Monthly Archives: January 2015

Joo Yeon Sir in Concert at St Martin’s in the Fields 9th January by Margaret Graham

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Some years ago I was honoured to be invited to speak at the commemoration  of Vera Brittain’s life, at St. Martin’s in the Fields. I was delighted to pay homage to the author of Testament of Youth, (soon to be released as a film) who wrote with an eye to the social and political context of the time, as indeed do I. So, on went the hat, and off I went.

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In the front pews were the great and the good, rewardingly attentive. At the back, secure in the knowledge they were welcome at St. Martin’s whatever else was going on, were the sleeping, snoring homeless. St. Martin’s has endeared itself to me ever since; with its balance of religion, and community.

 

Part of this ethos had led, 65 years ago, to the free lunchtime concerts. At last I caught one, featuring Joo Yeon Sir and what a treat.

JooYeonSir Joo Yeon Sir  photograph by www.benjaminharte.com

 

Joo Yeon Sir (violin), acclaimed and award winning Korean born British violinist, has performed as soloist, recitalist and chamber musician at major venues across the UK. At the concert on 9th January she was accompanied by Russian born Irina Andrievshy .So there I was, sitting in St. Martin’s again: did it disappoint?

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Absolutely not, it was a tour de force.

 

As I sat towards the back, pre-concert, admiring the East Window created by Shirazeh Houshiary and Pip Horne with its etched mouth blown clear glass, I wondered if St Martin’s ethos of ‘all welcome’ still held good; especially in such a full house. Then I heard it… A homeless gentleman sitting in a pew across from me, asking where was God, loudly, and then rather more vehemently where the …. was he? Security arrived, a kindly security, who had a little chat, and the visitor left, amicably, to return halfway through the concert. A frisson ran round our area. He plonked himself in a congested pew, (they all were) getting everyone to shove up, and then settled to listen to the marvelous music, along with the rest of us. Perfection at all levels  – again.

 

Joo Leon Sir had chosen to open the concert with Grave in style of F. Bach. I’m a great weeper when listening to the violin, because I find it the most beautiful of instruments, if played well. It was played, more than well, so things became blurred. What enhanced the piece was the glorious building. Both the playing and the architecture inspired awe.

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Then it was the Sonata No 3 in C minor for Violin and Piano, which was beautifully and empathetically imagined and finally a Concert Fantasy on Gershwin’s Opera ‘Porgy and Bess’, which was cheeky, energetic and as haunting, as Gershwin always is.

Joo Yeon Sir plays not just with her fingers, but her whole body. She is a joy to listen to, and to watch. So, take the upcoming opportunity: Joo Yeon performs all ten of Beethoven’s sonatas for violin and piano, in a series of four rush-hour recitals at the Royal College of Music, starting 3rd March.

Again, all recitals are free but tickets are required from the RCM Box Office. 020 7591 4314/ www.rcm.ac.uk/events  Royal College of Music, Prince Consort Road, SW7 2BS.

Ariella Announced As Exclusive Sponsor Of Hollywood Red Carpet Awards Events On UK SKY And E! Channels

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 Ariella logo

UK fashion brand Ariella takes over as the official and exclusive sponsor of all the Hollywood Red Carpet Awards events on UK SKY and E! channels throughout 2015.

The coverage includes The Oscars, The Grammies, The Emmys, The Golden Globe Awards and many more.

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Ariella is the leading UK brand for cocktail, evening and special occasion wear. Founded in the swinging sixties in Carnaby St London, the brand has won wide acclaim, numerous Fashion awards and continues to grow ever stronger, creating irresistible fantasies in fashion.

Ariella website

Ariella is proud to announce that they are the UK TV sponsor for the following Award ceremonies and TV programmes in 2015 including The Oscars, Live from the Red Carpet, Fashion Police, Who wore it Better, Screen Actors Guild, Golden Globes, Emmys, Grammys, American Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards and People’s Choice Awards.

Ariella has produced a stunning advertising campaign as part of the sponsorship deal which sees ‘ARIELLA The Home of Red Carpet Fashion’ feature on Sky Network (all Sky channels), Sky Movies – Oscars channel, Sky Living, Sky News, Sky One, E!, Movies 24, Universal Channel and Syfy

You can see the advertisements air this weekend with the Golden Globes coverage.

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Do you remember seeing this dress?

Darcey Bussell wore Ariella Couture’s “Angelina” dress as judge on Halloween night on the hit BBC One show “Strictly Come Dancing”

Darcey looked stunning on the Strictly judging panel alongside Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli and Craig Revel, with Darcey choosing couture from London designers Ariella.

Darcey wore the “Angelina“, an asymmetric black, liquid effect sequined gown.

www.ariella.com

An Elegant Subject To Brooch…

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The brooch is making a comeback for SS15 and Bentley & Skinner have some of the finest and unique pieces in the world.

Finally we can re-embrace the incredible versatility of the brooch.

For SS15, the brooch has been seen in the collections of Chanel, Céline and Oscar de la Renta, to name a few.

A brooch can accent any outfit and the range of designs is practically limitless.

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By Royal Appointment to HRH Queen Elizabeth II and HRH Price of Wales and somewhat of a secret celebrity favourite, Bentley & Skinner brooches are used extensively for high-end glossy magazine shoots and

are available to purchase through their website.

Beautiful pearls, diamonds and enamels exquisitely set into gold and silver, modern delights and antique treasures.

Prices range from £1,250 to £225,000

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For further information, contact:

http://www.bentley-skinner.co.uk/catalog/categories/antique-period-jewellery/brooches-pins

http://www.bentley-skinner.co.uk/catalog/categories/modern-jewellery/brooches-pins

Amanda Seyfried: Being ‘Overweight’ Has Affected My Acting Career

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Want to know how hard it is to be an actress? Then just look at how slim Amanda Seyfried is and then read her tweet below.

The Mean Girls actress went on to say in an interview with Elle UK.: “I don’t have to look like a supermodel. I don’t have to have those abs, the camera doesn’t see that. But because we have all been designed to want these things, I’m a victim of this stuff, too. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t constantly aware of what I’m doing with my body.”

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It is very disappointing that Hollywood, and the media in general, cannot get over their cookie cutter one-size-fits-all view of beauty. Amanda Seyfried is not ‘overweight’. I understand that you have to be in shape and healthy to act and the camera really does add 10 pounds, but the world would be a truly horrible world if we all looked the same. Hollywood: take note.

If you are an actor then check out my book How To Be a Successful Actor: Becoming an Actorpreneur. It is available in print and in all eBook formats on both Smashwords and Amazon. It has had 5 five star reviews. 

Italian Festival – Come With Me & Meet Bafana By Amanda Brake, Frost’s Le Marche correspondent

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6th January Italian Festival – Come with me and meet Bafana.  By Amanda Brake, Frost’s Le Marche correspondent.

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We got up early on this glorious morning to do our normal hour of chopping wood for the fires. We have two fires.  One heats the radiators, the other heats the hot water and is situated in the centre of our house keeping us warm. Our chopping and other chores finished, we relaxed, seduced by the warmth into staying inside. By mid-afternoon it really was time for us to kit up, and find where Bafana may be flying. But hang on, we were all feeling too cosy to adventure out into the cold, so stayed put for yet half hour.

Finally, shaking off our reluctance, we hurried into coats and boots, and we set off for our small town of Amandola . By the time we arrived things were just about getting started; in fact witches were everywhere.

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There were many activities: balloon blowing, drawing for the children who created many and varied pictures of Bafana and over it all,  music played. The walk had warmed us and we were all in the party mood as the atmosphere became more and more lively. As well as the games, which had begun for the kids, many of the girls had dressed as Befana,  the witch.

It was a shame our boys were too shy to join at first but as more arrived and joined in the festivities so did they.  Toys and sweets were finally given to all the children, and the band played their music into the night until reluctantly, we headed home.

3italySo what is this festival? In Italy the festival is known as La Befana after the legendary old woman who delivers gifts on her broomstick. She is said to visit children on the eve of January 6 to fill their socks with sweets and presents if they have been good or a lump of coal or dark candy if they have been bad.

4italyThere are many versions. In Milan, authorities set up what they touted as the world’s longest Epiphany stocking – two kilometres long, it was made with thread derived from recycled bottles in the colours of this year’s world’s fair, Milan Expo 2015.

In Venice, a regatta is held in the Grand Canal with rowers dressed up as old women competing for best costume.
In Rome’s Piazza Navona, the holiday is focused on children with activities aimed at kids and the arrival of the three kings on horseback.
In the seafaring port city of Genoa, the Befana arrives on a water scooter, and Befana divers deposit a crown on the sea floor near Gallinara Island. Florence celebrates with a procession down the Arno River by 100 vessels from the city’s rowing club, while in Naples fire fighters organize a feast for children that also taught them about fire safety. In the southern city of Brindisi, the Hellenic Community carries out a traditional blessing of the port.

We look forward to next year’s local Bafana, at which we will meet our friends, and welcome in the New Year.  I do hope that 2015 is a good one for all Frost readers.

 

 

Return Ticket To Ireland Please by Wendy Breckon

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The year is 1968, September, in the gentle mist on the dark, dark, sea.  There I stand, age fifteen, on the top deck, watching the twinkling lights of Belfast harbour slowly vanishing.  With an Ulster accent, a case crammed full of Irish potato bread and some ‘cracking’ memories, I am on my way to England’s green and pleasant land.

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My return visits over the years have been frequent and much documented.  Lingering walks by Loch Neigh, and gazing upon the beautiful Mourne Mountains.  Ambling through Carlingford in search of the perfect Irish coffee.  Following the haunting sound of the fiddle and an Irish voice or two to the nearest pub.

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There is one place though that is more than magical.  The small village of my roots,  Scarva, (Scarbhach in Irish), in County Down.  It is placed on the map beside County Armagh and marked by the Newry canal.

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Visitors come by bike or foot, or the humble motor car, to relax by the water, to take refreshments or maybe like me, to people watch with a notebook not too far away.  It’s a delightful way to spend a day.

My grandparents lived in a cottage with a small holding up a nearby lane.  They grappled with mucky pigs, squawking hens, belligerent cows and needy sheep.  Paradise!. Eventually they moved down to the village in the main street minus the livestock and the early hours.  Here their new window on the world gave me many opportunities for writing a story or two., but I missed the early sound of the cockerel and the clanking of the milk churns. though I’m sure they didn’t.

In search of nostalgia, I recently revisited the now tumbled down and derelict Drumilla Cottage where the seeds of my writing first appeared.  There it was … a crumbling reminder of a childhood spent amongst the fields and lanes of the delightful County Down.

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We decided to take the winding road to Portadown, eight miles from Scarva in County Armagh.  This used to be a small market town in the fifties and sixties, where I attended secondary school, Portadown College, until the age of fifteen.

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One of the defining moments for me will always be the morning that Mary Peters (our ex Head Girl) hid behind the curtain on the school stage.  Curious?  So were we young first years.  She had recently won a medal for Great Britain and Northern Ireland in the Pentathlon, so how on earth did she have the time to be here?

“Well, I’m sure you have no idea who is behind the curtain children?”  Said our headmaster, mischievously.

“Could it be Jesus Christ sir?” said a brave lad in the front row.

Mary appeared with her warm, friendly grin clutching her medal. Everyone cheered.

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“Go for what you want in life.  Aim high.  Never give up” she told us with great passion.  We all nodded like a hundred puppy dogs in the back of a vintage camper van.

Later that morning, Mary visited my cookery class to judge a pastry rolling competition.

“Now then class, who can roll the longest piece of pastry for our local champion and there’s a prize …”.

I was off… the class were completely mesmerised.  The long, thin, discoloured snake of pastry touched the ground, sweeping up the fluff at the bottom.

“And the shilling goes to Wendy, it’s a  really good effort.  Well done”.

“But it’s a wee bit dirty miss,” said one girl in a disgruntled manner.

“Colour doesn’t matter dear.  It’s all about the attitude”, said the teacher passing me the shilling.

Mary Peters kissed me on the cheek and I got to hold the shiny medal.

As the car ambles through the winding roads on the way back to the ferry, there was much laughter as I recall this and other moments, to him beside me.  We both agree, not just because I was born there, that Ireland is magical, mystical and magnificent.  If you haven’t been before why not cross over the Irish Sea this year.  Drive to the North or to the South for a short while or even longer.  Just say, “RETURN TICKET TO IRELAND PLEASE”.

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Lyme From The Outside…By Philippa Brewer

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We decided we needed a post Christmas escape to shift the lethargy that settles in between the over indulgence of Christmas and the start of the new year: I suggested Lyme Regis.

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I’ve visited Lyme several times, so I thought I knew what to expect: a beautiful English beach resort, basically unspoilt but with just enough kitsch to keep everyone happy.  If you’ve been to Fowey in Cornwall, Lyme has a similar feel but is closer to London – and has (a key factor where I’m concerned) a good deal more vegetarian food.

I was looking forward to it until I tried to book into a hotel.

There was literally no room at the inn: every guesthouse and hotel in Lyme declared no vacancies loud and clear. I remembered the received wisdom that holiday towns are dead from October till the end of April: clearly this meant that even the guest house owners and hoteliers had shut up for the winter and headed for sunnier climes. Trying to put this to the back of my mind (after all, we could still enjoy ourselves walking on deserted beeches, couldn’t we?), I eventually managed to reserve a room in Illminster, Somereset, some 12 miles inland.

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So it was that on the 28th December 2014, we headed for the West Country, wondering what would we do in deserted Lyme? And even more importantly, what could we eat?

For those not familiar with the town, there are many, many interesting small and medium sized shops, tea houses galore, restaurants, a quaint old cinema, the beautiful cob and beach. We loved Ilminster but nonetheless we headed to Lyme. It was a beautiful day, and to our utter surprise the town was full to bursting and everything was open.

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We took our breakfast next morning in the beachfront cafe, sitting outside warmly wrapped up against the sea breeze, but in the sun; at the end of December, in England.

We strolled around the town, walked on the beach. Everywhere was busy, everyone was enjoying the sunshine. But I was still puzzled: how had the businesses known that there would be good weather and that it would be worth their while opening? When we stopped for lunch, I asked our waiter. Apparently, Christmas in Lyme is always lovely and always busy: all the businesses know it and cater accordingly.

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So now we know. I love living near London most of the time – but every so often a trip to a place like Lyme is a real tonic – I’ll just need to remember to book early next time.  Definitely the place for a winter weekend break.

 

 

 

The Queensbury Pub and Dining, Willesden Green

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In the cold air as we walked up to The Queensbury, the decorative lights and laughs from within welcomed and warmed us inside where we were led to the back of the pub to the separate and more formal dining area.

As we were seated, in my head, I kept saying ‘mirror, mirror on the wall’ as one side was wholly decorated with retro mirrors while the back of the room featured wallpaper with rows upon rows of faces. The interior was homely and relaxing and the guests kept coming in throughout the evening to be wined and dined.

1) internal shot gin cured salmon with cucumber relish, caper berries & lemon dressing crispy butternut squash and ricotta risotto balls with pine nuts & sage butter lamb & vegetable stew with colcannon mash

I started off with the crispy butternut squash and ricotta risotto balls with pine nuts and sage butter (£6.50). They were beautifully presented as a trio on the plate, and the individual bundles were surrounded by the sage butter and the flecks of pine nuts.

Perfectly brown and crispy on the outside, inside the risotto rice was sticky and was speckled with a whisper of butternut squash that added a hint of fleshy sweetness.

My fiancé went for the gin cured salmon with cucumber relish, caper berries and lemon dressing (£7.45). The dish was beautifully smoked and the deep-orange slithers had a tangy, moist texture which complemented well against the bitter taste of the capers.

He then plumped for the slow cooked lamb and vegetable stew with colcannon mash (£12.95) from the specials menu. It was a hearty meal delicately spiced and the lamb was very tender. The distinctive smell of the meat was masked by the herbs and spices and the colcannon mash, an old Irish recipe, was sweet, smooth and sour all at the same time.

seared pheasant breast and confit leg with spiced cabbage sweet potato rosti & juniper jus pear bakewell cheesecake with a mulled berry compote sticky toffee pudding with butterscotch sauce & vanilla ice cream

Hoping to be a bit more adventurous, I ordered the seared pheasant breast and confit leg with spiced cabbage sweet potato rosti and a juniper jus (£13.95). The pheasant, a slightly darker, gamier meat to its competitor, the chicken, was again presented perfectly. The deep red of the tangy, soft cabbage against the deep green crispy kale was both pleasant on the eye and on the palette.

For dessert, we ordered the pear bakewell cheesecake with a mulled berry compote (£6.50) and a sticky toffee pudding with butterscotch sauce and vanilla ice cream (£6.50). Every mouthful of the sticky toffee pudding was deliciously wicked and sweet and the blueberries added little bursts of sharpness cutting the sugary rush. The cheesecake was a refreshing twist to the cold American classic and you could really taste the grainy flavour of the pears.

Throughout our three courses, Saul, the assistant manager and our waiter for the evening, was polite, friendly and knowledgeable.

We don’t venture out much to north London as we live in the south east, but we had a lovely evening at The Queensbury. The voices and laugher remained as we made our way back to the station heading for home.