Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2023 i Saga Magazine

Avery happy Easter to you all; I do hope the Easter bunny is generous. Here at Saga, we've been on a hunt of our own – for new products and services to inspire our customers across our businesses. In our Travel business, we continue to deliver new experiences. Following huge interest in our first ever private jet escorted touring holiday that will take in cultural highlights from Rome to Rajasthan, we've launched Africa Uncovered, a 22-night private jet tour that will take customers on an unforgettable adventure though Ghana, Namibia, South Africa, ‘Our dream is for Saga Village to become a way of connecting our customers to fantastic events’ Botswana, Zimbabwe, Uganda and Kenya. And we have searched out new destinations and opportunities to explore off the beaten track from…

SHOPPING LIST APRIL SHOPPING Our April picks…

John, you asked Lisa out by writing her a note a couple of years after she won Celebrity MasterChef in 2010. Why not just call her? John: Partly cowardice and partly I believe in romance and the written word. We still leave notes for each other now. My father once told me whenever he was going on his travels my mother would slip a note in his bag. Finding it was one of his greatest joys. I still have an old note Lisa wrote for me that I keep in my washbag. Lisa: Just a simple ‘Have a great day!’ note left by a teacup is a lovely, romantic thing to do and John is definitely a romantic. You're not coming across as a stereotypical macho ‘Ocker’ Aussie J: No,…

In the early hours of 12 October 1984, Margaret Thatcher was in her hotel room overlooking Brighton seafront doing what she loved best: working. It was a Friday, the last day of the Conservative party conference, and the Prime Minister was with her speechwriters in the lounge of the Napoleon Suite on the second floor of the Grand Hotel polishing the keynote address she was to give later that day. By 2.45am it was done and her speechwriters left. A bright moon glowed over the Channel. Denis Thatcher was in the suite's bedroom, asleep. The Prime Minister, still in a ballgown from evening festivities, was wrapping up some pending minor government matters. At 58, her energy levels remained indomitable. She went to the bathroom – even the Iron Lady needed…

Dabinett The ‘Godfather’ of cider apples, and one of the most frequently grown in the UK. It's relatively low in acid but high in tannins. A savoury, almost meaty, taste. Foxwhelp Dating from the pre-1600s, it's one of the oldest cider apples still in use. It has a rhubarb-like tartness. Sometimes described as the riesling of apples. Yarlington Mill A Somerset variety, it has low acidity and medium tannins. Lends a smoky, and sometimes herbaceous, taste to ciders.…

GUEST COLUMN Leaving my job at Channel 4 News in 2021 was hard. For 32 years, the adrenalin of presenting a nightly news show was like a drug. Yes, I was born in 1947 and, maybe, at 75, doing a five-day-aweek newscast wouldn't be the best idea. But was I ready to go? Not really. Surprisingly, though, it's been quite a blessing, allowing me time to be more creative, reflective and available to my family. So far, I've yet to translate the time in to all the things I'd like to do. As a boy, I was a chorister at Winchester Cathedral but I've yet to join that adult choir. I'm a keen amateur painter too, but I haven't embarked on any major canvases. It takes time to adjust when…

ask DANNY CLARKE Q I have an ugly shed at the bottom of my garden that I would like to hide or disguise. Any tips please? a It's interesting how people perceive sheds to be ugly eyesores, thereby feeling a need to tuck them away in a corner of their garden, unwittingly turning them into a focal point. For me, it's all about mindset. Instead of viewing them in a negative light, see them as a chance to develop something aesthetically pleasing. Decorating your shed with a wood stain will not only protect the timber but also change a garden's look and feel. You can add vibrancy by administering a bright colour, such as purple, sky blue or yellow, while a more neutral shade, such as olive green, will help…

TURNING 50 David Blaine magician Gabby Logan TV presenter, below centre Lee Westwood golfer Pharrell Williams singer, above right TURNING 60 Alec Stewart cricketer Garry Kasparov chess player Graham Norton comedian Jimmy Osmond singer Julian Lennon singer/songwriter Marc Jacobs fashion designer, below Russell T Davies writer, above TURNING 70 Brigitte Macron French first lady, above Merrill Osmond singer Rick Moranis actor Ruby Wax comedian, bottom Sebastian Faulks writer TURNING 80 Jonathan Lynn actor, director and writer Roger Cook TV presenter Sir Ian Kershaw historian TURNING 90 Carol Burnett comedian Harold ‘Dickie’ Bird cricket umpire Baroness Joan Bakewell TV presenter, above Shani Wallis actor Willie Nelson singer/songwriter…

£100 letter Gone too soon I have just finished reading the article in the March issue about losing an adult child and feel that I have to write to you. My lovely son, Robert, died 28 years ago at the age of 23. He was living in London while we were in Scotland and I can still hear those dreadful words that he was dead, all these years later. I had spoken to him on the phone only a couple of nights before. My husband, two daughters and I were absolutely poleaxed by the news. We have, of course, had to live our lives without him and I find I can go some time without thinking about him but then suddenly, out of nowhere, will come a trigger that brings…

EDITOR'S LETTER I hope you are all well and gearing up for the lovely long weekend. I'm extending my Lent chocolate ban this year and giving Easter eggs a wide berth. I shall be sticking to the real kind instead now that I've read about the huge health benefits they bring (p78). Talking of berths, I've just – very reluctantly – disembarked from the Saga Magazine cruise on board our very beautiful and boutique ship Spirit of Adventure. A tough assignment, but I always feel it is so important to lead from the front, don't you? I was joined by a merry band of our regular writers, including TV personality Nina Myskow, tech writer Jonathan Margolis and our health columnist Dr Mark Porter. As Mark told the ship's packed Playhouse…

The other day I was holding forth, when I heard myself saying, ‘Of course, no man is a hero to his valet.’ Reluctant though I am to disillusion readers, I do not have a valet. In fact, I have only once met a valet, when I went to stay with the Prince of Wales a few years ago, and he seemed a little pitying towards me (the valet, not the now-King, who, like father, like son, seems to reserve his pity for himself). Perhaps he had guessed that I don't have one of his nomenclature of my own, although it's more likely that he couldn't believe I was unable to tell my bedroom from my dressing room. By the way, the posh people who employ them know the word is…

TRADITIONAL ‘Champagne’ method Sugar and yeast are added in the bottle to create a secondary fermentation. About 8% alcohol with depth of flavour. Try Find & Foster Traditional Method Cider (findandfosterfineciders.com) Drink with spicy dishes, roast chicken, salty food KEEVED CIDER ‘Normandy method’ An enzyme is added to stop fermentation, leaving a sweetness from the juice and a lower alcohol level (2-6%). Try Pilton Somerset Keeved Cider (piltoncider.com) Drink with Somerset cheddar STILL An acquired taste, but multi-layered and rewarding like a red wine. Most are dry. Try Little Pomona Wading In (littlepomona.com) Drink with fish, any dishes with herbs and spices ICE CIDER Water is extracted from the fruit juice when frozen, leaving a more concentrated juice and a stronger, sweet cider (12%) that's a bit like dessert wine.…

The measured and composed actor Penelope Wilton is, on the whole, not a woman given to pronouncements on a grand scale. There is one subject, however, on which she is vehement. ‘I would hate to retire,’ she declares. ‘There'd be no point. I mean, what on earth would I do? So I'll carry on for as long as I can.’ Now 76, and doyenne of a stage and screen career of more than half a century, we must certainly hope Penelope is as good as her word as she is a stalwart of some of our most dearly loved comedies and dramas. From Eighties sitcom Ever Decreasing Circles to Downton Abbey, her presence on a cast list is a hallmark of quality. And that's certainly the case with The Unlikely…

GARDENS In my city street there's an almost perfect front garden. It's a simple rectangle in front of a terraced house, with a mulch of tumbled slate and three granite rocks. The only plant is a Japanese maple – an Acer palmatum var. dissectum from the Dissectum Atropurpureum Group – with an elegant dome and filigree leaves. As far as I am aware, this is the only Japanese-style garden between us and the botanic gardens. I wonder why? In our crowded and confusing towns we should be surrounded by such thoughtful compositions. When done well, nothing makes an urban space as calming or evocative of distant nature. The traditional Japanese garden is a landscape in miniature; the mountains, rivers and forests of the archipelago on which the art developed but…

I once had a male manicurist whose truth bombs were the stuff of legend. A woman who came in asking for an unusual shade of green got told, ‘Madam, do you wish to look like an artichoke?’ And, if you dared to turn up without a prior booking, he'd say, ‘Great nails do not happen by chance. They happen by appointment.’ My crime was to request a French manicure in 2001, by which time he had decided it was all that was wrong with the 90s. He repeated the words back to me like Lady Bracknell uttering the word ‘handbag’. ‘A FRENCH MANICURE?’ he gasped, clutching his Prada polo-neck in horror. We agreed to never speak of it again. So, thoughts and prayers are with him this year, as the…

Spring sees the start of the sporting season, for fair-weather types anyway, and for me it's no different. The annual Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships is not a Monty Python sketch, it's a thing that actually happens. My usual role is to announce the names of contenders and winners at the ceremony. Reader, it requires a unique set of skills. With entrants from around the world, flipping flawlessly from ‘Cleto Chiarli 2021 Vecchia Modena Premium in Magnum’ to ‘Llopart 2017 Imperial Panoramic Corpinnat’ in the right accent is no small feat. What this event also shows is that great-value sparkling wine comes from surprising places. It pays to look outside Champagne, not least in the Formula 1 World Championships, where success is no longer celebrated with Champagne, but with…

PROBLEMS Q A friend has started asking me where I buy my outfits – and then buying the same clothes. She's now getting her hair cut at my hairdresser, and she's even copied my sofa and patio pots. I know they say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but I hate her stealing my style. Is the only answer to avoid her? a I'm struggling to understand why this is such a problem for you. People are always taking inspiration from others, be it apparel or patio pots, and you obviously have a sense of style that your friend feels is worth duplicating. I wonder how close a friend your copycat is. If she's a casual acquaintance, and it's really spooking you out, your best course of action may…

FINANCE Bereavement benefits As I predicted in the February column, unmarried parents can now claim bereavement support payments equal to those paid to married parents. The payments are worth £9,800. The bereaved person must be under pension age at the time of their partner's death. The change is backdated to 30 August 2018 but the Government has no plans to find the estimated 21,000 parents who could claim that money. They may have lost their partner as long ago as 2001 but can claim any benefits that were still due after August 2018. If you know anyone in this position let them know! The backdating rules can seem complex but help can be found at childhoodbereavementnetwork.org.uk and widowedandyoung.org.uk. At the official website, gov.uk, search ‘bereavement support’. The helpline is 0800…

what's on WHAT'S ON THEATRE / MUSIC / FILM / EXHIBITIONS / RADIO / PODCAST / TV / BOOKS One of the most memorable characters in hit Regency-era drama Bridgerton is Queen Charlotte, an imperious monarch with a sensitive side, and a fondness for massive wigs, played brilliantly by Golda Rosheuvel. So, it's perhaps unsurprising that she has now been given her own mini-series, set to launch next month on Netflix, which will tell the story of how the young Queen's marriage to King George III sparked both a great love story and a societal shift. The series also charts the younger lives of two of Bridgerton’s other favourites, Lady Agatha Danbury and Violet Bridgerton. But just how accurate is the Netflix version of Queen Charlotte? One question immediately asserts itself:…

PODCAST Lady Killers with Lucy Worsley Historian Lucy Worsley turns detective for a BBC podcast, Lady Killers, examining the crimes of Victorian women through a contemporary magnifying glass. She has a range of Dr Watsons to help her, from authors to divorce lawyers. They begin with The Balham Mystery in which south Londoner Florence Bravo was in the frame for the death by poison of her penny-pinching husband Charles. It remains an unsolved murder though our sleuths conclude the inquest's judgement was obscured by a prurient interest in Mrs Bravo's love life. In other episodes, Worsley asks if a teenage Irish immigrant was forced into a murder plot and whether infamous New Englander Lizzie Borden committed a double axe-murder. Worsley delights in the grisly details, like the author of a…

Inspiring sight I would like to congratulate you on your interview with Prue Leith (February). Both the article and the information about Prue's styling were extremely interesting. I will be 70 this year and have always dressed conservatively but, having seen how fabulous and youthful Prue looked, I have been inspired to get out of my comfort zone. Giving full details of where readers might be able to source the clothing and jewellery used has been very useful and, although I won't be able to buy the whole look, I hope to buy a couple of pieces, starting with those eye-catching glasses. It is so easy to get in a rut, so, thank you, Prue and Saga Magazine, you have woken me up as to what is out there. Sue…

More puzzles! There are loads more puzzles on the Saga Magazine app. Download from your app store today! PRIZE CROSSWORD / CRYPTIC CROSSWORD / SUDOKU / CODEBREAKER / ADD A LETTER / WORD WHEEL / SET SQUARE / WORDSEARCH / PUB QUIZ / ANSWERS PRIZE CROSSWORD £250 prize ACROSS HarryLimeactorin 56 BondfilminwhichMaud Adams plays the title character (9) Commonnameforcalciumcarbonate (5) TheSpanishwordfora bullfighter on foot (6) Frenchcomposerofthe1943 piano suite 8 Code-nameofHitlersdoomed 1941-42 invasion of Russia (10) Mountainrangewitha4,809m peak as its highest point (4) IsleofWighttownjust east of the Fishbourne ferry terminal (4) USactorwhodirected2006 film 55 Elementsuchasneonor argon (5,3) ItaliancitywhereLucianoPavarotti was born in 1935 (6) Universitytwomileswestof Newcastleunder-Lyme (5) SceneofadisastrousFirst World War Allied campaign, 1915-16 (9) WhiteEuropeanplantwitha scent that resembles aniseed…

I come from two lines of great storytellers. My late father [the former Mastermind host] Magnus Magnusson was born in Iceland, where historical fiction goes back to the sagas of the Middle Ages. My mother, Mamie, a Scottish newspaper journalist, was a wonderful raconteur of stories about her family from the Isle of Mull. So I grew up drenched in story, and then went on to become a journalist with stories of a different kind, seeking to tell them in a truthful way. The hot seat I inherited the original black Mastermind chair when my dad died [in 2007], and it takes pride of place in the hall of our farmhouse near Glasgow, where everyone, including repair men, asks if they can sit in it and take a selfie. It…

Robert Hardman Royal Yacht, p38 The Daily Mail journalist has covered more than 80 royal tours, and interviewed three monarchs, one emperor and five Prime Ministers. He has also ridden the world's biggest horse. Jon Snow Guest Column, p42 Best known as Channel 4's news anchor for 32 years, Jon now spends his time writing and making documentaries. He loves cycling around Primrose Hill, where he lives with his wife and two-year-old son. Sally Magnusson The World According To…, p129 Broadcaster and novelist Sally lives in a farmhouse with her husband. They have five grown-up children and two grandchildren, who often come to stay. MH Jeeves Older Love, p85 The illustrator has worked with clients from The Guardian to Selfridges. She uses a dip pen, ink, and collaged elements to create scratchy…

VIEWPOINT Winter at last is over, spring has sprung, the temperature is rising, but instead of obsessing about what I'm going to be wearing now I can throw off the thick sweaters, I've been thinking about men. They too can put their weighty overcoats back in the wardrobe for another season. So, what should they be wearing? No more ‘working from home’ jogging pants and sloppy sweatshirts, please. The pandemic is done. What needs to make a comeback is a suit. Look at the recent prominence of the BAFTA and Oscar nominations of one Bill Nighy who, my contemporary at the age of 73, knows exactly what makes a man look marvellous. His collection of blue suits is renowned. He apparently turned up at a recent magazine photoshoot with an…

If cider to you means cold, sweet, fizzy pints sunk in sticky student bars, probably with lingering notes of regret, you need to meet Felix Nash. The art-student-turned-ciderevangelist is championing a new wave of artisan producers who are going back to cider's roots and making subtle, wine-like drinks a world away from your teenage cider and black. Fine cider is now served at some of the country's top restaurants, like The Fat Duck in Bray, St John in London and L'Enclume in Cumbria, and from April you'll be able to sample it in the new bar at Tate Modern in London. You can even train as a ‘pommelier’, cider's answer to sommeliers in the world of wine. ‘These ciders are closer to wines than they are to mass market ciders,…

THE ROYAL YACHT She would go on to become one of the most famous vessels in the world – and she saw most of it, too, during more than a million miles at sea in the service of Queen and country. Yet her origins were rather less glamorous. Built from the designs for a pre-war cross-Channel ferry, her code-name was ‘Ship 691’ as she took shape behind closed doors at the Clydebank shipyard of John Brown & Co. Finally, on a rainy 16 April 1953, the public had their first glimpse as ‘Ship 691’ went down the slipway and The Queen answered the question the country had been asking: ‘I name this ship Britannia…’ Few even heard the rest of her speech above the chorus of Rule, Britannia! that ensued.…

home & style INTERIORS INTERIORS / GARDENS / MOTORING/ FOOD / WINE / TECH / BEAUTY DREAMY SETTING This heavenly location under the blossom of a Pink Shell cherry tree invites you to set up an outside dining space. Nature has already provided the beautiful decorations, so keep the table styling minimal. Directors’ chairs, £145 each, and stool, £60, thestripescompany.com; TȦRNÖ chair, £15, ikea.com; tablecloth, £92, alsohome.com; placemats, £14.99 for four, Dobbies; Habitat bubble glass tumblers, £4 each, Sainsbury's; bowls, £75 for six, and side plates, £75 for six, Homesense; palm leaf tray, £27.50, thedanes.co.uk; jug, £30, and flower bucket, £20, The Country Brocante Fairs; napkins made in fabric by pippablackerinteriors.co.uk PICNIC TIME The weather is warming up, so pack a picnic basket with food treats, gather rugs, cushions and foldaway…

Azalea japonica ‘Hino Crimson’ This can be clipped tight after blooming and still bear red flowers each year. Pinus thunbergii The traditional niwaki pine for those with sharp shears and lots of patience. Acer palmatum var. dissectum ‘Seiryu’ Unique maple suitable for underplanting with moss or ground cover. Acer palmatum ‘Emerald Lace’ This is feather-leaved, slow-growing and suitable for large pots. Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood’ A large, easily available red maple for the medium-sized garden.…

RECIPES Pot au chocolat A pot au chocolat only tastes as good as the chocolate it's made with, so taste different varieties before committing to the recipe, looking for a good balance in flavour and finish. Makes 4 pots YOU WILL NEED 400ml double cream pinch of crushed sea salt flakes 75g unrefined golden caster sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract, or ½ vanilla pod, scraped 185g dark chocolate (65-70% cocoa solids), chopped into small pieces 4 medium free-range egg yolks cocoa powder, for dusting METHOD 1 Preheat the oven to 160°C/ 140°C fan/325°F/gas 3. 2 Combine the cream, salt, sugar and vanilla in a saucepan over a medium heat. Bring to the boil, then turn off the heat. Mix well and allow the vanilla to infuse for 5 min. 3…

going places TRAVEL EGYPT / LETTER FROM AMERICA Reclining on deck, a book of Egyptian history unopened on my belly, a cold beer at hand, I realised what sailing the Nile was all about. I hadn't moved for an hour. Maybe more. Who was counting? The temperature was in the high 30s, but the shade of the canopy and the breeze of the moving boat took the edge off the heat. A few metres away, at the table under the canopy, two of my oldest friends argued good-naturedly over a game of backgammon. On either side of the boat, the riverbank slid past implacably. Wagtails and pipits dipped and swooped in the tall reeds along the bank, sometimes detouring for inquisitive stops on the deck rail. All was calm. Other holidays…

THEATRE Vardy v Rooney: The Wagatha Christie Trial Ambassadors Theatre, London 6 April-20 May wagathaplay.com It was the explosive libel case that gripped the nation. No wonder the stage adaptation of Coleen Rooney and Rebekah Vardy's dispute attracted packed audiences during its initial run at the Wyndham's Theatre. Now, due to popular demand, it is returning to the West End. Based on seven days of High Court transcripts, the verbatim play reveals the intricacies of the showdown between these WAGs. THEATRE August in England Bush Theatre, London 28 April-10 June; bushtheatre.co.uk Written and performed by Lenny Henry (above) in his playwriting debut, this new production highlights how lives were impacted by the Windrush scandal. It focuses on father-of-three and husband-to-be August Henderson, who part owns a fruit and veg shop…

A COMPLICATED MATTER Anne Youngson May 1940. Milagros ‘Rose’ Dunbar leaves Gibraltar with her acerbic, crippled mother and other evacuees, heading first for Casablanca, then to a smart Kensington hotel in the Blitz, before she takes a job in a country house, typing a manuscript for irascible, sightless, First World War casualty Major Inchbold. With all the wisdom, wit and humanity that infused her debut, Meet Me at the Museum, Youngson has Rose address her story, teasingly, to ‘you’ (we must wait to find out who), in an utterly plausible voice, casting a wry eye over other characters along the way. An absolute delight. Our digital and bundle subscribers can discover more must-reads on the Saga Magazine app. TWIN TRUTHS Jacqueline Sutherland It should have been a perfect Christmas for…

Birthday bash The Coronation on 2 June 1953 was the day before my fifth birthday, with 3 June a day of street parties and party food. All of the tables were put out and laid out with jellies, cakes and sandwiches, squash and other party pieces. My mum had to break the bad news to me that this was not my birthday party but to celebrate our new Queen. Susan Dredge Piddlehinton, Dorset First to the post I was in my second year at college in Norwich and John (later my husband) was at Loughborough. We decided to hitch-hike to London and meet up at a Tube station on the outskirts. We made our way to Marble Arch and headed for the barricades near the road. We chose a spot…

1 Which lager is sold with the trademark 1664 (the year of its birth)? 2 The composers Rachmaninov and Prokofiev had the same forename. What was it? 3 What is the name of the Australian cultural attache created by Dame Edna Everage's alter ego, Barry Humphries? 4 In the 16th century, these specially trained animals were used to take hunters as close to their timid quarry as possible. What were they called? The phrase is used only metaphorically today. 5 David Browning played the cornet on the original recording of the TV theme tune in 1960 and on a re-recording in 1964 and he received a one-off payment of £36. What was the show? 6 In Gone With The Wind, Scarlett O'Hara lives on her family's cotton plantation, which is…

Has anyone ever given you the ick? Especially if they went full factor 50 on you? Don't let yourself be mugged off, but don't be a melt either, lest people become a bit salty with you. It's all a bit extra, don't you think? If this paragraph transports you to an alien universe, then you are clearly not a fan of Love Island, a programme that builds its own lexicon with every series, and whose contestants create their own linguistic brand through signature phrases that are inevitably propelled into the mainstream. Lexicographers almost have a duty to watch it in order to keep up with the latest slang. Of course, it's not just the Love Islanders who create their own lingo. Most of us have stared uncomprehendingly at teenagers chattering…