40 B4 40-Dining Challenge

My brother in law has shocked his entire family by doing something interesting.  To explain, he is an IT geek, which normally means an active brain full of numbers and a limp body due to no creative bones.  Strangely though, he is prone to occasional bouts of fine humour.

Anyway, he has just turned 40 and decided to take on 40 challenges in his 40^th year. 

His list includes; Take part in an Adventure Race, Milk a cow/goat, Do a winter sport, Shoot a real gun, Walk coast-to-coast, Get a spray tan, Climb a mountain, Lose 1/2 stone, Run a 5k race, Get a tattoo etc. 

As you may expect few of these appeal to me, and I have already done the last one.

This got me thinking.  It is far too late for me to do the same age related challenge, also doing ‘55 things at 55’, sounds like far too many things to do!  However I have had an idea.  My wife is 40 in the middle of next year, so we are going to do a ‘40 B4 40’ Challenge.  As with most of my ideas she is not keen, however I plan to drag her along to see if she eventually enjoys it.  When considering what 40 challenges we would do, I soon dismissed anything that involved adrenaline or effort. 

The answer soon became clear.  Our ‘40 B4 40 Challenge’ will be: To dine in 40 restaurants before my wife is 40!  The gloves are now off, and knife and fork in hand!

It is going to be tough, and many will admire how we are facing such adversity, but hey, life is all about meeting challenges.  Fortunately Food Week should help notch a number off of the list.  As you may expect, as we eat our way through our challenge you will be able to follow our culinary adventure on these pages!

PS: I will let you know when my wife hits 14 stone!

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For the record:

 

FAVOURITE 15 RESTAURANTS VISITED BEFORE THE '40 B4 40 DINING CHALLENGE’.

*In no particular order, and excluding Milford on Sea eateries, they would of course all be in the list!

Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, London (3 Michelin Star) - www.alainducasse-dorchester.com

Pied a Terre, London (1 Michelin Star) - www.pied-a-terre.co.uk

Georges V, Paris (2 Michelin Star) - www.fourseasons.com/paris

 

Café Veneto, Rome

 

Rules, London – www.rules.co.uk

 

Langans, London – www.langansrestaurants.co.uk

 

Verveine, Milford on Sea - www.verveine.co.uk 

 

The Jetty, Mudeford - www.thejetty.co.uk

 

The Montague Arms, Beaulieu (1 Michelin Star) - www.montaguarmshotel.co.uk/terrace_restaurant.html

 

Lime Wood, Lyndhurst - www.limewoodhotel.co.uk

 

The RAC Club, Pall Mall, London - www.royalautomobileclub.co.uk

 

Chutney Mary, London - www.chutneymary.com

 

Boxwood Café (Gordon Ramsey), London - www.gordonramsey.com/boxwoodcafe

 

The Criterion, London - www.criterionrestaurant.com

 

The Ivy, London - www.the-ivy.co.uk

 

Veeraswamy, London - www.veeraswamy.com

 

The OXO Tower, London - www.harveynicols.com/oxo-tower-london

 

Brasserie Roux, London

 

Simpsons in The Strand, London - www.simpsonsinthestrand.co.uk

 

La Flambée' , Deauville - www.laflambee-deauville.com

 

Café de la Mairie, Deauville

Whoops, couldn’t keep list to 15!

 

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 WISH LIST: ……One day!

 

Fat Duck, Bray (3 Michelin Star) - www.thefatduck.co.uk

 

The Waterside, Bray (3 Michelin Star) – www.waterside-inn.co.uk

  

La Gavrouche, London (2 Michelin Star) - www.le-gavroche.co.uk

 

Le Manoir aux Quat’Saison, Oxford (2 Michelin Star) - www.manoir.com

 

Petrus, London (1 Michelin Star) - www.gordonramsay.com/petrus

 

Dinner, London (1 Michelin Star) - www.dinnerbyheston.com

 

Pollen Street Social, London (1 Michelin Star) - www.pollenstreetsocial.com

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To read my brother in law’s ‘40 at 40’ blog - please click here

Murray James Blue Today

Local lad Murray James has launched a new single.  Born in Milford on Sea, 22 year old singer/songwriter Murray James may be known better locally by his real name of James Billet.

His new song ‘Blue Today’ is essentially a Blues number with Murray on his guitar, accompanied by bass & drums.

Murray’s musical style is a mix of soul, blues and reggae inspired songs, with a distinct vocal style that defies his appearance.  He has already supported names such as Amy Macdonald, Candi Staton, Natalie Imbruglia, Joe Purdy, and Sir Elton John, at his only UK concert in 2010.  The concert was performed to a sellout crowd at Watford FC’s Vicarage Road Stadium.

Alongside producer Dan Grech Marguerat, James is now working on his debut album with which is due out at the end of this year.

Listen to ‘Blue Today’ here: http://youtu.be/RKiIg4dCyjY

 

Cliff Top Fire

Last weekend a Milford on Sea cliff top fire caused quite a lot of excitement for impromptu spectators.  It is unknown how the fire started, but theories that it was caused a crashing meteor, started as a signal to the Isle of Wight or was ignited by the friction of over enthusiastic lovers have all been dismissed. 

Whilst out walking a local professional photographer, David Freeman managed to grab some spectacular photos of the event, which he is happy to share with us all below.

David is based in New Milton and has been described as “Truly a photographer like no other – his style is so unique and special”. 

click on images to enlarge

David states “I believe that photography is all about capturing expression and emotion - a moment in time and a memory for a lifetime”.  Looking st his pictures, that all sounds spot on to me.

To see more examples of his work and the services he offers please visit his website by clicking below:
www.davidfreemanphotography.co.uk. 

Tel : 07776 137728

Queen's Diamond Jubilee Picnic Party

The Milford on Sea Village Community Committee has announced that there will be a Queen's Diamond Jubilee Picnic Party on Bank Holiday Monday 4^th June 12noon to 4pm.

Bring a picnic and join in a day of fun, entertainment and celebration on the Village Green! 

The Village Green and High Street will be alive with entertainment including a live band, free balloon show, the Science Boffins (interactive experiments with children), other entertainment, and free Jubilee cake!  BBQ and drinks will also be available to buy on the day.

Everyone welcome, just come along and join in!  Sounds like a date for the diary.

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*Organised by Milford on Sea Village Community Committee. (MoSVCC)

Are we getting younger?

Like you, I am sure you don’t need anyone to tell you about the delights of living in Milford on Sea, indeed it is almost our own little secret.

Chatting to some people I know on the cliff top, I was interested to hear that they felt more young couples are moving into the blocks of flats.  Surprisingly, Milford on Sea is only a little over the national average in age profiles.  Perhaps it feels older as ‘our oldies’ have a vibrant village to visit and of course the younger generation are at work or school most of the time.

The flats on the cliff top of course have spectacular views, and there is now quite a variety of styles and price ranges.  Indeed some think the profile is changing from second homes or holiday flats to permanent homes for first-time buyers.  Perhaps the government relaxation on stamp duty for first time buyers is having a positive effect?  Either way, anyone new to Milford on Sea is always made to feel welcome, and there is so much to do, whether young or old.

Note: Should anyone reading this article be thinking of moving to Milford on Sea, why not check out what is on offer with all of our friendly village estate agents below:

www.collinsandbutler.co.uk

www.murrayandhayward.com
www.ashtonsrealestate.com
www.sullivanmitchell.co.uk

Wind Farm takes step closer

The Parish Council are holding an open meeting regarding Navitus Bay Wind Park at the Community Centre on Thursday 1^st March 2012.  The meeting starts at 6.00pm and is scheduled for an hour.  The Parish Council have called the meeting to cover some questions that they hope Eneco can clarify before the Parish Council respond to the consultation.

The two website links below will give you more information on the proposals.  One is the developers site, the other as its name implies has somewhat opposing views.

Bernard Brewer, a local resident makes some personal observations.  “From a personal point of view the challenge Navitus site seems to focus on the visual aspect of the site, but it is the cost of the unreliable and therefore inefficient electricity it produces that is unacceptable to me. In simple terms if you used a month’s electricity generated solely from say a gas fired power station it might cost you £40 (and that already includes around 15% extra for so called green measures). That same amount of electricity provided purely from an offshore wind farm which gets a guaranteed 200% subsidy would be £120. I appreciate it would not literally happen like that as power comes from a mixture of sources (currently around 85% from coal/gas/nuclear) but you can see why this Dutch company which is owned by 61 Dutch municipalities is so keen to develop the site and get a nice guaranteed return for 25 years as does the crown estate and ultimately the government via the crown estate and VAT on the higher bills.

Milford is considered an affluent area and I am sure many can cope with paying higher bills but my concerns are for those who will be elderly and on their own in particular with perhaps a somewhat limited income who may be house bound for much of the time and in winter will not be able to afford to keep their home as warm as it should be.

The problem is of course government policy which makes it attractive to firms such as ENECO/Navitus, but while we have a Prime Minister who supports such subsidies (indeed his father in law reportedly gets £1000 a Day from some turbines on his land again courtesy of our bills) nothing much is going to change unless of course as I suspect wind farms will become an election issue.”

If you would like to add your views, for or against the Wind Farm, please do so in the ‘comments’ section below this article.

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Navitus Bay Wind Park

In January 2010, The Crown Estate awarded Eneco a 279 square mile area of the seabed located off the Dorset and Hampshire coasts (& due south of Milford on Sea) and to the west of the Isle of Wight to explore the most suitable place to locate a wind park with an approximate capacity of at least 900MW. Over the past year, Eneco has been appraising the area and concluded that a project of between 900MW and 1200MW of capacity could be located in the northern part of the awarded area, a site which covers 76 square miles.

Navitus Bay Wind Park will have the potential to make a contribution to meeting national targets for the increased use of renewable energy, reducing the country's dependency on fossil fuel imports and help to address the causes of climate change. 

www.navitusbaywindpark.co.uk

www.challengenavitus.org.uk/index.html

School Field Development

A proposed development to land adjacent to Milford on Sea School is meeting with local opposition.  To hear the case against the 30 proposed dwellings, and/or to sign the objection petition, please click here.

Any new signatures for the petition or any registered objections must be received by NFDC by Friday 2^nd of March.  So, if you have an objection you wish to be heard, you will have to be quick!

www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/mos1

Free Food Week Programmes in Shops

click image to enlarge

The full printed programme for Milford on Sea Food Week in now in all of the village shops, and free for all.  This year we have changed our publicity strategy and are printing 32,000 free programmes.  Yes, 32,000!  The concept is too spread the word far and wide!

As well as being available in the village shops, the programmes as being left at other key locations within 10 miles.  Plus, a programme will be delivered to every house across the New Forest as an insert with The New Forest Post.  Yes, 26,000 copies going to Milford on Sea, Highcliffe, New Milton, Lymington, Brockenhurst, Lyndhurst and everywhere in between!

Not only is Food Week on a mission to put Milford on Sea on the map as a ‘Foodie Destination’, and to provide a week full of fun and culinary delights for villagers, we are also keen to draw in holiday makers, and people from surrounding towns and villages.  The more people we can have actively visiting, the more it helps to keep our village centre, and village life, to remain sustainable for us all.

Grab a programme, - and getting booking!

www.milfordonseafoodweek.org

New Menu at Zaika

I am not an expert in many things, but one thing I do know is a great curry!

Having visited Indian Restaurants across the length and breadth of the country, it is easy for me to say how good Zaika is, indeed Milford on Sea is very fortunate to have such a good Indian restaurant in the heart of the village.  My wife is quite right when she says that I would be happy to sleep in a giant naan!

Things are about to get a bit more exciting, as Kalam has told me they are launching a brand new menu on the 1^st of March.  The team have been working on the new dishes for some months, and everything is now ready to launch.

To make things a bit more special, Zaika will be holding a ‘New Menu Preview Night’ on Wednesday 29^th February 2012.  This provides a great opportunity to try a variety of the improved recipes and new authentic dishes on offer.

To ensure that you can enjoy as much as you like, the evening will be an ‘All You Can Eat Buffet, with a Free Glass of House Red/White Wine or half a Cobra’.  All this will only cost each diner £14.95pp

The team at Zaika are always first to support any community events, so it would be nice if everyone popped in to give the new menu a try.

Sadly, I cannot make the ‘New Menu Preview Night’, as we are dining at 'Dinner', Heston Blumenthal's new restaurant in London that day.  I know, my wife is lucky to have me.  However, do not be too concerned, as I fully intend to try out the new menu at the earliest opportunity.  The day after sounds a good idea to me!

To book for the ‘Zaika New Menu Preview Night’ on Wednesday 29^th February 2012 please call: 01590 643084

www.zaikanewforest.co.uk

Food Week Open Meeting

We are holding an Open Meeting at 6pm on Wednesday 28th March. 

The meeting is for all Food Week Volunteers and any Participants running an event.  New volunteers are also welcome.  Indeed, anyone is welcome, even of you fancy just coming along to see what is happening.

There is no formal agenda, the purpose of the meeting is run though any questions people might have, and to give a brief overview of the things happening during Food Week.  The meeting is not expected to last longer than one hour and will be held in the Community Centre.

For those that get bored, or are looking for a better reason to come along, the bar will be open on the night!

Please feel free to just turn up!

Food Week Volunteer & Participants Open Meeting
Wednesday 28th March - 6pm to 7pm

Community Centre | Bar Open!

www.milfordonseacalendar.org
www.milfordonseafoodweek.org

Get Cut in the Village

Our very handy Hardware store in the village has just installed a new key cutting service.

This little Aladdin’s Cave of DIY bit and bob’s often proves a godsend.  Indeed my wife is a regular visitor to get stuff for when she is unblocking our sinks, fixing electrics, decorating or laying a new patio.  I occasionally pop in for a bar of chocolate.

Lionel’s welcome is always warm, although I think he was a bit shocked when my wife told him where she intended to stick the plunger she had just bought when she got home!

If you are looking for any DIY needs, key cutting, tools, kitchenware, plumbing, electrical, light bulbs, paint, gas, car accessories, toys, gardening equipment, crab fishing nets or beachgoods, don’t forgot it can all be bought in the village Hardware store.

Hardware @ Milford: 20 Keyhaven Road, Milford on Sea, SO41 0QY | Tel: 01590 641684

Open 8.30am: Mon to Saturday

www.hardwareatmilford.co.uk

Library Love Day!

click image to enlarge

Our village Library had a very successful ‘National Love Libraries Day’, on 4th February 1012. 

Around 103 people attended during the day, the kids had great fun on the Bear Hunt, and the adults enjoyed the delicious cakes, baked by the girls from the WI, plus a chance to have a good chat and exploration of the varied services the library offers.  As a result, 10 new people joined our village library.

The prize draw winners were Mrs Shute and Lucy Webb, winning War Horse and Where's Wally? books respectively.  Christine Minifie (Assistant Manager at Milford on Sea Library) sends extra special thanks to the Milford on Sea WI who, as always, gave us their support, valuable time and help on the day, plus of course baked all of the mouth-watering cakes!

The Boys are on their Bikes!

If anyone has seen an exhausted looking estate agent riding through Milford on Sea village resplendent in retro cycling trousers, do not be alarmed.  You have probably seen Jason Withers from Collins & Butler.

Jason is full on training for a rather special charity bike ride with a group of friends, including Josh Lines, who’s mum & dad (Paul & June) run the Red Lion.  Josh is athlete of the group and probably best suited to the job in hand.  A keen rugby player, gym enthusiast, surfer and cyclist. (Very much like your editor)  Jason is the musician of the group and will hopefully be serenading the team each evening after a hard day on the saddle.  Jason has plenty of previous cycling experience having cycled from Lymington to Newquay in Cornwall (with Josh), just for fun. He likes nothing more than surf in the morning to start the day followed by an afternoon on his motorbike cruising around the New Forest.  The rest of the team are made up of their friends Dan, Hannah and Bligh.

The team will set off from Largs Yacht Haven, on the West Coast of Scotland on Sunday 6th May 2012.  They then face a 6 day cycle to Lymington Yacht Haven, covering around 475 miles along the way. (And no doubt will suffer from considerable ‘saddle rash’!)

The primary aim of the cycle is to raise money for The Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust.  The Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust is a nationwide organisation that takes young people aged between 8-24 sailing to help them regain their confidence, on their way to recovery from cancer, leukemia and other serious illness.  The Trust is a charity that gains all funds from donations and fundraising activities such as the challenge the guys are planning.  They are hoping to raise something in excess of their £5k target.

I did of course offer to join them, but my bike still has a puncture and my wife is too busy installing our new kitchen to fix it just yet.

If you fancy watching how Jason & Josh get on, you can track their progress as they upload info and photos on the move to the website below.  Most importantly, if you would also like to sponsor them, you also can do it on the link below.

www.largs-to-lymington.webeden.co.uk

Pet Shop Birthday

click image to enlarge

Our village pet shop has come a long way in just 12 months.  When ‘Jaws, Paws & Claws’ opened on Church Hill on the 19th February 2011 owners, Nici & Lionel Illgner, did not know what sort of response they would get from the good people of Milford on Sea village! 

Nici now happily tells me that: “The support we have had has been phenomenal! We grew so quickly I could hardly keep up with the demand. It's only because of the support from the village that I was able to increase the stock holding and product range, and we are still growing.”

Starting any new business is of course stressful, particularly doing so in the middle of a recession!. But Nici is thrilled all of the extra hours and hard work is paying off.  Nici went on to say: “We have gone from strength to strength,  I try to keep prices low and competitive, if we don't have what someone is looking for I will order it in for them and we deliver for free!!”

Jaws, Paws & Claws stock all manner of essential supplies, toys and goodies for whatever you pet might be.  They are also the only stockist of the Symply range of natural dog food in the area, and now also have a new food range for dogs and cats called Barking Heads / Meowing Heads which is doing well.

Nici says a warm ‘thank you’ to all the customers who have been so welcoming and supportive.  If you need anything at all for your pets it is great to know that there is no need to leave the village.

Jaws, Paws & Claws, 4 Church Hill, Milford on Sea, SO41 0QH  |  Tel: 01590 643837

www.hardwareatmilford.co.uk/6.html

Lunch for the Carnival

Many of you are aware and were saddened that the carnival procession did not take place in 2011. However, the VCC are delighted to announce that a subcommittee has been formed to assist the Milford on Sea Village Community Committee to organise and run the procession in 2012.

They are in the process of organising and fundraising for the 2012 procession and are getting great support from the local community which is very encouraging.

The committee are delighted to inform you that their second fundraising event is the 'March First Friday Charity Lunch' held at Milford Community Centre. Some of you may know all about the First Friday Lunches that are organised by dedicated team of volunteers and raise money to support many charities.

The team would love to see as many of you as possible on Friday 2nd March 2012 at 1pm where you can feast on a main course and desert for only £4.50 per person.

Everyone is very welcome and no booking is necessary. Just show up, have a tasty meal and support a local community event.

If you would like further details about the First Friday Lunch Club or helping to support the carnival procession please do not hesitate in contacting Sean Reeves of Hugh Whitlock Solicitors at sean@hwsolicitors.com

NHS Protest from Milford!

We have heard that a protest song has been published on You Tube by a group of Milford on Sea village residents.  Your editor is naturally A-political, based mainly on his inability to understand grown up issues.

However, Joey has explained the reason for their song: “As the health professions one by one came out in opposition Alan Lansley’s deeply divisive Health and Social Care (“NHS reform”) Bill, most people in England hadn’t a clue what the row was really all about. So, lifelong health service researcher, John Gabby decided to try and help put that right by writing a catchy song about all the things that incensed him about the Bill.”

The catchy song was created in the kitchen on a cold Milford on Sea night by John, his daughter Joey Owen, accompanied by her husband Mark, brother Michael, and neighbour Nick Gill.  Nick then mixed the song the next day, while John and his wife Andrée le May, a nurse, added the graphics. 

Early next morning, February 7^th, the video was on You Tube.  Within a week, the ‘Song for Lansley and His Pals’ had nearly 8000 views, and was already being hailed on the internet as the campaign song for the opponents of the Bill.

The ‘Gabbay family and friends team’ have designed the song to convey their main concerns about the proposed reforms of the health service.  The video describes how, in their view, the NHS will become fragmented, how private corporations will undermine the control intended for GPs, and how high quality patient care will eventually cease to be freely available.

If you fancy listening to the song please click below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7onNFNKH6Y

HELP!

With Food Week fast approaching, and free programmes arriving next week for everybody,  we are now starting to look for helpers! 

This year we are giving Milford on Sea Food Week a focal point by have the ‘Shorefield Trailer’ on the village green as a ‘Food Week Information Centre’.  This will give locals and visitors somewhere to go the collect a programme and to find out what is happening. 

We already know we will need a large volunteer team to cover the ‘Food Week Information Centre’, as the trailer will be arriving to open every day as follows:

Food Week Information Centre Opening Times:
Good Friday 6th April until Sunday 15th April
AM Shift: 10am to 1pm – PM Shift: 1pm to 4pm.

The plan is to have two shifts a day, with at least two people on each shift.  It would be great if anyone out there would be willing to do a few shifts?

Amanda Tanner has kindly been pressganged volunteered to coordinate the rota for us, so if you are happy to do some shifts, (and/or can persuade some of your friends to get involved as well!), can you please drop her a line to let her know.  (She will be very relieved, as she is worried we won’t get the quantity of volunteers we need!) 

Contact details: Amanda Tanner: amandatanner@sky.com

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Food Week Volunteer Team: If you are not already on our ‘Volunteer List’, and would like to help out for a few hours at various events, please feel free to let me have you details:

david@milfordonsea.org

Youth Drama Group is Back

We have been informed that the Milford Youth Group's Drama and Film Making Project is finally back!

Last Summer's workshops and the final event that took place last Autumn and were a great success .  The young participants showcased their performance and screen production skills to a wide audience from Milford's community, while revealing plenty of their views and ideas on what it is to be young in Milford on Sea in 2012.

Needless to say it was quite an insight for some of the audience's members!  The bridging of young and old was great to see, when followed by some yummy cake and tea and a talk laid on by the young group themselves.

The youth group are now running another project for two age groups once a week at the Community Centre with massive thanks to Artswork and Hampshire County Council who have awarded the grant to make it possible.

For extra inspiration the project will also involve trips and workshops at Winchester University's Performing Arts Centre, visits to youth clubs in Southampton, and cultural trips to places such as Medina Mosque and Arts Asia.

The project is FREE to join (however donations are always welcome to support village youth work), and will run on a Wednesday from 4:.30pm until 6pm (for school yrs 5 and 6) and 6.15pm until 7.30pm (for school years 7 to 10).

If you are interested in joining please contact Joey at the youth group, 01590 644961 or 07557 658495, or email joeyruthowen@yahoo.co.uk