Saturday Morning with Jack Tame

Kevin Bridges is Scotland’s biggest comedy export.  Dubbed ‘brilliant’ by Billy Connolly, Kevin made his debut at The Edinburgh Playhouse on Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow in 2009.  Overnight success followed with Kevin selling out his run at the Edinburgh Festival in just one day!
 
Kevin Bridges New Zealand TourSep 25 - Christchurch's Horncastle ArenaSep 26 - Dunedin's Regent TheatreSep 27 and 28 - Auckland's ASB Theatre (first date sold out)Sep 30 - Wellington's Michael Fowler Centre
http://www.abpresents.com.au/current-events/show/kevin-bridges-2

It’s party time in Canada as the nation’s year-long birthday bash rolls on. The French may have staked their claim nearly five hundred years ago, but Canada as we know it, is only 150 years old. And it’s that celebration of the nation’s Confederation that has further fired up the travel boom to Canada. Kiwis are part of that global love affair with Air New Zealand just announcing increased flights to Vancouver.
Out east, I’ve just enjoyed my first foray to the capital city of Ottawa. Similarly sized to Auckland’s population, but a lot more compact, like all great capital cities, Ottawa is a wedding-cake city, studded with grand patriotic confections. But she’s not a stuffy, stilted town, groaning under the weight of bureaucracy. She’s incredibly photogenic, carpeted in green spaces, with a playful, gregarious and welcoming spirit.
The inner-core of Ottawa boasts some strikingly distinctive neighbourhoods, like Wellington West, The Glebe and China Town. Wellington West is a foodie favourite, crammed with cafes, bakeries and specialty stores like Emulsify – a veritable trove of the world’s best olive oils and balsamic vinegars.  If you find yourself in China Town, you must check out The Shang, a 45 year old institution, where the resident karaoke star, China Doll, is even more famous than their egg rolls.
The Glebe is another extra-lively pocket of Ottawa with some signature specialty stores. The 24 Hour Bagel Shop is revered by the locals, while feline fanatics get their fix at Cats R Us, the most bewildering feline-friendly boutique imaginable, stocking apparel, toys and catnip candy. Pussy galore!   But if you’re a newbie to Ottawa like I was, you’re first port of call should be at Justin Trudeau’s joint, Parliament Hill.
The centre piece of Canada’s seat of government is the gargantuan gothic-revival building called Centre Block. Not dissimilar in style to the Dunedin Railway Station, but on a much more flamboyant scale, the 1865 masterpiece is a show-stopper. Think gargoyles, copper-topped turrets and sweeping archways. The interior is equally as lavish in a Harry Potter kind of way. At the heart of the building is the soaring Peace Tower. 
You can see Canada’s Prime Minister in action every day, when Parliament is sitting, in the House of Commons at Question Time. Admission is on a first-come, first-served basis, as are the free guided tours. You’ll need a ticket for the tours, which are distributed across the street from the Hill Centre, daily from 9am.  Plus after dark, the sprawling façade of Centre Block transforms into a trippy canvas for the nightly sound-and-light show, trumpeting pure Canadian pride.
Like all good capitals, Ottawa is awash with museums, many of which are free to enter in birthday year. And the Canadian Museum of History has unveiled its new Canadian History Hall to mark the nation’s milestone. If you’re an Arctic buff, don’t miss the new Canada Goose Arctic Gallery at the Museum of Nature. Two cores of real permafrost are included in this substantial showcase of the Arctic region, its diversity and undeniable global importance.
I’m a walkover for historic hotels and Ottawa boasts a star specimen in the Chateau Laurier. The toast of the town, this landmark property was built in French-gothic chateau style, by the Grand Trunk Railway Company, at the dawn of rail’s golden age, over a century ago. The hotel was to scheduled open to much fanfare in late April 1912, but the railway boss, Charles Melville, died on the Titanic, en-route to the grand opening.
He never got to see the completed masterpiece he had commissioned. Over the decades, guests and staff claim to have seen his ghost walking through the hotel corridors. Whether you’re staying in-house or not, the hotel allows you to wander through opulent marble hallways, admiring the art and soaking up the history.
Fairmont Chateau Laurier overlooks the Ottawa Locks, a sequence of steep, step-like locks...

6 Days directed by Toa Fraser. Starring Jamie Bell, Abbie Cornish and Mark Strong
In April 1980, armed gunmen stormed the Iranian Embassy in Princes Gate, London and took all inside hostage. Over the next six days a tense standoff took place, all the while a group of highly trained soldiers from the SAS prepared for a raid the world had never seen the likes of.
Francesca’s verdict: 3 out of 5
 
The Free Man, directed by Toa Fraser and starring Jossi Wells
Toa Fraser follows world champion freestyle skier Jossi Wells on his quest to understand what it really means to be free.
 Francesca’s verdict: 4 out of 5

Mike Yardley: Enjoying Europe in the Age of Terror
Bookended by two big burly hurricanes, Harvey and Irma, with North Korea’s nefarious provocations wedged in between, the past week’s international news has certainly been busy. Maybe that’s why the latest Europe travel alert hasn’t managed to make much of a splash in the headlines.  But the US State Department has just refreshed its official travel advice for Europe, alerting travellers of a heightened risk of terror attacks in Europe.
The original alert was imposed in May for the European summer, ahead of the appalling atrocities in Manchester, London and Barcelona, but that’s now been reinstated until the end of November. The State Department claims there is credible evidence that ISIS is inspiring or directing fresh attempts at wreaking havoc. Meanwhile, Britain’s Foreign Office has issued “high risk” alerts for several European countries, including Belgium, France and Germany.
The official advice warns that attempted attacks are very likely in those countries, although British officials concede that the threat of attack on home soil is also “severe.”  What about our government? The Ministry of Foreign Affairs operates the Safe Travel website and it’s fascinating to see where our officials advise what countries should be given the wide berth.  Our government advises Kiwis to avoid all travel to vast swathes of Russia, Turkey – including Istanbul and Ankara, and Ukraine. They are the classified as Extreme or High Risk. Much of Europe is classified as posing “Some Risk”. www.safetravel.govt.nz
But across the world, there is a clear and consistent pattern to the travel advisories on Western Europe. They are particularly concerned about Belgium, France, Germany, Spain and the UK. It is worth noting that global travel advisories consider the likes of Ireland, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Portugal, Hungary, Poland, Greece and Malta at far less risk. And unlike many of her neighbours, Italy hasn’t fallen prey to an ISIS-inspired attack. So if you are feeling a little anxious about enjoying Europe, there’s plenty of countries that are considered very low risk propositions for terror. 
Media company, Travelzoo, recently published research indicating these travel alerts do strongly influence over 90% of people’s decisions about where they choose to holiday. But people are also very resilient. Following the Paris terror attacks last year, visitor numbers only dropped by 8%. And this year, tourist numbers to the French capital have bounced back, up 14%. And I strongly subscribe to the theory that if we allow ourselves to be paralysed by fear, the bad bastards win. We can’t be complacent about basic safety, but neither should we allow evil to force us to stay at home in some sort of siege mentality.
Just look at the cold hard metrics. The Washington Post recently published that the odds of being killed by a terrorist while travelling overseas or in-flight are 1 in 20 million, based on the past year’s global death toll. The newspaper compared that to your odds of being struck by lightning as 1 in 10 million. In New Zealand, the odds of winning Lotto’s First Division Powerball, with an eight-line ticket, is 1 in 4.8 million. Europe’s uptick in terror attacks has reduced the region’s probability index to 1 in 3.2 million, based on the past year’s terror strikes.
But if you want to play it extra safe, security experts have identified some simple, practical tips. For example, the upswing in terrorists weaponising cars and ploughing them into crowds of pedestrians has raised some big questions about situational awareness. Some victims in Barcelona, London and Berlin were wearing headphones and oblivious to what was happening around them, while others swiftly took evasive action after hearing the roar of the engine. A split second’s reaction time can be the crucial difference. Top...

It would be easy to deal with this record in relative terms.  To judge it by it’s process.  Recorded over 4 Fridays with the bulk of it done in 4 hours on the final Friday.  But to do that would be improper.
It’s a return to the old days of recording.  The beatles first record please please me saw 14 songs recorded in one day.  So the famously fastidious Neil has done this one even quicker
But a record is a record and has to be judged on what comes out of the speakers.  And what came out my speakers this morning was sad, sumptuous and elegiac
It’s a sad album full on loneliness, indeed the song co performed with Tim is called Alone.  And yet Neil is not alone.  This is the biggest band he’s ever had.  String section.  Cor Anglais with people like Don McGlashan, Tiny Ruins and dozens other
The other glaring fact is that there is very little guitar or drums in the album.  Composed on the piano...there are only 2 songs with drum on them.  Chameleon Days and Second nature.
It has the feeling of a musical.  A Les Mis.  Especially on the song Terrorise Me which is about the bataclan atrocity which has a Parisian sadness to it.  An Erik Satie to it or a Serge Gainsburgh
But on a song like Widow’s Peak which has echoes of Four Seasons in One day you know this could only be Neil
But not as we know him.  This is a side project but the best he’s done.  A symphonic Finns Brother.  The Pyjama club on a sad day when they’ve left their instruments at home.
You have to be in the mood for it though.  The sadness and the piano and strings can become oppressive and there’s always a feeling of relief when the drums return in track 7 of 10 with Second nature the most typically Neil song on the album.
But this morning with a cup of coffee and some sourdough toast with the rain hammering down it sounded amazing
The sound of a late autumn or early spring chilly morning.
It’s a real work of art and I’m hugely impressed 9 out of 10.

Jack Tame discusses the issue of how to get young voters engaged enough vote.

MY FOOD BAG
 
Cecilia Robinson
Entrepreneur
 
The My Food Bag and Bargain Box business is the brainchild of entrepreneur Cecilia Robinson, founder and co-CEO alongside her husband James Robinson.
 
Cecilia’s passion from My Food Bag comes from a genuine love of food and cooking. The My Food Bag concept of home delivered recipes and ingredients is one Cecilia had experienced in her Swedish homeland.
 
As founder and creator of not one (but two) of New Zealand's most successful startups - My Food Bag and Au Pair Link - Cecilia is one of NZ's most successful young female entrepreneurs.
 
A serial entrepreneur with sass, Cecilia has won more awards than you can shake a stick at (Next Magazine Businesswoman of the Year 2014, EY Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2013, HER Businesswoman of the Year 2012 to name a few). Devoted mum to four-year-old Thomas and baby Leila, Cecilia is passionate about helping women in business and solving the everyday problems of working mums and dads.

If it’s possible to have a ‘rustic’ cake then carrot cake wins. With its wholemeal flour and vegetables (and I even cram in some seeds) a carrot cake is as robust as it is delicious. This one is light and airy and huge so tuck in! 
 Makes one 24x24cm cake
 4 large eggs
1 cup white sugar
½ cup loosely packed brown sugar
1 ¼ cups neutral tasting oil (i used sunflower)
2 tsp lemon juice
2 cups high grade flour
1 cup wholemeal flour
2 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp ginger
1 tsp baking soda
3 tsp baking powder
3 cups grated carrots
½ cup pumpkin & sunflower seeds
½ cup toasted & chopped walnuts to garnish
 

Preheat oven to 180 C. Grease and line a 24cm square tin with baking paper.
Beat eggs and sugar until thick and creamy. Add oil and beat again until well blended. Add sifted dry ingredients - flours, spices, baking soda and baking powder – and mix thoroughly but with a light hand. Fold in carrots and seeds.
Pour into prepared tin.
Bake for one hour or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Allow to cool in the tin until warm before turning out onto a wire rack.
Ice with cream cheese icing once completely cooled and shower with toasted walnuts.

 Nici’s note: Using some wholemeal flour and adding pumpkin and sunflower seeds adds texture to this beautiful cake.
 Cream cheese icing
200g cream cheese, room temperature
30g butter, softened 
2 cups icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla
 
Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.

6 Days directed by Toa Fraser. Starring Jamie Bell, Abbie Cornish and Mark Strong
In April 1980, armed gunmen stormed the Iranian Embassy in Princes Gate, London and took all inside hostage. Over the next six days a tense standoff took place, all the while a group of highly trained soldiers from the SAS prepared for a raid the world had never seen the likes of.
Francesca’s verdict: 3 out of 5
 
The Free Man, directed by Toa Fraser and starring Jossi Wells
Toa Fraser follows world champion freestyle skier Jossi Wells on his quest to understand what it really means to be free.
 Francesca’s verdict: 4 out of 5

Mike Yardley: Enjoying Europe in the Age of Terror
Bookended by two big burly hurricanes, Harvey and Irma, with North Korea’s nefarious provocations wedged in between, the past week’s international news has certainly been busy. Maybe that’s why the latest Europe travel alert hasn’t managed to make much of a splash in the headlines.  But the US State Department has just refreshed its official travel advice for Europe, alerting travellers of a heightened risk of terror attacks in Europe.
The original alert was imposed in May for the European summer, ahead of the appalling atrocities in Manchester, London and Barcelona, but that’s now been reinstated until the end of November. The State Department claims there is credible evidence that ISIS is inspiring or directing fresh attempts at wreaking havoc. Meanwhile, Britain’s Foreign Office has issued “high risk” alerts for several European countries, including Belgium, France and Germany.
The official advice warns that attempted attacks are very likely in those countries, although British officials concede that the threat of attack on home soil is also “severe.”  What about our government? The Ministry of Foreign Affairs operates the Safe Travel website and it’s fascinating to see where our officials advise what countries should be given the wide berth.  Our government advises Kiwis to avoid all travel to vast swathes of Russia, Turkey – including Istanbul and Ankara, and Ukraine. They are the classified as Extreme or High Risk. Much of Europe is classified as posing “Some Risk”. www.safetravel.govt.nz
But across the world, there is a clear and consistent pattern to the travel advisories on Western Europe. They are particularly concerned about Belgium, France, Germany, Spain and the UK. It is worth noting that global travel advisories consider the likes of Ireland, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Portugal, Hungary, Poland, Greece and Malta at far less risk. And unlike many of her neighbours, Italy hasn’t fallen prey to an ISIS-inspired attack. So if you are feeling a little anxious about enjoying Europe, there’s plenty of countries that are considered very low risk propositions for terror. 
Media company, Travelzoo, recently published research indicating these travel alerts do strongly influence over 90% of people’s decisions about where they choose to holiday. But people are also very resilient. Following the Paris terror attacks last year, visitor numbers only dropped by 8%. And this year, tourist numbers to the French capital have bounced back, up 14%. And I strongly subscribe to the theory that if we allow ourselves to be paralysed by fear, the bad bastards win. We can’t be complacent about basic safety, but neither should we allow evil to force us to stay at home in some sort of siege mentality.
Just look at the cold hard metrics. The Washington Post recently published that the odds of being killed by a terrorist while travelling overseas or in-flight are 1 in 20 million, based on the past year’s global death toll. The newspaper compared that to your odds of being struck by lightning as 1 in 10 million. In New Zealand, the odds of winning Lotto’s First Division Powerball, with an eight-line ticket, is 1 in 4.8 million. Europe’s uptick in terror attacks has reduced the region’s probability index to 1 in 3.2 million, based on the past year’s terror strikes.
But if you want to play it extra safe, security experts have identified some simple, practical tips. For example, the upswing in terrorists weaponising cars and ploughing them into crowds of pedestrians has raised some big questions about situational awareness. Some victims in Barcelona, London and Berlin were wearing headphones and oblivious to what was happening around them, while others swiftly took evasive action after hearing the roar of the engine. A split second’s reaction time can be the crucial difference. Top...