J'AIME JUNE 2018

J U N E 2 0 1 8

J’AIME

Y O U R L O C A L L U X U R Y L I F E S T Y L E M A G A Z I N E

MELLOW

YELLOW:

SUMMER

HOMES

TRENDS

Father’s Day sorted, plus win

a £150 watch for your dad

Festival fever

comes to Lichfield

GOING, GOING, GONE:

BEHIND THE SCENES AT

LICHFIELD’S AUCTION HOUSE

B E S P O K E S O F A M A N U F A C T U R E

& R E - U P H O L S T E R Y S P E C I A L I S T

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selection of fabrics we have the ability to create almost any type of bespoke design.

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you to our factory showroom to see what we can create for you.’

Unit 19, Martindale, Hawks Green, Cannock, Staffordshire WS11 7XN

Contact Simon Edwards or Chris Edwards on 01543 505539

Email: sales@ralvernupholstery.co.uk - www.ralvernupholstery.co.uk

Welcome to J’AIME

We’ve got festival fever at J’AIME HQ this

month as the annual spectacular that is the

Lichfield Festival gets ready to descend on

the city. This year’s Festival is packed with

fantastic shows across the arts, and celebrates

#extraordinarywomen with a series of

events inspired by the centenary of votes for

women. We chat to Festival director Damian

Thantrey, and we’ve also got a pair of

tickets for restaurant critic and Masterchef

favourite Jay Rayner’s show My Dining Hell

at the Garrick up for grabs.

Speaking of extraordinary women, we

also catch up with Lichfield’s latest gold

medallist, netball star Beth Cobden, fresh

from a historic victory as part of Team

England at the Commonwealth Games.

With Father’s Day just around the corner,

our gift guide should give you plenty of ideas

for treats for dad, plus we’ve got a special

Father’s Day competition courtesy of Allen

Brown Jewellery - to be in with a chance

of winning a £150 voucher for a designer

watch, just tell us why your dad deserves to

win.

Next month, look out for our bumper

summer double edition, which is hugely

exciting for us as it will also mark our first

birthday. It’s hard to believe that J’AIME

is already a year old, and we’ll have

some fantastic competitions to celebrate

our milestone, alongside our usual mix

of entertaining features and the best in

interiors, food and drink, entertainment,

travel, fashion and more.

There are also congratulations in order

for our latest winner; Amy Poppitt, from

Wimblebury, scooped the stylish fire pit from

Skillcraft Products which featured in our

April issue. We hope you enjoy the prize!

EDITOR: AMY NORBURY

EDITOR@JAIMEMAGAZINE.COM

ADVERTISING: JAN ASHLEY

ADVERTISING@JAIMEMAGAZINE.COM

07388 335 931

DESIGN: DESIGN@JAIMEMAGAZINE.COM

CONTRIBUTORS: MICHAEL BEARDMORE,

FIONA FRASER, MARTIN PLOWMAN, SHAUN

CRAVEN, NICOLA BRERETON, LISA PIDDINGTON,

JILL HARTLEY, PATRICK GAUNT

J’AIME IS PUBLISHED BY ASHBURY

PUBLICATIONS LIMITED AND PRINTED

BY KEP LIMITED, TAMWORTH.

Check us out online at:

WWW.JAIMEMAGAZINE.COM

Find us on

/JAIMEMAGAZINE

@JAIMEMAGAZINE

@JAIMEMAGAZINE

3

CONTENTS

InsideJ’aime this month...

6 Richard Winterton Auctioneers - Behind the

scenes at one of Lichfield’s oldest businesses

12 Property - Property of the month

14 Interiors - Mellow yellow

18 Interiors - Time for style

22 Competition - Win a £150 watch for your dad

from Allen Brown Jewellery

24 Father’s Day - Gifts for top dads

28 Lichfield Festival - A chat with Festival director

Damian Thantrey

32 Lichfield Festival - Win tickets to Jay Rayner at

the Garrick

34 Beth Cobden interview - Lichfield’s

Commonwealth Games gold medallist

38 Food and drink - Reviewing The Ivy, Temple Row

40 Food and drink - Cocktail of the month from

Le Rêve

44 Travel - The Spice Island

48 Competition - Win tickets to the red carpet

opener of Birmingham Indian Film Festival

52 What’s On - Our pick of events around our

area this month

56 What’s On - The hottest tickets around

Birmingham

58 Fashion - Shorts story

60 Fashion - The bride guide from Nero e Bianco

63 Health - Could minerals be the answer?

64 Beauty - Cruelty-free beauty from Harvey

Nichols Birmingham

65 Motors - Is Formula E coming to Birmingham?

4

CONSEQUENCE

CONSEQUENCE

OF WAR

OF

WAR

1918 - 2018

1918 - 2018

LICHFIELD CATHEDRAL | FREE | 16 APRIL – 24 JUNE

a major exhibition exploring themes of

war & peace through art and history

Like us on Facebook

Follow us on twitter @LichfieldCath

www.lichfield-cathedral.org/peace

Refreshingly Different

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Visit our fantastic website www.jmiwindows.co.uk - enquiries@jmiwindows.co.uk

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FEATURE

Going, going, gone

IT’S A FAST-PACED WORLD WHERE YOU COULD DISCOVER A PRICELESS WORK OF ART - OR BAG

A BARGAIN. AMY NORBURY GOES BEHIND THE SCENES AT LICHFIELD’S RICHARD WINTERTON

AUCTIONEERS TO DISCOVER MORE

FURNITURE OF ALL STYLES

CAN BE FOUND GOING FOR

A SONG AT AUCTION

The vast saleroom is a hive of activity as

preparations are underway for the latest auction.

Lots for the three-day home and interiors sale are

being carefully sorted and catalogued, before being

photographed for the auction brochure.

Room after room are filled with all manner of items,

each being prepared for its moment in the spotlight.

Walls are adorned with gilt-framed mirrors and art

prints and originals as far as the eye can see, while

the furniture storage room is stacked high with tables,

chairs, sideboards and sofas of all descriptions.

At the other end of the building, there are rooms

filled with ceramics and glass, toys and games,

medals and coins - you name it.

But it’s not just fine art, antiques and collectables.

The latest home and interiors sale includes electronic

goods like fridges and televisions, even a box of

XBox games and accessories, as well as slightly more

random items including several motorbike helmets.

Highlights of an upcoming toys and railwayana sale

include a “very rare” vintage model Birmingham bus

with an impressive guide price of £300 to £400, and

a full-sized replica Dalek which could be yours for an

estimated £250 to £350 - unless dedicated Doctor

Who fans send the bidding soaring.

Over the years, Richard Winterton’s Lichfield

auction centre has seen pretty much everything you

can imagine come through the doors on it’s way to a

new home, secured by the highest bidder.

“”It certainly makes life interesting,” says Richard.

“It doesn’t matter to us what we sell; if we can put a

lot number on it and shift it, we’re happy.

“We have bikes, cars, microwaves, cookers, threepiece

suits and the like coming from house clearances

which go into our homes sales, and then at the other

end of the scale we move up to the top-end fine art

6

lots.

“We had a garden sale recently where you could by

tools, chainsaws, garden ornaments and furniture.

“Watches, wines and whiskeys are all quite hot at

the moment, but I really just love anything which is

going to come in and sell well.”

While the run-up to a sale involves a steady stream

of activity behind the scenes before the public is

invited in to view the items for sale - with up to 1,500

lots on offer in a three-day sale - it is in the saleroom

itself on auction day when things reach fever pitch.

Punters pack in, some having taken advantage of

the last-minute early morning viewing opportunity,

some already prepared with items on their wishlist,

and there’s a distinct buzz of anticipation as Richard

prepares to take the rostrum.

With one eye on the room and one on the screen

which shows bidding activity online - as well as the

occasional glance across to the bank of telephone

bidders - you may think it’s difficult to keep track of

the fast-moving activity. And, for the inexperienced,

you’d be right. But for Richard, it comes as second

nature.

“When I first started there were people in front of

you and a few bids on the book; now it’s the internet,

it’s telephones, my screen has bids coming all over

and I can see where they’re all coming from,” he

says. “At our last auction we had about 730 people

bidding online. And we get online bidders from

around the world, not just the UK; we’ve got bidders

registered in 15 countries.”

And with Richard eagle-eyed at the helm, you

don’t have to worry about inadvertently bidding

on an unwanted item with a scratch of the nose or

a wipe of the brow. Years of experience mean he

instinctively knows who’s interested - often even

before the bidding starts.

“People bid in all sorts of ways,” laughs Richard.

“We’ve still got the old farmers who wink and nudge,

and it’s just instinctive. I know instantly who’s looking

for certain items; if we have a watch come up, or

jewellery, I know where in the room to look for

bidders.

“And everything happens at pace, it’s really quick.

A lot of auctioneers are different, but lots of people

come to us because we don’t mess around, we just get

on with selling and get through

RICHARD WINTERTON

GIVES J’AIME EDITOR

AMY NORBURY A

LESSON IN THE ART OF

AUCTIONEERING

THESE VINTAGE

SUITCASES WERE A LOT

AT THE RECENT THREE-

DAY AUCTION

the lots quickly. Time is precious

to people so we don’t waste it.”

The Winterton family name

has been synonymous with

auctioneering in Staffordshire

since 1864, from its early

beginnings in the Smithfield

livestock market in Lichfield. As

the sixth generation born into a

family of auctioneers - son Tom,

who now works alongside Richard

is the seventh - auctioneering is

the only career choice he ever

imagined.

“Since I was a little boy, there was

7

EACH LOT IS CAREFULLY

PHOTOGRAPHED FOR THE

AUCTION SALES CATALOGUE

no doubt,” says Richard. “My family were livestock

auctioneers so we were brought up with it; Monday

was cattle market day and there were different things

going on all the time. It was all I wanted to do. I was

away at school from the age of eight and every time

I was back it was straight up to the market. As soon

as I could get out of college at 17 or 18 I was straight

into the business; I just wanted to get hands-on.”

The auction house is a true family business; as well as

Richard and Tom valuing lots and taking charge on

sale days, Richard’s wife Janet works tirelessly behind

the scenes, unpacking, checking and preparing items

for auction alongside a dedicated team.

“The whole process, from me going out to value an

item to someone buying it and it being packed up

and taken away is a huge amount of work,” says

Richard.

“Everything has to be checked over pre-sale, we

pride ourselves on that. And it doesn’t end at the

auction; our after-sales work involves packaging items

up for posting or delivering.”

Richard’s expertise is broad, and at house clearances

he is the first person to cast his eye over and assess

the potential of items for sale. But he relies on his

team of expert valuers to get to the nitty gritty.

“I’ve got a very broad eye, but my valuers will dig

deeper,” Richard says. “I would know a Doulton

vase is a Doulton period piece from 1910, but Sarah

(senior valuer Sarah Leedham) would be able to

tell me who the artist is, exactly when it was made,

whether it was limited edition, all the finer detail.”

House clearances make up a sizeable portion of

the auction house’s business; both for downsizing

purposes and sadder occasion

involving divorce or a

deceased estate. Richard and

his team are well experienced

in the delicate nature of such

work.

“We have to deal with people

going through an emotional,

traumatic time so it’s of

the utmost importance to

be sensitive,” says Richard.

“Clearing a house is a difficult

job, especially when you’re

dealing with the emotional

side of things too, and our

team is brilliant at helping to

smooth out the process.”

House clearances, in

particular, can throw up some

unusual items. So what sort of

things usually pique the interests of buyers?

“Local interest is always good; postcards do really

well and we’ve had some nice postcard collections

from Lichfield and Sutton which haven’t been seen

before,” says Richard. “Postcards are very difficult

to value though; we might not have seen them but

everyone might have them and they may not be rare

at all, so we tend to put each collection together as

one lot.

RICHARD WINTERTON

HAS APPEARED ON

BARGAIN HUNT

8

A QUIRKY CHAIR AND BRASS RACK

MAKE FOR AN INTERESTING LOT

“A lot of people are interested in social history, and

there’s a huge market for nostalgia.

“I love medals, and the people who collect medals

are so passionate,” he adds. “First World War medals

were always engraved with names so people who are

buying medals are looking at the age of that medal

and wondering if the recipient survived, was young

enough to go into the Second World War, or if he

was too old for the Second World War did he go to

the Boer War? They want to build a history around

these medals, and it’s fascinating.”

Weird and wonderful, often macabre, items also

attract a huge amount of attention from buyers -

especially if there’s a historical element.

“A calling card left by Jack the Ripper has just sold

down south for thousands,” says Richard.

The item in question was an ink-written card which

arrived at Ealing Police Station on October 29, 1888

- just 11 days before the serial killer’s last suspected

victim Mary Kelly was disembowelled, and was

found among a selection of cards put up for auction.

The hammer price? £22,000, with a final price

closer to £30,000 once an auction premium is paid.

“Macabre will always sell,” says Richard. “We’re

thinking of doing an ‘out-of-the-ordinary’ sale in

December; we had a pair of glass eyes come in

yesterday and we had a false leg from 1910 at our last

sale, so I want to do a sale of weird and wonderful

lots. We get all sorts of strange things coming in, so

I think if we can put together 100 or so lots, it’ll be a

good talking point and people will come along just to

have a look.”

The unpredictable nature of auctions, with bidding

varying wildly from one sale to the next, means that

punters should buy

things for enjoyment,

rather than any

sort of long-term

investment, stresses

Richard.

“People ask me what

they should buy to

invest in but that’s

the wrong thing to

do; if you’re going

into antiques, do it

because you like it

and want to enjoy it,”

he explains. “For me,

it’s value for money;

if you go and buy at

Ikea or places like

that, furniture costs a

lot for what it is and it won’t last. But if you go and

spend a couple of hundred quid on a quality piece at

auction that’s been built to last it’ll hold its price, or it

won’t lose you much. It’s good value.

“It’s always interesting to see what things make, and

it changes from sale to sale. What goes well one week

might not be so good the next, it just depends who’s

THIS STYLISH CHAIR

WAS SNAPPED UP FOR

£90 BY A HAPPY BIDDER

9

in the room and who’s

online.

“And there’s a competitive

element with bidding, so

if there are two people

after the same lot it can

go up and up. But quality

will always sell; it doesn’t

matter what it is, furniture,

pictures, the top end will

always do well.

“The main concern of the

job, for me, is handling

people’s expectations.

People bring items in for

auction which they think

are worth hundreds, when

in reality they’ll make a

fiver. Everyone thinks they’ve got something which is

worth something, but we have to be brutally honest.

We’re happy to sell it for them and it makes what it

makes.”

Over the years, Richard has done his bit to raise the

profile of auctions in Staffordshire, appearing on

AMY NORBURY TAKES TO

THE ROSTRUM

RECENT FURNITURE

LOTS AT THE THREE-DAY

SALE

both BBC’s Bargain Hunt and ITV’s Dickinson’s

Real Deal, two shows which have helped to

popularise auctions among the masses.

“We’ve done Bargain Hunt for a very long time,”

says Richard. “We were one of the first on Bargain

Hunt and we did the very first live show, which

was exciting I have to say. I was trying to sell

and it was non-stop chatter in my ear from the

production team, which is so difficult. It gives you

new admiration for newsreaders and the like who

have to do their job with constant talking in their

ear.

“On our second live show, we had a lot which

just went higher and higher, it made about £760;

it was right near the end of the show and the

bidding just kept going and the production team

were saying ‘RIchard, we need to wrap it up, we

go off-air in a minute-and-a-half and we need to

do the wraps’, and I’m there with a live bidding

going on, which you just can’t stop!

“Shows like Bargain Hunt and Dickinson’s Real

Deal have opened up the world of auctions to

a wider audience,” adds Richard. “They make

auctions seem more accessible, which is what we

need to get across.

“Yes, we have prestigious fine art coming into

sale, but honestly there really is something for

everyone. We don’t want people to feel afraid to

come along. There might be a perception that

auctions are a bit elitist, but they’re not in the

slightest. You might even get a bargain.”

For more information, visit the Lichfield Auction

Centre at Wood End Lane, Fradley Park, call

01543 251081 or visit the website at

www.richardwinterton.co.uk

10

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PROPERTY

Property of the Month

WE TAKE A SNEAKY PEEK AT SOME OF THE HOTTEST PROPERTIES ON THE MARKET IN

THE AREA EACH MONTH. THIS MONTH’S SELECTION IS AN EXTENSIVE LUXURY HOME

IN A PRESTIGIOUS LOCATION

Roman Road, Little Aston Park, Sutton Coldfield: offers over £2,895,000

On the market with Fine and Country: 0121 272 6900

THE AGENT SAYS: A stunning executive property nestled

in a private gated location on the prestigious private estate

of Little Aston Park. This large 10 bedroom and seven

bathroom modern property (approximately 8,300 square feet)

offers flexible accommodation with a ground floor annexe

facility and lift.

The opulence afforded to the grand entrance hall is

continued throughout this recently refurbished property. A

beautifully fitted kitchen from the locally hailed Broadway

Kitchens opens onto a breakfast room, family room with

additional intimate TV room, all looking over the private rear

garden; this is a perfect family space. A more formal spacious

drawing room leads through to a dining room. Further

reception rooms afford a large office and a separate sitting

room and kitchen at the other side of the house offering

space for additional family/staff with a lift installed.

Continuing with this spacious layout, the upper floor offers

10 bedrooms, carefully planned with spacious landings and

beautifully appointed bathrooms.

This luxury property affords one of the most prestigious

addresses in the West Midlands with privacy, extensive

parking and elegant spacious living.

THAT STUNNING KITCHEN -

W E L O V E :

A REAL ‘WOW’ FACTOR

12

INTERIORS

Mellow

yellow

WHEN you think of spring and summer one of the

colours that immediately springs to mind is yellow.

Whether that’s daffodils, beaches or just sunshine in

general, we all know yellow has a connection to the

warmer seasons.

Colour gurus Pantone’s SS18 top colours include a

vibrant yellow called Meadowlark, which is the ideal

shade to add a bright and bold touch to your home’s

decor scheme.

As a statement piece in a room - we adore the look of a

vibrant velvet sofa - yellow really brings the ‘wow’ factor

and, as our love affair with grey doesn’t seem to be going

anywhere soon, yellow is the perfect foil to industrial

grey walls.

If you don’t want to invest in a major furniture piece,

accessories are a great way to inject a touch of cheer

into your room. Look out for soft furnishings, table

lamps, rugs and more in sunny shades to bring a pop of

colour to any space.

JULIEN MACDONALD DRESSING TABLE,

DEBENHAMS. WWW.DEBENHAMS.COM

£168

£70

ALESSI DOTTY WALL CLOCK,

WWW.BLACK-BY-DESIGN.CO.UK

£31

FIELD WOOL BLANKET, ANDSHINE.

WWW.ANDSHINE.CO.UK

BITOSSI HOME HOURGLASS

SAND TIMER, AMARA.

WWW.AMARA.COM £70

MASTERS CHAIR IN MUSTARD

BY KARTELL, WWW.HEALS.COM

14

MUUTO UNFOLD YELLOW PENDANT

LIGHT, RUME. WWW.RUME.CO.UK

£199

£595 £149

DERRY LEATHER ARMCHAIR,

PEPPERMILL INTERIORS,

BURNTWOOD BUSINESS PARK.

WWW.PEPPERMILLINTERIORS.COM

ZIRA YELLOW RUG,

MODERN RUGS.

WWW.MODERN-RUGS.CO.UK

LICHFIELD PRINT, CHRIS DAY DESIGN.

WWW.CHRISDAYDESIGN.CO.UK

TULI TABLE LAMP TULIP,

WWW.MADE.COM

£25

REGENT TOASTER,

RED CANDY.

WWW.REDCANDY.CO.UK

£190

£15

£60

£3,499

BALMORAL TWO SEATER SOFA

IN VARESE VELVET ALCHEMILLA,

FROM HEAL’S. WWW.HEALS.COM

NEON YELLOW ‘LOVE’

LIGHT, MINI MAISON.

WWW.MINIMAISON.CO.UK

ALEXANDER AND JAMES

JUDE CHAIR, £468, COOKES.

WWW.COOKESFURNITURE.CO.UK

SOMNUS ROYAL BRITANNIA

5FT DIVAN SET, £2,092 COOKES.


WINDSOR SOFA VELVET THREE SEATER

SOFA, £1,399, DFS. WWW.DFS.CO.UK

LIGNE ROSSET DINING SET, COOKES.


J’AIME

LO VES

I N T E R I O R S

Make time

for style

AS well as its obvious functional use, a wall clock

can add oodles of style to your home - but it can be

difficult to find the perfect timepiece to fit in with your

decor scheme.

Whether as a statement in itself - think oversized or

bold by design - or maybe as part of a gallery wall

alongside complementary prints, a well-chosen clock is

a household essential.

Much like interior design in general, metallics are a

huge trend, particularly warmer tones like gold, brass

and copper. Combine brass and concrete to tap into

the industrial luxe vibe, or pair gold with marble for a

glamorous edge.

When it comes to design, both modern minimalism

and retro styles are emerging as the ones to watch.

Sleek simplicity will blend effortlessly with your home

decor, while a more vintage clock will a classic touch to

any room.

And clocks aren’t just for indoors; make a feature in

your outside space with a statement garden clock.

DIVER CLOCKS, £119, ESCAPOLOGY.

WWW.ESCAPOLOGYHOME.COM

£49

£140

£98

HEAL’S BLACK &

COPPER CLOCK,

WWW.HEALS.COM

PLUTO STARBURST GOLD WALL CLOCK

BY NEWGATE, WWW.HEALS.COM

HOUSE DOCTOR BLACK ART CLOCK,

AMARA. WWW.AMARA.COM

18

ThE WinTErTon namE haS BEEn SynonymouS

WiTh auCTionEErinG in STaFFordShirE SinCE 1864

We are a family run business auctioneering a wide range of Jewellery,

Silver, Ceramics, Glass, Paintings, Bronzes, Wine, Whisky & Port,

Toys & Trains, Cameras, Victorian – Edwardian Furniture & Furnishings

Fine art - decorative & design - Collectors - Three day home & interior

houSE CLEaranCES | ProBaTE SErViCES | SPECiaLiST SaLES

VaLuaTionS For inSuranCE

The Lichfield auction Centre, Wood End Lane, Fradley Park, Lichfield, WS13 8nF

01543 251081 | office@richardwinterton.co.uk | www.richardwinterton.co.uk

£119

BIRGIN WALL CLOCK,

WWW.MADE.COM

£25.95

TEMPERED GLASS EARTH CLOCK,

BLACKBROOK INTERIORS.

WWW.BLACKBROOK-INTERIORS.CO.UK

HEDGEHOG CLOCK, ANNABEL JAMES.

WWW.ANNABELJAMES.CO.UK

£29

£210

HOUSE DOCTOR CONCRETE

WALL CLOCK, AMARA.

WWW.AMARA.COM

£60

SQUARE DOUBLE FRAME CLOCK,

ALEXANDER AND PEARL.

WWW.ALEXANDERANDPEARL.CO.UK

£57

NEWGATE ‘50S ELECTRIC

CLOCK, AMARA.

WWW.AMARA.COM

TIKTAK TIME CONCRETE CLOCK, £49,

WWW.CUCKOOLAND.COM

GARDEN WALL CLOCK,

BLACKBROK INTERIORS.

WWW.BLACKBROOK-INTERIORS.CO.UK

NEWGATE WIDEBOY CLOCK, £40, BLACK BY DESIGN.


4TH DIMENSION WALL CLOCK, £156,

WWW.OOSTOR.COM

BLOCK CLOCK, £65, RUME.

WWW.RUME.CO.UK

NEWGATE WIMBLEDON CLOCK,

£130, BLACK BY DESIGN.


NEWGATE OSLO WALL CLOCK,

£50, BLACK BY DESIGN.


CO M P E T I T I O N

Win a treat for dad

IT’S TIME TO SAY ‘THANKS’ TO DAD FOR EVERYTHING HE DOES - AND YOU COULD WIN A FATHER’S

DAY VOUCHER WORTH £150 TO SPEND ON A WATCH AT ALLEN BROWN JEWELLERY

With Father’s Day just around the corner, J’AIME has

teamed up with Allen Brown Jewellery at Heart of the

Country Shopping Village, Swinfen, to offer readers

the chance to win a special treat for their dad.

Our lucky winner will scoop a voucher worth £150 for

their dad to spend on a stylish gents watch from the

exclusive watch gallery at Allen Brown Jewellery.

The watch gallery was created in 2016 and offers a

wide selection of designs and brands for both ladies

and gents ranging from around £80 to around £600.

The extensive selection includes timepieces from from

Danish Design, Panzera, Jacob Jensen, Issey Miyake

and Faber.

Allen Brown Jewellery are experienced in the

exceptional. They specialise in handmade, fine

jewellery using unusually cut and coloured precious

and semi precious stones. Coloured diamonds are key

to Allen Brown’s collections, which include pendants,

necklaces, earrings, rings, all wedding jewellery, as well

as gents’ jewellery and watches.

Why not visit to browse the latest collections or discuss

commission ideas with Allen and his team of designer

makers? With an onsite workshop along with viewing

gallery, customers also have the opportunity to view

beautiful jewellery being created.

Located in beautiful surroundings at Heart of the

Country off the A38 in Lichfield, it is a great place to

spend the day in the heart of rural Staffordshire.

For more details call 01543 481948 or visit

www.allenbrownjewellery.co.uk and follow Allen

Brown Jewellery on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter

for the latest news, competitions and collections.

OUR WINNER WILL HAVE £150 TO

SPEND ON A WATCH AT ALLEN

BROWN JEWELLERY

The Competition

A STYLISH WATCH BY DANISH DESIGN

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W H AT ’ S O N

An extraordinary celebration

FESTIVAL FEVER RETURNS TO LICHFIELD FROM JULY 4 TO 14, WHEN THE CITY WILL COME ALIVE

WITH A CELEBRATION OF THE ARTS. FIONA FRASER SPOKE TO FESTIVAL ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

DAMIAN THANTREY ABOUT HIS TOP PICKS FOR FESTIVAL SEASON

Anyone who has been remotely near

Lichfield in July knows that Lichfield

Festival fever takes hold of the city with

music, dance, theatre and art, picnics on

the Cathedral lawn, street entertainment,

and a chance to simply soak up the

atmosphere at one of the country’s most

colourful and eclectic festivals.

Damian Thantrey is this year’s guest

artistic director, surely not an easy task:

“Like planning anything – you start with

a handful of what you hope are strong

ideas, put them at the centre and work

your way out, while keeping a very close

eye on your budget!” says Damian. “I

was mindful that, as ‘caretaker’ for the

year, I wanted to make sure that I gave

the Festival back in at least as good condition as I

received it! There are definitely some new things, but I

hope I have stayed true to the Festival’s traditions.”

LIZA PULMAN

2017 LICHFIELD

FESTIVAL CREDIT

REDLOCK

PHOTOGRAPHY

Picking out highlights, especially when you’re the

Festival’s director is obviously tricky, says Damian,

who grew up in Burton-on-Trent: “Everything on the

programme is there because I would go it to myself.

If you twisted my arm, I would say that the events

with our six Artists in Residence will be special - I’ve

worked with them all in some capacity and they are

all superb and compelling performers. And in the

run-up to the Festival, I was wowed by Liza Pulman

(whom people will also know from Fascinating Aida)

and her sensational song-fest about the legendary

Barbra Streisand; also BBC Folk Singer of the Year,

Kris Drever (with special guest Julie Fowlis) will close

the Festival for us – an amazing musician and singersongwriter

to kick back and enjoy at the end of the

week. For the younger audience - and my ‘wild card’

choice for grown-ups! - I would say Hansel and Gretel

which will be a dark and exciting mix of music,

puppetry and story-telling, with words and poetry

by the wonderful Simon Armitage. Finally, I have

to mention our opening Cathedral night and a new

show by Neil and Katya Jones, stars of Strictly Come

Dancing, created especially for us. When else do you

get to hang a metaphorical glitterball in one of the

country’s most stunning buildings?”

This year’s Festival, which runs from July 4 to 14,

celebrates #ExtraordinaryWomen with a series of

28

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events inspired by the centenary of votes for women. “I

didn’t set out to weave a theme into the Festival,” says

Damian, “but it was hard to ignore such an important

anniversary as women’s suffrage. However, rather than

looking solely at the heroic efforts of the Pankhursts,

Emily Davies and many others, I wanted to celebrate

#ExtraordinaryWomen in all their guises. So,

alongside that centenary, we honour groundbreaking

women from the worlds of jazz, theatre, science,

literature, composition, religion and Hollywood, as

well as works written specifically for a woman’s voice.

The #ExtraordinaryWomen events themselves cover

music and song, film, talks, dance and the stage - many

of which you can only see in Lichfield this July!”

Internationally-acclaimed singer, Jessica Walker, is one

of the Festival’s Artists in Residence and a focal point

in the #ExtraordinaryWomen series. Her brand new

cabaret Soldiers, Sirens and Suffragettes with pianist

Joseph Atkins takes place at the city’s McKenzie’s

Restaurant. She also performs her acclaimed onewoman

show Pat Kirkwood is Angry and, over at the

beautiful Swinfen Hall Hotel, A Century of Popular

Song, in which Jessica and Joseph conjure up the

unique atmosphere of each decade from the Victorian

music hall to the Swinging 60s, accompanied by a

sumptuous afternoon tea.

So what makes Lichfield Festival so special? “There is a

pride and passion about this Festival that is astonishing.

The commitment shown by the office team, chairman,

board, the Cathedral and other venue partners, our

sponsors, supporters and volunteers, is what makes the

Festival thrive.

“That support for the arts is reflected by the huge

pool of talent with strong links to Lichfield and the

surrounding area. As a Burton boy myself, one of

the things I wanted to do was to celebrate that too,

LICHFIELD FESTIVAL

MARKET

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and so I’m delighted that major talents with local

connections are coming this year – Lucy Crowe (from

Marchington) is one of the world’s most sought-after

sopranos, singing regularly at the Met and Covent

Garden and working with Sir Simon Rattle; the

CBSO are coming and their CEO, Stephen Maddock

(Lichfield-born), will also talk about running one of the

world’s great orchestras;

Patrick Craig (Lichfield

again) returns with The

Cardinall’s Musick, having

sung over 1000 concerts

across the world with

renowned group The Tallis

Scholars. And there are

others too – so please come

and join us and celebrate

this #ExtraordinaryCity

with its very

#ExtraordinaryFestival this

July.”

For more information on

Lichfield Festival visit

www.lichfieldfestival.

org or phone

01543 412121.

30

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CO M P E T I T I O N

A feast of festival fun

RESTAURANT CRITIC AND MASTERCHEF FAVOURITE JAY RAYNER IS BRINGING NOT ONE, BUT TWO VERY

DIFFERENT SHOWS TO THIS YEAR’S LICHFIELD FESTIVAL - AND YOU COULD WIN TICKETS TO SEE HIM

JAY RAYNER BRINGS

MY DINING HELL TO

LICHFIELD GARRICK

ON JULY 13

When it comes to journalism there are things Jay

Rayner has not written about. A business page

summary of a motor component company report,

or a football match, perhaps. But

that is probably the extent of the

empty folders in the Rayner archive.

Even before 1992, when he was

named Young Journalist of the Year

in the British Press Awards, he was

investigating and writing about nearly

everything, so there are bulging arts,

fashion, crime, politics and general

features sections in that same Rayner

back catalogue.

And that is before we get on to the

novels, four to date, including The

Marble Kiss which was nominated for

the Author’s Club of Great Britain

First Novel Award, and Day Of

Atonement which was nominated for

the Jewish Quarterly’s international

prize for Jewish fiction.

JAY RAYNER’S JAZZ

QUARTET

But it is as a food writer and broadcaster that he

remains best known. Jay has just been named

Restaurant Writer of the Year 2018 in the Fortnum

& Mason Food and Drink Awards, a prize that will

sit alongside his awards as Food and Drink writer

(for three years in a row), nominations for three

Glenfiddich Food and Drink Awards, Restaurant Critic

of the Year in 2001 and the Derek Cooper Award for

Investigative and Campaigning Journalism from the

Guild of Food Writers in 2013. He has appeared as

a judge in multiple series of Masterchef, and as part

of the panel on BBC2’s Eating With The Enemy. In

the US he was a part of the expert panel on Top

Chef Masters, was resident food expert on The One

Show from 2009 to 2016, and has been the host of

the award-nominated food panel show The Kitchen

Cabinet for BBC Radio 4 for the last six years.

As if all that writing and broadcasting wasn’t enough,

in 2012, he officially turned what had been a private

hobby into another very public string to his bow. To

be more accurate: a full 88 set of piano strings. He

formed the Jay Rayner Quartet – his wife, Pat Gordon-

Smith, is the band’s singer – and began playing gigs

around the land.

It is beneath two of his many hats, that Jay Rayner

32

appears at the 2018 Lichfield Festival, both of them on

Friday 13 July. One is as restaurant critic, the other is

as jazz pianist, and common to both is his compelling

skill as a raconteur.

My Dining Hell comes first, an early afternoon oneman

show in which the critic of in excess of 700 eating

establishments homes in on what he knows his readers

take the most delicious delight in: damning reviews of

lousy restaurants.

He writes about his Penguin-published book of this

title – its subtitle is Twenty Ways To Have A Lousy

Night Out:

“I have been a restaurant critic for over a decade,

written reviews of well over 700 establishments, and

if there is one thing I have learnt it is that people like

reviews of bad restaurants. No, scratch that. They

adore them, feast upon them like starving vultures who

have spotted fly-blown carrion out in the bush.

“They claim otherwise, of course. Readers like to

present themselves as private arbiters of taste; as

people interested in the good stuff. I’m sure they are.

I’m sure they really do care whether the steak was

served au point as requested or whether the soufflé had

achieved a certain ineffable lightness. And yet, when

I compare dinner to bodily fluids, the room to an S &

M chamber in Neasden (only without the glamour or

class), and the bill to an act of grand larceny, why, then

the baying crowd is truly happy.”

On the evening of Friday, July 13, Jay untucks the

napkin, re-caps the poison pen and unpacks the sheet

music and set list instead. Although there is not a

complete break with food: songs like The Ladies Who

Lunch, Black Coffee, Peel Me A Grape and Food,

Glorious Food are likely to feature in that set list.

With Jay on piano are double bass player Robert

Rickenberg, saxophonist Dave Lewis and Pat Gordon-

Smith on vocals. Their first CD is called A Night Of

Food And Agony.

Jay writes: “It’s not enough to choose songs; you

have to know why you are playing them. Happily, I

always have. My job as a restaurant critic gave me

half the repertoire. Jazz and restaurants have been

long intertwined. After all I met the Quartet’s brilliant

musicians, bassist Robert Rickenberg and saxophonist

Dave Lewis in the Ivy Club. And then there was my

late mother, agony aunt Claire Rayner. The anecdotes

she left me provided the other half of our setlists.

Because so many blues songs sound like letters to a

problem page.”

What unites both shows is the larger-than-life

character and generosity of spirit that is Jay Rayner.

As celebrated jazz critic Clive Davis points out:

“Rayner… boulevardier, is the perfect communicator”.

Jay Rayner: My Dining Hell and Jay Rayner Jazz

Quartet are at Lichfield Garrick Theatre on Friday,

July 13, at 2pm and 8pm respectively, as part of

Lichfield Festival. For more information on the Festival

see www.lichfieldfestival.org or phone 01543 412121.

The Competition

J’AIME HAS TEAMED UP WITH THE LICHFIELD FESTIVAL TO OFFER TWO TICKETS FOR JAY

RAYNER’S HUGELY ENTERTAINING SHOW, MY DINING HELL, AT THE LICHFIELD GARRICK

ON FRIDAY 13 JULY AT 2PM. TO BE IN WITH A CHANCE OF WINNING, SIMPLY ANSWER THE

FOLLOWING QUESTION:

WHICH BBC TV SHOW DOES JAY RAYNER REGULARLY APPEAR ON AS A JUDGE?

Send your answer, along with your name, address and telephone number, by email to competitions@jaimemagazine.com with Lichfield

Festival competition as the email subject. Entries must be received by 5pm on Friday, June 29, and our winner will be notified by

Wednesday, July 4. No cash alternative is available. Terms and conditions apply. Visit www.jaimemagazine.com for further details.

33

F E AT U R E

A golden era for Beth

MICHAEL BEARDMORE SPEAKS TO LICHFIELD’S NEWEST GOLDEN GIRL – COMMONWEALTH

GAMES NETBALL GOLD MEDALLIST BETH COBDEN ABOUT GLORY, GLEE AND GLOBE-TROTTING

NETBALL PLAYER BETH COBDEN.

PHOTO CREDIT MARK METCALFE_

GETTY SPORT

When it comes to British sport, sisters really are

doing it for themselves. And for no one is that phrase

more apt than Beth Cobden.

Colloquially, having been part of the England

netball team that has followed their ‘sporting sisters’

in football, cricket, hockey and rugby in achieving

global glory. But also literally, setting the bar at its

highest within her own sports-mad family, with Beth

counting two top rugby stars as her siblings.

At every Games – be it Olympic or Commonwealth

– there is always one event, often a team sport, that

captures the nation’s hearts. With the Rio Olympics

of 2016, it was hockey’s golden girls. This year, in the

Commonwealths on Australia’s Gold Coast, it was

netball’s turn.

In a sport traditionally dominated by Australia and

New Zealand, England beat both – the latter in the

group stage and the Aussies in the final – on the way

to a remarkable podium-topping triumph.

It was a high Beth is still to come down from – a long

way from her schooldays in Cannock and Lichfield

where she first took up the sport to follow in the

footsteps of her mom Patricia, a county player in her

own right. And she hopes the success can produce

the same boom in netball that those other sports have

enjoyed due to their successes.

Beth, a former King Edward VI student, beams: “It’s

definitely changed things for me. Hopefully it will

help the sport to grow.

“I think the more people that play, the more sponsors

we can attract and the bigger we can make the game

– that’s where we can benefit from this win. That will

be what drives us in the future.

“We are going here, there and everywhere as much

as we can. We are back in our season now so you

have to fit everything in around your training, which

has obviously got to come first. But anything that we

have been able to do, we’ve been lapping it up, trying

to get as much done as we can. When you’re getting

a bit of attention, you’ve got to make the most of it,

haven’t you?

“When you see the little girls in schools, it’s amazing

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to see that you are inspiring them.

You get them asking what they can

do to become an England netball

player and it inspires them to play.

I went to my old primary school,

Five Ways (in Cannock) just before

Christmas but I am sure I will be

going back there again with my

medal!

“Anything that we can do to

get more people playing netball

and even just playing a sport,

it’s so important. I think people

underestimate how important it is.”

To put the win into context, imagine England’s men

beating Germany and Brazil to win the football

World Cup, or our cricketers seeing off Australia and

South Africa to win their version.

Beth says: “We always had the belief that we could

do it and we knew that we had a good squad. But

we had not beaten Australia in recent years so to

actually go out there and do it in the final in their

backyard, it was just brilliant – we couldn’t have

asked for anything better. They have dominated for

so long now but we have been creeping up there

slowly.

“This was my first time at the Commonwealths but

the last time the girls were there, we just missed out,

BETH COBDEN. PHOTO CREDIT MARK

METCALFE_GETTY SPORT

BETH COBEN, LEFT, AT THE BAFTAS

WITH TEAMMATES AND BBC

PRESENTER CLARE BALDING

we lost to Australia and New Zealand by one goal

each time. But that gave the team belief that we were

up there with those two countries, we just needed to

pull out the win.

“I think having that experience and having had more

time together, it just allowed us to beat them this

time. But we can’t just be content with that one win,

we need to back it up and do well at the World Cup

next year.”

Not only was the win historic, it was thrilling too

– England came from behind to beat Jamaica by a

point with a last-second score in the semi-final and

did the same to the hosts in the final.

It might not have been good for the ultra-fit hearts of

those on court but it made an exciting spectacle for

those watching at home on TV.

Beth, who plays wing defence, one of the less

glamorous, unsung, positions admitted: “It was

crazy!

“It’s really rare that you win a game by one

goal in the dying seconds – so to do it two days

in a row was really, really bizarre but, of course,

brilliant at the same time!

“It was good because the people back at home

watching got really into it and I think having

those closer games has just shown people what

netball is about and how good it can be.

“I think a lot of people underestimate it. I’ve

had so many people commenting about how

they were impressed with it and about how

they haven’t watched netball since they were at

school.

“I think they have the wrong image in their

head – I don’t think they realise how different

the game is to when you are playing at school

level. The difference to international level is

massive.”

Beth should know. She started young – ‘in Year

3 or 4 I think’ – playing for Sutton Coldfield

sides Fairfax and Parkside. The latter was a

renowned club and Beth soon progressed to

county level. National recognition followed with

England at junior age groups before blossoming

36

into a full international and SuperLeague regular

with Loughborough Lightning.

A wanderer at heart, Beth is doubly lucky because

her netball talent helps her indulge her other great

passion – travelling all over the globe.

She took a year off from the sport in her early 20s to

trek around South America and admits she has to

pinch herself at some of the places she gets to visit

and combine business with pleasure.

Beth said: “We had quite a long trip for the

Commonwealths because we went out there for a

few weeks beforehand, so we were away for five-anda-half

weeks in the end. We went to Sydney where

I’ve never been, and Brisbane as well. The whole

experience was just amazing, a once-in-a-lifetime

thing.

“That’s another reason why I love netball – it’s a job

that comes with a lot of travelling! In the past two

years when I have been playing for the seniors, I’ve

been to Australia probably five times, New Zealand a

couple of times, South Africa. It’s amazing really to

go to these places.

“Obviously you are doing a lot of netball when you

are there but you get the odd day’s

rest where you can go and have a

little explore which makes it even

better – it’s brilliant, I love it.”

There won’t be much travelling

for next year’s World Cup though

as England seek to build on their

Commonwealth triumph – it’s being

held in Liverpool.

And Beth won’t be at the Tokyo

2020 Olympics either. It’s not that

she wouldn’t get picked or that

England wouldn’t quality. It’s that

netball, amazingly, isn’t recognised as

an Olympic sport.

BETH COBDEN

WAS PART OF

ENGLAND’S

COMMONWEALTH

GAMES GOLD

MEDAL-WINNING

NETBALL TEAM

She says: “There is a lot going on to try to get it into

the Olympics. It is a shame it’s not there already

because it would be really good for the sport to have

another big competition to focus on.

“We sort of have a four-year cycle where we focus

on the Commonwealth Games and the World Cup

which are in back-to-back years, and then have a

two-year, kind of like, development stage.

“To have another big thing in there would be really

good. I think we just need more countries to play it

really and I think there is a lot of stuff in place to try

to get more countries involved.

“So fingers crossed in the future we will be able to get

it in the Olympics.”

Beth’s triumphant Commonwealth champions are

coached by Tracey Neville – a former England ace

herself, whose brothers Gary and Phil were famous

footballers for England and Manchester United.

The Nevilles are arguably the country’s most famous

sporting brothers and sisters – but the Cobdens give

them a run for their money.

Beth’s brothers Joe and Jack both play top-level

rugby – Joe, 26, for Nottingham and, intriguingly,

Jack, 29, plays out in Romania where he is now

actually eligible to play for their national team.

She smiles: “Jack’s a bit like me, got the travel bug!

He got offered a contract out there three or four

years ago.

“He’s got a daughter out there as well so he’s settled

and he really loves it out there. He’s had a few caps

for Romania and he’s hoping he can maybe end up

going to the World Cup.”

That would mean another trip abroad for parents

Pat and Ian, who took the last-minute decision to

cheer Beth on to glory Down Under.

She smiles: “It was all a bit last minute. You don’t

get picked until a few weeks before, that’s when they

announce the squad, so they weren’t sure whether to

come.

“But when I did get picked, they decided to go – and

they were really pleased they did!”

BETH IN ACTION VERSUS AUSTRALIA.

PHOTO BY GETTY IMAGES

F O O D & D R I N K

Decadent dining

ICONIC LONDON RESTAURANT THE IVY’S FORAY INTO BIRMINGHAM ADDS A TOUCH OF LUXURY AND A

WHOLE HEAP OF GLAMOUR TO THE SECOND CITY’S THRIVING DINING SCENE, AS AMY NORBURY DISCOVERS

Fresh lobster? On a Monday? In

Birmingham? Such decadence, I hear you

cry. But decadence is all part and parcel of

The Ivy name.

The original London restaurant, situated in

the heart of theatreland, has been a byword

for glamorous dining for decades, attracting

a clientele that reads like a who’s who of the

glitterati, literati and Hollywood’s finest.

Laurence Olivier dined there, Noel Coward

was a regular and Dame Nellie Melba

and Marlene Dietrich could be spotted at

their favourite tables, while in the Nineties,

it was a magnet for stars, with Brad Pitt,

Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman attracting

paparazzi and headlines with every visit.

Tables were hard to come by - unless your

name’s Kate Moss, that is. But if you could

wangle a seat, chances are you’d spot a

celebrity or three.

And now, you can get The Ivy experience right here in

the Midlands, with the opening of the latest The lvy

Collection restaurant in the heart of Birmingham. The

Ivy Collection brings the inimitable service and vibrant

surroundings for which The Ivy is revered to a select

group of upmarket brasseries and neighbourhood

cafés.

Each restaurant has been designed to deliver the

memorable experience that is synonymous with The

Ivy’s unique style, and extend the magic of the iconic

West Street venue to handpicked locations across

London and the UK.

While The Ivy Temple Row certainly exudes the

luxury of its sister restaurants, with it’s stunning art

deco-inspired decor and familiar modern British menu,

there’s a focus on accessibility as well as glamour.

Booking a table on a Friday or Saturday night is par

for the course, but the restaurant holds back a certain

amount of covers each day for walk-in diners, so those

living and working locally can drop in at their leisure.

J’AIME were invited to give the all-day menu a try -

and when they say all-day, they mean all-day, with food

served until 11pm on weekdays, 11.30pm on Saturdays

and 10.30pm on Sundays.

On the Monday evening of our visit, the restaurant

was packed with diners over both floors - impressive

for the start of the week, the buzz of the new addition

to Birmingham’s thriving dining scene still in full force.

What was a Louis Vuitton boutique has been

transformed into a beautiful space; The Ivy

Collection’s signature green colour palette contrasting

with striking burnt orange banquettes and polished

38

marble floors.

We were shown to a cosy table for

two along the wall upstairs - the

kind of intimate table it’s said to

have been favoured by Laurence

Olivier, Noel Coward et al - and

furnished with a glass of chilled

Champagne. So far, so glamorous.

The a la carte menu is a notinsubstantial

selection of Ivy

classics; think steak tartare,

seared scallops and heavy dose

of Asian inspiration, as well as

The Ivy’s signature hamburger

and shepherd’s pie. We were

presented with a warm salt-crusted

sourdough, £3.95, and truffle

arancini, £5.50, to nibble on while

we made our choices.

The bread was a thing of baked

beauty, with the salt adding a

wonderful crunch to the crust, and the arancini - fried

balls of arborio rice with a hefty punch of delicious

truffle - were incredibly moreish.

To start I opted for the steak tartare, £9.95, which was

a rich and indulgent plate, the finely chopped steak

topped with a Tabasco dressing, cornichons, shallot,

parsley and a sizeable egg yolk.

My husband’s duck liver parfait with caramelised

hazelnuts, truffle and a tamarind glaze, £6.95, was rich

and silky, the savoury flavours complemented nicely by

a sweetness from the accompanying pear and ginger

compote and toasted brioche.

Onto the main event, and I just had to give the lobster

a whirl. It’s not something you find on many a menu

in these parts, so the chance couldn’t be passed up. A

luxurious dish for a luxurious setting, right? At £34,

it’s the priciest item on the menu, but you certainly get

plenty of bang for your buck. The whole - that’s right,

whole - lobster is simply grilled and served with garlic

and parsley butter, watercress salad and a bucket of

perfectly fluffy-yet-crisp thick-cut chips.

Thankfully you’re presented with the appropriate tools

for the job - it can get messy, but the succulent, sweet

lobster meat with a hint of smoky char is oh so worth

it.

My husband’s rib-eye steak, £27.95, was again cooked

to a perfect medium-rare, as recommended by our

waiter over my husband’s usual rare-to-blue to give the

fat in the meat chance to render down and add flavour.

Side orders of truffle and parmesan chips, £4.50, and

delicious zucchini fritti, £5.75, were tasty, and the

substantial portions all round meant -

admittedly with one eye on dessert - we

just couldn’t finish it all.

For a little sweet something to end

the meal, our waiter recommended

the chocolate bombe, £8.50, which

we opted to share, alongside coffees.

This heavenly dessert adds a touch of

theatre to the meal, with hot salted

caramel sauce poured over a dark

chocolate sphere which melts away to

reveal a honeycomb centre. A must for

chocolate lovers, it was a fitting end to

a fine meal.

For decadent - yet relaxed, convivial

and very reasonably-priced - dining

with a heavy dose of glitz and

glamour, The Ivy Temple Row it

the place to be. Celebrities, on this

occasion at least, not included.

39

F O O D & D R I N K

Cocktail of the month

SHAUN CRAVEN, FROM LE RÊVE COCKTAIL BAR IN LICHFIELD, SHARES A COOL,

CLASSIC COCKTAIL PERFECT FOR A CELEBRATORY TIPPLE THIS FATHER’S DAY

Gentleman Jack

Old Fashioned

25ml sugar syrup

50ml Gentleman Jack bourbon

2 dashes of angostura bitters

2 dashes of orange bitters

1 orange peel

Add sugar syrup,

angostura bitters,

orange bitters and

orange peel into a

mixing glass. Add

ice and Gentleman

Jack gradually while

continuously stirring

for around five

minutes

Single strain into a

hobstar over an ice

ball. Orange zest to

garnish around the

rim of the glass.

40

Drink

Save

Repeat

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F O O D & D R I N K

Everything on red

PATRICK GAUNT, OPERATIONS MANAGER OF SPECIALIST WINE COMPANY

ITAL SARDO, SHOWCASES SOME STANDOUT SARDINIAN RED WINES

Being able to personally source and supply our

customers with exclusive wines from Italy is a huge

pleasure to be a part of. Each wine has been personally

sourced by myself. I have shaken the hand of each

winemaker, bringing the local treasure of Sardinia to

our clients.

Our range of reds are a variety of rich and bold wines,

to fruity and spicy numbers. A lot of this is down to

the blending, with most Sardinian wines blended with

Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah, having a more rounded

feel. All wines that are 100 per cent of a specific variety

are what we have found in being the ‘perfect example’

of that type of wine. Here are some fantastic examples

of our diverse range:

Reds to be social with:

Cagnulari, Chessa – An exclusive

wine, that provides an excellent dark

cherry nose with a velvety liquorice

finish. There is a sense of richness, but

the pleasant balance of this wine makes

it very easy to be enjoyed on its own.

The perfect way to round off your day.

Rich in history:

Giuseppe Sedilesu – A winemaker

of tradition and pride. We

were informed of the techniques

used by Giuseppe Sedilesu

when asking around with the

local people, on the search for

hidden gems. This wine, named

after the wine-maker himself,

is only produced after a perfect

year, showing how passionate

the producer is to create the

best he can. This is 100 per

cent Cannonau (which is said to

increase longevity), aged in oak

and then in the bottle. This wine

really is a great example of the

result of hard work and tradition.

Without bombarding our trusted readers with wines,

we are aiming to spread the work of Ital Sardo and

provide our clients with the best wines that we can get

our hands on. With wine tastings on the horizon, we

invite all those interested to visit our website at

www.italsardo.com. As well as this, please do not

hesitate to contact myself, Patrick Gaunt, on

01283 711588 with any questions or requests.

Wines that work wonders

with food:

Geo, Tenute Delogu – Here is a wine

from our debut shipment, a blend of

Cannonau, Cabernet Sauvignon and

Syrah. This blend creates an incredibly

warming effect, lightened by spice. A red

of this stature is best enjoyed with what

I call ‘slow cooker style’ food. Meaty

dishes that have a rich, earthy taste like

braised lamb shanks.

42

Would you like

your restaurant or

forthcoming event

featured in J’aime?

CONTACT JAN ASHLEY ON 07388 335931

OR EMAIL EDITOR@JAIMEMAGAZINE.COM

J’AIME

/jaimemagazine

@jaimemagazine

www.jaimemagazine.com

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T R AV E L

The spice island

NICOLA BRERETON, FROM RB COLLECTION IN LICHFIELD,

FINDS A SLICE OF CARIBBEAN PARADISE IN GRENADA

GRENADA IN THE CARIBBEAN

My love of the Caribbean is well known among my

friends and family and, having visited a number

of Islands, I was very excited to be heading to the

beautiful Island of Grenada. Also affectionately

known as Spice Island due to its abundance of

nutmeg plantations, I’d made a short cruise stop

there a number of years ago. I knew it was a

beautiful Island, but just how beautiful… well that I

was about to discover.

We left behind a cold winter’s morning in London

and our direct flight to Grenada – with a short

touchdown in St Lucia - had us arriving in glorious

sunshine. We were met with a warm welcome and

a cold flannel ready for a short transfer to our home

for the next two nights; the stunning Spice Island

Resort. If first impressions are anything to go by

then we were in for a treat. This beautiful resort is set

on a perfect spot on Grand Anse beach. As soon as

we stepped out of the car we were met with the most

amazing view of the Caribbean Sea and with a quick

check-in and cold flannels and welcoming cocktails

we were taken to our suites, all located short walk

from reception and the pool area.

As soon as I walked through my door I knew this

would be a truly special experience. From the

luxurious bathroom with tub looking out to the

beach to the gigantic (and oh-so-comfortable) bed

to the living area and right out onto the patio with

direct access to the beach, this suite was just simply

stunning.

A couple of hours relaxing in the sun on my day bed

and it was time for quick change as we headed off for

dinner that evening in the hotel’s restaurant, Oliver’s.

The setting for the restaurant is outstanding, with the

hotel maximising its prime position on once of the

most beautiful beaches I have ever seen. But the view

44

was not its only selling point,

nor was the sumptuous food we

were presented with but what

really set it above for me was

the staff. Nothing was too much

trouble and they very quickly

learnt your name as well as

your favourite tipple - which

they ensured was continually

topped up - but what came

across in abundance was their

love for the resort and their

pride in being a part of the

‘family’ they really did make

a beautiful resort all the more

special.

The next morning was spent

very chilled around the pool

looking out to the Caribbean

Sea and with a freshly made

cocktail in hand - the cold,

harsh winter I’d left behind the day before suddenly

felt a million miles away. A tour of the hotel had

us sampling the different suites Spice Island has to

offer, ranging from their Seagrape Beach Suite that

I had right through to stunning pool suites, set back

a little further but all with their own private entrance

and pool. Later that day we were able to sample the

stunning onsite spa with the most relaxing neck and

back massage before once again dining at Oliver’s

and enjoying a few cocktails in the Surf and Terrace

bar while enjoying a local band.

The following morning I was given a very special

treat with breakfast on my terrace with the most

A GRENADA SUNSET

stunning views before we headed off for a day of

resorts visits. The island of Grenada is quite small in

comparison to its neighbours but, as everyone knows,

great things come in small packages and Grenada

was not about to disappoint.

Our first stop was the beautiful Mount Cinnamon

Resort, further along Anse beach and set a little up

in to the hill offering the most spectacular panoramic

views from their beautifully designed suites and villas.

From here we carried on along the coastal road to

visit Laluna Resort, nestled into a private hillside

on one of Grenada’s most beautiful and secluded

beaches. Although it is only 10 minutes from the

capital, St Georges, it feels like your own Caribbean

LALUNA RESORT

45

hideaway with its Balinese decor, semi-open

bathrooms, and either amazing views or steps from

the beach. With a big focus on health wellness and

relaxation in their Asian spa, it really is something

very special.

Our next stop was to be our home for the next two

nights and a complete change in hotel style. The

beautiful Calabash is an exclusive family owned hotel

with 30 suites arranged around the lovely gardens,

facing out towards the secluded white sandy beach

of Prickly Bay with its scattering of small yachts

dotted around. From the moment we arrived it

became obvious how much they pride themselves

on delivering superb personal service and a unique

experiences for all their guests - and this was before

we had even stepped foot in their suites. From their

junior suites up to the pool suites all are simply

stunning. Stylish and welcoming and with amazing

bathrooms - they really do like to make a big feature

of this - with either a terrace or balcony, and all seafacing.

This evening we had a very relaxed diner at

the Beach Club with a steel band entertaining us as

we moved from the table round a campfire set up on

the beach.

The emphasis at Calabash is on understated

elegance and service combined with Caribbean

informality; they like their guests to feel very relaxed

from the moment they arrive and one of their

unique experiences is the cooked to order breakfasts

served on your suite’s patio or, if you prefer, on the

beach; the perfect way to start a relaxed day. After

breakfast we headed off for a tour of this amazing

island. While it has plenty to offer with its rum and

chocolate factories (both got my vote) we decided we

would head in to the rainforest with a stop en route

in the capital, St George’s, which offered the most

stunning panoramic views of the bay below. It is so

clear to see why Grenada is called the ‘spice island’;

everywhere you look, you can see spices. Nutmeg,

cinnamon, turmeric and cloves to name just a few

and as we went further into the rainforest we were

able to see first-hand these spices being farmed.

Grenada is also renowned for its stunning waterfalls

and we were about to embark on its most famous one

- Concorde Waterfalls. Tucked away in the rainforest,

cascades of water tumble down rugged cliffs to gush

into pristine swimming pools. Young men will jump

the falls for a fee and are literally heart-stopping but

amazing at the same time. With our driver/guide

enthralling us with tales of days of old when pirates

would hide their stash along the shores, we stopped

for a cold beer and in a small fishing town before

46

carrying on around the enchanting island. Our next

stop was to be Grand Etang Lake, created from a

crater from an extinct volcano where, legend has it,

a mermaid is living in the depths of the lake to lure

men to their watery grave.

After a very enjoyable day we made our way back to

Calabash as the sun began to set over St George’s.

This evening we were treated to a fabulous meal

in the renowned Rhodes Restaurant - personally

opened by Gary Rhodes. We had heard so much

about the food here that expectations were so high

but her were not to be disappointed; the food here

alone is enough to entice anyone to visit Grenada

and the banana crumble was simply to die for.

After a long, leisurely breakfast in the beach club

and a last dip in the pool soaking up the sunshine,

unfortunately it was time to pack up and head home.

Although it was only a short visit to Grenada the

memory of this wonderful and captivating island will

last a lifetime and I am already planning my next

visit – if only to sample that banana crumble once

more!

To plan and book your holiday to Grenada contact

RB Collection on 01543 258631, browse the hotels

at www.rbcollection.com/grenada.

J’aime

reader offer

BOOK YOUR HOLIDAY TO GRENADA WITH RB

COLLECTION BEFORE THE END OF JUNE 2018

AND RECEIVE A COMPLIMENTARY CARIBBEAN

GIFT HAMPER.

MENTION J’AIME MAGAZINE WHEN YOU

ENQUIRE, APPLICABLE TO NEW BOOKINGS

ONLY.

YOU WILL ALSO RECEIVE NICOLA’S TOP TIPS

FOR THE ISLAND TO HELP MAKE THE MOST

OF YOUR TRIP.

LALUNA VILLA

47

F E AT U R E

A celebration of indian film

THE FOURTH BIRMINGHAM INDIAN FILM FESTIVAL COMES TO THE SECOND CITY THIS MONTH -

AND YOU COULD WIN TICKETS TO THE GLITTERING RED CARPET OPENING NIGHT

Birmingham Indian Film Festival is a

cinematic treasure trove of carefully

curated premieres of South Asian

independent films, offering rare glimpses

into some of the billion-plus lives in the

sub-continent.

The festival is presented by the Bagri

Foundation London Indian Film Festival

and returns for its fourth consecutive

year at Cineworld Broad Street, mac

Birmingham and The Mockingbird

Cinema and Kitchen from Friday, June 22

to Sunday, July 1.

Audiences can expect a spectacular 10

days of Midland premieres of feature

films, documentaries and shorts exploring

a compelling slate of controversial,

entertaining and thought-provoking

themes with global resonances, plus lively

Q&As and panel debates.

New to this year is the annual London International

Film Festival Satyajit Ray Short Film Competition

Entries showcasing the work of emerging filmmakers.

The festival opener - featuring an all-star Hollywood

and Bollywood cast including Demi Moore, Freida

Pinto, Manoj Bajpayee, Rajkummar Rao, Richa

Chadda, Anupam Kher, Adil Hussain, Sunny

Parwar and Mrunal Thakur - is the Birmingham

CHARMING FAMILY FILM

HALKAA WAS GRAND PRIX

WINNER AT MONTREAL FILM

FESTIVAL

premiere of Love Sonia, a compelling story of two

loving sisters who are forced into the sex industry

in Mumbai from the Academy Award-nominated

producer of Life Of Pi, David Womark. Inspired by

true events, this is the story of a young Indian village

girl, Sonia. Her life changes irrevocably when she is

entrapped in the global sex trade while trying to save

her beloved sister Preeti. Sustained by a fragile dream

that is worth surviving for, her searing journey spans

three continents and a lifetime of experiences that no

young girl should have.

Sonia is determined not

to become one of the

800,000 women and

children who are victims

of the international sex

trade industry every

year.

Director Tabrez

Noorani - who was

previously line producer

on the multiple

VENUS WILL BE THE

FESTIVAL’S CLOSING FILM

Academy, BAFTA and

Golden Globe winner

Slumdog Millionaire,

48

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and films like Zero Dark Thirty - is expected at

Cineworld, Broad Street on Friday 22 June.

The Festival closes at mac Birmingham with Venus,

a feel-good comedy about a Canadian Punjabi

transgender person who is about to embark on

surgery but suddenly discovers they are the father of

a teenage boy who thinks they are the coolest dad on

the planet. The director Eisha Marjara and talent

are expected on Sunday 1 July.

Wolverhampton-born actor Antonio Aakeel stars

in the feel-good British-comedy Eaten by Lions

written and directed by Jason Wingard. The film

also stars Jack Carroll, Johnny Vegas, and Asim

THE OPENING EVENT WILL BE

THE MIDLANDS PREMIERE OF

LOVE SONIA

The Competition

Chaudhry. Eaten by Lions is

the feature-length adaptation

of the director’s 2013 short film

Going to Mecca, which won

best comedy at the Manchester

International Film Festival.

The film follows half-brothers

Omar and Pete as they embark

on a journey to find Omar’s

estranged father, confronting

him on the day of his daughter’s

engagement party.

Students from Birmingham City

University including the School

of Media will be working on the

festival; volunteering, managing

screenings and creating digital

content, and Professor Rajinder

Dudrah, Indian cinema expert

and Professor of Cultural Studies

and Creative Industries at

Birmingham City University, will

lead a panel debate exploring

independent Indian cinema.

“Birmingham City University is delighted to be a

headline sponsor of this year’s Birmingham Indian

Film Festival and join in the celebrations of South

Asian history, heritage, arts and culture. The 10-day

event will feature a host of inspirational films created

by some of the finest creative professionals. We look

forward to the films being showcased to generate

discussion as well as to entertain.”

Tickets to screenings can be purchased directly

from the cinemas. For more information visit

www.birminghamindianfilmfestival.co.uk

J’AIME HAS TEAMED UP WITH BIRMINGHAM INDIAN FILM FESTIVAL TO OFFER READERS THE

CHANCE TO WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS TO THE FESTIVAL’S OPENING NIGHT EVENT ON FRIDAY,

JUNE 22. OUR LUCKY WINNER AND A GUEST WILL ATTEND THE GLITTERING RED CARPET

EVENT AT CINEWORLD BIRMINGHAM, MARKING THE OPENING OF THE FESTIVAL, BEFORE

TAKING THEIR SEATS FOR THE MIDLANDS PREMIERE OF LOVE SONIA.

TO BE IN WITH A CHANCE OF WINNING, SIMPLY ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTION:

NAME ONE OF THE STARS OF LOVE SONIA.

Send your answer, along with your name, address and telephone number, by email to competitions@

jaimemagazine.com with Birmingham Indian Film Festival competition as the email subject. Entries must

be received by 5pm on Wednesday, June 13, and our winner will be notified by Friday, June 15. Terms and

conditions apply. The prize is non-exchangeable, non-transferable and not redeemable for cash or other prizes.

Visit www.jaimemagazine.com for further details.

50

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LO CA L A R E A

What’s On Local

YOUR GUIDE TO THE BEST OF WHAT’S ON IN AND AROUND

SUTTON COLDFIELD, LICHFIELD, WALSALL AND BEYOND

WHAT:

Movies, Musicals

and More

WHERE:

Partridge Brothers

Music Centre

WHEN:

June 1

Join talented singers and musicians at the Partridge

Brothers Music Centre at Heart of the Country for a

fantastic evening of songs from movies, musicals, Disney

and more. Following on from their our smash hit musicals

concert in March, join the amazing Annie, Dalma and

Amy, accompanied by Stephen Partridge, for a truly

scrumptious evening to remember.

You will hear many of your old favourites, some less

known songs and some simply stunning singing by top

class professional singers. This promises to be a busy

evening so book before all of the tickets are gone. Please

note that the venue is upstairs and does not have lift

access as the building is very old. For more details visit

www.partridgebrothers.com or call 07963 894282.

WHAT:

Ain’t No Angels

WHERE:

Sutton Coldfield Town

Hall

WHEN:

June 5 and 6

What happens when two

egotistical giants of the entertainment world get trapped

in a place they’d rather not be? Added to this the fact that

they have always despised each other and… boom!

Al Jolson and Frank Sinatra; both brilliant in their own

right but equally as self-centred. Ain’t No Angels tells the

story of Jolson and Sinatra stuck together in purgatory,

waiting to discover whether they get to go ‘up’ or ‘down’.

The show takes a look back over the pair’s lifetimes,

providing new and informative insights into the lives of

two musical heavyweights all woven together by their

timeless classics, supported by an awesome live swing

band. Ain’t No Angels, is a refreshingly slick piece of

theatre that is sure to leave audiences in awe.

Tickets are now on sale, starting at just £16. Visit

www.townhallsuttoncoldfield.co.uk or call the

Town Hall Box Office on 0121 296 9543.

WHAT: Consequences of War

WHERE: Lichfield Cathedral

WHEN: Until June 24

A poignant, moving and revealing free exhibition

which draws attention to the effect of World War One,

Consequences of War will explore the immediate

aftermath of the conflict and the quest and failure of

the search for peace over the subsequent century.

The exhibition combines reflections of conflict from

a local and national perspective and involves the

work of some of Britain’s most significant post-war

artists, which will question our notions of peace and

war. Artists whose work will be on display include

Henry Moore, Paul Nash, Graham Sutherland and

Henri Gaudier-Brzeska. Other exhibits will include

original work by the Cathedral’s Artist in Residence

Peter Walker, items from the Staffordshire Regiment

Museum, Military Valour awards and trench art. For

more details visit www.lichfield-cathedral.org

52

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WHAT: An evening with

Samantha-Jayne

WHERE: The Pear

Tree Creperie

WHEN: June 29

Back by popular demand,

fantastic wedding and

events saxophonist

Samantha-Jayne will be

playing for diners at the

Pear Tree Creperie, Heart

of the Country, on Friday,

June 29 from 7.30pm.

Samantha-Jayne is a self-taught saxophonist who only

plays ‘by ear’. She has toured the UK, Germany, and

Miami with local gospel bands. Samantha plays the

soprano, alto and tenor saxophones.

With the close resemblance of the saxophone to the

human voice, combined with Samantha-Jayne’s warm

sax tones and exceptional improvisational skills, her

performances are full of emotion and expression.

Samantha-Jayne doesn’t just play, she makes her

saxophones sing, as well as speak, to the listener.

Booking for the evening is essential, call

01543 481807.

WHAT: Monstersaurus

WHERE:Lichfield Garrick

WHEN: June 30

One day Monty found a book, ‘Inventions Very Rare’.

Create yourself a monster friend, but only if you dare!

This brand new show from the creators of Aliens

Love Underpants is monster-ously good! Follow young

inventor Monty as he creates a whole world of wacky

inventions and incredible monsters, but he has a

problem - now he has made them all, what is he going

to do with them?

This energetic show full of thrills, spills, magic and

mayhem will delight the whole family – with original

music and plenty of audience participation. For more

details visit www.lichfieldgarrick.com

WHAT: Concerts

in the Park

WHERE: Sutton Park

WHEN:

June 30 and July 1

Concerts in the Park are returning to Sutton Coldfield

this month, bringing a weekend of spectacular arts

and cultural activity to the beautiful outdoor setting of

Sutton Park. Enjoy world class music, brilliant family

entertainment and great food, with something on the

programme for everyone.

Arts organisations and local community groups will

contribute to the performance programme across both

days, and the event will be headlined by the world-class

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Listen

to a lively outdoor fiesta programme, from classic to

contemporary, Strauss waltzes to Bernstein. Concerts

in the Park will provide a high point of the summer in

Sutton Coldfield.

All shows are suitable for children, and there will be a

relaxed environment for youngsters to enjoy the music

and performances. For more details visit

www.townhallsuttoncoldfield.co.uk

WHAT: for-Wards presents Harmonious Generations

WHERE: Sutton Park

WHEN: July 1

Access Creative College presents Harmonious

Generations by Chris Eddowes, aka Pøgman, with

Whitehouse Common Primary School, Sutton Rock

Choir, Greville House Retirement Home and Shaggy

Dog Golf Club. Come and hear Sutton Coldfield as

you have never heard it before. Delve deep into the

diverse sounds of the area transformed into a musical

journey. Generations of Sutton working together to

bring the district to life in sound.

The concert in the park is part of major city-wide

music project for-Wards, creating new music inspired

by the second city. In just two years, for-Wards

has worked across 40 wards, 10 districts, with 10

composers and 40 community groups and will have

created 10 local performances premiering 10 new

musical creations. Tickets to the concert are free; for

more details visit www.for-wards.co.uk

GET INVOLVED: Have you got a local event

you’d like to promote? Then we’d love to hear

from you. From charity nights to local theatre

productions and more, send details to editor@

jaimemagazine.com and you could see your

event on these pages.

54

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Testing takes place on all products for quality

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standards put in place. Each batch is tested as

well as samples being sent to an independent

laboratory to ensure overall quality. In addition,

colloidal silver is tested by a WADA approved

laboratory which ensures the product is free

form banned substances.

Would you like your business to be seen by

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J’AIME IS FREELY DISTRIBUTED TO

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LO CA L A R E A

What’s

Competition

on Second City

A LOOK AT SOME OF THE BIGGEST AND BEST

EVENTS TO COME TO BIRMINGHAM THIS MONTH

WHAT: Inspired

Family Day

WHERE: Birmingham

City University

WHEN: June 9

From starring in your own play, jewellery making and

designing your own railway, to science experiments,

craft workshops and a Commonwealth Gamesinspired

sports day, Birmingham City University will

be throwing open its doors to the public once again on

Saturday, June 9, for a unique, hands-on experience.

The University’s second Inspired Family Day will

welcome families to the Eastside campus in the city

centre for an action-packed day of free and fun-filled

events and activities for all ages between 11am and

4pm. Highlights of Inspired Family Day include

drop in, make-and-take sessions for the under 10s,

while young adults can have a go at making their

own television programme in one of the University’s

state-of-the-art broadcasting studios. Plus, Birmingham

Hippodrome will be taking part and offering groups of

youngsters the opportunity to write, direct and star in

their own play which will be performed at the end of

Inspired Family Day. For more details visit

www.bcu.ac.uk/familyday

WHAT:

The Life and Rhymes

of Benjamin Zephaniah

WHERE:

Birmingham Town Hall

WHEN: June 15

He befriended Nelson Mandela,

fought in the 1980s race riots

and recorded radical and

relevant reggae music with Bob

Marley’s former band. Benjamin Zephaniah was unable

to read and write at school but became one of Britain’s

most remarkable poets. And now he’s back with his first

tour in eight years, to coincide with his autobiography,

The Life and Rhymes of Benjamin Zephaniah.

In a compelling and inspiring show, Zephaniah will

explain how he fought injustice and discrimination

to lead a remarkable life, while sharing a selection of

favourite stories and poems. Signed copies of The Life

and Rhymes of Benjamin Zephaniah will be available

after the show. For more details visit www.thsh.co.uk

WHAT: Woyzeck

WHERE: Birmingham REP

WHEN: June 15 to 23

Woyzeck just can't get a break. He's stuck living

in military barracks. He's forced to shave his

condescending commanding officer everyday. His wages

are pitiful. His girlfriend might be having an affair.

And now he is hearing voices. Maybe he's starting to

crack? Or maybe it's just because his doctor is trialling a

pea-only diet on him? It's far from ideal but his doctor's

poking and prodding comes with the reward of some

extra money. It's the chance for a better life if Woyzeck

can just hold on that little bit longer…

Theatre and dance combine in an exhilarating story

about fighting for a better life when everything else

seems to be fighting against you. It's also a story that

celebrates the West Midlands spirit as a community

chorus of one hundred performers and dancers bring

this show to life. Woyzeck is part of Birmingham

International Dance Festival. For more information visit

www.birmingham-rep.co.uk

56

WHAT:

Birdsong

WHERE:

New Alexandra Theatre

WHEN:

June 18 to 23

Marking the 100th

anniversary of the First

World War, Birdsong is the

hit, critically-acclaimed

stage show based on the

world famous novel by Sebastian Faulks.

In pre-war France, a young Englishman Stephen

Wraysford embarks on a passionate and dangerous

affair with the beautiful Isabelle Azaire that turns their

world upside down.

As the war breaks out over the idyll of his former life,

Stephen must lead his men through the carnage of

the Battle of the Somme and through the sprawling

tunnels that lie deep underground. Faced with the

unprecedented horror of the war Stephen clings to

the memory of Isabelle as his world explodes around

him. A mesmerising story of love and courage set both

before and during the Great War. For more details visit

www.atgtickets.com/birmingham

WHAT:

Lenny Kravitz

WHERE:

Arena

Birmingham

WHEN:

June 20

American rock

legend Lenny Kravitz is bringing his summer UK tour

to Arena Birmingham this month.

Regarded as one of the preeminent rock musicians

of our time, Lenny Kravitz has transcended genre,

style, race and class over the course of a 20-year

musical career which revels in the rich influences of

'60s and '70s soul, rock and funk. From 1999 to 2002,

he won four consecutive Grammy Awards, setting a

record for the most wins in the Best Male Rock Vocal

Performance category with his single Dig In, having

previously won for Again, American Woman and Fly

Away.

This will be Kravitz’s first time in the UK since 2015

and it is set to be an irresistible show. For more details

visit www.arenabham.co.uk

WHAT:

Jess Gillam

WHERE:

Royal

Birmingham

Conservatoire,

Recital Hall

WHEN:

June 26

In 2016, at the age of 17, Jess Gillam made history

as the first saxophonist to make the finals of the BBC

Young Musician of the Year competition. Since

then, she’s appeared at the BBC Proms and achieved

widespread success. Jess’s lunchtime recital is part

of the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire’s 15-month

long Opening Festival and if you haven’t already had

a chance to visit Birmingham’s newest concert venue,

this hour-long concert is the perfect opportunity. Why

not stop for lunch in the venue’s café afterwards?

Ticket information and further details can be found

at www.bcu.ac.uk/opening-festival or

0121 331 5909.

GET INVOLVED: Have you got a local event

you’d like to promote? Then we’d love to hear

from you. From charity nights to local theatre

productions and more, send details to editor@

jaimemagazine.com and you could see your

event on these pages.

WHAT:

Birmingham

Royal Ballet

- Romeo and

Juliet

WHERE:

Birmingham

Hippodrome

WHEN:

June 26 to 30

“My only love

sprung from

my only hate.”

Prokofiev’s glorious score sets hearts alight in Kenneth

MacMillan’s enduringly popular Romeo and Juliet,

which returns to Birmingham this month, performed

by Birmingham Royal Ballet.

Love at first dance, forbidden passions, dangerous

secrets and star-crossed fate combine in this

exhilarating classic ballet. In the most famous love

story ever told, a dangerous cocktail of arrogant youth,

simmering tension and deadly feuds erupts, leaving

two young lovers at the mercy of powerful families and

their own hearts. From the balcony scene’s ecstatic pas

de deux, exploring love in all its soaring wonder, to the

lovers’ heart-breaking ends, Romeo and Juliet is dance

at its most poignant and beautiful. For more details

visit www.birminghamhipodrome.com

57

FA S H I O N

Shorts story

WITH SUMMER AROUND THE CORNER, GIVE YOUR WARDROBE

A SHORT AND SWEET UPDATE SAYS AMY NORBURY

ONCE the preserve of faraway vacations and schoolboy uniforms,

the humble short has been resurrected to become a fashion-forward

option for summer style.

But we’re not talking about your trusty denim cut-offs, the cycling

variety à la Kim Kardashian or those seasonal short-shorts that leave

little to the imagination. This season, shorts have smartened up their

act to become a viable choice from boardroom to bar.

The surprise hit of the summer catwalks, we saw high-waisted

and worn with metallic blouses at Isabel Marant, a lean and chic

iteration paired with slick double-breasted blazers at Off-White,

Saint Laurent’s high-waisted leathers, and a whole host of shorts

suits. That’s right – fashion-forward summer tailoring will finish at

the knee. This is the shot in the leg your summer wardrobe needs

now.

The biggest new player on the smart summer scene is the power

short. These ones are clean cut, chic enough to pull off at the office

but still playful enough for a night out – and examples have been

spotted all over the runway.

Perfect for work or play, a great piece of tailoring is key to any

wardrobe, and these summery, loose-fit shorts leave just the right

amount of leg on show. Wear yours with coordinating jackets, silky

camisoles and heels by night, or a casual T-shirt and flat mules by

day.

When it comes to hemlines, leave the hot pants for holidays and

opt for a more conservative length for your day-to-day summer

wardrobe. Short culottes are are great option for those times when

you need below-the-knee coverage; a glamorous and sophisticated

addition to your wardrobe, culottes are having a major fashion

comeback in 2018.

To up the glam factor, look out for tailored elements like upturned

hems and button detail; the high-waisted ‘paper bag’ style is a superflattering

cut which will nip in your mid-section nicely. Structured

fabrics, rather than blousy, add a more formal air to your outfit,

while leather and satin numbers are particularly on-trend choices for

a night on the tiles.

SHORTS, £22, TOP,

£28, AND HEELS,

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PERKINS

58

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FA S H I O N

The bride guide

JILL HARTLEY, CO-OWNER AND DIRECTOR OF NERO E BIANCO EXCLUSIVE FASHION

AND BRIDAL BOUTIQUE AT BARTON MARINA, SHARES HER STYLE TIPS FOR BRIDES-TO-BE

At Nero e Bianco, we pride ourselves in giving all our brides to be - and all who come with - the most special

experience in finding your dream wedding dress.

With wedding season in full swing, all you brides-to-be out there will be looking for ideas for your special day, so

we have brought together a few amazing dresses to suit different body shapes and sizes to help you in making that

very important decision in the form of a silhouette guide.

Ball gown

The timeless and classic wedding dress. Worn for

generations and never goes out of fashion.

A dress quite literally fit for a princess.

About the style:

• A sweetheart neckline and waist-hugging bodice.

• A stunning full bell-shaped skirt that is breathtaking

and memorising.

• A beautiful trail that flows behind you elegantly as

you walk down the aisle.

Sheath

A long length figure-hugging dress, perfect for tall

brides. This slim-fit style looks effortlessly gorgeous.

About the style:

• The cut of this dress sits on your natural body shape.

• It’s sleek, stylish and contemporary.

• The long vertical lines of this style gives the dress a

lengthening effect making you look deceptively taller.

60

www.neroebianco.co.uk

Nero e Bianco

Exclusive Fashion & Bridal

Barton Marina

Burton upon Trent

DE13 8AS

01283 346704

Mermaid

Mermaid style dress, also commonly known as

a ‘fishtail’ dress.

It has a luxurious fit that’s perfect for amplifying

curvier figures.

About the style:

• The upper bodice elegantly hugs your figure.

• The stunning skirt flares out either mid-thigh or at

the knees leaving a gorgeous trail behind you and

showing off your curves.

• The cut of the dress emphasises an hourglass

shape to show off your figure.

A-line

This dress is the epitome of elegance; its classic silhouette

flatters every bride.

About the style:

• A fitted bodice accentuates your waistline to show off your

body type.

• The skirt flows out into the shape of an ‘A’ which is where

the name of the style comes from.

• It’s an ‘easy to wear’ dress that’s perfect for almost any

shape, and particularly flatters hourglass figures.

Tea dress

Something different to your typical floor length dresses.

A sweet, short dress for all figures.

About the style:

• A leg-baring dress great for vintage style weddings.

• A dress that gives you the opportunity to show off those

gorgeous bridal shoes and accessories!

62

H E A LT H

Are minerals the answer for optimum health?

BIRMINGHAM ENTREPRENEUR SUKHMANIE SEMBHY IS HOPING TO HELP PEOPLE IMPROVE THEIR HEALTH

AND WELLBEING - THANKS TO A 3,000-YEAR-OLD EASTERN SECRET. AMY NORBURY DISCOVERS MORE

When Sukhmanie Sembhy was just 16 years old,

she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, an

autoimmune condition which causes pain, swelling

and stiffness in the joints. In search of relief from

her condition, Sukhmanie and her family turned

to a series of private hospitals and doctors, only to

find that conventional drugs seemed to make her

symptoms worse.

After years of research into alternative medicines,

Sukhmanie discovered the healing power of colloidal

minerals and silver back in 2014.

For thousands of years silver has been used as a

healing and anti-bacterial agent by civilizations

throughout the world. Its medical, preservative and

restorative powers can be traced as far back as the

ancient Greek and Roman Empires. Long before the

development of modern pharmaceuticals, silver was

employed as a germicide and antibiotic.

Trace minerals are a mineral essential to our body

for optimal health but not required by our body in

significant quantities. Specifically, trace minerals

support metabolism, antioxidant protection, immune

system function and energy. Liquid colloidal mineral

supplements are types of trace mineral supplements

that purport better absorption by the body due to the

small size of the colloidal minerals.

“I found a supplier in America,” she explains,

“and within a week of taking the supplements my

symptoms had eased off.

Now, aged 25, Sukhmanie is the founder of

Colloidal Earth, supplying colloidal mineral and

silver supplements to customers around the UK and

beyond. She set up the business in February and has

already seen rave reviews from customers.

“The feedback has been amazingly positive,” she

says. “People have been leaving remarkable reviews

on the website about how much of a difference the

minerals have made to their health and wellbeing.

“Two-Time Nobel Prize winner Dr. Linus Pauling

said ‘You can trace every sickness, every disease, and

every ailment to a mineral deficiency’ and our liquid

minerals are minimally processed so you’re getting

up to 98 per cent of the vitamins and nutrients from

them, compared to only ten per cent in tablets and

pills from other main retail stores.”

So why can’t we get these minerals today from

our fruit and

vegetables? According

to Sukhmanie,

commercial farming

has robbed us of these

important minerals

from soil depletion.

“Because of soil

depletion, crops

grown decades ago

were much richer

in vitamins and

minerals than the

SUKHMANIE SEMBHY,

FOUNDER OF

COLLOIDAL EARTH

varieties most of us get today,” she explains. “Our

complete colloidal mineral complex contains up to

72 plant-derived trace minerals and elements which

are used by the body to help it perform optimally

and maintain health. They help protect the cells

of the body from free radical damage by providing

antioxidant support. These colloidal minerals are

better absorbed and utilised by the body to improve

efficacy and results.”

Sukhmanie gave up a job working for a top fashion

designer in London to pursue her dream of helping

people achieve optimum health.

“I found that working in fashion wasn’t feeding my

soul, and I wanted to do something to help people,”

she says.

“The fast pace of life in London had caught up with

me and I wanted something more. Colloidal minerals

and silver made a huge difference to my life, and I

hope they can make a difference to others too.”

For more information visit www.colloidalearth.com

63

B E AU T Y

Cruelty-free and beautiful

AS MORE AND MORE PEOPLE CARE ABOUT THE ORIGIN OF THE PRODUCTS THEY USE ON THEIR FACE, THE

BEAUTY INDUSTRY HAS SEEN A MASSIVE RISE IN VEGAN SKINCARE. LISA PIDDINGTON, FROM HARVEY

NICHOLS BIRMINGHAM, PICKS HER FAVOURITE ETHICAL MUST-HAVES TO ENSURE GREAT-LOOKING SKIN.

With its 100% natural blend of

highly concentrated ingredients, the

Elemis Superfood Facial Oil,

£45, deeply nourishes and hydrates

your skin. Anti-oxidant and omegarich

broccoli, flax seed and daikon

radish help to soften and smooth.

Lightweight, non-greasy and easily

absorbed, this oil will leave skin

balanced with a healthy, radiant

glow.

Emma Hardie’s super charged

Vit C Serum, £49, helps brighten

skin and reduce dark spots and

pigmentation. The time-released

vitamin C helps promote collagen

synthesis while vitamin B3 works as

a daily defence against the harmful

effects from pollution and sun damage.

Its water-light formula

absorbs quickly, leaving

the perfect platform for

your daily moisturiser.

BYBI Beauty Babe Balm, £18, is a rich moisturiser by night and glossy lip

balm, cheek highlighter, eyebrow gloss or hand cream by day ... the choice is

yours! Super-firming Coenzyme Q10 is the key ingredient, along with a nourishing

combination of Squalene, Hibiscus and Calendula. It looks like peach sorbet

(that’ll be the pink sweet potato extract) and smells like a tropical sunset (thanks

to the Brazilian Pequi oil). It also comes in a compostable tube made of

sugarcane just to up its ethical cred.

With Iconic London’s Illuminator

drops, £30, a little certainly goes a long

way. These versatile, customisable shimmer

drops allow you to bump up the highlight

factor of any product in your makeup bag

– just add to your usual foundation, primer

or moisturiser or use on its own for a super

highlighted golden glow.

Relieve dry skin with

Sarah Chapman’s

Intense Hydrating

Booster, £59. For

a complexion that

feels comforted, this

lightweight silky oilfree

formula is ideal for

dehydrated, stressed, and

unbalanced skin with its

combination of hydrators

and immune defence skin

protectors.

ALL PRODUCTS FEATURED ARE AVAILABLE FROM THE GROUND FLOOR

BEAUTY HALL AT HARVEY NICHOLS BIRMINGHAM, THE MAILBOX.

64

Life in the fast lane

M OTO R S

THIS MONTH J’AIME’S MOTORING CORRESPONDENT AND RESIDENT RACING DRIVER

MARTIN PLOWMAN ASKS “COULD FORMULA E BE COMING TO BIRMINGHAM IN 2019?”

FORMULA E IS IN ADVANCED

TALKS TO BRING MOTORSPORT

BACK TO BIRMINGHAM

Formula E is the first fully-electric form of

motorsport that has taken the world by storm since

its debut in 2014. Despite many doubters who felt

racing cars that sounded like juiced up remotecontrolled

cars would turn off true petrol-heads have

been proven wrong so far. Formula E has grown at

an exponential rate in the last four years and has

become a global force to be reckoned with.

The championship boasts 20 of the world’s best

drivers, participation by seven major manufacturers

including Audi, Renault and Jaguar Land Rover. It

travels to five different continents and 11 host cities.

Outside of Formula 1, it is quickly becoming one of

the world’s most prestigious racing championships.

As of the time of writing this, Birmingham is in

‘advanced talks’ with the organisers of Formula E to

host an event in 2019 and beyond, according to West

Midlands mayor Andy Street.

“Over the last year, we have been in negotiations

with the organisers of the FIA Formula E

Championship about bringing a road race to

Birmingham, effectively reviving the Super Prix,”

said Street. “We are now in the advanced stages of

these negotiations.”

Street explained that Birmingham wanted to

showcase its revamped city centre and also the

region’s position “as a world leader in the next

generation of automotive technologies. So much of

65

COULD THIS BE A SCENE IN

BIRMINGHAM FROM 2019?

the engineering that goes into the cars already used

in Formula E racing comes from the West Midlands,

it makes perfect sense we should be hosting such

events.”

If the mayor can pull this off, it would be huge

news for Birmingham and the whole of the West

Midlands. Birmingham has not hosted a major

motorsport event since 1990 when it held the

fabled Birmingham Super Prix between 1986-1990

contested by Formula 3000 cars

(equivalent to today’s second

tier Formula 2 cars). The event

would bring glitz, glamour, and

the world’s attention to a city in

full revival mode.

Formula E’s recipe for success

boils down to the fact that

they are very fan-friendly. Fan

engagement is at the core of

the championship’s focus,

even down to the extreme of

where fans get to vote for their

favourite driver to receive a ‘fan

boost’ of extra power during the

race to gain an advantage for a

predetermined amount of time.

Formula E race events are

massive occasions that are more

akin to street carnivals, with

temporary race tracks set up in

the heart of the city. I can only

hope that Electric Avenue forms

BIRMINGHAM HOSTED THE SUPER

PRIX FROM 1986 TO 1990

part of the circuit or

else they will be missing

out on some major PR

fodder! By taking the

party to the people, it

ensures there are always

big crowds and plenty

of things to do for the

whole family.

Financially speaking,

the race will help give

a big shock to the local

economy too. The last

time Formula E raced

in the UK, 120,000 fans

flocked to Battersea Park

on race day alone, many

of whom were out-oftown

guests needing

hotels, transportation

and restaurants.

The whole of the West Midlands is in the middle of

a sporting and cultural resurgence with some bigticket

events on the horizon after it was announced

that Birmingham had won its bid to host the

Commonwealth Games in 2022. The addition of a

Formula E race would add a welcome spark to the

West Midlands cultural scene.

66

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J'AIME JUNE 2018

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