J'AIME DECEMBER 2019

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 9

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

Win

ARTHUR

PRICE

cutlery for your

Christmas table

up for grabs

WARDROBE PICKS

TO SHINE YOUR WAY

THROUGH PARTY SEASON

A LUXURY

LEATHER

HOLDALL SET

WORTH £800

She’s behind

you!

CBEEBIES STAR

REBECCA KEATLEY

JOINS LICHFIELD

GARRICK’S FESTIVE

PANTO

Welcome to J’AIME

The festive season is well and truly upon us

here at J’AIME HQ, and we’ve got a whole

host of seasonal goodies lined up for you this

month. From Christmas decor for your home

to the best outfits for party season, as well as a

comprehensive gift guide packed with ideas for

your nearest and dearest, we’ve got Christmas all

wrapped up.

We go behind the scenes at the Lichfield Garrick,

chatting with panto star and CBeebies favourite

Rebecca Keatley, as well as the Garrick’s

executive director Karen Foster as the theatre

prepares for a busy Christmas programme of

exciting shows.

There are also some great prizes up for grabs;

three lucky readers will win a stylish cutlery

set from Arthur Price of England for their

Christmas table, while we’ve also got dinner for

four at the Pear Tree Creperie and a gorgeous

luxury leather holdall and matching wash bag

courtesy of Robertson Jessel and Co worth more

than £800 to give away, so make sure you get

your entries in!

And this month we were delighted to be

nominated for three awards - Magazine of the

Year, Team of the Year and Feature Writer of

the Year - at the prestigious Midlands Media

Awards, the flagship event run by Birmingham

Press Club celebrating the very best in print,

broadcast and online media across the region.

Although we weren’t quite lucky enough to

scoop any honours on the night, it was a fantastic

achievement just to be nominated alongside

some of the biggest names in Midlands media

and see the hard work we put into J’AIME each

month recognised. Huge congratulations to all

of the evening’s winners, and we hope to go one

better next year!

From all of us here at J’AIME, wishing all of

our readers and advertisers the very best for a

fabulous Christmas.

EDITOR: AMY NORBURY

EDITOR@JAIMEMAGAZINE.COM

ADVERTISING: JAN ASHLEY

ADVERTISING@JAIMEMAGAZINE.COM

07388 335 931

DESIGN: DESIGN@JAIMEMAGAZINE.COM

CONTRIBUTORS: MARTIN PLOWMAN,

ABI NORTHAGE, LISA PIDDINGTON, THE

GINTLEMAN, PREET ANAND, RAUL ROMERO,

BEN WINTERTON

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

SPONSORED BY

3

CO N T E N T S

InsideJ’aime this month...

6 Lichfield Garrick Christmas - We chat to

panto star, CBeebies’ Rebecca Keatley and the

Garrick’s Karen Foster about the festive season

12 Property - Property of the month

14 Interiors - Blue Christmas

18 Interiors - Traditional Christmas decor

22 Competition - Win one of three Arthur Price

cutlery sets worth more than £250 for your festive

table

23 Interiors - Sutton Coldfield interior designer

Preet Anand answers your Christmas design

dilemmas

24 Christmas - Gifts she’ll love

26 Christmas - Gifts for him

28 Christmas - Treats for kids

30 Christmas - Shop local

32 Competition - Win a luxury leather holdall and

washbag from Robertson Jessel & Co

34 Richard Winterton - Ones to watch at auction

36 Food and drink - Reviewing Bistro 1709, Lichfield

38 Competition - Win dinner for four at The Pear

Tree Creperie

40 Food and drink - Festive gin serves from The

Gintleman

42 Health - Tips for a happy, healthy Christmas

from Lichfield personal trainer Raul Romero

46 Travel - Family time in Sri Lanka

50 What’s On Christmas- Our pick of festive

events this month

52 Fashion - Your party wardrobe sorted

54 Beauty - Top Christmas beauty buys from

Harvey Nichols Birmingham

56 In the news - Luxury baby boutique opens in

Lichfield

57 Motors - Martin Plowman says its never too late

to get into racing

SPONSORED BY

4

Scan me to visit our website!

Shop online or visit our showroom in Staffordshire

Unit 6, Ring Road, Zone 2, Burntwood Business Park, Burntwood, WS7 3JQ

www.peppermillinteriors.com | 01543 375872 | sales@peppermillinteriors.com

Peppermill Interiors is a trading name of Peppermill Antiques Ltd.

F E AT U R E

She’s behind you!

WITH FESTIVE SEASON UPON US WE GO BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE LICHFIELD GARRICK AS

PREPARATIONS FOR A PACKED CHRISTMAS SCHEDULE GET UNDERWAY. AMY NORBURY CHATS TO

PANTO STAR AND CBEEBIES FAVOURITE REBECCA KEATLEY, AND GARRICK EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

KAREN FOSTER, TO FIND OUT MORE

CBEEBIES FAVOURITE REBECCA KEATLEY WILL BE

STARRING AS FAIRY GODMOTHER IN LICHFIELD

GARRICK’S FESTIVE PANTO CINDERELLA

For the youngest members of the panto audience

- and many of their parents - Rebecca Keatley will

be an instantly recognisable face. As one of the

main presenters on the BBC’s dedicated channel for

younger viewers, Rebecca entertains millions of kids

every day with her wacky skits and songs in CBeebies

House.

And for the festive season, she will be putting

her comedic talents to good use on the Lichfield

Garrick stage where she will be starring as the Fairy

Godmother in this year’s showstopper, Cinderella.

As mum to an almost five-year-old, Rebecca is a firm

fixture in our house. Her show Let’s Play - where

she and double act partner Sid Sloane perform

as an array of different characters - never fails to

engross the youngest member of our family. And

when my son and his friends discovered I was going

to be chatting to their favourite diminutive Welsh

presenter, it instantly made me the coolest parent in

the playground.

Rebecca will also be a familiar face to Midlands

panto audiences. Her stint in the cathedral city’s

flagship Christmas show this year will be her

second visit to Lichfield, following her turn as Fairy

Moonbeam in Sleeping Beauty three years ago.

And, she says, she’s delighted to be back.

“I can’t wait; it just signals Christmas to me and it’s

such a lovely experience,” Rebecca says.

“I’ve never done Cinderella before and I think it’s

probably the most magical panto of all so I’m really

looking forward to what surprises the Garrick team

have in store for us. We’ve not been told what kind of

magic there’s going to be but I hear it’s going to be

pretty impressive.

“I absolutely loved it in Lichfield, it’s such a pretty

city and the people were so welcoming, I really felt at

6

CIINDERELLA PROMISES

TO BE A FEAST OF

ENTERTAINMENT FOR THE

WHOLE FAMILY

home there so I can’t wait to get back. And I know

a lot of people from the theatre from last time and

they’re such a great team.

“When I got the call, it was a no-brainer.”

Rebecca will once again be teaming up with

Lichfield favourite Sam Rabone, who has become

the comedic heart and soul of the Garrick pantos in

recent years, putting in star turn after star turn as the

wacky, outrageous panto dame. This year, however,

sees Sam taking on something a little different.

“He’s playing Buttons this year so he’s going to be

wearing trousers, which is a shock for all of us,”

laughs Rebecca.

“And this time he’d directing the panto too, which he

did last year but not when I was there, so that’s going

to be interested because we’re really good friends so

it’ll be funny to be directed by him.

“He lives for pantomime and he knows everything

about it so I feel like I’m in really safe hands with

him and he’ll put on a great show.

“The costumes are just incredible, especially the

Ugly Sisters, so the audience are in for a treat. And

it’s great playing the fairy because you really get to

sparkle up, which is great at Christmas time.”

With an impressive 65 shows taking place over

panto season, it can be a gruelling schedule for

any performer. But Rebecca has a plan to keep

herself performance fit.

“My fitness regime nowadays is walking; I like

to get outside, especially when we’re in the

theatre for long hours, I like to get the daylight

in and just go for strolls,” she says.

“I used to be a fitness instructor, believe it or

not, and I really wanted to be a sports person;

I loved running and I used to run all the time.

But now walking is more my thing; you get

the fitness but without putting the stress on the

body.

“So you’ll probably see me walking

around Lichfield in between shows!”

And, says Rebecca, she gets most of her

performance energy from the audience.

“You just take each day as it comes;

there will be a time about halfway

through where you think, can we have

a week off yet! But everyone just comes

together, and the audience really keeps

you going too, as well as friends and

family who come to visit and watch the

show. Because you’re getting fed by the

audience, they’re really enjoying it and

giving the love back it makes everything

so much easier.”

By the time her visit to Lichfield rolls

around, Rebecca will already be well into panto

mode. When we chat she’s strolling around the pretty

streets of Edinburgh, taking a break from rehearsals

for the CBeebies panto, Hansel and Gretel, which

will be shown on TV over the festive season. And

this year, there’s an added challenge as Rebecca will

be sharing the stage with one of CBeebies’ brightest

new stars - Waffle the Wonder Dog.

“Waffle’s in the scenes that I’m in, so we’ve some a

bit of dog training,” laughs Rebecca, who will be

playing Granny Crimble. “Luckily I don’t have as

much responsibility as Phil Gallagher, who’s Mr

Maker, and Gem Hunt from Swashbuckle, they’ve

got a lot of work with Waffle.

“It’s absolutely amazing what this dog can do, it

really is, but it’s going to be a bit fly-by-the-seat-ofyour-pants

to see what’s going to happen on the day!

I can’t wait”

While panto is always a favourite part of the year

for Rebecca - Cinderella will be her seventh festive

show - the CBeebies day job is a dream come true,

transforming her from jobbing actress to megastar

REBECCA KEATLEY PREVIOUSLY

STARRED AS FAIRY MOONBEAM IN

SLEEPING BEAUTY AT THE GARRICK.

CREDIT PAMELA RAITH PHOTOGRAPHY

7

CHARLIE AND THE

CHRISTMAS CAT WILL

DELIGHT YOUNGER

THEATRE-GOERS

among preschoolers.

“I really did always want to be a children’s

presenter,” says Rebecca.

As a teenager she applied to be the new female

presenter of The Disney Club, and from the

thousands of auditionees she made it down to the

final three, eventually losing out to none other than

Fearne Cotton.

“I remember at the time thinking she was so cool and

confident, whereas I was much more of an awkward

teenager,” laughs Rebecca. “She was brilliant, and

she’s had such a wonderful career since so it was very

well deserved.

“I was just stumbling my way through, trying to find

out exactly what it was I wanted to do. I did theatre,

some TV and film, commercials and stuff like that,

but I loved to act; I just loved making people laugh

and I loved playing characters.”

So when CBeebies Let’s Play came up, it was a

dream opportunity for Rebecca.

“I couldn’t believe my luck, it was such an awesome

show,” she says. “And when I got the job it was like

winning the X Factor for me.”

With more than 100 characters to play, Rebecca

has to stretch her performance abilities to the max,

creating distinctive voices, accents and mannerisms

for a whole host of roles within the tight schedule

required for a kids’ TV show.

“It’s such a quick turnaround for everything we do

at CBeebies; there’s no time to work on an accent

or a character like you would with a film or bigger

production,” she says.

“I read the script and make notes beside each

character about their voice or their walk, then

film myself doing a funny walk or record a funny

voice. And when we come back to that script for

filming I have to just look back at my notes, listen

to the voice and think yes, that’s what I thought

of for that character.

“Because there are so many characters I want

to differentiate between them all, even the small

ones.

“It’s an absolute treat for me though, because I

love that sort of thing. But you don’t get time to

perfect anything, it’s more a case of slap this wig

on, slap this walk on and let’s just attempt this

South African accent and see what happens!”

And while panto may be top of her list, Rebecca

also has one eye on that other festive fixture -

Strictly Come Dancing. And when it comes to

her predictions for the winner, she’s keeping

it firmly in the kids TV family, throwing her

support behind CBBC presenter Karim Zeroual

- one of the hotly-tipped favourites to lift the

glitterball trophy.

“We film next door to each other so I know Karim

really well. I’m following his journey and he’s just

brilliant,” she says. “I knew he would be though

because he’s a fantastic dancer, he’s really got those

moves down!”

Cinderella may be dominating the main stage for the

next six weeks, but the Garrick’s Christmas offerings

don’t stop there. The newly refurbished studio

theatre will be staging not one, but two, specially

commissioned shows which will bring that festive

CHRISTMAS CAROL

CASEBOOK IS A NEWLY

COMMISSIONED SHOW FOR

THE GARRICK STUDIO

8

THE

GREATES T

EVER

FACTORY SHOP

PRE CHRISTMAS

2019 Child Sets

was £17.50

NOW £5.95

32 Piece Concerto Box Set

(8 Person set)

was £179.00

NOW £49.00

SALE

Sale Starts 10am

Saturday 30 th November

Also Special Opening on Sunday 1 st December 10am - 4pm

Great Gift Ideas for everyone...

This is just a taste of offers

discounted by up to 80% off!

…but when it’s gone - it’s gone!

Silver plated cutlery with

a 50 year guarantee

44 Piece (6 person set)

was £499.00

NOW £199.00

60 Piece (8 person set)

was £669.00

NOW £269.00

84 Piece (8 person set +

Fish Servers & Coffee Spoons)

was £879.00

NOW £349.00

124 Piece (12 person set +

Fish Servers & Coffee Spoons)

was £1299.00

NOW £519.00

Choose from 5 exquisite designs

Dune by Sophie Conran

Pair of Salad Servers

was £29.50

NOW £7.95

Knife Block Copper

6 Piece

was £99.00

NOW £19.95

Christmas Mugs

were £6.95 each

NOW £2.95 each

Rattail

Kings

Harley

Dubarry

Bead

Proud supporters of

A51

Stafford

A38 Derby

& North

A5192

A5127

Trent

Valley

Station

A38

Please be aware that the shop is located on the

first floor via a staircase. If access is an issue

we have a ground floor room available where

products can be brought down for viewing by

our dedicated customer service team.

A5127

Lichfield

City Centre

A5192 Cappers Lane

FREE

PARKING

CO-OP

Ryknield Street

A38 Birmingham & South

Britannia Way

Arthur

Price

Europa Way

A38

A38

Arthur Price Factory Shop

Britannia Way, Lichfield,

Staffordshire, WS14 9UY

Opening Hours:

Monday – Friday 9.30am – 4.30pm

Saturday 10.00am – 4.00pm

01543 267324

factory.shop@arthurprice.com

magic to a wider audience.

Alternative comedy Christmas Carol Casebook:

Away in a Danger is a fantastical festive farce which

tells the tale of Choirmaster Barry, accused of a

murder he did not commit. With the police already

in hot pursuit will Barry prove his innocence, and

will the carol concert go ahead? With references

to local landmarks this cracking comedy features

murder, mayhem and more puns than you can wave

a conductor’s baton at!

And for the youngest audiences, Charlie and the

Christmas Cat is the purr-fect introduction to live

theatre. The story takes place on Christmas Eve, the

one night of the year where animals can talk. Join

Charlie and her loveable cat Ziggy on a magical

evening full of surprises with lots of interaction for

young ones.

“It’s going to be a fun year,” says the Garrick’s

executive director Karen Foster. “The children’s

show is absolutely magical; it’s a really lovely story

and it’s also really interactive for the children in

the audience, they get to join in and talk to Charlie

and the cat and get involved in the show. It’s really

beautiful.

“It’s aimed at kids who perhaps aren’t brave enough

to go to panto, because we know panto is really

loud and there’s a lot of shouting and screaming, so

it’s for the age group just before that, who want to

experience their first live theatre performance. And

it’s beautiful to watch the children because they just

suspend belief and get into the story. The kids will

find it really magical, and I think the parents will be

really chuffed too.”

While the Garrick has previously commissioned its

own children’s Christmas shows, this is the first time

the theatre has created its own adults’ production.

And Christmas Carol Casebook has a real local

flavour.

“It’s set in and around this area, so the audience will

recognise quite a lot of local references,” says Karen.

“It’s very funny and it’s very silly, which is just what

you need at Christmas.

“The thing that I really like is that show has a couple

of local writers in Craig Stephens and Jack Trow, so

we’re using local talent, and one of our actors, Lucy

Pearson, is also Lichfield-based, which is brilliant for

us because it’s giving people right here in this city the

chance to pursue their careers here on our stage.

“And James Steventon, who plays Barry, is from

Walsall, so two of the four actors in the show are

Midlands-based which is really great for us. And

they’re absolutely brilliant; it’s not that we’ve gone

local for local’s sake, we’ve gone local because they

were the best.”

Another first for the Garrick this year will be the

addition of a spectacular Santa’s Grotto, where the

man himself will take residence on selected dates in

the run-up to Christmas.

“We are a theatre so we will have to dress it like we

would the set of a show,” says Karen.

“We’re working on making it really theatrically

beautiful, so that it’s a real magical Christmas scene.

There are little things we can do here in the theatre

that perhaps you can’t get elsewhere!”

With festive films also showing over the season in the

studio too, it’s shaping up to be the most wonderful

time of the year in Lichfield.

“What we’re trying to do this year, with the three

shows as well as the Santa’s Grotto and a screening

of the Royal Ballet’s Nutcracker, is to give something

to all the different people around here at Christmas

that’s exciting at quality, and we’re also bringing in

the quality talent from around the local area to put

those shows on,” says Karen.

“It really is going to be magical.”

Cinderella opens on the main stage at the Lichfield

Garrick on November 28 and runs until January

5. Christmas Carol Casebook: Away in a

Danger will be showing in the Garrick Studio

from December 5 to January 4, and Charlie and

the Christmas Cat runs from December 6 to

December 24. Tickets for all shows are available

now. For more details call the box office on 01543

412121 or visit www.lichfieldgarrick.com

10

BAYLISS

creating bathroom envy since 1929...

Visit our extensive prestigious bathroom and tile showroom....

regarded as one of the finest in the Country!

Bayliss Limited, 23 Gate Lane, Boldmere, Sutton Coldfield B73 5TR

T: 0121 362 1800 www.baylisslimited.co.uk

P R O P E RTY

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 A SPACIOUS MANSION ON

PRESTIGIOUS LITTLE ASTON PARK WHICH OOZES GRANDEUR

Georgian House, Park Drive, Little Aston Park, Sutton Coldfield: offers over £2,000,000

On the market with Fine and Country: 0121 272 6900

THE AGENT SAYS: Georgian House is a stunning sevenbedroom

mansion with wonderful landscaped gardens and

superb living accommodation.

This beautifully presented property is located in the highly

desirable private estate, Little Aston Park. Entering the

renowned Little Aston park, you can feel the grandeur

immediately with impressive mature trees and grounds

surrounding unique substantial mansions, it really is a special

place to live.

Nestled away on Park Drive is Georgian House; through

pillared electric gates you are welcomed into the grounds of

this elegant home. Proceeding down the sweeping driveway

with manicured borders you have a substantial four door

garage with accommodation above and parking for several

cars with potential to increase the driveway if required.

There is a short walk down a pathway lined with box hedging

to the beautiful stone portico entrance of Georgian House.

Already providing almost 6,000 sqft of living space, this

amazing family home sits in a generous plot of approximately

0.6 acres.

The magnificent marble tiled reception hall gives easy access

to the well-proportioned ground floor living space; a good

sized family room looking out to the front of the property, the

drawing room, sitting room, kitchen/breakfast room which

is fitted with shaker style units, granite work surfaces and

quality built-in appliances, and the tastefully decorated dining

room.

From the reception hall up a majestic carpeted oak staircase

is further spacious living space on the first floor which

holds four of the seven bedrooms. The central oak staircase

continues to the second floor where the quality and space of

this property can be felt further, providing three more double

bedrooms and a generous bathroom.

W E L O V E : THE SENSE OF GRANDEUR AND SPACE

12

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 RY S P E C I A L I S T

CALL 01543 505539 FOR A BROCHURE

Our skilled craftsmen can create any type of design,

from ultra-modern to classically traditional.

As an alternative if you cannot part with your existing suite, we

offer an exceptional re-upholstery service that goes above and

beyond recovering your choice of fabrics and leathers.

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

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

Visit our website for a virtual tour of our showroom

I N T E R I O R S

True blue

THIS year, a range of blues have been in; whether it’s

moody navy, aquamarine or relaxed grey-blue, they all

work to create a calm atmosphere in the home.

These blue hues are reminiscent of the tranquil sky,

and by incorporating this intense tone into your 2019

Christmas colour palette, you’ll soon be drifting off into

your own Winter Wonderland.

For a contemporary take on festive decoration, cast aside

traditional Christmas pigments of deep red and green

in favour of a modern midnight hue. To warm things

up, add touches of rich gold for a glamorous Christmas

scheme reminiscent of stars twinkling in the night sky.

You can also bring depth to the look by combining

several blue hues; pops of bright aqua and teal work

particularly well against a background of deep ink or

navy.

SELECTION OF BLUE AND WHITE

DECORATIONS, FROM £5.55, GISELA

GRAHAM. WWW.GISELAGRAHAM.CO.UK

METALLIC CHRISTMAS

STOCKING, PENELOPE HOPE.

WWW.PENELOPEHOPE.COM

£5

£39

£48

CERAMIC STAR DECORATION,

FATFACE. WWW.FATFACE.COM

DARK BLUE GLITTER FERN

WREATH, GISELA GRAHAM.

WWW.GISELAGRAHAM.CO.UK

£19.95

£12.75

£120

ARTLAND SET OF TWO MIRAGE

CHAMPAGNE FLUTES, NOT JUST JUGS.

WWW.NOTJUSTJUGS.COM

GOLD GLITTER PILLAR CANDLE, MOOD

INTERIORS. WWW.MOODINTERIORS.NET

NAVY BLUE AND SEQUIN STARRY NIGHT

CUSHION, JAN CONSTANTINE.

WWW.JANCONSTANTINE.COM

14

Specialists in designing and making, remodelling and refurbishing

£40

HERRINGBONE BLUE AND

GOLD BAUBLE, WHITE STUFF.

WWW.WHITESTUFF.COM

£45

£11.95

NAVY AND GOLD TEALIGHT HOLDER,

LIME LACE. WWW.LIMELACE.CO.UK

TROPICAL GOLD LEAF WREATH,

A BY AMARA. WWW.AMARA.COM

BLUE AND GOLD FABRIC REIN-

DEER, £45, GISELA GRAHAM.


£5.50

£3.99

£15.75

£54.99

£18

BLUE AND GOLD TUMBLER,

HOMESENSE.

WWW.HOMESENSE.COM

SET OF THREE NAVY STORAGE TRUNKS,

WWW.BEAUTIFY.CO.UK

RESIN PEACOCK RING DECORATIONS,

£18 EACH, GISELA GRAHAM.


AYANE PILLAR CANDLE, MOOD INTERIORS.

WWW.MOODINTERIORS.NET

EMILIA COATED ITALIAN LINEN PLACEMATS, £20 EACH, AND

KILDARE IRISH LINEN TEAL NAPKINS, £9 EACH, REBECCA

UDALL. WWW.REBECCAUDALL.COM

16

HAND EMBROIDERED CHRISTMAS

STOCKINGS, £59, JAN CONSTANTINE.

WWW.JANCONSTANTINE.COM

BROSTE COPENHAGEN TVIS GOLD CUT-

LERY SET, £175; IMPRESSIONS BLUE

DINNER PLATE £5; DENBY STUDIO BLUE

MEDIUM PLATES SET OF FOUR, £48; AQUA

BOWL, £12; HAMMERED LARGE PLATE

BRASS, £15, ALL FROM JOHN LEWIS.

WWW.JOHNLEWIS.COM

RECLAIMED OAK TABLE, FROM £1,995, AND BRITTANY

VELVET DINING CHAIRS, £145 EACH, PEPPERMILL INTERIORS,

BURNTWOOD BUSINESS PARK.

WWW.PEPPERMILLINTERIORS.COM

I N T E R I O R S

SIX GOLDEN METAL SNOWFLAKES, £15.50,

COX & COX. WWW.COXANDCOX.CO.UK

Christmas

cheer

FROM Santa Claus and Rudolph to puddings and mince

pies, Christmas just isn’t Christmas without all of the

traditions that go alongside the festive celebrations.

And the same can be said of creating the perfect

Christmas decor scheme for your home. If the thought of

adorning your tree in baubles shaped like unicorns, palm

trees and pineapples leaves you feeling decidedly grinchlike

then never fear - traditional is always in.

Embrace a red, white and green colour palette and opt

for swathes of holly and seasonal foliage, tinsel garlands

and twinkly fairy lights to create a festive ambience

worthy of your favourite Christmas movie.

Now all that’s left to do is to hang your stockings from the

fireplace and wait for the big man to arrive!

MINCE PIE BAUBLE, JOHN LEWIS.

WWW.JOHNLEWIS.COM

£40

£2.99

£18

PINECONE WREATH, JOHN LEWIS.

WWW.JOHNLEWIS.COM

£7

RED SACK HANGING DECORATION,

DOBBIES. WWW.DOBBIES.COM

FAUX FUR TRIM VELVET

STOCKING, JOHN LEWIS.

WWW.JOHNLEWIS.COM

PUDDING ORNAMENT,

DEBENHAMS.

WWW.DEBENHAMS.COM

MACKENZIE-CHILDS

NUTCRACKER SNOW

GLOBE, AMARA.

WWW.AMARA.COM

£40

£11

12 DOTS AND STRIPES BAUBLES,


REINDEER FELT BAUBLE

DECORATION, SOPHIE ALLPORT.

WWW.SOPHIEALLPORT.COM

£4

£75

£5.99

18

WOODEN CANDY CANE BUNTING,

DOBBIES. WWW.DOBBIES.COM

World-class

experts when

you need them

Specialists at Spire Little Aston Hospital

are leading medical experts, with many

recognised internationally. You don’t

have to wait to see one of our specialists,

because less waiting means less worrying.

Appointments available within 24 hours for:

— Hip and knee pain

— Back, neck and spinal

— Eye conditions

Book to see an expert today

Search ‘Spire Little Aston Hospital’

Call 0121 514 7034

CHRISTMAS WISHES WALL PLAQUE,

£2.95, MELODY MAISON.

WWW.MELODYMAISON.CO.UK

CANDY CANE FAIRY LIGHTS, £2.99,

LIGHTS4FUN. WWW.LIGHTS4FUN.CO.UK

RED HAND STITCHING LINE VELVET

STOCKING, £20, AND BERRY WREATH, £40,

JOHN LEWIS. WWW.JOHNLEWIS.COM

TWO TREE TRUCK GLASS BAUBLES, £14.50,


RED HIGHLAND LUXE BAUBLE PACKS,

FROM £2, DUNELM. WWW.DUNELM.COM

20

HEALTH |

07815 460786

01827 892952

June receives an early

Christmas present

“It is amazing how just being able to brush your own hair can change your

whole outlook on life,” according to great grandmother June Shakespeare.

Eighty-four-year-old June had been gradually losing the use of her fingers over the past few years until it

reached the stage where she could hardly use her hands at all.

But, following surgery to reattach tendons that had become worn away by wrist arthritis June, who lives in

Great Barr, has been able to grab back the many day-to-day skills that most people take for granted.

“Opening doors, taking lids off jars, holding a cup or taking money from my purse – even brushing my hair, had

become almost impossible. You can’t imagine just how much that impacted on my daily life,” she explained.

As the condition continued to deteriorate June met with specialist hand and wrist surgeon Mr Gunaratnam

Shyamalan at Spire Hospital. He explained that not only could he help her get movement back to her hands but

he could also perform the surgery while she remained completely awake.

He said: “Years of arthritis in the bones of her wrist meant that the tendons to her fingers had been severed or

ruptured – it is not an uncommon condition in elderly patients.

“What I did was use sections of healthy tendons to repair the torn ones while carrying out repairs to the badly

damaged ones. I used a technique called WALANT (Wide Awake Local Anaesthesia No Tourniquet) which meant

June was able to stay awake throughout the entire operation."

“Not only does this seem to put patients at their ease, it also means they don’t have to recover from the effects

of a general anaesthetic which speeds up their actual recovery process.”

Now, following a series of physiotherapy treatments, June is delighted to have ‘excellent movement’ back in

her wrist.

She said: “The operation went very well and I was delighted

to be able to chat to people in the operating theatre as

Mr Shyamalan carried out his work. It really put me at ease

both before and during the actual surgery.

“It really is beyond my expectations to be able to do some

everyday things that most people take for granted and, as a

bit of a bonus, there is hardly a scar to show for the surgery

he carried out.”

June is delighted with the results of her wrist surgery.

Midland Hand Clinic lead by

Mr G Shyamalan FRCS NHS

consultant hand surgeon.

Little Aston Hall Drive

Sutton Coldfield

B74 3UP

All patients welcome whether

you have private medical insurance

or you are self-paying.

Ask us about our self funding

prices for minor hand surgery.

Hand Clinic PA: Pam Dziubany

Email: pdziubany@hotmail.com

Call: 07815 460786

01827 892952

www.midlandhandclinic.com

Cornfield Magazine | 15

24/10/2019 11:32

CO M P E T I T I O N

Dine in style

THREE LUCKY READERS WILL WIN AN ARTHUR PRICE CUTLERY SET

WORTH MORE THAN £250, PERFECT FOR YOUR CHRISTMAS DINNER TABLE

J’AIME has teamed up with British, family-owned

cutlery firm Arthur Price to offer readers the chance

to win one of three amazing prizes, just in time for

Christmas… an Arthur Price 42 piece cutlery set

worth £255.

Arthur Price is a family-owned British company

founded in 1902. Now run by the fourth and fifth

generations of the Price family, the company makes

the finest cutlery found across the world in top

restaurants, stylish hotels, first class cabins… even

royal households.

Only using the finest materials and craftmanship

their cutlery is a byword for quality. Whether you

want everyday use or silver-plated pieces for those

special occasions you can’t get better than Arthur

Price, not just for the quality but for the guarantee.

The Warwick set featured in this competition has a

50 year guarantee!

The Warwick pattern is perfect for entertaining

both your friends or family at Christmas or anytime

of the year. Speaking of family, this pattern has a

wonderful ‘family’ story behind it. Warwick is one of

four patterns in the Arthur Price Signature collection

– created by the Simon and James Price, the fourth

and fifth generations of the family to be involved

with the company.

John Price, the third generation ‘Price’ – Simon’s

father and James’ grandfather - registered four names

and patterns over 50 years ago – Warwick, Henley,

Cascade and Camelot but never produced them.

Simon and James found the paperwork and decided

to produce the collection and as a ‘doffing of the hat’

to the founder of the company back at the start of

the twentieth century, the signature of Arthur Price

was placed on every single piece.

If you want to take a look at all the cutlery and gifts

Arthur Price has on offer visit www.arthurprice.

com or why not pop into the UK’s biggest cutlery

shop – the Arthur Price Factory Shop, Britannia

Way, Lichfield, WS14 9UY.

THE COMPETITION

TO BE IN WITH A CHANCE OF WINNING ONE OF THREE WARWICK

CUTLERY SETS WORTH £255 EACH, PLEASE ANSWER THE

FOLLOWING QUESTION:

IN WHAT YEAR WAS ARTHUR PRICE FOUNDED?

• 1902

• 1912

• 1942

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

to competitions@jaimemagazine.com with Arthur Price Competition as the email

subject. Entries must be received by 5pm on Friday, December 13, and our winners

will be notified by Wednesday, December 18 in order to collect their prizes in

time for Christmas. Terms and conditions apply. Visit www.jaimemagazine.com for

further details.

22

Preet on interiors

I N T E R I O R S

SUTTON COLDFIELD INTERIOR DESIGNER PREET ANAND, OF MOOD INTERIORS,

TAKES A LOOK AT SPRUCING UP YOUR HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

The season of waking up before sunrise and

coming home guided by street lamps is truly

upon us. Temperatures begin to sink down

into single figures and the trees are steadily

shedding their autumnal glow. This calls for

one thing; everyone to spruce their interiors

and get ready to enjoy the indoors for a

festive and cosy winter ahead.

There was no doubt in my mind that this

first month of questions was going to

include some Christmas preparation tips,

as well as ideas on how to add layers to the

home, to keep everything nice and warm.

So, let’s see how I can help…

I get extremely stressed over

Christmas when it comes to dressing

the table. After all the work that goes

into the tree, the outdoor lights, the

turkey and the gifts, I must be honest; I get

lazy with the table, and I just wanted to know

some simple tips to help me make this task a

little easier on the day?

I must admit this sounds all too familiar. My

recommendation is to treat the table as I would a

room, so pick a theme, add layers and accessorise.

Following these three simple rules will help on

the day - oh and potentially setting the table on

Christmas Eve too! Choose your colours for the

table, like gold with blue for example. Ensure the

linens are ironed and consider adding a runner or

placemats in the same colour coordination to make

it a little different from your everyday look. Choose

some baubles, fairy lights or foliage to run along the

centre of the table for a festive finish.

Without spending too much money, how can I

get my house in season?

A little can go a long way; try adding candles - pillar

or tealight style - clustered around the house, either

in lanterns or just in holders. The word layering

comes to mind; chunky throws, textured cushions

are all readily available and can create the nook you

need on cold evenings. Adding seasonal foliage, like

English holly, thistle and fir to your vases can be

subtle and effective. Don’t forget the fairy lights too;

dim the mains to create a wonderful ambience for

the evening.

How can I create a home which is for my

family, but also somewhere I can wind down

too?

Whether it is children or spouses, living with others

takes… patience. There should always be an area

designated for ‘you’ time. Especially as the evenings

get colder, we spend more time indoors, consider

creating areas for your hobbies, such as a reading

station with a comfortable chair upholstered and

accessorised with thick, plush fabrics, a table for your

beverage of choice and plenty of light. Just sit back

and relax in your own little sanctuary.

Send your questions on interiors to info@

moodinteriors.net and you might find Preet

answering your design dilemma in next

month’s column.

SPONSORED BY MOOD INTERIORS

0121 809 7333 - WWW.MOODINTERIORS.NET

INFO@MOODINTERIORS.NET

23

G I F T G U I D E

Gorgeous gifts galore

SLEIGH THE SPENDING STRESS THIS FESTIVE SEASON WITH OUR ULTIMATE GIFT GUIDE FOR HER. GONE

ARE THE DAYS OF PANIC-BUYING AND CHRISTMAS EVE SHOPPING SPREES, SO STOP BEING ELF-ISH

AND GET PREPARED TO TREAT HER LIKE THE QUEEN SHE REALLY IS. WHETHER YOU’RE SHOPPING

FOR YOUR WIFE, GRANDMOTHER, OR COLLEAGUE, STOP YOUR SEARCHING - WE HAVE BUNDLES OF

GORGEOUS GIFTS THAT WILL MAKE HER SNOW HAPPY!

£44

SET OF FOUR PINK COCKTAIL

GLASSES, AUDENZA.

WWW.AUDENZA.COM

TED BAKER BLACK OPAL WATER

BOTTLE, ANNABEL JAMES.

WWW.ANNABELJAMES.CO.UK

£29.95

18CT ROSE GOLD HEMATITE AND

PEBBLE DROPPER EARRINGS

JOHNSONS JEWELLERS OF NUNEATON.

WWW.JOHNSONSJEWELLERS.CO.UK

£75

£1,195

LUCKY STAR LEOPARD PRINT HI

TOP SNEAKERS, £75, CONVERSE

AT HARVEY NICHOLS.

WWW.HARVEYNICHOLS.COM

ALPACA FUR HOT WATER

BOTTLE, ANNABEL JAMES.


£2,180

B BY TED BAKER, SPLENDOUR

CAMI, £19.50, AND JERSEY

PANTS, £32, DEBENHAMS.

WWW.DEBENHAMS.COM

£32

£99.95

18CT WHITE GOLD DIAMOND AND

ORANGE SAPPHIRE RING, ALLEN BROWN

JEWELLERY AT HEART OF THE COUNTRY

SHOPPING VILLAGE, SWINFEN.

WWW.ALLENBROWNJEWELLERY.CO.UK

£45

£19.50

BELLA FREUD X GILLIAN WEARING SUFFRAGETTE

CITY TEACUP AND SAUCER, HARVEY NICHOLS.


24

£280

£2,370

£125

LADIES TUDOR 1926 STEEL AND ROSE

28MM MODEL M91351 JOHNSONS

JEWELLERS OF NUNEATON.

WWW.JOHNSONSJEWELLERS.CO.UK

SNOW GOOD JUMPER,

WILDFOX AT HARVEY NICHOLS.


LISEN RED FAUX FUR COAT, STAND

STUDIO AT HARVEY NICHOLS.


ROSSETTI FLORA SCENTED CANDLE,

FORNASETTI AT HARVEY NICHOLS.


ROSE AND SKULL PRINT SCARF,

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN AT

HARVEY NICHOLS.


£370

£65

£140

EMMA RED LEOPARD GLOVES,

HOBBS. WWW.HOBBS.COM

£12.50

£85

THE CARELESS CLASSIC

CHOCOLATE COLLECTION,

WWW.THECARELESSCOLLECTION.CO.UK

£265

SHETLAND STROUD HEATHER

BLANKET, BRONTE BY MOON.

WWW.MOONS.CO.UK

TOUJOURS MEDIUM LEATHER CROSSBODY

BAG, KATE SPADE NEW YORK AT HARVEY

NICHOLS. WWW.HARVEYNICHOLS.COM

25

G I F T G U I D E

Make his Christmas

MAKE HIS CHRISTMAS LIT THIS YEAR! WE HAVE PILES OF PRESENT IDEAS THAT ARE PERFECT FOR

THE MAN IN YOUR LIFE. WHETHER YOU’RE SHOPPING FOR YOUR DAD, SON, OR HUSBAND,

LOOK NO FURTHER. FROM SANTA-MENTAL PURCHASES TO MERRY NOVELTY TOKENS, HAVE A

BROWSE THROUGH OUR BEST GIFTS TO GIVE TO ANY GUY THIS FESTIVE SEASON… YULE BE

SORRY IF YOU DON’T!

£45 £295

£74

ASHFORD BLACK LEATHER AND

WOOL GLOVES, DENTS

AT HARVEY NICHOLS.


DIOR SAUVAGE EAU DE

PARFUM, HARVEY NICHOLS.


STAGS LEATHER WEEKENDER

BAG, ANNABEL JAMES.


£8.95 £59

CHOCOLATE SPROUTS,

CHOC ON CHOC.

WWW.CHOCONCHOC.CO.UK

ENGLISH PEWTER CO. HAMMERED

HIP FLASK WITH BROWN LEATHER

SLEEVE, FARRAR AND TANNER.

WWW.FARRAR-TANNER.CO.UK

£1,025

£89.95

OCTYL SCARF, DUNE LONDON.

WWW.DUNELONDON.COM

£35

EMPIRE RECORD

PLAYER AND RADIO,

WWW.CUCKOOLAND.COM

EXPEDITION CAMOUFLAGE

PARKA, CANADA GOOSE AT

HARVEY NICHOLS.


26

£140

DAY OF THE DEAD SKULL

DECANTER, RED CANDY.

WWW.REDCANDY.CO.UK

£38

SILVER BLUE JOHN CUFFLINKS, ALLEN

BROWN JEWELLERY AT HEART OF THE

COUNTRY SHOPPING VILLAGE, SWINFEN.


£4.99

£20

ELECTRIC PYJAMA SET,

JOE BROWNS.

WWW.JOEBROWNS.CO.UK

£9.95

£149

HELLO HANDSOME

NOTEBOOK, TKMAXX.

WWW.TKMAXX.COM

AUDIO CASSETTE DESK TIDY,

REX LONDON.

WWW.REXLONDON.COM

£6.50 £289

BEATS BY DR DRE STUDIO

3 WIRELESS HEADPHONES,

WWW.VERY.CO.UK

JACOB JENSEN WATCH, ALLEN BROWN

JEWELLERY AT HEART OF THE COUNTRY

SHOPPING VILLAGE, SWINFEN.


HAND REPAIR, FATFACE.

WWW.FATFACE.COM

£75

£17

SUPERCOURT TAUPE LEATHER

SNEAKERS, ADIDAS ORIGINALS

AT HARVEY NICHOLS.


REUSABLE BAMBOO COFFEE

CUP, WEARTH LONDON.

WWW.WEARTHLONDON.COM

27

G I F T G U I D E

Festive joy

IT’S THE MOST MAGICAL TIME OF YEAR FOR THE YOUNGEST MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY, AND WE

HAVE PLENTY OF PRESENT OPTIONS THAT WILL GIVE THE CHILDREN IN YOUR LIFE A CHRISTMAS

THEY WON’T FIR-GET. IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR A MORE LOW-TECH OPTION FOR THEIR SANTA

SACK, 2019 SEES JUNGLE ANIMALS, DINOSAURS, UNICORNS AND ALL THINGS SPACE REIGN

SUPREME. AND FOR LITTLE ONES YOU CAN NEVER GO WRONG WITH COSY NEW PJS AND A

CUDDLY FRIEND TO SNUGGLE UP WITH ON CHRISTMAS NIGHT!

MUDDY MADNESS

WOODEN MUD KITCHEN,

WWW.CUCKOOLAND.COM

£149.95

£32.50

£24

DINOSAURS OILCLOTH

BACKPACK, SOPHIE ALLPORT.

WWW.SOPHIEALLPORT.COM

£55

£30

BEAR HUG ONESIE,

WHITE STUFF.

WWW.WHITESTUFF.COM

PRESLEY THE PANDA NIGHT

LIGHT, REX LONDON.

WWW.REXLONDON.COM

£9.95

£20

MADPAX SPIKETUS REX

BACKPACK,

WWW.CUCKOOLAND.COM

JETPACK BACKPACK IN WHITE,

FATFACE. WWW.FATFACE.COM

MEDIUM SOFT TOUCH

ANKLYOSAURUS, NATURAL

HISTORY MUSEUM.

WWW.NHMSHOP.CO.UK

£15

£170

UNICORN HOTTIE,

DEBENHAMS.

WWW.DEBENHAMS.COM

UNICORN PULL-ALONG, JOHN

LEWIS. WWW.JOHNLEWIS.COM

BANWOOD BALANCE BIKE IN CHROME,

WWW.CUCKOOLAND.COM

£15

28

Wooden Flooring

SANDING & SEALING. FITTING & REPAIR SERVICE

BESPOKE COLOUR CHOICES

baby tate

luxury baby showroom in lichfield

luxury baby now showroom open ! in lichfield

luxury baby showroom in lichfield

now open !

now open !

French Polishing Service

BEFORE

AFTER

LITTLE SUTTON LIMITED

0121 308 6962

INFO@LITTLESUTTONLTD.COM

WWW.LITTLESUTTONLTD.COM

baby-tate.co.uk

baby-tate.co.uk

visits to our showroom are by appointment only - email

visits hello@baby-tate.co.uk to our showroom are for by a appointment personal consultation only - email

visits hello@baby-tate.co.uk to our showroom are by for appointment a personal consultation

only - email

hello@baby-tate.co.uk unit 1, europa way, britannia enterprise for a personal park, lichfield, consultation

staffs, ws14 9tz

unit 1, europa way, britannia enterprise park, lichfield, staffs, ws14 9tz

unit 1, europa way, britannia enterprise park, lichfield, staffs, ws14 9tz

Proud to be a family run business for over 35 years

HOME IS WHERE THE WARMTH IS

“Fantastic

service and

great products.

Thanks Kieran”

Sam McD,

Whitaker

Heath

1/7 High Street, Erdington B23 6RG Next to Highclare School

Telephone: 0121 384 5251 - www.abbeyfirecentre.co.uk

Open: Mon - Fri: 9am - 5pm (closed Wednesdays), Sat: 10am - 2pm

Suppliers of: Contura, Jotul, Gazco, Paragon, Scan, Town

& Country Fires, ACR Heat Products and many more

Installers and suppliers of gas fires, bespoke limestone

surrounds, and gas and woodburning stoves, since 1981.

CHRISTMAS OPENING HOURS:

CLOSE ON THE 20TH DEC AND REOPEN ON THE 6TH JAN

abbeyfirecentre @abbeyfirecentre abbeyfirecentreltd

G I F T G U I D E

Shop local

GIVE A BOOST TO SOME INDEPENDENT BUSINESSES WITH YOUR HARD-EARNED CHRISTMAS

SPENDS THIS YEAR. WE ROUND UP A SELECTION OF INTERESTING BEST BUYS FROM LOCAL

COMPANIES WHICH WILL HELP SPREAD SOME FESTIVE CHEER A LITTLE CLOSER TO HOME

BREITLING WRISTWATCH

FOR AUCTION WITH

RICHARD WINTERTON

AUCTIONEERS

OF LICHFIELD ON

DECEMBER 11, GUIDE

PRICE £800-£1,200

THE PATH HOME LIQUID ART,

£335, COOKES FURNITURE,

GOOSEMOOR LANE, ERDINGTON

SILENT NIGHT ART PRINT, £15, FROM

LICHFIELD DESIGNER CHRIS DAY.

WWW.CHRISDAYDESIGN.CO.UK

MAISON BERGER ETINCELLE LAMPE

AVAILABLE IN GREY AND ROSE, £41,

LA MAISON BLEUE AT HEART OF THE

COUNTRY SHOPPING VILLAGE

9CT GOLD DIAMOND AND OPAL EARRINGS,£660,

FROM ALLEN BROWN JEWELLERY, HEART OF THE

COUNTRY SHOPPING VILLAGE

OTTERLY SMITTEN

FRAMED LIMITED

EDITION BY

AAMINAH

SNOWDON,

£149, FROM

EDEN GALLERY,

CURBOROUGH

COUNTRYSIDE

CENTRE,

LICHFIELD

BUNNY GIRL - GUCCI SIGNED

LIMITED EDITION ON PAPER

BY THE MAD ARTIST, £275,

FROM THE COURTYARD FINE

ART LOUNGE, DAM STREET,

LICHFIELD

18CT ROSE GOLD CHOCOLATE AND WHITE

DIAMOND CLUSTER BAND, £2,725, JOHNSONS

JEWELLERS, QUEENS ROAD, NUNEATON

32 PIECE CONCERTO 8

PERSON BOX SET OF CUTLERY,

WAS £179, NOW JUST £49 IN

THE ARTHUR PRICE FACTORY

SHOP SALE

THE ICANDY PEACH DESIGNER

COLLECTION CERIUM, £1,300,

INCLUDES PUSHCHAIR,

CARRYCOT AND BAG. AVAILABLE

FROM BABY TATE, BRITANNIA

ENTERPRISE PARK, LICHFIELD

30

ART FOR ALL at

Eden Gallery

Curborough Countryside Centre

HERITAGE ROOMS

2 FLOORS OF TASTEFUL GIFTWARE

LAMPS • THROWS • UNUSUAL CANDLES •

GREETINGS CARDS • LADIES WEAR • JEWELLERY

Visitors to Eden Gallery will find that we have probably

one of the most diverse ranges of art, both in style and

price, to be found in any high street gallery. Framed and

on display in the Gallery are many styles and genres,

from Original artwork to high quality Limited Editions

from many of the UK’s best-selling artists, most of which

are uniquely framed in our Gallery workshop. In addition,

we have a large range of smaller images, exclusively

framed – perfect for gifts. New to Eden Gallery is a range

of Limited Edition wildlife bronze sculptures, produced in

Birmingham by sculptor Linda Francis.

Bridge to Paradise by Duncan Palmar

(Framed Signed Ltd Edition Giclee on Canvas - Size 112cm x 51cm)

Price - £395

TEL: 01543 263883

TUDOR ROW (OFF BORE STREET) LICHFIELD WS13 6HH

PREVIOUSLY FROM MITCHELLS CENTRE, SUTTON COLDFIELD.

Eden Gallery, The Hexagon Centre, Curborough

Countryside Centre, Watery Lane, Lichfield, WS13 8ES

Telephone: 01543 268393 - www.edenartandframing.co.uk

Opening hours: Tues - Fri 10am - 4pm. Sat 10am - 4.30pm. Sun 10am - 4pm

Refreshingly Different

Visit our Stylish Showroom

11 Belwell Lane, Sutton Coldfield, B74 4AA - Tel: 0800 996 1241

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

Windows | Doors | Bi-Fold Doors | Garage Doors | Conservatories | Orangeries | Secondary Glazing | Window Repairs


A perfect partnership

J’AIME HAS TEAMED UP WITH LUXURY LEATHER GOODS COMPANY ROBERTSON

JESSEL & CO. TO OFFER READERS THE CHANCE TO WIN A STUNNING LEATHER

HOLDALL AND MATCHING WASHBAG WORTH MORE THAN £800

English leather craft is

centuries old and is cherished

the world over, with Robertson

Jessel & Co. being a name

synonymous with the finest

leather artisanship. Even with

the advancement of modern

technology our leather goods

are still handmade in the timehonoured

traditional way.

The history of the namesakes

originates from two highly

skilled leather craftsmen,

Hamish Robertson and Adir

Cohen Jessel who, after WWII

were working for a luxury

leather goods manufacturer

in the Whitechapel area of

London making motor and

dress cases, hunting bags and

hat cases.

Having formed a very strong friendship and after

many years’ hard work mastering their craft, they

agreed to open their own workshop in London. They

soon achieved a well-earned reputation for making

the very finest travel cases, attaché cases, briefcases,

travel goods and small leather goods, such was their

reputation for making the finest quality goods that

they were also commissioned to make bespoke goods

for customers worldwide.

Only the finest raw materials were ever used; these

two revered craftsmen would only ever accept the

best quality leather, the same was also said for the

hardware they used, only the best would do and

there would never be a compromise on quality.

The same can be said today. The company’s team of

experts source only the very finest leathers

and hardware, visiting suppliers throughout

the world but choosing only to work with the

very best. Robertson Jessel & Co use 21st

Century technology to showcase its products

to you, but be assured that each piece is still

individually handmade in the same timehonoured

traditional way it has always been.

The times we live in have certainly changed

but the quality and the way in which the

products are made remains the same as it

has always been.

Each piece is created by their British design

team and handmade by highly skilled

craftsmen and women who are located in

the renowned artisan leather manufacturing

epicentre of the world, Ubrique in southern

32

Spain. Robertson Jessel &

Co. chose Ubrique for their

handcrafting as the area is

synonymous with exceptional

workmanship and they are

in very good company; Louis

Vuitton, Gucci, Hermes,

Chanel, Chloe, Loewe and

Carolina Herrera are all

reported to use the artisans

here to make their handbags,

wallets and belts.

Their distinctive products are

still made in small quantities

using time-honoured

traditional methods making

each piece unique.

This uniqueness leads many

customers to question the

slight white coating - known

as blooming - which can be

present when they select their

items. This is, in fact, the items’ natural wax which

has surfaced. As with all high-quality real leather

products, once you begin to use your item, this

wax penetrates deeper into the leather creating a

stunning organic sheen. Natural body warmth and

daily use produces a greater aged lustre adding to the

uniqueness of each beautiful piece. This is known as

the patina which is, in essence, the hallmark of the

finest quality raw materials.

Robertson Jessel and Co. offer a stunning collection

of gentleman’s wallets, notecases briefcases and

luggage all handmade in various styles and sizes,

traditionally crafted using only the very finest

vegetable tanned leathers, from the finest calf skin

right through to the truly exotic American alligator

all obtained from sustainable sources.

They have been commissioned to produce items for

private yachts and motor sport companies through to

bespoke cigar cases and poker chip companion sets

for affluent individuals, but their heart lies with the

premise of being able to offer customers affordable

luxury on the most beautiful and desirable leather

goods, with every piece being made to stand the

test of time allowing it to be used for generations to

come.

THE COMPETITION

ROBERTSON JESSEL & CO. ARE DELIGHTED TO OFFER READERS OF J’AIME MAGAZINE

THE CHANCE TO WIN A LUXURY LEATHER HOLDALL AND MATCHING WASH BAG JUST

BY ANSWERING THIS SIMPLE QUESTION:

WHAT IS THE NAME USED TO REFER TO THE WHITE

COATING SOMETIMES FOUND ON LEATHER GOODS?

ANSWERS SHOULD BE SUBMITTED ONLINE AT WWW.ROBERTSONJESSEL.COM/WIN - TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY.

WE ARE ALSO DELIGHTED TO OFFER ALL READERS A 50% DISCOUNT ON ALL PRODUCTS

FROM NOW UNTIL JANUARY 31ST 2020 BY VISITING THE WEBSITE WWW.ROBERSTONJESSEL.COM

AND USING CODE RJ50 AT THE CHECKOUT*.

TERMS & CONDITIONS: ALL ENTRIES MUST BE MADE BY DECEMBER 31, 2019, THE WINNER WILL BE DRAWN AT RANDOM ON JANUARY 6, 2020. BY

ENTERING THE COMPETITION YOU ARE CONSENTING FOR YOUR DETAILS TO BE RETAINED BY ROBERTSON JESSEL & CO. FOR MARKETING PURPOSES

WHICH YOU CAN OPT OUT OF AFTER THE MAILING OF OUR INITIAL NEWSLETTER. WE WILL NEVER PASS YOUR DETAILS ONTO ANY THIRD PARTY.

*SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY. DISCOUNT CODE DOES NOT APPLY TO GOODS WHICH ARE ALREADY ON SALE/DISCOUNTED.

33

F E AT U R E

Time flies

BEN WINTERTON, WATCH EXPERT AT RICHARD WINTERTON AUCTIONEERS IN

LICHFIELD, SAYS THAT STYLISH WRISTWEAR MIGHT JUST BE A TIMELY INVESTMENT

WATCH EXPERT BEN WINTERTON

Try as we might but it’s an impossibility to put the

brakes on the passage of time – so we may as well

mark it in as stylish a way as possible.

Technology has constantly revolutionised our

wristwear yet the pull of an original, mechanical

wristwatch – which was itself a technological

revolution and remains a wonder of precision

engineering – is as strong now as ever it was.

A remarkable wristwatch is a potently practical status

symbol and very likely a sound investment to boot.

Small wonder, considering that watches – especially

Swiss watches – are synonymous with some of the

biggest luxury brands in the world.

In the past 15 years, the industry has gone

stratospheric and a number of names have become

nigh on impossible to obtain, resulting in long delays

and inflated prices for the most sought-after watches

in the world.

For example, waiting lists on specific new models

can stretch to a decade – creating a large desire for

vintage, pre-loved luxury timepieces.

Recent sales here at The Lichfield Auction Centre

have included a 1960s Rolex GMT-Master on an

original jubilee bracelet fetching £12,000, an 18ct

Cartier from 1975 which sold for £7,400 to a buyer

in Italy, a 1970s Tudor Submariner making £4,600

and a 1968 Omega Speedmaster fetching £9,000.

As a watch enthusiast with the auction world in

my blood, people often ask me what my ultimate

timepiece would be.

There are so many to choose from but after wracking

my brains I would say it’s a toss-up between the

11610LV 50th anniversary Rolex Submariner with

a black dial and green bezel or a Patek Philippe

Nautilus 5711.

The Rolex is a version of arguably the brand’s most

famous model but the 11610LV is a rare and distinct

twist on such a ubiquitous watch.

If Rolex remains the most famous watch brand in

the world, then Patek Philippe is one which makes

serious collectors raise an eyebrow.

The Nautilus stands out due to its prestige – it has

been known to double its price after sale due to its

desirability.

But any product issued by either of these brands now

is likely to be a sound investment, although I’d always

recommend first and foremost buying something

because you like it.

34

THIS 18CT CARTIER

FROM 1975 SOLD FOR

£7,400

There are of course other esteemed brands up there

in the higher echelons of world watches – Omega,

Jaeger-LeCoultre, Piaget, Audemars Piguet, Hublot,

Breitling, TAG Heuer and Cartier.

Others such as Van Cleef & Arpels and Jacob & Co.

are pushing boundaries to create some of the most

astonishing watches you will ever see.

To me, the world of timepieces is an endlessly

fascinating subject and I’m always happy to have

a look at any watches and advise members of the

public free of charge.

Just pop in and see me at The Lichfield Auction

Centre on Wood End Lane, Fradley Park, on

Tuesdays from 9.30am-4pm, on Mondays at The

Hub at St Mary’s in Lichfield city centre between

9.30am-12.30pm, email ben@richardwinterton.

co.uk or give me a call on 01543 251081.

We also offer free valuations of watches and jewellery

in Sutton Coldfield most Mondays at The Trinity

Centre, Church Hill, Mill Street – upcoming dates

are November 25, December 9 and December 16, all

between 2pm and 3.30pm.

For more inspiration, check out the variety of

watches we have coming up for auction this

December, with brands such as Rolex, Omega and

Breitling. Perfect for a present for a loved one or for

yourself! Visit www.richardwinterton.co.uk for

up-to-date information.

ROLEX FACTS – AT THE CUTTING

EDGE FROM SCIENCE TO STYLE

Swiss watch giant Rolex was originally founded as

Wilsdorf and Davis by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred

Davis in London in 1905.

Wilsdorf wanted his watches to bear a name that

was short, easy to say, remember in any language,

and which looked good. After combining the

letters of the alphabet ‘in every possible way’ he

eventually came up with Rolex.

The company registered Rolex as the brand name

of its watches in 1908 and moved to Geneva in

1919.

In 1955, Rolex developed the GMT-Master to

meet the specific needs of airline pilots. It was

capable of keeping track of time in two zones

simultaneously and the iconic two-tone bezel

which marked daytime from nighttime hours. The

GMT-Master became the official watch of several

airlines, among them the famous Pan American

World Airways aka Pan Am.

Hans Wilsdorf created the Rolex Air-King line to

honour Battle of Britain RAF pilots. The first model

was released in 1958.

In the 1950s, Rolex carried out rigorous testing of

the experimental Deep Sea Special watch, created

to withstand the most extreme conditions. On

January 23, 1960, strapped to the outside of the

bathyscaphe Trieste, the watch descended 10,916

metres to Challenger Deep at the bottom of the

Mariana Trench. Both bathyscaphe and watch

were in full working order when they resurfaced.

On March 26 2012, film-maker and explorer James

Cameron made a record-breaking solo dive – the

first to such depths for 52 years. Like the Trieste

before it, Cameron’s submersible was carrying an

experimental Rolex attached to the exterior.

The most expensive wristwatch ever sold

at auction was actor Paul Newman’s Rolex

Cosmograph Daytona, which went under the

hammer in 2017 for $17,752,500. The watch had

been given to Newman by his wife in 1968 and

the actor wore it every day for 15 years.

THIS 1960S ROLEX GMT-MASTER

SOLD FOR £12,000

35

F O O D & D R I N K

Price it like it’s 1999

THERE MAY BE A STYLISH NEW LOOK - AND NEW NAME - FOR STALWART LICHFIELD RESTAURANT

BISTRO 1709, BUT THE ETHOS OF QUALITY AND VALUE IS AS STRONG AS EVER, SAYS AMY NORBURY

It was some 20 years ago that restaurateur John

Ashmore first opened an eatery in this quaint

building on Lichfield’s Lombard Street. Then

falling under his ‘Pastiche’ brand, it was the second

restaurant in the group of which would eventually

expand to nine, offering freshly prepared and chefcooked

food at rather bargain prices. I remember

eating at both the Stafford and Lichfield Pastiche

bistros many times, where you could grab a set lunch

for a fiver and a three-course dinner from about £10

- excellent value for money even 20 years ago.

Fast-forward to 2008 and John - who sold the

Pastiche group in 2005 - alongside business partner

and former Pastiche executive chef Mark Medley,

bought the Lichfield site back and reopened the

restaurant as 1709 the Brasserie, the name paying

homage to one of Lichfield’s most famous sons - fun

fact, 1709 was the birth year of dictionary creator Dr

Samuel Johnson.

2019 has seen yet another milestone in the story,

with a refurbishment of the restaurant inside and a

new brand blazoned across the outside. The name

now may be Bistro 1709, but the concept of quality

cooking at value prices remains the same.

J’AIME were invited over to sample the new-look

restaurant for ourselves, and when we arrived early

on a Saturday evening, Bistro 1709 was already

rather packed with diners.

First impressions of the restaurant itself were

certainly favourable; the quaint, cosy atmosphere

remains but the decor has had a much-needed

freshen up, with the walls painted in crisp white

and stylish grey. Tables are mix and match, with

stripped wooden tops simply adorned with flowers,

candles and gleaming cutlery and glassware, very

reminiscent of the rustic French bistro style which is

the inspiration behind 1709.

We were shown to our table; however, a rather noisy

large party seated next to us impacted on the cosy

atmosphere somewhat and we were swiftly moved to

a quieter nook.

Although inflation has seen the menu price

understandably increase in the 20 years since

Pastiche first opened, with dinner now at two courses

from £15 and puds from just £3, you’re still looking

at a full three-course meal for less than the price of a

main dish in many eateries.

And if you think the dinner menu is good value,

then the new pre-theatre early doors menu is an

absolute steal. Served Tuesdays through Saturdays

from 5.45pm to 6.45pm, it offers three courses

from a pared-back version of the main menu for

36

the princely sum of just £10. Yes, that’s right; to

celebrate his 20 years in Lombard Street, John has

priced it likes its 1999.

There are also some great value wines on the wellrounded

wine list, and we settled on a bottle of

French malbec for £20.

To start I was tempted by the halloumi, butternut

squash, kale and beetroot salad, but instead opted for

a classic; chicken liver pâté with garlic and thyme,

served with brown toast and apple compote, which

is one of the dishes you can find on the bargainous

early doors menu. Simply presented and rustic in

style, it was a fine pâté - smooth and flavoursome,

with a lovely sweet-sharpness from the compote to

cut through the richness.

My husband attempted to entice me into the boxbaked

camembert to share, but settled on the

caramelised onion, goats’ cheese and spinach puff

pastry tartlet. Now caramelised onion and goats’

cheese is always a winning combination and he was

more than happy with his choice, the pastry crisp, the

topping plentiful.

Onto the main event, and I only had eyes for the

confit duck leg; I love duck and, as it’s something

I rarely cook at home, I always gravitate to it on

any menu when eating out. Served with sauteed

potatoes, braised red cabbage and a blackberry and

red wine jus, it was just about as autumnal a dish as

you can get. The duck had been perfectly roasted, fat

rendered down to create a wonderfully crisp skin and

beautifully succulent meat. With a sweet tang from

the jus and a festive hint from the five spice in the

cabbage, it was a thorough delight.

My husband’s sirloin steak from local butchers

Bradshaw’s was a hefty piece of meat, cooked nicely

rare to give a lovely charred flavour. Accompanied

by a sizeable pile of crispy skin-on fries and French

beans, as well as a pink peppercorn sauce which

brought a subtle heat to proceedings, it was a most

satisfying dinner. And the £4 supplement was, he

reasoned, a small price to pay for a good steak.

We’d also gone for side orders of seasonal greens and

more of that glorious braised red cabbage at £2 a

pop, which were rather fine accompaniments too.

Now the portion sizes had been ample enough that

we were both content two courses down, but with

desserts at just £3 it was hard to say no.

My 1709 crepes with boozy red cherries and vanilla

ice cream most definitely hit the spot; a signature

dish, these also feature on the £10 early doors menu.

My husband hit the pudding jackpot with his warm

sticky toffee pudding with oodles of rich toffee

sauce and rum raisin ice cream. The pud itself

was surprisingly light, the toffee sauce luscious and

creamy - it was real comfort food heaven.

Classy classic fayre is what Bistro 1709 is all about,

and with three courses, sides and a bottle of wine

for two coming in at the £60 mark it’s a treat of an

evening which won’t bust the budget. Dine early

doors and your bill will probably be less than at your

average chain pub - and with freshly prepared food

in a different league to pub grub.

On a balance of quality and value, surely Bistro 1709

is hard to beat.

37


Oh crepes!

BEAT THE WINTER BLUES WITH AN EVENING OF GALLIC GASTRONOMY AT THE

PEAR TREE CREPERIE - YOU COULD WIN A MEAL FOR FOUR WITH WINE

The Pear Tree Creperie at the Heart of the Country

Shopping Village, located just outside Lichfield, has

been the flagship restaurant at the village for more

than 30 years.

Inspired by the original owner’s French roots, the

Creperie brings a taste of France to Staffordshire

offering savoury galettes and sweet crepes. The

restaurant is bustling and lively, and is the perfect

place for families to dine out.

Toby and Ben Stubbs have been eating at the

Creperie since they were only 10 years old, and in

January of this year purchased the restaurant. In the

last few months they have taken the French family

dining experience to a new level, adding a specials

menu that offers galettes and crepes filled with locally

sourced seasonal vegetables, and authentic French

cheeses, and boasts traditional recipes from Bretagne

and Savoie.

To ensure customers enjoy the best quality food

flour is organic, eggs are free range, ham, bacon and

sausages are free range from local producers, and

this year’s Christmas turkeys will be free range. Toby

and Ben are conscious that they want to reduce the

restaurant’s carbon footprint as much as possible and

do so by sourcing local produce, buying fresh fruit

and vegetables that are not packaged in plastic and

recycling as much waste as possible.

For more details call 01543 481807 or visit

www.peartreecreperie.co.uk

THE COMPETITION

J’AIME HAS TEAMED UP WITH THE PEAR TREE CREPERIE AT THE

HEART OF THE COUNTRY SHOPPING VILLAGE IN SWINFEN TO

OFFER READERS THE CHANCE TO WIN AN EVENING MEAL FOR

FOUR INCLUDING A BOTTLE OF HOUSE WINE. OUR WINNER AND

THEIR THREE GUESTS WILL BE ABLE TO SAMPLE CLASSIC FRENCH

DISHES FROM SWEET CREPES AND SAVORY GALETTES, TO

FRENCH ONION SOUP AND RACLETTE.

FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN, SIMPLY ANSWER

THE FOLLOWING QUESTION:

WHO ARE THE NEW OWNERS OF THE PEAR TREE CREPERIE?

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

to competitions@jaimemagazine.com with Pear Tree Creperie Competition as

the email subject. Entries must be received by 5pm on Friday, December 27, and

our winners will be notified by Thursday, January 2. The prize must be booked in

advance and taken before March 31, 2020. Bookings subject to availability. Not

valid for Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day. Terms and conditions apply. Visit www.

jaimemagazine.com for further details.

38

FURNITURE • GIFTS • ACCESSORIES

Inspirationally French

La Maison Bleue, Heart of the Country Village, WS14 9QR

Tel: 01543 481414 - Email: info@lamaisonbleue.co.uk

www.lamaisonbleue.co.uk

Open 10.00 - 5.00 Tues to Sun

Christmas Party Men

Fresh, Chef prepared menus.

New PRE THEATRE MENU/EARLY DOORS MENU

3-5 Lombard Street, Lichfield, Staffordshire, WS13 6D

TUES - SAT 5.45PM - 6.45PM

CHRISTMAS PARTY BOOKINGS NOW BEING TAKEN

Lunch THREE COURSE – LUNCH 3 £10 Courses THREE COURSE DINNER £18 £10

Galettes

+ CRêPES

A new brand

but the same owners!

Celebrating 20 YEARS TRADING FROM

THIS HISTORIC BUILDING THIS MONTH.

TWO COURSE LUNCH SERVED MONDAY-SATURDAY

12PM-2PM FROM £8

3 COURSES FOR £10

3-5 Lombard Street, Lichfield. WS13 6DP

01543 257986 - New website live www.wine-dine.co.uk

STARTERS

Red Lentil, Sweet Potato & Coconut Soup with Crusty Bre

joyeux

Noël!

Chicken Liver & Sherry Pate served with Orange and

Christmas Menu

Festive savoury and sweet specials

Brunch

Full English galettes, coffees,

pastries every day from 10.00am

Toasted Brown Bread

Beetroot, Stilton and Walnut Galle

Mixed Mushroom, Chestnut & Tarragon Casserole with G

BOOK NOW FOR YOUR

Evening Openings

Smoked Christmas Mackerel, party

Fridays Horseradish and Saturdays in December & Dill Mousse served

and Pea Shoots

01543 481807 www.peartreecreperie.co.uk

Follow us

Heart Of The Country Village, SWINFEN, Lichfield WS14 9QR

F O O D & D R I N K

Gingle Bells

THE GINTLEMAN, THE MIDLANDS’ LEADING RACONTEUR AT HOUSE PARTIES AND VENUES

ACROSS BIRMINGHAM, RECOMMENDS SOME FESTIVE TIPPLES - LET THE CHRISTMAS FUN BE-GIN!

‘TIS the season! Without trying to sound like the

announcer from the Great British Menu - ‘an

herbaceous brussel sprout gin bauble topped with

a garlic and parmesan crisp tonic reduction served

with a side of lardon grease crostini’ all sounds very

Heston! - the tipping point of the gin industry is still

in the creative balance. Btw, at least one of those

ingredients exists!

So how to impress the festive non-gluhwein

drinking gin fan in your life without rushing

to the online supermarket to grab the seasonal

‘thisgintasteslikeChristmas’ complete with pun laden

tag line… mull it over!

Like a winter wonderland wedding, here a selection

of festive combinations that incorporate something

old, new, borrowed and blue.

The Old Curiosity Distillery on the outskirts of

Edinburgh is bringing back its Secret Garden range

Christmas gin in partnership with 2018 Great British

Bake Off finalist Ruby Bhogal, who’s come up with a

bespoke gin spiced shortbread recipe.

Distilled with ginger, cinnamon and cardamom it

provides a festive, spicy flavour. The drink is infused

with mallow petals to provide a distinctive festive

colour which transforms into a vibrant pink when

mixed with tonic water; the perfect showstopper for

any Christmas party. Garnish with a slice of dried

seasonal blood orange wafer and cinnamon stick and

ubiquitous Fever-Tree clementine and cinnamon

tonic - that should hit the spot! It’s £14.95 for 20cl.

Candy cane folklore originated in Cologne in the

late 1600s. Legend says a choirmaster created white

sugar sticks for the children at church to represent

the shepherds crook and letter J for baby Jesus in the

Nativity story. Eventually they’d find their way to

bearded Victorian hipsters who first hung them on

their Christmas trees in 1882. The peppermint and

red and white stripes would be added in the 1900s.

After last year’s launch Eden Mill, based in St

Andrews in Scotland, bring back Candy Cane

Christmas Gin (40%, 70cl for £26 from edenmill.

com) using the peppermint flavour with bilberry

and hibiscus for colour. I feel this, together with

the vanilla and cocoa aromas of Xolato or X Gin

(£37.49 from mastersofmalt.com) a chocolate

aphrodisiac gin using Colombian cocoa beans,

Piedmonte hazelnuts, Avola almonds, vanilla pods

and wild chillies - could create the ultimate ‘best

festive luxurious boozy hot chocolate’ argument.

Combine with this year’s adult version of the

40

Thunderbirds’ Tracy Island - Hotel Chocolat’s The

Velvetiser Copper Edition, an in-home hot chocolate

system engineered by Dualit - if being a chocolate

barista is next year’s vocation. With a choice of

gingerbread, maple and pecan, peppermint and

salted caramel and clementine, I quite like their

tag line - ‘no powder, no syrup, just chocolate’. I

guarantee you won’t leave the house until 2020.

Birmingham’s Town Hall, aside from now having

a sleek tram system gliding past, also lays claim to

the first public reading of A Christmas Carol by Mr.

Christmas aka Charles Dickens in 1853, ten years

after its publication. Which gives us a tenuous link to

Tarquin’s limited seasonal edition Figgy Pudding gin

(40% £34.95 from mastersofmalt.com).

Using their flagship Cornish dry gin as the base,

dried fig, fresh clementine zest, festive spice and

brandy soaked cherry wood chips are added to craft

a gin packed with nostalgic festive warmth - think

fig rolls next to a roaring log fire. Serve with either

Double Dutch’s cranberry tonic or, if you’re feeling

adventurous, opt for a Figero, a negroni twist using

equal parts Tarquin’s Figgy Pudding gin, Lustau

Vermut and Aperol with a clementine twist.

Warner’s Christmas Cake gin 2019 vintage is

inspired by their mum’s traditional homemade

Christmas cake. Silky dark chocolate and winter

spices are distilled before being cask-aged and

blended with pure cherry juice - 40% at £40 if it’s

not already sold out. Borrowed verbatim from their

website, the tasting notes sound like a festive M&S

ad:

Nose – Syrupy raisins, dipped in melted chocolate

and sprinkled with icing sugar, with notes of toasted

almond and cinnamon spice, followed by a hint of

nutmeg and sweet orange.

Taste – Maraschino cherry and notes of dark

chocolate unfold, with hints of macadamia nut and

vanilla pod.

Finish – Liquorice, spiced orange and clove give way

to bright juniper before softening to old fashioned,

traditional cola.

For a perfect G&T, here’s a swerve ball; Christmas

Cake Gin with Coca Cola’s new signature mixers

- the smokey or woody - garnished with a slice of

fresh orange studded with cloves.

My one-man mission is to get people to discover

Pedrino’s (by Sam Showering, formerly of Fever-

Tree) Ruby Port and Tonic Spritz, 5.5% and £1.95

at Ocado. Inspired by Portuguese fortified wine and

tonic water, it’s citrusy, with notes of red berries,

plum and bitter lemon - pass me a piece of Colston

Bassett stilton from Anderson and Hill and a glass of

Chase’s Châteauneuf-du-Pape oak-aged sloe gin and

mulberry for a scene Henry VIII would be proud of!

And finally, a word for my sponsor - a personal

thank you to Amy for allowing these continued

musings. My final gin tip for this year, where possible

- like my favourite toast - enjoy your libations in

good company and remember, never above you,

never below you, always beside you. Until next year.

41

H E A LT H

Fit festive feasting

HO HO HO! YES, THE FESTIVE SEASON IS UPON US ONCE AGAIN. THIS MONTH, LICHFIELD’S

FAVOURITE PERSONAL TRAINER RAÚL ROMERO SHARES HIS 14 TOPS TIPS TO HELP MAINTAIN

YOUR WEIGHT THIS CHRISTMAS, YET STILL ENJOY EVERY MINUTE OF IT!

A 5,000 calorie intake on Christmas Day? I can’t

recall whether I dreamt it, or read somewhere

that this is the average calorie intake per person in

the UK on Christmas Day. Yes, I agree, it really is

bonkers!

I am all for enjoying the festive season and the

holidays to the fullest and making the most of the

special seasonal culinary offerings that are available

this time of year, yet at the same time, why can’t this

go hand-in-hand with a semblance of balance? Well,

the great news is, it can!

As the magic and joy of the festive season is

bestowed upon us, there are so many treats and

temptations on offer, from the plethora of ‘Christmas

dos’, the huge range of seasonal supermarket fancies,

and the delicious selection boxes, to the never-ending

office chocolate tubs and biscuits. With such a hectic

month of Christmas parties, meals, shopping sprees

and preparations, it’s only natural that in order to fit

in all of this festive fun, something else in the usual

already busy weekly schedule, has to give. Yes, you

guessed it, this is quite often fitness, be it exercise

classes, fitness sessions or personal training sessions.

So, how can we strike that semblance of balance that

our bodies are yearning for, yet at the same time, still

enjoy the magic and joy of everything this time of

year brings?

Here are my top 14 practical, realistic and achievable

tips to help you have a blast this season, yet still not

lose sight of your health and fitness and maintain

your shape/weight, or even, dare I say it, lose some

pounds (why not?!).

1. Be selective. You may receive invites galore of

Christmas parties and meals from lots of different

groups of friends, colleagues and family. I’d even

go as far as saying… be selfish! Why not attend

only those that you really fancy? Don’t feel obliged

to attend every meal or party if it isn’t your heart’s

desire.

2. Balance you daily eating. This is as simple

as balancing a big overindulged meal during the

BE SELECTIVE WITH

YOUR CHRISTMAS

TREATS, SAYS RAUL

day, with a much lighter, healthier next meal with

reduced calories. The most important thing here is to

listen to your body.

3. Keep your fitness commitments. Don’t

break great routines you have worked so hard to

build of daily or weekly fitness sessions, just because

of Christmas. Prioritising is key here; if time really is

scarce, instead of cancelling your work out sessions,

keep them shorter yet intense (HIIT-style workouts

are great for this).

4. WALK MORE! Christmas shopping is a great

excuse to increase your steps and rack them up on

your tracker. Maybe catch the train or walk around

the retail parks instead of driving.

5. Sign up for a running race. Having a

42

R E C L A M A T I O N

YOUR RECLAIMED BUILDING & LANDSCAPING MATERIAL SUPPLIERS

WE SELL RECLAIMED BRICKS, BEAMS & NATURAL STONE SLABS

Bricks • Roof Tiles • Quarry Tiles • Natural Stone Walling & Paving • Rockery

• Granite Sets • Cobbles • Stone Troughs • Oak Beams • Cast Iron Radiators

• Lamp Posts • Fire Places • Doors • Chimney Pots • PLUS MUCH MUCH MORE!

Telephone: 0121 308 0554

Opening Hours: Monday - Friday 8.00am - 5.00pm • Saturday 9.30am - 1.30pm

35 Holding, Shirral Drive, Nr Drayton Bassett B78 3EQ

www.fouroaksreclamation.com

www.ebay.co.uk/str/Reclaimplus

www.facebook.com/fouroaksrec

Woodburning &

multifuel stoves

t he heart of t he home...

Visit our showroom to be amazed by the choice -

from traditional to modern

With such a wide range of fires, fireplaces and stoves

there is sure to be a style to suit you & your home

WE OF F ER

A C OMP LE T E

INST ALLA T ION

SERV ICE

Visit our showroom and be amazed by the choice! With such a wide range from traditional to modern, there’s sure to be a style to suit you!

CHRISTMAS OPENING HOURS:

CLOSING 4.30PM FRIDAY 20TH DEC

RE-OPEN 10AM SATURDAY 4TH JANUARY

5 Stafford Road, Lichfield WS13 7BZ - Tel: 01543 263 383 • www.thefireplacelichfield.co.uk • Email: sales@thefireplacelichfield.co.uk

Opening hours: Mon-Fri 9.30am - 4.30pm • Sat 10am - 4pm. Closed Sundays and bank holidays. FREE ON-SITE PARKING.

goal always helps keep us focused.

Although typically December isn’t

the most popular month for races,

there are some local ones around and

a lot of them also accept children, so

why not make it a fun fitness family

affair? We recommend the Lichfield

Santa Dash and the Rudolph Run

in Tamworth, both on December 8,

2019 - the kids are sure to love them,

just from their names!

6. Christmas morning run.

Starting the day with a calorie deficit

will definitely help with weight

management, and will also give you a

great start to the day.

7. Be selective (again!). Select

the treats! Don’t limit yourself, but at

the same time, don’t eat compulsively - that box of

chocolates really isn’t going to run away, it will still

be there tomorrow! Select and eat the food you love.

Portion control is key here.

8. Eat slowly and chew your food properly.

This will make you feel full a lot quicker, hence

making it less likely for your to over-eat.

9. If you drink alcohol, do that slowly too.

Ensure you drink plenty of water to keep hydrated

throughout the day.

THE AVERAGE PERSON

CONSUMES AROUND 5,000

CALORIES ON CHRISTMAS DAY

PERSONAL TRAINER RAUL

ROMERO GETS INTO THE

FESTIVE SPIRIT

10. Go for an evening walk. Don’t underestimate

the power of an evening walk and how it can help

you with digestion after the big Christmas feast. Not

to mention it’ll also help burn some of those excess

calories. This is where having a dog could help you

get out and walk for just that little bit longer.

11. Sprouts, sprouts and more sprouts. They

are a superfood! A very healthy vegetable packed full

of vitamins and minerals. Why not add it to your

weekly shopping list for the rest of the year too? (this

is one I experience first hand with a one-year-old

with a sprout obsession!).

12. Plan! Plan out and write down your fitness and

exercise routine for the New Year IN ADVANCE

so you can hit the ground running with it straight

away without wasting any time. The longer you leave

it, the longer it will take to build up a great fitness

routine again.

13. Try intermittent fasting. There are different

ways to do it, 5:2, 18:6, or two meals per day. There

is plenty of information on how to do it. Fasting,

although tough to begin with, will help you to burn

all the excess fat, and definitely gets less challenging

the more you do it.

14. Sleep. Sleep. And sleep some more. Rest your

body and ensure you get enough sleep. This will help

you feel fresher and more focused ready to fight for

your goals.

Raúl and everyone at the Ambition Personal

Training team wish all of our lovely J’AIME

readers a happy, healthy, festive holiday. For more

information or tips on how to stay healthy and not

‘fall off the wagon’ so to speak, please get in touch

with Raúl at raul@ambitionpt.co.uk

44

Whether you’re planning a dinner for two or a large party with friends,

family or work colleagues this Christmas, you’re sure to enjoy our good

food coupled with friendly service at Moor Hall Hotel & Spa.

Located in Lichfield city centre, The George Hotel offers the

perfect combination of good food, friendly service and relaxing

atmosphere to really soak up the spirit of the festive season.

Enjoy a festive three course lunch or dinner in the elegant

surroundings of our 2AA Rosette restaurant.

Lunch: Thursday to Saturday: £23.50, includes a glass of prosecco.

Sunday Lunch: £28, children under 12: £17.50

Dinner: Monday to Friday: £31.50, Saturday: £35.50

The ultimate pre-Christmas treat!

Our Festive Afternoon Tea includes a wonderful selection of

sweet and savoury treats for you to enjoy in our cosy Lounge bar.

£17 per person

Moor Hall Drive, Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield B75 6LN

0121 308 3751 www.moorhallhotel.co.uk

Bird Street, Lichfield, WS13 6PR

01543 414822 www.thegeorgelichfield.co.uk

Jean Lamb Wealth Consultancy

My offices are situated in the historic city of Lichfield and I have been providing personal

wealth management advice to my clients for more

than 25 years.

I specialise in the following key areas

and welcome your enquiry:

• Investment Planning

• InheritanceTax and Estate Planning

• Pre and Post-Retirement Planning

• Care Fees Planning and Funding for Care

Telephone: 01543 417342

Website: www.jeanlamb.co.uk

Email: jean.lamb@sjpp.co.uk

Office: 6A Market Street, Lichfield, WS13 6LH

Jean Lamb Wealth Consultancy is an Appointed Representative of and represents only St. James’s Place Wealth Management Plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority)

for the purpose of advising solely on the Group’s wealth management products and services, more details of which are set out on the Group’s website www.sjp.co.uk/products.

T R AV E L

Family time in Sri Lanka

ABI NORTHAGE TRAVELS TO THE INDIAN OCEAN ISLAND WITH HER

TWO TEENAGERS TO SAMPLE WHAT SRI LANKA HAS TO OFFER

I had very, very high hopes ahead of my trip to Sri

Lanka, having had so many colleagues recommend

it to me. What made the trip even more special was

that I would be sharing it with my husband and three

youngest children, aged 11, 13 and 15, who have

been fortunate enough to travel a fair bit, but really

had very little experience of Asia. We were all going

into it with fresh eyes, and a lot of excitement.

From the off, Sri Lanka seemed just as wonderful

as my colleagues had promised. We were met at the

airport by Saman, our friendly, sunny and eversmiling

guide, who scooped us up into the car (and

the welcome A/C) and onto the hotel. Out of the

window, we marvelled at the bustling towns – a riot

of people, animals and tropical flora and fauna.

My children were particularly stunned by a family

of five travelling on a single moped, whilst

navigating the somewhat unorthodox

highway codes and dodging the roaming

cows and dogs!

We arrived at an oasis of calm and

tranquility, as if someone had pressed pause

on all that had been going on around us.

The Notary’s House is true hidden gem, and

just an hour from the airport - as a family,

we try to keep drive times as short as possible

as my youngest suffers with travel sickness,

which our travel agents RB Collection made

a priority when planning my trip. Already we

could feel the stress of our day-to-day lives

slipping away.

Thrilled as I was to be here, I had

seen the pictures and knew that the

Notary’s House would be lovely. The

real surprise was just how warm and

generous the people we met were.

Amil, the manager of the hotel, took

us himself to a local temple for an

evening Poya festival, and we were

quite taken aback by the welcome.

People shared their floral offerings

with us and encouraged us to take

part in candle lighting. At no point did

we feel we were intruding. Quite the

opposite; we were made to feel a part

of what was going on.

Our next stop was The Mudhouse in Anamaduwa,

somewhere I was beyond excited to be visiting. As

with Notary’s, I had an idea of what The Mudhouse

would look like – traditional mud huts with thatched

roofs, set over 100 acres of rural land. But I had no

idea what it would really feel like to be there.

I’m struggling to find the right way to convey how

The Mulhouse makes you feel. There is no electricity

and no Wi-Fi, so you are really switched off and

back to nature, but it’s much more than that too. It’s

the nature trails, with a multitude of birdlife; it’s the

acres of organic farmland, which are used to create

the most delicious food. It’s the ethos of sustainability

and respect for the community. It’s the fact that when

TEA PLANTATIONS

IN HAPUTALE

46

PREPARING A SRI

LANKAN FEAST

we climbed to a nearby temple, our guide surprised

us with a kite – a gift for the children – which they

flew from the top over the magnificent views.

On our final day here, as I stood at the rustic

afternoon tea pagoda looking out over the lake, an

eagle circling above and a stillness in the air, I felt

that The Mudhouse not only feeds your mind and

body, its feeds your soul, with all that it is and all that

it achieves for everyone that visits it and works there.

In short, I LOVED it – can you tell?!

Then came my first negative surprise of the trip.

Of course, you know in theory that Sri Lanka is a

tropical country, and that monsoon-level rains can

happen at any time – but you don’t really expect it

to happen on your holiday! As it bucketed down on

our journey to Kandy, I couldn’t help but feel a little

bit disappointed. But little did I know that some of

my favourite moments of the trip were yet to come –

despite the rain, and sometimes because of it!

I have long been a fan of The Jungle Book (the

original, of course), and on arrival at Ellerton, our

fabulous hotel in Kandy, I felt like I had stepped

right into it: glorious exotic plants and lush green

landscapes – which, surprisingly, against the

backdrop of the tropical rain, were all the

more beautiful. So, on our first day, the boys

and I challenged ourselves to a bit of an

adventure climb, known for its views. We

couldn’t help but laugh at the weather – and

the image of our lovely guide walking down

the hill, with his multi coloured golfing

umbrella, that had blown inside out too

many times to stay up, wrapped around

his head, will cause us to fondly chuckle

for many a year (I only wish I had taken a

photo)! But all was not lost, that evening

our British stoicism was reward by our

lovely hosts at Ellerton, when after dinner

a movie under the stars had been set up for

us, playing none other than… The Jungle

Book!

Another example was our visit to a local

tea plantation. The tea-pickers showed

us their daily duties, some in bare feet,

telling us that they were going to get wet

anyway! We were the only tourists there,

we really felt privileged to be able to get

a glimpse into their world, which was

enhanced by an unscheduled stop at the

tea pickers’ houses on the way home. It

was an eye-opening experience.

The following day, it was time to move

on to our final stop, some well-deserved

R&R at the beach! As some of us can’t

sit still for too long, we decided to take

a local train down to Galle for the day.

We thoroughly enjoyed weaving our way

through Galle Fort, browsing in the shops, grabbing

a bite to eat and enjoying some rather delicious ice

cream. However, it was the train journeys that I

enjoyed the most. It was hot and overcrowded but

packed with all walks of life, and we felt immersed in

the local community – and all for the price of £1.75

for a family of five. What’s not to love?!

So, did Sri Lanka live up to my expectations? I think

you can guess my answer: absolutely! Before going,

I understood that the country had amazing things

to offer “on paper” – wildlife, scenery, beaches and

more – but experiencing these things in person felt

even more magical than I could have imagined. Even

when the weather meant that days didn’t go quite as

planned, we were still able to make memories that

will last a lifetime.

To plan and book your holiday to Sri

Lanka, contact RB Collection’s Sri Lanka

specialist Samuel Cooper on 01543 258631,

or email vip@rbcollection.com. Visit RB

Collection, just 1.5 miles outside of Lichfield

next door to the Co-Op with free parking

(appointments recommended).

CRICKET ON THE BEACH IN

SRI LANKA

47

J’AIME EXCLUSIVE

SRI LANKA

READER OFFER

MENTION J’AIME WHEN YOU BOOK

YOUR HOLIDAY TO SRI LANKA WITH

RB COLLECTION BEFORE DECEMBER

31, 2019, TO TRAVEL ANYTIME AND

RECEIVE A COMPLIMENTARY ‘RURAL

FARM VISIT’ FOR TWO PEOPLE. YOU’LL

RECEIVE AN INSIGHT INTO LOCAL RURAL

LIFE AND GENUINE INTERACTION WITH

THE PEOPLE AND FAMILIES LIVING AND

WORKING ON THE FARM. A HANDS-

ON EXPERIENCE, YOU’LL ALSO ENJOY

AN AMAZING FEAST ALL COOKED

BY THE FARMING FAMILY FROM THE

FARM PRODUCE, YOU MAY EVEN GET

THE OPPORTUNITY TO DRIVE A TUK

TUK! APPLICABLE TO NEW TAILOR-

MADE BOOKINGS ONLY MADE BEFORE

DECEMBER 31, 2019, WHEN MENTIONING

J’AIME MAGAZINE.

SRI LANKA

FACT FILE

TIME DIFFERENCE:

GMT + 5 HOURS

CURRENCY:

SRI LANKAN RUPEE

FLIGHT TIME:

10.5 HRS DIRECT (FLIGHTS ALSO FROM

REGIONAL AIRPORTS VIA EUROPEAN

CITIES OR THE UAE).

BEST TIME TO VISIT?

WEST AND SOUTH COASTS AND HILL

COUNTRY FROM DECEMBER TO MARCH,

EAST COAST FROM APRIL/MAY TO

SEPTEMBER.

WHERE CAN YOU COMBINE IT WITH?

INDIA, MALDIVES, UNITED ARAB

EMIRATES

EXAMPLE PACKAGES:

RBCOLLECTION.COM/SRILANKA

ENCOUNTER AMAZING

FLORA AND FAUNA

48

THE TEAM AT J’AIME WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL

OF OUR ADVERTISERS, READERS AND SUPPLIERS

FOR ALL OF THEIR SUPPORT IN 2019 - WISHING

YOU ALL THE BEST FOR THE FESTIVE SEASON.

Happy Christmas!

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADVERTISE IN THE JANUARY

ISSUE CONTACT JAN ASHLEY ON 07388 335931 OR

EMAIL ADVERTISING@JAIMEMAGAZINE.COM

J’AIME

/jaimemagazine

@jaimemagazine

www.jaimemagazine.com

The Spa at Moor Hall is the perfect place to escape,

unwind and enjoy a day of pure relaxation at its best.

Our Spa Days all include tea or coffee and toast on arrival, use of

the facilities including gym, indoor pool, spa bath, sauna and steam

room, access to fitness classes, exclusive access to our Spa

Relaxation room, lunch, refreshments and use of a robe for the day.

Includes a 25 minute warming lava shell massage,

a hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows,

and 4 hours in our Spa with full use of the facilities.

£47 PER PERSON

Available Monday to Friday until 31st December 2019.

£10 supplement for weekends. Limited places only.

Moor Hall Drive, Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield B75 6LN

0121 334 2323 www.moorhallhotel.co.uk

LO CA L A R E A

What’s On Christmas

YOUR GUIDE TO SOME OF THE BEST FESTIVE ENTERTAINMENT AROUND

SUTTON COLDFIELD, LICHFIELD, BIRMINGHAM AND BEYOND THIS MONTH

WHAT: BIRMINGHAM ROYAL BALLET - THE NUTCRACKER

WHERE: BIRMINGHAM HIPPODROME

WHEN: UNTIL DECEMBER 14

Birmingham Royal Ballet’s evergreen production of The Nutcracker

has been part of the city’s Christmas tradition since 1990 and returns to

Birmingham Hippodrome for Christmas 2019.

Join young Clara as she is swept away into an enchanting winter

wonderland of dancing snowflakes and a Sugar Plum Fairy. Her magical

Christmas tree and her handsome prince with his army of toy soldiers

are an unforgettable delight. In this most festive ballet, gigantic sets, lavish

costumes, 60 dancers and a full orchestra combine to make the perfect

Christmas treat for the entire family.

This world-famous production by Sir Peter Wright, with exquisite designs

by John Macfarlane, is acclaimed as one of the best. For more details visit

www.birminghamhippodrome.com

WHAT: THE OVERTONES CHRISTMAS PARTY

WHERE: BIRMINGHAM SYMPHONY HALL

WHEN: DECEMBER 3

Multi-platinum-selling vocal harmony group The Overtones return to

Birmingham this month as part of their annual Christmas UK tour - the first

since Welsh singer and songwriter Jay James joined the band earlier this year.

Jay’s arrival heralds the start of an exciting new era for the group, which has

had five top 10 albums and nine sold-out UK tours.

The Overtones will be performing classic songs from yesteryear and favourites

from their albums, alongside plenty of surprises. Over the last 10 years The

Overtones have learnt a thing or two about throwing a Christmas party, and

the audience can expect to let their hair down, get their spirits up and dance

their hearts out. For more details visit www.thsh.co.uk

WHAT: HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS

WHERE: THE ALEXANDRA, BIRMINGHAM

WHEN: DECEMBER 3 TO 7

The Grinch discovers there’s more to Christmas than he bargained for

in this heart-warming and hilarious musical, based on Dr. Seuss’ hugely

popular best-selling books made famous by the film adaptions. Join in the

Christmas spirit with the show critics have called ‘A genius of a show! A

total delight for both kids and adults’.

Magnificent sets and costumes inspired by Dr. Seuss create the whimsical

world of Whoville, while Max the Dog narrates the story of the scheming

Grinch whose heart is ‘two sizes too small,’ as he decides to steal Christmas

away from the Whos, an endlessly joyful bunch bursting with holiday cheer.

Starring Ed Baker-Duly as the Grinch and X Factor’s Matt Terry as

Young Max, the show features the songs You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch

and Welcome Christmas. For more details visit www.atgtickets.com/

birmingham

50

WHAT: ALADDIN

WHERE: SUTTON COLDFIELD TOWN HALL


If you could have three wishes what would they be? To ride a magic

carpet to a faraway desert? To befriend a dazzling Chinese Dragon?

To fall in love with the most beautiful person in the world? All of these

wonderful things are within Aladdin’s reach… but life is never that easy.

A whole host of colourful characters join our hero in his story as he

struggles to see that good is rewarded and that bad is punished. There’s

the wicked imposter Abanazar who poses as Aladdin’s long-lost uncle.

There’s the beautiful Princess Jasmine and her bullying mother the

Empress Double Chinn… and in her laundry, poor old Widow Twankey

and Wishee Washee must wash a mountain of smalls for the Royal

Wedding!

The Production Exchange returns to Royal Sutton Coldfield Town Hall

with a magnificent cast of professional actor-musicians who ask you to

spend two hours in the company of some of the greatest characters in

the world of pantomime, fighting the good fight in some of the most

exotic places.

For more details call the box office on 0121 296 9543 or visit

www.suttoncoldfieldtownhall.com

WHAT: THE CATHEDRAL ILLUMINATED - IN THE BEGINNING

WHERE: LICHFIELD CATHEDRAL


The award-winning spectacular light and sound show named the ‘Best

Event in Staffordshire’ for three years running is back for Christmas.

The artistic collaboration Luxmuralis returns to transform Lichfield

Cathedral inside and outside using stunning sound and light projections.

‘The Beginning’ will complete the journey of Space, Light and Time

following this year’s theme, and is a stunning and spectacular experience

for all the family to enjoy - the perfect beginning to Christmas.

This year the show also features ‘In the Image and Likeness: A

Constellation of Images’ artwork by Peter Walker working with

thousands of school children in the area. For more details visit

www.lichfield-cathedral.org

WHAT: SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARVES

WHERE: BIRMINGHAM HIPPODROME

WHEN: DECEMBER 21 TO FEBRUARY 2

Mirror, Mirror on the wall, don’t miss the fairest panto of them

all! Following last year’s high-flying adventure Peter Pan, this year’s

unmissable pantomime, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, comes to

Birmingham Hippodrome for Christmas 2019.

With Birds of a Feather’s Lesley Joseph as The Wicked Queen,

Hippodrome panto favourite Matt Slack as Muddles, X Factor winner

Joe McElderry as The Spirit of The Mirror, Coronation Street’s Faye

Brookes as Snow White, joined by Britain’s Got Talent finalists Flawless,

Midlands YouTube phenomenon Doreen Tipton, the return of panto

dame Andrew Ryan and break-out star of the recent London Palladium

revival of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jac Yarrow

as The Prince, there really is no end to the talent in this year’s panto

spectacular!

Snow White is brought to life with beautiful costumes and stunning

set designs, so book early or you won’t be able to look yourself in the

mirror! For more details visit www.birminghamhippodrome.com

51

FA S H I O N

Shine on!

IT’S GLITTER AND SEQUINS AND FEATHERS OH MY, AS YOUR PARTY

WARDROBE GOES OTT FOR CHRISTMAS, SAYS AMY NORBURY

WITH festive frolics just around the corner, the race

is on to secure the best Christmas party dresses. And

there’s great news for anyone who’s just too ‘extra’

for a classic LBD - glittering crystals, whimsical

feathers and disco metallics are all key ingredients of

the late shift look this party season.

That’s right, your festive party wardrobe is all about

the drama so move over wallflowers, it’s time for the

drama queens to shine.

The key word here is ‘embellishments’ - whether you

opt for a dress, jumpsuit or co-ord combo, it’s those

added extras which will really make your outfit pop.

You can’t get much more dramatic than head-to-toe

sequins, so it’s no wonder this sparkly style staple is

leading the fashion pack for festive party fun. From

sexy long-sleeved minis to full-on glamour gowns,

anything goes - as long as it’s glitzy. For added

seasonal style points, look out for rainbow stripes

and ombre effects as an alternative to block colour

metallics.

Another over-the-top fashion hit is feathers; from

trims on dresses or skirts, to feather accessories or

full-on statement styling, be part of the fashionable

flock for party season.

Feathers have been a runway staple throughout 2019

and come into their own for Christmas to give a flirty

and fun update to your wardrobe. A cute marabou

shrug makes a stylish party cover-up, while a feathery

bag is an easy way to work the trend.

And if you can’t tear yourself away from a trusty

little black number, then remember the Plain Jane

look just isn’t going to cut it this season. Look out for

added crystals, glitter or feather trims - preferably all

three!

Whichever look you choose, more is more this

season. Your RSVP is no longer in doubt – say yes

to everything, and do it dressed in one of the best

Christmas party dresses of 2019.

SILVER SEQUIN BELTED DRESS, £48,

DOROTHY PERKINS

52

£27

£670

£145

V BY VERY SEQUIN CAMI,

LITTLEWOODS

SEQUIN VELVET MINI DRESS,

GUISEPPE DI MORABITO AT

HARVEY NICHOLS

£705

VIP FEATHER HEM

SEQUIN DRESS, LIPSY

KINGHAM FEATHER

EMBELLISHED BAG,

ROSANTICA AT HARVEY

NICHOLS

£2,580

£120

£40

£170

BRIENNE EMBELLISHED

COURTS, DUNE LONDON

CRYSTAL PAISLEY VELVET

MINI DRESS, BY DUNDAS AT

MATCHESFASHION.COM

BILLIONAIRE EMBELLISHED

BOOTS, DUNE LONDON

KNOT TWIST SEQUIN BLACK

GOLD DRESS, F&F

STRAPPY SCALLOP

SPARKLE PLEATED

MIDI DRESS, £69.50,

OLIVER BONAS

GLITTER CAPE DRESS,

£65, M&CO

53

B E AU T Y

Have yourself a

beautiful Christmas

WHETHER IT’S THAT ESSENTIAL SKINCARE SAVIOUR, THE LATEST MAKEUP PALETTE OR A GIFT

BOX BRIMMING WITH YOUR HOME-SPA FAVOURITES, GIVE THE GIFT OF BEAUTY WITH OUR

TOP TEN FESTIVE MUST-HAVES FROM HARVEY NICHOLS BIRMINGHAM

£79

£199

MARC JACOBS BEAUTY ENAMORED

WITH COCONUT GIFT SET

GHD PLATINUM+ STYLER ROSE GOLD

LIMITED EDITION GIFT SET

SHAVATA LASH GIFT SET

£40

HEAVEN SKINCARE GOLD

BEE VENOM MASK

£42

FENTY BEAUTY MOROCCAN

SPICE EYESHADOW PALETTE

£352

SOL DE JANEIRO BUM BUM

CARNIVAL DREAMS SET

£36

ESPA LUXURY SPA

COLLECTION

£150

GIFT SETS, SKINCARE AND MAKEUP COLLECTIONS ARE AVAILABLE FROM THE GROUND FLOOR

BEAUTY HALL AT HARVEY NICHOLS, THE MAILBOX AND ONLINE AT HARVEYNICHOLS.COM.

54

£45

The beauty

countdown…

HOURGLASS AMBIENT

LIGHTING BLUSH QUAD

RODIAL ROSE GOLD

COLLECTION GIFT SET

£250

INDULGE YOURSELF IN THE RUN-UP TO CHRISTMAS

WITH A SELECTION OF GLAMOROUS AND

PAMPERING BEAUTY TREATS, COURTESY OF THESE

BEAUTIFUL ADVENT CALENDARS FROM HARVEY

NICHOLS. LET THE COUNTDOWN COMMENCE...

RODIAL’S 12 DAYS OF RED CARPET GLAM ADVENT

CALENDAR, £98, FEATURES A COLLECTION OF

SKIN AND MAKEUP PRODUCTS DESIGNED TO GET

YOU PARTY READY. MAKEUP TREATS INCLUDE THE

SUEDE LIPS, WHICH SATURATES YOUR LIPS WITH AN

INTENSE MATTE PIGMENT; THE SOFT FOCUS GLOW

DROPS WHICH OFFER THE ULTIMATE ILLUMINATING

GLOW; AND THE SKINNY MASCARA, A SOFT BLACK

LASH ENHANCER FOR A NATURAL FLUTTER, WHILE

SKINCARE PICKS INCLUDE HERO PRODUCTS FROM

RODIAL’S COVETED PINK DIAMOND AND DRAGONS

BLOOD COLLECTIONS.

WITH THE ESPA PRECIOUS MOMENTS ADVENT

CALENDAR, £130, EXPLORE ESPA’S LIMITED-

EDITION COLLECTION OF PRECIOUS, HAND

SELECTED GIFTS. HIDDEN WITHIN EACH DRAWER,

YOU WILL FIND ESPA TREASURES FOR THE SKIN,

BODY AND MIND. DISCOVER NEW FAVOURITES

AND EMBRACE YOUR MOST LOVED FORMULAS,

ONE LITTLE PRECIOUS MOMENT AT A TIME.

ENVIRON SKIN ESSENTIA®

GIFT SET

FROM

£181

55

I N T H E N E W S

Luxury baby showroom

opens in Lichfield

ONE OF THE BEST MOMENTS IN PREGNANCY IS WHEN THE TIME ARRIVES TO GO PUSHCHAIR

SHOPPING - AND IT IS THAT MILESTONE WHICH WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND BABY TATE, A

LUXURIOUS BABY SHOWROOM WHICH IS NOW OPEN IN LICHFIELD.

Baby Tate was set up by mum-of-one Caroline Eley

and specialises in high-end pushchairs and luxury

nursery furniture from prestigious brands including

iCandy, Uppababy, Babyzen and Mee-go.

Caroline says: “The idea for Baby Tate was born

to ensure this important purchase is as exciting as

it should be. We have created a lovely online store

to showcase our selection of stylish prams and

pushchairs and have handpicked some luxe bundles

to make shopping for your own little bundle as easy

as possible.

“You can also visit our beautiful showroom in

Lichfield to road-test any of our products. Shopping

for your little one is a wonderfully exciting time and

our aim is to ensure you feel that with every click of

this website and every visit to our store.

“We are so excited to bring an independent baby and

BABY TATE STOCKS

PRESTIGIOUS BRANDS

INCLUDING ICANDY

LUXURY BABY SHOWROOM

BABY TATE IS NOW OPEN IN

LICHFIELD

nursery showroom to Lichfield and offer parents a

dedicated personal service. Visits to our showroom

are by appointment only in order to ensure we offer

every customer our full attention. An appointment

at Baby Tate will include a demonstration and test

drive of any of our pushchairs along with the chance

to view fabric swatches of all the colours available to

order.”

Struggling to understand what’s included in a travel

system? Don’t know what adapters are needed with

your pushchair? Don’t panic; as mum to a one-yearold

son, Caroline has first-hand knowledge which

can prove priceless when it comes to making those

big decisions.

Caroline says: “We’ve been through it and know how

confusing all the items can be! With this in mind, we

have created easy bundles for each of our brands

which puts together everything you need in one easy

purchase.

“We also offer Baby Tate Bundles, which are a

collection of baby and nursery essentials to help

you purchase exactly what’s needed for milk time,

changing and bath time!”

For more details visit www.baby-tate.co.uk

or email hello@baby-tate.co.uk. Book an

appointment to pop into the luxurious showroom

at Unit 1, Europa Way, Britannia Enterprise Park,

Lichfield, Staffordshire, WS14 9TZ.

56

M OTO R S

Life in the fast lane

AS 2019 DRAWS TO A CLOSE, J’AIME’S RESIDENT RACING DRIVER AND MOTORS

EXPERT MARTIN PLOWMAN SAYS IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO START RACING...

MARTIN HAS SET UP HIS OWN

TEAM FOR GRASSROOTS

RACERS IN THE BRSCC MAZDA

MX5 SUPERCUP SERIES.

PHOTO BY JON ELSEY

I’ve got some exciting news to share! I have started

up my very own racing team for grass-roots racers

beginning in 2020. I will be running cars for

customers in the BRSCC Mazda MX5 SuperCup

series.

No, I have not hung my helmet up just yet. I’m

still fully committed to racing at the top level in the

British GT, with my ‘happy-feet’ team mate Kelvin

Fletcher ( you may have noticed that he has hips that

could snap a car in half if you’ve been watching the

TV lately!).

After spending a lot of time researching grass-roots

motorsport and looking for the right starting point,

I landed on the BRSCC SuperCup Championship;

a one-make spec racing championship for Mazda

MX5 cars. I picked this series for several reasons.

The first point being that it is great value for money;

second-hand MX5 racing cars start at around only

£8,000!

The second reason is that the cost and maintenance

to run these cars is very low. If you were you buy

a car and carry out all of the work yourself, you

could potentially run a full season of racing for less

than £12,000. That is still a good chunk of money I

know, but for that you get to race 24 times over eight

weekends at iconic tracks like Silverstone, Brands

Hatch and Donington Park in an ultra-competitive

championship where big money can’t buy you a

trophy.

With all of the cars being virtually identical, the

difference is you - the driver.

Lastly, the main reason for picking the BRSCC

57

SuperCup series is that it is a very friendly

and inclusive paddock. They don’t care

if you are a complete beginner or have

been racing for 20-plus years. They are

grateful to have you in the championship

and are always willing to jump in and lend

a helping hand if you run into problems

with your car. It’s the opposite of cutthroat

racing that you find at the higher

levels of the sport. The most important

thing is about having fun and being part

of a community.

If you’re still reading this, it may mean

you have a motorsport itch that needs

scratching, which leads me on to my last

point today:

It’s never too late to start a racing career

Of course, the boat may have sailed with your

chances of making it onto the Formula 1 grid and

racing Lewis Hamilton, but that’s not to say you can’t

fulfil your dream of going racing.

Maybe you never had the funds to start racing when

you were younger? Maybe family commitments in

your 20s or 30s kept you from pursuing your dream?

Now that you find yourself in your 40s, 50s or even

60s, you may think it’s too late to start racing? Think

again!

Motorsport can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to

YOU COULD FIND YOURSELF ON THE

TRACK IN THE NEAR FUTURE. PHOTO BY

JON ELSEY

be. There are dozens of championships in the UK

that are geared towards low-budget amateurs who

put the emphasis on fun, affordable racing.

The MX5 Championship is a great championship

to get involved with, but there are plenty more out

there. A great resource to find information is the

Motorsportuk.org website. There you can find out

about everything from how to obtain your first racing

licence to tips on finding the right championship for

you. Alternatively, drop me an email to Martin@

MartinPlowman.racing and I will be happy to point

you in the right direction and get you on the track!

IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO GET INTO

RACING, SAYS MARTIN PLOWMAN

58

Free Valuations

at our Head Office in Fradley

Every Tuesday 9.30am - 4pm

We’re ready to help you find that hidden

gem, be it jewellery, watches, silver,

bronzes, glass, ceramics, antiques,

a work of art, stamps, an old toy,

heirlooms and collectables…...

THE LICHFIELD AUCTION CENTRE

WOOD END LANE, FRADLEY PARK, WS13 8NF

01543 251081

www.richardwinterton.co.uk

office@richardwinterton.co.uk

Come and meet our team

Medals & Militaria

Technology

FREE VALUATIONS

Sutton Coldfield

at The Trinity Centre

Church Hill, Mill Street, B72 1TF

Meet Richard and his team on these

Mondays between 2.00pm - 3.30pm

11th November 25th November

9th December 16th December

Wines & Spirits

Coins & Banknotes

More than just your local auction house

The Winterton name has been synonymous

with auctioneering throughout

Staffordshire since 1864.

INSURANCE VALUATIONS | PROBATE SERVICES

NO OBLIGATION HOME VISITS | HOUSE CLEARANCES

FIND US UPSTAIRS

Jewellery and watch

valuations every Monday

in the heart of Lichfield

St Mary’s in the Market Square

Lichfield City Centre, WS13 6LG

Mondays 9.30am-12.30pm (except bank holidays)

Cozy up this

Christmas

Cookes’ Living Collection

Where everything sits well

7 0 Y E A R S

O F Q U A L I T Y

C R A F T S M A N S H I P ,

E X P E R T A D V I C E ,

E X C E P T I O N A L

S E R V I C E

Choose well.

Buy once

C O O K E S

F O R Q U A L I T Y

& S T Y L E

S L E E P

S P E C I A L I S T

T E A M

I N - S T O R E

T H E

L A R G E S T

S E L E C T I O N

O F B E D S I N

T H E U K

S I T .

E A T .

L A U G H .

Handpicked

Collection

B Y C O O K E S

T A B L E T E C H

T E A M

I N - S T O R E

With such a fabulous selection in front of you, you may

feel spoilt for choice when you visit Cookes.

Don’t worry though. Our expert Comfort Consultants

will help you find your perfect sofa, exactly how you

want it, this Christmas.

C O M F O R T

C O N S U L T A N T S

T A B L E T I M E

28 Goosemoor Lane, Erdington, Birmingham I N - S T OB23 R E 5PN | 0121 250 5050 | cookesfurniture.co.uk

T O S H A R E T H E

G O O D S T U F F

J'AIME DECEMBER 2019

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?