FAL MAGAZINE

FALFASHION. ART. LIFESTYLE.

F A S H I O N

A R T

FALJANUARY 2012

CONTENTS

L I F E S T Y L E

08-09.........................street style38-39.......................beauty & hair

45-7...........................girls v boys

06.............travels with my camera10-11..................phatz @ falmouth14-15...........................xeno review18-19...............tall ships interview20-21......................comedy central34-35.................................bon iver40-41.........................frank turner

12-13.........................nature loving16-17..........a new wave; a new way22-23.........................foraging fal24-25..........spearfishing falifornia26-27......................annie’s kitchen28-29.......................................jam30-31.....................locally sourced32-33........................hangover cure36-37...........................ear candles42-43.............You are what you eat48-49...........................latest news

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FALHello gorgeous!

In an Ideal world I would be married to Jason Segel, have draws filled with kittens and the Eng-lish weather would rain Jaffa Cakes, not bloody

men! I would always be dressed in Vivienne Westwood gowns and listen to endless amounts of Elvis Pres-ley records whilst eating Krispy Creme Donuts with-out having a care in the world. To save the envi-ronment (and do ‘my bit’) I would ride on a unicorn called Penelope (obviously she would have wings!) where we would ride into space to collect stars to stick on my bedroom ceiling. We would also watch Jeremy Kyle whilst drinking our chocolate milk. I would make world peace and vote for each woman to rule their lands, and we could all sit down in a civil manner sipping cups of tea and have none of this war malarky! “MAKE TEA NOT WAR” - That would be the the UN’s slogan.Sadly I live in the real world and have to produce this magazine so enjoy

YOUREDITORDIANAMOTE

BEN LEWIS, DEPUTY EDITOR

BEN

LOVELL

REBECCA M

ORRIS

HAZE

L MURRAY,

LAUREN HUGHES

MINK

Y LOH

STAR SIGN TAURUSLIKES SPORT, FILMS, PASTA, CHIPS, THE SUNDISLIKES CELERY, CATS, LIQUORICE, TWILIGHTFAVOURITE SONG STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN - LED ZEPPLINFAVOURITE MOVIE MOMENTO, GLADIATOR, GOOD WILL HUNTING

STAR SIGN LEOLIKES EGGS, TOBACCO, WINE, GEORGE ORWELLDISLIKES THE COLD, FLIP FLOPS, DANCINGFAVOURITE SONG LONESOME DEATH OF HATTIE CARROLL - BOB DYLANFAVOURITE MOVIE 12 ANGRY MEN

STAR SIGN SCORPIOLIKES CHEESE, SUNSHINE, COLD SIDE OF THE PILLOW, LAUGHING UNTIL IT HURTS, ELEPHANTS, THUNDERCATSDISLIKES SURINAM TOAD, SAND IN MY BED, COLD, WET FEET, ANIMAL CRUELTY, MARZIPAN, DRIVING IN FOGFAVOURITE SONG CHARMLESS MAN - BLURFAVOURITE MOVIE LEON

STAR SIGN CAPRICORNLIKES CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE, DISNEY FILMS, MUSICDISLIKES CHILLI PEPPERS, THE COLD, SNAILS, ARTICHOKESFAVOURITE SONG MOTH WINGS - PASSION PITFAVOURITE MOVIE CEMETRY JUNCTION

STAR SIGN SCORPIOLIKES HATS, DOCUMENTARIES, SHARKS, SKINNY DIPPING, MARILYN MANSON, INTERIOR DESIGN, DISLIKES NOT GETTING ENOUGH SLEEP, PEOPLE THAT AREN’T POLITE, TRIFLEFAVOURITE SONG ONCE AROUND THE BLOCK - BADLY DRAWN BOYFAVOURITE MOVIE GIRL, INTERRUPTED

STAR SIGN ARIESLIKES GREEN TEA, BEACHES, DREAMCATCHERS, PLAYING THE UKULELE, EATING MANGOES, SINGING, VINTAGE SHOPPING, SHOWERING UNDER WATERFALLS, TRAVELLING, BACONDISLIKES MEAN PEOPLE, FALLING OVER, BREAKING THINGSFAVOURITE SONG TEENAGE CRIME - ADRIAN LUXFAVOURITE MOVIE TOTORO

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Travels with my camera...

@benleescott

@absnad@lozhughes

FOLLOW US: @FALMAGAZINE

F A S H I O N . A R T . L I F E S T Y L E

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STREET STYLE

RORY TINMAN

CHARLIE HAWLEY

-20,-Film, Falmouth University.-Favourite aspect of Falmouth?There’s nothing to do so you have to make something to do. -What song are you listening to loads at the moment?10CC - Worst Band in the Wolrd.-How would you describe our style?“Quirky in the summer.”

BETH CARR

CHA

RLO

TTE

IVE-19.

-Fashion Photography,Falmouth University.-Favourite Aspect of Falmouth?The Beach.-What is your favourite item of clothing?Boots, that i;m wearing.-How would you describe your style? I’ts a mix of the sixties.

-19.-Fashion Photography, Falmouth University.-Favourite aspect of Falmouth?The style of all the students.-Favourite Band?Little White Doves.

-20,-Politics, Exeter Universiy.-Favourite place to go on a night out in falmouth? 5 Degrees.-Favourite band? The Pixies.

F A S H I O N . A R T . L I F E S T Y L E F A S H I O N . A R T . L I F E S T Y L E

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PHATZ@

FALMOUTH

It’s Friday night in Falmouth and everyone I’ve spoken to are heading to The Underground for Phatz. Tonight there is a Halloween theme and it’s the closing night of the bar/nightclub, The Underground, before it’s conversion into a restaurant. The small and quirky bar always comes alive whenever there is a Phatz night on, reeling in masses of students and lo-cals looking to have a good time ‘skanking’ to a variety of different dance music and drinking away their student loans.

“There’s always a good buzz at a Phatz night,” said 21-year-old Josh Evans who is the founder of the Phatz DJ Company. Since starting Phatz back in April this year the success of the company has grown and grown. I caught up with Josh after playing his set at The Underground for the last time to ask him about how his night went.

“This last night was a great success and possibly the best turn out we’ve ever had!” he smiled, looking pleased with how the whole event went.

Josh is currently in his second year studying Creative Music Technology at Falmouth University, and had to create Phatz as a project for his course. However from the success of his project, the Phatz DJ Company has now become a big night in Falmouth with the crowds growing each time he plays a gig.

Phatz music aims to cater for people that enjoy dance music, which is a large proportion of students in Falmouth. Josh, and two other DJ’s he has recruited to play sets at Phatz nights, plays a mixture of house, garage, drum and bass and dubstep. Josh says that his main aim is to make sure everyone is just having a good night.

“When I mix my tracks I feel excited and relieved at the same time. When I see people enjoying the mix then I feel like I can enjoy myself too,” he said.

He’s passionate, successful and quietly modest about his achievements so far. You can tell that he wants to aim high within the music industry and all his hard work has already started to pay off.

“As a DJ I’m proud of the success Phatz has given me as I’ve developed a fan base and I’ve made contacts within the industry.”

The closure of The Underground as a nightclub and bar has left his fans wondering where he will now play regular gigs as everyone here seems to need their monthly fix of Phatz music. Luckily he has started to think about the next big step for his company and promises that just because his main venue has shut down it doesn’t mean that Phatz is going down with it.

“I’m hoping to take Phatz to a new place as Underground is now clos-ing. We also have other nights in the pipeline. We have a gig lined up for Sealegs on the 24th of November.” he said. (Sealegs is a Falmouth based Skateboarding association).

Mixing university work, business and enjoyment must be hard for any second year university student but Josh seems to handle all these as-pects with ease and is a walking example of how if you put your mind to it you can achieve a lot in a short space of time.

I hope that this is just the beginning for Phatz.

WORDS:lauren hughes

PHOTOS:alex lambert

F A S H I O N . A R T . L I F E S T Y L EF A S H I O N . A R T . L I F E S T Y L E

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The idea of wildlife may seem boring to the average Falmouth university student, but its importance to the town is undeniable. Cornwall is a county celebrated and awed for its diversity of wildlife. It’s beautiful environment that ensures its survival in a multitude of habitats, regularly bringing tourism to the area.

Falmouth is no exception to the rules, famous for its variety of marine and land creatures. With such a mild temperature compared to many other parts of the UK, certain species can thrive here where they cannot elsewhere, and palm trees that are seen in the likes of Miami are a regular garden feature. Many students will say that this is why they chose Falmouth- it’s different. It’s not like other universities. It’s vibrant and outstanding in beauty, and nowhere else has this atmosphere of being, well, free.

The environment is changing though. Winters are becoming colder, earlier, and the more houses that are built on green land, the more homes that are destroyed for the local wildlife. Luckily, there are plenty of organisations that aim to look after the wildlife in the area- including Cornwall Council, The National Trust and Surfers Against Sewage. Students from the university tend to dig in with the volunteer efforts too, joining EcoSoc- an environmental society- or simply because they want to preserve the area they live in. With the help of volunteers areas are kept as nature reserves, for example the local beach Swanpool, and restrictions are made to ensure that there is as little change as possible; much to the distaste of local businesses that want to make money from the beaches.

Over the last couple of months there have been complaints over the Council not keeping on top of clearing seaweed from Falmouth’s beaches. Issues have been raised between local tourist businesses that this has created a foul smell and will inevitably drive Falmouth tourism down. Castle Beach Café created a petition over summer and even had volunteers cleaning the beach themselves, campaigning against the council’s decision not to provide more beach cleaning services with the clear rise in seaweed levels. However, this has actually provided a rich feeding environment for certain birds in the area. Recently spotted was the Turnstone- a small, shy bird that prefers to feed between the seaweed and rock pools rather than the famed mud flats on Falmouth’s estuary.

But these little things may not be enough. Over winter there are lots that students and residents can do to give that little bit extra to help their beloved environment. Emma Sheron, a 2nd year Conservation student, explains: “There is so much that people can do to help, even if they don’t realise it. All it takes is a tiny bit of thought and you could save an animal’s life, or refrain from destroying its home.” The 19-year-old goes on to give examples of how little this can be. “It’s literally things like cutting up rings from the tops of beer cans to stop animals getting caught in it- it doesn’t have to be some massive volunteer effort.” Other ways of helping could include putting bird feeders out to provide a little extra food. As the winter draws closer, there are less leaves on the trees and less insects around to survive off, so extra food is always a big thumbs up. Some people even put out food for hedgehogs over winter, just make sure that it is not milk or oats as these are not good for them; in fact, experts say dog food is the best thing to feed them with. Dropping litter is obviously a big no-no year-round; it looks gross and it will not melt into the soil. It’s just another thing for a fox to choke on. Wrap up broken glass before putting it in the bin (this will stop the dustmen from cutting themselves too) and don’t throw excess medicines away either, take them back to the pharmacy to be safely disposed of.

On the more creative side, saving shoe boxes and leaving them in bushes around the garden is always a fun one to do- any small species could make it a new home, and it’ll provide extra warmth and shelter. Ice cream boxes, though they may look a little tacky, are a cheap and extremely simple way to make a birdbath. Leave a small ball in it to stop it freezing over.

NATURE LOVING

W O R D S P H O T Ohazel murray pinterest

You can get involved too. FXU, the student union at the university, is always asking for volunteers to lend a hand on ‘save-the-environment’ type days, and any help is greatly appreciated.


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Chatter dies down and the bar area begins to fill as five young adults take the stage. It’s smiles all around as we get a cheeky wink from the lady vocalist signalling it’s time to start. It’s hard not to like these guy from the off.They describe themselves as ‘a modernised 60’s indie rock & roll band’ and their name is Xeno. Band members include Matt on bass, Shady on vocals, Scott on guitar/vocals, Harry on percussion and Joe on lead guitar.Xeno was formed over 2 years after Scott and Matt took the venture into sharing a studio space at Troubadour studios, Falmouth. They decided to reunite following a year’s break from music after the disbanding of their first band.I interviewed lead vocalist Scott following a recent gig. He explained after going their separate ways musically there was a

XENO

the Watermans, thursday 25th october

XENO XENO XE

NO XENO

WORDS PHOTO LOCATION SITErebecca morris rebecca morris falmouth facebook: zeno

XENO50s

ROCK & ROLL

lot of getting drunk, listening and discovering their love for 60’s and 70’s music, which is clear in their current sound.‘‘Me and Matt have always been good together, the first year in the studio we took time to play, as well as jamming with guitars, we started writing a lot faster and really understanding what each instrument added to the songs, Joe’s style was developing with us at the same time.’’In relation to finding their band mates Shady and Harry; ‘’It was in good old Club I that me and Shady decided we should get her singing after quite a bit of tequila, and Harry, well he walked in on a practice banged out the John Bonham shuffle and we thought he’s not bad is he?’’Their first song, ‘Xealots’, Scott describes as a real turning point for the band: ‘‘The original intent was to write a song that would be fit for a Quentin Tarantino movie, we realised surf guitar was just the dirty blues sped up with reverb, Peter Gun meets Dick Dale or at least an attempt at such things.’’They have completed around 28 songs and play 10 live currently. ‘’There are a lot of sketches on the horizon to be played with, I can’t wait to get started on new songs, that’s all the fun right there.’’About the songs, Scott described how the band wanted to steer clear of music that whines about heartache and love. ‘’I never wanted to write love songs or anything around that spectrum’’. Yet as he increasingly listened to Northern soul and 60’s songwriters he realised it was possible to sing about those sort of sentiments without the whining or as he puts it, ‘’you can sing about heartbreak with some f***ing balls!’’ He explains how their music has a positive, uplifting vibe, ‘’our music is more about ‘my love left me, but hell, I’ll be alright’.’’I got an insight into the song writing and recording

process to see the workings of the band off stage, in their studio. Visiting the studio was an informative yet relaxing experience, to sit back and observe the bands’ chemistry and the energy they put into creating and performing each song was seriously underrated by me. It was a pleasure to see such synchronisation and support. Scott explains the importance of staying focused during the writing of their songs: ‘’Me and Matt will meet in the studio, sit down with guitars, we’ll pick up a groove or a riff and record roughly so we can come back to it, other times we write a full song acoustically.’’On the subject of how to get noticed Scott admits that they are pretty old school in the way that they stick to putting energy into both live and studio work instead of entering into gimmicks and image. ‘We’re not really noticed right now but we spend a lot of time on songs and the delivery of them.’He described Jon Spencer and Iggy Pop as being their greatest influences, ‘’If asked about our sound I answer honestly that we sound like a band that would want to be sound tracked on a Tarantino movie, so I’ll be bold and compare us to Quentin’s music taste which I hold very highly.’’On their predictions and aspirations for the future he says: ‘’Same as most bands at our level, we’d love to keep practicing, playing shows and hit the festivals next year. We hope people enjoy our songs and maybe one day we’ll live off recording, producing and writing music for ourselves and others, that would be the dream.’’Xeno are playing at Jacob’s Ladder on 12th February, come along and test out their ‘surf, soul and dirty rockabilly’ sound and hopefully you’ll enjoy yourself as much as I did.


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In a time when the world is straining to make fossil fuels last, renewable energy becomes the obvious and only solution to this gigantic problem. However, over and over again this issue has appeared more trouble than anyone first thought. In Britain there have been major efforts to try to overcome the energy problem, using strategies that range from hybrid cars, to solar panels on the roofs of houses (even though England rarely sees sunshine). As petrol prices get higher and gas bills break banks, people wonder if there is a final solution and at what cost we must strive to get it.

For the UK, Cornwall has perhaps been one of the biggest innovators in renewable energy. Famous for its many, many wind turbines that grace the rugged landscape, Cornwall has since invested its interests into wave energy- something which the North Cor-nish Coast has plenty of. This means that new Wave Hub technology was recently built 16 kilometres off the coast of St. Ives, in a bid to test the power cre-ated by waves from the North Atlantic Ocean that crash into British shores. It consists of a 12 tonne hub on the seabed, which can be connected to wave energy devices, linking to the UK’s grid network through a 25 kilometre subsea cable. By using the storm-fuelled waves, the hub has the ability to cre-ate up to 20MW of wave energy generation (that’s quite a bit).

And it’s not only the scientists who take advantage of wave energy. Long before them was another group of people who have worshipped the waves for years- surfers. As many of Falmouth’s surfers will know, the North coast of Cornwall is a gold mine for

catching huge waves which could at times shame those so well-loved in Australia (minus the sharks of course). Surfers Against Sewage; an organisation focused on the conservation of the British coastline to keep ‘Britain’s Waves Clean’ for safe and happy surfing, members are extremely interested in how this new technology may affect surfing waves in the future. However, this does not mean to say they are against the wave hub- if anything they hope for its success, environmentally and socially .

“I don’t think it will have a huge impact on the rate of tourism in Cornwall in general. People have always had a passion for Cornwall and people who love surfing will always come here as there are plenty of beaches to choose from,” Heidi Peasley, from Surfers Against Sewage, said. Holding a 1st degree in ecology means that this is a subject close to her heart but she is not negative about the issue. Surfers are a major sector in the Cornish tourist industry, and concerns are Cornwall could lose this useful income if waves are impacted by the Wave Hub. However, Peasley says: “I think if Wave energy Technology is imposed in a particularly good break then obviously the number of surfers will drop off but as I said they will go and look elsewhere. Part of the joy of surfing is the hunt for that all elusive ‘perfect’ wave.” She continues by saying that the impacts environmentally should theoretically be minimal, and if they were bad then they would be of little effect .

“I think there will be impacts on the sea environ-ment but probably only localised. Flora or fauna that is affected by either change in water depths,

temperatures or light levels will either survive, and develop evolutionary advantages to their new envi-ronment or they will not survive.” With such an op-timistic outlook, perhaps Cornwall will be the leader for this new venture into renewable energy, which can be grasped by countries all over the world.

So the famous Cornish surf culture shouldn’t fear too much, if at all. With many residents and Univer-sity College Falmouth students moving to Cornwall simply for its vibrant array of available water sports, it would be a shame for the culture to lose such a beautiful, natural environment to play in. Falmouth’s surfers can relax and know that no matter what, there will always be somewhere to surf in Cornwall-

A NEW WAVE;A NEW WAY

Words AND IMAGE:Hazel Murray

and the rest of the world can revel in the power captured by waves from a single storm.


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Tall ShipS“As the ship went down i could see your fAce through the bubbles”

For those who are not familiar with them, Tall Ships are a math rock/alternative band from Falmouth that now reside in Bright-on. From studying illustration and photography at University College Falmouth to playing at house parties and Reading Fes-tival, Tall Ships sat down with me before performing on the last leg of their UK tour to talk about the band and the release of their debut album, ‘Everything Touching’.

Where did the name Tall Ships originally come from?All: Falmouth! [Laughs]Ric: It was the cheesiest name coming from here but I think where it first came from was being drunk in Toast and looking out the window to the shop Tall Ships Trading.

What are the main influences on your music?Ric: Life experiences mostly but musically I think bands that are important to us would be Biffy Clyro, Battles and Sigur Ros, they are the kind of holy trinity of influence.

What made you relocate to Brighton?Jamie: Falmouth is a long way away from anything.Ric: The six hour drive away got a bit much.Jamie: Matt and I are originally from close to Brighton so we thought it would be a good place to re locate to. It’s nice to be closer to our family and friends. But we dragged Ric along.Matt: I didn’t want to leave home so it was the best option.

What did it feel like hearing your music played on the radio for the first time?Jamie: Funny.Matt: I think the first time would have been on Saint Austell Bay radio. We went to do a session there and I had just played foot-ball and lost like 25-0. I was covered in mud sat in this studio whilst probably 15 people were listening. [Laughs]Jamie: She hated us, she was a hardcore rock fan and she asked us what we wanted to play next next and we said Craig David or Wham. She said are you taking the piss? It’s not really the music you want to hear on a rock show.

Do you think it has been surreal coming from playing at house parties to currently be playing at festivals?All: Yes! [Laughs]Ric: We feel like we have tricked everyone.Jamie: It’s been such a steady thing. We graduated three years ago so it’s been a really slow progression and It hasn’t happened over night but it has been amazing.

From the beginning did you find it was difficult to get slots for a gig or to be a support act?Matt: At the start I remember sending twenty emails a day for gigs when no one would reply. We were only receiving offers off friends but we managed to play in Truro and Plymouth. We got the odd London show then it went okay from there.Ric: Generally we have been lucky that bands would like us sup-porting them. We have done lots of support tours and that’s from being invited to do it. I think it has been relatively easy for us to get gigs, compared to a lot of bands. It’s been hard work and luck thats worked for us.

How was the overall experience different when recording an al-bum as opposed to EP’s and early singles?Jamie: It’s longer so you have more time to explore different ideas. Time is the biggest difference. With the EP’s we had no money and no time so they are quite rough and ready whereas

the album has a lot of production and thought.Ric: With the album recording, I don’t know if it is easier or harder in terms of making it more cohesive as a whole, because there is more tracks to play with so you can actually do more than you can on a EP. We really thought how the album will flow and what songs will go where so it was really nice to work with a variety of songs which is 45 minutes long as opposed to 15 minutes.

Did you find there was more pressure producing your first album?Matt: Definitely, completely. I mean for us the first EP’s we were just trying to blend different ideas, we never pinned ourselves down to a specific genre. With the album we had to make a cohesive body of work so there was a lot of pressure to make it sound our own.Ric: It was the first thing we had recorded that people were actually hungry and waiting to hear, which was really exciting. I suppose it gave us more confidence to get on with it and do it but at the same time we had to step up and provide a decent record.

There are two older tracks on Everything Touching, Ode to Ancestors and Books. What made you decide to change the overall feel of them for the album?Jamie: Same as before with the EP’s, we didn’t have much time or money so they weren’t made to their full potential.Matt: The first two versions were only demo versions and they were the only songs that we felt we could re-record and transform them into songs that they were meant to be. I think they turned out a mil-lion times better.

Were you worried that your album wouldn’t sell?Jamie: Not really, from the start we worked closely with a friend who also studied in Falmouth called Harriet Bridgewater, she does all of our art work. When it comes to the record you are not only buying a way of hearing the music but the entire packet, an amazing piece of art. Even in this digital age people still want something physical to hold.Matt: As a band I think our growth in popularity has been organic; it’s been through us pretty much directly playing to people in differ-ent cities. People who like us generally feel like they want to support us and they will buy our album. They haven’t heard us on radio 1 or some blog saying this is the next big thing. However I think we are lucky that our friends take ownership of what we do and proud to know us.

Lastly what are your thoughts on ‘Everything Touching’?Matt: I’m pretty proud of it, I can’t believe we actually did it. We made 45 minutes of music.Jamie: And people like it!Matt: When we started out down here we didn’t expect to be a band. We only messed around and played gigs for our friends and to think now we have an album, it’s on vinyl. I’m pretty proud of that.Ric: I’m happy that we have an album. This is the start, this is where Tall Ships actually start because we felt the EP’s weren’t good enough and now we have a body of work that we really like. It is a good base from which we can further our career as a band.

Twitter: @tallshipsmusicFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/wearetallships Soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/tallships Website: http://www.wearetallships.co.uk

Purchase Album ‘Everything Touching’ and Merchandise at: http://www.wearetallships.co.uk

WORDS PHOTOdiana mote diana mote


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As Falmouth and the surrounding area enjoy a growing reputation within the field of the arts, it perhaps comes as little surprise that an exciting local comedy scene is also swiftly emerging. With well-known comedians now seeing the vibrant area as an excellent place to visit on tour and unknown comics realising that it is a great place to display their talents, Falmouth is becoming one of the best places in the country to experience live laughs. The presence of the ever-growing University College Falmouth, twinned with Dartington School of Arts, has evolved Falmouth’s reputation into a cultural hub of live music, drama and comedy. The Princess Pavilion, Falmouth’s main live music venue, has recently hosted well renowned acts such as Ed Sheeran, Rizzle Kicks, Ben Howard and Benjamin Francis Leftwich; whilst The Stannary, located on Tremough Campus, has seen Wretch 32 and Annie Mac.

However, if you wish to enjoy live comedy, the place to venture out too is the Falmouth Poly, situated on the high street. In the coming weeks it will play host to Jo Caulfield, Josie Long and Peacock and Gamble. Jo Caulfield is, without doubt, the best known comic playing the Poly, being a television regular on such shows as Mock the Week and Michael McIn-tyre’s Comedy Road show, although both Josie Long and Peacock and Gamble have growing reputations and support. If you are prepared to go a little further afield then the Hall for Cornwall, just twenty minutes away in Truro, which attracts larger acts far more regularly. In the next year Chris Addison, Micky Flanagan and Russell Kane will all perform on the Hall for Cornwall stage- each one of them a sensational comedian with a large fan following.

COMEDYCENTRAL

“I think it’s exciting,” said Martin Burgess, a Falmouth resident. “I love comedy- especially shows like Mock the Week and Live at the Apollo. The chance to see the sort of comedians who appear on those TV shows in person is not one I’m gonna miss.”

One stand-up comic who recently appeared at the Hall for Cornwall is Greg Davies, sup-ported by Ed Gamble- one half of Peacock and Gamble. Greg Davies is a 44-year-old come-dian and actor who is best known for his role as Mr Gilbert in The Inbetweeners, whilst he has also starred in Cuckoo and We Are Klang. His trip to the Hall for Cornwall was part of his tour, strangely named ‘The Back of my Mum’s Head’. As with his previous tour, ‘Firing Cheeseballs at a Dog’, the meaning of the title becomes quickly apparent, as he intelligent-ly reminisces on his past with hilarious consequences, unafraid to reveal embarrassing inci-dents involving himself or, indeed, his friends and family, particularly his mother. Mr Davies has great stage presence, partly down to his six foot eight inch exterior, and his ability to improvise and interact with the crowd is what truly appeals to the audience. Davies noted that the reason why he was so well received by the audience in Truro and, indeed, the rea-son why he was visibly enjoying the show himself, was due to the fact that the ladies and gentlemen who made up the crowd were, in the majority, middle-aged. He felt this allowed him to feel more comfortable, as comedy had become ‘young, cool and exciting’, drawing in younger crowds at most of his gigs, which was not his target audience. It is a reflection, perhaps, that even though the University is bringing a younger audience to Cornwall, the average age of residents is still of an older age.

Comedy appeals to people of all ages and unites them in one act- laughter. We are lucky then, that comedy now has two new locations on its circuit: Falmouth and Truro. So why not have a wander into town and see what’s going on? After all, ‘a day without laughter is a day wasted’- Charlie Chaplin.

WORDS PHOTOSben lewis pinterest


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Standing ankle deep in ice cold water, a curious passer-by asked with friendliness: “What are you up to there?” While trying to think how to explain myself I only succeeded in staring back, presumably wearing my internal confusion on my face. Perhaps this is why those nature loving wierdos who go foraging always seem so strange. They’re so busy trying in vain to rationalise what they’re doing they can invest no energy in social skills.

But it was a valid question. What was I doing rifling around in cold water in the rain, like some mad eight-year-old in an adult’s body? I had set out, on a tip from a friend, to forage for mussels. Not wanting to drive all the way to Helford Passage as I was told, I stayed in Falmouth. This may have been my mistake.

My friend told me you could “fill carrier bags with mussels. More than you could eat.” This is categorically untrue for Gylly beach. Precariously crossing the rock pools, but quickly, to beat the incoming tide, I got down to searching for the shellfish. It was not the mussel hangout I had hoped for. After about half an hour of searching I’d found one, and it was about two centimetres long. This was hardly worthwhile.

I should have noticed that foragers are never seen on Gylly, and today was no different: only dog walkers and me. But I persevered, my will is too strong to be broken so easily. Limpets are apparently delicious and luckily there are thousands of these covering the rocks, like warts on a witch’s face. The accepted technique for removing them is using a knife to prise them off. I didn’t have one with me so I resorted to the alternative: delicately using a rock to knock them off. I don’t think I need to tell anyone that rocks are not precision instruments. Don’t use them unless you want limpet mash.

I accepted I might need to be vegetarian for this to be successful. I was on the lookout for the inventively named ‘sea lettuce’. Thankfully this stuff is easy to find, it covers most of the rocks, looking like toxic-green waste and is what makes crossing rock pools so life-threatening. I could have had as much sea lettuce as I would ever want, but I didn’t want any. It suddenly became very obvious to me just how many dogs get walked on Gylly beach, and the last thing I want to eat is dog-piss marinated ‘salad’.

The only two vegetables left are more elusive, and supposed to be tucked out of the way: sea beet and samphire. Things were looking up now: these must be urine free. But it seems they are existence free too. I could not find them anywhere. This was the final disappointment and convinced me to give it all up.To say the day was a waste would be wrong, glossing over the fact that I brought home nothing to eat of course. But while I was inadvertently massacring limpets I realised something. This hippie, back-to-nature stuff is a nice idea, but I don’t want to boil shellfish alive; that seems something like cruelty. And that’s the whole problem with foraging. People talk or write about it like it’s this great way of living off the land, free, ethical. But really it’s archaic.

Who has time to spend hours looking for a meal? Who wants to eat weird shellfish and slimy salad all the time? Sure it’s a nice way to spend a sunny afternoon if that’s your idea of fun, but just say that. Don’t try and sell it as anything else.

We live in an age when we are spoilt for choice of supermarkets. We know some of their practices are questionable, but until someone else finds a way to gather a week’s food in half an hour, while being warm and dry, I’m going to carry on shopping there.You can carry on trying these outdated techniques, but all they are is nostalgia for a time now long gone.

FORAGING FAL

WORDS PHOTOSbenjamin lovell pinterest

Where should we stop? Bring back feudal farming and vicious landlords who control your lives? Live in mud huts? Hey, the carbon footprint is small.


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“A fish! I got one!” I turn around to see Ross wagging a huge fish with a hole in it in the air in the middle of the sea with a big grin on his face. “I’ve got our dinner!” he shouts and disappears back into the sea.

Clear turquoise waters, so clear you can see right to the bottom; sand so fine it tickles you between your toes. You can hear the waves slashing against the rocks and feel the soft breeze in your hair. Surely I must be describing a beautiful island off the east coast of the Bahamas… Think again, think just down the road, think England, think Falmouth.

Ross Weir, 20, jumped headfirst into spearfishing when his friend Michael introduced him to it in their first year of university. “It’s not a sport you can just try out, you have to commit. There’s so much equipment that you need, it’s difficult to borrow other people’s,” Ross explains. He describes the sport as extremely personal, “Using someone else’s speargun is like wearing someone else’s boxers.”

Ross loves the sport and tries to go out at least three to four times a week in the summer and once every two weeks when it starts to get cold, “That’s the only problem,” says Ross, “It’s great in the summer but as soon as it gets cold, it’s hard to go out as much and it’s usually raining or misty or the sea is too rough and then it’s too dangerous to go out at sea.” He goes on to explain that even in the summer they face some difficulties: “it’s annoying because Falmouth is a touristy place especially in the summer, so many people come and rent out boats and don’t really know how to drive them properly and they don’t know the rules around here. Last summer I was out with some friends and a boat came right over where I was spearfishing, even though I had my SMB (Surface Marker Buoy) afloat for safety, the guy in the boat completely

SPEARFISHING IN FALIFORNIA

ignored it and luckily when I came up for air, I just missed the boat.”

Spearfishing has been around for thousands of years as a method of fishing using sharpened sticks but overtime those sticks have turned into an elastic powered speargun, which has become popular all over the world.

Expert free-diving spearfishers can hold their breaths for durations of two to four minutes and can dive to depths of forty or even sixty meters. However, the average experienced diver can hold their breath for approximately one minute at fifteen to twenty meters.

In the past, spearfishing has been seen to be detrimental to the environment when species unafraid or unused to divers were targeted excessively. However, the sport is extremely selective and has no by-catch. It also does not damage habitats or cause pollution; therefore spearfishing is the most ecological sustainable form of fishing.

“I have a lecturer who we can’t even mention the word spearfishing to, she’s a conservationist and a marine photographer. She’s completely against it,” explains Ross. “Most people are really keen to learn more about it though. Since me and Michael started doing it, several others have joined too and I’ve had quite a few friends from home who’ve come to have a go, it’s exciting how more people are getting involved and enjoying it.”

WORDS PHOTOSminky loh ross weir

lauren hughes

It’s easy to get involved, all you need is a love of the sea, some spearfishing equipment which you can easily buy online, a snorkel and an ability to breath underwater for at least thirty seconds and you’re good to go! There are many websites online which you can find out more information from and research more into the sport but it’s a fantastic hobby to take up while at university in Falmouth because of the many beautiful blue seas and beaches, it’ll be sad not to take advantage of them! If you were to take up spearfishing elsewhere then it’s important that you do your research first as there are different regulations for spearfishing in different countries so it’s best to be knowledgeable than to do something illegal!


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ANNIE'S KITCHENAnnie’s Kitchen is a quaint and delightful cafe which is now founded in two locations: Falmouth, Church Street and Killigrew Street.

The pretty, chilled cafe offer a wide range of food from scrumptious slabs of cake to chunky mouthwatering sandwiches. With their lovely and friendly customer service they only serve to please their customers.

From the outside the cake shop looks basic with the blue sign however the window display of cakes is to die for and you are instantly lured in to check out the wonders the cafe shop has to offer. The tea room in church street is a small space and only fits a few people in but the quirky decor and quiet atmosphere is welcoming and worth the stay.

I have ventured in a few times at Church Street’s tea room and I have never lost taste for the place. I love the food and the quiet atmosphere but best of all I love sitting by the window with a cup of tea and being able to look out to the sea and boats.

Annie’s Kitchen sells good quality homemade meals. They tend to use lo-cally produced and sourced ingredients which I can personally recommend because the food is amazing and very tasty. I have never before craved healthy food until I came here!

As welcoming and nicely laid out the cafes are, you also have the option of taking food away if you are not feeling a full on fatty takeaway. Whilst providing full time service in both the cafes, Annie’s Kitchen sell a wide range of chutneys and savory Jams: Which are available from Annie’s Kitchen, Falmouth, Chacewater Garden Centre, Kingsley Village, Lobb’s Farm, Heligan Gardens and The Cornish Store, Falmouth. By post you can pay £6.50 a Jar or 2 for £11 (including P&P). Their new range includes: Sweet Chilli Jam, Red Onion Marmalade, Spiced Apple Chutney, Garlic Jam & Cranberry Chutney.

As well as running two full time restaurant’s the family run business caters for weddings, birthdays and even businesses! Rest assured they cater to a good standard and you will not be disappointed.

For more information on Annie’s Kitchen go to: http://www.annieskitchencornwall.co.uk

WORDS PHOTOSdiana mote minky loh

lauren hughes

WORDSdiana mote


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Recently I have really been enjoying going out for an afternoon tea or a huge mug of coffee, so I’ve been on a little mission to search for the perfect café in Falmouth. I’m usually your stereotypical Costa or Starbucks goer (with loyalty cards in both places) but recently I’ve been looking around at smaller cafes that specialise in different flavoured teas, always serves nice coffee and are kitted out inside in a quirky manner.

Everyday I walk past a place called Jam on my way in to Falmouth town centre. The outside of the building never strikes me, it honestly just looks like a shop that just sells a few dusty old records but after being told that it’s also a café inside I thought I would head in and try it out - after all, I needed my daily dose of tea and I didn’t need to stray far from my house.

As soon as I walked in I was overwhelmed by its quirkiness and how cosy it is, I immediately felt relaxed and comfortable and almost a little awkward that I’ve been neglecting this place for so long. Soft music plays in the back ground whilst people laze around on the miss-matched retro sofas. It felt like I had stepped right in to the 1960’s. The woman behind the counter was very friendly - I ordered myself an apple and ginger tea, bought a bar of dark chocolate and headed downstairs to have a mooch around. It was furnished a bit like an old person’s house with retro sofas, patterned chairs, old TV’s and vintage radios - it was all very cool, charismatic and relaxing, I started imagining myself hiding away down there, studying away from the hustle and bustle of the outside world.

The aspect I love most about Jam is that it sells old records, you can browse for your favourite music and then listen to them on headphones if you wish - I was happy to find Morrissey buried in amongst them all! Jam also sells a variety of ‘arty’ and on-trend books, something that I am very passionate about, so I spent a good half an hour flicking through graphic design books whilst sipping away on my (very, very nice) cup of tea.

Once I had finished soaking up the 1960’s era and browsing what the café had on offer I thought I had better leave before I over stayed my welcome. I thanked the woman behind the counter, said goodbye to the cute dog that roams around the shop and then left feeling like I no longer have to search for the perfect coffee shop.

JAM

WORDS+PHOTOS LOCATIONlauren hughes falmouth high st


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“Sometimes when I see the counter up there I think to myself, if I was selling that I’d be out of business.”

This was the damning assessment of Asda’s fish counter by David Crowle, owner of Arwenack Fisheries. With everything you could locate on Falmouth’s high street, it does make you wonder, why do people still shop at Falmouth and Penryn’s big supermarket chains?

Falmouth’s busy high street is an eclectic mix of gift stores, pubs, restaurants and art galleries. Sift through this, however, you’ll discover a vein of quality local food providers, right at the heart of the town. From fishmongers to butchers to greengrocers to small delicatessens- we really do have everything right on our doorstep. Yet, these small businesses struggle whilst supermarkets like Asda and Tesco thrive.So why do people who live in Falmouth choose to venture out to Penryn or even further afield to do their weekly shopping? When asked, the majority of people claimed that shopping in supermarkets was less

LOCALLY SOURCEDexpensive, whilst others said it was simply more convenient. James Looi, a Falmouth resident, said: “Why would I wander up and down the high street when everything is in one place at Asda? It’s just easier.”Although supermarkets are perceived as being less expensive than local stores, this is mostly untrue. In fact, in Falmouth, shopping at the butchers, greengrocers or fishmongers can work out better for your bank balance than swiping your card at Asda, Lidl or Tesco. We get sucked into believing that supermarkets are low-priced by deals and adverts but actually, we are often wrong. It is as cheap and a lot of the time, even more economical to shop at local stores. For example, a portion of sardines at Arwenack Fisheries is a mere £2.20, whilst at Asda or Sainsbury’s you could pay significantly more and the fish will be of a lesser quality. Mr Crowle, who runs Arwenack Fisheries alongside his brother, commented that their “fish are a lot fresh-er” than those being supplied by the supermarkets. He also alluded to the fact that their fish are sourced locally, coming from no further than Newlyn, whilst the fish supplied by any one of the major supermarkets may not even come from fisherman within this country.

It is not just the fishmongers where you can pay less for greater quality. The butchers based on Falmouth high street provides excellent meat for prices that often rival those at the supermarkets. Their two most popular products, beef mince and chicken breast fillets are normally a lot less expensive than in Asda and, as with the fish, will be far superior. For example, I asked for £5 worth of mince and was surprised to find, when I got home, that it had got me over a kilo and a half of high quality meat. At Asda you would strug-gle to get a kilo of mince for £5 and the quality would be poor. The greengrocers are also very reasonably priced and the fruit and vegetables they provide are always in season, whilst students who shop there will be able to claim a discount, making it cheaper than Asda. Supporting local food suppliers will not only help you save money, but it will also help you save the planet. Food that is locally sourced does not have to travel large distances and, as such, does not rack up “food miles”. This is the distance that food travels from farm to plate. It was recently uncovered by a researcher in Iowa that the milk, sugar and strawberries that went into one small carton of strawberry yoghurt collectively travelled 2,211 miles- and that was just to get to the processing plant. The same researcher claimed that, on average, food travels 1,500 miles from farm to consumer. Locally sourced foods travel just 44.6 miles on average.

In the supermarket era local shops face a major hurdle; people simply don’t shop around anymore. We’ve been brought up in a world where everything we could possibly need or want is located in one extensive store and so we’ve never really considered visiting a butcher or a greengrocer, but now is the time to change that. We need to make that small amount of effort and, maybe, we’ll all be able to see the differ-ence. I am, will you?

WORDS PHOTOSben lewis pinterest


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Roxana Soare - http://drawforjoy.com/tag/drunken-woman/Hangover Cure

Waking up in a state of dysphoria, eyes glued shut with last night’s makeup and a mouth that feels like you’ve swallowed the Sahara is a feeling many of the 18+ population will be very well acquainted with and is known as ‘the hangover’.All you want is your bed, pity and water and you would give anything to relieve yourself of this atro-cious headache. Even though we know what the consequences of alcohol consumption will be, why do we continue to put ourselves through it?Well for one the previous night’s antics were prob-ably hilarious! Whether you sang Carly Rae Jepsen at the top of your lungs on Club I’s stage, generally had a cracking time with friends or professed your love to a girl/guy you first met when they lent you their lighter, you were intoxicated and it was fun!The inevitable downer of a hangover will always be looming in the horizon and is the painful price to pay for a mad night out so if you can’t avoid it, embrace it!To take the edge off it’s a good idea to locate water and paracetamol (avoid aspirin as it irritates the stomach), you will feel an urge to eat fatty food – do it! Your liver is working overtime to rid your body of alcohol and to do so it needs fat! Get down to the chip shop, KFC, McDonalds and fill your boots!First things first, reach as far back into your mem-ory as last night and see if you need to apologise to anyone. Such things as spilling drinks, impaling someone’s foot with a stiletto, hitting someone in the face with your outstretched arm during Bon Jovi - which are all excusable considering the drunken circumstances, but if you argued or vomited on anyone I am sure they’ll appreciate the after-thought. It is also an idea to check your phone for more evidence!Then comes the camera check, complete with plenty of wardrobe malfunctions, double chins and unflattering facial expressions. You will spend most of your time with your finger on the bin button. After the morning process is complete and rest as-sured that you have your dignity and friends intact

it has the potential to be a good day. By good in no means will it be productive, but it can still be enjoyable.I interviewed 3 young adults from different uni-versities and walks of life to gain a fair insight into what people get up to on their hangover days.Charlotte Powell, 18, Radio production, Westmin-ster university says: “I can just about open my eyes enough to watch a film, hangover days are a great chance to catch up on Disney movies and classics in general, I can watch 3 films back to back some-times. I got through all the Twilight films in one day.”Jack Eaton, 19, Journalism student, takes a more pro-active approach: “I love to listen to music and work, by work I mean writing for my label which I love, writing is easy when hungover.”Charlotte Morton, 21, Law student says: ”I love to Skype, so if I feel I’ve been neglecting contact with certain people or need someone to listen as I whinge about my tragic state I just Skype them.”It goes to show that you’re not rendered totally useless when hungover and there are always things you can be getting on with during recovery.As much as getting hammered is fun, it’s intrigu-ing to find out which alcohol causes you to feel the fragile and what can be done to prevent this after drinking so your hangover day can be the best it can be. I interviewed bartender Jess Cockerill of Nancy’s Bar, Falmouth. Her advice was:“Stick to one type of drink, be that cider, wine or one type of spirit and mixer. It’s the mixing of drinks that gives you the worst hangovers, also the myth is the darker the liquid, the worse the head-ache. Drink a pint of water before bed and eat a good breakfast in the morning. Drink safely.”So next time you put on your gear, grab the cheap-est bottle and head out, think about this advice and how it can change your hangover day for the better. If not, close the curtains, put your earplugs in and wait out the next 24 hours in your darkened bedroom, it’ll pass eventually.

WORDS PHOTOrebecca morris roxana soare


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It all started with a broken relationship and a fallen band when Justin Vernon moved to Wisconsin to spend the winter months in his father’s cabin. Hence the name, Bon Iver which is derived from the French phrase ‘bon hiver’, meaning “have a good winter”.

From then, Bon Iver has released some of the most amazing and heart-wrenching songs that directs itself to a personal place in the heart of their listeners.

I was surprised how few people knew who Bon Iver were. I was going around bouncing off the ceilings in excitement about seeing the band and many asked me who they were! I was shocked as they are one of the greatest bands in the world!

Just the day before they performed a sell-out show at Wembley Arena. Rightfully it was, seeing them at Manchester was undoubtedly the most amazing gig I have been to so far. From the songs to the atmosphere to the sheer brilliance of it all.

Surprisingly though, the Manchester gig wasn’t sold out, maybe it just wasn’t the perfect place for an indie/folk band!

The stage was decorated with drapes of material hanging from the ceiling and that was it, I thought it was a bit tacky but as soon as the proper lights shone on stage, it seemed to magically turn the stage into a cave and I felt like I was transported into a completely different place. It’s fantastic what a little bit of light can do.

Bang on time, out came Bon Iver at 9pm, slowly one by one the musicians came out and of course Justin Vernon was the last to appear, sporting a headband and a casual zip jumper. As expected, the whole band suited the atmosphere and the style, scruffy and bearded.

BON IVER

Manchester Arena, Friday 9th November

BON IVER BON IVER BON

IVER BON

WORDS PHOTO LOCATION SITEminky loh mojo4music manchester boniver.org

BON IVERINDIE FOLK

The anticipation rose as everyone awaited the first song, what else than their first song on their 2011 album, Perth! As soon as the soft guitar started I got goosebumps and a huge smile on my face. Everything came together perfectly, the lights, the mood, the music.

As the gig progressed, the smile stayed and goosebumps kept popping up now and again. The band were insane, they were all so in sync with each other. It was fantastic to listen to, just watching all the musical puzzle pieces together was even more perfect.

They played songs mainly from their latest album and included the favourites from the first album, For Emma, Forever Ago with an encore of Skinny Love, which had the whole arena singing and swaying along together.

My favourites included Holocene, Towers, Minnesota, WI and of course the encore brought back the goosebumps.

Well worth the 14 hour round trip to and from Falmouth.


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Any fan of Ben Goldacre or his book, Bad Science, will know of a practice called ‘ear candling’. Fans will also know that Goldacre considers the practice, pulling no punches, ridiculous, pointless and almost certainly dangerous. Goldacre is not alone in this opinion; most of the medical profession think the same. A search of PubMed, a free database of medical papers, brings up a few papers researching the alleged benefits of ear candling. The first is entitled Ear Candles: A Triumph of Ignorance over Science. It’s hardly worth reading any further. The other papers are not as amusingly blunt, but give much the same impression.

The criticisms of the practice are essentially two. One: that ‘candling’ (this is not a verb) does not remove wax or any build-up from the ears. Two: that the chance of burning your ear drum is far too likely to happen. So for anyone having their ears ‘candled’, either absolutely nothing will happen, or you’ll feel a sharp pain followed by profuse bleeding from your ear. A gamble with odds that would make even the 30-year-regulars of the bookmakers flinch and turn away.

So with all this in mind, and my always present Quest for the Disinterested Truth, when I was offered a free ear-candle session from a newly ‘qualified’ practitioner, how could I possibly decline?

For those who have never considered putting burning objects in orifices, ear candles are hollow, waxed paper candles which are placed in your ear and set alight while your face is massaged. The combination of this is argued to remove ear wax and anything blocking your sinuses; the massage loosening and the candle sucking it up like a vacuum cleaner.

This scene attracts a very particular crowd. You won’t find people discussing the great qualities of the latest pharmaceutical, no, these are lovers of alternative medicine, what can’t be cured by reiki, aromatherapy or homeopathy isn’t worth a mention. So a wide range of potential, and probable, nonsense to choose from there, but unfortunately I was only offered the ear candles, so this is what I took.

The session started pleasantly enough. I entered a dimly lit room and was told to lay down on a leather sofa with a large cushion under my head. Lying on my side, the incredibly nice woman performing the therapy applied oil to my face. She then lit the candle and inserted it. Before she did anything she told me that she was about to do it, which under the circumstances was necessary. Fighting the urge to jump away from anyone forcing burning sticks into your ear is difficult and can only be overcome by gentle reassurances. When the candle is in, the ‘therapist’ begins massaging in lines moving back to your ear, starting from the forehead and moving down over the face to under the chin. When the candles burns down so far it’s extinguished and then you roll over and have the same done on the other side.

So having braved the flames I have emerged on the other side with ear drums intact. On getting up I feel very relaxed, but then it would be difficult not to, having been laid down get getting a face massage for the past half hour. The ‘therapist’ offers to show me what the candles got out of my ears, obviously, as this is what it’s all about, I eagerly ask her to show me. After slicing open the remainder of the candle and prising it open, I’m shown the result: lots of grey-brown dust and some caramel brown wax. Apparently, and this is where it all starts getting a much for me, the dust is not ash, despite looking a hell of a lot like it, it’s actually sinus dust, whatever the fuck that is. And the wax is not from the candle, no, that’s from your ears. Definitely. No doubt about it.

WORDS PHOTOSbenjamin lovell internet

If this was truly the case my head should be about three pounds lighter.

I was told that it would take a few hours for the effects to become noticeable. But in actual fact, after a few hours the good feeling from the massage/lie down had worn off and I felt my usual blocked up self. But of course perhaps I “just needed more treatments”. Or maybe a real one.The medical paper I referred to at the beginning sums up ear candles perfectly: a triumph of ignorance over science. If you really believed, or wanted to, that this works, I can see how you might convince yourself it does. I briefly wondered if it had shortly afterwards. But then when you realise you feel no different to how you did, and you see all the proof that their claims are bullshit, all illusion should be destroyed.

I couldn’t bear to tell the therapist this, partly because she was so lovely and kind, but also partly because she’s my girlfriend’s mother. So while I consider the latest part of my Quest for the

Disinterested Truth to be a success, I couldn’t aggressively proselytise this time.

EAR CANDLES


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WHAT IS IT?Models Own Fluro’ Orange, £5 Asos

INITIAL THOUGHTSThe consistency of the nail polish isn’t too thick nor too thin, I find that really cheap nail polishes turn out really thin and you have to apply ten billion layers before being remotely satisfied. I could have applied just one layer of Models Own Fluro’ Orange because it was quite thick on the nail but I decided to apply another purely out of habit and fear that one layer is too thin that it will chip easily. Overall, it came out fine and the colour turned out a bit thicker which is great too! The only issue is that when it dries it comes out matte, it still looked nice but I preferred it shiny so I went over it with a top coat.I coloured my nails two days ago and so far so good! No chips or anything. I absolutely love the colour and it somehow makes my skin look slightly darker so I look like I have a darker natural tan which is always a bonus!

Overall verdictI’m really pleased with the results as I love the colour and the consistency of the polish, the only issue may be that it does start to wear after a few days, I’ve used it quite a few times now and the wear varies between 4 to 7 days before it starts to chip. However, I definitely would recommend this to anyone who’s looking for a bright orange fix!

OVERALL Rating: 9/10

BEAUTY & HAIR WHAT IS IT?Herbal Essences Beautiful Ends Split End Protection Cream from Superdrug, Boots and any participating stores

After years of hair straightening, curling, dying and drying, my hairs gone through a nightmare of a ride. I remember when I went travelling, I got this casting job for a commerical and when I was getting my hair and makeup done my makeup artist couldn’t stop going on about how lucky I was to have wavy hair but how silly I was that I didn’t treat it well, so I’ve gone through my fair share of leave-in conditioners and none of them have been that great so I decided to try this one by Herbal Essences.

Overall verdictAfter using this product for the first time, you could feel the difference straight away, my hair felt silkier and split ends were visibly less and after a week of daily usage I started to get compliments on the condition of my hair. That’s not the only good thing, it smells great too which makes using this on a regular basis so much easier! However, I noticed that after using it daily for about three months, I bought another bottle and used it the same amount but it doesn’t seem to be improving my hair at all, it seems that my hairs got used to it and not obeying it anymore, which is why this product didn’t get 10 out of 10. Another negative about this product is that if over use it slightly, it gives your hair a weird texture and makes it look greasy.

OVERALL Rating 7/10 WORDS+PHOTOS

minky loh


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Everyone will remember how Frank Tuner owned the stage at the London 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony to a crowd of 80,000 people and another 28 million TV viewers.

Three months later, the sleepy city of Truro was treated to one of the most fun shows they have seen all year.

In a room of a mere couple of thousand people in comparison to that historical day in July, Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls effortlessly had the crowd dancing on the tips of their toes and begging for more. The atmosphere created by the punk-come-folk singer from Winchester, was more than enough to have the room buzzing as he entertained their Cornish socks off.

Up and coming band, Jim Lockey and the Solemn Sun, opened the show to an eager audience who went wild when Frank Turner joined the guys to play the harmonica in one of their songs. Turner is so impressed by the punk-folk band, which is much like his own music; he even had some of their lyrics tattooed on his own body.

Next to grace the stage was Virginian folk singer, Tim Barry, who admits himself he is the walking talking stereotype of American folk music. Through his real-life experiences transformed into camp-fire songs, we were offered a glimpse into a life something similar to Jack Kerouac’s ‘On the Road’, travelling America on next to nothing with just a rucksack in hand and a positive outlook on life.

Finally, it was Frank Turner’s chance to awe the crowd, opening with some of his more famous songs such as ‘I am disappeared’ to get everyone warmed up. It wasn’t until

FRANK TURNER

THE HALL FOR CORNWALL, Friday 30th November

FRANK TURNER FRANK TURN

ER FRANK

WORDS PHOTO LOCATION SITEhazel murray hazel murray truro frank-turner.com

FRANK TURNERFOLKROCK

later that he casually slipped in some of his lesser known songs for hard-core fans, as well as introducing a few new things to come. Already, the album due to be released in March 2013 sounds very promising.

Throughout the gig he recalled the odd anecdote to particular songs, almost reminiscent of a lost England, with a wit that could lead him into a comedy career. His songs dream of a country that perhaps the Cornish are far more in tune with than the rest of us, inspiring a sense of freedom to grab our shoes and sail the seas.

It’s fair to say The Sleeping Souls, who joined together with Turner in 2006, not only supported his songs but their passion for the music together set the stage on fire.

Making sure that this penultimate night of Frank Turner’s tour would be one to remember, Truronian fans were given the chance to take part in the tour’s Great British dance off, leading to human pyramids and a lot of embarrassing dance moves.


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Drinking every night, kebabs on a Monday night, cheesy chips on a Wednesday night, greasy fried chicken the next. The student life just got more glamorous with the late night snacking and binge drinking.

Without a doubt, there’s always that one fear when a student starts university they’re going to start piling on the pounds but that’s not always the case. Here are a few tips and tricks to tone your tums and flatten those bums without breaking the bank.

Alcohol. I’ve always agreed with the ongoing debate of why alcohol is legal when some drugs are illegal except they kill less people than alcohol does. Alcohol is bad. Beer makes you fat, bloated and farty. Sure, it makes it easier to socialize after you’ve had a couple of drinks but it also makes you an absolute wreck in the morning and causes you to eat everything in sight, not to mention that it slows down your metabolism, digestive system and makes you bloated. Which would you prefer? I’m not saying you should totally give up alcohol but a constant dosage of the poison isn’t going to make you healthy or lose weight.

It’s all about a routine and habits, if you start frying some sausages and cooking some chips one night, you’re going to start craving food the next night and the night after that and the night after that, so the first thing you need to do is to get out of the same routine, don’t shuffle your way to the kitchen at 1am, get back to bed and have some sleep like a normal person should.

“Ooh, those packet of 100 sausages are only 50p!” – a reoccurring statement made by many students around the country. Do you ever stop to think what actually goes into those sausages? Whether they actually are sausages? The same goes for that 99p cheeseburger, yes it is yummy but did you know that although McDonalds brag that they use only “100% beef”, well that so-called “100% beef” is the name of their beef supplier… Very sneaky.

This links with the argument that eating healthy is way too expensive for a student. If you think

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT

that, then you’re wrong. There are a few healthy foods that are staple in healthy eating and don’t cost very much. Oatmeal – it’s not only healthy but fast. It contains gama linolenic acid, which is an essential fatty acid that helps lower cholesterol and potentially prevents heart disease. Be careful not to fall for the ever-enticing instant oatmeal because it’s generally packed with sugar. Another grocery on the list is canned tuna in spring water. Usually on offer at most supermarkets and is not only high in protein but it’s a good source of vitamin B6, which helps produce hemoglobin within red blood cells to carry oxygen to tissues. It’s versatile as well and tastes delicious in salads and sandwiches.Green tea is an extremely important start of the day for me, it helps to speed up your metabolism and contains polyphenol, which works to intensify levels of fat oxidation and the rate at which your body turns food into calories.

Many people jumped on the bandwagon of the low carb diet. Carbohydrates are made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, which are all vital for providing energy for our bodies and brains. Those on the bandwagon may have been mistaken, there are two types of carbohydrate: simple and complex. The simple carbohydrates are the ones to steer away from, they are as nutritionally beneficial as eating a plastic bottle. They are mostly made of sugar, which releases too quickly into our bodies, leaving us hungrier so in turn we eat more. These simple carbohydrates include white flour, white pasta, white rice and white sugar. These are the ones that give carbs the bad reputation. Complex carbohydrates are comprised of starch and fiber and release gradually, providing a source of energy, making us full and satisfied for longer. So, instead of picking up the nice bag of white rice or pasta, try opting for an even nicer bag of brown rice or brown pasta and see if you can tell the difference in your eating habits.

Of course all this is extra helpful if you add some exercise to your life and in no time, you’ll start to feel and look more fabulous than ever and not feel bad about your spending!

WORDS PHOTOSminky loh pinterest


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GIRLS V

BOYSTwilight edition

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REBECCA GIRLS V BOY

S

GIRLS V BOYS B

EN

For die-hard fans of the Twilight series, Breaking Dawn part 2 was an emotional roller-coaster. It was clear in the screening that everyone was aware that was the last time they would newly see a Twilight film, and we all went in eager and expecting.

The beginning I feel was fast paced, with the audi-ence having to take in Bella’s introduction to vam-pire life, her physical changes, and new feelings. It was perhaps a little less emotional than needed, I expected the opening to be full of tears and rejoic-ing at Bella’s amazing resurrection as a vampire but there was none. Instead an expectant Edward simply picks her off the bed and whisks her outside for a hunt, whilst the rest of the Cullen’s greet her as if she’s just nipped to the bathroom. This may have been due to time limitations or perhaps was meant to simulate Bella’s fresh outlook on life as an able-bodied vampire with strange new skills, hyper sensitivity and accelerated speed.

Feeling just a little disappointed after that, the following remainder didn’t fail to perk me up. The visuals were stunning and I would say Kristen Stew-art’s acting was her best yet. She portrayed a mater-nal killing machine well and the vampire folk were fiercely protective of one another. The battle scene was a real tear-jerker with the Volturi at their most corrupt and sadistic making a longer appearance than usual.

I found the conflict very satisfying and the pairing of the Cullen’s relatives to the Volturi members during the fight was very suitable as they maimed and killed the ones that had wronged them the most. Bella seemed to learn the art of attack quickly enough to pair up with Edward and kill Aro in what can only be described as ‘lover’s luck’. Driven by their protective instincts and the fact that Edward knew his moves, they were lucky to beat the hard-as-nails, centuries old head of the vampires.

It ends with a pleasant twist that shocked the audi-ence and readers of the book due its sharp snap back to reality. The audience became very vocal and there was all round relief.

It saved its sentimental touch till the end which filled the emotional void at the beginning with

touching images shown in the final scene where Bella and Edward lay in the field of flowers together. This was reminiscent of the scenes they share in the first film and it was a nice loop back for followers of the twilight series as a meeting of the beginning and end. Nostalgic memories of significant points in their lives show their struggle up until their time of peace, and the physical change in Bella since meet-ing Edward.

I left feeling a little melancholy as it marked the end of an era for me and my friends who had followed and awaited each film. It was a definitive and enjoy-able finale. REBECCA

Stephanie Meyer gave the tired and clichéd theme of vampires a chance to be relevant today. Whether she achieved this or not, I cannot say as I have not read the Twilight books. But from watching Twi-light: Breaking Dawn part Two, she had at least the opportunity to consider religion; race; dictatorships or monarchy, any abuse of absolute power; fighting the consensus and being who you are. And from watching the film she tried to cover these.

Now, knowing how Hollywood films are generally nothing like the books they may be based on, I can’t assume the film is anything like an accurate repre-sentation of the original story. But as Meyer was one of the producers, I don’t think it’s taking too many liberties to think it is fairly accurate.The film gentle touches upon, nothing more than a glancing contact, all the themes I mentioned above. The Cullen family are clearly outsiders in a very conservative ‘cult’, and considering the Mormon-ism of Stephanie Meyer, this probably isn’t far from something she attempted to cover. But why didn’t they carry this on?

The next theme is race, and this ties into the re-ligious Mormonism undertone: Bella is a human, and Edward is a vampire; they have a mixed species daughter who cannot be accepted by the humans, and won’t be accepted by the vampires. Again; an-other great narrative, another criticism of contem-porary culture. But never chased until its comple-tion.The consideration of monarchy and absolute power, which ties in the following point: that of going against the consensus because you know you’re right. The Cullens and the few friends they muster

are faced with a battle to the death with the Vol-turi. This is by far my favourite of the narratives. What a fantastic chance to bring the idea of fighting against the consensus, against all the opposition, to the mainstream popular culture. About doing what is Right. But the Cullens, the protagonists, after a cringe worthy ‘it’s all a dream’ style vision, decide not to fight the Volturi, the dictators, because they have been gracious enough to let the Culllens carry on. But only because they are pragmatists and knew they would lose. The Cullens have no principles and only care about themselves.

The best characters, and two who should have been given much more respect and acknowledgement are the Russian vampires, Vladimir and Stefan. Despite being shown as the worst kind of 50’s Hollywood stereotype of Russians, they are heroes who are let down by the disappointing Cullens. They come to the aid of Edward and Bella, itching for a fight, a revolution they have been waiting for, for hundreds of years (just like those dirty, red commies would). When the Cullens pathetically accept the Volturis decision to not fight, Vlad and Stef leave, disgusted.

The film ends with Bella and Edward telling each other how much they love each other and how it will be forever (quite literally), and how no-one has loved each other as much as they do. I hate to be cynical, but of course: they love each other more than anyone ever could. BS.

I cannot stand the Twilight series of films. But here there was a genuine opportunity to create a great film. I mean a really fantastic one, a film remem-bered by a whole generation of, not just twilight fans, but everyone, film lovers and critics.

Instead we got a mish-mash of ideas overridden by True Love and cheesy one-liners; a platform for peo-ple who already love Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart to love them some more.

But whatever I say here makes no difference. If you love Twilight you’ll see the film and enjoy it. And if you don’t, then you’ll hate every second of it. Just hopefully, if you do go to see it, you won’t get made to sit separately from your friends and look like a man who loves Twilight so much he goes to see it on


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CLUBS CLOSINGClubs, bars and even pubs in Falmouth have been made to close down till further notice. Current and new students have started their year back at Falmouth University only to discover that some of the town’s well known bars and clubs have closed down.

Remedies were one of the first clubs to close down last year due to not making enough money. Now Mama Africa, Q Bar and Kings Head have closed which means only time will tell, what will close next?

However Underground, the small nightclub, was forced by the Cornwall Council to limit its opening and entertaining hours so instead the venue re-launched as a bar and grill.

Unfortunately in Falmouth’s case the night life industry has been hit hard by the recession and students

FXU participants and Exeter Student Guild participants made their way up to Exeter starting at Penryn in the dismal weather all in the name of Children in Need.

6am meet at Tremough Campus and set off at 7am, the cyclists prepared for their 110-mile journey to Exeter Campus in the typical British weather. “They’ve been taking on the epic hills like absolute champions,” described Kasia Drinkwater, the Vice President of Participation at University College of Falmouth. She spoke to David White on BBC Radio Cornwall at around midday to update listeners on their progress and to let them know the happenings and whereabouts of the cyclists. Drinkwater praised the cyclists and explained how they were ahead of time: “They’re so far ahead of what we thought they’d be. I mean we’re here now (Bodmin), we were expecting to be sort of around 12 so they’re really pushing themselves.”

Children in Need is such a big charitable event, every year FXU are constantly holding events to raise money for the cause. This year they held all sorts of activities on campus, both in Exeter and in Penryn. Drinkwater said: “We’ve been doing as much as we can really, I know that all the vice presidents and presidents of both Exeter Student Guild and FXU have been coming in in their pajamas every week.” Other activities included going around with coin buckets, sponges being thrown at the presidents and vice presidents, dressing up and more. “It’s all been great,” added Drinkwater.

FXU’s Children in Need cyclists arrived at Exeter just after 6pm and appeared on Children in Need on channel one at 8pm. The credible group raised over £1000 for the cause.

CHILDREN IN NEED

W O R D S P H O T Ominky loh fxu

W O R D Sdiana mote

have found their own loophole in avoiding expen-sive nights out by simply drinking at home.

On student nights (Monday and Thursday) Club In-ternational has a variety of drink deals such as £1.00 apple sours and £1.50 vodka Redbulls. Students will binge drink before heading out to a club as it works out cheaper for them.

Sam Knight, 20, Photography student at Truro Col-lege, said: “Truro doesn’t have a decent night life however Falmouth only has Mango Tangos and Club I to offer and the two places are packed to the full very quickly because of all the students wanting to go out for a dance.”

“My friends cannot afford to go out so I think stu-dents in general are budgeting their money better this year.”

For the present time students will have to settle with what the sea town has to offer.

Importantly, students must be aware and careful of the surroundings as due to excessive drinking students have found themselves blacking out and not remembering a night out which has led to some unsafe situations.

F A S H I O N . A R T . L I F E S T Y L E / / LATEST F A S H I O N . A R T . L I F E S T Y L E / / LATEST

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KEEPIN’ IT REAL SINCE 2013

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