JAMROCK – brighten up winter with a taste of the Caribbean

When it’s cold and dark it’s good to be reminded of sunshine. It is no coincidence that the BBC schedules Death in Paradise, set on a Caribbean island, for January. It was a similar mindset that drew me to the pink neon of JAMROCK, the new Caribbean restaurant and bar on Calls Lane.  On entering, I imagined friends sipping rum cocktails at […]

In Conversation with Yousra Imran

Hijab and Red Lipstick, Yousra Imran’s debut novel, won the Hashtag Publishing prize in 2020. Yousra is half-English and half-Egyptian. She grew up in London and moved to the Arabian Peninsula when she was fifteen. Her book focuses upon the culture shock she experienced on moving to a more restrictive society where her father had […]

Skyliner Fish and Chips – Meeting the challenge of coronavirus

Leeds has a great history of fish and chips. There have been fish and chip shops in Leeds since the 1860s. The city is home to the NFFF ( National Federation of Fish Friers) and until recently boasted the oldest fish and chip shop in the world, in Yeadon. The foundations of the Skyliner in […]

Black Olive – Turkish Takeaway in Crossgates

When I moved to Leeds from London, over twenty years ago, the one thing I missed was Turkish restaurants. Over the last few years I have been  pleased to see a sprinkle of suburban Turkish restaurants appearing in Leeds. There is Ephesus in Rodley, Olive Branch in Moortown and Black Olive in Crossgates. The restaurant […]

Leeds Art Gallery’s Natural Encounters – finding hope and solace in nature.

Wednesday 4th November, one last day to enjoy a cultural activity before lockdown phase two. I was glad I chose to visit the exhibition ‘Natural Encounters’ at Leeds Art Gallery. Many of us have taken solace in nature and art during this unusual year, so it was good to meet them together. The exhibition was […]