La Di Da - Issue 8 by La Di Da

SUMMER 2015

FOR THE NORTH EAST AND N O RTH YO R K SHI R E

£2.50 WHERE SOLD

LIV E IN THE SU NSHINE SW IM THE SE A D RINK THE WILD AIR. RALPH WALD O EMMERSON

Best of British PRICELESS ASTONS

YSL’s coming

Society Fashion

THE INSIDE GOSS...

FABULOUS FROCKS

THE

ISSU E 8

Guide

WHERE TO STAY, PLAY AND PARTY...

NEWCASTLE STORE: 153 GRAINGER STREET

“I STAND FOR ALL THE MUSIC LOVERS OUT THERE.” PEGGY

STANDFORSOMETHING DRMARTENS.COM

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SUMMER 2015

LA DI DA MAGAZINE CLAVERING HOUSE CLAVERING PLACE NEWCASTLE NE1 3NG (0191) 466 1028 EDITOR LIZ LAMB (FASHION & BEAUTY) QUEENIE@LADIDA.CO.UK EDITOR LINDA JANE WESTPHAL YOURMAJ@LADIDA.CO.UK ADVERTISING DIRECTOR ANGELA BRIDGEN BARONESSBRIDGEN@LADIDA.CO.UK

t’s summer time and the living is easy. But, being La Di Da, it’s less about kicking off your shoes and relaxing than strapping on your Manolos and getting ready to live the high life. We’ve been busy on the phone speedialling all of our fine and fabulous friends and top experts for the inside skinny on where to go, where to dine, where to stay and where to play. Not to mention what to wear, whatever the occasion. If you are planning on heading to

WE ARE A FABULOUSLY FRIENDLY BUNCH HERE AT LA DI DA TOWERS AND WE’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU...TWEET US AND FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK

LaDiDaMagazine

LaDiDaMag

SUBSCRIPTIONS SUBSCRIPTIONS@LADIDA.CO.UK DESIGN CURIOUS 12 WWW.CURIOUS12.COM

©2015 La Di Da. All rights reserved. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy, no responsibility can be accepted for inaccuracies, howsoever caused. No liability can be accepted for illustrations, artwork, advertising or photographic material while in transmission or with the publisher or with their agents. All information is correct at time of going to print.

the big apple, read our ultimate insider guide to New York. It’s full of fab places to go, as recommended by those in the know. Or, for something a little closer to home, take a look at our feature on La Di Da London. If you’re throwing a party this summer you may want to check out our glorious gin guide, it’s packed full of ‘ginspiration’ for the ultimate gin cocktails. Just add friends. Chin Chin x

A DAM N FINE REA D FOR NORTHERN HIGH SOCIETY

6-7 YSL fever

OUR COVER SHOT

We have all the exclusive gossip

SHOOT DIRECTOR: LIZ LAMB

12-13

PHOTOGRAPHER: JADE TURNBULL LOCATION: MIDDLETON LODGE MODELS: SARAH-JEAN HENDERSON, OLIVIA PEARSON HEADLINE MODELS, TONY@SAVALAS MODELS, ANTHONY IMPEY TYNE TEES MODEL

The Fabulous Fountains The North East’s answer to Made in Chelsea

MUA AND HAIR: JO LEVERSUCH ASSISTED BY EMMA TREVEIL. HAIR BY JAMES REID OF HAIR BY JAMES REID

33 Ascot style We channel the Queen’s enclosure for this high society fashion shoot

68 Chez nous

59 Gin O Clock

Everyone’s talking about Chez Mal and we got the scoop on their super exciting plans

A homage to our favourite tipple.

New York, New York So good we’ve written about it twice...

WITH THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS

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WHAT’ S N EW

Splurge...

Add a touch of class to your summer with the two night classic break at Headlam Hall which includes the hire of a Jaguar E Type, a luxurious picnic and spa break. www.headlamhall.co.uk

Love... Pamper...

Seaham Hall has launched a rather yummy new range of products and treatments at its awardwinning Serenity Spa. Ishga is an organic anti-oxidising skincare range sourced from the wild depths of the Hebrides. www.seaham-hall.co.uk

Ramside Hall is opening a super luxury Presidential Suite, complete with a seven foot wide bed, dining area, dressing room and panoramic views. Very la di da, we can’t wait!

Buy...

THE summer collection has arrived at the Dr Martens store in Newcastle and there is a fabulous selection of clothes, accessories and footwear. We love this fringe clutch £55, Patches sheer shirt £60 and Adaya sandals £120, all available at Dr Martens, 153 Grainger Street, Newcastle.

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YSL Feature

AN AUDIENCE WITH

W HEN 11T H JU LY - 25T H OC TOBE R

W H ERE TH E B OW E S M U S E U M B AR NA R D CA ST L E

C U RATOR J OA N N A H A S H AG EN H A S P UL L ED OFF T HE FA S H ION COU P OF T H E YEA R BY BR INGING T HE YS L EXH IB IT ION TO T H E N ORT H . LIZ LAMB C HATS TO H ER.

URATOR Joanna Hashagen is hugely excited. Not only is she planning the biggest exhibition of her career but she has a launch party to plan-a soiree that will be attended by some of the biggest names in fashion and media from around the world. “It’s extremely exciting,” beams the Keeper of Fashion & Textiles when I meet her at Bowes Museum-the beautiful County Durham venue that will be home to YSL: Style is Eternal from July to October. “It’s going to be a very memorable night,” she says. “I am as excited about the party as I am about the exhibition.”

Stars such as Daniel Craig and Kate Moss are rumoured to be attending the opening party alongside a host of influential journalists from London, Paris and New York. “The hoi polloi of the fashion world will be invited,” says Joanna. And what of Anna Wintour, the matriarch of American Vogue who has family links to Yorkshire, will she be gracing the Bowes with her presence? “I can’t say,” smiles Joanna. “She is definitely invited.” Pierre Berge, co-founder of the YSL couture house and partner of Yves Saint Laurent, will also be attending. He oversees the Fondation Pierre Berge-Yves Saint Laurent, which keeps the work of the fashion house alive. “Pierre is very warm and wonderful,” she says. “It was an amazing opportunity to be introduced to him.” Planning for the exhibition has been three years in the making. Working alongside Sandrine Tinturier from YSL, Joanna has hand-picked 50 outfits to showcase-no mean feat when the back catalogue includes 5,000 garments and 15,000 accessories. “We wanted to show a retrospective and to represent a full 40 years of his career but also we had to have the things everyone would summer

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love to see such as the tuxedo suit,” explains the curator. “Garments are just a part of it. There are going to be sketches, original design boards for each haute couture collection, original fabric swatches. Also work from David Bailey, famed French photographers and French Vogue. There will be film of catwalk shows, interviews and our glass cube will showcase a film of YSL at work. “What is wonderful is that everyone at the Foundation is as excited as we are.” It is a huge coup for the region that Bowes Museum was chosen to host YSL’s first UK exhibition having discounted Somerset House and the V&A in London as contenders. “This is French,” gestures Joanna, throwing her arms in the air. “This is THE place in Britain YSL should be. If YSL is coming to Britain for the first time then where better than a French Chateau.” “What will you wear for the party?” I enquire. YSL surely? “Well I don’t own any YSL but I hope perhaps they may lend me something,” says Joanna sheepishly, “that would be nice. “It’s all a bit crazy,” she laughs. “I’ve just got to make sure I deliver.”

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YSL W H ERE TO S TAY ? There are several fabulous hotels in the region who have teamed up with the Bowes Museum to offer special YSL offers.

Rockliffe Hall Hotel

‘the hoi polloi of t he fash ion world are inv ited’

The 5 star hotel has three packages available from July 9 to March 25th. • The High Street package starts at £250 per room and includes afternoon tea, use of spa and two tickets to the exhibition. • The Designer package, from £950 per couple for two nights, includes VIP check in with champagne and afternoon tea, dinner both nights and chauffeur transfer to the Bowes Museum to enjoy a privately curated tour. • The Couture Package, £4,600 per couple for two nights, includes butler services, spa treatments, predinner cocktails, fine dining and helicopter transfer to the museum for a private curated tour. For full details visit www.rockliffehall.com

Headlam Hall Fancy staying in the gorgeous Jacobean country pile that is Headlam Hall in the heart of beautiful Teesdale? Visitors to the YSL event can enjoy a special discounted rate on mid-week accommodation at Headlam Hall which is located just 8 miles east of the Bowes museum in Teesdale. The offer is based upon accommodation for two people in a main hall or a mews double/twin room. It is priced £124 per night per room and two nights or more is £110 per night per room.Your stay includes English breakfast and use of spa facilities, tennis courts and fabulous gardens. The offer is available Monday to Thursday. Telephone (01325) 730238 or email reception@headlamhall. co.uk to make your reservation quoting 'Yves Saint Laurent Exhibition’. www.headlamhall.co.uk

The Coach House The stylish Coach House at Middleton Tyas is offering a dinner, bed and breakfast package for those wanting to attend the exhibition. Packages start from £155 mid week/Sundays and from £215 for weekend rates this includes: One night’s accommodation in the chic brand new bedrooms. A three course dinner in The Coach House Restaurant Cooked breakfast the following morning A chauffeur service to and from the event can be arranged at an extra charge, please ask reception upon booking if this is required. www.middletonlodge.co.uk/coachhouse summer

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Racing WORDS: LIZ LAMB

O FF TO TH E RAC ES TH I S S U M M E R ? HE R E ’S O U R P I C K O F RAC I N G E VE NTS TO BE SE E N AT. JU S T REM E M B ER A FA BU LO US FRO CK AN D E YE - C ATC H I N G H AT I S A M UST.

Chic

COLLINGWOOD INSURANCE BEESWING LADIES DAY AT NEWCASTLE RACE COURSE THURSDAY JULY 25TH One of the most glamorous dates in the racing calendar, book a ticket for Ladies Day at High Gosforth Park and enjoy an afternoon of fashion fillies and champagne. Enjoy a grand buffet in Park View restaurant £264 or buy a Premier ticket for £50. There is also a Best Dressed competition so expect fierce competition in the style stakes. For more information visit newcastle-racecourse.co.uk

GOLD CUP DAY, ROYAL MEETING, AT ROYAL ASCOT THURSDAY 18TH JUNE Out of the region but one we can’t ignore as thousands venture from the North East and North Yorkshire to this event each year. Gold Cup Day is the highlight in the racing fashion calendar and a day when millinery masterpieces and designer creations take centre stage. Ascot has a style guide to what is and isn’t acceptable during the Royal Meeting. Tickets range from £25 to £438. www.ascot.co.uk

LADIES DAY AT YORK RACECOURSE THURSDAY AUGUST 20TH Sharp suits and plenty of hats will be the order of the day at York races. The person crowned Best Dressed will win a trip to Dubai. Last year Ebor Fashion Lawn added vintage style to the event. Tickets for the Parade Ring restaurant are £204 but there are a range of other ticket options. Visit www.yorkracecourse.co.uk

PIC CREDIT: SARAH WEARS VICTORIA BECKHAM LEATHER STRAP DRESS £1250 CRUISE *OLIVIA WEARS TED BAKER ROSE PRINT DRESS £158.99 PSYCHE *ANTHONY AND TONY BOTH WEAR SUITS BY AFFLECK & MOFFAT *HATS BY GET AHEAD HATS *PHOTOGRAPHY BY JADE TURNBULL JADEPHOTOGRAPHY-ONLINE.COM summer

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I T G I R L A L I C E N AY LO R - LE Y LAN D I S A FA SH I ON A N D LIFE S TY LE BLO G G E R , H OTE LIE R A N D A B U S Y MUM - O F - O N E S HE R E GU LAR LY A PP E A R S I N T HE S TY LE PAG E S O F TAT L E R A N D T HE DA ILY T EL E G R A P H AN D W R ITE S A REGU L A R CO LU MN FO R HE LLO FA S H I O N M AGA ZINE .

Alice

In The Palace

lice is married to Tom Naylor-Leyland. The couple have one son Billy, three, and are currently expecting their second child. Tom, heir to one of Britain’s land-owning dynasties, runs the Fitzwilliam Malton estate in Malton, North Yorkshire and is founder of the Malton Food Lovers Festival. The family has owned the luxurious Talbot Hotel in Malton since 1739.

What do you love about living in North Yorkshire? I split my time between Cambridgeshire and our new flat right in the centre of Malton. We’ve just been putting the finishing touches to it. We both enjoy the wonderful countryside but then again it's so convenient being close to everything - the hotel and cookery school, local shops and restaurants. You help to run the Talbot Hotel. What's your role there? Apart from supporting my husband Tom, I help with adding the feminine touches. From choosing the bath products in the rooms, flowers for the dining room or uniforms for the waiters it certainly keeps me busy.

MRSALICE.COM

You love baking. Have you entered any cake competitions in North Yorkshire? I've always enjoyed baking so a couple of years ago I took a stall at the Malton Food Lovers Festival selling cup cakes, which was great fun and also raised money for Ryedale Special families. I think I baked 800! I've never baked so much in all my life. There were Oreo cupcakes, marshmallow cupcakes. Peanut butter ones. I think the decorating was the best part. What are your favourite places in North Yorkshire? I love the Shambles in Malton and the dramatic North York Moors. Where do you love to shop and who are your

A DDRESS BO O K MA LTO NYO RK S H I RE.CO.U K summer

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favourite designers? I like to mix high street and designer wherever I can. From ASOS to Topshop and Alessandra Rich and Matthew Williamson. They're my staples. What's your favourite thing in your wardrobe? My wedding dress Do you have to travel to London to stock up on your favourite clothes? I do a bit of both. But online shopping is pretty wonderful too. Your favourite holiday is...... In Tuscany What beauty product could you not live without? Darphin’s Ideal Resource

TA L BOT M A LTON.CO. U K

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Photograph of Greville Worthington by Joshua Tarn www.joshuajtarn.com

Art House E DITOR L I Z L A M B M E E TS A RT COL L ECTOR A ND C U R ATO R G REV I LL E WO RT HI NGTO N A S HE L AU N C H E S A LU XU RY R ETREAT WI T H A D I FFE R E NC E .

HERE can’t be many holiday homes that have walls adorned with Damien Hirst artwork and a gigantic white wave sculpture in the garden. Add to the mix an exterior clad in burnt wood, a fire pit overlooking vast fields, a table tennis room, an eco-friendly hot tub and a pizza oven, all outdoors. There is even a tower with bunk beds in the garden for when the kids want to escape the grown-ups. It is a holiday home built for fun. “You can imagine having really great parties here,” smiles owner Greville Worthington as he surveys the open countryside at the back of the house which he has christened The New York Public Library. “Nobody would ever know what you were up to”. Apart from Greville and his mum perhaps. “She lives just over there,” he says pointing to a nearby house. “She is very posh, not like me. We promise not to spy on anyone,” he jokes. The art collector and curator also lives on the Worthington family’s Brough Park Estate, near Richmond, where home is a converted Gothic church that has been praised for its interior design and marvelled at in the pages of upmarket glossies such as Vogue and Elle Decoration. “My wife is very glamorous so she was in all the photographs, not me,” smiles the father-of-three. summer

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Greville clearly has an eye for interiors himself and has meticulously planned the holiday home’s design. A former 1960s house, previously lived in by an old family friend, a Brigadier called Billy, it has been remodelled to make the most of the stunning scenery. There are floor-to-ceiling windows and a folding door that merges the garden with an open plan living and dining space which has a bespoke table and shocking pink chairs. Upstairs a balcony boasts views across the North Yorkshire countryside. “Billy very much liked things as they were, he didn’t like improvements so the house was in a right state,” explains Greville. “I was very close to pulling it down but we had a footprint of a house so the architect and I decided to work with that.” As a child he grew up on the estate in nearby Brough Hall, an imposing 15th Century mansion which has now been divided into houses and apartments. “It was my mother’s family home,” he says. “It was horrendous and vast. There used to be water pouring down the interior walls and it was freezing,” One of Greville’s passions is bamboo so this features in the garden. He recently retired as secretary of the British Bamboo Society. “Not a lot of people know that it grows extremely well here in North Yorkshire,” he says. “I love the outdoors so I was keen to include an outdoor oven and fire pit and I wanted the house to be used all year round so we have excellent heating, even the tower is heated. In the winter the landscape here is wonderful.” Greville is chairman of the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, a trustee of the Baltic, a former Turner Prize judge and has curated dozens of exhibitions at Bowes Museum including Tim Walker’s Dreamscapes and Gerald Scarfe’s Milk Snatcher. summer

It i s s o be au t i ful and p e aceful he re, you ge t to t al pri vacy, “Good art was essential,” explains the art collector who used pieces from his personal Damien Hirst collection for the retreat. The unique sculpture in the garden is by architect and designer Amanda Levete and the house also features pieces by artist Keith Coventry. The upstairs hallways showcase pictures of kebabs. “Why shouldn’t people relax and look at great art when they are on holiday? A lot of thought went into the art,” he says. Greville is a great advocate of North Yorkshire and is especially appreciative of the new holiday retreat and its surroundings. “It is so beautiful and peaceful here, you get total privacy,” says the curator, “I love it.”

T H E NEW YO RK P U BL I C L IB R ARY I S R U N BY H OL I DAYS AT H O M E, A LU X U RY HO LI DAY L ET T I NG S COM PA NY BAS E D I N N O RT H YO RK S H I RE. F OR M ORE I N F O R M AT I O N V I S I T H O L I DAYAT H O M E.CO. U K O R C ALL (01748) 850 3 3 3 .

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YO U NG , RIC H A N D G ORG EOU S , T H E FA B U LOUS FOUNTAIN HE I R S A R E SOON TO B E B EH IN D T H E WH EEL OF THEIR FAT HE R ' S ICON IC G LOB A L A STON EM P IRE. B UT HAVE THEY P U T T HE I R WILDC H ILD YEA RS F IRM LY B EH IN D THEM? L I N DA J A NE WES T P H AL M EETS T H EM TO F IN D OUT...

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The Fountains with three classic Astons and a gun

Fashionista Francine Fountain

Fraser Fountain, part time model

tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 10 am on a Thursday morning. Cigars and a shotgun are on the dining room table, a bottle of fizz is being opened and the floor is littered with louboutins and divine dresses. Three beautiful blonde girls are in hair and make up whilst a 6 ft 5 blonde part time male model tries on tweed jackets and a barbour before he decides on his final look. It could easily be a scene from Made in Chelsea but this is the family home in sunny Beamish.

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The Fountains in the Aston showroom which houses over 60 classic cars

“It was a mad 16th party. I had hired a stripper and a DJ, one of the boys drove a tractor into a trampoline and then one of the guests burned the barn down.”

“For my 10th birthday party my Dad filled the Aston showroom with 10 bouncy castles and we had a massive party,” remembers Francine. “That wasn’t your best party though,” Megan interjects. “Your 16th birthday party was the best party I have ever been to, even though I was only 12,” she laughs. “We had the party in a barn on our land and at the end of the night the barn was burned to the ground,” explains Francine. “It was a mad party. I had hired a stripper and a DJ, one of the boys drove a tractor into a trampoline and then one of the guests burned the barn down. It was completely destroyed, everything was gone, including all of my presents, I was so annoyed,” she laughs. “Dad was okay about it but mum was a bit upset.” “Dad’s really good like that,” says Megan. “He was really good about me getting expelled from school. I was caught smoking in my school uniform which was a bit stupid of me really looking back but everyone was doing it, I just got caught.” Their teenage years may have aspects of the wild child about them but their upbringing has made sure they’re grounded and hardworking. “We’ve all worked from an early age,” says Fraser. “I have been working on the cars for some time and the girls all worked behind the bar at Dad’s pub, The Black Horse, Fraser and Megan Fountain on one of their favourite Astons after university. We got a lot of freedom, I was driving a Landover at the age of eight in the grounds, but we’re not spoiled.” he gorgeous blondes are the Fountains, heirs to the Gorgeous blondes with a father with his own pub and Astons, they fabulous iconic Aston mecca that is the Aston didn’t go short of dates or male attention. Workshop. Comprising three girls, Grace, 26, “Yes it was a bit of a joke amongst the boys we hung out with to get Francine, 24, Megan, 22 and the only son Fraser, 19, with the Fountain sisters,” laughs Francine. they are all beautiful and leggy with vivacious “When we first started dating seriously and we met new people, we personalities. didn’t mention what our Dad did till we knew them a lot better. Now The noise of classic Aston Martins can be heard in the background as we’re all in long term relationships so it’s not an issue, except Fraser they are driven up the hilly grounds for the photoshoot. The family who won’t tell us anything about his girlfriends,” she laughs, “he won’t remain remarkably calm about such valuable cars perched on top of a even be friends with us on facebook because we’re so nosy about his steep hillside. But, of course, priceless Astons are a way of life for them. private life.” They have grown up with their father Bob’s passion for Astons. Now the four are firmly involved with the business as their Father is “Dad used to turn up at our school in a restored Aston,” recalls Grace. away 10 months of the year on business and taking part in rallies. “We used to be so embarrassed because all of the other parents used to “Dad’s away a lot so we keep everything going,” says Megan. “We learn turn up in new 4x4s. Now, of course, we know the car was fantastic but a lot from him as he often has clients staying over at our house when at the time we just thought it was tatty.” he’s home. He wines and dines them and then over cigars they talk The Aston business has been part of their normal family life for as long shop and he always gets the sale, he is a bit of a genius,” she says. “If we as they can remember. can be half as good as him we’ll be doing really well.”

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Sisters Grace and Francine Fountain

Nancy, Grace’s daughter, even has her own car

Grace drives one of the classic cars

SHOOT DIRECTOR LINDA JANE WESTPHAL PHOTOGRAPHY BY JADE TURNBULL WWW.JADEPHOTOGRAPHY-ONLINE.COM MUA JO LEVERSUCH WWW.MAKEUPBYJO.CO.UK HAIR BY JAMES REID OF HAIR BY JAMES REID WWW.WHISKERED.CO.UK summer

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Secret Address Book: NO RT HU M BE RLA N D IN S P IRED A U T HO R JU D IT H O’REILLY TO W R I T E HE R FIRS T B OOK “ WIF E IN T H E N ORT H ” . NOW T HE HO U SE WH ERE S H E P EN N ED IT IS AVA I L A B L E A S A H OLIDAY LET. H ERE, EXC LU SIV E LY FO R L A D I DA, SH E REV EA LS H ER FAVOU RIT E P L AC E S TO E AT, SH OP A N D P LAY. What do you like best about living in the North East? The people. Their generosity, straightforwardness and sense of humour. How does living in the North inspire your work? “Wife in the North” was inspired as much by Northumberland itself – its beauty, splendour and history - as anything else. My second book “A Year of Doing Good” was about goodness, but was still based up here and populated with good deed-doing friends and neighbours, and was still very much a Northern book. What shops do you love? If I have an hour on a Saturday, I’ll always have a root round the charity shops in Alnwick. Then I buy the newspapers and go read them in Bari Tea near the Castle. I love the ever-stylish Rutherfords in Morpeth (who doesn’t?), Drift in Seahouses which is full of lovely arty-crafty stuff, as well as Wyndenwell in Bamburgh for coffee, sweeties and great ice-cream that always comes with a smile from owner Noel, and Swallows fish shop in Seahouses. summer

What is your favourite restaurant? The Mizen Head Bamburgh for a special occasion. Martin, the chef, does the most amazing seafood. Beadnell Towers in Beadnell (strangely enough) if I am up on my own or for a family meal out. You now live in Durham. How does it differ to Bamburgh? I can go for coffee after school drop-off with girlfriends and all I do is walk down the hill rather than drive 30 minutes. The shops are handy and the Cathedral is glorious. But I have to come up to Northumberland whenever I can, because it appears to be in my blood now. Nothing matches walking along the coast with those colours and the vastness of that sky. Fave Northern haunts... Embleton Beach is my favourite beach. We walk through the dunes and along the beach, then we have coffee and caramel shortcake at Dunstanburgh golf club. (Calories? I laugh in their face.) Barter Books in Alnwick is one of my all-time favourite places in the

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that holiday home look where everything is neutral and marine with wooden signs to the seaside. We’ve tried to make the house beautiful with original art and books but relaxing and stylish and rustic and comfortable so when you walk in you (and the kids) feel at home. Would you ever go back to London? No – there is no going back. And I probably couldn’t find the way - I was blindfolded when I arrived. Have you now adjusted to life in the North? It’s been nine and a half years so I’d hope so.

world. Mary and Stuart Manley are visionaries. They have given the North-East a great gift by creating such a paradise. Cheap books, great art, a fabulous café. What’s not to love? (Strongly recommend the cinnamon toast and tea btw sitting by a coal fire. The toast recipe is one from Mary’s childhood.) Your favourite place to write is.... At my kitchen table in House in The North at Elford on a sunny day. Sunshine streaming through the open kitchen door, a fire in the hearth (I know the door should be shut but I want the outside and the flames OK?). And tea, there has to be lots of tea. (Bari Tea from Alnwick.)

Do you have any more books in the pipeline? If so, what? A couple of days ago, I pinged a thriller though to my agent. I have no idea what he will think of it. If he doesn’t like it, I’ll need a job. Any job. Serious offers considered. Maybe I’ll retrain as an accountant? The best bits about the North are..... The chance it gave me to write books. I’d never have done that if I’d stayed down south - mind you I’d probably still have a proper job with a salary and a pension. That and the beauty, the sense of history that’s everywhere, and the way we all know what really matters in life.

Can you recommend any hidden gems in the North? Ross Beach for a walk on the wild side. Where is your fave weekend getaway and why? House in the North at Elford, (between Seahouses and Bamburgh and now available for holiday lettings through coastalretreats.co.uk.) Aga, fires, extensive gardens for the kids to play in, beaches down the road – why wouldn’t you? The best party you have ever been to is.... Princess Diana was at one party I went to – all the men became total dopes. And I once talked to Jeremy Clarkson at a party and thought he was a trifle full-of-himself (who knew?). But I am way too old for parties and to be honest, I never liked them anyway. Fave meal/fave drink Fave meal would be Lindisfarne oysters (from Helen and Christopher Sutherland at Ross), roast lamb cooked in sauvignon with root vegetables (Sarah Brown’s recipe from the last election), and lemon tart and crème fraiche (from Sainsbury’s - shhh don’t tell anyone.) Tell us about your latest venture House in the North We couldn’t bring ourselves to sell up when we moved to Durham so we kept on the Northumberland house. The idea is we use it for our holidays and some weekends, but defray some of the costs by renting it out through Coastal Retreats. Each to their own, but I’m not one for

HOUSE IN TH E N ORTH SLEE PS U P TO T EN A ND I S AVA I L A BL E T H ROU G H COA S TA L R E T R E ATS V I S I T WWW.COASTAL RET REATS .CO.U K F OR M ORE I NF O RM AT I O N.

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in association with

Feature Health

WORDS: LINDA JANE WESTPHAL

The lunchtime face lift... A ‘ FAC E L I F T ’ PRO C E DU R E THAT IS D ONE WITHOUT G EN E R A L A N ES THE TIC A N D S PE ND ING A FORTUNE. S EE M S TOO G O O D TO B E TR U E ? LA D I DA FIND S OU T M OR E . . .

ver pulled back the sides of your face to reveal a new, sleeker profile and wondered about a facelift? Many of us do but then rule it out due to worries about expense, major surgery and the downtime. However a new ‘face lift’, the Define ‘L’ Lift, pioneered by north east cosmetic surgeon Mr Paul Baguley, is reported to be transforming people’s looks at a fraction of the price of a normal facelift. The Define ‘L’ Lift claims to recreate a smooth face and taut skin without complicated and invasive surgery. It is a quick and relatively simple procedure which is said to have the major benefit of providing results with a dramatically shorter healing time than more traditional forms of facelift surgery. The procedure sees small incisions made at the hairline. Swelling and bruising is minimal and you should be able to return to work the next day. Recovery time for this facelift procedure averages around four days and results should last around five years before you may require a top up treatment. It’s ideal for people in their late 30s to mid fifties.

“The ove ral l re sul t of t h is s u rge r y i s t h at i t m ake s you lo ok u p to five ye ars younge r wi t h a ve r y n atu ral app e arance. . . “It puts the definition back in the face that can be affected by weight loss or just the passage of time,” explains Mr Baguley. “The overall result of this surgery is that it makes you look up to five years younger with a very natural appearance.” Mr Baguley already has a waiting list. And plans are in place to set up standalone Define ‘L’ Lift clinics in Harley Street, Manchester, Leeds and Newcastle. “The trend in today’s market is for small surgery done more often,” he explains. A normal facelift would cost you around £5,000 whilst this costs around £2,100 which makes it much more achievable for most people. “It is by no means a replacement for endoscopic, vertical facelifts,” he says, “but it can be used in combination with Botox and other fillers to achieve maximum results at a substantially smaller cost.”

PA U L B AGU L EY I S A R ES PEC TED CON SU LTAN T AE ST HE TI C / PL A S TI C SU RG E ON WHO P R AC TI C ES I N TH E N O RTH E AST. M B C HB B SC F RC S C PL A S FRC S ED P L AS. WWW. PAU L B AG UL EY. CO M

T H E X FAC TO R

hen meeting patients I am often staggered by some of their expectations of what can be done by surgery, or more importantly, what should be done. The media, in particular, has done Cosmetic Surgery a disservice by almost minimising its clinical importance by a non stop drip of TV shows based on cosmetic surgery such as “Embarrassing Bodies”, “My Naked Secret” (of which I have been up front and centre many times), and, of course, the infamous “Botched up bodies” which thankfully I haven’t been involved in. What needs to be appreciated is that, in many ways, Cosmetic Surgery is one of the hardest surgical specialities. As practitioners we have to take a full history, consider the psychological state of the patient, manage expectations, deal with complications that invariably fall within the norm of any body (such as minor asymmetries) and disabuse people of the notion that surgery is for life and will stop ageing completely! I use Cheryl Fernandez Versini as an example to explain situations. Essentially how good can we be? 100% is the answer. I cannot make you any better than 100%. The only thing that will make Cheryl Fernandez Versini any better looking is me on her arm on a date. The danger is, that if I operate on Cheryl, I could make her worse. So essentially if I think I cannot improve on perfection, I don’t. As a boss of mine once said after an operation on a lady’s face “That’s good” and I said I could make it better, he stopped me and said “The enemy of good is better”. And he is right. We strive for perfection and it just isn’t going to happen. If any surgeon ever tells you he or she has never had a complication, they are either lying or they haven’t operated on enough patients. We all get complications, not because we “botch” or are not a good surgeon, it’s because we are only human. I am not a God. I am just a man. I am just a surgeon doing my best with what God gave me and what God gave you. I can improve you. But I cannot make you perfect. Unless you are Cheryl Fernandez-Versini of course!

IF YOU'RE THINKING OF HAVING ANY COSMETIC PROCEDURE, WE RECOMMEND YOU RESEARCH YOUR PROCEDURE AND SURGEON THOROUGHLY AND CHOOSE SOMEONE REGISTERED WITH BAAPS, THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION OF AESTHETIC PLASTIC SURGEONS (BAAPS.ORG.UK; 020 7430 1840).

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2015

Feature in association with

Tough love A UN I Q UE MIND S PA I N NO RTH YORK S HI R E O F F ERS WOM E N A COM P LETELY D I FFE R E NT SPA EX PERI ENC E , FRO M E X PERT COAC HE S DUB B ED TH E ‘G O O D W I TC H ES ’ . LA D I DA FI N DS OU T M O R E …

& tea

eep in the North Yorkshire countryside, something magical is happening. Truths are being told, dreams are being shared, tears are being shed and small groups of women gather round a fire pit to watch triumphantly as the issues that have been holding them back disappear in clouds of purple smoke. But there is no witchcraft at work here. These Good Witches are actually expert leadership coaches who are working their own brand of magic on women from all walks of life in their unique mind spa. Bec Howard is an award winning entrepreneur, a master practitioner of NeuroLinguistic Programming (NLP) and a psychotherapist in training, while her “fellow witch”, Dannie-Lu Carr is an actor and director whose expertise in the psychology of performance has seen her help high profile actresses and TV presenters overcome their own issues. Together these two Good Witches combine to offer an innovative luxury retreat that allows women to remove their selflimiting beliefs and become the best possible versions of themselves. “The whole ‘witches’ thing is just a bit of cheeky fun” says Dannie-Lu Carr. “We’re both from the North, and we’ve had so many

clients say what we do is like a magical transformation that we thought we would embrace it.” When asked about their therapy style, “tough love and tea” is mentioned, which sounds a little daunting. “We aim for fun and enjoyment” says Bec Howard. “Tough love simply means we will challenge you to push your boundaries and work with honesty, but it is also supportive and caring. We aren’t mean – we are just caring, straight-talking Northern women.” “Some of the things people we’ve worked with have gone on to change in their worlds have been absolutely inspirational. We’d love to take all of the credit but of course it was them who did it – we just helped them to see what was possible,” says Dannie-Lu Carr. “That’s why we love the Wizard of Oz quote “You had the power all along, my dear,” adds Bec

Howard, “it is very fitting because we all get trained out of believing it the older we get, but we want people to find their own magic and abilities again.” The Good Witches currently offer two types of sessions. All in a Good Day’s Work is a full day at the “enchanted cottage” with 3 personalised one-to-one sessions to help participants realise the changes they would like in their world. Grab Your Wand is a dynamic group session with up to 20 like-minded individuals looking for happiness and confidence. Women not only leave feeling transformed and full of positive power, but also often build some new supportive, lasting friendships. Both retreat options offer the kind of stunning setting fitting of a luxury retreat, as guests are welcomed into a beautiful country house and given a feast of delicious chef-cooked local food.

T H E G OOD W ITC HES OF TH E N ORTH ARE EXP ERT L EA DERS H I P COAC H ES , BEC H OWAR D AN D DAN N I E LU CA R R . P L AC E S ARE CU RREN TLY AVA I L A BL E I N S EP T EM BER 2015 F OR BOT H T H E I R O N E -TO - O N E “A LL IN A GOOD DAY’S WORK ” RE TR EAT A ND G RO U P “G RA B YO U R WA ND” S ESS I O N S . F O R M O R E IN FORMATION SE E W WW.T H EG O O DWI TC H ES OF T H ENORT H .CO.U K summer

2015

Health

WORDS: LINDA JANE WESTPHAL

HE PL AYS DR U M S I N A B A ND, H A S P OSED F OR A N A K ED C A LEN DAR AND HAS T H E LI V ERP U D L I A N C HA R M OF J OH N B IS H OP. IT ’S S A F E TO S AY THAT THE MULTI AWARD WI NNI NG D R K E N HA RRIS ISN ’T YOU R AV ERAG E DEN T IST… .

Rock ‘n’ Roll Dentist…

hen you step into “When people leave here they have a smile Riveredge Dental they love and it changes everything. They feel Surgery, all designer more confident, they start smiling all the time furniture and floor to and people respond to that. ceiling windows with “They treat themselves to new clothes, lose panoramic views of the river, you never know weight, go dating again and get their lives back. who you’re going to bump into. Dr Harris has The teeth have to come first. If you look good just finished some work on Paloma Faith’s PA but have bad teeth, it’s like having a permanent and the great and good travel across the region bad hair day, you never feel really confident in to visit his surgery in Sunderland. your own skin.” “People expect me to be in London but I love But that desire for a ‘Hollywood’ smile can Sunderland,” he says. “I love the city and I love often lead people to choose dentists who do the people. I have a surgery in Jesmond but my not have the skills and experience needed, or main base is here.” even worse, take short cuts. Liverpool born and bred, he is known as the “Some of the cases are really frightening,” he ‘dentists’ dentist’ due to his status as one of the says. “We’ve even heard about people using “If you look good but most qualified dentists in the country. He kitchen scouring power and liquid toilet have bad teeth it’s like regularly teaches dentists both in the UK and cleaner for a ‘quick fix’ teeth whitening and across the world. This includes across the USA having a permanent bad back street tooth products. Wild claims are which is a seriously impressive achievement made for all kinds of tooth whitening products, hair day” considering the country loves to joke about but only compounds of hydrogen peroxide will ‘British Teeth’. actually bleach teeth,” he said. “Anything else will just not work despite He may have a state of the art surgery and some highbrow patients, but claims that they do.” he’s no snob. Riveredge also does general dentistry as well as cosmetic If you’re considering teeth whitening, Dr Harris recommends talking dentistry and patients come to him and his team from all walks of life, to a dentist or checking with the General Dental Council to see if you often when they have suffered bad dentistry elsewhere and need him are being treated safely and legally. In fact, for any dental work, ask to repair the damage. your dentist to show you the work he has done before. It will give you “I get to change people’s lives which is what really drives me,” he says. an indication of how skilled they are.

C A S E S TU DY

“We’ve even heard about people using kitchen scouring power and liquid toilet cleaner for a ‘quick fix’ teeth whitening…”

WWW.RIVEREDGE.CO.UK

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manda Barker has a glamorous job in the music industry, working with the likes of such stellar stars as Paloma Faith, but always felt self-conscious about her teeth. She was born with missing teeth and chose Riveredge to give her the smile she needed to feel truly confident. Amanda’s treatment involved replacing her old style metal bridges for all ceramic Porcelain Bridges and two Porcelain Veneers. She is thrilled with the result. “I never thought I would ever look forward to going to the dentist until now. The team at Riveredge are such special people. They are amazing at what they do. My only regret is that I didn’t see them sooner.”

2015

Love the way you look Love the way you feel “It’s so nice to finally feel happy with the way I look.”

Breast enlargement patient

Picktree Lane, Rickleton, Tyne and Wear, NE38 9JZ

“I now feel I have the confidence I didn’t have before.”

Tummy tuck patient

We know having Cosmetic Surgery is a big decision and there’s a lot you’ll want to consider. At Spire Washington, we’re here to give you all the information you need to make the choice that’s right for you.

For more information or to make an appointment please contact us on

0191 418 8687

info@spirewashington.com www.spirewashington.com

@spire_newcastle

Health

Team Beautiful

T H E ALI -KH ANS HAVE BE CO M E ON E OF T H E ‘M U S T G O TO’ SP EC IAL ISTS IN COS METI C P RO C E D U R E S I N T H E N ORT H EA S T. L I N DA JAN E WES T PHAL MEETS T H E M ARRI ED CO U P L E W HO S PEC IA LIS E IN M A K IN G P EOP LE LOOK GOOD ...

e don’t like being the bearer of bad news but you know that super fabulous face cream you’ve splurged on? It’s unlikely to turn you into Angelina Jolie. Okay, so we know deep down that face cream products you can buy on the high street can really only do so much but it’s so easy to be seduced by the ‘science’ behind the product. Not to mention the ultra pretty packaging. Talk to an expert in facial rejuvenation such as Lisa Ali-Khan though, and beauty myth after beauty myth is debunked methodically. Drinking lots and lots of water to keep you looking younger? Forget it; it’s really not going to make much of a difference. Using a foundation with an SP15 factor to save time and money on specialist protection? It’s not going to protect you from ageing. Lisa is an expert in her field and it shows. Bubbly and chatty, she is full of fascinating advice and insight. She is an Aesthetic Nurse Practitioner at Spire Washington Hospital whilst husband Mr Ahmed Ali-Khan is a Cosmetic Surgery and Plastic Surgery consultant there. Both are experts in their respective fields. Lisa works closely alongside her husband, concentrating on procedures such as fillers and anti- wrinkle injections and the new 8 point facelift. Between them they are responsible for making many people in the North East not only look better, but more importantly, feel better.

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Health

“I t’s facial rej uvenatio n del ive re d in a ver y different way. T he pro ce s s lo ok s de eper than the sk in ...”

Lisa Ali Khan

oth the Ali-Khans champion the latest research which reveals that not only do fillers and anti-wrinkle injections actively slow down the need for surgical facelift procedures but may even render them unnecessary in some cases. “In the past patients had only just started using anti-wrinkle injections and fillers so there wasn’t any long term evidence to support their effect on the facial structure,” Lisa explains. “But we are now seeing people who have had them for 20 years or so and it’s been shown that their facial tissue is in a far better condition because they have used them.” But, of course, it depends on the expertise of the person administering the treatments and the quality of the products used. “It’s important that the treatments use the best products, at Spire we use Juvederm,” she says. “I have never touched permanent fillers. If you use the right products the hyaluronic acid acts like a sponge, drawing water into itself. So if you have something like cheek enhancement, your face will feel more hydrated, your skin will be plumper and have a fresher look.” And the advances in procedures over the last

needles stimulate the skin and kick start the collagen production and increase it for the next four to six weeks. A form of micro needling is Dermapen. “The Dermapen is absolutely brilliant,” says Lisa. few years have happened at a dizzying speed. “It’s like laser but you don’t get the downtime One of the latest exciting advances is the 8 point ‘facelift’. The 8 Point Lift is a specialised and the results are fantastic.” The key to ensuring youthful skin is to look volumising and lifting facial treatment, also after it well. Lisa recommends the referred to as a non-surgical facelift. The SkinCeuticals product range. treatment uses dermal fillers to enhance and “It’s a fab range. I like things that do what discreetly lift the face for a total rejuvenating they say on the tin and these products really effect. work,” she says. “Many over the counter skin The 8 Point Lift targets key areas of the creams are the biggest con. The truth is the mid-face to lift, contour and revitalise the ‘magic’ active ingredients that can change your whole mid-face and lower face. It is tailored skin are used in such low doses that they are to the person’s particular needs so often not not going to have any effect. all 8 points are used. “Manufacturers cannot sell anything on the “It’s facial rejuvenation delivered in a very high street that could conceivably cause different way,” explains Lisa. “The process looks deeper than the skin.You look at bones, irritation which many of these active ingredients like retinol could, if they are not sockets, fat pads, which areas are starting to drop. For example with bags under the eyes, I used in the right way. They need to be prescribed by a professional who has analysed would be looking at the structure of the face the person’s skin and recommended skin care to see what was causing it and would then be products accordingly.” replacing the fat pad and the density of the Another big issue for ageing skin is the right tissue with treatments.” protection. If you are using creams or “The area would then look completely lifted because you are treating it very differently and foundations with SP 15 or above protection, it might protect you from the sun but it will not looking at the cause based on facial structure protect you against ageing. and tissue. This means you might be administering fillers in one part of the face to “These products are designed to combat UVB treat an obvious problem somewhere else. For rays,” she explains. “But it’s UVA rays that do the damage in terms of ageing the skin. This is example, I could put fillers in the cheeks to found in fluorescent lighting, laptop and eradicate lines under the patient’s eyes. It’s computer screens, it’s everywhere. UVA indirect treatment that is based on the penetrates the skin and it ages it. There is a structure and even the cells of the skin to well known case where a woman came in and create that volume.” half of her face was wrinkled. She had been Frequently people will come to Lisa and are not sure of what treatment they need, just that sitting in the same place by the same window in her office for years and half her face was they have an area of their face they are not constantly exposed to UVA. It can cause a lot happy with. “Often they will just say ‘my face has dropped’ of damage.” So what’s the answer? Lisa recommends which is why we offer half an hour consultations so we can really assess what’s SkinCeuticals Mineral Radiance UV Defence going on.” SP 50 which costs around £30. A whole range of treatments are available “It’s a great product, it’s thin so you won’t feel it on your skin and not greasy so you can put depending upon the patient’s needs. Popular treatments include micro needling, which make up over the top of it. Ideally apply a Vitamin C Serum directly onto your face, treats fine lines and pigmentation. Micro then moisturiser followed by your UVA needling consists of very tiny needles that protection and then your make up,” she oscillate very quickly. A course involves three advises. treatments and the process is painless. The summer

2015

Fashion Health

Team Beautiful

Inspiring confidence... Mr Ahmed Ali-Khan

“People in the Nor th East want a more subtle, u nde r stated look. T he over exaggerated look is not as popul ar here a s it is in some pl aces.”

hen it comes to our region, you can forget the taut face and obviously fake boobs, it’s all about work that makes you look younger, fresher and well, a better version of you. “On the whole people in the North East want a more subtle, understated look,” says Ahmed. “The over exaggerated look is not as popular here as it is in some places. People don’t want the work to look obvious; they just want people to notice that they are looking really good.” It’s a responsible attitude to cosmetic work

and one of which Ahmed approves. “Cosmetic surgery and procedures can be very safe but you need to go and see someone respectable who will listen to you and assess you and give you honest advice. If you do this the risks are generally very low. One of the most popular procedures is breast augmentation. North East women desire ‘an obviously bigger look with a good cleavage but not like a glamour model’. Facial procedures are also much in demand, particularly eyelid surgery. “And as soon as friends see the patient looking so well, they want to know what they’ve had done and where so we get lots of

recommendations from that,” Mr Ali-Khan explains. Although it’s largely women seeking his help, Mr Ali-Khan is also seeing more male patients who are self conscious about a particular area of their body, particularly their chest. “I saw a patient for his final check up recently that had had a chest reduction and it had transformed his confidence. He can wear what he wants now and not feel self conscious,” he says. “He had the biggest grin from ear to ear and that was lovely to see, the look on his face will stay with me for a long time.”

MEDICAL NOTES FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO WWW.SPIREWASHINGTON.COM OR PHONE 0191 418 8687. summer

2015

Beauty

Hotel I N SP I R E D BY THE IR LOVE O F GLOBAL TRAVEL, GARY HOOKER & MICHAE L YO UN G H AV E U N VE ILE D THE IR MOST STUNNING HAIR COLLECTION TO DATE. ‘H OT EL’ IS A S E R IE S O F HIGH FASHION IM AGES CELEBRATING TH EI R LOV E OF I N T E R N ATIO NAL TR AVE L. THE D UO H AVE JUST BEEN ANNOUNCED AS IN TER N ATION A L A M B A SSA D O R S FO R LE ADING HAIR BRAND SCHWARZ KOP F P ROFESSIONAL A N D WILL S OON B E R E L E A SIN G A CO LLA B O R ATION WITH SCH WARZ KOP F’S UNIQUE ESSEN TIA L LOOK S .

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Beauty

HAIR: GARY HOOKER AND MICHAEL YOUNG FOR SCHWARZKOPF PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY: JACK EAMES STYLING : CLARE FRITH MAKE-UP: MADDY AUSTIN summer

2015

Feature Beauty

or us, this shoot was about being completely free, with no agenda, just the two of us, on location, doing what we love. It’s a great representation of who we are now, and the kind of conceptual shoots we love – strong, high-fashion editorial looks, with great hair. We wanted to create something that would inspire others in the way that we like to be inspired.” Gary Hooker and Michael Young for Schwarzkopf Professional

HOOKER & YOUNG HAS SALONS IN GOSFORTH, JESMOND, PONTELAND, WYNYARD AND DARLINGTON WWW.HOOKERANDYOUNG.CO.UK summer

2015

Beauty

La Di Da Loves...

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An illu mina ting powder t hat g ives a su b tle golden s himmer. Pressed in the s hape of a ca mellia flower i t looks b ea u tifu l too. Cre ation Exclu sive L u miere D’ Ete £40.50 Cha nel

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It ’s not j u st you r ha ir a nd face tha t needs protecting f rom the su n. Bu mb le & Bumb le’ s inv isib le oil U V/ hea t protective primer p rot ects a nd nou rishes ha ir £25 John L ewis

Beauty

La Di Da Loves...

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S h e l t e r t h e s k i n f rom UV ra y s a n d p ollut i on w i t h S ub l i m a ge La P rot e c t i on UV S P F 5 0 I t als o has ant i a ge i n g i n gre d i e nt s £ 8 0 Chane l

H ate wispy ha irs on you r p arting ? Oj on Ra re Blend Ta mer is a n a ma z ing p rodu ct tha t leaves you r ha ir su per-sleek £12.50

U P DAT E YO U R M A KE- U P B AG WIT H T H IS S EA SON ’S H OTTEST B E A U T Y B U YS . L I Z L AM B P IC K S H ER FAVOU RIT E P RODUCTS

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summer

O ne of Ur ban De c ay ’s be s ts e lli ng eye s had ow p ale t t e’s ge t s a make ove r w i t h revamp e d for mula t o i mp rove s t ay i ng p owe r, new d ouble e nd e d s had ow and ble nd i ng br us h, more p r i me r and new p ac kagi ng. £ 3 7

2015

Wa rd off wrinkles with Darphin Soleil Pla isir SPF £50 da rphin.co.u k

Beauty

Mirror, mirror...

PHOTOGRAPHY: REBECCA ELIZABETH TATE WWW.REBECCAELIZABETHTATE.COM MODEL: MINA KERR-LAZENBY OF TYNE TEES. HAIR: BY JAMES REID WWW.WHISKERED.CO.UK

TH ES E S T U NNI NG LO O K S WERE C REAT ED BY TOP M A K E UP ARTIST J O L E V E R S U C H FO R A 1 9 2 0 S /1 9 3 0 S ORIEN TA L IN S PIR ED P H OTO S HO OT. S HE T ELLS LA DI DA H OW SH E C REAT ED THEM…

hese looks take their inspiration from John Galliano and Prada and strong symmetrical eyebrows are vital to create the look. I used an old school ruler to make sure they were perfect. Play around with different coloured eyeshadows for the smoky eyes then add some drama with a strong lipstick.

GET TH E LOOK The same base has been used throughout but the eye make-up changes. I used Estee Lauder Double Wear Light Foundation in Shade 0.5 with Ariane Poole Conceal and Contour Concealer and Ariane Poole Invisible Blotting Powder.

LO OK 1

LO OK 2

LOOK 3

EYESHADOW ILLAMASQUA POWDER EYE SHADOW IN SHADE OBSIDIAN EYELINER ILLAMASQUA PRECISION GEL EYELINER IN BLACK LIPSTICK LIPSTICK QUEEN SAINT IN SHADE BARE ROSE

EYESHADOW CHARLOTTE TILBURY LUXURY PALETTE IN SHADE THE REBEL EYELINER ILLAMASQUA PRECISION GEL EYELINER IN BLACK LIPSTICK ARIANE POOLE LIPSTICK IN SHADE RED CARPET RED

EYESHADOW LAURA MERCIER CAVIAR STICK IN COPPER EYELINER ILLAMASQUA PRECISION GEL EYELINER IN BLACK LIPSTICK GUERLAIN LIPSTICK KISS KISS IN SHADE ROSY SILK 560

summer

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Fashion

Sarah wears Forever Unique sequin dress ÂŁ248.99 Psyche

ASCOT

Dahlings Ele g ance i s t he o nly b e auty t h at neve r fade s . AU D R EY H E P B U R N

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Fashion

Top: Olivia wears wears Forever Unique floral skater Style dress £218.99 Psyche Above: Sarah wears JUST CAVALLI geometric butterfly print dress £385.00 Cruise Right: Sarah wears Victoria Beckham pink floral dress £1250 Cruise All hats by Get Ahead Hats

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2015

Fashion

Sarah wears Victoria Beckham dress ÂŁ1550 Cruise hat by Get Ahead Hats

Fashion

summer

2015

Fashion

Sarah wears orange floral frock by the Pretty Dress Company £98.99 Psyche Olivia wears Armani Jeans yellow Lace Overlay Shift Dress £228.99 Tony (left) and Anthony (right) both wear suits and hats by Affleck & Moffat Brian (centre) wears own suit and bow tie by Bad Bow Ties

summer

2015

Fashion

credits Sho o t D i rect o r : Li z La m b

P h otog ra p h e r: Ja d e Turnbull www.j a d e pho to g ra phy -onli ne .co m

Locat i o n : M iddle t o n Lo d ge a n d Co a c h H o us e , Mi d d le to n Ty a s www.mi d d le tonlo d ge .co.uk Mo dels : Sa ra h - Je a n H e n d e rso n , O l i v i a Pe a rs on H e a d li ne Mo d e ls , To ny S ava la s Mo d e ls , A nthony Im p ey Tyne Te e s M o del s D O GS: P u g l a s Q u i n n , G e o r ge Reyn o l d s, Mi lo Fe e ney

H o rse: Fe rnd a le Vi s ta

MU A an d H A I R: Jo Leve rsu c h w w w. m a ke u pby j o .co.uk a ss i s te d by Emma Treve i l. Ha ir by J a m e s Re i d o f H a i r by Ja m e s Re i d www.whi s ke re d .co.uk Fa s h i o n A ss i s t a n t : R i o B e a d i e E d i t o r i a l A ss i s ta nt: A pri l Cla rk St o cki s t s : Ps ych e , Lintho r p e Ro a d , M i d d l e s b ro u g h w ww.ps yc he .co.uk Cr u is e , P r ince ss S q u a re , N ewc a s t l e w w w.c rui s e fa s hi o n.com A ffl e ck & M o ffa t , Du ke S t re e t , Da r l i n g t o n www.a ffle c kmo ffa t.co.uk Get Ah e a d Ha ts, N o r t h a l l e r t o n . Te l : - 0 7 90 0 3 5 2 3 3 3 www.ge ta he a d ha ts .co .uk.

summer

2015

Fashion

My style. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOSHUA TARN WWW.JOSHUAJTARN.COM

Rosie Ward J O B T IT L E : Store Manager at Dr. Martens Newcastle NAME:

Favourite designers: My guilty pleasure is a shop every now and then in Fenwick’s French Salon department, which has an unrivalled range of designer wear. Favourite high street stores: The choice of brands is amazing in Newcastle, particularly since brands like Dr. Martens moved in and the Monument Mall was redeveloped – we now have a wealth of amazing stores just a stone’s throw from our Grainger street store which makes lunch break shopping irresistible!

About me: North East born and bred, I have over 20 years’ experience in retail management around the region. I’ve been Store Manager at Dr. Martens Newcastle on Grainger Street since it opened its doors in 2013. In my spare time, I’m always up for socialising with friends and enjoy scenic walks in Durham. A shopaholic at heart, an avid music fan and a craver for warmer climates! My style: I see my style as fairly laid-back and casual – I like to keep it simple. During the colder months, I love getting wrapped up in a cosy coat, my DM boots and layering up with knitwear. Come summer, I go for relaxed shapes and oversized silk-jersey tees.You’ll also rarely find me out of my skinny jeans. Don’t get me wrong though, I enjoy throwing on something sparkly with heels for a good night out!

Fail safe outfit: A slouchy knit, skinny jeans and some smart DM brogues, ideal for the spring / summer transition time of year. I spend my working day on my feet so comfort is important. My staple Docs’ wardrobe for this season includes the ‘Aila’ off-white patterned shoe which I also have in black and oxblood. Outfit I feel amazing in: Well, there are a few! A little black jersey dress from The White Company, a grey silk dress from All Saints I bought at Christmas and a multi-coloured dress from Warehouse I got for a wedding last year. Fave accessories: I can’t go wrong with my leather tasselled saddle bag from Dr. Martens – it works just as well for a night out or a music gig as it does for a stroll along the beach. Jewellery-wise, I’ve got some pieces that are quite sentimental to me. My sterling silver cuff bracelet and ring were given to me for my birthday which I often wear as a set. My hubby also had a pair of earrings custom-made for me even hand-picking the diamonds, so I keep them for special occasions. I also have to mention my ‘award’ pair of Docs summer

2015

that I received for my year anniversary with the company which were specially crafted to my design and have my name on the inside of the tongue. The croc print, slimline shape and leather laces make them real classics. ROSIE WEARS DR. MARTENS BLACK PATENT 1461 SHOE £80, TOP FROM LEAF CLOTHING, SKIRT AND CARDIGAN BOTH FROM H&M. PICS ALSO TAKEN OF OFFWHITE AILA SHOE £125, HAWAIIAN PRINT SCARF £25, FRINGE CLUTCH £55 AND TASSLED SADDLE BAG £90.

Fashion

WORDS: LIZ LAMB

IN FASHION LA DI DA H E A D E D TO LO N DO N FAS H I O N WEEK TO F IN D OU T WHAT WE WIL L BE WE ARI N G NE XT S E A S O N A ND WE P IC K ED U P A F EW FA N S ON T HE WAY. HER Eâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S A S ELEC TI O N O F K E Y S HOW S F ROM U P -A N D- COM IN G N A M ES

P HOEB E ENG L ISH:

H BY H AK A A N Y I LDI RI M

The designer featured a collection with a palette of black and white accentuated by an occasional pop of rose pink. Key looks include oversized coats with elongated collars and floor-length net dresses and skirts

E M I LIO DE L A M ORE N A :

AW15 is a return to glamour with dresses emblazoned with sparkles, bodices worn as outerwear and frocks with accentuated shoulders and thighhigh splits. A palette of baby pink, emerald green, scarlet red and black&white print ran throughout this gorgeous, girlie collection that was a true celebration of the female form.

A breathtakingly beautiful collection of eveningwear with strapless dresses and overcoats in shimmering golds and black and velvet frocks in royal blue, purple and plum. Stunning.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CARRO OF WYNARD CARROPHOTOGRAPHY.CO.UK 01740 645531 summer

2015

Fashion in association with

TH I S S UMMER T U R N HE A D S AN D BR EAK HEA RTS IN STU NNING S TAT E ME N T PI ECES . T HE N E W SS15 COL LEC T I ON FRO M N E XT FEATURES G ORGE OU S LOOK S FO R EV ERY OCC A SION. HE R E ARE JUS T A F E W OF OU R FAVOUR IT E PIE C E S F ROM TH EIR NEW RA N GE S....

SUMMER

Crush

he new collection from NEXT is our big style crush this summer. We have fallen in love with these beautifully stylish looks that effortlessly take you from dreamy summer days to looking fashion fabulous at the most glamorous parties or events. From suitcase essentials to casual summer staples and sophisticated looks that will look stunning dressed up or down, these new looks are guaranteed to make sure you receive more than your fair share of compliments this summer.

DRESS, £35 JACKET, £45 WEDGE SANDALS, £38

Fashion in association with Feature

DRESS, £50 JACKET, £50 WEDGE SANDALS, £38

“ b eautifully styl is h looks that effortle s s ly take you from dre amy s ummer days to fas hio n fabulou s nights” BIKINI TOP, £14 BIKINI BRIEFS, £14

summer

2015

Fashion in association with

JACKET, £55 SHORTS, £28

TOP, £20 SKIRT, £30

summer

2015

Fashion in association with Feature

Credits: AL L C LOT H E S S U P P L I E D BY N E X T www. n ex t. co . uk

NE XT H AS A S ELECTI O N O F S TO R ES T H ROUG H OUT TH E N O RTH E A S T. TO F I ND YOUR NE A R ES T S TO R E V I S I T w w w. n ex t. co. u k /st o re s P ho to g ra ph y : Ja de Tu rn bu l l P h o t ogra p h y w w w. j adeph o t ogra p h y - o n l i n e. co m M U A: Jo L eversuc h a t M a ke U p by Jo w w w. m akeu p by jo. co. uk Ha ir : James Re i d f ro m Ha i r by Ja m es Rei d . M o de l : E l en a D un c a n a t H e a d l i n e M o d el s w w w. he a d l i n e m o d e l s. co. uk Sty l in g : Li z L a m b a ssi st e d by R i o Bead i e S h o t o n l o c ati o n a t t h e f i n e a n d fas h i o n abl e Je sm o n d D e n e Ho use H o t el an d Res t a ura n t , w i t h 4 0 s t yl i s h i n d i v i dua l l y d e si gn e d bedro o m s an d aw a rd w i n n i n g re s t au ran t i n a n i d y l l i c wo o d l a n d s etti n g. w w w. j es m o n dd e n e h o use. co. uk . Te l eph o n e 019 1 2 1 2 3 0 0 0

DRESS, £55 NECKLACE, £12 SANDALS, £28

summer

2015

The devil is in the detail

LEVERSUCH

PROFESSIONAL MAKE-UP ARTIST www.makeupbyjo.co.uk • jo@makeupbyjo.co.uk • 07815 835211

Fashion Feature

Child's play WI T H A S A LO N, A B O U TIQ UE AND M ULTIP LE NATIONAL BEST SELLIN G FA S H ION A N D B E A U TY R A N G E S , E X TOW IE STAR AM Y CH ILD S H AS BUILT A BEST S ELLIN G B R A N D. LI N DA J AN E W E ST P HAL MEETS H ER TO FIND OUT M ORE....

ll long hair, honey coloured skin, endless legs and a Disney Princess waist, it would be easy to write off Ms Amy Childs as a TOWIE wannabe who just got lucky. Ten minutes into meeting her though and you realise that she has a formidable business brain, plenty of chutzpah and a serious work ethic. This is no Disney Princess, this is Queen of a growing business empire and one who is very much hands on and in control of her destiny. We meet her at the Eldon Square Fashion Shows, where she has just modelled some of her latest looks for her new range. Wearing a beautifully fitted, royal blue dress with killer heels, she confesses her catwalk appearance at the show was nerve wracking. Her ‘girl power’ attitude mixed with occasional vulnerability make her instantly likeable. The crowds seem to think so too. Constant requests for selfies interrupt her TV, radio and press interviews but Amy clearly doesn’t mind and stops and chats with all of her fans. “I never mind having my photo taken with people,” she says. “I don’t take it for granted. It’s a dream come true for me to have my own fashion line. When I was a girl I used to spend

hours drawing designs and coming up with ideas. It’s the same with my beauty salon, I always wanted my own salon. Even now I still pinch myself when I think about my success. I’ve bought four houses, got my own fashion line, beauty lines, I am bringing a new tan range out, I have launched the 3D Lipo at my salon and have a shop and a salon, I feel incredibly lucky.” As a successful business woman it made sense for her to develop her own very stylish and wearable work wear range for Dorothy Perkins. “I want women who wear my clothes to feel like they can conquer the world,” she says. It makes for a great soundbite but it also very much sums up her own approach to life. She may have been privately educated, but she struggled at school with severe dyslexia but was determined it wouldn’t stand in her way. On leaving school with a respectable number of GSCEs, she singlemindedly set about building a brand for herself. “I knew from an early age that I wanted my own salon,” she explained. “I started out bleaching toilets in salons, I wasn’t proud, I would do anything it took to learn everything summer

2015

I could about the business from top to bottom. I just worked as hard as I could. When TOWIE came along I knew that would help so I went for it and it was a great opportunity.” However, fame often comes with a price. “I don’t trust people now,” she says. Her eyes fill with tears. “When I started TOWIE I lost a lot of my friends. Success makes you realise who your true friends are. I lost my best friend, we had been friends for 10 years, that was really tough. Your friends should be happy for you when you do well and when they’re not, it’s really hard.You learn not to trust people, you get very cautious about who you have around you.” She has no time for those who think fame is a short cut to making an easy living and who don’t want to do the groundwork. “I believe in aiming high and working very hard, I work seven days a week, day and night, but you’ve got to make the most of it.You need to learn everything you can. Some things, like learning my lines for my TV slot and learning how to do VAT and my accounts, have been challenging because I am very dyslexic. But you need to be in control of everything.You need to know your stuff. There are no short cuts.”

The BIG TREAT Treat yourself this May!

As part of The Big Treat intu Metrocentre are giving you the chance to

Win a ÂŁ500 intu Metrocentre Gift Card and style consultation with one of our personal stylists!

What a fabulous treat!

All you have to do to enter is visit intu.co.uk/metrocentre/bigtreatmagcomp - Good luck!

summer

2015

Fashion

HANDBAG HEAVEN

HERE is a clinic for handbags. Who knew? Bags with worn-out handles, scuffed bottoms or pen marks don’t have to be cast aside, unloved and forgotten in the bottom of the wardrobe, they just need to pay a visit to the Handbag Clinic. It’s a safe haven where you favourite Prada, Gucci or Hermes will receive emergency first aid and be brought back to life ready to grace your shoulder once again. Handbag Clinic repairs and cleans bags, adds zips, mends stitching and can completely change the colour of a bag for those times when you can’t get your hands on this season’s

Before... After...

the re sult s we re dram at ic

must-have shade. The service is extremely popular. Bags are repaired at the company HQ in Burnopfield, County Durham, but the clinic recently opened its first store on Chelsea’s trendy King’s Road to meet the demands of fashionistas. The store-the first of its kind in the UK- now repairs £30,000 worth of handbags each day. “The team works on all types of bags from designer names such as Chanel, Jimmy Choo, Hermes and Mulberry and every day thousands of pounds worth of bags arrive in need of help,” says Managing Director Ben Staerck.

WORDS LIZ LAMB

DOES YOUR D ESIGNER H A N DB AG NEED COS M ET IC TR EATMENT? T H EN B OO K A TR IP TO T H E C LIN IC. One wealthy client entrusts the Handbag Clinic with her £100,000 designer handbag collection for regular spruce ups and television star Imogen Thomas is a fan. The most expensive job they have undertaken was for a lady who bought a Hermes Birkin in tan but craved for the bag in pink. The waiting list was too long and she faced a 12 month wait so instead she sent it off to the Handbag Clinic where the team gave the bag a new colour inside and out and replaced the stitching to complement the new shade. The clinic offers a variety of treatment packages including a cleansing scrub, replenishment and total rejuvenation.

DO ES IT WO RK ?

andbag Clinic invited La Di Da to test out the service so we sent off a beloved pink Prada shoulder bag, a Lulu Guinness patent leather Pollyanna bag and a vintage doctor’s bag. The Prada was suffering from daily wear and tear. The leather was worn on the handles and bottom of the bag and there was a scuff or two on the body. It was returned to us in record time looking rejuvenated and fresh. The scuffs were gone and the worn leather had disappeared. Sadly there was no hope for the Lulu Guinness and a scratch on the patent leather frame could not be fixed. The greatest transformation was the vintage doctor’s bag. It had been in a sorry state and was destined for the bin. The handle was broken and the black leather was worn and faded. My grandmother had given it to me so I’d been reluctant to throw it out for sentimental reasons and I am so glad I didn’t. The bag had undergone a deep cleanse and total rejuvenation and the results were dramatic. It now boasts a shiny black body and the leather handle has been repaired and cleaned so I can actually use it. I love it and I’m so pleased that a treasured family piece will live to see another day. I’ll be sending it for regular treatments from now on.

TV star Imogen Thomas is a fan of the Handbag Clinic

A Chanel handbag is given a makeover

FOR MORE IN FORM AT I O N V I S I T H A NDBAG C L I NI C .CO.U K summer

2015

Fashion

Fashion Fabulous Summer TH E FAS HION STOR E S AT MOR PE TH ’ S S A NDER S O N A RC A DE A RE STEPPING OUT IN ST Y LE TO GE T C U S TO M ERS ‘ S U M M E R REA DY’ W I TH T H E C ENT R E ’S BIGGE ST E V E R FA S H I O N E VE N T.

he centre will be hosting its fabulous summer fashion show in the Arcade’s piazza area on Saturday June 6th from 11am to 4pm. Stores including Marks & Spencer, Hobbs and Monsoon will be showing the best of their summer collections for those either jetting away or planning a stay-cation. Heart Radio will be playing host on the day with breakfast presenters Justin and Kelly compering the shows all day. Shoppers will be able to watch all of the action during the day from the Sanderson Arcade and Heart

‘Mock-tail’ bar will be serving up chilled and fruity mocktails throughout the event. Shows will take place on the hour every hour from the fashion stores showcasing children’s wear, menswear, women’s wear and a special occasion wear section to end the day in style. Staff from the stores will be on hand at the end of each show to offer styling advice on any of the pieces featured or to provide some inspiration on outfits shoppers are particularly interested in. The show will also feature work from students from The King Edward VI School, who will be showcasing pieces that they have been

working on over the year. They will be presenting a fashion upcycling project and final year fashion and art pieces from GCSE and A-Level students. Centre Manager at Sanderson Arcade, Medi Parry, said: “We’ve got a great day lined up - we just need some fantastic summer sunshine now to complement the great outfits our stores will be showing throughout the day.”

Fashion Show

saturday 6th june 2015, 11am-4pm The latest trends in children’s wear, ladies wear and menswear Hosted by Heart Radio presenters Justin & Kelly Find us on

SANDERSON ARCADE • MORPETH • NORTHUMBERLAND • NE61 1NS • WWW.SANDERSONARCADE.CO.UK

summer

2015

Fashion Feature

LIZ LAM B SP EAKS TO A D ESIGN ER WHO HAS FUSED ART WITH FA S H ION .

Kiki

Couture

HESE stunning images showcase the work of fashion label Miss Kiki Salon-a brand that combines art and fashion to produce unique, bespoke pieces. The label is run by branding expert Kate Burton who left her beloved Shoreditch to move to Stokesley, North Yorkshire, with husband Rob, who is Head of Design at Teesside University. Both had grandparents who worked in the mills of Yorkshire and Lancashire. “We grew up with stories of the mills and we developed a great love and passion for textiles,” explains Kate. “Because of our backgrounds-I’ve worked in brand strategy and design-there is a story to everything we do. In the Hanami collection we wanted to celebrate artists and spring time and reproduce the work on silk scarves.” Miss Kiki’s Mayabi is a bespoke collection of eight silk dresses and inspired by surrealism and the work of Elsa Schiaparelli and Salvador Dali. Pieces included shoe print dresses and frocks featuring vintage gloves and mirrors.

The photographs above showcase the Inui capsule collection which features three summer dresses inspired by the colours and textures of Asia and The Orient while another range from the brand unveiled a collection of dresses and separates made from paper. “We want to do something different with our collections. I am inspired by so many things,” explains Kate. “Miss Kiki’s Salon is art-led, it is wearable art.” For AW15 they will launch Paralysis through Analysis, a collection inspired by textures, patterns and designs of everyday objects. “It features 12 pieces and is a totally different collection for us,” says Kate. “We’ve used the ordinary but made it extraordinary. We’ve used wool woven in Japan and coated cotton and there are lots of asymmetric shapes.” A film of the collection has been selected as an ‘Official Selection’ for the 6th Annual La Jolla International Fashion Film Festival & International Film Awards. In August Miss Kiki Salon will host an exhibition and film screening in the Giv Lowe art gallery in Lisbon. They are currently exhibiting one of their conceptual paper dresses in Japan.

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT MISSKIKISALON.CO.UK summer

2015

Affleck

Moffat

Dress to impress We have the Perfect Suit... Whatever the occasion

Affleck & Moffat is a Family Owned Tailors with over 82 years expertise in dressing gentlemen for every society occasion including Weddings, Ascot, Proms and Hunt Balls.

Pop in to see our expert team who can advise on the appropriate dress etiquette, accessories and styling, ensuring the perfect fit and a truly stylish outfit for any event. We also offer made to measure tailoring with Richard Crosland.

www.affleckmoffat.co.uk | facebook.com/Affleck-and-Moffat-Suit-Hire 8 Duke Street, Darlington, DL3 7AA | Telephone 01325 380168 WEDDING SUIT | DINNER SUIT | PROM SUIT HIRE

Feature gent.

gent. Boot Camp

A Cut Above

STEP OUT IN STYLE

SUITS YOU S IR

PHOTOGRAPHY JADE TURNBULL WWW.JADEPHOTOGRAPHY-ONLINE.COM MODEL FRASER FOUNTAIN

summer

2015

Feature gent.

These boots are made for

walking… U P DAT E A DA P P E R SU M M ER WA RDROB E WI T H S T YL I S H S HO ES F OR A N Y OCC A S ION . L I Z L A M B S O U RC E S B ROG U ES A N D B OOTS TO G E T YO U NOT I C E D AT T H IS S EA SON ’S FAB U LO U S E VE NTS .

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2015

Feature gent.

HEY say you can always tell a man by the shoes he wears. So if you want a reputation for being debonair and sophisticated it’s time to kick your shoe cabinet into touch. Whether you are heading off on holiday, attending a Summer wedding or going for a day at the Races fancy footwear is a must. Dr Martens are famed for their iconic Dr Marten boots but did you know that they also do stylish brogues, sandals and a range of men’s accessories? Designs come in a range of colours and fabrics too. We adore the Dr Marten Claude shoe in hazelnut Italian leather that has been hand-antiqued to give the shoe an aged patina. Priced at £310 these are shoes that are built to last. To see more of the collection pop online to drmartens.com or visit their Newcastle store to see the full Summer range.

Left- Dr M artens 3989 shoe £185 Right- Dr Martens Affleck boot £130 All shoes supplied by Dr Martens 153 Grainger Street, Newcastle NE1 5AE (0191) 261 8571 drmartens.com Photography: Jade Turnbull at Jade Photography jadephotography-online.com Models: Josh and Brian Location: Middleton Lodge, Middleton Tyas, North Yorkshire

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2015

gent.

Fine

Dandy

WI T H 5 0 YE A R S E XPERIEN C E OF TA ILORIN G , A F F LEC K AND M O FFAT I S P E R FE C T LY P LAC ED TO OF F ER B ESP OK E S UITS W HI C H PAY HO M AG E TO T H E A RT OF DRESS IN G LIK E A G E NT L E M A N. L I N DA JAN E WES T P H AL REP ORTS ....

very well-dressed gent knows that a fantastic suit is all about the fit. Whatever their personal style, from urban dandies to country gent, more and more fashion savvy men are choosing to go bespoke. It’s a trend that is seeing traditional tailors enjoy a resurgence. One of these is Richard Crosland at Affleck and Moffat, in Darlington, who has been in the tailoring business for over 50 years. Richard has clients all over the country, particularly in London, and makes frequent trips to the capital to see them. He excels in making the perfect suit to fit the customers’ needs and taste.You decide on the large selections of cloths, choose your own linings and choose a design to your taste. His suits are made of the finest quality Huddersfield cloths and his attention to detail is second to none.

“ The fitting process is crucial” Once you’ve chosen the cloths and been measured the suit jacket is half made up for a fitting. “The fitting process is crucial,” he explains. “And you do need more than one fitting.You will need two or more in total. “We need to see how the suit hangs, what your posture is like, do you stoop, do you lean forward, how do you move and sit down in it.You might have a broad chest or stomach or shorter arms, whatever it is, it can be accommodated and minimised with a well-fitting suit.” “Off the peg is fine but the large majority of men benefit from a more flattering fit, and if you want something special bespoke is the route to take.”

G ET T H E LOO K WW W.A F F L EC K M O F FAT.CO.U K PHOTOCREDIT GASP PHOTOGRAPHY WWW.GASPPHOTOGRAPHY.CO.UK summer

2015

Feature gent.

My style. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOSHUA TARN WWW.JOSHUAJTARN.COM

Brian Donnelly AGE: 27 J O B TI TLE: Owner Bad Bowties

N A ME:

Favorite piece or label I’m a sucker for a good old waistcoat or blazer. I particularly love my Ralph Lauren blazer, it’s summery and quirky. Favourite store I work at lots of vintage fairs up and down the country so I’d have to say my favourite place for my fashion has to be a good old vintage fair or store.You just never know what you’ll find. Failing that I often frequent Psyche in Middlesbrough to get my designer label fix. Fail safe outfit It has to be shirt and bow tie, blazer, skinny jeans and, of course, a good pair of brogues. It is ‘smart casual’ so you’re not overdressed for a catch up with friends and not under dressed if the catch up ends in a bar.

About me: I was born and raised in Hartlepool. I have had many jobs from running pubs, working in retail and eventually being a Postman, however, I never quite felt fulfilled. I started my own company BAD Bow Ties and I’ve never been happier. When I am not working I love nothing more than socialising with family and friends, seeing a band or catching a movie, I also enjoy exploring new places and going for walks.

Signature style My style is quirky and different especially as I’m from a small town I definitely stand out. I can normally be found in a three piece suit adorned with my own bow tie and pocket square. However, I’m no stranger to a pair of skinny jeans, T-shirt and leather jacket.

Weekend style My weekend style is pretty much the same as any other time suit and bow tie. My at home style tends to be a pair of skinny jeans and a band T-shirt with a pair of Adidas Superstars, ideal for relaxing around the house. Favourite accessories It has to be my bow ties; I am rarely seen without a bow. It can finish off a suit with a pocket square or add that something extra to a casual look with jeans and shirt. No matter the season or occasion a bow tie will make you stand out from the crowd. In addition to this I was always taught that any Gent should always have ‘a decent watch and a good pair of shoes’. My favourites being my citizen eco-drive and my trusty pair of brogues. FACEBOOK.COM/BOWTIES.BAD

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2015

gent.

IN A Q U ES T TO LO O K YO U NG E R EV EN T M A N AG ER (A N D F ORM ER POP STAR ) KE N WA LLAC E T E S TS O U T A NE W T REAT M EN T TO REIN V IG ORAT E THIS SKIN.

Holding back the years

TREATMENT: Ken wanted to have botox to look younger

’M not scared to want to look good for my age and shout about it. I’m a 44-year-old married man, a dad to a wonderful teenager and someone who has lived a million lives and the signs are now showing all over my face because of it. Back in the Eighties I was discovered by Simon Cowell when he was setting up a boy band. I had relative successes as a singer, even winning the Gold Award for the most played song on radio in 1995 – beating Madonna and Take That! It was a crazy life.

What people don’t tell you is that the nonstop partying, travelling, no sleep and rock’n’roll lifestyle will one day catch up on you. Today I work hard and I am on the books of a local model agency. As an older model I know that looking good for my age is paramount. In addition to this, in my events role I am liaising with all sorts of clients and celebrities so I have to look the best I can. When looking in the mirror I could see that I was looking slightly tired, like I needed a good sleep. I hated how I looked. I had double lines on my face and crow’s feet around my eyes. I also had lines on my forehead which were starting to take their toll. I knew that I had to do something. I decided it was time to visit non-surgical procedures clinic Absolute Image in Newcastle so I booked in for a lunchtime appointment. Jill Tait,the owner of Absolute Image, is an advanced specialist in aesthetics. She is an Independent Nurse Prescriber who is vastly experienced and highly respected throughout the aesthetic industry, When visiting Jill and the team they completely put my worries at ease, made me feel comfortable and discussed what my desired end results could be. Being a man and scared of needles, within seconds of being treated by Jill that fear was gone forever. I BEFORE barely even felt the treatment. Within an hour I had line fillers

Absolute Image had taken at least 10 years off of the way I looked, all within my lu nch break. injected into the areas of my face where I ‘needed volume’ and a bit of botox in the areas that made me look like I was always angry. I thought that the treatment is affordable and the staff were professional and warm but discreet. Immediately following the treatment I could see the difference, I looked like I had slept for a year, let alone a week, Absolute Image had taken at least 10 years off of the way I looked, all within my lunch break. On returning to the office all my colleagues were amazed, they couldn’t believe how quickly I had transformed, within 48 hours my appearance improved dramatically, within a week I was a completely transformed person. I was happy to look in the mirror in the morning and now have a new found inner confidence.

REFRESHED: Ken after his treatment

ABSOLUT E IMAGE , ST N ICH OLA S C H A M BERS , A M EN CO RNER, NEWC A S T L E UP O N T Y N E , TYN E & WEAR N E 1 1PE 0191 260 5222 WWW.A BS OLU T E- I M AG E.CO. U K DISCLAIMER: THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THIS ARTICLE ARE SOLELY THE VIEWS OF KEN WALLACE AND NOT LA DI DA MAGAZINE. PICTURES ARE FOR EDITORIAL DEMONSTRATION. ANY MEDICAL INFORMATION IS NOT ADVICE AND SHOULD NOT BE TREATED AS SUCH. BEFORE HAVING BOTOX OR ANY OTHER AESTHETIC TREATMENT ENSURE TO CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR OR A PROFESSIONAL HEALTHCARE PROVIDER. summer

2015

DA GUIDE I D A L T E O H T

Glorious Gin “ I ex e rink d r e a ny t r c i s e s t r o n g s e l f c o n t r o l . I n ev k fa s t . ” h i ng s t ro nge r a t h a n g i n b e fo r e b r e W.C. F I E L D S 59

THE LA DI DA GUIDE TO GLORIOUS GIN

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GINSTITUTE T HIS S UM ME R IS A LL A BOU T D RI N K I N G G I N L I K E I T ’ S TH E 1 9 2 0 S . SO L A DI DA HAS AS KE D TOP MIXOLOGIS TS TO CO M E U P W I TH A L I TTL E G I N S P IR AT IO N. SO POUR YOU R SE L F A GIGG L E WATE R, REA D O N A N D L E A RN H OW TO G E T S P I FFI C ATED I N S TYL E. . . WORDS: LINDA JANE WESTPHAL

THE BOTANIST'S GIN CREATIONS. PHOTO WWW.JOSHUAJTARN.COM

Gin o clock The Botanist team concocted these fabulous gin creations.. COCKTAIL 1: ENGLISH MOJITO Begin with diced cucumber and fresh mint in a glass with sugar syrup, lime juice and apple juice. Add Green Apple Liqueur and Beefeater Gin and churn up with crushed ice, garnishing with a cucumber slice and a sprig of mint.

COCKTAIL 2: BLACKBERRY & ROSEMARY FIZZ Shake fresh blackberries with lemon juice, Broker's London Dry Gin and Hayman's Sloe Gin, adding a dash of apple juice and sugar syrup. Top up the mix with soda. WWW.THEBOTANIST.UK.COM/NEWCASTLE

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THE LA DI DA GUIDE TO GLORIOUS GIN

Houndgate drinks guru Jake Stone serves up a gin gem.. ULTIMATE GIN COCKTAIL Add to Boston filled with ice 50ml Durham Gin 25ml Gomme 1/2 a lemon's juice Shake till outside of boston is well frosted on the outside, and then pour contents over cubed ice into a high ball glass or tumbler Top with Soda water, around 50ml, and then garnish with a lemon wedge. WWW.GASPPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

WWW.HOUNDGATETOWNHOUSE.CO.UK

DAVID BALL, HEAD MIXOLOGIST AT THE COACH HOUSE RESTAURANT, MIDDLETON LODGE, MIDDLETON TYAS MADE LA DI DA A SPECIAL VERSION OF HIS BRAMBLE COCKTAIL.

NEWCASTLE DARBY Ingredients Egg White Foam, (separate white from yolk and whisk) Syrup infused with smoked pink peppercorns and added Violet 4 wedges of lemon squeezed for lemon juice Use zest of rind Add Homemade Bitters - David likes to keep his bitters bare and rustic and used wood chippings, Gentian, coffee, chilli and added sweet notes with orange peelings and zests

PHOTO WWW.JOSHUAJTARN.COM

Double Measure of Hendricks Gin, use a savoury gin such as Hendricks or you could use Durham Gin as an alternative Method Shake up base ingredients in a cocktail shaker Add in violet syrup spoon on top Take a chilled champagne flute Double strain into the glass Add prosecco to fill up the glass Garnish with a violet WWW.MIDDLETONLODGE.CO.UK

Fashion Fix BURBERRY SOUR 40ml tanquarey rangpur 20ml pamplemouse rose 20ml kalamansi juice 10ml rhubarb shrub 25ml egg white 10ml gomme 2 dashes homemade bergamot bitters Add all ingredients to Boston glass Dry shake then wet shake Serve in a coupe champagne saucer that has been chilled Garnish like you are replicating a Burberry scarf â&#x20AC;&#x201C; using cracked pepper and pink pepper corns. WWW.SOHE.CO.UK

ANGELA M ETCALFE IS TH E D RIN KS B UY ER FOR ICON IC D ELI LEWIS AND CO O PER AND EXPERT IN CH AM PAG N E, F I N E WIN ES AN D SPIRITS.

Drinks Ed FOLLOW ANGELA ON TWITTER @WINEBITCH

Northern tipples…

young girl and a man who educated people against binge drinking wouldn’t seem the ideal dream team in the highly competitive gin market but the guys behind Durham Gin are certainly making it work. Jon Chadwick worked in the NHS helping to tackle Britain’s binge-drinking culture but when the 46-year-old decided to take redundancy and change career, he picked a line of work that seems slightly at odds with his former life. He launched County Durham’s first distillery producing his favourite alcoholic tipple, gin. Jon is now working with Head Distiller, Jess Tomlinson. From Hexham, and possibly the youngest lady distiller in the country, Jess has a Masters in Chemistry from Edinburgh, then went on to get another in Brewing and Distilling, clever girl. Spending summer holidays in the Cognac region of France gave her an early

appreciation for fine spirits, and, one assumes, all of the nights showing a professional interest in mixology as a student helped familiarise her with all things alcoholic. She also makes a mean macaroon after applying all of her skills to gain patisserie perfection. Is there no end to this girl’s talents? She is a breath of fresh air in the mysterious world of distilling, bringing massive enthusiasm and a valuable female point of view into a world perceived as, ‘Old men with beards, making stuff for old men with beards’. Working closely with Durham University’s Botanical Gardens, the exact recipe is a secret, Durham Gin contains 10 separate botanicals, including time-honoured flavours like juniper (Jon hopes to soon begin growing his own bushes), and some more unusual ones like pink peppercorns. There are also cardamom, celery and coriander, reflecting gin’s original mix of “very traditional English flavours with

more exotic ones from across the empire”. The result is a soft gin with a long and smooth finish and a slightly floral rather than perfumed nose, thanks to the inclusion of elderflower. The Durham Distillery uses ‘Lily’, a 400-litre copper pot still, named after Jon’s daughter, which was handmade to order in Portugal.

WWW.DURHAMDISTILLERY.CO.UK

asons Gin has been going from strength to strength since husband and wife team, Cathy and Karl,started making their now award winning gin two years ago. Not only did they win a silver medal at the New York World Spirit Competition last year, they scooped another silver at San Francisco this year. What next for this Bedale bombshell? Actually, we've been given the only prototypes in existence of their two new gins and they are Bobbydazzlers. Masons Yorkshire Tea Gin. Infused with good old Yorkshire Tea, this has lovely, almost earthy flavours and a very smooth mellowness. The tea is most definitely there but doesn't overpower, this is elegant and just needs a hint of lemon rind as a garnish. Masons Lavender Gin. Lavender can be very overpowering but they seem to have got the balance just about right and this will become a firm favourite with lovers of more floral styles. Karl suggests a twist of lime, but I've been WWW.MASONSYORKSHIREGIN.CO.UK playing and some fresh fennel to garnish is a delight.

YORKSHIRE GIN

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La Di Da Meets... T HE R AT HE R FA B U LOU S S T EP H AN E L EYR ELO UPâ&#x20AC;Ś H E I S TH E NE W G E NE R A L M AN AG ER OF T H E ACC LA IM ED C LEV EL AND TONTINE H AV I N G SE T T L E D I N NO RT H YORK SH IRE S EV ERA L YEA RS AG O WITH HIS SON AN D PA RT NE R . HE LOVES YORK SH IRE B U T H E'S S T ILL V ERY MUCH A F REN C H M A N AT HE A RT. HE T ELLS U S A LL A B OU T H IS FAVOU R ITE PL ACES...

Cleveland Tontine

Stephane Leyreloup

Castel Marie-Louise, La Baule, Normandy, France - a Relais & Chateau hotel

Langdon Hall, Cambridge, Ontario, Canada - a Relais & Chateau hotel

Le Manoir Aux Quat'Saisons, Great Milton, Oxfordshire - a Relais & Chateau hotel

My first ever job as a young hospitality student... Castel Marie-Louise is a magnificent Belle Epoque mansion in Normandy overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and La Baule's six-mile long beach. Can you imagine what it was like for a young hospitality student to arrive here for a first job? Terrifying but amazing. It's the perfect retreat with super luxurious accommodation, spa and leisure activities that include entry to one of France's finest tennis clubs close by and, of course, the exceptional food is key. What an experience and I will always pinch myself and, for me, it set the benchmark for what a real quality hotel should be.

I had always been keen to travel and at the same time knew the importance of speaking English so when the opportunity arose through Relais & Chateau to work in Canada I jumped at the chance. What a hotel! The grandest of country house hotels set in beautiful estate parkland full of style and gracious ambience. There's much to compare here with the best English country house hotels as it has its own kitchen gardens and the estate for foraging. For me, the luxurious guest suites, the spa, the pool, the food - it's the perfect package.

Tranquillity, originality, glorious gardens plus of course the strength of a Frenchman's cooking. Raymond Blanc may have adopted England as his home as have I but, like me, there is still something of France running through everything he does. So when I want to treat my partner to somewhere very special I like to show off the very best of modern French cooking! Raymond Blanc is a legend on both sides of the Channel and he deserves full credit for creating Le Manoir. Definitely my favourite romantic break away.

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Promotion

Jesmond calling...

t’s hard to believe it’s a year since this little piece of fashion fabulous heaven opened in Osborne Road, Jesmond. Sohe has quickly become THE place for Newcastle glitterati to frequent for its gloriously delicious take on Asian Fusion cuisine and audaciously good cocktails. Add in stylish interiors, it even has its own cave, and you can see why it’s hosted the great and good so often, even a proper Princess has stopped by for a delicious dinner more than once so it’s got a royal seal of approval. Not bad for a restaurant which only opened 12 months ago.

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A FTE R A N A M A Z ING FIR ST YEA R, FA B U LO U S A SIA N RE S TA U RA N T S O HE IS C E L E B RATI N G W IT H A G O RG E O U S N E W M E NU A N D TH E L A U N CH O F A S I S TE R B A R, 9 7 & SO CIA L .

Now it’s celebrating in style with a host of fab new additions to the Sohe offer. It has a delicious new A La Carte dinner menu - Poussin satay, with coconut and duck egg salad anyone? And, most excitingly, new cocktails which are summer fabulousness in a glass. Our fave is the jawdroppingly gorge Koh Island Iced Tea. Dangerously moreish. The new lunchtime menu is similarly impressive with a range of Dim Sum such as Crispy salt and pepper squid chips or Wild mushroom & kimchi moneybags and Banh Mi dishes which include Japanese breaded pork in a

2015

Promotion Feature

& Fabulous Sohe has a brand new addition next door with the opening of its new sister gastro bar 97 & Social. Set to shake up Newcastle’s bar scene, 97 & Social is set to be a bit different in a very good way. Think gorgeous gastro grub, imaginative cocktails, great music and lots of style. The bar, formerly Berlise, has luxurious booths, a great outdoor terrace, ideal for people watching, and a friendly cosmopolitan ambience. Heading up the bar team, Andy Marshall blends home-crafted ingredients with a nod to ancient cultures and exotic flavours, all presented with a theatrical flourish or two. We loved Afternoon Delight which is a gin based concoction with house-made rhubarb syrup, fresh strawberry, rose, lemon and soda. The food is great too. Signature dishes include Sweet Fried Fish which is a Lemonade cumin spiced chick pea battered hake with tart tartare sauce and pea puree and Soft Taco. The taco sees Crispy jerky style beef married with spicy pickles, lemongrass and wild honey goats cheese mousse. Yummy. This is a bar with a real difference. We think it’s a little bit special. Go try it.

Taster Menu STA RT E R JAPANESE B EEF TATA K I, CRISP Y BEEF & B EEF PATTY TOP P ED W IT H WA S A B I MAIN P OUSSIN S ATAY, WITH COCONUT AN D DU CK EGG SALAD AN D A MOU T H WATERIN G PEA N U T CARAM EL S A U CE

97 & SOCIAL, 97 OSBORNE ROAD, JESMOND. WWW.97SOCIAL.CO.UK. 0191 281 1358.

Sohe has quickly become THE place for Newcastle glitterati to frequent flatbread roll and Crispy Thai rice patties in a brioche bun. Seriously good. The restaurant has lots planned for the year ahead. “We’ve some very exciting plans for the coming 12 months that will help us to further elevate Jesmond’s social and dining scenes,” General Manager Sarah Harker tells us. La Di Da can exclusively reveal these include Dim Sum Sundays for the ultimate chilled Sunday. And a new outdoor eating area is due to be opened shortly for some very stylish alfresco dining. Exciting times. “Our first year has been amazing,” says Sarah. “Over the last 12 months we’ve built a loyal following of patrons, including royalty, who have a true appreciation of fine cuisine, cool culture and quality cocktails.

WW W.S OH E.CO.U K 0191 2818161 summer

2015

Food & Drink

WORDS LIZ LAMB

H O U NDGATE TOWNH O U S E DA R LINGTO N

’VE discovered a little gem. I really don’t want to shout about it- then everyone would go- but the Houndgate Townhouse is so fabulous it deserves to be bustling with diners and drinkers. The boutique Townhouse is a stylish Georgian inn housed in an 18th Century building in Darlington just a five minute walk from the designer clothes shops on Grange Road and a short taxi ride from the railway station. It has a chic bar and bistro and eight individually designed bedrooms that have been beautifully designed to a high finish. It’s the little touches that make Houndgate unique from the mounted moose head in the reception area to the wool-topped stools and unusual lighting. There is even a cow serving table in the restaurant. So much thought has gone into the interior design, that to those in the know it has become a super-stylish place to meet friends for brunch, enjoy a dinner date or indulge in a glass of champagne or two. I adore the turquoise and bronze-topped bar with matching bronze lampshades and the chic under-lighting and stunning lighting feature in the hotel stairwell. So we know it looks good but what of the food and drink offering? Well I can heartily recommend the cocktails. I enjoyed a Bramble-a delicious concoction of Bombay Sapphire, lemon, gomme and Chambord (£6.50) while my husband enjoyed an ice cold bottle of Peroni (£3.70). The cocktail list is impressive-it has 19 different varieties to choose from and I am now determined to try out a different cocktail each time I visit. Eleven restaurant at the Townhouse serves a bistro dinner menu at very reasonable prices. After taking our seats in a booth, a waiter brought over warm tomato and oregano bread with butter and sea salt served on a slate which we enjoyed while perusing the menu. For starters, I enjoyed cured meats (parma ham, salami and bresaola) with sun blushed tomatoes and rocket (£6) while my husband opted for pulled pork croquette with spiced red cabbage and sweet potato ketchup (£5). He was in food heaven claiming it was one of the best starters he had ever had. High praise indeed. summer

I feasted on a main meal of delicious duck breast with white bean and Toulouse sausage cassoulet (£12). The duck was wonderfully tender and married well with the distinctive flavouring of the sausage. My husband enjoyed crispy pork belly with braised white cabbage, pancetta, smoked cheese mashed potato and Madeira jus (£12). We shared a side order of chips between us (£3). The presentation was superb, the service was fantastic and we were very impressed with the high quality and inventiveness of the dishes-all delivered at very reasonable prices. We declined desserts but offerings include nougat parfait, ginger sponge with butterscotch sauce and white and dark chocolate terrine. The Townhouse is unique, bijou and the epitome of good taste-my new favourite place to dine out. We stayed the night in a super deluxe room (£145 per night). The room was of a very high standard and beautifully designed. There was a super king double bed (very comfy) and a free-standing bath in the bedroom where I enjoyed a warm bath as I sipped champers and watched television. The interior was gorgeous with a palette of calming colours and the bathroom featured a large rain shower and Miller & Harris toiletries. The price of the room includes breakfast so the next morning we enjoyed a traditional English breakfast which was delicious.

TAST I N G N OT ES Houndgate Townhouse 11 Houndgate, Darlington DL1 5RF Tel: (01325) 486011 www.houndgatetownhouse.co.uk

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Food & Drink Food

Dining out in Fabulous Monte Darlo... Food JAMES COOPER HEAD CHEF AT THE C LEV ELAN D TON TIN E

SAVO U RI N G SU M M E R TI ME . . .

he Kings Head, now the Mercure Darlington, used to be THE place to dine out in Darlington. Then a fire gutted the building and it rose ‘phoenix like’ from the ashes under new ownership to become the Mercure. The Mercure mixes stylish contemporary interiors with the lovely period features of the building and its dining area, Carriages, is particularly elegant. It’s not only the building which has a touch of the Phoenix about it. The dining offer under Head Chef Paul Graham, who joined the team a year ago, has been revitalised with fresh, seasonal and imaginative cooking. We started with a cocktail in the beautiful bar which was expertly prepared while the attentive staff took our order. The menu features Table D’Hote and A La Carte Menus and the wine list is carefully thought through with eclectic and interesting wines. We chose Grilled Goats Cheese (£4.95) and Beetroot Cured Salmon (£5.50) to start. The Grilled Goats Cheese was soft and creamy but with good texture and came with Baby Beetroot Salad and Herbs. The Beetroot Cured Salmon was cured inhouse and was a delight. The fresh cured salmon was delicately flavoured and worked beautifully with the creamy horseradish mayonnaise and capers and shallots. The mains offering are also diverse and tempting. However, it was steak night (£12.95) and we couldn’t resist. We chose a Sirloin Steak with a mushroom sauce and a Rib Eye Steak with Peppercorn sauce. Both came with lots of fresh vegetables and ‘Jenga’ chips. They were both beautifully cooked and really flavoursome. The Rib Eye was one of the best pieces of steak I have enjoyed for a long time, succulent, tasty and full of rich flavour. We sadly couldn’t manage dessert but the menu included fabulous classics such as Sticky Toffee Pudding (£5.95) alongside lighter dishes such as Florentine Cheesecake with Crème Chantilly and Berry Coulis (£5.50). With great cooking and attentive service, the Kings Head under its new Mercure incarnation, is definitely back on top form.

TAS T I N G NOTES www.mercure.com 9-12 Priestgate, Darlington, DL1 1NW. 01325 380 222

e’ve been busy here devising lots of innovative and imaginative dishes for the summer menu which aim to surprise and delight. The menu will be launched in the last weekend in May but, just for La Di Da readers, here’s a sneak peek of some of the dishes that we have created. As it’s summer time and people prefer to eat lighter food, we have lots of excellent local fish on the menu. I also decided to keep rabbit on as it’s a light dish that works all year round. Our outstanding local rabbit is showcased perfectly in a Pressed Terrine of Local Rabbit with Langoustine and Avocado. And our lobster is coming into season. Lobster is always a firm favourite at the Cleveland Tontine and we are renowned for our grilled lobster. It’s a great flavour to experiment with and on our new menu we pair it with oriental flavours which really bring out the freshness and delicate flavour. Look out for our Salad of East Coast Lobster, Coconut Claw, oriental salad, mango and chilli – you won’t be disappointed! We predict it will be a summer favourite. If you love fish you should also try our really delicious Hand Dived Scallops which will be served seared as a starter. We like to interest and surprise our diners and one of my favourite starters on the summer menu is Crab and Tomato Trifle with Bloody Mary Sorbet which is a lovely dish, light, flavoursome and inventive and it makes the most of that glorious crab. Mains include Rump of Lamb with Nettle Risotto, anchovies and tomatoes and a line caught Wild Sea Bass with baby watercress and oyster rockefeller. Flavourful combinations which really deliver impact in terms of taste. For desserts one of my favourites is a new, really special addition, Lavender Pistachio with strawberries and a poppy seed tuile. The dish uses really expensive French strawberries which have exquisite flavour. The summer menu also sees the return of one of the most popular dishes from last year, the Eton Messe Souffle with cold custard and raspberry sorbet. Finally, for lazy summer afternoons, our seasonal Afternoon Tea will be berry based and will make the most of all of those delicious juicy summer berries. Glorious. Just pair with some fizz. T HE CLEVELAND TO NT INE (01 6 0 9 ) 8 8 2 6 7 1

Adrian Houston Mal Maison Newcastle Malmaison Newcastle_0211.jpg

The Place to be Seen... Malmaison Newcastle is celebrating the opening of their fabulous new brasserie and craft beer bar Chez Mal with Magical May offerings.

Adrian Houston Mal Maison Newcastle April 2015

Magical Opening Offers *50% off Chez Mal main menu food throughout May ÂŁ25 Bubble Time Champagne til 8pm every day in May Malmaison Newcastle_0013.jpg

ÂŁ5 selected cocktails til 8pm every day in May

DSC_2053.jpg DSC_2018.jpg

To book a table at the brasserie or for more information call 0844 693 0658 Malmaison,104 Quayside, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 3DX

VIP

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The place to

LOO K I N G F O R A NE W HI P HA N G OU T ? H EA D TO T H E MALM AI S ON NE WC A S T L E TO EAT, DRIN K A N D P LAY. WORDS: LIZ LAMB

I f you’re i n Chez M al you’ve m ade i t , i f you ge t in to t he Ch ate au you’ve defi ni tely made it.

Adrian Houston Mal Maison Newcastle April 2015

Malmaison Newcastle_0165.jpg

ROM an exclusive members club when he headed up a hotel in Kensington, to a super-stylish bistro, craftMalmaison beer Newcastle_0125.jpg London-has been overseeing the hotel’s recent bar and Ibiza-style DJs, Malmaison transformation. Newcastle is the new place to be “We’re not after mid-market we are high-end. seen in. If you’ve had a successful week at work, you The hotel, housed on Newcastle’s iconic head to Mal to celebrate, if you want a night Quayside, has been transformed into a hip away to enjoy yourselves without the kids, you hangout with decadent decor to attract a new head to Mal. “If you want a stylish city breed of high-end clientele. wedding then you head to Mal. “If you want top-end in Newcastle you go to “People don’t mind paying that bit extra for Mal. It’s like putting a Rolex on or driving an great service and food and a fantastic Aston Martin, we are an extension of that atmosphere.” success,” explains new General Manager The biggest transformation has been the Vincent Garrington. overhaul of the restaurant which has gone “If your company brings you to Mal midfrom a dark, moody dining experience to a week then you know they are looking after light-filled contemporary eating space with you. If you want people to know that you’re tables nestled by the window offering enviable doing well in life then you’ll be seen at Mal.” views of the Quayside (expect to pay a Vincent-formerly known as Lord Garrington premium for these coveted spots in peak

times). The menu offers delights such as prime-aged Black Angus NY strip steaks to grilled lobster Bearnaise and moules frites. If you fancy treating yourself to top-of-therange fizz then the bar offers bottles of Krug Grande Cuvee NV for £180 alongside ten less expensive options. For those in the know, you can also party in the Chateau-a fashionable, private room with a maximum capacity of only 50. “This will be very exclusive,” explains Vincent. “The right people will know how to get into the Chateau. “It’s a VIP bar within a bar.” Date Night packages are available in the new contemporary bedrooms and if you’re planning on getting hitched then Mal now offers small, upmarket weddings in a beautiful ceremony room followed by an eight course wedding breakfast. After a hard night of partying, guests can relax in the hotel spa which offers a host of beauty and holistic treatments for both men and women. “Mal is going to be the place to be seen in and to network,” says Vincent. “If you’re in Chez Mal you’ve made it, if you get into the Chateau you’ve definitely made it,” he smiles.

F OR MORE IN FORMATION VISIT WWW.M A L M A I S ON.COM / NEWC A S T L E O R C A L L 0 8 4 4 6 9 3 0 6 5 8 TO FIND OUT ALL THE GOSSIP FROM THE CHEZ MAL OFFICIAL OPENING PARTY TURN TO PAGE 110 summer

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Food

FAB ULOUS I NT E R I O R S , TO P T U IT ION A N D A M A Z IN G F OOD A N D WINE. MALTON CO O K E RY S C HO O L IS A S FA R A S YOU C A N G ET F ROM SCHOOL CO OKERY C L A SS E S . L I N DA JAN E WES T P H AL PAYS A V IS IT...

must confess I felt like a lamb to the slaughter heading to a Cookery School. After years of producing beef cobblers and sausage plaits with the consistency of motorway concrete at school, the thought of attending a cookery lesson instantly transported me back to the dark years of my youth. However, arriving in the sunshine into Malton after driving through the beautiful North Yorks countryside, my spirits couldn’t help but lift. The cookery school is situated just off the main market square and is housed in a beautifully converted Wesleyan Chapel. It’s stylishly decked out but feels homely. It includes a communal table so the students can sit together for lunch and enjoy the fruits of their labour and a chef ’s table where you can book and come along for an amazing meal cooked in front of you by a top chef. It’s rare beef day at the school and the summer

2015

aromas that greet me when I arrive are incredible. The class are making recipes under Head Chef Gilly Robinson’s expert guidance, using a mixture of home reared Dexter, Aberdeen Angus and Shorthorn beef, all sourced locally. Gilly is warm and welcoming, and as far away from a bossy home economics teacher as you can get. Funny and kind, she is full of fab stories and great cheffy tips. She is a superb chef in her own right and has worked with some of the top celebrity chefs for many years, most notably Rosemary Shrager who is a close friend. The classes are relaxed and mix abilities so today, alongside my very basic cooking skills, are students who are keen home chefs and foodies. It works well and you feel you are cooking with a group of friends, offering each offer encouragement and advice. Catherine Bisset is enjoying the course courtesy of her husband as a treat.

Food

Many of the recipes are quick and easy to do but look and taste amazing, great for a dinner party... “I used to love to cook and experiment in the kitchen but now having three children I just don’t get the time and when I do cook, it’s not very exciting because it’s geared around the children. I have had a lovely day and it’s fired me up to enjoy cooking again and be more experimental. It’s been lovely having some rare ‘me’ time.” Today we are making Yorkshire Carpaccio, steak, boeuf bourguignon (with ‘healthy’ fried bread), Beef Wellington, Gaeng Ped Nua (spicy red beef), millefeuille with crème patisserie and raspberries,Yorkshire curd tart and Turkish delight pannacotta. Many of the recipes are quick and easy to do but look and taste amazing. They are great for a dinner party where you want to deliver the wow factor or a tasty meal for the family which can be designed around collecting the children from school or busy work days. The school attracts people from all over the North East as well as Yorkshire. Recent attendees have included corporate days where workmates bond over cooking together, couples, hen parties, who then follow up with a night out in York, and groups of friends as well as individuals that have treated themselves or received a lesson as a gift. Diane Cundall was gifted the lesson from her boss. “I was nervous coming on my own but then as soon as I came in I relaxed straightaway. I’ve had the best day, I feel like I have learned so much and Gilly is just lovely, she fills you with confidence. I am definitely going to try these recipes at home.” The best is yet to come. Now we sit down and eat together. The table is groaning with all of the dishes we’ve made and Gilly pours us some stunning wine to accompany the meal. The dishes are incredible, definitely restaurant standard, and as we share stories around the table in beautiful surroundings with new friends, I can think of no better way to spend a sunny afternoon.

Yorkshire Carpaccio

Gaeng Ped Nua (spicy red beef) A QUICK AND EASY DISH WHICH DELIVERS AN IMPRESSIVE AND FABULOUSLY TASTY DINNER WHICH YOUR GUESTS WILL THINK YOU HAVE SLAVED OVER FOR HOURS. Ingredients Thai red curry paste 2 tb sp Rape seed oil 3 tb sp Braising steak 1kg cut into thin strips Lemon grass 1 stalk Kefir lime leaves 3 Creamed coconut 340g Nam pla (fish sauce) 2 tbsp Red pepper 2 cut into thin strips Basil 1 bunch torn not cut Method Fry the curry paste for 1 min and add the beef, stir so that it coats the meat and add enough water to just cover. Add the lemon grass and lime leaves and simmer on a low heat for 1 hour. Mix the creamed coconut with 500ml water and add to the pan, reduce until thickened. Add the fish sauce, sugar and the peppers, simmer until the peppers are just soft. Add the basil and serve with rice.

THE IDEA OF PERFECT FILLET OF BEEF SERVED ALMOST RAW MAY SEEM CRAZY BUT TRY IT AND EXPERIENCE THE DELIGHT OF TASTE AND TEXTURE IN ITS SIMPLEST FORM Ingredients Beef fillet 180g per person Yorkshire rape seed oil 1 table spoon Seasoning To serve; Rocket leaves and finely sliced breakfast radish and shavings of pecorino cheese Trim the fillet so that every trace of fat and sinew are gone (there will be very little but be very particular at this stage). Rub the meat with oil and season lightly with salt, try a smoked salt such as Boulavard Cuisine products. Heat a heavy based frying pan and when very hot lay the meat in and do not move it for 2 mins. Turnover and repeat until all sides have had contact with heat for 2-3 mins. Remove and wrap tightly in cling wrap to form a prefect cylinder shape. Chill for 2 hours or pop into the freezer for 30 mins. Slice very finely with a sharp knife as for sushi and arrange on a slate with the leaves and cheese and the radish slices drizzle over a little extra oil and coarse salt.

CHEF’S NOTES

MALTON RUNS A HOST OF DIFFERENT COOKERY COURSES INCLUDING BESPOKE, YORKSHIRE GOURMET, RELAXED INFORMAL, GAME, SEAFOOD AND KIDS. WWW.MALTONCOOKERYSCHOOL.CO.UK MORE RECIPES CAN BE FOUND ON OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.LADIDA.CO.UK.

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Relaxing isn’t something you do, it’s something you feel.

LU X U RY S UM MER S PA B R E AK Available Monday to Thursday for one or more nights during June, July & August.

£125 per person per night based on two sharing a room w ww. h e a d l a mha l l . c o . u k

• • • •

Enjoy a three-course a la carte dinner in the 2 AA rosette restaurant Stay in a beautiful spa bedroom located directly above the spa Start the day with an English breakfast Unwind in the spa with use of the facilities from 2pm on the day of arrival until 11am on the day of departure • Relax with either an Aromatherapy Back & Neck Massage or a Bespoke Facial (30 minutes treatment time) H e a d l a m H a l l Hea d l a m N ea r G a in fo r d D a r l in g to n D L 2 3 HA Te l : 0 1 3 2 5 7 30 2 3 8 Fa x : 0 1 3 2 5 7 3 0 7 9 0 a d m in @ h ea d l a m h a l l . c o . u k

go offline

The path less travelled. www.rose-and-crown.co.uk

Beer heaven…

Food & Feature Drink

T H E B OTAN I ST H AS ONE OF THE B IGGE S T R AN GES OF CRA F T B E E R S I N N E WC A STLE A ND IT ’S S E T TO B E CO ME EVEN BIGGER. W E SE N T OUR DRINKS ED AND B E E R E N T HUS I AST ANGELA ME TCA LFE TO M EET THE C H A I N ’S B E E R G URU TO FIND O U T MOR E ….

ST GERMAIN, RHUB’IPA 6.9ABV

eet Warren McCoubrey, and yes, Beer Guru is his actual title at The Botanist, advocate of canned beers as well as bottled and cask, which makes him a bit of a rebel in my book. From humble beginnings working in a uni bar in Belfast, he now selects all of the beers for, not only, Newcastle Botanist, but the whole chain, taking beer masterclasses, food and beer matching and sourcing their entire range. Is there no end to this chap’s talent? Nope, he’s also worked with Marble Brewery to develop a recipe especially for The Botanist called Passionate Blonde. A session bitter with Galaxy hops from Australia which has a lovely background flavour of passion fruit. Faithful to local breweries, which he likes to use, there’s a steady rotation with a mixture of A.B.V’s, to suit all drinking styles. One of his own personal favourites is The Burton Snatch style of Pale Ale, which, gets its name from its sulphurous whiff. “Smells horrible, tastes great.” Tempting though it was to work my way through the range, I decided to give my liver a break (Warren doesn’t spit), and select just a few to have a go at.

An exceptional IPA, this is a collaboration between the French St Germain Brewery and Noye Brewery from Norway. Using rhubarb from northern France, this has a lovely balance of bitter hops and a sweet, tart flavour, which belies its 6.9ABV

One of hi s own personal favouri tes is The B urton Snatch style of Pale Ale

FLYING DOG’S RAGING BITCH USA 8.3ABV An American import, this Belgian style India Pale Ale has a sweet, malty body, contrasting with pine and grapefruit hop flavours, with a bit of exotic fruit from the yeasty notes. 8.3ABV

ORVAL TRAPPIST BEER, BELGIUM 6.2ABV Produced by the Orval Trappist monks, this is the one and only beer produced by them that gets exported. In its quirky bowling pin style bottle, this is scarily moreish and considered one of the best pale ales in the world. 6.2ABV

CAMDEN TOWN GENTLEMAN’S WIT, ENGLAND 4.3ABV This started as a one off. Good wit, combined with slow roasted lemons, giving a caramelised, pithy sweetness combined with sharp citrus juice. Add a bit of bergamot and you have this little star. 4.3ABV summer

2015

TAST I NG N OTE S The Botanist Monument Mall, Newcastle www.thebotanist.uk.com/ newcastle

Food & Drink

CH EFS D INE OUT FR EE TIME IS R AR E AS A CH EF AN D EXTREMELY PR ECIOUS SO WH EN WE G O O U T TO EAT, IT H AD B ETTER BE G O O D. H ER E AR E A FEW OF M Y TR IED AND TESTED FAVO U R I TES ...

Lots of Theatre... The Man Behind the Curtain above Flannels on Vicar Lane, Leeds I love unusual people and when I met chef Michael O Hare a couple of years ago his flamboyant style intrigued me. I had to dine at his then York restaurant to appreciate what or who he was. He is, like me, from the North East via Yarm and Scandinavia (he was at Noma for a while). His Noma training shows through from time to time but his food is outstanding and all his own style. From the ingredients to the amazing plates, which are art on the table. A 12 course tasting menu is theatre from the cocktails to the final curtain; it has to be tasted to believed. Booking is essential and book early, it's hot. Smart dress code. www.manbehindthecurtain.co.uk

Day out in the dales The Garden Room The newly opened Garden Room restaurant in Leyburn at Tennants Auction Rooms is stunning and set a in a beautiful location. Head chef Lee Rushforth is a great talent and friend. We met at Swinton Park and he then went to work with Simon Rogan at L’ enclume. The menu is packed with seasonal and local products and Lee's love of foraged ingredients shines through. The food is tremendously good, a definite one to visit. www.tennantsgardenrooms.com

Coastal retreat The Cliffemount Hotel When I need some TLC I head to the coast and Runswick bay. The Cliffemount Hotel to be precise. It has private balconies and warm cosy rugs to curl up under and watch the sun go down.

The coast line is wonderful and so is the welcome from Chef proprietor Ian Rae and Head chef David Spencer. Passionate foodies, their menus and wine offer are seriously fabulous. The produce is so fresh it swims in or wanders over the moor, depending on the season. Combine this with wonderful rooms and the warmest welcome, not to mention some great deals on price, and it's a must visit for every busy person needing some quality downtime. www.cliffemounthotel.co.uk

Foodie heaven The Hare, Scawton, North Yorkshire One of my favourites, experimentation, imagination and passion is on the menu here in spades. The finest local ingredients, including vegetables, fruit and flowers from their garden, are showcased in outstanding taster menus from super talented Head Chef Paul Jackson. These come beautifully presented and represent amazingly good value. Nestled in the beautiful North Yorkshire Moors, in the pretty countryside village of Scawton, near Helmsley, The Hare offers three Tasting Menus and each dish is individually designed to showcase their team’s ability, local produce at its finest and different cooking techniques including both modern and traditional methods. The Hare is a 13th Century Inn with a 21st century restaurant. This is an absolute haven for foodies and it's soon to have rooms as well which no doubt will be equally as special. Owners Paul and Liz offer a warm welcome and I can never wait to return and see the seasonal changes. www.thehare-inn.co.uk

THE H ARE 9 COU R S E TASTING M ENU S A MPLE Hand Dived Scallop Celeriac, Apple, Smoked Eel Soave Sereole, Bertani 2012 (Veneto, Italy) Norfolk Quail Butternut Squash, Hen of the Wood, Tunworth, Wild Garlic Sutton Bank Dexter Watercress, Bone Marrow, Macademia, Smoked Oil Merlot, Bainskloof 2012 (Breede River Valley, South Africa) Sea Trout Asparagus, Jersey Royal, Langoustine, Morel Sancerre, Domaine du Nozay 2012 (Loire, France) Holme Farm Venison Beetroot, Blackberry, Liquorice, Goats Cheese, Walnut PSI Dominio De Pingus 2010 (Ribeadel Deuro, Spain) Gin and Tonic Granita Milk Honey, White Chocolate Rhubarb Ginger,Vanilla, Buttermilk 2012 Late Harvest Tokaji Katinka Partricius Chocolate Cherry Kirsch Petit Fours

GILLY ROBINSON IS AN EXPERIENCED CHEF WHO HAS WORKED AS A HOME ECONOMIST WITH CELEBRITY NAMES SUCH AS ROSEMARY SHRAGER. SHE OFFERS ‘COOK AT HOME’ TUITION AS WELL AS BEING HEAD TUTOR AT MALTON COOKERY SCHOOL. CONTACT HER ON GILLYTHECOOK@GMAIL.COM

summer

2015

WELCOME TO THE SUMMER OF PINOT AND ENJOY OUR RELAXING OUTDOOR SPACE PERFECTLY ACCOMPANIED BY OUR NEW SUMMER MENU This summer our Al Fresco menu brings you fresh, vibrant, seasonal dishes and a glorious celebration of our Summer of Pinot. Marry your meal to a hand-picked Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris or Pinot Blanc sourced from the world’s finest vintners, or even one of our specially sourced Champagnes or classic summer cocktails.

£17.95 FOR TWO COURSES WITH

A GLASS OF PINOT

THE GREAT OUTDOORS

AL FRESCO AT HOTEL DU VIN

0844 736 4259 TO BOOK A TABLE VISIT: www.HOTELDUVIN.com HOTEL DU VIN& BISTRO NEWCASTLE Allan House, City Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 2BE TERMS AND CONDITIONS: Not valid in conjunction with any other offer. Not available after 7pm on Friday, all day Saturday or during Sunday lunch. For full terms and conditions see website.

A World of Enchantment

L Child heaven

ittle ones will love the new Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Enchantment show. This action-packed ice spectacular features four fun-filled Disney stories and is coming to Newcastle's Metro Radio Arena on 6-11th October. Worlds of Enchantment showcases beloved characters from Disney Pixar’s Cars, The Little Mermaid, and Disney Pixar’s Toy Story 3, along with Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy. Joining these cherished characters are the stars of Disney’s Frozen. www.metroradioarena.co.uk Ticket Hotline: 0844 493 6666

ant somewhere fabulous to go for a break which welcomes children? We LOVE the families offer from the beautiful Matfen Hall. The team hasn't just paid 'lipservice' to the notion of 'child friendly'. Every little detail has been thought through to give you the ultimate family break. As well as 300 acres to run around in and the fabulous Go Ape activity centre, each child gets a goody bag full of toys featuring Matfen's gorgeous specially illustrated characters. Children even get rather stylish kids onesies to wear during the day, made especially by local company All in One. And, perhaps most importantly, they offer a nanny service, so mum and dad can enjoy a delicious romantic dinner and a glass of wine when the little ones are safely tucked up in bed. www.matfenhall.com

we love! Sa ilo r h o t pink gi rl s s an da l s £40 D r Marten s 153 Grain ger Stre et Newcas tl e

Eas y as ... Small one s w i ll love t he s e Kur ve bi ke s f rom Kiddimoto which help w i t h t he i r balance and coord i nat i on. Eq ually p e r fe c t for pira tes or p ri nce ss e s . RRP £ 6 4 .9 9 . w w w.k i d d i mot o.co.uk

Fairytale adventures

ove fairytales? Then head up to the enchanted lands of The Alnwick Garden this summer which has magically transformed itself into a garden of fairy tales. Beginning at the garden’s water tower, children will be provided with a fairy tale costume to dress up in and given a map of the garden together with 10 questions they must answer. These will help them find the hidden fairy tale character and prevent the Wicked Queen from poisoning the garden’s princess, Beauty. Along the way, they will encounter some ‘real-life’ fairy tale characters (played by actors) such as the Big Bad Wolf, Prince Charming and a proper princess, not to mention a singing bench, tiny door and humpty dumpty. At the end of their quest children will then be able to take part in a fairy tale themed arts and craft activity. www.alnwickgarden.com summer

2015

Weddings

THE

Wedding QUEEN

SHE HAS AN A D D IC T ION TO VO G U E A N D O NC E T R AINE D U N D E R A TOP CO U TU RI ER. LA DI DA ME E TS MOR PE T H’S F I RS T L A DY OF WEDDI NGS K ATHRYN TRU EM A N…

WORDS: LINDA JANE WESTPHAL

he rather fabulous Ms Trueman is singlehandedly responsible for bringing high end, fashion forward and totally swoonworthy gowns to this part of Northumberland. Brides travel from all over the region to see her and choose from a range of top designers in her gorgeous boutique at 42 Bridge Street. Step inside and it’s a confection of jawdroppingly gorgeous gowns, chic hats and stunning accessories. The boutique has been a labour of love for Kathryn, who has dreamed of having her own wedding dress boutique at Number 42 ever since she was a child. “I just remember standing outside the building with my mum and telling her ‘I’m going to have my own wedding dress shop here’ when I was a little girl,” she says. “A year or so into my new business I needed to expand and then No 42 came up. It just seemed like fate. But it was a big building and it was the height of the recession and I worried if the timing was right,” she explains. “My husband said to me ‘it’s meant to be’ and when I said I didn’t know if I could make it work, he just said ‘well you’re going to have to make it work’ and that was that really. We moved in and I have never looked back.” The boutique now offers a complete range of wedding services under one roof alongside the gorgeous gowns. It’s all part of Kathryn’s vision for making wedding planning as stress free and enjoyable as possible. “We really go the extra mile when it comes to our brides,” she says. “Nothing is too much trouble. It’s such a special time for a bride to choose her dress. Often she will bring her mum or members of her family and it needs to be a day she will always remember. I love helping to make it as special as possible. It makes me happy making people feel special.” The boutique specialises in avant garde bridal gowns with collections from Cymbeline of Paris, Claire Pettibone, Chanticleer of Cheltenham, Annasul Y, Demetrios, Cosmobella, Terry Fox, Ritva Westenius, Mooshki and Pronovias to name just a few. “When I first started I wanted brides in Northumberland to be able to

see fabulous designer names on their doorstep rather than having to travel to London and Manchester,” she explains. “We did a lot of research on the designers we wanted and many were so exclusive that they had very few stockists and some had none in the region. It took some persuading to allow me to stock them first of all but we have proved we have a market for something fashion forward and very special.” No doubt Kathryn’s passion and background helped seal the deal in the early years. She is a real fashionista, her home houses a huge collection of Vogues, and she trained in sewing under a top couturier. “I learned fine sewing by making dresses for debutantes in London. It was a great training ground. The couturier was very, very strict and everything had to be done properly.You weren’t allowed to wear nail varnish or lipstick whilst you were dealing with these fantastic dresses.” Now she stocks not only a huge collection of dresses but fabulous ranges of millinery and accessories as well. “The accessories are so important. I advise my brides to have a separate accessory appointment,” she explains. “Often they don’t want a veil but then we pop one on their heads with a certain dress and it just completes it and they love it. These appointments give them a chance to play and experiment and really pull the whole look together. “We can look at a bride and know instantly what will work on her but it’s about working with what she wants, her vision, and helping her to achieve that,” she says. “She needs to look and feel beautiful on her big day and it’s my privilege to help her.”

WEDDING NOTES KATHRYN S TRUEMAN BRIDAL, 42 BRIDGE STREET, MORPETH WWW.KATHRYNSTRUEMAN.CO.UK summer

2015

Country

CLA

Chic…

T HE C L A R E TU RN S TH I S YE A R I N S H OW S TO P P I NG ST Y L E A N D L A D I DA W I L L B E TH E RE…

here is one date that is a ‘must attend’ for the country set this summer, the CLA Game Show. The hugely popular three-day show is returning to the magnificent Harewood House estate in Yorkshire from Friday 31 July to Sunday 2nd August. As the world’s largest outdoor fieldsports-themed show, the CLA Game Fair boasts a comprehensive have-a-go itinerary including gundog handling, clay shooting, archery, fly fishing, coarse fishing, falconry, kayaking and ferreting. But the show always has a fair share of glamour too, attracting as it does the country’s most fine and fashionable folk. This year La Di Da will be in the thick of all the fabulousness, judging the Best Dressed Lady Award which we are thoroughly looking forward to. We recommend taking some time out to enjoy the VIP Picnic Lawn. In front of historic Harewood House, with a beautiful outlook, it’s perfect for a spot of people watching.Visitors can choose from a range of luxury hampers featuring locally sourced British produce and drinks. And, of course, you will need a rest from all that shopping. For three days every year, the CLA Game Fair becomes the seventh largest retail area anywhere in the UK with more than 850 stands. All the key country brands will be in residence from Holland & Holland and Dubarry to Patey Hats and Westley Richards so retail heaven! If you fancy enjoying the event in style, why not upgrade your visit to include access to the CLA Members’ Enclosure. Situated at the heart of the summer

2015

show, the exclusive marquee has seating inside and out, smart loos and a children’s play area to keep the kids happy.Visitors can also enjoy quality food from CGC Event Caterers, which will provide breakfasts, three course lunches and traditional afternoon teas created using local ingredients. There’s also a café style restaurant serving delicious snacks, a choice of local ales and a Pimm’s/Champagne bar for show goers wanting to add some party spirit to their visit. Or add to the occasion by arriving by private helicopter. Atlas Helicopters is running a bespoke helicopter charter service from nearby Bramham Park to this year’s CLA Game Fair to beat the traffic and queues. Each luxurious helicopter can transport five passengers and the journey takes just six minutes. Cost per passenger is £130+VAT for a day return flight. And, to end the day perfectly, why not opt for the VIP Accommodation Package at the award-winning Rudding Park hotel, near Harrogate. It includes overnight accommodation for two people in a double room; a three-course dinner, including a glass of Champagne in the award-winning Clocktower restaurant; a Yorkshire breakfast; transport to and from the show site; two entrance tickets; two show guides; CLA Members’ Enclosure badges; and lunch and afternoon tea in the elegant, lawned CLA Game Fair hospitality area. The double occupancy package is priced at £855+VAT and is available on a first come, first served basis, subject to availability. If you do feel the urge to splurge but are feeling guilty about splashing the cash, console yourself with the thought that this year children aged 16 and under, accompanied by adults, will be able to visit the three-day show for free.

Country

“why not add to t he occas io n by arri vi ng by pr i vate helicop ter? ”

Harewood House Trust

TO BOOK TICKETS, VISIT WWW.GAMEFAIR.CO.UK.

Riding Column

CLAIRE THORBURN IS DIRECTOR OF IMPACT PR & MARKETING WWW.IMPACTPR-M.CO.UK. THIS EDITION CLAIRE REMEMBERS HER CHERISHED HORSE MR KAI WHO WAS LOVED BY ALL INCLUDING ROYALTY AND SUPERMODELS

riding.

Royal Approval “ N O H O U R O F LIFE IS WA S TE D THAT IS SP ENT IN T H E SA DDL E , ” S AID W IN S TO N C HU RCHILL – AND I CO UL D N ’ T AG R E E MO R E .

ife for me, these days is a (happy) vortex of work, socialising, family life – and of course, the usual domestic drudgery. I often hear the Other Half giving a heavy sigh, as he passes my Tracey Emin-esque stack of ironing or as he opens the fridge door to the whiteness of desolate shelves. Meanwhile, my horses’ feed store bulges and a plethora of equestrian paraphernalia dries sweetly in the breeze, pegged carefully on our clothes line. But climbing aboard a horse and heading off in the saddle is being in the eye of that hurricane – it’s a still, blue window of calm when I can clear my head, take stock, plan and just enjoy the companionship and power of an animal that enthralls me. It’s very easy not to make time for the things we enjoy. The pressures of everyday life can all too easily dictate this and the things we like doing and are good for our soul become shunted into a dusty corner to gather cobwebs. I’m very proud of my business, Impact PR & Marketing which I have built up from scratch over the past ten years. But it is only now that I’m honing my work-life balance. A few years ago I was paying someone to ride my horses because I didn’t have time to ride myself, despite 5am starts and 10pm finishes. There was not enough hours in the day to work and play. “What’s the point of having a horse, then? You live to work, not work to live,” said the Other Half. He was right of course, but it still took several more years for me to pick up the reins,

MR KAI MEETS HRH

so to speak, and make time to be in the saddle. Last night I found myself battling with deadlines – including this column. And what did I do? Tack up Jack my new Irish Draught cob, step into the saddle and clop away down onto the beach. My reward, as we breached the whispering dunes was the incredible sight of Bamburgh beach stretching vastly from left to right, with the sea a distant blue, drawn tightly back by the low tide– and not a soul to be seen. It’s a vista I never take for granted and is a soul elixir. Dismounting, after an hour’s cantering across the sands, I felt inspired and revitalised with ideas for work, as well as a sense of calmness to come home and relax. Riding out gives me a platform to brainstorm and be creative. I’ll pass on the corporate team building away days, thank you very much. For me, it’s a case of saddling up my horse and away we go. I recently had to say goodbye to one of my favourite horses, Mr Kai, who I had to have put to sleep, after being together for eight years. Mr Kai was somewhat of a local legend – in part because he was a model and TV star but also because of his thuggish behaviour. I had an inkling he was a horse with character when I went to try him. After jumping a small fence with him, upon landing Mr Kai went one way, while I went the other. Filled with clear contempt for such a novice, Mr Kai charged off up the field, summer

2015

clearing a five bar gate into a riding arena and terrifying a small child having a lesson there. I knew he was the horse for me. His introduction to the local hunt caused much excitement when he decided to go on his own (solo) jolly through Alnwick town centre, after breaking away from me while I was putting him back into the trailer in The Pastures. He was prone to kicking out and to safeguarding others against his trigger-happy back end, I tied a bright red thong to his tail, which caused a certain amount of consternation but served its purpose, with riders giving us a wide berth. But Mr Kai was a horse I trusted with my life. A big, striking bay horse with a diamondshaped white star and the biggest of hearts, Mr Kai was every inch the perfect model and has featured in many a photo shoot. My photographer pal Paula Ansley of Paula Rosa Photography has immortalised him in a series of her works, which show him galloping, like a modern-day George Stubbs in front of Bamburgh Castle. He accompanied the supermodel Jodie Kidd along Bamburgh beach while she was filming for the BBC series Country Tracks and was praised as being a ‘handsome boy’ - while having his nose stroked - by none other than HRH The Prince of Wales, on a recent visit to Northumberland. Yes Churchill, I couldn’t agree more. No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle – or around my horses.

chic

Establishment

Country Feature

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Men’s Cotton Game Plantation Jacket, £450 Men’s Ls Cotton Wool Houndstooth Shirt, £110

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Slip Lead Natural Rope – Heavy, £50

Canvas And Leather Weekender Bag, £495

Adjustable Tan Leather Shooting Stick, £695

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2015

Travel

Luxe

Travels

LOO K I N G F OR I NS P I R AT I O N O N WH ERE TO H OLIDAY? WA N T TO K NOW INSID ER SECR ETS ON T HE B E S T HOT E L S A N D LU XE RESORTS ? WE SP OK E TO PAUL JOH NSON, ED I TO R O F A LU XU RY T RAV EL B LOG , F OR T H E IN S IDE SKINNY.

ove breath-taking landscapes and fascinating culture? Visit Oman. Tropical beaches and wildlife? Book a retreat in Sri Lanka. Prefer experiential holidays to package deals? Vietnam could be the destination for you. These are just a few of the many luxury destinations recommended by A Luxury Travel Blog, set up ten years ago by travel and marketing specialist Paul Johnson of Kendal, Cumbria. It’s been voted Number 1 travel blog in the world with over a million visitors across the blog and its social media channels making it the go-to place for holiday inspiration. “It is unique in that it was one of the very first blogs of its kind (most travel blogs back in the day were primarily first-hand accounts from backpackers) and it has a team of contributors (over 400 at the last count),” explains Paul. “It’s about good quality content.” So where does he holiday himself? “Greece for its relaxed atmosphere, South Africa for its diversity and Greenland for its scenery and uniqueness,” he says. Best ever holiday? “That’s a tough one,” he says. “The island of Jura in Scotland. We didn’t have television or hardly any mobile signal which meant quality time together as a family. Also South Africa on safari in the Eastern Cape (Shamwari Game Reserve). The most luxurious hotel you have ever stayed at? “Probably Badrutt’s Palace, St. Moritz” Paul prefers the countryside to city but loves Edinburgh and recommends the Chester Residence as a great place to stay. Closer to home Paul, who lives and works in the Kendal, loves to eat out at New Moon and Déjà vu restaurants or Sawdee if he fancies Thai food. He also owns a luxury riverside holiday apartment in the town. Find out more www.kendalcottages.com. For more holiday inspiration visit www.aluxurytravelblog.com

LU X U RY T RAV EL BLO G ’S TOP H OL I DAY DES T I NAT I O N S F O R 2 0 1 5 .

SR I LAN K A

VI ET N AM

For a small country, there is a lot on offer in Sri Lanka. The country is excellent value for money with hotels to suit every taste and budget. There is a fascinating cultural heritage as well as wildlife, colonial towns and tropical beaches

Vietnam has an interesting history and culture and is seeing more investment in its infrastructure, with the launch of an additional direct flight from London next summer and new hotels opening. As the trend for experiential holidays continues to develop, cookery schools are popular with guests wanting to learn how to recreate their favourite dishes

O MAN

CO LO M B I A Travellers are looking for lesser explored destinations for their holidays. Still largely untouched by mass tourism, Colombia is becoming popular. From Andean peaks and the lush Amazon basin, to tropical coastline and unspoilt beaches, there is a diverse mix of landscapes, colonial heritage and interesting towns and cities Combining breathtaking landscapes with a fascinating culture, Oman is perhaps the least known destination in the Middle East. But with the recent visit of Prince Harry, and new luxury hotels opening, this looks set to change. From magnificent forts and palaces to mountain ranges interspersed with lush wadis, Oman has a lot to offer with a relatively short flight time and minimal jet lag

WORDS: KATIE PARSONS AT COX & KINGS summer

2015

RO M AN I A Not many people know that the Prince of Wales owns a collection of houses in Transylvania, which he bought to preserve the cultural heritage of this little known part of Europe. Available for tourists to stay in, they give a glimpse into life in an 18th century Saxon village. The country has a wealth of sights to explore, including painted monasteries, dramatic castles, medieval towns and beautiful scenery.

Travel

Leeds Life…

TA K I N G A T R I P TO LE E DS THIS S U MMER ? A F T E R EX H AU S TIV E RE S E A RC H OVER MOR E T H A N A F E W CO CK TA ILS , S O C IE TY GIRL S A R A H A SS A N GIVE S HE R INS IDE R’S GUID E O N W H ER E TO S TAY A ND P LAY … .

Stay Try the Quebecs hotel, Leeds’ only independent boutique hotel in the city centre. Set within a Grade II listed building, Quebecs offers fab service and a beautiful,Victorian backdrop, it’s easy to see how this hotel made the Conde Nast Traveller’s ‘80 top hotels in the world’. Or for a central location you can’t beat The DoubleTree by Hilton, the 13th floor Sky Lounge bar offers delicious cocktails and unrivalled views of the city below. Like a Yorkshire version of Manhattan! www.hilton.com/Leeds www.quebecshotel.co.uk

Eat/Drink Head to Leeds’ ever expanding Arena Quarter and New York inspired Manahatta. It seamlessly combines New York glitz and glam with Leeds cool. A browse through the cocktail menu is a must. We love the Gin Garden which comes in at just 150 calories (we’ll have five please!). Head upstairs in Manahatta and you can get down to some disco inspired grooves including 80s Whitney vibes. A few paces down from Manahatta will take you to Bar Soba, which with it’s Pan Asian inspired food menu feels like 10,000 miles away. Food is well-priced and tasty and the cocktail menu is fun – we couldn’t resist the Um Bongo which took us right back to the 90s!

The Morning After For a tasty breakfast and a decent dose of caffeine, head to Mrs. Atha’s Coffee & Tea Room. It’s quaint, cute and independently owned, with a focus on high quality, locally sourced ingredients.

See If breakfast leaves you ready to face the world again, why not head to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park. It features work by both international and British artists, most notably Henry Moore, all set off perfectly by its backdrop of breathtakingly beautiful Yorkshire countryside. Catch Moore’s latest exhibition Henry Moore: Back to a Land until 6th September in the open air and Underground Gallery.

WITH A 24/7 JOB AS EVENTS AN D S ALES MANAGER AT H OTEL D U VIN N EWCAS TLE, KAT E EM BLETON’S BUSY SCH EDU LE INCLUD ES LOOKIN G AFTER TH E N EEDS O F TH EIR A LIST GUESTS INCLU DI N G CH ERYL VERSIN I FERN AN D EZ AND BEYO N CE S O WH O BETTER TO GO UND ERCOVE R AN D R EPO RT BACK ON TH E H OTELS SH E R EALLY R ATES … Crab & Lobster We went to this lovely hotel in North Yorkshire for a romantic break and loved it. With its themed rooms and gorgeous food with good ‘Yorkshire portions’, it has a great reputation and with good reason. Their themed rooms are famous and we had a luxury chalet style with a hot tub which was secluded and felt very luxurious. The hotel has a quirky, old school charm, the weather was fab and we felt as though they were abroad. The hotel was fully booked but never felt noisy and the service was superb. www.crabandlobster.co.uk Wynn Encore, Las Vegas We love Las Vegas and this hotel was pure luxury and great for celeb spotting. Wayne Rooney was staying there when we stayed. I went with my mum but I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending it to couples and families.You can reserve your own private Cabana around the temperature controlled pools and Jacuzzis so you can chill and relax after all the shopping and partying. It has more Forbes 5 star awards than any hotel group in the world and with good reason. www.wynnlasvegas.com Rockliffe Hall I went there as a treat with my husband before our little boy was born. It is without doubt the best Spa Hotel I have ever stayed in. The treatments are delivered in luxurious surroundings and I felt totally pampered. We loved the charming bar areas and giant whirlpool Jacuzzis. We had a suite with a plasma screen TV in the bathroom, the food and service was great and the whole experience was exceptional. www.rockliffehall.com Favourite city break hotel, Hotel du Vin Of course I would say that but I love all the Hotel Du Vins around the country and often choose to stay at them. They deliver to a really high level in terms of food and drink and the rooms and décor are always super stylish. My favourite? Newcastle of course, there’s a reason why we get all the big names staying with us. They love the beautiful suites overlooking the Tyne and the relaxed clubby ambience of our dining and bar areas and outdoor smoking room. We even have a special entrance and exit for them so they can avoid the paparazzi. www.hotelduvin.com

Even more shopping… Love Leeds for shopping? It’s about to get even better. We are all of an excitement about the Victoria Gate retail centre set to open in Autumn. It’s going to be a little slice of retail heaven and links to the historic and very la di da Victoria Quarter. It should be in every fashionista’s diary.

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Travel

Party like a Prince WAN T TO PA RT Y L I K E A M EM B ER OF T H E ROYA L FA M ILY? WE ASKED THE ULTI MAT E I NS I D E R , E DM UN D CO H EN , A N OLD C LA SS M AT E O F PR INCE HA R RY, FOR H IS RECOM M EN DAT ION S …

HIGHLAND FLING Rugged and breathtaking scenery sets the backdrop for a Scottish house party with a difference. Aldourie Castle is a stunning Grade A listed castle on the shores of Loch Ness and comes complete with 500 acres of private estate, beach, snooker table and range to practise your archery. Plus it is pet friendly so you can take the corgis. From just £153 per person per night.

ROYAL COURT With four poster beds, grand dining hall, games room, a ballroom for 150 people and even a basement dancefloor, North Cadbury Court combines grandeur and opulence with the kind of element of fun that makes for a house party to remember. Sleeping 50 people and offering extensive grounds to practice your archery or shooting, it makes a memorable venue for a party or wedding. Luckily, you don’t need a princely sum to stay there with prices from as little as £51 per person per night.

HORSE AND HOUNDS If you and your friends enjoy a day in the saddle before partying hard, you will struggle to find somewhere more spectacular for horse lovers than Pentillie Castle. Set in 2000 undulating acres of land on the Cornwall and Devon border, it is the perfect place to stay with your friends as you ride off by the river Tamar and up into the moors. Fully occupied, staying at Pentillie Castle can cost you as little as £55 per person per night.

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KING OF THE CASTLE The imposing walls, towers, wrought iron gates and elegant archways of Bickleigh Castle deliver the ultimate wow factor. This beautiful 11th century castle sits on the River Exe in Devon and sleeps 40, making it a wonderful venue for weddings or large parties and it can cost as little as £27 per person per night.

ISLAND KINGDOM

Ever fancied renting your own island? Try Spitbank Fort. Sit and enjoy the 360 degree views out to sea from your own private paradise and be king for a day. With nine luxurious bedrooms, you and your friends can enjoy a rooftop hot pool, sauna and bottles of fizz by the fire pit for the ultimate la di da party.

ALL OF THE HOUSES ABOVE CAN BE BOOKED THROUGH WWW.LANDEDHOUSES.CO.UK, A WEBSITE SET UP BY EDMUND THAT OPENS UP THE DOORS OF SOME OF THE UK’S MOST FABULOUS PROPERTIES FOR SURPRISINGLY AFFORDABLE VENUES FOR PARTIES, GROUP BOOKINGS AND WEDDINGS.

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Travel

“Start spreading the news…” FAN CY A WEEK E ND O F S H OPPING A N D PART YING IN T HE B I G A PPLE? UNIT E D AI RLINES NEW D I REC T F LIG H T FRO M NEWCA ST L E TO NEW YORK B EGINS ON MAY 23. LIZ LAM B AS KE D EX- PATS AND FREQUENT FLY E R S FO R T HEIR INSID E R SEC R ETS ON THE B EST PLACES TO VI SI T.

Aerial view of Manhattan’s West side and the High Line at the Rail Yards in the foreground. Photo by Iwan Baan

MIK E GR E HAN IS A GEORD IE WHO HA S LIVE D IN NEW YORK FOR EIGHT Y E A R S . HE WORKS FOR D IGITAL MA R K E TIN G COM PANY ACRONYM W HIC H IS B ASED ON THE 65TH FLO O R O F THE EM P IRE STATE B U ILDIN G . EAT/DRINK: “The Frying Pan is an old lightship berthed at Pier 66 and has become a very hip venue with bars and restaurants. It sits on the Hudson River with great views across to Jersey City. Warning: Get there early as it gets extremely busy pier66maritime.com.

street level, into the Crif Dogs Restaurant. Look in the lobby area for an old fashioned phone booth. Pick up the phone and buzz once (only once).You’ll hear a voice on the phone, and if you’re accepted, a secret panel inside the booth slides back, to that you can surreptitiously slip into the bar. Too much fun!

GARDENS:

EXPLORE:

“Another gem is Battery Gardens, a restaurant inside Battery Park batterygardens.com. Many tourists flock to the park for the ferry but most miss this cool spot with its upmarket indoor and outdoor dining, as well as the fabulous patio/beer garden area for drinks and dining. There are spectacular views across New York Bay to Governor’s Island, Liberty Island, Ellis Island and Staten Island.

“One thing that you should do is get OUT of Manhattan. In fact, get out of the State of New York. Drop down the subway stairs at Greely Sq, 33rd Street in the park, and look for signs for the (almost hidden) PATH train. This links New York directly with New Jersey and takes, literally, only 15 minutes to get to Hoboken (birthplace of one, Francis Albert Sinatra). It really has become such a hip place with fabulous bars and restaurants (mainly on Washington Street). And, of course, the views back across the Hudson of the Manhattan skyline are breathtaking.

SPEAKEASY: “My favorite is “Please Don’t Tell” (or PDT as it’s known) b/t Avenue A & 1st Ave, East Village, Alphabet City (pdtnyc.com) . To get in, you have to walk downstairs, below

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KIERON D ON OGH U E IS VICE PR ES IDEN T OF GLOBA L PLAYLIS TS STATEGY & CU R AT ION AT WARN ER MU S IC. H E REGULAR LY TR AV ELS BETWEEN H IS H OME IN THE NORT H EA S T A N D NEW YORK . HIDDEN GEM: “The Highline park is unique in that it is a park built on disused railway tracks elevated above the city. By climbing some steps in the beginning of the park in the Meatpacking District you can take a leisurely stroll above the streets of NYC without having to deal with the traffic. There are spots along the way where you can sit back and relax in designated chill out areas and also a selection of food/drink stalls in the summer months. A real hidden gem. www.thehighline.org

Travel

E MME LE NE ZACK, 24, FROM NE WCAS TLE, IS WORKING AS AN E X E CU TIVE ASSISTANT AS PART OF THE MO U NTBATTEN CROSS-CULTURAL PRO G R A MME WHICH ALLOWS GR A DU ATE S TO LIVE AND WORK IN THE C ITY.

PEOPLE WATCH: “My favourite spot is definitely Washington Square Park. It is located in the West Village, one of the trendiest areas of New York. I go almost every day on my way home from work; the park is always full of locals with everything from street dance shows to jazz bands and artists. There is also a massive dog park with some of NY’s poshest pooches and lots of cute little children with their nannies running enthusiastically after the giant bubbles being blown by street entertainers. It has got a lovely and very lively atmosphere.”

DRINK:

D OM M U N N ELLY I S STATION DIR ECTOR AT M ETRO R A DIO A N D N EW YORK IS ON E OF H IS FAVOUR IT E CIT IES . FOOD:

PARTY: “One of the best things about New York is that you feel like anything can happen. Last week a friend asked me if I would like to join her for a private party in the Winston Churchill Suite at the Waldorf Astoria in honour of a famous political journalist. Angelina Jolie had checked out of the same suite on Sunday. Needless to say the night was fabulous and I even got to bring home a few Waldorf cupcakes.”

DRINK: “Lightship Frying Pan a salvaged historic lightship now moored at Pier 66 within Hudson Riverside Park area. Great views of the river and Jersey.”

EAT:

STAY:

“Some of my favourite restaurants are Babbo and Sushi Samba. However you cannot beat The Chelsea Market for choice. The building itself is very chic with an open indoor giant tap fountain and its signature glittery clock archway.You can also find anything and everything you fancy to eat from lobster rolls, the best sushi you will ever eat, Japanese inspired taco’s, gourmet Italian food and artisanal cheeses.”

Element Hotel: “There’s a vibrant, young vibe to this place in Midtown West 10 min walk from Times Square. A nice surprise thanks to modern rooms featuring simple, European-style decor, comfy beds and fully stocked kitchens; the ideal location is close to Times Square but a few blocks from crazy tourist shenanigans, courteous staff, free Fixie bikes to ride around town and the great free breakfast and happy hour all make it a great place to stay.” 311 W 39th St, New York, NY 10018

SHOPPING:

“The city is full of amazing bars but I think 230 Fifth is one of the best. It is an incredible roof top bar in the flat iron district with an uninterrupted view of the Empire State building. It attracts a very suave crowd and has a great ambience.”

“I love Mercato in Hell’s Kitchen zone. As their website claims, a unique experience of Italian cuisine in the heart of remarkably unique City. 352 West 39th Street, New York, NY 10018 http://mercatonyc.com/”

“Personally I find Fifth Avenue and midtown to be perpetually overcrowded by tourists, I much prefer to go shopping in Soho, which has most of the same shops but is much quieter. It also has many more boutiques (for example the Kardashian DASH store) as well as lots of interesting vintage stores and quirky art galleries. “

PLAY: “The hi-line is incredible. It’s an oasis of calm in amongst the thumping hubbub of the City. Go first thing in the morning to appreciate this gem at its very best. “

UNITED AIRLINES WILL RUN NONSTOP FLIGHTS BETWEEN NEWCASTLE AND NEWARK LIBERTY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, NEW YORK, FROM MAY 23 TO SEPT 7, 2015. IT WILL BE NEWCASTLE’S FIRST SCHEDULED NONSTOP TRANS-ATLANTIC SERVICE. FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT UNITED.COM AND NEWCASTLEAIRPORT.COM

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NEW YORK,

New York...

...W H ERE TH E M A NHAT TA N S K Y LIN E T WIN K LES A S BRI GH TLY AS T HE D I A M O ND S IN T H E WIN DOW OF T I F FAN Y AN D FR A NK S I NAT R A C ROON S AWAY ON PE RMAN EN T LO O P ( AT L E A S T IN OU R T RAV EL EDITOR CATHA RI NE H E W I TS O N ’ S HE A D). H ERE, S H E TA K ES A BI TE OF S OM E O F T HE BI G A P PLE’S M OST G LAMOROU S A D D R E SS E S .

90 SHOP

No trip to New York is complete without a visit to the flagship TIFFANY & CO. store on Fifth Avenue. Ogle the magnificent 128.54 carat Tiffany diamond, then bring home something a little more purse-friendly in one of the store’s iconic blue gift boxes. 727 5th Avenue, tiffany.com

There’s no need to hail a taxi: luxe department store BERGDORF GOODMAN is right across the street. High-end labels including Chanel,Valentino, Prada and Christian Louboutin are all held under one roof for the ultimate one-stop shopping experience. 754 5th Avenue, bergdorfgoodman.com

NYC’s equivalent to the Harrods food hall, DEAN & DELUCA is a foodie mecca in the heart of SoHo. Forget drugstore candy: pick up gourmet treats to bring back home for friends and family (and yourself, of course). 560 Broadway, deandeluca.com

EAT

Begin the day with a lazy brunch at TINY’S & THE BAR UPSTAIRS. Try the health conscious super-food pancakes then spiral into a sugary descent with their baked French toast topped with crème anglaise, apple butter and toasted pecans. 135 W Broadway, tinysnyc.com summer

2015

If shopping and sightseeing has stirred up a serious appetite, grab a table at BALTHAZAR, a SoHo hot-spot where classic French brasserie fare rules the menu. Sit back, tuck into your plat du jour and indulge in some serious celeb-spotting. 80 Spring Street, balthazarny.com GRAMERCY TAVERN is a long-standing NYC favourite: its superb seasonal and locally-sourced tasting menu has been attracting New Yorkers and visitors alike since 1994. Reservation recommended. 42 E 20th Street, gramercytavern.com

Travel

TOP OF THE STANDARD is the place to be seen after hours. Unfortunately it’s VIP guest list only so, unless you have wangled yourself an invite, wear your absolute finest and hope to God you can talk your way past the doorman. 848 Washington Street, standardhotels.com

INDULGE Ease off the jetlag with a restorative treatment at the GUERLAIN SPA on the 19th floor of the Waldorf Astoria hotel. Try their ‘Urban Island Escape’, a full body treatment using honey-based products made from beehives on the hotel’s 20th floor. 100 E 50th Street, guerlainspas.com

It’s hard to believe that the gorgeous GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL was almost demolished in the 1970s. Thankfully its iconic features remain, such as the opal-faced clock on top of the information desk that’s rumoured to be worth $20 million. Don’t miss the Grand Central Oyster Bar on the lower concourse where you can dine on a platter of New York state’s finest bivalves. 89 E 42nd Street, grandcentralterminal.com, oysterbarny.com

STAY

Transform your post-travel tresses at DRYBAR with a professional wash and blow dry. If you’re feeling particularly diva, have a stylist come to your hotel room and fix you up for $95. Multiple locations across Manhattan, drybar.com

DRINK THE CAMPBELL APARTMENT will transport you right back to the 1920s with its wood panelling and red leather booths. Housed in the former office of a mega-rich American financier, this classy bar is the perfect place to hark back to old New York over a fine single malt. 15 Vanderbilt Avenue, hospitalityholdings.com For Mad Men style cocktails (an episode was filmed here) reserve a table at MONKEY BAR, owned by Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter. Think sultry jazz, killer cocktails and a high chance of rubbing shoulders with an A-lister. 60 E 54th Street, monkeybarnewyork.com

If cake is your more your thing, indulge yourself at MAGNOLIA BAKERY. Their banana pudding is to die for (it also makes a great breakfast - not that I’d know, of course...) Multiple locations across Manhattan, magnoliabakery.com

VISIT Dress to the nines and have a cultured evening at THE LINCOLN CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS. Book tickets in advance for the New York City ballet, Metropolitan Orchestra or the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. 10 Lincoln Center Plaza, lc. lincolncenter.org With views of Central Park, the Chrysler Building, Empire State Building and beyond, the panoramic deck at the TOP OF THE ROCK cannot be beaten. 30 Rockefeller Plaza, topoftherocknyc.com summer

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With a prime location at the top of the Time Warner Center, THE MANDARIN ORIENTAL’s 5* suites boast floor-to-ceiling windows with stunning views of Central Park, the Hudson River and the glittering New York skyline. Rates start at $581 per night plus taxes. 80 Columbus Circle, mandarinoriental.com At the heart of Greenwich Village, THE MARLTON HOTEL is small but perfectly formed and has two exclusive penthouse suites which come with their own private wet bar and rooftop terrace. Have a cocktail in the gorgeous wood-panelled lobby, or dine at its restaurant, Margaux. Starting at $575 per night plus taxes. 5 W 8th Street, marltonhotel.com Suites at THE SOHO GRAND HOTEL are a glamorous home away from home, equipped with a gourmet mini bar, an iMac and an extra deep bath for unwinding after a shopping marathon on Fifth Avenue. If you’re partial to a bit of space, the 2,500 sq ft penthouse lofts might just satisfy your requirements. Suites start at $1099 per night plus taxes. 310 West Broadway, sohogrand.com

Travel

Hotels

WAN T TO T R E AT YO U R S E L F TO SOM EWH ERE T RU LY M EM ORA B L E TO STAY? WE AS KED J O N T J Ë C U N L I F F E-L I S T ER , H ER M A J AT H RH H OT ELS, FOR HER I N S I DE TAK E O N A L L T HE FIN ES T A N D M OS T FA B U LOU S P LAC E S TO STAY.... THE GORING

ou don’t get much more regal than The Goring. Favoured by the Late Queen Mother (her favourite Eggs Drumkilbo is a must), granted a Royal Warrant by Her Majesty The Queen and chosen by the Duchess of Cambridge and the Middleton family to stay prior to the Royal Wedding in April 2011. The staff are every bit as impressive. On arrival I was met by the formidably charming Doorman, Peter Sweeney, resplendent in his summer doorman’s outfit topped off with a straw boater. Once inside I am greeted by Head Concierge, John Andrews. John currently holds the prestigious title of the ‘Best Concierge in the World’, quite an accolade and Michael Beaven, the Hotel’s Host, greets me like an old friend. “My job is to simply loiter in the lobby and find out what we can do to make our guests feel more at home.’’ Nice work if you can get it! One must make special mention of the Managing Director, David Morgan-Hewitt. David will have you reduced to fits of giggles with his quick witted sense of humour. The food offering at The Goring is every bit what you expect from a kitchen that regularly finds itself catering to the whims of royalty. Served in the bar, in the Swarovski chandelier lit Dining Room or on The Veranda, the food is never less than delightful.

LUCKNAM PARK HOTEL & SPA

Just recently, The Goring closed its doors for the first time since it opened in 1910 – not even two World Wars could make The Goring Family close its doors – but the spectacular new lobby was quite a feat. It was reopened by The Duchess of Cambridge to reveal state-of-theart lighting (that changes mood six times a day) enhancing the walls with their hand-made Fromental silk paper, decorated with amusing caricatures of the Goring family frolicking in the English countryside. Beeston Place, London, SW1W 0JW 020 7396 9000 reception@thegoring.com www.thegoring.com

rriving at Lucknam Park is as close as I will get to living at Downton Abbey. The mile long drive through the 500 acre family owned and run estate is graced with four hundred lime and beech trees that ensure that you feel that you have ‘arrived’ when you get to the Palladian mansion dating from 1720. Lucknam Spa appears to have it all, fine dining in the Michelin starred Park Restaurant and informal dining in The Brasserie. The luxurious Spa includes pool, thermal cabins, a Well Being House, Haslauer Reflective Sunlight therapy, dry flotation and a Burn Out treatment. In the grounds are an Equestrian Centre with 35 horses/ponies and a Cookery School. All 42 bedrooms and suites are elegant and unique with sumptuous soft furnishing and all the amenities that you would expect of a 5* hotel. At The Park Restaurant, under Executive Chef Hywel Jones, we indulged ourselves with the 8-course Gourmet Menu and were not disappointed. The Loin of Bwlch Farm Venison with winter vegetables, chocolate jelly and Bannerdown squash and cumin was firm favourite of the exquisite array of picturesque and flavoursome cuisine. Bath, Colerne, Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN14 8AZ 01225 742 777 reservations@lucknampark.co.uk www.lucknampark.com

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Travel

HOLBECK GHYLL HOTEL

indermere has long been one of my favourite places to visit. For those wanting to admire the most spectacular of Lake Scenery combined with fabulous food then Holbeck Ghyll is the ultimate gastro getaway in the North of England. The ‘Tarn House’ is the latest cottage to be acquired by the owners and is a stone’s throw from the main house. Floor to ceiling glass in all of the three bedrooms and the sitting room ensures uninterrupted views of Lake Windermere. We visited with our children and this cottage was perfect for our two night stay. Holbeck Ghyll was once the hunting lodge of a well-to-do family, Lord Lonsdale of the Lonsdale Boxing Belt fame. The ESPA Spa also offers Jane Iredale’s 100% natural mineral make up and Jessica nail treatments as well as LaStone Therapy. Arrive half an hour early to start the relaxation process by whiling away some time in the sauna or steam room. Dinner service in the restaurant is a perfect balance of the finest dining with unobtrusive service – we opted for the 7-course Gourmet Menu with wine flight (£133 per head). Chief Sommelier, Stefan Lydka, certainly has an enviable knowledge of his wines – the list consists of over 300 bins with many traditional favourites alongside more unusual wines from emerging wine regions such as Georgia, USA and Slovenia. By far the best thing about Holbeck Ghyll is Daisy ………… the golden retriever belonging to Managing Director, Andrew MacPherson, and available for walkies should guests so wish. Or bring your own pooch ……. your four legged friend would be made most welcome. Holbeck Lane, Windermere, Cumbria, LA23 1LU 01539 432 375 stay@holbeckghyll.com www.holbeckghyll.com

THE CAVENDISH HOTEL AT BASLOW SET ON THE CHATSWORTH ESTATE

here’s just something about The Cavendish. Over recent years it has re-invented itself with new interiors carefully chosen by the Duchess of Devonshire. There are two restaurants, the more formal Gallery Restaurant or the modern Garden Room, which is open for day-long casual bites. Plus, for a gastronomic adventure there’s the Chef ’s table in the kitchen. Squashy sofas, antiques, modern art and glossy mags combine to create a relaxing atmosphere and all the bedrooms have great views across the countryside. And in the morning, you can walk across the Estate to visit Chatsworth House and Garden. My favourite memory is at the end of a perfect summer’s day, sitting outside on the terrace with a glass of Laurent Perrier, the ‘house’ champagne, whilst soaking up that view. Baslow, Bakewell, DE45 1SP 01246 582311 info@cavendish-hotel.net www.cavendish-hotel.net

JONTJË CUNLIFFE-LISTER IS MD OF HIGHLY RECOMMENDED HOTELS, SOME OF THE FINEST HOTELS IN THE COUNTRY. WWW.HRH.CO.UK

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Travel

LA DI DA LONDON E DITOR L I Z L A M B HE A D S TO LON DON F OR A DEC A DEN T WEEK EN D OF DESI GN ER S HO P P I NG , A FT E R N OON T EA A N D C U LT U RE.

HERE’S Ralph Lauren denim on the walls of my hotel room! Not denim-effect wallpaper, actual denim-the type used in the fashion designer’s collections each season. Rumour has it interior designer Nina Campbell badgered Ralph Lauren for months to supply her with enough denim to adorn some of the rooms in The Capital Hotel, Knightsbridge. As I stroke the walls, I’m tempted to pull some scissors out of my handbag and cut a nice size 10-shaped hole out of the fabric but I resist. Someone may notice! It’s fitting for a fashionista that I should be in a deluxe room with a little slice of fashion history but I practically faint when I read The Capital’s sales blurb-“Time is of the essence, one minute to Harrods, two minutes to Harvey Nichols.” The hotel is so close to the shopping mecca of Harrods that you can practically smell the premium leather from the Dolce & Gabbana handbags in the accessories hall. And I can confirm that it is indeed just a minute’s walk to Harrods and even quicker if you’re wearing flats-I have the credit card bill to prove it. The Capital is situated in the heart of Knightsbridge, an areas which breathes luxury and decadence. When I arrive, there is a diamondencrusted car parked outside the hotel which oozes bling. The hotel is a home-from-home. The 5 star townhouse was opened in summer

1971 by Scottish hotelier David Levin, who pioneered the first gastro pub in Britain, and it became the first London hotel to also offer a fine dining restaurant. It continues to be a family-run establishment today with the hotel being managed by David’s daughter Kate. Levin had wanted to create a ‘grand hotel in miniature’ and The Capital is just that. The hotel has such a friendly feel and the staff are so accommodating it is like being welcomed into the bosom of a family. Quintessentially British with antiques, vintage fireplaces and paintings alongside floral curtains and bedspreads, it is a stark contrast to the modern, contemporary hotels that dominate the capital. Many well-known chefs launched their careers here including Gary Rhodes and it now boasts Outlaw’s, the first London Michelin-starred restaurant of award-winning chef Nathan Outlaw. Sadly, we didn’t get a chance to eat here as a night at the Royal Albert Hall beckoned but the seafood eaterie has been praised by critics and diners alike. We did have time for a couple of G&Ts though. The Capital’s woodpanelled bar is intimate and stocks an enviable collection of fine wines and spirits-including 40-year-old malts such as Macallan and Balbairmaking it a favourite haunt for whiskey connoisseurs. If you love tradition, fine food and a homely, luxurious feel when you stay away, not to mention a killer location then The Capital is just the hotel for you. I loved it and will visit as soon as my credit card has had time to recover.

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Feature Travel

The Capital, 22-24 Basil Street, Knightsbridge, London SW3 1AT (020) 7703 2653 capitalhotel.co.uk

Afternoon Tea:

o trip to London is complete without a spot of afternoon tea so I headed to the fabulously decadent Oscar Wilde lounge at Hotel Café Royal in Regent Street. Dating back to 1865, it is a place frequented by Oscar Wilde and where he fell in love with Lord Alfred Douglas and where The Beatles and Elizabeth Taylor danced the night away. If you want to see a Who’s Who of celebrities who have frequented the lounge then nip to the loo-the corridors are lined with framed photographs of celebrities who have dined there. Walking into the dining area you can’t fail to be wowed. The ceilings are decorated with gold-frame cherubs and the walls emblazoned with huge mirrors and more gold. If you like opulence you’ll love it here.

It’s great that there is a dress code-jeans and a jumper would be deeply offensive to such a decadent dining room. As a pianist entertained diners on a grand piano my friend and I were treated to a glass or two of champers (you can choose from Veuve Clicquot or Dom Perignon) and there are 21 teas to choose from. We opted for the High Society afternoon tea. Our meal began with low sidecar apple muffin topped with soft cheese and a pipette of apple juice. There was a brief reprise before sandwiches were served on a tiered stand. Fillings included coronation chicken, cucumber with cream cheese and red onion ketchup, wild boar with pickled apple on a caraway bun and a Café Royal ‘Wilde’ salmon. A chorizo, caramelised white onion and thyme Wellington (posh sausage roll) was also served. These were luxurious fillings fitting of our surroundings. After a palette cleanser of fruit tea and marshmallow next up was my favourite part of the meal-the desserts. I opted for a violet tea macaroon which was chewy and delicious. I followed this with a Pear Regent then an indulgent chocolate tart and a Boston choux. My favourite was the seasonal flower pot featuring apple puree and buttery crumble in a terracotta pot. By now our dresses were feeling tighter and we wondered how we would ever raise ourselves from the chair but the meal was far from over. Traditional golden raisin and plain scones were served with clotted cream, lemon curd and strawberry preserve. We were also invited to visit the cake stand but politely declined-we simply could not eat anymore. Decadent, opulent and fabulous, the High Society tea was very La Di Da! Oscar Wilde bar, Hotel Café Royal, 68 Regent Street, London W1b 4DY (020) 7406 3310 HotelCafeRoyal.com

LA DI DA TRAVELLED FIRST CLASS FROM THE NORTH EAST TO LONDON WITH VIRGIN TRAINS EAST COAST. VIRGIN TRAINS EAST COAST OPERATES FREQUENT HIGH SPEED SERVICES BETWEEN DARLINGTON AND LONDON, WITH LOW-FARES FROM JUST £14.50 EACH WAY. TO BOOK, VISIT: VIRGINTRAINSEASTCOAST.COM CUSTOMERS BOOKING DIRECT WITH VIRGIN TRAINS EAST COAST ALSO ENJOY THE BENEFIT OF BE ABLE TO COLLECT VIRGIN ATLANTIC FLYING CLUB MILES AND NECTAR POINTS.

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Travel

Chef on Chef T

his was my first Michelin starred trip to London of the year and it was a belter! Phillip Howard has been at the helm of The Square restaurant in Mayfair for 25 years and holding 2 Michelin stars for 18 of them. His classic cooking and use of seasonal produce has paved the way for this iconic restaurant to maintain its very high standards. On arrival we were greeted by a very cheerful waiter who asked if we would like our jackets taken. From there we were led to our table which was beautifully presented, with pressed white linen, sparkling glassware and the cutlery shone like mirrors. While we perused the menus, we had a gin and tonic aperitif chosen from the extensive gin menu. Five tasting menus were decided upon with wine to complement the dishes. The menu was varied and included some of the chef ’s signature dishes. Shortly after our order was taken, three amuse bouches were delivered. These were tiny morsels of taste and texture to warm up the palette before the nine course tasting began. All of the food was good but I was especially impressed by the Escalope of foie gras with endive, rhubarb and burnt orange. I love foie gras and this one was superb and was definitely dish of the day for me. Beautifully seared duck liver with a tangy and smokey

T H E ROS E A N D C ROWN AT ROM A LDK IRK IS C REATING QUITE A B U Z Z U N DER N EW HEAD CHEF DAV E H UN T ER . B U T WHAT D OES IT TA K E TO IM P RESS HIM? WE SENT H IM DOWN TO LA DI DA LOND ON RES TA U RA N T T H E S QUAR E TO SEE WH AT H E T H OU G H T...

burnt orange combined with slightly sour rhubarb. It was perfectly executed, a real triumph of a dish. The main course of this tasting menu was venison. It was rose coloured and unctuous and served with chervil root. Finally something I had never tasted before, its yellowish-white flesh and hint of chestnut went incredibly well with the rich venison and saltiness of the bacon. As a cheese lover it was nice to see a cheese course on the menu. French unpasteurised Brie stuffed with Truffle and served with compressed apple pickled walnut puree and sweet mead. It was a great dish but I just wanted more. We had just one remaining dish to try, the medjool date soufflé. As with any soufflé, there was a little interlude but when it was served it was amazing. The ice-cream was brought separately and then very carefully placed inside the soufflé. Light, hot in places and cool where the ice cream was melting. What an ending to a great meal! Who needs molecular gastronomy when

classic cooking can be as good as this? Just two words left to say Highly Recommended. Follow Dave on twitter @davechef1976

Causing a stir... Dave Hunter is Head Chef at The Rose and Crown at Romaldkirk in Teesdale. He took over the position a few months back at the beautiful 18th century inn which stands on the green of the picture postcard village. He was previously Head Chef at sister hotel Headlam Hall and built a reputation for his taster menus and delicious dishes which truly celebrated local teesdale produce. The move has allowed this talented, passionate chef an opportunity to be even more creative in the kitchen and his seasonal classic dishes with his trademark inventive twists are already causing a buzz. The latest people to be impressed were the top guys at YSL who came across to help prepare for the forthcoming exhibition, high praise indeed. WWW.ROSE-AND-CROWN.CO.UK

summer

2015

Feature

Playtime...

YOUR G U ID E TO W HAT ’S O N I N T HE NO RT H

THE R EG ION HA S A PAC K E D SE A S O N O F FO O D, C U LTU RE, M U S I C A N D CHIL DR E N'S AC T IV IT IES L IN E D U P IN T HE MO N TH S A H EA D. L A D I DA P I C K S S O M E HIG HL IG HTS...

Music for the masses A U G U ST 22 N D

JAMES Hardwick Live is back and it’s better than ever. The fantastic line up includes the legendary James, 10cc, Embrace and The Beat to name just a few along with very special guests Razorlight. Tickets for Hardwick Live 2015, priced from £8 children and £49 per adult, are available at www.hardwicklive.co.uk

Jurassic Garden

Northern Pride 1 7-19 JULY 2015

BWitched and Belinda Carlisle are heading up Pride this year. Newcastle Pride is a celebration of LGBT life on Tyneside and is one of the biggest and most diverse free events in the North East which starts with a Pride march through Newcastle and ends with a day of music, education, fun and celebration. www.northernpride.com

BWitched

Food for thought

1 4 J UN E

GREAT YORKSH IRE SHOW 1 4-16 JULY

Transport yourself back 60 million years on a Jurassic journey to glimpse T-Rex and Velociraptors as they stalk through The Alnwick Garden. Take up tools at their dig site to discover giant dinosaur bones and long lost fossils, and get up close with some of the less ferocious baby dinosaurs. www.alnwickgarden.com

More than 130,000 visitors are expected to attend one of England’s premier Northern agricultural shows.Visitors will see demonstrations of country skills, fashion shows, exhibitions of regional food and drink and exciting ring displays not to mention the fabulous shopping opportunities. www.greatyorkshireshow.co.uk

Foodie heaven...

Culture vulture

Malton Food Lovers Festival is a celebration of the very best Yorkshire produce and cooking. Set across the streets of Yorkshire’s Food Capital it is one of the best food festivals in the North. Top names appearing include Levi Roots,Valentine Warner, Prue Leith, Peter Sidwell, Diana Henry and William Sitwell. It includes live demos, cookery classes and a host of yummy food and drink stands. www.maltonyorkshire.co.uk

ANCIENT artefacts, contemporary ceramics, music and family fun are just some of the treats on offer at South Tyneside this summer with the annual Treasures of South Tyneside programme. This packed schedule of events, running from May to September, will include displays, exhibitions and interactive activities for people of all ages and the chance to see some of the region’s greatest historical treasures. www.visitsouthtyneside.co.uk.

2 3 - 24 T H M AY

MAY - SEP TEM BER

summer

2015

South Tyneside

Mardi Gras

4-14 JUNE 2015 Various locations across NewcastleGateshead ¡VAMOS! Festival celebrates Spanish and Portuguese speaking cultures with events that include a vibrant Mardi Gras performance, exclusive film premieres, outdoor family picnics, large scale pop-up restaurants, a major literary conference with internationally renowned speakers and cutting edge visual art from international artists. www.vamosfestival.com

Americana… 17- 19 JULY

Sage Gateshead Celebrating its tenth birthday in 2015, Sage Gateshead’s SummerTyne Americana Festival brings together the finest in American roots music – from southern soul and blues to gospel and rock ‘n’ roll. Festival headliners include Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell, Rosanne Cash and John Leventhal, Dan Penn & Spooner Oldham, The Shires, Jace Everett, Naomi Shelton and The Gospel Queens. The popular outdoor stage in Performance Square has more free music throughout the weekend. www.sagegateshead.com

See you there!

297 billion reasons to test drive the all-new Audi TT Roadster. It’s not just features like the electric hood that opens or closes in 10 seconds. Nor the Audi Virtual Cockpit and optional Super Sports seats with head level heating. In fact, there’s a whole sky full of reasons to experience the sheer drama of open-top driving – on a test drive in the all-new Audi TT Roadster.

Call your local Audi Centre to book a test drive.

Newcastle Audi

Tyneside Audi

Wearside Audi

Teesside Audi

Sanderson Street Scotswood Road Newcastle upon Tyne Tyne & Wear NE4 7LA 0191 226 1144 www.newcastle.audi.co.uk

Silverlink Park Wallsend Newcastle upon Tyne Tyne & Wear NE28 9NT 0191 289 6200 www.tyneside.audi.co.uk

Stadium Way (Opposite Stadium of Light) Sunderland Tyne & Wear SR5 1AT 0191 564 5600 www.wearside.audi.co.uk

Brooklime Avenue Preston Farm Stockton on Tees Cleveland TS18 3UR 01642 603 444 www.teesside.audi.co.uk

Official fuel consumption figures for the all-new Audi TT and TTS Roadster range in mpg (l/100km) from: Urban 29.7 (9.5) – 55.4 (5.1), Extra Urban 44.8 (6.3) – 72.4 (3.9), Combined 37.7 (7.5) – 65.7 (4.3). CO2 emissions: 174 – 114g/km. Standard EU Test figures for comparative purposes and may not reflect real driving results. Image is for illustrative purposes only.

Motoring

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOSHUA TARN WWW.JOSHUAJTARN.COM

The Middlesbrough Job W H EN WE H E A R D T HAT G L A M OROU S P ROF ESS ION A L ST U N T DRIVER KEL LY BIR D COU LD TEAC H U S HOW TO D R IV E ‘ITA LIA N J OB’ S T YLE, WE DEC ID ED TO PUT HER TO TH E T E S T A ND S E NT O U R V ERY OWN LA DY S T IG , R EBECCA COATES, DOWN TO R E P O RT B AC K … .

Now my o nly ques tio n i s whe n c an I do i t ag ai n?

hen La Di Da calls with a challenge, one has to jump - or in this case go on a stunt driving course! As a diehard petrol head this was no hardship really and I gladly headed to Middlesbrough with a high degree of excitement and a small amount of trepidation. My nerves instantly disappeared when we were met by the lovely Kelly Bird, a 21 year old stunt driving professional. Kelly was karting at three years old and hasn’t looked back since. Her relaxed and encouraging style is refreshing and instantly we were all put at ease. Being the only female my lovely (male) fellow participants kindly shoved me to the front to go first. I jumped into the passenger seat of a mini cooper with Kelly driving. She told me that I was going to

watch her and then have a go! She set off flat out in first gear and then yanked the handbrake and did a perfect 180o turn. My go next. With Kelly encouraging me, I hurtled down the track and yanked the handbrake when instructed, that was when the inane grinning started and to be honest I am still smiling now. The car pretty much ended up in the right place too which was a bonus. We then moved on to parallel parking, so much fun! By the afternoon we had also mastered donuts in a BMW Z3 and moved on to one handed and no handed donuts. Did I think I could do this with confidence before the course, absolutely not! Now my only question is when can I do it again?

BEH I ND T H E WH EEL F IND OUT MORE AB OU T TH E E XPERI ENC E DAYS , WH I C H I NC LU DES COU RS ES F O R C HI LD R E N OV ER THE AGE OF 14 AN D GROU P BO O K I NG S F ROM J A NE O R K EL LY AT T H E S T U N T D R I V E E XPERIE N CE ON 0779 4 608 755. WWW.S T U NT DRI V EEXP ERI ENC E.CO. U K summer

2015

Motoring

#CarCrush

summer

100 2015

Motoring Feature

WORDS: LINDA JANE WESTPHAL

PHOTOGRAPHY: JADE TURNBULL WWW.JADEPHOTOGRAPHY-ONLINE.COM

ROYALTY, B I L L I O NA I R E S A ND A STON EN T H U SIA S TS F ROM A ROU ND THE WOR L D SE N D TH EI R C A R S TO B E LOV IN G LY RESTORED AT T H E A S TON WOR KSHOP IN BEAMI S H . EAC H C A R C A N TA KE C RA F TSM EN OV ER A YEA R TO RESTOR E BUT T H E RES U LTS A R E BR E AT HTA K IN G . LA DI DA WA S IN V IT ED F OR A BEHIND THE SCEN ES P EA K A ND HA S D E VE LOP ED A M A J OR A STON C RU SH ...

At the he ar t of t he bu s i ne s s is a de dic ate d te am of s taf f who are co m m i t te d to re build ing and c ar i ng fo r, the ve r y fine s t of c ar s . . .

rom a sheep shed to a company whose services now span all five continents, the Aston Workshop, established in 1988 by Bob Fountain after he restored an Aston ‘barn find’ in his shed, has become famous for its superb craftsmanship and impeccably restored Aston Martin cars. VIPs from around the world send their cars here for top class TLC. State of the art facilities combined with being one of the few companies worldwide to be Aston Martin Authorised, has led this to be a truly international business. The website attracts more hits than any other Aston Martin website outside the official site and more than half their customers come from overseas. Behind the business is a passion for Astons. Totally dedicated to the Aston Martin marque, they take great pride in keeping this motoring legend alive.

The Aston Workshop, in the heart of beautiful Beamish countryside, is an absolute joy to visit. Passionate craftsmen who live and breathe Astons, a showroom full of the most beautiful classic cars in the world, this place is a complete one stop shop for all things Aston Martin. They even have their own art website, specialising in Aston Martin prints and sculpture. At the heart of the business is a dedicated team of staff who are committed to rebuilding and caring for the very finest of cars. Specialising in DB4s, DB5s and DB6s, they have restored cars that have won prizes throughout the world. They can find a vehicle to match the client’s precise requirements, whether it’s a ‘barn-find’ restoration project or a concours d’elegance winning show car, and then supply it at a contracted price. They kit classics out with the benefits of modern technology: new steering, gears and other features are installed but hidden from view, ensuring the integrity of the original design. Modern Astons are kept in top condition too. The craftsmen also build complete cars for people, an art form in its own right and one of the major strengths of the company. Their motto is that they deal in excellence and specialise in originality which neatly sums up why this business is so truly special. WWW.ASTON.CO.UK

The Old Sheep Shed where it all began

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101 2015

Cooper Teesside

The Ultimate Driving Machine

DRIVE IN LUXURY THIS SUMMER. THE BMW 6 SERIES CONVERTIBLE.

Feel at one with nature whilst indulging in the pure pleasure and power of precision engineering – get inside a 6 Series Convertible, an unprecedented driving pleasure with looks to match ultimate performance. Elegant styling, innovative technologies and superb performance unite to create a car that looks as good as it feels to drive, with comfort, connectivity and entertainment that goes beyond other cars in its class.

BMW Select Representative example: BMW 640d SE Convertible with optional metallic paint. Term of agreement

48 months

Total amount of credit

£49,677.99

47 monthly payments of

£699.00

Option to purchase fee**

£1.00

On the road cash price*

£71,495.00

Optional final payment**

£20,925.87

Customer deposit

£10,299.00

Total amount payable

£75,596.88

BMW deposit contribution

£11,518.01

Rate of interest

2.92% Fixed

Total deposit

£21,817.01

Representative 2.9% APR

For more information, and to arrange a test drive^, please contact Cooper Teesside today on 01642 693 523.

Cooper Teesside

Concorde Way, Preston Farm Ind. Est., Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland TS18 3RB www.cooperteessidebmw.co.uk Cooper Teesside is a credit broker and not a lender. Fuel economy figures for the BMW 640d SE Convertible: Extra Urban 40.4-55.4mpg (7.0-5.1l/100km), Urban 22.2-43.5mpg (12.7-6.5l/100km), Combined 31.050.4mpg (9.1-5.6l/100km), CO2 emissions 213-149g/km. Figures may vary depending on driving style and conditions. Finance example is for a BMW Select agreement for a BMW 640d SE Convertible with optional metallic paint, with a contract mileage of 40,000 miles and excess mileage charge of 15.57p per mile. Applies for new vehicles ordered between 1 April 2015 and 30 June 2015 and registered by 30 September 2015 (subject to availability). Retail customers only. *On the road cash price is based on manufacturer’s recommended retail price and includes 3 year BMW Retailer Warranty, BMW Emergency Service, 12 months’ road fund licence, vehicle first registration fee, delivery, number plates and VAT. **Optional final payment and option to purchase fee not payable if you opt to return the vehicle at the end of the agreement (vehicle condition, excess mileage and other charges may be payable). Finance available subject to credit acceptance to UK residents aged 18 or over. Guarantees and indemnities may be required. Terms and conditions apply. Offer may be varied, withdrawn or extended at any time. ‘BMW Select’ is a form of hire-purchase agreement provided by BMW Financial Services (GB) Limited, Bartley Way, Hook, Hampshire RG27 9UF. You will have a 14 day statutory right to withdraw from the agreement. Inchcape Retail trading as The Cooper Group commonly introduce customers to BMW Financial Services, for which we may receive payment if you enter into an agreement with them. This introduction does not amount to independent financial advice. ∧Test drive subject to applicant status and availability. BMW EfficientDynamics reduces BMW emissions without compromising performance developments and is standard across the model range.

Motoring

OBJECT OF LUST T H E N EW B M W 6 S E R I E S CO N V ERT IB LE IS S U RE TO T URN H EAD S T HI S S U M M E R FOR A LL T H E RIG H T REA S ON S . LA D I DA TA K E S A LO O K A ND IS S ERIOU SLY IM P RESS ED….

ood looks aren’t everything of course, but they help a lot. Call us shallow but we’re very taken with the new design features on the BMW 6 Series Convertible. Launched in March this year, it boasts enhancements in line with the luxurious character and exclusiveness of the 6 Series range. New developments include design enhancements to the styling of the front and rear which boost the sportiness and elegance of the model, new interior designs and a new addition to the model line-up to increase customer choice. The interiors of the new BMW 6 Series range also now feature additional standard equipment which adds to the lavishly appointed modern design. These include a Multi-functional instrument panel and Nappa leather instrument panel with contrast stitching. And there are also new design choices available which feature a variety of interior and exterior design options.

Stand out from t he c rowd this Sum me r. . .

THESE I NC LU D E: > NEW O P T I ONA L 20” A L LOY W HE E L > NEW M ETA L L I C CO LO U RS I N C LU D I N G : – M EL BO U RNE RED – M EDI T ERRA NEA N B LU E – J ATO BA – C A S H M ERE S I LV ER – G L AC I ER S I LV ER > NEW F I NEL I NE CO G NAC I N T E R I O R T R I M > NEW BI - COLO U R NA P PA L E AT HE R I N T E R I O R S – I VORY WH I T E WI T H B LAC K I N S E RTS – COG NAC WI T H BL AC K I N S E RTS BMW Individual is also available allowing customers to personalise their new BMW 6 Series model with a variety of unique interior trims, paintworks or their own bespoke requirements so you can make sure you definitely stand out from the crowd this summer.

G E T MOTO RING FOR MORE I NF O RM AT I O N OR TO A RRA NG E A T ES T DRI VE CO N TAC T COOPER T EESS I DE O N 01642 693 523. summer

103 2015

Interiors

Dreamy interiors...

love people with a grand vision and the owners of this house certainly had that. It was a huge project, effectively doubling the size of the property and I oversaw all of the architecture and interior design with a budget of £450,000. From acquiring leather for sofas from Italy to the ensuite bathroom sink being sourced from Spain, we filled the house with unique fixtures and fittings. The nursery incorporates hand painted murals with a spaceman theme because the owner’s two young boys love anything to do with space. The reception rooms were given a classic yet contemporary flowing feel in sumptuous creams, injected with beautiful oak furniture which sits perfectly alongside the modern pieces of furniture. Decoupage is the art of decorating with wallpaper. Think jigsaw puzzles.Yes, a little strange when we think of wallpapers but trust us it works! This was used in the snug with the client initially being warned she would find it very unusual until it dried. She did! However, within 24 hours she had fallen in love with it.

The couple had a grand vision for their house and spent lavishly to achieve their dream interiors GEORGE BOND I NTERI ORS

(0191) 281 7799

EN QUIR IES @G EORG EB ON D. T V

Ice & a Slice... IT 'S TH E S EASO N FO R FA B U LO U S P IC N IC S A N D A L F RES CO DIN IN G. AS WE KN OW LA DI DA R E A D E R S L I K E TO DIN E OU T IN ST YLE, WE H AV E PICKED FOUR O F TH E F I N ES T I C E B U C K E TS K N OWN TO H U M A N IT Y. J U ST A DD DRINK...

TOM DIXON HEX CHAMPAGNE BUCKET

JOHN LEWIS VICTORIAN CUT GLASS ICE BUCKET

CULINARY CONCEPTS SILVER PLATED CHAMPAGNE BATH

All ice buckets available from www.johnlewis.com summer

104 2015

BOMBAY CAFE BEER TUB

Feature

T HE I N T E R I O R S E D I T

Make a

statement...

FASHION F OR WA R D P IECE S A DD A N IN S TA N T STYLE IN J ECT ION A N D D ELIV ER IN T ER IOR S WITH TH E WOW FACTO R ...

Ellis sofa in cotton £1075 www.barkerandstonehouse.co.uk

Lampshade Ball £119 www.barkerandstonehouse.co.uk

Mini Trees Cushion £35 www.johnlewis.com

Sebastian 7 Drop Light £290 www.johnlewis.com

Hudson Living Jeeves Drinks Cabinet £999 www.johnlewis.com Voyage Partridge Lampshade £65 www.johnlewis.com

Cow Hide Rug £495 www.barkerandstonehouse.co.uk

Combi Tea Light Holder £12 www.boconcept.com

Tahoe Table £935 www.barkerandstonehouse.co.uk summer

105 2015

Interiors

Grand Designs TOP EN T R E P R E NE U R MIK E O DYSS E A S H A S TRA N S FO RM E D A N E G L E CT E D PERIOD HOU SE INTO A N U LTRA LU X U RI O U S FA M I LY W H I C H M A NAG E S TO S TAY T RU E TO ITS D E SIGN H E RI TAG E W H I L E B OA S TI N G S PAC E AGE STO R AG E F OR HIS BE LOV E D F E R RA RI . L I NDA JA NE W ES T P H A L TA K E S A LO O K...

ho lives in a house like this? Well clearly somebody with exquisite taste, an exceptional eye for detail and the deep pockets needed to totally refurbish a 1850 period property in such an exacting manner that every period feature is celebrated and every nook and cranny design perfection. Step forward Stockton business telecommunications entrepreneur Mike Odysseas. He has successfully built an award winning business through his drive, passion

and attention to detail. And it is these qualities that can be seen in every aspect of the beautiful renovation. The 5 bedroom 5 bathroom house in Darlington’s genteel West End is exquisite. Room after room of beautifully designed interiors with every conceivable mod con you could ever wish for including the ‘James Bond style’ underground car park built for his Ferrari. The underground garage is hidden within the front lawned area with remote control operation and fully lawned roof. The car disappears underground and is then hidden by the immaculate lawn. summer

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The house is now up for sale and Mike is philosophical about the time and money invested in the property which has served as the family home for the last few years. “I spent a fortune on the house but I wanted it to be renovated properly. I used only the best craftsmen and we went to extraordinary lengths to make sure every element was in keeping with the history of the house. Whoever buys it will get an absolute bargain because I invested as much into the property as I am selling it for. But it’s a lovely home to live in and I don’t regret the time it took to restore it back to its former glory.”

Interiors

ELTON PARADE, DARLINGTON, DL3 8PJ THE HOUSE IS ON SALE THROUGH CARVER RESIDENTIAL. YOU CAN SEE A VIDEO TOUR OF THE HOME AT WWW.NICKCARVER.COM. summer

107 2015

Interiors

SO DES RES...

HI GH F LYING L AWY E R , A LOK LOO M B A , H A S A N E YE FO R D ETA IL, AND, A S OU R R AT HE R FA B U LO U S G RO O M I N G ED I TOR, A NAT U R A L SE NSE OF STYL E. H E H A S S P E N T A Y EAR R ENOVAT IN G HIS NE W HO M E I N JE S M O N D A N D LA DI DA COU L D N’T WA IT TO TA K E A LO O K …

e may be a top legal eagle and a partner in the prestigious Sintons law firm, but 35 year old Alok Loomba is not your average stereotypical solicitor. With natural flair and style, his interiors were always going to be a bit special. A nationally recognised specialist in leisure work, he spends much of his time travelling overseas so he enjoys being at home surrounded by his friends and family in his beautiful house in fashionable Jesmond. Alok has lived in his spacious Victorian end of terrace house for just over a year now and during this time he has fully refurbished every room, overseeing the design himself, despite his busy schedule. The finished look is ‘masculine but not bachelor’ in feel and is warm and welcoming. A natural extrovert, he enjoys entertaining and often summer

hosts drinks and dinner parties at home. The main living area is open plan, which lends itself perfectly to socialising, boasting two living rooms and a kitchen with dining space. The space is anchored by a striking staircase which is a real feature of the house and has been fully restored. It is just one of many original features which run throughout the house. The floorboards have been fully restored, as has the fireplace, and the freestanding bath has also been fully renovated, all in keeping with the house’s original design Neutral tones have been used extensively throughout which adds to the spacious feel and feature walls decorated with striking wallpaper have been cleverly used to add depth to the neutral colour palette. All of the paints and wallpapers are from the elegant Farrow & Ball ranges.

108 2015

Interiors

FINISHING TOUCHES

This quote by Fashion icon Karl Lagerfeld is one of Alok’s favourites and had real resonance for him as he was growing up. He prefers a contemporary, uncluttered feel in his home and everything on display has earned its place in his home through being either beautiful or meaningful.

2 As a successful lawyer, Alok has exceptional attention to detail and this is evident throughout his beautiful home.

The open plan downstairs features two living areas and a kitchen and dining space, all in neutral tones. To add depth and interest, Alok has chosen a feature wall with stripes married with accessories in matching tones but with added texture and pattern to add layers to his interior scheme. A cleverly placed mirror plays with the light in the room and enhances the spacious feel.

On the mantelpiece of his living room is a Ganapati, a solid marble elephant adorned with 22ct gold leaf and encrusted with semi-precious stones. The piece is a deity of the Hindu religion, and to have one in your home is essential. It is a recognised Hindu lucky charm for protection, prosperity, wealth and luck.

4 The Master bedroom is one of Alok’s favourite rooms, with a super king size bed, and adjoining shower and wet room en-suite which he had built specially. Rare Lalique lamps are placed either side of the bed which add theatre and are real statement pieces. As befits the La Di Da Grooming Editor, expensive grooming products can be found everywhere in his bedroom and bathroom, including his favourite scent Tom Ford Noir Extreme, which is very exclusive and only available in the Middle East. Needless to say, his home smells fabulous. And, with a keen

sense of personal style, it comes as no surprise that one bedroom of the house has been converted into a walk in wardrobe to house his extensive selection of clothing. As a successful lawyer, Alok has exceptional attention to detail and this is evident throughout his beautiful home. Every element has been carefully thought through to deliver a beautiful and very stylish home that is as understated as it is elegant.

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109 2015

His period home also features many modern touches. The doors between the living rooms are bespoke and made to Alok’s requirements with crystal handles which matches the crystal handle on his outside door and frosted glass.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY WWW.CARROOFWYNYARD.CO.UK

TO N Y THO R P E AT IAM VIP

TO NY T H O RP E AT IAM VIP

TONY THORPE AT I AMVI P

Society

PARTY OF THE YEAR P IC CRE D IT: JOS H UA TA R N

STING was star of the show at the official opening of Chez Mal, the new bar and brasserie at Malmaison Newcastle. The A-lister, who was staying at the hotel, popped into the launch party during preparations for his show at The Sage Gateshead.

ALEX SAVAGE AT I AMVI P

The launch has already been hailed as THE party of the year. No expense was spared with VIP guests treated to free cocktails, champagne and fine wines while enjoying a gastronomic feast of meats and seafood. TOWIE star Mark Wright took time off from his wedding preparations to ex-Coronation Street actress Michelle Keegan to DJ at the event. TO NY T H OR PE AT I A MV I P

Mark said: “I love Newcastle. I had my first proper night out here when I did a launch and I didn’t know what to expect but it was genuinely one of the best nights out I have ever had.

ALEX SAVAGE AT I AMVI P

“I came back here for the Strictly tour and had another great night-I say to everyone back home that it’s my second favourite city. Everyone is so friendly and welcoming. “When Malmaison asked me to DJ I couldn’t wait. I’ve stayed in Malmaison a couple of times and I love it.”

ALEX SAVAG E AT I AM V I P

Other guests at the event, organised by General Manager Vincent Garrington and Claire Barber PR, included the Moffatt family from TV show Gogglebox

P IC CRE D IT: JOS H UA TA R N

A LEX S AVAGE AT IAM VIP summer

S T ING WAS THE S TAR OF THE SHOW

ALEX SAVAG E AT I AMVI P

110 2015

Feature

Society

FASHION FABULOUS LA DI DA was invited to the fantastic catwalk show held by intu Eldon Square which featured all of this season’s must haves from high street favourites including Dorothy Perkins, John Lewis, Miss Selfridge, Monsoon, New Look, River Island, Superdry, Topshop and Topman. It even had a sprinkle of celeb fairydust courtesy of the fabulous Amy Childs who took the show by storm, modelling her own collection available at Dorothy Perkins.

Society

ALICE BALL LA DI DA was media sponsor at one of the events of the year, the prestigious Alice in Wonderland Ball held in aid of North Tees Neonatal Unit. Organised by Carro of Wynyard, Wynyard Hall became a wonderland for the evening, courtesy of SC Styling and Perfectly You events. The ballroom was transformed with magical characters from the book and guests enjoyed a gorgeous Mad Hatters Tea Party and lots of ‘drink me’ bottles of Alice cocktails. The event included an auction and a stellar line up of live music which included Val Boyers and The Darlington and Stockton Ukulele Express.

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111 2015

Society

MESSING ABOUT ON THE WATER LA DI DA loves an occasion to dress up and was lucky enough to get an invite to the preview of The Henley Royal Regatta. The high society event takes place this summer from July 1-5. We sailed down the Thames in the company of legendary Olympic rower Sir Steve Redgrave, the new chair of the Henley Royal Regatta and Sir Matthew Pinsent and Mark Hunter MBE. Guests enjoyed a fabulous Afternoon Tea courtesy of Sodexo Prestige which included super delish macaroons and brownies and lots of very moreish cocktails. www.hrr.co.uk

Society

ENCHANTED EVENING The theme for this year’s Red House School PTA Ball was ‘The Enchanted Garden’ and it was held at Wynyard Hall. The Hall was transformed into an Enchanted Garden for the super fabulous event. Guests started the evening with a drinks reception where they were greeted by stilt walkers and a ‘living’ marble statue. The Hall served a magnificent enchanted meal and Red House held an auction to raise funds before ending the evening with dancing and live music. Photography by www.carroofwynyard.co.uk summer

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Society

DIGITAL FASHION LA DI DA was invited to a special event at Psyche in Middlesbrough to celebrate the official launch of the company’s new global eCommerce website. The event was also attended by fashion giants from Paul Smith, Armani and Polo Ralph Lauren. The event, which saw around 500 guests in total enjoy the evening, also raised funds for Psyche’s chosen charity, the South Cleveland Heart Fund.

Society

BUSINESS GLITTERATI LA DI DA enjoyed a delicious Watermelon cocktail or two and mixed with the great and good of the Newcastle Business scene at the very fabulous Tiger Hornsby, Quayside, Newcastle, for the venue’s inaugural networking and cocktail party.

POSH POOCH

eâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve fallen in love with this gorgeous Beagle called Henrik. He came along to our Ascot-themed fashion shoot but instead of sitting still with the pugs for our group shot Henrik bolted for the gardens in search of mischief. When the shoot was over photographer Jade managed to capture the fun-loving Beagle in a fleeting moment of calm Thanks to owner Kelly Hepworth for bringing him along. He was so much fun.

STYLING BY LIZ LAMB

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JADE TURNBULL JADEPHOTOGRAPHY-ONLINE.COM summer

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