Friday May 29 2009
the gazette lifestyle
5
lifestyle entertainment
The IW Zoo Blog by Tracy Dove LATE May is one of my favourite times of year at the Isle of Wight Zoo. As the plants erupt into growth it always astounds me how many different shades of green are in Nature’s palette. The heady scent of the date palm flowers fills the air and furry bumblebees career recklessly from one nectar source to the next. Many wild birds nest here; sparrows in the boxes put up by our maintenance team and swallows in the cool caves of the old fort building. One particularly intrepid pair of bluetits has even set up home in a knot hole in the fence of Nahla the lioness! This year, however, spring’s season of new life has been even more exciting. A black and white ruffed lemur
For the last few days Liberty, one of our black and white ruffed lemurs, has been diligently gathering pieces of twig and strands of hay and carefully arranging them into a cosy nest in her nightroom. Her partner, Louis, has been looking on with a slightly bemused air as if he would like to help but wasn’t quite sure what he was supposed to do. Louis, bless him, is not the brightest spark but even he could sense that something quite momentous was soon to occur. On Sunday morning primate keepers Leigh and Steph began their shift by checking each animal, as normal. As they entered the lemur quarters they were greeted by a series of quiet, highpitched squeaks. Growling a warning from the door of her nesting box was a proud and protective Liberty. And peeping through her thick fur were two enchanting baby lemurs. The keepers withdrew quickly to avoid disturbing the new mother and gleefully phoned the rest of the team with the exciting news. Any new babies born at the zoo are welcomed with great enthusiasm, but these two are especially precious. Black and white ruffed lemurs are critically endangered and Louis and Liberty are members of a very important European breeding programme which aims to prevent these beautiful animals from becoming extinct. In Madagascar, the only place in the world where wild lemurs occur naturally, habitat destruction is threatening over 450 animal species with extinction. Carefully managed breeding programmes are one key part of preserving many endangered species and zoos have a very important role to play. The Isle of Wight Zoo is proud to currently be a participant in managed breeding programmes for six endangered species.
Stranglers to play Ryde THE STRANGLERS return to the Isle of Wight to play an intimate show at Ryde Theatre on July 9. This is a warm up for their appearance at Guilfest on July 10. This year the band have completed a 25 date European Tour and four dates in Australia. In 2008,the band stormed through the UK Festival circuit, performing at T in the Park, V Festival, Isle of Wight Festival, Hyde Park, Oxygen and Liverpool Pops. They completed a 30 date sell out UK Tour, culminating in a two night stand at Shepherds Bush Empire. First forming in 1974 the band’s straight talking approach gave them the
reputation as aggressive and confrontational with their notoriety later embraced by the punk movement of 77. This led to their debut single ‘Grip’ and their legendary first album Rattus Norvegicus. This was followed by such hits as ‘Peaches’, ‘No More Heroes’, ‘5 Minutes’, ‘Duchess’, ‘Something Better Change’, ‘Always the Sun’ and their ultimate classic ‘Golden Brown’. To date the band’s success boasts 24 top 40 singles and 18 top 40 albums. After re-signing to EMI in 2004 their last 2 albums ‘Norfolk Coast’ and ‘Suite XVI’ have been hailed as their best for 20 years, with hit singles ‘Big Thing Coming’ and
‘Long Black Veil’ giving the band the rare accolade of maintaining top 40 hits over 4 decades. Tickets are available from the box office at The Venue in Lind Street, Ryde between 10am and 4pm Monday to Friday or at www.iwight.com/theatrebooking or from Sunny Days in Victoria Arcade, Union Street, Ryde. Or from See Tickets on 0871 2200260 www.seetickets. com or Stargreen Box Office 0207 7348932 www. stargreen.com or by post from Home Grown, 2 Munro Terrace, London SW10 ODL – cheques/postal orders to Home Grown Events and please enclose a SAE.
Bingo and flicks
By Justin Gladdis
LEO LEISURE Bingo Club is situated at the top of the town at 2 Star Street, Ryde and is the Island’s only licensed bingo club. Managing Director Peter Brown has more than 35 years in the business and has the help of his wife Janice and sons Peter and Duncan. Members of Leo Leisure have enjoyed such treats as Las Vegas Holidays, cruises around the med, trips to Goodwood Races and other bingo clubs. You can win £1000 when you play off every month on the Golden Roll Over, which is played on the first of every month alternating afternoons and evenings. For the newcomer, there’s Eezee Play Bingo on a Monday evening, which costs £5.99 a session. There’s a free bottle of wine for a party of four. There is also a licensed bar with a wide and varied food menu, with daily specials and some afternoons have a free lunch special. Leo Leisure also run the Commodore Cinema, which was the Island’s largest when it was built in 1936. It’s currently showing the latest Star Trek movie, Tom Hank’s Blockbuster Angels and Demons along with
Night At The Museum 2. This summer the new Terminator and Transformers movies are set to hit the big screen in Ryde. For cinema and bingo bookings you should call 562616.
May Friday 29th: X-Directory, The Tap, Avenue Rd, Sandown The Wild Oats, Blacksheep Bar, Union Street, Ryde Commotion, Ye Olde Village Inn, Bembridge Saturday 30th: Sporting Life, The Tap, Avenue Rd, Sandown Beatroot, Blacksheep Bar, Union Street, Ryde Sunday 31st: Ben Barnes, The Tap, Avenue Rd, Sandown
June Thursday 4th:
Friday 5th: The Monitors, The Tap, Avenue Rd, Sandown The Kurves, Blacksheep Bar, Union Street, Ryde The Mechanics, Ye Olde Village Inn, Bembridge Innovation, 9.30 11.30pm, The Old Comical, St Johns Rd, Sandown Saturday 6th: Sean & Danny, The Tap, Avenue Rd, Sandown Cornerstone, 9.30 - 11.30pm, The Old Comical, St Johns Rd, Sandown Sunday 7th: Ben Barnes, The Tap, Avenue Rd, Sandown
Open Mic Night, Thursday 11th: The Old Comical, St Johns Rd, Open Mic Night, Sandown The Old Comical, St Johns Rd, Holy Scene, Sandown Blacksheep Bar, Union Street, Ryde