'What Matters Most' Suzi Quatro 'In The Spotlight ... - Beige Magazine

REBORN
JUSTIN VIVIAN BOND HAPPY SHACK BERLIN
FRIDA KAHLO TRADEMARK JODIE HARSH

EDITORS WORDS
Barry Johnston
Welcome to the new look Beige!
New publishers, new production team and, we believe,
a new image complemented by revised and refreshed content.
In each issue of Beige we will endeavour to provide coverage
of as many facets of what we see at the modern gay lifestyle,
enlightening and entertaining you along the way.
Yes, we are a lifestyle magazine aimed at the gay market
but that doesn’t mean we should restrict ourselves to the
stereotypical walls that society, and ourselves, so often
placed around us. With original and creative photo editorial,
useful and insightful lifestyle solutions, in-depth and
inspirational travel ideas, colourful character interviews and
extensive cultural coverage we aim to deliver diversity across
the spectrum of the world we live in.
We have worked with incredibly talented people on producing
Beige and we would like to thank every one of them for
sharing in our vision and delivering on the new image of
the magazine, you have all outdone yourselves and we look
forward to working with you all again!
As summer draws to an end we pay special tribute to nature’s
little wonders, bees and grapes, which give us simple
pleasure - from the products we use in our grooming
routines to what we choose to eat and drink! And as autumn
approaches we turn our attention to the upcoming trends in
the fashion world - from knitwear to chic eveningwear.
We hope that you enjoy reading this issue as much as we
have enjoyed putting it together, we welcome your
feedback so please share your thoughts!
Visit www.beigeuk.com for online access,
as well as additional content.
If it’s out there, it really is in here!
We look forward to seeing you again next month...
beige 03
Andrew Wilkinson

Editors
Barry Johnston
Andrew Wilkinson
editor@beigeuk.com
Creative Director
Dean Bright
dean@beigeuk.com
Features Editor
Donald Urquhart
donald@beigeuk.com
Sales Executive
Steve Hope
advertising@beigeuk.com
Advertising /Subscriptions
advertising@beigeuk.com
Design
Ian Thorpe
ian@leanagency.co.uk
CREDITS
Contributors
Phil Hathaway
Kristine Kilty
Claire Lawrie
Jenny McIlhatton
Mike Nicholls
Tim Perkins
Jonathan Stewardson
Tony Tansley
Haydn Wood
Matthew Zorpas
Beige is published by
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Telephone 0207 278 6898
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www.beigeuk.com
Cover Photograph: Jonathan Stewardson www.jonathanstewardson.co.uk
Glasses available from: The Box Boutique
Features
09 Interview With
a Dendrophile
Cabaret legend Justin Vivian Bond
talks to Donald Urquhart about
autobiography ‘Tango’ and sex
with trees.
18 the Last Dance
The Featherstonehaughs perform
for the last time. Dancer Gary
Clarke tells of his involvement with
this inspirational dance troupe.
27 Queens In History
Dr Stephen Brogan on cross-
dressing spy, Chevalier d’Eon
de Beaumont.
CONTENTS
WeLL BeING
66 Where Honey Drips
Skincare special on honey-based
beauty products.
72 Below the Belt
Gay boxing that really packs
a punch.
74 Deep Cleaning
Colonic hydrotherapy.
Inner cleansing to put a
spring back in your step.
75 It’s all In Your Mind
Hypnotherapy explained by
Phil Hathaway.
FOOD aND DrINK
68 september’s Harvest
Ten wines for autumn
recommended by Hew Blair.
69 that summer Feeling
Champagne from Pommery to
pop your corks!
70 spice Of Life
Variety aplenty at John-Georges
Spice Market at the W Hotel.
sHOPPING
09 21 28
Features
28 Harsh Words
Matthew Zorpas talks pop culture
with drag doyenne Jodie Harsh.
30 Liebe schlamm
Pervy Nick Harrigan wallows in
glorious mud.
80 48 Hours
Binge drinking around London
with that rascal Eric Rose.
traVeL
31 Berlin
Join Tim Perkins on a trawl round
glamourous, decadent Berlin.
55 toronto
Tony Tansley explores Canada’s
answer to the Big Apple.
arts aND CuLture
21 trademark
Pop artist Trade Mark tells Dean
Bright about his iconic artwork.
35 Frida and Diego
MC Kinky reviews the current Frida
Kahlo exhibition in Chichester.
47 Caroline Nin
French Chanteuse Caroline Nin
returns with her ‘Songs and Stories
of the Paris Lido’ at Soho Theatre
58 treading the Boards
Our carping theatre critics find
some pleasant surprises.
60 London Film Festival
Film-maker Mike Nicholls on the
LFF screenings.
82 among My souvenirs
Donald Urquhart on creating an
A-Z of Margate.
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51 the Happy shack
In store with Mr Happy,
Philip Normal.
FasHION
14 autumn approaches
Hot knits to warm up in as
summer ends.
39 r oom service
Relaxing at London’s new W Hotel
in elegant Vivienne Westwood
designs.
reGuLar Features
06 Desired
62 DVD
64 Music
65 Books
76 Home style
78 technology

No.1 by Clive Christian £430.00
If it’s good enough for Mr Beckham then
it’s definitely good enough for us!
www.harrods.co.uk
Riedel Amadeo Black Decanter £375.00
Elegant and classy, this decanter is for the serious wine
connoisseur out there. Good wines need time to breathe.
www.selfridges.com
Mr T Cufflinks £10.00
Funky, unique cufflinks made from recycled keyboard
keys and presented on a vintage playing card.
www.bouf.com
desired
beige 06
Wooden Oyster Card Holder £13.95
Stylish, durable and practical. No more flimsy, plastic,
station-issued travel card holders required.
www.bouf.com
Vinturi Wine Aerators £35.99 each or £69.99 for the set
If, like us, you want your wine instantly drinkable then
these areators will have you filling your glass in no time.
www.vinturi.gov.uk
Smeg Union Jack Mini Fridge £900.00
Timeless, retro-style Union Jack Fridge to keep
your drinks perfectly chilled.
www.smeguk.com
For Queen & Country Cushion £69.00
An eye-catching iconic design, vibrantly coloured cushion,
with completely appropriate wording, ideal for the sofa.
www.rockingpony.co.uk
50p Stamp Rug £695.00
Luxurious and plush, this patriotic woolen rug will give
your lounge the Royal stamp of approval.
www.stamprugs.co.uk
Moustache Corkscrew £10.00
A quirky twist to the kitchen or a great
pseudo-moustache for a dress up party.
www.joythestore.co.uk
SHOPPING
beige 07
Classic 14“ Cambridge Satchel Company £81.00
Available in a jaw-dropping aray of colours and sizes and
spotted on many a celebs shoulder this festival season.
www.cambridgesatchelcompany.com
Retro iPhone Cassette Tape Cover £12.99
Step back in time with this iPhone cover which conjures
up memories of the good ‘ol mix tapes we ALL had.
www.mi-gadgets.com
Urban Patchwork Stool £410.00
After a long day why not put your feet up on this gorgeous
patchwork stool which is lovingly made in the UK.
www.rockingpony.co.uk

Photographer: Claire Lawrie

Touring to promote
both autobiography
Tango, and solo
album Dendrophile,
JVB (aka V. these
days) managed to
squeeze me in for
lunch before flying
back to the States.
Over a deliciously salty salad we
exchanged gossip and generally caught
up. I hadn’t seen Justin in ages. Not
properly. I find all time spent in Justin’s
company quite magical and usually
graced by the unexpected; something
I dont get enough of. A couple of
years back I was in New York and
Justin rang me up asking me to come
to The Townhouse. I had never been
there before and didn’t know what to
expect. Nothing could have prepared
me for the tableau that met me: JVB,
Nath Ann, Armistead Maupin and
Rufus Wainwright on piano all singing
“Over the Rainbow”. Does it get any
more camp? We talked about the
advantages of short-sightedness and
the thrill of dangerous living.
V: I am currently displaced: I had
to move out of my apartment as the
building is being demolished. I don’t
know. I was watching the Scissor
Sisters the other night and there was
some move in the dancing that made
me think ‘aerobics’. And then I thought,
‘Jane Fonda. Jane Fonda... L.A! I should
move to L.A...’ - I don’t think that I
should really need to stay in New York.
And who knows? I think I might like L.A.
for a while. Hmmm... the Hollywood
Bowl is there...” (Justin has played on
Broadway and twice at Carnegie Hall).
The one thing that I had planned to
ask V. about somehow escaped me
during lunch. Maybe because there
were always other waiters and diners
in earshot and it is a topic that some
find distasteful. You see, I have had
dendrophile experiences. Dendrophile:
one who is sexually aroused by trees.
I didn’t interpret my own dendrophilia
as a deviation or perversion as I have
since found many others I previously
counted as open-minded do; to me it is
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natural - an expression of a joy in being
alive (and drunk too I guess). Maybe a
flight of caprice? They reckon one per
cent of the population are dendrophiles.
Wow that’s millions! Here I was with a
fellow dendrophile, and not only that
but someone I know who I can talk to
about absolutely anything and I was
curiously hesitant. Our photographer
Claire took care of everything when
we met her at the Lord Nelson after
lunch. She had chosen a colourful and
quite dendrophilic painting to use as
a backdrop. Frank and forthright, she
plunged right in with “Dendrophile! I
love that word. I didn’t know what a
dendrophile was until I looked it up.”
V: I didn’t either. One day Nath Ann said
to me ‘You’re a dendrophile,’ and I had
no idea what he meant.
D: (coming out) I’ve had sex with trees.
V: (beaming) Me too! Inside trees.
C: My friend puts microphones inside
trees and records them... they make
many different sounds (makes tree
sounds). I love listening to them.
V: The voices of the forest.
C: Like trees talking to each other;
tree conversations.
V: Sounds beautiful.
‘Tango’ is what mx modestly calls a
“novella length autobiography.” Did
I say Mx? Mx is the personal pronoun
that Justin prefers rather than the more
gender specific ones. We all got over
assigning gender to garments based
on which side the buttons fastened on,
and even the prefix www. is becoming a
thing of the past. Things change. I wish
they had changed before I struggled all
these years to master French but c’est
les temps perdu as they say.
Tango opens with an elegant preface
by Hilton als.
V: I mean Hilton is fantastic. Absolutely
genius. But then my stuff comes
along. I don’t think the comparison is
favourable.
D: You don’t go in for five-page
sentences! I love your book and it is
definitely worthy of an intro by Hilton
Als.
The book explores growing into one’s
self rather than simply growing up; a
sexual and sensual evolution, at once
both natural and alien.
All V’s early formative sexual
experiences are described, as well as
mother’s unpredictable reactions when
she finds out about them. V. confessed
to fooling around with a couple of
boys at Summer Camp and she (to his
mortification) summoned the boys to
the house and held a kangaroo court!
D: Has your mother read Tango?
V: Not yet. But she will when it
comes out.
D: Will she be ok?
V: No. she’ll say “Why did you have to
go and write a book like that?”
D: Were there things you thought you
perhaps had to withhold in case of
upsetting people?
V: No. I changed people’s names. I
didn’t change the truth as I remember
it though.
“What is on your lips?”
she asked me in what
I could only register
as horror.
I froze in fear, not sure
what to say. I opted for
what I thought at the
time was the truth.
“It’s my lipstick.”
JUSTIN VIVIAN BOND
“That’s not your lipstick! that’s my
lipstick. what are you doing with that
lipstick on your face?”
“Well I’m going to school. You don’t
leave the house without your lipstick so
I thought I should wear lipstick too.”
“Boys don’t wear lipstick!” she shouted,
as if this were something I should
know, and using that word “boy” which
grated against the very fiber of my
being every time it was applied to me.
“But Mom! I’ve been wearing it every
day. No one cares.”
“You’ve been wearing lipstick to school
for days? How many days?”
beige 11
“I don’t know.” I was crying.
“But it’s okay!” “No, it’s not.”
She marched me to the bathroom and
wiped it off my lips. I left for school that
day defeated, disappointed, and bland.
It would take me another twenty years
before I realised that it was okay to
leave the house with my lipstick.

“Thank you, Justin,
for your courage
in writing the
truth of what you
went through as a
transgender child
in this society.
Thank you also for
your sense of humour.
This book is very
important, and fun
to read as well.”
Yoko Ono
Tango:
My Childhood Backwards
and in High Heels
by Justin Vivian Bond
Published by Feminist Press
September 13th 2011
Justin Vivian Bond photoagraphed
at the Nelsons Head, Hackney
INTERVIEW
Tango, to my mind anyway, ought
to be prescribed school reading for
adolescents. and everybody else really,
especially parents of pre-pubescent
trans-leaning children. I was such
a child but luckily my mother was in
the theatre, ran a wig shop and was
also an Avon Lady. Actually, thinking
about it, I had it really lucky as far as
experimenting with being girly went. I
didn’t have a rubber-lined tree house
like Justin but neither did I have a sexhungry
teenage playmate...
V: Michael Hunter? Of course that’s
not his real name. (MH is young JVB’s
nemesis and sex buddy)
D: Well I had a MH in my life. It was
someone crazy who I was warned to
fear and avoid when I was in Tokyo.
V: You did?
D: So when I was reading the book I
wondered if it was the same person.
V: My mom thought she saw him in a deli
the other day. He was put in a mental
hospital; the same one I mention in my
book. I don’t know if he really is out yet.
D: Do you think he will read the book?
V: (shrugs) I don’t care. it’s the truth.
D: You’re touring a lot.
V: This is the album tour and then it’s
the book tour, whence I will probably
let my eyebrows grow out and assume
the countenance of a lady author.
But last year I didn’t tour much. I wrote
my book and wrote and recorded my
album. I wrote a musical -which is funwith
Sandra Bernhard called ‘Arts and
Crafts.’ I was at home a lot curled up
with my cat. My cat is currently being
cared for by lesbians.
D: They know what they’re doing.
V: I’m happy when I’m on the stage
but touring can be exhausting. But
you get to meet people. Nice strangers
and some really long-winded strangers.
(laughs) You find a lot of those.
D: Tell me about Arts and Crafts.
V: One genre of show that hasn’t really
been explored enough is the Cousin
story. So we’re playing cousins. She’s
my Born Again Christian cousin who
started out as a Rock and Roller; I play
the other cousin who was closeted as
a kid and aspired to fame and glory,
and ended up as a gallerist in New
York. we’re both frustrated by our lives
and caught up in our own dogmas; our
own realities and come together and
rediscover each other. The music is a
mix of folk and rock - with showtunes!
We wrote some songs together and
she wrote a song with Jake Shears and
www.beigeuk.com
Dendrophile
Track List
01. American Wedding
02. Golden Age of Hustlers
03. Equipoise
04. New Economy
05. Salome
06. Great Song
07. 22nd Century
08. Crowley a la Lee
09. Superstar/ Diamonds and Rust
10. In The End
11. Court and Spark
Lance Horne.
D: We never got round to ‘Whales of
August - the Musical!’
V: We never did. We should do it. Which
one did you want to play?
D: (hesitant) Lillian Gish?
V: (sighs) Oh I wanted to play her!
D: Ok I can do Bette Davis with the
stroke, and all that hair combing.
V: I saw Lillian Gish on tv after that film
and she said she hated working with
Bette Davis: “She was such a horrible
bitter person, but you can understand.
I mean - have you looked at that face?”
D: You’re wearing beige and your bag
is greige.
V: I love beige. I can tell you my
favourite beige story my friend Todd
told me - he’s a stylist. Ellen Barkin
whose best friend is Julianne Moore was
trying some clothes on. She said “Hey
Julianne why don’t you try on this dress?
It’s BEIGE. You look like shit in beige.
(laughs) I hope we don’t look like shit
in THIS beige!

AUTUMN APPROACHES
TIME FOR WINTER WOOL
Photograher: Rebecca Thomas
Off-white chunky shawl cardigan - Topman
Classic brown Alex Belt - Vivienne Westwood
Vintage Ringspun jeans - Beyond Retro
Vintage chunky cardigan
Beyond Retro
beige 15
Vintage chunky knit sweater
Beyond Retro
Stone waistcoat T-Shirt - Topman
Dark wash slim fi t jeans - ASOS
Chunky navy scarf - Beyond Retro

Military Jacket - Topman
Indigo slim fi t jeans - ASOS
Chunky navy scarf - Beyond Retro
Patterned Jumper - Topman
Twisted rinse wash slim fi t jeans
Blue fairisle snood - Topman
Vintage Ringspun jeans - Beyond Retro
Classic brown Alex belt - Vivienne Westwood
Navy multi fairisle sweater - Topman
Model: Johan
Premier Model Management
Stylist: Kristine Kilty
www.kristinekilty.co.uk
Grooming: Molly Aitken
Photographic Assistant: Makda Aiysu

THE LAST DANCE
The Featherstonehaughs
draw on the sketchbooks of
Egon Shiele for the last time.
The Featherstonehaughs (pronounced ‘Fanshaws’) emerged
in the late eighties, formed by brilliant choreographer
Lea Anderson. Despite recognition as an institution in
contemporary dance and their unflagging popularity, cuts in
funding have spelled their end. This will be their final tour.
Alas they will not be able to do a proper farewell tour; they
are simply finishing up. This is not just a great loss it is
also a dispiriting slap in the face. When so many publicly
funded arts projects seem whimsical or capricious, putting
a stop to the Featherstonehaughs and their sister company,
The Cholmondeleys (‘Chumleys’) is to me a grave error. Arts
Council England must have some reasons – or is rationale
their thing? They can chuck money at temporary ephemeral
art willy-nilly but can’t get it together to preserve cultural
works of importance? Don’t get me started! Oh well, we have
to pay for the fucking Olympics SOMEHOW I suppose...
I tracked down dancer Gary Clarke, who is dancing in the final
production of their Egon Schiele inspired piece. Gary was in
Edinburgh with his own company at the Festival, just before
beginning the Featherstonehaughs’ tour.
D: How’s the Festival been?
G: It’s been good. I’ve had some lovely reviews and decent
audiences. I’m ready to finish now though! I’ve drunk too
much alcohol and spent too much money. (laughs)It’s been
exhausting too -but I’m still alive.
www.beigeuk.com
“To restrict
the artist is
a crime; it is
murdering
life in the
bud.”
Egon Schiele
D: And now you’re going to be doing the Featherstonehaughs’
sadly final tour.
G: I am. It is incredibly sad. They’ve been going for about
twenty seven years. The Arts Council had to make cuts and
they were one of those cuts. It is sad because Lea Anderson
does such great stuff for the world of British dance. I feel
privileged to be a part of their final shows; their send-off.
They were the company who inspired me to become a dancer.
D: It was this same work, the Egon Schiele piece, that you
first saw, wasn’t it? (I did my homework)
G: It was. It really was a big turning point. I’d never really
been into pure dance. I always knew that I wanted to do
something more theatrical. My dance teacher told me that I
should go and see the Featherstonehaughs, as I might like
them. I saw these fluorescent clad guys dancing to rock
music and it really resonated with what I was wanting to do.
I absolutely loved it. I knew of Lea Anderson before and the
work she had done with the Cholmondeleys, and this really
struck a chord. I knew from then that I wanted to be a part of
the company so I went and took three years dance training,
and when I left college I got a job with them. It was my first
job! It’s kind of remarkable that now I am in their last show.
It has gone full circle really.
D: The costumes look great for that show. Does Sandy Powell
(costume designer: ‘The Aviator’, ‘Orlando’, ‘Far From Heaven’,
‘The Young Victoria’) always do the costumes?
G: She has done the Featherstonehaughs for a long time, but
she’s been really busy since she became a big Oscar winner.
She can’t do every show but gladly she’s come back for this
one. Lea and Sandy have a very close working relationship.
They met on their first day at Saint Martin’s. I’m looking
forward to be wearing a costume by Sandy.
D: I’ve met Sandy before. I was an extra in ‘The Crying Game’!
She’s really camp isn’t she?
G: Incredibly camp. Obviously.
D: I love her gowns for the piece called ‘Edit’(all the men are
in rather cinematic frocks). Are you in that?
G: I’m not. I was planning to be but I have so much work on,
and had so little time to learn two pieces, I could only do
Egon Schiele.
D: What are you doing next?
G: I’m involved in a massive project called ‘Games Time’,
which I will be working on with Lea. It has 150 performers, is
outdoors and ends up with fireworks. I’m looking forward to
working with Lea again. We go back a long way.
While Lea Anderson and her companies have found
themselves without funding from the Arts Council, there
is of course a big budget for Arts projects related to the
London Olympic Games in 2012. Games Time is the first of
four Legacy Trust UK-funder Community Celebrations and is
geared to getting local communities involved. All good and
well, but after the pyrotechnics and spectacle have passed,
what will remain? Those from the local communities involved
will have learned new skills. Good press for the Olympics.
I doubt that recent funding cuts are directly linked to the
build-up to the Olympic Games, but I cannot help making that
connection. I feel like we have traded in the Cholmondeleys
and the Featherstonehaughs for transient spectaculars of
shallow entertainments.
I used to work in a bar where Simon Callow was a frequent
visitor. One night, watching fireworks explode over London,
Simon observed “It costs a fortune. Dazzles briefly with lots
of noise. Is entertaining for a short while, and then when it is
all over you are left with nothing.”
“Are you talking about television again, Simon?” I asked.
At once both like and unlike a flashing firework show,
‘The Featherstonehaughs Draw on the Sketchbooks of Egon
Schiele’ will at least leave you with something. Perhaps the
inspiration that drove Gary to pursue his dreams; perhaps
a memory of one of the foremost British dance companies
performing for the last time. If you have never seen the
Featherstonehaughs, this is your last chance. It is all too
sadly theirs too.
For tour dates and details:
www.thecholmondeleys.org
www.garyclarkeuk.com
DANCE
beige 19

PORTAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A BRAND
Self portrait by Trademark

All my work is hand-painted
the traditional way, I mainly work
in oil and acrylic paint on canvas
or sometimes board or paper for
smaller pieces. I have developed
a top secret technique to achieve
a super-smooth airbrush type
finish to my paintings.
Mark Wardel aka Trade Mark has been creating iconic pop
images since the early 1980s and is still turning out stunning
and memorable paintings much sought after here in the UK
and abroad .Born in Wallasey Merseyside he studied art in
Liverpool before re-locating to London in 1978 where he
gravitated towards the embryonic Blitz/New Romantic scene
and began painting friends and faces like Steve Strange and
Japan’s David Sylvian. Mark’s first exhibition was held at
London’s Ebury Gallery way back in 1983 and his work was
also featured on Channel 4’s pop-culture show “The Tube”.
Throughout the eighties Mark made storyboards and did art
direction for videos by artists like Bryan Ferry and Siouxsie
and the Banshees. A chance meeting with his art hero Andy
Warhol led to a request from the” Pope of Pop Art” for one
of Mark’s hand painted T-shirts which spurred him on into
resuming his painting career.
TRADEMARK ART
www.beigeuk.com
In 1990 club promoter Laurence Malice approached Mark to
produce artwork & visuals for a new club project, London’s
first legal all night gay rave “Trade” at Turnmills in Clerkenwell.
Mark’s iconic artworks and disco decor helped Trade to
become a phenomenal worldwide success as well as earning
him the “Trademark” name. Commissions followed from many
of the new bars and businesses exploding into being in the
new 90’s gay Soho and Mark was soon hailed as London’s
“flyer king” by both Attitude and Time Out magazines.
Portraits, covers and commissions for Boy George, Absolut
vodka, Marc Almond and Holly Johnson followed whilst
Trademark continued to exhibit in galleries. In 2006 Mark
collaborated with William Baker, creative director for Kylie
Minogue to produce painted imagery for the packaging of
his men’s underwear range Bboy. This lead to a commission
from Kylie for a set of portraits to be used as imagery
for her Showgirl Homecoming Tour. These portraits were
exhibited at the V&A as part of the Kylie exhibition and
also at the Salford Museum and Art Gallery in the “Fellow
Travellers group show. Trademark’s artwork for Liverpool’s
anti-homophobia organization Homotopia will be shown in
the new museum due to open in Liverpool this summer.
Beige caught up with Mark recently for a chat...
I asked Mark which artists, designers and writers influence
him and why ?
T.M. As a child my imagination was caught in a big way by
the whole pop art movement. I was originally influenced by
the New York artists and illustrators of the seventies and
eighties, particularly Andy Warhol, I didn’t know then that
ART
I would meet him later and he would ark for a piece of my
artwork. Richard Bernstein who painted the all those classic
Interview covers, Stephen Sprouse and Antonio the fashion
illustrator, punk graphics, and Edward Bell who painted
the cover for Bowies’ Scary Monsters album. Actually David
Bowie has been a big influence to me since the early 70’s.
One of my most treasured possessions is a hand written letter
from him from Berlin in 1979 thanking me for an artwork I
gave him.
D.B. What are the tools of the trade? What materials do you
work with?
T.M. Many people assume my work is a computer graphic
however this is not true!
All my work is hand-painted the traditional way, I mainly
work in oil and acrylic paint on canvas or sometimes board
or paper for smaller pieces. I have developed a top secret
technique to achieve a super-smooth airbrush type finish to
my paintings.
D.B. Were you a child art star, great at art as a child?
T.M. Yes, art was the only area I could shine in at school,
I wasn’t much good at anything else. My mum died when I
was eight and I didn’t have a dad so art and drawing provided
an escape from the circumstances I found myself in.
D.B. I wonder which living person would be your dream
subject to do a portrait of if you could choose anyone?
T.M. I would really like to paint the Queen and give her the
Trademark glamour treatment!
So many portraits make her look ill and old and I could
rescue her from that. Wouldn’t it be great to have a Trademark
portrait of the Queen on a stamp?
beige 23

TRADEMARK ART
beige 25
D.B. So what are these rumors I hear about you having a top
secret new merchandise project?
T.M. Well I’ve wanted to create TRADEMARK the brand for
a long while now. The range will initially comprise t-shirts,
limited edition fine art prints, posters and a set of six cushions
featuring new imagery along with some of my iconic club art.
We’ll be expanding and widening the range of products in the
future. Its really exciting, we are talking to buyers at various
prestigious London stores and it will all be available online.
Overleaf
Portrait of Divine
Various club artwork
Page opposite
Top left: Stewart Who
Top right: Princess Julia
Lower left: Kylie Minogue
Lower right: Paul Burnston
This page
Top left: Fat Tony
Below: The first part of Trademark’s
merchandising range: 6 fabulous cushions.
www.manmadeproduct.com
www.trademarkart.com
www.tradeuk.net

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queens in history
The Chevalier d’Eon de Beaumont
(1728-1810) is usually
described as a transvestite spy
who worked for the Empress
Elizabeth of Russia and Louis XV.
D’Eon was a cause célèbre who has become the subject of
numerous popular novels and works of history, as well as an
opera and a Japanese cartoon. The main fascination is that
d’Eon was a successful soldier and diplomat, and an expert
fencer, who while living in London in the 1770s announced
that he was really a she: d’Eon then lived as a woman, in
women’s clothes, for the rest of his life. Only after his death
was it discovered that she was really a he after all.
Because so many of d’Eon’s contemporaries seem to have
been convinced that he was a woman, it is tempting to
think of him as a very convincing transvestite. Yet many of
his friends had some doubts as to his real sex. The bitchy
Horace Walpole attended a dinner party with d’Eon – imagine
the banter once the wine started to flow! – and afterwards
Walpole wrote that he found d’Eon to be ‘loud, noisy and
vulgar… the night was hot and she had no muff or gloves,
and her hands and arms seemed not to have participated
of the change of sexes, but are fitter to carry a chair than
a fan’. Many others dined with d’Eon, including Tom Paine,
and it was often noted that d’Eon drank, swore and acted
like a soldier, and was chivalrous to the ladies: hardly the
sort of feminine behaviour that was expected of women in
eighteenth-century drawing rooms! On the other hand, when
in France d’Eon was received at Versailles by the young Louis
XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette: indeed, the queen even
arranged for d’Eon to be dressed by her fashionista
Rose Bertin. Piecing all the evidence together
though, it appears that d’Eon was a middle-aged
soldier who donned female attire and then carried
on behaving like a man. He was no Dana International,
more like Les Dawson in drag.
So why did he ‘change sex’ half way through his long
life? The usual answer is that while spying in London for
Louis XV he fell out with the French government and
feared that he would be kidnapped or even assassinated.
These were realistic anxieties, and so d’Eon announced
his spectacular news and then started appearing as a
woman in public so as to turn himself into a notoriety and
raise his profile and become untouchable. But this bluff
soldier must have had a predisposition to cross dressing
as there are many other ways of becoming well-known.
Surprisingly for a Frenchman and a Catholic, d’Eon was
very popular in London and once the French Revolution
brought an end to his pension he survived by giving fencing
demonstrations.
By 1810 d’Eon was old and penniless and shared a bedsit
and a bed with an octogenarian Admiral’s widow called
Mrs Cole. After d’Eon died it was Mrs Cole who washed his
corpse and made the startling discovery that her spinster
soul mate was really a man! D’Eon was buried in the
beige 27
Old St Pancras Churchyard, but along with many others, his
grave disappeared in the 1860s when the Midland Railway
expanded its tracks. Although there is no evidence that d’Eon
was homosexual – throughout his life he claimed to be a
virgin – his outrageous story and billowing skirts make him
ideal for this column!
Dr Stephen Brogan
Further reading:
Cynthia Cox, The Enigma of the Age (1966)
Gary Kates, Monsieur d’Eon is a Woman (1997)
Simon Burrows, Jonathan Conlin, Russell Goulbourne
and Valerie Mainz (eds), The Chevalier d’Eon and
His Worlds (2010)

HARSH WORDS
MATTHEW ZORPAS TALKS WITH JODIE HARSH
Photographer: Magnus Hastings
It’s common
knowledge that
there isn’t such a
thing as a formula
that guarantees
success,
particularly in
a city with so
much variety,
and determined
individuals.
However, there is not much that Jodie
Harsh hasn’t done and it seems she
has found a recipe for success. She’s
been called ‘the real queen of England’,
performed at Glastonbury and LOVEBOX.
She is ‘London’s favourite platinum
blonde’, that Gail Porter and Kelly
Osbourne have a drink with. According
to the Independent she is the ‘Drag
queen du jour, friend to the stars,
and hostess with the mostess’…
With her gigantic mane of blonde hair,
hot-pink lipstick, drag queen Jodie Harsh
– a former host and DJ of the hottest
gay London club nights – is without a
doubt an instant source of intrigue and
style. We meet her as every gay man
wants either to be her, or party with her.
Matthew: What influenced you to start
Jodie Harsh’s life and when did it begin?
Jodie: Totally by mistake – I did drag at
Heaven one night in 2003 just for fun,
and I got bitten by the bug. I thought,
what an amazing way to express
creativity while having a great time,
drinking for free and getting paid
to party! Now it’s a lot more serious,
I’m running my own mini industry.
Matthew: So, do you perform for more
than one event in a day?
Jodie: Hell yeah, I multi-task.
INTERVIEW
All you need is a fast driver and loads
of Red Bull.
Matthew: Drag Queen, DJ, Club Promoter
and Producer. What’s your philosophy?
Jodie: Do it all now – you could get hit
by a bus tomorrow.
Matthew: What’s your worst fear?
Jodie: Death. Or being bored. Same
thing, really.
Matthew: If you could choose one
musical artist and one song that to you
epitomize the world now, who and what
would they be?
Jodie: Everyone’s going Gaga aren’t
they? It’s not what I’d listen to at home…
or play in clubs really, but she certainly
embodies the current zeitgeist and
owns the music charts. All the girls are
really going for it. Who runs the world?
Matthew: Who is your strongest musical
influence?
Jodie: Madonna. She’s the ultimate
pop icon, business woman, versatile
recording artist, brand.
Matthew: Is there anything about your
body you dislike?
Jodie: I’m really short without heels.
I’d be a few inches taller.
Matthew: Looking back are there
any hair shades you regret having
or have favoured more than others?
beige 29
Jodie: I don’t suit dark hair, I learnt that
early on.
Matthew: As a culture, are we moving in
the right direction?
Jodie: Of course not, you only have
to open the newspaper to know that.
Pop-culturally, everything is a reference
these days. I guess everything has been
done now, and the fun is in finding
new direction in references to create
something semi-new.
Matthew: What are your plans for the
future? Will you continue DJing or try
something else?
Jodie: I think I will always DJ and create
club brands. Will I always wear a wig?
Probably not. I’m sure I’ll come up with
something new.
Follow Jodie Harsh on Twitter:
www.twitter.com/jodieharsh

LIEBE SCHLAMM
If reincarnation is on a request basis,
I’m putting my name down as a Hippo
Fetish is a funny thing and it can take years for a young gay
man-about-town to really hone in on what fl oats his boat.
Me? There really is very little I wont, or to be more precise,
haven’t tried. If variety is the spice of life then mine comes
extra hot! So imagine my surprise this summer to stumble
upon a little known weekend outside of its native country in
Northern Germany called Rostocker Steppenbrand which is
dedicated to, well let’s just say, the less clean pursuits.
Steppenbrand is held at an old East German army camp, all
ruined buildings and bunkers and plenty of outside space to
explore and ‘piece de resistance’ is the mud pit. Now this is
not some pit full of sand you might fi nd in the local municipal
park but a real live swamp of the smoothest light-brown clay
which punters literally wallow in for hours at a time. I may
be wrong but there were at least three people who stayed
in the pit all weekend, day and night. Now, before you start
reaching for the sick bag I can confi rm the pure unadulterated
joy of being massaged lying in warm, wet, gooey, clingy mud.
The joy doesn’t stop there, right next to the mud pit is natures
very own bathtub. A pond with a stream running into it with
warm water which if (unlike myself) you want to get clean
right away, you can jump in and dive under. If you clean
yourself the natural way you can then snigger at the idiots
who use the laughable shower facilities.
Steppendbrand really was a most enjoyable new fetish
experience which I will be repeating year-on-year from now on.
beige 30
A weekend with almost 500 dirty men – talk about “pigs
in shit”! There are drawbacks of course, accommodation is
either the basic, to be polite, ‘barracks’ or your own tent
(much better). The food is even more basic than the barracks.
But booze is extremely cheap and plentiful, 3 euros for a very
large vodka and coke anyone?
So, now a true convert to the joys of wallowing I was on the
lookout for new muddy adventures as no self-respecting homo
can be expected to wait a whole year for his next fi x. Luckily,
living in Berlin the locals are a little more accommodating
than, well, anywhere else in the world. True to form a mere
three weeks after returning home our local super-fetish club
The Lab (www.lab-oratory.de) put on its second Schlamm
(that’s ‘Mud’ to you) party of the year. Of course we had
to make do with the smaller pits but there were at least
two of them and almost 300 punters covered head-to-toe
in glorious mud. I myself was “relieved” (having always
believed in the kindness of strangers) completely submerged
except for eyes, nose and mouth. The Lab provides shower
facilities so there is no problem about messing up that new
Mercedes taxi waiting for you outside. What I found really
interesting about this party was that everyone was so into
it, there were no ‘wall fl owers’ and everyone was laughing in
between wallowing and other activities.
Nick Harrigan
www.steppenbrand-mv.de
BERLIN
METROPOLIS

“Berlin is the greatest
cultural extravaganza that
one could imagine.”
David Bowie
Welcome to Berlin, city of “divine decadence”; legendary
nightlife, thriving art and music scenes and a past with which
it is finally beginning to reconcile itself. A city unlike any
other; and whilst it may not have the glamour of Paris or the
Historical beauty of Rome it does have a unique and enticing
atmosphere of it’s own.
There is a slower pace here which seems more akin to a
Mediterranean City, people seem to take their time in cafes
and bars, you will never be presented with the bill until you
request it. All this combines to make it an ideal destination
for anyone wanting a city break.
For the gay visitor Berlin has great allure. It has an extremely
liberal attitude to sexuality and has long been a destination
for the creative and artistic communities. There are numerous
gay areas in the city but for the purpose of this piece I will
focus on the area of Schoneberg.
This area, south-west of the city translates as ‘beautiful hill’
(although strangely there are no hills there, or anywhere
nearby) and has been home to, amongst others Christopher
Isherwood, David Bowie, Iggy Pop and was the birthplace
of Marlene Dietrich. It has an atmosphere of ‘Old’ Berlin,
BERLIN
www.beigeuk.com
even down to the street signs in some parts. Its gay scene
is largely located in Motzstrasse and across Martin -Luther-
Strasse in Fuggerstrasse.
The newly opened Axel Hotel on Lietzenburger Strasse 13/15
(www.axelhotels.com) is an ideal location for exploring Berlin.
Its Black and Gold colour scheme adds a touch of drama to
the modern interior and is ideally situated - literally seconds
away and staggering distance from the bars of Fuggestrasse
or the largest department store in Europe, Ka De We.
After unpacking you may want to head out for some food.
You could visit More on Motzstrasse (www.more-berlin.de
Motzstrasse 28) This vibrant, yet relaxed gay-owned restaurant
is always busy, but never feels hectic. The food is great and
there are outdoor tables should you wish to check out the
locale/locals. It also has very flattering lighting!
After dinner you could head over to Prinzknecht
(www.prinzknecht.de Fuggerstrasse 33), this large bar seems
to be the starting point for most people’s evenings and
has a bright, friendly atmosphere. It can get very busy
especially at weekends and plays host to regular parties
and theme nights. It has a neighbouring nightclub called
Connections which incorporates a fetish shop. If you
fancy something a little more intimate, then back on
Motzsrasse are a selection of bars for all tastes. Heile Welt
(Motzsrasse 5) has a more lounge atmosphere, with waiter
service in the back bar while Hafen (Motzstrasse 19) is a
little more relaxed and one of the few bars on Motzstrasse
where you can drink alfresco.
If you are after something even more ‘intimate’ then Toms
bar next door to Hafen is modern and cruisy, while Scheune
is a more old school, spit-and-sawdust style fetish bar at
number 25. The bars all stay open until the last customer
leaves (or passes out) so beware!If you want a more hardcore
evening then you should head to the Legendary Berghain
(www.berghain.de 70 am Wriezener Bahnoff). Not for the
fainthearted this former power plant plays nose bleed techno,
holds 1500, has no mirrors and an anything goes (and does)
sexual policy.
The next day (hangover permitting) you may want to do
some sightseeing. North of Schoneberg is the Tiergarten,
which is Berlin’s central park. It is divided into quarters by
the Siegessaule column which is decorated with the gilded
cannons and cannonballs captured from the French in 1871
and topped with a 26ft high, winged Goddess of Victory
(It’s quite theatrical!). The gay area of the park, should you
need it, is based in the south-west quarter and during the
summer months is a popular area for nude sunbathing,
complete with an outdoor shower.
Nearby is the Film Museum in Potsdammer Platz. This area
was once a no mans land during the Cold war and was
redesigned to form a link between former East and West.
The Museum is housed in the ultra high-tech Sony Centre and
is small, but uses smoke and mirrors (appropriately enough)
to compensate for its size. It spans the history of German
cinema, from the 20s when Berlins film industry was a rival
to Hollywood and directors such as Fritz Lang and George
Pabst were creating amazing expressionist cinema through
to the present day. It houses the worlds largest collection
of Marlene Dietrich’s costumes and personal effects as well
as the work of Ray Harryhausen the stop-motion special
effects artist.
After last nights exertions you may want a more sedate
evening. Heading out of Schoneberg you could head to
Roses Bar (Oranienstrasse 187) in Kreuzberg. This tiny bar
has a unique kitsch décor complete with faux fur walls and is
a great place for an early evening drink. I say early because
‘intimate’ can very quickly become ‘uncomfortably packed’ so
best avoid the busy part of the night.
Should fur and fairy lights not be your taste then back in
Schoneberg The Green Door cocktail bar (www.greendoor.de
Winterfeldstrs. 50) is a bit more calm and relaxed with a great
cocktail menu.
Well that’s just a small suggestion of activities for a weekend
in Berlin, as you can see there’s more than enough to satisfy
the most culture-hungry, alcoholic, depraved homosexual so
you may want to stay for more than a few days. Enjoy!
Tim Perkins
Diary Dates 2011:
Hustlaball Berlin, 21st October
www.hustlaball.de
www.gayberlin4u.com
www.berlin.nighttours.com
www.patroc.com/berlin
TRAVEL
beige 33

FRIDA AND DIEGO
I PAINT MYSELF BECAUSE I AM SO OFTEN ALONE
AND BECAUSE I AM THE SUBJECT I KNOW BEST
Frida Kahlo Self portrait with Monkeys 1943

Self portrait with Bed (Me and my Doll) 1937
Singer songwriter Caron Geary
aka Feral aka MC Kinky
reviews the current exhibition of
Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera.
Dean Bright has been my close friend and collaborator for
decades, he makes the masks I wear on stage, so I was
particularly pleased when he invited me to spend the day out
with him in Chichester to see the Frida Kahlo masterpieces
from the Gelman collection at the Pallant House gallery.
Although I’m aware of her background and work, I hadn’t seen
her paintings before, nor had I been to Chichester. After a
relatively early night, post the designer Noki’s 40th birthday,
it was a premature 8.45am rise, devoid of hangover to catch
the 11am train from Victoria Station. Uncharacteristically I was
early. It was a great start to the day.
The journey to Chichester was an hour and thirty seven
minute ride thorough the gorgeous West Sussex countryside,
We crossed the generic small town high street, popped into
a charity shop, trolled down a series of early eighteenth
century walkways and arrived at the impressive modernist
gallery ten minutes later. I was keen to see the work of
the painter who said of the surrealists: “They are so damn
intellectual and rotten that I cant stand them anymore,
I’d rather sit on the fl oor in the market of Toluca and sell
tortillas, than have anything to do with those artistic bitches
in Paris”. I wonder who their modern day equivalent would
be? Several different international social groups outside of
Mexico have adopted Frida Kahlo, a self-confessed, “bitch”
FRIDA KAHLO AND DIEGO RIVERA
www.beigeuk.com
Frida paints self portrait whilst
Diego watches by Bernard Silberstein
since her death in 1954. She has reigned supreme as the
moustached goddess of the 1970s’ feminists and is hailed
as a mono-browed style icon for the Gallagher brothers.
In reality the hirsute vision depicted in her austere self
portraits didn’t quite exist. Well it was nothing that a pot of
Jolen cream bleach couldn’t sort out today.
In this exhibition, Kahlo’s work is juxtaposed with that of her
husband, painter Diego Rivera and although most argue she
wasn’t as talented as her husband, since their deaths, she
is the better known of the two artists. She pre-empted this
decade’s “me generation” self-obsession and we can relate to
her self-referential work which is a practise that’s has been
adopted by many contemporary female artists and appeals
to a wide audience. Frida Kahlo said there had “been two
great accidents in my life. One was the trolley, (that crushed
her body) the other was Diego. Diego was by far the worst”.
They were a strange looking pair, him with his reptilian, toadlike
attributes and her with deformed feet and one leg thinner
than the other. Sometimes she “dragged up”, but often she
draped herself in traditional Tehuana costume. In twenty-fi rst
century fashion terms, think Bjork meets Fred Butler meets
Louise Gray, with a native twist.
Her mother disapproved of their marriage. Diego was
twenty years older and no looker, but despite their
turbulent relationship, littered with infi delities on both
sides, their divorce was followed by remarriage. Diego
didn’t seem to mind as much when the bisexual Frida had
affairs with women such as the fabulous Josephine Baker,
several other movie stars and the renowned artist Georgia
O’Keeffe. The couple had three-ways with his mistresses,
Self portrait as a Tehuana (Diego on my Mind)
1943
but Frida drew the line when Diego tried to keep it in
the family and had an affair with her own sister. After the
divorce, the artist cut her hair short and often dressed as a
man, suited and booted embracing her androgynous side.
In several paintings, we fi nd her in similar poses, fag in
hand her non-changing expressions and angles that were
often repeated, this was due to prolonged bouts of illness.
When fl at on her back laid up in bed she was given an
easel a mirror and brightly coloured paints: “I paint myself
because I am so often alone and because I am the subject
I know best”.
Kahlo retained her trademark indigenous style wherever
she went, it is this style brought about by her medical
condition and a nod to her indigenous roots that remains
with us today rather than individual works. The native hair
styles that wouldn’t be out of place in catwalk fashion
shows, the wide boldly coloured skirts seen in most of
her portraits, worn to disguise her misshapen frame and
the tribal jewellery are all part of her art. There are some
gorgeous colour photographs of Frida by Nickolas Muray in
the show where she appears to have been cut and pasted
from her Mexican environment and placed in different
background settings like New York, with her recognisable
fashion remaining intact revealing a smile and warmth not
seen in her own paintings. Mexican symbolism and cultural
references are evident in most of her work, she was proud
of her part-Indian ancestry. Dolls representing mortality, the
children she could never have and several miscarriages due
to her accident. These are recurring motifs as are animals
such birds and spider monkeys. She focuses on survival,
ART
beige 37
Nickolas Muray
Frida, Blue Dress
nature, strength, alongside illness, fragility and the
pain she constantly suffered as a child with polio.
The work at times has a religious aspect; she appears saintly
as “Our Lady Hairy Mary” combined with Mexican deities.
Her intimate, memorable, relatively small-scale self-portraits
are not realistic. They are stylised, unsophisticated, brightly
coloured representations, but that’s their appeal.
Kahlo was in no doubt that Diego was the more superior
artist of the two, but this show is a not a competition,
it’s a concise look at some of their works, which don’t seem
really connected, despite their common ground. What does
come across is a shared love of their country and the love
Mexico’s odd couple had for each other.
On the train journey home we decided that Frida Kahlo was
probably not one to mess with. There was less a sense of
pathos and more the idea that in her youth when she was
well, up and about, hanging out in Europe and New York she
was probably genius company.
Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera:
Masterpieces from the Gelman Collection
9 July- 2 October 2011
Pallant House Gallery, Chichester

ROOM SERVICE
MENSWEAR IN A LUXURY HOTEL
Photography: John Stewardson

Producer/Stylist:
Models:
Make up:
Hair:
Clothes:
Special thanks:
Jenny McIlhatton
Max Cocking and Patrick Lukai
at Premier Model Management
Sophia Singh for Mac
Nino Bartolo for Ena Salon
Vivienne Westwood
Marios Alexander – (white shirt
with bells and waistcoat)
The W Hotel London

CAROLINE NIN
A VERY CHIC CHANTEUSE
Photographer: Haydn Wood

French Chanteuse Caroline Nin
launches into “Songs and stories
of the Paris Lido” 13th to 18th
September at the Soho Theatre.
Dean Bright talks to Caroline Nin
Described as a classic femme fatale, one who charms,
intrigues and fills your imagination with a plethora of images
and stories. Her mesmerizing personality, captivating rich
voice and own musical interpretations ranging from Edith Piaf
to Liza Minnelli, Marlene Dietrich to Jacques Brel.
Born in Paris, she made her debut in the late 80s at The
Hollywood Savoy, a swing and jazz venue, where she quickly
attracted attention by interpreting the songs of Ella Fitzgerald,
Billie Holiday and Sarah Vaughan. In the early 90s, Nin moved
to London when Marc Almond asked her to perform at the
thriving Soho venue, The Freedom Theatre and where she
sang classic cabaret standards (Brel, Ebb, Sondheim, Weill
and Brecht). She went on to tour the world with musical and
cabaret shows, developing an intimate relationship with the
songs of Edith Piaf and Marlene Dietrich. Caroline created
shows dedicated to these two icons: ‘Hymne A Piaf’ and
‘La Dietrich’ which have both been received with rapture
around the world.
In this latest London run of shows Caroline will take us on a
journey down the Champs-Elysees to The Paris Lido with its
feather-filled dressing rooms and champagne hued audiences.
The Lido, a legendary theatre set on five levels once home
CAROLINE NIN
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to the famous Bluebell dancers, speciality acrobats as well
as Marlene Dietrich, Edith Piaf, Elton John, Shirley Maclaine,
Mitzi Gaynor and Noel Coward in its pedigree of performers.
Fresh from a successful tour of Australia, I had the chance to
ask Miss Nin a few questions...
DB Considering how much touring you do, where do you
consider to be home and do you have a favourite city to
perform in?
CN Since 2008 I have been sharing homes between
Paris, London and Sydney; I don’t have a favorite city to
perform in as they are all different, yet bring challenges to
the performance. By the time I get a grip on the city I am
performing in, I have to move onto another one, which keeps
it fresh and risky... I love it!
DB When were you last in England?
CN At the end of March, performing at Ronnie Scott’s
DB I am fascinated by Marlene Dietrich and whilst in Berlin
last year I visited her grave in Schonenberg to take her
flowers. It was so moving to stand so close to her modest
resting place and contemplate the enormity of her persona.
What is it about Dietrich that attracts you?
CN I will visit her grave next time I go to Berlin, thank you
for reminding me that she is there, in Schonenberg. I am
planning a trip to Berlin in spring 2012... I will definitely
go there. I went to the Marlene Dietrich collection in Berlin
two years ago and was beside myself seeing the costumes.
What really draws me with Dietrich is her independence, her
unique personality, her aura and her man-like identity. Her
beauty obviously, her intelligence, I cannot start telling you
Top Hat: Tanja Bruckner
CABARET
beige 49
what has happened to me since writting ‘La Dietrich’ show.
She is beyond... just like Piaf... So its not only the voice.
Check out ‘No Regrets’ by Carolyn Burke, its the best Piaf
biography ever, read it you will understand what I mean...
Beyond! A little like Amy Winehouse as sad as it is.
DB In my opinion Edith Piaf was an incredible singer as-well
as a fascinating character, whereas Dietrich was a movie star,
an enigma with not such a great singing voice. What do you
think of Marlene’s singing style?
CN Well, you have said it all... Marlene is an extremely smart
soul who knows what to do.
DB Your London show is titled ‘Songs and stories of the Paris
Lido’, can you give us a hint of which songs you will be singing
or which of your favorite songs you will be performing?
CN Ooooh, there will be some surprises, I have spent 5 years
performing at the Lido in the 2000’s, I cant tell you what my
favorite song will be since it is a quiz in the show. There will
be ‘Mein Herr’ ‘Irma La Douce’, ‘Wilkommen’, ‘Libertango’,
songs that the London audience is familiar to within my
repertoire, but there is also: Serge Gainsbourg, Jacques Brel,
Bryan Ferry and more!
DB Which period in history would you most liked to have
lived through and where?
CN The Weimar era, as a singer, actress, performer, just before
that awful man with a stiff moustache arrived and killed all of
them. That was in Berlin of course!
DB Where are you going next? More shows or a holiday?
CN I am going to NYC to check out some venues.
DB Thanks Caroline for your time, and I think it would be
crazy of anyone not to go and check you out! I certainly will.

THE HAPPY SHACK
IN STORE WITH THE EVER HAPPY MR NORMAL
Photographer: Claire Lawrie

THE HAPPY SHACK
The happiest place by far in
Camden Stables Market is The
Happy Shack. Philip Normal is the
ever cheerful owner of this funky
punky emporium and is more like
a host at a party than a salesman.
Begun as a tiny vintage and jewellery stall in 2009 The Happy
Shack has grown into a mad-cap cave of punk couture.
There are classic punk t-shirts ornamented with studs and
Swarovski crystals, ripped and slashed sweatshirts dripping
with safety pins plus some of the most surreal accessories
to be found in London. Customized denim Jackets are a
speciality, weighed down by the dense bling of studs. Philip
does a range of greeting cards that would make your mother
blush and badges that range from cute to pornographic.
Mr Normal is a very busy man these days, not only cheerily
running The Happy Shack 7 days a week he’s recently
launched www.6000AD.co.uk a website selling “non boring
things for non boring people”. Created with Alexandre
Polazzon in an attempt to offer an alternative online retail
experience, 6000AD features designers such as Tatty Devine,
Linda Farrow, Andrea Cammarosano and Basso and Brooke.
So if your wardrobe is looking lack-luster and needs a smile
putting back on its face then we recommend you pick yourself
up with a piece of fashion cheer at The Happy Shack.
Model: Ricki Hall
Clothes: Happy Shack
Lobster Necklace: Tatty Devine
Hand Sunglasses: Jeremy Scott and Linda Farrow
NON BORING THINGS FOR NON BORING PEOPLE
www.beigeuk.com
FASHION
beige 53

TORONTO
CANADA’S ANSWER TO THE BIG APPLE

Alive with creative types,
Toronto throbs with culture.
Friendly and clean, it is a favourite
city of mine for many reasons.
Tony Tansley visited Toronto
and had the following to say.
Toronto is situated on the west coast of Lake Ontario, one
of the five great lakes of North America, in an area known
as the Golden Horseshoe and a mere hour and half from the
staggering Niagara Falls. With a history that dates back to
the late 18th century and a population of 2.5 million people,
Toronto has become both the culture and financial hub of
Canada. It hosts one of the largest LGBT festivals in the world
and attracts over one million people to pride week at the
end of June.
The city benefits from two great gay districts; the historic
Church Wellesley Village nicknamed ‘Mollywood’ after
a popular slang name for a person of homosexual
disposition and Alexander Wood, one of the cities founders
and magistrates who found himself at the centre of a scandal
whilst investigating a rape case. The victim claimed that
she did not know the identity of her attacker, however
she had scratched her assailant’s penis during the assault.
In order to identify the assailant, Woods personally
inspected the genitals of a number of suspects for
said scratch marks.
TORONTO
www.beigeuk.com
Rumours arose about Wood’s conduct during these
inspections, it was even alleged that he fabricated the rape
charge as an opportunity to fondle and seduce young men!
He was subjected to ridicule and was forced to leave the city.
Today, a statue stands proudly representing the founder of
the area. Church Wellesley became a predominantly gay area
following the 1981 Toronto bathhouse raids and has since
become an international gay travel destination synonymous
for its street festivals, nightlife, bars and restaurants as well
as the diverse community that populate the neighbourhood.
The second gay district ‘Queer West Village’ located to the
west of the city emerged in the 70’s and has an edgier feel to
it with funky bars and restaurants and a more cosmopolitan
metrosexual crowd. The neighbourhood proudly plays host to
several cultural festivals each summer.
With so much to see, the best way to discover Toronto is on
a walking tour. About Toronto Tours (www.allabouttoronto.
com) offer a wide variety of routes and tour guides. Their
knowledgeable guides provided an insightful look into the
history of each of these areas.
The city takes full advantage of its lake shore location with
the gay hot-spot, Hanlan’s Point Beach, boasting a clothingoptional
stretch in addition to the area of beach where
bathing suits are required. The easiest way to get to Hanlan’s
is via ferry, which you can board at the foot of Bay Street at
Queens Quay. Then it’s a 15-minute trek to this area of the
beach.
TRAVEL
Head to Church Street, gay Toronto’s “main drag” where you Check out the Alberta Bison which offers an award winning
can shop ‘til you drop. Check out the camp store names; wine selection of more than 550 international and Canadian
‘Out On the Street’ (551 Church St.) has three floors of gay wines from its cellar in the sky. Dinner Prix fixe $55.00
shopping. ‘About Cheese’ at 483 Church St. (Think of the Voglie Lounge, 582 Church Street, is set in the heart of the
carrier bag!) is, believe it or not, an artisan cheese shop. For gay village. This 19th century Victorian mansion is both warm
gay gifts to bring back home there is ‘Flat Irons Gift Store’ and inviting with very attentive and over friendly staff. Food
at 469 Church St. Elsewhere, ‘Over the Rainbow’ is a trendy consists of homemade classical dishes and Martini’s to die
fashion store (101 Yorkville Ave.) and the cutely named ‘Glad
Day Bookshop’, 598 A Yonge St. is the oldest gay bookshop
for! Specials start from a reasonable $15.00 per person.
in Toronto.
The Gladstone Hotel was originally built in 1889 and is the
Needless to say, the gay scene here is buzzing. There are oldest continuously operating hotel in Toronto. It’s a social
watering holes aplenty for every taste and type and many and cultural experience and each of its 37 rooms have been
are sited around Church Street. ‘Woody’s and Sailor’ is designed by artists.
the most popular venue and has five bars, ‘Byzantium’ is The Drake Hotel was named one of the coolest guest houses
a must for cocktails, ‘Black Eagle’ for leather-lovers, ‘Crews in the world and it’s clear to see why. I fell in love with
and Tango’ for drag, Fly nightclub (which appeared in the The Drake instantly! From the minute you walk through the
US version of Queer as Folk), ‘Zipperz/Cellblock’ has a piano doors you feel part of a family. Employees are long standing
bar and ‘Remington’s’ is Toronto’s only legal male strip club and as enthusiastic as the owners in creating a local hotbed
(hello London, you’re slacking!). There really is something for of extremities: culture, fashion, design and delicious food.
everyone!
Dining was an amazing experience and I was lucky enough
With more than 7000 restaurants, it’s not hard to be spoilt to sample many aspects of the menu especially prepared and
for choice. The following three should definitely feature
on your agenda:
Ciao Wine Bar, 133 Yorkvillle Ave, offers an authentic stylish
Italian experience in a contemporary environment. It’s relaxing
and inviting, even if a little noisy from the chatter of over
excited customers. Dinner approx $120.00 for two.
360 Restaurant, on the CN Tower, lets you literally see the
world revolve around you (while you eat). The restaurant
recommended by the chef, Anthony Rose.
offers market-fresh cuisine featuring regional ingredients. www.seetorontonow.com
beige 57

It rarely pays to look forward
to the theatre; disappointment
almost invariably ensues but
thankfully there is a clutch of
tried-and-tested revivals and
transfers on their way to
London’s glittering West End.
Westend Whingers take a look at
what lies ahead in Theatreland.
Westend Whingers
TREADING THE BOARDS
Miraculously they have all earned the Whingers’ quaint stamp
of approval, achieving the double-whammy of (a) preventing
Andrew from nodding off and (b) distracting Phil from his
bladder hand which pops up begging to be allowed to go the
toilet at ever shorter intervals these days...
Sorry to bring up bodily functions so early, but the Whingers
have never been ones to shy away from such issues. Indeed,
Phil is currently working through his little-black-book trying
to elicit some of the more senior members of the showbusiness
community to join his video campaign to educate
young people about the future of their personal plumbing
under the slogan, “It Gets Wetter”.
Anyway, we digress. James Corden. What is he for? That was
the question poised on many people’s lips after his highly
successful early career seemed to go a bit hay-wire.
The accolades he enjoyed for Alan Bennett’s The History Boys
at the National Theatre and Gavin & Stacey, the telly hit he
co-wrote with Ruth Jones dried up rather abruptly. For what
followed were the “comedy” sketch show Horne & Corden
and then what was apparently one of the worst British fi lms
ever made, The Lesbian Vampire Slayers.
But History Boys director Nicholas Hytner came to the rescue
and plonked Mister Corden into One Man, Two Guvnors which
isn’t a specialist chat room but a gloriously silly farce from the
National Theatre.
www.beigeuk.com
It is based on Venetian playwright Carlo Goldoni’s 18th
century faux-commedia dell’arte (stick with us) Servant of Two
Masters but playwright Richard Bean has updated it to the
1960s with James Corden heading a splendid cast involving
a sliver of audience participation, some musical hall turns, a
lot of skiffl e, some hilarious physical comedy (notably from
Tom Edden as an elderly waiter) and more than a soupcon
of camp. Is it any wonder that Mister Bean’s version is now
set in Brighton?
The National Theatre’s season sold out before you could say
“One boy, two sirs” but happily it is transferring - cast and all
- to the Adelphi Theatre in November, an opportunity afforded
by the largely unlamented passing of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s
Love Never Dies.
One Man, Two Guvnors
Previews from 8 November and opens 21 November
Adelphi Theatre www.nationaltheatre.org.uk
Moving on. Now this is spooky because Phil spent his
student days in Brighton but he was actually brought up
in Wiltshire which is where our next transfer is set. Jez
Butterworth’s remarkable west country show Jerusalem
returns to the West End from Broadway, having already
played here twice before. But the moment you see Mister
Mark Rylance as Johnny“Rooster” Byron, a role written for him
by Mister Butterworth you will understand why this show -
unlike certain other ironically titled productions - just will
not die. Rylance’s creation is a hard-drinking, drug dealing,
caravan dwelling woodland wastrel with so much charisma
that you can’t help but root for him.It is extraordinary that
the Whingers (who freely admit to having the attention spans
of gnats) have already patronised this show twice despite it
sprawling across two intervals and appropriating over three
hours of one’s life
Jerusalem
Previews from 8 Oct and opens 17 October
Apollo Theatre www.royalcourttheatre.com
Matilda
Previews from 18 October and opens 22 November
Cambridge Theatre www.matildathemusical.com
The other proven delight on the way is the musical adaptation
of Roald Dahl’s Matilda with songs by the very funny Tim
(“Infl atable You”) Minchin. This originated at the Royal
Shakespeare Company’s home in Stratford-upon-Avon and
frankly if Shakespeare were more like this we would frequent
more of his oeuvre. Yes, it has kiddie-winkies in it but it’s
smart, witty, wonderfully designed and boasts a superb comic
turn by Mister Bertie Carvell as the terrible headmistress
Miss Trunchbull.
Finally, although we did explain up front that one should
never ever look forward to untested theatre, it is also true
that the Whingers are unable to observe their own tenets and
so we are indeed intrigued to learn of a revival of the lesbian
lady drama The Killing of Sister George by Frank Marcus.
Stepping into the sensibly fl at shoes of Beryl Reid will be
Meera Syal who, in a sapphic twist on Come Dine With Me,
will be proffering her hors d’oeuvre of cigar butts to Elizabeth
Cadwallader’s Childie (Or was that just in the fi lm? We forget).
With uncharacteristic optimism we trust the show will prove
a tad more palatable. Never say we don’t travel hopefully.
Mind you, it is at that home of the hits the Arts Theatre. As
Andrew often says for no observable reason, “Moo! Moo!
Moo!”
THEATRE
beige 59

LONDON FILM FESTIVAL
The London Film Festival has
been offering cinema lovers a
smorgasbord of remarkable
fi lms for 55 years now.
Growing from small but ambitious beginnings to become a
major event in London’s cultural calendar, screening over 200
feature fi lms and 100 shorts from across the world.
The festival began after a collective of critics, led by Dilys
Powell of the Sunday Times, concluded that as fi lm festivals
were springing up across the world, then it was about time
that London hosted one too. They believed that the London
Film Festival should be a ‘festival of festivals’, one which
would screen award winning fi lms from international directors
and which would be aimed directly at the cinema-going
members of the public, who would otherwise never have the
opportunity to see these fi lms in the UK.
With this in mind, the then BFI director James Quinn
conceived the fi rst London Film Festival, launched on 16
October 1956, the day after the inauguration of the new NFT
under Waterloo Bridge, now the BFI Southbank. It screened
less than 20 fi lms from an acclaimed selection of directors
including Satyajit Ray, Akira Kurosawa and Luchino Visconti.
Since then the festival has grown in reputation and size and
now screens both UK and world premieres. Last year’s fi lms
included the UK premieres of ‘The Kings Speech’, ‘127 Hours’
and ‘Never Let Me Go’, all of which have been hugely popular
with audiences and gone on to garner major awards and
much critical acclaim.
I went down to the BFI Southbank to meet Michael Hayden,
who has the enviable job of being one of the festival’s
programmers, to fi nd out how things have changed since its
origins and what’s in store for this year’s forthcoming festival.
“We’re trying to represent the best in world cinema in any
given year,” he says, “that will include fi ction features,
documentaries, shorts, animation and we have a strand called
‘Treasures from the Archives’ which screens restorations of
old fi lms from across the world as well as the BFI archives, as
there is a lot of restoration work going on here. There’s an
experimental strand as well where we show artists’ fi lms, so
essentially it’s a broad section from Oscar nominated fi lms to
experimental work”
The wide variety of fi lms on offer means there really is
something to appeal to everyone and of particular interest
this year is ‘Weekend’ by director Andrew Haigh, whose
previous fi lm ‘Greek Pete’ depicted a year in the life of a
London rent-boy. They’re not giving much away about the
new fi lm yet, but Michael revealed “it’s something else, it’s
a really fantastic low budget British fi lm about two men
meeting and spending the weekend together, I genuinely
think Andrew is a new British talent we should celebrate.”
The fi lm has already played the South by Southwest festival
and won awards there, it has been really well received
in America and has also been picked up by the IFC
(Independent Film Channel). I’m most intrigued and
it looks certain to be a big hit at the festival.
www.beigeuk.com
The festival has a UK premier policy, and many of the titles
will also be international or European premieres too, which,
as Michael says, ‘is important to the integrity of the festival’.
As well as travelling to other festivals and arranging screenings
in screening rooms, they also have an open submission policy.
‘Many festivals will ask people to pay a fee but we don’t
do that and I think it’s important as a partly public funded
organisation that we don’t; anyone who’s made a fi lm from
anywhere can put it in a padded envelope and it will end
up on my desk’. This egalitarian policy can be of particular
benefi t to new and emerging fi lmmakers and ensures a truly
broad and eclectic mix of fi lms which is precisely what makes
the festival’s programme so strong and unique.
Beyond the public programme, there is also a whole industry
programme which includes career interviews and a series of
buyers’ and sellers’ screenings which can be of huge value to
fi lmmakers and helps them to screen their work the to a wider
audience. “Part of what we do is to is to try and present them
to distributors, as much as everyone seems to focus on the
big titles and the gala events, two thirds of our programme
are fi lms that don’t have UK distribution’. A further education
programme engages with learning establishments throughout
London in schools and colleges, so the festival really does
have an impact on current and future fi lmmaking in the UK.
A popular feature of the festival experience are the Q&A
sessions and the organisers try and get as many fi lmmakers
as possible. “Our audiences have come to almost expect that
they’ll meet the fi lmmakers,” says Michael. These sessions
are mutually appreciated: “fi lmmakers like to come here
and talk about their work and talk to audiences, and the
audiences appreciate being able to talk about cinema and
celebrate it, and that’s what we’re here for.”
Of course, there’s glamour too. The festival holds several red
carpet and glitzy events including the opening and closing
night galas, which are held in Leicester Square. Then there’s
the awards including Best First Feature, Best Newcomer, the
long standing award for Most Original First Feature and the
festival have recently started working with the Grierson Trust
to present Best Documentary.
Divided into sections, the festival covers different themes of
interest including Galas and Special Screenings, Film on the
Square, New British Cinema, World Cinema, Experimenta and
Short Cuts and Animation. While the main festival is focussed
on the ‘mothership’ BFI Southbank, fi lms are also screened in
other venues across London, the Odeon Leicester Square, the
Vue West End, the Ritzy, the Curzon Mayfair are just some of
the other cinemas selected to show particular fi lms.
This year sees the departure of the festival’s creative director
Sandra Hebron, who has held the post since 2003 and is
credited with increasing audiences year on year and has
been extremely successful in making the festival the huge
international event it is today, her departure is considered to
be a great loss to the BFI. The role of creative director has
now been merged with artistic director of the BFI and this
new mantle will be taken up by Heather Stewart, the new BFI
director of public programming.
The festival opens on October 12 and runs for 16 days and I
strongly advise anyone to pick up a copy of their extremely
well produced and informative programme, peruse the pages
and get booking. There’s certain to be several films which
pique your interest many of them sell out extremely quickly,
so don’t hang about. The spirit of the original festival is alive
and well and for many of these films this could still be your
only chance to see them in a London Cinema - an opportunity
not to be missed.
Mike Nicholls
Black Swan
Natalie Portman
127 Days
James Franco
Premiere at London Film Festival
The King’s Speech
Colin Firth
Helena Bonham Carter
Chris Zylka
Kaboom
www.bfi.org.uk
beige 61

Boys on Film:
Bad Romance
Boys On Film explores the darker side
of romance with a collection of edgy,
controversial and sexy short fi lms that
have wowed fi lm festival audiences the
world over.
This eclectic set includes:
Cappucino - (Switzerland) 16mins 2011
Jérémie is a shy teenager who keeps
a heavy secret: his homosexuality.
While trying to fi nd his way between
hunky classmate Damien and protective
mother Gina, Jérémie’s life is about to
change.
Curious Thing - (USA) 10mins 2009
Jared is closeted. Sam is straight. They
fi nd a connection in each other that
neither man has had before, but where
do they go from there?
Cake and Sand - (Germany) 15mins 2010
Tim and Julian are deeply in love,
but can’t fi nd happiness between the
sheets. When you can’t sexually satisfy
the person you love, is this enough of a
reason to quit a relationship?
The New Tenants - (USA) 20mins 2010
A prying neighbor, a glassy-eyed drug
dealer, and a husband brandishing both
a weapon and a vendetta make up the
welcome wagon...
Mirrors - (Canada) 14mins 2007
Julien is a young man trying to make
sense of his sexual orientation. One
summer by the lake, he watches his
family, friends and neighbours lose
themselves in a series of heated
rendezvous.
Release Date: 26 September
HOME CINEMA
Man at Bath House of Boys
Emmanuel (Francois Sagat) and Omar
(Omar Ben Sellem) are out to prove to
themselves they are not still in love - by
having sex with other people. After they
spilt Emmanuel Stays in Paris whilst
Omar fl ies to New York.
Man In Bath takes its title from the
Gustave Caillebotte Painting ‘Man At His
Bath’ which is a bit of a liberty. Man at
his Bath is a beautifully engaging study
of the male form whilst Man At Bath just
has a beautifully formed male in it.
Gay porn Star Francois Sagat is in Man
At Bath. To say ‘stars in’ or ‘acts in’ would
be kinder, but he neither shines nor
performs and you can’t help but feel he
was being more exploited in this fi lm
then he was in his hardcore endeavours.
There Was a Brief moment near the start
of the fi lm where I thought a plot was
about to develop: where Emmanuel tries
to turn a trick on his older neighbour,
who offers to pay him for attacking and
beating the younger naive boy who just
serviced him; but this turned out to be a
pointless conversation just like the rest
of the fi lm.
Release Date: 29 August
www.beigeuk.com
Set in the 1980’s, this coming of age fi lm
follows the struggles of teenager Frank
(Layke Anderson), who drops out of
high school and escapes to Amsterdam.
There he fi nds himself lured into the
dark underworld of the bar-cum-brothel
‘House of Boys’ run by the fl amboyantly
strict Madame (Udo Kier). His ‘straight’
roommate Jake (Benn Northover) quickly
becomes his object of desire and the
relationship between the pair soon
develops into something more than
just a friendship, sealed with a kiss at
a Frankie Goes To Hollywood concert
(can you get any more gay than that?).
But the new lovers are struck by tragedy
as Frank is diagnosed with AIDS and is
subsequently given the boot from the
‘House’. Treated and supported by a
willing Dr. Marsh (Stephen Fry), Frank
sticks by his man, even when he develops
Kaposi’s Syndrome, culminating in
Jake dying – almost in his lover’s arms.
Frank and Jake’s ex-girlfriend then
embark on a voyage of life, love and
hope to Essaouira, in remembrance of
Jake’s lifelong dream to visit Morocco.
The ‘Cabaret/Burlesque’ reminiscent
storyline is glamorous and camp yet
moody, and serves as a timely reminder
of the way the AIDS pandemic has deeply
affected our attitudes towards sex. With
music by the likes of Soft Cell, Jimmy
Sommerville, Roy Orbison and Spandau
Ballet it’s the perfect fi lm to while away
an evening snuggled up on the sofa, with
a loved one/curious ‘friend’/pillow.
Release Date: 22 August

THREE LEGENDARY LADIES
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Barbara Streisand
‘What Matters Most’
60’s megastar Barbra Streisand returns with this diverse
range of classics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman. Who? Exactly.
But you know their work. They wrote ‘Nice’n’Easy’ for Sinatra;
‘The Windmills of Your Mind’, ‘You Don’t Bring Me Flowers’,
‘The Way We Were’, and ‘Papa Can You Hear Me’ (Yentl) – all of
which are included here. Ever the perfectionist, Streisand gives
a perfectly perfect performance over perfect orchestrations
and arrangements of perfectly written music. The trouble
is, perfection can be boring. Yes Barbra, BORING! There are
no surprises here and I found myself wondering why this
multimillionaire diva took time out from getting her nails done
to present her loyal fans with this dreary offering? Dollied up in
a jewel box with a 24-page colour booklet, this is for hardcore
fans and old ladies only.
Suzi Quatro
‘In The Spotlight’
70’s rock chick Suzi Quatro is at least having fun and showing
she can still shake her thing with her new (mainly) covers album.
She does a cool reworking of Goldfrapp’s ‘Strict Machine’, and
rocks out on Rhianna’s ‘Breaking Dishes’ (Barbra, can you hear
me?). Elvis Presley tribute ‘Singing With Angels’ features James
Burton, the King’s original guitarist, and backing vocalists the
Jordanaires. There are four new Mike Chapman compositions
(are you hearing this Barbra?), which although quite MOR
still have pizzazz when given the Quatro treatment. She still
looks pretty much the same and hasn’t gone down the same
cosmetic reconstruction route as Streisand. She looks like she
did on Happy Days, and can still strut it in a wet look catsuit.
In the spotlight is where this little lady belongs.
Grace Jones
‘Hurricane Dub’
80’s icon Grace Jones hasn’t done a Kate Bush and re-recorded
former glories; she has simply sat back and allowed her last
album to be given the dub remix treatment. And why not?
Always a pleasure were dub mixes on Grace Jones 12” singles
and cassette albums (showing my age). Some were demented
(‘Private Life’), and others insane (‘My Jamaican Guy’), lush
with freaky tripped-out sounds they were like aural simulations
of being really heavily stoned. Hurricane Dub explores and
explodes the darker edges of the album, and in some cases
echoes other of Grace Jones earlier tracks. Buy it for the picture
on the cover. Jean Paul Goude is back, manipulating his most
famous muse into an objet d’art in a Phillip (not-him-again)
Treacy chapeau. ‘Corporate Cannibal’ is still one of her scariest
tracks. Genius.
Big Ben
Law and Disorder
Written by Tim Brady/Melanie Willems
If Armistead Maupin and Jackie Collins
had Katie Price surrogate a child for
them, and that child wrote a book then
‘BIG BEN law and disorder’ would be
that book. Mild mannered, kind natured,
uber-fi t and exceptionally hung Ben
Barlettano transfers from New York to
the London offi ce of SKB. He arrives
to a welcoming party at his corporate
apartment and before he’s unpacked he
fi nds himself launched into a world of
jealous rivalries, corporate corruption
and sex. Set against the backdrop of
Elephant and Castle, and the clubs and
saunas of Vauxhall, the residents and
staff of ‘Castle Lofts’ with their own
secrets and agendas turn Ben’s world
and sexuality upside down. Through
naive curiosity, good will, bad choices
and ridiculous situations Ben manages
to make friends and build a life amongst
the equally naive, good, bad and
ridiculous residents of his new home.
Tim Brady and Melanie Williams fi ll the
book with enough witty/bitchy oneliners
comical situations and intrigue to
keep you amused. ‘Big Ben’ is gloriously
trashy, as deep as the page it’s written
on and as far- fetched as disbelief can
be fl ung. As much as I wanted to be high
brow and disapproving of this novel,
I couldn’t help hoping for a sequel.
£10.00
www.melandtimbooks.com
ON THE SHELF
Cox Cookies & Cake
Written by Eric Lanlard and Patrick Cox
Soho used to be the underbelly of
London. Neon lights and dark doorways;
dangerous and exciting with temptation
and seduction lurking around every
corner. Then it became the trendy glassfronted
restaurants and over fi lled bars
of today, but in September last year a
little of that lost magic returned with a
designer twist in the form of a boutique
bakery, ‘Cox Cookies & Cake’ with the
neon lights, leather clad baristas and
the most tantalising and titillating
(literally) cakes and cookies. The genius
of famous shoe designer Patrick Cox and
master patissier Eric Lanlard combine
to create a range of the sexiest, most
mouth watering cupcakes you could ever
desire. Within a year CCC has become
a must-go destination, and now they
have given us a book! 75 recipes to
recreate in a sumptuous cushiony hard
back with high end fashion/ food porn
photography that would add glamour
to any kitchen book shelf. The recipes
themselves vary from the coma inducing
sugar rush ‘Triple Chocolate’ to the fat
free and delicate ‘Jasmine and Violet’,
with detailed decoration guides you’ll be
styling your cupcake couture in no time.
£16.99
www.coxcookiesandcake.com
beige 65
Sometimes
a life of love, loss
and erasure
Written by Paul Hickey
“Happiness truly is the best facelift”
This riveting, shocking and moving biog
by Paul Hickey, long time partner and
manager of Erasure’s Andy Bell is packed
with sex drugs and rock ’n’ roll.
Growing up in ‘50s California we hear a
candid account of Paul’s adolescent
sexual forays with his peers, abuse by
an older man - and a drunken father.
Going through college and coming to
terms withhis sexuality, Paul got into
drugs: pot, speed, LSD; even injecting
cocaine into his veins. He lived through
the fl ower power years, dealing drugs on
the California coast. Then it happened:
love at fi rst sight with a bleached blond
ingénue, Andy Bell. Success enabled
them to embark on a spree of drugs,
travel, and plastic surgery. Everything
came crashing to a halt in 2000 when
Paul suffered a series of strokes and
heart attacks leaving him in a coma.
This part of the book is gripping, and
you really feel you are with Paul living
through the whole traumatic hell. Left
with permanent brain damage, the road
to recovery made Paul a changed man.
Reassessing his life and values, Paul
battles his way back to health and a new
clean-living lifestyle, fi nding a love and
respect for life that is inspiring.“I have
new addictions: chocolate and ice cream.”
£12.99
www.lulu.com

What’s all that
‘Lancaster Buzz’
about?
Lancaster London will be hosting the
fi rst ever London Honey Show on the
10th of October and, in conjunction with
London Cocktail Week, which runs from
10-16 October, they have concocted a
unique cocktail to mark the events.
Did you know that the Lancaster London
was the fi rst London hotel to install
beehives on its roof back in 2009,
and the colony has been successfully
growing ever since?
In keeping with the honey/bee related
theme we have incorporated into this
month’s issue the “Lancaster Buzz”
cocktail will be served in the Island Grill
throughout the week and will be priced
at £9.00.
The unique cocktail will comprise of
bubbly and a very special ingredient,
honey produced by the Lancaster
London’s own bees. bees.
Lancaster London
Lancaster Terrace
London W2 2TY
STICKY AND SWEET
You’d be buzzing
mad to miss it!
Reservations 0207 551 6070
www.islandrestaurant.co.uk
Every bees honey
is sweet at
Maison Blanc
Maison Blanc, the authentic
French Boulangerie and
Pâtisserie, created by Raymond
and Jenny Blanc in Oxford in
1981, was the fi rst authentic
Pâtisserie and bakery in England.
It now boasts 14 branches across
the south east and it has
subsequently set the standard for
other pâtisseries that have followed.
The vision centres on providing
customers with a true taste of France
by producing authentic French, high
quality products, including fresh
artisan breads, pastries and
savouries, all of which are made
in their very own bakery.
To celebrate summer, Maison Blanc
have created some gorgeous golden
honey-drenched and bee-themed
treats. Enjoy them on your own over a
cup of char or java or, if you’re feeling
generous, take a friend along and
share a few of the delicacies.
The Beehive
Served as an individual portion (so that
there is no need to share this one) it’s a
light polenta sponge with poppy seeds,
encased in a blend of honey and vanilla
diplomat cream, sprinkled with crushed
chocolate shavings! J’adore!
Honey Flower
A sweet, sticky and utterly sumptuous
bread, lovingly baked with honey to
give an extra moist dough. And if that’s
not enough, it’s lavishly drizzled with
clear honey after baking! Incroyable!
www.beigeuk.com
www.maisonblanc.co.uk
Bumblebee Cupcakes
Limited edition little parcels of loveliness
made from a soft vanilla sponge and
frosted with a rich buttercream topping,
also available in tropical mango and
zesty lemon! Délicieux!
Honey and Lavender Polenta Loaf Cake
Perfect for the picnic basket or
afternoon tea, this lavish little loaf cake
is made of polenta fl our, honey and
lavender, drizzled with a fondant icing
and sprinkled with lavender fl owers.
Magnifi que!
WHERE HONEY DRIPS
Sweet and subtly
fl oral-fl avoured, honey
oozes goodness; as a
health and beauty aid
it is truly liquid gold.
Honey has been a crucial skincare
ingredient since Cleopatra bathed in
asses milk and honey. Its humectant
properties ensure that it attracts and
retains moisture, leaving your skin
moistened and refreshed. You can
apply honey directly to your face as a
moisturising mask, or blend it with olive
oil as a hair conditioner. Both can be a
bit sticky and messy - which we like!
However there are plenty of good honeybased
products out there to pamper
yourself with.
I once advised a friend with sore cracked
skin on his hands to try Burt’s Bees hand
cream. He phoned me back in two days
saying that miraculously his hands were
completely healed. Burt’s have come a
long way since their humble local fayre
origins, selling hand-made beeswax
lip balm from a tabletop. They have
stayed true to their mission to only use
100% natural ingredients in their now
extensive range. Burt’s Bees is a toilet
bag staple of many a top make-up artist.
Their face cream will leave your skin
smooth, supple and strokeable.
Jo Malone’s Green Tea and Honey eye
cream is a delicately perfumed pick-meup
for tired eyes. In a cute little pot, you
can easily take it around with you and
soothe those puffy peepers throughout
the day. I wonder how long I can resist
the temptation to stick my fi nger in the
pot and actually taste it?
They say that eating local honey helps to
immunize you from local illnesses, so if
you move to a new area you should start
eating local honey right away. Have it on
toast, on ice cream, drizzled over a salad
or stirred into hot whisky with lemon at
night. Look for ‘raw’ honey if you can.
Even in central London there are hives
producing local honey, from Fortnum’s to
the Tate Modern.
Honey is reputedly a great lip balm
substitute, but I don’t really see how
anybody could have honey on their lips
for any benefi cial length of time before
they licked it off. You sure would be
sweet to kiss though!
beige 67
Burt’s Bees
Hand Salve
£9.99
Jo Malone
Green Tea and Honey Eye Cream
£38.00
Burt’s Bees
Radiance Day Lotion
£9.99

White
SEPTEMBER’S HARVEST
Hew Blair of fi ne wine
merchants Justerini &
Brooks offers his top
10 recommendations
Seasonal drinking, from across the wine
world, that includes aromatic whites,
fruity summer pinks and lighter reds
that are perfect slightly chilled.
Just grab an ice-bucket, corkscrew,
glasses, and a few friends and enjoy!
Torrontes, Finca La Florencia
Familia Cassone, Argentina 2010 £7.17
Little recognised until recently, much as
they have already with meaty Malbec,
the Argentineans are making this grape
their own! The great example from the
cooler La Rioja region is bright on colour,
intense and aromatic with tropical fruit
and fl oral notes and crisp on the fi nish.
Pair with fi sh, salad and Thai food for
something different this summer!
Riesling, QbA
Friz Haag, Germany 2010 £10.17
Don’t be put off by German wine clichés,
Riesling is the world’s noblest grape and
produces stunning wines. Slightly offdry
and lower in alcohol, this is clean
and pure with crushed herb, juicy apple
fruit and lime with a little salty kick to
the fi nish, enjoy as an aperitif or with
delicate Asian food. This is bottled under
screwcap so perfect for that spontaneous
picnic!
Sancerre, Lucien Crochet
France 2008 £13.17
Great Sancerre is arguably the ultimate
expression of Sauvignon Blanc, and a
great match with fi sh and seafood. For
those of you fed-up with cut price Kiwi
sauvignon try a top Domaine Sancerre
wine such as this from Lucien Crochet,
clean crisp and expressive this balances
lime, lemon and elderfl ower with a slight
fl inty note on the fi nish.
Red
Etna Rosso, Tenuta delle Tere Nere
Italy 2009 £10.67
From one of the most exciting Estates
in Sicily (indeed the whole of Italy) this
wine, made from Narello Mascalese,
is beautifully fi ne and elegant with
raspberry, cherry and tayberry
characteristics. This is vital, juicy and
precise on the fi nish. There is a lot of
wine, albeit elegant, for your money
here!
Pinot Noir, Pencarrow, Martinborough
New Zealand 2009 £10.67
Pinot Noir from New Zealand can be
terrifi c value and work wonderfully,
slightly chilled, in the summer months.
This is young and supple with aromas of
dark cherry and plum but with a smooth
and velvety palate of plum, strawberry
fruit and crunchy cranberry. On its own
or with a range of foods, this even has
the fruit to work with bbq meats.
Fleurie, Chateau du Raousset
France 2010 £11.67
Fleurie is probably the best known
and most regarded Beaujolais Cru.
Made from Gamay, this is best served
slightly chilled (15 minutes on ice is
enough) with fl oral, violet notes on
the nose this is light and easy drinking
with violet and crunchy berry notes on
the palate and a smooth fi nish. This is
extremely versatile and will appeal to
almost every palate!
www.beigeuk.com
Star Buy
Rosé, Chene Bleu, 2009 £22.17
‘Super-Rhone’ rosé from the magnifi cent
Chene Bleu estate. A direct press of
Grenache and Syrah this has a light
salmon colour, is unctuous and creamy
but with such freshness. Strawberries
and cream, framboise notes and hints
of peach and papaya abound with a
uniquely long dry fi nish this is one of
the smartest rosés around. An absolute
must buy for any lover of rosé, indeed
any lover of wine!
Rosé
Chinon, Rosé, Charles Joguet
France 2009 £10.17
From one of the top producers in the
Loire Valley, this rosé is made from
Cabernet Franc, it tastes like nectar of
crispy strawberries and Morello cherries
but with a weight and depth not always
found with rosé that allows it to pair with
spicy dishes and charcuterie as much as
with a plate of seafood.
Chateau Rio Tor, Rosé
Cotes de Provence, France 2009 £10.17
A classic Provencale rose, wonderfully
refi ned this is pale salmon pink, elegant
and fl oral and infused with summer
peach, raspberry and cherry stone.
With a cool mineral fi nish this is an
extremely pretty summer classic!
Domaine Montrose, Rosé
Vin de Pays d’Oc, France 2009 £14.34
Available ‘en magnum’ this 1.5litre bottle
is perfect for your summer party, with a
group of friends big is better!
A Grenache dominated blend this is pale
pink in colour with classic strawberry
and cream and exuberantly youthful, a
perennial Justerinis favourite. Summer
in a glass!
For further information or other
Justerini & Brooks wines
www.justerinis.com
0207 484 6400
that summer feeling
“Champagne makes you feel
like it’s Sunday and better days
are just around the corner.”
Marlene Dietrich
Champagne Pommery was founded as Pommery & Greno
in 1858 by Alexandre Louis Pommery and Narcisse Greno
with the primary business being wool trading. Under the
guidance of Alexandre’s widow, Louise Pommery, the firm was
dedicated to Champagne production and soon became one of
the region’s largest Champagne brands.
Rosés are fast becoming the champagne of choice and we
love a good glass (or bottle) of champagne so were delighted
when we were recently invited to the launch of Champagne
Pommery’s Rosé Apanage NV, now available in magnum size,
at the Vista Bar. Perched high above the Trafalgar Hotel, with
breathtaking views over Trafalgar Square and the London
skyline. Rosé Apanage NV is part of a wide selection of
rosés on offer from the prestigious House of Pommery, which
includes the Brut Rosé NV, ‘Springtime’ Rosé NV, Pink POP,
POP Earth Rosé NV, and the exclusive and rare Cuvée Louise Rosé
(due to its exclusivity this was not available for tasting, much
to our disappointment).
Pommery Rosé Apanage NV: the star of the day, captures
the very essence of a rosé Champagne – great freshness and
elegance with enticing aromas of red berries (redcurrants,
raspberries and woodland strawberries). It has a delicate
pale colour to enhance its fine bubbles, and is perfect on a
summer’s afternoon, or any occasion for that matter.
Pommery Seasons Collection: ‘Springtime’, ‘Summertime’,
‘Autumntime’, ‘Wintertime’ offer four different Champagnes
created to reflect the style, attributes and drinking occasions
of the different seasons. ‘Springtime’ is available in a rosé
and is a delightfully easy drink.
Pommery Brut Rosé NV: created from a selection of 30 Crus
and with a rosewater and strawberry nose, perfectly captures
the quintessence of a heady summer’s day. With its soft pink
hue this rosé perfectly complements seasonal berry desserts
and light meat dishes.
Pommery POP: a series of miniature Champagne bottles
available in a wide variety of eye-catching colours is ideal for
garden parties, festivals or even clubs. Intended to be drunk
through a straw, it’s a fun, no hassle alternative and even
though it’s small it still comes with a cork top! Pink POP is
the rosé option from the range and is well balanced with all
the finesse and delicacy that is so typical of Chardonnays.
Pommery POP Earth Rosé NV: is their first eco-friendly
champagne. The bottle is lighter; the label made from recycled
paper and printed using water soluble inks. Friendlier on
the environment; but equally as quaffable as the rest of the
range, it is also available in a brut. Enjoy a bottle while doing
your bit for the environment; it’s a win/win situation!
Available from Justerini & Brooks and other selcted outlets
www.justerinis.com or 0207 484 6400
beige 69

From the moment
you step inside
it’s as if you’ve
been transported
to a secret Asian
hideaway.
French born and three Michelin starred
chef, Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Spice
Market, located at the uber-trendy W
Hotel London, is a treat for all the senses.
The impeccable service we received
started on arrival and was extended
by our knowledgeable waiter
throughout the evening, ending with a
fond farewell.
The decor gorgeously fuses blends of
gold, bronze, dark woods, leather, silk
and velvet finished off with a giant 24
metre long spice cabinet, spanning
two floors and showcasing all the
ingredients used in the kitchen.
The ambiance is set with unique woklights
and select chilled background
music. Surrounded by floor to ceiling
windows on three sides it offers a perfect
vantage point to watch the world pass
by outside.
The suggested signature Watermelon
Martini was the perfect start to our
evening and was followed by a bottle
of Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir from the
extensive, and I mean extensive,
wine list.
On to the main star of the evening:
the Asian street food inspired menu,
designed to be shared, offering a
selection of exciting (and some most
unusual) tastes and textures.
The starters covered a variety of typical
(and not so typical) Asian dishes.
We opted for the Lobster Summer Roll
with sriracha emulsion which was fresh
the spice of life
and exquisitely created and presented.
We also tried the Salmon Sashimi which
is served on a warm crunchy rice base
alongside a chipotle emulsion; it played
serious tricks on the taste buds! The
Spiced Chicken Samosas were deep
filled, light and completely more-ish.
Following recommendations by friends
who had previously visited the
restaurant, for mains we shared the
light but very tasty Steamed Lobster
served with butter-fried garlic, ginger
and dried chilli. The Chargrilled Chicken
with kumquat lemongrass dressing was
outstanding, and probably our favourite
dish. The Lobster Pad Thai put dishes
of a similar ilk that we have eaten
previously to shame. All three were
fresh, fragrant and delicious.
Even though we were borderline foodcoma
induced, we soldiered on and
made room for dessert. The mouthwatering
Banana Brulee with Ovaltine
Kulfi and Spiced Milk Chocolate Sauce
was a clever twist on a deconstructed
bannoffee pie. Unfortunately the
Coffee and Vietnamese Coffee Tart with
condensed milk ice-cream was not
available, but as the latter component
was our real reason for selecting this
dish, and was available, our waiter
offered to serve the ice cream with the
Warm Rice Pudding instead. Needless to
say we’ll be back to try our first choice!
All in all Spice Market at the W is an
outstanding restaurant, reasonably
priced and depending on how much
of the menu you choose to indulge
in, does not need to break the bank.
Starters are from £7.50, mains from £14
and desserts start at £6.
My dinner partner summed the
experience up as “a little slice of Asian
fusion in London’s Leicester Square - via
the Big Apple”.
We’ve subsequently heard from our
‘insiders’ that things are being spiced
up a notch and on Tuesday nights
renowned production trio, Youth Kills,
will be spinning tunes for guests to
enjoy between 8pm and midnight in the
bar and lounge area.
Spice Market
W London Leicester Square
10 Wardour St.
London W1D 6QF
www.spicemarketlondon.co.uk
www.beigeuk.com

BELOW THE BELT
Gay and Boxing are words that if used in
the same sentence would normally evoke
fear of a homophobic thumping down
some dark alleyway.
Ringtone Health & Fitness are teaming the words up in a
whole new context. We visited the gym on a sunny Saturday
afternoon, expecting an interview session, only to be
confronted with the daunting prospect of actually joining
the class (which was nowhere near as terrifying as we had
imagined) and afterwards we caught up with class member
Toby Tilling, who gave us his point of view on why he joined
and his experience of the class so far:
“Having lived in London a few years now, I recently decided
it was time I stopped dragging my straight friend to gay bars
and make a group of gay friends of my very own. Turning
up to gay bars drunk and invading other peoples friendship
groups had so far proved ineffective, so it seemed a sober
approach might be the way forward...
Having ruled out salsa and pottery classes (I’m under 35. And
male) and because my tenancy agreement was nearly up, I
thought joining a gay flat-share would offer a solution.
During my search up popped an advert for a gay boxing class.
I want to emphasise that this was a boxing class aimed at
gay men, and not a gay-boxing class – where it would not be
wrong to imagine people practising limp-wristed jabs armed
with pom-poms.
Despite the seemingly perfect solution this advert created
– great fitness training alongside fellow gay men, I still
had concerns; would I be thrown in the ring with Bronson’s
doppelganger on day 1? Would a room full of boxing
professionals laugh at my unkempt frame? Would I have to
purchase full attire which would sit in a box after concerns 1
and 2 came true? And would I be trying to impose myself on
yet another tight circle of gay friends, only this time without
any Dutch courage?
However irrational, these were the thoughts which made
me feel like my debut appearance was particularly
brave... It wasn’t.
I walked into a room of about 10-15 guys (of all shapes and
sizes, in usual gym kit) with an easy welcome and a much
appreciated ‘can-do’ attitude from the trainers, Ben and Scott.
Ben’s take no prisoners approach seemed a little intimidating,
but after a (short) while you realize he’s a softy inside.
Scott, well Scott is softy on the outside, but he’ll put
you through your paces and push you beyond any limits
you previously thought you had. Both are fantastic at
understanding the various levels of fitness within the group,
and catering to the individual whilst in a group environment.
The classes vary week to week but generally consist
of a warm-up, boxing technique, attack and defence
(against bags / pads – unless you choose otherwise) and then
some pretty hardcore circuit training to make you fully regret
any missed gym session / pint / burger / cigarette you may
have opted for that week. We then do a warm-down. The end,
however, is usually signified by the pub.
Despite my initial hesitation, the whole experience has proved
nothing but positive, and based on the fact I have not seen
anybody come once, and not return, I know my experience
www.beigeuk.com
Ringtone Health & Fitness
141-153 Drummond Street, London
NW1 2PB
www.gayboxing.org
is not a one-off. My confidence, stamina and body have
improved, as has my friend count. (The two may be related,
but I’m not complaining). Plus, I’ve also managed to find a
roommate, ticking all initial boxes - or boxers, if you will”
As no previous boxing experience is required, anyone is
welcome to join, so if like us, the usual gym routine is getting
mundane, why not step out of your comfort zone, into the
ring and put your dukes up?
play it >>
work it >>
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instore at Prowler and Expectations
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just the
right side
of wrong

The colon is one of the most
important organs of the body
If your colon isn’t working properly it can affect almost all
areas of the body. Logic prevails that it’s therefore crucial to
take care of your colon!
Colonic hydrotherapy, more commonly known as colonic
irrigation, is a treatment dating back thousands of years and
is one that is controversial and misunderstood, but highly
effective. This is the ideal treatment for dealing with a wide
range of digestive ailments and symptomatic discomforts and
it is also a great treatment to kick-start a weight loss or
detox programme, aid in acne/breakouts, lethargy/low energy
levels, headaches as well as bad breath.
We were invited to Hydrohealing, Notting Hill’s ‘wellness
through water’ day spa, to try the treatment for ourselves.
They offer a pre-treatment colonic massage followed by the
traditional colonic irrigation. To say we accepted the invitation
with trepidation would be an understatement, although we
had a subconscious urge to put that fear to rest.
Phase 1 The pre-treatment massage. This has been introduced
as it’s not only relaxing but aids in stimulating the intestines,
dislodging any gas pockets and releasing tension in the
bowel, preparing you for the colonic irrigation. The perfect
start to relax both body and mind.
Phase 2 The irrigation treatment itself. This process
exercises, tones and rinses the bowel, aiding in the
removal of built-up waste and detoxing the region. It helps
to clear the colon area, improving its functionality which
in turn allows vital nutrients to be absorbed more easily.
DEEP CLEANING
www.beigeuk.com
All areas of the body are therefore positively affected,
and as a result you will also notice visible differences in
your skin, eyes, and the amount of energy that you have.
It is also suggested that by improving the digestive process
through colonics, you can also achieve a heightened sense of
awareness, less of your energy will be spent on digestion and
more will be available for your thought process.
The 90 minute procedure costs £85, was professional and
educational. Overall it was nowhere near as horrific as I had
envisaged it was going to be. We were even provided with an
aftercare programme to further strengthen and detoxify our
internal environment. We left feeling invigorated and with a
renewed spring in our step.
For futher information visit www.hydrohealing.com
IT’S ALL IN YOUR MIND
It amazes me that we are
all made of exactly the
same stuff and yet we
all seem so very different.
I’m not talking about the way that we look, but the way that
we think – how we view the world, the things we believe
about ourselves and about others, how we deal with our
problems, how we create solutions, even how we interact
with ourselves inside our own head.
For example, take a group of people and stand them
precariously towards the edge of a high cliff-face. A few
would wonder in awe as they peer towards the vast expanse
stretching before them, others would be cursing for forgetting
to bring their bungee-cord or would wish that they could
climb out onto the cliff-face to feel the thrill and excitement
of danger, a few would be wondering how long they have to
wait for the next cup of tea……and then there are the others;
standing in absolute terror, unable to move frozen to the
spot, their whole body taken over by uncontrollable fear and
all consuming dread.
Isn’t that just amazing? At least it is to me and that’s
why I love working with people one on one to help them
to think differently, to help them to ‘change their mind’.
You see, the cliff face, in and of itself, is not frightening, it’s not
beautiful, not even remotely interesting or boring… it’s just a
cliff-face. Everything else, every fear, every ounce of
excitement, pleasure or wonderment is all in the mind – as
are most of the problems that people present to me during
our sessions together.
I guess most people are intrigued to some extent by
hypnotherapy but to me it’s just a means to an end. It may
sound like a contradiction in terms but I’m not particularly
interested in concepts such as ‘how deep’ or ‘how fast can you
get me under’ – they’re all just extraneous fl uff surrounding
what I believe to be a rather misunderstood concept. I’d even
go so far as to say that hypnosis doesn’t exist, at least, not
in the form that most are led to believe – it’s just another
‘state’, a different ‘state’ to the ‘state’ you were in preceding
the moment your ‘state’ changed. It’s akin to ambling along
Old Compton Street and spotting a bit of totty across the
street. Assuming you’re free and up for it, you slip into a
vastly altered state as your mind considers the wonderful
possibilities, your body posture changes and things such as
blood pressure start to rise. That’s how I see hypnosis – just
moving someone from one state into a different state to the
one that they were in previously.
So when clients come to see me I presuppose that they’re
already in a trance state of some sort – their ‘problem trance’
and it’s my job to de-hypnotise them so that they leave the
room in a better, more useful and positive trance state.
Cognitive hypnotherapy draws on recent discoveries and ideas
from evolutionary psychology, positive psychology, cognitive
theory and NLP and pulls them all together to provide a
fascinating framework for therapy. In a short article such as
this it’s diffi cult to cover all of the aspects of the work that I
do and the thinking behind the work that I do, but if I were to
be asked to distil the concepts into as few words as possible
then I perhaps would offer the following;
beige 75
Our mind is like a sponge. From the moment we are born
we are constantly experiencing life around us and building
up an internal map inside our mind of everything that
we experience. The mind never stops making new maps,
building assumptions and beliefs from those maps which in
turn feed back upon themselves. Everything that we think,
everything that we believe, the way that we see the world
and consequently act in the world all stem from the maps
that we have built inside our mind over the years since birth.
The thing is, this internal map is just a map – it’s not real. It’s
a bit like a menu in a restaurant; the menu is a description of
the food – it’s not the food. Our internal map is our description
of the world – but it’s not the world… our thoughts about a
cliff-face have nothing to do with the cliff-face! Even more
fascinating, huge portions of this internal map function out of
conscious awareness! I suspect that the word ‘subconscious’
and ‘unconscious’ contains too many false ideas and theories
to be useful here but the concept that 90% of the waking day
we are not consciously ‘aware’ is amazing and highlights how
useful it is to be able to help people to make changes at a
unconscious/subconscious level.
When a client comes along for help I’m not in any way
whatsoever trying to change the person, how could I? Rather,
I’m helping him to update his internal map and from that
people change themselves for the better.
Phil Hathaway
www.parisgym.com

Created in Poland during the country’s Communist era, when
film distributors were unable to get hold of original publicity
material from Hollywood. These conceptual masterpieces
As the cost of going out continues to rise, why not set
up your own well-tended home bar? There are a variety of
options available out there to suit all styles and budgets.
homestyle
www.thisnext.com
Do it with the lights on, with a quirky, classy or cuddly lamp.
Add some light to your bedroom and quit all that unnecessary
fumbling in the dark, with a bedside or table lamp.
Polish film Posters
home BArs
lighting
www.beigeuk.com
put the original American posters to shame, they truly are
beautiful works of art to adorn any wall. Originals are rare
and pricey but reproductions can easily be found online.
So now is the time to brush up on your flairing skills and
gather your friends around to wow them with your cocktail
creations. www.seeinteriors.co.uk
www.selfridges.co.uk
These are functional and can create an impact at the
same time.
www.suck.uk.com
4 Aristocratic Bird trays that are anything but fowl. Beautifully
detailed, poetic, whimsical and darkly Beatrix Potter.
These trays can be hung on the wall as art then taken
Used for personal grooming, self-admiring, decoration and
architecture the mirror is a finishing touch to any room in the
home. From extravagant and ornate to simple and stylish,
www.www.shimu.co.uk.com
Storage always seems to be an issue but with these trendy
trunks you can hide your ‘treasures’ away from prying eyes.
Add a touch of colour and class to any room in your home,
SHOPPING
TRayS
MIRRORS
TRUNKS
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down for service, solving their storage issue and decorating
your room. Made of high pressure printed laminate
- dimensions 63cm x 43cm. www.lifestylebazaar.com
with so many shapes and sizes to choose from you really can
make a statement without saying a word.
www.chandeliersandmirrors.co.uk
www.anorakonline.co.uk
from minimalist to patriotic, traditional to contemporary,
the choices are endless.
www.occa-home.co.uk

Sony HDR-TD10E 3D camcorder £1,399.00
The 3D revolution is in the palm of your hand with this
handycam. Now what can we find to film that sticks out?
www.sony.co.uk
VoomoteOne approx. £62.00
This iPhone accessory solves the issue of having half a
dozen remotes and not being able to find the one you want.
www.voomote.tv
Philips SensoTouch 3D £209.00
This sexy shaver follows every contour and shaves every
hair in just a few strokes with its UltraTrack heads. Smooth.
www.shop.philips.com
Hi-TECH
www.beigeuk.com
3D Sony Bravia KDL-46HX803 LCD TV £999.00
The 3D revolution continues with this 46“ TV - well we need
something to watch our home movies on.
www.sony.co.uk
iPad Joystick £19.99
This easily attachable joystick makes game play on the iPad
easy and fun. No more dying on level one.
www.logitech.com
iDuck £13.99
Play your music in the bath, the jaccuzi or the pool; the
duck speaker and egg transmiter connect to all MP3 players.
www.play.com
Pivothead HD Video Sunglasses approx. £192.00
Available in a range of designs and colours. Hands-free
High Definition Video. The mind boogles with possibilities.
www.pivothead.com
Cardboard Speakers £19.99
Collapsable speakers - easy to carry around or pack away.
Very clever, very cool and they plug in to your mp3 player.
www.muji.co.uk
Scooba® 385 Floor Washing iRobot £399.99
One day robots will run the world but until then
this one does a stellar job cleaning the floors.
www.irobot.com
SHOPPING
beige 79
Union Jack DAB Radio £94.90
Part of the Roberts Radio Revival Range. All of them
gorgeous but this one goes with the smeg Fridge we want.
www.robertsradioonline.com
Spencer Commuter Electric Bike £1,895.00
Tired of getting to work a sweaty heaving mess?
This traditional style bike does the hard work for you.
www.spencerivy.com
Measuring Jug Electrical LCD Weigh Scales £13.95
For those who love to cook, this handy little kitsch
kitchen device is a real space saver.
www.utensils.co.uk

48 hrs with eric rose
Andrew MacKenzie comes to town from Bologna Italy and we
hit the Nelsons Head pub for some pints with Florinel.
Waiting for the 55 bus from hell to the wild Westend, AMK
learns to slum it and use an Oyster Card with Florinel.
While on Greek street (East Soho to me LOL) I dragged the
boys to Patricia’s members club for a more old school Soho
speak easy vibe after Room Service where we picked up some
man, and the boys look very happy with our catch.
www.beigeuk.com
Smoking fags with one of the leads of the soon to be
released film ‘Riot On Red Church Street’ - Rhys James who
plays Danny and lovely friend, I play myself in the film which
was filmed around the Eastend. www.riotonredchurch.com
I dragged the boys to Room Service on Greek street to see the
hostess with the mostest!!!! The one and only Winn. Scream
if you want to go faster!!!
Before heading off to Duckies 16th birthday! Dont mess with
these bitches? Maur looks great even after a bottle of vodka, I
on the other hand should borrow some of her powder to lose
the old drunken look. I am a celebrity get me out of here!!!
48HRS
Lunch at El Camion on Brewer St. We get the MUST have
members card for the Pink Chihuahua bar in the basement.
Bartending by the legendary Dick and hosted by Polly Fey. It’s
going to be dangerous and very rock’n’roll.
Popped out from the flat to Old Comptons to see Diamond
Pearl host the hot butt competition. Sadly we got there to
late to get our fat asses in the contest but think she should
change her name to Amanda Chandelier.
Who actually works in the Nelson’s Head? Not the governor!!!
Faricka searches for a hangover cure on Brick Lane. Which
one of us has the biggest tits? I think I need a M&S man
girdle t-shirt for support LOL.
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A spot of shopping at Vivienne Westwood. Don’t you think
the skinny model on the left should have a hot lunch? Those
arms are like sticks. Tim looks dashing as ever. I must get a
photographer to snap my photos in the future.
Westend boys become Eastend flower ladies - Sean & Barbie
drag flowers back to the Westend to kill slowly. We had pints
they had cokes. Well it is early on a Sunday morning. Nelsons
head opens at 9am Hurray!
Always worth checking out the wares for sale at Jude’s pop up
shop on Red Church Street. As it turns out the boys already
look like clones, without a purchase.

Among my souvenirs
Over the last
couple of years
I have been
regularly drawn to
the Thanet coast
for my seaside
breaks out of
London.
Donald Urquhart
on his Margate Alphabet
Margate is about an hour and twenty
minutes on the high speed train from
St. Pancras. With many clean sandy
beaches and jolly local pubs it is an
ideal weekend getaway if you are
looking to unwind. It also has many
hidden delights such as its famous
Shell Grotto and recently restored Tudor
House.
In Margate I became friends with Dinah
Parrett and helped her to curate and
install a show of her drawings last
year. Dinah was then battling cancer
and, though weakening, she managed
to complete many beautiful wildlife
drawings over her last summer.
It was at Dinah’s opening that I was
introduced to Victoria Pomery, director
of the Turner Contemporary Gallery;
then still being built. Victoria asked
what I was up to. “Oh you know. More
alphabets,” I said.
When Victoria asked if I might do an
alphabet of Margate I wondered if she
might be joking. ‘A is for alcoholics, etc,’
I thought. A few weeks later I received
an e-mail inviting me to discuss this
with a view to producing fund-raising
merchandise for the new gallery. I
was thrilled to be making seaside
town souvenirs. It was quite a task;
describing the history and character of
a near derelict resort that is seeking
to claw itself out of decline - in 26
alphabetical images.
After much research, including asking
around in bars and many afternoons
in Margate Library, I came up with the
above. certain letters were problematic:
www.beigeuk.com
should D be for Dreamland or Donkey
rides (Margate was the first seaside
resort to have donkey rides so the
donkeys won).
The letter O was singularly elusive,
and following much head-scratching,
a local expert pointed out that the
first pneumatic fairground ride was
The Orbiter, which made its debut at
Dreamland Margate. I struggled to find
photos on the internet of what it looked
like but came up with a blurry picture of
its prototype boxy cars.
After the alphabet had been completed
and printed on mugs and tea towels, etc.
- I found out that a friend in Margate,
Charlene’s grandad was the man who
had bought the blueprints and created
the Orbiter. She has loads of photos.
Certain links are debateably tenuous:
Van Gogh actually lived in Ramsgate,
but given that it is within walking
distance - and while locals may argue
that V should be for V.D. Clinic - I only
thought it fair to include him.
Arlington House, while hardly an edifice
to beauty is perhaps Margate’s most
striking feature. You can’t miss it and in
summer it casts a massive shadow over
the beach.
At the Turner Contemporary Gallery
opening I asked Tracey Emin what she
thought ? “I love it, but you made my
hair really unkempt and messy,” said
the Unmade Bed woman with unwitting
irony.
Turner Contemporary Gallery
The Parade, Margate