ice rink, a cinema and two aquariums (because one isn’t good enough), alongside the super-sized shops and restaurants. Uncompleted, North Korea’s
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The world’s... Most interesting architecture attempt at joining the world race in architecture is taking longer to be constructed than most of us take getting out of bed, hungover after too many bunker-bombs. Construction having started in 1987, it has provided controversy from the outset. Initially, official photos were said to have doctored the building (or lack thereof) out
‘Not only is this place futuristic and totally unique, but the phrase ‘to drink like a fish’ has never seemed more appropriate.’ of sight to hide it from the rest of the world. Subsequently, numerous conspiracies arose surrounding the halted construction, mainly that they just ran out of money - a feeling we are all too common with. Maybe once they figure this one out, we’ll be seeing more purposeless designs which might only take them 10 years to finish, this time?
Hong Kong is renowned for its luminous skyline; it’s difficult to pick out one single impressive feat of architecture. The Bank of China tower may sound pretty boring and like any other office building, until you marvel at its beautiful creativity and laser effects. Notably, it takes much of its design from triangles, with 4 pyramid-based structures all reaching different heights; then, it was completely covered in glass curtain walls. Their window cleaners must certainly have their work cut out! To top things off, every night, from the giant glass bank skyscraper, it follows the Hong Kong tradition of lighting its structure up in fluorescent white, in timing to music played for the endless cameras. As the daughter of an architect, experience in and fascination with extreme buildings was instilled in me quicker than a knowledge of the alphabet, yet as a student my interests in alcohol often override my appreciation of buildings. Therefore, my liver felt obliged to include a bar, and you don’t come much more extreme than The Red Sea Star. Basically, it’s a star design in the Red Sea, 5m below sea level. Not only is this place futuristic and totally unique, but the phrase ‘to drink like a fish’ has never seemed more appropriate than for anyone having a tipple at this drinking hole. I know where I’ll be heading when this year is out of the way. Kirsty Guthrie
‘The rain’ Sarah Kew Railey beach in Krabi, Thailand
This was taken as we watched the rain curl around and roll over us at railey beach, a site wrecked by the 2004 boxing day tsunami - a reminder of the terrific and overwhelming power of nature. We ran playfully through the spray to our guesthouse; a vision so easily displaced by imagined recollections of chaotic, screaming crowds. We arrived shivering and energised, just in time to witness Kate and William exchange vows and kiss on a small television. It seemed a trivial and almost pathetic moment in comparison to the immense force we’d just experienced.
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