inVLC February 2014

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Make the most of the Valencian Community

February 2014

Fabulous February

Language learning 1950's Special Recipes Music News Film

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The very best in Valencia & the Community

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Regulars 4 Before we start 5 Did you know...

6 News in brief 20 City maps

Language learning 26 Learn English with the British Council

Features 8 Valentine's Day 10 The contemporary 50's 18 Jardines de viveros

inVLC Talks 16 Music 17 Film 22 Recipes

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Before we start Welcome to the new edition of inVLC for February.

So, how are those New Year's resolutions going? As we head into February it's easy to let those recent resolutions to lose weight, quit smoking, cut down on drinking etc to go by the wayside. One of our resolutions was to get out and about more and to be more active; by walking the dog in the park everyday and walking where before we would use the car. Also, the obligatory diet, which is going well so far. One month gone; along with over half a stone!

Here at inVLC we wish you well with continuing your resolutions and hope that you are sticking to them with renewed gusto now February is upon us.

resurgence in modern society; from advertising, to clothes, haircuts and art.

On a rather sad note; it seems that this month will see the closure of American food store, Little America. We are sorry to see it go as we frequented the store often and Jose, the owner, was always friendly and helpful.

Also, we have said goodbye to Loved Books. Again, Tabitha was always warm, friendly and helpful and it sad to see the bookshop go.

It's unfortunate to see that such businesses could not survive in the current economic situation. There are far too many small We're sure many of you are already fans of our Facebook page but if businesses that do not get the support and start they deserve thanks you are not on our Facebook, head over to to punishing legal requirements that stifle small start-ups in Spain www.facebook.com/invlc for additional and up to date content from before they can begin. the best Valencia has to offer.

We wish Jose and Tabitha all the very best for the future.

This month you will find articles, news, recipes and information as usual along with a look at the 'Contemporary 50's', which takes a peek at how the Fifties fashions and culture are currently seeing a Lisa & Paul

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Did you know

that in February...

1913

1990

The new Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan, New York was officially opened. It replaced the first terminal which was built in 1871 and closed by 1902. Over 150,000 people turned out to celebrate the opening day. The beautiful beaux arts building with its massive marble staircase, 75 foot windows and star-studded ceiling. It is one of the must see buildings on the tourists list and is amongst the worlds top ten most visited attractions, it brings in over 21 million visitors per year. Apart from the train platforms the building contains, restaurants, newsstands, food market, delis, retail stores and the New York Transit Museum.

Nelson Mandela, leading anti-apartied campaigner and lawyer was freed from prison in South Africa after 27 years; most of it spent on Robben Island off Cape Town doing hard labour. He was convicted in 1964 of treason and sabotage and sentenced to life. He was South Africa’s first black president from 1994 to 1999. Mandela was 95 when he passed away in December 2013 at his Johannesburg home, days of vigils and prayers culminated in a state funeral which was attended by world leaders.

1945

You Tube the video sharing website created by three former Pay Pal employees and owned by Google is launched. The first video to be uploaded was entitled ‘Me at the Zoo’ and shows co-founder Jawed Karim at San Diego Zoo, and can still be viewed on the site. Most watched videos include ‘Charlie bit my finger’ from 2007 with over 500 million viewings and in 2012 the music video ‘Gangham Style’ received over one billion hits. You Tube is available in 30 languages and adds 24 hours of video every minute, but be careful what you put out there – the world is watching.

2005

Jamaican singer-songwriter and guitarist Bob Marley was born.

Widely known for reggae music and famous for popularizing the genre outside of Jamaica, Marley was also a faithful Rastafarian.

He was said to have been the father of eleven children with several women which includes his wife Rita. Bob Marley managed to cram a lot into his short 36 years and died in 1981 in Miami, Florida. He received a state funeral in Jamaica and was buried with his Les Paul guitar, a soccer ball, a marijuana bud, a ring given to him by Prince Asfa Wossen of Ethiopia and a bible.

2013 1959 Buddy Holly along with Ritchie Valens and Jiles P Richardson aka Big Bopper died in a plane crash in Iowa, U.S.A. The pilot of the plane also died. The plane had been hired last minute as the tour bus they were using developed a heating problem and Buddy Holly was determined to keep to the gruelling schedule of concerts that had been arranged. Only the previous year Buddy Holly had split with his band The Crickets, and this tour was to promote his solo career.

Oscar Pistorius, dubbed Blade Runner who competed in both the Olympics and Paralympics as a runner in 2012 was arrested over shooting and killing his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp; he insisted that the shooting was a result of him believing it was an intruder.

This story has yet to be concluded, the trial date is now set for March 2014. The charge is premeditated murder. He is currently on bail for the Valentine’s Day killing.

LITTLE AMERICA FOOD and DRINKS

American food store specializing in products imported from United States C/ Músico Peydró No 54 46001 Valencia 607 231 006 www.facebook.com/Valencialittleamerica

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News in brief Bankia to be privatised and will pay back bail-out funds by 2016 Bankia is due to go private and expects to have paid back its State bail-out within less than two years, according to CEO José Ignacio Goirigolzarri.

The entity, formed through a merger of the bankrupt Caja Madrid and Bancaja which were 'rescued' with multi-billion funds borrowed by the Spanish government from the Troika, intends to start floating its shares on the stockmarket gradually with the aim of all its capital being in private hands by the year 2016.

Taxpayers were furious when the 22.4-billion-euro bail-out for Bankia had to come out of their pockets via stringent funding cuts and higher taxes, since the government was unable to sell the two entities for more than the cost of the funds required to rescue them.

But Goirigolzarri said less than a year ago that the bank was the 'only one' which 'would be able to refund' the public cash used to keep it afloat.

“I don't see that it's impossible for the State to recover every cent,” said the chief executive officer this week.

Bankia, now the fourth-largest bank in Spain, earned 818 million euros in profits in 2013 – a considerable improvement on the year before.

“We're in a much stronger position today as regards paying back the bail-out funds than we were a year ago,” Goirigolzarri said.

Bankia shares are currently floated on the stockmarket at 1.30 euros, close to the price of 1.35 euros they were on sale at when the Banking Restructure and Order Fund (FROB) took over running Bancaja and Caja Madrid after they fell into heavy debt.

Banking, Finance and Savings (BFA), controlled 100 per cent by the FROB, is Bankia's largest shareholder with 68.4 per cent of the capital in its hands.

Under the terms of the bail-out agreement, Bankia has to shift from being a public entity to a private-sector firm within five years, which it will do gradually by selling off the 68.4 per cent of its share capital held by BFA. Electricity fixed fees soar by 18 per cent Electricity prices due to go up in January have risen by far more than expected, with the part of a household's bill relating to government charges and taxes rocketing by 18 per cent.

Although minister for industry José Manuel Soria had already warned that the tariff based upon consumption would increase by 2.3 per cent on January 1 this year, the fact that the fixed fee element was about to soar has not been widely announced.

National media agencies spotted it in the State Official Bulletin (BOE), where any government decisions have to be published and, once they have been, any move of this nature is deemed to have been communicated to society as a whole.

The element of electricity bills which goes into the government's pocket in taxes and charges totals 55 per cent of the consumer's invoice, and will now rise to 42.04 euros per kilowatt (kW).

This part of the bill has not been amended since August 2013, when the State approved a 'general' rise of 1.2 per cent following new measures being introduced to its energy reform.

For most consumers, 45 per cent of the bill relates to consumption, which is dictated by the prices achieved in the three-monthly State 'auctions' of the energy supply franchise, and the remaining 55 per cent – the government's taxes and charges – covers transport, distribution, 'green' taxes, and other fees.

As a result, cutting down on electricity use only has a relatively small impact on the actual amount billed to households every month or every two months.

Protests held on Saturday in 23 cities across Spain, backed by 500 associations and consumer groups, called for an end to 'abusive' electricity rates which they say are 'suffocating' already struggling families.

They recall that electricity is a necessity and a basic service, not a luxury, and that independent audits should be carried out with the participation of the consumer, IVA reduced from the top-rate 21 per cent to the lower-level four per cent normally applied to staple goods and services, and for an end to customers having to pay back the debt accumulated by the government with energy supply companies.

Rules on liquid in hand luggage relaxed in Spanish airports Airports in Spain have relaxed restrictions on carrying liquids in hand luggage and plan to eliminate these altogether by 2016 in accordance with new European Union rules.

Since January 31, any drinks, aerosols or gels purchased in 'transit' countries whilst on connecting flights will be allowed through the X-ray machines.

They will only be scanned, not confiscated.

For example, if a passenger was travelling from a Latin American country to an airport in Italy and changing planes in Madrid, where he or she had bought a bottle of whisky in the duty free in the Latin American airport, it would be confiscated in Madrid.

But this will no longer be the case, provided it is in a sealed bag provided at the check-out by the duty free store.

The same would apply with duty free goods purchased on board a plane.

Also, liquids exceeding 100ml in volume which are classed as medication, baby food or diet products will now be allowed through into the departure lounge provided they are inspected first.

Spain's airport governing body, AENA, which manages the country's 47 terminals and 187 million annual passengers, believes the relaxation of the rules will only affect around one percent of travellers initially, but says that according to the European Commission, if this tentative first step is successful, liquids may no longer be prohibited in hand luggage two years from now.

This will be a decade after the initial restrictions came into force, on November 6, 2006.

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All you need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt. :: Charles Schulz

After British police thwarted an attempt by terrorists to blow up an airline bound for the USA from Heathrow, having found liquid explosives in passengers' hand luggage, all quantities of fluids of 100ml or over were banned.

Quantities of lower than 100ml are permitted provided they are in containers designed for no more than one litre, and must be carried in transparent plastic bags which can be easily opened.

Containers designed for 100ml of liquid which are only partially full will mean security officers consider the liquid amount to be the full 100ml.

Certain makeup items such as mascara and lipstick are considered to be liquids.

Fluids not in clear plastic bags will be confiscated, even where they are loose in the luggage tray and can easily be seen or opened by security staff.

Passengers carrying drinks or baby milk within the set limits may be required to open and taste them in front of security officers to prove they are not harmful substances.

But from January 31st these strict measures are starting to slacken off in Spanish airports with a view to scrapping them altogether in two to three years' time.

Girls 'as young as 14' trafficked into Spain via Heathrow to work as sex slaves Seven Nigerian men were arrested after Border Force officers at London Heathrow airport found they were behind a human trafficking network which had brought up to 48 women into Spain from the African country to work as sex slaves – some of whom were underage.

National Police in Spain and the Home Office's Immigration Enforcement team had been on the trail of the traffickers since 2011 when a high number of sole Nigerian women and young girls were found to be travelling to the Mediterranean country via London.

Inquiries eventually led to the identification of 48 females who may have been victims of the prostitution racket.

Spain's forces tracked down and detained seven Nigerian men in

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Madrid and Lleida in September and freed two of the prostitutes, who were being held against their will and forced into conditions of slavery through threats and violence.

These arrests could not be revealed due to Spanish laws covering identity of suspects until now, and the British Embassy in Madrid has now revealed that two other traffickers were remanded in custody last March and October.

Sussex Police detained Odosa Usiobaifo from Enfield, London in March after he was found to have forced his compatriots into prostitution by putting them on planes to Spain from Heathrow and sending them into the hands of the gang leaders.

Most of these girls were aged just 14 and 15.

London Heathrow's Border Force team caught David Osawaru from Benin City in Nigeria escorting two women from his country through the airport as they caught a connecting flight to Prague from Lagos (Nigeria) in May 2012, and in October last year he was sentenced to nine years in prison.

The nine men 'actively targeted and manipulated vulnerable young women', proclaims assistant director of the Risk and Liaison Overseas Network (RALON) of the Immigration Enforcement squad at the Home Office, Clinton Nield.

He reveals that each of the women were falsely promised lucrative work and a new life, with no idea that when they reached Spain they would have to sell their bodies and hand over all their earnings to pimps.

Calling human trafficking an 'abhorrent crime', Nield warned those involved that 'international borders would not stop them' from finding offenders and 'bringing them to justice'.

Security Minister for the British government, James Brokenshire revealed that a Modern Slavery Bill would be introduced in 2014 to send out a 'tough message' to human traffickers.

“Modern slavery is a global problem,” said Brokenshire, “but if you are involved in this appalling crime you will be arrested, you will be prosecuted, and you will be locked up.”

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8

You can’t put a price on love, but you can on all its accessories. :: Chico Marx

Valentine's Day Saint Valentine’s Day, commonly known as Valentine's Day, is celebrated on February 14th each year in many countries around the world as a day of love and romance, although it is still a working day for most.

Although no-one knows for certain what exactly happened, one thing that all the stories have in common is that St. Valentine was seen as a sympathetic, heroic and most importantly, romantic figure.

But where does St Valentine’s Day come from?

While some believe that Valentines Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate Valentine’s death or burial – others think it’s more to do with the Christian church trying to “Christianise” the pagan festival of Lupercalia. Lupercalia was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus who was the Roman god of agriculture.

Nobody knows for certain but there were at least 3 different saints with the name of Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred.

One possibility is a priest who served during the 3rd century in Rome named Valentine. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than married men with families, he outlawed marriage for young couples. Valentine realised how unfair this was and performed marriage ceremonies for young lovers and soldiers in private.

When Claudius found out what Valentine was doing, he put him to death.

Other legends tell us that St. Valentine was possibly killed for attempting to help Christians escape from Roman prisons, where they were often beaten and tortured. Another story suggests that it was actually an imprisoned Valentine himself who sent the first ever “Valentine” message to a young girl he had fallen in love with, it was said that the message was signed from your Valentine, an expression that is still used today in many cards.

To start the festival, members of the Luprci and an order of Roman priests would gather at a sacred cave. Legend is that the cave was where Romulus and Remus the founders of Rome, were cared for by a she-wolf or lupi. It is said that the priests would sacrifice a goat for fertility and a dog for purification. They would then cut the goat into strips and dripping in blood, they would go and lightly slap the women and crop fields. Roman women welcomed this ritual as it was said if you were slapped with the goat hide, you would be more fertile in the coming year. According to legend later the same day, all the single ladies would put their names into an urn and the city’s bachelors would then take it in turn to pick a name from the urn; they would then be paired with the chosen woman for the following year. This ritual would often end in marriage.

9 Even though Lupercalia survived the initial rise of Christianity, it was later outlawed as it was deemed un-Christian by the end of the 5th century when Pope Gelasius said that February 14th would from then on, be known as St. Valentine’s Day. During the Middle Ages it was believed that St. Valentine’s Day would be the start of the birds mating season in England and France. It wasn’t until much later that the day became associated with love and romance.

Although written Valentine’s greetings started appearing in the 1400’s, it seems that Valentine’s greetings were popular as far back as the middle ages. The earliest known Valentine, which is still in existence today, is a poem which was written by Charles the Duke of Orleans to his wife who was imprisoned in the Tower of London in 1415. The poem is part of a manuscript collection, which is held in The British Library in London.

Today, Valentine’s Day is celebrated in USA, Mexico, Canada, UK, France, Australia and many other countries around the world. It is tradition that on this day we celebrate by giving a token gift to the one we love. Popular gifts include ready printed cards, which are always widely available leading up to Valentine’s Day and offer a huge choice whether you are looking for something funny, soppy or just to say thanks for always being there. Chocolates, perfume, flowers and soft toys are also ever popular gift choices these days.

Leading up to Valentine’s Day will also see a rise in jewellery sales with Valentine’s Day being one of the most popular days to pop that special question. It’s also increasingly popular to celebrate the day with a special meal, whether it is prepared with love and care at home, or in a romantic restaurant (many of which now offer special Valentine’s Day menus at affordable prices).

And of course, if money is no issue, a weekend break away in a fancy hotel will never go wrong in the eyes of your loved one. Some of the most romantic destinations in Europe include Paris, Prague, San Sebastian, Tuscany, Vienna, Rome, Venice and Barcelona. If you can’t afford the time or price of travelling outside your area, why not book a romantic weekend for 2 in a local spa hotel and just spend the weekend relaxing and reconnecting with your other half.

Whatever you plan to do this Valentine’s Day, make it one to remember.

10

The contemporary 50's

It seems that the fifties are back in fashion. A decade that brought about so much change in fashion for both men and women is having a resurgence. Take a look around you at some of the current fashion trends; they have been adapted for a more contemporary look, sure, but you will see many 'Greaser' style Rockabilly and Teddy Boy hairdo's on the boys, many 50's style dresses, clothes and makeup worn by the ladies and many traditional and pin-up inspired tattoos gracing the bodies of the more adventurous. Also, look around you at the number of so called 'vintage' shops now open and at the introduction of 50's style American Burger Diners as a more interesting alternative to the usual fast food outlets.

Also, TV shows such as Mad Men which is set in the fifties and other 'period' shows have become very popular with viewers. Even Burlesque dancing has become popular as a seductive and more body-image realistic confidence booster for women and also as an

alternative form of exercise to Aerobics.

Many male and female celebrities, music artists, film actors and sports personalities are making the look ever more popular; just take at look at Alex Turner singer from Arctic Monkeys, actor George Clooney or David Beckham, dancer Dita Von Teese, singer Paloma Faith and actress Christina Hendricks to name but a few.

Here we run down some of the most iconic images, fashion and contributions the fifties made to what is the current, contemporary fashion and culture.

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Burlesque Gypsy Rose Lee (1911 – 1970) was an American burlesque entertainer famous for her striptease act. She was also an actress, author, and playwright whose 1957 memoir was made into the stage musical and film Gypsy.

Rose worked in vaudeville alongside her sister, June, but while June had the makings of a star, Rose had no discernible talent. She only discovered by accident that she could make money from Burlesque when a shoulder strap on one of her gowns gave way, causing it to fall to her feet. The audience applauded her desperate efforts to cover herself, and so she decided to make the 'accident' the focus of her performance.

She became one of the biggest stars of Minsky's Burlesque in New York. Her style was a send-up of a striptease act, with the emphasis firmly on the 'tease'. She brought a wry sense of humour propelling her to mainstream stardom. She revealed little actual flesh, ending each act draped coyly by the curtain and men and their wives were often in the audience.

A definite influence to current dancers such as Dita Von Teese, shown below.

12 Rockabilly, Greaser & Pompadours Rockabilly was originally the music made by the likes of Elvis, Buddy Holly and Bill Haley emerging early in the fifties and one of the first forms of rock n' roll. The name was a hybrid of 'Rock' (n' Roll) and 'Hillbilly', a reference to country music. The music and style became inextricably linked.

With the end of World War II and with prosperity on the rise in the USA, young people had the opportunity for the first time to create identities that had nothing to do with the generation that had gone before. Youth culture had arrived.

The rebellious Rockabilly was menacing, outrageous and frightening; think post-war Punk Rocker in customized cars or on roaring motorbikes.

Men wore well-greased pompadours (a hairstyle that Elvis copied from the truckers in the Southern States of the USA), jeans and tough leather jackets. Women wore wide circular skirts held out with petticoats, scoop neck blouses and cardigans, tight sweaters or polo necks and three-quarter-sleeve fitted shirts.

In Britain, Rockabilly fans were called 'Teddy Boys' and by the early 60's they had morphed into Rockers and adopted the classic 'greaser' look of jeans and leather jackets to go with their heavily slicked quiffs.

Above; the original - Elvis Presley. Below; the modern George Clooney and Alex Turner

13 Pin-up Art Although the art of the Pin-up pre-dates the 50's, it came to great prominence during this decade with artists such as Gil Elvgren coming into the mainstream. Gil originally started painting Pin-ups in the thirties and many of these early illustrations were reprinted during World War II and sent to troops abroad.

During the fifties, Gil's artwork could be seen across billboards advertising companies such as Schlitz Beer, Ovaltine, General Electric and Red Top Beer.

These original and often highly coloured illustrations have had a big impact on current fashion trends, photography and advertising.

Bettie Page (1923–2008) was an American model who became famous in the 1950s for her real-life pin-up photos. Often referred to as the "Queen of Pinups", her jet black hair, blue eyes, and trademark bangs have influenced artists for generations.

According to MTV: "Katy Perry's rocker bangs and throwback skimpy jumpers. Madonna's Sex book and fascination with bondage gear.

Rihanna's obsession with all things leather, lace and second-skin binding. Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction. The SuicideGirls Web site. The Pussycat Dolls. The entire career of burlesque dancer Dita Von Teese" would not have been possible without Page.

Below: A recent photoshoot called “Hello, Sailor!” showcasing the Widfox 2013 summer collection by designer and photographer Kimberly Gordon.

Above: an example of an original Gil Elvgren illustration Below: A modern Rockabilly girl

14

Money can’t buy love, but it improves your bargaining position. :: Christopher Marlowe

Guitars The fifties brought about the electric guitar and in the hands of the new guard of Rockabilly artists, the electric guitar went on to take over the world.

The original guitars from the fifties are still some of the most sought after instruments in the world and examples from the likes of Fender, Gibson and Gretsch have become highly collectable and incredibly expensive; they have also become iconic designs.

For the mere mortal Guitarist who cannot afford an original 50's instrument, there are currently a huge amount of reissues available at more wallet friendly prices.

In addition to the guitar itself, there has recently been an upsurge in Guitarists requiring quieter, low-watt valve amplifiers. Valve amplifiers are generally said to offer a more pleasing sound and are sought after by many guitarists. After the 50's valve amplifiers grew and grew in both power and size during the 70's and the huge Marshall stack became an iconic image behind guitarists such as Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Page.

However, in the 50's you were able to buy low-watt smaller amplifiers for your home and with apartment living being more popular nowadays, these smaller amps have come back into fashion with many reissues and boutique examples now available.

Above: the iconic Fender Stratocaster almost unchanged since it's introduction in the 50's Left; a modern day 50's inspired valve guitar amp from Fender. Below; a row of Gretsch guitars

15

Falling in love is so hard on the knees. Aerosmith - Falling in Love (Is Hard on the Knees)"

50's influenced places in and around Valencia Hadas Pin-up A clothes shop specializing in some 50's inspired women's clothing from brands such as Hell Bunny. They are located on Calle Quart, 128 in the city or online at www.hadaspinup.com.

In February 2013 when they first opened we wrote a review and reported that "upon entering the shop we were greeted by the friendly shop owner Merxe, who opened the shop with her business partner Miurel in December (2012). The shop itself was bright with contemporary décor in a girly pink with newspaper designs printed on walls and curtains in the changing area. Merxe offered us information on the stock she had in and what she was getting in Directory the following week. She showed us pictures of people modelling the clothes and took my email address so she could send information on Fashion new arrivals they get in and any offers they might have on. www.collectif.co.uk Hadas Pin Up is a fashion store which stocks clothes and accessories that have been inspired by the 50’s with a touch of Rockabilly vintage. www.popsoda.co.uk They stock their own designs as well as popular brands such as Hell Bunny and Spin Doctors, and also emerging designers in accessories www.voodoovixen.co.uk Gothic Dark Moon. The store is aimed primarily at women although you may be able to pick up a little something for the men." www.bannedapparel.co.uk

Tattoos & Artwork

You can see our February 2013 edition for the full review.

www.vivienofholloway.com

www. vinceray.com

Peggy Sue's

www.lucky13.com

www.gilelvgren.com

Peggy Sue's have two 50's inspired diners located in the city one on Calle Salamanca, 12, in the Canovas area of the city and the other in the Carmen. in December 2012 we reported "The retro diner décor complete with jukeboxes in the booths allowing you to soundtrack your meal is a lot of fun. But how is the food? In our opinion, surprisingly good. The burgers had a homemade taste to them, which set them apart from many burger places and you should not confuse Peggy Sue’s with a fast-food outlet. They have traditional burgers with fun names like Aretha Franklin and James Brown and they also have hot dogs, chicken fingers, pizzas, salads and of course, a selection of sides and fries which were very good in our opinion.

To wash it down with why not try their Pink Lemonade or choose from their selection of milkshakes. For desert traditional American favourites include brownies, apple crumble, cinnamon rolls and a very nice cheesecake. In our opinion definitely worth a visit as a fun alternative to the norm. They are open for lunch and dinner but check for specific opening times." www.peggysues.es

www.switchbladeonline.com

Magazines

www.wildcat.co.uk

www.vintagelifemagazine.com

www.rockabillypinup.co.uk

www.burlesquebiblemag.com

www.tigermilly.com

Cosmetics & Haircare

www.sourpussclothing.com

www.soapandglory.com

www.diamondjacks.co.uk www. tattoos.co.uk www.tattoo13.co.uk www. sailorjerry.com

www.itssomethinghells.com www.pomade-shop.eu

Tommy Mel's Classic Diner Gran Vía Marqués del Turia 50, Valencia. www.tommymels.com Route 66 Custom Cars S.L. Pol. Industrial Les Galgues Carrer Dels Filassers 15 03750 Pedreguer (On the road to Benidorm) www.route66-cars.com

Top: 50's advertisement for Harley Davidson motorcycles Bottom: modern day advertisement for the new Fender Greta guitar amplifier

16

Primavera Sound 2014

Barcelona The annual music festival takes place again this year from 28th-31st Pixies, Drive By Truckers, Mick Harvey, Lee Ranaldo, Nine Inch Nails, May in Barcelona.

Mogwai, Television, God Speed You Black Emperor and many more.

This year's lineup features a number of interesting performances A must for the avid music fan. from bands and artists such as; For further information about the festival and to book tickets head on Arcade Fire, Queens Of The Stoneage, Shellac, Chvrches, Julian Cope, over to www.primaverasound.es

17

Film Review

Dallas Buyers Club

Robocop

Ron Woodroof is an electrician and rodeo cowboy with a devil-maycare lifestyle who is blindsided with an H.I.V.-positive diagnosis and given 30 days to live. He quickly finds a lack of approved medications in the U.S. and crosses the border into Mexico where he learns about alternative treatments and begins smuggling them into the U.S. Ron finds an unlikely ally in fellow AIDS patient Rayon, a transsexual who shares Ron's lust for life and entrepreneurial spirit. They establish a "buyers club," where H.I.V.-positive people pay monthly dues for access to the newly acquired supplies. Deep in the heart of Texas, Ron's pioneering underground collective beats loud and strong as he fights for dignity, education, and acceptance.

The year is 2028 and multinational conglomerate OmniCorp is at the centre of robot technology. Their drones are winning American wars around the globe and now they want to bring this technology to the home front. Alex Murphy is a loving husband, father and good cop doing his best to stem the tide of crime and corruption in Detroit.

After he is critically injured in the line of duty, OmniCorp utilizes their remarkable science of robotics to save Alex's life. He returns to the streets of his beloved city with amazing new abilities, but with issues a regular man has never had to face before.

In Dallas Buyers Club, Matthew McConaughey blazes in a role that Oscar voters will be powerless to keep off their shortlist. Highly regarded at the recent Toronto Film Festival the film has been getting great reviews and special mention is often given to lead actor Matthew McConaughy who it is said 'gives the performance of his career.

Although a remake of the original Robocop from 1987 the two films a said to be quite different. Whereas the 1987 original dealt with the topics of the day; social satire, obsession with consumerism, ultra violence, prevalence of game show obsessions and the popularity of cocaine, the remake focuses more on the idea of surveillance and police state empowerment and the moral implications of human and machine integration.

It is likely that the new film will stand on its own in time as a great film of its own accord, but it has a big shadow to step out from.

18

Jardines de Viveros If you walk to the north from Plaza De La Virgin towards the river bed.

Cross the river bed on the pedestrian bridge and on the other side turn right. Go along the side of the river and you will soon come to Viveros park. For all visitors a visit to Viveros is a nice way to escape the hustle and bustle of the city and it's really only a short walk from the centre.

Declan Lehane

It's of rectangular shape going away from the river and has a lot of hidden corners where you can relax beside the many small fountains and breathe in clean fresh air. In the summer time the park is the ideal place to escape the heat of the city and retreat to the park with its shade and tranquillity which renews the body and spirit. There are a great variety of trees (some spectacularly tall and others enormous), flowers, plants and birds and you can barely hear the traffic in the distance.

19

When you have relaxed you might like to visit the Natural Museum which is on the left as you go away from the river. On the right side there are the ruins of the Palace where the King/Queen used to stay when they came to visit the city. If you are feeling peckish there are 2 outdoor cafĂŠs where you can enjoy your "bravas" with a caĂąa of beer. There are also places where children would love to visit, a pond with lots of different types of birds especially ducks and swans.

That is on the west side and there's a playground on the east side.

There's a large round rose garden with a large fountain in the middle and in the summer the smell and the colours are spectacular. Although as James Taylor says Viveros can be enjoyed "in winter, spring, summer or fall". I live just to the north of the Park in Benimaclet and it's nice to visit anytime of the year.

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City maps

Calle Alica nte

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Recipes

Mexican inspired rice

A tasty, healthy and easy to prepare Mexican inspired rice dish that beats the pants off the pre-prepared examples available in some supermarkets.

Method

Recipe serves 2 hungry people or can be used as a side dish to complement Fajitas next time you have some friends round for dinner.

Add the tinned tomatoes, veg stock, a plop of tomato paste, your diced green pepper, diced red onion and your kidney beans to a large frying pan on a mid heat.

Allow to cook for a few minutes until simmering and the onion has begun to go clear.

Ingredients 200g long grain rice tin of chopped tomatoes 1 cup of veg stock tomato paste x1 green pepper; diced x1 red onion; diced tin of kidney beans 1 tsp dried oregano

Add your rice to a pan of boiling water whilst you cut your vegetables and part boil your rice in water.

1tsp paprika 1/2 tsp smoked paprika 1tsp cumin 1tsp garlic salt 1tsp onion salt pinch of chili flakes salt & pepper to taste

Whilst this is happening, take your rice off the heat, drain and put to one side.

Add the oregano, paprika, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic salt, onion salt, chili flakes and seasoning to the pan and stir to mix.

Take your part boiled and drained rice and add to your pan. Cook until the water has evaporated.

If your rice dries out before it is fully cooked simply add a small amount of water or stock.

Enjoy!

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The bag lady

Activity 1 True or False Are the sentences true (T) or false (F)

by Chris Cavey

1 Rebecca Hosking is a TV presenter F 2 The birds had died because they had eaten plastic.

3 Rebecca made a film on the island.

4 The asked shopkeepers to use fewer plastic bags.

5 Rebecca was surprised by the shopkeepers’ answer.

6 Other towns followed Modbury’s example.

Activity 2 Who says it?

Who do you think might say each of these sentences?

Rebecca A shopkeeper The Hebden Bridge women 1 ‘I felt so awful when I was on that beach that I knew I had to do something.’

© Mat Wright

At this point, most of us would have felt sad and helpless but Rebecca decided she had to do something. Back at home she thought about what she could do to help solve the problem of throwaway plastic. In her home town of Modbury in the south west of England she showed film from the island to local shopkeepers and asked them if they could do one thing to help. She asked them to stop using plastic bags in their shops.

Rebecca expected the shopkeepers to refuse.

Plastic bags are used everywhere in Britain – every supermarket, every corner shop – and customers expect to be given something to carry their shopping in. The numbers are amazing. Britain uses

To Rebecca’s surprise, the shopkeepers agreed and Modbury became the first plastic-bag free town in Britain. Shops offered reusable cotton bags or biodegradable bags. People in the town got used to taking a shopping bag with them to the supermarket – just like their grandparents had done before plastic bags were invented.

In the months that followed, other towns in Britain followed Modbury’s example. The small town of Hebden Bridge in northern England became the second plastic bag free town when four women there saw Rebecca’s film and decided to act.

Like Rebecca, they expected opposition from shopkeepers but found that they were pushing an open door. ‘It’s a no-brainer’, says one of the Hebden Bridge ‘bag ladies’, ‘Plastic bags are not greatly loved. They’re useful but we don’t really need them and people are happy to help try to change things.’

More and more towns around Britain and around the world are becoming plastic bag free. It won’t solve all of the world’s environmental problems but it shows that people are becoming active and starting to think about how the little things in their daily lives can have a big effect in the world. It also shows us that when we watch the news and feel helpless there is something we can do and that one person can make a big change with a strong enough belief.

Activity 2 1 Rebecca 2 The Hebden Bridge women 3 A shopkeeper 4 Rebecca 5 A shopkeeper 6 The Hebden Bridge women

Activity 3 1 differently 2 accidentally 3 greatly 4 well 5 happily 6 slowly

For more fun activities to help you learn English visit www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish

2 ‘We were inspired by what she did and wanted to follow her example.’

3 ‘It’s good for business. Our customers like it that we care about the environment.’

4 ‘I was very nervous about the reaction when I first showed them my film.’

5 ‘One or two people complained but now people bring their own bags with them.’

6 ‘We were the second town to go plastic bag free and we hope there’ll be hundreds more.’

Activity 3 Adverbs Complete these sentences from the text.

1 Rebecca Hosking however thought ________.

2 The birds had died because they had _______ eaten some of the plastic.

3 ‘Plastic bags are not ________ loved’, says one of the women.

The missing words are adverbs. They describe a verb.

Complete these sentences with one of the adverbs in the box. happily

slowly

well

4 She speaks English very _______ .

5 The children played _________ in the sunshine.

6 He walked _______ across the room towards me.

Activity 4 Think about What do people use to carry their shopping in your country? Do people use a lot of plastic bags.

Word of the week A no-brainer is a decision that’s very easy to make because the correct choice is so obvious.

Answers

Rebecca is a wildlife camerawoman and she was filming a documentary for the BBC in the Pacific Ocean when she saw something that made her cry – hundreds of dead birds that had died because they had accidentally eaten some of the tonnes of plastic that is thrown into the sea each year.

Beaches in Honolulu and other Pacific islands that should have been some of the most beautiful places in the world were covered with plastic toys, drinks bottles, keyboards, pens, cigarette lighters – every plastic thing you can thing of. As well as seabirds other animals were suffering – whales, dolphins, seals, turtles – Rebecca saw the suffering that was being caused by thrown away plastic.

nearly 17 billion plastic bags each year. That’s 300 for every man, woman and child in the country.

And the bags can take hundreds of years to break down because they are chemical rather than natural so each year the sea and the environment become more and more polluted.

Activity 1 1 F (she’s a camerawoman) 2 T 3 T 4 F (she asked them to stop using plastic bags) 5 T 6 T

Watching news about the environment on TV can be depressing. Whether it’s climate change or the disappearance of another animal species, it seems as if there’s nothing we can do to change things.

The problems seem so big that it’s difficult to imagine how we as individuals can do anything about them.

Rebecca Hosking however thought differently and her story can be an example to all of us.

© British Council 2010

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