Frank Magazine June July 2020 by The Frank Magazine

FRANK M A G A Z I N E

FRANK by name FRANK by nature

Issue 08 June - July 2020

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F R A N K

M A G A Z I N E

June July 2020

''Frank is for women who want to be informed, inspired, amused, look good and be healthy.''

Contents

Editors note

p8 Cover Interview Artist Amy Judd

Hello you lovely lot,

FASHION p18 p20 The cover shoot Summer of Love p32 Feel Good Florals by Fashion Editor Annabel Kerman p34 Cover up in Style by Fashion Editor Annabel Kerman p38 COMPETITION Faldan Bags p40 Jacqueline Bisset Fashion Illustrator

I hope you have been keeping safe and well. As I write this, today is the day that lockdown has been lifted somewhat and I know that brings much joy for many. That said I do hope we continue to be mindful of others and proceed with caution. What a crazy few months it has been and amongst it all one of the ‘ups’ for me has been bringing together this, our June/ July issue with all these great women, my friends and colleagues at Frank. We, like many of you, have had to think outside the box and challenge ourselves regarding our work. We’ve pushed our creative boundaries and it’s been bloody fantastic! Firstly as we were unable to do a big shoot for the cover so I decided to celebrate the incredible artist Amy Judd with an interview and selection of her work. I am lucky enough to own one of her paintings and it brings me great joy daily. Amy’s ‘Remembering Halcyon Days’ painting on the cover

BEAUTY p42 p44 Beauty Editor Fiona Eustace Clean Beauty p48 Interview with Nomige founder Dr. Barbara Geusens p55 Creams and Lotions for your Thrupenny Bits p58 Skin Rejuvenation Treatment NEWA INTERVIEWS p64 p66 Yogangster - Goldie p76 Getting Personal With…Gok Wan p82 Electric Dreams - Amanda Stretton p86 Award Winning Wedding Photographer David Pullum HEALTH & WELLNESS p92 p94 Mourning the Mother I Would Never Be Charisse Glenn p98 Vitamin D Nutritional Therapist Gabrielle Peacock p102 Back to Basics Colette Casey CNMDip mANP p106 Gratitude Kate Tilson p112 Sober Summer Charlotte Dormon p116 Curious about what to drink? Charlotte Dormon p117 COMPETITION Dry Drinker p120 Detox Your Kitchen Sandie Fredriksson WHAT TO…Write, make, Buy, Read p126 p128 Batch Cooking Amelia Freer p132 The READING List - Eleanor Tattersfield p136 Why Not Try? - Sam Baines p142 FRANK Interiors - Lisa Dawson p145 Julian Joseph COMPETITION AND MUCH MUCH MORE.........

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is not only a stunning image but an apt title too. Secondly our Fashion editor Annabel Kerman was ingenious in curating the fashion pages this month by sending the clothes to the models, getting their friends and family members to shoot them on their phones whilst she art directed them by telephone call. What an amazing effort with fabulous results. Thanks to all the brilliant models involved! Dive in folks and enjoy. Melanie x

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Julian Joseph Giveaway! Go to p145

T E A M

F R A N K

MELANIE Editor-in-Chief Melanie Sykes Design Director Millie Cooper Beauty Editor Fiona Eustace Fashion Editor Annabel Kerman Contributors

Photo by Sam Hemsley

Kate Tilson Sam Baines Gabrielle Peacock Charlotte Dormon Charisse Glenn Sandie Fredriksson Lisa Dawson Eleanor Tattersfield Lara Platman

''Melanie Sykes was a fashion model before moving into hosting TV and Radio shows. Alongside her presenting work, she is now Editor in chief of FRANK magazine. As a woman in her late forties, she felt there was a gap in the magazine market for women her age and wanted to rectify that. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I believe it is never too late to try something new and creating and editing FRANK is the perfect project at this stage in my life and something I am relishing."

MILLIE ''After 15 years in the tech world,Millie now has successful businesses in publishing and social media, delivering original content and design. She says she is excited about helping FRANK to be the magazine of choice for women over 40.'' Photo by Alan Strutt

London hello@thefrankmagazine.com International Distribution | FRANK Magazine FREE Subscriptions Worldwide | www.thefrankmagazine.com

Free subscriptions may begin at any time throughout the year. You can cancel a a subscription anytime. Copyright ÂŠ 2020 The Frank Magazine.

@thefrank_mag Nothing from this or any other publications of The FRANK Magazine may be reproduced by letterpress, photo-offset, photocopying, microfilm or any other method whatsoever without the express written consent of the publisher or of the holders of the copyright of the author in question. This publication has been compiled with the greatest care. However, the publishers do not in any way hold themselves liable for any errors that may have arisen. www.thefrankmagazine.com

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Cover ARTIST Amy Judd Remembering Halcyon Days

T H E

C O V E R

I N T E R V I E W

The wind's daughter

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Amy Judd London based Artist Amy Judd (born 1980 in Margate) has been painting her signature obscured female figures for over tens years. Inspired by Mythologies and folklore her pieces capture surreal stories of women and nature. Her work always strives to be striking, beautiful and feminine. For the last 4 years she has happily juggled studio time with Motherhood, turning 40 in lockdown and returning to painting has given her a new vigour for her work. Hey Amy, thank you so much for being our cover star ! How has lock down been for you? As a pretty private artist I feel like I have been training for isolation my whole life, sometimes locked down in my studio for days at a time! Then over a year ago I went on a long maternity leave with my second daughter and hid in a baby bubble enjoying cuddles and tiny feet, not joining any baby clubs and staying in my PJs till noon! I have appreciated and enjoyed having a new born so much more second time around and found it hard getting back to work. So I have grown accustomed to some sort of lock down, all be it a more pleasant one! I dipped into my work now and again over the last year but I had not fully immersed myself in painting for months, so when lock down was announced and my husband said he was going to be home more, I jumped at the opportunity this strange time has given me and started back at the studio. I am able to work most days and have a new vigour for my work, this has kept me sane and the baby brain has almost been replaced with something more creative. So despite the crazy scary situation we are all in its not so bad in our small world.

When did you realise that painting was going to be your world? Like many creatives at school I struggled with academic subjects but I could draw and paint and loved it, and from an early age it became obvious that it was all I wanted to do. My earliest memory of painting was at my junior school, I was asked to do a mural depicting the myth of Pandoraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s box; coincidentally mythologies were to become a big inspiration in my work. In my teenage years I was a child among adults at an evening life drawing class and I soon gained confidence and an understanding of the female form that has stayed with me my whole career. I knew for certain that I could make painting my life when I could quit my part time job at a wedding dress cleaners, and paint full time, my gallery gave me the confidence and support to do this and I havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t looked back.

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The Kingfisher's secret

Are you from a family of creatives ? Who were your mentors ? My parents have always had a home full of books, my mother was a librarian and my father a history teacher before retiring, so as well as a mountain of Vietnam war books which are not really my cup of tea, we also had enough art books to sink a ship! My folks are my mentors and biggest fans, they would take my brother and me to international museums and art galleries, and introduced me to the world of art at an early age, more importantly they were always enthusiastically supportive and gave me the encouragement and confidence to believe this could be a way of life.

How and when did you develop your style? It's been an organic progression over the years, from life drawing throughout my studies to self portraiture for my Masters, I have always painted the female form, but it wasn’t until I saw Swan Lake at Covent Garden that my work shifted. This was a game changer, I was captivated by Odette’s transformation to and from a swan, it was a sublime idea. Within folklore, mythologies and literature stories have been told of a magical relationship between birds/animals and humans, I soon realised I could conjure up my own “myths” within my paintings. I was drawn towards more avian themes at first, the feathers and plumage of birds were a joy to paint and they had a certain spirituality, they captured vulnerability and strength simultaneously. My new flower paintings, inspired by the goddess Flora, have the same qualities; In painting the flowers larger than life the fragile petals become sculptural gaining a strength and abstract quality, the blooms become beautiful suits of armour, helmets, masks or headdresses for the statuesque women. Although the Roman Goddess Flora was the initial inspiration, the figures are modern and timeless, they become less Muse and more self assured, poised women. All my figures are anonymous they are often obscured by birds, feathers or flowers, giving the viewer space to create their own narrative, often I paint my women with “familiars” animals or birds that seem to engage the viewer on behalf of the figures, creating a sense of ambiguity and intrigue. I see the combination of the female form and nature as organic and harmonious. My work is a contemporary reimagining and revision of traditional mythology that celebrates this relationship. (More than anything my Floral collection gives me a great excuse to buy beautiful flowers, especially now as its peony season!)

Do you use models or are these women a figment

of your imagination? I work from gathered imagery and my own photos, Also taxidermy and Museums are a good source for studying feathers and Fur. Then composition is constructed in sketches and often manipulated in Photoshop exploring further positioning, lighting and subject ready to transfer onto canvas. This process of using different sources like a collage, gives my work its surreal quality.

How were you discovered? Following my MA at Wimbledon school of Art I found a tiny studio near by with no windows and the occasional pigeon visitor! That year we had an open studio and Jeff Hicks turned up and asked if I wanted to be in a group show at his gallery, Yes! Of course. I sold all the work and the rest is history, I have worked with the lovely Hicks family that run the Gallery in Wimbledon for over 10 years. They have shown and sold my work here in London and internationally. Since then I have a larger studio with Windows!

You paint women. Do you paint for them with them as buyers in mind? This is a good question, I have never been asked this before, I paint for me and I am a woman, but my buyers are both men and women equally. I see them as feminine images, not just because they are of women, but perhaps because I adorn them with the beauty of nature, delicate but strong feathers, juicy but architectural peony petals, soft but statuesque rabbit heads. The images are ambiguous, open to interpretation and contradiction. Singer and song writer Laura Marling reclaimed Virgil’s misogynistic phase “woman is an ever fickle and changeable thing”. I personally would like to reclaim this, as although not fickle I am certainly changeable and I see this as a strength not a weakness.

“I feel good at 40, just a little more tired and I have a lot more potions by my bed. But life is all that my 30 year old self would have hoped for. I am still enjoying painting more than ever, some days the time I spend in my studio is almost meditative, I believe this is a contributor to my positive mental health.”

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Colombia Road

Wild Flower Warrior

â&#x20AC;&#x153;My new flower paintings, inspired by the goddess Flora, have the same qualities; In painting the flowers larger than life the fragile petals become sculptural gaining a strength and abstract quality, the blooms become beautiful suits of armour, helmets, masks or headdresses for the statuesque women.â&#x20AC;?

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I bought my painting to seeing it an art fair. I wanted all of your work! They are achingly beautiful. When you set out to do a series, how does it come to you? At the moment I am revisiting past themes and carrying on with the Floralia collection, inspired by the goddess Flora, I am combining and playing around with ideas, there is no strict narrative at the moment as I am finding my groove after being on maternity leave. It feels like a good time to do this as normal life is on hold and the world is in a strange limbo, I hope to have a show after lockdown and perhaps that will give me a focus. I have started collecting ideas and will try and get a body of work that will sit well together in the gallery.. watch this space!

What is your routine, if any, around your work? My new normal is to look after my two little girls in the morning, (how often can you give your children Coco pops for breakfast?! ) then I head to my studio after lunch, I set certain days to research, compose, photograph, and then finally paint.. If I know its a painting day I skip to the studio, I still get a thrill when a painting is going well and I’m enjoying my own company, I admit it is nice to have time to myself especially at the moment. When I arrive I plug in my laptop ( I finally treated myself to a new Mac, its not too covered in paint yet!), get Spotify up and running, I play my music loud, or recently I’m loving a podcast. I answer any emails, ignore social media.. knowing I should be better at it! I paint until it comes to an organic end, stop for a snack, often a crisp sandwich and chocolate biscuit, My body is a temple! I can stay till late which is a luxury after years of having to rush home for the nursery pick up! So I crack on till I get hungry and go home to my wonderful husband who cooks me a late night dinner!

Who or what inspires you as a person and then your work? I have previously mentioned how the Ballet Swan Lake has informed my work, I am interested in Costume design within theatre and cinema, in how designers create imaginative beautiful solutions to make stories come to life. I continue to be inspired by the more creative side of fashion, specifically designers inspired by nature. Alexander McQueen’s designs are ruled by nature almost in a spiritual way, they sit beautifully with Philp Tracey’s

imaginative and surreal head wear that often dramatically hides the wears face. Both designers use materials found in nature, feathers, flowers, skulls, or directly inspired by them. There was a female Italian designer of the 1930's called Elsa Schiaparelli who was connected with the surrealist movement, her dresses and hats were beautiful with a surrealist edge, from lobster dresses to shoe hats. I like anything that is beautifully surreal, “Judex” (1963) is a black and white French film by George Franju, the opening scene is marvellous, a man in a bird head walks through a masked ball, then begins to do a strange magic show with white doves, firstly poor birds, but it is such a decadent but disturbing scene. This is what inspired the masked killer in the recent TV series “True Detective”. I binge watched this in two days! Max Ernst (1891-1976), part of the surrealist and Dada movement created collage illustrations for Une semaine de bonté, he rearranged images to create a dark and surreal world where people had the heads of lions, birds, shells or lizards; they are both funny and disquieting. On a lighter note! One of my favourite magazines, as well as Frank of course, is Elle decoration, I adore interior and architectural design. I will watch grand designs all day and lust over peoples homes on instagram, I see the stillness and limited palette in my work perfectly suited for a domestic setting, some images giving drama to a space others creating a sense of calm.

How does it feel to part with your pieces and how did it feel the first time? The first piece I sold was a small ink life drawing, at a local art gallery in Sandwich Kent, where I grew up, I was still at school, and it was about £150, I was thrilled! I don't often think about the life of my paintings after they leave the studio, but when I see a photo of one in situ its lovely, a reminder that people actually have my work in their home, becoming part of their lives. This makes me so chuffed and gives me a weird feeling of pride, more like a mothers pride as they are out in the wide world making people happy!

How long does each piece take? I use thin oils on canvas, and typically I work on several paintings at a time, as I need to let the paint dry after each layer, so a piece will develop over a month or two. The ideas and composition often take longer, and perhaps I will return to ideas I started months ago.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;I don't often think about the life of my paintings after they leave the studio, but when I see a photo of one in situ its lovely, a reminder that people actually have my work in their home, becoming part of their lives. This makes me so chuffed and gives me a weird feeling of pride, more like a mothers pride as they are out in the wide world making people happy!.â&#x20AC;?

Girl from San Francisco www.thefrankmagazine.com

"I feel like my career and personal life are well balanced and moving forward. I have always been a pretty contented person and at 40 I take joy from simple pleasures and home comforts.. and I know the grass is hardly ever greener.â&#x20AC;?

What have been key moments for you in your career that have you given you these strides forward? Perhaps the biggest change in my career was when I started selling internationally, It began with showing with Hicks Gallery at the Affordable art fair in London and then abroad. Further overseas interest followed through blogs and other digital media and international magazines; Having my paintings used in a 6 page spread in the US Harpers Bazaar really opened up the American market. www.thefrankmagazine.com

Before having my second daughter I did a commission for The Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane in London, it was the largest painting I have done and I had to go and raise a drink to it with some of my girl friends!

Which other female artists do you admire? There are many women I admire, for very different reasons; I am in love with Mary Cassatt paintings, a female impressionist, her scene of domesticity are just beautiful, perhaps I appreciate them more as a mother? In stark contrast to Mary Cassatt Paula Rego’s often dark menacing scenes are just so strong and unapologetic. I have a physical response when I witness them in the flesh like no other painter, I am in awe of her story telling and raw emotion. Since I was little I have enjoyed Georgia O’Keeffe’s flowers, I would make studies of her work when I was young and perhaps that’s why I have ended up painting flowers now? She often uses skulls within her paintings something I have for a long time wanted to incorporate in my own work. Recently I went to the Frida Kahlo exhibition at the V&A museum and my long term admiration for this almost legendary woman was confirmed, I love her for her story, strength and surrealism.. and not least for her sense of style and use of red lippy even on her death bed.

So I hope I have my best painting years aheads of me! Having children definitely hits every parents career especially women, I haven’t seen it as a sacrifice but a change of life and a hiatus in my work. I am lucky I can come back to work when and how I want and once the kids are in full time education I can get back to full time painting! So I believe my more mature self will be on some fierce painting mission once the nappies and milk bottles have been chucked away!

You just joined the 40 club how does it feel? Yes I turned 40 in April whilst in lockdown, it was not really celebrated, just an extra fish finger and cupcake with the kids dinner! I have decided to skip this year and so I will be 40 next year! My husband and I had to cancel our big Great Gatsby themed birthday party due to Corona Virus, all our friends have 1920’s outfits so we have to make it happen after lockdown! I had planned to get a tattoo when I turned 40! Many people are walking around with tattoos of my paintings on their bodies, not put there by me! It is an art form I am in awe of, I would never have the nerve to paint something so permanent on someones skin. I always wanted one and thought by 40 I’d have decided what to get, but I still haven’t.. perhaps by 50!

I feel good at 40, just a little more tired and I have a lot more potions by my bed. But life is all that my 30 year old self would have hoped for. I am still enjoying painting They are only little, but Mia, 4, has seen some pieces, She more than ever, some days the time I spend in my studio thinks they a beautiful and she likes the “Easter bunny is almost meditative, I believe this is a contributor to my heads”! We will see what they think when they have positive mental health. Its hard being a mum and this grown and have teenage friends; “what? your mum paints quiet alone time is a luxury I know many parents don’t boobies?”! have. Becoming a mum has been the biggest change over the last decade, which has been the hardest and the best Are they showing any inclination towards thing I have ever done, giving birth is the most amazing thing I have been through and my girls are my world.. painting themselves? after this so many superficial worries are banished and you’re given a new perspective on the world. Yes Mia loves drawing, she draws everyday, mostly I feel like my career and personal life are well balanced family portraits, but she does a mean parrot too! I hope they stay creative, Mia is so imaginative right now and I and moving forward. I have always been a pretty contented person and at 40 I take joy from simple wish I could bottle it! pleasures and home comforts.. and I know the grass is Do you think your maturity brings more to your hardly ever greener.

How do your children feel about your images ?

work every year? Absolutely, every year I strive to make new work and my craft seems to be second nature to me now, almost like a muscle memory, I guess this is out of practice and love of what I do.

www.hicksgallery.co.uk/artists/amy-judd/

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SUMMER Jacket Pazuki Blouse and Trousers ME + EM

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FASHION In June’s fashion pages we let six models go wild in the countryside in our ‘Summer of Love’ fashion story, optimistic florals to give us all a much needed boost, plus where to snap up stylish face masks that will make social distancing a breeze. www.thefrankmagazine.com

F A S H I O N

S T O R Y

SUMMER OF LOVE ART DIRECTION AND STYLING ANNABEL KERMAN

Frank’s last fashion shoot was shot on the brink of lockdown, when no one guessed that two months later the nation’s schools would be shut, and we would either be confined to our homes, or working on the new ‘front line’. So when it came to our June edition we knew we had to create a fashion story that reflected how we’re living now: changing; adapting; trying new things. We booked six models remotely from across the UK and beyond. There were no hair and makeup artists; no on hand stylist; no professional photographer with a studio full of equipment; no clever lighting, and no team to direct and dissect every angle. Just a boxed delivery of clothes, an i-phone, and a partner, child or friend sharing lockdown to take the shots. The brief: to get outdoors and shoot themselves in nature. And the results? Snapshots of a balmy Springtime, that despite its terrible hardships (or possibly because of them) has allowed many the chance to appreciate the simple things in life: to literally stop and smell the roses.

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GERDA

Photography James Meakin Kimono Klements Trousers Topshop

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AMMA

Photography Abena Rhode ( Age 10) Dress Ssone Sandals Dr Martens www.thefrankmagazine.com

SUSAN

Photography Judy Jenner Dress Rixo at Anna Hat Eliurpi at Matchesfashion www.thefrankmagazine.com

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CLARE

Photography Matilda Swabey-Riedl ( Age 14) Blouse and trousers Anna Mason Visor Arket

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SHALKE

Photography Randolph Matthews Blouse and Trousers ME+EM

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ANDREA

Photography Nik Christensen Dress, hat and sandals Arket

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Stockists annamasonlondon.co.uk arket.com drmartens.com klements.co.uk matchesfashion.com meandem.com shopatanna.com ssone.com topshop.com

S U M M E R

F A S H I O N

Feel Good Florals After the Spring weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had, black and neutrals just wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t cut it. Indulge in some mood boosting florals, and embrace a retro Summer of love in the Great British Outdoors.

9 10 6 8 www.thefrankmagazine.com

By Annabel Kerman

7 5 1.Essentiel Antwerp at Anna top £249 and skirt £249 Eliurpi at Matchesfashion hat £390 2. Dolce & Gabbana at matchesfashion crystal buckle slides £825 3. Tory Burch appliqué kaftan poa 4. Swedish Hasbeens lotten clogs £190 5. Ghost Evonna dress £89 6. Loewe at matchesfashion appliqué canvas tote £1700 7. Klements floral explosion scarf £99 8. M&S Collection sunglasses £17.50 9. Mary Katrantzou Desmine dress £1690 10. Michael Kors belt poa 11. Eberjey Hibiscus bikini top £116 and brief £116 12. Topshop beaded mini bag £22

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stockists eberjey.com ghost.co.uk klements.co.uk marksandspencer.com marykatrantzou.com matchesfashion.com michaelkors.co.uk shopatanna.com swedishhasbeens.com topshop.com toryburch.co.uk

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L O C K D O W N

Cover up in Style Now that wearing a mask has become mandatory on public transport, demand for cotton facemarks is set to boom. So why not make yours stylish? Many designer’s first batches of fashion worthy face coverings have already sold out in record time, but these are some of our favourites you can get your hands on now. Plus with many of these independent and sustainable brands donating profits to covid related charities we can feel like we’re helping keep businesses afloat and supporting the cause at the same time.

PLUMO Plumo’s ethos is to curate and make quality modern clothing that lasts for years from responsibly sourced and crafted fabrics. With every sale of the brand’s £10 linen face masks for adults and children, a portion is donated to the ‘Masks 4 Heros’ crowdfunding campaign helping NHS frontline staff. plumo.com www.thefrankmagazine.com

Frank’s Favourite Face Masks.

Words Annabel Kerman

PAZUKI Pazuki’s prints have been produced directly from British designer Pookie Blezard’s original oil paintings for over thirty years. These luxury masks are sent out as a gift with all purchases over £200, or cost £45, with 20% of profits going to NHS charities. pazuki.co.uk

FLORENCE BRIDGE London based Florence’s ‘slow fashion’ label specialises in digitally printed silks. Her £12 masks come in ‘ballet slipper’ duchess satin, with a portion of profits going to @fuelourfrontline charity who deliver essential groceries to hospital workers around the UK. florencebridge.com

PEARL LOWE Handmade in Somerset by local seamstresses, Pearl Lowe's designs draw inspiration from the 20’s, 30’s and 40’s, and have been featured by Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and Tatler. Her vintage fabric face masks start from £25 with £5 from each sale being donated to the NHS. pearllowe.co.uk www.thefrankmagazine.com

CHITE The Italian sustainable lingerie brand is producing two face masks: a sanitary mask with the entire proceeds donated to the Italian Red Cross; and a choice of five designer cotton ‘lover’ masks at €13.50 from their artisanal workshops, with a replaceable filter. chite-lingerie.com

PAISIE ‘Luxury high street’ brand Paisie was founded in 2010, and stocks in boutiques worldwide. Their £6 cost price cotton wired face masks, produced sustainably from fabrics from previous collections, have already sold out twice. They will be back in stock mid June. paisie.com

BEGG & CO Traditional Scottish weaving brand Begg & Co have been established since 1866. The brand manufactures scrubs for local hospitals and donates all online profit from three iconic products to ‘NHS Charities together.’ Their limited edition 100% cashmere face masks are the ultimate in luxury at £95. beggandcompany.com

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JESSICA RUSSELL FLINT Jessica Russell Flint is a British print designer producing limited edition luxury clothing and home wear. Her first run of ÂŁ18 filtered facemarks sold out in just 15 minutes, but she has a new run set to drop. 100% of profits go to the charity Refuge, supporting the victims of domestic abuse. jessicarussellflint.co.uk

RAILS Lifestyle brand Rails has halted garment production to produce 5000 cotton masks a week. These are now available for sale in signature fabrics, at cost price of $25 for 5 masks. For each pack purchased Rails will donate one to local communities in need. railsclothing.com

ASPIGA Ethical beachwear brand Aspiga works on numerous initiatives to stimulate local economies in Kenya and India. They are currently taking preorders of their three packs of cotton facemarks sold at cost price for ÂŁ14, maintaining Kenyan sandal workers employment. aspiga.com www.thefrankmagazine.com

ZAZABOOM! ZaZaBoom is a creative and philanthropic project which has been inspired by one family’s imposed isolation. This is Karen, Ava and Coco’s lockdown love story for the NHS. zazaboom.shop

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Competition FALDAN BAGS WIN! A Bag worth £495 ‘For pioneers, workaholics, bosses, thinkers. For mothers, partners, runners, travellers. The super stylish Faldan bag is the world’s first ethical luxury, foldable bag for women, designed by former UN climate negotiator Laura Hanning, to act as a ‘style partner in crime for life’s ultimate multi taskers’.

Available in ethical leather or vegan friendly recycled nylon, the bag folds miraculously from full size into an iPhone sized purse in moments. Beauty and brains, what more do we need? We have a gorgeous foldable ethical leather Faldan bag in black with silver detailing , worth £495 to give away to one lucky Frank reader. All you need to do is:

Subscribe for free on our website www.thefrankmagazine.com follow Instagram @faldanbags & @thefrank_mag AND look out for our EMAIL mid June and enter for a chance to win! www.thefrankmagazine.com

F A S H I O N

I L L U S T R A T E D

McQueen's Rose dress During lockdown I have connected with a lot of social media sketching/painting challenges and this was one of the first. Called McQueen Creators to see hundreds of amazing work from artists/illustrators/ amateurs- some amazing talent out there!) they have set a challenge every week to inspire people to create- the second one was to draw/paint this Rose dress. I had a great time trying to interpret the shape as it is so complex! Jacqueline Bisset Fashion Illustrator

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Alexander McQUEEN SKETCH WITH MCQUEEN Be part of our creative community and sketch with us

Find your sketchbook and chosen materials. Choose the picture youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to sketch from the upcoming series of images.

Sketch, colour or paint your favourite image.

Then take a picture and share your final piece on Instagram (tag @AlexanderMcQueen #McQueenCreators to be featured on our channel) or Twitter (tag @McQueen #McQueenCreators to be featured on our channel). Jacqueline BissetFashion Illustrator www.jacquelinebissett.com

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www.wakencare.com

BEAUTY Beauty editor Fiona Eustace goes au naturel with ‘Clean Beauty’ Dr Barbara Geusens talks about the future of DNA based beauty products & get Frank’s favourite boob balms, firming lotions and bust lift oils.

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B E A U T Y

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CLEAN BEAUTY By Beauty Editor Fiona Eustace @fionaeustace

donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know about you, but I have noticed a change on social media regarding beauty over the last few months. So outdated are these Instagram tutorials with the layers of makeup. I love that its being replaced by more fresh faces, all confidently embracing their natural beauty. We have celebrities, renowned for their carefully styled looks by their makeup artists, now embracing the natural look and showing off their clean skin. I work in this industry as a makeup artist and I love makeup and know that makeup has its place, but I feel we lost sight a how beautiful we are underneath all the contour and highlights. Seeing more fresh cheeks and freckles makes me rejoice that people are feeling confident enough to allow their faces to shine. Seeing all of this unfold on social media made me question the products we use and to look at going back to basics and to look at Clean Beauty. I wanted to look at products that have less ingredients in them and thus being better for our health and for our planet.

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How will it benefit us?

What is clean beauty?

So, the benefits from using cleaner products are obvious. With up to 60% of what we apply being absorbed and penetrating our skin. The list of toxins that can be used in are made with our health and the health of the products ranges from formaldehyde, sodium laurel environment in mind. More and more consumers sulphate, preservatives and artificial fragrances to name a few. All these toxins can affect our health and the less we are demanding transparent labelling so that they use the better. With people’s health and our immune know what’s in their products with no BS. If we know systems clearly on our minds, don’t you think using what we are looking for we can be assured that the product that we are buying is safe for our use. Some of the Cleaner products makes more sense considering our skin is labels I look out for are, The Soil Association as the UK's our largest organ? leading food and farming charity and organic certification Here are some of the products that I would highly body, .They ensure products are produced in the most recommend that I have had the pleasure of trying and are sustainable and environmentally sound way. All now staples in my home and in my makeup, kit companies that have been awarded their stamp of recommend approval are then inspected annually.

Clean beauty means the products that we are using are safe, non-toxic and ethically sourced. They

Leaping bunny, The Leaping Bunny Program is the gold-standard in cruelty-free certification and signifies that no animal has been tested on. The product is guaranteed to be 100 percent free of new animal testing. All Leaping Bunny companies must be open to independent audits, and commitments are renewed on an annual basis.

Saint iris adriatica £57 www.siadriatica.com

Masking duo set

This beautiful limited edition Purity Paste is paired with this luxury masking brush. It is so soft and wonderful to use on your face or on your body After one use I could see my skin looking fresher and brighter. 5 mins and then Ecocert Obtaining an Ecocert certification allows a wash off with warm water then a splash of cold water company to highlight that they are environmentally friendly and have socially conscious practices in place like afterwards to plump up that skin. their action against greenhouse gases

How do I know if it’s a clean product? When shopping for a cleaner product its essential to refer to the label and look at the ingredients. Usually they have less ingredients listed on the back and if you don’t know whether to trust this brand then look to see If it has a stamp of approval from a verified certification like the soil association, Peta or leaping bunny approved. Look for the logo and be sure of the quality, integrity and transparency of the products you're using. Certification is independent and rigorous. The association will have to review the entire manufacturing process including sourcing of ingredients, formulation procedures and premises, as well as packaging. so, you can be sure your certified product meets strict criteria wherever it was made.

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Naya £45

Made for life organics £25.00

www.nayaglow.com

www.madeforlifeorganics.com

Antioxidant defence booster The gorgeous bottle contains this wonderful Defence Booster which adds an extra boost of antioxidant and protects your skin against environmental pollution. Boost collagen, fight sun damage, and firms skin, it dissolves and activates when mixed with your existing moisturizer or face serum. Applied regularly, skin appears brighter with less visible fine lines and wrinkles. Now with that check list who wouldn’t want to have this in their daily routine. There’s nothing to not love about this product.

Made in the UK, in Cornwall, this wonderful brand is leaping bunny approved and a bcorp certification. That is super impressive. Their lovely Nourishing nail and cuticle oil is beautiful, used daily but can also be used on your hands and feet as an overnight mask. Think we need that now more than ever. It smells absolutely divine too. They have so many other products, make sure you check them out.

REN £22.00

The Organic Pharmacy £43

www.renskincare.com

www.theorganicpharmacy.com

Clean planet initiative, zero waste by 2021 Atlantic Kelp and Magnesium Body Wash 20% reclaimed ocean plastic waste, and the rest is 80% recycled plastic bottles. They’ve even made a pump that’s metal-free and easier to recycle. REN are also striving to be zero waste by 2021. This gorgeous sulphate-free reviving body cleanser formulated with Atlantic Kelp Extract and energising Magnesium PCA has moisturising properties to help nourish, smooth and tone skin. it will awaken and refresh sluggish skin as well as your senses, for the ultimate uplifting shower experience.

This wonderful company is based in the UK and makes everything locally. We love home made products here at Frank. My absolute favourite is the Carrot Cleanser. Delicious and creamy and with clinically proven antioxidant activity and packed with organic ingredients your skin will be glowing. It effortlessly removes eye and face make-up, while extracts of Carrot, Rosemary and Calendula soften and balance. Who would have thought that the humble carrot had so many benefits?

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Dr. Barbara Geusens, PhD Interviewed by Melanie Sykes Founder and creator of Nomige, Dr. Barbara Geusens, had been dealing with unbalanced, acne-prone skin and had tried many brands to try and solve her problem. She was disappointed by the poor results and the relapse of acne after using products for a while. Dr. Barbara did her PhD at the department of Dermatology (University Hospital Gent, Belgium) and observed via her scientific experiments that skin reacts differently and a one-size-fits-all approach does not work. In 2017, she decided to launch her own brand. Nomige develops personalised products that are fully tailored to your needs, based on your DNA and lifestyle. A unique approach for unique skin.

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Congratulations on the Nomige products I am a convert! You’re so lovely thank you very much!

What is your medical background ? When did you decide to specialise in skin care? I’m a bio-engineer, specialised in genetics. After that, I did a PhD in dermatology. I don’t have a medical background, so that means, I’m not a physician, but I can call myself Dr. because I have a PhD. Thanks to my research on skin, and more specifically studying the interactions of formulations with skin, I gained a lot of knowledge and saw the opportunity to create the concept of Nomige

What are your thoughts on ageing and how women can mentally survive the process, an attitude that would be useful to adopt? I don’t see ageing as a bad thing. On the contrary, from my experience, I believe that I’m mentally stronger than when I was younger. I don’t worry anymore about the things I used to worry about. I believe every age has its advantages. I embrace every every year older and enjoy every minute of life as long as I’m healthy. It’s such a privilege to be healthy, we realise in times like these. I decided not to worry about ageing when I realised this: “You will always look back on your younger self and think ‘I looked much better back then’. But you don’t realise that when you are your younger self…Instead you are worrying about not looking as young as you used to. So you will regret the fact that lost time worrying about ageing instead of enjoying while you are still young”. And by the way “young” is just a concept, right? It’s how we feel that matters. Cliché but true

“The beautiful thing about your DNA, is that it can only be interpreted in 1 way. Your DNA code doesn’t change. It doesn’t lie. It’s set in stone. It holds so much information about you and your skin, which should not be ignored when you want to treat your skin the best possible way.”

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What is your personal approach? I take it as it comes… I don’t worry about getting older. I had our children at a later age (not a deliberate choice, nature that was not on our side) which means I still have a newborn now, at the age of 38. That also keeps my spirit young However, getting up in the night is harder, haha. I’m so happy I have Nomige to help me cope with my bags ;)

What do women come to you the most about? All sorts of women to be honest, ranging from the age of 25 until 80. These are women that want to work on ageing. Women that feel their skin needs better skincare, tailormade for them. Women with certain skin concerns (pigmentation, acne, oily skin, dry skin, sensitive skin, ..). Women who want to understand their skin better, and are therefore triggered to do the DNA test. Women who don’t know who or what to believe anymore and ended up in this never ending search for the right skincare product. Women that have been trying so many products and were never really happy. Women who want to tackle ageing. Women that don’t have time for a 7 step routine. Women that value a personalised approach.

When did you start developing the Nomige skincare, your DNA based beauty care?

audience and could talk to the women in front of me. That is so valuable and it creates a bond. I learned so much from their feedback which allowed me to finetune my concept and products. The year after that, we started collaborating with dermatologists, aesthetic doctors and plastic surgeons and we started focusing on our online offers. This digital approach has become more and more important, especially now in lockdown. It’s so easy: you order online, your DNA kit is sent to your home, you send it back, you receive a detailed DNA report of which the results can be discussed over a (video) call, and 4 weeks later your personalised products arrive in your mailbox. We also offer free virtual consultations, in case you have doubts, questions, want to talk to me… This year we will launch in the UK. Online will always be an important strategy for us but in additions we work closely with partner clinics. In London we set up a great partnership with a brand new clinic Tempus Belgravia. Their philosophy matches completely what Nomige stands for: personalised and patient-centric. They take the time to listen to you (hence the name ‘tempus’) and that is sooo important. Really listen and understand someone’s needs. The doctors at Tempus are the best you can find. Especially Dr. Veerle Rotsaert, board certified, plastic surgeon, is the type of doctor you’ll not find anywhere else. Highly skilled, but also the kindest and most caring there is. It is really a coincidence that she is also Belgian. I bumped into her in London and I didn’t know her before. The fact that we both speak Flemish and come from the same country makes us a wonderful team!

I launched Nomige in October 2017, in Belgium. After many years of research and development. We started very small. During the first year I sold Nomige via ‘home parties’. I took the time to explain the concept to my www.thefrankmagazine.com

“This digital approach has become more and more important, especially now in lockdown. It’s so easy: you order online, your DNA kit is sent to your home, you send it back, you receive a detailed DNA report of which the results can be discussed over a (video) call, and 4 weeks later your personalised products arrive in your mailbox. “

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“I believe every age has its advantages. I embrace every every year older and enjoy every minute of life as long as I’m healthy. It’s such a privilege to be healthy, we realise in times like these.” How does it work? What is the process? Nomige does not have shelf products. We make unique products for your unique skin. So the process is very different that what you are used to. You don’t need to choose, we tell you what your skin needs. First we need to take your ‘measures’, just like a tailormade dress. This includes doing a DNA saliva test and filling out a lifestyle questionnaire. Both have an influence on your skin & skin ageing process. We want to understand your intrinsic and extrinsic ageing and adapt the right ingredients accordingly.

It doesn’t lie. It’s set in stone. It holds so much information about you and your skin, which should not be ignored when you want to treat your skin the best possible way. In a world where there are so many different opinions When you order your Nomige package online, the DNA about skincare, and where you don’t know who or what to test is sent to your house. You take the saliva swab and send it back. After 3 weeks, you receive your personalised believe anymore, your own DNA is your most objective advisor. DNA skin report and one more week later you receive So, listen to your genes, they tell you a lot about your your 4 personalised skincare products (day serum, day skin. cream, night cream, night serum). Two steps in the morning, two steps in the evening, nice and simple. The Once I receive the raw data (=your DNA code), I write a products come with a marble tray to display them on 15 page DNA skin report for you. You will learn the risks your bathroom shelf. That way you won’t forget to use you carry for accelerated ageing, the ingredients that are them, and using them on a daily basis will definitely suitable for you, the do’s and don’ts for your type of skin, improve your skin. You will feel it. and you get personalised advice on lifestyle, nutrition, cleansing, etc… If you go to our partner clinic Tempus, in Belgravia, London, the DNA test is taken in the clinic and the lifestyle questionnaire it filled out together with you. You Important to mention: we only look at genes relevant for can also pick up your products in the clinic again a couple skin, we don’t analyse your whole DNA or look at diseases. We are GDPR compliant and will destroy your of weeks later. DNA as soon as it is analysed. For everyone who orders a Nomige set online, we will add a voucher for a treatment at Tempus. You must go to experience this clinic. It’s soooo beautiful and you get the best service

Once you have the information, how do you interpret the results? The beautiful thing about your DNA, is that it can only be interpreted in 1 way. Your DNA code doesn’t change.

Does it help create a plan of action regarding life choices as well as using the tailored made product ? Are the results set in stone? The DNA results reveal the risks for ageing, where to focus on (is it collagen, antioxidants, hydration, barrier). Depending on the results, you need specific ingredients for your skin. We take care of that, you don’t need to worry about that.

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Additionally, we will also advice you on what to do or not to do when it comes to lifestyle. So that is something you can control and for which you can create a plan of action, indeed. Genes can be switched on or off by lifestyle elements. If you have a higher genetic risk it does not necessarily mean you will age faster. It means that you need to be cautious. Your tailor-made products contain exactly those ingredients that your skin needs in order to compensate for these risks. But changing or adapting your lifestyle is as important.

The packaging is just wonderful, were you across the development of that? It really is unique. Thank you so much! I really took my time to figure out how I wanted it to be. It had to fit the concept and make sense from a scientific point of view. Therefore, no open jar, no transparent packaging… I selected airless packaging, and this is to prevent the ingredients from being oxidised due to oxygen and UV light. Moreover, airless packaging allows us to use very little preservatives and yet have a stable formulation. I specifically chose airless tube systems, because they are easy to travel, they become very thin / flat when almost empty, and you can cut them open to get the last bit out of it (which is very few!! But just enough time for your reorder, which takes 2 days ). The marble tray represents the uniqueness. Marble is never the same. It’s always unique, so is your skin. It allows you to display your products on your bathroom shelf, instead on in the cupboard. That way you are more easily reminded of your daily routine, and you’ll stick to it better. Better compliance shows better results.

How important is it to keep a beauty routine simple? Think of your skin as a sponge. There is a limit to how much it can absorb. Layer over layer over layer is useless. For me personally, it was super important to keep it simple. I don’t have much time in the morning, and in the evening I’m so tired I want to go to bed The more simple your routine, the easier you’ll stick to it. Too complex routines ask time and result in less compliance. Less is more: only 2 steps in the morning and 2 in the evening. What are the key things regardless of our genetic makeup that we can do to keep our skin glowing as we lose collagen? One golden rule: treat your skin with respect. Don’t be too aggressive, don’t damage your skin. A lot of people don’t realise how scrubs, peelings, brushes, harsh ingredients, soaps, too much cleansing can really do bad things to your skin. Think of your skin as a leather dress. You don’t scrub or treat it with soap and water, do you? It needs good creams, the right lipids and the active ingredients that boost you own skin processes. Instead of interfering with these processes, we work WITH them. That way, your skin will not become lazy and the effects keep on lasting.

What else can you do? Sports: blood circulation stimulates collagen production The same way a face massage does. If you practice face yoga, it helps to tone your facial muscles. Food & food supplements: carrots, cabbage, garlic, supplements with the ingredient ‘verisol’. A fantastic treatment at Tempus

www.nomige.com

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S C R U B

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FRANK BODY Express-O scrub Buff away dull skin cells with the Frank Body Express-O scrub, an exfoliating skincare treatment suitable for wet or dry skin. It is ideal for those seeking a quick yet pampering treatment. Formulated with raw sugar and roasted coffee grinds, the Frank Body Express-O scrub works to gently slough away dull and dead skin cells to reveal softer, smoother skin. The coffee stimulates the skin while invigorating the senses for an overall uplifting effect. Infused with cinnamon, an anti-microbial healer, the scrub helps balance the skin, while a luxurious blend of almond and macadamia oils rich in vitamins A, E and D work to hydrate and nourish. Scrub on in a circular motion to leave skin smooth and bright with a rich caramelly coffee scent. www.frankbody.com www.thefrankmagazine.com

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R E C O M M E N D A T I O N S

Creams & Lotions for your Thrupenny Bits

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Described as a bra in a bottle, Love Boo Bosom Buddy is an awardwinning bust toner that smoothes, tightens and tones the chest area to bring it back to its former youth.

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PUPA Breast Patch Enhancing and Firming Set £46

NEAL'S YARD REMEDIES Mothers Balm £20

SISLEY Body care Phytobuste £188.50 CLARINS Bust Care Bust Beauty Extra-Lift Gel £38.50

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B E A U T Y

T O O L

SKIN REJUVENATION TREATMENT NEWA

rejuvenation. The Company’s award winning unique state of the art 3DEEP®technologyenables physicians & beauty specialists to provide advanced solutions for body contouring, wrinklereduction, skin tightening non-invasive lifting and skin texture improvement. Endymed is now leadingthe way in the design, development and distribution of advanced athome skin rejuvenation systems,using the company’s clinically proven technology to enable consumers to achieve professional-likeresults in an at-home setting. How does NEWA work?

What is NEWA? NEWA is an advanced anti-aging energy-based skin rejuvenation treatment for skin tightening,wrinkle reduction, and improved skin texture in the comfort of your own home. Who is the manufacturer of the NEWA? Endymed Medical is a pioneering global aesthetic device company with a comprehensive productportfolio in skin

Collagen and elastin fibers are essential components of the skin which gives your skin shape, lift andsupport. The collagen fibers are responsible for skin strength and tone. The elastin fibers allow skinflexibility or elasticity. With age, the amount of collagen & elastin fibers in the skin decreases and theamount of production of new fibers slows down. These structural changes cause the skin to loosencausing sagging skin and wrinkles. NEWA, powered by Endymed’s 3DEEP®technology, penetratescontrolled energy deep into the skin tissue, stimulating the natural production of new healthier collagenand elastin formation.

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This lock down gadget has completely transformed my skin for the better, I had an awful embarrassing eye bag, which has all but gone, my skin tone is smoother and tighter. I am in love with this. Millie Cooper

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Ouai means yes, in that casual, Parisian way.....

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F R A N K ' S

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Mini grab & go Beauty Saviours

Whilst some of us are still working from home, others are still on the go. Here are some small essentials that we love to pop in our bag before we start our day...

Spritz to freshen up CAUDALIE Beauty Elixir

For an instant glow & it smells divine AMLY Day Light Face Oil

Keep your lips moist KOPARI BEAUTY Coconut lip glossy

This is AMAZING for these hot sticky day's THE CLAY CURE Frankincense The Natural Deodorant Balm

Always handy INDIGO COTTON Pocket Tissues www.thefrankmagazine.com

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Photo by Chelone Wolf

I N T E R V I E W

Yogangster is the creation of Goldie â&#x20AC;&#x201C; internationally renowned DJ, artist and yoga enthusiast - who has been sharing his love of yoga around the world since beginning his practice in 2010. www.thefrankmagazine.com

Hey Goldie whats happening ? I’ve just finished ninety minutes of yoga, absolutely baking. I have built a gallery on the wing of the house and my wonderful wife has all of her pyjama company stuff in there which is really lovely called Siamese Dreams. She’s got a little office there and the main room is a gallery and wooden floors. It was kind of yoga inspired. So it’s a space really so we can do meditation, we do a lot of transcendental meditation. And we can do a lot of yoga, we can do gong baths in there and stuff which is interesting.

How are you surviving lockdown? We are in Phuket because for some reason they’re in, err, hello 1987 you’re not allowed to go into the sea because of obviously of Covid, all the fish have Covid, right? Err, hmm? But you’re allowed to go to the Mall and buy some Chanel shoes, um, okay? Normally all I do is I get up in the morning and I swim a lot. So I’ve missed my swimming but I’ve replaced that with hiking. All of a sudden Mr Boy-from-the-Midlands, you know, Mr graffiti writer, you know bad boy is hiking. Do you know what I mean? Mr drum and bass is hiking, can you believe it?

How much are you hitting the mat right now? So apart from the hiking, I’m on the mat three times a week. I’ll do a lot of my savasnas, because I always remember Stewart Gilchrist whose a really good friend of mine and he’s just an absolute don anyway. And for people who don’t really know Stewart’s story, Stewart used to go to the Blue Note, my club in Hoxton Square and get off his nut and he was coming home from Blue Note after bleaching all night and then staying off his head all day Monday and he went to a club in Camden on a Monday night and walks home on the canal and jumped over a wall and broke his back in three places after falling twenty feet into the canal and someone fished him out believe it or not. And he started doing yoga. I like that story more than I like the kind of bendy-Wendy whose just finished, no disrespect bendy-Wendy, just finished doing loads of ballet and you know, they’re really flexible people. But I’m meeting the mat three times. You know, Warrior three times left and right. I’ll do a solid hot yoga on a Monday with Paul Dobson. I do that on Zoom with him. It was him that actually introduced me to yoga. He was my first teacher and I just loved his story. His mum had just died, he was in Miami doing loads of drugs. He’s from Leicester, he ended up being in Miami and you know, black guy out there doing his thing and getting off his nut and he came out of a club and he… Well he found out his mother died, went out and got absolutely blotto-ed. Got really emotional and he walking past a studio which is between 15th and 16th on Washington in Miami and funnily enough I started going to the same studio many years later and he said to me that he walked past there and he saw hot yoga, it was obviously called Bikram at the time and he went in. He said he went and was still high as a kite, but he got into it, don’t know how, but he just kept going back and he went every day. How about that?

“I’ve had, how could you associate the word gangster with yoga? I’m like, you clearly haven’t lived the life that I’ve lived, sunshine and furthermore why not? When in Rome eat lions. I just love the idea of changing the perception to go get it. You know why can’t I be full on, put as much energy into this as crowd surfing or DJ-ing or painting a canvas? It’s the idea of yoga’s associated with usually hugging trees.” www.thefrankmagazine.com

What were your thoughts on it at first? So it was such an inspiration for me that when I met him in London I was going to a place in Clipstone Street opposite to Radio 1. And that was me. I just went into, I walked out of yoga three or four times first lesson, second lesson, third lesson I walked out. He started telling me this story about how he got into it. And I thought that was really exciting because you know, I was a kind of a young urban guy and I was always a little bit uncouth, You know, you can’t be doing yoga mate, that’s not right. And I thought no, man, I just felt that from being an addict which I’ve been for thirty-five years it was the best thing for me to go and face my demons and face this guy in the mirror that was falling apart. I think that’s a really important thing because you do need to see a little bit of the ego in that room but you kind of leave it at the door. And what you’re faced with is the real truth, when I look at that face I think shit, it becomes really ugly and all the layers start coming off the onion. And that’s what I really loved about hot yoga: the idea that it forced me into a corner. There’s lots of other people in that (yoga) room all going through their own mental situation, of course that’s different things and it’s not like a gym where everyone’s on super-ego and and everyone’s waiting to see what you do next and how much he’s pumping here and pumping there. I’ve been there, done that, printed the t-shirt. So I think that when Paul talked to me about yoga I started going back. He said to me the first time, well probably the second or third time after I walked out a few times. He goes, look, you know why you’re struggling? And I went, well why? He went, you’ve just to leave your ego at the door mate. And I’m like, well what? I felt almost insulted. But he kind, he was killing me softly with that comment and I think he was absolutely right that I just left my ego at the door and just had no preconceptions of that gym mentality of I’ve got to do good at all of this stuff. But of course it became about the breathing and being asthmatic for many years through the cocaine and through the drugs and it was just one of those things. It was like a vice for me.

How quickly were you feeling its benefits mentally and physically?

experiences. And it just flattens it all out so I can see where I’m at. And it kind of feels like that from a mental point of view. Physically obviously your body just changes anyway because you know it’s the way it starts changing and you start to get a little bit more solid inside, instead of being ripped as much as when I was a kid, this is just an inner strength.

What type of yoga do you and do you explore lots of different studios? I personally prefer hot yoga; I think that’s a nightclub thing. You know what I mean, being off my head all them years and getting super-heated up by doing like two pills. I think that’s where it comes from. I DJ for four or five hours sometimes in a really hot club. I also practice everywhere. I practice at home now a lot. There are a few yoga teachers that are dicks but you get some really good ones. You have to find, like doctors or a dentist or someone who massages your feet, you’ve to find a good one. My teachers, Sindy Haque, Michael Healy, Paul Dobson, Shala, Mr Gilchrist, they’re all amazing. For me, they’re borderline guru. And there’s some people I find it’s kind of like a little bit too dialogue driven. Michele Pernetta, who runs “Fierce Graces’ hot yoga studio, is an amazing teacher, always has been. She, really early on was also another big inspiration for me.

“I’m 54 but I seriously feel like I’m 25. I’ve got Peter Pan energy. The yoga is one of the most powerful things. It’s improved everything from my art to my painting to my clarity of taking out that big kind of canvas from my head and making a big plan with it. It is the mother of all inventions and resetting.”

So when I started to breathe it stated to change my whole aspect. Yoga was bringing me is much metal clarity. It’s not about weight loss, that’s for sure. Keeps me trim though. It’s just about and the only way I can explain it is like pulling out a beautiful Japanese piece of paper metre by metre my ear that’s got loads of creases in it ,like a piece of origami. And I open up all my lines of trauma or www.thefrankmagazine.com

also the way that Kelly’s come from being on the mat as a punter to following her dream. She’s gone to America, she’s in New York, she’s got her second studio that is about to open with Fierce Grace and the partnership and Yogangster’s really I guess the name Yogangster came about from me starting to take off and we’re moving everything being a bit rowdy. The original idea came from online and it’s just going really well. So it’s a great James Cagney, I’m top of the world, I want to do team and we have some people working behind the it, wanna go in there blazing. It’s not yogascenes that are amazing. gangster, it’s Yogangster. It’s the life I’ve had and its been really mad you know I had a few people comment say, oh how could you associate How much input do you have in the the word gangster with yoga? I’m like, you clearly designs? haven’t lived the life that I’ve lived, sunshine and furthermore why not? When in Rome eat lions. I The input for the designs, believe me, it’s me baby. just love the idea of changing the perception to go Between Ossie who’s a graphic designer and Kelly and me, we’ve just done the new line which is a big get it. You know why can’t I be full on, put as much energy into this as crowd surfing or DJ-ing print, with the YO and the Yogangster with the Y and the G really large and all the splashes which or painting a canvas? It’s the idea of yoga’s comes from obviously my art background. I have associated with usually hugging trees. probably 99% input on art because that’s what I do. And of course we will bounce off initial ideas If you start looking into the history of yoga, and we’ll cull the ideas slightly with our designer Sonny Rollins, Quincy Jones, Abdul-Jabbar, and we’ll come up with a middle ground. So yeah, these are people that from my own culture that have been doing yoga in the ‘70s, in the ‘80s d’you it’s pretty good. know what I mean? Gil Scott-Heron was doing yoga, all these people doing this mad practicing. So many people have taken to yoga during It’s been around a while and I think things come lockdown, I guess this is a good time to be in waves so I think the idea of the meaning behind the name was you know, go get it. You know you in the yoga business? can be aggy but have positive energy with it. Yes A lot of people have been taking to yoga You know turn around that kind of negativity into a real positive energy of how you are. You’ve through the lockdown. It is a good time to be in the yoga business. But for me in terms of my come from an urban environment why can’t you practice yoga? Why can’t people introduce it into practice, I am doing stuff online with Paul and the prison system? Why can’t you get street kids you know you’re doing stuff alone but there is something about collective energy, being with into yoga? people that you love and people that you don’t even know in a room. It’s just part of the human Your Yogangster gear is is super collective, it’s like walking into a gallery, you functional and good quality, who are your know. This is good for now but you want to be coexisting with other people on the mat. It’s part team? of what we are. It is really good quality. Kelly Isaac she’s been an amazing… You know I wore a felt t-shirt which As you mature how has yoga served you? said Yogangster on it which I printed myself, I did it with felt letters. And I used to see her I’m 54 but I seriously feel like I’m 25. I’ve got practicing on the other side of the room And she Peter Pan energy. The yoga is one of the most was doing loads of production with lingerie and all powerful things. It’s improved everything from sort of good stuff. Really high-end lingerie. She’s my art to my painting to my clarity of taking out got a real idea for manufacturing and she’s got a that big kind of canvas from my head and making good finish and good ideas. And she said, look I a big plan with it. It is the mother of all inventions really want to do this and partner up with you. I and resetting. saw the quality of the things she was doing and

When did you decide to come up with the yoga brand Yogangster? What is the meaning behind the name?

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“There’s lots of other people in that (yoga) room all going through their own mental situation, of course that’s different things and it’s not like a gym where everyone’s on super-ego and and everyone’s waiting to see what you do next and how much he’s pumping here and pumping there. I’ve been there, done that, printed the tshirt.”

Photo by Chelone Wolf

“You’ve come from an urban environment why can’t you practice yoga? Why can’t people introduce it into the prison system? Why can’t you get street kids into yoga?”

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This capsule collection features a selection of classic YG loungewear shapes with velvet embossed design. Ship date mid June. 20% of sales will be donated to our chosen charity in June. FRANK20 for a 20% discount www.yogangster.co.uk www.thefrankmagazine.com

Alcohol free - Not pleasure free

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GETTING PERSONAL WITH...

Gok Wan

chriswrcoxphotography

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ok is a fashion stylist, award-winning TV presenter and author. He is renowned for helping women feel more confident about their looks, as well as championing high street fashion. ... His Anglo-Asian roots inspired Made In China and Gok Cooks Chinese. What type of driver are you? I am a good driver, I would say. I am careful. I am predictable. I love cars. I love driving. I love my freedom. And working in this business you often get given cars to drive you around and stuff, and more often or not offer to drive myself because I like the idea that I can have full control just for a couple of minutes of my day of where I’m going to and also I can blast out my tunes.

yesterday. I was dj-ing on line and I had had a couple of sherries and it was quite difficult dj-ing online because you have got an audience that are watching you as you're streaming but also you are trying to make sure that the links are good and you know what you are doing. Anyway I moved round very quickly and I completely twatted the microphone, which I have to say made me wet myself. But I have got quite a childish sense of humour but that comes at no surprise.

What is the weirdest question people have asked you? Well it isn't actually a question, this was a situation but I remember I was filming in Manchester and I was coming back to London and I was desperate for a wee. And so I ran into this service station. Now I'm normally a cubicle kind of girl but I was so desperate for a wee I didn't think I was going to get my pants out in time so I ran to the urinal and just as I was about to wee, somebody pulled out their mobile phone and asked for a picture. And I was like, are you kidding me! He didn't get the picture.

Are you a night owl or up with the larks? I'm both actually. I don't really sleep very well and so I normally get up. I normally wake up between five and six and tend to be out of bed anywhere between six and seven and I can go to bed quite late. Not at the moment, I have to say. I'm finding myself going to bed quite early because the days are loooooong! But I, if I get around three to four hours sleep then I'm lucky. I can't remember the last time that I got any more than that but I do like an afternoon nap and I can nap really easily, it doesn't matter where I am, I could sleep on a clothes line.

“If I get around three to four hours sleep then I'm lucky. I can't remember the last time that I got any more than that but I do like an afternoon nap and I can nap really easily, it doesn't matter where I am, I could sleep on a clothes line.”

When did you last have a proper belly laugh? I'm quite lucky because I find quite a few things funny and I do find myself laughing a lot but the last time was www.thefrankmagazine.com

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The last time that I properly bawled my eyes out was at the beginning of lockdown. I live alone with my dog and I surround myself with people and I don't like my own company. I very seldom have an evening of my own. I'm definitely not on my own in daytime and I just make sure that I am surrounded by people.â&#x20AC;?

chriswrcoxphotography

What makes your blood boil?

What have I done that I am most proud of?

I'm quite a placid person but I don't like people who are ignorant. And I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like people that are bullies and I don't like people that are massively judge mental. These three things wind me up. And I am the kind of person that will always want to go and stick for the person that is victim to any of those three horrible traits.

I think probably I'm most proud of my relationships. I put a lot of effort and time into my relationships with my family, understanding our dynamics because of course we didn't choose each other and we are very, very full, big feisty characters and I really make sure that I understand those relationships.

But also my friendships as well. I'm kind of Mama Bear to all of my friends. I've brought this huge group of people together that I have met independently and made sure Mark Lamarr. Broad shoulders - well the jacket was broad shouldered and that big fat dirty quiff, I loved it. I that they've made friends and stuff and I think that, yes, my relationships. I have spent a lot of time and effort and fancied him so much. And how actually at the age of 45 I understand how important they are to me and I make going on 46 I look back and I realise that I have completely modelled my adult look on Mark Lamarr. The sure that they are always cared for. glasses and the quiff!

Who was your very first pin up and why?

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What are the perks of your success? I think the perks of my success are probably being trusted. A lot of the works that I do is information driven, whether that's helping somebody with their body confidence or that is helping somebody with style or showing them how to cook or dj-ing for them and taking them on an evening's journey of entertainment. It's having the trust in people that they rely on me and I really enjoy that. I have a naturally servile personality. I want to look after people. I want to make sure that people are okay and so yeah trust.

Who are the most significant female role models you have in your life personally or professionally? Do you know what, this answer is really simple because I’m the luckiest person in the world because I have surrounded myself with brilliant, clever, intuitive, sensible, fun-seeking females that are so strong. Every single one of them inspire me every single day and that's all of my friends. But in particular my sister who is amazing and brilliant and makes me feel very secure and very guided. And my mum who is so sensitive she kind of teaches me every single day how to love a little bit more and a bit stronger. And also my agent, believe it or not, Carol, who I’ve been with for, god, 18-odd years now who is funny and brilliant and strong and determined and not always right and I love her for that. So yeah all of the women in my life are amazing but those three in particular.

“I was so desperate for a wee I didn't think I was going to get my pants out in time so I ran to the urinal and just as I was about to wee, somebody pulled out their mobile phone and asked for a picture. And I was like, are you kidding me! He didn't get the picture.”

When was the last time you cried and why? The last time that I properly bawled my eyes out was at the beginning of lockdown. I live alone with my dog and I surround myself with people and I don't like my own company. I very seldom have an evening of my own. I'm definitely not on my own in daytime and I just make sure that I am surrounded by people. And when lockdown first happened, I found myself for two weeks at home with the dog going out for one solitary walk a day where I wouldn’t bump into a single other person and I, it built and built and built until I literally was a complete wreck, a complete mess. I felt very isolated, very alone, very lonely. Very alone and very lonely. I think you can feel both of those at the same time. And it was my wonderful beautiful sister who dragged me out of it because I called her up and she basically gave me a very stern talking to and yes that was the last time. I think I cried solidly, relentlessly for about four or five hours. It was a big one. But I’m quite lucky actually because I don't tend to cry that much unless it's about being happy, which I often do at work. www.gokwan.com

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Electric Dreams with

Amanda Stretton

by Photojournalist Lara Platman

Model T made gasoline-powered cars widely available and rom the moment that the second car rolled off the affordable, the steam or electric engines which were more production line, Henry Ford proclaimed, let’s go racing, complicated to build, became obsolete. well that’s how the saying goes at least. More recently, Until today, where we are introduced to Amanda Stretton car manufacturers that put their cars into race series said, who is working closely with the Jaguar iPace team as their ‘Race on Sunday sell on Monday’, and this is true to this commentator and all round promotor. I catch up with very day. From Toyota using Hybrid technology in their Amanda to find out how her passion for motor racing came endurance race cars, Audi and Porsche soon to follow, about. then Nissan with their electric cars, and finally the Formula E series with solely electric cars, enable the cars “When I started I thought this was my hobby and not in a on our roads to be more ecologically friendly with fuel million years did I think this would turn out to be a real consumption and of course the electric motor. job. I don’t think I have had a real job for years”. I often forget the electric motor car was invented in 1830 with the first crude electric motor vehicle but it only took What is your real job? Well, let’s get to that in a hold in the 1870’s when production began. And in 1898 Ferdinand Porsche, founder of the sports car company by minute. When did you know you wanted to have a go at motor racing? the same name, developed an electric car called the P1. I was 13 and had a go at racing motorcross -motorbikes, Ironic that in 2019, they launched their Taycan Electric but the only problem was it really hurt when you fell off vehicle. and decided quite quickly that I wanted to race but not Yet, it was Henry Ford’s mass-produced Model T that with such dangerous possibilities each time you fell off. dealt a blow to the electric car. Introduced in 1908, the www.thefrankmagazine.com

Motorbikes weren’t for me. My dad at that time started collecting cars as a hobby and soon started to get serious with the cars, wedding cars. I was at an auction with him when I was about 16/17 years of age and met Martin (my first husband), who said I’ll teach you how to race, went to the Nurburgring motor circuit and learnt. Just 17 with a driving license and a race license, my dad had bought me an old 3 series BMW a big heap of rubbish.. I did the Vintage Sports Car Club Pomeroy Trophy as my first race and spun 5 times… it was raining. I then started to race more classics and did quite well. Martin and I went our separate ways and at that time Channel 4 were starting to televise Formula 3 for the first time – (when Jenson Button went from Formula Ford to Formula 3), they wanted a female commentator who knew about racing. Having had no desire to get into TV, I had studied Art History and was planning to work at Christies, so a TV career wasn’t the plan, so anyway, I got that gig.

I think we can say the rest just follows, as Amanda went on to present a number of racing programs on TV.

thinking naively that women drivers would get the sponsors. But ended up racing at Sebring with a view to race at Le Mans. It turns out I was pregnant at Sebring with my second child.

Do you think your attitude to racing changed with the arrival of children? Yes, unquestionably, in that I still wanted to race, but when I considered dangerous racing - if I found the gap with a driver I trusted on the track I would go for it, but there are always drivers who you haven’t raced before or race dirty. Depends if I trust them. I did remind myself I needed to bath my child at the end of a race so would need to trust the other drivers to be able to make that gap.

Amanda tells me about some of the races with people, with exquisite detail on the lines and results, with that she reminisces about such amazing races and some horrific results.

For whatever reason I was brought up to think there is absolutely nothing I can’t do, it’s never occurred to me that there are different genders in racing. I hate to say - for a girl – it made a good splash really, that When I started knocking around in historic cars, racing at Le Mans 24 hours was on a bucket list - similar to me going I could race and try commentating. to the moon. I eventually after doing lots of different jobs within motorsport, with two children, managed to get a Did you race as well as presenting? seat to race there. The team I was racing with had a team ready, but because the third driver who was the team, Yes, someone was putting a team to race in British GT in couldn’t make it and instead of finding another paid driver a Viper, so I had a solid season in racing at last. After who they didn’t know, put me in the seat. After some racing all sorts of different cars … and acquired a TVR Le speed and reliability tests, I ended up racing a Le Mans Mans eligible GT car… and then ran that for a couple of prototype car having never raced that car or at that years and tried to make a team with other female drivers, circuit before. but trying to raise funds was near enough impossible,

"If you are a racer you’ll race anything, I would race wheel barrows if I had the chance." www.thefrankmagazine.com

So a prototype car is a car that is literally a prototype for what will become a road version of that make eventually, so to speak. A car that is specifically designed for racing. The top tier of Le Mans. I felt I knew Le Mans as a broadcaster, but racing it is a different kettle all together. Biblical rain in an open top car. Engine failure, amongst other ‘events’ during our race. We were the last fully petrol engine amongst the new prototypes racing that year. It was an experience. Alas we lasted 12 hours, didn’t finish.

But that’s racing Amanda. After a great detailed minute by minute description of the race, Amanda laughs, If Le Mans could have been any worse, I would like to know how.

And you lived to tell the tail and you raced Le Mans 24hour. It made me realise that I had been absent from my

children for about three months and it made me realise I was a parent and that was more important. After that I decided I was not going to race modern cars anymore and carried on racing historic racing and all the way through had been commentating at Goodwood so carried on racing historic and met a racing partner who I share a car with which allows me to go have a lovely time racing with a glass of champagne afterwards and get home to see my children. And that for me is perfect. Because of course now, I am working Formula E.

Ah, here we are, your real job, tell me about this. I am in a sort of weird place, with children – my young people and have all this experience and knowledge of racing, and met various people at the Jaguar board and they wanted to get into Formula E. They needed somebody to front up the public side of the operation, to speak to all the markets when we travel the world and explain what is actually happening and the relevance to road cars and also frankly to explain what is going on out on the track as well as the racing strategies which are very different to how a normal race is operated. They needed someone who understands racing and also a presenter – whilst being totally in love with the technology side of things.

"For whatever reason I was brought up to think there is absolutely nothing I can’t do." www.thefrankmagazine.com

Amanda Stretton and Christian Horner Red Bull F1 team Principle

This is brilliant because and although you say that motorsport is the development of the road car, this sort of I was thinking about Tesla, that’s the most undermines the immense design and engineering that famous battery car? goes into a race car and many a road car program doesn’t come from racing however, Formula E does come from When you think of Tesla, the funny thing is that none of racing and it pushes the boundaries, at a rate and a the technology is their own it has all been brought in from quantity that is unprecedented, outside source. Now with the Formula E series, and specifically the Jaguar I-Pace Series, each manufacturer can make their own internal electric vehicle, coming up Not with just cars, but lampposts and petrol with better batteries and software systems, they are stations and the whole infrastructure improving the road vehicle with racing, saving costs for surrounding it to facilitate that vehicle. the consumer. Yes, so I have these young people in my life and am aware that they will be driving these vehicles for the majority of their lives unlike an internal combustion engine and I look at this technology and think it is amazing. It has been running now for a few seasons, the first season or so was a bit bumpy as everyone was running the same thing. But now it has started to really take hold as the manufacturers have come in and started to develop their own power trains – that’s where we really need to be, suddenly season three we get Audi, Toyota, BMW, Porsche and Jaguar decided they wanted to be involved. They already had the I-Pace road car in development.

Jaguar now run the I-Pace Series as a support race. Initially there were so many people who got grumpy that these cars were not real race cars – but you know, if you are a racer you’ll race anything, I would race wheel barrows if I had the chance.

What is next? I would like to stay with Formula E as it grows, but also I have learnt how interesting I find where we are going with technology with autonomous vehicles and vehicle ownership, that actual model of personal mobility within our society what it is going to look like in the near future.

Are we going to be flying? Absolutely

Will we see that whilst we are alive? I hope so.

You can find Amanda on Twitter at @amanda_stretton and Lara at @photofeature

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Award Winning Wedding Photographer by Kate Tilson

David Pullum “David Pullum is an internationally recognised wedding photographer whom I know as the husband of my best friend and although I know what football team he supports, I know how much he loves being a Dad, that he has quite obscure taste in music, I have never really asked him about what made him make such a drastic career change from City Broker to award winning Wedding photographer so it was a fantastic opportunity to find out more about David Pullum the professional rather than the friend”

avid, how long have you been working as a Wedding Photographer? This is now my 16th year. I started the business in 2004

Can you tell me a bit about your background, what did you did before you trained as a photographer? Much to the annoyance of my parents I left school when I was 16 and went to work as a clerk in a London bank. Over the next few years I worked my way through most of the departments in the bank until eventually I got a job in the trading room as a junior money dealer. I traded currencies for the next 7 years until in 1999 I decided to move to Exeter in Devon. I needed to get away from the rat race in London and knew that Reuters had just opened a large data centre in Tiverton. I applied for a job

there and worked for them until 2005 when my photography business had enough weddings to replace the Reuters salary.

That’s a fairly drastic career change – what led to you making these changes? Some were my own decisions, and some were not... Foreign exchange trading was a highly pressurised environment. Rash decisions by me and my manager were made that led to me moving to Exeter. After a few years it was clear that Reuters were looking to move their major data centres to India. I knew that I would not be kept on and so I decided to retrain as a wedding photographer. Back in 2004 no-one really wanted to be a wedding photographer. It was considered the lower end of photography. I saw a huge gap in the local market and so commuted to Norwich every month for 6 months to train myself on how to take photographs.

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You are in your 16th year as a business and I can’t imagine it’s the easiest profession to be in, what would you say have been your greatest challenges? It’s a physically demanding job as well as being technically driven. Most, if not all of my weddings are in London and abroad. Travelling takes its toll especially after photographing large weddings where sometimes I shoot for up to 16 hours a day. A lot of my time is also spent putting content out to my social media platforms which have most definitely replaced the website as the go to source for wedding imagery. Adapting to this everchanging market is the hardest aspect of my job. You may be able to take great photographs, but if no-one knows who you are you won’t get any jobs.

managing client’s expectations of what they are going to receive from me is difficult when up to 100 guests are taking images of things we don't see. When I decided to find my own style and not copy others was the day that my photography changed for ever. We all see things in different ways, no one person sees the same as another. To stand out from the masses you must develop that style and make it the best you can.

It must be very rewarding at times, capturing one of the most significant days in someone’s life, creating memories that they can treasure for ever? What makes your photographs so different from others?

David: My work is exceptionally personal. I have a thing for getting into people’s personal space and becoming their close friend for the day. To be able to do this means you get much more meaningful photographs of your clients. It’s no good observing the wedding from a distance, you need to be part of the wedding and really show the love that the couple not only have for each other but also their family and friends. Everyone has a camera these days, whether it be an actual I'm also not afraid to show the quirkier aspects of the day, camera or phone. Guests at weddings are constantly the things that don't necessarily go as planned, the dad taking images and posting them to social media even dancing and the grandparents that are fast asleep during before the wedding has finished. At a wedding there is just the speeches. me, sometimes at larger weddings there are 2 of us, but

You must have seen some significant changes since you first started the business, what would be the most difficult to manage and what would you say and the most positive changes that have had an impact on your business?

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“Adapting to this ever-changing market is the hardest aspect of my job. You may be able to take great photographs, but if no-one knows who you are you won’t get any jobs.” Have you found that there are certain trends or fashions in wedding photography? Is there any style that is particularly popular at the moment? Clint Eastwood once said “There's a rebel lying deep in my soul. Anytime anybody tells me the trend is such and such, I go the opposite direction. I hate the idea of trends. I hate imitation, I have a reverence for individuality.” There are trends in any market, but they fade and eventually die. Today’s trend is next year’s embarrassing photograph. I want my clients to look back in 20-30-40 years’ time and think just 3 things Look how young we were Look how in love we were Look how happy we were If I can achieve that without following a trend, then I know I have done my job well.

I see that you have won lots of awards for your photography, why would you say you stand out from your competitors? Any award that has had particular significance for you? David: There is one photograph that I took that not only won an award but has also booked me more weddings than any other. The image of the cake falling down whilst being cut was taken in Jersey at a wedding where one of my competitors was a guest. The whole scene was over in a matter of seconds and was a surprise to everyone. Afterwards my competitor came over to me and said, “I hope you got that”. Luckily, I did, and the image went on to win International awards.

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“My work is exceptionally personal. I have a thing for getting into people’s personal space and becoming their close friend for the day”

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“I want my clients to look back in 20-30-40 years’ time and think just 3 things – look how young we were, look how in love we are there and look how happy we were.”

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Choosing a Wedding photographer is a crucial part of planning a wedding, could you give us some tips David on what people should look for or how they should go about it? Firstly, you need to find a style of wedding photography that you like, and then the most important part is to make sure you get on with your photographer. Whether you phone them or meet them you need to make sure that the person who will spend the best part of 8-10 hours with you is someone that you actually like. If you feel relaxed around them then that’s a great start.

As you know, FRANK is a magazine that is aimed at the 40+ woman, are there any tips or help that you can offer to our readers who might be getting married a little later in life that might help them get the best out of their wedding photography? Generally speaking, couples getting married in their forties are paying for the wedding themselves which normally means that they have the people they want at their wedding. This makes for a great event, as they know everyone and the atmosphere is generally more of a party mood which makes for better photographs. No matter what age you are you must enjoy your day, don’t have people around you that stress you and make sure you and your partner take 5-10 mins away from everyone and reflect on the day, as it will pass by so quickly.

Finally, I imagine you can get very involved in some people’s weddings and as professional as you are, there must have been times when you’ve got a little tearful – can you tell us about one of those occasions? . There are quite a few weddings that have done this to me. Any wedding where I have been away from home for a while and the couple talk about their families, especially during the speeches, can make me emotional. However, one that’s springs to mind is a wedding where the bride had just recovered from a brain tumour. 6 months before one of my childhood friends passed away from a brain tumour and so their story really hit me. I photographed the wedding and asked the bride and groom to donate my fee to the Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour trust, who had looked after my friend Jarrod. The wedding speeches in particular hit a note with me and I found them very hard to photograph. Now, once a year I try to find couples who I can help in this way, whether they donate money to a charity of my choice or theirs. My job is to tell stories and if the story resonates with me then I want to be their photographer. I am currently looking for bride and grooms that want their wedding pictures purely in black and white. The medium of Black and white is timeless and the images to me concentrate more on the emotion than anything else. It’s something I did for a couple back in 2007 and would love to do it again. Instagram davidpullumphotography www.dpphotography.co.uk

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Health & Wellness

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L O V E S

Apps for Meditation

INSIGHT TIMER 45,000 guided meditations We believe everyone deserves access to a free daily meditation practice. Which is why we publish the world's largest collection of free guided meditations, with over 45,000 titles. www.insighttimer.com

CALM ''Our mission is to make the world happier and healthier. We're the #1 app for Sleep, Meditation and Relaxation, with over 50 million downloads and over 700,000 5-star reviews. We’re honored to be an Apple BEST OF 2018 award winner, Apple's App of the Year 2017, Google Play Editor's Choice 2018, and to be named by the Center for Humane Technology as "the world's happiest app".. www.calm.com

HEADSPACE ''During this crisis, our mental health is suffering. Headspace is here to give you the tools and resources to look after your mind. And now, more than ever, it’s time to support those who really need it. If you’re unemployed, you can get a free year of Headspace Plus to help you get back on your feet.'' www.headspace.com

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Mourning the Mother I Would Never Be

By Charisse Glenn

“That she bear children is not a woman’s significance. But that she bear herself, that is her supreme and risky fate.” D.H. Lawrence

grandkids. She confessed, although happy to have had my was not the woman who went starry-eyed when I brother and me, if she were to do it again, having children saw a baby. However, I always thought I would be an would not be in the picture. Instead, her concentration amazing mother. My maternal and caretaking instincts would have been on her career and her sense of spiritual were honed. The comment “You’ll be a great mom,” was and personal fulfillment. shared amongst friends, and in my mind, I knew it to be The freedom from her lack of pressure allowed me to make true. my own decisions regarding motherhood. Her lead took I romanticized the idea of being an awesome pregnant me down the path she had wished for herself. bikini-clad woman walking on the beach, a beautiful and I am the generation of women who believed we could have smooth nine-month blip in time. it all. We bought into the propaganda we could get an So what happened that I did not fulfill this apparent education, have successful careers, and put off having destiny? children well into our 40’s. No problem. Raised by a liberal single mother, her focus was not on It was not entirely true. www.thefrankmagazine.com

They forgot to mention our eggs become less viable the older we get, and the ease in conception diminished exponentially. Many of us were faced with a race to conceive before it was too late. In my early 40’s, with my career flourishing, I was involved with a man, ten years my junior, who held the potential to be the father of my children. Having witnessed many female friends struggle with actualizing their deepest desire to become a mom, I knew it was a now or never situation. I said to him, if he wanted kids, we needed to do it sooner rather than later. Aware of the challenges to conceive at that age, I immediately went into action. Visiting my OBGYN, I had my hormone levels checked: good to go. So, we tried, to no avail. My doctor suggested my partner come in for some tests; maybe he was shooting blanks. It was at this time he revealed to me, he didn’t want kids, and if I didn’t want them, then let’s stop trying. Wow, it hit me like a ton of bricks. How did I feel about this? Taking a serious and honest look within, I turned over the proposition of going childless, backward, and sidewards; I looked at it from every angle.

“I am the generation of women who believed we could have it all. We bought into the propaganda we could get an education, have successful careers, and put off having children well into our 40’s. No problem.It was not entirely true.They forgot to mention our eggs become less viable the older we get, and the ease in conception diminished exponentially.”

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;The pangs became less frequent, until one day it was clear, the transition was complete. Gone was the pressure of the biological clock ticking. Or the weight I had once allowed perfect strangers to place upon me. Gone was holding on to any of the old pictures of what life could have been. In its place, I found lightness, freedom, with endless opportunities and possibilities.â&#x20AC;? www.thefrankmagazine.com

“Usually unwarranted and out of the blue, pangs of sadness would hit me, sometimes, when hearing parents speak about the love they felt for their child was unlike any love one could ever experience. Or the exclusion from discussions even from my closest friends, with sideward comments, “You wouldn’t understand, you don’t have kids.”

The possibility of not being that amazing mom struck me in my core. Who would I pass on to my life’s knowledge? What about everything, my mother and my two grandmothers, and great grandmothers had passed down to me? Who would care for me when I was elderly? Never to become a mother or a grandmother, how did that look, how did it feel? My genetic legacy would end. Usually unwarranted and out of the blue, pangs of sadness would hit me, sometimes, when hearing parents speak about the love they felt for their child was unlike any love one could ever experience. Or the exclusion from discussions even from my closest friends, with sideward comments, “You wouldn’t understand, you don’t have kids.” It was a time of deep introspection. For three years, I processed the new design of my life. I realized I was mourning the child that I would never have. My womb would remain empty, and motherhood would allude me. It was during this period I was made keenly aware of the expectations society placed on having children. Aside from “Are you married?”, which I wasn’t, the second question was, “Do you have children?”. An awkward silence and shifting of the feet always followed my response of “No.” Time heals all. As more of it passed, the picture of what my life was beginning to morph into continued to evolve. The pangs became less frequent, until one day it was clear, the transition was complete. Gone was the pressure of the biological clock ticking. Or the weight I had once allowed perfect strangers to place upon me. Gone was holding on to any of the old pictures of what life could have been. In its place, I found lightness, freedom, with endless opportunities and possibilities. The world of childless women is enormous, with more younger women making a choice never to bear offspring. Although the reasons for not having children vary and the process of how we experience our mourning is different, the outcome remains surprisingly similar. Most of us feel fulfilled, and we cherish our lives as they are, often with the comment, “I would not change a thing.”

The room called childlessness has many doors, not just the one marked “didn’t want” or “couldn’t have”. ~ unknown

Connect with Charisse here Instagram @letgo_now www.theletgo.com

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N U T R I T I O N

Vitamin D

By Nutritional Therapist Gabrielle Peacock

Why is Vitamin D important? Everybody needs an array of different vitamins and minerals for your body’s many systems to function at their best. Vitamin D is one of those key nutrients that has multiple crucial roles in your body and making sure we have enough of it is important for both our physical and mental health. One of Vitamin D’s key roles in your body, is to support the normal functioning of our immune system – our first line of defence against pathogens and nasty bugs. This means that a deficiency of Vitamin D could leave your immune system unable to function optimally to protect us against infection. I find that my clients are especially concerned about this role of Vitamin at the moment, with lots of circulating health fears we all want to do whatever we can to support our own good health.

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“Alongside Vitamin D supplementation I always recommend my clients to take a good quality multivitamin, as it’s important to have a wide range of nutrients in the body for good general health, good skin, hair, nails, and of course to support a fully functioning immune system”

“I find that my clients are especially concerned about this role of Vitamin at the moment, with lots of circulating health fears we all want to do whatever we can to support our own good health. “

absorb vitamin D from food sources (which is already very little), as older or elderly populations tend to have less time spent in the sunshine throughout the year as well, I always recommend year round Vitamin D supplementation, alongside Vitamin D rich foods in the diet for my older clientele.

How do I choose which Vitamin D supplement to take?

Where can we get Vitamin D from?

- For adults in the UK chose a supplement with at least 10ug of vitamin D year round

- Vitamin D is made in the skin through the action of the sunlight. However, in countries like the UK sunlight is only sufficient to make enough vitamin D in our body from April to October.

- Chose a supplement you are comfortable taking, for example if you do not like to take capsules or pills, chose an effervescent, or spray.

- We can get some Vitamin D from a few food sources, but we struggle to get enough through food alone. Oily fish: salmon, sardines, herring & Mackerel. Red meat. Egg yolks. Fortified foods. - Supplementation is an easy and sustainable way to ensure you get enough Vitamin D throughout the year.

- Select something that you can easily introduce as a habit into your day. For example, a capsule is great if you normally take other multivitamins in the morning at home. - I take Vitamin D as part of a multinutrient capsule alongside an algae Omega-3 every day, I use our GOLD everyday health range, and pop a few days’ sachets in my handbag so even when I’m in a hurry I have them to hand.

Who do you recommend should take a vitamin D supplement? What else do you recommend for I recommend all my clients take a vitamin D supplement staying healthy during these during the winter months; or whenever they feel they uncertain times? need some extra immune support, to have at least 25ug micrograms of vitamin D per day (1000IU). Depending on individual patient lifestyle during the rest of the year I personalise my advice - if they’re infrequently outside in the sunshine, using sunblock, or covering their skin with clothing, I recommend they continue with at least 10-25ug per day. It is better to have enough vitamin D in your body year-round then to dip into deficiency in winter, or when you’re ill, and try to then rescue vitamin D levels back to normal with very high dosage. - Adults should be taking at least 10 micrograms (400IU) of vitamin D per Day in general. But if deficiency is present, then on an individual basis I would look at increasing the dose, especially during winter here in the UK. - As we age our digestion declines, so we are less able to

Alongside Vitamin D supplementation I always recommend my clients to take a good quality multivitamin, as it’s important to have a wide range of nutrients in the body for good general health, good skin, hair, nails, and of course to support a fully functioning immune system [and healthy weight management]. I also recommend probiotics regularly to my clients as these can really support weight management, immune & digestive health. Finally, at my clinic I recommend a good quality Omega3 supplement, (algae or fish oil). These are brilliant for balancing inflammation, wonderful for the skin and even support cognition! gabriela@gpnutrition.com www.gpnutrition.com

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FRANK M A G A Z I N E

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F R A N K Issue 07 April - May 2020

FRANK by name FRANK by nature

FOLLOW FRANK HERE www.issuu.com/thefrankmagazine

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C O L L E T T E

C A S E Y

N U T R I T I O N A L

T H E R A P Y

Back to Basics By Colette Casey CNMDip mANP

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Lets talk about H2O We are moving into the summer months and we have all enjoyed the wonderful warm weather in April & May this year, so it seems a perfect time to go back to basics and talk about all things H2O and why it really is so vital for our health and wellbeing. Shockingly, studies have shown that a good proportion of us are dehydrated and that can have a major impact on our energy levels and how well our bodies function. Even with the best intentions, how many of us get to the end of the day and realise that glass of H20 never quiet made it into our hands. I think we are all a bit guilty of this at times. Yes, we are more likely to top up our water levels in the warm weather where we tend to lose more water naturally, but are we actually getting enough! As a society, we always tend to lean towards caffeine rich fluids such as tea and coffee which are actually diuretic by nature, so these drinks can contribute even more to a decrease in our precious water levels. Sugary drinks are a big no no as these carry huge health hazards including Type 2 Diabetes and obesity to name a few! Its so important to choose water to reduce the risks of these nasty diseases, plus water provides a whole range of amazing health benefits for our bodies by helping us to stay energised, focused and strong.

So what is it about water? It’s common to hear its important for our health but why? Water is known as the universal solvent and that’s because it has extensive capabilities to dissolve lots of different molecules. Our bodies are actually big watery sacks that make up around 65-75% of human body weight. Even a small loss of just 4% of total body water leads to dehydration, and a loss of

15% can even be fatal. Likewise, a person could survive a month without food but wouldn’t survive 3 days without water. We lose water in large amounts every single day just in the process of breathing and metabolising, and these fluids need to be replenished on a regular basis. We need water to help our body dissolve vital vitamins and minerals to transport them around the body to where they are needed. It is the number one nutrient to keep check on our body temperature, our bodies are fine tuned to keep this in balance for our survival. These are just some of the many reasons why our bodies need water, the list goes on and on! Others include alleviating constipation and ridding the body of waste, helping maintain good circulation therefore having a major impact on our cardiovascular system. Water lubricates our joints and our mental health gets a positive boost too!

“There are wonderful apps such as Hydrocaoch and WaterMinder that we can download and use to keeps tabs on our H2O intake, even setting off alarms on our smartphones to tell us its time to top up.”

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“A good way to start the day is to have a glass of room temperature water with some freshly squeezed lemon to kickstart your body in a positive and healthy way for the day ahead.”

Can I socially distance and keep hydrated? We are living in uncertain times and we are all doing our best by wearing our masks to help us and our loved ones stay safe and well, but could this potentially pose a problem keeping ourselves adequately hydrated? A new trend that’s popular with those who are looking to stay safe as they emerge from quarantine are face masks that feature a cloth-hole or opening valve made for a straw so the wearer can drink out of the mask without removing it. These masks allow you to socially distance and drink without taking them on and off and touching your face therefore avoiding exposure to germs. So taking a sip of cold water on a hot day is not impossible without removing your mask. Brands such as Etsy have seen these masks flying of the shelves! Don’t forget it is important that you thoroughly wash them or use disposable masks to protect yourself from germs.

So how much should I drink? Urine is a good indicator of hydration, pale yellow is a good goal to aim for. Around about 8 glasses of water a day is enough for a healthy adult, if you exercise then its really important to increase H20 intake and keep hydrated throughout. A good way to start the day is to have a glass of room temperature water with some freshly squeezed lemon to kickstart your body in a positive and healthy way for the day ahead.

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“A new trend that’s popular with those who are looking to stay safe as they emerge from quarantine are face masks that feature a clothhole or opening valve made for a straw so the wearer can drink out of the mask without removing it.”

Did you know, that when you are thirsty then you may be dehydrated already, so sipping on water regularly throughout the day is important. We can mistake hunger for dehydration so if you are trying to manage your weight then its worth having a glass of water if you feel really hungry, you might just find that it takes the edge of! Also a big shout out to fruits and veggies provided by mother nature. These foods contain lots of water alongside a wealth of health giving nutrients that contribute to our daily water intakes. There are wonderful apps such as Hydrocaoch and WaterMinder that we can download and use to keeps tabs on our H2O intake, even setting off alarms on our smartphones to tell us its time to top up. How perfect is that, they can do the thinking for us! There are so many fabulously designed water bottles out there that keep liquids cold so they are worth the investment and they look good too! Some even have filters in to help get rid of any residues that may be lurking in your water. The bottom line is listen to your body! Water provides phenomenal health benefits, so fill up that water bottle and keep it with you throughout the day and sip on the wonderful elixir that is H2O.

Collette Casey CNMDip mANP caseynutrition.com

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L I F E

C O A C H

Gratitude

By Kate Tilston

Reasons to be grateful and there are oh so many! “gratitude” noun “The quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.” Over these last couple of months many people have dealt with many struggles both physically and mentally. We have had to do things that we have never had to do before, things that are alien to us. We have missed seeing our families, our friends, we’ve missed being able to go out and do the things we have always done. For many, this time has been exceptionally tough. www.thefrankmagazine.com www.thefrankmagazine.com

For me, this time has made me realise how ‘grateful” I am for so much, for so many things that I would usually take for granted. There are the obvious things and people, the amazing NHS, the keyworkers and those who have supported us and kept life going really throughout this lockdown period. Being able to go for a walk with my dog – something I do every day without even thinking about it. Having a home I can “lockdown” in, a safe space – so many others not having, what most would deem a necessity rather than a luxury. I’ve not been lonely, I’ve had my husband at home, something that rarely happens as he works away most of the time – I’m very grateful for that. I’ve occupied my time with reading, cooking, doing those long -awaited jobs around the house that always seem to get put off, I’ve not been bored and I’m very grateful for that. I can honestly say the word gratitude has taken on a much more significant meaning for me during the lockdown. Last week, I had a conversation with a client about feeling grateful and how it was something that they wanted to a) continue feeling – certainly more appreciative of the little things and b) wanted their children to be more aware of once we were through this testing period in our lives. We discussed as to how easy it is to forget the little things, the things that make a huge difference to our lives that somehow go unnoticed. So, gratitude is an emotion similar to appreciation and research has found neurological reasons why so many people can benefit from the practice of expressing thanks for our lives, even in times of challenge and change.

The Two Stages of Gratitude There are 2 stages of gratitude according to Doctor Robert Emmons (2003): 1.First comes the acknowledgment of goodness in one’s life. In a state of gratitude, we say yes to life. We affirm that all in all, life is good, and has elements that make worth living, and rich in texture. The acknowledgment that we have received something gratifies us, both by its presence and by the effort the giver put into choosing it. 2. Second, gratitude is recognising that some of the sources of this goodness lie outside ourselves. We can be grateful to other people, to animals and to the world. We recognise the goodness in our lives and who to thank for it, i.e., who made sacrifices so that we could be happy? People can use gratitude to form new social relations or to strengthen current ones. Acts of gratitude can be used to apologise, make amends and help solve other problems. Alternatively, people may feel gracious because it can be an intrinsically rewarding process. Simply being grateful for being alive is a great way to motivate oneself to seize the day. The idea that tomorrow is not guaranteed is a strong motivator for s ome people to be their “best self” today.

Why Gratitude Works. Gratitude is a selfless act. Its’ acts are done unconditionally, to show to people that they are appreciated. “A gift that is freely given” is one way to understand what these acts are like. For example, if someone is sad and you write them a note telling them how much you appreciate them, you are not likely to be asking for something in return; instead, you are reminding them of their value, and expressing gratitude for their existence. You are not waiting for a “return note” from this person. Even when we do not expect a return, sometimes they happen. Gratitude can be contagious, in a good way. Maybe having written that note, your friend will recognise when you are having a tough time and send you a little reminder of their thankfulness to have you in their life? There are many studies that show where gratitude can improve our mental health, some of the areas are; 1. Enhancing your wellbeing 2. Creating deeper relationships 3. Improving optimism 4. Increasing your happiness 5. Greater self-esteem

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“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

With this in mind, what can we do to build better practices of gratitude in our lives? A gratitude journal is a great way to start So, this evening, before you go to sleep, think of the positive things that happened during your day and write them down in your journal. It doesn’t have to be anything huge, it can be the smallest things, maybe things that you would usually take for granted? Some of the things I have jotted down in the past are:

•I have a safe space to sleep tonight •I can turn on the electricity by the flick of a switch •I turn on the tap and clean fresh water comes out Obviously, you can also note the bigger things that you are grateful for – a new promotion at work, selling your house quickly, a friend or relative that has come through a tough time – get the picture? The trick is to do this EVERY night, even when you’ve had a “bad day” there will always be something to feel grateful for. For those struggling with depression or anxiety, this can also frame the beginning of a day: before getting out of bed, experiment and find the right time for you. If you have children, take a moment with them before bedtime to ask them to think about something they’re grateful for themselves. Share what you’re grateful for, let them see your appreciation for the positive things in your life. On the whole, we have so much to be grateful for, I will be taking the lessons I have learned to practice greater gratitude in my life, already I feel uplifted by the action of gratitude, I enjoy making people feel appreciated, I love that we are being kinder to each other – long may it continue. Kate Tilston Practical Life Coaching www.katetilston.co.uk kate@katetilston.co.uk

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F R A N K

E A T S

Four Delicious Vegan Chocolate recipes Chocolate Mousse A simple and silky-smooth chocolate mousse you can whip up in minutes, no stove required! Ingredients 1 can coconut milk or cream (For coconut-free, try: Healthy Chocolate Pudding or Avocado Chocolate Mousse) 1/4 cup cocoa powder 1 tbsp dutch cocoa powder or additional regular 3-4 tbsp powdered sugar or erythritol (or 2 tbsp for extra dark) optional 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract optional 2-3 tbsp peanut butter

Easy Chocolate Truffle Recipe

Here are over four of FRANK's favorite vegan chocolate recipes that both vegans and omnivores can enjoy!

Instructions Either refrigerate the coconut milk can overnight, or open and freeze about 10 minutes. (I store a can in the fridge so there’s always one ready to go. Be sure to use full-fat canned coconut milk for this recipe. Try not to shake the can, because you want the cream separate from the water underneath.) Once cold, open the can and transfer only the thick part to a bowl. Discard the watery part, or save for another recipe. Using either a stand mixer or hand beaters (or a fork and a ton of strength and patience), whip the cream until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and whip until it forms a mousse-like texture.

These homemade chocolate truffles are the ultimate easy party dessert. Ingredients 8 oz semi-sweet or dark chocolate 1/2 cup heavy cream or coconut milk optional 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract optional pinch salt Instructions *For different flavor ideas—including coffee, raspberry, coconut, and peppermint truffles—be sure to scroll up earlier in this post! Chop chocolate finely, so it will melt more quickly and evenly. If using coconut milk, be sure it’s the full-fat canned type. Heat the milk or cream just until it barely begins to boil. Pour over the chocolate, add the salt and vanilla if using, and stir until smooth. Refrigerate at least 2 hours, or until firm enough to scoop out and roll balls with your hands or a mini cookie scoop. If desired, roll truffles in cocoa powder, sprinkles, crushed walnuts or almonds, coconut, powdered sugar, or melted chocolate. Set on a parchment-lined plate, and refrigerate or freeze until ready to serve. Leftover truffles can be refrigerated for 1-2 months. www.thefrankmagazine.com

Chocolate Zucchini Bread This rich, moist, and ultra fudgy chocolate zucchini bread is perfect for a healthy breakfast or dessert! 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract 1/3 cup mini or regular chocolate chips, optional Instructions

Ingredients 1 1/4 cup spelt, white, or oat flour 1/4 cup cocoa powder 2 tbsp dutch or additional regular cocoa powder 3/4 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp + 1/8 tsp salt 2/3 cup sugar, unrefined or xylitol if desired 1 packed cup finely grated zucchini (220g) 3/4 cup plain yogurt, or see substitution options listed above (I like coconutmilk yogurt) 1/4 cup oil, or additional yogurt for oil-free

Healthy Nutella

*I find it easiest to grate the zucchini by pulsing it in the food processor. While I much prefer the oil version, so many readers commented to say they omitted the oil and still loved the results that I added that in as an option you can try at your own risk. I also once replaced the oil with 1/3 cup softened almond butter, and that was good too. So you have options! For the recipe: preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 9×5 loaf pan. Stir together all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients, and stir to form a batter. Smooth into the loaf pan. Press some extra chocolate chips into the top if desired. Bake on the center rack 35 minutes, then (without opening the oven door) leave in the closed-but-turned-off oven for another 5 minutes. Let cool completely, then very loosely cover and refrigerate. If at all possible, I highly recommend not even tasting this until the next day, as the flavor and texture are both so much better. If you try the recipe, don’t forget to leave a comment or rate it below!

Ingredients

2 cups raw hazelnuts (240g) 1 1/2 tbsp pure vanilla extract 1/4 cup cocoa powder 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp pure maple syrup, xylitol, or unrefined sugar pinch stevia, or 1 tbsp additional sugar 1/4 tsp + 1/8 tsp salt optional: 2 tsp oil for extra smoothness 1/2 cup milk of choice Instructions Roast hazelnuts for 6-8 minutes at 400 F. Rub them together in a paper towel to get the skins off. (It’s ok if a few stubborn skins won’t come off.) In a Vita-mix or food processor, blend the nuts until they’ve turned to butter, then add all other ingredients and blend a long time until it’s smooth like Nutella! (I think I blended off-and-on for a full two minutes. It's extra-creamy in a Vita-mix, but a Cuisinart food processor works as well.) www.thefrankmagazine.com

S O B E R

S U M M E R

TEN AMAZING REASONS TO GO SOBER THIS SUMMER By Charlotte Dormon @healthyeatslondon

Tempted to try sobriety, but worried about being a bore?

Health Coach CHARLOTTE DORMON explains why giving up alcohol in your 40’s could be the best health, beauty and financial hack you could ever do for yourself, and her pick of the most fashionable hangover-free drinks to enjoy this summer. Whether you’re an ex party girl who loved nothing more than drinking margaritas and dancing until dawn and can’t seem to put an end to your craving for hedonistic booze-fuelled fun, or a stressed-out career mum popping the cork on a bottle each night to unwind after a hectic day – we all have our own personal reasons and genuine struggles to let go of the emotional crutch we have in relation to ‘using’ alcohol to change our state. But if you’ve ever woken up with a horrendous hangover and feeling like hell? You’ll be very familiar with at least some of the negative effects of drinking! This often can mean suffering with everything and anything from a headache and nausea, to feeling anxious, depressed and moody, to a constant hunger for pizza, biscuits and greasy takeout’s. As well as dealing with the most obvious hangover side effects, there’s also a growing awareness of some of the long-term consequences of regular alcohol consumption,

particularly more so for the over 40’s. As well as liver disease, it can bring increased risk of weight gain, diabetes, heart disease, mental health problems, and even cancer, amongst others. For me, my main reason as to why I drank alcohol (apart from enjoying the taste, of which I still do love, as most soft drinks suck in comparison to the flavour of a chilled glass of Sauvignon) was always due to the instantaneous fix it gave me. Taking me from feeling a little anxious and uptight with work on my mind, to immediately calm and able to ease myself into any social experience– be that a party, post-work drinks and networking nights, or a family get together.

Was it all worth it, and did I really need to give it all up? I certainly wasn’t an alcoholic or someone my friends or family classed as having any ‘issues’ with booze. In fact over the last few years I have been very well behaved in comparison to the mass alcohol consumption in my 30’s and far, far less than the excessive amounts downed during the nightclubbing decade in my 20’s. But what I had noticed, and was not willing to tolerate any longer, was the constant cycle of feeling great after being healthy and alcohol free for a couple of weeks, to feeling pretty rubbish for a few days every few weeks.

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Like many other women, similar to me in the wellness industry, I had a great wholefood organic diet, loved my fitness and took great care of my skin and had cut back a great deal on alcohol, but every few weekends I’d be out for a friends birthday dinner, or out at a work event where I would drink too much of the free wine and cocktails, which would then result in me laying awake most of the night feeling hot and bothered and unable to sleep due to heat and my heart pounding, followed by a Sunday that was ruined due to my exhaustion and low mood. When I turned 40 (October 2019), I really wanted to look at all the things in my life that were not making a positive impact and look at changing things. It was super important to me to make the next decade one where I felt good mentally & physically, saved money for the future and looked after my skin to keep the wrinkles at bay. And after assessing everything from friends I didn’t really need to stay in contact with, to the type of pension I wanted to have, the one thing that really stood out and did not make sense to stick with was alcohol.

Was it easy? No. Did it take perseverance? Yes. Is it worth it? Yes. Unless you really dislike the taste of alcohol, or really have to force yourself to have an alcoholic drink just to be sociable, then you will most likely find quitting tough at times.

Do you need to give up completely or can you just drink on occasion? That is a question you need to ask yourself. If you are the sort of person that can sip a small glass of wine during a meal and refuse another, then I would say you most likely don’t need to even think about trying to give up, unless you feel it would really benefit your health due to the fact you feel alcohol is not adding any value. For me, and like most other people I have met who quit for a period of time, found that after going without alcohol for an extended period of time resulted in them feeling so good and full of energy, with clearer skin and less body fat, that they felt they wanted to carry on. And with a growing number of high profile and very attractive female celebrities such as the singer and actress Jennifer Lopez and actress Eva Mendez going teetotal and talking about it publicly, it’s becoming more acceptable to say no to alcohol and go for the softer option. If you’ve been considering the possible health benefits you might get from quitting? On the following pages are ten motivating reasons to get you started...

You’ll be very familiar with at least some of the negative effects of drinking! This often can mean suffering with everything and anything from a headache and nausea, to feeling anxious, depressed and moody, to a constant hunger for pizza, biscuits and greasy takeout’s.

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Need a little motivation to try teetotal? Discover Charlotte’s top ten health, beauty and financial benefits of saying no to alcohol 1. You’ll feel much more energised Alcohol can kill your energy in multiple ways. As well as giving you a hangover, it affects the quality of your sleep (see the next point), making you feel more tired the next day. It puts extra strain on your liver, one of whose tasks is to store and release glucose for energy. It can also deplete your body of vital vitamins and minerals that help convert food to energy, such as vitamin B1 and magnesium. Cutting the booze helps all these processes return to normal, and should help bring back your natural energy and vitality.

2. No more sleepless nights or groggy mornings Yes, having a few drinks can knock you out. But it’s actually bad news for how well you sleep. Your shuteye is more likely to be disrupted in the second half of the night. And the amount of time spent in REM sleep – the phase most associated with dreaming – may reduce too. All this makes your sleep less restorative, so even if you’ve been in bed for eight hours, you’ll feel unrefreshed and foggy-headed the next day. Ditch the drink and see how much better you can feel the next morning. You can still have a great night out and not miss your favourite weekend yoga class.

3. A happier you Did you know alcohol is actually a depressant? Although it can have a short-term mood-boosting effect, its long-term effects can be negative. It can disrupt levels of neurotransmitters in the brain such as serotonin – the ‘happy hormone’ – leaving you more prone to depression and anxiety. So, if you drink to ‘drown your sorrows’, consider that abstaining might actually be a better choice for your long-term mental health and wellbeing.

4. Boss your career By improving your energy and focus, cutting down on alcohol can also boost your productivity at work. In a small study of 14 people who were moderate drinkers, those who gave up alcohol for five weeks reported an average 18% improvement in concentration.

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5. Say Yes, Yes, Yes to more orgasms You may feel friskier after a couple of glasses of wine. But in the longer term, drinking more than the recommended weekly limit of 14 units can cause problems for both men and women in the bedroom. It can affect men’s ability to achieve or maintain an erection, and women’s ability to orgasm. It can also reduce libido in both sexes. If you want to perform better, or enjoy sex more, you could benefit from at least reducing your alcohol intake.

dry and sallow. It can also deplete vitamins and minerals that are vital for healthy skin, including vitamin C, zinc and B vitamins. It may affect your hormone balance, increasing your likelihood of breakouts. And, perhaps worst of all, alcohol can have an ageing effect on your skin. So, ditching the hard stuff could be your passport to healthier, glowing, young-looking skin. Jennifer Lopez, who looks much younger than her 45 years, partially credits not drinking for her youthful looks.

9. More money in the bank 6. Loose that ‘muffin top’ you can’t seem to shift Have you thought about how many calories you’re consuming just in alcohol? A large glass of wine can contain over 200 calories – around the same as two large slices of bread, or half a big bowl of pasta. This means that a bottle of wine can ‘cost’ you the same in calories as eating an extra full meal. The result over time can potentially harmful weight gain – especially around the middle. So if you have a few pounds to lose, then cutting out alcohol could be the key – and make the weight loss effortless! Former Emmerdale star Lisa Riley credited giving up booze for helping her to shift 10 stone in 20166.

7. Have a healthier heart reduce cardiovascular risk Alcohol can be a factor in developing high blood pressure, which is a risk factor for heart attack and stroke. Cutting down your intake to the advised maximum of 14 units a week (for both men and women) could help lower your blood pressure – or keep it within a healthy range – and reduce your risk.

Have you ever flinched at the thought of spending seven or eight pounds on a good-quality free-range chicken or some organic vegetables, yet thought nothing of buying several bottles of wine that cost the same amount? The foods give you much more in terms of nourishment for your body and mind than the wine will. How else could you spend the money you save by cutting out the booze?

10. Have a full weekend of feeling good Let’s face it; most of us have done it. We’ve had a heavy Friday or Saturday night, woken up with a hangover, then realised the day – and half the weekend – is already over before we’ve even started to feel human again. Think about what you could do with the extra time (as well as the money and energy) that you’ll gain back if you wake up with a clear head.

Charlotte Dormon @healthyeatslondon

8. Give your face a lift Alcohol is dehydrating and can leave your skin looking

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S O B E R

S U M M E R

Curious about what to drink? Charlotte picks her top ten tried and tested alcohol free drinks to enjoy this summer – all are available at By Charlotte Dormon Dry Drinker @healthyeatslondon

Domaine de la Prade Organic Merlot/ Shiraz alcohol free wine 0.0% 750ml £13.99 Richard Juhlin Sparkling Rosé Alcohol Free 750ml £15.99

Holos Kombucha Strawberry 6/12-250ml £14.99 – £27.99

The Award Winning Duchess Alcohol Free Gin & Tonic – 6/12 x 275ml £10.99 – £19.99 Big Drop Lager Gluten Free 0.5% – 6/12 x 330ml £11.35 – £22.65

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Original Crisp Dry White Botonique Alcohol Free Wine 70cl £7.99

Sea Arch Non Alcoholic Distilled Spirit 1 x 70cl £24.98

Low Alcohol Mikkeller Drink’in the Sun 0.3% – 6/12 x 330ml £14.75 – £28.99

WIN-E Verdejo 0% Spanish White Wine 750ml £6.99

WIN A HAMPER OF PRODUCTS – Frank readers have the chance to win an amazing hamper courtesy of Dry Drinker – Subscribe for free at www. thefrankmagazine.com and look out for our June email for a chance to WIN!

Carl Jung Blanc de Blancs Low Alcoholic Sparkling Blanc de Blanc Wine 0.2% ABV 70cl £7.99 www.thefrankmagazine.com

F R A N K

L O V E S

Bags for people and the planet

Re-usable bags Specifically, delightful bags that make life easier and more enjoyable. Their goal is to make every bag you need for your daily routines. In the hope you look and feel your best when carrying a

BAGGU.

Switch over to single use bags to use over & over again

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The must have mindful pod casts THE DAILY MEDITATION PODCAST Be happy, healthy, more at peace, and sleep better as you're greeted with a new guided meditation technique every morning. Mary Meckley introduces you to a new weekly theme based on an emotion. Explore a new meditation technique every day. www.open.spotify.com

THE OVERWHELMED BRAIN Anxiety, depression, fears, obsession, panic, or any relationship, marriage or family issues, this show will help you achieve less stress and more happiness. Become empowered and honor yourself so that you can make decisions that are right for you. Mindfulness, compassion and being in the present moment are only components of a bigger picture. Live authentically and strengthen your emotional intelligence to avoid emotional abuse. Get to the root of emotional issues with solid relationship advice and personal help. If affirmations don't work and you're tired of being told to "think positively!", start listening to this show for a better life. podcasts.apple.com

TEN PERCENT HAPPIER Dan Harris, a veteran news reporter, breaks down the science of meditation in his podcast, Ten Percent Happier. Prior to making meditation part of his daily routine, Harris was skeptical about the importance of mindfulness and meditation. But after having a panic attack on live TV, he realized something needed to change, and now he is a believer. He shares his story, along with the science and benefits of meditation from experts on his weekly show. www.tenpercent.com

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H E A L T H

C O A C H

Detox Your Kitchen Sandie Fredriksson is the creator of the 8 Week Plan ‘Healthy Habits for Life’. She teaches busy women how to lose weight, have more energy and put their health on autopilot.

Sandie shares four simple ways to turn your kitchen into ‘Healthy Living HQ’ and kickstart a lifetime of healthy eating

hen it comes to changing your eating habits, the hardest thing can be knowing where to start. And let's face it, your kitchen really does have the power to make or break you, no matter how good your intentions. In my past life, I had no emotional connection to cooking and being in my kitchen felt like an awkward friendship. I limited my visits to toast, a quick plate of pasta or heating up the posh ready meals I would grab on my way home from work. That is until I got diagnosed with breast cancer. It was time to stop being complacent about the way I was fuelling my body. After months of trawling through countless books and documentaries on nutrition, I left my job in the city and took the Natural Chef diploma at The College of Naturopathic Medicine. Organising my kitchen and building a repertoire of simple recipes turned out to be the biggest leap forward on my journey to health. It’s why I created my kitchen detox program ‘Healthy Living HQ’ to help my clients fall in love with cooking at home.

This process will look different depending on who I am working with. You might be looking for a total overhaul and eyeing up a Thermomix or Instant Pot, or you might simply want to get the basics in place with a few easy recipes to kickstart your healthy eating habits. Whatever your goal, I suggest keeping it simple and intentional to start with, and gradually introducing more over time. The aim is to build your confidence and help you create a space you look forward to spending time in.

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1. The Big Purge Put a good couple of hours aside to clear out your kitchen cupboards and prepare to be ruthless. I recommend not doing this when you are hungry or you might be tempted to hold onto the Doritos as an emergency snack! Become a label-reading detective. Ingredients that are highest in quantity are required to be listed first on the label. As a rule, the fewer ingredients the better (ideally a maximum of five) and stay away from anything you can’t pronounce. Be sure to always check the sugar content - you’ll be surprised where it’s lurking, from salad dressings to low-fat yoghurts. I give my clients a list of 53 other names used for sugar to stop them from falling into the hidden-sugars trap. Ditch all packet and processed ‘food’. These are not food; they’re food-like products created in labs, not kitchens. Many of the additives used are substances our bodies don’t even know how to deal with. By eating them, you are not only increasing your toxic load but over time, you are risking chronic inflammation. This can damage your cells and leave you exposed to lifestyle diseases such as cancer and type 2 diabetes. I’m not saying you can’t use some shortcuts like stock cubes and high-quality tinned ingredients. I’m simply asking you to look past that photo of the Italian Mamma on the front of the sugar-laden pasta sauce jar.

Pimp your pantry. A few simple changes can go a long way to getting you that lovely, organised look you’ve been coveting on Pinterest. If you have a small kitchen, tiered shelving is a great way to maximise space.

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2. Organise & Style An organised kitchen will dramatically improve your decision-making capacity. Having fruit on display and removing unhealthy snacks is a highly underrated strategy. Pimp your pantry. A few simple changes can go a long way to getting you that lovely, organised look you’ve been coveting on Pinterest. If you have a small kitchen, tiered shelving is a great way to maximise space. Use a mixture of tall and short glass jars to store your staples such as steel-cut oats, brown rice and lentils and an assortment of nuts and seeds. I like to keep all my dry spices in 70ml square Kilner jars lined up in a Buckingham 6-tier spice and herb rack that I mounted inside my pantry door. A chalkboard labels kit will also help you to create an appealing look. Style your fridge and declutter your freezer. Using glass storage rather than plastic will mean you don’t have to worry about nasty chemicals leaking into your food. So ditch the leftover Chinese takeaway containers you’ve been hoarding and hold onto those coconut oil jars instead. They’re perfect for storing soups and stews in the freezer - just be careful not to fill them all the way to the top, or they may crack. Alternatively, invest in freezer-safe glass storage with a leakproof tight seal - you don’t want to have to investigate an unidentified liquid that’s leaked all over your leafy greens.

Shape your environment to reinforce your daily rituals. Use aesthetically pleasing tools and visual cues to help establish good habits. For example, if you decide you want to start each day with my health-promoting lemon and ginger water, invest in a beautiful glass mug, such as the Kinto Unitea 510ml, to make this an experience you look forward to. A good tip is to keep your green powder, herbal boosters, echinacea, aloe vera etc. all in one place, where you will easily see them and be prompted to take them. I keep mine on the same shelf in the door of my fridge. Another smart strategy is ‘habit stacking’, which simply means pairing a habit you want to remember to do with something you are already motivated to do. This might look like keeping your dedicated supplements tray next to the coffee machine you habitually head towards in the morning.

A superior blender: I wholeheartedly recommend splurging on a Vitamix Blender; its tough, high-speed blades give you the smoothest smoothies, soups and hummus. I use mine at least once a day. As an alternative (but smaller) option, the nutribullet sits right up there in the blender battle. www.thefrankmagazine.com

3. Get Swapping You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to overhaul your whole diet in one go to eat healthier. Here just five of the list of ingredient swaps that I work on with my clients. Stock up on healthy oils: For salad dressings opt for organic, cold-pressed, extra virgin olive oil (keep in a dark bottle away from the light to stop it from degrading) or high-quality organic nut and seed oils, which should always be stored in the fridge. Hemp seed oil is a great option, as it is rich in essential fatty acids. Most shop-bought dressings are best avoided because of the sugar and preservatives they contain. When it comes to cooking, especially at high temperatures, coconut oil or ghee (clarified butter) are generally the best options, although, with some ingredients such as tomatoes, I do find that only olive oil will do. Sweet Swaps: Whilst local raw honey or high-grade maple syrups are a better choice than sugar, they both still trigger an insulin response in the body and so are best used sparingly. Low-calorie options like stevia or xylitol can also be fine occasionally but I want to encourage you to opt for more wholesome ingredients. A little cinnamon adds sweetness to porridge, balsamic vinegar is delicious in a salad dressing and if you like your tea sugary, why not try a herbal option that includes fennel or liquorice root? When I encourage clients to make these substitutions for just three days, they often find returning to sugars and syrups unpalatable.

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Table salt substitutes: White table salt has been stripped of its mineral content and contains anti-clumping agents (yuk!) that may be harmful to our health. Ditch it and switch to mineral-rich Himalayan pink salt or sea salt instead. Another healthy condiment to consider is seaweed flakes such as dulse or kombu, especially if you’re keen to add iodine to your diet. Seaweed also reduces the oestrogen burden in the body which explains it’s breast cancer-protective credentials. Nut milk vs cows’ milk: If you are consuming dairy, choose organic, grass-fed wherever possible. Unfortunately dairy is one of the most common allergenic foods in our diets. Nut milks are an impressively versatile alternative, for everything from smoothies and soups to baking and sauces. They also tend to have fewer calories and higher water content. Choose the unsweetened varieties. Filter your tap water: The quality of the water you drink is important, and I always recommend a water filter to clients. After all, it has to be filtered somewhere and your liver is already busy performing over 500 other vital functions. A Brita jug is a great budget-friendly solution, whilst a bulkier, under-counter reverse osmosis system sits at the more effective (and expensive) end of the spectrum.

blades give you the smoothest smoothies, soups and hummus. I use mine at least once a day. As an alternative (but smaller) option, the nutribullet sits right up there in the blender battle. Pots and Pans: Again, you’ll be using these a lot, so it’s important to invest in the right ones. Avoid non-stick cookware that is coated with potentially harmful chemicals: healthy options include stainless steel, ceramic, cast-iron and enameled cast iron. Establish what works best with your cooker (gas or induction) and of course, consider your budget. I source mine from the ProCook website and I also like the Green Pan brand. A vegetable steamer: When it comes to veggies, steaming trumps boiling every time as it retains more of the nutrients and flavour in your food. Options range from a collapsible basket style to multi-tier steamer pans. A veggie brush: I encourage my clients to buy organic whenever possible which usually means their root vegetables will need a good scrub. Don’t let a little dirt put you off. A bit of high-quality soil can be a beneficial source of good bacteria for your gut.

Sprouting jars: Perhaps not essential, but something I can’t recommend enough. Sprouted seeds are highly nutritious, but if you’re buying them from a supermarket, you’re most certainly overpaying. You can grow these tiny nutritional powerhouses in just a few days, on just a few inches of your worktop. You’ll find an entire blog post This is not about clever gadgets that end up never making about this on my website including where to source your it out the drawer. It’s about the basics that make cooking seeds and sprouting jars. at home feel easy. I have a thorough ‘recommended equipment list’ I use with my clients, but here are a few A thorough kitchen detox can have a dramatic impact on essentials that belong in any healthy kitchen. your healthy-eating journey. So, if a personalised

4. Upgrade Your Toolkit

A superior blender: I wholeheartedly recommend splurging on a Vitamix Blender; its tough, high-speed

overhaul is just what you need to get going, then reach out to me via my website.

Unfortunately dairy is one of the most common allergenic foods in our diets. Nut milks are an impressively versatile alternative, for everything from smoothies and soups to baking and sauces. They also tend to have fewer calories and higher water content. Choose the unsweetened varieties. www.thefrankmagazine.com

A few of my kitchen favourites Here is where you can find a few of my own healthy-eating essentials. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not in any way affiliated to these products - they are just some of the things you would find in my own kitchen.

6 5

1,VonShef Freezer-safe glass storage (amazon.co.uk) 2, KINTO Unitea 510ml glass mug (selfridges.com) 3, Vitamix Blender (johnlewis.com) 4, Collapsible steamer basket (procook.co.uk) 5, Vegetable Brush (riverford.co.uk) 6 Eschenfelder sprouting jars (amazon.co.uk)

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W H A T

T O

Write Make Buy

Read

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F R A N K

E A T S

Amelia Freer

Batch Cooking I cannot recommend batch-cooking highly enough. It expands upon the ‘Cook Once, Eat Twice’ rule – with planning, you can cook up multiple meals that can be kept for the week ahead or popped into the freezer. The benefits extend beyond just money and time; vitally, it ensures that a wholesome, nutritions plate of food is achievable within minutes.

Fish & Spinach Curry, Cauliflower ‘Rice’ & Pistachios I love the vibrant contrasting colours and nutrients this curry provides. Spinach and sweet potato provide beta-carotene that our bodies convert into vitamin A, which helps to support our eye sight and the growth and development of our cells; vitamin C which helps to support our immune system enabling us to fight colds and infections, and vitamin K which helps our blood to clot properly if we cut or injure ourselves. The cauliflower provides an excellent base, adding extra nutrients and fibre to help support our digestion. serves 4

INGREDIENTS 1 cauliflower, in florets, tough stalk discarded 800g boneless skinless white fish, such as cod or monkfish, cut into large chunks4 tbsp coconut oil 1 tsp ground turmeric 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 large sweet potato (about 400g), peeled and cubed 100g salted pistachio nuts, shelled and finely chopped 1 green bird eye chilli, finely chopped (deseeded if you don’t like things too spicy) 1 tbsp grated root ginger 6 garlic cloves, grated 400g baby-leaf spinach 500ml almond milk 75g creamed coconut, grated 1 lime – half juiced, the other half cut into wedges salt and pepper

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STEP-BY-STEP Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4. Mix 2 tablespoons of coconut oil, the turmeric and cinnamon in a small roasting tin or dish. Heat in the preheated oven fora few minutes, then add the sweet potato and coat in the seasoned oil. Return to the oven and roast for 30-40 minutes. For the spice mix, dry-toast the coriander, cumin and fennel seeds in a frying pan for 1-2 minutes or until they smell fragrant, then grind to a fine powder using a pestle and mortar or blend in a spice grinder. Next, toast the garam masala in the pan and mix it with the other spices. Remove 1 teaspoon of the spice mix to mix with the finely chopped pistachios and set aside. Ina large pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil and sauté the chilli, ginger and garlic. Add the rest of the spice mix and then the spinach, in batches, stirring between each addition, until it has all wilted. Now add the almond milk and creamed coconut to the pan and cook everything for a further few minutes, then blend using a stick blender. Add the lime juice, season to taste and set aside. Place all the cauliflower florets in a food processor and whizz to a rice consistency. Heat the remaining tablespoon of coconut oil in a pan, add the ‘riced’ cauliflower and a splash of water, and heat for 5-10 minutes in a covered saucepan. At the same time, reheat the sauce until it is at a gentle bubble, then add the fish and gently poach it in the sauce for 3-4 minutes, gently stirring occasionally. Serve the curry with the cauliflower rice topped with the cubes of sweet potato and scattered with the pistachio-spice mix. Serve the lime wedges on the side.

Puy Lentil Stew Lentils are hugely versatile, healthy and cheap. They also contain plant-based protein, as well as plenty of fibre and other essential vitamins and minerals. Best of all, they are the perfect base for soaking up delicious, seasonal flavours. This lentil stew is a winner – it ticks all the boxes for a simple, wholesome, nutritious, comforting supper. Use a good vegetable stock if you’re making this vegan. I almost always make double, and freeze the leftovers for another day. serves 6-8

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INGREDIENTS

STEP-BY-STEP

3 tbsp olive or coconut oil 1 large onion, finely chopped 2 sticks celery, diced 1 leek, cut in half lengthways and diced 2 carrots, diced 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp mild curry powder ¼ – ½ tsp hot chili powder or cayenne 300g puy lentils 2L chicken, beef or vegetable stock 4 or 5 ripe tomatoes, diced 2 tbsp tomato puree 1 tsp salt 250-300g spinach

In a large, heavy bottomed pan heat the oil and sauté the onion, celery, leek, carrot and garlic for 10 minutes to soften but not brown. Add the spices and cook for a couple of minutes then add the lentils, stock, tomatoes and tomato puree. Bring to the boil, lower the heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes until the lentils are soft, stirring occasionally. Add a little more water or stock if it has thickened more than you’d like. Check for seasoning, adding salt or pepper, then add the spinach, cook for 2-3 minutes, until it has wilted. This will keep for several days in the fridge and I always find it tastier a day or two after I’ve made it.

Mushroom & Thyme Soup perfect comforting soup Soups always provide comfort year round but particularly in Autumn and Winter when we feel the cold. Mushrooms fortunately come into season in Autumn and are available throughout the winter months. They provide us with fibre, plus b-vitamins and other compounds that support our immune system – isn’t nature clever! If you have some homemade chicken stock in the fridge or freezer then use it here otherwise you can buy some good ones now or use a vegetable stock such as Boullion if you are vegan or vegetarian. If you are lucky enough to have a mix of wild mushrooms then do use them, but this is equally nutritious and delicious with the humble white button mushroom. serves 4-6 INGREDIENTS

STEP-BY-STEP

1 tbsp olive oil 2 white onions, diced 2 stick of celery, diced 5 garlic cloves, chopped 500g mushrooms, roughly chopped a few sprigs of fresh thyme 1L chicken or vegetable stock 100g cashews, soaked and drained. 1 tin (400g) of white beans , drained and rinsed To garnish 150g wild mushrooms, sautéed extra thyme leaves a drizzle of olive oil

In a large heavy bottomed saucepan, heat the oil and sauté the onions and celery for 6-8 minutes, then add the garlic and sauté a further2-3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and thyme, stir then add the stock and beans. Bring to the boil and simmer for 12-15 minutes. While this is simmering, blend the soaked cashews into a cream and add to the simmering soup. Blend the soup leaving some texture, not a puree. Sauté the wild mushrooms in a little olive oil to garnish and served topped with a drizzle of olive oil, wild mushrooms and thyme.

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Crunchy Nut & Seed Granola If you like to start your day with a little bit of crunch then this is the breakfast for you. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not only tasty but there is a lot of goodness on offer here. The nuts and seeds provide healthy fats and fibre as well as other important nutrients which not only help to keep us full until our next meal, they also provide an energy boost. approx 18 portions

INGREDIENTS 200g dates 100g figs 50g dried mulberries , raisins or prunes 100g chia seeds 200g almonds 100g cashews 100g macadamia nuts optional: 50g desiccated coconut 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1 tablespoon sea salt

STEP-BY-STEP Soak the dried fruit overnight in 200ml water. Then blend with their soaking water and add the chia seeds. Soak the nuts in salted water overnight, then discard the water and pulse the nuts in a food processor.

or coconut yoghurt and fresh berries. A few alternative flavours to try adding into the mix: Banana and passion fruit Fig and raspberry Pear and grape

Combine the chopped nuts and dried fruit mixture with your hands, and add the desiccated coconut, vanilla extract and salt. Spread the mixture out on to one or two oven trays and cook overnight, or until it is dry, at 80c / 60c fan / gas 1/2 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; with the oven door slightly open.

For more recipes go to ameliafreer.com

When cool, break the granola up into chunks and store in an airtight container. Serve with nut milk www.thefrankmagazine.com

B O O K S

The READING List Here are some recommended books to keep you company. By Eleanor Tattersfield

What we talk about when we talk about love by Vintage Carver

A collection of seventeen short stories shows Carver at his best. The almost urban myth like dictum that Carver is the one of the greatest short story writers is proved to be absolutely true in this collection. His ability to render moments so moving with such brevity of language makes other short story writers seem amateur and clumsy. To take just a few of his opening sentences (with which I think a gripping short story must start with); ‘ A man without hands came to the door to sell me a photograph of my house.’

‘My husband eats with a good appetite. But I don’t think he’s really hungry.’ ‘That morning she pours Teacher’s over my belly and licks it off.’ I ask anyone who would not want to read on? Such simple vocabulary and sentences which serve to promote so many questions in the readers mind. He uses such odd and intriguing lures. Most of the stories, more vignettes, like in ‘I could see the smallest things’ a woman gets up in the night to shut her garden gate and encounters a neighbour killing slugs in the moonlight, but her insomnia seems really more about the state of her marriage. In another ‘After the denim’, a couple are put off their game when a young reckless denim wearing pair take their seats at the local bingo game. The happy go lucky couple in denim seems to have all in life so easily recalls the husband, whom back at home contemplates their inability to have a baby as he sits up to cast stitches in his embroidery ring.

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The Sexual Life of Catherine M. by Catherine Millet Well this is quite a book. Not one for the faint hearted. Catherine Millet is renown art historian, author and editor of the prestigious Art Press magazine. This memoir is her account of her sexual life one in which she likes to spend nights in the singles clubs of Paris and in the Bois de Boulogne where she has intercourse with a succession of anonymous men. It’s account of staggering sexual promiscuity. Her completely frank and very well written accounts of her extreme sexual encounters; sometimes having sex with up to forty men a night is completely riveting if not fairly disturbing. She attempts to describe her sexual exploits with unwavering honesty and impartiality; mixed with a pretentious blob of references to contemporary art and metaphysical musings. She says in her afterword that she is very grateful for one critic who described that is was the ‘permissiveness not the transgression’ that attracted her to the book. It has gone on to be a best seller globally and has been hailed as an important book. I don’t know if I would go that far, it is certainly one of a kind as is its author. I think in the end I felt like this was an account of someone with a serious sex addiction and too little attention is paid to the cause of this. Mentions of STDs, pregnancies and condoms are all too few, one wanted to know the really gritty down sides to this hedonistic and unthinking yielding to pleasure.

Her completely frank and very well written accounts of her extreme sexual encounters; sometimes having sex with up to forty men a night is completely riveting if not fairly disturbing.

However, it is a book that will never quite leave you once you’ve read it.. so steel yourself or don’t go there.

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This is the Story of a Happy Marriage by Ann Patchett This a wonderful collection of non-fiction essays by the irreproachable Ann Patchett (one of my favourite authors see previous reviews for Truth & Beauty and The Dutch House ). Within it is one of the best essays about her writing career called ‘The Getaway Car’. I can’t recommend this highly enough for those interested in or indeed already writing. It contains such gems of advice as; ‘Novel writing, I soon discovered, is like channel swimming: a slow and steady stroke over a long distance in cold, dark sea. If I thought too much about how far I’d come or the distance I still have to cover, I’d sink.’ And, ‘ I write the book I want to read’ which is probably the most sound piece of advice for any one creatively producing anything. She also writes, ‘If you want to study the master of the well constructed chapter- and plot and flat -out gorgeous writing, read Raymond Chandler’. And such brilliant doable pieces of advice such as; ‘ I made a vow on the spot that for the month of January, I would dedicate a minimum of one hour a day to my chosen profession. One hour a day for thirty-one days wasn’t asking so much, I usually did more and some of it was the best writing I’d done in a long time.’ There are also lots of lovely personal essays about her relationships with both husbands, trips to Paris, scandalous book readings and the joy of being a shopkeeper and bookseller. Her fiction is some of the best out there, her non-fiction is as joyous and an insight into her great mind.

Her fiction is some of the best out there, her non-fiction is as joyous and an insight into her great mind.

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American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins This a rip roaring, compelling page-turning thriller from the get go. A mother and son cower in a shower cubicle as all sixteen members of their family are gunned down at a barbeque lunch in their garden. They leave immediately with money strapped inside underwear on the run from the Mexican cartel who missed them. This is a gruelling account of the plight of many Mexican migrants fleeing to ‘El Norte’ or America to escape poverty and the drug cartels. The extreme danger of their journey riding “La Bestia’ or The Beast as the cargo trains are called and dodging rape, robbery and extreme hunger are all evident here as we travel with Lydia and her 8 year old son. There has been much controversy surrounding this book concerned mainly the legitimacy of someone nonMexican recounting this tale. Also the possible plagiarism from other accounts of the migrants’ plight by Mexican authors. I for one though found no issue with it as a novel of a humanitarian crisis I knew too little about. I found it well written, the characters all well drawn and believable - a good lockdown unputdownable read.

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I found it well written, the characters all well drawn and believable - a good lockdown unputdownable read.I found it well written, the

S H O P P I N G

Why Not Try...?

By Sam Baines

Wicker Lighting Light up your home, pun intended, with these gorgeous wicker pendants and lamps. Nala LIghting was created by Nahla who, during her extensive travels in Indonesia, was inspired to create a fair and equitable working relationship with manufacturers in Bali. Her pendants are hand woven and bring a splash of Indonesia to your home.

Let there be beautiful lighting

www.nalalighting.com

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Waterdrop Summer is officially here, in the sunny weather it is important to stay hydrated and waterdrop are trying to make life a little bit easier for everyone. Waterdrop's new range of natural fruit and plant extract compact tubes are exclusively sourced from farmers all over the globe and come in difference flavours from sweet to herbal. All you do is pop the compact in your water and let it dissolve and enjoy the vitamin boost. en.waterdrop.com

Suncream for sensitive skin Altruist was created by Andrew and David; Two friends who met in Africa. They set out with a vision: to reduce the incidence of skin cancer by enabling more people to use more sunscreen. Together with the help of the best scientists in Europe and BASF they created a high quality, creamy sunscreen at the lowest possible price. It is fragrance free and dermatologically tested and 10p of every sale goes to charitable causes. Prices start at ÂŁ4. www.altruistsun.com

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Luxurious cushions Spending more time at home at the moment means a desire for comfort and these luxurious cushions are perfect for just that. The Monkey Puzzle Tree collaborates with artists to create beautiful cushions, fabric and wall hangings. Making sure the artists get generous royalties, they also support the local artistic community and work with local manufacturers in the North of England. These beautiful and luxurious products are definitely worth checking out. www.themonkeypuzzletree.com

Our strong social conscience means that we work to support local communities and minimise the environmental impact of our products.

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Wakeup Wake Up Cup was created by two friends trying to combat single used plastics. Each year 100 billion single-use coffee cups end up as landfill, that's enough to fill The Royal Albert Hall 1000 times over! Wake Up Cup have reusable coffee and water cups and rucksacks all made with sustainable materials. At the moment, one Wake Up Cup is donated to NHS heroes with every purchase which is pretty awesome www.globalwakecup.com

Party Socks If you've always wanted to take part in dress up friday (putting a ball gown on at home) but haven't quite managed it, why not just get feet your feet looking fancy? These snazzy socks come with statement sequinned brooches that can be moved around to match your shoe/slipper scenario and removed for washing. The socks come in a variety of colours and they even make fluffy slippers too. www.laineslondon.com

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Celebrate on Paper Eli the goat was created by architect Lauren Hunt, who makes beautiful nature inspired greetings cards made using recycled paper and packaging. Perfect for sending to loved ones to show you are thinking of them at this time. www.elithegoat.com

''We are inspired by nature and want to protect it - we always use recycled papers and boards, packaging and tape. '' www.thefrankmagazine.com

Dry up in Style Break up the monotony of washing up and drying crockery with these stunning hand printed tea-towels from designer Kate Guy. Each item is screen-printed onto organic cotton and there are even matching aprons too. Kate is based in North London and also teaches art and print-making classes, all her products come out of her studio in Camden. www.kateguy.co.uk

Comfy feet A pair of handmade sheepskin slippers will keep your feet nice and warm during this period of time at home. Created by a team of skilled craftspeople in the Polish Highlands, each pair of slippers is completely unique, incorporating techniques passed down through the generations. Delightful embroidery and soft sheepskins interiors mean these slippers will definitely make your feet feel loved and we all need a bit more of that right now. www.onaie.com www.thefrankmagazine.com

F R A N K

I N T E R I O R S

Five Top Tips For Coffee Table Styling

ur living rooms play a large part in the space within our homes – research shows that most of us spend a huge 20% of our days kicking off our shoes and relaxing on the sofa. The advent of Netflix and watch on demand combined with our busy lives means that there is always the next box set or movie to catch up on and take a break. Making our living spaces welcoming, relaxing and cosy is essential – taking the time to throw off the stresses of the day is so important for our mental wellbeing.

with Lisa Dawson

A coffee table is an essential part of your living room plan. Not only does it anchor your space, creating a focal point for your seating and other furniture, but it’s also a central space to place magazines, candles and the essential cup of coffee. But it’s also easy for it to get cluttered – my own coffee table is regularly a home for half drunk squash glasses and yoghurt pots after my children have spent an hour or so watching YouTube. So how to make sure that your space stays stylish and not strewn with empty crisp wrappers? Here are my top five tips to keep your coffee table looking Instagram ready.

Add A Base Let’s start with the basics – creating a central point for your styling. A tray is perfect for this purpose. Go for something textured such as woven basketware or up the glam factor with metallic brass or silver. Mirrored trays also work really well and reflect the light. Think about the shape of your coffee table. Unless you are a symmetry devotee, juxtapose – if it’s rectangular “No coffee table in shape, go for a non angular arrangement would be tray and vice versa. Use complete without this tray as the base for your styling to tie your greenery. In fact, no arrangement together. home would be complete

without greenery bringing the outside in is so important when we are planning our spaces.” www.thefrankmagazine.com

Use Props Use books as both a prop and a point of interest. I’m a big fan of the coffee table book, both for their beauty and for their flexibility in adding interest to a space and they’re perfect for styling up. Stacked horizontally, they’re perfect as a base for accessories, adding height to smaller objects. Group accessories in threes, for example, a vase, bowl and candle. It’s a scientific fact that when we see items placed in odd numbers, our eyes fix to the grouping and our gaze is encouraged to look further. We group in threes because it’s the smallest number that can form a distinguishable pattern in our heads. This applies to everything we do, whether it be

Use Texture If there is one thing that I would write on my interiors orientated gravestone, it would be the words texturing and layering. This is the MOST important part of creating a room and space that works for you. Mixed woods, glass, concrete, metals, stone, fabrics - the contrast of these textures are what bring your spaces to life and adds the layers. The same applies to your coffee table - mixing materials is what adds visual interest and keeps the eye on the go. You’re looking for impact, a pleasing array of items that make your heart sing. Vary the heights of the items you place - some taller, some smaller, some mid level.

“A coffee table is an essential part of your living room plan. Not only does it anchor your space, creating a focal point for your seating and other furniture, but it’s also a central space to place magazines, candles and the essential cup of coffee. But it’s also easy for it to get cluttered.” www.thefrankmagazine.com

Curate A Collection Blending items of a similar tone can be really impactful. Vintage glass is a good place to start – one piece alone looks a little boring but added to two in varying shades of the same colour, it’s a focal point. Grouping items of a similar colour, no matter what the texture, is super effective. Add pieces from your travels. Shells and stones picked up on the beach will add interest whilst reminding you of happy times. Seek out beautifully scented candles in pretty holders that will make your room smell as good as it looks.

Add Greenery Finally, no coffee table arrangement would be complete without greenery. In fact, no home would be complete without greenery - bringing the outside in is so important when we are planning our spaces. There’s several reasons for this but mostly it’s adding that natural texture and colour that we are so drawn to. The rising popularity of biophillic design - the concept of connecting us and our homes and workspaces to the natural environment outside through the inclusion of nature within our spaces - means that most of us now have plenty of ‘plant babies’ to look after, not an easy job if, like me, you find it hard enough looking after your actual children. Add small plants such as cacti or ferns or treat yourself to a vase of flowers – adding nature to your arrangement will add the finishing touch.

“I’m a big fan of the coffee table book, both for their beauty and for their flexibility in adding interest to a space and they’re perfect for styling up.”

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S T A T E M E N T

D E S I G N

Statement Design Julian Joseph

is an online interiors boutique and we design, curate, love and live inspiring furniture. It all started with a penchant for interiors and in particular the humble chair. We wanted to design jawon-the-floor statement chairs that turn heads and also spark a little interior envy! With attainable luxury in mind, our collection includes traditional designs with modern touches, cute as a button velvet cocktail chairs, a contemporary linen range and chic ottomans. Our designs stand out in avant-garde interiors as well as accentuating calmer spaces. You may have even seen our Eversley in emerald green featuring very recently on Renovate Don’t Relocate hosted by Sarah Beeny. Although we thrive when we’re in full-on design mode, we also adoringly curate accent furniture to embellish our own designs such as coffee tables, side tables, storage trunks and butler trays. Because why wouldn’t you want a butler tray in your life?! The Julian Joseph collection can be viewed here: https://www.julian-joseph.com/

After much daydreaming of owning a business, we took the plunge and left bustling Shanghai behind and headed to rural South China, known for furniture production. We immersed ourselves in the world of manufacturing and after six swelteringly humid months returned home. Hannah and Luke currently manage the U.S. side of the business based in Texas whilst Louise and Mike oversee operations in the U.K. and Europe. And voila. That’s Julian Joseph. www.julian-joseph.com

Julian Joseph is made up of Hannah and Luke Silver and Louise and Mike Cronin. In 2012 Hannah and Luke moved from Texas to Shanghai and coincidentally Louise and Mike left Blighty also bound for the bright lights of Shanghai. Thanks to fate and good fortune we all enrolled at the same Mandarin school and it was instant friendship between both couples. Hannah and Louise soon discovered a mutual love for interiors. It became clear that between the four of us our experience spanned interior design, marketing, manufacturing and finance.

Giveaway! Here is your chance to win one of thee beautiful chairs. WHAT TO DO? Subscribe for free at www. thefrankmagazine.com and look out for our EMAIL for a chance to WIN! www.thefrankmagazine.com

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L O V E S

B E A U T I F U L

T H I N G S

WRITE DOWN YOUR THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS Discover the real you in this journal/journey of self-discovery! What is it that you really want to say? What is it that you truly want to do? With prompts and exercises to facilitate honest self-enquiry, and space in which to express your inner thoughts and feelings. Allow yourself to explore the type of person you wish to be, expanding your potential and challenging yourself to grow in the process.

MY MINDFULNESS JOURNAL £4.00 KIKKI.K INSPIRATION JOURNAL MINDFULNESS £21.00 www.thefrankmagazine.com

VINEGAR HILL FORWARD THINKING JOURNAL £14.99

THE KINDNESS CO-OP Pack of six kindness cards £4.00

THE WELLBEING JOURNAL £4.00

KIKKI.K MY DAILY THOUGHTS JOURNAL SELF £16.00

''Write down your thoughts and feelings to understand them more clearly''

Frank Magazine June July 2020

Articles inside

Clean Beauty

Mourning the Mother I Would Never Be