October:November
issue No.12
ArcticMonkeys 8-Legged Groove Machine
Rock 'n' Roll Map of Yorkshire
RICKY HATTON Hitman Exclusive!
CLIVE JAMES An Appetite For Discussion NewSeason Fashion
DAVE SPIKEY'S FAMOUS LAST WORDS
JENNY
FROM
HEAVEN
The Life and Loves of Jennifer Aniston
BEAUTY, RESTAURANTS,REVIEWS,FILM, MUSIC,CARS,INTERIORS,HEALTH,GARDENS...
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Creative Director : Sue Tyas Designers : Andy Haywood Chris Bayles info@onlifestyle.co.uk
October:November Issue 12 2009
Editor : Matthew Callard editor@onlifestyle.co.uk
Published by wmp:: working media publications ltd. www.onlifestyle.co.uk Editorial: 07500 090785 Advertising: 01924 413813
Photography : Steve Stenson David Lindsay John Waite Damian Hall photos@onlifestyle.co.uk Contributors : Jono Baker Barney Bardsley Paul Bedford Bryn Bevan Paul Dagg Alison Holland Paul Howard Bethanie Lunn Samantha Marshall Neil McGowan Matthew Peacock Keith Spence Duncan Thorne Sam Ward Rich Williams
editor’s
WElcomE We’ve had lots of interesting personalities gracing the front cover of on: over the years. If you’ll pardon a bit of gratuitous namedropping, there’s been Gordon Ramsay, Vivienne Westwood, Daniel Craig, Kelly Brook, Hugh Jackman, Cheryl Cole … But when it comes to the all-time Queen of Front covers, there’s only one. Yes, you could paper over the m62 with Jennifer Aniston’s column inches which is exactly why we thought it was high time on: got the lowdown and joined the J.A. Front cover club too! course, none of the above names are really the star of this particular show. The star’s in the picture above - and no, I don’t mean the slightly portly-looking bloke sitting stage left - I mean the wide open skies and green fields of Yorkshire - its people, its businesses, its character. We’ve always believed in local relevance and (inter)national awareness - the best of both worlds - and that’s something all those other high street magazines with Jennifer Aniston on their front cover just can‘t offer! Who else have we been meeting-and-greeting? Boxing great Ricky Hatton (page ---), Yorkshire’s-finest band The Arctic Monkeys (page ---) and comedian Dave Spikey (page ---) are the kind of northern characters we love - funny, opinionated and talented. Ditto Clive James (page ---). our only regret? That we didn’t get Ricky and clive in the same room - oh, to be a fly on the wall for that head-to-head! Talking of characters, we’re remembering one of our region’s most notorious read about The leeds Witch on page ---.
We support the Laura Crane Trust
Nice too to welcome more scribbling talent to the on: offices - Alison Holland adds plenty of experience to our Food pages, Sam Ward takes over Fashion she comes straight from the industry‘s beating heart - and Rich Williams will be bringing some juicy, exclusive insider gossip from the region’s biggest radio station. More fun, info and interest than ever, we reckon. Now, that can’t be bad…
No 1 Church Road, Roberttown, Liversedge,WF15 7LS T: 01924 413813 F: 01924 413801 www.onlifestyle.co.uk Managing Director : Ian Bryan Commercial Director : Sue Tyas Media Sales Director : Mark Cheetham Media Sales : Nicola Severn, Jill Sanders, Nick Wright. Accounts : Graham Marshall
YoUR EDIToR MATT CALLARD
If you’ve missed any of our previous issues simply visit our website and you can catch up on our celebrity interviews with MEGAN FOX, HUGH JACKMAN, CHERYL COLE, KELLY BROOK, GORDON RAMSEY, DANIEL CRAIG, VIVIENNE WESTWOOD, PAUL SMITH, ANGELINA JOLIE, MEL B and NELL McANDREW to name just a few. SUBSCRIBE TODAY - Make sure you don’t miss any future editions by simply paying the postage and we will send ON:MAGAZINE direct to your home. Do it by phone 01924 413813 or online www.onlifestyle.co.uk
writeon... Who says what
Jono Baker Jono has worked in financial services for 20 years. At weekends he can be found coaching football for the ‘Burton Bullets’ and rugby in Ripon. Midweek, you may just find him working as a stockbroker!.
Barney Bardsley Barney started out as an arts journalist. Then she re-trained in dance and T’ai Chi, which she taught for many years. Now she writes books and articles for the Guardian and Yorkshire Post - and she gardens, in a haphazard kind of a way.
Paul Bedford Paul is a health and fitness expert who moonlights as the in-house personal trainer at the brand new Village Health club, Tingley.
Bryn Bevan Bryn has nearly 20 years’ experience in a host of portfolio and flagship salons and has won numerous awards for his hair, business, photographic and fashion work. This is his first foray into the cut-throat world of journalism.
Alison Holland Alison’s role as an international food critic and marketeer has seen her dine, discuss and dissect the finest restaurants in the world –from Pudsey to Padstow, from The Ivy to El Bulli, from New York cafes to Tokyo steak-houses. Her wealth of food experience has taught her an open mind is just as important as a critical eye.
Paul Howard Paul is the founder of the famous on-line wine bible winealchemy.com. He is also, we kid you not, one of the original King's Road punks. Whatever happened to them?’
Bethanie Lunn Bethanie is a Style Insider, Journalist and Entrepreneur with four fashion, beauty and lifestyle businesses under her belt alongside teaching, styling and presenting. Phew! If it’s worth knowing about, Bethanie knows first and she is quickly gaining a reputation as the Girl-About-Town of the North. If she didn’t exist, it would be necessary to invent her.
Samantha Marshall Samantha has been a TV Make-Up Artist for over 15 years, working on weekly soaps and award winning dramas. She will be keeping you updated on all new cosmetic products, offering tips, tricks and expertise in the process!
Matthew Peacock Matt’s mind is crammed with anything and everything to do with bikes. He has been in the bike trade since leaving school and is General Manager of the famous Chevin Cycles, Otley - who he also races for.
Keith Spence Keith is the vastly experienced former Chief Assistant Editor of the Yorkshire Evening Post, a TV critic and travel writer. He brings a bit of much-needed order and decorum to the place.
Duncan Thorne Duncan is the founder of Thorne Public Relations and is an experienced journalist having reported on crime, politics and sport and sometimes all at the same time. He is a self-confessed sport and car anorak and his dream is for 1966 to be re-created in his lifetime (just the World Cup final, not the whole year!).
Sam Ward Sam lives and breathes fashion, which is just as well considering she works in press and marketing for one of the world’s leading luxury retailers. If she had £4 left in her (Chanel) purse, she would buy Vogue rather than food (and has, in the past).
Rich Williams Rich Williams presents the Homerun on 96.3 Radio Aire (weekdays 3-7pm). He is Leeds born and bred and has access to all the stars that walk through the doors of the biggest radio station in Leeds. Rich studied at the University of Leeds, then spent 2 years co-presenting the Breakfast show before being offered his own show in 2009. His main passions are Leeds United, music and politics.
contents... OCTOBER::NOVEMBER 2009
the on interview 10
Jennifer Aniston
looking good 14 18 22 25 28
Fashion Hair Cosmetics Jewellery What’s New
lifestyle 34 38 40 44 50
Health Wine Recipe Food Music & Films
the on Q&A 54
Arctic monkeys
local living
fashion
56 60 64 66 68 69
Theatres Restaurant Review Walks Heritage Events Radio Aire
home & family 70 76 78
Interiors Gardens Property
active
Jennifer Aniston front cover image © prphotos.com
82 86 92 94
Travel Sport Cars Gadgets
exclusive 96
ont&c’s All rights are reserved. All material is strictly copyrighted. Reproduction, in part or whole, of any part of this publication is forbidden without the consent of wmp . We have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of our information but cannot be held responsible for any errors contained. Any views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher or the advertisers. The publishers cannot be held responsible for loss or damage of any material, solicited or unsolicted. Editor’s decision is final.
Clive James
business end 98
readon...
100 101 102
Finance Letters Competitions Famous Last Words
9
10 theoninterview
Friends, ROM-COMS, HER COUNTRYMEN... It’s been over 5 years since the most successful sitcom of all time laughed its last, yet Jennifer Aniston, despite some patchy post-Friends movie output, is still the front cover Queen. As her latest romantic comedy,‘Love Happens,’ hits the big screens, she talks about learning lessons the hard way, her casual attitude to those endless prying eyes and lenses and her secret film desire…..
11
theoninterview
WHAT IS LIFE IN GENERAL LIKE FOR YOU THESE DAYS?
term. (laughs) Ideal? One with the ability to compromise and express selflessness.
It’s good. I have great friends, I have an interesting life and I feel I’m doing good work these days. You can’t complain when you’re able to fulfill so many of your ambitions and keep discovering new things in life. I have a very positive attitude and it’s all very surreal, in a way, to have the kind of life I have.
WHEN YOU LOOK BACK TO A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, DID YOU THINK YOUR CAREER WAS GOING TO BE WHAT IT IS NOW?
HOW IMPORTANT IS FRIENDSHIP IN YOUR LIFE? HOW AND WHERE DO YOU FIND THE STRENGTH TO GO THROUGH THE MOST DIFFICULT TIMES?
DO YOU FEEL PROUD? WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR OWN FANS LIKE? Amazing. I never thought I would ever, like I said, I was just happy to work. And I don’t know them all personally, but they’re very kind.
WERE YOUR DREAMS AND EXPECTATIONS DIFFERENT FROM WHAT THEY TURNED OUT TO BE? WHEN YOU GREW UP, WHAT DID YOU HAVE PLANNED FOR YOURSELF?
Well, friendship, I can’t personally live without it. I don’t understand how people isolate and don’t commune with friends, but I personally depend on them and vice versa. I think it’s a part of life and it’s what takes you through life. I don’t know, what takes you through life during hard times? Friends? Family? Yourself, more importantly? Things that everybody has, I would assume.”
Honestly, I’m personally not a planner. I’ve never been somebody who was like, ‘I’m going to grow up, and I’m going to be married, and I’m going to have kids.’ I just sort of was always like, ’Just get me out of the house. (laughs) Just let me survive and get my own apartment.’ So I’ve always kind of been a ‘in the moment’ kind of person, obviously. I just have the thought that if you keep your eye on an end point and you’re not just kind of enjoying the journey and you’re so focused on the ambition of what it will look like, I think you kind of miss out on things. It’s like that cliché John Lennon quote.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE SOME OF THE MAIN LESSONS YOU’VE LEARNED ABOUT LIFE OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS?
Exactly. And I think you actually gain more opportunities when you’re able to look at everything. Sometimes, you just pass right by things when you are focusing too much on an end, on a result.
That’s a big question…I think I discovered an inner strength which I always knew I had but you never know what you can endure until you go through different kinds of experiences. I feel I found that I can deal with whatever the world throws at me and that kind of gives you a good feeling and perspective on life. I try to be happy and not worry too much about things. I have a good life.
ARE THERE ANY GOALS IN YOUR MIND THAT YOU HAVEN’T ACHIEVED YET?
WHAT HAS THE TRANSITION FROM ’FRIENDS’TO FILM BEEN LIKE FOR YOU?
SO, YOU DO WANT TO DIRECT?
I got the opportunity to do films when I was on ‘Friends’ and I think I kind of built that up a little bit and somehow was welcomed into the other side. I crossed over.
“LIFE IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU’RE MAKING OTHER PLANS?”
Sure, there’s a lot. I mean, I want to do so much – there are a lot of things.
ANYTHING SPECIFIC? Oh nothing that you should know. (laughs)
DON’T YOU WANT TO DIRECT? Yeah, that’s a good one. And produce. We’re in the middle of doing that as well. I did. Once, and I want to do it again, full-length.
DO YOU FEEL YOU ARE UNDER EXTRA PRESSURE EVERY TIME YOU BRING OUT A MOVIE?
WITH YOUR WORK IN FRIENDS AND YOUR FILM CAREER, YOU’VE ACHIEVED A LEVEL OF SUCCESS THAT FEW ACTORS EVER EXPERIENCE. DO YOU FEEL MORE SECURE IN LIFE BECAUSE OF THAT?
No. I always feel like if this movie sucks or if this movie bombs I don’t care because I loved my experience doing it.
I don’t think success has anything to do with making me secure with my life. I think my personal, emotional experiences give me the ability to be more secure with who I am. In terms of success I’ve been very blessed, but it's not what makes you happy. That comes from within, from your friends, and from how to live your life and evolve with it.
I don’t have any kind of method. I don’t have any tools really. I just go off of what is happening. I have a woman who I work with who is an amazing acting coach. We explore and talk and break things down and just throw it all away. I put it in a little filing cabinet in my head and just pull something out if I need it.
ARE SUCCESS AND LUCK THE SAME? WAS IT JUST LUCK? HOW DO YOU LOOK AT IT? I don’t know. I’ve never sat there and plotted out how I was going to become successful or famous. I just really wanted to do work and I wanted to do good work ever since I was in the High School of Performing Arts and my Russian acting coach told me I was a disgrace to the Moscow Theatre! I was determined to prove him wrong and do good work. I think I’ve never had my eye on a prize; I just really wanted to enjoy the passage of time. Before ‘Friends’ and the success of that, I have a graveyard of sitcoms that, thank God, you don’t know about, but I was happy to get a job every year whether it went on or not.
DOES THE CONSTANT FOCUS ON YOUR PRIVATE LIFE EVER BECOME A MAJOR DISTRACTION FOR YOU? [Laughs] It can be frustrating because you hear so many ridiculous stories and things which are just plain lies that you want to go on the record but you can’t because it just inflames things more. I’m so used to it now that I just don’t pay attention. I just live my life, focus on my work, and stick to that plan. I really don’t worry about what’s written about me. It’s part of the business and you just learn to move on, enjoy yourself, do some good work. I keep it simple that way.
ARE YOU A ROMANTIC IN EVERYDAY LIFE? I think so. Being in love is a great thing and you always want to be able to give yourself over to that feeling. But you also need to have a practical side to keep watch over yourself and not get carried away to the point where you’re not seeing things clearly. There’s always that kind of tension at work.
WHAT KIND OF TRAINING DO YOU USUALLY DO TO STAY IN SHAPE?
WHAT METHOD DO YOU USE TO GET INTO A ROLE?
THE THEME FOR ONE OF YOUR MOVIES, ‘MANAGEMENT’, WAS THAT LOVE KNOWS NO BOUNDS. IS THAT A NOTION YOU AGREE WITH? I think to have love is everything. It’s like a divine right. It’s beautiful. I think people are so afraid of it they will find every excuse in the book to conduct their life so they don’t ever have to feel it, because with love comes some other stuff and it ain’t pretty.
DO YOU THINK WE NEED LOVE TO BE TRULY HAPPY? It’s the only way. It’s the only way and it’s not that scary a monster.
BUT HAVE YOU EVER DEALT WITH SOMEONE LIKE THAT IN EVERYDAY LIFE, LIKE A GUY WHO IS THAT WEIRDLY PERSISTENT? Uh huh. Yes, I have. [Jennifer pounds her fist on the table] I’ve had it!
ARE WE GOING TO BE SEEING YOU DO MORE PRODUCING AS WELL AS ACTING? Yes, absolutely. Right now I have this amazing partner. She’s been my dear friend for 20 years. When Plan B was in its early stages it was her and a bunch of us and now we’re on our own. We have six amazing projects that we are very excited about. It’s just fun.
YOU PLAYED ALEC BALDWIN’S STALKER IN 30 ROCK. WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO BE BACK ON TV? Fantastic. I loved it. To be in that environment again was wonderful. One of the writers was a writer on Friends so it was like going home to see all these people and to be back in New York where I grew up. It was just the best and I got to manhandle a cop.
WE’VE BEEN HEARING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE A BOND GIRL?
I’m not a huge fitness freak, but I try to do several hours of training each week, crunches, things like that. I try to stay fit and eat very healthily.
Oh, I did say that once. I thought that would be fun. Not necessarily the Bond girl but the sidekick to Bond that kind of comes in. I don’t know, I think a Bond girl should be funny for once ‘cause Bond’s funny.
IF YOU HAD TO CHOOSE BETWEEN A CAREER AND A FAMILY, WHAT WOULD YOU CHOOSE FOR YOURSELF IN THE FUTURE?
WHAT’S UP FOR YOU NEXT?
I don’t think that’s a question you can sort of guess at. I think you have to be standing in that position to have an authentic answer to that. As actors, we have the luxury of being able to say, ‘You know what, I’m going to take a couple of years off and do this.’ And that’s sort of the luxury of our careers. And we also have the luxury to ask for help, if we need that. So I don’t think that I might find myself in that position, but who knows?
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE IDEAL RELATIONSHIP? I don’t have one. I don’t think there is one. Is there?
AN IDEAL? Okay. Oh, I thought you said, ‘Can I deal?’ (laughs) Wow, I thought that was a
12
No.
LOV E H A P P E N S I S S H OW I N G N OW
A movie called ‘The Bounty Hunter’ (name has since been changed to ‘The Bounty‘). I play a journalist who is on the run, because she was an accomplice to - no - she’s a witness to - sorry, my brain is potatoes right now! I’ve been up nights. Um.
AU GRATIN? Uh huh! Always, always! Doesn’t that make you hungry? Anyway! The Bounty Hunter, who is her ex-husband, has been given her as a hit. And so he’s, um. Actually, it’s a really good script!
WOW, THAT SOUNDS A LITTLE STRANGE, BUT AWESOME. Ha! It is, it is!
JENNIFER ANISTON
MATTHEW PERRY
COURTENEY COX
The bankable Queen of Rom-Com might have had a few sleepless nights when ‘Management’ bombed last year – her first serious Box office flop - but ‘He’s Just Not That Into You’ has raked in nearly $100m since. Her celebrity star refuses to wane and there’s a long list of projects in development – but is one of them going to be, finally, the first great Jennifer Aniston movie? MOVIES SINCE FRIENDS: 6/10
The atrocious ‘The Whole Ten Yards’ hardly got Perry’s postFriends movie making off to a dream start and 2008’s cheesy ‘Numb’ sank like a stone. But his supporting role in this year’s enjoyable and successful teencom ’17 Again’ might, at last, see Perry laying to rest the ghost of Chandler Bing. He’s a good character actor when he wants to be and the upcoming ‘Down and Dirty Pictures’ looks promising.
Where Jen has stayed within her rom-com movie safety net, Courteney’s veered wildly from genre to genre (thriller, comedy, kids, horror) with mostly woeful results, including the risible ‘Zoom’ – the post-Friends stinker that out-stinks them all. Thankfully, her one Big Screen success story, ‘Scream’, returns for a 4th outing next year, guaranteeing Mrs. CoxArquette some much-needed Box Office return.
SUCCESS SINCE FRIENDS: 8/10
MOVIES SINCE FRIENDS: 2/10
MOVIES SINCE FRIENDS: 2/10
READY FOR THE REUNION? Four films in the next 12 months – what’s the rush?
SUCCESS SINCE FRIENDS: 3/10
SUCCESS SINCE FRIENDS: 4/10
READY FOR THE REUNION? After you, Jen.
READY FOR THE REUNION? Saved by Scream.
Friends like these
How the cast have fared since the ‘Friends’ finale pulled in 52.5 million US viewers in 2004.
DAVID SCHWIMMER
LISA KUDROW
MATT LeBLANC
If you count Schwimmer’s voice actor roles in the animated megahits ‘Madagascar’ and ‘Escape to Africa’ he can potentially lay claim to having the most successful post-Friends movie career. Except we don’t. ‘Duane Hopwood’, was a brave and believable portrait of alcohol abuse but it disintegrated at the Box office. He directed Simon Pegg’s fair-to-middling comedy ‘Run Fat Boy Run’ and it’s a safe bet that Schwimmer’s future movie career exists behind the camera.
Schmaltz-fests ‘PS I Love You’ and ‘Hotel For Dogs’ performed at the Box Office but it’s the remarkable ‘Kabluey’ that ensures Kudrow gets the post-Friends best movie accolade. It’s a funny, sad, heartfelt and original film that, unfortunately, sank without trace. This year’s ‘Bandslam’ was an enjoyable romp and there’s plenty of interesting Big Screen action in the pipeline. Phoebe was always the smart one, you know.
LeBlanc got the post-Friends spinoff, of course, and although ‘Joey’ is perceived as a flop it still ran for 46 episodes. The material wasn’t bad but the show was doomed, if only because it highlighted the fact that the magical ‘Friends’ 6way chemistry just isn’t easily replicated. He currently runs a production company and, hey, there’s always ‘Charlie’s Angels 3’.
MOVIES SINCE FRIENDS: 5/10 SUCCESS SINCE FRIENDS: 4/10 READY FOR THE REUNION? We can talk.
MOVIES SINCE FRIENDS: 7/10 SUCCESS SINCE FRIENDS: 5/10 READY FOR THE REUNION? Bit of a wildcard. Maybe. Maybe not.
MOVIES SINCE FRIENDS: N/A SUCCESS SINCE FRIENDS: 2/10 READY FOR THE REUNION? Where do I sign?
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onfashion
Sam Ward
lookinggood
TR
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SEQUINS ALE
Strict ly
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Last A/W everyone was talking about sequins, even supermodelturned-grunge-icon Agyness Deyn was spotted sporting a lustrous mini
dress, and after Balmain showered us with an array of glitter and
sequins back in the spring, it would seem that this is one trend that is here for the long haul. Luckily for us, the party season is nearly upon us, and what better way to show your inner sparkle than with some serious glitz and glam.
www.onlifestyle.co.uk
Splurge –
Spend –
Sequin top, lurex leggings and boots, all by Gucci at Harvey Nichols www.harveynichols.com
50’s sequin mini dress, £165, Mobarak www.mobarak.co.uk
Save – Bronze sequin dress, £55, JOY and black sequin dress, £34.99, ARK, both at The Light, Leeds
It’s all about fun this winter; with designers taking inspiration from everything from Forties film starlets to 60’s London. Philip Lim showed some incredibly lean Keith Richards-esque suits, Stella McCartney opted for elegant cocoon coats, provocative peek-a-boo panelling and vegan legging-boots with needle thin heels, whilst Lanvin went for a more sober, Parisian chic-look with their Forties-
Lanvin
Stella McCartney
inspired collection.
Ticking all the boxes, Noa Noa have winter wrapped up with a selection of cute berets and military outerwear, along with fortiesinspired tweed and bohemian skirts nipped in with patent belts. Noa Noa, Ilkey - 01943 607109
Obsession du Jour… Wildfox Inspired by Native American artwork and vintage rock & roll t-shirts, we can’t get enough of the vibrant new Wildfox label. The brand has quickly developed a cult status thanks to an A-list following which includes Megan Fox and Christina Aguilera, both of whom have been snapped wearing their vintage-inspired t-shirts and knitwear. T-shirts from £55, Third Floor, Harvey Nichols.
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THE WINTER
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From the anarchic and extreme to old-school finesse, the Autumn/Winter 09 catwalks have been alive with creative ways to wear our hair. Bryn Bevan from Saks, Halifax, talks us through the trends and gives his backstage tips on the products to use and how to make each look work for you.
Bryn Bevan of Saks, Halifax
Cascading Confidence Best for: Head-turning impact A confident Jerry Hall was brought to life at the key shows for this trend. This evening-style hair is opulent, decadent and rich. Think thick manes with reflective shine and luscious heavy waves that bounce. You’ll need to add in length to achieve this exuberance. A quick-fix is to clip in extensions for maximum impact, but treat them like real hair. If we were to predict the most requested red carpet style, then this luscious cascade of waves with a sexy side slick, would be it. Backstage style tips: You need maximum volume so for extra oomph pile on Texture Expert Expansion Mousse (£13.25) for fine hair or Texture Expert Mousse Volupté (£13.25) for medium hair. Using a vent brush, tip your head upside down and blow-dry, pushing hair from side to side to add in extra volume. Take an inch thick section, brush through and spray. Using large curling irons wind the hair from the roots to the ends. Pin each section to the head. Once cooled, release the pins and brush. For thick hair, finish by rubbing Texture Expert Gelée Cashmere (£15.75) in the palms of your hands and smooth over the lengths and ends for separation and shine. Hold with Texture Expert Fixing Mist 4 (£13.25).
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Pictures by L'Oréal Professionnel
High & Dry Best for: Expressing your inner rebel Surprisingly, even the most prestigious houses joined the riot where the likes of ‘King’ Karl Lagerfeld combined 80s crimp with Teddy Boy quiffs. Even the more classic and basic hairstyles had a rebellious feel and were worn with a kooky twist. Prada showed dry frizz in a 40s fashion, Louis Vuitton sexed-up the classic top-knot with a precocious twist and lots of fly-aways and at Richard Nicoll and Pollini, models had more of an elegant 50s feel with a French pleat and a smattering of rebelliousness. Backstage style tips: Give hair a good base foundation by loading it up with lightweight products. When hair is dry, coat liberally with Tecni.art Pli Spray (£11.60) and Play Ball Texture Tonic (£11). Then, taking a small section at a time, mist over again with Tecni.art Hot Style Constructor (£10.50) and proceed with your chosen heated tool. For more texture, criss-cross small sections with crimpers, leave to cool and back brush until it swells to the desired size. Choose between a top-knot or a pleat and pin to the head. Finish with a holding spray that is not too wet or it will flatten the airiness and undo all of the good work.
Wayward Ladies Best for: A style beyond your means In a flashback to the 80s, this trend is a reflection of the current recession and the ingenuity and inventiveness that comes in such a climate. In these hard times, freedom, selfexpression and having fun with the way you look is even more important. At Marc Jacobs and Luella, some of the styles were gravity-defying and dubbed ‘sky-scraper hair‘ backstage. It’s a Pandora’s Box of texture and finish but it’s about being inventive with products. Backstage style tips: With all of these styles protection is vital. Prepare the hair with thermal protectors first, such as L’Oreal Texture Expert Liss Ardent (£16.25). Then it’s all about being excessive with gravity-defying shapes. You want the hair to stand up. Get guts into it until it feels hard and fibrous. Layer up Tecni.art Fix Design Gel Spray (£9.45), Play Ball Texture Tonic (£11) and Tecni.art Air Fix Hairspray (£8.50) then back brush, mould into shape and pin wherever you desire.
NICKY CLARKE
Reaching temperatures of 230°C and featuring advanced tourmaline and nanosilver coated ceramic plates, the Desired has the substance to match the style, with performance and great features perfectly complimenting the lipstick red good looks. The unique, ultra-high spec plates provide super-fast heat-up previously only found in salons and the rounded edges mean that you can both straighten and curl your hair.
TOM FORD HAIR PERFUME An unconventional new way to wear Tom Ford Black Orchid, the Luminous Hair Perfume adds elegance and shine to dull hair with nutrients such as Pro-Vitamin B5. Other key ingredients tame frizz and control fly-away hair. A brilliant gold fluted glass bottle accented with a black plaque and black chord distinguishes the Luminous Hair Perfume from the rest of the Tom Ford Black Orchid collection. £46.00 - stockists: 0870 034 2566
ENRICH HAIR OIL Enrich Hair Oil can help restore your hair's natural health, adding gloss and shine to dry, weather-stressed or out of condition hair. Rich Brazilian murumuru butter helps to retain moisture, as it creates a permeable barrier that prevents moisture loss and improves the flexibility of the hair. £22.00 www.aromatherapyassociates.com
£89.99 from Boots and Argos nationwide. DENMAN The newest innovation from Denman is Head Huggers Hot Curl Brushes with Thermoceramic Technology which have a concave shape that ‘hugs’ the contours of the head allowing the crimped bristles to penetrate to the root of the hair for maximum styling performance. Head Huggers also have a Thermoceramic coating that spreads heat across the surface area of the heat-retaining barrel preventing ‘hot spots’ and enabling smooth, damage-free styling. £7.50 - £9 from www.denmanbrush.com
FUDGE ENDS & GLOSS The secret of Ends lies within the presence of a combination of proteins which deeply penetrate the hair shaft, providing rapid conditioning and significantly reducing breakage. Flat iron, brush through and there you go, it’s a miracle!
new for hair
Styled in a luscious gloss red finish, the stunning Desired by Nicky Clarke Straightener exudes quality and class, with unrivalled high performance to match.
Ends’ partner in crime, Gloss, provides the perfect finish to complete any style. This serum easily glides over the hair, providing a smooth super-glossy finish. Both £12.95 01282 683100
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W E D D I N G F AY R E
Extravaganza S U N D AY 1 S T N O V E M B E R 1 1 - 5 P M
THIS WILL BE A WEDDING FAYRE NOT TO BE MISSED!
Celebrity Opening | Fabulous Catwalk Shows | Luxury Show Bags Champagne on arrival | Unique Exhibitors | Clairvoyant Glossy Show Guide with discount vouchers | Demonstrations & Seminars
Visit www.wildbride.co.uk to download your exclusive FREE ticket! VENUE | THE VILLAGE HOTEL LEEDS SOUTH LS27 0TS
.CO.UK
oncosmetics
lookinggood
As the male grooming industry continues to grow at double-digit rates, cosmetics expert to the stars, Samantha Marshall, looks at some of the best products on the market and offers some tips for all those could-be metrosexuals out there…
The ROUGH and the SMOOTH In my line of work, I have to deal with the trials and tribulations of male actors’ skin. Like all men, some actors are very good at taking care of their skin and others, most definitely, are not! It is just as important for men to look after their skin as women and there are some brilliant products on the market now that have been designed specifically for men. It’s high-time more men took advantage of these and started looking after their best asset……their face!
SHAVING There is, of course, a huge amount of shaving products out there and while some men have no problems using a disposable Bic and a bit of soap, others can experience all sorts of post-shave trauma - red rashes, soreness, in-growing hairs – and for these people using the right combination of products is essential. I would recommend using a Gillette Fusion Razor (Boots £4.89) - it gives a great shave with no cuts or nicks – along with Dermalogica Close Shave Oil (approx £14). For those of you that prefer organic products, use Dr. Bronners magic All-in-One Shaving Soap Gel (£4) (Dr. Bronners have a great range of organic and Fair Trade products.). After the shave, I use Dermalogica Post Shave Balm (approx £14) as this helps reduce discomfort and redness and also helps prevent in-growing hairs.
Gillette Fusion Razor (Boots £4.89)
Dermalogica Close Shave Oil (approx £14)
www.onlifestyle.co.uk
Samantha Marshall
For the busy men out there who need to shave but have little time to do so - a Braun Electric Shaver 8995 (£41 from Amazon)
common problem in the TV world - I would definitely suggest investing in a Braun Electric Shaver 8995 (£41 from Amazon) with a clean and renew unit. The razor gives a very close and comfortable shave. I worked with Johnny Vegas last year and, because of his sensitive skin, he’s not a fan of shaving. He used the Braun and loved it. The clean and renew unit is great - after shaving just pop the razor in the unit and it automatically selects the best cleaning programme. The razor is cleaned in alcohol for optimum hygiene, the blades are kept lubricated and the razor head is dried out. Plus, it automatically recharges while cleaning! If you don’t want the close shave and prefer the stubble look, then another favourite of mine is a Phillips Rechargeable Beard Trimmer (£41 from Amazon). It has 9 different lengths of guards to maintain one day’s growth or maintain that full beard. The bit that I love about this beard trimmer is the little compartment it has to collect Phillips Rechargeable Beard Trimmer (£41 from Amazon)
all the shavings of hair. Say goodbye to all those hair cuttings all around the bathroom and sink!
SKINCARE
Clinque Non-Streak Bronzer For Men (£15)
Too many men pay too little attention to their skin. Developing a morning and night routine will go a long way towards retaining an attractive glow. Here’s an easy-to-follow procedure to get you started:
I
Splash your face with warm water to loosen dirt and clogged
Dermalogica Clean Bar
pores.
2
Massage a cleanser all over your face avoiding the eyes, try
Dermalogica Clean Bar - this is a soap-free cleansing agent that
breaks down the surface oil without stripping the skin. If you
have got oily skin, beware you don’t use products that are overly
harsh to try and combat the greasiness as this can actually
stimulate the skin to produce more oil.
3
After cleansing, try using a toner. This is applied to a cotton wool
pad and wiped across the face; this will remove the remaining
traces of oil and dirt. Some cleansers contain toner as well, so it’s worth checking before you buy.
4
Now it’s time to moisturise. This is very important as it works by
locking moisture in the skin. You just need a small amount and try
not to over-moisturize as this will cause blocked pores. No7 have
a great anti-shine lotion for men which is great for oily skin as it
absorbs excess oil making you shine-free.
5
If you feel like you need a bit of colour in your cheeks then try Clinque Non-Streak Bronzer For Men (£15). It’s oil free, so it won’t
make your skin look greasy. If your skin is very dry you can try mixing it with some moisturiser.
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Eye creams help prevent crows feet (wrinkles around eyes). You only need a very small amount, something like Clinque’s All About Eyes (£22) will do the trick, on your index finger. Simply dab the cream underneath the eye area, around to the sides and just below the eyebrow. Don’t drag the skin around the eyes this area is very delicate and we don’t want to create wrinkles do we!
And that’s it! The routine shouldn’t take longer than 10 minutes and your reward will be healthier-looking, cleaner, more vibrant skin.
N ow h ow c an t hat b e a b ad t h i ng d own t he D og an d G u n o n a Fr i d ay n ig ht?
Clinque’s All About Eyes (£22)
oncosmetics
lookinggood
MAX APPEAL Looking good is no accident - men have to work it too! Take a look at what’s new in the shops.
Shiseido’s brand new Zen eau de toilette is really different. It’s a masculine scent, with a kinkan and bergamot top note, a violet and nutmeg middle note and a leathery musk and patchouli note to finish. Understated sophistication.
Nubo Perfectionist
Zen Eau de Toilette 50ml - £42.00 ???
NEW!
The new Azor hybrid synergy system razor by King of Shaves defines shaving simplicity. The Reflex Living Hinge presses blades firmly yet comfortably onto the skin for a super-close shave and the Endurium-coated blades stay sharper for much longer.
This translucent blurring balm immediately mattifies the skin reducing shine, hiding signs of fatigue, disguising imperfections and diminishing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, creating a natural, youthful appearance for all skin types.
For a really close, easy-glide shave try Peruvian Maca Root Shave Cream from The Body Shop.
30ml pump dispenser £98.00 from www.harrods.com
200ml - £8 from www.thebodyshop.co.uk
Splash it on, Harry
King of Shaves Azor Pola £4.99 from ???
Formula For Men Moisturiser has been specially formulated with the antioxidants African Pepper Extract and vitamin E to energise and protect the skin, whilst providing 24-hour moisturising action. £4 from Marks and Spencer
Try this it really works!
Emu Oil Face Cream This strong moisturiser will leave your face feeling smooth and calm after shaving. The nature of emu oil means that it soothes and, even if you have a few nicks from your razor, Emu Oil Face cream can help to heal them quickly so you aren’t left with any uncomfortable patches. 50g pot - £9.95 from www.emu-oil-well.com LIP BALM Scented using only Fair trade organic essential oils and containing no synthetic ingredients or preservatives these lip balms from Dr Bronner make a perfect natural skin treat. www.victoriahealth.com
Clarins have developed a skin system of two eye care formulas and three moisturizers to help counteract the skin-ageing process specific to men. From 30 years of age the early signs of ageing start to appear – dull, even tired looking, skin, the first fine lines, occasional dark circles and puffiness. The ClarinsMen Age-Control solution: Revitalizing Gel and (£28) Anti-Fatigue Eye Serum (£25) which focus on maintaining cell renewal and collagen production with key ingredient Goji Berry extract to re-energise these processes. From 45 years of age the signs increase and become more persistent - deep-set wrinkles and lines, loss of up to 20% of skin firming collagen giving a heavier look to features, puffiness and dark circles that stay, and skin gets drier. The ClarinsMen AgeControl solution: Line-Control Balm (£36), Line-Control Cream (£36) (for drier skin) and Line-Control Eye Balm (£28) which not only re-energise the skin but also help to repair and restore the skin’s firming collagen network. www.clarins.co.uk stockists 0800 036 3558
ideas
Engaging
This amazing contemporary diamond engagement Niessing ring has a 3.5mm wide band in 18ct grey gold with a 0.31ct round brilliant cut diamond (excellent quality F/G VS). £2,421 www.elementjewellery.com
The best in engagement rings A/W 2009
The Award Winning Paul Spurgeon Wave ring has a sensual flowing design. Made in platinum and set with 0.21ct D-flawless diamond it is, quite simply, a fusion of organic engineering and elegant simplicity - beautiful to look at, even more beautiful to wear. £2,215 www.elementjewellery.com Using his perfectly honed skills, Paul Finch has trapped a beautiful 10pt ice white GVS diamond between two folds of silver, that have been plated with glorious 18ct yellow gold. 18ct white and yellow gold ring with fourclaw setting £900
£425.00 www.elementjewellery.com
Working primarily in 18ct gold and platinum, Jacks combines conventional goldsmithing and stone setting techniques with the latest in computeraided design technology to create distinctly modern pieces that compliment both the contemporary and the traditional. 'Trumpets' rings in 18ct yellow gold and platinum set with diamonds from £1028 www.kathlibbertjewellery.co.uk
Platinum ring set with a Princess Cut Diamond - £1200
Stoners Jewellery in Shipley offers a stunning range of classic and contemporary engagement rings, carefully selected for quality, elegance and style. The store also has its own personalised design service for those who wish to create a truly unique engagement ring. T. 01274 588112
Constructing jewellery from small building block elements in 18ct yellow and white gold or platinum, Jo Hayes Ward creates intricate geometric and sculptural pieces with an architectural aesthetic. 'Chaos' rings in 18ct white and yellow gold set with diamonds from £660. www.kathlibbertjewellery.co.uk
Natalie Jane Harris has a passion for precious stones, including black diamonds and cognac diamonds which she sets into rich 18ct and 22ct golds to create one-off rings. She completes the rings with her distinctive 'scratch' finish which gives them an unusual twist and makes them wear extremely well! 18ct yellow and white gold rings set with diamonds from £550
photos by John Waite - johnwaitephotography.com / flowers by Karen’s Florists, Guiseley
www.kathlibbertjewellery.co.uk
Or maybe...
Your wedding ring stays with you all your life and it means something more than what it is made from. At Mackay & Pearson every piece of jewellery they make means something to them too. Wear jewellery with integrity.
From selecting the stones to deciding on the final finish, Mackay & Pearson want you involved with the designing and making of your jewellery. Visit them in Horbury or online and inspire your imagination.
www.mackayandpearson.com – prices available on request
you fancy something less conventional? Joy Lumiere rings start at £2,500 from www.frey-wille.com Stunningly simple design and excellent quality diamonds make a piece of jewellery you will want to wear forever. Mackay & Pearson, jewellery makers of Horbury, don't want you to ever take your rings off.
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• • • • • •
Removal of Thread Veins /Skin Blemishes Dermal Fillers Products to Replenish Repair Renew Intensive Vitamin C Facials Light and Medium Peels Meso - Hydration for Face, Chest and Hands
• • • • •
Wrinkle Reducing Injections Derma Roller Skin System Just For Men Permanent Hair Removal Semi Permanent Make Up
Invitation to Join Us A Demonstration of NewTechniques and New Anti Ageing Products Wednesday November 4th and Saturday November 7th at 11am • Perfectly Pretty Lips • Dermaroller Collagen Stimulation for Beautiful Skin • Giving the Face Volume and Smoothing Lines • Look 10 years younger with Make Up
In Aid of St Michael's Hospice Ticket Price £10 to include drinks and canapes, goody bags and an opportunity to win a course of FacialTreatment
Due to space places are limited so please call to book in advance
Wedding Fair
on:what’s new
Writer and presenter,
reveals all that’s new in our region...
Bethanie Lunn, reports on all that’s new and fabulous in the region –
New Cosmetic Brand Launches in Leeds
from new bar and restaurant openings to the latest treatments.
Made with pure, crushed minerals from the earth, bareMinerals offers a range of weightless, chemical
What she doesn’t know
free cosmetics. The sparkly eyeshadows are excellent
isn’t worth knowing…
for taking you from day to night in one sweep. Apply with a dry liner brush for a soft subtle twinkle by day and a damp brush at night for a more dramatic and dense shimmer. Versatile, natural and bang up to date, bareMinerals is a brand that’s hard not to love. Available at Harvey Nichols, Leeds
oy! Get Gorgeous Naturally… Green People has produced Oy!, the first certified organic range created just for young skin. The no-nonsense approach to chemical free skin care gives Oy! kudos to any beauty cabinet with a range of essentials that each give clean, clear and vibrant skin.
Suits You, Sir - Thinking inside the Box
I love the Cover & Clear - Spot It (30ml £6.99) which covers and zaps spots in one easy step thanks to Tea Tree, which mends the spot and Green Tea which soothes inflamed skin. Soft Glow Gradual Tan (50ml £10.99) is gentle enough to use every day for a year round glow – the safe way!
If you want to spoil a loved one to a bespoke suit without having to sneakily retrieve their measurements, then you’ll love ‘Suit in a Box’ by Hemingway Tailors. You personally hand-pick from a wide selection of fabrics, from casual to the superiorly formal, in order to select 4m of luxurious fabric and 2.5m of toning or contrasting lining, which is then wrapped and sent to the lucky recipient in a box. Once unwrapped, the recipient can arrange a consultation with Hemingway for a full fitting at work, at home – or wherever is convenient. Add a further personal touch by having a name or phrase embroidered into the suits luxurious Holland and Sherry “signature” fabric.
www.onlifestyle.co.uk
prices start from £1,950.
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www.hemingwaytailors.co.uk or call: 01924 873 455 for more information.
Top Tip!
The recession has left us all penny-pinching so if you’ve considered downgrading your prada to primark on occasion, you don’t have to!...grab a designer bargain at BrandAlley, the non-stop designer sale site, offering up to 80% off RRp of all your favourite fashion, homeware and beauty brands. The sales only last four days so you have to be quick! previous brands have included Twenty8twelve, Smythson, Marc by Marc Jacobs and Jimmy Choo. Membership is free and if you recommend a friend, you get a £10 bonus. www.BrandAlley.co.uk
WIN , W iN, WI N! We have ten sets of Oy! miniatures, including the ‘Cleanse & Moisturise’, ‘Cover & Clear Spot It’ and ‘Soft Glow Gradual Tan’, worth £10 each. These will go to the first ten people who email me and answer this question: How many chemicals are in the Oy! range of organic skincare? Answers to beth@onlifestyle.co.uk with your name and address please! You can get your hands on any of the Oy! products from www.organicyoung.com or www.greenpeople.co.uk or from a number of independent health and wholefood shops.
Another trend to adopt is fringing and tassels, so these Ghost suede tassel ankle boots, £100 in purple are the style I’ll be sporting this autumn with my patterned tights and knitted dress.
What’s hot in the
shops
Also available in black. Firetrap, County Arcade, Victoria Quarter, Leeds.
Continue the tassel theme with your jewellery with this 100% sterling silver bracelet by underground label, ChloBo, £129. Buy a selection and pile them high, coating your arms for ultimate easterninspired chic. i’ll be matching my boots to this ‘Horse Guards’ bag, £140 by Radley, who have introduced a whole host of kooky new styles sure to bring your wardrobe bang up to date.
Accent, 12 - 16 Queens Arcade, Briggate, LS1 6LF. T: 01132 442414
Stockists include Debenhams and House of Fraser, Leeds.
This casual Fine Paisley Shirt, £80.00 made from 100% pure cotton comes in dark blue with a subtle paisley print in black. The fold back detailed cuffs add just enough subtle panache.
Eat yourself beautiful! Sound too good to be true?
Try it for yourself with the new and novel Collagen Marshmallows…yes, really! These pink grapefruit-flavoured snacks contain collagen peptide, the essential ingredient to promote and maintain youthful looking skin. Half the pack contains enough collagen to top up your body’s natural levels, producing long lasting results. Well, that’s one way to justify a treat! £3.85 (50g). Available exclusively at Harvey Nichols, Briggate, Leeds.
If you want to embrace this season’s sequin trend but don’t want to resemble a disco ball, keep it simple and accessorise with this gorgeous black sequined clutch bag finished with hot red lips, £98.
Jaeger (for Men), Harrogate HG1 1pE House of Fraser, Leeds LS1 6BR.
Folli Follie, Victoria Quarter, 28 Queen Victoria Street, Leeds, LS1 6BE T: 011322423945.
The New Brazilian! The Brazilian Keratin Treatment is a revolutionary treatment for all kinds of hair. Also known as the permanent blow dry, as it leaves your locks sleek, repairing internal damage and coating the hair to prevent further damage. It can be used on tinted or highlighted hair and rather than using strong chemicals to open and close the hair cuticle, it uses Keratin, a natural substance which comprises around 88% of your hair. The results are soft, shiny, frizz-free hair for up to four months and bad hair days are banished. Price start from £180 and appointments are taken on consultation. West Row have branches across Leeds on Otley Road, Harrogate, Wetherby, Ilkley City Centre. www.westrow-hair.com West Row Leeds, 4-6 Thornton’s Arcade, Leeds, LS1 6LQ Appts: 0113 245 6948.
WIN, WIN, WIN! (again!)
N e w So u n d Reaches Leeds Uber-cool hang-out, Smokestack welcomes DJ Andy Smith as their new Friday night resident starting Friday 9th October and playing the second Friday every month. Formerlt of Portishead tour and Madame Jo-Jo's fame, Andy is one of the UK's pre-eminent DJ’s across the spectrum of funk, soul, reggae and hip hop and today, he is championing a sound that takes in an upbeat blend of jump blues, 50s R'n'B and rockabilly alongside the soul and ska favourites. It’s a trend that's been bubbling over in the Capital with fellow big hitters such as Keb Darge and David Holmes following suit, and one that Smokestack will see brought to Leeds. DJ ANDY SMITH plays original Northern Soul / Funk / Ska / Jump Blues / Rockabilly 45"s at Harlem Shuffle @ Smokestack the 2nd Friday every month starting the 9th October. Entry is FREE with the Roost open 10pm till 3am. Smokestack, 159a Lower Briggate, Leeds, LS1 6LY, UK
The New ‘in’ Drink
Shaky Jakes is a 50s style diner in Headingley, serving delicious, exciting and thick milkshakes with a choice of over 200 flavours and infinite flavour combinations. The milkshakes are made from milk and vanilla ice cream then actual chocolate, cakes, sweets, biscuits, real fruit, syrups and other wonderful things are added to make the most delectable blends!
There’s a new drink the fashion set are sipping… Venezuelan rums are fast becoming the rum of choice for rum connoisseurs’ world wide, with Diplomatico being at the forefront. The jewel in the crown is Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva, which is among the top ranked premium rums in the world. Described by the judges at the International Cane Spirits Festival as ‘‘…lush and rich, with a lingering finish that demands another sip'', I found myself in agreement and becoming something of a rum fan. Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva is blended almost entirely from pot still rums and aged for twelve years and takes the brand’s characteristic sweet, fruity flavours to an even higher level of concentration and flavour intensity. Sip in style and try something new.
Q
We have three bottles of Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva to give away, worth £36.99 per bottle. To be in with your chance of winning one, answer the question: Which South American country is Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva rum made? Email your name, address and answer to Beth@onlifestyle.co.uk – closing date 30th November. Available from Latitude Wine, 5 Cherry Tree Walk, Leeds www.specialitybrands.com
New Concept offers Fresh Food and Sushi Making parties
My favourite is the ‘Brown Owl’ made with Brownies, toasted marshmallow syrup with mini marshmallows topping! Not a place to count calories, but who cares?! Rumour has it, there is a second shop opening soon in the city centre, look out for it!
Shake Things Up The New Social Networking Site If you facebook, tweet and bibo your way into the new age, then upcoming social networking group, MayContain.com could be your new social networking haven, and best of all it's coming out of the Yorkshire area. It has morphed together number of cool components for similar sites to present groups of specialised areas to suit all tastes. There's a great selection to choose from including: MayContainFashion.com and MayContainMusic.com and then there's the really unusual ones like MayContainBalls.com, each one catering for the needs of those members who want to know more about their chosen field or post photos, have a chat with mates, store videos or just check out what's going on in their world. ‘See’ you there. www.maycontain.com
For more information, see: www.ilovesesame.co.uk
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T: 01132179156
Buongior no Ci a o B ella ! If, like me, you were gutted when Nick’s Brasserie closed down, removing our sociable al fresco dining choice, along with its Friday night frivolity, then you’ll be thrilled that chic Italian eatery, Ciao Bella, has brought life to this venue once more. Presenting a blend of Italian and continental food, plus the favourable outdoor seating area, holding 6070 people, Ciao Bella is best enjoyed for afterwork drinks or for romantic meals for two. Look out for the lunch menu offer with a range of pizzas and pasta plus a glass of wine or a soft drink for just £5.95 (offers ends November 30th). Ciao Bella, 20 Dock Street, Leeds. T: 0113 246 9444.
A club that provides its members with the keys to a fleet of the greatest cars in the world for a fraction of the price it would cost to own and run just one is opening in Yorkshire.
Sesame is a brand new concept for Leeds, presenting a veritable mish-mash of fresh produce including mouth-watering sushi, pies, noodles, salads and delightful cupcakes. Ingredients are fresh and locally sourced – which is evident in every delectable mouthful! If you want to enjoy the deliciousness at your event or private party, then use their personalised catering services and if you fancy learning how to roll sushi for yourself, check out their sushi making parties! Sesame, 16 St paul's Street (just off park Square) in the financial quarter of Leeds city centre.
Unit 2 Gateway House, 15 North Lane, Headingley, Leeds LS6 3HG
Ecurie25 is aimed at those who want to experience the thrill and excitement of driving the ultimate supercars, but not have to worry about the high cost and hassle of ownership. Membership of the club, which is based in Wakefield, starts at £5,500. In return members receive a number of credits, which can then be ‘spent’ on driving the cars. A typical standard membership (£10,000 per annum) equates to 40 driving days every year, while the £5,500 option allows for a maximum of 20 days a year
Dream Car Club www.ecurie25.co.uk
Amongst the cars available to Ecurie25 members are an Aston Martin DBS, Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4, Maserati Granturismo S, Bentley Continental GT, Jaguar XKR 5.0, Audi R8 and a Ferrari California – one of only a handful in the country.
SHOPS
BARS
RESTAURANTS
www.thelightleeds.co.uk
CINEMA
GYM
HOTEL THE HEADROW, LEEDS
Out of the Box!
New Wedding Fayre Extravaganza at The Village!
This imola chair, designed for Boconcept By Henrik pedersen, is a feast for the eyes, with tight organic forms. The characteristic design is playful, yet luxuriously comfortable. The Imola chair is available in many leathers or fabric options from £1,199 .
Wildbride have announced a brand new Wedding Fayre coming to The Village Hotel, Leeds South on Sunday 1st November. They’re promising a real extravaganza, including a dynamic wedding fashion show and numerous unique exhibitors. If you’ve a Big Day on the horizon, it’s a must-visit event! Brides can download tickets now from wildbride.co.uk Exhibitors please contact babs@wildbride.co.uk for exhibitor details or visit wildbride.co.uk
Available from BoConcept, Redbrick Mill - 01924 460483.
T: 01924 264499
Call or email for your New Free Design Catalogue rbm.uk@boconcept.co.uk
Enterprising Style at St. John’s The eco-chic way to shop is at vintage stores, flea markets and second hand stores – a mode that I’m a true ambassador of, so I was thrilled when FOUND in the St Johns Centre recently launched. We can thank the centre and local Community Interest Company, CREATE for this new emporium, where you will find top quality donated clothing from the high street, designer labels and one-off vintage pieces. The shop will also feature a dress agency service so designer addicts can sell their sought after items with 50% of the money raised supporting CREATE. www.foundbycreate.co.uk
This October The Light is in a fashion frenzy as it celebrates Leeds Shopping Week. An exclusive fashion event will take place on 21 October where celebrity stylist Bradley Taylor will be in the centre giving free style advice and top tips on all the latest looks and hot trends to hit the high street. Plus, Queen of Shops and retail guru, Mary Portas, will be dropping by to judge the final of the Marketing Leeds ‘Design a Bag’ competition which The Light is sponsoring in association with Galaxy Yorkshire! As autumn arrives so do a whole host of new menus and special offers at restaurants throughout the centre, if you’re a food lover you won’t want to miss out on The Radisson SAS Hotel’s new £10 menu available Sunday – Friday from 5-7pm.
Beth’s one to
watch... Local womenswear designer, Nichola Stokes is a master of threads, able to re-work existing items of your wardrobe for a new and cost-effective look or make truly bespoke one-off creations at a reasonable price. Her style tends to take a nod toward modern tailoring with a feminine twist, but Nichola works closely with every client to create a look that screams individual style with a ‘where did she get that?’ factor. Prepare to be highly coveted. To book a free consultation, call Nichola on 07778657081 or email: nicholastokes@live.co.uk
To find out more about this and other events at The Light this autumn visit www.thelightleeds.co.uk
Get a Head-Start in Business! I came across a quirky stall in Kirkgate market, ‘How Bizaar’ – full of handcrafted cards, jewellery, handbags and clothing and loved it! I loved it even more when I discovered it is all produced by local talent looking for their lucky break. Funded by Sharing the Success and managed by Urban Biz, How Bizaar offers concession space on their stall for a total of three months to self employed creative and craft businesses. Best of all it is absolutely free! This gives hopefuls a great foot in the door and an opportunity to showcase their goods. As you can imagine though, there is a waiting list so pop by or check out www.sharingthesuccess.co.uk for more info. Leeds Kirkgate Market, 147/148/163/164, 1976 Market Hall, Row A&B, 34 Great George Street, Leeds LS2 4HY.
If it’s good enough for Eva, it’s good enough for me! As soon as one of the beauty secrets of the gorgeous Eva Mendes was revealed, i was on it! Eva’s latest splurge is Perricone MD No Foundation Foundation, £41.00 – with the coverage and perfectly matte finish of a top notch foundation but with a super-light feel, this baby helps correct skin undertones, while boosting skins natural moisture level throughout the day. The only thing it doesn’t do is remove itself at night and reapply itself by morning, but I’m sure they’re working on it.
Contact paul Ryder on 0113 234 1919.
and finally...
NEW HEADMiSTRESS FoR HARRoGATE LADiES’ CoLLEGE on: would like to pass on their personal congratulations to Rhiannon Wilkinson, who has recently become the new headmistress at Harrogate Ladies’ College.
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Get yours at perricone, Harvey Nichols, Leeds
Rhiannon is a graduate of St Hugh’s College, Oxford with an MA in Modern History. She also holds a PGCE (Post Graduate Certificate in Education) from the University of Bath, and an M.Ed in Educational Leadership and Management from the University of Manchester.
on the international stage. He has also used his considerable experience in working overseas to develop the school’s approach to examinations such as the International GCSE.
Mrs Wilkinson said: “I am delighted to have been appointed Headmistress of Harrogate Ladies’ College and very much look forward to joining such a She will take over from Mr Geoffrey The HLC group of schools comprise of Hazell who took on Interim Headship of successful and happy community in more than 620 pupils and include September”. Highfield Prep School and Bankfield Pre the school on 1st September 2007. During his time as Head of Harrogate For more info about the college visit School - Mrs Wilkinson joins from Ladies’ College, Mr Hazell has www.hlc.org.uk Haileybury School in Hertfordshire. significantly raised the school’s profile
lifestyle
onhealth
Paul Bedford
Reap the
benefits in the penultimate
RAiSE THE pULSE
part of his all-round
Cardiovascular training will involve raising the heart rate in some way. Walking, running and cycling are three great types of cardio workouts and can be done both in and out of the gym - so no excuses! This type of training will burn calories and, if done correctly, will improve physical fitness. If you’re looking to lose the fat then a long, but not so intense exercise session is the way to go, such as a brisk walk in the hills. But if you’re looking to get fit, then a shorter but more intense session is the way to go - so get some hard running done!
guide to a healthier lifestyle, on’s fitness and health expert, paul Bedford, looks at the different benefits gained from the
pUMpiNG iRoN Resistance, or weight training, is the best way to increase muscle mass, strength and power. Women sometimes fear they will turn into some sort of muscle machine with weight training, but this is far from the truth. If you’re looking to gain muscle mass, a low repetition (6-8 or 8-10 reps) with a heavy weight is the most affective way to do this. But if you’re looking for a slimmer, more toned look then a high repetition (15-20 reps) will help you rip up. Increasing muscle mass has other great benefits, such as a change in body shape, an increase in your metabolism, which will allow you to burn fat more efficiently at rest, and an increase in overall strength.
major types of exercise – so you can choose which routine suits you best!
GET WET Yes, swimming is a great type of exercise and is beneficial to all ages and to different types of fitness levels. Whether it’s the crawl, the breaststoke, the backstroke or even the butterfly (not in my case!), these are all disciplines that will improve your overall fitness. These techniques involve using nearly every muscle in the body, especially in the key core areas, so get the swim cap and goggles on and go for a refreshing dip. No excuses, as most council-run pools are now offering kid swims for free!
CiRCUiT TRAiNiNG This is a great way for both novice and advanced trainers to exercise because you can train at your own pace. A perfect combination of cardiovascular and resistance work allows you to smash up those fitness levels and rip up those muscles. One minute interval stations are a popular way to go around a circuit but there are lots and lots of ideas out there to make the circuits as varied and stimulating as possible.
SpoRTS SpECiFiC Football? Squash? Cricket? Tennis? Quite simply, training as part of a sport or hobby you love is the most enjoyable way to get fit. Individual sports come equipped with a plethora of modern training methods, all geared towards improving speed, power, agility or endurance. Why not swot-up on the latest training developments to get the most from your exercise – and improve your game in the process! READER’S QUESTioNS:
Q.
Is there as quick way to get fit? Due to a football injury I’ve been sidelined for a few months and I’d like to get back up to speed as quickly as possible. A. Jones, Sheffield
A.
As a fellow footballer I understand exactly what fitness levels are needed for the beautiful game. Interval training would be a great place to start – this involves a combination of steady jogging and bursts of sprinting – it’s a particularly good method of football training as it is specific to the sport.
Facts:
34
Q.
I have a 13 year old son who has expressed an interest in weightlifting – is it safe for him to
Q.
do so?
I train regularly - 2 hours a day for 6 days a week – but often feel fatigued. My girlfriend says I’m overdoing it – is she right?
Mrs p. Cook, Harrogate
Simon W, ilkley
A.
A.
I wouldn’t recommend it. Your son’s muscles and bones are not totally developed at this age and there’s evidence that lifting heavy weights at a young age can speed up growth plate closure. If he insists, he should use relatively light weights and limit the workouts to two half hour sessions per week max - but personally, I‘d advise him to wait a few years.
It certainly sounds like it! If your training sessions involve hard and intense exercise then, I would say, definitely. Make sure you rest at least 2 or even 3 times a week - your body is not getting time to recover and you might not be eating enough too. I always advise to train, then rest. Try reducing your training schedule to 4 times per week – I think you’ll feel the benefits. Missed parts 1-5? Find them on www.onlifestyle.co.uk
Your heart is around the size of your clenched fist. Most footballers run over 10km during a match.
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Welcome to More
“ DLJ ƚĞĂŵ ǁĂŶƚ ƚŽ ŚĞůƉ LJŽƵ ĨĞĞů ĨƌĞƐŚĞƌ ĂŶĚ LJŽƵŶŐĞƌ͘ ” ƵƐLJ ůŝĨĞƐƚLJůĞƐ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞ ŶĂƚƵƌĂů ĂŐŝŶŐ ƉƌŽĐĞƐƐ ĐĂŶ ůĞĂǀĞ ƵƐ ĨĞĞůŝŶŐ ƟƌĞĚ and looking older than we’d like. dƌĂĚŝƟŽŶĂůůLJ ƉĞŽƉůĞ ŚĂǀĞ ŽƉƚĞĚ ĨŽƌ ĐŚĞĂƉ ĂŶĚ ƐƵƉĞƌĮĐŝĂů ŵĂŬĞͲƵƉ Žƌ ĚƌĂŵĂƟĐ ;ĂŶĚ ĞdžƉĞŶƐŝǀĞͿ ƉůĂƐƟĐ ƐƵƌŐĞƌLJ͘ /Ŷ ƌĞĐĞŶƚ LJĞĂƌƐ ŚŽǁĞǀĞƌ͕ Ă ƚŚŝƌĚ way of >ŝŐŚƚ ŽƐŵĞƟĐ dƌĞĂƚŵĞŶƚƐ has been pioneered by brands such as ŶĚƌĞĂ hďŚŝ͕ zŽƌŬ͘ >ŝŐŚƚ ŽƐŵĞƟĐ dƌĞĂƚŵĞŶƚƐ include teeth ǁŚŝƚĞŶŝŶŐ͕ ĐŽƐŵĞƟĐ ĮůůŝŶŐƐ͕ ďŽƚŽdž͕ ĨĂĐŝĂů ƉĞĞůŝŶŐ͕ ƐŵŝůĞ ŵĂŬĞŽǀĞƌƐ͕ ĚĞƌŵĂů ĮůůĞƌƐ and porcelain teeth veneers. ƌ ŶĚƌĞĂ hďŚŝ͕ μκκο ĞŶƟƐƚ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ zĞĂƌ ;dŚĞ WƌŽďĞ ǁĂƌĚƐͿ͕ ƐƚĂƌƚĞĚ ŚĞƌ ĞdžĐůƵƐŝǀĞ ƉƌĂĐƟĐĞ ŝŶ zŽƌŬ ŝŶ μκκμ ƚŽ ŽīĞƌ ƐƵĐŚ ĐŽƐŵĞƟĐ ƚƌĞĂƚŵĞŶƚƐ ƚŽ ĚŝƐĐĞƌŶŝŶŐ ĐůŝĞŶƚƐ ĨƌŽŵ ĂĐƌŽƐƐ ƚŚĞ ǁŽƌůĚ͘ /Ŷ ƚŚĞ ŚĞĂƌƚ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ŚŝƐƚŽƌŝĐ ĐŝƚLJ͕ with designer décor and a secluded ŐĂƌĚĞŶ͕ ƚŚĞ ĐůŝŶŝĐ ŽīĞƌƐ Ă ĨƵůů ƌĂŶŐĞ ŽĨ ƚƌĞĂƚŵĞŶƚƐ ĐƌĞĂƚĞĚ ƚŽ ŚĞůƉ LJŽƵ ĂĐŚŝĞǀĞ the look you want. ƌ hďŚŝ ƐĂLJƐ ͚ŵLJ ƚĞĂŵ ƵƐĞ ƚŚĞ ǀĞƌLJ ůĂƚĞƐƚ ĚĞŶƚĂů ĂŶĚ ĐŽƐŵĞƟĐ ƚĞĐŚŶŝƋƵĞƐ to enhance our clients’appearances. tĞ ĐĂŶ ŵĂŬĞ ƐŵĂůů ĐŚĂŶŐĞƐ ƚŽ ƚŚĞŝƌ ƚĞĞƚŚ͕ ĐŽƌƌĞĐƚ ǀĞƌLJ ĐƌŽŽŬĞĚ ƐŵŝůĞƐ͕ ƌĞĚƵĐĞ ǁƌŝŶŬůĞƐ Žƌ ŐŝǀĞ ĨƵůůĞƌ͕ ŵŽƌĞ sensuous lips.’ ͚ ƵƌƌĞŶƚůLJ ŽƵƌ ŵŽƐƚ ƌĞƋƵĞƐƚĞĚ ƚƌĞĂƚŵĞŶƚ ŝƐ ƚŚĞ EŽͲWƌĞƉĂƌĂƟŽŶ sĞŶĞĞƌƐ͕ ǁŚŝĐŚ ĐĂŶ ĂůƚĞƌ ƚŚĞ ƐŚĂƉĞ͕ ĐŽůŽƵƌ ĂŶĚ ĂůŝŐŶŵĞŶƚ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ƚĞĞƚŚ͕ ǁŝƚŚŽƵƚ ƌĞŵŽǀŝŶŐ ĂŶLJ ƚŽŽƚŚ ƐƵďƐƚĂŶĐĞ͛͘ dŽ ĂƌƌĂŶŐĞ ĂŶ ĂƉƉŽŝŶƚŵĞŶƚ ƉůĞĂƐĞ ĐŽŶƚĂĐƚ ƚŚĞ ĐůŝŶŝĐ ŽŶ κλσκξ πνσππρ Žƌ visit our website www.andreaubhi.com Dr Andrea Ubhi μν ^ƚŽŶĞŐĂƚĞ zŽƌŬ zKλ ς t Dr Andrea Ubhi
by Paul Howard
Natural Selection Many years ago I stood
in an organically farmed vineyard. I could easily tell the difference from the conventionallyfarmed vineyard opposite. Here, there were flowers and weeds between the vine rows; there were bees, butterflies and birdsong. A closer inspection showed the vines and soil were teeming with beneficial insects, devouring the pests that prey on vines. The vines themselves had a healthy vitality. In comparison, across the road the fields were silent and sterile. Afterward, a tasting of the wines made from these organic vines revealed delicious flavour, character and individuality.
38
Returning to the wines I enjoyed with fresh eyes and palate, I discovered that many of them were being made without any use of pesticides, artificial fertilisers or other modern synthetic chemicals. I became converted from my previously sceptical view of natural wines.
Meanwhile, most of us have grown up in the brave new world of synthetic chemicals developed and sold by agribusiness over the past 50 years; those herbicides, pesticides, rodenticides, fungicides and artificial fertilisers promise so much and to which modern agriculture has become ever-more dependant. Chemicals can combat pests and diseases, increase grape quantity and cut down on back-breaking toil, so increasing profits. Sounds logical – but what about when this compromises quality and taste and destroys Nature? Chemicals are addictive. Ever increasing chemical inputs are needed to control the pests that develop resistance. The chemicals are also indiscriminate in their toxicity, they kill beneficial insects and flowers as easily as the pests and weeds, they kill the birds and animals in the food chain and they pollute the water supply. Vineyard workers must wear protective suits and masks when using them - not the wholesome image we readily associate with wine. Instead, there are proven environmental benefits from making wines by kinder, more natural methods that work in harmony with the land - which is why more and more vineyards are turning to them. This is a much riskier business proposition, especially in cooler and wetter regions, where devastating fungal diseases can pose a major risk. However, it is possible with careful farming to overcome even the most challenging conditions without resorting to synthetic chemicals. Then, after the wine is made, any artificial pesticides and fertilisers that have been used are left in the wine as residues. While these may only be in miniscule amounts and safety standards are set, common sense suggests it’s safer to avoid them in the first place. So why don’t environmentally kinder wines display their credentials on the wine label? Some do, but there are still reasons not to. First, some customers still perceive natural farming methods like organics as a fad without substance. Worse, they see such wines as both deliberately over-priced and badly made. Then there’s the lingering association that organics appeal only to the brown-rice-and-sandals brigade. Organic wines seem to do better at blind tastings where the wine is initially unknown – and that says something about our preconceptions and prejudices. Then there’s the extra expense and paperwork needed to obtain the certification that allows descriptions like “organic” to be used. Some highly rated winemakers
oppose certification because they do not want to be confined by yet more rules and regulations. Other winemakers just want their children to inherit their vineyards in a healthy condition or to maintain their land in the old traditional ways handed down to them over many generations. Probably the most well known naturally made wines are the organic wines, defined by law as those that have been made from organically grown grapes. The law covers only grape growing, not the making of the wine. Hence there are other ecologically biased wine making systems in addition to organics, ranging from wineries looking to be more “sustainable” by reducing chemicals to those that have made changes to their winemaking, including recycling waste water and using light-weight glass bottles. Now there are even carbon-neutral wineries. The wine growing regime on the cutting-edge is known as biodynamics. There isn’t space here to explain this in detail, but it is essentially a form of super-organics where tiny homeopathic quantities of natural substances such as cow dung are used to enhance vine health and disease resistance by promoting the microbial life in the soil. Sometimes this also involves carrying out certain treatments according to the phases of the moon. How it works is not fully understood, let alone accepted by the mainstream. However, the proof is in the glass; superlative biodynamic wines are made and many of the world’s most respected wine producers are converts – those facts alone make it good enough for me. Hence, there are good reasons to seek out natural wines. You might want purity or be concerned about the effects of chemicals. You might be bored with the big industrial wine brands that all seem to taste the same and want to find more individuality, interest and a sense of place. You might look for environmentally sound products that preserve biodiversity and tread lightly on the land. You might want to see what the fuss is about and make your own mind up. Health scares like Swine Flu and Foot and Mouth; worries about genetically modified crops and awareness of the benefits of a healthy diet and lifestyle mean many people seek out eat naturally produced meat, fruit and vegetables. So trying naturally made wine isn’t a big step. Natural wines are made all over the world and in just about every style. These days they need be no more expensive than their conventionally made counterparts and are available at affordable prices. One essential thing to remember, these wines still need to taste great. Not all do – but that applies to conventional chemical wines too! Many supermarkets stock natural wines but there may be no clear indications to help you find them, or explanations when you do. Instead, try an independent wine merchant or a specialist with whom you can develop a rapport. Ask them which sustainable, organic and biodynamic wines they recommend, and why. As their business will stand or fall according to your repeat custom, put them to the challenge! Saving the planet has to taste good too. Yes, even on a budget and in a recession. Still sceptical? Then try one of my wine recommendations for yourself and join in with the debate!
www.winealchemy.com
onwine
lifestyle
to
discover
I have enjoyed these five naturally made wines over many years - all make frequent visits to my dining table and are easily available at good prices.
Indulgent!
Bargain!
Bonterra Vineyards, Zinfandel, 2007, Mendocino, California, USA. 14.5% Certified organic.
Domaine Begude, Le Bel Ange, Chardonnay, Vin de pays D’oc, Languedoc, France. 2008. 12.5%
Zinfandel is the essence of California, dating back to the Gold Rush and the Wild West. A splash of Petite Sirah and Syrah has been added for a little more elegance and complexity, with oak ageing in French and American barrels.
Ecologically responsible Brits James and Catherine Kinglake own this winery near Limoux. Le Bel Ange, named after their young daughter Millie, is an unoaked Chardonnay with 15% Chenin Blanc added for tangy zestiness.
The result is a powerful yet elegant wine with a highly polished textural quality and plum, raspberry and blueberry-like flavours. Pepper and cake-spices show up on a long finish. It’s a delight on cold evenings over the next couple of years.
A pale straw, it has a fresh nose with hints of apple, citrus and pears. On the palate I was particularly struck by the balance and purity of fruit. Seeing no wood, there are no oak effects to mask the wines character.
BBQ ribs, pizza and TexMex are typical Californian matches, but it goes with Turkey and all the trimmings in a way few others can.
Q&A
£10.49 at www.waitrose.co.uk
Great value too, with elegance rare in wines double the price. Delicious now, as an apéritif or with seafood. £6.99 (Buy 2 for £5.99) at www.majestic.com
Emiliana orgánico, Coyam, Chile, 2005, 14.5%. Certified Biodynamic Coyam is one of Chile’s greatest, a complex blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, Merlot and Mourvèdre. Inky-purple in colour, then aromas of blackcurrant are laced with herbaceous notes. This luscious wine is balanced by refreshing acidity, a velvet texture and a long dry finish, just slightly heady. The blending is seamless yet each sip reveals something new. Berry fruits, plum and a touch of orange peel are enhanced by spice and pepper before mocha and dark chocolate break through. Drinking well now, yet will develop over 5-7 years. Red meat or pasta heaven. £12.95 from www.vintageroots.co.uk
Millton Vineyard, Chenin Blanc, Te Arai, Gisborne, New Zealand 2003, 12.5% Certified Biodynamic James and Annie Millton’s vineyard is just outside Gisborne, the first city to see the rising sun each day. Their Chenin is a Kiwi favourite of mine. Pale lemon-straw in appearance with aromas of lanolin, almonds and pears. On the palate you’ll find nectarine, pineapple, almonds and a flinty minerality. The wine is cut through with typical Chenin acidity before a slightly waxy quality and a developing honeyed finish. Some bottle age means great drinking now or keep. A natural partner for fish and cheese. £8.99 at www.vinceremos.co.uk
winereview...
NATURAL WINES
indulgent! Bodega Colomé, Estate Malbec, Valle Calchaqui, Salta, Argentina. 2005. 14.5%. uncertified Biodynamic Bodega Colomé is currently the highest commercial vineyard in the world, at over 3,000 metres up in the Andes. This contributes intense blackish colour, fresh acidity and silky-smooth tannins - one of Argentina’s best. A blend of 85% Malbec, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Tannat, the nose has a rich mixture of black fruits with a floral top note. The palate shows finesse, density and power, with bold fruit flavours. Then dark chocolate, black pepper and coffee appear.
Any wine queries? Email paul at wine@onlifestyle.co.uk
FIVE
Drink now while youthfully vibrant or leave to evolve over 10 years. Beef is such a classic match it’s almost a cliché! £14.99 at www.oddbins.co.uk
Q. Most of us don't have a cellar for storing our wine in optimal
Q. I've read about wines tasting, among other flavours, of coconut,
conditions - where's the best place to store unopened wine? Will a fridge do for the white and a drinks cabinet for the red?
banana, chocolate, wood and grass! Is there something particularly special about grapes that make them so good at mimicry?
Erin V. via email
Mark Bridge, Farsley
A. Some lucky people have a cool damp cellar ideal for wine storage, or are A. In short, Mark, there is! It’s the grape skins that contain a wealth of willing to spend a considerable amount on a dedicated wine cabinet – but most of us are not in that position. In the short term, a fridge for whites and a drinks cabinet for reds are fine. However, this isn’t optimal - wine will deteriorate in the fridge over time and space is often limited – a fridge is best used to chill white wine before serving. Similarly, a drinks cabinet for reds risks the bottles suffering temperature variation, especially if kept in a kitchen or near radiators. Light can adversely affect the taste and dry air from central heating can cause corks to fail. For longer term storage of whites and reds, investigate the cupboard under the stairs, a little used spare room or even an old coal-hole. These can, with a little ingenuity, offer a more constant temperature and darkness plus an absence of vibration. Low humidity can be dealt with easily by leaving a bowl of water, or wrap the bottles in cling film if the space is prone to damp.
different complex compounds that can lead to so many different taste combinations, and each grape variety has its own signature, further complicated by where the grapes are grown and when they are harvested. But it doesn’t stop there – during fermentation, more new compounds are made, varying with how this is controlled. Afterwards, new aromas, flavours and textures can be imparted depending on the method of maturation and exposure to air. Finally, for wines designed to age, the complex molecules in the wine will continue to react with one another very slowly in the bottle. It’s a huge subject, but many fruit and flower flavours and aromas come from the grapes, while clues to winemaking can be picked up from tastes of geranium, banana and butter. Wood maturation might add coconut, chocolate and vanilla from new oak barrels. Finally, bottle development might bring secondary leathery, savoury or gamey characters. It’s all part of what makes wine tasting so fascinating!
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onrecipe
lifestyle
Lobster with ginger & spring onions on a bed of fresh egg noodles
The on:
Recipe Pledge Quick, Seasonal, Delicious & Guaranteed to Work!
CoC K TA i L R EC i pE :
Berryoska Redcurrant
1½lb Lobster 5 x slices of ginger 6 x spring onions Recipe supplied by
½ small white onion ½ teaspoon of salt ¼ teaspoon of ground white pepper ¾ tablespoon of Chinese wine sauce 1 teaspoon of Soya sauce 4 tablespoons of vegetable cooking oil 1 bag of fresh egg noodles
method
As Britain begins to fall for all things Russian in the fashion and arts world, why not update your cocktail preferences and ensure you are in line with the latest drink trends…
Scrub the lobster clean and separate, lightly H ow to en joy B err yosk a R edcurrant :
coat in plain flour. Heat a wok on high and add the oil.
50ml/1.7 fl oz Russian Standard
Add the lobster and cook for 10 mins then
original Vodka
remove and then add all the ingredients (except
8 -10 redcurrants
the lobster) stirfrying for 2 minutes. Bring pan of water to the boil and add the
Juice of half a lime 3 tsp. sugar
noodles boiling for two minutes. Add the lobster to the contents of the wok
in a tumbler, muddle the lime juice, sugar and
and cook on medium/high heat for a further
redcurrants. Top the glass up with crushed ice.
2 minutes.
Add Russian Standard Vodka and stir well. Top
Drain noodles, place on to a platter then add
with extra crushed ice and garnish with a few
contents of wok and serve.
redcurrants and an orange wedge.
Enjoy!
TURN To pAGE 101 FoR A CHANCE To WiN A STYLiSH CoCKTAiL KiT WoRTH oVER £100!
41
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wordonfood
lifestyle
MTM T h e O n : M a g a z i n e G u i d e To
M oDERN T ABLE M ANNERS Last week i was having dinner with a friend i hadn't seen for ages. He's the kind of person for whom the word 'foodie' was invented - always knows the hot new restaurant to go to; shops at the farmer’s market; gets his organic box scheme fruit and veg delivered and if, God forbid, he had to use a supermarket, it would have to be Waitrose - Tesco just wouldn't cut it darling. Anyway, our starters had just arrived and I picked up my fork ready to dig into my Risotto of white onion, espresso and parmesan air (extra brownies if you know where we were). 'Hang on, don't start, wait, I've just got to get this' he said, pulling out his mobile and twisting my plate around to get the best angle. Then he took a picture of my food and spent the next few minutes posting it to his facebook and twitter page. The sad thing is, this isn't the first time this has happened to me. I've been around tables where every person has been held off digging in so some twitterer can beam his meal to the hungry hoards out there that are, apparently, insatiable for pics of menu items! So it got me thinking - we used to care so much about manners and etiquette, but in today’s share-all culture, simple table manners seem to have gone out the window. I think it's time to readdress the balance - so I present a simple cut out and keep guide to the lost art of acting vaguely human and considerate in a restaurant.
44
Alison Holland
photography
Look, you've paid good money for your meal, so who am I to tell you not to snap away at it? But remember you are there to enjoy and share food with friends. Getting up on chairs to 'get a better angle' and blinding your fellow diners with camera flashes are no-nos. And anyway, isn't twittering your Michelin-starred lunch just a new way to show off?WineDon't be intimidated into ordering much more expensive wine by either the sommelier or your other guests. You'll only end up out of pocket and resenting paying at the end. If there is a sommelier, check the starting price for wine then give them your budget and ask him to choose based on your food choices. This is their job and they should be very happy to do it. And if it's on their wine menu they shouldn't have a problem recommending it, whatever the price.
Waiters
Remember the waiter is your friend. They are probably skirting close to minimum wage and have dealt with 75 bitchy punters that day already. A genuine smile and a bit of friendly banter will go a million miles towards getting the service you want. Let them reposition your napkin every time you go to the loo. Let them insist on pouring your wine then putting it in an ice-bucket across the other side of the room. Let them recite every special even though you've decided what you want already. Enter into battle with a waiter and you will always, always lose.
World Cutlery
Frankly, I don't mind if you want to eat your spaghetti with chopsticks but these few pointers might help you when dining out. In Thailand, a spoon is used most commonly for eating saucy, curry-style dishes - putting a fork in your mouth won't get you evicted from a Thai restaurant, but it's not considered very polite. Having trouble guiding that sushi into your mouth with chopsticks? Good news! Japanese traditionally eat sushi with their fingers, dipping the edge into soy sauce beforehand (mixing soy and wasabi is never done). Chopsticks for noodle-based dishes is fine, however. And slurping is mandatory.Italians would never use a spoon and fork for spaghetti. We Brits invented that particular quirk in the 60s. The correct form for any long pasta is to spear a few strands against the side of the bowl then twist until you have a mouth sized amount on your fork. In a posh restaurant, with 5 sets of cutlery, always go from the outside in; alternatively wait to see what someone else picks up. Ultimately there is no 'wrong' way of doing anything - the ultimate in restaurant manners is to make guests feel as comfortable as possible.
paying
This is a sticky one. If you've invited a friend to dinner and there are just two of you, then it would be polite for you to pay. In big groups, I would tend towards splitting the bill equally, there's no point quibbling over a couple of quid either way. However, if you have one of those 'friends' who seems to consume twice the wine and always order the most expensive food or, equally, someone who insists that they had a small tap water and a green salad, so only owes 3 quid then maybe it's time to have a quiet word; or just stop inviting them out altogether! And, unless the waiter has thrown soup in your lap or seated you in the loo, tip. Always!
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CHRISTMAS
SET MENU
1579_Azucar_190x140mm_Advert
18/9/09
09:16
Page 1
FOR GROUPS OF 4 OR MORE - £14.95 (PLUS £2.50 DESSERT SUPPLEMENT)
STARTER PLATTER
CARNE/MEAT
PLATO DE ENTREMESES
PESCADO/FISH
Mixed Olives, roasted mediteranean vegetables, cured ham and sausage, manchego cheese and warm bread.
Squid rings and lime mayo
TORTAS DE PESCADO AHUMADO Smoked fish cakes and alioli
VEGETARIANO VEGETARIAN
PAELLA DE MARISCO
Turkey meatballs in cranberry and thyme gravy
2 FOR 1
Turkey breast wrapped in serrano ham in a crispy crumb served with a sour cream and jalapeno dip.
CHORIZITOS Y CHIPOLATAS EN VINO CALIENTE ARROZ CON POLLO
COCKTAILS
A classic dish of chicken and rice with influences from Spain and the Caribbean
EVERY THURSDAY FROM 5PM
Chorizo and chipolatas cooked in mulled wine and served with caramelised onions.
Seafood paella
BROCHETA DE CORDERO
POTAGE DE FRIJOLES
DESSERT
Lamb kebabs and yogurt dip.
Aromatic vegetable and bean stew
JALAPOS Green jalapeno peppers filled with cream cheese in a crispy crumb
PATATAS BRAVAS
TAPAS 3 FOR 2 EVERYDAY BEFORE 7PM EXCEPT SATURDAY
CINNAMON INFUSED CREAM CATALANA CHRISTMAS PUDDING WITH RUM BUTTER CREAM ORANGE LIQUEUR CHOCOLATE POT
Cubed potatoes topped with a spicy tomato sauce
CHAMPIÑONES CON AJO Garlic mushrooms
PAN CATALANA Traditional spanish tomato bread
FOR MORE INFORMATION TEL. 0113 243 5761 INFO@AZUCARBAR.CO.UK WWW.AZUCARBAR.CO.UK 5A BREWERY PLACE, LEEDS, LS10 1NE.
OPTION EXTRA £6 PER HALF A BOTTLE OF HOUSE WINE PER PERSON
FOR BOOKINGS CALL: 0113 234 0418
£30
E V E R Y W E D N E S D A Y • T A B L E S F RO M 8 . 3 0 PM • M U S I C F R O M 1 0 P M D I N NE R • SH OW • DA N C E £3 0 £30
£30
£30
£30
BEN A TRIBUTE TO
NEW
ACT
TAKE THAT 2 7th October
TAPAS TUESDAY FROM 5PM
ALBONDIGAS DE PAVO EN SALSA DE ARANDANO PECHUGA DE PAVO CON JAMON SERRANO REBOZADA
CALAMARES A LA ROMANA
1/2 PRICE
An outstanding tribute to the ultimate Boy Band. Outstanding realistic vocals guaranteed to get people up dancing!
MICHAEL JACKSON
DIVAS OF MOTOWN
14th October
Direct from the USA, this show celebrates the history of Motown with all the classic hits from Soul and Motown legends with all the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas.
THE
GLOBE GIRLS
21st October
Back by popular demand a completely different Showtime night, not easily forgotten. This is cabaret at its best - one not to be missed!
S OU L S U R VI V O R S
28th october
An infectious performance covering the hits from great soul artists such as Ottis Reading, The O Jays, The Isley Brothers and Marvin Gaye.
• BOOK NOW TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT • DRESS CODE: SMART
4th November
An entirely live act with a spectacular dance performance, including all the signature moves. Ben - A Tribute to Michael Jackson is the closest you can come to experiencing a live Michael Jackson show.
The cocktail bar is open to non diners and the a la carte menu is available in the restricted view areas & cocktail lounge
for further information & bookings please contact us on
0113 243 0905 • www.bibisrestaurant.com
Korks is now open with a fresh new look, new menus and new wines…but the same friendly staff and atmosphere that you have enjoyed for the last 30 years.
To find out more about Korks please call today on
01943 462020 www.korks.co.uk EAT, DRINK AND...
PARTY WITH YOUR FRIENDS
SHARED PARTY NIGHTS CABARET & DISCO NEW YEAR DINNER DANCE
B A K E R Y B A R & R E S T A U R A N T
Cakes for all occassions
Christmas bookings now being taken
Restaurant Upstairs 115 VICAR LANE, LEEDS LS1 6PJ Te l : 0 1 1 3 2 4 2 8 8 2 8
oncdreview
on gig guide 6 OCTOBER 8 OCTOBER 8 OCTOBER 8 OCTOBER 9 OCTOBER 9 OCTOBER 10 OCTOBER 10 OCTOBER 11 OCTOBER 12 OCTOBER 13 OCTOBER 14 OCTOBER 15 OCTOBER 15 OCTOBER 16 OCTOBER 16 OCTOBER 17 OCTOBER 17 OCTOBER 17 ~OCTOBER 17 OCTOBER 19 OCTOBER 20 OCTOBER 21 OCTOBER 22 OCTOBER 23 OCTOBER 24 OCTOBER 24 OCTOBER 26 OCTOBER 27 OCTOBER 28 OCTOBER 29 OCTOBER 29 OCTOBER 30 OCTOBER 31 OCTOBER 1 NOVEMBER 3 NOVEMBER 3 NOVEMBER 4 NOVEMBER 4 NOVEMBER 4 NOVEMBER 5 NOVEMBER 5 NOVEMBER 6 NOVEMBER 7 NOVEMBER 9 NOVEMBER 10 NOVEMBER 12 NOVEMBER 12 NOVEMBER 13 NOVEMBER 13 NOVEMBER 13 NOVEMBER 16 NOVEMBER 19 NOVEMBER 20 NOVEMBER 20 NOVEMBER 21 NOVEMBER 22 NOVEMBER 22 NOVEMBER 22 NOVEMBER 23 NOVEMBER 24 NOVEMBER 25 NOVEMBER 27 NOVEMBER 27 NOVEMBER 29 NOVEMBER
THE CULT, Academy, Leeds THE TWANG - Cockpit, Leeds PORCUPINE TREE - Academy, Leeds STACEY KENT - St George's, Bradford FANFARLO - Brudenell, Leeds PAOLO NUTINI - Academy, Leeds THE MACCABEES - Academy, Leeds GROOVE ARMADA - Victoria Works, Leeds BLOC PARTY - Academy, Leeds JONATHAN RICHMAN - Brudenell, Leeds BAT FOR LASHES - Academy, Leeds JAMIE T - Academy, Leeds THE RIFLES - Leeds Met HALF MAN HALF BISCUIT - Stylus, Leeds I LIKE TRAINS - Cockpit, Leeds JERRY DAMMERS - Faversham, Leeds THE FELICE BROTHERS - Brudenell, Leeds EDITORS - Academy, Leeds BELLOWHEAD - St George's, Bradford THE BLUES BAND - Victoria, Halifax KATE WALSH, Brudenell, Leeds FRANZ FERDINAND - Academy, Leeds CALVIN HARRIS - Academy, Leeds JAMES YORKSTON - Faversham, Leeds THE DEAD WEATHER - Academy, Leeds JACK PENATE - Leeds Met THERAPY - Leeds Uni DIZZEE RASCAL - Academy, Leeds CAMERA OBSCURA - Cockpit, Leeds IDLEWILD - Cockpit, Leeds JOHN FOXX - Leeds College of Music MORRISSEY - Academy, Leeds MICHAEL BOLTON - Harrogate International PAUL CARRACK - The Grand, Leeds LUKE HAINES - Brudenell, Leeds STEVE EARLE - The Grand, Leeds WILCO - Academy, Leeds MARC ALMOND - The Grand, Leeds ROYKSOPP - Leeds Uni JUST JACK - Academy, Leeds GRIZZLY BEAR - Leeds Met SEASICK STEVE - Academy, Leeds BIFFY CLYRO - Academy, Leeds MEW - Leeds Met MARK EITZEL - Brudenell, Leeds SAXON - Academy, Leeds JIMMY WEBB - Academy, Leeds SCOTT MATTHEWS - Harrogate Theatre IAN McNABB - Korks, Otley LA ROUX - Refectory, Leeds JOOLS HOLLAND - Harrogate International THE ENEMY - Academy, Leeds ALABAMA 3 - Academy, Leeds BOO HEWERDINE - Korks, Otley MOTORHEAD - Academy, Leeds SKUNK ANANSIE - Academy, Leeds LEISURE SOCIETY - Brudenell, Leeds WHITE LIES - Academy, Leeds HEATHER SMALL - Victoria, Halifax SLAYER - Academy, Leeds BILL WYMAN - Harrogate International GARY NUMAN - Academy, Leeds POLAR BEAR -The Grand, Leeds NAPALM DEATH - Rio's, Leeds YEAH YEAH YEAHS - Academy, Leeds
MAINSTREAM
MARiAH CAREY - 'Memoirs of An imperfect Angel' We're blaming Mazzer Cazzer for the octave leap into the pop abyss - the most difficult, yet ultimately useless and irritating tool in the pop singer's repertoire. We're not saying she invented it, but her never-ending success (40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100) means she gets mimicked - Leona, Anastasia, Christina they all do it. it’s a place where melody and pop-sense are forsaken for a dog-worrying, tumbler-cracking, wince-inducing, utterly needless show of vocal gymnastics. Give us Girls Aloud's down-the-disco Vodka-ice-shouting any day. it's over a decade since Carey's 'Butterfly', where she hitched a hip-hop ride and her weightless R&B gained some depth and street cred. But this is just more of her recent floaty filler. Weird arrangements and genre-hopping style interjections attempt to mask the airiness but the whole just ends up sounding incoherent and, frankly, desperate. The most interesting aspect is the front cover where MC, despite pushing 40, is younger, curvier and prettier than ever. How does she do it?
oN GiVE
oUT NoW
2/5
ALTERNATIVE
RiCHARD HAWLEY - 'Truelove's Gutter' it's been a long and circuitous route for Richard Hawley, once guitarist with Britpop underachievers Longpigs and now, remarkably, already onto his 6th solo album - the follow-up to his Mercury-nominated 'Coles Corner'. Echoing Arctic Monkeys' lyrical preoccupations with Sheffield's urban minutiae but wrapping said lyrics in cosy, twinkling arrangements and a country singer's croon, 'Truelove's Gutter' is Hawley's finest set of compositions to date. We're talking subdued strings and whiskey-soaked laments, long, atmospheric notes and short, pithy lyrical observations - all underpinned by Hawley's worldly, aging croon taking on the lovely, dark timbre of late period Elvis. Some might find the pace a little too funereal - but if echo, reverb and plaintive pedal steel are your thing - here's your Album of the Year.
oN GiVE
4/5
oUT NoW
JULiAN CopE - 'peggy Suicide' DELUXE EDiTioN RE RELEASE
All mavericks are at their best when they're written off. in 1991, Julian Cope was allegedly 'weirding out' his record label and teetering on the brink of the has-been scrap heap. previous release 'Droolian' was selffinanced and totally nuts - alienating fans and shredding his last remnants of commercial viability - then he released his masterpiece. A double album, a hymn to Mother Earth and a cracking collection of wahwah-heavy, golden rock-pop - this effectively ushered in Cope's 'mature' phase - a phrase, no doubt, he'd shudder at but the eight minutes of 'Safesurfer' remain his parliament-influenced musical high water mark, 'Beautiful Love' and 'pristeen' are eloquent, accessible pop ditties and 'Hanging out' is the obligatory acid-rock foot stomper. 18 years on, re-packaged and including an unnecessary bonus disc of baggy-leaning remixes, peggy Suicide remains an expansive exercise in modern psychedlia and Cope's magnum opus.
oN GiVE
LEST WE FORGET
4/5
oUT NoW
…10 Years ago this month: DEATH iN VEGAS - The Contino Sessions The dance/rock crossover thing was nothing new by the time Richard Fearless and Tim Holmes persuaded iggy pop, Bobby Gillespie and The Jesus and Mary Chain's Jim Reid to collaborate on The Contino Sessions - but it had never been so dark and Gothic, so sleazy and scuzzy - or so focussed and finelytuned before. The perfect marriage of rock personality and instrumentation with dance invention and technology, the songs lock into a groove, burrow deep and don't let go. Death in Vegas even manage to outSpiritualize Spiritualized with the gospel-heavy 'Aladdin's Story'. A compelling and lasting document to dance aesthetics heard through a dirty rock gauze.
oN GiVE
4/5
13 OCTOBER BAT FOR LASHES - Academy, Leeds
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DANCE oN
onmusic
lifestyle
3 Tunes:
Toby Tobias - in Your Eyes (Tensnake Remix) [Rekids] Altz - orympia Rocks - [Bear Funk] Fernando pulichino - Scarecrows - [Redux]
3 Club Nights:
polaroid Club (Leeds) - 6th November - The Glimmers Circoloco at Victoria Works (Leeds) - 17th October - Simon Baker, Jamie Jones & Others The Viper Rooms (Harrogate) - Decadance (every Saturday) - Classic Dance, Disco, House, Retro & Soul.
cinema&dvd for the weeks ahead The invention of Lying
8/10
Directors: Ricky Gervais & Matthew Robinson Stars: Ricky Gervais, Jennifer Garner, Rob Lowe In the hands of a writer less skilled and philosophical than Ricky Gervais, the high-concept premise of 'The Invention of Lying' (a parallel universe where everyone must tell the truth at all times) might be a simple comedy vehicle for Jim Carrey to unleash another 2 hours of pratfalls, funny faces and deathdefying embarrassment. But once Gervais gets the obvious, yet admittedly irresistible, gags out of the way (man discovers he's the only person who can lie - increasingly huge whoppers are told and believed) this boisterous but heartfelt comedy takes all sorts of interesting twists and turns, eventually arriving, quite subversively, at one of Gervais's pet subjects: religion. Faced with his dying mother, he has the power to offer her hope - the belief that she will not cease to exist and that she will, in fact, go to a better place. It's an audacious segment, easily the film's highlight and it places 'The Invention of Lying' right next to 'Life of Brian' in the rarely-entered comedic theology Hall of Fame. After that, it drifts somewhat disappointingly towards an over-sentimental denouement, but Gervais has, at least, shown Hollywood that he's no Britcom one hit wonder.
oUT NoW
6/10
7/10
9/10
onfilms Love Happens
ondvds X-Men origins: Wolverine
onretrodvds Dead Man's Shoes
Director: Brendon Camp Stars: Jennifer Aniston, Aaron Eckhart, Dan Fogler
Director: Gavin Hood Stars: Hugh Jackman, Liev Shreiber, Danny Huston
A simple, formulaic three-act exercise in Hollywood rom-commery, for sure, but ‘Love Happens’ somehow manages to shine - partly down to a couple of radiant performances from Aniston and Eckhart but mostly because of a well-executed, well-delivered set of circumstances that are resolved with satisfying simplicity.
Despite being hampered by some frustrating filmmaking blunders, ‘Wolverine’ is a big, bold portion of movie junk food with a couple of sides of caviar thrown in.
DiD YoU MiSS THiS? 5 YEARS AGo THiS MoNTH. Director: Shane Meadows Stars: paddy Considine, Gary Stretch, Toby Kebbell
There are a couple of obligatory weepy moments and you'll be seriously challenged to swallow that lump in your throat when Martin Sheen turns on the waterworks in a terrific finale, but the gentle humour and banter throughout are affecting and loss, bitterness and envy are explored with admirable unsentimentally. Maybe I'm going soft (or crazy) but sometimes you catch a simple, easy-to-watch movie, done well and, heck, enjoy it! I'm not crying, I've just got something in my eye... oUT NoW
Director Gavin Hood keeps the movie juggernaut rolling at breakneck speed, wisely limiting exposition to a few meagre, albeit cringeworthy, monosyllabic exchanges. A visual feast, violently loud and packed with giddily innovative fx-laden action sequences, Wolverine even manages to jam in a brilliant back-story montage opening that's right up there with the beginning of 'Watchmen'. Hugh Jackman and Liev Shreiber are well-matched and well cast as the nigh-on indestructible brothers at the film's warring fraternal heart. Give in to some superhero blockbusting and you might discover some real morsels of delight among the stodge... oUT 19th oCToBER
In a remarkably original twist to the classic revenge movie, Shane Meadows brings out a best-ever performance from Paddy Considine, as a soldier returning to his rural Derbyshire home to confront the bullies who teased and exploited his simpleminded brother. Meadows is a master at documenting small town Britain and, as the film unspools and the increasingly sadistic back story is revealed, small town Britain becomes the director's real target - a culpable place of boredom, idiocy and drugs, where violence and monsters lurk in characterless, small communities. His real genius, however, lies in his ability to maintain a level of comic realism despite the grimness - the killer puts make-up on his victim's faces while they sleep, spray-paints insults on their clothing, stoners talk rubbish in run-down council flats, gangsta rap is played in broken down 2CVs, ecstasy is mixed with Pot Noodles. A low-budget masterpiece.
ALSo oUT iN THE CoMiNG WEEKS october 2nd: Toy Story 3D: Woody, a traditional pull-string talking cowboy, has long enjoyed a place of honour as the favourite among six-year-old Andy's menagerie of toys. Quick to calm their anxieties about being replaced by newer arrivals,Woody finds his own confidence shaken, and his status as top toy in jeopardy, upon the arrival of Buzz Lightyear, simply the coolest space action figure ever made. Woody plots to get rid of Buzz, but things backfire and he finds himself lost in the outside world with Buzz as his only companion. october 9th: In the animated feature 'Up' from Pixar, a 70-year old man teams with a wilderness ranger to fight beasts and villains. This is Pixar's first new film in 3D. When have they ever let us down? Also this week, the most frightened guy on earth leads a crew of survivors in a world overrun by zombies in the brilliantly trailered and monikered, 'Zombieland'. october 16th: Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman, Jon Favreau, Malin Ackerman, Kristin Davis, Kristen Bell and Faizon Love star in comedy 'Couples Retreat'. Based on an original idea of Vaughn's, the comedy follows four Midwestern couples who embark on a journey to a tropical island resort. While one of the couples is there to work on their marriage, the other three set out to jet ski, spa and enjoy some fun in the sun.
They soon discover that participation in the resorts couples therapy is not optional. 'The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus' is a weird and wonderful fantasy with an eclectic cast - Christopher Plummer, Andrew Garfield, Verne Troyer, Tom Waits and Lily Cole join Heath Ledger in his final film before his untimely death. 'Triangle' revolves around the passengers of a yachting trip in the Atlantic Ocean who, when struck by mysterious weather conditions, jump to another ship only to experience greater havoc on the open seas... october 23rd; Almost unbelievably, this week opens with the sixth, yes that's the sixth (!), instalment of the 'Saw' horror franchise. The aptly named 'Saw VI' will be very popular on Halloween! Also opening is Wes Anderson's ' Fantastic Mr. Fox', in which a crafty fox finds himself and his family targeted for death by the three dumb, plug-ugly farmers who tire of sharing their chickens with the critter. George Clooney and Cate Blanchett provide the voices. Based on the novel written by Roald Dahl. october 30th: The year's biggest enigma. Tactless cash-in or affectionate tribute? You decide with Sony's 'Michael Jackson: Is This It?'.
RELEASED IN NOVEMBER: One of the biggest films of the year, Jim Carrey's 3D 'A Christmas Carol' opens at the start of the month. Carrey is usually most popular in family movies so book early... 'Jennifer's Body' stars Megan Fox and follows a cheerleader with a perfect life, who becomes possessed by a demon and starts feeding off the boys in a Minnesota farming town... 'Law Abiding Citizen' is a thriller about a brilliant sociopath (Gerard Butler) who orchestrates a series of high-profile murders that grip the City of Philadelphia - all from inside his jail cell - and the prosecutor assigned to his case (Jamie Foxx) who realises he is the only one who can end the reign of terror... In '2012' an academic researcher opens a portal into a parallel universe and makes contact with his double in order to prevent an apocalypse predicted by the ancient Mayans... And finally, in 'New Moon', Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) is devastated by the abrupt departure of her vampire love, Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) but her spirit is rekindled by her growing friendship with the irresistible Jacob Black. Suddenly she finds herself drawn into the world of the werewolves, ancestral enemies of the vampires, and finds her loyalties tested...
51
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onfeature
Q&A
MONKEY MAGIC The band have come a long way since their classic debut album, ‘Whatever people Say i Am, That’s What i’m Not’ turned the music industry on its head. Here, in their customary easy-going manner, key Monkeys Alex Turner and Jamie Cook explain how the new album came about and how they have developed since that famous debut. Alex also insists fame, fortune and a gorgeous girlfriend (TV presenter and model Alexa Chung) haven’t affected his passion for songwriting and there’s the stunning revelation about the unlikely hidden geniuses behind one of Britain’s finest bands! WiTH A HoME iN BRooKLYN AND A MoDEL/pRESENTER GiRLFRiEND THiNGS HAVE CERTAiNLY CHANGED FRoM THE WoRLD oF HiGH GREEN, SHEFFiELD, WHERE YoU WRoTE ‘WHATEVER pEopLE SAY i AM’ AS A TEENAGER? ALEX: Maybe. But there are enough other things to write about. Plus, there are more groups nowadays that write lyrics about going out, etc. Don’t forget that the first album was only a first record after all: I had barely any experience writing songs. So what do you do? Write about what you know well. The boys and girls you see around you on the street and in the clubs. The thing was this; I tried writing one lyric like that and then stretched it out over one whole album. BUT pURELY LooKiNG AT THE CoNTENT, YoU CoULDN’T WRiTE A SoNG LiKE ‘FAKE TALES oF SAN FRANCiSCo’ ANYMoRE. A DiED-iN-THE-WooL RoCK STAR EXpRESSiNG ANNoYANCE WiTH WoULD-BE ‘WEEKEND RoCK STARS’
THE ARCTIC MONKEYS ARE BACK WITH THEIR THIRD CONSECUTIVE NUMBER ONE ALBUM, ‘HUMBUG’. THE YORKSHIRE FOUR-PIECE TRAVELLED TO THE FAMED ROCK ‘N’ROLL LOCATION OF JOSHUA TREE, NEVADA,TO RECORD IT WITH QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE’S JOSH HOMME.
AND THEiR pETE DoHERTY TRiLBY HATS, THAT’S JUST JADED? ALEX: The second album didn’t have songs like that anymore. They were still based on observations of situations and people I’ve met, but it drifted off a little bit more. Actually nothing that came after the first album has been as neatly packaged as that one was. JAMiE, WHAT DiD iT FEEL LiKE WHEN ALEX’S SiDE-pRoJECT, ‘THE LAST SHADoW pUppETS’ TooK oFF? JAMIE: It felt like I was in a kinky open relationship. Which strangely enough I felt mostly okay about! I didn’t begrudge him his fun with someone else. RECoRDiNGS FoR THE NEW ALBUM STARTED LAST YEAR iN THE SUMMER, FiRST iN A CoNVERTED-FARM RECoRDiNG STUDio iN SUFFoLK, THEN oN To THE JoSHUA TREE DESERT iN CALiFoRNiA AND FiNALLY To BRooKLYN. Do YoU REMEMBER THE FiRST SoNG YoU WRoTE FoR THiS RECoRD? ALEX: Not the first song, but I do remember the first riff. We hadn’t played together for months - I had taken considerable time off to work with The Last Shadow Puppets - and the first thing we did in Suffolk was record a couple of mega-heavy Black Sabbath-style riffs. Later they were taken down a few notches and used in some of the songs. To me, those riffs were saying, ‘Let’s rock!’ - it’s been a long time. AND NEXT YoU WENT To THE JoSHUA TREE DESERT, WHERE YoU RETREATED iNTo THE NoW MYTHiCAL RANCHo DE LA LUNA STUDioS WiTH JoSH HoMME, WHo HAS iNDiCATED HiS ADMiRATioN FoR THE ARCTiC MoNKEYS iN VARioUS iNTERViEWS.
ALEX: He had been asked by some magazine if he was a fan of ours - because we had been telling the world we were fans of him - and if he would ever want to work with us. He said yes in that interview. So when we had finished a few songs, one of the people working for the label asked us if we were still interested in approaching him. Of course! When we called him he said: “I listened to your demo for ten seconds. You’ve got yourselves a producer!” and then: “You have to come to the house of my friend Dave” [Catching, the owner of Rancho de La Luna]. He said it would be the perfect environment for recording the songs. So THE CHoiCE WAS MADE FoR SoMEoNE oTHER THAN JAMES FoRD oF SiMiAN MoBiLE DiSCo, THE WoNDER BoY WHo pRoDUCED THE LAST MoNKEYS ALBUM AND THE LAST SHADoW pUppETS ALBUM. WAS THAT A pAiNFUL pARTiNG oF THE WAYS? ALEX: James, who first let me clearly state has been in charge of part of the production of the album once again, coaches things out of me that no one else can. The relationship with James is still very important to me. Josh is...Josh. Josh and Alain Johannes [guitar player on albums of Eleven, Queens Of The Stone Age, Chris Cornell and Mark Lanegan], the engineer of the album, are amazing guitar players. Really mind blowing. And that encouraged me to go for the complete guitar sound. DiD THE SoUND YoU EXpLoRED WiTH oN THE LAST SHADoW pUppETS - SoUNDTRACKS AND oRCHESTRAS - iNSpiRE YoU To EXpERiMENT WiTH A RiCHER MoNKEYS SoUND? ALEX: Making the Puppets album had a big effect on my way of singing in particular. I had never used my voice before the way I do in the songs on ‘The Age Of Understatement’. But what opened more perspectives than anything else, was writing with Miles. It has been an enormous influence. I learnt how to write more melodiously by working with him. I never would have wanted this album to sound like the record I made with Miles though. You shouldn’t even try that cos obviously, I’ve got these three - this here is my three mates in this group, and with them I make a very different kind of music. BUT WHAT ABoUT WHEN YoU GET A NEW iDEA FoR A SoNG NoWADAYS? Do YoU KNoW STRAiGHT AWAY: THiS iS A pUppETS SoNG, AND THAT’S A MoNKEYS SoNG? ALEX: No, it’s like i said: i always write together
with people, and the result depends on the chemistry i have with those people. The dilemma between a song being a Monkeys song or a puppets song never really occurs, because i never sit down and write songs on my own. The puppets, that was Miles and me going off in a rush on a songwriters adventure with an in retrospect - almost childishly naïve enthusiasm. Here, with the Monkeys, i sometimes start a song on my own, but the rest then contribute their ideas. it is equally possible for a drum beat of Matt’s to be the starting point of the song. The tunes come from all of us. LYRiCS-WiSE FoR ARCTiC MoNKEYS YoU WRiTE ABoUT STiCKY DANCE FLooRS AND GiRLS iN Top SHop TopS, iN ‘THE AGE oF THE
“He texted me from a pool party at Diddy’s: ‘Busta Rhymes has just given me a piggy back.” UNDERSTATEMENT’ YoU WRoTE LoVE DECLARATioNS To FEMMES FATALES iN oSTRiCH BoAS. ALEX: When you are writing grandly orchestrated music, you cannot write everyday lyrics to go with it. I had great fun with the words then. All my writing is based on observations, the Puppets writing too, but I enjoy phonetic cutting and pasting. Playing with sounds and words, and adapting them to the tone and ambiance of the music. DRUMMER MATT HELDERS iS A GREAT HipHop FAN AND RECENTLY poSTED A TERRiBLY FUNNY CLip oN YoUR SiTE oF HiM RECEiViNG A ToUR oF p. DiDDY’S HoUSE iN MiAMi. ALEX: That was at the Miami Winter Music Conference, where Matt had arranged a meeting with Diddy. Behind our backs he is really working his way into the American hiphop jet set. He texted me from a pool party at Diddy’s: ‘Busta Rhymes has just given me a piggy back.’ One of the most surreal texts Matt has ever sent me. THE SoNG ‘JEWELLER’S HAND’ HAS THiS HipHop FEEL To iT. JAMIE: We even call ‘Jeweller’s Hand’ our Dr. Dre tune! The beat, the bass, the drum, and then that little piano: doesn’t it have Dr. Dre written all over it? But the first bit for the song came from me, it’s the first song I wrote on piano. I went plunk, plunk, plunk and ended up making a Dr Dre sound.
FiNALLY, THE CopiES oF YoUR NEW CD, ALREADY pRoViSioNED WiTH GooD SECURiTY MEASURES, WERE GiVEN EXTRA pRoTECTioN BY iNSERTiNG THE GRoUp NAME THE WoMBLES iNSTEAD oF ARCTiC MoNKEYS. NoW, THE WoMBLES WERE BiG FURRY ANiMALS iN A BRiTiSH CARTooN pop GRoUp iN THE 1970S, ADMiT iT... ALEX: Yes, and the true geniuses behind all our songs! The time has come for me to reveal all: the Wombles actually wrote all of the songs by the
Arctic Monkeys, the four of us are incapable of writing any decent songs, all honour goes to the big furry animals. All along it was The Wombles.
ARCTiC MoNKEYS’ NEW ALBUM, ‘Humbug’ is out now on Domino Records. Their UK tour starts in November.
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ontheatres
localliving
in the
spotlight... a guide to what’s on in the theatres
Harrogate Theatre pHoENiX DANCE THEATRE
20 oCToBER
Under the new Artistic Directorship of Sharon Watson, Phoenix Dance Theatre is delighted to present the works of emerging choreographers from the Yorkshire region in their Autumn Tour. This includes Beast by Douglas Thorpe which takes a close look at rage, how we experience it and what it does to us when it seizes control. Beast imagines what would happen if our most disturbing thoughts became a reality; when impulse becomes physical action.
FiSH CLAY pERSpEX 19 – 20 oCToBER World renowned for its haunting tales, visual theatre, strange animated figures and dark humour, Faulty Optic presents the eccentric and compassionate new production, Fish Clay Perspex.
Phoenix Dance Theatre is one of Britain’s leading contemporary dance companies which tours nationally and internationally taking inspiring and entertaining dance to the widest possible audience. £10 / £2 off concessions T. 01423 502116
In this simple, low technology piece, Faulty Optic manipulates puppets, miniature and armless pointy-footed figures, clay, lagging, pens and plastic. Fish Clay Perspex is a series of short character studies and incidences based upon chance, futility, expectation, doubt and the turmoil caused by the flailings and failings of the human mind. Highlights include falling beasts, battered clay, bendy legs, bad drawing, frantic scribbling and the comic scrabbling of a guileless duo.
The Grand, Leeds
THE KiNG AND i 17 – 21 November Since opening on Broadway in 1951, this family musical has warmed the hearts of many audiences. Set in the early 1860’s Anna, who is a recent widow, travels from England to become the governess of the King of Siam’s many children. She faces many challenges trying to gain the trust of the children and the King while assisting the plight of the star-crossed lovers Tuptim and Lun Tha.
Escape normality, suspend your disbelief and enter the magical world of visual and surreal adult puppetry.
Featuring well known songs such as "Shall we Dance?", "Getting to Know You", "Whistle a Happy Tune" and "Something Wonderful", the musical is an enjoyable evening for all ages.
£10 / £2 off concessions T. 01423 502116
Tickets £10 - £55 T. 0844 848 2706
Leeds Carriageworks iF WE Go oN - 8 october
£10/ £2 off concessions T. 0113 2243801
RUpERT BRooKE 29 - 30 october Inspired by the work of the legendary war poet, this new play reveals the man behind the myth. Charting his tumultuous personal life from University to his death in 1915, a portrait is painted of a man unafraid to shock his audience. The opportunity to hear his poems in the context of his life, bringing new understanding and clarity to the man and the era in which he lived. Heady progress through society and extensive travels unlock the truth about a fascinating period of history. Essential viewing for anyone keen to lift the lid off the history and literature of our nation at war. £9 / £2 off concessions T. 0113 2243801
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23 – 28 NoVEMBER Based on real life events back in the roaring 1920’s, nightclub singer Roxie Hart shoots her lover and along with Cell Block rival, double-murderess Velma Kelly, they fight to keep from death row with the help of smooth talking lawyer, Billy Flynn.
Richard Moran
Through miniature dances and stuttering songs, militant manifestos and extended exits, ‘If We Go On’ embraces uncertainty, hesitancy and not knowing with a dark, intelligent humour.
Richard Moran/Elmwood
An exceptional ensemble of multi-tasking performers and musicians morph words into movement, shunt gesture into sound and at times burst into song to create a performance they can believe in.
THE ADVENTURES oF MR BRoUCEK 10 – 23 october
Created by the musical theatre talents of John Kander, Fred Ebb and legendary choreographer Bob Fosse, Chicago’s sexy, sassy score includes "All That Jazz" and "Razzle Dazzle". With 6 Tony, 2 Olivier, 1 Grammy, 2 Bafta and 6 Academy Awards, CHICAGO truly is "The sharpest, slickest show on the block" - The Times.
Mr Broucek’s adventures in space (he goes to the moon) and time (he goes back to the 15th-Century) make him a kind of operatic Mr Benn. Although he travels to worlds beyond his imagination, Mr Broucek’s journeys generally seem to end in a beer barrel. Janácek’s glorious music paints vivid pictures of Mr Broucek’s travels, conjuring up extraterrestrial sounds, romance, and the stirring patriotism of battle songs. Vibrantly original, this comic and tender opera will both charm and delight.
Tickets £14.50 - £34.50
prices range from £10 - £58 T. 0844 848 2706
West Yorkshire playhouse, Leeds The GRApES oF WRATH 3 – 14 November The Joads, a family of impoverished Oklahoman sharecroppers, lose everything when their farm is repossessed after a devastating drought and are driven from their home to make the monumental trek Westward to California. Seduced by the prospect of opportunity and dignity, they invest everything they have in the journey. When forced to face the possibility that California may not after all be the promised land, they have no choice but to go on; nothing is left for them in Oklahoma. Frank Galati’s groundbreaking adaptation of Steinbeck’s epic novel won two Tony Awards on Broadway. A plea for social justice and compassion, The Grapes of Wrath provides the perfect canvas for a vast ensemble cast and is an all too timely examination of a nation in search of itself. £16 - £26 T. 0113 2137700
DEEp CUT 10 – 21 November THE BLACK ALBUM 20 – 24 oCToBER An Asian kid from Kent goes to college in London and teams up with a sympathetic group of antiracists. But it’s 1989, the year of the fatwa, and as Shahid begins a hedonistic affair with his lecturer, his radical Muslim friends want to steer him away from the decadence of the West. "We’re not blasted Christians. We don’t turn the other buttock. We will fight for our people who are being tortured anywhere - in Palestine, Afghanistan, Kashmir, East End!" Hanif Kureishi’s witty stage adaptation of his strikingly prescient and acclaimed novel, The Black Album, humorously considers how the events of 1989 have shaped today’s world, where fundamentalism battles liberalism.
18 year old Private Cheryl James from Llangollen was one of four young soldiers who died from gunshot wounds at Deepcut Barracks between 1995 and 2002. Cheryl’s parents wanted answers from the people responsible for their daughter’s care. But how do you begin to grieve when no-one seems to have a proper explanation? What would give you the determination to continue asking awkward, demanding questions? Taken from original source material and powerful first hand testimonies, the multi award-winning Deep Cut is a bold and compelling account of one family’s journey through a time they thought they’d never experience, to places they hoped they’d never be. £16 - £26 T. 0113 2137700
Alhambra Theatre, Bradford SCRooGE 2 – 7 November
£16 - £28 T. 0113 2137700
The ideal winter treat, SCROOGE is a heartwarming family story with stunning sets and costumes, specially created illusions by magician Paul Kieve (acclaimed for the magic effects in the Harry Potter films) and a fantastic musical score which features the Oscar nominated hit Thank You Very Much.
The Victoria, Halifax SKELLiG 3 – 7 November
Don't miss Ebenezer, Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim, the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future and a whole host of Dickensian characters in the award winning, international smash hit musical Scrooge!
Ten year-old Michael was looking forward to moving into a new house. But now his baby sister is ill and his parents are frantic. Then Michael wanders into the crumbling garage and sees something lying beneath the spiderwebs and flies - is it a man or an animal? Michael confides in his new friend Mina and together they carry the creature Skellig into the light, changing their world forever.
£9 - £29 TT. 01274 432000
KES 10 – 14 November
David Almond's eerie and magical story, published in 1998, became an instant classic, snatching the Whitbread Children's Book Award from Harry Potter and winning the prestigious Carnegie Medal. It has also been made into a major film. Now this amazing story comes to the stage in a theatrical treat everyone aged 7 to 107 will want to experience!
Kes is the story of a teenager, Billy, and a kestrel chick that he raises himself, which allows him an escape from the harsh realities of his life. Billy's father disappeared when he was six and his mother is rarely at home, leaving him to fend for himself. Jud, his bullying older brother, works in the local coalmine and Billy is expected to follow in his footsteps. With the aid of a library book he teaches himself how to raise his kestrel and discovers a mutual respect and love, which has been missing from his life.
£9 - £12.50 T. 01422 351158
It is 40 years since the acclaimed novel became a classic of British cinema, and this new production brings Barry Hines' haunting story of adolescence and growing up to the stage.
oLiVER! 10 – 14 November Whilst Lionel Bart's evergreen musical version of Dickens’ classic Oliver Twist is packing them in in London, the Victoria Theatre will be the setting in November for an equally lively version. And you won't have to "pick a pocket or two" to afford tickets at a fraction of West End prices. It's a great family show, with songs that everyone knows and featuring dozens of local children eager to show off their acting, dancing and singing talents. A show not to be missed. £10 - £16 T. 01422 351158
WUTHERiNG HEiGHTS 20 – 24 october
£10.50 - £23 TT. 01274 432000
As children they are inseparable, running wild and free on the moors, but over time their childish affection deepens into an overwhelming love - a devastating force that even death cannot destroy. With an original score by celebrated composer Claude-Michel Schönberg, known for his West End and Broadway hits Les Miserables and Miss Saigon, this turbulent love story is brought to life in Northern Ballet Theatre's adaptation of Emily Brontë's romantic masterpiece. £9 - £29 T. 01274 432000
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Autumn / Winter Collection in stock Gift Vouchers available in store
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onrestaurantreview
localliving
ChainReaction What is it about restaurant chains that foodies are so averse to? There’s the perception, of course, that they’re about bland, ‘everyman’ food – a sort of sterile and cynical re-hashing of classic styles without any sense of the beauty of food culture and history. There’s the sense that facsimile food, reproduced ad infinitum, just can’t measure up to the local delights of an independent eaterie who’s struggling with suppliers and marketing budgets and, well, big, big restaurant chains who have come to snatch all the little-man’s profits. And maybe, most of the time, they’re right.
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www.onlifestyle.co.uk
NEED To KNoW: Strada Leeds, 6 Greek Street, Leeds, LS1 5RW opening hours: Monday to Saturday: 11.30am to 11.00pm Sunday: 11.30am to 10.30pm Three course dinner for two without wine about £40 - £45. Complimentary filtered water. Tel: 0113 2471883 www.strada.co.uk
So why, then, did we enjoy our meal at Strada so much? The chain is growing and growing fast. It’s built a reputation for good, clean Italian food at reasonable prices – a sure-fire recessionbusting method, it seems – and there are 27 branches in London alone (71 nationwide). For sure, the classic simplicity of Italian food is easiest to try and replicate on a massive scale (hence the plethora of other, inferior, who-shall-remain-nameless plastic Italian restaurant chains) – and Strada do lay on the Italian authenticity a little too much. When you ask for the Baby Spinach Leaves Salad or the Fish Stew, do you really need service repeating it back to you in Italian? I don’t blame service – it was, otherwise, exceptionally friendly and perfectly timed – but there’s the feeling that you’re the victim of a Strada decree – “when customers ask for their food in English, you must repeat it to them in italian. This way we look more authentic and they look a bit daft.” Plus, as if to hammer home the point, the Fish Stew isn’t just Fish Stew – it’s Puglia Fish Stew. The Salami isn’t just Salami, it’s Napoli Salami. Mantovano, Tuscany, Parma get a mention and everything – and I mean everything – is Italian. Italian Ham, Italian Risotto, Italian Pork Sausage – we get the idea! We’re in an Italian restaurant! In this endless quest for authenticity your average foodie might just start to smell a rat. But then comes the food. A starter of Melted Buffalo Mozzarella (£5.50) wrapped in Speck (cured ham) on a Salad of Plum Tomatoes, Cucumber, Sweet Peppers, Onion, Croutons and Olives was everything Strada promised. Vibrant, colourful, fresh – straight out of a Roman marketplace. Now, how authentic do you want it, cynics? My guest’s starter too was a success - Baby Spinach Leaves, Sliced Avocado and Crisped Pancetta (£4.95) tossed in a delightfully zingy mustard dressing. Suddenly it didn’t matter about the plastic aubergine ornaments – this was good food, Italian or not. Puglia-Style Fish Stew (£14.95) would be a real test for Strada, however, having visited the famous seafood hot spot on a couple of occasions. The tomato and herb sauce was pretty good – nice and wine-y – and, while you can forgive the seafood being a few bars under Puglia quality, I was disappointed by a few measly pieces of Red Mullet, one King Prawn and a cracked Mussel. Anybody for shards of shell in your stew? Still, the Clams and Squid were good and the lightly toasted ciabatta dipped into the sauce was a treat. My partner’s Butternut Squash Risotto (£9.75) was perfect – and sizeable! Never mind simple Italian dining this was full-on Yorkshire portions! She managed barely half of it but it was expertly prepared and of perfect consistency. Risottos are Strada’s speciality – and it showed. Indeed, the Leeds branch hosted a Risotto Festival throughout September. A couple of classic Italian sweets closed the show. I was recommended the Ricotta Cheesecake with Pine Nuts, Almonds and Vanilla Ice Cream (£4.75). The biscuit base lacked a little depth and crunch but the sweet flavours combined nicely overall and my partner’s Torroncino Affogato (£4.25) (Espresso poured over Ice Cream - a proper Italian dessert) was ideal. Is there a better combination of bitter and sweet in world cuisine? I doubt it.
Never have anything but an open mind when sampling restaurants – that’s always the rule here. But we’d be lying if we said we weren’t expecting Strada to underwhelm, to niggle our little foodie consciences with chain restaurant mass-reproduction – but it didn’t. We were impressed. A little taste of italy, indeed.
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As the nights draw in and the weather gets colder, city dwellers’ paradise Clarence Dock in Leeds is hotting up with its superb array of waterfront shops and restaurants offering some extra sparkle this winter. For any fashionista Clarence Dock should be the first stop for key autumn/winter trends such as slick leather, textured leggings, sequins and the latest denim. All Saints continues this season with a cult following of both men and women, but key pieces from its signature look include a stylish studded leather jacket and worn-look buckled ankle boots. Hop across the tranquil waterfront and a bargin-ista paradise lies await in JOY, its collections feature both men's and women's clothing. Key trends include ‘modern romance’ that takes its inspiration from traditional film heroines such as Marilyn and Greta and ‘land girls’ which draws inspiration from the 1940's, translated with rough knits and natural pea green hues. One wardrobe essential for both men and women is a great pair of jeans and with both G-Star and Replay being at the forefront of designer denim, visitors to Clarence Dock need look no further. The end of 2009 sees a looser style of jean, with intense vintage washes featuring rips and holes, become more popular after the recent reign of the skinny jean. With a range of designer men's clothing and footwear and women's footwear, Aspecto's key buy for the man about town this winter is a practical yet stylish Barbour jacket, the 'Chelsea' style giving a more fashionable cut. While for women a staple buy for the winter is Ugg's 'cardy' boot that is a brand new twist on its ever popular original style. It is also stockists of other premium brands such as Y3, Adidas Originals and Luke. While we are talking shoes - a visit to Daniel Footwear or Moda in Pelle will ensure you can chose from the latest styles be it ballet pumps, sky high heels or this season's over the knee boots.
For your chance to win one of three amazing prizes simply answer the question below.
What is the name of the famous museum situated at Clarence Dock, Leeds? Please email all answers to comps@onlifestyle.co.uk prize 1 Alea casino is offering one lucky winner a night of casino fun that includes a meal for two, bottle of wine and learn to play sessions. prize 2 one pair of 'Love from Australia' boots up to the value of £200 is up for grabs from Daniel Footwear at Clarence Dock prize 3 For all things culinary HoB is offering one lucky winner a £100 voucher to spend in store Terms & conditions - The meal at Alea casino is up to the value of £50 and subject to availability. The bottle of wine will be house white or house red. - The winner of the meal at Alea casino must be over 18 years old. - No cash alternative is available for any of the prizes. - Only one entry per person is allowed. - No employees or family of employees of The Clarence Dock Company Ltd and its suppliers are permitted to enter the competition. CLOSING DATE FOR ENTRIES 1ST DECEMBER 2009.
Why not also pop into designer cookware shop HOB, for some culinary inspiration for those cosy nights in, when you just can't face the Yorkshire winter weather. There is a world of cooking at your fingertips as it stocks the very best cooking utensils and has something to suit everyone with an interest in cooking from the beginner to the semi-professional. For quick refreshment during your shopping marathon, the HOB café offers an array of homemade sandwiches and cakes as well as beverages and Starbucks can always be relied on for a pick me up coffee or sandwich. However, once you have totally exhausted all the shops, there is an abundance of restaurants at Clarence Dock that are perfect places to relax. Monday through to Thursday and Friday evening 6pm until 7.30pm Alea Casino is offering 'dine out for £12' which includes a two course meal, glass of wine or beer and £5 gaming chip. Its two restaurants are awarding winning with The Bird by Vineet offering Indian cuisine and The Fig featuring a Mediterranean influenced menu. Café Aagrah is introducing a brand new menu for the new season that incorporates its original tapas style cuisine with an Asian twist as well as some brand new signature dishes. While family favourite Pizza Express offers value for money and the stunning Mumtaz restaurant delivers Indian cuisine in sumptuous surroundings. The shops are open from 10am until 6pm daily and the restaurants from 12 noon until late. Clarence Dock is just a short walk from Leeds city centre along the revitalised waterfront and is also home to the famous Royal Armouries museum. For visitors ease there is a secure multi-storey car park on site. For further information visit www.clarencedock.com
on walks
localliving
A 2.5 hour circular alongside the Leeds/Liverpool Canal and across the pennine Way.
Linear walking might do for dogs, but serious ramblers must plan long and hard to route a circular that takes in the pleasant indulgencies of canal walking - but join the Leeds/Liverpool Canal at Gargrave and you’ll ďŹ nd one such opportunity.
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The problem with canal walking is a simple one:
at some point you must turn around and come back.
A classical Yorkshire village, Gargrave lies on the fringes of the Dales and manages to be trisected by no less than three famous northern thoroughfares - the River Aire, the Leeds/Liverpool Canal and The Pennine Way. There’s a handy free car park in the village centre opposite the village hall - park, then turn right onto the Pennine Way - you’ll soon find the entrance to the canal towpath on your left.
The 19th Century canal travels 217 miles from Leeds, across The Pennines, brushes Aintree racecourse and ends in Liverpool docks, hosting no less than 91 locks across its entirety. Unless you walk into a time warp, you won’t be seeing chugging barges transporting the raw materials of heavy industry anymore, but there’ll be plenty of pretty coloured and extravagantly-named holiday barges to admire. The towpath quickly passes under the noisy A65 but you’ll soon leave the four-wheel cacophony behind and be left with little aural disturbance bar the odd frisky mallard and the occasional passing, gently rumbling barge. Keep to the canal towpath until you reach Newton Bank (45mins) - here, deviate from the canal and take the road leading up and left, initially running parallel with the canal (note: not the road heading left at a right angle). This is the only incline on the whole route - it will take you, eventually (30 mins), past Newton Grange, an impressive Grade II listed holiday accommodation. About 10 minutes after that, look out for the Pennine Way marker on a stile to your left - make a mental note because we’ll be returning here shortly. But first we’ve an interesting midway point to locate - and a hot coffee to dispose of.
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GARGRAVE HOUSE
SCARLAND LOCK
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BANK NEWTON
Key Trail FOOTPATH CANAL
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Sated, head back to the aforementioned Pennine Way marker, leap the stile and prepare for the second phase of the walk - a green and beautiful traverse over lush Yorkshire countryside, through sheep and cow fields and wide open grassland. Beware; this section can get frightfully wet - so check the conditions. Follow the clearly marked Pennine Way over stile and through gate until you see Gargarve church in the distance (in fact, look closely and you‘ll see the war memorial cross at Cracoe in the far distance - anyone remember that little outing last spring?). You’ll eventually wind up at the far end of Gargrave village - pass the Mason’s Arms, St. Andrew’s Church and cross the bridge over the River Aire to return to the car park.
A walk of two halves, Brian. A perfect circle.
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NEW LAITHE
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NEED To KNoW
DiSTANCE: 6 miles
DiFFiCULTY: Easy
TiME: 2.5 hours
WHERE: Gargrave lies on the busy A65 trunk road, four miles north west of Skipton.
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MOSBER LANE BRIDGE
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ED LE
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START GARGRAVE
Keep on the road as it winds round, with a wood on your left, until reemerging with the canal (30 minutes) - head onto the canal for a further 5 minutes until you reach the peculiar double arch bridge at East Marton. It’s a good place to stop for Kit-Kat and cheese sandwich - if only to ponder how the bridge came about. Answers on a postcard please…
NETCLIFFE HILL
➜DOUBLE ARCHED BRIDGE
REFRESHMENTS: There’s a friendly B&B pub in Gargrave - The Mason’s Arms. DiSCLAiMER: The walk and map should be used merely a guide. Walkers should use the appropriate O.S map and take care to follow the rights of way. We cannot take any responsibility for trespass on private land. WHAT ELSE: You’re right in the heart of red kite country. These majestic birds of prey are one of our region’s great re-introduction success stories - keep your eyes on the skies!
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onheritage
Keith Spence
localliving
Keith Spence looks at the case of Mary Bateman, the notorious Yorkshire Witch, who was tried and executed for witchcraft 200 years ago.
Still casting her spell Two hundred years ago a trial as sensational as that of the Yorkshire Ripper rocked the county. The trial and execution of the Yorkshire Witch - Mary Bateman - took place at York Castle in 1809 but, even today, her story still grips the hearts and minds of Yorkshire people. This summer children and adults have been flocking to Thackray Medical Museum in Leeds to listen to stories about the infamous Yorkshire witch and view her skeleton in the galleries of a Victorian street. Mary Bateman’s story is an epic one of murder and witchcraft. She was responsible for numerous frauds, petty thefts, poisonings and deaths in the late 1700s and early 1800s. She was hanged at York Castle on March 20, 1809. When her body went on display more than 2,500 came to see it.
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The award-winning Thackray Museum is one of the UK’s leading medical museums, telling the story of medicine and explaining how advances are changing our lives. The Museum is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm. It closes on 24 26 and 31st December and 1st January. Thackray Museum, Beckett Street, Leeds, LS9 7LN. Telephone 0113 2444343.
Born at Aisenby, near Thirsk, the daughter of a farmer and his wife, little is known of Mary Bateman’s formative years until, aged 20, she turned up in Leeds and worked as a dressmaker - although she made most of her money in a profitable sideline - telling fortunes. She became bolder and more outrageous as the years passed, living for the next 20 years a life of continuing crime and deception. In 1793, after a courtship of only three weeks, she married John Bateman, a simple wheelwright, but he soon regretted this hasty arrangement when he found she was deceiving and stealing from fellow lodgers. He was hoodwinked into believing his father, the Thirsk town crier, was seriously ill and while he was away seeing him, his wife sold his clothes and furniture to repay victims who were threatening her. She practised fraud and deception on a grand scale, seemingly sending her victims into trances. She roamed the streets of Leeds after a major fire begging for money and goods for victims, but they all ended up in her home. She claimed, notoriously, that she had supernatural skills: a woman believed her husband was in jail and would be sentenced to death Bateman told her she would save her from this disaster for four pieces of gold. Another woman was tricked into believing her husband was having an affair and gave one of the most wicked women in everything to Bateman, who criminal history, she brought terror to promised to stop the liaison.
innocent people through her witchcraft, and ruined the lives of gullible victims.
She was known throughout Leeds as a fortune teller who could ward off evil spirits. Within months after her marriage, she carried out many frauds and only escaped prosecution by moving from place to place. Her husband, driven wild by the tricks of his wife, joined the army and she was left to her own devices to deal in fortune telling and selling charms.
She had acquired a manner and speech which completely fit her chosen career and, daily, credulous victims called on her only to be duped by her heartless and cunning schemes. One of her deceptions involved a hen that laid eggs bearing the words “Christ is coming”. She charged a penny to see them. Her husband eventually returned from the forces and apparently shared the proceeds of his wife’s villainy. Meanwhile, Bateman got too ambitious and turned to murder. Two Quaker sisters who kept a draper’s shop died mysteriously along with
their mother, after taking medicines prescribed by Bateman, who stripped the house, telling neighbours they had died of the plague. A good deal of luck and cunning enabled Bateman to escape the law. Her name had become celebrated in the Bramley district for her successes in the arts of divining and witchcraft and she was frequently asked to work cures on “evil wishes” and imaginary illnesses to which the humble believed they were liable. The case that led to her downfall and to the gallows involved Rebecca Perigo, who believed she was possessed with an evil spirit and asked Bateman to get rid of it. Bateman said she would sew four guinea notes in her bed and she was to get four golden guineas to replace them. Money and gifts changed hands and when suspicions were roused Bateman began feeding Rebecca and her husband, William, with pudding laced with poison. William survived but Rebecca died in agony. Two years later William decided to recover the guineas sewn into his bed but discovered they were cabbage leaves. He realised he had been duped and arranged a meeting with Mary Bateman, at which she was arrested. Although she proclaimed her innocence, a search of her home turned up poison as well as belongings of her victims, including the Perigo couple. Her sensational trial of the murder of Rebecca Perigo took place at York Castle on Friday, March17, 1809. It didn’t take the jury long to find her guilty but to the end she used her guile to try to escape being hanged. She claimed she was pregnant. Then, it was illegal for a woman at an advanced state of pregnancy to be hanged. However, an examination by matrons found that, once again, she was being untruthful. Her deception didn’t stop in jail. She persuaded a fellow prisoner to part with cash in return for a charm. At her trial, she admitted fraud but denied murder. Three days after her conviction she was hanged at York Castle before a crowd of thousands who subsequently paid to see her corpse which was handed over to Leeds infirmary for dissection. They paid to get cured cuts of her skin as charms. The skeleton is now on loan to the Thackray Medical Museum from Leeds University Medical School and still attracts great interest. “It is one of our iconic items and this small skeleton hanging in a Victorian Street grips the imagination of visitors to the museum. The folk law has probably been embellished over time but there is no doubt she was a nasty piece of work,” says Amy Horton, Assistant Learning Officer at the Museum.
During the 18th Century, the expansion in medical education meant that the bodies of executed criminals were not available in sufficient numbers to meet the student demand. A black market in corpses developed. No body was safe . . . no freshly buried body, anyway! Across the country, under cover of darkness, body snatchers were at work. Medical schools had illegal, unwritten agreements with gangs of these “resurrection men”. Prices were fixed and, if the grave robbers were caught, the teachers would do all they could to prevent a conviction, or support the families of the men financially whilst they served their time in prison.’
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your ticket to october & november... BRoNTE pARSoNAGE, Haworth
what’son
NoW UNTiL DECEMBER As a child, Branwell was considered the greatest genius of the Bronte family. He was the first of the Bronte siblings to see his poems in print, but whilst his sisters went on to write their great novels, Branwell declined into alcholism, dying at the age of thirtyone with a string of failed career attempts behind him. This exhibition examines Branwell's creative output and poses the question, 'what went wrong?'
Bewleys hotel, donating auction prizes; organizing local events and collections; walking part of the route for sponsorship; forwarding this link to friends and colleagues; or by adding a button or widget to your website or facebook page. For further information contact Nicola Underhill at Bewley’s Hotel Leeds on 0113 200 2485 or nicola.underhill@bewleyshotels.com
22 NoVEMBER Bolton Abbey
Halloween isn’t complete without a trip around Kirkstall Abbey’s famous ghost tour. For those who dare, the terrifying tour of the ancient ruin takes about 1 hour and advance booking is essential.
Delicious local produce and arts & crafts on sale at the famous location. Starts at 10am.
Call 0113 2305492
Lotherton Hall
1 NoVEMBER 23 – 25 oCToBER
THE ViLLAGE, Tingley
bronte.info
KEiGHLEY & WoRTH VALLEY RAiLWAY
LEEDS SHoppiNG WEEK
A weekend of fun with over 120 real ales both on trains and in the Oxenhope festival bar.
15 - 25 oCToBER The fourth Leeds Shopping Week is the city’s annual shopping festival showcasing Leeds’ contemporary and cosmopolitan retail offer, and to highlight all that Leeds loves about retail therapy. For ten days, the city centre will be bustling with a unique mix of fabulous events including fashion shows, makeovers and fairs, which have been organised by retailers in the city. Best of all, most of the events are free to attend. The festival makes a dramatic entrance on 15th October with a Las Vegas ‘Shopping Affair’ in the Victoria Quarter, celebrating the glamour of the 1960s. Also on the 15th, The Living Room on Greek Street are hosting a night of belly laughing, where visitors can learn how to laugh in style from the experts. On 17th October the centerpiece of Leeds Town Hall Crypt will be a vintage arts and crafts fair. On 22nd October, The St Johns Centre is offering a ladies evening with styling from Leeds City College fashion students. Two days later, on the 24th, the Merrion Centre is holding a trolley sweep. more info: www.leedsshoppingweek.co.uk
01535 645214
Here’s a must-visit event for would-be brides at The Village Hotel, South Leeds. A real extravaganza is promised, including a dynamic wedding fashion show and numerous unique exhibitors. If you’ve a Big Day on the horizon, it’s a must-visit event!
kwvr.co.uk
wildbride.co.uk / 01924 264499
24 oCToBER
3 NoVEMBER
YoRKSHiRE SCULpTURE pARK
CASTLE HoWARD, York
Experience James Turrell’s famous artwork at its best, as the first dawn light illuminates the chamber, followed by breakfast and fresh coffee in the YSP restaurant.
Potty about Pyramids? Then come along and join the tour exploring these mysterious features in the Castle Howard landscape. Step inside the Pyramid which houses the gigantic bust of Lord William Howard (how on earth did it get inside there?), climb up into the Pyramid Arch at the Gatehouse, and venture deep into Pretty Wood for one its hidden secrets.
£20. Tel. 01924 832508 24 oCToBER – 1 NoVEMBER Starting with Apple Festival, this week long event celebrates autumn and the harvest. Family activities, walks, displays and advice will be on offer. Pumpkin Day takes place 31 October dress up and join in the fun. Call 01423 565418 24 oCToBER – 1 NoVEMBER THE RoYAL ARMoURiES, Leeds Explore the world of cruel crime and painful punishment through the ages a week of fun activities at the Royal Armouries to keep the kids out of mischief. royalarmouries.org
BEWLEY'S CHARiTY WALK
Prices: Tickets must be booked in advance and cost £50, including twocourse lunch with wine. castlehoward.co.uk 11 – 14 NoVEMBER MEDiA MUSEUM, Bradford The National Media Museum presents the fifteenth edition of the UK 's longest-running and biggest animation festival. This year sees the customary array of screentalks, workshops and special events led by some of the industry's top names. The Festival culminates in the annual BAF Awards which celebrate the very best in new animation from around the world.
18 - 25 oCToBER
25 oCToBER – 1 NoVEMBER
Head Chef Robin Williams from Bewley’s Hotel Leeds and Stephen Scuffle from The Crown Moran in London are walking over 120 miles to Birmingham from London and Leeds in to raise funds for the British Heart Foundation projects.
HAREWooD HoUSE
0870 70 10 200
A week long event with walks, talks, educational activities, craft demonstrations and more.
baf.org.uk
They aim to raise £50,000 to help promote the benefits of healthy eating and exercise to children and young adults. Their campaign is being supported by the Craft Guild of Chefs and the British Culinary Federation. Many high profile chefs, celebrities and key figures from the culinary world have already pledged their support and will be walking sections of the routes with the chefs. In addition to donating online, people can also help by attending a fundraising event at a Moran or
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29 – 30 oCToBER KiRKSTALL ABBEY, Leeds
Prices: On the day adults £7.50/ children £4.50- cheaper when booked in advance. harewood.org 27 – 28 oCToBER RoYAL ARMoURiES, Leeds Following on from a hugely successful inaugural event the Eurogamer Expo is set to return at the Armouries. The Expo is about putting the best games in the hands of gamers. Many publishers have signed up to exhibit their biggest titles for this Christmas and beyond – tickets are £6. royalarmouries.org
19 NoVEMBER LEEDS MUSEUM Ever wanted to find out more about the Museums reserve collections or what happens behind the scenes in a Museum? Specialist tour and talk that explores the different collections held by Leeds Museums and Galleries. Aimed at adults, not suitable for under 16s. Booking is required. Call 0113 214 1548
boltonabbey.com 22 NoVEMBER Young Artists Chamber Music Recital - Philip Higham (cello) and Simon Lane (piano). Programme to include works by Mendelssohn and Beethoven. Tickets are £11.00 (£9.50 concessions) or £20.00 family ticket (up to 2 adults and 2 children). 0113 2813259
or maybe... If you’re fancying something more cultured and refined, Ilkley will be buzzing with authors, poets, broadcasters and performers from Friday 2 until Sunday 18 October for the 36th annual Ilkley Literature Festival. Spanning ten different venues and with over 190 events, the festival brings writers from all corners of the UK to talk about wide-ranging topics including guerrilla gardening, historical biography, romantic fiction and contemporary poetry. Novelist David Peace comes home to Yorkshire with his new novel, ‘Occupied City’ set in post World War II Japan and fresh from sweeping the board at all awards going this year is Keighley born Simon Beaufoy, screenwriter of ‘Slumdog Millionaire’. For the younger generation there is an exiting line up too – ‘Skellig’ author David Almond will be making his only festival appearance at Ilkley along with Philip Ardagh, Grace Dent, Kartjan Poskit and Blue Peter book award winner Anita Ganeri (Horrible Geography). www.ilkleyliteraturefestival.org.uk tel: 01943 816 714
WIN a superb SNOWBLADE - see Competitions on page 101.
Firstly, a triumph… for me! At the end of July, Radio Aire held its annual free concert in Temple Newsam. Party In The Park was bigger and better than ever before with the likes of Calvin Harris, Dizzee Rascall, Alesha Dixon, Tinchy Stryder and Pixie Lott gracing the stage in front of 70,000 music revellers. JK & Joel (our brand new breakfast show at Radio Aire) were tasked with hosting the main stage, whilst my job was to interview all the stars backstage just after their performances.
AireWaves The news and gossip from behind the scenes at Radio Aire.
Rich Williams
So I guess I should really start by introducing myself! My name is Rich Williams, I’m born and bred in Leeds and I present the Homerun on 96.3 Radio Aire (weekdays between 3-7pm). I love Leeds, always have done and always will and I’m fortunate to have my own show on the biggest radio station in such a great city. Working at Radio Aire has some major benefits. Mainly, meeting celebs! Hopefully this column will give you a taste of the comings and goings on through the revolving doors of Radio Aire HQ.
One of those stars was Taio Cruz. Taio has had an amazing year, penning tracks for many Top 10 artists as well as releasing his own album. When I was interviewing him backstage after his performance I noticed he was wearing a lovely pair of sunglasses and asked him about them. Turns out, Taio has his own range of sunglasses and he had a pair of them on. Not just cheap ones mind you, but designer sunglasses from his new range which retail at around £300! Working on the basis that you can’t go wrong with a bit of chutzpah (confidence was high as Tinchy Stryder had already promised me a T-shirt from his range!), I decided to ask him for a pair and he said he’d get some sent to me in the post.
By the start of September, 6 weeks after Party In The Park, I was yet to receive them. Then, the moment I’d been waiting for. My boss Stuart sent me an email: Rich, just to confirm that Taio Cruz is available for an interview next week, would you like to do it? Erm… YES!!! I want my sunglasses! The day of the interview arrived and after making Taio a Yorkshire brew, asking him about his new album and single and all the other radio pleasantries, I asked him, live on air, ‘where are the sunglasses you promised me?!’ Here’s a tip to budding radio presenters; always ask them live on air then they can’t get out of it! Taio obliged and I am now the proud owner of some Rokstarr sunglasses.
TAio CRUZ & RW
Other bits of gossip from Party In The Park include being asked by Alesha Dixon’s ‘people’ not to mention Strictly Come Dancing. They were worried at the time about a backlash. Well, they say hindsight is watertight! I also fell ill as a result of a certain singer but, in a Cluedo ‘who dunnit?’ type scenario, I’m not sure who is to blame. I hugged both Agnes and Ironik after our interviews (well Ironik was more of a manly grapple than a hug), only to find out after the event that they had both been full of cold. Naturally, I was ill the following week. I guess it’s not too bad though. Rather than blaming the change of weather, a family member or the air con on a plane journey for my illness, I can say I contracted it from a pop star.
NATALiE iMBUGLiA WITH JK & JOEL
Other stars to have popped into Radio Aire include Peter Andre who revealed that he owes his whole career to non other than Brian Harvey from East 17! Apparently, back in the day when Peter was just starting out he was lined up to perform alongside East 17 on their tour, but East 17’s manager thought he was rubbish and didn’t want him to go on stage. Brian Harvey asserted his authority, Andre went on stage and the rest is history! You’d think that major artists get fed up of hearing their big songs over and over again? Not Natalie Imbruglia! She confessed that she managed to negotiate a bumper pay deal for the royalties from her biggest single Torn. Mika told us that he drinks far too many pints and was once woken up by a police officer for sleeping on the roof of a Land Rover in the street. Oh, and the Sugababes revealed that they weren’t splitting and they all got on fine. What was that I was saying about hindsight…?! And finally, if you haven’t got it yet, go out and buy Paloma Faith’s new album. I interviewed her for the Homerun and she went to the Northern School of Contemporary Dance in Leeds and also used to work in a bar with Ricky Wilson from the Kaiser Chiefs. The album is great and she has an amazing voice live as I was lucky enough to find out when she performed some of her tracks acoustically, exclusively for Radio Aire.
iRoNiK & RW
ALESHA DiXoN
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home&family
oninteriors
The Aura Uno oozes Whirlpool Bath oozes style and sophistication, with a sunken design, clean lines and choice of Teak, Wenge or Italian marble deck - it’s also packed with features and will delight even the most demanding lover of bathing. The bath provides total body immersion as the two different experiences, provided by the five jet whirlpool system and 3 rotating back jets, work their soothing magic.
£5,800 www.ripples.ltd.uk - 0870 7501 626
Easing the autumn aches and pains with the best in Hot Tubs, Whirlpool Baths & Jacuzzis...
BUBBLE 70
AND SQUEAKY
Hot Tubs, Whirlpool Baths & Jacuzzis
Jacuzzi UK, have announced the launch of their first UK hot tub that can be installed indoors or outdoors. The Jacuzzi Unique hot tub incorporates a special overflow and emptying system that means it can be installed outdoors or indoors, built in or freestanding. The three ergonomic seats each offer a different kind of hydro-massage experience. Seat A has two upper jets that tone the medium-sized muscle groups in the back while two rotating flow jets massage the lower back area; seat B features two jets designed for intense hydrotherapy that reinvigorate the largest back muscles while the lounger has two adjustable jets to stimulate the foot area with a spiral of water and air that increases in strength, while six jets intensely massage the neck and back, eliminating the tension built up during the day.
There’s nothing like slipping into a hot tub after a cold winter’s day at a ski resort. Now you can duplicate this experience in your own backyard. The J-345 will warm and loosen muscles and joints with an invigorating hydrotherapeutic massage. Plus, the Water Management System delivers crystal clear water with minimum chemical maintenance. One more reason to relax - its locking control panel prevents anyone from interfering with the settings. Seats 4-5.
£9,749 Stockists: log on to www.jacuzzi.co.uk and input a postcode in the ‘where to buy’ section for details of stockists in your area or call 01782 717175 for catalogues and product information.
£11,999 The Jacuzzi Hot Tub Collection is sold through specialist hot tub retailers throughout the UK. For further details telephone 01782-717175 or visit www.jacuzzi.co.uk
The Aura Corner provides deep immersion for two people. The bath produces two different experiences provided by the 6 jet whirlpool system and the 10 rotating back jets - added flexibility and comfort is provided by the integrated ergonomic seat and built-in water heater.
Santa Monica whirlpool bath from Hoesch, available from Alternative plans with a whirlpool system.
£7,600 www.ripples.ltd.uk - 0870 7501 626
£9,522 www.alternative-plans.co.uk - 020 7228 6460 SingleBath Duo tub from Hoesch available with or without a whirlpool system and with or without the platform. Overall size is 1786x1161mm, or 1350x1960mm with the platform.
Villeroy & Boch’s luxurious range of spas can be integrated into the home, garden or roof terrace and deliver real benefits, from relaxing stressed ligaments to avoiding muscle stiffness. The effects of the warm water late at night are a proven aid to sleep and an outdoor spa means a regular dose of fresh air, all year round. The SP-Line features the exclusive modular JetPak System and removable jetted seats that allow owners to easily customise and upgrade their spa. Furthermore, Villeroy & Boch spas are considered one of the most energy efficient because 90% of the jets and plumbing are contained inside the hot water as opposed to underneath the spa and exposed to the air.
£12,277 Starting price with a whirlpool system and platform as shown is from £12,277 inc VAT price on application www.villeroy-boch.co.uk - 020 8871 4028
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home&family
oninteriors
StoneLove
Stonework ideas for kitchens and bathrooms
These Antique Dalle de Bourgogne flagstones are reclaimed from properties in the Burgundy region of France, an area almost as famous for its stone as for its wine. As the stone is so hard, it was originally produced by splitting the stone into regular shapes rather than by sawing and was then finished by hand. As a result these flagstones vary greatly in depth when first reclaimed. However, a way has been developed of cutting them down to more usable thicknesses while still preserving their unique patina. £495 per square metre + VAT. www.parisceramics.com - 020 7371 7778
Old Gold kitchen worktop from Stone Age featuring honed inside edges to the sink and drainer. Costs from £65 for piece measuring 3.5 x 3.5 x 10mm. Stockists – 020 7384 9090 or visit www.stone-age.co.uk for more details.
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Parrefeuille tiles were used throughout southern France and are unusual in their rectangular, rather than square, shape. Paris Ceramics selects tiles from a particular area of Languedoc; they were made by hand and fired in wood-burning kilns, a practice which ceased in the nineteenth century. They were made from local earth, roughly sieved; giving them varied texture and beautiful pink and ochre tones. These tiles are still relatively plentiful, allowing a genuine period character to be introduced into almost any room at a very reasonable cost. £120 per square metre + VAT From www.parisceramics.com 020 7371 7778
Inspired by antique black and white marble floors, this newly quarried marble recreates the classic look. More versatile than the antique, larger pieces can be shaped for stair treads, baseboards, wall tiles and other architectural applications. A variety of finishes are also available. The surface can be highly polished to look extremely "aged" in order to create the right effect or mood. The marble is available in the classic chequerboard, all black or all white floors. £140 per square metre + VAT From www.parisceramics.com 020 7371 7778
The smallest detail of a beautiful section of Chantilly lace is replicated in these wall tiles from Charles Stone, highlighting the innovative nature of the product. Available as a single colour, hand tinted or polished or with a metallic finish, these wall tiles will create an impactful yet feminine feature in any interior. Suitable for walls in commercial and residential interiors and exterior areas. Measuring 600mm x 600mm these tiles are priced from £260 per square metre up to £385 per square metre for the metallic finish. From Charles Stone 020 7581 2677 - www.charlesstone.co.uk
Vanilla limestone floating double bathroom basins from Stone Age. Costs from £44.11 for piece measuring 406 x 406 x 12.5 mm (honed finish). Stockists – 020 7384 9090 or visit www.stone-age.co.uk for more details.
Exact replicas of rare antique flagstones, with the advantage of being frost proof and available tinted or metallic. Suitable for floors in commercial and residential interiors and exterior areas. Available in two sizes (720mm x 510mm and 300mm x 300mm) both from £385 per square metre for metallic finish. From £240 per square metre for plain finish. From Charles Stone - 020 7581 2677 www.charlesstone.co.uk
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home&family
In Praise of Autumn and Blazing Pumpkins
By Barney Bardsley
There is a mini pumpkin – “Baby Bear” – sitting on my kitchen window sill. i have spent the past two weeks watching it softly ripen from green-yellow to a deep vibrant orange. This is the pleasure of the autumn season. i grew the self-same pumpkin, along with some courgettes and “Turkish Turban” gourds, on one of my allotment vegetable patches. i can highly recommend them – if only for the spectacle of their growth: fat, green, palm leaves followed by canary yellow flowers, and then the profligacy of their fruit, luscious, shining cylinders and globes, one after the other, in sheer defiance of the unreliable weather – and my increasingly unreliable gardening.
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For here is the confession. I hardly got to my allotment at all during the harvest month of August. With wanton
Here are a few autumn
disregard for continuity of care, or even basic maintenance, such as weeding, strimming, watering, I was off into the
and winter favourites to
smoke, sampling the long-forgotten delights of London – cinema, theatre, hanging out in cool cafes on the South Bank –
beat the gloom. Holly,
delights I neglected when I actually lived there, but which have now taken on an exotic allure which can only mean one
with its glossy green
thing. I have spent far too long in the garden!
spikes and bright red berries, is a lovely
Anyway, here I am, back at my post, working my way through the satisfying autumnal chores of cutting back overgrowth, pulling down canes and unwieldy growers (like self-seeded teasels, Jerusalem Artichokes – six foot tall and still climbing – and the tripod sticks which supported my runner beans), and generally settling the garden and allotment down for its long winter slumber. My absence without leave has left a deep-seated sense of guilt. I took on my allotment in 2003, when my husband was in the final stages of a nasty terminal illness. The little patch of wild was invaluable to me as both escape and therapy – for body and mind. I have learned much in the past six years: mainly, that nature is a difficult beast to tame; that vegetables are complex creatures to cultivate, requiring vast and differing amounts of aftercare and attention, depending on their family group – legume, root or brassica; and that no amount of time that you offer up to the allotment plot, however small in size it may be, will EVER be enough. Chiefly, though, I have learned about tenacity and the power to overcome – and about the never ending tide of change that ebbs and flows, not just through the garden, but through a human life. The country girl who has gradually emerged from the city woman that I am, has thoroughly enjoyed getting straw in her hair and shit on her boots: but is it time to hang up the trowel? After all, I have a sizeable garden at home to maintain – there is an allotment waiting list, long and impatient, of people who would bite off my hand to take on my modest half plot – and, crucially, the deadline for next year’s rent is looming, like a Sword of Damocles over my head. It has “decision time” scored in its metal blade, like the writing through a stick of seaside rock. I shall keep you all posted... in the meantime, to work. Autumn is a lovely time, sweet and soothing in the way of no other season, since you know that the growing is over, but the abundance is still present. There is so much to enjoy. The turning of the leaves, green to gold. The joy of unexpected late fruits (potatoes left in the ground, that turn up, cool and velvety, when you dig the patch over, ready for next year’s rotation; late-fruiting raspberries, deep crimson lusciousness, bleeding over your fingers and bruising their sweetness onto the tongue; and - still – those courgettes, swelling endlessly on the stem.) The freshness of the soil, as yet unmired by the cold and wet of winter storms. The exquisite diminishing light – and the cool fragrance of the air. Give this up? Am i mad? Cutting back, mowing lawns, strimming undergrowth, and roughly digging vegetable beds. These are the biggest chores of the moment. But fine tuning is where the real pleasure lies. Sit close to the earth and do a little gentle weeding. See how satisfying it is, to watch dark brown empty soil emerge from the tangle of weeds and spent flowers, all of which grew like Topsy while you were busy drinking coffee or wine, in a toast to the disappearing summer! And as you weed and tidy, scoop up the seed heads in their last-gasp dessication, catch the seeds in brown paper bags and let them thoroughly dry, before putting them in air-tight containers for sowing next spring. Propagation is not my strong point – but poppies always do well for me, and nasturtiums, as ground cover, are reliable, gaudy and irresistible. The biggest thrill for most gardeners right now is the planting of autumn bulbs. Daffodils, tulips, hyacinth and alliums. I remain strangely resistant to this ritual but am certainly a convert to the winter window box. Pansies and cyclamen. They are the brave and pretty souls who weather the winter chill and keep blooming all the way through. Last winter my cyclamen lay under two inches of snow for a week. When I finally got round to brushing them clean, their pink and white flowers were bright, untarnished and cheerful as ever. They are, as my mother would say, “good doers”.
Barney Bardsley’s book “A Handful of Earth” is published by John Murray, £7.99
If you are a broad bean fan, as I certainly am, then you might want to sow a few this autumn. Some species are specifically bred to withstand the autumn and winter – and they get off to an early start next season, growing tougher, and, in my opinion, tasting better than their spring-sown counterparts. Otherwise, it’s time to batten down the hatches, get out the seed catalogues and do some idle doodling on paper. What might you plant next year? Think of deeper colours, of the structure of high and low, of sculpture – sword leaves and frothy flower heads – and design. Gardening is really three dimensional dreaming. Get yourself back to art college and go a little crazy. (And make those pumpkins into a delicious pie!).
evergreen. So too is pyracantha, which grows at odd and pleasing tangents at ground level, is very tough and has pretty berries. The autumn flowering cherry is delightful – coming into full bloom when everything else is asleep. And for the first fragrance of the New Year, choose the witch hazel bush, which has spidery yellow flowers in January, with the most intoxicating scent.
Do not forget the value of found objects and structures in your garden. When everything else dies down, an old, gnarled tree branch and rough hewn stones, placed carefully round a planter of pansies, can look very pleasing. Hanging things from trees – shells or driftwood – gives the outdoor space a magical feel. And when the winter solstice comes around, light a few outdoor candles, and greet the returning sun!
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onproperty
home&family
PROPERT Y T he r e g ion’s hotte s t pr ope r tie s
GUIDE SpoFFoRTH HiLL, WETHERBY An outstanding contemporary home providing over 3300 sq.ft. of design driven family accommodation. Superb galleried hall, cloakroom, two large reception rooms, study, spacious family room/luxury kitchen, utility room, en-suite facilities to three double bedrooms, three further double bedrooms, luxury house bathroom. Fixtures throughout of the highest quality. Secure, private and mature gardens in excess of one-third acre. Double garage, extensive visitor car parking.
Guide Price £925,000 Apply Wetherby: 01937 586177 www.dacres.co.uk
JULERoYD HoUSE, FELLiSCLiFFE Juleroyd House is a spacious detached small holding with stables, menage and land extending to 5 acres. The property comprises: Entrance Vestibule, Sitting Room, Kitchen with Aga, Dining Room, Large Utility/Rear Entrance with Tack Room. Master Bedroom with En Suite Shower Room. Two further Ground Floor Bedrooms and Nursery Bedroom/Study. House Bathroom. Flexible First Floor Open Plan Living Area. 40m x 20m Menage. Stabling for Six Horses. Kennels for 7 Dogs. Hardstanding for Trailer/Horsebox. Lawned Gardens and far reaching views.
Price £595,000 Contact: 01423 501201 www.hopkinsons.net
LEEDS RoAD, BRAMHopE
“An truly exceptional villa style property”
An outstanding opportunity to purchase this superior, individual 'villa style', four bedroom, detached family home situated in this highly sought after exclusive village of Bramhope. The property offers most versatile living accommodation, having been recently extended and modernised by the current owners and is ideal for the professional and family alike. A particular feature of this fine home is the splendid and enclosed garden to the rear with lawned area, trees, mature shrubs, paved patio, terrace and summer house. The property has a driveway with parking for up to 8 vehicles, electrically operated gates and has a modern alarm system and video entry system. The well presented accommodation briefly comprises reception hall, elegant lounge, dining room, modern kitchen, further sitting room, a ground floor bedroom and bathroom. To the first floor is a master bedroom with stunning views from a Juliette balcony over the rear garden and excellent modern en-suite, two further bedrooms and a modern bathroom.
Price £595,000 T: 0113 203 4939 email: fineandcountry@manningstainton.co.uk
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I N T R O D U C I N G SANDMOOR LANE
MONTFORT HOUSE
Alwoodley, Leeds
Brownberrie Lane, Horsforth, Leeds
A superior imposing five bedroom detached property situated in this highly sought after North Leeds residential location.
A substantial Victorian stone detached residence with exceptional character features, having been expertly restored to its former glory.
The property comprises a large reception hall, two guest w.c's, four reception rooms, superb hand crafted dining kitchen with large family area, utility, spacious landing, master suite with dressing room & en-suite bathroom, four further bedrooms and two bathrooms. Electric gates with carriage drive. Internal viewing essential.
The stunning interior provides a tasteful blend of contemporary and traditional styling and offers three grand reception rooms, breakfast kitchen, morning room. Six first floor bedrooms, ensuite, two bathrooms and seventh bedroom/studio to the 2nd floor. Outside are gardens, driveway and double integral garage.
The asking price is £999,995
Offers Over £825,000
WHITEHALL
ASHFIELD HOUSE
Brandon Lane, Scarcroft, Leeds
Wetherby Road, Scarcroft, Leeds
Whitehall is a charming and meticulously refurbished, stone, detached residence located in this much sought after Scarcroft location.
An imposing stone built detached Georgian residence dating back to 1840 and contained in secluded south facing gardens of approximately 1/2 acre.
A stunning home in approx 2 acres, and featuring; Four receptions, office, Clive Christian family kitchen, cinema/games room, four/five bedrooms, triple garage. Permission granted under the terms of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 for leisure wing to create one of North Leeds’ finest homes.
The property retains much of the original character and charm and the generously proportioned accommodation comprises four reception rooms, large dining kitchen, utility, master bedroom with dressing room + en-suite, five further bedrooms, three bathrooms, garage and lovely mature gardens.
Offers over £1,950,000
The asking price is £850,000
Manning Stainton Fine & Country Leeds T: 0113 203 4939 Email: fineandcountry@manningstainton.co.uk
ontravel
active
SNOW go areas First in line for Ski and Snow Holidays, On: selects 6 of the best locations for serious lovers of the white stuff…
Crave more diversity and excitement from your annual ski holiday? Why not try a ski safari? Maloob Active’s ski safaris provide guests with exceptional experiences, incorporating the four key elements of relaxation, discovery, luxury and adventure.
one of this winter’s trendiest outdoor activities
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A self-drive Swiss ski safari combining three nights in St Moritz and five nights in Zermatt, costs from £1,995 pp during December. Price is based on two sharing and includes flights (London – regional departures available on request), rail transfers including the iconic Glacier Express, and accommodation in four and five-star hotels with breakfast. Call Maloob Active on 020 8951 2854 or visit www.baobabexpeditions.com
Norwegian-born skijoring is a sport where participants are pulled by horses or dogs whilst on skis. A method of winter travel or a competitive sport, the activity provides visitors with a genuine taste of adventure across breathtaking landscapes – and Franche-Comte’s wide snowfields are ideal for the activity. Prices at Tinguelay’s Equestrian Centre start at €25 per person for a 30 minute session. More information at www.centre-equestre-tinguely.com or +33 (0) 84 60 04 09.
Courtesy of St Moritz Tourist Board
Discover
NORWAY
Accommodation is at the four-star Hotel Schweizwerhof in St Mortiz, and the five-star Hotel Mont Cervin in Zermatt. St Moritz is possibly the world’s most famous ski resort and the birthplace of winter sports holidays (day ski trips to Livigno in Italy are also available) while Zermatt offers three ski areas (including Cervinia, Italy), superb snow and the longest skiing season in the Alps.
Surrounded by the Canadian Rockies, Banff offers stunning scenery and unparalleled skiing. The spacious guest rooms and suites range from cosy rooms tucked away in the quiet corners of the castle to spacious suites, all distinguished by their elegant décor and modern amenities. Various restaurants and bars ensure every mood and taste can be satisfied. The Willow Stream Spa and fitness centre provide an enticing alternative to the skiing opportunities. Stay 10 nights, pay for 7. Saving up to £405pp. Includes accommodation in a Fairmont Room, room only and flights from London with British Airways. D AV O S , S W I T Z E R L A N D The popular Swiss town of Davos lies in a beautiful Alpine valley, right in the heart of Switzerland’s Graubünden. At 1,554 metres, it is the highest city in Europe and has been attracting skiers for generations. It has recently gained fame as a hip snowboarding destination.
Free nights valid 01 Nov 09 - 30 Apr 10 and must be booked by 15 Nov 09. Based on 2 sharing. All offers subject to availability. Terms and conditions apply. For more info call 01244 20 20 00 – www.seasonsinstyle.com
With five different ski areas to choose from, Davos offers access to a vast area of over 300km of world class skiing, suitable for all abilities. Intermediate and advanced skiers will be pleased with challenges from Weissfluhgipfel to Küblis and the black runs on Jakobshorn and Rinerhorn. The Jakobshorn area is also very popular with snowboarders, with the Pischa area recommended for families as the ski slopes are mainly easy and less populated. Stay at the 4* luxury chalet-style hotel for seven nights on a half board basis with prices starting from £929 per person, including flights from London Heathrow and resort transfers.
FRANCE
For more information visit www.inghams.co.uk or call Inghams Ski on 020 8780 4447.
Experience winter sports with a difference by going dog sledding in Les Fourgs, France. During one weekend at a family-run ski resort, visitors will be introduced to dog sled driving, which not only requires physical endurance, but bonding with the dogs which is also essential. Visitors will then be able to get their carriage going and explore snowy, breathtaking landscapes. Prices for a two night stay start at €347.30 and include dog sledding lessons and full-board accommodation. More information on www.tourisme-metabief.com
CANADA Z E R M AT T, SWITZERL AND
Mountain Exposure, luxury accommodation provider in the world-famous ski resort Zermatt, offers a range of chalets and lodges. Available self-catered or fully staffed with chefs, hosts and managers who attend to every detail, many chalets offer outstanding views over the Matterhorn from the bedrooms, living rooms and outdoor hot tubs. Chalets sleep anywhere from two to six, catering to every occasion whether that be a romantic honeymoon or a large scale reunion. It’s ultimate luxury – warm up around a suspended fireplace, take in the views from a private Jacuzzi and indulge in a wine list specially created to match Mountain Exposure’s gourmet menu, prepared in-chalet by your own private chef. With ski-in, ski-out properties and the bars, restaurants and amenities of Zermatt nearby, Mountain Exposure’s chalets offer the area’s best accommodation. Spend your days on Zermatt’s famous slopes and your evenings enjoying the luxurious après ski. Prices start from approximately £1400 per person/per week on a half board basis. For more information visit www.MountainExposure.com
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active
ontravel
Four Tsars, Three Countries, Two Continents…
One Great Railway Neil McGowan gets on board the iconic Trans-Siberian Railway
Emperor Alexander II, Tsar of all Russia, was easily persuaded of the need for a great railway to bind his enormous realm; for the half-year when the Arctic seas were frozen, the Eastern side of his kingdom had no idea what was happening in the capital, St Petersburg. So it was only months later that his Siberian subjects learned that His Imperial Majesty had been assassinated (in 1881) and the Great Siberian Railway project passed to his son, Alexander III – who had no interest whatsoever. The project fell to the Tsarevich, Prince Nicholas – who would later become Nicholas II, the last Tsar. Nicholas was despatched to the opening ceremony in distant Vladivostok, along the rutted snowy sledge-track known as the Great Siberian Tract - better known as the route of chain-gang convicts headed for the penal colonies of Siberia.
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In contrast to other world travel, today’s Trans-Siberian passenger is treated as an adult. You are a sensible person, - you know you need your passport with you, ready-stamped with the Russian, Mongolian and Chinese visas your route entails, and no official checks you. With just minutes to departure, your provodnik (“wagon-attendant”) isn’t impertinently checking any seat belts or seat backs. Instead they’re bringing you a nice cup of tea to get your journey started. Accommodation on board is in four-berthed compartments, “two up, two down”, with sprung mattresses, a bedroll, and fresh linen so starched it almost crackles. Honeymooners and claustrophobics might opt to pay a supplement that a two-berth compartment affords – a similar standard of slightly dowdy interior but with the upper berths removed. Hungry? A dining car runs the whole route.
The Russia Experience (020 8566 8846; www.trans-siberian.co.uk) offers a comprehensive range of itineraries on the Trans-Siberian. The popular Big Trans-Sib from Moscow (or St Petersburg) to Beijing takes 15 days and costs from £1565 per person based on two people sharing a four-berth cabin (upgrades to a two-berth available). The price does not include flights or visas.
The route might have been “Express” in romantic days of steam, but the gentle trundle away from the start-point in Moscow wouldn’t impress Jeremy Clarkson – modern “overhead electrics” only knock 5-6 hours off the C19th steam haulage timings. This becomes more understandable once you’re a day or two out of Moscow (there are seven days of travel, not counting side-trip stops) – the wild terrain of Siberia and its extraordinary climate militates against adrenalin-rush speeds. These rails have stood up to a century of the most punishing winters on earth (winter lows of –50C) – and the surprise to many that Siberian summers reach +40C, and higher still crossing the Mongolian Gobi. A full day out of Moscow we’re crossing the Urals Mountains, where pinewoods give way to deciduous oak and ash – and where we make our first (optional) stop. Our train itself continues – we’ll board the one coming two days behind, and meanwhile explore the Urals city of Perm. All hairstyle jokes apart, you already know more about Perm than you thought – the city goes by the pseudonym of “Yuryatin” in Doctor Zhivago. A walking tour reveals the real locations (the movie was filmed abroad in the Soviet era, and couldn’t be set here) where Yuri meets Lara. Next day you can take a full-day trip out to the site of the last Gulag left standing. Perm’s most romantic secret, however, is the house where Grand-Prince Mikhail – Nicholas II’s brother – was staying when caught and executed by the Reds. He never knew his brother had died the day before, making him the last Tsar of all, and our “fourth”Trans-Siberian Emperor. A quick bit of suitcase-packing sees us back on the rails again, for a two-day haul across Siberia to Lake Baikal. Not all of Siberia’s cities are gems – many are humdrum industrial cities worth by-passing, although riding or rafting fans might jump ship at Novosibirsk to head to
the Altai Mountains for a few days – Russia’s most stunning National Park area. We thunder onwards to Baikal – the largest and deepest lake in the world, where another two-night betweentrains side-trip awaits us. Most visitors choose Irkutsk, which boasts the easiest transport to lakeside villages offering walking and Siberian hospitality. A few bolder souls opt for the east side of Baikal, where local roads are bumpier but conceal villages of Siberia’s Old Believers (the “Siberian Amish”) and Asiatic Buddhist monasteries. Passports at the ready, because it’s a night border check – our train-route crosses into Mongolia, leaving forests behind as the rolling empty Steppe opens ahead of us. Mongolia holds so much interest that a threeday stop is the minimum you would want… some stay for five days or a week, the other durations that timetables permit. One of the least-visited countries on earth, the twin fascinations of Mongolian Buddhism and the lives of the nomadic steppe herders are the cultural attractions but you will need at least five days if you hope to drive off into the Gobi and leave modern urban life behind. The temples of Erdene-Zuu hold the few surviving relics of Genghis Khan. Ironically, our final train leg to Beijing passes his true “monument” – the Great Wall of China, built to keep him out.
It’s taken 19 days to reach the Forbidden City, and riding in the Altai, or visiting the Gobi would expand this further… but it’s the greatest journey in the world, and shortcutting it would leave empty pages where your grandest photos belong.
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active There’s a brand new name causing quite a stir in the world of mountain bike
Matthew Peacock
oncycling
design – Brant Richards –
Chevin Cycles
and he just so happens to hail from Yorkshire.
Geometric C
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Brant has been in the cycling industry for 20 years, moving from shops to magazines to bike design and his new Ragley Frame is based on geometry perfect for our region’s steep, rocky, technical trails. The techy bits……the frame is designed to be ridden with 140mm travel forks with a short stem so it’s an absolute blast to take the bike down the drops, steps and obstacles, yet it can be ridden as a comfy all day mountain bike. All the frames are built with a unique 3finger bridge giving loads of mud clearance - essential in the UK! There are 3 models which are all built to the same geometry: • The Blue Pig is built from 4130 Chromoly steel, giving a smooth, comfortable & bombproof ride. • The MMMBop is built from aluminum giving a lighter, shaper ride than the Blue Pig. • The Ti is the top of the line. Built in America by world famous Lynskey out of titanium giving the smooth ride of steel, the lightweight of aluminum and with a unique extra spring that only titanium can give. Strange names? They’re all inspired by Brant’s native Calderdale: Ragley is the wood local to Brant, where 99% of the testing happens The Ragley Blue Pig
Blue Pig is a working men’s club in Todmorden, again close to Brant’s home MMMbop is the name of a techy descent –again close to Brant! Ti - the only obvious one! It is made of Titanium!! Chevin Cycles have a Blue Pig demo bike in-store so you can experience Brant's design for yourselves. www.ragleybikes.com
FIRST STEPS TOWARDS BIGGER WHEELS!
Diary of a cycling family
Recently, my wife and I decided to take our boys (8 & 4) and nephew (14) for their first go at riding somewhere a little more adventurous than the canal towpath, so we headed off to Dalby Forest, near ThorntonLe-Dale, in North Yorkshire. I have regularly ridden the Red route, but only on a carbon bike with gears. Although we took the blue route, I had forgotten how steep and twisty the start is when you have no gears and a trailer bike (with a passenger who somehow forgets to pedal!). The route soon splits; fighting the urge to go Red, we followed the Blue arrows. Most of the route is on wide-open fire roads with steady climbs at the beginning and downhills in the last half. The climbs are long, but everyone made it up them without too many problems. However, a word of warning the puddles are quite deep! When an 8 year old rides
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through them at full tilt, everyone gets wet! Towards the end of the Blue route, there is a short section of the Red route that runs in parallel with it. It is a little bit bumpier and twisty, but goes gently downhill so we rode this instead. Great fun! Eventually, you’ll find your way back onto the Blue route proper and a sweet downhill that just goes on and on until bringing you back to the visitor centre and car parks. We made a quick change and a picnic was followed by a visit to the large adventure playground, ice creams and paintball shooting! If you are after somewhere to cycle with your family, or to take someone new to mountain biking, then the Dalby Forest Blue route is perfect! HOW TO GET THERE: Access is via Thornton le Dale on the A170 Helmsley to Scarborough road. Watch for brown tourist signs.
Specialists in Ski Clothing and Equipment for the family skier through to the dynamic extreme skier.
All the best
The Great
Established 1975
Friendly and experienced advice to make sure you get the correct equipment for the job.
BRANDS
AVAILABLE Tel 0113 2504686
We always strive to stock the best in Winter clothing available covering all price levels in Jackets, Pants, Fleeces, Thermals and Gloves all of which are perfect for everyday wear as well as on the slopes. 1 Ivegate • Yeadon • Leeds • LS19 7RE
EASY PARKING
www.greatoutdoorsleeds.co.uk
Duncan Thorne
onsport
active
They say there aren't any characters in sport anymore, that modern day stars are wrapped in cotton wool, controlled by multi-million pound sponsorship deals and overprotective management. Most press conferences and interviews are manna from heaven for insomniacs with overused, cliché-ridden responses trotted out to the tamest and most predictable questions. There is however one huge exception to the rule;
Ricky ‘The Hitman’ Hatton.
Northern
ROCK Born and bred in Hyde, Manchester, Hatton still lives in
the working-class industrial town, visiting his old haunts with lifelong friends and is not tempted to join the fashionable footballers' belt of Alderley Edge in nearby Cheshire, despite The Sunday Times Rich List recording him as the 21st wealthiest young person in the world, with a wallet-busting £21 million to his name. In an exclusive interview with On:Lifestyle, Hatton talks openly about the highlights of his career, his disappointments, what he thinks about Floyd Mayweather, his friendship with the brains behind Oasis, Noel Gallagher, and the fun he gets from tootling around in his original Del Boy Robin Reliant. He’s currently on a nationwide ‘evening with’ tour alongside fellow boxing legend, Frank Bruno.
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Photo by Steve Stenson www.stevestensonphotography.com
HOW ARE THE STAND-UP SHOWS GOING?
HOW IS FRANK, HAVE YOU ENJOYED YOUR TIME ON STAGE WITH HIM?
I love it really and I'm convinced it's helped my fan base. I’ve been doing afterdinner speaking for about seven years and someone must’ve thought I was funny and decided that I could go on and do theatres like I am now. I’ve got a wonderful fan base and I believe it’s not just because of the way I fight that I’ve got the fan base that I have, it’s because I do little things like this and I get the chance to meet them and entertain them in a different way.
I’ve loved it; he’s a cult hero in our country. I grew up admiring him and it’s good to see him back to his best and in good form because he had a few tricky moments.
YOU’RE BUSY PROMOTING FIGHTS UNDER HATTON PROMOTIONS TOO... That’s right, I’ve just got an eight-fight deal with Sky Sports and my first fight is Matthew Macklin and my next fight is my brother Matthew who is challenging Lovemore N’dou for the IBO World Welterweight Championship in November. I’ve got loads of great prospects coming through so it’s all starting to come together for me now and I think once you’ve been a champion the next best thing is trying to produce a champion.
He was the main man when I was growing up and won the Heavyweight title so all credit to him and he fought some great fighters in Tyson and Lennox Lewis. He’s a great character. TALKING OF CHARACTERS, HAVE YOU STILL GOT YOUR DEL BOY ROBIN RELIANT? I have ,yeah, and it’s still going but I’ve not been out in it for a bit so I might have to get the jump leads on it - but it’s passed its MOT. I only use it very sparingly because it’s about 40-years-old now and a bit temperamental but it’s a great buzz tootling around my home town and you always get a laugh when people see it and then recognise me!
HOW DO YOU THINK YOUR BROTHER WILL DO?
ANY NEWS FROM YOUR MATE NOEL GALLAGHER ON OASIS SPLITTING UP?
N’dou has fought at a world class level on a number of occasions and Matthew hasn’t quite done that, with the greatest of respect, but his last two performances have been great and he's boxed the ears off his opponents, so he deserves his shot now. He’s an underdog given who N’dou has been in with and he knows that, but I think he’s got the style to do it.
Floyd Mayweather Jnr (who beat Hatton in 2007) made a comeback in September after two years out and all boxers get itchy feet from time to time and who knows what will happen once I’ve had a rest and re-charged the batteries. I might find that I’m missing it and decide to give it another go but at the minute I’m just going to sit back and have a good rest from it and what happens in the future will be. I’ve been 13 years as a pro and I’ve not had any time off, running training, sparring and dieting all the time - well dieting most of the time anyway! - and the last defeat (against Manny Pacquiao) was so heartbreaking that I’ve got to the point where I’ve just had enough. You need to have that fire in your belly to get up at 4am in the morning to go running and I don’t have it at the moment so I just want to see how I’ll feel further down the line and relax for a bit. ...AND WATCH MAN CITY? Yeah, it’s been absolutely fantastic so far and Bellamy has been in great form. They’ve started off great and you’d think the worst part would be the start when they are getting used to each other, so it should only get better from here.
“
You need to have
that fire in your belly to get up at 4am in the morning to go running
I flew out to see them in concert in Milan and as soon as I got off the plane I got a phone call from him saying “Rick, are you still going to Milan?” and I said “I’ve just landed” and he says “sorry about that, we're not coming, we've split up!” But I’ve been very fortunate because they were a great passion of mine before I got to know them and it’s great that they call me friends. I just said to Noel if you do break up it is a shame but now I’ve come to know you I just hope you’re ok. We grew up near each other and I think that’s why we get on well because we’re both working class, council estate born and bred, down-to-earth…rum muckers I suppose, and that’s what I think I am really and we see a lot of ourselves in each other.
and I don’t have it at the moment so I just want to see how I’ll feel
“
WHAT ABOUT YOUR CAREER, ARE YOU GOING TO FIGHT AGAIN?
I spoke to him about it and he just said "there’s no going back, I can’t work with ‘r kid no more" which is a shame but we’ve heard that before from them so you never know but it doesn't look good.
further down the line and relax for a bit.
IF YOU DON’T BOX AGAIN, WHAT WILL YOUR CAREER HIGHLIGHTS BE? Beating Kostya Tszyu was my greatest performance bearing in mind he was the undisputed world champion. But the disappointment for me when I do retire will be that I beat Kostya Tszyu who was number two in the pound-for-pound rankings and I beat (Jose Luis) Castillo who was number nine but I didn’t quite make it and beat the number one (Floyd Mayweather Jnr) and that will irritate me. I won five world titles in two weight divisions and topped the bill in Vegas but didn’t get the number one spot. I would also say the City of Manchester Stadium will be a highlight without doubt. Breaking the post-war record with 65,000 people watching me was very humbling. People were saying‘you’ll not get 30,000’and I was thinking‘mmm they could be right’ so I was delighted when we reached 45,000 to be honest but to get 65,000 was absolutely fantastic. The Mayweather fight was great too believe it or not considering it ended in a defeat but taking 35,000 fans over to Vegas was incredible and it made me feel very proud because we’ll be lucky to get that many going over to the World Cup in South Africa yet 35,000 went over just to see me! And 25,000 went to see me fight Manny Pacquiao in Vegas when we were in the middle of a recession so there have been lots of highlights. IS IT TRUE THE BLOW YOU LANDED ON CASTILLO BROKE FOUR OF HIS RIBS? Yeah it is! It was the best body blow I ever landed. I moved him into position and got all my weight behind it and threw it perfectly. Castillo doesn’t go down easy and is as tough as they come. Although he’d been stopped before, it was always on his feet, he’d never been put on the canvas. As soon as I landed it and he went down I knew the fight was over. Put it this way, if he’d have got up I’d have jumped out! HOW DO YOU THINK YOU’LL BE REMEMBERED? Not as the best British fighter but I don’t think there’s been another British fighter that’s had a following like me. The record for Vegas was when Bruno fought Tyson and 10,000 went but I got 35,000 which was unbelievable. I’d like to think because of the fan base I’ve got that people might mention me in the same breath as ‘Our Frank’ and ‘Our ‘Enry’ in years to come.
WHAT WAS IT LIKE WHEN MUHAMMED ALI VISITED YOUR GYM IN AUGUST? It was brilliant and the fact that he knows me...! Unbelievable! His team asked me if I’d do my stand-up at the dinner they were having at Old Trafford and I said of course I would and they asked me if what I wanted for it and I said“what do I want for it, to go and spend the evening with Muhammed? Absolutely nothing.” So they said they’d like to thank me for it and said they’d heard about my health and fitness centre and they wanted to bring Muhammed down and my jaw just hit the ground!
I live in a little town called Hyde and although I’m proud of it, not much happens there, so when Muhammed Ali came it was a great day for everyone and meeting him was one of the best days of my life. It’s just a shame he is so, so poorly but whenever I see him I remember the good stuff and that he is the greatest not just for what he did in the ring but out of it too. He’s a true gentleman. WHICH IS MORE THAN YOU’D PROBABLY SAY ABOUT FLOYD MAYWEATHER JNR?! Mayweather is an exceptional fighter no question. I haven’t got much time for Floyd as a person, but as a fighter he could be one of the greats, to be honest. Muhammed Ali started the bad mouthing with the gift of the gab but he did it with class, with fun and he did it with a twinkle in his eye, unlike some of the idiots today. After the fight Floyd complemented me saying "I was hitting you with everything and you kept coming and you had me worried a few times and I thought you weren’t going to stop" so I thought 'fair enough Floyd, you’ve redeemed yourself there, you’ve given a bit of credit' but then I’ve read a few newspaper articles where he’s slagged me off again so I just thought it doesn’t matter how good a fighter you are Floyd you’re still a tosser and that’s why you’ve got no fans - and he hasn’t got any fans unlike me, and that’s what’s priceless to me. DO BOXERS ACTUALLY MEAN THE TRASH TALKING THEY COME OUT WITH BEFORE FIGHTS? Sometimes they do. Eamonn Magee was the first to do it to me and I hated him for it, in fact I hated him so much he knocked me on my backside in the first round because I was so fired up! But after the fight we became mates and when I went to do my theatre tour in Belfast, Dublin and Derry, I went for a pint with him, which was funny really because I used to really hate him! Paulie Malignaggi was another one who was calling me all types of names and saying he was going to do this and that to me but I’ve never met a nicer man than him and when I went over to him after I’d beaten him he was crying uncontrollably and said “I just wanted to finish the fight on my feet” and I felt like crying for him!
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SOPHISTICATION FROM THE TOP DOWN
Lexus is marking its 21st year in the luxury car market in highly-specified style with the elegant new IS 250 Convertible. As well as offering the fastest folding roof in its class, smooth, high power and sleek aerodynamic design it presents an enviable list of standard features including a 6-CD autochanger, eight speakers with 5.1 digital surround sound and semi-aniline leather seats all as standard. Hard Disk Drive satellite navigation with Dynamic Route Guidance and striking 18-inch alloy wheel are also designed in from the start. A COMPELLING CHOICE These features – and many more – make the IS 250C a compelling choice, and Lexus have left nothing to be desired in their pursuit to create a rewarding and engaging open top driving experience. In fact, a quick glance at the specification list very quickly starts to make the competition look distinctly under-equipped. “It’s all part of the Lexus philosophy,” says Adrian Smith, Brand Manager of Lexus Leeds. “The list price always presents a thorough package because we firmly believe that customers shouldn’t need to ramp up the cost of their car with expensive options. It’s why, for example, the IS 250C offers features like intelligent Adaptive Front Lighting, Bluetooth wireless connectivity and front and rear parking sensors as standard.” INNOVATION AS STANDARD A comprehensive specification list is a definite plus point. So is the fact that this is a convertible from Lexus. Convertibles need impeccable build quality and – particularly when there’s a powerful 204bhp, 2.5-litre V6 engine under the bonnet – sleek, aerodynamic design to provide sharp handling and a comfortable, quiet drive. The IS 250C delivers on all fronts, with design features including highly rigid construction, acoustic glass, a steeply raked windscreen, an ultra-smooth profile and dynamic, duck-tail rear styling.
The roof itself is, of course, central to the car’s appeal. With its lightweight three-part structure, it can be opened or closed in just 20 seconds at the touch of a button– making it the fastest and smoothest of its kind on the market. And thanks to some clever packaging, it gives the IS 250C class-leading load space, generous rear seat access – via a clever one-touch seat fold and slide action – plus ample room for rear passengers. The seamless motion of the roof closing is a piece of pure theatre.
are very pleasantly surprised when they find out how much they can save. But it’s not just about saving money. It’s also important to have firsthand experience of the comforts, refinement and sophistication of the Lexus IS 250C.” The IS 250C is available from £34,550 on the road. For more information or to arrange a test drive call Lexus Leeds on 0113 251 1400
SAFETY FIRST When it comes to safety, the IS 250C also excels. Designed to meet the Euro NCAP fivestar safety rating, it offers six-airbags – including the world’s first twin-chamber airbag for the front passenger – Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management, incorporating Vehicle Stability Control specially tuned to optimise the handling of an open top car, and a revised Pre-Crash Safety system. ALL-INCLUSIVE OPTIONS All in all, it’s an extremely attractive package when compared with the offerings from the more ubiquitous models in this class. If you would like to find out more, Adrian Smith of Lexus Leeds would be delighted to discuss the specifics. “We can easily demonstrate the costefficiencies of Lexus. I always find that people
“All in all, it’s an extremely attractive package when you compare to the offerings from the more ubiquitous models in this class.” LEXUS LEEDS Domestic Road LS12 6HG Telephone 0113 251 1400 www.lexus.co.uk/leeds
IS Series prices start from £22,410 to £54,166 OTR and comprise petrol and diesel powertrains. Model shown is IS 250C SE-I at £35,130 including optional metallic paint at £580. Prices correct at time of going to print and include VAT, delivery, number plates, full tank of fuel, one year’s road fund licence and £55 first registration fee.
IS 250C fuel economy figures: extra-urban 39.8mpg (7.1L/100km), urban 21.6mpg (13.1L/100km), combined 30.4mpg (9.3L/100km). CO2 emissions 219g/km.
écurie25 Supercar Club
Thinking of buying one of these? écurie25 Supercar Club
Think again! Many performance motorists need a supercar for the weekend and special occasions - not for everyday use. For such occasional use, écurie25 offers a much better solution. From only £550 per month, you can enjoy a fleet of over 20 different supercars without any of the hassles of ownership, that‘s less than the monthly insurance payment for many supercars. Being an écurie25 member allows you to forget the high costs and hassles and concentrate on what matters most, the joy of driving. With branches in London, Leeds and Northern Ireland, you will never be far from fantastic roads and some stunning scenery.
écurie25 Leeds, Units 2-4 Turner Way, Trinity Business Park, Wakefield WF2 8EF w: ecurie25.co.uk t: 0845 075 6667
ontheroad
active
The supercar club écurie25 has just turned on its engines here inYorkshire and with regular Pistonheads reviewer and long time club member,Tim "Beefmeister" Oldland , in the area we asked him to go along, take his pick of the cars, choose a road and tell us exactly what he thought...
"The week couldn't have worked out better. I was in Sheffield for a training course, had a free day on the Friday, écurie25 was opening its doors and On: Lifestyle had got in touch to ask me to pick a car any car - and put it through its paces. I was in dreamland, literally. Planning started early as I set about choosing my road for the day. Yorkshire, as the locals say, is God's country and its choice of roads is truly heavenly. Did I head for the Dales, the North Yorkshire moors or... what's that? Snake Pass? On my hotel's doorstep? Decision made. This is a stretch of road that defies belief in both its beauty and its driving challenges and so all that was left for me to do was pick my supercar.
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“500 plus horses catapult me down the road, V8 growling and snarling,”
S P E C I F I C A T I O N S All new 5.0 Litre V8 Supercharged engine
20” Nevis alloy wheels
All new 6-speed automatic transmission
Softgrain R leather seats
Active Differential Control
7”Touch-screen with navigation system
Adaptive Dynamics
Jaguar Smart Key System
3-mode Dynamic Stability Control
Unique interior veneer choices
Arriving at écurie25's Wakefield HQ I had one thing in mind - I wanted to drive something I'd not yet had the pleasure of getting behind the wheel of. And the moment I entered the cavernous warehouse where the club's fleet of highly-polished, highly-priced and highlysought after supercars reside I saw it. It was sleek. It was gleaming back. It was stunning and boy, did it look eager to be driven. It was the Supercharged 5.0 Jaguar XKR. I've always admired the looks of the new XK, but in its XKR form, with the extra spoilers, 20" wheels and new front bumper, it's absolutely breathtaking. From every angle it looks beautiful, powerful, menacing and oh-so driveable. This pleasure-filled assault on my visual senses continued when I swung open the door and took in the interior. The new centre console, with its cool rising gear selector and pulsating start button, is right on the money, and the touch-screen Satnav looks brilliant. Tactile aluminium paddles sit in exactly the right position behind the wheel, and the wheel itself is a marvel to both behold and hold.
As you may have guessed, I quite liked this XKR and that was before I'd even got to the best bit, the driving. I thumb the starter button, and the 503bhp (510PS) V8 fires into life with a spine tingling bark and a truly wonderful rumble. After that it's a simple job of twisting the selector to the right, and away I go. Sitting in Sheffield, at the start of the Snake, I paused briefly to consider just how civilised the XKR had been on the drive from Wakefield. Soft, supple suspension soaking up the imperfections our roads are cursed with, auto 'box shifting seamlessly, engine wafting me along. All very Jaguar-like. In fact, so Jaguar-like I was a little concerned that perhaps this wasn't the right car for the Snake. I needn't have worried. Push and twist the selector to 'S' to engage sport mode, and I instantly feel the XKR squat a little, the suspension tightening up, and my concerns fading away. First straight and they've gone the moment I introduce the throttle pedal to the carpet, and experience what this new Jag is all about.
500 plus horses catapult me down the road, V8 growling and snarling, gears holding on to the very last rev before shifting into the next surge of punishing acceleration. Wow, I wasn't expecting that. First set of corners, flick the left paddle a few times, and the revs rise, exhaust blaring the V8 soundtrack to anyone who'll listen. Turn in, dart left, squeeze the throttle again, dart right, straight bit, floor it, brake, turn, floor it, brake, turn, straight bit, floor it... heaven behind the wheel. When I stopped to take some photos of this gorgeous cat, it occurred to me that it really is all the car you could ever need. Powerful, easy to drive, amazing handling, practical boot, four seats - in fact, all you may need extra is a folding roof, and you have the option of one of those if you so desire.
If any further praise is needed, then here it is. The Jaguar XKR made the Aston V8 look a bit silly in my eye - and those are words I never thought I'd utter." The supercar club, écurie25 opened in Yorkshire in August. It provides its members with the chance to get behind the wheels of a fleet of the some of the world's greatest cars for a fraction of the price it would cost to run just one. To find out more visit www.ecurie25.co.uk or call 0845 0756667.
active
TOYS
ongadgets
GROWN-UP FOR
GROWN-UP
BOYS&GIRLS From fantasy gadgets to a gizmo for Uncle Greg, On's only gone and sorted out Christmas in October! Hooray!
POWERMAT Here’s some truly revolutionary technology that charges devices wirelessly through magnetic induction. Powermat acts as a charging hub for a host of devices commonly used in the home, and is designed to reduce the ‘spaghetti wires’ caused by numerous chargers for a range of gadgets, mobile phones, MP3 players and portable games consoles. from £69.99 at John Lewis
Hydrogen Racer
LOEWE
The H-racer is a futuristic toy car that contains one of the most exciting and advanced technologies of the 21st century. This car operates on 100% clean fuel produced by a miniature solar-powered hydrogen refueling station that converts water to hydrogen using energy captured from the sun.
The Loewe Connect line of televisions ushered in a new era in digital entertainment, praised by some quarters as the ‘most versatile televisions in the world’. The 2nd generation offers even greater multi-functionality and a sleek, minimalist design.
£90 (earning 538 points) from www.greenrewards.co.uk Limited edition Jalou by Dolce&Gabbana
TWISTJAX HEADPHONES
Sneak peek footage from Dolce&Gabbana’s women’s Autumn/Winter 2010 runway show revealed this stunning rose-coloured phone, with real 24 carat gold plating and a special Dolce&Gabbana branded headset with gold accents. It only weighs 84 grams and is 73mm long, plus the screen turns into a mirror!
The TwistJax headphones incorporate Twist2Fit 180 degrees rotating ear buds with mechanical movements that adjust each earphone for a perfect fit in every ear canal. Combined with staggering sound quality and the high performance design that Atomic Floyd is renowned for, a new level of in-ear headphone technology has been reached.
Free on contact – stockists: www.se-store.co.uk
More info and stockists: www.loewe-uk.com 01294 315 000
£129 from www.atomicfloyd.com
WIN
A FABULOUSCOCKTAIL MAKING KIT see page 101
SEAGATE Keep your treasured Christmas memories safe with the Seagate FreeAgent Go. The ultimate portable storage solution with the world's first external hard drive docking station. It’s the slimmest external drive available on the market and is perfect for backing up photos, music and videos – just in time for the festive period! 250GB for £55 from Dixons, Amazon, Maplin
MERIDIAN SOOLOOS MUSIC SERVER Speed Camera Warning Device InfoRad GPS Speed Camera Detector is a discreet camera warning device – only 7cm in diameter. It uses GPS satellite technology to warn you if you’re approaching a camera or accident black spot, and will alert you if you’re exceeding the speed limit. It works straight out of the box – just plug in and go – and is totally road legal.
Meridian Audio has responded to this problem by introducing a groundbreaking new music server to the market. The Meridian Sooloos Digital Music Server has been widely acknowledged as the most innovative and sophisticated available, as well as being the most functionally elegant and user-friendly solution ever created. By unlocking the potential of your entire music collection and being able to access it online wherever you are in the world, the future of digital music has been determined.
£59.95 from www.theoriginalgift.co.uk
From £6,990 - www.meridian-audio.com
SPYKEE ROBOT Spykee is the first robot to be built that you can transform and control from a computer through a WiFi connection. Moreover, you can control him from anywhere in the world via the Internet! He comes with a video camera, a microphone, a loudspeaker and two motors. He can also act as a surveillance device - when a movement is detected, Spykee can activate an alarm or send you a picture by e-mail! £169.99 from www.play.com
POLAR
LG Chocolate
Polar’s FT80 is the most advanced and dedicated fitness and cross training partner you could have - your personal trainer, fitness guru and coach all in one.
This Christmas LG gives you the chance to own the world's first 4 inch widescreen mobile phone. The new LG Chocolate handset is the fourth model in the LG Black Label Series and its impressive screen maximizes usability while inheriting an original minimalist-inspired style and iconic design.
By monitoring your heart rate, the FT80 can tell you how effective your training is and where you can improve to reach your goals. £273.55 from www.polarelectro.co.uk
Perfect for those design conscious users who use their mobile to watch high-definition clips. Free with contract
VIVITEK PROJECTOR The days of enduring sticky seats at the local cinema could be over for many with this home cinema projector from Vivitek This projector is designed for high-impact picture quality and is unmatched in functionality and performance in this price category and combines the latest digital technologies in a portable and economical package that gives you HD content without compromises.
Don’t miss...
About £849
BEOTIME Bang & Olufsen’s BeoTime alarm clock and sleep timer is a stunning and elegantly crafted new gadget. Discreet and incorporating a choice of wake up sounds – a chime, a piece of music or your favourite TV/Radio programme. It can be used to operate integrated televisions, loudspeakers and even lights and also features a built-in sleep timer to switch off products if you fall asleep or simply forget when leaving the room. From Bang & Olufsen, Leeds T. 0113 245 3474
Etymotic HF2 in-ear phones
The perfect present for tech fans! The Slingbox Pro Streamer allows you to stream your home television content to any PC or mobile phone in the world, in high definition! You’ll never miss that sporting event or TV show again.
Etymotic Research’s hf2 headset combines industry-leading fidelity and noise isolation with an integrated microphone and music controls for seamless voice calls. The hf2 is a hit for both iPhone and iPod users around the world. The hf2 custom fit includes the awardwinning hf2 and an array of ear tips of different sizes.
£163.95 – Available in PC World and www.pcworld.co.uk
£99 from Apples stores - www.etymotic.com
Slingbox Pro Streamer
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onexclusive
interview by Matthew Callard
Someone is being bombarded. There are bleeps and buzzes, snatches of sound and dialogue – at one point I can make out a familiarly nasal Australian tone discussing, I think, French literature. It’s either a Blue Jam-style sound montage, a particularly out-there electro jazz ensemble or Clive James has pressed the wrong button on his computer. “Don’t worry, I won’t charge you for this time,” he says, “but I’ve just pressed the wrong button on my computer.” Even an honorary doctorate, author, critic, poet, broadcaster, raconteur, wit, polyglot, soon-to-be playwright and all-round intellectual of world-renown can sometimes hit shift instead of enter.
RESOURCE So Clive is fiddling with his website (clivejames.com) – a remarkable resource indeed - that started out as an archive of the Australian’s own work (‘not a very charming idea, even when the pharaohs did it’) but quickly developed into a fascinating document of the things he likes, the people he speaks to and the places he has seen – ‘the ideal form of self-expression’ he claims. So amid his always-engrossing home-filmed discussions with the likes of Cate Blanchett and Stephen Fry you’ll find snippets of video art, poetry, sculpture and comic books. And if serious discussion is your thing you can dive into a full half hour of Martin Amis, Germaine Greer or Salman Rushdie swapping intellectual uppercuts with Clive. It’s the kind of thrilling discussion that makes for prime time TV on the continent and for which there is a genuine appetite in this country – an antidote to the stale party-speak of most of our political debate - yet it’s seldom heard away from Radio 4’s dusty netherworld. “It’s coming on, it’s coming on,” he states humbly. “It’s taken several years to build it - all of five years to get it where it is and it’s just starting to happen. Unashamedly it started off as an archive of my own work but then I realised it could be a lot more interesting than that. I could put other things on it, it could lead to various places, it could be a sort of point of call to people all over the world who wanted to branch out into other subjects. So, for example, someone who logs on in Nicaragua to find out about something that somebody wrote, might discover in the video section that there’s a music video of an opera and they’ve never even seen an opera - that sort of thing.” It’s an ever-growing resource – but it doesn’t come cheap – a problem Clive is slowly getting round to solving. “You can do things on the web comparatively cheaply, although it does cost some money - the pricey bit of the website is the interviews. There’s the cost of production and transmission. The awkward trick of web casting is you pay more, the more people log on. You can die of success overnight. I have to lay all those costs off - it takes a bit of juggling but I’m working on it. The trouble with doing it with a partner - Times Online, Sky TV and so on you can’t blame them for wanting good billing and for wanting me to talk to recognisable stars - but I like to talk to some unrecognisable people too.”
TV YEARS Clive himself is, of course, still most widely-recognised for his TV work: ‘Clive James on TV’ and his much-loved ‘Postcard From’…travel series. Although he pretty much quit TV work in 2000. “It’s not that I didn’t love television - I did love it. I’m grateful to it, but I’d done enough by the year 2000. I don’t think there’s a place for me. I get asked quite often to do various things. I don’t belong on there anymore because I would be asked to comment on reality TV and I’m just not interested in reality TV. I don’t pop up on TV just for the sake of being there.”
TV’s loss has been the stage’s gain. His monumentally vast stand-up tour, “Clive James in the Evening” has been on the road for almost two years. It’s a medium he loves, indeed, a medium he’s confessed to something of an addiction to. “I love going on stage and talking for an hour and a half. I find it utterly engrossing and relaxing - mustn’t get too relaxed of course you don’t want to go to sleep up there. It’s still quite daunting – there are a lot of people to please - sometimes there are a thousand of them.” Nightly, Clive even takes the daring step of throwing himself open to audience questions. “Yeah, well that’s the really unpredictable bit. Of course there’s the occasional nutter with a propeller on his flying helmet, but most of the questions are terrific - even the crazy ones you can turn into something.” It’s always been a contrary passion – he admits to being a typically reclusive writer (“I like to sit at my desk and fiddle with my website”) but finds the pull of the stage strangely irresistible. “The two men are warring within the one body,” he confesses. But there’s that crucial audience bond that so many stand-ups crave; “Especially after 20 years in television, because you don’t have an audience. Sometimes there’s a studio audience but the audience that counts is the one at the other end of the glass tube and you don’t see them, even though there are millions of them.”
PROLIFIC Clive James may have retired from TV but there’s been little sign of the 70-year old slowing down. A still-prolific poet, writer and essayist (a second volume of his huge and brilliant critical observations, ‘Cultural Amnesia’ is promised) he is, seemingly, grafting harder than ever. “Retirement is killing me, as somebody once said. I’ll have to retire from my retirement. But that’s one of the reasons I left mainstream television - there were other things I wanted to do. Mainstream television is very demanding - it takes a week in the office to get one hour on the air. To make room for this sort of thing I simply had to walk away. But I’ve published three books this year, so something must be going right. I’ve got a lot more to say.” He snaps out that last line - grits it through his teeth. Clive James, it seems, has plenty of unfinished business. “I think I’ve climbed the mountains, but guess what you see when you get to the top of the mountain - you see more mountains. And then time runs out. I’d like to write a play - everybody would, I think. I’m not sure what kind of play it’s going to be but I’m looking forward to it. I’ve come to it quite late, but old is the new young, so I’ll do the old man’s version of the young man’s play.”
STRICTLY You get through so much in half an hour of Clive James’s company that I almost forget to do my duty as a Yorkshireman - and goad him about The Ashes. But he skillfully sidesteps the provocation; “I back both sides. I was pleased the Poms won because it evened things out a bit keeps the Australians on their toes. Australia and England are much more level today in terms of sporting achievement. Now they’ve got one tennis player each.” Other subjects are flirted with enticingly – I ask, with my tongue in my cheek, whether Clive would consider a stab at ‘Strictly’ and it turns out he has a room in his flat ready-made for the tango and has been known to fly to Argentina for lessons! “I got asked to do Strictly Come Dancing, or do the tango. But I have great respect for the tango. My respect for the tango is higher, shall I say, than John Sergeant’s respect for the paso doble. I wouldn’t put myself in that position - I wouldn’t be as funny as he was.” He can take up any thread of conversation with glee and underscore it with an anecdote, a flash of wit, words of wisdom. But we haven’t got all day. As the man said, “You see more mountains. And then time runs out.” Clive James brings his ‘One Night Stand’ to the West Yorkshire Playhouse on the 22nd October. Book now: 0113 213 7700
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thebusinessend
onfinance
Jono Baker
CarbonFootprint It’s not new, it’s just trendy. Can you believe that socially responsible investing dates back to the Religious Society of Friends in 1758? According to Wikipedia, the Philadelphia Quakers prohibited members from buying or selling humans! John Wesley (1703-1791), one of the founders of Methodism, used one of his sermons, “The Use of Money” to outline his basic tenets of social investing – i.e. “not to harm your neighbour through your business practices and to avoid industries like tanning and chemical production, which can harm the health of workers”. Some of the most well-known applications of socially responsible investing were religiously motivated. “Investors would avoid “sinful” companies, such as those associated with products such as guns, liquor, and tobacco”. We can then chart events in world history where social investing or, should I say, awareness of social investing, has had an impact. Everybody can remember the picture of Phan Thi Kim Phuc, the little girl running away from her village with her back burning from napalm, taken in June 1972. The result of this, ignoring obvious outcries, were protests against Dow Chemicals, the manufacturer of the napalm, and outcries against other companies profiting from the Vietnam War. The website www.studentsforbhopal.org explains the full story. As I have said, the Carbon Footprint effect is not new. OK, I agree that trendy is probably a little harsh and I absolutely agree that we all need to change our ways…and small changes can make a difference. Contrary to popular belief ethical investing doesn’t always Contrary to popular belief investing doesn’t always hold one hand holdethical one hand behind your back when building a portfolio; misconception is probably due to ignorance of howdue behind your back whenthis building a portfolio; this misconception is probably ethical investing actually works. to ignorance of how ethical investing actually works Where do you start?
For more information please contact: Jono Baker Charles Stanley, 14 King St, Leeds, LS1 2HL. T. 0113 200 5230
2010 Business Rates Evaluation know the facts
By John Willoughby, Associate Director, Lambert Smith Hampton’s (LSH), Leeds office.
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Firstly, use a broker who understands what your ethical beliefs are, then based upon your beliefs they can build a portfolio around this by screening. Screening is a process that vets companies as part of the ethical or socially responsible investment process. At Charles Stanley, we can offer this in addition to our normal investment process. You also need to drill down into the individual holdings of
your chosen collective, you might find duplication of popular companies such as HSBC, Vodaphone, BG Group, Tesco and Scottish & Southern listed in the top 10 holdings (there are 60-odd ethical funds in the UK sector). This is not a huge issue as these are acceptable companies for investment; however you may not want to duplicate your holdings unintentionally. Once pre-defined criteria has been agreed, should we begin with negative or positive research? Negative identifies activities such as the sale of armaments to countries with oppressive regimes, irresponsible marketing of alcohol and intensively farmed meat and dairy products. Positive research by contrast looks at business practices such as provision of public transport services, occupational health monitoring and labour standards. The system Charles Stanley uses allows us to research the pre-defined criteria and build a suitable portfolio. An example of this would be to select, say, Education and Knowledge, by definition – “Those funds which have a positive screening approach favouring companies involved in education or that provide educational products” . There are in excess of 20 funds. Quadris Environmental Fund, as an example states “In addition to their forestry operation, Floresteca also extends their support through initiatives that are education related. A cooperation agreement was set up in December 2004, with UNESCO, to provide an educational program. This is currently helping about 1200 people from the local area including 450 students from the local school in Clarinopolis.” The fund itself has 21 negative criteria statements and is probably one of the most ethical funds available. This particular share has risen from 203.401 in Dec 2008 to 225.285 according to their website. Not bad returns considering the last 7 months. Naturally, we always find that somebody somewhere comes up with an exception to the rule. Even in an ethical world we have the Vice Fund. The American Vice Fund is rated as 4* by Morningstar investment profiles. Its fund primarily has 80% of its net assets in companies that derive a significant portion of their revenues from alcohol, gaming and defence/aerospace. Its inception date was August 2002 and since launch it has returned an annualised 5.42% as at 30.06.09. The fund is a non-diversified fund which means it can have fewer holdings than most mainstream funds; for sure the risk rises with this by nature of the beast. It is only available in the States and as yet I haven’t found a UK version!! Maybe I need to speak to Jeremy Clarkson! In short, ethical investment does not mean having one hand tied behind your back; what it does mean though is that you have to be absolutely clear as to what you want from a socially responsible portfolio, and that you are happy with the criteria involved.
Non-domestic rates are a tax on the right to use and occupy commercial property and are based upon a property’s hypothetical rental value. As values change over time, the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) conducts revaluations every five years to ensure that these changes are reflected. The next revaluation will come into effect on 1 April 2010 and will be based upon open market rental values as at 1 April 2008. Given the turmoil in the markets and subsequent drop in values since that date, many businesses are likely to be issued with inaccurate or excessive assessments. Early indications suggest that the overall rate-able value for the UK will increase at the Revaluation somewhere in the order of 15%. With sectors such as retail and offices, that experienced significant growth prior to the downturn, and owners of empty buildings who are now required to pay full rates, likely to be hit the hardest. While the new rateable values will not come into effect until 1 April 2010, draft assessments will be published in October, providing owners and occupiers with the opportunity to appeal any anomalies or inaccuracies.
To Amina, Yorkshire means an education.
Amina, age 7 Kirahaka, Tanzania Sponsored by Mrs Rawson and family from Harrogate Photo: Liba Taylor/ActionAid
With no education seven year old Amina’s future looked bleak. But now, thanks to ActionAid sponsors Amina can go to school and her parents are receiving help with their farming, so Amina no longer has to work in the fields. In fact, thanks to over 2,500 people in Yorkshire, thousands of children living in extreme poverty now have the chance to change their futures. But not every child is so fortunate, which is why we are asking the people of Yorkshire to help. By sponsoring a child with ActionAid you could make a world of difference. As a sponsor you’ll receive a photograph of your sponsored child, together with drawings or messages, and regular reports so you can see exactly how your support is helping.
To you, making a difference means less than 50p a day. To a child like Amina, it could mean the world.
I would like to help Yorkshire change children’s lives.
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Please make cheques payable to ActionAid and post it to: ActionAid, Freepost BS4868, CHARD TA20 1BR ActionAid would like to keep you informed about our vital work. If you do not wish to receive this information, please tick this box. ActionAid is a registered charity, no. 274467
Make a difference, sponsor a child today. Visit actionaid.org.uk/yorkshire or call 01460 23 80 80
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La Grillade for the best letter Please send your letters, news and opinions to letters@onlifestyle.co.uk As always, if we select your correspondence as Letter of The Month, we pay for a slap-up meal for two at the fabulous La Grillade in Leeds!
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Letter of the month
We receive a few boxes of On through our office doors on a regular basis and they always disappear faster than you can say ‘kill for a copy!’ I posted your last issue to my niece, who now works in London, and she immediately asked me to subscribe for her. It keeps her in touch with the region while still being relevant to her – she loves all the fashion and beauty. So congratulations on your first subscriber from The Big Smoke. Mrs P. Deerfield Thanks, Mrs P – enjoy your meal. Always good to hear nice comments – speaking of which…. Ed.
As Megan Fox can’t possibly have made it onto your front cover on the quality of her movie output – the dismal first Transformers film remains her best work so far – I can only assume she’s there because she’s ‘just a pretty face’. For a magazine that’s previously had Gordon Ramsay and Vivienne Westwood on your covers – genuine icons with huge talent – I find this disappointing. We like On with a bit of edge, please! Fergus, via email Harsh Fergus, I would say. If Megan Fox isn’t the biggest name in Hollywood this time next year, we’ll put Jim Bowen on the front cover. Ed. A fascinating chat with Heston Blumenthal (issue 11). I’ve dined at his Fat Duck on a couple of occasions and it’s a real experience – a journey into the unknown. I’m pleased also to see your continuing support of the West Yorkshire culinary scene. In my opinion, Leeds is the up-and-coming location in the country for innovative dining, with interesting new restaurants and eating options springing up everywhere, despite the recession. We should all get out there and support them! Liz Cochrane, Wetherby I think your interview with Simon Grayson (Leeds United Manager, issue 11) proves, at last, that Leeds have the right man for the job. Dennis Wise brought too much hysteria to an unstable club and
Gary McAllister didn’t understand what was needed to succeed in third-flight football (grit, determination and experience – as well as skill and cunning). Grayson’s a steady hand, experienced with limited resources and, I believe, that rare thing – a player’s manager. Championship here we come!
Maddy, via email Taking a break from, as the legend goes, her frantic quest to hide her belongings, Maddy. Spooky! Ed. I must write to express my support for the ‘Back the Bid’ campaign to bring World Cup football to Leeds and Elland Road in 2018. It would be extraordinary to think a county of our size, with our rich sporting heritage, might not help host such a prestigious (and lucrative!) event. It would be great if your readers could get involved and visit www.backthebidleeds.com – remember this is a Yorkshire-wide bid and would therefore promote the whole region, not just Leeds. Frank Williams, via email
Pete Faulkes, York Oh, the irony! I’m currently sitting on a train reading On as I travel to London on business. The service was delayed by 40 minutes and has, so far, made 2 unscheduled stops. I’m not yet in the Midlands. I’ve just read an article about a proposed £70 billion high speed train service between Leeds and London. Can I just make the obvious statement that even a mildly quick one would be a good idea.
You may have heard of the £13m development of Harrogate International Centre, which will create two new exhibition halls. The HIC is integral to a host of businesses in the town and its long-term viability is vital for Harrogate’s continued development. Establishing a sound commercial plan for a venue which brought in £150m to the region last year should mean there are many Harrogate business people getting a better night’s sleep in these turbulent times. Great news!
Emily Jacobs, sent via Blackberry
Mrs. K. Smith, Harrogate
I’ve always liked people who get under the noses of the prigs and prudes of this world. Julian Clary (issue 11) seems to press all the right buttons to me. I remember him ‘overstepping the mark,’ as he put it, at the Comedy Awards in 1993 but the comment still makes me chuckle. You’re right – National Treasure is apt. But, my God, Julian, that picture! Who went crazy with the airbrush!?
I fear for a loss of one of Leeds’s great industrial institutions when the Hunslet brewery that makes Tetley’s closes in 2011. Tetley’s cask bitter – real ale – is made using traditional methods and ingredients and is an industry classic. Surely, with Leeds City constantly feted as the business capital of the north, the powers-that-be can manage to keep this proud institution within the city’s walls.
Jason, Sowerby Bridge
Robert, via email
We’re calling the de-wrinkling a 50-year old man’s prerogative, Jason. Ed.
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I can vouch for the spookiness described at Temple Newsam in your recent Haunted Yorkshire feature (issue 11). I was once viewing the interior of the stately home and was surprised to see a lady knitting on a chair in a roped-off segment of the public displays. Thinking she was an actress or a hired hand I didn’t think much more about it at the time. It was only when I’d finished the viewing that it occurred to me that the woman’s presence was somewhat strange. I asked an attendant about her and, sure enough, he confirmed there were no people hired as ‘living props’. Had I just seen the famous Blue Lady of Temple Newsam?
And thanks Robert for directing us to the YEP’s campaign to keep Tetley brewed in the county – go to www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk to log your support. Ed.
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Dave Spikey’s overnight success only took 50-odd years but he’s now one of our most-loved, and recognised, comedy performers. A star-making turn on Peter Kay’s Phoenix Nights was followed by game-shows, sitcoms and panel show immortality on Channel 4’s ‘8 Out of 10 Cats’. A former biomedical scientist, he takes his new stand-up tour, Best Medicine: Repeat Prescription, on the road in October. Dave got on-board the trans-Pennine express from Chorley for some Famous Last Words…. Last thing you did that made you feel good?
Last person you’d want to share a drink with?
I just performed three of my “Best Medicine” tour shows for charity. I get about ten requests a week to attend charity fundraisers or provide a prize for the auction or host charity events and it’s really difficult prioritising and accommodating all of these because they are all such worthy causes, so I always try very hard to fit as much as I can into my schedule plus, I always do two or three shows on tour where all the money from ticket sales goes directly to various charities.
Gordon Ramsay. He doesn’t seem to be a very nice person, although of course I could be wrong as we’ve never met. He swears too much, obviously, and he has been very rude and scathing in his comments regarding vegetarians in the past and has behaved obnoxiously towards them on his television shows. I remember that he used meat stock in one dish he served to a vegetarian and put parma ham on a veggie pizza, which really upset the person eating it, but he thought it was all totally hilarious. He comes across as an immature, overgrown schoolboy who delights in bullying those he considers different. He should learn to respect the views and opinions of others, but he seems to me to be the sort of bloke who wouldn’t make you a cup of tea, even if he was making one for himself.
Last thing you'd want to be doing right now? Driving down the M6 to a gig. I love performing my new show but driving in this country is a nightmare. I don’t mean a proper nightmare, where there’s a bloke in a black cape and hood chasing you with a big knife and you’re trying to run away but your legs won’t work properly and it feels like your running through treacle and you can hardly move and, for some reason, you’re wearing no pants or underwear so you’re trying to pull your shirt down to cover your wedding tackle and then this ghoul catches up with you and you are terrified and try to punch him but your arms have gone all weak and it feels like your muscles are made from cotton wool. Not that sort of nightmare – just a mindnumbing, frustrating, madly-irritating process. First off, you always get stuck behind an old couple of born-again Christians in a Nissan Micra who are hogging the middle lane – IT’S FOR OVERTAKING ONLY! She’s wearing a surgical collar (a fashion accessory for the over 60’s) and even though she can’t move her big stupid head she’s giving him directions! He’s driving like he’s permanently looking for a parking space because he’s not got a sat nav – a floaty compass stuck onto his dashboard – “Stoke? South by South East!”. She’s usually got a mac on with the belt hanging out of the door and, one day, I will get my front wheels on that belt and yank her into the passenger window hard. Next, you get stuck behind an HGV that has a sign on the back, “How’s my Driving?”. Its rubbish, that’s what it is. Lorry drivers reckon they are the best drivers on the road and do you know what? They’re not. If that was true, how is it that they always overtake each other on an incline where it takes them half an hour to pass each other because the overtaking lorry is only going one mph faster than the other and they’re watching a DVD at the same time and meanwhile there’s a five mile queue built up behind them as cars have to try and pass them in the fast lane. Mind you, when you do pass and you’re getting nearer to Birmingham its total gridlock anyway. It used to take me ninety minutes to get to Birmingham and now it takes two and a half hours. You don’t have to be a genius to see that there are too many cars on our roads. Cap the number of cars and improve public transport! Last night on Earth ... What's your poison? A really nice, full-bodied, oaky red wine. I’m not a connoisseur so I’m guessing it would have to cost more than £8.99 a bottle. If I could find one on special offer, say reduced from £15.99 to £9.99 that would be a result. Last supper ... What are you ordering? I’m vegetarian, so I would start with an Indian dish – “Malai Kofta” – basically Indian cottage cheese, potatoes, vegetables and cashew nut kofta balls in a rich curry sauce. Main course a Thai green vegetable curry with fried bean-curd, accompanied by wild rice and a side dish of wok-fried pak-choi in garlic, chilli and soy. I don’t eat sweets, so if I was still hungry I’d have another small savoury dish – either mutter paneer or sag paneer or both. OR I’d have one of those “All you can eat for a fiver” buffets because you can keep going back, can’t you? So I could put my last night on earth off for days if I just paced myself and kept going back for another plateful.
Last time you shed a tear and why? My dog Megan died while I was away on holiday. She was a rescued dog I’d had for about ten years and had never been ill but developed a really rare blood disease and haemorrhaged and died in the space of 24 hours and I felt so sad and empty and guilty that she was on her own; that I couldn’t be with her after all the love and joy she’s brought me. Last refuge ... where would you go? Home. Chorley, Lancashire, to be surrounded by my family and friends.
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My first marriage was a mistake. I mean a proper mistake. I actually said “Will you carry me?” I was so very drunk.
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ontalking
last
Last the course ... tips on loot, love & life? Loot – Live just within your means and always push yourself to the limits of what you can afford without getting into debt. Look at re-mortgaging your house every time your current deal runs out. I’ve done this more or less every couple of years and have saved thousands and thousands of pounds. Most people get a mortgage and then sort of forget about it. Don’t do this! Shop around and get the best two and three year deals around and once they’re ending start looking again – you will find, after a while, that your current lender will match the deal. Love – Make sure it’s love before you rush into doing something you will regret. Love is so much more than physical attraction and it’s so very important that you actually like each other a lot underneath the lust - you need to be real good friends to make it wonderful . My first marriage was a mistake. I mean a proper mistake. I actually said “Will you carry me?” I was so very drunk. Life – Always be true to yourself. Never compromise your principals to please or impress others. Try the hardest you can to be a good, respectful, honest and tolerant person and always try and help those less fortunate than yourself. Last but one ... random question: endless war, financial apocalypse, crooked politicians - is laughter still the best medicine? Well, as individuals we’re not going to change any of these appalling global issues even though we are inevitably moved and upset, frustrated and angered by them. But if we let ourselves get burdened with all the doom and gloom generated by these events and our reaction to them then we’ll sink into a mire of depression and despondency. We need to find light in the darkness and we should look to our everyday lives, to our individual worlds and to “real” events, large and small, that actually touch us directly and indirectly and make us smile, chuckle, giggle and occasionally laugh out loud every day. Because laughter is good for us. It releases endorphins to make us feel better, it boosts the immune system which helps us fight a multitude of ills, it lowers blood pressure and here’s the clincher - it burns off calories at the rate of 100 per hour and as my show is two hours long I encourage audiences to laugh consistently for the full performance and they’ll burn off 200 calories and that’s a pint of lager or a large glass of wine and then we’re all winners. Laughter is so important and there are, of course, many sayings that Dave Spikey’s book, ‘He allude to that – “Laugh and the world laughs with you”, “You’ve got to laugh or you’ll cry”, “He who laughs last Took My Kidneys and laughs last who laughs and laughs in greenhouses” – not Broke My Heart’ is got to the bottom of that last one yet. published by Michael O’Mara Books - £10 Your Famous Last Words?
This should be interesting.
His stand-up tour runs throughout October and November – check www.davespikey.co.uk for details.
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