December 2018 Issue 3
STYLE AND LIVING SCOTLAND
PICK ME UP, I’M
FREE
Fashion and beauty, food and drink and perfect presents for the party season
Discover your M&S Christmas favourite #MyMarksFave
The Collection 6 Mince Pies
Available in selected stores in the UK. Range may vary per store. Subject to availability. See in store for details. Š Marks and Spencer plc.
GIVE A STELLAR GIFT THIS CHRISTMAS
Coccinelle · Emporio Armani · Furla · Gianni Chiarini Liu Jo · Piquadro · Roberta Pieri
STELLAR-SHOP.COM · 01224 518140 15 CHAPEL STREET, ABERDEEN, AB10 1SQ
Set in their own four acre plot of stunning farmland on the edge of North Berwick, Williamstone Farm Steadings’ three properties each boast their own individual subtle luxury, a combination of traditional farm buildings complemented by modern, sympathetic restoration. Choose between The Barn, sleeping six to eight people, The Byre, sleeping six, or The Bothy, which sleeps six adults and two children, or contact us if you have a larger group of up to 22 people.
B O O K YO U R STAY N OW
info@williamstonefarmsteadings.com 01620 481107
G E T S O C I A L WI T H U S @williamstonefarmsteadings
December 2018
CONTENTS 50
64
60 THIS MONTH IN THE ‘HOOD 9 This month’s must do 10 The Hood to-do list 12 The style chart 14 Downtime 17 Sisters of Insta’
SISTERHOOD 19 Gifts that give back Philanthropic gifts from Scotland’s female-led firms 25 The Hood gift guide Perfect presents for every loved one 31 Ashley Davies Wants to dance like no-one is watching (or filming)
LIVELIHOOD
FOOD IN THE ‘HOOD
35 Money Matters IFA Julie Mitchell talks female finance
60 A kitchen to trust Can Nico Simeone’s original outpost still thrill? 64 Feeling festive Sweet treats, table settings and interiors for entertaining
WOMANHOOD 37 This month’s must buy 39 Wear it three ways A crisp white shirt is a true style staple 43 Into the night Style the season’s most sparkling party pieces 50 Shine bright Make-up looks to dazzle on the dancefloor 58 Treatment truths The facts about fillers (and BOTOX)
NEIGHBOURHOOD 72 Hame from home Seek out some solitude on the Isle of Skye 75 48 hours in… New York An itinerary to make the most of the Big Apple
MANHOOD 82 Iain Stirling Isn’t organised for Christmas hood • 5
CONTRIBUTORS
Blogger Valerie Mackay styles up a staple white shirt on page 39 The greatest gift I ever received was... It’s hard to pick just one, but I’ve kept all the gifts and cards my children made when they were small. The best party I ever attended was... My wedding reception 30 years ago. After all the formality of the day it was great to finally relax and have a blast! I’m currently reading... Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman My Spotify is blasting... George Ezra’s Staying at Tamara’s
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Photographer Stewart Bryden shoots our wear it three ways fashion feature on page 39
Model Shayne Brodie tries out some party season make-up looks on page 50 The greatest gift I ever received was... My two daughters.
The greatest gift I ever received was... Love.
The best party I ever attended was... All the Christmas parties I went to when I worked for Saatchi & Saatchi during the ‘80s.
The best party I ever attended was... A mix of all the holiday, AKA Christmas, parties I went to in New York City.
I’m currently reading... The classic The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
I’m currently reading... Night Work by Thomas Glavinik My Spotify is blasting... Action Bronson’s White Bronco and The Capitol Studios Sessions by Jeff Goldblum and the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra
Editor: Jennifer Crichton-Gibson Designer: Paul Dickson Contributing beauty editor: Sara Hill
My Spotify is blasting... Tom Walker
Contributing fashion editor: Laura Hudson Digital editor: Gillian McDonald Partnerships manager: Sarah Fraser
Published by Miller Mitchell Media Limited, The Drying House, Eskmills, Station Road, Musselburgh, EH21 7PB Tel: 0131 273 5245. Email: accounts@hoodmagazine.co.uk Website: hoodmagazine.co.uk Printed in Scotland by Allander Print Limited. Distributed by Take One Media.
All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. All prices are correct at time of going to press but subject to change. Hood Magazine cannot be held responsible for unsolicited material. The views and opinions expressed by contributors to this magazine do not necessarily reflect those of the publishers. Hood Magazine takes no responsibility for claims made by advertisements in this publication. ©Miller Mitchell Media 2018
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EDITOR’S LETTER
‘TIS THE SEASON TO BE JOLLY AND ALL THAT… …but surely I can’t be the only one spending the festive season build-up so far veering dramatically between chirpy Christmas optimism and bah hambug, eye-rolling exhaustion? December really does present both the best and worst of times, doesn’t it? Cosy jumpers, twinkly tree lights, mulled wine and PJs by the fire? Good. Using gift wrapping time as an excuse to repeat watch Elf? Excellent. Navigating the high street hordes, dealing with kids hyped-up on holiday Haribo and trying to keep on working throughout the nativity play/endless party cycle? As far as my household is concerned, that’s less a recipe for peace on earth than for hell in a handcart. That said, however, there are some aspects of the planning process that I really can’t get enough of, foremost among them shopping. If there is a greater joy to be found in the world than locating the perfect present for someone you love, I’m yet to find it. Even better, I like to seek out companies where I know my spend will stretch to more than one smile – turn to page 19 to meet the women heading up small Scottish businesses that offer perfect gifts but also give back in other ways, be it through charity, small business support or nurturing female friendship. That’s some feelgood festive shopping right there. Elsewhere, we’ve sought out the experts’ advice on creating the perfect party atmosphere, whether you’re hosting a small-scale dinner or an all-out en masse celebration – turn to page 64 for inspiration. And of course, the festive season wouldn’t be anywhere near as fun were it not for the fashion and beauty opportunities it offers up. When else in the year can you be so unapologetically more-is-more? Sparkly, sequinned party clothes designed purely for the fun of tearing up a dancefloor? Bring them on. Make-up looks that sparkle and shine more than the star atop your tree. Why not? Chocolate box jewels that catch every eye? Take my money and weigh my ears down! If you display similar magpie tendencies, turn to page 43 where you’ll find all the
High Street and beauty hall picks you need to take you from drab to fab, even when you’re in the depths of a two-day hangover… Lastly, I couldn’t write about December without mentioning dancing. I make absolutely no apologies for my all out, all-encompassing love of a full body workout fuelled by wine, and anyone who has ever partied with me knows that I am usually the last person left on the dancefloor, arms in the air, carefully applied make-up slowly melting off my face having given it laldy all night long. So it was with great joy that I read Ashley Davies’ take on the impact of social media on our ability to dance like no-one is watching. Read it on page 31, then put your phone down and come join us on the podium. Because if you can’t boogie the night away this month, when can you? Turn those tunes up, celebrate and shine like the fabulous females you are, and we’ll see you in 2019…
Jennifer Crichton-Gibson Editor
THIS MONTH I’LL BE
Driving myself mad trying to think of new places to hide the bloody elf on a shelf… Keeping my legs toasty in my beloved new leather A-line skirt by Autograph at M&S. Dancing around my kitchen singing along to the truly brilliant Tearing at the Seams by Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats. Trust me on this. Instagramming @hood_mag_jen
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In association with Phoenix Car Company
How to shop for a car Take time and ask questions Don't ever feel rushed or embarrassed. A good salesperson should be able to answer all of your questions, or seek help from someone else to do so.
A woman with drive
The second-hand car industry comes with a host of preconceptions, particularly for female shoppers. But there’s no need for women to be intimidated, says Debbie Hubner, sales and communications director at Paisley’s Phoenix Car Company How did you get into the car industry and what made you choose it? Phoenix is a family business, so I've been around and involved in the industry from a young age. What are the main benefits to being a woman in a male-dominated industry? I think there are always benefits in having the opportunity to stand out or be memorable. I'd also say that being underestimated can be a powerful motivator. Having to overcome preconceptions and pre-judgement, particularly early on, can give you an edge and a drive that becomes very useful. What do you think are the key misconceptions about your industry? It's very common to feel intimidated by the thought of visiting a car showroom. There can be a fear of pushy salespeople, a lack of transparency, poor listening skills, or a lack of professionalism. But making such a big purchase should be an enjoyable, collaborative process. For good reasons, people often have their barriers up when we first meet them, but it's amazing being able to challenge misconceptions and build trust. I still get excited when I can leave 8 • hood
someone with a much more positive opinion of the industry than I found them. What are the key things to consider when buying a second-hand car? With so much information readily available online now, it's easy to do research and comparisons, and to see photos, videos and real-life reviews. But that can also make it easier to fall down a rabbit hole and feel overwhelmed by the whole process. I would say the best thing you can do is write down a few points before you begin. Why are you changing car? What is most important to you in terms of economy, space and safety? Have these points on your wish list before you start. What is the history of the seller and the vehicle? What safety checks have been carried out and what warranty and roadside assistance is available? What are the long term running costs? Lastly, it's really important to feel comfortable with the environment, with who you're dealing with and the whole process. You're the customer, so you're in control. Don't put up with jargon or language that doesn't feel inclusive, and make sure you’re happy with the brand or business you're buying from. phoenixcar.co.uk
Communicate what you like and don't like about the process We've had a lot of young graduates and trainees coming through the ranks over the years. Many of them are now leaders in the business. Customer feedback is one of the most useful things to help shape the industry going forward. And the more feedback you give, the more personalised the process can be for you. Be confident Most businesses now understand that with so much choice out there, you can go anywhere. You should be made to feel like a welcome guest, not an interruption. Be confident that they need you. Ask for any additional help you need It should be catered to you. Ask about any relevant services – a kids play area, accessible toilets, wheelchair or pram-friendly access, multi-lingual staff, anything that can make your life easier. At one point we had several different languages spoken within our team – Turkish, German, French, Spanish, Polish, Mandarin, Urdu and even Gaelic! It's always worth asking about anything that makes the experience less stressful. Use your networks Women are great at building and utilising our networks. Ask for advice and recommendations from your group.
‘hood
Photo by Kirsty Anderson
This month in the
A FESTIVE FAIRYTALE
Swap the pantomime for an altogether more grown-up evening at the theatre this Christmas, as Scottish Ballet returns to Edinburgh’s Festival Theatre with Cinderella. A fresh, funny and touching take on the classic fairytale, Christopher Hampson’s rendition will transport you to a magical world of fairy godmothers, beautiful ballgowns and glass slippers, with creative choreography and an enchanting score, performed live by the Scottish Ballet Orchestra, bringing the much-loved story to life. The ultimate festive spectacle, Cinderella will run in the capital throughout December, before touring to Glasgow, Aberdeen and Inverness in early 2019. December 8 to 30 Festival Theatre, 13-29 Nicolson Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9FT scottishballet.co.uk
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The hood to-do list
Our pick of the concerts, festivals, events and happenings you won’t want to miss this December
HAVE A BLOW OUT OVER BRUNCH SEEK OUT SOME SHOWBIZ
Forget panto – for a dose of more adult entertainment this season, we’d recommend the return of the high-camp Doris, Dolly & the Dressing Room Divas this December. The centrepiece of the Gilded Balloon’s winter season in Edinburgh, created in collaboration with Òran Mór, the show sees some of Scotland’s most talented songstresses take on the work of music’s biggest divas with hilarious effect. Expect a serious Christmas party atmosphere… Until December 16, The Rose Theatre, Edinburgh, from £20.50, gildedballoon.co.uk
No, we don’t mean with the bottomless bubbles. Instead, why not pamper yourself this week, with the Brunch & Blow promotion from Shawlands’ Blow salon and Kilmurry & Co bar and restaurant. Enjoy a blow-dry and a cocktail, before a choice of brunch dish and a coffee, tea or fresh juice in the eatery, all for £35. That’s our next day out with the girls sorted then… ohblow.co.uk
SIP COCKTAILS AT SCANDI-CHIC SPOT
SLEEP UNDER THE STARS WITH SOCIAL BITE
Scotland’s annual Sleep In The Park event, which aims to end homelessness across the country, is stepping up a serious gear this year, with 12,000 people in four cities expected to set out with their sleeping bags. Taking place in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee, fundraising participants can expect live music performances from the likes of Lulu, Eddie Reader and KT Tunstall, as well as a fantastic atmosphere as everyone joins forces for a tremendous cause. December 8, sleepinthepark.co.uk 10 • hood
If bars could talk, Edinburgh institution Harry’s would have a lot to say. Drawing crowds since 1986, the West End hotspot has just relaunched in time for the Christmas, and with its makeover bringing in ski-lodge style, live music and 3am last orders on the weekend, it’s the perfect spot to party the night away in style this month. Well, it is Christmas after all… harrysedinburgh.co.uk
THIS MONTH IN THE ‘HOOD
INDULGE IN SOME INDIE HITS
Forget carols – we’ll be heading to Aberdeen’s iconic The Lemon Tree this month for a live performance from The Complete Stone Roses. One of the UK’s most acclaimed tribute acts, expect all of the influential group’s most famous hits, including Fools Gold, I Am The Resurrection and I Wanna Be Adored. December 22, The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen, 7.30pm, £16.50. aberdeenperformingarts.com
SHOP FROM SCOTLAND’S COOLEST CREATORS
If you’re looking for a one-stop shop for gifts with a difference this winter, may we suggest you head to the Wasps Artists and Makers Market at Glasgow’s Briggait, where forty Scots creatives will be joining forces this year. Expect cards and textiles by Emma Jo Webster, beautiful jewellery from Dust Studio and Stefanie Cheong, gorgeous silk scarves by Anne Devine and lovely illustrations by Moira Buchanan, as well as a host of original prints, ceramics, paintings, illustration, silversmithing, photography and weaving. December 8, Briggait, Glasgow, 11am to 5pm, free. waspsstudios.org.uk
TAKE A FESTIVE TRAIN TRIP
Give the kids their very own Polar Express-style experience this Christmas with Strathspey Railways’ Santa Express. Travel by heritage steam train through the stunning Cairngorms countryside on a two-hour journey during which children will have the chance to meet Santa on board and receive a gift, while adults will enjoy mulled drinks and Christmas snacks. Fingers crossed for some pretty snowfall… December 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 22 and 23, Aviemore Station, 11am and 2pm, from £6 to £24. strathspeyrailway.co.uk
SING ALONG TO THE SNOWMAN
It’s the Christmas classic that we most remember from our childhoods, so we’ll be first in line when The Snowman comes to the stage in Perth this month. The special screening will see the original movie visuals accompanied by live music from the RSNO chorus, with plenty of singalong opportunities for viewers young and old. December 19, Perth Concert Hall, Perth, 7.30pm, from £18.50. horsecross.co.uk
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THE
STYLE CHART 1 Your must-have fashion and beauty buys in store, and online, now
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Charlotte Tilbury Magic Away concealer Erase any sign of those late nights out enjoying the party season with this quite literally magic concealer. The lightweight formula packs a punch when it comes to covering dark circles, blemishes and signs that you’ve been burning the candle at both ends, and we can’t be without it. £24, Harvey Nichols
Oliver Bonas star cluster hair barrette Hair accessories were huge news on the AW18 catwalks, so get on-trend by adding this pretty little barrette to your basket. We love the celestial vibes, and the luxe gold finish belies its purse-friendly price. £12, Oliver Bonas
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Dune Gravity navy star stone loafers You don’t need to wear heels to bring a flash of the festivities to your #OOTD. These bejewelled leather loafers add a touch of sparkle to any outfit – we think they look particularly cool with cropped jeans as an alternative to stilettos. £90, Dune
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Warehouse tuxedo jacket Even the most minimalist wardrobes can find room for a style staple like this sleek tuxedo jacket. Team it with your party dress to tone down the glitz, or wear it with jeans and heels to give your outfit a dose of Parisian flair. Tres chic! £65, Warehouse
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Marks & Spencer jewel slingbacks See, we told you that you don’t need to wear heels… Don’t sacrifice comfort for glamour, just slip on these sparkling slingbacks ready to add a shot of high-octane glitz to your wardrobe. £35, Marks & Spencer
THIS MONTH IN THE ‘HOOD
LK Bennett faux fur jacket Every party wardrobe needs a showstopper – and if it can keep you cosy when it’s chilly out, all the better! This plush pink faux fur jacket is not only super-soft and snuggly, it’s also just about the most glamorous extra layer we can imagine. Throw it on over any outfit to take your look from high street to red carpet in an instant. £350, LK Bennett
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Stella & Dot Campbell chandelier earrings Team Hood loves a statement earring to pep up an everyday look, and these sparkling chandeliers strike the perfect balance. You can even remove the drops and wear them as simple starburst studs, making them super versatile as well as beautiful. £46, stelladot.co.uk
New Look chain bag Plush velvet is perfect for party season, and this chic navy number will go with just about everything in your wardrobe. Who needs designer accessories? £17.99, New Look
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Illamasqua Jewel Vinyl in Blondie No festive party look would be complete without a sparkling eyeshadow! Illamasqua’s new Jewel Vinyls range packs a punch, with high-pigment golden glitter suspended in a luxurious balm formula, to create an impactful and long-lasting look. £15, illamasqua.com
Monsoon sequin dress Searching for the perfect party outfit, or something to wear to a winter wedding? This uber-glamorous sparkling midi, covered in glittering golden sequins, is the ideal choice. Pair it with simple navy heels and that velvet bag to let the dress do the talking. £99, Monsoon
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Dial up your downtime
Don’t waste your precious free hours. These are the TV shows, movies and books worth dropping everything for this month…
DUMPLIN’ When plus-size Texan teen Willowdean Dixon signs up to take part in a local pageant to spite her ex-beauty queen mother, played by Jennifer Aniston, the protest soon escalates, with a host of other headstrong contestants following in her footsteps. Their resulting mission to spread acceptance and revolutionise life in their small town is both heartwarming and funny. Streaming on Netflix from December 7
YOU
Perfect for a Boxing Day binge, YOU tells the gripping story of how an awkward crush quickly becomes a dangerous obsession. Based on Caroline Kepnes’ best-selling novel of the same name, the thriller stars Penn Badgley as a clever bookstore manager who uses the internet and social media to stalk the woman of his dreams after a chance encounter. Determined to make her fall in love with him, he’ll do whatever it takes to remove any obstacles – or people – in the way. Streaming on Netflix from December 26
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NAILED IT! HOLIDAY
Nailed It! is essentially Great British Bake Off, but without any of the talent. This hilariously over-the-top American show sees amateur bakers (and we really do mean amateur…) compete to recreate Pinterestworthy sweet treats in order to take home a $10,000 prize. Expect plenty of festive cheer, and a collapsed Christmas cake or two, in this special holiday edition of the series. Streaming on Netflix from December 7
THIS MONTH IN THE ‘HOOD
CLICK & COLLECT
Photo by Jamie Davies, unsplash
A feelgood Christmas comedy that the whole family will enjoy, Click & Collect stars Stephen Merchant as Andrew and Asim Chaudhry as Dev, a pair of mismatched neighbours on a mission to pick up the last remaining must-have toy of the season. The only problem? It’s Christmas Eve, the toy is 300 miles away and the only way Andrew can get the one present his daughter really wants is to endure a calamity-filled road trip with his annoying acquaintance. Live on BBC1 this December
hoodreads
Selected by Rare Birds Book Club founder Rachel Wood, these atmospheric novels will have you actually looking forward to staying in this winter. The Girl in The Tower Katherine Arden Medieval Russia in the dead of winter is a dangerous place, especially for a woman. But for Vasya, it’s the only option. With the help of her enchanted horse Solovy and a haughty winter demigod, she sets out on a life of adventure living as a boy. Things get even more complicated when she joins forces with the Grand Prince of Moscow to outwit a gang of bandits roaming the countryside. There’s magic, intrigue, superstition, love, loyalty, royalty, betrayal and plenty of atmosphere in this grown-up fairytale that perfectly suits the season. The Madwoman Upstairs Catherine Lowell Samantha Whipple, the last remaining descendent of the Brontë sisters, arrives at Oxford hoping to escape her minor celebrity status. But people are convinced she’s hiding something, and as it turns out – she is. Unexplained packages start appearing outside her door, and with no one to turn to besides her handsome – and suspiciously young – professor, she’s left to try and solve the mystery on her own. Add to the mix an arch nemesis and a missing family inheritance and you’ve got a delightful literary mystery that’s a must-read for Brontë fans.
THE ABC MURDERS
It wouldn’t be Christmas without a period drama, and even better when it’s an Agatha Christie murder mystery. Starring John Malkovich as legendary detective Hercule Poirot, three-parter The ABC Murders is an adaptation of Christie’s classic 1936 novel. The hunt is on for a serial killer known only as ‘ABC’, with Poirot and Inspector Crome, played by Rupert Grint, hot on his tail. Live on BBC1 this December
The Silent Companions Laura Purcell Take a creepy, crumbling house in the middle of nowhere, suspicions of witchcraft and a 200-year-old diary, and you have a gothic ghost story so subtly heart-stopping you’ll want to sleep with the lights on. After her husband’s unexpected death, Elsie Bainbridge trades the glittering lights of London for his family estate to see out her pregnancy. Life seems rather dull until the discovery of an unsettling painted wooden figure in a locked room sets off a chain of events that threatens to consume the whole household. It’s as thrilling as it is unexpected. Rachel Wood is the founder of Rare Birds Book Club, a monthly book subscription service for sociable readers. For more information, visit rarebirdsbookclub.com
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TRAVERSE T H E AT R E 27-30 Dec 2018
CHARLIE CAPER
high-tech wizard, winner of Sweden’s Got Talent
KEVIN QUANTUM magician-scientist hybrid, “Best Magic” Adelaide Fringe
A glimpse of the not so distant future, fusing age-old sleight-of-hand with the state-of-the-art tech and phenomenal illusions with futuristic science. Expect levitations, predictions, misdirection, tom-foolery, jiggery-pokery and robots.
BOOKINGS:
www.magicfest.co.uk 0131 226 0006
@edmagicfest @magicfest @edmagicfest
| THUR 27 – SUN 30 DEC | 2PM & 7PM | TICKETS £15 - £22 | AGES 5+
THIS MONTH IN THE ‘HOOD
A MODEL MOMENT
It’s safe to say that Hayley Daines lives her life in front of a lens – As a former Britain’s Next Top Model contestant and one of Scotland’s best-loved faces, Hayley knows what it takes to make sure that every look is picture-perfect. Her blog is dedicated to showing us all how to live that same glamorous lifestyle, with insider skincare and make-up advice, show-stopping outfits and sneak peeks at the hottest happenings in Edinburgh and beyond. Follow for: model-approved tips and tricks to help you look your most gorgeous amodelmoment.com, @amodelmoment
SINCERELY YOURS SUSIE
SISTERS OF INSTA’ Our pick of the women shaking up Scotland’s fashion blogging scene this month
THE LITTLE MAGPIE
Glasgow resident, presenter and journalist Susie Cormack Bruce started her blog after finding that there weren’t many outlets dedicated to ‘forty-plus fashion’. She’s devoted to helping her followers feel confident in their style choices, providing honest advice and the tips she’s learned along the way. Expect age-appropriate but covetable style and beauty content that always feels like talking with a friend. Follow for: laugh-out-loud insights into feeling fabulous at forty and over sincerelyyourssusie.com, @sincerelyyourssusie
FOREVER AMBER
Super-blogger Amber might live in a small town in central Scotland, but she treats every street likes it’s a personal runway, inspiring us all to make the most of every occasion. Showing us how to bring sophisticated style to our everyday wardrobes, Amber’s even written a book on the subject sharing her expertise, and now she’s a parent to her adorable baby boy, her top tips are helping even the busiest mums feel like they have the time to get dressed up. Follow for: the encouragement to get dolled up whenever you feel like it foreveramber.co.uk, @foreveramberblog
One of Scotland’s biggest blogging superstars, we’ve been following The Little Magpie, Amy Bell, since she started her site way back when she was living in Aberdeen. These days, she’s based in Glasgow, but jetting all over the globe and showing off an enviable wardrobe along the way. Amy cites her style icons as Keith Richards and Mick Jagger, and these luxe retro influences are apparent in every outfit, mixing sharp tailoring with figure-hugging fits and a healthy dose of high-octane glamour. Follow for: high-street style inspo with a high-end twist thelittlemagpie.com, @little_magpie1
LAFOTKA
You might recognise blogger Tatyana from our wear it three ways shoot in last month’s issue. Her blog, Lafotka – meaning ‘picture’ in Russian, with ‘la’ added to reflect her partner’s Spanish heritage – focuses on highlighting high-street fashion and providing inspiration for new ways to wear pieces you might already have in your wardrobe. At six months pregnant, she’s even managing to make maternity fashion seriously stylish too. Follow for: high-end ways to wear high-street pieces lafotka.com, @lafotka
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Beat the winter blues in Leith with seasonal cocktails and festive food offers in top bars across Edinburgh’s coolest neighbourhood.
November 5 2018 - January 5 2019
Yule Fest Leith Buy your Festival pass from
yulefestleith.com Get social with us
@Yulefestleith
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Sponsored by:
Oro Gin & Central Taxis
Please drink responsibly. Visit drinkaware.co.uk for the facts about alcohol.
SISTERHOOD
GIFTS THAT GIVE BACK
‘Tis the season of wrapping paper and presents, so why not make sure that your Christmas cash outlay comes with an extra dose of feelgood factor? The great gift ideas from these female-led Scottish businesses all come with a side order of community spirit, small business support or philanthropy, and they look pretty under the tree too. Christmas shopping, sorted! hood • 19
THE BOOK CLUB THAT’S FOUNDING FEMALE FRIENDSHIPS Rachel Wood is the Edinburgh-based founder of Rare Birds Book Club, a subscription book service focused on bringing together readers of female fiction
How did you come up with the idea for Rare Birds Book Club? Books aren’t going anywhere, but I do think the way we find things to read is changing. Online shopping is convenient, but the volume of choice is overwhelming, and reviews don’t always offer much insight. The feedback I was getting from friends was that they’d make more time to read if they trusted they would like the book they sat down with. I knew there was an appetite for expert curation. People still want physical books, but we want the process of finding them to be a little more special, a little more current. So, for me, it was about providing a digital experience that could complement the physical aspect of reading. I wanted to set up a service that said ‘look how wonderful reading is. Look how fun it is. Look at these amazing books. We’ll give them to you, and we’ll connect you with readers just like you, who don’t take themselves too seriously.’ Did you decide immediately to focus solely on female writers? Absolutely. For years I was reading great books that weren’t getting the attention I knew they deserved, and what they usually had in common was that they were written by women. I really wanted to do something about that. I knew I could introduce readers to some amazing books and hopefully challenge some of the negative perceptions around contemporary women’s fiction in the process. You gift wrap each book and write your own synopsis. What was the purpose of this process? I was tired and bored by how a lot of books were being marketed at me. It felt like rows and rows of novels with matching illustrations of bunting. The truth of it is, you do judge a book by its cover, and when it comes to women’s fiction, the jackets often let the books inside down. By wrapping the books, I’m trying to prevent readers from making a snap judgement about what’s in front of them. I wanted 20 • hood
to get to them first. So, the idea is, you read the synopsis before you unwrap it. I introduce you to the book and why it’s special – I’m literally making a case for why it’s worth your precious time. By the time you unwrap it and see the cover, you’re invested enough to take a leap of faith and try it, even if it’s not to your usual taste. And it works. The most common feedback I get from readers is ‘I would never have picked this, but I loved it’. How many subscribers do you have now and how organically has the business grown? In our first month we started with 14 members, and I was directly related to over half! For months, I could tell you where every single subscriber came from. Then, all of a sudden, the balance shifted, we went from tens to hundreds and now, a year later, thousands. Word of mouth has been extremely powerful. There’s a remote village in Wales where we started with one subscriber, who bought it for her sister. The sister went on to buy it for her friend, who then got the other teachers at school to sign up. It’s amazing! How does the club work in terms of connecting readers? What impact would you like Rare Birds Book Club to have for them? Subscribers get access to a members-only forum – it’s literally an online book club. We meet there at the end of each month to chat, just like you would in a traditional book club, but you can do it on your own schedule, from your own home. I wanted to create a community that was completely inclusive. There’s no right or wrong way to like a book. Something unexpected when I started was how self-conscious a lot of us are about reading. We feel like we don’t read enough or don’t read the ‘right’ books. I want to put an end to that entire conversation. It’s my mission to help our members feel excited and reconnect them with how joyful reading can be. rarebirdsbookclub.com
SISTERHOOD
THE GIFT BOX FIRM SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESS Aimi Porter and Emma MacKenzie are the Aberdeen-based friends behind environmentally-friendly curated gift box service Native Sister, which sources products from small British firms
When did you set up Native Sister? A: Since meeting at Gray's School of Art we would often speak about starting a business together, but after university, life took over. We both moved away for work and only recently moved back to Scotland, which prompted our 'now or never' moment. So officially, Native Sister launched in August, but the idea has been evolving for a few years! Why did you think there was a space in the market for gift curation? E: Native Sister was born out of the need for simple, thoughtful gifting – something we both struggled to find when we lived overseas and wanted to send gifts to loved ones back home. We just knew there had to be a better way to nurture those important relationships when you can't physically be with them in person. What were your backgrounds and how did they translate to this? A: Between us we have a wide range of skills which make Native Sister unique. Having both studied and worked in creative roles, we have a keen eye for colour, design and a strong attention to detail. We also both enjoy researching and sourcing the very best in new independent brands. How did you set about curating your product range? E: That was a lot a fun. We brainstormed what qualities mattered the most to us and
then set about researching and sourcing brands that fit our ethos and design aesthetic. This involved trips to London, Manchester, Edinburgh and Glasgow as well as internet research to source what we believe to be some of the best independent brands the UK has to offer. How big a part of your role is the supporting of other small businesses? A: For us, supporting other small businesses is massively important. Having moved away for work and then returned, you get a renewed sense of love for home. We have so much talent right here on our doorstep that doesn't always get the attention it deserves. We currently work with some amazing brands and we have felt a strong sense of community with a lot of our smaller suppliers. Despite their size, they are well established and offer genuine support and advice which, as a new company, has been invaluable. Tell me about your environmental ethos. How important is that? E: It’s hugely important – we consciously consider our environmental impact in every decision we make and aim to work with brands who share this passion. We believe it is vital to leave the smallest of footprints on our planet. One of the ways we do this is by sourcing all our packaging from within the UK. The crinkle paper filler we use is 100 per cent recycled from a UK mill, and we reuse the bubble wrap from supplier deliveries. Our branded gift
boxes are produced and printed by hand at one of the last rigid box makers left in the country. We call our gift box a ‘keepsake box’ with the hope that recipients will reuse it. Reduce, reuse, recycle is our motto! What do you think is the key to memorable gifting? A: For us, the key is making sure the gift is personal and unique, whether that be a hand-written note or products that have been specifically selected with the recipient in mind. As long as the recipient feels loved and cherished upon opening the gift you know you've achieved that goal. We love to help nurture those important relationships which is why any of our boxes can be customised, or even totally bespoke from scratch. What's the most memorable gift you've ever received and why? E: My most memorable gift was probably a care package I got sent from my friends when I first moved to Norway. It was full of products you can't get there like Tetley tea and Cadbury's chocolate! Each gift was individually wrapped with a little note. It was so thoughtful and unexpected. I think gifts like that, which aren't for a birthday or other special occasion, are often the most memorable. They are full of love, with no expectation.
native-sister.com
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THE TOUR COMPANY THAT TRAINS THE HOMELESS Zakia Moulaoui is the French founder of Invisible Cities, which trains homeless people to act as tour guides in Edinburgh, Manchester and Glasgow
How did the idea for Invisible Cities come about? Invisible Cities started in 2016. I had been working with the Homeless World Cup Foundation for a few years and was in contact with other social enterprises like The Big Issue. On a trip to Athens, I saw that the street paper there also organised alternative tours of the city, led by the vendors. I thought it was a brilliant idea and a great way to break down the stigma that still exists around homelessness. I also realised Edinburgh was a great place to do that in as it has tourists all year long. We started our first training round in 2016 and our tours in the summer of 2016. What was your initial aim with the organisation and how has that changed? Through the tours, we aim to break down the stigma that still exists around homelessness. Some people believe this is something that only happens to others or that in some cases people choose to be homeless, but that is not the case. We want to have an honest conversation about it. We provide an opportunity for our guides to be involved in a positive and supportive environment and we keep our teams small wherever we are, to make sure guides have as much support as possible. But we want to be in more places too – we’ll launch in two new cities in 2019. As a social enterprise, 100 per cent of our profit is reinvested in our guides, or in events for the wider homeless community. These include the Street Barber in Edinburgh, where we give free haircuts to homeless men, and pampering nights for homeless women, to bring some dignity and confidence to people we usually wouldn’t engage with. Tell me how the process works – how do you meet your guides and what does their training entail? We recruit potential guides via a network of partners – other social enterprises and charities such as Social Bite or The Big Issue. We organise regular 22 • hood
rounds of training. Our training Partner is CRISIS and they provide us with a tutor and different modules on public speaking, self-confidence and self-esteem. Other organisations such as Radisson Red or Booking.com come on board to give us training on customer service as well. Each trainee decides on a theme they would like to talk about and, with the help of volunteers and professional guides, we develop their unique tours. How many people have you now trained to work with Invisible Cities? We have trained a total of 16 people in Scotland and currently run four tours: three in Edinburgh and one in Glasgow. All run regularly and are available for the public to book, or to gift to friends and family. What sort of impact does working with Invisible Cities have for those who become guides? Our training, as well as touring with various groups from around the world, improves our guides' confidence big time. But the tours themselves also empower our guides with their own stories. They own them and explain what challenges they have gone through instead of being ashamed about them, and our customers are very supportive and want to hear those personal stories. It makes them realise people care and want them to do well. It also brings routine. It is important to have guides who turn up on time and for all tours (which they all do) but because it is casual work, it also gives guides time and space to deal with their own lives. What has been the most memorable moment since you founded the business? Seeing the development of each of our guides or recruiting new guides in new cities is always a great milestone. Receiving great feedback after an event we organise is also very humbling. What is your dream for the organisation going forward? My aim is to reach out to more guides in each city and grow our tours there. We can only grow our impact if we have more customers. Thanks to everyone coming on a tour, we are able to give back to more homeless people. My personal dream is to make Invisible New York happen one day too. invisible-cities.org
SISTERHOOD
THE ETHICAL CHOCOLATE FIRM Lara Messer is the co-founder of Glasgow-based chocolate firm Bare Bones, which sources all of its beans ethically from cooperatives in developing countries. When did you set up Bare Bones and why did you think there was a space in the market for it? We’ve been building the business and making chocolate for over a year now, but have only recently launched our online shop. It’s been a long process – perhaps much longer than I ever imagined – sourcing our beans, perfecting our chocolate and designing the branding. With our packaging, we really wanted to be a solution to an existing environmental problem rather than creating a mess ourselves. After countless hours of research, we’ve created packaging that is 100 per cent recycled and recyclable – our boxes are made from recycled paper cups! The bean to bar chocolate movement is huge in America, and cacao is appreciated like fine wine and speciality coffee. There are a few brilliant chocolate makers in the UK at the moment, but as the movement grows here, we’d love to be at the forefront. Who is the Bare Bones customer? Anyone who loves chocolate! But typically, it’s someone who appreciates artisan produce or products. We want our customers to take time to enjoy our bars in their busy lives. Do you think people are becoming more interested in learning about the origins of their produce, rather than sticking with mass market? Absolutely. I think we are at the beginning of a really exciting movement, where we are all seeing the value in high-quality, ethically-sourced produce. Knowing the who, what, where and why behind something brings appreciation back to those purchases. It’s incredible to realise
that someone has worked day-in and dayout on something and, more often than not, dedicated their life to that craft. We have a lot of power in our buying habits. Where do your beans come from? In our current range, we source the finest cacao from Madagascar and Honduras. Our 70% Madagascar bar – my personal favourite – has taste notes of maple syrup and raspberries, with a subtle cherry overtone. Our 60% Honduras Milk bar tastes like rich caramel, raisin and cream with a tangy orange flourish to finish. You use beans from co-operatives – why did you make that decision? When building the business, we hoped to do direct trade with farmers and very quickly realised how hard this can be as a new business – cacao farms in the mountains of Central America are not on the internet. Instead, we found an amazing team of chocolate importers who work directly with the farmers, helping them achieve a fair price for their speciality cacao – often four times the fair-trade rate – which allows them to provide for their families and reinvest in their farms and processes, ensuring a reliable annual harvest. Working with a co-operative gives the smaller farms a chance to sell their crop, and multiple farmers from a small
region can club together in the distribution of their incredible product. Was direct trade something you were always interested in, or have you been learning more about it since starting the business? I’d like to think I’ve always been quite a conscious consumer and paying fairly for someone's work, in any field, is very important to me. My Dad is a coffee roaster so I’ve learned a lot about fair and ethical trade, and the benefits for the farmers and their families, from him. It’s heartbreaking to see how big business can push down the price of crops and the detriment that has to a farmer. We’re so proud to be paying more because we understand the value of every bean. Do you think people underestimate the process that goes into speciality chocolate? Definitely – I certainly didn’t understand the process either when I was devouring bars of chocolate or making giant crispy cakes. In reality, making chocolate is really difficult. It’s very scientific, extremely labour intensive, and it’s important to note that the majority of the processes involved are done by hand. bareboneschocolate.com
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SHOP A CURATED HOME
Discover and purchase some of my favourite things in the intimate setting of my home. Shop by product or by room, both online and ofine. Each unique item is chosen with an eye to both beauty and function and an is an invitation into my personalised world, a carefully considered canvas for a life well-lived. - Claire, I AM NOMAD
IAMNOMAD.CO.UK
The hood Christmas gift guide
Stumped about what to buy for your loved ones this season? Allow us to help. Here are our picks of Scotland’s shelves for him, for her, for the kids, and for your festive foodie hosts… hood • 25
For her
Busy B Contemporary Busy Life 2019 diary. This clever diary lets you manage two schedules side-by-side, turning your thrillingly busy life into a brilliantly organised one. £10.99, busyb.co.uk
Artpop silk scarf. Elegant, stylish and made in Scotland, this silk scarf is wearable art. £80, mimihammill.com Floral pyjamas. Who doesn’t love unwrapping a fresh set of PJs at Christmas? £42, next.co.uk Edinburgh gold leather bag. A true multitasker that any fashionista will love. £185, thoushaltcovet.com
Rare Birds Book Club subscription. A monthly delivery of a beautifully-wrapped, carefully-chosen book. From £33, rarebirdsbookclub.com
Rachel E Millar ‘Fear Less’ print. Designed by Glasgow-based artist Rachel, this colourful print is seriously uplifting. £40, ninebynine.co.uk
Native Sister ‘The White Christmas’ gift box. A curated gift box crammed with luxurious treats to help her unwind. £60, native-sister.com APC Sac Demi Lune in Black. A chic everyday bag she’s sure to adore. £325, epitomeofedinburgh.com 26 • hood
Conic beanie. Soft and snuggly, this sturdy beanie will see him through winter in style. £26.99, finnieston.co.uk
For him
Hancock Article Q19 quilted jacket. A classic style staple, designed and made in Glasgow. £300, hancockva.com
Football Kit print. We love this fun print showing iconic Scotland kits, from the 1950s to the current strip. £18.99, goodteamonpaper.com
Adexe THEY Grande watch. A timeless gift, if you’ll pardon the pun! £129, adexe.co.uk
B&O Play H9i wireless headphones. These sleek, noise-cancelling headphones promise a rich but crisp sound. £449, bang-olufsen.com
ReJean True Blue Chore jacket. This repurposed denim jacket is sustainable, totally unique and made in Glasgow. £150, email rejeandenim@gmail.com to order Tom Dixon whisky decanter. This stylish decanter not only looks great, it will ensure whisky tastes its best too. £80, John Lewis
NIDOR Mayfair cologne. A crisp blend of lemon, neroli and grapefruit, warmed with leather and sandalwood. £40, nidorfinefragrance.com
Cross Brew coffee liqueur. Brewed with dark roasted coffee and Scottish water, ideal for festive cocktails. £24, mothershipscotland.com
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For Kids and Teens
Mickey Mouse framed vintage advertisement by Art Group. It might be Mickey’s 90th birthday this year, but we think he looks as fresh as ever in this colourful vintage print. £22.99, wayfair.co.uk
Smartphone photo printer. An easy way to print their favourite pictures in seconds, with filter options too. £40, Debenhams
UE Wonderboom speaker. A waterproof, dustproof and shockproof portable speaker – perfect for teens. £69.99, John Lewis
Navy Leather Micro satchel. Perfect for school days or weekends out, this classic mini satchel is a must-have. £60, zatchels.com
Benefit Confection Cuties gift set. A sweet treat trio of mini products in a tiered cake tin gift box. £16.50, benefitcosmetics.com
In The Jungle teepee. A reading nook or a cosy corner to fill with imagination. £79.95, rexlondon.com
Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls 2. Packed with riveting tales to inspire every budding rebel girl (and boy). £20, Waterstones
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Love Love lambswool gloves. A gift to help them stay warm but look cool. £35, quintonchadwick.com
Bare Bones Madagascar 70% Dark chocolate. Bean-to-bar chocolate handmade in Glasgow, with beautiful flavours and gorgeous packaging. £6.50, bareboneschocolate.co.uk
Foodies
Christmas Dry Gin. Distilled in Edinburgh, this festive spiced gin is perfect for your Christmas cocktails. £25, Marks & Spencer
Eau Good Glass water bottle. This eco-friendly water bottle features a compostable active charcoal filter. £25.95, 2moreheads.co.uk
Spiced Cherries. These delicious dark cherries, suspended in a winter-spiced syrup, are perfect for adding to prosecco or serving with dark chocolate desserts, venison or lamb. £5, thespicewitch.com
Dark Chocolate Gingers biscuit tin. Gift your loved ones a tin of these award-winningly delicious dark chocolate ginger biscuits to tempt their sweet tooth. From £6, contact sales@bordersbiscuits.co.uk for stockists
Personalised sweetie jars. Enormous jars of all your favourite sweets, with a personalised message to make them laugh out loud. From £14, yaldisweets.com Smith & Sinclair Edible Fragrance. An edible fragrance to bring a mind-blowing flavour boost to your tipple. £19.99, smithandsinclair.com and Harvey Nichols
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S C E N TS I N S P I R E D BY S C OT L A N D
LUXURY FRAGRANCED CANDLES THAT CAPTURE A JOURNEY THROUGH THE WILD YET ROMANTIC HABITAT OF SCOTLAND
G O L D - H A R T. C O .U K
SISTERHOOD
A SH L EY DAV I E S Can we all just keep our smartphones away from the dancefloor please?
W
ise men and fridge magnets claim you should dance like no-one’s watching, but that was before social media shimmied in and spilt slime on our freedom of groovy expression. You don’t even have to be a charisma-vacuum politician with a stone for a heart to become a laughing stock because of the way you dance: some toad could film you busting a move at a wedding or a music festival and, before you know it, a million strangers are making fun of you online. If you have a complicated relationship with the rhythm, or just don’t look a certain way, somebody, somewhere, is going to want to point and guffaw. I was lucky enough to grow up in the pre-smartphone era, blissfully immune to the crappy threat of dance-shaming. I loved dancing as a teenager and if it ever occurred to me to worry about how I looked while wild-swimming in the ecstatic sonic rivers of indie synth pop I have no recollection of that. That all changed one fateful night in Australia, though, when I caught sight of a woman dancing in a club. Her sweaty hair had plastered itself onto her red, round face, and her ridiculous look of concentration contrasted dramatically with the cool, slender people around her. Poor love, I thought, as I nearly broke my ankle emulating Madonna’s dance moves, before realising that the shiny, undignified woman was my own reflection. The personal humiliation had such a powerful impact on me that it was years before I danced in public again. Before then it just hadn’t occurred to me to care – or even consider – how I looked while I was having fun with music, but self-consciousness hit me hard. For ages after that night I’d sit to one side at parties, deliberately excluding myself from the dancefloor because I was worried about looking ridiculous. Everyone else was having the purest of
I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO GROW UP IN THE PRE-SMARTPHONE ERA, BLISSFULLY IMMUNE TO THE CRAPPY THREAT OF DANCE-SHAMING fun. I know now how stupid I was being: nobody cared how anyone else looked and I wasted several years of LOLs with that foolishness. Fast forward a few decades and there’s a video clip going round that you might have seen. I’m not sure if it’s real or a spoof, but it shows dozens of beautiful young people filming themselves dancing at a party. Their every move is made for the benefit of their phone cameras. They all know their “angles” (in case you haven’t come across this term, it means to know what to do with your face to produce the most flattering photo) and, while they will look exquisite in the resultant images and clips, they’re clearly having as much fun as a cuckolded spouse faking a smile in the Strictly Come Dancing audience. While there’s a lot to love about social media, lives should never be lived purely as a performance for online content. Perhaps we can all play our own little part by thinking twice before liking, sharing or laughing at videos of people just having fun enjoying music. Otherwise self-conscious young people will eventually end up dancing like everyone’s watching, and where’s the fun in that? @msashleydavies (Twitter)
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Women at work It was recently estimated that if women in Scotland launched businesses at the same rate as men, they’d plough an additional £7.6bn into the Scottish economy – but according to Business Gateway Scotland, the country is starting to show positive progress towards gender parity. Hood meets the head of Business Gateway Edinburgh, Susan Harkins, to discuss female entrepreneurship, supporting start-ups and beating the boys at the business game…
What proportion of people using Business Gateway’s services in Scotland are women? Forty seven per cent of our business start-ups are women, almost gender parity, which is a huge change from a decade ago. It is only when we look at businesses that grow that the disparity increases dramatically, with only 20 per cent of those accessing growth support being women. Interestingly, however, there are initial signs of change when we review our Gateway to Investment programme, designed for businesses with ambition to prepare for business angel investment. There, participants are regularly 50:50 men and women. 32 • hood
Why do you think there is still such a discrepancy between the number of men and women growing businesses? Research published this week by the Federation of Small Business (FSB) identified that women starting a business find accessing finance and the balance of juggling work and family life particularly challenging. The research also highlights unfavourable business regulations, cultural barriers, educational and occupational segregation, information and training gaps, a lack of contacts and access to social support and networking, and the competing demands of both caring and work responsibilities as significant barriers for women. Although most of these
In association with Business Gateway
difficulties are common to both women and men, evidence suggests that the barriers faced by women entrepreneurs are often significantly greater than those experienced by men. In the UK, the Women’s Enterprise Policy Group report in 2011 highlighted evidence that the majority of women-led businesses tended to invest more than the average in staff training, with around two-thirds of the businesses aiming to increase the leadership skills of their managers. How big a part of your role do you see as being encouraging more women into business ownership? Business Gateway offers support to anyone starting up or growing their business, however research tells us that some women would prefer gender-specific support. In Edinburgh, we run women-specific support for start-ups and are launching a Women in Business growth programme in the new year. The FSB report highlighted that, while on average the majority of women-owned firms have lower levels of growth, evidence does not suggest that women business owners who aim to grow will be any less successful than male business owners. When firm characteristics, including sector and business age, as well as individual characteristics, such as education and age, are taken into consideration, the majority of women-owned firms out-perform those owned by men, and contribute £8.8bn to the Scottish economy. What are the key misconceptions women have about the work of Business Gateway? My experience of working with Women in Business has shown me women sometimes find the language around business off-putting. We also know from research, particularly when accessing new information, women prefer an environment they feel comfortable with and women-specific support addresses these issues. What is the most satisfying part of your role with the organisation? I love working with individuals who are growing and starting their business, and it’s fantastic to see them starting up and thriving. I feel very proud to be a part of this fantastic business support service in Edinburgh where we really do help businesses to thrive and grow. For more information on how Business Gateway can help your business, call 0300 013 4753 or check out bgateway.com
Jill Henry sought help from Business Gateway setting up her fashion business, Meander Apparel “Business Gateway was amazing at helping my business through various stages, from early idea and build-up to our crowdfunding campaign. “We were delighted that our crowdfunding campaign attracted a global customer base from nine different countries around the world which demonstrated the demand for our products. We decided to start taking pre-orders direct from MeanderApparel.com earlier than anticipated, with our first production run arriving later this month. “None of this would have been possible without their support. In the early days I attended numerous workshops from PR and marketing to branding to book-keeping. I also attended nearly all the workshops through Digital Boost, which were invaluable, all helping to get us to the exciting stage we’re at just now. They’ve also been great at helping me understand social media and website analytics, a must for all e-commerce businesses. “I’m hugely grateful for all the help and assistance and all the connections they have helped me to make over the last year.”
Gail Bryden, the founder of JustBe Botanicals, credits Business Gateway’s learning programme with helping her scale her business “Business Gateway provides an incredible range of support that includes talks, workshops and one-to-ones for all ages and stages of business from start-up to scale. As a sole trader, I’ve attended various Business Gateway courses over the years, and the advice and sign posting to the other assistance that’s available within the Scottish ecosystem has certainly been invaluable in helping my business. “As an Ambassador for Women’s Enterprise Scotland, I’m delighted that Business Gateway is providing gender appropriate support. Business Gateway has also been central to creating the Women’s Business Mentoring Program, and the mentor that I’ve been allocated has certainly been a great support to me and JustBe Botanicals this year. All in all, I’d highly recommend looking at the courses and, if you’re unsure of where to start, booking in to meet with a Business Gateway advisor.”
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FITNESS AND WELLBEING AT BOWHOUSE ST MONANS FIFE KY10 2DB
19TH JAN 2019 9AM–4PM ENTRY £12/£15 * CLASSES FROM 10AM
Buy tickets online at www.bowhousefife.com
FITNESS & WELLBEING
19TH JAN 2019
Entry includes a wide variety of classes to sign up to including : • Metafit • Hatton Boxing for Fitness • Zumba • Crossfit • Spinning • Pilates • Hot House Yoga • Aerial Pilates
You can also discover and enjoy healthy street food and health food demos alongside award-winning outdoor and fitness clothing brand Findra.
*Early bird tickets £12 before 1st of January. £15 thereafter and on the door.
Opinion expressed here is that of the author and does not constitute advice. Julie Mitchell is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority
LIVELIHOOD
Money matters Flummoxed by finance? In dread over debt? You’re not alone, but help is at hand. Julie Mitchell, an independent financial advisor with female money specialists Independent Women, tackles some of your most common cash concerns. This month, how do we avoid getting bogged down in Christmas spending panic?
O
n October 29, the Chancellor delivered what was billed as the budget to put an end to austerity. I will leave you to decide yourself whether that is true or not but it did make me wonder how many households actually budget their own income and expenditure, especially in the run up to Christmas? Whilst we can’t control the outcome of political events around the world that will inevitably filter down to us, we can control our own finances with a few simple tweaks and realistic expectations. At the time of writing, I have failed to join the 76 per cent of people who, according to Statista, have already started their Christmas shopping, with a staggering ten per cent of those having already begun before July!
I am put to shame by those who manage to have everything wrapped by October and who can sit back and enjoy the festivities without the chaos that can ensue from the last-minute dash. My lack of planning is two-fold; Firstly, our eldest son is born in the middle of December and I never want him to feel neglected as a result of when his parents procreated. And secondly, I actually enjoy the mad rush around the shops on those cold nights and wrapping on Christmas eve with a glass of bubbles. But no matter what type of Christmas shopper you are, how many of us actually budget for such an occasion? Research conducted by BobAtoo.co.uk into our Christmas shopping habits highlighted that 45 per cent of us don’t set any form of budget at all. This can lead to the bank balance blues in January or the dreaded credit card statement drop which will make its way through a letter box near you. This is all avoidable though, with a few simple tweaks to help us all regain some control. Start by noting down all your income and expenditure. The key to this is to be completely honest and realistic with your figures. There’s a wide range of personal finance software apps that can be downloaded to help you produce a monthly budget, and the more pictorial of those among us can have these brought to life in diagrams to illustrate spending. Using the last six months of your expenses from bank account and credit card statements will create the most accurate picture of your finances. Dividing your finances into three separate accounts can make a significant difference. Create a savings account, a bill paying account and a third account for all your spending. When your salary is paid, transfer your funds into the 3 accounts as per your income and expenditure and you will only be able to see the money you can spend. This prevents the purchase of Louboutins on the second day of the month – though if Louboutins are your goal, keep transferring money across into that savings account and you will quickly be skipping (or hobbling) down the street, safe in the knowledge that you haven’t put yourself in unnecessary debt. I’m not going as far as to say we should all make our Christmas presents this year – unfortunately, I am no Kirstie Allsopp – but there is undoubtedly merit in taking time to reflect this season. After all, what brings the greater happiness – the presents under the tree, or the people surrounding it? independentwomen.co.uk
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Woman hood
LADY IN RED We’d never be disappointed to open a bottle of Chanel No.5 on Christmas morning, but this year we’re hoping to receive an extra-special twist on the classic – a limited-edition version of the iconic glass bottle, cast in fiery red to add festive glamour to any dressing table. Filled with the same classic No.5 fragrance we all know and love, but with a showstopping new look for the first time in the label’s history, whether you’re feeling particularly generous or you’re hinting for yourself, we think it’s the perfect present this Christmas. Chanel No.5 L’Eau Red Edition Eau De Toilette, £130, chanel.com
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hood reader event
Round up your friends and join us for an evening with Sara Hill and Harvey Nichols on Thursday 13 December at 6.30pm
Hood readers have an exclusive opportunity to meet our contributing beauty editor, Scotland’s premier make-up artist Sara Hill, at an exclusive Christmas masterclass hosted by Harvey Nichols Edinburgh. Learn the tricks of the trade from Instagram sensation Sara as she demonstrates her favourite looks for this winter using top brands from the Harvey Nichols beauty hall. There has never been a better chance to enjoy a glass of festive fizz and perfect your make-up routine ahead of the party season.
Tickets £25, available at hoodmagazine.co.uk/events £10 of the ticket price is redeemable against beauty or skincare products purchased from Harvey Nichols Edinburgh on the night. Terms and conditions apply. 38 • hood
WOMANHOOD
Wear it three ways Real women need versatile pieces that work for real life, no matter what their day holds. This month, we show you how to style a classic white shirt for every occasion
Work
Valerie Mackay, 55, is a data support officer based in Inverness. Find her on Instagram @embracingfifty.
White shirt (used throughout), £32, Next. Coat, £75, trousers, £42 and boots, £42, all River Island. Jumper, £29, Warehouse. Bag, £12, Primark. hood • 39
Rest
Shirt, as before. Jacket, £56, Warehouse. Jeans, £22, and trainers, £25, Next. Bag, £22, River Island. 40 • hood
WOMANHOOD
Play
Shirt, as before. Necklace, £22, Next. Trousers, £35 and shoes, £19.50, Marks & Spencer. Clutch, £29, Warehouse. Photographer: Stewart Bryden. Make-up: Sara Hill. Hair: Jack Baxter.
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FEATURES
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Available exclusively in store at CCW Glasgow, Saint An drews an d Callan der
INTO THE
NIGHT Forget understated – the festive party season offers a rare opportunity to opt for all out glamour, with satin, sequins, faux fur and chocolate box jewels… Photography Aleksandra Modrzejewska
Lace-trimmed dress, £46, and earrings, £8, River Island.
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WOMANHOOD
Faux fur coat, £79, Topshop. Dress, £42, and earrings, £12, River Island.
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Velvet blazer, £50, Next. Skirt, £13, Primark. Necklace, £20, River Island.
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Roll neck, £18, F+F at Tesco. Faux leather skirt, £42, and earrings, £12, River Island.
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WOMANHOOD
Roll neck, £18, Next. Scarf, £17.50, and sequin skirt, £69, Marks & Spencer. Blazer, £315, Pinko at Harvey Nichols.
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Velvet blazer, £50, Next. Sequin dress, £40, F+F at Tesco.
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Sequin dress, £200, Aidan Mattox at Harvey Nichols. Faux fur coat, £30, Primark.
Model: Elise at Model Team. Hair: Jack Baxter. Make-up: Sara Hill. Location: Mountjoy House.
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WOMANHOOD
Soft smoke
Take inspo from ‘90s supermodels with this tonal look – the perfect partner to pare down a super-glam outfit. A brown smoky eye is softer than harsh black, and matched with bold brows and a glossy nude lip, it makes for an understated but sexy party look.
Shine bright Party season is the perfect time to push the beauty boat out, and these six stunning festive looks from make-up maestro Sara Hill promise to help you shine, whatever your age. After all, a bit of sparkle never hurt nobody… 50 • hood
Pretty as a peacock
December is the perfect time to experiment with bold beauty, and this peacock-inspired look, with shades of rich blue and emerald green, is a stunning way to add a pop of colour. Add lashings of mascara to define, and strip back the rest of your look with a fresh foundation and clear lip gloss.
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FEATURES
Metallic mauve
Want to get a bit daring with your festive make-up? Consider a metallic lip in a dramatic shade for a contemporary twist. This holographic purple is edgy, but worn with dramatic lined eyes and a matching high-gloss shade on your nails, we think it looks fierce!
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WOMANHOOD
Sophisticated simplicity
For an elegant take on party make-up, you can’t go wrong with the classics. A power brow paired with fresh, glowing skin and defined eyes is a suits-all look that’s simple to recreate. Prep your base with an illuminating primer, and finish the look with a slick of gloss in a deep shade for grown-up glamour that’s sure to turn heads.
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WOMANHOOD
Cool for cats
Cat-eye flicks are a timeless trend, and one that you can amp up for party season in a flash. Draw your usual line along the upper lid, but flick it out wider at the outer edges, and take it into the inner corner, drawing under the lash line to create an almond shape with serious Cleopatra vibes.
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Coral crush
Let your lips do the talking with a punchy shade of coral this Christmas – a velvety matte formula will last through at least a few glasses of wine! Keep the rest of the look simple with a peachy blush and a few coats of a thickening mascara for a flirtatious flutter.
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DENTAL EXCELLENCE | EXCEPTIONAL CARE
Teeth Whitening - Adult Orthodontics - Smile Makeovers Dental Implants - Veneers - Dental Sleep Medicine
0131 556 2776 info@newtowndentalcare.co.uk newtowndentalcare.co.uk
New Town Dental Care 4 Henderson Row, Edinburgh, EH3 5DS
WOMANHOOD
Get the look
SOFT SMOKE
PRETTY AS A PEACOCK
METALLIC MAUVE
Benefit Gimme Brow + Volumizing Eyebrow Gel, £20.50, benefitcosmetics.com Zoeva Premiere Lip Crayon in Acoustic Feeling, £9.50, zoevacosmetics.com Illamasqua Artistry Palette in Elemental, £38, illamasqua.com
Barry M Shipwrecked Baked Eyeshadow Palette, £12.99, Superdrug stores Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara, £19, John Lewis stores Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer in Diamond Milk, £16, Harvey Nichols
Barry M Matte Me Up Metallic Lip Kit in Avant Garde, £6.99, Superdrug stores Chanel Le Vernis Velvet Nail Colour in 638 Profondeur, £22, chanel.com Marc Jacobs Magic Marc’er Precision Pen Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in Blacquer, £23, Harvey Nichols
SOPHISTICATED SIMPLICITY Nude By Nature Moisture Infusion Lip Gloss in Violet Pink, £18, nudebynature.co.uk By Terry Terrybly Densiliss Foundation, £78.50, Space NK stores Misslyn Brow Chicka Wow Wow Liquid Eyebrow Liner in 3, £8.75, beautybay.com
COOL FOR CATS Iconic London Strobing Stick in Original, £24.99, iconiclondoninc.com Too Faced Dew You Full Coverage Fresh Glow Foundation, £27, toofaced.com Eyeko Skinny Liquid Liner, £16, Space NK stores
CORAL CRUSH Iconic London Boom Lash Mascara, £20, iconiclondoninc.com Chanel Poudre Lumiere Illuminating Powder in Rosy Gold, £42, chanel.com By Terry Terrybly Velvet Rouge in Ingu Rouge, £32, Space NK stores
Photographer: Anette Schive. Make-up: Sara Hill, assisted by Emma Hourston and Gabriele Stankunaite. Hair: Jack Baxter. Nails: Swoon Nails. Stylist: Tegan Whybrow. Models: Talia Wallis, Eilie Bennett and Shayne Brodie, all from Colours Agency.
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Botox and fillers: the facts
Fancying a facial makeover but not sure where to start? Interested in, but intimidated by, injectables? Let Team Hood try the process for you. This month, beauty editor Sara Hill heads to Edinburgh’s Dr Nestor for facial fillers…
W
e’ve all seen the injectable horror stories – trout pouts, pillowy top lips, frozen shiny foreheads and expressionless faces that could fill even the most brazen beauty maven with fear. But in truth, we each of us likely walk past dozens of women every day who’ve had work done, but who don’t look worked on. Good injectables should make the recipient look like themselves, only after a very good night’s sleep. But regardless of the end result, no-one should set about getting facial injectables without knowing all the facts first. So what exactly are BOTOX and fillers, and how risky are they?
BOTOX®
“This is brand name of botulinum toxin, made by Allergan,” explains Dr Nestor. “Essentially a protein that interrupts the signal that activates muscle movement, it’s been around for more than 60 years. It is said to be one of the most researched drugs ever, and has a great safety profile.” 58 • hood
What it is used for? BOTOX has several medical and cosmetic indications, but in aesthetics, doctors use it to soften lines. “It’s not necessarily to make people void of expression,” cautions Dr Nestor What areas is it most commonly used in? The most common three areas are between the brows, in forehead wrinkles and at the sides of the eyes where many people have crow’s feet. “We also use it to soften smoker’s lines in the top lip, bunny lines at the sides of the nose, on what we call ‘orange peel chin, and to slim down the bulky muscles of the jaw and achieve a better jaw line,” explains Dr Nestor. What are the main benefits? BOTOX is a straight forward treatment with minimum risk, almost no down time, and with reproducible results. “It helps to either soften established creases in the skin or keeps them at
GOOD INJECTABLES SHOULD MAKE THE RECIPIENT LOOK WELLRESTED
TREATMENT TRUTHS
bay – they generally start to form in our early thirties, so BOTOX can be used as a preventative treatment in our thirties.” What are the potential side effects or risks? With needles, there is always risk of a bruise. Some people can experience a headache after treatment, though Dr Nestor says this is uncommon. Very rarely there may be a droop of the eyebrow or eyelid, he warns, though “these are not permanent and will resolve without long term consequences after between two and six weeks.”
The treatment, trialled Curious as to what facial fillers feel like? We sent our beauty editor, Sara Hill, to find out…
FILLERS
“The full name for these is hyaluronic acid fillers and they are used to volumise, shape, contour and define a face, cheeks, chin, jawline and lips,” says Dr Nestor. What areas are they most commonly used in? Fillers are suitable for the whole face. “From our early to mid-thirties we start to lose fatty tissue in the face,” explains Dr Nestor. “This loss of architecture and support means we aren’t maintaining the youthful height of our cheeks or brows, leading to skin sagging and jowling. By using filler to re-inflate these key areas we can achieve a non-surgical lift where we can restore youthful features, soften tired eyes and achieve a better jaw line.” Lips are one of the most common areas where fillers are used, and they can address some asymmetries, define the border better, restore a central fullness to the pout, turn lips up to display more pink and even lift the corners of the mouth. The aim, however, shouldn’t be to artificially inflate, warns Dr Nestor. “We are using filler as a tool to do something, not necessarily as a volumiser. We’ve all seen terrible ‘duck billed’ lips. That’s the result of someone asking for something unnatural and someone agreeing to do the procedure. I happily turn people away when I don’t think they need a treatment.” What are the main benefits? The hyaluronic acid in fillers is identical to the HA found in our body, so there is little risk of a reaction, and the effects can last from 12 to 18 months. It is not permanent and will gradually dissolve like our own HA. What are the potential side effects or risks? Risks can include bruising, swelling, infection, lumps and even blindness, though this is extremely rare, assures Dr Nestor. “Because of the potential risks involved though, these treatments should only ever be performed by a medical professional, adequately trained and equipped to deal with any complications.” drnestor.co.uk
Sara Hill before
And after
The word ‘fillers’, if I’m honest, fills me with fear. As a make-up artist, I work with many faces every day, and I can spot a filled lip and frozen forehead pretty fast. At 38, I think I look fairly good for my age – I’m a skincare addict, so for me anything cosmetic is more about maintenance, looking fresh and awake, and feeling good. I don't want to look different, I just want to keep what I've got little longer. I am happy to embrace old age, just a little slower than it wants to embrace me. Thankfully, Dr Nestor is lovely. His knowledge and experience made me feel instantly at ease and I totally trusted him. He explained that the injectables should be unnoticeable, and that it’s about balance, symmetry and subtle changes to make you look well rested. There weren’t any areas that were particularly bad for me, though I had noticed a few changes in the last few years, the sides of my mouth have started to slope down, I’ve always hated my weak chin and I’ve started to get eye bags when I smile which I haven’t had before. Dr Nestor looked at my
face carefully and we decided to opt for fillers in my cheek bones to smooth out the eye area and create lift in a subtle way. We also decided to add fillers in my chin which I was most delighted with. He explained in full the procedure and potential side effects. The treatment itself I didn’t find painful at all, the only thing that concerned me was the noise of the fillers going into the skin – that sounded strange. It took no time and I could see the results straight away. And I absolutely loved it. The effect was so subtle, just a little lifted, and I noticed when applying my make-up that my skincare glided easier. I didn’t need as much concealer and it’s amazing how it makes you feel more confident. The best thing is no one noticed, people said I was looking good or looking well so, to me, that’s a job well done. Dr Nestor is not just an expert he’s also a real artist. He knows what you need, and if he doesn’t think you need anything, he’ll tell you no, which I think says a lot. I won’t trust anyone who is not a doctor to put needles in my face. I’ve seen too many bad jobs to know what can go wrong, but I’m delighted with my own results.
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A KITCHEN TO TRUST Glasgow-based culinary star Nico Simeone’s expansion continues apace – but is his first Scottish kitchen still exciting diners? Jennifer Crichton-Gibson finds out…
I
am, to be honest, a tad nervous about reviewing 111 By Nico. It’s rare to see a young chef rise so fast to culinary fame on his own coat tails, let alone see one expand so rapidly and to such acclaim, and I don’t want to be the person who doesn’t love his work. This eatery was Simeone’s first, opened on an unassuming street in residential Kelvinside, next door to a Spar, in 2011. He was in his twenties at the time, and to say that his tiny kitchen exceeded expectations would be an understatement of epic proportions – praise was immediate and all-encompassing. To have sat back, rubbed his hands with glee and basked in the praise would have 60 • hood
been understandable. Instead, Simeone went on to open Six by Nico in both Glasgow and Edinburgh, and on the day I’m due to dine at 111, he announces plans to open Public House by Nico in Glasgow’s West End this very month. It’s all hugely impressive, but… But. Bigger chefs than Simeone have been hamstrung by fast expansion. I am, frankly, concerned that by heading to his original kitchen today of all days, I could be in for a disappointment. But Simeone, it seems, is a man who can handle the heat. These days, 111 serves a menu billed Trust, and I should have had more. Far more. It is, as has become his calling card, exceptional in
FOOD IN THE ‘HOOD
Three more to try 21212 Paul Kitching’s acclaimed restaurant in Edinburgh changes its menu every week, offering guests a choice of two starters, two mains and two desserts, plus a soup and a cheese course as part of a five course, £85 tasting menu. Expect a strong focus on the best of Scottish ingredients. 21212restaurant.co.uk
TO SAY THAT HIS TINY KITCHEN EXCEEDED EXPECTATIONS WOULD BE AN UNDERSTATEMENT OF EPIC PROPORTIONS
standard, in staffing and in price. Five courses cost £25, with a few modest supplements, a sum that would get you two glasses of wine in some parts of town. It is, frankly, baffling. The Trust concept sees diners create their own completely bespoke dining experience, choosing the main ingredient to be used in each of their courses and then leaving the rest to the kitchen. Opening gambits of mushroom velouté and white gazpacho are earthy and well received – not show-stopping, but a decent statement of intent. My course two choice of mackerel comes both blow-torched and as a tartare spiked with roe, with elements of sharp, pickled white turnip cutting perfectly through the oiliness of the fish. Across the table, meanwhile, an aged beef carpaccio (£3 supplement) with fermented red pepper, glazed salsify and shaved bone marrow was so moreish, I had to forkfight for a taste. Upping the game yet again on course three, my crisp pork belly with braised pork and black pudding bon bon and burnt apple puree boasts the perfect balance of crisp and soft, salty and sweet, while I’m assured the confit salmon in smoked oil with kohlrabi and rice cracker was
similarly sublime – we got so involved in our own plates we forgot to taste! Astonishingly, we were even more delighted with course four. My ox cheek (£3 supplement), slow cooked to fall-apart-at-the-mere-sight-ofa-fork tenderness, came with turnip puree, burnt onion ketchup and an onion sauerkraut just sharp enough to hem in the exquisite earthiness of each other element. A perfectly cooked tranche of cod meanwhile, with cabbage, mussel cream and a saffron emulsion, was warmly comforting and spoke deliciously of the sea. We ended on a chocolate ganache (£3 supplement) with cardamom ice cream and the sort of perfect honeycomb that takes you right back to childhood, and a slab of baked pineapple with a truly delicious lime and coconut sorbet that I’d happily buy by the bucketload. Accounting for supplements and wine pairing – a steal at £22 for five glasses of wellselected, interesting grape – that’s a total bill of £103. I’ll let that sink in. Keep doing what you’re doing Nico. You’ve got my trust and then some… 111 Cleveden Road, Glasgow 111bynico.co.uk
THE NEWPORT Former Masterchef winner Jamie Scott’s picturesque restaurant on the bank of the River Tay focusses on seasonally-influenced tasting menus, priced from £55. Refreshingly, the kitchen offers up specialist vegetarian, pescatarian and vegan tasting menus in addition to the standard choices, so diners need never feel like their dietary requirements are awkward. Bravo! thenewportrestaurant.co.uk
AIRDS HOTEL Located in Port Appin, near Oban, The Airds Hotel’s kitchen makes the most of its waterfront location by serving up swimmingly fresh and inventive seafood dishes. Opt for the £81 seven-course tasting menu and you can expect to taste some of Scotland’s very finest meat, game and fresh produce too… airds-hotel.com
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Our favourite Marks & Spencer Christmas Few brands bring more Christmas spirit to our tables each winter than Marks & Spencer, with its food halls packed to the brim with the best value quality seasonal treats to get you from nativity play to Hogmanay. This year, in a first for the brand, it’s handed the reins for its festive ad campaign over to its customers and staff, asking them to name their #MyMarksFave But what is yours? Here are Team Hood’s picks of the season… Be a part of the conversation. Visit Marks & Spencer on social media and tell us your #mymarksfave
“Finding a good veggie option that doesn’t make you feel like you’re missing out can be tricky at Christmas, but these Baked Ricotta Stacks (£7 for 380g) are #MyMarksFave. They’re so tasty, even the meat eaters won’t be complaining when I serve them as a starter. I love the mushroom, leek and kale topping, and the tasty white wine sauce…” Gillian, digital editor
“I’m told shoppers at Glasgow’s Braehead branch have been buying more Best Ever Steak Pies (£6) than customers anywhere else in the UK and I can well understand why – nothing is says ‘festive season in Scotland’ more for me than a good steak pie like my Granny used to make. The perfect size for two people, this flaky puff pastry topped delicacy will definitely be on my table this Hogmanay as #MyMarksFave.” Jen, editor
SMOKING YOUR SALMON Marks & Spencer prides itself on finding the best suppliers across the country and working with them to create specialist, only in M&S products, and nowhere is this approach more successful than in the brand’s award-winning smoked salmon range. Produced by Roy Stevens, head of product development at Associated Seafoods Limited in Scotland’s Spey Bay, the Lochmuir range is cured in salt by a master smoker, then smoked over oak using fresh whisky-cask
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shavings from local distilleries. A truly traditional smokehouse, the team’s techniques have remained largely unchanged for 100 years, and result in a perfect smoked salmon with a velvety texture and unique depth of flavour. Our pick for 2018 is the Lochmuir Speybay Sweetcure Smoked Salmon, which undergoes a secondary cure in Muscavado sugar to enhance its sweetness, before being dressed in Scottish dulse seaweed for a savoury finish. Delicious!
In partnership with Marks & Spencer
“As much as I love all the seasonal extras, Christmas just isn’t Christmas for me without a turkey, and The Collection British Free-Range Pembrokeshire Bronze Turkey (£40 for 4kg) is the best around. The birds are raised free-range in Wales where they’re allowed to forage, giving them award-winning flavour – and they look beautiful in the middle of the table too!” Sarah, partnerships manager
“I love a Christmas pud as much as the next dessert fiend, but this year, I’ll be cutting into the The Collection Belgian Chocolate & Cherry Dessert (£20 for 1kg) first for sure. I mean, Belgian chocolate mousse around chocolate sponge, dark chocolate, white chocolate mousse and cherry compote? What’s not to like?” Laura, contributing fashion editor
They might be available all over the UK and further afield, but Marks & Spencer’s festive gins are actually created right here in Scotland, by The Old Curiosity Distillery in the Pentland Hills near Edinburgh. The Distillery’s owner, Hamish Martin, is also the man behind the acclaimed Secret Herb Garden, and it is through experimenting with the 600 varieties of herbs grown there to create tinctures and infusions that Hamish ended up creating his acclaimed gin range. The distillery produces three floral gins, all made from botanicals which are hand-grown without chemicals before being picked, dried and infused, resulting in spirits that are clean, natural and delicious. New for 2018 and available exclusively at Marks & Spencer is Christmas Dry Gin, blended with spicy ginger, cardamom and cinnamon. We highly recommend swapping out your wedge of lime for a slice of orange for a seasonal twist on the classic G&T.
“While I love turkey, for me, nothing is better than the British Sirloin of Beef (£50 for 1.86kg). I’m told it’s dry-aged in a salt chamber for 21-days, but what I care about is the fact that it’s tender, easy to cook, looks impressive and tastes amazing. Who says you can’t have #MyMarksFave for Christmas dinner?” Paul, designer
The Marks & Spencer festive food range is available in stores across Scotland, or to order at christmasfood.marksandspencer.com
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Feeling festive From sweet treats ideal for gifting, to table setting and planning the perfect party, owner of East Lothian-based Mad March Hare Wild Dining, Amanda Farnese Heath, has it sussed. Here’s her guide to making your festive season super-stylish…
Mango and cardamom ‘cheese’cake For the base: • 12 Medjool dates • 100g ground almonds • 100g ground pecans • 50g desiccated coconut • A pinch each of salt, turmeric and black pepper • 1 tbsp cocoa powder • Maple syrup, as necessary For the topping: • 2 very ripe mangos • 1/2 tsp cardamom essence • 1 tsp cardamom powder • 1/2 cup coconut oil • 200g cashews, soaked in water for five hours 1. Add all of the dry base ingredients to the bowl of a food processor and blend together until a ball is formed, or you can pinch the ingredients and they stick together. If it feels a little dry, you may need to add a touch of maple syrup. 2. Press the mixture into a seven-inch spring form cake tin lined with biodegradable cling film. Refrigerate until needed. 3. Peel the mangos, remove all the flesh from the stone and squeeze with your hands to get as much of the pulp off as possible. 4. Drain the cashews and then blend with all the other topping ingredients. Spread over the base and place in the fridge to set. 5. Top with edible flowers and goji berries before serving, or gifting to your host.
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Pistachio-stuffed Medjool dates
• • • •
18 Medjool dates 18 shelled pistachios 100g bar 85% dark chocolate Chopped pistachios, to decorate
1. Remove the stone carefully from the inside of each date, then push a pistachio nut into the cavity left. Pinch the date closed. 2. Heat the chocolate over a pan of hot water, stirring gently until melted. 3. Remove the chocolate from the heat and dip each date into the chocolate. Place on greaseproof paper, top with chopped pistachios and allow to set before gifting.
FOOD IN THE ‘HOOD
Spiced chocolate figs • 18 organic dried figs • 100g bar 85% dark chocolate • 1 tsp cayenne pepper, to taste 1. Heat the chocolate over a pan of hot water, stirring gently until melted. Add a teaspoon of cayenne and stir through the melted chocolate. 2. Dip each fig fully in the melted chocolate mixture, then set on greaseproof paper and allow to set before gifting.
Vegan Snickers bars For the base: • 12 Medjool dates, stones removed • 1/2 cup desiccated coconut • 1 1/2 tbsp Green & Black’s cocoa powder • 1 cup ground almonds For the middle layer: • 1 cup maple syrup • 1 1/2 cups crunchy peanut butter • 1 cup coconut oil • 1 tsp vanilla essence • A pinch of sea salt • 1 cup of your favourite nuts For the topping: • 100g bar 85% dark chocolate 1. Mix all of the base ingredients in a food processor and blend until the dates are completely chopped and the mixture sticks together. Press into a clingfilm-lined square baking tin and refrigerate to set. 2. Melt all of the middle layer ingredients, except the nuts, together in a saucepan and set over a low heat. Add the nuts, then taste. If you’d like it sweeter, add a touch more maple syrup, or add more salt if you like it less sweet. 3. Pour the middle layer mixture over the base and return to the fridge to set once again. 4. Heat the chocolate over a pan of hot water, stirring gently until melted. Pour over the set base layers and return to the fridge. 5. Once fully set, cut into squares and keep in the fridge until ready to gift (or eat!)
Nutty balls • • • •
12 Medjool dates 1/2 cup ground almonds 1 handful cashews A pinch each of salt and ground black pepper
• • • •
1 handful pecans 1 tbsp maple syrup 1 tsp turmeric 100g bar 85% dark chocolate
1. Mix all of the ingredients except the chocolate together in a food processor, until they form a ball or the mix sticks together when pressed between your fingers. Roll into bite-sized balls. 2. Heat the chocolate over a pan of hot water, stirring gently until melted. 3. Remove the chocolate from the heat and dip each nutty ball into the chocolate. Place on greaseproof paper and allow to set before gifting.
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From glamorous glassware to the cutest crockery, Amanda talks us through prepping for the perfect party How do you approach the idea of styling for an event? I visit the location first to pick up the vibe, then I start building up a mood board. I focus on elements that will work in the environment, trying to keep everything as biodegradable as possible, so when each event has finished there is no waste and certainly no plastic How can people apply those principals in their own home? It’s really all about feeling your way around a room. Move bits around the room you’re using, trying not to block the flow of the house. Then mood board. It’s great to have a visual of your ideas to work from. What are the main mistakes people make when styling their own dinner or party? I’d say not thinking through the big picture and ending up going overboard. Try to keep colour to a minimum, using only a small selection of shades, don’t clutter your table, and try not to buy cheap gimmicky plastic bits as they always end up being thrown away. Make thoughtful choices with every element and you’ll have pieces you can draw on again and again. And if you’re not great at styling and it’s a special occasion, hire somebody to make your event look beautiful. What do you think are the most important elements of creating a good atmosphere? Probably the most important thing is the vibe you create yourself with good lighting and music. First impressions count, so what’s the first thing you’re going to serve everybody? Make sure it looks totally stunning too – every single element is important. 66 • hood
NEIGHBOURHOOD
What one thing would your table never be without? Flowers. Without a doubt. How does one avoid being too twee at Christmas time? Just use one colour with lots of neutrals and candle light. I love simple pillar candles without fake fragrance, combined with a natural essential oil candle with a subtle scent. What is the most memorable event you have been to and why? I was invited to Corsica and was taken on a hair-raising car journey up to the very top of a mountain where an old smokehouse was located. The event took place inside its very old tarred walls, the smell of oak and cedar wafted over the table and we were cooked for by a beautiful Corsican woman in her 80s. It was a very simple meal – smoked fish, wild boar ragu, Corsican sheep’s cheese and their own red wine – but it was also one of the best meals I’ve ever had. What would be your one piece of advice to anyone hosting in their own home this Christmas and New Year? Make and freeze as much of your food as possible in advance so you can enjoy the day. Don’t try and over complicate your menus and make sure everybody helps out. themadmarchhare.com
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NEIGHBOURHOOD
Candlestick, £6.99, H&M
Silver candles, £2, Wilko
Fairy lights, £5.99, TK Maxx
A FEAST FOR THE EYES Seek inspiration for your own Christmas tablescape, opting for bright blooms, sparkling glassware and warm candlelight galore…
Faux floral arrangement, £100, Laura Ashley
Gold effect wine glass, £26 for a set of four, Next
Vintage 32 piece cutlery set, £29.99 Homesense Patterned placemat, £7 for a set of four, Sainsbury’s
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In association with The Balmoral
Chef’s Christmas
We caught up with the evercharming chef Alain Roux to find out how he’ll be spending the festive season…
A foodie festive season
Looking for somewhere to celebrate in style this season? The Balmoral Edinburgh’s acclaimed Brasserie Prince by Alain Roux is our pick for a chic, stylish and fabulously festive soirée to satisfy even the most demanding diner. A seasonal feast Running throughout the festive season, Brasserie Prince’s seasonal lunch and dinner menu is perfect for a Christmas catch up with friends or a post-shopping pick-me-up. Priced at £29.50 for two courses or £36 for three, it features some of our favourite dishes from renowned chef Alain Roux – think bouillabaisse-style fish soup – as well as some high-end upgrades on traditional festive favourites. Letham turkey ballotine anyone?
Welcome 2019 To mark Hogmanay, Brasserie Prince will be hosting a superbly stylish six-course feast featuring lobster salad, foie gras and roasted fillet of Scottish beef with neeps & tatties, cep mushrooms & bordelaise sauce, priced at £195 per person. After dinner, guests will be granted VIP access to view the capital’s famous fireworks display from one of The Balmoral’s private suites, before partying the night away to the sounds of a live DJ in Bar Prince after the bells.
A lunch to remember Spare yourself the kitchen drama and celebrate the big day itself in style with Brasserie Prince’s Christmas Day Lunch. Priced at £120 per person, you’ll start with a glass of champagne, a foie gras terrine and coquilles St Jacques, before choosing from a sublime mains selection including Letham turkey ballotine, monkfish roasted on the bone or daube of beef with boulangère gratin. A cheese course and a range of desserts will follow, while little ones have their own special menu (£75), meaning the whole family can enjoy Christmas Day with a little French flair.
A perfect party Looking for an evening out with a difference this December? May we suggest a cocktail tasting evening? Perfect for a girls night out, the Brasserie Prince Cocktail Tasting Menu allows guests to enjoy four courses of the finest liquid libations from the venue’s talented mixology team, priced at £60. We love the distinctly Scottish ‘Nae Bother’, a mix of tequila, Scotch whisky and sauvignon blanc dessert wine that tastes like a crème brûlée. Yum. For bookings, call 0131 557 5000, or visit brasserieprince.com
What’s your favourite part of the festive season? Truthfully? Anything with chestnuts! Chestnuts get me excited. It could be savoury or it could be sweet, I don’t mind – as long as there are chestnuts I’m in Christmas heaven! How do you spend the day itself? I actually work! There’s not much time for family, but we catch up normally in the early morning before work, or after work for half an hour. We celebrate after everybody else, which is normal for us. Christmas is a time for family, and I think what’s important is finding the time to get everybody together and sit down around the table. What’s your favourite dish from the Christmas menu here this year? It has to be the turkey. Christmas without turkey just isn’t Christmas. But I also love the foie gras dish. It’s served with orange, a very French way of preparing the dish, and it’s very seasonal. Foie gras should be a treat, for very, very special occasions. It’s rich, it’s expensive, it’s a little bit naughty – and food should be naughty! I think when you see foie gras on the menu, you know it’s a special day.
In association with Jeffrey’s Interiors
Top Hat champagne cooler, £75, champagne flutes, £38, and Veuve Clicquot coffee table book, £65
Hummingbird tree ornament, £12
GET THE LOOK
Dr Vranjes Diffusers, from £49.50
Ensure your home dazzles this December, with the stunning seasonal range at Jeffreys Interiors Framed butterflies, from £65 to £149
Ralph Lauren candles, from £60
Cocktail Chameleon coffee table book, £40, and martini and cocktail glasses, £20 to £22 each
Mother and Child coffee table book, £65, and William Yeoward Art Glass Strata Vase in ruby pink, £110
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Hame from home
Seek out some peace on the Isle of Skye at Hame, a sleek and stylish country bolthole that brings a touch of Scandi-chic to a spectacularly Scottish scene…
T
hat Mungo and Flora Laing were living in London’s hip Hackney district when the idea of Hame first came about will be of little surprise to anyone who has set foot inside their stylish bolthole on Skye – a traditional tartan shortbread tin of a country hotel it is not. The couple, who took over the waterside property on Skye earlier this year, had initially been approached by Calum MacKinnon, one half of the team behind London and the highlands’ renowned Mac & Wild restaurants, who believed he’d found an ideal spot for an island getaway. The couple agreed, and began making preparations to leave London, somehow embarking on a full renovation of the property late last year at the same time as getting married and becoming parents. Billed as ‘a hame from home’ the relaxed and stylish vibe the Laings have created melds minimalist Scandi-chic with a Scottish fusion style, bringing in hints of tradition through soft furnishings 72 • hood
by modern tartan brand Anta. The property’s views over the water to the Black Cuillins form a focal point from the bar and dining room, while works by Scottish artists Alasdair Hillery (AKA Loon, Flora’s dad), Mungo’s mum Jane Laing and Oban’s renowned Moggs Mellor abound. Elsewhere, the rooms themselves find the balance between laidback and luxury, with sleek en suites, flat screen TVs and extras ranging from Eteaket teas, Tunnock’s teacakes and fizzy Glenlivet water, as well as coffee liqueur by Mac & Wild, while the spectacular location on the island’s north coast grants guests easy access to some of its most famed attractions, from Dunvegan Castle to the Carbost Faerie Pools. While the property doesn’t host a traditional restaurant, the culinary connection is strongly felt, with meals created on site to customer order. “We’ve learned a great deal from Calum, who originally found this place and has been integral to so much of
In association with Hame
When on Skye… The Oyster Shed This local family business serves up freshly shucked oysters, harvested daily from their farm in Loch Harport. There’s also a farm shop offering all manner of local produce, from fresh crab and lobster to venison and cheese. 01478 640383 Talisker Distillery A visit to Skye wouldn’t be complete without a tour of the island’s oldest working distillery. Set on the shores of Loch Harport, the dramatic views are almost as memorable as the drams themselves. malts.com Skyeskyns Head to the picturesque village of Waternish for a tour of the sole remaining commercial woolskin tannery in Scotland, before shopping for beautiful sheepskin rugs, slippers and accessories. skyeskyns.co.uk
what makes Hame a success,” says Mungo of the property’s approach to local food sourcing. “Our neighbour Keith Jackson farms his own wild boar cross pigs, lamb and beef, and does all his own butchery. We buy venison from Ross Macrae, whose local business sources game from all the surrounding estates in the area, and we include all the best the area has to offer in our breakfasts, with the Hame full Scottish being a favourite. We’re also in fairly constant communication with Willy Murdo’s boat, one of the last few commercial fishermen who still supplies shellfish to local restaurants on the Island, and with Brooky who runs the Skye Fish van, purveyor of fish, mussels, oysters and basically everything that floats, swims or scuttles.”
Now open for almost a year, next on the agenda for the Laings is the extension of their Hame Hotel Sessions programme. Currently on offer are four-day and one-week retreats focussed on wild food foraging with Ruaridh Emslie, or art with Alasdair Hilleary, Jane Laing and Leonnie Gibbs, while yoga retreats, poetry writing workshops and sculpting courses are all potentially on the calendar for 2019. The most important thing however, for Mungo and Flora, is ensuring that their rural bolthole offers a true Hame from home for their guests. On the evidence of our visit? They’ve nothing to worry about on that front… Hame on Skye, Roag, Dunvegan, Isle of Skye, IV55 8GZ. hamehotel.com
The Faerie Pools Set at the foot of the Black Cuillins, these beautifully crystal-clear blue pools on the River Brittle are among Scotland’s most popular wild swimming spots. For those averse to the cold, however, they also make for some beautiful photography. isleofskye.com The Three Chimneys A world-renowned restaurant with rooms, The Three Chimneys serves up some of Skye’s finest seasonal produce in a spectacular setting that has been drawing crowds since 1985 – don’t forget to book in advance. threechimneys.co.uk
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In partnership with Airsorted
Your capital Christmas, sorted
I
narguably a beautiful city at any time of year, Edinburgh is particularly magical during the festive season. A dusting of snow on the rooftops, fairy lights twinkling on every cobbled street, hot chocolates in cosy cafes… need we say more? If you’re looking to make the most of the city this festive season, why not book yourself a gorgeous apartment to stay in and explore the city like a local with Airsorted’s seasonal guide? Go ice skating in St Andrew’s Square Don your skates and glide your way around what must be one of the UK’s most unique skating spots this December. The elliptical rink winds its way around the iconic Melville Monument in St Andrew’s Square, allowing you to speed round and show off your skating skills, or take things at a slower pace and enjoy the view. For those feeling a little wobbly on the ice, take a break at the Rekorderlig Cider Lodge in the middle of the rink. Visit the traditional Christmas market It wouldn’t be Christmas in Edinburgh without a visit to the traditional German-style market in Princes Street Gardens. Grab a mug of gluhwein, tuck into some Nutella-laden waffles and browse the stalls. As well as plenty of street food trucks and festive bars, there 74 • hood
are craft stalls selling everything from handmade Christmas baubles to scented candles – ideal for picking up some last-minute gifts. Tuck in to festive food and drink in Leith Edinburgh is full of wonderful restaurants and bars serving up delicious seasonal menus to warm you up on cold winter days. Why not venture out of the city centre to check out Yule Fest Leith this Christmas? It’s a two-month celebration of festive cocktails and food in Edinburgh’s coolest neighbourhood, with top bars shaking up spiced, mulled and sparkling concoctions. See the lights at The Dome Visiting The Dome at Christmas is a much-loved tradition for many Edinburgh locals. The twinkling lights, adorning the building both inside and out, are sure to get you in the festive spirit. Don’t forget to order a suitably festive cocktail at the grand circular bar while you admire the opulent Christmas tree underneath the dome which gives the venue its name. Airsorted is a short-term property lettings management service, helping Edinburgh residents unlock the potential of their homes. To find out how much your home could earn, visit airsorted.uk/edinburgh
New York 48 hours in…
Few places say cool at Christmas quite like the Big Apple, with its twinkling lights, open air ice rinks and crisp park walks. We asked the experts at travel planning service Story Unheard to create a 48-hour itinerary aimed at uncovering the best the city has to offer this winter. Don’t forget your walking shoes… hood • 75
DAY ONE 9am Start your day the right way with a breakfast of champions in Manhattan. One of the first things we do in New York is pick up a coffee at Ludlow Coffee Supply and head over to Dominique Ansel for the cronut of the month. The walk from Lower East Side to Soho is an exciting introduction to New York’s wonderfully raw and gritty side – it’s a memory hard to shake. For savoury sensations, we make a detour to century-old Russ and Daughters for its sought-after platters of smoked fish, pickles, homemade bagels and rye, which are the shissel! 10am Walk or take the subway (4, 5, 6 and Q lines and get off at 86th Street) to the Guggenheim Museum, just opposite Central Park, to catch one of the awesome exhibitions that spiral down and around the central ramp through the gallery. Walk through a wintry Central Park with a little coffee stop at the Loeb Boathouse before heading down to The Frick – one of our favourite private art collections in the city, which also has a pretty leafy courtyard for contemplating all the masterpieces you’ve just seen while resting your feet. If you just want to do one gallery – the Guggenheim is the one for modern art lovers while the Frick is for traditionalists. Either way, be sure to pick up an audio guide, as it’s far more fun understanding the story behind the art and making it really come to life. Noon Next up, head to the High Line for a walk to remember, starting at the entrance by the Whitney Museum of American Art. This park in the sky is built on a 2.3km
FLYING FROM SCOTLAND Both Delta and Virgin Atlantic fly direct from Edinburgh to New York JFK, while Lufthansa and United also fly to Newark and Air Canada and Norwegian fly to Stewart International.
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*Guggenheim Museum, photo by David Heald
historic freight rail line elevated above the streets and snaking through Manhattan’s West Side. Exit to Chelsea Market in the Meatpacking District for some market magic and lunch, strolling through Artists & Fleas for unique Christmas gifts before a taste of Tijuana at Los Tacos No 1, or fresh oysters at Cull & Pistol. Afterwards, get back on the High Line and walk to Hudson Yards with a photo stop at Gansevoort Overlook at 10th Avenue Square. 2pm Hit Manhattan’s winter wonderland at Winter Village at Bryant Park where you can saunter past Christmassy stalls selling beautiful handmade gifts or glide across its glittering ice rink. Pick up a cup of holiday cheer as you munch away on festive S’Mores and chimney cake.
4pm Head over to the 102-story Empire State Building for sky-high vistas of the sparkling city below. Go at sunset so you can see the city in two different lights! 5pm Head to Macy’s on W34th Street to check out all the pretty Christmas decorations, before strutting down Fifth Avenue to ogle at more Christmas lights and holiday window displays. Ones to look out for include Saks Fifth Avenue, Tiffany & Co, Cartier, Harry Winston, Henri Bendel, Bergdorf Goodman and Barney’s on Madison Avenue. Stop at Rockefeller Centre to marvel at its twinkling colossal Christmas tree. Ice skaters, there’s also The Rink for an extra scoop of holiday cheer. If you didn’t go to the top of the Empire State Building, take the Sky Shuttle up
NEIGHBOURHOOD
Le Coucou, photo by Ditte Isager
INTREPID EXPLORING Pick up a New York CityPASS and you’ll get free entry to The Empire State Building Experience, The American Museum of Natural History, The Metropolitan Museum Of Art, The Top of the Rock Observation Deck OR The Guggenheim Museum, The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island OR Circle Line Sightseeing Cruise, and a choice between The National 9/11 Memorial & Museum, or the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. For more information, visit nycgo.com The Chrysler Building
to Top of the Rock Observation Deck’s open-air roof deck on the 70th floor for unrivalled snaps of the Empire State Building and Central Park at sunset. Pre/Post Show Dinner Dine at one of the hottest restaurants in the city, the Roman and Williams-designed Le Coucou, led by celebrated chef Daniel Rose in collaboration with restaurateur Stephen Starr in NoMad. For mindblowing ramen, head to Ivan Ramen in the Lower East Side, which featured in the Netflix series Chef’s Table. Don’t worry, it’s one we can afford. Want to get involved in the cooking? Head to the Flatiron District’s Michelin-starred Korean steakhouse Cote, where you cook your own meat over a central tabletop grill.
Otherwise, for hearty Tuscan fare, look no further than I Sodi in the West Village. 8pm Time for a show, and there are two you can’t miss in New York this time of year. Choose from George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, performed by the New York City Ballet at Lincoln Center, and the Rockettes – Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall. 11pm For a cheeky nightcap, Dante makes a mean Negroni, otherwise Attaboy and The Eddy are famous for their creative concoctions. On the way back to your hotel, pass through Times Square. Stand on the red TKTS stairs just below 47th Street between Broadway and Seventh Avenue to take it all in.
DAY TWO 9am For some serious #colourpop smashed avo and fluffy Belgian waffles, Aussie-inspired Citizens of Chelsea on the corner of Ninth Avenue won’t disappoint. Eggspect an entire menu devoted to one of our favourite breakfast foods at Egg Shop in Nolita. West Village’s cute and cosy The Elk is all about epic coffees and breakfast bowls, while the nearby trendy plant-based café and juice bar The Butcher’s Daughter is a must for vegans and insta-addicts. 10am If you have $200 to splash, treat yourself to an awe-inspiring 15-minute helicopter ride over the city from Pier 6 at East River.
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NEIGHBOURHOOD
Central Park
Two companies we’d recommend are New York Helicopter and HeliNY. We know it sounds like a lot of money for a short period of time, but honestly, seeing the Big Apple from that height is seriously worth it. Otherwise pick up coffee to go at The Wooly Daily and head to Pier 16 at South Street Seaport in Lower Manhattan to take the Statue of Liberty Express tour with Circle Line Cruises. You can also take the Staten Island Ferry from Whitehall Terminal for free views of the Statue of Liberty and skyline vistas – just take the same ferry back to Manhattan. 11.30am Warm up with a marshmallow hot chocolate from beloved City Bakery and wander through the Christmas stalls at Union Square Holiday Market – it’s open from 11am weekdays and Sundays, and from 10am on Saturdays. 1pm Enjoy New-American fare at eclectic bistro-style restaurant Estela or Via Carota’s farm-to-table Italian dishes. For lunch on the go, Joe’s Pizza on Carmine Street is a New York institution and arguably the city’s most coveted slice! 2.30pm Grab yourself a cinnamon cruller (trust us on this!) and coffee to go at Daily Provisions before strolling over to the Flatiron Building. Take your photo at the intersection of 25th Street and Fifth Avenue, then pop your head into the New York Public Library on the way up to Grand Central Station to gaze at its dazzling chandeliers and interiors. While 78 • hood
The Flatiron Building
you’re in the area, don’t forget to look up to catch a peek of the Chrysler Building. 4pm If you’re visiting Brooklyn on a Saturday or Sunday, pass by Winter Smorgasburg + Brooklyn Flea at the Atlantic Centre. They’ve also teamed up with VICE to hold a Smorgasburg x VICE Night Market on a Friday from 6pm. 6pm If you’re still not done with Christmas lights, take the subway to Dyker Heights to see all the pretty houses dressed up in twinkling strings of fairy bulbs. 8pm Don’t miss out on Brooklyn’s gastronomic gems. For Mexican head to Claro, which specialises in Oaxacan plates. You won’t want to skip Olmsted’s menu of fresh seasonal ingredients (some from their lush back garden) or out-of-this-world Indonesian at Selamat Pagi. For unforgettable pizza pies, it’s Roberta’s in Bushwick.
10pm Night owls, start with drinks at rooftop cocktail bar The Ides, perched at the top of Wythe Hotel with sweeping views of Manhattan’s shimmering skyline just across the river. Next, waltz over to uber cool nightclub Output for dancing till the early hours. And when you’re done, cab it over the Brooklyn Bridge for a late-night pastrami sandwich at Katz’s Deli – you won’t regret it!
LOOKING TO LINGER LONGER? Pop your head into The Metropolitan on 5th Avenue – one of our favourites spaces is the light-filled Charles Engelhard Court in the American Wing.
T S I R CH MAS D E T S T WI FEATURES
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HOOD MAGAZINE malmaison.com *Price varies by location
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NEIGHBOURHOOD
The NoMad
The Ludlow
Your little black book of the Big Apple
Arlo NoMad
WHERE TO STAY… $ Arlo NoMad Arlo was made for the go-getters and extroverts of the world. Centrally located and surrounded by fantastic restaurants and bars, as well as iconic attractions, this swish playful hideaway gives travellers only what they need without overlooking excellence. There’s a stylish co-working space, buzzy bar with an outdoor terrace as well as The Heights – a hip rooftop bar for summertime cocktails with sweeping views of Manhattan. The micro-size rooms are all about minimalism and intimacy – but the ‘Sky’ rooms do give the feeling you’re floating above the building tops and there are ‘Queen’ rooms with a terrace. Plus it’s a great way to do New York without breaking the bank! theheightsarlonomad.com $$ 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge Perched on the lush waterfront just minutes from Brooklyn Bridge and directly overlooking the East River, this nature-inspired home away from home, designed by Marvel Architects and New York-based firm INC Architecture
Top five food and drink spots lecoucou.com katzsdelicatessen.com ivanramen.com lostacos1.com outputclub.com
& Design, is built to blend seamlessly into the surrounding parkland. With its floor-to-ceiling windows, airy open-plan bedrooms with sparkling Manhattan vistas, reclaimed wood, native greenery and sand timers in the showers to remind guests of water wastage, this is one for the ecoconscious traveller unwilling to compromise on quality. Crowning this industrial-chic dwelling is a trendy rooftop plunge pool and bar, and there’s also a Bamford Haybarn Spa. The hotel is fast becoming the community’s living room – a place where visitors and locals mix harmoniously. It’s also right next to DUMBO ferry terminal, making it an idyllic base for exploring the Big Apple. 1hotels.com/brooklyn-bridge $$ The Ludlow Surrounded by quirky cafes humming with creative minds, edgy bars, zany shops and lively haunts selling $1 pizza slices, The Ludlow is situated in one of New York’s hippest hoods, the Lower East Side. The love child of New York hoteliers Sean MacPherson, Ira Drukier and Richard Born, there’s something exciting in every corner of this loft-like industrial boutique: eclectic splashes of art, factory-style big casement windows with skyline views,
Must-not-miss boutiques theline.com sincerelytommy.com sezane.com catbirdnyc.com loveadorned.com
Indo-Portuguese style two-poster beds, exposed wood beams, Moroccan rugs and sheepskin armchair throws, a vibey lounge and an ivy-draped courtyard complemented by popular bistro Dirty French managed by Major Food Group. You won’t find a hotel that gives you a more raw and real window into the city. ludlowhotel.com $$$ The NoMad Steps from Madison Square Park, this bohemian-chic boutique hotel housed in a 12-floor Beaux-Arts building brings a little piece of Paris to New York’s trendy neighbourhood NoMad (aka North of Madison Square Park). Enlisted by owner-operators Sydell Group, interior designer Jacques Garcia delivers old-world European elegance through faded Persian rugs, maple wood floors, lofty ceilings, opulent touches of tapestry-clad furniture and claw foot, stand-alone tubs – perfect for an indulgent window side soak with dreamy Côté Bastide bath amenities. There’s also a cosy library and restaurant overseen by Chef Daniel Humm and Restaurateur Will Guidara – famous for their three-star Michelin Eleven Madison Park. thenomadhotel.com/new-york
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MANHOOD
IAIN STI R L I NG It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas
“I
T’S CHRISSSSSTMAAASSSSSSSS” Noddy Holder once screamed loudly and proudly into a microphone, entirely unaware of the fact that after that recording was done he would be able to take the rest of his career off and simply sit back as the royalties came rolling in – like brandy over Christmas pudding. If you were to sit down and properly think about it, the number of musicians to have made their fortune from some randy Xmas ditty is insanity. One dodgy cover and you need never work ever again. In fact, 200 years from now your great-great-great-great-great-grandchildren could all be inside their brand-new custom-built home cinema, watching back some terrible Christmas cover that inexplicably made their family fortune. They’re all at it. Even Avril Lavigne had a go at Oh Holy Night. No, that’s not a wind up. Go now, have a listen, you can thank me later. To the vast majority reading this, I will apologise now for spamming your ears with yet more talk of the festive season. If you’re like me, and the first time you walk into a department store to hear the hellish ring of crimbo classics you want to throw yourself down the escalators next to Topman, then I feel for you. When it comes to Christmas, I am not a forward planner. It was only last year I was outside the Ugg store (other fuzzy boot retailers are available) on Christmas Eve, calling to apologise to my mother because they were completely sold out of the shoes my sister had asked for back in September. If you’re reading this, Kirsten, I can only apologise… To the rest of you, let this be known – I hate and envy you in equal measure. The forward planners are the most tedious individuals known to man. You know the type; they keep all their wrapping paper year-round in a designated drawer, constantly list possible gifts for loved ones and probably iron all their shirts for the week during their Sunday night Netflix sesh. That last one is undoubtedly unrelated, but it’s still infuriating to a McDonalds munching, 82 • hood
THE FORWARD PLANNERS ARE THE MOST TEDIOUS INDIVIDUAL KNOWN TO MAN
disorganised son-of-a-gun such as myself. I still don’t own an iron. I’m 30. What is wrong with me? Maybe this year is the year? Maybe 2018 is the time where I sort my life out and get ready early for ‘the most wonderful time of the year’? If I can do it, you can do it too. If you’re willing to give it a go, I promise I will try my best to improve my present buying schedule. As soon as this article is written I’m going to make a list, check it twice, and it won’t even matter who’s been naughty and nice, Iain Stirling is coming to (a) town (centre). Some serious early shopping is going to take place. I’m not going to start ironing shirts though, so Kirsten, if you’re still reading this, just buy me a game for my PlayStation as is traditional. Now, go and listen to Avril Lavigne already… Iain Stirling’s first book, Not Ready To Adult Yet, is out now. Find out more at iaindoesjokes.com Join us next month, as we introduce our new Manhood columnist, Capital Scotland’s Garry Spence
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