Editor: Imogen Carter living@ epigram.org.uk
Living
@e2Living
Deputy: Josephine Franks jfranks@ epigram.org.uk
Deputy: Mona Tabbara mtabbara@ epigram.org.uk
Valentine’s Day. The novovirus of the calendar. Whether you love it or hate it you’re either spewing at the sight of your own, Forever Alone face, or holding back the vom as you’re presented with yet another Me to You bear to add to your childhood collection. Away with your avid gestures of overpriced affection and you’re ‘not depressed, not alone, not repulsive to all creatures of our natural world’ selves. We don’t need you. We, oh singletons of this cruel earth, are creating an impenetrable (ahem), invincible front, abhorring all things Vday in protest of its futility and lame-osity – and because we don’t have boy/girlfriends to spend any time with. As the D-Day V-Day looms, all of us (some of us) (me) who are sans loveof-life like to try and anticipate its arrival, to try and cheat the oncoming wave of shame and humiliation. Over the years, perhaps from personal experience, I have learnt that there is no real socially acceptable way of approaching this romantic period. The whole sweet and innocent giggle just ended in choking on your own laugh-snort; the sultry, sexy, buttonundone-just-one-too-many only resulted in an entire boob almost falling slap bang onto their Italian Renaissance seminar notes, which is too much for anyone on a Tuesday morning. The last resort of barking ‘ADORE ME!’ as they walked past, well, that didn’t go so fab either.
Style
WHY DON’T YOU LOVE ME?
It is imperative to remember that the throes of passion and tortured, angsty, desirous snogs in the rain which we imagine our loved up counterparts to be experiencing at this time of year are often little more than a free ¼ chicken, one rose from Co-op that he squashed during the journey over and a bit of a fumble after a glass of wine. Be ye not fooled, oh single ones, into crying alone in your single bed of pain and emotion, weeping into your pillow and forever torturing yourself with the remembrance that not shaving your legs that one time may have made all the difference today. Not only is remaining single 10 points to all the (wo)men who independent, all the honeyz who makin’ money etc, it’s also economical both financially and temporally. Get a boyfriend, you gotta buy him stuff, get a girlfriend, you have to talk to her. It’s a lose-lose all round. Single, you don’t have to bother with any of those things. Having to be nice to someone? No, ta. Sharing stuff? WHAT?!
No man is an island unto himself? Donne pal, and I’ll eat this entire serves-16 Sainsbury’s reduced tray bake entirely to myself, thank you very much.
“A 1/4 chicken, a rose from Co-op he squashed on the way over and a bit of a fumble after a glass of wine” Women and men of the world, I hereby declare that Valentine’s Day is for wieners. Thou shalt not cave under the pressure of those who have real life human confirmation that they don’t resemble an amphibious subhuman creature. Maybe you haven’t seen daylight for a year, maybe you have forgotten what pants that don’t come up to your belly button look like, and maybe the last time you ordered a takeaway for two it was still all just for yourself. It’s okay, we’re all friends here. So, go forth, go home, and eat. And finally and most ginormously importantly remember: food cannot speak, but if it could, it would definitely ask you out.
Travel
Isobel Allen
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A night alone, a card from Mum and a strange sense of despair. It can only mean one thing: Valentine’s Day. Jostling for position with vaccines and prostate exams in the league table of life’s grim unavoidables, Bristol students can breathe a sweet sigh of relief with that yearly milestone once again a distant speck on the horizon. So relax, put your feet up and let e2 take you through all things ‘Current’, from recent trends in online dating to an exploration of the suprising array of things you could buy right now in various locations across the world with a measly 3 pounds sterling.
Living : Imogen Carter, Josephine Franks and Mona Tabbara will meet at 1.15 in the White Bear on Tuesday 19th of November Style : Lizi Woolgar and Alice Johnston will meet at 1.15 in the White Bear on Wednesday 20th of February Travel : Alicia Queiro and Alex Bradbrook will meet at 1.15 in the Refectory on Monday 18th of February with e2 editor : Ant Adeane Cover Illustration: Alex Norris
e2 online editor: Nicola Reid www.e2blog.tumblr.com
18.02.13
A guide to online mating and 21st century dating stop wasting my time dating anyone who asked (sad but true). So that was when I started actively looking for someone I could have a serious relationship with; because it’s just not that easy to ‘screen’ people in day-to-day life. A word of warning: beware of messaging one person too much. You can form a surprisingly strong emotional connection to someone who you’re never seen, just through messaging alone. There’s no point in investing yourself in a virtual relationship before you’ve met the person. This has (unsurprisingly) happened to me. In 2011 I joined OKCupid.com. Online dating is nothing to be ashamed of. I’ve had the awkward ‘how-did-youtwo-meet!?’ situation so many times now that it’s no longer awkward. You can either tell a bare-faced lie (preferably one pre-agreed with your partner) or just tell the truth. Since your partner is (I hope) someone you chose for good reasons, we can conclude that they are not a) a sexaddict pervert; b) desperate; or c) undateable and as such, people shouldn’t freak out about how you met. I met my current boyfriend, Alex, on plentyoffish.com back in October 2012 and I have no regrets about how we met. I knew what I wanted. I’d been on a fair few dates with people who clearly weren’t right for me. I wanted to
I chatted to a couple of people before exchanging MSN Messenger details with one guy (yes, MSN messenger still exists). We talked every night for a week for two or three hours at a time. I thought we had the same bizarre sense of humour, the same ideals, the same problems with insomnia. Then we spontaneously decided to meet for a latenight chat at the 24-hour ASDA. It was awful. It was so awful. I just didn’t fancy him. We had very little to talk about; it seemed like we’d exhausted all avenues of
Deal or Noel Deal
conversation online and now there were none left. In the end, shamefully enough, I faked a horrific headache and told him I needed to go home. We most definitely did not kiss. Or meet up again. Most of my friends do not talk about online dating. It’s not taboo... we just don’t talk about it. So when writing this article I got some advice from one of the few friends who admits to using online dating, who I shall call ‘C’. I’m not going to repeat that particular conversation verbatim as there were too many horror stories to recount. In summary, C’s most shocking story is as follows: after talking to a guy on OKCupid.com for a few weeks, C agreed to meet him for a drink. They had one drink and she realised there was no chemistry. After he got through a second drink, and a third, she realised that she wanted to leave. Unfortunately the guy in question wouldn’t let her get a word in edgeways; not even a ‘goodbye’. When she said that she was leaving he insisted on walking her home, and then walked into her home. Uninvited. He then started making up a bed on her sofa, and tried to borrow a pair of pyjamas. It got awkward. After a lot of persuading, C eventually made him leave. It could’ve been a lot worse. Obviously there are dangers associated with messaging or meeting up with complete strangers. The key rule is ‘don’t be an idiot’. Of course your new pen-pal might act differently in real life, there might be less chemistry in person than online, they might reveal that they’re a 50-year old man with poor hygiene. But they might not. Going on a date always involves taking a chance; it may or may not end in a second date etc. etc. Dating is unpredictable, we have to accept that.
DON’T DIE ALONE
Living understands that it has reached the time of year in which everyone needs to tug a little harder on their purse strings. Before you turn off the heating and start to burn your beloved copies of Epigram for warmth, take a quick peak at what deal Noel has discovered for you this issue so that you can treat yourself, guilt free!
Pros
If you want to live like a celeb, but do not have their pay packet, Noel has trawled the web and found the best deals to ensure no one knows that your bank balance restricts you to living on a diet of baked beans and jaffa cakes.
Has an extensive multiple-choice quiz displayed on your profile.
Be the flyest and most original G on campus with Dr. Dre Beats headphones. Student Beans are running a competition to win a set of Solo HD Beats headphones. So you can be Still D.R.E while being still out of your overdraft. Get the VIP treatment that you deserve with a free personal shpper at House of Fraser. All you need to do is check out Vouchercodes. co.uk. You may not be able to afford the clothes, but that is besides the point.
Every wondered what it would be like to smell Dirrty like Christina Aguilera? Wonder no longer, as our friends at Student Beans are also giving away free samples of her new fragrance, Royal Desire.
Lucy Black
Easy to carry out advanced searches and browse profiles anonomously Easily confused with plentyoffish LGBT-friendly website. Allows you to specify ‘interested in men and women’ (which is rare) Popular, easy to search, easy to use
Cons Erm... the colour scheme?
No real ‘personality analysis’ and a confusing menu system Seems to exist solely for onenight-standtypes Not very popular, not easy to search
Tries to trick you into paying for extra features, matches are not based on personality Lucy Black
Editor: Imogen Carter living@ epigram.org.uk
Deputy: Josephine Franks jfranks@ epigram.org.uk
Deputy: Mona Tabbara mtabbara@ epigram.org.uk
Living
UNLIKELY CELEBRITY BABIES Living takes the love lives of a few well-known names into its own capable hands. Can you match the adorable result to each improbable romantic tryst?
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Lance Armstrong and Oprah The most scandalous thing to come out of their head to head interview was the sexual tension
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2 Carrie Mathison and Abu Nazir
Homeland season 3’s big twist?
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Lindsay Lohan and Macaulay Caulkin With these genes this child will be both the world’s most successful child star and biggest car crash
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Epigram Editor Pippa Shawley and The Tab Bristol Editor-in-chief Craig O’Callaghan The future Mr and Mrs Murdoch 1.C 2.B 3.A 4.D
e2 wants you
e2 needs writers, illustrators and
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photographers. No prior experience is required and we would love to hear your suggestions for content you want to see in these pages. The email addresses and meeting times are given on the inside page of this issue so don’t hesitate to get involved!
18.02.13 If you were confused about the cancellation of lectures on Thursday 7th, or why a number of people’s profile pictures had pictures of hands reaching for the stars, or why the self-affirmative proclamation #IAMMHERE was trending amongst Bristol students on Twitter, then you probably weren’t at the Annual Members Meeting, an annual (it’s in the name) event where students can get together for a bit of a yak to change union policies.
flickr x-ray delta
BORDERLINE NEWS
IMOGEN PALMER
AMM SPECIAL
And what a jolly time it was! On arrival I received a free lollypop and free drink token for Bar 100, and what’s more, an electronic voting pad. Yes, interaction! It was like a voting for a live reality TV show but about things that were relevant to my life rather than vacuous try-hard singers who think this is their one-shot to make their dreams come true/dead relatives proud/ show the world the ‘real’ them. Seriously, if you think student politics are boring and don’t affect you, you really have to get down to one of these things- shit gets real and hits the fan! Get this: Hiatt Baker students leave the Annual Members Meeting in great number the moment their motion to lower their living costs is passed. ‘We just can’t wait to get back to our shitty hall!’ a passing resident remarked. A motion is Carbon
called to support an Inanimate Rod running for NUS president.
The Twitterati
Where would we be without technology? It has afforded us improvements in medical immunisation procedure, better transportation systems for a more inter-connected globe, wider access to educational resources and the development of a social media for constant knowledge of the current affairs of the Twitterati elite. I often wonder how I coped before the invention of such a site. How oh how would I know what Justin Bieber was about to have for dinner? The icy shudder such a question provokes is calmed somewhat by a marathon stalking session in which I examine the ten best celebrity tweets of the past month.
BEYONCÉ Super Bowl Queen and current meme sensation
Most Vile @thekeithchegwin ‘‘VANISH’ the number one stain remover. I hope there’s a number two remover my underpants are really bad’ Such a tweet is luckily unaccompanied by actual images, unlike his renowned appearance in the one-off channel five TV game show ‘Naked Jungle.’ Most Heart-warming @JoeyEssex ‘Inside my mouth is burnt! I tasted my soup and didn’t relise how hot it was’ Poor Joey, the scold inflicted was so bad that he couldn’t even spell or punctuate properly. We’ve all been there. Biggest Jaw Dropper Moment @dalewinton ‘I just ate a sandwich’ Why so tantalisingly scarce with the details Dale? Oh how you tease us! What was in the aforementioned sandwich? White or brown bread? Home-made or shop bought? So many questions left unanswered!
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Maria Hughes
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And so it is on reflection of the ten best tweets of the past month that I salute a minority of celebrities. Congrats to the likes of Natalie Portman, Jon Stewart and Tina Fey who commented upon the banality of Twitter when questioned in interviews about their lack of social media presence. Fey recently responded to questions about her snubbing of the site by stating: ‘I think you should have to get a licence to use Twitter because most people are so fucking boring that they should shut up…and I volunteer to be in charge of that licence.’ I wholeheartedly concur.
uzzfee
Most Sympathetic @ MarioBaloltelli: ‘Paul Scholes has had his car stolen after leaving the engine running. He did try to tackle the thieves, but he was very, very late.’ With his usual tact, Balotelli reacted to news of the Manchester United midfielder’s misfortune with a quip about his reputation for dodgy tackles. Also a contender for most hypocritical tweet of the month – does anyone else remember the stamping on Scott Parker’s head debacle?
One suggestion for the discussion of ‘Safer streets around the precinct’ was extra ‘pedestrian training’ for students. Yaay, let’s get that video with the hedgehogs out again!
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Biggest hypocrite @PiersMorgan ‘Sorry, just find this Beckham/PSG hype so tedious - he stopped playing proper football years ago. This is just a marketing scam.’ Tweet taken from previous day… ‘Big show tonight - Alabama hostage crisis, guns, @ tomarnold and excl interview with Joe Jackson, Michael’s father. CNN 9pmET.’ Tut tut Mr Morgan; journalistic professionalism thrown out of the window yet again.
“‘We just can’t wait to get back to our shitty hall!’ a passing resident remarked”
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Most fradulent yet fantastic @Queen_UK ‘Looking into scrapping Tuesdays. Nothing has ever been achieved on a Tuesday.’ No more needs to be said than ‘if only!’
The motion for Meat-free Mondays for Uni campus buildings is passed, causing panic in the Twitttersphere and suggesting a correlation between vegetarians and people who give a wallaby about student politics. See Tweet: MissBish7708 ‘#IAMMHERE at home, watching with despair at the passing of “Meat-Free Mondays”.
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Biggest foot-in-mouth moment @JeremyClarkson ‘Michael Winner was the only person is the world who was more punctual than me.’ ‘I feel honoured to fill Michael Winner’s slot.’ ’I think that came out wrong’ Jezza ‘unknowingly’ puts his foot in it yet again.
Sabbatical officers use the voting system as an opportunity to see how effective their fit union photo-shoot was and asking ‘Who’d you most like to get stuck in a lift with?’ ExEpigram editor Tom Flynn wins.
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to
Most Thought Provoking @ParisHilton ‘Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.’ And just to add to such inspirational prose, remember, once you have created yourself you then need create an army of BFFs by way of a televised auditioning procedure.
M o s t Gracious @TheDappy ‘U see... I told u I never Spat at No Girl!!!!! #ThisAintRight’ Dappy handles derogatory allegations against him with his usual eloquent tone.
Why should we vote it in? ‘Because it’s funny!’ was the proposer’s response.
@e2Living
CURRANT AFFAIRS Living
Making the tenuous leap from ‘Current’ to ‘Currants’, we present the case for and against having fruit in food. No, it’s not quite the Comment debate is it.
AGAINST: I am no fussy eater. Compared
to my vegetarian housemate, who literally vomits when forced to eat mushrooms or peppers (I kid you not), I am an absolute food saint. I enjoy most cuisine, and can force-eat with minimal complaint the vast majority of that which I find unpleasant (beetroot, you purple monster: I’m talking about you). But I do have one gastronomic qualm. And it is, ladies and gentleman, the apparently (and bafflingly) universally adored embedded raisin: the shudder-inducing destroyer of salads and baked goods alike. People who put sultanas in salads should be jailed for life. They, however, are nothing compared to those who throw raisins into curries – curries! – with a gung-ho and slapdash attitude not unlike that of those bankers that gambled away our economic prosperity.
Style
“Cooked fruit is flaccid and unwelcome, a mere shadow of its former self” My ‘beef’ with the embedded raisin is twofold. Firstly: you never know they’re there until it’s too late – a bit like vaginal thrush, or peanutallergy sufferers. Picture the scene: one minute, there you are, enjoying the delicious crunch of iceberg lettuce, a comforting couscous salad, or an apparently innocuous flapjack. The next, your salad or oatey teatime treat has been mauled – mauled, I tell you – by the presence of an insidious, wet, squishy object that sticks to your teeth and acts as a jarring chord in the otherwise harmonious dining experience. This has brought me neatly to my second gripe: consistency. Raisins and sultanas – nay, the whole dried grape family – explode under pressure like bad spots, or that weird chewing gum with a fruit
centre that nobody ever buys except to ‘try something different’ and then spends the next week attempting to palm it off on unsuspecting friends and relations. In fact, I could pick this culinary bone with the cooked fruit family as a whole. Cooked fruit, my friends, is gross. It takes all the bite, verve and pizzazz of the unbelievably delicious raw fruit – the crunchy apple, the tart blueberry, the firm plum – and reduces it to a soft, mushy mess. Like baby food, only it’s not helpfully pulverised, and doesn’t have the adorable packaging. Cooked fruit sits, flaccid and unwelcome, a mere shadow of its former self, on tarts and in crumbles and pies – a disappointing reminder that sometimes, dessert just isn’t as nice as the main course. I am aware that fruit in this form is – alas – a staple of our nation’s teatime delights. You may wonder what Mary Berry might have to say about my little pet hate. That’s Mary Berry (whose name just cannot be a coincidence), national treasure of The Great British Bake Off fame, who, oh, by the way, recently claimed that ‘feminism is a dirty word’. Unbelievable! I don’t know what’s worse: her savaging of women’s rights, or her overzealous use of raisins. Well, actually, I do, but for the purposes of hyperbole, I’m going to insist that cooked fruit is a greater evil than the oppression of women. Honestly, I don’t know why Simone de Beauvoir kept fannying around with feminism when she could have been tackling real problems, like the prevalence of strawberries in French patisserie. Now that’s an essay I would read. However, like any decent citizen, I live in peaceful coexistence with the embedded raisin and its many followers, despite my personal revulsion. After all, it is the mark of a true democracy that we don’t just lynch those crazy bastards who keep trying to ruin it for everyone, like Nick Griffin, and whoever was responsible for that stuff of nightmares, the Christmas pudding... To whom I say: thanks, pal, for destroying my festive cheer on an annual basis. Thanks a lot.
Alicia Queiro
Apple, raisin, pecan and cinnamon muffins, courtesy of Living’s resident culinary babe Rachel Hosie
Travel
Ingredients: 80g unsalted butter, softened 280g caster sugar 240g self-raising flour 1tsp baking powder A pinch of salt 2 tsp ground cinnamon 240ml milk 2 large eggs, at room temperature 2 apples (about 200g weight) 50g pecans, chopped 50g raisins or sultanas
Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 190C and line a muffin tin with muffin cases. 2. Using a hand-held electric whisk beat together the butter, sugar, flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon
on a low speed until it has the consistency of fine breadcrumbs. 3. Place the milk in a jug with the eggs and whisk by hand until well combined, then pour three quarters of the milk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix on a low speed to combine. Increase the speed to medium and keep beating until smooth and thick. Then pour in the remaining milk mixture and continue to mix until the batter is smooth. 4. Peel, core and chop the apples into 1cm pieces, then stir into the batter with the walnuts and raisins. Spoon the batter into the paper cases to fill them by about two thirds (they rise well!) 5. Bake the cupcakes for about 18-20 minutes or until they’re golden on top and they bounce back when gently pressed. Allow to cool in the tin a little, then remove and leave to cool completely before decorating.
FOR: Raisins, sultanas, mini w r i n k l y brains... Whatever you may think of currants, these are not a food to be dismissed. Sure, they’re easily pushed aside in favour of their big, plump, ripe (steady on) fresh fruit counterparts, but currants wield a surprising amount of power for their size. Oh yes, when it comes to food, currants can be more divisive than Marmite - and to be honest with you, I know some people who actually neither love not hate Marmite. There, I said it.
“Currants are easily pushed aside in favour of their big, plump, ripe (steady on) fresh fruit counterparts” But throw some currants into a dish, and now you’ve got a talking point. Take scones for example (the pronunciation of which is another article in itself): should they be with currants, or without? The same goes for hot-cross buns, cakes and tea breads. I’m going to say something that may be controversial (because I’m not afraid of stirring things up, both literally in the kitchen with currants and otherwise), but I consider all these food stuffs incomplete without a hefty dose of dry fruits nestling in there. And then even more powerful: currants in savoury food. Yes, I went there. WHAT ARE YOU SAYING, CRAZY LADY? I hear you cry. I’m talking about throwing sultanas into a korma, or dried apricots in a tagine. We’ve all been to dinners where dishes such as these feature, and there’s always one person who leaves a small pile of dried fruit at the side of their plate after eating, picked out from the main meal and left at the end, neglected, like a sad mound of rabbit droppings. (I realise that comparison was not a great idea in my mission to convert non-currant lovers, but hey.) And here’s another reason why dried fruit is awesome: it’s so portable! Take an apricot or bunch of grapes out in your handbag for the day (well done on choosing a healthy snack), and you’re bound to end up with a squidgy slimy mess everywhere. That’s just sad. But a box of raisins on the other hand? Space-saving and clean. You know it makes sense.
Rachel Hosie
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UBU NEWS
Issue 8 18.02.2013
ubu.org.uk
: The Results
The Students’ Union Annual Members Meeting (formerly called the Annual General Meeting, but “Members� is more accurate) took place on Thursday 7 February from 2-5pm in the Great Hall of the Wills Memorial Building. The AMM provides an opportunity for any student to submit a motion
to improve the student experience or change something at Bristol. Students who attend debate and vote on these motions and those WKDW SDVV EHFRPH RIĂ€FLDO 8%8 policy. This policy informs the work RI WKH HOHFWHG RIĂ€FHUV ZKR KDYH the important role of representing and campaigning on behalf of all students.
The meeting was intially quorate with 408 students in attendance although fell below quoracy after WKH ÀUVW PRWLRQ 0RWLRQV WKDW passed while the meeting was inTXRUDWH ZLOO EH UDWLÀHG DW WKH QH[W Student Council on Thursday 21 February. The following motions were discussed at the meeting (those in green passed, those in red failed): • A reduction of fees and improvement of living conditions for the residents of Hiatt Baker Hall • Addition of a 3G Astroturf at Coombe Dingle • Pay as you go during dedicated club sessions • Oppose and ban arms companies at UBU events
All photos (c) Dom Moore
• Fairer allocation of BUCS funding • “I didn’t hear about that, it wasn’t publicised at allâ€? • Electronic submission for all work (with amendment) • Safer streets around the precinct
Look After Your Mate launches on Monday 18 February with screening of The Perks of Being a :DOOà RZHU at 7pm in the Brunel Suite at UBU. Come along for free SRSFRUQ DQG ÀQG RXW PRUH DERXW the 17 events that will be going on 18 February through 1 March. Look After Your Mate is about helping students become more comfortable talking about mental health and highlighting ways to get support. UBU News | Issue 8 | 18.02.2013
Events include workshops, speakers and activity sessions and are designed so that students who aren’t generally interested in welfare issues have opportunities to get involved. Statistics suggest that 1 in 4 people experience a mental health problem and that these problems are more common among students. 93 :HOIDUH (TXDOLW\ $OHVVDQGUD Berti states, “It’s really important therefore to raise awareness early on and talk to students about how we can support each other�. Find out more about Look After Your mate at ubu.org.uk/wellmates.
• Sell discounted broadsheets (without amendment) • Support Inanimate Carbon Rod for NUS President 2013 • Meat-free Mondays • Open SEH gym at 6.30am on weekdays • Better variety of dietary options on campus • Establish a Disabled Students’ Forum • Incorporate JCRs into UBU Motions not discussed due to time constraints will be addressed at the next Student Council. The AMM also inicluded the opening of nominations for the 8%8 (OHFWLRQV ÀQG RXW PRUH DW ubu.org.uk/elections) and a discussion and approval of UBU’s DQQXDO DIÀOLDWLRQV VHH 93 (GXFDtion Tom Flynn’s blog at ubu.org. XN RIÀFHUV WRP IRU PRUH LQIRUPDtion). Details of the motions are available at ubu.org.uk/amm. Continuing through Sunday 24 Feb, RAG Week also includes a cake and jumble sale, quiz, cycle-a-thon, massage-a-thon, overnight socca-thon, special session of Fit and Fabulous, sing-a-long screening of Grease HOHFWHG RIÀFHU EDU WDNHRYHU and a 5K fun run.
5DLVLQJ *LYLQJ 5$* :HHN NLFNV off on Saturday 16 February with the carnival-style RAG Procession from the Downs to the Folk House on Park Street. They need plenty of help so email rag-procession@ubu.org.uk to sign up or just come along and give a wave as they pass by.
Look out for “RAGuettes� and specialty RAG cocktails available all week long in BAR 100 and in certain hall bars. All activities raise money for charity, so challenge your friends, team RU KDOO WR UDLVH WKH PRVW 9LVLW XEX org.uk/RAG for more information and details of all the events.
1
Deadline approaching for Build a Better Bristol submissions The Build a Better Bristol initiative has now launched, and students have until midnight on Thursday 21 February to leave their mark on the University of Bristol or an aspect of University life by spending £20,000 of generous alumni donations. Build a Better Bristol is a partnership between the Students’ Union and University Alumni Relations. Any student can submit an idea, and the aim of the initiative is to choose a project that will have a big impact on the student community whilst staying within the £20,000 budget. UBU President, Paul Charlton said, “I can’t wait to see all the applications when the deadline closes on Thursday. The nominations we’ve received so far have the potential to really change student life at Bristol. If you haven’t submitted your own idea yet, make sure you don’t miss out on this brilliant opportunity.”
Sports clubs and societies can also submit ideas providing that there is one person as the main point of contact. The criteria for submissions and the application form can be found at ubu.org.uk/betterbrisWRO 7KH )XOO WLPH (OHFWHG 2IÀFHUV will also have paper copies of the form at their events. ,Q $SULO ÀQDO \HDU VWXGHQWV ZLOO EH able to vote on a shortlist of projects and decide which one(s) will be chosen and put into action.
On Monday 11 February, the Students’ Union held a workshop VKRZFDVLQJ WKH ÀQGLQJV RI WKH Postgraduate Research Initiative reports. As part of the project, four University of Bristol postgraduate students were commissioned to research postgrad life and experience from four perspectives: funding, welfare and tutoring, international students’ experience and postgrad representation.
The four researchers presented their results and case studies at the workshop, which included question and answer sessions and a panel discussion between senior academic staff, UBU staff and students. These reports will form a starting point for the UBU Postgraduate Hub and will be available online in due course at ubu.org.uk/justask/ pgresearch.
The winning project will make a real change in the University, so if you would like to make an impact, take this chance to have your say and Build a Better Bristol. If you have any questions about the Build a Better Bristol initiative or would like any feedback, please get in touch with Daniela Kistulincova at dk0105@my.bristol.ac.uk. (OHFWHG RIÀFHUV DQG VWDII MRXUQH\HG WR /RQGRQ RQ )HEUXDU\ WR DFFHSW WKH Students’ Union’s Bronze SUEI (Students’ Union Evaluation Initiative) award.
UBU marks Eating Disorders Awareness Week Last week as part of Eating Disorders Awareness Week, UBU’s eating disorders support group ran a campaign called “Something To Talk About” at the University Student Health Service. Student participants were asked to sepaUDWH ´IDFW IURP ÀFWLRQµ WKHUH DUH many stereotypes and myths about eating disorders, which the support group were keen to dispel.
workshop called ‘How To Save A Life’ to increase students’ understanding of what an eating disorder is and how they can help friends or family who may be suffering.
Following this activity, and as part of the forthcoming “Look After Your Mate” campaign, the Students’ Union willl be running a
The support group meets every other Monday during term time. For more information go to ubu. org.uk/eatingdisorders.
The workshop will take place on Thursday 21 February from 5.308pm in MR6L in the Richmond Building: Home of the Students’ Union.
TOTAL: £24,882.01 UBU News | Issue 8 | 18.02.2013
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1HZ SROLF\ WKH FXUUHQW RIÀFHUV WHOO \RX what they’re doing about it:
EDUCATION Tom Flynn
WELFARE & EQUALITY Alessandra Berti
PRESIDENT Paul Charlton
COMMUNITY Alice Peck
SPORT & HEALTH Hannah Pollak
ACTIVITIES Martha West
Some students can painlessly ping essays and other work to our department over the web whilst others are stuck with labour intensive and often wasteful printing and binding.
At the moment I am focused on the Look After Your Mate campaign, which launches on Monday 18 February.
Alongside supporting the rest of the Elected 2IÀFHU WHDP LQ WKHLU activities, I will be taking VSHFLÀF DFWLRQV
I will be taking the disabled students’ forum forward with the Equality Executive, and hopefully we will be able to hold it in the last week of this term.
I will be following up with relevant UBU staff about selling newspapers at UBU outlets.
Meat-free Mondays: I’ve met with UBU cafe-bar staff who whipped up tasty vegetarian samplings. Falafel & yoghurt pitta and sweet potato chilli burgers soon! I’m also approaching UoB about increasing vegan and vegetarian fare.
Less than a week after the Annual Members’ Meeting, I have presented all the motions related to sport and health to both the director of sport at the University and the deputy registrar (his boss).
Following the AMM, an email was sent to society leaders detailing activity rooms that will be available within the Richmond building (Students’ Union) until mid-May - great news for the clubs and societies that currently rely on those spaces.
As the (amended!) motion for electronic and paper submission for all students passed, I’ll be taking initial action by discussing it with faculty education directors. I will blog about the results of that conversation and any further steps. Get in touch at ubu-education@bristol.ac.uk RU #Á\QQ\
I also plan to meet with the UBU Communications team to make sure people know about it. If you’re interested taking part in the forum, let me know at ubu-welfare@bristol.ac.uk or @UBU_Welfare.
UBU News | Issue 8 | 18.02.2013
I will also arrange a meeting with the University’s communications team to discuss increasing the number and UBU access to digital screens across the University. Email ubu-president@ bristol.ac.uk or tweet @P4ulCh4rlton with any questions or ideas.
Hiatt Baker: I’ve met with UoB to create a group with students, the warden and contractors to mitigate the disruptions. Safer Streets: I am working with UoB to discuss WDFNOLQJ WUDIÀF RQ WKH precinct. Any questions? Email ubu-community@ bristol.ac.uk.
The discussions regarding individual motions will be ongoing but the initial feedback has been very positive! If you would like to ÀQG RXW PRUH DV WKH conversation and actions go forward, get in touch atubu-sport@ bristol.ac.uk or follow me on Twitter @hannahpollak1.
I’m also working to secure a pot of money to support societies through the refurbishment as many of them increasingly face additional costs as a result of the building work and the disruption it has. Email me at ubu-activities@bristol.ac.uk or tweet @marth_west.
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* weekly event
Your What’s On Guide
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February - March 2013
Monday 18 Look After Your Mate • 18 February-1 March (ubu.org.uk/wellmates) RAG Week • 18-24 February (ubu.org.uk/RAG) Election Candidate Conference • 3-7, UBU (ubu.org.uk/elections) Eating Disorders Support Group • 6:30pm, Just Ask Centre, 4th Floor UBU 2-4-1 Iced Tea Cocktails • from 7pm, BAR 100 (Two cocktail teapots for £8) Tuesday 19 CRB Session • 3-5pm, UBU Info Point (details at ubu.org.uk/volunteering)
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Bristol Drugs Project Info Session • 6-8pm, Just Ask Centre (4th Floor, UBU)
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RAG Quiz Night • from 8pm, BAR 100 (£1 for a great cause & with great prizes)
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Django’s: Jazz Funk Soul Jam Session • 8pm, The Big Chill (facebook.com/JFSBristol)
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Wednesday 20 BUCS Sport • Coombe Dingle (ubu.org.uk/activities/sports/BUCS)
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UBU Active: TRI-Running • 2-3pm, UBU foyer (ubu.org.uk/ubuactive) UBU Active: Rounders • 2-4pm, UBU foyer (ubu.org.uk/ubuactive)
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Election Nominations Close • 4pm (ubu.org.uk/elections) (OHFWLRQ &DQGLGDWH %ULHÀQJ • 6pm, location TBC (ubu.org.uk/elections) Fever Feeder • from 6pm, BAR 100 (£1.50 for Carlsburg, Gaymers or Vodka mixer)
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Sports Night • 10pm-3am, Dorma (contact ubu-sport@bristol.ac.uk with any questions)
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Thursday 21 Student Parents Coffee Morning • 9:30-11am, Multifaith Chaplaincy
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Student Council • 6-8pm. Tyndall Lecture Theatre, Physics Building, Tyndall Ave. Live DJ • from 8pm, BAR 100 (+ great drinks deals)
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Monday 4 Faith Crawl • 1:30pm, around Bristol (book with multifath-chaplaincy@bristol.ac.uk)
Friday 22 CRB Session • 10am-1pm, Do It! Hub, 4th Floor UBU (details at ubu.org.uk/volunteering) UBU Active: Basketball • 5pm, Indoor Sports Centre (ubu.org.uk/ubuactive)
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International Women’s Day ‡ ÀQG RXW PRUH DW XEX RUJ XN
Saturday 23
Saturday 9
UBU Active: Dodgeball • 1-2pm, Cotham School (ubu.org.uk/ubuactive) UBU Active: Touch Rugby • 1-3pm, The Downs (ubu.org.uk/ubuactive)
Friday 8
UBU Active: Rock Climbing • 3:30-5pm, St Werburgh’s Church (booking required)
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Monday 11
UBU Active: Rock Climbing • 3:30-5pm, St Werburgh’s Church (booking required) UBU Active: Netball • 5-6:30pm, Indoor Sports Centre (ubu.org.uk/ubuactive)
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Karaoke night ‡ IURP SP %$5 IUHH GULQN IRU ÀUVW VLQJHU SUL]H IRU EHVW * Sunday 24 UBU Active:Volleyball • 5-6:30pm, Indoor Sports Centre (ubu.org.uk/ubuactive)
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Look After Your Mate Fortnight • 18-1 March (ubu.org.uk/wellmates) Wednesday 27 BOpS: A Midsummer Night’s Dream • 27 Feb-2 Mar, Winston Theatre (bopsoc.tumblr.com)
Volunteering Induction • 4-6pm (book online at bit.ly/UBUtraining)
Wednesday 13 READ International Donation Day • 12-6pm (contact ubu-volunteering@bristol.ac.uk) Volunteering Induction • 2-4pm (book online at bit.ly/UBUtraining)
Monday 25
Thursday 28
Elections Voting Opens • (ubu.org.uk/elections)
Friday 15 Election Results Party • (ubu.org.uk/elections) Saturday 16 The Arts Ball: The Roaring Twenties • 7:30pm, Bristol Museum (ubu.org.uk/ents/event/862) Monday 18 Varsity: Football • 6pm, the Memorial Stadium (£5 tickets on sale soon) Eating Disorders Support Group • 6:30pm, Just Ask Centre, 4th Floor UBU Wednesday 20 Varsity Day • Coombe Dingle (ubu.org.uk/activities/sports/varsity) Friday 22 Goodbye BAR 100 • details coming soon...
Saturday 2
END OF TERM
Symphonia Spring Concert • 7pm,Victoria Rooms (ubu.org.uk/events/7470/887) Monday 4 UBU Trustee Board Meeting ‡ ÀQG RXW PRUH DW XEX RUJ XN DERXW
Elections Campaigning Starts • (ubu.org.uk/elections) Eating Disorders Support Group • 6:30pm, Just Ask Centre, 4th Floor UBU
UBU News | Issue 8 | 18.02.2013
If you have any events that you would like included in The LIST or in our online calendar at ubu.org.uk/ events, please email lauren.mcguffog@bristol.ac.uk.
4
...Travel hits Cuba
ord wing sw long o ll a w s e Like th with a 3 foot t trick, bu cigar.
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Editor: Lizi Woolgar style@ epigram.org.uk
@e2Style
19 year-old AnneSophia Robb has been receiving considerable style appraisal as Carrie Bradshaw in the SATC prequel; The Carrie Diaries. Fellow blonde bombshells Chloe Moretz (just turned 16) and Elle Fanning (13) have also shot to the top of the style stakes, with Fanning having appeared in over 10 magazine spreads and mingling with the likes of Karl Lagerfield. Ones to watch this year include Hollywood newcomer Hailee Steinfield (14), recently named as the Face of Miu Miu, Prada’s ‘little sister’ label. But it’s not just the case that these young starlets are given clothes and pretend to know a thing or two about fashion, the rise of the young blogging community are now dictating what is fashionable. Take Tavi Gevinson, now aged 15, who came to public attention aged 12 because of her fashion blog ‘Style Rookie’. American-born Gevinson rapidly drew in up to 30,000 readers each day by posting photos of her own outfits and a commentary of fashion trends, consequently appearing on the Forbes ‘30 under 30 in Media’ list in both 2011 and 2012.
Blog: Tavi Gevinson - The Style Rookie
Travel
Don’t panic. I’m not talking about a Star Wars-esque clone army, more along the lines of a Dr. Evil-Mini me situation. Fashion has always been the sort of thing you grow into during late teenage years, after far too many mistakes. But it now seems the young generation - I’m talking prepubescent here - are stepping into the fashion limelight.
Blog: Ophelia Horton - Who’s that girl?
wonder how this woman has enough sanity to work a zip, 90s style clothes are so in right now, with high-waisted jeans, including gems such as crop tops and scrunchies littering the high street. Similarly making masturbation leather jackets, which originated in World War Two as bomber illegal (good luck with jackets, are now wardrobe staples. Adapting items that are used that one). However, for comfort into coveted designs is a skill, and is seen with the individual and Sarah Palin is undeniably use of army camouflage patterns where the style has been guaranteed one-ofattractive and cuts a sharp recycled into jackets and jeans. a-kind. The beauty of silhouette in a suit, so the such trends means that question is: would she be I vividly remember my year 6 Maths teacher telling finding a genuine gem from getting this much airtime if me that she used to have converse like mine and the past that is currently in she didn’t know how to dress stubbornly vowing not to wear the shoes that trend results in smugness about its up her madness in Louboutins? my geeky, old, teacher had once worn authenticity, unrivaled by Topshop’s Can we really say that if Palin had herself. However, retro style current replicas. greying hair, wrinkles galore and pieces are unique, thought kitten heels and a mooIf fashion is a form of self – expression then there moo were a flattering combination seems something false about copying previous style the media would pay her so much choices and claiming them as our own creations. I wonder attention? The basic reason might seem obvious: if the history of fashion were wiped clean and forgotten, men’s dress is just plain old boring; after I’m not suggesting that we’re still living in the 1950s whether designers would retreat to the same timeless all, how many ways can you go wrong where a woman’s worth lies only in her aesthetic appeal styles such as skinny jeans and collared shirts, or with suit? However, this lack of attention (and indeed her sandwich-making ability) but I am whether fashion would be launched into a totally new to what men wear may be representative suggesting that remnants of this objectification remains direction. Denim is a withstanding material that, of something more sinister, perhaps and the media’s preoccupation with female politicians along with velvet, will likely never die out. I am we just don’t care about what our attire is a symptom of this. The only critical story intrigued to see whether my kids will be male leaders wear because we’re more relating to male politicians’ clothes in Britain that begging to borrow my faded coloured interested in what they have to say. has gained any recognition in the past year is that of jeans or checked shirts thirty The reason behind our obsession with Boris Johnson. Silly old Boris, who made the grave years down the line. I have settled with what our female leaders wear might be mistake of going running in some highly suspect the view that fashion is indicative of the fact that we see their Chinese-dragon inspired shorts that, aside from constantly embracing change and fashion choices as the most important being ridiculous, were, wonderfully, on the wrong does not look back to past trends out of the lack of a thing a women has to offer to politics. A way round. I for one applaud Boris in his bold, if creative eye but as a way to be inspired and challenge simple Google of this topic reveals this entirely misguided, fashion attempts. At the very the clothes we wear in the future. Designers are forced to bias, hits relating to female politicians least it diverted the media’s attention away from listen to society when deciding on new trends as fashion will be saturated with tips to ‘DRESS which matchy-matchy dress/shoe combination Mrs is a primary form of expression, forever reflecting its FOR SUCCESS!’ and how to get ahead Cameron happened to be wearing that day. Give surrounding society. by wearing monochrome à-la Hilary our female leaders a break. Let them do politics Clinton. Take Sarah Palin for example, with less than perfect blow-dries, flat shoes and I have faith that such styles will withstand the test of renowned nut-job and advocate of wearing a slogan T-shirt emblazoned with the time to come, as some styles are simply policies so ridiculous they make one words ‘Cute Kitten’ and actually listen to what too brilliant to ever discard. Abby they have to say. Athena Rayburn Wynn In a recent GQ poll naming the top 50 best dressed men in Britain, David Cameron was placed above the suave style of those such as Jude Law, David Beckham and even (debatably)the eccentric cross-dressing artist Grayson Perry. But what do we think of the way our male politicians dress? The fashion choices of the world’s leading ladies are unforgivingly scrutinised and critiqued, indeed upon Obama’s inauguration there was as much talk of Michelle Obama’s tasteful and ‘stunning’ dress as there was about America’s first black President. And let’s not forget ‘arse-gate’, when the future Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding was upstaged by her sisters rather shapely behind.
Flikr: Kalexanderson
Style Style
Living Living
The politics of power dressing
When your dad tells you that he used to wear jeans just like yours in ‘his day’ you automatically feel selfconscious and somewhat out of date. When I’m rummaging through my boyfriend’s grandpa’s clothes for a vintage jumper, it makes me question whether trends are just recycled because of the lack of designers creativity, or because they’re just unashamedly, timelessly great.
Deputy: Alice Johnston deputystyle@ epigram.org.uk
And now Britain has its very own Gevinson, in the form of schoolgirl Ophelia Horton (age 12). Horton, who considers Gevinson as her ultimate style icon, started her blog in April 2011 and is now receiving over 35,000 hits a month. She emphasises her lack of experience in writing and fashion, but simply uses her blog and clothing as tools of self-expression. Cue uproar from society that it is ‘far too young’ to be so conscious of the way you look and dress. But is it really? As I see it, youngsters putting their time into something creative and educational is far more productive than straying to the drink and drugs side of things. There is always going to be the risk of selfesteem and psychological issues related to exposure to fashion media, such as eating disorders, but it’s far too presumptuous to consider the two a package deal. I say it’s positive. I don’t reckon we have too much of a problem on our hands until we see mini Brit-Brits and Lady Gagas strutting down the street like they own the place. Then we need to take action. Lizi Woolgar
18.02.13
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Get inv olved!
Left: Floral dress Chumble Hat- Sweet Sorrow vintage
Photography: Zoe Nash Models: Claire Leeming and Georgie Allen Creative directors: Alice Johnston and Lizi Woolgar Stylist: Sara Goodwyn Make-up: Anisha Gupta and Emily
Goldblatt Location: Goldney Hall, Lower Clifton Hill, Clifton, Bristol BS8 1BH
Travel
Style
Living
@e2Style
Editor: Lizi Woolgar style@ epigram.org.uk
Clockwise (from top left): 1. Jacket - Birdcage, Hat and Skirt - Director’s own, Shoes- Model’s own, 2. Dungarees & Top - Sweet Sorrow Vintage, Bumbag & Scarf - Birdcage, Shoes - Stylist’s own, , 3. Dress & Coat - Chumble. 4. Coat - Birdcage, Dress & Shoes - Sweet Sorrow Vintage,. 5. Dress - Chumble, Hat - Sweet Sorrow Vintage.
Deputy: Alice Johnston deputystyle@ epigram.org.uk
18.02.13
Ethical fashion: fur better or worse?
hand-in-hand. I mean, surely you’re a serial hypocrite if you wear leather yet turn your nose up at a beef steak, right? I could be wrong. Especially considering I share the majority of vegetarian beliefs, yet I am not vegetarian. I tried it once, but couldn’t face being that ‘awkward vegetarian’ rejecting dinner and gradually realised I ought to overhaul my entire wardrobe if I was serious about it. Having said that, as Stella McCartney noted, ‘Something is better than nothing’. So maybe buying a few more organic t-shirts might be slight redemption if you happen to leave your lights on constantly.
People are sheep.
People follow ‘trends’ or ‘what is cool’ based on their friendship group, peers or societal influence. Generally, this is purely based on the overall aesthetic value of clothing, with practicality playing its part here and there. But over recent years we have seen shifting interest in the material of clothing being worn; similarly the process behind its manufacture. This need to for a conscience in fashion, as it were, has given rise to the phenomenon of ethical fashion. Ethical fashion encompasses both a social responsibility for fair treatment of fashion workers and a moral responsibility in protecting our environment. It nods to all circles of sustainability, eco-fashion and fair trade apparel. We’ve all heard the horror stories of Primark sweatshops and perhaps even vowed to never shop at such an immoral store again. We claim to have ‘never worn fur’ and self-righteously satisfy our conscience, content we’ve ‘done our bit’. But there are more complex goingson behind the scenes than most consumers might ever comprehend, myself included. In Uzbekistan, over 75,000 children as young as 7 are forced to work with little or no pay for the cotton industry, only for the produce to be used directly in the US fashion industry. The ethical fashion movement aims to provide workers with fair hours, wages, a hygienic work environment, alongside giving workers a voice in the workplace – some for the first time ever.
It’s easy to recognise fur or leather as taboo materials in fashion yet extensive manufacturing processes desperately harming our environment are forever ignored. Sandblasted jeans are a threat to human life, having been responsible for at least 47 deaths to date by inflicting fatal lung disease. The harrowing truth, in fact, is that such devastation could have been entirely prevented. A much cheaper process can achieve the same sand-blasted results; the wealthy fashion industry just needs to cough up a little more dollar for a slightly more financially expensive but morally priceless change. Ethical fashion supporters, such as Stella McCartney, seek to use innovative textile processes that minimise harm on human life, making use of our technological capabilities. It’s not only workers or animals claimed for their skins that are affected, though. Our ecosystems, already at alarming risk, are being slowly but surely destroyed. Even in growth of ‘natural’ fibres, such as cotton, the plentiful pesticide used leaches through to ecosystems resulting in biodiversity loss and heterotrophic imbalance. Ethical fashion inspires use of environmentally responsible materials such as organic fibres without harmful chemicals. And it goes without saying that relentless clothing mass-production releases multitudes of greenhouse gases, exacerbating global warming, further worsening the detrimental effect on ecosystems. The recent push has been to employ more sustainable practices – in terms of shipping, waste etc. – usage of more energy-efficient manufacturing processes and the vintage or ‘revival’ trends that now pop up so frequently across the high street. I know you’ve heard it all before. And, yes, some debates have been going on for years. But it’s only in the last few years that ‘ethical fashion’ has really found its feet, becoming a trend of its own. I propose ethical fashion to be the hipster of fashion trends, the alternative, the individual. It’s suddenly cool to care. Once someone thinks it’s a good idea to care about our environment, others follow suit. There’s something to be said about feeling morally superior in today’s culture. It’s a bit like veganism. Eating strict, insanely healthy, animal-produce-less diets seems to be super respected right now. I reckon it all comes
Either way, the fashion industry has certainly pounced on this new market, with consumers, for the most part, lapping it up. The glamour of high-fashion entices through emotive media, with sustainability having received frequent coverage on TV and in magazines and it has also become a popular blogging topic recently, in the UK in particular. Currently, more and more high street brands are taking on the trend. Clarks shoes have launched the ‘Soul of Africa’ brand, now sold in the UK, USA and various outlets in Africa. The brand is an outcome of a project enabling African Women to hand-stitch shoes so they are equipped with an income to sustain their families and skills to pass on through generations. Of course, this high street style uptake has been heavily influenced, as always, by the high fashion industry. Last year we witnessed Livia Firth dare celebrities to take her ‘Green Carpet Challenge’ to encourage recycling of past garments. There is now a platform at London Fashion Week – ‘Estethica’ – to showcase groundbreaking work of designers dedicated to sociological and ethical responsibility. Notable designers in the S/S 2013 show included Henrietta Ludgate, who only uses fabric sourced locally from the British Isles; Junky Styling, pioneering the craze for ‘upcycled’ styling and Maxjenny, who explores the use of innovatively sustainable materials such as hemp and recycled PET fabric. Even queen Beyoncé has been slammed for her superbowl outfit by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). With her python, iguana and cow skin costume, she has been considered to have “missed the mark” in today’s fashion trending “towards human vegane options”. We might be heading towards a situation where celebrities need to dress ethically to keep up their (at times) unblemished reputations. With the eco-fashion on the up and up, I can only expect bigger things to come in the following few years. I’m not saying everyone will be wandering around dressed in gravy-coloured organic fibres, but with increasing ethical campaigns blasted across the media it’ll soon be pretty difficult to not put your current morals under closer scrutiny. Lizi Woolgar
London Fashion Week - 15th February 2013 Now Milan fashion week has drawn to a close with highlights including classically elegant menswear suits from Armani, contrasted with unusual translucent rubber coats from Burberry, who and what can we expect to see at London fashion week?
Who to expect Prints and colours. Expect a lot of grey and white with floral and animal prints still making a big appearance. Some more experimental looks are set to feature fabrics like tartan and leather. Shapes and structuring. Look out for straight cut board shorts with a high waistline, a good piece to invest in now whilst summer is approaching. We can expect lots of ankle anchored trousers; a very flattering cut for a wide range of figures. Simple high socks with heels and flats are still a must have. So, from Friday 15th to Tuesday 19th February, with the unveiling of the A/W 2013 trends, we could be in for one of the most exciting London fashion weeks to date. Be sure to check out the live catwalk coverage online, or even grab yourself a ticket for (the less exclusive) London fashion weekend following the main shows.
What to expect In December the British Fashion Council announced that Tom Ford, famous for modernizing and saving Gucci as creative director from 1994-2004, is listed on the official schedule to show his collection on the catwalk. This is an exciting development considering his previous collections have only been shown to a select, private audience. Look out for this as it is expected to be a show packed with an audience of A-list stars. We will also see the result of Rihanna dipping her toe into the world of fashion as she previews her line for River Island. With a collection inspired by ‘her mood’ it will be interesting to see what she comes up with having not had much prior experience of wearing clothes herself. L’Wren Scott, girlfriend of Mick Jagger and renowned for her red carpet little black dresses, will debut her line in London for the first time this fashion week. She has recently branched out into Paris where she displayed her Spring collection after years of displaying her clothes only in New York. It is definitely something to keep an eye out for. Liz Blaubleth
@e2Travel
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Editor: Alicia Queiro travel@ epigram.org.uk
Deputy: Alex Bradbrook deputytravel@ epigram.org.uk
I triumphantly placed our picnic hamper on the ground, and began scouring the area to confirm my hunch; yes, I was right, this must be the best spot in the city to enjoy a leisurely afternoon picnic. I had expertly navigated my semiconscious travel mates to the Museumplein, a picturesque park in Amsterdam South, enclosed by three of the capital’s best museums. I knew they didn’t want to admit it but I think the others had come to realise the merits of my extremely well planned itinerary: lovely picnic, lovely Van Gogh Museum, lovely. To my surprise, Harper had generously offered to buy the food for the picnic, which meant I could spend some much desired time with my nose in some course books; no reason to let my brain rot just because I’m on holiday. As Harper began removing the various treats from the hamper and CJ laid a blanket down, I began to sense a better buzz about our previously sedate group. The banter was flying hither and thither, and I started to feel that – despite our bumpy start – I could make some curious, organised and dedicated travel buddies out of these guys yet! Amidst much frivolity and story-sharing, we basked in the rich continental air and finished our food, only for
Harper to realise we had forgotten all about the mushrooms he had bought earlier, which were apparently some kind of local delicacy. Harper explained that they were a very rare delicacy indeed called ‘Mexicana Mushrooms’, originally introduced to Dutch travellers by the locals in Mexico in the 19th century. I hadn’t read anything about them, which was surprising, and cursed my laziness in not reading up on more of Holland’s naval history. Still, I’m always keen to get the proper flavour of a country, and what better way to do so than to sample the local delicacies!
The mushrooms were nutty, hard and altogether quite unpleasant, but I was still able to enjoy the feeling of having tried them at least. This sentiment was soon superseded by a (and followed by a) deep, deep regret at having had wine with my lunch. Damn you afternoon drinking! Only two glasses and it’d gone straight to my head. Lord knows I won’t make the most of the Van Gogh Museum now, I thought. By the looks of things, Toad had perhaps had a little much wine as well; he lolled about in the grass giggling excitedly at the dogs playing nearby. But poor Toad was a simpleton, there was just no telling with him. And then we all started doing it: the four of us laughing uncontrollably at the dogs, enjoying every moment of their carefree frolic. Oh how they played! Brimming with a newfound sense of companionship and unbridled joy, I stood up vigorously with the intention of approaching the dogs. For the second time in quick succession I was overwhelmed by regret; standing up had proven to be a mistake that not only made me feel incredibly nauseous, but it seemed to deprive me of my basic motor skills as well. I wobbled
Flickr: Frankieb
Style
Living
Meet our new secret agent, reluctantly sampling all Amsterdam has to offer: Part Two on what seemed like an undulating sea of liquid grass, panic gripping me to the core. I had never felt so completely helpless.
“I saw no children. I saw a mob of colourfully dressed dwarves” Unable to sit down or move, I waved my arms to maintain what little was left of my balance and tried to ignore the odd looking birds that were laughing at me from a nearby tree. I heard a distorted version of Harper’s voice behind me: ‘Relax man, you’re freaking out those children.’ I cast my panicked gaze where he was pointing. I saw no children. I saw a mob of colourfully dressed dwarves, leaping and crouching alternately, cackling and swinging their arms underneath a vast expanse of sky formed of pixelated clouds that spurted violent sprays of purple and orange over the horizon. That’s as far as I remember. And as far as I can tell, that was yesterday, or maybe even longer ago. Even as I note this in my travel journal now, all I’m sure of is that I’m in the hostel dorm. I think I may have been in my bed for days, maybe even weeks. I am alone. Never before in my life have I experienced such a potent combination of confusion and fear. I want to go home. Anonymous
Got a holiday snap to share ?
Travel
Dear e2,
I took this over the Itaphoto whilst flying to Venice . Itlian Alps on my wa clear day a was a beautifully y snowy mound the sun lit up th glinting in ntains. This lake wae I thought I the sunshine and s Spontaneit should capture it. y paid off.
Love , Emma-Vic to
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Send it to t r a v e l@ e p ig ram.org.uk
Wish you were here !
19.11.12
WELCOME TO TRAVEL’S...
Beer-eau de change
Next time you’re sat in the pub, sipping on your overpriced bevvy of choice and perusing the Epigram Travel section for holiday inspiration, have a think about all of the things that £3 could have bought you...
ou can y , m a n t ie V Well, in s of t in p 0 1 o t p u enjoy good a ’s t a h t w o N beer. ! exchange rate In Paris, it only costs students 3,70€ - around £3 - to climb the Eiffel Tower if you take the steps. ...Quelle surprise!
Bored of Bunker? Pissed off with Pam Pams? In the name of student binge drinking, Epigram travelled far and wide to find out the places to target - and the ones to miss - on your quest for a cheap tipple...
Your best-value pints: Tajikistan: 29p
What can you buy for the price of a
Panama: 31p
North Korea: 39p
...and where to avoid
Flickr: Natchett
Fancy a McDonald’s? We know it hardly compares to Hunger Hatch or Jason Donervan’s, but in Malaysia you could buy 2½ meals for £3. Flickr: Capt Kodak I’m lovin’ it.
PINT?
Bali
Travel out to s are and you foodie3 can No trip to in for a treat! £ping six op buy you a wh charming e meals from th d stalls - or streetside foo g the traditional ludin would be warungs - inc vourite, nasi goreng: Indonesian fa fried rice with a fried complete chicken & eggd on top. Mmmmm! without egg whacke
New York City
Flickr: avlxyz
Greenland: £7.35
buying some ‘I Heart NY’ memorabilia - for less than £3 - even if it is cheesier than Lizard Lounge’s typical Thursday night playlist.
Norway: £6.07
Qatar: £6.00
Source: Daily Mail (sigh), 24/3/12
Argentina’s capital, Buenos Aires, presents a wealth of spending opportunities. It could buy you 20 train tickets... ..or, fancy a kilo of steak?
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Editor: Alicia Queiro travel@ epigram.org.uk
@e2Travel
A day in ... Northern Cyprus
AIRMAIL
Living
Flickr: Andrew Cheal
Few Brits will have visited the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. But this small gem of the Mediterranean, home to a mere 300,000, is definitely one to look out for in your travels. Start your day with breakfast on the ‘golden beach’ of the Karpass Peninsula, which blankets the eastern tip of the island. Locally produced olives, figs, and watermelon should feature on your morning menu. Look out for Caretta Caretta turtles – more common than tourists in what is one of their last remaining hatching places. Afterwards, you won’t be able to resist taking a swim what is officially the cleanest stretch of the Med.
It’s then on to Nicosia, which is now the only divided capital in the world, after making your way along the island’s 143-mile coastal mountain range, dubbed the ‘five-finger mountains’. Lunch is best eaten in the company of traditional folklore dance shows and drama productions in the famous Ottoman ‘Great Inn’ of Nicosia. For dessert head to the municipal market (‘bandabuliya’) to buy some ‘lokma’, a guilty pleasure of deep-fried dough soaked in sugar syrup or cinnamon.
Pas de soucis I remember the day I got the email. We had been waiting for months to find out our placements and the day was finally here. I read and re-read the email, before ringing Mum to scream ‘I got French Guiana!’ down the phone. ‘Wow Poll, that’s great, amazing…err, where exactly is that?’
Your final drive will be to the beautiful city of Kyrenia, known amongst savvy travellers as one of the Med’s most picturesque harbours. Saint Hilarion Castle, seized by Richard the Lionheart en route to the Third Crusade (and alleged inspiration for Disney’s Sleeping Beauty castle) offers a spectacular lookout of the coastline, designed to give early warning of pirate raids. The lazier amongst you will prefer to take a relaxed walk through Bellapais and the ruins of its soaring abbey. The author Lawrence Durrell dubbed the village’s ancient tree ‘The Tree of Idleness’ and used the setting in his novel ‘Bitter Lemons of Cyprus’.
Flickr: Richard Ling
Style
After drying off – the island averages a toasty 35 degrees at midday throughout the summer months – visit Kantara Castle, which at a little over 2000 feet above sea level is the lowest of the three northern Cypriot crusader castles. Your next stop west should be the Roman city of Salamis, preserved for over two thousand years beneath the dunes. Nearby Famagusta, the North’s second city and the setting for Othello, boasts the gothic grandeur of Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque.
This has been a question I have been asked a lot this year, closely followed by, ‘isn’t that in Africa?’, ‘what? They speak French there?’, and my personal favourite, ‘you’re NOT coming home for Christmas!’ In answer to these questions, no, it’s not in Africa; it is, actually, in South America, yes, they speak French (the key is in the name), and no, I did not go home for Christmas. Despite this seeming like a disappointment, I did spend New Year’s Eve on South Beach, Miami, so I think it turned out alright after all.
A cold night drink in the Kyrenia harbour is obligatory. You can choose to enjoy the night breeze watching the reflection of the moon on the Med, soak up the ambience of live music, or check out the Nightpark nightclub, which has featured such world greats as Bob Sinclair. Whatever you choose to do in Northern Cyprus, you are guaranteed a relaxed atmosphere, beautiful weather, and excellent food.
I arrived late September, having been sent an email saying someone would pick me up from the airport. The sign-off? ‘Pas de soucis’ (no worries). I have since learned the hard way that people here seem to say that when there probably is good reason to worry. In the same way, the French Guyanan translation of ‘yes, I’m coming just now’ actually means that they’ll come a week on Tuesday – and that’s if you’re lucky. However, upon arriving, I was yet to discover these things, so I didn’t worry, and miraculously, someone did appear. I couldn’t wait for clear blue skies and the crystal blue water – after all, that’s what the Caribbean Coast of South America is all about, right? Wrong.
Turan Hursit
Counting on current in Venice
On a recent trip I took note of the more obscure instances of canal usage, which underlined Venice’s daily dependence on water. Most Venetians rely on private boats as an alternative to cars, often with their own moorings. Water taxis are abundant but costly, and therefore mainly at the disposal of the wealthy or flashy tourists – catching a water bus or ‘vaporetto’ is a cheaper option. The postman has his own post-boat, and larger deliveries also make their
way via canals on the Venetian equivalent of a DHL service. Rubbish collections also rely on the waterways, as does the handyman in the telecom boat fixing mobile phone masts.
On a more practical level, ambulance speedboats race, sirens blaring, down narrow waterways to reach patients, armed with stretchers, bridge-friendly wheelchairs and paramedics. For those that pass away, the hearseboat will carry them across to the cemetery island of San Michele - reminiscent of oarsman Charon ferrying the dead over the River Styx.
This phrase also came in handy when I returned home from a weekend away to find someone had put a firework through our postbox and set it off. Oh, and on the day that four men came to the door and walked off with our freezer, or the day the electricity was cut off because no one had paid the bill, or the day I was told I would not be receiving my salary this month because the French government had run out of money. It’s safe to say that life here in Guyane is never simple, and sometimes I do feel like a prisoner who will never escape – it is a former penal colony after all. However, after a not-very-hard day at work, sat by the (albeit brown) river with a Ti-punch (triple rum, slice of lime and dash of sugar cane syrup), I think to myself, you know what? Pas de soucis!
Emma-Victor
ia Farr
The burden of the daily shop is lightened with a moored grocery boat outside the door, full of colourful, fresh produce shipped in that morning. However, imagine moving house. I sighted such an upheaval – involving mattresses and furniture – negotiating the Grand Canal. If you thought removal by road was stressful, think again. Yet Venetians have a turbulent relationship with water – in the winter rising tides often lead to damaging flooding, detrimental to tourism and small businesses. However, it is the beauty of the water that continues to draw people to Venice, which is why Venetians have learnt to count on current.
Emma-Victoria Farr
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“Ambulance speedboats race down narrow waterways, armed with stretchers, bridge-friendly wheelchairs and paramedics”
Granted, the skies are generally blue – at least when it’s not in the rainy season – but clear blue water? Unfortunately not. It seems that I neglected to read the book that explains that, thanks to the proximity of the Amazon River and the billion tonnes of silt that it discharges into the Atlantic Ocean every year, you have to travel around an hour by boat from the shore to be able to see your hand when you place it an inch below the water’s surface. ‘Pas de soucis,’ I sighed to myself.
Flickr: rockdo ggyd
Travel
Venice: cue romance, outstanding beauty and garish gondolas. But have you ever considered how Venice functions as a modern city behind the winding labyrinth of canals?
Deputy: Alex Bradbrook deputytravel@ epigram.org.uk
Pollyanna Johnson Foreign Correspondent in French Guiana
Sport
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