me and my wardrobe lesley keneally - the …clients.thisisthenortheast.co.uk/ne_monthly/pdfs/ne...2...

The Northern Echo

The lifestyle magazinefor the North-East

JANUARY 2004

GARDENINGNew Year’sresolutions

ME AND MYWARDROBELesley Keneally

FITNESSGet into gearfor 2004

INTERIORS SHOPPING GADGETS BEAUTY FASHION

Telephone Bishop Auckland 01388 458088

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2 January 2004 Online: www.thisisthenortheast.co.uk

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magazine

SHARON GRIFFITHSThe alternativetourist’s seasonINTERIORSJust take a butcher’sSIX OF THE BESTHands-free mobile phonesSHOPPINGThe twins who sellbridal wearGARDENINGThis year I shall makea big effort to...DIYNew Year, new layoutFASHIONGrown-up dresses forsophisticated womenME AND MYWARDROBEKate Saint

BEAUTYBarbara’s bespokebeauty productsMOTORINGCruising withChryslerGADGET MANWhat will behot in 2004FOODThe public house virginsFITNESSHow to get fit on holidayNE CONNECTIONSSailing into endless summerCOFFEE TIMECrossword and puzzles, PLUS thechance to win a luxury night away atCrathorne Hall

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3January 2004 Online: www.thisisthenortheast.co.uk

sharon griffiths

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FUNNY month January. On the onehand you’ve made all thoseresolutions about eating healthilyand joining the gym, or swimming

before breakfast and walking to work.And on the other hand, there are still

some of those delicious Christmas chocsleft, not to mention a chunk of Christmascake and a bottle or two.

Meanwhile, it’s still dark for so long andjust as you’re snuggling into a nice warmcomforting jumper, thinking that maybehibernation is a very clever idea, thetelevision is full of holiday ads and thebrochures are thudding through the door.

Time to go travelling...Not just in the summer, but now. Right

now. Before you eat another slice ofleftover Christmas cake that you don’treally want.

January and February aren’t just thetime to go long haul, seeking sun – verynice though that may be. This is the idealtime for seeing cities, especially citiesclose to home.

Think about it. From Easter onwardscities are full of tourists with backpackspushing you off the pavement. In theautumn they’re full of Christmas shopperswith bulging shopping bags that push youoff the pavements. If you go then, youdon’t actually see the city – just thecrowds.

You might, if you’re very lucky, sneak aweek between those two – but then youmeet all the other people who had thesame bright idea. Or you hit half term andall is chaos.

So, once the sales are over, now’s thetime to go.

Cities are best in winter, when you needa constant supply of shops and galleriesfor distraction, and plenty of cafes, barsand restaurants to dive into when it startsto rain or snow. And in winter, you caneven get a seat. Waiters look pleased to seeyou. Now there’s a novelty.

Doesn’t matter if it gets dark early,because everywhere’s all lit up, which alladds to the general cheeriness.

You needn’t go far. York is always betterin the winter. If you haven’t been to theBaltic in Gateshead and walked over theblinking eye bridge to Newcastle, then now

is the time. Have you seen how Leeds haschanged in the last five years? And HarveyNicks is always worth a visit.

London last January was bizarre. Theplace was deserted. Partly because it wasJanuary and partly because theAmericans had just seen TV pictures oftanks at Heathrow and decided to stay athome. But what made it really strange wasthat there were no queues. I walkedstraight into the Royal Academy and wasable to wander around looking atexhibitions in perfect peace. Afterwards Istrolled over to Fortnums and not only wasthere no queue, but the only other peopletaking tea were an Italian family, andactress Sheila Hancock (who really doeshave the most amazing cheekbones).

But it was wonderful. No queuing, nobarging, no waiting. It was London as itwas meant to be. A bit like a RichardCurtis film really. I almost expected HughGrant to come leaping up the steps.

One summer in Florence I queued fortwo hours to get into the Uffizi Gallery.The day was hot and sticky and as weshuffled forward in the sun, I thought Iwas going to faint and by the time I got inthere were so many sweaty bodies betweenme and the paintings that I hardly saw athing. But in February, not only did I nothave to queue, but I had entire rooms tomyself. Talk about privileged...

Venice was eerie and empty – just meand the pigeons in St Mark’s Square. Itdoesn’t smell so much in the winter either.

And in Canterbury, I wandered into thecathedral just as a visiting choir wasstarting a rehearsal. For the handful ofother visitors there that day, it was asplendid free concert.

We think of going on outings in thesummer. But, especially if we have asummer like last year, if it’s hot andsunny, it hardly seems worth leaving yourown garden, much too much effort in theheat. If you do get out, the last place youwant to be in summer is on hot, crowdedcity pavements.

But now is the perfect time to cheeryourself up with a little spot of cityspotting.

Just do it quickly – before everyone elsehas the same idea.

�In winterwaiters lookpleased tosee you.

Now there’sa novelty...

IF you’re looking for a talking point forthe home this year, leading traditionalfurniture maker Hepple may have theanswer – a luxurious ostrich hidechair. The Hexham-based firm, theonly furniture company in the countryto use ostrich hide, produces a stylishcontemporary version of a traditionaltub chair – perfect for lounging in –called the Ingram.

Beautifully finished in this luxuriousand unusual leather, the Ingram isdefinitely a gentleman’s chair as MikeBottomley, from Hepple, explains.

“This design is favoured by menand has been popular withGentlemen’s Clubs around thecountry,” he says. “It is an incrediblycomfortable chair with acontemporary look that is perfectlysuited for general lounging in front ofthe TV, or in a games room or study.It really will last for life.”

Built using a kiln-dried beechframe, the chair is made usingtraditional methods – hand-tied

springs, webbed base, horse-hair andlambs wool all feature. The seat areaand arms are covered in ostrich hidewith a contrast fabric, usually suede,on the outside. The chair is finishedwith individual French nailed antiquedstuds, which are available in brass ornickel finish.

The ostrich hide comes in a rangeof colours, from all shades of brownto black. The chair costs from£1,850. For further information callHepple on 01434 602 260 or visitwww.hepple.co.uk

LOUNGE IN LUXURY

THE Scandinavian blondwoods have always beenIKEA’s trademark, butthis year Scandinaviancraft and design havetaken on a more colourfullook at the store.

This bright, folksy blanketreminds us of the ice and snowaround at this time of year, but

in fiery red,is perfect to

cosy up in. TheNordic-style Ellen Sno Blanketcosts £19 from IKEA.

BLANKET COVERAGE

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interiors IN ASSOCIATION WITH

THERE is house proud and there ishouse proud and as DeniseAshcroft shows off the “before”while standing in the “after” it iseasy to see why she is so pleased

with herself.An album of photographs reveals the

potential she spotted in a rundown farmhouse in County Durham 15 years ago.The stone-built Grade II listed building,dating back to the 18th century, was aruin. The previous occupant, an elderlylady, lived her final days in the only habit-able bedroom.

“The roof was full of holes and one daywe found an upstairs bedroom covered ina layer of snow,” recalls Denise, of AycliffeVillage, near Darlington. “It was horrendous, you couldn’t live in it, every-thing was rotten. There was no electricity,the gas was condemned as dangerous andit was full of obsolete appliances. But wefell in love with it as soon as we saw it aswe could see the potential.”

Fifteen years on and it’s a differentstory, a different century, a differenthouse. What began as a £44,000 shell, thesad remnant of an old butcher’s shop, hasbeen transformed by Denise and her husband David into a characterful modernhome which has just been valued at£300,000.

It’s an achievement they can both beproud of because they did the lion’s shareof the work themselves. “I did all the decorating. My dad and uncle used to bepainters and decorators and they taughtme. Dave is a quantity and building surveyor and is quite knowledgeableabout the trade. He’s a very patient manand rewired the whole house using

instruction manuals. If he got stuck heasked advice from friends who were electricians. He also took every bit ofrender off the outside to reveal thestonework and made all the architraveand skirting boards himself. I am good atmaking lists of things we needed to buy. Ithen went around comparing prices andit’s amazing how much money you cansave by shopping around.”

Even doing the bulk of the work themselves, the transformation has costmore than £70,000. “Still, if you are prepared to live in a mess, it can be amoney-maker,” she says. “But we didn’tget into it for profit, we did it for ourselves.”

Tug on the metal bell pull on the outsideof the house and the solid front door willbe opened revealing a home of manythemes. Turn right from the hallway intothe front room and the visitor enters asmall part of Asia. “We got married out inHong Kong and honeymooned in Bali, Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia, buyingourselves presents in every place,” saysDenise. These now reside in the front

Just take abutcher’s...

Doing up a house can be aworthwhile experience in termsof personal rewards and financial gain. IAN LAMMINGlooks through the keyhole of afamily home transformed from aderelict shop

An aerial view of the house, far left. Main picture: Denise in the sitting room

CHAMELEONMIRRORS


� Thinking

back,

there are bad

memories

and we got

very stressed

at times but

we would

definitely do

it all again

room where Chinese dogs and lions viewith ginger jars, bamboo lamps and adragon rug to provide the Asian effect. Inone corner, under a light coating of mist,sits a feng shui water feature ofgreenery, rocks and bubbling fountain. “Ihad a car accident and hurt my neck andback. The water feature helps me relax,”explains Denise.

Indonesian-style carved double doorslead from the lounge to the playroom, aformer tool shed, now part of the house.Behind one door sits a downstairs loo –but mind your head – behind another, atiny office area, while french doors leadout on to a patio.

Across the hall lies the dining room,quintessentially olde worlde to fit in withthe age of the house, and sporting solid,chunky wooden furniture. There’s a pianoand a Delft rack, an old Singer sewing machine, original shutters and a solidwooden chest. The room is dominated by astone fireplace and log burner, while it islit by two iron chandeliers.

Move deeper into the house to find thekitchen, which is pure farmhouse-style.“We can’t stand electrical appliances onshow so everything is hidden away to be inkeeping with the house,” Denise says.Stone floors, the original range, a Belfastsink, butcher’s block, a cartwheel, exposed

Continued on page 6The kitchen, where all modern appliances are hidden away, and the olde worlde dining room


Continued from page 5

timbers and sold wooden fittings give itthe right atmosphere. Outside the backdoor is a walled garden featuring wishingwell and stone toolshed, a suntrap in thesummer, says Denise.

Wide stairs lead past an attractivearched landing window to the upstairs. Onthe wall is an old deed saying the housewas sold in 1873 for £1,400. The bathroomis pure decadence with opulent black tilesand a huge corner Jacuzzi, a cornershower and large basin. “The walls wereso uneven we used ten buckets of grout toput on the tiles,” recalls Denise.

The master bedroom has an Africantheme with photographs of warriorsadorning the walls, along with woodenmasks and a picture of a witch doctor. Themiddle bedroom reveals 21-year-olddaughter Louise’s love of dance with amassive mirror and barre on one wall. Thethird bedroom belongs to Samantha, five,and is like entering a jungle with a canopyof leaves covering the ceiling, elephantand monkey mural and the radiatortransformed into a jungle jeep.

Climb the precipitous space saver stairsto the attic and the family games room isreached, packed with bar, fruit machine,snooker table and darts board. “We havehad some good times up here,” saysDenise. “You have to be careful with thestairs, though I’ve only fallen down themonce.”

All told it’s a miraculoustransformation, the album of ‘before’pictures telling a remarkable story of 15years toil to make a house to be proud of.“Thinking back, there are bad memoriesand we got very stressed at times but wewould definitely do it all again,” saysDenise.

Just as well, as she might have to – thefamily is considering moving north to benearer David’s office.

Pictures: MIKE GIBB

Top left: Louise’s bedroom with dancing barre and mirror; centreleft, the games room at the top of the house; left, the masterbedroom. Above: five-year-old Samantha’s jungle-themed room

Pure indulgence: black tiles and a huge corner Jacuzzi dominate the bathroom


OF THE

BEST6HANDS-FREE PHONES

WATCH out folks, it’s now a specificoffence to use a hand-held mobile phonein a moving vehicle. The penalty will be a£30 fixed penalty or up to £1,000 onconviction in court. For a detailedexplanation of the new law, check outwww.lawontheweb.co.uk but in themeantime, it’s time we all took heed andinvested in a safer way of using ourmobile phones. Here’s a selection of thebest solutions on offer:

SPEAKING SPEAKERPama Clip n’Go (£19.99)A simple solution to theproblem of holding your mobilephone. This unit uses anacoustic clip which goeson your handsetand amplifiesthrough aseparate speaker.Just plug it in to your cigarlighter with its in-car holder and mosthandset users will find this one compatible.

BLUETOOTH BANTERJabra Bluetooth Headset(£49.99)

A stylish headset that allowsyou to use your mobile

without any wires, whether it’sin your bag or in its car-holder.Buttons on the headset let you pick

up and put down calls. If yourphone has voice-activation,you can even dial numbers

without touching your handset.

CRYSTALCLEAR CHATPamaProfessionalCarkit(£59.99, or£99.99 withinstallation)For the clearestconversations you can’t beat a properlyinstalled car kit.Your handset continues to charge whilst inthe hands-free cradle and when it rings theradio mutes and your caller’s voice comesthrough your in-car speakers – smart stuff.

RABBIT LIKE A PARROTPama Plug n’Go (£39.99)Simply plug this strange-looking

unit into your cigar lighterand it acts as a microphone,

speaker and charger. Anabsolute breeze to install but

only compatible with certainhandsets.

STANDARD SOLUTIONBasic Personal hands-free kits (pricesvary)These units are sometimes supplied withhandsets and basically act like Walkmanheadphones. The real trouble with these isthat to comply with the new laws you willneed to use them with an in-car cradle asyou can’t hold your mobile at all – a cheapersolution for those of you with more than onecar perhaps.

KING OF THE ROAD Motorola Bluetooth (£99.99)At the top end of the hands-free market is this Bluetoothset. Compatible with allBluetooth phones, thistechnology has been waitingfor this kind of law to bepassed before it reallystarted to get noticed.

All products available fromwww.carphonewarehouse.com or call 0808100 9250

NOT only do the flickeringflames of a fire bring a roomalive, particularly in thedepths of winter, but it alsoprovides a warming and

soothing focal point.No stylish home is complete without

one and there’s never been a widerchoice. So if you feel you’ve missed outthis season, take your pick from thehuge variety and get it installed in thewarmer months.

If your taste is chic and modern,Bedale-based CVO Firevault isrenowned for its elegant, decorativedesigns which include golden bowls offlame, rippling trays of fire, or a single,striking iridescent flame.

The company probably became bestknown for the Firebowl and the Slit andSlab, a letter box type opening in a wall,which can glow with flame and is idealfor that minimalist space. One of theirmost popular new models is the FireRibbon, which is a stunning centrepiecein itself. It costs £4,250 plus installation.

And if you have no chimney – noproblem. CVO’s new Flueless collectionburns so cleanly that there is no needfor a chimney or catalytic converter.Alternatively, there is the Gel Flamevessel or pod, which burns organic gel.The pod costs £995, and a completeinstallation including the box andhearth is £4,495. Gell pots are £3 eachand burn for around three hours.

Company founder, Durham-bornCarolyn Van Outersterp says: ‘‘Thetrend for simple designs continues butthere are more glamorous touches thisseason. Glossy and reflective materialsfor the surrounds and fire holdersaccentuate the natural beauty of theflames. Sleek, polished surrounds lendthemselves to both contemporary andclassic interiors.’

“We live in the North-East, wherethere has always been a strong traditionof manufacturing, and we have usedmuch of the heritage of the region – theshipbuilding and foundry castingtraditions – in our designs,” saysChristian Van Outersterp.

The company now sells to owners of

multi-million pound properties inLondon and abroad, and pictures ofCVO fires appear in all the top interiormagazines and glossy Sundaysupplements.

Diligence is another company withstyles that make a burning impression.It has a collection of more than 40 Focuspieces, with gas and solid fuel options,which are made to order. They can becentrally positioned, wall and cornermounted, built in or – perhaps theultimate statement – the rotating,podlike Bathyscafocus. From £1,500.

If you really feel experimental there isa beautiful fire, The Urchin by sculptorCathy Burkeman. It resembles the seacreature in shape and fire licks throughthe spokes creating a constantlychanging fire picture. It is one in herseries of ‘hot rod’ fires and costs from£1,250.

Chesney’s originally made itsreputation restoring antique fireplacesbut is now famous for its huge andstylish collection of both original andreproduction traditional surrounds andfires. It also has an interestingcontemporary collection. Owner PaulChesney says: ‘‘We are finding thatpeople are turning away from just thathole-in-the-wall look, which appearsbrilliant in a magazine but can be a little

bleak and harsh to live with.”His latest fireplace, the Burlington, is

intended for those looking for a designwith timeless appeal. It is in handcarved limestone and costs from £1,468.

Fireplace manufacturers, Elgin &Hall, of Hunton, near Bedale, havelaunched a bespoke service forcustomers who want a unique fireplacecreated to their own design.

The company already offers morethan 60 different finishes for theirfireplaces but this will take the processeven further. Janet Stevens, designdirector says: ‘‘Customers can bringalong three samples of colours andtextures from their room to one of ourdealerships. Our designers will take intoaccount the room’s dimensions and themood people are seeking and produce achoice of three looks.’’

A fire surround created using theservice will cost between £100 to £175more than a standard surround.

British Gas also has a wide andaffordable collection of contemporaryand classic mantels and surrounds withfires to match.

Finally, don’t neglect the humblestove. It is making a comeback becauseit’s a good looking alternative to a gas orelectric fire. Morso, the Danish creatorsof cast iron gas and solid fuel stoves,offer a wide selection of sleek modelsthat take it a world away from its basicand historical origins.

So turn the lights down low, keep thetemperature up and enjoy a chill freestyle-hot sanctuary this winter.

CVO Firevault. Call: (01748) 821708; (01677)450111 or visit www.cvo.co.ukElgin & Hall. Call: 01677 450100/www.elgin.co.uk.Diligence, 22 East Street, Ashburton. Call:01364 654 716 or visitwww.diligenceinternational.comChesney’s. Call: 020 7627 1410 or visitwww.chesneys.co.ukMorso is part of Baxi Fires who produce Baxiand Valor. Call: 0845 601 0836 orwww.firesandstoves.me.ukFor advice call the National Fireplace Association0121-200 1310 or Corgi on (01256)372200/www.corgi-gas.com

The future of firecraftPut simply, fires are hot property again. GABRIELLE FAGAN reports

Clockwise from above: Burlingtonsurround from Chesney’s; theUrchin by Cathy Burkeman; theOrchid from CV0, costing £4,500and which doesn’t need a chimneyor catalytic converter

The Agorafocus 630 from Diligence,which costs £3,499


WHAT little girl doesn’tdream of her wedding day– and what could moreimportant on that daythan her dress? We’ve all

fantasised about the moment the organstarts playing, all eyes turn to the back ofthe church and we begin the walk up theaisle, radiant in the most exquisite gown.But finding the perfect dress isn’t easy,largely because of the bewilderinglylarge array on offer. Even Princess Diana,with a huge army of advisers at herdisposal, later said she regrettedchoosing her voluminous, fairytaleprincess gown.

But twins Nicola and Paula McDonaldare helping brides-to-be to find theirdream dress. The 30-year-olds, neither ofwhom is married, have just opened theirsecond Wedding Essentials store, thistime in Newcastle.

The shop is a former art gallery, withan arched window, mirrored by arches atthe back of the store that are vaguelysuggestive of a church setting. The roomis long and narrow, and the walls arelined with rails of dresses in traditionalwhites and creams as well as soft pinks,blues and reds. Some are sleek, column

dresses, others full and traditional withlong trains. They are embellished withdelicate beadwork, sequins andembroidery

The first shop opened in Sunderlandthree-and-a-half years ago and hasattracted customers from across theregion.

Nicola says: “We looked around at thecompetition and found out what wasavailable for brides. We realised that mostpeople in the industry were a lot olderthan we were. We are probably more ofthe age of the brides and can relate moreto their interests. We also found therewas a gap in the market for something abit more personal.”

Both sisters have a background inretail. Nicola worked for Dixons forseveral years, while Paula had jobs withvarious companies. Their experience hasbeen invaluable in running their ownbusiness and they have already wonawards but opening in Newcastle takesthe twins into uncharted territory.

“I think we know our customers inSunderland very well but the marketmight be completely different here. Wehave to listen to what the customerswant,” says Nicola.

Designers include Amanda Wyatt,Augusta Jones, Ronald Joyce and PalomaBlanca, and although fashions don’tchange as quickly as on the catwalk,there are distinctive trends.

Paula says: “There are so manydifferent venues now people have to findthe most suitable dress. Not everyonewants the full skirt and big train. A lot ofgirls get married abroad. They wantsomething simple.”

Strapless styles are still popular and a

shopping

Twins Nicola and PaulaMcDonald are helpingNorth-East brides to findtheir perfect wedding dress.CHRISTEN PEARS reports

A happy couple

� There are so many

different venues now

people have to find the

most suitable dress. Not

everyone wants the full

skirt and big train

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SHE’S the undisputed queenof TV makeovers, and nowLinda Barker has her ownmail order catalogue.It’s a synchronisedselection of sensiblypriced gifts to lavish onyour friend, your family,and most of all, yourown home. Split into foursections – eating, bathing,living and sleeping – it featuresproducts from all over the world.The crackle glaze square plate is£10.95, the soup spoons £3.45each, and you can buy the teafrom Linda too. “People get soused to the convenience of mass

market teasthat they forget there’s a world ofexquisite flavours out there,” saysLinda. Order on 0845 450 4025 oron the website:www.reallylindabarker.co.uk

BEDS IN BOXES

SUPER BOWLPROBABLY the coolest dog bowl inthe world also comes from the samecompany. Made from highly durablepolyresin, this bowl is extremelystylish and extremely heavy so youwon’t have the age old problem ofyour dog chasing the bowl round thekitchen at dinner time. £29.99 fromwww.altgifts.com.

lot of brides ask for structured dresses,with boning. Ivory is a favourite colour,although champagne is becoming morepopular. Some of the more adventurouscustomers opt for colour, although Paulaand Nicola are quick to stress this isn’t foreveryone.

Nicola says: “Colour can lookabsolutely fantastic but I think you knowbeforehand if that’s what you want. It’sno good trying to persuade someone intoit because you have to have theconfidence to carry it off and the last

thing we want is for someone to feeluncomfortable walking up the aisle.”

Women tend to get married later in lifethese days and are more certain aboutwhat they want but some are quiteintimidated walking into a bridal shop forthe first time. Nicola and Paula are quickto put them at their ease. They allowthem to browse for a while and only whenthey start to feel comfortable do theybeing asking questions.

“The first thing to sort out is the style.We can tell pretty quickly what’s going tosuit and that can be quite difficult if theyhave a fixed idea that we know won’tlook right. They have to put their trustin us,” explains Paula.Their techniques obviously work.

They’ve struck up friendships withseveral clients and have been invited toeven more weddings. Nicola is godmotherto one former customer’s baby.

“It’s really rewarding when people comeback to show you the photos and you seeneverything as it was on the day. When itgoes well, you know you’ve been a part ofit and that’s a fantastic feeling.”

Wedding Essentials, 42 Dean Street,Newcastle, 0191 222 0407 and 35 SeaRoad, Sunderland, 0191 549 3777.Website: www.weddingessentials.co.uk

GARDEN equipment should last a lifetime, but thenature of gardening means they will probably suffer afew bumps and scratches along the way. Metal Protektfrom Plasti-kote will give old tools a new lease of lifeand ensure they remain rust-free throughout the year.There are nine different colours and all you have to dois sand down any rust, apply a primer and spray.£5.99 for 400ml. Call 01223836 400 for stockists.

RUST BUSTER


gardeningIN ASSOCIATION WITH

1Wait till the worst of the frosts havedone their bit before pruning the roses

back…It is so tempting to shape them up ready forthe spring, but it only promotes the growth ofnew shoots, which may then get damaged bythe cold. This damage can become sites for theentry of disease and infection.

2Limit my selection of garden vegetableseeds to a manageable level…

ALL too often I am tempted to try as manydifferent varieties as possible. They all get sownand pricked out, but then I run out of pottingcompost, space in the greenhouse, room in theborders and time and energy.

3Leave mydaffodil

leaves until atleast Junebefore gettingrid of them...I DO manage toleave themstanding forabout fourweeks, but then Iget a mad urgeto cut themdown with thelawn mower andmake everythingneat and tidyagain. The bulbsreally do need atleast six weeks’worth of buildingup before riddingthem of theirenergy making‘organs’.

4Maintain the mower on a high cut untilJune…

THE first few months of grass cutting should bedone on a high setting. Anything lower is likelyto chew up wet grass and, especially if theground is soggy, cut it too short. Very shortgrass early in the year only encourages invasionby moss and weeds.

5Go into the garden centres with a listof plants and stick to it…

THEY do such a good job of promoting andpushing new plants that by the time I leave Ihave to lay down the back seat of my car tosqueeze in all the extras. When I get home, Idon’t have enough space in which to plantthem and end up moving 15 established onesin order to accommodate the new ones. And Iknow that in three years time I will have tochange everything round again because theyare planted far too close together.

6Plant my spring bulbs beforeChristmas…

AS soon as they arrive in the shops, I rush outand buy bucket loads of bulbs. Then for somereason (and with many reasonable excuses). Imanage to put off planting them until thecoldest week of the year. Next year, I shallmake a big effort to avoid getting frozen fingersand get them in the ground by October.

7Not buy aPoinsettia

plant for Christmas…NO matterhow hard I try,the plant willbe faded byFebruary, sad byMarch and deadby April. I shallleave it on theshop shelf nextyear and letsomeone else have ago at keeping it red and alive.

This year I shallmake a bigeffort to...

HAMAMELIS MOLLIS (Witch hazel)

THESE are very attractive, hardy, winter-flowering shrubs. They lose their leavesin autumn but bear spider-like, yellow,rust or red flowers in profusion fromChristmas through to spring. They arefound wild in North America and Chinaand Japan. It is the Asiatic varieties(mollis and japonica) that are mostpopular thanks to their sweetly scentedfragrant flowers.

The name is taken from the Greek‘hama’ (together) and ‘mela’ (fruit),owing to the fruit and flowers oftenbeing found on the plant at the sametime.

They need a well-drained loamy, lightsoil. Leaf mould incorporated into theplanting hole produces good results.

Choose a sheltered position to protectand prolong the winter flowers.Propagation from seed is easy but doestake time. They need three years in thesoil before germinating.

Brigid Press

Read Brigid every Saturday in The Northern Echo

PLANT OF THE MONTH

Gardening Correspondent BRIGID PRESS comes up with some New Year’s Resolutions

Q I am planning to grow someapple trees. Could you

recommend some varieties whosefruits are renowned for theirgood flavour?

AThe following compatibleselection will supply you

with tasty apples from earlyautumn to late winter.

Redsleeves has medium-sizedfruits flushed rosy red on ayellowish-green background.Ready from August to September,these apples are sweet, crisp andvery juicy.

Worcester Pearmain is an oldand reliable favourite whichproduces wonderful scarlet fruitsin September and on intoOctober.

Elstar is quite a weightycropper. Its yellow fruits, flushedbright red, are ready for eatingfrom October through to the endof January.

Fiesta offers good crops oflarge, red and yellow-flushedfruits from October through toMarch, and Kidd’s Orange Redspurs and fruits very freely. Itslemon-yellow fruits, with anorange-scarlet mottle, are readyfrom Novemberthrough to January.

The pick of the crop

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entertaining


EVERY week thousands of peoplewelcome friends to their brandnew home – even though theyhave not actually moved. Instead,

they have re-modelled their existingproperty to make it suit their changinglifestyles and the needs of a growingfamily.

As the years pass, what was once adream home can begin to seem a bit of anightmare but you can bring it up to datewith some clever changes.

Reorganising your home’s layoutsounds a daunting task, but it is actuallyeasier than you may think. And the costneed not be prohibitive, bearing in mindthat buying a new property would also hityour bank balance.

Start by taking a long cool look at theshape of your home. The interior wallsplay a big part in your house, but byremoving some of them, you can changethe layout to suit you. Building new onescan also create a different use of space.

Of course, you have to know what youare doing. Removing the wrong wallcould reduce your home to a pile ofrubble!

One of the easiest ways to change aroom is by removing a wall between tworooms to create a dramatic feeling ofspace and light. It can also give acramped floor plan better freedom ofmovement. Many people choose to knockthe wall down between the living roomand dining room. Another option is tocombine the dining room and kitchen.

If you are lucky enough to have aseparate porch, you could combine theliving-room and entrance hall.

At the same time you may be able toblock up a now-redundant doorway,freeing an additional area of wall againstwhich you can arrange your furniture butnot stopping people from being able towalk freely around the house.

The feasibility of the conversiondepends on whether the wall in questionin load-bearing or not. Although

you can carry out some preliminaryinvestigations yourself, it is wise to call ina surveyor to assess the technicalrequirements and ensure that theconversion will be correctly carried outwith no risk to the structure.

The other way to reorganise your floorplan is to subdivide large rooms into twosmaller ones. The most popularconversions of this type are carried out inorder to provide an extra bedroom, or tocreate an en-suite bathroom within anexisting room.

Whatever you want to achieve, this taskis much simpler than knocking roomstogether. You can generally build thenecessary timber-framed partition wallsin a day, although repositioning theradiators, light fittings, switches andsocket outlets in the new walls may take alittle longer.

Always make sure that each new roomhas adequate natural light andventilation. They are not allowed to sharea window and rooms that are to be livedin must have an openable window andgood ventilation. You may need a newwindow in one of the rooms to providethis.

Kitchens, utility rooms, bathrooms andtoilets do not have to have a window, butonce again they must have suitableventilation.

If a newly-partitioned room contains afuel-burning appliance, you will need tocheck with the fuel supplier to check thatthe room has adequate ventilation. This isto make sure the appliance is able tooperate efficiently and safely.

A QUICK FIX Q Is it possible to repair a crackedfireback?A Cracks in an otherwise sound fireback can befilled with a fireproof cement.

d.i.y IN ASSOCIATION WITH

New Year, new layout(or how to have a new home

without moving...)by RICHARD SPENCER

WE AREHERE

CHESTER ST.

RAILWAY ST

KINGJAMES 1

SCHOOL

NEW ASDASUPERSTORE


IT takes a certain kind of woman to wearPhilip Burke’s designs – someone with theconfidence to carry off the plungingnecklines, figure-skimming cuts and sheerglamour they all ooze. These are sexy,grown-up dresses, guaranteed to turn

heads the minute you walk into a room and,Philip hopes, they’re destined to become modernclassics.

“I would like people to be able to bring one ofmy dresses out year after year and feel theyweren’t out of fashion. I want to get away fromthe disposable side of fashion and createsomething lasting and classic,” he says.

Philip works from the Ministry of Design in adilapidated-looking courtyard in Newcastle’sCharlotte Square. But step across the yard andwalk up the stark, wooden staircases and you findyourself in a slick, stylish office and workroomwhere he is already working on his newautumn/winter collections.

Philip studied at Cleveland College of Art andDesign and York College of Art and Designbefore, before joining the degree course atNorthumbria University, where he graduated in1999. Shortly after finishing the course, he got aphone call from Hartlepool designer ScottHenshall, saying he was looking for someone tohelp put his collections together. It was anopportunity he couldn’t turn down.

Philip worked with Scott in London for two-and-a-half years, pattern cutting and overseeingthe manufacture of seven collections. He was alsoclosely involved with the re-vamping of Mulberry– the classic British label now a favourite with thefashion-conscious. He also had a hand in makingthe headline-grabbing dress that model JodieKidd wore to the Spider-Man premiere.

His time in London provided him with a lot ofinsight, he says, but he had always wanted to runhis own business. He moved back in with hisparents in Guisborough at the beginning of 2002,working from their garage. In September lastyear he joined the Ministry of Design, movingwith another design business.

Philip has a passion for the North-East and hadalways hoped to move back. He enjoys theoutdoors, trout fishing and walking, and he drawsa lot of inspiration for his work from thecountryside.

“We’re incredibly lucky here because it’s such abeautiful area and I do find that inspirational.Also, because I come from the North-East, I wantto do something for it. A lot of graduates leavethe area but there is a wealth of talent up here.”

After a year of building up the business andworking mainly on bespoke clothing, he has justlaunched his own collection under the label Phiand is gradually building up its profile. He isuncompromising in his vision. “We are pitching itat the top end of the market,” he says.

Although he is introducing a few separates, hisemphasis is on dresses.

“I find that dresses are the ideal template forme to be creative. A lot of what I do isunorthodox, experimental pattern cutting and adress gives me the freedom to be creative.

“It is quite cutting edge. People don’t tend to bethat creative as regards pattern cutting; they’requite traditional but I’m harking back to the oldcouturiers like Madeleine Vionnet who were veryexperimental at their time and but they alsostood for quality.”

The collection for Spring/Summer 2004 is anelegant and stylish. Philip favours natural fibres– cotton, linen, silks and wool – and everything isimpeccably and delicately finished.

There is a very graphic palette – black andwhite with a few splashes of colour – and theshapes are quite traditional. Some hark back toVionnet in the 20s and 30s and there is also astrong 1950s influence. A cream 1920s-stylesequinned shift hangs on the rail next to a whitedress with a striking red pattern that wouldn’thave looked out of place on Marilyn Monroe.

But although the inspiration is historical, thereis a modern twist. “I do look to other designersfor ideas but everything is very much my own,very distinctive.”www.phi-fashion.co.uk, telephone 0870 7484114

fashionIN ASSOCIATION WITH

Drawing his inspiration from thelandscape of the North-East,fashion designer Philip Burkecreates grown-up dresses forsophisticated women. He talks toCHRISTEN PEARS

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� I want to get

away from

the disposable

side of fashion

and create

something lasting

and classic


me and my wardrobe

Even as a teenager Lesley Keneallywas interested in fashion, with aseries of Saturday jobs in shops.She worked as an imageconsultant before openingDarlington’s CACI Beauty Oasiseight years ago

How would you describe your look?Classical elegance with a twist.

What’s your favourite item ofclothing?It’s a full length, dark chocolate brownNicole Farhi coat with a big fake fur collarthat goes all the way down to the floor. Ilove it and I always say I’ll be wearing itwhen they put me in my box.

What’s your worst fashion buy?In a previous life I was an image consultantso I haven’t made a lot of bad buys for a

long time. The worst one was probably apair of shoes I bought that I absolutely fellin love with. When I tried them on in theshop they were a bit tight but I convincedmyself that my feet were swollen because itwas the end of the day. I used to put themon and admire them at home but theynever made it out of the house becausethey absolutely killed me.

What’s the most you’ve ever spent onan item of clothing?I think it was £550 on the Nicole Farhi coatbut I wear it so much, it’s been worth it.

Where do you shop?I shop in Grange Road in Darlington. Youcan get almost everything you want therebut I also go to Fenwick’s in Newcastle.

Which celebrity’s style do you admiremost and why?It has to be Princess Diana, particularly hereveningwear, which was so classically

elegant. She used to wear a lot of AmandaWakeley who I adore – if I could afford it. I actually started my business after readingan article about Princess Di. She was goingthrough her divorce but still lookedfantastic, which she put down to CACIfacials. She’s been a big influence on me.

CACI Beauty Oasis, Thomas WatsonHouse, Northumberland Street,Darlington, (01325)489970.

Style matters: clockwise from top, red dress fromKate Saint, Grange Road, Darlington; Betty Jacksonpink leather jacket from Joseph M, Darlington; suitby Caramelo, Fenwicks, Newcastle

� I always say

I’ll be

wearing my coat

when they put

me in my box


Diary of a make-up artist

ALLISON McKAY

The woman whomakes everything up

beauty IN ASSOCIATION WITH

W E are well into DEAD month now(Diet Exercise And Detox). Nosooner have we pulled our

chairs away from the Christmas dinnertable than all the beauty mags are makingus feel guilty for our over-indulgence.

A simple thing to do to incorporateDEAD into a daily routine is to drinkexcessive amounts of water. You get sofull, you can’t eat as much and it helpsflush out all the toxins.

There are numerous lotions and potionsout there to help us look and feel better,but they’re not always affordable,especially in January. So here are a fewremedies that don’t cost the earth – andothers that are worth spending a bit ofmoney on.

Too much alcohol and partying until thesmall hours can result in a puffy face. Acheap yet effective remedy is to smearwhisked egg whites all over, leave for tenminutes, then rinse off in cool water. Thisgives an instant face lift and is atreatment I often use on models onshoots.

Alternatively, a lot of the celebs swearby NV Perricone Amine Complex FaceLift, a snip for the elite at £98.50.

Smoky atmospheres and too many partyhairdos can result in dull lifeless hair. Useup any left over beer as a hair rinse. It willgive extra bounce and a glistening shine.

Or try Intensive Moisture TreatmentCapsules, £4.99, by Beverly Cobella.These restore elasticity and shine to dry,stressed hair.

For skin that looks a bit dull, cut onepapaya fruit in half, drizzle lime juice overthe flesh, eat and enjoy, then smear theinside of the papaya skin over your face.Rinse after 10 minutes and your skin willglow – and you can be satisfied in theknowledge you have just eaten a healthyand tasty breakfast.

Or if the above doesn’t appeal to you,try Elizabeth Arden’s new Peel andReveal Revitalizing Treatment, £24.The skin feels refreshed afterwards andlooks visibly smoother and perkier.

Finally, one product I can’t recommendstrongly enough is a luxurious Pure SilkDuvet from Mandarin Textiles. Perfectfor snuggling up in, but with the benefit ofbeing made of 100 per cent natural silk, itis resistant to dust mites andhypoallergenic. Pure silk contains manyamino acids, in common with the humanbody. They aren’t cheap but then qualitynever is, but I have never slept so well. Forfurther information contact Tim Drake on01706 868828.

Saving your skinIN winter we spend more time in

centrally heated rooms and eat lessfresh food. It’s little wonder our skincan feel dry and neglected. Combatthis by rethinking your moisturiser. achange of texture may be just whatyour skin needs to feel comforted.

Alternatively, try this nurturing DIYfacial treat for dry skin. Mix an eggyolk with a quarter of a teaspoon ofhoney and three dessertspoons ofgoats’ yoghurt. Apply to the face andleave for 15 minutes, then rinsethoroughly.

HOW many times have youstood in the chemist’sbewildered by the vastarray of products on theshelves? Is your skin dry,

oily or combination? Do you need acream cleanser or a bar? Should you optfor fragranced, fragrance free ororganic?

Barbara Whale takes the guessworkout of choosing beauty and skincareproducts by creating bespoke mixturesfor her clients. She has been making herown products for just over two years,although she set up her own business,Barbara Complementary Health andBeauty Studio, in 1991.

She had trained with cosmeticscompany Helena Rubinstein but grewdissatisfied and decided to go intobusiness on her own, working from aterraced house in South Shields. Theatmosphere is the treatment room ishomely and rather old-fashioned, withgreen frilled curtains and a flowerysofa. But she offers the latest range oftreatments, including reflexology,shiatsu, aromatherapy and stonetherapy.

She started making her own productswhen customers began to makerequests. “Someone would have amassage and say they liked the smell ofsomething and would love it in a handcream or a foot cream. In the end, I hada list of things and decided to trymaking them,” she says.

She manufactures everything herself,using no synthetic ingredients orpreservatives and there are jars andtubs, all carefully labelled by hand,covering the table and shelves in theroom.

The range is vast and includes skin,hair and body products, as well as

remedies for common ailments.Containing pure essential oils, theyoffer a gentle alternative to chemical-based equivalents. Although the basicingredients for each product are thesame, each one is personalised for aparticular customer using essentialoils.

“It’s a very personal thing. You mayhave someone who can’t stand floraloils so it’s no good making somethingfor them with flowers in. They wouldprefer something with citrus. There’ssomething to suit everyone. You justhave to find out what it is.”

There are lotions for psoriasis andeczema, oils to relieve stress or easeaches and pains, varicose vein lotion,after sun balm and a gentle antisepticcream.

Barbara has researched some of theold-fashioned remedies used by theVictorians and Edwardians, althoughshe had added some of her ownrefinements.

“I found a recipe for mustard bath,which can help people with aches andpains or if you’ve got a cold because itbrings out the symptoms. It was justmustard and Epsom salts, whichabsolutely reeks, so I’ve updated it withsome essential oils.”

Beauty products include face andbody creams, bath salts and crystals,body scrub, cellulite oil and anti-stretchmark oil.

One of her most popular products is abreast developer that helps breastelasticity and can help increase cupsize. It sounds too good to be true,

although Barbara says she has clientscoming back for more.

“I have a friend who was gettingmarried last year and I made up somebreast developer cream just for somefun but a few months later, she came totell me she had gone up a cup size.

“It isn’t an overnight miracle. Youneed to have a few months ofapplication before you see results butwe know that a lot of essential oilscontain female hormones – phytohormones. They work by getting rid oftoxins and firming up the musclessurrounding the breasts. It makes thebreast seem larger by plumping up thecells.”

But if you have Dolly Partonproportions and want to reduce yourbust size, Barbara also makes a breastfirming lotion, which helps reduce fattydeposits. The oils also help smooth theskin, which can sag and become crinklywith weight loss or gain and age.

The range is expanding all the time asclients ask for more and more products.

“There are a lot of syntheticingredients and chemicals out thereand a lot of people are starting to avoidthem because they have no idea whatthey’re putting into their system,” saysBarbara. “Plants have always been thebasis of medicines – there’s a plant outthere for every illness.

“I want to try and get back to that,making natural products.”

�� For more information, call 0191-4567227 or visit the website atwww.aromatherapy.freeuk.com

Time todietand

detox

Complementary health and beauty therapist Barbara Whale makes bespoke beauty products for her clients.CHRISTEN PEARS meets her

Barbara Whale: takes the guesswork out of choosing beauty and skincare products

16 January 2004 Online: www.thisisthenortheast.co.

motoring

A sound investment

Most people are happy to buy cars, but enthusiasts love theircoupes. IAN LAMMING drives the latest from Chrysler

BIG, square and sticking out of theback of the car, the twin exhauststhreaten their true purpose evenbefore the new Crossfire bursts

into life. The technical phrase “silencer” isa bit of a misnomer in this instance; as therev counter needle passes the three grandmark, the exhausts become acousticchambers, not noise inhibitors, for theglorious cacophony that emits from thecoupe’s motor.

It howls, it hollers, its sings amagnificent melodious tenor song, to thedelight of the enthusiast at its wheel, ifnot the world at large. If there is no otherreason to buy a Chrysler Crossfire, buy itbecause it simply sounds superb.

The jury may be out on its weird andwacky American looks, its plain andfunctional interior, its middle of the roadbadging, but the echo of its exhaust notereverberates around the soul long afterhanding back the key.

Crossfire represents an affordable forayinto the ultra competitive coupe market.At about £27,000, it is keenly priced, but itis up against opposition which has spentyears carving out the right image.

The Chrysler must rest its fortunes onunique looks, high specification and anengaging driving experience, whichindeed, it does.

There is certainly nothing on the roadthat quite looks like a Crossfire so ifdrivers are after something different thenthe coupe scores highly. The front is veryAmerican, the bonnet long and aggressive,the rear distinctly boat like. It is noshrinking violet and the buying publicwith either love or loath it. I like the way itlooks. There is also a nifty spoiler thatpops out the back automatically when thecar reaches 60mph, which is nothing butcool.

The rear wheels are 19in, an inch largerthan the front, both sets sporting fatrubber and giving the Crossfire dragsterappeal. Jacked-up rear, low-slung frontgive it the tipped forward appearance ofsomething that has strayed from the drag-strip.

Inside is more Mercedes than it isChrysler with some of the quality fixturesand fittings crossing the Daimler/Chryslerdivide. The dash, switches and stalks are

straight from the German marquebringing a welcome luxury air to a cabinwhich is otherwise pretty unremarkable.It’s not bad, it does nothing wrong, it justdoesn’t quite live up to the radical exterior.

That said, the specification is high withsuperb leather sports seats which adjusteight ways, – electrically, of course.There’s air-conditioning, a mega hi-fisystem, electric windows and mirrors.

So, to the driving experience. Well, witha 3.2 litre V6 motor sounding that good,Chrysler must surely be on to a winner.The 215bhp unit provides electricperformance – 0-62mph in 6.5 seconds,155mph top speed – while still returningalmost 30mpg. There is a broad range ofusable power from well below 3,000rpmwhich makes it a lazy car to drive if youare not in the mood. If you are in themood, there is more than enoughperformance to meet any demands.

Both the six speed manual and thesequential automatic gearboxes areexcellent. The manual has a lovely action,the auto seamless changes and sensitivekickdown. The manual gives the driverslightly more control and makes the carsound better. But either would be easy tolive with.

The other trump card is the Crossfire’shandling, which is absolutely fantastic,even on the horribly slippery winter roadsof North Yorkshire. Grip is awesome, rideastounding and body control breath-taking. It really is a joy to drive around thebends. The steering does feel a bit dead atfirst but is immensely stable and divertedfrom its track by nothing. It’s uncanny.

Crossfire deserves to succeed. It isaccomplished, brave and credible, withone of the best-sounding exhaust notes onthe road today. If that’s not something tosing about, then I don’t know what is.

The Chrysler Crossfire – deserves to succeed

� The echo of its

exhaust note

reverberates around the

soul long after handing

back the key


ways toget yourbody into

gearLifestyle and fitness consultants TRACY and PHIL CORDELL offer some top tipsfor getting the most out of your body in the year ahead

fitness

1Drink at least 2 litres of pure ormineral water every day. Most people

are dehydrated, leading to skin, digestion,attention, muscular and joint disorders, toname a few. The body is 76 per centwater, the brain is 80 per cent water, weneed to keep it topped up.

2Avoid processed grains – white bread,pasta, rice. Every time a food goes

through a process, it loses its nutritionalvalue, and becomes less of a food.

3Exercise or perform some physicalactivity for 30 minutes every day.

Organise some formal activity, pushingyour own comfort zone, in addition tonormal activity.

4Weight train for fat loss. Increase yourmetabolism by increasing lean tissue.

Relying on cardio/aerobic exercise forweight management is rarely successfulunless you are a competitive enduranceathlete.

5Avoid all sugary foods. Every time youput sugar (or anything that turns to

sugar, such as carbohydrate) in yourmouth, you will stop burning body fat.

6Avoid excess tea, coffee, alcohol. Tomaintain your hydration levels, you will

need to add one measure of water to yournormal two-plus litres per day, for everymeasure of tea, coffee or alcohol.

7Sleep in as dark a room as possible. Alight room, or ‘light on’ in your room,

will encourage your body to think it is stilldaytime, and you will lose therepair/recovery benefits of sleep. No TVs,mobile phones, or LED displays should bein your bedroom.

8Keep foods simple. Once again,processed, pre-cooked, frozen or

fortified etc. will be lower in nutritionalvalue than wholefoods.

9Avoid all processed foods. Can we saythis often enough!

10Know your metabolic type. Onlywhen you know your metabolic

type can you know how to manage your

health. Supplements should complementyour metabolic type. Use of supplementsis just guesswork unless you know yourmetabolic type.

Tracy and Phil can be contacted at: e-mail: [email protected] website : www.fitforyou.co.uk tel: 0191-389 0832

2004: DIVING INTO LIFEWHAT could you do differently to liveyour life to the full in 2004? What areyour dreams? What fears might beholding you back?

With each New Year many of us taketime to reflect on what we want the yearto bring for us. The changes we want tomake, the renewed promises for ahealthier lifestyle, different career orsimply more fun. Gym membership, newdiets… all will be in vain unless we trulyvalue ourselves enough to believe we

deserve the very best in life.Fears that we might not be good

enough or deserve to have it all canhold us back from getting what wereally want. Don’t allow your fears torule your life this year. Believe inyourself and your dreams and dive intoa truly wonderful 2004.

Juliette Lee

Juliette is available atwww.sunflowercoaching.com or on 07740416891

LIFE COACH

Q I exercise all the time at the gym.I run, I use the rowing machine

and the stepper. But I can’t seem tolose weight.

AThis is a very common problem. Asyou get into an aerobic routine, you

burn calories at a lower rate. This isdue to the body, heart and lungs,adapting to the exercise given. Thecalories are burned, or metabolism israised, only when you are exercising(with a little overlap of two to fourhours). If you were to increase yourlean tissue, you would burn morecalories, even in your sleep: 1lb of fatburns approximately two calories perday; 1lb of muscle burns a minimum of35 calories per day. As a protectiveresponse, the body also releases achemical that inhibits muscle growth ifit is required to do endurance exercise(otherwise marathon runners wouldhave larger legs than rugby players).

QHow can I get rid of my tummyafter having a baby?

ANutrition and correct exercise arethe only ways to do this. There is

no excuse that having a baby will leaveyou with a poor lower stomach, evenafter a caesarean, or subsequent births.At Fit for You we use a proven methodto flatten and tone your midsection

Q I get so confused by what foods toeat.

AMetabolic typing identifies whichare the correct foods for you, and in

which ratio. What may be right for you,may not be right for someone else.

Q Is the Atkins diet, so beloved ofcelbrities, safe?

A In short, no. But Dr Atkins had agood argument to the common

Food Pyramid Diet, and has proved topeople that fat in your diet does notnecessarily make you fat. But cuttingout any one food group, in this casecarbohydrates, for any period of time,is not healthy. By adhering to this typeof diet, you could be so far away fromwhat you should really be consumingthat you could be risking your long-term health.

Q I heard that eggs are bad for youas they are high in cholesterol?

AA common myth. Eggs are a wholefood, and although they contain

cholesterol, when the body is regularlyreceiving cholesterol from food, it willabsorb less. 80 per cent of the bloodcholesterol is manufactured by thebody, 20 per cent is absorbed fromcholesterol in food. We mustunderstand that high cholesterol in theblood is a result of high insulin release(insulin is released into thebloodstream as a protection when toomuch glucose is present, and glucose ispresent when carbohydrates areconsumed and are converted toglucose). As you eat eggs regularly, lesscholesterol is absorbed.

QAre diet drinks better for youthan ordinary carbonated drinks?

ABoth are bad for you. Diet drinkswould be classed as less healthy as

they contain sweeteners such asaspartame, which has been linked withvarious illnesses such as headaches,numbness, fatigue, blurred vision,heart palpitations, memory loss,dizziness, muscle spasms, weight gain,seizures, rashes, blindness,tachycardia, tinnitus, joint pain,nausea, depression, hearing loss,irritability, slurred speech, anxietyattacks, loss of taste, vertigo andinsomnia. Flavoured drinks in any wayare damaging to health, and should bekept to a minimum.

10

Weights are great for fat loss

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Low cost home contents cover from Age Concern

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FIN esse Relaxing gifts for busy people

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Tel: 01969 625123 www.finessefish.co.uk

Cold Water, Tropical and Marine Fish, plus all accessories. Specialising in both indoor and outdoor water features. FREE FRIENDLY ADVICE

CRAFT MAKINGWant to learn more?

CRAFTS BEAUTIFULRead the magazine?CREATE & CRAFT

Seen it on TV?SCRAPBOOKING

Heard about it?Looking for a new hobby for the New Year?

Then its time to visit The Scrapbook Shop. We sellthe products and show you how to use them.COME AND TRY SCRAPBOOKING AND

CARDMAKING

New range of classes running throughout the year10/01/04 CARDMAKING24/01/04 INTRODUCTION TO

SCRAPBOOKING24/01/04 ALL DAY CROP - Your chance to

scrapbook in the company of other likeminded crafters (contact ScrapbookShop for details and to book)

� Look out for us at “The Pins & Needles Show” atTelewest Arena 26th - 29th February

6 Beech Road, Framwellgate Moor(just past the Fire Station, next to Blockbuster Video)

Tel. 0191 3757515www.scrapbookshop.co.uk

Everything you Everything you could wish for could wish for

Special Gifts and Crafts Fresh Vegetables and Frozen Fruit

Salads Wine, Liqueurs and Ales

Vast Cheeseboard Selection

Hampers made up while you wait, or choose from a fabulous selection of

pre-prepared Hampers

Orders welcome for our Homemade Cakes and Meats, etc.

Enjoy a meal in our Tea rooms, choose from our range of homemade produce

Mainsgill Shop and Tea Room

Tel. 01325 718860 or 718385 (4 1 / 2 miles from Scotch Corner opposite East Layton Junction)

Ample parking, easy access Open 7 days a week, 9am - 5pm

www.mainsgillfarm.co.uk


gadget man

What will behot next

year

Gadget lovers look forward to a New Year with greatexpectation. NIGEL BURTON picks ten gadgets for 2004…

� Don’t missBurton’s Bytes– gamereviews in TheNorthern Echoevery Friday

1Blu-Ray:How many

of you bought aDVD recorder forChristmas? Maybe you should have waitedbecause another technology is about tobreak that makes DVD recordings look likea 15-year-old VHS tape that’s been kept in abag of magnets. It uses a different wavelength laser to record far more informationto a DVD-style disc. The result is high defi-nition pictures so good they out perform allcurrent UK televisions.

2Digital SLRs: Until now the true digitalSLR camera has been the preserve of

professionals. Canon started the trend forcheaper SLRs before Christmas with the300D. Now Nikon and Pentax are poised tojoin the party.

3E-Pilot Remote Control: The E-pilot re-mote control sold in its thousands in 2003

– 7,800 were snapped up at Maplins storesalone – making it one of the most populargadgets of the year. For a nation of TV ad-dicts, hardly surprising! The E-pilot remotewill control up to eight electrical appli-ances, from Sky box to Hi Fi to video. Neverleave your sofa again…

4 Widescreen Mini TVs: With a 7insscreen, these little critters bring a new

meaning to the idea of the portable TV!They can be powered from a car lightersocket using the supplied lead, from themains or by batteries, ideal for soap addicts.

5 Wire-less PC equipment: No cables toget tangled at the back of your PC, no

limited reach with your mouse, wire-lessgadgets are perfect for the PC installationthat’s a bit crowded.

6 PDAs: Last year was a good one for thePocket PC operating system. We can ex-

pect more of the same in 2004 – more mem-ory (128 MB), faster processing speeds (400Mhz+) and better battery life. This may bethe year when mobile phones and PDAs fi-nally merge into one useful device.

7 MP3 data stores: The Apple iPod wasone of the best loved gadgets of 2003. For

this year Apple plans to increase its marketshare by selling a cheaper version for lessthan £100. Archos will fight back withportable hard drives capable of storingvideo, DVD movies and photos. Prices arenearly £500 but they will come down overthe next 18 months.

8 In Car MP3: Continuing the musictheme, is the In Car MP3-CD player. With

a huge capacity for playing all yourfavourite tunes (ten albums per disc), theseunits are a must for drivers with a passionfor music.

9 Radio controlled cars: The Italian Jobgot a remake for a 2003 audience and the

Mini revival was complete. The RemoteControl Mini remains a favourite for kidsand big kids alike and now you can kit outyour r/c garage with a Subaru Impreza anda Ford Focus too.

10Mini fridge: If we have another sum-mer like 2003 this could be just the job.

It’s a portable chiller, which also plugs intothe cigarette lighter in a car for ice-cold softdrinks in transit.


foodEATING OUT

NEW INN, THRINTOFT

My first pubB OLDRON, a wind-worn

village on a hill just south ofBarnard Castle, has perhaps50 homes, a humbleAnglican church, a village

hall, and a tiny post office, where formerlandlady Ruby Johnson now dispensesstamps instead of beer.

Until her retirement, Ruby ran thepub for 20 years; now the woman who’staken her place behind the bar has justfinished her first.

Sara Eastgate has been in cateringbefore, in London in her mid-20s, beforeshe went to New Zealand to work forTelecom New Zealand. When hermarriage broke up, Sara decided it wastime to come home. She took refuge ather parents’ home near Bedale in NorthYorkshire and went to work for thefinance department at Orange inDarlington.

Sara had been looking for a change ofcareer but the pub trade hadn’t reallyfigured until a pub came up in thevillage of Hackworth. “I went to have alook and got all enthusiastic but myoffer wasn’t accepted. It made merealise, though, that I wanted to getback into catering, not in a hotel orrestaurant, but running my own pub. I’dnever thought about it before.”

The pub in Boldron was just one ofthe sets of details that came throughfrom the estate agents when Saraexpressed an interest. The landladywanted to retire, taking the Post Office

with her, to a cottage at the other end ofthe village. Sara bought the pub, andsoon made her presence known. It wasredecorated from top to toe – shiny, deepred walls; crisp, white tablecloths in therestaurant; traditional hops round thebar and blue and white china on thefireplace and mantels. Furniture waslargely what Sara had brought with herand couldn’t fit into the small livingquarters of the pub.

Next, she set about revamping thefood. The George and Dragon had beenrun very much on basic, village lines –crisps and nuts for Monday night’squoits players, beer and a chat for thefarmers, and the odd sandwich onspecial occasions. “I wanted people tocome and eat here, to attract a newclientele,” says Sara.

Her menu is eclectic, quite rich, andaimed at people who like somethingspecial when they go out, the sort offood they’d never get round to cookingat home. There’s terrine of pheasantfoie gras and truffles; pan-friedGressingham duck with plum sauce;minted lamb steak; salmon steak andcous-cous crust; home-made lemon

meringue ice-cream. Fresh, localingredients are the order of the day.Those who have eaten at the George andDragon tend to come back again, saysSara, but getting the word around isn’teasy. Cooking is one thing; PR another.

“We are out of the way, not on a mainroad to anywhere and that makes itmore difficult,” says Sara. “I’m thinkingof putting a lunchtime bar menutogether to help attract more familiesup here.”

As for the day-to-day running of herfirst pub, Sara has found it very hardwork, the seven-day week compoundedby the fact that she is often shopper,potato peeler, cook, barlady, cleaner,local counsellor and bottle-washer allrolled into one.

Before Sara could enter the licensedtrade she had to enrol on a course whichtaught the basic legal requirements andanother which taught the basics of beer-keeping. “I would like to have real alesin future, but it’s an expensive move andyou need to have a pretty swiftturnover,” says Sara.

Sara has just finished her first year asa publican and feels she’s learned a lot,though at no small cost to a social lifeoutside the pub. “It is incredibly hardwork,” says Sara. “A surprising numberof things have to be done every daybefore that bolt snaps back at openingtime. It’s fairly all-consuming.”�� The George and Dragon Inn, Boldron,nr Barnard Castle (01833 638215)

T UCKED away in the peaceful village ofThrintoft, near Northallerton, is a little-known treasure. The New Inn may look

like a quaint local country pub, but its foodis comparable to any restaurant in the area.

With its friendly informal atmosphere, it’sa perfect place to stop for a relaxing drinkand a quick bite, as well as a specialoccasion dinner. With a bar area and arestaurant, you can choose where you dineand set the tone for your meal.

Our special occasion was our three-year-old son Jack having a sleepover at Granny’snear York. A night on our own called forsome top quality food and drink, withinstaggering distance of home.

The New Inn is run by Mel Fletcher andher partner Luca Gallucci, who met whileworking as chefs on cruise ships. They havebeen at the pub and restaurant for nearly 18months and have introduced some Italiancuisine to both the everyday menu and thespecials board.

All their meat is bought locally and beerlovers are offered a selection of real ale,including Websters, Black Sheep and JohnSmiths. There is also an extensive wine list.

StartersThe starter menu includes Scottish smokedsalmon with dill, crème fraiche and warmtoast, southern-fried potato wedges with atangy barbecue sauce, and a creamy potatoand Brie gratinee. Starters cost between£3.50 and £4.50 and portions are large.Main coursesThe menu has options to cater for everypalate, with a wide range of meat, fish andvegetarian dishes.

Traditional main courses include steakand ale pie, scampi, and fresh Whitby cod,while vegetarians would enjoy the New Innpenne pasta, which is simmered with Italianpancetta in a creamy tomato sauce. Othervegetarian options include a spinach andricotta canelloni and a vegetable lasagne.

The specials board included a RedSnapper Pescatore and a 12oz steak, andprices range from £5.95 to £13.50.

I chose pork fillet medallions flamed in abrandy sauce with Dijon mustard, and it wasdelicious. Ian went for the 10oz fillet steak,also cooked in a Dijon mustard sauce, whichhe described as perfect.PuddingIan refused a dessert but chose an Irishcoffee at £2.95 while I tried the Italianoption, the Tartufo Nero, which wasexquisite.

ConclusionThe New Inn is definitely worth a visit. Thefood is delicious and extremely good value.Our waitress Holly was very friendly and ableto answer all our queries about the menu.

The pub was also child-friendly and willingto provide child-sized portions of maincourses. It also has a large car park and pubgames.

The bill for two people for two starters,two main courses, a pudding and a liqueurcoffee came to £50.50 and included abottle of Errazuriz, a Chilean chardonnay,which was £13.50.

Ruth CampbellThe New Inn, Thrintoft, Northallerton,North Yorkshire, DL7 0PN; tel 01609777060.

Sara Eastgate: shopper, potato peeler, cook, barlady, cleaner, local counsellor and bottle-washer all rolled into one

THE Ship Inn may be Graham and LizSnaith’s first pub but since taking

over three years ago, they have won astring of awards.

“We have been very lucky. I was inengineering when we decided we neededa change. We wanted a house with anincome. We used to throw good partiesand we thought we might be able to runa pub,” says Graham.

The couple looked at several pubsbefore settling on The Ship inMiddlestone Village, near BishopAuckland.

They bought it from Vaux brewery,which had closed it as unviable, andtransformed it into an award-winning

venue with a reputation for excellent aleand food.

They have offered more than 400 realales, mainly from small independentbreweries across the country, as well asintroducing a twice-yearly beer festival.

The couple have won the Campaign forReal Ale’s regional Pub of the Year titleand were pipped to the national title inJanuary last year.

Graham says: “We had never run a pubbefore so it’s been a case of buildingthings up gradually and a lot ofteamwork.

“I think the key is that we enjoy doingit. It’s as simple as that. It’s a vocation,not a nine-to-five job.”

‘It’s a vocation, not a nine-to-five job’

We all like a visit to a cosycountry pub for a pint and ameal, but what’s it like beingat the other side of the bar?


fitness

GETTING fit on holiday? Whata contradiction. I see holidaysas a chance to eat and drinkwhatever I like, swimwhenever the mood takes me

and go for leisurely walks when I’m notlying by the swimming pool, reading andsleeping. But I accepted the challenge toup the tempo with the firm belief that ifcould do it, anyone could.

I turned to Darlington fitness trainerDoug Hutchison to draw up a fitnessschedule, but first Doug needed to knowwhat my present fitness routine was. Inan average week I did 90 minutes at a yogaclass and some weeks I managed an hourin the gym and a long weekend walk. Ialso kept active chasing round after ourthree-year-old Jack.

We started with a pre-holiday fitnesstest – three minutes stepping. I’m 5ft 2install and weighed in at 8st 4lbs and myresting heart rate was 68 beats perminute. My blood pressure was 110 over 68and my lung capacity was 430 litres.

After the step test, my resting heartrate was up to 115 beats per minute. Mybody fat, measured from my underarm,shoulders and tummy – was 35.5 per cent,slightly higher than average so while Iwasn’t interested in losing weight, I waskeen to reduce the fat.

Then it was time for some rules. Dougwanted me to have a holiday and not ruinit in pursuit of fitness. He pointed outthat although I seemed relatively fit, I wasexercising comfortably and not pushingmyself. It seemed running was the key.

Doug’s exercise rules were as follows:

1Exercising in high temperaturespromotes fluid loss so you must

continually replace lost fluid.

2When you sweat, salts are lost andthis can cause muscle cramps – a

pinch of salt with meals a few days beforethe holiday may help.

3Wear light-coloured or white loose-fitting clothing, and a hat.

4Try exercising in the morning orevening when it is cooler.

5Warm up gradually and stretch onceyou are warmed. Keep correct posture,

stomach in, shoulders back, chin up andstand tall.

6Aim to exercise aerobically each dayincreasing from 20 minutes to 60

minutes. On a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 isyour normal resting pulse rate, aim towork around the 5/6 mark.

7Walking and jogging will produce thebest results. Establish a course and

note any landmarks you pass such astrees, cafes, signposts. Jog until you areslightly uncomfortable, then walk briskly,until you can jog again. Increase thejogging distance each time.

8On alternate days do aerobics classes,or swim (one length moderate

intensity, one length hard) for 40 minutes,play tennis, hire a bike or play on thebeach.

9Remember walking on the beach andin the sea is harder than walking on

the road.

10Do pelvic tilts and sit-ups whilelying on the beach or by the pool.

I’VE never been great at running and inthe past one short run has left me unableto walk for days and I’ve given up on it,but I was determined to try Doug’smethod of building up distance.

For my first run I’d ear-marked anearby hotel, about 300 yards from ourresort of Lakitira, but I couldn’t even runall the way there. I had to jog, then walk,and returned very red in the face anddespondent. I wasn’t sure if I was tiredfrom the journey to Kos, if the heat wastoo much or if I was just very unfit.

But I gradually built up the distance Iran. Using Doug’s tips of establishingsignificant landmarks helped and Iearmarked a go-kart track, a lamp-post

with a poster on and a hotel as my goals.By building up distance I never sufferedfrom the aching joints I’d had afterrunning in the past.

After a week I was up to a 30-minuterun without stopping and I had also gotacclimatised to the heat.

From then on, there was a markedimprovement every day. I’d originallywanted to run three miles withoutstopping, but I decided to double this formy goal – and run to the nearest townKardamena and back.

On our final day, when I ran six miles inan hour, it felt like a major achievement.

As well as running, I did a lot ofwalking, mainly into Kardamena, at amoderate pace in high daytimetemperatures. Cooling off in the pool forhalf an hour was less arduous but I didn’tmake it to any of the aerobics classes. I’vefound it’s true that you should find anexercise you enjoy and those classesdidn’t appeal at all.

I did about six lots of sit-ups in ourroom, but after all the walking, runningand swimming, I just wanted to flop onthe beach.

As far as diet went, I ate more than athome. Breakfast was cereal with milk,lunch was often a pasta dish or fish andvegetables and dinner was three courses.A typical evening meal was stuffed vineleaves and aubergines as a starter,moussaka, stuffed tomatoes and oven-cooked potatoes as a main course and Ihad a dessert every other night – despite achoice of six every evening.

I had only two alcohol-free days, but Iresisted the creamy cocktails I love somuch and I tried not to eat betweenmeals.

POST-HOLIDAY FITNESS TESTMY measurements didn’t changedramatically. The most noticeable onewas an inch and a half lost from my waist,but health-wise I seem to have madeimprovements.

I lost a pound in weight, my restingheart rate was down to 60 beats perminute and my blood pressure to 108 over65. My heart rate after exercise haddropped by 17 beats per minute to 98 andmy lung capacity increased to 450 litresover minutes. My body fat was down oneper cent to 34.5 per cent but I felt moreenergised and healthier.

So what was Doug’s verdict when Ireturned for the three-minute step test,the body fat test and the weight-in?

“With the aerobic training Christine’sheart and lungs have already becomestronger. Her resting heart rate, bloodpressure and peak flow readings (lungcapacity) had all improved.

“Weight wasn’t an issue in this case butlosing a pound while on an all-inclusiveholiday is remarkable. She reduced herhip and waist size, which we can put downto toning and a little fat loss.

“The distance she jogged on her finalsession was very impressive. It’s clearthat although Christine enjoyed walkingand yoga before her holiday, she needed tomove the goalposts and push herself alittle more aerobically.

“I would now recommend she continuesto exercise three or four times a week,working hard most sessions, and she willcontinue to feel energised, fit andhealthy.”

DOUG Hutchison is a personal fitnesstrainer who specialises in weightmanagement and nutrition and his wifeMelanie runs a series of step andaerobics classes. They are based inDarlington, County Durham, and can bereached on 01325 258399.

Christine and her family stayed at theMark Warner resort at Lakitira, Kos.Prices start at £490 for an adult for aweek and include flights, transfers,accommodation, all meals with wine,childcare for children over two and somesports. 0870 770 4222,

We often return from holidaywishing we’d taken moreexercise than that walk to thebar – but how about usingyour annual holiday to get fit?CHRISTINE FIELDHOUSEspends an all-inclusivefortnight at Lakitira on theGreek island of Kos with herhusband Ian and three-year-old son Jack to see if her twoweeks away would make herfitter or merely fatter?

Will you be fit for your hols this year?Task-master: personal fitness trainer Doug Hutchison with wife Melanie, who runs step and aerobics classes

ChristineFieldhouseon holidaywith sonJack


connectionsPLACES WITHIN EASY REACH

OF THE NORTH-EAST

IT’S close to midnight in theMediterranean, and the eveningair is as warm as toast. A coolbreeze ruffles my hair as I standon the terraces at the back of

the Braemar, surveying the uniquespectacle of two continents at thesame time.

Stage left, Africa is an undulatingribbon of lights, sharp against thedark sky. Stage right, a scant eightmiles away, Europe casts a seductive,glittery sheen on the sea as we surgethrough the Straits of Gibraltar. Justinside the door, the first bars of BabyLove float out across the night air.Above my head, a string of colouredlights sways along as if in tempo.Behind me, our wake cuts afurrowed, frothy path all the wayback to Barcelona. Stars in the skyshimmer like diamonds on the scene,gallery spectators to the theatreacted out so far below.

This was just one of the highlightsof our 14-night odyssey to the sun.Boarding Braemar in Dover on abalmy Wednesday, we neatlysidestepped hellish airport crowdsand flight delays. Instead, weswitched jet lag for the comfort of abubbling Jacuzzi as the Braemar setout for the Mediterranean.

Two full days on a flat calm seaallowed us to prepare for what layahead. Passengers took advantage ofthe soaring temperatures to indulgein some serious relaxation.

The pool and Jacuzzis were nevermore popular than just before thealfresco lunchtime buffets, completewith ice cream delivered to people inthe hot tubs. People sprawled on sunbeds tapped their feet to thelunchtime music on deck, or took oneof the shaded tables that sprinkledthe quieter terraces at the rear. Byday three, when the Braemar sailedup the sun dappled Tagus into the

historical glut that is Lisbon, themood was totally laid back.

A healthy dollop of old fashionedawe now topped the bill. Lisbon,home of Henry the Navigator, ispossibly the most beautiful, under-rated capital in Western Europe. Theapproach, up past the minusculepepper pot Belem Tower, the soaringmonument to Prince Henry and thesublime span of the April 25th bridge,is one of the most spectacular in theworld. Sprawled along the ancientharbour, Lisbon retains much of itshistoric character in the Alfama, awarren of hilly streets that hold theirown surprises. The smell of freshbrewed coffee here, the melancholywailings of fado there. On thewaterfront, superb fish restaurantsare sprawled along the sun-splashedquayside.

By nightfall, Braemar was underway again, heading for an overnightstay in Barcelona. The Catalancapital – they don’t considerthemselves as Spanish in Barca – isworth a weekend of anybody’s life.

F ROM the vast, tree-lined sprawlof the central Ramblas, withstreet theatre, tapas bars and

shops, to the soaring, honey-coloureddream that is Gaudi’s great, stillunfinished Sagrada Familia,Barcelona has it all. The entire city,mutilated by Franco and thengloriously renovated for the ’92Olympics, is one long boisterous,swaggering spread.

Whether you are religious or not,Sagrada Familia cannot fail to awe.When asked about the endlessconstruction schedule, Gaudi simplypointed to the sky, and said that hisclient was in no real hurry. Hisquirky, eclectic series of buildingsforms a series of randomexclamation marks in this bustlingseaport, dominated by the loomingbulk of Montjuich on the right. In therenovated Port Olympic, nightlifegoes on until the early morninghours. At five in the morning,Barcelona sweltered in 29 degrees ofheat.

It would get hotter still. WhenBraemar anchored in the jawdropping bay of Villefranche, on theFrench Riviera, we were at a steady

45 degrees. This beautiful resort wasused as the setting for one of theBond films – Octopussy – and it isn’thard to see why.

On the waterfront, a string ofpastel-shaded Italianate buildingscurves around the bay. While manyopted for money magnets like nearbyNice, Monte Carlo or chic, breezyCannes, the heat made the idea of ashady lunch in Villefranche seemlike a good choice.

And so it went. Propriano is abeautiful little one-horse town of aresort, set along the gorgeous, pine-clad shoreline of Corsica. Only on sorelatively small a ship could you visitthis little gem. La Corunna, up inNorthern Spain, was an elegantcounterpoint to its boisterousCatalan cousin.

By the time we returned to Dover,the Bond theme was still in evidence.Shaken we were not, stirred wesurely were.

Endlesssummer

ANTHONY NICHOLAS cruises off to a series of hotspots guaranteed to warm the hearts of even the most jaded traveller

�� A 14-nightMediterranean cruisecosts from £1,895per person to £4,935per person insuperior suite withbalcony. There is a30 per cent EarlyBooking Discountwhen booked sixmonths or moreahead of departure.For inquiries andreservations contactFred Olsen CruiseLines on (01473) 742424,visit the website onwww.fredolsencruises.co.uk or visit yourlocal ABTA travelagent.

� Behind me,our wake cuts

a furrowed, frothy

path all the way

back to Barcelona

Work in progress: Gaudi’s great cathedral, the Sagrada Familia

UNTIL March 31, MiddlethorpeHall, York, is once againoffering popular Spa Breaks.

These breaks are for one or moreconsecutive nights – Sunday toThursday (weekends subject toavailability), and includeaccommodation, early morning tea,cooked breakfast, three coursedinner, a half bottle of champagneper person in the room on arrivaland full use of the MiddlethorpeSpa. There’s also a pool and gym.You also get three beauty treatmentson your first day.

The cost for a single or doubleroom sharing is £170 per person pernight and – should your partner notwish to take any treatments – he orshe can stay for just £130 per night.

For further information or to bookplease telephone 01904 641 241,or see www.middlethorpe.com

Sun seeker: the Braemar berthed in the Mediterranean

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Fancy Dress • Party Packs for Theme Nights

MORTON PARK, DARLINGTON Tel: 01325 387667 Mob: 07799 530210

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competitioncorner

WIN a luxury night away fortwo at Crathorne Hall

puzzles

H AND Picked Hotels and NE Magazine have teamed up to offeryou the chance to win an

overnight stay at Crathorne Hall. Situatedin the heart of North Yorkshire, CrathorneHall is one of Yorkshire’s finest examplesof Edwardian architecture and design.

The elegant lounges and luxurious bedrooms offer the ideal surroundings tokick off your shoes and relax. In theevening dine by candlelight in the elegantLeven Restaurant. Here the award-winning chefs, with numerous accolades,including two AA Rosettes, will tantaliseyour tastebuds with innovative dishesmade from the finest local ingredients. Or,for a more relaxed dining experience, sample one of the “comfort foods” fromthe new Drawing Room menu, with offer-ings such as sausage and mash and hot chocolate with Grand Marnier and marshmallows.

Crathorne Hall has been awarded thecoveted RAC Blue Ribbon award for thesixth consecutive year and named one ofthe top 200 AA hotels in the UK with fourred stars. The hotel has recently joinedthe prestigious Hand Picked Hotels group,a collection of 14 country house hotelsthroughout the UK and Channel Islands.

Prices for a one night dinner, bed andbreakfast stay at Crathorne Hall start from£100 per person per night.

To stand a chance of winning anovernight stay for two at Crathorne Hallsimply send your name and address toCrathorne Hall, NE Magazine Competition,Hand Picked Hotels, Marketing

Department, The Stables, Crathorne Hall,Crathorne, North Yorkshire TS15 0AR.This fantastic prize for two people includesa one-night stay in a suite, dinner in theLeven Restaurant and breakfast. The closing date is the end of January.

READER OFFER Book a stay at Crathorne until end of February 2003, excluding Valentine’s Day,on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis andget ten per cent off the Classic Breakrate. To make a reservation call 0845458 0901 and quote PC06-CHH.Crathorne Hall is also offering a 20 percent discount off all mid-week lunch anddinner reservations booked in advance(offer only applicable to food). To make areservation call Crathorne on 01642700398 and quote PC06-CHH.

www.handpicked.co.uk/crathornehall

WORD

B: Short-sighted

wiseThe word may soundfamiliar, but do you

know what it means?

MYOPIC

A Long-sighted

B Short-sighted

C Colour blind

ANSWER

?IMPOSSIPUZZLE

There is an odd connectionbetween the ages of three sisters.The square of the age of the mid-

dle one is 120 less than thesquare of the age of the eldest,

but 120 more than the square ofthe age of the youngest.

What were those ages?

SOLUTION

Ages 7, 13, and 17 years.

?

ANSWERSCelebrity wordmatch:The missing words are:jack, chorus, tunnel, branch, potato, school,piano, banana, garden, ground, tissue, pistoland the celebrity is Jonathan RossCelebrity stare:Justin Timberlake

Name thestar picturedon the left

Find a word that can follow the word on the left andprecede the word on the right. When you have filled inall the answers, the name of a celebrity can be readfrom top to bottom in one of the lines.

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WINTER SERVICE SPECIAL OFFER FREE ANTI FREEZE • Plugs

• Oil & Filter Change • Air Filter ONLY £ 55 all in DIESELS £ 60 all in

C ambelts fitted from . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £ 65 Discs & Pads fitted from . . . . . . . . . . £ 58 Batteries fitted from as little as . . £ 28

NE Leisure

Shoe Box The

4 Kirkgate, Thirsk Tel: 01845 523816

For style & comfort in ladies footwear, up to

size 9 and EEEE fitting.

Stockists of Hotters, Clarks, Tohde, Equity, Padders, Van

Dahl,Reiker & much more

SALE SALE SALE NOW NOW NOW ON!!! ON!!! ON!!!

“A Cleveden Care Nursing Home”RADCLIFFECRESCENTTHORNABY

STOCKTON-ON-TEES

Teesdale Lodge is dedicated to providing residents with thehighest standard of care in a personal and friendly

atmosphere where privacy and dignity are respected.Furnished to a 4-Star Hotel standard, with a homely

atmosphere, Teesdale Lodge is a purpose-built single storey nursing home

Please telephone MATRONTO APPRECIATE THIS SUPERIOR HOME, A VISIT IS ESSENTIAL

TO ARRANGE YOUR VISIT

Tel (01642) 612821www.cleveden-care.co.uk

WE ARE CURRENTLY RECRUITING NURSES

AMSTERDAM 18 - 22 March, 2004 £250 pp 2 for 1 SPECIAL AMSTERDAM 4 - 8 March, 2004 £250 pp 2 for 1 SPECIAL THE SCOTTISH CAPITALS 12 - 14 March, 2004

CORNISH GARDENS & EDEN PROJECT 19 - 23 April, 2004

CHESTER & NORTH WALES 7 - 10 May, 2004

AYRSHIRE COAST 16 - 21 May, 2004

ROMANTIC VALENTINE 12 - 16 February, 2004 £250pp 2 for 1 SPECIAL

H. Atkinson & Sons Phone today for 2004 Brochure

Tel: 01609 882222 Ingleby Arncliffe, Northallerton www.atkinson coaches.co.uk

Isle of Arran

Why not cross the water next year?

Cottages TO LET Telephone:

01770 830224

TV AERIALS(Digital Specialists)

SKY DIGITAL(Authorised Agents)

Erected, Repaired throughout the areaFREEPHONE 0800 317634


Leisure

SCOTLANDPeaceful, Self Catering on

Wildlife ReserveNorth of the Grampians

CHOICE OF SEVEN COTTAGESTel. Turriff

(01888) 562918www.forglen.co.uk

PAVING FROM £118x18 also 2x2and 3.2 Paving.

Bricks from£34 a pack.

Old York£8.40 sq.yd.All Plus Vat

�ELDON HOPE

(01388)775261

A1APPLIANCES

Quality domesticappliance repairs

at affordable prices

No Call OutCharge /

Free EstimatesWe now providenew appliances

and spares at tradeprices

Freephone now on0500 80 80 75

Autumn Sale 1st Blind £37* Each additional blind £26 CURVED TRACKS AVAILABLE FROM £77

Conservatory Blind Specialist. Ten years experience. Quality service guaranteed. Massive savings on our new designer range of fabrics

Wooden Venetians / Rollers / Pleated Monbello Blinds

Darlington Area 0800 0855917 • Bishop Auckland Area 01388 745679 *Vertical blinds - selected fabrics up to 8ft wide

BLACKPOOL

Canberra Hotel

Under New Management

South Shore Lic Bar, all rooms en

suite, TVs in all rooms, adjacent to Promenade. Evening meal available. Book now for 2004

Telephone

01253 343720

FLORIDA VILLA

to rent 6 miles from Disney, 4 bed,

excellent location, south facing pool.

From £385 per week Tel: (01670) 731922

We take the timeto find the best

fares or holidaysto suit you and

your familyPersonal Travel Advisors,

part of UNITED CO-OPOpen 7 Days a Week9.00a.m.-9.00p.m.Specialists in late

availabilityTel. (01228)

539693Telephone Bookings

[email protected]

Ambleside Gables Hotel

Located in heart of village, pets / children welcome, private car

park.

November to February 3 nts B&B

from £70 pp

Excludes school holidays, Christmas and weekends

Tel: 015394 33272

COTTAGE INNCraster, Northumberland� OPEN ALL YEAR �

5 mins walk from the coast.Situated in its ownwoodland gardens.All rooms en-suite

3� commendedFine food served in

Harry Hotspur Restaurant,beamed Bar area and

Conservatory2 DAY WINTER BREAK

£35 pppn DBB (over 2 night stay)1 NIGHT BREAK

£80 per couple DBBTel. 01665 576658

For brochure

Raddocombe Lodge Outskirts of Brixham and Dartmouth A wonderful place to stay when visiting Torbay . The lodge offers charming BB accommodation, all amenities, country and sea views. Open all year

Special Offers Nts £55pppn Tel. Kay and John (01803) 882125

Wateredge Innon Lake Windermere

Delightfully situated on the shores of Windermere withsuperb country inn-style dining. Pretty bedrooms, manywith lake-views. Ideally situated for enjoying Ambleside,

Lake, steamers and nearby Fells.

ROOMS FROM £35 PP B&B

AMBLESIDE, CUMBRIA LA22 0EPTel. 015394 32332 www.wateredgeinn.co.uk

Wold View, York 3 Diamond Rooms en-suite, newly decorated hotel, 4 poster bedrooms available, 10-15 mins walk from City, lic bar and ample parking, 173 Haxby Road, York, YO31 8JL (01904) 632061 www.woldviewhousehotel.co.uk

Affinity 72 Church Street, Shildon (01388) 773333

Beauty and Tanning Studio Exclusive Sudo Air Brish Tanning System, professional friendly service

NaturalStone

Flagstones(MINT, BEIGE, RED,

GREY)

Also troughs, urns, pots,seats, fountains and

ornaments

Contact (01388) 832402SEAGRAVE

CONTRACTORSLARGE STOCK OF PRODUCTS ON

DISPLAY

BTL WOOD SHEDS

Tel: 01388 608452 Toronto, Bishop Auckland

RAILWAY SLEEPERS & TELEGRAPH POLES ALSO AVAILABLE

HAND CARVED ROCKING HORSES

LOGS AND STICKS SUPPLIERS OF SHEDS

SUMMER HOUSE PLAY HOUSES

Suppliers Of Fencing / Decking Materials

Now taking orders for Rocking Horses and Playhouses

All Garden Play Equipment Available

Auctioneers of DistinctionThe Gallery Saleroom

Northumberland StreetDarlington DL3 7HJTel Fax

(01325) 462559 (01325) 284587

Have peace of mind with

HOMEINSURANCE

For details, telephone

01423 502253

Beauty is within the eyeof the Beholder

Quality and Value from

EXPRESS BLINDSVertical • Roller • Venetian

Pleated • Solar Film

0800 0745724www.expressblinds.co.uk

Beauty is within the eyeof the Beholder

New Marlbro Blackpool (lic) Central location, all amenities, entertainment Coach parties welcome Tel. (01253) 401110

YORK

Jorvik Restaurant, bar, parking, col TV, tea / coffee fac.

All rooms en-suite, 4 posters available, city centre location.

MIDWEEK DB&B Stay 2 nights get one Free Transport from

Station available Tel. (01904) 653511

Hotel

NE Homes and Gardens

BLINDS UK2 Vertical Blinds £60 3 Vertical Blinds £894 Vertical Blinds £111 5 Vertical Blinds £129

Any size - FREE measure• FREE fitting (Lovely choice of fabrics)Roller Blinds & Vertical Blinds fitted

within 5 working daysAlso fabulous range of Wood Venetians

and Roller BlindsAll blinds & samples brought

to your home

(01325) 320666For a FREE No Obligation Estimate visit our website

www.blinds.uk.com

Let the lightshine withHomefairBlinds

VerticalRoller

VenetianAll made to

measurewww.homefair-blinds-uk.com

Freephone08000

729474

NE Homes and Gardens

You

We Cover.......• Cricket Pitches (waterproof)• Trailers and Pick-ups• Roll-over covers - wagons• Pond/Garden furniture• Ground Sheets/Tarpaulins• Swimming Pools

At

SELECTIVECOVER

- we’ve got it covered

Telephone:(01845) 522856 or

(07703) 441744

Reiki Healingfor harmony & wellbeing in private &

comfortablesurroundings

*****Tarrot CardReadings

with psychic supportTrimdon Village

01429 883825 /

0781 8003022

Family

You

Meynells LtdStockists of all makes of SewingMachines & everything you need

for your hobby

WE GUARANTEE YOUEXCELLENT CUSTOMER

SERVICE

2 Southfield Road,Middlesbrough

Tel: (01642) 247863

Bow StreetCentreGuisborough

BUSINESS UNITSTO LET

Start up your business with our easyterms. Good access and parking.

01642 71074201287 610600

Beauty Studio Open: Mon-Wed 10am - 6pm Thurs-Fri 10am - 9pm Sat 9.30am - 2pm

Bishop Auckland Tel. (01388) 609009

BUY NOW PAY LATER Purchases over £299 pay in full October 2004 at 0% APR. Credit Example: Total cash price £299. No deposit. Balance of £299 payable October 2004 or minimum monthly of £14.22 for up to 36 months. Total price £51.92. APR 28.9%. Licensed credit brokers. Written details on request. 28.9% APR

WINTER SALEHALF PRICE SEALY BEDS & MATTRESSES

SONATA POSTUREPEDIC4ft 6in Double, ROP £799.95 NOW £399.955ft Kingsize, ROP £959.95 NOW £479.956ft Super Kingsize, ROP £1199.95 NOW £599.95

PRINCESS LUXURY3ft Single, ROP £719.95 NOW £359.954ft 6in Double, ROP £999.95 NOW £499.955ft Kingsize, ROP £1159.95 NOW £579.956ft Super Kingsize, ROP £1699.95 NOW £849.95

BROADWAY POSTUREPEDIC ULTRA3ft Single, ROP £659.95 NOW £329.955ft Kingsize, ROP £939.95 NOW £469.956ft Super Kingsize, ROP £1059.95 NOW £529.95

LATEX DELUXEA model from the excellence range at a fraction of the

normal price

Double or Kingsize, ROP £1199.95 NOW £599.95

MIRRORFORM ADJUSTABLEDivans start from NOW £359.95

Adjustable start from NOW £359.95

TAKE UP TO 24MONTHSINTEREST

FREE CREDITOR NOTHINGTO PAY UNTIL

OCTOBER 2004

Mirrorform –a perfect

reflection of youMemory Foam

For a Sealygoodnight

sleep!

HALF PRICEMATTRESSES

SEALY BONANZA MATTRESSES3ft SINGLE, ROP £199.95 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .NOW £99.954ft 6in DOUBLE, ROP £279.95 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .NOW £139.955ft SINGLE, ROP £169.95 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .NOW £169.95

SEALY POSTUREPEDIC MATTRESSES4ft 6in DOUBLE, ROP £339.95 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .NOW £169.955ft KINGSIZE, ROP £419.95 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .NOW £209.956ft SUPER KINGSIZE, ROP £699.95 . . . . . . . . . . .NOW £349.95

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