ON LIFESTYLE ISSUE 10

June:July

issue No.10

The Comedy Genius of FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS ROB BURROW Rhinos' Pocket Dynamo

IAN McMILLAN Yorkshire Laureate THE BEST OF LEEDS 2009

World's Most Exclusive Restaurants WIN A FAMILY BREAK

HUGH'STHEMAN Six-Packs &Wolf Whistles with Hugh Jackman LUXURY FOOD & LUXURY LIVING,FASHION & BEAUTY,NEWS & REVIEWS, BUSINESS

We have a passion for creating the perfect kitchen...

... the only inspiration we need is you The vital ingredient to a perfect kitchen is you. Arcade Kitchens design your kitchen with you and your lifestyle in mind. Call us and inspire us to create that perfect kitchen for you.

Please call into the showroom for a copy of your FREE interior design book.

The Victorian Arcade, South Hawksworth Street, Ilkley, West Yorkshire LS29 9DY t: 01943 602147 • f: 01943 816091 • www.arcadekitchens.co.uk

Creating

Award

Winning

Kitchens

for

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Creative Director : Sue Tyas Designers : Andy Haywood Chris Bayles info@onlifestyle.co.uk

Published by wmp:: working media publications ltd. www.onlifestyle.co.uk Editorial: 07500 090785 Advertising: 01924 413813

Photography : David Lindsay Steve Stenson John waite Damian Hall photos@onlifestyle.co.uk Contributors : Nigel Armitage Jono Baker Barney Bardsley Paul Bedford Bryn Bevan Sam Marshall Lynda Holbrook Paul Howard Bethanie Lunn Matthew Peacock Keith Spence Duncan Thorne

June::July Issue 10 2009

Editor : Matthew Callard editor@onlifestyle.co.uk

editor’s

wELCOME Set yourself small, attainable landmarks. That’s what Yorkshire-great Geoff Boycott used to do. Get off the mark. Double figures. Twenty-five.

Bat until lunch. Until, hey presto, three days later Geoff would have his half century and the match would be drifting towards a seemingly interminable draw.

Course, it takes On even longer to rattle up the scores, but Issue 10 feels like a landmark of sorts. We’ve certainly got our eye-in and, like Sir Geoff, we’re here for the long haul.

Talking of landmarks, I recently enjoyed a summer stroll around the revamped Kirkstall Abbey. We’ve been polling our readers on their favourite places in the city and I was conducting an important bit of research (I’m pleased to report the 99’s are excellent value – especially with added nut toppings).

What shone through most in our poll was the splendid diversity of choice on our doorsteps – rich areas of green to rich areas of commerce, parks and gardens to bars and clubs, Kirkstall Abbey to Harvey Nichols. We think it’s a fascinating and accurate snapshot of the joys of a genuine 21st century city – see the full run-down on page 36.

Elsewhere, the boys are back in town. Hugh Jackman chats about his new status as The World’s Sexiest Man (page 10) – not bad for a 41 year-old! There are surreal and inventive laughs with the biggest little cult in the world, Flight of the Conchords (page 54) and we bring it all right back home with Leeds Rhinos’ pocket dynamo Rob Burrow (page 94) and Yorkshire Laureate, Ian McMillan (page 86).

What else? We’re dining at The world’s Most Exclusive Restaurants (page 48), we’ve all the hot happenings that are relevant to you (page 28), there are a trio of killer

We support the Laura Crane Trust

ABC Compliant Distribution

competitions on page 109 and lots more besides.

All you need now is a deckchair, a bucket of ice and your tipple of choice.

Enjoy the summer - and enjoy issue 10.

No 1 Church Road, Roberttown, Liversedge,WF15 7LS T: 01924 413813 F: 01924 413801 www.onlifestyle.co.uk Managing Director : Ian Bryan Commercial Director : Sue Tyas Media Sales Director : Mark Cheetham Media Sales : Julie Hargreaves, Jill Sanders, Nick Wright.

If you’ve missed any of our previous issues simply visit our website and you can catch up on our celebrity interviews with CHERYL COLE, PAUL MERTON, KELLY BROOK, GORDON RAMSEY, DANIEL CRAIG, VIVIENNE WESTWOOD, PAUL SMITH, ANGELINA JOLIE, MEL B, SIMON COWELL and NELL McANDREW to name just a few.

Accounts : Graham Marshall

SUBSCRIBE TODAY - Make sure you don’t miss any future editions by simply paying the postage and we will send ON:MAGAZINE direct to your home. Do it by phone or online www.onlifesyle.co.uk

writeon...

Who says what Jono Baker

Bethanie Lunn

Jono has worked in financial services for 20 years. At weekends he can be found coaching football for the ‘Burton Bullets’ and rugby in Ripon. Midweek, you may just find him working as a stockbroker!.

Bethanie is a Style Insider, Journalist and Entrepreneur with four fashion, beauty and lifestyle businesses under her belt alongside teaching, styling and presenting.

Phew! If it’s worth knowing about, Bethanie knows first and she is quickly gaining a reputation as the Girl-About-Town of the North. If she didn’t exist, it would be necessary to invent her.

Barney Bardsley Barney started out as an arts journalist.

Then she re-trained in dance and T’ai Chi, which she taught for many years. Now she writes books and articles for the Guardian and Yorkshire Post - and she gardens, in a haphazard kind of a way.

Paul Bedford Paul is a health and fitness expert who moonlights as the in-house personal trainer at the brand new Village Health club, Tingley.

Bryn Bevan Bryn has nearly 20 years’ experience in a host of portfolio and flagship salons and has won numerous awards for his hair, business, photographic and fashion work.

This is his first foray into the cut-throat world of journalism.

Lynda Holbrook An experienced food writer, Lynda delivers recipes that work and copy that's seasonally relevant. She believes food should be the star, not the person who is preparing it.

Paul Howard Paul is the founder of the famous online wine bible winealchemy.com. He is also, we kid you not, one of the original King's Road punks. Whatever happened to them?’

Samantha Marshall Samantha has been a TV Make-Up Artist for over 15 years, working on weekly soaps and award winning dramas. She will be keeping you updated on all new cosmetic products, offering tips, tricks and expertise in the process!

Matthew Peacock Matt’s mind is crammed with anything and everything to do with bikes. He has been in the bike trade since leaving school and is General Manager of the famous Chevin Cycles, Otley - who he also races for.

Keith Spence Keith is the vastly experienced former Chief Assistant Editor of the Yorkshire Evening Post, a TV critic and travel writer. He brings a bit of much-needed order and decorum to the place.

Duncan Thorne Duncan is the founder of Thorne Public Relations and is an experienced journalist having reported on crime, politics and sport and sometimes all at the same time. He is a self-confessed sport and car anorak and his dream is for 1966 to be re-created in his lifetime (just the World Cup final, not the whole year!).

on t&c’s All rights are reserved. All material is strictly copyrighted. Reproduction, in part or whole, of any part of this publication is forbidden without the consent of wmp . We have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of our information but cannot be held responsible for any errors contained.

Any views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher or the advertisers. The publishers cannot be held responsible for loss or damage of any material, solicited or unsolicted. Editor’s decision is final.

Hugh Jackman front cover image © prphotos.com

contents...

JUNE::JULY 2009

the on interview 10

Hugh Jackman

looking good 14 16 18 22 28

Fashion Sunglasses Hair Cosmetics What’s New

lifestyle 34 36 44 48 52

Health Best of Leeds Wine Food Music & Films

the on Q&A 54

Flight of The Conchords

local living 58 60 64 66 68

Theatre Restaurant Review Walks Heritage Events

home & family 70 78 80 84

Interiors Gardens Property Recipe

exclusive 86

Ian McMillan

active 88 94 100 102

Travel Sport Cars Gadgets

business end

readon...

104 106

Business Interview Finance

108 109 110

Letters Competitions Famous Last Words

9

theoninterview

H U G H J AC K M A N

ANIMAL MAGNETISM This summer’s superhero blockbuster, wolverine, has seen Aussie hunk Hugh Jackman cement his position on the Hollywood A-List and in the process nudge aside Brad, Johnny and Leo to earn that oh-so-coveted ‘Sexiest Man in the world’ moniker!

Here, he talks about attaining his, now famous, six-pack, which has got most women (and some men!) wolf-whistling around the globe.

After a strict fitness regime, Hugh, 40, was transformed into a lean, mean fighting machine. But it wasn’t without sacrifice - waking up at ungodly hours to drink egg whites and do press ups is not everybody’s idea of fun – and it’s certainly not Hugh’s.

Married to actress Deborra Lee-Furness and dad to two adopted children - Oscar, eight, and Ava, three - the Sydneyborn star also talks about his unusual talent for lap dancing and why he’s so busy clowning around at the moment.

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theonQ&A

HUGHJA H U G H J AC K M A N

YOU HAVE HAD AN INCREDIBLE YEAR. TELL US ABOUT HOSTING THE OSCARS AND GIVING BARBARA wALTERS A LAP DANCE?

I was very surprised they asked. It was 1.30 in the morning and I was on a press tour for Australia, I woke up to the phone call and I thought it was my wake-up call, I almost hung up on the Academy actually, but I said of course, I didn’t think for a second of saying no. And I began thinking, what am I going to do? When I did the show, the Barbara Walters thing was the very last show. I dragged her up on stage and Matt Damon and I encouraged her to have a lap dance, and then I said to her that I have my famous lap dance, so she asked me to do it on camera. I felt it was a little weird but I said let’s do it.

DO YOU THINK YOU’LL HOST THE OSCARS AGAIN? I have to be asked. You know how that thing works. wOLVERINE IS SUCH A MASSIVE HIT – YOU LOOK LIKE YOU wERE BORN FOR THAT ROLE. ARE YOU STILL KEEPING UP YOUR PHYSICAL REGIMEN?

As Will Smith says, it’s easier to stay ready than get ready. I heard he said that. I don’t know if it’s true. It sounds pretty right to me. Trust me; I’m on a much more relaxed regimen than when I was making Wolverine.

DO YOU DO FIVE-MILE RUNS LIKE wILL DOES? Is that what he does? I do a lot of trapeze work right now. I’m working on the trapeze five days a week. I do that because it’s fun and different, and I needed to get out of lifting weights. But, I go back to the gym sometimes. I do a bit of everything. I make sure I enjoy it.

HOw DID YOU wORK OUT FOR THE ROLE? YOU ARE THE SEXIEST MAN ALIVE AND SOMEHOw YOU HAVE TO RAISE THE EXPECTATIONS! You put it in a way like you have to work for that title. That is funny to me. I worked out probably for a year prior to the shooting. I started my programme in January and we started filming February the following year. It took me ten months – a very intense diet and heavy intense training. There were two phases, the first was for growth and then to lean up. The most important thing to me was to look lean; I wanted it to look animalistic, powerful, and dangerous. I didn’t want to look pretty. I actually insisted on the naked shot myself way back in X Men 2, because I wanted him to look animalistic.

DID YOU DO THE STUNTS? I did most of them. Ninety per cent of the time it’s me, the jumping off the waterfall was of course me and the slicing of the rollerblades, that’s the scene that I’m most proud of….. when I get thrown off the truck and I slice the helicopter blades. It was very difficult, all in one take.

THIS wAS YOUR FOURTH TIME PLAYING wOLVERINE. ARE YOU USED TO THE ACTION, OR IS IT STILL NEw TO YOU? Everything felt new to me. Everything was new. It took me a little while to get over the fact that Halle Berry wasn’t on set, most days. Sorry, I jest. Yes, I’m playing the same character, but I’m filling in approximately 100 years of his life, that had never been explored before and had been unknown to him. So it was a chance to reveal that. Yes it may be my fourth time putting the claws on, but I hope I managed to make it feel fresh, new, deeper and, hopefully, more honest.

DO YOU SHARE SOME CHARACTER POINTS wITH wOLVERINE? At some point we have to share some, obviously. Probably there could be moments in my life when if provoked I could have some reactions…but not all the time. I’m more at ease with myself than he is.

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ACKMAN HOw PROTECTIVE DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS MOVIE VERSUS THE OTHER X-MEN MOVIES, SINCE THIS IS REALLY YOU, FRONT AND CENTRE?

ARE YOU HAPPY wITH YOUR DOUBLE TASK HERE, AS A PRODUCER AND ACTOR?

Every role I do has no less effort or desire. Every film has that sense for me, as an actor. But, obviously, this movie has a different dimension, as a producer. Particularly, I found myself asking the cast what they thought of the movie, and I was nervous about it. In that way, I feel it’s more personal to me. It’s more my baby. That’s the difference.

Yes. I’m very happy. It’s a great honour to be considered a partner with these guys. I focused on the things that I knew. There’s a lot that I don’t know about producing.

And I enjoyed it. Probably got more satisfaction from the acting and I was more involved with the entire process.

wHY wAS IT IMPORTANT TO YOU TO INCLUDE MORE OF wOLVERINE’S RELATIONSHIPS IN THIS, AS wELL AS THE ACTION, SINCE COMIC BOOK FANS JUST wANT TO SEE THE ACTION? I don’t think that’s true. Comic book fans have loved Wolverine, and all the X-Men characters, for more than the action. I think that’s what set it apart from many of the other comic books. In the case of Wolverine, when he appeared, he was a revolution really. He was the first anti-hero. It wasn’t just good guys versus bad guys, but an internal battle of good and bad, going on within the character. That’s why people relate to them. Yeah, they’re cool and they’ve got claws and can do amazing things with swords and cars, and all that great, fun stuff. But each one of them has a personal battle going on, and that’s why audiences can relate. So, yes, the first priority of this movie is for it to be fun. I want people to come and have a great time.

I want them to be entertained. I want them to go see it on a big screen, and just have a great time. But, what we have an opportunity to deliver - and this is in the comic book itself - is to make them think a little bit and make them feel, and take them on a journey through these characters.

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT wORKING wITH LYNN COLLINS AND DEVELOPING THE LOVE STORY BETwEEN wOLVERINE AND HER CHARACTER KAYLA SILVERFOX? Lynn plays a character and fulfils a role, that was so vital to this movie. For fans, it will be a little shocking to see a love story there. But for anyone who knows acting and film structure, what Lynn had to pull off in the film was probably one of the most difficult things to do. She did an amazing job, and I was really, really proud of what she did. The person that Wolverine could be in love with, but more importantly, the person who could be in love with this guy, was so vital and she did an amazing job. I don’t want to belittle anybody else in the film. I’m so proud of it. I just wanted to say what an amazing job she did. wHAT SCENE DO YOU TELL YOUR KIDS wAS YOUR FAVOURITE TO DO? One of the scenes that I really love watching is the sequence of the war. We spent two weeks shooting it, it was unbelievable. We were there with thousands of extras recreating the amazing explosions and action. I had a lot of friends coming to visit me on the set at that time. That was fun to do and fun to watch.

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT REINTERPRETING wOLVERINE AND MAKING HIM A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FROM THE wOLVERINE CHARACTER THAT THE FANS GOT TO KNOw IN THE PREVIOUS X-MEN MOVIES?

AS AN ACTING TECHNIQUE, DO ANY OF YOU EVER LISTEN TO MUSIC ON SET TO GET INTO CHARACTER? IF SO, wHAT wAS ON YOUR PLAY LIST? Not on set, but when I train, I listen to Godsmack, which is the kind of music I would rarely listen to. I’d listen to it really high, as loud as I can. Sometimes, it’s a little embarrassing when you’re in a public gym. To me, that was as close to Wolverine as I could get.

DO YOU HAVE ANY SPECIAL MEMORIES FROM THE SET? We were in a fight scene and Taylor reeled back very quickly and someone called, Cut! I looked down at my claws and there were only two claws left. I looked over at Taylor and it was sticking out of his thumb, and he was just looking at it. It was good for me. I liked it. It’s my Australian sense of humour.

YOU wERE PLAYING SUCH AN INTENSE CHARACTER, HOw DID YOU DE-STRESS AT THE END OF THE DAY? Playing Wolverine is great therapy, really. Playing Victor is probably the same thing.

You get to exorcize a lot of your demons, and then go home feeling very, very relaxed and happy.

LOOKING AT YOUR CAREER, YOU DANCE, YOU SING, YOU HAVE DONE SO MANY THINGS. IN THE LAST FEw YEARS YOU HAVE BEEN SHOwN AS AN ACTION HERO. wOULD YOU LIKE TO SHOw SOMETHING DIFFERENT? I have done many movies that people hadn’t seen. The Fountain, I spent a year on that. The Prestige with Chris Nolan, and Australia. From my perspective it’s very satisfying. Some movies, people see and other movies they don’t. Wolverine, X Men, I know that at some level people know me just for that and it’s fine for me.

AFTER AUSTRALIA THE LOS ANGELES TIMES BLAMED NICOLE KIDMAN FOR THE POOR BOX OFFICE? I didn’t read it but it’s ridiculous. She is an amazing actress. wHAT DID YOU THINK ABOUT THOSE ARTICLES wHERE YOU DENY NOT BEING GAY? It just seems to me that there are a lot more important conversations to have. That’s how I’ve always felt about it. I don’t judge people on that at all. I don’t care.

I wONDERED wHY YOU FELT THE NEED TO ADDRESS THE RUMOUR – DID YOU DO IT FOR YOUR KIDS?

[With these movies], about every third day, for the rest of your life, you hear a critique about how you played the part, what you should have done differently, and what you can do the next time, if you ever get a shot at it. I knew exactly what fans wanted and not just the comic book fans, but fans of the movie. It’s fair to say that,

by X-Men 3, Wolverine had gone a little soft, and I agree with them there. What fans love about Wolverine is his more uncompromising approach to life. He is who he is.

He’s not always a nice guy. He's got edge. He’s an anti-hero. And, there’s also vulnerability in there. There is conflict and there are battles going on in there.

I didn’t really feel the need. The writer asked me and I said, ‘Man, on some levels it is offensive to even feel the urge to defend yourself.’ I don’t define myself as a straight person. I think that everyone who defines themselves by their sexuality is not of interest to me. Because that is one of the less interesting things about a personality, I think. It’s not that I’m trying to set a smoke screen. Honestly if you tell me you are gay or not gay I’m not going to change my opinion the slightest. That is not what is going to interest me about you.

HOw DID YOU FEEL ABOUT THE LEAKING OF THE MOVIE ON THE INTERNET?

YOU SAID IN THE ARTICLE THAT AMERICA IS VERY INTERESTED IN THAT TOPIC wHAT OTHER THINGS DO YOU FIND DIFFERENT IN AMERICA COMPARED TO AUSTRALIA?

Now it seems like a long time ago. At the time it was very upsetting but now, I think, these big summer movies if people want to see them, they want to see them at the movies.

I found an incredible generosity. Very big country, very generous, very hospitable, very warm, very positive and supportive. It’s overwhelming when you first meet an American but I like their optimism for life and that kind of adventurous spirit.

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onfashion

lookinggood

and the livin’is easy Balenciaga black and silver oversized sunglasses £210 Paul Smith orange and purple silk striped scarf £80 Bruuns Bazaar black tiered silk dress £280 Available from House of Fraser

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www.onlifestyle.co.uk

Red plaid shirt £55, White poplin placket t-shirt £25, Indigo boot cut jeans £65, Black leather cuff £15 all Criminal by House of Fraser

Gen white dress £137 From D-Store The Light, Leeds - 0113 244 3777

Girl: Zebra Print Cowl Neck Tunic £35.

Boy: Sid Vicious T-Shirt £25, Straight Leg Clean Dark Denim Jeans £50

Ruff tux blue blazer £182 Osmos grey trousers £68 Gordina white shirt £38 All from D-Store The Light, Leeds - 0113 244 3777

Girl: Bustier Dress £55, I Love JOY Woven Clutch Bag £39, Boy: Spotted Polo Shirt £35, straight Leg Dark Denim Jeans £50 All from JOY, The Light, Leeds. - 0113 246 9598

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onfashion

lookinggood

New sunglasses for Summer 09

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Oliver Peoples – Black With Polarized Lens - £?? (MALE) www.oliverpeoples.com Serengeti – Napoli Satin Gun - £165 (MALE) Serengeti – Gio Shiny Black Polarized Lens - £160 (MALE) Serengeti – Dante Driving Sunglasses - £170 (MALE) Stockists: 0208 3914700 - www.serengeti-eyewear.com Miss Sixty - Purple frames - £90 (FEMALE) Stockists 0870 751 6040 Miss Sixty - Metallic frames - £90 (FEMALE) Stockists 0870 751 6040 Red or Dead Green Wayfarer Style - £30 (FEMALE) Stockists 0208 974 0075 - www.redordead.com Red or Dead Green Leopard Print - £38 (FEMALE) Stockists 0208 974 0075 - www.redordead.com

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1 NUEU Limited Edition - £55 from www.sunglasses-shop.co.uk (MALE) 2 Dirty Dog – Gulfstream metal frame - £40 (UNISEX). wwwdirtydog.biz 3 Bollé Origin – Dark Tortoiseshell with Brown lens - £64 (MALE) 4 Bollé Queen – Oversized with Smoky Grey Lens - £79 (FEMALE) 5 Bollé Essence – Black with Grey Lens £120 (FEMALE). For stockists visit www.bolle.com or call the stockist enquiry line 0208 391 4700 6 Spicoli from Vans - Fashionable retro styling coupled with affordability - £5 Stockist 00800 82677625. (FEMALE) 7 Planet – White Framed - £28 (FEMALE) 8 Planet – Spotted - £29 (FEMALE) Stockists: 0191 521 3888 or www.planet.co.uk 9 Oakley Jupiter – Matte Black with Grey Lens – £79.99 (MALE) 10 Sideways – Brown with Dark Bronze Lens – £109.99 (MALE) 11 Dangerous – Black/Red with Grey Lens – £129.99. (FEMALE) 12 Oakley Liv – Polished Chocolate with Dark Bronze Lens – £139.99. (FEMALE) Stockist information can be found at www.oakley.co.uk 13 Roxy – Ritchie Green with big two-tone brown frames - £25 (UNISEX) 14 Roxy – Roma Champagne big and bold - £25 (UNISEX) 15 Quiksilver – Pancharello Gold CopStyle Distortion-Free Lenses - £25 (MALE) All from www.glassesdirect.co.uk 16 Oliver Peoples – Zooey Red With Slate £?? (FEMALE) 17 Red or Dead Bright Pink - £46 (FEMALE) stockists 0208 974 0075 www.redordead.com 18 Oliver Peoples – Olive Tortoise - £??

(UNISEX)

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lookinggood

onhair

Bryn Bevan of Saks, Halifax

MIRROR IMAGE

A number of years ago, a client of mine brought in a video of Emmerdale Farm (yes, I’m showing my age now). The video had been cued to start at a scene in which an actress would enter stage right. This wasn't because I was a huge fan and had missed the particular episode, she actually wanted me to see a particular haircut she liked. This remains the stand-out example of how specific some clients like to be when they're trying to get across the style they’re looking for. Some might think that this was going a bit too far - but I liked it.

One of the biggest problems we hairdressers face, where our clients are concerned, is the ability to understand the client’s needs and also to be understood by them. If you've previously had a shocker in a salon, the vast majority of times it would come down to a poor consultation and the hairdresser’s failure to get all of the information they need from you in order to create your new look.

I have experienced people using words and phrases which actually have nothing to do with what they want - concave, convex, inverted - all these words have been used to describe a graduated bob, but actually have more in common with the bend on a cucumber. This generally comes about because clients fear they might look stupid if they don’t know the correct lingo – and perhaps the problem is exacerbated by certain hairdressers coming across as way too-cool-for-school.

Usually, when a client shows me a picture of a style they like, they’ll apologise for doing so but I can't think of a better way of getting their style-message across. Once they do that, it’s entirely down to the skill and experience of the stylist to offer advice on texture, length, face shape and whether they think the style will work. The ball is put in the stylist’s court, so to speak, and that is exactly how it should be.

So take heed, if you don't want to look like James Nesbitt’s niece, help yourself and help your hairdresser - take a picture in!

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Hair by Toni & Guy

Natural Highlights Conditioner rejuvenates vibrant shine whilst leaving your hair velvety smooth. Developed with natural organic ingredients, it provides your hair with essential nourishment, leaving it with a golden shimmer. £8.76 each from www.heavenskincare.com – stockists: 01952 461888

Take your hair from the ordinary to the extraordinary this summer with the Humidity Blocker from Joico. This superior nohold finishing spray forms a weightless, invisible protective shield around the hair, locking out humidity, eliminating frizz and ensuring fabulously healthy looking hair. £14.95 – www.joico.com

mop c-straight straightening cream This superior styling cream contains UV shields to guard against the suns rays and stop colour fade. The light antihumectant ingredients control frizz throughout the day, smoothing without adding weight. £11.95 stockists - 01282 613 413

www.philipkingsley.com

new for hair

Natural Highlights Shampoo contains ingredients that are very gentle on your hair. Chamomile will calm and cleanse, lemon will enhance the blonde and egg provides protein for your hair. Natural Highlights will brighten highlights and illuminate blonde and lighter shades of hair leaving you with vibrant, healthy looking colour and shine.

Jo Hansford has spent three years developing the ultimate, niche product range set to revolutionise the premium hair care market. With the added UV filters which help protect the hair from the summer sun, the use of these products would help reduce knotting from a day spent at the beach and restore the sleek and silky smooth look.

Shampoos - £14

The ultimate Summer holiday must-have, Philip Kingsley Swimcap is your waterproof hair protector that guards against discolouration and damage caused by weathering from the sun (UV damage), chlorine, salt water and wind. Apply before going into the sea and top up when you head back on your sun lounger. £17.00 from

A stimulating refreshing hair care product, rich in natural floral essences; the essential stimulating treatment for beautiful, healthylooking hair, Caritrix deep cleanses and helps rebalance the scalp whilst energising and improving the quality of the skin. £34 www.carita.co.uk Stockists: 0207313 8780

Masque - £25

Available at Harvey Nichols Stockists: 0207 409 7020 or visit www.johansford.com

Ever wondered how Scarlett Johansson keeps her hot new red hair so shiny and healthy? Well she's just revealed that she's a big fan of Goody's Styling Therapy add+shine jojoba oil-infused paddle brush!

Whether you’re off on a glamorous beach holiday, camping out at a cool festival or simply enjoying the hot weather, Toni&Guy’s travel-friendly minis are all you need to sustain protection, hydration and healthy grooming through the summer.

Available from larger Boots stores nationwide.

The brush multitasks every time you run it through your hair — detangling and adding jojoba oil to nourish the hair, it stops split ends and adds natural shine!

The Goody Styling Therapy add+shine brush is available at larger Boots stores from £9.99

£1.95

www.onlifestyle.co.uk

oncosmetics

lookinggood

G

well, summer is here, so it’s high time to get those legs out!

Hmmm… perhaps this isn’t such a great idea for those of us who have been wearing jeans for the last 6 months!

olden days

Samantha Marshall

well, all I can say is, “Hurray for tan in a bottle!”

Gone are the days of the tango-ed look, (orange elbows and ankles remember that girls?). Fake tans are much more sophisticated these days and, with correct application, you will soon be locking those jeans in the wardrobe until autumn! As a TV make-up artist we are always providing tips on fake tans. If an actor’s fake tan is applied incorrectly, it’s down to us to try and conceal the damage - not an easy job.

So here are a few tips towards achieving that tropical island tan!

1

Remember to exfoliate the whole body to get rid of any dry skin. This will make your skin smooth, so the fake tan will go on evenly (if you have any dry patches the tan will adhere to these areas and may look patchy). I would recommend Nivea Exfoliating Body Scrub, it’s not expensive and leaves the skin feeling lovely and smooth.

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When you apply the tan, start on the legs, one leg at a time, making sure it’s covered evenly. Gradually work up the body. After every area, I wash my hands thoroughly before starting on the next area - this means the tan hasn’t got time to stain the palm of your hands (another giveaway for fake tanners).

Now the body is ready, you now need the make-up that goes with the bronzed goddess...

Don’t moisturise just before you apply the tanner as this might cause it to go streaky (maybe moisturise in the morning if you are going to fake tan in the evening).

I find that the best time to fake tan is in the evening. Exfoliate all over and then shower. Make sure you are 100% dry before applying the tan (perhaps put the kettle on and have a brew, thus giving your skin time to dry). If you have long hair make sure it’s tied back and is out of the way.

If you have lightened hair, fake tan can grab and turn the hair orange - not a great look for the new sun-kissed body! I am a big fan of Clarins Self Tanning Instant Gel, it creates a great colour and, because it’s a gel, it’s not greasy.

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When you apply the tan, start on the legs, one leg at a time, making sure each leg is covered evenly. Gradually work up the body. After each area, I wash my hands thoroughly before starting on the next - this means the tan hasn’t got time to stain the palms of your hands (another give-away for fake tanners).

When applying to the face, just remember to go up to the hairline but not into it - remember the orange hair! Don’t go into the eyebrows either. I don’t touch my eyelids but I do go under my eyes to try and disguise the dark circles.

Leave the backs of the hands until last. Make sure you wash and dry thoroughly, then apply a little amount on the back of your hand and rub both backs of the hands together.

!

When you have fully applied the tan don’t get dressed for about 15mins. It might not be entirely pleasant to wander around the house naked but believe me it’s worth it… this gives the tanner a chance to be absorbed.

Just because it’s summer, we don’t have to go without our foundation, we just need to use something less heavy-looking.

I’ve recently started using mineral makeup - some of the actresses on Emmerdale are using it and absolutely love it. Try “id Bareminerals” which looks like a powder but feels creamy. It gives the skin luminosity, which is perfect for the summer.

It’s easily applied using a brush – simply put a small amount into the lid and swirl around with the brush. After tapping the brush to remove any excess, you apply on to the face. One tip here is to make sure the face is dry - if your moisturiser hasn’t been absorbed, the minerals will not go on smoothly and will go patchy. I apply the brush with circular movements across the face. You can use as little or as much as you require but, because it’s so fine, you will never feel like you are wearing a mask as with some foundations. It creates flawless coverage with the radiance of bare skin.

This foundation has a built-in SPF, which is a must. Bareminerals also do an all-over face colour “faux tan”. It’s same as the foundation but will give you that sun-kissed look to go with your bronze body. It can be used on the fairest of skins and you can use it over foundation or on its own as a bronzer (this hasn’t got SPF in it so make sure your moisturiser has).

If you are choosing a new foundation or moisturiser make sure it contains SPF. Sun protection factor should be at least 15, if not 30. This will keep your skin looking youthful for longer.

Right then, that’s the body bronzed and the face flawless - all that’s left now is to wish for a hot summer… a decent summer… ok, just a summer!

Oh, let’s just hope it doesn’t rain for 12 weeks again!

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Sun kissed !

lookinggood

Have some fun introduce your man to the benefits of an all-over tan. Enjoy!

oncosmetics

HE-SHI PROFESSIONAL SELF TANNING RANGE Just launched, He-Shi’s top quality professional tanning products, suitable for both women and men, have a great breadth, spanning body and face care, to make-up solutions. The products are quick and easy to apply and give an instant summer glow. The range has a special "shows where it goes" formula that enables an even application and helps prevent streaking.

Do you love your tan? well, if you want to look fabulous and save your skin from the sun’s harmful ageing rays there are only two words you’ll need to know -

Fake it !

The He-Shi Facial Tanning Gel (£12.50) is a light moisturising gel, which refreshes the skin with its extra moisturisers and the self tanning bronzer, the Express Liquid Tan, (£35.00) tans on direct contact with the skin giving a fresh natural look. A patented He-Shi Applicator Mitt (£3.99) is also recommended for a ‘Quick & Easy’ precise method of application.

i-bronze COMPACT POwDER BRONZER with MIRROR

For more information and list of stockists go to www.he-shi.eu

This fusion of light bronze and deeper terracotta shades seems to magically adjust to your skintone: just sweep onto skin to add a hint of just-got-back-fromCornwall warmth, or a been-toSt.-Tropez bronzed radiance.

Because you control the intensity, this bronzer can be worn yearround whenever you need a kiss of colour. The unique baking process used to create i - bronze which contains no oils or waxes ensures that the colour stays put on skin, and stays true, too.

Quick+Easy!

THE BAMBOO PINK COLLECTION This new collection from Clinique draws inspiration from one of their best-selling lipstick shades, Bamboo Pink. Now you can create an allover soft, luminous glow for the face using this seductive hue.

Three steps from BEAUBRONZ

Powder Compact £23, Eye Shadow £22, Long-Last Lipstick £14 Exfoliating Body Polish is a unique product designed to be sprayed onto the body prior to using tanning cream. It helps remove body oils, impurities and dead skin cells to help prepare the skin for an even tanning application. £24.41

Available at Clinique counters nationwide from 6th July 2009

Made up of ultra-fine, gentle particles, Max Factor’s new Minerals Bronzer provides an easy way to achieve a natural bronzed look that will enhance your summer glow.

The bronzer is available in two shades, Sun Power 01 and Gold Dust 02 and joins the current range of Natural Minerals Foundation which gives a healthy look without clogging and feeling restrictive on the skin.

From Boots - in store now - £11 95

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A Self-Tanning Cream that moisturises and gives a natural glow all year round.

Containing organic aloe vera, shea butter and DHA to provide a deep moisturising, lightweight ‘glide-on’ texture. £26.43

A Tan-Extender that gives a light application and has been specially formulated to help extend and protect your sunless tan and ensure it fades evenly. £26.43 www.beaubronz.co.uk

NEW £19 from Debenham’s and www.newcidcosmetics.com

Almost Bronzer SPF 15 Clinique’s newest bronzing innovation complete with broad spectrum SPF 15 protection. With a light shade of bronze and deeper shade of bronze pressed side by side in the same convenient compact, customisation has never been easier.

Perfect for all skin types, the oil-free, longwearing formula can create a range of looks from a sheer, sunkissed glow to a more pronounced bronze. £21.04

Instant ly radiant

Bronze is beautiful Face Bronzing Gel Tint

A non-greasy cream-gel that imparts a sheer, believable bronze. Oil-free and non-drying, this natural-looking tan in a tube won’t clog pores. Water-based gel combine with colourants create a sheer wash of colour. The best part? Face Bronzing Gel Tint won’t come off until you wash it off with soap and water. £15

Body Airbrush Spray This lightweight, self-tanning body mist provides a natural-looking colour similar to a professional airbrush tan. The unique multiangle spray dispenser provides a fool-proof tan to even the most hard-to-reach places. The fast acting formula dries in 3 to 5 minutes with colour starting to develop in under an hour. £15

NEW

After Sun Rescue Balm For those who have overindulged, Clinique offers an ultra-moisturising body balm to help calm the appearance of post-sun skin with soothing ingredients including Aloe. And, a targeted ingredient, Micrococcus Lysate helps minimise the visible effects of free radical damage. £14.68

DARPHIN SELF-TANNING FACE & BODY CREAM Darphin’s Self-Tanning Face & Body Cream ‘s generous, luscious texture dusts the skin with shimmering particles and wraps it in a sensuous fragrance based in amber.

BRONZE GODDESS An instant bronze tint and a gorgeous glow straight away, with the most natural-looking colour possible with the Tinted Self-Tan (£20). Plus there’s advanced skincare benefits in the form of moisturisers and antioxidant protection.

Soothing and smoothing ingredients of Vitamin E and Shea Butter ensure a face & body veiled with a golden, even glow.

The Indulgent Body Oil Spray (£25) is a light-weight, silky oil that gives skin a sensual sheen.

£22 from www.darphin.co.uk stockists: 0870 034 2566

Too good to miss!

In addition, there are a selection of products for the face and body, including several sunscreen products, with formulas that incorporate the latest enhanced UVA technology. The range includes Sun Indulgence Lotion for Face SPF30 (£20), and Sun Indulgence Lotion for Body SPF30 (£20).

Fabulous colour! www.esteelauder.co.uk

Body Collection Bronze and Glow Body Shimmer (£1.49) Create the ultimate party shimmer with this roll on bronzer that can be used on either cheeks or body.

Body Collection Summer Glow Eyeshadow Quartet (£1.49) These beautiful bronze inspired colours will transform you into a gorgeously golden sun goddess instantly!

We tried this & loved it!

Radox Summer Shower Smoothies

Summer Glow from BC Body Collection Duo Bronzing Dome (£1.49) This bronzing duo contains two gorgeous shades of bronze that blend seamlessly to create perfectly contoured cheek bones! The dome also comes complete with a mini bronzing brush to make achieving that golden glow a breeze.

Why stop dreaming when you get out of bed in the morning? One dollop of this luxurious Shower Smoothie, with its tropical fragrance will instantly take you right back to your last holiday. The myrrh,blended natural herbs and minerals will pamper your skin. It’s bottled sunshine for body and mind. £2.49

www.onlifestyle.co.uk

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• Wrinkle Reducing Injections • Derma Roller Skin System • Just For Men • Permanent Hair Removal • Semi Permanent Make Up

• Removal of Thread Veins /Skin Blemishes • Dermal Fillers • Products to Replenish Repair Renew • Intensive Vitamin C Facials • Light and Medium Peels • Meso - Hydration for Face, Chest and Hands

As seen on TV

Natural Beauty Without Surgery Gently erases the tell tale signs of ageing and gives incredible lasting results

Our Life & Style Insider, Bethanie Lunn, reports

on:what’s new

reveals all that’s new in our region...

on all that’s new and fabulous in the region –

the Double Header Night Out

from bar and restaurant

Managing Directors, Matthew Jones and Richard Hawley of Bar 166 & Bistro, the Shed and Bar Sixtytoo have created a concept that is a welcome stroke of genius…

A lot of people do the ‘Horsforth Crawl’ sampling a different atmosphere in a number of bars on the same street before heading into town on a Saturday night. Most people start at Bar 166 and Bistro at around 7pm for drinks, often a meal too and work their way to Bar SixtyToo around 9pm, further down the road. It usually costs around £15 for a taxi into town thereafter, yet Jones and Hawley now offer a free service for their customers; a doubledecker bus which picks up at 10pm and 11pm from outside Bar SixtyToo. If you get on the bus, you are given a token for a free shot of Jagermeister when it drops off outside the Shed Bar in Leeds City Centre - your entire night out sorted.

I have to put emphasis on starting your night with a meal at Bar 166 & Bistro. Boasting simple British food with a contemporary twist, I was surprised and delighted to savour the presentation and taste of some top quality cuisine. I chose Crunchy Poached Egg, Sand Hutton Asparagus Spears, Saffron Croutes and Air Dried Ham, £5.50 to start followed by Tiger Prawn and Salmon Skewers, Roast Cherry Tomatoes, Avocado, Mint and Chilli Puree with Chive Creme Fraiche, £12.90.

I am still gob smacked at the deliciousness – I’ve had less impressive dishes at some top London restaurants AND they had a hefty price tag, but Bar166 & Bistro offered big city bites with cosy town prices, and with their new sophisticated yet laid back interior make-over, this is one notable eatery.

You can pre book your free seats on the bus before hand by calling or emailing the bar if you have a large party of people to guarantee space.

Bar 166, 166 town Street, Horsforth t: 0113 2582661 www.bar166.co.uk

openings to enthralling experiences and ravishing revamps.

Bethanie tries, and buys so you don’t have to!.

What she doesn’t know isn’t worth knowing…

Is there something happening in August or September that you’d like the region to know about?

Email Bethanie Lunn at beth@onlifestyle.co.uk by 30th June with your submissions.

Tucked away above the Park Plaza lies Chino Latino, an impressively spacious and modern bar and restaurant that made me gasp with delight, once I had discovered it – I didn’t realise this hidden gem was so expansive! The new bar has recently expanded and now features large panoramic windows that let you look out over Leeds City Square as you people-watch with one of their award-winning cocktails.

A new sound system has been added to the venue and Saturday nights in the bar area have been transformed with a fine selection of celebrated DJ’s offering a blend of deep house and eclectic Balearic beats.

The restaurant has also been voted the Best Restaurant in Leeds 2008 (Leeds Restaurant ‘Lets Eat’ Leeds Awards), and more recently Best Oriental Restaurant at the Yorkshire Evening Post Oliver Awards. New additions to the menu arrive this summer offering a wide range of small and main dishes, sushi, sashimi and Dim sum and a pre theatre menu, served 18:00pm-19:30pm with two courses at £21.00 and three courses at £25.00.

Royal Exchange House, Boar Lane, Leeds, LS1 (t. 0113 380 4080) www.chinolatino.co.uk

M u Mta z opens waterside branch Following a £3.3m fit-out, Mumtaz Restaurant, which launched originally in 1978, has opened its opulent waterfront site on Clarence Dock.

The 250-seat, 10,000 sq ft restaurant is one of the largest in Leeds with lavish interior and an impressive setting, offering the usual world famous excellent cuisine that has, to date, served HRH Queen Elizabeth amongst other famous faces.

Their extensive range of fresh meals, spices, chutneys, sauces, drinks and dips are available to buy at the restaurant so you can enjoy the experience at home too.

It is worth mentioning that Mumtaz has a no alcohol policy and are focused on encouraging people with children to visit and enjoy a quality meal. They offer a full children’s menu with bespoke dishes to suit younger diners but also introduce them to Kashmir cooking - it’s not just a smaller portion of larger dishes or playing it safe with “anything and chips”.

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Mumtaz, Clarence Dock, Royal armouries LS10 1QD t: 01132 2424211 www.mumtaz.com

Buonissimo!

Fibre launches new daytime concept Fibre launch their brand-new daytime concept ‘Café Mafiosa’ from Monday 1st June which is a modern twist on the traditional Italian pizzeria.

Taking over this funky bar daily from midday until midnight, seven days per week, customers can savour mouthwatering pizzas, paninis and gourmet coffees, courtesy of Starbucks. The menu is available to take away too, though the atmosphere of the bar is bound to lure you in.

Café Mafiosi @ Bar Fibre, 168 Lower Briggate www.cafemafiosa.com

So Cool Clutch

shops

www.cadeaux-leeds.com

What’s hot in the

Must have it!

Add a bit of cool to your outfit by sporting this gorgeous Zoe Clutch Bag (£120) - certain to turn heads for all the right reasons.

Cadeaux, King Edward Street, Leeds

Leeds brand is

CELEBRIty

FaV O u R I t E

Leeds based HEMPZ hair and skin products have a celebrity following thanks to the perfect balance of natural proteins, vitamins, antioxidants and botanical extracts in every product.

Supermodel Helena Christensen stepped forward recently and proclaimed her love for HEMPZ Body Butter whilst on a photo shoot for In Style Magazine.

Enriched with Hemp seed extract, Shea and coco butter, this rich wonder butter re-hydrates, soothes and nourishes dry skin…so that’s how she does it!

HEMPZ Body Butter is available from all good salons and is priced at £12.50.

For more information about HEMPz products contact Supre Europe on: 0800 7816727or visit www.hempz-europe.net

Hot in the city Fashion Folli

This chartreuse ‘Rhianna’ dress, £75 takes a nod to the 80’s vibe with its kick flair waist and slim-fitting skirt but the vibrant shade gives it a modern edge.

A great addition to your summer brights collection.

LauDaNaM, 2 Knaresborough Rd, Harrogate, HG2 7SP t: 01423 883999 www.laudanam.com

Stylish fashion and jewellery brand, Folli Follie has opened a Leeds-based branch in The Victoria Quarter. A welcome addition, giving us another reason to splash our cash on their array of fun and funky jewellery, watches and accessories which is driven by the store’s philosophy of offering ‘affordable, fashionable luxury’.

Folli Follie, Victoria Quarter, LS1 6BE

R E V I VA L O F T H E R E T RO T R A I N E R Stepping into stores in July 2009 is an authentic reissue of the 1983 Cabana from PuMa’s coveted archive. Reviving your love for all things retro, the bold colours, old-skool styling and original fabrics give an 80’s street edge.

Available in Olympian blue and white, high rise and blue and white and red.

PuMa Cabana, £45 RRP Size?, 49/51 Vicar Lane, Leeds, LS1 6DS tel: 0113 2450 652 www.size.co.uk

Party after work?

No problem, D-Store have all the answers.

Polar black ruffle dress £46 New Valborg black blazer £139 Mathiasen purple luxury scarf £14 all from D-Store The Light, Leeds t. 0113 244 3777

Sow your oats Brand new online muesli mixery, Muddy Cook allows you to go online and mix your perfect muesli from over 100 organic and fair trade healthy ingredients. Each pack is blended to order and can be personalised so you can name it what you wish and add a personal message. You start with your base; a huge selection of oats or granola and then add your choice of fruits, berries, nuts and sugar and spice toppings. Choose as many or as little ingredients as you like to blend your own creation. I’m a fan of the Chocolate Bliss base with raspberries and macadamia nuts!

the pack size is 750g, prices vary. www.muddycook.co.uk

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15

%

off

Bewleys Hotel Leeds,

situated a stones throw away from the centre of this vibrant young city, has recently launched a discount card to be used in their welcoming Lounge Bar. The much sought-after card can be used to benefit from a 15% discount on all food and beverage in this area of the hotel.

To obtain your card, please send an email to: janice.barrington-wood@bewleyshotels.com and quote reference ON:Lifestyle Magazine.

All Food & Drink in the Lounge Bar

Bibis Italianissimo SHOWtIME EVENtS Bibis Italianissimo has built a strong reputation over 35 years and stands as the opulent Italian restaurant of choice for Yorkshire. With a capacity for 300 diners, customers from all over the region visit to experience the delicious menu, superb service and entertainment. Every Wednesday, Bibis Showtime, brings the restaurant alive with fun performances from the UK’s best Tribute, Jazz, Soul and Motown bands.

I had the pleasure of being entertained by ‘Amy Winehouse’ – uncannily accurate (including eyeliner and tattoos!) with support from one of the best bands I’ve heard. Some of the forthcoming events are as follows, but check the website for more: 24th June – take that 2 8th July – Milestones of Motown & Soul

Happy Birthday!

S I M P Ly D E V I N E tuRN FIVE I love my hats – they are the accessory for 2009 and they really inject a bit of cool into your outfit.

Milliner of fine hats, Simply Devine is celebrating their fifth birthday.

MOEt tERRaCE at ORaCLE May presented the exclusive launch of the brand new Moet Terrace Experience at Oracle, Leeds. Moet & Chandon have teamed up with the award winning Oracle bar to transform this stunning waterside location into an uber-cool 200 capacity terrace overlooking the River Aire. Kitted out with stylish black rattan corner sofas, casual seating, higher posing areas and an outdoor Moet Bar, this is set to be a beautiful hang-out for beautiful people!

Oracle’s Moet Terrace is open 7 days a week from midday and serves a delicious selection of gourmet burgers, soups and salads, as well as cocktails and champagne, naturally.

The Moet Terrace is also available for private, corporate and BBQ hire.

For further information call: 0113 234 041 www.oraclebar.com

as part of their hectic and fun celebrations, on behalf of the Lord Mayor of york’s nominated charities, RSPCa and upstage youth theatre, Simply Devine were part of a very glam ‘Cheap to Chic’ fashion show at the Guildhall, york on 17th May 2009 showcasing their collection of hats, fascinators and accessories.

29th July – tribute to Madonna 5th august - tribute to Michael Jackson 12th august – the Briefcase Blues Brothers Bibis Italianissimo, Criterion Place, off Sovereign Street, Leeds LS1 4aG. t. 0113 2430905 www.bibisrestaurant.com

Offer: To get in with the trend, especially for the races, make the most of this offer where all On: Lifestyle readers get £5.00 off at Simply Devine until December 2009. You can only use this offer once during that time on presentation of this feature.

Simply Devine, 83 york Road, tadcaster LS24 8aR t: 01937 836068 W: www.simplydevine.co.uk

Former Golden Lion gets a make-over The former Golden Lion Hotel in Leeds has received an estimated £2 million make-over, re-born as the swanky COSMOPOLITAN HOTEL; a Boutique Hotel with a trendy, upbeat bar and restaurant open to all. Late May saw the official opening of the bar and restaurant offering a wide range of meals and snacks throughout the day in a cool environment.

Cosmopolitan Hotel, Lower Briggate LS1 4aE. t: 08456017335

CO M M u N I C at I O N a N D t E C H N O LO G y G E t S a R t y W I t H a S E R I E S O F E V E N t S East Street arts’ (ESa) fourth Social Club uNItED brings together a collection of creative happenings taking place in Leeds until 24 June 2009.

Leeds student wins Street uNItE SkyShot photography competition The UNITE SkyShot competition challenged students in the city to capture new and exciting views of Leeds and a street lamp photographed against a gritty, graffitied wall near the Merrion Centre has won! The photograph entitled “Street Lamp” was taken by Paul Phung, a student at Leeds College of Art and Design. His shot fought off stiff competition from 179 other photographs to be selected as the winning image in the competition, which was organised by student accommodation provider UNITE and Harvey Nichols. www.unite-students.com

Using contemporary arts practitioners as a starting point, ESA explores how collective and collaborative events can take shape to express and share ideas.

UNITED investigates the development and changes to the artist-driven movement of past decades in contrast with social networking and the use of new technologies of today.

There are tons of events occurring…specially commissioned for UNITED and exploring notions of identity within the workforce and using traditional means of communication, London based Daniel Lehan and Leeds artists/designers, Nous Vous, will host a weekend workshop event that will precede a march through the city centre of Leeds. Artists Kristy Noble and Tom Poultney, who met via Facebook, present the exhibition Day Off which will question virtual networks using photography, moving image and sound works and ask if these new communication channels have overtaken traditional leisure pursuits.

Connecting with the idea of virtual networks, Megan Smith’s practice focuses on the contemporary experience of operating within multiple locations, cultures and spaces simultaneously.

Fill your cultural boots!

East Street arts (ESa), Patrick Studios, St. Mary’s Lane, Leeds, LS9 7EH www.esaweb.org.uk

www.onlifestyle.co.uk 30

The stylish ladies-only Waterfall Spa in Leeds offers a variety of gorgeous spa treatments, great value products for home use and it's the ideal spa to visit for a girly day with your friends/sister/mum. I had the Heaven Essence Aromatherapy Massage (65 mins), £75.00 – a deeply relaxing, stress relieving massage that alleviates any niggling aches and pains. This was the perfect ‘had-a-bad-week’-relief, I felt like flying home it was so good! Waterfall Spa offer day packages too so you can chill out, munch down in their Cosy Café, visit their Hydrotherapy pool, experience showers, sauna and steam room and one of my favourite bits – the Relaxation Boudoir. Huge circular beaded harems offer totally secluded and dimly lit beds for you to read on, listen to your iPod or zone out. I laid back and chilled out and others nodded off completely. There’s so much to offer here and you really do feel removed from the urban life that waits outside this city destination.

Summer Offer: Whenever you spend £100 or more on Treatments at Waterfall Spa you will receive a FREE Day Spa Pass (worth £75), giving you unlimited access to all of Waterfall's luxurious facilities. Visit 9am to 6pm Tuesday to Fridays until 28th August.

Waterfall Spa, 3 Brewery Wharf, Dock Street, Leeds, LS10 1JF t: 0845 634 1399 www.waterfallspa.com

Ladies-only Spa Heaven Smirnoff and Hugo Boss launch Black Boutique Barbers for Men, in selected uK stores.

There’s a new personalised service in town offering men a premium grooming service. Until 13th June, Smirnoff Black Vodka and HUGO BOSS are offering an exclusive service each Thursday, Friday and Saturday in-store. At a cost of £15 for a 30-minute personalised experience with a premium safety razor, or an hour service using a traditional cut throat razor (£20), stylish men will be seated in a sleek, traditional leather barber’s chair, and served a Smirnoff Black Collins prepared by a professional Smirnoff Black bartender.

Next, a skilled grooming consultant, trained in the art of shaving, will use BOSS Skin’s celebrated, cutting edge skin care system as part of a traditional shave, followed by moisturising treatment, completed by three hot face towels.

My other-half road-tested this delight and remarked that it was the closest shave he’d ever had, wishing he could do this every morning (although perhaps not with the voddie).

HuGO BOSS, 71-75 Vicar Lane t. 0113 234 2020 www.boutiquebarbers.com

and, finally....

If having fresher, smoother, hydrated and healthier looking skin sounds delightful but the words Skin Peel fill you with dread, then light peels are a must and are ideal for giving a glowing and tighter looking complexion without the downside of a layer of dead skin cells on the surface.

Using a mixture of certain acids, key ingredients are used to stimulate collagen formation, mop up damaging free radicals, and stimulate the formation of Glycoaminoglycosans, or GAGs, (special cells in the deeper layers of the skin that control cell thickness, collagen and elastin levels).

The lighter peels can be applied every 1-2 weeks and a course of 4-6 is normally recommended to stimulate the dermal collagen formation and the formation of GAGs. Sharon Bennett RN, Director says ‘many clients describe their light peel as rather like having an amazing deep facial and more!’

An in-depth consultation, examination of the skin and an individual programme of treatment is planned with full after-care advice.

Light peels start from £50.00.

Harrogate aesthetics, 13 East Parade, Harrogate, HG1 5LF t: 01423 567567

Cool New Leeds Bar There’s a cool new bar just opened in Leeds called Nation of Shopkeepers from the people behind a North London institution called The Lock Tavern.

You’ve already missed Mojave 3 main-man Neil Halstead performing a free solo gig and a DJ set from Lovefoxxx of CSS. The Grade II listed building - formerly The Courtyard – has received a radical make over, developed by artists, illustrators and designers.

Keep up to date here: www.anationofshopkee pers.co.uk 27 - 37 Cookridge Street, Leeds, LS2 3aG

www.onlifestyle.co.uk

Modern day skin excellence, light peels are in vogue

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Case study: Lisa BEFORE

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lifestyle

Paul Bedford

onhealth

In Part 3 of On’s guide to a healthier lifestyle, Health and Fitness expert Paul Bedford takes a break from the

tHE GOOD FOOD GuIDE

Fitness & nutrition

gymnasium to look at nutrition, and offers some tips for those of us who find those summer beer gardens just a little bit too enticing.

the vast majority of

Know your Carbs, Fats and Proteins!!

Stop Snacking

people who want to get

Balancing your intake of ‘The Crucial 3’ is vital when tackling nutrition. Depending on what your lifestyle goals are, you will need to determine how much of these food sources you need to take in. Fats are, of course, every beach bathing person’s worst nightmare - our body will use other energy sources before burning the fats - so eating an excess of fatty food means the body will simply store the fat (and generally in all the wrong places!). Basically, there are good fats and bad fats (or saturated and unsaturated) – the good fats are essential to our bodies as a source of energy and help absorb vital vitamins – these include oily fish, nuts, seeds and avocados.

Hard, I know and probably the one thing my clients struggle with the most. Try to take snacks out of the equation entirely by bypassing the crisps and sweets aisles at the supermarket. Eating healthy, nutritional and light meals actually makes you feel fuller for longer, so fewer snacking urges should occur.

fitter, lose weight and improve their lifestyle would prefer to do it fast – but there is no quick fix and long-term lifestyle changes are the only way. However, if you want the most efficient and effective results possible, a combination of exercise and good nutrition are essential.

Carbohydrates are found in many foods but are more prevalent in pasta, potatoes and rice. Carbs are the body’s main fuel supply and its first choice for energy.

They take a shorter time than fats for the body to use up and are great for people on the go but, if you are more sedate, the body will not burn them all off and eventually will store them as fat. Because of this I always advise my clients to take them in before 6pm.

Proteins are the quickest out of the three the body will use, these are found, in high amounts, in chicken, eggs and fish. The body will use these up fast as energy so taking a good amount of these on board will not do you any harm.

What to Drink in the Heat Water, of course, is the best way of keeping hydrated.

You should be looking to drink at least 2 litres a day.

Drinking lots of water will help improve your metabolism, replenish lost minerals and help keep you focused. Avoid sugary drinks at all costs.

Struggling to hit 5-a-day?

You don’t just have to eat a dry piece of carrot or celery every hour to get in your five a day – it can easily become part of your daily meal routine. Start the day with a glass of fruit juice or a blended fruit shake, take a piece of fruit to work (kiwi fruits are great metabolism boosters), add salad to your ham roll, remember the vegetables with your evening meal (tomatoes in your spag boll count!) and before long you’ll be taking in your 5-a-day without even realising it.

Summer’s here - time for the beer garden!

Beer is loaded with calories and the sugar content of tonics and mixers is massive. Limit yourself to a once a week treat and try something with fewer calories like a wine spritzer – at the very least, go for the slimline option!

all part of the masterplan Plan your meals daily and weekly so you know exactly what to purchase in that weekly food shop. Prepare your meals for the next day the night before - this will help you keep organised and focused. Preparing your meals should give you a better chance of preventing snacking at work and when you return home – always try to know what you are eating and when. any fitness queries? Email Paul at health@onlifestyle.co.uk

3 q u e s t i o n s I ’m always asked I am trying to loose some extra pounds, should I be counting the calories or choosing the low fat option?

This is a question I’m asked a lot - counting calories is a good way of losing the extra pounds but this can be time consuming and confusing. Take a look at fit.com - this is a top website for calculating daily calorie intake and expenditure.

The low fat option is fine but these foods can still contain lots of carbohydrates, fats and salt. I advise you to eat healthily and take some time out to plan your eating habits.

I have recently become pregnant and I want to keep exercising - am I ok to do this?

Any health and fitnessrelated questions? – email Paul at health@onlifestyle.co.uk

Firstly, see your doctor - he/she will advise you as to whether you are able to exercise. Lots of women still exercise during pregnancy and usually there’s no reason why you can’t remain physically active all the way through a pregnancy. Key thing is to keep your body temperature around its core (37C), and stay away from high impact activities – plus, running is a no-go.

Kegels are a great exercise to keep that core strong for during and after birth – Google it!

I have high blood pressure - is it still safe to exercise?

I am no doctor, so make sure you consult one first. Exercise actually helps bring blood pressure down to the ideal range but if this does not happen you may require blood pressure controlling medication.

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Next issue: Exercise for the Older Generation. Missed parts 1&2 – find them at www.onlifestyle.co.uk

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onfeature

lifestyle

The

best of Leeds 2009 It was a simple concept... ...ask 1,000 Leeds citizens what their 3 favourite places are in the City, then compile a league table of the top ten nominations.

Except in these days of social networking, of Facebook, Bebo, MSN, of the invisible interlinked connectors of email and txt msg, things tend to, well, grow!

In total we received 2,207 submissions – that’s nearly 7,000 individual nominations. Some were straight-forward, some were surprising, some waxed lyrical about their favourite places (we’re printing the best ones) and some, like those wags who nominated their favourite place as the M1/M62 out of the City, didn’t quite enter into the spirit of it all!

We think we crossed into all walks of life and included all ages – as opinion polls go, we think this is as accurate as they come.

So, with a huge thank you to the On: Readers and On: Associates, various Blue Chip Leeds Companies, Leeds Government HQ, the odd school, The Lord Mayor and my friend Jim’s Aunt Marianne who submitted the oneand-only vote for Bradford City Football Club (not in Leeds, Marianne, sorry), On gives you the Best of Leeds 2009.

tOP 10

tOP 10

tOP 10

tOP 10

tOP 10

tOP 10

NEaRLy MaDE It

REStauRaNtS

BaRS & PuBS

OPEN aIR

11. Otley Chevin

1. anthony’s

1. Elbow Room

1. Roundhay Park

Day Out attRaCtIONS

12. Briggate

2. Bibis

2. Mojo

2. Ilkley Moor

DIDN’t tHEy DO WELL! a SuRPRISING aMOuNt OF VOtES

13. tropical World

3. Restaurant Bar & Grill

3. Whitelocks

3. Golden acre Park

14. the Corn Exchange 16. anthony’s 17. Harvey Nichols 18. the Grand 19. City Varieties 20. Leeds Market

4. arts Café

4. Otley Chevin

5. the Reliance

5. Chapel allerton 6. Hyde Park

6. Hansa’s Gujerati

6. Epernay Champagne Bar

7. Harry Ramsden’s

7. Oporto

8. Salvo’s

8. Bar 166

4. Fuji Hiro 5. La Grillade

7. yeadon tarn 8. Swinsty/Fewston Reservoirs

9. art Gallery Café

9. Sandinista

9. Meanwood Park

10. thai Edge

10. Oracle

10. Fulneck

2. Harewood House

1. Leeds Market

3. Kirkstall abbey & Museum

2. art Gallery Café

4. tropical World

3. the Leeds/ Liverpool Canal

5. Lotherton Hall 6. Royal armouries

4. Cottage Road Cinema

7. Leeds City Museum

5. the airport

8. Hazlewood Castle

6. Brudenell Social Club

9. Leeds art Gallery 10. thackray Medical Museum

7. Malmaison Hotel 8. thackray Medical Museum 9. Fairburn Nature Reserve 10. Hyde Park

tOP 3 - WHERE WERE tHEy?

1. Millennium Square 2. Leeds academy 3. Park Square

Ilkley, Roundhay, Golden acre Photos by Steve Stenson www.stevestensonphotography.com

15. Lotherton Hall

1. temple Newsam

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10.

Photo by Jonathan turner

9.

GOLDEN aCRE PaRK This impeccably-kept 55 hectares of mature woodland, varied gardens and wildfowlhectic waters in north Leeds has been a family visitor magnet for decades.

Opened in 1932, it just keeps ticking those boxes – good parking, plenty of green, lively waters, quiet corners, formal gardens, wider open spaces, a duck feeding station and a coffee shop.

Truly, what else does a park need?

DID yOu KNOW? Golden Acre used to be an amusement park and the lake was once half a mile long and a quarter of a mile wide!

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HEaDINGLEy CRICKEt GROuND Of course, it’s compulsory for a Yorkshireman to have some romantic affiliation with leather and willow, so it’s no surprise to see this arena for sporting drama high up on our Favourite Places List.

It’s not the prettiest of grounds and aesthetic improvements are essential for its long-term International future, but anyone with a fondness and knowledge of cricketing heritage will be aware of Headingley being a vital cog in cricket’s ancestral wheel. It’s that certain-something that makes a Test Match in Yorkshire not just any-old-Test-Match and something that The Rose Bowl in Hampshire will never quite be able to attain!

DID yOu KNOW? Yorkshire bowler Hedley Verity’s 10 wickets for 10 runs in 1932 against Nottinghamshire at Headingley remains a worldrecord for first-class cricket.

Fittingly, he was born in Leeds.

KIRKStaLL aBBEy The elegant old lady of Leeds attractions, the ruined Cistercian Abbey just off the wheezing A65, is nearing the completion of its delicate and thoughtful £4.5m facelift.

Votes were split between the Abbey and the attached Abbey House Museum, with many nominations mentioning lazy Sundays spent on the grass next to the twinkling River Aire with the Abbey as a dramatic backdrop.

Age and beauty combined and at nearly 850 years, that’s a whole lot of architectural bliss.

DID yOu KNOW: After the dissolution of the monasteries, the main road from Leeds was diverted through the nave of the Abbey’s church - to discourage the monks from returning!

WESt yORKSHIRE PLayHOuSE ….which makes The Playhouse a veritable babe in arms by comparison - 20 years young next year, this gem in our many-gemmed cultural crown is already well-established as one of the nation’s most important theatres.

Impressively, there’s an emphasis on new writing and the featuring of local talent both on and off the stage. The bigger productions excel in technical innovation and there’s been an impressive list of names in the lead roles over the years - a good excuse to namedrop: Sir Ian McKellen, Sir Tom Courtenay, Prunella Scales, Timothy West, Patrick Stewart, Christopher Eccleston, Jude Law, Alison Steadman, Lenny Henry and Les Dennis.

ILKLEy MOOR Where else are you going to find staggering views, Bronze Age carvings, the occasional enthusiastic American tourist, alleged alien visitations, lots and lots (and lots) of sheep, the most famous pair of rocks in the country and, dare we say it, ducks eating up worms.

On Ilkley Moor, of course … with or without ‘at.

DID yOu KNOW: That famous pair of rocks, the Cow and Calf, could tell a tale or two - they’re sharing their 325 millionth birthday with the surrounding millstone grit.

tHE VICtORIa QuaRtER See Heritage section on page 66.

DID yOu KNOW: Costume Hire in the St Peters Building has an estimated 400,000 items of costume and every single one has a label on it saying who it was originally made for.

www.onlifestyle.co.uk

ELLaND ROaD

Photo by David Lindsay www.photosbydavid.co.uk

And back we go. Game by game, year by year, crushing, heart-wrenching disappointment next to brief occasional flashes of joy.

The magnetic allure of Elland Road is as strong and, for some, as unfathomable as ever, but a football club’s roots run very deep. The stadium itself remains a stirring sight, lit up from the Beeston Hill descent, or emerging from the maze of ginnels across Gelderd Road, or glimpsed briefly as you hurtle along the M621.

Rumours of redevelopment continue to surface but, for now, Elland Road remains a towering monument to, groan, third tier football.

DID yOu KNOW: Legendary Leeds manager Don Revie was a superstitious type - a few cruel tricks of fate had convinced the Don that a curse hung over the ground. He employed a gypsy to rid the ground of bedevilment - safe to say it’s high-time the Don’s heirs claimed their refund.

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HaREWOOD HOuSE Proving, at least, that contrary to popular opinion, Yorkshirefolk aren’t averse to putting their hands in their pockets for a bit of rich cultural heritage.

Harewood House (and let’s get this bit right once and for all the house is pronounced Harwood, the village is pronounced Hair-wood) offers Chippendale furniture, stunning ceilings and Old Master paintings on the walls and the stately residence has remained the family home of the Lascelles since it was built in 1771.

The famous Bird Garden received the most nominations, however, and it now houses over 120 species of exotic, nonBritish birds. Ever heard a flamingo with a Yorkshire accent?

DID yOu KNOW: There are just over fifty clocks at Harewood (they aren’t all on display) and it takes about two and half hours each week to wind them all. It can take twice as long when the clocks go back in the autumn!

www.onlifestyle.co.uk

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tEMPLE NEWSaM Since 1922, this huge and famous estate, has been owned by the Council. There’s an inevitable air of aristocracy about the Tudor-Jacobean house, but nowadays Temple Newsam is very much ‘The Peoples’ Grounds’.

The building itself (The Hampton Court of the North, no less) is Grade I listed (and haunted, naturally!) but is really just the epicentre from which to explore 1,500 acres of formal gardens, manicured, open stretches of green, pretty nature trails and wider and wilder areas of extensive woodland.

DID yOu KNOW: Summer’s a great time to catch some rare species of bat - Daubenton’s Bats use the Temple Newsam lakes at dusk to skim low across the water and catch insects in flight.

In the end, the 700 acres of organised green on the north east edge of the City, was a clear winner.

We heard about funfairs and fun-runs, pushchairs and paddle boats, Leeds Mela and The Love Parade, Bruce Springsteen and Jimmy Savile - even first kisses and first loves.

The former hunting park is currently in sparkling condition, catering for nigh on one million visitors per year and, like all the best public spaces, there’s a little something for everyone: family footpads around Waterloo Lake, cricket on Soldiers’ Field, picnics on arena hill, shady moments of peace, Canal Gardens and Tropical World, coffee and cake, that odd and fascinating Folly.

You also told us about brass bands, golf and tennis, roundheads versus cavaliers and, in one memorable email, an unfortunate encounter with General Urko, the nightmarish head gorilla from Planet of the Apes!

The place is, indeed, a font of Leeds memories.

And we’re all off for an ice cream.

DID yOu KNOW: Kirkstall born aviation pioneer Robert Blackburn used to give demonstration flights on Roundhay Park for thousands of people - he even helped establish a small airport there in 1919.

2009 WINNER

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The

best of Leeds 2009 What you had to say....

What impresses me about Golden Acre Park is the wide variety of floral displays as well as the environmental and wild life features. It is a truly delightful place to be enjoyed by all the family. the Lord Mayor of Leeds, Councillor Frank Robinson One of my favourite places in Leeds would have to be Yeadon Tarn - the tranquillity of the place is fantastic (until Jet2 takes off from nearby Leeds-Bradford Airport!).

Other than that, it’s a perfect place for a nice summer stroll around the water with the kids - you can feed the ducks, watch the fishing and enjoy the various watersports on offer.

Damian Walton, Pudsey Best place in Leeds is Temple Newsam. There's something for everyone.

You can go round the house if you are an historian, admire the rhodedendrons if you are a gardener, take your children round Home Farm if you like animals, or listen to the fantastic Opera in the Park if you are a music lover. Great value too!

Sandra Callahan, Harrogate One of the most amazing places I have ever seen is the Royal Armouries - the sort of thing you would expect to see only in London. The collection of arms and armour is unbelievable. Everything is beautifully laid out, well organised and it’s easy to find your way around. As a wheelchair user, I was delighted to find it was totally accessible. There is something there for everyone - as well as the displays, there are the horses, the costumes and the menagerie and it's all free! I have recommended it to several of my friends as it makes a great day out for the whole family.

I like old, slightly shabby relics of my childhood, of which there are few left. The Merrion Superstore, Leeds Market, The Grand Arcade, City Varieties - those places are real Leeds to me, the real North, the one that I grew up in, the one I wandered around with my Mum looking for Star Wars figures and those cheap little soldiers with parachutes on. The Merrion Superstore has somehow retained all its old school naffness - I always try to pop in every time I pass - it's like stepping into a time machine.

It even smells the same as it used to!

Paul allworthy, Farsley I’d nominate my home office - why? A converted attic with open views of suburban foxes roaming through Far Headingley, nobody breathing down my neck, lots of technical toys to tinker with when I should be working, and as much tea as I can stagger upstairs with. Beats commuting.

Jonathan Collins, Headingley Otley Chevin rocks - literally. The bouldering is ace, it has great views, wildlife, fresh air and there’s a beer at hand in nearby Otley.

James Wright, via email Of the many clubs I have frequented on a Saturday night, none of them compare to the friendliness and easy going atmosphere experienced at Back to Basics. The music is consistently good, and the quality of DJ’s is very high every week. There are never any undesirables at the club, and the people who do turn up are there purely for the party vibe and 3 floors of music. All you need is a friendly attitude and plenty of stamina, as the night goes on from 10pm until 7am!

Chris Bayles, via email

Freda Parkinson, Lincoln

The Mustard Pot in Chapel Allerton is such a relaxing little gastro pub. The food is always excellent and the service is second to none; I enjoy relaxing in their beer garden, enjoying a bite to eat with my girlfriend, as it’s a great little escape from the city. The garden area is always kept looking inviting and there is ample parking available too. As for the food, it’s got to be tried to be believed! A true gem and very consistent!!

Richard North, Harrogate I love Roundhay Park. Mainly because of those Planet of the Apes battle displays it used to host. Does anyone remember them? Gorillas versus chimpanzees in the most realistic, unsmiling, costume masks ever created.

They’d have an ‘organised’ battle which mainly consisted of them charging at one-another with swords, whilst unleashing bloodcurdling death roars. It was absolutely terrifying and wholly unsuitable for children, which, of course, is the reason this then 7 year-old loved it. Once, post-battle, my dad took me to one of those temporary portaloo things only to find the, frankly intimidating, figure of General Urko, head gorilla, relieving himself first.

My dad nodded politely as the General passed only for the big bad gorilla to beat his chest and let out a mighty, echoing roar. I think I cried for about 9 hours and I’ve a feeling my dad might have done so too, but today I can only look back with admiration at this part time actor’s De Niro-esque devotion to his craft. Fabulous!

James Barker, Oakwood On a warm spring or early summer morning, what could be better than a brisk walk along the tow-path next to the Leeds-Liverpool canal? With the trees coming into bud, the only sounds you can hear are the birds singing to welcome the new day. Only occasionally the peace is broken by the puff-puff of a canal barge passing by.

Within a short time of leaving the bustle of the city centre you feel you are out in the countryside, taking the long flat walk along the Kirkstall Corridor.

David Chapman, via email

the On: Writers Favourite Leeds Places Whitelocks Pub is a hidden gem, tucked away in a yard off Briggate in the heart of the commercial bustle of Leeds. It was the favourite haunt of journalists, and inbetween editions we used to pop in at lunchtime to enjoy a pint and a snack from a wonderful selection of pies, scotch eggs and delicately cut rare beef and red cabbage sandwiches. Memories of its atmosphere and clamour, unspoilt interior charm, its waitresses (black dresses and white frills) and, above all, its wonderful characters, linger on.

Keith Spence Leeds is a green city. It is not hard to find trees and parks and quiet flowering spaces. But there is one little place that is particularly close to my heart, and that is Gipton Wood at the top end of Roundhay Road. This tiny ancient woodland is an exquisite shady corner, just opposite the monstrosity of Tesco's and is a perfect antidote to supermarket madness. It is at its best in May when the bluebells flower in their multitudes and carpet the wood with a shimmering piece of heaven itself. Perfection.

Barney Bardsley My favourite place in Leeds has to be the Victoria Quarter.

Shops, shops and more shops! As a make-up artist I love popping into Space NK to see what new and exciting products are available and, of course, there’s Mac makeup in Harvey Nichols. I enjoy browsing the new cosmetic products in there (via the cocktail bar and handbag section, of course!), then after a little lunchtime tipple it’s into Jo Malone to test all the smellies, via Kurt Geiger, Karen Millen, Whistles, Allsaints, Ted Baker…oh yes, not forgetting Reiss. After all that its time to relax with a cappuccino and a slice of cake in Anthony’s Patisserie.

Lovely.

Samantha Marshall

My favourite place in Leeds is Caffe Nero at 7.30 a.m. on a Saturday morning. Walking briskly through the indoor market to the nods of recognition from the stall holders who are setting up for the day's trading, then striding out into the fresh air as the city awakens. Tables and chairs are being put outside other coffee houses, shop assistants are waiting, reluctantly, to start their day. I step through the huge, tall, heavy door of Caffe Nero to be greeted by the aroma of freshly crushed coffee beans and the sound of milk under pressure. I sit high up on the mezzanine in a soft, well-worn leather chair, Italian classical music in my ears, watching Leeds go by, in all its shapes, sizes and styles. Drinking my black Americano and then heading home an hour later feeling fortified, relaxed and curiously hyped-up to begin my day!

Last time I was in there, I earwigged on a debate on the EPR Paradox in quantum mechanics. Now, when was the last time you learnt something whilst enjoying a Ramen Broth? If it ever changes, in any way, I’m planning a record-breaking protest sulk.

Matt Callard

Lynda Holbrook Hyde Park is brimming with classic finds and original discoveries and there’s a host of unique retro and vintage stores, cool cafés and a beautiful park to chill out in. Retro Boutique is an Aladdin’s Cave, offering a treasure trove of cool smoker’s chairs, tea dresses, mismatched vintage china and en vogue brogues and leather jackets. Plus, the lived-in appeal all adds to its charm!

Bethanie Lunn It’s nearly 20 years since I first went to Headingley. Since then I’ve enjoyed/suffered countless days watching Yorkshire, England and the Rhinos do battle. It’s a place that’s provided me with some great memories, from the chaos of the Western Terrace on Test Match day, to the party atmosphere that Rhinos fans create. I particularly like Headingley’s quirkiness; it’s retained some genuine character, unlike some modern arenas, and, of course, a trip’s never complete without a visit to Brett’s fish and chip shop.

Duncan thorne

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Fuji Hiro is a Japanese noodle bar at the wrong end of Leeds, nestling between a kebab shop and a bookies; but don’t ever let that put you off eating there. Once a genuine in-the-know place, it’s now a joyful mix of enthusiastic foodies, university professors, students and comfortable regulars reading their newspapers. Its joy lies in its unpretentious simplicity – and the food is, well, perfect.

Hyde Park Picture House is an independent cinema that dates back to 1914. These days this unique Headingley venue majors on showing classic and art-house movies.

Carefully preserved, it has many original features including gas lamp lighting. A true gem.

Paul Howard I love the Victoria Quarter because it’s an oasis of calm and feel-good style in an otherwise hectic shopping experience. Harvey Nichols’ arcade café is the ideal place to pause and recharge while my wife hits the designer stores – enjoy a great cappuccino and half an hour of people-watching with the sound of the fountain for company. It revives any jaded shopper – even me!

Matt Peacock

by Paul Howard

Summer

lifestyle

onwine

The taste of

Though Rosé is a wine style that has been made for centuries, it has been seen as irredeemably naff by past generations of wine drinkers.

Only in this decade has Rosé crept into fashion after years of neglect and now it seems we can’t get enough of it. Indeed, a bottle of Rosé has just been included in the basket of goods used to

measure the Retail Price Index, which illustrates just how much Rosé is now in vogue. The pink craze is in full swing around the world, with wine producers stepping up production to meet demand and Rosé doesn’t need to rely on chick appeal; it is chic in its own right. modern stainless steel tanks with temperature control to ensure fresh aroma and flavour.

that looked like failed red wine and usually tasted of mouthwash. I always imagined such vivid pink confections to be the colour of Liberace’s boudoir - no wonder they weren’t credible or enjoyable drinking. These days, the best Rosé is dry and refreshing and is the classic summer apéritif. In addition, it is also an excellent food partner; for alfresco dining, summer picnics and more besides.

Call it what you will - Rosé, as they do in France, Rosado in Spain, Rosato in Italy or Blush in the US - excellent examples can now be found in UK shops from just about every wine producing country. You’ll find Rosé made from every kind of red grape variety, such as Pinot Noir, Syrah, Cabernet, Cinsault, Grenache and many more. All will be characteristically different in colour and flavour.

All can be delicious.

Pink wine traditions come from France and Spain. The idea was to make a light and refreshing wine for long hot summer days, especially in those areas that were more suitable for growing red rather than white grapes. A little pale grape juice would be bled off from the red grapes in the early stages of winemaking to make a Rosé, principally for local consumption.

The best pinks take that idea but, these days, they are deliberate creations. Good Rosé is made by carefully applying modern white wine making techniques to the juice of red grapes. The goal is to ensure freshness and red fruit aromas and flavours while leaving any harsh tannins and most of the colour behind. Because the grape skins contain all the colour and tannin and most grape juice is white, the winemaker decides how long the skins are left in contact with their juice. This is usually only a matter of hours. The juice is then fermented, often in

And, of course, with any Rosé, the colour is a major part of the appeal. It’s supposed to look pretty! You might be surprised at the wide colour variation, depending on the grape variety and the amount of skin contact. Colours can range from the palest onion skin, through orange, to salmon, rose petal, and finally tomato and pomegranate.

Indeed, the deepest coloured wines are sometimes referred to as Clarete in Spain or Chiaretto in Italy to distinguish them from lighter-coloured wines.

The other distinction is that Rosé contains elements of both white and red wine styles - red wine flavours are accompanied by white wine’s refreshing crisp acidity, yet usually there is an absence of tiring tannins and high alcohol. Hence Rosé occupies the middle ground – it can appeal to wine drinkers that usually prefer red to white or conversely to those who choose white over red. But it doesn’t have to be middle of the road!

Most Rosé is made for young drinking and is not designed to be cellared – usually Rosé won’t improve with age and so is best drunk young, typically in the summer following the vintage.

A light chill should be all you need for a great summer apéritif. Food wise, a good dry Rosé is surprisingly versatile any time of year. It makes a great partner for charcuterie – try ham, salami and pâté. Fuller bodied examples go well with Tapas and they can also be a good foil at a barbeque. Try them too with milder dry curries because they avoid the clash of spices with tannins. A classic match is a fish soup with lots of garlicky aioli, crusty bread – and a Rosé from Provence – it simply doesn’t get any better!

And, of course, with any Rosé, the colour is a major part of the appeal. It’s supposed to look pretty!

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www.winealchemy.com

The coarse, stickily-sweet pinks of old are disappearing; those were products of poor winemaking

Good Rosé is much less likely to be a blend of red and white wines. With a couple of exceptions this technique is a recipe for insipid wine, it may be a pink colour but won’t have much true Rosé character. One notable exception is sparkling Rosé - this is because fizz is usually a blend of wines made from different grapes and years and a very consistent colour can be produced.

winereview...

Indulgent!

Rimauresq, Côtes de Provence Cru Classé, France, 2007. 12%

Planeta, Rosé, IGt Sicilia, Italy, 2008. 12% All Syrah, onion-skin colour, with a cherry and strawberry nose. The palate is dry and silky with good persistence that makes it a great food match. Only the second vintage made by this highly regarded Sicilian Producer and a very good addition to their range, specifically aimed at the UK market.

Salvo’s Italian Restaurant and Salumeria, Headingley, Leeds £10.50.

Bargain!

A truly classic Provençal wine, salmon pink.

Delicate and elegant berry fruit underpinned with typical earthy and garrigue notes. Dry and fine. Made from 30% Grenache and 45% Cinsault with 25% of the local Tibouren grape so essential to the style.

Organic too.

Harrogate Fine Wines and Playford Ros £11.99, widely available.

Bodegas Ochoa, Rosado de Lágrima, Navarra, Spain, 2007. 13% Equal parts Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon. Made in a powerful muscular and deep coloured Clarete style. Full bodied pomegranate colour and flavour.

Calder Wine, Middlestown, West yorkshire, £8.40.

drink talks...

Villa Wolf, Rosé de Pinot Noir, Pfalz, Germany, 2007. 12.5% Salmon pink. Zippy and crisp, strawberry and cherry flavours with rose-petal perfume. It’s made by Dr. Ernst Loosen, who is one of Germany’s very best winemakers and it’s light and lovely.

Calder Wine, Middlestown, West yorkshire, £7.19.

the Founding Fathers of the united States of america certainly knew how to enjoy themselves. The bill for a party celebrating their final draft of the US Constitution in 1787 showed that 55 people enjoyed: 54 bottles of Madeira 60 bottles of Claret 8 bottles of Whisky 22 bottles of Port 8 bottles of Cider 12 Beers 7 full punchbowls ”large enough so that ducks could swim in them”.

Lindauer Rosé Sparkling NV, New zealand.

12.5% Traditionally made, featuring Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Pinotage. Coral coloured, with raspberry fruit and yeasty notes.

Terrific value, essential budget fizz, try with strawberries.

Majestic, £9.99 (2 for £7.49) and Oddbins, £8.99.

Reader’s Questions Q. Could you please recommend a good summer picnic wine for me? I’m trying to create the perfect English picnic for a food project at college. My food knowledge is good but I’m a teetotaller – help!

Sarah

a. Perfect timing! Dry rosé makes the classic picnic wine – it’s light, refreshing and not too alcoholic – ideal on a warm sunny day. It also matches a wide range of typical English picnic fare, such as cold meats, salads, cheese and strawberries.

Don’t forget to chill it, the best way being in a nearby river! Choose any of my rosé recommendations, according to your budget.

any wine queries? Email Paul at wine@onlifestyle.co.uk

Q. This isn’t the most technical of questions, but is there any way of avoiding red wine staining of the teeth and lips! I love the stuff, but don’t care for the purple lips! Thanks, James Keane

a. You should see my smile after a day of wine judging! Seriously, your description is a common problem and there is no easy prevention. One old wives’ tale is to drink red wine through a straw, but that’s not cool. The good news is that your teeth and lips are only covered with a layer of wine-coloured saliva. The same thing happens with white wine, but of course it’s less visible.

You can reduce the horror-look by chewing sugar-free gum. Resist the temptation to brush straightaway after drinking wine because your tooth enamel will have been temporarily softened by the acids in the wine and could be eroded. Then try gentle brushing using toothpaste like Pronamel. Your dentist can advise and give you a regular cosmetic clean-up to deal with any real staining.

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wordonfood

lifestyle

Lynda Holbrook

top tables ✪

the World’s Most Exclusive Restaurants Dreaming of pushing the boat out a little? Want to indulge in something a little bit special and extravagant? Are you ready to wave a meal ticket to luxury-ville/rip-off-ville (delete as appropriate) defiantly in the face of the pesky credit crunch?

Well, you’d better watch out, because there’s one heck of a waiting list!

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Enjoy On’s guide to the world’s most exclusive restaurants – and you thought it was tough to book a seat in Anthony’s!

✪

French Laundry – California

The legendary Napa Valley restaurant, and Head Chef, Thomas Keller, have rarely been out of those ‘Best Restaurants in the World’ lists since the venue opened in 1994. On offer each day are two 9 course tasting menus (one veggie, one meat).

Star dishes include Oysters and Pearls and Fuji Apple Sorbet. Expect to pay £157 per head.

6640 Washington Street, Yountville, CA 94599, USA +1 707 944 2380 www.frenchlaundry.com

✪

Tetsuya’s – Sydney

Widely regarded as one, if not the, best restaurant in Australia, Japanese native Tetsuya moved to Sydney aged 22 and opened his first restaurant less than 2 years later. Specialising in spankingly fresh fish, the tasting menu is around £100 per head and runs to 13 courses.

The signature dishes include Confit of Petuna Ocean Trout with kombu, daikon and fennel.

529 Kent Street, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia +61 2 9267 2900 www.tetsuyas.com

✪

Joel Robuchon at MGM Las Vegas

The old image of Vegas as a den of gambling, vice and all-you-can-eat buffets has been steadily worn down by an influx of Michelin-Starred Chefs. French Chef Joël Robuchon opened his first U.S. restaurant at MGM Grand and it remains one of the most coveted tables in town (as well as the only 3 Michelin-Starred one).

The 16-course tasting menu will set you back £235 each, so a good excuse to hit the tables before dinner. Star dish is La Langoustine, a Truffled Langoustine Ravioli with Chopped Cabbage. www.mgmgrand.com/restaurants

✪

Restaurant Gordon Ramsay – London

Even though he’s been left conspicuously off the latest best restaurants list, Ramsay’s Royal Hospital Road location remains a hot, hot ticket. The restaurant has only 13 tables (just five that seat two) and takes bookings exactly two months in advance. Sightings of the big man himself are rare, however.

Star dishes include Pigeon with Foie Gras and Cornish Lamb.

8 Royal Hospital Road, London SW3 4HP 020 7352 4441 www.gordonramsay.com

✪

Turandot - Moscow

Not surprisingly the most expensive city in the world also contains one of the most OTT restaurants. The total cost of building and kitting out Turandot is rumoured to be around £30 million pounds. The interior is a riot of gilding, porcelain and mirrors and is a fave hangout for Russian mafia, celebs and super models. The menu is an eclectic mix of Asian and Japanese flavours and high-end ingredients.

Expect to pay around £90 per person for star dishes such as Jasmine Tea Smoked Pork.

26 Tverskaya Boulevard, Building 5, Moscow, 103050

Masa - New York

A New York mecca of sushi and sashimi with only 26 seats. Head Chef, Masa Takayama, flies its top-notch fish and shellfish directly from the famous Tokyo fish markets daily, making the Chef’s Omakase tasting menu price of £260 per head seem almost justifiable. Just don’t mention the words ‘carbon footprint’.

Star dishes include Risotto with Sea Urchins and Truffles.

10 Columbus Circle, 401 New York 10019. +1 (212) 823-9808. www.masanyc.com

✪

✪

Alain Ducasse at Plaza Athenee – Paris

Ducasse is the undisputed king of the Paris restaurant scene, with 3 amazing places under his belt. Most impressive of these being the restaurant in the grand Plaza Athenee Hotel where you can easily drop £150 a head. First you have to get a table though and as the restaurant only sits 50 and is closed for a month in the summer, you could be in for a long wait.

✪

Aragawa – Tokyo

Specialising in one perfect dish – steak this hidden gem is buried in Tokyo’s Shinbashi district. There’s no website, it’s notoriously difficult to find and reservations are really hard to come by.

But it’s the go-to destination for Wagyu beef aficianados.

Surprisingly, there’s not much offered here in way of plate dressing. Steaks are expertly cooked then served simply with mustard and pepper. For this privilege customers pay an average of £240 a head, but remember this is Japan where it’s not uncommon for meals to top the £500 a head mark.

+7-495-739-0011

✪ ✪

The Fat Duck – Bray

Heston Blumenthal’s iconic restaurant has spent quite a few years either occupying or nudging the top spot in the world restaurant awards and has put Britain firmly back on the global map as a fine dining destination.

On offer each day is a tasting menu of 13 courses for £130 a head. Think about booking at least 6 months ahead to secure a much sought after table. Cult menu items include Snail Porridge and Egg and Bacon Ice-Cream.

The Fat Duck, High Street, Bray, Berkshire, SL6 2AQ England +44 (0)1628 580333

El Bulli – Spain

The fact that Ferran Adrià’s restaurant is only open for 6 months of the year makes this an even hotter ticket than usual.

Waiting lists are legendary, with normal punters looking at a year or more wait for a table. The tasting menus are famous for their ‘ugggh’ as well as ‘oohh’ appeal as food here is experimental with a capital E - this was the man who started the whole ‘molecular gastronomy’ trend after all.

The tasting menu changes day-to-day with 30 courses being served in 3 ‘acts’.

There is no physical menu; each dish is explained as it is served. Expect to pay around £150 per head.

El Bulli - 00 34 9721 50457 www.elbulli.com

www.fatduck.co.uk

Star dish is the Volaille de Bresse (a specially reared chicken from Burgundy). www.alain-ducasse.com

www.onlifestyle.co.uk

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CONTEMPORARY

CUISINE

T

THAI EDGE LEEDS

hai Edge, Leeds subscribes to a contemporary look, Authentic Thai food, unique and memorable dining. The menu has an extensive choice of over 140 dishes for a complete Thai culinary experience, first class service and a warm welcome with Thai smile. It’s not difficult to see why Thai Edge, Leeds received The 2007 Best Service Award and again The 2008 Best Oriental Restaurant Award in Leeds from The Restaurant Association.

SUNDAY BUFFET FAMILY LUNCH 12pm - 3pm.

Over 30 authentic Thai dishes including live counter cooking - £8.95. Children age 5-12 eat at half price.

AA ROSETTE AWARD WINNER

ONE OF THE 10 BEST PLACES IN THE UK TO EAT ASIAN FOOD

New Portland Place 7 Calverley Street Leeds LS1 3DY email: info@thaiedgeleeds.co.uk

LUNCH EXPRESS 12pm - 2.30pm.

SPECIAL SET LUNCH 2 course meal - £7.95.

Starter only £3.50, main course only £5.99.

EARLY BIRD 5:30 - 7PM Sunday - Friday. Choose one of each course from our special lunch menu - £7.95.

CALL 0113 243 6333 OR VISIT www.thaiedgeleeds.co.uk

oncdreview

lifestyle MAINSTREAM

Oh, I just don’t get Kasabian. they fill a fat, gaping hole between Muse and Oasis, where a fat, gaping hole should be left to be fat and gaping. their earnestness, their artlessness, their die-for-the-music ‘pash-un’ – gimme casual and effortless beauty over these bullying, stadium-sized prog stompers any day. this clumsily titled, clumsily designed (just look at that front cover) 3rd effort attempts to take all sorts of musical twists-and-turns, nearly all of them ham-fisted, nearly all of them musical dead-ends, nearly all watered-down appropriations of other bands’ better moments. So where we’re supposed to hear Eastern strings and folky violins in ‘take aim’ I hear Gomez circa ‘Bring It On’. ‘thick as thieves’ knows it’s a 60’s pastiche, but Ray Davies wouldn’t give it a second glance. ‘West Ryder Silver Bullet’ wants to be a Lee & Nancy duet but it’s subtle as a brick and much less tuneful.

Oh, and the lyrics. Hideous, just hideous.

on gig guide

onmusic

KaSaBIaN – ‘West Ryder Pauper Lunatic asylum’

11th JuNE – ORBItaL – Leeds Academy 12th JuNE – DREaM tHEatER – Leeds Academy 12th JuNE – StEVE FORBERt – Leeds Brudenell

ON GIVE 1/5

Out on 8th June

18th JuNE – CLutCH – Leeds Cockpit

ALTERNATIVE

27th JuNE – FLEEt FOXES – Leeds Academy On: Recommends: One year on and still flogging their stone-cold classic of a debut album, Seattle’s defiantly un-rockist five-piece have remained suspiciously quiet on the new material front. Expect plangent multi-layered harmonies and well-honed versions of familiar tunes and maybe, just maybe, a teaser or two of new material.

27th JuNE – NINE BLaCK aLPS – Leeds Cockpit 4th JuLy – a CERtaIN RatIO – Leeds Brudenell On: Recommends: Former Factory Records stalwarts, peers of Joy Division and Manchester semi-legends A Certain Ratio take their groundbreaking genre-defying grooves to the intimate Brudenell. There’ll be devotees aplenty enjoying a now mighty and mountainous back catalogue.

RE RELEASE

11th JuLy – BuzzCOCKS – Garforth College 13th JuLy – tHE WaRLOCKS – Leeds Brudenell 17th JuLy – JaMES tayLOR QuaRtEt – Harrogate Theatre 18th JuLy – a LOt LIKE ESKIMOS – Leeds Brudenell

FLEEt FOXES 27th JuNE – Leeds Academy EMILIaNa tORRINI 24th JuNE – Leeds Brudenell

52

JOHN MaRtyN – ‘Solid air’ DELuXE EDItION this neatly packaged re-issue of recently deceased folk legend John Martyn’s masterpiece doesn’t really reveal anything that we didn’t know about the 1972 album – you know, timeless, lovely and a little bit world-weary. the brand new additions don’t add up to much – there are a few flabby jams, the odd descent into psychedelic meandering – save for one gorgeous, whiskey-fuelled whisper called ‘In the Evening’.

But why expand on perfection? this is where Martyn’s unique bar room slur became an aural balm, his abrupt folkiness offset by smooth swathes of delicate jazz, his penchant for sea-shanties developed into sweet 70’s mantras. While he’s at it, he probably invents trip-hop along the way, too.

ON GIVE But who am I to say? John Martyn never gave a damn about 5/5 critics.

9th JuLy – tHE Cat EMPIRE – Leeds Academy

22nd JuLy – JOaNNa MaCGREGROR – Harrogate Royal Hall

4/ 5

Out NOW

6th JuLy – atHLEtE – Leeds Cockpit

20th JuLy – JuLIE FOWLIS – Harrogate Theatre

GREat LaKE SWIMMERS – ‘Lost Channels’ Country-tinged folk-rock melancholy has never had it so good – 2007’s ‘Backstage with the Modern Dancers’ was one of the strangest, most elegant songs of that year. Lead Swimmer tony Dekker’s ethereal voice lends itself perfectly to these 12 hymns to the 1,000 islands, a stretch of geographical wonder on the St. Lawrence River.

So, eek!, it’s a concept album - but there’s no need to flee – this is no daft gimmick. Gossamer acoustic threads entwine with plaintive pedal-steel, mandolins lean on REM’s darker moments, little stabs of cello add punctuation and all along there’s a poetic economy that will take your breath away. Hey, if it isn’t that old-fashioned thing called songwriting.

Not to say it’s all delicate and restrained – there’s a couple of driving, uptempo pop-rock moments with family-sized melodies that simply demand FM radio and there’s some lovely, ringing Byrds-ian guitar interplay. take heed Kasabian, less really is more.

ON GIVE

24th JuNE – EMILIaNa tORRINI – Leeds Brudenell

Out NOW

LEST WE FORGET

…10 years ago this month: DRuGStORE – ‘White Magic For Lovers’ any minor dust-storm that Drugstore had created with their brilliant debut album had long-since settled by the time they’d managed to get the legal wrangles sorted in order to release this second bruised beauty. Which meant, despite the many plaudits for White Magic For Lovers, Drugstore’s moment had passed. So points the cruel and fickle finger of musical fate. there’s a stunning opening salvo, ‘Mondo Cane’ and ‘Say Hello’, which stand toe-to-toe with anything from ‘the Bends’ then, as if to prove it, enigmatic Brazilian-born front-person, Isabel Monteiro, is joined by thom yorke for an impassioned duet called ‘El President’ – all sweeping Morricone strings and elegant blasts of noise. But the real unheralded star is guitarist Daron Robinson, adding subtle phantom flourishes and weird, innovative overdubs throughout. a small lost masterpiece of expatriate blues.

DaNCE ON

18th JuNE – JaCK PENatE – Leeds Cockpit

3 tunes:

Snax – Get In Trouble (Crazy P Remix) – defDrive Jamie Lloyd – You and I (Trickski Remix).

Boogie Corporation – Troubled Funk (Original Mix).

3 Club Nights:

Polaroid Back to Basics HiFi Club

(Leeds) 5th June – Weirdo Police (10pm onwards).

(Leeds) 11th July – Daniel Stefanik/Audiojack/ Inland Knights (10pm onwards).

(Leeds) – FunkSoulNation – Every Friday from 10pm.

cinema&dvd for the weeks ahead terminator: Salvation

4/10

Director: Joseph ‘McG’ Nichol Stars: Christian Bale, Sam Worthington, Helena Bonham-Carter Despite The Terminator’s relentless, robotic heartlessness, the original movie had an emotional core, supported by a convincing back story. Part 2 was a worthy re-run and Part 3, despite throwing credulity to the dogs, ramped up the clattering chrome and steel and was a satisfying blockbuster – at least paying homage to the original with a bleak, apocalyptic coda.

Part 4, however, loses the plot. Literally. Some fascinating ideas are flirted with, but are, ultimately, cast aside for bombast and cyber-violence. It looks great, expectedly, but this is yet another directorial pummeling – mean and moody, male and muscular,(the female cast members are basically silent and, in one case, helpfully mute) and electrically charged but oddly disconnected from its audience. When it needs to take a breath it hurtles into the next fx-laden super-scene with a dumb, videogame logic.

A missed opportunity, as there are some genuinely intriguing plot threads dangling in the midst of this cinematic cyclone. The Terminator needs to find his soul again.

Out NOW

7/10

9/10

8/10

onfilms the Last House on the Left

ondvds ‘anvil: the Story of anvil’

onretrodvds ‘Identity’

Director: Dennis Iliadis

Director: Sacha Gervasi

DID yOu MISS tHIS? 5 yEaRS aGO tHIS MONtH.

Stars: tony Goldwyn, Sara Paxton, Monica Potter

Stars: anvil!

Director: James Mangolf

They didn’t exactly leave the airbrush behind during this remake of Wes Craven’s sadistic, bitter but groundbreaking 1972 original, but this is still more of a spit-and-polish job, than a full-on noughties makeover.

Inevitable echoes of Rob Reiner’s seminal spoof rockumentary This Is Spinal Tap abound throughout this Brit-directed snoop into the world of underachieving Canadian metal band, Anvil. Take this ponderous exchange: director wonders why band are playing to an almost empty dungeon of a club in unsunny Prague. Drummer, Robb Reiner, (yes, bizarrely, that is his name) muses for a moment, then surmises; "I can answer that in one word. Er, two words." Pause.

"Three words. We haven't got good management."

Stars: John Cusack, Ray Liotta, Rebecca De Mornay

Craven’s original was a grindhouse prototype, taking the leanest of plots (awful things happen to family’s children – family’s parents takes awful revenge) into previously uncharted movie areas of nihilistic, visceral brutality. But this is not another tiresome, inexcusable dose of torture porn. The convincing combo of the revenging parents’ devastated grief and their primal fury are expertly explored and their actions understandable and justifiable.

There’s also a strange, undeniable comfort in the lineal familiarity and predictable resolution – only a bloodspattered misplaced finale feels tagged on.

You should already know whether you need to avoid this or not. Just beware - if someone suggests this for a first-dater – leave them in the foyer.

Out 12th JuNE

Except this is no spoof. This is for real.

In their 80s heyday Anvil toured with rock behemoths Whitesnake, Bon Jovi and the Scorpions. They had it all – big hair, big amps, big prospects - except it never really happened. After their celebrated second album paved the way for the new metal onslaught of Slayer, Metallica, Anthrax and the rest, the band, somehow, were left behind.

Except here they are. Still playing, still touring, still believing their just rewards are just a van ride away. But this is no snidey portrayal of un-beautiful losers – by the end of this you’ll be rooting for Anvil. Their catastrophes, flaws and failures are manifold and painfully funny, but their musical heart and soul, however deluded, is a bright and strangely moving beacon of hope.

This claustrophobic re-setting of Agatha Christie’s famous whodunit, ‘And Then There Were None,’ sees former cop John Cusack holed up in an isolated hotel with 9 other disparate characters. As the numbers begin to dwindle in a decidedly grisly manner, the search for the killer becomes urgent, tense and utterly gripping.

This 21st century murder mystery-cum-film-noir layers red herring upon trick upon deceit and builds superbly towards a brilliant, jaw-dropping, Usual Suspects-type climax.

Cusack leads the cast with his usual nuanced aplomb and the supporting actors contrast well. Tautly written and directed, Identity manages to be an old-fashioned edge-of-seater whilst simultaneously coming from leftfield. Just when you think you know where it’s heading, it takes another unexpected twist.

A well-worn premise maybe, but Identity is executed with unusual and unpredictable skill.

Wonderful!

Out 15th JuNE

aLSO Out IN tHE COMING WEEKS 12 JUNE - In 'Doghouse', a group of men head to a remote village to help one of their friends get over his divorce; when they get there, they discover that all the women have been infected with a virus that makes them man-hating cannibals...

'Looking For Eric' is a Manchester-based film about a postman struggling to cope with his chaotic family while nursing a broken heart. The film is inspired by the life of footballer Eric Cantona, whose team won numerous trophies during his tenure. 'Zee seagulls, zay follow ze trawler’...Charity Premier for NSPCC and Variety Club at ODEON Leeds-Bradford on 8th June.

Forty hours before the wedding, three friends lose the groom at his bachelor party in 'The Hangover'. The trailer, available on odeon.co.uk, is absolutely hilarious...

19 JUNE - A mattress salesman who is deeply dissatisfied with his life seeks to add meaning by pursuing his childhood dream of adopting a child from China in 'Gigantic'.

When a couple of lazy hunter-gatherers (Jack Black and Michael Cera) are banished from their primitive village, they set off on an epic journey through the ancient world in 'The Year One'.

26 JUNE - 'Revenge of the Fallen' - The battle for Earth has ended but the battle for the universe has just begun. After returning to Cybertron, Starscream assumes command of the Decepticons, and has decided to return to Earth with force.

3 JULY - 'Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs' is a 3D sequel and will be the first film shown in 3D at ODEON Leeds-Bradford - but when will they bow to public pressure and give us a Scrat movie?

'Public Enemies' - Michael Mann. Johnny Depp. Christian Bale. Cops and robbers. Hard not to be excited.

10 JULY - To see the most offensive pink catsuit ever, check out the trailers for 'Bruno', in which Sacha Baron Cohen plays a gay Austrian TV reporter who worms his way into celebrity hot spots and interviews unsuspecting guests about topics such as fashion, entertainment, celebrities and homosexuality! Borat meets Ugly Betty!

17 JULY - 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince'.

Wizards and Stuff again...

feature

FLIGHt OF tHE CONCHORDS

oninterview

flights of

Fancy

54

QuItE IMPORtaNt POINt 1: Flight of the Conchords are a Grammy award-winning New zealand comedy duo composed of Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement. they bill themselves as“Formerly New zealand’s fourth most popular guitar-based digi-bongo accapella-rap-funk-comedy folk duo.” the pair’s comedy and music became the basis of a BBC radio series and then an american television series, which premiered in 2007, also called‘Flight of the Conchords’. Jemaine wears glasses. Bret has a beard.

QuItE IMPORtaNt POINt 2: Like so many other comedy acts, Flight of the Conchords’ breakthrough moment came at the Edinburgh Fringe, at the Comedy Festival, in 2003.

How much has British music and comedy influenced you?

J: I like British comedy a lot and American comedy and some of my favourite comedy acts are from New Zealand.

Series 2 is currently showing on the BBC – what’s different this time around?

Jemaine: We’ve tried some episodes with plotlines and we’ve tried some completely without. So we’ve tried both.

Bret: More characters get to sing this year. Mel sings, Murray sings, Dave sings, Doug sings…

When the other characters sing they still do Conchord-esque songs.

J: Yeah, we still write the songs. there’s been Broadway, rap, calypso so far… what music do you listen to?

J: Yeah, we’ve been listening to a lot of Harry Nielson, and he goes straight from style to style all the time.

Who are your idols?

B: I loved the Blackadder series when I was growing up, Young Ones. Now I enjoy the Mighty Boosh and Arrested Development, Larry David…

J: I love the Gary Sandling show – that’s one of my favourite shows. There’s this New Zealand band I loved called The Front Lawn…

B: Two guys who go to New York… no one saw it!

What is most important to you? tV show or music?

J: We try to make them both important. I guess for the music, it takes quite a long time to make just a ten minute song, so it gets more work per minute probably.

Did you know from the beginning you were going to make a tV show of it?

B: Yes, that’s true.

B: No we had no plans to make a TV show.

J: He does Calypso, a bit of reggae, a bit of… no, he never did rap.

J: No, in fact, we came to America just to do a gig at a comedy festival. It was more because, we had a free flight if we went and did this gig, so we did it and they asked us to do a TV show.

B: We pretty much listen to anything. are you both nervous about how well the second series will go down after the success of the first one?

J: I’m more nervous about how badly it will go down. You want to like it yourself and that’s what you focus on. I’m nervous that I won’t like it myself. But eventually I will.

Jemaine, are you going to find romance this year on the show?

J: Yeah, there are quite a few romantic moments, because I get involved with a few different women this season.

B: When Jemaine and I were flatting in New Zealand, we were both auditioning for New Zealand soap operas and B-grade films and we weren’t doing very well and we decided to start a band to get out of trying to be in TV. J: We didn’t pick an option and now we’re stuck with it. We haven’t got any other skills.

B: It takes a real turn doesn’t it? He gets all the romance I don’t this season.

B: We should start something new now just to get out of this.

Does anything last?

J: True.

J: No nothing lasts, I’m afraid.

When you do all the various musical parodies, do you start out with the style you want to do, or the content of what the song is going to say and then discover the style?

B: A bit of both.

J: Depends on the song. For songs that are about real life situations, me and Bret will talk about the times girls have broken up with us, or awkward social situations and we talk about whether our feelings have been hurt…

B: Like when you don’t get invited to a birthday party or something like that. But some of the songs would work in different genres but some are very genre specific and you couldn’t really put them into a different style.

Like the Michel Legrand number – the French parody?

QuItE IMPORtaNt POINt 3: On screen, the duo play themselves, except they’re not really playing themselves, they’re playing versions of themselves. Or something. they lead quite mundane lives, trying to scrape a living by playing songs (or, as they tried on one occasion, by being prostitutes). In every episode, out of the blue, a cast member will launch into an incongruous and extraordinary song and dance production/ parody/ pastiche. and after it: zap!, we plunge straight back to the mundane. Even better, the songs are good. Richard Digance this is not.

Can you give us a taste of some of the memorable fantasy moments from the current series?

J: No. That’s kind of why you watch the show in a way and we don’t want to give any of that away. Last season we gave each show a working title and worked out halfway through that we were giving away major plot lines by giving them obvious titles. We gave the working titles just to remind us what the script was and we meant to change them later but never did. They ended up on the internet because no one checked with us.

That’s why they have the most boring titles.

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J: Yeah, well, Bret and I used to flat together and I’d just come back from a holiday in France and I’d learnt a few things and Bret did French at school.

And we both listened to Serge Gainsbourg a lot.

So that was the first song we wrote. We only knew a few chords and that song has about two chords in it.

QuItE IMPORtaNt POINt 4: Despite Perrier Nominations, ad campaigns, radio and tV shows, Letterman, an HBO One Night Stand Special, albums in the charts and continenthopping success, Flight of the Conchords still, unfailingly, get called a Cult Duo. Why do you think you’re successful?

J: Handsome.

B: My personality.

J: Bret’s got a winning personality. I’m handsome and humble.

One of the running jokes is that you have so few fans, but you actually have quite a following. are there actual Conchord groupies who follow you?

Bret: Yes. They don’t follow us, but they show up at our concerts and they follow us on the internet.

Bret’s got all his fans from his Figwit days…

B: Yeah, they’ve kind of gone away…

How did you both meet and was there an instant comedy chemistry between you both?

B: Well, we met at university, doing a comedy play. It was a show called Body Play and it was about body consciousness, body image issues.

J: It was directed by one of the guys we get to write episodes with us.

B: There was a cast of 25 and we were all dressed in skin-coloured bike pants with velcro detachable penises. You could change gender with a flick of the wrist.

J: It was a kid’s play. We were in groups and our group dealt with male body issues and we took our show to Melbourne and the theatre made us perform it outside in a mall. There were a lot of complaints. We were supposed to do it every week for a month, but after the first time we did it, we were told never to come back.

B: Yeah, we got cancelled after the first week.

J: We knew it wouldn’t go down well, but we were forced to do it.

thinking about bringing it back?

J: I don’t know, maybe we’ll do something with it the characters in the series, are they inspired by anyone in real life?

B: Yeah, we played that song about Bowie, and they just thought it was a Bowie song that they’d never heard before.

How do the New zealanders take you teasing them – in good humour?

What was your worst gig?

B: Yeah, I think the pride they have for our success overshadows…

J: Mine’s based on Bret.

J: That was one of them.

B: And vice versa.

B: That was definitely one of them. There was a genuine Blues Brothers moment where we had to run out of there.

J: They’re like us a few years ago. Certainly the way I dress and the things I base it on when I didn’t have any money. I don’t know, I get really grumpy doing this show, so I think that comes out in my character.

J: Some of the girlfriends of the cricket players were trying to get Bret to play The Gambler, and we don’t know any covers, we only knew our songs, so Bret was trying to… he doesn’t know the words or chords to The Gambler, but he’s trying to play The Gambler while I’m packing up the equipment.

B: So I’m distracting them with the worst rendition of The Gambler you’ve ever heard, because I’m just playing one chord.

J: [starts singing] “You’ve got to know when to play cards…”

B: And then the girls go on stage and they started singing, and at one point they stopped, turned to me and said, “That’s not The Gambler”. And I just looked at them in the eye and said, “Yes it is, and keep singing!”

QuItE IMPORtaNt POINt 6: In the show, Flight of the Conchords have a hapless manager – a bit like Extras or Curb your Enthusiasm. He’s called Murray and he’s probably the funniest character on tV at the moment. He’s played by Rhys Darby who is, in fact, a stand-up comedian from New zealand.

What do you think of the success of some of your co-stars, Rhys was in the Jim Carrey film yes Man, and Kirsten had a gig on the Daily Show? Did you envision that?

QuItE IMPORtaNt POINt 5: Flight of the Conchords is silly and funny and innovative and, sometimes even, strangely moving. anything could happen next. any plans for a film?

J: No, what have you heard? third series?

B: Yeah, we’ve already filmed it.

J: Yeah, series 3, maybe it’s set in New Zealand so we don’t have to leave home anymore.

B: Yeah, or series 3 could be a book.

Who gets the most female attention out of you both?

J: It’s an honourable draw.

B: It’s been quite useful having the fans contact us and on tour last year they gave us gifts. Most of the gifts involved home craft projects that incorporate our faces on them. Someone knitted some little sheep, one had the face of Jemaine with glasses and sideburns, and mine had a little face with a beard. Another fan made us cookies with our faces on them. And then we’ve incorporated some of those ideas into our show.

Ever met anyone who takes it seriously?

J: We’ve played gigs sometimes and people have not realised that we’re joking. That was more early on.

B: They thought we were a bad covers band because they didn’t recognise any of the songs.

J: We played a gig in New Zealand to a cricket club who were really angry that they didn’t know what songs we were playing.

J: I think by and large they like it.

J: The embarrassment. apparently you’ve both done quite a few ads, what would you say the strangest advert you’ve done would be?

B: I had a job, not like a TV ad, just a real life ad where I had to wear a suit that was a boat, advertising Winkles ferry service in New Zealand.

Pretty grim, yeah. I bumped into an old school friend who was a successful lawyer at the time. It was after I dropped out of university, and he bumped into me wearing this ferry suit and they said, “Hey Bret, haven’t seen you in ages. What have you been up to? Still acting?”

Embarrassment and real emotion there. Do you tap into real stuff from the past like that all the time?

J: Yeah, all the time. Just about every bad experience on the show we’ve had. We’ve still got more left too.

B: We gather up the stories each night.

What’s next for you after the series finishes?

B: We’re going to do a live tour of the States and Canada, our first shows in Canada in a long time.

J: One of our worst gigs was in Canada. It was in Vancouver and we got one person along to the show who we gave a free ticket. And we did this hour-long show, just me and Bret doing all our songs to this one person, and when they turned the lights on, the person had left. That happened in one of the episodes, based on that show in Canada.

B: That was nine years ago.

J: Just jealousy. And they should have really credited us and should have at least tried to get us in on it.

B: That was our plan from the beginning - to try to get Rhys into a Jim Carrey film.

J: Jim Carrey is Rhys’ hero. It was really exciting for him.

B: Rhys, man, we knew that kid when he was just playing the one club in New Zealand, now look at him.

J: No, I think I’m really proud to be involved with those guys and think they deserve every success.

J: And for Rhys, he’s always wanted to do comedy movies, but you just can’t do it in New Zealand, they are very rarely made there.

J: Also in New Zealand, they would never hire a comedian to do it, they would hire an actor. antipodean comedies seem to go down very well in the uK – things like Summer Heights High and Kath & Kim, why do you think Brits respond so well to you guys?

J: You laugh at our accents, perhaps.

B: You already think we’re stupid. I guess New Zealand and Australia, well I know New Zealand, played a lot of British comedy in the 70s and 80s, and probably a lot of those comedians grew up on the same comedy that everyone in the UK grew up on.

A shared sense of comedy?

B: Yeah.

J: When we get the scripts in from other people, because we write half of them, and half are written by other writers, we have to change the American writers the most, and then the next is British and then New Zealand we change a little bit.

Series three? Run out of ideas? Excited about doing more or is this the end of the Conchords?

J: We ran out of ideas after the first episode of series 1, we just keep disguising that idea. We don’t know yet.

Still up for it, don’t want to kill them off just yet?

J: In the last episode there’s a plane crash.

Bret, ever wondered if you will be in the Hobbit at some point, following up your brief appearance as an elf in Lord of the Rings?

J: Bret, I’d like to know, too. If you’re offered a part in The Hobbit will you take it?

B: Well, I’m working on my toe hair.

QuItE IMPORtaNt POINt 7: Flight of the Conchords Series 2 is showing now on BBC4.

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ontheatres

lifestyle

in the

spotlight... a guide to what’s on in the theatres

Harrogate theatre BLItHE SPIRIt Suspense, suspicion and supernatural manifestations are at the forefront of Noel Coward’s sublimely spirited comedy. Charles Condomine sips cocktails with his second wife, Ruth, awaiting the arrival of Madame Arcati, who he hopes will provide an amusing subject for his new book about a fake psychic.

Superbly batty she may be – but Madame Arcati is rather better at contacting the recently deceased than Charles imagines. A little too good in fact. Soon everybody is dropping in for drinks – including Elvira, Charles’ first wife, which is something of a shock as she’s been dead for seven years.

Sharply witty and savagely funny, Blithe Spirit was Coward's own favourite play, emerging from his imagination in just five days and quickly becoming one of his most popular plays setting all manner of British box-office records.

25 JuNE – 11 JuLy Prices from £11 (T. 01423 502116)

WutHERING HEIGHtS Bronte goes to Bollywood in an irresistible new musical.

DECaDENCE

The scorched desert landscape of Rajasthan is the setting for this sumptuous musical interpretation of Brontë’s classic tale of passion, jealousy and revenge.

This biting vision of the upper classes at the height of Thatcherism shocked many when it was first produced.

Steven Berkoff’s style is uncompromising and relies solely on the actors’ use of gesture and voice to create a world of dinner parties, Joseph and the amazing technicolor Dreamcoat hunting and debauchery.

Having enjoyed sensational reviews, Bill Kenwright’s “Amazing”, 08 JuLy – 11 JuLy £8 “Superb”, “Wonderful” and “Brilliant” production of Tim Rice and Andrew (T. 01423 502116) Lloyd Webber’s sparkling family musical continues to enjoy huge success across the country with standing ovations at every performance.

Shakuntala, beautiful and headstrong daughter of merchant Singh, falls for Krishan, a wild street urchin who Singh adopts. But can their love withstand Indian society's taboos and hierarchies, and Shakuntala's yearning for the riches and status that only Vijay can provide?

Influenced by Indian cinema – from brooding black-andwhite epics of the 1950s, to colourful contemporary blockbusters – it will captivate theatregoers of all ages.

Craig Chalmers, one of the most popular finalists in the recent hit BBC series ‘Any Dream Will Do’ takes on the title role in the Biblical story of Joseph, his eleven brothers and the coat of many colours.

16 JuNE – 20 JuNE Prices from £11 (T. 01423 502116)

08 June - 20 June Prices range from £11 - £25 (T. 0844 848 2706)

the Grand, Leeds Seven Brides For Seven Brothers Direct from the West End, starring STEVEN HOUGHTON & SUSAN McFADDEN. Voted the 3rd most popular musical of all time, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is a glorious romp, brimful of hand clapping effervescent energy, dazzling dance routines and sixteen smash hit showstoppers.

Set in Oregon in 1850, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is the story of Adam who goes to town to get a wife and convinces Milly to marry him that same day. They return to his backwoods home and only then does Milly discover he has six brothers - all living in his cabin. Milly sets out to reform the uncouth siblings, who are anxious to get wives of their own. After Adam reads about the Roman capture of the Sabine women, he develops an inspired solution to his brothers' loneliness... kidnap the women they want!

30 June - 04 July Prices range from £10.50 - £30.00 (T. 0844 848 2706)

Blood Brothers Written by Willy Russell, the legendary Blood Brothers tells the captivating and moving tale of twins who, separated at birth, grow up on opposite sides of the tracks, only to meet again with tragic consequences. Starring Maureen Nolan in the lead role of Mrs Johnstone, the incredible score includes Bright New Day, Marilyn Monroe and the emotionally charged hit Tell Me It’s Not True.

Few musicals have received quite such praise as the multi-award winning Blood Brothers which, having opened in 1988 to tremendous acclaim, continues to enjoy standing ovations at every performance.

13 July - 25 July Prices range from £13.50 - £30.50

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(T. 0844 848 2706)

West yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds

HIS DaRK MatERIaLS (Part1) Join Lyra on an epic journey from an Oxford similar to our own, through the icy arctic and parallel worlds to the land of the dead and beyond. Together with Will, a boy from our reality, they encounter fantastical creatures, soul-eating spectres, and the armoured bears and witch-clans of the Arctic, all the while desperately trying to keep one step ahead of the dreaded Mrs Coulter, the Magisterium and their child-catching gobblers.

Using innovative puppetry and spectacular sets the production brings the daemons and other dimensions of Philip Pullman’s highly successful family adventure to vivid life. Both parts can be enjoyed on their own, but see them together and you can experience all the excitement, mystery, and emotional thrill of this exhilarating coming of age story in one incredible day.

RuNS uNtIL 20 JuNE £15 - £25 (T. 0113 2137700)

BEDROOM FaRCE

DuSt

Ernest and Delia are off to dinner to celebrate their wedding anniversary, a disaster that sends them back to bed to celebrate with pilchards on toast whilst worrying about their son Trevor and his wife Susannah. Malcolm and Kate are preparing a house-warming party: Susannah and Trevor have been invited, as have Jan and Nick, but Nick has hurt his back and hopes to rest quietly in bed, sending Jan along on her own, where she may run into her old flame - Trevor.

That’s four couples, but only three bedrooms – and as battling couple Trevor and Susannah don’t belong in any of them, everyone else can look forward to a long night of very little sleep.

With a reputation for plays that pinpoint the minutae of everyday relationships of successive generations it’s not surprising that Alan Ayckbourn’s interpretation of a Bedroom Farce is far more subtle than the slamming doors and dropped trousers its title might imply.

6 June to 4 July £15 - £25 (T. 0113 2137700)

In 1993 June Hancock was diagnosed with mesothelioma, the cancer caused by exposure to asbestos whilst a child in 1930’s Armley and the cancer that had killed her mother - June was not a woman to go quietly. Already ill, she took to trial J W Roberts, whose factory had put asbestos dust into the heart of Armley.

Drawn from trial transcripts, interviews and letters and performed by residents of Armley and West Yorkshire, Dust is the story of that trial. Local members of the community and the story of Armley: the memories and the courage of the people whose fight for justice continues today.

15 July to 18 July £9 – discounts £2 off (T. 0113 2137700)

alhambra theatre, Bradford BRIEF ENCOuNtER Emma Rice, Artistic Director of the world renowned Kneehigh Theatre Company, has taken one of the most beloved films of all time, the stage play on which it was based and the music and songs of Noel Coward to create this brand new Brief Encounter.

DINNER L aDIES Take one huge hit sitcom from BBC TV, place on a stage in a World Premiere National Tour starring Andrew Dunn (Tony) and Shobna Gulati (Anita) from the cast of the TV series, blend in Victoria Wood’s writing (undoubtedly some of the funniest on television) and whip into a play, based on the second TV series, following the reluctant love story of Bren and Tony, egged on by Dolly, Jean, Twinkle and Anita.

Mix in caretaker Stan’s words of wisdom and coat with regular appearances by Phillippa from Human Resources and Petula, Bren’s dreadful mother and you have a recipe for madness, mirth and twelve rounds of toast!

16 JuNE – 20 JuNE Prices from £10.50 (T. 01274 432000)

tHE RaILWay CHILDREN The West Yorkshire Premiere of the new musical The Railway Children based on the world famous children's classic by E. Nesbit. This musical tells the story of the trials, tribulations and adventures of three children who, through no fault of their own, find themselves taken away from London to live in the country.

With some enchanting music and songs this is a musical for the whole family. Presented by the students of On Stage Theatre Art Academy, this is the first production of this new musical in the Leeds area.

Brought to you by the award-winning producers of Calendar Girls, Equus and Rebecca, Brief Encounter has a company of ten actor musicians who switch seamlessly between theatre and film to recreate the world of Milford Junction in ways that have never been seen before to create a unique theatrical evening.

09 JuNE – 13 JuNE Prices from £12.50 (T. 01274 432000)

MattHEW BOuRNE’S DORIaN GRay Direct from sell-out success in London and the Edinburgh International Festival, Oscar Wilde’s gothic fable becomes a darkly seductive dance theatre event from master storyteller Matthew Bourne.

Set in the image-obsessed world of contemporary art and politics, this ‘black fairy tale’ tells the story of an exceptionally alluring young man who makes a pact with the devil.

30 JuNE – 04 JuLy Prices from £10.50

the Carriageworks, Leeds tHE HOuSE OF BERNaRDO aLBa When her husband dies, Bernarda Alba locks the doors of her house to the outside world and begins eight years of mourning. Her five unmarried daughters have no choice but to obey her command.

When the eldest daughter becomes engaged, the buried desires and jealousies of her sisters bubble to the surface with tragic consequences.

LIttLE LEaP FORWaRD Little Leap Forward tells the story of Yue’s Childhood in China during the Cultural Revolution. It is a story about family, friendships and creative expression but above all about the need for freedom.

Directed by Alison Duddle, with set design by Bob Frith, the story is told using masks, puppetry, shadows and animation with original music composed by Loz Kaye. The music will also include the distinctive flute playing of Guo Yue himself.

29 JuNE – 30 JuNE £7/£8 (T. 0113 2243801)

17 JuNE – 20 JuNE £7/£10 (T. 0113 2243801)

03 JuLy – 04 JuLy £8 - £13.50 (T. 0113 2243801)

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onrestaurantreview

localliving

RESTAURANT REVIEW

dining

A decade of

T

here’s a moment during Mitchell & Webb’s magnificent ‘Peep Show’ when David Mitchell tries to persuade an irritating girlfriend of his to move north. “There’s a Harvey Nichols in Leeds that everyone keeps going on about,” he tells her. Before adding, bitingly, “As if that’s the answer to something.”

Everyone does keep going on about Harvey Nichols. And perhaps, once, it actually was the answer to something. The answer to: ‘What are we going to do with Leeds?’ When it opened in 1996 (the first Harvey Nichols outside London, lest we forget) it added a final salvo of recognition to the architectural splendour of The Victoria Quarter. Leeds was suddenly, definitively, and in no small part down to the brand new Harvey Nichols, no longer a jaded 70’s anachronism, no longer the butt of jokes, no longer perceived by some as the dour epitome of northern grimness. It was an answer, of sorts, to the city’s critics, the planners and, most importantly, the people - who now had one more good reason to be proud of their city. Heck, Leeds was now a shopper’s paradise.

Still is, of course - even more so - but a haven for foodies? Not quite yet. But it’s getting there. Richard Walton-Allen is a champion of Yorkshire produce and has been the department store’s only Head Chef since the venue opened. He’s built-up a good following over the years, developed a worthy reputation, and not just from the designer-disciples taking a moment out from their label browsing, but from Leeds’ ever-growing food scene (and, believe me, Gucci comes a very poor second to gnocchi in their worlds). So much has his reputation grown, in fact, that he’s developed a Tasting Menu. Described as his ‘Greatest Hits Collection‘, it compiles his best 10 dishes from across the last decade into celebratory sample-sized chunks across 10 servings. It’s intended as a ‘thank-you’ to the fans and, perhaps, as a small, self-congratulatory pat on the back for a decade of dining excellence. It’s stunning.

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HN

B

ut we’re here to sample the a la carte and, out of curiosity, to see how

the menu has developed since we last dined here, in those innocent pre-credit crunch days of 2007 when MPs could be trusted with pocket money and Susan Boyle was just a lonely spinster in a roomful of mewling moggies.

My starter of Potted Shrimp Risotto with Nutmeg and Lemon (£8) was a small joy. Deliberately salty, the zesty lemon cut right through it and the nutmeg balanced the dish out superbly. The consistency of risotto is a small bugbear of mine and, I’ve found, a good Litmus Test of a restaurant’s capabilities (a basic dish, simple to prepare, patience required, not easy to master) - this was perfect - nicely tacky and ideally moist. Here was ten years of food experience on one plate.

For Mains I plumped for in-vogue Pork Belly (£12.50) accompanied by Pickled Red Cabbage. The layers of fat on this age-old dish are, of course, crucial to its success and the outer crackling layer was delicious, tempered only by a slightly under-done layer of fat inside. Great vegetable side dishes and an innovative Apple and Fennel dressing were fine accompaniments.

The Fourth Floor has always been an enjoyably light and airy space and service buzzes about breezily and efficiently. There’s no doubt about it - it’s a pleasant place to eat. It’s also excellent for a gratuitous bit of celebrity spotting, if that‘s your thing. Ex-Liverpool jelly legs ‘keeper Bruce Grobbelaar, anyone? Six out of ten for that one, maybe.

The Chocolate Dessert selection to finish was initially a much-needed blast of sweetness, but came a little too overloaded with sugariness for me to finish it I longed eventually for a snap of bitter amid the sweet. Instead I wished I’d taken my partner’s advice and plumped for the Baked Alaska for two, which looked enviously divine on a nearby table.

If you fancy some culinary reminiscence, the Tasting Menu is an excellent summary of Harvey Nics’ first decade in Leeds, but if you just want a good place to eat with a dash of glamour, step up to the Fourth Floor. Here’s to the next decade.

NEED TO KNOW: Opening times

BREAKFAST Mon - Fri 10am - 12 noon, Sat 10am - 11.30am

LUNCH Mon - Fri 12noon - 3pm, Sat - Sun 12noon - 4pm AFTERNOON TEA Mon - Fri 3pm - 5pm, Sat 4pm - 6pm

DINNER Tue - Fri 5.30pm - 10pm, Sat 7pm - 10pm Tel: 0113 204 800

WIN a fabulous meal for two at Harvey Nichols in our exclusive competition on page 109

On-line reservations available.

The Tasting Menu is priced at £55 per head, or £80 including paired wines.

Advance bookings are essential for the Tasting Menu and need 24 hours notice - the offer runs until early July.

www.onlifestyle.co.uk

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Bar 166 & Bistro œQRW \RXU DYHUDJH EDU DQG UHVWDXUDQW QW ¡

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tuesday to sunday IURP SP ÂľWLO ODWH private hire available we

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(next to mission nightclub)

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50% off all main courses every day at both restaurants

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talkonwalks

localliving

Loving

We’ve been across some wide-open spaces, crossed

moors and traversed windswept Lord of the Rings-esque ridges and, noted how, with each footstep further into remoteness, you seem to shrink a little, as nature’s symphony grows and swells. This is what they mean, when they talk about God’s Own Country.

But what about something more intimate? What about the twisting, turning country pathways of rural, lived-in Yorkshire - the churches, the little rivers, the pretty copses, the working farms, the surprises?

Such is ancient Leathley’s English summer quintessence, when my companion and I arrive, there’s a Tea On The Lawn gala in full-swing, munching their way through cucumber sandwiches in front of the Parish Church. So, ever-keen to avoid an awkward conversation with a buck-toothed vicar, it’s with some haste that we leave the useful car park opposite the church and head down tarmac’d Hall Lane in front of the Old School House. Curiously, this important setoff point isn’t marked as a public right-of-way by the usually reliable Lower Wharfedale Footpath Group and does have the look of a private road belonging to nearby Leathley Hall - but fear not.

If the sun manages to dapple through the treetops you’ll be truly spoilt, but this is a sight to behold, whatever the weather.

Follow the obvious path (this walk is generally wellmarked) until the tarmac fades and the clinking of teacups is far, far behind. you’ll pass stately Leathley Hall on your right, a ruined Victorian archway on your left and, if you’re as lucky as we were, you might just hear the strange, unmistakeable call of the curlew, active in the fields to your right.

Eventually you’ll meet a metal gate (20 mins) where you’ll be able to view the famous 20-arch Pannal viaduct in the distance. Pass through the gate, then head on a left diagonal to the far corner of the sheep field where you’ll need to jump some stepping stones across a small brook.

You’re very close to nature on this walk. Branches will brush your sleeves, farm animals will stare, there’ll be much scuttling and scraping from the nearby hedgerows and, as you enter Riffa Wood (30 mins), nature will offer up one of its most intimate and eternally breathtaking sites – a bluebell wood in full bloom.

If the sun manages to dapple through the treetops you’ll be truly spoilt, but this is a sight to behold, whatever the weather. Pass the marker-stone on your left and exit this magical place at the top of the slope, turning left and hugging the outer edge of Riffa Wood until things open up and you’re offered

a brief vista of the south Washburn Valley. Take a right away from the wood and join the track to Stainburn. this is the simplest and most open part of the walk. you’ll leap a few stiles, avoid a few worryingly frisky cows and generally be in thrall to the timeless wonder of summer in the English countryside – somersaulting swallows, deep endless green, blessed, blissful peace.

When you eventually reach Stainburn (1 hr 50min), follow the z-bend road left, leap another stile and enter the yard of the disused, but extremely pretty, St. Mary’s Church.

You can borrow the key from the nearby farm if you fancy a peek around the church’s interior, otherwise, it’s flapjack and coffee time.

Fulfilled, exit the churchyard through the far gate and turn right down Church Lane for a brief road walk. Soon (10 mins) you’ll notice an old, converted chapel – there’s a bridleway running down and left – take it and reacquaint with nature.

This path will rise and twist and turn, so don’t miss the stile on the left (10 mins). Leap it, cross the field, guide yourself around West End Farm, cross the country road and rejoin the trail across a wide field.

After 10 minutes you’ll come to another road, with the track heading straight on into another field – ignore it and take the road down and left (Pill White Lane). At the junction at the bottom, turn left and follow the tarmac until you meet a lovely roadside cottage – opposite it is another marked pathway – join it, and head to the bottom left hand corner of this field where the track will take you alongside a quiet stretch of the River Washburn.

This final mile or so is delightful and complements the entire walk. There’ll be narrow alleys and lovely scenery and lots and lots of butterflies – an increasingly rare sight amongst our abundant greenery. Head around the back of a couple of residences until, finally (30 mins), you’ll find yourself conveniently returned to the B6161. Turn right – your set-off point, St Oswald’s Church (with its splendid set of stocks by the front wall), is only minutes away.

Brooks and rivers, viaducts and ruins, farms and churches - even archaic implements for the punishment of petty criminals.

What more could an English heart desire, save for an ocean of bluebells?

NEED tO KNOW: WHERE: Leathley is a hamlet about 3 miles to the east of Otley in the southern end of the Washburn Valley on the B6161 which is just off the famous Harrogate Road.

Trail Road

LINDLEY GREEN

BRAYTHORN

➜

➜

➜

WEST END

STAINBURN

➜

➜

➜ HUBY

aNytHING ELSE: Just outside of Leathley is Lindley Farm – the original Emmerdale Farm, no less!

➜

➜

➜

REFRESHMENtS: The famous Hunters Inn is 5 minutes along Harrogate Road.

ALMSCLIFF CRAG

➜

tIME: about 3.5 hours

➜

DIStaNCE: almost 7 miles

Key

B6161

START

➜

➜

➜

➜

➜

NEWBY

RIFFA WOOD

LEATHLEY

B6161

A658

65

onheritage

localliving

The Knightsbridge

of the north: (How’s about that, then?)

Jimmy Savile once persuaded the Beatles to play there, top stars such as Charlie Chaplin and Gracie Fields have appeared in it…now the biggest names in fashion and style occupy centre stage. the Victoria Quarter is one of the country’s most unique shopping centres. Keith Spence Keith Spence

looks at its fascinating background and history.

VQ For over 100 years the Victoria Quarter - dubbed The Knightsbridge of the

North - has been the centre of exclusive shopping in the city of Leeds. The

transformation of Victoria County Arcade and the surrounding area is widely

regarded as one of the most successful regenerative city centre projects ever undertaken in the UK.

This upmarket shopping district consists of three blocks between Briggate and Vicar Lane, comprising the County Arcade, Cross Arcade, Queen Victoria Street and King Edward Street.

the Victoria Quarter has a deserved reputation for fashion and style, attracting some of the biggest names in the industry over the last 20 years, but there’s more to it than simply shopping. Breathtaking

surroundings, including Brian Clarke’s world-famous stained glass roof,

has put the location into a class of its own. there’s a distinctly continental atmosphere, with cafes spilling onto the arcades, a pretty fountain and a fairly liberal slice of La Dolce Vita.

The centre was comprehensively refurbished in 1990, with a design that

incorporated Britain's largest stained glass roof covering (746.9 m2). The centre

also enjoys Grade II listed building status, putting it in the top 4% of buildings

66

in the UK. With 75 exclusive stores and over 8 million visitors a year, the Victoria Quarter has become Leeds' must-see shopping destination.

Beverley Sisters, Joan Reagan, Dickie Valentine, Tommy Trinder, Harry Secombe and Frankie Vaughan appeared. In 1959 crowds of hysterical fans hammered at the stage door after Cliff Richard had performed.

How did we get here?

Faced with an arcade and surrounding streets which had become decidedly down-at-heel and were underperforming, plans were originally draw up to simply refurbish the arcade. These were extended to include adjacent streets with the intention of reviving the entire area and of creating a distinct 'quarter' and a destination.

A comprehensive programme of repair and restoration, complete with careful integration of buildings, returned the arcades to their original glory. To complement the refurbishment of these old buildings, a delicately modelled, glazed, split-level roof over the whole of the pedestrianised Queen Victoria Street was introduced and the covered street forms a giant conservatory, ideal for pavement cafes and street entertainment. The main feature along Queen Victoria Street is the award-winning stained glass window, which, at 120 metres long, is the largest in Europe.

In 1960 Moss Empires planned to replace the Empire with a larger theatre elsewhere in the city so they could put on increasingly spectacular shows but it never happened and an application for change of use to shops and offices was approved.

Despite this, the 1960-61 Christmas pantomime went ahead to packed houses.

On the last night, February 25, 1961, star of Babes in the Woods, Nat Jackley, doffed his dame’s wig and said “When you say goodbye to a friend, you always take your hat off.”

Historically this area was a mass of narrow yards housing slaughter houses and butcher’s shops. The original development was designed by the theatre architect Frank Matcham and included his Empire Palace Theatre, which was demolished in the 1960s. The theatre was opened as a music hall in 1898 with seating for 1,750 people and was so popular that the other two music halls in Leeds, the Tivoli and the City Varieties, had to close for a while. Top stars like Vesta Tilley and Charlie Chaplin appeared at the Empire and in December 1924 Gracie Fields starred in the review, Mr Tower of London.

The audience sang “Auld Lang Syne” and the theatre closed in 1962 after nearly 63 years and was replaced by the Empire Arcade, now the site of Harvey Nichols.

Circus and animal acts were popular but didn’t always go according to plan. In 1938 Miss Ruth Hasse, a leopard trainer, was mauled by her animals which were kept in a cage backstage.

Thousands of Leeds people enjoyed the best days of their lives dancing to the records presented by Jimmy Savile, with the venue often packed at lunchtime! Mecca closed in 1969 after a new venture had been opened in the Merrion Centre.

Alterations were made in 1931 so that new talking pictures could be shown but it still continued successfully as a theatre. Even during the 1950s, when television caused a dramatic drop in attendances, the Empire survived. The

another famous retailer, chic clothes store, Reiss, occupies the site of the Mecca Locarno Ballroom which in the 50s and 60s was managed by none other than Jimmy Savile OBE, who persuaded top names to appear, including an early incarnation of the Beatles, then just another beat band from Liverpool.

the VQ today •

Today’s Victoria Quarter houses some of the biggest names in the industry.

With brands such as Louis Vuitton, Harvey Nichols, Vivienne Westwood, Paul Smith, Mulberry, Oliver Sweeney, Reiss, Gieves & Hawkes, Diesel and Firetrap, the VQ more than justifies the moniker of 'The Knightsbridge of the North.'

•

The VQ regularly plays host to a variety of events and functions, which have included Harvey Nichols’ 10th Anniversary celebrations and a birthday bash for Bollywood's Shilpa Shetty.

•

One regular fixture that's become a firm favourite with the Leeds' shoppers is the VQ Shopping Affair, to be held in 2009 on 15th October. With every store open from 6 – 9pm with exclusive, event-only offers and discounts it's a notto-be-missed opportunity to enhance the wardrobe – one that over 8,000 people took advantage of in 2008!

•

These days a visit to Leeds wouldn‘t be complete without a visit to the VQ with its wonderful architecture and continental atmosphere. Not to mention its 75 exclusive stores.

the VQ tomorrow...

Despite the doom and gloom of the recession, another famous store, Photos by David Lindsay www.photosbydavid.co.uk

London-based jewellers Links, have recently opened a new 1,500ft store in the Victoria Quarter.

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what’son

your ticket to june & july... tHROuGH JuNE & JuLy NatIONaL MEDIa MuSEuM, Bradford A passionate and personal view of Britain by one of our greatest living photographers is being showcased in a major free-to-enter exhibition at the National Media Museum.

Don McCullin - In England reflects on Britain from the 1950s to the present day. For half a decade McCullin, in addition to travelling the world photographing war ravaged countries to great acclaim, has been recording England and highlighting issues surrounding wealth, race, class and social justice.

The National Media Museum is hosting the first ever exhibition dedicated exclusively to this aspect of his work. nationalmediamuseum.org.uk tHROuGH JuNE & JuLy Leeds City art Gallery A display looking at sculptures (1962 present day) which transform ‘real’ objects, either by recycling and aestheticising actual found objects, or by recreating them, so that they appear in a new way. The works use the suggestive power of objects from the real word to communicate with the viewer, but turn them into something else – whether abstract forms or arrangements, or other recognisable objects which incorporate the meaning of the first – using colour, assemblage, collage, and other techniques. leeds.gov.uk tHROuGH JuNE & JuLy HENRy MOORE INStItutE, Leeds Featuring new work by three internationally-acclaimed contemporary artists, this exhibition explores their shared fascination with the legacy of the monumental architecture of the post-war years The display takes as its particular point of departure the spectacular 1960 campus of Leeds University, by Chamberlin, Powell and Bon, the architects of the Barbican henry-moore-fdn.co.uk tHROuGH JuNE & JuLy NatIONaL MEDIa MuSEuM, Bradford Looking at both pets and wildlife, Animalism explores the presence of animals in modern media and investigates our curious, contradictory and sometimes unsettling relationship with the animal world nationalmediamuseum.org.uk NOW – 31 JuLy tEMPLE NEWSaM Watercolour Festival: Turner and his contemporaries. A changing exhibition of over 40 watercolour landscape masterpieces from the Leeds Collection. June and July showcases a celebration of the Northern landscape from some of the greatest names in English art. leeds.gov.uk NOW – 5 JuLy HaREWOOD HOuSE Celebrating the 250th anniversary of the laying of Harewood House’s foundation stone, a new major art

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exhibition explores the universally powerful concept of home, asking ‘What is home? Where is it to be found?' harewood.org

and orchestral music will stir the foundations of the spa town as the Festival asks Harrogate to ‘Take the Plunge’. harrogate-festival.org.uk

NOW – 6 JuLy BRONtE PaRSONaGE, Haworth Exhibition of photographs from Eamonn McCabe's series 'Writers' rooms', documenting the writing spaces of contemporary writers and serialised each Saturday in The Guardian. This exhibition is a selection of original prints from the series. bronte.org.uk

11 JuLy SaLtaIRE, Bradford The Saltaire Vintage Home & Fashion Fair has 25 stalls of vintage frocks, small furniture, coats, china, glass ware, jewellery, collectables, handbags, mirrors, hats, shoes, textiles, toys, tins, ephemera, curiosities and more....

Not forgetting hand made treasures created by local artists from vintage fabrics, oddments, furniture and old objects. roseandbrown.co.uk

13 – 14 JuNE BRaDFORD MELa, Peel Park 2009 will be a big year for Bradford Mela when it celebrates it’s ‘Coming of Age’ - marking the 21st anniversary of the original Bradford Mela.

The Bradford Mela in 1988 was the first event of its kind in Europe and this year’s event will see the same family friendly mix of quality outdoor entertainment, tasty snack foods, street theatre, market stalls, children’s activities and funfair rides that made the first event so special. bradfordmela.org.uk 18 JuNE yORKSHIRE SCuLPtuRE PaRK To celebrate Refugee week 2009, YSP Community and Outreach Coordinator Helen Moore invites you to a free public tour and talk about Shared Horizon, a photographic exhibition by a group of unaccompanied young people. ysp.co.uk 20 - 21 JuNE ROyaL aRMOuRIES, Leeds Celebrate Father’s Day weekend at the Royal Armouries Museum. Events include: A classic car show displaying Rolls-Royce to the Mini, a vintage bus show, the famous joust with a Father’s Day twist, falconry displays, sword fights and card making! royalarmouries.org 2 – 3 JuLy yORKSHIRE aIR MuSEuM, Doncaster The Yorkshire Air Museum is marking the Centenary of Britain’s first ever air show. An Education & Skills Day, exhibition and Edwardian Race Day event will celebrate this unique aspect of Yorkshire’s pioneering aviation heritage. This will take place at the superbly redeveloped Doncaster Racecourse. yorkshireairmuseum.co.uk 10 - 24 JuLy HaRROGatE INtERNatIONaL FEStIVaL Headlining the summer music festival is Britain’s favourite soprano Lesley Garrett in a rare appearance in Yorkshire. The weather may be unreliable, but the eclectic line up promises to turn up the heat for a sizzling summer. Opera, cabaret, jazz

14 – 16 JuLy tHE GREat yORKSHIRE SHOW, Harrogate The Great Yorkshire Show is the North's leading agricultural event and takes place on the 250-acre Great Yorkshire Showground on the edge of the spa town of Harrogate.

2009 will be the 151st Great Yorkshire Show and will be a celebration of agriculture and country life. The Main Ring is the hub of the Show - providing a wonderful setting for International Show Jumping and a World-Class Cattle Parade. greatyorkshireshow.com FROM 23 JuLy NatIONaL RaILWay MuSEuM, york Following the huge success of last year’s collaboration, the NRM and York Theatre Royal will once again be joining forces to stage a production of The Railway Children This new adaptation of one of the best-loved children’s books of all time will be staged on a real rail-track at the NRM featuring a stunning appearance by a genuine steam engine. nrm.org.uk 24 – 26 JuLy LIMEtREE MuSIC & aRtS FEStIVaL, Grewelthorpe, Nr. Ripon The Limetree Festival is a three day music & arts festival set amongst the beautiful surroundings of Limetree Farm nature reserve at Grewelthorpe near Ripon.

This new annual event focuses on returning festivals to how they used to be before they became the big corporate enterprises that they are today. With so few festivals in the north, Limetree promises to offer something totally different. Last year's event was a great success and earned a nomination for best new festival at the UK Festival Awards 2008. limetreefestival.co.uk StaRtING 1 auGuSt ILKLEy SuMMER FEStIVaL Visit Ilkley during the month of August for the Summer Festival. A month packed with events for all the family, including continental markets, exhibitions, family workshops and concerts.

More info: 01943 602319

JO

Hi it’s Jo from 96.3 Radio aire with my new column here at on:lifestyle, basically they let me witter on about things I’m loving in and around Leeds at the moment.

Can you believe it’s summer already? One thing I love about summer in Leeds is all the outside gigs. The Specials kicked it off in style in Millenium Square over the Bank Holiday and now it’s all about Party in the Park. I’m dying to tell you some of the big names we’ve got playing this year but for now I’m sworn to secrecy.

Hmmm I am going to give you some clues about a few of them though. One is a band who had their first number one recently with a very cheeky title. Another is an amazing female solo act who went to Leeds University before hitting the big time and the only other clue I can give you is X Factor. That’ll keep you guessing for now right?

I’m running out of space already but I can’t sign off without mentioning Race for Life and what brilliant events they are. I’m sure you know that thousands of women right across the region are running to raise cash for Cancer Research UK. Well done for getting involved if you’re running yourself and if anyone asks you to sponsor them, do it, as it’s a great cause. Logie and I are hosting some of them so we might see you there. Let’s cross our fingers for some sunshine and have a great summer.

or maybe....

If you love food, Leeds has a treat in store for you, a full four days of it!

Leeds Loves Food – a food lovers’ festival, will take place from 2nd-5th July and will include a number of exciting events in restaurants and food venues in the city as well as special offers and promotions. These include: • Summer food fete in the Victoria Quarter organised by Harvey Nichols • ‘Pop up’ restaurant on Briggate, organised by Leeds City College • City centre chocolate trail Leeds Loves Food will follow in the footsteps of previous successful city events such as Leeds Shopping Week. It will showcase the excellent range of restaurants in Leeds, as well as the quality of local food producers, with something for everyone to enjoy, whatever their budget.

For more information on Leeds Loves Food visit www.leedslovesfood.com

KItCHEN INtERIORS FOR SuMMER 09

oninteriors

home&family

Hey, good lookin’... ...what you got cookin’?

SieMatic SE 8008LM Sterling Grey matt lacquer with aluminium handles and contrasting wood paneling and box shelves. Shown with Corian work surfaces and 80mm thick solid wood covered breakfast bar.

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From Arcade Kitchens, The Victorian Arcade, Ilkley LS29 9DY www.arcadekitchens.co.uk

KWC EVE stages the eternal play of light and water in a particularly seductive form. This fascinating tap is now also available in new on-trend white or black finishes. £710 www.kwc-uk.com

Shutters can add height to a room and form a design feature within their own right - they also have great functional benefits over curtains and blinds. Their biggest advantage is the ability to help insulate a room – acting as a form of double glazing for your windows and doors. The slats of each panel can be manoeuvred to tilt either upwards to flood the ceiling with light or downwards to focus on the floor.

0845 017 8988 www.shutterlyfabulous.com

The latest addition to Smeg’s iconic range of retro-look appliances, the 60cm DI6FAB dishwasher is available in a range of fashion forward colours; cool cream and pink finishes for neutral interiors and striking black and red colour options to fit with any slick décor. There are 14 place settings and ten programmes and a Triple A energy rating. www.smeguk.com Add a wow factor to your kitchen with Smeg’s Symphony SY4110 range cooker in striking white (SY4110WH). Combining style with practicality and boasting the latest in cooking technology, the ‘AA’ energy rated Symphony SY4110 offers the ultimate in range cooking. With two ovens, a grill and a vast array of functions it’s a complete gastronomy experience.

From £2,000 - www.smeguk.com

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oninteriors

home&family

Exclusive Andy Warhol range Espresso cup & saucer £20.00 Large mug £15.00 available from Share Jewellers www.sharejewellers.com

SieMatic SL 505/707 Fog Grey matt Lacquer with Light Oak Veneer custom sliding door system, StoneDesign work surfaces and stainless steel recess channel.

From Arcade Kitchens, The Victorian Arcade, Ilkley LS29 9DY www.arcadekitchens.co.uk White coffee machine £799.99 by Jura; American diner ceiling pendant £45

by Linea; Large station wall clock £40

by London clock; Espresso cup & saucer £3.50, Coffee cup & saucer £4, Side plate £4.50 All 'Daley' by Aaron Probyn for Linea.

Oven glove £12, Tea-towel £8, All 'Cutlery' by Linea; Stainless steel twin wire handles colander £12, Kitchen Craft; Stainless steel high stew pot £199, Stainless steel stew pot £145, Stainless steel milk pot £98, Stainless steel high saucepan £129, Stainless steel frying pan £109, All 'Original Professional' by Fissler.

all available from House of Fraser

If you can’t stand the heat...

Mariposa Delight Bar stools from Boconcept available in different Fabrics and Leathers from £322

Atelier Du Vin soft Machine Corkscrew £35 from Amara

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www.boconcept.co.uk

B at H R O O M I N t E R I O R S F O R S u M M E R 0 9

oninteriors

home&family

artists in residence

One of the joys of a cast iron bath is that the exterior can be painted to coordinate or contrast with your décor.

The Napoli cast iron bath, measuring 1750mm x 820mm, is a classic design from Aston Matthews brought bang up to date with a coat of vibrant orange. £1,091 020 7226 7220 www.astonmatthews.co.uk

The Loop surfacemounted washbasins with their own special design have already become standard – and they are now setting new accents with their more delicate appearance. Loop adopts the current trends for reduction and clarity without losing sight of its own individual character. www.villeroyboch.co.uk 020 8871 4028

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BLaCK IS BaCK STATEMENT BATHROOMS FROM EVITAVONNI.

Boffi is synonymous with innovation in the kitchen and bathroom sector and they have introduced a range of moulded, circular-shaped washbasins and bathtubs in white characterised by soft shaping inside the products.

Pictured is the Sabbia washbasin and bathtub. www.boffi-chelsea.com

No longer simply used to add an accent of colour, black is staking its claim on other elements of the bathroom including sanitaryware and furniture.

Luxury interior and lifestyle specialists Evitavonni have sourced an impressive collection of stunning bathroom pieces in rich black finishes including high quality furniture units, sanitaryware and tiles; all of which add new depth and glamour to a modern bathroom scheme. www.evitavonni

Sophisticated Tolbod Lamp from Louis Poulsen £285.00. Available in black and grey. www.louispoulsen.com

www.villeroy-boch.co.uk 020 8871 4028

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Braga features a woven floral-geometric pattern inspired by traditional Portuguese textile designs. Made from 100% soft cotton with a heavy weave, it's thick and comfortable under your feet when you step out of the shower and its luxury weight means the edges won't curl once it's been washed.

Size 60x90cm - £32.00 www.balineum.co.uk

oninteriors

home&family

W E t, W E t, W E t !

Douglas the Duck pump dispenser from Matalan - £4

Blossom jaquard towel set, from £7; Ultimate towel set, from £3; from BHS

Stockbridge Bedroom mirror in ivory white from Harvey’s. £111.00.

Code Rug from Linum £42.10 - available at Selfridges and stockists nationwide 01491 571 880

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www.harveysfurniture.co.uk

home&family

ongardens

By Barney Bardsley

A garden in change

Make time

to come here

if you can -

and just

take your

breath

for a little while.

Big formal gardens are not really my style. I prefer the wild open spaces, or those small, intimate green corners which lurk behind peoples’ houses. But I have visited RHS Harlow Carr in Harrogate several times, and am happy to make an exception with it. Despite being one of the four national gardens of the Royal Horticultural Society, Harlow Carr does not have it easy. It is buffeted by the elements in its high exposed position: the rolling curves and swampy, tree-lined dips presenting an array of problems, both geographical and climatic, to a veritable army of gardeners who work its terrain. This is an imposing, if somewhat austere, piece of land. As the RHS website says, it is “a garden dominated by water, stone and woodland”, and has the kind of majesty which befits its ancestry – an ancient royal hunting ground in the age old Forest of Knaresborough, no less.

RHS Harlow Carr is open all the year round.

01423 565418 for details.

Bluecoat Wood Nurseries is on the Otley Road outside Harrogate. HG3 1QL. 01423 522876. www.horticap.org.

‘A Handful of Earth’

by Barney Bardsley is published by John Murray at £7.99

Back in the 1990s, when I first came to it, the garden was somewhat stiff and aloof.

Then, in 2002, when it merged with the RHS, things started to loosen up a little. Formal planting gave way to meadow drifts – lacquered shrubs melted into wild flowers and grasses. The woodland was re-generated. There was willow weaving and vegetable planting, and under the dynamic leadership of Matthew Wilson, curator from 2004 to 2008, organic and sustainable gardening became the watchwords. Harlow Carr was moving with the times.

Famous bluff northerner Geoffrey Taking a walk around the grounds recently, as the diggers ploughed up the far corner for a new Learning Centre, and the gardeners rushed about replanting the raised vegetable beds (displaced by said diggers!), and building up the banks of the valley streams (disastrously struck by flash flooding several times in last year's rain-sodden summer), I was struck more than anything by the air of eagerness and purpose about the garden. This site, above all else, seems like a garden in metamorphosis and becoming.

As all the best ones are.

One thing you need to know before you visit: Harlow Carr is a working garden. It is primarily an education charity, devoted to teaching both children and adults about the growing world, and is a place that is always busy with workers, visitors, school groups and horticulturalists. This is not a show garden. No leafy retreat. It bustles. So come – and be prepared to party.

Stream side

Main borders Whaleborders (below)

There is certainly plenty for the eye to feast on, in terms of big-scale planting – particularly in the sweeping main borders, completely renovated in 2005 to reflect the concerns of global warming, and now packed with drought tolerant beauties such as alliums, sky blue agapanthus, echinacea, rudbeckia and fire red crocosmia. But to me the more challenging and intriguing parts of the garden are its interactive features, such as the working kitchen garden, where you can chat to the gardeners about crop rotation, about broad beans, sweet peas and potatoes, companion planting and a hundred ways to compost; and the trouble spots, particularly the streams at the bottom, which threaten regularly to burst their banks when the rains come, and where the ingenious device of weaving living willow into the eroded soil is being tried, to shore up nature's ravages. Yes, Harlow Carr has much to contend with, from waterlogging below to drought up above. It reminds me very much of Beth Chatto's exquisite and pioneering work in her famous Essex garden. There too, the two extremes of damp and dry are being tackled in a manner both ecological and beautiful.

Everywhere you look in Harlow Carr you can see evidence of creative minds at work. There are the beaten metal sculptures - here a giant poppy, there a bird or an angel – by artist Steve Blaylock; and the living structures – pirate ships and whales - created by the masterful Cumbrian willow weaver Phil Bradley. Even the forty little raised beds in the vegetable garden are ingenious. “They're all made of re-cycled milk bottles” says gardener (and “productive team leader”) Alison Mundie, as she ties in her sweet peas to some sturdy hazel coppice. Behind her are turf seats, like “hairy Caterpillars”, she laughs, which were made from the top soil when the beds were created, and which will gradually rot down into compost as the seasons change. This year they will preside over a tumbling pumpkin and sunflower patch: everything designed to promote the connection between us and the natural world. Even the humble sunflower, of course, is hugely productive, giving us seeds to eat, oil for cooking and the basis of dye for textiles. There is lots to see here – and lots to learn.

But if this busy interactive approach is not really your style, there is another garden pretty close to Harlow Carr which is definitely worth a visit. This is the quiet and subtle Bluecoat Wood Nurseries, further up the Otley Road, away from Harrogate town centre. Twenty five years old this year, Bluecoat is run by Horticap, who have a team of staff and volunteers who train adults with learning disabilities in horticulture and rural skills. There is a thriving nursery here, and the garden is a little jewel of stillness, set well back from the road, complete with pond and woodland. What struck me most was the sense of utter tranquillity surrounding the whole place. It felt like somewhere tended – and attended – with a lot of care and love, both for the plants and for the people it serves. Make time to come here if you can - and just take your breath fora little while.

Smith, who died earlier this year, was Superintendant of Harlow Carr for 20 years, from 1954 to 1974. This is him: “If I am depressed or I think the world’s a filthy place, I just go and look at a flower.”

Two other lovely and unusual gardens to visit this summer are: the magical Parcevall Hall near Bolton abbey 01756 720311 www.parcevallhallgardens.co.uk ; and the tiny but gorgeous york Gate Garden in adel, 0113 267 8240, which is open Thursdays and Sundays. It has a festival coming up in July – and I’ll be there speaking! Ring for details.

If you want to take a peek at peoples’ private gardens, pick up a free copy of the Yellow Book in a library. This is the handbook of the National Gardens Scheme, with special details of Yorkshire gardens which are open for a day or two during the summer. www.ngs.org.uk

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PROPERT Y

GUIDE

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T he region’s hottest properties ROUNDHILL FARM BEWERLEy | HaRROGatE | NORtH yORKSHIRE A compact sporting estate comprising a substantial Grade II Listed country house incorporating an adjoining barn that has been converted into a superb leisure wing including an indoor swimming pool, standing in mature gardens and grounds of approximately 40 acres including paddocks, woodland and a fishing lake.

Guide Price £1,750,000 for the whole “a delightful situation on the southern fringe of Ilkley”

HADFIELD HOUSE OLD LaNE | ILKLEy | WESt yORKSHIRE | LS29 8RR Hadfield House enjoys a delightful situation on the southern fringe of Ilkley within a well regarded residential neighbourhood. The property is located within mature, well screened and private grounds, the majority of which are southerly facing. The house also enjoys some splendid long distance views along the valley, especially from the upper levels, and benefits from being very close to the famous Ilkley Moor.

£1,100,000 with Dacre, Son & Hartley T: 01423 877200

with Carter Jonas T: 01423 523423 Email: nick.talbot@carterjonas.co.uk

Superb Modern Detached Tudor Style House. 4 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms and 4 Reception Rooms in highly desirable location of The Duchy in Harrogate. Gated Driveway, Detached Garage & Enclosed Gardens. Boasting Luxurious Kitchen & Quality Contemporary Bathrooms.

CORNWaLL ROaD | HaRROGatE | HG1 2NB

RENT £2995pcm Tel: 01423 540054 Fax: 01423 541234 Email: Tara@linleyandsimpson.co.uk

An exceptional 5 bedroom semi-detached period

“An outstanding Victorian mansion”

property which has been beautifully extended to create a welcoming family home. Located within 10 minutes walk of the city centre and excellent access to the train station and onto the A19 and A64.

FuLFORD ROaD | yORK

UNFURNISHED/FURNISHED

RENT £2250pcm DEPOSIT £2810 Tel: 01904 611722 Fax: 01904 611951 Email: KathrynBurton@linleyandsimpson.co.uk

MOORLANDS FOuLRIDGE | NEaR SKIPtON Moorlands is situated near the highly accessible village of Foulridge, which lies close to the borders of North and West Yorkshire. Renovated to an impressive standard, from its elevated position the house enjoys superb views across the hills towards the Yorkshire Dales

Guide Price £1,500,000 with Strutt & Parker T: 01423 561274 Email: charles.yeoman@struttandparker.com

Cute Companions P R I V A T E

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542 Leeds Road•Thackley • Bradford • West Yorkshire BD10 8JH tel: 01274 614291 email: info@cutecompanions.co.uk

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At Cute Companions we work with all children to help them become resilient, capable, confident and self assured. We provide loving and secure relationships with the children and parents.

The environment we provide is designed to support and extend all children's development through play. We understand that all areas of learning and development are equally important and interconnected.

Learn, be happy!

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Pla Pae Sa & COCONUT RICE

Ingredients 2 Sea Bass Fillets ½ Celery ½ Spring onion 1 Pickled garlic head 2 – 3 Pickled plums 4 – 5 Close cup mushrooms 1” Piece of ginger 1” Piece of lemongrass 2 – 3 Fresh Kiffir lime leaves ¼ Chinese lettuce 300 ml. of vegetable stock 2 Spoonful of fish sauce 2 Spoonful of lime juice 2 Spoonful of sugar 1 Teaspoon of oyster sauce (or soya sauce) Fresh coriander and slice fresh chilli for garnishing COCONUT RICE (portion for 2) ½ Cup of Thai jasmine rice 5 Spoonful of coconut milk ½ Teaspoonful of salt ½ Teaspoonful of sugar Fresh Banana leaf

on’s

Recipe of the month

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PLA PAE SA Steamed Sea Bass fillets with Spicy and Sour Sauce Served with Steamed Coconut Rice

Method FISH Prepare Sea Bass Fillets by de-boning and de-scaling then rinse thoroughly in cold water.

Steam the Sea Bass Fillets on a high heat for about 5 minutes (or until the fish is cooked).

Whilst cooking the fish, prepare the spicy and sour sauce and hot pot to serve.

S au C E Remove the tough stem from the middle of the Kiffir lime leaves and tear, add to a mixing bowl.

Chop the spring onions and celery about 2” long, add to the mixing bowl.

Slice ginger and finely shred, add to the mixing bowl.

Slice lemongrass, add to the mixing bowl.

Cut the tough stem of the pickle garlic head and slice whole garlic, add to the mixing bowl.

Remove seed from the pickle plums and lightly crush by hand, add to the mixing bowl.

Add all the ingredients to a pan of boiling vegetable stock, seasoning with oyster sauce, fish sauce, sugar, lime juice.

CO CO N u t R I C E Place steamed Thai Jasmine rice, coconut milk, salt and sugar in the mixing bowl.

Place pot on the stove over medium to high heat, stir well.

Wrap coconut rice in fresh banana leaf before serving.

SERVING Slice Chinese lettuce then place underneath the hot pot, and place the steamed Sea Bass fillets on top.

Pour the spicy and sour sauce on top of the Sea Bass.

Garnish with fresh coriander and slice fresh chilli.

Serve with coconut rice.

Serves 2 This month’s recipe supplied by Thai Edge www.thaiedgeleeds.co.uk

www.onlifestyle.co.uk

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oninterview

interview by Nigel Armitage

A Beat Generation Les Dawson

The phrase ‘a man of many parts’ might have been coined for Ian McMillan. Turn on the radio, open a newspaper, or visit your local arts centre, and he’s the first poet you’re likely to find. He goes to schools and prisons and, yes, sometimes to literary festivals. Best of all, he’s the poet-in-residence at his local football club Barnsley FC (‘I love it when people shout ‘Hello poet’ to me!’), so he clearly knows a thing or two about big poetic challenges. “To be honest, I can't believe my luck at being able to make a living doing the things I love. And, it doesn't feel like work: shovelling is work; sitting in an office sweating and wishing you weren't there is work. I'm a lucky boy! And I guess the reason I do so many things is just part of the Freelance Disease and that means that you always say “Yes” when people ring you up because it leads to amazing things! And, if it doesn't, there'll be another opportunity along in a minute...’ ”

HelloPoet!

Whether you know him as ‘The Bard

of Barnsley’, ‘The John Peel of Poetry”, or even ‘The Shirley Bassey of Performance Poetry’, there’s no mistaking the voice and enthusiasm of Ian McMillan. A ‘little grant’ from Yorkshire Arts almost 30 years ago allowed him to go freelance and since then he’s published numerous poetry and prose collections; presented and appeared in a host of TV and radio programmes; contributed articles to national and local newspapers; written a play; and formed his own orchestra. Just for the record, he also hates litter and is a self-styled ‘guerrilla litter picker’. He somehow found the time to speak to On: Lifestyle Magazine about his ‘fantastic’ life, his passion for the Yorkshire language and why poetry really does matter.

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Over the years, Ian has been commissioned to write poems for a number of diverse organisations, including Humberside Police Force (the ‘Beat Poet’) and the late Northern Spirit rail network (the ‘Mobile Bard’). More recently he was asked by a local NHS Foundation Trust to contribute poems for the ground-breaking Born in Bradford children’s health study. But why is it that organisations like these want to be celebrated in the poetic form? “Partly it gets them lots of publicity: as poet-in-residence at Barnsley FC I couldn't believe the media feeding frenzy; papers, TV, radio from all over the world wanted to talk to me, which has to be good for poetry. I reckon that the presence of a poet in these kinds of places can underline the idea that poetry is for everyone and the poet can also be a guardian of the language, stopping them from lapsing into management speak.”

‘Poetry is for everyone’ might serve as Ian’s clarion call. The idea runs through all aspects of his work, including how he goes about encouraging others to share his conviction about the potential of the arts to transform lives. His conception of poetry is also all-encompassing: “There are a lot of people who write poems, raps, rhymes, rhythmic anecdotes, songs: maybe we define poetry too narrowly.”

But what is it about his approach to poetry, and the arts particularly, that makes him deserving of a critic’s accolade that, “If they made him Poet Laureate on Friday, a lot more people would be reading poetry by Monday”? “That's a difficult one, but I think it's because I genuinely do believe that everybody can have a go at writing - just as they can all have a go at painting and singing - and that a poem by Ron the Milkman is as important culturally as something by Wordsworth. The downside is trying to find time to read everything!”

Carol Ann Duffy was made Poet Laureate in May. The appointment suddenly propelled her onto a wider public stage. Ian has his own ideas about how the publicity could ensure the role takes on a greater social significance. “I think I'd try to get poets and poetry represented in high office: in the cabinet, in the ministries, in the civil service, on the boards of big companies, not only to act as a court jester but also to try and shoot clichés in the ankle whenever they appeared.” His name did not feature on any bookies’ shortlists this time, but would he be interested in another 10 years’ time? “No thanks! I'm not a fan of the royal family, and I think you'd have to be at least in favour of the idea of monarchy.”

Ian McMillan and Yorkshire go together like bacon and eggs, or perhaps more appropriately, roast beef and, ah, Yorkshire pudding! His Praise Poem for Yorkshire Puddings is a celebration of our region’s magnificent contribution to the nation’s Sunday dinner plates. But what is it about Yorkshire, its places (and its puddings!) that inspires him? “Well, the Yorkshire Pudding is a fantastic piece of alchemy, from eggs, milk and flour to cultural symbol with the help of a hot oven. As far as Yorkshire goes, I like the Yorkshire language with its short vowels and choppy rhythms, I like the landscape with its constant reminders of history and politics, and I like our oppositional nature, our 'brussen-ness' to use a Yorkshire term.”

Ian still lives in the village of Darfield, near Barnsley, where he was born. The characters and experiences of his youth and early adulthood have been a rich seam for the subjects and themes of his poems and stories. The Richard Matthewman Stories, co-written for radio in the early 90s with his brother-in-law Martyn Wiley, and recently published by Pomona Books, is a comical and often moving series of episodes in the early life of the eponymous hero. In one episode, Friday night in November 1963 meant ‘Church Lad’s Brigade.’ “I’d creak down the stairs at ten to six after a cat lick with the Imperial Leather, kiss me mam, salute me dad and strut off down the yard like a South American General: blue tunic, red tie, chip bag hat under my epaulet and a stripe down me trousers.” But the boys are told by the Captain at assembly of the assassination of Kennedy and the possibility that it could mean another war. “We laughed and laughed. We wept. We fell off our chairs. We clung to each other like wrestlers and stumbled around the room howling.”

PRAISE POEM FOR YORKSHIRE PUDDINGS

Light brown moon in a gravy sky Round O of delight on a big white plate Floppy as a vest if you get ‘em out early; Hard as a wall if you get ‘em out late!

Alchemy of eggs and milk and flour Aesthetically gorgeous in a kitchenful of steam Cultural symbol with enduring power; Perfect as a sunset, elusive as a dream.

All in the wrist to get the air in the batter As the shattered eggshells lie crushed like martyrs As they wait to grace your Sunday platter: The Yorkshire Pudding is the Queen of Starters!

My blood is racing and my heart is thudding

Photo Andy Boag

At the thought of this dinnertime’s Yorkshire Pudding!

© Ian McMillan

Photo Kippa Matthews

The lines opposite touch on an important theme in Ian’s work: “I Iike the idea that the local can become universal, as it does in the poems of George Mackay Brown, who never left the Orkneys, or Norman Nicholson who spent all his life in the Cumbrian town of Millom.” He has written a new instalment for the book, bringing Richard Matthewman’s story up to date. Matthewman, now ‘divorced, bald, plump and with a sad tattoo on his arse’ – Barnley FC [sic] – reflects on the changes in the Dearne Valley in the twenty years since he left: “pits shut, communities fragmented, collectivism smashed, call-centres rampant.” He is a teacher and responsible for designing a new Beyond History A Level course. It is a course that resonates with the ideas of the author, in that it would include “creative responses to history: stories, poems, songs, blogs, art. All history is interpretive anyway, so why not make it official?”

And, it doesn't feel like work: shovelling is work; sitting in an office sweating and wishing you weren't there is work. I'm a lucky boy!

The ‘little grant’ Ian received from Yorkshire Arts all those years ago means that he’s living proof of how modest financial aid can reap huge artistic dividends. Unsurprisingly, he has made his voice heard in the wake of the announcement of significant Arts Council cuts and the risk to what he called in a song of his ‘little non-metropolitan centres of inspiration.’ Does he think he would get the same help today? “I hope I might get the same help. I think everyone in the arts is worried at the moment but I hope that people will understand that the arts are vital to everyday life and that the budgets won't be cut too much in the savage pruning that's coming...”

The Richard Matthewman Stories by Ian McMillan & Martyn Wiley is now available from www.pomonauk.com

Language, and the ‘Tyke Tongue’ particularly, is Ian’s central concern. “The way we speak is us, like letters through a stick of rock. When I speak, all the people who ever spoke like me are at my shoulder.” But how does the ‘Bard of Barnsley’ prefer to describe himself? “A Beat Generation Les Dawson. I just feel like I've had a fantastic life. Anyway, I'm unemployable in any other walk of life. I can't drive, swim or ride a bike. What else could I do?”

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Chip Pin G O L F I N G H O L I D AY S 2 0 0 9

Last summer’s unseasonal drenching left the UK’s fairways looking lonely and unplayable. So, if you want to guarantee a competitive summer stroll this year, you might need to fling your sticks in excess baggage and hop on a plane. Here are some overseas solutions to those rainy-day golfing dilemmas…

Located on the wild south coast of Mauritius, the luxury 5 star Heritage Golf Resort and Spa has 160 deluxe rooms and suites, a large Seven Colours Spa, 6 restaurants and 2 bars, as well as an extensive choice of land and watersports, including an 18 hole championship course overlooking the Indian Ocean at 'Golf Du Chateau'. For guests staying on half board, daily green fees are also included.

7 nights at the 5 star Heritage and Golf Spa costs from £1325 per person including return scheduled flights, accommodation in a deluxe room on half-board basis and daily green fees at 'Golf Du Chateau'.

Valid for travel 13 July - 31 August 2009. www.key2holidays.co.uk or 020 7963 6697

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Ideally positioned on the “Warm Coast” in South East Spain, La Torre Golf Resort and Village is only 10 minutes from the soft sandy beach and crystal clear waters of Santiago de la Ribeira. The resort itself is of 5-Star standard, set around a Jack Nicklaus-designed 18-hole golf course and includes spa facilities, private pools and luxury accommodation. Vibrant Murcia is a 20 minute drive from La Torre – this breathtaking city combines culture and tradition with world class shopping and restaurants. All guests staying with Park Leisure in Spain also have unlimited access to all the other golf courses in the Polaris group, with a free shuttle bus service between the resorts.

MONACO Head to glamorous Monaco and stay at the glorious Belle Epoque Hotel Hermitage and enjoy a round of golf-with-aview at the prestigious Monte Carlo Golf Club. This 18-hole, par 71 course is situated 810 metres up on Mont Agel and provides panoramic views of the Principality. If you are short of time or want to practise your swing try the eighthfloor golf area at the hotel: an elegant lawn made of synthetic turf, two golf cages, a putting green and a ninehole fun course. Qualified instructors are available for golf lessons. After a strenuous day on the golf course, enjoy a relaxing treatment at the Monte-Carlo Spa – entrance to the Spa is included in the hotel booking.

Prices start from £275 per person/per week Villas with pools available from £495. www.parkleisurespain.co.uk T. 01904 786100

A two night weekend stay at the Hotel Hermitage costs £525 pp in August. Go to www.visitmonaco.com for more information.

Plan a golfing break in Marrakech, home to three excellent 27 hole courses (a fourth is under construction). Palm and orange trees, a kasbah-style clubhouse, new 9 hole courses and a backdrop of the snow-capped Atlas Mountains are all good reasons to golf in Marrakech. You can stay at the boutique hotel Les Borjs de la Kasbah, which combines the traditions of a Moroccan riad with contemporary luxury. The hotel can organise transfers, pre-book tee times and on-course meals. While off the course, savour eclectic flavours in Les Borjs restaurant, Le Jasmin, refresh with an authentic

Prices from £45 pp per night during July, August and

hammam and relax by the

September including breakfast and airport collection.

discreetly located pool.

Return flights from £154.98 pp. www.lesborjsdelakasbah.com

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active

USA Sarasota is a city located on the southwestern coast of Florida and is a haven for golfers.

Renowned for its powder white sands and scenic sunsets, the location boasts a plethora of courses and can just about guarantee

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perfect weather. Plus, there’s world-class shopping and restaurants available when you’re away from the fairways.

7 nights - £1,275 per person. Price includes return flights from London Gatwick to Tampa with British Airways in World Traveller Plus, seven nights accommodation in the five star Longboat Key Club and Resort in a beach view suite, car hire and two rounds of golf. Price includes all taxes, fees and is based on two people sharing room only accommodation.

Travel dates are 1st – 30th June and 22nd August – 30th September. Book by the 5th June 2009.

To book visit www.bon-voyage.co.uk or call 0800 316 0191, for further details on Sarasota visit www.sarasotafl.org.

TENERIFE This tropical resort oasis of palms and lush vegetation has emerged from the foothills of Mount Teide. A cable car links the main resort with the secluded golden sandy beach, where the Beach Club provides tempting snacks and snorkelling and fishing can be arranged. Elsewhere, facilities include seven swimming pools, a tennis academy with seven courts and an 18-hole, par-72 golf course, whilst children are well catered for with a Kids’ Club and fun workshops. Spacious bedrooms and marble bathrooms feature along with terraces overlooking the golf course, gardens, courtyard or ocean.

7 Nights for the price of 6 from £1755pp inc accommodation in an Abama Double Room, breakfast, 4 green fees for the price of 3, private transfers and flights from Gatwick with Thomson, saving up to £325pp.

Offer valid 01 Nov - 26 Dec 09.

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For bookings or more information, call Seasons in Style on 01244 20 20 00 or visit www.seasonsinstyle.com

You'll need some time to complete your round at what will soon be the world's longest golf course. Nullarbor Links is an 18-hole, par 72, golf course that will span 1,365 kilometers with one hole in each participating town or roadhouse along the Eyre Highway, from Kalgoorlie in Western Australia to Ceduna in South Australia. Each of the holes, which are approximately 80km apart, will include a green and tee and somewhat rugged outback-style natural terrain fairway. All of them take in dramatic Australian landscape from the rugged coastline and views over the great Australian Blight to the red dirt of the Nullarbor Plain, where kangaroos, bush turkeys and emus roam free.

Travellers will be able to buy an official ball and scorecard at either the first or 18th holes, and scorecards will be stamped after each hole is completed.

The area for teeing off and the greens are to be constructed from synthetic material, while the fairways and rough will consist of whatever God put there.

Nullarbor Golf tours will be running 8 day tours from Adelaide to Kalgoorlie from $2,635 pp based on twin share. Tours will include accommodation, transfers between holes and meals. Golf clubs available for use. www.nullarborlinks.com

PORTUGAL Located within a 545-acre National Park on the southern Sintra Mountains, Penha Longa Hotel & Golf Resort is a breathtakingly beautiful location which encompasses a luxurious hotel, a nineteenth century palace originally founded as a monastery in the fourteenth century, two spectacular golf courses and a stunning Six Senses Spa. Once the retreat for the Royal Family of Portugal, Penha Longa lies just 16 miles (30 minutes drive) from downtown Lisbon, or a ten-minute drive from the beaches of Estoril and Cascais.

www.penhalonga.com

Taba Heights claims an exceptional location on Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, overlooking Jordan, Israel and Saudi Arabia. The luxurious year-round resort offers world-class facilities, including an 18-hole championship golf course.

Designed by John Sanford, the 6,450 metre course offers Egypt’s longest championship hole and shots over lakes and flood canals, with elevations up to 70 metres. The course suits all levels and boasts five tee placements at each hole.

Return flights from Gatwick or Manchester to Taba Airport - 7 nights at the 5 Star Taba Heights Marriott Red Sea Resort/Halfboard/ 4 x 18 holes/Unlimited golf practice range use /Free use of electric golf cart. Departing between July 4 – 11, from £657 per person. November 28 - 30, from £634 per person. www.peltours.com/golf - 020 8371 5200

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Duncan Thorne

LITTLE BIG MAN

Who says size is important?

It’s certainly not when you look at Leeds Rhinos and Great Britain Rugby League star Rob Burrow.

In a game commonly associated with men the size of WWF wrestlers battering each other mercilessly for 80 minutes, the pint-sized Burrow is made from a completely different mould.

“I’ve adapted my game to my strengths and that’s why I’ve been successful.”

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Some top-level sports stars are often referred to as Rolls-Royces for their elegance, class and smoothness that represents the way they perform. If the 5’ 5” Rhinos scrum half was a motor, he’d be more like a bubbling, supercharged V12 Ferrari due to his electric acceleration, agility and incredible braking power that sees him hitting nought to sixty in the blink of an eye, slamming on the brakes and making a couple of u-turns to avoid on-coming traffic (or in his case, would-be tacklers), before stepping on the gas again and disappearing off into the distance.

Burrow’s all-action, go-forward style has been one of the major reasons the Headingley outfit has ruled the Super League roost over the last few years and made him one of the game’s most popular players.

Photos courtesy of Leeds Rhinos

The sight of him scooting around rucks and the play-the-ball area then darting through (or under!) the smallest of gaps is worth the admission money alone and it’s one the Headingley faithful have come to know and love over his eight years with the Club.

“It doesn’t matter what size you are in Rugby League; if you’re good enough and dedicated enough you can make it,” he says emphatically.

“I’ve adapted my game to my strengths and that’s why I’ve been successful.”

But for those unfamiliar with the scheming blond magician, don’t let me paint a picture of someone whose game is just about attack.

Former Great Britain Coach, Brian Noble, regularly talks about the need for the modern-day rugby player to be complete and do everything and, without doubt, Burrow has an all-round game that regularly sees him win the arm wrestle before influencing the outcome of the match through his breaks, passing and kicking.

“I love the physical battle of Rugby League as all the players do – if you don’t, you can’t play this game - but there’s a lot more to it than just making the big hits all the time.

Personality of the Year, and it’s clear he’s something very special in a very special era of the Rhinos’ history.

And all this at the grand old age of 27.

So what’s left on his Rugby League trophy shopping list?

“I want to keep on winning Cups with the Rhinos, improving as an individual, performing as consistently as possible and being the best player I can possibly be.

“The game is changing all the time and as a result it’s important we as a Club move forward, you can’t stand still or other clubs will overtake you.

“Super League is getting more and more competitive every year and we’ve already seen, this season, that everyone is capable of beating each other on any given day if you’re not at your best.

“Internationally I think we haven’t done ourselves justice and the World Club at the end of last year was a big disappointment, we just didn’t perform anything like we are capable of.

“It doesn’t matter what size you are in Rugby League; if you’re good enough and dedicated enough you can make it” “I remember a comment from Barry McDermott (the ex-Wigan, Leeds and Great Britain prop forward who made Mike Tyson look like a retired librarian when it came to a physical encounter) made years ago that he’d much rather play against someone his own size than someone like me because it presents such a different and difficult challenge.”

So did he ever question whether he’d be big enough to make the grade?

“When I was growing up I used to watch “Alfie” (Allan) Langer (the legendary Australian scrum half ) and saw the way he used to play and thought, if he can do it at his size then so can I and that’s true of youngsters today – there’s no reason why anyone looking to play the game should be put off because of their size,” he adds.

“Leeds took a chance on me when I was a youngster, as all Clubs do to some extent when they sign juniors, but in many ways my height made me even more determined to make it and it really spurred me on.”

Burrow was always destined for great things in Rugby League but his career was helped by the Rugby Football League’s decision to switch to summer rugby in 1996 and the hard, fast ground certainly suits his style of play.

A quick flick through the record books shows he’s achieved nearly everything at Club level in a glittering career before he’s even reached his peak.

Last year he became one of only seven players in Leeds’ history to win three championships, as well as being a key member of the only Super League side to have won the Grand Final and World Club Challenge in the same year.

Add to that individual honours, including the Harry Sunderland Award as Man of the Match in the 2007 Grand Final, the Player of the Tournament against New Zealand, the Rhinos’ Player of the Year and runner-up in the BBC’s Yorkshire Sports

“We’ve got a chance to rectify that at the end of this season with the Four Nations so I really hope we have a successful competition and show the world how good our domestic game really is.”

Not one to sit still for long, Burrow, who is already a qualified sports masseur, is currently studying for a degree in Sports Science at Leeds Metropolitan University and has just set up Burrow Physiotherapy with his wife Lindsey.

“It’s something I’ve always been really interested in and it’s what I’ll do fulltime when I retire from the game.

“Sports Science, diet, training and recovery methods are all vital in giving us the extra edge and it’s something that’s becoming more and more important in Rugby League.

“There are so many demands on the body these days with the game getting faster and faster that any advantage you can get makes a big difference on the pitch and on top of that I really enjoy it too.”

Making a difference on the pitch is what it’s all about and Burrow certainly measures up when it comes to being one of Rugby League’s biggest stars.

Details of Rob and Lindsey Burrows’ physiotherapy business are available at www.burrowphysiotherapy.co.uk

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bike!

oncycling

Onyour

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B E G I N N E R ’ S

Matthew Peacock Chevin Cycles

C H E C K L I S T

Are you tempted to get in the saddle and give cycling a go?

Do you like the idea of exploring new places by bike?

Do you want to get fit and lose weight?

Are you confused with where to begin?

Then here are a few tips to get you started…

If you are buying a new bike or using one out of the back of your garage, then you need to make sure of a couple of things before riding.

The Bike

Make sure the chain is clean and lubed, and that your gears work. If your gears don’t work it will make the ride harder and noisier than it should be.

Can you stop? Do the brake pads have some life left in them and are they adjusted correctly? Good brakes will stop you faster and more safely.

The Rider

Make sure the saddle is set at the right height. A quick rule of thumb is that when you are sat on the saddle, with the pedal at its lowest point, your leg should almost be straight.

Eat and drink! It may seem obvious, but you don’t drive a car without petrol so don’t ride a bike without food or water. If you are going out all day, then look into carrying extra food and drink with you. Keeping your energy levels up means an enjoyable ride and the ability to go faster and further.

Staying safe is also important. Helmets may not be the most fashion-friendly items but, if you do fall off, they reduce the risk of head injuries - and you only get one head!

Padded shorts. Often the subject of much amusement! The more you pay, the better the fit and comfort. The pad puts cushioning exactly where it needs to be.

Whether you go for the Lycra look or something baggy is down to your style and confidence! (In addition, for those who ask – You don’t wear anything under them! The idea is to remove seams that will rub!).

Bright clothing is the best at making sure that you are seen. In addition, don’t forget the law (and common sense!) says you must have front and rear lights on at night.

Be Prepared!

Carry the bits you need to cover a breakdown! This usually consists of an inner tube and puncture kit. A pump, tyre levers and a small multi-tool with all the relevant tools to fit your bike. You can ride without this and just carry your mobile phone, but you don’t win many brownie points ringing your other half to get picked up from the middle of the Dales!

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FEW CYCLING FAC TS :

Cycling burns about 600 calories an hour and a leisurely bike ride burns the same amount of calories as a brisk walk!

If you cycle regularly, you can expect to be, on average, as fit as a person 10 years younger than yourself.

As a non-weight bearing activity, regular cycling leads to improved muscle strength, mobility and co-ordination.

Whether you’re riding for competition or recreation our dedication & expertise ensure you’re riding the perfect bike!

>>OPEN 7 DAYS

01943 462773 Leeds Road, Otley LS21 1BR www.chevincycles.com

LEXUS LEEDS Domestic Road Leeds LS12 6HG Tel 01132 511411 www.lexus.co.uk/leeds

IS 220d WITH £1,617 CENTRE CONTRIBUTION*

AND 5.9% APR Typical† With the IS 220d SE you’ll find more than just good looks.

Like emissions of just 148g/km CO2 (20% BIK tax), 13 speaker sound system, smart entry and climate control, all with 5.9% APR. To find out more about the great value and stunningly good looking Lexus IS 220d SE or to arrange a test drive call Lexus Leeds.

Model 35 Monthly Payments Cash Price Less Lexus Centre Contribution* Customer Deposit Amount Of Credit Guaranteed Future Value/ Optional Final Payment Total Amount Payable Excess Mileage over 30,000

IS 220d SE £299.00 £22,410.00 £1,617.71 £4,581.45 £16,210.84 £7,845.76 £22,892.21 11.5p per mile

5.9% APR Typical† Model shown is IS 220d SE at £22,990 including optional metallic paint at £580. The IS Series comprises petrol and diesel powertrains and prices start from £22,410. Prices correct at time of going to print and include VAT, delivery, number plates, full tank of fuel, one year’s road fund licence and £55 first registration fee †Advertised Lexus Contract Purchase offer available on Lexus IS 220d SE (without metallic paint) when ordered registered and financed through Lexus Financial Services between 1 April and 30 June 2009, at participating Lexus Centres. *£1,617.71 Lexus Centre contribution available on eligible IS 220d SE when ordered and registered between 1 April and 30 June 2009. The Government Scrappage Incentive as well as other offers are available but cannot be used in conjunction with any other Lexus consumer offers (including finance offers). Terms and conditions apply. Indemnities may be required. Finance subject to status to over 18s only. Lexus Financial Services, Great Burgh, Burgh Heath, Epsom, Surrey, KT18 5UZ. Subject to availability.

IS 220d fuel economy figures: extra-urban 58.9mpg (4.8L/100km), urban 39.8mpg (7.1L/100km), combined 50.4mpg (5.6L/100km).

CO2 emissions 148g/km.

ontheroad

active

atom T

H

E

M

I

G

H

T

English-based motor company Ariel’s aim is to build the ‘ultimate road legal track day car’. Their motto has always been “go fast - have fun”and their current, acclaimed Atom 3 model is about to be expanded upon.

Y

Development of Atom models is very much an evolutionary process with input taken on board from journalists, road testers, race drivers, suppliers and customers.

The Atom 3, therefore, featured not only the new Honda Type R engine but a host of detail changes throughout the car. More performance, smoother engine, better interior space, improved suspension and better driver comfort all contributed to make the third generation of the Atom the best so far. Visually the Atom 3 was immediately identifiable by the latest chassis with new diagonal side rails and the return to a twin outlet exhaust, but these are only the surface details that identified the numerous detail changes to the Atom.

SUSPENSION

ENGINE The Atom 3 continues the association between Ariel and Honda with the latest version of the Honda Type R engine. The 2.0 iVTEC features balancer shafts and Ariel have changed engine mounts to incorporate more isolation into the chassis so the new installation offers considerable improvements in NVH as well as the general improvements that come with latest Honda technology. The Atom 3 will continue to be available in standard normally aspirated form and supercharged to 300bhp, with the latest engine offering more torque low down. Fly-by-wire throttle, new gearchange, fuel system, air intake, ecu and twin outlet exhaust are all part of the changes and demonstrate the thoroughness and attention to detail present in the Atom 3.

The Atom 3 retains the inboard, pushrod operated damper system, but with changes to bellcranks and dampers. With enormous input from Bilstein the new car features the option of new 10 way adjustable dampers with latest valving and needle roller bearings in bellcranks. Already known for its unique ride qualities in a low volume lightweight car the Atom now takes this a stage further with performance increases dynamically on road as well as on track.

BODY Aesthetically the Atom remains unchanged, although nearly every panel on the car has been slightly modified. Considerable aero work in both CFD (Computer Fluid Dynamics) simulations and time on the road testing has lead to a simple deflector option to reduce pressure on the head when driving at speed. The new seat also lowers the driver and passenger in the car to give more comfort at speed and lower the centre of gravity plus the option of two seats for different sized drivers.

CHASSIS The chassis features a new diagonal side structure, designed to give more interior space particularly at elbow level, together with a slightly wider chassis at shoulder level. Overall width of the chassis has been increased by 60mm with elbow room being improved by 100mm, while track and overall width of the car remains the same. Although every tube in the chassis has been changed the car retains the original Atom look but now offers even more interior space than the original.

“gofast-havefun” When the Atom was released in 1999, with Rover engine and ultimate fun goal, it was unique. The Honda powered Atom 2 in 2003 took a giant leap forward in terms of performance and usability and set the benchmark for trackday cars with the 2005 supercharged Atoms quickly setting records for performance coupled with ultimate reliability. With Atoms already being made in the USA and race cars soon to manufactured in China, Ariel have taken another step forward with the Atom 3. Whether performance, handling, quality, service or just plain good fun Ariel continue to try and make the Atom the best of its kind anywhere.

COMING SOON...

Ariel will shortly release the follow-up to their acclaimed Atom 3, the Ariel Atom 500, featuring an Ariel badged V8 engine developing 500bhp and giving the Atom a staggering power to weight ratio of around 1000bhp per tonne.

The engine is a specifically developed 3.0 litre normally aspirated unit weighing less than 90 kilos and has a highly compact 75 degree V arrangement with 4 valves per cylinder and a unique cam drive arrangement to further reduce engine size and weight. Power is driven through a Sadev 6 speed sequential gearbox operated through a manual shift. A paddle shift arrangement is being investigated as an option, but the car will feature adjustable traction and launch control as well as programmable settings for different conditions.

The Atom 500 will be made in a special Limited Edition of 25 cars, nearly half of which are now sold. Standard specification will be very high, featuring new suspension and brakes specific to the 500, aero package and many Atom options as standard.

With a 0-60mph time of under 2.5 seconds and 0-100mph of less than 6 seconds the Atom 500 V8 promises to be one of the fastest, if not the fastest, production car ever made.

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GADGETS FOR THE OFFICE SPECIAL

DESKTOPS

ongadgets

Stila Paper knife in 18/10 stainless steel mat. £15

designer.

Trina Pencil holder in aluminium casting. £32

Scup Desk organizer in stainless steel - mirror polished. £56

Alessi collection is available from stockists throughout the UK and from www.alessi.com Tel. 020 7518 9090

With a unique blue light projection, this Radio Controlled Projection Clock means you will never have to fumble in the dark or switch the light on again. As well as offering accurate time the clock also offers both inside and outside temperature as well as an alarm with snooze function and calendar. £39.99 - Stockists: Call 0845 601 3964 or visit www.oregonscientific.co.uk

hello!

The IRIScan 2 is a portable full document scanner, an ideal solution to scan and organize a wide variety of documents anywhere you are. The IRIScan 2 simplifies all your retyping needs. It is compact, light, USB powered and fits any laptop suitcase or slots neatly onto your desk and does not need any other power supply. £129 from www.irislink.com

Parq Document in thermoplastic resin.

Available in light blue, grey and black. £20

Featuring a space-saving slim design, oscillation, three speed settings and a 0.5 to 7.5 hour timer this whisper-quiet Desktop Tower Fan from Bionaire should keep you cool through the hot summer months. £19.99 From Comet, John Lewis and independent electric retailers stockists: 0800 0523615

AlessiPhone designed by Stefano Giovannoni 2009.

Polycarbonate, polished white outside and polished black inside. £115

At last, notebooks and smart phones have the right accessory for their elegantly designed offices: The Swiss BusinessTool brings the chaos on a typical desk to an end, combining the most essential office implements, including a stapler, hole punch, scissors, staple remover, knife, nail file etc. into a single, stylish multifunctional tool. approx £80 from www.bbegroup.eu

The Wacom Bamboo encompasses all the fantastic qualities of a professional tablet into a sleek, easy to use, consumer friendly alternative to a mouse.

Bamboo can be used to customise emails, letters, spreadsheets, presentations and documents with signatures, notes and doodles. £64.99 www.wacom-europe.com

These funky speakers add a bit of style to your desktop - easy to set up and use, the JBL Spot provide excellent sound quality. £59.99 from Comet

Speak out!

AMIGOS by Umbra are magnetic double-sided frames. Stack them to make 3-dimensional sculptures.

Includes: three 1.25 x 1.5" 2x-sided frames and two 1.5 x 1.75" 2x-sided frames £21 From John Lewis, House of Fraser and Lakeland and www.umbra.com

PULP by Umbra is a bulletin board that takes re-using to the next step.

Made from stacked reprocessed paper and a recyclable paper board frame. Holds pins or notes - 31 x 31cm. £25

The Bose SoundDock Portable digital music system is a speaker system for iPod that combines high-quality audio performance and true portability. Through advanced engineering and technologies only available from Bose, the SoundDock Portable digital music system can be taken with you while on the move, delivering rich, detailed sound with the convenience of a rechargeable battery. £299 – for stockists visit www.bose.co.uk

103

onbusiness

thebusinessend

A steady hand Carl has mentored and invested in a variety of Yorkshire-based enterprises with his company, kloog, and his business workshops tackle a variety of topics such as creativity, sales, advertising and marketing.

He was also one of Channel 4’s ‘Secret Millionaires’. We asked him about recessionbusting, the road to success and the rise of business as an entertainment commodity.

Seeking a bit of sage advice in turbulent times, On: spoke to one of Yorkshire’s leading business figures,

CarlHopkins 104

www.kloog.co.uk

What advice would you give start-up businesses during these turbulent financial times?

For start-up businesses I would simply suggest you seek advice. There are many regional support initiatives to choose from - Enterprise Leeds and Business Link to name but two and there are many more.

Be honest about your own skills and abilities when looking to find partners, either shareholders or suppliers. Ensure you have a clear and believable proposition for your business; one that you can deliver on. Network like crazy to meet as many people as possible and share your plans, ideas and values with them - it can be amazing who they can introduce you to.

Do not over-commit yourself believing that you know every nuance of your business plan; we are in a fast-changing market and you have to be able to adapt – so cancel that order for a thousand business cards or the 64 page website!

And, probably the most important, talk to your customers.

the owners, John and Judith Donovan which I stepped in to fill. Then there was a recession which meant the agency did not really grow but it gave me time to grow into my wider roles, so even a recession can be seen as a ‘lucky break’. At the end of the nineties I offered to buy the business and completed in 2000. In 2007 I sold the whole group.

Are you business-obsessed? Do you still have time for a personal life? Have you found the right balance?

I am opportunity obsessed not business obsessed - it’s just that some of those opportunities turn into businesses. I think I have a better balance than ever before in my life but when you are at your business, your home wants you and when you are at home, your business wants you. I’m lucky; I am based at home and share an office with my wife, so we see a lot of each other and we do take breaks and walk the dog together or have lunch in the garden – and no commuting is bliss.

You were one of Channel 4's 'Secret Millionaires' – tell us about this experience and its impact on you?

Are there any business opportunities in a recession that might not otherwise exist?

With marketing your area of expertise, are there any 'must-dos' for new businesses when formulating their early marketing strategy?

Yes, the‘must dos’are you must do something different to your competitors. Do this in the way you explain your proposition, find your customers, build your brand, execute your ideas. Also, it is never too early to talk to your customers and find out what they want to buy - don’t simply focus on what you have to sell!

‘‘

I am

opportunity obsessed not business obsessed - it’s just that some of those opportunities turn into

‘‘

I am sure there are many. Any new pressures that are put on prospects or consumers in general will undoubtedly inspire some to create new, recession-friendly businesses or at least to look at existing business models and shake them down. It’s something I am focusing on with one of my businesses, agencybods.co.uk, in the recruitment sector. I have a standard low commission fee and give half the fee back if it doesn’t work out in order to share the risk with our clients. Also I have helped launch JumbleAID.com which allows the recycling and re-use of goods at very low prices (it’s not an auction) while all the money raised goes to UK Charities who are also struggling in a recession. So it’s a way of supporting your favourite causes without giving your money away and allows you to find second hand goods at knock down prices!

businesses.

You came from an underprivileged background - at what age did you develop an interest in business?

Underprivileged is a bit strong, when there are so many people up and down the country who are really struggling. I had a strong family unit and for that I am grateful. We may have been in a council house, on a ‘notorious’ estate in a ropey part of Leeds, but I wouldn’t say we were underprivileged. I never set out to be a businessman. At seven years old I wanted to be an artist, at fifteen I discovered at college that you could make a living from art and design. And it was while I was there that my education began and not simply in design and advertising but I started to realise I was in fact a salesman after reading the book ‘Ogilvy On Advertising’. I was 17. I have been selling ever since.

Did you have 'lucky breaks'? How much of your success do you put down to drive and determination?

I find if you do the right things in the right way and work hard, then ‘lucky’ things happen. Funnily enough, it’s people who don’t do those things that tell me I am ‘lucky’, yet when I meet people who are much more successful than me, they acknowledge the effort and work it takes. My lucky break was being offered a job. After that it’s all down to you, the individual and how you choose to react to the situations you find yourself in.

When I look back over my career I thought getting my £40/week job at JDA was a big break. Six years into my career, back in the early 90’s, the management team of JDA left to create a new agency. This left a gap below

I think the inspiring thing about the programme is not the people they ‘drop in’ like myself, but the people that I met like Jimmy, Cyril and Scott, who are getting up every day for no personal gain or reward to help others. It should remind us all that people like that exist and that a lot of those people need help. They do not always need financial help; they may need time, resources or simply advice. It’s not always about ‘the money’. Having been on the programme I am now more aware that there are people like that very close to us all if we take the time to look.

After my experience on the programme I now spend more time with charities and schools than I ever did in the past. Now, I’m not stupid, and I know that I am fortunate that I do have control of my own time so I am able to give that time freely. I spent two hours recently at a children’s hospice looking at ways to help them raise more money. I’ve also been into schools talking to the kids, so hopefully they know they don’t have to be a victim of their environments.

On the whole I’d say it’s made me more open to giving up my time to helping those kinds of people. Hopefully, the programme will inspire others to do the same.

Business-related TV shows are suddenly extremely popular (The Apprentice, Dragon's Den, Secret Millionaire, Million Dollar Traders) - ever fancied becoming a Dragon?

I would love to but sadly it takes more cash than I have I’m afraid! I love the show though and learn from it all the time. I would love to meet one of the Dragons at some point. And in my own small way, I have acted as a Dragon for JumbleAID, Joblink-Systems, Sporting Supplements and a new business that launches in June. These are exciting times and there are lots of opportunities for private investors.

What do you think of The Apprentice, and who do you think will win?

It’s a corporate composite of ‘X-Factor with Ties’ meets ‘Britain’s got no business talent’! I think The Apprentice is a great programme; I never miss it and enjoy the ‘You’re Fired’ follow on show just as much. Having met several of the guys who have been on the programme in the past, I understand how the production company keeps everyone busy, hyped on sweets, and tired which means that in the edit, it can cause us to perhaps get the wrong impression of a lot of the individuals. However, I do get the feeling a lot of them could not run a bath, never mind a business! I think this year’s winner may be Kate (the girl who speaks out of the side of her face when she is on.

What are your main pleasures away from the business world?

Really simple things; I adore being at home with my wife, I enjoy our walks together and I love travelling with her. We are about to have our first child in May and he will become my main pleasure away from work. My first son is now 14 and I cannot wait to have a baby again.

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thebusinessend

onfinance

Jono Baker

TheBull has yet to begin The British Lions face the South Africans on the 20th June, then there’s the Ashes and, of course, Wimbledon.

A great couple of months for the armchair sports fan, but when exactly does the bull begin? If you are a cricketer, it usually starts when the bowler walks past the batsman for the first time.

But when does the bull begin in finance?

The precise origin of the phrases "bull market" and "bear market" are unknown. The Oxford English Dictionary cites an 1891 use of the term "bull market".

In French, "bulle spéculative" refers to a speculative market bubble. The Online Etymology Dictionary relates the word "bull" to "inflate, swell", and dates its stock market connotation to 1714.

So have we finally got to the bottom of the market downturn and the beginning of an upward moving trend? "Bottom" is more than just a recent low in a stock market index, but a reversal of the primary trend.

It is very difficult to identify a bottom while it is occurring. The upturn following a decline is often ‘short lived’ and prices might resume their decline. This would bring a loss for the investor who purchased stock(s) during a misperceived or "false" market bottom.

At Charles Stanley we believe there are signs of a recovery; the improvement has come about primarily because the property/banking sector has shown a degree of stability in which;

• • • •

A bull is an investor who expects prices to rise and, on this assumption, buys a share or commodity in the hope of reselling it later for a profit. A bullish market is one in which prices are expected to rise.

Property prices have become more affordable Mortgage rates have fallen sharply Help has been provided to borrowers in trouble Banks insist that at the operating level they have become profitable even though they are still recording losses after making bad debt provisions.

The markets have more reason to be confident, which centres around, and depends on, the international scene where:

• • • •

The central banks have provided trillions of US dollars in liquidity.

Governments have provided powerful statements - so much so that the budget deficits of the developed economies have reached a level of 9% GDP. The IMP has increased its capital South East Asian economies, in particular China, have begun to recover.

Conclusion Markets may be overbought ‘short term’ but are certainly not overvalued long term. It would be surprising if, on a setback, the FTSE Index should fall below the 3/09 low point.

The bear market might have ended but the bull market has yet to begin.

As for the Lions, we'll just have to wait and see…

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www.onlifestyle.co.uk

For more information please contact: Jono Baker Charles Stanley, 1 City Square, Leeds LS1 2ES. T. 0113 3663019

There’s a slap-up meal for two at

onletters

La Grillade for the best letter Please send your letters, news and opinions to letters@onlifestyle.co.uk As always, if we select your correspondence as Letter of The Month, we pay for a slap-up meal for two at the fabulous La Grillade in Leeds!

✪

Letter of the month

As a self-confessed foodie, I must say how much I enjoyed your article on the Michelin-starred restaurants in Yorkshire. I’m a regular at The Box Tree and have been lucky enough to follow its personnel changes through the years – yes, I’m old enough to remember when Marco Pierre White was involved there!

The Devonshire Arms is also a regular haunt of mine and I now look forward to sampling The Yorke Arms in Pateley Bridge. It was fascinating too to hear what these amazing chefs really think of those secretive Michelin Inspectors!

Gillian, via email Thanks Gillian, we’ve had a number of emails predicting more Yorkshire Michelin Stars next year. In the meantime, enjoy another top class meal on us, at La Grillade in Leeds. Ed.

Just a line to say thanks for explaining how Michelin Stars are awarded. It's always seemed a bit like a secret society to me, so great to see some light shed on the subject. I now understand why they are so coveted by restaurants.

How lucky we are to have such fine talent on our Yorkshire doorsteps.

Unfortunately there were too many ‘fixtures and fittings’ at the club who wouldn’t let him do this. Maybe if he’d had the chance, the Club would have gone on to true and sustained success and not endured the dark days of the 1980s.

Lee Davies, Rawdon

Julie, Wetherby

I read and enjoyed your gritty feature on The Damned United. I had actually forgotten about Brian Clough, his short time at Leeds and what an irritation he was both on and off the telly - but what a character!

We all know that paying footballers too much money is ruining the beautiful game - question is, has it done the same to Managers?

Simon P., Calverley

One important point your Damned United feature missed – and it’s a point that some Leeds fans find hard to swallow – Brian Clough inherited an old, past-its-best football team. His insistence on getting rid of aged and dead wood was exactly what Leeds United needed when he took over.

108

Following up on Jason Duran’s letter (issue9) in which he claimed to have spotted the famed Wolfman of Roundhay Park, I think I’ve also spotted this strange creature. Certainly wayward, certainly hairy, certainly disappearing into thick undergrowth – when I saw the creature he also seemed to have a peculiar attachment to a can of super-strength lager.

Should we alert David Attenborough?

Great coverage of one of our region’s hot new tourist destinations (Rail Ale Trail/issue9) but I must bring your attention to a station tavern that you didn’t mention. The Tunnel End in Marsden near Huddersfield is probably the gem of these CAMRA trackside inns and should have been worthy of inclusion. Still, an enjoyable article – a nephew of mine will be celebrating his stag do on this real ale route during August!

Alan Freestone, Huddersfield Could get messy. Make sure he turns around in Stalybridge, Alan. To be fair, our route was covering the inns that the Express service stops at – it actually goes through Marsden – but point taken. Ed.

I know I’m not alone in wishing Leeds had a stadium venue where large music acts could perform and was delighted to hear of the proposed site on Claypit Lane. Objections, apparently, have been made by Hallam Arena in Sheffield. This makes my blood boil! I’m sick of looking enviously at the long list of household names that appear at this venue – if I had the time and resources for 2 hours of travel to Sheffield once a fortnight I’d see a lot more of my favourite acts – but sadly I don’t! If only these acts appeared in Leeds!!

Gemma S, via email

I feel compelled to reply to JK’s little tirade regarding Kelly Brook (Letters Page issue9). If he looked on the front of your magazine he’d see the word ‘Lifestyle’. This can be interpreted as ‘something for everyone’. Personally, I think it’s great that literary figures like Barry Hines can slot next to glamorous celebs like Kelly Brook in your magazine. There’s always Literary Review, JK! Nigel Erskine , via email

Confession - I am a Mancunian who has the magazine sent over from Yorkshire. I have to admit it’s one of the best things to come out of your fair County (apart from the M62, that is!).

Could I ask if any of your readers remember the old Odeon cinema on The Headrow at the top of Briggate? The building now houses Primark.

I’m researching a book on the history of the building (and other ex-cinemas) and would love to hear of any stories your readers may have.

Ali, Manchester

Mr K. Driver

Erm, I think that’s worth a thank you, Ali. Ed.

If anyone can help Mr. Driver, let us know.

We’ll pass your details on. Ed.

Aaron, Hyde Park

www.onlifestyle.co.uk

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fantastic overnight stay for 4 people - this includes two-day Theme Park and Water Park tickets for everyone to enjoy!

To stand a chance of winning this great prize, answer this question:

Q. IN WHICH ENGLISH COUNTY WILL YOU FIND ALTON TOWERS THEME PARK? Simply email the answer to comps@onlifestyle.co.uk to be entered into a random draw.

Closing date 30th JULY 2009. Good

luck!

Prices and Info - Hotel stays start from just £100 per room based on 4 sharing on a B&B basis when booked online at www.altontowers.com *Theme Park tickets available from £29 adults, £22 kids, £81 for family of 4 and £98 for a family of five when booked in advance online at www.altontowers.com.

For the best resort deals or for more information, visit www.altontowers.com or call 0871 222 9901.

T&C’s - This prize is valid for a family of four, or four adults sharing an overnight stay in a standard room in either the Alton Towers Hotel or Splash Landings Hotel, and is subject to availability. The prize includes two-day entry to the Theme Park and Waterpark, dinner and breakfast. There is no cash alternative. The prize is valid until 16th October 2009.

WIN an evening meal for two at the unique award winning Fourth Floor restaurant in

HARVEY NICHOLS Worth £100

The prize includes a pre - dinner drink in the bar followed by a sumptuous three course meal with wine in the restaurant whilst enjoying spectacular views over the rooftops of Leeds - and if the summer weather allows , there is the option to while away a balmy night on the balcony.

Executive Chef Richard WaltonAllen is celebrating 10 years at the helm and he and his team consistently maintain excellent quality and varied menu choices that include fresh seasonal ingredients and tastes from local and distant locations. www.harveynichols.com All day dining on Fourth Floor T: 0113 204 8000 (now open 5 nights a week Tues-Sat)

To be entered into a random draw - answer this question:

Q. On which floor of Harvey Nichols, Leeds, is the restaurant located?

Email answer to: comps@onlifestyle.co.uk by 31st July 2009.

T&C’s: prize to be taken Tues-Friday evenings only before 11th September 2009, and must be pre booked. The winner will be sent a voucher to the value of £100 which must be shown when the meal is taken.

The generous folks at the world famous Chevin Cycles in Otley are offering one reader the chance to

WIN this superb Gary Fisher Tarpon Mountain Bike worth £275.

WIN bike

this £275 th wor

Gary recently visited the store and signed a few of his legendary 29er retro cycling jerseys - Chevin Cycles are throwing one of those into the winner’s pot too!

To stand a chance of winning these amazing prizes, answer this question:

What is the name of Gary Fisher’s £3,000 Top of the Range 29er bike, available from Chevin Cycles?

Too tough? Why not log on to www.chevincycles.com for a very big clue!

Email your answer to comps@onlifestyle.co.uk – we’ll randomly select the winner on 30th July 2009 and an appropriately-sized bike will be yours!

Winning entrants will be contacted by email.

To enter, simply email your answers to comps@onlifestyle.co.uk and don’t forget to include your name and address!

Your personal details will not be sold or traded.

109

last

Last th ing you did that made you feel good?

A photo shoot with my wonderful daughter Dandy. And singing with my band, The Loose Screw.

Last th ing you’d want to be doing righ t now?

ontalking

The laundry – I hate house work. I do it late at night. After a glass of wine I blitz the house from top to bottom. When I wake up the house is clean and I’ve forgotten who did it.

Last nigh t on Earth ... What’s your poison?

Down time with the people I love. Family, friends and a glass of red wine.

Last supper ... What are you ordering?

Curry! Lamb Shanks and a Saag Bhaji with Poppadoms and Chutney and a side order of Pilau Rice and Tarka Dahl.

Last person you’d want to share a drink with?

Danny Kaye – luckily he’s dead! He drives me round the twist with his ‘there once was an ugly duckling.’

Last tim e you sh ed a tear and why?

I cry loads. I cry when I say goodbye, I cry when I see what’s happening around the world on TV and I also cry with laughter. I cried tears of joy during the read-through of Bedroom Farce actually!

Last refuge ... wh ere would you go?

To the place I was born, Emsworth. I’d want to stand on the shore at dawn and watch the sun break through over the water.

Last th e course ... tips on loot, lo ve and life?

Wear your heart on your sleeve, be kind and fall in love.

Last but one ... random qu estion - As an h onorary Grumpy Old Woman, what’s th e nicest th ing about being grumpy??

looks

Not many people have been squashed into a taxi with a pregnant Stage Manager and a grumpy Britt Ekland for 100 miles. I have to admit it made me smile!

Famous Last Words?

I’m not dead yet!

Following a stormy decade as yet another notch on Ken Barlow’s inexplicably notchy bedpost in Coronation Street and a dramatic spell on Channel 4’s iconic Queer As Folk, Denise Black has certainly earned her stripes as an official Grumpy Old Woman.

Currently starring in Alan Ayckbourn’s ‘Bedroom Farce’ at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, she took a 10-minute breather for some Famous Last Words…

Bedroom Farce runs until the 4th July at the West Yorkshire Playhouse