05.07.15

23Head-to-toe tips for high

summer style

+ CAROLINE QUENTIN

+ WHAT TO WEAR TO WIMBLEDON

DEVON’S VINTAGE FESTIVAL:

+ PERFECT PLAYSUITS

+ CORNISH DAWNS

PLUS:

INSIDE:

WIN:

Let’s go retro!

WIN:WIN:WIN+ £130

ARTWORK+ DINNER

FOR TWO

Cober_July5.indd 1 01/07/2015 14:34:29

You could live 10 yearslonger with healthiergums Gum disease significantly increases your risk of

type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke and it'sthe biggest cause of tooth loss in the over 40’s. Is ittime you saw a gum expert?

“Many people start to show gum disease in their mid-30sand by the time they get to 45-50 they’re starting to seemore of it. It’s probably the most prevalent disease in man-kind – it’s utterly huge, and it’s an undertreated aspect ofdentistry”Dr Ben Pearson

Did you know you could live 10 years longer and keep yourteeth for the rest of your life if your gum disease was treatedproperly?

Gum disease exists in 83% of adults and is harming yourhealth by increasing your risk of type 2 diabetes, heart attackand stroke. It is the main cause of tooth loss in the over 40’sand yet it is entirely treatable.

That’s why the world of dentistry is changing, and Life Dental& Wellbeing in Exeter is leading that change.

Principal Dentist Dr Ben Pearson is passionate about reducinghis patients’ risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and othercommon life shortening conditions.

He has extensive experience in periodontology (the study ofgum health) and performs health checks on his patients toshow them healthier gums really do mean better generalhealth.

Dr Pearson also provides patients with a dietician and awellbeing coach to treat other sources of ill health such aspoor diet and sleep apnoea.

All patients who join a Life Care Plan receive free DentalHealth Checks for the rest of their life and benefit fromaffordable care with 0% finance available for some treat-ments. Patients can spread the cost of their care withpayment plans and all work is guaranteed for five years.

Life Dental & Wellbeing is open evenings and weekends andinvites new patients to enjoy a healthier, longer life.

31 Queen Street, Exeter EX4 3SR | info@lifedentalandwellbeing.co.uk | 01392 278843

83% of adults have gum disease

About Dr Ben PearsonFormer Royal Naval dentist Dr Ben Pearson is a member ofthe British Society of Periodontology, the British Society ofDental Sleep Medicine and the British Dental Association.He is passionate about helping his patients achieve optimaloral and general health.

Why choose Life Dental & Wellbeing?> Open evenings and weekends, with hours to suit you> Affordable treatment and payment plans to spread the costof your care, with 0% finance for some treatments> All Life Dental & Wellbeing work is guaranteed for five years> See our dietician and wellbeing coach> Health checks for all new patients and free Dental HealthChecks for life> All routine and complex dental work is carried out in state ofthe art surgeries using the very latest dental technologies.

> Call: 01392 278843> Email: info@lifedentalandwellbeing.co.uk> Visit: lifedentalandwellbeing.co.uk for further information

TO BOOK AN APPOINTMENT

Untitled-2 3 01/07/2015 14:42:44

33

6 THE WISHLISTThe loveliest things to buy this week

8 STEAL HER STYLEGet the look in polka dots and lace

10 WEST IN PICTURESProm queens, stilt walkers and Kim Kardashian at Glastonbury

11 CAROLINE QUENTINWhy the TV star loves life in Tiverton

12 VINTAGE TREATSDevon’s Crikey It’s Vintage festival

18 A NEW DAWNCornwall’s clever new gi� business

24 CANDY LANDIce cream colours for summer interiors

30 BEAUTYReviews, treats and more

32 PERFECT PLAYSUITSGrown up ways with all-in-ones

34 HOW TO WEAR IT Looking good at Wimbledon

41 A FRESH STARTHealthy recipes for summer days

43 DOOM... AND GLOOM? Our beer expert assesses Doom Bar

44 EATING OUTUnexpected pleasures in Plympton

46 MAN & BOYPhil Goodwin on the ideal child’s pet

contents[ [Inside this week...

‘I thought: I could do this, I’m really good at

organising things. I’ll give it a try. I invited anyone and everyone along and

it was a huge success’

Exeter’s Shelley Barns on her vintage

festival, page 12

SECRET SPOTSA top writer’s guide to the best of the Westcountry

16

32 PERFECT PLAYSUITSHow to wear an all-in-one, for grown-ups

A FRESH STARTThe healthiest breakfasts, with a little Mediterranean magic

41

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!To Jo Whiley, Boris Johnson and more...

1124 CANDY LANDAdd ice cream shades to your interiors

STEAL HER STYLE Channel Denise Lewis in polka dots and lace (and a very smart hat)8

Contents_July5.indd 3 01/07/2015 13:16:08

4

[[ [[welcome[ [

Yes, we’re in the middle of high summer now that July is here. And even if the scorching weather can’t last (or can it?!), now is the time for enjoying all that the season has to offer in this wonderful part of the world.

With this in mind, we’ve got fabulous fash-ion up for grabs, wheth-er you’re off to Wimble-don (or a match closer to home) on page 34, head-ing out to a summer party (p 36) or just look-ing for something cute to relax in at home (p32).

There are also some great offers in today’s magazine. You can win a dinner for two (see op-posite) worth at least £46 at a fabulous Pickle Shack pop-up dinner. And if you’d like to win a

very special photographic print worth £130, turn to page 18 today to fi nd out how. You’ll also be inspired, I’m sure, by the story of west Cornwall photographer Gavan Goulder’s clever idea for a business. Every day, come rain or shine, Gavan

is to be found taking pictures of the dawn on a Cornish beach.

Thanks to all his hard work (and early mornings wake-ups), you can buy any date’s dawn picture from the past ten years. It’s the

perfect gift to celebrate a special day, such as the birth of a new baby, a house move or a landmark birthday. It’s a seriously good idea, and Gavan’s pictures are truly beautiful too.

CONTACT: westmag@westernmorningnews.co.ukTel: 01392 442250 Twitter @wmnwest

@north55falmouth

Thanks @Sarah_Jane_Pitt @WMNWest for our lovely

feature in yesterday’s edition..#art #romance

#falmouth #loveCornwall

[ [You’ll be inspired, I’m sure, by this clever idea for a business

Becky Sheaves, Editor

MEET THE TEAM

Becky Sheaves, Editor Sarah Pitt Kathryn Clarke-McLeod Catherine Barnes Phil Goodwin

Hotter than July…

Tweetof the week

[A NEW DAWNFabulous photography in west Cornwall18

COVER IMAGE: Matt Austin

EdLetter_Onething.indd 4 01/07/2015 13:27:36

55

...why not try a pop up restaurant? Pickle Shack is the brainchild of Michelin-trained chef Josh McDonald-Johnson who creates delicious pop up supper par-ties in rural Devon. Josh and his team use produce from within ten miles of wherever they are cooking (except for things like chocolate and lemons, for which we forgive them!) . See www.pickleshack.co.uk for upcoming dates, which include ‘grub clubs’ in Ashburton on July 11 and Chagford on July 17.

We have a Pickle Shack voucher, redeemable for dinner for two at any upcoming event (worth at least £46) for one lucky West reader to win. Simply email your name, address and phone number to westmag@westernmorningnews.co.uk, with

Pickle Shack as the subject, by July 19. Normal terms apply.

Win

If youone thing

do

this week...

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the

West’s picks for spending your time and money this week

wishlist

Yes, we adore Adore! Jeweller Jessica Hewitt runs this little shop, selling the work she and fellow jeweller Kate Lawrence, of brand Romi Thorne, make alongside work by other designers. Look out for leather bags top-stitched with � oral motifs made by Kelly Nash and the cutest fabric baby shoes. “We are quite selective in what we stock,” says Jessica. “We don’t choose things you can easily � nd in the shop down the road, and we always have something new.” She also runs courses for couples to make their own wedding rings.Adore is at 31 Church Street, Falmouth, see www.adorecontemporaryboutique.com, or call 01326 619542

adoreStore weAdore, Falmouth

Party food

Earrings £6 M&Co

Pink handbag £22 Accessorize

Get the party going with this Lotus smokeless barbecue, £129 including charcoal and lighter fuel, from Dorset

company www.cuckooland.com

Wishlist_July5.indd 6 01/07/2015 10:34:33

7

Wishlist

Courtney high heels £75 Dune

Diamante tassle necklace£10 M&Co

Puffin Billy tea towel £10 from design duo sisters www.

marthaandhepsie.com

Cath Kidston peg bag £10 www.

daisypark.co.uk

Pretty

Elegant

Flowers

Wishlist_July5.indd 7 01/07/2015 10:35:26

8

ast week I got lost in a Devon country lane, and my Sat Nav conked out. Well, actually the

remote control ran out of batter-ies – and there aren’t any other controls.

Other models of my car (a Re-nault Scenic) have a big armrest with controls on it, but I opted for the one that has a large gap between the front seats, designed for your handbag. Isn’t that sen-sible? Why is it that every driving woman has a handbag, but no cars have a place to put them? You end up shoving it down in the footwell where your kids step on it, or it falls over and spills the contents under your passenger.

Anyway, back to the story. I’m lost, I’m in a gateway on a leafy lane with no sign-post in sight, and time is ticking before I need to be at a meeting.

I swore for a while and banged the remote control around, and when that had no effect I considered my next move. I had my work phone with me: could I phone someone?

Wait a minute, I thought, this was an iPhone and it has one of them there fancy map things on it. I had never used it before. I opened the app and it obligingly zoomed in from outer space into Europe and then the British Isles and then Devon and then me in the leafy lane. Show-offs, I thought. Those Apple people just couldn’t resist – every-thing has to be super-cool.

The trouble with Apple prod-ucts is that they never actually tell you anything. There are no words

saying “navigate to” or “where am I?” or even “show map”. There are just some icons, like a square with an arrow pointing out of it, or three parallel lines, or a heart. Everyone hails Apple products as “intuitive”, but I think they’re just a different alphabet for urban hip people, and I’ve never had lessons in urban hip-speak.

But even so I managed, to my surprise, to programme my des-

tination into the phone. Oops – bat-tery low. What if it conks out when I’m on some spaghetti junction, I thought. Wait – didn’t my car have a USB plug? And didn’t I have the charger with me?

Yes! I plugged the phone into the USB port, and then nearly jumped out of my skin. A

guitar riff started booming from my speakers. “In two hundred yards, turn left,” purred a man’s voice, sounding like he was in my ear.

“Really?” I asked. Then I got into it. I pulled on

my shades, indicated, and gave a thumbs up to my audience of cows who were watching from the fi eld. Chillin’ with my iPhone, drivin’ my Renault Scenic to work. Lis-tenin’ to directions set to the funky funky beat. Aallll riiiiiight.

Story of my life...

Gillian Molesworth

Does technology have the answers?

Gillian Molesworth is a journalist and mum-of-two who grew up in the USA and moved to north Cornwall when she met her husbandNext week: Fran McElhone on life with a new baby

talking points

L

Gold medal-winning Olympic heptathlete and sports pundit Denise Lewis looked stunning at a recent day at the races in this timelessly elegant Jacques Vert polka dot dress with lace sleeves and black satin sash. Take a tip from her style book and be clever about how you accessorise: a contemporary red clutch adds a berry bright touch that makes this look Denise’s own – and it’s a winner.

stealherstyle

OR MAKE IT YOUR OWN

Lovely lace

OPTION BSummeryLace dress£149 www.kaliko.co.uk Perfect party wear for sunny days

Wait a minute, I thought. This is

an iPhone and it has one of them there fancy map

things on it

OPTION ASmartCowl-necked lace dress £49 BHS Flatter-ing and versatile

Jacques Vert polka dot and lace dress £149

Moley_Gossip_July5.indd 8 01/07/2015 10:36:57

9

Justbetween us!Gossip, news, trendsetters and more – you

heard all the latest juicy stu here � rst!

BRAND NEW!

Good news for fans of Devon star Harry Treadaway: Cult horror series Penny Dreadful has been commis-sioned for a third run, before the second has even � nished airing. Harry, who grew up near Crediton with twin brother, Unbroken star Luke, plays Dr Victor Frankenstein in the Sky Atlantic series, which follows famous characters from 19th-century

gothic � ction. Billie Piper, Timothy Dalton and Eva Green also feature, with nine new episodes set to begin � lming in Dublin this autumn. Harry said he came to his role with no preconceptions, confess-ing: “I’ve never seen Frankenstein, so I didn’t have anything to compare it to. I just read what was in the script and went with that.” We approve.

‘Rod’s my macho man’Penny Lancaster came under fi re after suggesting on Loose Women that donning a pinny and cook-ing robs men of their masculin-ity. Penny, who’s been married to rocker Rod Stewart since 2007, said she was all for equal rights, but prefers the “hunter gatherer, the macho man, looking after the family”. Then Devon’s Kirstie Allsopp waded in to defend Penny, saying; “If she’s happy and Rod’s happy, then what does it matter?” West says: There’s always Dine In for Two deals from M&S when it’s his turn to cook. Roddy meals, anyone?

The nation’s favourite gardener has revealed he has a fantasy fall-back job – in our part of the world. In the unlikely event that the TV career doesn’t work out, Alan Titch-marsh (who’s back on our screens with makeover show Love Your Garden) con� des: “I’d de� nitely be the head gardener at Tresco on the

Isles of Scilly. “It’s a Mediterranean garden and it’s lovely and warm and sunny. That would suit me just � ne.” As for being labelled the perennial housewife’s choice, Alan adds modestly: “It’s nice to be anybody’s favourite. I feel very � attered, but I try not to take it too seriously.”

TRESCO CALLING!

MORE HARRY? YES PLEASE

Moley_Gossip_July5.indd 9 01/07/2015 10:37:47

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in pictures

Yes, it’s her: Kim Kardashian watches Kanye West at the Glastonbury Festival

Rare sight: The amazing Northern Lights were seen in Bradworthy, north Devon

King and Queen: Prom royalty at the Devonport High School prom in Plymouth

The high life: Stilt walkers were on show at the Clovelly Seaweed Festival

WIP_Top10.indd 10 01/07/2015 10:39:57

Early years: Caroline grew up in Surrey and went to the Arts Educational School in Hertfordshire. She’s best known for her TV roles as Dorothy in Men Behaving Badly and Maddie Magellan in Jonathan Creek.

Marriage: Caroline was married to the comic Paul Merton from 1990 until their 1998 divorce. She met her husband Sam Farmer in 1999 on the set of Jonathan Creek, where he was a runner. They have two children, Emily (born 1999) and William (born 2003).

Wedding: Sam and Caroline married in 2006, in Tiverton, Devon. They lived in Morebath Manor near the village of Morebath, close to Tiverton, brie� y before moving to a smaller farm nearby.

Patron: Caroline has coeliac disease (which means she cannot eat gluten, found in wheat) and she is the current patron of Coeliac UK.

Westcountry: Besides living in Devon, Caroline’s also a Westcountry fan in general. She

presented a glossy travel series in 2012 called Cornwall with Caroline Quentin.

Tiverton: Caroline is a stout defender of the mid Devon town, saying: “It is really underrated. People see it as second-rate

compared to Exeter and Taunton but I think it is a beautiful town architecturally. There isn’t a lot of money here, but if you take a stroll around it there is so much to look at.”

Train: She relies on the train from Tiverton Parkway to get to theatre work in London and says its service is

“bloody marvellous”.

Great Western Canal: Caroline loves the canal around Tiverton, saying: “We have got the canal which is � at, unlike the Devon hills! I ride my bike along it and we go for walks along the canal too.”

Adoption: Caroline’s a patron for the Exeter-based adoption charity Families for Children, together with the chef Michael Caines.

11

Born on 4thJuly

Famous people whose birthday fell yesterday (with apologies to the Tom Cruise � lm):

1 Neil Morrissey actor, 1962

2 Ronnie Ancona impressionist, 1968

3 Jo Whiley radio DJ, 1965

4 Prince Michael of Kent 1942

5 Emmeline Pankhurst su� ragette, 1858

6 Mark Steel comedian, 1960

7 Francis Maude politician, 1953

8 Paula Abdul singer, 1962

9 Kathleen Turner actress, 1954

10 Boris Johnson politician, 1964

talking points

Atishoo!

Fresh produce in season in July:

1 Courgettes

2 Rhubarb

3 Runner beans

4 Chard

5 Broad beans

6 Carrots

7 Aubergine

8 Beetroot

9 Broccoli

10 Tomatoes

DID YOU KNOW?

Caroline’s husband Sam

has just started a business

making good-for-you cosmetics for teenagers,

inspired by their two children

This week:

Famous faces with links to the Westcountry

ONE OF US

Actress and TV presenter Caroline Quentin lives near Tiverton in mid Devon

Caroline Quentin

The happy list

10 things to make you smile this week1 Ice cubes a freezer must

2 Open windows in the car

3 Evenings at the beach straight from work or school

4 Nail varnish on your toes

5 Tents let’s get under canvas

6 Men in shorts looking cool

7 Wimbledon wonderful

8 Spandau Ballet at Eden Project this Thursday

9 Bournemouth Sym-phony Orchestra in Exeter, August 1

10 Artichokes with melted butter and plenty of salt

Right now

Ten plants with pollen that causes hayfever at this time of year:

1 Pine

2 Birch

3 Plantain

4 Cedar

5 Hazel

6 Rye grass

7 Poplar

8 Plane

9 Nettle

10 Sorrel

WIP_Top10.indd 11 01/07/2015 10:40:36

12

People

Crikeyit’s vintage

With modern life often so stressful, is it any wonder that more and more people enjoy getting together for a knees up in the past? Sarah Pitt meets

some of those taking part in this year’s Crikey It’s Vintage event near Exeter

his month sees the fifth Crikey It’s Vintage event taking place here in the South West. Founded by Ex-eter’s Shelley Barns, the huge week-end festival features frocks, danc-

ing, music, classic cars and food from bygone days. Nowadays, Crikey is not the only festival of its kind by a long chalk, but it remains a favourite date on the burgeoning retro-vintage scene.This year’s event takes place in the grounds of the stately home Poltimore House near Exeter. True to the ever-expanding definition of what vintage means – the answer, in truth, appears to be whatever you want it to be – the jollities will take in every era from the 1920s right up to the 1980s, a tad alarming, perhaps, for those who re-member that decade well.Here, we catch up with some of the characters –and the outfits – to look out for at the 2015 Crikey It’s Vintage festival on July 25-26.

T

Shelley BarnsShelley Barns, 35, is the founder of the Crikey It’s Vintage events. She also manages the Vintage Trading Company, a warehouse selling old furniture and curiosities in Exeter

Shelley says: I had noticed that vintage events were really popular in other areas of the country, but at that time, back in 2011, there weren’t any in the South West. I thought: I could do this, I’m really good at organising things. I’ll give it a try. I invited anyone and everyone along and it was a huge success. We held the fair at a hotel in Exeter in July 2011, and it was jam-packed to the point where nobody else could get into the room. It went from there.

With the VE commemorations this year, there are quite a few events focusing on the 1940s, but at Crikey this year, we are going for the 1960s and 1970s. We have got a lady on a scooter on our posters, and the band we are having on the Saturday night is The Flower Power Band, a 1960s group. I thought it would be fun to do something a bit differ-ent.

I like dressing up for the fair. I have got a number of different dresses and outfits. A lot of vintage items were ‘Made in England’ and made to last. It is getting harder to find vintage things now in shops, though, and and a lot of the vintage dresses are tiny and

just too small for me. That is why people like Alison Ballard of Silly Old Sea Dog from Cornwall are great, because she makes vintage-style dresses in sizes to fit women today.

I think it is the nostalgia people like at events like Crikey. The dressing up is really fun, everybody is so friendly and they want to have a good time. People look back at ear-lier times, when life seemed to be a bit sim-pler than today.

As well as buying vintage-style clothes at the fair, people can have their hair and make up done in the pop-up beauty parlour. We will have a photographer setting up a photo booth so people can have their picture taken all dressed up.

For the first time, people will be able to camp at the fair, which I hope will draw visi-tors from further afield. We will have lots of children’s activities and music, including Electric Spank, a local funk, swing and soul band. They have a young following so I hope that will bring in a young crowd. They are really flamboyant, with great big shoulder pads – a bit eccentric and wacky. Then we will have lindy hop and jive dancing during the afternoon in the tearoom we are setting up in the house, and the South West Lindy Hoppers will be giving a live performance.

I’m just deciding what I’m going to wear – I think I’m going to go for 1950s on the Sat-urday and a 1960s outfit on the Sunday.

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Crikey It’s Vintage organiser Shelley

Barns, right, pictured with fellow vintage

enthusiast Kim Startup

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Alison Ballard is a fashion designer based in Newquay. She will be sell-ing 1950s-style dresses she creates for her fashion label Silly Old Sea Dog at Crikey It’s Vintage

Crikey It’s Vintage is a really good event, with music, vintage cars and lots of fan-tastic shopping of course. We dress up on our stand as well – mind you, I dress like this most of the time anyway!

My outfits are 1950s in style but brand new, made in England to my designs. I make dresses in sizes from 6 to 24, so quite a range. These styles are very feminine and suit all sizes. That’s what is good about reproduction vintage, because generally if you are bigger than a size 8-10 you can struggle to find vintage clothes in your size.

People can try on my dresses for size at the stand then buy them later on the website – my vintage caravan will be the changing room.Visit sillyoldseadog.co.uk

Alison Ballard

Alice says: We were at Crikey It’s Vintage last year with our camper van called Gertie. I really enjoy the event. I love to see everyone dressing up and taking part, and I can take my family along. It is a good excuse to have a knees up at the same time as doing business.

At last year’s Crikey, I had my hair done in one of the pop up beauty tents in a 1960s style, with a tiny model camper van perched in the top! I wore a dress in a 1950s style made by a woman called Katie Tackaberry. She hand makes them all; the fabric has camper vans on it. I love dressing up, I’m just a big kid really.

Because our two camper vans Gertie and Blanche will be out on hire this time, we are bringing along another one, a 1980s camper van we have just bought, to this year’s fair to camp in. We will also bring along a rare flat-backed camper van we have borrowed to show on our stand. You get a lot of vintage car enthusiasts at these events.

Because the whole Crikey event is so fun and relaxed, it is a good one for us to go along to. We got some good business last year. You can’t ask for more really, to have fun while you are working.

See www.gertiesadventures.co.uk

Alice BardwellAlice Bardwell, 35, lives near Ottery St Mary in east Devon with her partner Dan Prince and their children Hugo, two, and Tilda, 12 weeks. The couple will be at Crikey It’s Vintage this year promoting their business Gertie’s Adventures, of-fering holidays in Gertie and Blanche, two vintage Volkswa-gen camper vans they have restored

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People

Sue Watts, 50, runs Retro Trailers based near St Erth in west Cornwall with her partner Chris Parr. They make and sell ‘teardrop’ trailers, in the style of the originals from the 1940s and 1950s

Sue says: I love everything that’s in the style of the 1940s and 1950s. The teardrop caravans which my partner Chris builds from scratch are based on the original caravans from the period. Going to events like Crikey It’s Vintage is a lifestyle thing for us, we just really enjoy the day out. I’m an avid collector of vintage things anyway, and Chris is into classic cars.

Chris and I will be bringing along our latest project, a very rare 1939 Thomson pick-up truck which we have just got around to restoring. This will be its fi rst public outing.

We camp in our own teardrop trailer at the event. There is everything you need in it, including a king-sized double bed and a kitchen in the back. We build them tra-ditionally, just as they were made in the 1940s and 1950s, using the aluminium and varnished wood. I get asked all the time whether we have restored them, they look so authentic. I am really into rockabilly music and I just love the clothes of the 1950s, so I am like a child in a sweetshop at Crikey It’s Vintage.

I meet new people at shows like this one, then see them again every year, which is great for me as I live so far away from the rest of the country. I can’t wait for this year’s fair.Visit retrotrailers.info

Sue Watts

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Crikey It’s Vintage takes place on Saturday and Sunday, July 25 and 26. A weekend pass for a family of four, including camping, is £35. Call 01392 431682 for tickets, or see www.facebook.com/CrikeyItsVintage for more information

Vintage_July5.indd 15 01/07/2015 10:44:11

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My Secret Westcountry

Karen SwanKaren Swan’s latest novel is set in north Cornwall, where she is a regular visitor. She lives in East Sussex with her husband, three children and ‘two dogs with ADHD’. She has sold more than 100,000 copies of her novels

My favourite...

Walk: Along the grassy dunes of St Enodoc’s golf course, stopping via the church nestled in the dunes, en route to Daymer Bay.

Beach: Church Cove at Gunwalloe on The Lizard. It’s got it all - cliff walks, the most charming café selling buckets, spades, good coffee and hot pasties; an ancient church just a yard from the sand and brilliant rocks for rock-pooling when the tide’s out.

Arts venue/festival: The Rock Oyster festi-val, which takes place on Friday and Saturday this week (July 10 and 11) in north Cornwall. The location is just stunning and it’s got the most wonderful specialist food stalls.

Activity: Surfi ng on my ancient wooden board

at Polzeath. Unlike the modern chunky boogie boards, you do actually need some technique to ride a wave on one of these babies. I’m deter-mined to progress onto real stand-up surfi ng next.

Food: It has to be the humble Cornish pasty. I’m very strict about when I will allow myself to have one. I wouldn’t dream of having one just anytime, sitting at a table. I have to be either sit-ting on the beach or have just come off it, with the sand still in my toes.

Tipple: A Doom Bar beer. I’m not a beer drinker but I do steal large sips of this from my husband when he’s not looking.

Pub: The Mariner’s in Rock and The Halzeph-ron Inn, en route to Gunwalloe. They do the best scampi and had a playroom for kids which was a

Kynance Cove

Treverra Cottage

Rock Oyster Festival

Karen Swan

MyWestcountry_July5.indd 16 01/07/2015 10:45:18

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Karen’s latest Pan paperback, Summer at Ti any’s, is set in Cornwall. It comes out on Thursday July 9, £7.99

People

lifesaver for us when ours were younger.

Restaurant: The Blue Tomato café in Rock for its Malteser milkshakes and salt and pepper squid. I could sit on the terrace and watch the tide ebb and fl ow here all day. The service isn’t fast but it is friendly, which I rate.

Way to relax: Cycling the back lanes between Rock and Trebetherick.

Weekend away or over-night stay: I would always take any and every opportunity to stay at Treverra Cottage in the Porthilly area of Rock. Its infi nity pool is a work of art - the cover alone is like some-thing from a Bond fi lm, rising in a wall from the bottom of the pool - and I love the chunky, weathered, rustic feel of the house, the cows grazing in the neighbouring fi elds and the views over to Padstow. See for yourself at www.perfectstays.co.uk.

Shop: There are so many gorgeous boutiques

in Padstow - I always hanker after kitchen goodies from the Stein’s store, even if it’s just a chic tea towel, and there are some really great art gal-leries too. And I can’t walk past Quba without going in and buying something striped.

Treat: A Roskilly’s honeycomb ice cream. It’s so hard to fi nd anywhere else in the country but we’ve been to the Roskilly dairy on The Lizard several times so as a family we remain faithful to it and I won’t buy any other brand when we’re down here.

‘Secret’ place : The lagoon on the back beach at Kynance Cove. You can only get to it at low tide and most people who visit don’t even realise it’s there. The waters are clear turquoise and really deep. I love cliff jumping from the rocks into the lagoon - it’s so cold, it

takes your breath away. I used this location for a key scene in my new book, Summer at Tiffany’s.

Unlike modern boogie boards,

you do need some technique

to surf on a wooden board [[

Padstow

MyWestcountry_July5.indd 17 01/07/2015 10:45:58

18

A new dawn...Every morning, come rain or shine, a picture is taken of the sun rising over

a Cornish beach. Viki Wilson � nds out more about a remarkable ten-year photography project that is also a clever (and successful) gi� business

t may not be true to say that it is always darkest before the dawn, but as I carefully make my way down the pathway towards Porthkidney beach with photographer Gavan

Goulder at 6am, it certainly feels that way.Getting up in the pre-dawn hours has been a

way of life for Gavan for nearly ten years now, ever since he had the inspired idea for his pho-tography business, called The Day That, which offers framed photographic prints of the dawn on special dates. Thanks to Gavan, you can buy such images as the day a child was born, or the day a couple was married.

It is a wonderful idea for a gift business, and The Day That is now a thriving concern which boasts celebrity endorsements from the likes of Elton John and Spice Girl Emma Bunton.

Every morning, 365 days of the year, come rain

or indeed howling, lashing gales, Gavan and his team of photographers are out before the dawn, to take photographs of the sun as it rises over beaches of West Cornwall, near Gavan’s home in Carbis Bay and The Day That studio in Hayle.

The result is a truly remark-able archive of p h o t o g r a p h s capturing the mood and pecu-liar beauty of each and every single morning, dating back to midsummer’s day in June, 2005. It was on this morning, shortly after the birth of Gavan’s daughter, Ella, that he fi rst began to cap-ture the sunrise.

“I fi rst had the idea when my best friend and

his wife had their fi rst baby back in 2000,” ex-plains Gavan. “After I heard the baby had been born, I went out and took a landscape photograph of a lone tree, and had it printed and framed, and I gave it to them with the frame inscribed with

the words: ‘6th April 2000, Ted-dy’s First Day’.

This idea for a business marked a departure from Gavan’s initial career path as a press photogra-

pher for The Telegraph and other leading maga-zines and newspapers. As a news photographer Gavan travelled widely, documenting the rapidly changing life of Bedouin tribes on the Arabian Peninsula and, for one memorable assignment,

I

[[ ‘I framed the picture, inscribed with the words: 6th

April, Teddy’s � rst day’

Sunrisefeature_July5.indd 18 01/07/2015 12:34:58

19

PeopleGavan Goulder and his

team take pictures of every Cornish dawn

Sunrisefeature_July5.indd 19 01/07/2015 12:35:19

20

he was one of the first photographers to take pictures of the lavish, brutal dictator Nicolae Ceaucescu’s vast palace after the 1989 revolution in Romania. For more than a decade Gavan’s pho-tography featured in national news pages, until he and his wife Lis made the decision to move to Cornwall where they settled, and in 2005, had their first child, Ella.

“Ella was born in May, and I went out the very next morning and photographed her first sunrise,” says Gavan. “Then I waited a couple of weeks, because I wanted to start my series of dawn photographs on a day of some import, and midsummer seemed a good time to start.”

Today, nearly ten years on, Gavan and his team of photog-raphers have never missed a day although, as there are now four photogra-phers working on the project, there is time for the occasional week off.

“We rate the mornings from 1 to 5,” Gavan ex-plains to me as we set up the camera overlooking the smooth, wide sweep of Porthkidney beach. “A glorious morning, where the sky is streaked with crimson and beautiful colours is a 5, and a terrible day, when rain is lashing, the wind is fe-rocious and you can barely see a thing, is rated a 1.” Gavan pauses for a moment and gazes sadly at the flat grey tones in the sea and sky on the grim morning that is gradually unveiling itself before us. “Today would be about a 2,” he decides.

What the team pride themselves upon, howev-er, is their ability to find the magic in any morn-

ing, even in the worst weather. “The staff at the Carbis Bay Hotel once told me they’d spotted a lone figure on the beach on a shockingly bad day when it was heaving down with rain,” says Gavan. “They wondered who on earth would be out taking photographs on such a morning and they realised it was me.” On a day like that, Gavan and his team use slow shutter speeds to transform the movement and motion of the waves into smoke-like wisps. On other days, the team have found viewpoints that can convey the ethereal beauty of dense rocks against curling tendrils of thick fog.

It is a critical skill, because the very essence of the photo-graphic gifts that Gavan and the team create, is that they capture dawn on a par-ticular date – the date a new baby arrives, the date a family moves into a new home,

or - in one memorable case - the day a woman woke up celebrating the first day of her new life after a divorce.

“We do get asked how we can guarantee a pho-tograph was taken on a particular day,” says Gavan. “We can reveal the data embedded in the digital file of the image, and people could check the historical weather data in the location the photograph was taken. We do offer to supply this evidence, but the truth is, no-one has ever asked us for it. Because, of course, if we cheated, even once, it would mean the end of the business, and so we would never do it.”

Honesty is a theme that runs through the whole

‘We rate the mornings from 1 to 5. A glorious morning where the sky is streaked

with crimson is a 5’[ [

Sunrisefeature_July5.indd 20 01/07/2015 12:35:43

21

People

Gavan takes a picture of the Cornish dawn every day

Sunrisefeature_July5.indd 21 01/07/2015 12:36:03

22

People

enterprise, and this is evident in the very careful processing of the images. Any alterations are ex-tremely minimal. The photographs represent, as closely as possible, exactly what the dawn looked like to the visible eye.

“We have a saying, ‘it is what it is’,” explains Gavan. And we both sigh quietly as we look at the sky, which shows barely any hint of colour as it slowly lightens against the silhouette of the Gwithian dunes.

I have some training in photography but it takes all Gavan’s expertise and help for me to make the most of this morning. After shooting some images of from the cliff edge, we clamber down to the sand and I take some more photo-graphs with slow shutter speeds. This way, I cap-ture the gentle movement of the waves, and the soft differentiation of greys and blues that are shifting with the sunrise.

And, incredibly, we do capture some beauti-ful images. They are not the show-stopping sea-scapes of golden shimmers over the sea and rose-hued streaks on the horizon. But they convey the quietness and softness of this particular morn-ing in a way that is somehow soothing.

Back at Gavan’s studio in nearby Hayle, I select and edit my best photograph of the dawn. As we print and carefully frame my image, I am pleased with what I have captured on this grey morning.

“There was a time when I struggled with it, the idea of having the get up every day, even on rainy or wintry days,” admits Gavan.

“But a very good friend of mine told me: ‘Just put your feet on the floor each morning and tell yourself ‘this is my time’. And that is what I do, that is how I get up every day.”

To find out more about Gavan’s Cornish sunrise project and and to order a The Day That print, visit www.thedaythat.co.uk

Win a photographic print worth £130You can win a beautiful photographic The Day That print of the Cornish dawn on the day of your choice, worth £130, taken on any date in the past ten years. To enter, send your name, address and contact details to The Day That competition, westmag@westernmorningnews.co.uk to arrive by July 17. Normal terms apply

Sunrisefeature_July5.indd 22 01/07/2015 12:36:33

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Untitled-2 1 01/07/2015 15:10:53

24

ummer has just got that bit sweeter, with sugary shades starring on the decor menu.

Think mouth-watering tones of vanilla, strawberry pink, pis-

tachio, butterscotch and lemony yellow, and either use them sundae style – by whipping up a delicious mix – or simply add single scoops of colour to lift a room.

“The most delicious colours of summer this year are definitely the ice cream shades, which capture the essence of a day at the beach,” says Marianne Shillingford, creative director at Dulux.

Dulux has recently introduced its own range of tempting pastel shades, which can be mixed up in a variety of paint formats from its MixLab.

“You can create your own decorating sundae, with creamy Vanilla Scoop between layers of chocolatey Rope Swing and the butterscotch hints of Sandy Steps from our range,” says Marianne. “These colours have

been designed to evoke the essence of the sea-side, and what’s so lovely about them is that they look warm but fresh during the day, and soft and flattering once the sun’s gone down.”

Many interior design-ers suggest using different shades of pretty pastels for walls, woodwork and furni-ture, to create an easy-on-the-eye harmonious atmos-phere for your sitting room, dining room or kitchen.

There are plenty of options to choose from, with wall-papers, tiles and paint in an irresistible palette of candy colours which will help to create a playful, fun look in a room.

“There’s no easier way to add colour to your interi-ors than to experiment with soothing pastel tones,” says Jenny Seabrook, buyer at Topps

Tiles. “They’re renowned for their mood-enhancing qualities but – as with any colour – too many shades in a single room can be overwhelming. Ideally, you should pair just

one or two pastel colours with a neutral.

“White or cream will sharp-en pastel shades or, if you prefer, combine a trio of pale, subtle shades for a more femi-nine, girly scheme.

“Think sugar rose pink, lilac and icy blue, and then define the room by accessorising with natural wood tones and soft metallics, for a calm, ro-mantic look.”

You could go for shutters in a more intense pastel shade, to complement the same shade used in a paler incarnation

for the walls, suggests Mark Carter, direc-tor of shutter specialists Shutterly Fabulous.

S

Treat rooms to some ice cream inspired updates. Gabrielle Fagan scoops up the sweetest summer buys

Sweet stu�

‘There’s no easier way to add

colour to your interiors than to experiment with soothing pastel

tones’ [[

Fella sofa in jade vintage linen £1,095 and Tuppence rug, £165

www.loaf.com

Interiors_July5.indd 24 01/07/2015 10:48:43

25

Mint green shutters, from £290 a square metre,

www.shutterlyfabulous.com

Interiors

Interiors_July5.indd 25 01/07/2015 10:49:03

26

“A palette of pretty pastels, enlivened by dashes of citrus brights, will set the tone for summer,” says Mark.

“Make the most of natural light and have white or a pale pastel on walls, and then add interest with a deeper version of the pastel shade. So for instance, try pale green walls with a block of mint green for shutters or paintwork.

“To bring more vibrancy, you could acces-sorise with a bright citrus yellow.”

One of the simplest ways to inject some candy colour into your room, just for the summer, is through a judicious sprinkling of accessories. You could put some pretty ice cream cone styled glasses (available at £14 each from the Royal Academy Shop, see op-posite) on the shelves in your kitchen.

Or you could paint plain wooden chairs in your favourite pastel hues. Furniture com-pany Neptune has this new Harrogate chair, available in Peppercorn Pink, £270 each (pic-tured opposite). But if the budget’s tight, simply spray paint some old chairs yourself.

Interiors

This romantic bathroom uses pastel La Dolce Vita

patchwork tiles, £10.99 for a box of four, from

Topps Tiles

Pastels can work equally well on wallpaper, as with this Hampus wallpaper by Sandberg, £60 per roll, www.wallpaperdirect.co.uk

Pastel pink lends itself well to the slim and stylish Artelinea

Monolite bathroom storage range, from £1,500, www.cphart.co.uk

Interiors_July5.indd 26 01/07/2015 10:49:30

27

Interiors

LOOKMake your home look sweet with these candy-coloured best buys

GET THE

Louis Poulsen collage pendant £610 www.royaldesign.co.uk

Matt emulsion paints £4.49 from Dulux MixLab

Harrogate chair in peppercorn pink £270 www.neptune.com

Lemon ice cream glass £14 Royal Academy shop

www.royalacademy.org.uk

Ice cream tray £15.99www.english-table.com

Set of three cases £17.95 www.tittlemouse.co.uk

Interiors_July5.indd 27 01/07/2015 10:49:59

28

ANNE SWITHINBANK

Helpfulpests

Gardens

Devon’s Anne Swithinbank, panellist on Radio 4’s Gardeners’ Question Time, considers the role of natural predators

he shoot tips of our broad beans were so thick with blackfl y, you’d have been hard-pressed to wiggle a pin between them and the infes-tation was a bad one, spreading to

pods developing below. My reaction to pests is pitched somewhere between resignation and fascination, so the fi rst step was to arm myself with a magnifying glass and study the situation properly.

For a while, I was lost in a world of cluster-ing, wriggling blackfl y but amongst them were quite a few ladybird larvae, each resembling a small lizard-like creature of slate grey, decorated by yellow dots. Each will eat around 400 aphids before pupating and adult ladybirds consume maybe 70 a day. Some were already reaching full size and hunching over to pupate into blobby little yellow and black structures. Others looked small and newly hatched from ladybird eggs.

No way was I going to spray the aphids and risk killing these helpful, free biological con-trols. That would be like taking one step forward, before running backwards fast. In fact, the blackfl y colonies were already half dead and on the wane. On closer inspec-tion, predatory green fl ower bugs were scampering around and there were a few fl attened, caterpillar-like chaps – prob-ably the larvae of hoverfl ies or possibly lacewings, which both consume aphids. Small, oval bright orange bodies hardly visible to the naked eye had at-tached themselves to the aphids. These are parasitic red velvet mites which suck nourishment

from the aphids, either slowing them down or killing them. Other aphids had pale, infl ated-looking bodies, having been attacked by parasitic wasps. This was car-nage on an epic if minute scale being played out right here on my bean plants.

Had I sprayed, aphid eggs would have continued to hatch afterwards, the predatory force would have been wiped out and I’d have been forced to spray again. I would also be missing a small army of foragers breeding

T

No way was I going to spray

the aphids and risk killing these helpful, free biological

controls [[up to consume more pests during the rest of the summer. Maybe they’ll move on to the mealy cabbage aphid broken out on the perennial kales. The health of a garden depends on insects which in turn feed spiders and which both feed birds.

Greenhouses and conservatories can be hot-beds of pests, with the likes of whitefl y and spider mite tricky to get rid of. Fortunately, if you spot them quickly enough, you can send off for appropriate biological controls to arrive through the post.

For whitefl y, a parastic wasp called encarsia is usually the biological weapon of choice. They arrive as parasitized whitefl y scales and placed in a warm greenhouse soon hatch and fl y off to

Gardening_July05.indd 28 01/07/2015 12:26:51

My pumpkin plants are showing signs of mildew on their older leaves. This started when they were still in pots and I’m worried it will kill the plants before they can develop fruit.

I expect you can see silvery white patches of spores on the leaves, which then wither. Mildew is often caused by water stress. It is likely the young pumpkins became pot bound and struggled to take up enough water and nutrients. They may also have been squashed up together on greenhouse staging, with not enough air getting around the plants. Try to move them outdoors sooner to harden them off (accustom them to outdoor growing conditions) for a few days before planting out. Pumpkins need a deep, rich soil, so plenty of organic matter should have been added and the plants watered in well. Try adding a mulch now, to damp soil over the plants roots.

29

Our pond has been taken over by a rampant water iris which seems to have doubled in size since the spring. Have I left it too late to do anything to the plant? There’s hardly any water left around it.

Technically, spring is often recommended as the best time to tackle marginal aquatic plants like this but I would do it now. Haul the whole thing out of the pond and use an old kitchen bread knife to carve through the root mass (be careful and wear tough gloves). Save a tiny portion and trim the leaves to half their length. You might find the original pot inside the mass (usually a special basket). Line this with hessian and replant into ordinary garden soil or aquatic compost. Top with stones and lower back into the pond, then top the water up to the rim. Leave debris close to the pond overnight for creatures to go back in.

Q

Question time with AnneWest reader queries answered by Anne Swithinbank

Send your questions to Anne at westmag@westernmorningnews.co.uk

This week’s gardening tipsAnne’s advice for your garden

Q

• Sow beetroot, sugar loaf chicory, radicchio, Chinese cabbage, red Russian kale, kohl rabi, Swiss chard and turnips in the veg plot to keep crops coming. Chinese cabbage and pak choi are fast growing but water well and be vigilant against slugs.

• Look through bulb catalogues and order spring

flowering bulbs to be delivered for planting from September to November. Decide what will look great in borders and pots.

• Keep fruit bushes protected from birds using fleece or mesh held in place with clothes pegs. Let the fruit ripen, take what you need and then let the birds finish the fruits off.

Takea critical look at borders, decide which her-baceous perennials look great and thrive well and make a note to divide these in au-tumn and spring and enlarge their clumps, or repeat them through the border. Use them to replace unsuitable plants which are shrinking and needing regular watering to stay alive.

Ivycan be useful and is great for wildlife but it clings to walls with short stem roots and can ruin a painted house wall. Go on patrol to pull away and dig out unwanted ivy - but perhaps let a little prosper in wilder areas.

lay their eggs in more scales. To deal with the red spider mite that can cause a scorched appearance to aubergines and cucumbers, a predatory mite is the answer. Phytosieulus is larger, a brighter red, runs faster than the spider mites and intro-duced as an adult, soon sets to work.

Back outside, there are biological controls based on nematodes to control slugs, vine wee-vils, leatherjackets, caterpillars and more. These naturally occurring microscopic worms are bred up and supplied in a form that can be watered in or on. Given the correct temperature and mois-ture, the nematodes enter, say, a slug and once in, release bacteria which kill and break down

the pest which then becomes food and a breeding ground for the nematodes. There is one for ants which apparently doesn’t kill them but makes them itchy and drives them away from the nest, which then breaks up.

Ants, of course, are food for green woodpeck-ers, so as long as they are not invading the house or undermining a favourite plant, so maybe there’s a big argument for just leaving them alone (though I admit many ant nests in a small garden are a trial). The wildlife of a garden, whether friend or foe, is fascinating and the two are inextricably linked. My advice is to watch, analyse and, in most cases, leave well alone.

Gardening_July05.indd 29 01/07/2015 12:27:37

Glam it up with some glitz- loving eyeliners by Urban Decay in a choice of seven rock chick shades. £14 each www.urbandecay.co.uk

Sparkle

Restore

30

Beauty

Tried& tested

We present the best beauty cheats and treats, all trialled by West magazine’s Catherine Barnes, with help from daughter Tilly, 18

Stressed, dry skin? Keep the solution simple with this gentle cleanser – ideal for holidays when your

face has above-average exposure to the sun. Skyn Iceland Pure Cloud cleanser £22.50

www.marksandspencer.com

SOOTHING

These bath sodas fromwww.madbeauty.com will put

some fun into bathtime. £5 each.

Lippy without the sticky- try this candy

pink gloss for sheen without feeling gluey. £3.99

fromwww.newlook.com

Suitable for all skin types including problem skins, this rejuvenating oil can even be

used to balance oily skin and is infused with rose buds and

vanilla. £14 at www.trevarnoskincare.co.uk

FIZZY POP

Kiss K

iss

Beauty_July05.indd 30 01/07/2015 10:51:32

31

the review

Want a review? Send your request to westmag@westernmorningnews.co.uk

cute colour

Want a review? Send your request to westmag@westernmorningnews.co.uk

Beauty subscription boxes are the smart new way to try all sorts of interesting cosmetics. Sign up online, and then wait for the carefully curated edit of samples and full-size products to land on your doorstep. Lisa Haynes finds out more...

Colour intense for a finish that lasts, Delilah’s compact shadows come in 12 moss, heather, stones and neutrals and in matte or shimmer finishes. We like this soft Thistle and sheeny Flamingo, £20 each from delilahcosmetics.com

love lula

Fill out a beauty profile and you’ll be sent five deluxe-sized samples to suit and you can earn

points when you shop for full-size versions. Subscriptions are £12.95 per month including

delivery www.birchbox.co.uk

Expect between five to seven all- natural products in a recyclable,

no-frills box packed with natural and organic brands.Subscriptions are

£12.50 per month including delivery from www.lovelulabeautybox.com

birch box

THE PERFUME SOCIETYTry mini fragrances by both mainstream and niche perfume houses, from Coty to L’Artisan Parfumeur and Prada to Penhaligon’s. This summer’s Jet-Set Box features holiday-ready scents. Boxes are available individually at £15 (inc delivery) and don’t require a subscription www.perfumesociety.org/shop

Make sure everyone sees red, even when you’ve no time for a visit to the salon. Color Wow’s cover-up palette has pigments that will hide your roots whether your hair’s a Jessica Chastain amber or a Florence Welch flame. £28.50 at Space NK and www.colorwowhair.com

Red alert

What’s in the Box?

Beauty_July05.indd 31 01/07/2015 10:52:03

32

Let’s play

ime was, a playsuit was strictly for kids to wear – for the past couple of years they have been a must-have in the rock chick festival-goer’s ward-robe. But fi nally, this summer, the

playsuit is all grown up. Today, they can be smart or casual and often really rather elegant. Pair yours with pretty accessories channelling a nod to the 1970s like these cork wedges and a fl oppy straw hat and you’ll have your summer wardrobe all sewn up.

T

This summer’s playsuits are all grown up – and fun to wear

Jumpsuit£49 www.laredoute.co.uk

Fashion_July05.indd 32 01/07/2015 12:47:28

33

Fashion

Sandals £35www.oliverbonas.com

Glade knotnecklace £26

www.oliverbonas.com

Waterfall fine knit cardi £19 www.apricotonline.co.uk

Faye straw hat

£29 www.dunelondon.com

Halter tie floral£22.99 New Look

Wanita floral jumpsuit £99

www.phase-eight.com

Cap sleeved floral £59 www.very.co.uk

Jeanne cork wedge£25 www.linzi.com

Ralph sunglasses £90

www.visionexpress.comCami-top playsuit

£16 Tu at Sainsbury’s

Feathernecklace

£21.10www.

en.dawanda.com

Fashion_July05.indd 33 01/07/2015 12:48:00

34

Trend

im Murray is the un-disputed queen of courtside fashion. The darling of the deuces

has wowed in summery prints, cute wedges, bright solids, chic totes and on-trend prints.

Her style power even rivals that of Kate Middleton, as her choices are known to sell out online within min-utes of her taking a seat in the play-ers’ box. Yet despite having access to the country’s top design-ers (she has rocked both Victoria Beck-ham with the mint dress she wore for Andy’s Wimbledon win and Burberry for the Championships Ball 2013) she still embraces all the high street has to offer.

That’s the thing I like best about Kim, that she is still just the girl next door. Behind that perfect blowdry is someone who has to put in a bit of effort to look that polished. In my cyber-stalking of her style choices I even found pap snap where she looked just like me on any given Monday morning. Hair scraped up in a giant topknot, oversize bright scarf, jeans and a white shirt. The staple of the woman who had no time, but had tried - at least a little bit.

Therein lies the key question. Can you pull off a classic Kim Murray look, with no designer contacts and a morning routine that allows for 20 minutes at a push. The answer. Yes! But you might need to go shopping.

The key item in your quest to be the queen of the courts is a dress. Not just any dress. It needs to be well cut,

fi t like a glove, summery and very, very verstatile. It’s a good idea to take some other muses along for the journey. Kate Middleton is always a good bet, and Victoria Beckham’s polished tailored looks are a clear win in any situation.

I made a beeline for LK Bennett, a favourite of the Duchess of Cornwall, and for good reason. It may not be the cheapest of the high street stores,

but man oh man, does every dress hit the mark. Good quality fabric and truly trans-seasonal fl orals make this one in particular a real investment piece.

No shoe style shouts summer more loudly than the peep-toe wedge. Designed to combine elegance and comfort they are a fi rm favourite of Mrs Murray. These beau-ties were also a LK

Bennett fi nd, and I really could walk a section of the coast path in them. They are so comfortable.

Close behind the dress in impor-tance for triumphing at this look is the bag. You can choose between an oversized bucket style or a dinky clutch. I like a big bag. I have many essentials. My fi ancé disagrees on the ‘essential-ness’ of many of the bits I like to tote around but I like to be prepared. The joy of a large one is that it can hold your jacket (denim or leather) and I can even stash sun-cream in it, essential for any outdoor tennis watching. Even if I’m watch-ing the action on my iPhone.All fashion in these pictures is from Princesshay Shopping Centre, Exeter, www.princesshay.co.uk

Can you pull o� a classic Kim Murray look,

with no designer contacts and a 20-minute

morning routine?

Kathryn Clarke-Mcleod on how to look the part for the tennis season

HOW TO WEAR IT:

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Dress, LK Bennett Princesshay, £250

Shoes, LK Bennett Princesshay, £170

Bag, LK Bennett Princesshay, £165 (on sale)

Sunglasses, Next Princesshay, £45

TrendColumn_July5_Courtside.indd 34 01/07/2015 12:31:02

35

GET THE

look

NEW LOOK gold tote £15.99

DEBENHAMS Betty Jackson.

Black dress £49NEW LOOK

white sleeveless striped shirt dress £19.99

NEXT denim flatforms £35

REISS Delia skirt £120

DEBENHAMS RJR. John Rocha

dress £89

NEW LOOK grey stripe trousers

£22.99

TrendColumn_July5_Courtside.indd 35 01/07/2015 12:31:38

36

+

£59 Very

£20 Very

£35 Fabirs Lane sunglasses (www.stylistpick.co.uk)

£75 Cath Kidston

£28 M&Co

£55 Folli Follie

The editYour straight line to style: this week we’re off to a garden party

£18 Oliver Bonas

+

£75 Phase Eight

+ + +

+

£95 People Tree

Shop

Grid_Stars_July5.indd 36 01/07/2015 12:38:10

3537

Stars

Your starsby Cassandra Nye

LEO (July 23 - August 23)A few hiccups with fi nances are soon overcome by a strong feeling of wellbe-

ing. This has more than a little to do with your romantic inclinations, which are super-strong this week! You see romance everywhere, including where you work. With so much choice, you can afford to be picky.

VIRGO (August 24 - September 23)With such forceful planets on your side,

there is a lot that you can get done. Even so, take care not to be seen as over-ambitious and pushy. Well, you can’t hope to please every-one, can you? Socially there is some extra free time to really enjoy what you like most.

LIBRA (September 24 - October 23)Try to be forgiving and fl exible when others speak out of turn. Think of

something else when this temptation comes. Going and getting on with something different is a good idea. You are not very inter-ested in money at the moment but something needs attention.

SCORPIO (October 24 - November 22)If someone reveals their feelings this week it could put you in an awkward

position. What should your reaction be? Play for time as you try to fi gure it all out. Al-though you feel at home in your present situa-tion, don’t burn those romantic bridges just yet!

SAGITTARIUS (November 23 - December 21)A teeny bit of frustration that some-thing is not being done fast enough for

you could set in. If you are going to make a complaint then get it on and over with. How-ever, choose your words carefully so as not to make a big upset. Several things have irritated you. It will be hard to move on until they are dealt with.

CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 20)It really is time to think more of holi-days and your leisure time. However,

everyone seems to still want your undi-vided attention. Deal with them quickly and then move on. Bits and pieces of work seem to be making the most money at the moment. Al-though you want bigger things, small amounts of cash will keep you rolling.

AQUARIUS (January 21 - February 19)Someone who is out to impress and care for your needs really makes you sit up

and notice this week. Not that you are needy, but sometimes of late there may have been feelings of loneliness. Oh, we can all be lonely in a crowd, can’t we? A one-on-one rela-tionship seems right up your street.

PISCES (February 20 - March 20)Negative people and impatient bosses could sour your week. Having been fore-

warned, try to avoid them! A bit of time spent

on yourself and your own needs is essential. What you may fi nd boring now gives you super results a few months ahead.

ARIES (March 21 - April 20)Expect a mixture of fun and fi nances this week. Perhaps you will make some

cash from a hobby, or it could be that you pick up a money-making idea while taking a break. Whatever it is, keep a keen eye on the possibili-ties! Someone who made a promise may wish to take it back but fi nd it diffi cult. Get bright and sparkling by dealing with any health problems.

TAURUS (April 21 - May 21)There is a tendency to only believe what is in front of you and that could lead to

a missed opportunity this week. Be pre-pared to use your imagination and accept some ideas, at least initially, on face value. Someone close may be proving a problem when dealing with a move or new approach. First you have to win them over. Don’t give them too much atten-tion, though.

GEMINI (May 22 - June 21)You wish to get the ball rolling on a project this week but don’t know where

to start. This is where a bit of advice could come in handy. When in this sort of confusion it is best to speak to someone who has gone before you. A mixture of home life and career changes keeps you pretty busy.

Jennifer Saunders

This week’s sign: Happy birthday to...Cancer is represented by the crab, a tough protective shell which contains within it something vulnerable and so� . Cancer people can be sensitive to a lot of things, occasionally even ‘crabby’, but, under it all, they are thoughtful and kind.

born July 6, 1958Comedian Jennifer Saunders celebrates her birthday tomorrow – could it be her ability to see the funny side of life that accounts for her absolutely fabulous looks at 57? Jennifer and husband Ade Edmondson now divide their time between London and the Chagford home in Devon where they brought up their now grown-up daughters. Jennifer’s a Cancerian and those born under this star sign can be highly imaginative, creative and attuned to other people’s feelings, as well as blessed with a gi­ for mimicry. Seems Jennifer’s comedy career was mapped out by the stars!

CANCER (June 22 - July 22)Matters at work slow down this week and your thoughts may well turn to

romance and home-building. A certain amount of fl irting comes naturally. This does bring a strong response from others. Even so, be careful what you wish for as it could come sooner than you expect! A change of pace brings more leisure time and the chance to catch up with friends. Stay optimistic.

Grid_Stars_July5.indd 37 01/07/2015 12:38:30

38

Wellbeing

the boost

Life just got better. We’ve handpicked the latest wellness trends,

best-body secrets and expert advice to help you be your

best self, everyday

SWEET TREATKEEP CALM

and drink tea

How does a botanical beauty brand celebrate turning 20? Well, in Liz Earle’s case, commissioning

a soothing tea. Dragon� y Tea has blended antioxidant-packed rooibos, with chamomile,

peppermint and lemongrass to create this limited edition Inner Calm brew and it looks beautiful too.

Perfect for soothing frazzled nerves. Buy 15 sachets for £6 atwww.dragon� ytea.com

Millie Mackintosh stashed Dioralyte Relief in her Coachella festival es-

sentials kit – word is that the Made in Chelsea star (above centre) turned fashion designer, who’s married to

rapper Professor Green – recom-mends it as a hangover cure. Even if you’ve not had an upset tummy, this is a great rehydrator, whether you’ve over-imbibed the night before or are simply feeling the heat at a summer

festival. The sachets contain essential mineral salts and come in blackcur-

rant and raspberry � avours.

FESTIVAL ESSENTIAL

To� ee people Werther’s have launched a lower calorie version of its famous butter candies, which contain sucralose in place of sugar. Each chewy sweet contains fewer than 20 calories and 80g bags (£1.39) have just gone on sale at Asda stores.

Wellbeing_July5.indd 38 01/07/2015 10:54:22

39

What’s coming up? Tweet us your wellbeing diary dates @WMNWest or email westmag@westernmorningnews.co.uk

Easy jabs Did you know you can get your travel

jabs done at the chemist? Over 250 LloydsPharmacy stores now o� er travel vaccinations, which could make it more

convenient than booking via your GP, where you will still have to pay for some

inoculations including against yellow fever, rabies and Hepatitis B. Prices vary

for the pharmacy service, visit www.lloydspharmacy.com for more details.

LOOKING FOR

A CHALLENGE?

Woah! This looks serious ! Com-petitors in next Saturday’s inaugural

Croyde Ocean Triathlon in north Devon will undertake a 1,500m swim,

40km bike ride and 10km run. Are you up to the challenge? Or why not give the Saunton Beach Breaker (24km of

mountain biking along sand dunes) on Sunday a go? More about both at www.

croydeocean.co.uk.

OYSTERS are packed with minerals (including zinc, calcium and iron), essential fatty acids, protein and even Vitamin C, with only around 80

calories in a 100g serving. So there’s a good-for-you reason to visit the Rock Oyster Festival next Friday and Saturday, www.rockoysterfestival.co.uk

Wellbeing_July5.indd 39 01/07/2015 10:54:48

Wellbeing

I’m embarrassed about the state of my feet and the thought of showing them o� on the beach in ip ops or sandals is out of the

question! Any suggestions? KN, Minehead

Chiropodist Louise Brown says: After a long, hard winter hidden away in socks and boots, it’s no wonder our feet are looking a little neglected and unkempt.

Don’t worry, you are not

alone!Now that summer is here it’s defi nitely time for a little Tender Loving Care, to ensure your tootsies are in tip-top condition and get a spring back in your step.As a chiropodist with more than 20 years experience, I’m used to dealing with all aspects of foot care from hard, cracked heels, ingrowing toenails, callous and corns, to fungus and verrucas. Don’t feel embarrassed to come in for an appointment, all us chiropodists have seen it all before. We get a lot of satisfaction from sorting feet out, I promise you.

QPeople often neglect their feet over winter because they’re out of sight, out of mind. As a foot specialist, I do get to see painful hard, cracked skin, ingrowing toenails and fungal infections.Our feet do a lot of work for us over the years, they are our foundation, but when we neglect them that’s when problems start to develop. It’s really important to look after them all year round. There is a lot you can do at home to help your feet stay in good condition.

Hard, cracked skin around the heels is very common all year round, but particularly in summer, and can be extremely painful if not treated. Use an emery board or pumice stone regularly to gently fi le away hard, dead skin.Moisturise with a good quality foot cream.Don’t ignore your feet in the morning shower – make sure you get between those toes. Dry them thoroughly as germs love warm, moist conditions.

We lose a lot of water through our feet every day. If you’re wearing socks, make sure they are fresh. If you’re in sandals or fl ipfl ops, rotate them to enable the sandals to dry out throughly. Do not ignore tiny itchy blisters

It’s time to neaten up your feet for summer

People o� en neglect their

feet over winter because they are

out of sight, out of mind[ [

or abnormalities which may form in the heat, seek advice as they may be the start of a fungal infection or dermatitisYellow is not a good colour when it comes to feet. Always seek advice from a professional when a toe nail is discoloured as it could be a fungal infection.If you suffer from thickened nails as a result of infection, trauma or age, don’t try and cut them yourself, get an expert to do it for you.Above all, I would say you shouldn’t be embarrassed – don’t leave conditions until it is too late and you are in pain. Seek the advice of an experienced chiropodist and get any unusual conditions checked out. Remember, if your feet are comfortable and happy, then so are you!

To book an appointment with Louise contact So� Soles Health and Beauty in Seagrave Road, Plymouth, on 01752 568053, Vanity Rooms in Torpoint on 01752 812932, or for home visits call 07767 397855

40

Beach-ready feet

Did you know?UK shoe sizes are measured in barleycorns, based on the length of a grain of barley. Each shoe size is one barleycorn (1/3 of an inch).

Wellbeing_Ally_July5.indd 40 01/07/2015 11:02:57

41

Eat

Method:

Natural food expert Ally Mac lives and cooks in South Devon. Ally specialises in devising good-for-you recipes that are easy to prepare at home. She also sells several of her own delicious healthy products online at www.allyskitchenstories.co.uk

Wash all your fruit really well. There can be a lot of pesticides on our fruit and veg and we don’t want them getting into our bodies.

Dollop your yoghurt into a bowl, and chop up all the fruit. Arrange fruit on top of the yoghurt, sprinkle with nuts and drizzle with Greek honey.

Now, hoping the sun is shining, eat your delicious and colourful breakfast outside so you dose up on your all-important Vitamin D too.

@AKitchenStories

A true Mediterranean diet consists of fruits and vege-tables, seafood, olive oil and hearty grains – foods that help � ght heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

Aside from eating a diet of fresh and home-grown foods, the other vital adjuncts to the Mediterranean diet are daily exercise, sharing your meals with others, and a deep appreciation for the pleasures of eating healthy, delicious foods.

My recipe this week is a really simple but super healthy traditional Greek breakfast of yoghurt and fresh fruit. Greek yoghurt is a mainstay in many Medi-terranean cuisines. It is strained, so that it’s thicker and is loaded with calcium and protein.

You will need (makes one bowlful): 3 dollops of Greek yoghurt (I use TOTAL which is Greece’s most famous strained yoghurt)1 tsp of wild Greek forest honey (most supermar-kets have Greek honey; just make sure it’s a good one – the pricier, the better in this case)1 nectarine 1 apple1 fi g1 peachA handful of nuts and seeds

Ally says: Fruits, wholegrains, and other � bre-rich foods are a great way to start your day, keeping you happy and full for hours.

ally mac’s

Greek yoghurt and fruitsAlly (who is half Greek) is currently spending time on the Greek island of Santorini, cooking organic food in the sunshine and imbibing the latest culinary wisdom from her mother country

@allyskitchenstories

Wellbeing_Ally_July5.indd 41 01/07/2015 11:04:10

Tim Maddams is a Devon chef and writer who o� en appears on the River Cottage TV series

ou can lobster at me all you like, for me, crab is the king of the crustaceans.

There’s is something satisfyingly British about crab. The idea of a

crab sandwich is one that you are unlikely to think of in the context of world-beating dishes but it’s the simplicity, the unwitting celebration of the best crab meat in the world that has made the crab sandwich such an icon of our regional food offering in the South West. Let’s face it: crab rocks.

Yes, crab is ace on all levels. The white meat delivers a meaty sweetness that is somehow “shoreline” in accent, being neither distinctly fi shy or meaty but a happy somewhere inbetween. The shell of the humble brown crab (aka the edible crab, somewhat of a misnomer as all our native crabs are edible) Cancer Pagarus, when treated correctly provides one of the most intensely savoury and deeply complex stocks available to man.

And that still leaves the brown meat. I love the brown meat, disparaged by many as being grainy

or offal-like. I think the truth of the matter is it is simply intensely crabby. The brown meat contains the fat and has an earthy-come-seaweed-come-prawn fl avour that is so unique it’s unmistakeable. The brown meat makes me happy. Very, very happy.

Whether you want to go through all the palaver of cooking, and picking your very own live brown crab or not is entirely down to whether or not you know how. The instructions in the River Cottage Fish book are second to none, by the way.

And whether or not you can be bothered. The downside is that it’s time consuming and will require a little organisation in terms of obtaining the crab. But the upside is the happy by-product of having the leftover shell to hand to make into a tasty stock. Use it either straight away or at a later date, by freezing the shell for later use.

Or you can just buy your crab meat ready prepared. Just make sure it has NOT been frozen, is as fresh as a daisy, and has been hand picked. Try local fi shmongers - or Portland Shellfi sh do it well and will often part with a bag of unwanted shells into the bargain.

Ingredient of the Week

Crab with Tim Maddams

42

Y

Cracking crab

Truly fresh brown crab needs very little adornment. I love to just smear it on toast, season with a little pepper, add lemon juice and call it a day. Crab’s a no-brainer for a quick pasta supper: cook pasta, add crab, olive oil, chilli garlic and parsley and you are done for the evening. Don’t overlook spider crabs either if the chance comes your way. They are just as tasty albeit a little more fi ddly and a little less productive than their brown crab cousins. Shore crabs and velvet swimmer crabs, the smaller of the crab tribe, also make excellent soup. And, in the case of the swimmer crab, they are a fun (if fussy) fi rst course as everyone gets pitches in picking out the meat. Get stuck in with both claws!

@TimGreenSauce

TIMBEER_JULY5.indd 42 01/07/2015 12:45:09

Drink

The British Beer and Pub Association says business rates are in need of urgent reform. It says England’s pubs are paying almost six times more in business rates than can be justi� ed by their turnover, leaving hard-pressed pubs with an annual tax bill that is £500 million bigger than their fair share. What do you think?

Hot brewsVoting closes on July 24 for Britain’s Hottest 100 beers, which is an online poll of drinkers’ favourite brews. Not particularly scienti� c, but a bit of fun nonetheless. At the time of writing, St Austell Proper Job was at number 3, and Dartmoor Brewery’s Jail Ale at number 5. Visit http://100hottestbeers.com/vote/ to make your voice heard.

UNFAIR RATING SYSTEM

43

Darren Norburytalks beer

y the time you read this, the controversy over bottled Doom Bar should have died down. It was revealed recently that the

bottled version of the beer is brewed at owner Molson Coor’s Burton-on-Trent site, rather than at Rock, in Cornwall, which is intimated on the bottle. Quite rightly, a few locals down here have been voicing the opinion that they have been “conned”. What’s apparent from visiting Sharp’s now

is that the brewery has grown exponentially since that day back in the 1990s when I visited founder Bill Sharp for a magazine interview. His offi ce and the brewing kit were then in one industrial unit, with a map on the wall showing outlets and the condition in which individual landlords liked their beer delivered. For instance, some wanted their Doom Bar, or Sharp’s own, bright. That is conditioned in the brewery and ready to go on sale soon after it reached the pub. Others liked the beer sent young so they could mature it in their own cellars.That industrial unit still exists at the site, near

Rock, but it is now just a stairwell area at the centre of a huge brewing complex which clearly has little space left to expand. And it was for this

reason that Sharp’s said it took the decision to move the bottling of Doom Bar to Burton, where it also makes economic sense to brew the beer, too. Just the bottled version, not the cask ale, which is still made 365 days a year at the Cornwall site.It’s unfortunate that Doom Bar does have

an – unjustifi ed in my opinion – reputation among some as a dull beer. It’s not dull, but it depends, as it does with all beer, upon how well it has been kept. When I worked in Truro one of my favourite places to enjoy the beer was the Crab and Ale House (also known as The White Hart). Here it was always in tip-

top condition and a wonderful nutty, fruity, well-balanced session bitter.The biggest crime of bottled Doom Bar? It’s still

being sold in clear glass bottles. Light is bad for the hops in beer and can turn then ‘skunky’ in the bottle, on the aroma and palate. Which is why nearly all beers are packed in either brown or green glass. Sharp’s now assure me, though, that a change to brown bottles is imminent. It’s not all gloom for Doom.

Darren Norbury is editor of beertoday.co.uk @beertoday

B

It’s not what you’ve got, it’s what you do with it. I’ve tasted a lot of St Austell Tribute (4.2% ABV) in many di� erent states (the beer, that is, not me, although…). The one I had at the Royal Standard in Hayle the other day – a pub I’ve been missing out on even though it’s less than a half-mile walk away from my home – was sublime. Perfect balance, the American hops singing, smooth, biscuit malt on the base. It may be a huge seller, but it can also be a modern classic in the right hands.

Beer of the week

TIMBEER_JULY5.indd 43 01/07/2015 12:45:38

44

mpressed would be an understate-ment. Not many meals out start with a medieval castle greeting you at the top of a sweeping drive, a suit of armour at the front door and a

pre-dinner drink on a velvet chaise lounge. I am spending the evening at Boringdon Hall in

Plympton, an exclusive country hotel that seems to thrive on surpassing expectations. “This,” I think as my eyes take in the impossibly high ceil-ings of The Great Hall, complete with chande-lier, elegant dark wood bar and a balcony which houses The Gallery Restaurant, “I could get used to”.

Impatient to get upstairs, I bully Simon off his comfy seat and we climb the wide staircase to the elegant space above. It is undeniably a spe-cial occasion restaurant. We’re talking real can-dles, cutlery lined up on either side of the bread plates, and soft classical music dancing through the air. Romantic. Indeed, when we are shown to our table overlooking the Great Hall, I fi nd we are

fl anked by contented looking couples, many of whom are holding hands.

My chair is pulled out for me and a real linen napkin is draped across my lap. By the time I pick up my menu I am positively giddy with the delightfulness of it all. So naturally, when Simon asks “Glass or bottle?” while pe-rusing the winelist, my reply is a resounding “Bottle”. Am I not royalty? A countess perhaps? Such fi ne ladies do not order by the glass.

He settles on a bottle of the Ladera Verde Merlot (£16.50) and we set about choosing our cours-es. The menu is lively, varied and clearly the work of a chef who prides themselves on making sea-sonal and local produce the star of the show. Deciding is diffi cult.

I’m briefl y tempted by the Devon crab salad (£7.50) but once I spot the homemade chicken liver parfait (£6.95) I am completely sold. There is, in my opinion, nothing that can rival this dish when done properly. Simon is a little less adven-

turous than I am in culinary matters, and he is over the moon to fi nd that bruschetta makes an appearance in the starter menu (£9.95) So far so good. While we wait for our starters we are

served warm sundried tomato fo-caccia bread with salted butter. No ordinary rolls here! The wine ar-rives and with a glass in one hand and a chunk of warm bread in the other my delight reaches a whole new level.

My parfait comes with toasted onion bloomer, pea shoot salad and a dollop of what I decide must be a sweet onion chutney. It is smooth, deep and velvety. The kind of dish you wish could last forever. Simon declares his brus-chetta “very good” and polishes it off before I am even halfway through mine. This is a moment

in which I celebrate his culinary closed-mind-edness, as it means I am spared his pirate fork sailing into the waters of my plate to plunder my parfait. Mine, all mine.

For mains I choose the seared John Dory with

IBy the time

I pick up my menu I am positively

giddy with the delightfulness of

it all [[The Gallery[

BORINGDON HALL

[By Kathryn Clarke-McLeod

RestaurantReview_July5.indd 44 01/07/2015 11:09:59

45

seafood linguine (£18.95) and Simon opts for the Cornish lamb (£22.95). My fi sh is light, sharply crisp on the outside and fl akes apart at the gen-tlest persuasion from my fork. Perfection. The bed of linguine is rich and creamy, smattered with prawns and scallops. For a moment I am on a luxury seaside holiday on the Amalfi Coast.

I know Simon’s is beyond excellent as he is bent deeply over his plate of lamb, his manners com-pletely forgotten, and all conversation a distant memory. What is it about a good piece of meat that brings out the primal man? Although, per-haps, this is a case of pot calling kettle. As, when our (very charming and just the right amount of present) server Jamie comes to check if our meals are to our satisfaction. It is all I can do to muster a glassy-eyed “Soooo good”. Fine dining serotonin will do that to a girl’s vocabulary.

When the time came to order dessert, I set-tled on a warm maple syrup and pecan pudding. Simon, completely unable to decide, ordered two puddings. I was agog. A few minutes later he was the proud owner of both the Eton mess and a va-

nilla cheesecake with passion fruit and mango jelly.

Mine was a sticky sponge that was pure heaven with the cold vanilla ice cream, and Simon de-clared it “impossible to choose” which of his two desserts he liked best. At least he was talking again, even if there were shades of an excited four-year-old. I was allowed a small sample, and the cheesecake defi nitely deserves a special men-tion, light and yet uncompromisingly creamy. A fi ne line walked very well.

Just as we were preparing to head down to the Remy Bar, a lovely nook with leather sofas, an antler chandelier and boxes of Scrabble at your disposal, manager Karl presented us with a plate of petit fours. This included two squares of squishy, devilishly sweet homemade fudge, fresh strawberries and a chocolate and nut crunch. What an unexpected treat. Completely above and beyond. But all in day’s work for the fi ne folk at Boringdon Hall.Boringdon Hall, Plympton, Devon, 01752 344455 www.boringdonhall.co.uk

4 of the bestHistoric restaurants

1 The Oak House, AxbridgeParts of this Somerset building date back to the 11th century, so expect open beams and huge � replaces. Food is o� en local and organic. Dish of the day: Slow roast belly of pork with red cabbagePrice: Three course dinner from £30Contact: 01934 732444

2 Trevalsa Court Hotel, MevagisseyThis Arts and Cra� s house overlooks Mevagissey Bay, with granite windows and oak panelling. Cooking is excellent and unpretentious.Dish of the day: Bream with shell� sh ragoutPrice: Three course dinner from £30Contact: 01726 842468

3 The Masons Arms, KnowstoneAt this Michelin-starred pub on Exmoor, as well as superb British food from chef Mark Dodson, you’ll also � nd thatched 13th century charm, pictured above.Dish of the day: Starter of ham hock croquette with pea purée and mint-butter saucePrice: Three course dinner from £40Contact: 01398 341231

4 The Magdalen Chapter, ExeterOnce a 19th century eye hospital, this impressive building is now a chic hotel and restaurant, with fabulous food in a modern, relaxed style.Dish of the day: Salt cod and mussel Catalan stew Price: Three course dinner from £16.95Contact: 01392 281000

How they scored...

Food

Atmosphere

Service

Price Dinner for two, including wine and three desserts came to: £86.50

RestaurantReview_July5.indd 45 01/07/2015 11:10:22

46

man and boy

a newpet [[

my life

he boy has finally got a pet. I know. Call me a softy. But after months of chipping away I finally gave in.

During his lengthy campaign we have been through the entire

natural world in search of the perfect pal for a five-year-old boy. First he wanted a puppy, then it was a kitten. After that said he would like a rabbit, followed, if memory serves, by a gerbil. It was some kind of rodent, anyway.

Then, after a trip to the local pet shop em-porium on the High Street in Exeter, came the parrot. Naturally, given his love of the life aquatic, there was some protracted pleading around the subject of an aquarium. On and on went the lobbying, the promises that he would exercise the creature and tend to its dietary and hygiene needs. I lectured him on the huge responsibility he would be taking on in caring for another living being. A dog is for life, not for Christmas, I told him. Bonds would be forged that could not be broken. And so on.

It took a while to identify a suitable house-mate but I think we have landed upon perfec-tion: clean, tidy, quiet, easy-to-feed and requir-ing almost minimal intervention. So, after such a painstaking appraisal of the animal kingdom, on which of God’s creatures did we settle? None other than the sought-after bi-valve Mytilidae. Or to you and I… the mussel. And to be precise (as well as ethically correct) ours is actually a rescue mussel.

James’ fascination for the humble mollusc began after my mate Tony I and came home with a bag full of fish and shellfish to make a paella. Unfortunately, the kilo of the beasts

was already steamed and on the table by the time the lad had latched onto a discussion about how many had needed to be thrown away because they would not close. Perhaps the idea that the shellfish were technically still alive at the time of cooking had captured his lurid imagination.

To illustrate the point, I retrieved one of the few discarded mussels from the pedal bin and showed him. Running it under the tap, it slowly clamped shut, thereby displaying signs of life. He immediately demanded that I place the thing in a bowl of water. Since then it has lived in our fridge. Each night he takes it out, waits for it to open, then rinses it and marvels as it closes. He is currently considering how it can be fed.

As anyone with a passing knowledge of French literary history will tell you, my boy is not the first to consider a shellfish a pet. The romantic poet Gérard de Nerval used to take his pet lobster for a walk at the end of a blue silk ribbon among the Palais Royal gardens in Paris. To those who scoffed, he said the follow-ing: “Why should a lobster be any more ridicu-lous than a dog ...or a cat, or a gazelle, or a lion, or any other animal that one chooses to take for a walk? I have a liking for lobsters. They are peaceful, serious creatures. They know the se-crets of the sea, they don’t bark, and they don’t gnaw upon one’s monadic privacy like dogs do.”

So delighted was James with Malcolm the mussel – my suggestion – that he could hardly contain himself in school. It is funny to watch the reaction when he declares: “I have a pet mussel!” The only concern I have – one shared by all pet owners – is what to do when the dreaded day comes. After all, they can’t live for long. Do I break the bad news? Or perhaps I could just pop down to the fishmonger and get a replacement. They all look the same to me.

First he wanted a puppy, then it was a kitten. After that he said he would like a rabbit[ [

T

Phil Goodwin’s son James, five, makes an unusual choice

ManandBoy_July5.indd 46 01/07/2015 11:12:15

Untitled-2 4 01/07/2015 14:54:48

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