SHOPPING Di's objects of desire ME AND MY WARDROBE Kate ...

More documents

Recommendations

Info

2 February 2004 Online: www.thisisthenortheast.co.uk Conservatory World Largest Conservatory Village in North East The Fully Refurbished Show Village 2003 Telephone Bishop Auckland 01388 458088 Open 7 days a week! contents 16 8 Now Open In Middlesbrough Handcrafted furniture from the Orient MULCASTER & HYDE H andcrafted in Indonesia, our housewares are made from natural timber and plant weave. This classic range of furniture is designed to add a touch of elegance to any home at remarkably low prices. Whether refurbishing your living room or bringing your conservatory to life, check out the current range of products in Middlesbrough’s newest fashionable outlet. From the beautifully exotic “Daybed”, to the classic “Davenport desk” you will not believe that quality wooden furniture could be yours for so little. All our furniture is hand-made by local Indonesian craftsmen in the finest teak and mahogany. Our rattan range is constructed of the more robust water hyacinth to cater for today’s indoor and outdoor entertaining • Teak • Mahogany • Water Hyacinth Where to find us: 278 - 280 Linthorpe Road (opposite “camera mart) Tel/Fax (01642) 247112 Email: sales@mulcasterandhyde.com Check out our online catalogue www.mulcasterandhyde.com 17 magazine is produced by The Northern Echo/ Newsquest Ltd., a Gannett Company, Priestgate, Darlington DL1 1NF (01325) 381313 ADVERTISING Trish Taylor (01325) 505 233 trish.taylor @nne.co.uk EDITORIAL Jenny Needham (01325) 505082 jenny.needham @nne.co.uk 3 4 7 8 10 11 12 14 SHARON GRIFFITHS The joy in a bunch of flowers INTERIORS The restaurateurs’ leafy retreat SIX OF THE BEST Pick of the home exercise equipment SHOPPING Di’s objects of desire GARDENING Solutions to common questions DIY How to lay your own carpet SHOPPING Curtain up after a revamp ME AND MY WARDROBE Kate Saint 15 16 17 18 19 21 22 BEAUTY How to overhaul your regime MOTORING Nissan’s pretty Z car SLIMMING ‘Now life’s worth living again’ GADGET MAN How to get the best from your iPod FOOD Foods to give your body a boost NE CONNECTIONS A passion for Italy COFFEE TIME Crossword and puzzles, PLUS WIN A LUXURY NIGHT AWAY AT THE FEVERSHAM ARMS CHAMELEON MIRRORS
February 2004 Online: www.thisisthenortheast.co.uk 3 ADOG might be for life and not just for Christmas – but flowers are for all year round, not just for Valentine’s Day. Let the red rose excesses of this month inspire us for the rest of the year. There are luxuries you can live without and luxuries you can’t. Well, I can’t anyway. It’s been my great extravagance and has been since I was a poor penniless student – there are always fresh flowers in the house. They don’t just look good, they smell good and they one of the nicest links to the world outside. And they’re immediately and immensely cheering. In spring and summer there are plenty in the garden, of course. But for the rest of the year I cheerfully splash out, even if it’s just a bunch of freesias at the supermarket checkout. Actually, it’s probably safer for me to stick to the supermarket. Fatal to go into a flower shop – all those heady smells mixed with a sort of refreshing dampness and earthiness. I’m like a kid in a sweet shop and end up staggering out with bucketfuls of blooms Flowers or chocolates? No problem – flowers would win any time. See – this extravagance has the added bonus of being fat free with no calories whatsoever. We ‘re buying a lot more flowers than years ago – inspired by those bunches in the garage and the supermarket – but we still seem to have lost the language of flowers highly prized by the Victorians. The selection of flowers in a bouquet can convey so many intricate messages, so many subtle shades of meaning and feeling. Now we send text message s instead. UR GR8 doesn’t have quite the same air of romance... But flowers still have the most amazing effect. Years ago I was stuck in a miserable job in a dreadful building in the middle of London. My office – where I worked all alone – was at the end of a long dark corridor. There was one tiny window and if I could ever see through its layer of grime all I could see was a brick wall and a fire escape. Once a pigeon landed on the fire escape and the excitement was nearly too much for me. A friend, knowing how miserable was, thought she would cheer me up. From her home in the country she sent a little parcel to the office. I sat at my grey desk in my grey office and unwrapped a padded sharon griffiths ❛Flowers or chocolates? No problem – flowers would win any time envelope, a freezer bag, some kitchen roll and finally a small bunch of pale yellow primroses wrapped in damp moss. They smelt delicately of spring and sunshine, fresh air and freedom and made me wonder what on earth I was doing in such a job in such a place. Almost instantly I marched down that long grim grey corridor to my grim grey boss and handed in my notice. All because of a bunch of primroses. A few years later, before we were married, husband and I were living and working at opposite ends of the country. Just before Christmas he had sent me a splendidly extravagant bouquet of red roses. There was no way I was going to leave them in my cold flat over the holidays. So I decided to take them home with me – along with all the family presents. Have you ever tried to cross London on Christmas Eve carrying two suitcases, a shoulder bag and a dozen red roses? It should have been hellish. The city was crowded, the underground was heaving as everyone tried to get home for Christmas, while avoiding the drunks emerging from office booze ups. But it was brilliant. At the sight of me and my bags and my roses, everyone immediately seemed to come over all sweet and sentimental.. People forced tube train doors open for me, made way on escalators, lifted bags onto trains. They smiled at me fondly, called me a lucky girl , asked if “he” had a friend and waved me through barriers without asking for my ticket. Flowers are wonderful, being given them is more wonderful still. But it’s still a treat largely reserved for women. Although there are many men I know who enjoy fresh flowers around the place, there are still very few to whom I would send them. Shame really. But times are changing. There are fashions in flowers just as everything else. A world – and a lot of money – divides the garage forecourt freesias from the complicated, dramatic and spiky arrangements from fashionable florists. But it doesn’t matter. Whether it’s an enormous, artistic bouquet or just a small bunch of snowdrops, still damp from the garden, they are all special. Go on, pick yourself a bunch... window shopping WHITE HOT The Aga has long been available in a stunning range of colours, from traditional cream and racing green through to funky modern shades, such as heather and pistachio. Now, the world’s most famous cooker is also available in perhaps the coolest colour of them all – Classic White. It is available now, and costs from £5,625 The white Aga was first introduced as an optional shade way back in 1956. Says Simon Page, Marketing Director for Aga: “People are increasingly looking to make a statement with the design and decoration of their homes. The kitchen is a place where we tend to spend a lot of time and it’s DREAMY CHEESE IF you believe that eating cheese before bedtime gives you nightmares, a North Yorkshire company has come up with a new cheese with calming and destressing qualities. Shepherds Purse, makers of traditional handmade blue cheeses, has developed Katy’s White Lavender, a feta-style cheese infused with the subtle taste of fresh, locally-sourced lavender. The cheese is made with ewe’s milk and is carefully matured with lavender flowers to produce a creamy, fresh cheese with a Lifestyle Visit our newly opened demonstration rooms on the second floor Now Open our New Showrooms including a cinema at home room, demonstration zones and a Hifi display. Offer important to have everything just right. The Classic White Aga provides an elegant look and, of course, white goes with everything.” For local stockist details and a brochure, please contact 08457 125207 or visit www.agarayburn.co.uk /www.agalinks.com delicate hint of lavender, which lingers on the palate. The new cheese is named after Katie Bell, sales and marketing manager of Shepherds Purse Cheeses and daughter of the founder, Judy Bell. “The cheese is low in fat, easier to digest than cow’s milk products, is highly nutritious and can be eaten by allergy sufferers and vegetarians alike,” says Katie. Katy’s White Lavender will be available in specialist cheese shops, as well as direct from Shepherds Purse Cheeses. It costs from around £1.75 for 100g. New 3.2.1 Digital Home Entertainment System Interest free credit on selected Bose equipment from 2nd - 30th April. This fantastic offer includes nothing to pay for 6 months then 10 months interest free credit on selected Bose equipment by Alan Goodrick Established 50 years 41-42 Blackwellgate, Darlington. Telephone (01325) 353234
Page 1: The Northern Echo The lifestyle mag
Page 5: February 2004 Online: www.thisisthe
Page 8 and 9: 8 February 2004 Online: www.thisist
Page 10 and 11: 10 February 2004 Online: www.thisis

SHOPPING Di's objects of desire ME AND MY WARDROBE Kate ...

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?