Web issue 100 wa2

Hazlehead | Queens Cross | Mannofield

West End 2

Issue 100 Dec ‘15-Jan ‘16 Free Magazine

for some inspiration go to our centre page gift guide. and support an independent store this Christmas...

Introducing local people to local businesses since 2005!

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independent publisher : Sue Simpson All enquiries :

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Thank you. We try our hardest to ensure accuracy of editorial content but no responsibility can be taken for any errors and/or omissions. The views expressed within the gazette are not necessarily those of the publisher or advertisers. When replying to offers, competitions and other correspondence, we would strongly recommend that you check published information with each organisation beforehand. All artwork is accepted on strict condition that permission has been given for use in this publication. We thank you for taking the time to read the small print.

Issue 100 Last time we celebrated 10 years of publishing this time it’s Issue 100. It seems a fitting end to the year to reach our 100th copy of the magazine. A milestone indeed!

This is our Christmas issue and we have got five pages of local goodies for you to browse through something unique for every budget.

If you are a loss for something to do with the children then why not take them to meet the Ythanbank Reindeer, it is situated just outside Ellon and opens from 28 November through to 24 December. Santa will be popping up at various venues throughout the city in December I

...in Little Belmont Street

We have been serving fine italian cuisine since 1977.

Extensive à la carte menu for lunch and dinner.

5 minutes walk from His Majesty’s Theatre and Music Hall – special lunch and pre-theatre menus.

As always, I’d love to hear from you and any news that I can help publish. May I take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy 2016.

Grab that cuppa or nice cheeky mulled wine and enjoy the magazine. Until the next time…

Sue Our next deadlines are 27 Jan for | West End 2 | Kingswells 27 Feb for | West End 1 | Deeside 27 Mar for | West End 2 |Kingswells 27 Apr for | West End 1 | Deeside

Hazlehead Queens Cross Mannofield

A little bit of Italy...

do hope you manage to catch him and give him your Christmas list. For those with Christmas all wrapped up then you could indulge in a show at the Theatre, or a laugh at the panto.

Freshly baked home mode home made pizzas with lashings of toppings.

Tender pasta dishes full of tasty ingredients and luscious cream sauces. Seafood, prime steaks, chicken dishes, all with that extra touch of genius which is true Italian cooking!

Open Monday to Saturday: 12 noon to 2.30pm & 5.30pm to 10.15pm

7 Little Belmont Street | Aberdeen | AB10 1JG

of Italy...

A little bit A little Abitlittle of bit Italy...

www.poldinos.co.uk

...

in Little Belmont Street

...in Little Belmont

We have been serving fine italian cuisine since 1977.

Extensive à la carte menu for lunch and dinner.

...in Little Belmont Street

We Hall have been serving fine italian cuis 5 minutes walk from His Majesty’s Theatre and Music Extensive à la carte menu for lunch an

We have been serving fine italian cuisine since - special lunch and 1977. pre-theatre menus.

Extensive à la carte menu for lunch and dinner.

minutes walk from His Majesty’s The Freshly baked home-made pizzas with lashings of 5 toppings.

– special lunch Tender pasta dishes full of tasty ingredients and luscious creamand pre-theatre menu

5 minutes walk from His Majesty’s Theatre and Music Hall sauces. Seafood, prime steaks, chicken dishes, all with that extra – special lunch and pre-theatre menus.

Freshly baked home mode home mad touch of genius which is true italian cooking!

Tender pasta dishes full of tasty ingred

steaks, chicken dishes, all with that ext Open made Monday to Saturday 12 noon 2.30pm and 5.30pm to 10.15pm Freshly baked home mode home pizzas with lashings of to toppings.

Tender pasta dishes full of tasty ingredients and luscious cream sauces. Seafood, primeGift Open Monday to Saturday: 12 no Littleextra Belmont Street | Aberdeen | AB10 1JGcooking! steaks, chicken dishes, all with7 that touch of genius which is true Italian Vouchers

www.poldinos.co.uk

Open Monday to Saturday: 12 noon to 2.30pm & 5.30pm to 10.15pm

Available 7 Little Belmont Street | Ab

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A Home fit for a Hero Local Not for Profit organisation Aberdeen Riding Club is seeking the support of the local community to help fund a new home for 32 horses and ponies. The campaign is led by Sid the horse who was voted the STV and RBS Animal Hero of the Year in 2014-15.

Sid and his chums need to relocate after their fields and stables were released for development for a new housing complex in Miltimber.

The new location is in Anguston, on the edge of Peterculter and Drumoak and will be an ideal home for Sid and his friends with 115 acres of grazing.

Aberdeen Riding Club has achieved planning permission for the new centre and has secured a 25 year lease on the site. Sid is one of the longest residents of Aberdeen Riding Club, and his gentle, loving nature makes him perfect for disabled riders

and people learning to ride. He is the equine boss of the yard and loves nothing better than rolling in the sand of the outdoor arena in his spare time. Sid particularly loves carrots and mints and likes to beg for them by lifting up his front leg like a dog. He will reward anyone giving him his favourite treat with a loving nuzzle.

Every week Sid works with 10 disabled riders and his youngest rider is only 4 years of age. He also helps with teaching people about horses and he lets himself be covered with sticky labels detailing the anatomy of horses. In his younger days he was a slightly wild horse, but now he likes to take it easy and look after his riders. He is such a trustworthy horse with disabled riders that he has become irreplaceable.

To donate to the cause visit (www.aberdeenridingclub.com) and press the donate button. Information on our fundraising efforts and what the funds will be used towards is available on our website.

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3

Aberdeen Wine and Food Society With the dark nights upon us, it is usually time to think about what you’d like to be doing with your time during the onset of winter?

Have you heard of Aberdeen Wine and Food Society? It was formed in 1973, from a motley crew of people from various backgrounds, but all with a common love of Borscht or Bouillabaisse, Bordeaux or Barolo.

The object of the Society is “To enable the members of the Society to meet together to promote a wider knowledge of the wines and foods of the world and a more discerning appreciation of their individual merits by means of periodic tastings, lectures, film shows, or by other such means, excluding trading, as from time to time the Society may decide”.

Our season usually runs from September to May, with monthly meetings, mostly on the last Tuesday of the month, at various venues in and around Aberdeen. The evenings are either geared towards a wine or food theme, unsurprisingly, and we have an average attendance of around 30 from our present membership of 43. The result is a very convivial evening with a lovely sociable feel, a chance to make new friends and swap a myriad of tales from people of varying backgrounds and national boundaries.

We have members from Scotland, England, Ireland, Holland and South Africa in our midst, each with their own favourite wine of choice, food and travel experiences to discuss around the table.

Our wine events include tastings of various wines in small measures, accompanied by descriptions, costs and locators, followed by a two course meal, with quaffing wine. Food themed evenings push the bar up on the style of food, but also with quaffing wine and

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these are usually at one of the better quality restaurants in the area.

Over the last few years we have sampled wines from South Africa, Lebanon, France, Argentina, Spain and Germany, among others. We have enjoyed food presented in, to name a few, Eat on the Green, The Marcliffe at Pitfodels, Raemoir House, Fusion, Nargile and Silver Darling.

We have had very interesting talks, such as “Natural Wines”, presented by Art du Vin, Dunfermline, “The Effect of Music Type on One’s Palate”, presented by Edinburgh University, “Pinotage of South Africa” and “Wine with Food”, both of which were presented by one of our knowledgeable members. This season we will tackle the subjects of Medals and Indian Wines, to name but two.

Entry to the Society is by payment of an annual fee, which presently is £25 and each monthly event is charged by attendance, at an average cost of around £35-£45 per head, including all food and wine on offer. We occasionally arrange transport to out of town events, but otherwise it is up to individual attendees to make their own arrangements.

Why not come along as a guest to sample an event, at a small additional charge.

At present Events for our 2015 / 2016 season will be at :Tolbooth, Stonehaven / North of Scotland College / Courtyard / Café Boheme / Caledonian Hotel / Cinnamon / our AGM followed by our final Banquet at Banchory Lodge Hotel.

If this is a subject which interests you then please get in touch by contacting either The Society’s Secretary or President, whose details are below.

Secretary – Simon Robins – email – srobins@comraen.co.uk President – Bob Chisholm – email – robert.chisholm@btinternet.com

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5

Who do you turn to when choosing the best home care agency?

Usually, the best form of recommendation is through word of mouth and that’s exactly how ana has excelled since it began back in 1996. 19 years later, ana is recognised as Aberdeen’s no.1 healthcare agency and in October launched its own independent care @ home service.

Following the same lines as our healthcare agency, ana care @ home understands that nothing beats being recommended, so when we received our first client’s assessment, we were delighted with their feedback. When asked if our clients were satisfied with the way their initial enquiry was dealt with, our clients have answered ‘yes, very much’. On a rating of 1-10, the quality of our carers scored ‘10’ (being the top score). ana’s care @ home service aims to breathe

new life into domiciliary care by doing away with crippling time restrictions. Our carers are not limited to 15 min or 1 hour visits, we instead have a minimum care block of 4 hours. Our bespoke packages are tailored around your needs, not ours. We offer round the clock care, a befriending service, hospital discharges and respite.

We have also made sure that there is a service available for those of you who look after their loved ones. ana recognises that a break from the caring routine makes a real difference to your everyday life, that is why our carers are available to take over and give you the break you deserve.

Rest assured, there is no other nursing agency in Aberdeen which has been awarded ana’s outstanding 5s and 6s throughout their latest Care Inspectorate report.

If you would like further information on ana’s new care @ home service, please call Shona on 01224 648 567.

ana is committed to delivering professional, personalised care in the comfort of your own home.

Breathing new life into care at home Call 01224 648567

ana has been supplying highly trained healthcare staff for over 18 years. Our wealth of experience and excellent grades with the Care Inspectorate makes ana one of Aberdeen’s most respected care providers.

With 4 hour blocks of care offered as minimum, ana is dedicated to providing a personalised service to each and every client.

– to find out more about our services and bespoke care packages.

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7

Party Safe If you’re going on a night out then have fun and enjoy yourself. However, people can sometimes end up acting out of character and may end up regretting it later. Keep these simple steps in mind while having fun.

What can I do to keep safe on a night out?

Don’t take drugs or New Psychoactive Substances (sometimes misleadingly called ‘legal highs’).For more information on Drugs, New Psychoactive Substance and Solvent misuse, see our Keep Safe from Substance Misuse advice.

Don’t have sexual intercourse with anyone who is unable to give their consent because they are too drunk or under the influence of drugs. In Scots Law this is rape.

Take your mobile phone with you and make sure it’s charged.

Look after bags and valuables. Attracting attention to a phone, especially when leaving a club under the influence of alcohol, makes you more vulnerable to criminals.Get more information by looking at our Keep your Valuables secure advice.

Stay with friends and avoid leaving parties or nights out with strangers.

Make sure you have enough money left at the end of the night to pay for your journey home.

Be sensible about how much alcohol you drink and pace yourself - a drunk person is much more vulnerable and a far easier target for criminals.

Stay alert at cash machines. Hide your PIN, be aware of who’s behind you and keep money out of view. Avoid using them if you’ve had too much to drink as you’ll be more vulnerable to being the target of a robbery.

Watch your drinks - don’t give anyone the opportunity to alter them with other substances. If you leave a drink unattended then don’t go back to it.

For more information about getting to or returning home from your night out safely

Plan your night out including how to get home.

Think about what you’ve had to drink - If you feel very drunk or unwell after just a small amount then ask a trusted friend or a member of the club / pub management for help.

http://www.scotland.police. uk/keep-safe/personal-safety/ party-safe

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9

Beauty

Beauty Gifts That Won’t Break The Bank

by Kate Duggan www.kateduggan.co.uk

Beauty gifts need to be a little bit decadent.

The recipient should feel truly pampered, and will appreciate that you haven’t just picked up a run-of-the-mill gift set with your supermarket shopping. However, that doesn’t mean that you have to max the credit card out this Christmas.

So, here are our top picks for great value skin and body care gift sets, starting from under a fiver.

A gift for your mum Pai have released a limited edition version of their bestselling rosehip Bioregenerate oil, for £22. This oil is the darling of the beauty media and packs a pretty powerful antiaging punch. It’s the most concentrated rosehip oil on the market, and has been shown to offer visible skin healing benefits, including improving skin firmness, and minimising the appearance of scars, stretch marks, sun damage and fine lines.

It also feels lovely to apply. for your sister Neal’s yard uplifting Jasmine & ylang ylang organic Collection includes a shower gel and body cream, and is a real bargain at £15. As well as smelling absolutely divine, the products are very nourishing, so are ideal for the cold winter months. Packaged in a pretty gift box, this set is sure to go down a treat. stoCkiNg fillers If stockings are still the best part of your Christmas morning, you’ll love Narynda’s sample pots.

Choose between the Body Care Pack at £5, and the Face Care Pack at £7.50, then just wrap each item separately. They both offer great value for

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money, and are ideal for a weekend away.

Narynda’s products are formulated from some of nature’s finest skin soothers, including oat oil, grapefruit oil and beeswax, so they’re a good choice for sensitive skin. seCret sANtA The prettily packaged soaps

by Akamuti are 100% natural and handmade. The rose Beauty soap Bar contains shea butter, olive oil and cocoa butter, along with luxurious rose oil.

A bar costs £4.75 and is a much more thoughtful choice for a co-worker than the usual box of chocolates or gift voucher. for A frieNd Who wouldn’t want to receive the gift of beautiful hair? kms California has released three gift sets this Christmas, each containing a shampoo, conditioner, two styling products and a hair accessory. Choose the desired results from Tame Frizz, Moist Repair and Add Volume. Each set retails at £29.95. for A pArty host If you fancy giving your host something a bit more imaginative than a bottle of wine or bunch of flowers, a gift set from B skincare is a great choice. The lavender scented B relaxed set is particularly relevant at this hectic time of year, and at £12.50 it won’t break the bank. Handmade in Cornwall by a small family business, B Skincare make seriously luxurious products, at pocket-friendly prices. oNe for the Boys Buying for a man who understands the importance of good skincare? The elemis perfect man giftset should go down a treat.

The set comprises Ice Cool Foaming Gel (for shaving), Pro-Collagen Marine Cream for Men, Aching Muscle Super Soak and two sachets of Pro-Collagen Hydra-Gel Eye Masks. At £49 it isn’t cheap, but as it includes £77.50 worth of products, it is great value for money.

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11

Have a Healthier, Happier Christmas

By Alison Runham www.alison.runham.co.uk Christmas is often laden with expectations, anxieties and overindulgence. Add family tensions to the mix and the result can be discomfort, disappointment and disagreement. It’s no coincidence that January is the busiest month for divorce lawyers.

So what can we do to make Christmas happier and healthier?

Take The Pressure Off

• Buy presents throughout the year. Gift shops you visit on holiday may offer something unique.

• Try to resolve family conflicts before the big day.

• You can’t please all of the people all of the time, so don’t try. Ask the people involved (including yourself) to name just one or two things that really make their Christmas, then agree on a plan that includes these, along with exercise (a post-dinner walk?), a group activity or two, and allotted tasks to ensure one person doesn’t wait on everyone else.

• Bake and freeze as much as possible in advance (gravy and stuffing can be frozen).

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avOid fesTive fOOd POisOning

leave it out for more than four hours.

Hygiene can slip with extra food, extra cooks and extra time pressure, so: • Keep ALL raw food separate from ready-to-eat foods and use separate chopping boards.

• Rub fruit and vegetables clean – don’t just rinse them.

• Defrost foods thoroughly.

A large turkey can take two days, so check inside for ice crystals. Cook or refrigerate defrosted food immediately.

• Ensure your fridge stays below 5°C and there’s room for cold air to circulate inside.

• Keep pre-prepared or chilled food in the fridge until the last possible moment.

• Make sure nobody skimps on washing (and drying) their hands. Germs love damp.

Put signs up in the loo and kitchen if necessary.

• Make sure your turkey is properly cooked. Meat at the thickest part between the breast and thigh shouldn’t be pink, and juices should run clear.

• Adhere to ‘use by’ dates and check food carefully if it’s beyond the ‘best before’ date.

• Cover buffet food and don’t

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• Chill leftovers rapidly and eat them within two days. Reheat them thoroughly, but not more than once.

healThier ChrisTmas fOOd

Stick to normal meal times and start Christmas Day with a healthy, filling breakfast to help everyone resist unhealthy snacks.

Christmas dinner This can be a healthy balanced meal if prepared correctly.

• Avoid fat-laden starters.

• Keep portion size sensible and stop eating just as you start to feel full. It takes time for your stomach to tell your brain you’re full.

• The fat on poultry is predominantly in the skin, so prick it and then cook it on a rack, holding it clear of the escaping fat. Removing skin and avoiding butter-basting reduces a turkey’s calories by nearly a third and its fat by more than half. It’s lower in fat that duck and goose.

• Don’t add sausage meat to stuffing; bulk it up with vegetarian sausage mix instead.

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• Forget the goose fat and spray potatoes with a healthy oil, or swap roasties for jacket potatoes.

• Microwave, steam or boil your vegetables in a small amount of water until just soft; overcooking destroys nutrients (and taste). Add herbs or lemon juice rather than butter.

• Keep the salt shaker off the table.

• Opt for low salt gravy mixes and if you’re adding meat juices, let them sit until the fat has separated, then scoop it off before adding the juices to your gravy.

• Christmas pudding is usually quite low in fat and high in fibre, but high in sugar. Keep portion sizes small and add low-fat custard or crème fraîche, or Greek yogurt, rather than cream or brandy butter.

Christmas Party or Tea • Swap traditional, pastry-heavy mince pies for lattices, filo parcels or open-top versions.

• Use herbs, light dressings and marinades to make tasty savouries rather than opting for breaded or battered snacks.

• Make healthier creamy dips with yogurt or crème fraîche or choose tomato-based ones.

• Try swapping crisps, salted nuts and chocolate for plain popcorn, rice cakes, pretzels, unsalted nuts and homemade chocolate covered fruit (using dark chocolate will make it even healthier).

Be drink Wise • Alcohol is calorie-heavy.

• Absorption is dependent on your size, age, weight, metabolism, what else you’ve eaten or drunk, and the speed

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you’ve been drinking, so no set amount will guarantee you stay under the legal drink-drive limit. Remember that Scotland’s drink-drive limit is considerably lower than the rest of the UK’s.

Even if you’re not over the limit, alcohol affects your judgement, reactions and vision.

• Don’t exceed the NHS recommended weekly limits: 21 units for men and 14 units for women.

• If you’re hosting, provide a range of soft drinks for nondrinkers.

• Alcohol, salty snacks and warm rooms all contribute to dehydration which will make people irritable, so offer jugs of chilled water jazzed up with winter berries or citrus peel.

Finally, take time out to relax - and remember: a burnt turkey isn’t the end of the world.

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Cake and Bake

Stollen This spiced and fruity Continental sweet bread is perfect for serving over the festive season with a glass of warm mulled wine.

Ingredients: • 50g butter • 175ml milk • 3 tbsp caster sugar • 375g strong plain white flour, plus extra for kneading • � tsp salt • 1 tsp ground mixed spice • 2 tsp fast-action dried yeast • Zest of 1 lemon • 1 large egg, beaten • 125g raisins • 25g chopped mixed peel • 50g glace cherries, rinsed, dried and quartered • 175g marzipan • Melted butter, for brushing • Icing sugar, for dusting

Makes 10-12 slices Ready in about 3 hours

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1. Put the butter, milk and caster sugar in a small pan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved and the butter has melted. Leave to cool for 10 minutes.

2. Sift the flour, salt and mixed spice into a large bowl and stir in the dried yeast. Make a well in the centre and stir in the milk mixture, lemon zest and egg. Mix together with a round-bladed knife to form a soft and sticky dough.

3. Turn the dough onto a well floured surface and knead for 5-8 minutes until smooth and elastic. At first the dough will be quite sticky so add more flour as necessary.

4. Flatten out the dough and knead in the raisins, cherries and peel until just combined. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with cling film and leave in a warm place for about 1� hours, or until doubled in size.

5. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 1-2 minutes, then roll out to a 25cm square. Shape the marzipan into a sausage shape and place down the centre of the dough. Fold one side over to cover the marzipan then repeat with the other side, overlapping in the centre. Seal the ends. Place seam-side down on a greased baking sheet. Cover with oiled cling film and leave in a warm place until doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 190°C, fan 170°C, gas 5.

6. Bake the stollen for 35-45 minutes until golden and sounds hollow when tapped underneath. Brush the hot stollen all over with melted butter and roll in the icing sugar to coat. Leave to cool.

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15

5 Basic Principals Head and Body Placement Cervical spine, all 7 vertebrae at your neck, is the most mobile part of the spine. The curve in the neck should be the same size of curve as in the base of your spine.

For perfect placement the head is placed directly on top of the spine, with the ear and shoulder aligned. Because this is the most mobile part of the spine we tend to move the head too far forward of the spine, this causes the upper spine, thoracic, to be more rounded. This is as a direct result of bending over a work surface, a desk, or sitting in a seat.

The movements at the head and neck consist of: »» Turning head from side to side, or moving chin to shoulder; pivoting the head. »» We can bend form side to side, or ear to shoulder. »» We are also able to circle at the neck, taking the head: ear to shoulder, rolling forward chin to chest and then opposite ear to shoulder. »» It's also possible to extend through the neck, to look up, but I would not recommend this as an exercise.

Keeping the correct head placement can be difficult, but knowing we hold it incorrectly is not something we're aware of until someone tells us, someone like me in a Pilates class. During a Pilates class, that's exactly what happens, you're lying flat in the floor and the head is placed directly in line with the spine. This may not necessarily be a comfortable position. As an experienced instructor, it's simple to glance at the head placement of a client for me to assess if a block is needed under the head for more support and comfort which makes movement easier, and with less strain.

The cervical spine, as previously mentioned, is the most mobile part of the spine; the shoulders, as mentioned in blog 4, have no boney attachment. This makes the head, neck and shoulders the easiest place for incorrect positioning.

Some of the muscles tend to work both cervical spine and shoulder blades. This causes us to make a movement using all the movement at that muscle instead of

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part of the muscle and only the intend action. For example, if you turn your head, we tend to lift the shoulder at the same time. If we lift the arm, the shoulder tends to lift too.

It's my job, in my Pilates class on a Monday, to help you understand HOW you move. During the class I observe your movement and then guide you into using different muscles, to give you less strain. It is usual, when I do this, for the belly to need to be braced more, in order to get the intended working muscle to do its job properly. Head and neck movements can be made more efficient and effective by bracing the belly muscles, reducing the tension on the shoulder muscles and then making movement easier.

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Because the body is all linked it is hard to move just one part of the body and NOT affect another part. If you find it difficult to move one part of the body, you'll need to see me the squash club at 11:00am on a Monday to release the muscles before coming to Pilates. Once you alter the position of the pelvis it affects the position of the spine, and in turn the position of the head.

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Marmalade and Mustard

Glazed Gammon Serves 6-8

Ready in 2 hours 45 minutes, plus cooling

Glazed gammon is a Christmas favourite – delicious hot from the oven as a festive supper or served cold as part of the Boxing Day buffet!

Place the gammon joint in a large deep pan with the onion, carrot, bay leaves and peppercorns. Pour over enough cold water to cover the joint.

Ingredients: • 2.5kg smoked gammon joint

Bring to the boil then skim off any scum from the surface using a slotted spoon. Reduce the heat, cover and leave to simmer for 1� hours, topping up the water level as needed.

• 1 onion, peeled and quartered • 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped

Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4. Lift out the gammon from the pan and place in a foil-lined roasting tin (discard the cooking liquid). Leave to cool for 10 minutes. Cut away the skin from the gammon, leaving a thin layer of fat and score the fat into diamonds. Stud the scored fat with the cloves in an even pattern.

• 2 fresh bay leaves, plus extra to garnish • Few black peppercorns • 1 tbsp whole cloves • 3 tbsp shredless orange marmalade, warmed

Mix together the marmalade, honey, mustard and sugar and spoon all over the gammon fat. Roast in the oven for 40-45 minutes, basting regularly with the glaze and pan juices until the fat is golden. Serve hot or cold garnished with fresh bay leaves and orange wedges.

• 2 tbsp runny honey • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard • 3 tbsp light soft brown sugar • Orange wedges, to garnish

18

TIP

Add 1 tsp each ground cumin and ground coriander or a splash of Tabasco sauce to the glaze for a bit of extra spice, if liked.

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Candy Coated – Arrow Scarfs, 100% lambswool £45 each (Junction Arts)

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Just Togs Junior Imperial Helmet £52.95 Saddleup at Ladymire Equestrian

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Helen Forrest – ‘I’m With You’ Mixed Media £225.00 (Junction Arts)

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Tablet and laptop cases from Ted Baker make the ideal gift for the man in your life. From £30.99 at The Mains of Drum

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The Bellwether - Xmas Cross Stitch kit, make your own coasters decoration kit £15.00 each (Junction Arts)

The Free Range Feast - £95 An Ideal Christmas Dinner with the Family – feeds 8 people (The Store)

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By Danish brand Pure Culture Stunning white and copper decorative bowl. 4 sizes, ø10cm30cm. £15-£48 (Eighty7 Design + Living)

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Ardgill Hamper - Inside this generous hamper is a feast of treats for all. £95 (The Store)

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‘Top of the Hill’ Acrylic and pencil on board by Morag Smith, price £280 (Junction Arts)

The Forvie Hamper £290 A delightful feast for all the family is guaranteed with this lavish hamper of magnificent seasonal treats.

(The Store) Cozy slippers from Totes to keep your feet warm this Winter. £18 from (The Mains of Drum)

The Bellwether - Xmas Cross Stitch kit, make your own pudding decoration kit £12.00 each

24

Christmas Shopping Locally...

Wolf & Moon – Necklaces - Acrylic and Marble necklaces/ earrings Priced between £12 - £16 (Junction Arts)

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Hand thrown stoneware bowls with lustre glaze and natural finish by Watergaw Ceramics. Prices from £18 - £65.. (Junction Arts)

Stylish and warm scarf by Joules £29.95 at The Mains of Drum

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Mugs with various designs £8.00 each, Porcelain bottles various sizes £15 - £35 each by Sarah Coonan (Junction Arts)

These scented candles from Voluspa are presented in beautifully decorated tins and jars from £9.99 at (The Mains of Drum)

The Collieston Hamper £50 A versatile and storable hamper, ideal for showcasing seasonal favourites and impressing a Christmas host.

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Whisky lovers will adore these individual, handblown glassware range from LSA. Each piece sits on a walnut coaster and start from £30.99 at (The Mains of Drum)

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Mixed media painting by Doreen Bothwell, titled ‘Orange Joog’, Price Framed £170.00 (Junction Arts)

Freshwater pearls & silver hoop pendant on sterling silver chain by Hazey Designs, Price £36 (Junction Arts)

The Bronze Banquet - £175 The Foodies perfect Christmas Dinner – feeds min 10 people with plenty leftovers! (The Store)

Healthy Energy Hamper £50 This hamper will deliciously bolster your health credentials. (The Store)

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27

Finance What type of financial help is available for first time buyers?

By Ann Haldon The thought of buying your first home can be daunting, but there’s help available from the government that you may not know about. Equity loans and mortgage guarantees combine within the Help to Buy scheme, which has been a popular option for many people wanting to get their foot on the property ladder.

Other possibilities include Shared Ownership schemes and Help to Buy ISA products.

Additionally, choosing a fixed rate mortgage deal will help you to budget effectively and provides peace of mind that you can afford the repayments.

Help to Buy Equity Loan You only need to find a deposit of 5% as the government loans you the remaining 20%.

The loan is offered interestfree for the first five years, with an interest rate of 1.75% being charged in year six on the amount of the original loan. Subsequent annual rate increases are in line with inflation, using the Retail Price Index plus 1%.

You’ll be able to repay part of the loan early without penalty if you want, and you can sell your home whenever you like.

The repayment figure on sale is based on the property’s value at the time so that the government benefits from its rise in value.

Mortgage Guarantee This part of the Help to Buy

28

scheme is available until 31st December 2016 for new-builds and older homes. It is valid for properties worth up to £600,000, and the government provides a guarantee to mortgage lenders for up to 15% of the property value.

The scheme is geared towards purchasers with a low deposit, and is intended to encourage confidence in lenders that their money is safe, increasing the likelihood of them offering a larger number of 95% loan-tovalue mortgages.

Shared Ownership The Shared Ownership scheme enables you to own a proportion of your home - usually between 25% and 75% of the property’s value. You pay rent to a housing association on the remaining proportion, but at a subsidised rate.

Shared Ownership helps people to buy their first home because rents are generally low, and are paid in conjunction with a mortgage. The housing association may allow you to purchase more of your home over time – usually up to its full value.

Help to Buy ISA The Help to Buy ISA is a new product offered by the government, and is due to be introduced this month (December). If you make a lump sum deposit of £1,000 the government will boost this

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amount tax-free by up to £250 when you buy your home, plus by another £50 for each further £200 of monthly savings. There is a limit on these tax free bonuses, however, of £3,000.

Fixing your mortgage rate If you fix your mortgage rate you’ll be able to budget with confidence, and won’t need to worry about mortgage interest rate rises. Interest rates are expected to increase in the spring of 2016, so this is a good time to look for a suitable fixed rate deal.

It can be difficult to know for how long to fix your rate, but with increases expected over the next few years a five-year term might be the best choice, even though the rates offered will be higher than deals over two or three years.

With a little research and pre-planning you can take advantage of the various schemes available, fixing your interest rate to provide some stability and peace of mind. http://www.moneywise.co.uk/ news/2015-09-09/first-timebuyers-to-get-4000-deposit-boost http://www.moneysupermarket. com/mortgages/hubs/first-timebuyers/ http://www.moneysupermarket. com/mortgages/first-time-buyers/ http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/ money/mortgageshome/article3177711/Time-start-savingbenefit-new-Help-Buy-Isa.html

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29

What’s On in December at His Majesty’s Theatre, Music Hall and Lemon Tree, Aberdeen

Saturday, December 12: Featuring some of Aberdeen’s finest young musicians in two concerts of festive music by bands, orchestras and choirs, Aberdeen Music Centre Christmas Concerts, in the Music Hall, Aberdeen, at 1pm (junior concert) and 7pm (senior concert).

Sunday, December 13: Grampian Hospitals Christmas Carol Concert, in aid of CLIC Sargeant Cancer Care for Children, in the Music Hall, Aberdeen, at 2.30pm.

Saturday, November 28 to January 3: HMT’s legendary and record-breaking trio Elaine C Smith, Alan McHugh and Jordan Young return in the spectacular swashbuckling 3D family panto Peter Pan, in His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen, twice daily except for Mondays Nov 30, December 7 and December 14 and Fridays, December 18, December 25 and January 1, at 1pm and 5.30pm on Sundays, at 2.30pm and 7pm on Saturdays, at 1.45pm and 7pm on weekdays until Thursday, December 17, and at 2.30pm and 7pm on weekdays thereafter.

Monday to Thursday, December 7 to 24: Aberdeen Performing Arts and Visible Fictions present A Ladder to the Stars, by Simon Puttock and adapted by Dougie Irvine, when a little girl’s birthday wish begins the perfect festive treat for a young audience aged three to seven, their parents and carers this Christmas, in The Lemon Tree Studio, West North Street, Aberdeen, Monday to Saturday, at 10.30am and 1.30pm. Tickets (children £8.80) from www.aberdeenperformingarts.com or tel 01224 641122 Friday, December 11: The star of Mock the Week, Michael McIntyre’s Roadshow and Live at the Apollo, Stewart Francis and his new show Pun Gent Tour, in the Music Hall, Aberdeen, at 8pm (age restriction 16+).

30

Sunday, December 13: Born and bred in Glasgow, but with more in common with the swampy blues of Louisiana, Tijuana Bibles bring their mix of grungy sludgebased riffs and groove-laden rhythms to The Lemon Tree Lounge (standing), West North Street, Aberdeen, doors at 7.30pm.

Tuesday, December 15: Aberdeen Choral Society presents Handel’s ever-popular oratorio The Messiah, with 100 voices, a team of eminent soloists, including Jamie MacDougall from BBC Radio Scotland’s Classics Unwrapped, and Grampian Sinfonia, under the baton of musical director Alistair Macdonald, in the Music Hall, Aberdeen, at 7.15pm.

Thursday, December 17: It isn’t Christmas until you go on this magical journey through the winter sky with Royal Scottish National Orchestra and their Christmas Concert: The Snowman, in the Music Hall, Aberdeen, at 7.30pm.

Friday, December 18: For its muchloved festive special, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra brings a fine selection of Christmas Classics for all the family, favourite works by Handel, Tchaikovsky, Malcom Arnold, Irving Berlin and more, with singer and presenter Jamie MacDougall and conductor Richard Balcombe, in the Music Hall, Aberdeen, at 7.30pm. Tickets www. aberdeenperformingarts.com or tel 01224 641122

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Friday, December 18: In celebration of the 40th anniversary of Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here album, Macfloyd perform the masterpiece in its entirety, in The Lemon Tree Lounge (standing), West North Street, Aberdeen, doors at 8pm.

Saturday, December 19: Director the Scottish Chamber Orchestra from the violin SCO Associate Artist Alexander Janiczek continues his survey of concertos by Mozart and Beethoven, with pianist Llŷr Williams, in the Music Hall, Aberdeen, at 7.30pm.

Saturday December 19: Scottish threepiece, The Banana Sessions, take their own musical style and wild imagination to The Lemon Tree Lounge, West North Street, Aberdeen, doors at 7.30pm.

Sunday, December 20: Winner of ITV’s Stars in their Eyes Live Grand Final Gary Mullen and The Works, perform One Night of Queen, in the Music Hall, Aberdeen, at 7.30pm.

Monday, December 21: In Phil Cunningham’s Christmas Concert the great man is joined by Eddi Reader, Karen Matheson, John McCusker, Kris Drever, Ian Carr and Kevin McGuire, in the Music Hall, Aberdeen, at 7.30pm.

Thursday, December 31: A traditional Scottish Hogmanay, hosted by Robert Lovie and headlined by international opera star Richard Morrison, with The Jonny Hardie Ceilidh Band, and Calum Brown, plus Paul Anderson, Calum Stewart and Ali Napier collaborating in a new band called The Doric, in the Music Hall, Aberdeen, from 7.30pm to 10pm.

Thursday, December 31: Hogmanay with The Limit, one of the North-east’s premier function bands, a professional, dynamic, five-piece unit that cover everything from Elvis to The Eagles, in The Lemon Tree Lounge (standing), West North Street, Aberdeen, doors at 8pm.

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Aberdeen Hypnotherapy The Solution Focused Practice

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Aberdeen Choral Society resume rehearsals on Monday 11 January at 7.30pm in Queens Cross Church Hall.

Our next Concert performance will be a combined Choir with Aberdeen University Choral Group. We will sing Elijah in the Music Hall in March. New members are most welcome. Come and join us.

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Christmas Alleluia Bells Camel Cards Carols Chimney Crib Cupid Donkey Donner Elves Family Gifts Gold Happy Holly Inn

Ivy Jolly Joy Manger Merry Mince pie Myrrh Noel

Party Ribbon Sing Star Toys Vixen Winter Xmas

Find the names associated with christmas in the grid and the remaining letters will spell out a related phrase

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33

Home & Interiors Make Room for Guests at Christmas box, bag or basket to stow bedding during the day.

Dinner is served

The tree is decorated and the turkey in the freezer, but are you ready to welcome friends and family this Christmas?

Katherine Sorrell outlines some quick and easy ways to create extra space for holiday visitors.

Lounging around

If you’re going to need somewhere for everyone to relax in the living room, bring in beanbags for the kids and pop cushions on top of coffee tables and benches to create a few extra TV-viewing spaces.

A bed for the night

No guest room? No problem. A sofa bed, day bed or futon – or simply a longish sofa – will do the trick. A good quality airbed is a great thing to have, too.

If your living room is acting as a temporary bedroom, clear space for your guests’ luggage and place a small lamp near the head of their ‘bed’ and a spare throw or blanket nearby. Use a

34

An extendable dining table is perfect for accommodating additional guests; alternatively enlarge your table temporarily by topping it with an overhanging sheet of plywood (you might want to protect the table with a pad or cloth first), covered with a pretty tablecloth. Or, create a separate dining table – maybe just for kids – using anything with a flat surface, from a trestle table to a coffee table, surrounded by cushions on the floor.

Any old china

If you haven’t got enough crockery for all your guests, plan ahead and pick up extras at car boot sales, charity shops or vintage shops; the same goes for glasses and cutlery.

If all else fails, have a stack of paper plates to hand – no one will mind once the turkey is dished out, and at least you’ll save on washing up!

Are you sitting comfortably?

If you have a shortage of dining chairs, consider investing in a few inexpensive folding chairs that you could hide out of the way when not in use. If you’re not keen on how they look, try covering them with pillowcases and adding a pretty cushion.

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By Katherine Sorrell

Alternatively, a flat-topped stool can double as a seat and as a side table – handy next to that seldom-used guest bed, too – and will slide out of the way under the table when not in use.

Hallway solutions

Extra guests means a proliferation of coats, shoes, boots and umbrellas, so a simple stacking shoe rack will always come in handy, as will a few extra hooks mounted on the wall. How about a free-standing coat rack? Or, for cheap and instant spacesaving, over-door racks, hooks and shoe organisers can be added anywhere in the house.

Eat, drink and be merry

Aim to create enough room in your kitchen to store all your festive goodies by clearing out your cupboards and fridge in good time. Add internal racks, shelves, boxes and baskets so you can stack everything neatly (clear plastic makes it easy to see everything at once).

Bathroom bliss

Clear plenty of space for your guests to store their toiletries before they arrive and look for bath and shower caddies that attach by hook or suction, allowing you to stock all sorts of products out of the way. Provide clean towels on a separate hook or rail from your own – a clothes airer that hooks over a radiator is ideal – and some luxury soaps. Your visitors will never want to go home…

Main Image: Stella sofa bed in Herringbone, £1,340, sofa.com, 0845 400 2222.

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PHOTOStoDVD can digitize photographs, slides, negatives, VHS tapes and camcorder tapes to play back on a DVD or Flash Memory Stick.

Our flexible scanning and retouching services can be tailored to your individual needs. Choose your photos, slides and negatives carefully.

Although our enhancement service will improve most photographs, out of focus photos may look disappointing on your TV. Our speciality however is producing carefully-crafted and completely personalised Video Photomontages with a little extra something that will far exceed your expectations. This is ideal for those special events such as Mum and Dad's Golden Wedding or your daughter's 21st birthday.

In order to create the movie each picture is treated individually zooming in and out of important features or faces and scanning slowly across groups before blending seamlessly with the next photo. If you want to combine photographs, slides and camcorder video with your personalised background music or commentary, we are the one for you. Since we started 14 years ago we have not as yet failed to fully achieve a client's requirements and actually enjoy a bit of a challenge! This is most certainly not your basic slideshow.

Whether you want to safeguard precious family memories for future generations or provide a uniquely personal gift for someone you love - PHOTOStoDVD would be delighted to help. We pride ourselves in the service we offer and we welcome your enquiries. If you have an idea for a film on DVD but need some help and guidance, or would like some suggestions to make your film 'extra' special for that 'special' occasion, please call and talk it over with us.

We fully understand how important your photos, slides and videos are to you and treat them with the utmost respect and confidentiality.

We suggest you use recorded post in secure packaging. Upon receipt of your order, we will email you to confirm safe delivery. We will email you again upon dispatch of your completed items.

Give us a call - we guarantee you will be amazed with the end result. www.photostodvd.org.uk or call 07743441690

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Kyoto Japan

By Solange Hando Laced with rivers and lakes at the foot of the mountains, Kyoto nestles in a lush valley on Japan’s main island. It’s a bustling city of tree-lined avenues and gleaming shops but in this former capital, the past lingers in myriad heritage sites, 17 of them listed by UNESCO, sprinkled on the slopes or tucked away at the heart of town. For over 1,000 years, this was the emperor’s home, even when military rule was set up in Edo (now Tokyo), and a renowned cultural centre where temples, palaces and gardens flourished and geishas entertained the elite with elegance and grace.

Imperial power was restored in Tokyo in 1868 but the Emperor still visits his Kyoto Palace, a complex of sweeping roofs and covered walkways behind a long perimeter wall on the edge of a public park. Around the corner, the Nijo Castle greets visitors with a delightful garden, a dark mysterious hall draped in ancient murals and a ‘nightingale’ corridor where floorboards still creak to ward off intruders.

Meanwhile across the Kamo river, traditional wooden houses glow along the lanes in the Gion district, a perfect

picture postcard, especially if you spot a geisha or two, but a world away from the glorious temples and shrines which are Kyoto’s most iconic landmarks.

When locals visit on special occasions, young women wear flowers in their hair and kimonos flutter along the paths.

Most Japanese follow both Buddhism and Shinto, the indigenous religion worshipping the thousands of spirits who live in the natural world. Buddhist prayers are for the after-life but Shinto is for the present since spirits are all around. Shinto shrines are traditionally fronted by a red ‘torri’ gate, marking the transition from profane to sacred, and accessed by a gravel path whose sound is believed to calm the mind in readiness for worship. Most famous is the Fushimi Inari shrine where hundreds of vermilion gates cover the tunnel-like paths. The shrine honours the God of Rice and his messenger, the Fox, while nearer to the town centre, the Heia-jingu is a replica of the original imperial palace, built in 794, including pagodas, halls and a ‘strolling garden’ cooled by water features.

Alongside its 400 Shinto

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shrines, Kyoto claims 1,600 Buddhist temples. Here’s the Temple of Clear Water, one of the oldest in Japan, and the spring where wishes might come true, there Ryoan-ji, known for its rock garden and lovely lake festooned in azalea, and the most popular, Kinkakuji and its Golden Pavilion, originally built in the 15th century and dedicated to Zen Buddhism. It’s a crowded place but patient visitors are sure to find some quiet moments when the Golden Pavilion simply takes their breath away.

Mirrored in the lake, it’s almost unreal, a classical painting sparkling with gold leaf in a luxuriant oasis. Some say it’s a vision of the after-life, the ‘Pure Land of the Buddha’, others see it as the perfect harmony between heaven and earth.

Whatever it is, one can barely imagine that after Hiroshima in 1945, Kyoto was next on the list for nuclear destruction but spared at the 11th hour

by Henry L. Stimson, the US Secretary of War who had visited the city on his honeymoon.

So Nagasaki was hit and Kyoto remains one of the most stunning heritage sites in Japan.

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Festive Safety Tips

Trees and Decorations Christmas is a special time for celebration and should not end in tragedy because of the extra hazards that are present at this time of year. So when you’re decking the halls make sure you follow our simple advice and stay safe.

Fairy Lights Unplug fairy lights or other electrical

Christmas decorations when you leave the house or go to bed.

Check fairy lights are in good working order

and replace any bulbs that have blown.

Bulbs can get very hot, don’t let them touch

materials that can scorch or burn easily, such as paper or fabrics.

Make sure the fuse in the plug is the correct rating.

If you need to plug more than one appliance

into an electrical socket use a multisocket adaptor which is fitted with a fuse and has surge protection.

Decorations Decorations made of light tissue paper or cardboard burn easily.

Don’t attach them to lights or heaters.

Don’t put them immediately above or around

the fireplace.

Keep them away from candles.

Christmas Trees Special fire safety precautions need to be taken when keeping a live tree in the house. A burning tree can rapidly fill a room with fire and deadly gases.

Selecting a Tree for Christmas Always buy your tree from a reputable retailer to ensure the freshness and quality. Needles on fresh trees should be green and hard to pull back from the branches, and the needle should not break if the tree has been freshly cut. The trunk should be sticky to the touch. Old trees can be identified by bouncing the tree trunk on the ground. If many needles fall off, the tree has been cut too long, has probably dried out, and is a potential fire hazard.

Caring for Your Tree Don’t place your tree close to a heat source, including a fireplace, heat vent or candles. The heat will dry out the tree, causing it to be more easily ignited by heat, flame or sparks. Be careful not to drop or flick cigarette ashes near a tree. Do not put your live tree up too early or leave it up for longer than two weeks. Keep the tree stand filled with water at all times.

Disposing of Your Tree Never put tree branches or needles in a fireplace or wood burning stove. When the tree becomes dry, discard it promptly. The best way to dispose of your tree is by taking it to a recycling centre or having it taken away by a community pickup service.

John Coutts Community Firefighter Community Action Team

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