Cardiff Life – issue 161

Food/Arts/Entertainment/Shopping/Property ISSUE 161 / JANUARY 2017 / £3

CELEBRATING THE BEST IN THE CITY, PENARTH & THE VALE

ISSUE 161 / JANUARY 2017 / HAPPY NEW YEAR!

FANTASTIC 50 THE FIFTY PEOPLE SHAPING

A BRIGHTER CARDIFF

EDITOR’S LETTER / ISSUE 161 / JANUARY 2017

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There’s no doubt that, post-Brexit, we live in uncertain economic times. And yet, as we begin a new year, Cardiff continues to thrive. You only have to look around to see countless success stories of people and businesses – entrepreneurs, visionaries, risk-takers, eccentrics, geeks, writers, foodies etc – determinedly doing their thing.

So... what better way to start a new year than by bringing you our ‘Fantastic 50’, a selection of the 50 influencers making Cardiff a better, more exciting place to live. See left and turn to page 19 to see whether you agree with our choices – no doubt you’ll take to Twitter and let us know if you don’t!

Also this issue, we show you unusual ways to get fit, offer a few beauty fixes and indulgences, and feast at Catalunyan-inspired eaterie La Cuina – a good way to ease you into 2017, we think.

Oh, while we’re on... if you still haven’t nominated your business for this year’s Cardiff Life Awards (cardifflifeawards.co.uk), don’t forget that nominations close on 27 January. Here’s to a fantastic year for us all!

Pobl o bob math

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FANTASTIC 50

From creatives to visionaries, and entrepreneurs to celebs – we profile 50 of Cardiff’s most influential people. Have a look at the cover and see how many you can name before having a peek at the key below...

1. Gruff Rhys 2. Charlotte Church 3. David Loosemore 4. Danny Hargreaves 5. Steve Dimmick 6. Alex Jenkins 7. Ashli Todd 8. Debra Barber 9. Aimee Bateman 10. Nathan Palmer 11. Dorian Bowen 12. Owen Morgan 13. Helia Phoenix 14. Matt Jones 15. James Sommerin 16. Dan Spain 17. Gwenno Saunders 18. Gareth Bale 19. Karen Mackinnon 20. Tim Rice 21. Sam Evans 22. Shauna Guinn 23. Elisabeth Mahoney 24. Alun Saunders 25. Sara Pepper 26. Clare Sturges 27. James Robinson 28. Huw Stephens 29. Ed Barnett 30. Graeme Farrow 31. Tom Watts-Jones 32. Jason Mohammad 33. Mark James 34. Jahan Abedi 35. Holly Müller 36. Kate Wasserberg 37. Bethan Elfyn 38. Owen Mathias 39. Jon Saunders 40. Hannah Raybould 41. Dan Tyte 42. Caroline Holmes 43. Cerys Furlong 44. Melissa Boothman 45. Jolene Makein 46. Dafydd James 47. Christian Amodeo 48. Sam Warburton 49. Lyndon Wood 50. Jamie Baulch

Does dim dwywaith nad ydym yn byw mewn cyfnod economaidd ansicr yn dilyn pleidlais Brexit. Eto i gyd, ar ddechrau blwyddyn newydd, mae Caerdydd yn parhau i ffynnu. Mae straeon di-ri am lwyddiant pobl a busnesau i’w gweld o’ch amgylch ym mhobman – entrepreneuriaid, pobl sydd â gweledigaeth, pobl sy’n barod i gymryd risg, pobl ecsentrig, deallusion, awduron, arbenigwyr ar fwyd, ac ati – ac mae pob un ohonynt yn gweithio’n ddyfal ac yn ddiwyd yn eu maes.

Felly... rydym yn dechrau’r flwyddyn newydd drwy gyflwyno i chi ein 50 Penigamp, sef detholiad o 50 o bobl ddylanwadol sy’n gwneud y ddinas yn lle gwell a mwy cyffrous i fyw ynddo. Trowch i dudalen 19 i weld a ydych yn cytuno â’n dewis – mae’n siwr y byddwch yn rhoi gwybod i ni ar Twitter os na fyddwch chi!

Yn y rhifyn hwn hefyd rydym yn rhoi sylw i ffyrdd anarferol o gadw’n heini, yn cynnig ambell driniaeth harddwch i’w mwynhau, ac yn gwledda ym mwyty Catalwnaidd La Cuina – y ffordd berffaith o ddechrau 2017.

Cyn tynnu at y terfyn... os nad ydych eto wedi enwebu eich busnes ar gyfer Gwobrau Cardiff Life eleni (cardifflifeawards.co.uk), cofiwch mai’r dyddiad cau ar gyfer gwneud hynny yw 27 Ionawr. Gobeithio y caiff pob un ohonom flwyddyn newydd wych!

VELIMIR ILIC Editor vel.ilic@mediaclash.co.uk Follow us on Twitter: @CardiffLifeMag

CONTENTS / ISSUE 161 / JANUARY 2017 M EET T H E T EAM

MAIN FEATURE

Editor Velimir Ilic vel.ilic@mediaclash.co.uk

19 Fantastic 50 The 50 go-getters and visionaries shaping a brighter Cardiff

Managing editor Deri Robins deri.robins@mediaclash.co.uk Senior art editor Andrew Richmond Graphic design Megan Allison Cover design Trevor Gilham Contributors: Andrea Byrne, Janice Bundy, Andrea Callanan, Elisabeth Mahoney, Hugo Ball, Jamie Rees, Katie Kissoon, Rhys Williams, Sophie Rae

OPINION 15 A Man’s World Rhys Williams talks hangovers and New Year’s resolutions

Advertising manager Mark George mark.george@mediaclash.co.uk Deputy advertising manager Claire Hawkins claire.hawkins@mediaclash.co.uk Account manager Ian Fernando ian.fernando@mediaclash.co.uk Commercial director Steve Hawkins steve.hawkins@mediaclash.co.uk

HEALTH & BEAUT Y 32 Quirk Your Body Fun ways to get fit

38 All Belle And Good Sophie Rae enjoys a seasonal beauty fix at Belle Toujours

THE ARTS 43 Arts Intro The hilarious middle-class musings of Miles Jupp

44 What’s On Your stick-it-to-the-fridge guide to this month’s arts and culture goings-on

50 They Said What?

50 62 Restaurant

Our quotes of the year

La Cuina – sunny Catalunyan flavours on a plate

53 Film Preview

65 Recipes

This month’s must-see stage productions, beamed live to Chapter’s big screen

A pair of tasty seafood dishes from Will Holland and Allister Barsby

SHOPPING 58 Editor’s Choice Indulgent fragrances and elixirs – start 2017 as you mean to go on

FOOD 61 Food News Breaking news from Bar 44, and Chefs’ Night Out preview

Production and distribution manager Sarah Kingston sarah.kingston@mediaclash.co.uk Deputy production manager Christina West christina.west@mediaclash.co.uk Production designer Kirstie Howe kirstie.howe@mediaclash.co.uk

TRAVEL 68 Ayr Force Janice Bundy flies as far north as she’s ever been...

BUSINESS 83 Business Insider Hurry – the Cardiff Life Awards nominations deadline is looming!

Plus other good news biz stories

Chief executive Jane Ingham jane.ingham@mediaclash.co.uk Chief executive Greg Ingham greg.ingham@mediaclash.co.uk

PROPERT Y 90 Property Showcase Katie Kissoon has a nose around a spectacular country abode in picturesque Clemenstone, in the Vale of Glamorgan

DEPARTMENTS 9 Spotlight Goodbye 2016, it’s been emosh...

72 Snapped!

Six pages of pics from parties large and small – including the Cardiff Life Christmas bash

98 Cardiff Lives Presenter and broadcast journalist Mariclare Carey-Jones

Cardiff Life, MediaClash, Circus Mews House, Circus Mews, Bath BA1 2PW; 01225 475800, mediaclash.co.uk, @The MediaClash © All rights reserved. May not be reproduced without written permission of MediaClash.

About MediaClash We’re a Bath-based publisher, creative agency and event organiser Magazines Our portfolio of regional magazines celebrate the best of local living: Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, Exeter and Salisbury. We also publish foodie mag Crumbs. (crumbsmag.com, @ CrumbsMag) and wedding title Vow (@VowMag).

Agency From the design and build of websites to digital marketing and creating company magazines, we can help.

Events We create, market, promote and operate a wide variety of events both for MediaClash and our clients Contact: info@mediaclash.co.uk

On the cover Our Sgt. Pepper-style montage of Cardiff’s key influencers – with apologies to Sir Peter Blake

MICROSUCTION EAR WAX CLINIC AND INDEPENDENT FAMILY RUN HEARING CENTRE THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF SERVICE AND AFTERCARE.

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C A R D I F F: I T S L I F E A N D T I M E S

Some of the Wales football boys, with interlopers...

EVERYONE’S TALKING ABOUT...

GOODBYE 2016!

It’s been emotional... our highlights of the past 12 months, in a nutshell

Roald Dahl’s City Of The Unexpected: an extraordinary spectacle

There hasn’t been a year quite like 2016 in living memory, and in some ways, we’re quite glad to see the back of it. It all started in January, of course, with the passing of David Bowie, followed by a trail of other notable singers, actors and illuminati (Prince, Leonard Cohen, Alan Rickman, Muhammad Ali, to name just a few) also shuffling off this mortal coil as the year progressed.

But life goes on... and in Cardiff, it’s been another year to remember for other reasons. In March, we announced the launch of Festival Of Voice, Cardiff’s major new international music and arts festival.

The event itself, which took place in June, turned out even better than we expected, with magical performances from the likes of John Cale, Rufus Wainwright, John Grant and others.

And our incredible Wales footballers wowed everyone with their swashbuckling performances at Euro 2016 – that amazing goal by Hal RobsonKanu against Belgium will live long in the memory – before eventually going out in the semi-finals to eventual winners Portugal.

It was also Roald Dahl’s centenary year, and Cardiff went big on the celebrations with its weekend-long City Of The Unexpected in September, an extraordinary spectacle and tribute to the cherished and much-missed Llandaff-born storyteller, with eye-popping visuals, madcap events, all manner of magic and much mischief.

Other events of note included Made By Hand, Wales’ largest modern craft fair, which took place at City Hall in October; leading international contemporary art prize Artes Mundi, still going on at the National Museum and Chapter until February 2017; Cardiff Contemporary, the city’s biennial festival of visual culture in October and November; not to mention the countless big name touring comedy and music acts who performed on the city’s stages throughout the year.

And 2017? Well, it’s sure to be another belter for Cardiff, certainly in entertainment terms – see last issue’s Spotlight for some of our key picks. Still want more? Then make sure you don’t miss our next issue (out 20 January) for a preview of the must-see arts events coming your way... www.mediaclash.co.uk I CARDIFF LIFE I 9

C A R D I F F: I T S L I F E A N D T I M E S

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10 I CARDIFF LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

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A MAN’S WORLD

2016 WILL BE REMEMBERED AS THE YEAR OF THE UNDERDOG

RHYS WILLIAMS Ou r ma n at Ca rdif f Blues

GREAT EXPECTATIONS...

So, another year dawns, but what will 2017 bring? If 2016 is anything to go by, we should expect the unexpected, says Rhys

I

t’s that time of year, when we are recovering from the overindulgence of Christmas and the mammoth hangover of New Year’s Eve, and setting our targets for the year ahead. That said, I don’t usually get hangovers. I struggle to have sympathy with friends who have ‘the worst hangover ever’ as I honestly don’t know what it feels like. I believe I’m blessed with a gift, but people always fire the same response at me: “But do you drink enough?”. Having spent 12 years playing rugby, I can categorically say that I do – it is undoubtedly my superpower!

Anyway, back to the New Year… I’m sure many of us have either set New Year’s resolutions or overheard others talking

about theirs, and I’m no different. Last year, I promised myself I would take up yoga. I still like to keep myself fit but I found the only thing I was doing was going to the gym and lifting weights, with the occasional bike ride. As an ex-professional sportsman, you’d think I’d be well-rehearsed in the principles of fitness, but I don’t warm up, stretch or cool off – time is at a premium! It’s silly, really – given my history with rugby injuries, it would

be the perfect holistic exercise to improve my almost non-existent flexibility and look after my joints.

I’ve said I would give up chocolate a number of times, but I’ve only ever lasted to February – and that was while cheating with hot chocolate. In writing this, we put the ‘resolutions’ question out to the Cardiff Blues office, and there were all the usual responses: drink less, eat healthier, exercise more, be on time and stop smoking. The best was a colleague who spent the best part of £1,000 on a computer program to learn French in six months. Safe to say he went well for a month, committing an impressive hour a day, before the fad fizzled out.

I looked it up and according to Forbes, only eight per cent of people stick to their New Year’s resolutions. Does that mean 82 per cent of us are wasting our time, or is it just a good way to mentally prepare for the New Year?

2016 for me will always be remembered as the year of the underdog, with Trump, Brexit, Leicester City winning the Premier League, Connacht the Guinness PRO12 and Wales’ performances at the Euros all upsetting the odds. Surely there is hope in the year ahead for Wales in the Six Nations (tongue in cheek!), Cardiff Blues in the Guinness PRO12 and the Lions touring New Zealand.

So, in 2017 I will be as flexible as possible to the unexpected events life throws at us.

Anyway, must dash – I’ve got an appointment with a bit of bikram yoga...

Rhys Williams is an ex-Wales and Cardiff Blues rugby star, now commercial director at the club.

For more, see cardiffblues.com

www.mediaclash.co.uk I CARDIFF LIFE I 15

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Fantastic

50

PEOPLE POWER

The 50 influencers helping to shape a brighter Cardiff...

By V E L I M I R I L IC , K AT I E K I SSOON a nd GLY N MC K AY www.mediaclash.co.uk I CARDIFF LIFE I 19

PEOPLE POWER

A

thriving, evolving metropolis, and one of the UK’s fastest-growing cities, Cardiff is an exciting place to be right now. But just what is it that makes it great? What makes it an inspiring and productive place to work, study, be creative or start a business?

We’ve tried to answer this with our first Cardiff Life Fantastic 50, our pick of the 50 people – either born in Cardiff, or current residents – who, in their different ways, are innovating, helping to propel the city forwards, making it a more vibrant, diverse, open and connected place to be. In the pages that follow, you’ll find entrepreneurs, designers, restaurateurs, writers, musicians, visionaries, risk-takers, celebrity role models, and more.

Obviously, we know this list is very much subjective – a snapshot or starting point for wider debate, if you like – and is by no means definitive. There are sure to be key people we haven’t included, but we know you’ll take to Twitter to tell us, right? Who do you think should be in our Fantastic 50?

Anyway, let’s crack on – in no particular order, here we go...

FOOD

MELISSA BOOTHMAN & JOLENE MAKEIN Owners, Penylan Pantry

Gwyn Myring), Furlong has her fingers in many other pies. She’s also director (for Wales) of the Learning and Work Institute, a trustee at Chapter arts centre, and has just been appointed as chief executive for gender equality charity Chwarae Teg.

For more: onemilebakery.com

OWEN & TOM MORGAN Owners, Bar 44

For more: @cerysfurlong

SHAUNA GUINN & SAM EVANS Hang Fire Southern Kitchen

Not content with running their popular, Cardiff Life Awardwinning Penylan café and deli (promoting local produce, of course), the girls have also branched out with an exciting new food pop-up concept, Meal Squared, the most recent of which saw them collaborate with Michelin-starred chef James Sommerin, Waterloo Tea, The Dead Canary and Spillers Records. Check out their new cheese stall, selling one of the largest selections of British cheese around, at Cardiff’s indoor market.

For more: penylanpantry.com

CERYS FURLONG Co-owner, The Potted Pig/ Porro

As well as her stake in key Cardiff restaurants The Potted Pig and Porro (honourable mentions should also go to her fellow co-owners, husband Tom Furlong and brother-in-law

The Fat Of The Land album), Jenkins is a man with a mission. As well as setting up KIN+ILK, his mini-chain of cool independent Cardiff cafés, he still makes time to run a multidisciplinary creative studio and operate as a fully-fledged photographer. More power to his elbow.

No-one does American Deep South-style food quite like Hang Fire, and their reputation has steadily soared over the last few years. Having opened their first permanent restaurant in Barry last year, Guinn and Evans have also won a BBC Radio 4 Food & Farming Award (for best street food), published their debut cookbook, and even appeared on Cerys Matthews’ BBC 6 Music radio show.

For more: hangfiresouthernkitchen.com

ALEX JENKINS Co-owner, KIN+ILK

Formerly art director for cool London record label XL Recordings (he created the iconic sleeve for The Prodigy’s

20 I CARDIFF LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

one-mile radius of her kitchen in Cardiff, and to teach inspirational baking classes in her own kitchen – journalist Elisabeth Mahoney has seen her business soar. Now she’s expanding the concept across the UK, starting with a new branch in Rhiwbina this month (run by pro rugby player turned baker Nick Mcleod), and another to follow in Cirencester in February.

For more: kinandilk.com, designedforlife.co

ELISABETH MAHONEY Founder, One Mile Bakery

Since founding OMB in 2012 – to deliver handmade bread, soups and preserves within a

Reflecting their unbridled passion for all things Spanish, brothers Owen (pictured) and Tom Morgan are the founders of tapas restaurants Bar 44. Serving modern authentic Spanish food and drink, and specialising in a wide range of tapas and sherry, they have branches in Cardiff, Penarth and Cowbridge – and a stack of awards, to boot. Always on the lookout for new culinary adventures, their new restaurant venture, Asador 44, opens in Cardiff next year (see Food News on page 61 for more).

For more: bar44.co.uk, asador44.co.uk

TOM WATTS-JONES Owner/chef, Hare & Hounds

Having worked with acclaimed Welsh chef Bryn Williams, and at Fergus Henderson’s Michelin-starred St John in London, WattsJones – the prodigal son – returned to his old stomping ground just over a year ago, and this Aberthin ale and food house is going great guns. The dishes are, as you’d expect, top-notch – particularly the nine-course tasting menu, a seasonal reflection of the best local produce from the Vale, the pub’s smallholding and its kitchen garden.

For more: hareandhoundsaberthin.com

PEOPLE POWER JON SAUNDERS Owner, The Dead Canary

and influential businessmen.

Owner of (and investor in) a string of upmarket bars, clubs and restaurants in the city, he’s always on the lookout for the next project. We’ll keep you posted…

For more: chameleongroupcardiff.com

CHRISTIAN AMODEO

LYNDON WOOD Entrepreneur/mentor

Philanthropist, investor, author, television presenter... Wood has turned his hand to a lot of things. One of the UK’s most successful and dynamic entrepreneurs, and a worldclass mentor, he’s worked across a plethora of industries, and has created a net worth in the tens of millions (it’s still growing!), with all manner of start-ups and intermediate/advanced businesses in his portfolio.

For more: lyndonwoodventures.com

Founder, I Loves The ’Diff

The man behind one of Cardiff’s most stylish, go-to bars of recent years. The concept of The Dead Canary – a mysterious, speakeasy-style venue where you have to knock to get in – is spot-on; with its shabby chic decor and some of the best cocktails in the city, Saunders and team have really shaken up the city’s social scene.

For more: thedeadcanary.co.uk

JAMES SOMMERIN Restaurateur

Having previously won a Michelin star as head chef at The Crown At Whitebrook in Monmouth, Sommerin is now succeeding once again under his own steam. Following a slew of other awards, including AA Restaurant Of The Year for Wales, and being listed in the 2017 edition of the prestigious Good Food Guide, his destination restaurant in Penarth, serving innovative fine dining, has recently gained its first Michelin star. Once again, it seems, the world is his oyster.

For more: jamessommerinrestaurant.co.uk

The driving force behind the cult Cardiff brand, Amodeo has steered ILTD into an awardwinning venture (we’ll be using that phrase a lot during this feature – tells you something, right?), celebrating all that is good about the city and Wales in its own unique, quirky and humorous way, via clothing, mugs (emblazoned with Welshified titles such as ‘When Barry Met Sully’, or ‘Apocalypse Now In A Minute’), cards and posters. Such a lustrous head of hair, too.

For more: ilovesthediff.com

DEBRA BARBER

JAHAN ABEDI

For more: ignite.wales, copiermate.co.uk

AIMEE BATEMAN Founder/CEO, Careercake

As the airport’s MD, Barber has certainly earn her stripes, having overseen a significant growth in passenger numbers, a new airline base, new services and improvements to the terminal and airfield operations. Her key moment was probably welcoming 17 heads of state to Wales for the NATO Summit back in 2014, putting Cardiff Airport on the world stage.

ED BARNETT

Entrepreneur

MD, Copier Mate

Property mogul (and previously one of the stars of Channel 4 series The Secret Millionaire), Iranian-born Abedi is one of Cardiff’s most high-profile

As well as his successful core business, supplying photocopiers and cartridges, Barnett has been head of operations for Ignite Cardiff along with Steve Dimmick (see

STEVE DIMMICK Founder, Doopoll

One of the organisers of Ignite Cardiff alongside Ed Barnett (see earlier entry), Dimmick is another one with many strings to his bow: he’s the co-founder of Doopoll, a platform for engaging people that traditional opinion tools can’t reach (and winner of the Sir Michael Moritz Tech Start-Up of the Year Award), and MD of Dimmick’s Recruitment.

Not quite sure when he finds time to sleep...

For more: doopoll.co, @thedimmick

MD, Cardiff Airport

For more: cardiff-airport.com

VISIONARIES

right) since 2012. Ignite has become something of a local phenomenon – featuring a host of speakers sharing their personal and professional passions to an appreciative audience, it’s a special thing to be part of. And Ignite Cardiff Deluxe (8 March, Wales Millennium Centre), featuring 12 five-minute talks from members of the public on anything and everything, promises to be one of 2017’s brightest speaking events.

PABLO JANCZUR Director, Orchard Entertainment

Corporate recruiter turned careers champion, Bateman started careers website Careercake in 2011. A dedicated e-learning platform to help people maximise their chances of employment or promotion, and to accelerate their career development, it’s an inspiring resource, while Bateman herself is now a successful speaker, business ambassador and recognised employment expert.

The music promotion arm of Cardiff-based Orchard Media and Events Group, Orchard Entertainment recently scooped the Regional Promoter Of The Year Award at the National UK Live Music Industry Awards for the second time. This year alone, it has staged world-class acts such as Lionel Richie, Noel Gallagher, Madness, Jools Holland and Ocean Colour Scene, and the company is also investing in new £1m premises w

For more: careercake.com

www.mediaclash.co.uk I CARDIFF LIFE I 21

dream. design. live

PEOPLE POWER

HELIA PHOENIX Writer

Not only a great writer, but a music journalist (and author of Lady Gaga’s biography, Just Dance), DJ, photographer, blogger, film-maker and media manager at Visit Wales. Phoenix is also founder of the award-winning We Are Cardiff project and blog, detailing the city in all its colourful guises and variations.

For more: heliaphoenix.com

in the heart of Cardiff – all under Janczur’s leadership.

For more: orchardentertainment.co.uk

DAN TYTE & CAROLINE HOLMES Owners, Working Word PR

and build service. Co-founder and director Dorian Bowen just buzzes with ideas, drive and energy, as the gorgeous contemporary interior builds and projects on his website vividly demonstrate. “Modern living has changed the way we use space,” he says. “Forget thinking outside the box – there is no box.”

For more: projectone.design

DANNY HARGREAVES Co-founder, Real SFX

Having recently acquired independent PR agency Working Word from founder Eoghan Mortell, client, service and revenue growth is high on the agenda for Tyte and Holmes, who have become MD and operations director respectively, with each having an equal stake in the company.

Both joined the agency in 2007 and have been central to its evolution over the past five years, so it’ll be interesting to see where it goes from here.

For more: workingword.co.uk

CREATIVE DORIAN BOWEN

Owner, Project One

Describing themselves as ‘creators of lifestyle spaces’, Penarth-based Project One is an award-winning (16 awards in two years!) interior architecture/design

The rise of Cardiffbased special effects company Real SFX is one of the city’s real success stories.

Providing pyrotechnics, atmospherics and other such effects for Doctor Who, Sherlock, Peaky Blinders and more, they’ve won a host of awards, including BAFTAs and, more recently, an Emmy for their work on Sherlock, which they won alongside Cardiff and London-based visual effects company Milk VFX (whose CEO Will Cohen also deserves a big mention here). Co-founder Hargreaves, along with his wife, Real SFX director Carmela Carrubba, is living every Whovian’s wildest dream – after all, what could be cooler than blowing up Daleks?

For more: realsfx.com

MATT JONES Owner/CEO, S3 Advertising

Under Jones’ guidance, S3 has developed into a national, full-service advertising agency over the last five years, rapidly expanding from a three person start-up to an industry-leading organisation of 30. Keen to mentor the next generation, Jones recently established the S3 Academy, providing a creative home to undergraduates.

at Cardiff University, Pepper aims to inspire, encourage and support working relationships across the city via a flurry of events, including networking, partnership engagement, knowledge exchange and more.

For more: creativecardiff.org.uk

TIM RICE Interior designer

For more: s3advertising.agency

OWEN MATHIAS Photographer

Describing himself as ‘more punk than pomp’, Mathias isn’t your run-of-the-mill photographer.

Just like great American wedding photographers such as Morgan Lynn, Amir Razi and Matt Miller, he makes sure not to miss the party and dancefloor moments that give a wedding its very soul. He also takes incredible food and corporate images, and is a regular snapper for this very magazine. We tip our hat to you, sir!

Focusing primarily on striking commercial interior design for restaurants, nightclubs, bars, salons and hotels, Rice and his team create bespoke, cutting edge environments with a cool retro and/or industrial edge. He’s worked on some key Cardiff businesses, including Ten Mill Lane, Uncommon Ground and, more recently, the revamped ffresh restaurant at Wales Millennium Centre.

For more: owenmathias.com

For more: timricedesign.com

SARA PEPPER

JAMES ROBINSON

Director of Creative Economy, Creative Cardiff

Founder/MD, Hello Starling

Having been at the helm of leading independent advertising agency, Hello Starling, for six years, Robinson is an inspiring presence, both as a switched-on businessman and as a leader.

He’s clearly doing something right – his media planning, buying and creative teams are among the best in the business.

For more: hellostarling.com w

An integral cog in Cardiff’s creative landscape, Creative Cardiff connects people in local creative organisations, businesses or jobs. Providing leadership and strategic direction for the creative economy project and team www.mediaclash.co.uk I CARDIFF LIFE I 23

PEOPLE POWER DAN SPAIN

GWENNO SAUNDERS

Founder, Rabble Studios

Singer/musician

Winner of last year’s Welsh Music Prize for her debut album, Y Dydd Olaf, a concept album (sung mostly in Welsh) of blissfully woozy synth-pop, based on Welsh writer Owain Owain’s 1976 sci-fi novel of the same name, in which world-conquering robots turn humans into clones. We eagerly await the follow-up…

For more: @gwennosaunders

PROPERTY

international network and unbounded creativity has positively shaped the WMC’s output and strategic direction.

Highlights include the inaugural Festival Of Voice music and arts festival; and, with National Theatre Wales, Cardiff’s epic, Roald Dahl-inspired weekend takeover, City Of The Unexpected.

Mentions should also go to Chapter director Andy Eagle and Sherman Theatre’s artistic director Rachel O’Riordan, amongst others.

For more: wmc.org.uk

DAVID LOOSEMORE

MARK JAMES

MD, Portabella

Artist

The graphic designer, illustrator and studio manager of co-working space Rabble Studio in Cardiff Bay has worked hard to bring together Cardiff’s creative and design community.

As well as building his own design portfolio, he was also the brains behind popular monthly design event Design Stuff Cardiff, hosting key talks about design and creativity.

For more: rabblestudio.co.uk, danspain.co.uk

CLARE STURGES Film-maker

Now the proud owner of two BAFTA Cymru Awards (the most recent for her poignant film about respected artist Osi Rhys Osmond during the last weeks of his life), Sturges is a film-maker (and creative director of Brightest Films) who makes beautiful, thought-provoking documentaries that challenge us to think differently about the world we live in. She’s a qualified marketer and experienced writer, too – talk about multi-talented!

For more: wearebrightest.com

Working with private clients and commercial partners, multi-award-winning property company Portabella is changing Cardiff’s landscape, converting dormant buildings and rejuvenating interiors into desirable living spaces. Its latest design-led development, Arbor Vale in Dinas Powys, redefines living for the over-50s, with contemporary two, three and four-bedroom homes in a leafy setting. Loosemore is also co-founder of annual charity event Chefs’ Night Out, raising money for Welsh children’s hospice Ty Hafan (see Food News on page 61).

For more: portabella.co.uk

ARTS

CHARLOTTE CHURCH Singer

Politically outspoken, occasional indie rock chick, former child star and chat show host Church has become the queen of reinvention. These days, the Cardiff-born singer is even carving out a bit of a niche with her Late Night Pop Dungeon sets, gracing festival

24 I CARDIFF LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

stages with tasteful cover versions of tunes by the likes of Bowie, Sugababes, Super Furry Animals, Joy Division and Nine Inch Nails. Who knew?

For more: @charlottechurch

BETHAN ELFYN Radio presenter

Bethan Elfyn certainly knows her stuff. After 11 years or so at BBC Radio 1, shining a light on new Welsh music, she’s become a bit of an institution at BBC Radio Wales, where she fronts her own show, continuing to showcase all manner of Welsh music with live sessions, interviews and a mix of classic rock, bold new tunes, indie anthems and new acts – much like her old mucker Huw Stephens (see over).

For more: @BethanElfyn

GRAEME FARROW Artistic Director, Wales Millennium Centre

Appointed Artistic Director of WMC in 2014, Farrow’s vast experience,

The Cardiff-born artist and graphic designer’s work includes art, photography, creative direction, illustration, product design, sculpture, film and print, amongst other things, and he’s designed album sleeves for the likes of Super Furry Animals (Gruff Rhys describes him as an “ace auteur”), Underworld’s Karl Hyde and others. He’s rarely without work: after putting together an art installation for the recent Cardiff Contemporary festival of contemporary visual culture, he’s currently directing and producing various music videos.

For more: markjamesworks.com

KAREN MACKINNON Director & curator, Artes Mundi

Best-known for its biennial international exhibition and prize which takes place in Cardiff, Artes Mundi is Wales’ biggest and most exciting contemporary visual art show, bringing together some of the world’s most exciting and groundbreaking contemporary w

PEOPLE POWER artists. Under MacKinnon’s watch, Artes Mundi has flourished, with a world-class programme of performance, music, site-specific installations, film, lectures and seminars.

visionary theatre, winning a stack of awards along the way (including Fringe Theatre Of The Year at the 2016 Stage Awards), it’s definitely a company going places under co-founder/artistic director Wasserberg’s canny stewardship.

For more: artesmundi.org

HOLLY MÜLLER

For more: otherroomtheatre.com

Writer

STYLE

NATHAN PALMER

Müller’s debut historical novel, My Own Dear Brother – described by renowned fellow novelist Esther Freud as “a powerful and absorbing work that pulls you deep into the troubled war years of its young heroine” – announced her in no uncertain terms as a powerful new literary voice. If that wasn’t enough, she’s also the singer with cool, melancholic, post-folk Cardiff band Hail! The Planes.

For more: hollymuller.com

HANNAH RAYBOULD Director, BAFTA Cymru

Having worked in creative media and training and education in Wales for 20 years, Raybould has brought considerable expertise to her role at BAFTA Cymru.

Leading on delivering BAFTA Cymru activity, she oversees the team delivering key events, including the flagship annual British Academy Cymru Awards ceremony, celebrating the very best Welsh talent in the film, television and video game industries.

the zeitgeist, with a steady flow of SFA/solo albums and cool collaborations. He’ll be performing his Set Fire To The Stars soundtrack (winner of the 2015 BAFTA Cymru award for Original Music) on 28 January at Cardiff’s New Theatre.

For more: gruffrhys.com

ALUN SAUNDERS Playwright/Co-founder, Neontopia

Co-founder of theatre company Neontopia alongside Mared Swain, Saunders is one of Cardiff’s go-to writers.

Fully bilingual, Neontopia is about “making dynamic theatre with exciting stories and fascinating, complicated characters”, as Saunders’ signature drama, A Good Clean Heart – about two brothers reunited – so dynamically attests. Fellow writer/ace dramaturg Dafydd James, who co-wrote the script and lyrics for recent Road Dahl tribute, Wonderman, with local theatre company Gagglebabble, deserves a tip of the hat, too – we’re lucky to have them.

For more: bafta.org/wales

For more: neontopia.co.uk, @Dafydd__James

GRUFF RHYS

HUW STEPHENS

Singer/musician

BBC Radio 1 DJ

The prolific Super Furry Animals singer, composer and film-maker continues to define

Alongside John Rostron, Stephens is the co-founder of Cardiff’s acclaimed Swn music

26 I CARDIFF LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

festival and the annual Welsh Music Prize. With so many fantastic albums being released in Wales right now, embracing a whole host of genres, Stephens is key to championing new, exciting Welsh music in all its multi-genre glory, something he also does on his influential late night Radio 1 show.

Fashion designer

For more: @huwstephens, welshmusicprize.com, swnfest.com

ASHLI TODD Co-owner, Spillers Records

Cardiff’s proudly independent and much-revered record shop, established in 1894, sells amazing and eclectic sounds of all genres, from mainstream to leftfield and beyond. Alongside her sister, Grace, Todd has steered Cardiff’s iconic record shop to new heights on the back of the vinyl resurgence – you’d be hard-pushed to find anyone more passionate about music.

Born in Cardiff, the men’s fashion designer now lives and works in Penarth. A tailoring perfectionist, he’s well-versed in the art of making a good, well-cut, made-to-measure or bespoke suit from quality fabrics. High-profile clients include presenters Matt Johnson and Jason Mohammad, former Wales rugby star Lee Byrne and rapper Tinie Tempah, amongst others.

For more: nathanpalmer.co.uk

For more: spillersrecords.co.uk

KATE WASSERBERG Co-founder, The Other Room

Founded in 2014, contemporary pub theatre company The Other Room – based in an intimate, purpose-built space at Porter’s lively bar in Cardiff – consistently punches above its weight, producing contemporary plays and new work by Welsh and Wales-based artists. Having established a reputation for daring and

KEN PICTON Owner, Ken Picton Salon

Going strong for over 25 years, Ken Picton’s luxury Cardiff Bay hair and beauty salon has become something of a local institution. Having won virtually every hairdressing award going, he has a reputation and

PEOPLE POWER VIP clients to match. Often called upon to give styling tips to national glossies and lead prestige industry seminars, what the man himself doesn’t know about the art of hairdressing really isn’t worth knowing.

JASON MOHAMMAD TV/radio presenter

One of the BBC’s go-to sports presenters, popular Cardiff boy Mohammad is most definitely on the up, especially after being such a popular anchorman at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

As well as his long-standing morning show on BBC Radio Wales, he presents the BBC’s flagship Saturday sports results programme, Final Score, and occasionally stands in for Mark Chapman on Match Of The Day 2. A future fully-fledged MOTD presenter, perhaps?

For more: kenpicton.com

SPORT

GARETH BALE Wales international footballer

For more: @jasonmohammad

Champions League final being played in Cardiff in 2017, there’s the delicious prospect of the prodigal son playing in a major final in his home town.

For more: @GarethBale11

SAM WARBURTON Rugby legend

The Whitchurch-born player is an inspiration to aspiring young footballers everywhere.

Now one of the best players in the world, not only has he won the Champions League with Real Madrid, but he was one of the stars of that incredible Wales team that shone so brightly at Euro 2016. With the

Cardiff Blues and Wales talisman Sam Warburton is one of the most iconic names in Welsh and world rugby. Named

by Warren Gatland as captain for the Lions tour to Australia in 2013, he became the first Welsh Lions captain since Phil Bennett in 1977, and at 28, there’s plenty of life in the legs yet.

For more: cardiffblues.com, @samwarburton_

BUBBLING UNDER There are so many others we could have included, of course – here’s a quick name-check of some of the ones we didn’t have space to mention fully...

Actor/writer Matthew Bulgo, food blogger Ed Gilbert (Gourmet Gorro), Andrea Callanan (inspireMe founder/ mentor), chef Angela Gray, Kasim Ali (owner, Waterloo Tea), Anand George (Purple Poppadom), Andy Aston (The Longhouse), Dale Williams (Yolk Recruitment), Olwen Moseley (Dean, Cardiff School of Art), Mike Jordan & Tom Lloyd (web/brand design agency Bluegg), Matt The Hat (Something Creatives), Tim Rhys-Evans (Only Men Aloud), Hugh Morris (Glamorgan Cricket), James Dean Bradfield – we could go on and on...

ALL-ROUND INSPIRATION JAMIE BAULCH

Olympic legend, businessman, corporate speaker

One of the big personalities of the British athletics team back in the day, Baulch is still a larger-than-life personality who now gets involved in PR and

marketing, radio and television, charity work, and is an in-demand corporate speaker.

He’s back in the public eye after his recent TV documentaries – documenting the search for his birth mother and father – struck an emotional chord with viewers.

For more: @jamiebaulch

www.mediaclash.co.uk I CARDIFF LIFE I 27

Quietude Giles Barwick Mixed media on canvas

Lonely Oak above Talgarth Mark Zytnski

Old Severn Bridge Louise Collis oil on board

Nina Simone Dominic Castree oil on Board

Limited edition giclee print

DONT MISS OUR JANUARY SALE (UP TO 30% OFF CERTAIN ITEMS)

The Old Probate Registry, Cardiff Rd, Llandaff, Cardiff CF5 2DQ. T : 029 20554469 E : art@galleryoffthewall.com. Open Tuesday–Friday 9.30-5.30 Sat 10.00-4.00 www.galleryoffthewall.com

Personal trainer Sam O’Sullivan at SOS Athletic Excellence puts a client through her paces

QUIRK YOUR BODY Need to shed that Christmas flab? It’s time to put the fun (and a bit of effort) back into getting fit, says KATIE KISSOON

32 I CARDIFF LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

FITNESS

your inner ninja by figuring out the fastest route from A to B using running, climbing, swinging, vaulting and rolling moves. Guaranteed to work off all that Christmas excess...

Ty Glas Avenue, Llanishen; goairtrampolinepark.co.uk

HOT YOGA

Launched by Liz and Aaron Cousins in January 2016, Hotpod Yoga has become a real hit in Cardiff. Sessions take place in a low-lit, 20-person inflatable studio, heated to 37 degrees and scented with essential aromatherapy oils; there’s a moodenhancing, almost otherworldly purple glow, with mellow background beats to add a bit of edge. Available seven days a week, the unique, immersive classes are designed to make you stronger, more flexible and relaxed. As Liz puts it, it’s yoga for “real life and real people”.

Cardiff Central Sports & Community Centre, Beignon Close, Cardiff; hotpodyoga.com

NATIONAL DANCE COMPANY WALES

Making a splash at Cardiff International White Water

THRILL JUNKIES WILL LOVE THE HIGH

ADRENALINE WATERSPORTS AT CARDIFF INTERNATIONAL WHITE

WATER

S

o, that’s Christmas over for another year. You’ve probably spent the festive break slobbing in front of the telly, munching crisps and downing booze and mince pies like they’re going out of fashion (not that we’re judging – much) and now you feel bloatier than a bloaty thing. You might even be thinking about joining a gym.

But if you really want to shake up your fitness regime (or even start one), there are much more enjoyable ways to tone up than hitting the treadmill or lifting boring weights. It’s time to get off that sofa and put the fun, fun, fun back into getting fit...

The more nimble-footed amongst you might like to try evening classes at Cardiff’s awardwinning contemporary dance company. Classes offered include yoga, adult beginners’ ballet/ contemporary dance, and yoga dance, which starts with yoga flow exercises before gradually integrating modern dance, culminating in offthe-mat ‘yogic choreography’. Nope, we don’t know what that means either, but we’re sure it um, does you good...

Dance House, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff; ndcwales.co.uk w

Hang time: Learn circus skills at NoFit State

CARDIFF INTERNATIONAL WHITE WATER

Thrill junkies of all ages will love the high adrenaline watersports at Cardiff International White Water, located in the heart of the city’s International Sports Village. There’s white water rafting, stand-up paddleboarding, indoor surfing or a spot of the rather rude-sounding hot dogging – a white water challenge in a two-person inflatable kayak. Rude or not, it’s definitely not one for the faint-hearted.

Watkiss Way, Cardiff Bay; ciww.com

GO AIR

This innovative, all-weather, family-friendly trampolining arena has so much going on, from open jumping on over 150 interconnected trampolines and bounce dodgeball, to basketball and energetic creative parkour classes – unleash www.mediaclash.co.uk I CARDIFF LIFE I 33

FITNESS

Jump up, jump up and get down: bouncy fun at Go Air

NO FIT STATE

As well as its critically acclaimed travelling shows, the Cardiff-based contemporary circus company also offers a broad range of circus skills-based exercise classes for all ages and abilities, including juggling, acrobatics, tightwire, unicycle and more.

There are regular adult classes, too, which include aerial fitness, ropes and flying trapeze. The Cyr Wheel looks cool – like a fun, human version of the hamster wheel...

Cardiff Sports & Community Centre, Beignon Close, Cardiff; nofitstate.org

SOS ATHLETIC EXCELLENCE

You could, of course, resort to a good personal trainer, and these guys do things a little differently (yes, it might involve some gym work – we lied a tiny bit about the fun – but it’ll be worth it if those super-toned bods on their website are anything to go by). As well as their crack team of personal trainers, they also offer elite coaching packages (including sessions with founder/head trainer Sam O’Sullivan), weekly bootcamps for all abilities, fat loss plans, and BioPrint, a scientific breakthrough which changes body composition through spot-reduction of fat. Sounds great, we promise to start next week – right after we’ve finished off that box of leftover mince pies...

Lakeview Business Park, Lamby Way, Cardiff; sospersonaltraining.com 34 I CARDIFF LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Hot yoga: “Does my bum look big in this?”

The latest slimming vacuum therapy Extreme fat burning Reduction of cellulite and stretch marks Smooth and firm body Lose excess weight Improve well-being and increase vitality

25% OFF when you mention this advert!

The Globe Centre, Wellfield Road, Cardiff CF24 3PE - www.vacuweightloss.co.uk - 07450 808013

The Whites Dental Centre Assisting your dental needs.

Dr Pamela White BDS GDC 52754 Dr Matthew White BDS GDC 52753 Ian Seddon BDS GDC 64868 (Practice Limited to Dental Implants) The Whites Dental Centre in association with Seddon Dental Implant Practice Ltd. 3 Station Road Radyr, Cardi CF15 8AA

Tel 02920843658 info@white-smile.net www.white-smile.net

Limited to private practice.

H E A LT H & BEAUTY

All BELLE and GOOD Winter blues creeping in? Then take five and toddle along to awardwinning Cardiff salon Belle Toujours for a seasonal beauty fix

N

ow that the festive season is over, January calls for a little quality ‘me’ time – which means an indulgent visit to the hairdressers. I love that feeling of walking in dishevelled and stressed, and leaving with a spring in my step and a glossy bounce in my hair. So I head over to boutique hair and beauty salon Belle Toujours in Pontcanna.

It’s a Saturday afternoon when I visit and the place is a-buzz with ladies getting ready for a weekend night out. To my surprise, the attractive townhouse – handily located on Cathedral Road – offers a maze of treatment rooms across each floor. With a distinct Parisian boutique vibe (with monochrome striped wallpaper, plush velvet cushions and grand gilded baroque mirrors at each workstation), the hair salon and barber on the ground floor creates a super-chic first impression.

Upstairs, there are dedicated rooms for hand and nail treatments, pedicures, Elemis body massages, facials, waxing and tanning.

There’s even a resident make-up artist who will have you looking catwalk-ready in mere moments – a blessing for someone who once glued her eye shut trying to put false eyelashes on!

Let’s talk hair first; the four-step treatment (using Joico hair products) comprises of a clarifying shampoo 38 I CARDIFF LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

By SOPH I E R A E (This page) Sophie after hair treatment and blow-dry (Opposite, clockwise from main pic) Your pampering awaits; gel manicure, done!; Belle Toujours’ main salon

THERE’S EVEN A RESIDENT MAKE-UP ARTIST WHO WILL HAVE YOU LOOKING CATWALK-READY IN MERE MOMENTS

to cleanse, cuticle sealer to smooth, reconstructor to condition and hydrator to soften – 20 minutes of pure bliss. Salon director Simon Daniel obviously knows a thing or two about hair, so I’m in good hands for the next stage of my pampering session. He gives me the sort of effortless blow-dry that leaves me slightly in awe of my own mane. My hair, all shiny, bouncy and voluminous, leaves me doing a doubletake at my own reflection.

Then it’s up to the first floor for a seat opposite resident nail technician Keesha Reffell. The salon uses the original everlasting Bio Sculpture Gel for a manicure that stays put. Keesha explains that it’s a damage-free, nourishing and stubbornly chip-free treatment that lasts up to three weeks. A quick skin tone consultation and I decide on winter’s latest colour trend, mulberry, as my shade of choice, which Keesha then matches on my newly-filed toenails.

When life gives you a gentle nudge to remind you to take five, it’s worth paying attention. Thankfully, the team at Belle know how to make an hour of pampering feel like a week-long spa retreat, leaving you ready to face the carnage of the January sales. Right, then – manicured claws at the ready….

For prices, contact Belle Toujours, 113 Cathedral Road, Cardiff CF11 9PH; Tel: 02920 221608, belletoujours.co.uk

HAIR & BEAUTY

www.mediaclash.co.uk I CARDIFF LIFE I 39

Music/theatre/film/more

MILES AHEAD

Better known to parents of teenagers as Archie the inventor from Balamory, and to Radio 4 listeners as host of The News Quiz, Miles Jupp is also a seasoned stand-up with impeccable manners yet a surprisingly sharp edge at times. His current tour, the ironically-titled Songs Of Freedom – he confesses his problems are strictly of the ‘first-world’ variety – sees him tackle issues as diverse as hot tubs, WH Smith, touchscreens, Duchy Originals, and hipsters and their “cocktails in jars”.

Miles Jupp: Songs Of Freedom is at St David’s Hall on 24 January.

For more, see stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I CARDIFF LIFE I 43

30 December – 30 January

Ooh, we love a bit of Martha Wainwright; stand-up Tony Law takes part in a charity comedy evening at The Gate; theatre piece My Body Welsh explores national identity

Plays/Shows/ Performance U N TI L 1 4 JANUARY

MARY POPPINS The story of the world’s favourite nanny, brought to the stage with dazzling choreography, incredible effects and hummable songs.

Wales Millennium Centre; wmc.org.uk 10 -1 1 J ANUARY

(UN)COVERED Powerful solo dance piece performed by Zosia Dowmunt, exploring female identity.

Chapter; chapter.org 12 -1 4 J ANUARY

MY BODY WELSH Invertigo Theatre’s one-man theatre piece about the role shared stories play in creating our history and national identity.

Chapter; chapter.org

1 7 - 2 1 JA N UA R Y

SUNNY AFTERNOON Hit musical telling the story of The Kinks’ rise from life on a dead-end street to living the rock star dream of fame and fortune.

Wales Millennium Centre; wmc.org.uk 2 6 - 2 8 JA N UA R Y

A REGULAR LITTLE HOUDINI A dockworker’s son, smitten by Harry Houdini, comes face-toface with the world’s greatest showman in this enchanting, award-winning tale of hope, determination and magic.

Chapter; chapter.org 2 4 - 2 8 JA N UA R Y

THE MOOT VIRGINITY OF CATHERINE OF ARAGON Europe divides in two, and an act of teenage love could be the cause. Catherine of Aragon’s first wedding night with Henry VIII’s brother, Arthur – did they? Didn’t they? – comes

44 I CARDIFF LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

into question in this immersive, no-nonsense music-theatre first, reconsidering one of history’s misremembered women.

Sherman Theatre; shermantheatre.co.uk 28 J ANUAR Y-15 F EBR UAR Y

WELSH NATIONAL OPERA: LA BOHÈME WNO’s atmospheric take on Puccini’s popular romantic opera, a vivid portrait of bohemian life in Paris. Sung in Italian, with surtitles in English and Welsh.

Wales Millennium Centre; wmc.org.uk

Comedy 9 J ANUAR Y

JACK WHITEHALL More high-intensity silliness from the Bad Education, Fresh Meat and Backchat star.

St David’s Hall; stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk

13 J ANUARY

DRY HUMOUR Charity comedy evening in support of Alcohol Concern, with stand-ups Tony Law, Suzy Bennett and compère Rob Thomas.

The Gate; thegate.org.uk 24 J ANUARY

MILES JUPP See arts intro, page 43.

St David’s Hall; stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk 26 J ANUARY

STEPHEN K AMOS Return of the feelgood laughter-master.

St David’s Hall; stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk

Film UNTIL 29 J ANUARY

ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY

After the formation of the Galactic Empire, the resourceful Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) and the newlyformed Rebel Alliance try to steal the plans for the Death Star. Set between Revenge Of The Sith and A New Hope, this is a new look at a galaxy far, far away...

Chapter; chapter.org

Music

2 3 JA N UA RY

SLEEPER SOCIETY Experimental electronic music rooted in audio/visual work and sound art, curated by local composers Sam Barnes and Benjamin Talbott.

Chapter; chapter.org 2 4 JA N UA RY

SILHOUETTES & SHADOWS An evening of music and poetry, featuring The Gentle Good, Steve Andrews, Rebecca May, Zeuk and Frank Perie.

Chapter; chapter.org

KING CREOSOTE 60 or so albums in, the prolific Scottish singer/songwriter’s recent Astronaut Meets Appleman LP – ethereal, contemplative and mysterious – is arguably his career masterpiece.

Tramshed; tramshedcardiff.com

1 3 J ANUARY

2 6 JA N UA RY

7 JANUARY

GREAT BRITS The BBC National Orchestra of Wales celebrates the celebrated rebel composers of the post-war era, who embraced rock music and American influences on a symphonic scale. With music by David Sawer, Howard Skempton, Charlie Barber and Gavin Bryars.

Wales Millennium Centre; wmc.org.uk 1 7 J ANUARY

SPIRO Exhilarating and cinematic instrumental soundscapes from the acclaimed string quartet, a stirring maelstrom of folk, modern classical and acoustica.

St David’s Hall; stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk

MARTHA WAINWRIGHT Rufus’ little sister, no less... her immersive new album Goodnight City is a potent, uplifting melange of folk, rock, jazz, funk and synth-inflected pop.

Tramshed; tramshedcardiff.com 2 8 JA N UA RY

GRUFF RHYS The Super Furries man performs his beguiling soundtrack – all cocktail jazz and hazy Americana – to 2014 movie Set Fire To The Stars, detailing revered Welsh poet and author Dylan Thomas’ eventful 1950 trip to the US. New Theatre; newtheatrecardiff.co.uk

(Above, from top) Experimental electronic tinkerers Sleeper Society are at Chapter; and Welsh National Opera do Puccini’s popular opera, La Bohème

Exhibitions

UNTIL 2 6 F EB RUARY 2 0 1 7

O NG O ING

SONIC 25 New collection celebrating iconic videogame character Sonic the Hedgehog, reimagined by leading contemporary artists.

Castle Fine Art; castlegalleries.com

ARTES MUNDI 7 International contemporary art showcase and prize.

National Museum Cardiff & Chapter; artesmundi.org

19 J AN UARY- 1 1 F EB RUARY

DRAWINGS Featuring work by gallery artists.

Albany Gallery; albanygallery.com

UNTIL 31 J ANUAR Y

AFFORDABLE ART SHOW Annual exhibition featuring over 30 artists, with limited edition prints, original pen and ink drawings and oil paintings.

Cardiff MADE; @CardiffMADE

21 J AN UARY- 2 3 AP RI L

NATURE’S SONG Exhibition of traditional Chinese flower and bird paintings, spanning 600 years.

National Museum Cardiff; museumwales.ac.uk w

www.mediaclash.co.uk I CARDIFF LIFE I 45

ARTS

W H AT ’ S O N

Sport MO NDAY 2 J ANUAR Y

SATURDAY 2 1 J ANUARY

SATUR DAY 7 J ANUAR Y

SATURDAY 2 1 J ANUARY (T B C)

SATUR DAY 7 J ANUAR Y

SUN DAY 2 2 J ANUARY

SATUR DAY 14 J ANUAR Y

SATURDAY 2 8 J ANUARY

CARDIFF CITY v ASTON VILLA Sky Bet Championship, kick-off 3pm.

Cardiff City Stadium; cardiffcityfc.co.uk CARDIFF CITY v FULHAM Emirates FA Cup, kick-off 3pm.

Cardiff City Stadium; cardiffcityfc.co.uk

CARDIFF DEVILS v COVENTRY BLAZE League, face-off 7pm.

Ice Arena Wales; cardiffdevils.com

(From top) Videogame icon Sonic The Hedgehog is celebrated at Castle Galleries; Super Furries legend Gruff Rhys

Family

greatest battle yet.

Sherman Theatre; shermantheatre.co.uk

ONGOING

DOCTOR WHO EXPERIENCE Experience mind-blowing special effects, face up to Who baddies and fly the TARDIS through time and space.

Porth Teigr, Cardiff Bay; doctorwhoexperience.com

3 MA RCH

UNTI L 1 4 JANUARY

1 4 - 1 8 MA RCH

THE WONDERCRUMP WORLD OF ROALD DAHL A magical, interactive experience inspired by the extraordinary life and boundless imagination of the Llandaff-born storyteller. Wales Millennium Centre; wmc.org.uk

Book Now 2 -4 F E B RUARY

PINK MIST Owen Sheers’ vivid story of three young men deployed to Afghanistan, inspired by 30 interviews with returned servicemen. As the physical and psychological aftershocks of war take their toll on the loved ones they left behind, Arthur, Hads and Taff find their journey home is their

MEILYR JONES Critically acclaimed art-pop troubadour, winner of this year’s Welsh Music Prize for his debut solo album, 2013.

The Gate; thegate.org.uk THE RED SHOES Based on the film by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, and the Hans Christian Anderson fairytale, this dazzling adaptation by go-to choreographer Matthew Bourne is set to a new score arranged

by Terry Davies, inspired by the mesmeric work of golden-age Hollywood composer, Bernard Herrmann (Psycho, Vertigo).

Wales Millennium Centre; wmc.org.uk 1 4 N OV E MBER

JOHN BISHOP: WINGING IT Liverpool’s comedy behemoth returns with his first live show for three years.

Motorpoint Arena; livenation.co.uk

46 I CARDIFF LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

CARDIFF DEVILS v BELFAST GIANTS League, face-off 7pm.

Ice Arena Wales; cardiffdevils.com

CARDIFF CITY v BURTON ALBION Sky Bet Championship, kick-off 3pm.

Cardiff City Stadium; cardiffcityfc.co.uk

CARDIFF BLUES v BRISTOL RUGBY European Rugby Challenge Cup, kick-off TBC. BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park; cardiffblues.com CARDIFF DEVILS v SHEFFIELD STEELERS League, face-off 6pm.

Ice Arena Wales; cardiffdevils.com CARDIFF DEVILS v NOTTINGHAM PANTHERS League, face-off 7pm.

Ice Arena Wales; cardiffdevils.com

WANT MORE?

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I’ll be sharing my picks of the coming week’s unmissable events, plus news, tips, special offers and other diverting little snippets and nuggets. And don’t worry, we promise not to share your data with any third parties – we’re just not like that!

So, if you’d like a friendly ‘hello’ from us in your inbox as the weekend beckons, then sign up here: mediaclash.co.uk/cln Cheers!

THEY SAID WHAT? A bit of end-of-year fun – our favourite answers from some of our favourite homegrown and visiting interviewees in 2016, arts and otherwise...

What should you be cutting down on?

“I just had 800 books turn up: the library of a now-deceased philosopher. I’ve nowhere to put them, so they’re piled high around my library and I just knocked a pile over. I should probably cut down on the bibliophilia.”

Derren Brown, February What makes Cardiff special?

“The rustle of blowing litter, the moan of wind in the wires, the roar of night taxis.”

Holly Müller, novelist, February Comedian Mark Thomas

What should you really be putting your back into?

“Sex. Haven’t been bothered for ages. Once I’ve sorted the garden, I’ll think about it.”

Mark Thomas, January

I know what I am, culturally: I’m the noisy one with all the expensive habits – all the clichés of a secular Jew, that’s me Jay Rayner, food critic, June

Do you miss partying?

“Absolutely not. You’d have to pay a lot of money to get me into a nightclub, sniffing and snorting and dragging some trollop home with me. Yuck. I like to keep myself nice these days.”

Julian Clary, March

Beauty journalist Sali Hughes

Punk icon John Lydon

Illusionist and master of psych Derren Brown

50 I CARDIFF LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

What does the future hold for you?

“If I could make 100 years in music, that’d be an achievement.

Can you imagine the party? The poor DJ! There’d be a lot of naughty things going on, hee, hee...”

John Lydon, punk icon/agitator, April

Female hobbies define you. If you have any interest in surface, you have no depth. That would never be said of a man Beauty writer Sali Hughes, November

PEOPLE

Most embarrassing moment?

“I tripped over a camera cable and fell on top of Natalie Portman. She was sat down having a drink, and I went full-on starfish on her. She was fine about it, but her PA was furious.”

Danny Hargreaves, Real SFX founder, April Who are your vocal touchstones?

“Shirley Bassey is just something else. The level of performance she was able to achieve and sustain over such a long period, well… she’s just one of the greats.”

John Grant, singer, May

ARTS

Being invisible is a superpower. I would much rather be able to go about my business without some idiot loudly rating me on his shagability chart Writer/journalist Miranda Sawyer

As a pub theatre company, what defines you?

“We try and create or curate work at the darker edge of things – to give our audiences a contained, punchy evening of something beautiful and intense.”

Kate Wasserberg, founder/artistic director, The Other Room, September

Miranda Sawyer, October

“Gareth, mate, your man bun’s fallen out...” Wales international footballer David Cotterill

John Grant, troubadour du jour

Dream dinner party guests?

“I’d like to get David Cameron, Boris Johnson, George Osborne and Nigel Farage around a table.

They’d never leave.”

Mark James, artist, September

What was your personal highlight of Euro 2016?

“We exposed our amazing country to a worldwide audience, some of which didn’t even know we existed before.”

David Cotterill, Wales international footballer, October

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FILM

FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, A WELSH LANGUAGE THEATRE COMPANY WILL BROADCAST A PRODUCTION LIVE INTO CINEMAS AROUND THE COUNTRY

The Tempest, presented by the Royal Shakespeare Company

Ruth Wilson stars in Hedda Gabler

Shakespeare’s Macbeth will be beamed live from Caerphilly Castle

The PLAY’S the THING This month at Chapter, it’s all about must-see stage productions in London and Stratford – beamed live, straight to the big screen

By JA M I E R E E S

C

hapter is as renowned for its diverse film programme as it is for its live performances.

Over the next few months, these two artforms will combine to bring some of the finest stage performances from Wales and the West End to the big screen.

The phenomenon that has become live cinematic broadcasts of stage productions has pretty much been the sole preserve of the world’s largest opera houses and theatre companies – indeed the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre will beam many of their plays live into Chapter’s cinema spaces in 2017. But it’s the live screening of Wales’ Welsh language National Theatre Company, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru, that promises to light up the ‘Stage On Screen’ season in the New Year.

ARTS

For the first time ever, a Welsh language production will be broadcast live into cinemas around the country. And not just any old play, either – it’ll be Shakespeare’s Macbeth, beamed live from the pictureperfect surroundings of Caerphilly Castle.

With a cast that includes Richard Lynch (Pobol y Cwm, Hinterland) as Macbeth and Ffion Dafis (Byw Celwydd, Rownd a Rownd) as his merciless wife, Cardiff audiences have the option to see this live on stage in Caerphilly between 7-18 February, or live on the big screen on Valentine’s night at Chapter. Tickets for both performances are on sale now for what promises to be a stage and screen highlight of 2017.

Also happening as part of the ‘Stage on Screen’ season, the Royal Shakespeare Company will broadcast The Tempest on 11 January. Set on a remote island, sorcerer

Prospero plots to restore his daughter Miranda to her rightful place using illusion and skillful manipulation. Starring Shakespearean acting royalty Simon Russell Beale, it promises to be an epic whirlwind of a production.

And the National Theatre takes to the stage (and screen) on 15 January with an encore screening of No Man’s Land, starring Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart, but their hotly-anticipated production of Hedda Gabler, screening at Chapter on 16 February, is another must-see.

Ruth Wilson is incredible in the title role, playing a woman longing to be free, in Patrick Marber’s remarkable interpretation of Ibsen’s masterpiece. Hedda and her husband have just returned from their honeymoon and the relationship is already in trouble. Trapped but determined, she tries to control those around her, only to see her own world unravel spectacularly.

The National Theatre returns to Chapter’s big screen on 2 February with Amadeus, a play of music, power and jealousy. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, a rowdy young prodigy, arrives in Vienna, the music capital of the world – and he’s determined to make a splash. Awestruck by his genius, court composer Antonio Salieri has the power to nurture his talent or destroy his career before it’s even begun. Seized by obsessive jealousy, he begins a war with Mozart, with music, and ultimately, with God. After winning multiple Olivier and Tony Awards when it premiered at the National Theatre in 1979, Amadeus was adapted into an Academy Award-winning film. Peter Shaffer’s iconic play will be broadcast live from the National Theatre, with live orchestral accompaniment by Southbank Sinfonia.

Chapter, 40 Market Road, Canton, Cardiff; Tel: 02920 304400, chapter.org

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ad v er t i s i n g feat u re L AW

Meet the Family Lawyer Cardiff has hundreds of law firms, all offering conflicting statements and slightly different services – our handy guide helps you to find the right one for your family’s legal needs...

Sophie Hughes Watkins & Gunn Solicitors; Tel: 0300 1240400, watkinsandgunn.co.uk

What do you specialise in?

I specialise in financial settlements on relationship breakdown, whether that be as a result of divorce, dissolution of a civil partnership or an unmarried couple separating.

Often the cases are complex; involving significant property, assets, pensions and covering issues surrounding foreign jurisdiction, business valuations and taxation.

What does your role involve?

My role is to help clients at the most difficult time in their lives to achieve a financial settlement that will equip them and any children for their futures.

What’s the best bit of your job?

Each case is different.

Whilst sometimes court proceedings are inevitable, the best aspect of my job is finding creative solutions for the family as a whole.

What is your proudest acomplishment?

Aside from my own family, the proudest accomplishment has been nurturing the talent in the team at Watkins & Gunn, and developing it into one of the biggest in the region with dedicated and committed specialists (lawyers and support staff alike).

Benjamin delve

Danielle Shreeve

What does your role involve?

I specialise in family law, and advise clients on a range of contentious and non-contentious legal issues relating to their family life, particularly where there are financial aspects which need to be resolved.

What do you specialise in?

Family Law, with an emphasis on publicly funded work. I deal with public law proceedings, private children disputes, domestic abuse and divorce matters.

Berry Smith Lawyers Tel 02920 345511 berrysmith.com

What misconceptions do people have about family law?

Family lawyers are often viewed as a form of ‘after the event’ insurance for parties in a relationship breakdown.

Increasingly, I advise clients in property disputes where the acquisition of property rights is assumed (rather than seeking proper advice at the time of purchase of a property), and clients have suffered consequences down the line.

What’s the best bit of your job?

It’s extremely satisfying helping steer clients through the legal minefield of a relationship breakdown, giving them guidance and support in what is often the most traumatic and emotional period of their lives, and stressful for both the clients. The energy in these cases should be channelled into achieving a fair settlement.

Luke Dixon

Hutton’s Solicitors Tel 029 2037 8621 www.huttons-solicitors.co.uk

What does your role involve?

Managing my clients cases throughout, providing advice and assistance and I conduct advocacy at Court on behalf of my clients.

What is the best bit of your job?

I enjoy helping people when they are going through the most difficult times. I like to work with families to reach a practical solution to their family law issues.

What is your proudest accomplishment?

I was very proud to have obtained my Law Society Children Panel membership earlier this year. I am also very proud to be part of the team that recently won the Jordans Publishing Family Law firm of the year, Wales.

Martyn Prowel Solicitors Tel 02920 470909 martynprowel.co.uk What do you specialise in?

I deal with divorce, financial issues, and child issues resulting from relationship breakdowns. The department as a whole are able to assist in all areas of family law.

What does your role involve?

I usually deal with high net worth financial settlements, so I essentially I spend my days reading bank statements!

What’s the best bit of your job?

Seeing people (when they first arrive) at their most vulnerable and witnessing their progression over time. I love being able to help people through the experience, allowing them to achieve their independence and improve their confidence.

What is your proudest accomplishment?

I sit on the board of trustees for local charity Seren in the Community. It’s exciting to be part of a new Cardiff charity which supports a play centre through volunteers who are encouraged and supported to deliver activities to children. The centre allows children in deprived areas to thrive, learn and play.

www.mediaclash.co.uk I CARDIFF LIFE I 55

1

3

IT’S A FIX!

2

START THE NEW YEAR OFF RIGHT BY INDULGING IN THESE LUXURIOUS FRAGRANCES AND ELIXIRS 4

5

1. EYE, EYE

2. IN A SCENTS

3. ALL NIGHT LONG

4. SAVING FACE

5. COPPER FEEL

Shiseido Future Solution LX eye and lip contour regenerating cream, £120 (15ml) Eyes and lips, sorted From Central Pharmacy, 63-67 Wellfield Road, Roath; escentual.com

Oud & Bergamot Cologne Intense by Jo Malone, £105 (100ml) Just a dab, now From Jo Malone, St David’s Dewi Sant, Cardiff; jomalone.co.uk

This Works No Wrinkles Night Repair, £45 This little life-saver replenishes dehydrated skin and restores elasticity From Rossiters, 33 Royal Arcade, Cardiff; rossitersofbath.com

Kiehl’s MTV Staying Alive Ultra facial cream, £43.50 (125ml)

By Laura Mvula, no less From Kiehl’s, St David’s Dewi Sant, Cardiff; kiehls.co.uk

NIOD Copper Amino Isolate serum, £130 (15ml) A powerful anti-ageing serum that helps skin look and feel younger – where do we sign?

From Central Pharmacy, 63-67 Wellfield Road, Roath; escentual.com

58 I CARDIFF LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

ED’S CHOICE

SHOPPING

7 6

8

10

9

6. NOW, THAT’S MAGIC!

7. LIP SERVICE

8. OIL BE DAMNED

9. SAVED BY THE BELLA

10. HAIR TODAY...

Grown Alchemist body treatment oil, £25 (100ml) A sensuous body moisturiser that doubles up as an excellent massage oil – two in one!

From Central Pharmacy, 63-67 Wellfield Road, Roath; escentual.com

Jo Malone Vitamin E lip conditioner, £23 (15ml) A restorative, softening elixir for dry lips From Jo Malone, St David’s Dewi Sant, Cardiff; jomalone.co.uk

Kiehl’s Daily Reviving Concentrate, £49 (50ml) Stay pap-ready with this lightweight facial oil that keeps skin looking radiant all day From Kiehl’s, St David’s Dewi Sant, Cardiff; kiehls.co.uk

1970 eau de parfum by Bella Freud, £85 (50ml) A captivating scent that taps into the spirit and freedom of the 1970s.

Flares optional From John Lewis, St David’s Dewi Sant, Cardiff; johnlewis.com

Shu Uemura Silk Bloom restorative shampoo, £24 More of that fab Vit E, for damaged hair From Ken Picton, 8 Mermaid Quay, Cardiff; kenpicton.com

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FOOD & DRINK W H AT ’ S M A K I N G T H E G O U R M E T N E W S I N C A R D I F F

Diners at last year’s Chefs’ Night Out

CHEFS’ NIGHT OUT Celebrity chefs go à la carte for foodie fundraiser Organised by David Loosemore and Huw Edwards, Chefs’ Night Out will take place at St David’s Hotel in Cardiff Bay on 4 February 2017, in support of children’s hospice charity Ty Hafan. For one night only, each table will be treated to a delicious meal cooked by one of the chefs – the line-up includes Stephen Terry, Hywel Jones, Will Holland, Richard Davies and others – but the diners won’t know who is cooking for them or see their menu until service begins on the night.

Adding a special twist to this exclusive dining experience, chefs will also be offering themselves for an after-dinner auction.

Attendees will bid for a chef – then whisk them away to cater for a dinner party for 10 people at their home at a later date. The event is extremely popular, having raised over £450,000 for Ty Hafan since its inception in 2010, and David and Huw are hoping 2017’s gala dinner will see the total amount smash through the £500,000 barrier.

“We are very excited by our line-up of chefs,” said David. “Given that we have such an ambitious fundraising target, it’s really important that we have our best-ever group of chefs to deliver some fantastic food. We’ll be welcoming chefs from far and wide but they all have a strong connection with Wales.”

For more: chefsnightout.co.uk

Brothers and Asador 44/Bar 44 co-owners Owen and Tom Morgan

ASADOR 44 IS COMING! Bar 44 owners announce new concept Spanish restaurant in Cardiff city centre Brothers Owen and Tom Morgan, owners of award-winning local tapas restaurants Bar 44, have announced the location of Asador 44, their new venture, which is set to introduce a style of Spanish dining not seen before in Wales.

Set to open next spring on Cardiff’s Quay Street, the new venue will continue to offer authentic, high-quality Spanish fare, extending the brothers’ passion for Spanish food, drink and culture. Asador 44 will also be the first in Wales to specialise in asadorstyle cooking – a way of life in northern Spain – which involves chargrilling the

world’s finest meat, fish and vegetables over charcoal and wood, for a contemporary, exciting and authentic eating experience.

“Great Spanish food isn’t just about excellent tapas,” said Owen. “We also want to offer something new and authentic, and Asador 44 will certainly raise the bar.

“We are also working with a local farmer to rear our own rare breed beef and lamb, something we’re incredibly excited about, as we’re always looking to combine great local produce with our passion for Spain’s very best.”

For more: asador44.co.uk, @Asador44

FOOD NEWS IN BRIEF...

NEW TO MARKET #1 Two exciting openings at Cardiff’s indoor market to tell you about... first, specialist cheese stall Cheese Pantry, from the owners of award-winning cafe/deli Penylan Pantry, offering the largest selection of exceptional British cheeses in South Wales. “We are nuts about cheese!” said co-owner Melissa Boothman. “The smells, flavours, textures, characteristics, the rich history and varied stories that lie behind each one... Each one has its own tale to tell and we’d like to showcase the absolute best of British cheese.”

For more: @cheesepantry

NEW TO MARKET #2 Also new at Cardiff market is ‘plant-based restaurant’ Milgi, which has opened its Milgi Market kiosk there, bringing its unique style of vegetarian and vegan food to the city centre, including wholefood dishes, sushi wraps, hot and cold elixirs, conscientious sweet treats and more.

“Our ambition is to become the go-to option for anyone wanting a quick bite,” said Milgi co-owner Gabrielle Kelly. “We’ll be serving delicious, seasonal and natural fast food, all lovingly made at the kiosk. We’re all about making delicious, wholesome food

that makes you feel great inside and out.”

For more: milgicardiff.com

ALL HAIL THE HASHERY! Another newbie is The Hashery, which was set to open on Cardiff’s High Street as we went to press. Promising breakfasts, burgers, mussels and cubanos (Cuban-style sandwiches), its cocktail menu sounds fantastic, too; try the Barn Dog Zombie, a strong tiki ‘super- concoction’ made with four rums, absinthe, fruit, lemon, lime and mint – that’ll properly warm your cockles.

For more: thehashery.co.uk

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R E S TA U R A N T

FOOD

La Cuina Catalunyan flavours and Welsh produce = food that tastes like the sun...

T

By E L I SA BE T H M A HON E Y here are restaurants where you instantly feel at home, and there are restaurants which magically transport you to another place.

Not many successfully do both.

But stylish Catalan restaurant, tapas bar and deli La Cuina in PontCanton – as we now annoyingly call it – does. I discovered it only because it’s near my hairdresser’s and I found myself gawping at the food people were eating at the window tables. Went in, spent a fortune on Christmas presents from the deli, and booked for lunch the next day. It is, by some distance, my favourite neighbourhood restaurant. In fact, I don’t really want to review it, in case that means I can’t get a table.

The food is quite, quite glorious. This is gutsy, bold, vivid, home-style cooking which tastes of the sun, but which uses superb Welsh produce alongside rich Catalunyan flavours.

Owner Monserrat Prat – a former Spanish language lecturer – and team make you feel as if you are dining with friends at their cool home, with enviable mismatched tables and Ercol-style chairs, dark floorboards, flattering lighting, plenty of space between tables and laid-back music that never intrudes.

We decide to sample various starters from the restaurant menu – an eclectic tapas menu is also available – and stunning food just keeps coming. It’s a cold, stormy night, but this is all colour and passion on each plate, and we have to pinch ourselves to check we are actually in Cardiff and not Barcelona.

We start with scallops, caramelised onion puree and a Serrano ham crumble, which is a triumph of textures: super-soft, perfectly cooked scallops with a savoury, salty ham crunch. This is followed by a squid ink risotto served with carabinero prawns, calamari and a punchy aioli sauce.

The risotto is exquisite, sweet and soft, but each element

WE HAVE TO PINCH OURSELVES TO CHECK WE ARE ACTUALLY IN

CARDIFF,

NOT BARCELONA

of the dish is perfect. This is the sort of food I could eat for ever, the sort of food you stumble upon sometimes on holiday in Spain at a beach restaurant and wonder why it never tastes like this at home, without the sunshine, the alfresco vibe, the warm sea, the beach, the ice-cold wine. It does: you just need to know where to book.

Talking of wine, one of the highlights of dining here is the wine list, which features loads of grapes you won’t have heard of, and is remarkable value. Monserrat uses her connections with small-scale wine producers in her native Catalunya to stock novel varieties, several of which are available by the glass; these change weekly and the mark-up is kept unusually low.

We are both wowed by a glass of rosé (Rosat Trepat Portell 2015), which has a cherry sweetness but dry backbone. Nothing would normally induce me to drink rosé in winter, but it’s testimony to how warm and colourful the food and atmosphere are, and it goes perfectly with our dishes.

The food continues with sobrasada: paprika-infused salami, Ystwyth Valley egg, Celadon cheese and honey on really good bread, dotted with vibrant oils that make it look like the opposite of winter. We have a small skirmish over this, because we both want to eat all of it. I, with the reviewer’s notebook, pull rank, and then remember that we have main courses to come. Somehow we manage another starter, mainly because it is unbelievably good: anchovies, goat’s cheese, caramelised walnuts, honey and an insanely moreish wine reduction. Once again, it’s just about balance of vibrant flavours. I just wish I was wearing elasticated waist trousers.

Mains are just as good: I have loin of rabbit which is moist and succulent, served with saffron rice, padron peppers and a delicious wine reduction, and my husband has beautifully-cooked hake with slivers of crispy potatoes, courgette, and an ingenious garlic and nut vinaigrette.

For the first time ever, I can’t manage dessert, so we share postre de music: caramelised almonds and nougat and a glass of delicious dessert wine, which is elegant and small in a good way, given how much we’ve gleefully eaten. This is some of the best cooking in Cardiff, which tastes exactly like where it’s from and takes you on a foodie journey to the sun – even if it is blowing a gale outside.

DINING DETAILS La Cuina, 11 King’s Road, Cardiff CF11 9BZ; Tel: 02920 190265, lacuina.co.uk Opening Times Wed-Sat noon-2pm, dinner from 5.30pm Prices Tapas dishes from £3.50, starters from £7.50, mains from £14.50 Vegetarian choice Inventive options with bags of flavour Child-friendly? A great family restaurant for adventurous young diners Drinks Seriously impressive wine list Service/atmosphere Super-relaxed, friendly, quiet, intimate and homely

www.mediaclash.co.uk I CARDIFF LIFE I 63

RECIPE

FOOD

SEA HERE

A pair of tasty seafood dishes, courtesy of acclaimed chefs WILL HOLLAND (Coast) and ALLISTER BARSBY (The Grove), both of whom will be cooking at Cardiff's exclusive charity fundraiser Chefs' Night Out on 4 February

Crab and mango salad with wasabi yoghurt

T

his pretty and refreshing starter from Will Holland, head chef at the awardwinning Coast Restaurant in Saundersfoot, is a great way to kick off a meal.

“This is a simple little dish – really fresh and clean,” says Will. “The sweetness of the mango helps to bring out the natural sweetness of the crab – we use extra large cock crabs from Little Haven, just a short distance from the restaurant.”

Ingredients: 340g freshly picked white crab meat Juice of 1 lime 225g natural yoghurt 4g wasabi paste 250g mango puree 35g sugar 17g powdered vegetable gelatine

(Serves 4)

For garnishing the dish: 1 mango, finely diced 2 spring onions, finely sliced 1 red chilli, finely diced 1 lime Handful of coriander cress Method: 1. Season the crab meat with fresh lime juice and salt to taste. Store in the fridge until required.

2. Mix the yoghurt with the wasabi and store in the fridge until needed.

3. For the mango fluid gel, put the mango puree, sugar and powdered vegetable gelatine in a saucepan, place

over a medium heat and bring to the boil, whisking continuously.

4. Remove from pan and allow to cool completely before transferring to a liquidiser and blending until smooth.

Store in the fridge until required.

5. To plate up, put a large spoonful of the dressed crab on each plate, along with a good dollop of the mango fluid gel.

6. Spoon the wasabi yoghurt around the crab, and sprinkle the mango, spring onion and chilli over the top. Finely grate the zest of a lime over each plate, and finish each dish with sprigs of coriander cress. Simple! w

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FOOD

RECIPE

Salt cod with black garlic and crosnes

T

“

(Serves 4)

his dish is a real favourite at the Grove,” says Allister Barsby, executive chef at luxury boutique hotel The Grove in Narberth. “The savoury and sweet undertones of the black garlic perfectly balance out the slight saltiness of the cod. Be sure to use linecaught cod from a reputable supplier – quality fish really does speak for itself. Crosnes are a Chinese artichoke and give a very subtle nutty flavour – if you can’t get hold of them, salsify is a great alternative.”

Ingredients: For the cod: 650g skinless cod loin 25g table salt 20g olive oil 30g unsalted butter For the black garlic puree: 200g black garlic 5g balsamic vinegar 75g Madeira 100g water 10g butter For the verbena jus: 1 turkey leg, chopped into large dice 2 small onions, sliced into rounds 5 sprigs thyme 5 sprigs lemon verbena 1 garlic head, cut in half 100ml vegetable oil 500ml water 500ml chicken stock For the braised crosnes: 150g crosnes (or salsify) 150g water 150g chicken stock 1 bay leaf 2 sprigs thyme Pinch of salt and pepper

66 I CARDIFF LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

For the rosemary beurre noisette: 100g unsalted butter 20g rosemary 10g lemon juice For the garnish: 150g samphire 8 segments of lemon 100g brown shrimps 50g toasted hazelnuts, chopped 10g chopped chives

Method: 1. Evenly sprinkle the cod loin all over with the salt, cover and refrigerate for five hours. Once cured, rinse well, soak in cold water for 20 minutes, pat dry and portion into four.

2. Preheat oven to 185ºC. When ready to serve, heat a non-stick pan until starting

to smoke, add the oil and lay the cod in.

Colour for a minute, add the butter and place into the oven for 3 minutes, turn and return for 2 more minutes.

3. Squeeze some lemon juice over, baste and leave to rest for 2 minutes. The fish will be just cooked and still opaque in the middle. If you prefer it a little more cooked, return it to the oven for a further 2-3 minutes.

4. For the black garlic puree, put all the ingredients into a saucepan, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Put into a blender and process until smooth, season and pass through a fine sieve.

5. For the lemon verbena jus, heat a roasting tray in the oven and add the oil. Add the chopped turkey and roast until golden brown.

Add the onions, garlic, thyme, lemon verbena and deglaze with the water and chicken stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 3 hours, skimming off the scum.

6. Pass through a fine sieve and reduce to thicken slightly. Add 2 more sprigs of lemon verbena and leave to infuse for 10 minutes.

7. For the braised crosnes, put all ingredients into a saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes until tender. Leave to cool in the liquor. When needed, drain off 30 crosnes and fry with a little butter.

8. For the rosemary beurre noisette, melt the butter in a saucepan, then turn up the heat and cook until the butter goes nutbrown. Add the rosemary and lemon juice and leave to infuse for 10 minutes, then pass through a fine sieve.

9. To serve, warm the shrimps, hazelnuts and chives in a little of the beurre noisette.

Blanch the samphire for 30 seconds until just tender and plate as pictured.

Will Holland (Coast, coastsaundersfoot.co.uk) and Allister Barsby (The Grove, thegrovenarberth.co.uk) will be appearing at Chefs' Night Out on 2 February, at St David's Hotel, Havannah Street, Cardiff. For more, see chefsnightout.co.uk

AYR FORCE JANICE BUNDY flies from Cardiff as far north as she’s ever been

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G R E AT ESCAPES

ornate cornicing, dark wood panelling, gently attentive staff. A cinema and rooftop terrace are in the pipeline. The hotel also bears the Relais & Chateaux mark of approval, which makes it a magnet for the international clientèle, many of whom are researching their Scottish ancestry (and doubtless praying it involves a pile like this).

Our junior suite, one of 17 regal bedrooms, surveys the Irish Sea, and within it rocky islet Ailsa Craig from whence, we learn, the world’s curling stones are hewn. Carpets are plush, bed is four poster, a huge bathroom seems to be around 70% marble. Wow.

THE GATES YIELD ONLY ONCE YOUR RIGHT TO BE THERE HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED,

MAKING YOU FEEL A BIT KANYE

Clockwise from left: the clear night skies are ideal for starfaris; huge gates and a crenallated entrance make for an auspicious arrival; views towards Aisla Crag and Northern Ireland; the very picture of Scottish baronial romance

N

ormally, when it comes to mini-breaks, my first thoughts are of heading south. But since realising that a flight from Cardiff Airport to Glasgow takes rather less time than the 9.25 train from Cardiff Central to Paddington, the charm of the far north has become temptingly tangible.

Integral to that charm are the thousands of castles scattered across Scotland, of which Glenapp Castle in Ayrshire is a strikingly beautiful example. Confession: I’d never been to Scotland. But the sheer luxury of this place lured me there.

On the one-hour-and-45 minute drive from Glasgow, and in moody, typically Nordic weather, the landscape is tranquil yet packed with geological drama, and seemingly unchanged for millennia. I’m reminded of the bit in Adrian Mole’s Diary when he writes an ode to the Scottish countryside that is almost entirely composed of the words ‘majestic’ and ‘majesty’. I now entirely sympathise.

Built in 1870 in the baronial style, Glenapp is at the end of a long, winding drive – and through gates that yield only once your right to be there has been established via the intercom, making you feel a bit Kanye.

All glowing sandstone turret and towers, amid glorious Gertrude Jekyll and Robert Lorimer gardens, the former seat of the Earl of Inchcape (now owned by asset management company founder Paul Szkiler), has been spectacularly restored over many years. It oozes reliable, old-fashioned, slightly strait-laced, period luxury: antiques,

After drinks in the main lounge, on one of the most-plumped-up sofas my derrière’s ever enjoyed, our six-course dinner in the hushed, crimson, chandeliered dining room is textbook linen-and-crystal fine dining. Head chef Tyron Ellul certainly has an overflowing local larder to delve into: we dine on roe deer from the Glenapp Estate itself, chicken paupiette, banana soufflé, and a spread of exceptionally good regional cheeses. Practically all fruit and veg is grown on the estate. Breakfast the next morning is equally impressive (and features, inevitably, haggis).

And attractions beyond the castle walls?

To be honest, Glenapp is the sort of place in which you take root for the duration of your stay. Long baths, pots of tea before the fire, gentle strolls around the 40 acre grounds, reading 200 pages of War & Peace... you get the picture. But, if you must, nearby attractions include several world-class golf courses (including Donald Trump’s Turnberry) and plenty of distraction for the non-golfer in the form of more castles, gardens, forests, boat trips (Glenapp has its own eight-seater rib that you can charter to the Mull of Kintyre and elsewhere), and quaint villages.

Glenapp’s ace team – special mention for manager John Orr – will stop at nothing to make your trip special. On clear nights they’ll organise stargazing sessions under blankets on sunloungers, and once conspired with an American guest for pipers to serenade his wife beneath the window on her birthday.

All in all, Glenapp is one of the most luxurious, and – yes, ‘majestic’ – places I’ve ever had the privilege of staying in. “Haste ye back” insist the road signs around here. That’d be nae bother, I think.

TRAVEL DETAILS A Flybe flight from Cardiff Airport to Glasgow International takes 70 minutes. Rooms at Glenapp Castle Hotel cost from £236. For more info, see cardiff-airport.com and glenappcastle.com

www.mediaclash.co.uk I CARDIFF LIFE I 69

Anne Morgan and Lucy Thompson (both Anne Morgan Jewellery)

More adventures in party-going

SNAPPED! AC ROS S CA R D I FF, O N E S H I N D I G AT A T I M E

IT’S SNOW JOKE Clients, friends and Cardiff’s great and good came to our Christmas party at Barley & Rye for a bit of festive fizz, chat and bonhomie. Big shout-out to party sponsors Project One and special effects guys Real SFX, who made it snow!

Kayleigh McLeod, Sara Pepper (both Creative Cardiff) and Lloyd Morgan (Rockadove)

Photos by Laura Jayne Photography (laurajaynephotography.co.uk)

Caroline Pugsley (Freshwater) and Elin Rees (Elin Rees PR) Jay Page, Shakira Obaid and Stephen Carwardine

Helen Ward (Effective Communication), Catherine Maunder (New Homes Agency) and Lydia Whitfield (Effective Communication) Jane Cook and Lizzy Roberts (Golley Slater)

72 I CARDIFF LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Elisabeth Mahoney and Nick Mcleod (One Mile Bakery)

SPONSORED BY:

SOCIETY

Leanne Marshall and Ivana Galapcheva (both GDS Group)

Kelly Reardon-Brown, Laura Jayne, Tim Rice and Kris Agland Helen Wild and Sophie Harris (Equinox)

Rob Petersen (Petersens PR), Elin Haf Rees and Tim Powell (both Orchard)

Shaz Harris and Donna Lee

Helena and Christian Amodeo (I Loves The ’Diff)

Rhys Williams (Cardiff Blues) and Kris Agland (Cardiff Devils)

www.mediaclash.co.uk I CARDIFF LIFE I 73

SPONSORED BY:

SOCIETY

SPLENDIFEROUS! The Welsh Government, Literature Wales and partners marked a gloriumptious year of Roald Dahl 100 celebrations with a special event at the Senedd. There was also a special performance from Ysgol Ifor Bach and a surprise appearance by that wily old Mr Fox himself.

For more: roalddahl.com/roalddahl100

Author Mike Church

Kully Thiarai (National Theatre Wales) and Graeme Farrow (Wales Millennium Centre)

Ken Skates (Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure)

Lleucu Siencyn (Chief Executive, Literature Wales)

Rosemary Scadden and Geoffrey BartonGreenwood (The Llandaff Society) with Mr Fox

Pupils from Ysgol Ifor Bach

www.mediaclash.co.uk I CARDIFF LIFE I 75

SPONSORED BY:

SOCIETY

WINNING TUNES This year’s Welsh Music Prize ceremony, celebrating the finest music made in Wales or by Welsh people around the world, was held at Depot in Cardiff. This year’s winner was Meilyr Jones, for his debut 2013 album, a beautiful melange of soaring arthouse orchestral pop.

For more: welshmusicprize.com Xxx

Etsef Solar and Rich Chitty (Bubblewrap Collective)

WMP winner Meilyr Jones and Huw Stephens

Rhys Evans, Rhys Morgan, Steffan Dafydd and Gareth Robinson (Breichiau Hir)

Fionna Allan and Laura Bryan (Tender Prey)

Oliver Morris and Eva Lamont (UK Music)

Emma Kaye (BBC Horizons), Jayne Rowlands

www.mediaclash.co.uk I CARDIFF LIFE I 77

SPONSORED BY:

SOCIETY Dr Bryn Wilde, Will Ryan and Paul Williams

HOUSE CALL The Cardiff office of estate agents Savills held its annual drinks party at Greenwood & Brown for clients, contacts and associates from across the city.

For more: savills.co.uk

Gareth Davies, Adrian Coles and Anthony Goodfellow

Claudia Le Gros, Julia Morris and Caroline Vanner

Chris Davey, Laura Williams and Rhys Govier

Martin Pursell and Tom Priest

Rhys Govier, Peter Reilly and Chris Potts

www.mediaclash.co.uk I CARDIFF LIFE I 79

SPONSORED BY:

SOCIETY

FLYING HIGH Cardiff-based video production company Rockadove thanked clients with a merry winter warmer event at KIN+ILK Pontcanna, which included a wine tasting session from the Bay Tree Wine Company.

Photos by Laura Jayne Photography (laurajaynephotography.co.uk) For more: rockadove.co.uk

Huw Moores, Stacey Hudd and Lloyd Morgan

Megan Richards, Nicola Rylett, Lyndsey Jenkins and John Wilkinson

Huw Moores and Stacey Hudd

David Morgan, Nicola Rylett and Lloyd Morgan

Valentino Cellupica and Megan Hillier

Paul Allen, Richard Martin and Samuel Lloyd 80 I CARDIFF LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

GLOBAL INFLUENCERS

INNOVATORS

MediaClash Agency

FORWARD-THINKERS

THOUGHT-LEADERS

Can you judge a brand by its cover?

We think you can

mediaclash.co.uk

We create magazines for our clients that help them stand out from their competitors. If you are interested in making a powerful brand statement then please contact steve.hawkins@mediaclash.co.uk

Shake-ups/launches/successes/promotions

CA R D I FF G E T S S ER I O US Welsh Marketing Awards winners Eryl Jones (Equinox), Sophia Al Janabi (DS Smith), Morgan Lloyd (Welsh Water) and James Osgood (Peters Food Service)

QUOTE OF THE ISSUE

THE BIG STORY

MARKETING WINS! ˆ Cymru makes a splash at the recent Welsh Marketing Awards in Cardiff Dwr ˆ Cymru Welsh Water were Dwr the big winners at The Chartered Institute of Marketing’s (CIM) annual Wales/Cymru Marketing Awards in Cardiff recently — taking home three awards including ‘Best Use Of Creative’ and ‘Best Use Of Digital Marketing’.

The company’s head of marketing and branding, Morgan Lloyd, was also crowned with the coveted title of Marketer Of The Year during the ceremony, which took place at Cardiff’s Portland House.

Joining Welsh Water as the big winners of the night were Cardiffbased communications agency

Equinox, DS Smith Recycling, and Peter’s Food Service, who picked up awards for Agency Of The Year, Marketing Team Of The Year, and Marketing Campaign Of The Year respectively. The four will now be entered into the leading professional body’s UK-wide Marketing Excellence Awards, set to take place in London next year.

CIM Cymru Wales Network Manager Ceri Rowland, said: “This year saw the highest number and best quality of entries we’ve ever had, so I’d like to congratulate the winners on standing out amongst some very strong competition.

“This is my first year working with the marketing community in Wales with CIM, and the work showcased has been overwhelming.

“Throughout the evening, we saw campaigns that were inspiring, others that secured incredible results, and projects that made a real difference despite challenging budgets. All the finalists proved that Wales is a country brimming with marketing talent, and we’re proud to be supporting such a thriving and creative community through CIM.” For more: cim.co.uk/walesawards

“OUR AIM IS THAT PEOPLE COME TO THE EVENT AND FEEL INSPIRED, WITH THEIR PERCEPTIONS OF THE UNIVERSE CHANGED...”

Wow! Who’s thinking big?

Find out on page 85…

35,000 THE BIG NUMBER

That’s how many square feet have been refurbished at Cardiff’s new-look Capital Tower See page 84 for more...

Got a business news story for us? Email vel.ilic@mediaclash.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I CARDIFF LIFE I 83

BUSINESS INSIDER

BUSINESS PROPERTY (Clockwise, from this pic) Capital Tower, in all its glory

ROOM WITH A VIEW With the commercial property market setting records in Cardiff, MARK SUTTON, partner at property consultants Knight Frank, looks at what’s on offer at the city’s new-look Capital Tower

A

t 24 storeys high, Capital Tower is a city landmark, instantly recognised as part of the Cardiff skyline. But behind the familiar exterior, the building has undergone a major transformation.

When current owners Topland acquired the building in 2012, they put a team in place to deliver a multi-million pound investment – refurbishment of the entrance, reception, common areas and office space. The objective was to provide city centre occupiers with a high quality and contemporary working environment and a flexible workspace.

Since the summer of 2015, the landlords really have delivered, completely stripping out and refurbishing over 35,000 square feet (eight floors), and in the process attracting eight new tenants including AA, Robert Half International and, most recently, Randstad.

Capital Tower is also home to a host of smaller occupiers in the Business Centre, which occupies three floors and caters for businesses of various sizes.

Recently, the building held a formal opening of its new entrance and reception, featuring new high-speed lifts that will take you from

the ground to the best view in Cardiff in just a matter of seconds. The new reception also leads through a light, contemporary lobby area to a new coffee bar, run by local operator Milk & Sugar.

There are opportunities available for both large and small occupiers – with all the new facilities and that sensational view of the city, it’s a compelling offer if you’re seeking a new city centre home for your business.

For more: knightfrank.com

BUSINESS INSIDER

1

BREAKING NEWS...

TRIPLE WHAMMY

Our pick of the most exciting, intriguing and important local business stories happening right now…

HURRY! AWARDS NOMS CLOSE SOON...

You’ll have to hurry if you want to nominate your company for the prestigious Cardiff Life Awards – the deadline is Friday 27 January!

Entries have been flowing in, although many companies leave it until the last moment.

Tickets for the Awards are selling strongly too, with only a handful of money-saving Early Bird tickets now left. And another sponsor has been added to the Awards roster: Wine & Spirit Educational Trust (W&ST), taking the keenlycontested Restaurant category.

“We’re set to have the best-ever Cardiff Life Awards!” said Stephanie Dodd, event manager at MediaClash, Cardiff Life’s publisher. “We’ve been really pleased with the support of our sponsors and the strong flow of nominations.

And we’re delighted to have W&ST on board as our Restaurant sponsor!”

Businesses nominate Will you be suited, booted themselves and glammed up for the 2017 Cardiff Life Awards? Get your via the Awards nominations in now! website in the relevant categories: Arts, Business Services, Café/Coffee Shop, Charity, Cocktail/Bar, Creative, Education, Event, Gastropub, Hair & Beauty, Health, Interiors, Legal & Financial, Leisure & Tourism, New Business, Property, Restaurant, Retailer and Sports. Finalists will be revealed at midday on Tuesday 31 January by email, on the Awards site, and on Twitter.

Limited sponsorships remain – our current roster of sponsors includes Cardiff Airport (headline sponsor), Cardiff Blues, Stills,

Genero, Martyn Prowel Solicitors, Chapel 1877, Parkhouse, Park Plaza, Capital FM and W&ST. The Awards be held at City Hall on 16 March 2017, and will be hosted by legendary Welsh international rugby referee Nigel Owens. For sponsorship enquiries, contact Mark George (mark.george@mediaclash.co.uk). Or to be involved on the big night, contact Stephanie Dodd (stephanie.dodd@mediaclash.co.uk).

For more: cardifflifeawards.co.uk, @CardiffLifeAwds

IT’S IN THE CAN

IDEAS WORTH SPREADING

Just two years after starting home-brewing in their garden shed, independent Cardiff craft beer-makers Crafty Devil – founded by Rhys Watkins and Adam Edinborough – are rising stars of the Welsh beer scene, with popular beers such as Safe As Milk (a coffee milk stout) and You Love Us (an IPA). And now, they are giving fans the chance to share in their success with a crowdfunding campaign labelled #cannedincardiff.

The campaign aims to make them the first independent brewer in Wales to not only brew its beers in Cardiff, but also to print its labels and can its beers in the country – a truly Welsh end-to-end beer production cycle.

“It would give us the chance to be even more creative with the beers we make,” said Adam Edinborough. “And for us to do every part of the process in Wales would just be the icing on the cake.”

TEDxCardiff, the event with the mantra ‘ideas worth spreading’, has revealed the first speakers for its biggest ever show at a new venue in 2017.

Samantha Evans and Shauna Guinn, known as the ‘first ladies of ‘cue’ (barbecue) thanks to their street-food phenomenon Hang Fire Southern Kitchen, will line up alongside world recordholding adventurer Ash Dykes on stage at Cardiff’s Tramshed, on 22 April 2017.

Said event organiser Claire Scantlebury: “Our aim is that people come to the event with an open mind and leave feeling inspired with their perceptions of the universe changed, triggering a need to do something differently with their life or their outlook.”

2

For more: craftydevilbrewing. co.uk

3

Samantha Evans and Shauna Guinn: the first ladies of ‘cue’

For more: tedxcardiff.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I CARDIFF LIFE I 85

DESIRE

def: DESIRE: a strong feeling of wanting to have something; to set one's heart on; to crave; to aspire to; to feel passion for..."

Beautiful handmade kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms and more...

3 Bessemer Close Workshops, Cardiff CF11 8DL telephone: 029 2023 3308 | www.chalkhouseinteriors.co.uk

BUSINESS INSIDER

CARDIFF LIFE AWARDS WINNER’S PROFILE

MOGINIE JAMES FORWARD THINKING A CHANGE IS GONNA COME Start 2017 right by being mindful and embracing change, says team-building guru ANDREA CALLANAN, founder of inspireMe Embracing the New Year is a game of two halves. On one hand, post-Yule, we look forward to the new energy that January brings. But if we know that change is afoot, that can bring fear and energised anticipation.

Change is usually progress, even if it sometimes feels like you’re taking two steps backwards.

When things change, we grow because we broaden our horizons.

The key is in our response to change – creating a space to respond to anything new in your personal and business lives will stand you in good stead for the coming year. This is very much where mindfulness comes in, and being mindful of how you feel, react and respond to conversations, opportunities and challenges is a complete gamechanger.

Think about how you feel about the changes 2017 might bring. If you’re feeling fear, that’s completely natural, as humans are mostly afraid of the unknown.

Remember: it’s how you respond and how you work with what you have that brings success through change.

So, as you welcome in the New Year, be grateful for what you’ve achieved and what is still to come – after all, this could really be your year! Savour every moment, and have a prosperous 2017. inspireMe are a Cardiff-based engagement company that offers UK-wide creative team building and training. For more info, see andinspireme.com

Nick James and Robyn Newling with their coveted Cardiff Life Award

NICK JAMES, director of estate agent Moginie James – winners of the Property category at the 2016 Cardiff Life Awards – reflects on his awardwinning night How did it feel to win a Cardiff Life Award?

We were absolutely thrilled to win, especially as we celebrated our 15-year anniversary this year. The best part of winning is sharing our success with the whole team – it’s because of them we achieved the recognition.

What was it about your year/nomination that clinched it, do you think?

The last few years have been great, even under fluid market conditions. We focused on continually improving our customer service and introduced a dedicated telesales team and our online valuation tool, which gives instant valuations for our customer’s properties. We feel we are leading the way in innovation in our industry locally.

What did you enjoy most about Awards night?

It was a fantastic night with great entertainment.

We were thrilled to be in the company of other great Cardiff businesses across lots of industries. It made us feel a closer part of the local business community.

Where is your Award now?

It takes pride of place in our head office at Cardiff Gate Business Park. However, it has done the rounds of all our offices to showcase our success to all the staff.

As an estate agent, what is it that sets Moginie James apart?

We are Cardiff’s leading independent estate agency, with five offices across the city – we are specialists in residential sales, lettings, property management and the investment markets. Our biggest asset is our 53-strong team – dedicated and enthusiastic staff who are committed to ‘going the extra mile’, and who each possess in-depth industry knowledge backed by professional qualifications. We’re also the South Wales agent for Fine & Country, the world-renowned agents for luxury residential properties, and we’ve

been hand- picked to serve as Cardiff’s sole agent for the Relocation Agent Network – all of which means, whatever the property and whatever the situation, our customers are in very safe hands with us.

What have you found to be the best tools for growth in your business?

Caring for our staff, and the whole team feeling they are part of the MJ family has been vital, but I think our focus on customer service, along with being innovative and forward-thinking, has been key.

How’s business at the moment?

The market is fluid now, which has been influenced

by Brexit. However, the performance at each of our offices remains strong with ongoing new properties – both sales and lettings – being brought on and marketed. I’m sure after Christmas we will see another spurt of energy into the market. We are already planning for this with another Q1 marketing campaign and support materials for the offices. We’re looking forward to 2017!

Which other Cardiff businesses do you admire?

Storm & Shelter, a video production company specialising in branding, TV and music videos. Like us, they are a small local company run by local people who take pride in delivering a quality service in their field. We recently commissioned a client experience video – the whole process was very professional, and we are very happy with the outcome.

Finally, tell us a secret or little-known fact about yourself...

The first Moginie James Christmas party was myself and my business partner, Peter, eating a takeaway pizza in the back of the first office on Crwys Road. We did, of course, stretch to a bottle of beer each, too!

For more: moginiejames.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I CARDIFF LIFE I 87

PROPERTY

SHOWCASE

CHURCH FARM 90 112I I CARDIFF CLIFTONLIFE LIFE I I www.mediaclash.co.uk www.mediaclash.co.uk

SHOWCASE

PROPERTY

Set in the heart of picturesque Clemenstone, Church Farm marries beautiful old stonework with exquisite 21st-century interiors. Spectacular and handsome, this grand country home is proper, full-on farmhouse luxe...

By K AT I E K I SSOON

www.mediaclash.co.ukI I CLIFTON CARDIFFLIFE LIFE I I 113 91 www.mediaclash.co.uk

PROPERTY

SHOWCASE

D

riving down the private lane to Church Farm, you reach the small hamlet of Clemenstone, once an estate of almost 400 acres and the seat of the High Sheriff of Glamorgan; it is believed to have housed the first steam-driven mill in Glamorgan. Once you reach the double wood gates of Church Farm itself, you know it’s something special. A ‘new’ home set within an older structure, it’s the perfect blend of old and new – a “21st century home in what is quite probably a 17th century building,” as the current owner describes it.

The gates lead you into the driveway, with parking for several cars, with additional parking in the four-bay garage. From here, double wooden gates lead to an inner courtyard, with access to the main house, annexe, storage rooms and gym. There’s another courtyard to the rear by the kitchen, which benefits from a sheltered seating area decked out in wood, and the vast main garden is set in approximately three acres of land; there’s so much going on that your eye is drawn all over the place, like a kid in a candy store.

Inside, the elegant reception hallway features exposed wooden beams and a solid oak staircase that leads up to the first floor, with its open gallery. From here, there are double glass doors into the music room, with its solid American oak panelling, and three windows that allow the light to stream in. It’s a great first impression.

Further along, the open-plan kitchen/dining room has cedar wood cupboards with granite worktops and a feature centre island, plus full-width, south-facing windows, making for a bright, warm room all year round.

From here, there is access to the formal lounge, with a full-length window overlooking the courtyard and a logburner for essential warmth when you feel the need to hunker down.

92 I CARDIFF LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Beautifully maintained inside and out, Church Farm is the perfect blend of old and new

HOUSE NUMBERS

4

bedrooms

4

reception rooms

4

bathrooms

1

The main part of the home has four large bedroom suites. The two guest rooms on the first floor are light and airy, with high ceilings; the larger has full-height glazed doors leading to a large south-facing terrace, overlooking the inner courtyard. On the top floor are the two larger bedrooms, with vaulted ceilings and exposed beams.

“The visual effect is quite stunning,” says the current owner. “The priority in this conversion was to make every room feel spacious, and nowhere is this more evident than in the upper bedrooms.”

Over in the east wing of the building, you’ll also find a self-contained annexe, with two further bedrooms, two large reception rooms, a shower room, utility room and spacious entrance hall. In summer, windows and doors can be thrown open, allowing air to flow through the building – as it probably did when grain was stored here hundreds of years ago.

“As the seasons change, the doors and windows may be closed, but light still floods in,” says the owner. “Church Farm is a great family home and party house – when family and friends gather and the fires are lit, it makes for special times. Without doubt, the most significant event was our wedding. My wife and I met at a party in this house, and we were married here some years later.”

The couple will be sad to leave their incredible home, but they have no regrets. “This building was created hundreds of years before I was born, and I fully expect it to be here for hundreds of years after I’ve gone,” says the owner.

“It has been a privilege to be here for almost 15 years, and I feel I have helped to give it a new purpose.”

four-bay garage

£1.495m guide price

For more info, contact Savills, 12 Windsor Place, Cardiff, CF10 3BY; Tel: 02920 368930; savills.co.uk

Millwood Lisvane A truly capacious detached double-fronted four/five bedroom family sized modern residence, occupying a delightful position with large and lovely private rear gardens, backing onto woodland and approached by a wide private entrance drive leading to a substantial integral double garage. This impressive family home enjoys a quiet select location, fronting highly favoured Millwood, a cul-de-sac comprising distinctive detached dwelling homes each varying in design and appearance. Built in 1968 this deceptive property has been extended to provide versatile living space with the option of a granny/guest suite and a wonderful first floor sun room which enjoys a wide open view across the mature pleasing gardens and onto protected woodland behind. The ground floor living space is approached by an outer porch leading to a useful boot room and a spacious entrance reception hall with contemporary open tread staircase leading to a semi gallery landing. The principle reception rooms include a 23 Ft. lounge, a 20 Ft. formal dining room and a 17 Ft. family room which double as a fifth bedroom/granny suite equipped with an modern ensuite shower room. The stunning open plan kitchen and breakfast room is a generous 20’10 x 11¹0 fitted in November 2013 and equipped with quality Maia work surfaces, beech block work tops, a Franke sink with rotaflow mixer taps and a stylish Rangemaster Professional Deluxe Range cooker.

There is also a downstairs cloak room with a stylish modern white suite, a conventional cloak hanging room, a utility room and a store room. The first floor which is both spacious and bright includes four double sized bedrooms, the master suite being a generous (20’3 x 13’4), equipped with a stunning ensuite shower room (11’3 x 5’7) and a walk in ensuite dressing room (11’3 x 5’9). The master bedroom leads into the relaxing sun room which commands a superb rear garden view. The guest bedroom includes an ensuite shower room, and off the main landing is a large bespoke family bathroom (11’9 x 8’10). The property also benefits gas heating with panel radiators and a Worcester combi boiler annually serviced and fully installed with 13 radiators in October 2002. The windows are white PVC double glazed, replaced in June 2003 by a well-known local company (Thomas Wright), and there is a sophisticated intruder alarm (phone linked) and an Amtico floor within the entrance reception hall.

For sale with PA Black Llanishen Branch 02920 618552

£765,000

Station Road Creigiau An imposing bay fronted Victorian four bedroom residence of character, occupying a charming position within the pretty semi-rural village of Creigiau. This magnificent homes offers extensive living space with many original period features including pine panel doors, cornice ceilings, both mosaic and terrazzo tiled floors, wide splayed bays and an elegant period fireplace within the large main lounge. In recent years the property has been sympathetically modernised with stylish contemporary fittings including a stunning new fully fitted open plan kitchen and dining room (L shaped 23 Ft x 20 Ft) with integrated Range Cooker, dishwasher, Belfast sink and solid oak work surfaces, and two modern white first floor bathrooms, one ensuite. The property includes white PVC double glazed replacement windows, gas heating with a modern gas Ferrolli boiler. The spacious ground floor accommodation also includes two principle reception rooms, including an 18 Ft lounge and a 14 Ft sitting room, both with wide splayed bay windows, a large utility room (12’3 x 8’2) and a ground floor integral pantry (8’11 x 5’1 max) ideal to be converted into a shower room/downstairs cloak room. Within the kitchen and the dining room there are two sets of white PVC double glazed French doors both open onto the enclosed rear gardens. The first floor accommodation is approached from the hall by a single flight spindle balustrade staircase, leading to a main landing with traditional pine panel doors to each of the first floor bedrooms and bathrooms. Each of the four bedrooms are generous doubles, three with exposed pine floors, whilst the master benefits a capacious ensuite combined period bathroom and dressing room (20’8 in length). This elegant ensuite includes a white modern period suite with free standing roll top bath, a square shaped wash hand basin, a Victorian style wc and a walk-in contemporary shower with clear glass screen and a dual water fall shower fitment. Off the landing is a modern white family bathroom suite which includes a panel bath, a wc, a wash hand basin and a separate corner shaped shower cubicle. A special and very versatile feature is a further second floor comprising three attic rooms, the largest being (14’4 x 14’0), approached by an enclosed single flight staircase from the first floor landing. Creigiau is a highly sought after Village located on the outskirts of North West of Cardiff. The village has a strong Welsh-speaking community, and along with Pentyrch with excellent local primary and high schools including a bilingual primary school, which teaches through the medium of both Welsh and English, and Radyr High School, with local children collected by bus. Within the Village there is also a local golf club, a small Tesco Express shop - which is also the Post Office, a Recreation Ground managed by village residents (home of local archery, cricket, football, and tennis clubs), a GP surgery, and local pub called ‘The Creigiau Inn’. Cardiff Road links with Cardiff, and within easy driving distance is an exit onto the M4, allowing fast travel to Newport, Swansea and Bristol.

For sale with PA Black Whitchurch Branch 02920 612328

£425,000

Keynsham Road, Whitchurch - £499,9950 A superbly appointed and substantially extended detached bungalow of exceptional size situated in a sought after location in close proximity to local amenities and transport links.

King George V Drive, Heath - £475,000 139 King George V Drive is a deceptively spacious detached bungalow of considerable character and charm situated in a sought after location close to the UHW and amenities in the Heath and Birchgrove.

Springhurst Close, Whitchurch O.I.E.O £450,000 Situated in a private residential cul-de-sac of just three houses and occupying the largest plot, we are delighted to offer for sale this generously proportioned and well maintained detached family home.

Clos Yr Hafod, Rhiwbina - £439,950 A chance to acquire a superb detached bungalow situated in a quiet residential cul-de-sac in Rhiwbina village. This property offers versatile living accommodation at a very high standard and finish.

FREE NO OBLIGATION VALUATIONS

Contact our Sales Team today

35 Merthyr Road, Whitchurch, Cardiff CF14 1DB T: 029 20522106 F: 029 20522660 E: info@chambersestateagents.co.uk www.chambersestateagents.co.uk

CHAMBERS ESTATE AGENTS: Why sell with us?

Our numbers speak for themselves....

92

17

Average Number of Enquiries Per Property

88

Average Number of Days on the Market

Percent of Properties Sold Following An Open House Event

29

£285,769 Agreed in Whitchurch

287

Average Number of Instructions Per Month

Active Buyers Registered

MOST

Average Sale Price

6

11

Average Number of Viewers at Open House Events

1

*

LEAST

* who went on to buy it!

35 Merthyr Road, Whitchurch, Cardiff CF14 1DB T: 029 20522106 F: 029 20522660 E: info@chambersestateagents.co.uk www.chambersestateagents.co.uk

Number of Properties Live

CARDIFF LIVES

Q&A

A

ward-winning broadcast journalist and presenter Mariclare Carey-Jones is a well-known face around the city. With a strong background in news and current affairs, she’s worked for both ITV and the BBC, and can often be heard on BBC Radio Wales (on the Jamie Owen show), amongst other things. She’s also creative director of her own production company, Memorable Creative Journalism – we’ll let her tell you more...

So – where’s home in Cardiff?

Pontcanna. I live with my partner Dave, our French bulldog Pierre, cat Lotty and six tortoises!

As a broadcast journalist and presenter, you certainly seem to get about a bit – what are you up to at the moment?

I do indeed! I’m currently working on a historical documentary, and also doing some freelance work for Global Radio and BBC Radio 4.

During your career, what’s been the most hair-raising thing you’ve done?

Oh my gosh, too many to choose from! Being cut out of a car by a fire crew live on air for ITV was pretty frightening. I’ve also been filmed zip-wiring off the top of St David’s Hotel and walking the high-wire with Moscow State Circus.

You’re creative director of your own production company, Memorable Creative Journalism – what does MCJ do?

I set up MCJ to produce high-quality documentary films – our first two commissions were shot in the Sahara Desert and the Costa Rican rainforest. We also make corporate videos and carry out media training for businesses.

If you could get up on your soapbox about a particular issue, what would it be?

I get really upset about homelessness. At this time of year, when the weather is this cold, it makes me particularly sad. I’d encourage everyone to read The Big Issue, buy a hot drink and a sandwich for someone sleeping rough and donate any spare warm clothing.

How do you relax?

I love spending time with family and friends, walking the dog and enjoying a nice meal out.

But the most relaxing thing in the world is a long hot soak in a bubble bath.

Most embarrassing thing that’s ever happened to you?

When I was ITV’s West Wales correspondent, I was sent up in a stunt plane for a story, but I didn’t tell anyone that I get travel-sick. With every loop-the-loop of the plane, I could feel myself feeling more queasy, then I was taken very ill. I’ll spare you the details, but the whole thing was captured on a small camera in the cockpit.

98 I CARDIFF LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

MARICLARE CAREY-JONES The broadcast journalist and presenter on setting up her own production company, zip-wiring from the top of St David’s Hotel and being kissed by the Pope When did you last cry?

I cry all the time. I blame my Italian roots!

Dream dinner party guests?

Nelson Mandela would be top of the list. I’d also have to invite Kylie (I wanted to be her when I was small!) and Stephen Fry – I was lucky enough to interview him once and I could have talked to him all day.

If push came to shove, what would be your final meal of choice?

Home-made tortilla filled with spinach and ricotta, followed by a big chocolatey desert.

If your nearest and dearest had to describe you, what would they say?

I’d like to think they’d say kind and caring.

Who would play you in a film about your life?

Kate Hudson.

What’s your guiltiest pleasure?

Say Yes To The Dress! It’s a programme on TLC about women choosing their wedding dresses, and is totally addictive.

What’s the most important lesson life has taught you?

Follow your own path and do what’s right for you; comparing yourself to others can be so negative.

The people who really care about you will support you no matter what you choose to do.

Karaoke choice?

I’m a secret Meatloaf fan (I grew up listening to him – blame my dad!), so my favourite is Bat Out Of Hell.

Must-watch television programme(s)?

Dave and I are totally hooked on Grand Designs – we are planning on building a new house next year so we need some inspiration.

If you had a superpower, what would it be?

I had reconstructive surgery on my knee earlier this year after a fall while skiing. It has taken me months to recover and I had to miss a charity trek to Costa Rica as a result, so if I could have any superpower, it would be to heal instantly.

Best thing about Cardiff?

I love that there is so much going on in the city, but in just half an hour you can be away from it all in the mountains or on the coast.

Favourite shop in Cardiff?

Clancy’s in Cardiff Market, a vegan and vegetarian stall selling amazing goodies.

Locally, where do you like to eat and drink?

I love Danish bakery Brød for breakfast, Cibo in Pontcanna is great for a date night, and if you’re looking for something a bit spicier, I can recommend Chai Street.

Secret or favourite Cardiff spot?

I love the city but I love open spaces too, so Roath Park, Llandaff Fields and Thompson’s Park give me the best of both worlds.

Finally, surprise us with a little-known fact about yourself…

I was kissed by Pope John Paul II when I was a baby!

For more: mariclarecareyjones.co.uk

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