Cambridge Edition December

Cambridge DECEMBER 2016

Your monthly fix of local life www.cambsedition.co.uk

INSIDE THIS ISSUE...

MAGAZINE

Christmas

Gift Guide ✧

FOOD & DRINK ✧

Arts & Culture ✧

MILL ROAD WINTER FAIR ✧

Christmas Giveaway WORTH

£2000! ✧

Festive Theatre

Cambridge

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CONTENTS

Welcome

The danger of being editor of a monthly magazine is that I tend to feel a little ‘Christmassed out’ come late November, but this year I hope to avoid my habitual festive peaking-too-soon by seeking out events which could melt even the most hardened Scrooge. I’ll start off December by enjoying some fuzzy-feeling inducing, community spirited joy at the Mill Road Winter Fair on the 3rd (page 34), making sure to eat as many delicious morsels and drink as much mulled wine as possible. I’ll be continuing in that vein the following weekend at CB4’s Christmas offering, Mitcham’s & Merrier, as well as taking in Beauty and the Beast, Cambridge Junction’s Christmas show, which runs from 6 to 31 December. I was lucky enough to sit in on an early rehearsal of this production, which comes our way courtesy of innovative theatre company New International Encounter, and I can promise audience members are in for a quirky, heart-warming treat.

If you want to keep your Christmas shopping local this year, check out our gift guide from page 79, for which we’ve once again featured only gifts from our local independent shops and boutiques. Post-Christmas itself, the biggie is of course New Year’s Eve – the single most hyped night of the year. Going out? Check out our round-up of events on page 44. Staying in? I recommend mixing up some of the amazing Christmas cocktails on page 50. However you spend it, have a wonderful Christmas – see you in 2017!

NICOLA FOLEY, EDITOR IN CHIEF

EDITORIAL 5 • REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL Here’s why you should be happy that December is here 7-10 • NIGHTLIFE Live comedy, music and more 15 • MUSIC BLOG Slate the Disco highlight their gig picks for December 17-27 • ARTS & CULTURE Exhibitions, concerts, a how-to guide for making a Christmas wreath and more 29-31 • FESTIVE THEATRE Top Christmas shows in Cambridge this month 34-37 • MILL ROAD WINTER FAIR Cambridge’s biggest community event is back with plenty of food and fun

50-53 • COCKTAILS WITH D’ARRY’S We pop over to d’Arry’s Liquor Loft for some festive cocktail inspiration 55-59 • FOOD NEWS New openings, recipes and more deliciousness from the local food scene 61 • DRINKS Matthew Boucher gives top tips for Christmas boozing 62-65 • FESTIVE FAVOURITES Local chefs and restaurateurs offer their ultimate recipes for the festive season 67 • HERO EATS Three things you need to eat in Cambridge right now 69 • REVIEW In the spotlight this month, Mill Road’s Royal Standard

38-41 • CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAY The Edition Christmas Giveaway is back with more than £2000 worth of prizes to be won!

70-71 • LISTINGS Our at-a-glance guide to the month’s top events

44-45 • NEW YEAR’S EVE The best NYE events in town

73-75 • FAMILY Great ideas for entertaining your little ones this month

49 • FOOD COLUMN Swerve that festive food coma with lighter desserts

79-85 • CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE Prezzies for him, for her and for the kids, all from our fabulous local independent shops

Cover Art

This cover image is from the Life of King’s winter collection by Andy Spencer andyspencerdesign.com. The collection includes posters, stationery, textiles and more and is available exclusively at King’s College Visitor Centre and online at: shop.kings.cam.ac.uk

86-87 • INDIE OF THE MONTH Just in time for some gift inspiration, we visit Trinity Street Jewellers 89 • FASHION Top style picks from local boutiques 92-93 • BEAUTY Ideal prezzies for the beauty hound in your life 95 • EDUCATION SPOTLIGHT Hills Road look at how TV influences adult learning

Editor in chief Nicola Foley 01223 499459 nicolafoley@bright-publishing.com Senior sub editor Lisa Clatworthy Sub editors Catherine Brodie & Siobhan Godwood

ADVERTISING

Account director Natasha Blatcher 01223 499457 natashablatcher@bright-publishing.com Senior sales executive James Player 01223 492240 jamesplayer@bright-publishing.com Senior sales executive Natalie Robinson 01223 499451 natalierobinson@bright-publishing.com Key accounts Tom Smith 01223 499463 tomsmith@bright-publishing.com Senior sales executive Mary Underwood 01223 499458 maryunderwood@bright-publishing.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Alex Rushmer, Angelina Villa-Clarke, Jordan Worland, Ruthie Collins, Cyrus Pundole, Siobhan Godwood, Daisy Dickinson, Rachel Burnett, Matthew Boucher, Leighton Mattey, Carlos Riberio, Jo Kruczynska, Rich Holmes

DESIGN & PRODUCTION

Senior designer Emily Stowe 01223 499450 emilystowe@bright-publishing.com Designer Flo Thomas 01223 492242 flothomas@bright-publishing.com Ad production Lucy Woolcomb 01223 499468 lucywoolcomb@bright-publishing.com

MANAGING DIRECTORS

Andy Brogden & Matt Pluck 01223 499450 LIKE US ON FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/CambsEdition FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @cambsedition FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: @cambsedition

www.bright-publishing.com

97 • PROPERTY & HOME Festive styling for your home and the latest news and opinions from the Cambridge property market

CAMBRIDGE EDITION MAGAZINE • Bright Publishing Ltd, Bright House, 82 High Street, Sawston, Cambridgeshire CB22 3HJ, 01223 499450, www.cambsedition.co.uk • All rights reserved. Material contained in this publication may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without prior permission of the publishers. • Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of Cambridge Edition or Bright Publishing Ltd, which do not accept any liability for loss or damage. • Every effort has been made to ensure all information is correct. • Cambridge Edition is a free publication that is distributed in Cambridge and the surrounding area

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NEWS

REASONS TO BE

© Adam Cash

win!

Christmas Giveaway The Cambridge Edition Giveaway is back and it’s bigger than ever!

Turn to page 38 to see how you could be in with a chance of winning this whopper of a festive bundle, which includes a gym membership, a champagne punting trip, a spa experience, afternoon teas, vouchers for local fashion boutiques and restaurants, beauty treats and LOTS more. In total, we’re giving away more than £2000 worth of swag – all of which will be delivered to the lucky winner’s house in time for Christmas.

Good luck!

Mill Road Winter Fair Wrap up warm, grab a mulled wine and explore the Mill Road Winter Fair, which this year takes place on Saturday 3 December. As always, the organisers have pulled together a jam-packed programme of live music and entertainment, as well as a huge range of food and drink traders and plenty of stalls to help you blitz your Christmas list.

The Cambridge Edition team will be out in force too so be sure to come and say hello.

Turn to page 34 for the full story.

Mitcham's & Merrier Christmas Market

Christmas Shows in Cambridge

Promising to be one of the highlights of the Christmas calendar, Mitcham’s & Merrier takes place on 10 December from 12pm-5pm. Brimming with festive fun and community spirit, the event will take place at The Boathouse pub and feature stalls, scrumptious street food and a chance to see Mitcham Corner’s beautiful Christmas illuminations. A perfect opportunity to get some Christmas pressies, there will be jewellery, cards, prints and more on offer. www.facebook.com/mitchamstriangle

There’s nothing which gets you in the festive spirit quite so swiftly as a good old fashioned Christmas show. Fortunately, Cambridge is more than delivering the goods, offering up a bumper crop of theatrical good tidings which include a classic panto, a spellbinding ballet, a witty modern take on a well-loved fairy tale and more. Turn to page 29 for the low-down.

More in the mood for a seasonal singalong? Check out our round-up of Christmas carol performances over on page 20, which includes a festive concert at Ely Cathedral and more.

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NIGHTLIFE

DECEMBER CHECK OUT LOCAL EVENTS ONLINE cambsedition.co.uk

DECEMBER COMEDY PICKS There’s a bumper month of funnies in Cambridge this December, kicking off with Jimmy Carr at the Corn Exchange on the 2nd. The king of savage one-liners and close-to-the-bone comedy, Jimmy’s on the road with his new tour, billed as a distillation of “everything we love to laugh at and be shocked by, into one incredible, unparalleled night of entertainment... This is the very best of Jimmy Carr.”

At the same venue on the 9th, have a laugh at Christmas Comedy Live, a showcase of some of the best up-and-coming comic talent on the scene. On the line-up is Scottish stand-up Iain Stirling, who you might recognise as the hilarious narrator of Love Island. A regular on our screens, he’s also appeared on Russell Howard’s Good News and Drunk History, and has been described

by GQ magazine as “one of the best joke writers on the circuit”. The Comedy Live nights take place in a cabaret-style setting, and you can make a night out of it by ordering food and drinks from the Grub & Glug Menu.

Jesterlarf Comedy Club over at Cambridge Junction is back for its December instalment on the 2nd, serving up a top crop of comedians including improv maestro Dave Johns. As well as being a circuit veteran and Edinburgh Comedy Award winner, Johns is also the star of Ken Loach’s Palme d’Or-winning film I, Daniel Blake, which was in cinemas from October. He’ll be joined by razor-sharp up-and-coming star Ivo Graham and Dublin comedian Christian Talbot, with Mandy Muden compering.

Last but not least, Commoners’ Comedy Club returns in December on the 8th. Taking place in the rather nice upstairs cocktail lounge at Novi, this monthly gig is rapidly becoming a favourite for local comedy fans. Hosted by Ali Warwood, this month’s event features Rahul Kohli as headliner, plus stand-up from Alice Frick and Nigel Lovell. Novi’s kitchen will be serving food from their tasty winter menu until 9pm.

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NIGHTLIFE

EARLY NIGHT CLUB

A WINTER UNION

Miss your dancing days but feel a bit out of place in a nightclub these days? Love a night out but can’t bear the thought of battling through a ten-deep mob of 18-year-olds at a bar? Crave a night of dancing but need to be a responsible adult come 8am the next day? Listen up!

Early Night Club is a club night with a difference. It’s aimed at grown-ups after a great night with like-minded people, with music you can dance to and best of all: it finishes early enough that you’ll have a fighting chance of not being a zombie the next day.

This month they’re hosting a special Christmas party at La Raza on the 13th, featuring excellent tunes, lovely tipples, tasty food and as always, we’re sure, a lively dance floor. Expect lots of sparkle and sequins, a good three or four hours solid dancing and a generally fun time with a great crowd.

“The big debate every year is whether to play any Christmas music,” says Early Night Club founder, Alex Ruczaj. “It’s a no from the majority of our clubbers – they just want stuff they can dance to.

If it does happen it is at the end of the night and then people do get into the spirit of things. For the most part, the Christmas party is simply a shinier, more glittery version of all our nights, filled with great music, cocktails, tapas and people that love to dance.”

Tickets are priced at £12.50 – snap them up quick if you’re interested as they tend to sell out. buytickets.at/ earlynightclub1/73134

Set to be a real treat for Cambridge folk music lovers this month (we know there’s plenty of you!), St Barnabas Church on Mill Road will host a musical celebration of the season on Friday 16 December. The event, which begins at 7pm, features leading lights of the British folk scene performing gorgeous songs inspired by Christmas and the winter solstice. On the bill are Jade Ward, Debbie Hanna, Ben Savage, Hannah Sanders, Cliff Ward and Stu Hanna, with the organisers promising plenty of “soaring harmonies, exquisite musicianship, and some Christmas classics.”

Tickets cost £19 advance and can be booked via the Cambridge Junction website and purchased on the door. www.junction.co.uk

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THE OVERTONES Doo-wop dreamboats The Overtones are back in Cambridge this month for an evening of Christmas crackers at the Corn Exchange on 20 December. This slick vocal harmony group have now sold over five million records and had five top five albums, but not so long ago they were working as decorators together. In a story straight out of a Hollywood script, the boys were working at a shop on Oxford Street, singing out in the street on a tea break, when lo and behold a top talent scout heard them. Soon after they signed a major record deal and the rest, as they say, is history. The suave songsters will be performing favourites from their back catalogue, as well as reworks of classics such as White Christmas, Santa Claus is Coming to Town and Let it Snow.

Tickets start at £25.25. www.cornex.co.uk

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NIGHTLIFE

PURPLE RAIN PRINCE 11 March, Corn Exchange, £25.25 A world class live celebration of the music, life and legacy of Prince, this hit-packed show spans more than two hours, featuring an eightpiece live band and Jimi Love as the unsurpassed Prince. www.cornex.co.uk

BOO HEWERDINE CHRISTMAS SHOW

GLASS ANIMALS

Local singer-songwriter Boo Hewerdine is once again hosting his annual Christmas bash this month, featuring performances from a host of musicians and entertainers. Taking place on 13 December at The Maltings in Ely, the event is now entering its seventh year, and this time features special guests Eddi Reader and Andrew Marr amongst others.

Regarded as one of Britain’s most accomplished songwriters, Boo Hewerdine has written hits for Natalie Imbruglia, Paul Young and kd lang, but possibly his most longstanding and fruitful partnership has been his ongoing collaboration with Scottish singer Eddi Reader, for whom he penned the Ivor Novello-nominated Patience of Angels. He’s also got seven solo albums under his belt, including the most recent: My Name in the Brackets – a compilation of his and his former band, The Bible’s, greatest hits.

His annual festive party is a real treat for music lovers, offering a stellar line-up of talent and a whole lot of Christmas cheer. Tickets are priced at £22. www.boohewerdine.net

13 March, Junction, £19 Indie pop outfit Glass Animals are stopping off in Cambridge in March as part of their biggest headline tour to date. Go see them for quirky, hypnotic grooves in the mould of Alt-J and Animal Collective. www.junction.co.uk

MR B THE GENTLEMAN RHYMER Begin the month with an evening in the company of Mr B The Gentleman Rhymer, the leading (and possibly only) exponent of ‘Chap-Hop.’ This tweed-wearing gent, real name Jim Burke, raps in received pronunciation and drops bars about cricket, monocles, a nice buttered bun and a good pair of brogues. This month he’ll be bringing his Edwardian-meets-urban stylings to Cambridge Junction for an evening of festive frolics which features plenty of songs from his Christmas album, from All I Want For Christmas Is An Original Jawa With Vinyl Cape to the rollicking Adultery at Christmas. “It is wonderful to be stopping off in Cambridge with my own show,” says Mr B. “To be playing at an esteemed seat of learning such as this is always a pleasure and never a chore, and just what a fellow needs to get himself into the festive mood. I look forward to seeing all you chaps and chapesses there, with bells on.”

Takes place on 1 December. Tickets £13 adv. www.junction.co.uk

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ALL TIME LOW 14 March, Corn Exchange, £31.25 Having topped the charts repeatedly, hit over 100 million views on YouTube and sold over 1.3 million albums, it’s safe to say that this American pop punk act are a bona fide sensation. www.cornex.co.uk

CAMBRIDGE FOLK FESTIVAL 27-30 July, Cherry Hinton Hall Tickets for our city’s huge celebration of folk will be on sale from 1 December. Known for its rich, varied line-up, the event tends to sell out early, so get in quick! www.cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

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NIGHTLIFE

SLADE

CHRISTMAS COCKTAIL Guaranteed to bring on fuzzy festive feelings in even the most hardened of Scrooges, the We Are Sound Christmas Cocktail returns to the Corn Exchange on 10 December. A 120-strong band of vocalists and instrumentalists, We Are Sound rework hits from bands as diverse as Vance Joy, The Pussycat Dolls and Noah and the Whale.

As well as being technically impressive, their performances are lively and wonderfully surprising – in fact they seem to be on a mission to rip up the choir rulebook and rewrite it on their own terms, chucking in a bit of whatever they fancy and giving it their all at each performance.

The glittering Christmas Cocktail will be offering their usual hotchpotch of musical styles and influences, along with a good helping of festive songs, with tasty seasonal cocktails available at the bar.

Tickets are priced at £21.25. www.cornex.co.uk

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“It’s Chrisssssstmassssssss!” hollered out a lone voice to a vast, giddy crowd on Parker’s Piece at last year’s Big Weekend, accompanied by those immortal, nostalgia-inducing, chunky opening chords. Nobody was sure if they would crack out their festive monster hit Merry Christmas Everybody – being, as it was, a baking hot day in July. But, born crowdpleasers that they are (and no matter how much it must make them want to bash their heads against a wall at this point) they belted it out like it was Top of the Pops, Christmas 1973. As anyone who was there will remember, the assembled crowd completely lost their minds, screeching the words and stomping along with the band, reveling in how surreal the whole thing was.

Though best known for this seasonal classic, Slade were far from one-hit wonders. In fact, Merry Christmas Everybody was their third number one of that year, part of a run of 17 consecutive top 20 hits, which included a total of six number ones. Known for their flamboyant outfits, gutsy glam rock sound and misspellings that would make your English teacher weep, they cemented themselves in the annals of British music history with tracks like Cum On Feel The Noize, Take Me Bak ’Ome, Skweeze Me Pleeze Me and Mama Weer All Crazee Now. Catch them at Cambridge Junction this month reliving the hits, including, we’re sure, a rousing rendition of Merry Christmas Everybody (much more seasonally appropriate this time), on 21 December. Tickets are £26 adv. www.junction.co.uk

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MUSIC

Jordan Worland from local music website Slate the Disco selects his must-see gigs in Cambridge this month o carols or singalongs on our radar this month, sorry about that. Here’s what we’ll be filling our time with.

We start this month’s round-up on Norfolk Street at The Blue Moon where for your late-night fix, indie purveyors Sweet Revenge will host their Christmas party on the 17th. Expect old and new indie pop, punk, post punk, new wave, US alternative, grrrls and more with Christmas surprises…

Still at The Blue Moon, Owl & Mouse are a five-piece band from London, writing and performing bittersweet, open-hearted indie pop songs with a folk tinge, and they’re in town on the 2nd. Also on the bill is Cambridge’s Model Village who mix jangly guitars, boy-girl harmonies, upbeat melodies and downbeat lyrics. They sit somewhere in the niche between Belle and Sebastian and The Promise Ring. Cambridge’s premier pedlar of melodic melancholia, Paul Goodwin, completes the impressive bill.

The same venue hosts our favourite show of the month when Leeds indie-pop outfit Bruising come to town (11th). Bruising are one of the most exciting emerging bands in the UK with lush pop sensibilities and hooks that are both blistering and bashful.

A busy month of Christmas shenanigans and noise at The Portland Arms kicks off with legendary first-wave punks UK Subs on the 1st. Fronted by part-time Primal Scream (more on them later) guitarist Barrie Cadogan, Little Barrie, who are in town on the 4th, might be best known for penning the Better Call Saul theme, but their cryptic rock ’n’ roll rooted in blues is unmissable.

this is conscious british hip-hop at its very best

The Dunwells are a band of two brothers and two best friends, drawn together by a mutual love of acts such as Elbow, Bon Iver and Damien Rice. Their fusion of rock and electronics recalls early Killers, while the down-to-earth songwriting nods towards Elbow. Earlier this year saw The Dunwells release their second record and on the 15th they play The Portland.

Cambridge’s stand-out new act this year, Grieving see out the year at The Portland; if you’re new to Grieving then expect direct, twisting, art punk. They join Standing Like Statues on the 16th. Cambridge classic rock outfit The Treatment boast an impressive CV including US tours opening for the likes of KISS and Mötley Crüe. They see out a small run of UK dates with a long-awaited home town show on the 18th. The blistering intensity of Cambridge trio Prison Whites grabs you and shakes you to your core: picture post-punk meets post-hardcore, for fans of Dinosaur Jr, Fugazi and Eagulls. They play The Portland on the 19th.

A big month at the Cambridge Junction is topped by the legendary Primal Scream playing on the 5th. Primal Scream have been a driving force behind British culture ever since their inception in the early 80s.

The band are known for the kaleidoscope

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of influences that produces music spanning garage rock to psychedelic indie, acid house rave and beyond. The band released their 11th studio album Chaosmosis this year and we’re excited to have them in Cambridge.

The Mouse Outfit are a live eclectic hiphop act from Manchester who produce a slick combination of quality samples and fiendish beats. Influenced by soul, jazz, funk, reggae and classic hip-hop breaks and laced with lyrics from some of Britain’s most promising emcees, this is conscious British hip-hop at its very best. They’re playing the Cambridge Junction on the 2nd.

Other Cambridge Junction highlights include Scottish rock legends Big Country (6th), prog-rock legends Magnum (7th) and a blues rock double bill with Nine Below Zero and Dr Feelgood (8th).

Whilst Christmas carols and hymns don’t quite make it into our review, we will give a nod to Slade who play the Cambridge Junction on the 21st.

Tell us about your gig at www.slatethedisco.com

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ARTS & CULTURE

We explore the arts and culture scene in Cambridge, showcasing some of the many exciting exhibitions and shows taking place around the city

Etsy Made Local Blitz your Christmas shopping list with a trip to the Etsy Made Local Christmas Fair, running 1-3 December.

Taking place at the St Andrew’s Street Baptist Church, the event will feature more than thirty designer-makers from the area showcasing wares including jewellery, edible treats, beautiful pieces for the home, crafts and plenty more.

You’re sure to find that perfect prezzie in amongst all of the gorgeous handmade items on show, whether you’re after scrumptious artisan chocolates, rustic ceramics, toys and bits for the kids, natural toiletries or unique art prints.

The fair is open from 12pm to 8pm on the 1st, 10am to 6.30pm on the 2nd and 10am to 6.30pm on the 3rd. www.etsy.com/uk/etsymadelocal

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ARTS & CULTURE

140 YEARS OF HEFFERS TALK Heffers on Trinity Street has been serving up literature to the people of our book-loving city since 1876, making 2016 the year it celebrates its 140th birthday. Situated opposite the entrance to grand old Trinity College, it has become not only part of the fabric of our city, but known internationally; a pioneering bookseller, stationer and printer, not to mention a much-loved sanctuary for the many bookworms and academics of Cambridge.

In celebration of its milestone anniversary, Dr Julie Bounford has authored a new book which chronicles Heffers’ rich history and some of the colourful characters from its past, which she’ll be in the bookshop discussing on 1 December.

“This richly illustrated book tells the 140-year story of Heffers, revealing a unique segment of Cambridge history,” she explains. “William Heffer started his business in 1876 and by the 20th century his family firm had become a Cambridge institution, known all over the world. Occupying the middle ground between ‘town and gown’, the Heffers shops became a haven for many Cambridge characters and eccentrics.”

Her talk this month will portray the distinctive character and style of the firm with stories about its beginnings, its people, premises, rivalries and parties, enriched by recollections of over 60 family members, former and current employees, customers and authors.

The talk starts at 6.30pm, and tickets are £3.50. This Book is About Heffers: The Bookshop That is Known All Over the World by Julie Bounford is out now for £14.99. bookshop.blackwell.co.uk

Ghost Stories at the Leper Chapel Join in situ: theatre group this month for an evening of spooky tales in the atmospheric setting of Cambridge’s oldest building, the Leper Chapel. Taking place on Saturday 10 December, Ghost Stories is a one-man show performed by Richard Spaul, who’ll be sharing a duo of chilling treats.

“I’ll be telling you two fantastic ghost stories, by two great women writers,” says Richard.

“The American novelist Edith Wharton, who claimed to be frightened by ghosts despite not believing in them, and the Irish writer Elizabeth Bowen – who was interested in ‘life with the lid on and what happens when the lid comes off’.

Both tales, as well as being deliciously scary, have remarkable twists and turns that have made me think about the ghost story genre in a completely new way.”

The performance starts at 8pm and tickets are £12. www.insitutheatre.co.uk

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ARTS & CULTURE

Hammer & Tongue Head to Cambridge Junction on 9 December for some spoken-word wizardry courtesy of slam poetry night Hammer & Tongue. Yanking poetry off the pages of dusty books, shaking it up and making it accessible to a new generation, slam poetry is an art form which Cambridge has truly embraced with open arms.

Spiced up with a competitive edge, the events see the best performance poets on the scene verbally battling it out to be crowned the winner.

At this month’s event, eight local hopefuls will be competing for a place in the regional final next September. There will also be a headline performance from Hammer & Tongue National Poetry slam champion 2016, Solomon O B. A rapper-poet hybrid who fronts hip hop and funk collective Sounds of Harlowe, this Bristol-based performer has been making waves with his slickly crafted rhymes and deeply personal lyrics. He’s joined by Maddie Godfrey, an Australian-bred writer whose work aims to encourage compassionate dialogue on issues of social justice.

The event is hosted by Fay Roberts and tickets are £7.50 or £4 for slammers. www.junction.co.uk

ZURICH CHAMBER ORCHESTRA The Cambridge Classical Concert Series steams ahead this month with another top-flight performance at the Corn Exchange, taking place on the 3rd. This month’s treat for music lovers is a visit from the acclaimed Zurich Chamber Orchestra, who’ll be performing a programme which includes works from Mozart, Hummel and Shostakovich.

Among the performers is acclaimed trumpet player Alison Balsom, who’ll be bringing out the energy and playfulness of Hummel’s Trumpet Concerto, one of the most popular pieces of music ever written for the instrument.

She’s joined by Venezuelan pianist Gabriela Montero, recent winner of a Latin Grammy, who’s promising to delight with her recital of Mozart’s beautifully understated and intimate Piano Concerto No.14 K 449. The evening ends with Montero and Balsom teaming up for a dazzling interpretation of Shostakovich’s joyous Concerto for Piano, Strings and Trumpet.

Tickets start at £17. www.cornex.co.uk

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ARTS & CULTURE

Christmas

concerts & carols CHRISTMAS CAROLS AT THE LEPER CHAPEL Escape the pre-Christmas chaos and go back in time for an evening of carolling by candlelight at the historic Leper Chapel on Newmarket Road. You’d struggle to find a more atmospheric setting than this building, which dates back to the 12th century and exudes history and stories from every nook and cranny. Taking place on Sunday 18 December, the Reverend Dr Williams and Cottenham Brass Band will be leading the carols. There’ll be mince pies and mulled wine on offer too. Takes place 6.30-8pm. www.cambridgeppf.org

A FESTIVAL OF NINE LESSONS AND CAROLS The most famous of all Cambridge’s carol services is the one hosted on Christmas Eve at King’s College Chapel. Broadcast to millions of viewers around the globe, this event has run since 1918 when it was introduced to bring a more imaginative approach to worship, and always includes a specially commissioned carol. These days, you have to be very organised to secure a spot – there are 600 seats but the queue begins to form a day or so before the event (admittance to the College grounds begins at 7.30am on Christmas Eve). But once you’re in you’ll be treated to soaring carols performed by some of the finest choristers in the country, as well as the majesty of one of Cambridge’s most breathtaking buildings. www.kings.cam.ac.uk

AN ITALIAN BAROQUE CHRISTMAS Great St Mary’s Church, in the heart of the city centre, will be the setting for La Notte di Natale: An Italian Baroque Christmas, on 9 December. Hosted by Cambridge Early Music, this concert will see dynamic instrumental group Spiritato joined by soprano Augusta Hebbert to perform a wonderfully festive programme which includes music by Locatelli, Scarlatti, Stradella and Corelli’s Christmas Concerto.

Starts at 7.30pm, tickets £23. www.cambridgeearlymusic.org

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A FESTIVAL OF CAROLS AT ELY CATHEDRAL There can be few more glorious settings in which to enjoy a carol service than the magnificent Ely Cathedral, which currently boasts huge 30ft Christmas tree. On 9 December, enjoy a celebration of the season with music from Choristers and Gentlemen of Ely Cathedral Choir, The Ely Imps and special guest, Laura Wright. The music will be interspersed with seasonal readings and poems and the event is in aid of East Anglia Children’s Hospices.

Tickets are £10-£30, with an interval reception at the Lady Chapel (£19.50). www.elycathedral.org

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CRAFTY CHRISTMAS

CREATING A

Christmas Wreath Cambridge Flower Company demonstrates how to make a handmade, traditional festive wreath

1.

Tie your reel wire on the side of the wire frame (do not cut the wire).

2.

Loosen your moss by pulling apart.

This aerates it too, but watch out for any little bugs which may be hiding inside!

• 1 wire frame • Sphagnum moss (if you don’t have this readily available in your garden, you can pick it up at a garden centre) • Reel wire • Floristry cut wires • Evergreen foliage (for example, holly, pine, viburnum, ivy) • For decoration: pine cones, berries, orange slices, baubles, ribbons, feathers, nuts – in fact, anything you want to use! You can add colour by spray painting in gold or silver, or try using something like eucalyptus or cinnamon sticks which will provide a lovely scent.

Glitter always adds sparkle.

3.

4.

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Place the moss on the wire frame and bind on with the reel wire.

5.

Repeat this process until the frame is covered in moss, then trim as desired to tidy it up.

6.

7.

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Take a large handful of moss and mould into a tight ball.

Cut the wire and tie the end around the frame.

Take short bundles of foliage and bind onto the frame, overlapping the bundles until the frame is completely covered in foliage.

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CRAFTY CHRISTMAS

8.

d the wire Using the cut wire, bin want to add into u yo m ite around each le, with a pine the wreath. For examp end of the fat the d cone, bind aroun gth of wire len a ve ha u yo so pine cone ss. left to poke into the mo

9.

Add all you r decoration s.

10.

wreath Tie a ribbon around the If you or. do ur to hang from yo need ll wi u yo w bo ge want a lar n. bo rib about 75cm of wide

11. Finally Hang on your front door to welcome all your guests for Christmas!

These wreaths are designed to be hung outside – and will last longest this way.

If you want to use fresh flowers, or if anything starts to look tired you can simply remove it and replace it with something new over the course of the season. You can even freeze the moss ring until next year, adding in new foliage and decorations when the time comes next winter.

The Cambridge Flower Company has a selection of materials including moss, wire frames and wires to get you started on your home-made wreath. It’s open Tuesday to Saturday (and Mondays during December).

Visit the Cambridge Flower Company at 11 Church Street, Haslingfield, Cambridge CB23 1JE. Tel 01223 873139 and email hello@ cambridgeflowercompany.co.uk. www.cambridgeflowercompany.co.uk

Festive workshops a vailable

Cambridge Flower School, the teaching branch of Cambridge Flower Company located in Newton, is offering a range of festive workshops including wreath making, gift making and creating a floral centrepiece for the festive table.

Check the website for more details and pricing. www.thecambridgeflowerschool. co.uk

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CAMBRIDGE CONTEMPORARY CRAFTS SHOW

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© Rose Brown

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ARTS & CULTURE

A treasure trove of beautiful handmade pieces awaits at Cambridge Contemporary Crafts’ Mixed Winter Show, which runs up until Christmas Eve. Pop into the Bene’t Street gallery and discover perfect gifts, Christmas decorations and other lovely pieces for you and your home. There will be cute handmade snowmen made by Clare Nicholls, delicate ‘wire drawings’ from Rhiannon Thomas, stunning glass decorations by Sarah Myatt and stylish ceramic pieces by Debbie Barber. www.cambridgecrafts.co.uk

Sister Act

What connects nuns, top tunes, murder and Strictly Come Dancing?

The answer is Sister Act, which is at the Corn Exchange in a brand-new production directed and choreographed by the one and only Craig Revel Horwood this month.

The Strictly judge has turned the Whoopi Goldberg and Maggie Smith 90s film into a hit show that’s very much back in the habit of turning nuns, music inspired by Motown and dazzling dance routines into a heavenly hit.

Featuring original music from eighttime Oscar winner Alan Menken, Sister Act promises to be the funniest and funkiest musical around. It tells the hilarious story of Deloris Van Cartier, a disco singer whose life takes a surprising turn when she witnesses

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a murder. Under protective custody, she is hidden in the one place she won’t be found – a convent.

This fabulous family-friendly show has been seen by six million people worldwide since it originally hit Broadway and the West End stage.

Fans of Strictly will be keen to see if the dance routines match up to Craig’s high standards, but Edition is sure they’ll deserve a perfect ten.

The show runs from Monday 12 until Saturday 17 December, with tickets priced £25.50-£42.50; OAPs, students and under16s get £3 off top-price tickets. As well as nightly 7.30pm shows, there are 2.30pm matinees on the 14th and 17th. www.cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

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r © Louisa Taylo

ARTS & CULTURE

ecember is here, sparkling with relentless good cheer – an overflowing ‘cup o’ kindness’ as Robert Burns would have it. But that doesn’t have to mean trawling all the private views or parties you can in search of free mince pies and mulled wine.

Radical as this may sound, you could be kind to yourself and diarise time to reflect, make art or engage with culture in a meaningful way, during this silly season.

It could be something as simple as sneaking a read of those Christmas books you are stockpiling for friends and family. Top of my list this Christmas is psychological thriller Dear Amy by Helen Callaghan, who studied at Cambridge and now lives here. Novels set in Cambridge are perfect presents for fans of the city – crime fans will love For the Sake of Elena

by US writer Elizabeth George, also set in Cambridge, not to mention James Runcie’s Grantchester Mysteries. “We are all the products of our landscape; the landscape of our imaginations just as much as the physical landscape we live in,” says Helen, of how Cambridge as a city influenced characterisation in Dear Amy. Sense of place and how artists respond to it in their work is the theme that shapes the exhibition Portraits of Place, one of several across the city celebrating 50 years of Kettle’s Yard as part of the University of Cambridge. It’s held at the Heong Gallery, one of the newest art spaces in the city which has quickly become a firm fixture on our cultural circuit. Dash in to avoid the crowds for a bit of self-kindness and

sumptuous reflection. Watch out for the stunning works of fisherman turned naïve artist, Alfred Wallis.

But perhaps the best way to make sure you stay chilled this month, while dosing up on your fix of art – is by checking into the Art of Float, opposite Stir café, who are co-hosting a Christmas Market as part of Mitcham’s and Merrier, on 10 December.

The event builds on last year’s success, a sprinkling of fabulousness that extends all the way round to the Boathouse pub, too, where you can find food trucks, artists and makers – plus Christmas trees! With a grand lights switch-on at 3pm, plus a candlelit meditation at new yoga centre

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Satyam Yoga, Art of Float will also host poetry from Hammer & Tongue and the Cambridge Poets Society. Well done, coordinator Polly – a powerhouse of passion and community spirit.

Though buying from independents is something many of us love, the bland commercialism of Christmas isn’t. So slowing down and making something creative outdoors as a family is a great alternative. Making mixed-media Christmas cards out of paint, festive glitter and wrapping paper with my boy is one of my fave activities – we make time for it each year and absolutely love it! So why not check out Enchanted Days at Milton Country Park, also on 10 December from CIC Gap Learning. Children can make a Christmas craft in the Narnia-themed Wild Place, plus there’s a visit from Santa. “It is exciting to run Enchanted Days over the

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© Naomi Davies

ARTS & CULTURE

Christmas period as we will be making memories and sharing our Yuletide promises to loved ones moving away from the commercial aspects of Christmas,” says Amanda, one of two sisters that runs GAP Learning. Expect magical characters and the chance to create something special together – but wrap up warm, as you will be outside. See the Milton Country Park website for more info.

Cambridge Junction’s Christmas show, Beauty and the Beast, produced by the fantastic New International Encounter also brims with magic and a fairy tale forest. With a compelling, gutsy heroine, this is the perfect show to take the kids to. Cambridge Junction’s family arts programming is some of the best you will

Expect magical characters and the chance to create something special together

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clean, contemporary array of vibrant prints (I love her rowing-inspired oars design!).

Plus Naomi Davies’ work has fast become a hit with many in the city – her utterly divine cards are available in Primavera, Linton Kitchen and many more independents.

They’re warm-hearted pieces that capture the spirit of Cambridge; what’s not to love?

Happy festivities all.

© Naomi Davies

Left Santa will be visiting Milton Country Park at Enchanted Days. Above and right Naomi Davies’ warm-hearted Cambridge-focused cards are available from various locations around the city.

find and their Christmas shows are brilliant, catering to the more adventurous parent without being so ‘out there’ that the kids just don’t get it at all (I’ve not been to a show that my small boy hasn’t adored).

Forest lovers can also try creating a gorgeous wreath with foraged foliage and flowers with Anna’s Flower Farm, whose bespoke workshops are another fabulous way to slow down. As art critic and founder of Cambridge School of Art John Ruskin once said, ‘flowers seem intended for the solace of ordinary humanity’. Check annataylorflowers.wordpress.com for all the details.

Finally, card lovers should snap up gorgeous finds from Mandy Knapp, who is selling her own hand-printed range exclusively in Bridges on Bridge Street – a

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FESTIVE THEATRE FOOD

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Cambridge theatreland is offering a stellar line-up of festive treats for the whole family – here’s a taste of what’s in store

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After the success of their sparklingly witty take on Around the World in 80 Days, Cambridge-based theatre company New International Encounter are back with a brand-new production of Beauty and the Beast, running from 6 to 31 December at Cambridge Junction.

Brimming with fairy-tale magic, the story follows the fates of a father and his three daughters, who find themselves suddenly destitute and living in a run-down farmhouse on the edge of a mysterious forest. Deep within lies a decrepit castle with a rather unusual inhabitant, who’s beset by a terrible curse and soon to be discovered by the most daring of the daughters, beginning an altogether beastly love affair…

“It’s just a great story,” says director Alex Byrne when asked why they CAMBRIDGE chose Beauty and the Beast. “It’s a love story, but it’s also an adventure JUNCTION story, and I like that the hero is a young woman – a gutsy female 6-31 DEC protagonist – who has to go and save the day and find the solution to the problem. I also like it because it’s about families – it’s about a father and his three daughters. And he has trouble with them; they’re not always easy!

“But it’s also a story about austerity – people who were very rich becoming very poor – and it asks, what does it mean to be rich?

What does it mean to be beautiful? It interrogates those ideas.”

In the fashion they’re known for, New International Encounter are adding a modern edge to a classic favourite, with knowing winks to the adults in the audience together with a liberal sprinkling of magic dust to enthral children. There’s live music, too, courtesy of the instrument-playing cast, while the setting of the production promises to provide a unique, immersive experience for the audience.

“Unusually for the Junction, this show will be in ‘traverse’, so there will be seats on two sides of the auditorium, with the action in the middle,” says Alex of the staging.

“There are two settings – the castle of the beast, with its ornamental garden which has fallen into ruin, and then there’s the small cottage that the family move to after they go bankrupt in Paris, which will be a beautiful, autumnal clearing, full of autumn leaves and bits of trees hanging down.”

Edition was lucky enough to sit in on an early rehearsal for this show and we can promise audience members are in for a treat – it’s hilariously funny, a little bit edgy, and totally unlike any other Christmas show in town; a festive family treat you don’t want to miss.

Tickets start at £10. www.junction.co.uk

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FESTIVE THEATRE CORN EXCHANGE

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Saint Petersburg Classic Ballet

Promising to provide a breathtakingly beautiful Christmas treat, the Saint Petersburg Classic Ballet makes a return to the Corn Exchange this month with a pair of classic ballets.

On 30 and 31 December, spectacle and sparkle abound in The Nutcracker, a delightfully festive flight of fancy brought to life by the brilliance of Tchaikovsky’s score. Join Clara and her Nutcracker Prince as they embark on a Christmas adventure, encountering fantastical characters and magical lands along the way.

On 1 January meanwhile, experience the heartbreaking beauty of Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece Swan Lake; a tragic tale of love and betrayal set against one of the most famous classical scores of all time.

Tickets for both ballets start at £17.75. www.cornex.co.uk

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© Adam Cash

MILL ROAD FAIR

PROUD MEDIA PARTNERS

MILL ROAD

WORDS NICOLA FOLEY

Fantastic street food, family activities, storytelling, music, local stalls and festive shopping - the Mill Road Winter Fair is here! at, drink, shop, dance, play, make and be merry at the marvellous Mill Road Winter Fair, which returns for its annual outing on 3 December.

One of the most treasured events in the local calendar, the Winter Fair attracts thousands each year, offering a joyful daylong celebration of not just the Mill Road neighbourhood but the whole Cambridge community. As ever, there’s more food and fun than you can shake your woolly mitten at, plus a plethora of stalls selling everything from Christmas decorations to handmade books and artworks, not to

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mention plenty of family activities to get stuck into.

“It really is a sensory experience for your eyes, ears and palate,” says Marisa from the Mill Road Winter Fair team.

“There is loads of entertainment on offer: you can participate in the parade, listen to wandering storytellers, learn juggling in the circus workshops or just hear more about local community groups you may want to get involved with. There is so much right here on your doorstep. Best yet: enjoy eating and walking the whole stretch of Mill Road!” Here’s a taster of what’s happening at this year's event...

Dog Show Brand new for this year’s fair is the Dog Show, which will take place at Petersfield (the green area at the junction between Mill Road and East Road). Reckon your pooch could be prizeworthy? Pop along at 10.30am and enter them into categories including Dog & Owner Look Alike, Waggiest Tail or Best Rescue Dog. It’s open to dogs of six months and older and there are some great, Christmassy prizes up for grabs, plus those all-important rosettes.

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MILL ROAD FAIR

EAT

3 DEC

© Adam Cash

The Mill Road Winter Fair is always a fabulously foodie affair, with tempting aromas emanating from all corners and delicious eats from around the world to enjoy every few steps.

This year’s event will be no exception, with the Gwydir Street car park food market returning to offer scrumptious edibles from some of Cambridge’s finest street food traders.

Tuck into gigantic gourmet burgers from Steak & Honour, vibrant vegetarian cuisine from The Wandering Yak, tasty Caribbean fare from The Lick and tempting Taiwanese street food from LingLing’s Steam Kitchen.

For a hot drink and wedge of home-made cake, stop by at Caffé Mobile, or for a drink with a little more oomph to warm you up, local brewery Lord Conrad’s will be serving up their brilliant brews.

There’ll be plenty more to feast on throughout the day too, but one of our very favourite annual happenings occurs just slightly off the beaten track down Gwydir Street at the Cambridge Blue pub. Pop in and enjoy a blissfully warming mulled wine while meeting some real-life reindeers – a truly magical Mill Road experience.

FAMILY

Community Parade

A jamboree of colour and fun, there’s always loads for little ones to marvel at and get stuck into at the fair. This year, the team from Cambridge Museums will be showing off intriguing artefacts from the various collections and leading fun, hands-on activities for children at the Salisbury Club at 4pm. CHaOS (Cambridge Hands-On Science) are also back with lots of interactive sciencey fun for all ages – be sure to take an inquisitive spirit and prepare to be dazzled by mind-bending experiments and activities!

Community-run library Little Bookworms will be there too, laying on craft activities and a reading of The Rainbow Fish at Ross Street Community Centre (from 10am to 11.30am).

Pop by for free tea, coffees and biscuits, and a lovely story.

Also spinning a yarn or two will be Cambridge Storytellers, who stop by at St Barnabas Centre (just behind the church) at 1pm and 3pm. Step in from the cold outside and be enthralled by these seasoned raconteurs, who will be regaling listeners with stories old and new, from near and far, for children of all ages.

Soak up the sounds of local talent at the Cambridge 105 stage, which this year will

© Adam Cash

MUSIC & ARTS

Loud, colourful and positively bursting with community spirit, the parade is one of the highlights of the Mill Road Winter Fair each year. Bringing together local schools, clubs and organisations, this year’s theme is ‘Over the Rainbow’. The parade will begin at 12.30pm at Romsey Terrace (next to Cutlacks) and snake its way down to Petersfield by 1.30pm. Led by Michelle Smith of Creative Movements, the enthusiastic participants – which include Dorothy, Tin Man, Scarecrow and Lion – will be attempting to create a walking rainbow as they ease on down the yellow brick (Mill) road!

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be located in front of Tesco. The community radio station will be hosting six live bands, as well as broadcasting live from the fair throughout the day.

There’s also a chance to enjoy some lively Latin carnival sounds from Arco Iris, the Cambridge Community Samba Band, who will be leading the parade, as well as a busy line-up of music and stalls at the Argyle Street Housing Co-operative.

Known for being one of Cambridge’s most creative corners, Mill Road is a hotbed of artistic output. This will be celebrated at the fair, with events including an art show at Hope Street Yard (complete with mulled wine and tasty food), roaming physical theatre from Infusion, and the creation of a huge temporary labyrinth at Petersfield on the corner of Mill Road and East Road.

SHOP

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MILL ROAD FAIR

Get involved!

The Winter Fair is a vibrant community event made possible only through the hard work of volunteers – and they’re always on the look out for new helpers!

If you’re interested in getting involved, in any capacity, email chair@millroadwinterfair.org.

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ACTIVE It’s quite easy to simply stroll and munch your way around the fair but there’s also

© Adam Cash

“The fair is the perfect excuse to shop early for Christmas and buy local!” says Marisa from the Mill Road Winter Fair team. “All of the stalls are independents and local to Mill Road, Cambridge or the county. I love hearing the stories behind the products from the vendors themselves.”

Lining the whole stretch of Mill Road will be all manner of stalls, selling Christmas decorations, gifts, art and crafts, handmade books, clothing and more – making the fair the perfect chance to blitz your Christmas list, while supporting local shops and makers.

© Adam Cash

opportunities to get active if the mood takes you (even if it’s only to stave off the chills!). Cambridge Community Circus will be running workshops on Mortimer Road between 12pm and 3.30pm, at which you can have a go at everything from juggling to plate spinning.

For something a little more sedate but equally brilliant for boosting your wellbeing, check out Taoist Tai Chi Society, who will be putting on displays as well as answering your questions throughout the day. You can even try your hand, or more accurately mid-section, at belly dancing at the Dance Gala run by Razzamataz, which will be taking place at Bharat Bhavan.

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The Mill Road Winter Fair takes place on Saturday 3 December from 10.30am until 4.30pm. www.millroadwinterfair.org

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COMPETITION

The big Edition festive giveaway is back and it’s bigger than ever! To be in with a chance of winning this incredible prize bundle, head to the Cambridge Edition website – good luck!

Worth over £2000!

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Champagne afternoon tea for two at Fitzbillies

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Two tickets to the Neon Moon New Year’s Eve Spectacular

See in 2017 in style with two tickets to the glamorous Neon Moon Club’s ball on 31 December. Featuring world-class burlesque and cabaret, dancing, cocktails and all sorts of surprises and taking place in the historic Cambridge Union, it’s promising to be quite the party! Tickets priced at £60 each. www.theneonmoonclub.com

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ONE LUCKY READER WILL WIN ALL THIS!

A bona fide Cambridge institution, Fitzbillies is famed for its delectable sticky buns, fantastic cakes and now, brilliant brunches. They’re giving away an indulgent champagne afternoon tea for two, which features a glass of chilled fizz, delicate finger sandwiches, a sultana scone with raspberry jam and clotted cream and a selection of three mini cakes, fresh from the bakery. www.fitzbillies.com

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Newby Teas Silken Pyramids gift box

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Love a good cuppa? You’ll adore the Silken Pyramids gift box from Newby Teas in our gift bundle. Containing a selection of luxury pyramid-shaped pockets of whole-leaf tea, including English breakfast, Earl Grey, Jasmine Princess and Masala Chai, it’s exactly what the doctor ordered for the festive season… www.newbyteas.com

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Lumie Bodyclock Starter

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Cambridge Satchel Company Poppy Bag

An incredible local success story, Cambridge Satchel Company have become famous the world over for their gorgeous handmade leather bags. They’ve contributed the beautiful Poppy bag to our prize bundle; a polished, pretty and practical 100% leather handbag. The one up for grabs is in a rich oxblood colour, making it the perfect winter style accessory. www.cambridgesatchel.com

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We all need a little extra help getting up on these cold winter mornings, which is where the Lumie Bodyclock comes in! Known as a ‘dawn simulator’, this innovative clock wakes you with increasing natural light, signalling your body to ease the production of sleep hormones, increase your get-up-and-go cortisol and help your sleep cycles, mood and energy all day long. www.lumie.com

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Hamper from The Gog

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The award-winning Gog Farm Shop is offering a mini hamper packed with seasonal favourites to make your Christmas truly tasty.

Inside, there’s a bottle of Zuccardi Malbec, a classic Christmas pud from Cole’s (plus some brandy butter to top it with), a Christmas cake, some excellent cheese and some oatcakes to pop it on. www.thegog.com

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COMPETITION

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£110

Finn Jordan Spa Experience

Offering a serene, luxurious sanctuary in the heart of the city centre, Finn Jordan Beauty & Hair Salon is the perfect spot for a blissful bit of pampering. They’re giving away a 120-minute spa experience worth £110, which includes whatever treatment our winner fancies to fill the time, along with refreshments. www.finnjordan.co.uk

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£68

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Hotel Chocolat Hamper & Prosecco

Hotel Chocolat has given us one of their gorgeous Merry Christmas Everyone hampers, which brims over with exquisite sweet treats, including winter puddings, white and milk snowflakes and Brazil nuts, as well as a mini bottle of Prosecco Superiore. They were feeling super generous and have also thrown in a full-size bottle of Prosecco, too – bottoms up! www.hotelchocolat.com

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TO BE IN WITH CHANCE OF W A IN THIS FANTAST NING IC PRIZE BUNDLE, VIS CAMBSEDITIO IT N.CO.UK

Fabletics outfit

Founded by actress Kate Hudson and JustFab, Fabletics offers today’s active woman highquality, fashion-infused fitness wear to help her look and feel her best as she lives her busy life. Fabletics are giving our lucky winner an outfit from their current collection, which includes stylish workout essentials such as sports leggings, shorts and vests, plus layering pieces including super soft T-shirts, hoodies and jackets. (up to the value of £60). www.fabletics.co.uk

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Meal for two at Hotel Du Vin

One of our city’s most celebrated fine dining spots, Hotel du Vin offers a fabulously indulgent Gallic-inspired menu and an elegant, historic setting. They’re giving the lucky winner of our prize bundle a meal for two from their fixed price menu, which is priced at £19.95 for three courses. www.hotelduvin.com

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Afternoon tea for two at Sheene Mill

Enjoy a luxury afternoon tea at the beautiful Sheene Mill, which is in a magnificent 16th century mill house on the river Mel (in Melbourne).

It features freshly prepared finger sandwiches, home-made quiches, scones with clotted cream and jam plus gorgeous cakes and mini desserts. There’s also a fabulous tea selection – choose between Persian pomegranate, English breakfast, Egyptian mint, organic jasmine and many more. www.sheenemill.com

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COMPETITION

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Visit www.cambsedition.co.uk

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Prestigious skincare brand Murad are giving away one of their Merry & Beautiful gift sets. This set boasts a selection of beauty boosters to polish, plump and smooth lines, restore the skin’s suppleness and create healthy, youthful skin. Inside, you’ll find AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser, HydroDynamic Ultimate Moisture and Rapid Collagen Infusion. www.murad.co.uk

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Oxbridge Colouring Book Trilogy £18

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Lauded for its ability to calm and de-stress, colouring has gone from childhood hobby to popular adult pursuit – and you can get in on the creative fun with this trio of books from Two Towers Press. The set features the internationally bestselling Cambridge Colouring Book, the Oxford Colouring Book and the Cambridge Souvenir Guide, all filled with beautiful illustrations you’ll have hours of fun colouring in.

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Keep your hands snug this winter with the gorgeous Judy gloves from Lilac Rose on Bridge Street. A vibrant teal shade with a T cute mustard-coloured pom-pom at the wrist, they’ll bring a splash of colour to your outerwear for years to come. www.lilacrose.co.uk

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Scudamore’s champagne tour

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Enjoy some messing about on the river courtesy of local favourites Scudamore’s, who have contributed a champagne punt tour for up to eight people worth £280.

While you recline, sip on a glass or two of fizz and enjoy the views as your chauffeur regales you with interesting facts and stories about Cambridge’s landmarks. www.scudamores.com

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£100 Voucher for Pint Shop

Boasting a well-earned reputation as one of Cambridge’s best-loved eateries, the Pint Shop gets local foodies fawning with its great grub and vast drinks selection.

With an emphasis on meat, bread and beer, via lots of interesting diversions, the food is hearty, innovative and continually impressive. They’re giving away £100 to spend on a slap-up meal. www.pintshop.co.uk

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for a chance to win all this!

Better Health & Fitness membership

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£25 at Country Kitchen, Haslingfield

We at Edition are huge fans of the lovely Country Kitchen in Haslingfield, a small but perfectly formed village store which is brimming with excellent food and wines (including their delicious home-made ready meals), gorgeous homewares and a range of carefully selected gifts. They’re giving away a £25 voucher to spend in store on whatever you fancy! www.ckhaslingfield.com

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The highest value prize in this year’s bundle, we’re giving away an annual membership from Better Health & Fitness worth £399.50. The membership can be used at all three Better Health & Fitness’s Cambridge locations (Parkside Pools & Gym, Abbey Leisure Complex and Cherry Hinton Village Leisure Centre) and includes full, anytime access to the gyms, pools and exercise classes. www.better.org.uk

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Ten ice skating tickets

North Pole Cambridge is back on Parker’s Piece for another season of wintry fun. As well as the huge open-air rink, there’s an Alpine chalet bar and lots of rides, games and warming food on offer. They’ve given us ten tickets for skating, perfect for a family (or just getting in lots of practice on the ice yourself!). www.thenorthpolecambridge.co.uk

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Perfect for a large wedge of fromage or ideal as a server for a mini platter of mixed morsels, Hop & Peck are giving away one of their rather cute cheeseboards. Its design is award-winning and as well as looking great, it’s made from solid oak, making it super strong and durable – meaning you’ll be happily munching cheese and biscuits from it for years to come! www.hopandpeck.co.uk

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Neal’s Yard Radiance gift set

Neal’s Yard, with a branch on Rose Crescent, create top quality ethical skincare products.

They’re giving away one of their covetable Radiance gift boxes, which features luxurious, award-winning beauty favourites, the Wild Rose Body Elixir, Wild Rose Beauty Elixir, Wild Rose Beauty Balm and Organic Muslin Cloth. www.nealsyardremedies.com

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InnaSpa £50 voucher

Located on the first floor of David Lloyd Leisure in Cambridge, InnaSpa offers a modern, energising space and a menu of luxury treatments to make you feel and look your very best. They’re giving away a £50 voucher to spend at the spa, and our prizewinner will be able to choose between treatments including facials, massages, blowdries, nail treatments and more. www.innaspa.co.uk

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£25 voucher for Petrus Design

With branches on Bridge Street in Cambridge and on the High Street in Saffron Walden, Petrus Design offers stylish, design-led clothing for men and women, stocking brands including G-Star and Sandwich. They’re offering a £25 voucher for you to treat yourself to a gorgeous new garment that’ll keep you snug and stylish this winter.

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Who do you think you are? If you want to know more about your genealogy, you’ll love playing sleuth with the Living DNA Kit, which uses the latest technology to tell the story of your family heritage in amazing detail.

Like an HD ancestry test, the results can be viewed on an interactive online platform which breaks down your family to over 80 worldwide regions. www.livingdna.com

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

DISCOVER CHILFORD HALL THIS SEASON

Established in 1972, Chilford Hall is one of the oldest and most established vineyards in the East of England. Located between Linton and Balsham, on the lush slopes of the Granta valley, we grow nine varieties of grape on some 18,000 vines, all tended and picked by hand. We use these to create award-winning white, red and rosé still wines, as well as sparkling whites and rosés, all of which are available for purchase at our shop and at local outlets including Cambridge Vinopolis on Devonshire Road.

As well as welcoming around 6000 visitors a year to Chilford Hall for vineyard tours and tastings, we’re a highly regarded wedding, conference and exhibition venue and we provide a beautiful backdrop for both celebration and business events.

Christmas Wine

Make your Christmas drinks order with Chilford Hall and you’ll have the pick of our exceptional range of sparkling and still wines, as well as liqueurs.

Throughout the festive season we’ll be putting together special box sets designed to complement the food and mood of the festive period.

Christmas Gifts

Looking for a gift for the wine lover in your life this Christmas?

Chilford Hall has a great range of wine-related gifts including corkscrews, aprons and tea towels, as well as offering gift vouchers for wine tasting tours.

Winter Wine Tasting

Come and experience Chilford Hall for yourself at one of our Winter Wine Tasting sessions, which take place on 3 and 10 December.

Beginning with a welcome drink, the sessions offer a guided tasting of five wines followed by a two-course lunch.

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Event Venue

Chilford Hall has a long history as an event venue, and we are pleased to continue this tradition. We can arrange bespoke private events and parties for you in our Bistro or Private Tasting Room.

These could be for a birthday celebration, a hen party, a wine club tasting, or an off-site business meeting with a difference. Call Sarah to discuss your plans.

Chilford Hall Conference Centre & Vineyard, Balsham Road, Linton, Cambridgeshire CB21 4LE Tel: 01223 895600 Email: events@chilfordhall.co.uk www.chilfordhall.co.uk

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NEW YEAR’S EVE

New year's eve: top 6 WORDS NICOLA FOLEY

Dine, drink and dance your way into 2017 at one of these great local events

1. MASQUERADE FEAST The Willow Tree, Bourn’s gorgeous gastro pub, will host a Masquerade Feast on 31 December with dinner, drinks and dancing.

Priced at £90 per person, guests will be treated to a sumptuous six-course Italian dinner with cocktails, followed by entertainment from a live band. The food is famously fantastic at The Willow Tree (it’s been listed in the Michelin Guide), and the whole place, with its quirky, shabby chic decor, is charming. A lovely spot to see in 2017. www.thewillowtreebourn.com

2. HOTEL DU VIN Go for a bit of old-school glamour this New Year’s Eve with an evening of indulgence at Hotel du Vin. This handsome Trumpington Street hotel oozes sophistication and cosy elegance, and they’re promising to see in the new year in style with a decadent feast.

The evening will begin with champagne, followed by a four-course dinner which features dishes including lobster Benedict, roast saddle of venison and frozen white chocolate soufflé with hot Manjari chocolate sauce. Tea, coffees and handmade truffles will round off the meal, followed by live music and dancing (priced at £105 per person).

If you fancy making a real night of it, there are packages available which include dinner, an overnight stay in one of Hotel du Vin’s beautiful rooms and a full breakfast the next morning, plus they’re laying on delicious, restorative fourcourse lunch for New Year’s Day (£24.95). www.hotelduvin.com

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NEW YEAR’S EVE

Step into the dazzling, decadent and gorgeously attired world of the Neon Moon Burlesque and Cabaret Club at The Carnival of Dreams on 31 December. Known for their glamorous parties, they’re promising an evening of entrancing interactive entertainment, dancing, cocktails, stalls to browse and plenty more surprises from 8pm until 2am. The venue is the historic Cambridge Union Society on Bridge Street, and as always, the organisers are encouraging guests to let their imaginations fly when it comes to their outfits. The dress code is ‘exquisite vintage retro chic’, and the crowd always dresses to impress. Over 18s only, tickets are £49.50 in advance. www.theneonmoonclub.com

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4. DE LUCA CUCINA Central, stylish and with seriously good food and a great atmosphere, we reckon that De Luca on Regent Street would be a top spot for seeing in the new year.

They’re inviting guests to drink, dine and sing their way into 2017 with a shindig that features live musical entertainment and a sumptuous fivecourse meal. Indulge in a menu of Italian classics like arancini, cannelloni and tiramisu, then venture up to the supercool New York loft style cocktail lounge on the top floor. As well as expertly blended tipples, there will be live music and, we’re sure, a good old singalong with lots of favourite tunes.

Priced at £65 per person. www.delucacucina.co.uk

5. NYE PARTY AT REVOLUTION

6. NOVI

© Nicola Foley

There’s five floors of fun planned at the newly refurbished Revolution on Downing Street at their huge New Year’s Eve party, which runs from 10.30pm ‘til late. Priced at £25, there will be two DJs plus a live saxophone player, as well as complimentary fizz from 9pm until 10.30pm to get the party started.

Elsewhere, you’ll find prop giveaways, selfie frames for capturing the fun of the night, photo walls and more. It’s also a great chance to hang out at Revolution’s stylishly decked out new roof terrace, which overlooks the city centre and has a fully retractable roof, as well as being heated – making it inviting whatever the weather!

If there’s a group of you, you can book a booth or table and order bubbles and canapés on arrival to really make a night of it – contact the events team on 01223 364895. www.revolution-bars.co.uk

© Daisy Dickinson

3. THE CARNIVAL OF DREAMS

Novi is promising a sophisticated night of New Year Eve’s fun at their Prohibition era party, priced at £20 (advance).

Don your best 1920s-inspired finery and head to this uber-chic bar for an evening of live music, dancing and a late night DJ. Enjoy a complimentary speakeasy-style welcome cocktail, explore the first floor casino and then party the night away in the stylish surroundings of this spacious Regent Street favourite. www.novicambridge.bigcartel.com

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FOOD DRINK A N D

GET THE INSIDE TRACK ON CAMBRIDGE’S FOODIE SCENE WITH EDITION’S MONTHLY SUPPLEMENT

Christmas Recipes

Seasonal Cocktails Hero Eats

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FOOD

SE ASON’S E ATINGS FIGHT THE CHRISTMAS PUD-INDUCED FESTIVE FOOD COMA THIS YEAR WITH ALEX’S LIGHTER DESSERT IDEAS WORDS ALEX RUSHMER

aper crowns sit on heads at odd angles and the guts of spent crackers litter the floor. Wine glasses sit half empty and the kitchen sink is heaving with used crockery, pots and roasting trays. The turkey is a bony carcass, barely hinting at its recent grandeur, and leftovers wait to be cling-filmed and refrigerated. A fog of lethargy has descended over the dining table as belts are loosened and eyelids droop uncontrollably. The diners are hungry no more and the exhausting process of digesting the feast has sucked the energy from the room like a fire consuming oxygen.

“Christmas pudding, anyone?”

The question is asked with enthusiasm and optimism. It is met with neither.

“I couldn’t possibly…”

“You must be joking…”

“Maybe in a couple of hours...” is about as positive a response as you can expect and even that is far from a commitment to it.

Thankfully, Christmas puddings last a long time. I’ve known them to sit in a cupboard from year to year, make their annual appearance into the halflight of a late December afternoon and then be secreted away again for a further 12 months.

Why we insist on finishing the largest feast of the year with a dessert that has the subtlety of a cluster bomb, I have no idea. It sits in the belly like a lead weight, pressing down on all that was conquered before it, ready to induce a food coma within mere seconds of the final mouthful. It is the most effective over-the-counter sedative that I’ve ever consumed.

sweet wine like Sauternes if you really want to go all out.

Citrus fruits are also wonderful at this time of year and satsumas or clementines work really well with cinnamon, dates and pomegranate seeds in a brilliantly festive take on pavlova. The meringue can be baked ahead of time and then it is just a case of rapidly assembling the sweet centrepiece on the day. Flavour the whipped cream with orange blossom water instead of the usual vanilla for an even bigger citrus hit.

Frozen desserts are also a great option: they can be made days in advance and carry the traditional flavours of the season especially well.

Ice creams flavoured with warming spices are always popular and make a great foil for warming winter puds.

However, for something with a little more magnificence a frozen chestnut parfait fulfils the brief perfectly, especially if paired with dried figs and a drizzle of wild honey.

So, here’s to delicacy, vibrancy and lightness; to fruit and freshness; to not falling asleep on the sofa. And most of all, here’s to a thoroughly delicious Christmas.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Of course, a delicate strawberry vacherin or elderflower fool would be inappropriately unseasonal but there are a multitude of festive dessert options available on Christmas Day that won’t leave you unconscious.

Poached fruit, especially pears, are a great make-ahead option. A level of seasonal grandeur can be obtained by using red wine and mulling spices as your poaching liquor or even using a decadent

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FOOD

IMAGES NICOLA FOLEY

Christmas Cocktails Rachel Burnett, bar manager at d’Arry’s Liquor Loft, shares recipes for some Christmas cocktails guaranteed to get you in the festive spirit

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RECIPE

Salted Caramel Espresso Martini Ingredients

• 25ml Araku rum and coffee liqueur (any coffee liqueur will work) • 25ml vodka (we used East London Liquor Company’s Small Batch Grain vodka) • 25ml espresso • 25ml caramel syrup • Large pinch of sea salt • Ice • Coffee beans to garnish

Step-by-Step Guide 1. Put all ingredients except the ice and coffee beans in a Boston tin (cocktail shaker).

2. Add a scoop of ice and give it a hard shake.

3. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with coffee beans.

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FOOD

Cardamom And Pear White Lady Ingredients

• 1 egg white • 40ml gin (we used East London Liquor Company London Dry Gin) • 15ml Xante pear & cognac liqueur • 25ml lemon juice • 25ml sugar syrup • 4 cardamom pods (extra to garnish) • Ice

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Crush the cardamom pods in a Boston tin.

2. Add all other ingredients.

3. Add scoop of ice and shake.

4. Strain the ice and then shake again (this is called a wet and dry shake and helps to make egg white cocktails nice and foamy).

5. Fine strain into a coupe glass to serve.

6. Garnish with cardamom pods.

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RECIPE

Flaming Christmas Pudding Brandy Ingredients

• Brandy (however much you want to make! We used Maxime Trijol Cognac) • Christmas pudding • Orange peel to garnish

Step-by-step Guide

1. P ut Christmas pudding and brandy in an airtight container for two weeks.

2. This then needs to be strained so you don’t get lumps. We use coffee filter papers to do this.

3. When it comes to serving, you need to heat the brandy – you can do this by putting it over a glass of boiling water, creating a kind of bain-marie. You can also light it for added theatre!

4. Garnish with orange peel.

All of these cocktails and plenty more are available at d’Arry’s Liquor Loft, which you’ll find upstairs at the King Street restaurant. www.darrys.co.uk

Christmas Champagne Cocktail Ingredients

•B rown sugar cube •4 -5 dashes of Angostura bitters • 1 5ml of Christmas pudding brandy (recipe above) •C hampagne •O range peel to garnish

Step-by-step Guide

1. Place sugar cube in bottom of flute glass.

2. Add the Angostura bitters and brandy.

3. Top it up with champagne and garnish with orange peel.

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FOOD

FOOD NEWS A MONTHLY ROUND-UP OF GASTRONOMIC GOINGS-ON IN CAMBRIDGE AND THE SURROUNDING AREA

MILLWORKS

Cambscuisine, the restaurant group behind much-loved local eateries including SmokeWorks and the Chop Houses, recently opened its seventh restaurant in the city, MillWorks. On the edge of the Mill Pond, this exciting new addition to Cambridge’s dining scene is housed in the old Watermill which used to be home to Bella Italia, and prior to that Sweeney Todd’s.

The building has been given a completely new lease of life and re-energised into a stylish, modern brasserie which pays homage to the history of the building while bringing it right up to date. The refurbishment included restoring the old Watermill wheel and glass apertures in the floor which allow guests to see the water rushing past underfoot.

Food-wise, the Cambscuisine stamp is always a sign that you’re onto a winner and MillWorks is maintaining the group’s already stellar reputation. The menu is all about vibrant, punchy flavours with elements of smoke from their custom-made charcoal grill (which is affectionately known as Mortimer!). The day’s offerings begin with

brunches including smashed avocado on toast with poached egg and dukkah or a full English which features meaty barbecue beans and a spicy artisan beef and pork sausage, plus Hot Numbers coffee.

Mortimer comes into his own come lunch and dinner, sizzling up juicy flat-iron steaks, marrow melt burgers with pulled beef brisket and marinated lamb chops. We’re also rather taken with the intriguing chicken liver and peanut butter starter, and there

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are some solid options for the more health conscious too, including superfood salads.

If you remember Sweeney Todd’s, you’ll recall their ice cream sundaes, and we’re happy to report these are being revived at MillWorks. Tuck into the Rupture Rapture: “a perverse explosion” of ice cream, whipped cream, doughnut, Maltesers, salted caramel sauce, brownie and marshmallow, served with sparklers for added wow factor. www.themillworks.co.uk

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FOOD

THIRSTYFEST

We’re so pleased to see that drinks shop Thirsty is reprising its Thirstyfest event for a winter edition, set to bring us great food, great drinks and plenty more fun each and every weekend throughout December.

The venue is the yard behind Mackay’s, near the Grafton Centre, and the vibe is après-ski – complete with plenty of warming tipples to try and even a winter boules track. There will be a covered area and plenty of heaters to keep people toasty, and Thirsty are also promising to deliver some of Cambridge’s best-loved street food traders including Steak & Honour, Guerrilla Kitchen and Provenance Kitchen.

“As always with Thirsty, we like to take the stuffy out of the drinks scene and place the booze where it works best – alongside great food, with great company and in a funky place,” says Sam Owens, founder of Thirsty. “We’re dead chuffed to hook up with the Mackay family to hold the winter events in the yard behind their store on East Road.

They’re a Cambridge institution, a family-owned independent business (like us) and a great laugh.”

Thirstyfest will be open every Friday and Saturday up to and including 22, 23 December. Search Winter Thirstyfest on Facebook for more info.

CAMBRIDGE FOOD COLLECTIVE

Have you checked out Cambridge Food Collective yet? An online marketplace stocking top-quality produce, it’s a super convenient way of supporting independent food businesses and making sure your fridge is filled with the tastiest finds.

From the flavour-packed wedges of Cambridge Cheese Company’s finest and heavenly scoops of Jack’s Gelato in the dairy section, to the artisan sweets and chocolates, freshly baked breads and handmade ready meals, it’s a treasure trove for any local lovers of food. With all of those big festive orders in the pipeline, now’s a great time to get acquainted with the site – and as an extra incentive, there’s free delivery to CB1-CB5 postcodes on orders over £45 too.

“It’s a great opportunity to shop local with producers who pride themselves on great quality, great service and affordability,” says Nazima, a passionate foodie and founder of The Cambridge Food Collective. “This also makes shopping for your festive dining much less stressful.” www.cambridgefoodcollective.com

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FOOD

IMAGES CHARLOTTE GRIFFITHS

BRUNCHING AT FITZBILLIES Famous for its delectable cakes and syrupy sticky buns, Fitzbillies is a bona fide Cambridge institution. It’s well known as one of the loveliest spots in the city for a coffee and a sweet treat, but we’ve recently discovered a whole new side of this city centre favourite and we’re dying to share it. In short, they’re serving up some of the best brunches in town – along with, uniquely for Cambridge, morningfriendly cocktails like Bloody Mary’s and Mimosas.

Served at the Trumpington Street branch every day until 4pm, the menu covers all bases, whether you’re after something at the healthy eating end of the spectrum (try the crushed avo on sourdough toast with chilli oil and seeds or the granola with fruit compote), or fancy something a little more indulgent. We can personally vouch for the sterling Full Fitzbillies, an exemplar fried breakfast with plump sausages, thick rashers of bacon, perfectly cooked eggs, freshly baked, buttery sourdough toast and chunky hash browns.

The Hollandaise sauce is a velvety, creamy delight too, and the fluffy pancakes, drenched in honey and crème fraiche and served with juicy ripe figs, are a godsend on a less than chirpy winter morning.

You’re welcome. www.fitzbillies.com

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© Daisy Dickinson

FOOD

Love the whiff of a stiff fromage (not to mention the taste), combined with a bottle of your favourite wine?

Well The Gog has a tasting that’ll hit your sweet spot in just one of its regular chances to learn more about food and drink. A French cheese and wine-tasting event takes place on 1 December at the farm shop, in association with Mons Cheesemongers and Cambridge Wine Merchants.

The Gog’s own cheesemongers will be joined by a connoisseur from the Mons team to talk about The Gog’s range of French cheeses and why they have been selected for the festive season.

They will then be paired with wines and port available in the delicatessen. Five cheeses and wines will be served with a selection of crackers during the tasting, from 7pm to 9pm. Tickets cost £25.

Next up, on 7 and 14 December there will be chances to attend a Big Green Egg class, which will teach you how to get the most out of these lauded outdoor cookers, with a special focus on Christmas cooking.

Whether you are new to all things Big Green Egg or a seasoned Egg chef, the class covers festive cooking ideas using your BGE. Last year’s class covered everything from a ‘traditional’ turkey, to a maple-glazed ham and a turkey curry. Classes are 5.30pm to 9pm and tickets cost £38. www.thegog.com

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© Daisy Dickinson

THIS MONTH AT THE GOG

REVOLUTION REFURB

Last month saw city-centre favourite Revolution host a weekend of celebrations to unveil a brand new look, following a £300k refurbishment. Though the decor throughout has been spruced up, the really exciting work has been going on at the top of the building, where a unique rooftop restaurant has been created. Boasting a fully retractable roof – a first in Cambridge – this large space boasts glass frontage which overlooks the city centre, squishy sofas, ample heating and a new pizza oven (which had to be craned in!). We’re loving the unique indoor-outdoor feel and the fact that it’s going to be fully usable throughout the year, with a warm and cosy feel during the winter months and space for soaking up rays and enjoying cocktails in the summer.

Downstairs, the Cuban Bar has been replaced with a Caribbean feel, the dance floor area is sporting a classy new look and the ground floor will now offer more of a restaurant vibe.

A new food menu offers gourmet burgers, tasty pizzas, sharing boards, salads and more, whilst the cocktail menu remains as vast and varied as ever (we’re especially fond of the Varsity Blue, named in honour of our city, which features a heady combination of Absolut Raspberri vodka and Blue curaçao with apricot syrup, lemon juice and San Pellegrino Limonata – served in a bag!). www.revolution-bars.co.uk

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DRINKS

what to drink on Christmas day WORDS MATTHEW BOUCHER

Matthew Boucher advises on the best way to get merry this Christmas ere is your Thirsty guide for choosing wines to drink on Christmas Day. Personally, I’ll be up early peeling potatoes, so I’ll be needing a cup of tea – but if you are lucky enough to be sitting down or still in bed, then the classic way to start the day would of course be with a drop of fizz.

Champagne or Buck’s Fizz would do the trick. I don’t know why, but either go well with strong black coffee.

Next job is to get the sprouts from the allotment, which classically means a detour via the pub for a swift, cleansing half of bitter. Sadly there won’t be time for that this year, so I’ll have a couple of growlers of pre-prepared craft beer.

Growlers, aka large containers for transporting draft beers, are enjoying a revolution across the pond and are increasingly popular here. I’ll probably go for something from Magic Rock or if there’s any left, some of my colleague Sam’s GlueBier – a collaboration between Thirsty and Calverley’s Brewery.

At some point, oven control technique sets in and whatever is going to be

Go fetch that bottle , you ve been storing cooked will have to be ready to go midmorning. With the stress of all this, a fortifying glass of the best sherry money (very little, in fact, for a half bottle) can buy is required to steady the hand. La Guita’s salty and dry manzanilla should work – any spare can go into the trifle, but that would be a waste.

Posh types, I’ve recently learnt, eat smoked salmon for starters. Being quite posh myself, but ignorant of this habit, I’ve totally decided to take it on board. This is the excuse, if one were needed, to open a sauvignon blanc, chardonnay or better still the most expensive German riesling (check out espenhof, knevitz or rings) you can find.

Onto the main course (turkey, beef, carp?) and really it’s got to be white wine and probably burgundy (invariably chardonnay). If you must have red wine, go fetch that bottle you’ve been storing for a special occasion, because you won’t have another chance. Better still, stock up with a six-pack of Fleurie from Manoir du Carra. This is beaujolais at its fruitiest, juiciest best.

Next is Christmas pudding. I can’t stand the stuff, but this does at least open

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up the option of a dessert wine. Have a moscatel from Portugal in the fridge such as Cla from the Douro Valley. You don’t even need the pudding to drink this, really.

Mince pies anyone? If so, choose a lighter sweet wine like sauternes from Bordeaux.

Château Bauduc is well on form just now.

If you’re cheesy like me then you’ll be requiring a drop of port with your Stilton.

Amazingly there is still some late-bottled vintage 2009 from Quinta Do Noval (very soft and smooth) left, which may just last long enough for you to crack open those nuts as you ease yourself into the evening.

Having missed the Queen’s Speech and then spent time searching for it on iPlayer, maybe you’ll need a steadying glass of whisky from Scotland. Try Wolfburn, which is new – and you can’t say that about most whisky.

Merry Christmas, all!

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RECIPES

Festive favourites

We asked local chefs and restaurateurs to share their very favourite recipes for the festive season – here’s what they gave us!

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Marmalade Martini Leighton Mattey from The Three Horseshoes in Madingley offers a recipe for an extra special Christmas tipple

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The idea behind the cocktail was to combine the exotic and warming aromatic flavours of the Sacred cardamom gin with the homely familiarity of orange marmalade. It’s a comfort cocktail, essentially. We also have a chocolate, coffee and cardamom truffle cake on our sweet menu at the moment and the cocktail ties in really nicely with this.

Ingredients

• 25ml Sacred cardamom gin • 25ml Cointreau • 2tsp marmalade (fine cut) • 20ml hot water • Splash of lemon juice • Ice • Orange twist, cardamom cloves and star anise to garnish

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Place marmalade and hot water in a cocktail shaker and stir.

2. Add the rest of the ingredients.

3. Shake over ice (around six cubes).

4. Strain into a chilled copper Martini glass.

5. Garnish with orange twist, cardamom, cloves and star anise – and serve.

The Three Horseshoes, High Street, Madingley, Cambridge CB23 8AB www.threehorseshoesmadingley.co.uk

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RECIPES

Layered Leftover Pie

Carlos Riberio, of Co. at No. 15 in Cherry Hinton, shares a scrumptious, hearty recipe that’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser post-Christmas. It’s quick, easy and adaptable, plus it can be made vegan, vegetarian and coeliac friendly

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We call this recipe Layered Leftover Pie, but it’s also known as Winter Vegetable Pie or The Day After Christmas Pie or Post-Christmas Pie – whatever you think works better! It’s a great recipe for the festive season because it uses up all of the leftovers from Christmas and to create a warm and comforting, indulgent pie.

Pie Ingredients

• Leftover meats or mains: turkey, chicken and nut roast all work well for the filling • Root vegetables such as sweet parsnips and squash work well for the topping • Milk, butter and cheese are tasty optional extras – see right for non-dairy sauce ideas

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Preheat the oven.

2. Get started by laying out all of your leftover ingredients (nut roast/turkey/ chicken/other meats/any sauces/ trimmings etc.).

3. Mash all of the root veg, along with any other ‘mashable’ veg together to create a ‘Mixed Mash’ (things like sweet potato, parsnips, roast potato, pumpkin, butternut squash) and put to one side (milk, butter and cheese are optional extras, or you can substitute alternatives like nut butters and extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil).

4. Shred any meats/mains, such as turkey, chicken, nut roast, and leave to one side.

5. Chop up any non-potato veggies like

Brussels sprouts, peas, fine beans, broccoli, cauliflower and carrots and leave to one side.

6. Select any sauces/trimmings/cheeses.

For a non-dairy pie, see the recipes below and right.

7. Once you have prepared all of the ingredients, you can decide whether you’d like to prepare either individual portions in smaller ramekins or one large pie. Having selected your pie dish you can then begin to create layers using your already prepared leftovers, starting with the mash first (ensure you leave a little behind to finish with a layer of mash at the end). Then, in no special order, continue to create layers until you are approximately one inch from the top of your pie dish, at which stage you can finish it off with a layer of mash and decorate with any leftover herbs.

8. Place your pies in the oven on a medium heat for approximately 20-25 minutes.

Non-dairy alternatives

Non-Dairy ‘Cheese Sauce’ Ingredients

• 1/2tsp mustard • 1/4tsp smoked paprika • 1/4tsp nutmeg • 1/4tsp sea salt • 1/4tsp fine black pepper • 1tsp tahini • 3tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice • 2 garlic cloves • 1/2 cup raw cashews (soak for 24 hours and then drain before using) • 1/3 cup nutritional yeast • 1/3 cup water (add slowly, as and when you need it to create a perfect smooth, sauce consistency – as you may not always require the full stated amount) Co. at No. 15, 15 High Street, Cherry Hinton, Cambridge CB1 9HX www.cofifteen.co.uk

For a non-dairy option you can make your own vegan ‘parmesan’ or ‘cheese sauce'. All you require is a mini food processor, then blitz together all the ingredients for either of the following sauce ideas.

Non-Dairy ‘Parmesan’ Ingredients • 1/2 cup slivered almonds • 1/2 cup whole raw cashews • 1/2 cup nutritional yeast

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• 1/2tsp kosher salt • 1/4tsp garlic powder

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RECIPES

Pear & Marzipan Flapjacks

Local cake baker extraordinaire Jo Kruczynska, owner of Afternoon Tease on King Street, shares a recipe for a tempting sweet treat

Ingredients

• 175g unsalted butter • 50g light muscovado sugar • 140g golden syrup • 250g porridge oats • 2 pears, peeled, cored and chopped into small cubes

• 200g marzipan, chopped into small cubes (feel free to add more if you’re a marzipan fiend) • Flaked almonds for the topping

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Preheat the oven to 160° (fan oven).

2. Melt the butter, sugar and golden syrup in a saucepan. Do not let it boil! Stir in the oats and stir well until they are all coated in the melted mixture.

3. Stir in the pear and marzipan cubes and pour into an eight-inch (20cm) square tin lined with baking parchment.

4. Even the surface out and sprinkle with flaked almonds.

5. Bake for 30 minutes. Your flapjacks should be set (not runny) and golden on top.

If not quite golden enough just pop them in

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This is a really easy bake for the festive season. Shop-bought marzipan will work perfectly well in this recipe, but if you’re a real marzipan fan then I highly recommend making your own. I use a Delia recipe, which can be found online – and the good news is that it makes 375g marzipan so there’ll be plenty left to make marzipan sweets for gifts or just to eat yourself!

for another five minutes until you’re happy with them.

6. Leave to cool before removing from the tin and slicing.

Afternoon Tease, 13 King Street, Cambridge CB1 1LH www.afternoontease.co.uk

Pint Shop #3 Christmas Special Rich Holmes, co-owner of the Pint Shop, shares a cocktail recipe which bursts with festive flavours

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This is one of our classic House Serves.

Each season we take a gin and steep it with seasonal fruit. At this time of year we use clementines as they remind us of Christmas, then we add some warmth with the ginger. Normally we mix the gin with ginger ale but at this time of the year we use bitter lemon because it makes us think of our gran sipping on a gin and bitter lemon in front of the fire on Christmas Day.

For the Gin Infusion Ingredients • 700ml Beefeater gin • 1 clementine • 5 kumquats • 40g fresh root ginger • 5g fresh rosemary

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Peel the root ginger, slice the kumquats

and break apart the clementine to create the most flavour.

2. Add all the ingredients to a kilner jar 3. Macerate this for a minimum of seven days, but longer if you can wait.

4. Strain the infusion and reserve.

Cocktail Ingredients • 25ml of gin infusion • 25ml Lillet red vermouth • 125ml bitter lemon • Kumquat, orange twist and rosemary to garnish • Ice

Step-by-Step Guide

1. To serve build all the ingredients into a long glass full of ice and stir.

2. Garnish with a slice of kumquat, orange twist and a fresh bit of rosemary.

Pint Shop, 10 Peas Hill, Cambridge CB2 3PN www.pintshop.co.uk

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FOOD

WORDS NICOLA FOLEY

HERO EATS THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO EAT IN CAMBRIDGE RIGHT NOW

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© Daisy Dickinson

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© Daisy Dickinson

1. STICKS ’N’ SUSHI’S MAN FOOD PLATTER

2. CHOUX STOPPER SALTED CARAMEL BUN

3. THE SENATE’S CHEESY CHILLI PRAWNS

Every component of this to-die-for meaty smorgasbord is independently worthy of the Hero Eat accolade, but as a whole dish, it’s quite frankly an embarrassment of foodie riches. Meltingly tender pork belly, succulent teriyaki chicken, crispy and flavoursome panko duck breast with creamy wasabi mayo, oozing Emmental cheese wrapped in bacon and smothered in chilli dip, meatballs, ribs and sticky rice (oh, and some edamame beans – but who cares about them).

Top insider tip, that crazy tasty chilli dip they serve with your yakatori can also be purchased by the jar (£4 a pop) if you ask your server nicely. You’re welcome. www.sticksnsushi.co.uk

Making its first appearance on the local scene at a foodPark Night Market in the summer (where it generated quite a frisson of excitement – not to mention some hefty queues), Choux Stopper has quickly achieved cult status on the Cambridge food circuit. All their dainty choux creations are divine, but for us the crown is held by the salted caramel bun. A light-as-air, fluffy ball of pastry, oozing salted caramel sauce and fresh, thick vanilla cream, topped with more caramel and a sprinkling of hazelnuts, these individually handmade buns are both utterly divine and impossible to eat without making an almighty mess. www.chouxstopper.co.uk

Old school wisdom may suggest that combining cheese and seafood is something of a culinary faux pas, but if any dish proves that to be bunkum, it’s this heavenly concoction from The Senate.

A fondue-like lava of extra mature cheddar and crème fraiche provides the perfect foil for the fat, juicy tiger prawns, while a good punch of fresh chilli balances out the creamy indulgence perfectly. It comes with excellent home-made bread, too, which is ideal for dipping purposes.

Order a crisp glass of white wine to wash it down with, close your eyes and imagine you’re luxuriating in an alpine lodge. www.thesenatebistro.com

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EATING OUT

THE ROYAL STANDARD WORDS NICOLA FOLEY IMAGES DAISY DICKINSON

NICOLA FOLEY ENJOYS AN EVENING OF COMFORT FOOD AT THIS NEWLY REINVIGORATED MILL ROAD PUB iving, as I do, towards the end of Mill Road, I was beyond excited to get wind of the Royal Standard opening in late 2015.

Not only were us Romsey towners getting a new pub – we were getting a new pub from the team behind the Cambridge Blue; surely one of the best watering holes in the whole of the city, never mind just the Mill Road area.

From the first visit my hopes were vindicated and I knew we’d struck gold; the fit out of the pub is beautiful; classy muted grey panelling, walls adorned with vintage bicycle saddles, a large, oxblood tiled bar adding a bit of old-school cool, huge squishy sofas and most importantly, a genuinely cosy, welcoming feel.

As soon as you get to ordering your drinks you’ll realise that the Royal Standard is a cut above your average boozer in terms of choice. Like its sister pub the Blue, there’s a great range of craft beers and ales, but even more excitingly (for me, at least), they offer a staggering 55 different gins to try, with appearances from lots of great distilleries.

Sinking into our seats on the chilly November evening we stopped by for the review, though, we decided a crisp Sauvignon Blanc would be the perfect foil for the seafood-rich menu. I kicked off with a steaming bowl of moules – a dish that pays homage to the Belgian theme that permeates the food and beer at the Royal Standard, and one which the pub is becoming known for.

Despite being presented with a multitude of internationally inspired options, from Thai style (mussels in a spicy green curry broth),

Restaurant

review

to Spanish style (with chorizo, saffron, tomato and smoked paprika), I went traditional and selected the classic Moules Marinière – an indulgent treat with its juicy mussels and gorgeously garlicky, creamy sauce, complete with hunks of crusty bread for dipping.

We also couldn’t resist sampling another of the ‘small plates’ on the menu, the Pié d'Angloys – which actually turned out to be anything but small. Camembert-esque, this robustly flavoured and sinfully creamy baked cheese, infused with garlic and rosemary, was pure molten, melt-in-themouth deliciousness.

On to the mains, where I opted for some comfort food which felt befitting of the bitterly cold weather: a fish pie. The succulently fresh salmon and haddock, luxuriating in a velvety white sauce and topped with fluffy mash with a pleasingly golden topping, more than delivered. A further (perhaps unnecessary) dollop of buttery mash, plus veggies, completed the meal – and ensured that I was going to struggle to move for the next couple of hours.

Over on the other side of the table, my dining partner was happily tucking into a squishy brioche bun filled with charred mushroom, avocado and melty Emmental cheese, an option which joined various other

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lovely looking vegetarian dishes on the Royal Standard’s menu. Almost defeated, we shared a cube of sticky toffee pudding to round off our meal, a scrumptiously stodgy finale.

While the Mill Road community has welcomed the Royal Standard with open arms (and it really has, it’s buzzing every night), this smart pub deserves recognition beyond the neighbourhood. The food is excellent and fairly priced, the service warm and friendly and the vast drinks selection reason alone to visit. It behoves me to point out that their Sunday roasts are also superb, and if you fancy a festive feast with friends, they’ve got a special Christmas menu which runs throughout December, priced at £17.95 for two courses. cambridge.pub/royal-standard

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LISTINGS CHECK OUT LOCAL EVENTS ONLINE

cambsedition.co.uk

A ROUND-UP OF EVENTS IN AND AROUND CAMBRIDGESHIRE THIS DECEMBER 30 NOVEMBER WELCOME TO WINTER Time: 5-8pm Location: Burwash Manor, Barton Price: Free entry Description: Kick-start the festive season with a special late-night shopping event at Burwash, featuring street food, mulled wine, live music and plenty of gifts and treats to help you get ready for Christmas. www.burwashmanor.com 1 DECEMBER MR B THE GENTLEMAN RHYMER Time: 8pm Location: Cambridge Junction Price: £13 adv Description: An evening of festive frolics with the tweedwearing, verbally dexterous dapper rapper, the leading (and possibly only) exponent of ChapHop: the musical intersection of civility and street. www.junction.co.uk

2 DECEMBER CAMBRIDGE GRADUATE ORCHESTRA Time: 8pm Location: West Road Concert Hall Price: £6-£12 Description: Comprised of graduates, postgraduates, fellows, mature students and other instrumentalists from within the university and city, the orchestra will perform the music of Shakespeare, including Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Berlioz’s Roméo and Juliette. www.westroad.org 3 DECEMBER THE CRAIG CHARLES FUNK & SOUL CLUB Time: 10pm-2am Location: Cambridge Junction Price: £17 adv Description: The actor and music lover is back in Cambridge to lay on a night of eclectic funk and soul grooves, new and old. www.junction.co.uk

MR B

4 DECEMBER LIGHTS SWITCH ON, ELY CATHEDRAL Time: 5.15pm Location: Ely Cathedral Price: Free admission Description: Gather around the biggest Christmas Tree in Ely for the big switch on, featuring carols from The Cathedral Choristers, The Ely Imps and the Big Sing Choir. www.elycathedral.org 6 DECEMBER BIG COUNTRY Time: 7pm (doors) Location: Cambridge Junction Price: £25.50 adv Description: Scottish rockers Big Country hit Cambridge to get us grooving with classic tracks including Fields Of Fire and their calling card, In A Big Country. www.junction.co.uk 6-10 DECEMBER CRANFORD AT CHRISTMAS Time: 7.45pm with 2.30pm matinee on Sat

Location: ADC Theatre Price: £9-£14 Description: A funny and heartwarming tale of Christmas in which a community must band together to keep the Christmas spirit alive. www.adctheatre.com 8 DECEMBER CHEESE & WINE FOR XMAS Time: 7pm-9pm Location: Royal Cambridge Hotel Price: £35 Description: A festive cheese and wine tasting featuring plenty of fabulous fromage and wonderful wine pairings to see you through Christmas in delicious style. www.skiddle.com 9 DECEMBER RETRO VIDEO GAME NIGHT (CHRISTMAS EDITION) Time: 7pm-12am Location: Centre for Computing History Price: £10 Description: A Christmas-

CRANFORD AT CHRISTMAS

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LISTINGS

IAIN STIRLING & CO. CRAIG CHARLES FUNK & SOUL CLUB

THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL

themed retro gaming night featuring awesome seasonal games. Bring your own booze if you like and get ready for a night of nostalgia! www.computinghistory.org.uk 9 DECEMBER CHRISTMAS COMEDY LIVE: IAIN STIRLING Time: 8pm Location: Corn Exchange Price: £5-£15 Description: Top comedians in a cabaret-style setting, with food available. On the bill are Iain Stirling and Jack Barry, with Hayley Ellis compèring. www.cornex.co.uk 10 DECEMBER BRANDON BLOCK Time: 10pm-3am Location: The Academy Price: from £8

Description: Anthems present an evening with legendary DJ Brandon Block at ARU’s Academy. www.skiddle.com 10 DECEMBER CHRISTMAS CRAFTS, FOOD & DRINK FAIR Time: 10am Location: Wood Green, Godmanchester Price: £2.50 adult, £2 children Description: Try and buy delicious food, pick up handmade Christmas prezzies aplenty and sample delectable drinks in Wood Green’s indoor arena at this fun and festive fair. www.cambridgewine.com 14 DECEMBER GRAPE EXPECTATIONS Time: 7pm Location: Cambridge Wine

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Merchants, Mill Road branch Price: £15 Description: Part of a series of wine-tasting events focusing on different grape varieties from around the world. Up this month, the sumptuous to taste and tricky to grow Pinot Noir. www.cambridgewine.com 14-20 DECEMBER THE WIZARD OF OZ Time: 7.45pm, 2.30pm and 11am depending on the day Location: ADC Theatre Price: £11-£15 Description: Inspired by L Frank Baum’s classic story, KD Theatre present a song, dance and laughter-filled production with spectacular scenery, suitable for the whole family. www.adctheatre.com 17 DECEMBER

THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL Time: 11am Location: Arts Picturehouse Price: £2 Description: A Kids’ Club screening of one of the most treasured festive family films of them all. Join Kermit and his colourful posse in this playful adaptation of Dickens’ (far more sombre) tale. www.picturehouses.com 20 DECEMBER THE OVERTONES Time: 7.30pm Location: Corn Exchange Price: from £25.25 Description: The dashing vocal harmony group will be celebrating the festive season with a Christmas cracker full of classic hits including White Christmas and Let It Snow. www.cornex.co.uk

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FAMILY

DEC

Christmas Baking for Families

Many of us have fond memories of baking with our parents as youngsters. A lovely bonding experience, it’s also fun, educational and, of course, results in tasty treats – what could be better! The only problem is the catastrophic mess levels that can ensue, especially if you want the little rascals to get really hands-on in the kitchen.

Fear not: Cambridge Cookery School are hosting a series of festive-themed cookery classes geared especially towards parents and children or teenagers baking together. On the menu is a pair of Christmas classics: panettone and mince pies. With morning and afternoon sessions on both 10 and 11 December, the classes will include sparkling wine for the grown-ups, soft drinks for kids and a box to take home all of the perfect panettone and magnificent mince pies in. All in all, a thoroughly lovely festive outing for the family.

Priced at £75 per pair and £25 per additional child (maximum one extra child per adult). www.cambridgecookeryschool.com

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FAMILY

Toys of Christmas Past

DEC

Get nostalgic this month with a night of retro fun at the Centre for Computing History (CCH) on Coldhams Road. A pioneering educational charity, CCH aims to increase knowledge of digital technology and explore the social and cultural impact of the so-called Information Era. It also hosts loads of fun events throughout the year, including this one, which has a Christmassy twist and takes place on 17 December.

As well as the usual selection of retro computer games and consoles to play, this time around there will be a very special private collection of vintage toys on show as well. Relive the magic of Christmases past and introduce your kids to the toys that you adored as kid, from Meccano, LEGO and Scalextric to Sindy, Weebles, Mastermind, Snugglebumms, Polly Pocket, CrossFire and Cascade. Taking place from 6pm until 10pm, tickets are £10 per adult, £8 per child and £30 for a family ticket (two adults, two children). www.computinghistory.org.uk

Santa Kids Show

Over at the ADC this month, enjoy a magic and songfilled performance for the whole family when the theatre welcomes the Santa Kids Show. Taking place from 16 to 18 December, the story follows Santa and his assistant, Ellie the Elf, as they try and get everything ready for Christmas. The only problem is that Santa’s newfangled present-making machine is on the fritz – can Ellie the Elf get everything back on track so that all the children get their presents on time?

Expect singalong festive songs, spectacular magic tricks and even a chance to meet Santa himself at the end, when he’ll be dishing out prezzies for all the kids.

The show is approximately 45 minutes long and takes place at 2.30pm and 7pm on the 16th, and 10.30am, 2.30pm and 7pm on 17 and 18 December. Tickets are £10 for children and £7 for adults. www.adctheatre.com

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FAMILY

Bringing a touch of festive magic to Parker’s Piece each winter, the North Pole Cambridge has become a beloved fixture of the local calendar over the last few years. The centrepiece is the huge open-air ice rink, which spans 600m2 and offers ample space for gliding and scooting about and practising your moves.

For those who don’t fancy taking to the ice themselves, there’s a decked terrace area where you can watch all the action while enjoying a hot chocolate or mulled wine.

There’s lots more to enjoy too, from relaxing in the cosy Alpine Cabin Bar to having a go on bungee trampolines, penguin bumper cars and fair games. Feeling peckish? Sample traditional German sausage and bratwurst, tuck into gourmet burgers, vegetarian treats and turkey and stuffing rolls, washed down with warm cider, mulled wine, festive cocktails or hot cocoa with marshmallows.

North Pole is open daily (excluding Christmas Day) until 4 January and skates start at £8.50 for children. www.thenorthpolecambridge.co.uk

The Muppet Christmas Carol The Arts Picturehouse is offering the chance to see another wonderful family classic at their Kids’ Club this month when they screen The Muppet Christmas Carol on 17 December. Priced at just £2 per ticket, these regular screenings are a great-value way of getting your brood to the flicks at a fraction of the usual cost. Even better, as well as showing new films, they delve into the archives and unearth some real gems, giving a rare chance to see old favourites on the big screen.

This playful, hilarious take on Dickens’ classic Christmas story sees Michael Caine in the role of the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, with Kermit as his long-suffering employee Bob Cratchit. Miss Piggy and Gonzo (as an unlikely Charles Dickens) also star in this offbeat, warm and thoroughly festive film, which has lost none of its charm since its release way back in 1992. www.picturehouses.com

DEC

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INDIE

Christmas gift guide GET INSPIRED WITH OUR PERFECT PREZZIE

IDEAS FOR HER FOR HIM AND FOR THE KIDS , ALL FROM LOCAL INDEPENDENT STORES ,

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GIFT GUIDE

CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE

for Her

TOP PICKS FROM THE INDIES

S you upport r ind local ies!

BROOKS B17 SELECT SADDLE £124.99 Rutland Cycling, rutlandcycling.com GREY EMBOSSED FLUTED JUG £9.99 The Secret Garden, Burwash Manor

PLATINUM DIAMOND RING £7390 Paul Spurgeon Designs, www.paulspurgeondesign.co.uk

SAWAKO FURUNO SPARKLE HELMET £82 BEG Bicycles, Hemingford Abbots MINI CLUTCHES £18 Petrus, Bridge Street

CAMBRIDGE SCARF £39 David Watson www.davidwatson.uk

WINTER SURVIVAL KIT £37.99 Blackthorpe Barn, Suffolk JILL SHADDOCK SLASH CUT VASE £60 Cambridge Contemporary Crafts, Bene’t Street

HAMPER £35 Hotel Chocolat, Lion Yard

MERRY BERRY & JOLLY HOLLY CANDLES & REED DIFFUSERS from £7.99 Blackthorpe Barn, Suffolk

MWAH! COMPACT BY DISASTER DESIGNS £6.50 Lilac Rose, Bridge Street (and online)

MARIE JO LILY BRA £78.95 AND SHORTS £49.95 Elouise Lingerie, Buckden

EXQUISITE DEMERARA SHORTBREAD ROUNDS from Cartwright & Butler £6.99 The Gog Magog Farm Shop SIGN UP TO THE EDIT NEWSLETTER AT CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

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FLORISTRY STARTER GIFT BOXES from £20 Cambridge Flower Company, Haslingfield

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GIFT GUIDE

CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE

for Him

TOP PICKS FROM THE INDIES

SCARAMANGA MEDIUM WIDE SATCHEL £120 Podarok, Bene’t Street

S you upport r ind local ies!

PORTHOLE CLOCK £80 The Secret Garden, Burwash Manor

2016 BROMPTON M6L RAW TITANIUM 6 SPEED FOLDING BIKE £1,699.99 Rutland Cycling, rutlandcycling.com

CUBAN CEDAR COLOGNE £27.99 Blackthorpe Barn, Suffolk

HANDMADE JACOBEAN LOG RINGS from £235 Angela Reed, Saffron Walden

THREE SAUCE GIFT BOX £10 The Cambridge Chilli Sauce Company, www. cambridgechilli.co.uk

CUCUMBER GIN BY ENGLISH DRINKS COMPANY £35 The Larder at Burwash Manor or Majestic Wine

LOAKE CLEANING KIT £35 North Shoes, Rose Crescent

OAK WINE RACK £99 Hop & Peck www.hopandpeck.co.uk

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PAXTON’S PRO THREEPIECE CHEESE KNIFE SET £40 The Gog Farm Shop

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GIFT GUIDE

CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE

for Kids

TOP PICKS FROM THE INDIES

MATCHBOX MICE £24 Ark, Peas Hill

HARRY POTTER BEANS £3 Original Candy Company www.originalcandyco.com

S you upport r ind local ies!

FROG KID’S BIKE now £194.99 Rutland Cycling, rutlandcycling.com

MAGFORMERS from £16 The Cambridge Toy Shop, Sussex Street REINDEER SACK £15.99 Blackthorpe Barn, Suffolk

BIGJIGS RED BUS SORTER £29.99 The Rocking Horse, Burwash Manor

KATIE BEAKE DOLL £31 Cambridge Contemporary Crafts, Bene’t Street

NOAH’S ARK from £95 Ark, Peas Hill

BRITISH RED RACING CAR TOY £32 Hop & Peck www.hopandpeck.co.uk

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JELLYCAT TWINKLE BUNNY £11 The Cambridge Toy Shop, Sussex Street

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INDIE OF THE MONTH

Trinity StreetJewellers WORDS SIOBHAN GODWOOD

With an impressive history and a real passion for beautiful jewellery, Trinity Street Jewellers really stands out from the crowd

t’s not difficult to get your hands on a new bit of jewellery these days. Highstreet chains and Internet jewellers abound, so you’re never too far from a sparkly ring or a glittering necklace. But Trinity Street Jewellers is an entirely different kettle of fish, with an emphasis on quality and heritage rather than speed and convenience.

The jewellery making side of the business was founded back in 1955

by Graham Whitehead, and the shop is currently run by his grandson, Luis Millington. “I’m very proud to be the third generation of our family to work in Trinity Street,” he says. “I’ve had customers who have cried in our shop, overcome to find themselves standing in the exact spot where they bought their wedding or engagement ring many years before. It’s a real privilege to be part of a business that has such a fantastic history and lasting reputation.”

Luis’s grandfather began a jewellery apprenticeship in Hatton Garden at

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the age of 15, and went on to become a master of fine Victorian jewellery. One of the shops he produced handmade pieces for was Trinity Street Jewellers in Cambridge, and when, many years later, the owner of the store decided to sell up, Graham bought the business and relocated the family to Cambridge. The family have now owned the Trinity Street store for 17 years, although the shop has stocked jewellery made by the family for far longer. “To this day, I meet customers who have pieces of my grandfather’s jewellery,” says Luis, “and some people come in specifically to buy things that he’s made. Amazingly he’s still making jewellery now, at the age of 82!”

Luis is passionate about staying true to the tradition of quality and craftsmanship begun by his grandfather.

The store focuses on handmade jewellery as opposed to mass-produced jewellery, with Luis’s uncle and another goldsmith on site making contemporary pieces as well as sourcing antique jewellery from around the UK and elsewhere.

“A big part of what we do is about education,” explains Luis. “When a customer comes in to buy something from us, or to look at what we have to offer, it’s really important to us that they understand how our pieces are made, and the difference between the untreated gemstones that we offer, and

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INDIE OF THE MONTH

When someone buys a piece from us, it’s the start of a relationship the mass-market, low-quality treated gems that are so common these days. It’s the relationships that my family has built up over our long years in the business that allow us to source the best-quality stones and metals.”

Trinity Street Jewellers sells all kinds of jewellery, and is also the only shop in Cambridge that is currently selling vintage and antique watches, but their real speciality is ring making. If a customer wants a one-off, bespoke engagement or wedding ring, then they can be as involved in the whole design process as they want to be.

“Some of our customers have really clear ideas of what they like, which we welcome,” explains Luis, “and in those cases the design can be a real collaboration between us, with our expertise in designing rings and recommending settings and stones and their own ideas of how they want the ring to look. Some customers don’t really have an idea of what they want, and in those situations we often start with finding

out what they don’t like, talking to them about what they want the ring to be – something to wear every day, something to hand down to future generations.

There’s no rush; although we can design and produce a ring quickly if a customer needs that, we often spend up to six months collaborating with a customer to get the design exactly right.”

When Trinity Street customers buy a ring, they can then have a free clean and check every six months. All the jewellery comes with a 25-year guarantee, but of course there are some items that people will be wearing every day, so if there are any signs of wear and tear then they can be sorted so that the piece can stay in peak condition for years to come. “It doesn’t matter what kind of budget our customer has, or how much they’ve spent with us – we want everyone to have the best possible experience of buying from us, so the aftercare is the same.”

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It’s clear that Luis and the rest of the team at Trinity Street feel a real sense of responsibility about producing the best jewellery they can for each customer.

“Jewellery is so personal and almost intimate,” says Luis. “It’s not like selling someone a car or a bit of furniture – we don’t want to take the money and never see that person again. When someone buys a piece from us, it’s the start of a relationship, and we want to see them again, whether it’s just to get a ring cleaned, or to buy another item. People buy jewellery at really important times in their lives – when they’re getting married, or having a baby, or treating themselves because they’re not well – and for us, it’s a real privilege to be a part of that.”

Trinity Street Jewellers, 31 Trinity Street, CB2 1TB, 01223 357910 trinitystreetjewellers.com

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INDIE PICKS

FLOWER BEIGE WATCH

BY WEWOOD CRISS £100 PODAROK, BENE’T STREET

Indie

FASHION PICKS Fabulous festive treats from local fashion boutiques

FOX NECKLACE BY ESTELLA BARTLETT £18 LILAC ROSE, BRIDGE STREET

CACTUS BROOCH £39.95 ARK, PEAS HILL

VIXEN MOORLAND SCARF BY HELEN MOORE £126 ARK, PEAS HILL

MURENE SWEATER BY ESSENTIEL £215 ANNA, HIGH STREET, SAFFRON WALDEN

ESSKA ACT SHOE £120 CUCKOO CLOTHING, ST MARY’S PASSAGE & BURWASH MANOR

POPPY BACKPACK £135 CAMBRIDGE SATCHEL COMPANY, ST MARY’S PASSAGE

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Beautyfull gifts BEAUTY

Helping to ease the stress of your festive shopping, Daisy Dickinson picks out the best gifts for the beauty lover in your life this Christmas WORDS DAISY DICKINSON

My favourite time of year for beauty. Whether you’re buying for others, or treating yourself (hopefully at least a little of the latter) Christmas is all about gift sets, and there are some sweet, sweet savings to be had – as well as getting your mittens on some exclusive and limited-edition treats.

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Love local

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Cambridge is wonderful for shopping, and you won’t need to wander too far before you’re laden with goodies. First port of call: Rose Crescent and straight into Origins to pick up the wonderfully scented Ginger Pleasures skincare gift set 1 (£40, Origins). The kit includes Ginger Souffle whipped body cream, Ginger Burst body wash, Ginger Gloss smoothing body oil, hand lotion, and Ginger Essence sensuous skin scent.

Delightful. Next stop, Neal’s Yard Remedies for the sweetest stocking filler, the Wild Rose Beauty Balm Gift 2 (£12.50, Neal’s Yard). It’s a treat-sized package in the cutest little treeready star, and for a historically festive nod, the Rejuvenating Frankincense organic collection 3 (£42.50, Neal’s Yard) includes cleanser, toner, hydrating cream and a muslin cloth. Cult classics for a radiant complexion.

Next on the map has to be Space NK, one of my favourites for high-end beauty, and top of the list is the cracking offering from Oskia. Get the best-selling Renaissance Cleansing Gel in the Oskia Merry and Bright Christmas Cracker 4

(£18.50, Space NK). Whether you’re booked in for a treatment or not (I highly recommend the Aromatherapy Associates massage) make your way to Finn Jordan on Sussex Street and choose from their range of beautiful Christmas goodies including Aromatherapy Associates My Treat 5 (£10, Finn Jordan), the perfect stocking filler, Revive Morning bath & shower oil will awaken you with grapefruit and rosemary.

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BEAUTY

For sofa shoppers

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If online shopping is more your thing, and you’d rather stay snuggled inside than brave the cold and crowds, then log on and discover expert skincare company Murad. Forget about the predictable Olay, and instead gift the Merry & Glowing kit 6 (£60, murad.co.uk) which includes Essential-C cleanser, moisturiser and Advanced Radiance Serum. Perfect for protecting against the harsh weather, this kit will give skin a healthy glow.

If our local Debenhams are out of stock, pop online to Debenhams.com and enjoy a bigger range and fast shipping – look out for offers too. For me, Christmas would not be complete

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© Daisy Dickinson

Beauty Hall

without the Too Faced festive collection, and this year there is zero disappointment. The Grande hotel café 7 (£46, toofaced.com) opens up to reveal three eyeshadow palettes scented in peppermint mocha, gingerbread coffee and eggnog latte, and comes complete with mini Better than Sex mascara. For smaller budgets Merry Macaron 8 (£28, toofaced. com) features 12 vanilla-scented eyeshadows and a mini mascara. New to the site, get your hands on the Laura Geller So Scrumptious set 9 (£45, lookfantastic.com) with six cosmetics for creating an incredible complexion, including tinted primer and baked eyeshadow.

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Finally, beauty fiends no longer have the schlep to London for the ultraglam Charlotte Tilbury. Just launched in the brand-new beauty hall at John Lewis in the Grand Arcade, the new Charlotte Tilbury counter is joined by Marc Jacobs Beauty and MAC, offering an even bigger high-end range. Scurry over and bag some festive goodies before they sell out, like this Charlotte Tilbury Dreamy Look in a Clutch 13 (£90) complete with stunning Legendary Muse eyeshadow quad, mini mascara, eyeliner and lip liner, with Secret Salma lipstick and lipstickUSB with exclusive video tutorial.

While you’re there be sure to visit the Urban Decay counter and feast your festive peepers on the gorgeous Moondust Eyeshadow palette 14 (£35) – eight highly pigmented shimmery shades.

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Heading to the new John Lewis beauty hall, stop off in Superdrug to check out their range of gifts, with some lovely options for younger beauty fans too. One of my favourite brands, Sleek, are offering some money-saving bundles this year, with six gorgeous sets including the stunning Smoke & Mirrors ultimate smoky eye set 10 (£12.50, Superdrug), which has everything you need for a smoky statement including eyeliner, mascara and eyeshadow palette. The Say the Magic Word Matte Me collection 11 (£4.99, Superdrug) meanwhile, packages the four best-selling liquid lipsticks. Don’t forget about the Marks & Spencer’s beauty section, brimming with lovely bits and bobs, including awesome brand PÜR minerals, and grab one of their limited-edition 4-in-1 pressed mineral make-up compacts 12 (£30, M&S), it’s super sparkly and the product is gentle and longlasting, covering a multitude of festive sins.

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EDUCATION

IMAGES INDIA LACEY

The adult education team at Hills Road take a look at how popular TV programmes are boosting enrolment in activities and hobbies he Adult Education team at Hills Road Sixth Form College have seen a rise in the number of students enrolling onto courses such as dressmaking, ballroom dancing, painting and tracing your family roots.

This may be due to inspiration from TV programmes such as the BBC’s The Great British Sewing Bee, The Great Pottery Throw Down, Strictly Come Dancing and Sky Arts’s Landscape Artist of the Year of which one of the College’s tutors, Emma Copley, was a heat winner and semi-finalist in 2015.

Emma teaches painting for beginners and portraiture at the College on Wednesday and Tuesday evenings respectively. She says, “I believe that these TV programmes capture the imagination of the public and inspire them to take up a new hobby or to pursue an existing interest further.”

With the increase in popularity of pottery classes the College now

offers ceramics courses every evening from Monday through to Thursday and on Saturdays too. There are three dressmaking courses at the College including a next-step course.

The tracing your family roots courses, which also includes a next-step course, have gained recent popularity following the television programme Who Do You Think You Are? which looks into wellknown celebrities’ family trees and at their ancestry.

One course the College is sadly unable to offer is a cookery course because there are no suitable facilities.

However, people may be inspired to take up learning a new language, for example, learning to speak Italian after watching Gino D’Acampo’s TV programme Gino’s Italian Escape. There has been a steady rise in the number of students learning diverse languages such as Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian and Turkish as well as Italian, French and German.

“These TV programmes capture the imagination of the public and inspire them“ Have you been inspired to try something new after seeing a TV programme?

Come along and find out more about taking up a new hobby at the College’s Adult Education Enrolment Evening on Wednesday 4 January 5-7.30pm, Hills Road Sixth Form College, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 8PE. Telephone the Adult Education team on 01223 278002, email adulted@hillsroad.ac.uk or have a look at the selection of courses on the website www.hillsroadadulteducation.co.uk.

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© House of Fraser

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INTERIORS

the cold WORDS ANGELINA VILLA-CLARKE

COME IN FROM

Decorating your house for the festive period is one of the joys of winter. Whether you go for bright and bold or a simple Scandi style, here’s how to festoon your home with style

Deck the halls The Christmas tree is, of course, the focal point of the season’s festive decorating with many of us having our own family customs and rituals surrounding adorning the spruce. While you can’t beat a real tree for authenticity (and that wonderful Christmassy pine scent), it’s worth noting that artificial trees have

come on in leaps and bounds over the past few years and are often the most practical choice.

If you are considering faking it, then look to Christmas Tree World, which stocks a range of innovative trees that really do look and feel real. For a traditional scheme, the Mountain Pine

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INTERIORS

Tree is perfect with its abundance of rich, green foliage, while the pretty SnowWhite Fir Tree is ideal for a charming ‘winter wonderland’ arrangement.

For something totally different – and thoroughly modern – Habitree offers a stylish alternative to the usual festive fir. The minimalist trees are made from Kebony wood and give an aesthetically clean finish with a sculptural appearance.

When it comes to decorating the tree, there is a myriad of styles to choose from with trends coming and going each year. The tradition of decorating a tree is centuries old, originating in Germany and adopted by us around 170 years ago, and it is central to our Christmas festivities.

For 2016, vintage kitsch is back – think bright, witty decorations in hues of purple, pink and blue. An ‘opulent luxe’ look is

Top tips

TREES Angela Reed is a noted home store based in Saffron Walden.

Owner David Reed gives his top three tree tips

This image Sainsbury’s Christmas Cottage range, from £1.50, is a great source of charming decorations. Below left Beautiful festive decorations are available at Angela Reed in Saffron Walden

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HAPPY & RELAXED The most important objective of a Christmas tree should be to make one feel happy and relaxed, so don’t lose sight of that!

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TWO COLOURS If you want a more formal look, stick to two or three colours that complement each other, such as white and silver, or black and purple.

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NATURAL WORLD Referencing the natural world is always a winner.

Berries, cones and fir are timeless and call to mind a Norwegian style.

Add in a craft sensibility with a modern felt wreath or handmade garland. Simple yet effective.

This image Contemporary tree, from £260, by Habitree

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INTERIORS

also bang on-trend, with metallics, heavy embellishment, crystal and regal colours giving a maximalist feel.

For a wide choice of unique decorations and baubles, check out local retailers, such as Catesby’s and The Secret Garden Christmas Shop at Burwash Manor. Meanwhile, Sainsbury’s Christmas Cottage and Winter Cottage designs draw inspiration from villages and hamlets across the country, where log fires blaze and families start to gather for that special day. An idyllic scene that, no doubt, would be appealing to most.

Above Go for an all-white table with accessories from Marks and Spencer. Left Woodland Pine Tree, from £19.99, and a purple bauble, £9.99 for a set of 12, at Christmas Tree World. Right All decorations and wreaths, from £1.99, from Gisela Graham

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Queen of Christmas

Designer Gisela Graham, renowned for her Christmas decorations, reveals what’s on-trend in 2016 “Christmas is, by definition, a traditional festival, so the customary colours and themes are going to predominate in 2016, as ever. While red, green and gold will once again be the popular colours for tree baubles, gold is changing. People are looking for lighter champagne golds and rose golds. Another strong trend this year is the peacock theme. People are using peacock feathers on Christmas trees, with toning blues, greens and purples. I put these together with gold to create a glamorous Gatsbyesque, rather than exotic, look.

By way of contrast, the graphic, simple Scandinavian look is also a very popular one with simple reds, whites and natural woods.”

Scandinavian look

Gatsby-esque look

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Left Swirl dinnerware, from £15, from the Vera Wang Wedgwood Collection. Below Palatial forks, £12 for four, from Sainsbury’s

This image Source unusual glassware and china from Susie Watson Designs

INTERIORS

The Christmas table

It goes without saying that the highlight of the festivities is Christmas dinner, with many of us pulling out all the stops when it comes to styling our tables.

This year, black and gold are key colours. Harness a palatial style by layering your settings with mismatched crockery, glasses of different heights and candles for maximum impact. Stylish additions to home entertaining are the black and brass hammered trays from India May Home. For an opulent feel, jewel colours also work well.

Match the faded gem-coloured goblets and drinking glasses from the Raj Tent Club with crisp, white crockery for total impact.

To make your turkey more of a focal point, purchase the Vera Wang for Wedgwood Swirl Collection of gold-edged plates.

Karen Birchenough of India May Home comments: “My table is influenced by nature and simplicity. A pared-back look can create a luxurious impact with a combination of the right colours and textures. Stick to no more than three colours within a tone and always include one metallic. Muted greys and monochrome work so well with silver.

Bring the outside in, use pine cones, natural foliage and eucalyptus for its beautiful scent. Add sheepskin hides to the back of the chairs for a cosy chalet feel and always light an abundance of tea lights.”

Above Add a regal touch with gem-coloured goblets, £40 for four, from Raj Tent Club

Setting the tone perfectly – and the ideal piece of furniture to fit in all the extended family – is Furniture Village’s chic St Moritz dining table. Load it with crystal glasses, fine china and beautiful linens sourced from Cambridge-based Susie Watson Designs.

Elma Malik, dining and cabinets buyer, at Furniture Village, comments: “When dressing your table, opt for understated elegance and use touches of forest greens and muted golds to complement classic white tableware. To give your table a palatial feel, evoke a subtle grandeur using wellplaced mirrors and metallics. Candlelight will add seasonal ambience so make a strong centrepiece out of contemporary candlestick holders or a singular candelabra.

To finish, delicately place pine cones and berries along the runner of a long table, or around the centrepiece of a round table.”

When it comes to full-scale parties, consider the latest luxury paper plates, napkins and disposable cutlery from Talking Tables. “Break free from the usual Christmas colours,” says Clare Harris, managing director. “A dark grey or black tablecloth creates a dramatic, glamorous backdrop and shows off your table decorations.

Texture and tonal variation is key to creating an interesting table.”

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Table Talk

Richard Eaton, Denby Pottery’s head of design, advises on setting your table NO RULES Have fun and play with different settings to ensure your personality shines through.

BE ECLECTIC Not every product has to match, why not add in patterned accent plates or a statement bowl?

ENHANCE THE SENSES Use herbs or evergreens to introduce a natural, festive feel to the table and add plenty of candles for atmospheric lighting.

Above Crockery, prices vary, by Denby

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INTERIORS

INTERIORS

ANGELA REED 01799 520056 www.angelareed.co.uk CATESBY’S 01223 355444 www.catesbys.co.uk CHRISTMAS TREE WORLD 01257 478648 www.christmastreeworld.co.uk DENBY 01773 740899 www.denby.co.uk FRITZ FRYER 01989 567416 www.fritzfryer.co.uk

Clockwise from above Bacharach Swivel Chair, £2750, at Jonathan Adler.

Brampton chandelier, £380, at Fritz Fryer.

Faux-fur Marilyn Throw, £49.50, at Shimu. Gold resin pheasant, £26.99, at Joanna Wood.

Abbotsbury Sofa, from £1589, at Sofas & Stuff.

Ted Baker rug, prices vary, for Brink and Campman at John Lewis.

FURNITURE VILLAGE 0800 804 8879 www.furniturevillage.co.uk GISELA GRAHAM 020 7708 4956 www.giselagraham.co.uk HABITREE www.habitree.dk INDIA MAY HOME www.indiamayhome.co.uk JOANNA WOOD 020 7730 0693 www.joannawood.co.uk JONATHAN ADLER 020 7589 9563 uk.jonathanadler.com

Winter glamour

From catwalk to home, velvet is big news this season. Give a nod to the trend with velvet cushions in popping colours or invest in a glamorous statement chair, like those available at Jonathan Adler and Sofas & Stuff. If a cosy, luxe look is what you are after then add in faux-fur throws, like those found at Shimu, and soft rugs underfoot as well as twinkling chandeliers.

“Chandeliers are perfect if you are looking to make a statement with lighting,” confirms Simon Wallis-Smith, director of Fritz Fryer. “Hang one over a dining table so that the bottom is around 70cm away from the table. This looks stunning and also means you can get away with a larger fitting than normal as you don’t need to walk underneath.”

For rugs, check out the gorgeous new Ted Baker range for Brink and Campman.

Full of rich hues in contemporary designs, and made with pure wool, the statement

RAJ TENT CLUB 020 7820 0010 www.rajtentclub.com

pieces are custom-made to order. Designs – such as ombré and paisley – are inspired by the designer’s AW16 collections.

Interior designer Joanna Wood has a range of ornaments and home accessories on offer, ideal for prettying up your home, and gives her tips on creating the ultimate welcome for Christmas: “There is nothing I love more than a faux-fur throw over a sofa to make a room cosy and welcoming at Christmas. You can never go far wrong with scented candles to create that magical Christmas atmosphere. If you place festive tea light holders around the room in addition to scented candles, the tone you create is immediately a festive one. For table decorations, mantelpieces or small pieces of furniture, I love to add branches or small faux trees decorated with non-breakable decorations like feather birds which not only look delicately stunning, but will last for the whole Christmas period.”

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SAINSBURY’S 0800 636262 www.sainsburys.co.uk SHIMU 0800 088 6800 www.shimu.co.uk SOFAS & STUFF 0808 1783211 www.sofasandstuff.com SUSIE WATSON DESIGNS 0844 980 8185 www.susiewatsondesigns.co.uk TALKING TABLES 020 7627 6767 www.talkingtables.co.uk TED BAKER FOR BRINK AND CAMPMAN www.brinkandcampman.com available to buy at www.johnlewis.com THE SECRET GARDEN CHRISTMAS SHOP 01223 260040 www.burwashmanor.com VERA WANG FOR WEDGWOOD 01782 282651 www.wedgwood.co.uk

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INTERIORS

CUP FULL OF CHEER Wedgwood tea cup decoration, £25 www.wedgwood.co.uk

CELESTIAL BODIES Wooden hanging star, £79 www.scandiliving.com

CRAFTED COOL Felt Christmas wreath, £45 www.angelareed.co.uk

STAR OF WONDER Copper wire star, £4.50 www.barkerandstonehouse.co.uk

PILLOW TALK The Alpes cushion, £30 www.bowhouselifestyle.com

OLD FLAMES Vinter candle set, £38 www.rossandbrownhome.co.uk

SERVE IT WITH STYLE Emma Bridgewater’s Joy robin mince pies plate, £11.95 www.bicestervillage.com

GLASS HALF FULL Deer tree bell jar, £12.50 www.marksandspencer.com TIME FOR PEACE Polish nativity scene, from £15 www.rajtentclub.com

LIGHT IT UP Copper blossom tea light, £39 www.be&liv.com

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11/18/16 12:38 PM

PROPERTY

IT’S NOT ABOUT THE BIKE Sam Cooke, partner at local agents Cooke Curtis & Co, looks at the impact cycling has on house prices in Cambridge Someone wrote a book called that once.

He was wrong. About that and many other things he did in life. Round here it is quite a lot about the bike. Per capita we’re apparently the most bikey place in the country. Even house prices are influenced by the bike. Or more accurately the cycle; let’s not leave out those of us that have one of those annoying plastic-bucketed trikes that clog up the road delivering the children to school.

In Cambridge no end of people decide the area they want to live in based on how long it will take them to cycle to where they want to get to, be it work, school, pub or college. Most often, work. Cambridge traffic is rotten and, for those that are able to, riding a bike is the solution. It’s fun, fast, good for congestion levels, good for you and good for the environment.

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South of the city, the Addenbrooke’s campus is a big destination for the cycle commuter, so the distance from it and how good the routes are is critical. Ride in from Trumpington on the busway? No problem. Shelford on the DNA path? Easy.

Stapleford? Pushing it a bit. Sawston?

Only for the mad-keen cyclist. There are of course a number of people who will commute much further by bike – my pal Dan occasionally rides from his home in Ely to his work in central London – but for the majority that’s the sort of range that they’ll deal with.

House prices reflect this – a modest 30s semi in Trumpington is around £500,000, in Stapleford it’s £450,000 and in Sawston it’s probably a little under £400,000.

That works out at about £25,000 a mile. So if you want to cycle to work at Addenbrooke’s you’d better get your chequebook out.

But you do have a couple of options to get around this. The most obvious one is to harden up a bit and cycle further than the majority are comfortable with. Maybe even get an electric-assisted bike to lighten the load. The other option is to go off the beaten track and discover the cycle routes that most people aren’t aware of.

Haslingfield, for example, is six miles from Addenbrooke’s by road, which is a bit far and uses the A10 so is often off people’s radar. But swap the road bike for something with chunky tyres and you can nip along a pleasant bridleway from Haslingfield into Grantchester and cut almost two miles off that distance. Plus you can have a lovely time humming to yourself riding through the early morning countryside and watching the rabbits scatter. Barton too has a nice bridleway across to Grantchester that isn’t known by most people and there’s a great paved cycle route from Coton straight into the University’s West Site. Finding and using routes like these could save you a fortune.

Harston is an interesting one to think about at the moment. Even though it’s about the same distance as Stapleford from Addenbrooke’s, lots of cycle-folk won’t consider it as there is no cycleway through the village, meaning you have to do battle with the lorries along the A10.

However, as part of the Trumpington Meadows development a new made-up route has recently opened across the fields between Harston and Trumpington and they are soon to start creating a cycle path all alongside the A10 right through the village, so we’re expecting its popularity to rise once it’s finished. With this on the cards it could be a good time to invest in the village.

So there we go, who’d have thought it – bloody cyclists are putting up house prices. It’s an absolute gift to the Daily Mail headline writers.

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11/23/16 9:34 AM

PROPERTY

What can I get for my money?

Dream cottages for £450K

High Street, Babraham

Cardinal’s Green, Cambridge An 18th century cottage in the picturesque hamlet of Cardinal’s Green has come onto the market with Fine & Country. Delightful gardens surround this property, which benefits from a Victorian-style conservatory, two bedrooms and ample parking plus a garage. There’s also a lovely snug with an open fire, dining room and two reception rooms, and the secluded location, with 0.25 acres of gardens looking out onto open countryside and farmland, is peaceful but also offers convenient access to Cambridge, Saffron Walden, Stansted and the M11. The property is on the market at £450,000. www.fineandcountry.com

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If you dream of a quaint countryside home that’s bursting with character, this will be right up your street. A charming thatched cottage, this Grade II listed property offers three bedrooms, a beautiful rear garden and lots of original features, including exposed timbers and an inglenook fireplace which houses a wood-burning stove. A bright conservatory offers the perfect vantage point for admiring the picture-perfect cottage garden, which boasts colourful borders, flowering plants and climbers, a water feature and patio areas for relaxing and dining in. The property is on the market with Tucker Gardner for £450,000. www.tuckergardner.com

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11/23/16 9:34 AM

TR U M M EA PI D NG O T W O S N

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Get your dream home for Christmas Celebrate the festive season in your beautiful new home at Trumpington Meadows

Act now and you could be in your brand new home at the awardwinning Trumpington Meadows development in time for the festive season. Located minutes from Cambridge city centre but on the edge of one of the area’s most beautiful country parks, Trumpington Meadows blends countryside living with the best of city life.

Comprising a collection of high specification new homes, the development benefits from its close proximity to a variety of excellent amenities, including Waitrose, Trumpington Park & Ride and Addenbrooke’s Hospital.

Each and every prestigious new home has been crafted to an exceptional standard, boasting beautiful design features and flowing interior layouts to suit your every need. The two-bedroom Partridge apartments at the development are ideal for friends to share or a new family, offering a spacious kitchen/dining/living area plus plenty of storage space and a family-sized bathroom.

Additionally, the Partridge is situated above its own, large garage, providing extra storage space. The Partridge house type is available to purchase through the government backed Help to Buy scheme*, meaning you can purchase with as little as a 5% deposit.

Available on all homes up to £600,000, Help to Buy means buyers only need to take out a 75% mortgage, which could give

you access to some very competitive mortgage rates. The Halifax has recently launched the lowest Help to Buy rate mortgage on the market, offering a staggeringly low 1.49%. This is available to anyone who is completing their purchase by December 2016 – a great reason to buy your dream home now.

If you need more space, the Brambling homes offer four bedrooms spread across three floors and a large open-plan kitchen/dining area with French doors leading into a private garden. The Brambling homes are available on a part-exchange* basis, with us as your guaranteed buyer. There will be no estate agents fees to pay and we get two independent valuations to ensure you’re given a fair market value for your current property.

For more information, contact Barratt Homes on 0844 811 4888.

Calls to their 0844 number cost 7p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge. www.barratthomes.co.uk/new-homes/cambridgeshire/H618701-Trumpington-Meadows *Limited availability, selected plots only. Subject to status, terms and conditions apply. See www.barratthomes.co.uk for full details. BDW Trading Limited (number 03018173) whose registered office is at Barratt House, Cartwright Way, Forest Business Park, Bardon Hill, Coalville, Leicestershire LE67 1UF (BDW) BDW is a subsidiary of Barratt Developments PLC. The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) provides an equity loan for 20% of the purchase price of the property. The equity loan provided by the HCA is secured as second charge on your property. The amount you have to repay to the HCA may be more than the amount of the equity loan provided.

Help to Buy England Scheme is available in England only and on properties up to £600k. Prices correct at time of going to press. Images include optional upgrades at additional cost and are similar to those of the Brambling. **Offer available on selected plots only. Terms and conditions apply. See website for details, subject to contract and status. Any offer made to purchase your existing home will be based on a sale within 8 to 10 weeks.

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11/22/16 5:18 PM

PROPERTY

The latest from Cambridge’s new property developments

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FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO BUY AT NORTHSTOWE Last month saw the release of the first batch of homes at the new Cambridgeshire town, Northstowe.

Located around six miles north-west of the city of Cambridge, between the villages of Oakington and Longstanton, Northstowe will eventually become a community of 10,000 homes – making it the largest new settlement planned in England in 50 years. As well as new homes, the site will include schools, community buildings, open spaces, shops, sports facilities and business premises.

The first phase of the development, which features a range of two-, three-, four- and five-bedroom homes, is from Bloor Homes, who opened their sales office for the site in November. They’re offering 92 homes for purchase off-plan, with prices starting at £329,995.

“Northstowe is an extremely exciting development which will create a vibrant and sustainable new neighbourhood just six miles from Cambridge city centre and we are immensely proud to be delivering

the first homes there,” says Monika Hanlon, regional sales director at Bloor Homes Eastern.

“Northstowe will have its own unique identity and the houses have been carefully designed to reflect the character of the local area, offering the very best in open-plan modern family living, and featuring the high specifications which customers have come to expect from a Bloor Home.

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Our homes will be located close to the first primary school at Northstowe, and residents will benefit from a superfast broadband connection and close proximity to the Longstanton Guided Busway stop, making the properties ideal for families and commuters.”

For more information about the Northstowe development call 01223 631811 or visit www.bloorhomes.com.

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