Best of Liverpool magazine - March 2014

SUPPLEMENT

FASHION l BEAUTY l FITNESS l CHILDREN l TALENT l CULTURE l EVENTS l FOOD

RACES READY Be on top form in the fashion stakes

MOTHER’S DAY Give your mum a well deserved treat

OF LIVERPOOL MARCH ISSUE 2014

MERSEYSIDE MATRIMONY Planning your Liverpool wedding

ST PATRICK’S DAY Recipes from the Emerald Isle

LIGHTS AND ACTION

GUITAR HERO

Merseyside singer/songwriter Ian Prowse launches his new album

Curtains up at the new Everyman Theatre

WHAT LIES BENEATH Going underground at St George’s Hall

FIFTIES FASHION//SALON SPOTLIGHT//WHAT’S ON//RACES PACKAGES// RESTAURANT REVEIWS//FABULOUS BOUDOIRS//STRICTLY FUN FITNESS

WIN

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SOUTHPORT GREAT MERSEY MAGICAL MEMORIES SHIPPING LINES A glorious look back to the golden era of days out

The incredible story of our river heritage and famous port

CITY ON THE MOVE

Take a nostalgic journey through Liverpool’s history

RIVER CITY

CRUEL SEA

The past, present and future of our gateway to the world

Liverpool’s frontline role in the Battle of the Atlantic

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KENNY DALGLISH

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CRAIG BELLAMY

Official Programme Book

My Life

My Scrapbook

GoodFella

Guaranteed to rekindle precious memories and fill Evertonians with pride, the Official Everton Matchday Programme Book is the ultimate souvenir for every fan who has ever loved going to Goodison Park.

Their first Christmas?

Their first book... The children’s picture book that will make sure they are an Evertonian for life.

Aimed 0-5 years.

Featuring private family pictures and revealing personal interviews, My Life sees Kenny Dalglish talking through his career and revealing his kop dream. A must-have for Reds.

Liverpool’s greatest goalscorer talks you through his personal treasures from Golden Boots to European Cup medals.

A fascinating glimpse into Rushie’s world.

From Riise to Benitez and beyond...

‘The most explosive football autobiography of the year’- Daily Mail.

GIFTS FROM THE HEART OF THE CITY Visit: Or call: 0845 143 0001 02

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SHANKLY The Lost Diary Shankly’s vision for rebuilding Liverpool Football Club – his newly rediscovered diary from the summer of ’62.

Contents

BEST

08

13

08-09 FASHION FOR HER Style tips for fashionable fillies 10 SHOPPING FOR HIM Fabulous fifties fashion

BEAUTY

11 SALON SPOTLIGHT Fresh faced for spring

WEDDINGS

12-13 WEDDING IDEAS Get hitched without a hitch

AINTREE RACES

17

14 THE RACE IS ON Crabbie’s Grand National Festival 2014

FITNESS

15 FITSTEPS Fitness that’s ‘Strictly’ fun

GET IN TOUCH STORIES 0151 330 5035 EMAIL magazine@liverpool.com ADVERTISING 0151 330 5039 WEBSITE www.liverpoolecho.co.uk FOLLOW US twitter@BestofLpool LIVERPOOL ECHO EDITOR Alastair Machray MAGAZINE EDITOR Michelle Rushton DEPUTY EDITOR Katie McLoughlin WRITERS Paul Baker, Sarah Hooley, Sue Kelbrick, Katie McLoughlin, Emma Thompson PHOTOGRAPHY Trinity Mirror photographers COVER SHOT Gareth Jones DESIGN Vicky Andrews Colin Harrison COMMERCIAL FEATURES EDITOR Sally Jones SALES MANAGER Ros McGuire COPYRIGHT Best of Liverpool is published monthly by Trinity Mirror North West and North Wales/ Liverpool ECHO. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission of the publisher.

04-05 TALK OF THE TOWN City soirees, launches and news

FASHION

O F L IVERP O O L

MARCH 2014

NEWS

ENTERTAINMENT

Welcome...

IF you can hear the clinking of glasses it’s just the Best of Liverpool team celebrating our recent nomination in the 2014 Newspaper Awards!

It was buckets of fizz all round as we found out we had been nominated for the Sun Chemical Award for Coldset Colour Supplement of the Year. We’re up against The Sunday Telegraph, The Observer and The Sun – so wish us luck! We find out the results in April so we’ll keep you posted...

Hopefully the judges will enjoy Best of Liverpool, our guide to all that’s great and good in the city and find our glee infectious.

Liverpool is always buzzing with vibrant and colourful events. Soon we have the biggest event in the racing calendar, the Grand National, to look forward to. We’re already planning our outfits – see Emma’s forecast for fashionable fillies on pages 8-9.

Meanwhile, as the Buddy Holly Story comes to the Liverpool Empire, Sarah shows the daddy-os some sharp threads on page 10.

If you want to travel to Aintree in style we have some raceday packages on page 14.

With the arrival of spring this month, romance is certainly in the air and lots of questions have been popped. Get some inspiration for your wedding on pages 12-13.

As the nights get lighter and the weather warms up it’s time to peel off the layers But if, like me, you’re feeling more frumpy than fabulous, it’s time to take action. A big Strictly fan, I found a fun way to fight the flab on page 15.

In our homegrown talent section, Sue meets a star from the 60s whose life story is being told in a new musical One Dream: The

23 Beryl Marsden Story on page 16. Plus Paul speaks to singer-songwriter, Ian Prowse, about his new album on page 17 and Katie talks to Jodie McNee who is starring in Twelfth Night at the newly reopened Everyman Theatre on page 18.

Don’t forget it’s Mother’s Day on March 30. We have some crafty ideas for children to make for their mums on page 20. Meanwhile, we speak to new mum Dani Lawrence who has teamed up with Urban Calm Spa to find the Baby Bump of the Year 2014 on page 21 and showcase some gorgeous gifts to treat your ma on pages 22-23.

March is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and The Eve Appeal is asking people to ‘Make Time for Tea’ to raise money for cancer research so take a look at our tea party ideas on page 24. And as it’s St Patrick’s Day soon, we have some spud-free recipes from the Emerald Isle on page 25.

Eating out is our favourite pastime and we love nothing better than to sample the best eateries in the city. I try Est Est in Aigburth on page 26, while Katie gives her verdict on the Restaurant Bar & Grill on page 27.

Getting out and about, we venture underground into the catacombs at St George’s Hall on page 29 and sail the Irish Sea in search of some of the best places to visit in Ireland on page 30.

Michelle Rushton Best of Liverpool Editor

16 ONE DREAM The Beryl Marsden Story 17 COVER STORY Ian Prowse launches his new album 18 LIGHTS UP The Everyman is back in action 19 WHAT’S ON Things to do, by day or by night

CHILDREN

20 GET CRAFTY! Make your mum a Mother’s Day gift to remember

MOTHER’S DAY

21 BABY BUMPS Dani Lawrence celebrates motherhood with Urban Calm Spa 22-23 GORGEOUS GIFTS Treats for your mum

FOOD & DRINK

24 TIME FOR TEA Tea party top tips 25 CRAIC-ING CUISINE Celebrate St Patrick’s Day with our Irish recipes

RESTAURANT REVIEWS 26 TALKING ITALIAN Est Est Ristorante & Bar 27 ON THE MONEY Restaurant Bar & Grill

HOMES

28 FRENCH FANCY Create a beautiful boudoir

OUT & ABOUT & TRAVEL 29 GOING UNDERGROUND Catacomb tour at St George’s Hall 30 THE EMERALD ISLE The Irish must-see list

NON SURGICAL LIPO SCULPT GROUNDBREAKING TECHNOLOGY SHAPES YOU BEAUTIFUL QUICKLY & EASILY

BEST OF LIVERPOOL 03

Talk of the town

OutANDabout

From swish soirées to gatherings, launches and more, Katie McLoughlin and Michelle Rushton take a look at what the city’s glitterati have been up to...

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE CUPID struck at The Beatles Story last month when a couple from Dublin got engaged there on Valentine’s Day. Gavin Fitzpatrick and Caroline Byrne met at a mod music event in 2006. Gavin works in the printing industry and is also a DJ – the Fab Four are always on the turntable. Caroline works in the hotel industry and is also studying in college. Both are massive Beatles fans and have visited the Beatles Story many times.

When Gavin found out that The Beatles Story were opening their doors after-hours to couples for free on Valentine’s Day, it was the opportunity he had been waiting for and he went down on bendedknee in the Albert Dock attraction. After Caroline said yes, the couple headed to Smuggler’s Cove for a celebratory cocktail!

It was the first proposal to take place in The Beatles Story and staff from the award-winning exhibition were on-hand to capture the magic moment with a photograph and helped the couple to celebrate their engagement with a bouquet of flowers and a bottle of Champagne on ice.

SPICE IS RIGHT MORE than 100 guests attended the dinner dance launch of Balle Balle, a new Indian restaurant in the burgeoning Baltic Quarter.

The restaurant, which is said to take its name from a Punjabi for celebration and joy, held a launch event on February 6. A showcase of Indian dancing, DJing and cuisine provided the backdrop for the party, which was filled with movers and shakers from the city’s business fraternity.

Further launch events are planned in the coming weeks with local foodies expected to be attracted by former Mayur head chef, Uday Seth’s five-star cuisine.

Open Tuesday-Sunday with regular entertainment on Friday and Saturday, Balle Balle, on Blundell Street, is being touted as the new model in wining and dining Indian-style.

WHEN the Liverpool Half Marathon takes place at the end of March, it will mark two major milestones for race organisers BTR Liverpool.

The 13.1-mile challenge is on Sunday, March 23 – and this year marks the 21st anniversary since the race was first staged back in 1994.

The 2014 event has also attracted the most overseas runners in its history with 18 countries represented – making it a truly international event.

The race is expected to attract

9,000 runners. All finishers will receive a special 21st anniversary commemorative medal and long sleeved T-shirt.

The race starts and finishes at the Pier Head, with the route featuring UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the Liverpool Waterfront and Albert Dock, as well as Museum of Liverpool, Liverpool Cathedral, Sefton Park Palm House, and Otterspool Promenade.

The BTR Wirral Half Marathon/10k has been shortlisted in the Event

We’re loving...

BOOKS FOR FREE! YES, you read that right – free books! The Best of Liverpool team stumbled across a small shop on Ranelagh Street, in the city centre, on our travels last month and we love it!

The shop, which is rather aptly named ‘Books for Free’, gives books away that would otherwise go to landfill.

Ran by the charity Healthy Planet, the shop is staffed entirely by volunteers, like Andrew Murdoch, who we chatted to while perusing the well-stocked shelves. Andrew says: “The books come from libraries, book shops that have closed down and from people that have brought them in.”

You can take away up to six books at any time for free and the shop is open from 10am on mostTuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays depending on volunteer availability.

04

BEST OF LIVERPOOL

Picture by Helen Sheridan.

MILESTONE FOR HALF MARATHON

AN AUDIENCE WITH PATSY

of the Year category in the Wirral Tourism Awards 2014. Winners will be announced on April 2.

Find out more at www.

BTRLiverpool.com

AN Audience with Patsy Kensit was hosted at the stylish Hilton Hotel in Liverpool recently.

The event, organised by Carolyn Hughes PR and celebrity stylist Lorraine McCulloch, in association with Radio City’s Cash for Kids, promoted Patsy’s autobiography Absolute Beginner and celebrated Patsy’s colourful life!

The ladies enjoyed a Champagne reception, followed by a sumptuous three-course lunch. Gorgeous models wearing dresses from celebrity haunt Cricket showcased some stunning Boodles diamond jewellery and one lucky lady won a Boodles Velocity gold and diamond ring.

After lunch, a panel including Radio City’s Claire Simmonsen, Granada Reports’ Victoria Grimes and the Liverpool ECHO’S Dawn Collinson welcomed Patsy to the stage, where she spoke candidly and on occasions quite emotionally

about her childhood, children, married life and career.

Then guests were treated to an acoustic set from Liverpool band The Christians and all received a signed copy of Patsy’s autobiography.

Make-up artists from ArtDeco were also on hand to touch up the ladies’ makeup before a DJ rounded off the afternoon in the Hilton’s popular PIMA Bar. The event raised £9,000 for Radio City’s Cash for Kids.

AMAZING BROWS

LONDON RAIN

THIS month, pay a visit to the Benefit Brow Bar, in Debenhams, and you could get brows that make a difference in more ways than one.

Throughout March, Benefit Brow Bars are offering a complimentary brow arch service (worth £11.50) for a requested minimum donation of £5, with all proceeds going to Look Good Feel Better – which helps women suffering from the visible side-effects of cancer treatment.

On March 9, there’ll also be a fundraising march through London, dubbed ‘Brow Arch March’, to raise awareness for the cancer support charity.

Sarahjane Robertson, executive director of Look Good Feel Better, says: “We’re urging everyone to get involved with the Brow Arch March.”

Visit www.browarchmarch.com to find out more.

RATHER appropriately, the fragrance experts at Jo Malone London have launched a tribute to the wonderful British weather!

The London Rain limited edition collection by master perfumer Christine Nagel captures the different moods of a downpour; from the soft sparkle of a morning shower through to a wild rainstorm at night.

The intriguing collection features four colognes – Rain & Angelica, Wisteria & Violet, White Jasmine & Mint and Black Cedarwood & Juniper, priced £82 for 100ml.

Shop online at jomalone.com or call 0870 034 2411.

MARCH 14 LEGO LAND

TGI FRIDAY’S TO OPEN AT LIVERPOOL ONE THE first TGI Friday’s in Merseyside is set to open at Liverpool ONE. The popular American-themed bar and restaurant will join the 13 other brands on Liverpool ONE’s buzzing Leisure Terrace this spring.

Located close to the ODEON cinema, TGI Friday’s will feature a retro interior, booth seating, widescreen TVs and even surf board tables.

Donna Howitt, marketing and business performance director at Liverpool ONE, said: “Trends are showing that more and more people are choosing Liverpool ONE

as their destination for dinner out with their friends and family so we are thrilled to welcome this great new addition.”

The family friendly restaurant will offer a versatile menu including favourites such as sizzling fajitas, juicy burgers and delicious deserts.

The popular franchise is the sixth catering brand to sign at Liverpool ONE within the last 10 months, joining Byron, Browns, Hotel Chocolat Cocoa Bar Cafe, Home and Ed’s Easy Diner.

For more information visit www.liverpool-one.com

A MAN from Stoneycroft has built a 2.5m long Lego model of Liverpool Cathedral – complete with working lights.

Peter Rogers made the Lego model in his spare time and as a way to relieve stress. He started the model in June 2013 and finished it on December 18 – on orders from his wife to clear the dining room table ready for Christmas dinner!

The model – which weighs a whopping 100 kilos – is now on display in the cathedral itself and people are being invited to guess how many bricks it’s made from.

The person with the nearest guess will win a family pass to Legoland Windsor. To enter the competition, visit the cathedral before April 4, have a good look at the model and post your guess in the postbox. A small donation for each guess is welcomed, and all money raised goes to the Cathedral Foundation.

Tina Morris, cathedral fundraiser, says: “Our cathedral is referred to by many as the ‘great space’ – it’s fantastic that we now have a ‘little space’ to go with it! Money raised by the Cathedral Foundation goes to the upkeep of the building, so when Peter allowed us to display his Lego model, it seemed like the perfect way to illustrate who we are and what we do and why our building is so important to the people of Liverpool.”

THE ONLY WAY IS MACHU PICCHU FORMER The Only Way Is Essex personality Kirk Norcross is joining a group of 18 Liverpool business people to climb Machu Picchu in Peru.

The Machu Picchu 2014 team is preparing to scale the 15th century Inca site located 7,970ft above sea level in March with the aim of raising thousands of pounds for the ADHD Foundation and Sport Relief.

Kirk Norcross says: “As someone who suffers from ADHD, I know first-hand how difficult it can be growing up with the illness. I am really excited to be taking part in this charity climb and so pleased to be raising awareness for the ADHD Foundation which does so much to help young people and their families living with ADHD.” Fellow climber, Jayne Moore (pictured), managing director at Moore Media, says: “We are under no illusion that the Machu Picchu challenge is going to be very gruelling at times, but knowing that we are completing the challenge for such a great cause will definitely help us to power on through! It will also be fantastic to spend time with Kirk – I am sure he will have lots of interesting stories to tell us which will keep us going.”

For more details visit sportrelief.com or www.adhdfoundation.org.uk

AWARD-WINNING MENU THE Italian Club Fish held a new year showcase to highlight its recent Cheshire Life award for Restaurant of the Year 2013.

Guests from Liverpool’s wining and dining fraternity enjoyed sampling an extension to the award-winning menu plus some old favourites. Reataurant critic, Giles Coren (pictured) also visited the Bold Street eatery recently.

FANCY A SPANISH? POPULAR Spanish tapas bar and restaurant, La Tasca, has re-opened its doors following a full refurbishment of the lively Mediterranean restaurant in Queens Square.

The restaurant keeps its authentic Spanish charm, with the addition of a new Chupitos Bar and an exciting new menu launch.

La Tasca has also gained full gluten-free (GF) accreditation from Coeliac UK, the national charity for people with coeliac disease.

The menu has more than 60 dishes and features new dishes designed by acclaimed executive chef Antony Bennett who has taken inspiration from traditional Spanish tapas from his various trips to Spain.

James Picton, operations director of La

Tasca Restaurants, comments: “We are delighted to have re-opened our doors to the full refurbished restaurant and bar. The site looks fantastic and I’m confident that our guests will enjoy the new and improved Spanish experience as well as, of course, our brand new menu.”

For more information visit www.latasca.co.uk

DINE IN RETRO STYLE THERE’LL be plenty of Happy Days (and lunchtimes) this month as a new retroAmerican diner is opening on Lord Street.

Located close to Debenhams, in Liverpool ONE, Ed’s Easy Diner will feature retro booth seating, checkerboard flooring and even jukeboxes complete with 1950s hits.

The restaurant will offer an Americaninspired menu including diner favourites like hamburgers, hotdogs and chilli fries from its open kitchen.

Ed’s will open on the ground floor and first floors initially but is set to expand over a number of levels.

SANTA PAWS MERSEYSIDE residents revealed themselves to be a county of animal lovers by donating over £4,500 to the Santa Paws campaign help local animal charities over the festive season.

Organised by independent animal charity Support Adoption For Pets, and supported

by Pets at Home, the annual campaign aims to raise awareness of homeless pets.

Last December, pet owners were asked to either donate 50p to pay for a pet’s Christmas dinner or to buy an extra toy or treat when they were buying something for their own furry friend.

Stores in Merseyside raised £4,541.45, with the Pets at Home store in Speke raising nearly 40% of the total, which will go to

help Dogs Trust Merseyside. The rest of the money will go to support Shy Lowen Horse & Pony Sanctuary, Warrington Animal Welfare, Animal Aid and Woodlands Animal Sanctuary.

To find out more about Support Adoption For Pets or to support the charity visit www.supportadoptionforpets.co.uk

A TASTY SIGHT FOR Blankstone Opticians’ first get together of 2014, the Derby Square Liverpool-based firm recruited the talents of local chefs, farmers around the North West and producers around the UK. Business guests enjoyed a bite-sized cornucopia of fresh, seasonal, healthy food and drink for Blankstone’s inaugural stand-up Supper Club in Liverpool.

BEST OF LIVERPOOL 05

SJM CONCERTS BY ARRANGEMENT WITH CAA PRESENTS

TRUST 2014

Sunday 30 November

LIVERPOOL ECHO ARENA New album ‘TRUST’ out now

ALFIE-BOE.COM Presented by SJM Concerts by arrangement with e Agency Group and Neil Ferris

WITH SPECIAL GUESTS

MONDAY 23 JUNE

LIVERPOOL ECHO ARENA

AND DISTURBINg LONDON PRESENT

PLUS SPECIAL gUESTS

APRIL 7

LIVERPOOL ECHO ARENA

2-6 APRIL BOX OFFICE: 0844 8000 400 06

NEW ALBUM ‘DEMONSTRATION’ OUT NOW A PS4 & LIVE NATION PRESENTATION IN ASSOCIATION WITH ECHO LOCATION TALENT

NOW THAT’S

Live Nation Presents

TONY DENTON PROMOTIONS Presents

THE OSMONDS DAVID ESSEX SHOWADDYWADDY & LES McKEOWN’S LEGENDARY BAY CITY ROLLERS

LOVE ME FOR A REASON HOLD ME CLOSE SILVER DREAM MACHINE CRAZY HORSES UNDER THE MOON OF LOVE GIVE A LITTLE LOVE GONNA MAKE YOU A STAR SHANG-A-LANG BYE BYE BABY LET ME IN YOU GOT WHAT IT TAKES THREE STEPS TO HEAVEN

The Final Tour 2014

TUESDAY 8 APRIL 2014

WED 25 JUNE LIVERPOOL ECHO ARENA

LIVERPOOL ECHO ARENA OFF THE KERB PRODUCTIONS IN ASSOCIATION WITH UNIVERSAL PICTURES (UK) LTD PRESENT

EXTRA DATE ADDED

Tickets may be subject to a booking fee Promoter has the right to change the line up

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UK AND IRELAND TOUR 2014

30 OCT | 31 OCT | 1 NOV ENTERTAINMENT!

LEE EVANS -MONSTERSON DVD NOV ’14

WWW.ECHOARENA.COM 07

Fashion for her Blue drape maxi dress, £169, Biba metallic ruby clutch, £100, from House of Fraser

Odds on favourite Emma Thompson places her bets on sorbet shades being a sure winner in the style stakes at the Aintree Grand National this year...

Sleeveless blue skater dress with a gold tone metallic belt, £35, from www.vestryonline.com

Clutch bag with neon flower embellishment, £35, from Asos

Asymmetric strap shoes, £30, from Next

Sweetness yellow bustier dress, £160, from Vera Mont Joanna Hope necklace trim dress, from £65, from Fifty Plus

Citrine, 50s style tea dress, £1,450, from Katja Nuutinen Couture

Limited edition ankle strap shoe lemon with white ornate heel, £29.50, from M&S Diamond pleated high-low dress by Julien Macdonald, £75, from Debenhams in Liverpool ONE

08

BEST OF LIVERPOOL

MARCH 14 Lipsy VIP embellished waist prom dress in hush violet, £115, from Lipsy

Violet crochet-look dress, £115, from Betty Barclay

Lipsy VIP Bardot lace pencil dress, £130, from Lipsy

Collection bag, £29.50, from Marks and Spencer

Floral platform court shoes, £35, from Very

Pinky beige embroidered dress, £59, from La Redoute

Kardashian v-neck belted jumpsuit, £65, from Lipsy

Kardashian embellished clutch bag, £55, from Lipsy in Liverpool ONE Glitter platform sling backs, £70, from Lipsy

Blue Moon delicate A-line style dress, £230, from Vera Mont

Riley dress, £135, from Coast in Liverpool ONE

BEST OF LIVERPOOL 09

Shopping for him Best of British coat, £599, from Marks & Spencer

Hammond & Co. bow tie by Patrick Grant, £16, from Debenhams

Trilby hat, £12.99, from H&M

Navy cable knit cricket jumper, £28, from River Island

Swanky Malone

Corsivo pocket squares, £25 each, from House of Fraser

STEP back in time with a trip to Swanky Malone in Garston. The retrochic hairdressers on St Mary’s Road, is a new salon with a 1950s’ twist.

Owned by top stylist Cameron Stananought, the salon has been a real labour of love for the 23-year old who wanted to create an authentic experience for dapper gents and dames.

Inside the salon is equipped with original barber chairs, and the stylists wear three piece suits with the dulcet tones of the Rat Pack wafting through the air.

Cameron, who runs the salon alongside stylist and manager Laurence Morris, says: “Laurence and I have both worked in this industry since we left school, so we know what people want from their hair stylist. We stay up-to-date with the latest trends and products but, having our own premises is brand new to us. It’s exciting to be able to tailor the entire experience for our customers” Call 0151 427 8820, visit www.swankymalone.co.uk

Cuff-links, £12.50, from Marks & Spencer

Nifty fifties The era when men drank whiskey for breakfast and had a sharper dress sense than a Gillette Mach3, 1950s’ fashion is a key trend this spring. Sarah Hooley finds out more...

CHAMPIONED on the catwalks by Prada back in 2011, the trend for gents’ 1950s’ fashion has slowly gained momentum over the last few years, and this season is set to really take hold.

From the classic American family man to dashing rogues propping up smoky bars, think double-breasted suit jackets, pleated pants, skinny ties, braces, brogues and trilby hats, as well as slim belts, natty cricket jumpers and shirts with large pockets.

In terms of colour, opt for post-war greys, blues, browns and burgundies with a splash of pattern in the form of checks and stripes.

Incorporate the trend by utilising key pieces like a grey blazer, loose fitting khakis and printed shirts and teaming with skinny jeans and boat shoes or modern patterns like Navajo and animal print for an up-to-date twist.

Double-breasted suit from Ted Baker’s spring summer 2014 collection

Specs appeal J By Jasper Conran grey suit jacket, £149, from Debenhams

TAKE a cue from 50s’ specs icon Buddy Holly and frame your peepers with these beauties...

Grenville, £69, from Specsavers Paul Smith 124243, £289, from Vision Express

Kin by John Lewis fine stripe shirt, £29, from John Lewis FC103, £99, from Specsavers

Bart, £89, from Mens at Dune Vice Consul G Nero glasses by Oliver Goldsmith, from Blankstone Opticians, Liverpool

Black skinny leather belt, £14, from Burton

Black and cream shoes from Zara J by Jasper Conran grey trousers, £80, from Debenhams

10

BEST OF LIVERPOOL

Consul B glasses by Oliver Goldsmith, from Blankstone Opticians, Liverpool

Beauty

MARCH 14

Bright and beautiful Fancy looking fresh-faced and fancy-free in time for the races? Michelle Rushton finds out how to give your skin a healthy spring glow...

OK so you’ve spent a small fortune on a new frock for the races and have booked your hair and make-up appointment at the salon.

But have you prepared your biggest asset? If your skin is looking dull and lacklustre, it can really affect your confidence and let down your overall appearance.

On the other hand, healthy, radiant, glowing skin can transform how you look and feel and give you a real boost, making you feel younger and more attractive.

Linda Cunningham, director of Epilight New Skin Clinic on Rodney Street, is an expert on skin rejuvenation. Her clinic on Rodney Street boasts the most advanced equipment including state-of-the-art lasers and offers a wide range of treatments designed to treat all manner of skin problems from pores and pigment to rosacea, acne scars, as well as reversing sun damage and signs of ageing and painless hair removal.

She says: “If you value your looks, then maintaining your best looking skin ever has got to be a priority.

“Here at Epilight, we can easily and effectively regenerate and regain your younger looking, fresher, plumper resilient and, of course, healthier skin. Every woman can have healthy looking glowing skin at any age!”

Epilight offers a huge range of treatments from photo rejuvenation, Clearlift™ laser facelift, thread lifts, laser skin resurfacing, radio frequency, liquid facelift, PRP platelet rich plasma, meso-therapy, muscle relaxant dermal fillers, vector lift, volume replacement and much more.

Urges Lin: “Try our Impact Facial to help you feel bright and beautiful – it’s a smoothing, hydrating ultrasound, vitamin and hyaluronic acid delivery system which uses micro cavitation and acoustic wave to plump and hydrate the skin and feed and revitalise the cells. It’s so relaxing and luxurious and it even treats the hands!”

The clinic has also introduced a new range of PQ AGE firm lift revitalising peels for face, neck, chest, hands and bingo wings.

Lin explains: “This unique, non-aggressive but strongacting peel tightens and sculpts the skin because it reaches to the deepest layer of the tissue for lift, tightening, smoothing pigment and sculpting.”

Before

After

Before

NO DOWNTIME

Katie Holmes wearing Bobbi Brown’s Nude Glow collection

We’re loving...

If you wish to tackle signs of ageing, Lyn has lots of nonsurgical solutions at her fingertips, many of which are painless, non-invasive and can be done in your lunch-hour.

Lin asks: “Are you bothered by sagging jawline, double chin or brows, under eye bags and lack lustre skin? If you feel you want to freshen your look but don’t want the risk or expense of surgery then it could be the right time for you to consider Ultherapy.

Recently featured on Channel 4’s How Not To Get Old with Anna Richardson, Ultherapy uses focused ultrasound which targets below the skin from within stimulating deep repair and rebuilding of collagen and elastin structures creating lifting and tightening of the skin and deeper tissues.

Dermal fillers are also available for treating lines and facial volume loss plus lip augmentation.

And if you still haven’t manage to shift that Christmas excess, Lin specialises in local fat removal and lipo sculpture type treatments to reduce and smooth lumps and bumps all over the body.

She reveals: “Using Proshock Ice Cryo-lipolysis and acoustic shock waves method and or prescribed meso-therapy means you can now sculpt and shape and trim inches from your body to target exactly where you want to.

“The Proshock Ice treatment actually destroys the fat cells, and aids safe removal of the dead cells from the body. It also treats all three types of cellulite with visible smoothing for instant effects that are cumulative over time.”

Lin will provide a free consultation and design a bespoke programme to treat your skin needs with prices starting from £100 and many treatments half price.

To book in for a free consultation visit Epilight New Skin Clinic at 54 Rodney Street, Liverpool, L1 9AD. Call 0151 709 0099 or visit www.epilightnewskin.co.uk

After

The only FDA Proven lifting modality

Fresh faced beauty

THERE’S nothing prettier than a natural, radiant face and we’re loving getting our glow back with Bobbi Brown’s new Nude Glow Collection.

The collection features four easy-to-use products that instantly brighten your look and let your natural beauty shine through.

At the heart of the collection is Bobbi’s iconic Brightening Finishing Powder, a sleek compact featuring six luminous shades which blend together to illuminate skin.

The collection also includes limited edition eye palettes to add sparkle to your peepers, pretty nail polishes and sheer lip colours, which condition while adding a pretty hint of colour. We especially heart the Pink Flush lip colour.

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Weddings HEARTS WILL GO ON AT ‘TITANIC’ WEDDING VENUE SIGNATURE Living is creating a luxury wedding venue in an iconic historical building in Liverpool with a stylish nod to its remarkable history.

The former headquarters of the White Star Line – once one of the world’s biggest shipping lines – will become as glamorous as the ships designed within its walls, most famously the Titanic.

Signature Living will invest £7m into the restoration of the Grade II listed 30 James Street, to create one of the UK’s most desirable wedding venues.

It will boast 65 individually designed hotel suites, and a stunning banqueting suite with original Edwardian ceilings.

Couples can also take advantage of an on-site wedding co-ordinator and an expert kitchen and hospitality team, headed by award-winning chef patron Adam Franklin, as well as a luxury wedding suite with a 15ft Victorian style carved oak and gold leaf bed.

Visit www.signaturehotelliverpool.co.uk

AN EXCLUSIVE EXPERIENCE THE Richmond ApartHotel & Spa Liverpool is a wedding venue brimming with style and sophistication.

With its philosophy ‘an experience exclusive to you,’ the Grade II listed building creates a stunning backdrop for the ultimate special day.

Centrally located on Hatton Garden, it offers the whole package, from pampering and ceremony, to function suites and accommodation.

Licensed for civil ceremonies, wedding parties can take full advantage of The Richmond facilities by enjoying a spot of relaxation in Olympus Health Club & Spa, followed by wedding day pampering in Capello Salon.

The William & Kane Suite is a beautiful setting for the ceremony and reception for up to 200 guests, and features a private bar. For an intimate setting, the grandeur of Florentyna’s offers private dining for 24 guests. Both function suites are complimented by The Richmond’s glass light-filled Atrium, the perfect space for welcoming guests.

Visit www.richmondliverpool.com

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE...

(AND A GOOD VENUE) IMAGINE all the people who’ll be celebrating your wedding with you – and you may get a little hot under the collar about the cost. But you needn’t sacrifice on style or cull your guestlist to stay in budget.

The four star Beatles-themed Hard Days Night Hotel on North John Street, has wedding packages to suit all pockets, with prices from £69 to £109 per person.

All packages are named after Beatles’ songs. Priced £109 per person, the ‘Imagine’ package includes canapés and a glass of Champagne on arrival; a four-course wedding breakfast; tea, coffee and white chocolate fudge; half a bottle of house wine per adult as well as a glass of Champagne each for the toast.

Plus, there’s a plush suite for the bride and groom.

Evening reception packages are also available and experienced wedding co-ordinators will be on-hand to help you plan your big day.

Visit www.harddaysnighthotel.com

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BEST OF LIVERPOOL

Photography: Zoë Photography

Pre-wedding nerves?

Wedding photographer, Zoe Richards, has some wise words of advice...

A LOT of effort goes into weddings, coordinating the theme, making sure everything is booked and paid for, and putting everything in place on the day.

It’s hardly surprising that most brides worry ‘what if something goes wrong?’ And sadly, sometimes things don’t turn out to plan. As a wedding photographer, Zoe Richards gets to see it all and often has to lend a hand at the last minute!

She reveals: “There was the bridesmaid who came over from Canada, having sent her measurements to the dressmaker and, when she came to put her dress on the measurements had been taken down wrongly.

“I did a quick pinning job, and showed her how to walk down the aisle so that no-one would notice. Then there’s the bride whose mum was zipping her into her dress, but the zip was faulty – half way up the zipper came off. None of the bridesmaids were able to sew, but thankfully I am of a generation where we were taught to sew at school, so I put the camera down and nervously sewed the bride into her dress.”

She advises: “When you’re planning your wedding it’s often the little things that get forgotten – so many times people forget about how they’re getting the groom to the church, or how the bridesmaids will go from the church to the venue. The back of my car has seen many a bridesmaid, usher and groom – not all at once, obviously!

“At my daughter’s wedding, her dad and I caught a 24 hour tummy bug the night before, and whilst it didn’t affect me too badly, her poor dad ended up in bed when he should have been doing his speech, which meant I had to do it.

“But it taught us that even with all the planning in the world, and no matter what goes wrong, your wedding day is never spoilt because getting married to each other is precious.

“If you’re planning your wedding in 2014 just relax. So what if something goes wrong? You’re getting married, and nothing can beat that!”

Contact Zoë Photography on 07792 650742

WEDDING FAIR AT THE FLORRIE SINCE its grand re-opening in April 2012, The Florrie has played host to an array of spectacular weddings and for the first time, this historic venue is holding its own in-house wedding fair on Saturday, March 22.

Not only will there be the North West’s top wedding suppliers present, but this is a fantastic opportunity to view The Florrie with its wealth of original features making it the perfect wedding venue.

Formerly known as Florence Hall, the Grade II listed building will be playing host to photographers, bridal shops, cars, jewellers, stationers and showcasing its very own on-site caterers, Pickled Walnut.

The Florrie’s experienced event team will be on-hand to offer advice and guidance for every aspect of your special day plus there will be entertainment, refreshments and a bar service throughout the day.

The Wedding Fair is open from 11am – 4pm and entrance is free. For more information visit www.theflorrie.org or telephone 0151 728 2323.

THE WOW FACTOR

MARCH 14

Sweet as candy VINTAGE country charm is one of the on-trend themes for weddings in 2014, according to John Lewis.

The trend fuses retro British style with sugary sweet candy shades to evoke a pretty, summery and nostalgic look.

To add a touch of retro country charm to your special day, look for confetti in pretty pastel shades and candy coloured honeycomb ball decorations, adorn tables with delicate butterfly placecards and use retro sweet jars and personalised biscuits as favours to add a quirky retro feel to your big day.

ONE of the most important features of your wedding day will be the all-important bridal gown.

Here are some of the latest styles for spring/summer which are guaranteed to make your guests say ‘wow’!

A delicate lace romantic dress, Jessica from Maggie Sottero

Woodland wonders A modern and dramatic single shoulder strap bridal dress, Evita from Maggie Sottero

WITH a client list including Elton John, Lionel Ritchie, Lady Diana and HRH Queen Elizabeth, Richard Moore, knows a thing or two about floral arrangements.

The Liverpool-born owner of Fishlocks florists on Castle Street reveals the wedding trends and the musthave bouquets in 2014. It’s all about the rustic theme!

He explains: “Ever since Kate and Wills started the outdoors-inside trend, rustic has gone to a whole new level.

“Brides now not only want rustic bouquets to accompany them down the aisle, but mini woodlands across tables, bark edging along the aisles and vases filled with mosses from all four corners of the earth.

“Garden roses are always the order of the day being romantic, visually striking and elegant all at the same time.”

For more details visit Fishlocks Florist, 11 Castle Street, L2 0NB or call 0151 236 7908.

THISTLE LIVERPOOL ATLANTIC TOWER Beautiful lace threequarter-length sleeves, with a pleated silk dupion cummerbund at the waist of this circular cut ball gown, dress 8695 from Justin Alexander

Wedding Open Events WHIRL WIND WEDDING 2014

Victoria Gallery & Museum, Liverpool, Thursday 13 March from 5pm – 7pm Carnatic House, Mossley Hill, Liverpool, Saturday 12 April from 12 noon – 3pm

We still have key dates available for June and July 2014, have your whirl wind wedding with us for just £2700.00*

Enjoy a complimentary glass of bubbly on arrival and our team will guide you through the venue so you can see for yourself how enchanting your special day can be!

Come see our venue on Thursday 13th of March 5.30-8.30pm and see how we can make your perfect day truly special.

WEDDING OPEN EVENING

Victoria Gallery & Museum is just 5 minutes’ walk from both Liverpool Lime Street and Central station, just off Brownlow Hill opposite the Metropolitan Cathedral.

0151 794 6440 @LivUniEvents

Representatives from

BMusical Entertainment Grand Designs Wedding & Events weddings@liv.ac.uk www.liv.ac.uk/weddings University of Liverpool Conferences & Events

Chapel Street, Liverpool, L3 9RE

0151 472 2854

mande.liverpool@thistle.co.uk

*Based on 60 day guests and 80 evening guests, terms and conditions apply.

BEST OF LIVERPOOL

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A day at the races

Taking the stage

Weddings

ART ATTACK Image by Paul Armitage

FOR a tasteful (yet suitably cheeky) hen activity, look no further than Artful Hen Parties. Run by 35-year professional old model, Graham Barwick, the class lasts for two hours and teaches participants how to capture the human form.

Or more specifically, Graham expertly tutors hens how to draw his well-honed body sans clothes.

Fun and sleaze-free, the class is great for budding artists or those looking for an alternative hen activity. If only art classes in school had been this interesting...

For prices and more info visit www.henpartylifedrawingparties.co.uk

PAMPER PARTY

WIN A STAG NIGHT AT BLUNDELL STREET

Photo by Nicky Rockets

PLANNING a hen do is no easy task.

But, with the help of Betty and Lilly from The Pamper Box, you’re sure to find the perfect way to help her wave goodbye to singledom.

The duo offer a fantastic range of pamper events and photoshoots including, Horror Hottie, Superhero vs Villains, Fairytale & Fantasy, 1920s Deluxe, 1950s Deluxe, Acceptable in the 80s, Crafty Queen and Domestic Goddess.

We at BOL, particuarly love the Fairytale & Fantasy package which sees participants transformed into their favourite fairytale or fantasy-film character. Be that a Disney-style princess or a corpse bride – the choice is yours!

Priced at £50pp, the package includes a make-up workshop, a make-over (including wigs and props) and a professional photo session. The bride-to-be also receives a disc with all the images on to keep as a momento of the weekend.

Parties can be held in one of their regular venues in Liverpool or, Betty and Lilly can bring their portable beauty parlour to the comfort of your home. Bespoke experiences can also be created.

Visit www.vintagepamperbox.com for a complete list.

WIN

BEST man alert! If you’ve been tasked with organising a stag party then make it a night to remember at Blundell Street.

Blundell Street is full of beautiful people fully intent on just one thing – to have a great time and is a real favourite with both stag and hen parties as it has a restaurant, bar, nightclub and live entertainment venue all available in the same venue on the same night!

After eating fine food, you can dance the night away.

The live acts on offer are spectacular, UK’s top tribute acts, Rat Pack, Swing, Soul, Motown, The Beatles, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, Noughties and also some chart toppers including The Christians and Andy Abrahams have appeared at Blundell Street.

To book, call 0151 709 5779 or visit the website www.blundellstreetliverpool.com Meanwhile, Best of Liverpool has teamed up with Blundell Street to offer a stag party a table for 10 including a threecourse dinner, live music and a DJ. To be in with the chance of winning, please answer the following question:

Which X Factor runner-up has performed at Blundell Street?

Send your answers on a postcard titled Blundell Street competition, Best of Liverpool, Liverpool ECHO, PO Box 48, Old Hall Street, Liverpool, L69 3EB. Closing date: Friday, April 4, 2014. *The prize must be claimed before July 31, 2014.

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BEST OF LIVERPOOL

Headliner for Crabbies Grand National announced BEST of Liverpool is dusting off our heels and big hats in preparation for The Crabbie’s Grand National Festival next month.

2014 will be the 167th running of The Grand National race and the start of the new sponsorship with Halewood owned Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer.

Aintree Racecourse is home to the most famous horse race in the world which is the climax to a three-day Festival meeting in April every year. The racecourse hosts five other fixtures and is a leading conference centre in the north west of England.

This year, the racecourse is pleased to announce Katy B as its headline music act.

Brit school graduate, Katy B, is one of the UK’s hottest music acts with her current album Little Red landing number one in the album

charts and her single Crying for No Reason reaching the top five in the singles charts.

She will perform at Aintree’s Equestrian Centre on Ladies’ Day, Friday, April 4, following a day of top class racing.

Singer and songwriter, Katy B, will entertain the crowds with belting hits from her first album On a Mission and her chart topping new album Little Red. Top 10 songs such as Katy on a Mission, Lights On, What is Love Made Of, and current hit Crying for No Reason will be some of many highlights from the performance.

John Baker, Aintree and North West regional director for Jockey Club Racecourses says: “We are delighted to announce that Katy B will be performing on Ladies’ Day at The Crabbie’s Grand National.

“Katy B is one of the hottest acts in the UK at the moment so we’re

extremely excited she has agreed to perform at one of the biggest sporting events in the world.

“This year’s Crabbie’s Grand National is proving to be one of the best ever with it being the first £1 million Grand National. With Katy B now performing on the Friday, tickets will be selling fast, so I would encourage people to get their tickets soon so they don’t miss out.”

Tickets for the Katy B concert are on sale online at thecrabbiesgrandnational.co.uk and by telephone on 0844 579 3001.

They are also available at the racecourse from Monday, March 10.

Prices start from £37.

Children’s tickets are limited and must be purchased in conjunction with adult tickets.

All under 17s must be accompanied by an adult.

RACEDAY PACKAGES LIVERPOOL ONE BRIDEWELL

THE SIR THOMAS HOTEL

THE Liverpool ONE Bridewell is inviting people to enjoy a day at the races with its fantastic raceday package.

Meet at the Bridewell in Campbell Square for a hot breakfast buffet with a glass of bubbly and a cocktail, then travel by coach to Aintree, where you can enjoy a day in the Tattersalls enclosure.

The package includes travel back to the Bridewell for another complimentary cocktail and a raffle where you can win a bottle of Champagne, a £50 voucher and two VIP tickets to another 2014 race meeting at Aintree, Carlisle or Haydock.

The package is available on the Grand National opening day on Thursday, April 3, priced £70, and on Ladies’ Day on Friday, April 4 at a price of £80.

For more information call 0151 709 7000, visit www.liverpoolonebridewell.com or email info@liverpoolonebridewell.com

THE Sir Thomas Hotel is offering a fabulous racegoers package at £59.95 per person.

This includes a pre-races Champagne breakfast, transport to and from Aintree Racecourse and a post races luxury three course dinner with live entertainment.

Or you can enjoy a Champagne breakfast and return travel for £29.95 per person.

The plush hotel on Sir Thomas Street also has VIP lounge tables available in its sumptuous St Johns Lounge — ideal place to relax and unwind after a long day at the races with live entertainment and DJs. It’s £400 for a Ruby Package including a small table seating four to six people with two bottled spirits, one magnum of Moet & Chandon Rose and four jugs of mixers. Meanwhile, a Sapphire Package is £600 including a big table seating eight to 10 people, three bottled spirits, one magnum of Moet Cliquot Rose Champagne and six jugs of mixers.

For more information call 0151 236 1366 or email events@sirthomashotel.co.uk

Fitness

AS Vincent and Flavia limber up to take to the stage at the Liverpool Empire in March, ballroom dancing is once again in the spotlight.

The talented professional dancers on Strictly Come Dancing are so mesmerising and each time I watch the show, I am inspired to take to the dance floor.

Googling dance classes in my area, I discovered the Topaz Dancentre on my doorstep in Garston. The dance school offers a wide range of classes for people of all ages from street dance and ballet to Latin American and ballroom.

But who could I go with? My partner has two left feet and there’s a slight height difference (he’s six foot three and I just about come up to his chest with heels on) plus he’d rather be watching the darts than join me for a spot of Argentine tango.

Then I spotted a new class –FitSteps® on the website. Described as ‘fitness that’s Strictly fun,’ the class promises to help you get fit, lose unwanted pounds and have fun plus you don’t need a partner or have previous dance experience – bonus!

So, quicker than you could say “chaaa chaaa chaaa” Craig Revel Horwood – style, I had dusted off my leotard and legwarmers and taken myself down to Topaz on Heald Street.

There I was greeted by dance teacher and FitSteps instructor, Ann Atherton, who explained how Strictly Come Dancing stars Natalie Lowe and Ian Waite had teamed up with world champion swimmer Mark Foster, a former Strictly contestant and an expert in fitness and conditioning, to produce the unique dance and fitness programme.

She says: “They have combined, for the first time, the best known and most popular Latin and ballroom dances with proven fitness techniques, to develop a dance/fitness programme that is capable of delivering fast fitness results, with a heap of fun thrown in!”

MARCH 14

Strictly fun fitness Michelle Rushton dons her dancing shoes for a Strictly style workout

Ann Atherton with Ian Waite

Ann revealed how the FitSteps classes are becoming as popular as, if not overtaking, Zumba at her dance school, attracting people of all ages from nine to 60.

“If you like to dance, then you’ll love it as it’s a real dancer’s class,” she explains. “It’s great for all round fitness.

There’s aerobic sections, such as the

cha cha cha, jive, quickstep and samba, which really get your heart rate up, whereas the waltz, paso doble and tango are good for toning.

“It’s also good for improving coordination and mental agility.”

After a brief introduction, we headed to the studio to start the class. I was relieved to find I wasn’t the only new starter and the rest of the class were very friendly and welcoming.

We formed two lines and I huddled in the back row with my fellow newbies but I soon found out that the two rows take it in turns to go to the front – so no chance of hiding!

It was like an aerobics class incorporating the jive, cha cha, samba, tango, waltz and quickstep, mixing the graceful steps of ballroom with the more up tempo steps of the Latin dances, all done to modern tracks.

Being a tad unfit and getting over a chest infection, I soon felt my thighs and calves burning and was a little out of breath, but I was so engrossed in learning the steps that it took my mind off it.

And the steps were relatively easy to follow. The only ones I had trouble with were the quickstep – just couldn’t get my head around that slow quick quick slow. I also found the samba part a little

tricky – we had to tilt our pelvises in and out, as well as moving our arms and legs – a bit like patting your head and rubbing your belly at the same time.

At the end of the workout I was wet through, without feeling done in. I felt totally energised and can’t wait to go next week – although this time I will give it some more welly!

Fitsteps takes place at Topaz Dancentre on Mondays and Tuesdays from 7.30pm to 8.30pm and Wednesdays from 8pm to 9pm, priced £4.50 per class.

For more information call 0151 427 9906 or visit : www.topazdancentre.com

DANCE ‘TIL DAWN FRESH from wowing audiences across the country with Midnight Tango, TV’s Strictly Come Dancing favourites Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace are back with a brand new show.

Dance ‘til Dawn, a sensational dance show straight from the Golden Age of Hollywood, will be at the Liverpool Empire Theatre from March 31 – April 2 as part of a UK tour.

Former world tango champions, Vincent and Flavia stole the hearts of the British public with their breathtaking Argentine tango on TV’s Strictly Come Dancing.

Since the dazzling duo launched Midnight Tango in 2010, they have thrilled over half a million people across the UK both on tour and in London’s West End. In 1940s LA, a romance unfolds between a beautiful starlet and her handsome lover.

Dance ‘til Dawn will transport you to a time of elegance with stunning sets, a live band, world class dancers and Vincent and Flavia themselves with their flawless footwork and spellbinding choreography.

Presented by Adam Spiegel Productions, Dance ‘til Dawn will be directed by Olivier Award-winning choreographer and director

Karen Bruce who directed Vincent and Flavia’s Olivier Awardnominated show, Midnight Tango.

This unforgettable evening of timeless sophistication and breathtaking dance is a must see.

Performances are on Monday, March 31 at 7.30pm, Tuesday, April 1 at 7.30pm and on Wednesday, April 2 at 2.30pm and 7.30pm.

To book tickets visit the Empire Box Office or www.atgtickets.com/liverpool or call 0844 871 3017. For more details www.dancetildawnonstage.com

BEST OF LIVERPOOL

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Homegrown talent Picture by James Maloney

Picture by James Maloney

In my Liverpool home Sue Kelbrick meets the Liverpool lass coming home to see her life story being performed on stage...

READING a list of people Liverpool singer Beryl Marsden has worked with, is like reading a Who’s Who of rock and roll from the 1960s – The Beatles, Martha and the Vandellas, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis and Rod Stewart to name just a few – and yet she remains resolutely humble about her star spangled past.

“I just wanted to sing!” she laughs. But, despite her inherent modesty, a major new musical has been written about her life which chronicles her rise to stardom from a 16-year old schoolgirl being signed to Decca Records to touring with The Beatles in the 1960s and beyond.

So how does it feel to have a musical written about her life? “I really trusted the writer Mike Howl,” says Beryl.

“I think having that trust was really important and helped to make the whole process a lot easier. But yes it is very strange to see your life being recreated on stage.

I did wonder at one point ‘what have I done?’ but when I saw the finished thing I was so glad that I had agreed to be a part of it because it really is a remarkable show.

Beryl Marsden centre with Gillian Hardie, left and Francesca Davies, right, Picture by James Maloney

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BEST OF LIVERPOOL

“We’ve got some really talented young performers in it including Francesca Davies and Gillian Hardie who play the younger versions of me, and Sophie Tickle, the director, is incredible to work with and is obviously going to be huge. So I think having such a strong team behind it has really helped the show come to fruition.”

This is all a long way from Beryl’s humble roots. Born as Beryl Hogg in Toxteth, one of 10 children, Beryl loved singing as a child and says: “I always knew I wanted to sing, I just didn’t know how to make it happen!”

Fortunately for Beryl she didn’t have to make it happen because her talent did it for her. One evening at the tender age of 15 on a night out at Orrell Park Ballroom, Beryl got her big break. Her friends pushed her on stage and she performed a song in front of the audience, and the rest, as they say, is history.

She was asked to sing with local group The Undertakers at the Cavern, and before she knew it, she had a record deal with Decca Records and was travelling to Hamburg to appear on stage at the city’s famed Star Club.

All this must have been quite a lot for a 16-year old tomboy from Liverpool to take in. So how did it feel at the time? “I don’t think I really thought about it at the time!” recalls Beryl. “I always knew that I wanted to sing so I was just really happy that was I being given such an amazing opportunity. It was a really special time with Merseybeat really taking off and there was a real buzz of excitement being part of the scene.”

And it doesn’t get much more exciting than supporting The Beatles on tour, which is exactly what Beryl did in 1964. “All I can remember is the screaming girls,” laughs Beryl. “It was actually quite scary and I remember the boys [from The Beatles] saying that they could be playing absolutely anything but no one would be able to hear them because the screaming was so loud!”

Beryl’s career has spanned five decades which is a

truly impressive feat. So what does she think is the secret of her success? “I think nowadays fame and success are a lot more fleeting whereas in my day it was all about working hard and gigging and getting the experience,” comments Beryl. “And I think it’s that which has stood me in good stead to this day. Plus, the fact that I just love performing. At my age I should be putting my feet up and taking up knitting or something, but as long as people want to hear me sing and I’m still enjoying it then I’ll keep doing it!”

One Dream: The Beryl Marsden Story is on at The Epstein Theatre from Friday, March 14 to Sunday, March 16. Tickets from £10. To book, telephone 0844 888 4411 or visit epsteinliverpool.co.uk

MARCH 14 Picture by Gareth Jones

Renaissance Man

Paul Baker talks to Ian Prowse, the singer-songwriter behind the hit single ‘Does This Train Stop on Merseyside?’ about his new album, his fascination with Irish culture, and his debt to the late, great, John Peel ELEVEN in the morning is an hour that is quite alien to a great many musicians, but Amsterdam-frontman Ian Prowse seems surprised when I ask if I got him out of bed this morning.

“Er, no, I’m wide awake,” he says. He agrees it’s partly due to his young daughter that he sees the morning these days, but it might also be due to the rather full schedule he keeps.

The day before he was in Leeds taking a songwriting masterclass, something he’d done in LIPA a week previously.

Reaching a half century this year hasn’t slowed Ian down then, in fact, he feels he might just be enjoying a bit of a creative renaissance.

With a well-received retrospective released in 2012 and a new solo album coming out this month, things are looking up for a singer-songwriter who has felt all the varying currents and eddies of a fickle music industry during his 20-odd years playing the circuit.

“I’m kind of on fire,” says Ian, as he reveals he’s just recorded three brand new songs. “We finished them off yesterday when I was over in Leeds and we all just looked at each other and went that’s fantastic, so you know, even though I’m here to talk about the album about to come out, my muse has got me going.”

Having been the frontman of Mersey band Pele through most of the 90s, before taking charge of the popular rock band Amsterdam from 1999 to the present day, it’s fair to call Ian a musical veteran. Now he’s preparing to release his first solo single, ‘God and Man’, taken from the album ‘Who Loves Ya Baby?’. So is the concept behind the album related to fatherhood, age and responsibility?

“There’s a concept in so much as a lot of the songs reflect becoming a dad. The opening track is about the day that Rosy [his daughter] got christened, and some of the other songs were directly inspired

by a couple of degrees I did for fun. I did a modern history degree at JMU, and then up at the University of Liverpool I did a Masters degree in Irish Studies, so some of that bled into some of the songs.”

Fittingly, both the album and single will be released on March 17, St Patrick’s Day, in tribute to the Irish culture Ian holds so dear. I’m interested in why a lad from Ellesmere Port, who cut his musical teeth in and around Liverpool, grew such an interest in Irish culture.

“It’s all to do with music really,” explains Ian. “Because I love music so much and I love Liverpool so much, you try to find out why these things are so special.

I always think: ‘Why has Liverpool got such a separate and strong cultural identity? Why does it think about itself in a different way, why does it feel different to be here?’

“And whichever way you look at it, whichever way you chop it up, it comes back down to the vast Irish influence. As I’ve said before, there was no such thing as the Scouse accent until the [Irish] famine...

“So in order to find out why Liverpool is so special I had to go to Ireland, to discover it, academically speaking. Now musically, Ireland’s the only country in the entire world with a musical instrument as its national emblem, which is Ian with Amsterdam Picture by James Maloney

Picture by James Maloney

the harp... and I feel that great musicality sweeps through Liverpool.”

Ian tells me he can remember the day, the very instant, that music first connected with him and started to drive his being – November 1, 1978, watching The Jam start their set at the Liverpool Empire. So at the age of 14, Ian started the slow process of learning how to play the guitar, how to play with other musicians, and how to write a song.

“I couldn’t play, there were no musicians in my family so it was an alien world to me, there were no instruments around the house or anything,” he says.

Instead, Ian was fuelled by the explosion of music from 1978 onwards, a combination of the punk and post-punk scene of the time, allied with the later celtic influence of The Waterboys, and a growing obsession with Bruce Springsteen – he even named his daughter, Rosalita, after one of The Boss’ songs!

After a few wrong early musical turns for Ian, everything went right when Pele was formed in 1990. They landed tours supporting Del Amitri and The Pogues and enjoyed international success, including a number one in South Africa.

But the band would eventually disintegrate amidst legal wrangles with their record company.

Undeterred, Ian formed Amsterdam in 1999. It took five years and the patronage of John Peel to secure Ian’s next record deal, though in that time Amsterdam did manage a TV appearance, backing Elvis Costello, no less, on The Jonathan Ross Show.

“Just as I formed Amsterdam, the whole Pop Idol thing began, which then became X Factor, and the music industry got this crazy idea into its head that anybody over 25 was too old for a record deal,” remembers Ian. This hard line stance seemed to soften as the Noughties progressed and the influence of Radio 2’s older audience grew.

“Also at this time I’d written the song ‘Does this train stop on Merseyside?’ which John Peel had started to play.

And he hadn’t just started to play it, he’d started to have an extreme emotional reaction to it. As soon as it was played he wouldn’t be able to say who it was or what the song was called because he’d be in floods of tears in the studio because it affected him so deeply,” says Ian. Arrangements were made for Amsterdam to record a Peel Session when John returned from an imminent trip to Peru, but sadly the legendary DJ died of a heart attack during his time in South America.

“But because of his unique reaction, we got a lot of attention, and we got another record deal, and then I was back in the game and it’s all thanks to John Peel.

I’m yet another in a long line of people who have to doff my cap to him, to the great man.”

Ian’s new album and single are available from March 17. Visit the website www.amsterdam-music.com to buy the new releases and for details of upcoming live dates.

BEST OF LIVERPOOL

17

Entertainment

PLAY ON! The stage is set for success at the Everyman, says Katie McLoughlin, as she meets one of the stars of its opening show

The cast of Twelfth Night.

Photo: Gareth Jones

AFTER a decade of planning, and over two years of hard work, the lights finally came up at the city’s iconic Everyman Theatre last weekend following its £28m rebuild.

The new Everyman has enhanced facilities both front and backstage, with a host of new creative spaces including a rehearsal room, workshops, sound studio, a writers’ room and a special studio dedicated to Young Everyman Playhouse, education and community groups.

The front of the Hope Street theatre features 105 portraits of people from across Merseyside which have been etched into metal shutters to create a unique piece of public art.

The popular basement bistro also makes a welcome return, plus there’s a new ground-floor café and firstfloor bar area, with doors which will open out to a balcony above the famous Everyman sign in warmer months.

This is a new chapter in the Everyman’s illustrious history and, after marking its reopening with a lantern parade and housewarming event last weekend, the first production will open in the new theatre this weekend.

The inaugural season for the new Everyman kicks off on Saturday, March 8, with Shakespeare’s anarchic tale of love, loss and transformation – Twelfth Night.

The Everyman first opened in 1964 with a production of Henry IV part I and Macbeth was the theatre’s last production in 2011 before it was demolished and rebuilt, so it seems fitting that a Shakespeare play should open the new Everyman.

A farcical tale of deception, disguises, madness and the folly of love and ambition, Twelfth Night is one of Shakespeare’s greatest comedies. The play follows a host of mismatched lovers and fools as they search for their own happy endings in the mysterious kingdom of Illyria and centres on the love triangle between Viola, Orsino and Olivia.

This being a Shakespearean comedy, there’s also plenty of confusion and farce to be had as Viola is disguised as Cesario – a man – for much of the play.

A host of homegrown stars appear in the production.

Pauline Daniels takes her first Shakespearean role Sasha as Maria; Neil Caple, who was in 2011’s Macbeth, plays Curio; Adam Keast is Andrew Aguecheek; Paul Duckworth plays Feste; Alan Stocks is Fabian and Jodie McNee is the protagonist, Viola.

The cast also includes two members of the famed Everyman company of 1974, with Nick Woodeson playing Malvolio and Matthew Kelly, who last appeared at the Everyman in 2008’s End Game, as Sir Toby Belch.

For Liverpool-born actress Jodie McNee, the production marks not only her Everyman debut,

18

BEST OF LIVERPOOL

Jodie McNee in reheasals.

Picture by Christian Smith

but her first lead role in an Everyman Playhouse production – in the first show to be staged in the new Everyman.

“I feel very proud to be part of it and overwhelmed to be doing it. But, at the same time, very at-home with it as well – Viola is a dream part for me,” says the 29year old actress, who has long felt an affinity with the character. “Sometimes when you read a Shakespeare play you instantly connect to a character and Viola is one of those [for me].”

Jodie first got into acting after spending her formative years doing an impressionist act in Liverpool’s pubs and clubs.

Jodie, from Knotty Ash, adds: “My mum used to write my act – she’d come home from work with a whole new act written on a waitress pad, then I’d learn it and we’d do it together.”

Spurred on by family, Jodie applied to study acting and landed a place at London’s acclaimed Drama Centre, staying with her uncle – Liverpool comedian and actor Les Dennis – while she learnt her craft.

“He encouraged me and he put me up in his house for like a year and a half when I got to London, which was amazing,” says Jodie, who found drama school had a profound effect on her.

“I didn’t know the reputation of Drama Centre at the time, I didn’t know it was a method school with hardcore 14-hours a day absolute dedication,” admits the actress. “You’re totally immersed in that way of working and when I got there it completely changed me.”

Jodie found that by pretending to be someone else, acting gave her the confidence to perform. “When you’re naturally shy, if you can pretend to be something else, to not be yourself because it’s too excruciating, it really is amazing. You’re not really thinking about yourself at all, you’re just inhabiting this new world,

this new person with these new relationships.”

Acting and taking the identity of a character gives Jodie confidence and I wonder whether the same applies to her character, Viola, who assumes another identity for much of the play?

“I think it definitely applies, because one of the characters, Olivia, says to her: ‘Are you a comedian?’

In Shakespeare’s time that meant: ‘Are you an actor?’

They can’t quite work out who she is or understand who she is, because she is playing a role. She’s imitating her brother to get on in the world and survive.”

Twelfth Night is a play of disguises, illusion and identity and there’s a lot of gender confusion in the play, not least because Viola is disguised as a man. In Shakespeare’s time, Viola would have been played by a male actor – so a man would be playing a woman who was pretending to be a man – which added another dimension to the folly and gender confusion. But will modern audiences still relate to this?

“I think, to us, this play means something different to what it did then,” says Jodie. “It’s about something a lot deeper, which is – who are we? What does it matter if you’re a man or a woman? Love crosses all boundaries.

So, I think it will speak to a modern audience, but in a deeper way.”

Although the production will address the questions of identity that Twelfth Night raises, the comedy and farce aren’t lost.

And, asked whether there’s a modern twist in this production, Jodie remains tight-lipped about the details, but does reveal: “It’s going to be a really inventive, different way of doing the play. I’m excited to see how it’s all going to come together – the set and the costumes, the music and everything because I think it’s going to be a real spectacle.”

Journeys end in lovers meeting and after years’ of work, the Everyman’s journey to transformation is complete – long may it play on.

Jodie McNee and uncle Les Dennis in When We Are Married together, at the Playhouse in 2009.

Photo: Jason Roberts

What’s on

MARCH 14

Emma Thompson finds out what’s on in March

BY NIGHT

BY DAY ERTH’S DINOSAUR ZOO

USING ingenious puppetry to bring dinosaurs to life, Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo is an interactive and imaginative live show that’s suitable for all the family (age 3+).

Audiences will be introduced to a range of creatures from cute baby dinos to teethgnashing giants when the show stomps into Knowsley Leisure & Culture Park on Friday, March 14.

There are two shows at 1.30pm and 6.30pm. Tickets cost £12 for adults, £10 for children or £40 family ticket.

Call 0151 443 2200 or log on to www.knowsley.gov.uk for tickets, or www.dinosaurzoolive.com for details.

WORLDS OF FANTASY REV up for non-stop fun with four of your favourite Disney stories at Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy at the ECHO Arena from April 2 to 6.

There’s high-speed stunts and thrills from the crew of Disney/Pixar's Cars, then dive into The Little Mermaid’s enchanting undersea kingdom and also enter the mystical world of Pixie Hollow with Tinker Bell and the Disney Fairies.

Plus the toys are back in town with heroic action from Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Jessie and the Toy Story gang.

Prices: £15.40 - £42.50.

Call 0844 8000 400 or www.echoarena.com for tickets.

ARTS AND CRAFT

CHECK out The Florrie’s Arts and Craft Market on March 29, from 11am to 4pm (free admission). In the splendid surroundings of The Grand Hall there will be a wealth of exquisite stalls including print makers, beautifully–crafted textiles and handmade jewellery, vintage gifts, children’s arts and crafts and much more!

Visit www.theflorrie.org for details.

TURNER AT LADY LEVER RARE works feature in a stunning exhibition of British landscape artist JMW Turner at the Lady Lever Art Gallery until June 1, 2014.

The display Turner: Travels, Light and Landscape comprises some 30 watercolours, paintings and prints. The exhibition is drawn from National Museums Liverpool’s own Turner collection, one of the most outstanding in the country.

Exhibition curator, Charlotte Keenan, will be giving free public tours of the exhibition on March 12 at 11am and 2pm. www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/turner for more details.

BUDDY HOLLY STORY

ONE of the most successful rock and roll shows of all time is celebrating an amazing 25th year anniversary and comes to the Empire Theatre from March 13 to 15.

Buddy tells the enduring tale of the musical icon’s meteoric rise to fame and his final legendary performance at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa.

The two-hour show boasts a phenomenal cast, presenting over 20 of his greatest hits, including the classics That’ll Be The Day, Peggy Sue, Oh Boy and Rave On. Visit the box office on Lime Street, call 0844 871 3017 or www.liverpoolempire.org.uk for tickets.

THRESHOLD FESTIVAL LIVERPOOL Music Awards winner, Natalie McCool, is just one of a host of local acts set to perform at the fourth Threshold Festival.

The festival aims to showcase the best of Liverpool’s emerging artists and new work.

Natalie, who was named Female Artist of the Year at the 2013 awards, is one of many Liverpool-based acts performing, along with Alpha Male Tea Party, Broken Men, The Fire Beneath The Sea, Silent Cities, The Mono LPs, Speed Pets and We - The Undersigned, to name just a few.

Threshold Festival takes place on March 2830 in venues throughout the Baltic Triangle, including District, The Baltic Social, 24 Kitchen Street, Lantern Liverpool, Arena Gallery, Unit 51, Baltic Creative, Baltic Bakehouse & Siren. Tickets are priced at £25, available from Skiddle.com

RAT PACK LIVE

YOUTH ORCHESTRA

REBECCA FERGUSON

BE inspired on Sunday, March 23, by the Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Orchestra with Christian Lindberg.

Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Orchestra provides a platform bringing together the region’s best young musicians to make music, inspire one another and produce exhilarating performances at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall.

Tickets cost £9 for adults, £6 for under 25, and the show starts at 2.30pm, www.liverpoolphil.com for information.

SHE wowed us all on the X Factor in 2010, her debut album went platinum, now she’s released her second album Freedom and will be at the ECHO Arena on March 23.

Rebecca Ferguson will be showcasing her extraordinarily powerful new material in her hometown and is sure to impress with her husky soulful singing.

Showing at the EchoTwo at the ECHO Arena, tickets cost £33/£28.

Visit www.echoarena.com or call the box office on 0844 8000 400.

MUST DO MUST SEE...

MUST TRY...

APPLET Music Productions' new hit musical Heart & Soul when it arrives at New Brighton’s Floral Pavilion on March 14 and 15.

It’s Liverpool in the mid 90s and Cathy Mason, a gifted singer/songwriter, receives another rejection letter from a record company. Heart & Soul follows the rollercoaster journey of Cathy’s quest for success in the cut-throat music industry, whilst juggling love, life and family drama. www.heartandsoulthemusical.co.uk for details.

A NEW interactive experience, Echoes of the First World War, at St George’s Hall based on Liverpool stories of The Great War. From March 10 to 16, local historian Frank Carlyle will guide visitors through the depths of the Hall telling Liverpool stories of the First World War. The historical talks will be interlinked with promenade performance, plus sound effects, special lighting, projections and poetry.

Visit www.stgeorgesliverpool.co.uk for details.

MUST DO...

MUST REMEMBER...

THE Liverpool Mile in aid of Sport Relief at Croxteth Hall Park or the Knowsley Mile at Stadt Moers Park.

Taking place on Sunday, March 23, you can join in the fun and choose to run, walk, skip or jump either one, three or six miles. You can even enjoy Croxteth Hall’s attractions and specially arranged entertainment after the run.

It costs £6 for adults and £3 for children. Other local swimming and running events are taking place - check out my.sportrelief.com for details.

TO pay tribute to all who fought and fell a hundred years ago in WW1 by attending Remember, a commemorative concert at Liverpool Cathedral.

Presented on March 28 at 7.30pm by the Liverpool Welsh Choral, there will be songs from the period, regimental tunes and marches, diary readings and historical narration.

The Manchester Camerata Orchestra, Duke of Lancaster’s Regimental Band and others will also be part of the performances.

Call 0151 709 6279 for details.

WIN

ENJOY a brand new spectacular show featuring the kings of swing at the Royal Philharmonic Hall on March 7.

Boasting stars from the West End – Sammy Davis Jnr, Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra are coming to town! Rat Pack Live combines the sound of big band swing with an all-star cast.

Featuring all the patter and razzamatazz of the Rat Pack’s famous live stage show, music fans are invited to join in this live concert extravaganza.

For tickets, £25, call 0151 709 3789 or www.liverpoolphil.com for details.

THE BERYL MARSDEN STORY TICKETS

THE life story and career of Liverpoolborn singer Beryl Marsden will be told in a brand new musical ONE DREAM: The Beryl Marsden Story.

This musical, which features some great 60s classic songs, together with new material, will mark the 50th anniversary of the release of Beryl’s live recording of Everybody Loves a Lover on the LP Live at The Cavern.

Beryl Marsden also toured with The Beatles in their final UK tour, and ONE DREAM will be performed 50 years since The Beatles were at their prime.

ONE DREAM is a ground-breaking musical which mirrors the ups and downs of the music business and reflects the special charm of the heady days of Merseybeat seen through the eyes of one of its greatest talents – Beryl Marsden.

The show is at the Epstein Theatre (named after the famous Beatles manager) from March 14 to 16, call 0844 888 4411 or visit www.epsteinliverpool.co.uk for tickets.

Best of Liverpool has a pair of ONE DREAM: The Beryl Marsden Story competition tickets to give away. For a chance to win answer the following question:

Who is the Liverpool Epstein Theatre named after?

Send your answer on a postcard, stating One Dream Competition, with your name and phone number, to: Best of Liverpool, Liverpool ECHO, PO Box 48, Old Hall Street, Liverpool, L69 3EB. Closing date March 10.

BEST OF LIVERPOOL

19

Children

Made with love Dust off your pinny and prepare for things to get messy – it’s time to unleash your kids on the arts and craft kit. Sarah Hooley finds out how to make the perfect Mother’s Day gift...

SUNDAY ART SCHOOL LIVERPOOL Biennial is inviting families to take part in its monthly Sunday Art School workshops, where children and adults can create artwork in collaboration with professional artists.

The programme is part of The Liverpool Biennial Family Programme, launched in July 2013, which has been a huge success, with both local and international artists and designers engaged to lead workshops and sessions with families from across the region.

The Sunday Art School, which is suitable for all ages, offers free drop-in interactive arts sessions at Camp and Furnace on Greenland Street. The next one will take place on Sunday, March 30, from 1pm – 5pm when families can make giant murals and create building blocks together with artist Jayne Lawless.

Why not make a day of it by booking in for a family roast dinner at Camp and Furnace?

For more information visit www.biennial.com

ASK any mum what the best present is that they’ve been given by the kids, and the chances are they’ll say something like “the card they made me in nursery” or “that pottery vase they painted on holiday last year.”

Proof that great gifts don’t have to cost the earth, and, in fact, homemade ones are often far superior.

Karen Lo, from ARTventurers in Liverpool, runs weekly arts and crafts and messy play sessions for children. She says: “In my experience, children love making things for their parents. When we make anything in class the little ones are always really pleased when they tell me they have made something especially for mummy, daddy or nan.

“I always take lots of spare materials with me if we’re making something in a class for a special occasion as the children will always make more than one! I think they just love to see how happy they make people when they give them something that is made just for them.”

The finished jam jar vase filled with paper flowers

JAM JAR VASE AND PAPER FLOWERS What you’ll need: l Empty jam jar l PVA glue and spreaders l Scissors l Tissue paper l Wool or string

Nice if you have any:

Paper Tissue Flowers:

l Sequins l Glitter l Buttons l Ribbon l Paper doilies l Pieces of material l Washi tape (decorative paper tape) l Sweets

l Cut out a rectangle with tissue paper (I used 16cm x 25cm but any size is fine) – use between four and eight pieces the same size. l Concertina fold the paper together (like making a fan). l Tie a piece of wool around the middle with a knot. l Cut the end of the paper into half circles for petal shapes. l Flatten the flower and start to pull up each piece of tissue paper into the middle, one by one. Don’t worry if it rips you won’t notice. l Once you have finished your flower, turn it over and slide a pipe cleaner through the wool and twist in place. You might need two pipe cleaners twisted around each other if the flower is big. l Place in the jar ready to give as a present.

Jam Jar Vase: l Cut out shapes in the tissue paper and stick on the outside of the jar with the PVA glue. l If you want to make glitter shapes you can use a piece of cardboard either cut out or use a stamp cutter to make a hole as a stencil. Spread glue through the stencil and put glitter over the top. Take off the cardboard stencil and you’ll be left with a perfect glitter shape. l Stick on any buttons, paper doilies, sweets and pieces of ribbon, material etc onto the outside of the jar. Washi tape is great for Decorate your vase with children to use as it’s so easy to apply and tissue paper, sequins looks great. and buttons as you wish

l Tip: It’s easier for children if you have a larger flower with just four pieces of tissue paper. Or, if your child is too young to make tissue paper flowers you can use paper cake cases and lolly sticks.

CRAFTY AND YOU KNOW IT

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ARTventurers

UNDERWATER STREET

CHINA BUTTERFLY

THE CRAFTING TABLE

ARTventurers will be running a Mother’s Day craft event on Sunday, March 16, 3pm at The Interesting Eating Company, Allerton Road. Join Karen to paint a pottery cupcake trinket box and make a Mother’s Day card.

Suitable for age 5+, cost £10 per child. ARTventurers run weekly art and craft sessions and messy play classes in Childwall, Mossley Hill and West Derby. For details on how to book your child a place contact Karen@artventurers.co.uk www.artventurers.co.uk/liverpool

HEAD over to Underwater Street at the Pier Head to make a variety of gifts this Mother’s Day. From March 15 to March 30, the discovery centre will be holding craft workshops where kids can make a variety of gifts including cards, mementoes, trinket boxes and paper flowers every weekend. Prices are £9.95 per child, £8.95 for under fours and £5.95 for under twos. Babies and adults go free. Admission is for the whole day and includes all crafts and workshops. www.underwaterstreet.com

THERE are hundreds of gifts to be made at China Butterfly, on Brows Lane in Formby for Mother’s Day. There’s no need to book, just pop in and create. On March 18 and 25 there will also be an afterschool art club where kids can make Mother’s Day gifts. These sessions cost £10pp and must be booked in advance. The China Butterfly is open on Mother’s Day from 12noon-4pm, and mums can paint for free* when accompanied by a paying painter (*the lowest priced craft item will be free). www.chinabutterfly.co.uk

IF you live on the south side of the city, check out The Crafting Table’s weekly craft workshop at Active Adventures Liverpool, on Otterspool Promenade. There are loads of activities for the children to choose from, including paper crafts, ceramic, fabric and wood craft decorating, and, on March 23 and 30, the event will have a Mother’s Day theme. The sessions cost from £5 per person and are run on a drop-in basis, from 11am-2pm. Mums, dads and grandparents are welcome and can relax with a cuppa while the kids get busy crafting. www.thecraftingtable.co.uk

BEST OF LIVERPOOL

Mother’s day

MARCH 14

STRESS FIX

Dani Lawrence

Sharon Doyle and Nicola Byrne, owners of Urban Calm Spa

Baby Romi

Mum’s the word Michelle Rushton discovers why WAG and super-mum Dani Lawrence is supporting Urban Calm’s search for Liverpool’s most-deserving bump...

IT is said that a mother’s bond is the most special of all, leaving an imprint on her children for their entire life.

Whether you’re dealing with diapers, tantrums, or terrible twos, Mother’s Day is the one time in the year when it is all about us mums.

To celebrate motherhood and the nine-month stretch, Urban Calm Spa in Liverpool’s Metquarter has teamed up with one of Liverpool’s super-mums, WAG Dani Lawrence, long-term partner of Liverpool Football Club’s Brad Jones, to find their Baby Bump of the Year 2014.

Having lost Luca, Brad’s son from a previous relationship, when Dani was five months pregnant with Nico, motherhood has been a rollercoaster of emotions for the young 27-year-old mum.

Having experienced both feelings of joy and guilt, Dani’s first pregnancy was her toughest, suffering a number of both physical and emotional health-scares.

She reveals: “Nothing can prepare you for such an ordeal and it was so confusing to be grieving the death of Luca whilst giving birth and being a mum to Nico.

“After we lost Luca, my blood pressure was through the roof and my body was put through a lot of stress in addition to the physical and hormonal changes every mother experiences when pregnant.”

Dani credits both LFC and the Liverpool Women’s Hospital for their support during that period of her life, in addition to her mother, who she describes as her ‘rock’, adding: “Mum is my world. After moving back to the UK as a single parent of very young children, she still managed to work whilst gaining a Masters and PhD. I am the first of her four children to create a family of my own and I couldn’t

have done it without the upbringing and guidance she has given me.”

With her newborn Romi just a few weeks old, it is no surprise that Dani attributes the most difficult part of parenting to sleep deprivation. But after nine months of eating right, long walks, pregnancy pilates and talking to her bump, baby Romi has been brought into the world in perfect health.

All these experiences have moulded Dani Lawrence into one of Liverpool’s most admired super-mums as she continues to raise money for charities such as The Anthony Nolan Foundation, after having run a marathon and two half marathons (some just months after giving birth).

Fellow mum and owner of Urban Calm Spa, Sharon Doyle adds: “We are thrilled to have such a fantastic role model for Liverpool women supporting us with this competition.”

Nicola Byrne, Sharon’s business partner, is currently expecting her first twins and is excited to be able to launch this campaign at a time when she is to become a mum for the first time herself.

She says: “Motherhood is such a special time for women of all ages. Each pregnancy is unique to each mother and can present its own set of challenges.

Inspired by the great work that is done in the city at the Liverpool Women’s Hospital, it is great to be able to give something back and celebrate everything that is positive about being pregnant and becoming a mum.

“We want as many mums-to-be as possible to enter this competition no matter what your age or background may be.”

The competition will see one lucky mum chosen from hundreds of entrants to become the face of Urban Calm’s pregnancy treatments over the next year.

With an incredible package worth over £5,000, the mother-to-be will be able to enjoy a glamorous photoshoot whilst pregnant, vouchers from the Metquarter’s new maternity store The Pudding Club, a photoshoot from renowned baby photographer Kellie Wilson, alongside personal training sessions at David Lloyd Leisure Speke and treatments at Urban Calm Spa. All mums who want to be in with a chance of winning these fantastic prizes can either call the spa on 0151 236 0537 or send a photo of themselves to bump2014@ urbamcalmuk.com with a reason why they should be voted as Urban Calm’s Baby Bump of The Year 2014.

For more details please visit www. urbancalmuk.com or pop into the store on the Upper Tier of Liverpool’s Met Quarter, Whitechapel.

FEELING frazzled?

Let Aveda take the stress off your hands this Mother’s Day. The Aveda Stress Fix product and treatment range helps to relieve stress, indulge the senses, pamper the skin and promote total wellbeing.

Each therapy incorporates Stress-fix™ aroma, which blends calming organic French Lavender, uplifting blues-chasing Clary Sage and relaxing, mood-enhancing organic Lavindin (a hybrid of true and spike lavender for an extra-aromatic experience) – proven to relieve feelings of stress.

The Stress-fix™ Body Massage (£89 for 75mins) uses a heavenly combination of muscle and mind-soothing techniques including: Swedish and deep tissue massage, acupressure, foot reflexology and guided meditation – the ultimate treat for mind and body.

You can also find tranquility in the comfort of your own home with a selection of spa-inspired bodycare products.

The Aveda Stress-fix™ range includes invigorating soaking salts, a luxurious body lotion and an ingenious concentrate rollerball.

What more could a mother want?

Aveda Stress Fix is available in Aveda Salons/Spas nationwide and online at www.aveda.co.uk

NEW ARRIVAL AT METQUARTER YUMMY Mummies to be will love the new

arrival at Liverpool’s Metquarter – The Pudding Club, a specialist boutique for expectant mums.

Frustrated with not being able to find comfortable, fashionable jeans – the backbone of her pregnancy wardrobe – Alexandra Macleod decided to set up The Pudding Club so that mums-to-be could enjoy shopping to dress their bump, and feel pampered in the process.

With the belief that a good pair of jeans underpins any woman’s wardrobe, whether pregnant or not, Alex made sure that The Pudding Club has a strong emphasis on maternity jeans – whether skinny, straight, bootcut or boyfriend in under bump, over bump and on bump styles. The Pudding Club will be the premium maternity denim supplier in Liverpool, stocking brands including Paige, Citizens of Humanity and J Brand. Maternity jeans range from £45 to £250.

In addition, there’s a great selection of stylish maternity clothes for work and new for 2014, The Pudding Club will also be stocking the SPANX range of maternity underwear.

For further details visit www.metquarter.com

BEST OF LIVERPOOL 21

Mother’s Day

POPPY POWER

GIVE flowers with a difference this Mother’s Day with this beautiful collection of hand made jewellery from The Royal British Legion. The symbol of peace and remembrance, this stunning selection of jewellery feature real miniature poppies which are ethically sourced from farms in south America. All the funds raised from the sale of the jewellery go to help The Royal British Legion with its vital work. Prices start at £24.99.

Visit poppyshop.org.uk l

FLOWER POWER

EARTH MOTHER

AVAILABLE exclusively at Boots, the Ted Baker Treasured Orchid collection is a wonderful gift for any mum and prices start from as little as £10 for a miniature travel set, making it the ideal pocket money gift. This beautifully feminine range of products takes its inspiration from Ted Baker’s latest fashion collection and includes a body souffle, body wash, bath foam and body spray. l

PAMPER your mum the natural way this Mother’s Day with the Touch of Youth range from Origins. The collection includes an anti-ageing serum, cleanser and youth renewing night cream which works to visibly reverse the signs of ageing. Priced at £49, Origins is available at counters nationwide or at origins.co.uk l

Spoil them with choice Whether you’ve pennies or pounds to spend, you can treat your mum to a truly special gift on Mother’s Day.

OOH LA LA!

KEEPING MUM

M&S has a fantastic choice of gifts this Mother’s Day – the difficult bit will be deciding what to buy!

Choose from a Mother’s Day floral gift bag, £15, or a Colour Burst collection of chocolates, or how about a Florentyna bird cage gift set, £12.50? All available from M&S nationwide.

FOR the ultimate in chocolate indulgence, try the Hotel Chocolat’s ‘From Sunrise to Sunset’ gift box, £50 from Hotel Chocolat. l

l

WRAP UP

SPECIAL MEMORIES

YOU can’t beat a silk scarf for adding the finishing touch to any outfit so treat your mum to a gorgeous Shizuka paisley scarf, £35 from Monsoon.

A TRULY unique gift this Mother’s Day, is a photo shoot from Kelly Photography. Either have a photo shoot in advance of the day and give a gift of photographs, or give your mum vouchers for her very own family photo shoot.

The package includes a photo shoot, a gallery of images and a choice of two shots from the day, and is a family keepsake to treasure forever.

Kelly Photography: kellyphotography@ outlook.com or 07974 215 288

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BAG IT

EVERY woman loves their handbags, so have a look at this beautiful pink handbag, £45 from River Island, or if you want to push the boat out then treat your mum to her very own Radley bag from the Dayton across-body range, £89 l

LET THEM EAT CAKE

PERFECT to surprise mum with on Mother’s Day for a beautiful afternoon tea, the Truly Irresistible Rose Cake from the Co-Operative is a light Madeira sponge with sweet raspberry jam filling and topped with beautiful hand-decorated buttercream pink roses and costs just £5. Available from the Co-o perative nationwide. l

22

BEST OF LIVERPOOL

NICE AND PEACHY

CHECK out the beautifully fragranced honey and peach blossom range from £4, Crabtree and Evelyn. l

A GIRL’S BEST FRIEND

JEWELLERY is most definitely a girl’s best friend and mums are no exception. This lovely Tuscany bracelet is £22 from Monsoon. l

MARCH 14

Keeping mum It is Mother’s Day on Sunday, March 30, and it doesn’t seem fair that there’s only one day to show how much we appreciate our lovely mums, says Sue Kelbrick, so let’s make it count...

Why not treat your well deserving mother to a Spa day or meal out? You’ll be spoilt for choice...

MPW Steakhouse WHILE you can’t actually arrange a date with every mother’s dream man, Marco Pierre White, you can do the next best thing. Book a table at his critically acclaimed restaurant, for Mother’s Day, and you will be treated to a delicious three course Sunday lunch.

Book early to avoid disappointment!

MPW Steakhouse Bar and Grill, 10 Chapel Street, Liverpool, L3 9AG Telephone: 0151 559 0555 Website: mpwsteakhouseliverpool.co.uk

Stoke Park

Thornton Hall

The Brink LIVERPOOL’S renowned ‘dry’ bar The Brink is going all out for Mother’s Day and as well as a fabulous Sunday roast priced at just £6.95 (ideal for anyone who has only got pocket money to spend!), the venue is offering a fantastic ‘mocktail’ free to all mums who come in with their family on the day.

Brink, 21 Parr St, Liverpool, UK L1 4JN Telephone: 0151 703 0582 Website: thebrinkliverpool.com

JUST a short drive away but a world away from the stresses and strains of every day life, Thornton Hall hotel and spa, is the perfect place to take your mum for a pamper break.

Offering a fantastic range of packages, the hotel has a renowned spa on site where you can make sure your mum is treated to the ultimate in pampering, followed by a delicious meal in the acclaimed Lawns restaurant and a night in one of the hotel’s many sumptuous rooms.

Thornton Hall hotel and spa, Neston Road, Thornton Hough, Wirral, CH63 1JF Telephone: 0151 336 3938 Email: enquiries@thorntonhallhotel.com

Carnatic Spa Michelangelos ENJOYING a superb location overlooking Sefton Park lake, Michelangelo’s in the Blenheim Lakeside Hotel has a mouthwateringly delicious menu on offer for Mother’s Day. Choose from such beautiful starters as goat’s cheese and garlic field mushrooms or Mediterranean fishcakes followed by a lovely roast with all the trimmings topped off by a selection of tantalising desserts.

The Blenheim Lakeside Hotel, 37 Aigburth Drive, Liverpool, L17 4JE Telephone: 0151 727 7380 Website: blenheimlakesidehotel.co.uk

PROVIDING the height of luxury in the heart of Liverpool, you can give your mum the treat of a lifetime with a spa day at Carnatic Spa. Offers include the platinum package which includes the infra-red weight loss sauna, a Rasul mud treatment, a luxurious signature Carnatic Spa facial, a hot stone back massage, a glass of bubbly and use of the spa’s fabulous pool. The spa is booked out for your personal use so you and your mum can relax and be pampered in style.

Carnatic Spa, Carnatic Road, Liverpool, L18 8BY Telephone: 0151 281 5135 Email: info@carnaticspa.co.uk

A True Italian Experience

Early Doors Menu

THE BEST IN ITALIAN FOOD

Express Lunch Menu

Francos 0151 236 3375 bookings@francosliverpool.com www.francosliverpool.com

Tuesday-Friday 5.30pm - 7pm only

Special Reduced Priced Lunch Options - Mon-Fri Only New tapas Menu available

IF you feel your mum deserves a special treat this Mothering Sunday, then why not book a night at Stoke Park, a luxurious mansion house set in 300 acres of beautiful grounds in the heart of Buckinghamshire? They are offering a superb package which includes a bouquet of flowers and a box of chocolates on arrival, as well as a night’s stay in one of the hotel’s superior rooms and a full English breakfast. You and your mum can make full use of the facilities available on site including a health spa, swimming pool, gymnasium, and a dance and fitness studio.

Stoke Park Country Club and Hotel, Park Road, Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire, SL2 4PG Telephone: 01753 717172 Email: reservations@stokepark.com

Chester Grosvenor SPEND some quality mother daughter time together and stay in a beautifully designed, classic bedroom with a tasty complimentary continental breakfast, at the Chester Grosvenor hotel. Enjoy a shopping trip around the cobbled streets of Chester with exclusive discounts in selected stores followed by a delicious traditional Grosvenor afternoon tea and to top it all off, mum and daughter will be treated to an express manicure in the privacy of their bedroom. Priced at £299.

The Chester Grosvenor, Eastgate St, Chester, CH1 1LT Telephone: 01244 324024 Website: chestergrosvenor.com

Bobs Buttons FOR something a little different this Mother’s Day, treat her to a special vintage-themed Mother’s Day cake and craft workshop at The Button Boutique on Brick Street in Liverpool.

There will be a retro tea party fit for a queen, as well as paper flower bouquet workshops, Mother’s Day quiz, bingo, a themed photo booth and vintage music. The event is over two days from 11am - 2pm or 3pm - 6pm on Saturday, March 29 and Sunday, March 30.

The Button Boutique, 3 Brick Street, Liverpool, L1 0BL Telephone: 0151 792 3098 Website: bobsbuttonboutique.com

Cuthberts

The Side Door

YOU can’t beat a traditional afternoon tea and for the ultimate in indulgence, why not try a Champagne afternoon tea at Cuthbert’s Bakehouse on Mount Pleasant in Liverpool?

Offering a marvellous selection of sandwiches, freshly baked scones served with clotted cream and home made jam and a range of cakes and pastries including Sachertorte, lemon posset, tuiles, macaroons and strawberry and Champagne cheesecake, washed down with a lovely glass of pink Champagne and a choice of blended teas or freshly ground coffee. There is also a gift for mum too.

Cuthbert’s Bakehouse, Mount Pleasant, Liverpool Telephone 0151 709 9912 Website: www.cuthertsbakehouse.co.uk

A HIDDEN gem on Liverpool’s bohemian Hope Street, The Side Door bistro is the perfect chilled out venue to take any mums deserving of a big of spoiling this Mother’s Day. With a special menu on offer including a complimentary glass of prosecco for mum on arrival, you can choose from starters such as oak smoked salmon with beetroot carpaccio, lemon and horseradish, followed by a traditional roast with all the trimmings, try a field mushroom and chestnut ravioli with Garstang blue cheese dressing. And to finish off, try a honey pannacotta with ginger and poached rhubarb.

The Side Door, 29A Hope Street, Liverpool, L1 9BQ Telephone: 0151 707 7888 Email: enquiries@thesidedoor.co.uk

Evening Menu

Special Menu available every evening £ 20.95 inc Half Bottle of House Wine per couple

Francos Restaurant is situated at 48a Castle Street in the heart of Liverpool. Open daily for lunch and dinner - until 11pm on Saturdays

BEST OF LIVERPOOL 23

Food & drink

Afternoon delight

Here at the Best of Liverpool we need no encouragement to fill our faces with tea and cake. In fact, that’s pretty much an average Wednesday in the office.

So, if like us, you fancy raising money for charity at the same time – why not organise a tea party on behalf of Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month?

This March the charity is asking if you could ‘Make Time For Tea’ to help raise funds for The Eve Appeal which is one of the UK’s only national gynaecological cancer research charities.

Sarah Hooley speaks to some of the city’s most talented bakers to get some recipe ideas guaranteed to wow...

MORE TEA VICAR? From Darjeeling to fruit infusions, here are some top brews for your teapot...

Warm and stimulating, this Ginger Tea is 100% pure and organic. £2.99, available from selected health stores or online at www.naturboutique.co.uk

If you love the idea of green tea, but also like the sweeter side of life, this Twinings Salted Caramel Green Tea costs £2.40 from Waitrose and Tesco for packs of 20 tea bags

Afternoon tea at Cuthbert’s Bakehouse on Mount Pleasant

A selection of teas available from LEAF on Bold Street

Apple and Prune Cake

Red Velvet Cupcakes

by Anne Lev (aka Dafna) from Dafna’s Cheesecake Factory

by Matthew and Elaine Price from Cuthbert’s Bakehouse A DEFINITE favourite with New Yorkers, Red Velvet Cupcakes are a staple on Cuthbert’s daily cake menu.

This recipe makes a beautiful light and bouncy chocolate cake with a hint of red!

Ingredients: Batter l 140g butter (softened) l 200g caster sugar l 2 eggs, well beaten l 85g self-raising flour l l l l l

l l l l l

115g ground almonds 125ml milk 1tsp vanilla essence 1tbsp boiling water 1/2 tsp baking powder

100g stoned prunes, chopped into quarters (about 8 prunes) 115g walnuts, finely chopped and mixed with 2tbsp sugar 400g green apples, cored and sliced (leave skin on) 2.5 tbsp sugar mixed with 1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon An extra 25g of butter

Method: l Pre-heat the oven to 190C degrees. l Cream together all of the ingredients for the batter in a food processor, running it for 10 seconds. l Run a spatula around the bowl and process for five more seconds. l Pour into a well buttered 25cm round cake tin which should also be lined with silicone paper. (Tip: cut into the sides of the paper for a better fit). l Place the prunes on the top of the batter l Spoon over the walnut and sugar mixture l Core the apples (leave the skin on), cut into quarters and then slice each segment into four. l Arrange the apple slices on top of the walnuts in a fan pattern. l Bake for 40 minutes. Turn around half way through baking. l Take out of the oven and sprinkle the surface of the cake with the 2.5 tbsp of sugar and cinnamon. l Dot with the extra 25g of butter and bake for a further 20 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Again, turn the cake around half-way through the baking time. l Cool in the tin.

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BEST OF LIVERPOOL

Ingredients: cake l 250g plain flour l 2 tbsp cocoa powder l 2 tsp baking powder l 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda l 100g soft unsalted butter l 200g caster sugar l 1 heaped tbsp Christmas-red paste food colouring l 2tsp vanilla extract l 2 large eggs l 175 ml buttermilk/sour cream l 1 tsp cider vinegar Ingredients: cream cheese frosting l 500g icing sugar l 125g cream cheese l 125g soft unsalted butter l Red cake crumbs (crumble one of the cupcakes after cooling) l 2 tsp vanilla extract Method: l Preheat the oven to 160°C and line two cupcake tins with pretty paper cases. l Add the flour, cocoa, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl. l In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar, until soft and pale. The longer you leave this the better, so walk away and have a cuppa. Add the food colouring and vanilla. l Slowly add the dry ingredients and eggs until the mix combines. l Add the buttermilk or sour cream and vinegar. Pour the mixture into the 24 cases. Bake for approximately 20 minutes. l Leave to cool completely before icing.

Method: frosting: l Add the icing sugar, cream cheese and butter in a bowl and whisk until the icing becomes smooth. This works best if your butter is at room temperature. l Ice each cupcake as you fancy. l Decorate with a crumbled red velvet cupcake.

Tropical Burst mango flavoured fruit tea, starting at £2, from www.teapeople.co.uk Enter MTFT30 at the checkout to get a 30% discount exclusive to Make Time For Tea participants Peppermint Tea, starting at £1.50, from www.teapeople.co.uk.

Enter MTFT30 at the checkout to get a 30% discount exclusive to Make Time For Tea participants

Image by Matt Ford

Bake-off for charity KEEN bakers are being encouraged to take part in a charity bake-off at LEAF on Thursday, March 13.

The O-Very Cake Bake, being held at the trendy tearoom on Bold Street, is part of North West Cancer Research’s (NWCR) Ovarian Cancer Awareness Campaign.

Judges include BBC3’s Cherry Healey who has backed the campaign for two consecutive years and, will be overseeing eight categories. These include: Victoria sponge, loaf cake, cupcakes, tart, vegan tray bake, gluten-free cupcakes, occasion cakes and tray bakes.

Ovarian cancer affects nearly 7,000 women every year and is dubbed the silent killer.

Entrants can enter cakes from 11am2pm and the winners will be announced between 5pm-6pm. There is a £5 entry fee per cake. All proceeds will go to NWCR. Entrants can pre-register through www.nwcr.org or by calling 0151 709 2919.

MARCH 14

Spud-you-like?

A taste of the Emerald Isle Some of Ireland’s best-loved foods are now available on this side of the Irish Sea...

WHETHER slathered on spuds or soda bread, this Irish butter is delicious. Made with milk from Irish grass-fed cows, Kerrygold Butter is priced at £1.60, from Asda

Potatoes are synonymous with Irish fayre, but there’s more to Irish cuisine than just the humble spud, says Katie McLoughlin, as she finds St Patrick’s Day recipes with a craic-ing good twist...

FARMHOUSE CHEESE AND OAT SODA BREAD

MUSSELS WITH GUINNESS AND PEAS

A HAND-CRAFTED, artisan smoked cheese made on a family-run dairy just outside Cork, using milk from one herd of cows in the same village, Carrigaline cheese is is available in leading independent stores and supermarkets A GINGER flavoured biscuit filled with marshmallow and sprinkled with sugar, Boland’s Kimberley Biscuits are an iconic Irish biccie, £1.50, from Asda

FOR a savoury take on classic soda bread, this recipe from Bord Bia (the Irish Food Board) uses Irish oats and cheese.

Ingredients: l 275g plain flour, plus extra for kneading l 1 tsp salt l 1 rounded tsp bicarbonate of soda l 250g stone-ground wholemeal flour l 25g Irish porridge oats, plus extra for sprinkling l 125g Irish farmhouse cheese, coarsely grated l Approximately 500ml buttermilk Method: l Preheat the oven to 230ºC/450ºF/Gas Mark 8. Sift the plain flour, salt and bicarbonate of soda into a large mixing bowl and stir in the wholemeal flour, 25g of the oats and 75g of the grated cheese.

Make a well in the centre, add 450ml of the buttermilk and mix together to make a soft but not too sticky dough.

Add a little more buttermilk or milk if the mixture seems a touch dry. l

Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured surface and knead very lightly and briefly into a round. l

Flip the dough over and gently flatten it into a disc about 4cm thick. l

Lightly dust a baking sheet with flour, place the dough on it and sprinkle over the remaining cheese and a few more oats. Then, using a large, sharp knife, cut a large cross into the top of the loaf, almost all the way through the dough. l

Bake the loaf on the middle shelf of the oven for 15 minutes. Then lower the oven temperature to 200ºC/400ºF/Gas Mark 6 and bake for a further 20-25 minutes, until it sounds hollow when you tap the base. Leave to cool before serving. l

CHOCOLATE GUINNESS CAKE

BROWN sauce is serious stuff in Ireland, so much so that Irish expats were known to bring back gallons of the stuff. YR Brown Sauce is now available from Asda, priced at £1.99

HAVING worked with Raymond Blanc during his formative years before being named a Master Chef of Great Britain, Darren Wynn has a flair for fine food. Darren, who is chef director of Carrington’s Catering, devises bespoke menus for events at New Brighton’s Floral Pavilion. Created especially for Best of Liverpool, this recipe is an Irish twist on moules marinières.

Ingredients: l 800g mussels l 200g chopped onions l 330ml Guinness l 330ml whipping cream

l l l l

150g garden peas 50g butter 2 cloves crushed garlic 1 tbsp chopped parsley

Method: l Clean the mussels by soaking them in cold water for 20 minutes to remove any sand or grit, then scrub the outside to remove any barnacles and ensure all beards are removed.

Melt the butter in a large pan, once the butter is sizzling, add the chopped onions and garlic. Cook until the onion is translucent, stirring all the time to ensure it doesn’t brown.

FIRST made in Ulster in 1956, Tayto Crisps are a favourite Irish snack, £1.60, from Asda

MADE by the Ferguson family on Gubbeen Farm, a 250-acre coastal farm in West Cork, Gubbeen cheese is a delicious semi-soft cows’ milk cheese.

Available from The Cheese Shop, Chester

l

Add the mussels to the pan, cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook for one minute. l

Add the Guinness and peas and cook for a further three minutes - stir the mussels occasionally, but be sure to replace the lid. l

l

Add the cream and bring back to the boil for two minutes.

Once all mussels have opened, the dish is ready to be served – discard any mussels that haven’t opened. Serve in bowls, sprinkled with the chopped parsley and some Irish soda bread on the side to mop up the sauce. l

Ingredients for the cake: l 250ml Guinness l 250g Stork Margarine l 85g cocoa powder l 400g caster sugar l 2 eggs l 1 tsp vanilla essence l 140ml buttermilk l 280g plain flour l 1/2 tsp baking powder Ingredients for the icing: l 255g Stork packet l 300g cing sugar l 125g cream cheese l Cocoa powder, for dusting (optional)

MADE by a husband and wife team on a 200-acre dairy farm in rural County Tipperary, Cashel Blue was one of the first farmhouse blue cheeses to be made in Ireland. Priced at £18 per kg, Cashel Blue is available in Waitrose, Tesco and Occado

FROM a small family-run firm founded in 1901 to one of the Emerald Isle’s favourite tea brands, Barry’s Tea accounts for 40% of all tea sales in Ireland. Available from Asda, priced at £3

Method: l Preheat the oven to 170C/150 C fan-oven/Gas mark 3. Grease and line the base of a 23cm (9 inch) spring form tin.

minutes or until cooked. Insert a skewer into the middle of the cake and if it comes out clean, the cake is cooked. Cool in tin and then place on wire rack until cold.

Pour the Guinness into a saucepan and add the Stork, gently heat until melted. Remove from heat and stir in the cocoa and sugar. Mix together the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla and then add to the pan.

l

l

Place the icing ingredients in a bowl and mix until light and fluffy. Spread the cake with the icing and finish with a light dusting of cocoa powder.

Sift together remaining dry ingredients into a large bowl, whisk in liquid ingredients until smooth. l

Pour cake mix into prepared tin and bake in preheated oven for 45 l

BEST OF LIVERPOOL 25

Food & drink

Est bonum Will new Italian eatery Est Est live up to the hype?

Michelle Rushton puts it to the test...

EST EST Ristorante & Bar caused a real buzz when it opened at the end of last year in the leafy suburb of Aigburth and quickly became ‘the’ place to dine.

Perched on the corner of Aigburth Road and Mersey Road, you can’t fail to spot the stylish Italian restaurant with its vibrant blue lights and funky Lambretta scooter in the window.

And it has certainly attracted a lot of interest in South Liverpool. It looks packed every time you drive past and there has been a lot of talk about how quickly it gets booked up.

Apparently, Est Est derives its name from an 11th century Italian fable.

Bishop Johan Defuk, a wine and food enthusiast, would send his cupbearer ahead when travelling to find the inns with the best food and wine.

On each establishment’s door he would mark them with the word ‘est’ (short for ‘est bonum’ meaning ‘it is good’). However, when he reached The Inn at Montefiascone, he used the words ‘est! est!’ to show his extreme approval.

Intrigued and eager to see if the Aigburth eatery still lived up to the hype or had gone off the boil, I recently treated my other half to a meal there for his birthday.

I booked a few weeks in advance and was victorious in securing a table for my amore, scoring me a few brownie points.

The venue describes itself as an ‘authentic neighbourhood restaurant’ and as you walk in, it has a warm, friendly atmosphere with the soundtrack of chatting and laughter.

A far cry from your traditional Italian, the decor is cool, clean and contemporary with dark wooden tables, cream leather chairs and azure strip lights.

We were greeted by general manager Kostas Miliotis who quickly seated us by the bar while we waited for our table. It was nice to sit and people watch, sipping a glass of prosecco and enjoy a rare night out without the kids.

Before long, Kostas ushered us to our table by the window and presented us with the menu which promised honest Italian food made with fine, fresh ingredients sourced from Italian delis and local produce.

It featured all the usual Italian favourites – a good selection of freshly made antipasti, pizzas, pastas, salads and meat dishes, including lots of steak, veal and fish dishes. Vegetarians and those with specialist diets are also well catered for.

To start, my partner Mike chose the Gamberoni Diavola – sauteed tiger prawns in a chilli butter sauce served on a toasted crouton. The large portion of meaty prawns had a cheeky little kick, while the crouton beneath simply melted in the mouth – a taste sensation.

Meanwhile, I was intrigued by the Costatini Maiale Orintale – which I hadn’t seen before at an Italian. The result was a generous helping of barbecue short ribs in an Oriental sauce. The ribs were tasty and tangy but a tad messy.

Good job we weren’t on a first date!

Luckily the restaurant thoughtfully provided a bowl of water to clean our sticky fingers.

On Kostas’ recommendation, Mike choose Dover sole from the specials board for his main which was theatrically deboned at our table. The sole was perfectly cooked – firm but delicate and flavoursome, the fish falling off the bone.

Although totally tempted by the selection of steaks, I always believe you can tell a good Italian by their lasagne and so I opted for the Lasagna Emiliana. It was so good (almost topping my mum’s!) with a good texture, not too stiff or sloppy, with layers of pasta, a rich tomato ragu sauce, creamy béchamel and slow cooked beef, topped with baked mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Mmmmmm...

We ordered a portion of seasonal veg-

etables and hand-cut chips to accompany our mains. The veggies were as I like them, al dente, and we were fighting over the homecooked chips!

To drink, Mike enjoyed a pint of Peroni while I enjoyed a glass of fruity rose as recommended by our attentive sommelier Kostas who, as well as attending to our every need, regaled us with lots of facts about Italian cuisine which he is obviously passionate about.

Although full to bursting, we couldn’t leave without testing the desserts and they didn’t disappoint. Sticking with tradition, I tried the Tiramisu which really was heavenly featuring sponge fingers dipped in espresso, sandwiched with sweet mascarpone zabaglione and dusted with rich cocoa – so moreish!

Although Mike hasn’t got a sweet tooth, I made him have the orange and dark chocolate profiteroles just so I could try them! The choux pastry puffs were filled with sweet orange creme and drizzled with dark chocolate sauce – to die for!

For those who have yet to experience Est Est, I can vouch it will be well worth the wait if you can get a table, although it is a little pricey. But I’m sure if he were still alive, Bishop Johan Defuk would be daubing ‘est est’ on the door!

And for Mother’s Day there will be a specially created cocktail for all those hard working mums and some surprises to be revealed on the day.

Est Est, Aigburth Road, Liverpool L17 6AE. Open Monday - Sunday from 12noon to 10pm. To book call 0151 427 1155. Follow Est Est on Twitter @estestliverpool

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BEST OF LIVERPOOL

MARCH 14

First rate

This Brunswick Street venue is the business, says Katie McLoughlin THERE are some restaurants where you go for the atmosphere, others where you go for the food. The Restaurant Bar & Grill manages to be both.

With a menu laden with fine steaks and lobster, a bar which specialises in Champagne and cocktails and plush surroundings in a former banking hall, the Brunswick Street venue has become a favourite haunt for Liverpool’s stylish elite, as well as the sharply-suited business crowd.

It’s fitting that a restaurant housed within a former banking hall is often cited as a favourite business lunch location, as well as being a popular spot for post-work drinkers.

Come weekends and the clientele are equally well-groomed, with the likes of Jamie Carragher, Abbey Clancy and boxer David Price all spotted here in recent years.

And on the night my partner and I visited, LFC legend Ian Rush was among the wellheeled customers.

Part of the Individual Restaurants group, which also owns Piccolino, The Restaurant Bar & Grill is the more upmarket of the group’s offerings and bills itself as providing not just great food, wine and cocktails in stylish surroundings.

The setting is certainly plush, with leather booths, dark wooden tables, ambient lighting and original features like sleek stone pillars and a pretty spectacular ceiling. A huge bar takes centre stage, with dining areas either side along with a private area for those who want a more intimate dining experience.

Being sat in a booth overlooking both the buzzing bar area and the busy restaurant, we were well-placed for a spot of people-watching as we savoured a glass of prosecco, £6.95, and a large glass of Chilean sauvignon blanc, £7.50, devoured a bowl of marinated olives, £3.75, and pored over the menu.

An eclectic fusion of Far Eastern, Indian and British flavours, the menu features no less than seven sections – appetisers,

Picture by James Maloney

starters, salads, pasta, classics, sides and grills – which, as the restaurant’s name suggests, are something of a speciality here.

Both my partner and I are afflicted with indecisiveness when faced with menus and much deliberation ensued as we weighed up the merits of having individual starters or sharing a mezze platter for two, £14.95, which features olives, pitta bread, tzatziki, falafel, squash fritters, humous, feta pastries, halloumi skewers and piquillo peppers.

We’d all but decided on the platter when our waitress arrived and presented another option – the specials’ menu. This proved to be the platter’s undoing as my partner couldn’t resist a starter of herb-roasted scallops, £9.50, on said menu.

It was a fine choice too, with three seared scallops served with chorizo, a garlic and chilli butter, micro-herbs and tender-stem

Picture by James Maloney

broccoli. Ornately arranged, it looked too good to eat, but eat it he did – with the scallops declared to be meaty morsels of deliciousness.

My starter of Thai crab cakes, £8, wasn’t as pretty to look at but what it lacked in looks, it made up for in flavour, with the delicate crab complemented by a coconut and lime-leaf dipping sauce and lime wedge.

As the name suggests, grilled meats and fish are something of a speciality here.

And alongside a selection of steaks, the grills section of the menu features a host of chicken, duck, lamb and fish options, as well as spiced meats and fish cooked in an Indian tandoor.

Being something of a fan of Indian fayre, the spice-crusted monkfish, £19.95, was a contender for main course, until I spied a whole grilled sea bass on the specials’ menu, £19.95.

A few bones aside, the sea bass was delicious – crisp, well-seasoned skin encased the moist, delicately-flavoured flesh within. An accompanying hollandaise sauce added a note of buttery indulgence to an otherwise simple dish, which also came with a choice of house salad or chips, which the restaurant was happy to swap for garlic and rosemary roast potatoes on request.

Being a committed carnivore, there was never any question as to what my partner would order for his main – a rib-eye, £27.95.

The steak, which had been dry-aged for 35days, was declared one of the best he’d had in a long time – cooked perfectly to order it was moist, pink and succulent.

Simply served with chips and a choice of sauce (peppercorn, English mustard or bearnaise) or flavoured butter (Stilton, spiced or garlic and parsley), the sizeable steak was simple food, done exceptionally well.

Our only real criticism was that neither main came with vegetables or salad, as well

as chips and sauce. But that’s a minor issue really and it was easily resolved with a side order of house salad, £3.95.

A 2011 pinot noir, £33.95, accompanied our mains. A medium-bodied red with a fruity nose and smooth finish, the pinot noir, produced by Chilean winery Tabali, proved to be a wine to savour.

We happily lingered over the remains of the bottle after our meal, drinking in the atmosphere as well as the fruity red. The service was efficient and, despite this being a heaving Saturday night, there was never any attempt to hurry us, which is the mark of a quality place in my book.

Good service is something they take seriously here and throughout our meal, it was pleasing to see every table receiving attentive, friendly service not just from the waiting staff, but from the more senior staff too, who took the time to check on tables and go through the dessert menu with us.

Pudding provided a suitably indulgent ending to the evening’s dining, with a zesty and refreshing lemon sorbet, £5.50, for him and a sublime dark chocolate fondant, £6.50, for me. Gorgeously gooey, the rich fondant had a deliciously molten chocolate centre and came with the tongue-tantalising addition of chocolate popping candy and a nutty pistachio ice cream. Heaven.

Restaurant Bar & Grill is a place which lives up not only to its name, but its reputation, and dining here is an experience – one which you can always bank on to be good.

Visit: Restaurant Bar & Grill, Halifax House, Brunswick Street, Liverpool, L2 0UU. Call: 0151 236 6703 Email: rbg.liverpool@ therestaurantbarandgrill.co.uk Web: www.individualrestaurants.com/ bar-and-grill/liverpool

BEST OF LIVERPOOL 27

Homes

Roll on the wallpaper

Ivory distressed hand painted bedroom furniture, in 18th Century French design, from £169.99. All pictures from Taskers

Arthouse Vintage Twilight green wallpaper, £15.99

Arthouse Vintage Twilight natural wallpaper, £15.99

French fancy

CWV Glamour Puss purple wallpaper, £15.99

Michelle Rushton goes under the covers to find out how to transform your bedroom into a beautiful Parisian-style boudoir with lots of ooh la la...

VALENTINE’S Day may have been and gone, but that doesn’t mean romance is dead, especially when it comes to the bedroom.

But if yours is a cluttered mess with dated decor and mismatching furnishings, rather than a haven for rest and relaxation, it’s time to give your bedroom a revamp.

There are lots of different trends around for 2014 – from masculine and minimalist to Scandinavian serenity – but one look which is still a firm favourite long after February 14 is the romantic boudoir.

French furnishings are unashamedly romantic, but where to begin? We turned to Taskers – The Home Store in Aintree for inspiration, one of the country’s leading Sandringham and largest independent DIY and Home table lamp with Stores with branches in Aintree, Wavertree, ivory and silver shade, £59.99, Formby and Heswall.

Buyer Jay Tasker says: “We have handpicked the best shabby chic and French furniture designs around to help you transform your bedroom from mundane to magnificent.

“This glamorous collection of bedroom furniture, mirrors, bedding, wallpaper and chandeliers are all you need to turn a bedroom into a boudoir and you will be dazzled by the choice and friendly staff at Taskers.

“French Furniture combined with luxury bedding looks elegant and Hampshire handmade and painted mat cream finish mirrors, leaner is guaranteed to bring a £129.99 and rectangular £99.99 touch of romance to your

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home. Accessorise with opulent lighting for the perfect finishing touch and an original ‘Parisian’ feel.”

Taskers has a stunning selection of fitted bedrooms from leading fitted bedroom specialists Kylie Minogue Felicity Champagne including Nolte bedding pillows, from £14 and duvets and Embrace, as from £54 well as everything you could possible need to create your own boudoir, from designer bedding to the all-important bed itself.

One surefire way to add glamour to your bedroom is to create a feature wall with dramatic wallpaper.

Taskers Decorative has an impressive range of wallpapers from leading brands as well as designers such as Julian Macdonald and Laurence Llewellyn Bowen.

Taskers’ wall coverings buyer David Faragher says: “We constantly review and improve our ranges and stock over 600 wall covering designs, so whether you’re looking to wallpaper your whole room or you are just looking to create on signature wall, your options at Taskers are endless. From neutral tones, damasks, stripes, florals, patterns or even a city theme, we are sure we will have the perfect paper for you at the best McGowern & Rutherford six light chrome chandelier, £199.99 prices.”

For more ideas, pop into Taskers on Long Lane, Aintree, and Wavertree Road, Liverpool. Call 0151 330 5400 or visit www.taskersonline.com

Graham & Brown Premier Highberry wallpaper, £15.99

Julian MacDonald Glimmerous damask white wallpaper, £16.99

Graham & Brown Premier Saville beige wallpaper, £13.99

Travel

MARCH 14 Picture by Ant Clausen

Subterranean historic blues Paul Baker delves into the dark catacombs and passageways deep beneath St George’s Hall as he samples Lovehistory’s latest tour THERE’S a hidden history of Liverpool lurking just below our feet.

All over the city are dark tunnels, cellars and vaults that have long held the city’s secrets.

For starters, there’s Joseph Williamson’s famous tunnels that criss-cross Liverpool like a rabbit warren, and there’s Western Approaches, the secret World War II bunker lying beneath Exchange Flags behind the town hall.

Liverpool folklore is replete with tales of subterranean locations abandoned and unseen by human eyes for many years, from long-closed railway tunnels, to underground streets and even a rumoured roadway. It should be no surprise then that The Beatles were discovered in the basement murk of The Cavern!

I’m on my way to another subterranean domain, not exactly a secret, but one that has not been opened to the public before. Metres below the great plateau in front of St George’s Hall are ornate vaults which, over the years have been used for storage, as cells, and, to this day, house the core network of pipes that supply St George’s Hall with cool air.

This new underground experience can only be viewed as part of a tour hosted by those stalwarts of historic theatre, Lovehistory. They’ve been running their theatrical tours through mid February and the public have been flocking in for a glimpse of hidden Liverpool.

Entry is on St John’s Lane, where the Heritage Centre is based. There’s a pleasant cafe to feed you up in preparation for your descent into the underdark, and I’d certainly recommend a cuppa – it’s cold down there!

The hour long tours are led, in true Lovehistory tradition, by an actor costumed authentically in period garb and purporting to be a denizen of the building’s dark past.

We’re first led by a respectable young gentleman, perhaps meant to be Charles Dickens – himself, a frequent performer at St George’s Hall – then things get interesting as we’re handed on to a couple of sinister Irish

Picture by Ant Clausen

Picture by Ant Clausen

The catacombs have seen a variety of uses over the Hall’s 160 years, and a bevy of actors pops up to tell us tales of when they were stuck down here. From the condemned murderer waiting to be hung on the plateau above our heads, to the police and armed forces who were garrisoned overnight in the catacombs, ready to forcefully break up demonstrations as part of the transport strike of 1911.

The space was also used to store food and water during the wars, and was an air raid shelter while the city was being bombed by the German Luftwaffe.

The catacombs area certainly seems impressive, but the space is so open, it doesn’t create the sort of subterranean claustrophobia and tension that its title inspires. Indeed, the tour only takes us a short distance down a wide central pathway, so guests have to peer best they can through the arches into the darkness beyond.

While my imagination had conjured up a journey through twisting passageways into the rock deep beneath St George’s Hall, the reality is a lot more straightforward and probably much easier to pass health and safety checks!

And then it’s back up to the surface for cake and hot beverages – again, much needed. The tour was an interesting look at subterranean Liverpool, but it felt like just a glimpse of a larger, dormant world. And given the apparent success of February’s tours, it’s a world the city would do well to uncover.

Lovehistory will launch a fresh batch of catacombs tours at St George’s Hall in the spring so contact them via the website www.lovehistory.co.uk for booking details, and remember to wrap up nice and warm.

Picture by Ant Clausen

sisters, who coax and cajole us through the various holding cells where prisoners waited before their cases were heard in the upstairs courtroom.

The cruel sisters’ dark intentions are revealed just in time by a police officer who takes over and leads us on safely into the underworld of the catacombs.

The word catacombs has been chosen for dramatic effect here, as there really should be some graves for that term to ring true. But as Alan Smith, manager of St George’s Hall, explains: “There is a grave down there – but it’s just a cat’s!”

As we enter the ‘catacombs’ proper, the temperature plummets almost supernaturally. Still, what can you expect when you’re in the bowels of the world’s first airconditioning unit – yes Liverpool and St George’s Hall can claim that honour!

First impressions of the catacombs are that they are one vast room, separated by a series of brick arches. They are lit by blue fluorescent strip lighting which give off just enough light to allow you to navigate these vaulted cellars without difficulty, the light lending everything a cold, ghostly aura.

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Travel

Irish charm Thinking of heading over to Ireland for St Patrick’s Day? Emma Thompson explores some of the best places to visit in the Emerald Isle...

DUBLIN

Titanic Museum, Belfast

NORTHERN IRELAND BELFAST is packed with history, culture, exciting events, great food, super shopping and plenty of attractions making it the ideal city break.

Centrally located, in Donegall Square, is Belfast City Hall offering free public tours, plus there’s the impressive Belfast Cathedral and the striking Albert Memorial Clock in Queen’s Square.

Just 30 minutes walk from the city through the old Cathedral Quarter and across the River Lagan is the Titanic Belfast Museum Experience with nine galleries of interactive exhibition space, including recreations of the ship’s decks and cabins.

Also in the Titanic Quarter check out the Titanic’s Dock and Pumphouse or go aboard and experience the Nomadic ship.

If you fancy heading further afield try Belfast Castle Estate which is adjacent to one of the highest spots in Belfast, Cave Hill, offering great views.

Or hop aboard a coach tour and discover Carrickfergus Castle and the world famous Carrick-a-rede Ropebridge; the amazing basalt columns of the Giants Causeway near Bushmills; Dunluce Castle in Bushmills and a waterfall walkway at Glenariffe Forest Park in Ballymena.

A VIBRANT and inspiring city there’s a whole host of activities and attractions in Dublin, including four days of pageantry and fun for St Patrick’s Day, from Temple Bar, Dublin March 14 to 17.

There’s the National Museum which has a great collection of Irish material; Trinity College featuring the impressive 18th century Old Library and the Book of Kells Exhibition; shopping in Grafton Street, enjoy a drink in Temple Bar, and a walk across the cast-iron Halfpenny Bridge (and others) over the River Liffey.

There’s also parkland at either St Stephen’s Green or Phoenix Park where you’ll also find the fun-packed Dublin Zoo, or for sport’s fans try Croke Park where there’s Gaelic football and hurling.

The seven-storey Guinness Storehouse is also a popular attraction and has been home to ‘the black stuff’ since 1759.

SITUATED in the South West of Ireland with a rugged coastline, Kerry is scenic and serene plus with Ireland’s 10 highest peaks it’s ideal for walkers and hikers.

Killarney is a great base when staying, and The Ring of Kerry is a beautiful tourist trail that explores the unspoilt region. You’ll see carved landscapes such as the Gap of Dunloe, fine beaches, ancient heritage such as Iron Age Forts and Ogham Stones, plus Muckross House & Gardens, Blue Pool Nature Reserve, Torc Waterfall in Killarney National Park, and Ross Castle.

Also certainly worth visiting is the Dingle Peninsula which stretches 30 miles, consisting of steep sea cliffs and dominated by mountains running from the Slieve Mish range to Mount Brandon, Ireland’s second highest peak.

ELSEWHERE

CORK

BEST OF LIVERPOOL

KERRY

Halfpenny Bridge, Dublin

Blarney Castle, Cork

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For rural charm, away from tourists, try the Beara Peninsula with coastal landscapes. Dursey and Bere Island are a walker’s paradise – the latter is reached by ferry, the former by cable car.

King John’s Castle, Limerick

Carrick-a-rede Ropebridge

Giant’s Causeway

Beara Peninsula, Cork

STEEPED in history, Cork is a beautiful county full of colour, stunning sights and architectural features, not forgetting literary festivals.

There are a number of art galleries and museums such as Crawford Art Gallery, beside the Opera House, which comprises over 2000 works; or the Lewis Glucksman Gallery in the grounds of University College Cork.

There’s also Ceim Hill Museum featuring a private collection from Neolithic times, Old and New Stone Age, Bronze and Iron Ages; to the impressive Bantry House and Garden.

Of course, while in Cork, you’ll want to kiss the Blarney Stone in Blarney Castle, and there are many other historic features such as the late 17th century star-shaped fort Charles Fort Kinsale, the 19th century Cork City Goal, Desmond Castle, Red Abbey, marvel at the French Gothic spires of St Finbarre’s Cathedral and ring the Shandon Bells in the 300-year-old tower of St Anne’s Church.

THERE are many other great places to visit in Ireland, such as the coastal city of Galway with beautiful beaches in Salthill and a long winding promenade yet with a buzzing cosmopolitan city centre.

Positioned in the west, explore Galway’s medieval streets dotted with brightly-painted shop Kilkenny Castle fronts and landmarks including Lynch’s Castle, St Nicholas Church, the innovative City Museum, Druid Theatre, Spanish Arch and cobblestoned Latin Quarter.

Kilkenny, in the South East, has a rich Medieval heritage that’s evident in the city’s treasure trove of historical buildings and landmarks, such as the magnificent Kilkenny Castle, or The Black Abbey and St Mary’s Cathedral. Other places to see include the National Crafts Gallery, Jerpoint Abbey, St Francis Abbey Brewery and Dunmore Caves.

Limerick has plenty of hidden treasures too and here you can explore King John’s Castle in the heart of the city’s Medieval district, enjoy a cruise on the River Shannon, discover the Hunt Museum or take in a rugby match in Thomond Park Stadium.

All images from Tourism Ireland; visit www.ireland.com for details.

TRAVEL OFFERS

Fantastic Value Holidays

Donegal & the Giant’s Causeway

Belfast & the Titanic Experience

5 days from

4 days from

£299.00

£299.00 Flying direct from Liverpool/Manchester

Ireland’s Spectacular North!

Departs May, June, September & October 2014

Departs April, May, June, August, September & October 2014

Join us for unforgettable break in one of Europe’s fastest-changing, fun- and fascination-packed cities, with the highlight, a visit to the staggering new state-ofthe-art Titanic Belfast Experience. The break also includes a guided city tour and the opportunity, on an optional excursion, to discover Antrim’s glorious coast and the magical Giant’s Causeway.

Discover Ireland’s finest scenery, in a beautiful land of rivers and loughs, towering mountains and sheltered glens, where the Irish language is still widely spoken, and traditional music rings out from the pubs and bars. The break, based in a three-star hotel, includes a visit to the astonishing Giant’s Causeway.

Price includes ● ● ● ●

Price includes ●

Return flights to Belfast direct from Liverpool John Lennon or Manchester Airport Three nights’ bed and buffet breakfast accommodation at the Ibis Belfast City Centre (upgrade hotel is available for a supplement) Half Day City Tour Visit to the Titanic Experience Belfast - the World’s Largest Titanic Visitor Experience

● ● ● ●

Ireland’s Beautiful South West

Return flights to Belfast direct from Liverpool John Lennon or Manchester Airport Return airport to hotel transfers Four nights’ bed and Irish breakfast accommodation at the three-star Station House Hotel, Letterkenny (four-star upgrade hotel is available for a supplement) Full day excursion to the Giant’s Causeway & Dunluce Castle The services of a Tour Manager

Lakes of Killarney & the Ring of Kerry

6 days from

6 days from

£499.00

£549.00 A land of scenic wonder!

Half Board and all excursions included!

Departs April, September & October 2014

Departs April to July, September & October 2014

This tour, based in an excellent four-star hotel, includes a host of highlights, all set against the lakes, mountains and stunning coastline of this breathtakingly beautiful corner of Ireland.

Spectacular lakeland scenery, the breathtaking beauty of the Ring of Kerry, historic Kinsale and famous Muckross House, are just some of the highlights awaiting you on this great value break.

Price includes

Price includes

● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Return flights to Cork from Liverpool John Lennon or Manchester Airport One suitcase allowance per person Five nights’ dinner, bed and Irish breakfast accommodation at the four star Meadowlands Hotel, Tralee A jaunting car trip and cruise on Loch Leane A tour of the Dingle Peninsular and entrance to the Blasket Island Heritage Centre Visits to Adare and Bunratty Castle and Folk Park (entrance payable locally) A tour of the Ring of Kerry Coach travel throughout your time in Ireland The services of a Tour Manager

www.newmarket.travel/lpe

● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Return flights to Cork from Liverpool John Lennon or Manchester Airport Five nights’ dinner, bed & Irish breakfast at the three-star Eccles Hotel in Glengarriff A half day excursion of the Beara Peninsula Tours of the Beara Peninsula, the Ring of Kerry and County Cork’s south coast including Kinsale and Clonakilty A tour of the Killarney National Park and entrance to Muckross House Coach travel throughout your time in Ireland One suitcase allowance per person The services of a Tour Manager

0151 559 1590 quoting code LPE

These holidays are organised & operated by Newmarket Promotions/Air Holidays Ltd. ABTA V787X/V7812. ATOL protected 2325. Subject to availability. Single supplement applies. Calls cost 4p per minute.

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k! e EW we N e ery h t t o ev e G ch yE a nd Su

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