Isle of Man Style Magazine | Vol 02 : No 10 | July 2012 | the HOT issue
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Hot or Not Some Like it Hot I’m on Fire Hot Under The Collar Manx R1 Mini James Toseland Interview Yn Chrunniaght
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Isle of Man Style Magazine | Vol 02 : No 10 | July 2012 | the HOT issue
£ priceless
IOM
BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS
www.gallery.co.im
edito. I
# 10
‘HOT’
t hasn’t been the hottest summer so far, has it?
As Wimbledon organisers shake their heads at delays in play, we are optimistic as ever! Gallery will give you a summer to remember, even if it’s only for a few hours of ‘HOT’ coffee consuming Gallery IOM downtime. We have a few new additions this month: The recruitment pages have made a successive reappearance, we have introduced a scorching new Art & Culture Events page and we have a compelling new property section, ‘Places’. Enter the artists: The man with a binary code signature, Steven Rodrig, the pre-apocalyptic, art savvy data hunter with a reputation amongst the New York art and global geek fraternities and Kirsten Preston, whose work, ‘Spirit of the Broken Boat’, has been recognised by the Parkinson’s UK Society in their annual competition. In our new ‘Places’ section, we love it and hate it with DIY, introduce our new ‘Places Directory’, rediscover a blindin family business with Talbot & Son and find out if it’s time to buy a holiday home on Spain’s ‘Costa Catastrophe’? James Toseland gives us the lowdown on biking, music, muscles and Malua, and we give you a how-to on keeping that relationship steamy and get hot under the collar at work. After a trip to India in our ‘Travel’ section, curry makes a heated appearance with recipes for Korma, Madras and Vindaloo to give you an ‘Appetite’. We also dish out tips on picking the healthier option at a barby and sizzle in the kitchen gourmet stylee with Chef Allan Durairaj from Portofino Restaurant and Chef Pepper from BEST WESTERN Palace Hotel & Casino. Gallery gets music wise for Yn Chrunnuaght this month, and rocks out, cuts a rug, trips the light and grooves for the newest charitable album from local Island bands. If you like what you see in our ‘Places’ section, and have a property to sell, get in contact.
FEATURING
Hot or Not Some Like it Hot I’m on Fire Hot Under The Collar Manx R1 Mini James Toseland Interview Yn Chrunniaght
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Isle of Man style magazine
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contributors Writers Tanya Hanson Rick Jones Rose Hill Rebecca Lawrence Rachel Green Erin Louise Harrison Loonard Rockstein Chris Bell Mimi Bishop Theo Leworthy Ben Clarke Louise Bralsford Jodie Sheppard
Liz Corlett Anne Moorhouse Leon Flemming Kate Bertram Anne Marie Michael Deering Tom Croft Bonzo Slater Ella Pritchard Phil Taylor Bill Carden
Design Studio
Models
Emma Cooke Russ Atkinson Steve Redford Grant Corlett
Illustrations
Martyna Sygul
a
Helena Mathews Russ Atkinson
Photography
#10 ‘HOT’ This isn’t a private party and there’s no VIP area (there is a jacuzzi though...). Entertain us with jokes, ideas, YouTube clips etc
everyone@gallery.co.im
Shan Fisher Peter Kwiecinski
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contribute@gallery.co.im Rip it, scrap it, comment, critique, research, report. Opinions wanted on politics, business, news, home, property, music, gadgets, sports and culture. Something annoyed you and you want to tell the island? We’re here for you. If you’d like to see your name in... er... print, get in touch.
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Disclaimer. All rights reserved. Any form of reproduction of Gallery Magazine, in part or whole is strictly prohibited without the written consent of the publisher. Any views expressed by advertisers or contributors may not be those of the publisher. Unsolicited artwork, manuscripts and copy are accepted by Gallery Magazine, but the publisher cannot be held responsible for any loss or damage. All material, copy and artwork supplied is assumed to be copyright free unless otherwise advised. Contributions for Gallery should be emailed to editorial@gallery.co.im. Names have been changed to protect the innocent and no penguins were harmed in the manufacture of this magazine, you can’t prove nuffing. Why are you still reading the small print? How about researching what really makes the best paper aeroplane? Test them with your colleagues and if you send us a picture of yours we’ll send you a Mars bar..
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highlights GALLERY
SIZE MATTERS
HOT OR NOT: SUMMER 2012 TRENDS EXPLAINED
GALLERY
TRAVEL
SOME LIEK IT HOT
TRAVEL
Hot or not
SUMMER 2012’S TRENDS EXPLAINED, WORDS GRACE RYAN
ILLUSTRATION BEN ROBERTSON
Hooray! British summertime is here. You can tell because town is flooding and I’ve only had to turn my heating on every other day. Just let me check my phone to make sure I haven’t slept through August and woken up in November…in Manchester. Fear not, you soggy monsters. The month of June may have been wetter than an otter’s pocket, but my uber-reliable super secret journalist sources (Yahoo Answers) inform me that this summer’s tipped to be an absolute scorcher. It will literally be so hot that you might as well have booked a holiday on the planet Mercury. Take it from me, there’s still plenty of time for a traditional summer - the ladies can spray themselves the colour of a cheap wardrobe, the price of beachside Cornettos will go up another quid and we can grow chubby on a diet of charred meat marinated in Pimm’s. Summertime also means something special for us journalists, as its that time of year when we get to gaze into our crystal balls and compose lists telling you what to do, think and throw up. If we’re lucky, we also get to repay all the free meals and bikini waxes we get given by bigging a few people up. I know that most of us did the same thing right before Christmas, but the makers of Preparation H will not be satisfied until I’ve squeezed a plug for their product in somewhere. Without further ado, here are my sizzling tips for a summer that’s hotter than a pint of piri piri in your pants. Preparation H: it soothes the burn.
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JERSEY’S STYLE MAGAZINE
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SCORCHING HOT FASHION
The ongoing revival of 90s style has seen fashionistas from Hoxton to Le Hocq kitted out like a cross between Pat Butcher and a dancer from Dreamscape. Preening knobbers everywhere have tried their hardest to look like an East German Jimmy Saville so, short of raiding a clown’s wardrobe and rolling in paint, there isn’t much to do to make yourself more garish than the next muppet. The true trend-setter must always stand out, and the solution is the look pioneered by that true fashion renegade: your gran. The vogue for ironic wolf shirts and hideous playsuits means that even raiding mum’s 80s wardrobe is passé, so the prettiest young things have delved deep to borrow gran’s shapeless long coat, surgical stockings and those little fluffy boots with zippers on the side. Fake hearing aids are the new hipster glasses, and the word on the street is that a blue-rinsed Kate Moss is rocking a cardigan covered in cat hair and a tartan trolley on wheels. Hotness rating: electric blanket on maximum
HOT HITS - SUMMER JAMS
I spent the 1996 August bank holiday semiconscious in a paddling pool full of wee, listening to Whigfield’s ‘Saturday Night’ and ‘Summertime’ by Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince on repeat until one of my kidneys blew up. It’s no surprise I developed a violent reaction to all summery music, and so am way ahead of the curve on this season’s trend for miserable, doomy sounds. Forget playing Bob Marley and the Macarena at your beach barbecue - the cool kids are cooking sausages to the hottest underground genre out there right now: Norwegian black metal. Tired of bands that normal people can enjoy, hipsters have foresworn pop music and indie in favour of the guttural howling of men who worship Odin and dress like a bunch of S&M goblins. Next time you’re at a garden party, if the DJ won’t play Gorgoroth’s ‘Possessed (by Satan)’ or the timeless ‘I Am The Black Wizards’ by Emperor, you should stand at the corner and scowl at them until they get the message - when the sun is shining, let’s all listen to Darkthrone. Hotness rating: 666 degrees, the burning evil fires of hell
HOT CELEBRITIES
In an age where you can see nipples on CBeebies and there’s a camera in the toilet in Big Brother, it’s fair to say that celebrities have lost a lot of their mystique. What was once glamorous, mysterious and untouchable has been revealed to fart in the bath and eat Super Noodles for dinner. Where are the real celebrities to admire, emulate and occasionally kidnap? The answer is: on trial in The Hague, because the hottest celebrities now are the dictators. They look good, live lives of luxury and play by their own rules - right til the point they’re paraded on camera by US Special Forces, or get shot up in a rusty pipe. Soon Heat magazine will give up on Cheryl Cole in favour of Vladimir Putin, and the pages of Hello will be graced by photoshoots with Bashar Al-Assad, a few African guys in combat fatigues and whoever’s currently in charge of Sark. Kanye West and Kim Kardashian move over - until you’ve got a gold-plated fighter jet you’re strictly B-list. Hotness rating: hotter than hiding out in the Sahara
Some Like It Hot Words | Ann-Marie Mccarthy
M
y enduring memory of India is the unbearable heat, I found myself sweating just from standing still. The temperature is searing and comes with a humidity you can taste, its spirituality is intense and the food is spicy to the point of illness. With gap years becoming increasingly common India is a popular destination, it offers mind-blowing scenery and the chance to experience a totally alien culture. However, this culture can offer as much of a shock as the weather.
HOT FILM
With cinemagoers still reeling from the surprise twist in Ridley Scott’s Prometheus (SPOILER: the aliens are The Clangers), this summer promises so many event movies that popcorn supplies will be strictly rationed to a teacup each (£11 plus GST). After the Oscar-winning turn of a waxwork of Rihanna in board-game-turned-blockbuster BattleShip, coked-up Hollywood moguls have rushed to release big-screen adaptations of other thrilling games of skill and plastic. I for one cannot wait to see Lady Gaga in Yahtzee: the Movie, Will Ferrell as ‘the patient’ in Operation! or for the release of Buckaroo 2: Plastic Boogaloo. Aside from a movie version of every single comic superhero ever, also expect the cinema to be flooded with reboots of any 80s franchise that managed to con mum out of twenty quid’s worth of toxic plastic for your ninth birthday. We’ve had Transformers, Scooby Doo and Thundercats, so try and keep down your hotdog for the unbridled excitement of 3D versions of Sabrina The Teenage Witch, Around The World With Willy Fogg and Pob. Hotness rating: a mouth full of mouldy mustard
Bikini Top: £16.00 Bikini Bottom: £10.00 Sunglasses: £15.00 Sandals: Now £20.00
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BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS
Hot or not
PLACES
PLACES
“ housing for all,
at yesterday’s prices
40 High St Fashion
29/06/2012 17:04
”
Beach hut property near Bournemouth sells for £170,000
SE VENDE
OUT: FLAT
HARDWARE
AH AT UT DUST EAMS AND DR HEATIELD OF F
banks which recently sought a €19bn government bailout, sells its repossessed properties through BankiaHabitat. Currently it is running an “andando a la playa” (walk to the beach) promotion offering hundreds of beachside flats and apartments starting at €39,050.
In 2006, Fuengirola was typical of Spain’s housebuilding boom; today there are properties where vendors have slashed the asking price by €1m.
Interestingly many properties are new-builds, where the developer has got into difficulty and left the bank with scores of flats. For example, in Estepona on the Costa del Sol, a bank is trying to sell 16 flats in a development with a swimming pool 15 minutes’ walk from the beach, Prices for the two- and three-bed flats start at €85,456, but, tellingingly, none has yet sold. At the peak of the boom, similar properties were going for twice that price.
It has been dubbed the “Costa Catastrophe”. Hundreds of thousands of unsold new homes litter Spain’s coastal provinces – and now the banks are finally pulling the plug on developers and selling off their stock for whatever they can get. All the major Spanish banks have opened real estate websites (each translated into English to appeal to British buyers) to offload the new and repossessed homes on their books, promising discounts of as much as 60% off asking prices. But many experts think that prices in Spain still have further to fall and that asking prices remain a long way from reality.
At the height of the boom in 2006, Spain built more than 760,000 homes, five times the level of housebuilding in the UK. Housing starts have since collapsed by 90% and the struggling banks can no longer “extend and pretend” the unpaid interest on the colossal loans advanced to developers.
The team heading to the US consists of: Paul Hodgson, Engine Builder (Small cc Racing, Lonan); Bob Watson, Electrical Engineer; Stu Harvey, Transport Chief; and Project Manager and Crew Chief Suzy Starlite. The bike will be ridden by Richard Barks, who has been instrumental in driving the project forward. When the group discovered that the Isle of Man had never been represented at Bonneville Speed Week, they decided to mount their challenge: “As an island racing community” said Suzy, “we have a culture that is based around privateer competitors punching well above their financial weight. We have all the skills in the Isle of Man to develop and innovate to tight budgets. Our team hold an impressive number of UK and Isle of Man track records and we’re known for pushing commercially built dyno testing facilities to the limits of their endurance - numerous savaged gearbox remains are a testimony to that!”.
Words | Rebecca Lawrence
The team’s collective calibre is formidable: eleven Manx Motorcycle Championships; two Ramsey Sprint records, seven outright wins and numerous class wins; five TT replicas; and two NSA British Championships.
The price, which is nearly £10,000 more than the average house price across the UK, according to the latest Halifax index, and comes with a £2,500 a year ground rent, has been driven up by the fetching decor and facilities, but its position on the picturesque sandspit is the key factor.
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ISLE OF MAN STYLE MAGAZINE
Photo by | Phil Kneen
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65 Places (New)
ISLE OF MAN STYLE MAGAZINE
While I did visit Pushkar and was lucky enough to experience the religious festival of Krishna I cannot say this was the most spiritual aspect of Indian culture. It was the serenity of the Himalaya which offered the most peace. I found the experience of camping with Sherpas and visiting the indigenous mountain people, who were generous, warm and welcoming, more moving than the blessing I received from the Hindu priests at Pushkar.
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motorbikes and managed to get into the cool crowd! I kept up with the piano, got up to grade 7 but as the biking picked up, the music took a slight back seat. By the time I was 17, I was travelling the world and becoming a figure in the biking scene. With the accident, I retired early from the biking at age 30, and then took up music again. It was always my joy and loved getting back into it! What is the secret to being good at a sport & music? Natural talent is a must, and family support is really important. I am lucky enough to have a strong family who introduced me to the piano and bikes. My Gran played the piano and my Mum’s partner was a biker so it really was in the genes. Practice and dedication is essential and, of course, hard work.
When Tom Evans, motorcycle technical inspector at Bonneville, learnt of the team’s plans, he said simply: “Good luck with that one!”
Complete the sentence ‘Not many people know that I…’
The ‘Lonan 2012’ project is the culmination of two years’ hard work and planning, both by the core team and various Members and friends who have been involved along the way, such as Peter Moran (Awkward & Eccentric Engineering, Lonan), Colin Eastwood and Ron Wilkinson. Further support has come from Mike, Steve and Mike in the Tool Room, Sign Tech, Ramsey Steam Ship Company, Slick Bass, Azzy Paints, Adie Evans, Motul Oil and John Boyde. The team have also been grateful to their families for letting them spend the best part of the last two years in their sheds!
Didn’t know the words to the national anthem when I was asked to sing it before racing at Brands Hatch in 2007. I had to quickly find the lyrics and learn them before standing in front of the crowd, in my leathers, as I had already started racing. I managed it, and also won both of my races so it was an incredible experience at the height of my success.
Having been self-funded until recently, the team now have the valued support of sponsors Manx Gas (primary sponsor), Domicilium (IOM) Ltd and EDS (Energy Development Services). Gary Cregeen, Sales and Marketing Manager at Manx Gas, comments, “With the Isle of Man steeped in motorsport history, this is yet another challenge to prove the Island’s ability to perform and compete on the world stage. We wish the team the very best of luck in their attempt and hopefully look forward to them returning to the Isle of Man as the world land speed record holders.”
Recent competitions / gigs?
Keeping Fit this summer at Carrefour Health Club Gallery popped into Carrefour Health Club to meet with one of their most loyal members, James Toseland; World Superbike Champion and rocker. James is currently preparing for a gig at the Villa Marina with his band, Crash. In-between his busy schedule and preparations for his marriage to the lovely Katie Melua, we have the chance to speak to him about his motivations.
The 500 Manxman was shipped from the Isle of Man to the UK on 9th June, courtesy of Mezeron. On Sunday 17th June, it left for Los Angeles via Orient Worldwide (Shipping) Ltd on the appropriatelynamed MOL Endeavour. The Lonan team will join their bike, and head from LA to Utah, in the first week of August, joining several hundred teams from all around the world. Bonneville Speed Week takes place Saturday 11th - Friday 17th August.
Age?
The ‘500 Manxman’ now en route for Los Angeles is modelled on You can follow the team’s progress at facebook.com/Lonan12 or on Paul Hodgson’s NSA British Championship winning competition Twitter: @Lonan2012. bike; based on a Suzuki Hayabusa rolling chassis, with a destroked, turbocharged and nitrous assisted Yamaha Thundercat engine. The 500cc Speed Week motorcycle • The salt flats, home to the world’s fastest • Sir Malcolm Campbell took a record of classes are split into many groups: speed trials, are roughly 88 miles west of Salt 301.129 mph in his famous ‘Bluebird’ in 1935. the class record that the Manx team Lake City, Utah, near Wendover. • The first racer to smash the 400 mph speed have set their sights on is the APS • Bonneville Speed Week is organised by the barrier was American Mickey Thompson in - BF (Special Construction Partial Bonneville Nationals Inc., with Southern 1960 (notching up a speed of 406.60 mph). Streamlined - Blown Fuel), which was California Timing Association as sponsors. set in 1979 by Steve Alexander - at • Bonneville Salt Flats were captured on the a speed of 176mph - and has been • The compact, sun-baked flats were first used silver screen in ‘The World’s Fastest Indian’, unsuccessfully challenged ever since. for motorsport events in 1912. the 2005 dramatisation of the life of recordmaking New Zealand racer Burt Munro.
Photo (L-R): Suzy Starlite Paul Hodgson Richard Barks Bob Watson Stu Harvey
Official statistics mask the scale of price falls. The Bank of Spain says prices are 25%-30% below their peak, but estate agents say falls of 40%-50% are common in some areas.
India is a place of extremes, its cities, such as Delhi and Mumbai, are unhygienic; dirt roads are compounded with cow faeces and strewn with rubbish, yet the countryside is breathtakingly pure. Its land-mass encompasses the fertile fields of Kashmir, the desserts of Jaisalmer and the Himalaya mountain range. The Himalayas seems to be perfectly carved from the landscape. The starkness of the white snow-topped peaks contrast sharply with the black rock, and are nestled in between peaks heavy with lush green forests.
ACTIVE
31 School? Wales High School, Sheffield.
ALL ABOUT BONNEVILLE
The banks know that as they bring the property to market, prices will fall even further, so many offer 95% or even 100% loans at low interest rates so long as the buyer is willing to pay the original, inflated price. It’s a gambit few believe will find many takers.
Servihabitat, the site for properties owned by La Caixa bank, tells buyers “you set the price … we’ll give you an answer in 24 hours”. If reports from property agents in Spain are true, buyers should put in silly offers and see if the bank bites.Bankia, a collection of seven failed
It is said that, as a county, India has the biggest gap between rich and poor; its poverty is the most severe I’ve seen, and its wealth the most lavish. When it comes to Indian tourism it becomes a money-centric Industry. Tourists offer the poverty-stricken a way to make a quick buck, and the wealthy entrepreneurs of the industry the opportunity to maintain the lifestyle they have become accustomed to and are terrified of losing. There is a relentless demand for money which drains both patience and cash. I was disappointed to discover that the play on poverty can become a way to extract more cash from unsuspecting tourists. When it came to navigating the Indian tourist industry I most definitely had my fingers burnt.
While the cities are an experience in bustling commerce it is the simplicity of the mountain and dessert people which provide the opportunity for discovery and understanding.
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a new land speed world record for the Island, and they are single-minded in their pursuit.
A 5.6 by 3.2 metre timber cabin on the south coast of England may have become the UK’s most expensive beach hut after fetching £170,000 after just two days on the market.
Santander’s Spanish property website, Altamira, promises “housing for all, at yesterday’s prices”. It talks of “retro prices” of less than €50,000 (£40,400), and after just a brief search we found a fourbedroom, two-bathroom apartment in Valencia for €18,000. Mind you, it was hardly holiday home material.
3) And, wherever possible, ensure that a two lane motorway is at least 3 cars, one bike and a cow deep.
Just a few weeks from now, a team from the Isle of Man will be hoping to make history at Bonneville Salt Flats, USA. Members of the Lonan Gentleman’s Fellowship have set their sights on
Possibly the most expensive beach hut ever sold in the UK
Spain’s struggling banks are setting up English-language websites to sell off their property backlog. But beware: the market may still be falling.
2) You must honk at whatever you see, moving or not;
I knew India was renowned for is its spicy food and that the majority of tourists experience their fair share of Delhi-belly. However, this friendly euphemism did not prepare me for the reaction of my digestive system to the local cuisine. Despite following travel guidelines I still spent a large chunk of my trip confined to the bathroom. Travelling on a budget I had opted for a fan rather than air-conditioned comfort. The fan, at best, ebbed out only a gentle breeze. When, one late afternoon, in the height of my illness, the electricity in the hostel in which I was staying cut out, I experienced a heat rival only to hell.
James Toseland
In a collection of garages in Lonan and Laxey, the Fellowship, an informal group of like-minded souls, spend their waking hours finding ways to maximise the straight-line speed achievable on a variety of custom-built motorcycles. Now, several members are channelling their combined skill and experience into breaking a Bonneville record which has stood since 1979.
Is it time to buy a holiday home on Spain’s ‘Costa Catastrophe’?
1) You should make every effort to ensure that there is no space between you and the car in front of you;
So, when passing through a main road one day it came as no surprise to discover an abandoned bus toppled over with the contents of its baggage rack scattered across the road. Fortunately, there were no casualties.
52 Some Like it Hot
HARDWARE
The hut on the Mudeford Sand Spit near Bournemouth was rebuilt 10 years ago and boasts a fully fitted kitchen and sleeping accommodation, which the new owners can use for overnight stays at any time between March and October. There is running water and there are solar panels for lighting, however, there is no toilet - anyone caught short will have to make their way to a residents’ block nearby.
My experience of India is a mixed one, some of which I expected, some I did not. India is an assault on the senses; it is vibrant and colourful, leafy greens clash with brick reds ensuring that the eyes are always entertained. The constant chatter of people and the beeping horns means that there is never a moment of silence, and the smell - well there is nothing quite like it - an exquisite mix of spice and raw sewerage. For a naïve British girl one of the most striking things about India is the driving, health and safety is not a concept which exists in Indian culture. Indian driving seems to adhere to a set of unwritten rules, which are as follows:
What is your idea of the perfect weekend? It used to be riding bikes, now it’s playing at gigs with Crash. Favourite animal? (Turns to his band mates) It will have to be a dog (seems some private joke there!) Favourite food? Georgian, which Katie introduced me to, particularly khachapuri. Italian has to be up there too! Favourite dance moves?
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I need a fair few drinks before I get up and dance. When I do, it’s not so much moves but shape throwing. Generally whatever my arms and legs choose to do! Pet hate? Negative people and the fact that news tends to prioritise negative things going on, rather than focusing on the positives. Guilty pleasure? Chocolate. When did you start your sport / music? I actually started the piano when I was seven. As that was not such a cool thing at school, I tried to keep this behind closed doors. When I was nine, I got into
Competitions, no, but I have a gig at the Villa Marina this evening, kind of an evening with me. First singing tracks form the new album, then Q&A followed by our band, Crash. I’m also working on my album which is taking up a lot of my time, but I’m thoroughly enjoying it! How do you prepare for gigs? Interviewing with you! It actually takes the nerves away. Do you get particularly nervous? How different is gigging compared to biking?
career? For the biking, it has to be Brands Hatch in 2007. I was at the top of my game, and being asked to sing the National Anthem was just incredible. Podium, Riding, Singing and playing the piano, in front of thousands of people, everything I love to do in one day, it doesn’t get better than that! With gigging, I’ve had many opportunities to sing with my idols, including Jools Holland; Queen asked me to join them and sing “We Will Rock You” at a gig! The drums started and I remember thinking, oooh, when do I come in?! I turned around and Roger Taylor winked at me when it was time. You can’t dream of that! How can people get into superbiking? Biking is an expensive sport; to get started you really need £10k, five for the bike and another five for all the equipment and clothing. It was tough to start out; my family put everything into my competing. If I had not got signed by Mick Corrigan in 2007, we may have had to give it up. He came at the right time just before I completely skinted the family! Phew!
Join in July
ACTIVE
for only £20.12!
What was your first gig? Liverpool working man’s club in 2002. We’ve been very lucky with the following from biking supporters. We’ve also had gigs in America and Italy, the Yamaha connection helped a lot. How do you train? I’ve been a member at Carrefour since 2005, and my regimes are a lot of cardio work on the running machine, cycling machine and cross trainer and working with a lot of free weights and training specific muscle groups that I needed to race motorcycles, which is pretty much all round conditioning. A lot of arm and grip strength as well as core stability exercises. Future events for you? Well of course, there’s the wedding in September! As I mentioned, I’m working on my album, I’ve got seven tracks so far, another three or four to go. I’ve been working with Toby Jepson, lead singer of Little Angels, (do you remember 3 men and little lady?) He is absolutely incredible to work with, so listen out for the album!
No admin fee to pay EARLIER YOU JOIN = MORE YOU SAVE!
We sure will James!
I do get nervous at times, like when we’re on stage and when I was riding. Biking and gigging is different, without a doubt. With music, it doesn’t hurt if you make a mistake! At the same time, each gig has to be as perfect as when you’re racing on the bike. Although, in all honesty, I think I’m most nervous about the speech at my upcoming wedding! I met Katie just 13 months ago, and I just knew she was special. It has been such a whirlwind of emotions, and it is just 13 months, I have no excuse and must remember everything!
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SIZE MATTERS
JERSEY’S STYLE MAGAZINE
HOT OR NOT: SUMMER 2012 TRENDS EXPLAINED
GALLERY
Hot or not
SUMMER 2012’S TRENDS EXPLAINED, WORDS GRACE RYAN
ILLUSTRATION BEN ROBERTSON
Hooray! British summertime is here. You can tell because town is flooding and I’ve only had to turn my heating on every other day. Just let me check my phone to make sure I haven’t slept through August and woken up in November…in Manchester. Fear not, you soggy monsters. The month of June may have been wetter than an otter’s pocket, but my uber-reliable super secret journalist sources (Yahoo Answers) inform me that this summer’s tipped to be an absolute scorcher. It will literally be so hot that you might as well have booked a holiday on the planet Mercury. Take it from me, there’s still plenty of time for a traditional summer - the ladies can spray themselves the colour of a cheap wardrobe, the price of beachside Cornettos will go up another quid and we can grow chubby on a diet of charred meat marinated in Pimm’s. Summertime also means something special for us journalists, as its that time of year when we get to gaze into our crystal balls and compose lists telling you what to do, think and throw up. If we’re lucky, we also get to repay all the free meals and bikini waxes we get given by bigging a few people up. I know that most of us did the same thing right before Christmas, but the makers of Preparation H will not be satisfied until I’ve squeezed a plug for their product in somewhere. Without further ado, here are my sizzling tips for a summer that’s hotter than a pint of piri piri in your pants. Preparation H: it soothes the burn.
BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS
SCORCHING HOT FASHION
HOT CELEBRITIES
HOT HITS - SUMMER JAMS
HOT FILM
The ongoing revival of 90s style has seen fashionistas from Hoxton to Le Hocq kitted out like a cross between Pat Butcher and a dancer from Dreamscape. Preening knobbers everywhere have tried their hardest to look like an East German Jimmy Saville so, short of raiding a clown’s wardrobe and rolling in paint, there isn’t much to do to make yourself more garish than the next muppet. The true trend-setter must always stand out, and the solution is the look pioneered by that true fashion renegade: your gran. The vogue for ironic wolf shirts and hideous playsuits means that even raiding mum’s 80s wardrobe is passé, so the prettiest young things have delved deep to borrow gran’s shapeless long coat, surgical stockings and those little fluffy boots with zippers on the side. Fake hearing aids are the new hipster glasses, and the word on the street is that a blue-rinsed Kate Moss is rocking a cardigan covered in cat hair and a tartan trolley on wheels. Hotness rating: electric blanket on maximum
I spent the 1996 August bank holiday semiconscious in a paddling pool full of wee, listening to Whigfield’s ‘Saturday Night’ and ‘Summertime’ by Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince on repeat until one of my kidneys blew up. It’s no surprise I developed a violent reaction to all summery music, and so am way ahead of the curve on this season’s trend for miserable, doomy sounds. Forget playing Bob Marley and the Macarena at your beach barbecue - the cool kids are cooking sausages to the hottest underground genre out there right now: Norwegian black metal. Tired of bands that normal people can enjoy, hipsters have foresworn pop music and indie in favour of the guttural howling of men who worship Odin and dress like a bunch of S&M goblins. Next time you’re at a garden party, if the DJ won’t play Gorgoroth’s ‘Possessed (by Satan)’ or the timeless ‘I Am The Black Wizards’ by Emperor, you should stand at the corner and scowl at them until they get the message - when the sun is shining, let’s all listen to Darkthrone. Hotness rating: 666 degrees, the burning evil fires of hell
In an age where you can see nipples on CBeebies and there’s a camera in the toilet in Big Brother, it’s fair to say that celebrities have lost a lot of their mystique. What was once glamorous, mysterious and untouchable has been revealed to fart in the bath and eat Super Noodles for dinner. Where are the real celebrities to admire, emulate and occasionally kidnap? The answer is: on trial in The Hague, because the hottest celebrities now are the dictators. They look good, live lives of luxury and play by their own rules - right til the point they’re paraded on camera by US Special Forces, or get shot up in a rusty pipe. Soon Heat magazine will give up on Cheryl Cole in favour of Vladimir Putin, and the pages of Hello will be graced by photoshoots with Bashar Al-Assad, a few African guys in combat fatigues and whoever’s currently in charge of Sark. Kanye West and Kim Kardashian move over - until you’ve got a gold-plated fighter jet you’re strictly B-list. Hotness rating: hotter than hiding out in the Sahara
With cinemagoers still reeling from the surprise twist in Ridley Scott’s Prometheus (SPOILER: the aliens are The Clangers), this summer promises so many event movies that popcorn supplies will be strictly rationed to a teacup each (£11 plus GST). After the Oscar-winning turn of a waxwork of Rihanna in board-game-turned-blockbuster BattleShip, coked-up Hollywood moguls have rushed to release big-screen adaptations of other thrilling games of skill and plastic. I for one cannot wait to see Lady Gaga in Yahtzee: the Movie, Will Ferrell as ‘the patient’ in Operation! or for the release of Buckaroo 2: Plastic Boogaloo. Aside from a movie version of every single comic superhero ever, also expect the cinema to be flooded with reboots of any 80s franchise that managed to con mum out of twenty quid’s worth of toxic plastic for your ninth birthday. We’ve had Transformers, Scooby Doo and Thundercats, so try and keep down your hotdog for the unbridled excitement of 3D versions of Sabrina The Teenage Witch, Around The World With Willy Fogg and Pob. Hotness rating: a mouth full of mouldy mustard
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GALLERY
MISC PAGE
The page where we share all of the things that we’ve found this month that don’t have a home anywhere else in the magazine
SUN CREAM SAVES PIGLET’S BACON
Farmers in Cumbria are applying sun cream to the delicate ears of three piglets to stop them turning into crackling in the sunshine. The trio are Belgian Pietrain pigs, noted for their white piebald skin and big ears which can easily burn in hot weather. Named Queen, Diamond and Jubilee, the two-month-old piglets live at the Lakeland Maize Maze and Farm Park at Sedgwick near Kendal. Pig skin is very similar to human skin and because the piglets are so young their ears aren't used to the plus 24c temperatures. Farmer Graham Wadsworth, 41, said: "White skinned pigs can get sunburnt quite easily so when we are quick enough to catch them we're putting sun cream on their ears especially."We're also making sure they have mud baths which is a natural sun screen for pigs. The irony is the pigs are white we don't want them to go red because it'll make me blue - perfect for the Jubilee. "They're proving very popular with our young visitors because they're inquisitive, playful and love to come up close for a scratch."
JOKE OF THE MONTH
An Amish boy and his father were visiting a nearby mall. They were amazed by almost everything they saw, but especially by two shiny silver walls that moved apart and back together again by themselves. The son asked, "What is this, father?" The father, having never seen an elevator, responded, "I have no idea what it is." While the boy and his father were watching wide-eyed, an old lady in a wheelchair rolled up to the moving walls and pressed a button. The walls opened and the lady rolled between them into a small room. The walls closed and the boy and his father watched as small circles lit up above the walls. The walls opened up again and a beautiful twenty-four-yearold woman stepped out. The father looked at his son anxiously and said, "Quick, go and get your mother."
VIDEO OF THE MONTH
Whilst trying to decide which video we wanted to use for this months video of the month, we were faced with the challenge of finding of finding something ‘Hot’. If you have ever searched ‘hot videos’ into any search engine you’ll be faced with lots of stills of female anatomy and things about chillis, but eventually we manged to find one more appropriate. Remember the volcano with the unpronounceable name that cleared European airspace for days on end? It’s about that. Called Winter in Hell, it was filmed over the course of a year by Enrique Pacheco. The stunning landscape of Iceland succumbs to the Arctic cold. The earth shakes, warms up, and suddenly a big crack opens up at the top of the glacier Eyjafjallajokull. Lava, smoke, ash and fire come up from the depth of the earth, melting everything in its path.
‘I dunno what you’re oinking about mate, at least I’m not the one called Queen...’
CHECK OUT THE VIDEO AT WWW.VIMEO.COM/19320410
10P PRICE
A former RAF man and dispatch rider from Leicestehas resorted to extreme measures to deter cold calling telephone salesmen - by adding an extra nine 'P's to his name. Tim Pppppppppprice, 49, explained: "It's pronounced Tim Per-per-per-per-per-per-per-perper-per-rice. Mr Pppppppppprice, said he had no regrets. He now refers to himself as Tim '10p' Price. It cost £30 to change his name via deed poll and a further £70 to change the name on his passport. "I've just got my driving licence and passport back. I'm looking forward to the next time I go abroad - it should raise a few eyebrows going through customs," he said. "It's taken a long time to sort everything out, but I don't regret it. I hope the name acts as fly repellant to those people - and it attracts funny people with a good sense of humour.
Next time Tim goes away on holiday we hope he doesn’t forget to p-p-p-pick up his passport before he leaves the house.
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Hang on, how did they get away with flying OVER it when nobody else was allowed to fly within a 900 mile radius?! You’d need a really big ladder, that’s for sure..
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Listings what to do in july
things to do JULY 2012
05.07.12
01.07.12 - 30.07.12
Tynwald Day / Manx National Day Tynwald Hill
Stockcar Racing Onchan Raceway http://www.onchanraceway.com. Tel: 432232
After a full afternoon of racing on the first day, the Mid Season Demolition Derby will take place, where 50 Championship points and prize money are awarded to the last car mobile. Cars are allowed to race in any direction to destroy the opposition, with events from various classes including: Ministox, Formula 2, Stockcars, Bangers, Rookie Bangers and Production Rods. On the 23rd, 26th and 28th, visiting drivers from England and Scotland, along with local drivers, contest the 2012 Formula 2 Manx Open Championship to win the replica Manx Sword of State Trophy.
This Manx National Day and Bank Holiday is fast approaching. There will be a national service and openair reading of the laws in Manx and English from Tynwald Hill with a fair to amuse, divert, please and charm all day. BEWARE: The roads will close at 10am.
06/07.07.12
The Garden Party - Festival of Mann 2012 http://www.thegardenparty.im Tel: 600555
The Garden Party grows organically year-on-year as a local avant-garde music festival. The apex of trailblazing local talent, the festival will take place on the 6th and 7th July, coinciding with Tynwald celebrations and the Lord of Mann’s Diamond Jubilee. Headliners include: Newton Faulkner, The Charlatans, James Walsh, Reverend and the Makers and our very own Truman Falls, Hoodoo Nation, Christine Collister, Anna Goldsmith and Christy DeHaven.
06/07/08.07.12 Scooter Rally Empress Hotel
Over the last two months, we’ve covered some rocking motorbikes; it’s time for the mods (modernists) to shine. The Scooter Rally is set to be a sunny weekend gathering of up to 200 classic Lambretta and Vespa machines and their devoted admirers. A lap of the TT course will start from The Grandstand on 7/7/2012 at 11.30am.
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07.07.12
Round the Island Cruise Sea Terminal, Douglas £15 - £20 Tel: 661661
There isn’t often opportunity to see the whole Island in a day. The Ben my Chree will escort Manx lovers on a cruise around the Island. Departing from Douglas at 7pm, the cruise will last for four hours and is set to include a main meal, dessert and soft drink.
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09.07.12 - 12.07.12
13.07.12-15.07.12
www.southern100.com
The festival will be a two and a half day event, taking over from the established and successful Port Erin Regatta. There will be an art competition, Scrufts Dog Show, bowls, darts, tennis, golf, a Punch & Judy Show, a sandcastle building competition, best dressed shop/pub, stall holders and more!
Southern 100 Road Races Billown Circuit, Castletown
The crème de la crème of the road-racing world will descend on the Billown Course for the 57th Steam Packet Southern 100 International Road Races. Headed by the current Solo Champion Michael Dunlop and three other past champions, Guy Martin, Ian Lougher and Ryan Farquhar, along with a host of top class riders, fans are guaranteed spectacular racing during the four days of action around the 4.25mile course.
14.07.12-15.07.12
Trains & Boats & Planes Curraghs Wildlife Park ‘Trains & Boats & Planes’ is an exhibition of models at the Wildlife Park (Manx Steam & Model Engineering Club). Come along from Saturday at 11am until 5pm and Sunday from 11am until 4pm to see the Orchid Line, enjoy Traction Engine Rides and displays of model boats, planes and trains. ‘Have a Go’ on the R/C Boats and learn to drive a train!
13.07.12-15.07.12 Peel Secret Gardens Tel: 845827
Port Erin Beach Festival
21.07.12
Viking Longboat Races Peel Harbour and Bay Tel: 451992
The hidden gardens of Peel are open to the public for two consecutive afternoons from 1pm until 6pm. Tea and plant stalls will be made available in some gardens. Entry to the gardens must be made by brochure, on sale across the Island.
World Championship Viking Longboat Races will begin at 12.15pm. More than 70 teams are expected to sign up for the 49th Viking Longboat World Championship. The competition has classes for all-male, all-female and mixed teams who take part in a time trial-style race in Peel.
26.07.12-29.07.12
28.07.12-29.07.12
30.07.12-05.08.12
Brickworks, Mill Road, Peel
£1 - £5 Great Meadow, Castletown Tel: 494497
An extra bank holiday has been added to the Manx calendar on 6/7/2012, the day after Tynwald Day, to give us a long weekend of festivities with Foxdale Village, British Horse Society, Patrick and German Parish, Ballaugh Village, Jurby Parish Commissioners, Andreas, Rushen and Port Erin Commissioners, Douglas Borough Council, Grove Museum, Lezayre Commissioners, Patrick Commissioners and Purt ny h-Inshey, who invite you to help is celebrate The Lord of Mann’s Diamond Jubilee week of events.
Manx Transport Heritage Southern District Museum Long Weekend Agricultural Show www.manxtransportheritagemuseum.org If all goes according to plan, the Museum’s P50 car should be playing a ‘star role’ this year, taking a break from the Museum for your amusement.
because quality matters
The Southern District Agricultural Show is a two-day agricultural event with livestock, horses, trade stands, refreshments, exhibitions, fur & feather and live entertainment. Fun for all the family, the event will start at 10am on Saturday and from 11.30am on Sunday. Saturday: £5 for adults, £1 for children, Sunday: £2.50 for adults and children will be admitted for free. Parking is also free.
The Lord of Mann Diamond Jubilee
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upfront
community
Community
DCCL THANKS EVERYONE FOR SUPPORT DURING THE OLYMPIC TORCH RELAY Man, the Department of Community, Culture and Leisure has thanked everyone involved in helping to organise the relay and the public for their overwhelming support. To commemorate the day, the Department of Community, Culture and Leisure has released a short highlights video, which can be viewed on YouTube (www.youtube/7d18SMeKfBc) and ManxTube (www.manxtube.com/video/4641/ Round-up-of-the-Olympic-Torch-Relay-intheIsle-of-Man). The video was filmed and produced by Glenn Whorrall from local Island company YourMovieCrew.
DEPUTY MAYOR LOSES POUNDS TO RAISE POUNDS Douglas Mayor David Ashford hosted a reception at which Councillor Sara Hackman, the Deputy Mayor, presented cheques to three local charities. Councillor Hackman raised the funds by entering the Adidas Silverstone half-marathon in Northamptonshire and the Isle of Man Bra Dash earlier this year. The organisations to benefit from her efforts were Graih (£500), The Isle of Man Youth Motor Project (£500) and Breakthrough Breast Cancer, (£200) thanks to her securing generous sponsorship and a level of matched funding from her employers, Hansard Global. Councillor Hackman was prompted to enter the two events after losing six-stone in weight. She said: ‘For my weight-loss regime I wanted there to be something to run for and I had been inspired by the excellent work all three charities were doing. Graih is a small charity providing shelter and support to the homeless. The Youth Motor Project was a cause close to the heart of the late Dot Pitts, a former Mayor of Douglas. They help young people to acquire practical skills. Breakthrough Breast Cancer will always need funds to continue their campaigning and research work.
MICHAEL GEORGE AWARDED MERIT PRIZE IN MANX TELECOM PARISH WALK Michael George, the man who finished third in this year’s Manx Telecom Parish Walk after leading for 70 miles, was awarded a prize in recognition of his courage and good sportsmanship. Michael, proprietor of the Welbeck Hotel, was overtaken by joint-winners Richard Gerrard and Vinny Lynch, just five miles from the end of the 85-mile race. All three broke the course record but despite seeing victory snatched from him so close to the finish, and suffering sickness for much of the latter stages of the race, Michael battled on to complete his seventh Parish Walk. At the official awards ceremony at the Villa Marina on Tuesday (June 26), evening he was presented with the Manx Telecom Merit Award, a discretionary prize decided by the Manx Harriers organising committe. Ray Cox, Manx Telecom Parish Walk Race Director, said that Michael was a popular and deserving winner of the award as his determination and good sportsmanship epitomised the true spirit of the event. Mr. Cox said: “Despite being completely exhausted, and obviously extremely disappointed to have finished third after leading for so many miles, Michael displayed exemplary sportsmanship, was extremely gracious in defeat, and found the energy from somewhere to congratulate Richard and Vinny. Of course, all of the leading walkers respect each other and are a credit to the event and to the sport. Richard and Vinny’s record-breaking performance was a fantastic achievement. But Michael deserved to win the Merit award because he often suffers sickness in the second half of the walk, but always shows determination to finish. It’s tough to go to a dark place once, but to return there repeatedly and come back year after year requires real courage.”
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Isle of Man style magazine
upfront
2012 FESTIVAL OF YOUTH COMES TO DOUGLAS TOWN CENTRE Town centre manager Gill Anderson said: ‘Last year’s event was a great success and we want to build on that this year by bringing all the activities right into the town centre, from Duke Street through to Castle Street and Marina Road. Gill added: ‘The festival will take place on July 21st, with quarters of the shopping centre having different themes. The organisers are calling it The Simply Stupid Carnival of Colour, with a circus/mardi gras theme. Regent Street will be the setting for the main performances. Howard Street for BMX and skateboarding and Castle Street and Marina Road becoming Beat Street for the day. Throughout the day our DJ will be spinning classic hip-hop tracks, the Represent Dance Company street dance crew will be putting on a variety of amazing dance shows and street performances, rappers and other musicians will be adding to the street party vibe, and we will also be giving street dance lessons throughout he day, so go down and enjoy the atmosphere. To find out more and to get involved contact Gill Anderson. Tel: 612022, E-mail: ganderson@douglas.gov.im. Check out the festival’s Facebook page for regular updates: www.facebook.com/#!/festivalofyouth
LUCKY TT PASSENGER WINS THE GOLDEN TICKETS AND SURE PHONE! On Friday 1 June passengers Mr. John Randall and Mr. Jonathan Randall were given a special welcome at Ronaldsway Airport by Manx2.com and Sure. As part of Manx2.com’s TT ‘Meet and Greet’ programme, the two lucky passengers arriving from Leeds Bradford International Airport were met by Ann Hartley, Manx2.com’s Business Development Executive. Two ‘Sure’ models presented the passengers with a phone and free Manx2.com Gold tickets for TT 2013.
because quality matters
13
GALLERY
CHRIS BELL
A RIGHT ROYAL SHAMBLES: JUST THE WAY US BRITS LIKE IT
WORDS CHRIS BELL
ILLUSTRATION CHELSEA WHITE
B
ritish summertime but the glimpses are increasingly rare these flotilla of boats on the Thames, complete institutions wouldn’t days. Continuing the ageing boxer analogy with waterlogged vol-au-vents and rain be British summertime (indulge me), the Right Royal Shambles sandwiches. Oh, and let’s not forget the institutions without the pesky rain was akin to George Foreman coming out BBC-commissioned attempts to recreate (Latin. Precipitatum Irritatus) of retirement to win the world heavyweight Canaletto’s famous 1747 painting of the having its say in proceedings. title at the grand old age of 45, a defiant Lord Mayor’s river procession. By the time The annual Wimbledon showers, middle finger aimed at time’s winged the downpour was done with the artists’ Glastonbury mud baths and chariot. In the case of the Jubilee River attempts, they looked more like Cornetto’s. general raining on of any parade Pageant, a vintage display of quintessential of note are as British as jam English rubbishness. Of course, who can forget the line of drowned on toast, so it was with a warm, rats regaling the Queen with the national fuzzy sense of familiarity that the I’m less interested than most commentators anthem at the end? It would be impossible nation tuned into the Queen’s were in the BBC’s misjudged decision to not to sympathise with the choir, for whom Jubilee to witness an absolute feature reports by Tess Daly and Fearne this clearly should have been a proud shower, in more than one sense Cotton on such inane gimmickery as moment. But, with the rain lashing them and of the term. I must make clear Jubilee sickbags. That element of the awful matted, soaked hair stuck to their dripping that I’m not a republican or anticoverage was totally avoidable, down to faces, it was a tiny bit very funny, and I for monarchist in any way; I’m one was hoping the Queen would more or less on the fence, if lose composure and break out “With the rain lashing them and anything leaning slightly in hysterical laughter. The final matted, soaked hair stuck to their towards a pro-royal stance. piece de resistance came with That’s a topic for another dripping faces, it was a tiny bit very the commentator’s attempts to time, however. look on the bright side by noting
So it wasn’t with a sense of shadenfreude that I watched the BBC’s coverage of the Jubilee River Pageant Soaking – well, no more than as if the celebrations had been in aid of anyone, literally anyone. More a sense of cosy nostalgia from seeing possibly the most shambolic live televised event since the nation bathed in Samantha Fox and Mick Fleetwood’s embarrassment at the chaotic Brit Awards in 1989. Look it up younglings. It was the sort of charming shambles that Britain used to excel at. Once upon a time, awkward interviews, clunking links and overall shoddiness were a weekly feature on game shows, live news programs and the like. Now with television’s typically slick professionalism and the general public’s increased sense of media savvy-ness, howling TV moments are a rare commodity. Like an ageing boxer, there are occasionally flashes of our brilliance at this sort of thing,
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funny, and I for one was hoping the Queen would lose composure and break out in hysterical laughter” the BBC underestimating the intellectual capacity of its viewers, and therefore, just boring. What made the six-hour long live program such an absolute belter of a watch for me were the inescapable bloopers that were nigh-on possible to predict. It was so from the off, when the cameras cut from the studio to a village hall party in Norfolk, during which the reporter asked a four year-old girl, “So, how are you enjoying the Jubilee celebrations?” Her response, with all the candour of a toddler untrained in diplomatic niceties, and all the enthusiasm of someone asked to bathe in hot tar: “I’ve been here for HOURS.” And it continued, in this vein, for hours. Other highlights were the display of a ‘special Jubilee buffet’ aboard one of the
that, “the wow moment is due any minute now, a fly past of nine naval helicopters in diamond formation, which will hopefully make the wait in the rain worthwhile for these spectators.” Followed, a heartbeat later, by “I’m getting news that due to the conditions, that wow moment has been cancelled.” It was perfectly farcical, and farcically perfect. But hey, this is what being a Brit is all about right? Leave the slick stuff to the Americans I say. A good old washout gives us the chance to exercise those classic British traits of turning the other cheek, taking it on the chin, stiff upper lip, all of which, if attempted simultaneously, result in sort of a gurn, as demonstrated by the Duke of Edinburgh as he braved the weather aboard the Good Ship Hopeless. Here’s to another ten years and another Jubilee for dear old Queenie. If the next one’s sunny though, tune in to something else.
GALLERY
BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS
17
upfront
news in numbers
in NUMBERS NEWS £400,000 Heritage railway bosses have defended plans to spend £400,000 on a replacement diesel loco from Eastern Europe. They claim that after 13 years, it will help make savings of almost £40,000 a year.
203
Walkers finish the 85mile Manx Telecom Parish Walk, 140 men and 63 women. Many did it for the first times.
3 60
A THREE MILLION POUND private jet hangar at Ronaldsway is rapidly taking shape and is on target to be open for business in August.
100
More than 60 athletes and coaches on the Isle of Man will receive support and mentoring from double Olympic gold medallist Dame Kelly Holmes.
Manx-registered space expedition firm Excalibur Almaz says is ready to sell tickets to the Moon – yours for a stellar price of just £100 million. The first 800,000km round trip to orbit the Moon in a converted Soviet-era space capsule could launch in 2015.
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Above 70 teams are expected to sign up for the 49th Viking Longboat World Championship.
90,000
Milner’s Tower, on Bradda Head in Port Erin is to be renovated by the government at a cost of £90,000.
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events
Castletown RUFC Annual dinner The Chesterhouse Hotel Douglas
Castletown RUFC held their Annual Dinner and Awards Ceremony on Saturday 23rd June. The winners were as follows: Best player - Barry Irvine Most improved player - Mike Condra Clubman of the year - Dan James Elder Lemons Award – Helen Whittaker Young player of the year - Mike Condra
Top points scorer - Sam Peel Michael Grimshaw Most Memorable Moment Award- Billy Hanrahan
as Beach Rugby (to be held in August), the IOM End-2-End Challenge and Castletown Carnival.
The club traces its roots back to the late 1960s and has rewarded its members ever since. Chairman John Grimshaw and Captain Daniel James’ boys get involved in various community activities throughout the year, such
They are always looking for new recruits to the team! No experience necessary.
Get paparazzi at your events paparazzi@gallery.co.im 18
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events
upfront
Olympic Touch Community Celerbration Castletown
London 2012 Official Presenting Partners, Lloyds TSB, hosted a Community Celebration to welcome the Torch Relay as it passed through Castletown Square and the Speaker’s Gardens. They provided a variety of interactive sporting activities, top-class entertainment, spectacular
sporting demonstrations, music from Sambamann and limited edition Olympic refreshments, courtesy of Official Presenting Partners, Coca Cola. Guests also had the exclusive opportunity to have their photo taken with the Torch against a specially designed backdrop as
a memento of the day. These celebrations were entirely open to the public and took place from 2:00pm to 4:30pm, with the Torch Relay passing through Castletown Square at approximately 3:30pm.
Get paparazzi at your events paparazzi@gallery.co.im because quality matters
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upfront
events
CHARITY MID-SUMMER BALL BEST WESTERN Palace Hotel & Casino Douglas
On Friday 22nd June, 109 guests attended a charity Mid-summer ball In aid of Isle of Man Parkinson’s disease Society, hosted by the BEST WESTERN Palace Hotel & Casino.
Guests enjoyed a five-course meal in the Cushag Suite, followed by a series of entertainment.
Lyndsey Smart the winner of Search for a Star performed, followed by a Diana Ross Tribute Act. Guests then took part in a Silent Auction and Raffle.
Get paparazzi at your events paparazzi@gallery.co.im 20
Isle of Man style magazine
events upfront
will you marry me? The TT Grandstand Douglas
Ian Manton proposed to his Girlfriend, Suzy Williamson last month! A unique proposal, Ian popped that life altering question on the top of the TT
Grandstand Tower, live on Manx Radio TT! Luckily, his beautiful lass said yes! Following the proposal, Ian whisked her away for a romantic picnic before Glen Maye
The sure Beach PArty The Beach Port Erin
Sure kicked off their 5th Birthday celebrations at the Sure Beach Party on Friday 29th June.
waterfall. What a way to end a TT day! much appreciated! Maybe put something in there like a congrats from the team at Sure CWC?
photography by Gary Harrison
The event, held on Port Erin Beach, attracted thousands of Islanders who enjoyed live music,
delicious queenies and free birthday cake, courtesy of Sure.
Get paparazzi at your events paparazzi@gallery.co.im because quality matters
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UPFRONT
Looking for the perfect wedding dress is like looking for the perfect man, if it doesn’t fit, it shouldn’t be worn in public. Even Jenny Packham can’t attest to having the perfect sparkle for every woman’s long-term life plan (though she adorned the Duchess of Cambridge with impeccable get up). The dress sets the theme to fit the dream. As one of the first boxes to tick, (due to couture fix-ups) its time to shop, but where to begin? My first thought was London, with easy access from our beautiful Island; London is a one-stop street for your feat. But what if we had an haute couture dressmakers and bridal house on the Isle of Man?
Dress designed by Jenny Packham
Dress designed by Watters
When I walked into The Bridal House and Dressmakers Workshop in Ramsey, I found a hive of creativity. Kate, a premier dressmaker, met me at the door in a charming contemporary outfit, elegantly customised with a delicate 20s rhinestone and ribbon embroidered belt at the waist; she smiled, and welcomed me with an exemplary cup of tea. Stocking the largest range of ornate wedding gowns to suit the most discerning styles and meticulously planned budgets, The Bridal House sells award winning designer gowns, whilst the Dressmakers Workshop can craft each one to fit like a couture glove. The gowns come in a white, ivory and gold mélange of style and variance of sizes. There is nothing to rival a paragon. If The Bridal House doesn’t sell what you are looking for, and you want a crème de la crème wedding gown, perhaps, like me, the Dressmakers Workshop is the place for you. Here, you have the opportunity to design your own gown with dressmaker boasting Photographs by Shan Fisher www.shansphoto.com I Makeup by Heather Maddrell I Location Milntown
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ISLE OF MAN STYLE MAGAZINE
upfront
a wealth of experience, who can support and guide you to a nonpareil fusion of comfort, luxury, elegance and grace. For 30 years, the workshop has been filled with materials, beautiful pencil designs, magazine extracts from exacting brides and their significant women, graceful adornments and exquisite hairpieces embellishing rooms with an order befitting the occasion. Once you have found a style that suits, it’s time to be swept away with tiaras, veils, designer shoes, petticoats and jewellery to complement your appointed design. There’s also an excellent pick of bridesmaid gowns, junior bridesmaid gowns, mother of bride brilliance, mother of the groom glamour and flower girl dresses to admire and sample.
Mother of Bride and Mother of the Groom outfits are handmade to measure. With free design consultations, a magnificent service and the collection of sketches and fabric ideas put together for honourably exacting clients, The Dressmakers have weaved a superior trade distinction. As well as creating unique wedding gowns, they also design and create ladies tailored suits, special occasion wear, evening dresses and peerless classic wardrobe essentials. The Bridal House and Dressmakers Workshop exist to make that twelvemonth material transition between singledom and wedded bliss as easy as a Manxie morning.
The perfectionists at The Bridal House also furnish our Island ladies with tailored special occasion eveningwear for that exceptional outfit you’ve dreamt of, with a flawless fit and quintessential one-off design.
Beautiful dressES to suit every style and budget.
Feel special, choose an outfit handmade to measure by Kate at the Dressmakers Workshop. Beautiful Holy Communion and Prom dresses available.
814898 2 Bankers Chamers, Ramsey
because quality matters
bridalhouse.co.im 23
upfront
ME MY PET
’
Names Human: Simon Campbell Pet: Hummock Campbell. OK, it’s unusual but I believe the whole family was arguing over what to call me, so Mum suggested my Pedigree name ‘Highouse Hummock’ - They had to agree - ‘If Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” Species Simon: Balding Male Caucasian. Hummock: Pedigree Black Labrador, but really, know I am human.
me&mypet
Age Simon: 54 going on 18. Hummock: One going on one. Likes Simon: Writing and playing music; Scuba diving; eating and drinking fine wine, real ale and food with Angela my Wife. Also walking, film photography; science fiction films and books, preferably featuring horrible monsters. Hummock: Sausages; waking Dad up in the morning by jumping on his head; sausages; walking to the pub; sausages; Mum’s homemade bread; chewing bits of wood in the house; carrying seaweed around; science fiction films and books, preferably featuring horrible monsters. Dislikes Simon: Bigots. We have all get to get along, right? Hummock: Eukanuba Puppy food. Dad says its good for me but I like sausages. If Human/Animal you would be... Simon: A great white shark. Who wouldn’t, totally badass. Hummock: Owner of a sausage factory. Wants Simon: A tolerant and caring world where we respect each other and the planet on which we live. Hummock: Dad to walk me to the pub every day so I can go swimming, sit outside while he drinks real ale, then come home to a plate full of big, fat, sausages. Interesting Facts Simon: Was a world champion ballroom dancer; have released a couple of albums; I have my underpants and socks on a strict rotation system; have severe OCD; have been successful with a number of businesses over the years which should have made millions if I was just a bit meaner; my Wife is a queen amongst women. Hummock: I don’t break wind that much; have perfect white teeth; apparently I am a princess with a perfectly formed head; I like digging holes, did I mention I like sausages?
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Photos by Phil Kneen
CULTURE
culture
my name is
My Name Is Kirsten Preston
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Isle of Man style magazine
culture
Kirsten Preston
Photographer Kirsten Preston’s work ‘Spirit of the Broken Boat’ has been recognised by the Parkinson’s UK Society in their annual competition celebrating creativity in people with this devastating condition. The Mervyn Peake Awards, named after Mervyn Peake, a celebrated artist, author of the Gormenghast series, illustrator of Alice in Wonderland and sufferer of Parkinson’s. The Mervyn Peake Awards are now in their 11th year. This is the first time that Kirsten has entered her work. Kirsten was born in Denmark, but moved to the Isle of Man in 1986. She was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2009, which meant that she was unable to continue working. Instead, when a friend gave her a camera, she began to take photographs to occupy her time.
because quality matters
Kirsten said: “I became more interested in photography and have begun exploring and experimenting with digital images. In 2011, I was lucky enough to have an exhibition at the Villa Marina and Peel Centenary Centre. The positive comments and encouragement I had from exhibition visitors made me think I should enter my work into this competition, but I’m surprised and thrilled to have ‘Spirit of a Broken Boat’ judged worthy of a highly commended award.”
Local artist ‘highly commended’ in the Mervyn Peake Awards for people with Parkinson’s Disease
Kirsten Preston is a Friend of the Sayle Gallery in Douglas, and often has work on display there, where her greetings cards are also on sale. ‘Spirit of a Broken Boat’ will be on display during the Sayle Gallery’s Summer Show in July and August.
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culture
Rachael Clegg
Rachael Clegg A goose, a budget blonde from Rochdale, several tubs of Swarfega, umpteen gallons of diesel, an Al Jazeera journalist and an assistant with a bladder problem – that’s all it took to create this year’s TT calendar. Who needs swanky Pirelli professionals when you have Manx farm animals and a woman with urinary issues? But these were the ingredients of this year’s TT calendar, which photographer Peter Greste, assistant Shaz Nicol and me, Rachael Clegg, embarked on last year. The result, 15 leaves of milestone madness. The idea to create an arty / slightly comedic TT calendar struck me on the journey back from TT 2010. Being a total anorak, I’d recorded the sound of an AJS warming up (a wonderful ‘growl’ noise) before the classic lap on my dictaphone, which I then listened to on my return journey. On the same dictaphone there was also a recording of a very funny TT press conference, the combination of the humour, the visceral thrill of a classic engine and the post TT blues, got me thinking…. Within a week, I’d decided to create a TT calendar. One that did justice to the quirky history of the Isle of Man TT races by interpreting it in an artistic manner. I researched dozens of unusual tales from the race’s 105-year history and used each tale as inspiration for the images, which I sketched out as I was doing the research. There are enough shots for each of the 37 and three quarter miles of the course, the calendar is part one, if you like. My background is in art. After my A levels, I went to art school in Manchester and went on to get a first in art history (BA) at the University of York, where I won a scholarship to study the subject at MA.
The calendar nods to my heritage, both my Dad and Granddad were TT racers (though Dad more than my Granddad). I had an obsession with TT history and an interest in images. All the props are genuine, kindly lent to me by Guy Martin, John McGuinness (in whose leathers I was almost arrested), Ian Lougher, my Father, a farmer (who lent me the goose) and an eccentric Manxman. Even the jerry can in the Brandywell image has a history. It belongs to Veteran TT racer Vin Duckett. With the exception of a Brandish Corner, which was foolishly shot at rush hour, all the pictures were taken at around 4am over a four-week period throughout the TT and Manx Grand Prix. My alarm would go off at 3am, I’d get ready, grab Peter (photographer) and Shaz (assistant) and we’d load the van, going off to whichever sections we’d planned. But there were always setbacks: Weather, very keen speed walkers and on one day the photographer even forgot the camera on another. It was all very ‘Carry On’. I’d get back after doing the pictures, shower, and then head to the Start line to cover the TT as a journalist for the Yorkshire Post. By the end of race week, I was a total zombie and I still have flashbacks of almost being run over with no clothes on at Creg Ny Baa. The photographer, who transformed my crude sketches and poorly articulated ideas into great shots, is Al Jazeera’s Africa reporter and a former BBC foreign correspondent; more at home in a war zone than legging it round the TT course with a woman with a penchant for extreme nudity. Making the calendar was hilarious, I’ve never giggled as much in my life. It was bloody cold on the Mountain at 4am though; you can see the goosebumps on the Windy Corner image (November).
After graduating, I worked at Tate Liverpool and from 2005. I taught art to children / teenagers with behavioural problems (sort of art therapy though I am not an art therapist). I no longer teach, but I do work as a features writer.
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Isle of Man style magazine
culture
TT Calendar 2013 Milestones: The calendar costs ÂŁ14.99 and is available online at:
www.Rachaelclegg.com because quality matters
January February March April May June July August September October November December
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culture
steven rodrig
Steven Rodrig Pre-apocalyptic Data Hunter In formulating a design for their rebrand, Skanco Business Systems have commissioned a series of works, highlighting the importance of sustainability and innovation in our increasingly close relationship with mass-produced technology. Enter the artist: The man with a binary code signature. Steven Rodrig describes himself as an innovative and environmentally conscious artist, whose principal medium is recycled and restructured circuit boards and electronic parts, known as Printed Circuit Board (PCB) creations. The artist says: “My goal is to manipulate each PCB into becoming an organic life form, where each characteristic becomes a part of the living fabric, helping to shape its meaning”. His oeuvre consists of a series of meta-literally and metaphorically organic subjects, featuring electronic components and hardware rendered into non-traditional forms in alien environments. Subjects within this artistic series range from: Insects, flowers, lizards, birds and still life to cyclopean cityscapes and busts of roving, post-apocalyptic ‘data-hunters’, showing due-deference to hidden intricacies and mechanical arabesques that Rodrig claims: “We so lamentably overlook”. Though Rodrig has a reputation amongst the New York art and global geek fraternities, he has never been formally trained in the arts. Born in Havana, Cuba in 1963, he immigrated to the US in 1966, where from a young age, he experimented with unconventional materials to explore his craft. The award-winning series has gained Rodrig international success. His work has been exhibited in some of the world’s most avant-garde and fashionable galleries, including Rogue Space in Chelsea and Inhabitat, New York City. To take a closer look (without adding air miles to our carbon-catalysed, impending doom), go to www.pcbcreations.com. Alternatively, to see Rodrig’s works on Isle of Man, visit www.skanco.co.uk.
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Isle of Man style magazine
culture
Art & Culture Events 13TH - 05TH
SHOWCASING SUMMER The summer is upon us, and there’s so much to celebrate, so much to admire. Our Island artists capture the greatest knockout sights that our beautiful home has to offer, so make the trip and help support and endorse an Island collection brought to you by Manx masters. Sayle Gallery Summer Exhibition. Sayle Gallery, Harris Promenade, Douglas, from 13th July. Call: 01624674557. 14TH
APRIL IN PARIS MATINEE AND EVENING PERFORMANCE John Godber, director and writer of the play, creates startlingly simple transformations of scenes as the audience effortlessly journeys with Bet and Al towards France after winning the prize of a romantic weekend in Paris. The Legion Players present this all too real, comic look at the trials and tribulations of married life. At the Gaiety Theatre, Harris Promenade, Douglas, on 14th July from 2:30pm. 14TH - 21ST YN CHRUINNAGHT
Yn Chruinnaght (meaning ‘the gathering’) is a celebration of Manx culture and the relationship between the Isle of Man and the other five Celtic countries (Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Cornwall and Brittany). It includes a number of events with music, dance, language, arts and crafts and lectures. Visit: www.ynchruinnaght.com to see the programme of events. 19TH - 21ST RENT IN GAIETY…
Youth Arts Centre presents: ‘Rent’. Back by popular demand, the award winning Broadway musical is a riveting story about a group of young bohemians struggling to get through life in New York’s East Village in 1989. Rent will be showing at the Gaiety Theatre, Harris Promenade, Douglas, on 19th July until 21st July at 7:30pm. 21ST - 29TH EXHIBITING ISLAND EXCELLENCE
The Annual Open Art Exhibition is an exhibition of paintings and all-medium pieces from Artists Island-wide, including a display of miniatures from the 2012 Mannin Art Annual Miniature Competition. Open at St. Pauls Hall, Ramsey, on the 21st July until 29th July from 10am until 6.30pm daily. The Sunday viewing will take place from 2pm until 6pm.
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NOW-13TH OCT MANX NATIONAL HERITAGE - PRESENTS EDWARD KELLY - ISLAND PAINTINGS & SEASCAPES An exhibition of Island Paintings & selected works by Edward Kelly and other artist at the House of Manannan, Peel and the National Art Gallery, Manx Museum, Douglas. Also showing at the Art Gallery is a film by Edward Kelly called “Making Paintings” The exhibitions Island Paintings at the House of Manannan, Peel and Seascapes at the Manx Museum, Douglas open to the public on Saturday 30th June and continue until October 2012.
because quality matters
28TH BOLLYWOOD! Enjoy the east at its best. This is an experience with a difference, with authentic Indian cuisine, Bollywood dancing, henna and ayurueda holistic therapy. At the Pavilion, Union Mills Football Club House, Ballaoates Road, Braddan. All funds are raised in aid of Crossroads Care: Tickets cost £20. Now VICTORIA ART
Victoria is a qualified Bulgarian fashion designer who has developed into a self-taught painter. She has a unique style in portrait painting and is currently exhibiting in the Sayle Gallery. You can also find a display of her works in Portofino Restaurant function room. see Victorias Directory advert on page 111.
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culture
photo upload
The Monthly Upload
Want to win £50? All you have to do is email your entry with the subject ‘upload’ to: upload@gallery.co.im Try to follow a time of the year theme, make the files nice and big though, about
2MB is a good size to aim for. We do try to print every photo following the guide but we can’t get them ALL on the page full size unfortunately - they just wouldn’t fit!
£50 r
winne
Stephen Clarke Holly Williamson
Holly Williamson
Luke Phair
Pauline Guest
Pauline Guest
Holly Williamson
Larissa McColgan
Holly Williamson
Larissa McColgan
Pauline Guest
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Isle of Man style magazine
culture
Glyn Harper
Janette Phair
Glyn Harper
Glyn Harper Scott Filbey
Glyn Harper Luke Phair
Larissa McColgan because quality matters
Scott Filbey
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culture
suddhajit sen
Film Reviews Men in Black 3 3D Showing now at The Broadway Cinema:
The Men in Black are back. Agent J (Will Smith) must take a trip into the past in order to save both the future and his taciturn partner Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) in the third instalment of the hit sci-fi comedy series.
Glen Maye
The Dark Knight Rises
Showing from Wed 4th July at The Palace Cinema:
It’s eight years after the fateful events of The Dark Knight, the death of D.A. Dent and Batman’s subsequent fall from grace. The arrival of a new thread; Bane, a sinister and powerful adversary, forces Batman out of retirement to confront a new threat to Gotham City.
The Amazing Spider-Man 3D Showing from Fri 20th July at the Palace Cinema: Marine Drive
Ballaglass
In ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’, Peter Parker’s past is revealed. Abandoned by his parents as a child, a young Peter (Andrew Garfield) discovers one mysterious briefcase that could explain his parents’ disappearance. His quest for the truth leads him to his father’s former partner, Dr. Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans) and his evil alter ego, The Lizard, who forges Parker’s destiny.
COMING SOON:
Directed by Timur Bekmambetov: Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter: The 16th President of the United States, discovers vampires are planning to take over. He makes it his mission to eliminate them.
Glen Mooar
Photography by Suddhajit Sen
David Cronenberg’s Cosmopolis: Riding across Manhattan in a stretch limo in order to get a haircut, a 28-year-old billionaire asset manager’s day devolves into an odyssey with a cast of characters that start to tear his world apart. With: Robert Pattinson, Juliette Binoche, Sarah Gadon, Mathieu Amalric.
Suddhajit Sen an Orthopaedic Surgeon by profession and Landscape photographer by passion, currently based in the Isle of Man. Most of his work is based on our lovely Island he calls home. He say: “this tiny little island is a gem among the British Isles with its spectacular coastline, beautiful valleys and charming woodlands. My favourite time is dusk and favourite element is the sea with a dramatic shoreline”. More at: www.suddhajitsen.com - www.flickr.com/suddhajit.
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Isle of Man style magazine
FASHION
YOUR ADVERTISING SHOULD GIVE A
POSITIVE REFLECTION OUR FASHION BANNER IS NOW AVAILABLE Quality brands need quality media placement. Our divider banners align you with a relevant Gallery section and offers a creative design opportunity. Call us on 249249 and ask about the fashion divider sponsorship
fashion
the thril of the purchase
The thrill of the purchase:
Shopping as a pick-me-up A recent survey I read says the majority of women buy clothes simply for the thrill associated with the purchase. Apparently ‘buying clothes is just a substitute for wanting a hug’. Three-quarters of British women admit to buying clothes just for the thrill of it, according to research from a shopping discount website. As no stranger to the emotional buzz of shopping, I found some of the findings made pretty uncomfortable reading.
Apparently, 16% of women “often” buy clothes for the excitement factor, while another 56% admit to “occasionally” splashing out to boost their wardrobe just because it makes them feel better. (Less than one in 10 men feel the same way, it seems). And it is definitely the purchase, not the wearing of the clothes, that is important: more than 40% of women admit to having up to five items of new clothing with labels still attached hanging in their wardrobe.
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I get this. On occasions when I have got both the time and a bit of money to spare, I absolutely love shopping. The excitement starts while getting ready to go out, builds as I scan each shop, and peaks when I find the “right item” to buy. The thrill is sharpest if a purchase is also a bargain: And, as I get older, the items I buy don’t necessarily have to be for me. I get massive vicarious pleasure out of buying clothes for my teenage daughter, and I even get a kick out of buying cut-price homewares from TK Maxx. I’ve found that age – dare I say maturity – also tempers the dangers of shopaholism. My purchases are less impulsive than in the past and, if I have no money I don’t go out – neither window shopping or buying on long-term credit cuts it for me. But age has definitely not diminished the lift I get from a successful shopping trip.
fit New Out g ? =Big Hu
In contrast to women, more than half the men surveyed said they never buy clothes to boost their mood, with just 9% getting a thrill out of sartorial purchases. So what is it about hitting the high street and finding the perfect purchase that gives me such a high? I’m very sceptical of the answer given by a psychologist who, when analysing the research, said: “Buying clothes is just a substitute for wanting a hug. Many women fear intimacy and buying a new dress is a way of making themselves feel great … Men on the other hand have much less interest in clothes, or even hugs come to that. They would definitely prefer no hugs, an old pair of jeans – but a new Lamborghini.” So, if our men offered us more cuddles at home and we women accepted their offers, retail sales on the high streets would plummet? I don’t think so.
So how do you approach shopping? Do you ever do it for the buzz or are you the type of person who hits the high street for practical reasons only?
Isle of Man style magazine
fashion
Brand news
L’Etrusco - new shop opens in the Peter Luis building Giacomo Falaschi, a fashionable Tuscan man, has an au fair knowledge of detail. Historically, jewellery designers originated as goldsmiths in the cultural Etruscan Civilization. From the Etruscans to the Romans to Renaissance Italy, Tuscany is possibly the greatest repository of art in the world, from extraordinary paintings and sculpture to frescoes and architectural masterpieces. Our own Etruscan paradise, L’Etrusco, has been molded with a graceful aesthetic. Walking down the stairs of Peter Luis, you turn left and your eyes reveal a couture bijou, occupied by a passionate Tuscan and his exquisite collection of debonair jewellery, encased in handsome hardwood boxes. Each ornament varies from the classic to the artistic, chic to the
popular, and is entirely individual. There’s no place on the Island to endow women (or men) with such finery at so moderate a price. Owner of L’Etrusco and jewellery designer, Giacomo, said: “I started this because I love my individual things, my cufflinks and my detail. I was never able to find the right one and I wasn’t happy. Everybody can buy the same thing. So, I started to make the cufflinks, I can choose whatever I want, any stone and any style. From there, people started to say: “Oh, you have those, do you have a bracelet and a necklace?” I stated exhibiting my pieces at Eden Park and everyone wanted to know if I had a place to sell them. So, here I am with my own studio at Peter Luis.” The more you come to know Giacomo and his extensive knowledge of each piece, the more extraordinary L’Etrusco appears. Enjoy your visit before Giacomo’s summer buying trip to Milan!
Local Shop flooded during recent torrential rain The Beyond Brooke Boutique in Laxey was recently flooded. Thankfully, “All is OK,” says Owner Jan Hewitt in a recent e-mail to us. Hi Gallery, Last Saturday I opened up my gorgeous boutique to find big, deep puddles all over the floor. The heavy rain had caused a flood in the car park behind the shop, which came through the wall and spread all over the floor. Luckily none of my stock was damaged but it soon became clear that Beyond Brooke needed a new ‘home’. We have spent the whole week relocating to the shop, next to Laxey Co-Op. It is not as beautiful as our last location. However, parking is much easier! We have the same mix of gorgeous dresses and pretty accessories and hope you will continue to support us in our new location. As always, we look forward to welcoming you. Warmest regards, Jan x
because quality matters
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BEAUTY
SEA, SAND AND SUN
SEA, SAND >> HERE’S OUR GUIDE TO
Whether you’re jetting off to sunnier shores or simply heading down to Cobo slipping on some sunscreen should be part of your pre-beach ritual. The bad news is that over exposure to the sun can lead to skin cancers and will most definitely cause premature ageing of the skin. The good news is that there are so many sunscreens to ch oose from, you’re bound to find one that you’ll love.
nurture daily face protector SPF30
This Works Perfect Skin Defence SPF30
Piz Buin Allergy SPF30
This moisturising but non-greasy sunscreen has been formulated to slow down the signs of ageing and works well under make-up or alone.
With a subtle tint, this sun protector is a great one-step facial product for natural summer beauties. It contains zinc oxide and titanium dioxide for broad-spectrum cover.
Worth trying if you suffer from prickly heat as this has been formulated with a special ingredient to help skin’s defences against the sun.
[www.nurtureskincare.co.uk £7.45]
[Paisirs £30.00]
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Choosing the right sun protection factor or SPF is the most important step. Dermatologists agree that it isn’t advisaxble to use anything below an SPF15 but don’t be lulled into a sense of false security by the high sun protection numbers. A SPF50 only gives you marginally more protection than an SPF30 and whatever product you buy the crucial factor is how you apply it and how much. Nurture skincare’s cosmetic nurse, Julie Brackenbury explains: ‘An SPF 15 product blocks about 94% of UVB rays, an SPF 30 product blocks 97% of UVB rays, and an SPF 45 product blocks about 98% of rays. Don’t be confused by the
[Boots £6.99]
Soltan Sensitive Hypoallergenic Suncare Spray SPF30 Clinically proven to help prevent sun sensitivity and the spray format makes it fast to apply it is and easily absorbed. [Boots £5.99]
Isle of Man style magazine
SEA, SAND AND SUN
BEAUTY
AND SUN. STAYING SAFE IN THE SUN.
numbers, I tell my clients that applying plenty of product and reapplying it frequently are key to staying safe in the sun.’ Sunscreen must be applied 20 minutes before going out in the sun, this is especially important here as the typical Brit will burn in about 20 minutes of exposure in the midday summertime sun. Applying the right amount also has a huge impact on how effective it will be at protecting your skin. ‘Use a 50 pence piece amount of sunscreen per area of your body. One area being each leg, each arm, chest and neck, tummy, back and face. Don’t forget your extremities such as feet or ears,’ explains Julie. Men
Nivea Sun Protect & Bronze SPF30 Great for anyone wanting to pick up a little tan whilst protecting their skin. This lotion contains a special plant extract that supports the skin’s production of melanin. [Boots £7.49]
Clinique Targeted Protection Sun Stick SPF35 Slip one of these handy sun sticks in your holiday bag and you’ll have an easy way to slick on extra protection just where it’s needed. [Creaseys £16.00]
who are ‘folically challenged’ should always remember to apply plenty of sunscreen to their head, a spray is good and works well over thinning hair or, even better, wear a hat. Julie Brackenbury also recommends reapplying sun screen frequently: ‘Don’t think the sunscreen ritual is a one-off event, keep reapplying it every two hours and always after you’ve had a dip in the pool or sea.’ Whether your holiday plans involve sunning yourself on exotic shores, basking in the Bahamas or just catching the waves at Vazon.
Garnier Ambre Solaire Clear Protect+ Spray SPF50 If you want to buy one sunscreen for the whole family this ultralight spray rubs in fast and is water-resistant, but you’ll still need to reapply after each dip in the swimming pool.
Nivea Sun Children’s Colour Sun Spray SPF50 Getting sun cream onto children can be challenging, but kids love this green spray that rubs in leaving no residue. [Boots £6.29]
[Boots £7.49]
BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS
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T O
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Photographer: Peter Kwiecinski (www.dollsfactory.net) Model: Martyna Sygula Clothing: RIVER ISLAND Location: Sulby Glen & Dog Mills Beach, Ramsey
RIVER ISLAND Dress: Sunshop £32.00 Bangles: £12.00 Shoes:Shoes: Name £ Wedges £50.00
Shoes: £65.00
Dress: Name £
Flip FLops: NameDenim £ Jacket: £30.00 Earings: Name £ Top: £38.00
Sunglasses: Name Shorts: £ £20.00
Shoes: £45.00
Bikini Top: £16.00 Skirt: £40.00 Shoes: £65.00
Bikini Top: £16.00 Bikini Bottom: £10.00 Sunglasses: £15.00 Sandals: Now £20.00
fashion
Ask the Expert
Ask the Expert RIVER ISLAND
A pair of shoes can brighten any outfit, and these purple flower detailed heels from our Milly range are priced at £65. A sparkle heel and flower embellishment gives them a fantastic summer look.
Floral patterns are brilliant for brightening up your wardrobe. This pretty bow detail dress is priced at £60. With a netted underskirt and bold print, it is both feminine and flattering. Wear with a pair of pretty pumps to a garden party or bright heels for a night out.
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Pastel shades are perfect for the summer and compliment any outfit. This weave effect satchel is priced at £37 and can be paired with a straw hat for the beach, or a pair of shiny jeans for shopping.
For the men, a pair of denim shorts, priced £28 from our Sandbanks range can be paired with a printed T-shirt at £16, available in many different colours. Wear with a pair of espadrilles for a casual summery look.
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some liek it hot
Some Like It Hot Words | Ann-Marie Mccarthy
M
y enduring memory of India is the unbearable heat, I found myself sweating just from standing still. The temperature is searing and comes with a humidity you can taste, its spirituality is intense and the food is spicy to the point of illness. With gap years becoming increasingly common India is a popular destination, it offers mind-blowing scenery and the chance to experience a totally alien culture. However, this culture can offer as much of a shock as the weather.
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My experience of India is a mixed one, some of which I expected, some I did not. India is an assault on the senses; it is vibrant and colourful, leafy greens clash with brick reds ensuring that the eyes are always entertained. The constant chatter of people and the beeping horns means that there is never a moment of silence, and the smell - well there is nothing quite like it - an exquisite mix of spice and raw sewerage. For a na誰ve British girl one of the most striking things about India is the driving, health and safety is not a concept which exists in Indian culture. Indian driving seems to adhere to a set of unwritten rules, which are as follows: 1) You should make every effort to ensure that there is no space between you and the car in front of you. 2) You must honk at whatever you see, moving or not. 3) And, wherever possible, ensure that a two lane motorway is at least 3 cars, one bike and a cow deep.
So, when passing through a main road one day it came as no surprise to discover an abandoned bus toppled over with the contents of its baggage rack scattered across the road. Fortunately, there were no casualties. I knew India was renowned for is its spicy food and that the majority of tourists experience their fair share of Delhi-belly. However, this friendly euphemism did not prepare me for the reaction of my digestive system to the local cuisine. Despite following travel guidelines I still spent a large chunk of my trip confined to the bathroom. Travelling on a budget I had opted for a fan rather than air-conditioned comfort. The fan, at best, ebbed out only a gentle breeze. When, one late afternoon, in the height of my illness, the electricity in the hostel in which I was staying cut out, I experienced a heat rival only to hell.
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It is said that, as a county, India has the biggest gap between rich and poor; its poverty is the most severe Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen, and its wealth the most lavish. When it comes to Indian tourism it becomes a money-centric Industry. Tourists offer the poverty-stricken a way to make a quick buck, and the wealthy entrepreneurs of the industry the opportunity to maintain the lifestyle they have become accustomed to and are terrified of losing. There is a relentless demand for money which drains both patience and cash. I was disappointed to discover that the play on poverty can become a way to extract more cash from unsuspecting tourists. When it came to navigating the Indian tourist industry I most definitely had my fingers burnt.
India is a place of extremes, its cities, such as Delhi and Mumbai, are unhygienic; dirt roads are compounded with cow faeces and strewn with rubbish, yet the countryside is breathtakingly pure. Its land-mass encompasses the fertile fields of Kashmir, the desserts of Jaisalmer and the Himalaya mountain range. The Himalayas seems to be perfectly carved from the landscape. The starkness of the white snow-topped peaks contrast sharply with the black rock, and are nestled in between peaks heavy with lush green forests.
While I did visit Pushkar and was lucky enough to experience the religious festival of Krishna I cannot say this was the most spiritual aspect of Indian culture. It was the serenity of the Himalaya which offered the most peace. I found the experience of camping with Sherpas and visiting the indigenous mountain people, who were generous, warm and welcoming, more moving than the blessing I received from the Hindu priests at Pushkar.
While the cities are an experience in bustling commerce it is the simplicity of the mountain and dessert people which provide the opportunity for discovery and understanding.
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o?”
h Rome g u o th t r a e r fo e r e wh “ Romeo, Romeo, Words | Rachel Green
Shakespeare’s greatest lovers we are not, but when my partner and I decide to get married last year, a quick glance at the cost of an average wedding and we had to ask: should we elope? Nothing evokes a runaway marriage as much as a paradise island and whilst jumping out of a plane declaring undying love is pretty admirable, it is just not our thing. So, which white sand getaway then? Undoubtedly a terrible decision to have to make, but we got to it. Some research discovered a military coup which put paid to the Maldives and after (probably unfounded)
concerns about hurricanes around the Caribbean, we decided on Mauritius. Thankfully, a very efficient travel agent sorted all of the documentation and so armed with a few flip-flops and our birth certificates we set off on a twenty four hour journey via Dubai to the jewel of the Indian Ocean. Mauritius is seven hundred miles east of Madagascar and covers an area of seven hundred and twenty square miles. Having a rich supply of natural resources, it was successfully colonised by the Dutch, French and British, finally gaining independence in 1968.
The lush vegetation proves fertile ground for an astounding array of flora, fauna and wildlife and the dramatic tropical forests in which they live make it more that just a beach destination. Historic sights and geographic variation ensures there is something for everyone there.
s u i t i r u a M w o l l e M
sts a Mauritius boa d of delicious blen es and diverse cultur find l ’l u o Y . s n o i g i rel nese, i h C , es l o e r C , s Hindu ropeans u E d n a m i l s Mu de in i s y b e d i s g n i all liv ity. complete seren
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Being in the tropics, you can pretty much head over anytime of year and according to locals, there is minimal variation in rainfall nowadays. Coastal temperatures range between 25°C and 33°C in summer and between 18°C and 24°C in winter, the only difference is the humidity. May to November tend to be cooler and drier months, whilst December to April can be hot and muggy. As our wedding was in March, the main area of concern was whether my husband to be was going to pass out in his wedding suit or not. Mauritius boasts a delicious blend of diverse cultures and religions and you find Hindus, Creoles, Chinese, Muslim and Europeans all living side by side in complete serenity. There is a very palpable sense of
harmony and cohesion there which gives the place its peace. And as we trundled along in our airport taxi, Ram the friendly taxi driver who gladly doubled as a tour guide, pointed out church next to mosque next to temple. I felt glad to be having our nuptials in a place so tranquil. There is something undeniably romantic about Mauritius. Maybe it’s the turquoise crystal clear waters which lap gently at the pure white beaches, or the rousing beat of the Sega music. Whatever it is, it is a special place.
And the highlight? Marrying the love of my life on a secluded beach? No – meeting Harry the ninety two year old giant tortoise.
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APPETITE
appetite
Recipe I Chef Pepper - BEST WESTERN Palace Hotel & Casino, Central Promenade, Douglas. www.palacehotel.co.im
Mediterranean field mushrooms with caramelised vegetables and molten goat’s cheese Serves 4
Ingredients
4 large field mushrooms 1 capsicum
1 courgette
1 red onion
1 large parsnip 4 tomatoes
4 slices of goat’s cheese 1 aubergine
Balsamic glaze
1 clove of garlic
Mixed chopped fresh herbs Oil
125 gms butter
Micro herbs for garnishing Method
1. Gently fry the field mushrooms until tender.
2. Season and fill with goat’s cheese, place on a tray in the oven at 180 degrees until the cheese is melted.
3. Chop all the vegetables to Brunoise and caramelise them in a frying pan with oil, butter, garlic, the herbs and Balsamic glaze. 4. Cover each mushroom with the vegetable mixture and garnish with your choice of micro herbs.
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A L a C art e R e sta u ra n t
New A la Carte Menu coming soon
Open 7 days from 6pm - 10pm To make your reservation call
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appetite appetite
I’m on Fire!
Always one to go against the grain, Rachel Green takes a look at the world’s finest curries. Who said you can’t snaffle spicy food in summer anyway?
Let’s take a look at the Three Wise Kings of Curry… First up, for those of a nervous disposition it’s Korma. Originating in South Asia, this dish is usually made from yogurt and cream, nut and seed pastes and coconut milk. It’s a walk in the park.
Classic Chicken Korma
Ingredients (Serves 4) 1.kg Chicken breast or mini breast fillets h ginger 1 heaped tablespoon of finely grated fres 3 cloves of garlic, minced 150g thick (plain) yogurt Best eaten when? On a 1 dried red chil i first date. 2 finely chopped onions 1 tbsp ghee or veg. oil 1 tbsp ground coriander Pinch of ground black pepper 1 tsp turmeric 1 tsp garam masala water 75g creamed coconut salt, to taste 2 heaped tbsps ground almonds nish finely chopped Coriander Leaves, to gar juice of 1/2 lemon
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Beef Madras
Ok, you’re feelin g brave and want to up the ante…. so, here’s a Mad ras. This typically reddish curry originates from the Madras region of South East India and gets its kick from red chillies and tum eric.
Ingredients (Serves 4) 2 tablespoons ground coriander 1 tablespoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon turmeric 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black 1 teaspoon chil i powder (optional) pepper 2 garlic cloves, crushed 2 teaspoons grated ginger 2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons olive oil Best eaten? ou want to 1kg chuck of steak, cut into 2.5cm cub On a third date when y es 2 tablespoons tomato paste show off slightly. 1 cup beef stock steamed basmati rice and mint leave s to serve Method 1. Combine coriander, cumin, turme ric bowl to form a paste. Set aside. , pepper, chil i, garlic, ginger and lemon juice in a 2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large sa stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until ucepan over high heat. Add half the beef. Cook, browned. Transfer to a bowl. Repeat oil and beef. with remaining 3. Reduce heat to medium. Add sp ice pas Cook, stirring, for 1 minute, or until me te. Cook for 1 minute. Return beef to saucepan. stock. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat at is coated with paste. Add tomato paste and to low. Cover. Cook for 1 hour 15 min beef is tender. utes, or until 4. Remove lid. Cook, uncovered, for a fur thickened slightly. Serve with rice. ther 15 minutes, or until sauce has reduced and Top with mint leaves.
Method ed chunks 1. Cut the chicken breasts into bite siz lic and yogurt. 2. Mix the chicken with the ginger, garin the fridge overnight. Cover and marinade for 12 hours or smooth. add a little water if you need to. Blend til 3. Liquidise the onions and red chil ies, 4. Heat the ghee/oil in a pan. eric and garam masala and 5. Add the coriander, black pepper, turm heat. stir fry for about 1-minute over a low l i paste and stir fry for 10-minutes. 6. Turn up the heat, add the onion and chi continue to stir fry for another 10 minutes. 7. Add the chicken and the marinade and ng water to *just* cover the chicken and bri 8. Add the creamed coconut and enoughs dissolved. Stir in the ground almonds. to the boil, stirring until the coconut i minutes). mer until the chicken is tender (30-40 m si and pan the er cov w, o l to t hea e duc 9. Re salt to taste. Mix well. 10. Remove from heat, add lemon juice and stick and saffron, drain and serve. Yum! Boil some basmati rice with a cinnamon
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appetite appetite
Lamb Vindaloo
Ingredients (Serves 4) 1 kg/3lb boneless lamb shoulder, cut into roughly 4cm/1¾in chunks 100ml/3½fl oz red wine vinegar 2 tbsp sunflower oil 2 tsp sea salt flakes 500g/1lb 2oz potatoes, peeled and cut i nto roughly 2.5cm/1in pieces For the sauce p 125ml/4½fl oz sunflower oil it’s a toss u n e h W ? n 4 onions, 3 finely sliced and 1 chopped Best eate d an arm wrestle at an 6 garlic cloves, roughly chopped etween this aturday night. b 3 long red chil ies (do not deseed), roughl 4am on a S 25g/1oz fresh root ginger, peeled, roughly chopped y chopped 1 tbsp English mustard powder 1 tbsp ground cumin 1 tbsp ground coriander 1 tbsp ground paprika 2 tsp ground turmeric 2 tsp cayenne pepper Top Ten Curry Tips 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1. Don’t put your finger in your 2 tsp sea salt flakes eye after chopping chillies. 2 bay leaves 2. Ensure you understand Method metric conversions. 3. Beware of the “heavy hand” whilst 1. Trim the lamb, discarding any hard s of fat and sinew. Mix the vinega sprinkling spices. bowl. Add the lamb and coat in the malurimp nade. Cover and chil in the fridge for twor, veghouetable oil and salt in rs. 2. Pre heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. 4. Don’t feel ashamed ordering a korma - you’re not a “wus” honestly.3. For the sau ce, heat three tablespoons of oil in a frying pan and cook the onions very gently over medium-low heat for 15 minutes until sof 5. Only suggest a curry ten ed and l i g htl y browned, stirring occasionally. a challenge if you’re with 4. While they are cooking, put the remai ning onion, garlic, chil ies, ginger, musta your gran. coriander, paprika, turmeric, cayenne pep rd powder, cumin, per 6. Feel free to drink from 5. Stir the purée into the fried onions. Add and cinnamon in a food processor and blend. two tbsps of oil and cook until thickened. Rem a yogurt pot during and place into a casserole dish. ove from the pan a vindaloo. 6. Drain the lamb and reserve the mari nade. Fry it in four or five batches over a me 7. Whilst eating vindaloo, lightly browned. Add lamb to the casser dium-high heat until ole. don’t pretend you’re 7. Pou r the reserved marinade and 50 alright when you’re not. and simmer. Cover with a piece of gre0masel water into the casserole dish. Add the salt and bay leaves proof paper, then put on a lid. Cook in the ove 8. Men – keep a packet of n for 45 minutes. 8. Rem ove and sti r pota to chunks in, re-cover with the greaseproof pap handkerchiefs with you er and lid and cook for an hour or until the lamb and potatoes are tender. Se please. Your sleeve is ason with salt. 9. Serve with spoonfuls of yogurt, chopped not a tissue. coriander and rice or warmed naan bread. 9. Don’t regale So, now you’re feeling like a Titan and want to “push the envelope”, as they say. Vindaloo is the only dish for those with mettle. The finer details of its origin are irrelevant - the only thing that matters is what’s in it…
“morning after” curry stories in front of ladies. 10. Learn from your mistakes!
because quality matters because quality matters
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appetite
Recipe I Chef Allan Durairaj - Portofino Restaurant, Quay West, Douglas, Isle of Man www.portofino.im
Pan seared Manx scallops accompanied by roasted Mediterranean vegetables simply garnished with tarragon oil and a half lemon Serves 4
Ingredients 50g tarragon
250 ml olive oil (extra virgin) 2 courgettes 1 aubergine
16 cherry tomatoes 100 ml garlic oil 2 tsp turmeric
400g fresh scallops (or 12 large) 100 ml white wine 500g butter 2 lemons
1 small punnet petit herbs (optional)
METHOD First the tarragon oil
1. Pick and Blanche in boiling water for 10 seconds 2. Strain and cool tarragon straight into ice water
3. Dry off tarragon on kitchen towel and place into food processor 4. Blend adding olive oil 50ml at a time 5. Salt and pepper to taste
Second the roasted vegetables
1. Wash all of the vegetables before preparation
2. Slice the courgettes into three crossways and then diagonally across each third
3. Toss in mixing bowl with turmeric and 50ml garlic oil 4. Place on oiled tray ready for roasting
5. Slice aubergine into 12 slices crossways, toss with rest of garlic oil and add to tray with courgettes add salt and pepper to taste 6. Place in a hot oven 220 c for 10-12 minutes Last for the scallops and garnish
1. Before cooking the scallops they must be checked For freshness, soil and grit and dry on some kitchen roll to be safe
3. Drizzle olive oil over scallops and season
4. In a hot pan sear the scallops, when they are turned make sure they are golden brown, add cherry tomatoes, then the wine and butter. Keep cooking for 2 minutes and serve 5. Garnish with half a lemon and petit herbs
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Specialising in Mediterranean and International Cuisine â&#x20AC;˘ Luxury seating for 65 people â&#x20AC;˘ Private function/ dining room available for upto 25 people Email portofino@qualityservice.com or call 01624 617755 to make a reservation
Quay West, Douglas, Isle of Man
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appetite
Wine for a hot day A glass of chilled Rosé on a hot summers day! Little can beat it! Words | Anne Berry | The Wine Cellar
You can be forgiven for having once thought that all Rosé wines were sweet and not very interesting. For a long time the only ones widely available in Britain were Anjou Rosé, the Loire Valley’s medium sweet wine, and Mateus Rosé, of which, let’s face it, many a bottle was bought purely to turn into a table decoration afterwards! Nowadays, there are numerous styles of Rosé on the market, still and sparkling, and many are serious wines to drink with food as an alternative to red or white. Sales of Rosé have increased dramatically and winemakers in all countries want to get into a growing market. One of the finest pink Champagnes is Billecart Salmon Brut Rosé Champagne. If you have reason to celebrate or just fancy treating yourself this is the Champagne to go for. Often voted top in blind tastings, it is dry and elegant with a clean summer fruit character on the palate…. Delicious! (£58.95 A sparkling alternative with a lower price tag is Codorniu Anna Rosado at £10.75. This is a Cava made using Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes, the same as in the Champagne region. It makes a great aperitif as it
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has enough strawberry fruit flavours to be enjoyed on its own and, being dry and not too intensely fruity, it also works well with food. Southern France is an area where a lot of Rosé is consumed. Sitting on the terrace of a restaurant with some fresh fish for lunch, overlooking the Med in 30°C heat, a big spicy red probably would not appeal, but the Rosés are produced from the same grapes and have similar flavours without the tannins. The wines are pale in colour and the style is dry with a lightly peppery, spicy character. The Côtes du Rhône Les Cerisiers is well worth a try and at £7.95 it offers tremendous value for money. The Spanish are also big producers and consumers of Rosé. Often produced from the Garnacha (Grenache) grape, which the Spanish claim as one of their indigenous varieties. The wines are dry and well suited to local dishes, such as paella and chorizo. The Garnacha grape gives great structure and a lively spicy peppery finish. One of the best is Muga Rosado from the Rioja region (£9.45).
Veritiere Rosato (£8.45) from Verona is a delightful drink, light and full of the flavours of summer fruits. If you were to close your eyes while sipping this, it would be very easy to imagine yourself in St Marks Square in Venice watching the world and the gondolas go by! In the southern hemisphere countries, the style of Rosé produced is generally heavier with a deeper colour. The winemakers prefer to use popular varieties such as Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon to produce wines that are full of fruit. Caliterra Shiraz Rosé is deliciously fruity with blackberry and blackcurrant fruit character and makes a great barbecue wine at £8.55 per bottle. So next time you are offered a glass of Rosé, don’t turn it down! Give it a go, you could well be very pleasantly surprised!
Northern Italy produces refreshing fruity Rosés that are light and easy to drink.
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Isle of Man | Home & Interiors | July | 2012
The best place to find a new place in the Isle of Man
FEATURING
SE VENDE: Is it time to buy a home on Spain’s ‘Costa Catastrophe’? FEATURE PROPERTIES: Home owners, feature your property in Places TALBOT & SON: A Blindin family business The Isle of Man Luxiflex dealer IT’S DIY SEASON: Love it or hate it? What sort of DIYer are you?
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“ housing for all,
at yesterday’s prices
”
Se Vende
Is it time to buy a holiday home on Spain’s ‘Costa Catastrophe’? Spain’s struggling banks are setting up English-language websites to sell off their property backlog. But beware: the market may still be falling. In 2006, Fuengirola was typical of Spain’s housebuilding boom; today there are properties where vendors have slashed the asking price by €1m. It has been dubbed the “Costa Catastrophe”. Hundreds of thousands of unsold new homes litter Spain’s coastal provinces – and now the banks are finally pulling the plug on developers and selling off their stock for whatever they can get. All the major Spanish banks have opened real estate websites (each translated into English to appeal to British buyers) to offload the new and repossessed homes on their books, promising discounts of as much as 60% off asking prices. But many experts think that prices in Spain still have further to fall and that asking prices remain a long way from reality.
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Santander’s Spanish property website, Altamira, promises “housing for all, at yesterday’s prices”. It talks of “retro prices” of less than €50,000 (£40,400), and after just a brief search we found a fourbedroom, two-bathroom apartment in Valencia for €18,000. Mind you, it was hardly holiday home material. Interestingly many properties are new-builds, where the developer has got into difficulty and left the bank with scores of flats. For example, in Estepona on the Costa del Sol, a bank is trying to sell 16 flats in a development with a swimming pool 15 minutes’ walk from the beach, Prices for the two- and three-bed flats start at €85,456, but, tellingingly, none has yet sold. At the peak of the boom, similar properties were going for twice that price. Servihabitat, the site for properties owned by La Caixa bank, tells buyers “you set the price … we’ll give you an answer in 24 hours”. If reports from property agents in Spain are true, buyers should put in silly offers and see if the bank bites.Bankia, a collection of seven failed
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places
Beach hut property near Bournemouth sells for £170,000
Possibly the most expensive beach hut ever sold in the UK A 5.6 by 3.2 metre timber cabin on the south coast of England may have become the UK’s most expensive beach hut after fetching £170,000 after just two days on the market.
banks which recently sought a €19bn government bailout, sells its repossessed properties through BankiaHabitat. Currently it is running an “andando a la playa” (walk to the beach) promotion offering hundreds of beachside flats and apartments starting at €39,050. At the height of the boom in 2006, Spain built more than 760,000 homes, five times the level of housebuilding in the UK. Housing starts have since collapsed by 90% and the struggling banks can no longer “extend and pretend” the unpaid interest on the colossal loans advanced to developers.
The hut on the Mudeford Sand Spit near Bournemouth was rebuilt 10 years ago and boasts a fully fitted kitchen and sleeping accommodation, which the new owners can use for overnight stays at any time between March and October. There is running water and there are solar panels for lighting, however, there is no toilet - anyone caught short will have to make their way to a residents’ block nearby. The price, which is nearly £10,000 more than the average house price across the UK, according to the latest Halifax index, and comes with a £2,500 a year ground rent, has been driven up by the fetching decor and facilities, but its position on the picturesque sandspit is the key factor.
The banks know that as they bring the property to market, prices will fall even further, so many offer 95% or even 100% loans at low interest rates so long as the buyer is willing to pay the original, inflated price. It’s a gambit few believe will find many takers. Official statistics mask the scale of price falls. The Bank of Spain says prices are 25%-30% below their peak, but estate agents say falls of 40%-50% are common in some areas.
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HOME
March 2012
October 2012
Brookville a home in the heart of nature Who says getting in touch with nature means you have to roll around in muddy fields or camp out in tiny tents? No, how about immersing yourself in true modern comfort, surrounded by uninterrupted rural and coastal views – which we’d argue are two of the things the Isle of Man does best! Brookville in Ballabeg is a £1.4m unique country residence from around 1890, and is south facing to catch every month of sunshine you can. A large modern family dining kitchen are perfect for putting your locally sourced produce to good use, and spacious traditional and family sitting rooms are the ideal way to spend time as a family, or just to enjoy some peace.
£1.695 million
F
airwinds is a unique, architect designed, split level house set in an elevated position providing stunning panoramic views over Port Mooar beach, Maughold Head and out to sea. This wonderful house is ideal for entertaining family and friends and has been designed to embrace family life whilst the positioning of the large, airy rooms also afford privacy. The living space is light and spacious - large open plan picture windows and patio doors open onto the extensive sun terrace overlooking one of the Islands most beautiful coastlines. The house has 4 double bedrooms, 2 of which have en-suite facilities with the addition of a dressing room in the Master Suite.
Outside the main building you’ll also find a triple garage and sizeable garden area, all set in approximately 5 acres of land. And of course, being surrounded by nature, you’ll surely find use for the summer house, timber shed, guest cottage and pony stable!
Enjoy the delights of the 36' ft heated swimming pool and relaxation area incorporating a Jacuzzi and solarium positioned to enjoy the stunning views whilst relaxing.
A great entertaining room on the lower level can also double up as a games room for teenagers and adults alike. In addition to the integral double garage a large driveway gives parking for up to ten vehicles. This spectacular house is set in 1.4 acres of landscaped gardens with both decked and paved terraces all with outstanding views. A private pathway gives direct access to the secluded Port Mooar beach, ideal for summer picnics. This wonderful property is on the market with Manxmove estate agents for £1.695 million, Please call Ian Lloyd or Graham Wilson on 01624 61 99 66 or email info@manxmove.co.im Website address: www.manxmove.co.im
Location Heading south out of Ramsey on the A2 take the left turn onto the A15 signposted to Maughold. Continue into Maughold Village, bear right, continue past the turn to Port Mooar beach and the entrance to Booilushag can be found a little further beyond on the left. Turn left into the development then left again and the property is to be found at the very end of the road.
In short, this long established, beautifully appointed rural dwelling is the perfect way to enjoy the stunning surroundings of the Isle of Man in comfort, style and luxury. And with views like these, you’d never have to go anywhere else... For more details call 845252 or visit Harmony Homes Website. www.harmonyhomes.co.im
An en-suite master bedroom is accompanied by three more double bedrooms and a study-come-single bedroom...as well as more rooms in the attic, mean you’ll not struggle for sleeping berths in this dwelling.
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ISLE OF MAN STYLE MAGAZINE
PLACES
HOME
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PROPERTY PROFILE
December 2011
r Septembe 2011
Rock Cottage W
ith the sea just the walk of a plank away, Rock Cottage is the perfect hideaway from the pitching waters of everyday life. This newly constructed annex to an existing property is built to an exacting specification, and is now available to those seeking a seaside retreat. The use of space is maximized through meticulous design, and the created ambience is complimented by the stunning sea views; so the lucky pirate who snares this enclave for themselves will never feel far from their beloved sea. The accommodation also has the potential of being a superb lock it up and leave purchase. A true lifestyle purchase for your pieces of eight, me hearties. The flexible accommodation arranged over 3 floors comprises Lounge/Bedroom 4, Shower Room and Kitchen on the Ground Floor (this floor could also be used as a self contained living area if desired), Bedroom 1 with En Suite Shower Room, Lounge, Dining Kitchen and Utility on the First Floor, 2 further Bedrooms, Shower/wet Room and Bathroom on the Second Floor. Large decked rear patio. Integral Garage. Driveway parking for 2 cars.
Formal lounge with panoramic retracting floor-to-ceiling windows throughout, and an outside
balcony area complete with an array of loungers and exterior chairs & tables.
The Cinema lounge – The best of entertainment for all friends and family to enjoy; purpose-made and quite possibly the finest the Island has to offer.
Kitchen & Dining area fully fitted with the latest equipment, leading out through retracting doors to a large decked entertainment area, complete with an array of exterior furniture.
MODENA VIEW DREEMSKERRY MAUGHOLD
Every Pirate needs a break from sailing the seven seas now and again, and for this months nautical theme we found the perfect retreat down by the harbor in Port St Mary.
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BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS
‘Modena View’ is an exceptional new property in one of the Island’s premier beauty spots. Boasting unparalleled 180 degree views over Maughold Head and out to sea, the property enjoys 3 ½ acres of unspoilt countryside and has been built to an exacting standard.
Location Traveling through Port St Mary along Bay View Road, turn right into the one-way system along Park Road, and take second left into Queens Road. Take the first turning on the left, then left again and bear right to the lower harbour. Continue along The Underway and Rock Cottage is located on the left hand side to the far end just before a large turning area for cars. By sea me hearties its approximately 70 nautical miles from the UK.
6000 square foot internal space is perfect for everything from the large living room through to a superb Apartment/Studio with sunken bedroom accessed through a dedicated entrance. And what would all that beautiful space be without a fully furnished collection of the highest standard? Three large garages with an upper-roof decked area is available, ideal for entertainment or relaxation; and of course a large parking area for guests. As you would expect, ‘Modena View’ is not only fully secured with an electric-gated entrance and private drive, but also the latest in alarm technology; providing peace of mind when your home or away.
Ready for immediate occupation for the discerning purchaser. Price £2,195,000
Tel: 01624 645555 info@blackgracecowley.com
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Two master bedroom suites, both with floor to ceiling sliding windows/doors. Each suite has an adjoining marble bathroom including spa and separate dressing rooms. Tel: 07624 481254 www.modenlifestyles.com info@modenalifestyles.com
ISLE OF MAN STYLE MAGAZINE
The lower Master Suite features an outside balcony together with private outdoor hot tub and the upper suite features a Juliet balcony to enjoy those magnificent views.
Gym & Sauna – Fully equipped with a Livestrong range including treadmill, bike, weight bench and separate sauna. Not enough? How about 4 more bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 3 half bathrooms and a wine store/store room.
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BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS
PLACES
PLACES
DANDARA PROPERTY REVIEW
r Octobe 2012
Places is a new section in gallery magazine, dedicated to homeowners looking to sell or buy a property on the Isle of Man and beyond.
The Penthouse Suite A showcase of the very highest standards of quality, the penthouse features fully marbled bathrooms, under-floor heating, a luxurious kitchen with integrated Miele appliances and most impressive of all a state of the art whole apartment lighting and audio control system from ‘Le Grand’.
No 86 Quay West Douglas We all know that to aspire is to look up, wide eyed, and if walking by Douglas harbour what you see doesn’t get much better than Heritage Homes’ Quay West Penthouse Suite.
THE LITTLE THINGS
Carefully and successfully dancing the fine line between opulence and style, this £1,995m duplex penthouse strikes a happy medium between home comfort and staggering wow-factor appeal. "No. 86 is the latest addition to our Premier Collection range of properties and sets new standard in luxury apartment living. From the second you walk through the front door, the penthouse is a testament to the very best in architectural and interior design.” Lin White, Heritage Homes’ Associate Director of Sales isn’t wrong! With a sweeping hall that leads to a grand, open living space. A selection of interiors and furnishings by award-winning design practices Carter Tybergheign and J.E. Freeman Showhome Interiors accentuate the style and quality of the generously sized rooms.
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www.premierproperty.im +44 (0)1624 615000 iomsales@dandara.com
Private Balcony for Guest Bedrooms A special touch is that there is an adjoining balcony just for the guest bedrooms, also overlooking Douglas Marina.
Arranged over two floors, the three-bedroom penthouse provides almost 3,000 sq.ft. of sumptuous living space, whilst the two spacious roof terraces offer unrivalled views over North Quay marina and provide additional areas for entertaining and relaxing. The views of the marina show off Douglas at its busiest best, and the integrated audio-visual unit in the living area is beautifully deployed.
Le Grand Lighting & Audio System This is the height of environment control, allowing the homeowner to open the curtains or tune in the radio for any room at the touch of a button. Moreover, one can program a series of settings to one button. Having a romantic meal? Dim the lights, draw the curtains and play a soft playlist from one button. Guests round for a few drinks? Raise the mood lighting, brighten the music and open the curtains onto that stunning view!
"This sophisticated city retreat has been designed for those who appreciate attention to detail and perhaps live busy lives in the fast lane of the 21st Century, which is why we are offering it for sale fully-furnished and ready to move straight into".
ISLE OF MAN STYLE MAGAZINE
BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS
Home owners get your property featured E-mail places@gallery.co.im Tel: 249249 Magazine archive: www.issuu.com/galleryisleofman
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A clean sweep of medals for these three great deals on our best selling fully cassetted Base Plus, Base Lite and Milano awnings. Add the luxury of a remote controlled Luxaflex® awning and sensors that automatically retract your awning in high winds and open it in the sun. Transforming your patio into an ‘outdoor room’ that can be used all year long.
Ask your dealer for more information on these fantastic deals.
Package Includes: Package Includes: Package Includes: • Motor • Telis 1 RTS remote control handset
• Motor • Telis 1 RTS remote control handset • Eolis 3D Wirefree sensor
• Motor • Telis 1 RTS Patio • Eolis 3D Wirefree sensor • Sunis Wirefree RTS sensor
Luxaflex® are leaders in the design and manufacture of innovative window coverings. Designed by Luxaflex®. Inspired by you. Talbot & Son, 61/62 Derby Square, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 3LP Tel: (01624) 629940 Fax: (01624) 662287 Email: sales@talbotblinds.com Web: talbotandsonblinds.co.uk
places
B L I N D S I C U RTA I N S I AW N I N G S I S H U T T E R S
A Blindin’ Family Business Talbot & Son are Britain’s flagship dealer for the market leading ‘Luxaflex’ blinds and their showroom was recently featured in the UK industry’s trade magazine ‘Openings’. Andy Talbot said
“It’s great for the Isle of Man to be a step ahead of the UK – being chosen as the first Luxaflex Gallery dealer was a great honour – we are one of only a few across the UK – and this not only brings benefits to our business but also to our customers as we shall always be the first retailer to receive the latest Luxaflex products”. Andy’s dad Bob started the business over 40 years ago - initially working from his garage. As the business grew he asked his son Andy to join him and then Andy’s brother-in-law Ian Large joined the business. The company is now run by Andy and Ian who employ eight people ‘some of who have been with us over 20 years ‘says Andy. The ground floor of their Derby Square showroom displays the stunning range of innovative Luxaflex blinds in the Gallery section and covers the full price spectrum from budget to cutting edge fashion, embracing the latest technological advances in both materials and operating systems – and if you thought blinds were just devices to block out the sun, then it’s time to think again! Whether your taste is solid wood venetians in oak, ash beech or walnut; roman, roller or verticals in an astounding range of fabrics and colours or the latest trend of shutters in a vast array of shapes and woods, Talbot & Son have something for you. With this respected Manx company who have been established on the
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Island for 40 years an exemplary service is guaranteed – along with free consultations, measuring and quotes and an excellent fitting service. In the upstairs showroom there is an incredible selection of curtains, fabrics and wallpapers from leading suppliers such as Harlequin, Crowson, Villa Nova and Prestigious – many in inspirational room settings. The flair for design and colour is apparent making it easy to see the quality you can expect from the expert team at Talbot & Son. This combined with a superb range of tracks, poles and accessories means that they are able to offer the complete window furnishing service. When it comes to blinds, soft furnishing fabrics and friendly, professional service it’s great to know that the best showroom in Britain is right here on our doorstep!
Isle of Man style magazine
places
“We have had endless compliments on the white shutters you fitted throughout our house, particularly the bespoke solutions you came up with to fit some of more unusually shaped windows! You were in and out with such a minimum of mess and fuss – I think it was a measure of our trust and confidence in you that we were happy just to hand over our keys and leave to get on with it, and that confidence certainly wasn’t misplaced. And as a bonus, the cost was very reasonable for such an impressive, substantial product – more like a piece of furniture than a blind” Mrs. M.S – Laxey
“When we refurbished our home we wanted something rather special to complement the arched bedroom windows overlooking the sea. You offered a wide range of great ideas, an excellent design service and thoroughly professional and friendly customer service even beyond installation! Top quality elegant shutters and good prices – thanks Talbot Blinds” Mr. P.S - Port St. Mary
“It’s so important to us to maintain high standards, as on an Island, word travels faster than Facebook” Talbot & Son 61 - 62 Derby Square I Douglas I Isle of Man I IM1 3LP Telephone: 01624 629940 I Fax: 01624 662287
because quality matters
www.talbotandsonblinds.com
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places
T
o DIY or not to DIY? That is the question to ask before embarking on any “home improvement”, for sometimes ‘tis indeed nobler in the mind to “get someone in” rather than suffer the slings and arrows of outrage that will inevitably rain down on any dodgy workmanship.
Whether or not you are suited to DIY depends on whether you regard a tool box as something that opens up the wonderful world of interiors, or a Pandora’s box likely to release DIY devils into the woodwork. The inconvenient truth is that a lot of DIY shouldn’t really be DIY at all - it’s best done by a professional. But don’t be put off; much is do-able and even enjoyable. And let’s face it, you don’t want to have to call a builder in to hang a picture, or a decorator to paint over the splashes behind the cooker, so even if you think a spirit level is a herbal remedy it’s worth knowing that a small dose of DIY can help raise the spirits of both you and your home. Before deciding what you can and can’t do, try a little self-analysis. There are no rules on distinguishing those destined for DIY greatness from those who should consult the business directory. Dentists can be crap at drilling and filling walls, it’s by no means certain that neurosurgeons will connect up the right wires, and even mathematicians find it difficult to calculate how many rolls of
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wallpaper it takes to cover a room. Neither is it a macho thing; many women are very good at it (it’s the multi-tasking thing). And if you are a man, there is no shame in having your wife/ partner doing the DIY; after all you’ve got the dinner to cook and the ironing to do. It’s not only aptitude but attitude that determines successful DIY. Reluctant DIYers rarely do a good job, and if you are one of life’s bodgers then stop now and phone a competent friend or a professional. A lot of DIY requires only a few basic skills. If you can drill a hole and use a spirit level then, in theory, there is nothing stopping you from putting up a shelf or even a whole kitchen. However, the most common application of DIY is interior decoration, though it is worth noting that the actual decoration is the fun bit amounting to about 10% of the job; the rest consists of the all-important
preparation, preparation, preparation plus a lot of moving stuff around and cleaning up afterwards. When it comes to other DIY tasks shape and size are an important factor. Awkward shapes are best avoided and novices should only attempt wallpapering, tiling or laying floors in regular-shaped spaces with straight edges, right-angles and perfectly flat surfaces; curves are best left to the big boys, as are big jobs which involve heavy materials, the use of potentially dangerous equipment, high ladders or scaffolding.
If you need further help in the DIY versus getting in a professional conundrum there are clues in the name of the job to be done. Carpentry, plumbing and plastering are all noble trades requiring training and qualifications. Interfering with water pipes is unwise and except for adjusting the pressure on your boiler, don’t touch gas. Confine electrical exploits to sockets and light fittings - and only then if you are the type who will not forget to switch off the current at the mains. Any job including the word “install” is also to be approached with caution; this includes new floors, lighting systems, kitchens and bathrooms. The same goes for anything “structural”. Do learn about lintels, which are found above windows, doorways and fireplaces and stop walls falling down; joists, which keep walls, floors and ceilings in their place, and UBs (universal beams, formerly known as RSJs) which, if you remove, a wall will need to be inserted to stop upstairs coming downstairs. Don’t knock down walls before you have consulted an expert; even modest-looking walls can turn out to be the one thing that keeps your house, and those either side, standing up. Knock it down and you could find yourself the next Harold Lloyd as the rest of the terrace falls prey to the domino effect.
If you want to bring the house down, do it with a good joke rather than bad DIY...
Isle of Man style magazine
places
So... What sort of DIYer are you? Success in DIY is not just a matter of knowledge but of temperament. As well as the right stuff (router, spirit level, circular saw, grout) you need the Right Stuff (patience, an eye for detail, a wholly misplaced sense of self-belief). This handy DIY questionnaire will tell you if you have what it takes - or should get a professional round double-quick ...
1.
A door hinge has worked loose, stripping the screws out of the frame. To put it right you should:
A
Drill out the holes, squirt in some wood glue, tap in lengths of 11/2” dowel until they’re flush with the frame, line up the hinge, drill pilot holes in the dowels and rehang the door with new screws.
B
Replace the screws with even bigger screws.
C
Close the door and hang a sign on it that says “Do Not Open”.
2.
Before putting up some shelves, how would you determine if there are wires in the wall behind?
A
Using a meter specifically designed to locate hidden wiring.
B
Using a schematic plan of your home’s wiring supplied by the electrician who installed it.
C
Using a drill.
3.
Which of the following instructions sounds like the most practical, “Step 1” when installing a wallmounted bathroom basin?...
A
“Place the basin at the desired height - usually between 28 and 32 inches - check with a spirit level and mark the position of the fixing points using a straight edge and a pencil”.
B
“Smash a big hole in the wall”.
C
“Ring a plumber”.
4.
When wallpapering a room, it’s a good idea to start behind a door, because:
A
The seams won’t match perfectly at the start and end point, which is less noticeable behind a door.
B
The first bit always goes badly wrong.
C
If you give up after half an hour, no one need know.
5.
Your shed needs a new roof. You will need:
A
Plywood, roofing felt, glue, galvanised roofing nails.
B
Pre-cut fibreglass roofing, screws, sealant.
C
A new shed.
6.
Tiles which are crooked and unevenly spaced should be:
A
Pulled off and replaced with properly spaced tiles.
B
Covered over with properly spaced tiles.
C
Referred to as ‘rustic’.
7.
Your new shower has insufficient water pressure. Your best option is:
A
Installing a “power shower” pressure unit.
B
Repositioning the header tank which supplies it.
C
A bath.
Results
8.
Mostly You’re clearly a DIY dynamo. Are you free next weekend?
A
Whatever your skill level, there are few problems around the home that cannot be fixed as long as you have: Patience and good instructions.
B
Persistence and expert advice.
Mostly You are semi-skilled,
C
A nail gun and a bottle of whisky.
A B
at best. Remember, a little competence is a dangerous thing. Stay away from electricity.
Mostly If nothing else, you’re
C
fully aware of your own limitations. It probably takes more than one of you to screw in a light bulb.
because quality matters
9. How often should you think about bleeding radiators? A
As often as they need it.
B
Twice a year.
C
Bleeding never.
10. When in doubt.... A
Measure again, just to be sure.
B
Consult someone who knows what they’re doing.
C
Hit it with a hammer and see what happens.
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places
Some lovely property orientated businesses....
Places directory Self Storage
Interiors
Make moving easy
The Box Shop has a complete range of boxes and packing materials that will make moving home so much easier. Simply order online or pull into our Self Storage facility and load up with all the boxes and materials you need. If you require a large quantity we will deliver to your home. Self Storage Flint St Tel. 01624 636363 www.makemoveeasy.im Open 8-6 Weekdays and 9-1 Sat
your logo here
Interiors
Interiors
Furniture Direct
Our collections are sourced from all corners of the globe with an eye for exceptional design and individuality. The results can be discovered in our new showroom. Stylish designs for your home living and dining for inside and out, lamps, rugs, art, candles, cushions and accessories to give and keep.
s e l p
Furniture Direct Tel: 01624 636363 www.furnituredirect.im 9.30am-5.30pm Mon-Sat Open late by appointment
your logo here
Landscape Designers
John Hick Interiors
John Hick Interiors Tynwald Mill Tel: 01624 636363 Open Tues to Sat 9:30am to 5:00pm
o
m a x E
David Macgregor Ltd
Leading the way with interiors and home design, the new showrooms are full of inspiration. Products for every room in your home, including bespoke and affordable kitchens by Edwin of Loxley, tiles by Fired Earth, AGA and AGA cookshop. Rolf Benz, Hulsta, Curtains, Natural Flooring, accessories… and so much more!
your logo here
Get your business in the NEW directory
David Macgregor Ltd offer a team of qualified award winning landscape designers with over 60 years combined experience in the landscape industry. From initial concepts, making better use of your space to detailed designs - we can take the pressure off your project. We can also tender and supervise contracts for landscape work, enabling you to relax and enjoy the end result. David Macgregor Ltd T: 01624 636363 E: admin@dv.im
your logo here
y l n Solid Oak
Island Oak specialises in the design and manufacture of bespoke furniture. We pride ourselves in offering you the opportunity to own a unique, tailor made, affordable piece for your home or garden. We offer a wide range of solid oak products, including furniture, flooring, stairs, oak beams and homewares. Gifts and accessories are also available from our studio at ....... Solid Oak Tel: 01624 636363 info@jsolidoak.im
your logo here
Kitchens and bathrooms
Kitchens Ltd
We have an extensive range of quality products from leading suppliers to create your dream kitchen or bathroom. From initial consultation and design to supply only or supply and installation, we take away the stress and project manage your dream kitchen through to completion, enabling you to relax and enjoy the result. Kitchens Ltd Port Erin Tel: 01624 636363 Email: kitchens@kit.im www.kit.im
your logo here
Do you provide products and services for the home owner? Tell them what you do with a directory entry Make your Business Stand out give us a call on
Your entry gives the reader a profile of your business or a message about a particular brand you stock along with a full colour image that epitomises your business and what you offer. Single booking
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12 issues
£65
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pay monthly
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249249 now!
Get included. Call Rachel on: 07624 209726 E-mail: directory@gallery.co.im 74
Isle of Man style magazine
BUSINESS
business
Hot under OK
so it’s not exactly been a red-hot summer so far, but the days we have hot weather can make work environments unbearable. What are your rights, and what is your employer obliged to provide?
How hot is my workplace allowed to be? There is no set maximum. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) used to say that “an acceptable zone of thermal comfort for most people in the UK lies roughly between 13°C (56°F) and 30°C (86°F)”, but it now just states that “during working hours, the temperature in all workplaces inside buildings shall be reasonable”. What is reasonable can vary: if you work in a kitchen it will be very different from if you work in a cold store. But the HSE does have a defined measure of at what point an employer needs to investigate workplace temperatures – if your office is air conditioned your employer must assess things if 10% of staff complain; for non-air conditioned offices the figure is 15%; and for shops and warehouses 20% of staff need to make a complaint. Does my employer have to provide air conditioning? No, but sensible employers will use mobile air-conditioning units and fans to keep workers cool. “An employer with a brain will know they are not going to get the best out of their employees if they are too hot.
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Can my boss force me to keep wearing a tie? Yes. Employers are allowed to tell their workers to dress in a particular way in the workplace, regardless of what the weather is like outside. This might be written in your contract or an employee handbook, or you may have been instructed when you started your job. Men in the workplace may feel a bit hard done by if they have to keep wearing a tie while their female counterparts can feel a cooling breeze around their necks. Can my boss force me to wear a uniform even if it’s hot outside? Again, yes. Employers however must consider objections from employees at having to follow a required dress code, but it seems citing the weather is unlikely to cut much ice. In many sectors where there are customer-facing roles, such as retail or the travel industry, uniforms promote a corporate identity and professional image. Employers will find it much easier to justify a dress code in these circumstances, even in hot weather where lower cut tops and more informal dress would be the clear preference of those battling through an oppressive work environment.”
isle of man style magazine
business
Does my employer have to provide me with cold water to drink? Your employer is legally obliged to provide you with drinking water. This does not have to be chilled, but if you have a fridge you could also put some tap water in a bottle and chill your own. How about ice creams? Nice try. Of course there is no legal obligation for your employer to treat you to a Solero in any circumstances, but bosses should know that a well-timed round of lollies can engender goodwill that lasts much longer than the typical Manx summer.
the collar:
Employee rights in soaring temperatures
THE ISLE OF MANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S
LITIgATION SpEcIALISTS
gough Law has been created out of the very successful litigation department of what was gough Advocates. The new company will be unique in the Isle of Man in that we will be the only practice offering solely litigation and advocacy services. Many other practices seek to be all things to all men! We will do what we do best â&#x20AC;&#x201C; argue cases in courts and Tribunals.
4th Floor Anglo International House Bank Hill Douglas Isle of Man IM14LN t: +44 (0) 1624 629100 | e: enquiries@goughlaw.im | www.goughlaw.im
because quality matters
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business
BusinessNews
Business projects sought for record number of 2012 Step Scheme students
China delegation visits Manx Telecom’s world class Douglas North Data Centre
The Department of Economic Development (DED) is extending its invitation for local businesses to take part in the 2012 Step Scheme as a record number of applications have been received from local students wishing to undertake projects.
Manx Telecom’s world class Douglas North Data Centre welcomed a delegation of leading business people from the London operations of some of China’s leading businesses.
Each year, the Step Scheme recruits some of the most astute and enterprising undergraduates who are able to administer research, analyse information, think objectively and report results clearly, as well as provide physical and practical solutions. Typically, Step students can provide a diverse range of knowledge and skills and there are no restrictions on the type of project businesses may submit. Political Member with responsibility for the Step Scheme, Laurence Skelly MHK, said: “The Step Scheme is a dynamic, highly regarded student placement programme that offers our undergraduates invaluable work experience on a project that can make a real difference. Under the programme, students receive £210 per week funded by the participating organisation, but previous Step placements have shown that host organisations have enjoyed operational improvements substantially greater than the modest sponsorship amount involved.”
Stuart Paul, Data Centres Director, explained the role of the Data Centre and Manx Telecom’s hosting operations to Chinese representatives of companies from a wide variety of sectors including banking, shipping, telecoms, petrochemicals and food. Stuart Paul said: “We were delighted that the delegation was able to visit Douglas North and see for themselves the high standards of resilience and security which it offers. We’re very proud to have the Island’s only purpose built data centre. During the visit, we were able to explain to the delegation the vital role it plays not only in Manx Telecom’s hosting services, but also the vital role it has for many of the Island’s essential services.” The purpose of the visit was to allow them to gain a better understanding of the opportunities available for Chinese businesses in the Isle of Man, which is an ideal gateway to Europe for the increasing number of Chinese companies looking to trade and invest there.
Organisations interested in participating should contact Department of Economic Development by e-mail: Stepscheme@ gov.im or tel: 682393.
Local charities set to benefit as RBS International introduces ATM charitable donation service Islanders withdrawing cash from RBS International, NatWest and Isle of Man Bank cash points will now have the option of making a donation to local charity, the first time the service has been made available on behalf of a local charity in the Isle of Man. As of 14th June 2012, Islanders will be able to donate money which will benefit eight charities, including the locally based Hospice Isle of Man and three national charities: Cancer Research UK, Barnardo’s and Children in Need. The service will be available to all Islanders, not just Bank customers. Margaret Simpson, Chief Executive at Hospice Isle of Man, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been nominated in this way, as a local charity, we need to raise £10,000 every day to continue to provide palliative care to local people. Every donation will help us to help others – thank you to RBS International for this fabulous opportunity.” Donations between a minimum of £1 and a maximum of £150 per transaction can be made via RBS International, NatWest and Isle of Man Bank.
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The banking reform White Paper: Change is on the horizon... On 14 June 2012, HM Treasury released the long-awaited White Paper on banking reform. The proposals follow the report issued in September 2011 by the Independent Commission on Banking (“ICB”) chaired by Sir John Vickers. The principal aims of the proposals are two-fold; firstly to make the banks more resilient to shocks and secondly to make banks more resolvable such that, should they fail, it is in a manner that does not impact the real economy. It is intended that the proposals will curb excessive risk taking whilst creating the right environment for competition to flourish. Of particular relevance to the Isle of Man (and the other Crown Dependencies such as Jersey and Guernsey), ring-fenced banks would not be able to carry out any activities through non-EEA subsidiaries or branches. The Crown Dependencies do not currently form part of the EEA. The exact nature of any such conditions (along with how the other proposals in the White Paper would be implemented) remains uncertain. What is certain is that change is on the horizon.
isle of man style magazine
business
TT visitors choose Sure thanks to recent £1 million investment Throughout this year’s TT event, Sure Cable and Wireless Communications achieved a 75% increase in the volume of visitors choosing to roam with its Sure network, when compared to the same period last year. This significant increase in the number of visitors choosing the Sure network for the TT event can, in part, be attributed to the £1 million pound network investment the company recently made to upgrade its existing sites and to build new 3G sites. Andy Bridson, Chief Commercial Officer, Sure Isle of Man, said: “We are delighted that so many visitors chose to roam with Sure during this year’s TT. This positive response confirms that the recent £1million investment into our network was a great strategic decision, which has resulted in fantastic coverage and service for all of our customers; both locally based and those visiting the Isle of Man.” The Sure network, which reaches 99% of the population, has been built using the most advanced technology available, allowing regular updates to continually improve customer experience. As well as upgrades to existing sites, the telecoms giant has recently built an additional seven mobile sites, further improving user experience in key populated areas.
Sure celebrates five years of driving down prices Sure Cable & Wireless Communications celebrated five-years of driving down telecommunications prices in the Isle of Man by inviting everyone to two king-sized Manx parties. The firm was the first to present Islanders with a choice of telecoms supplier after opening its doors in July 2007, bringing competition to the mobile phone market. Furthermore, since its launch, Sure has been committed to reduce prices for mobile, broadband, fixed-line and business connectivity products by implementing the latest network technologies, leveraging economies of scale made accessible by being a part of the global Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC) network. Andy Bridson, Chief Commercial Officer at Sure CWC, is proud of the company’s achievements so far, he said: “Since Sure opened its doors to customers five years ago, we’ve seen enormous changes in the Island’s telecoms market, bringing real innovation and making mobile and broadband so much more affordable for consumers and businesses.” Sure got the ball rolling with The Sure Beach Party at the end of June and will launch into The Garden Party in association with Sure at the start of July.
Local firm joins major global accountancy network Douglas-based chartered accountants, Greystone, have established an association with one of the world’s largest accountancy networks, linking up as a member of the Geneva Group International. The connection gives Greystone Chartered Accountants an association with more than 330 independent member firms with more than 550 offices and 19,500 employees located in over 100 countries with a common goal of enhancing their international expertise for the benefit of their client base. Guy Wiltcher, Greystone Chartered Accountants Managing Partner, said: “We are very pleased to begin this association with Geneva Group International. We know that a considerable number of firms apply to join GGI, but only very few succeed in becoming members. An in-depth understanding of local legal and fiscal differences is a must for businesses to be successful in their cross-border activities.”
because quality matters
GGI is the 6th largest accountancy network worldwide, based on fee income, making it the largest alternative network to the “Big 4” currently represented on the Isle of Man. Greystone has its offices in Athol Street, Douglas.
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business
DING DONG
80
isle of man style magazine
business
... AVON CALLING
How direct sales companies are defying the recession. You’d be forgiven for thinking that the Avon Lady went out with her beehive, but this retailer has an annual revenue of £6.8bn, rolling in from over 100 countries worldwide. Having just celebrated its 125th birthday, it is still the world’s largest direct sales company. Vying for business are other retailers selling jewellery, scented candles, trendy cookware, wine tasting and books. Incredibly, the direct sales industry is worth a jaw-dropping £2 billion a year to the UK’s economy, employing 400,000 people. The Direct Sales Association (DSA) reports that these figures remained constant last year, defying the wider trend of business downturn and rising unemployment. So who are these employees? Anyone who wants to take control of their finances it seems. Whilst stay at home mums keen to make a few extra pounds still lead the pack, joining the field are students needing to repay loans, those who have become unemployed and people who see it as a way to start their own business.
Having been tempted recently by an advert for Usborne - Children’s Publisher of the Year 2012, I understand the draw. Minimal start up costs, autonomy and flexibility are very attractive job descriptors. I spoke to Natalie Field, a North West Sales Leader who is making over £1300 a month selling the books. Not bad for “part-time hours,” she said.
“I work totally around my children. And I can pick it up and drop it as I wish. That’s the best part about it – I choose my own hours.” Whilst the figures seem inspiring, in reality, she has been doing it for five years and now has a team of 42 sales representatives under her, whose sales make up a large chunk of her commission. To get to this position you need to be happy motivating others as well as yourself. Natalie, whilst friendly and warm, has the steely determination of a committed sales person.
The ‘at home’ element of direct sales is definitely appealing. Most direct sales happen at parties – a host invites their family and friends round, having provided drink and nibbles. The idea is to have a fun night in, relax and do a bit of shopping in the comfort of someone’s home. Then, the sales consultant will talk the group through the products, passing round catalogues and the all important order forms. The hostesses, while they may provide the refreshments and venue, benefit from commission paid in products. Without doubt, sales figures will be driven by a sense of obligation to one’s host. So, whilst on the face of it, this sort of income stream seems attractive, it’s a long game, which might at times be unfeasibly difficult if you don’t have the tenacity of a commission hungry sales person. Having said that, the UK had its first ‘Avon millionaire’ in 2010. Debbie Davis, 31 from Sunderland was made redundant from a printing factory six years earlier and after paying her £15 start up fee, built a team of 8000 representatives. It seems one thing is guaranteed with this line of work: you get out what you put in.
Words | Rachel Green
because quality matters
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In the Spotlight Olivia Berry, Corpor ate Account Director, Cable & Wireless Isle of Man. About the Business: Cable & Wireless Isle of Man offers both the strength of a global brand and the local expertise that comes with understanding Island life. Since launching in 2007 we’ve invested £30 million in the islands economy by building strong reliable networks and connecting the Island to other jurisdications. As a truly worldwide telecoms provider, Cable & Wireless Communications is active in 38 countries, with onward connectivity to over 153 countries. Our aim is to provide market leading services in every region we work in, this is reinforced by the level of local investment we make into our network, infrastructure, service and communities. Our global and local networks are underpinned by our Network Operations Centre, which is dedicated to monitoring the performance of our network and service. Our technical support is available 24/7 to provide outstanding customer service.
Name: Olivia Kate Berry. Born: Isle of Man. Schooled: Buchan and King Williams College. First Job: Working in a friend’s parents, hotel in Port Erin. Favourite car: Porsche 911 Turbo. Favourite book: Memoirs of a Geisha, a novel by Arthur Golden. Music of the moment: I have an eclectic taste in music and especially love live music. I am going to Bestival in the Isle of Wight in September, where Florence and the Machine and Stevie Wonder will be headlining. The last Album I last downloaded was Ben Howard - Every Kingdom it’s a beautiful album and hits all the senses. If I was to pick an era of music I love most, it would be 70’s, 80’s - the music my parents brought us up on – Bob Dylan, Michael McDonald, Pink Floyd, John Martyn, Prefab Sprout, Sade and Frankie Goes to Hollywood. Last holiday: My last holiday was to India. I went travelling with my Mum around Northern Rajastan. India is a beautiful country, full of history and the people
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were truly lovely. The day we went to see theTaj Mahal, will be one I will never forget as long as I live, words cannot describe it. Happiest when: I am happiest when surrounded by my family and pets. There’s always a lot of shouting, debating and laughter, and oh, always lots of food!
nine years now, which truly is a sentiment to this wonderful Island. It is a magical place to live and has been Island good to me over the years. I have great new friends and a job I love. Peel is now where I call my home. What are your plans for the future? To make the world a smaller place.
What did you do before? Prior to moving back to the Island, I worked on super yachts, sailing in the Caribbean during the winter and the Mediterranean in the summer, looking after the r&f. I worked for some very interesting families and met some wonderful and exciting people in some of the most beautiful places of the world. I have always been naturally inquisitive and genuinely love life and adventure. Travelling and meeting new people from many different cultures has put me in good stead for the relationship role I have at C&WC. What has been your biggest challenge? My biggest challenge was settling back into Island life, here on the Isle of Man. I had been living away for 10 years, and in those years, the Island had completely changed, friends had gone on their own different adventures and I was not sure if the Island would be able to offer the excitement it once held. I have been back
isle of man style magazine
Recruitment
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RECRUIT NEW eBUING FOR SINESS New eB
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business
Movers&Shakers
TWO MORE SENIOR APPOINTMENTS AT NEDGROUP INVESTMENTS
EXPANDED ROLE FOR SURE’S HEAD OF COMMUNICATION
NEDGROUP Investments has announced two more senior appointments to complete its team of asset management experts.
SURE’s head of communications, Lisa McLauchlan, has been given responsibility for the company’s retail operations.
Experienced investment analysts Simon Watts and Aliki Papasteriou, who both joined the company recently, visited the Isle of Man and Nedgroup’s offices in Douglas last week to meet local staff with whom they will be working closely in the future.
Lisa joined the company in January 2009 as Head of Marketing and Brand, 18 months later, she was promoted to the role of Head of Communications. Her new expanded role will give her responsibility of the retail operations in Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man, as well as its team of more than 30 staff.
Simon, who has previously worked with UBS and the XL Group in theCity of London, will have a role in fund management, which focuses on fixed income, including the development of portfolio construction. Aliki also has a background in the City of London, working latterly with Towers Watson as an investment analyst. Her experience will be used within Nedgroup to conduct macro-economic research and valuation analysis across asset classes. She will also be involved in fund research on potential holdings in the company’s MultiFunds offering and on lists of funds specially selected for use by other Nedbank group companies. They will both work closely with Nedgroup’s Head of Investments in London Andrew Yeadon, who joined the company at the beginning of the year.
Lisa said: “Retail is a core focus for Sure in all three Islands. We want to be accessible to our customers so that they can come into our shops and get the very highest level of service. The shops are Sure’s main point of contact with customers, so it’s extremely important to us that the experience is right. There are obvious synergies between our marketing communications and the way we interact with our customers in our shops, so by bringing these parts of the business together, we can make processes more efficient and improve the customers’ experience.”
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT APPOINTS NEW HEAD OF TOURISM THE Department of Economic Development has announced the appointment of Angela Byrne to the role of Head of Tourism. Angela has 20-years experience in the tourism industry, and was previously employed as the Quality and Service Manager in the Tourism Division. Within this role, Angela was responsible for the registration and grading of all tourist accommodation; the Homestay scheme; Taste Isle of Man Scheme as well as the Tourism Awards. She had latterly spent time as an ‘Acting’ Head of Tourism role for six-months to help cover a previous absence. This is an important role within the Department and the tourism industry itself. It is pivotal as a point of central contact and conduit for information and takes responsibility for driving forward strategies that will help ensure the continued success of our Isle of Man visitor economy.
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isle of man style magazine
HARDWARE
: T U O T A FL
hardware
AH T U T A T S DU REAMS D N A D T F A O E H D L E I F
Words | Rebecca Lawrence
Photo (L-R): Suzy Starlite Paul Hodgson Richard Barks Bob Watson Stu Harvey Words | Liz Corlett Photo by | Phil Kneen
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Just a few weeks from now, a team from the Isle of Man will be hoping to make history at Bonneville Salt Flats, USA. Members of the Lonan Gentleman’s Fellowship have set their sights on a new land speed world record for the Island, and they are single-minded in their pursuit. In a collection of garages in Lonan and Laxey, the Fellowship, an informal group of like-minded souls, spend their waking hours finding ways to maximise the straight-line speed achievable on a variety of custom-built motorcycles. Now, several members are channelling their combined skill and experience into breaking a Bonneville record which has stood since 1979. The team heading to the US consists of: Paul Hodgson, Engine Builder (Small cc Racing, Lonan); Bob Watson, Electrical Engineer; Stu Harvey, Transport Chief; and Project Manager and Crew Chief Suzy Starlite. The bike will be ridden by Richard Barks, who has been instrumental in driving the project forward. When the group discovered that the Isle of Man had never been represented at Bonneville Speed Week, they decided to mount their challenge: “As an island racing community” said Suzy, “we have a culture that is based around privateer competitors punching well above their financial weight. We have all the skills in the Isle of Man to develop and innovate to tight budgets. Our team hold an impressive number of UK and Isle of Man track records and we’re known for pushing commercially built dyno testing facilities to the limits of their endurance - numerous savaged gearbox remains are a testimony to that!”. The team’s collective calibre is formidable: Eleven Manx Motorcycle Championships; two Ramsey Sprint records, seven outright wins and numerous class wins; five TT replicas; and two NSA British Championships.
When Tom Evans, motorcycle technical inspector at Bonneville, learnt of the team’s plans, he said simply: “Good luck with that one!” The ‘Lonan 2012’ project is the culmination of two years’ hard work and planning, both by the core team and various members and friends who have been involved along the way, such as Peter Moran (Awkward & Eccentric Engineering, Lonan), Colin Eastwood and Ron Wilkinson. Further support has come from Mike, Steve and Mike in the Tool Room, Sign Tech, Ramsey Steam Ship Company, Slick Bass, Azzy Paints, Adie Evans, Motul Oil and John Boyde. The team have also been grateful to their families for letting them spend the best part of the last two years in their sheds! Having been self-funded until recently, the team now have the valued support of sponsors Manx Gas (primary sponsor), Domicilium (IOM) Ltd. and EDS (Energy Development Services). Gary Cregeen, Sales and Marketing Manager at Manx Gas, comments, “With the Isle of Man steeped in motorsport history, this is yet another challenge to prove the Island’s ability to perform and compete on the world stage. We wish the team the very best of luck in their attempt and hopefully look forward to them returning to the Isle of Man as the world land speed record holders.” 500 Manxman was shipped from the Isle of Man to the UK on 9th June, courtesy of Mezeron. On Sunday 17th June, it left for Los Angeles via Orient Worldwide (Shipping) Ltd. on the appropriatelynamed MOL Endeavour. The Lonan team will join their bike, and head from LA to Utah in the first week of August, joining several hundred teams from all around the world. Bonneville Speed Week takes place Saturday 11th - Friday 17th August.
The ‘500 Manxman’ now en route for Los Angeles is modelled on You can follow the team’s progress at facebook.com/Lonan12 or on Paul Hodgson’s NSA British Championship winning competition Twitter: @Lonan2012. bike; based on a Suzuki Hayabusa rolling chassis, with a destroked, turbocharged and nitrous assisted Yamaha Thundercat engine. The 500cc Speed Week motorcycle • The salt flats, home to the world’s fastest • Sir Malcolm Campbell took a record of classes are split into many groups: speed trials, are roughly 88 miles west of Salt 301.129 mph in his famous ‘Bluebird’ in 1935. the class record that the Manx team Lake City, Utah, near Wendover. • The first racer to smash the 400 mph speed have set their sights on is the APS • Bonneville Speed Week is organised by the barrier was American Mickey Thompson in - BF (Special Construction Partial Bonneville Nationals Inc., with Southern 1960 (notching up a speed of 406.60 mph). Streamlined - Blown Fuel), which was California Timing Association as sponsors. set in 1979 by Steve Alexander - at • Bonneville Salt Flats were captured on the a speed of 176mph - and has been • The compact, sun-baked flats were first used silver screen in ‘The World’s Fastest Indian’, unsuccessfully challenged ever since. for motorsport events in 1912. the 2005 dramatisation of the life of recordmaking New Zealand racer Burt Munro.
All About Bonneville
because quality matters
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hardware hardware
The Manx Mini
with an R1 Motorcycle Engine!
of passion and skill into the job and more than exceeded my expectations. It’s worth noting that there are no stickers on this Mini and the design is 100% paint. What’s the history behind your Mini and how long have you had it? The Mini was originally a 1991 Mini Cooper model and my first car at the age of 16. I enjoyed many hours of fun on the Manx roads with it. What gave you the idea for the Mini? During my time at university, the Mini was left at home and was beginning to show the first signs of classic car rust, which prompted me to take it off the road for a
Gallery was recently at the
Firstly, what’s so different about this Mini?
Franklins Car dealership
My ‘R1 Manx’ Mini is unique.
in Port Erin to meet with owner Steve Franklin. On a walk around the showroom, we spotted this amazing looking Mini and wanted to know more. We got in contact with Ben Duke from Duke Video and fired some questions his way. This is what he had to say...
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Instead of being powered by the traditional ‘A series’ Mini engine, it’s now running a Yamaha R1 motorcycle engine. The main difference between them is that the bike engine and gearbox is almost half the weight of the Mini engine and gearbox at around 75kg. It’s about one and a half times more powerful, producing 157bhp. Essentially, the car is still 90% a Mini in every way with the core chassis, suspension and brakes; it has effectively had a heart transplant! The car is also different thanks to its rather special paint scheme, which is based on the 1978 ‘Kenny Roberts’ Yamaha racing colours and includes the signature ‘speed block’ pattern that featured on the Yamaha MotoGP bikes of that era. My friend David Anderson at Anderson’s Body Shop painted the livery. After I provided him with some photoshop designs of what I wanted to achieve, we spent a few hours dreaming up ideas, fuelled by plenty of tea and biscuits. David really put every ounce
potential full restoration. I graduated from uni and ended up heading off for a gap year of travels and living the dream. So with plenty of time to swing in a hammock on a Thai beach, I made some decisions on where to go with the project on my return. I decided that instead of restoring the Mini to it’s original specification, I wanted to do something a little different and take on a new challenge. I chose a motorcycle engine for the build because I love the TT races. My Grandfather Geoff raced bikes at the TT in the 1950s with Norton and Gilera, so you could say that racing and motorcycles are in my blood. I got back from my grand world tour and the project was kick started down the pub over a pint of Guinness with my friend James Karran. I outlined my isle of man style magazine isle of man style magazine
hardware hardware
... it took “3 years, £10,000 and 2 girlfriends to finish the job”! intentions for the project and he promised me that if I bought a bike engine, he would help me make it fit the Mini. I went out straight away, purchased an engine and then the ‘R1 Manx’ adventure had begun! How long did the project take? It took three years of evenings and weekends to finish the project. I dread to think how many hours went in, but it took a lot of trial, error and plenty of patience to make progress. One of my friends once joked that it took me “three years, £10,000 and two girlfriends to finish the job!”. I guess you have to speculate to accumulate, as they say, and I’ve learnt that girls and car projects don’t often get on too well! Were there any problems along the way? The biggest challenge was to create the custom frame for the engine and make a differential drive train that would link the chain drive of the Yamaha engine to the front wheels. It required lots of measuring and trying out different engine positions, taking into account the fact that an exhaust and cooling system would also need to find a home alongside all the remaining ancillary parts. The main problem with a custom home-brew project like this is the custom mechanical side of the build, there is no manual to work from; you have to make it up as you go along. I had plenty of knowledge with regard to the Mini side of things, having done a lot of work on it myself since owning the car. Luckily, I had help from some really good friends of mine, each with their own specialist skills. Did anyone help? Firstly, there’s my clever friend James Karran, who has a natural flare for engineering. A lot of the credit must go to him for designing many of the bespoke parts. Without him, I because quality matters because quality matters
think my first project would have been too much for me to take on. Other key friends who played an important part are Lee Batty, who created the custom exhaust system, Jonathan Newton at XLR8 Automotive, who modified the wiring loom and helped bring the ‘R1 Manx’ to life. Then there’s Martin Lockwood, a local engineering God and good friend, who made some of the key drive train components. One of my best friends, Jolyon Holtby, is a fellow Mini fanatic; he helped me with the chassis modifications and design ideas. David Anderson brought my vision to life with the superb paint job, and, of course, all my friends and family kept me motivated when frustrating parts of the project came to test my will. Did you ever think it wouldn’t work? I always believed it would work eventually, but there were plenty of moments when I just wanted to scrap the whole project and give up. I didn’t have a social life for three years. Every penny I worked for went into the project, so you become a bit obsessed with it, it consumes you. I’d end up having dreams about the project and what it would look like or sound like at the end. When I hit obstacles that set me back, it was easy to overreact and lose sight of the end goal. I’ve learnt a lot about building cars and the pitfalls involved, but also, I learnt about myself and how patience and hard work are paramount when it comes to realising your dreams and making beautiful things like bike engined Minis
track. I think the time has probably come to man up and take her for a track day at Jurby Motodrome for a good old-fashioned thrashing! Will you take up a project like this again? Have you anything you’re working on now? Well I’m currently in the embryonic stages of my next project, which is to build a custom classic motorbike. It’s going to be based on the Feathered Norton, which my Grandfather raced in the 1950s, and I’ll be powering it with a Yamaha XT600 engine, or something similar. I love anything retro and aim to retain the vintage-racing look as much as possible and the bike will hopefully be a fitting tribute to his racing achievements. I’ve recently finished making a film about my Grandfather’s career; it got me thinking and dreaming once again and sparked the idea to build a motorcycle. It will be a steep learning curve, as my motorbike knowledge is relatively limited. I’m hoping to seek plenty of help and advice from people in the know that live on the Island.
What places has the Mini been to? I haven’t taken the Mini on holiday yet, as there’s still plenty of fine-tuning to be done, getting her set up just right. Furthermore, I put so much into the project that I’m almost reluctant to take her on the road and have become a bit too precious really. I guess she’s essentially a show car, hence why she’s on display at Franklin’s garage. A fun car for the weekend or the
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Franklin’s, is a family run independent car dealership in the heart of Port Erin, offering an extensive selection of quality pre-owned cars. They also supply cars new-to-order and can source vehicles to individual requirements. The dealership prides itself on offering more than 40-years experience of working with Mercedes-Benz. In the showroom, and the forecourt, you will find the finest cars from the best German, British and Japanese manufacturers, suiting all budgets.
Meet the Dealer Steve Franklin Franklin’s Ltd.
NEW URE! FEAT
Give us a bit of Franklin’s background! When did it all begin? I started my business in 2003 at the age of 21 from my parent’s home under the business name of SFKA. After growing the business, I moved to premises in Balthane Industrial Estate in the spring of 2007. We changed the name to Franklin’s Ltd in November 2007. Where are you based? How many employees do you have? We are based at The Showroom Station Road Port Erin and we have now been in business here since January 2009. We have four employees my Father Paul, myself, Chris our valeter and an accounts assistant. What’s your background? I have always had a keen interest in cars. My father was the MD of a local car dealership for over 35 years. Growing up, I would help him out with valeting and took a keen interest in cars. When I left school, I became an IT engineer, which I did for a few years and then I worked in a motorcycle shop for about a year before going self-employed. What types of car do you sell? Are you selective? We have great knowledge of Mercedes-Benz and specialise in their range, but we also supply all makes and models to suit customer budgets. We continually stock German, Japanese and British cars, like: Mercedes-Benz, BMW, VW, Honda, Toyota, Ford, MINI and much more. We even carry a small stock of light vans! What’s the hardest lesson you’ve learnt at Franklin’s? Keep positive, work hard and never give up, you’ll get there. Also, it’s very important to have some time to yourself out of work, whether it be fishing, biking, or something else.
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Where do you see business going in the future? The recent economic downfall has been a worrying time for all businesses, but I feel our positivity and good business management will allow Franklin’s Ltd. to progress steadily over the next few years. I feel we are based in an ideal location, offering a great range of services with a friendly team who are always willing to talk through our customer’s needs. Do you have any funny Franklin stories? Dad keeps us entertained with his “back in the day” stories and the things they used to get up to when he was an apprentice at Mercedes-Benz London HQ! One of them involved a lecturer and a very big explosion! Do you offer additional services? As well as vehicle sales, we also offer an excellent valeting service, which includes wash and hoovering while you wait, detailing, cherished numbers and classic cars. Also, if you don’t see what you are looking for on our forecourt, we are more than happy to source vehicles. Time to find out about you! What was your first car? I passed my bike test first and had a Kawasaki KDX 125, but then winter came, so I moved over to a car! My first car was a Vauxhall Nova 1.2 Club in white with white hub caps and a Peco Big bore! It went everywhere on and off-road! (Good times!) If there’s one car that you think should have never been produced, which would it be? I think there have been a few disaster cars built, but the one I see most on the road is a Fiat Multipla! isle of man style magazine
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Do you have points on license?
Two wheels, four wheels or more wheels, and why?
My parents will obviously be reading this, so I will have to say NONE!
I love two wheels. Having competed in trials from a young age, it’s something I’ve always enjoyed. I also like two wheels without the engine, which can be just as good fun. Mountain biking is great fun too, and is a brilliant sport here on the Island.
What got you into selling cars? I think growing up with cars and always being around them made me want to continue with what I grew up with. Where’s the furthest you’ve driven in one go, to where and for what reason? Two recent trips on a Enduro bike. I rode down the East Coast of South Africa in 2010, which was a solid week of riding, and I was in Morocco in February for my 30th Birthday, riding in the Sahara Desert, which was 150km a day for five days! Also, I’ve done a few road trips in a van cross Europe! What car would you most like to own and why? Anything Mercedes with a V8 that’s loud. I have a soft spot for the classic Merc’s, which I collect ,but the ultimate car would be the 300SL Gullwing.
Any future palns for Franklin’s? Continue to grow and develop the business and retain a strong customer base.
Speed check: Are you a fast driver? What’s the fastest you’ve ever driven and ridden? Let’s just say I prefer the fast over the slow! I love the buzz of racing on track and have done plenty of track days on a road bike. Having an Ariel Atom was a great experience too, which couldn’t go slow!
www.franklins.co.im 10 Volkswagen Polo 1.2 Moda 5Dr Shadow Blue, Black Cloth, Air Con. Alloy Wheels, 10,000 miles..............................................DUE IN 10 Volkswagen Polo 1.2 S 3Dr Blue, Black Cloth, Electric Windows, Radio/CD, ISOFIX, 7,500 miles......................................DUE IN 10 Mercedes R350 CDI Grand Edition Calcite White, Grey Leather, Sat Nav, Huge Spec, 7,500 miles................................................£29,995 08 BMW 123d M Sport Coupe Auto Grey, Black Leather, Sat Nav, Parking Sensors, 18,500 miles.................................................£18,995 10 Audi A3 Sportback 2.0 TDI 170 Sport S-Tronic Metallic Black, Alloy Wheels, Rear PDC, 11,500 miles..............................................................£18,995 11 MINI Clubman 1.6 Cooper Auto Pepper White, Lthr/Cloth, Chili Pack, as new only 1,200 miles................................................£16,995 11 Mercedes A160 Elegance SE 5Dr Auto Mountain Grey, Black Leather/Cloth, Air Con, 11,500 miles....................................................£15,495 09 Mercedes CLC180K Sport Auto Iridium Silver, Black/Grey Leather, Parking Sensors, 15,500 miles.......................................£15,495 06 Mitsubishi L200 Animal Double Cab 2.5 DI-D Black, Grey Leather, Air Con, 56,000 miles..................................................................£11,395 NO VAT 10 Mercedes ML350 CDI BlueEFF Sport
08 Porsche Cayman 2.7 Coupe
4,500 miles....£34,995
25,200 miles...£19,995
06 Honda CR-V 2.2 CDTi Executive Grey, Black Leather, Sat Nav, Park Sensors, 38,200 miles......................................................£10,695 07 Honda FR-V 1.8 ES Auto Silver, Dark Cloth, Air Con, Alloy Wheels, Rear PDC, 16,900 miles...........................................£9,995 03 Mercedes ML270 CDI Inspiration Auto Silver, Black Leather, Heated & Electric Seats, 69,800 miles....................................................£8,995 04 Jaguar S-Type SE 2.7 TD Auto Silver, Black Leather, Heated Seats, Parking Sensors, 33,300.................................................£8,995 08 Honda Jazz 1.4 i-VTEC EX Blue, Black Cloth, Air Con, Panoramic Glass Roof, ISOFIX, 17,600 miles................................£8,995 02 BMW X5 4.4i Sport Auto Blue, Grey Leather, Sat Nav, Parking Sensors, Htd Seats, 54,500 miles..................................£9,495 07 smart fortwo BRABUS Silver, Black Leather, Panoramic Glass Roof, Just Serviced, 9,400 miles..............................£7,495 04 Honda CR-V 2.0i VTEC SE Auto Blue, Black Leather/Cloth, Air Con, Alloy Wheels, 48,000 miles...............................................£7,495 04 BMW 318ti Compact Sport Black, Black Leather, Alloy Wheels, Rear PDC, Radio/6 CD, 56,500 miles..............................£4,995
10 Audi A3 Sportback 2.0 TDI 170 Sport
09 Vauxhall Astra 1.9 CDTi SRi Sport
08 Fiat 500 1.4 Pop
11,500 miles...£18,995
23,500 miles...£8,995
18,000 miles....£7,995
Part Exchange Welcome > Finance Arranged > Professional Team > Open 6 Days
t: 830800 e: sales@franklins.co.im facebook.com/FranklinsCars because quality matters
The Showroom | Station Road | Port Erin
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GALLERY GADGETS
GALLERY GADGETS
If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the gadgets section. Locally reviewed, but these puppies will have to be purchased online...
CLEVER TEMPERATURE CONTROL FOR YOUR OWN NEST NEST IS A LEARNING THERMOSTAT
POWERTREKK FUEL CHARGER JUST ADD WATER?
The concept behind this very real product is still blowing my mind in a kind of future-arriving-early kind of way, but what this pocket-sized powerstation does is understandably ‘out there’.
According to the manufacturer, Nest helps you understand how your house uses energy so that you can save more, which is a welcome proposition in almost every home, I’m sure. It only takes a week to begin the thermostat’s training, after which it will alter the temperature to suit how you use your environment and even knows when you’re away so that it can adjust the heating or cooling appropriately. You’ll get a full lowdown of how much energy you’ve used or saved each week and there’s even the obligatory app for iPhone or Android so that you can monitor or adjust your home energy consumption on the move.
SEE NEST.COM FOR MORE DETAILS
FEELING THE GRIND?
Pour a tabespoon of water into it, let it breathe, and it supplys instant power to any device capable of being charged via USB. That’s right, just add water.
GRINDING BEANS AT HOME HAS NEVER LOOKED SO GOOD Simplicity is key with Bodum’s Bistro electric coffee grinder, which allows you to adjust just how finely or coarsely ground your roast of choice is with the twist of the hand. The grounds are then stored in a container made of borosilicate which, unlike plastic, is static free and more efficient at catching the coffee.
Using Swedish-devolped fuel cell technology, the clever hydrogen-oriented science packed into each ‘fuel cell’ reacts with the water to provide a current, so you won’t have to rely on solar powered chargers which, let’s face it, even at this time of the year aren’t going to be capable of operating at their best.
Thanks to their trademark silicon band the glass also has slip-proof qualities so no matter how wet your hands are or how butterfingered you tend to be, breakages are as good as out of the question.
AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER FOR £169 FROM WWW.UKSOLARSHOP.COM
NIKE+ FUELBAND
TRAIN HARDER, BETTER, FASTER & STRONGER Looking suspiciously like something that Guy-Manuel or Thomas from Daft Punk would wear down to the gym when they’re feeling a bit health conscious, there’s no denying it looks pretty tech-tastic as well as helping you track your exercise. Bonus. It’s a watch as well as a ‘fuel point’ counter, so the functionality isn’t limited to counting your steps. Whenever you’re moving, it’s rating the amount of fuel pointsyou’re earning and tracking it online to make keeping fit fun, and if you’re that way inclined, competitive too. Not earned enough fuel points today? It’s time to take the stairs instead of the lift after that lavish lunch. Or cigarette break. Not that you smoke, right? Calorie counting has never been so easy. It’s not just aimed at people who want to exercise more, but is also handy for those already running the morning marathon to work with a hometime duathlon every day too. Just don’t take it swimming as it’s only water resistant and not rated as entirely waterproof.
AVAILABLE FROM NIKE STORES IN THE UK AND ONLINE RETAILERS FROM £160 - £180 DEPENDING ON SIZE REQUIRED 92
HARDWARE
GADGETS FROM BANG & OLUFSEN OF MANN They are also the new Apple iStore on the Isle of Man. Give them a call or drop in on the new showroom at Tromoade Industrial Estate, Carrs Lane, Douglas. Tel: 679660
LYTRO LIGHTFIELD CAMERA
IT’S BOXY, BUT GOOD
Everybody with a DSLR is a photographer these days, apparently, but the variation in results between different so-called photographers can differ so wildly that they might as well be lightyears apart. Making your photos stand out from the crowd can be tough for the enthusiastic amateur, and with the easy to use post-processing capabilities offered by Instagram, Camera+ and the like all on your iPhone (other mobile telephones are available, incidentally) it may have never been easier.
It looks a bit like the illegitimate child of an old PowerMac and a white MacBook, but the Boxx is actually an electric bicycle. No pedals, just battery power and a mere metre long it boasts features such as a heated seat for those wintertime journeys as well as twin headlamps up front.
CHANGE YOUR FOCUS
Now though, there’s the Lytro Lightfield camera too. Compact and with the appearance of a tiny, cubic kaleidoscope, it has an extremely clever trick up it’s, er, tube.
BEOPLAY A3 Transform the way you use your iPad. BEOPLAY A3 is a unique speaker frame for the iPad you love. It embraces your iPad with electrifying sound, making your iPad finally heard. Turn it, flip it, use it in any position you desire, and hear the sound magically adjust.
Capturing the entire light field that enters the lens as opposed to just a single plane, the images produced allow you alter the focus after having taken the shot using clever software on your Mac. Sorry Windows users, they’re still working on software for you guys. With no auto-focus, no shutter lag and no complicated modes to play with and no flash (it’s got an f2 aperture so is able to collect a phenomenal amount of light) the only thing you’ll need to adjust is the 8x optical zoom and the direction you’re pointing it in. This means capturing the moment you’re looking for instantly and with no fuss or need to fiddle about. The rear screen is an interactive touch screen as you’d expect from technology these days and there’s just one button on the entire device, cleverly positioned right where the camera’s centre of gravity lies to give a perfectly balanced feel in your hand.
AVAILABLE IN 8GB & 16GB CAPACITIES SEE LYTRO.COM FOR MORE DETAILS
MEET THE SOMEWHAT ODD-LOOKING BOXX BIKE
Also boasting that their creation is ‘0 MPG economical’ (which at first sounds absolutely terrible for the environment, suggesting it couldn’t even travel one mile on a gallon of fuel until you realise that it technically couldn’t in any case as there’s no fuel involved) they’re available in a host of different colours from stealthy black, grey and white to the vibrant pinks, reds, yellows and greens and take just an hour’s charging to transport you 80 miles if you go for the ‘upgrade’ specification. Power travels to both the front and rear wheels for extra traction and charging comes courtesy of a standard power outlet, although I’m guessing this means 110v as the Boxx is currently only available in the US. You’ll need a moped license to ride one on the street, mind, and whilst the Boxx is capable of travelling at a governed 35mph maximum, although I’m sure that with a little hacking this limiter could be raised slightly. At $3995 the Boxx isn’t cheap, but it’s definitely quirky as far as alternative transport solutions go.
SEE BOXCORP.COM FOR FURTHER DETAILS
ICE COLD DRINKS ARE A BLAST BEOLIT 12 Bring your favourite music with you anywhere you go, in perfect quality. Boost the mood in the kitchen, bathroom or garden with popping tunes and pristine sound. Stream your music wirelessley from you iPhone, iPod, Mac or PC. BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS
LG LFX31935
With the ability to cool a can of beer in five minutes or a bottle of wine in eight, the blast chiller drawer in LG’s new smart fridge is sure to go down a treat this summer. The compartment is fairly compact but if nothing else it’ll at least eliminate having to clean that sticky, crystallised mess that results from leaving a can of fizzy pop in the freezer for too long.
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Phone home Apples, Androids, Windows and BlackBerries, Sure helps choose the right OS for you 92% of mobile phones sold at our Sure Store on Strand Street are smartphones, which means that it won’t be too long before smartphones are the only phones in town! Choosing the right smartphone is becoming increasingly difficult. At Sure, we thought we’d help by giving you a quick look at the main operating systems used in smartphones today, because when you’re choosing a smartphone it’s the best place to start. There are four main systems: Android, iOS (Apple), BlackBerry and Windows Phone. All are powerful systems, capable of supporting a huge range of apps, as well as built-in features, such as a camera, MP3 player and video streaming software. For many people, it is a case of choosing the same operating system as a previous phone, but that doesn’t mean that the choices you made with your previous handset are redundant. If, for example, you’ve been using a BlackBerry for work, it will be worth looking at the new BlackBerry Bold 9900. It has the same look and feel as previous versions of the Bold, so if you’re a BlackBerry person, you’ll feel right at home. This one is a more intelligent version than the last and comes with a touchscreen to aid browsing and navigation. It goes without saying that Apple fans will choose the iPhone 4S, but if you’ve only dabbled with the Apple ecosystem (for instance, by owning an iPod or Apple Mac desktop PC), then the iPhone could be the phone for you.
The iPhone 4S integrates seamlessly with your current Apple hardware and iCloud gives you the capability to keep your photos and downloads in one secure, Internet-based location, thereby enabling your Apple kit to easily sync and access cherished files. If you’re willing to break from the past, then try one of our many bestselling smartphone Android operating systems. Take for instance, the HTC One X or the Sony Experia S. Both are elegant phones with large high-resolution screens and excellent usability, they have all of the aesthetic and technologically advanced hardware and software features that you’ll need and more. The Android operating system gives you access to the Google Play app store, where you’ll find thousands of apps for all occasions. The system’s popularity now outsells Apple’s iOS, and is the most popular smartphone operating system on the market. Nokia have chosen to use the Windows Phone operating system on their range of smartphones, like the beautiful Nokia Lumia 900. Praised for its ease of use and navigation, Windows Phone has suffered from being late to the smartphone party, but that doesn’t stop it being a great system to use, ideal for smartphone newcomers. All of the above smartphones are available for free from the Sure Store when you subscribe to a £36 per month Smart Plan. Call at the store, or visit surecw.com for more information about these or our other smartphones.
HTC One V Available for £285 on Pay As You Go with a free SIM pack or from FREE on Pay Monthly Best prices guaranteed by Manx Telecom’s Price Match Promise Key Features: 5 megapixel camera 4GB internal memory HSPA internet access Android OS, v4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) 1 GHz processor The HTC One V packs a lot of features into its slim and compact ergonomic design. HTC describes the One V’s camera as ‘the best in its class’ and it’s easy to see why with 5 megapixels, start-up time of less than a second, and no shutter delay. The One V simultaneously shoots 720p HD video and takes still pictures and the HTC ImageChip means that you get great shots regardless of lighting and movement. Storing all of your favourite photos and videos is made easier as the One V comes with the option of 23GB of Dropbox space free for two years. Music and all other audio is enhanced with Beats Audio which gives rich, authentic sounds. The 3.7-inch screen is wrapped in a durable, metal unibody with a unique ‘curved-chin’ design which means it is more comfortable to use when making or receiving calls. But this is just a snapshot of what the One V can do. To see for yourself what it has to offer visit Manx Telecom’s store in Strand Street, Douglas, or call 624 624 for more information. www.manxtelecom.com Photography credit: Malcolm Griffiths Ltd
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james toseland interview
James Toseland
closed doors. When I was nine, I got into motorbikes and managed to get into the cool crowd! I kept up with the piano, got up to grade 7 but as the biking picked up, the music took a slight back seat. By the time I was 17, I was travelling the world and becoming a figure in the biking scene. With the accident, I retired early from the biking at age 30, and then took up music again. It was always my joy and loved getting back into it! What is the secret to being good at a sport & music? Natural talent is a must, and family support is really important. I am lucky enough to have a strong family who introduced me to the piano and bikes. My Gran played the piano and my Mum’s partner was a biker so it really was in the genes. Practice and dedication is essential and, of course, hard work. Complete the sentence ‘Not many people know that I…’ Didn’t know the words to the national anthem when I was asked to sing it before racing at Brands Hatch in 2007. I had to quickly find the lyrics and learn them before standing in front of the crowd, in my leathers, as I had already started racing. I managed it, and also won both of my races so it was an incredible experience at the height of my success. Recent competitions / gigs?
Keeping Fit this summer at Carrefour Health Club Gallery popped into Carrefour Health Club to meet with one of their most loyal members, James Toseland; World Superbike Champion and rocker. James is currently preparing for a gig at the Villa Marina with his band, Crash. In-between his busy schedule and preparations for his marriage to the lovely Katie Melua, we have the chance to speak to him about his motivations. Age? 31 School? Wales High School, Sheffield. What is your idea of the perfect weekend? It used to be riding bikes, now it’s playing at gigs with Crash. Favourite animal? (Turns to his band mates) It will have to be a dog (seems some private joke there!) Favourite food? Georgian, which Katie introduced me to, particularly khachapuri. Italian has to be up there too!
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Favourite dance moves? I need a fair few drinks before I get up and dance. When I do, it’s not so much moves but shape throwing. Generally whatever my arms and legs choose to do! Pet hate? Negative people and the fact that news tends to prioritise negative things going on, rather than focusing on the positives. Guilty pleasure? Chocolate. When did you start your sport / music? I actually started the piano when I was seven. As that was not such a cool thing at school, I tried to keep this behind
Competitions, no, but I have a gig at the Villa Marina this evening, kind of an evening with me. First singing tracks form the new album, then Q&A followed by our band, Crash. I’m also working on my album which is taking up a lot of my time, but I’m thoroughly enjoying it! How do you prepare for gigs? Interviewing with you! It actually takes the nerves away. Do you get particularly nervous? How different is gigging compared to biking? I do get nervous at times, like when we’re on stage and when I was riding. Biking and gigging is different, without a doubt. With music, it doesn’t hurt if you make a mistake! At the same time, each gig has to be as perfect as when you’re racing on the bike. Although, in all honesty, I think I’m most nervous about the speech at my upcoming wedding! I met Katie just 13 months ago, and I just knew she was special. It has been such a whirlwind of emotions, and it is just 13 months, I have no excuse and must remember everything! isle of man style magazine
Favourite moment in your sporting / music career? For the biking, it has to be Brands Hatch in 2007. I was at the top of my game, and being asked to sing the National Anthem was just incredible. Podium, Riding, Singing and playing the piano, in front of thousands of people, everything I love to do in one day, it doesn’t get better than that! With gigging, I’ve had many opportunities to sing with my idols, including Jools Holland; Queen asked me to join them and sing “We Will Rock You” at a gig! The drums started and I remember thinking, oooh, when do I come in?! I turned around and Roger Taylor winked at me when it was time. You can’t dream of that! How can people get into superbiking? Biking is an expensive sport; to get started you really need £10k, five for the bike and another five for all the equipment and clothing. It was tough to start out; my family put everything into my competing. If I had not got signed by Mick Corrigan in 2007, we may have had to give it up. He came at the right time just before I completely skinted the family! Phew!
oJ in in July
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What was your first gig? Liverpool working man’s club in 2002. We’ve been very lucky with the following from biking supporters. We’ve also had gigs in America and Italy, the Yamaha connection helped a lot. How do you train? I’ve been a member at Carrefour since 2005, and my regimes are a lot of cardio work on the running machine, cycling machine and cross trainer and working with a lot of free weights and training specific muscle groups that I needed to race motorcycles, which is pretty much all round conditioning. A lot of arm and grip strength as well as core stability exercises. Future events for you? Well of course, there’s the wedding in September! As I mentioned, I’m working on my album, I’ve got seven tracks so far, another three or four to go. I’ve been working with Toby Jepson, lead singer of Little Angels, (do you remember 3 men and little lady?) He is absolutely incredible to work with, so listen out for the album!
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active
85 miles, 17 churches, 24 hours. the highlights...
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active
(52.5 miles)
(45 miles)
(55.5 miles) (42 miles) (67 miles)
(39 miles) (61.5 miles)
(PEEL) (32.5 miles) (78.5 miles)
(30.5 miles)
(4 miles) ZONES
(83 miles) (1.5 miles) (17 miles) (11 miles)
(19 miles) (15 miles)
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85 miles, 17 churches, 24 hours. e caught up with a few members of the Manx Telecom the highlights... Corporate Team Parish Walkers that we first talked to during their preparations for the challenge in May.
Gallery: So how did you all get on?
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Keira Corteen I Reached: Santon
Gavin Smith I Reached: Ballaugh Church
Hardest Part: Waiting 20/30 mins after the first mile on the access road for everyone to get under the bridge, as it was flooded. I really had to maintain a fast pace to make up the time and it put a strain on the rest of my walk. I also received some bad advice from a previous Parish walker, who suggested turning my socks inside out! The seam moved around and really hurt my feet, ultimately resulting in my early retirement. I’m glad I took part though as it was a really good event with a good atmosphere.
At first, the hardest thing to get used to was walking with so many other people around me, having trained on my own. The first 19 miles was probably the hardest mentally for me. Making sure I could get to the first milestone of Rushen Church without any problems. From there, I was quite looking forward to the Sloc in a bizarre way, where I’d focused a lot of my training. Seeing my wife Emma and children Ben, Sam and Lucy at the The Level in Colby just beforehand gave me a massive boost and I felt really strong over the Sloc section and on the run down towards Peel, despite the constant rain. If I got to Peel, I’d decided beforehand to try and then push on further, but by then I was starting to feel my ankles and shins ache a bit and hoped they would hold out until Ballaugh, which was my next mental milestone. On the way there, a crowd outside The Mitre pub in Kirk Michael gave everyone a massive cheer as they walked past and that really spurred me on, as did all the other amazing people along the entire route who had set up feed stations. Thanks to those who sorted me out with several bottles of water, four Mars Bars, three bananas, a flapjack, packet of jelly babies and even a sausage from the SMP Partners station at Orrisdale, legendary! I reached Ballaugh Church just before 7pm, I was happy with that for my first attempt at the Parish, having already rang Emma to book my ‘taxi’ home from there! I raised a bit more cash for the Special Care Baby Unit where my son was born in 2003, taking the total to just over £11,000 across the last nine years. I will also be splitting the funds raised from the Parish with The Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths in support of some family friends who lost their little boy earlier this year.
Fenella Costain I Reached: Santon (in time) / Rushen (unrecorded) The hardest part for me was that I was not able to be part of the parish after Santon, as I didn’t get there by the cut off time. However, I thought I might as well carry on as I had aimed to get to Rushen as a part of a New Year resolution. My timer and numbers were removed, but I went to all the parishes on the way to Rushen anyway. I just wasn’t timed or recorded but at least I know I did it. I was proud that even though it would not be recorded, I pushed myself anyway and made my target. It still left me with a good sense of achievement.
isle of man style magazine
MUSIC
music
Words | Bonzo Slater Photography | All images courtesy Yn Chrunnuaght
Scammylt
You Need That Celtic Groove Thing Celtic Music. For many people it’s more songs about spuds and herring sung by beardy men in Arran jumpers with one hand over their ear. Or it’s folk in strange costumes dancing around maypoles singing in an equally strange language. Well if that’s your idea then prepare to have your minds well and truly changed. Because during 14th-21st July, everything from progressive folk to high energy fiddling, dance music to full-on ceili fun will be all over the Island coming at you in a Celt stylee. It’s Yn Chrunniaght time again and if you don’t tune in, you’ll really miss out.
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Rua MacMillan Trio
Yn Chrunniaght
Blazin’ Fiddles
The Gathering Yn Chrunniaght (Gaelic for “The Gathering”) has been a part of the Manx summer since 1978 and in that time has become one of the foremost fixtures in the Celtic cultural calendar, attracting artists from all over the other five Celtic nations (Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall and Brittany). This year’s festival (kindly supported by the Manx Heritage Foundation, IOM Arts Council and Manx Telecom) has a line-up which promises to be one of the most exciting yet, featuring not only the very best of music and dance from the rest of the Celtic world but also the stellar array of Manx talent that’s emerged over recent years. Guests include the string driven frenzy that is Scotland’s Blazin’ Fiddles, the sublime
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award winning Rua MacMillan Trio, Irish dance troupe Rinceoiri an Chlair and BAFTA winning Welsh singers Caryl Parry Jones and Christian Phillips. Also sure to cause a stir are Cornish prog folksters Pentorr (sometimes sounding like early Pink Floyd gate crashing a Seth Lakeman session) and Breton dance legends Forzh Penaos who pull off shades of Jethro Tull and early Genesis with Breton pipes... see it and believe it! The host nation is fielding some very strong teams too. The full throttle folk of the incomparable Strengyn, the ceili-punk of the Fecktones (runners-up in this year’s Craggy Island Tedfest’s best band contest... really!), the captivating sounds of harpist Erika Kelly (of Come Dine With Me fame).
pentorr
These together with many others such as Nish as Rish, Scammylt, Barrule and Final Cut show the sheer strength in depth that Manx music has to offer, treats most certainly not to be missed. For the full festival programme, check the Interweb at www.ynchruinnaght.com or e-mail ynchruinnaght@manx.net or text 425957 with your name and mobile number to sign up for a free SMS festival news service.
So get your dancing trousers (or other appropriate costume) on, kick up your heels and get a reeling and a whooping all day & night long... it’s Yn Chrunniaght time!
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Keeping It Covered For Chris Words | Bonzo Slater
A charity compilation album - bands and artists from the Isle of Man cover songs by, um, other artists and bands from the Isle of Man: Eight to infinity - C E Slab
Phil Garry - So Long
Al & Katie Lawrence - Lanterns
Phil Reynolds and the Dearly Departed - Liberty Belle
Bonzo Slater - (Song for the) Small-headed girl Chris Flood - Go Away
Richie Moore - Hoodie Buddy
Clara Barker - Daisies
Romero - All The Rave
Duke Ukem - What Is The Meaning?
Simon Campbell - Suzy won’t see me
Jeff Jepson - St Stephen’s Green
Skatandah vs Hoodoo Nation (feat. Caitie Tate) - Moonshine Tango
Jesus Toledo - She Speaks In Riddles John Smiley - Victory Street Josh Dillon - My Starlight
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Postcode - Your Silence
The Gifted - Rothko
Matt Creer - Song
The Reverend Paul Confused - Pick Up The Slack
Mark Cleator - One Dream One Life
The Slimees - My Name Is Simon
Nicky Smith - Julia
The Slow Hours - Sangion
isle of man style magazine
music
Keeping It Covered For Chris If there’s any group of people who know how to help out it’s the musicians of Mann. Manx Charity Aid, every year at Bushy’s Beer Tent, Tsunami Aid, Rebecca House, Hospice, TT Marshals Association, IOM Childrens Centre... Never a month goes by without music lovers giving something back. And so, with much love, they band together again to continue to support a friend, most dear to their hearts.
Clara Barker Simon Campbell
Postcode
Josh Dillon
Chris Walmsley was left almost completely paralysed as a result of a road accident in the UK six years ago. Along with many others under the umbrella “Doing It For Chris”, the Manx music scene has lent its support since then to help with his ongoing care, repatriation from the UK to a specialist facility on Island and lately pioneering stem cell treatment which is already showing miraculous progress. However, Chris still has a long way to travel on his journey to recovery, a journey that necessarily requires considerable funding with which the latest Small Bear Records release “Keeping It Covered” aims to play its part in assisting. But great is as the cause that it supports, to think of it as another fundraising album misses much of the point by a country mile. This is an album that snapshots in a moment in time the torrent of talent the Island holds that’s waiting to burst forth upon a wider world. Marie Reynolds at Small Bear Records came up with the concept of following the
example of Peter Gabriel’s “Scratch My Back” (where he covered songs and asked their authors to reciprocate), so they asked their chums to cover tunes from some of the label members’ and other local artists’ back catalogues (which provided them with a pretty extensive choice given that encompassed nearly 15 years worth of output!). So many took up the challenge and much musical surprise came forth. From Eight To Infinity’s 5th Generation electro rock & roll rendering of “C E Slab” to the deft sensitivity of Jeff Jepson’s treatment of Mike Seed’s “St. Stephens Green”, from the rocksteady ukelele driven dub of Duke Ukem’s crack at “What Is The Meaning?” to the sophisticated blues shuffling down that railroad track of Simon Campbell’s version of “Suzy Won’t See Me”, this collection of 24 songs shows what Freedom To Flourish really means. Not only does it showcase established talents but also allows some stalwarts of the Manx live music scene who don’t normally record
(such as John Smiley covering Clara Barker’s “Victory Street”) to shine. And it also includes a song from some chap called Bonzo Slater (Who he..Ed.?). “Keep It Covered” is now available for download at the astonishingly reasonable price of £5. Not only that, but also with each download you get an access code for the Small Bear Records 19 track sampler as a thank you for your support. You’ll be hard pressed to give your ears more fun this year helping out. Download “Keep It Covered” from the Interweb at www.keepitcovered.bandcamp. com/album/keep-it-covered
QR code generated on http://qrcode.littleidiot.be
Images: Simon Campbell by Phil Kneen, Clara Barker by John Robinson , all other images courtesy Small Bear Records
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Did you get shot? paparazzi at The Courthouse
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paparazzi at Artisan
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paparazzi at Bar George
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Did you get shot? paparazzi at The Outback
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Did you get shot?
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paparazzi at Jaks
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paparazzi at The Prospect paparazzi at Rendevoius
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directory
directory Pets
Hardware
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Vanity Fur
DOWN TOWN Go Down Town to the Islands truly unique American style café, offering homemade food to order and service with a smile. Satisfy that sweet tooth with their homemade waffles, topped with all that your taste buds desire. Upstairs now open and available for business functions and groups or private parties.
Vanity Fur is the place for pampered pets in the Isle of Man, specialising in the very best of dog and cat grooming. We also sell amazing organic and holistic pet foods from Lily’s Kitchen, canine bakery products from Klassy Canine Bakery, doggie confectionary treats from Wilson’s Pet Bakery, wonderful products from Pet Head and many other unique products for cats and dogs
Visit our NEW iStore for all things Apple Bang & Olufsen of Mann, Tromode Industrial Estate, Carrs Lane, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM4 4QB Tel: 679660
40 Duke street, Douglas Tel: 678669 www.facebook.com/downtowniom.
Owned by two sports mad friends, Lee & James. The Islands only gadget and memorabilia shop stocks a wide range of big boys toy’s, original autographed items and gifts for every occasion. Since opening in 2004, they have supported local charities and sponsored many of the Islands sports stars. There’s something for all ages. Extreme Art & Gadgets 22a Duke Street Douglas Isle of Man Tel: 01624 675520 contact@extreme-ag.com www.extreme-ag.com
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1A Marathon Terrace Queens Promenade Douglas Tel: 667000 www.vanityfurshop.com
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Art
Victoria Art Victoria is a qualified Bulgarian fashion designer who has developed into a self-taught painter. She has a unique style in portrait painting and is currently exhibiting in the Sayle Gallery. You can also find a display of her works in the Portofino Restaurant function room. www.facebook.com/pages/EdoArtGallery/134757206590355
Sylvia Tateva Tel: 413 654 si_tateva@hotmail.com
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