Updated 20.54 01/11/15
Competition is now closed and we are delighted we can now announce the winners are:
3rd: 2x tickets to Harrogate Christmas Foodies Festival: Diane Carey @capodemonte
2nd: 2x tickets as above: being redrawn 21.12 congrats Donna @bdonna191
1st: 2x VIP Tickets to Harrogate: Anthony Kelly (by email)
Thank you to all, much greater interest by email this year although all three winner retweeted. Please be aware that we recognised there could have been some confusion in the original phrasing of our question. Although we received only 1 incorrect entry, that too was included/ We apologise for any confusion we inadvertently caused.
All winners will be contacted by their original entry method, can you ensure you remain following us so we can DM you and receive your full details. Thank you
Foodies Festival follows up on a very successful summer season with a festive offering, Foodies Festival Christmas visits Harrogate International Centre 11-13th December and we have tickets - including VIP ones to win.
We ran a competition for the summer show which was hugely popular and all our winners had a fab time, well this Christmas it could be you.
Alongside traditional and modern dishes, chefs at Harrogate will cook their favourite Retro Recipes, transporting you back in time to the 1960s when green piped potato, glacé cherries and multi-coloured cheese and jellies were all the rage. Classic recipes such as the Prawn Cocktail, Baked Alaska, Sherry Trifle, Chicken Kiev, Vol-au-vents and Duck a l’Orange will be brought back to life in each chef's signature style.
Sample and shop from over 150 artisan producers in the Christmas Market, where you can pick-up everything you need to make this Christmas extra tasty and special, and visit the Pudding Hall for festive favourites such as eggnog, mulled wine and cider, mince pies, Christmas cakes, marzipan bonbons and macaroons.
The Yorkshire Gin Theatre offers Christmas Cocktail-Making masterclasses, while wine, champagne and craft beer experts host masterclasses in the Drinks Theatre.
Indulge in flavours from around the world in the Street Food Village and sip on a chilled glass of bubbly from the Champagne Ski Bar while the little ones are entertained in the Elf Cookery School baking snowballs, gingerbread men and cookies to leave out for Santa.
Just like Christmas day there is lots of post-feasting fun to be had with live music, carolers and entertainment throughout the day
Tickets start from just £8 and can be purchased here and at time of press early bird prices were available.
WIN!
We have one pair of VIP tickets and two pairs of adult tickets to win!
To win: Via twitter -
follow @jmyorks and RT any of my tweets with the hashtag #winfoodiesxmas
You can also also email here with subject Win Harrogate include your name and address (1 email per person) with your answer either A, B or C to this easy question:
Foodies are hosting other Christmas Festivals this year in November and December. How many Foodies Christmas festivals are there in total.?
a) 2
b) 3
c) 4
hint: look here for 'inspiration'
Rules:
1. Competition opens 15.00hrs 22/09/15 and closes 22.00hrs 31/10/15
2. You can enter via twitter you must be following @jmyorks and are permitted to retweet any or all of my tweets with the hashtag #winfoodiesxmas.
3. You can email using the link given and by answering the question. You must include name and address. One entry per email address.
4. You are permitted to both email and retweet, all entries following the rules will count.
5. Tickets will be valid for entry on any day of the event at Harrogate. Tickets supplied directly by the promoters and may not be supplied until the week of the event.
6. Winners names and postal towns will be posted on this blog entry once we have contacted all winners.
7. We will contact winners by the details used to enter if we have not heard back within 72hrs we reserve the right to reallocate the prize.
8. 1st prize winner wins 2x adult VIP tickets, next two win 2x adult entry tickets each.
9. Readers of Just Music and Just Families can also use the entry detailed in the email
With Dr Who returning to screens this weekend (19th) we caught up with the Doc, Peter Capaldi
Coming back to film your second series, how has the atmosphere been on set?
It’s been lovely to be back and everything’s been very positive. I think everyone’s been happy to be on set in Cardiff and the scripts are very good and strong. Everyone’s become enthused with the spirit of adventure that runs through the scripts, it’s been exciting!
How are you feeling about this new series? What can viewers expect?
I think they’ll find a lot of thrills, lot of mystery, a reckless Doctor in pursuit of adventure. It’s very thrill aired, hopefully full of spectacle and adventure - it’s not a sitting back, domesticated, reflective series, it’s the Doctor and Clara roaring through time and space in search of thrills. So I think it’s great, it should be a fun watch for audiences at home.
Can you tell us about the opening episode?
The opening episode of the new series is fabulous - the story is going to take us across the Universe in to all types of dark, terrifying and funny places. It’s a particular epic one to start, with lots of old favourites, Missy and the Daleks are returning and particularly for those who are nostalgic with the Daleks of the 60s, there are some special surprises in store.
Has the TARDIS changed?
There’s been a few changed in the TARDIS. As we came to know my Doctor a little bit more, we needed to reflect that more in the environment that he lived in. I don’t think my Doctor fits in with the whole idea of Edwardian time traveller, there’s a kind of resurge of that in the look of the TARDIS as it was, so I wanted to make it a little sharper. There are a few more elegant, 60s, classic design things knocking around, as opposed to Edwardian or Victorian.
How has the dynamic changed between the Doctor and Clara since series 8?
I think the Doctor and Clara are really having a good time. They’ve had some conflicts and challenges, but generally if you can weather the storms, you often find that your relationship is much stronger. That’s certainly the case with the Doctor and Clara.
They’re very bonded, they’re like a little gang. The Doctor has realised that he’s 2,000 years old and life is short, he wants to enjoy himself and enjoy having Clara around. She’s very good at trying to help him. He’s still rather impatient with human beings, which some people take as being socially inept, but he just can’t be bothered with them, he has better things to do. But she helps him a lot more, she tries to improve his manners and social skills. But they are very deeply bonded. It’s a very curious relationship, it doesn’t really have an equivalent in television. It’s a non-romantic, but deeply bonded pairing which is strangely full of affection, more deeply felt than simple romantic relationships.
What is his relationship like with Missy in the opening episodes?
I wouldn’t say their relationship has changed since he saw her last. Missy’s role is slightly different, but you’ll have to wait and see!
With a wealth of different sets and filming days on locations, would you say they enhance the look and feel of the episodes?
I think the design of the show is always really, really important - it gives a great cinematic feel to the show. It expands it, makes it not simply domestic, but quite cosmic and big. It’s good to have spectacular sets and locations, because it adds more physical texture to the show and opens it up more, it’s all pretty cinematic.
Have you got any favourite moments from playing the Doctor?
For me, obviously to get to play the Doctor, the whole things is a delight. Some of my favourite moments are when we reveal something of the Doctor’s more alien nature. For instance, in Kill The Moon when he’s able to look into time and read it, and communicate that, I think that was fun to do.
What was it like to battle Daleks from the different decades in episode 2? Any favourites?
I don’t have a particular favourite, but I do like to see the little old ones, they’re very sweet as they’re quite small. But actually they’re still strangely brutal, nasty little pieces of work, but are rather handsome and classy. They were great fun and do what is expected of them, you get a whole group of them together in the opening episode. I think we had about 20 of them in the studio so that was very exciting. Once you had them all moving, it was very funny watching Hettie (Macdonald) directing them, because she was directing them like actors - ‘you’re getting upset at this moment, have a look at your friends’ - and they’d look at their friends and then she’d say - ‘you need to look nervous now’ - and they’d actually be able to convey nervousness - it was actually very, very clever. It was like being in a Dalek theme park, with a free ticket, so that was fun.
One of the strongest action thrillers in recent years, this gripping movie cleverly casts actors known for comedy in the central roles. And it works so well that you can't help but see a new trend on the horizon. But the real reason this film is so effective lies, of course, in its script, which never dumbs down for the audience. Instead, it cleverly leaves out irrelevant details, keeping viewers guessing about essentially unimportant elements while getting on with the frantic mayhem.
It opens as Jack and Annie (Owen Wilson and Lake Bell) fly to Southeast Asia with their daughters (Sterling Jerins and Claire Geare) to start a new life after Jack's business back home went under. He has a new job here helping provide drinking water. What they don't know is that their plane lands at just about the same moment as the population uprises and overthrows the greedy prime minister, then sets its sites on interloping Westerners. So before they've recovered from jet lag, this family is running for its life. The only person who helps them is the disheveled Hammond (Pierce Brosnan), who's actually a shady British operative with a helpful local sidekick (Sahajak Boonthanakit) who loves Kenny Rogers. But the mob is on the warpath.
The film kicks off and never lets up, ratcheting up the tension quickly and propelling these characters into a series of outrageous cliffhanger moments. It's startlingly violent for a film with a fragile young family at the centre, so the peril feels real. And filmmaking brothers John Erick and Drew Dowdle do a terrific job at merging action movie cliches with gritty authenticity.
The script may occasionally feel contrived (and the title clearly not true), but the suspense is often overwhelming thanks to astute direction and solid performances. Wilson and Bell are startlingly good at this kind of thing, holding their own in the most fiercely life-threating scenarios without ever turning into silly action heroes. Their family bond is believable, as is the hint of past tension between them, which adds a strong emotional undercurrent.
By contrast, Brosnan seems to be enjoying the chaos, a salty veteran of much more dangerous missions. Most impressive is that the filmmakers never simplify murder, like the similar Taken films do.
With tonights (Friday) show in Manchester now cancelled it gives me chance to catch up a little, starting with a look at The Libertines new album Anthems for Doomed Youth
The Libertines exploded onto the indie scene in the early 2000s, alongside the likes of The Strokes and The Vines. Wild and unpredictable, they caused a media storm with their well-documented antics and fall-outs. They sounded truly British; The Clash for a new generation, their sound encapsulating every seedy London pub and night out on the town. The relationship between Pete Doherty and Carl Barat was passionate and highly volatile, with the band eventually dissolving in 2004.
After a turbulent few years, in 2014 Doherty disappeared from the limelight and retreated to Thailand where he spent a length of time in rehabilitation. Thankfully, he seemed to find some stability there, and after a while the rest of the band reunited with him, hiring a studio nearby and eventually recording 'Anthems for Doomed Youth'. But 11 years on from their last album, this is quite a different band. They've been through so much together, so many fights, prison sentences, and rehab-stints, that you're suddenly faced with a much older, wiser group. The volume and the passion are still there, but the sense of pure anarchy isn't quite as present any more. Instead, it's been replaced with a much more solid sound, and to be honest it's quite a relief, because if they hadn't evolved at all in over a decade then they probably would have produced a much weaker album.
The last 11 years may have made the band slightly less unpredictable than before, but they're still rowdier than most bands on the current indie scene and its a hugely welcome return. 'Barbarians' is a perfect Libertines album-opener: noisy, a little bit messy, and catchy as ever. It's followed by the single 'Gunga Din', and this is where the album really shines. Reflecting on a long road ahead, the band are not one to take the tougher times lying down. It's loud and defiant, a perfect representation of where the band find themselves today.
As with their previous albums there are softer moments, such as the piano-led ballad 'You're My Waterloo' and the melancholy 'Anthem for Doomed Youth', which is very reminiscent of 'Music When The Lights Go Out'. These songs prove that, despite everything that's happened in the last decade, Barat and Doherty are still two of the best songwriters around. However, there are a few songs that miss the mark, and unfortunately the album falls a little flat towards the end. While there are some truly great moments, these are interspersed with some slightly lacklustre tracks that are quite forgettable.
It's hard to tell if this album will be remembered as fondly as 'Up The Bracket' and 'The Libertines'. The two albums defined what was an incredible moment for indie music, particularly in the UK, and the music scene has changed hugely since then. The band now find themselves in a very different place to a decade ago, and only time will tell how much of an impact this album has. Past albums aside, this is a strong effort, and hopefully the start of a much more settled phase for The Libertines.
Today we have witnessed the inadequacies on Northern Rail and lies (whether intentional or not) of your staff and twitter team.
The 19.11 Leeds to Knottingley arrived at 18.59 on platform 11. We were directed to board the front carriage of the three.
By 19.06 we were loaded and the doors closed, I noted this as I thought I was on the wrong train. At this point we had 11 minutes of the carriages to-ing and fro-ing as uncoupling took place. At 19.17 the doors reopened and at 19.20 we departed.
 |
| A more plausible reason |
The guard later said an incident had occurred earlier which caused some delays, but he said he had witnessed the inept uncoupling and said jokingly that he didnt know what was going on there, This shows he was at the train at (at least) 19.06.
I raised this issue on twitter. They hid behind the earlier delays til I said that the train was still there early. Then they said the new crew were delayed but we know they weren't. They knew they had been caught out and just repeated the same lies. Now they may be looking at logs and so pushing info the believed in. In that case the logs are false.
Why did it take so long to uncouple..why are lies pushed. why were we late AGAIN. Why cant Northern Rail be honest..
I really do welcome your comments
Harrogate’s International Centre will be transformed into a culinary winter wonderland, 11-13th November, as Foodies Festival Christmas brings Yorkshire’s top chefs, award-winning artisan producers and international street food together under one roof for a fabulous festive feast.
Festival founder Sue Hitchen said... 'We are delighted to return to Harrogate with our winter instalment. We had such a great time with our summer festival in August and received wonderful feedback from visitors.'
Acclaimed chefs from Yorkshire and across the UK and celebrity cooks will swap their aprons for Santa hats in the Aga Rangemaster Chefs Theatre, sharing their favourite recipes and top tips to help visitors create the perfect Christmas banquet. Confirmed chefs include (more TBA):
Murray Wilson – Norse
Lionel Strub – The Clarendon Hotel
Louis Troyano - Great British Bake Off
Yves Quemerais – Home
Ashely Kelly McCarthy - Ye Old Sunn Inn
Martyn Hyde – Eat me Café
Rachel Green – TV Chef
Jackie Kearney – MasterChef Finalist 2011
Saira Hamilton – small aubergine
Retro Recipes in the Chefs Theatre will transport festival-goers back in time to the 1960s when green piped potato, glacé cherries and multi-coloured cheese and jellies were all the rage. Inspired by infamous TV chef Fanny Cradock, several chefs will recreate classic recipes such as the Prawn Cocktail, Baked Alaska, Sherry Trifle, Chicken Kiev, Vol-au-vents and Duck a l’Orange in their own signature style.
An Artisan Christmas Market boasts over 150 of Yorkshire's finest producers selling locally produced cheeses, chutneys, chocolates, sauces and jams, biscuits and crackers, cakes, puddings and more for visitors to sample and shop from; perfect for picking-up those little extras that make Christmas extra tasty and special.
A Vegan area in the Christmas Market offers a range of delicious and healthy vegan, veggie and gluten-free treats for visitors to indulge in including desserts, street food, bakes, condiments, beers, wines and more.
Yorkshire Gin Theatre - Gin lovers will rejoice as local gin producers, including Masons Yorkshire Gin, host daily Christmas Gin Cocktail masterclasses. Wine experts Charles Metcalfe and Neil Philips are also on-hand helping visitors match wines with Christmas flavours in the Drinks Theatre and beer expert Melissa Cole champions craft beers as an alternative to wine and champagne this Christmas in masterclasses with local brewers.
Other features of the festival include a Street Food Village where visitors can feast of flavours from around the world; a Cake & Bake Theatre hosted by Yorkshire’s top bakers, chocolatiers and Great British Bake Off contestant Louis Troyano an accompanying Pudding Hall - a haven of sweet treats selling festive favourites such as eggnog and mulled wine, Christmas cake and mince pies, marzipan bonbons and macaroons.
While parents shop and enjoy a chilled glass of bubbly from the Champagne Ski Bar, children under 12 can enrol in the Elf Cookery School with Kiddy Cook, where they can bake and decorate snowballs, gingerbread men, cookies and cupcakes to leave out for Santa.
Just like Christmas day there is lots of post-feasting fun to be had with live music, local choirs singing carols and entertainment throughout the day. Visitors can enter the Chilly-Eating Competition (the winter version of the famous chilli contest), register their team to compete in the Christmas Bumper Quiz and have a group Christmas jumper picture taken in the photo booth.
Tickets are on sale now and are available at www.foodiesfestival.com or by calling 0844 995 1111
Advance tickets are available from £9.50
Friday adult day ticket £10.00 (£8.00 concession)
Saturday or Sunday adult day ticket £13.00 (£11.00 concession)
3-day adult ticket £20.00 (£16.00 concession)
Friday VIP ticket £35.00
Saturday or Sunday VIP ticket £38.00
VIP tickets include a welcome glass of bubbly, access to the VIP lounge with private bar and refreshments throughout the day, priority entry to food and drink masterclasses, a festive goody bag and a showguide.
All children aged 12 and under go free to all Foodies Festivals when accompanied by an adult.
Open times:
Friday 11th December: 10am – 6pm
Saturday 12th December: 10am – 6pm
Sunday 13th December: 10am – 5pm
Look out for competitions and more info - coming soon
The Selecter play Warehouse23 In Wakefield on October10th
"Pauline Black and Arthur "Gaps" Hendrickson reconvened to honour their debut album Too Much Pressure. This current formation is a festival-hardened entertainment spectacle to behold" - The Guardian
Influential and platinum-selling 2-Tone veterans The Selecter released Too Much Pressure, their debut album, in 1980 and it remains a classic touchstone for a generation of ska lovers. Mixing punk, ska and reggae it contains the irresistible hits "On My Radio", "Three Minute Hero" and "Missing Words". Too Much Pressure successfully reflected the social and political issues of the early Thatcher years in Britain and gave a voice to disaffected youth across the racial divide.
One of the most vital, visceral and important ska acts ever, The Selecter returned in 2011 fronted by the original singing duo of the female icon of the 2-tone era Pauline Black and Arthur 'Gaps' Hendrickson. The dynamic and impeccable duo take centre stage in what is arguably the band’s best line-up since the original one.
The band released 10 track album ‘Made In Britain’ in 2011 featuring covers of Amy Winehouse’s ‘Back To Black’ and a hugely popular anti-racist ska/reggae re-working of Woody Guthrie’s ‘All You Fascists Bound To Lose’- re-invented as ‘Big In The Body- Small In The Mind’. Pauline starred in BBC4’s “Reggae Britannia” series, contributing to a 90 mins documentary and a live concert broadcast from The Barbican in London and also wrote a well-received 2-Tone memoir, ‘Black By Design’, that year which has been published by ‘Serpent’s Tail’ and released in the UK and US.
In 2013 they released another new album entitled “String Theory” to rave reviews and toured venues and festivals all over the world playing that album, including the influential Coachella [USA] festival amongst others.
2014 was The Selecter’s 35th Anniversary and not only have they have never sounded better they are also still incredibly exciting and vital. They played “Too Much Pressure” in its entirety plus a selection of other much loved Selecter tracks at tours and festivals around the world in 2014 including Glastonbury and Isle Of Wight.
2015 sees the band touring with new album “Subculture” including this date in Wakefield while still playing all their classic hits live!
For more information on THE SELECTER, check out the following website / social media links:
Website - http://theselecter.net/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TheSelecter
Twitter - https://twitter.com/theselecter
Tickets for the WAKEFIELD – Warehouse 23 show taking place on Saturday 10th October are available from:
Wakefield – Warehouse 23
Box Office No: 01924 724523 or try 0844 478 0898
Websites – http://warehouse23.co.uk/events/the-selecter/
/ Eventim - http://www.eventim.co.uk/
Tickets - £17.50 advance
Doors Open – 7.00pm
To win: Via twitter - 
