SouthseaScene

Following the revelations about the racial and cultural diversity of the crew of the Mary Rose seen on Channel Four’s documentary Skeletons of the Mary Rose: The New Evidence, the Mary Rose Museum has planned an Easter jam-packed with events to celebrate, between 6 and 22 April 2019. King Henry VIII himself will be gracing his favourite warship with his presence at various points in the holidays, bestowing guests with royal blessings or condemning them to death, depending on his will and whim. Visitors can join Henry VIII for a Royal Audience and listen to his first-hand account of the dramatic sinking of the Mary Rose. There has also been a rumour that the King’s sixth and last long-suffering wife, Katherine Parr, will pay a visit (perhaps for some respite from caring for her ailing and gouty husband). Sir Charles Brandon will also be stopping by to admire his brother-in-law’s ship. The royals and visitors will also have a chance to admire The Many Faces of Tudor Britain, an...

Article as it appears in the April 2015 edition of Portsmouth View: April showers bring May flowers so the saying goes. The next two months are the best time of the year for gardeners. Have you tried gardening? It is a good activity for any age. It can be rigorous or gentle, depending on what you want to do and it gives much pleasure, especially when all the plants are blooming or bearing fruits. It is a relaxing activity that is probably good for your health. I recently attended a mental health networking meeting at the Central Library. Those who were there agreed that it is important to maintain good mental health much as we maintain our physical health. Hobbies such as gardening, cooking or singing, may help you relax and give the mind a rest from thinking of stressful things. The long Easter weekend was also a good chance to rest and refresh. At the university we also have an Easter break for three weeks. While the students are away, members of s...

Hello, After a long sojourn, I'm back with some new recipes which I have tried and tested on a few people. The Easter holidays offered a respite after a very busy few months after Christmas. So lunch was relaxed and one afternoon I made this soup because we have been eating a lot of spinach lately and there is a pack languishing in the fridge. I happened to read an article in the Telegraph Magazine about the production of Parmiggiano Reggiano cheese and this recipe was on it. I made some modification to make it for 2 people instead of 6 on the recipe and here's my version: Spinach and Parmesan Soup for 2 people: 5g butter half an onion thinly sliced 300 grams spinach 50 grams grated Parmiggiano Reggiano a pinch of salt 1 medium potato thinly sliced 200 ml water Parmesan shavings to garnish balsamic vinegar Melt the butter in a large saucepan and sweat the onion until translucent (about 3 minutes) then add the spinach and stir until it's wilted...