Flush Magazine Issue #15

15 Amsterdam Festival of Light Ski Cool St. Moritz Barnyard

John Malkovich in disguise Rothko at The Hague Kristin Hersh

Stranger Than Paradise Snowboarding in Japan Lazeez

Úna Burke and Lascivious The future of snow with Ian Hughes

WIN Brian May’s Red Special Book

‘The Story of the Home-made Guitar that Rocked Queen and the World’

15 14 Úna Burke

Lascivious

06 The Hotlist 08 (Not Being) John Malkovich Skiing with Ski Cool St. Moritz

14 Úna Burke with Lascivious

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22 Interview: Kristen Hersh 28 In Music – Ones to Watch 30 Ski School St. Moritz

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46 Location, location, location with ibis

Interview: Kristen Hersh

52 The Amsterdam Light Festival The Paris Motor Show 2014

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68 Rothko at The Hague 70 Snowboarding at Myoko Akakura, Japan 83 Smell Bent 86 Mama Shelter and the 2014 Paris Motor show

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86 Mama

Shelter, Paris

110

52 The Amsterdam Light Festival

130 Competition

Win Brian May’s Red Special Book

Recipe Ghouls Goblet

Beautiful furniture and lighting NOBLE DESIGNS www.nobledesignslimited.com Tel: 01753 655443

15

issue

Hello!

100 Clio Renaultsport 200

Fifteen editions and nearly three years after the first ever Flush Magazine it’s still really exciting each time we unleash a new edition to the waiting world. With Winter approaching rapidly, we’ve got some great features to put you in the mood. Snow, ice and Winter sports are all covered in this edition, but don’t just take my word for it, turn the page and get reading. As always, thanks to the wonderful people who contributed to this edition.

If you want to get involved, get in touch.

104 Suzuki Swift 106 Barnyard, London 110 Recipe – Ghouls Goblet 112 Lazeez, London 116 Digital Snow by Ian (Epredator) Hughes 124 Game Review - Teslagrad 126 Samsung Note-4 128 My Favourite Movie Stranger than Paradise 130 Competition Win Brian May’s Red Special Book

Thanks for stopping by,

Pete Graham, EDITOR

CONTRIBUTORS Matthew Cooper Pete Coombes Jamie Rodgers Sara Darling Ian Hughes Frank Turner Casey Bowers Manasi Kumar Mark (The Flob) Ireland

Cover photo: © Sandro Miller courtesy of Catherine Edelman Gallery, Chicago

THE HOTLIST The stuff of life

CuBox Rube

We all know good things come in small packages, but did you know they were this good?

At 2” X 2” X 2”, the CuBox-i is the world’s smallest computer, fully configurable it’s perfect to run Android apps such as XMBC onto your TV, plus tons more. Let the fun begin.

CuBox-i starts at $79 www.solid-run.com

Boot-iful

Clarks have been popular in our house ever since I got a free badge with a pair of kids brogues when I was five. These Monmart Rise Black Interest boots from the AW14 Men’s collection are more grown up, but still bear all the hallmarks of the classic British brand currently taking China by storm.

From £89.99 www.clarks.co.uk

Back in Black

If you want to get ahead, get a HEAD bag. Inspired by the now iconic 1980’s designs, the Monte Carlo and St Moritz bags are back and better than ever. Never has your life needed double zip access, a detachable strap and popper fasteners as much as now. £54.99 from www.asos.com

WIN!

Bobby Dazzlers

Influencd by the camouflage pattern of the First World War Dazzle Ships, ‘The Fleet of Dazzle’ is a range of eye-catching fashion and home products created by pattern specialists Patternity in partnership with The Imperial War Museum. Best viewed without a hangover. www.iwmshop.org.uk

Snow Business

This ‘Quest ‘ helmet

by Salomon uses ‘auto custom air’ to self inflate around your head for a perfect fit.

Lightweight, strong, comfortable and safe.

Seriously good. £135 from www.salomon.com

The BIG picture

Blurring the line between amateur and professional equipment, the brand new NX1 camera from Samsung will take 4K resolution photos or Ultra HD (UHD) video and 15 frames per second continuous AF shooting. It also features Samsung’s new Auto Shot (SAS) which automatically takes the picture at precisely the right moment. How does it know?

Coming soon from around £1300 www.samsung.com

Brian May’s Red Special ‘The Story of the Home-made Guitar that Rocked Queen and the World’

by Brian May and Simon Bradley

All photos: Š Sandro Miller courtesy of Catherine Edelman Gallery, Chicago

A new exhibition of photos by Sandro Miller “Malkovich, Malkovich, Malkovich: Homage to Photographic Masters� opens at the Catherine Edelman Gallery, Chicago from Friday November 7th

(Not) Being John Malkovich

All photos: Š Sandro Miller courtesy of Catherine Edelman Gallery, Chicago

Working closely to replicate the original images with precise details, colours and arrangements, the pair drew inspiration from the pictures of a number of famous (and infamous) 20th century icons, from Andy Warhol to Ernest Hemingway. The results are funny, touching and at times, just a bit scary.

All photos: Š Sandro Miller courtesy of Catherine Edelman Gallery, Chicago

See all the pictiures and read the exclusive John Malkovich interview with French publication 7-POST and French newspaper Liberation now.

For more info visit www.edelmangallery.com

Lady Hips Leather Belt ÂŁ550

These stunning leather belts and cuffs from Úna Burke are the results of a collaboration with luxury lingerie brand Lascivious. Each piece is made to order from eco friendly UK and Italian vegetable tanned bovine leather using traditional hand crafted working techniques in Úna’s south London atelier.

For info on stockists visit www.unaburke.com / www.lascivious.co.uk

Binding Leather Straps £48.00

Double Strap Leather Cuff £180

Double Strap Leather Cuff £180.00

Leather Finger Glove ÂŁ310.00

Double Strap Leather Cuff £180.00

www.unaburke.com www.lascivious.co.uk

COUNTING FORWARDS Kristin Hersh Interview by Casey Bowers

The Throwing Muses singer, mother, author of acclaimed memoir Rat Girl and successful solo artist, entered the pop culture collective conscious when she formed Throwing Muses with her half-sister, Tanya Donelly in 1983. Throwing Muses signed to 4AD just 3 years later and built a lasting legacy with their left of the dial, jagged to jangly, dissonant to dreamy, psychedelic alt/indie angular dream rock perfectly playing off Kristin’s mercurial voice and cryptic, emotional, confessional lyrics.

Though Throwing Muses disbanded in 1996, Hersh has enjoyed a successful solo career ever since and when the time was right, reunited the band that defied alt rock convention and blazed their own trail. Currently touring in support of 2013’s epic album/book Purgatory/ Paradise, I was lucky enough to find out Hersh’s thoughts on songcraft, creativity in general, and why she’s still shocked anyone cares at all. q: Some of the best musical works written (whether single songs or full albums) are often attributed to a mysterious force, channeling something greater, or the songwriter confessing they were “just the vehicle.”

Given your personal experience as a songwriter and your spiritual connection (as a result of trauma from your accident), do you believe this to be true? How does the role and relationship of listener and artist change that? a: My accident and resulting concussion allowed me to hear music that was actually an alternate personality, so when I told journalists I had no memory of writing or performing my songs, that I wasn’t responsible for them, etc., they took it to mean that I was channeling something bigger than me.

And...yeah, that IS what you should do - a song that is reduced to less than you won’t resonate with a

listener - but I wasn’t speaking metaphorically. I literally wasn’t around when I played. q: You have recorded so much material, can you objectively look back at your own song catalogue and evaluate them? a: We have to do that, every time we write a set list.

When you screw up a song, it dies on the vine and gets grosser every year, but a good song is like an old friend: you never know what it’s gonna say when it walks in the room. I swear, our songs come back with stories after you let them out into the world. Then they work as a filter for your new life pictures, so they feel like ongoing entities rather than pages out of an old diary. q: You’ve stated before that you “don’t choose the songs, the guitars do.”

That suggests organisation/ separation of your work, doesn’t it? Do you separate other decisions about your music so clearly in the creative process? a: One of the first hats you wear post inspiration is production. That’s why the act of reaching for a guitar is a decisive moment that I trust. Craft matters because purity of intention allows you to serve the moment when a song appears without walking all over it with ideas.

COUNTING FORWARDS Kristin Hersh q: You were a pioneer of crowd-funding artists with the establishment of CASH Music back in 2007. What do you think about the state of this resource and what is the next logical step/where should we be headed? a: Passing the hat is good honest work, and more comfortably commie than patrons like kings and record companies. The more we make music available to people, the more musically literate our listeners will be and the more apt to support music that doesn’t manipulate or follow trends

they’ll become. We all need soundtracks that move us. q: I think most people, especially artists and musicians find it incredibly difficult to talk about themselves, but if you could, would you please share a compliment, piece of praise, or sign of appreciation you received that you hold onto? a: Honestly, I’m blown away any time someone listens to my stuff. A little confused but mostly honoured; my songs are excruciatingly personal and I have this

mind-fuck thing where I think I play in a vacuum. When the music becomes personal to someone else, it feels like a kind of alchemy took place.

That said, we all work to remain unattached to the copies once a record is released... you don’t want to count the number of people who’re paying attention, that isn’t our definition of musical success.

Active listeners who trust the ride enough to know we won’t knowingly fuck them over by sucking or selling out are working harder than we are. We’re so driven to play, we feel selfish whenever we’re allowed into a studio or onto a stage. They’re the ones paying money, going to rock clubs, investing their time, etc. q: I picked up the Wes Anderson tribute album and was pleasantly surprised to hear you on there singing “Fly” the Nick Drake song.

How did that come about?

Admirer of his work?

Connection to director? a: I’ve done a bunch of tracks for American Laundromat’s benefit records and I really do love Nick Drake. Not many people dead

or alive I can relate to musically, but, as my son Wyatt and I say, he’s on our team. q: Can you talk a little bit about the ongoing evolution of a song’s meaning?

To fans who grew up with The Muses, that music represents the sound of youth or conveys a youthful sound. And your solo output - even on Hips and Makers, felt more mature or more serious. That may be a skewed perspective given a multitude of factors (age, time, life, etc.) but that’s our perception. Is it fair to project that on you and artists in general? a: Sure :) Because craft does play a role and so do mistakes and fluidity.

Sometimes we’re in the zone and sometimes we’re acting retarded or we’re broke or sleepy or on fire. We can’t tell stories we haven’t lived but sometimes living those stories shatters us to the point where we can barely work anymore. We walk tightropes to be this raw and it doesn’t always happen.

Youth will either serve that in its unselfconscious naivete or interfere because your muscles aren’t yet what they should be. By the same token, you hope that experience grows your ability to disappear and let the songs talk, but sometimes it just means you don’t feel safe anymore.

COUNTING FORWARDS Kristin Hersh

q: Is there anyone you want to work with (musician, producer, director, artist, etc.) that you haven’t yet?

Dream collaboration? a: I’m in such a goofy state when I’m in the studio, racing around, breaking instruments and building new ones to create Frankenstein noises, that - shy as I am - I feel no fear. If I want the sound somebody makes, I’ll grab them and make them do it (but I don’t plan ahead...that NEVER works). q: There’s so much negativity that can sully or corrupt a musical project.

Can you speak to the positivity that can broaden or enhance a music project? a: My people are warm and intelligent, ego-less and brilliant. I have no idea how I lucked out this way.

Maybe because assholes don’t get invited (at least not invited BACK). But there is no better party than a control room full of glazed eyes, staring into sound, making a song speak. Every measure is precious when the track is sort of hovering overhead, held up by the enthusiasm in the room. It’s almost a desperate state, to care so much, but when it’s shared it’s just intense. q: Could Throwing Muses exist today as they did in ‘91 given the tech/cultural

landscape and musical climate? a: Sure...we were never paying a whole lot of attention. Kinda lost on our own planet. q: Are you still surprised by younger artists & groups who profess their adoration for your music (The Muses, solo, 50 Foot Wave)? a: I’m still surprised that *anyone* wants to listen to what I do. When you pick up an instrument, you just wait for people to tell you to quit making noise with it. Instead, they lined up to pay paper money and drink sucky beer. Crazy.

Especially given the way we sounded. We really only started Throwing Muses because on the island where we grew up, you either surf or you’re in a band and none of us could surf. q: And finally, how can we put the mystery back in music? a: It’s already there.

Purgatory/Paradise by The Throwing Muses (The Friday Project, £11.99) is available now For more info visit www.kristinhersh.com You can follow Casey Bowers on Twitter @caseybowers Live photos by @theflob

Tiny Ruins

Not unlike the fantastic Marika Hackman, Tiny Ruins AKA New Zealander, Hollie Fullbrook (and occasional friends) bakes beautiful folk songs with a resonance rare for a mind born in modern times. Full of space and soft to the touch, listen to the gorgeously tragic, (or maybe happy) “Me at the Museum, You in the Wintergardens”. PG For more info visit www.tinyruins.com

Slow Skies- Bodies.

According to music writer Matthew Cooper, Slow Skies are “Aerated pop music that lives on the fringes of the main stream but has the melodies to catch your ear and not let go until four and a half minutes later.” He might just be right. MC Bodies is taken from the EP “Keepsake” out September 30th

William Arcane- Sunfades

William is the sort of London cool-dude who would get shout-outs from Bonobo and Jamie xx, in fact that’s exactly what he is. But don’t let that put you off, his sleep-sound dreamscapes are a moody homage to the night-time hours and wrap themselves around your ears likes an aural electric blanket. MC Stay A While EP is released soon on Pictures Music.

Ones to watch Shelter Point

Melanie De Biasio

Sleepyheaded, Coventry based masters of Dreamy Electronica, Shelter Point emerged in 2012 with debut EP, ‘Forever for Now’ released on influential British label Hot Flush. Annie Mac is a big fan and they’ve just released 2 new tracks, ‘Serenity’ and ‘Cut Me Loose via RCA sub-label Space + Time Records. The soulful vocals draw comparisons to James Blake and their hazy style of electronica, rich with ambience hints at the astral sounds of Boards of Canada and Mount Kimbie.

PG Listen here https://soundcloud.com/shelter-point/ serenity

Already popular in her native Belgium, Melanie De Biasio cites Frank Zappa, Pink Floyd and Nina Simone as formative musical influences. Her Debut UK album, No Deal is an unusual and eclectic range of compositions that defy classification against the normalities of most (predictable) pop. Fresh from a Later with Jools Holland appearance and Eels support slot, Melanie could be THE breakout artist of 2014.

She’ll be touring in November, including a headline show at Village Underground on Mon 24th November so go see and make up your own mind. PG www.melaniedebiasio.com

Owlle

There’s a bit of a chilled out vibe to ‘ones to watch’ this time and Owlle is no exception. When something takes root around the top of the HypeM chart that’s usually a subtle invitation to ‘Watch This Space’. Her debut record ‘France’ is a supremely glossy-number held together by equal parts wonderment and a longing sadness with traces of Lykke Li, the odd splashing of Grimes and even a touch of prime-era Madonna. Correct, watch this space. MC ‘France’ is released on November 17th in the UK via Sony Music – Jive/Epic – Aztec Records

SKI SCHO ST. MORITZ

Learning to ski has always been on my ‘to do’ list for as long as I can remember. I’ve visited both Whistler and Banff, the mecca’s of skiing in Canada, but I never quite got round to skiing while I was there.

When the chance to learn to ski with Ski Cool St. Moritz using the UPS system came up, I jumped at the chance. Would they be able to teach me though, I’m not quite as nimble as I was in my 20’s or 30’s, but St. Moritz? How could I say no?

OOL

by Dawn Li

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SKI SCHOOL ST. MORITZ

Getting to St. Moritz

reign to choose a range of activities for me. They whisk me off to the Nira Alpina hotel to freshen up and get ready for whatever they’ve planned for me.

St. Moritz

First off I have a guided tour of St. Moritz Dorf, the centre which surrounds the frozen lake. On this side of the lake sits the town, with grand houses, boutique shops and hotels.

On the other side is a more modern suburb of houses and amenities.

St Moritz and the Engadin region are celebrating 150 years of winter tourism this year. To celebrate, there are many festivities and events planned in St Moritz and the Alpine World Ski Championships will be

swiss-image.ch/Benno Thoma

The first leg of the journey starts with Swiss Air at Heathrow. The flight is only an hour and forty five minutes, so just as I’m getting comfy, we arrive in Zurich. I make my way to the train station and board the Glacier Express glass topped train to Chur. This leg of the journey is longer, three and a half hours, but this is no ordinary train journey, it is more of an experience.

As the train twists around the mountains and valleys, it’s impossible to tell which direction you are going, you feel as though you are in an Escher painting where one minute the lake is on the left, then through a tunnel and now it’s on the right. The scenery is beautiful, and a taste of what is to come in St. Moritz.

I’m arriving in St. Moritz, near the end of the season, so the lake is frozen over, but there is still good snow coverage on the mountains. I’m met at the station by Alina and Vittorio from Ski Cool, who’ve organised an itinerary for me. As I’m new to Switzerland, I’ve given them free

swiss-image.ch/Benno Thoma

held here in 2017. Although I always associate Switzerland with Winter sports, I’m surprised to find out that during the summer months, there’s plenty to do here. The ice on the lake

makes way for sailing and fishing, and golf is popular too. There are wellness spas aplenty. I’m beginning to wish I was staying longer than 3 days! During the Winter months, the lake is taken over by ice skaters and cross country skiers. In february, the lake turns to black ice and you can see the fish swimming below. During March, the cross country marathon attracts up to 15,000 visitors.

St Moritz has an International feel, it’s close to the Italian border and there’s a mixture of old world Swiss architecture and modern designs.

Switzerland is well known for its multilingual society, and in St Moritz, the official language of Rumantsch is still spoken.

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SKI SCHOOL ST. MORITZ

Intersport Rent shop at Corvatsch bottom station Below: My short skis

Ski Cool ST. MORITZ

I’m getting a little nervous now about skiing this morning. Alina and Vittorio meet me at the hotel and take me to the excellent Intersport shop which is connected to the hotel via a walkway. Thank goodness I don’t have to worry about equipment or ski passes which are provided by the Engadin St Moritz Toursim Office, as I wouldn’t have a clue where to start. I’m fitted out with ski boots. They are difficult to walk in at first, so I’m really glad we can go straight onto the slopes from here. I trundle off in a slightly robotic fashion to meet Peter, my Italian ski instructor and he immediately puts me at ease. We start out on the children’s learning area so I can try on my skis and get used to standing and moving with them on.

The teaching method used by Ski Cool is called the UPS system, developed by Slovenian expert Sandi

Murovec. The basis of the system is ‘Learning to ski with the progressive lengthening of the skis’. The system is based on teaching using three different sizes of skis: the shortest 90cm long - the middle ones – 125 cm – and the normal ones – 150 cm or more. The short skis enable the beginners to learn easily, without fear of falling over, and enjoy learning enjoy how to ski parallel without the need for using the old school progression starting from the snow plough. This is a more direct and faster way to learn how to ski right from the start.

Vittorio Caffi, the director of Ski Cool St. Moritz, as vice president of ISIA, the International Ski Instructors Association, is responsible as well of the ISIA Technical Commission, who set the standards for professional ski instructors education worldwide. In just one day, a total beginner can have a proper ski experience, leading to parallel turns. For intermediate and

Right: Vittorio, Alina and Peter from Ski Cool

advanced skiers there are benefits to using this system as they can improve their balance, rotation and edging skills and their feeling for gliding on the snow in a safe and effective way.

The Ski Cool instructors also use this system to improve their teaching and learn new skills. Many top ranking World Cup athletes, use the UPS system. Ski Cool teach very small groups (no larger than 6), but the group must all be of the same ability. This means they can learn more quickly than in the larger groups.

There are over 30 instructors, all bilingual. Peter has lived in Manchester in the past, so is very up on music and culture in the UK. Alina, my guide is Latvian and fluent in many languages including Russian, and has also spent many years living in London. They have a good

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SKI SCHOOL ST. MORITZ

understanding of different cultures and the needs of individual clients.

I’m wearing a helmet for safety, which is really important. Amazingly, I’m OK at standing still in my short skis. Now to try moving in them. As it is early morning, the snow is still very icy, so it’s much harder to move (or not move) than on the afternoon’s softer snow. First things first, I need to learn how to slow down and stop, which is much harder than moving down even the smallest slope. Peter instructs me on all the basic positions and how to slow down, which strangely involves leaning forward on

my shins. I have several goes at this, as my natural instinct when giving downwards is to lean back to slow myself down. I know what I should be doing, but as soon as I move off, I seem to forget what that is. I’m sure if my 8 year old daughter was here, she would have picked this up after about 15 minutes. For me though, most of the morning is needed for me to get used to slowing and stopping. Luckily, Peter has a never ending supply of patience and remains cheerful throughout the lesson. Once I’ve relaxed a bit and have skied down the tiniest gradient many times, I’m becoming a bit more confident about stopping myself. We move on to the next move, turning. Peter helps me to practice the correct motion and feet positions for turning right and left in order to travel down the slopes while controlling your speed and

slowing down to stop. This is tricky, but when the moves are done correctly, it feels great being on the skis. I only fell over twice so I’m feeling quite pleased with myself.

By early afternoon, the sun has turned the snow quite soft. This is much nicer to ski on, as it’s far less slippery. My arms are aching now from using the little pulley to get to the top of the small slope. Time for a quick bite to eat at the bakery, then I’m whisked off to meet up with Alina and Vittorio who have arranged a special trip for me.

UP, UP AND AWAY

I can’t believe it, this is another one to cross off my to do list. It’s amazing that I’ve come this far in my life, having travelled quite a lot and never been in a helicopter. I’m really excited about this, it’s not something

Amazing views from the helicopter

I would have thought of doing here myself, so I’m really glad I’ve let the Ski Cool guys decide on activities for me. We arrive at the helicopter just in time to lift off. Swiss Helicopter have many tours to choose from, including taking you up on to the mountains for some off piste skiing. I’m on a scenic tour over St. Moritz. As we take off, I’m wearing headphones and listening to the pilot, who guides us during the trip. To be honest though, once in the air and over the mountains, the scenery is so breathtaking, it’s impossible for me to concentrate on

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SKI SCHOOL ST. MORITZ

the commentary. As we pass over some of the highest peaks, I can see skiers on the top of the mountains, the slopes are incredibly steep. We fly over the Bermina massif glacier and St. Moritz before coming back down to earth. This is a must-have experience, amazing! There’s no better way to see the vast array of mountains and lakes than from the air. I would have happily stayed up there for the rest of the day.

The hotel

The Nira Alpina hotel is situated in the village of Surlej, five kilometres from St. Moritz. The hotel is unique in that it’s connected to the Corvatsch cable car station via a private walkway. You can ascend to the highest ski point in just fifteen minutes. In the summer, the adjoining cable car leads to spectacular high-altitude hiking and biking trails. The hotel isn’t just great for ski access though, it has a spa which offers organic spa treatments. For the kids, there’s a great club, where the kids can play while their parents ski. For kids who want to learn to ski, there’s also direct access onto the children’s slopes.

All of the rooms at the hotel are spacious and each one has a balcony with a view of the mountains.

The decor is modern and comfortable and the hotel was

refurbished just 2 years ago.

Each morning, I awake refreshed with the sun blazing on to my balcony. I discover the hotel bakery, which is full of temptation, but no, I won’t have a cupcake for breakfast, I’ll stick to a croissant. For dinner, I really like the menu at Stars bar and restaurant at the Nira Alpina.

Stars bar and restaurant This evening, Ski Cool have arranged for me to have dinner

SKI SCHOOL ST. MORITZ

at the hotel’s restaurant and I meet with Stephanie, the Director of Sales & Marketing for a pre-dinner aperitif.

I’m keen to try out the menu, which is a mixture of Asian spices and flavours from around the world.

Executive Chef Marek Wildenhain and his team have created an innovative menu with a focus on fresh seasonal foods and exotic flavours.

The Stars bar has lovely views of the mountains and is the perfect place to unwind after a long days ski.

The hotel is very relaxing. Everything here is done very efficiently, but seems so friendly and effortless. I feel very much at home.

To start with, we have a selection of

the Asian plates for sharing. The emphasis for this menu, Stephanie explains, is to encourage sharing.

The food is beautifully presented and tastes just as good as it looks.

For dessert, I’ve selected Baked Alaska with green tea ice cream and passion fruit.

Something I’ve never tried before arrives at the table, called a Choc o’Roll. And then another. The first is a large round slab of chocolate with a handle which shaves off a thin layer.

You can keep going on this until it’s all gone! The second is a lemon flavoured white chocolate variation.

I’m in chocolate heaven.

yesterday and try and improve on the techniques before attempting the ski down to the bottom of the slope.

Looking downwards, I can’t see how steep the drop is at the end of the slope, I know that it’s a gentle slope, Back on the piste! but the fear factor kicks in and I get The next day, I feel refreshed after a bit nervous. Time for more practice a great night’s sleep. So much before attempting to ski down the physical exertion after sitting behind a winding slopes. I fall over a bit more computer has done wonders for my today as I’m now moving much usual insomnia. We’re off to the slopes quicker across the snow, but luckily of Corviglia. the snow is softer now and Peter is on You can get to Corviglia using the hand to help me get up, not easy funicular from St Moritz centre. On on skis. I’m not falling quite as much Corviglia, you are surrounded by though as the snowboarder next to mountain vistas bathed in sunshine. us, learning to stay upright as well North-facing Corvatsch is very easy as snowboard. I’m glad I have two to reach directly from the hotel. It skis attached, not one. On the slope has the highest lift in the valley on a I can see a ramp and some small glacier and the runs are long and children leaping off and skiing very great for free-riding. confidently down a much steeper Today, I am feeling more confident, slope than this one. as we head onto the beginners After a couple of hours practising slope. I practise all that I learnt on the gentle beginning of the slope,

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SKI SCHOOL ST. MORITZ

Mirko talks through the body scan

I’m ready.

Peter stays slightly ahead of me, so I can see the gradient before moving off. I manage to ski from side to side down a good portion of the slope before falling over. I think I was doing great at this point, and started thinking too much about what I was doing. When the movements are done correctly, it feels like something clicks, and the skiing is wonderful.

Amazingly enough, after only two short days skiing, I have made it all the way down to the bottom of the beginners slope. I’m really pleased, and the last time I fall over seems like it’s in slow motion coming off the end of the ski lift getting back to the top.

I feel as though I have learned some valuable techniques which I will use more confidently next time I ski (Yes, there will definitely be a next time!). After a quick bite to eat, Ski Cool take me to Colombo Training and Nutrition in Champfèr.

Fit or not?

I’m greeted by Mirko Colombo and Andrea Bosio, experts in helping people to change their lifestyle and diet to reach their optimum fitness potential. Mirko and Andrea work with top level athletes, so I feel really lucky to be able to spend some time with them. I’m having a full body scan and analysis and am hooked up to lots of electrodes which will measure my fat, water and muscles. After this, I sit on a bike ergometer and through moderated exercise, they measure my heart rate and lactate level in the blood.

All of my results are fed onto their computer system which gives a full analysis and overview of the results. From these, Mirko and Andrea create a custom fitness and nutrition program. I found from the results that the level of water in my body

On returning home, it has taken me a while, but Colombo really made me think about doing some exercise, and I’ve taken up yoga, which is a great start on both a mental and physical level.

NUTRITION TIME! is average. I’ve always been told I don’t drink enough water, but have always trusted my body to let me know when I need it. I’m also relieved to find that my body fat is only slightly above normal. (Especially after all the fabulous Swiss chocolate I’ve been eating!) Mirko explained all of the results. Although I’m not overweight or dehydrated, the muscle tone in my body is poor. The results of working very long hours sat behind a computer and virtually no exercise for the last few years no doubt.

They recommended the best type of exercise for me, and are very specific, as to how to do the exercise, how frequently and for how long. This type of custom analysis is fantastic, especially as I have damage to my lower spine and have to be careful which type of exercise I can and can’t do.

Next stop is the Murtaröl restaurant, built around 1880 as a boarding house and stagecoach stop on the Maloja Pass and bought by Edoardo Giovanoli, in 1951. The restaurant is now owned by Edoardo’s grandson Antonio Walther, who was born and raised in the house. Antonio loved fishing and his dream was to open the house as a restaurant with the freshest seafood.Antonio took over the restaurant in 1984, he purchases fresh fish from the fish market in Milan. He showed me around the aquariums of live lobsters and crabs kept at the back of the restaurant too.

Customers return here regularly, not just for the fine seafood, but for the warm welcome from Antonio.

I’mreally pleased with this, as although it’s traditional, I’m not a huge fan of cheese, so fish fondue as opposed to cheese fondue sounds great. We started with a platter of

>

SKI SCHOOL ST. MORITZ

Antonio Walther

smoked and marinated salmon, long crab, octopus carpaccio and rock lobster.. Then came the much anticipated fish fondue, so fresh, I ate some of mine as sashimi before even starting on the fondue. There’s a good variety of fish, including tuna, monkfish, shrimp,

langoustine and salmon. All is served with an array of different sauces and potatoes, rice and vegetables.

I’m so full after the fondue, but when it’s suggested that I try the chocolate fondue, who was I to argue. Two fondue’s in one evening, how extravagant! The chocolate fondue arrives, and I’m so glad I didn’t pass this one up. The fondue is a gooey dark, but sweet chocolate with a large selection of fresh fruits for dipping. The chocolate

Engadin St Moritz Toursim Office For information, ski passes and event information www.engadin.stmoritz.ch/winter/en/ Switzerland Tourism For more information on Switzerland 30 Bedford Street, GB-London WC2E 9ED www.MySwitzerland.com t: 00800 100 200 30 e: info.uk@myswitzerland.com

is really, really good, can I ever go back to my milky galaxy bars after this?

Next morning, it’s time to head back to the UK. I don’t have room in my tiny case for a Choc o’Roll which they sell in the hotel bakery sadly, (next time I’ll bring a bigger case).

Switzerland has always seemed like a really long way from the UK, but with flights taking less than two hours, it is easy to reach.

It’s been a fantastic few days and an experience I won’t forget. I can’t wait to bring the family along next time for some skiing and lots of chocolate.

For more info about Ski Cool St. Moritz lessons and concierge services visit: www.skicool.ch e: info@skicool.ch t: +41 (0) 799152989 Ski Cool St. Moritz Silvaplana-Surlej, Via Sturetscha 13, CH 7513 Switzerland

Swiss International Air Lines UK to Zurich: Up to 19 daily flights from London Heathrow, London City, Birmingham and Manchester to Zurich. Fares from £130 return.

UK to Switzerland: Up to 31 daily flights from London Heathrow, London City, Birmingham and Manchester to either Zurich, Geneva or Basel.

Fares from £123 return, inc taxes.

For reservations www.swiss.com t: 0845 601 0956 Swiss Travel System The Swiss Travel System provides a dedicated range of travel passes and tickets exclusively for visitors from abroad. The Swiss Transfer Ticket covers a round-trip between the airport/Swiss border and your destination.

Prices are £96 in second class and £153 in first class.

Switzerland Travel Centre www.swisstravelsystem.co.uk t: 00800 100 200 30 Ski Cool Partners www.skicool.ch/partners Nira Alpina Hotel http://niraalpina.com/en/ Colombo Training & Nutrition www.cte-sportperformance.com Murtaröl restaurant www.plaundalej.ch/Murtaroel.3.0.html Intersport rent https://www.intersportrent.com/en/ch/ skirental-silvaplana Swiss Helicopter www.swisshelicopter.ch/EN/home/scenicflights/from-samedan-st-moritz.html

Location, Location, When Ibis invited Flush Magazine to stay at three of their flagship London properties over the course of three nights, it seemed like a good way to discover the alternative personalities of their reinvigorated brand, not to mention seeing a bit more of old London town in the process.

And the first stop is...

Day 1

ibis budget London Whitechapel These days not many parts of London can claim to be as diverse and culturally exciting as Whitechapel and its surrounding neighbourhood.

From great food, to fine art there is lots to discover and the place is positively buzzing. ibis budget London Whitechapel does exactly what it says on the tin, if you book in advance

you can grab either a twin or double room from just over £60, not far off what you’d pay for a bunk bed next to half a dozen sweaty backpackers (and their socks) elsewhere in the capital. The room is fairly compact and the bed isn’t huge, but it’s spotless clean, the decor is light and modern and you get a flat screen TV, a full-blast power shower and free Wi-Fi included with the price. Peak breakfast times can get busy and it’s no frills with pastries, cereals, coffee, juice and toast and is £4.95 extra. For other times of the day there is coffee and vending machines stocked with

, Location “Crash and Dash without splashing the cash” Best for: Budget Traveller

From 60.80 double or twin room per night 5 Commercial St, London E1 6BF 020 7422 8400

essentials next to the reception on the first floor. Value for money is the key factor with this Hotel and ibis budget London gets all the basics exactly right without making a fuss.

The location is great, being just 5 mins walk from Whitechapel Tube, 10 mins from Spitalfields market and 10 mins from Brick Lane, the home to dozens of great Indian and Bangladeshi restaurants. The bus stops literally outside the hotel into town and although the Hotel is next door to the East London Mosque, good soundproofing means you’d never know. For art lovers, Whitechapel Gallery is 2 mins from the tube.

Location, Location, Location

Next up is ...

Day 2 ibis London Euston St Pancras ibis London Euston St Pancras is close enough to drag even the heaviest of suitcases to, from Euston or St Pancras. It was extensively re-furbed recently and the ground floor is now suitably funkified to appeal to trendy travellers looking for a bed, a drink,

a meal or just somewhere to hang en-route. The Reception is notable for its impressively futuristic Minority Report style protections, displaying the latest exchange rates, weather, or if you download the #tweetart app, your thoughts and social media comments converted into a unique piece of animated artwork. The cool bar is open til 1am and the restaurant has a range of world dishes inspired by the adventurer, Phileas Fogg.

Full marks to the marketing bods for the inspiring back story, but in truth the food falls short on anything too exotic. There are ‘Arabian Meatballs’, a good Antipasto dish, but however you dress things up ‘Texas Toast’ is just garlic bread and ‘A tribute to Raffaele Esposito’, a thin-cut Margherita Pizza.

Some of the ‘world’ dishes we tried may lack the true authenticity of say, in the case of ‘Thai-stuffed banana leaf’ a really good Thai restaurant, but the quality is still high enough and cheap enough to keep all but the

From £110 double or twin room per night 3 Cardington St, London NW1 2LW 020 7388 7777

most strident purist happy. The steaks are definitely recommended and decently priced, but strangely there is no kids menu. If like many of the people visiting here you have ‘small people’ in your party, you can still get small portions of the mains available.

The waiters are friendly and interested, maybe it’s the personalised All Star trainers they all wear that gives them a spring in the step. Early starters can grab a pastry from 4am - 6.30am after which time a varied selection of excellent hot and cold food available. While shards of Autumn sunlight stream through the large windows, its the perfect spot to start the day, people-watching and reading the papers.

The Hotel is parallel with Drummond St, famous for the best Vegetarian dosas in London, including Diwana the first South Indian vegetarian

“Fandabe-dosa” Best For: Early Starter / Late nighter

restaurant in Britain (originally opened in 1970), so there is no excuse not to be well fed at bed time. Our room is bigger than the budget Hotel, the bed is bouncy and there’s a nice bath too.

One thing I found a slight issue at all the Ibis Hotels seemed to be a lack of plug sockets in the room. I had a phone, camera and laptop with me and by the end of the day they all need charging up. If you’re like me, ask at reception and they’ll happily loan you have a plug adaptor free of charge.

Location, Location, Location

And finally….

Day 3 ibis Styles London Southwark Rose Part of the ‘ibis Styles’ family, the price of the Southwark Rose may be slightly higher, but the all-round experience is also a touch more luxurious. The Hotel is ideal for business travellers looking for something more exciting, or families in need of a base close to the centre, but not too close to the madness. The Globe Theatre, the Tate Modern and the OXO Tower are all within easy walking distance, so to is Borough Market. Some rooms have a really great view of the Shard, so its worth asking at reception if you can bag one.

Facilities include wizzy wi-fi, 32” flat-screen TV, iron, hairdryer, electric blackout blinds and a safe big enough to keep your laptop in. There is plenty of space to swing a cat and

the bed is soft and comfy and I could quite happily stay the week. Because the Hotel is so close to dozens of excellent restaurants and bars, I can imagine it’s own are often overlooked

by Hotel guests who venture further afield for dinner, however the food is excellent and the bar is a friendly place to flop. When you are just too bushed to move, room service will look after your every whim.

Parking is an extra £25 per day, but the Hotel is very close to London Bridge and driving in London is a

From £117.90 double or twin room per night 43-47 Southwark Bridge Road SE1 9HH 0207 0151480

major hassle, so get the train unless you really have to. Overall it’s a friendly place and regular exhibitions of up and coming artists and photographers are hung in the lobby and public areas of the Hotel giving it an individual personality missing from so many so-called chain hotels.

“A Rose among Thorns” Best for: Wheeler Dealers and Capital Pleasure Seekers

There are regular offers on all Ibis hotels throughout the year. All Hotels have free Wi-Fi and you can also can get 15% OFF by booking 15 days in advance For more info visit www.ibis.com

The Amsterdam Festival of Light 27th November – 18th January 2015

PHOTO BY Joris van Kesteren

The Amsterdam Light Festival When I was little I’d get my Dad to drive through the centre of London at night just to look at the neon ads around Piccadilly Circus. At that age there was something about the lights and staying up late that was so enthralling. The Amsterdam Light Festival recaptures that same feeling for me; when the already beautiful city canals and side streets are transformed by light sculptures, installations and

projections combined with that pre-Christmas-y feeling the centre of Amsterdam becomes alive with positive energy.

You can follow the now annual festival across two routes, one on foot (Illuminade) takes you through the city centre, and another by boat along the canals (Water Colors), both intertwine along the way. You can join one of the many tours or just grab a map and go your own way.

This years Festival has the sub-title ‘A Bright City’, throwing down a challenge to the artists involved to create a tribute to life in modern Amsterdam. One of my favourites from last year was by French artist Vincent Olinet and entitled ‘Pas Encore Mon Histoire’, a grandiose four poster princess bed with silk sheets, beautifully illuminated, floating on the canal (see first page). Another along the walking route situated in front of the City Hall was a collaborative project between Amsterdam residents and the ‘New Heroes Foundation’.

The installation, featuring hundreds of table lamps when looked at from above on a certain staircase inside the Hall spelled out the words ‘We light Amsterdam’

(I didn’t know this at the time). It was just as spectacular from the ground view.

Just remember to wrap up warm and buy an ‘I Amsterdam’ city card. These will grant you free admission to most Amsterdam Museums (some, like the Rijksmuseum offer a reduced rate), free travel on trams, buses, a canal cruise and too much other good stuff to list here.

Prices vary depending on the duration, but the 48hr pass for €57 is a good bet. For more info visit www.iamsterdam.com Amsterdam Festival of Light runs from 27th November – 18th January 2015 For more info visit www.amsterdamlightfestival.com

The Rijksmuseum Officially re-opened in April last year after a protracted restoration project that lasted five years longer than planned and went millions over budget, the Rijksmuseum is back and more stunning than ever. New areas such as the cavernous entrance hall compliment the existing building so naturally you can forgive all the delays and it’s pretty much compulsory to come here if you visit Amsterdam.

Ask a Dutch person who their favourite artist is and EVERY single one of them will tell you, Rembrandt. The man is still very much a legend in these parts and his painting ‘Night Watch’ sits pride of place in the wonderful ‘Gallery of Honour’.

The Rijksmuseum has many star paintings, including Vermeers ‘The Milkmaid’ plus pieces by Van Gogh and many of the Dutch Masters. For me the real joy is exploring the lesser know works on display and you could easily spend two days just pottering around.

Admission is €17.50 for adults or free for under 18’s.

For more info visit www.rijksmuseum.nl

ICE* With the Rijksmuseum as a backdrop, ICE* Amsterdam is the coolest place to throw some shapes on your skates. They are cheap to hire (€5.00 for two hours) and when you’ve had enough of falling over, retire into the ace wooden cabin next door for some of the best Apple Pie and Hot Chocolate on the planet. Seriously.

Open from Saturday 22nd November – Sunday 1st February 2015 www.iceamsterdam.nl

Where to Stay: NH Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky There are plenty of funky hotels in Amsterdam, but for a touch of European splendour stay at the 5 Star NH Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky in Dame Square.

Location wise it’s right in the heart of Amsterdam, with easy walking distance to many tourist attractions including the Royal Palace, Nieuwe Kerk, Anne Frank House, and the Van Gogh museum. De Bijenkorf (The Bee-hive, right) the famous department store is just across the way and the buses and trams stop virtually outside.

Since the Hotel opened in 1883, it’s been extended and has taken over some of the surrounding buildings. If you can, try and stay in the original building, it retains a traditional feel with all the added modern conveniences we’ve come to love.

Prices start from around £180 per night, for more info visit http://bit.ly/krasnapolsky-amsterdam

Getting there KLM fly to Amsterdam from 16 UK airports and journey time is about an hour. I flew from Norwich and with the hour time difference was home 10 minutes after I left Amsterdam.

For more info visit www.klm.com For further information on accommodation, attractions, festivals and lots more visit www.holland.com

DarkStar

Rothko at The Hague A major collection of Mark Rothko’s paintings is now on show at The Gemeentemuseum, The Hague until March 2015.

Born Marcus Rothkowitz in Russia in 1903, Rothko emigrated to the US with his family at the age of 10 and became an artist almost by accident. Together with Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning and others he was associated with the Abstract Expressionists movement in post WW2 1940’s New York.

In addition to his ‘classic style’ paintings, some of the artists rarely exhibited early work are on display at The Hague and it’s fitting to see the pieces in the same location as the Worlds best collection of Mondrian paintings, the Dutch artist Rothko found much inspiration from. The exhibition perfectly highlights the contrasting styles of the two leading first and second generation pioneers of abstract art.

In real-life the huge fields of colour in his paintings offer a clue as to the tormented mind behind their creation, something impossible to experience from just a magazine or book. In later life Rothko suffered from depression and health problems, factors that reflected deeply in his work and contributed ultimately to his suicide in 1970. Rich with unparalleled intensity they serve to communicate universal human emotions such as fear, ecstasy, grief and euphoria.

The Rothko Exhibition takes place at The Gemeentemuseum until March 2015 For more info visit www.gemeentemuseum. nl/en/exhibitions/ mark-rothko For more information on travel, accommodation and events in Holland visit www.holland.com

PHOTOGRAPHY BY Mark Borland

JAPAN

With a passion for snowboarding, freelance adventure travel-writer Pete Coombs has spent the last 20 years riding anywhere there’s snow, often in the more bizarre snow spots such as Morocco and the High Arctic.

Reception staff in downtown Akakura Onsen

We caught up with Pete after a trip to the powder fields of Japan...

“I’ve always aspired to snowboard the volcanic mountains of Japan, and after many hours of research and YouTube views, I thought it was time to make it happen.

I shied away from the main resorts and tourist groups, focusing on the lesser known Myoko Akakura Snow Area, in the Niigata prefecture.

It turned out to be an inspired decision. As what I found there; was a dreamlike space of empty forests, perfect powder snow and smiling locals.”

Day 1

Arriving in Japan, with photographer Mark Borland, off a British Airways flight was a little like forgetting how to read.

We didn’t have a clue how to navigate the complex issue of Japans vending machines, let alone the Tokyo underground.

Arriving in Myoko by Local Train from Tokyo

The snowy Bullet train, Tokyo Sation

JAPAN

A smoking Vent in Akukura Onsen ski area, reminding me we’re snowboarding on an active volcano

Day 2

Having safely navigated our way to Akakura, with help from many a smiling locals, I grabbed a hire board and hit the sundrenched powder slopes. Mike, lead guide of Snow Magic, takes us on a hike into the woods.

Choosing a board at Spicy rental shop Post boarding stroll through downtown Akakura Onsen

Down town Akakura Onsen with more snow on the way

Hiking above Akakura Tenko through deep powder in the sunshine

With guide from Snow Magic

JAPAN

Locals at Akakura Kanko Skiers in Downtown Akakura Onsen

Day 3

Today we find our own powder turns, high above the resort of Akakura Onsen.

After which we drank beer from yet another vending machine, before a taxi ride to Seki Onsen.

hotel room in Seki Onsen

JAPAN

Day 4

Snow, snow, more snow, and a single man chair lift. The tiny resort of Seki Onsen is a powder hounds dream. With light fluffy snow up to your eyeballs; it’s often hard to see where you’re going, but it’s always a joy getting there.

The lift pass ticket office in Seki Onsen

Pete Coombs vanishing into the trees

Box of biscuits

JAPAN

Meeting Mr Daisuke the owner of Seki Onsen ski resor

Day 5

Meet Mr Daisuke, the owner of Seki Onsen, in his crazy little office. He arranges us a guide, with a little flag on the end of a piece of bamboo.

We take a long hike above the resort, through pristine birch forest, before blasting back down.

Poster from Seki Onsen’s past

Entrance to an Onsen where you wash in the hot volcanic water

Pete and Mark Borland with local guide

Following the guide with his flag in Seki Onsen, on an off piste adventure

Taking a powder turn before heading for the airport

JAPAN

Day 6

Leaving town through a seasons worth of snow Sad looking lunch boxe

Sadly leave town through more falling snow, after a quick morning on the board.

Mark and I agree that it’s easy to love Japan, and we vow to return for another snowboarding adventure real soon.

Travel Information Flights

British Airways offers direct flights from Heathrow to both Tokyo airports - Narita and Haneda - from £580 return. www.britishairways.com

Train

Best option is to buy a Japan Rail Pass starting from £166.00 for 7 days travel £265 for 14 days www.jrpass. com

Airport Transfers

Limousine Bus, Airport to down Town £17 each way. http://www.limousinebus.co.jp/en/

Ski Resorts

Seki Onsen Ski Resort http://www. sekionsen.com/ Lift tickets £20/day Akakura Ski Resort http://akakura-ski.com/english.php Akakura Onsen Ski Area http://www.akr-ski.com/english/ Guide Dancing Snow Back Country Guides. One day tour is ¥15,000 per person (£85), which includes guide fee, insurance, lift tickets, lunch, and transportation. www.dancingsnow. com

Hire

Ski/Snowboard Hire Ski and Boots from £26/day Snowboard and boots from £20/day http://www.spicy.co.jp/english/

Where to stay

Pete Coombs stayed at the Akakura Hotel Annex - Myoko Hotel search engine www.myokohotels.com and the Yama no Yu Sekizen Hotel in Seki Onsen

experience Istanbul on any budget skyscanner travel search uncovers your best options

ƠLJKWV • hotels • FDU KLUH

search now at skyscanner.net

Smell Bent Mirrorball might be my favourite of all of them (please don’t tell the others)

by Sara Darling

This morning was my first time meeting a perfumer and my usual pre-interview nerves about what to wear, had been changed to which scent to choose.

Thankfully, ‘Smell Bent’ founder, Brent Leonesi dismissed these with a chuckle by telling me…

“I always have people shoving body parts under my nose. It’s like a cocktail party game ‘what am I wearing?!’.

Now I’m not sure what I was expecting a fragrance-maker to look like, but a funky LA hipster, has now set the precedent. Making magic from his own offices in the vicinity of the beach is a far cry from the clinical concrete jungle labs I imagined perfume to be made in. Full of enthusiasm and constantly grinning, I can see where the mischievous nature of his scents comes from.

“The brand actually started with Armani… a very expensive $200 bottle from the Prive range, which had run out, so I decided to track down a replacement online, and got sucked into the world wide web of perfume fans: People are obsessed with fragrance. I got lost in this website….” Which I guess is a good enough place as any to start.

With a fashion design background, creative juices were in Brent’s blood, and when he was made redundant, he knew he wanted to make perfume and followed his dream.

Reading, smelling and building up his knowledge base, he invested in some kit to create a laboratory in his own kitchen.

Having tinkered for a while, his first actual scent was ‘Sunshine’, sold to a friend who loved it. Inspired by this, he made nine more fragrances, and built his own website, ready to sell his mini sized smellies to the public, complete with cute, fun drawings.

Before he knew it, he had thirty orders and the start of the empire. Five years later he is a prolific creator, with over 100 scents already made, each one has a story to tell.

I asked which comes first, the name or the story…? “It’s often a combination of the two.

Most are inspired by memories, or memories you haven’t made yet…”

Spoiled for choice by the collection that tickled my nostrils today, I’d be hard pressed to choose a winner. Each provokes a smile and a private moment, whether it’s a happy city break scent, ‘Tokyo Mama’, or the bashful blush brought on by ‘Walk of Shame’. Although the titles do not tell you the intention, the genius is what is insinuated.

These perfumes are not serious, po-faced or pretentious- they break the boundaries of being classified and rule breakers rule!

Which led me to ask who would be Brent’s ideal celebrity ambassador- which after a little pondering, “Lena Durham – I love her out of the box thinking; She is taking charge of her life and career, and doing what she wants.” Which is exactly the Smell Bent ethos: keeping it humble, and keeping it real.

Status and luxury are terrific if you can enjoy then, but more importantly is tickling people, and who wouldn’t want to get up out of bed in the morning, spritz on some ‘She Wolf’ and rock out for the day…? Bonus points if you get a compliment from a taxi driver!! And the look you get when you tell someone that your odour is ‘Brussel Sprouted’ is priceless!

Available exclusively in London at Roullier White.£45 50ml www.roullierwhite.com Sara Darling, is Fashion and Content Editor of 55Factory, a freelance stylist and fashion, lifestyle and travel writer. You can follow her on Twitter @fashion_darling

Mama Kin Mama Shelter,

Ironically, the only sensible way to get to the Paris Motor Show from London is via Eurostar. The amount of effort involved in going by plane, i.e. getting to the airport, parking, checkin, waiting, flying, and then more waiting, is just too much when you can be in the centre of Paris in two hours, relaxed and ready to go.

If you can afford the extra, a Business Premier ticket adds a welcome degree of flexibility to your travel plans. For example, if you need time to dot the ‘i’s’, on a deal or enjoy a glass of wine from the bottle of 2009 L’Esprit de Basté your friend has just ordered from the Le Baron Rouge, you can relax and just get on the next train instead. Also included is a light Raymond Blanc devised

Paris

meal en-route, complimentary drinks, magazines and newspapers.

Check-in time is only 10 minutes before departure (try that on an EasyJet flight). Standard Premier includes a light meal, a selection of magazines and as with the regular fare you only have to be there 30 mins before. There are no weight limits on luggage and the allowance is two bags, so if you can carry them, they’ll be accepted onboard.

Straight from the train at Gare Du Nord I’m heading to Mama Shelter, a Hotel in the vicinity of the last proper village within the city limits of Paris, Charonne. It still feels like a ‘real’ place, firmly resisting the gentrification from soul-less big business that threatens much of the

western world. It’s also very close to the famous Père Lachaise Cemetery, the last resting place of among many others, Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde and Frédéric Chopin, so creative forces literally ooze from the soil in these parts.

It was in this corner of Paris that Club Med founders – the Trigano family in collaboration with architect Roland Castro and designer Philippe Starck – realised their dream for Mama Shelter and it’s somewhere I’ve been wanting to visit since they opened in 2008. It’s grown into a hip hang-out for locals and tourists alike with a bohemian vibe, without the sometimes accompanied pretentiousness.

Perhaps its slightly off-the-beatentrack location discourages a few

(Alexandre Dumas, Porte de Bagnolet and Gambetta stations are all about 10mins walk, the Latin Quarter about 30mins on the Metro) but it means they can keep the room prices down.

Currently there is a Sunday Special offer on for just €89 Euros (£70) for two including free Wi-Fi, about the same price as staying on someones sofa in central London.

On arrival, the friendly receptionist recommends some nice bars and places to eat in the area and the Flèche d’Or, an excellent live music venue is just across the street, but I’m only here for one night, so I opt to soak up Mama’s hospitality and a large glass of House Red on the premises.

The ground floor is split between

Mama Kin Mama Shelter,

3 areas, the main reception, a pizzeria with two long tables and benches either side, and a larger more sprawling, loung-ey space with a tiny stage, sofas and more seating.

There is a patio area where smoking is not so much allowed as actively encouraged. I’m here during Paris Fashion Week,and the place is full of young, good-looking, hip people (and me). The lighting is kept low, so it has more of a nightclub-y, bar feel than a Hotel and you can still order food at midnight. The decoration is fabulously eclectic and quirky, inflatable rubber rings hang from the ceiling and the walls and floors are covered in quotes and interesting facts. Talking of which, virtually all the

Paris

carpets are black and they must be a nightmare to keep looking clean. I wonder if Phillipe thought about that on the drawing board?

There is also a roof garden, but the weather is such that I decline to brave it out there this time. I have an early start, so after a tasty, crispy pizza and another quick glass of Vin Rouge I retire for the evening.

Up in my room I can’t hear a thing from downstairs so they’ve either all gone to bed too or the wall insulation is pretty good. I’ve only booked a single, but the bed is big enough for two. There is a microwave oven and instead of a regular TV, a 27” iMac is attached to the wall for web browsing, TV and lots of free movies

on demand, some of the movies even have people with clothes on in them. There are Scooby-Doo and Darth Vader face masks hanging either side of the bed and I’m sure with company these are a lot more fun. After a quick browse I succumb to the cotton satin sheets and suddenly it’s morning time again.

Mama’s breakfast is excellent and so too is the coffee, with it I’m ready to face the Metro and Porte de Versailles Parc des Expositions awaits.

If you plan on visiting Père Lachaise Cemetery I’d definitely recommend a couple of nights at Mama Shelter, one to explore the neighbourhood and another to try out Mama’s restaurant and the face masks.

Mama Shelter, 109 Rue de Bagnolet, Paris (75020) For more info visit www.mamashelter.com EuroStar to Paris Eurostar operates up to 18 daily services from London St Pancras International to Paris with return fares from £69. Child fares start from £49 return and children under 4 years-old travel free (not allocated a seat). Standard Premier fares start from £189 return.

Fastest London-Paris journey time is 2hrs 15 minutes.

For tickets and more info visit eurostar.com or call 03448 224 777

Paris Motor Show 2014

Rebooted and There were no less than 57 debuts at the 2014 Paris Motor Show, here ARE my personal favourites.

Skoda Fabia Skoda uncovered a new look, third generation Fabia at the Paris Motorshow. Slicker, lighter and lower than before, it’s definitely more attractive and one I’m looking forward to driving next year. £10,600 will buy you an S trim, 1.0 litre (59bhp) petrol engine with DAB, electric windows and six airbags as standard. There are more colours and trim options to choose from and a GreenLine version boasting 91mpg and 89g/km co2 to follow. You’ll begin seeing these a lot on the streets of Britain from Jan 2015. Fab.

Volvo XC90 Since buying Volvo from Ford in 2010 for £1.2bn Chinese owners, Geely have allowed the bods at Volvo to continue focusing on their core strengths; quality, technology and safety. The seven seater XC90 is the first car to be built using Scalable Product Architecture (SPA), the platform from which a whole new family of Volvos will be launched. Available in a range of Drive-E four-cylinder engines, all promising excellent fuel economy and low emissions, special mention goes to the über cool iPad-like touch screen infotainment system that’s easy to use and cutting edge technology at your fingertips. One fan is Zlatan Ibrahimovic, he turned up to the launch

Suited

and received one of the 1,927 first edition specials with the serial number 10, to match his Paris St Germain shirt number. A massive car for Volvo and probably my favourite of the whole show.

Available in the UK from spring 2015

Paris Motor Show 2014

Fiat 500x

New Kids on There were some very stylish custom 500’s on the Fiat stand, created in collaboration with artist Ron Arad, my favourite had a denim trim (on the outside). The real star however was the new 500X, a compact crossover with retro styling built on an adapted SCCS platform also found under the Fiat Punto and Vauxhall Corsa. It will compete for customers with the likes of the Nissan Juke and Renault Captur and according to their TV Ad it’s the 500 super-fied on Viagra. Whether it will have the staying power however, only time will tell. Price TBC available from the second quarter of 2015.

the Block Jaguar XE Jaguar / Land Rover had two debuts in Paris, the new Land Rover Discovery Sport and this beauty, the all new XE. Genetically tied to the rest of the range, the price (starting from only ÂŁ26,995) takes Jaguar back into the compact executive car market, fighting toe to toe with the BMW 3 series, Audi A4 and Mercedes C-Class. At launch there will be a choice of five engines, starting with a 161bhp, 2.0litre diesel part of the new, modular Ingenium engine family. On the stand it looked fantastic and promises to bring a whole range of high-end features previously unavailable in this price sector.

Paris Motor Show 2014

Virtual Volkswagen XL Sport Concept To celebrate sales of 200 million, VW have created the XL Sport Concept, an amazing car featuring the 197bhp V-twin engine from a Ducati 1199 Superleggera motorbike. Thanks to extensive use of carbon fibre the car weighs just 890kg and will do 0-62mph in 5.7 seconds, 168 mph and rev up to 11,000rpm.

Volkswagen say they’ve built the car to gauge reaction, so if we jump up and down enough, who knows, they might actually build it.

Lamborghini Asterion LPI 910-4 Building a luxury sports car that has a Plug-in hybrid power train capable of running 50km on the battery is an interesting and unexpected development from Lamborghini, even if it’s only something currently inside a concept vehicle. The Asterion LPI 910-4 has a 5.2-litre V10 engine, three electric motors, four wheel drive, and (according to Lamborghini anyway) it’s a pretty nimble drive around town. A heady combination of leather, aluminium, carbon fibre and titanium in all the right places, is this the future of green (blue) super cars?

Reality

Paris Motor Show 2014

Paris Motor Show 2014

Clio Renaultspor Turbo EDC LUX

By Frank Turner

CARTOON legend Popeye would approve of the latest hot hatchback from Renault.Because just as the gangly sailor man is immediately transformed to a super-hero by downing a tin of spinach, so the Clio Renaultsport 200 Turbo EDC LUX gets instantly even more muscular by pressing the ‘RS’ button.

Situated on the console between the front seats, it activates all manner of hi-tech gizmos to make an already performanceoriented car more responsive, remapping the engine and adjusting suspension and chassis settings.

The ‘spinach button’ is just one facet of a car that is born to run.

With tenacious grip and traction levels, oodles of agility, balance, feedback and response, it is sheer fun.

I had previously sampled the car on a driving day in Cheshire and fell for its involving nature.

Renault has an true pedigree in hot hatches that goes back more than 30 years. It began in 1976

rt 200

when, with the first Volkswagen Golf GTi still a year away from launch, the company re-wrote the performance small car rule book with the 5 Gordini.

Frenchman Amédée Gordini was a renowned racing car designer and tuning specialist who first became involved with Renault during the 1950s. This relationship laid the foundations for the company’s performance division, Renaultsport, and, 30 years ago, gave birth to the Renault 5 Gordini.

It was the company’s first front wheel drive sports hatchback the pioneer of a new concept for fast, fun motoring in a compact motor. This premise of affordable, class-leading performance has remained the driving force in the company’s three decades of hot hatch development.

Clio Renaultsport 200 Turbo EDC LUX

Landmarks along the way have included the Clio Renaultsport 172 in 2001, which became the first hot hatch to wear the Renaultsport badge, taking its name from the remarkable power output achieved from a 2.0-litre non-turbocharged engine.

So, fast forward to today, and we have this latest seriously quick motor, which develops the simple, sensuous lines of the new

generation Clio, adding emphasis with neatly integrated details that reflect its high-performance character.It is a five-door model, but with a coupe profile – a look enhanced by the concealed rear door handles.

Performance hallmarks include a deeper front bumper with an F1style front blade, rectangular twin tailpipes, side skirts finished in the body colour and 17in wheels as standard (Flush Magazine’s car had 18in Renaultsport alloys). The inside story is marked by overall black and dark grey themes with sporty touches of red detailing.This can be seen in areas including seatbelts, instrument needles and the red flash marking straightahead on the chunky, leathercovered steering wheel. The seats are figure-hugging and supportive – our car was trimmed in carbon leather with the RS logo on the front (heated) seats and headrests.

There’s a feast of kit including a seven-inch multimedia

touchscreen with sat-nav, extratinted rear windows and tailgate, electrically adjustable and folding door mirrors, climate control and electric rear windows. Our car’s options included handy kit such as rear parking camera and parking sensors. It also had the optional Cup chassis, which includes a lower ride height and more taut springs and dampers. It makes the handling even more sporty, but I found the ride a little edgy and distracting by the end of the week’s loan – the only downside to a little mega-motor.

TECH SPEC Technical: 1,618cc fourcylinder turbo-charged petrol engine with automatic transmission.

Performance: 0-60, 6.7 secs, top speed, 143mph.

Fuel: 44mpg (combined).

Emissions: 144g/km Co2.

Price: £22,540 (inc options)

CAR REVIEW:

Suzuki Swift Five-door 1.2 SZ4 4x4 Are you hip to grip?

Do you want the benefits of four-wheel drive? If that’s the case, your options car-wise have never been better. At one time, drivers were limited in choice to a handful of heavy 4x4s, and that type of go-anywhere motor is still with us, ideally suited to the roughest terrain. But if you want the reassurance of extra traction without all the baggage that goes with these high-riding, seriously-shod vehicles, then Suzuki may well have the answer.

The Japanese company’s Swift 4x4 combines the appeal of a zesty compact hatchback with grippy ability. The 4x4 model was introduced to the Swift line-up recently and Flush Magazine got the chance to get behind the wheel for a week’s test-drive.

This five-door, 1.2-litre, petrol-engined car has manual transmission and

simple, well-proven fully-automatic and permanent four-wheel drive technology.

It is 65kg heavier than an equivalent two-wheel drive petrol model, with emissions only 10g/km higher.

Apart from 4x4 badging and a slight increase in ride height (25mm) the SZ3 grade appears identical to its frontwheel drive sibling, while the SZ4 model I drove has a slightly more rugged appearance.It offers extra protection over rough ground by adding front and rear skid plates, black wheel arch extensions and black side skirts. This kit is quite discreet.

The standard model handles well and is an engaging drive, but 4x4 ability adds another dimension, making the car even more nimble and surefooted in corners.Our motor’s features included automatic air conditioning, cruise control, MP3/WMA compatible CD tuner with four speakers, USB socket, three-spoke reach and rake-adjustable leather-covered steering wheel with

audio controls, front accessory socket, LED daytime running lights, 16in alloy wheels, rear privacy glass, outside temperature display, electrically adjustable heated door mirrors and automatic headlamps.

On the practicality front you will find the likes of 60/40 split folding rear seat, three cupholders, upper storage tray with lid and a lidded centre console. I found the car just a tad under-powered at times, but judicious use of the smooth-changing five-speed gearbox helps to add some pep, and the Swift’s brio shines through.

Global sales of the Swift have now passed the four million. Launched in the UK in May 2005, more than 90,000 Swifts have been sold and account for around 30 per cent of the company’s UK sales mix. All European Swifts are made at Suzuki’s established Magyar plant in Hungary.

TECH SPEC MAKE/MODEL: Suzuki Swift five-door, 1.2 SZ4 4x4.

TECHNICAL: 1,242cc four cylinder petrol engine with five-speed manual transmission.

PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph, 13.4 secs; top speed 103mph.

FUEL: 51.3 mpg (combined).

EMISSIONS: 126 g/km.

PRICE: £13,546 (until Dec 31 ) For more info visit www.suzuki.co.uk/cars The Swift is driven in 140 countries, and has won 70 awards. It is available in three and five door versions with a five star Euro NCAP rating. For those who fancy a sportier experience, there is the 1.6 Swift Sport – the performance flagship of the range, offering higher levels of tuning, steering and braking performance. ecent developments to the range include the addition of DAB digital radio and Satellite Navigation as standard equipment on SZ4 and Swift Sport models. The range starts at £8,999 for the 1.2 SZ2 three door.

Barnya 18 Charlotte St, London

Barnyard is friendly old kind o’ place, five minutes from the Tottenham Court Road end of Oxford St in Fitzrovia, it’s owned by Oskar Kinberg and Ollie Dabbous the same team behind the increasingly popular restaurant, Dabbous just up the road...

According to Time Out Magazine it’s currently the 6th best place to eat in London, which is no mean feat when you consider the competition.

Manager Charlie Bolton(top left) must take some of the credit, along with Head Chef Joseph Woodland’s Michelin Star background they’ve elevated what could easily be dismissed as a theme bar, into a definite food destination.

The core menu is grounded in US-style comfort food, but a UK influence has sneaked into the back (barn) door recently and a Brunch menu every weekend from 10am

ard has added a soupçon of Emmerdale Farm to the Waltons influenced Corn Breads and Barbecued Bavette.

There’s a rocking chair on the porch, the kind Granny sat in on Summer evenings, shotgun on knee, scanning the horizon for coyotes as the sun went down over the swamp.

Inside, Barnyard is a all chunky wood, corrugated iron and checkered shirts, instantly transporting you from central London to the back end of nowhere in two shakes of racoons tail.

We popped along for a bite to eat and a couple of cocktails to find out more.

Barnyard 18 Charlotte St, London

The menu flexes with the seasons and prices are very good, £6 for mouth-smackingly crispy chicken wings with smoked paprika and garlic and lemon, to the afore-mentioned grain fed Bavette short rib, amazingly tender, served simply with just a pickle, mustard and black treacle for £14. Even something as innocuous as a Homemade Sausage Roll with Piccalilli is elevated to greatness in ‘the yard’ and a good suggestion is to order several dishes each and try a bit of everything. The plate sizes are sensible so you can still leave with your waistline intact, however

just to be safe, avoid the lard on toast (oh, and maybe and the popcorn ice cream with smoked fudge sauce, (right)). The corn bread is freshly baked, light and authentic, the chicory salad with lovage, mint and lemon delicate and delightful.

Despite the relatively simple dishes, it’s obvious they’re made with love.

And then there are the drinks…

The cocktail menu includes the Country House Shandy (Elderflower, Lemon, Ginger Ale, Bourbon and Goose Island £6.50), as refreshing, as it is intoxicating and totally fantastic.

So to are the Shakes, try a Blueberry

Pancake, £4.50 or £7 with a splash of Bourbon to make it ‘hard’.

Chef Joseph has plans to add more diversity to the current small, but perfectly formed menu in the future and the formula of simple food, served with sophistication should bring all the boys (and girls) to the Yard for some time to come.

Barnyard 18 Charlotte Street London W1T 2LZ 020 7580 3842

Ghouls’ Goblet

“

Fillet of a fenny snake, In the caldron boil and bake; Eye of newt, and toe of frog, Wool of bat, and tongue of dog, Adder’s fork, and blind-worm’s sting, Lizard’s leg, and owlet’s wing, For a charm of powerful trouble, Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.

”

Excerpt from The Witches’ Spell, Macbeth by William Shakespeare

Although this Ghouls’ Goblet’ cocktail is far easier to prepare than your average Witches Brew, fear not, it still comes with tangy twists that will twizzle your tongue and delight the guests at any Halloween party this side of Transylvania.

Ingredients l Tall glass (or martini glass, but apply half the measures of the below) l Ice l 35ml Smirnoff No.21 (one egg cup measure) l 150ml Ginger Ale l 2 Orange slices l 2 Lemon slices l 5 Sweet gummy worms Method l Take an ice tray and add your worm gummy sweets to each square, then fill with water l Add 1 to 2 drops of different food colouring in each and place in freezer l Once frozen add ice cubes to glass with all other ingredients Obviously this one is strictly adults only, but for a cool kids version just swap the Smirnoff for some blood-red pomegranate juice.

For more information visit facebook.com/Smirnoff and for more drinks inspiration visit uk.thebar.com

LazEEz Lebanese Tapas Review by Manasi Kumar

The word ‘Lazeez’ means tasty in three languages; Arabic, Farsi and Urdu, so when invited to review Lazeez Tapas situated but a stone’s throw away from London’s Selfridges, it was with thoughts of a Friday night feast. apparently their most popular menu item for hungry workers to take away on their lunch break. Sidestepping these, we plump for a selection of hot and cold mezze and a Main to share. The mezze selection are priced at an average of £6 per dish

Lazeez is easy to spot, decked out in orange and blue with tables of friends enjoying Shisha and nibbles outside under the awning. The interior is small and sparsely furnished with a curious lack of tables, we later realise that they’re taking all the tables outside to accommodate those wishing to engage in Shisha but it doesn’t really help with the atmosphere inside. Open windows are wafting in smoke from outside and all in all, I appear to be standing in an upmarket Kebab shop. And true indeed, Chicken & Lamb Shawarmas feature heavily on the menu,

with the mains starting from £13.95, so prices aren’t as steep as expected given the neighbouring Selfridges location.

Our first choice of main, the grilled Tiger Prawns are unavailable, which is disappointing and so we choose the Mixed Grill with rice instead, accompanied by Baked Halloumi, Moutabel, Arayes and Hummus with Lamb. And since we’re kicking off the weekend, we opt for a Watermelon cocktail to accompany our feasting.

The cocktail is delicious, well balanced and refreshing and things are starting to look up. Our food starts to stream in and is a little bit more of a mixed bag. The baked halloumi is moist, succulent and of high quality and a generous portion so there’s more than enough to go round for seconds! The Moutabel similarly is excellent, smooth and flavoursome and easily mopped up with long strips of pitta bread. The Hummus lets the party down somewhat, it’s a bit grainy as if the chickpea to olive

oil ratio hasn’t been worked out well and the lamb nestled in the middle is fatty and overdone. Lamb shouldn’t really be served crispy and these are off-cuts I’m sure.

Arayes are new to me, they’re essentially deep fried meat-filled flaky pastries, these are crispy but could use a bit more in the flavour department and perhaps a hint of

LazEEz Lebanese Tapas

spice would work well. We’re filling up pretty fast so I’m glad we only opted for one main between us – this is a mixed grill of chicken and lamb, served with rice and red onion. They bring round a pot of homemade chilli sauce which is fantastic; it’s retained all the flavours of a chilli without the heat although I would have preferred a version that also has the spicy kick to it, and something quite unusual for the lamb, pomegranate molasses that bring out an interesting sour sweet tang to the grilled lamb.

We finish our meal off with a waffle topped with strawberries and chocolate ice cream, unfortunately the waffle has come straight from the freezer to microwave and the middle is still cold. More fitting an

ending is the Moroccan mint tea that comes in a gleaming silver teapot, bringing back memories of taking tea in the Riad’s in Marrakech. We head out into the night and make straight across the road to Selfridges for some light retail therapy, agreeing on one thing, this place is best suited to two groups, the lunchtime crowd looking for a Shawarma fix or the late crowd, happy to indulge in some Shisha and snack on the Tapas offering.

Diners like us, seated inside to escape the smoke, miss out on hefty chunks of atmosphere and the food, while decent can’t bridge that gap.

29 Duke Street, London W1U 1LF www.lazeeztapas.co.uk

Manasi is a Restaurant & Travel blogger living in London, when not thinking about foodie hot spots, she’s writing about them at inher30s.com .You can follow her on Twitter @inher30s

Get My Drift

Digital Snow

By Ian Hughes / epredator

In certain parts of the world indigenous people have hundreds of words for snow. Those of us in rather less snowy climates tend to view snow as something magical or something we head to on a relatively expensive activity holiday. Snow is a complicated and fascinating part of life on this planet, it’s a change in state of an essential element that keeps us alive. Therefore it makes sense that when we can’t be somewhere snowy we like to play and experience it and its activities anyway.

Scroll On

As a teenager I had a saturday job as a shop assistant in W.H. Smith. It was when we had the initial influential wave of home computers with the ZX Spectrum and the Commodore 64 (ask you Dad). You may just view W.H. Smith as a newsagent or stationary shop but at the time it also sold typewriters, records and cassette tapes. These new fangled computer thingys had keyboards, so fitted with the displays of typewriters and they needed software that came on tapes.

Being a fledgling techie I ended up being the one wheeled in if a customer needed to hear some geek speak. Nothing new there then! One of the popular games at the time (1982) was Hungry Horace Goes Skiing (left),

this was a follow up to Hungry Horace, a Pac Man style maze game. The key part of this Horace (who was a large blue blob on legs) game was slalom skiing.

Now, the machines were very low power by todays standards and game design was still in its infancy.

The entire screen was white with snow and a few obstacles and gates. Horace sat mid-screen and the gates scrolled upwards towards him simulating a slope. Pressing the rubber keys you turned Horace and he traversed left and right across the screen through a series of gates. It had that slightly out of control feel of coming down a mountain but the swoosh and swish of the skis was mostly imagined by the player. It wasn’t just skiing. There was a level

that had to be completed before the skiing that involved trying to get across the road with your skis dodging traffic. It was basically Frogger, but it did fit with that initial trudge to the ski hire shop you get in most resorts.

I was inspired enough to go home and try to build my own skiing game.

You quickly learn that just a few simple parameters can make for an interesting experience. Whilst this is a 2D experience the speed the gates scroll up the screen are acting like gravity and hence slope steepness.

The turning speed of the player on skis can be made dependent on the slope speed. This gives a very analogue feel in a simple snow experience. Aside from this gravity drag there is actually very little snow simulation.

Pick a Particle, any particle

The most notable next step in simulated snow for me was 1080째 Snowboarding (top right) on the Nintendo 64 console.

This 1998 snowboarding experience was a third person, hurtling down the mountain, pulling tricks game. The N64 had an analogue control stick which allowed large fast movements or small tweaks.

The mountain environments were very well designed and had a realistic feel and depth.

The most important factor though

Get My Drift

Digital Snow

was the snow. If you carved a tight fast turn a deep tracked curve was drawn in the virtual snow. It was accompanied by great sound effects too. It felt like snow, it was still a game not a simulation but it felt great. Of course much of this was graphical trickery and creativity. The trail left in the snow would have been an overlaid graphic not an actual cut into the virtual snow. There was often snow falling across the screen too and this was also using a now common programming trick.

Particle emission is a technique that covers a whole range of gaming effects and ways to combine graphics and code into nice effects.

A particle emitter is a coding element that is given a small graphic or shape to define the particle and then has a number of parameters that determine how many copies of the image are thrown onto the screen. Are you still with me?

The parameters define how long the particles are shown before they disappear, and if they move or fly around.

Using a game engine like Unity 3D it is now relatively easy to set up a puff of snow particles that explode out as a character walks on a snowy surface, or generate a snow storm on screen that blows left or right. Generally particle effects are a type of overlay on the screen. The particles are not really part of the world they represent, though they experience gravity. Using this technique the snow particles will not stick to surfaces or

interact with the environment. They do provide a visual cue and make an atmospheric statement that the human eye understands. The closest real world analogy is a firework. Each firework explodes in the sky and the small shards of burning material form a pattern then fade away.

Board Meetings

Games, as realtime simulators of mountains and snow, have continued to improve. We have over the top styles such as SSX. In SSX the snow has even more graphical depth than 1080° Snowboarding.

It certainly doesn’t focus on simulation though as there are superhero style flying tricks and big air. Even more particle effects are used with the glowing trails that the players leave behind as they spin. When we first took the

family skiing and snowboarding my 7 year old son was a little nervous about snowboarding because he had only really experienced boarding through the extremes of SSX. He was much happier once I pointed out we would NOT be jumping out of a helicopter and attempting 200m cliff somersaults at 90 mph. It could be said the real thing, as a learner, is probably more scary than that. It is a very physical experience with a lot of adrenalin generated from even the most basic of manoeuvres.

Snow Business

One of the most interesting new developments in snow based games is suitably called SNOW. The aim of this game is to provide a massively multiplayer online mountain experience. It started life as a crowd funded Kickstarter project. www.snowthegame.com SNOW has great potential as it exists in a post-Minecraft age where

people are used to shared online virtual environments that they can co-operatively modify. Aside from the large ski anywhere approach SNOW offers the ability to build with the snow and alter the environment.

Building ramps and kickers to perform real life stunts on and share with other people. The game uses newer techniques arriving in the games industry and the current buzzwords are ‘physically based rendering’.

This technique is to reduce the graphic tricks needed to make things seem real to a more simulated approach that uses the power of the processors in devices to actually work things out based on how they would behave in the real world. This leads to more realistic experiences, because its simulated, not drawn or pre-generated. Still much of what we see and interact with will be clever techniques to give the appearance of what we expect. e.g. SNOW is not

Get My Drift

Digital Snow

simulating the entire depth of the snow on a mountain, it is a surface visual effect. It, and the other games, have to run a lot of code to keep things moving smoothly. Processor speeds and graphics capabilities have come a long way but still cant simulate snow exactly… yet.

Let It Go, Let It Go

We get to see the sort of visuals we can expect in the years to come in realtime environments and games by looking at what the film industry is able to achieve. CGI films have the benefit of minutes or even hours of computational time per frame, unlike a video game that has to deliver a convincing frame every 50th of second. The Disney film Frozen has become a classic for many adults and kids alike, you hear the songs all the time everywhere Particle now. However the digital simulation simulation of the snow in allows each the film is very important and is documented in an small piece academic paper.

of snow to have a size and shape and velocity.

“A material point method for snow simulation - Alexey Stomakhin, Craig Schroeder, Lawrence Chai, Joseph Teran, Andrew Selle - 08/2013”. The paper states that snow is difficult to properly simulate as it is a mixture of the both solid and liquid, both of which have ways of being simulated that are different. I was intrigued and wanted to figure out what they meant when they said they had “a user- controllable elasto-plastic constitutive model integrated with a hybrid Eulerian/Lagrangian

Material Point Method. The method is continuum based and its hybrid nature allows us to use a regular Cartesian grid to automate treatment of self-collision and fracture.” *The full paper can be read here: https://disney-animation.s3.amazonaws. com/uploads/production/publication_ asset/94/asset/SSCTS13_2.pdf for those of you who like maths symbols.*

To summarise though, the key here is to appreciate the complexity of snow. It cannot be considered as a simple solid particle. Snow is not grains of sand. Each tiny piece of snow itself will deform and change shape and state based on what happens around it. The paper shows an approach that moves from particles(Lagrangian) to grids(Eulerian) and back to particles again in working out what happens at each discreet period of time or frame of the animation. Particle simulation allows each small piece of snow to have a size and shape and velocity.

Grid systems allow for combined

cold snow will retain its ice shape more than slightly melted snow. The grid forces may be caused by the same event, a snowball hitting a wall, but the individual snow particles can behave differently based on the parameters set. This allows the animators to define how they would like they snow to behave, it gives it character.

And Relax...

Fresh Tracks

forces to be applied and understand the whole collection of snow and surfaces in its environment. The particles are individual processed and evaluated. Then the grid calculations are applied to find combined forces, the method then returns to particles and calculates the deformation or altering of the individual elements of snow. This means a set of numeric parameters define the entire simulation. e.g very

There are other ways to simulate snow and mountains that do not involve quite so much maths and provide a more direct experience, one we can feel. Indoor snow domes provide real snow slopes and have make their own snow. Snow machines pass water vapour into front of a cold air source which forms snow crystals and cover the surface of the indoor slope. Apparently, unlike an atmospheric snowflake each of the snow crystals formed indoors is pretty much identical. Real snow forms at a high altitude and each snowflake has a journey through the atmosphere that causes it to change and alter in unique ways, making each snowflake individual. Indoors they only fall a few meters and don’t have time to experience these adjusting forces.

For a long while we have had synthetic ski slopes too. These are usually a brush based surface that provides reduced friction to hurtle down. They can be tricky to learn on as it is not soft snow that you fall over on.

The other simulation that has arrived recently is the skiing and boarding equivalent of a treadmill.

Companies like Skiplex offer an indoor experience based on an angled and continuous rolling carpet.

The instructor controls the speed and angle adjusting to the riders ability.

The rider stays at the same level in the middle and the mountain comes

Get My Drift

Digital Snow

to them, not unlike the principle of Hungry Horace Goes Skiing. The surface is not snow but is given an icy sheen as it is scrolled towards the rider. Interestingly because learners get to stay in a single place there is a rail that can be put across the slope. A new skier can hold Games onto a bar in front of them and digital and have the simulated snow slope pass under their skis. With simulations this technique you can have give us a much longer runs than fixed view of simulated slopes. You can the world, also pause and adjust when learning or improving. It is a they show physical trick to simulate many us what of the elements of skiing. It the snow does lack the visual cues. looks like Nothing gets closer or actually passes you by. and how it

Always Wear A Helmet

behaves.

This leads to an obvious combination. Games and digital simulations give us a view of the world, they show us what the snow looks like and how it behaves. They

show us where we are on a virtual mountain. They show us the trees, and give us a sense of speed.

The SNOW game is starting to look at using Sony’s virtual reality (VR) headset Morpheus (left) as it heads to the PS4 console. That means being able to turn and look around and not having a fixed forward view of the run. An experience looking to give your brain even more cues to convince it that it is real. Well why not combine the two? A rolling physical mat to ski or board on, and a helmet and goggles that are instead VR goggles. It is not an unusual concept to wear goggles when skiing and boarding, head protection is certainly much more prevalent now too. So the intrusion of a VR headset is not so alien for this activity as it may be for something like VR golf.

Matching your physical movements to a place in the virtual 3d environment (e.g. Kinect) could produce a very high end and convincing experience. You can also ride with people from all over the world as this can be a networked environment. Jumps and tricks may be a little more hard to deal with, but that’s next on the list. This isn’t something that you would install in your back garden but those of us not in snowy countries but still yearn for a quick ride down mountain would certainly give it a go. That just leaves the chilling wind to simulate, but as any 80’s pop video shows, a lot can be done with a large fan and some dry ice.

See you on the virtual slopes!

Ian Hughes is on twitter @epredator The future can be found on his website www.feedingedge.co.uk

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GAME REVIEW:

Teslagrad

by Jamie Rodgers

When it comes to puzzle games, especially ones involving platforming, the ones I found the most enjoyable are ones with one consistent element, or mechanic. Portal has the Portal Gun, Braid works with time, and Vessel has water physics. In this case, Teslagrad, the latest game by Rain Games, has the attractive mechanic of… magnetism (sorry).

Teslagrad plays on a 2D plane.

Now, while some puzzle games work well with 3D platforming, I feel that 2D makes the puzzle solving less complicated, since you can focus more on deducing the problem, and getting a better view of the area.

As I said before, this game gives you the power of magnets to traverse the world. If you know the basic concept of magnetism, then you’ll manage just fine; opposites attract, similar repel. You can charge certain parts of the game with either blue or red energy, which is used to progress through the game. Yes, you can do the simple ‘stick two bits of metal together’, but the magnetism opens

up a good number of options for experimentation: Do you charge two components the same colour, allowing you to use a platform to surf? Or charge yourself so you either launch yourself in the air, or even stick to the ceiling? This is what makes a good puzzler, in my opinion.

I don’t want to spoil the story, but what I like about it is the fact that there is no dialogue whatsoever; everything is illustrated through visual cues and silent acting. This gives the game a very theatrical feel to it, and more story driven.

since he is experiencing the same discoveries as us.

This game deserves more attention, with the clever use of magnets, It also pays to look to the drama, and simple gameplay, but background, as a lot of information is deep story. You might say this game shown through images and essentially has a certain... pull to it... (sorry graffiti on the walls. This also applies again!). to teaching you about the controls.

No text, signs, or annoying voiceover Teslagrad was developed and to tell you what to do, and essentially published by Rain Games, and is out backseat gaming. You discover now for ÂŁ6.99 on the Steam market the history of the world at the same pace as the protagonist, which I felt For more info visit http://store. made me connect more with the kid, steampowered.com/app/249590

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My Favourite movie

by Pete Graham

Stranger THAN paradise

There was a moment about 20 minutes into watching Stranger than Paradise where I almost turned the TV off. I was only about 16, it was 2:00am in the morning and I couldn’t get my head around what was happening, or more accurately what wasn’t happening. I’m so glad I didn’t because the film enabled me to discover a world of alternative cinema that (I’d been reared on a diet of mainstream Hollywood) was at that point completely alien to me.

Stranger than Paradise was Jim

Jarmusch’s first ‘proper’ movie.

Released in 1984 it was filmed in black & white using leftover film stock on a tiny budget of just $125,000, roughly the same price as Tom Cruise’s personal catering budget on Mission Impossible. It gave the director the opportunity to fine-tune some of his now trademark cinematic styles and planted him firmly into a crop of exciting 80’s independent directors that included Spike Lee, Gus Van Sant and the Coen Brothers just to name a few.

It’s kinda off-beat, strange, a bit slow, but ultimately a feel-good movie about nothing in particular.

But wait, there is a slither of a story...

One day New York hipster Willie (John Lurie) receives an unexpected visit from his Hungarian cousin, Eva (Eszter Balint) en-route from Budapest to start a new life with her Auntie in America.

After a few awkward days bored in his tiny apartment Eva leaves Willie for Cleveland. Time passes and when Willie and his poker buddy Billie (Richard Edson) run out of luck in the

background and Edson was actually the original drummer in Sonic Youth. Despite this fact the performances are truly accomplished and completely natural, due in Big Apple they set about paying her a no small part to extensive pre-filming visit in her new home. rehearsals and on set improvisation.

I know that doesn’t seem the most The movie is also notable for its exciting story in the world, but a frequent use of the Screamin’ Jay It’s kinda bit more stuff happens and part of Hawkins’s song ‘I Put A Spell On off-beat, strange, the movies charm is the way things You’. There is a story that when a bit slow... a gradually unfold - albeit very slowly.

Jarmusch found out that all the feel-good movie Like many Jarmusch films it teeters music royalties had gone to his about nothing in on the brink of the mundane and is record company he tracked the a masterpiece of the understated singer down (who was, at the time particular everyday. Perhaps aided by the lack residing in a rather run down trailer of budget it strips away the flabby park) and gave him the money excess present in many films to focus personally. The two eventually on the characters who live within it. It became close friends and Hawkins plays with themes of loneliness, family, appeared in Jarmusch’s 1989 movie, immigration and new beginnings, Mystery Train. but it’s far too subtle a movie to label To sum up why I like Stranger than one thing in particular. Many of the Paradise so much is hard, but there scenes have little, if any dialogue, but is a line in Pulp Fiction where Uma if you can find its rhythm the film is Thurman’s character tells Vincent completely captivating.

Vega “That’s when you know you’ve Perhaps the most surprising thing found somebody really special. about Stranger than Paradise is the When you can just shut the hell up for fact none of the main characters are a minute and comfortably share a played by what you’d call ‘proper silence.” actors’. John Lurie was, (and still is) a Stranger than Paradise may be Jazz musician, composer and artist, an acquired taste, but to me it’s Balint came from an improvisational something really special.

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