Cardiff Life - Issue 163

CA R Food/Arts/Entertainment/Shopping/Property A L AW D I F F IST AR L ISSUE 163 / CITY SPECIAL 2017 / £3 S R DS IFE FIN

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CELEBRATING THE BEST IN THE CITY, PENARTH & THE VALE

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CAMILLE O’SULLIVAN

ISSUE 163 / CITY SPECIAL 2017 / WEDDINGS / ONE MILE BAKERY / CAMILLE O’SULLIVAN

DATE NIGHT FASHION

COME TO THE CABARET!

SAY IT WITH

FLOURS ONE MILE BAKERY, REBORN SHOP TO IT! RED IS THE COLOUR

REMEMBERING SCHOOL DAYS

THE SPLICE IS RIGHT PLAN YOUR PERFECT WEDDING

EDITOR’S LETTER / ISSUE 163 / CITY SPECIAL 2017

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BAKE ME, I’M YOURS The delights of One Mile Bakery

Lessons in loaves Everyone loves the aroma of a freshly-baked loaf, right? You can almost smell that fine-looking bread on our cover (and those croissants opposite)... The chap proudly showing it off is rugby player-turnedbaker Nick Macleod, who has just launched the second branch of Cardiff baking business One Mile Bakery, based in Rhiwbina.

Hugely passionate about food and baking, we catch up with Nick as he embarks on an exciting new chapter in his life – turn to page 72 for more on his floury adventures.

We also have charismatic Irish songstress Camille O’Sullivan, ahead of her forthcoming show at St David’s Hall. With a formidable reputation for her dramatic interpretations of songs by Bowie, Waits, Nick Cave, Radiohead etc, she’s one of Ireland’s most thrilling performers, with plenty to say – see our interview with her on page 54.

All that, plus how to plan your perfect wedding, remembering school days, date night fashion and much more – February, sorted!

Blas ar bobi Onid yw pawb wrth eu bodd ag arogl bara sydd newydd gael ei bobi? Bron na allwch arogli’r bara ˆ sydd blasus yr olwg sydd ar ein clawr... Y gwr mor falch ohono yw Nick Macleod, y chwaraewr rygbi proffesiynol sydd bellach yn bobydd ac sydd newydd lansio ail gangen y busnes pobi llwyddiannus o Gaerdydd, One Mile Bakery, yn Rhiwbeina.

Rydym yn cael sgwrs â Nick, sy’n frwdfrydig iawn ynghylch bwyd a phobi, wrth iddo ddechrau ar gyfnod newydd cyffrous – trowch i dudalen 72 i gael gwybod mwy am ei fywyd ynghanol y blawd.

Rydym yn rhoi sylw hefyd i’r gantores garismatig o Iwerddon, Camille O’Sullivan, cyn ei sioe yn Neuadd Dewi Sant. Mae wedi ennill bri mawr am ei dull dramatig o ddehongli caneuon Bowie, Waits, Nick Cave, Radiohead ac ati, mae’n un o berfformwyr mwyaf cyffrous Iwerddon ac mae ganddi ddigon i’w ddweud – mae ein cyfweliad â hi i’w weld ar dudalen 54.

At hynny, ceir ambell gyngor ynghylch cynllunio’r briodas berffaith, cofio’ch cyfnod yn yr ysgol, ffasiwn ar gyfer nosweithiau allan gyda’ch cariad, a llawer mwy – a dyna ni wedi gofalu am fis Chwefror!

VELIMIR ILIC Editor vel.ilic@mediaclash.co.uk Follow us on Twitter: @CardiffLifeMag

CONTENTS / ISSUE 163 / CITY SPECIAL 2017

MAIN FEATURES 18 Weddings How to plan your big day...

26 Wedding Fitness ...and get in shape for it

36 Back To School Cardiff’s great and good remember their schooldays

18

M EET T H E T EAM Editor Velimir Ilic vel.ilic@mediaclash.co.uk Managing editor Deri Robins deri.robins@mediaclash.co.uk Senior art editor Andrew Richmond Graphic design Megan Allison Cover design Trevor Gilham Contributors: Amy Grey, Andrea Callanan, Gail Windley, Hugo Ball, Jamie Rees, Katie Kissoon, Rhys Williams Advertising manager Mark George mark.george@mediaclash.co.uk Deputy advertising manager Claire Hawkins claire.hawkins@mediaclash.co.uk Account manager Ian Fernando ian.fernando@mediaclash.co.uk Commercial director Steve Hawkins steve.hawkins@mediaclash.co.uk

OPINION 13 A Man’s World It’s the Six Nations – time to stand up and be counted

THE ARTS 47 Arts Intro PHOTO BY OWEN MATHIAS

Watch out, those naughty Romans are coming...

48 What’s On Your stick-it-to-the-fridge guide to this month’s goings-on

54 Camille O’Sullivan The garrulous Irish songstress talks Bowie, darkness and light, and her love of the circus

59 Film Preview Welsh directors in the spotlight

SHOPPING 64 Editor’s Choice Seeing red, in honour of our Welsh boys at the Six Nations

77 Food News

DEPARTMENTS

Dusty Knuckle, Food Adventure and acclaimed chef Lee Skeet

7 Spotlight

78 Restaurant We’re back at Porro – reason to get excited. Very excited.

BUSINESS

68 Fashion

85 Business Insider

Delectable dressing for date night

More good news biz stories, plus Q&A with fast-rising interior designers Extravagauza

FOOD 72 One Mile Bakery Rugby player-turned-baker Nick Macleod dons his apron and tells us about his exciting new floury adventures

BBC National Orchestra of Wales’ Geek Musique, Burning Lantern and Green Man – music takes centre-stage...

98 Cardiff Lives Dapper dude and retro enthusiast Al Edge, owner of vintage outfitters Princes & Paupers

Production and distribution manager Sarah Kingston sarah.kingston@mediaclash.co.uk Deputy production manager Christina West christina.west@mediaclash.co.uk Production designer Kirstie Howe kirstie.howe@mediaclash.co.uk Chief executive Jane Ingham jane.ingham@mediaclash.co.uk Chief executive Greg Ingham greg.ingham@mediaclash.co.uk Cardiff Life, MediaClash, Circus Mews House, Circus Mews, Bath BA1 2PW; 01225 475800, mediaclash.co.uk, @The MediaClash © All rights reserved. May not be reproduced without written permission of MediaClash.

About MediaClash We’re a Bath-based publisher, creative agency and event organiser Magazines Our portfolio of regional magazines celebrate the best of local living: Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, Exeter and Salisbury. We also publish foodie mag Crumbs. (crumbsmag.com, @ CrumbsMag) and wedding title Vow (@VowMag).

Agency From the design and build of websites to digital marketing and creating company magazines, we can help.

Events We create, market, promote and operate a wide variety of events both for MediaClash and our clients Contact: info@mediaclash.co.uk

PROPERT Y 92 Property Showcase We’re at Quince Cottage. Curious?

Thought you might be...

On the cover One Mile Bakery’s Nick Macleod – turn to page 72 for feature

MICROSUCTION EAR WAX CLINIC AND INDEPENDENT FAMILY RUN HEARING CENTRE THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF SERVICE AND AFTERCARE.

Scott Wroe Hearing & Ear Care Clinic | 10 Royal Buildings, Penarth CF64 3ED | Telephone 02920 707760

C A R D I F F: I T S L I F E A N D T I M E S

PJ Harvey is one of the headline acts at this year’s Green Man

Dick Mills, from legendary music/sound effects unit The Radiophonic Workshop

Country duo The Shires play Cardiff’s Burning Lantern festival later this year

GET DOWN!

MUSIC SOUNDS BETTER WITH YOU This year’s arts calendar is already filling up, with music taking centre-stage – whatever your bag, there’s plenty to look forward to over the coming months First up, sci-fi buffs will want to get their geek on at BBC National Orchestra of Wales’ all-day event Geek Musique (25 March, St David’s Hall, bbc.co.uk/bbcnow), featuring music from the worlds of science fiction and cult TV, with iconic music and sound effects ensemble The Radiophonic Workshop (formerly BBC Radiophonic Workshop).

Presented by Robert Llewellyn (Kryten from Red Dwarf), BBC NOW – Doctor Who’s house band! – will bring to life the extra-terrestrial, transport you to parallel universes, and explore weird and wonderful retro TV. Afternoon concert Sounds Of Sci-Fi (3.30pm) will journey through 10 sci-fi soundtracks including Star Wars, Terminator

and the rarely-heard, unused film score for Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. It’s followed by Cult TV Classics (9pm), as the orchestra joins forces with The Radiophonic Workshop for a performance of their music – including the original Doctor Who series, of course – played, as ever, on an impressive bank of vintage synthesisers.

Meanwhile, family country fayre Burning Lantern (St Fagans National History Museum, 12 August, burninglantern.com) has announced its first wave of acts, with Motown legends Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, singer-songwriters Tom Odell and Jack Savoretti, and UK country act du jour The Shires. As well as toe-tapping tunes,

there’ll be circus skills, pony rides and arts and crafts for the kids, an acoustic stage on the village green, and plenty of street food and craft ales.

And Green Man (17-20 August, Brecon Beacons, greenman.net) has also announced the headliners for this year’s 15th birthday knees-up, with PJ Harvey (it’s 10 long years since she played in Wales – welcome back, Polly Jean!), country music/Americana king Ryan Adams and the mighty, synth-dappled groove of Future Islands topping the bill.

Other confirmed acts include Michael Kiwanuka, Lambchop, Conor Oberst, Angel Olsen, Jon Hopkins and more. We’ll see you down the front... www.mediaclash.co.uk I CARDIFF LIFE I 7

C A R D I F F: I T S L I F E A N D T I M E S

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A storm’s a-br ewing in the Bay... captured by @nosnowinwa les

with Ibérico pork fillet Bar 44’s tataki of taken by , on lem d an oil pisto, Picual w.

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A MAN’S WORLD

YOU’RE PUMPED UP ON EMOTION... IT’S LIKE YOUR SENSES ARE IN OVERDRIVE

RHYS WILLIAMS Ou r ma n at Ca rdif f Blues

SING IT LOUD In the midst of the Six Nations, it’s time to stand up and be counted...

T

his might be a bold statement, but to my mind, Cardiff is the best city in the world when it comes to hosting international rugby. There, I’ve said it!

Although obviously inspirational to Wales, the Principality Stadium is a daunting place to play for visiting teams. Unlike any other home nation stadium, it’s slap-bang in the middle of town, with all the restaurants, bars and clubs you could want. I’ve been fortunate enough to wear the Three Feathers and it’s the greatest honour you can have in rugby, with the exception perhaps of playing for the Lions, which I never had the opportunity to do.

Forget stuff on the pitch – the main thing I remember is that journey from the Vale Resort to the Principality (Millennium Stadium, as was) and all the passion and emotion of it. It was all part of the matchday experience – there would always be a crowd of supporters clapping you onto the bus and asking for autographs.

Then you’d drive down the M4 and the link road with a police escort, and the coaches would put a motivational video on to fire the boys up – as if they needed it! From the moment we passed Leckwith, it was a sea of red.

I will always remember the journey into the stadium for the Grand Slam game against Ireland in 2005. More than 250,000 supporters descended on our great city that day and seeing all of that was probably the best bus journey of my life. The nerves began to set in and the heartbeat went up as you zoned in on the game. As you came round the corner past The Angel Hotel, that red sea parted and the police horses escorted you down the home straight. It was an amazing sight and a brilliant feeling. The noise and support was incredible, and it dawned on you just how important rugby – the heartbeat of our country – was to our nation and the public psyche.

As a venue, the Principality is a cauldron, and people often ask me what it was like to run out of the tunnel with 75,000 fans around you. It’s difficult to describe, but it’s like all your senses are in overdrive – you’re pumped up on emotion and your whole body feels light.

As a devout and proud Welshman, I always relished singing our national anthem. My first memory of going to an international match was with my father. When it came to Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau, he turned to me and told me, “Stand up proudly and sing the

anthem.” So naturally I did, and I will always remember that.

But with all that emotion, it’s important to remain focused. You are there to do a job and perform for your country, your team-mates, your family, friends, coaches – everyone who has helped you along the way. You use all that to your advantage, to accentuate your performance – it’s what former All Blacks and Wales coach Graham Henry used to call ‘the edge’.

As a supporter of all Welsh rugby, I am so grateful to have experienced that, and I have so much pride in the way our city and country hosts such occasions. The city truly comes alive on international day.

And we have the best supporters in the world – I know that from experience. So I say to you reading this article – you are the 16th man in our international team, you create the atmosphere, you can get the players to ‘the edge’, and you can help blow the roof off the Principality Stadium. So make it count – your country needs you!

Rhys Williams is an ex-Wales and Cardiff Blues rugby star, now commercial director at the club.

For more, see cardiffblues.com

Weddings at Manor Parc Hotel A country manor, set in beautiful grounds, the Manor Parc Hotel is the perfect choice for your wedding celebrations.

The newly refurbished Cedar Room and our Orangerie with its spectacular glass domed ceiling overlook the patio and lawns and offer wonderful views.

Our packages include: FREE venue hire FREE overnight accommodation and breakfast for the happy couple Discounted accommodation for wedding guests Three course wedding breakfast, INCLUDING canapés, coffee and petits fours

The Longhouse, formerly the Treharne Arms, is the new gastropub in Cardiff.

We are open every day for lunch, dinner and drinks - pop in and see us anytime!

Our menus are written with the seasons & make the most of what’s delivered to the kitchen each day.

Longhouse, The Tumble, St Nicholas, Cardiff CF5 6SA Reserve A Table: 02921 157754

www.longhousewales.com

Silver Drinks Package (Bellini on arrival, 2 glasses of wine with the meal and Prosecco for the toast) Master of Ceremonies to guide you through the day FREE on-site parking Discounts on weddings Monday – Thursday (selected dates excluded)

www.manorparc.com | enquiry@manorparc.com @ManorParc

Manor Parc Hotel and Orangerie Restaurant

To plan your perfect wedding, visit us at: Manor Parc Country Hotel & Restaurant Thornhill Road, Thornhill, Cardiff CF14 9UA

Telephone: 029 2069 3723 For Sat Nav Users: Please use CF14 9UE

WEDDINGS

SPLICE UP YOUR LIFE

Flower power!

18 I CARDIFF LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

PHOTO BY EMINENT PHOTOGRAPHY

Got a wedding date in the diary, but don’t know how to start planning your big day? Don’t get in a pickle – it’s all about defining your vision, says South Wales-based wedding planner GAIL WINDLEY from Eleanor Gail

WEDDINGS

PHOTO BY OWEN MATHIAS

STICKING TO A BUDGET IS HARD – YOU WILL FALL IN LOVE WITH THINGS YOU WON’T HAVE COSTED FOR

(Above) That feeling when it all comes together; (Below) Wedding planner Gail Windley: “You’ll find yourself surrounded by wedding magazines, online scrap books and all manner of advice”

F

rom the minute you become engaged, it’s likely you’ll enter the wonderful world of wedding planning – you’ll find yourself surrounded by wedding magazines, online scrap books and all manner of advice; suddenly, you’re faced with a seemingly endless number of decisions. From guest lists to gift lists, food choices to favours, there’s a lot to think about and consider.

I remember the excitement of being engaged and the delight I felt when telling everyone we were getting married. And then it dawned on me – I have to plan a wedding! I knew I wanted to be married, I just hadn’t really thought about the big day itself, and had to rely on friends and wedding magazines to steer me in the right direction. So, as a wedding planner and former bride, I say make yourself a cuppa and read on as I give you my best tips on planning a stress-free wedding…

SET A DATE

Congratulations – he/she asked, and you said ‘yes’! After sharing your news with family and

closest friends you’ll need to set a date. After all, the question you’ll be asked the most after “How did they propose?” is “When are you getting married?”. Just to be clear, this is not a set-instone date, but more like a general marker: “We’re thinking of spring 2018,” for example. This will give your guests a mental note for their diary, and allow you the flexibility you need while searching for the perfect venue.

BUDGET

Setting a budget and sticking to it is the hardest part of planning your wedding. This will be one of the most important days of your life, and the most amount of money you will spend outside of your mortgage, and you will fall in love with things you won’t have costed for.

Your budget will determine the number of guests you invite, your choice of venue, how many bridesmaids/groomsmen etc etc, so it’s vitally important that you understand how much money you will allocate to each and every part of your wedding. Conversations around money are never easy, but understanding whether or not family can contribute (along with your own savings) is really important for confirming a total ‘pot’ before you start. Setting up a separate bank account for your wedding will really help with keeping the reins on your spending, too. w www.mediaclash.co.uk I CARDIFF LIFE I 19

WEDDINGS

GUEST LIST

Catering for your guests will be the largest part of your budget, so it’s important you have an idea of how many guests you can afford, as well as how many you’d like to invite. Your search for a venue will also be determined by capacity, so ask your parents to draw up a guest list of those they’d like to include (especially if they’re contributing!), and maybe set out some guidance regarding immediate family, work colleagues, whether you’d like to include children, guests’ plus ones and so forth. There will be many drafts of your guest list, so don’t panic if your first count is a ridiculous number (think Steve Martin in Father Of The Bride) – just be mindful that the more people you invite, the more expensive your wedding will be.

VENUE SEARCH

All the things you’ve done so far will come together to form part of your decision in choosing a venue. Are you having a church or a civil ceremony? If it’s the latter, then you will need to ensure you choose from the list of approved venues at gov.uk, or check your local county website. There will be many things that will narrow your search, such as the area, number of guests, budget and of course the venue’s availability, so get ready to roll your sleeves up, draw up a list of ideal venues, shortlist them and

20 I CARDIFF LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

WEDDINGS

(Clockwise from left) Ditch the morning suit and embrace your boho side; 1, 2, 3... throw!; a quiet, post-wedding moment of reflection (photos by Owen Mathias)

HAVE THE CONFIDENCE TO CREATE A WEDDING THAT REFLECTS YOUR

STYLE

make appointments to visit. You’ll definitely know when you’ve seen the venue you like, as you’ll fall in love with it!

THEME

You will hear words like rustic, romantic, vintage and whimsical, all of which simply describe the style of your wedding. But how do you choose?

Well, I simply ask my clients to gravitate towards the things they like, such as colours, flowers, or the tone of the day. Would they like their wedding to be relaxed, formal, traditional or contemporary? I also ask my couples what their homes and interiors are like – we’ve become a nation obsessed with sprucing up and updating our homes, and couples are more design-savvy than ever before, so why should approaching your wedding décor be any different?

2017 TRENDS

Believe it or not, personalisation is really hot in weddings right now. Rather than rely on tradition, many couples are doing things their own way, such as using lots of colour; being creative with entertainment, food and drink stations; musicians or elaborate décor; dessert tables to replace the traditional wedding cake; and doing the speeches before the meal.

Couples are also far more considerate of their guests, ensuring they’re entertained, fed and watered while the bride and groom are whisked away for photographs. And a lot of couples are encouraging guests to use wedding photo apps such as wedpics.com to document their day – after all, the official photos won’t be available until a few weeks after the wedding. Trust me, you will want to relive your wedding day over and over again and you’ll spend ages poring over every single photo you find!

Current fashion trends may steer your choices, too, such as ‘Greenery’, Pantone’s colour of the year for 2017 – examples of which you can see on my Pinterest board (follow the Pinterest link on my website: eleanorgail.co.uk). But that should never be taken in isolation, so regardless of what’s considered on-trend, you should ultimately go with what you like. Have the confidence to create a wedding that celebrates you as a couple, reflects your style and is personal and unique to you.

SHOULD YOU SAY ‘I DO’ TO A WEDDING PLANNER?

My own bias aside (of course you should hire a wedding planner!), there are many things you should consider before contacting a planner. The chances are you haven’t planned an event on this scale before, and if you hire a wedding planner you’ll have to relinquish some control – only you can decide if you’re comfortable doing that.

You can ensure they have values and communication styles that align with your own – many planners have a tiered or tailored service, so you can dictate their involvement.

Wedding planners are an additional cost but they can negotiate better prices or terms to fit with your budget. A good planner will keep up with trends, have established relationships with suppliers and offer design ideas that reflect you and are unique to your wedding, whilst troubleshooting along the way.

ENJOY AND CELEBRATE!

Planning your wedding should be a lovely experience, so make sure you enjoy it – celebrate your engagement. Everything can seem quite overwhelming, but please bear in mind that you’re having a wedding to get married, and not getting married to have a wedding.

It’s an exciting time for you and your fiancé – remember that the wedding is ‘day one’ of the rest of your life together.

For more info, see eleanorgail.co.uk or email w gail@eleanorgail.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I CARDIFF LIFE I 21

WEDDINGS

The KILLER DRESS Wedding, sorted. You’ll be needing a showstopping dress, right? Try this stylish number...

PHOTO BY JON TURTLE

Y

our wedding is a lifechanging occasion, and every brideto-be wants to look amazing on her big day, in an awesome killer dress. The 2017 Ffrog (the Welsh word for ‘frock’ or ‘dress’) collection by wedding dress designer Angharad Mullooly, stocked exclusively at Rachel Burgess Bridal Boutique in Penarth, might be just the thing.

There are three dresses in the collection: Meredith (pictured left), a subtle, full-length gown, fitted at the waist, with simple shoestring straps and a hint of a sweetheart neckline; Heledd, a chic, 1930s-inspired, full-length gown, overlaid with gorgeous vintage lace, and featuring a straight neckline, narrow straps and an Art Deco-style beaded panel on the waistband; and Alaw, a boho number with a matt satin base and layer of unique cutwork lace, enhanced by an overlapping top and straight skirt.

Inspired by 1930s French couture, art deco and ballet chic, there are also unique mix-and-match separates in porcelain ivory, giving creative brides scope to choose a look they really love. Take your pick!

For more: rachelburgessbridalboutique.com

www.mediaclash.co.uk I CARDIFF LIFE I 23

Cardiff Bridal Centre

is celebrating 30 years in business

tments Appoin ngly are stro ded. en recomm onday Open: M rday, to Satu 0pm -5.3 9.30am

Cardiff Bridal Centre has been dressing brides since 1987.

We are dedicated to sourcing the best designers available from around the world, ensuring our gowns are the best you will find. With leading designers such as Sottero & Midgely, Mori Lee, David Tutera, Sophia Tolli, Kenneth Winston, Ella Rosa & Veromia, & award winning plus size designers Sonsie & Julietta, it’s no wonder brides have been choosing our store for three decades.

In the heart of the city centre, & having recently undergone a stunning refurbishment, our store is spacious, welcoming & fully air conditioned, ensuring every bride & her guests will enjoy a relaxed & comfortable experience. Our friendly

& dedicated staff provide excellent one to one service, & promise to make every brides visit memorable & special.

We are proud to have our very own, in house specialist alterations & design team, who can offer bespoke alterations, & customisations to our gowns.

To accompany your perfect dress, we also offer a fantastic selection of bridesmaid & flower girl dresses, & a wide range of accessories, from spectacular headpieces and breathtaking veils, to extras such as the latest designer belts, boleros, sleeves & straps.

To book an appointment to visit our ever popular store, telephone 029 20666612, or email enquiries@cardiffbridalcentre.co.uk

SOS Athletic Excellence director Sam O’Sullivan puts Phil and Lisa through their paces...

WHIPPED into SHAPE No sickness, just health, hard work and lots of sweat.

The story of how one local couple got trim for their wedding day, courtesy of Cardiff personal training and fitness gurus SOS ATHLETIC EXCELLENCE...

By K AT I E K I SSOON M a i n photo s by L E E DA R E 26 I CARDIFF LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

FITNESS

SAM KNOWS

WHAT YOU’RE CAPABLE OF, SO WILL PUSH YOU TO DO YOUR BEST

Phil and Lisa on their wedding day: “Can we eat chips now?” (Photo by Ryan Welch Photography)

H E A LT H

W

hen Lisa McDougall, 35, and Phil Rimmer, 39, joined SOS Athletic Excellence, little did they know that it would change their lives – forever.

The couple met doing early morning bootcamp classes, and got together 12 months later at the SOS Christmas party. Fast forward 15 months, and they found themselves busily planning their wedding, and needing to get into shape for their big day.

Their next step saw them enlist the help of fitness guru Sam O’Sullivan, director of SOS Athletic Excellence in Cardiff, who has put them through their paces on an intensive six-week personal training programme of two sessions a week. Here, they talk about the highs – and lows – of getting fit before getting hitched...

Why did you decide to do PT leading up to your wedding?

Lisa: Since we met, we’ve both put on a little bit of weight. We love food, and going to the gym had taken a little bit of a back seat. People used to say to me that getting engaged was the best diet you could have. It really wasn’t for me – as we kept going out for food to celebrate! As well as wanting to tone up, I’d been ill for the past few

...and pushes them to their limits

Christmases and, with a January wedding [the couple got married on 21 January], I wanted to make sure that I stayed fit and healthy.

Phil: I found that I was healthy during the week but would fall off the wagon at weekends. I wanted to break this habit and knew that personal training would help. I also found that it helped me focus – and deal with some of the stress of wedding planning.

What sort of training do you do?

Lisa: We have two sessions a week. The first one is weights-based and consists of things like deadlifts, squats, leg curls, shoulder presses and lunges. We tend to do six reps with a heavy weight, 12 reps with a lighter weight, then 25 reps with an even lighter weight. Our second session is more metabolic, with 20 seconds of one exercise, such as prowlers, kettlebell swings or bike, followed by a 20-second rest.

Phil: Sam mixes it up with different exercises so it doesn’t get repetitive. He knows what you’re capable of so will push you to do your best. It’s been getting progressively harder and last time the metabolic switched to 30 seconds on and 30 seconds off. Those extra 10 seconds were a killer!

How did you find the first couple of weeks?

Lisa: I really struggled, to be honest. I used to go to bootcamps, but this was an entirely different way of training. I wasn’t used to the machines and it took me a while to find my feet. w www.mediaclash.co.uk I CARDIFF LIFE I 27

FITNESS

WEDDING PREP Need to shape up for your own nuptials? Here are Sam’s top five killer tips for getting trim in the run-up to your big day

H E A LT H

“Up a bit, down a bit...”

1. HYDRATE Drink, drink, drink – and that’s water, not bubbles! When you’re hydrated, your metabolism is faster; your brain is more alert and your hair, skin and nails will look amazing. Carry a water bottle everywhere you go and aim to drink around 40ml of water per kilo of body weight. If you struggle to drink water, adding fruit gives it a lovely refreshing flavour and also boosts your antioxidant intake.

2. PLAN YOUR MEALS Results come from great nutrition – to ensure you look your best, you need to make sure your diet is well-planned and healthy. As your wedding planning gets more stressful, don’t forget to keep your eating consistent and your meals healthy. Don’t fall into the trap of eating on-the-go, but take a moment each night to prep your meals to eat good food throughout the day. Plenty of vegetables with moderate amounts of protein, lots of water and a small top-up of fruit will have you glowing come your wedding day.

3. TONE UP IN THE GYM Whether you train yourself, or a personal trainer takes you through a fitness regime, ensure you put aside a minimum of three hours per week to hit the gym. Not only will you feel absolutely amazing as you take an hour away from the wedding planning, but you’ll boost your confidence as you start noticing differences in your body and mood. Make sure you incorporate a mix of weight and HIIT training to get your body toned and tight, and your metabolism on fire.

4. DISCONNECT Don’t be afraid to take time out and give your mind and body a break, as the stress of organising a wedding can obviously take its toll. Try and be kind to yourself.

You’d be surprised how much this can affect your results when it comes to looking tip-top on your special day.

5. TAKE PHOTOS Only you know how you want to look when you slip on your dress or step into your suit. The best way to achieve ‘the look’ is to take photos and document your journey. You’ll be even more motivated when you see your body shape heading in the right direction. Ditch the scales and work on looking and feeling fabulous in your own skin.

Phil: There was no escape – Sam was watching us like a hawk! There was a week when I struggled to get into work and it hurt to stand up – or sit down, for that matter! But, in a way, that was a good thing as I knew it must be working. And now my muscles don’t ache anywhere near as much.

And how are you finding it now?

Lisa: It’s great, as we’ve both been seeing improvements. At first, I used to drop out of some of the circuits as I just couldn’t do it – now I don’t.

And my weights have gone up, so we are tracking progress. A lot of my fellow bootcampers have commented that I’m looking trimmer, so that’s really encouraging.

Phil: It’s still brutal – and the exercises seem to be getting harder – but it’s also strangely satisfying when you’re doing it, and you definitely feel great afterwards.

What’s it like training together?

Lisa: It’s been really good. I’m quite competitive, so I liked being pushed and training with a partner definitely does that.

Phil: We both had the same goals, so it made sense to train together. It’s a good format – while one of us trains, the other rests. And by sharing the sessions, it made it more affordable.

And what about the F-word: food?

Lisa: Yeah, that’s been hard, especially as we started the sessions just 10 days before Christmas!

But Sam gave us loads of nutrition advice, which really helped. We both love food too much to

cut stuff out, so we’ve just been trying to make sensible choices instead, like choosing steak or fish with vegetables if we go out for a meal.

Phil: We also had a ceremonial throwing out of all the chocolate in the house! But what I really found the hardest was cutting out caffeine, as this is meant to impair fat loss. I went cold turkey and felt like I was living in a haze for a few days. But I got through it and now instead of my morning coffee, I have matcha tea with manuka honey.

And have you got the results you wanted?

Lisa: Well, for my final dress fitting, they had to take it in again at the waist, so I was on a total high after that.

Phil: Absolutely! I can tell my body shape has really improved.

So what now?

Phil: I’ve loved it. In fact, I’m even planning on having a personal training session on the morning of the wedding itself as I find it really helps me focus. You’ll find me hitting the kettlebells at 8am before donning my morning suit!

Lisa: I’m making a list of all the foods I’m going to tuck into after my wedding. Cheese, pizza, chocolate, ice cream, fish and chips, burgers... I can’t wait! Although we can’t go too mad as we’re not having our honeymoon until March, so in a way, that’s another good target for us. Joining SOS Athletic Excellence really changed my life.

I went there to get fit – and I ended up getting a w husband! www.mediaclash.co.uk I CARDIFF LIFE I 29

WEDDINGS

WEDDING DIRECTORY Just some of the cool local places, people and things to have on your wedding team…

JEWELLERS

With Love From Bobbin withlovefrombobbin.com

Advanced Jewel Craft (AJC) advancedjc.com

BRIDAL SHOPS & MENSWEAR

Anne Morgan Jewellery annemorgan.co.uk

Hawkes Essentials hawkesessentials.com

High Society highsocietybridal.co.uk Laura May Bridal lauramaybridal.co.uk Perfection Bridal & Menswear perfectionbridalcardiff.co.uk Rachel Burgess rachelburgessbridalboutique.com Robyn Coles Millinery robyncoles.com Timeless Elegance timelesselegancebridal.co.uk To Have & To Hire tohaveandtohire.net

Honeymoon ahoy!

Brooklinde brooklinde.co.uk Christopher George christophergeorgejewellers.co.uk

PHOTO BY OWEN MATHIAS

ACCESSORIES

Emma-Kate Francis emmakatefrancis.com Fraser Hart fraserhart.co.uk Jonathan David jonathandavid-jewellers.co.uk

Sioned A Nia sionedania.com

Hensol Castle hensolcastle.com

Northern Star Jewellery northernstarjewellery.co.uk

Tim Bishop timbishop.co.uk

Holm House holmhousehotel.com

Parkhouse Jewellers parkhousethejeweller.com

WEDDING PLANNERS

Llanerch Vineyard llanerch-vineyard.co.uk

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Eleanor Gail eleanorgail.co.uk

Clare Adams loveseen.co.uk

Sylvie & Joan sylvieandjoan.co.uk

Cocorico Patisserie cocoricopatisserie.co.uk

Eminent Photography eminentphotography.com

WEDDING VENUES

Knife & Fork Catering knifeandforkfood.co.uk

Imagine That imaginethat.uk.net

Spiros Fine Dining spiros.co.uk

Jake Morley jakemorley.co.uk

Zucchero Patisserie zuccheropatisserie.co.uk

Jon Turtle jonturtle.co.uk

FLORISTS

Owen Mathias owenmathias.com

CATERING & WEDDING CAKES

Alison Bentley bentleyflowers.com Amanda French Flowers amandafrenchflowers.co.uk Flowers, I Do flowersido.co.uk Forbesfield Flowers forbesfield.co.uk

Rachel Lambert rachellambertphotography.co.uk Sacha Miller sachamiller.co.uk Simon Gough simongoughphotography.com

30 I CARDIFF LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

The Boiler House warehousewedding.co.uk

Canada Lodge & Lake canadalodgeandlake.co.uk Cardiff Castle cardiffcastle.com Celtic Manor Resort celtic-manor.com Chapel 1877 chapel1877.com Cottrell Park cottrellpark.com De Courceys Manor decourceys.co.uk Fonmon Castle fonmoncastle.com

Miskin Manor miskin-manor.co.uk National Museum Cardiff museumwales.ac.uk Norwegian Church norwegianchurchcardiff.com Old Post House oldposthousecardiff.co.uk Oldwalls Gower oldwallsgower.com Park Plaza parkplazacardiff.com St David’s Hotel & Spa thestdavidshotel.com St Donat’s Arts Centre stdonats.com The Vale Resort vale-hotel.com

E D U C AT I O N

BACK TO SCHOOL Swots, teachers’ pets, sporty types and rule-breakers – Cardiff’s great and good recall their schooldays, for better or worse I nter v ie w s by V E L I M I R I L IC

36 I CARDIFF LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

JAMIE BAULCH OLYMPIC LEGEND/ BUSINESSMAN @JAMIEBAULCH

What were you like as a schoolboy?

Really hyperactive and always into everything.

I got spotted at junior school – it was my head teacher Mr Atkins who recommended I start athletics.

What did you enjoy most about school?

Anything to do with sport. But I did love my school dinner lady – Auntie Nancy is what I used to call her. She would sneak me into the

MELISSA BOOTHMAN CO-FOUNDER, PENYLAN PANTRY PENYLANPANTRY.COM

What were you like at school?

I’m not very good with rules.

I’m okay with ‘no’, as long as I understand why, which drove some of my teachers up the wall, as you can imagine. I got bored quickly, and I’d always ask lots of questions.

What did you enjoy most?

Catching the school bus every day was great fun – you can imagine the mischief that went on with no teachers around. And we had the biggest grass playing field, that went on as far as the eye could see.

Best/favourite subject?

I loved Art – we had a very cool art teacher who used to draw on her eyebrows. History, too – our teacher was a very strong, confident women and an amazing storyteller.

She took no prisoners in class.

Favourite school dinner?

Chips and gravy, cheese and potato pie and the awful hot chocolate from the vending machine!

school kitchen and give me real Turkish delight!

Naughtiest thing you ever did?

I wrote ‘bum’ on my book when I was five years old and got sent to the headmaster! He glared at me and said, “Well, Mr Baulch – at least you spelt it right.”

Best subject?

PE. Because I was good at it, I was popular with the girls...

Favourite school dinner?

Auntie Nancy’s apple crumble – to die for!

PAULA MORRIS HEAD OF MARKETING, DARWIN GRAY LLP DARWINGRAY.COM

What were you like at school?

A daydreamer. When I was about seven, my teacher said I had great potential if only I spent less time looking out of the window.

What did you enjoy most?

The school bus journey was always eventful.

We were always excited when a luxury double-decker coach with a TV turned up.

I remember watching Queen videos and everyone singing – it did the driver’s head in!

Naughtiest thing you ever did?

There were a few incidents, but I can’t write about any of them for fear of my parents reading this!

Best/favourite subject?

English Lit – I had some really inspirational teachers and loved reading from the minute I was big enough to pick up a book.

ALUN SAUNDERS FOUNDER, NEONTOPIA NEONTOPIA.CO.UK

What were you like as a schoolboy?

In one word: swot. I’d love to say I was a rebellious type, but no. I didn’t like school much – I think I was an easy victim at times. Part of me would love

Favourite school dinner?

Jacket potato, beans and cheese, followed by a scone with jam and cream. Not that bothered about my five a day back then!

to go back in time and tell my 12-year-old self that it’s all gonna be cool, that I should be unafraid to be myself.

What did you enjoy most?

Honestly? My favourite bit was the change once we got to sixth form. It felt as though people matured over the summer (plus it helped that a

lot of the idiots left!).

Favourite school dinner?

I became weirdly addicted to chips and baked beans – EVERY DAY. Terrible diet. I don’t think it’d be allowed these days. And there’s a lot to be said for a bowl of pink custard – what even was that?? w

www.mediaclash.co.uk I CARDIFF LIFE I 37

GREG JAMES Creative Director, Goji Hair gojihair.com

What were you like at school?

I wasn’t exactly a star pupil; school didn’t really engage me. I knew that I wanted to go into hairdressing from when I was around four years old and just wanted to get on with it.

What did you enjoy most?

Hearing the bell at the end of the day!

KAREN NORTON Vice Principal, Kings Monkton School kingsmonkton.org.uk

What were you like at school?

Not a model pupil, by any stretch. I enjoyed ‘having a laugh’ with my friends but that was usually in lessons that were less interesting, with the teacher not able to engage or challenge me. When the teachers clearly loved their subject and delivered interesting lessons, I was motivated, engaged and did really well.

Naughtiest thing you ever did?

I once took my salon training ‘head’ into school for a lesson but we were mucking about beforehand and it acquired a school jacket and various accessories. The teacher didn’t find it very funny and it may have ended in a detention…

What did you enjoy most about being at school?

I loved playing hockey for the school team and did sport most days.

Naughtiest thing you ever did?

I flooded a Chemistry lab – it was an accident!

SAM LLOYD Founder, Lloyd Bell Productions lloydbell.co.uk

What were you like as a schoolgirl?

A complete swot!

What did you enjoy most?

I boarded, so I loved

MARICLARE CAREY-JONES TV presenter mariclarecareyjones.co.uk

What were you like at school?

A bit of swot. I was actually Head Girl, but I became a bit more rebellious in senior school!

What did you enjoy most?

I loved being part of the hockey and lacrosse teams.

I was always training in my lunch hour, and could usually be seen walking around school in my PE kit rather than my uniform.

38 I CARDIFF LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

ALEX JENKINS Co-founder, KIN+ILK kinandilk.com

What were you like as a schoolboy?

Bright but disruptive! In Form 2, I had the best grades in my year but also the school record for the most daps (being beaten on the hand by the headmaster for bad behaviour). I was more interested in drawing, BMX,

indie music and trainers than learning.

What did you enjoy most?

The smell of the art room – it felt like home. I still vividly remember it.

Favourite school dinner?

Burger, chips, beans and onion rings – but I usually ate the onion rings before I got to the till.

hometime on Fridays when my folks picked me up.

What was the naughtiest thing you ever did?

There was a male teacher who taught us, and before every lesson, we turned off all the lights and sang Happy Birthday when he came into the room.

SIMON TEE Managing Partner, Kilsby Williams kilsbywilliams.com

What were you like at school?

I remember bad haircuts and oversized clothes that I never grew into.

Naughtiest thing you ever did?

The teachers and prefects were pretty intimidating, so I kept a reasonably low profile. I did get the cane for trying to develop a commercial organisation using surplus school property once, though!

E D U C AT I O N

OWEN MORGAN CO-FOUNDER, BAR 44 BAR44.CO.UK

What were you like at school?

Mr Sporty-all-rounder. My mates used to call me Golden Balls, annoyingly.

Naughtiest thing you ever did?

When a home rugby match got cancelled, I went out for a few refreshments with the Australian student teachers. I ended up falling over and shattering my kneecap. Not my finest moment!

Favourite school dinner?

Lasagne and chips – double-carb guilty pleasure!

KASIM ALI OWNER, WATERLOO TEA WATERLOOTEA.COM

What were you like at school?

A good kid, surrounded by good friends (still the guys I hang out with!). Very much last minute on homework and cramming for exams, though...

What did you enjoy most?

The teachers who had a laugh with the students – and those

BRIAN MURPHY GOALKEEPER, CARDIFF CITY FC CARDIFFCITYFC.CO.UK

who took time to inspire us.

Always lovely bumping into them nowadays.

What did you enjoy most about being at school?

Probably PE! But also going in and socialising with everybody and things like that. I played all the Irish sports growing up – hurling and Gaelic football, as well as rugby.

Naughtiest thing you did?

On one visit to the photocopying room, I picked up the questions for an upcoming maths exam (96% score!).

Naughtiest thing you ever did?

It would have been when it got close to the summer. It was tempting to try and miss a few classes and just go to the beach!

Best/favourite subject?

Chemistry. Mr Hendrickson got me to understand the subject – a true Obi-Wan feat!

Best/favourite subject?

I quite enjoyed Business Studies. I think it’s one of the more logical things to learn for going forward in life.

ALASTAIR MILBURN MD, EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION WEAREEFFECTIVE.CO.UK

What were you like at school?

I played sport every single moment of my free time before discovering other distractions!

What did you enjoy most about school?

Great mates, and far too many scrapes to mention!

ANDREA GARDNER SALES DIRECTOR, WATERSTONE HOMES WATERSTONEHOMES.COM

What were you like at school?

As quiet as a mouse – people who know me will find that very hard to believe!

Naughtiest thing you ever did?

I accepted a cigarette from a teacher – but I never smoked it.

Favourite school dinner?

Jam roly-poly, for sure – we had proper home-cooked style food in our canteen!

Naughtiest thing you ever did?

I was suspended for six weeks in my last year of sixth form for ‘disobedience’. I was caught rolling a cigarette but there had been some kind of warning about smoking the day before and I was lucky not to be expelled.

Best/favourite subject?

History. My O-level project was on world terrorism in the 1970s.

Favourite school dinner?

The food was okay, but we’d get chips from the local Chinese afterwards, so it couldn’t have been that good! www.mediaclash.co.uk I CARDIFF LIFE I 39

a d v e r t i s i n g f e at u r e E D U C AT I O N

Back of the net

By Dr Andrew Daniel, Headmaster of Monmouth School

N

urturing strong links with our local community has been one of Monmouth School’s top priorities since our foundation in 1614.

We have always dedicated time to organising annual outreach events for nearby state schools in order to share our fantastic facilities and resources with the town.

One of the most highly anticipated dates in our calendar, The Grange Monmouth Preparatory School’s Invitational 6-a-side Football Tournament, has just marked its 20th anniversary.

Around 100 budding footballers from six local primary schools came together to compete in the games in January. Teams of all abilities played a total of 26 games to determine the winners of the coveted cup, bowl, shield and plate.

Paul Morris, Head of PE and Games at The Grange, kicked off the tournament in 1997 during his first year at the school to unite the

community through sport and set up more fixtures for pupils.

He told me: “The philosophy of the tournament is that everyone gets to play no matter what their ability is. It’s lovely to see all the other schools within Monmouth getting together and playing in what is always a competitive event, played in good spirits.”

Another positive aspect of the event was highlighted by a governor at Cross Ash Primary School.

He said: “The tournament is brilliant, not just because the children get lots of fresh air and exercise, but they’re also meeting kids of their own age outside their social circles. It’s important that they see other schools as being friends, rather than competitors.”

This friendly competition for pupils in Years 5 and 6 has gone from strength to strength since its foundation in the mid-1990s, and we’re very proud to be carrying on the historic traditions of The Grange.

St John’s College, Cardiff

A leading independent day school for boys & girls aged 3–18 Choir School to Cardiff Metropolitan Cathedral

Top School in Wales in The Sunday Times ‘Parent Power’

Estyn Inspection - ‘Excellent’ including the seldom awarded ‘Excellent’ for Standards of Teaching (2012)

Nursery & Infants

l

Juniors

l

Seniors

l

Sixth Form

Please contact Admissions to arrange a visit:

02920 778936

www.stjohnscollegecardiff.com

Charity No. 701294

For more information, visit habs-monmouth.org, call 01600 710 433 for Monmouth School or 01600 711104 for HMSG

H e a lt h & F i t n e s s a d v e r t i s i n g f e at u r e

42 I cARDIFF LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

advertisi n g feat u re H e a lt h & F i t n e s s

Stu-di-o n. a place to learn and practice

I

f you found out that most of what you know about fitness is wrong, what would you do? Quit jogging? Cancel the gym subscription? (Admit it, you put off going and keep forgetting to cancel the monthly direct debit.)

Or open a training facility unlike any other?

Because that’s exactly what father and son Michael and Owen Edwards have done.

After years of working as a personal trainer in a prestigious London gym, Owen began to feel more and more frustrated with industry standards. “The fitness industry is failing to meet members’ needs, and essential personal service is almost non-existent in most facilities,” he says.

So, Owen did his own research, learned from some of the most recognised trainers out there and developed his own business model. The goal was to tell people the truth about fitness, and teach them the right way. A few years of hard work later, and his dream has become a reality.

They refuse to call the facility a gym because it’s as different to a conventional gym as you could possibly imagine. There are no TVs or mirrors on the walls, and no talk about the ‘core’, the ‘pump’ or the ‘burn’.

Owen and Michael realised that in gyms you exercise – random, unproductive and ultimately demotivating. What members needed to do was train – supervised, progressive and successful.

The Studio rejects the latest fitness crazes and fad diets, instead focusing on what really

matters – getting people strong, fit and healthy, regardless of age, gender, ability or fitness levels.

From young people who want to learn to train properly to kids who want to make the team – and mums and dads keen to keep up with them; from office workers stuck behind their desks all day to seniors who want to age disgracefully. All are welcome.

The Studio offers group strength and conditioning classes, one-to-one personal training sessions in a private training suite, luxurious changing rooms and a relaxing lounge area.

Owen’s wife Sophie, director of Studio Severn, has designed and overseen the construction of The Studio from the very beginning to ensure their vision of a bespoke facility, designed from the ground up will seamlessly cater to his members needs.

Once an old warehouse, the décor has maintained its raw and edgy feel but has been polished to create a cohesive and stylish space. Sleek and modern, The Studio is a far cry from the usual gym or training spaces, which are often sterile and unwelcoming.

In the coming year, they intend to fit out a spin room up on the mezzanine, a bespoke yoga space and also offer in-house physiotherapy suites.

The result is a stunning 13,000 sq ft training facility where Owen teaches what he calls The Studio Method, “our ethos and our own unique approach to training our members.”

“The goal was to tell people the truth about fitness...”

The Studio offers pay as you go group classes or one-to-one training sessions, too.

So – are you ready to get fit?

For more information on how The Studio can help with your training, please get in touch: Unit R01, Cardiff Bay Business Centre, Forgeside Close, Cardiff CF24 5EL Tel: 02921 675025 hello@thestudiomethod.co.uk www.thestudiomethod.co.uk or via The Studio App

www.mediaclash.co.uk I CARDIFF LIFE I 43

Music/theatre/film/more

WHEN IN ROME...

Presented by Everyman Theatre, Howard Brenton’s poetic masterpiece, The Romans in Britain, is as controversial now as it was when first staged at London’s National Theatre in 1980.

The year is 54 BC, and a young British priest is about to experience the power and depravity of the invading Roman army. Fast forward to AD 515, and two sisters struggle to cope in the post– apocalyptic world that is the fall of the Roman Empire and the Saxon conquest of England. And in 1980, a rogue SAS officer in Northern Ireland begins his mission to assassinate a local IRA cell leader — only to be confronted with visions of the past and the hunger for peace.

As these scenes bleed into one another, stumbling through fear, sorrow and oppression, Brenton suggests what it might have been like for these people to meet – heady stuff it is, too. Be warned, though: with depictions of violence, strong language and scenes of a sexual nature, it’s only suitable for ages 16+. If you’re the slightest bit prudish or squeamish, best steer clear...

Everyman Theatre’s The Romans In Britain is at Chapter from 28 February to 4 March.

For more, see chapter.org or everymantheatre.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I CARDIFF LIFE I 47

10 February – 10 March

Sinner’s Club at The Other Room; Ruby Wax offers ‘a mindfulness guide for the frazzled’; and acclaimed pianist Tamara Stefanovich

Plays/Shows/ Performance U N TI L 1 4 F E B RUARY

WASTWATER Set on the transitory fringes of Heathrow Airport, award-winning playwright Simon Stephens presents three snapshots of the private lives of those who care for our children.

Sherman Theatre; shermantheatre.co.uk U N TI L 1 6 F E B RUARY

FAULTY TOWERS: THE DINING EXPERIENCE Immersive event based on the classic BBC sitcom (the spelling of ‘Faulty’ is intentional) – chaos ensues as Basil, Sybil and Manuel try to serve a three-course meal.

Best not order the duck.

Wales Millennium Centre; wmc.org.uk

U N TI L 1 8 FE BR UAR Y

WELSH NATIONAL OPERA Puccini’s La Bohème (until 15 Feb), Madam Butterfly (until 18 Feb), and Frank Martin’s rarely seen Le Vin Herbé (16 Feb).

Wales Millennium Centre; wmc.org.uk

21-25 F EBR UAR Y

FANTASTIC MR FOX Roald Dahl’s playful, gloriumptious tale, with live music and songs.

New Theatre; newtheatrecardiff.co.uk 24 F EBR UAR Y

U N TI L 2 4 FE BR UAR Y

SINNERS CLUB Set in a drinking joint where all lost souls are welcome – your hostess has some confessions to make, songs to sing about love, jealousy and loss, and a story that will take you to hell and back...

The Other Room at Porter’s; otherroomtheatre.com 1 6 FE BRUA RY

BURTON Rhodri Miles’ exuberant, hilarious one-man show, depicting the life of Welsh actor Richard Burton in his own words.

Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama; rwcmd.ac.uk

48 I CARDIFF LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

DANCING BEAR, DANCING BEAR A show about men and women, and how we relate to each other, with immersive sound and music. Contains nudity.

Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama; rwcmd.ac.uk

Comedy 15 F EBR UARY

MARK THOMAS: THE RED SHED New show from everyone’s favourite political activist.

Sherman Theatre; shermantheatre.co.uk 24-25 F E B RUARY

ED GAMBLE Rising stand-up and Mock The Week regular, with misguided opinions and wild conjecture.

Glee Club; glee.co.uk 26 F EBR UARY

7 MAR C H

LAKMÉ Delibes’ rarely-performed French opera (sung in English) captures the ambience of the Orient seen through Western eyes, in a tale of religious tensions, conflict, heartbreak and death.

Sherman Theatre; shermantheatre.co.uk

SUE PERKINS Promising an evening of sparkling wit, tall tales and “a user’s guide to Mary Berry.”

Wales Millennium Centre; wmc.org.uk 6-7 MAR CH

RICKY GERVAIS The inimitable loudmouth

W H AT ’ S O N

ARTS

hits the road to “moan about everything in the world, from the most privileged position imaginable.”

Motorpoint Arena; livenation.co.uk 8 M ARC H

RUBY WAX: FRAZZLED! Funny, insightful thoughts, based on her bestselling book A Mindfulness Guide For The Frazzled. Sold out, so you know the usual drill...

Sherman Theatre; shermantheatre.co.uk

Other 8 M ARC H

IGNITE CARDIFF DELUXE Borne out of the regular bimonthly speaking event, a series of 12 five-minute talks from members of the public on anything and everything.

Wales Millennium Centre; wmc.org.uk

Music 1 7 F E B RUARY

UKULELE ORCHESTRA OF GREAT BRITAIN Foot-tapping music, re-imagined folk songs, twisted classical favourites and quirky rock covers – all from the humble uke.

St David’s Hall; stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk 1 8 F E B RUARY

THE HANDSOME FAMILY Established alt-country/ Americana duo.

The Globe; globecardiffmusic.com 2 6 F E B RUARY

BRIT FLOYD: PINK FLOYD IMMERSION WORLD TOUR Widely regarded as the world’s greatest live Floyd tribute.

St David’s Hall; stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk

Electro-popstrel Ani Glass plays Acapela in Pentyrch

popstrel Ani Saunders.

Acapela; acapela.co.uk 1 MA RCH

BBC NATIONAL ORCHESTRA OF WALES Celebrating the music of Wales for St David’s Day. Featuring acclaimed Welsh soprano Rebecca Evans.

St David’s Hall; stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk 3 MA RCH

CATRIN FINCH The queen of the harp, natch.

Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama; rwcmd.ac.uk 3 MA RCH

MEILYR JONES Gorgeous, angular chamber-pop from the Welsh Music Prizewinning singer.

The Gate; thegate.org.uk 4 MA RCH

DE LA SOUL Long-awaited reunion of the quirky American hip-hop trio.

Tramshed; tramshedcardiff.com

2 6 F E B RUARY

JULIAN COPE The former Teardrop Explodes frontman tours his new album, Drunken Songs.

The Globe; globecardiffmusic.com

4 MA RCH

1 M ARC H

5 MA RCH

ANI GLASS AKA Cardiff-based electronic

THE MONOCHROME SET Influential new wave/post-punk outfit, formed in 1978.

The Globe; globecardiffmusic.com TAMARA STEFANOVICH Brilliant, captivating Yugoslav-

born pianist.

Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama; rwcmd.ac.uk

18 F EB RUARY- 1 7 M ARCH

Exhibitions UNTIL 25 F EBR UAR Y

SARAH THWAITES & SALLY JAMES THOMAS Featuring new paintings from the acclaimed artists.

Martin Tinney Gallery; artwales.com UNTIL 26 F EBR UAR Y

SAHAR SAKI Contemporary jewellery designs, inspired by modern architecture.

Craft In The Bay; makersguildinwales.org.uk UNTIL 26 F EBR UAR Y 2017

ARTES MUNDI 7 International contemporary art showcase and prize.

National Museum Cardiff & Chapter; artesmundi.org UNTIL 23 AP R IL

Albany Gallery; albanygallery.com

NATURE’S SONG Traditional Chinese flower/bird paintings, spanning 600 years.

National Museum Cardiff; museumwales.ac.uk

POWER IN THE LAND Artists respond to the conundrums of nuclear power.

BayArt; bayart.org.uk 20-26 FEB RUARY

CATRIN LLWYD EVANS Abstract industrial landscapes.

Viewing by appointment only.

TEN; gallery-ten.co.uk

Family ONGOING

DOCTOR WHO EXPERIENCE Experience mind-blowing special effects, face up to Who baddies and fly the TARDIS through time and space.

Porth Teigr, Cardiff Bay; doctorwhoexperience.com

Book Now 26 MAR CH

STEWART LEE Provocative, anti-populist shtick.

Wales Millennium Centre; wmc.org.uk

16 F EBR UAR Y-11 MAR C H

MAGGIE BROWN, SIAN MCGILL AND STEPHEN JOHN OWEN New paintings from the established gallery artists.

13-15 A P RI L

LOVE, CARDIFF – A CITY ROAD STORY The story of our city’s past, present and future, told through w www.mediaclash.co.uk I CARDIFF LIFE I 49

ARTS

W H AT ’ S O N

Rising stand-up and Mock The Week regular Ed Gamble is at the Glee Club

the personal accounts of Cardiff’s City Road communities.

Sherman Theatre; shermantheatre.co.uk 2 9 APRI L

THE UNTHANKS The acclaimed Geordie folksters perform the songs and poems of Molly Drake – the mother of revered troubadour Nick Drake.

Tramshed; tramshedcardiff.com 5 M AY

IMELDA MAY Gone are the rockabilly stylings of old, replaced by a new groove of blues, soul, gospel, folk, rock, acoustica and explosive balladry.

St David’s Hall; stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk

SATU RDAY 1 8 F EBR UAR Y

CARDIFF BLUES v BENETTON TREVISO Guinness Pro12, kick-off 2.30pm.

BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park; cardiffblues.com

SATU RDAY 1 8 F EBR UAR Y

CARDIFF CITY v ROTHERHAM Sky Bet Championship, kick-off 3pm.

Cardiff City Stadium; cardiffcityfc.co.uk

SATU RDAY 2 5 F EBR UAR Y

Sport

CARDIFF CITY v FULHAM Sky Bet Championship, kick-off 3pm.

Cardiff City Stadium; cardiffcityfc.co.uk

S AT URDAY 1 1 F EBRUA RY

SATU RDAY 2 5 F EBR UAR Y

WALES v ENGLAND RBS Six Nations, kick-off 4.50pm.

Principality Stadium; principalitystadium.wales

CARDIFF DEVILS v COVENTRY BLAZE League, face-off 7pm.

Ice Arena Wales; cardiffdevils.com

S UN DAY 1 2 F E B RUA RY

CARDIFF BLUES v CONNACHT RUGBY Guinness Pro12, kick-off 5.05pm.

BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park; cardiffblues.com

SATU RDAY 4 MAR C H

CARDIFF BLUES v MUNSTER RUGBY Guinness Pro12, kick-off 5.15pm.

BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park; cardiffblues.com

S UN DAY 1 2 F E B RUA RY

CARDIFF DEVILS v NOTTINGHAM PANTHERS League, face-off 6pm.

Ice Arena Wales; cardiffdevils.com

FRI DAY 1 0 MAR C H

WALES v IRELAND RBS Six Nations, kick-off 8pm.

Principality Stadium; principalitystadium.wales

50 I CARDIFF LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

WANT MORE? Sign up now for the Cardiff Life newsletter As editor of Cardiff Life, there’s nothing I love more than drawing your attention to this great city’s choicest events, places and people.

To keep readers fully updated and clued-up about what’s happening in Cardiff, we send out a free Friday email newsletter, packed with news, tips and special offers. (Please note: no way will we share your data with any third parties. We’re just not like that!)

So if you’d like a friendly hello from us in your inbox as the weekend beckons, please sign up today: mediaclash.co.uk/cln

YOU WANT IT DARKER? YOU GOT IT… Ahead of her forthcoming show, The Carny Dream, charismatic Irish songstress CAMILLE O’SULLIVAN opens up about Bowie, darkness and light, and the allure of the circus

By H UG O BA L L

MUSIC

ARTS

coming prepared, doing all the background stuff and trying to create a magical show that’s going to fit into every type of venue that we go to. You have to have all this stuff lined up in your head – how you’re going to deal with things if it all starts falling apart.

All the groundwork is done to try and be physically and mentally strong [for the performances]. And on a physical level, learning not to go wild, not to go out drinking, not to talk too much…

Does it always go to plan?

Someone told me years ago that I had to approach these gigs like I was an athlete, but I don’t sing before I go on stage, I don’t exercise, and we’re notorious for having a glass of red wine during the show. I remember touring with The Pogues, and that’s where you see true anarchy happen. You just learn from those people – they get a quiet space at breakfast and before the gig, and then they just blow the roof off. The magic has to happen the moment you step on stage.

“The Carny Dream is a mixture of all the madness and left-of-centre people in your life,” says Camille

I REMEMBER

TOURING WITH THE POGUES...

THAT’S WHERE YOU SEE TRUE ANARCHY

HAPPEN

B

ack in town with her new show, The Carny Dream, singer and actress Camille O’Sullivan is one of Ireland’s most exciting performers. That’s no overstatement: with a formidable international reputation gained for dramatic, intense interpretations of songs by Brel, Waits, Bowie, Nick Cave, Radiohead and others, she’s a chameleon-like presence on stage, as much a storyteller as a singer, with exhilarating, spine-tingling performances that veer between utterly heart-rending and downright mischievous. Inspired by the strange, magical, dark and light world of circuses and dreams, The Carny Dream promises to be quite the carousel ride. She famously talks like an express train, and is brilliantly, disarmingly frank – hold on tight, now...

How the devil are you?

At the moment, I’m just collecting different ideas for costume and stage [for The Carny Dream], sitting by myself and thinking about how to rework a 1995 Edinburgh Fringe Festival show into a two-and-ahalf hour gig – that’s always a bit of a nightmare.

You build it one way, and you have to learn how to kind of build it again.

So how do you prepare mentally for a show like this?

I always get nervous once I book them in. I’m not someone who takes these things for granted, because I do appreciate anybody who comes out on a cold March night to see us. I still have stage nerves, so I need to have good talks with myself about enjoying the gig and not worrying about things. I suppose

You’ve talked about being very vulnerable and open on stage, and giving yourself over completely…

There’s an emotional part of it. I don’t know if it’s because of getting older, but you learn how to bring feelings of happiness or doubt on stage, not to ignore them. Sometimes in the past, when things weren’t going well in my life, those were the magical moments [on stage]. You learn not to be distressed by that, it’s a natural thing – some shows will go really well and some won’t. You don’t want that to happen, but you’re really only as good as your last show. You have to be kind to yourself and try to go with great affection and joy on a tour… I just want to bring the best show possible.

What can people expect from the show?

I think this year especially, there’s a different type of feeling, because the people I loved, the people who made me want to be a singer – like Bowie and [Leonard] Cohen – are gone now. I kind of weighed it up in my head when they passed away, I really wanted to sing their songs, but I didn’t want to bastardise it by living off their deaths and doing a tribute. But somewhere in the show there is a bit of a love letter to them. If you go in with respect and affection, I think the whole thing is that people are missing them, and it’s just lovely to be able to celebrate their music and give affection back. When I listen to those songs, I’m usually somewhere in a heap crying, or laughing, or trying to dance to them.

I just think it’s important that you interpret their music in your own way, and keep it alive.

What’s The Carny Dream about?

It’s a mixture of all the madness and left-of-centre people in your life. I love that kind of ‘outsider’ world of circus that Tom Waits creates. There’s that line from Leonard Cohen’s Anthem – which I hope to include in the show – that goes: There is a crack in everything/That’s how the light gets in. It’s what the show entails, this message that life is not what it seems, it isn’t perfect, and we’re all sometimes sailing the ship in the wrong way. w www.mediaclash.co.uk I CARDIFF LIFE I 55

T H E A L B A N Y G A L L E RY

MAGGIE BROWN, SIAN MCGILL, STEPHEN JOHN OWEN

16th February - 11th March View the exhibition on our website

www.albanygallery.com

74b Albany Road, Cardiff, CF24 3RS | T: 029 2048 7158 | E: info@albanygallery.com Gallery open: Monday-Saturday 10am-5pm, Sundays and Bank Holidays 11am-4pm

MUSIC

Bunny girl...

ARTS

Why do you find the circus so fascinating?

I think it’s the notion that circus people are misfits.

The circus is a magical place you go to as a child, and it [fits in] with the idea of not liking reality too much.

Fantasy is a really exciting thing for me, a place where you can invoke that child-like excitement in a musical gig. Circuses are magical, but there’s also something quite dark about that life. I like the idea of being a loner, because it almost mirrors the lifestyle of a musician, in a way.

SINGING THE SHIP SONG IS ALWAYS A TRIUMPHANT,

HYMNAL MOMENT... I ALWAYS GET A LITTLE CHILL WHEN I PERFORM IT

Obviously, you’ve done some incredible cover versions of songs by the likes of Bowie, Nick Cave, Nick Drake, Radiohead, Jacques Brel, Tom Waits etc – which ones are your favourites to sing live?

The person I feel most affinity with is Nick Cave. And I have a deep love of Jacques Brel, probably due to my mum and dad; and then Bowie through my sister.

Singing-wise, of course [Nick Cave’s] The Ship Song is always a triumphant, hymnal moment. It’s a very beautiful song to sing because I know it means so much to other people. I always get a little chill when I perform it. There’s another beautiful song by Dillie Keane called Look Mummy, No Hands – it’s about the loss of a mother, and it gets me every time; I can hardly get through it. Sometimes, to be present in a song, I’ll have a cinematic reel going in my head of my own personal connection to it, and why I wanted to sing it.

Just being in front of an audience is a weird thing to do, so I try to be open-hearted. I liken it to being a tiger – you’re bigger than them, but scared of them at the same time. You pretend to hide behind other people’s songs, but really, you’re expressing yourself in a way you could never do if [you were singing about] your own life. You can do [Nick Cave’s] The Mercy Seat and be quite fierce, or [Tom Waits’] Misery Is The River Of The World, where you’re completely bonkers, like a crazy drunk man. Stillness and silence between songs are really important, too.

You’ve been described as a cross between Sally Bowles, Patti Smith and PJ Harvey – how do you feel about being pigeonholed like that?

That’s a particularly fantastic one – I like that! Jesus, being compared to Patti Smith and PJ Harvey is an honour, and I’m not even sure if I’m worthy of that.

Musically, what’s inspiring you at the moment?

I’ve been listening to Pink Floyd again, and I’ve gone back to George Harrison, after seeing that brilliant Martin Scorsese documentary on him [Living In The Material World] and his Bangladesh concert – very joyful and peaceful. And Nick Cave’s recent album, Skeleton Tree, of course, and Cohen’s one [You Want It Darker]. For me, those three albums – Bowie’s [Blackstar], Cave and Cohen – just seem binded together. They’re dark, but somehow comforting and cathartic. Amongst the sadness, there’s a lot of life and beauty in there.

Camille O’Sullivan plays St David’s Hall in Cardiff on 23 March. For tickets and more info, see stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I CARDIFF LIFE I 57

FILM

ARTS

(Clockwise from left) Don’t Take Me Home, Don’t Knock Twice and The Chamber

MADE IN WALES Three ‘homegrown’ films coming up at Chapter, all made by Welsh directors

By JA M I E R E E S

W

hat better way to celebrate St David’s Day than with a look back at the heroics of the Welsh football team at Euro 2016?

Don’t Take Me Home (1 March) tells the thrilling, historic story of their incredible success at last year’s tournament. Beginning with the tragic loss of Wales manager Gary Speed, and looking at the personal challenges faced by Chris Coleman as he stepped into the shoes of his best friend, it documents the team’s fantastic run, including the semi-final that brought a nation together at a difficult time for UK and European relations. This special preview screening will also feature bonus, live-streamed additional footage.

Also part of Chapter’s homegrown season is The Chamber (10-16 March), a claustrophobic survival thriller set beneath the Yellow Sea off the coast of North Korea, where the pilot of a small submersible craft and a three-man special ops team on a secret recovery mission become trapped underwater in a fight for survival.

Director Ben Parker will be at Chapter for a post-screening Q&A on 10 March.

The final film in this trio of Welsh-made flicks is Don’t Knock Twice (31 March – 6 April), from film-maker Caradog W. James, best known for Plastic Wolves (2003), Little White Lies (2006) and The Machine (2013).

DON’T TAKE ME HOME DOCUMENTS WALES’ THRILLING, HISTORIC RUN AT EURO 2016 With a strapline of ‘Knock once to wake her from her bed, twice to raise her from the dead…’, you know you’re in for a scary night.

This tense and shocking horror tells of a mother desperate to reconnect with the daughter she abandoned, but when she becomes embroiled in the urban legend of

a demonic witch, she is forced to go further than she ever imagined possible to win back her child. There will also be a Q&A with producer John Giwa-Amu after the screening on 31 March.

Meet-and-greets with the great and good of Welsh cinema become something of a theme at Chapter in March, as BAFTA Cymru presents a session on screenwriting (8 March). To celebrate International Women’s Day, Helen Raynor (Mr Selfridge, Baker Boys, Doctor Who and Torchwood) and Cath Tregenna (Law and Order UK, Inspector Lewis, Doctor Who, The Bench and Torchwood) will be in conversation with Cardiff-based producer Laura Cotton (Touchpaper TV), talking about their approaches to screenwriting. And to top off a month of all things Welsh, Chapter is also screening every one of Wales’ Six Nations games for the first time. Result!

Chapter, 40 Market Road, Canton, Cardiff; Tel: 02920 304400, chapter.org

www.mediaclash.co.uk I CARDIFF LIFE I 59

DESIRE

def: DESIRE: a strong feeling of wanting to have something; to set one's heart on; to crave; to aspire to; to feel passion for..."

Beautiful handmade kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms and more...

3 Bessemer Close Workshops, Cardiff CF11 8DL telephone: 029 2023 3308 | www.chalkhouseinteriors.co.uk

1

2

3

SEEING RED

4

IN HONOUR OF THE WELSH BOYS AT THE SIX NATIONS, OF COURSE – GO WALES!

5

1. TIME FOR TEE

2. PRIMER TIME

3. HAIR TODAY

4. GIVE US A SWIRL

5. PERK LIFE

Straight Outta Cymru t-shirt, £15.99 Wear with pride From I Loves The ’Diff; ilovesthediff.com

The Ladybird Book of Red Tape, £6.99 A soothing, brilliantly funny reminder of simpler times From Waterstones, 2A The Hayes, Cardiff; waterstones.com

Bumble and bumble Sumowax, £23 (50ml) Strong hold and texture for modern cuts, it says here From Central Pharmacy, 63-67 Wellfield Road, Roath; escentual.com

Svaja scarlet orchid plate, £210 Yep, £210 – well, each one is handmade from glass.

Best not eat your corn flakes out of it, then...

From John Lewis, St David’s Dewi Sant, Cardiff; johnlewis.com

Welsh mug, £8 It means ‘good coffee’ – we’ll drink to that!

From Home By Kirsty, 16 Castle Arcade, Cardiff; homebykirsty.com

64 I CARDIFF LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

ED’S CHOICE

SHOPPING

6 8

7

9

10

6. BURNING UP

7. PIN SOME, LOSE SOME

8. HEAD FIRST

9. BUTTON IT

10. ESPRESSO YOURSELF

Acqua Di Parma large cube candle, £70 Scented with invigorating spice, and you get around 60 hours of burn time – as epic as candles get From Central Pharmacy, 63-67 Wellfield Road, Roath; escentual.com

Badges, £3 (per set of 4) Essential accessories for ’Diff ambassadors From I Loves The ’Diff; ilovesthediff.com

Grey Roulette beret, £250 Dame Viv’s abstract view of the financial system...

From Vivienne Westwood; 55 The Hayes, Cardiff; viviennewestwood.com

Anglomania classic shirt, £140 Inspired by teenage subcultures, outsiders and rebellious youths From Vivienne Westwood; 55 The Hayes, Cardiff; viviennewestwood.com

KitchenAid pour over coffee brewer, £179 It even features 24-hour programming, natch From Kitchens; 14 High Street, Cardiff; kitchenscookshop.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk II CLIFTON CARDIFF LIFE LIFE II 65 www.mediaclash.co.uk 69

SHOPPING

FA S H I O N

DATE NIGHT Whether it’s a first date, a rekindled one, or The One, here are some pointers and top tips on delectable dressing from St David’s Cardiff – because dates aren’t just for Valentine’s!

I

f you’ve got a much-anticipated rendezvous coming up but don’t know what to wear, the best thing to do is keep it ‘smart casual’, but this in-between look can often be difficult to achieve. The key to channelling casual chic is to rock a classic pair of boots with a flirty dress – we adore the Joan dress from Vivienne Westwood. Pair it with MICHAEL Michael Kors suede ankle boots, a killer bag and All Saints’ leather biker jacket to really rock your look.

If ‘smart casual’ won’t work for what you’ve got planned – we’re talking really hot date – the only thing to do is to pull out all the stops. With its optical illusion vibe, Reiss’ über-stylish, figure-hugging Cedrica plisse dress will have heads turning and jaws dropping. Wear it with Kurt Geiger’s striking Mayfair tie-up court shoes and a bit of slick red lippy and you’ll feel invincible.

The Little Black Dress is a firm favourite in everybody’s wardrobe, but this year, there’s an alternative black dress to ensure that you’re looking hot to trot for your tempting tryst. We love All Saint’s Elie dress: style it with Kurt Geiger’s Bond ultraslim high-heel court shoes and Vivienne Westwood’s Siva zip pouch, and you’ll have your fellow fashionistas green with envy – and your date head-over-heels!

All items available at St David’s Dewi Sant in Cardiff at the time of writing. To keep up to date with the latest trends, news and offers, see St David’s on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter (@StDavidsCardiff), or online at stdavidscardiff.com 68 I CARDIFF LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Bell-sleeved floral mockneck dress, £160; Black Ava extrasmall Crystal crossbody, £195; black Whitely suede ankle boots, £170; all by MICHAEL Michael Kors

FA S H I O N

SHOPPING

3 4

2

1

5

6

7 9 8

10

1. Karen Millen soft tailoring pleat dress, £170 2. Vivienne Westwood Pink Virginia dress, £295 3. Vivienne ienne Westwood Siva zip pouch, £75 4. All Saints Higgens lux leather biker jacket, £455 5. Kurt Geiger leather croc print bag, £85 6. Karen Millen leather drape front jacket, £350 7. Vivienne Westwood Joan dress, £465 8. All Saints black Elie dress, £148 9. Reiss Cedrica plisse dress, £195 10. Kurt Geiger Mayfair tie-up court shoes, £180 www.mediaclash.co.uk I CARDIFF LIFE I 69

L E I S U R E ad v ertisi n g feat u re

MakING waves Keep your boisterous brood entertained this half-term by paying a visit to the Bay, Cardiff International White Water (CIWW) and beyond...

T

ake a bracing, scenic stroll along Cardiff Bay Barrage, which boasts panoramic sea views, free exhibitions, a children’s play area, skate plaza and adiZone outdoor gym. You can also snap some family selfies with the Enormous Crocodile, an animated bench installed to mark the Roald Dahl centenary celebrations.

Or get even closer to the water and embark on a boat ride to tranquil Flat Holm. Learn about the island’s fascinating history on a guided tour,

explore its abundant wildlife, and call in for a drink at the cosy Gull and Leek, Wales’ most southerly pub. To book your boat places for Sunday 19 February, go to visitflatholm.co.uk.

Located a stone’s throw away from the city centre, with free parking, CIWW offers exhilarating activities for all ages and abilities. Family rafting is the ideal way to dip your toes into the thrills and spills of the white water course, with the level and speed of the water lowered to enable children as young as six to take part. With up to six people in a raft, riding the rapids is guaranteed to inject some fun into your family time.

Suitable for beginners, as well as board sport enthusiasts, Indoor Wave is open for bodyboarding all year round – perfect for when the weather outside is at its worst! The world renowned FlowRider® machine features a double lane design, so that family and friends can show off their new-found skills together.

Those who aren’t fans of watersports can get their kicks from the Air Trail high rope, steel and timber course, which towers above the white

The Whites Dental Centre Assisting your dental needs.

Dr Pamela White BDS GDC 52754 Dr Matthew White BDS GDC 52753 Ian Seddon BDS GDC 64868 (Practice Limited to Dental Implants) The Whites Dental Centre in association with Seddon Dental Implant Practice Ltd. 3 Station Road Radyr, Cardiff CF15 8AA

Tel 02920843658 info@white-smile.net www.white-smile.net

Limited to private practice.

water. Both children and adults love tackling the challenge of the Burma Bridge, Monkey Swing, Barrel Crawl and Zip Wire obstacles.

Sessions cost from £10 to £35 per person; age and height restrictions apply. For more information, go to www.ciww.com

BREAD OF

HEAVEN Rugby player-turned-baker NICK MACLEOD on his exciting new venture – running Cardiff’s One Mile Bakery

By A M Y GR E Y

E

ver since he signed to what was then Cardiff Rugby Club (now Cardiff Blues) when he was 18, Nick Macleod occasionally wondered what he would do when his playing days were over. “You hope you’ll have a long and happy career, and retire at the point you want to,” he explains. “But you also know you are only one bad injury away from having to retire, so it’s something you do think about.”

Now living back in Cardiff and playing for The Dragons after almost a decade in Manchester playing for Sale, the 33-year old fly-half is making plans for when he finally hangs up his rugby boots. Floury plans.

When not training, playing or travelling to games, Macleod is using every day off and scraps of time in the evening to develop a new career which he hopes will prove a smooth transition from the demanding, high pressure world of being a professional sportsman.

On a part-time basis for now, and running alongside his rugby commitments, he has just launched the second Cardiff branch of the hugely successful One Mile Bakery. As with the original home-based micro-bakery based in Canton, Macleod will deliver homemade bread, soups and jams by bike within a mile radius of his home in Rhiwbina, and will teach a wide range of baking classes there. That’s quite a change of direction, I suggest. “It’s not so much of a leap,” he says, “because it’s something I’ve always done alongside rugby, being passionate about food and in the last decade or so, getting really into baking bread.”

72 I CARDIFF LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

BAKING

I GREW UP IN HOUSEHOLDS WHERE PEOPLE GREW VEGETABLES, HERBS AND SALADS, AND MADE THEIR OWN BREAD

FOOD

One Mile Bakery founder Elisabeth Mahoney and rugby player-turned-OMB baker Nick Macleod

A childhood steeped in homegrown, seasonal food made from scratch, in both his grandmothers’ kitchens and his parents’ house, ignited a passion for cooking at about the same age as he realised he wanted to play rugby.

He started playing in the Under-6s team at Rhiwbina R.C. and steadily worked his way up through youth teams, but that sporting story is also peppered with early memories that centre around good food – and homemade bread. “I remember seeing my dad’s mum in her kitchen, buttering bread ridiculously thickly on the end of the loaf before she cut each slice,” he recalls.

“I was lucky – I grew up in households where people grew vegetables, herbs and salads, and made their own bread.”

Certain dishes were key family traditions: his dad’s famously good potato and leek soup (which has inspired an exclusive new bread recipe – see overleaf ) is served at family gatherings, and Macleod continues this ethos at home with his wife Hayley and their two young children. w

www.mediaclash.co.uk I CARDIFF LIFE I 73

FOOD

BAKING

A fine-looking poppy seed plait

But can baking a loaf, or teaching someone else how to, ever really match scoring that vital try that wins a match? “They’re obviously different, but you’re under a huge amount of pressure in both,” he says. “In rugby, it’s obvious why, but I’m in a team – 15 mates with a shared sense of responsibility, however it goes. But with making food to deliver to people in person, or making sure people have an absolutely fantastic time learning to bake in my kitchen, I’m on my own and I get the same nerves as I do before a big game. Even though it’s early days, I’m really enjoying running the baking business and get a massive sense of achievement out of it, which is similar to how you feel out on the pitch.”

One Mile Bakery is a small-scale business rooted very much in local communities. So what’s it like launching his next career in Rhiwbina, where he grew up with a passion for both rugby and good, wholesome food? “It’s where I’m from, and where my parents still live,” he says. “Plus it’s where Hayley’s sister has moved to, so she has a connection there, too. It’s got a fantastic sense of community, and is a brilliant environment for young families. Since I’ve moved back, I’ve met up with lots of friends I was at junior school with. Like me, they’d left the area to go away to university or for work, and now I see them picking their kids up at the school gates.”

I guess those old friends spotted the rugby talent at a very young age, but now they will see a different talent as Macleod delivers the sort of food that really matters to him on the streets he grew up in – the start of a whole new adventure.

74 I CARDIFF LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

I’M REALLY

ENJOYING RUNNING THE

BAKING

BUSINESS – I GET A

MASSIVE SENSE OF ACHIEVEMENT OUT OF IT Focaccia to die for!

RECIPE

FOOD

Caramelised leek & potato bread A wonderfully hearty loaf from One Mile Bakery’s NICK MACLEOD – perfect for St David’s Day

M

ade with great Welsh ingredients, this is a robust and tasty loaf, with a hint of sweetness from the caramelised leeks and a lovely light texture from the addition of potato. Perfect to accompany soup, great with cheese and even good as a sandwich bread. It’s also ideal for using up that last bit of leftover mash!

Ingredients: 500g strong white bread flour (try Talgarth or Bacheldre Watermill) 100g potato, peeled and roughly chopped 100g caramelised leeks 10g Halen Mon salt 15g fresh yeast (or 7g instant/5g dried) 325g tepid water 1 tbsp Blodyn Aur rapeseed oil Knob of Welsh butter A dusting of coarse semolina, for your baking tray

Method:

1. Bring a pan of water to the boil then add the potatoes. Cook until soft but not falling apart.

2. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid, and leave to steam for a minute or so, to get rid of some of the moisture, then mash and leave to cool. Alternatively, use up some leftover mashed potato.

3. Heat a frying pan on a medium heat, then add the oil, butter and leeks and cook gently for 15-20 minutes to soften and caramelise a little. Season and set aside to cool.

4. Weigh out all the dry ingredients into a bowl, add 325g of the reserved potato water (or 325g of fresh water, if using leftover mash). Mix thoroughly to bring it all together.

5. Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 10-12 minutes, or if using a mixer, 8-10 minutes. (NB: this is quite a sticky dough, so be prepared – but try not to add in any more flour!)

6. Return the dough to the bowl, cover and leave in a warm place to rise for an

hour or until it has doubled in size.

7. Turn out your dough onto a lightly floured surface and mould into your desired loaf shape. Place into a wellfloured proving basket (seam side up), or into a well-greased 2lb tin. Cover again and leave for another hour in a warm place to double in size.

8. Preheat the oven to as hot as it will go while the bread proofs. After an hour, upturn the dough out of the proofing basket (if using) onto a baking tray lined with coarse semolina. If using a tin, it’s ready to go into the oven as it is. Slash the top of your dough and spray with water.

9. Bake at full temperature for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 220ºC/425ºF/ Gas Mark 7. Check that you have a hollow sound when you tap the loaf on the underside. If not, pop it back in directly onto the shelf for another 5 minutes, then take it out of the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for as long as you can resist!

For more: onemilebakery.com, Twitter: @OneMileBakery

www.mediaclash.co.uk I CARDIFF LIFE I 75

FOOD & DRINK W H AT ’ S M A K I N G T H E G O U R M E T N E W S I N C A R D I F F

OFFALLY GOOD Food Adventure teams up with award-winning charcuterie Charcutier Ltd for unique butchery and charcuterie classes

A ‘pizza’ the action: Dusty Knuckle owner Phill Lewis

KNUCKLING DOWN

The series of classes from Food Adventure, which offers inspirational tours, classes and experiences with some of Wales’ best food and drink producers, chefs and restaurants, includes sausage-making, making your own bacon, nose-totail eating – an offal masterclass – and more (see foodadventure.co.uk for dates). The latter class, at Penderyn Distillery, is led by Charcutier’s Illtud Llyr Dunsford, whose family have been rearing, curing and air-drying meats at their farm in the Gwendraeth Valley for centuries. It includes five hours of butchery, and participants will learn how to make their own paté and black pudding.

Says Carol Adams, MD of Food Adventure: “Book one of our exciting 2017 tours and you will get to go behind the scenes to learn from Wales’s very finest – as well as enjoy their products.

These are truly unique experiences that you can only enjoy through Food Adventure.”

For more: foodadventure.co.uk

Founder of wood-fire pizza company Dusty Knuckle trades his way to Naples As we write, Dusty Knuckle’s Phill Lewis is trading his way from Cardiff to Naples, the home of pizza, to raise money for not-for-profit food education organisation Slow Food International.

Starting off with just one sack of flour, a case of tomatoes and a box of cheese, he will use the pizza sales from each day to progress to the next location and add any profit to his final total.

The route will cover approximately 2,000 miles, taking him across the UK and France, before entering Italy via the Alps and travelling south through Turin, the birthplace of Slow Food, and

Top chef Lee Skeet

down the East coast to Rome, finishing in Naples. Phill will visit various local suppliers en route, picking up different ingredients for the pizzas during the epic journey.

“Slow Food’s ethos is exactly what we like to promote at Dusty Knuckle,” said Phill. “We are passionate about local produce and good quality food, encouraging customers to ask us questions and scrutinise our ingredients.

We want people to be curious and care about where their food comes from, how it was made and who made it.”

For more: @dusty_knuckle, slowfood.com

Carol Adams (Food Adventure) with Illtud Llyr Dunsford and Liesel Taylor from Charcutier Ltd

THE SKEET GOES ON Acclaimed chef Lee Skeet brings his latest supper clubs to Cardiff Having worked for the likes of Gordon Ramsay and Marcus Wareing, the former head chef of London’s Michelinstarred Hedone is returning to Cardiff to collaborate with craft beer bar BrewDog on a series of five supper clubs, having held two sell-out events there last year.

The Sunday lunch and dinner events (to be held on 12 March, 2 April, 7 May, 4 June and 2 July) cost £40 per head and include

a multi-course tasting menu featuring quality produce sourced from Lee’s native Cornwall. Previous dishes have included oysters baked with bone marrow and parsley butter; barbecued lamb belly, clams and seaweed; slow-cooked turbot, mussels and nori sauce; and roast Cornish duck, carrots cooked in duck fat and lobster sauce.

Count us in!

For more: leeskeet.com

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R E S TA U R A N T

FOOD

Porro Tom Furlong and Gwyn Myring’s second Porro restaurant opened in Roath towards the end of last year, to much fanfare – but will it match the roaring success of their original Llandaff venue?

By H UG O BA L L Photo s by OW E N M AT H I A S

I

t’s a couple of years or so ago that we first gushed about the original Porro restaurant in Llandaff, then a much-anticipated new venture from The Potted Pig chefs/co-owners Tom Furlong and Gwyn Myring. So the pair’s second branch of Porro, which opened towards the end of last year on Wellfield Road in Roath, is reason enough to get excited. Very excited.

As with the Llandaff venue, the decor is striking – once again, they’ve gone big on exposed brickwork, vintage wooden panels and dark teal leather banquettes. And you can’t go far wrong with a bit of Miles Davis’ A Kind Of Blue, tooting gently along as background jazz. Nice.

Reflecting Tom and Gwyn’s passion for modern British and Italian food, Porro – the name means ‘leek’ in Italian, a clever nod to its Welsh roots – uses seasonal, local and independently-sourced produce on its small, regularly changing menu.

A humble restaurant, serving good, simple, tasty fare, there’s nothing overblown about what Porro does, just a focus on great ingredients and dishes that let their natural flavours shine: Puglian burrata with basil pesto, cherry vine tomatoes and parmesan, for example; roast saddle of rabbit on wet polenta with black cabbage and olives; and pizza salsicce, made with Lazio sausage, fennel, chilli, buffalo mozzarella and rocket, to name just three.

Appetite duly whetted, we kick off with a trio of delicious pork shoulder croquettes – so good, you can almost taste the provenance of the pig – served with a punchy salsa verde. It’s followed by starters proper: I can’t resist the fritto misto, and by gum, it’s good, one of the best

THIS IS FOOD OF THE GODS – A RAINY NIGHT IN CARDIFF SUDDENLY FEELS LIKE SUMMER IN THE MED

I can remember – a pile of lightly battered, deep-fried, delicate whitebait, squid, fat mussels etc, still tasting of the sea, well-seasoned and served with a simple wedge of lemon and good, garlicky aioli. Food of the gods. It might be a wet night in Cardiff, but it suddenly feels like summer in the Med. Dining chum Carl’s roast pumpkin tortellini is top-notch, too, the sage butter and parmesan a great savoury foil for the pumpkin’s natural sweetness. We both get FOMO and start unceremoniously sticking our forks into each other’s plates.

As we wait for mains, Carl strikes up a fascinating and animated conversation about foraging mushrooms and truffles with cheery, charming front-of-house chap Paolo.

Paolo clearly knows his stuff and is happy to chat, and in the end we kind of agree to go truffle-hunting together.

You don’t get that in Strada.

Mains, when they arrive, are equally flawless: Carl’s linguine al granchio – crab with chilli and zucchini – with just the right balance of white and brown crabmeat and well-judged chilli heat; and my free range loin of pork, with pancetta, cannellini beans and gremolata, is the business – there’s a nice crust on the meat, the beans are soft and garlicky, and best of all, they’re not shy with the salt. House fries are glorious, and remind me of the more-ish homemade chips I had as a kid; and a green salad with artichoke and fennel – although a bit light on the fennel – cuts nicely through it all.

We squeeze in puds, of course, and they’re spot-on: a flourless dark chocolate torte with salted caramel choc sauce is as rich and gooey as it sounds, turning the choc factor up to the max. And a vanilla pannacotta – delicate, velvety, with premium wobble and the merest hint of sweetness – served with poached, fresh-as-you-like rhubarb and a light shortbread crumble, is a majestic and truly fitting end to the most indulgent of feasts, a sure sign that Porro is in the rudest of health. Salute!

DINING DETAILS Porro, 57 Wellfield Road, Roath, Cardiff CF24 3PA; Tel: 02922 402200, porrocardiff.com Opening hours Mon-Sat 8.30am-9.30pm (breakfast 8.3011.30am, lunch noon-5pm, dinner 5.30-9.30pm); Sun 9.30am-3.30pm Prices Snacks £4, starters from £6, mains from £7, desserts from £4 Vegetarian choice Some really good, tempting options Child-friendly? Absolutely – families are very welcome Wine list Excellent, independently-sourced varieties Service/atmosphere Fast, friendly, unflappable service; quiet on the night we dined, but much buzzier at weekends – book ahead!

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F O O D & D R I N K ad v ertisi n g feat u re

SUSHI'S THE ONE! In the mood for fresh, tasty, beautifully presented Japanese sushi?

Then you'll need to head over to new Cardiff eatery Sushi Life...

S

ushi dining is nothing new for Cardiff, but new eatery Sushi Life, on Wellfield Road, offers the best ingredients at prices that are affordable and easy to digest.

The business was set up by Corneliu Chiriac from Romania, who has a real passion for Japanese food, having worked alongside top sushi masterchefs at the famous Tokyo Hut, and at Yakitori in Cardiff Bay. The food at Sushi Life is as good as sushi gets. With years of experience under his belt, Corneliu has created a menu that uses only the finest, freshest ingredients.

80 I CARDIFF LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

“Good eating, good drinking, and good vibes” He's come up with a range of offerings that taste as good as they look, including favourites such as chicken katsu curry and crunchy California maki rolls.

Striving to create the same great tastes from his past experiences, at a price that everyone can afford and enjoy, Corneliu promises good eating, good drinking and good vibes in a relaxing diner, for anyone who wants to eat in or take away. Sushi fans will love it!

Sushi Life, Unit 5, The Globe Centre, Wellfield Road, Cardiff CF24 3PE Tel: 02920 459703 Facebook: SushiLifeCardiff Twitter: @SushilifeCDF

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P R O P E R T Y advertisi n g feat u re

LUXE LIVING Retirement to a brand new, contemporary Waterstone Homes property brings about a life of luxury, but no rest for CBE Geraint Davies

A

pproaching retirement can bring about a mixture of feelings, from fear of the unexpected to excitement at what the future holds. But for many, with children having left the home and more time on their hands, the move signals the perfect opportunity to focus on themselves and consider investing in their dream home.

For Geraint and Rachel Davies from Penarth, there were no feelings of trepidation. When they retired in 2013, the couple knew exactly what they wanted to do, and put house-hunting at the top of their agenda.

Having raised their family in a traditional 19th-century home in Penarth, Geraint and Rachel wanted a more modern lifestyle, so they swapped their £630,000 Victorian abode for a luxury five-bedroom Waterstone Homes property (worth £740,000), just one mile down the road in equally sought-after Dinas Powys.

Their former home, a six-bedroom, threestorey semi-detached property with an acre of land, was once an ideal dwelling for their children when they were growing up, but with changing requirements, the couple found themselves desiring more internal space and a newer, more modern and luxurious feel.

While searching for that perfect new home, Geraint visited one of Waterstone Homes’ show homes in Radyr in 2015, and the appeal of the luxury finish, with a designer en-suite and dressing room offered as standard, quickly planted the seed for the big move.

The couple, who have been married for 24 years, knew exactly what they wanted for their new home – to find something exciting.

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Says Geraint: “We wanted to stay in the area, we wanted quality and we didn't want to be stuck in the middle of dozens of similar-looking houses – that would never suit us.”

That "something exciting" turned out to be a new build at the Chapters development in Dinas Powys, by luxury South Wales property developer, Waterstone Homes.

“A brand new house with a customisable specification offers a blank canvas for us to turn the home into exactly what we want," says Geraint. "We looked at a number of new builds but nothing was comparable.”

A modern home with lots of light, the property offers the retirees much more room than their previous abode, lots of entertaining space and a new sense of style, with a vaulted ceiling and modern, adaptable living spaces. There is also a kitchen and master bedroom that are double the size of those in their former home, plus a separate shower room, four double bedrooms, a sizeable garden and a double garage.

Although retired, Geraint still undertakes a number of non-executive directorships and

charity work. His busy lifestyle means that a home office will be a top priority, so design work for a study is already underway.

“That’s the benefit of a new build – moving into an empty space means we can easily tailor it how we like," he says. "We’re going to turn one bedroom into my study and another will become our music room.

“It’s been a long time coming but finally making the move to our new home is the best decision we’ve made. For any others thinking about moving in their later lives, whether that’s due to children leaving home, retirement looming, or your first grandchild being born miles away, my advice would be to just do it, and enjoy your time away from work in the home of which you’ve always dreamed.”

For more information please visit: www.waterstonehomes.com

Shake-ups/launches/successes/promotions

CA R D I FF G E T S S ER I O US

QUOTE OF THE ISSUE The new Cardiff BID team: Emily Cotterill, Carolyn Brownell and Adrian Field

THE BIG STORY

ON THE RISE New team appointed to lead Cardiff Business Improvement District (BID) The business-led initiative, aimed at developing Cardiff city centre, has selected an experienced new management team to ensure that the city gets the maximum benefit from the project. The Cardiff BID will invest £7.5m into the city over the next five years, in a series of new developments that will help in the transformation of the city, involving over 700 businesses and organisations.

The team will be led by executive director Adrian Field, an award-winning practitioner who has built a reputation as an influential and respected BID leader. “My first priority for the Cardiff BID is that we hit the ground running and ensure that people are engaged from the start,” he said. “There is a lot that can be achieved in Cardiff but it’s vital we work closely with local businesses, Cardiff Council and South Wales Police. I’m looking forward to getting to the heart of the city and making sure that it continues to thrive.”

Carolyn Brownell, meanwhile – a Cardiff University graduate, also with a proven track record of working with BIDs – has been appointed as marketing and communications manager.

And project co-ordinator Emily Cotterill, another Cardiff graduate, joins from the Winchester BID, where she was recognised as a High Street Hero, winning the Great British High Street Awards ‘Under25’ category in testament to her role as the driving force behind Winchester Fashion Week.

“To have a team of this calibre running our BID shows that Cardiff is serious about this project,” said BID chair Simon Phillips. “Adrian, Carolyn and Emily are all extremely experienced and talented individuals and I have no doubt that as a team they will help Cardiff city centre thrive.”

For more: cardiffbid.com

“WE WERE TRENDING ON TWITTER, SUCH WAS THE EXCITEMENT GENERATED...”

Ooh, who created a bit of a #Twitterstorm?

Find out on page 86…

£83.7m THE BIG NUMBER

That’s how much an exciting new development near Cardiff will cost Turn to page 86 for more...

Got a business news story for us? Email vel.ilic@mediaclash.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I CARDIFF LIFE I 85

BUSINESS INSIDER

BREAKING NEWS

SUPER SIX

Our pick of the most exciting, intriguing and important local business stories happening right now…

FINALISTS REVEALED! Cardiff Life Awards,” said Steph Dodd, event manager of Cardiff Life’s publisher, MediaClash. “Each year, the businesses of Cardiff set a new record – and each year, we aim to deliver an amazing event. We just can’t wait for Awards night! Nothing beats being there, of course...”

Our sponsors are Cardiff Airport (headline sponsor), Parkhouse Jewellers, Park Plaza, Cardiff Blues, W&ST, Martyn Prowel Solicitors, Genero, Chapel 1877, Capital FM and Stills. Associate sponsors include Slater & Gordon, Cardiff and Vale College, Leekes and Vetro Recruitment.

The all-important finalists for this year’s Cardiff Life Awards are unveiled on pages 51-53, and excitement is mounting ahead of Cardiff’s biggest-ever business awards.

A massive – and late! – surge took the nominations to the highest-ever level, just shy of 300. And on the Grand Reveal Day, the Awards were trending on Twitter, such was the excitement generated. Tickets are available for the big night at City Hall on 16 March, to be hosted by rugby legend Nigel Owens. And all finalists and sponsors are invited to a new Awards reception event, set to take place at Kuku Club on 27 February.

“We are absolutely thrilled with the level of support we’re having for the

ICC IS GO!

SEEING RED

Ken Skates and Sir Terry Matthews (chairman, Celtic Manor Resort) with Stephen Bowcott (chief executive, Sisk Group) and Stuart Allison (NatWest)

86 I CARDIFF LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Jo and Mel from Penylan Pantry, winners of the Café category in 2016 – who will win this year?

For more: cardifflifeawards.co.uk, @CardiffLifeAwds

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Funding details have been agreed to build the £83.7m International Convention Centre Wales at Celtic Manor Resort.

Construction on the new ICC Wales will begin in March after funding details were agreed between the Welsh Government, Celtic Manor Resort and NatWest.

With a total development cost of £83.7m, the centre will be capable of accommodating up to 5,000 delegates, with a total floor space exceeding 26,000 square metres, and is expected to open for business in June 2019.

1

The centre will house a 1,500-seat auditorium and a 4,000 square metre exhibition hall, set to be the largest pillarfree ballroom in Europe.

Said Ken Skates, Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure: “This will be a major asset for Wales, enabling us to compete with any venue in the UK – and indeed Europe – to attract and host key events that make a huge contribution to the economy.”

For more: iccwales.com

After a hugely successful 2016, in which it welcomed over 2.5 million visitors through its doors – a 5% increase on the previous year – Cardiff’s entertainment destination, The Red Dragon Centre, has kick-started its 20th anniversary year with a £250,000 investment in its facilities. Upgrades will include lighting and facades above its key restaurant and leisure outlets, and a modern new graphic on which to project scenes and images for key events and activities. Work on the project is being undertaken by Blachere Illumination UK, and is set for completion in March.

“This latest investment is set to further enhance our fantastic visitor experience, and we’re looking forward to seeing the project unfold as we head into this important year in the Centre’s history,” said Emma Constantinou, Red Dragon’s marketing manager. “We have a host of exciting plans in place – it’s going to be a bumper year!”

For more: thereddragoncentre.co.uk

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A big year ahead for The Red Dragon Centre

BUSINESS INSIDER

THE NEXT GENERATION Cardiff arts centre Chapter will be able to run a series of industry-led film-making masterclasses for young people, thanks to funding from the Brainwave Trust.

The three-year project will teach groups of young people aged 13-19 aspects of filmmaking such as animation, cinematography, scriptwriting and more.

Participants will then make their own short films, which will go up against submissions from other young people in a series of awards named after the

late Ewart Parkinson OBE, the highlyrespected city planner and engineer.

“Chapter is delighted to have received this generous donation from the Brainwave Trust,” said Chapter’s Development Director Elaina Johnson.

“Ewart played a pivotal role in shaping Cardiff as we know it, and we’re delighted to be carrying out this work in his name.”

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For more: chapter.org

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Nick James, director of Moginie James

Helpfulpeeps co-founders Simon Hills and Saf Nazeer

HELLO, PEEPS! Helpfulpeeps, a brand new social network borne from a belief that life is better when we help each other, is coming to Cardiff.

Founded by Saf Nazeer and Simon Hill, the network is on a mission to bring back community spirit in this digital age, in an increasingly disconnected world.

Since launching in Bristol last year, they have grown Helpfulpeeps into an online community of 15,000 members sharing their time, energy, skills and

4

(Above) Chapter chair Elin Wyn, Pauline Lomax (Brainwave Trust), Matt Beere (Chapter) and David Skilton (Brainwave Trust)

knowledge, and they have a simple ethos: ‘Ask for help when you want and help others when you can’.

Said co-founder Saf Nazeer: “We’re excited to launch in Cardiff because it was amongst the top 10 kindest cities in the UK. And with its proximity to Bristol, where we already have 15,000 members, it just seemed like the logical choice.”

For more:helpfulpeeps.com

HOUSE CALL Leading Cardiff independent estate agency, Moginie James, has got the year off to a flying start after being ranked in the top 1% of all estate agents in the country.

The company was rated as the sixth best agency in the UK (from a total of 10,900 agents) for customer service by rateragent.co.uk – which provides honest reviews on estate and lettings agents by customers and clients – and was also ranked first in both Cardiff and Wales.

“It’s so rewarding to receive acknowledgement that we’re doing a good job,” said Moginie James MD Nick James. “Over the last few years, the house buying/selling process has seen dramatic changes, particularly the emphasis on digital platforms. We have embraced this new way of working, and recently launched an online instant valuation service which has proved to be a great tool, resulting in increased valuations.”

For more:moginiejames.co.uk

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BUSINESS INSIDER

THE BIZ Q&A

EXTRAVAGAUZA With a clear eye for the contemporary, interior designers MIKE & JOANNA GAUZA from Extravagauza talk ‘Attractive Minimalism’ and why Cardiff is such a cool place to work What is it that sets Extravagauza apart?

Mike: Timelessness, elegance, quality craftsmanship. We provide our clients with a complete solution that goes beyond the limits of traditional interior design. Our mission is to create something uniquely beautiful; minimalism with a pinch of extravagance – ‘Attractive Minimalism’ as we call it. Audrey Hepburn once said “Elegance is the only beauty that never fades”, and we want our designs to be eternal classics.

How’s business for you at the moment?

Joanna: Business is good, especially taking into consideration the huge political shake-up last year. We’ve had opportunities to work with some truly amazing people, and our unique style was highly commented on and appreciated by those who love elegance. This year is shaping up to be even more busy and exciting.

What excites you the most about the world of interiors right now?

M: Increased integration of new technology within design is going to bring us possibilities that we couldn’t have dreamt of 10 years ago. Interior design has already

become multi-disciplinary, as user-driven technological advances have changed almost every area of human life, whether that’s in the home or at the office.

Why is Cardiff such a good place to work?

M: Cardiff is one of the UK’s top-ranked cities for quality of life. It’s a great place to be – from a designer’s perspective, it’s so beautifully laid-out, with diverse areas radiating out from the city centre, and some of the best city parkland in the UK. What do you enjoy most about what you do?

J: The fact that you can really improve peoples’ lives. The space around us is as important to our overall well-being as healthy nutrition or regular exercise.

Cluttered, badly-designed spaces over time develop frustration, anxiety and stress. We create minimal, Zen spaces with a subtle extravagant touch, and a sense of sanctuary amidst the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Who do you admire most in interiors/business?

M: Dieter Rams, John Pawson and David Chipperfield, to name just a few. They are true examples that less is more, that

simplicity can be truly special and timeless. Minimalism shouldn’t be perceived as a sacrifice but as an opportunity, a blank canvas to fill with your story.

Greatest professional achievement to date?

M: It would have to be the opportunity to work with Northacre, one of the most prestigious developers in London.

Absolutely great experience and many very valuable lessons.

Best bit of advice you could give a young person keen to enter the interiors industry?

J: This might be good advice to anyone, really – it’s very important to develop a habit of learning something interesting and new every single day. Stay curious, attend themed exhibitions and networking events; locally, nationally and worldwide. Talk to people, listen and analyse. The sky’s the limit once you have a certain attitude and mindset.

If you weren’t working in interiors, what other field would you be in?

J: We hate being bored, so we would definitely have figured out something! For instance, we have

recently set up a blog which has won a few awards. We also have plans to start an online shop this year, which will feature carefully selected products from designers and craftsmen.

Favourite place for business lunch or dinner in Cardiff?

M: We love Le Bistrot Pierre for something French and a good bottle of wine. The Custom House is great for seafood, which we absolutely adore. And Coffee #1, Barker Tea House and Artigiano for more casual meetings.

Finally, surprise us with a little-known fact about yourself…

J: For me, ‘Attractive Minimalism’ has one extra layer. Back in 2015, I had huge health issues due to the fact that I was badly overweight – I had to change my life dramatically.

Since then, I’ve lost nearly seven stone and have never felt better. Attractive Minimalism changed my life in so many ways, I would recommend the same principle to anyone – declutter your life from anything that holds you back, whatever it might be!

For more: extravagauza.co.uk

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CHAMBERS ESTATE AGENTS: Why sell with us?

Our numbers speak for themselves....

92

17

Average Number of Enquiries Per Property

88

Average Number of Days on the Market

Percent of Properties Sold Following An Open House Event

29

£285,769 Agreed in Whitchurch

287

Average Number of Instructions Per Month

Active Buyers Registered

MOST

Average Sale Price

6

11

Average Number of Viewers at Open House Events

1

*

LEAST

* who went on to buy it!

35 Merthyr Road, Whitchurch, Cardiff CF14 1DB T: 029 20522106 F: 029 20522660 E: info@chambersestateagents.co.uk www.chambersestateagents.co.uk

Number of Properties Live

PROPERTY

SHOWCASE

QUINCE COTTAGE 92 I CARDIFF LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

SHOWCASE

PROPERTY

An exceptional five-bedroom home in the Vale of Glamorgan, significantly extended and thoroughly modernised throughout.

Fancy a nose? Thought you might…

By K AT I E K I SSOON

www.mediaclash.co.ukI I CLIFTON CARDIFFLIFE LIFE I I 113 93 www.mediaclash.co.uk

PROPERTY

SHOWCASE

uince Cottage. It sounds rather quaint, but as a quick gander around this gorgeous, spacious family home will tell you, it’s anything but. It has ‘wow’ factor in abundance – situated in the pretty village of Llysworney, near Cowbridge, the house has been significantly extended and comprehensively modernised (very tastefully, we might add) to an extremely high standard by the current owners.

Leading off the central hallway, the principal family lounge looks to the front of the property, as does the second sitting room, with its handsome reclaimed woodblock flooring. From here, there is access to a southfacing, flagstone paved cosy patio, with double-fronted wood-burner. But the adjacent, hugely spacious open-plan kitchen/living/dining area is the real jewel.

At the heart of this huge kitchen is a large island, topped with solid granite, as well as the usual cooking appliances, and bespoke units concealing a dishwasher, larder fridge and freezer. Adjacent to it are sitting and dining areas, with two sets of bi-fold doors both opening out to the garden. Love to entertain? There’s ample room for a 12-seater refectory table.

Head upstairs, and you’ll find five bedrooms (including four good-sized doubles), two of which are en-suite, plus a family bathroom. The master bedroom also has a dressing area with fitted wardrobes.

Out front, a broad entrance opens out onto a gravelled road parking area, screened by stone walling (as is the 94 I CARDIFF LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Look at all that space – perfect for dinner parties and family gatherings...

HOUSE NUMBERS Quince Cottage, Llysworney, nr. Cowbridge

5

bedrooms

2/3

reception rooms

3

bathrooms

1

rear garden). If you need further parking, planning permission for a garage (and a conservatory) is already in place. And a path to the southern side of the property runs, via a gated entrance, onto a patio, beyond which is a lovely large lawn. Oh, the soirees and parties we could have here…

stunning kitchen

£725,000 price

For more info, contact Watts & Morgan, 55 High Street, Cowbridge, Vale Of Glamorgan CF71 7AE; Tel: 01446 773500, wattsandmorgan.co.uk

Millstone Barn, Pendoylan Road, Groes Faen A superior detached double fronted bespoke barn conversion, renovated in 2000 and extended further in 2013 to provide a magnificent family home with the special benefits of a large and lovely private level garden. The property enjoys a rural position with charming views across adjacent open fields and is approached by a private entrance drive with parking for several cars and leading to a substantial double garage. Gardens and grounds are bordered with pretty stone faced walls and afforded maximum privacy by means of high screens of conifer trees providing a lovely outlook from the kitchen BBQ and the bespoke sun terrace. Located off Pendoylan Road, this wonderful home enjoys a speedy access onto Junction 34 onto the M4, allowing fast and economic travel to Cardiff and Swansea, Newport and Bristol. Built to a very high specification this delightful four bedroom character residence boasts high quality powdered coated double glazed aluminum windows, conventional gas fired mains heating with a luxury UNDERFLOOR wet system throughout, a sophisticated intruder alarm, solid oak floors and a truly stunning open plan kitchen and breakfast room (22’6 x 16’5) supplied by Keller kitchens and fully integrated with Miele appliances and solid granite work surfaces supplied by Cardiff Marble, approximate cost £40,000! This magnificent kitchen leads to a relaxing contemporary dining room and sitting room (31’1 x 13’9) inset with a charming Stuv log/coal burner and bi-folding doors. This impressive open plan living area also includes a porcelain tiled floor and a high atrium style ceiling. Simply superb! Off the kitchen is a versatile office/study, a walk-in cloak room and a large utility room. An inner hall leads to a downstairs cloak room with a white bespoke suite, and then onto a capacious lounge (35’2 x 16’7) inset with an imposing solid stone fireplace with log effect gas fire and a flagstone hearth. The solid oak floor provides rich character and four windows allow natural light. A surround sound system is bespoke, and a further french doors and two additional picture windows overlook the surrounding gardens. An open tread carpeted staircase with bespoke glass panels and an oak balustrade leads to a first floor landing with a high atrium style ceiling and exposed timber beams. French doors open onto a Juliet balcony and spotlights within the ceiling as well as LED lights within the plinth allows for excellent mood lighting. The master bedroom includes a high beamed ceiling whilst french doors provide pleasing views to the open fields adjacent. The master ensuite shower room includes a walk-in wet room style shower with porcelain tiled floor and a Duravit white suite. There are three further bedrooms and a large family bathroom. Millstone Barn forms part of a small hamlet comprising just three properties of character, approached by a private country lane.

For sale with PA Black Cowbridge Branch 01446 772857 £1,125,000

The Old Vicarage, St Brides Major, The Vale A truly magnificent detached six bedroom former Vicarage, built in 1848 with solid stone, extensively modernised in recent years and boasting an outstanding level garden, an acre in size and backing onto open fields. Positioned on the edge of the Historic Village of St Brides Major, just 15 minutes drive from junction 36 off the M4, this capacious residence of character includes considerable period features, including a charming entrance reception hall with a gallery landing, approached by an imposing solid wood panelled original front entrance door, leading to a wide hall with flagstone floors and pretty lattice style windows. Throughout the property there are elegant traditional panel doors, high cornice ceilings, outstanding character fireplaces, picture rails and unique lattice style windows, original to the property and protected by its listed status. The property has been sympathetically improved with the benefits of gas heating with panel radiators and a new boiler in 2010, re-wiring in 2003, a hand made bespoke fitted kitchen & breakfast room in 2004 (15’9 x 14’2), with matching utility room, and three new white bathrooms. This distinctive house of character occupies a large enclosed garden plot, with surrounding gardens and stone walls, approached by a wide private entrance with a double size main gate leading to a private stone paved 5/6 car entrance drive, providing access to an attached stone stable,a tack room and a large garage. The property benefits Cowbridge High School Catchment, and further improvements include replacement double glazed hardwood windows mainly to the rear of the property, installed in 2004, and each enjoying wonderful views across the acre sized tree lined rear gardens, which could easily accommodate a paddock for those equestrian buyers. With an original stable and tack room this facility would be possible, alternatively a home office or work shop/hobbies room would be available with some conversion work required. The attached stone faced garage was constructed in 2001, as was the master bedroom suite which was originally a hay loft but now provides a very spacious and tastefully fitted master bedroom (15’6 x 14’3), a luxury ensuite bathroom (14’3 x 14’3) and a separate ensuite dressing room (14’3 x 12’0). The second floor accommodation provides both the sixth bedroom, the TV room, a large games room and a useful attic store room. With six bedrooms, three bathrooms and five reception rooms, this quite outstanding residence of character would suit most large families, and would also facilitate second generation living. A further feature includes a very dry and well maintained basement cellar, comprising a hall, an independent stone staircase approached from the inner ground floor hall, a cold/store room and a wine room.

Excluding the cellar the three floors provide 4497 square feet of approximate space. Simply capacious. Must be seen!

For sale with PA Black Cowbridge Branch 01446 772857

£895,000

CARDIFF LIVES

Q&A

W

So, where’s home in Cardiff, and what makes it special?

Splott. Clinton Street is great for international food.

As a vintage retailer, what sets you apart?

We have our own denimwear label, Work Ethic Denim – we run a weekly denim surgery repairing and customising jeans and jackets. I also offer a styling service, and shoe shines on my purposebuilt throne, made from an old piano and some vintage furniture. Visiting a shop should be a real experience – my aim is to make sure customers leave happy!

What inspired you to set up the shop?

It’s the kind of shop I’d like to shop in. I wanted to explore new styles of vintage clothing, so I hunted far and wide for good stock and eventually collected enough to run a market stall.

I just kept going until I was in a position to open my first shop.

Do you have a particular type of clientele?

My clientele includes fans of steampunk and Victoriana, couples looking for something a bit different for their wedding, mods and rockers (young and old!), musicians, actors and the odd pirate. The list goes on and on...

If you could get up on your soapbox about a particular issue, what would it be?

I’ve met a lot of men who really admire the style and design of vintage garments but are afraid to wear them for fear of ridicule. In life, you should do what makes you happy. If you want to dress up like a French peasant or the Prince of Persia, then just do it – you might inspire someone along the way.

Who’s the most famous person you follow on Twitter?

Tom Waits.

How do you relax?

Camping in the Gower, walking the dog, whisky, playing 1950s/60s American jazz and dancing to Northern soul.

98 I CARDIFF LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

PHOTO BY OWEN MATHIAS

ith vintage clothing now a firm part of the mainstream, demand for good quality second-hand vintage clobber shows little sign of slowing down. The latest shop to ply its trade is Princes & Paupers, owned by dapper dude Al Edge, a dedicated vintage enthusiast who passionately embraces all things retro.

Located in Cardiff’s Castle Arcade, it sells quality original vintage and tailored clothing for men and women, plus men’s accessories, shaving/grooming products, collectables and even cool old radios. A veritable time capsule...

AL EDGE The dapper dude and founder of vintage outfitters Princes & Paupers on quirky clientele, Northern soul and meeting Isaac Hayes Proudest moment so far?

Meeting Allie, my fiancée.

Most embarrassing thing that’s ever happened to you?

The first time I went clubbing at 14 – I took off my shoes, jumped onto the dancefloor and started showing off my (very) limited breakdancing skills.

Afterwards, I realised my wallet had fallen out of my pocket and disappeared. And when I stood up to get my shoes, they’d disappeared, too. I had no money or shoes and had to do the eightmile walk home in my socks.

When did you last cry?

Watching Antiques Roadshow’s Auschwitz special.

Dream dinner party guests?

Tom Waits, Frank Zappa, Sun-Ra, Stewart Lee, PJ Harvey and Rocky Marciano.

If push came to shove, what would be your final meal of choice?

A nice hot curry, followed by a packet of chocolate Hobnobs dipped in a cup of tea.

If your nearest and dearest had to describe you, what would they say?

Creative, hard-working, passionate over-thinker, grumpy Geordie bastard.

Who would play you in a film about your life?

Les Dawson.

Guiltiest pleasure?

I have been known to watch Don’t Tell The Bride.

What’s on your bookshelf at the moment?

Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach, and The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropists by Robert Tressell.

Which piece of music always sends a shiver down your spine? ’Cause You’re Mine by The Vibrations – a great bit of Northern soul.

Karaoke choice?

Wild Thing by The Troggs.

Must-watch television programme(s)?

Boardwalk Empire, The Wire and The Last Man On Earth.

If you had a superpower, what would it be?

I would give everyone a good job!

Locally, where do you like to eat and drink?

Tiny Rebel and Small Bar. Both have great beer, good food and friendly staff.

Secret or favourite Cardiff spot?

Bute Park.

Finally, surprise us with a little-known fact about yourself…

My old band Guessmen won a Diesel-U-Music award in 2003. We played live at Fabric nightclub for Channel 4, and I got to meet some of my musical heroes, including Isaac Hayes and Coldcut.

For more: princesandpaupers.uk

www.icebodysculpting.co.uk - info@icebodysculpting.co.uk 02921 202 190. 122 Cowbridge Road West, Cardiff, CF5 5BT