28.12.14
Happy New Year! See in 2015 with style
INSIDE: + WIN: ART DECO PARTY JEWELS
MAKE THIS YOUR BEST YEAR EVER... + GET HEALTHY + LOOK FABULOUS + HAVE FUN
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PLUS: + CORNISH
RETREATS
+ COMFORT
BAKING
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INTERIORS Cool luxe
‘To find something funny every day and laugh out loud about it (although it’s more of a snort, I’m told)’
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2014 CHANGED MY LIFE Inspiring real-life stories
New Year’s resolutions, p 14
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VROOM We roadtest a rather nice car
[contents[ Inside this week... 6
THE WISHLIST
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GET YOUR SKATES ON
What to buy, where to go Great Westcountry days out on ice
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MODERN MANORS Kishanda has a happy Christmas tail
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ONE OF US Kristin Scott Thomas is from Redruth
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RESOLUTIONS REVEALED
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FASHION Party outfits for the best NY Eve ever
Caroline Quentin, Tim Smit, Seth Lakeman (and more) tell all
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2014 CHANGED MY LIFE
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BEAUTY
Inspiring real-life stories
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GET AWAY Our tips for a good weekend
Tips and treats for looking your best
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CELEBRATE IN STYLE The best New Year’s Eve outfits
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GET THE LOOK A party make-up masterclass
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SNUGGLE UP Comfort baking with Kate Shirazi
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EATING OUT Coastal cuisine in Cornwall
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THE BEER PAGE Why you shouldn’t give up drinking
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GREAT GADGETS The best desktop distractions
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MAN & BOY 3,000 Lego pieces later...
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MY WESTCOUNTRY
Bestselling Babette Cole
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INTERIORS
Cool style in Cornwall
[ welcome [
Interview
Did you have a lovely time?
whose creative Devon woman Sarah Pitt meets the s shimmer with possibility winter wonderland
By Sarah Pitt
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line of clothes t was a washing glimpsed from drying in the breeze, window, which a railway carriage
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river. something the glass needed ing line from wire.” college, she But Jenny knew but studio at the art more, Back in the glass glass then didn’t know quite mould with molten Jenny half-filled a washing what. carefully place the used tweezers to had to work “Then I was on a little scene. She line and clothes in to glass has to the train going the second layer of quickly, because to cool the first had a chance my parents’ house be poured on before in Tavistock, and off. kiln to work into a special I saw all the washNext, she put her its molten very slowly from ing lines blowing allow it to cool down anneala process called out the back of the temperature of 1,110C, houses from cracking. piece terraced the took ing which prevents came when Jenny in Plymouth,” she her The moment of truth cut out machine and revealed it’. I went back and the cast from the says. “I thought ‘that’s a washmetal mesh and made some clothes from
‘everyone smiled when a they saw it. it got such i was response that i knew onto something’
the sparked idea for Jenny Ayrton’s very winter first wonderland. At the time, starting just out as a student at Plymouth College sand castexperimenting with holof Art, Jenny was glass into simple moulds ing, pouring molten
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CLash & CLash,
steve haywood
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lowed in sand. magical out had something The effects coming shaped textured as though owing about them, the glass a storm or a fast-fl by the forces of nature,
images from clockwise:
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JENNY AYRTON
Art of glass
caught within glass. shimmering scene she says. when they saw it,” “Everyone smiled on to that I knew I was “It got such a response
something.” world of was a newbie to the At the time Jenny year at student in her first glass art, a part-time first career enrolled after her the college. She’d a routine hit the buffers when as a yachtswoman “That was she was colour blind. medical revealed a real blow,” she says. of 25 – – at the great age As a mature student based on was a leap of faith, going back college enjoying art at school. her memories of to Rob, just got engaged At the time she had
quite a feisty didn’t fit in. It was but I found that I audience and they there was a constant who is in the Navy, environment, and doing right now her husband, you what you were near Plymouth. of people telling were living at Plympton town and I for me. walking through or wrong. It wasn’t ceramics, “One day, we were to colmaking and I tried I wanted to go back “I tried jewellery I discov“The mentioned how much seemed to click. Then creative,” she says. but nothing ever lege and do something cafe over I was sitting in the glass ered sand casting.” next thing I knew in the applitechnique that every art college, filling Sand casting is a as a stepthe road from the me.” is often seen more said he would support student learns, but Whittingjob cation form. Rob of her tutor Amy herself with a part-time it ping stone. With help impressive She also supported where creations include at the art college, ham – whose own the posthroughout her time started exploring to find her niche. glass skulls – Jenny partly, her, hot to to took a little while access appealed glass people who have sibilities. Sand-cast other forms out “The majority of complicated than she says. “I started because it was less glass are glass blowers,” wanted to blow glass, that I at college thinking
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Tweet
of the week @JennyAyrton @stevenhaywood1 Thank you for the fab photos in @WMNWest
We hope you had lots of fun at Christmas and managed to get some rest, good food and cheery company along the way. I don’t know about you but since then I’ve been busily sorting out the recycling, tidying up the house and cooking vatfuls of turkey vegetable soup. Oh - and getting ready for New Year’s Eve too, of course. And here at West we think you’ll find this week’s magazine a real inspiration for the big night - as well as the year to come. First things first, we’ve got some terrific fashion ideas for party outfits, many of them extremely flattering in case you’ve overdone things over Christmas. Then, if New Year resolutions are on your mind (and who doesn’t make at least one or two?) turn to page 14 to
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find out what some of the Westcountry’s most colourful characters plan to do in 2015. From TV’s Caroline Quentin to folk star Seth Lakeman, we’ve got some inspiring - and surprising - resolutions to share. Talking of inspiration, on page 18 today we have some heartwarming reallife stories from local people who turned their lives around in 2014. They really are a reminder of the difference a year can make. Back in the here and now, we’ve also got a great cake recipe (p 35), some fabulous Cornish interiors (p 22) and Anne Swithinbank’s tales of wildlife in her garden (p 26). So it only remaims to wish you a very Happy New Year!
Their heart-warming stories really are a reminder of the difference a year can make
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Becky Sheaves, Editor
CONTACT: westmag@westernmorningnews.co.uk Tel: 01392 442250 Twitter @wmnwest
COVER IMAGE: M&Co
MEET THE TEAM Becky Sheaves, Editor
Sarah Pitt
Kathryn Clarke-McLeod
Catherine Barnes
Phil Goodwin
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If you buy one thing this week...
Win
Sparkle at the New Year party with this swell Art Deco diamante headband, £25, from online vintage enthusiasts Rock My Vintage www.rockmyvintage.co.uk For your chance to win one, email your name, address and contact details to westmag@westernmorningnews.co.uk by January 11 with ‘Headband Competition’ as the subject line. Normal terms apply.
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ALL ABOARD Routemaster London bus bookend, £18, www.redcandy.co.uk
Cosy Sophie Allport winter woodland hot water bottle cover £14.50, www.sophieallport.com
The wish List West’s picks for the loveliest things to buy this week
STRIPES Nautical red stripe draught excluder, £25, from Patch & Acre and Cornwall Farmers stores across the region, www.cornwallfarmers.co.uk
Heads up Jack Murphy Boston hat, £30, from Cornwall Farmers and Patch and Acre stores across the region, www.cornwallfarmers.co.uk
Store We Adore
The Fish Deli, Ashburton There’s plenty of culinary inspiration here in this town centre deli. It’s ideal for both accomplished cooks and selling so much more than just fish. Husband and wife Nick and Michele sell predominantly local fish landed by day boats, alongside their own gourmet piscine ready meals and deli treats. Look out for the homemade crab cakes. For a meal on a budget, take advantage of the “fish for a fiver” offer of fresh fish filleted and
boned, together with a recipe. The shop also stocks inspiring cook books and classy cookware. The Fish Deli, 7 East Street, Ashburton, www.thefishdeli.co.uk 01364 654833.
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Wishlist
Star role Starfish on silk necklace by designer/maker Helen Butler, £35, White Space Gallery, Totnes www.whitespacegallery.co.uk
PRETTY Cavallini & Co butterfly stickers in a tin, £10.95, www.hamptonblue.co.uk
Winter warmer Delicious Art Sloe Gin, £18.50, www.nationalgallery.co.uk
We agree Our sentiments exactly.... Irish linen eye chart tea towel from Ulster Weavers £6.50, www.ulsterweavers.com
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Days out
Skates on! If you’re planning a fun day out over the New Year (or beyond) why not try out one of the Westcountry’s many ice rinks? Cockington
The seasonal skating rink outside beautiful Cockington Court Manor House in Torquay is open until January 4 (including from 2pm to 4.30pm on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day), with a canopied roof to enable fun whatever the weather. £6 per person. www.cockingtoncourt.org
Padstow
Close to Padstow, Retallack Resort and Spa’s festive rink is open until January 6 (including 12pm to 5pm Boxing Day and New Year’s Day) and there’s also a winter wonderland trail to explore. £4 per person, £15 for a family pass. www.retallackresort.co.uk
Newquay
Take to the ice at The Esplanade Hotel in Newquay until January 11. The weatherdependent outdoor rink has hourly sessions – Christmas Day is for guests only, but otherwise open to all. Adults £6, children £4. www.newquay-hotels.co.uk/the-esplanadehotel/play/iceskating
Plymouth
Boringdon Hall hotel near Plymouth has created a winter wonderland, with outdoor rink providing some late-skates until 9pm as well as daytime sessions. Adults £6, under 12s £4. www.boringdonhall.co.uk
Plymouth
Ice Angels have descended upon Plymouth city centre, with a wonderful open-air rink offering sessions right up until March 1. Adults £7, children £5. www.iceangelevents.co.uk
Cornwall
The Eden Project’s skating rink (pictured above and right) is set up every winter in a covered area in the heart of the gardens here. The ice rink is open for fun skate sessions and also available to manual wheelchair users, plus there are lessons to book and even fun on the ice without skates for under 7s. It’s £6 per session plus the cost of admission to Eden. www.edenproject.com
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My life
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MODERN MANORS
A Christmas Tale
In Kishanda’s last ever column for West, all’s well that ends well
his is a happy Christmas tale. My cousins came to stay for Christmas with their two dogs, Jack and Bilko. These are large black Labradors. As very welcome Christmas guests, my cousins and their dogs were given the best spare bedroom - one that fortunately is large enough for the two dogs to have plenty of room for their extremely comfortable leopard print beds. On Boxing Day evening it was cold. The temperature dropped to about minus one. The frost was beginning to cling to the ground. The table was laid for supper and we were all about to sit down to enjoy the leftovers of the turkey, and all the other delicious things one treats oneself to at Christmas, when my cousin said, ‘I can’t find Jack’. It was, by then, dark and without thinking, we presumed Jack, an elderly gentleman of 13 years, had by chance wandered off outside and no one had noticed. We all set off, eight of us, to search for the dog as the temperature dropped lower and lower. About an hour later there was still no sign of the dog. I then ordered that every single room in the house be searched. Even under the beds and in cupboards. The house was duly searched, literally from top to bottom, not a square inch was missed - (or, so I thought). I am sure you can imagine the scene as the time ticked on? No one could face eating supper until the dog was found. Having searched the house to make sure Jack was not inside, we all set off again in to the gloom of that cold night, by now becoming increasingly desperate to find him. The torches were running low and all anyone could hear was the frantic calling of Jack’s name. I myself took a torch and searched our
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outbuildings in the hopes that Jack might have had the sense to curl up in a barn or stable. As I was searching, I found an air rifle propped up against a wall in our back courtyard. I was very cross with my children for not putting the gun away properly. I continued to search - to no end - for the dog and returned to the house. We were all quite hungry by now. It was about 11 o’clock. But no one could face eating. I snapped at Humphrey, as he was the nearest, and told him to put the air rifle away in the gun room. He came
1800, probably for structural reasons, a buttress was thrown out over the Tudor window and to disguise the buttress a false window was put in. This left a ‘void’ between the original Tudor window and the buttress wall. The flooring over this ‘void’ was haphazard. There are a few floorboards but unfortunately not enough to prevent a wandering dog from falling into the void. There, some 12 feet below was Jack: on his side and seemingly dazed. We ran for a ladder which we managed to put through floorboards. Jack was uninjured but clearly the fall had left him disorientated. My cousin went down and, somehow, managed to clasp the dog to his side and climb up the ladder with him. Oh the relief ! I do not know why the dog had gone along a passage, down another passage, down a flight of stairs, turned left down another little flight of stairs, walked into a room we barely use (it is a junk room) and managed to fall through the floorboards. Had Jack not been able to muster a bark when Humphrey entered the gun room I doubt he would have been found until it was too late. We settled the dog quietly and cracked open a bottle of champagne. By then it was nearly midnight. The rest of the evening, which did go on a bit, was spent in very high spirits. Here ends my happy Christmas tail!
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I snapped at Humphrey, as he was nearest, and told him to put the air rifle away. ‘I can hear barking,’ he said back and said, ‘I can hear barking’. Once more we all went outside, but this time we did not shout for Jack, but went silently, praying he would bark once more. Quite why I said we should check the house once more I do not know. But we did. I think it was because Humphrey had said he heard the dog in the gunroom. We left the men outside and my daughter and I once more went round the house. Why, we shone the torch down into a ‘void’ I will never know. It is hard to describe this ‘void’ but I will try. In about
Alas! This is Kishanda’s final column for West, as she is now busy writing a book. We will miss her, but she will still write some features for us. Thank you so much Kishanda and good luck with the new project.
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For me? A red squirrel at Escot Park in East Devon looks for hazelnuts hidden in a mini Christmas tree
in pictures With it Charles Needle, aged 101, of north Devon got a tablet computer for Christmas
Redhead: Ella was Queen of Hearts in Longcause school’s Christmas show
Can can Santa was spotted at The Big Sheep near Barnstaple
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talking points That’s odd... 10 strange New Year traditions
1 E ating lentil soup for luck soup (Brazil) 2 Burning a straw effigy (Hungary)
3 S winging fireballs in the street (Stonehaven, Scotland)
4 Possum-dropping (Carolina and Georgia, USA)
5 L eaving broken dishes by the door (Denmark) 6 E ating a grape for each stroke of midnight
More Other New Year’s Days to look forward to in 2015:
1 The Chinese Year of the Goat February 19 2 Losar (Tibet) February 19-21
3 L ady Day (old English New Year) March 25 4 Songkran (Thailand) April 13
5 C haul Chnam Thmey (Cambodia) April 13 6 Enkutatash (Ethiopia) September 11
(Spain)
7 A collective cold water plunge (The Serpentine Swim in Hyde Park’s been a tradition since 1864)
8 T hrowing old pots out of the window (Italy) 9 Tar barrel rolling (Allendale, Northumberland)
7 Rosh Hashana (Jewish) September 13-15
8 Muharram (Islamic) begins October 15
9 Samhain (Celtic) November 1
10 Diwali (Hindu) November 11
10 Animal whispering (Romania)
The happy list
You can!
The nine healthiest New Year’s resolutions you can make - and how do keep them, according to NHS Choices
1 L ose weight 2 Quit smoking 3 Get fit
10 things to make you smile this week 1 It’s over fun while it lasted but thank goodness that’s it
2 Turkey stock great for soups, stews and risotto
4 Drink less alcohol 5 M ake only one resolution 6 Plan ahead how to achieve your goal.
6 D on’t repeat last year’s resolution or pick a different technique to achieve it.
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ibbles oh look, Brazil nuts N Bubble & squeak so good Peace the house is calm Neighbours pop round! Party frocks time to dress up and get down
8 Drink dilemmas mulled wine, fizz or Baileys? Hmmm
8 K eep the resolution specific and write it down.
9 Long walks to clear that
9 Plan a reward for when
10 Gratitude you got this for
you achieve your goal.
head me? Thank you!
Gillian Molesworth
Story of my life... Computer games: not just for kids... very once in a while I get obsessed with a game. Growing up, mine was a games family: you never had to look too far to pick up a round of gin rummy, backgammon, or cribbage. No one played chess though. This is because my eldest brother Robbie, who now holds a PhD in mathematics, was so good at father’s company, detailing all it that no one stood a chance. the canning plants of the world: Having read a book of tactics, he their location, production lines, could beat my dad soundly and output and other data. I did most consistently from the age of 12, of it alone, bored and cold in my which was around when my dad mother’s studio, which my dad stopped agreeing to play. had annexed into a home office At university it was all about (much to her annoyance). I did do Tetris. On our Apple Macs that a fair amount of databasing. But were supposed to be for essays, we there was also a fair amount of could not get enough of the RusMinesweeper. sian speed puzzle, in which blocks My recent crush is one of the of four squares in kids’ cartoon different configugames on their rations fall from tablet: Plants the sky (slowly at versus Zombies. I’ve actually had first, then faster It’s hilarious. Your to pause a Plants and faster). When house is about vs Zombies you completed a to be attacked by line it would shiver slow-moving zombattle, reluctantly and disappear. bies, and your and very late at Most exciting was only defence are night, to write when you got a the plants in your stack of lines all at garden. Sunflowthis article once – kapow! ers have no attack There was a weapons, but genMinesweeper erate the power to phase. If you’ve build the rest of never played this game, you your arsenal. After harvesting should try it – it comes as standtheir little suns you can buy pea ard issue with most Microsoft shooters for your artillery and packages. You uncover squares potatoes as a shield, carnivorous to reveal a blank space, a bomb or exotics and corncobs that fling a number. The number tells you kernels. Cherry bombs are effechow many of the square’s sides tive but expensive. Tactics are key. are touching bombs, and you have I’ve actually had to pause an to use logic to find the bombs are exciting Plants vs Zombies battle, and flag them. reluctantly and very late at night, Embarrassingly, my Mineto write this article. I’m rememsweeper phase coincided with bering a lofty piece I wrote in May my first job. I was supposed to about kids and computers. Let he be working on a database for my among you who is without sin…
E
Gillian Molesworth is a journalist and mum-of-two who grew up in the USA and moved to north Cornwall when she met her husband 11
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Dan Garnett
North Devon fishmonger ‘As a busy land-based fishmonger, my resolution has to be to spend more time on the water. I’m never happier than when I’m out at sea.’
Poppy Treffry
Newlyn craft entrepreneur ‘To go for more walks along the Cornish coastline, armed with a sketchbook.’
New year’s resolutions We asked some of the Westcountry’s most colourful characters what they plan to do in 2015. We think you’ll be intrigued - we certainly were!
Luke Lang
Exeter’s Crowdcube founder
Benjamin Mee
‘To do a Half Ironman - 70 miles of swimming, cycling and running. And Crowdcube will be championing more young businesses.’
‘Spend less time with spreadsheets, more time with animals.’
Owner of Dartmoor Zoo
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Yume Martin
Ashburton jeweller ‘To take time away from the business to have some adventures. When I come back, I’m always so inspired to create new jewellery.’
Caroline Quentin
Devon-based actress and TV presenter ‘I’m going to try to eat my five-a-day fruit and veg all year - which is really hard to do. Much harder than they say it is!’
Lucia Griggi
Newquay surf photographer ‘To tell my parents how much I love them more often - and to make a wish for a certain boy to come back into my life!’
Emma Mansfield Cornish author
‘ I’’m going to get up earlier. I used to be an early riser but that has slipped to 8am!’ 13
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Deborah Clark Devon hotelier
‘ To go very blonde. To wear wide trousers instead of skinnies. Not to buy anything floral (especially dresses). To embrace pulses. To find something funny every day and laugh out loud about it (although it’s more of a snort, I’m told)’
Kate Ellis
Crime writer ‘My books are based in Devon so my resolution is to get out and about in the area more often: for research, obviously! I’m totally in love with South Devon.’
Babette Cole
Devon’s children’s author ‘My New Year’s resolution is basically to kick on and keep smiling, always!’
Jonty White
Michael Eavis
Salcombe’s popcorn CEO
Glastonbury festival founder
‘I was a bit stumped so I have asked around my company Portlebay Popcorn for suggestions. They said: keep my desk tidy and make tea more often!’’
‘I’m not bothered by all that. Every day is like Christmas here with all the stuff that’s going on. It’s so enjoyable and satisfying.’
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Emily Scott
Cornwall chef and mum-of-three
To laugh out loud (although it’s
‘1 Finish that book. 2 Always take my make-up off at night. 3 Watch The Graduate. 4 Realise I’m not going to end up with Ryan Gosling. 5 Go on dates with normal people. 6 Be grateful for my family and friends.’
more of a snort, I’m told)
Seth Lakeman
Devon folk musician ‘I’m never good at keeping New Year’s resolutions. Let’s hope that changes...’
Becky Sheaves
West magazine editor ‘My resolution is to celebrate lots more wonderful Westcountry folk in West magazine throughout 2015.’
Sir Tim Smit Eden Project inspiration ‘I want to see if we can - once and for all - start a revolution in deep geothermal engineering in Cornwall and so transform the energy landscape of the United Kingdom.’ 15
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images: emily whitfield-wicks
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People what a difference a year makes
New Year, new you If you are thinking of turning over a new leaf in 2015, these stories will surely inspire you. We meet three Westcountry people who changed their lives in 2014
Fitness firsts Judith Caboche, 42, is a clinical skills tutor. She lives in Cornwall with husband Paul and daughter Lottie, four. This year, she took part in her first triathlon - and it won’t be her last...
udith says: In 2013, one of the most and finding myself still in exactly the same spot, incredible and inspirational people I decided that a leisurely breaststroke might inI’ve ever met died of cancer at the age crease my chances of making reaching the buoys of just 22. She faced up to her illness that marked the finish line. I swore ‘never again’ with such positivity and fortitude, as I swam against the current until, mercifully, I never stopping setting herself personal goals and felt the finish ramp beneath my feet. Then I had to striving for the future. She never said: I can’t. find my land legs (which had turned to jelly) and Shortly afterwards, one of my best friends sug- dash to the transition zone, so my hubby could gested that we did the London Triathlon as a relay begin his cycle. team in May 2014. She would run the 5k road race, I gamely ignore the thigh-chafe, soaking up the my husband Paul would pedal 20k on his bike and roar of the crowd: “You’re...off !” I heard someone I would do the front crawl in yelling. What? the Thames Basin (and do “You- have - to - take -your my best not to swallow any - wetsuit - off !” Oh. of the water along a distance So I unpeeled, with diffiof roughly 30 swimming pool culty, just as a BBC camera ‘Last New Year, lengths). crew filmed swimming A year before, I might have pundit Mark Foster walkI thought I said, I can’t. Yet how hard ing by. Talk about being couldn’t, but could it be? I enjoy swimcaptured for posterity. Or ming for pleasure and was should that be posterior? now I know I fairly confident that I could Paul did his ride and then can. And I have manage a mere 750 metres. we both joined Paula for the Race day dawned and this final 25 metres of her run a very special was when I read the rules and crossed the finish line person to thank’ more carefully - that wettogether. We’d done it! It suits must be worn for the was hell, but I’d loved it! swim. Help! I’d only trained In fact, I’ve already signed in my cossie and my last up to take part in this year’s clothed swim was twenty event and this time around, lengths in pyjamas, aged ten. I’ll be doing the whole thing. Luckily, I managed to I’ve not just kept up my borrow a wetsuit and went off to join the 100 or so swimming, but I’ve also got on my bike and have other competitors at the starting post on a pon- even learnt to run, something I never thought I toon. I can’t even remember anyone saying ‘go’, could do. I began with the NHS Choices ‘Couch but suddenly the water started to churn up and to 5k’ programme and can now (just about) keep off we all went, and not before I’d accidentally up with Paula. And it’s a great way to exercise chugged a great big mouthful of choppy Thames the dogs! I ran the Delicious Drake’s Trail in water. West Devon in October, and the Plymouth 10k in I could barely see through the river murk and November. Last New Year I thought I couldn’t, my wetsuit felt as though it was clamped across but now I know I can. And I have a very special my chest. After a game attempt at a sporty crawl person to thank for that.
J
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People Andy Barton Andy Barton lives in Dousland, West Devon with his wife Sioned, a doctor, and children Tom, 15 and Hannah, 11. In September 2014, he was ordained as a priest and also qualified as a member of Dartmoor Search & Rescue Team. Andy says: “While I was at university in the 1990s, I came to think that religion and the church weren’t really relevant to me - or to life in general. But in 2005, I decided to look into what I called ‘this God thing’ and see what it was all about. Before long my faith flourished and then, seven years ago, I found I had reached a crossroads in my life. Three career themes came into my mind - the Army, charity or the Church. Which to choose? So I joined the Army Reserves, began working for a charity and applied for training as a priest. After three years of discerning which was the right path to follow, I knew the Church was calling. Devon’s always been our family home but in 2010, my wife Sioned and our two children Tom and Hannah moved to Cambridge, so I could undertake two years of full-time theological study at college there. My wife Sioned put her career on hold for two years. Everyone said it would be difficult for her and that she’d fall behind but, as it happens, she now has an amazing job. What is more, she was there for me and kept all four of us sane while I was studying. The whole family has made sacrifices and there were times when I wondered if it was the right path. Our kids have moved home far too often and have had their lives turned upside down. It’s been tough on them. I went to college with the understanding that I’d be there for two years, get the knowledge and then come back to share it with people. That was hugely naive. You can’t learn everything in that time, but I did learn how to find more answers. We then came home to Devon and in November 2013 I joined Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team as a trainee. We meet every Wednesday night and there’s a big log book you have to fill in to complete your training over a period of about a year. This culminates in a solo navigational exercise lasting about five or six hours, in pitch dark, on the moor. If you pass, you get your red jacket. I was awarded mine in September this year, which by total coincidence was the same month that I was ordained as a priest at St. Eustachius’ Church in Tavistock. After the service, we popped open the champagne corks and celebrated until two in the morning. Then I had to go to bed: as I was celebrating my first Holy Communion service the next day. It was a very happy weekend indeed. Sioned has a serious career herself so she and I are not the classic C of E vicar and his wife. But she is incredibly supportive - as the whole family
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has been. As a curate, I have no parish of my own, but I minister in and around the Tavistock area, serving in 30 churches, according to where gaps need filling. There are a lot of rotas! I’m also on call 24/7 throughout the year in my role with Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team. Whenever there’s a call, anyone who can respond does, and the person coordinating the group knows who is coming and sorts us into groups. On a Sunday though, they know I’ll be in church, so I’m not available. But if I’m writing a sermon then I’ll down tools and go. There’s a certain flexibility to both roles - neither is nine-to-five. So 2014 has been quite a year. In fact, the last seven years have been a bit of a roller coaster. But here’s the thing. When I was at that crossroads a few years ago I decided to change the way I was navigating in life. I would say that nowadays my compass is God’s voice, whereas back then I was lost. Life hasn’t been without its ups and down but I truly I believe that I’m on the right track. It really does feel like I have been rescued. As 2014 finishes, and 2015 starts, I look forward to helping others who are lost, whether that’s because of fog on Dartmoor, or the challenges of 21st century life in general.
‘Nowadays my compass is God’s voice, whereas back then I was lost’
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People Alice Hickmore Alice Hickmore, 26, lives with her husband Mark, a support worker, and their sons Leon, three, and Isaac, one, in Bodmin, Cornwall. Weighing more than 19 stone a year ago, she has lost a dramatic 7st 4lbs in a year. Alice says: I have been overweight since I was a child, and have always been told I was ‘meant to be that way’. My mum would cook good meals, but I have always tended to snack. When I was 18 my boyfriend and I got our own flat. We ate a lot of takeaways, which piled on the pounds, and I was already massive. During both my pregnancies I had problems caused by my weight, and just moving around took a huge effort. After the birth of my second son, I tried to lose weight, but it wasn’t happening. Friends had tried Slimming World and I started to think it might be worth a go. So in January 2014, weighing just over 19st, I signed up to the Slimming World club at Bodmin Football Club. With the Slimming World eating plan, a third of your plate has to be fruit and vegetables. Whereas before I might have sat down and eaten chips and a burger, I’ll now have Slimming World chips – that’s chips made in the oven with a low fat cooking oil spray – with a chicken breast and vegetables. I also learned to add flavour in other ways than with fat, such as adding spices and garlic. I’m now quite garlic obsessed, so a lot of my food had garlic in ‘Buying clothes it! My favourites are garthat fit and licky roasted carrots and oven-cooked mushrooms. I look nice is just have picked up a lot of ideas wonderful. I’ve from other members of the group. We bounce ideas I wouldn’t have been able to become quite around and once a month do this without the support of obsessed with we have a taster session the group. I never used to go where we bring in dishes for out before I went to Slimming shopping’ the others to try. World, so it has been really I cook the same meals for important for the social side all four of us, my husband too. We don’t just talk about and boys too, and that has weight loss, we talk about lots helped me stick with the of other things. I’ve made so programme. If I’m cooking many friends. chicken and veg, I’ll just have that, but the boys I don’t drive and when I weighed 19 stone it might have some hash browns or waffles with it. took me forever to walk anywhere. I found it comThey need the carbs because they are growing. pletely exhausting. I’d put off walking to my local We have stir fries a lot, and I’ll do a tomato-based shop because I knew I had to carry the shopping vegetable sauce with garlic and herbs. back up the hill to my house. Now I can be down Your digestion definitely changes when you go to the shops in five minutes. I now walk about 24 on this diet. If I have anything very fatty now my miles a week, to and from my job at Asda on the stomach shouts at me, because it is not used to other side of town and taking my eldest son to it. I drink a lot of water and that has definitely nursery two times a week. I got the job at Asda helped, because keeping your body hydrated after I started to lose weight. Before I lost weight, helps raise your metabolism. Moderation is key, I would not have had the confidence to apply for a too. I used to eat and eat until I felt sick, but now I job on the other side of town. just eat until I’m full. Changing my life like this has improved my
kids’ lives as much as mine. When we go to the park I can keep up with them and climb on the play equipment too. I take them out walking to see things, whereas before I wouldn’t have bothered. We were stuck in the house. I never used to like going out for an evening, because I didn’t think I looked nice in anything. I’m tall so it was hard because people look at you, you stand out, so there’s nowhere to hide. Now that I’ve lost weight, though, I don’t mind. I’ve gone from a size 24 on top to a size 14, and from a size 20 on my bottom half to a size 10, so I’m down five dress sizes in total. Buying clothes that fit and look nice is just wonderful. I’ve become quite obsessed with shopping - my husband is getting a bit fed up with it! But he’s really proud of what I’ve done. So are my family. My mum tried everything to get me to lose weight when I was a child – she’d say “I’ll give you a pound if you lose a pound” – but it never worked. Now I’ve done it. I now realise I was never ‘meant to be’ 19 stone. Slimming World has changed my life and I can’t thank them enough.
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interiors
32
fashion
44
motors
style
40
eat out
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[
COOL RETREATS
[
Get the luxe look
Sarah Pitt discovers cutting-edge design in the interior decor of these brand new Cornish holiday homes
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hen it came to creating a look for the new holiday homes on the Budock Vean estate, interior designer Steve Coombe took a different tack from the maritime look he has honed in smart seaside hotels in
Cornwall. For Budock Vean, known for its luxurious hotel, has acres of woodland leading down to the idyllic Helford River. It is a peaceful place where you can hear the owls calling at night, a wildlife-rich triple Site of Special Scientific Interest. The timber-frame buildings have been built to blend in with their wooded surroundings, and the interiors of the first pair of holiday homes – there will ultimately be nine dotted around the estate – reflect the nature which surrounds them. “This is a very green area, so I wanted to make it earthier and reflect the colours outside, which is an environment that you see changing with the seasons,” says Steve, whose company 3idog is based in nearby Truro. “In the lounge, for instance, I wanted darker floors made of timber because I felt it needed some richness.” The soft furnishings, too, are a departure from the nautical blue and white stripes which can be found in many holiday home interiors these days. 22
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Interiors
STYLE TIP: In the living area, dark wood
floors add richness while pale mauves and greys create a calm colour scheme
[[ ‘This is a beautiful, tranquil setting and we wanted the design to reflect that’
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Interiors
“It is a complete contrast to that coastal look,” he says. “When people think of Cornwall, they think of blue and white stripes, like the look at the Hotel Tresanton near here at St Mawes. But because we have got so much greenery and the Helford is such a beautiful spot, I wanted to reflect that in the design.” So Steve has gone for pale mauves and greys, calm stone colours and duck egg blues, and the odd flash of acidic yellow in a cover spread upon the bed in the main bedroom. These colours are reflected in the works of art on the walls, many by Cornish artists and selected by the Cornish company Art Eye to go with the interior, rather than the other way around. Even the wallpaper is artistic – and reflects the woodland surroundings – with prints of tall trees on the paper behind the shelves in the sitting room. “Again, it is about trying to bring the outside in,” says Steve. This is a warm space, thanks to a woodburner in the sitting room and biomass heating which the houses share with the four-star hotel close by. This makes them appealing in the winter months when guests can lie in bed in the master bedroom and watch the leaves falling off the trees outside through the huge glass windows. The other thing they will no doubt be mesmerised by is the pendant light feature, which makes a feature of the double height space shared by the master bedroom and the open plan living room and sitting room below. The work of a Finnish designer, supplied through online company Skandium, these lightshades are part of Steve’s other big inspiration: the clean lines of Scandinavian design. “The lights are individual fittings but they have been grouped together,” says Budock
Vean’s owner Martin Barlow. “They are really special. We wanted something that really enhanced that double space and this is what Steve came up with.” The main bedroom looks over the open plan living and dining room with views across the estate. There is a curtain which can be drawn back, or pulled across for privacy. “It was a trade-off between privacy, and the fact that you have a fantastic view out over the surrounding woodland when you are lying in bed,” says Steve. “We didn’t want to put a bedroom with a door because we would have lost that outlook.” The other two bedrooms do have doors to shut, as well as comfortable en suite bathrooms, to reflect the fact that each holiday home sleeps six – and not everyone wants to socialise all the time. Within the living room, Steve has added softness and texture with chunky knitted footstools, and chosen furniture with clean lines. He has even gone to the trouble of sourcing the complete works of Daphne du Maurier, who set her novel Frenchman’s Creek on the Helford, from a second-hand bookshop in Lostwithiel. These grace the shelves in both of the holiday homes. The holiday homes, called Grebe and August Rock, are being offered for sale by the hotel, which undertakes to manage them for the owners and rent them out when they can’t be there. Budock Vean owner Martin Barlow chose Steve to create the interiors after seeing his work on
STYLE TIP: Group
three (or more) statement pendant light shades together for maximum impact
the interior design of the main hotel.“I have been very pleased with Steve’s ability to translate what we have in mind,” he says. “This is a beautiful, tranquil setting and we wanted the design to reflect that.” For more information about holiday homes at Budock Vean visit www.budockvean.co.uk.
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Shopping
GET THE
LOOK
Give your home the cool luxe treatment with these design suggestions
Nottingham wallpaper, £17 a roll, www.superfrescoeasy.com
Handmade pleated silk cushion, £95, www.swankymaison.com
Dark grey woodland lampshade, £35, www.in-spaces.com
Oslo set of three side tables, £295, www.loftcathome.com
Sphery50 lights, £195 each, folksy.com
Vita Silvia lampshades, £60 each, www.cloudberryliving.co.uk
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Gardens
ANNE SWITHINBANK
Sharing your garden Devon’s Anne Swithinbank, panellist on Radio 4’s Gardeners’ Question Time, on sharing her plot with uninvited guests very winter, our house is invaded by ground. Nobody buries their rabbit fencing various rodents scrambling about around here because of our solid clay soil, with in the fabric of the building but this added flints. year, there has been the added puzzle The name badger is said to derive from the of mystery bird droppings. We’ve French bescheur or ‘digger’ and they certainly been adopted by a large ginger cat who is doing do, all over the lawn looking for worms and his best with the mice but there were no feathers grubs. I ignore this but did go ballistic when they or mess. This cat comes and goes through a hole disinterred and ate one of my treasured new in the door while we prevaricate over fitting a Allium bulbs. Deep in the recesses of my larder, cat flap. Finally, we solve the mystery - a robin a bottle of Caribbean hot pepper sauce has been has added the inside of our house to its territory. festering since about 1996, so I dug it out and We’ve chased it out three times now but it flits smattered it over the remaining bulbs. about looking for spiders in the corners. There was a time here when rabbits ate out the Move into the garden and base of shrub roses and deer our two acres teem with life took the tops. We made manas never before. Back in the sized scarecrows and draped day my parents used to potter them with human hair (from I did go ballistic about, the children were small the hairdressers, not scalps), when badgers and had friends round and sweaty tennis shirts and old there used to be two ponies, socks. These worked quite disinterred and a large dog and a flock of well but then we discovered a ate one of my bantams here. Nowadays, it is product called Grazers. This treasured new quieter and so the wildlife is sprayed onto plants at six has prospered. There’s a week intervals, after which Allium bulbs badger sett, deer, rabbits and they taste foul to the beasts. squirrels. Squirrels are said to bury Many gardens in the South nuts for the winter but I think West are large, rural affairs, they are gardeners. They’ve where plants grow despite the wildlife. Small planted the bottom of our patch with hazels town gardens are not immune either and have which we’re about to coppice for bean poles to withstand concentrations of squirrels, cats and firewood. They also nibble tree bark and and urban foxes. Rule number one is to stay sometimes kill young trees, so you almost need calm while looking for ways of outwitting them to plant twice as many as you need. If squirrels all. I must remind myself of that next time I are eating your bulbs, excavate planting holes, find squirrels sucking strawberries through pop bulbs in, place a little soil over, then chicken protective mesh. wire and then more soil. Foxes dig, roll and play, Rural veg beds and kitchen gardens are worth so avoid bone meal which attracts them, use fencing and we’ve surrounded ours with pointed deterrents and cover seedbeds with fleece and green oak palings with chicken wire fitted well then twiggy sticks. A garden comes alive with up on the inside, travelling under the fence and wild life and if you garden lots, plenty of plants out onto the grass, where it knits tightly to the will survive.
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No trespassing!
This week’s gardening tips Anne’s advice for your garden
Anne’s advice for deterring larger pests Store out of date chilli sauces or spices as they make great deterrents.
Store lengths of alkathene piping. Bent into hoops, it makes framework to drape mesh over strawberries and brassicas.
Make a diary date to reapply deterrents like Grazers as recommended. You’ll probably need to use more if it rains a lot.
Keep large plastic water bottles, as half filled and placed on soil they deter cats.
Bundle and store prunings to push into soil around precious plants.
Bare soil acts like a magnet to cats and foxes, so keep it covered.
Salvage sections of chicken wire for covering bulbs
• Use this down time between Christmas and New Year to tidy the shed, sweeping out cobwebs, oiling tools, having shears sharpened, washing and stacking pots and setting all straight for the new growing season. • Save cardboard to cover pathways between beds in the kitchen garden and place around newly planted shrubs to suppress weed
growth. Cover with mulch to disguise the cardboard. • Save and collect the plastic containers from Christmas chocolate assortments. Towards the end of January you can line them up on the greenhouse staging, make drainage holes in the bottom, fill with compost and sow with cut and come again hardy salads.
Question time with Anne West reader queries answered by Anne Swithinbank
Q
I have some mistletoe left over from Christmas and would like to know how to grow it. I have some old apple trees.
Mistletoe is a semi parasitic plant but your apples should still fruit well especially if you feed, mulch and prune them regularly. Seed won’t mature in the berries until around mid February, so move them to a cool shed but keep them in the light. Extract the sticky seeds from the berries and stick them to the branch where you want them to grow. Young branches up to 5cm/2in are better than thick, older ones. They should germinate in spring but you won’t see more than a tiny plant in the first two or three years. They only really get growing from five years onwards. Grow plenty, because there must be male and female plants to set fruit. You can buy growing kits from www. englishmistletoeshop.co.uk to be delivered in February or March.
Q
I’ve been given a cymbidium orchid for Christmas. How do I care for it?
These big, stately orchids with long strappy leaves and exotic blooms add an air of opulence to a room. Position the plant in good but not direct light and normal room temperatures as long as the air is not too dry. Stand with other plants, or on wide trays filled with moist gravel. Avoid over watering and give a weak liquid feed fortnightly when plants are actively growing. They will tolerate cooler conditions to 10 C/50 F. Plants can stand outdoors for summer and tend to flower better after experiencing a dip in temperature during September, just as their flower buds are setting.
Send your questions to Anne at westmag@ westernmorningnews.co.uk
Inspect stored fruit and veg and remember to use it up before it deteriorates. If winter squash show soft patches, turn them into soup or roasts quickly. Check nets and ropes of onions for any rotting bulbs.and don’t water until compost feels dry.
Feed potted arum lilies growing on in cool porches, conservatories or frost free greenhouses and any other plants making active growth. A half strength general purpose fertiliser is just right. 27
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Beauty
Tried
& tested
We present the beauty treats and cheats of the week, all trialled by West magazine’s Catherine Barnes, with help from daughter Tilly, 17.
Glitter
POUT!
Perfect your party pucker with these lovely lip balms, £7.50 from www.oliverbonas.com
Flutter See the new year in with lustrous lashes: Sublime de Chanel Infinite Length and Curl Mascara, £25 at Debenhams
Shiny
Percy & Reed’s Eau My Goodness Shine & Fragrance Spray will not only make your locks shine, but smell just gorgeous, too ! £22, from www.percyandreed.com
Time to shine
Sparkle like the star you are with a glitter mani. The Collection’s Fireworks on Broadway can be worn on its own, or applied over a contrasting shade. £5 from www.beautybay.com
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the review
Relax
We love these jokey Heisenberg Bath Salts, perfect for relaxing after a party £7.95 from www.bubblegumstuff.com
This week we try:
Gel Manicure In preparation for the New Year celebrations, Katie Wright has a go at an at-home gel manicure. hat are your New Year resolutions? Mine is to save money (funny: it was the same one last year). The trouble is, a gel manicure, where UV light is used to ‘cure’ the special polish so that it lasts weeks rather than days, is a treat I love to indulge in. But at around £30 a pop, it’s not cheap, so the idea of a do-it-yourself kit really appeals. First, I wipe the Rokit Ready solution over my nails to prep them, then apply my first coat of colour, Bordeaux Red, and leave to cure for one minute. Unlike other gel polishes, Rokit doesn’t require a base coat, you just apply several layers of colour, curing for two-and-a-half minutes for each subsequent coat. I struggle a bit and have to do four coats on some nails to get a deep enough colour, but I think with a bit of practice that won’t be a problem. A week on, my manicure is still showing no signs of chipping and I’m a DIY gel
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Clever! Rogue greys threatening to belie your age-defying party look? Root Vanish banishes tell-tale hairs; apply and leave to dry for six minutes. It won’t rub off on your clothes or your pillow, but can be washed out with shampoo and warm water. £30 from www.kiwabi.com
convert. In the long run, my bank balance is certainly going to thank me. Rokit Gel Polish Professional Kit, £92.70, Amazon (www.amazon.co.uk)
Want a product review? Contact westmag@westernmorningnews.co.uk 29
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Wellbeing
Health resolutions The expert view: Abi Jackson asks health professionals what they’d love to see us all pledge in 2015 Anna Magee
Women’s health expert I’ll be sprinkling cinnamon on my porridge in 2015. Research published in Diabetes Care found as little as a quarter of a teaspoon of cinnamon a day could help control blood sugar in people with Type 2 diabetes. It’s brilliant eaten at breakfast to help control sweet cravings throughout the day and one teaspoonful contains the same antioxidant levels as a punnet of blueberries. (www.healthista.com)
Dr Uchenna Okoye
Celebrity cosmetic dentist Throw away your manual toothbrush and upgrading to an electric one. There are so many on the market today and they don’t have to be hugely expensive. Plaque is the new 21st century plague, so we need to tackle it for health reasons. (www.londonsmiling.com)
Dr Chidi Ngwaba,
Director of the European Society of Lifestyle Medicine As a resolution, nothing can beat learning
to forgive. Stress is at the heart of so many chronic illnesses, such as cancer, hypertension, depression and obesity; one of best ways to permanently overcome stress is to practise forgiveness. It has also been shown that even thinking about forgiving someone can lower our blood pressure. So if someone’s hurt you, don’t let them kill you. Get help and do all you can to forgive, and learn to forgive yourself too.
Dr Mike Knapton,
British Heart Foundation associate medical director Quitting smoking is the single best thing you can do to protect your heart. Research shows that a smoker who gives up on January 1 will see their risk of coronary heart disease cut in half by the end of the year. And making sure that you do regular exercise is a great way to
maintain a healthy heart and put years on your life. It’s never too late to start. (www.bhf.org.uk)
Sioned Quirke
Dietician and professional manager of adult weight management service, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board Become a healthy weight. Obesity is nearly at epidemic level in the UK, and we need to do something about it. The most common mistakes I see are people trying to lose weight too fast. Set yourself a realistic goal of 1-2lbs a week and no ‘diets’; you need to make a lifestyle change in order to lose weight and maintain that weight loss. Portion control is key, so half fill your plate with veg/salad and divide the other half between protein and carbohydrates. (www.quirkynutrition.co.uk)
THE KEEP FIT COLUMN WHERE ONE WOMAN TRIES EVERYTHING:
DODGER
this week: DODGEBALL
THE SOFA
Mum of three Sam Taylor, 35, from Cardinham near Bodmin is behind Sofa Dodger, the website with wealth of keep-fit activities at a place near you. This week she tries: Dodgeball My dodgeball challenge took place 300 miles up country and my co-pilot for this epic journey was a pack of Oreo biscuits. As dodgeball is really popular in America, I felt that Oreo’s would be in keeping with the theme. I am not sure what I was expecting but if I am honest, I was kind of hoping for a community club, just chucking some balls about and having a bit of a giggle. Turns out that Bedford Mighty Eagles is England’s elite dodgeball club, with both men
and ladies representing the country and in-turn becoming European champions. We started practising, with the aim of throwing the ball at the opponent’s feet. If they caught the ball, you were out, so the idea is to get it in the area where it would be difficult to catch. What happened next was reminiscent of a World War I re-enactment, as balls were launched at an average speed of 60-70mph. I screamed. I swore. I hid. I then repeated those three in order. Scary.
GET INVOLVED: Try something new or tell the world about your own keep fit class for free at www.sofadodger.co.uk
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Enjoy Bu do ck Ve an ho
te l
A WEEKEND IN...
Mawnan Smith awnan Smith is a pretty and traditional village on the edge of the beautiful Helford River. Sheltered, unspoilt and surrounded by lovely countryside, it’s a great place for a weekend break in the winter months, says Becky Sheaves.
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Stay: The Budock Vean hotel is a longestablished family-run hotel with golf course, superb restaurant, large indoor pool and health spa. It has recently undergone refurbishment and development, with chic new décor in the main hotel and elegant new self-catering holiday homes set in the lovely grounds. Stays from now until December 18 are from £78 pp with the special Autumn Break offer, including breakfast and a four course dinner. Visit www.budockvean.co.uk
Budock Vean holiday cottages
On the river:
Eat: The food at The Budock Vean Hotel is pretty
Spot herons, kingfishers and egrets from the Hannahmolly, a traditional Cornish river boat that offers 1.5 hour cruises, departing from the Budock Vean Hotel. Call 07941027732 or visit www.helfordrivercruises.co.uk for details.
superb but do stroll down to the beach at Helford Passage, where the 300-year-old Ferryboat Inn serves superb seafood – it is owned by the same people who run the Duchy oyster beds in the Helford River at Port Navas.
Walks: The coastal path along the north shore of the Helford River is beautiful and crosses the beach at Trebah Gardens, as well as passing right by the Ferryboat Inn. Perfect.
Bu do ck Ve an Ho tel
Visit: Trebah Garden, a spectacular subtropical valley garden leading down to the water with four miles of footpaths. Open all year round, with a great café and shop, visit www.trebahgarden. co.uk or call 01326 252200 for details.
Helford river near Glendurgan gardens
Shop: Check out the charming Cornish Maid shop/café, open seven days a week in the heart of Mawnan Smith, serving coffees, cakes, light meals. It also sells a range of locally-sourced gifts and homewares, all run by local Cornish maid Sarah Bailey. Visit www.cornish-maid.com or call 01326 251202. 31 33
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Fashion
Dress up in style Off to a party on December 31? Let us help you see in the New Year looking your sparkling best ot long to go now - but if you’re currently loafing in front of the telly in your fluffy socks, the thought of getting your glad rags on to welcome in 2015 can be just a little daunting. We feel your pain, but face facts: you can’t go out on New Year’s Eve in a onesie. Unless that is the fancy dress code (in which case, hooray). But for most of us, this is the night to scrub up and look your best. And there is still time to pop to the shops and choose yourself an outfit. We love this flirty claret-colourednumber from Very - it’s so flatter-
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F & F disco ball clutch £18 ing. Or how about these fabulous party shoes from Dune, for extra sparkle on the dance floor? Just add a fun glittery clutch bag, sure to add some dazzle. Here’s to 2015!
Blue Inc £16.99
House of Fraser Black satin ‘Jessica’ dress £110 Pied a Terre White snake ‘Lina’ clutch £35 Dune £89
Phase Eight £130
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Long Tall Sally £75
Littlewoods £35
Very £49 Debut at Debenhams £130 What’s about town £15.95
Jenny Packham for Debenhams £50
Dorothy Perkins £14.50
Simply Be £30 33
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Fashion
ra p D re ss b el li sh ed W Velve t E m E ar ri n gs £8 d le an te Jewel £4 9, D ia m
Simply Be £25
Monsoon £199
£12.99 New Look
Topshop £20 New Look £24.99
Moda in Pelle £149.95
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Monsoon £149
Eyes right Dunnes Stores £20
Jo Martine, make up artist for the Paul & Joe brand came to Newquay recently to give a demo at the Roo’s Beach surf shop at Mawgan Porth. JO’S TOP TIPS FOR SMOKEY EYES:
1 2
Do your eyes before you apply your make up base, so you can make as much mess as you like and then clean your face afterwards. The trick to the perfect smokey eye is all about blending. Put a light shade all over the eye lid first. Then blend the darker shade and blend it until you create a shadow over the eye lid which should be graduated into the lighter colour. The darker the shadow, the more dramatic the effect.
3 4 5
Apply a small line of shadow under the bottom lash line either with a fine brush or a cotton wool bud. To create a really dark smokey effect apply black eye liner hard up along the top lid and inside the bottom lid.
Remember that smokey eyes don’t have to be black or grey. A dark smokey brown with a gold as the lighter colour can be much more flattering especially if you’re not used to wearing lots of eye make-up. Smokey purple is great for someone who has hazel or green eyes.
Simply Be £50 35
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18/12/2014 19:20:54
Fashion
The edit
Your straight line to style. Great outfits for getting out and about
fave!
+
+ Very Fearne Cotton leather biker £199
+ White Stuff boyfriend jeans £49.95
M&Co £6
George at Asda £6
Dune £39
+
Primark raspberry biker £25
+ Tu at Sainsburys black jeans £14
Miss Selfridge £55
+ Next £48
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18/12/2014 19:10:31
Bake
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NEW!
‘Eat this on the sofa, with duvet, hot water bottle, tea and a Richard Curtis film’
cake of the week
Kate Shirazi bakes:
The snuggle loaf
Why is this chocolatey, hazelnutty, soft, sweet hunk of loveliness called ‘the snuggle loaf’, I hear you cry? Because, dear hearts, eating it is like being enveloped in the warmest, most comforting hug you have ever had. A right, proper snuggle. Serves 4–8
You will need: 200 g/7 oz/2 cups strong white bread flour 45 g/1 1⁄2 oz/scant 1⁄4 cup caster (superfine) sugar pinch of salt 25 g/1 oz/1 3⁄4 tbsp unsalted butter 7 g/1⁄4 oz dried yeast
5 tbsp hand-hot milk 1 large free-range egg, beaten 2 tsp Nutella, or other chocolate spread 2 tbsp hazelnuts, roasted, skinned and chopped 50 g/1 3⁄4 oz dark (bittersweet) chocolate, chopped into small chunks 2 tbsp icing (confectioners’) sugar
Method: 1.
2.
First, make the base dough by putting the flour and sugar into a large bowl followed by a pinch of salt. Rub the butter into this mixture until it resembles breadcrumbs and then stir in the yeast. Tip in the milk, followed by the egg, and mix everything up until you get a dough. Turn it onto a floured surface and knead for at least 10 minutes or until the dough is beautifully smooth, silky and elastic. Pop the dough back in the bowl, cover it with a tea towel and put it somewhere warm to prove for 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size. Knead the dough again for another 5 minutes and then split it into halves. Roll both lumps into strips about 25 x 10 cm/10 x 4 in. Spread
a spoonful of Nutella down the middle of each strip, followed by a sprinkling of the nuts and the chocolate. Keep back about half a tablespoonful of the nuts for sprinkling on the top of the loaf. Roll up each rectangle as you would a Swiss roll (jelly roll). Take each sausage and twist them round one another so you have a twisty loaf. I then like to shove both ends towards each other to shorten it and fatten it up a bit. Pop the loaf on a greased and floured baking tray and cover again with the tea towel. Leave it to prove and consider its fate for another hour.
3.
Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F/Gas mark 3 and, when the loaf is ready, bake it for 20–25 minutes until golden brown, risen
and totally glorious. While it’s cooling, mix enough water with the icing (confectioners’) sugar to create a thin glaze the consistency of single (light) cream and brush it all over the top of the loaf. Sprinkle the remaining hazelnuts over while the glaze is still wet.
4.
Prepare your surroundings for your snuggle experience. Sofa, duvet, hot-water bottle, tea, Richard Curtis film all pretty standard.
Kate Shirazi runs Cakeadoodledo shop and cafe on Exeter’s Cathedral Green (www.cakedoodledo.co.uk) and bakes cakes of all kinds to order and send by post. Look out for this recipe and many more in Kate’s beautiful book Cake Magic (£11.99, Pavilion Books) 37
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18/12/2014 19:11:28
Babette Cole and ‘muse’ James Gutans
My Secret Westcountry Dame Babette Cole Writer Dame Babette Cole, 64, whose bestselling children’s book Mummy Laid an Egg sold more than one million copies, lives in the countryside at East Hill near Crediton with her ‘muse’ and lodger James Gutans, 21. James is the inspiration for the character of James Rabbit in her latest story James Rabbit and the Giggleberries (Macrebon Books, £11.99) My favourite... Pubs: I like The Lamb at Sandford because it has a jolly atmosphere, live music and extremely good food. They have lovely red sofas which are very comfortable, a roaring fire and lots of books, and you can take your dog in there! They also have their own little film club. I also like The Drewe Arms at Drewsteignton and the Tom Cobley Tavern in Spreyton. The other one James and I like is [children’s writer] Michael Morpurgo’s local pub, at Iddesleigh. If you want to eat a lot, like James does, this is the best pub to go to because they do enormous platefuls at very reasonable prices.
Walks: We like to go exploring on Dartmoor, particularly around Haytor and Widecombe-inthe-Moor. I ride on my horse Lannikyte, and James runs around at about 100mph. We go for miles and miles. The last time we went up there James lost my dog Frank, with whom he was tearing around on the moor! Thankfully, a lady found Frank five minutes later and took him back home with her to Bovey Tracey so we collected him later. Drink: I hunt, and my favourite tipple is a hunting drink which is a mixture of port and whisky, about three-quarters port to one quarter whisky. Shops: My favourite bookshop is my local one, the Crediton Community Bookshop, and Mole Avon, also in Crediton – they stock my new book James Rabbit and the Giggleberries. 38
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Xxxxxx People
Haytor
The Lamb Inn
Venue: I go to the Phoenix arts centre in Exeter. We very much
Babette on her horse Lannikyte in period costume
like reggae and ska and the Phoenix is very good for those.
Beach: I go to a lot of
beaches, but the one we like the most is Budleigh Salterton, which is called Bunny Salterton in James Rabbit and the Giggleberries! It is funny because James is very young and I’m very old, we promenade together along Budleigh Salterton beach and people think there’s a very attractive grandson taking his granny out for a walk! We go and have picnics and barbecues on the beach and James goes swimming. He’s a champion swimmer.
Budleigh Salterton
Pastime: I’m generally hunting at this time of the year. I used to be a member of the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Hunt when I lived in Dorset. When I moved here four years ago I joined the Mid Devon and Silverton Hunt, and I go out with them on Lannikyte. The countryside around here is amazing, very hilly, and it is particularly nice around Raddon Hill, which is in all the pictures in James Rabbit and the Giggleberries! It is James’s favourite place, he sits up here and plays his guitar and runs about with Frank. It is so high up you can see everything from there, right across Dartmoor and as far as Exmoor. 39
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18/12/2014 19:42:16
[
EATING OUT
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The Cove Maenporth
By Becky Sheaves
’d been wanting to go to The Cove, Maenporth for ages. I’ve heard very good things about this beachside restaurant near Falmouth. But the last time I was down this way, it was fully booked. And even when I rang up in the quiet time before the Christmas rush properly gets going, there were only a few tables still up for grabs. This is a good sign. In summer, this place throws open its doors and embraces its coastal location, overlooking a pretty, sheltered beach. When my husband John and I visited, the entry was less glamorous, through a slightly condensation-dotted covered terrace. But once inside, the restaurant was glamorous, with a dark wood bar, sultry lighting and huge sofas on which to wait, plus lots of smiley staff all togged out in Breton-striped tops. We were greeted by a very competent, assured waitress who did a great job of making us feel welcome, getting us a drink while taking our
I
orders. We were then handed over to another waitress who showed us to our table, as “our food was ready”. There then ensued a 20-minute wait at the table before our starters arrived, which was odd. So there was plenty of time to take in the surroundings. We were seated in “The Glass House” which would be great in daylight, as it has views over the beach. By night, its large fire escape doors with their “emergency” handles and green Exit sign were a bit underwhelming as décor goes. But the whole restaurant was packed with people, so it is clearly very muchloved locally. Indeed, the people-watching was amazing, they certainly attract customers from right across the board here. To one side of us was a chap who looked exactly like The Major from Fawlty Towers, plus his elderly, very smart wife and their friend, all as proper as could be in tweeds and moustaches (on the men). On the other side of us were three people in very casual beachwear (t-shirts, jeans, trainers) accompanied by a woman dressed, seemingly, as Wallis Simpson, in pearls, furs and heels.
Stranger still, across from us (and right in The Major’s eyeline) was a young couple who, as the night wore on, got increasingly more amorous. At one stage, she was round the other side of the table on his lap. Moustaches were harrumphing on our side of the room! But what about the food? Well, I had frugally stuck to the prix fixe menu which seemed very good value at £20.50 for three courses. To start I ordered trout with miso caramel and bok choi in a ginger and Tregothnan tea dressing. I was all excited at the thought of trout, hoping it would be super-fresh from the nearby Helford or Falmouth rivers. Alas, although it looked extremely pretty on the plate, decorated with a set of cute and tasty Asian ingredients, the trout had serious problems. It was dried out to the point of pappiness, and had the look of a piece of fish that had been sitting under hot lights on the serving pass for a long time. Possibly, I would guess, for the whole 20 minutes that we had been sitting at our table waiting for it to arrive. John, by contrast, had a real success with his beef fillet strips with red onion marmalade served with blue cheese mayo (£8) – it was a bit
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4 of the best Coastal eateries
Saunton Sands
1 Porthminster Beach Café, St Ives
In this reclaimed 1930s café, right on the sand (with a large covered terrace) you can now eat top-notch food and enjoy a sensational view over the sea. Dish of the day: Oven roasted hake fillet with Cornish crab bisque and tempura scallop Prices: Mains around £19 Contact: 01736 795352
2 Gylly Beach Café
of a man dish but was absolutely scrumptious, no other word for it. For my main course, I had plaice with crispy seaweed with a shrimp, chervil & caviar veloute. It was a vast improvement on my starter and again looked lovely on the plate. John has sea bass, which was also delicious. Our only complaint was that there was such a long wait for our starters to be cleared and another longish pause before the mains arrived. Finally, we sat, and sat, and watched lots of other people leaving. It was now really quite late, given the slowness of the service. And then we watched the waiting staff (including our waitress) clearing lots and lots of tables and - finally - she reappeared and asked if we would like to order pudding: “Yes we WOULD. We’ve been waiting ages!” I said. And truly, I would not say such a thing lightly - but this was ridiculous. I’m sorry to say that the waitress did not apologise even slightly, nor did she offer to make any amends. She just looked put out, and was slightly huffy with me for the rest of our evening. Oh well – my pud was lovely, a yuzu delice with poached plums. Yuzu? I understand it is a Japanese citrus, in keeping with the Asian influence of the dishes here. To me the light, creamy delice tasted of mandarin oranges with
a touch of grapefruit – very nice indeed, in short. John had a cheeseboard £6.50 which was OK if a little unimaginative (three chunks of your standard stilton, cheddar and brie-style cheeses) given the range of cheese on offer in this part of the world. We paid up and headed off into the Cornish night. All in all, this is a fun, interesting place with some great dishes, but the service really did let the restaurant down on the night of our visit.
The Cove, Maenporth Beach, Falmouth, 01326 251136
How they scored... Food
Atmosphere
Service
Price
Dinner for two was £87.50
Bang on Gyllyngvase beach in Falmouth, this trendy hang-out serves food all day, from slap-up meals to snacks and cakes. The spectacular seafront terrace overlooks The Lizard and Pendennis Castle. Dish of the day: Fish finger sandwiches and chunky chips Prices: Mains around £9 Contact: 01326 312884
3 Hive Beach Café
At beautiful Burton Bradstock near Bridport, this long-established eatery offers everything from crab sandwiches to serious cuisine and is much-loved by locals. Dish of the Day: West Bay turbot, wild mushroom and tarragon cream sauce Prices: Mains around £15 Contact: 01308 897 070
4 The Terrace,
Saunton Sands Hotel Overlooking the four miles of surf beach in north Devon, this grand Art Deco hotel has a deservedly good reputation for food. Eat in the smart dining room or this more casual terrace restaurant. Dish of the Day: Moules mariniere with Devon cider Prices: Mains around £12 Contact: 01271 890212
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18/12/2014 19:45:13
Recipe of the Week
Semi-freddo with Tim Maddams
here is something about a frozen pudding that exudes an air of style. I’m not sure exactly what it is that makes ice cream better than custard, for example. The only difference is temperature really. But something seems to happen to sub-zero sugar that makes more of a difference than you’d expect, particularly if you then serve it up with something hot. The hot/cold combo is one that I will never tire of and something I go out of my way to cram onto almost every menu I write. Making successful ice cream is a bit of a faff though. You have to make your custard and, to be honest, you also need a ice cream churn of some sort, one that freezes and stirs at the same time. Ice cream recipes often suggest that you can put the mix in a bowl in the freezer and stir it occasionally. This doesn’t really work very well because no matter how often you stir it you still get bigger ice crystals than you would if you did it in a churn where the mix is constantly on the move. Other options available to you include pouring in some liquid nitrogen but frankly that’s a little extreme for a homemade bowl of the good stuff. Or you can buy a sort of football you pack with
T
ice. This has a small screw topped canister in the middle into which you pour your custard. Once loaded with ice and custard this can be enthusiastically kicked around the garden until the ice cream is ready. Ice cream makers have got a lot cheaper in the last few years, with small professional types starting from around £150.00. But if that’s a bit steep there is a perfectly accepttable alternative to ice cream. So, just for once, I’m actually going to give you a recipe this week. What we’re talking about here is a semi freddo (meaning half-frozen in Italian, but you knew that already). Sometimes called a frozen parfait, it’s a tip-top trick that is as easy as falling off a log to get right and works just as well with a hot dessert as ice cream. Or maybe even a little better. Basically this recipe works by adding air and extra sugar to the mixture. Both these things have the effect of softening the feel of the end product on your tongue. The air bubbles create tiny holes in the frozen pudding and the sugar stops everything from freezing too hard. Give it a go and I promise you won’t be disappointed, if you freeze it overnight it;s a good idea to take it out of the freezer 10 minutess before you want to serve it, to allow it to soften just a little.
Make your own:
Makes one medium sized loaf tin Line your loaf tin with three layers of cling film – this makes it a lot easier to deal with when you come to serving it as it will simply lift out of the tin. 125g egg whites 125g organic caster sugar 1 vanilla pod – just the seeds, keep the pod for later use 1 dessert spoonful of chopped stem ginger – with a little of the syrup as well 250g full fat crème fraiche 25 – 40 ml Somerset cider brandy Whisk up the egg whites and add the sugar, like a meringue mix you are looking for stiff peaks. Keep whipping in the sugar a little at a time until it’s all in there and the mixture is shiny. Now fold in the rest of the ingredients until the mix is well combined. Pour the mix into the loaf tin, cover with the cling film flaps and freeze for at least three hours, or until just set solid enough to slice. If you don’t like ginger and apple brandy then there is no help for you, but you could try a different combination, rum and raisin, whisky and cranberry, it’s up to you. But the ginger and apple brandy version works very well with Christmas pudding, if you have any left over. @TimGreenSauce
Tim Maddams is a Devon chef and writer who often appears on the River Cottage TV series 42
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Drink
Beer of the week Atlantic Brewery: Blue (4.8%) Most Atlantic beer is bottled, but occasionally some escapes into cask, and when the porter is on at a bar you really need to try it out. Rich and warming, this ruby coloured beer has lovely sweetness tempered by a hint of smoke. Porter is a very in-vogue style, and Blue is a delightful way to see if it is to your taste.
Welcome on board Admiral Taverns chief executive Kevin Georgel has been appointed to the board of St Austell Brewery – he will take up the position on January 1. Mr Georgel, a Devon resident, says: “I have long admired and been familiar with St Austell Brewery’s business, and have watched them grow as a brewer, pub company, wine merchant and free trade wholesaler.”
Darren Norbury
talks beer o, that was Christmas. How was it for you? You’ve eaten and drunk too much, so my prediction goes (I’m writing this before the festivities so making an educated guess) and swearing that the diet starts today and that January will be a month of abstinence. Well, dear fellow imbiber, there are one or two reasons why I take issue with that point of view. Using a similar logic to that which says that if all smokers gave up en masse tomorrow the economy would collapse, if we all decide to, for instance, give up alcohol for January there’d be hell up. Our wonderful Westcountry pubs need us more than ever through the dark days of mid-winter. They still have rent (in most cases) and staff to pay, not to mention all the other overheads that licensed premises have. Licensees have to heat the building, for instance, but then where better to be than seated in front of a roaring fire when enjoying a pint of something warming and local? Supermarkets may be great and convenient for life’s staples, but if you want to drink decent beer go to a pub. Don’t sit at home with an eight-pack of discounted yellow fizz. Scare stories regularly crop up in the press that alcohol is a demon we must tame. As a society this may be true, although figures show younger people, in particular, are drinking less these days. Responsible drinking, however – everything in moderation ’n’ all that – is better for us than many may think. Especially for us beer drinkers.
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The Daily Mail, of all sources, has come out and heralded a report stating the health benefits of beer. Earlier this year, it noted: “Research suggests it can help protect against Alzheimer’s disease, aid weight loss and even balance hormones – and now it’s attracting more and more health-conscious men and women.” Beer contains many essential amino acids and is a good source of calcium, as well as having fibre. It’s relatively low in sugar, too, compared to soft drinks, exploding the myth that even low consumption will lead to the beer belly. Of course, all this comes back to responsible drinking, in the case of most studies coming down to no more than two pints a day. So perhaps January, rather than being a time for abstinence, should be the time when we take the ‘drink in moderation’ message to heart. A couple of pints, two or three times a week in a pub supports that venue and the wider local economy – even more so if your chosen hostelry has local beers from one of our South West breweries on the bar. And before you say anything, yes, I’m a beer writer so I’m probably going to be tasting a little more than the average drinker, but the mantra of ‘drink responsibly’ still holds true. With the possible exception of my 50th birthday celebration – today. But that will be another story… Darren Norbury is editor of beertoday.co.uk @beertoday
GOING FOR GOLD North Somerset MP Dr Liam Fox has congratulated Butcombe Brewery as it celebrates sales growth of 21.6 per cent in the past 12 months, against a very strong market growth of 12.8 per cent. “Butcombe Gold is my favourite beer,” the MP reveals. 43
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18/12/2014 19:43:49
Living
MOTORS
Green dream Our motoring expert Steve Grant tries out the new Honda CR-Z eco hybrid like the Honda CR-Z, I really do. After all, how many cars actually reward their drivers? Not reward them through a thrilling drive, but with an actual prize. Yep, the CR-Z can make you an award winner – if you drive it in the most environmentallyfriendly way. The Honda has an “eco drive bar” indicator within its Multi Information Display (MID), and an ambient meter, behind the digital speedometer display. Both are synchronised, to give real time information on the consumption of fuel and provide guidance on how you could alter your driving style. The “eco guide bar” in the MID is a solid bar symbol that moves to either side of a central line. The idea is to drive in a way that keeps the bar in the centre and away from the shaded areas on either side. When driving smoothl and efficiently, the bar stays near the centre of the indicator, shifting slightly right during gradual acceleration and slightly to the left when braking gently. During these conditions, the ambient meter behind the speed display glows a green colour to show optimum economical driving performance. Under greater acceleration, or when braking moderately, the bar in the MID shifts more towards either end of the scale, showing the
I
use of more fuel, and the ambient meter glows symbol appears indicating good progress. a green/blue colour. I found taking Haldon But, if the driving style is worse, and the Hill on the way to Exeter in fourth gear makes lifetime score and stage regresses, then the driver everything very blue... is scolded by the symbol of a withering plant. To achieve the best fuel consumption figures, Ouch. the driver should aim to keep the bar in the centre, Unfortunately, as the world’s first sports and the display glowing green hybrid, it’s likely I would win as much as possible throughout more brickbats than bouquets. each journey. This is a car that enjoys If performing well, small leaves being driven. Available only as It’s not as fun will “grow” above the bar to show a front-wheel drive, the hybrid the driver’s eco-progress, with CR-Z comes with only one choice to drive as a more leaves and eventually of engine – a 121PS 1.5-litre unit, Mazda MX-5 a flower added if the system which is assisted by a lithium-ion records a “perfect” score. battery pack driving an electric but the CR-Z is Once a journey is over, motor. an exciting drive and the ignition is turned When combined with the 20PS if you push it off, the “eco guide” in the and extra torque from the electric MID changes to an “eco motor, the CR-Z will achieve score” display. 0-62mph in 9.5 seconds. This is when the leaf symbols Now, that’s not going to set the at the top, report on the driver’s world’s plantlife alight but the performance during the last drive, while the bar low-slung suspension and accurate steering of the and symbols at the bottom of the display, show a Honda do make for fun handling. There are three lifetime score. This is shown in three stages with driving modes – Eco, Sport and Normal with the fully grown plant and flower to the right of Sport offering sharper steering and an improved the bar showing the best score. throttle response. Honda claims that the Eco mode If the driver’s stage has improved since the last improves fuel economy by up to 10 per cent. journey, a recognition symbol with wreathes is The six-speed manual gearbox, a first for a displayed. At the end of the third stage a trophy hybrid, is accurate and adds to the sporty feel of
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gadget notebook 28 December 2014
HI TECH: Smart gadgets Fun goodies for New Year – and beyond…
Desktop distraction
the car. It’s not as fun to drive as a Mazda MX-5 but the CR-Z is an exciting drive if you push it. However, the ride, as you would expect from any self-respecting sports coupe, is quite firm. On the plus side, because of its hybrid powertrain, the CR-Z is pleasantly affordable to run by sports coupe standards. The Sport version achieves CO2 emissions of only 117g/ km with combined fuel economy of 56.5mpg. The larger wheels on the GT-T version I was driving return 54.3mpg with CO2 emissions of 122g/km. Stop-start comes as standard helping to save even more fuel. I achieved 40mpg over a week’s driving – in a CR-Z coloured “energetic yellow” – but the terrain of Devon and Cornwall tends to make mincemeat of official figures and can be particularly harsh on hybrids. Taking its styling cues from the cult Honda CR-X coupe of the 1980s and with its LED running lights on the front bumper and sloping glass roof. The CR-Z does look good. But it isn’t particularly practical. As with many 2+2’s there’s plenty of room up front, but the rear seats are incredibly cramped and only really suitable for toddlers. Most owners will probably prefer to keep the seats folded flat as this sees boot space grow from a poor 225 litres to 401 litres. Another criticism is that the rear spoiler cuts across the rear screen obscuring the view out of the back. So the CRZ is a little pricey and really only is a two-seater. But, it has achieved the aim of being a true sports hybrid. It’s fun to drive, without necessarily being blisteringly quick, and ideally suited to urban driving where its compact size, quick-reacting start-stop system and low-down torque make it nippy and frugal in equal measure. I like it. I really do.
Honda CR-Z: At a Glance Price: From £17,325 0-60 mph: 9.1 seconds Max speed: 124 mph CO2 (g/km): 117g/km Combined mpg: 56.5 mpg
Dreading the return to work? A fun mini-marble run is sure to jazz up anyone’s desk - but be warned, they may not help productivity! Amazeballs Mini Transporter £7.95 red5.co.uk
Bottle open-arhh One for the New Year’s party is this characterful bottle opener. One of the pirate’s legs acts as the corkscrew, a serrated arm takes off foil covers and the other arm removes bottle caps. The perfect way to open a (me) hearty red... Pirate corkscrew £9.99 firebox.com
Avian offering Available in a range of colours, these birds respond to your touch and sing, chirp and tweet away. They are even clever enough to repeat back what you say to them. Little Live Birds £9.97 each amazon.co.uk
A corking idea This twist-to-turn-on bottle light is charged via USB, and can turn almost any bottle into a rather decent - and different - lamp. Bottle Light £9.99 firebox.com
Aaand... relax Complete with six rollers to deliver a soothing rub to aching feet, you simply sit and press your foot down ‘til the rollers begin to knead the way to relaxation bliss. BFF Foot Massager £9.99 jmldirect.co.uk
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18/12/2014 19:41:18
My life man and boy
Hey, that was fun Phil Goodwin and son James, four, had a great Christmas o, another year over and what have you done? To paraphrase a famous Scouser. For my part, I managed to get to a festive Premier League fixture between Liverpool and Arsenal and a pantomime production of Jack and the Beanstalk, starring one of the Nolan sisters. More impressive, though, was the assembly of three major Lego sets. With a grand total of more than three thousand individual pieces. James was very specific in his demands from Santa this year – down to the exact Lego train set and the Arctic research station, which comes complete with polar bear and huskies. The enduring power of this essentially simple toy is remarkable. For more than 60 years these colourful Danish bricks have been joined (and bitten apart) by generations of kids, leaving their parents to practise their profanity by stepping on them in socks. A few weeks back I visited - for the first time - a genuine Lego shop in Liverpool’s shiny new shopping centre. The nearest outlet to us in the South West is in Cardiff – those Lego folk are missing a trick by shunning Exeter and Plymouth. Why exactly does rendering an everyday item in plastic bricks make it so irresistible for adults as well as kids? It must tap into some ancient construction urge dating back to the origin of the species. Whatever the reason, as you wander around this over-lit emporium of plastics, you will hear parents cooing and gurgling over the boxed sets: “Wow look – a Lego…” and it could be the Taj Mahal, the Empire State Building, or a simple but elegant street corner cinema. The list seems endless. For James, the lure was an orange passenger train. He chose this over a more expensive set which had engines and remote con-
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trol, simply because the roof came off and you could move the figures in and out of the buffet car. Perhaps this is a symptom of having spent too much of his early youth in coffee shops. Now, fathers are often accused of shopping for their own inner child when Christmas and birthdays come around. Not in my case. If it were my choice, nothing beats the Lego version of the Maersk Line Triple-E Container Vessel. At a staggering 10,241 pieces it is not for the novice and cannot safely be placed in the hands of anyone younger than 12. In real life it is the biggest such carrier in the world and the Lego version is itself around three feet long. God only knows where you put such a thing at home. Well, I made the right noises in the shop but there was no ship-size parcel in my Christmas stocking. Which brings us to the central character of all this festive gift-giving – Saint Nicholas himself. In the spirit of the season, I have dutifully steered clear of denying the Laplander’s existence or even casting doubt on his ability to deliver to order toys to 1.9 billion kids in a single evening. James loves the songs and stories – particularly the one about Rudy eating all the sprouts with the inevitable windy results. He was genuinely excited to grill the poor guy who was playing the role at Killerton House near us last week.
But, despite all this propaganda, he told me he knows – not suspects, but knows – that Father Frost, as the Russians call him, is a fiction. And he promised me a big kiss for getting everything on his wish list. Believe me, when you’re paying Lego prices, it’s nice to know you’re getting the credit, not some flyby-night chancer from up north with dodgy whiskers, a sledge and six reindeer.
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main picture: Steve Haywood
I never cast doubt on his ability to deliver toys to 1.9 billion kids in a single evening
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orde
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We know that every home requires different styles and different colours so we offer a wide range of windows for you to choose from starting with our highest quality uPVC to our conventional timber frames the choice is yours. Check out our new range of Solidor Composite doors. Choose from large range of styles and colours and materials using our interactive tool on our website. Every Coastal product is tailored specifically for every customer and our products are made to measure. We have nine installation teams and three building teams. All of our employees are trained to the highest degree and have regular training to keep them up to date with the industry standards. All of our installers are friendly and more than happy to answer any questions you may have as your installation progresses. They are clean and tidy and will leave your property in exactly the same way they found it. We pride ourselves on our excellent customer service.
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Mrs Stubbe – Cullompton Just a few lines to let you know how pleased I was with the workmanship of your employee. He arrived at 8.30am and set to work straight away. So precise, clean and tidy all on his own too. It was all completed by 12.30pm and not a speck of dirt anywhere. I am nearly 88 so can’t do much so you can tell how pleased I was, please pass on my thanks to him.
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** Offer only available on the Solidor range to be taken at time of quotation and not to be used in conjunction with any other offer.
call us free today 0800 085 4301
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www.coastal-windows.co.uk Unit 8 Silverhills Units Decoy Industrial Estate Newton Abbot Devon TQ12 5LZ
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