Deputy: Editor: Josephine Franks Imogen Carter jfranks@ living@ epigram.org.uk epigram.org.uk
@e2Living
Deputy: Mona Tabbara mtabbara@ epigram.org.uk
THE NAUGHTY NINETIES
Travel
Style
Living
hurry, as I can’t help but feeling that there are some things that are perhaps better left in the past. Furbies I, like many of you, pined for one of those creepy alien creatures for years until my parents finally surrendered in the Christmas of ‘99. After less than an hour with my new pet I remember weeping in front of my turkey because, I quote, ‘couldn’t handle the responsibility of a Furby’. My own disturbing commitment issues aside, I’m pretty sure Furbies were battery-operated descendants of the devil and deserve to remained banished in that dusty box in the attic alongside yo-yos, out of reach of any potential weapons. Sunny D That shit was seriously addictive. A good 3 years of my life were lost to the deliciously moreish, orange-flavoured, liquid crack, and I fear its reprisal could create a generation of lunchbox junkies.
“Club nights such as No Scrubs have been capitalising on our generation’s love for all things nostalgic”
My inner seven-year-old could not be more excited by the recent influx of all things inspired by the 1990s. London Fashion Week was notably nostalgic with crop tops, dungarees, plaid and even scrunchies transforming the usual size zero clones on the runways into Kelly Kapowski and Cher Horrowitz doppelgangers. The single greatest band to ever grace the earth (Destiny’s Child, obviously) have returned from a hiatus with a new track and Britney’s one time lover (before that whole head shaving fiasco) Justin Timberlake is back in all his high-pitched, trousersnakey glory with a fabulous new single and promised tour dates. Even Bristol club nights such as No Scrubs have been capitalising on our generation’s love for all things nostalgic, proving that there are few things in life more enjoyable than nailing all the words to Left Eye’s rap in a club after a little too much gin. Yet, as much as we may love reminiscing about elements of our childhood, don’t go digging out your mood rings and sea monkeys in too much of a
With Easter just around the corner (kinda) it seems fitting to centre the final e2 of term on the event that gives us a cushy 4 week holiday each year: Resurrection. At first glance Resurrection may seem to be a challenging, perhaps even impossible, theme on which to base 16 pages of student lifestyle articles, but, as ever, e2 has risen admirably to the task. So instead of gorging yourself on creme eggs and hot cross buns, settle back with this week’s e2 to read about resurrected trends, the cyclical nature of fashion and where best to drink cider in Bristol.
Shag Bands One of the more twisted fads of our youth were those innocent looking rubber bracelets which when snapped, meant you were legally obliged by playground laws to have sex with the snapper. As well as being unbelievably creepy, I also feel that if these came back onto the wrists of perpetually-horny Lounge-dwelling Freshers, Bristol’s chlamydia rate would rocket. Gooey Alien Eggs Undoubtedly the biggest con of my childhood. We all tried it, putting them in the freezer, under a bright lamp, rather disturbingly rubbing them together (just me?) but - sorry to break it to you - they just didn’t, and never will, make babies. Party Dances As if school discos weren’t bad enough, with all the boys drenched in their Dad’s cologne on one side and the girls dressed like baby prostitutes on the other, they were made all the worse by music’s biggest travestysince Mr Blobby’s single reached no.1: Party Dances. A small part of me dies every time I hear the dreaded opening to the Macarena and Cha Cha Slide and this is one musical trait of our youth which I simply do not pine for. Slide right back to the 90s and stay there, DJ Casper. It is not the time to get funky. Crazy Frog There are many questions one must ask about that mentally-challenged amphibian: Why was it on a motorcycle? Why did it have such prominent male genitalia? And mainly, why did we all allow it to go 2x platinum? The track makes Gangnam Style seem eligible for a Mercury Prize and it is a detail I will certainly be omitting when I preach to my grandchildren about the ‘good old days’. So, as fondly as we may look back upon the decade we were born in, I must advise you to handle the new trend with caution. Yes, Topshop may think it’s fashionable to bring back jelly shoes and it may be cool for producers to sample Aaliyah in every ‘future-garage’ track ever created, but do remember that now, we are not seven years old. We are in our twenties, and it is never, ever okay to wear flashing trainers.
Words: Kitty Malton
Illustrations: Tom Guilmard
e2 is brought to you by Living : Imogen Carter, Josephine Franks and Mona Tabbara will meet at 1.15 in the White Bear on Tuesday 19th of March Style : Lizi Woolgar and Alice Johnston will meet at 1.10 in the ASS cafe on Wednesday 20th of March Travel : Alicia Queiro and Alex Bradbrook will meet at 12.15 in the Refectory on Monday 18th of March with e2 editor : Ant Adeane Illustrations: Josh Gabbatiss Nick Lindo
e2 online editor: Nicola Reid www.e2blog.tumblr.com
18.03.13
MOTION REVISITED What happens when poverty strikes and nobody will hire you? In my case, you scrape that barrel and take a job at everybody’s favourite skate-park- cum-cesspit, Motion. ‘Are you mad?’ was the common response, followed by ‘at least it’s good money’ and finally ‘it’ll be, like, really funny.’ And it must be said that for the most part the latter is true. My first shift was at Tokyo Dub and the no-man’s land between ten and midnight was unadulterated comedy gold. Sadly the pounding bass and the earplugs this necessitated prevented me from sharing my amusement with my co-workers, or anything more than a mouthed ‘WHAT?’ and wild gesticulations, so I had to observe alone. By 10.05 I had already served three gurning men with dreadlocks - the first punters were in and boy were they going for it. There were only around 30 of them, most of whom appeared to have come alone, and each in a crazed state of personal nirvana. As you can imagine there was plenty of space in the main room but crusties are naturally herd-like creatures and prefer to huddle together to ensure optimum dampness and mouthfuls of one another’s dreads. Everyone seemed to have stepped straight out of that ‘Doncaster Warehouse’ video on Youtube or just the 90s in general. Saying that, they probably had, and what you don’t realise when you’re busy yolo-ing with your unay pals is how many old people there are.
“Everyone seemed to have stepped straight out of that Doncaster Warehouse video on Youtube” There was this one couple where the woman looked exactly like my mum and the man danced like my dad, and they were having such a lovely time boogying on down that it instilled in me this great blossoming hope that you can still be free and footloose well into your 50s. Reggae the great communicator! Irie! But then daddy started grinding on mummy while she ran her hands down his inner thigh and it was all getting a bit Freudian and I didn’t feel like the vibrations I bore witness to were very positive whatsoever. Unfortunately I was ‘stationed’ directly behind them and they didn’t move from my periphery all night. What you also fail to notice during the best night of your life is how crap the venue’s conditions really are. Whilst waxing lyrical on the previous night’s spiritual experience, people who know about music are apt to say things like ‘I mean Joy Orbison’s set was totally sick but the acoustics were terrible’. I will sagely mumble
my assent to this even though I obviously have no idea who was behind the decks, let alone something so trivial as how they actually sounded. But the acoustics in the main room really are shit. Even with the imported sound system it has the tinny resonance of a year 7 disco in a church hall, only with added tinnitus. When you’re in the crowds the sweat soaks your clothes and rains from the ceiling - I have actually seen a man enter the smoking area billowing steam. Yet when you’re behind the bar you have to wear a woolly hat and scarf and your breath crystalizes in the air in front of you. Why are so many people so naked while we shiver in our thermals? I suspect this is a genius engineering design to keep you on just the right side of uncomfortable at all times. When I told my boss that I went to Bristol University he said ‘we don’t get many kids from Bristol down here, it’s mostly the UWE crowd’ but judging by the brill-cream and snapback c o m b o s being sported after 1am he really hasn’t been paying attention… unlike me. So be warned, next time you head down for your bass fix, be nice to the bar staff. They are sober, they are bored, and they will remember the next morning.
Words: Lauren Pigott Illustration: Camilla Barden Why have International Women’s Day?
flickr x-ray delta
BORDERLINE NEWS
Two years ago, I used to laugh at the idea- why do we need a ‘women’s day’, we don’t need our own day, right? Might as well have a ‘human’ day, or a ‘fans of Linkin Park day’ (to be fair they might be a minority these days). It felt patronising and belittling for some reason, like women needed extra special support to get ahead. It was then I spoke to a lot of people, read a lot of stats and figures, read a bunch of books and realised that days like IWD are crucial to continue the feminist discourse. It causes the discussion to crop up again and again, like, for example, in this year’s UBU presidential hustings when the ‘women’ question was posed to Rob Griffiths and Kelvin Chen.
Resurr(EX)tion I was one of those unbearably smug people who neatly bypassed all the ‘OH MAI GAAAD gonna be SO awks at dinner when I see that boy from unit 6 I pulled in Panache last night!! ’ chat [Ed: RIP Monday nights at Panache, the funnest in all of Bristol] by arriving in halls and getting a boyfriend basically as soon as my parents were driving back down the M4. A few years on, FB relationship status officially at ‘Single’ (hooollaaaaa!) and I’ve had to re-evaluate the Bristol dating landscape. The whole six-degrees-of-separation in real life romantic terms means that it is essensh impossible to get with anyone who is either a) not on your course b) your friend’s old housemate from 2nd year or c) someone who seems like they could not be more irrelevant, but with whom you in fact share 26 mutual friends, including an unfortunate girl from your old school who lived up to the ‘Hoes on the hill’ hype and got pregnant in 2009 – but I digress. Because hindsight is a byoo-tay-ful thang. So when allll the way back in October (at the start of what should be my final and ergo most responsible year) I got with a random 2nd year drug dealer in Motion (GROSSgrossgross and definitely not adhering to my friend’s mantra, ‘only be desperate INSIDE your head’) once I’d finished vomming a teeny bit in my mouth I decided to put the whole regrettable incident down to newly naïve singledom (YOLO) and began thinking of hilarious ways to relate the story to my gal pals. Needless to say, you can imagine my horror when a two days later, having descended from my throne on the 1st floor for a spot of innocent photocopying, who should be sitting by the weird whiteboards but my lamentable Motion friend. It probs goes without saying that the vibe in the ASS at 11 on a Monday morning is somewhat less sexy and fun than on a #madwun at 2am in the main room. Somewhere in the process of embracing a new Carrie Bradshaw of the South West persona I had missed the memo that, like herpes, you can’t ever anticipate when something undesirable is going to come back to haunt you in a sensitive place. By night, with a trusty Evian bottle of vodka-cordial mixer and a bit of makeup, I’m all like ‘you WISH you could have this hunnaaaaaay mwah mwah’, but by day - grey faced and in full seminar/lecture mode - I lose all my ‘go sistah’ chutzpah and revert to the horrifically bad chat and awkward body language of a pubescent 14 year-old boy. It is of course even more unfortunate that having spent three days pointedly not replying to a classic ‘Drink soon? X’ text message from Motion-man’s successor (less immediately ‘ew WTF are you doing’ but still EMINENTLY ignorable), that I would run into beau in question in Clifton Down Sainsbury’s biscuit aisle, which would have been less awkward had I not immediately declared that my phone was lost, promptly realising that it was IN MY HAND. Anyway. The point is that snogging-frogs-to-find-Princes and so on and so forth is all fun and games, but if you spend the majority of your weekly hours anywhere around the University precinct, it’s probs better to move the quest for luvin’ to UWE.
Anon It was pointed out that there hadn’t been a female UBU president for ten years and last year two very strong female candidates lost out to another male president. What do I think? Is this some kind of subconscious prevailing attitude? Can only a total LAD handle the role? What I think is vital is that the discussion continues, and days like IWD allow this to happen. Full-time officer candidates resort to desperate tactics to get votes: ‘I really hope people see my face-tattoo and are just blown away by my commitment to the role’, one candidate commented. In other news:
IMOGEN PALMER Rob said that as far as the union was concerned, Boy struck by ambulance in Bath. At least he got
UBU HUSTINGS
we seemed to be doing ‘alright’ for women, whilst Kelvin questioned why there weren’t any women running for president this year and whether this was to do with an attitude that we associate men with presidential roles.
to hospital quickly. (he is in a stable condition so I felt ok to make that joke).
Medics strip for charity: ‘It’s just so rewarding getting naked for kids with cancer’, one participant was heard to remark.
Deputy: Josephine Franks jfranks@ epigram.org.uk
Deputy: Mona Tabbara mtabbara@ epigram.org.uk
Living
flickr X-ray delta
Editor: Imogen Carter living@ epigram.org.uk
MERCURY KNOWS BEST
Travel
Style
Horoscopes aren’t for everyone, but with Mercury in retrograde for another six days, it might be nice to have an explanation for everything that’s been going wrong since February 23rd. Has your computer lost your work? Have trains been delayed? Important emails never arrived? Blame it on Mercury, the trickster planet, that during the retrograde period delays and confuses technology and travel. Make sure to back up your files and carry spare chargers and dollar with you wherever you go, as everything is sure to take twice as long and cost double the price. The planet Mercury is also known as the ‘fated messenger’ as you are more likely to bump into old friends from the past during this time. Unexpected events are anticipated as a result of all transportation breaking down, so make sure to take events such as being stranded in Yeovil a positive time to catch up with medic friends from first year rather than an absolute disaster. Lost things could become found over this time and could work in your favour if you take those old, unworn trainers from the attic for a jog. Remember that this is a cyclical occurrence and that everything will go back to normal on March 17th. With this blast from the past, things seem to be moving in slow motion. The days seem to drag on and your mind wanders to analysing events that occurred and potentially shaped your life years ago. Apparently this is time for reflecting and for reevaluating our lives, but don’t be worried if your girlfriend suddenly tells you to bite the dust, she’s just restructuring internally and will come to regret her words. Instead you should take some time to reflect on those wants and dreams for the world. Is it really such a good idea to head off to the Middle East in an attempt to single-handedly
tackle world peace with your philosophy degree? Think of this as a time to tie-up loose ends and gain perspective on all the things necessary in your life. Mercury retrograde can actually further your endeavours even when everything seems to be going pear-shaped.
“Make the most of having a celestial scape-goat to explain recent mishaps” Make sure not to sign any contracts until after March 30th however, as you could end up tied down to serving shish kebabs at Donervans, just because it seemed a great idea at the time. Wait until you and everyone around you has a clearer head before committing to anything new, using this time to finish old work and dust off that dissertation research instead. Mercury rules intelligence and education and is truth-seeking, so you’re likely to have some fantastic insights that could bump that 2.2 up a notch. This search for objective truth does spill over into relationships however, so watch out for what you say as it could be too much for your flatmates to handle when you start ranting about the bowl they broke or how you’ve been spending more than them on loo roll. Just err on the side of caution for another few days until Mercury resumes forward motion and make the most of having a celestial scape-goat to explain recent mishaps, even if you think astrology is bit of a joke.
When I started thinking about the theme for this issue, ‘Resurrection’, my initial thoughts ran something along the lines of trends that were making a comeback. I tried to think about how I could spin an article out of the fact that ‘vintage is so hot right now’ (to be read in a Zoolander accent), or how Cara Delvingne is bringing back bushy eyebrows like nobody’s business (something I thought we had seen the back of when Charlie from Busted dropped off the scene) – but this felt a little predictable, so I continued racking my brain. Then, like a vision from God, I awoke in the middle of the night with the answer to all my questions: Sugar Man. There were two elements of irony to this realisation. Firstly, Sugar Man is singer, and one of his most famous lyrics is: ‘Sugar man you’re the answer/That makes my questions disappear’. Secondly, one of his pseudonyms is ‘Jesús Rodríguez’… (Jesus… Resurrection… get it?!) Coincedental word plays aside however, the real crux of this story lies in the fact that, I don’t think there has ever been a case of a real life resurrection quite like this. Sugar Man is a nickname given to the folk singer known as Rodriguez. Born in Detroit to a working-
SUGAR DADDDY
Lara Kottsieper
class family, he was named ‘Sixto’ because he was the sixth child in his family (no, really). He released two albums in America, but to virtually no recognition or commercial success. His albums sold hardly any copies and consequently, Rodriguez was swiftly dropped from his record label. He continued living an extremely modest life doing various forms of hard physical labour, predominantly demolition, just about managing to keep his family out of poverty. So then imagine what it felt like, almost thirty years down the line, discovering that his music had found its way across the ocean to South Africa (amongst other countries), where he was regarded as a superstar! Over there he wasn’t just famous à la Ollie Murs, he was way up there with Bob Dylan and Elvis Presley. Unbeknownst to him, a copy of his album had been brought over years before, friends had started copying the CD, and before you knew it everyone was listening to Rodriguez. An Australian record label bought the rights to rerelease his songs and the album went platinum. Nobody knew anything about the singer that they all loved so much, and any investigation was thwarted by rumours that he was already dead, having committed suicide during a concert. A few persistent fans weren’t satisfied with this and began a manhunt to find out the exact details of his life and death. In 1998, they eventually joined up all the dots and found him, alive and well, none the wiser to his burgeoning fame and still living in the same tiny house in Detroit. Now at the ripe old age of 70, Rodriguez is finally getting the recognition he deserves, playing sold-out arenas all over the world. And in the mean time, watch the Oscar winning documentary about this story – ‘Searching For Sugar Man’ – for some life-affirming inspiration. Or better yet, buy his album(s). He deserves the royalties, unlike some others (*cough* One Direction *cough*.)
Laura Cripps
18.03.13
HIGH E
ANC S S I A N RE
GAL
ISOBEL ALLEN Hello AGAIN my loyal minion-lings. Back again for another dose of the indispensable, unliveable withoutable advice a la moi, I see. This past week, I have noticed that I appear to attract a lot of attention (who, me?!), that people stare, mouths agape, at the wonders of my bonne visage, and that people even shield their eyes from the beaming rays of my beauty as they pass by. ‘But, why???’ I hear you call, and for why I shall tell you. You obviously do not undertake the same rigorous morning regime as I, you obviously do not take the time to stand before the mirror, foundation brush in one hand, leaf blower/hedge trimmer in the other, and so you OBVIOUSLY lack that which I can’t help but stress time after time – le edge. However, young ones, please do not hastily assume by this that I do not wake up a natural beauty of paramount gorgeousosity and deliciousness, it is just that I choose to enhance my blessings with the fewest tiniest little minor slight amendments, the secrets of which I now bestow upon you, too. First things first – le visage. After you’ve chosen the base colour (I like to range between Teracotta and Lucozade) and done a good, solid base and middle and top coat, it’s time for the pièce de résistance – le brows. For this we want to average a brow:face ratio of about 12:1. If there is any space left on your forehead after the brow-plication, you’ve done it wrong. I’m talking Hitler-in-Europe-style facial occupation here. The angrier, the pointier, the browner (especially when your hair is in no way brown) the better.
THE MG FACTOR ***OMG FACTOR 7*** I was walking (stumbling lol) to uni through the snow carrying my handbag, book bag and laptop case. When I arrived at the ASS, disaster struck – it was closed! (#youneverknowhowstrongyouareuntilbeingstrongistheonlychoiceyouhave). Fighting back the tears, I turned around and started to make my way towards Gusto. Suddenly I began to slide down the pavement so I threw my laptop down and tried to fashion a sledge to look cool. Unfortunately, the sledge worked only too well and I overshot the corner. Gliding straight under a lorry my laptop lost momentum and I came to a stop on the other side of the road. I looked to my left and could see my crush driving straight towards me! He started cracking up and accelerated. Thank god my m8 had seen me from her window and threw down her rope ladder. I grabbed the end and she hoisted me off the ground. The car passed beneath my feet and I slammed into the wall of her house. I’m such a klutz! Mis-Teeq fan, 19, Nailsworth ***OMG FACTOR 10*** Last summer my two BFFs and I decided to go on holiday to Malia. First time away from home and I was PUMPED. After I boarded the flight I saw a group of fit lads at the other end of the plane. I HAD to impress them. Screaming in panic, I put on my stilettos, my ‘galz on tour 2k12’ hoody and a balaclava to maintain an air of mystery (my Nan had given it to me so I wouldn’t get sunburnt). I got up from my seat and strutted down the aisle as the plane started to take off. Don’t get it but everyone started shouting at me. FAB – the boys would definitely notice me now! As the plane accelerated I tried to stabilise myself by grabbing the baby in the nearest seat. Dragging the baby with me, I I tumbled down the aisle towards the lads. Crashing into the food trolley, I was so scared I started bleeding from my eyes. The baby and the lads found it mega hilarious. Thank god I was still wearing my balaclava! Bullet for my Valentine fan, 23, Ruislip ***OMG FACTOR 5*** I was in an Italian seminar when it came to my turn to read Dante aloud. Suddenly remembering a super funny knock-knock joke I started cracking up. The whole class was waiting for me to read so I turned bright red. Forcing some noise to come out of my mouth, before I knew it, I was speaking in tongues! I couldn’t stop and suddenly realised I was out of my seat and dancing on my desk. I grabbed the sombrero my bezzie mate was still wearing from her Mexican themed dinner party the night before and used it as a prop. After five minutes, everyone had left the room and was staring at me through the window. Worst of all, the lad I fancied saw the whole thing! Dead embarrassing! Aqua fan, 19, Crudwell
I
flickr X-ray delta
REAL TALK
Georgie Allen
Deal or Noel Deal
“We want an average brow-to-face ratio of 12:1. If there is any space left on Noel’s back and boy is he hungry! Have a quick look at what tasty your forehead, you’ve done treats he has unearthed on Student Beans for you this week... it wrong“ Be the Gordon Ramsay of Redland and kit out your student flat have found yourself Next: le hair. The ultimato accessoire du jour. Here we’re aiming for; ‘What, this?! I just tumbled out of ma chambre and it fell like this, mwah’ whilst we actually pay 1 entire student loan instalment and about 72 hours of our lives on it monthly. Now, friends, this can be quite a heavy duty task. Many a time have I lost a comb, or a hand, or a flat mate to the rambunctious wilderness that is mes cheveux. Some bits we want straight, some bits we want backcombed. Some bits we want in tiny little Pocahontas plaits (le edge – see above) sometimes we want a random clip which isn’t really holding any hair in any useful way at all. If you have a young sibling, get them to do it, pissed, with their eyes shut. etc. Finally, to get dressed: wear whatever you want. Literally. Anything. Don’t even look at it just put it on. (NEVER forgetting le hoops) Now that I have divulged my wisdom I hope to see you too looking (almost) as bloody fantastic as I do. But, padawans, I’m afraid I must end on a sombre note. Today we have undertaken a topic of the utmost sincerity and seriousity, and as such we must not forget the suffering amongst us. Being ugly is like a disease. It hurts inside and makes no one want to spend time with you in case they catch it. So take a short respite here to appreciate being not-ugly, and if you are, away with you, my eyes are burning from the sight of your face through this paper.
with a FREE five piece stainless steel knife set from those luvvies at JeanPatrique, worth a staggering £119.85. And by free, they mean sign up for their catalogue and pay £7.99 up front. Totes worth it. Stay calm and ‘soreen’ with free samples of malt loaf, avalable to you without having to leave your house. Soreen promise to deliver some treats to your doorstep. All they want in return is you to give your opinion on the treats you receive. The student staple, if you have not got a George Foreman Grill you need to get yourself onto Student Beans rapido. Student beans are offering you a grill-iant 10% off when you purchase your lean mean grilling machine. Meat has never been so accessible After all that chopping, malt loaf eating and grilling you may
piling on the pounds. Once again, Uncle Noel has come to the rescue and found you a fit-astic diet regime. For just £2.50 one of the experts at Sainsbury’s will tell you what to eat, and you will get a free mobile App to keep your diet plan hip and trendy.
Living
@e2Living
ROOM 101 #9: ADVERTISING The scariest part of Charlie Brooker’s latest instalment of Black Mirror wasn’t the appearance of masked, gun-wielding characters on screen. Nor was it the moment we realised the second episode was all a disgustingly poignant justice scheme trapping ‘Victoria’ in a dystopian game show.
Travel
Style
No, the scariest part of Black Mirror was the moment the adverts appeared. Didn’t get the adrenalin pumping? This is a more subtle terror than the jumpy show itself. Mr Brooker’s writing takes issue with society’s evils - consumerism, our obsession with technology, vindictive entertainment and big government and business. He tries (largely successfully) to present us with a warning against them, yet the gripping screenplay suddenly cuts to another meaningless McDonald’s endorsement. A jolt within a jolt, it highlights the horrible trap radical ideas find themselves in - in order to present your message, however anti-establishment it may be, you have to lie down and suck a few dicks. I don’t mind when X Factor or Hollywood films use advertising to fund themselves - their ‘message’ fits into the corporate box perfectly and no harm is done coupling the two. With Black Mirror, the consumers’ interlude sits so uncomfortably with the show’s ideals that I felt compelled to turn it off. (I obviously didn’t, I love Black Mirror, but that’s not the point.)
“In order to present your message, you have to lie down and suck a few dicks” My dislike was nudged into antipathy by a wonderful video I saw doing the rounds of the internet. Weary travellers arriving at Heathrow are greeted by hordes of strangers who treat them to a series of rousing and funny greeting songs. Everyone’s smiling, everyone’s laughing, and everything seems to be perfect. Even I was lulled into feeling warm, just for a second. Then the video ended, and T-Mobile smeared their dirty slogan all over the video. ‘Life’s for sharing’, the advert reminded us. What does that even mean? How do T-Mobile promote sharing in any way above and beyond any other mobile network? These questions were left unanswered, along with why every little bit of emotion human beings are induced to feel through entertainment now has to be capitalised on by a company. Why would anyone associate T-Mobile with happiness? Any ad that raises more questions than it answers leaves a lot to be desired. I moved into my living room, where I sat through several adverts before the football; two of them were for cars. Here my hatred piqued. I have long had a problem with car adverts which has intensified in this past week, and my problem is this: car adverts, invariably, advertise the ‘freedom’ the vehicle gives you, and state that this model allows you to explore the world on your own terms. What the extremely well paid advertisers have failed to realise is that this is not an advert for THAT car, it’s an advert for CARS. The concept of a car. In fact, my bike gives me that. My legs give me that. A saddle and a goat gives me that. People devour this tripe through the power of subliminal messaging. Essentially what these adverts may as well be is a blank screen with someone shouting the product name over and over in an increasingly loud voice until people give in and pick up their credit card. Perhaps that is the future of advertising. Unfortunately, in a generation that has decided to steal everything from music to live tennis, we need advertising to permeate every entertainment form we indulge in, or there won’t be anything left to entertain us. Perhaps though, even just for my own sanity, advertisers could get the message across in a slightly less mundane, brain-numbing fashion.
Louis Wilson
year needn’t be as twee as the cover of Pippa Middleton’s attempt at a WI manual would have us believe. Their ethos isn’t about jumping on a bandwagon, but focuses on the unadulterated enjoyment of food, as creator and head chef Kelly Sealey explains: ‘I love to see people sharing, grabbing and just having fun with food, so we serve warm, comforting and playful food in a relaxing dining setting.’ Getting down and dirty with a plate of ribs may be a great way to enjoy an evening with friends, but to the uninitiated it may seem an odd way to become acquainted with strangers – most diners go to pop-ups alone or in couples and you’re likely to be sat on a table with people you’ve never met. However, this is one of things that sets supper clubs apart from conventional restaurants; whilst the food may be top of the list of priorities, the unique social situation is also part of the attraction – your night may not be guaranteed to end in a Lady and the Tramp moment but it does provide the opportunity to meet new, like-minded people. And anyway, that’s where the Swig part comes in – any meal needs lubrication and Pig & Swig offer a beer float to accompany each course for £13, while other Bristol pop-ups such as The Montpelier Basement operate a bring-your-own policy - because any student worth their salt knows that a few pints are all it takes to get the conversation flowing.
POP IT LIKE IT’S HOT Think dinner party and the first images to pop into your head are probably in an array of Hyacinth Bucket-esque pastels: the pallid pink of an anaemic prawn cocktail; the wilted green of waterlogged asparagus; and the pale yellow of Bird’s custard poking through the sherry trifle that was every grandmother’s pièce de resistance. Times have very much changed since the signature dishes of the eighties, however, and as the astronomical viewing figures of Come Dine With Me and its ubiquitous televised presence in student living rooms will attest to, the dinner party is no longer the preserve of the old and crusty. The pop-up restaurant – also going under the guise of supper club and guerrilla restaurant – has its roots in the communal and clandestine eateries of Cuba known as paladares. Its trip across the Atlantic, via the US, has seen it develop into a dining trend that has moved into our living rooms (literally), made itself at home and seems set to stick around for a while. The pop-up ethos rests on the belief that wherever you lay your hat (/knives/wok/ spatula) is your home; underground restaurants have sprung up not only in hosts’ homes but in sheds, warehouses, fields and unused restaurants. Although London inevitably leads the way in trendy cuisine, the amazing produce coming out of the West Country means that its little cousin Bristol isn’t scurrying too far behind. One of the most recent enterprises to rear its head in Bristol is Pig & Swig, which places great emphasis on local and seasonal produce; their first Autumnal Feast pop-up served delights such as Cornish-smoked bloater fish, scrumpy-braised guinea fowl and poached pear with fennel baked cream. As their name suggests, the back-to-basics and ‘best of British’ mentality that brought us The Great British Bake-Off and a three-fold rise in the number of crocheted ties given at Christmas this
Undoubtedly part of the allure of the supper club comes from the sense of mystery and exclusivity suggested in the very word ‘club’; if sex sells, then secrecy sells even more. Being one of only a handful of people party to an event gives pop-ups a sense of excitement that you just can’t get from making a reservation for two at your local Pizza Express - and being invited into the intimate setting of a host’s home only adds to this. Alright, you’re probably not going to rifle through the host’s underwear draw only to share the secret of their sex-toy stash with the rest of the table à la Come Dine, but the sense of being let in on a secret creates a rapport between hosts and guests that is unique to pop-up restaurants. It’s interesting, then, that part of the success of the underground restaurant scene is down to social media – Twitter and Facebook are most often the means used to communicate details of such events, a paradoxical mix of publicity and secrecy. Should you want to find out about Bristol’s best-kept secrets, search for Pig & Swig on Facebook to catch their summer event, and keep an eye out for other restaurants popping up near you. Just don’t tell anyone I told you, alright?
s r o t i d E e h t k As
Josephine Franks
Who would you resurrect for a night out and where would you go? Living Editor Imogen Carter: Aaliyah to Kisstory at the 02 Living Deputy Editor Mona Tabbara: Freddie Mercury to Pam Pam Comment Editor Joe Kavanagh: Christopher Hitchens to Spoons for Johnny Walker black, his favourite whisky Film and TV Deputy Editor Kate Samuelson: Thomas De Quincey (author of Confessions of an English Opium Eater) to Motion Online Arts Editor Tom Brada: Moses to the Lanes. See if he gets a split every time! Arts Editor Racheal Schraer: Dorothy Parker to Hyde and Co.
EVENTS IN MARCH Chalk It Up Write your goodbye messages to Bar 100 on the walls. 28 February till end of term
‘Stand Up Bristol’ Comedy Night Monday 11 March
Bingo! £1 Entry. Proceeds go to BVDA. Wednesday 13 March, 8pm
Rag Quiz Last ever Bar 100 quiz. Monday 18 March
Bar 100 Auction We will be auctioning off all the furniture and equipment from Bar 100 before it closes. Don’t miss this chance to deck out your student home with anything from fridges to sofas. All proceeds will go towards equipment for the new bar when it reopens in 2014. Thursday 21 March, 7pm
Demolition Disco Closing Down Sale with events across Bar 100, Brunel and Anson Rooms. Lowest ever drink prices. Friday 22 March
ubu.org.uk
UBU NEWS
Issue 10
18.03.13 ubu.org.uk
6XPPHU %DOO p3
<RXU )XOO 7LPH (OHFWHG 2IÀFHUV 0HHW \RXU QHZ )XOO 7LPH (OHFWHG 2IÀFHUV DQG KHDU ZKDW WKH\ SODQ WR GR IRU \RX 5RE *ULIÀWKV
(OOLH :LOOLDPV
+DQQDK 3ROODN
7RP )O\QQ
Elected
(OHFWHG 2IÀFHU
(OHFWHG 2IÀFHU
(OHFWHG 2IÀFHU
(OHFWHG 2IÀFHU
(OHFWHG 2IÀFHU
President
&RPPXQLW\
6SRUW DQG +HDOWK
(GXFDWLRQ
:HOIDUH DQG (TXDOLW\
$FWLYLWLHV
, KDYH WKH VROLG LGHDV WR WDFNOH 8%8·V ELJJHVW SUREOHPV , ZLOO ZRUN WRZDUGV D PRUH FRPSUHKHQVLYH 0\%ULVWRO DQ DFWLYH DQG VXSSRUWHG VWXGHQW PHGLD DQG WUDYHOOLQJ 6DEE VXUJHU\ VHVVLRQV , ZLOO DLP WR SURYLGH -&5 KHOS DQG VXSSRUW DQG EHWWHU VXSSRUW JXLGDQFH IRU DFWLYLWLHV , À[HG WKH UDGLR VWDWLRQ QRZ ,·OO À[ \RXU VWXGHQWV· XQLRQ
, ZDQW WR RUJDQLVH PLQL IHVWLYDOV WKURXJKRXW WKH \HDU ZKHUH VWXGHQWV FDQ VKRZFDVH WKHLU VNLOOV )URP FRPHG\ WR SRHWU\ MD]] WR ÀOP DQG RSHQ PLF QLJKWV WKH SRVVLELOLWLHV DUH HQGOHVV ,QFUHDVH WKH VXSSRUW WKDW WKH XQLRQ FDQ JLYH VWXGHQWV ZKR DUH VWUXJJOLQJ ZLWK /DQGORUGV ZKR ZRQ·W À[ SUREOHPV RU UHWXUQ GHSRVLWV , ZLOO GR ZKDW , FDQ WR KHOS \RX LQ ZKDWHYHU ZD\ , FDQ
, KDYH DFKLHYHG PDMRU UHVXOWV IRU WKRXVDQGV RI %ULVWRO VWXGHQWV WKLV ODVW \HDU EXW WKHUH LV IDU PRUH WKDW FDQ EH GRQH WR EXLOG XSRQ WKH PRPHQWXP , KDYH ZRUNHG KDUG WR JHQHUDWH WKLV \HDU , KDYH GHPRQVWUDWHG WKLV \HDU WKDW , FDQ ZRUN FROODERUDWLYHO\ ZLWK WKH 8QLYHUVLW\ ZKLOVW DOZD\V FKDPSLRQLQJ WKH LQWHUHVWV RI VWXGHQWV ,·P UHDG\ IRU 5RXQG
0RUH HIIHFWLYH UHSUHVHQWDWLRQ IRU SRVWJUDGXDWH VWXGHQWV 7UDQVSDUHQW ZHOO SXEOLFLVHG FDVKÁRZ DVVLVWDQFH IURP WKH XQLYHUVLW\ IRU DOO VWXGHQWV QRW MXVW KRPH XQGHUJUDGXDWHV )HHV À[HG RYHU \HDUV IRU LQWHUQDWLRQDO VWXGHQWV UDWKHU WKDQ IHHV WKDW FKDQJH XQSUHGLFWDEO\ \HDU RQ \HDU $Q HQG WR LQWUXVLYH DWWHQGDQFH PRQLWRULQJ requirements for ,QWHUQDWLRQDO 6WXGHQWV
, ZLOO UH ZULWH WKH VDIH VSDFH SROLF\ LQFOXGLQJ D VWXGHQW FRQVXOWDWLRQ 3URYLGH WUDLQLQJ IRU FOXEV DQG VRFLHWLHV RQ KRZ WR GLYHUVLI\ WKHLU PHPEHUVKLS ORRN DIWHU WKHLU PHPEHUV DQG JHW ULG RI GLVFULPLQDWLRQ :RUN ZLWK 93 $FWLYLWLHV DQG 93 6SRUW DQG +HDOWK WR PDNH VXUH KDQGRYHU FRYHUV 8QLRQ SROLF\ ZKLFK KDV DQ LPSOLFDWLRQ IRU VWXGHQW DFWLYLWLHV
, EHOLHYH WKDW ZKLOVW \RX DUH DW XQLYHUVLW\ WKH H[WUD FXUULFXODU DFWLYLWLHV \RX SDUWLFLSDWH LQ RXWVLGH \RXU FRXUVH DUH D YLWDO DVSHFW RI WKH VWXGHQW H[SHULHQFH %ULVWRO KDV D ZRUOG FODVV UDQJH RI DFWLYLWLHV DQG P\ FKLHI DLP LV WR PDNH WKHP PRUH YLVLEOH DQG WKHUHIRUH HDVLHU WR MRLQ IRU DOO , EHOLHYH WKDW 6RFLHWLHV DUH IRU HYHU\RQH DQG , DLP WR KHOS \RX JHW WKH PRVW IURP WKHP
UBU News | Issue 10 | 18.03.13
$OHVVDQGUD %HUWL ,PRJHQ 3DOPHU
<RXU QHZ 3DUW 7LPH 2IÀFHUV 6HQDWH 5HSV DQG 186 'HOHJDWHV LQVLGH
0HHW \RXU QHZ 3DUW 7LPH 2IÃ&#x20AC;FHUV Senate Reps & NUS Delegates... 3DUW 7LPH 2IÃ&#x20AC;FHU
3DUW 7LPH 2IÃ&#x20AC;FHU
3DUW 7LPH 2IÃ&#x20AC;FHU
3DUW 7LPH 2IÃ&#x20AC;FHU
3DUW 7LPH 2IÃ&#x20AC;FHU
Esther Moore
Natasha Foote
Megan Jarvis
Naomi Mckay
Priyanka Nagpal
Hafsa Ameen
Chair of Student Council
(WKLFV 2IÃ&#x20AC;FHU
(QYLURQPHQW 2IÃ&#x20AC;FHU
, ZLOO PDNH \RXU YRLFH KHDUG 0RUH &RPPXQLFDWLRQ More Representation More Clarity. A better H[SHULHQFH IRU \RX
*HW VWXGHQWV YRLFHV KHDUG 3URWHFW VWXGHQWV OLYLQJ LQ UHQWHG DFFRPPRGDWLRQ DQG ZRUN WR UHGXFH J\P PHPEHUVKLS FRVWV
/RFDOO\ VRXUFHG IRRG PRUH UHF\FOLQJ IDFLOLWLHV DQG HQVXUH WKH VXVWDLQDELOLW\ RI SODQV PDGH E\ P\ SUHGHFHVVRUV
Widening Particpation 2IÃ&#x20AC;FHU
International 6WXGHQWV· 2IÃ&#x20AC;FHU
Black and Minority (WKQLF 6WXGHQWV· 2IÃ&#x20AC;FHU
7R PH :LGHQLQJ 3DUWLFLSDWLRQ ZDV P\ ZD\ LQWR KLJKHU HGXFDWLRQ , ZLOO XVH P\ UROH WR KHOS RWKHUV
/DVW \HDU , DUULYHG DV DQ LQWHUQDWLRQDO VWXGHQW DQG , DLP WR KHOS QHZ VWXGHQWV KDYH D VPRRWK OLIH DW %ULVWRO
, ZRXOG OLNH WR FKDOOHQJH UDFLVP DQWL 6HPLWLVP ,VODPRSKRELD DQG DOO RWKHU W\SHV RI GLVFULPLQDWLRQ
3DUW 7LPH 2IÃ&#x20AC;FHU
3DUW 7LPH 2IÃ&#x20AC;FHU
3DUW 7LPH 2IÃ&#x20AC;FHU
3DUW 7LPH 2IÃ&#x20AC;FHU
Senate Rep
Senate Rep
Emma Ronayne
Alice Phillips
Nicola Willis
Emran Noor
Anna Taylor
Alex Bradbrook
Disabled Studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2IÃ&#x20AC;FHU
:RPHQV· 2IÃ&#x20AC;FHU
/*%7 6WXGHQW·V 2IÃ&#x20AC;FHU
Medicine and Dentistry
Science
, ZRXOG OLNH VWXGHQWV WR EH DEOH WR FRPH WR PH LQ FRQÃ&#x20AC;GHQWLDOLW\ DQG KHOS WKHP ZLWK DQ\ SUREOHPV RU LVVXHV WKH\ PD\ KDYH
As a passionate feminist I EHOLHYH WKDW ZRPHQ VKRXOG EH IDLUO\ UHSUHVHQWHG LQ DFDGHPLD DQG VWXGHQW OLIH IUHH IURP WKH IHDU RI VH[XDO DVVDXOW DQG KDUDVVPHQW
, DP GHGLFDWHG WR PDNLQJ %ULVWRO EHWWHU IRU /*%7 VWXGHQWV :RUNLQJ IRU WKH OLEHUDWLRQ DQG KDSSLQHVV RI /*%7 LQ DV PDQ\ ZD\V DV , FDQ
Mature and Part Time 6WXGHQW·V 2IÃ&#x20AC;FHU $ VWURQJ YRLFH WR UDLVH \RXU FRQFHUQV , ZDQW WR KHOS \RX DFKLHYH \RXU JRDOV DV , NQRZ KRZ KDUG LW FDQ EH WR EDODQFH HYHU\WKLQJ
, ZDQW WR VWDQG IRU WKH LVVXHV WKDW DUH PRVW LPSRUWDQW WR VWXGHQWV LQFOXGLQJ EHWWHU OLQNV EHWZHHQ VWXGHQWV DQG VWDII ¶7D\ORULQJ· D EHWWHU IDFXOW\
, ZLOO EH SUR DFWLYH LQ PDNLQJ VXUH WKDW FKDQJH LQ WKH 6FLHQFH IDFXOW\ KDSSHQV IRU WKH EHWWHU 7RJHWKHU ZH FDQ PDNH VFLHQFH EULOOLDQW
Senate Rep
Senate Rep
Senate Rep
Senate Rep
Senate Rep
Florence Hunter
Matthew Graham Mike Limb
Tasmin Steer
Marta Skrzypinska
Arts
Engineering
Postgraduate Research
Social Sciences and Law
,·YH EHHQ D VWXGHQW UHS IRU my two years at Bristol. I DP GULYHQ GHWHUPLQHG DQG EHOLHYH WKDW WKH DUWV matter.
%HWWHU IHHGEDFN EHWWHU FRPPXQLFDWLRQ DQG PRUH JURXS VSDFH 6WULYLQJ WR PDLQWDLQ D 0RGHUQ (QJLQHHULQJ )DFXOW\ IRU \RX
$V WKH LQFXPEHQW 3*5 VHQDWH UHS , ZLOO XVH WKH RSSRUWXQLW\ RI D VHFRQG \HDU LQ WKH UROH WR UHPDLQ D VWURQJ YRLFH IRU DOO 3*5·V
Medical and Veterinary Sciences , DP WUXO\ LQWHUHVWHG LQ OLVWHQLQJ WR \RXU FRQFHUQV DQG KHOSLQJ WR LPSURYH \RXU H[SHULHQFH DW %ULVWRO
My main goal is to make VXUH %ULVWRO JUDGXDWHV DUH UHFRJQLVHG IRU WKHLU ZRUN &KDQJHV WKDW ZRXOG EH EHQHÃ&#x20AC;FLDO WR DOO RI XV
NUS Delegate
NUS Delegate
NUS Delegate
NUS Delegate
NUS Delegate
Fatima Akhter
Tom Flynn
5RE *ULIÃ&#x20AC;WKV
Naomi McKay
Ellie Williams
More opportunities for you WR JHW WKH EHVW RI \RXU WLPH at Bristol.
, ZDQW WR KHOS VKDSH 186 SROLF\ VR WKDW LW EHVW VHUYHV %ULVWRO VWXGHQWV
([SHULHQFH LGHDV DQG SDVVLRQ , Ã&#x20AC;[HG WKH UDGLR VWDWLRQ QRZ OHW PH Ã&#x20AC;[ \RXU 6WXGHQWV· 8QLRQ
5HSUHVHQWLQJ WKH QHHGV RI Ã&#x20AC;UVW \HDUV DV ZHOO DV WKH ZLGHU VWXGHQW ERG\
, DP D FDQGLGDWH WKDW EHOLHYHV WKH 186 VKRXOG EH Ã&#x20AC;JKWLQJ IRU DOO LWV VWXGHQWV SUHVHQW DQG IXWXUH
2
ubu.org.uk/summerball
3DUW 7LPH 2IÃ&#x20AC;FHU
UBU News | Issue 10 | 18.03.13
The biggest event of the year Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coming. UBU have been planning the ELJJHVW 6XPPHU %DOO %ULVWRO KDV HYHU VHHQ We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to ruin all the surprises just \HW EXW LW LV JRLQJ WR EH HSLF
6HW LQ WKH EHDXWLIXO JURXQGV RI /HLJK &RXUW \RX FDQ H[SHFW WZR VWDJHV KXJH 7RS KHDGOLQH DFWV &LUTXH GX 6ROHLO WUDLQHG aerial artists, walkabout entertainers and Ă&#x20AC;UH EUHDWKHUV VSHFLDOO\ GHVLJQHG VRXQG DQG OLJKWLQJ VSHFWDFXODU Ă&#x20AC;UHZRUNV PDVVLYH big tops and fairgrounds. Not to mention transport to and from the site all included in the ticket price. Tickets are priced at ÂŁ39.50 and non8QLYHUVLW\ RI %ULVWRO VWXGHQW JXHVWV DUH welcome but purchasing of tickets will UHTXLUH D 8R% 6LQJOH 6LJQ 2Q
Tickets go on sale on 7KXUVGD\ 0DUFK IRU one day only at XEX RUJ XN VXPPHUEDOO VR PDNH VXUH \RX GRQ¡W PLVV \RXU FKDQFH WR attend the biggest HYHQW RI WKH \HDU
&HOHEUDWH D JUHDW \HDU DW WKH 8QLYHUVLW\ RI %ULVWRO ZLWK D WUXO\ XQIRUJHWWDEOH QLJKW
UBU scoops â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Runner Upâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in NUS Internationalisation Awards 2013
+HUH LW LV :H FDQ FRQĂ&#x20AC;UP WKH YHQXH LV LQ WKH EHDXWLIXO JURXQGV RI /HLJK &RXUW DERYH
UBU awarded silver in Green Impact Initiative 7KH 8QLYHUVLW\ RI %ULVWRO 6WXGHQWV¡ 8QLRQ 8%8 KDV EHHQ DZDUGHG œ6LOYHU¡ LQ WKH *UHHQ ,PSDFW DZDUGV DQ HQYLURQPHQWDO DFFUHGLWDWLRQ SURJUDPPH GHVLJQHG VSHFLILFDOO\ IRU VWXGHQWV¡ XQLRQV
SHW XS LQ E\ WKH 1DWLRQDO 8QLRQ RI
6WXGHQWV 186 *UHHQ ,PSDFW 6WXGHQWV¡ Unions aims to encourage unions to EHFRPH JUHHQHU E\ WDNLQJ SUDFWLFDO DQG simple actions across a range of areas from HQHUJ\ VDYLQJ DQG ZDVWH UHGXFWLRQ WR HWKLFDO SXUFKDVLQJ DQG FRPPXQLW\ HQJDJHPHQW With over 200 criteria the scheme has JURZQ RYHU WKH \HDUV DQG QRZ LQYROYHV RYHU VWXGHQW XQLRQV /DVW \HDU 8%8 DFKLHYHG a bronze award and Full Time Elected 2IĂ&#x20AC;FHU IRU &RPPXQLW\ $OLFH 3HFN DLPHG WR EHDW WKDW WKLV \HDU $OLFH VDLG â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am really pleased that we achieved Silver! It was not easy due to the huge building redevelopment and a draughty building! We set up a UBU Green Team and great initiatives such as giving out soil and bulbs in a competition to grow the best plant. There is still a lot to do to make UBU fully sustainable, but I am excited by the
improvement to Silver and by future green opportunities that the new building will allow.â&#x20AC;? The scheme required that a workbook was used to document the actions the studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; union took to meet the criteria. To achieve awards, teams had to complete a range of tasks covering areas such as procurement, ZDWHU ELRGLYHUVLW\ KHDWLQJ WUDQVSRUW ZDVWH DQG HOHFWULFLW\ 8%8 FRPSOHWHG PDQ\ RI WKH REMHFWLYHV E\ DFWLYHO\ HQJDJLQJ ZLWK WKH 8QLYHUVLW\¡V 6XVWDLQDELOLW\ WHDP ZKR SURYLGH PDQ\ RI WKH environmental services for the union. Further improvements to the silver rating will be continued through the refurbishment RI WKH 5LFKPRQG %XLOGLQJ +RPH RI WKH 6WXGHQWV¡ 8QLRQ ZKLFK DLPV WR DFKLHYH D high level of environmental design, including WKH %5($00 ([FHOOHQW DZDUG For more details: www.ubu.org.uk/build
8QLYHUVLW\ RI %ULVWRO 6WXGHQWV¡ 8QLRQ 8%8 UHFHLYHG œ5XQQHU XS KLJKO\ FRPPHQGHG¡ LQ WKH FDWHJRU\ IRU œ([FHOOHQFH LQ ,QWHUQDWLRQDO 6WXGHQW 6XSSRUW¡ DW WKH 186 ,QWHUQDWLRQDOLVDWLRQ $ZDUGV RQ 7KXUVGD\ 0DUFK
Embrace the rivalry â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Varsity Series 2013
The awards are designed to reward best
In an annual tradition that dates back to
practice within universities and studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; unions and recognise some of the hard ZRUN WKDW XQLRQV DQG RIĂ&#x20AC;FHUV SXW LQWR supporting international students.
UBU received recognition for work XQGHUWDNHQ ODVW \HDU ZKLFK SURYLGHG D tailored programme of welcome events and activities for international students. 7KH SURJUDPPH ZDV HVWDEOLVKHG E\ 8%8 LQ SDUWQHUVKLS ZLWK WKH 8QLYHUVLW\ RI %ULVWRO and external stakeholders to support the 500 pre-sessional students attending the 8QLYHUVLW\¡V &HQWUH IRU (QJOLVK /DQJXDJH DQG )RXQGDWLRQ 6WXGLHV GXULQJ WKH VXPPHU in 2012. ,Q FROODERUDWLRQ ZLWK WKH 8QLYHUVLW\¡V ,QWHUQDWLRQDO 2IĂ&#x20AC;FH DQG &HQWUH IRU (QJOLVK /DQJXDJH DQG )RXQGDWLRQ 6WXGLHV 8%8 organised activities and designed a calendar of events so pre-sessional students were able to socialise with students from other FXOWXUHV IDPLOLDULVH WKHPVHOYHV ZLWK WKH FLW\ FRXQWU\ XQGHUVWDQG 8%8 DQG IHHO ZHOFRPHG and supported. UBU also ensured that the on-campus Info
UBU News | Issue 10 | 18.03.13
Point remained open over the summer so that pre-sessional students had a central place to go for advice and information, extended the peer-mentoring scheme and VSHFLĂ&#x20AC;FDOO\ UHFUXLWHG DQG WUDLQHG VWXGHQWV who would be available as mentors over the summer. .DW\ *XOORQ $GYLFH Coordinator at UBU said:
DQG
6XSSRUW
â&#x20AC;&#x153;By providing a tailored welcome, we were able to increase awareness amongst presessionals of what a union is, what UBU can offer them and how they can get involved. This helped the students to feel comfortable accessing later, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;mainstreamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, welcome events such as our Freshersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Fair. We are really pleased with the result and hope to continue collaborating with the University to improve our student support services.â&#x20AC;? The success of the scheme has meant VSHFLĂ&#x20AC;F UHVRXUFHV ZLOO QRZ EH DOORFDWHG WR the services in 2013 to continue supporting pre-sessional students in the future. $ UHSRUW RQ WKH SUH VHVVLRQDO VWXGHQWV programme can be found at www.ubu.org.uk/about/impact
VWXGHQWV IURP WKH 8QLYHUVLW\ RI %ULVWRO go head-to-head against the students from UWE in a series of sporting events called WKH 9DUVLW\ 6HULHV 7KH ULYDOU\ LV WDQJLEOH WKH FRPSHWLWLRQ Ă&#x20AC;HUFH ZKLFKHYHU 8QLYHUVLW\ emerges victorious secures local bragging ULJKWV IRU D ZKROH \HDU )LJKW 1LJKW RQ )ULGD\ 0DUFK VDZ DQ entertaining evening of boxing when Ciaran 7KDSDU DQG 3DWULFN $UPVWURQJ IDFHG WZR strong opponents from UWE culminating in an overall result of 1-1. %ULVWRO VWXGHQWV (GZDUG +XVVH\ DQG +DUL 0D\ 3KLSSHQ DOVR VDZ DFWLRQ DJDLQVW VWXGHQWV IURP ([HWHU DQG %ULJKWRQ UHVSHFWLYHO\ but didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t manage to secure wins on this occasion.
9DUVLW\ HYHQWV ZLOO FRQWLQXH WKURXJKRXW 0DUFK $SULO DQG 0D\ LQFOXGLQJ 9DUVLW\ 'D\ RQ :HGQHVGD\ 0DUFK IHDWXULQJ competitions in Badminton, Lacrosse, )HQFLQJ &ULFNHW 1HWEDOO +RFNH\ 7HQQLV DQG more. $OO 9DUVLW\ HYHQWV DSDUW IURP )RRWEDOO 5XJE\ and Polo are free to attend. Tickets to these three events are available from the Info Point and through sports clubs. $UJXDEO\ WKH KLJKOLJKW RI WKH VHULHV LV WKH SUHVWLJLRXV %RDW 5DFH KHOG LQ %ULVWRO¡V Harbourside which attracts hundreds of VWXGHQW DWKOHWHV DQG VSHFWDWRUV 7KLV \HDU LW ZLOO EH KHOG RQ 6DWXUGD\ $SULO DQG ZLOO feature up to ten races and entertainment from student societies.
0RUH LQIRUPDWLRQ DERXW WKH HYHQWV LV DYDLODEOH RQ WKH ZHEVLWH www.varsityseries.com 5 8 1 1 , 1 * 727$ /
ÂŁ40,000 bristolrag.co.uk
3
* weekly event 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
Your What’s On Guide
Tuesday 19
March
Student Council • 6-8pm (ubu.org.uk/studentcouncil) UBU & Playhouse Present: Spring Party • 9pm-3am, O2 Academy (ubu.org.uk/ents/event/903)
2013
Wednesday 20 Varsity Day • Coombe Dingle (ubu.org.uk/activities/sports/varsity) Thursday 21 Tickets for Summer Ball go on sale online, for one day only • (ubu/org.uk/summerball) Bar 100 Auction • 7pm-10pm, Bar 100, UBU Friday 22 Demolition Disco • 8pm-2am, UBU (£2 tickets at ubu.org.uk/ents/event/904) END OF TERM
If you have any events that you would like included in The LIST or our online calendar at ubu.org.uk/events, please email lauren.mcguffog@bristol.ac.uk
Summer ball - 13 june 2013 Tickets on sale thursday 21 march
for one day only TICKETS £39.50
ubu.org.uk/summerball 4
/bristolsummerball /bristol_ball
UBU News | Issue 10 | 18.03.13
Deputy: Alice Johnston deputystyle@ epigram.org.uk
Editor: Lizi Woolgar style@ epigram.org.uk
@e2Style
What goes around comes around
Alezia Wogel-Both explores the
Style Style
Living Living
decades that shaped fashion today
20s The Roaring Twenties was the decade that witnessed women smoking furiously to echo the streamline shape of the ideal pet, a greyhound. Post-war fashion movements were sparked by the social situation; a period of sustained economic prosperity. Dressing fashionably became both a trend and a statement, allowing women to break free from rigid Victorian life. It was a period of artistic dynamism; art deco and cocktails screamed ‘chic’, and young, rebellious flapper girls swayed seductively to jazz. The ‘Kate Moss for Topshop’, line launched in 2007, was visibly reminiscent of the 20s, built around flapper dresses and elaborate capes. Avant-Garde accessories were a must. Russian water-rat fur was used as a trimming, fans of vulture feathers were dipped in gold and swathes of satin cocooned the female form. No sense of irony in the ‘Decade of Decadence’ then. Waif-like Karlie Kloss screams 20s chic modelling elaborate DKNY chiffon designs in the March edition of Vogue whilst 2012 gave way to an array of Great Gatsby 20s-inspired fashion moments. Without doubt, the most influential
DISCO. Probably the first thing that pops into your mind at the thought of 70s fashion. There is also a much more demure side of 70s fashion which is all
Travel
Katy Papineau
too often forgotten. The decade began with the androgynous hippie look from the 60s, soon replaced by an array of electrifying colours and fabrics epitomising the social liberalism of the time. The phenomenon of Saturday Night Fever inspired the disco movement, giving rise to satin hotpants, afro hair and ever-widening flared trousers (remark-
60s
designer of the 20s was the one and only, Miss Coco Chanel. The ‘Chanel Silhouette’ personified the decade with her LBD design in 1926. It was famously revitalised by Audrey Hepburn in the 60s and by countless others throughout the 20th and into the current century. Despite being notoriously unpleasant, Chanel was leaps and bounds ahead of others designers, introducing both elements of menswear and the ‘modern’ concept of simplicity to her womenswear. Simplicity and androgyny have been fundamental to our contemporary fashion culture;
Katy Papineau ably handy for smuggling alcohol into concerts, according to my dad). Then came the A word: Anarchy. From one outlandish trend to another – punk rock promptly appeared on the horizon. Understood as a by-product of disaffected youth, effort was intentionally made to abolish uniformity. Punks could be seen in cigarettelegged jeans, bondage trousers and ripped tops. Modern icons such as Alice Dellal or Aggy Deyn still fly the flag for our inner-punk, just waiting to be set free. But it wasn’t all safety pins and swearwords; a friendlier trend of this decade was the ‘new thing’ of ethnic blending. Ethnic influences gave rise to gypsy tops with drawn up necklines, softly pleated peasant skirts and pretty paisley prints. Craft skills were even inherited from other nations, with hand-painted shoes and embroidery. The pure and undisputed glamour of the 70s is the main trend that we just can’t shake off, dominating last year’s fashion. Think Liza Minelli in a floor-length gown or Bianca Jagger in a vibrant silk jumpsuit. There is no denying that the 70s lay
70s
This decade witnessed the fashion world discovering colour; a ‘kaleidoscopic liberation’, fuelled by LSD trips. The trends were a reckless mixture of colour, print and fabric, echoing the carefree attitude in society. The female erogenous zone moved from the collarbone to the thighs, with the introduction of the mini skirt in 1964 (and tights for the slightly more modest gals). Women sported PVC box-shaped dresses, miniskirts, go-go boots and bell-bottomed trousers for the first half of the decade. Bell-bottoms made a comeback in the mid-90’s, with an urban re-vamp from abtastic J-Lo. The latter half of the 60’s saw the development of hippie styling with tie-dye, maxi coats and dyed fur gilets. Shearling gilets popped up all over the catwalks for A/W 2011, paired with polo necks at Prada for that real ‘peace and love’ feel. Paul & Joe offer, for 2013, an array of spring maxis nodding back to the 60s. The mod vs. rocker feud spilled over from the 50’s, keeping two distinct styles alive. Mods favoured sharp tailoring and minimalism, whilst leather biker jackets, turn-up jeans and outrageously pointed winkle pickers and became synonymous with the rocker look. ‘Mod’ is back in right now – just look to The Kooples and Acne for that minimalist vibe. The 60’s gave birth to some of the most influential figures of our time. The leading ladies in the modelling world were Jean Shrimpton, Twiggy, (Lesley Hornby) with limbs resembling
claim to some of the most entertaining trends of our time and taught us the value of uniqueness in everyday fashion. Yet it is primarily the charm of the 70s pareddown glamour that our society clings to for the time being, and with any luck, for many years to come.
As a child of the 90s, it feels all too soon to be thinking about what has come back around, but let’s not forget, the start of the 90s was actually over 20 years ago. Scary, right? This fashion statement morphed into the punk look of the 70s by the end of the decade, with more of an emphasis on sun-bleached denim, spikey hair and neon colours. The 90s has been huge for the last couple of seasons and is still set to dominate. Issey Miyake’s S/S ’12 collection incorporated 90s-inspired hippy tops and cut-off hotpants to embrace that thrown-together vibe. Michael Kors re-acquaintied us with tie-dye for A/W ’12, where Jeremy Scott drew inspiration from the brash prints of the 90s with his bold Bart Simpson motifs. This season, we can be inspired by the 90s grunge spirit, yet with more of an emphasis on ethereal beauty than teenage angst. Dries Van Noten has created a twist on the classic plaid shirt with the use of subtle chiffon;
Katy Papineau stick insects, and Penelope Tree, the original ‘Flower Child’. Doe-eyed Edie Campbell is our modern-day 60s icon. The fashion market was led by the UK, with the emergence of an entirely new concept – boutiques. One of the most well-known was Biba, opened by Barbara Hulanicki in 1964. The boutique was full of charm and was much like a modern day H&M or Topshop. Mary Quant was just as influential (despite being so afraid of customers she kept a bottle of scotch underneath her counter). For the contemporary take on Quant’s look, cast an eye upon the chequerboard trend that is huge right now. Look to Louis Vuitton for chic chequered crop tops, Michael Kors’ for his hypnotising skirt suit or to Topshop Unique for some equally as bold, yet more affordable, smart trousers. And so, the inspiring decade of the 60’s has echoed through time, with an array of garments being recycled time and again. With 60’s movements dictating fashion over the next few months it seems Queen Beyoncé was bang on, and what goes around really does come back around.
pair with Chloe’s delicate 3D petal skirts for a softer take on the trend. Accessorise with fresh skin, power brows and piercings-a-plenty to really radiate grunge.
90s
18.03.13
Don’t want to break the bank? Create interesting looks with what you already have. Try dabing a lightly nail-varnishcoated makeup sponge over a bright basecoat for a spraypaint effect. Nail artists at LFW created catwalk nails by generously dabbing a few different colours on one nail, waiting until nearly dry then ‘squashing’ the colours with a finger for a unique look. Who said finger painting was for children?
Textured and interesting: nail art trends for spring
Image: top left, Grazia, top right, Nail Constellatiions, bottom right, Nails Inc, Essie and Barry M, bottom left, Flickr user farm9.
DIY Nail art is revamped and resurrected this season with a texturised, three-dimensional twist. Forget tacky, gaudy rhinestones and diamantés awkwardly stuck on with nail glue; think subtle, tactile finishes and clever formulas. These new polishes tend to be ruined by a shining topcoat so when it starts to chip simply try out the next one. There are plenty of options both high-end and high street so don’t fret about your budget.
Anisha Gupta
The past isn’t worn out yet Vintage fashion is coveted around the world with an influx of vintage boutiques opening around the country. The definition of vintage is clothing that is at least 25 years old and previously worn by someone else. Vintage clothing provides an individual look in a time where Topshop and Urban Outfitters are the go to fashion for a university student. It is guilt-free shopping as it is environmentally friendly and sustainable in a time of frivolous and fast fashion - that’s what I tell myself anyway. Vintage is having a cultural awakening with many exhibitions in London focusing on great designers of the past. A recent sell-out success was Valentino: Master of Couture at Somerset House. It recalls the outstanding career of Valentino Garavani who produced hand-made couture dresses with acute attention to detail. The exhibition is set out like a catwalk and we, as the viewer, are invited to walk down the runway through his 50 year career. The inclusion of name cards on white seats to show
who his clientele were was a nice touch from the exhibition curator. Names ranged from Jackie O and Grace Kelly to Cameron Diaz and Penelope Cruz. We are also given an insight into the process of making couture clothing with video demonstrations on how his seamstresses create the dresses and the labour involved. It closes on the 3rd March so get down there quick to catch a glimpse of a master craftsman of the past and dream that one day you could own a couture masterpiece.
great for exploring the world of vintage with their Little Black Book section. It gives you tips on great vintage shops around the world, recommends music, blogs, art, providing a lifestyle mantra to live by. Atelier Mayer is a unique brand in the world of fashion: recognising that you don’t have to wear the latest fashions, as style is about being unique and not following the crowd, is an invaluable lesson.
Bristol provides a great selection of local vintage boutiques Vintage is a collectable investment with great collections. The so get spending. Atelier Mayer Birdcage is my favourite with its is a relatively new company who amalgamation of coffee culture source vintage designer clothing and fashion. It has a great of superior quality and sell it for a selection of vintage clothing high price tag. Their stock ranges for men and women. Beautiful from Chanel handbags costing beaded 1940s shift dresses, over £1000 to luxurious Worth leather shorts, tweed jackets ballgowns and more wearable and a wide array of silk shirts. everyday items such as capes and Shopping and cake is a great jackets. They have a showroom in combination and has become a central London recalling the salons trend with many vintage shops. of past designers such as Dior A similar framework is seen and Chanel. They have a celebrity at the Heartfelt on Alma Vale following with many wearing Road, Clifton. It has a beautiful their unique dresses in the recent but small collection of vintage awards season. Their website is
clothes and accessories and does great cakes. 71 Queens provides a more contemporary twist with a carefully chosen stock. Their menswear is particularly strong with original American varsity jackets and Levi denim shirts. They also have an exquisite section of sequin blouses, perfect for a night out. Price tags are high though so for a more student friendly experience try Repsycho on Gloucester Road for its bright knitted jumpers and loud shirts. Also don’t miss out on the Bristol Vintage Fair on Saturday 9th March to get your hands on some original vintage designs. Vintage interest has continued to grow in the last 10 years and I believe that its appeal will continue. It’s all about craftsmanship and timeless design. That dress you bought in Topshop last week will date but a simple printed 60s shift dress will look great every year and get people asking where you bought it. Nothing is more satisfying than replying ‘it’s vintage’ - no one else will be dressed the same as you Maisie Waters
Editor: Lizi Woolgar style@ epigram.org.uk
@e2Style
Living
Trainers
Trend watch!
Left: Moschino Below: New Balace, £65
Neons
Graphic print
Style
Left: Proenza Schouler Below: Deena & Ozzy, £48
Left: Marc Jacobs Far left: Topshop, £30
White
Travel
Sixties
Right: Missoni Below: Jil Sander Left: Topshop , £30
Left: Moschino Right: JW Anderson for Topshop, £100
Deputy: Alice Johnston deputystyle@ epigram.org.uk
18.03.13
DIY for dummies I was recently stuck in a fancy dress predicament. The theme was ‘purple’ and I somehow own no purple clothing apart from a lilac neoprene crop top. Primark was shut and I was rifling through drawers trying to find something appropriate for my needs. I came upon a pair of very cheap purple leggings bought for a previous fancy dress expedition where they had served as part of a parrot costume. After a quick google I chopped a circle out of the crotch and unpicked a seam and voila! I had myself a cropped purple cardigan which I wore with pride. The moral of this story is that anyone can DIY something. More than this, they should DIY stuff. There is no-one in this world who is not capable of hacking a hole in some cotton, often to great effect. Not only is it satisfying, you get that smug ‘I made this myself’ feeling, which makes it totally worth it. Here are some ideas to get you started.
Accessorising denim
• This is super, super easy. First, find a tshirt you don’t wear anymore. Something baggy, but not giant, works best. Don’t do this with a tshirt you actually like a lot because invariably it will end of going wrong and you will chop it in half or something. • So, you’ve got your tshirt. Try it on and put a small pencil mark where you want it to be cropped to. You can always go more so err on the side of caution. Then cut off the bottom seam – just the bottom seam, none of the actual shirt material. Now cut upwards along each side seam until you get to the level of the mark. • You should have a T shirt with two slits up the sides. Now carefully cut into the front and back flaps every inch up to the same level or so until it looks fringe-y. • We’re not done yet! To make it look better and more designer vintage, knot the top of each individual strand. Then tug on the shirt material to stretch it and make it sit nicely.
Source: wedding.blogdig
• This is possibly even easier than the last one, but you will need some not very specialist equipment, namely a hot glue gun. Your mum may have one at home if she’s in any way crafty but if not they’re pretty cheap. • Once you have your glue gun, the possibilities are endless. Denim is a good place to start. Got a boring pair of jean shorts? Buy some cheap fake gems, fire up the glue gun and start sticking! Underneath the front pockets in a carelessly scattered fashion looks good. • This also works with spikes. Those fierce shirts or denim jackets you see with spikes on the shoulders? Very easy to replicate. Find some spikes (ebay is a good bet) and stick them where you please.
Source: Chiclittlepoorgirl.com
Source: Etsy
Fringed crop top
LFW review “British designers are renowned for their quirkiness and creativity when it comes to fashion; always the ones that make and break the fashion rules.“ This year’s London Fashion Week was another showcase of unique design talent, yet there seemed to be a common thread in many of the A/W13 collections - a debt to decades gone by. From 80s inspired sportswear cuts and classic patterns at Ashish, to Holly Fulton’s darker take on the Parisian red-light district of the Marais, and the psychedelic prints that dominated House of Holland, resurrection of the past looks to be the new way forward.
Ashish
burst onto the London runways in 2004. Known for his eccentric mix of sportswear, glamour and faultless craftsmanship, his most recent collection did not disappoint. Ashish describes his A/W13 collection as a visually ironic take on urban and rural work-wear. This might seem like a weird mishmash of influences but it all makes sense when you see the piece that Ashish chose to open his show: a beautiful and bonkers fashioned-up high-visibility vest, complete with silver sequins instead of reflective panels. His inspiration from decades past was clear in his use of houndstooth and tartan patterns throughout the show, his inclusion of that old 70s favourite, the poncho, and the wide array of jumpsuits with elasticated ankles, recalling Adidas tracksuit bottoms c.1999. This playful attitude and desire to keep fashion light-hearted and fun seems to be what keeps Ashish such a loyal client base, including singers Lily Allen and M.I.A, who wore a sheer Ashish creation with only strategically-placed polka dots to cover her modesty for that infamous performance at the Grammy’s in 2009.
Henry Holland,
Polariod photo hanger • Bored with you plain, vaguely mouldy bedroom walls? This is the way to go! You will need: photos, string/ ribbon, push pins, clothes pegs (cute mini ones are good but not essential). • First, print out some photos of your friends/cat/ favourite band/whatever. Try and print them roughly the same size as a real Polaroid, with enough white space between them so you can cut them out with a border. • Cut them out, leaving a border that’s bigger at the bottom. You can write amusing things on here, ‘fun night in Lounge, LOLZ’ etc. • Take your push pins and string/ribbon and pin it to your wall or corkboard – deposits be damned! Then add more pins halfway along so you can drape the string artistically along it. • Using the mini/large clothes pegs, attach the ‘polaroids’ to the mini clothes line. • Yay, fun wall decorations! This technique can also be used for postcards or other things. Alice Johnston
on the other hand, opted for a more swinging Sixties vibe with his A/W13 collection. He says that the ‘crossover between music and fashion has always influenced him’ and that his brand often includes references to popular culture. He cites his inspirations for this particular collection as ‘raving nanas, Disco Sally and the Summer of Love ’89.’ This comes through with Holland’s Felicity Shagwellstyle kooky sixties and seventies prints, cinched in waists, and kitsch details such as peter pan collars. Holland’s top priority is clearly still what it was when he started out -to ‘design with a London girl’s aesthetic in mind’ -but this new collection looks to the past to give it a whimsical quality and a nostalgia that will doubtless prove popular.
Holly Fulton
has been creating a storm with her graphic prints and luxurious touches for a few years now - this is her fifth London Fashion Week collection. She came to the fashion world’s attention with her bold, geometric designs inspired by modern Manhattan. In her most recent offering for A/W13 however, Manhattan takes a backseat and Fulton looks instead to Paris and to what she describes as ‘racy evenings in the Marais and an altogether darker feel for those winter nights.’ Here, lipstick tubes and fans provide the blueprints for her geometric patterns, rather than the skyscrapers of the New York skyline, and crystal and Perspex chandelier earrings enhance the twenties Art Deco feel. Fulton cites Victoriana and ‘90s groupies as two major influences, and all the sultry lace and saucy eye make-up enhances the goth/grunge spirit of the collection. Following on from her S/S13, a collection inspired by Miami sunshine and optimism, it now seems natural that Fulton wants to give us a taste of her darker side. Ellie Vincent
Editor: Alicia Queiro travel@ epigram.org.uk
@e2Travel
Deputy: Alex Bradbrook deputytravel@ epigram.org.uk
Style
After a few traumatic rides down one-way streets, razor-thin gaps between the taxi and oncoming lorries, I’m sure I would have been forgiven for donning nappies under my trousers
In short, China feels like a country on the move, and not just commercially. Bang on time, out of a station so modern it makes Temple Meads feel like a medieval hovel, we took one of the world’s fastest trains through the smog and apartment blocks of suburban Shanghai north to Beijing. A journey that had previously taken a gruelling twenty-two hours had been carved down to a civilised five. No less concerned with speeding to their destination, it seems, are Beijing’s cab drivers. After a few traumatic rides down one-way streets, razorthin gaps between the taxi and oncoming lorries, I’m sure I would have been forgiven for donning nappies under my trousers, taking the extra precaution of having my blood type tattooed into my arm. Not that the Chinese seem particularly
averse to public displays of bodily functions in general. Especially in the rather less-cosmopolitan streets of Beijing, I regularly saw locals taking time to spit heartily on the pavement, with one elderly lady narrowly missing my shoes as I was sitting on a bench recovering from yet another terrifying cab ride. It later transpired that because traditional Chinese medicine
only to passers-by, who often appeared weary (if not suspicious) of foreigners, but to the Communist Party itself. While generally successful in promoting itself as the benign rulers of a peaceful and open society, this mask slipped in the National Museum, where constant references to the malevolent influence of ‘reactionaries’ (whether in the guise of ‘imperialist’ Western powers or their exiled Nationalist ‘lackeys’ in Taiwan) were persistent. Even more conspicuously, a story on CNN charting the recent repression of ethnic Tibetans was suddenly cut short, the television screen remaining ominously black for the next minute and a half, the faceless censors apparently waiting for the unwelcome report to finish.
dictates that swallowing one’s phlegm is unhealthy, but instances like these suggests that, especially in the capital, time-honoured values in China do not die as hard as the hipsters in Shanghai might initially suggest. This attitude appeared to extend not
As China’s middle classes grow ever faster, and the Chinese population’s economic conditions keep improving – something, it should be said, has largely been down to the Communist Party – heavy-handed censorship like this will presumably become more and more dangerous. For the time being, watching the spectacular resurrection of this contradictory country will be fascinating for an outsider, especially if they can munch on chicken nuggets and McFlurries as they do so.
Andrea Valentino
Travel
This is especially the case in
Dear e2, The Swiss Alps are ith littered wrosses. wooden c ity The majorre there to of them a mmit, but can mark a su nd marking also be fouand passes. pathways ummit crosses The first s ed in the 14th were erectnd tradition century a ed since . has follow
e? r a h s to p a n s y a d li o h Have you got a
g.uk
Love , naway x Lydia Gree
r el@epigram.o Send it to trav
Not that the bright young things of Shanghai and Beijing seem to care. They appear far too busy surfing the Internet on their Macs and sipping lattes in the dozens of spanking new Starbucks cafés that have sprung up in the last couple of years. Indeed, a striking irony about the new China is that for all its exponential economic growth and increasing political clout, many – especially the young – seem more than happy to embrace the same Western trends that their government is ostensibly threatening.
Shanghai, traditionally the cultural heart of Eastern Asia and rapidly restoring its elegant image after being battered by the Japanese occupation and the catastrophes of Maoism. Along The Bund, a smart boulevard lapping the banks of the Yangtze, previously abandoned Art Deco and neo-Classical banks now buzz with conversation and the clink of glasses, as the cosmopolitan winners of China’s recent revival show off their cash. Women sport leather Gucci handbags and men in snappy suits close business deals on iPhones.
Flickr: Caro Spark
There are currently a seemingly endless number of stories circulated in the Western media about China’s inexorable climb to the top of the world’s economic pile. At least Americans can at least rest easy on the fact that when it comes to fast food, McDonalds’ and Burger King’s dominance of the global market will probably not be overturned by their Chinese equivalents any time soon. That even middle-class locals hold their noses in disgust when passing a roadside food stall surely suggests that Shanghai’s selection of boiled dumplings and meatballs (I use the word ‘meat’ carefully) will not be as synonymous with China in twenty years as the Golden Arches are with the United States today.
Andrea Valentino
Living
Boiled dumplings to Big Macs: China on the rise
18.03.13
In-cider scoop: Getting naked in Bristol
The Naked Guide to Cider boldly declares we’re studying in the nation’s cider capital. Leaving no stone unturned in our noble quest for a well-informed public, Travel decided to put their ‘cider map of the city’ to the test. They say there’s strength in numbers, so we roped along Epigram’s web designer Tim and his trusty sidekick, George.
“Our student horizons were broadened not only by brand new haunts, but also by the discovery of Vanity nightclub (slogan: ‘Because it’s all about you’).” Not ones to be put off by a bit of naysaying – or, indeed, the C-word – we throw him warm smiles before marching into the Cori Tap, the first stop on our choo-choo train of delicious cider discovery. After battling our way through the hordes of merry revellers,
George knocks back an Exhibition, the establishment’s exclusive tipple, whilst Tim bucks the trend with an Addlestones. Next stop: the Nova Scotia. Only 20 minutes’ walk, in theory, though a geographical misdemeanour amongst the hills of Clifton/ Hotwells put a spanner in my carefully planned works. Optimism abounds as we stumble upon Joy Hill with accompanying sign towards ‘Hope Centre’, though George’s refusal to
resort to Google Maps means we spend a few more minutes than planned navigating a maze of flyovers. Eventually, however, my finelytuned editorial eye spyeth a bridge over the river and five minutes later, we reach our destination where Tim chooses a Thatchers, George a Thatchers Dry. Glasses emptied, we plunder on towards The Orchard, a similarly authentic and student-free pub offering a boardful of artisan ciders. This time, Tim pushes the boat out with a Millwhites, George gulps a Black Dragon, and your Ed samples her very first mulled cider – when in Rome, and all that.
Flickr: Lawrence OP
It’s 9pm already, and time is of the essence: we have five establishments to visit before last orders. Power walking through Clifton Village, we overhear the dulcet tones of someone experiencing what can only be described as a Bristolstudent-induced existential crisis: ‘This place is full of cunts. Why are we here?’
Next, we saunter to The Apple – a bar on a boat, no less. Sheppy’s Sweet is the order of the night. ‘I’m enjoying all these beverages this evening,’ muses Tim, whose adventure has only been mildly
tainted by my draconian schedule. Drunk on an itinerary 80% complete, we positively loaf to our final stop, the Old Duke pub. Serenaded by a live band, George enjoys a Thatchers Gold, whilst Tim breaches my (lovingly enforced) rules of the night with his choice of Doom Bar ale. Meanwhile, in the loo, I bat away the platonic advances of an overbearingly friendly middle-aged woman. All in all, the night was a roaring success. Our naïve student horizons were broadened not only by several brand new haunts, but also by the discovery of the existence of Vanity nightclub (slogan: ‘Because it’s all about you’). Whether it was due to the late hour, bellies full of cider, or just good taste, we declined to enter. Nevertheless, we sourced new ciderserving stomping grounds left, right and centre, and escaped at long last the final year square mile that encompasses Sainsburys, the library and the gym. Hear bloody hear. Alicia Queiro
Editor: Alicia Queiro travel@ epigram.org.uk
Style
Living
A day in: Bedminster Imagine Bristol neighbourhoods were gap year destinations. To start with, of course, it’s easy. Clifton would be a few lazy weeks in a Tuscan villa that Daddy booked. Add a little warmth to a foaming cocktail of casual hook-ups and nasty infections and a night out on the Triangle could easily be mutated to the wild party resorts of Greece or Spain. An alternative evening spent popping pills and thinking you’re a neon-coloured kitchen sink on Stokes Croft could probably be relatively neatly placed next to a full-moon rave on a Thai beach. And Bedminster? For most students, probably the closest gap year comparison would be somewhere like Guinea Bissau: where the hell is that? For the record, Guinea Bissau is a coup-ridden West African republic with only five doctors per 100,000 people. I think it’s safe to say that Bedminster’s provision of healthcare is somewhat better than its southern cousin, but I suspect that for many students the relative sense of ‘otherness’ is similar in both places. It wasn’t always like this. For much of the 19th century, Bedminster was a crucial part of Bristol’s economy, and by Flickr: nicksarebi 1884 the population had leapt to 78,000. Because of its industrial importance, the area was heavily bombed during the Blitz. Bedminster is now home to a mere 15% of its 19th century population. But, as with the renovation of the harbourside – once the preserve of petty thieves and short-skirted ladies of ill repute, now the gleaming centre of post-industrial Bristol – Bedminster has slowly but surely been reinventing itself as an alternative to the well-worn student hangouts closer to the centre of town. North Street is home to a number of stylish and interesting
cafés, Café Sazz and Mark’s Café – the former serving creamy Turkish coffee, the latter homemade cakes and pies – deserving particular praise. Just across the road from Mark’s is its sister establishment, the Old Tobacco Factory Theatre, probably Bedminster’s cultural hub. The imposing brick warehouse once helped make the fortune of the famous Wills family (yes, that one). Console yourself that by going to watch a musical or play in the intimate main hall – Richard III is on at the moment – you’re contributing to the cultural life of the neighbourhood, even if the original output of the building was rather less healthy. Going down North Street towards East Street, the trendy coffee shops become sparser; in their places come tired terraced houses. That’s not to say, however, that there aren’t sights to see. The Old Bookshop is a pub of the variety any Stokes Croft veteran would be proud of, offering pricey tapas during the day and gigs by ‘funkjazz’ bands at night. While the walk down to East Street offers less for the intrepid visitor, I would recommend it anyway: hearing people talk in a Bristolian accent, selling flowers from old fashioned stalls and sausages from butchers that have been in the same family for generations was a striking reminder that there is more to this city than just the so-called ‘student bubble’. And don’t worry: I saw a number of doctors’ surgeries on my wanderings, so rest assured that if you do decide to make Bedminster your destination of choice, you’ll be better looked after than in Guinea Bissau.
! y fl g lookin
Andrea Valentino
Travel
Our secret agent infiltrates some really, really good looking male models: Part One As we left the apartment to head out for our first night on the town, I couldn’t help but reflect on the last 24 hours. Our journey had been both delayed and fascinating. I suppose that’s the nature of travelling with the male models of Fuze.
would have been applicable to my company of sculptured menfolk. Yet the boys proved me wrong yet again with fascinating insights into the best way to shave body hair. This inspired my unofficial motto for the holiday: ‘Knowledge isn’t about books, stupid’.
“Knowledge isn’t about books, stupid.”
We arrived in sunny Portugal as the boys donned their warm weather clothes: baggy shorts and baby oil for shirts. Before I started to wander up the driveway of ‘Casa Guapo’, a more experienced member of the group held me back.Thank God, as otherwise I would have completely ruined my chances of assimilation; the boys walked up the driveway one by one, leaving a 15-20 second gap between each. There was something incredibly primal going on – I didn’t fully understand it at the time, and I’m not sure if I do now. I think it was just second nature to them. All I know was that it was aesthetically pleasing.
Whilst most of us waited in the cold for a taxi, we found out several of our party were held up. Having last minute panics about ab definition, Tom ‘The Tiger’ StrongPecs (an unusual double barrelled surname, granted) and another guy simply known as ‘Gym Yeti’ had fled to their safe zone – the gym – for last minute crunches. The leader of the group, ‘Strong-Jaw’ Luke, somehow managed to coax them from their protein palace. After listening to insightful theories on where the boundaries between confidence and arrogance lie, we confidently/arrogantly walked onto the plane, where I naively thought beauty sleep
That evening was pretty mad. A mixture
of only eating certain food groups, working out all the time and not being cheered as they walked through the streets of Val de Lobo left some of the lads in a fragile mental state. Yet the mood improved as The Tiger’ had a few Jagers and was released onto the dance floor. We played this hilarious game where he had to tell everyone he thought was ugly (and therefore insignificant) that they were ugly, and therefore insignificant, right to their rank faces. The first few responses were hilarious! But by 2am, when he’d spoken to everybody in the club, the novelty had rubbed off. There’s only so many uglies you can watch cry before you get tired (another new motto). It was still a wicked night, and I had high hopes for the rest of the holiday. In the words of Strong Jaw: ‘Some people are just born to be centre of attention… Now put some more moisturiser on my back, I want it to look and feel like silk’.
Anonymous
Flickr: velodenz via
@e2Travel
Deputy: Alex Bradbrook deputytravel@ epigram.org.uk
AIRMAIL Literally loving it: Germany Waiting until the green man makes an appearance before you cross the road, even though there are no cars in sight, is something I will never be able to understand. But in Germany, that’s just the way it is. The notion that rules are there to be broken isn’t how the Germans do things. This is something I discovered during my first few days in Heidelberg, the country’s oldest university town. Watching the football with my German friend, Seb, was another lesson in how the Germans take things literally. England were playing Ukraine, lamentably, and we were losing. Seb was baffled by my (sarcastic) ‘marvellous’ when he pointed out the score and went to great lengths to inform me that England were in fact ‘screwed’. We were both fluent, but in different languages. The one thing that the Germans observe best of all is the Continental rule ‘thou shalt not queue’. My first grocery trip was traumatic to say the least. After having taken a good ten minutes trying to determine where the queue actually began, or even ended, I gave up and began to push like everyone else. However, that didn’t really work in my favour either. I was given death stares by a mother for almost standing on her toddler, and began to fear for my own life when a bunch of rowdy teenagers decided to team together and take on ‘the foreigner’. Needless to say, grocery shopping was always the low point of the week. If you’re ever planning a visit to Germany and are keen to include a few cheeky nights out, be aware that Germans take how you dress literally too. The ladies don’t do heels. They also don’t wear anything above the knee, and if it’s cold, they pull on another jumper. We British just suffer. So the principal of wearing your hot pants to Lounge to impress cute Library guy, even though it’s snowing outside, just doesn’t apply. My friends and I learned this the hard way. After a night out, we ended up taking a girl back in tears. It transpired that a German student had chatted her up but she had politely declined his advances. His reaction: ‘Why not? You’re up for it, aren’t you?’. For me, living in Germany was a little like going back home to stay with my parents after a crazy term at #UNAY. Things are inevitably different, and my killer heels did gather a bit of dust sitting around in the wardrobe. Yet the simplicity and logic of the German way of life did begin to grow on me. Even though I’m excited to begin the second part of my year abroad, surprisingly, I think I’ll get withdrawal symptoms. I guess it’s like when you’re broke and hungover and it’s only the second week of term. Suddenly a warm house, full fridge and full time room service is extremely appealing. Manon Stokes Foreign Correspondant in Germany
DEMOLITION DISCO CLOSING SALE LOWEST EVER DRINK PRICES EVERYTHING MUST GO
TICKETS £2 SILENT DISCO CASINO DRINKS FROM £1 LIVE DJS KARAOKE BOUNCY CASTLE XBOX & WII GAMES
IT’S ALL GOIN G TO BLOW UP!
LIMITED TICKETS - GET YOURS NOW
Bar 100, Brunel and Anson Rooms, UBU, Queens Road Friday 22 March, 8pm till late Say goodbye to Bar 100 before it’s too late. Events across the Union. Buy your tickets online at ubu.org.uk and pick them up at the door on the night.
ubu.org.uk
End of term SALE
Online shop for University of Bristol merchandise www.ubushop.co.uk