Luxe Sept Oct 2014

luxe magazine £5.00

ISSUE 30 SEP/OCT14

£5

ISSUE 30 SEP/OCT14

HOME WITH KATHRYN TICKELL. Luxe celebrates 30! COOK WITH LAYBOURNE. Handbag talk. SOCIAL DIARY. A GORGEOUS GRAND DESIGN FEAST OF GAME. Star chef James Close. CARS WITH BOB ARORA. Art&fashion. COOL CRAFT COFFEE. Me&My McLaren. NAPA VALLEY WINE TRAIL. Big names. LUXE.

WHERE SOLD

WELCOME

contents ISSUE 30 Sep/Oct 2014 It’s been a while since I was 30 so revisiting that significant milestone with Luxe is reason to celebrate if ever there was one.

We’ve reached our 30th edition spanning five years and it’s been lovely to get some birthday messages from the familiar faces who have featured on our cover and who are magazine regulars.

By way of celebration and spreading the Luxe joy, we’re coming to life on October 26 at the Hilton, Gateshead with what promises to be a spectacularly glossy day out.

You can feast on patisserie and prosecco courtesy of Mr Laybourne and the Cafe 21 team, watch new-season fashion and stunning wedding gowns on the catwalk and dip into retro teatime treats with Lottie’s Voluptuous Delights.

We’ll have a mini farmer’s market courtesy of our garden guru Karen Phillips, who as you know, makes a mean horseradish vodka and plum chutney.

Favourite hair chaps Hooker&Young will be joined by Wendy Gibson to talk and demonstrate the latest trends and tips in hair and we’ll have our own Little Luxe corner of playtime fun and dressy-ups.

Add to that a designer craft market, make-up masterclasses, craft roastery coffee and the chance to shop ‘til you drop. Sounds like a party worth joining - and free to you! See you there.

6>> Luxe Life Max McMurdo’s thrifty day out

12>> Do This Autumn diaries out, get planning

24>> Kathryn’s stage Kathryn Tickell’s Northumbrian inspiration

32>> Wake up and smell Meet the craft coffee couple

36>> Game show Dishes to inspire, eat and cook

44>> Fashion in the frame Bob Arora - everyone knows Bob, man at the helm at Sachins, Newcastle. He’s a car nut and gets (legally) very excited at the wheel of things new, shiny and fast.

His luxe things include the four days off he gets every three months after 16-hour work days. Driving his Porsche Macan and getting his Rolex Daytona after a five-year wait!

New-season fashion in the picture

52>> Bags of treats Beauty, bags and gorgeous things

62>> Treetop living A truly grand design to inspire

70>> Luxe Local We check out nice-to-live places in the region

80>> Caught Napping Wine travels in California

84>> Little Luxe With Nina Robinson, our pint-sized shopping and culture diva

Kathryn Armstrong, Editor, Luxe

87>> Tee Off Tips for the tee. Places to play and kit to buy

Don’t forget to join us every Thursday too - with Luxe Loves the Weekend, our weekly email guide to the weekend - sign up at www.luxe-magazine/ theweekend Follow us on Twitter @TheLuxeMagazine

88>> Va Va Vroom Luxe laps. Test drives of nice motors and insightful words from petrolheads

92>> Luxe Looks Our must-read people-spotting social diary

THE 501 TEAM Your best big birthday memory?

Christopher March managing director chris@room501.co.uk Few things have rivalled the joy of Evil Knievel, aged seven Bryan Hoare sales and marketing director bryan@room501.co.uk Whizzing round a race track in a Lamborghini Gallardo

Tracy Lee wakes up and smells the coffee every day - because she’s one half of Rounton Coffee Roasters, a new craft roastery in North Yorkshire.

Her luxe things in life are cocktails and a catch-up with friends, enjoying a sunny day on the beach with family and a meal out at Chadwick’s, Maltby or The Lion Inn, Osmotherley.

98>> Parting Shot

EDITORIAL Kathryn Armstrong editor kathryn@room501.co.uk Seeing crooner Burt Bacharach in Edinburgh and feeling young Fiona McLain fashion stylist Age six and a fairy castle cake Katharine Capocci sub-editor Romancing in Rome DESIGN David Stubbs davids@room501.co.uk The best one is the one I can’t remember Sarah MacNeil sarah@room501.co.uk Being greeted by 16 good mates at a pub when I went for a ‘quiet drink’ Sophie Murphy sophie@room501.co.uk Dad driving to Newcastle to bring me replacement shoes when my heel came off!

PHOTOGRAPHY Kevin Gibson info@kgphotography.co.uk 37th birthday, getting a hamster called Speedy (ten actually) Nicky Rogerson nicky@nrphotography.co.uk Being whisked to Paris on my 40th SALES Lisa Anderson senior sales executive lisa@room501.co.uk My 40th in Spain, champagne, friends, precious memories

For advertising call the sales team on 0191 426 6300.

Northumbrian pipe player Kathryn Tickell, on our cover, is one busy woman. Consequently her luxe things would include a day off in the sunshine plus a chilled bottle of New Zealand sauvignon blanc. She always buys a bag of Santa Maria Novella pot pourri at Christmas, inspired by the smell in an Italian friend’s house!

Debi Coldwell senior sales executive debi@room501.co.uk Meeting Guy Pearce and him singing Happy Birthday to me in Madisons

room501 Ltd, Spectrum 6, Spectrum Business Park, Seaham, SR7 7TT www.room501.co.uk room501 was formed from a partnership of directors who, combined, have many years of experience in contract publishing, print, marketing, sales and advertising and distribution. We are a passionate, dedicated company that strives to help you to meet your overall business needs and requirements. All contents copyright ©2014 room501 Ltd. All rights reserved. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy, no responsibility can be accepted for inaccuracies, howsoever caused. No liability can be accepted for illustrations, photographs, artwork or advertising materials while in transmission or with the publisher or their agents. All information is correct at time of going to print, September 2014.

luxe is published bi-monthly by room501 Ltd.

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LUXE LOVES

LUXE LOVES Lights fantastic Deserving of a good home with no curtains, this stunning Portuguese nickel-plated chandelier with crystal detail is lit with 18W LED lights, ÂŁ7565

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LUXE LIFE

MAX MCMURDO Upcycler extraordinaire, Max McMurdo heads up the business ‘reestore’ and will be passing on his green tips at the Festival of Thrift in Darlington later this month. He has featured on George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces and Great British Sheds. His time is taken up, ‘designing lots of fantastic new products, sipping lattes in an upcycled shipping container office in the back garden.’

LUXE PEOPLE >> I am naturally drawn to proactive individuals, doers, risk takers and people who just roll their sleeves up and get on with it!

LUXE PLACES >> For a weekend >This sounds ridiculous but you can’t beat being in my workshop on a nice sunny weekend, music on, designing and making.

Weekends are the times I get to be creative as the emails stop coming in and the phone doesn’t ring!

A long holiday > This year I spent a week off from work renovating my garden - it was bliss A treat > Due to the fact that I lift and lug a lot of scrap I do treat myself to the odd massage

LUXE RELAX >> Best food > I couldn’t live without rocket in my life but possibly tapas as I like picking Best wine > I’ll drink anything after a long day but a nice chilled sauvignon floats my boat Favourite restaurant > The nice little Turkish restaurant in my village Perfect weekend > At a music festival making things Downtime means > Wasted time! I don’t do down time, I’m a proud workaholic Best telly > Fill Your House For Free or Shed Of The Year - to be honest, I don’t watch telly Best book > The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time Best sounds > Ed Sheeran is currently on loop in my van

LUXE SHOP >> Best shopping city > London or Cambridge Favourite shop > My local furniture bank where I recently picked up an Ercol chair for five quid!

Luxe retail treat > I do have a soft spot for shoes, tan leather herring brogues... mmm Best buy > Before upcycling became mainstream I bought the plate UP51CLE for £250 quid! It’s now worth more

LUXE PARTY >> A memorable night out > Theatre and dinner Perfect party > An outdoor weekender with great music, food and drink Best outfit > I live in my dad’s old tartan tie, it’s sentimental and stylish Dinner date > I’d give anything to have one last dinner with my dad; he passed away a few years ago and is my inspiration

YOUR LUXE THING IN LIFE >> I feel so privileged to be doing what I do, I love going to work and being creative, my luxe thing in life is my lifestyle www.festivalofthrift.co.uk

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shop longer.

feast bigger.

stay later.

Shop late ’til 8pm Mon–Fri and 7pm Sat. Park free from 5pm Mon–Sat in Council multi-storey car parks.

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DISCOVER THE AUTUMN COLLECTION

BUTTER ME UP

LUXE LOVES Toasty moments No need to get your fingers burned warming your buttery croissant to flaky perfection. You never knew you needed a handmade French croissanttoaster did you? On that wishlist now. ÂŁ10, Re, Corbridge www.re-foundobjects.com

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NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY THE ROARING 20s AT WYNYARD HALL Here is your invitation to the party of the year at Wynyard Hall!

Dress to impress and welcome 2015 in with style by arriving to your Champagne reception in stunning surroundings.

Then enjoy live music from Func on the Rocks during your 5 course dinner, followed by a spectacular fireworks display.

Dress code: Black tie and cocktail dresses.

£85 per person

Menu Open Ravioli of Salmon and Chevril with Tomato Essence, Red Fennel and Poached Quail's Egg (Vegetarian option: Open Ravioli of Spiced Puy Lentils and Chevril with Tomato Essence, Red Fennel and Poached Quail's Egg)

Compressed Watermelon, Aged Feta Cheese, Soured Rind, Green Queen Olives, Endive and Ponzu Yorkshire Reared Beef, Ox-Tail and Mushroom Pitivier, Braised Celeriac, Truffle and Shallot Potato Cannolini, Pickled Red Cabbage and Balsamic Reduction

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(Vegetarian option: Roast Cannelloni of Truffled Mushroom, Sweet Brioche Galette, Creamed Spinach, Fine Herb Velouté)

Strawberry and Rosewater Turkish Delights

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Trio of Desserts Chocolate Tart, Raspberry and Mascarpone Cheesecake, Pistachio and Cherry Macaroon

Wynyard Hall, Tees Valley, TS22 5NF | Tel: 01740 644 811 www.wynyardhall.co.uk SEP/OCT14

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Stay in >> go out >> enjoy Time to get cosy, crafty and cultured and make plans for luxe things to do as the chills set in for autumn UNTIL SEPTEMBER 20 Tennessee Williams’ sultry classic Cat On a Hot Tin Roof has been called an ‘incendiary masterpiece’.

See for yourself at Northern Stage. www.northernstage.co.uk

SEPTEMBER 18 One to see again and again, Disney’s The Lion King plays at Sunderland Empire for seven weeks. Musical theatre at its best. The compelling tale of Simba, the young lion cub, as he journeys through life and struggles to accept the responsibilities of adulthood and his destined role of king. www.atgtickets.com/sunderland

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SEPTEMBER

Jean-Christophe Novelli returns to the Alnwick Food Festival for its 10th Anniversary Festival and you can share the stove with him at the Outcook cookery school where he’s holding two masterclass sessions. Book these at www. outcook.co.uk if you love food and want to spend a couple of hours in the kitchen with a world-famous chef.

The festival itself will have around 65 food stalls in the Market Place and there will also be the opportunity to take part in cookery demonstrations. www.alnwickfoodfestival.co.uk

SEPTEMBER 20 Cheffing it up at Newby Hall’s Food Festival is Simon Rimmer of Sunday Brunch. Bake-off fans will be captivated by the pastry and cake skills of Cathryn Dresser and Brendan Lynch from series 3 of the Great British Bake Off in the Baking Theatre, providing hints and tips for soggy bottom-free bakes. www.doyoulovefood.co.uk/newby_food_festival.html

SEPTEMBER 19

Smooth sounds and the ultimate food - US soul legend Alexander O’Neal headlines the 11th annual Oyster Festival at Hardwick Hall Hotel. The festival has become one the most anticipated events in the region since it was established in 2003, bringing together top billing entertainment, fine food, free-flowing drinks and great company. Alexander O’Neal had success with hits such as Saturday Love, Criticize and If You Were Here Tonight and is regarded as one of the greatest singers from the 80s soul era.

Also on the bill is Terry Alderton, one of Britain’s most exciting comedic talents who has worked with Joan Rivers, Michael McIntyre and Eddie Izzard. Festival favourites the Wildcats of Kilkenny and JJ Galway band will also perform and guests can indulge in signature fruits de mer menu, local oyster stalls and free-flowing drinks all day. Tickets £140+vat per person.

Bookings 01740 620253 or email info@hardwickhall.co.uk

SEPTEMBER 19 ONWARDS Quaff and scoff they say at York’s autumn food festival. Join Oz Clarke of the 3 Wine Men beside the minster. Follow a taste trail offering samples from delis and restaurants. Daily specialist market on St Sampson’s square. In the evening, join intimate dinners offered by locals in their homes.

Or have supper in some of the city’s historic buildings. There are food tastings; cookery demonstrations and handson workshops for both adults and children. www.yorkfoodfestival.com

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SEPTEMBER

You might be lucky with last-minute tickets for a John Bishop sneak preview of his brand new material at a special ‘Work-in-Progress’ gig at Middlesbrough Town Hall. www.middlesbroughtownhallonline.co.uk

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SEPTEMBER

SEPTEMBER 20 ONWARDS Super cool store, Re in Corbridge, which we love to bits anyway, pops up with more glories this autumn in its adorable refurbished petrol pump attendant’s kiosk, which originally came from the garage forecourt next to the store. On Saturdays you’ll be able to fill up on all kind of pop-ups – invited artisans showcasing their wares from home-made food to flowers, books, jewellery and more.

20 SEPTEMBER & 4 OCTOBER Adam Prest, the North's hippest florist - will be demonstrating bouquet making at noon, 2 and 4pm.

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Jazz vocalist Claire Martin will be wowing Sage, Gateshead as smooth-sounds winner of seven British Jazz awards including best vocals and is known as the first lady of British Jazz. The show will combine popular classics mixed with her passion for the Great American Songbook. www.sagegateshead.co.uk

27 SEPTEMBER Vallum Bakery and Patisserie bring artisan breads and outstanding French patisserie by their master baker Murray Rhind.

11 OCTOBER To celebrate National Chocolate Week, North Chocolates will tempt with gourmet chocolate bars such as ginger & toasted fennel to the wowzer rosemary & lemon sea salt.

18 OCTOBER Jamsmith’s handmade quality seasonal preserves; unusual flavour combinations of locally-sourced autumn fruit from hedgerow and garden. www.re-foundobjects.com

SEPTEMBER 27 Lights fantastic - kids will love Sunderland Illuminations as they light up Roker and Seaburn - the sparkle spreads to include several new locations along the newlyrefurbished Roker and Seaburn seafront. Roker Park will see Lewis Carroll’s classic tale ‘Alice in Wonderland’ being retold by several larger-than -life light installations depicting classic scenes and characters from the 19th century novel. www.sunderlandlive.co.uk

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WEALTH MANAGEMENT WITH JOHN DANCE

WHERE NEXT FOR THE HOUSING SECTOR AND HOUSE BUILDING STOCKS? From the beginning of 2012 until the spring of this year the Household Goods and Home Construction sector in the UK rose by over 120% on a total return basis, versus 30% for the wider UK market as recorded by the FTSE 100. Following a period of turmoil and severe pain for investors in house builders during the days of the credit crisis, the recent returns are an impressive recovery. In 2008 and 2009 shares the house builders collapsed, caused by overstretched balance sheets and a dramatic collapse in houses prices and activity. Easy credit conditions in the years proceeding that period had created a housing market bubble and tempted the builders in to stretching their balance sheets to fund excessive building projects and also top of the market takeovers. When the credit dried up, house builders suffered a double whammy.

The recent performance has numerous drivers behind it. Firstly, the support provided by the ECB to the European banking system gave confidence to investors that sectors reliant on bank financing were not on the brink of collapse. Furthermore, in early 2013 the Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne launched the “Help to Buy” scheme in an attempt to stimulate the languishing housing market, allowing new buyers to enter the market on favourable terms. Post-crisis extensive work has also been undertaken to reconstruct balance sheets. Purchases of land at depressed prices during the credit crisis also provided wind to the sail. Consequently, as the market has picked up and prices recovered both profits and margins have improved dramatically.

We have often had our concerns about the “Help to Buy” scheme, firstly that it was creating another housing market bubble and secondly how the market could be weaned off such a powerful stimulus. Last month’s Nationwide House Price Index showed an 11% rise in the average selling price and a 16th consecutive monthly rise.

Recently progress has stalled within the sector with rhetoric from the Bank of England regarding interest rates and the potential overheating of parts of the housing market.

Hints that lending criteria constraints (Macro Prudential Tools) may be enforced from above has seen the UK’s major lenders introduce a level of self-regulation in terms of lending criteria and mortgage conditions have subsequently eased. Perhaps thankfully, mortgage approvals have declined by 20% so far this year and a combination of these factors saw the house building sector fall roughly 10% from its spring peak over the following weeks.

This has prompted investors to ask what is next for the sector and are current valuations justified by long-term structural challenges in the market?

Whilst we do not expect conditions within the sector to remain as favourable as they have been of late, in terms of headline growth and profit margins a more stabilised environment will mean that the house builders are more cash generative as they no longer need to fund heavy additional working capital requirements. Some of the constituents, such as Berkeley Group and Persimmon, have already introduced significant capital return schemes to shareholders and it is likely that in general dividend yields will increase. Therefore, although the sector is unlikely to produce the capital growth it has seen over recent years and thus become less attractive to growth investors, it is likely that it begins to attract a new genre of investors who become attracted to the healthy dividends on offer, which should help it continue to deliver attractive returns.

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SEPTEMBER

The fabulous Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter performs a selection of her greatest songs, reinvented for full orchestra by composer/ arranger Vince Mendoza accompanied by Royal Northern Sinfonia. She brings to life the cinematic soundscapes of her latest album Songs from the Movie. www.sagegateshead.co.uk

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OCTOBER

Get a grand taste of Yorkshire and some garden space to walk it off. A Taste of Autumn Festival is on at the RHS Garden Harlow Carr. Celebrate the autumn harvest and experience all that’s fresh and tasty this season, packed with expert advice, cookery demonstrations, tastings and mouthwatering displays. www.rhs.org.uk/harlowcarr

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OCTOBER

Shopping extravagance sounds like a good way to spend a day – helping charities at the same time. Durham Shopping Extravaganza brings more than 70 stalls to Ramside Hall Hotel, for its 26th year.

The annual event has raised over £360,000 for charities in and around the county. There are over 70 handpicked stalls featuring everything from ladieswear and jewellery to gourmet food and children’s toys.

The hotel will be running a vintage tea marquee. This year’s charity recipients include: CSV/ RSVP, Enter CIC, Gateway Wheelers and Small Steps - Seize the Day. Wednesday 8 October, 10-5pm, Thursday 9 October 10-4pm.

More information from Nicky Swann 07778 882277

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12 OCTOBER Yorkshire’s Kate Rusby is a wonderful, wistful folk vocalist who sings with vivid emotion. And she’s very funny in between!

She is bringing her autumn tour to some parts of the UK not visited for a while, including Whitley Bay Playhouse. The crossover appeal Kate enjoys is unprecedented for a folk singer.

0844 248 1588 or book online at www.playhousewhitleybay.co.uk.

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OCTOBER

Japes galore in West End comedy Jeeves & Wooster in Perfect Nonsense at Newcastle Theatre Royal starring James Lance and John Gordon Sinclair as PG Wodehouse’s iconic double act. Lashings of aristocratic tomfoolery for sure. www.theatreroyal.co.uk

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OCTOBER

Feast on the best of North Yorkshire food at Richmond artisan food fayre. Everything from hand-crafted chocolates, Brewers Droop sausage, artisan sage and onion bread and Yorkshire curd tarts. Around 15 stands inside the town hall. http://brevents.co. uk/richmond-artisan-food-fayre/

OCTOBER

John Dance is CEO and Chief Investment Officer at Vertem Asset Management.

Call 0191 341 0280 or email johnd@verterm.co.uk Visit www.vertem.co.uk

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Meet and greet with Tony Hadley sounds like one for laydeez of a certain age! The Spandau front man is back at Sage with a performance of the band’s hits with a full orchestra.

Expect ‘Gold’, ‘Only When You Leave’, ‘Lifeline’ and of course the international number one ‘True’. A VIP package at £129 offers meet&greet with Tony, ticket, signed photo and a tour laminate. www.tony-hadley.com

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Treasures of souTh Tyneside

ures on display!

e the amazing treas nc rie pe ex d an n tum au s thi e sid Visit South Tyne The Glory of rome: s arbeia’s GreaTesT Treasure

Arbeia Roman Fort shows a true insight into Roman Britain and for a limited time currently displays artefacts of Rome including the spectacular Shield Boss!

The Shield was found near the mouth of the River Tyne in the early second century and is one of the oldest ever found in Europe.

Don’t miss the Regina and are some of the finest ch whi , nes Victor tombsto in. These pieces of sculpture from Roman Brita ember so Dec 12 l unti displays are only on display is well ory hist the – trip the make sure you make worth the visit!

The boldon book

3 is at The Boldon Book manuscript of 118 until ery Gall Art and South Shields Museum t to wan you if y hurr so ber the end of Octo 12th the of y cop g ivin surv iest see the earl past village century Boldon Book, learn about . two or history and hear a tale

banners of The norTh

on display at Bede’s World An array of treasures are currently be missed! The unique and in Jarrow and are definitely not to northern identity following one-of-a-kind jewellery shows our century gold signet 15th a ror. Among them are the invasion of William the Conque the Roses. the Percy family during the Wars of ring, believed to have belonged to rld.co.uk or museums.org.uk, www.bedeswo w.tw ww t: visi tion rma info re mo For k

www.visitsouthtyneside.co.u

IT’S HAPPENING in south tyneside

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OCTOBER 24

OCTOBER Durham will be doing vintage with an occasion for the whole family. Expect gorgeous vintage stalls brimming with sparkles, lace, chiffon - clothes, accessories, art, homewares, kitchenalia, crockery, prints, vinyl, and sweets. Enjoy activities and features fit for all types of folk and ages.

Vintage-inspired workshops, hair and beauty bar, live music, gents’ zone, cupcakes and more… www.britaindoesvintage.co.uk/

Beer people – your time is now!

More than 50 of the leading craft breweries from all corners of the globe assemble under one roof for the CraftBeerCalling offering more than 200 cask and keg beers.

The Festival at Newcastle’s Boiler Shop will feature “Meet The Brewer” sessions, an artisan cider cellar, gin bar and street food market – and will be sound tracked into the evening by world-class DJs. International breweries making the journey include New Zealand’s The Yeastie Boys, US Lagunitas and Sweden’s ‘Bryggeris’.

The international line-up will be joined by plenty of local favourites such as Wylam Brewery, Allendale, Tyne Bank, Three Kings and more. www.craftbeercalling.com

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OCTOBER

Now in its ninth year, BBC Radio 3’s Free Thinking Festival returns to Sage Gateshead for a weekend of debate, culture, live music and performance. The festival brings together high-profile figures from the worlds of arts, science, politics and literature to discuss and challenge current thinking on a range of topics, this year focusing on a theme of ‘The Limits of Knowledge’.

Highlights across the weekend include: folk musician Eliza Carthy, John Lanchester unlocks the mysteries of the financial world, Alison Light asks if there’s more to learn about the working-class past. Audiences can also see many of BBC Radio 3’s regular programmes being broadcast live from the venue, including CD Review, In Tune, Live in Concert, Music Matters, Sound of Cinema and Words and Music.

All events are free to the public. Tickets will be available from Monday 6 October. www.sagegateshead.com/freethinking.

NOVEMBER 2 Break and make bread with the experts at Beamish. Learn the art of making freshly-baked bread on a Traditional Bread Baking Experience.

Discover more about the history of bread-making while you create a wonderful variety of breads, all in the beautiful period setting of Herron’s Bakery in the 1910s town.

Then take home your wares to impress your friends and family. www.beamish.org.uk

OCTOBER 4 & NOV 2 Vintage hunters out there… the Vintage Fair people are back in Hexham and at Newcastle’s Royal Station Hotel with an abundance of vintage glories from traders selling their wares sourced from Parisienne flea markets and beyond. www.newcastlevintagefashionfair.co.uk/

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Ruby Wax’s well-documented battle with depression gets her unique funny treatment in a show at Mill Volvo Tyne Theatre based on her acclaimed book Sane New World. She has become a mental health campaigner and gained a Masters degree in Mindfulnessbased Cognitive Therapy from Oxford University.

This show is your passport to saner living… she might not be sane herself but she does a pretty good imitation. www.eventim.co.uk

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER Ballet delights from one of the best - Birmingham Royal Ballet brings Beauty and the Beast to Sunderland Empire. A towering gothic fairytale featuring a beautiful girl, a hideous beast, a golden ballroom full of animals and more. www.atgtickets.com/sunderland

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NOVEMBER

A Titanic experience without the sinking feeling for a fund-raiser with a difference! Using specialist offshore training facilities at their state-of-the-art centre in Haverton Hill, guests will enjoy a combination of fine dining, great entertainment and the optional experience to heed the call to ‘abandon ship’ and make to the lifeboats! The evening will ‘set sail’ from Falck’s Haverton Hill location and will truly be a night to remember. This is a gala fundraising event with optional themed dress; all proceeds for the evening will go towards the Billingham Legacy Foundation.

Contact Pat Chambers to book on 07770455651 or billinghamlegacyfoundation@gmail.com

13 NOVEMBER Wine man Oz Clarke hosts a dinner with The Newcastle Wine School at Jesmond Dene House. A five-course dinner will include wine tasting as Oz shares some of his wine adventures. £95 per person. The menu has been created by head chef Michael Penaluna and the matching Bordeaux wines will be specifically chosen by Oz. www. jesmonddenehouse.co.uk/

17 NOVEMBER

We love the sound of Gregory Porter – hear the jazz/soul vocalist hailed as the new ‘king of jazz’ at Sage. Porter’s ‘Be Good’ album earned a GRAMMY nomination for ‘Best Traditional R&B Performance’. This year he won a GRAMMY for ‘Best Vocal Jazz Album’. A performer of extraordinary presence who has been compared to the greatest, such as Nat King Cole, Donny Hathaway and Marvin Gaye. www.sagegateshead.com

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The ballet classic Swan Lake is a breathtaking treat. It comes to Playhouse, Whitley Bay with Moscow Ballet La Classique presenting Tchaikovsky's classic piece on Swan Lake, this November. The ballet is a favourite of ballerinas and audiences alike; all leading dancers want to dance Swan Lake during their careers and all audiences want to see them dance in this, the ultimate fairy tale ballet. www.playhousewhitleybay.co.uk

29 NOVEMBER Alfie Boe will perform favourite classic tracks with his orchestra including Bridge Over Troubled Water, Granada, Maria and Nessun Dorma, as well as his iconic Bring Him Home from Les Miserables, by which Boe has become a worldwide star. He’s at Newcastle Metro Radio Arena supported by SOL3 Mio, made up of two tenor brothers, Pene and Amitai Pati from Auckland, New Zealand and baritone Moses Mackay. www.metroradioarena.co.uk

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OCTOBER

BOOKIES’ FAVOURITE Big names in books and beyond line up for the always superb Durham Book Festival.

Sheila Hancock, Kate Adie and Dennis Skinner are among the big names.

Other notables include journalist Kirsty Wark, Wild Swans author Jung Chang, How I Live Now writer Meg Rosoff and performance poet Kate Tempest.

Well-loved broadcaster Stuart Maconie will also be taking part and launched the event in Durham last month.

The programme offers events, readings and discussions for all ages – you can hear former MP Chris Mullin’s tribute to Tony Benn, see the premiere of new drama War Correspondents – while children can be thrilled by a new musical theatre adaptation of the picture book The Worst Princess.

See the full programme and tickets for this year’s festival will be available online at www.durhambookfestival.com

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for fashion

If fashion is your thing then we’ve got the region’s biggest selection of shops with thousands of brands to keep you happy. With everything from designer labels to cutting-edge high street fashions and purse-friendly favourites, intu Metrocentre has got it all. If entertainment is more your thing then we have the only IMAX cinema in the region and more restaurants and coffee shops to satisfy your appetite. Whatever the weather, whatever you’re looking for, intu Metrocentre, it’s a great day in.

Don’t forget to keep up to date with everything at intu Metrocentre on Facebook and Twitter @intuMetrocentre.

SEP/OCT14

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Hear this

MAKE SOME NOISE

Yarm’s newest riverside concert hall is preparing for some big sounds this autumn

The sounds of big band jazz and world-class brass will be among musical highlights at Yarm’s newest concert venue this autumn.

National Youth Jazz Orchestra and the famous Black Dyke Brass Band are two of the performances at Yarm School’s Princess Alexandra Auditorium, a 750-seat auditorium on the banks of the River Tees.

The NYJO will perform on September 27 led

by Bill Ashton with a repertoire that covers a wide variety of styles.

The Black Dyke Band, performing on November 8, is the most recorded band in the world and the most successful contesting band in the world.

The performances will showcase the school’s auditorium to its full potential. The arts development was part of a re-development of the school’s sites which began in 2009.

The riverside performing arts centre for music, dance and drama boasts the impressive 750-seat auditorium, which hosts a variety of productions that are open to the whole community, as well as a dance studio, studio theatre and recital room.

There is also a glass atrium with a Costa coffee bar and stunning views over the Tees and surrounding countryside and external terraces on the riverbank.

For headteacher David Dunn it is the culmination of much hard work – and marks the 15-year tenure shared alongside his deputy David Woodward.

Their combined thirty years at the helm of the independent school means that they are something of a rarity in education.

These two inspirational figureheads share an infectious energy and enthusiasm for their school and are still keenly ambitious for its future.

Both Davids came to Yarm from opposite ends of the country – David Dunn from a post as deputy head at Stewart’s Melville College in Edinburgh, one of Scotland’s

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leading schools, while David Woodward came from Epsom College in Surrey where he had been head of Biology. The incumbent headmaster, Neville Tate, had created a school that was already doing well academically and in sports.

At 38 when appointed, David was one of the youngest heads in the country. Both men, who are now 53 and 50 respectively, are married to teachers and both have children who went to Yarm School. David Dunn still has his two daughters at the school while one of David Woodward’s sons is studying at Bristol and the second is studying for GCSEs. The two Davids share a common ethos or a spirit of community that builds on the foundations of the school where the pupil is at the centre.

David Woodward sums it up: “We’ve always wanted to stay true to the founding ethos of the holistic student with good academic achievements who also becomes a well-rounded adult with other achievements, skills and abilities.”

Former students have gone on to excel in many different walks of life ranging from Kat Copeland as an Olympic rowing gold medallist to James Wharton MP, who entered Parliament at the age of 29, making him one of the youngest ever members of that House. There are also younger alumni such as Sarah Gardener, a highly talented pianist, who last year won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music, and Zak Kibirige, 20, who now plays rugby for England.

Yarm, which is situated on a beautiful stretch of the River Tees, was established in 1978 to provide high quality education for boys aged 11 to 18. One of the first changes the two Davids introduced at the start of their tenure in 1999 was to make the school co-educational.

“Going co-ed was something we wanted to do almost immediately and we made that change within one year,” David Dunn recalls.

“When boys and girls can actually sit next

to each other it creates a much more harmonious and natural upbringing and leads to more well-rounded adults. One of our most important priorities is to prepare pupils for life and the world of work.

Nobody wants to employ somebody who has never worked alongside an individual of the opposite gender.”

The two men have worked in tandem for 15 years and operate on the basis of a shared belief in the school. Both regard their roles

as a “passion and life investment” and “much more like a vocation”.

David Dunn muses: “The heart is definitely Yarm through and through. Yarm is like an extended family that will soon start to span through the generations.”

Tickets for the autumn concerts are available from Strickland and Holt in Yarm High Street. www.ents24.com/yarm-events/ princess-alexandra-auditorium-yarm-school

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In our garden, nature has two sides.

One of the world’s most contemporary gardens, The Alnwick Garden features Europe’s largest wooden treehouse, the Poison Garden and the Bamboo Labyrinth, as well as interactive water features and a stunning ornamental garden. An alternative day out, this enchanting landscape offers discovery and relaxation at the heart of Northumberland.

Visit alnwickgarden.com

A different class of membership...

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Becoming a member at Rockliffe Hall means more than just joining a club.

With excellent benefits across the resort and a choice of options from individual golf only to full resort which includes spa use for you or your partner.

Add to this members’ competitions, a great social calendar plus all round friendly support from our PGA professionals and golf services team and you’ll begin to see why we’re in a league of our own when it comes to membership.

Spa membership combines all the benefits of an exclusive fitness club with the space, relaxation and pampering you would expect from an award-winning Spa. With a host of benefits, including unlimited access to our 50 piece Technogym, 20 metre pool, hydropool and exceptional fitness support.

As a member you can join in with Rockliffe’s extensive year round social calendar, enjoy a 20% discount off food and drinks in all our restaurants (including the Orangery), Spa Treatments*, Golf Tuition* and most retail purchases from our Spa boutique or Golf shop.

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SEP/OCT14

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CONGRATULATIONS TO US!

We’re celebrating our 30th edition… Happy Birthday to us from some of our cover stars and favourite faces

ANT&DEC >> We love to get our hands on Luxe when we get to Newcastle airport.

PAM ROYLE >> Congratulations to Luxe on your 30th edition. Always a pleasure to relax with a read full of glam and gloss

JAMIE HELLEUR >> Happy Birthday to Luxe, a great supporter of Newcastle Falcons. Hope you celebrate in style

DAME TANNI GREY-THOMPSON >> Happy Birthday Luxe, a very stylish read full of the best things in the region

ALAN SHEARER >> The magazine that got a frying pan in my hand and an apron on - never lived it down! Worth it for a curry named after me. Happy Birthday Luxe, a great read for the region

STEVEN TAYLOR, NUFC >> All the best for your 30th. That’s some going and every edition I’ve seen has been a great read, especially for a North East lad like myself who likes to keep up with what’s going on in the region. Keep up the good work.

RICHARD KILTY >> Can’t get to my copy of Luxe fast enough. Happy Birthday to a winning team

FAB FLOURNOY >> Happy Birthday Luxe! I love to cook so you putting me in a room with Bob Arora to learn a new fish dish was a great way to spend an afternoon away from the basketball court. I hope you invite me back soon!

EUGENE MCCOY >> Happy Birthday to the best magazine in the North

MARK BENTON >> All good wishes to Luxe magazine, a damn fine read for the North East

MAIMIE MCCOY >> Happy Happy Birthday!

Love a good flick through Luxe when I head back North.

GEORGE CLARKE >> May you build on your success. Happy Birthday

PETE GRAVES >> Official vindaloo genius – thanks Curry Classroom and Luxe Mag. Happy and hot Birthday

ANNA FOSTER >> I am now a curry queen – love Luxe for a good regional read, Happy Birthday

TERRY LAYBOURNE >> Hope we’ve inspired some entertaining nights round the table

STACIE STEWART >> Ah lovely! Happy birthday Luxe. Here’s to many more years of success.

JEFF STELLING >> Luxe – almost as fabulous as Pools

STEVE HARMISON >> Nice to see Luxe batting for the North East, Happy Birthday

JAMES CLOSE >> Luxe, a fine example of great local produce. Happy Birthday

ALAN PARDEW >> A good read for the North East, Happy Birthday

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SEP/OCT14

ADVERTORIAL

Don’t Settle For Second Best

When you think “boutique”, you may well think upmarket hotel or tasteful designer shop; you probably don’t think lawyer

If you are select and discerning in other areas of your life though, why would you not also make superior choices when seeking specialist advice that goes to the core of your personal family life?

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For such a young business, Major Family Law enjoys an enviable reputation within the legal profession and the wider business community. The Legal 500 (the definitive directory of the top lawyers and legal practices in the UK) describes the practice as “pre-eminent”, and practice founder, Joanne Major, as a “well-respected rainmaker”, noting that she has “a keen eye for the market, and has put together an extremely strong team”. Joanne’s hand can be seen in every aspect of the business, from the discriminating choice of furnishings throughout the offices, to the hand-picked team of specialists who are an essential factor in the practice’s exceptional renown.

Joanne founded Major Family Law in January 2009 and on the strength of her expertise, local reputation and innovative approach to business, Joanne has grown the business over the last five years from sole practitioner to a thriving practice with a formidable team of expert lawyers, specialist consultants and legal assistants. In 2013, Joanne won a national award for her innovative approach to legal practice and she is the only family law solicitor in the North of England to be listed by the Legal 500 two years in a row as a Leading Individual in her field.

Aside from running and continually expanding her practice, Joanne continues to practice full-time as a lawyer, for which she is much in demand. She is highly experienced in all aspects of family law, but specialises in complex high-networth divorce and separation financial cases, with commercial bias. She is committed to dispute resolution, is a trained collaborative lawyer and is a member of Resolution. Joanne believes that one of the unique strengths of her practice is their track record in resolving disputes without needing to resort to the expense and stress of court proceedings. With over 80% of cases concluding by way of negotiated settlements, Joanne asserts that this is as a result of offering a team who are each specialists within their field of expertise.

She is also a firm believer in being able to offer clients the “whole package”, and to that extent was the first family law firm to offer clients the support of an independent relationship consultant. She also has a wealth of contacts at her fingertips to draw on their skilled and specific expertise as cases require, including forensic accountants, medical professionals and specialist barristers, selected specifically for their authority and reputation within their individual fields.

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Joanne Major is the Principal at Major Family Law, the Divorce and Family Law Specialists, 12 West Road, Ponteland, Newcastle Upon Tyne. Tel: 01661 824582 www.majorfamilylaw.co.uk. Twitter: @majorfamilylaw

Julian Opie Collected Works

25 OCTOBER 2014 – 22 FEBRUARY 2015

This eclectic exhibition brings together Opie’s own creative work with items from his personal collection of art from the Ancient World and 17th and 18th century British Portraiture.

See his work within the context of his collection which offers a fascinating insight into his work.

SEP/OCT14

Barnard Castle DL12 8NP Open daily 10.00 – 5.00 FREE entry to Café Bowes & Shop

01833 690606

www.thebowesmuseum.org.uk

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LUXE LIFE

KIM MILJUS Kim is managing director of Global Radio North East which includes managing Capital FM and the region’s newest station, Heart. She lives in Hexham with husband Mane and has two daughters, Nina, 27 and Sasha, 25. She has worked in media and marketing since graduating from Newcastle Poly in 1980 LUXE PEOPLE >> Ashley Tabor, he’s the founder and executive president of Global Radio. He’s the most powerful, inspirational and visionary man in commercial radio today. He’s an amazing man, he’s revolutionised the commercial radio industry, built the three biggest radio brands in the UK and has taken on the BBC and still has time for his people. He recently called me from Barbados while on holiday to congratulate me and my team on our ongoing success.

LUXE PLACES >> For a weekend > Newton by the Sea on the Northumberland coast. My grandparents discovered this remote and breathtakingly beautiful beach over 80 years ago and built a cottage on the dunes! So began our families’ love affair with this very special place. We still have a holiday cottage on the dunes so every available weekend you’ll find me here!

A long holiday > Kotor in Montenegro. We discovered this beautifully unspoilt medieval town in the Bay of Kotor, surrounded by stunning mountains, over 12 years ago and have been holidaying here ever since.

LUXE RELAX >> Best food > Cod caught fresh from the North Sea by my husband (or at the Joiner’s if he’s unsuccessful!)

Best wine > Sainsbury’s own Pinot Grigio Rose Blush - it’s so

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light and delicious for summer weekends at the coast and at £4.75 a bottle it’s a steal!

Favourite restaurant > Local would have to be The Angel in Corbridge for consistently good food, and further afield, Catovica Mlini near Kotor for fabulous seafood in this famous restaurant converted from a water-driven flour mill set in tranquil and beautiful gardens.

Perfect weekend > Friday night, sitting on my veranda at the beach cottage watching the moon rise over Dunstanburgh Castle with a large glass of rose, waking up to “diamonds on the sea” on Saturday morning with a cup of tea in bed, dinner with my girls, hubby and friends at The Joiners Arms, Newton on Saturday night followed by live music in the Ship at Low Newton and a BBQ lunch on the dunes on Sunday, back home late and crash into bed!

Best telly > The Good Wife and Nashville Best theatre > Newcastle Theatre Royal, any musical, sitting on my own named seat bought by my mother on behalf of my grandparents, who loved this theatre.

Anyone can do this, it’s a wonderful way to support this stunning theatre.

Best sounds > I wake up to Capital, the biggest hits get me going, and then Heart through the day and drive home for the classics from the last three decades. You can’t beat listening to Mark Wright Club Classics when you’re getting ready to go out on a Friday or Saturday night.

LUXE SHOP >> Best shopping city > Newcastle (and shopping centre would be Metrocentre) Favourite shop > Fenwick and House of Fraser. Luxe retail treat – Jo Malone candles.

Best buy > My Karen Millen turquoise satin dress. In fact, anything Karen Millen, they are wardrobe staples for work, smart casual and evening dress.

LUXE PARTY >> A memorable night out > My 50th at the Sportsman, Embleton, overlooking Embleton Bay. Friends from all over the world, family, live music and fish and chips cooked to order from the mobile van!

Perfect party > As above!

Best dress/favourite item of clothing > Karen Millen turquoise satin cocktail dress. It must be over 10 years old and it’s still my favourite.

Dinner date > Apart from my hubby and anyone in my family, Robbie Williams and Elvis! Now that would be interesting.

YOUR LUXE THING IN LIFE >> Apart from anything to do with my family, it would have to be my radio stations, the other love in my life that I am totally obsessed with!

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SEP/OCT14

FOLK & FIDDLE

It’s the day after the spectacular night before. Kathryn Tickell is back home in Redesdale, in the so-remote former watermill that is her home and the landscape for her music.

The population hereabouts is made up of little more than sheep and a cluster of wind turbines.

Its sparseness could hardly be more different to the sight of thronging crowds lining Newcastle Quayside that had faced Northumbrian pipes and violin player Kathryn the previous evening.

Those crowds and Newcastle, had just seen the night of their life.

As the Great North Run Million Opening Ceremony brought the River Tyne and its banks to life, Kathryn, 47, admits she shed a tear.

She was on stage with Sting, performing music from The Last Ship, his own musical homage to shipbuilding on the Tyne.

But what stirred Kathryn most was a backstage moment she will never forget.

“It was quite an experience, standing looking out over the Newcastle skyline and hearing Mark Knopfler playing Local Hero right next to you... I have to admit there was a tear in my eye… and I wasn’t the only one!” she says.

It was a massive day for all of Newcastle and one long in the planning. A gathering of Northumberland greats in celebration of the Great North Run and all it has brought to the region.

“I really enjoyed taking part in the GNR Million celebrations down on the Quayside - when I was first asked to be part of it I had no idea that it was going to be such a spectacular event, we were all there throughout the day rehearsing and sound-checking and it was great seeing everybody starting to get more and more excited about being part of it all.

“The only problem was that all the performers had to stay on the Gateshead side of the river and we were all trying to work out ways of sneaking across to the Newcastle side so that we could get a better view of it all,” says Kathryn.

The showcase couldn’t have been a better way to mark the announcement of her participation in Sting’s The Last Ship, his Broadway musical which will be performed at Sage next April in aid of the Sage 10th Anniversary Appeal.

Kathryn has been part of that production from its inception and has worked with Sting many times over the years.

When he was starting The Last Ship she went

Sounds of

home The stage, The Sage, The Side and Sting feature heavily in Kathryn Tickell’s life. Kathryn Armstrong meets a musician of the moment

It was quite an experience, standing looking out over the Newcastle skyline and hearing Mark Knopfler playing Local Hero right next to you.

SEP/OCT14

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FOLK & FIDDLE

FAC TS >>

THE LAST SHIP>> Kathryn will join Sting on stage next April for two performances of The Last Ship to benefi t the Sage Gateshead 10th Birthday Appeal. Sting will perform songs from ‘The Last Ship’, his latest album and Broadway musical of the same name, on 24 and 25 April. These will be the only UK performances of their kind.

Inspired by and set in Sting’s hometown of Wallsend, The Last Ship tells a universal story. Drawn from his childhood growing up beside the Swan Hunter’s shipyard, The Last Ship is very personal to Sting yet also echoes the experiences of those working in shipyards along the Wear, Clyde, Mersey or any Northern port, as well as post-industrial communities the world over.

The play was originally work-shopped with local musicians and actors at Newcastle’s Live Theatre, ahead of its upcoming Broadway debut, but for Sting, it was never in doubt that the songs of The Last Ship should be performed for a North East audience, as he explains: “The Last Ship’ is a musical allegory set in Wallsend, the town where I was born and raised. The demise of industry - not only in shipyards like Tyneside and Gdansk, but also great manufacturing centres like Detroit - has been well documented and the effect of that demise on the identity and future of local communities particularly resonates with me.

“I’m very much looking forward to bringing these songs and stories home.”

Sting will be also be joined onstage at the Sage by The Wilson Family from Billingham. www.sagegateshead.com

down to his home and studio in Wiltshire for a meeting. “We were still there four days later.”

Of the concert at Sage next year she says: “I’m delighted that Sting is bringing the songs from the Last Ship musical back to the North East.

“We played all the songs at a series of concerts in New York last year and I know that Sting was always keen to get the opportunity to bring them back to a home audience.

“I was involved with it from the beginning and seeing it develop and taking it to New York was really exciting. A lot of people from the North East were involved and it is proud to be about the North East.”

Her collaborations with Sting and those New York travels sound starry and glamorous. She would hate to be thought of as either.

With her trademark red hair and gentle demeanour she is a musician’s musician, with a raft of accolades including BBC Folk Musician of the year in 2013 and in 2009, she was presented with The Queen’s Medal for Music, awarded to those deemed to have made an outstanding contribution to British music.

She has been instrumental in raising the profile of folk music.

She laughs: “When I started out in music, folk was a bit of a dirty word, now it’s the in-thing,” she concedes.

“Music goes in cycles, comes in and goes back. Look at people like The Unthanks. They take old songs and build a very different sound around them but they don’t mess with the traditions.”

Which brings us nicely to Kathryn’s latest collaboration, an album with her new band, The Side.

The quartet was formed after a project for Festival

26

of the North East last year. Categorise not. You will find a cellist, a clog dancing accordion player and a harpist alongside Kathryn and her Northumbrian small pipes.

Classical or folk then? “As soon as you try to describe it, it sounds like something I would hate,” she laughs.

“You can’t say it’s just a band, people want to categorise you, is it classical, is it folk? I wish people would just take a chance and go to a concert!”

The band comprises Royal Northern Sinfonia’s cellist Louisa Tuck, accordionist Amy Thatcher, and harpist Ruth Wall, who has collaborated with Goldfrapp.

They are a geographically widespread bunch, Amy in Yorkshire, Ruth is in Cornwall, which surely makes rehearsals a challenge?

“Well Amy, Louisa and me got together for an iPhone recording – so it is a strange way of rehearsing.

“Actually, the band is the most ridiculous idea really but when we do get together then we get really excited about what we are doing.

“Ten years ago I would have thought there were far too many logistical problems but I am at the point in my career where I am not away so much and there is social media, so we can make it work.

“We’re putting repertoire together that’s new for the band, the more you play, the better you get at how you blend instruments like the cello and accordion. Louisa and Ruth have a classical background and I want to bring out the best of that with pieces that embrace folk and classical traditions.

“I hope we can reach out to new people with this, I say, just come and listen.”

The demands of a family, Kathryn is mum to two girls, aged

Kathryn has recorded 14 CDs under her own name and has played at venues including Carnegie Hall, The South Bank Centre, The Barbican and at the European Parliament.

She has worked with a wide range of musicians from all genres and styles including Evelyn Glennie, John Surman, Andy Sheppard, The Penguin Café Orchestra, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies and Sting.

In 1997 Kathryn founded the “Young Musicians’ Fund”. To date some £98,000 has been raised to help young people in the North East to realise their musical potential.

She was a founder of the BMus in Folk and Traditional Music at Newcastle University In 2002 Kathryn became artistic director of Folkestra, a new ‘supergroup’ of young musicians and singers from the North East and Cumbria.

I was involved with it from the beginning and seeing it develop and taking it to New York was really exciting. It is proud to be about the North East

nine and six with husband Agustín Fernández, professor of music at Newcastle University, means that touring is now, ‘like going on holiday’ .

Her music has a global reach but is rooted in home and Northumbrian surroundings.

The family home is a solid converted water mill with the thickest walls and huge ancient but efficient fireplaces.

It is surrounded by a walking wilderness, perfect for the family’s teddy bear of a dog, a Bouvier de Flanders, who bounds with energy.

It goes without saying that musical references are everywhere. From the piano where Kathryn spends her days composing to the junior-size music stand in the sunroom with beginner pieces where the girls are learning.

Is she a hard task-master when it comes to practice?

“I am really grateful to my dad for making me practice – if you don’t, it can be awful! I remember once he told me that if I didn’t practice the pipes he would take them off me. I knew I didn’t want that.

“When I was little it never entered my head that I would be a musician,” she says.

“My dad’s family were uninhibited musicians and would get up anywhere and sing or do recitations. It could be terribly embarrassing.

“I learned the fiddle first then the piano – I got granddad’s piano.

“The music I loved wasn’t really accepted when I was growing up so it is strange to find myself teaching it now.”

The Side play Arc, Stockton on November 4 and Sage, Gateshead November 5. www.kathryntickell.com

SEP/OCT14

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WELCOME HOME

LUXE LOVES Fall in leaves

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LEANNE GILLESPIE Leanne lives in Bradbury with husband Christopher and their two girls. She opened Reef Hair & Beauty salon in Durham City when she was 22 years old.

She owns the company with Cheryl Rippon and they have recently opened within Wynyard Hall Hotel

LUXE PEOPLE >> My family. Nothing better after a hard day’s work than coming home to my family.

LUXE PLACES >> For a weekend > For a weekend I love being at home.

I work really long hours so I value and enjoy my home time.

A long holiday > I am extremely lucky that I get to travel a lot as my husband works for an airline.

I honestly don’t think I can say a favourite place as everywhere I have been brings its own experience and amazing memories. We did go to a Six Senses resort for our honeymoon in Oman which I have to say was out of this world.

A treat > A girlie break - this could be anywhere. I find it very hard to catch up with friends as work and family take up most of my time, so it’s the catching up rather than the destination that is important.

LUXE RELAX >> Best food > Indian. In moderation!

Best wine > I am partial to a glass of prosecco Favourite restaurant > We have friends that own Mamma’s Italian restaurant so I am going with that; it’s delicious!

Perfect weekend > A perfect Saturday would be for me to have a day off work, and my husband to be home and grandma to have our girls for the afternoon. We’d go to the local squash club for club afternoon followed by a couple of drinks at our village pub, then home to our girls for a family movie. Can’t beat it. Exercise, drinks and family time all in one day.

Downtime means > Housework all done, don’t have to taxi anyone anywhere so we can get the family board games out.

Best telly > Out of touch with this - my husband and children control the remote.

Best book > Touching the Void.

Best sounds > My taste is so random when it comes to music so anything from Michael Jackson, The Beatles, Ellie Goulding.

LUXE SHOP >> Best shopping city > New York by far.

Favourite shop > All Saints Luxe retail treat > I really enjoy buying new sports kit. Sad, I know, but keeping fit is so important to me.

Best buy > All Saints coat I purchased for the winter ages ago. It comes out every year, I still love it.

LUXE PARTY >> Perfect party > Family and friends at our home. We really do enjoy entertaining.

Best outfi t > Can I say my Nike shorts and a hoody?

Dinner Date > It has to be watching my husband cook a nice meal while I sit and relax with a glass of fizz; he is an amazing cook.

Your luxe things in life > Something I will never take for granted is time with my family. I treasure every second we are together.

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eat Cup runneth over A craft coffee roastery in a restored granary is the start of an exciting gourmet adventure for a couple diving in to the ‘Third Wave Coffee’ movement. Kathryn Armstrong went cupping

Steam shooting through a small window in an old brick wall is the visual giveaway. A few steps in and you get the full-senses hit of roasting coffee.

Few things smell as evocative and here at Rounton Coffee Roasters it’s all systems go as David Beattie and Tracy Lee roast beans for the day’s signature Granary Blend.

The surroundings are as earthy and rustic as it gets. Hessian coffee bean sacks at the windows, rough brick walls and reclaimed furniture, all brought back to their rugged glory by the couple.

But at the roasting machine there’s trained chemical engineer David at the precision technical end of things, clipboard in hand, charting temperature and roast to ensure his beans reach the maximum roasted flavour point rather than ‘burn’ that is key to their whole business.

They are not out to make the punchiest Italian espresso here – the aim is coffee that sings with flavour, will give the morning buzz you need but brings you subtleties of taste from the bean that are as intricate and nurtured as a winemaker and his grape.

They have adopted the art of the craft roaster in the same way that brewers are making subtle and distinctive craft beers.

The emphasis is on clarity of flavour and small-scale processing.

It’s what is known as the ‘Third Wave of Coffee’, a movement to produce high-quality coffee and consider it an artisanal foodstuff, like wine. This involves improvements at all stages of production, from improving coffee plant growing, harvesting, and processing, to stronger relationships between coffee growers, traders, and roasters, to higher

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quality and fresh roasting, at times called micro-roasting as in micro-brewing.

Third Wave Coffee is about culinary appreciation of coffee in the same way that we have come to appreciate subtleties of flavor, varietal, and growing region in products like wine, tea, and chocolate.

The journey from rat race to roastery has been an inspirational one for David, 36, a trained chemical engineer from Teesside who found himself in a coffee plantation in Sumatra after taking a work break to travel.

“I got on a train at Middlesbrough and travelled to Europe, Russia, Mongolia and eventually found myself in Sumatra.

“I’d left behind 18-hour days, being available 24/7 and managing people in the engineering industry as an operations manager on a big site. Just a few weeks later I was pretty much lost in a jungle in a timber truck and the heavens opened,” he says.

On his travels David had met a Dutch couple and they travelled through the jungle with just a phone number for a coffee plantation – and realistically no likelihood of actually finding the remote village.

A chance meeting with ‘a man’ who happened to know their destination helped them get there and David stayed for a while, learning about the coffee growing business at its most fundamental.

From there the seed was sown.

“Coffee is the second largest traded commodity in the world after oil. I had an idea of importing the beans – I had been in New Zealand where craft coffee is huge – there were probably four roasters on every street, I spent a lot of time trying to learn about coffee from the most basic point.”

He returned to work and with Tracy a

plan began to take shape.

He was in Roots coffee shop in Rounton, North Yorkshire which is next to land owned by the Bell family, famously the family of explorer Gertrude Bell.

They saw an old granary and asked Lady Bell if they could rent the building to establish their artisan roasting house. Last August they were given the go-ahead and spent months clearing and restoring the old building, bringing it back to life but retaining its rustic features to fit in with their own vision of authenticity for their business.

Throughout this David was still working in the engineering business and Tracy worked as a supervisor in retail as well as looking after her two teenage children.

By the start of summer they had left their jobs to concentrate on the roastery.

“We held on to the dream,” laughs David.

“In a recession the independents will shine through – town centres are full of places selling dire stuff – craft pubs are growing and with our coffee business we wanted to offer something different and of quality and integrity.

“We roast ‘in season’ beans. We get them by an importer called Falcon Speciality based in York. We buy small amounts not truckloads.

“It is direct trade with the farmers to ensure they get a good price that makes it worth their while – Fairtrade buys at 120pc of the market price and direct trade at 140pc which ensures the farmer gets a good profit and can create good crops.”

Adds Tracy: “It means we can follow the origin of the coffee, that we know the farmer and the story of the coffee that we are selling and there is full traceability.”

The roasting operation is small scale for

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AROMA THERAPY

now – they have perfected their Granary Blend – a mix of Brazilian coffee for body, Sumatran for a kick and the chocolate edge then El Salvador beans to create a smooth and creamy finish.

They sell at farmers’ markets in the region and their coffee is in places like Roots café in Rounton, Northumberland Arms, Felton and The Vine Café at Helmsley Walled Garden.

They also roast single estate coffee and this is where the art of ‘cupping’ can be experienced in all its glory.

It is an exact science. Taken as seriously as any wine-tasting session. For our tasting session we are trying four different coffees – one of which is an Indian biodynamicallyfarmed bean.

Small glass tumblers are placed on a table.

In each is the same amount of coffee then this is topped up with boiling water. They are left for four minutes. You then take a

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dessertspoon to ‘crack’ through what is essentially a soft crust of coffee grains settled on the top of the glass. Cutting through this releases the ‘pouf’ of coffee aroma.

After smelling each it is time to take a sip of the different coffees and compare flavours – Kenyan is the ‘champagne’ of coffees, ‘intoxicating and rich’, says David.

“For body you would add the El Salvador or Brazilian – the Indian we are trying would offer the ‘kick’ and depth – and would cut through a milky drink.”

The coffee we buy off the shelf is given a 1-5 strength factor – which categorises the roasting time rather than giving much indication of actual flavour, says David.

“Third Wave Coffee is about getting the best

I got on a train at Middlesbrough and travelled to Europe, Russia, Mongolia and eventually found myself in Sumatra

out of the bean, not over-roasting it, trying to taste the origin rather than tasting the roast. If you roast a bean to obliteration then you get bitterness and a kick with no depth of flavour.

“The Italians will say they’ve been doing what they do for centuries – so who I am I to tell them but it is all about different flavours, tastes and opinions.”

This is where David’s clipboard and charts come in – charting the optimum point for the roast and flavour to marry.

“All of our coffees are medium roasted – the biggest observation people make is that it is not ‘strong’. But I would say, drink it without milk and then taste the flavours.

“Something like a Sumatran coffee I would roast that bit darker and get much deeper flavours – it has a deep, more chocolatey body that is a naturally strong, earthy and rich flavour.”

They will roast on demand for customers and offer a subscription service so that customers can get coffee to their door the day after it is roasted.

He suggests not keeping the coffee in the fridge – too much moisture but in a cool, dry sealed container.

David is also making sure that any waste from the coffee bean process is used for good. ‘Chaff’ is what is left over from the process – the dried skin on a coffee bean, the husk, which comes off during the roasting process.

David collects this and a neighbour uses it to make briquettes for wood-burners – which come with their very own faint whiff of coffee so you can wake up and smell the coffee even before the cafetiere is filled. www.rountoncoffee.co.uk

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TOP SHOT

Game show It’s the season of the shoot and a game feast to follow.

From Northumberland to North Yorkshire we’re blessed with the best game in the country.

If you’re a fan of field and fowl, here’s where and how to eat and cook the best – with some inspiring recipes to give you a challenge in the kitchen...

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SEP/OCT14

TOP SHOT

RHIAN CRADOCK at The Feathers, Hedley holds regular game dinners and game masterclasses from October to February. At these you can learn to pluck, truss, butcher and dress different game birds. Classes are for 8-16 people and cost £150 for three-hour class with a three-course game feast, matching wines and a sloe gin cocktail on arrival. www.thefeathersinn.net MARKET HAUL Ridley’s Fish & Game are one of the best suppliers of Northumberland game – find them at Hexham Market every Tuesday and Saturday. Or you can order online www.ridleysfi shandgame.co.uk VERSATILE VENISON & RICH REDS On 18 November, learn the virtues of venison with Andrew Pern at The Star, Harome and his ‘Versatile Venison & Rich Reds’ cookery course and dinner. Pick up tips for cooking deer dishes then find out from the professionals how they would select flavoursome red wines to complement rich dishes, such as venison. Andrew’s demonstration will include roe deer carpaccio and venison cottage pie. Carl Stanton of Bibendum will conduct a tutored wine-tasting before the two-course set game dinner. £75 per person or £295 for two people DB&B. www.thestaratharome.co.uk/star_courses.htm FUR AND FEATHERS Tuesday 30 September ‘Fur and Feathers’ is the culinary theme for a food demo and lunch with chef Dave Kennedy at Vallum Farm, Northumberland. Cookery demo, three-course lunch and a glass of fizz. £29.50pp. To book call 01434 672 406.

MRS PATMORE MOMENT Head to the Downton-esque surroundings of Carlton Cook School for a ‘Cooking Game’ session with master butcher David

Lishman and chef Richard Walton Allen. Carlton Towers has its own shoot so there’s always game available. The day class is packed with everything you need to know about preparing and cooking game. Discover a variety of different game and classical British country house recipes. Course fee, £125. www.cooksatcarlton.co.uk MOUTHWATERING Roasted grouse with blackberries and port wine is on the menu at a cooking day of autumn-inspired dishes at Arches Cookery School near Saltburn. Delve into a harvest festival of produce to create inspired seasonal recipes. Day course £110. www.archescookeryschool.co.uk/courses/ BIRD LUNCH Estate-fresh game on the menu from chef Simon Crannage at Swinton Park, Masham. From 28 October-30 November dive into ‘Partridge & Pheasant’ three-course lunch menus championing local produce sourced from the hotel’s walled garden or from the Swinton Estate, celebrating the arrival of new produce with each season. A foodie gift included. £25.95. www.swintonpark.com INSPIRING With inspiration from the moorland all around, Black Swan, Helmsley serves up a gourmet game dinner on 27 November, showcasing the fantastic selection of game on the doorstep. It will feature partridge, venison confit haunch, wild duck, pheasant breast and hare stew with dessert and matched wines. £65. Book on 01439 770466. www.blackswan-helmsley.co.uk HEARTY STUFF The Barrasford Arms in Northumberland is worth checking out for its seasonal menu, very likely to be featuring game – it’s usually an appreciation of produce in season on the doorstep – and chef Tony Binks can knock up a fine game casserole! www.barrasfordarms.co.uk

In season, hare today >> Here’s one for the adventurous – a game recipe from James Cooper, head chef at The Cleveland Tontine. He’s blessed with amazing game right on the doorstep. The hare in this recipe comes from a local supplier in Stokesley. “I’m not going to let everyone in to the secret though,” says James. “Game features very heavily on our menu at this time of year with partridge, grouse, woodcock, teal, snipe, rabbit, hare and pigeon. That should keep the most avid game fan happy!”

HERB CRUSTED LOCAL HARE PIE, SAUSAGE AND MASH – SERVES 4 HERB BREADCRUMBS Ingredients >> 20g chopped flat leaf parsley 100g breadcrumbs 3g lavender ends (optional) Method >> Place all ingredients in a blender until fine Loin of hare Ingredients 4 loins of hare, cut in half 8 slices of pancetta Method >> Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.

Lay out a large piece of cling film and lay the pancetta slices overlapping on top. Place the 2 pieces of each loin on the pancetta with the narrow ends facing to the middle Roll the loins into a cylinder and secure the ends. Slice the wrapped loin into four pieces and, leaving the cling film on, pan fry in a hot pan with a knob of butter and 1 tablespoon of oil until sealed and golden brown. Place in the oven for 4 mins. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 8 mins. Sprinkle the crumb on the flat side of the loin HARE SAUSAGE Ingredients >> 1 hare leg 100g bacon

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50g diced Granny Smith apples 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed Pinch each of ground mace, mixed spice, fine ground white pepper and chopped thyme 50g sausage skins Method >> Place the raw hare leg and the bacon in a food processor and blend. Add all the other ingredients and mix well. Place the mix in a piping bag and cut off the end. Push the end of the sausage skin over the end of the bag and then pipe the mix into the skin. Twist the sausage every 4cm to make small sausages. Chill for 1 hour then cut into individual sausages. Grill until golden brown BRAISED HARE LEG Ingredients >> Ingredients 2 hare legs 30g unsalted butter 50g diced carrots 50g onion cut into wedges 2 cloves peeled garlic Pinch lemon thyme 200ml red wine 200ml beef gravy 500ml water 4 x 3cm shortcrust pastry tart case Mashed potato Method >> Fry the hare legs in butter until golden brown.

Fry all the vegetables until golden brown.

Put the hare legs and vegetables together in the same pan, add the wine and cook until liquid is reduced by half.

Add the gravy and the water. Simmer for 2 hours or until the leg meat comes off the bone with ease. Strain the liquid from the pan and reduce to a sauce consistency Pick the meat off the legs and add to the sauce. Place in the pastry case and top with mashed potato. Place the loin, sausage and pie on a plate and drizzle with any remaining sauce. Serve with mash and honey roasted turnips. www.clevelandtontine.co.uk

Rhian Cradock’s Venison Pie >> Rhian’s pub, The Feathers, at Hedley on the Hill in Northumberland has just won the accolade of County Dining Pub of the Year for Northumbria in the latest edition of the pub goers’ bible, the Good Pub Guide 2015. It is one of the best places in the region to eat game – we can testify to the punchy flavours in his game pie – and, when we visited, neighbours were dropping off freshly-caught game at his back door. In season there’s always game on the menu. This is the venison pie he made for Brian Turner on UKTV Food.

Haltwhistle roe venison pie with redcurrant jelly and Durham Black Velvet porter Ingredients >> (Serves 12) 3 kilos of stewing venison on the bone cut into large joints (i.e. shoulder, shin, and neck) or 2 kilos of stewing venison off the bone plus one kilo of venison bones 6 large carrots peeled and roughly chopped 3 onions peeled and chopped One head of celery washed and chopped 1 kilo of large field mushrooms broken up 1 head of garlic sliced through the middle 1 large bunch of sweet herbs tied with string i.e. thyme marjoram, bay leaves and rosemary.

2 pints or 1 litre of Durham Black Velvet porter Enough chicken or light beef stock to cover Maldon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper A little vegetable oil for frying Pastry 1 kilo of strong plain white flour. I use Gilchester Organic stone ground flour as it makes very good pastry.

1/2 kilo shredded beef suet 2 teaspoons of baking powder 2 teaspoons of salt 2 teaspoons of mustard powder 2 teaspoons of picked thyme leaves Enough cold water to make a dough, approx half a litre Method >> Using a little oil brown the joints of meat in a large frying pan till well browned. Add the vegetables and herb bundle towards the end.

Deglaze with beer and allow to evaporate. Cover with stock, bring to boil, season the liquid and cover tightly with tin foil. Place in an oven at 180 centigrade or until the meat is falling off the bone. Once the meat is cooked take off the liquor using a sieve, reserving the vegetables and liquor. Shred the meat into large chunks.

Add the reserved vegetables and season to taste. Place the reserved liquor in a pan and reduce over a high heat, skimming off any scum.

Reduce until the sauce has a strong flavour adding a little redcurrant jelly to sweeten.

Making the pastry: Mix all dry ingredients together then add enough water to make a firm dough. Roll out onto a floured surface. Line a 12-inch quiche ring with the pastry, allow it to hang over the sides. Cover the pastry with cling film and fill with baking beans. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180C till pastry is cooked.

Remove from oven and remove cling film. Pack the pastry case with the meat and vegetable mix adding a little of the gravy to moisten. Roll out enough pastry for the lid. Dampen the edges of the pasty with water and place the lid on top crimping with fingers. Cut to fit.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180C after brushing the top with a beaten egg for 45 mins till pastry is slightly risen and browned.

Allow to rest for 15 mins before serving.

Serve with creamy mashed potato and a green vegetable, in season, lightly steamed and the reserved sauce.

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The team: Chris Kippax, bar manager, Tom Adlam, head chef, Catherine Kersey, md

Drink

with Robin Winterschladen

The UK is Australia’s largest export market and although big brand names account for a large percentage of this there are also a number of small boutique wineries owned by families who are extremely passionate about winemaking and the quality of wine they produce.

Turkey Flat Vineyards, Barossa Valley, South Australia Turkey Flat is a family-owned estate on the banks of the Tanunda Creek in the heart of the Barossa Valley. Here, where wild bush turkeys used to roam, are some of the oldest Shiraz vines in Australia, dating back to 1847.

Christie Schulz, the proprietor, is the fourth generation of the family to become caretaker of this remarkable property with her three sons. >> Butchers Block White 2011, £11.99 Made from traditional Rhone varieties, this wine is a blend of Marsanne, Viognier and Roussanne grapes.

These are fermented separately and then 50 per cent is matured in old and new French oak barrels. They are subsequently blended together, resulting in a lovely aromatic wine that is rich and full-flavoured with a fresh crisp acidity, displaying all of the distinctive characteristics of these noble varieties.

Butchers Block Red 2012, £11.99 This wine is also made from traditional Rhone varieties and is a blend of Shiraz, Grenache and Mourvedre grapes, some of which are sourced from the original vines. It is a big powerful red: the Shiraz provides the backbone with a good balance of ripe flavours and varietal spice, the Grenache adds a cherry sweetness which helps tame the Shiraz, while the Mourvedre adds extra layers of fruit flavours. Aging for 14 months brings all the distinctive fruit flavours together.

Turkey Flat Rose 2013, £12.99 This rose is a blend of four classic grape varieties – mostly Grenache (81%), blended with Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Dolcetto. It has lovely ripe aromas of fresh strawberries and raspberries with slight herbal notes. The palate is light and fresh with good vibrant berry fruit flavours and just enough sweetness from the fresh ripe fruit to balance the crisp acidity and dry finish.

Yering Station, Yarra Valley, South Australia The Yarra Valley is situated in the state of Victoria in the south east corner of Australia. Yering Station was the first vineyard to be planted in Victoria in 1838 and over the years has won many awards for its wines. It was purchased by the Rathbone family in 1996, continuing the winery’s fine heritage.

Little Yering Chardonnay 2011, £9.99 This hand-crafted wine has been part fermented in oak barrels and part fermented in stainless steel before being matured in French oak for about nine months. It has intense, fresh citrus aromas with gentle mineral notes and a creamy, nutty complexity. Medium-bodied with a good depth of ripe fruit flavours, oak and acidity.

Little Yering Pinot Noir 2012, £9.99 The slightly cooler climate of the Yarra Valley is ideal for the Pinot Noir grape. This wine has been matured for 12 months in French oak. It has aromas of violets, plus red and black cherries, with a slight spiciness and subtle vanilla oak. The palate is soft, rich and juicy with a lovely mix of elegant fruit, savoury spice, earthy undertones and a long lingering finish.

Robin Winterschladen is wine buyer for the Wine Shop at Fenwick, Newcastle

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Just the ticket

Truffle popcorn with your movie? The new Tyneside Cinema Bar Café makes film night an occasion all its own.

Kathryn Armstrong visits

Royale with cheese, we all know the line, and the ensuing debate, from Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction. Now you can sink your teeth into one in celluloid-perfect surroundings.

Apparently, within a few weeks of opening, this burger has reached a cult status all its own at Tyneside Cinema’s new Bar Café. Once you’ve tried one, you’ll see why.

It’s got a starring role on a menu which nods to the café’s location but isn’t silly about it.

It’s far more grown-up than that, serving customers who like their indie movie with a side of popcorn bathed in duck fat and rosemary rather than teeth-blasting toffee.

The Bar Café has been a while coming and filmgoers and the rest have watched it come to life from its very visible frontage on Pilgrim Street.

Inside it looks laid back with a counter you can perch at with a drink as well as banquette seating and a separate area where they show films and put on late DJ sets. At weekends you can sit back and take in some Hollywood movie classics against the backdrop of some fine brunch offerings – I’m certainly going back for crushed avocado, lime & chilli on toast someday soon or buttermilk pancakes... The pedigree of chef and front-of-house team take the place to a level that’s more than just another café showing food can be fast, budget-aware and still thoughtful, well-sourced and fun. In the kitchen you’ve got head chef Tom Adlam, who has a heck of a pedigree, learning a love of un-fussy food whilst working with legendary chef Andy Bunn at Café Sopra in Australia. For the past nine years his kitchen home has been within Terry Laybourne’s Café 21 restaurant which says it all. Tom has worked with local suppliers such as Charlotte’s Butchery, French Oven, Hodgson Fish and Ken Holland for quality ingredients for the new menu.

We ate from the weekend brunch menu – there are some specials on the board too. It’s the perfect place to take your hungry teens because the menu keeps everyone happy.

We plumped for two Royale cheeseburgers, £8.95, a plate of steak and eggs, £13.95, and a cheese and meat platter, £9.

Matt from Wylam Brewery has created a special Tyneside Cinema beer as well which is perfect with your burger, £3.50 a pint. House wine from £2.95 a glass.

And that burger – it’s made from ground brisket and top-lift which is a cut from the top of the ribeye – and as a result it’s uber-tender. The texture was meltingly good, almost fillet-like, and you can have it as rare as rare can be. The grill makes it taste as smoky as it should be – and the

elements, Ogleshield cheese, a fabulous punchy raclettestyle topping, and gherkin were in perfect proportion so it stayed a burger for the duration – rather than disintegrating into mush half way through. It arrived in a glossy brioche bun, these are made daily by Clervaux Bakery down in Darlington – and perfect crunchy fries completed the feast.

A platter of steak and eggs delivered a crescent of superb sliced rare flat iron steak cut from the shoulder. This is one of those cheeky little cuts that makes it possible for steak to become a breakfast dish! The charcuterie platter served up Bellota Iberico salchichon and chorizo and Serrano ham, at room temperature not fridge cold. Likewise the cheeses, Berkswell, Devon Blue and Chevre each offered something different in texture and taste. They came with a basket of sourdough that had been toasted on that chargrill and was a treat of its own because of it. An impressive spot, somewhere that’d be easy to take yourself on your own and feel comfortable, nice for after-work or lunching with chums then heading for a movie. I can see us heading to the café just for that ultimate burger experience though, it’s the burger you crave. Let the credits roll. www.tynesidebarcafe.co.uk

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STAR SHINES

Chef’s table with James Close

Reason to celebrate down at The Raby Hunt It’s been a good few weeks. We found out that we’re in the top 50 of restaurants in the country in the latest Good Food Guide which has just been published.

Awards are funny things – you scoff at them if you miss out but when you get an accolade like this it makes all the hard work worthwhile. The Waitrose Good Food Guide means much – not least because we’re the first restaurant in the North East to break into the top 50 but also because it means we’re playing what is effectively the premiership in terms of cooking. A look at the places we’re lined up against says it all, and makes it a meaningful award to have.

Restaurants are marked out of ten and we got six.

The big players we’re alongside are the likes of The Ledbury, Le Gavroche, L’enclume, Andre Fairlie at Gleneagles – serious names in food. There are names you see time and again and only a few really new ones like us, so being up there with them means something.

We’ve been here a few years now, quietly doing our thing, it’s been hard work but for the team to get this accolade is brilliant and really perks you up.

We’re about to get into the season of food awards, it can be a bit of a tense time...

INGREDIENT Ceps are having a moment – all you foragers get out there, sunny conditions and a bit of damp have made things just right for gathering – Hamsterley forest is my haunt. Go with a proper mushroom knife, leaving the stalk partly in the ground so they grow again. Brush them clean rather than wash them to keep the texture and flavour. We have them on the menu with squab or grouse. At home they’re pretty hard to beat just piled high on toast – cook in a bit of butter and oil – let them brown and slightly caramelise. Add a bit of parsley and garlic.

MY TOP THREE IN NEWCASTLE Doing it properly > Has to be Café 21. The legend of the twice-baked cheese souffle Lunch > Went to Peace&Loaf recently which was good fun – we had a Parmo in a pizza box, food with a bit of wit but great skill at its heart.

Family time > Liked Coop Chicken House in the city centre, doing something different with a favourite ingredient.

POPPING UP LOCAL HERO When it’s the game season you feel really privileged to live in this part of the country – it’s the best place in the country for game with all our heathery moorland that gives grouse in particular such a distinctive and consistent flavour. When we first started at Raby we’d prep all our own game – once we even had a whole deer in the kitchen which took us all day to butcher. We haven’t got the luxury of time to do that these days so we rely on Yorkshire Game at Brompton on Swale for our game supplies. It’s a big company but a good one – and you can order from them online. Hare, grouse, woodpigeon and woodcock are some of the game we’ll be cooking with in coming months.

With grouse we’ll braise the legs for six hours on a low temperature. We serve with a ragu of offal, not from game but from duck livers, etc. We serve it with barbecued kale – cooked in our Big Green Egg which gives great smokiness. www.yorkshiregame.co.uk

We went to Ouseburn in Newcastle recently and love what’s going on down there, the vibe is really good. We stayed at Hotel du Vin then sauntered down and found Anna Hedworth’s new Cook House, I love her take on cooking in a container crate! We’re planning a pop-up between us, date to be finalised - follow us for details Anna @thegrazer or me @rabyhunt

BEAUNE STAY We took the train to Paris then another to Beaune to drink some good wine – no better place to do it. Drenched the stresses of the day and had some good R&R based on glasses of Puligny Montrachet, Meursault and the best grand crus in the world from Alex Corton. A great place for a wine holiday, a highlight was dining in the three-star Relais Bernard Loiseau where we ate stand-out poulet Bresse. We actually stayed somewhere with no Wi-fi or TV; it drove me mad for about a day to have no Twitter but I settled down after a while, thanks to the wine.

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BIB GOURMAND WITH HARRIETT CLOSE A restaurant called Duck&Waffle is my new best place. I had a whole dish of chocolate mousse to myself – the plate was SO big and I decided it would be fun to eat it with my hands, very yummy indeed. Mum and dad were tucking into oysters and getting a bit messy themselves so no-one seemed to mind.

AWAYDAYS We’ve been off to London a few times this summer checking out restaurants, dipping into the Shoreditch scene for some pigeon sausage.

We ate at sky-high Duck&Waffle which was impressive – and at Clove Club in Shoreditch Town Hall in East London – in the top 100 restaurants in the world. In the restaurant they serve up an ambitious five-course menu, using often overlooked British ingredients. We ate some amazing pigeon sausage, memorable crispy chicken feet skins and courgette with Indian spices.

A restaurant in Shoreditch to watch is Lyles, chef James Lowe used to be a member of the Young Turks, a group of young chefs involved in various pop-ups so Lyles is definitely a place to watch.

We stayed at The St Pancras Hotel at the station which is brilliant when, like us, you have a baby on board – just get off the train then head to the hotel.

It’s a good base – a pool and good cocktail bar all in an amazing building and Marcus Waring’s restaurant serving up classics really well. In London we also went to Heston’s Dinner at the Mandarin Oriental. Eating is a history lesson here – the dishes have historical references and are all about traditional flavours, ingredients and cooking styles. I had one of the signature dishes – 15th Century Meat Fruit which arrives looking like a mandarin – and is a chicken liver & foie gras parfait with grilled bread. We also tried Salamagundy, chicken oysters, salsify, marrow bone and horseradish cream Our main dish was the most expensive on the menu, (£78), bone in rib of Hereford Prime for two, a recipe dating back to 1830 with a less historic accompaniment of mushroom, ketchup and fries. I had one of my favorite desserts ever, called Tipsy Cake which is a spit roast pineapple that is served with brioche soaked in Sauternes and brandy then with the juices from the pineapple – I think it’s the best dessert ever!

It was an afternoon of chef-spotting – we bumped into Nathan Outlaw who has restaurants in Rock, Cornwall and in the Capital Hotel next to Harrods. We also met Paul Ainsworth in the bar at Dinner.

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Off duty with Dave Coulson

In a new column, chef Dave Coulson will be rustling up off-duty dishes with a sociable twist than you won’t see on his menus at Peace&Loaf, Jesmond. Starting with a matesround taste of the USA Perking it up on the plate - wow does this taste good. Dare we say it, the ultimate comfort food after a hard day at work or a heavy night before. Robust flavours aplenty from the pulled pork, Heinz baked beans (we kid you not!), liquid smoke sauce, chilli and spicy wedges, to name a few ingredients in this tasty mix-and-match sharing dish. It’s the sort of sociable grub perfect for the lads to tuck in to while watching the footie. And it’s also the kind of quick-and-easy one-pot dish which won’t keep chef tied to the stove for hours on end.

The secret: The pulled pork was already cooked or you could use leftover meat from the Sunday roast.

Open a can of Heinz beans, throw in some liquid smoke, chilli, cayenne pepper, coriander, chicken stock and cook it out.

Dave says: “A lot of it is store-cupboard stuff. It’s a really easy one-pot dish you can do in 15-20 minutes. It’s trendy American food – and would be good with tortilla wraps.”

Here’s another one he pulls together for the kitchen team that’s a firm fave and can be done in minutes, but one that’s most definitely not on the menu at Peace & Loaf!

“I get big hot dogs and a can of chilli con carne. It costs £7 and feeds 10 people – all from cans and they love it!” * Dave is head chef and business partner at Peace&Loaf, 217 Jesmond Road, Newcastle, NE2 1LA. Tel: 0191 2815222. www.peaceandloaf.co.uk

Open a can of Heinz beans, throw in some liquid smoke...

recipe

Pulled pork, US-style

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Ingredients: 1 red onion 2 red peppers 2 carrots 4 tbsp of soy sauce 4 tbsp runny honey 4 tbsp ketchup 2 tbsp 5 spice 1 red chilli A splash of hickory smoke flavouring 800g of cooked pork belly/shoulder (maybe it’s left from Sunday lunch - mine was) 1 tin of Heinz (got to be Heinz) baked beans Method: Neatly chop the carrot, onion, red peppers and chilli, sweat down in some vegetable oil and when

they are soft, add everything else and cook until it looks juicy and right (ie pulled pork goodness).

For the wedges: 500g of par-boiled new potatoes 1 tbsp smoked paprika 1 tbsp chilli powder Freshly chopped thyme 50g butter (It sounds a lot but it will make them tasty) Cut the potatoes in half, melt the butter in a pan add the potatoes, spice and thyme and fry until nice and golden.

Serve on a platter with some garlic bread quality lads’ scoff!

SEP/OCT14

AFTERNOON TEA AT THE BISCUIT FACTORY

A COLOURFUL TWIST ON A TIMELESS RITUAL The Factory Kitchen Cafe located at the UKs largest art, craft and design gallery presents a contemporary and alternative version of the traditional afternoon tea, retaining all of the refinement, yet none of the fussiness.

The food itself is at the heart of the experience as finger sandwiches and scones are replaced with tasters of the North Sea salmon rillet with herb oil and sourdough croutons and refreshing lemon posset with summer fruits to give the menu a modern take on a classic concept.

CONTEMPORARY TEA: £18pp Savoury & Sweet + Tea

COCKTAIL TEA: £21pp

Savoury & Sweet + Tea + Cocktail

SPARKLING TEA: £23pp

Savoury & Sweet + Tea + Glass of Fizz

Sachins Christmas Tapas Menu 216 x 157mm Advert.pdf

SEP/OCT14

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07/08/2014

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AVAILABLE FROM 2PM FRI, SAT,SUN ONLY BOOKING ESSENTIAL: 0191 261 1103 GIFT VOUCHERS AVAILABLE TO PURCHASE

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EARTHY MATTERS

Veg patch with Karen Phillips Down at the allotments the soil is stirring and the gossip is good A recent visit to the local allotments in Corbridge was both inspiring and enlightening – you can definitely tell a person’s personality by their allotment: those manicured to within an inch of their lives; those planted with gay abandon, flowers fruit and veg intermingling and providing a haven for pollinators; and those using it as an extended garden and whose digging is aided by their friendly pooch!

>> Rick pickings Sweetcorn: the windy summer weather has benefited wind-pollinated sweetcorn resulting in fewer blank kernels at the tips of the cobs. Steamed within 10 minutes of picking and dripping with a knob of chilli butter is my favourite way to enjoy them.

Pumpkins & squash: the plentiful sunshine has ensured that pumpkins and even butternut squash have ripened. The important thing now is to keep the pumpkins off wet ground long enough to allow them to ‘cure’ i.e. forms a hard enough skin to store well. Chef Andy Snell of ‘Papaya’ introduced me to leaving butternut squash unpeeled – once roasted the skin is soft and edible providing extra nutrients and a lot less faff with the peeler.

Chillies: the greenhouse benches are groaning with chilli plants ripening and there is only so much than can be incorporated into meals and preserves, so a chilli wreath will decorate the door and some spares are going to be dried and then ground up to dust the tulip bulbs this year and provide Mr Squirrel with a little surprise when he tries to eat my carefully planted spring containers!

Apples: the dwarf trained forms of apple trees such as espaliers and cordons provide such a wealth of fruit in a very compact space. Use any damaged/bruised/windfall apples immediately in crumbles, apple curd, or plain apple puree. Perfect apples can then be stored in a shed/garage on slatted wooden racks to provide delicious and cheap desserts all over winter: a Dutch apple tart made with a light, risen pastry using self-raising flour; ‘Oliebollens’: little Dutch doughnuts flavoured with chopped apple and lemon; or a warm apple and almond cake for a cold winter’s day.

Onions: the last time I grew great onions was in South Wales on a heavy clay soil - up here my light sandy soil just won’t supply the nutrients they need; so it was pure pleasure to see large onions ripening with their tops bent over in the sun at Corbridge allotments.

Beetroot: gorgeous globes of ruby red just waiting to be popped in foil and baked in the oven. Vibrant Borscht, horseradish and beetroot relish, or a pairing made in heaven of goat’s cheese and beetroot salad; all of the uses demand you steer clear of white linen tablecloths!

fallen leaves that wrap round branches and provide harbour for lurking insects. A frost-free heater in the greenhouse provides enough warmth to stop next year’s early crop of figs that are already forming from falling off as a result of low night temperatures.

>> Soft fruit If there was one thing that the visit to the allotments confirmed it was that the size of allotments is outdated – measured out to provide enough ground to keep a family of four in vegetables for the year – they are far too large for most people’s hectic lifestyles. One option is to share the workload with a friend: halve the digging, good old gossip and someone else to water and harvest when you depart in summer for warmer climes. The other option is to spend a little money and invest in some soft fruit plants which take up a fair amount of ground; a small investment will pay dividends over the next 15 years and cut your supermarket fruit bill dramatically.

Gooseberries: one mature bush can provide 30lbs of fruit so just one will suffice. They are mainly trouble-free, but it is important to choose a variety that is resistant to ‘American Gooseberry Mildew’ otherwise when we have a dry spring you’ll come to harvest your berries and they will be covered in grey mould. Green varieties are for cooking and red varieties are sweet enough to eat off the bush.

Redcurrants: I never thought I would have ‘String Envy’ until I saw the length of my friend Gil’s redcurrant strings; whereas mine have 6-8 currants on each string hers with 15 plus currants were fit to make a pair of earrings! After much research I think it must be the variety ‘Rovada’ since it is so late fruiting (August).

Raspberries: these come in early, mid-season and late fruiting varieties but my favourite are the autumn fruiting since they get pruned hard back in winter; hence they don’t need to be trained on a permanent support system of post and wires. I have some raspberry canes that grow in large recycled tree containers (those mesh white bags) and they fruit prolifically.

Blueberries: now if you’re into juicing you’ll know the high price of these healthy little berries. They require acid soil so use ericaceous compost and make sure they get loads of water; a brilliant solution is to plant in old Belfast sinks where the resultant poor drainage suits them to a T. You need at least 2 different varieties to ensure good pollination and you may have to net them to beat the birds harvesting them.

Blackcurrants > if you’re an experimental cook you’ll want to grow these for both fruit and for the young blackcurrant leaves utilised in delicious blackcurrant leaf sorbet. For me it’s homemade cassis and the blackcurrant ripple ice cream that Sandra my sister-in law introduced me to over 20 years ago that mean I’ll never have a garden without a blackcurrant bush (or 3). Choose any that have the prefix ‘Glen’ in their name: good Scottish breeding so they’ll thrive up here.

>> Jobs outside

>> Damson gin

Less of an excuse to avoid the gym now that things calm down in the veg plot but a great way to clear a hangover on a dewy autumn morning is to plant cloves of garlic – make sure you buy virus free bulbs and pop each in the soil with just the tips of the clove barely visible. The fresh green growth provides a welcome contrast against the bare soil in the veg plot over the winter months.

Broad Bean ‘Aquadulce Claudia’ is a hardened lass and doesn’t mind being popped in the ground in October for an early crop of beans next May.

Now one of the joys of autumn is making something to warm us over the coming chillier months and what better liqueur than damson gin: perfect sipped neat by a roaring fire or for a party topped with Prosecco as a winter cocktail.

Making damson gin is easy-peasy: prick 1lb damsons and place in a wide necked 1 litre jar, add 6oz sugar, and then top with 75cl gin and shake vigorously to dissolve the sugar. Place in a dark cupboard and contain your impatience for at least 3 months (up to a year). Then decant through a coffee filter into a clean, sterilised bottle and enjoy at your leisure.

>> Jobs in the greenhouse...

The crop of figs has been prolific but it’s time to clear the

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UPCOMING EVENTS @WIDEHAUGH HOUSE >> Annual bulb sale, Fri 3 & Sat 4 Oct Spend a relaxing morning over coffee and cake whilst choosing which beautiful bulbs will adorn your garden this spring: will it be stripy tulips, delicate narcissi or towering alliums. Planting advice on bulb choice and colour combinations is readily available.

Time > 9.30am-1pm. Spaces are limited so email info@ widehaughhouse.co.uk to reserve your places. >> Bulbs, Bulbs, Glorious Bulbs Thurs 9 Oct Pots of stripy parrot tulips, snowdrops in the depths of winter, geranium-scented daffs... bulbs span the seasons and no matter what your soil type there are varieties suitable for your garden that will add interest at any time of year. Bring along a favourite pot on this workshop and you’ll depart with it fully planted, container ready for a stunning spring display.

Time > 10am-3.30pm. Including morning coffee/cakes and a 2-course lunch. £80 >> Anyone for Afternoon Tea? Fri 10 October Everyone loves to go out for afternoon tea but ever thought how little this meal costs to make? Join us on this one day workshop and you’ll discover how to make light and fluffy scones, melt in the mouth macaroons, buttery crumpets, perfect Swiss rolls and tiny-weeny curd tartlets.

Time > 10am-3pm. Including morning coffee/cakes and a 2-course lunch. £85 >> Use it or lose it! Tues 14 October We all have that vase/container hidden at the back of the cupboard - too expensive or too treasured to throw out - but any attempt to display flowers in it have met with failure. No more! Bring along that awkward vase/ beloved but odd-shaped or leaky container and Hannah ‘The Wildflower Florist’ will show you how to unleash the inner beauty.

Time > 10am-3pm. Includes morning coffee and cakes and a 2-course lunch. £85 Bread Basics Thurs 16 October This hands-on course discovers the pleasures of breadmaking from sourdough through to focaccia, via quick breads and the perfect baps for bacon and egg butties! Depart with recipes, your own warm, hand-made breads and your very own sourdough starter.

Time > 8.30am-3.30pm. Includes morning coffee and bacon baps on arrival and a 2-course lunch. £95 >> Wallace and Gromit Birthday Cake Tues 28 October This class is all about technique and small details. On this hands-on course you will make everything yourself and depart with a finished cake.

Time > 10am-4pm. Morning coffee and cakes and 2-course lunch are included. £145 >> Christmas Wreath Making Wed 26 November Get into the festive spirit with this full-day workshop on making your own unique Christmas Wreath Time > 10am–4pm. Morning coffee and cakes and 2-course lunch are included. £85 Chocolate Workshop Fri 5th December Join this half-day chocolate workshop and uncover the mysteries of the chocolatier. Depart with handmade truffles from the day.

Time: 10am–1pm. Includes morning coffee and cakes. £65 For full details of all our courses visit: www.widehaughhouse.co.uk

>>Karen runs Widehaugh House, Hexham SEP/OCT14

Meet the chef The people behind the region’s favourite restaurants share their kitchen secrets and culinary inspiration James Cooper

Ellis Fagan

Head Chef THE CLEVELAND TONTINE

Chef de Partie BRASSERIE HUDSON QUAY

Favourite autumn ingredient >> Ceps. In my opinion they are the king of wild mushrooms and have a very strong, distinctive flavour.

What would you do with it >> Have them on toast with garlic and a poached egg.

What would be your Great British Bake-Off dish >> Warm fig roll with Baileys custard and floating islands Who would you love to cook dinner for you >> My wife. It would make a nice change.

Favourite atumn ingredient >> It’s got to be quail, sweet, succulent and packed with flavour.

What would you do with it >> Pan-roasted breast of quail, confit quail leg ‘lollipop’, blackberries, celeriac fondant served with a sloe berry jus and smoked granola crumb.

What would be your Great British Bake-Off dish >> A sweet treat of a plum tarte tatin with cinnamon Anglaise.

Who would you love to cook dinner for you >> It would have to be Great British Bake-Off presenter and comedienne Sue Perkins – purely for the banter!

Tel: 01609 882671 www.theclevelandtontine.co.uk

Tel: 01642 261 166 www.brasseriehudsonquay.com

Lewis Morrison

Ali Hussain

Junior Sous Chef ARTISAN

Head Chef/Owner CAFÉ BANGLA

Favourite autumn ingredient >> Apples, the shapes, sizes and varieties being grown by Sue Moody at this time of year are irresistible to roast, stew, puree and munch.

What would you do with it >> A comforting apple and blackberry parfait finished off with a toffee sauce and toasted hazelnuts – a total autumnal delight!

What would be your Great British Bake-Off dish >> I’d have to say brioche flavoured with subtle spices – rich and golden served up with some warm caramelised apples – how could Hollywood say no!

Who would you love to cook dinner for you >> When it comes down to it, I’d have to say my mam!

Tel: 0191 260 5411 www.artisnewcastle.com

Favourite autumn ingredient >> It would have to be apple.

What would you do with it >> Make it in to a fresh chutney or pickle to serve with poppadoms; an alternative to the traditional mango chutney or similar.

What would be your Great British Bake-Off dish >> A traditional chicken tikka - that’d shake it up!

Who would you love to cook dinner for you >> Rick Stein – I’d love him to cook me a Macher Jhool, a traditional Bangladeshi dish.

Tel: 0191 519 09 29 www.cafebanglasunderland.co.uk

Dave Coulson

Steve Cawley

Head Chef/Co-owner PEACE & LOAF RESTAURANT

Head Chef BLAGDON BRASSERIE AT HOLIDAY INN NEWCASTLE, GOSFORTH PARK

Favourite autumn ingredient >> Blackberries What would you do with it >> There’s so much to choose from; pickle them so they last longer, blackberry gel and of course, a good old apple and blackberry crumble.

What would be your Great British Bake-off dish >> Maybe some kind of Peace Loaf… not sure what that would entail yet, or Chelsea buns.

Who would you love to cook dinner for you >> My girlfriend, Lindsay, or, failing that, Gordon Ramsay!

0191 281 5222 www.peaceandloaf.co.uk

SEP/OCT14

Favourite autumn ingredient >> It would have to be blackberries, they just taste delicious and can be used in so many different dishes.

What would you do with it? Tough choice, but I’d probably go for a loin of venison with a blackberry sauce.

What would be your Great British Bake-off dish >> Apple and blackberry crumble (can you see the blackberry pattern occurring here?) with a delicious, homemade custard which reminds me of my mother.

Who would you love to cook dinner for you >> I’d have to say Michael Caines – he’s a fantastic chef, and generally a very nice man.

Bob A rora, Sa chin s

in the mix Childhood food memory?

My earliest food memory was the food at my aunty’s wedding. I remember hearing the delights that were on offer to the guests and I physically remember salivating at the menu.

Unfortunately, for some unknown reason I didn’t get to eat anything; being eight years old I was too busy playing with my cousins.

A food that inspires me – Italian food. I could eat it all day long.

A wine that inspires me - not really a fan of wine but vodka is a different story.

Inspirational chef - Madhur Jaffrey and my mum are both legends in the kitchen so I would have to say both of them.

Last meal - staff curry that I make every day and today’s was Daal Makhani Your last food and wine would be – it would be a tough choice between egg, chips and beans or a traditional, Italian thin crust pizza with a glass of Grey Goose and ginger ale.

Favourite food and wine city – it would have to be Barcelona. My wife (Neeta) and I visit often and absolutely love it.

Favourite ingredients - I am loving whole cumin seeds at the moment. They are so flavourful and they can transform a dish entirely. Fresh coriander used at the last moment can give a dish a real va va voom, too.

Sachins, Forth Banks, Newcastle.

Tel: 0191 232 4660. www.sachins.co.uk

Tel: 0191 201 99 88

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RICH PICKINGS

Masterclass with Terry Laybourne

A homely and seasonal dessert which makes the most of autumn’s plumtree harvest and blackberries from the hedgerow. The contrast of sweet and sharp flavours with chewy meringue is perfect Soft Meringue with Roasted Plums and Blackberries 6 360g 30g 10g 6x 150g 100g 2

50g 120g 60g

1 Whisk whites to a soft peak

2

egg whites caster sugar cornflour white wine vinegar Victoria plums demerara sugar honey vanilla pods, split and seeds removed butter blackberries whipped cream

Shower in the caster sugar

3 Dust in the cornflour

7 Stone the plums and cut into wedges

9 Pour over the honey

11 Place in the oven and roast at 240°C for 4 – 5 minutes

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4 Then add the vinegar

5 Continue whisking until the meringue is thick and fully developed

6 Mould using two spoons and place on a baking sheet lined with silicone paper.

Place into the oven at 120°C for 20 minutes.

Reduce the heat to 110°C and continue baking for another 20 minutes

8 Scatter the demerara sugar

10 Dot with butter and scatter the vanilla seeds and pods

12 Top a meringue with a little whipped cream, scatter blackberries and arrange roasted plums around. Drizzle with the plum juice

SEP/OCT14

DISHING IT UP

DIY culinary genius!

Hone your skills with culinary courses for food savvy gourmets Smoke your own fish, bake some bread, roll a sushi from scratch or live out your cheesemaking dreams. Not to mention dining with a difference in a culinary camper van.

These are some of the foodie skills you can master and experience at this year’s Festival of Thrift in Darlington.

Last year’s event was a huge success – we can vouch for the sheer fun of gourmet dining on fabulous inspired Indian food – in the confines of a retro VW camper.

The whole festival, 27-28 September, has expanded with more workshops, food, stalls, speakers and things to see and do.

There’ll be Jamalot, the festival’s very own chutney and jam factory. An on-site picnic with bespoke hampers and a Thriftea party with self-made crockery and cake stands.

Bistro Du Van has doubled in size from last year and will offer global food served in up-cycled vans to hungry festival-goers.

The food offerings feature regional chefs you’ll know, holding inspiring masterclasses.

At the sushi end of things, Sam Storey will

We can vouch for the sheer fun of gourmet dining in the confines of a VW camper

SEP/OCT14

INTRODUCING THE CINNAMON CLUB; A NEW LUXURY INDIAN CUISINE AND CHAMPAGNE BAR NOW OPEN IN TRIMDON, DURHAM

be showing grown-ups and kids the art of making healthy and delicious sushi.

Fish queen Kirsty Cruickshank will be showing how to hot-smoke fish at home.

You’ll find out how to cure, flavour and cook fish in a makeshift home smoker.

There’s a lesson in making your own English charcuterie and Anna Hedworth, the supper club lady, will show how to turn your kitchen into a dairy and the magic trick of turning milk into fresh ricotta-type cheese and delicious home-made yoghurt.

Boasting a spacious 120 seat restaurant area, a light, airy conservatory as a private function room, we can cater for all your requirements.

Set in the picturesque countryside on the outskirts of Durham, we offer beautiful food and fashionable drinks, in a stunning location, perfect for a night of romance and indulgence.

For more information on the Festival of Thrift 2014 programme please visit the website at www.festivalofthrift.co.uk and sign up for updates.

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PRIVATE VIEW

PICTURE PERFECT Fashion gets in the frame as new-season pieces splash colour, graphics and shapes for a gallery gorgeous shoot in the surroundings of Tyneside’s Biscuit Factory

DVF dress, £430, Fenwick, MK Clutch, £125, Fenwick

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NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY THE ROARING 20s AT WYNYARD HALL Here is your invitation to the party of the year at Wynyard Hall!

Dress to impress and welcome 2015 in with style by arriving to your Champagne reception in stunning surroundings.

Then enjoy live music from Func on the Rocks during your 5 course dinner, followed by a spectacular fireworks display.

Dress code: Black tie and cocktail dresses.

£85 per person

Menu Open Ravioli of Salmon and Chevril with Tomato Essence, Red Fennel and Poached Quail's Egg (Vegetarian option: Open Ravioli of Spiced Puy Lentils and Chevril with Tomato Essence, Red Fennel and Poached Quail's Egg)

Compressed Watermelon, Aged Feta Cheese, Soured Rind, Green Queen Olives, Endive and Ponzu Yorkshire Reared Beef, Ox-Tail and Mushroom Pitivier, Braised Celeriac, Truffle and Shallot Potato Cannolini, Pickled Red Cabbage and Balsamic Reduction

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(Vegetarian option: Roast Cannelloni of Truffled Mushroom, Sweet Brioche Galette, Creamed Spinach, Fine Herb Velouté)

Strawberry and Rosewater Turkish Delights

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Trio of Desserts Chocolate Tart, Raspberry and Mascarpone Cheesecake, Pistachio and Cherry Macaroon

Wynyard Hall, Tees Valley, TS22 5NF | Tel: 01740 644 811 www.wynyardhall.co.uk SEP/OCT14

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PRIVATE VIEW

Above, MaxMara cocoon coat, £350, Carven bag, £485, Fenwick Below, MK tassle trim poncho sweater, £123.99, Armani jeans, £118.99, Modalu Cara tote, £168.99, all Psyche ArtworK: (above) Mike Moor, MAria Rivens, Mychael Barratt original prints (Below) Mike Moor, Mychael Barratt Original prnts

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SEP/OCT14

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aphrodite 1994 - 2014 CELEBRATING 20 YEARS 7-8 Vine Place | Sunderland | SR1 3NE | +44 (0)191 567 5898 | www.aphrodite1994.com SEP/OCT14

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PRIVATE VIEW

Fashion

Vivienne Westwood drape dress, £295, Fenwick Rings: Corinne Evans from £69 Painting: Julie Dumbarton ‘Snow flakes’ oil on canvas, £6,400

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SEP/OCT14

TREND WATCH WITH CATHERINE NEWTON

AUTUMN IS UPON US AND IT’S TIME TO GET YOUR WARDROBE READY FOR THE SEASON AHEAD! Autumn is my favourite fashion season: cooler weather and exciting new collections are the perfect excuse to refresh your wardrobe. With this in mind, here’s my guide to the trends you need to know about for AW14.

ALTERNATIVE OUTERWEAR This season is all about alternative outerwear so expect to find sleek and minimalistic takes on the classic coat or jacket across your favourite designer ranges. Look out for draped waistcoats with slim collars and sleeveless coats in heavy fabrics; this style is the perfect mid-layer for occasions when a coat is not necessary. To get the look explore the AW14 collections by Victoria Beckham Denim, Sportmax and Helmut Lang.

SEEING BLUE Strong hues of blue will be everywhere this season, from outerwear and dresses to trousers and accessories. Texture will play an important part in this trend so choose pieces in suede, thick grainy leather and boucle fabric to really make a statement. I especially love Joseph’s take on this trend: their electric blue pea-coat will ensure that you stand out of even the most fashionable crowd on a grey winter’s day.

LAYERED KNITWEAR This practical and stylish trend will keep you feeling warm and looking great this season.

Juxtapose a minimalistic white silk shirt or T-shirt with thickly woven knitwear. To get the look I recommend exploring the AW14 collection by interior specialist turned fashion designer Eileen Fisher. Look out for hand-stitched contrasting panels on wrap-around cashmere cardigans and loose fitting jumpers with oversized necklines. Finish your look with a mohair jacket or coat for a truly luxurious outfit.

WINTER WHITE First seen on the runways of Celine and Chanel, the trend for luxurious outerwear in winter white is about to take over. This easy-to-wear colour is both elegant and glamorous. In store you can find bright white outerwear in collections by both Carven and Sportmax. When selecting a shape look for oversized styles with exaggerated collars, AW14 perfection!

PLAID AND CHECK This is a huge trend for AW14. The humble check has been given a 21st Century make-over and traditional tartan can now be found in vivid new colours that really pop. You will also find that designers like Vivienne Westwood and McQ have played with the check itself, creating blown-up versions of plaid fabric and even tartan/print ‘mash-ups’. I adore Vivienne Westwood’s slouchy peg-leg navy and emerald tone trousers, they are just beautiful!

For expert help and advice on curating the perfect AW14 wardrobe book an appointment with our in-house fashion stylist on 0191 232 5100.

Catherine Newton is Head of Womenswear at Fenwick, Newcastle

SEP/OCT14

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PRIVATE VIEW Animal print shirt, £95, leather-look pants, £84.95, HavetoLove, Mulberry Willow bag, £1600, Fenwick, shoes, £195, LK Bennett, Fenwick. Rings, £250, £150, Biscuit Factory 3D ceramics, Alistair Malcolm, Framed artwork, Rob Newton ‘Right Side Walk’, £650

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SEP/OCT14

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Above, Biba Cranberry tassle jacket, £125, House of Fraser, IntuMetrocentre John Brenton ‘Blue Atlantic’ oil on canvas, £10,000 Below, Tibi print top, £275, Fenwick. Rings, £69, from a selection at the Biscuit Factory Alan Stones original prints

CREDITS: Photography: Kevin Gibson www.kgphotography.co.uk Model, Alexandria Milburn www.tyneteesmodels.co.uk Hair&Make-up: Victoria Forshaw www.pinspetalspowder.co.uk Styling: Fiona McLain STOCKISTS Fenwick, Newcastle www.fenwick.co.uk HavetoLove, Gosforth www.havetolove.co.uk IntuMetrocentre www.intumetrocentre.co.uk Psyche, Linthorpe Road, Middlesbrough www.psyche.co.uk Location, jewellery, art: With thanks to The Biscuit Factory, Newcastle www.biscuitfactory.com

SEP/OCT14

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LUST-after leather

HANDLE WITH CARE

If your passions are all about luxe handbags and lustafter accessories, life just got tougher Yes, the search for the perfect handbag or accessory has been made harder than ever – in a good way!

The reason? The new and frankly fabulous new Fashion Accessories area in Fenwick, Newcastle.

The range of handbags and floorspace to browse through has been expanded over the last few months and now

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From top: > Michael Kors Large Hamilton Traveller in gooseberry, £330 > Mulberry Bayswater Buckle in poppy, £1200

showcases the ultimate in women’s accessories, all in a luxurious setting.

Within the handbag area, brands including Mulberry, Coach and Michael Kors have created their own personalised spaces to display their collections, just in time for the new autumn/winter season.

Mulberry’s luxurious oak wood and marble décor is the perfect place to indulge in those handbag dreams, showing off not only bags but also a superb range of exquisite leather accessories.

Celebrated and timeless styles such as the Bayswater and Alexa return this autumn and this season also sees the

launch of Tessie, a new line of classic Mulberry handbags.

The Tessie collection ranges in price from £495 for the small satchel to £695 for the hobo and has been inspired by designs from the early Mulberry archives.

In addition to the handbag styles available the area also displays Mulberry’s small leather accessories, including belts and scarfs.

The cool, New York essence of the Michael Kors collection is reflected in the space the brand has created. Sleek fixtures, beautiful dark wood and animal print design create an exciting area to house the range of increasingly popular handbags.

This season sees classic styles including the Selma and the Hamilton re-worked in new colours and tones. For the ultimate eye-catching chic accessory consider a bold hue such as Gooseberry Green or the arresting Dogtooth print.

One of the more recent and long-awaited additions to the floor is luxury leather brand Coach. Another label hailing from New York, Coach has long been the go-to brand for pared down all-American style and the core collection epitomises this with clean silhouettes in a neutral colour palette and pops of colour.

The highly anticipated Autumn Winter 2014 collection under the new creative director, Stuart Vevers, mixes traditional vibes with New York style. The new line aims to balance the brand’s heritage with a fashionable twist by using floral prints, whipstitch and brighter colours.

Other exciting handbag brands within the new department include McQ, with their edgy yet structured accessories, Sophie Hulme, whose designs featuring clean lines and metal hardware are fast becoming must-haves, Vivienne Westwood and Longchamp.

The new space also presents an impressive array of accessories and jewellery, with offerings from desirable brands such as Thomas Sabo and Links of London.

The range on display makes it easy to find that perfect piece so whether you’re looking for statement earrings, a chunky cuff or a simple necklace there is an abundance of styles to choose from.

SEP/OCT14

NEW-SEASON SWAPS

JOIN LUXE, FENWICK & CAFÉ 21’s SPARKLING GUIDE TO NEWSEASON FASHION LUXE HAS JOINED FORCES WITH FENWICK FRENCH SALON AND CAFÉ 21 TO PRESENT A SHOWCASE OF THE NEW DESIGNER COLLECTIONS FOR AW14 ON 23 SEPTEMBER. Personal shopper Noreen McDaid will be styling a catwalk show to inspire you for the season ahead.

The spotlight will be on clothes to take you through the week, from exciting pieces to add ‘wow’ to your work wardrobe through to the ‘must-haves’ for an effortless casual style and of course, the most glamorous outfits for the dazzling festive season.

The event will begin at 4.30pm with the fashion show starting at 5pm.

Tickets are £28 per person and include afternoon tea and two glasses of Champagne. You will also receive a goody bag and will be entered into a competition to win a personal shopping appointment with Noreen, with a lovely £250 to spend in the French Salon.

TO BOOK YOUR PLACE PLEASE EMAIL OFFICE@CAFETWENTYONE.CO.UK OR CALL CAFÉ 21 ON 0191 222 0755 Photographers from Luxe will also be there, capturing the event for our social pages.

BEAUTY WATCH WITH VICTORIA LEES

AUTUMN BEAUTY SWAPS Autumn is my favourite season. A time for a change of weather and wardrobe and a time to shake up the beauty regime with a few beauty swaps.

Goodbye tan, hello radiant skin!

A golden glow looks amazing in summer but can start to look grubby as the tone of sunlight changes to a cooler hue. This is a great time to buff the skin and change your foundation to more of an ivory or porcelain shade for that flattering ‘lit from within look.’

Hibernate the razor As legs are less likely to be on show, this is a great time to get into a waxing routine. A four-week ‘hair growth’ is ideal for best results from a waxing treatment, that way when summer swings around again you are good to go.

Give me a break I like to take a break from colour polishes and gels and instead opt for a nail treatment, there are so many available for any nail care concern such as weak, brittle or flaking nails. I am excited to start using the first ever BB cream for nails by ORLY which just perfects the look of naked nails.

Keep the habit One summer habit you should never stop is using a good SPF every day. Even though it’s hardly bikini weather the ageing effects of the sun are still in full effect. If your moisturiser or foundation doesn’t contain an SPF I would definitely seek out a lightweight lotion to boost protection.

Victoria is based at The Spa, Rockliffe Hall.

SEP/OCT14

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H&Y L

TONE UP

Rosy tints for autumn

Usher in the new season with gorgeous subtle rose gold and mocha hues 54

With the summer drawing to a close it’s good to look back on what’s been a really good one! We definitely can’t complain as we’ve had our fair share of good weather for those all-important alfresco lunches and cocktail moments – let’s face it, everyone feels a whole lot better in the sunshine.

We’re just back from two weeks in Marbella and reckon August was the month to do it, catching up with friends and going to some fab restaurants! If you’re heading out there, our recommendation is Finca Besaya, it’s so cool, great food, amazing cocktail area and the best place to people watch.

So, trying to put a positive spin on the end of summer, we’re thinking new trends and seasonal changes of which hair colour plays a big part.

Beauties like Jennifer Lawrence and Lara Stone are great examples of on-trend blondes, swapping the super beach blonde for a more understated muted shade with subtle rose gold and mocha hues.

You can still keep light elements but break it up by introducing multi-tones to add warmth and an air of sophistication.

The colour on our gorgeous model is more of a block technique where the hair is lighter at the front and darker towards the back giving a bolder look, yet still very soft. It’s not always about a big colour change to stay on trend, sometimes it’s about the small subtle changes and simply adjusting the tone.

We’re back to Spain at the end of September, this time to Seville, a work-related trip where we will take to the stage and present the finale show at an international event for 3,000 hairdressers from all over the globe!

So exciting but I’ve got to be honest, a little nerve-wracking too, but we all know a little bit of stress is good for the soul!

Michael Young and Gary Hooker run award-winning Hooker & Young, with six salons regionwide.

See www.hookerandyoung.co.uk for salon details.

SEP/OCT14

H&Y Luxe Aug Ad Artwork_Layout 1 30/07/2014 16:06 Page 1

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AWARD WINNING HAIRDRESSING

BRITISH HAIRDRESSER OF THE YEAR NOMINEE 2014 Gary Hooker & Michael Young North Eastern Hairdresser of the Year Finalists 2014

Marcus King & Michelle Rooney, Wynyard; Toni Stephenson, Darlington

Darlington 01325 468 994 SEP/OCT14

Gosforth 0191 217 0217

Jesmond 0191 281 6714

Ponteland 01661 821 004

Wynyard 01740 644 690 55

BODY BEAUTIFUL

MOUTH MATTERS WITH MIKE HEADS

Beauty:update Autumn is a bit of a brace-yourself time in terms of settling in to a post-hols, pre-partying routine. A mix and match of treats and treatments...

SPLASH THE CASH - £30,000 PRICE TAG - SPORTS CAR, DIAMOND RING, TEETH? With an unexpected windfall or inheritance or just because you can, what would be on your shopping list? If I asked my wife, and anyone else I expect, to compile a list of musthaves, chances are a new set of teeth would most definitely not be on the shopping list. Yet, a new set of teeth can cost just as much as some of these luxury items and may be a necessity for some unfortunate people. So how can we avoid having to make a choice between a sports car or diamond ring in favour of a new set of teeth.

Common sense tells us that if you own a car, it doesn’t have to be a sports car, regular maintenance and servicing is essential and keeping it clean will protect its bodywork.

Likewise, diamond rings or other jewellery look at their best when they are clean and sparkling. Teeth, just like these luxury items, require the same sort of TLC and if they are deprived of it, you may have to make that tough decision of “splashing the cash” at your dental practice.

Everyone knows that regular trips to the dentist are extremely important to maintain the health of their teeth and gums, but the most important work is done by the patient themselves in the form of cleaning their own teeth. For example, do you know that: • Many people when they clean their teeth experience bleeding from their gums, and never think anything about it, but if we bled from anywhere else in our body we would be very worried. Bleeding gums is not normal, it is a sign of gum disease, and staggeringly, 60% of the UK population suffer from this. Usually pain-free, gum disease is a “silent killer” of the bone holding the teeth in place, and without bone teeth become loose and fall out.

• Plaque left around the teeth produces toxins and acids which in turn leads to gum disease, and subsequently bone loss and tooth loss. It also causes halitosis (bad breath) which can be devastating in your personal life.

• Some people get gum disease and others do not. Patients react differently to inflammation caused by the plaque around their teeth - some lucky people can have lots of plaque without any effect, whilst, in the majority of people, a slight amount causes a major reaction and they lose their teeth.

• Without regular dental check-ups you normally do not even know you have gum disease until it is too late.

• Scientists have found links with gum disease and diabetes and heart disease.

• The only way to stop this disease process is to have very good oral hygiene, a 30 seconds “whizz round” with an ordinary brush will normally not be good enough, you may need to spend up to 10 minutes using additional techniques as advised by your dentist or hygienist.

If you are concerned about your own oral hygiene, it is now possible to have direct access to a hygienist and you can make an appointment with them just as you would a hairdresser or a beautician. Hopefully then, should there come a time when you are looking to spend £30,000, a new set of teeth will not be on your wish list.

Mike is Practice Principal at Cleveland Cosmetic and Dental Implant Clinic www.clevelandcosmetic.co.uk

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SOOTHE & REVIVE If your skin’s been wiped out by beach days, soothe it back to life. Aromatherapy Associates Soothing range can do everything from cleanse to repair with ingredients such as cotton thistle, licorice and arnica. Always delivered with exquisite aromas. From £31. www.aromatherapyassociates.com

>> SUPER SERUM

>> FEEL THE HEAT Still feeling the aches from the GNR? Aromatherapy Associates’ De-Stress Muscle Bath & Shower Oil, £40, gives relief for tired, heavy limbs with a powerful blend of plant extracts and essential oils and is an invigorating, warming and energising treat. For an extra dose of relief for the seriously fatigued, team it with De-Stress Muscle Gel, £22, which has a localised soothing and warming effect and can be applied on the spot for immediate comfort. www.aromatherapyassociates.com

More anti-ageing armoury for your skincare collection in the shape of Origins new Plantscription Anti-aging power serum, £48 for 30ml.

The new serum aims to tackle the four major signs of ageing by visibly reducing lines and wrinkles, lifting, firming and smoothing skin. Hurrah. www.origins.co.uk

DEEP & EVEN Chanel’s autumn eyes are like a colour pop paint palette. Very strong, daring and uncompromising single colours, £23. Sensation is a shimmery pink, Palpitation, a deep pink, and Admiration, bright and surprising, buttercup yellow… dare you? Less formidable, the Les 4 Ombres Poesie collection palette, left, £40, features two medium shades of beige - just blend together to create a satiny nude base. A light rosewood illuminates the inner corner of the eye and a violet-plum shimmer can be used for a line drawn along the lashes in a single intense colour for a smoky effect. On counter now.

>> PLUMP UP With the central heating about to go on, Elemis’ latest edition to the multi-awardwinning Pro-Collagen range proves timely.

Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream Ultra-Rich intensively nourishes and moisturises dry or dehydrated skin, whilst combating the signs of ageing. It costs £80 for 50ml.

Big ticks all round.

SEP/OCT14

LIVE TO SHOP WITH WENDY GIBSON

Wendy’s shining bright like a diamond thanks to a new Hollywood A-list facial that will leave you glowing for days – and she solves wardrobe dilemmas to bridge the summer-autumn gap.

Back from holiday with a bump, it’s always time to assess the damage done by the sun and to get yourself into gear for that transitional time of the year.

As I write, we’re having a bit of a heatwave, which doesn’t help your wardrobe choices. Ah, the conundrum of the transitional wardrobe.

But first up, it’s time to address face and body after all the excesses of holiday. For the body, it’s relatively easy, with yoga and pilates in my case.

For the face, I have seen the facial future and it lives in Ponteland!

I am now totally bowled over, and a convert to an outstanding new facial, called the Black Diamond. It’s a favourite of Jennifer Aniston and plenty of other Hollywood A-listers.

It’s brand new to the North East, and only available here at Hooker and Young’s gorgeous new Ponteland salon, at the magical hands of experienced therapist Kelly. If you want something for that special occasion or just want to look rested and glowing, especially post-holiday, this is for you.

Now I’m always sceptical about blurb and claims. But for me, the Black Diamond Plus ‘dual oxygen, non-surgical face lift treatment’, absolutely gave me glowing, lifted, smoother looking skin for a good week or more after the treatment.

I even had people asking me if I’d been on holiday or had “something done”. Now I will emphatically never touch Botox or injections but this is the next best thing and I am now a convert to the miraculous hands of Kelly. It is one of a number of amazing skin treatments on offer from the Skin Experience menu at the salon.

Stage one involves all kinds of great ingredients including a peptide cleanser and toner with copper peptides, apparently one of the most effective micronutrients in repairing skin. Black diamond powder, ruby and mother of pearl help with gentle exfoliation and brightening. There are also beautiful masks, and mild glycolic acid, to brighten and smooth.

And the oxygenating part with lifting is totally digital, really effective, and with none of the unpleasant metallic taste that other traditional electric lifting style facials can give.

A variety of beautiful ingredients are applied to your face. Massaged, exfoliated, and then it’s almost another hour or plumping, and lifting and moisturising with the oxygen non-surgical face lift. And it’s just what you need after a holiday in the sun.

You’re in a treatment room which is a beautiful light bright space – which for me is totally refreshing – or you can ask for the blackout blinds if you prefer. And it’s great music in the background too, no whale moans and groans or new age bells, which can be so irritating. It’s only been weeks since this new treatment has been on offer, and already there’s a waiting list.

I’m not surprised. It’s an enjoyable, relaxing, reinvigorating experience, that for me made an immediate and visible difference.

In fact I could have left the salon makeup-free at the end, such was the lovely glow.

But I opted to try the whole experience, and Kelly deftly applied some of their beautiful new mineral makeup range Mii, that you can put on freshly cleansed skin post-facial. “A hint of colour” gives you some lipstick, blusher, and a hint of tinted mineral moisturiser.

And when I got home I did indeed feel that after this oxygenating facial, I was, for a while, in the words of Rihanna, shining bright like a Diamond!

Shine bright fashionistas, and see you next time.

Hooker and Young, 13 Bell Villas, Ponteland. Tel: 01661 821004

H A I R & BEAU TY

Let us create your look for g your Weddin Day!

In Salon or on Location anywhere in the region Bannatyne Health Club, Eden Tce, Belmont. 0191 386 3055 Wynyard Hall Hotel, Wynyard 01740 665 404

As well as being a shopping supremo, shoe-a-holic and general lover of all things luxe, Wendy Gibson is a broadcaster, presenter and event host in the North East

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BODY BEAUTIFUL

FITNESS! WITH LEILA BRAMWELL

I am finding more and more people are coming to me with back problems.

Once you have back pain it can be really debilitating. Sufferers may struggle to continue their lives normally. This, in turn, can cause depression.

People always say they wish they had slowed down and been body aware before the pain started. We all need to prevent rather than treat back pain. Everybody has different postures, many are developed from bad posture while sitting at a desk, driving or even slouching watching TV. Think now about how you are sitting reading this! Are you slouched to one side or hunched over or are you sitting up straight and balanced?

Good posture is when a body has muscular and skeletal balance that protects supporting structures of the body against injury or progressive deformity. Irrespective of whether you are lying, standing, squatting or bending in work or rest poor posture puts strain on the wrong parts of the body resulting in pain and muscular imbalance.

Exercises can be done to help correct bad posture. There are many types of posture, for example, hollow back, sway back and flat back. Each type of posture requires different exercises to correct the imbalances.

I have found the most common back complaint is sciatica. This is treatable in most cases with the right exercises, stretches and massage. The sufferer is suffering unnecessary pain and just changing their gym routine can help keep it at bay. For example, sciatica sufferers should not do external rotation work. They should also not do anything that tightens up their piriformis or if they do they need to add in specific stretches to release the area.

Everyone should add back extension work to their exercise routine to help strengthen the multifidus (lower back).

Here is one exercise that is very easy to do.

PEACHY PERFECT Skin tones are the inspiration (phew!) for the new Clarins’ collection in autumn.

Easy-wear and innovative, especially the winning ‘three dot liner’ which loses the hand-wobble potential on this delicate manoeuvre. Liner, £19, lips, £19.50.

As brows are big stuff, the eyes and brows palette contains all you need for perfection: a built-in mirror, three powders to shape and even out brows plus a holding wax and a luminous shadow. Brush and tweezers complete the wow-brow package, £35, On counter.

LIP LOVE

SMOOTH MOVE We love a new foundation and bareMinerals new bareSkin Pure Brightening Serum Foundation, £26, is serum and liquid foundation all in one. The ultra-thin fluid feels weightless but offers fab coverage and comes in 20 shades. Use with the new Perfecting Face Brush, £24. From counters regionwide.

New season is a great excuse for a new lippy – Bobbi Brown has just introduced a collection of 30 to counters – yum! Find both new and back-by-popular-demand shades, neutrals to brights to suit every mood and occasion. Find them on counter now. Get it right: The best match will be one or two shades lighter or darker than your natural lip colour. So take a good look at your lips bare, are they reddish, browny or pinky? If you like a bold colour but want it to stay on all day, blot it so that your lips are ‘stained’. Use a lipliner to prevent feathering – very important with a bright colour.

>> WILD &WINDY Windswept and beachy, the new Jo Malone London ‘Wood Sage & Sea Salt’ collection is completely inspired by the English coast and captures a true British moment – Bamburgh and beyond. Notes of sea salt and sage are wake-up invigorating and lead to a lingering woody fragrance, perfect for daytime and the evening. Cologne from £30. At Fenwick, Newcastle.

WINTER BLOOM Diptyque’s Geranium Odorata EDT captures the intensity of that favourite on-hols bloom, £65, John Lewis.

1) Lie face down, with your pubic bone slightly pressed into the floor and hollow your stomach away from the floor.

2) Draw down your shoulders as you lift your chest, lifting out the back of the head. Keep facing the floor and reach hands down your legs. (hold for three seconds) 3) Lower back to start position. Do this 8-10 times, slowly with good technique.

Good health in 2014 Leila Bramwell

CHECK THIS

In Health and Happiness Leila Bramwell www.shapingfutures.co.uk Pilates and Fitness Studio, Durham City

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Burberry’s new fragrance, My Burberry, aims to capture the fragrance of a London garden after the rain. Top notes of sweet pea and bergamot fuse with a heart of geranium, golden quince and freesia, rounded out with base notes of rain-tipped damask roses and patchouli. The glass bottle and overall design reflect the details of the Burberry trench coat. From £35, on counter in Fenwick.

>> PLAYTIME Aramis Adventurer is for the younger generation of Aramis man. Can you believe, Aramis launched way back in 1964!

Aimed at the sophisticated and sporty chap, Adventurer opens with crisp citron, bergamot and black pepper giving way to rich patchouli and cedarwood. The new design is contemporary and the contents refreshing.

We like. From £29 for 30ml.

SEP/OCT14

SLALEY

LUXE WAFTING

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HALL

SUMMER LOVE SPA PACKAGE

Coco Noir is an homage to Coco Chanel’s love of black. Heady and intense Coco Noir Extrait has just launched, £165 – this the most exclusive version in the iconic CHANEL Parfums bottle, hand-sealed with a black wax stamp. It blends Egyptian jasmine and may rose, the signature of Chanel fragrance and unfurls to notes of patchouli and tonka bean, along with bourbon vanilla sandalwood.

WHITE STUFF Up the glam quotient with a bottle of Michael Kors’ new limited-edition Michael Kors White Eau de Parfum. Going to be on every teen’s festive wishlist. Appearancewise, it looks stunning in its grown-up simplicity and is a luxe and sensual scent to boot. Available from October, from £39.

<< FEELING BLUE

55 minute experience includes: • BESPOKE ESPA FACIAL • NECK, SHOULDER & SCALP MASSAGE • FULL USE OF THE FACILITIES • TOWEL, ROBE & SLIPPERS • USE OF RELAXATION ROOM • FREE LOVE YOUR SKIN GIFT*

for only

Chanel goes blue for boys with the new men’s fragrane, Le Bleu – lovely it is too – so layer it up with the body extras boys. From £48, on counter now.

<< OH ORLA! We love a bit of Orla Kiely in any shape or form so we’re sure her newest Bergamot bodycare range will be a fabulous wake-up call. Essential oils include warm cedarwood, patchouli and refreshing notes of grapefruit and bergamot. Spicy cardamom and coriander combined with aniseed create a zesty twist. Lovely bit of packaging too! Prices from £12. Find in Fenwick beauty department.

Eyewear as individual as you An outstanding selection of eyewear from brand such as Prada, Oakley, Chanel, Bvlgari, Ray Ban, Oliver Peoples, Paul Smith and many more.

Up inclugdrade 25 mi es a n u t e massa back only g£e for 20

AVAILABLE IN JULY, AUGUST & SEPTEMBER To book call

0871 222 4688

shspa@devere-hotels.com www.devere-hotels.co.uk/slaleyhall Slaley Hall, Slaley, Hexham, Northumberland NE47 0BX *Terms and Conditions apply. Subject to availability & while stocks last. Offer available to book until 30 September 2014 and can not be booked in conjunction with any other discount or promotion.

Calls to 0871 numbers cost 10p per minute plus network extras.

Darlington 26 Post House Wynd Darlington, County Durham, DL3 7LP 01325 355482 Durham 8 Saddler Street, Durham County Durham, DH1 3NP 0191 3849770 Guisborough 85 Westgate, Town centre Guisborough, TS14 6AF 01287 639257 Lanchester 1 Croft View , Lanchester County Durham, DH7 0HY 01207 521840 Prudhoe 3 front Street, Prudhoe Tyne & wear, NE42 5HJ 01661 835353 Ryton Unit 1 , parsons Drive, Ryton, Tyne & Wear 0191 4133394 Yarm High Street, Yarm Cleveland, TS15 9BH 01642 790990

www.wadeopticians.com

SEP/OCT14

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NEW FACES Charlotte Tilbury has been a make-up guru for more than 20 years, working with the world’s A-list models, celebrities and designers, and now her best-kept secrets have arrived in an ‘all you need’ skincare and make-up collection.

It launches in Harvey Nichols, Leeds this month and she boasts products that are quick-fix, flawless and a little bit cheaty too.

“These are products for a modern woman who is as likely to do her makeup on the run with a mobile phone in hand as she is to sit down at a dressing table. By decoding expertise into essential make-up tricks, tips and tools, learn how to make-up becomes a secret weapon – ‘dial down’ the imperfections.” These are some of her heroes in the making: Balm breakthrough – Multi-Miracle Glow is a modern-day SOS 3-in-1 skin remedy that you just won’t be able to live without. It acts as a cleanser with anti-wrinkle benefits, an overnight facial mask and an SOS face & body balm for cuticles, elbows, heels and shins.

“It is similar to a formula that I used to mix backstage at lingerie shoots and shows and use on the models’ limbs to glow and elongate. But beyond this, it is a hard-working, multi-tasking balm that cleanses, fights wrinkles, regenerates skin as a mask and repairs dry, cracked areas. A beauty best friend, £45.

LIP CHEAT Re-shape, re-size and balance your lips. It’s a trick that Charlotte swears by and uses all the time on cover shoots, shows and her clients. Charlotte has created 10 shades to match seamlessly with the K.I.S.S.I.N.G lipstick range - it sets and lasts for six hours. £16. “Lip Liner is my backstage secret weapon as it can completely re-build the lip shape and size without the collagen injections! The key is to always match your lip liner shade to your lipstick for the most flawless illusion of volume and size.”

FILMSTAR BRONZE Clever tricks of shading and highlighting can sculpt, trim, slim and emphasise your best assets. Bronzer is the perfect universal blend to contour the skin and the highlighter tint is ultra-flattering with a candle-lit skin finish. All wrapped up in a highly covetable compact inspired by the elegance and glamour of a 1920s cigarette case, £49.

LUXE LOVES A swish Swiss dip Take a run and jump... Hotel Palafitte in Neuchatel, Switzerland is the only hotel in Europe built on stilts. Lakeside bungalows are built directly over Lake Neuchâtel. What a hideaway.

We want. www.palafitte.ch/en/home

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Gree Tele 60

SEP/OCT14

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CREATING BEAUTIFUL SMILES at Greenfields House

CLEVELAND COSMETIC & DENTAL IMPLANT CLINIC • Cosmetic Dentistry • Dental Implants • Same Day Teeth • Smile Makeovers • Teeth Whitening • Facial Aesthetics • Multi National Award Winning Practice

• Direct access to our National Award Winning Hygienist

Cleveland Cosmetic & Dental Impl ant Clinic C l eCvleelvaen la dnCdo C sm oe sm t iect i&c &

FREE CONSULTATIONS House, Wellburn Road, Fairfield, D eGreenfields n D t e a n l t a I m l p I m l apStockton-on-Tees n la t nCtlTS19iC7PP nliic nic Telephone. 01642 570147 • Facsimile. 01642 570870 • Email. info@cdic.co.uk GreenfieldsGreenfields House, Wellburn House, Road, Wellburn Fairfield, Road,Stockton-on-Tees Fairfield, Stockton-on-Tees TS19 7PPTS19 7PP Telephone.Telephone.

01642 570147 01642• 570147 Facsimile.

• Facsimile.

01642 570870 01642• 570870 Email. info@cdic.co.uk • Email. info@cdic.co.uk SEP/OCT14

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AVAILABLE www.clevelandcosmetic.co.uk

c rea t ing cbrea ea ut ing t ifubl ea s mil u t ifu es l s mil es

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Treetop living Architect Neil Turner has created the perfect woodland home by bringing a 1960s house back to life

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SEP/OCT14

XXXXXXXX The story, or should that be ‘journey’ of Neil and Anita Turner’s self-build cries out for the lilting theme tune of TV’s Grand Designs in the background.

You wouldn’t be surprised to see Kevin McCloud popping up somewhere, except in this case there would be no moments of panic, despair or drama for him to do his face-to-camera ‘tragic’ expression before an ad break.

The re-invention of Treetops has in fact been a study in how to do a grand design well.

So well, that it wins an award. So well, because owner Neil is an architect and project managed the whole thing. That’s the secret.

Treetops, in Riding Mill in the Tyne Valley, more than lives up to its name. Set high on a hill in woodland, it has acres of green space and the ultimate fresh air feeling.

As you approach you can’t fail to be impressed. Tall wooden pillars dominate a cedar-clad frontage that looks elegant and modern in its woodland setting with a sweeping lawn to the front.

The house was built in 1964 in a style typical of its time. It had been extended in the 80s and was definitely bought as a project for Neil and his GP wife Anita and their two teenage sons. Previous homes has been older properties, large Edwardian places, pretty much the opposite to Treetops. Here was the challenge Neil had been waiting for. He is an architect with Howarth Litchfield in Durham and has worked on mainly residential projects such as further education colleges, medical practices and leisure developments.

He took Treetops back to its shell. At one point some 550 tonnes of earth was dug from the side of the house to raise the plot and create a basement garage. This created what might have been a drama moment as sand started running down in streams from the hills alongside. But Neil is a calm man and found a solution with little delay to the schedule.

At its heart, the vision was to create a family home that was a living space more than a showpiece. Explains Anita: “We were living in rented accommodation trying to find a house we could do something with – we saw this one and loved the setting but dismissed it at first. We came back again and were drawn to the setting.

“It was important that it would be a family home and not a big white box. We have created some small rooms that although they have huge windows are also cosy,” says Neil.

Vital to the project, as well as showing how mid-century buildings are worthy of retention, were its eco-credentials and building design standards.

It was important that it would be a family home and not a big white box. We have created some small rooms which although they have huge windows are also cosy The house is a perfect example on how to conserve and update a classic 1960s home.

Neil remembers getting very excited when the removal of the 80s pitch roof revealed the original 60s roof with its skylight windows – these have been incorporated into the new design.

The project brief was to create a modern house for a family’s needs in the 21st Century.

They did this with a £200,000 budget. It would have been far easier to totally demolish and build a new house but once Neil discovered the original form and shape of the roof, the design challenge was to create an extension that paid homage to the original.

The end result led to Treetops winning two prestigious awards from industry peers, the RICS Renaissance Award - Special Judges Commendation, RIBA - North East Regional Award and RIBA - Best Small Project.

It looks cool and stylish. Interiors have been kept minimal but not clinical. White walls – and some grey paint in the kitchen – are the backdrop for the furniture, painting and pieces that are part of their family story.

A shelf-lined room with no door is a place you can slip in to grab a book. “A library of life’s belongings,” says Anita of the shelves filled with personal objects, books and photographs. “There is a north-facing glass wall and it is the cedar panel alongside that opens as a window rather than the glass itself,” notes Neil. >>

displaying some of the finest and most innovative bathrooms to be found in the North East where else...

10 Stirling Court, Eleventh Avenue North, Team Valley, NE11 0JF

www.h2obdc.co.uk

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WOODLAND HOME

It needed to be a home not a museum piece. There has to be a place to put the wellies, a place to curl up as well. I wanted to keep it simple, stylish not fashionable

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The front of the house is home to a cosy sitting room, and a huge double-height kitchen and dining space. Windows run along the façade and light and warmth flood though. There’s a decked area all around with fabulous views to the stream in front where you can even go otter-spotting; that’s how idyllic it all is.

It has been a labour of love for Anita and Neil. “There’s not a lot of bling and gadgetry,” says Neil. “It needed to be a home not a museum piece. There has to be a place to put the wellies, a place to curl up as well. Bling can mean costly when it goes wrong – our ‘bling’ is underfloor heating and LED lights. I wanted to keep it simple. No flashy wallpapers – stylish not fashionable.”

The kitchen, made by Mowlem, has putty-coloured gloss units and some desirable features – like the dishwasher in a room alongside – so dirty plates don’t spoil the look! Anita admits to being bowled over by the built-in Siemens steam oven which she hadn’t expected to use but does all the time. Warming drawers are proving a hit – as is the double-door fridge and rather lovely bespoke oak-lined cutlery drawers.

Dramatic lighting over the central island makes it the perfect place to perch with the morning coffee or early evening glass of wine and take in the views.

The house also has a den for the boys and upstairs Matthew’s room is a teen dream – it is above the kitchen and originally only had a view to the rear of the house.

Instead Neil decided to make what you might call a ‘viewing box’ – a wooden-framed glass panel with a window seat that looks down on the kitchen below and out to the gardens; it is certainly a bedroom to impress. The family moved in last September – their next plan is to create a wildflower garden to the front of the house – then sit back, take in the views and stay put forever. www.howarthlitchfield.co.uk

SEP/OCT14

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• Kitchens • Bedrooms • Bathrooms • Lounge • Dining Room • Windows • Orangeries • Bi-fold doors • Full interior design service • Building work Visit our stunning showroom

www.greatlook.co.uk 0191 4913836 10th Avenue West | Team Valley | Gateshead | NE11 0HL | Opposite Retail World SEP/OCT14

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Clever corners and

CHANGING ROOMS

creative cupboards

A fridge that goes round corners? Hear the gasps. We’ve seen the kitchen of the future. It’s one of the eye-catching elements in the new ‘whole-house’ Greatlook showroom that brings room-envy to a new level

The curvy kitchen with its swanky fridge is a sight to behold. Open it and eyes right there’s a clever corner for your culinary necessities, the chopped ginger and all-important mayo jar, and your prosecco find its very own space.

Magic touches like these get Ian Mason excited. The soft slide and closing touch of the perfect wardrobe door, the texture of wall tiles that make you want to linger longer in the bathroom. All-important attention to detail is what it’s all about.

Ian’s company, Greatlook, based on Team Valley, is best known for stylish one-off kitchens.

But now Ian has gone ‘whole house’ with a fabulous

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new showroom and even a showhome within.

The Greatlook HQ now showcases the living that people want – and the wow factor that the team of designers, craftsmen and interior specialists can bring.

There’s space to wander, sofas to sit on and so many drawers and cupboards to open and peer inside.

There’s even an area dedicated to Greatlook’s new outdoor room options – so you can get up close with different shapes, sizes and configurations of orangerie, garden room and conservatory.

It really is a one-stop design consultancy for those seeking a wow-factor improvement to their home and interiors. These days people don’t just

want one showpiece room, says Ian. “People want something extra. They want their living spaces to run into each other so there is one seamless ‘wow’ to the entire flow of the house – be that an open kitchen with sofas and dining area leading on to bi-fold doors and outdoor space.

“Or they may want a bedroom that becomes a ‘suite’ with a well-planned dressing area, leading to an ensuite bathroom, all with a cohesive sense of design – and as luxurious as they wish.”

So, the clever fridge gets its condiment corner and the dressing room gets floor-to-ceiling storage for the Chanel bags, the must-keep Jo Malone boxes and the

SEP/OCT14

CHANGING ROOMS

We have created this showroom because demands are changing. The traditional fitted kitchen started to become a different type of room, one that was a more sociable space all-important Jimmy Choo collection (in our dreams).

Nothing is impossible and Ian stresses that whatever a customer’s budget, the team can come up with an unrivalled offering.

“We have created this showroom because demands are changing. We saw that the traditional fitted kitchen started to become a different type of room – one that was a more sociable space with the need for a dining area and sofas, from there it followed that people might want a whole wall to become a media unit.

“The way people live has changed and we try to reflect that in this showroom – we have one area that is studio – a kitchen, lounge area and media centre in one clever space.

“At the other end of the scale we have literally built a showhome from scratch where customers can walk from an orangerie through to a lounge then to a bedroom ‘suite’ with dressing room and bathroom. “It is much easier for people to visualise design and living options when they see the finished rooms in front of them and can feel, touch and ‘live’ in them.

“When a customer comes to us we can talk through their needs and work out what they want – is it wow-factor beauty, practicality or efficiency? “We have a huge team of people and have years of experience in building – often now it is not a case of just fitting a kitchen into an existing space – it is about knocking down walls, opening up a series of small rooms, perhaps adding those bi-fold doors – we are very good at a ‘wow factor’ end product,” he says.

The one-stop-shop approach means their interior designer Lesley McDine is also on hand. Her efforts and style bring the studio’s roomsets to life with sumptuous fabrics, inspired colour schemes and texture and tone that add interest and a contemporary feel.

Details like glittering crystal light fittings, opulent bespoke coffee tables made in contrasting fabrics, window treatments and just the right touch with accessories. The studio deals with some of the best companies in Europe so there is access to one-off pieces whatever your room.

“It really is about being able to match the aspirations people have about where they want to live. They can have a total ‘turn-key’ service where we do everything and they walk in to the finished rooms.

“Their style can be contemporary, modern or traditional – it is all on show in the new studio because we know how difficult it can be to get a sense of what is possible in terms of a tailor-made design for a home.

“We do sleek, modern, minimal, with as much gadgetry as you want – there are so many materials to use these days that really anything is possible – but starting from scratch with that ‘anything’ can be daunting. The new studio is a deliberately touch-andfeel, stay and relax experience with a lot of airy space and time to linger, free of pressure.

“We don’t live in just one room – space has to be flexible and meaningful for people – their home is everything and we have everything to ensure it can be the ‘wow’ home they’ve always dreamed about.” www.greatlook.co.uk

SEP/OCT14

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REAL WOOD EXCLUSIVE Is your stair making the first impression you want for your home?

A Wood Idea are based in Blaydon and have converted stairs throughout the North East, making bold and stylish statements worthy of any home. They can make use of your existing flight, removing all non-structural elements and replacing them with materials of your choice. This method creates the minimum of disruption and in most cases can be completed within two to three days. From traditional timber to glass and metals, A Wood Idea can bring style and individuality to your home.

“Now that’s a Wood Idea” A Wood Idea specialise in high quality timber products for home and commercial use.

Hardwood flooring, internal wooden doors, staircases and bespoke fitting including associated building works are now part of the portfolio.

Staircases I Flooring I Doors Unit 4, Blaydon Trade Park, Toll Bridge Road, Blaydon, Tyne & Wear. NE21 5TR

T 0191 414 1300

F 0191 414 1306

www.awoodidea.com

CONSTRUCT AN IDEA Recent developments have seen the company moving more and more towards a complete building service.

Iain Smith company founder said “We found that our customers were dictating the direction we are now taking. The installation of a stair seemed to lead into building of everything from a small oak framed porch to a loft conversion. We now have a dedicated team, headed up by David Young who has 28 years in the construction industry and has supervised some of the highest quality building projects in the North East. We are confident that if you have a constructive idea we can deliver a high quality build at a competitive price.”

A CONSTRUCTION IDEA GREAT IDEAS IN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION

www.awoodidea.com

A WOOD IDEA

GREAT IDEAS IN WOOD FLOORING & DOORS

Unit 4, Blaydon Trade Park, Toll Bridge Road, Blaydon, Tyne & Wear. NE21 5TR

T 0191 414 1300

F 0191 414 1306

LUXE LOCAL

Middleton One Row Middleton One Row – the name says it all. A strip of Georgian houses that’s a village all its own and a surprisingly busy one at that. The row of houses perches almost cliff-like above the River Tees and its leafy riverbank with views to open countryside beyond

PROPERTIES >> Beween Yarm and Darlington, following the River Tees, the ‘one row’ is made up of a variety of properties – terraced cottages which are getting some primping, there’s a converted chapel then houses of different ages and different shapes and sizes, no two are the same. There are some impressive Georgian house which boast elevated views and huge windows. Behind the ‘row’ you find Middleton St George and Dinsdale. The villages are about five miles from Darlington. Middleton St George is a town with a mix of period properties and some new estates as well as a grand old former convalescent home in lovely grounds that has been converted into housing. Dinsdale takes in open countryside and expansive views – this is where you’ll pick up a barn conversion in acres of space. In the past visitors came to Middleton, lured by the spa at Dinsdale. In 1789, during drilling for coal, a natural spring of sulphurated mineral water was discovered on the northern bank of the Tees and the first spa was opened.

CONNECTED? Suprisingly, yes. Dinsdale has a station all its own so you can be at the mainline Darlington station in ten minutes and head off anywhere. Durham Tees Valley airport may not go to many places but it’s on the doorstep and the starting point for a journey – Schiphol and Aberdeen anyone?

STROLL You’re certainly in luck on that count. Best buy a dog soon.

The Teesdale Way runs through Middleton. It’s a 100-mile stroll along the Tees from hills to sea in its entirety.

There’s a marked walk by the riverbanks from the village green through woodland to reach Low Dinsdale. It’s a leafy and lovely stroll – it is also possible to walk from the village to nearby Yarm.

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SHOP None at all on the row itself – Middleton St George has a corner shops and takeways – you need the bright lights of Darlington or Yarm for anything substantial.

EAT & DRINK The Devonport sits grandly in the middle of Middleton One Row – it has a real sense of place, every inch the grand coaching inn. It’s the hub of the village with locals at the bar with their pint, a fiercely-fought pub quiz night, a genial atmosphere and good, thoughtful food that sees its neighbours sneaking out for a no-cook Tuesday night.

Sit outside with a local ale and take in the great views which speak for themselves.

If you want something a bit more fancy, then in one direction a good bet is The Bay Horse at Hurworth a couple of miles away where Marcus Bennett does his thing.

Rockliffe Hall is also a near neighbour or in the other direction, Yarm is home to bistros and eating places aplenty from stylish Muse (another Marcus Bennett operation) to ‘place to be seen’ Lotus Lounge with its pan-Asian food and party vibe.

Best buy a dog soon.

The Teesdale Way runs through Middleton. It’s a 100-mile ‘stroll’ along the Tees from hills to sea in its entirety SEP/OCT14

LUXE LOCAL

PROPERTY WATCH WITH DUNCAN YOUNG

my local Musician Jess Smith lives in Middleton St George: Three good things about living here >> 1. Loads of space and lovely walks 2. Safe and friendly community 3. The station at Dinsdale makes it easy to get around Three places to take visitors >> 1. To the river – it’s a must!

2. To the pub – it’s another must after a river walk, food is hearty and welcoming – the fishcakes are great!

3. Dinsdale golf club for a scenic round An in-the-know secret >> Kids will love to grab a rope and swing from the huge tree on the Green.

property: three to choose Airy spaces A lovely barn conversion with lashings of character, cosy rooms and plenty of contemporary style.

The ‘U’ shaped building overlooks a flagged courtyard and has landscaped grounds that lure you to lounge.

£595,000 Nick&Gordon Carver

Cool cottage A sweet slice of history. A pretty mews cottage in a private park within the grounds of Dinsdale Hall and with views towards the golf course. It’s a gorgeous retreat from the world and has been decorated with contemporary style.

£174,950 Nick&Gordon Carver

On the row One of few cottages actually on ‘the Row’. This three-bedroom cottage has great views and instant access to riverside walks. Period character and bags of paint pot potential.

£243,950 Michael Poole, Yarm

SEP/OCT14

TIMING YOUR MOVE As we move in to the autumn it is clear to reflect on the year’s performance to date and to confirm that the volume of sales throughout the North East continues to increase. The confidence in the housing market has certainly returned over the last 18 months and there are many more buyers currently looking to move than we have seen for some time. House prices are reported to have increased year on year between 3.9% and 5% within the region, but we have to ensure that this is taken as an average and not applicable to everybody - prices are variant between one area and another, as well as between the sector price levels. The demand for first time buyers up to £200,000 is very much stronger than it has been for many years. Those moving between £200,000 and £500,000 are generally increasing, especially in the strong urban areas and popular residential locations, where demand is again outstripping supply. We have seen many semi-detached family homes with three bedrooms, and mid-terraced four-bedroomed houses, achieving multiple offers at the asking price and above and this reflects the increased demand.

As we move between £500,000 and £1 million, demand is more patchy and highly reliant upon the style of house, location, presentation and its realistic pricing.

Regrettably some vendors are still being over-optimistic and too ambitious.

Demand over £1 million in the region has, perhaps, seen the least improvement and this is principally due to the focus of those who are buying ensuring that their businesses remain solid and perform well as the economy improves. I have spoken to many senior management executives who are trading well and producing good profits within their companies, and these profits are being reinvested to improve their balance sheets and in many cases to repay overdraft and debt that may have been amassed over the 6 to 7 years of the recession. It is equally fair to reflect that those businesses are likely to continue to do well over the next two to three years and once in a healthy shape, the senior directors and shareholders will be looking for a personal dividend. That is when they are most likely to be moving house, buying new cars and investing in their own fortune.

We are, therefore, reflective of this gradual improvement in the housing market and there is no doubt that certain buyers in the market have taken advantage of these conditions and have invested very well.

There are some excellent houses for sale throughout the region and some of these properties are likely to rebound very quickly. Whilst confidence is strong in the mid-price levels we have already seen house prices rising, especially in Jesmond and Gosforth, where semi-detached and terraced houses have risen by as much as 15% in the last year. When that confidence returns to other areas of the economy, especially over £1 million in value, significant gains can be made. Therefore, I encourage people who are thinking about a move in the near future to assess their situation very carefully and take advantage of the excellent value for money that some of these properties are currently providing.

As we move in to autumn we are likely to see a rise in viewing levels in the September to late November period and there is still plenty of time for people to be in their new home before Christmas. Mortgage availability is improving, as are the systems and procedures for mortgage applications but guidance is required if you are to seek the best mortgage for you. Here, at Sanderson Young, Paul Hardingham would be very happy to advise anyone on their levels of affordability and competitive mortgage rates that exist. Paul is available on 0191 2843723.

Here at Sanderson Young our offices are extremely busy and keen to guide and advise those people who want to move soon. Our new website will be ready for launching in early October and this will further enhance the marketing of our properties, to ensure that we remain market leaders. Exposure to all types of new digital media can be very significant in achieving the maximum number of viewings and potential offers. We are highly focused on this area of our business and look to innovate and develop it further in months to come.

We look forward to helping you with your property move and please do not hesitate to contact me on my email below. Happy house hunting!

Duncan G Young Dip.Est.Man.FNAEA, Managing Director, Sanderson Young duncan.young@sandersonyoung.co.uk 0191 223 3500

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SELLING & LETTING HOMES REGIONALLY

From Sanderson Young

www.sandersonyoung.co.uk

LINDISFARNE ROAD JESMOND A rare opportunity to purchase a highly individual, luxurious and unique home, located in the heart of Jesmond and representing one of Newcastle upon Tyne’s finest town mansions. This very elegant, four storey detached family house is set in approximately one acre of south facing landscaped gardens and woodland and accommodates a bespoke open plan Poggenpohl kitchen, six double en-suite bedrooms, four stunning, large reception rooms, and a leisure suite with full size pool.

Reception hall | Family room and breakfast room open to Poggenpohl fitted kitchen with wall of glass to terrace | Laundry room, utility, pantry and gardener’s wc Drawing room with media wall | Formal dining room | Garden room | Cloakroom | WC | Study | Playroom | Leisure suite with full size pool, Jacuzzi, changing rooms, showers, sauna, relaxation area, gymnasium and games room with cocktail bar | Six double en-suite bedrooms | Double plus garage with store room above The design, creativity and vision of the owners and the architect are to be applauded in the transformation of this most individual and luxurious family property. Stunning features include full length floor to ceiling glass walls, porcelain tiled floors, solid oak doors, fantastic lighting, internal sound system, intelligent wiring and mood system.

PRICE GUIDE: £4.5 MILLION ay s 7D Op

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RARE OFFICE: 0191 223 3500

Rare! Office 30 High Street, Gosforth t: 0191 223 3500

Gosforth Office 95 High Street, Gosforth t: 0191 213 0033

Ponteland Office Coates Institute, Main Street t: 01661 823 951

Lettings Office 95 High Street, Gosforth t: 0191 223 3510

Alnwick Office 31-33 Bondgate Within, Alnwick t: 01665 600 170

SELLING & LETTING HOMES REGIONALLY

From Sanderson Young

www.sandersonyoung.co.uk

FIFTY RUNNYMEDE Plot sizes Plot 1 – 1.31 acres Plot 2 – 1.36 acres Plot 3 – 1.14 acres Plot 4 – 1.03 acres Plot 5 – 1.05 acres

FIFTY RUNNYMEDE ROAD DARRAS HALL, PONTELAND Fifty Runnymede Road provides the most prestigious and desirable location for five luxury new homes to be developed. The mature site is surrounded by fabulous trees and the new houses will enjoy an elevated aspect overlooking adjoining countryside. Runnymede Road is Ponteland’s most sought after address and home to the region’s most impressive, elegant and stunning modern mansions. It enjoys a short walking access to Ponteland’s village centre with its beautiful church, popular restaurants, public inns and sporting facilities.

Clean, bright and modern design is proposed for this superb site incorporating natural materials in a contemporary way. Steel, timber and dressed stone will work with zinc and chrome to give a strong visual impact; high ceilings and curtain glass walling will bring the outdoor space into the inside of so many rooms. The proposed architecture, like the site, will be outstanding.

Lugano have indicative drawings for the luxury homes to illustrate each plot’s potential to accommodate a truly exceptional property with generous spaces, contemporary detailing and elevated views. Lugano will design and build your own luxury home on probably the finest piece of land to come to the market in Darras Hall in the last 10 years.

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PRICE GUIDE: PRICES ON APPLICATION

Rare! Office 30 High Street, Gosforth t: 0191 223 3500

Gosforth Office 95 High Street, Gosforth t: 0191 213 0033

Ponteland Office Coates Institute, Main Street t: 01661 823 951

Lettings Office 95 High Street, Gosforth t: 0191 223 3510

Alnwick Office 31-33 Bondgate Within, Alnwick t: 01665 600 170

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Fine & Country iPhone App Download the Fine & Country iPhone App today to browse some of the finest properties worldwide. Featuring our unique lifestyle video technology, stunning imagery and a ‘near you’ search facility.

Download it now at www.fineandcountry.com

local, regional, national and international specialists in property marketing FORESTERS CLOSE WYNYARD A palatial property, 2 Foresters Close, in exclusive Wynyard Village, is a home for family, a home for entertaining, a home to be proud of. Standing on a substantial plot, only from an aerial view can you appreciate the full scale of its large, landscaped frontage, five bedroom accommodation and extensive reception and leisure space. Whilst this property is built for a large family, the style and layout ensure it has a welcoming, homely feel. The fixtures and fittings are of the highest quality and are matched by luxury features and tasteful décor, all designed to contribute to the comfort and pleasure of living here.

Extended and fully refurbished in 2009/10, family and entertaining space has been the priority with investment put into creating spacious accommodation.

Few homes can be as well set up for entertaining outdoors as this one with its external speaker system and heated gazebo. And yet the private, landscaped garden also provides a haven of tranquility quiet hidden corners, patios and outdoor dining areas overlooking the golf course with the Cleveland Hills providing a distant backdrop. The property lies in a peaceful corner of Wynyard and is approached via a private, gated entrance.

Contact: 01740 645 444

ORCHARD HOUSE, SLEETBURN LANE, DURHAM

£749,950

SCHOOL HOUSE, THE VILLAGE CASTLE EDEN

• A contemporary home with rustic features, and a rural setting yet close to the city centre and within the Durham Johnson catchement.

• Deceptively spacious family accommodation with excellent room dimensions throughout • Stunning dining kitchen with a range of bespoke fitted units and built in appliances, excellent for entertaining.

• The first floor provides five bedrooms, three advantaging from en-suites.

• Substantial and private walled garden to the rear backing onto open countryside and safe for children • EER C75

• Situated within a much sought after village of Castle Eden enjoying open countryside views to rear.

• A substantial four bedroom detached home suitable for the most demanding of family requirements.

• Superb open plan family lounge, dining and conservatory with log burner and bi folding doors, ideal for entertaining.

• Fully fitted breaking kitchen with a comprehensive range of built in appliances and range cooker • Four double bedrooms all with en-suite shower room • Large private rear garden backing onto fields with triple garaging and ample parking to side • EER D58

Contact: 0191 384 2277

£465,000 Contact: 0191 384 2277

Newcastle 0845 459 6000

Durham 0191 384 2277

Wynyard 01740 645 444

residing@fineandcountry.com

info@durhamfineandcountry.co.uk info@wynyardfineandcountry.co.uk residing@fineandcountry.com cumbria@fineandcountry.com

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Tyne Valley 0845 459 6000

£425,000 Cumbria 0845 872 5453 SEP/OCT14

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Sales & Lettings North East creative and intelligent marketing of individual and country property

...300 offices worldwide WAYSIDE, NORTON BACK LANE SADBERGE A substantial and complete equestrian property offering extensive accommodation for both horses and humans. Believed to date back to the 17th century, the old farmhouse has undergone considerable improvement and extension to make it the superb property it is today while still retaining the feel and features of the original dwelling. Surrounded by open countryside, it comes with 8.75 acres of grazing land with water supply and a field shelter, together with ten stables, tack room and workshop and an indoor arena.

A true family home, the house is large enough to accommodate several generations with one wing providing a ground floor lounge, bathroom and bedroom with French doors to the garden for a relative who wishes to retain some independence. The amount and versatility of the space can meet a variety of individual requirements. The farm is reached via a single track, council adopted lane so is extremely private yet is within easy reach of the village Sadberge. A bridle path is nearby.

Contact: 0191 384 2277

SOUTH FARM, FOXTON, SEDGEFIELD

WINDRUSH, SALTBURN ROAD, BROTTON SALTBURN BY THE SEA

• Set in open countryside with uninterrupted views over rolling countryside • An outstanding family home filed with charm and character inc beamed ceilings and log burners • A Stunning kitchen is at the heart of the home featuring both a family seating area, fully fitted kitchen with Aga and dining area • Three further reception rooms inc Formal Lounge, Dining room and Study.

• Four bedrooms, 2 en-suite shower rooms and family bathroom to first floor • Beautifully landscaped gardens, double garaging, ample parking and 2 ½ acre paddock • EER D63

Contact: 0191 384 2277 Lakes 01539 733 500

Northumberland 0845 459 6000

sales@fineandcountry-lakes.co.ul

info@durhamfineandcountry.co.uk

SEP/OCT14

£835,000

• Between coast and country, private yet with panoramic views, Windrush is a unique family home • Standing proud within south facing grounds and land that extends to one and a half acres, its position is matched only by the scale of the property itself.

• Big, bright spaces characterise the five bedroom home suitable for the most demanding of family requirements.

• Large windows allow plenty of natural light along with panoramic views over towards both the coast and the country.

• Approached via a private drive that leads to a large parking area and double detached with a first floor studio/storage

£685,000 Contact: 0191 384 2277

£465,000

www.fineandcountry.com Head office: 121 Park Lane, Mayfair, London WIK 7AG. 75

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TREND WATCH with Bryan Middleton Wrap yourself in the fabric of the moment. Tweed is tradition with a twist

Tweed comes home for autumn. We’ve worn it, wrapped our iPads in cases made from famous Harris tweed and now it’s time to give tweed a bigger canvas.

It’s cosy – and certainly shouldn’t be itchy-scratchy – so it’s perfect for upholstery that has a lasting edge and which gets better as it ages.

Tweed talks texture and brings back to our homes the era of muted, earthy colours with hearty, heathery integrity and heritage.

As the hipster crowd take tweed and brogues to their heart, the savvy interior decorator looks to the blend of Ralph Lauren preppy and clubby inspiration in tweeds and tartans.

It doesn’t mean dour by any means. Tweed has had a makeover for the times – it’s the craft beer of the sitting room.

>> Light up: Tove giant tweed pendant, £295 www.outthereinteriors.com >> In the shade: Large table lamp with rustic tweed shade, £220 www.house-envy.co.uk >> Snuggle: Ned the Dog cushion, £25 www.houseoffraser.co.uk

>> Take a seat: Harris McKenzie armchair, £1559, cushion, £49, stag picture, £199, Barker and Stonehouse

>> Sit back: Harris Bowmore sofa, £1,869, antler lamp, £119 www. barker&stonehouse.co.uk >> Cosy throws: Highland Cow tweed cushion and throw, £160, Damson herringbone throw, £79 www.notonthehighstreet.co.uk

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SEP/OCT14

SEP/OCT14

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ONLY WAY IS UP

PLOT with Will Quarmby, Hampton Court Flower Show gold winner Living walls. If your garden is tiny and your patio petite, it might be time to climb the walls

At Quarmby Landscaping we have recently been working on our new website and it has prompted me to look through some of the past projects we have been involved with. One particular project which stood out was a garden I designed for the Heather Growers’ Association in 2011, the aim of which was to increase public awareness of heather as a plant that can be used in everyday situations in the garden and also to highlight its advantage as a great pollinator for bees. The garden was a huge success - the main attraction was a living wall planted with winter flowering heathers that set the backdrop for the whole garden. The space was limited so it was a perfect chance to show off the plants.

It’s not only heathers that will thrive in the high life. Herbs, fruit, grasses and ferns all make suitable plants, whether in sun or shade. Covering walls with plants can enhance the smallest of spaces.

At their most simple, green walls can just be a planting of wall shrubs and climbers. It’s hardly innovative, but claddings made from plants such as Pyracantha or Ceanothus can provide many of the benefits offered by more complex systems.

At the other extreme are engineered, planting systems. These often consist of modules fixed against a wall that contain soil for the plants to grow in. These often require irrigation systems and may need professional installation and maintenance spaces. A great example of this is an artistic living wall replica of Van Gogh’s well-known 1889 painting “A Wheatfield, with Cypresses”, displayed in front of The National Gallery in London. However if you don’t have this much space to play with you can still achieve a great result as there are lots of different ways to introduce a living wall into your own space.

CLIMBERS AND WALL SHRUBS are the simplest way of adding interest to walls. There will be a climber to suit your wall, whether in sun or shade.

A range of herbaceous perennials, grasses and herbs can be planted.

PLANTS FOR summer interest sold as annuals, patio plants or bedding perform well and are widely available as plugs in spring.

Alternatively, grow plants from seed.

Experiment with different plants.

VEGETABLES AND HERBS like strawberries: seed-raised everbearers (sometimes known as perpetual strawberries), such as ‘Aromel’, ‘Albion’ and ‘Mara des Bois’, oregano, thyme and shade-tolerant fruit and vegetables with adequate irrigation will thrive.

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Wall planting is good for herbs, heathers, fruit, grasses and ferns, all of which thrive in the high life

Get the look for walls >> There are a number of planting pockets and modules that you can hang or attach to garden or house walls in sections to make a splash of vegetation to brighten up an old fence or wall.

Some, such as Wally Planters, have self-watering tanks, while those from Verti-plant (burgonandball. com) are watered with a can: with the VertiFlora system you can choose which watering method you prefer, depending on the wall’s size. Treebox (treebox.co.uk) sells a green wall system specifically for growing food in small spaces. If you’re planning to attach your green wall to a fence, check its weight when fully planted and watered before buying; you may need to add some battens for strength.

SEP/OCT14

LUXE LIFE

BEN PARNABY

Ben Parnaby is a real family guy. From working alongside his brother Ian, father Adrian and grandfather Derek, to relaxing with his wife Lina, the 26-year-old is never happier than when spending time with those closest to him Ben’s professional passion is developing the family’s core business, Derek Parnaby Cyclones Ltd, which deals with all things recycling, including materials recovery including glass separation, waste electronic equipment, automotive waste, road sweepings separation for composting and recovery of valuable aggregates.

He also loves spending time at the family’s latest business acquisition, Whitworth Hall Hotel, the former home of Bobby Shafto near Spennymoor, which is home to a herd of roaming deer. The Parnaby family has long links with Whitworth Hall – Ben’s grandfather Derek lived there until 1997, and Ben’s parents Adrian and Karen were married there in 1982. The family recently resumed ownership of the hall and a huge improvement project is now underway.

LUXE PEOPLE >> First and foremost is my Colombian wife Lina. The other important people in my life are my father and grandfather, both of whom I admire hugely. They have guided me and helped me develop my knowledge and interest in the world of business.

LUXE PLACES >> For a weekend > It’s got to be the Lake District – you can’t beat the scenery in and around Keswick. Lina and I love walking around Derwent Water and canoeing and camping at Ullswater. It’s breath-taking!

A long holiday > Definitely Colombia. Lina’s family are great people, super friendly and always take me to a new place every time we visit. This year the Coffee Son region and the Caribbean coastline.

A treat > Canoeing on a quite lake in the Lake District, away from everyone.

LUXE RELAX >> Best food > I love seafood and Japanese cuisine.

Best wine > I don’t have a particular favourite, I prefer New World wines - ones from Chile are always good!

Favourite restaurant > Hanahana, Newcastle. Their Teppan Yaki set dinners and a la carte menu is my idea of food heaven.

Perfect weekend > Hiking or canoeing in the Lake District with my wife Lina.

Downtime means > A cold beer, and if I’m lucky, a quiet sunny spot to sit and relax.

Best telly > Game of Thrones and Big Bang Theory.

Best book > I see such a large amount of paperwork and documents in the office that I try to avoid reading much else if I can help it! However you will find me checking the BBC news app on my iPad fairly regularly.

Best sounds > The gentle rippling sound a canoe paddle makes as it cuts through the water on a still lake.

LUXE SHOP >> Best shopping city > Newcastle.

Favourite shop > I like Cotswold Outdoor and Go Outdoors!

It’s the gadgets and outdoor gear. I can’t resist!

Luxe retail treat > I’m not a great fan of shopping, I guess I’m like a lot of men, I don’t like to mess about, if I want something I go, get it, and I’m done.

Best buy > We’ve just bought a new generator for our Client Demonstration Facility which gives me peace of mind as I know I can rely on it day in day out. It’s one less thing to worry about when with clients. It’s not very glamorous I know, but it’s worth its weight in gold.

Luxe party > I’ll always remember a party with my wife’s cousins, around 12 of them! Little to my knowledge they had a plan to get me drunk on Colombian ‘fire water’ which backfired and a lot of them ended up a little worse for wear the next day. Ha! Serves them right!

A memorable night out > Nothing beats the party with the wife’s cousins.

Best dress > I think when you’re a young person in business and the majority of your clients or business contacts are older your appearance is hugely important. I find a well-tailored suit gives me the confidence I need when I’m meeting people and negotiating business deals.

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Dinner date > Lina and I love to eat out and just recently we stumbled across a great little restaurant near Windermere.

We’ll definitely be going back there soon.

YOUR LUXE THINGS IN LIFE >> Knowing my father Adrian and grandfather Derek are proud of what I’ve already achieved and the direction the company is going in. It’s great to see how interested they both are in the new industries and materials we have been

able to recycle using our Parnaby Processes.

Recycling and caring for the environment is high on people’s agendas and it is resulting in us experiencing a huge increase in inquiries, especially from companies keen to find out more about how we process the difficult to recycle materials.

Support from my wife Lina and both our families drives me on - it’s about our future, the future of our employees and the future of the planet.

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GLASS HALF FULL

Grape journeys If it isn’t on the to-do list for every wine drinker it should be.

Fiona Trott travels to California’s Napa Valley and fills her glass in some unusual places...

DAY 1 >>

SEXY CELLS >>

GO GOURMET >> The visit to Raymond was part of the Ambassador Tour on the Napa Valley Wine Train.

It starts in the centre of Napa and ends at St Helena. We enjoyed the sumptuous surroundings of the 1915-17 Pullman Dining Car, but if you’re expecting a journey through the deep countryside, that isn’t what you’ll get. Instead, it’s all about gourmet dining and making sure you arrive at select wineries in style. We started with a bay shrimp bisque and goat’s cheese salad. For an entrée, we chose the porcini encrusted chicken breast and the grilled salmon. We were then escorted to the lounge car for our crème brûlée and chocolate brownie desserts.

Feather boas and leopard print underwear it’s not what you expect in a wine cellar, but that’s exactly what we found at Raymond in Napa Valley. This dark room was decorated with scantily-clad mannequins posing next to neon-lit fermentation tanks. There’s also a Corridor of the Senses where you can glide your hands across velvet and inhale rich aromas like cherry to experience the colour, smell and texture of their wines. The man behind it all is Jean-Charles Boisset whose family own France’s third largest wine company. He’s married to Gina Gallo whose own family are one of the biggest wine producers in the world. This winery has style, but it isn’t without substance.

The winery goes beyond organic farming methods - it’s biodynamic - and the tasting tour started with a buttery Chardonnay amongst the goats and chickens in the farm outside. It ended in the Barrel Room with the Reserve Collection 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon. We left with a bottle at $35.

NOBLE GRAPE >> We booked ourselves into the luxurious Inn on First in the centre of Napa. The open-plan Noble Vineyard Suite includes a whirlpool bath for two, a private balcony and a split of Mumm Sparkling Wine. The hosts Jamie Cherry and Jim Gunther pay attention to detail. In advance of your stay, they email you a list of recommended restaurants and ask you for any dietary requirements in preparation for the innovative breakfasts they provide whether it’s a pommes frites birds’ nest with soft cooked egg or roasted pear tacos with sweet strawberry salsa.

Their inside knowledge on the wineries of Napa and Sonoma is remarkable. Jamie will happily sit with you and help you plan your day. He also offers his own tailormade tours. More details are on their website www.theinnonfirst.com

DAY 2 >> The room comes complete with a picnic bag, so on the second day we drove to Sonoma’s Plaza Square and stocked up at the Sonoma Cheese Factory and the Basque Boulangerie. Our first stop was at the place where Californian wine making all began. Buena Vista was founded in 1857 by the Hungarian nobleman Agoston Haraszthy de Mokesa who sailed to America in search of ‘purple gold’. The tour included a walk around the historic caves. It was a unique experience. Most of the cellars in this part of the world are modern. At certain times of the day, the winery also offers a tasting straight from the barrel. We sat at the tasting bar and were treated to a 2012 Private Reserve Zinfandel. Only 500 cases have been produced. We enjoyed the rich, plum tastes and bought a bottle for $40. We then went out into the Californian sunshine to have our picnic in the winery’s beautiful grounds. (Generally, the etiquette is that visitors pay for a tasting or a buy a bottle if this is what they plan to do).

Tastings start from $10. For reservations contact www.buenavistawinery.com

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NEW WORLD WAYS >> From the old, we ventured into the new world of winemaking at Hamel Family Wines.

Here, a huge window to the world forms part of this sleek, modern building which

offers sweeping views of the vineyards below. The design fits in seamlessly with its surroundings - earth excavated from the wine cave has been re-used for the rammed earth walls. The family’s wines are organic and there are plans to become biodynamic in the future. Ten per cent of the winery’s earnings also go to non-profit organisations in the local community. We reserved a tasting with winemaker John B. Hamel, II and his consultant Martha McClellan. They’re keen to explain the care and attention that goes into the whole production. Even at the harvesting stage, the pickers wear white gloves and gently place the grapes into smaller boxes to prevent any damage. We enjoyed the 2012 Grenache with its soft cherry flavours at $65.

Reservations only. www.hamelfamilywines.com

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BILL’S PLACE >> They say Napa wines have attitude, but we met a special winegrower with ‘added dude’. Just a few miles from Hamel, high on Mount Veeder, lies Random Ridge Winery. Its owner Bill Hawley is a surfer and a poet. He’ll quickly remind you that during Robert Louis Stevenson’s visit to Napa he remarked “... the wine is bottled poetry.” Bill started the winery from scratch. He built the house from reclaimed wood and before any vines could be planted, he spent six months deforesting the land. It’s steep and rugged and perfect for wine growing - there’s shallow topsoil with minimal water retention, which produces smaller berries with intense flavour. Bill’s attitude to farming is simple. He grows varietals he likes to drink and can be proud and passionate about. We bought a bottle of the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon at $30. Its a dark wine with intense cherry and liquorice flavours. Mount Veeder is a special place to visit. Its ruggedness demands craftsmanship of the highest level and Bill Hawley is keen to show visitors how it’s done. Strictly by appointment only. www.randomridge.com

The Journey LIMOUSINE >> Whether it’s a luxury Mercedes or a stretched limousine, Beau Wine Tours offer chauffeur services around Napa and Sonoma as well as return journeys from San Francisco. They also arrange bespoke tours. Prices on request. www.beauwinetours.com NAPA VALLEY WINE TRAIN >> The Wine Train offers six different winery tours ranging from $149 to $249 per person. Most of them include a gourmet dinner or lunch. www.winetrain.com CAR >> The most reasonable deal we could find was with Alamo. A mid-sized car for four days with a pick up and drop off in San Francisco city centre was $279.22, which included a Sat Nav. A Ford Mustang Convertible and luxury SUVs are also available. www.alamo.com

DAY THREE >> On our third and final day, we combined our love of wine with our love of art and drove to the Hess Collection in Napa. The winery was founded by the Swiss entrepreneur Donald Hess, who bought land on Mount Veeder in the 1970s. His private art collection includes works by Francis Bacon, Howard Mehring and Franz Gertsch. At the tasting bar next door we sampled a special selection of Artezin wines, which focus on heirloom varieties cleverly crafted by winemaker Randle Johnson. We enjoyed the 2012 Verdelho. It’s fresh with a Granny Smith taste and a hint of spice. $22 a bottle. Tastings start at $15 per person by reservation only. The Art Museum is open daily between 10am and 5.30pm and is free of charge. www.hesscollection.com

COACH >> Platypus Wine Tours specialises in private trips around smaller, boutique wineries in both Napa and Sonoma. Prices available on request. www.platypustours.com BIKE >> Napa Valley Adventure Tours offer guided bike tours into the private vineyards of the Oak Knoll and Stags Leap Districts. $139 per person. www.napavalleyadventuretours.com/ vine-to-barrel

FIZZ TEST >> Our tour of Napa and Sonoma wouldn’t be complete without sampling some of California’s sparkling wine, so we booked a Vintage Tour & Tasting at Domaine Chandon later that afternoon via their website www.chandon.com

Join Travel Bureau and our 5 Star Luxury Cruise Partners this autumn at The Cruise Show 2014 Whether you’re new to cruising or already a pro, come and learn about the latest in luxury ocean and river cruising with Travel Bureau.

Factfile

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Did you know that champagne and sparkling wine always fizzes from the bottom of the glass because it’s etched, to allow the bubbles to nucleate? Our tour guide Jeffrey was full of interesting facts and after a tour of the winery, he talked us through three sparkling wines from the Vintage Appellation Series: Yountville Vintage Brut, Carneros Vintage Brut, and Mt. Veeder Vintage Brut. The tasting took place in a courtyard outside, next to a small waterfall. The tables had crisp white linen and polished glasses, which we were allowed to take home.

We also bought a bottle of the Mt Veeder Brut for $45. A perfect souvenir of a very special trip.

Speak individually to the experts and listen to them talk about inspirational cruise itineraries around the globe. Cruise partners attending include: Silversea, Seabourn, Crystal, Hebridean Island Cruises and small ship specialists eWaterways. Also find out about Travel Bureau’s exclusive Authentic Asia river cruise itineraries to Burma, Vietnam and Cambodia. Special offers available on the day.

Make the most of the day and stay at Rockliffe Hall. Call Travel Bureau for details of its Cruise Show special overnight package.

Rockliffe Hall, County Durham, DL2 2DU Sunday 28th September 2014, 11am – 3pm Drop in or stay all day.

This is a free event but you must reserve your place.

Please contact David Mooney at Travel Bureau by email on david@travelb.co.uk or call 0191 272 6023.

For more information visit www.travelb.co.uk/events.

69 High Street, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE3 4AT 0191 0844 847 5004 cruiseclub@travelb.co.uk www.travelb.co.uk Cruises

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rustic mix

Moors magic

Like your rural escape to have a bit of boutique comfort? Kathryn Armstrong mixes Hunters and hearty pies on a trip to Farndale in North Yorkshire Driving down the eye-wateringly steep lane that leads to Farndale, the ‘fresh eggs’ sign demands that you stop.

It’s not the easiest of manoeuvres but few things are as irresistible on a country cottage getaway as just-laid eggs with their luscious yellow yolks for your first morning breakfast.

We journey on and catch a glimpse of our new home, brand new tiled roofing a giveaway. The place is Farndale Estate, a collection of cottages that were originally a collection of farm buildings.

Now they’re bedding in as luxury self-catering accommodation – perfect for family groups and especially for those who come to shoot. This is prime game territory.

The conversion has been the project of North East businessman Andrew Barratt and it was awarded the accolade of Best Listed Building Conversion in North & East Yorkshire 2014.

It is smart, stylish and with the right combination of cool and comfort.

There’s much attention to detail in the interiors of the properties. Old stables have had their vast original doors retained, beams and stone walls had to be kept in-situ and have been incorporated into a design that mixes rustic with contemporary style.

A case in point, the vast bathroom in the original farmhouse, West View Cottage, where we stayed.

An old stone water trough takes its place in the corner of the room alongside a roll top bath and shiny-as-they-come top end bathroom fitting.

There’s an old range making a feature of itself in the wall there too.

Same in the kitchen – a nicely-polished range stands side by side with smart grey kitchen units on a stone-flagged floor.

The finish in all the properties is as good as it gets. Coir matting on the floors, warm wool throws, leather and plaid furniture and solid wood pieces.

There’s all the comfort you require for some post-walk crashing with TVs on the wall in bedrooms and deep sink-in baths.

There’s also nothing nicer than being able to sit in your garden with a view with a cup of coffee in hand and lose yourself in the landscape.

Farndale itself is a smattering of cottages with a pub, The Feversham Arms. The pub’s clearly a hub – at 6pm opening time folks come from the valleys like bees to honey. You can drink good beer and eat home-made pies.

They’re a welcoming bunch – on our first night we were invited to the local cricket match on the Green – thwarted as it happened by a summer deluge.

At the top of the bank there’s Blakey Ridge with the famous Lion Inn pub. You could walk it on a good day – the views are spectacular and the pint earned the best you’ll taste.

Farndale is known for its famous valley of daffodils in the

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spring. It looks beautiful but gets packed to the rafters.

We did the walk along the River Dove from Low Mill to Church Houses. No daffs for us in the middle of summer but much peace and quiet, big views and the lure of being able to just walk and walk.

As a base for seeing North Yorkshire the cottages are perfect. If you’re reading this the moors might even be home territory – for me it was about a 45-minute trip from home. We don’t always journey to the places on our doorstep and it’s nice to see familiar places from a visitor’s perspective.

So we went and had a Whitby day – blessed with much sunshine, the kids bought fishing nets and headed to rockpools. We ate chips and went on the amusements.

We had a trip to foodie Malton (see right) and a mooch around smart Helmsley. We had more riverside rambles and even a day at Flamingoland – the kids’ highlight.

But they loved too that freedom of escape and adventure, of climbing trees, going to get the eggs, late lie-ins and midnight feasts. It’s got very efficient Wi-fi too!

The development has properties for two to six people so it’d make a great place for a family gathering – I think you’d get snowed in if you’re lucky in winter – that steep bank would see to that! www.farndalecottages.co.uk. Stays from £500

The Band Room & dark skies The Band Room is one of the world’s smallest music venues and finds itself in a little hut in Farndale. Bring a bottle to the wood-panelled room and hear pure music from bigger names than you’d expect – Laura Veirs, Eliza Carthy, Handsome Family.

The lure is the beauty of the location and people travel across the globe to visit. There’s the purity of the acoustic, a magical atmosphere and in the interval instead of queuing for the loos you invariably walk out under a pristine black velvet dark sky crackling with billions of stars. www.thebandroom.co.uk

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tastE tHis

A gourmet day out If you’re doing a North Yorkshire break and food is your thing, Malton is fast becoming the county’s foodie capital.

Chef Antonio Carluccio called it just that when he visited the town for Malton Food Lovers Festival, a highlight on the national food calendar. Jay Rayner had one of the best meals of his life at The Talbot. Now dozens of artisans have made the charming market town their base. Yorkshire roots are everything but there’s also a hint of rural

Lunch comes with a handful of celebs on the menu at The Talbot in Malton for Kathryn Armstrong We’re already bathed in the culinary aura of TV celeb chef James Martin but if that wasn’t enough, the stardust of Gary Barlow and Ellie Goulding has hardly settled.

The pair were among the stars who had rocked the socks off the market town of Malton a couple of days earlier for the glossy wedding of popster Danny Jones from McFly and his fiancée and local girl Georgia Horsley (it made the cover of Hello!).

Discreetly the maitre d’ confirms it was more ‘cup of tea please’ when the music folk arrived home in the early hours. He sounds a bit disappointed. Anyway, the event had clearly been the talk of the town for some time – with celeb-spotters being turned away from The Talbot after getting wise to where the star guests would be staying.

Even A-listers wouldn’t be disappointed at their surroundings – The Talbot is a majestic building with its grand but no-nonsense Yorkshire stone frontage and impeccably mannered interior.

France in the charm of the market town. It aches with civic pride. Buildings are clean and freshly painted with chairs, tables and baskets of goodies spilling on to the pavements. People mill around with fresh loaves peeking from their shopping baskets, stopping to sip a coffee at an outdoor table and generally slowing their pace.

The town is famous for its annual food festival and now its monthly food market has expanded. It is popular with all those who care about where their food is sourced and is loved by local foodies, chefs and

James Martin heads up the food side of things as a consultant who devises and oversees the menus and from time to time pops in to cook a lunch for his devotees.

The menu is impressive and on this summer’s day we are more than happy to be led to the garden terrace to dine – skies bluer than Yorkshire ever dares hope for – and little more than a breeze.

The set lunch (£18 for two courses, £24 for three) features dishes that are also on the a la carte. There is also a terrace menu with sandwiches and classics. Tea and cake on the terrace is served up at £5 and we like the sound of afternoon tea with a Bloom strawberry G&T (£24.95). Another day!

From the set menu I have crab and sweetcorn risotto to start. Pleased to find an abundant amount of white crab meat in snowy mounds in there. The stock base is rich and the dish really creamy and indulgent, thanks to brown butter added. A delicate flavours game is played out well. I like the nibblesome bites of corn and rice with the soupy texture – and the sweet taste with the tang of chopped tarragon.

My son has dressed Whitby crab as a starter (£9.50), again, snowy white peaks of crabmeat but there are surprises in store here – not least the garden sorrel sorbet

keen amateur cooks. The market trades from 9am to 3pm and the next one is on October 11. Each month it bustles with live cooking demonstrations, live music from The White Star Brass Band and the freshest local produce. Set in and around the Milton Rooms and located in Malton’s central Market Place the monthly market is definitely worth a visit. Any day of the week, check out this foodie lot: >> Meat: Overton’s Quality Butchers for great cuts and wonderful fat sausages! >> Game: Fox’s Butcher and Game Dealer.

– which I can only describe as a sweet fresh pea-flavoured iced sorbet – lovely to look at and an adventure in taste – especially with the flavours of fennel, avocado puree and fennel pollen on board. Looked a picture too. Husband went for mackerel (£10.50) – in tartare chunks and fresh flesh pieces, light and fresh-flavoured with zesty pickled cucumber.

This is grand dining using – cliché as it has become – the finest local produce. In Yorkshire, it is in abundance and chefs like James Martin have been using it without the fuss for years but it’s worth making a song and dance about.

For main courses, across the table was delivered North Atlantic ‘wreckfish’ (£21.95) – bass to you and me. A beautiful fresh chunk, lightly cooked and accompanied by crayfish, fennel and intense crayfish bisque.

We also chose a side dish of heritage carrots with fennel seeds – they were a little burst of summer sweet brightness – deep beetroot-coloured ‘black’ carrots, bright yellow chunks and your regular orange beauties. Bathed in butter and honey, they were packed with flavour.

I went vegetarian as I do when there’s a nice sounding meat-free dish to go at – butter roasted cauliflower. Cauli that had

See grouse, pheasant, partridge, hare, rabbit – all hanging outside in season. >> Fish: With a superb supply of the best fresh fish and the UK’s busiest shellfish port just 30 miles away, Malton Fisheries sell topquality lobster and crab at a price unequalled anywhere. >> Dickens Of A Deli: Master baker Stephen Shaw bakes artisan bread every day. >> Yorkshire Ales: Indulge in craft brewery passions at the ‘Wall of Yorkshire Ale.’ >> Mennells Chocolates: An emporium of hand-made chocolatey treats.

been dressed up for ladies’ day at York Races in its true finery.

Florets were the main player, soft in their butter-roast coating then scattered on a bed or quinoa grains. Little florets were delivered in a crunchy tempura coating. A chunky ‘meat’ bite came to the party from pie bleu mushrooms and there was a curry flavour twist and small shreds of apple adding to the dish. Plenty going on, a delicious blend of textures and flavour.

Our boy had a burger from the terrace menu (£12.95), mighty and succulent in its brioche bun, with a stack of chunky chips.

Desserts feature a James Martin signature dish, croissant butter pudding. Smashing stuff, a dense pud that was far less sweet than it looked! Punchy whisky flavour and cider toffee foam. So good. Also praiseworthy, warm brioche and custard toast with poached gooseberries, almond ice-cream and lemon thyme (£7.50).

Undeniably made more impressive by the rarity of being able to eat outdoors in Yorkshire, this was nevertheless memorable food, celebrity hangover or no. www.thetalbotmalton.co.uk

Garden sorrel sorbet was a sweet, fresh pea-flavoured iced sorbet – lovely to look at and definitely an adventure in taste SEP/oCT14

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xxxxxxxx

wELCoME!

with nina Robinson

Why is the number six afraid of seven?

Because seven ate nine! I have plenty more where that came from. Joke telling became one of my new tricks this summer, along with skipping, losing teeth and developing a taste for balsamic vinegar on grated raw carrot.

But now it’s bye bye summer and hello autumn! Some little luxes might not believe what I’m about to say, but I love back to school time. After all those long summer weeks of late nights and lounging around it’s actually quite nice to get back to my normal routine, my lovely school friends and even proper bedtimes without those light nights to trick me into staying awake. It’s great to get my new uniform and this year my favourite thing is my navy blue culottes. They look like a skirt but then when I kick my legs they become trousers! I also love my new lilac duffle coat but I’m not so keen on the tank top mum bought me because I think it makes me look like a boy. I have two teachers this year and I am in Year Two which mum says translates into top year infants and this makes her panic about flying time.

We’ve been looking at all of the lovely autumn stuff that’s coming into the shops to keep us little luxes snug and hip as the season turns. Here are a few of our favourites.

Love little luxe x

nina:loves Holly & Beau’s amazing colour-changing raincoats and umbrellas will have school children everywhere praying for autumn showers. When they get wet, the cute and quirky motifs explode into a rainbow of colours that’s enough to get even the most fair-weathered child excited about the rain. Umbrellas cost £14.99 and raincoats, for ages three to 12, are £49.99 www.boden.co.uk

cosy Nordic toes Apparently Moccis (pronounced Mock-Keys) are the only things celebs will wear on their feet to pad around the house. Is it any wonder when they are described as ‘the first and only luxury hand-sewn Swedish moccasins to bring fashion, function and fun to indoor footwear’! I’ve got to say they are seriously cute and I’d quite like to get my own toes inside a pair. They come in loads of different designs for babies and children as well as adults and cost from £34.97 to £59.97 (though we did find a great sale section on the website!) www.moccis.co.uk

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briGHt&bEautifuL Hammock heaven I’ve got my eye on one of these. I’ve got to say I think sleep is overrated but if I did like napping then this is where I’d choose to do it. Otherwise, I’d just like to snuggle up in one with my ted, and a big block of my favourite cheese to watch a spot of Blue Peter. £23.95 from www.punkinpatch.co.uk

make room for room seven Imagine a wardrobe stuffed full of Room Seven clothes… That would be one bright and happy wardrobe to open up each morning – how would you decide what to wear? I love the autumn and winter collection, they are the kind of outfits Hansel and Gretel might wear if they came to play for the day. www.roomseven.com

nina:loves

Win

a family teiccekleebrtates... to Disney On Ic

TH JOIN

E CELEBRATION O F THE

CENTURY!

More than 60 of Disney’s unforgettable characters from 18 beloved stories come to life in Disney On Ice celebrates 100 Years of Magic!

To celebrate this enchanting tour Luxe magazine is giving away a family ticket to Disney On Ice celebrates 100 Years of Magic at the Metro Radio Arena. What’s more, the children from the winning family will be able to get up-close with the stars of the show and take an exciting on-ice ride during the Mickey Mouse Band scene during the performance!

To enter for your chance to win... in the bag Have you come across Baggers Originals yet? They are waterproof jackets and trousers for kids that fold neatly into an inside pocket. They’re great for rainwear or for keeping clothes dry when splashing about on the beach.

They’ve actually been on the go since the 1980s but have recently been re-launched by the daughter of the original designer – a local lady from Newcastle. They’ve been selling well online and now high street favourite Monsoon is to stock a specially designed outfit using one of its recognizable floral prints. The outfit costs from £25 - £28 in sizes aged one – 10 years www.monsoon.co.uk www.baggersoriginals.com

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children’s names and simply email your name, address and or enter via our il.com gma luxe@ draw prize to ages ompetitions. uk/c e.co. azin mag uxewebsite at ww.l

Closing date Fri 3rd Oct, winner will be chosen

at random & notified Mon 6th Oct.

Your prize will be valid for Disney On Ice presents 100 Years of Magic at The Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle, on Sunday 12th October at 11.00 am.

For more information and to book tickets visit www.disneyonice.co.uk T&Cs: There is 1xfamily ticket available, A family ticket consists of 4 tickets, 2 adults and 2 children. Participating children must be aged 4-12 yrs old. Ride on experience valid for Sunday 12th October, 11am only

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xxxxxxxx JEttiNG off

CITY oF ConTRASTS with Dan Robinson Dan heads East for a Singapore sling and an offer he can refuse...

As the summer months slowly draw to a close, I’m wondering just exactly where the time has gone this year. I suppose like most of us, I’m so wrapped up in day-to-day life and the stresses and pressures of work that at times, I fail to stop, breathe, and take time out to appreciate the things in life that matter.

It dawned on me in early August that I hadn’t even thought about taking a summer break this year and so one afternoon, I stopped what I was doing, delved into Google and decided to plan a summer escape. I’ve been fortunate enough to have explored a large part of this world and always try to embrace new experiences.

As I sit down to write this piece, I’m fresh off a plane from Southeast Asia having spent the last three weeks exploring a few places in that region. I travelled alone and for the first time in almost three years, I found the resolve to put my ‘out of office’ on. I disconnected with work and I vanished on a journey that took me to Singapore, Bali, Indonesia and finally, island hopping through the Philippines. I jammed a lot into those three weeks, way too much to put into one article and so the next few articles will be travelogues. Starting with Singapore.

A sovereign city state and an island country in Southeast Asia. Modern Singapore was founded in 1819 by Sir Stamford Raffles as a trading post of the East India Company. It declared independence from the United Kingdom in 1826 and is now one of the world’s major commercial hubs with a mix of Chinese, Indian, Malays and Eurasian residents. I was excited to spend some time there.

I pride myself on packing quickly and light and so for the three-week journey I took one small backpack that took me roughly ten minutes to pack and that was it. Off I went. After a pleasant 13-hour flight I arrived into Singapore. The last time I was there was around 25 years ago as a child and predictably, I didn’t recognise the place. I remember my dad telling me stories of Singapore from his days in the Merchant Navy and how he’d spent more than one evening inebriated in the Long Bar at the famous Raffles Hotel. So I made the decision to stay at Singapore’s most iconic hotel.

The hotel is colonial style, echoing the history and influence of the British Empire.

From the moment that I was greeted at the front door by a 6ft 4in Indian gentleman dressed in a colonial uniform of the late 1800s, it was difficult not to feel that I’d somehow either been transported in time or that I was on the set of James Bond film from the 1980s. I was certain that Roger Moore would appear at any second! Raffles is romantic in its old-fashioned approach to service and grandeur delivered in an understated and refined manner. It’s a style that is a timeless symbol of colonial opulence.

After being greeted with a famous ‘Raffles Singapore Sling’ (or three), I set out to explore the city. On the surface, Singapore is a very modern, beautiful city that to be

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bright lights, bit city >> Dan experiences every aspect of life in Singapore, from the botanic gardens to the earthy back street cafes honest could be viewed by some as dull and sterile. Trains run on time, there is very little pollution and virtually no chaos!

But scratch the surface to discover a strange blend of Chinese, Malay, Indian and Western cultures that provide for an intoxicating experience.

Singapore’s incredible food is one of the main attractions of the place and when I wasn’t seeing the sights, I was usually found in one of the thousands of small cafés, restaurants, eateries or side street stalls selling all sorts of food from the recognisable, to the ‘try it if you dare’. One of the highlights was undoubtedly the Chinese Quarter Food Market. One of the local taxi drivers recommended the ‘Tian Tian’ chicken rice stall that was made famous by Anthony Bourdain in his series ‘No reservations’. The market was chaos with people from all over the world mixing with the incredible foods and vendors. The noises and smells were utterly intoxicating and the food sensational.

Across town stands the predominantly Muslim Quarter, the highlight of which is a narrow street called Haji Lane. It reminded me of the bazaars of Morocco mixed in with the souks of Oman and a little bit of Meatpacking District from NYC thrown in to boot. It is bohemian and artistic but again, the food, arts and crafts were incredible. A completely different offering to the Chinese Quarter but just as tasty and interesting.

Juxtaposed against the chaos of these narrow, bustling streets are the Singapore

“You so handsome, you spend night with me, special price $500!”

Botanical Gardens. Established in 1860, this dreamy park is a serene escape from city life. I spent an afternoon getting lost amongst the myriad of paths leading through the national Orchid Gardens to the famous towering super trees. The Botanical Gardens are also home to a rare patch of rainforest which is accessible from an atmospheric boardwalk.

Dusk is the perfect time to take a ride on the Singapore Flyer. The Flyer is the world’s second highest ferris wheel and much like the London Eye provides passengers with uninterrupted views of the city and its impressive high rises. As the sun sets on the city, on one side you can see Marina Bay including the Quayside and the very impressive Marina Bay Sands building, the world’s most expensive building, costing US$4.7 billion. From the other side you can see the bay and the hundreds of trading vessels and ships anchored out at sea. It is a timely reminder of the importance and

significance of the trading legacy of this nation.

Night time in Singapore was, put simply, crazy. Through a friend I met a local gentleman who is extremely well connected.

We arranged to meet at a famous bar/club in one of Singapore’s many opulent hotels and as I was waiting outside, I was exposed very quickly to a very different night time economy. Approached by a very attractive young Asian lady, she seemingly had one thing in mind... “You so handsome… you spend night with me!” Blushing and flattered I thought to myself… “Dan, despite being almost 38, you’ve still got it!” I smiled and politely declined (obviously!) but she went on...”For you special price, only $500!”

With that, the wind was abruptly removed from my sails and I had to laugh. I guess, contrary to my earlier belief, I don’t still have ‘it’ after all!

An interesting insight into another part of city life nevertheless. Just in time, my friend appeared and we headed to a roof-top bar with spectacular views. It turned out to be, despite my very fuzzy head the next morning, a memorable night!

After three days in Singapore, I bid farewell to Raffles and a city that I really enjoyed. It was an exhausting few days during which I felt I’d seen the many sides of Singapore and experienced the rich social stew made up of Chinese, Malay, Indian and Western Cultures.

Next stop: Indonesia and Bali

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IN THE SWING

golf:kit

GOLF coach

Hugo Boss new season hexagon print, £99, www.houseoffraser.co.uk

Spring in your step new-season styles and diary dates

Monty’s day out >> Join Colin Montgomerie at the Hunting Course at Slaley Hall for a VIP County Club golf day on 30 September, which includes a masterclass from Monty and a three-course gala dinner and champagne reception.

The event also includes a golf clinic at the TaylorMade Academy with Colin Montgomerie and 18 holes on the Hunting Course, playing a hole with Monty. He will also take part in a Q&A at dinner.

From £75 per person. Call 01434 676525

New shirt days >>

Galvin Green Alex Goretex jacket, £249.95, www.houseoffraser.co.uk

Blue stripe, £119 www.houseoffraser.co.uk

Autumn course wear – any excuse.

Locker room >> Happy socks mean happy shots?

Bright Argyle socks, £7.50 www.pierrotetcoco.com

PLAY & STAY >> Like your golf with jaw-dropping ocean views? One of the world’s most spectacular golf resorts, Thracian Cliffs on Bulgaria’s Black Sea, is offering unlimited golf on a three-night break in autumn.

The Gary Player course, which opened in 2011, scooped the ‘European Golf Resort of the Year 2014’ award, from International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO).

The beautiful clifftop course offers stunning sea views from every hole with the signature par-three sixth providing particularly incredible vistas as you look down to the green which is found surrounded by the lapping waves of the Black Sea. From the tips it measures almost 231 yards – a real test of golf and concentration.

Breaks cost from around £329 per person, during October and November. And apparently a bottle of beer is 68p! www.thraciancliffs.com.

with John Harrison

Well it’s been a busy month in the golfing world since my last column, namely the amazing performances of Rory McIlroy in winning both the British Open and the US PGA Championship. In The Open he played fantastic golf, never really looking like he was going to let anyone in with a chance. The two eagles on the 16th and 18th holes in his third round showed how his game has really moved up to another level. In contrast, in the PGA he showed amazing determination during the last round in relinquishing his lead early on, only to bounce back on the closing 9 holes, birdying 17 and producing a rock solid par at the last to win by one shot from Phil Mickelson. McIlroy isn’t the type of player that normally wins by one shot - it is either by a street or not at all! So let’s hope this grinding quality is here to stay. If it is I can’t see anyone challenging him as world number one in the near future.

The work rate of the top players in our era amazes me.

Take McIlroy for instance, during a tournament day he will start with some gym work, before he even goes to the course, at which he will arrive around two hours early giving him plenty of time to warm up his long and short game as well as his putting. His round will last about four hours, then after the press interviews it will be back on the range for a warm down or work at any little swing issues that may have arisen. After this he can start to think about heading back to his accommodation and probably another hour or two in the gym before dinner and bed. This would be a typical tournament day, but on a practice day he would do the same but put more time in on the range! At least a 12-hour day. No wonder he decided not to get married, he doesn’t have the time!

Another player who is amazing me is Bernhard Langer, who at 57 years of age is playing the best golf of his life.

He won The Seniors British Open at a very demanding Royal Porthcawl Golf Club by 13 shots, 18 under par on a course that Tom Watson was quoted as saying played more difficult than Hoylake the week before! He is walking away with the Champions tour order of merit again and finished 8th in The US Masters earlier in the year. Never mind Jimenez, what about Langer as a shout for a wild card for the Ryder Cup team? I’ve had the pleasure of playing with Bernhard a few times in European Senior Tour events and he is a world-class player. His attention to detail is amazing, he shapes the ball both ways, so he has it on a piece of string. He is a little slow but this is because he will never hit a shot until he is totally ready in his head, which means having all the information that will affect that shot digested, yardage, slope, wind direction etc, something many amateurs could become better at.

As always there is a lot of build-up to the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles and this extra media coverage may bring a new generation or complete beginner into wanting to take up golf. This is great for the future of the game and they should be encouraged. With some early success we at Matfen Hall are utilising our driving range and Par 3 course as a fantastic tool to introduce the game to people and then the trick is to ultimately convert these into the members of the future. This is a blueprint all clubs need to be looking at to increase membership in the future.

Good golfing to you all!

John Harrison, European Senior Tour player and Matfen Hall Head Professional, Matfen Hall Hotel Golf and Spa www.matfenhall.com tel: 01661 886400

SEP/OCT14

87

Luxe Laps

Ron Brown One of the founders and co-directors of RBV Energy Ltd, a supplier of piping and valves for the oil and gas industry, Ron lives in Ponteland. Outside of work, Newcastle United, golf and travel take up most of his spare time. At home he lives with wife Sonia and two King Charles Cavaliers, Frankie and Georgie CHILDHOOD CAR CRUSH >> Ford XR3 which was out of my budget at the time so I went for the Ford Fiesta XR2 which was still an amazing car for its time.

What’s in the garage now >> The McLaren 12C1 is the weekend car but everyday is a Range Rover which is the best everyday car to have as it’s the ultimate luxury SUV with everyday practicality. It’s ideal to get two sets of golf clubs and two electric trolleys in the boot, something the 12C certainly cannot achieve.

If you could own any car >> Having bought the 12C I would perhaps upgrade to the McLaren P1 which looks incredible and gets amazing reviews. One of the first new hybrid supercars to come to the market.

Captain Slow or Jeremy >> Jeremy in the 12C and Captain Slow in the Range Rover. Both have great acceleration but the 12C from 0 to 60mph is something to experience. Two totally different rides for sure.

Tracks of your tyres >> I generally listen to Radio 2 but if I venture away from the radio it would be The Jam or Paul Weller with some Bruce Springsteen, Rolling Stones and Motown thrown in for good measure.

Dream road trip >> I think I have already done this when touring through California, driving from LA to Las Vegas

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through the Mojave Desert. To see Vegas rise up from the desert in the middle of nowhere is some spectacle. Then driving through Yosemite National Park to see nature at its best are two amazing contrasts. For a drive to look forward to, the Garden Route from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth has been recommended to me so it’s one for the future.

Who with >> My wife Sonia, my son Paul and daughter Amy - we are all best friends so we often travel together on holiday.

Memorable car moments >> Before buying the 12C, Sonia and I went to visit the McLaren factory in Woking, Surrey.

From here they not only build all their cars but also design, develop and test the F1 cars they race. The building is an amazing place designed by Norman Foster, the renowned architect, and no expense has been spared or detail left to chance. The factory where they build the cars is as clean as an operating theatre with everything built by hand.

The trophy room on the way to the canteen is testimony to the hard work and engineering that goes on there and is seen every day by all the staff from the lads on the shop floor to Jenson Button to truly show that McLaren is a team sport and the trophies are everyone’s achievements.

What’s in the glove box >> The McLaren doesn’t have a glove box so it’s clutter free. McLaren were keen to reduce weight and anything that was not required to enhance the performance of the car was left out. The Range Rover has a few CDs in and sweets to satisfy my sweet tooth.

How clean is your car >> Up to valet standard which has more to do with Martyn Davidson of Atlas Valet Company than me. He does an amazing job and it’s like driving a new car again every time he has been.

Scary moments? >> Being driven around Brands Hatch by a professional McLaren driver in a 12C reaching speeds of up to 205 MPH, the corners come at you very fast and their skill in driving is something everyone should experience at least once.

SEP/OCT14

LuxE Laps

AT THE wHEEL Luxe’s new motors man Bob Arora gets into a spin

A trail-blazer

Rugged and adventurous, on the tracks with Nissan’s new X-Trail

I remember the first time I drove a Nissan. I had just passed my driving test and was used to driving my dad’s Vauxhall Cavalier. This car was fairly rapid for a new driver but I do remember the terrible gearbox. I tried my best to make a smooth gear change but it was nigh on impossible.

As I was a student at the time I would pretend the car was mine and I would go to garages and say I was interested in buying a new car. The garages would let me drive the cars I wanted and I would get a price against my dad’s car. As the salesmen were desperate to do a deal I would swiftly leave by saying I needed to speak to my accountant before buying!

My first experience of a Nissan was on one of these fact-finding missions, the car a Nissan Bluebird. They wouldn’t let me drive the sporty cars in the range so this had to do. It wasn’t the best looking of cars but one thing that sticks out in my mind was the gearbox. It was one of the nicest boxes I had ever used; it was like gliding a hot knife through butter.

The Nissan X-Trail was originally launched in 2001 and this current car is the third generation. When the car was originally launched it was one of the first crossover SUVs and because of its rugged looks and practicality became a success straight away.

If you took a quick look I am sure you

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would think this car was the new Qashqai as they do look uncannily similar. The new X-Trail comes as either a five or seven-seat car; Nissan expects 40% of customers to choose the five-seater. The car is being launched with one choice of engine; the outgoing cars 2.0l diesel engine is being replaced by a 1.6l diesel engine.

This new engine produces more torque than the 2l diesel and there is little or no turbo lag and there is instant pulling power. The car gets to 62mph in 10.5 seconds and its top speed is 115mph. The 2wd models will return the driver 57.6mpg and it emits 129g km/co2. Surprisingly the 4wd model should return around 55.4mpg and it also emits 139g km/co2. Anyone interested in buying the 2wd car will have to fork out £110 per year in road tax and the 4wd model costs another £20 per year to tax. For any fans of the CVT gearbox there is a price to pay as this car will average around 53.3mpg but it’s kinder to the environment as it emits 135g km/co2 and it has the same road tax as the 4wd car.

The car is available with either a six-speed manual or a new CVT gearbox. The new CVT is totally re-engineered; anyone who has driven a CVT car before will know the engine would sound like it was never going to change gear. This new box is a big improvement although it’s still not as good as a dual clutch gearbox. I think the reason Nissan have stuck with the technology is

because it’s cheaper than the new dual clutch boxes. Nissan have added what they are calling Nissan Chassis Control. This comprises of four things which are as follows - Active Engine Braking, Active Trace Control, Active Ride Control and Active Brake Limited Slip. The Active Ride Control applies the brakes and delivers a burst of torque over bumps to smooth out the ride and stop any pitching motion. The Active Brake Limited Slip helps increase grip in slippery conditions.

The suspension feels very taut but this helps body roll, the car is very competent off road as well. The interior is 60mm longer than the Qashqai and the middle row passengers benefit with an extra 660mm of extra legroom. The five-door model has 550lt of luggage space and the seven-seat version has 135l of luggage space when the rearmost seats are up. The three row seats also move backwards and forwards to assist passenger comfort.

Another great idea is the rear doors’ 80 degree opening which really helps when gaining access to the rear seats. The interior is not up to the same standards set by premium German manufacturers but it’s well designed and they have used decent materials throughout the cabin. As with most Japanese cars it’s a real tech fest if you choose the right model. The base model is the Visia and that comes with 17” alloy wheels, Bluetooth connectivity and air conditioning. The next model is the Accenta and that comes with climate control, park distance control and auto wipers and lights.

The N-TEC also gets all-round cameras and Nissan connect smartphone technology.

Finally the range-topping Tekna gets blind spot warning and sled parking technology.

For anyone looking for a really stylish looking, practical car you can’t go wrong with the X-Trail and the best bit is it undercuts the Hyundai Santa Fe by £3000 and the Kia Sorrento by £3700. supplied by benfield Nissan, Newcastle

My first experience of Nissan was a Bluebird, it was one of the nicest gearboxes I had ever used - like gliding a hot knife through butter

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cLass act

C for

Class Bob has a stylish moment in Mercedes’ latest C Class contender and finds himself wooed and wowed

The second car I’ve been driving this month is the new Mercedes C Class.

Whenever I go on holiday in Europe, nine times out of ten the car that’s waiting to pick you up in the taxi rank is the Mercedes 190. When you consider this car was launched in 1982, these cars are like mini tanks. The vast majority of them have been used every day and half a million miles is commonplace. These old diesel cars are painfully slow and most are mated to a manual gearbox which is normally a big no-no in a Mercedes. When Mercedes launched the car in 1982 they spent over £600m on research and development.

As the C Class is the biggest selling car in the range they simply can’t afford to get this car wrong. At a quick glance the car looks like a mini S Class with its funky looking LED headlights and its swooping lines. The new C Class is also slightly larger than the outgoing model but it’s also lighter too. The use of aluminium has helped with the car’s economy, performance and handling. The car I drove is likely to be the best selling in the range. I drove the C250 CDi AMG line which for anyone who is interested gets to 62mph in 6.6 seconds and its top speed is 153mph.

The car averaged 50mpg and it emits 103g CO2 per km and the best bit? No road tax, happy days.

When you step inside the C Class the car

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just oozes quality, from the iPad-like screen at the top of the dash to classy looking air vents and the sporty looking flat-bottomed wheel. Mercedes will really give Audi a run for their money as every button has a real quality feel and it feels like the switchgear will last for a very long time. The C Class’s interior will set the benchmark for all its competitors.

I was really impressed with the very subtle LED lighting inside the car, the electric seat controls look much better than an Aston costing three times as much that I drove recently. The Sat Nav and radio controls work via a dial near the armrest but a little touch pad allows you to write addresses or numbers instead of scrolling through the menus, although it’s not as easy as it sounds.

The automatic gearbox has been swapped in favour of a retro dash mounted stalk which helps free up space between the passenger and driver. I am sure most owners will opt for the panoramic roof as not only does it look great but it also makes the car feel very airy and light, although it’s not really turban friendly!

As the car is slightly larger than the outgoing model the rear leg room is very generous. The boot space is also up on the previous model and there is 480 litres of usable space. Keen drivers note the BMW 3 Series is still a much sportier drive but once again Mercedes have upped their game.

You have the choice of the standard suspension set-up or you can opt for the airmatic suspension. I have driven both and I would thoroughly suggest going for the air suspension as you feel as if every pot hole and imperfection in the road is simply ironed away. Opting for the airmatic suspension allows you to choose between Eco, Comfort, Sport and Sport+. The Sport and Sport+ settings allow the driver to change the throttle, gear change and damper settings.

As I mentioned before the use of aluminium has helped shave 100kg off the car’s weight; along with its aerodynamic shape this car is 20% more efficient than its predecessor. The C Class is available in SE, Sport or AMG Line. Both the Sport and AMG Line models get LED headlights which make xenon lights seem so outdated. The AMG just totally looks the part with its amazing body kit, front and rear aprons and side skirts, not

forgetting the stunning looking AMG alloy wheels.

The new C Class is also a much safer place to be with tyre pressure monitors as standard, air bags galore and Collision Prevention Assist. This automatically brakes if it thinks there is going to be a collision; in short if you were unlucky enough to be in a collision you would be in a very safe place.

If you’re looking for a new executive compact saloon you must give this stunning car a test drive. This car really looks beautiful and once you get inside you can’t help but be wowed by the interior. It’s priced from £26,000 to £38,000. Add the class leading economy and all the Mercedes safety features and we now have a creditable choice instead of immediately buying a 3 series. supplied by mercedes Newcastle

The C Class just oozes quality, from the iPad-like screen at the top of the dash to classy looking air vents and the sporty-looking flat bottomed wheel

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sHiNE oN

The future’s bright Futuristic for sure, BMW’s i8 just screams ‘look at me’, says Bob

My first BMW; it was such an aspirational purchase for me at the time. We take the brand for granted now but 20 years ago there were fewer around and it felt like a real achievement to own one. Prior to buying my 320i, I would have bought something like a Japanese car which was always very reliable but they were really dull and boring to drive. My 320i was a quite high mileage rep motor but I still remember that the car felt like a new car, which has to be testimony to the exceptional engineering.

Looking at the i8 you could quite easily believe it was a concept car as its styling is very futuristic. The car’s styling reminds me of the BMW M1 from the front and the Jaguar XJ220 from the side. I am sure you will agree neither were ugly cars.

A few months earlier I got the chance to drive the i3 which was the company’s first entry into the world of electric motoring.

Having driven this brilliant car I really couldn’t wait to drive the stunning i8.

As you may know, the latest trend for most manufacturers is to have at least one hybrid model in its range. Even Ferrari, McLaren and Porsche are in on the act with supercars fitted with electric motors and petrol engines. Whilst amazing to drive and filled with technology, they are also well and truly out of the range of most people.

I wouldn’t class the i8 as a cheap car but compared to the cars mentioned above it’s a relative bargain at £100k plus you can still receive a £5k rebate from the government.

The car is fitted with a three-cylinder 1.5l engine and two electric motors; this combination of power gives this car a top speed of 155mph and the car storms to 62mph in 4.4 seconds. Believe it or not, this engine is also fitted to the MINI but thankfully in the i8 it has been supercharged to produce 231bhp.

The motors and engine combined produce 357bhp and the engine drives the front wheels and the electric motors drive the back wheels. This explains the car’s exceptional road holding and fantastic grip levels. With excellent feedback from the steering wheel, bring on those country roads.

The engineers have used some amazing sound technology to make the engine sound

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really quite sporty and more like a V6 rather than a three cylinder engine. On electric power alone it is possible to drive the car for up to 22 miles. While I had the car I never needed to charge the batteries, all I had to do was to put the car into sport mode and the clever technology charged the batteries while I was driving.

While I had this amazing car I managed to achieve 35mpg but this was way off the headline grabbing figure of 135mpg. The car only emits 49g/km which makes this car congestion charge exempt in London and it is also a very good car for businesses as its benefit in kind makes it much cheaper to run than equivalent sports cars.

As BMWs have always been advertised as being the ultimate driving machine they have gone to great lengths to make sure the body is not only very light but has the perfect 50/50 weight distribution; so the use

and you will need the rear sensors a lot. It is let down by its lack of boot space. The rear boot is only capable of taking a couple of soft travel bags. I’d use the rear seats to hold luggage - they’re too small to sit in and access to the rear is quite hard.

After driving this futuristic looking car I can safely say the future is bright especially with the use of this technology. Potential owners

will need to be either used to being stared at or be very vain. When people see this car they will immediately get their phones out.

The waiting list for this car stretches into 2015 so it will still be a very rare sight for a while. supplied by Lloyd bmW, Newcastle

THE STRIKING NEW LEXUS NX. COMING SOON

Looking at the i8 you could quite easily believe it was a concept car, its styling is very futuristic. A car to stare at! of carbon and light composite plastics have been used to help achieve this in the cockpit and aluminium has been used to save weight elsewhere.

The scissor doors look amazing but entry and exit from the car is quite awkward as the sills are quite high. Once you finally manage to get into the car you need to reach up to close the door. A self-closing door would have been a nice touch but I can only imagine it was either too expensive or too heavy to make it viable.

The interior is very BMW with the dash angled towards the driver and the speedo and rev counter look very funky indeed. A static screen allows you to see how economically you’re driving along with information about which motors are being used etc. The screen works the sat nav and entertainment systems via the idrive system.

Vision from the rear window is really limited

New Lexus NX range from

£29,495 to £42,995.

LEXUS NEWCASTLE

22 Benton Road, Newcastle NE7 7EG 0191 3578696

www.newcastle.lexus.co.uk

NX 300h prices start from £29,495. Model shown is NX 300h F SPORT £37,640, including optional metallic paint at £645.

The MPG figures quoted are sourced from official EU regulated test results. They are provided for comparability purposes, and may not reflect actual driving experiences.

NX 300h fuel consumption and CO2 figures: urban 53.3 mpg (5.3 l/100km), extra-urban 55.4 mpg (5.1 l/100km), combined 54.3 mpg (5.2 l/100km), 121g/km CO2 (17% BIK).

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social life

In association with:

luxe:looks

Break out the fizz. Time to get down to some people-spotting as we bring you our social snapshot of happenings across the North East. Eyes and teeth time!

Adderstone Foundation Northumberland Open, Northumberland Club, Jesmond

Above > Jane Gatiss, Above > Ron Turnbull, Chris Scott, Giles Wright, Andrew Black David Stonehouse, Peter Coward

Above > Andrew Castle and Peter Fleming

Above > Lindsey Green, Ashley Spark, Paul Tognarelli, Peter Fleming, Allison Harrison, James Atkinson, Sarah Gregg, Liam Tickle, Stan Hecks, Nicola Redhead

Above > Cathy Knox, Julia Weightman, Elana Berry, Jennifer Addis, Ro Duns, Emma Howarth, Judith Tindale, Robyn Mowlem

Above > Debi Coldwell, Peter Fleming, Andrew Castle, Nicola Redhead

Above > Peter Fenwick, Joey McClen, Craig McClen, Liam Tickle

Above > Peter Bennett, Ian Fraser, Ben Bennett

Above > Jane Monk, Jane Gillings

Variety Gold Heart Tribute to paralympian Stephen Miller, Hilton, Gateshead

Above > Daphne Thornton, John Pearce, Kate Welford

Above > Claire Whitfield, Tony Thornton, Kate Welford

Above > Jeff Brown, Stephen Miller

Above > Stephen Miller

Above > Jo Birchall

Above > Jonathan Miller, Ros Miller, Stephen Miller, Rachel Miller

Above > Richard Marston, Jackie Marston, John Burns, Hazel Burns, Diane Fyall, Billy Fyall

Above > Lillian Cleghorn, Jim Cleghorn

Hotel Du Vin Summer Menu Launch, Newcastle

Above > Lucy Above > Amy Wallace, Laura Murphy Furguson, Jonny Ferguson

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Above > Richard Clark & Daryl Peart

Above > David Hall, Paul Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Callaghan, Rob Tait

Above > Kate Embleton, Lisa Tolan, Michelle Ord

Above > Margaret Ankers, Philip Ankers

Above > Sharon Thomas, Lisa Tolan, LIndsay Boyce, Tim Lozinski, Hazel Brill

Above > David Rayner, James Ellis, Tom Hardy, Tony Smithson, Rob Tait

Above > Allan Boughey, Kathryn Armstrong

SEP/OCT14

sociaL LifE

Have a Heart CHUF Ball, Close House, Heddon on the Wall

above > David Robson, Caroline Robson, Jo Hannah, Mark Robinson, Andy Hall, Gemma Black

above > Phil Williams, Nimmy Deenimg

Roger Crosby, Ben Crosby

above > Lindsey Harper, Peter Davidson

above > Angela Hanson, Katherine Hanson, Nicky Hanson, Julie Hanson

above > Alice Arnold, Jonathan Wilkes, Ant McPartlin, Clare Balding

above > Alastair Sundin, Lisa Sundin

above > Nadine Hollingsworth, Ivan Hollingsworth, Lisa Sundin, Simon Walsh

above > Brian Thorpe, Andrea Lighton

above > Jill Thorne, Willie Thorne

above > David Armstrong, Donna Armstrong

above > Simon Walsh, Ouston Tapperell

above > Dec Donnelly, Debi Coldwell Ant McPartlin

above > Scott Holland, Keith Boylan, Ouston Tapperell

above > Lainya Shearer, Alan Shearer

above > Dom Munnelly, Dan Black

above > Paul Reed, John Wilkinson, Freddy Shepherd, Les Rainer

above > Dawn Thewlis, Andy Greenwood

above > Steve Harmison, Hayley Harmison

Benfield Audi new showroom launch, Newcastle

above > Kenny Atkinson, Callum MacGregor, Martin Buckley

above > Samiw Sofati, Mustafa Sutwury, Wajed Hamzakhel, Safi Noori above > Juliette Scott, Alistair Scott

above > Barry Egdell, Jill Egdell

above > Caroline O’Doherty, Ryan O’Doherty

above > Andy Naylor, Steve McNicol

above > Graham Skipper, George Skipper, Graham Johnson

above > Daniel Squires, Jill Squires

above > Jason Cranswick, John Squires, Andre Konsbruck, Mark Squires

above > Stephen Ringtons, Rebecca Ringtons

above > Paul Gibson, Janice Gibson

above > Chloe Carlington, Jonathan Livingstone–Evans

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ANNIVERSARY DIAMOND

TH

Eldon Garden, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RA T 0191 232 0788 www. r icha rds into njewe lle r s .co m

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ENDS 30TH SEPTEMBER

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social life

Launch of Fox&Shriek, City Tavern, Newcastle

Above > Patricia Whale, Ray Spence

Above > Ben Kelly, Claire Prince

Above > Michelle Palmer, Ann Palmer, Reigan Hynes

Above > Jamie Allison, Abi Jackson, Margaret Davies, Rachael Lawson

Above > Anna Clark, Glenn Coldwell

Above > James Seabridge-Cooper

Above > Alan Glister, Matt Hill

Above > Paul Shriek

Wray Barn launch, Whinstone View, Great Ayton

Above > Reverend Paul Peverell, Andrea Cook

Above > Jackie Wray, John Alden, Julie Wray, Amanda Wray Ward

Above > Laura McInnes, Jenna Atkinson, Andrea Cook, Katherine Drysdale, Caroline Fox

Above > Pierce Philips, Rebecca McAloan, Jackie Wray, Michael Kumar

Above > Sarah Tate, Debbie Stodden

Above > Amanda Wray Ward, Jackie Wray

Above > Jack Elliott, Jan Elliott, Hayley Scott, Sharene Scott

Above > Steve Hamilton, Garry Bestford

Above > Kate Fearnley, Sophie Durham, Vickki Brotton

Henderson Insurance Brokersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Ladiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Networking Afternoon Tea, Rudby Hall, Hutton Rudby

Above > Margaret Wood, Adrienne Robinson

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Above > Susan Luke, Steph Lister, Anita Jackson

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Above > Helen Lowrie, Sandra Johnson

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In association with: If you would like your event featured on our Luxe:Looks pages please supply images on disk with full captions and your contact details to: luxe Magazine, room501 Ltd, Spectrum 6, Spectrum Business Park, Seaham, SR7 7TT

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Pulman Charity Golf Day, Close House, Heddon on the Wall

above > Natalie Wilson, Chris Slater, Ian Buckle

above > Stephen Rankin, Dave Armstrong, Ian Watson

30

TH

above > Steve Curren, Michael Lines

ANNIVERSARY above > Andrew Thomas, Paul Bradley, Charlie Morrison, Steve Curren

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SALE above > John Preston, Keith Ramshaw, Daryl Barlow & Daryl Vizcal

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ENDS 30TH SEPTEMBER

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above > Mish Kelly, Alan Oyston

above > Angela and Tony Seward

above > Gill Robson, Lesley Fairclough, Debbie Spence

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above > Kate Bonas, Ian Bonas

Pink Sapphire and Diamond Ring 2014 RRP

Circa

above > Barbara Hungin, Professor Pali Hungin, Gordon Elliott

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above > Kirsty Robeson, Lady Diana Cowie

above > Caroline Broadfoot, James Ramsbotham

above > Carole Chwieseni, Vera Codling

above > Pam Lovell, Sarah Pinkerton, Barbara Watson, David Watson

above > Nigel Bell, Marilyn Bell

above > Steve Rose, Kate Culverhouse, Angela Anstee, Professor John Anstee

above > Claire Blake, Cllr Jan Blakey, Sue Snowdon, Jacqueline Cooke

above > Stuart Smellie, Lady Nicholson, Sir Paul Nicholson

above > Jonathan Brown, Katherine Reay, Vinay Bedi

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1984

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sWEEt cHarity

well done you

Diary dates, charity challenges and pats on the back…. st ric tLy Da Nc E

spring in your step guaranteed for this year’s grand dinner and ball in aid of the alzhe imer’s society which has a strictly theme. at britannia Hotel, Newcastle airpo rt, the paul James band will lead the call to step out strictly-style on 8 November. tickets from: barclays bank, ponteland or @bruceDarras 07717 942 491.

bikE HEroEs >>

oN tarGEt >> Bond Dickinson’s charity clay pigeon shoot at Lambton Estate has raised £36,000 for The Prince’s Trust. The annual event, run in conjunction with local entrepreneur John Holland of J T Holland Food Services, saw 25 teams going head to head in glorious sunshine. Guests of honour this year included former England and British and Ireland Lions International rugby union player, Neil Antony Back MBE. It is the third year running that Bond Dickinson has hosted the clay shoot event, raising in total over £100,000 for the charity.

DiariEs out >> Children’s cancer charity Josie’s Dragonfly Trust holds its annual Dragonfly Ball at the Discovery Museum, Newcastle, on November 8. Proceeds from the ball will help Josie’s Dragonfly Trust, set up seven years ago by inspirational teenager Josie Madeline Grove shortly before she lost her own battle with leukaemia. The charity distributes arts and crafts boxes to children’s cancer hospitals, grants Dragonfly Dreams and gives out cash gifts of £500 to children and young people with incurable cancer. tickets for the ball are £75 each and available from jane.d@josiesdragonfly.org or by calling 01 434 602043

fo ot ba LL bo os t

former sunderland player, micky Hors will, will be hosting the safc Legends sporting Dinner on september 25 at the stadium of Light in aid of Hope4kidz. also there will be ex-pl ayers including bobby kerr, Gary bennett, Dick malo ne, Jimmy montgomery and Gordon armstrong . micky Horswill, who is a Hope4kidz patron, will host a Q & a sessions with the other sporting legends as part of the event. tickets are, £45, email vivien.watts@h ope4kidz.org.uk

siNG up >> The third Christmas at the Cathedral Concert in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust will take place on December 17 at St Nicholas Cathedral in Newcastle. The popular concert features a range of celebrity performances alongside carols and readings to celebrate Christmas. This year’s concert will again be produced by Ray Laidlaw who as well as being one of the founding members of the North East band Lindisfarne, also produces the bi-annual Sunday for Sammy concert. The concert is being principally sponsored for the third year by Clarke Mairs Solicitors of Newcastle. tickets are available through Newcastle city Hall and can be purchased by going through their website or by calling 0191 2778030.

oH baby >> A company family fun day for North East estate agency Pattinson raised £3,500 for Tiny Lives to help premature and sick new-born babies at the Neonatal Unit at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary.

Employee Lucy Webster, her partner Graham and their son Will, have benefitted directly from the charity after he was born 16 weeks prematurely.

During the Pattinson Family Fun Day the team raised £1,685, which the company matched to £3,500.

Lucy said: “When Will was born the Neonatal Unit staff couldn’t do enough for us and offered a lot of emotional and physical support. We wanted to somehow express our gratitude to the team and it is wonderful that as a company Pattinson is helping our family to do this. Will is now six months old and doing really well, something that may never have been possible without Tiny Lives.”

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Staff from Matfen Hall Hotel and Spa have raised more than £4000 for Cancer Research UK. Five of the riders had themselves been through cancer.

The Coast and Castles challenge followed the route from Edinburgh to Newcastle via the Borders and Northumbrian coastline. The challenge took two days to complete.

“I’m so proud of all the team, they were absolutely fantastic as it certainly wasn’t easy. Cycling alongside the five leisure members who have experienced cancer first hand but have since made a full recovery, only spurred us on more,” said managing director, Bernard Bloodworth. www.justgiving.com/matfenHallcoastandcastles

GarDEN GaLa >> Britain’s Got Talent singing stars Richard and Adam host The ChildLine Gala in the Garden on September 19 in The Alnwick Garden. The classical duo Richard and Adam will be singing songs from their hit album ‘The Impossible Dream’. Beginning with a drinks reception with panoramic views of the garden in bloom, guests will then enjoy a three-course dinner overlooking the Grand Cascade. tickets are priced at £70 each. Email northappeals@ nspcc.org.uk or call 0113 218 2732.

HavE a HEart GoLf >> Members of the Slaley Hall Golf Club have just topped £250,000 in donations to children’s charities across the North East, raised through their annual charity golf day since 1997.

It was the idea of Arthur Turnbull, a founder member of Slaley Hall Golf Club. He wanted to host a charity golf day in aid of North East Children’s charities. The course was donated free of charge, and this the inaugural event raised around £10,000.

In the region of 30 teams attend each year to take on the world class Hunting Course. Over the years one of the main beneficiaries has been the North of England Children’s Cancer Research Fund (NECCR) which has received £94,000. Other charities that have benefitted have been Adolescents Cancer Unit £10,700, the RVI, Children’s Cancer Unit & Tiny Lives £12,600, the Bubble Foundation, £13,600, Freeman’s Children’s Heart Unit £17,100. In addition, £38,600 has been raised to purchase two sunshine coaches for the Variety Club.

DrEss up >> The always-glam Percy Hedley Mistletoe Ball is happening on November 29 this year at Newcastle Marriott Hotel Gosforth Park. Last year’s annual ball raised over £90,000 to support disabled children, young people and adults in the North East.

Brendan Healy will conduct the night’s live auction and host will be Metro Radio’s Anna Foster. for further information please contact maria Hallett on 0191 238 1302 or email m.hallett@ percyhedley.org.uk

SEP/oCT14

Xxxxxxxx

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SEP/OCT14

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parting SHOT

Light the skies>> A night to remember if ever there was one. Newcastleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Quayside alive with fireworks to mark Great North Run Million celebrations.

Image by Kev Gibson www.kgphotography.co.uk

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JOIN US AT

LOVED UP &

the luxury wedding and lifestyle event HG/Croft - Loved Up_Layout 1 06/03/2014 09:48 Page 1

fr e e entry an d parking

LOVEDUP AND LUXE MAGAZINES ARE COMING TO LIFE AT THE HILTON NEWCASTLE GATESHEAD ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 26, 11AM - 4PM Come and meet the people from the pages of our magazines and share in a day of LovedUp weddings & Luxe fashion, food, catwalks, inspirational ideas…

WIN

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BAKE-OFF… legendary terry Laybourne and his team will be bringing the secrets of decadent desserts to life with a macaron masterclass, then have an indulgent ‘patisserie & prosecco’ moment all your own

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Ever sipped on craft coffee? rounton roastery will share the art of the roast Horton Grange is a privately owned, intimate Grade II listed Country House with an elegant and from their bespoke beans. contemporary and traditional decor. Set in 4 acres of beautiful, landscaped grounds, the Hous exclusively yours for your wedding day - no golfers, no public bar or restaurant - just you and you

Offering a beautiful outside Ceremony in our Garden Gazebo or an intimate Cerem DIG Marriage DEEP… karen phillips is our cool Lounge, you will be green-fi guided ngered throughveg every partwith of your dayfarmers’ by our expert wedding team. Ou queen a mini excellent cuisine using only the locally sourced produce you delicious 4 course d market for finest, you… She might let you try heroffers famous evening food - our bacon stotties are always a well-received delight! horseradish vodka, or at least give you a recipe.

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Gary and michael from Hooker&young have your lush locks sorted for the party season.

Columnist and presenter Wendy Gibson joins them for a Q&A as they talk ‘what’s hot’ in hair for the season.

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SASHAY… Our HORTON GRANGE, PRIVATE AND EXCLUSIVE. favourite fashion CONTACT people US FOR A WEDDING TOUR A break-out from fenwick corner for the and metrocentre willHotel, Berwick Hill, Ponteland, Newcastle upon Tyne NE13 6B Horton Grange kids with plenty (01661) 860686 bringT:autumn fashion to E: info@hortongrange.co.uk W: www.hortongrange.co.u of playtime treats I DO… yourTwitter: @HortonGrange Horton Grange Country Romance House Hotel life withFacebook: catwalk shows to buy and cool way through the day!

Our during the day. clothes to try. sister magazine, Join us at our wedding ELITE WEDDING OPEN EVENTS, Monday 9th June 2014 5:30 to Loved 7:30pm Sunday Up,and brings the14th September 2014 from 1pm Free admission to both events dreamiest dresses to the DESIGNER MARKET… Beautiful things from clever, crafty people. Stunning jewellery, catwalk and the region’s cool cushions, inspiring designs and one-offs in a mini version of Jesmond Dene market. coolest suppliers to you. both the bridal and catwalk shows will be compered by PINS, POWDER, PETALS… Clever and creative victoria forshaw is the hair & make-up Heart fm’s Lisa shaw. stylist behind Luxe fashion shoots. She will be passing on tips with demos and beauty chat.

COOL MOTORS... our new motors man, bob arora will be in the driving seat of stunning top-spec cars, talking torque and showcasing some stunning new models.