SouthseaScene

The Van Kuijk Quartet will be performing in Portsmouth on Monday 30th October as part of the Portsmouth Chamber Music Series. Currently BBC New Generation Artists, the Van Kuijk Quartet’s international accolades boast First, Best Beethoven and Best Haydn Prizes at the 2015 Wigmore Hall International String Quartet competition, First Prize and an Audience Award at the Trondheim International Chamber Music Competition, as well as becoming laureates of the Aix-en-Provence Festival Academy. Further to this, they join the ECHO Rising Stars roster for the 2017/2018 season. Since their formation in 2012, the ensemble is already an established presence in major international venues, performing at the Wigmore Hall in London, Auditorium du Louvre and Salle Gaveau in Paris, Tonhalle in Zurich, Musikverein in Vienna, Berliner Philharmonie, Tivoli Concert Series in Denmark, Sage Gateshead, and at festivals in Cheltenham, Heidelberg, Lockenhaus, Davos, Verbier, Aix-en-Provence, Montpellier/Radi

I love reading and grateful that the city has a good collection of libraries. I often think it's the one resource that is worth spending money on.  Libraries give people access to knowledge and leisure. Whether you are an extrovert or introvert, there is a place for you in the library. Whether you are highly educated or just started learning, the library is for you. I go to the library to read novels, literary genius or pure chick-lit depending on my mood and inclination. I look up holiday destinations and even use the maps on the holidays themselves. At the library I spend hours looking at books for ideas to decorate the home or learn a minor DIY needed to be done. I cook many delicious meals from books borrowed from the library. Most of all, I learn. Every single thing I read in the library, I learn from. This week I read 'Homegoing' by Yaa Gyasi about the slave trade and displacement, and the finding of your soul's home. What will you learn this week

As appeared in Portsmouth View, October 2017 edition. Portsmouth is home to the arts and this month you can see just what a variety there is for everyone to enjoy. The fifth “Created in Portsmouth” arts and craft trail will take place the weekend of 13- 15 October and will feature a number of exciting local artists showcasing work in their studios. See the work of painter Lizzie Cornelius at her Hotwalls Studio, or Myrtle Clark Bremer at her home on Pelham Road. Popular graffiti artist, My Dog Sighs is exhibiting above the Wedgewood Rooms. Details from their website http://www.createdinportsmouth.co.uk/ Along the way, make a stop at many of the area’s great cafes. There is The Canteen at Hotwalls, Bread Addiction on Elm Grove and Casa de Castro on Albert Road, as well as Hunter Gatherer further along near Highland Road. Every third Wednesday of the month there is a free, drop-in interactive Story Time session at Fort Nelson. Great for the under 5s, the session on Wednesday 18

Saturday is chores day, but I cannot miss the Created in Portsmouth arts and crafts trail, which saw local artists and crafters opening their studios to the public. I had very little time so briskly made my way to Darlington Road, where bookmaker and paper artist Adrian Munday was opening his front room to showcase some of the fabulous books he has made. The photographs of the books were enticing enough, but to actually feel the books yourself was quite something. I know I have a thing about stationary, but these books were exquisite! Adrian's mother Shirley also had her crafts on display and she was an amazing woman who has a passion of beading and embroidery. You cannot miss her enthusiasm for the crafts and she couldn't avoid infecting me with her delight in crafting. Safe to say that I could not walk away without purchasing one of her beautifully crafted beaded bracelet. Having had such an inspiring visit with these two I thought it would be churlish to skip the st

Now, of course Sunday lunch is what everyone talks about on Sundays. A chance to sit with the family, over a long hearty dinner, communing and getting ready for the week ahead. I love to cook on Sunday and today I bought a large leg of lamb and made lamb apricot. The recipe is simple but the lamb has to stew for at least an hour and a half. The sauce is made up of basic soffritto, or chopped onion, carrots and celery sticks. Added to it some tomato puree and chopped dried apricot which all combined into a lovely orange sauce at the end. Keep the recipe simple, after all, Sunday lunch is about sharing and caring with your nearest and dearest.

Just finished reading a book entitled "Love, Nina" and really enjoyed it. The title caught my eye as my niece is called Nina. Written by Nina Stibbe, the book is a series of letters she wrote to her sister at home detailing her time working as a nanny in London. Her language is fun and it makes a very effective autobiography. By putting in some conversation in dialog format she avoided awakward description and kept the story fresh and honest. It's an interesting read and as a student of creative writing I find the style interesting. Dialogues are hard unless you have a very good command of personalities and tone of voice of various characters. Have a read, it's funny in most part and a very diverting read.

LCT 7074 to be focal point of The National Museum of the Royal Navy’s affiliate Portsmouth’s D-Day Museum thanks to £4.7m from The National Lottery For the first time ever an original Landing Craft Tank (LCT) will be on display at the D-Day Museum in Portsmouth. This has been made possible thanks to an investment of nearly £5m from The National Lottery and has been planned to coincide with the 75th anniversary of the landings in two years’ time. The D-Day Museum is an affiliate of The National Museum of the Royal Navy which is managing the project. Due to reopen in 2018 following a complete refurbishment, the D-Day Museum offers a much more in-depth narrative on the events that took place in ‘Operation Overlord’ on 6 June 1944 and looks specifically at the Royal Navy and how its crews coped on that day. Over 800 LCTs with the capacity to carry 10 tanks or equivalent armoured vehicles were involved in ‘Operation Neptune’, the naval element of ‘Overlord’. The largest amphi

Students from the Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries produced an innovative 360 degree video to promote Portsmouth’s world-class tourist attractions to some of the most important decision makers in the cruise ship industry at Europe’s premier cruise expo, Seatrade Europe . The video gives viewers the chance to get an all-round impression of some of Portsmouth’s most famous attractions. Portsmouth International Port is pushing for more cruise ship visits in the coming years and the video was part of a new #portsmouthtakesyouthere marketing campaign, highlighting a range of exceptional experiences offered in the City and on holidays from the port. The new immersive 360 degree video has been produced with the University’s Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries, giving students the chance to promote key sights and landmarks in the City. The interactive marketing material gives viewers the chance to get an all-round impression of some of Portsmouth’s most famous at

I just love to cook and it's nonsense when people say you need a lot of time to cook a meal. As a working professional with an equally busy social life, I do sometimes find myself having to rustle up something quickly. You can find the following ingredients quite easily at your nearest Tesco Express: Prawns - 150 g pack serves 2 generously and 3 at a stretch Linguine - 75 g per person Garlic - 1 clove, crushed and diced Red chilli - 1 medium, diced Butter - 25 g Parmesan - 25 g, grated Sliced spring onions, if available - it just makes the meal a bit more moreish Half a lemon Boil some water in the pan and add the linguine. Set the timer to 10 minute as it takes the linguine 8-10 minutes to cook. Then melt the butter in a pan and add the spring onions, garlic and chilli. Fry it gently and as the timer shows 3 minutes to go, add the prawns and salt and pepper and drain the linguine into the pan with a little of the water to keep everything moist. Only co

The historic city of Portsmouth has plenty to offer visitors for a special winter short break. Stroll the Historic Dockyards which will be transformed into a snowy Victorian street market for the annual festive event. Soak up the city’s cultural atmosphere beginning with a visit to the birthplace of Charles Dickens, the great 19th century writer and the city’s most famous son. The City Museum is home to the largest collection of items in the world relating to Conan Doyle and his famous detective. Stay in one of the city’s many boutique hotels such as the Mercer Collection of seven unique properties in Southsea - relax with a cosy spa treatment, and indulge in delicious food and wine from all regions in the many varied pubs offering local ales and top class restaurants such as No27 and Montparnasse, or the quirkier Pie & Vinyl. No Man’s Fort in the Solent offers a completely different experience in one of three fortifications built during the Napoleonic Wars and now offering luxur

Portsmouth Film Society presents its seventh Black History Month Festival season of films. PFS presents the work of four special films in the Eldon Building, Middle Street, Southsea during October. The festival is supported by the University of Portsmouth's Multicultural Staff Forum and Student Union, as well as Film Hub South East, an exhibitor focused organisation formed in 2013 as part of the BFI Film Audience Network. Last year’s blockbuster Hollywood film Hidden Figures will open the festival at a special event that will also be attended by the Lord Mayor of Portsmouth and other dignitaries, on Wednesday 4 October. Hidden Figures recounts the lives of a group of African-American female mathematicians who served as the brains behind the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit. The next film, Loving , celebrates real-life courage of a couple who challenged the law against inter-racial marriage in 1967 Caroline County, Virginia. This will be screened on 12 October.