SOUTHSIDE
Ingredients:
Gin (BUY NOW)
Lime juice (BUY NOW)
Lemon juice (BUY NOW)
Soda water (BUY NOW)
Mint leaves (BUY NOW)
Sugar Syrup
Fill a cocktail shaker (I didn’t actually have one so I used my protein shake cup!) with ice.
Add the gin, lime, lemon, simple syrup, and mint leaves- shake it like a Polaroid for 10 seconds. Strain into an ice-filled glass, garnishing with mint.
Perfect if you like:
A fruity but sour gin-based drink with complex citrus flavours.
Ingredients.
20ml Greenall’s The Original London Dry Gin, (BUY NOW)
20ml Campari Bitter, (BUY NOW)
20ml Martini Rosso (BUY NOW)
Method.
Pour all the ingredients into an ice-filled glass and stir. Garnish with an orange twist.
Greenall’s The Original London Dry Gin is available from: Waitrose, Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and Master of Malt. RRP: £15.49 for 70cl. ABV 37.5%
Perfect if you like:
Good quality gin based cocktails with a bit of party fizz.
Ingredients.
25ml BLOOM London Dry Gin, (BUY NOW)
25ml freshly squeezed lemon juice, (BUY NOW)
10ml sugar syrup (1 part water : 2 parts sugar),
top with good quality Prosecco or Champagne (BUY NOW)
Method
Shake the first three ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled champagne flute. Top with bubbles and garnish with pretty edible flowers.
BLOOM London Dry Gin is available from: Amazon. Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Asda, Morrisons and Ocado. RRP: £24.00 for 70cl ABV 40%
When someone says “think Volvo” there are many things that you think of. If you are mechanically minded you might think of extreme safety. If you are a gentleman with a liking of old things, you think of cavernous boots and the ability to carry grandfather clocks.
If you are gay you think of uber-posh socialite Margo Leadbetter and her much put-upon husband Jerry. You also think of Felicity Kendal too. Before you came out you had a bit of a thing for her doe-eyed good looks. Anyway, I digress about myself, we are talking Volvo, not vulva.
The 1974 Volvo 200 series from front bumper to the bulkhead was all new. From front screen and beyond it was the same as the 100 series it replaced, give or take, a bit of trim here and there. The frontal area was treated to a sloping wedge as first seen in 1972 with the VESC (Volvo Experimental Safety Car) Other important changes related to the brakes that were discs all-round and rack and pinion steering with power assistance available on higher specification models.
To differentiate the 260 model with its V6 engine over the 240 4-cylinder was the grill being enlarged and upright while the bonnet had a protruding ledge that sat over the grill. They also gave it square headlights and some chrome brightwork trim. You couldn’t say it made it look a million dollars compared to the lesser 240s but it added a visual difference to let those out there know that you had bought a flagship model from Sweden.
What did try to look like a million dollars was when Volvo asked Italian coachbuilder Bertone to build the 262C coupe version. A two2 door low-roofed version built between 1977 to 1981. It wasn’t money well spent. The 200 didn’t have sex appeal and removing two doors and having an elephant sit on the roof did nothing to further its appeal.
The Volvo 265 GLE estate was an expensive car. As is the example here, in 1978 it cost £7800. For that money, you did, however, get the PRV V6 from Peugeot, Renault, Volvo (hence the name) and leather luxury. It also came with air-conditioning, all-round electric windows, electric door mirrors and headlight wipers. In an estate, this was top-notch luxury.
Estate car drivers in the 70s and through most of the 80s were treated as second-rate motorists. Very few offered luxury to the carryall estate.
Ford offered luxury options on their estate versions. In comparison to price, the Ford Granada Ghia was available with a better V6 option and cheaper too. Datsun offered the generously appointed wooden clad 280C for less. If you were not after such luxury but instead favoured sheer carrying capacity and technical advancements, then you could have the Citroën CX Safari.
It’s not that the Volvo 200 series was without its technical advancements. It’s just that they were all pretty much hidden under the skin. Unlike the bumpers that were there to remove your skin should you walk into them. Big bumpers were a thing of Volvo styling. Mostly born out of American legislation for 5mph impact bumpers, Volvo fitted them to everything they imported into Europe too. Toymaker Matchbox even got in on the act and fitted an impact bumper to there Superking Volvo 245 model.
This big bold bumper took on a form of styling cue that Volvo then used when redesigning the 100 series to the 200 and the square bumper resulted in keeping the square styling. And this went onto became the new design language used by Volvo until they learnt that they could blend them into the bodywork.
The legendary bumpers that were sometimes fitted with reflective stripes across them were not the only visual things you could see. A Swedish trick was that the side lights illuminated all the time. Better to be seen with a 5-watt bulb glowing then none at all. Swedish regulations also stated that a headlight wash system was available too.
Under the skin, the engineering department of Volvo was busy bringing collapsible steering columns and crumple zones into the main arena of car design and brochure print. Volvo was sold as a safe car. The 200 series also had door bars.
This was in 1974. It took the rest of the world over 20 years to catch up.
Indeed Volvo had a bit of an obsession with crashing their cars. In their home country, word was that if a Volvo was involved in an accident they would study the crashed car, makes notes and use it to further their enviable reputation for safety.
Owner Graeme has owned this example for two years. In that time he hasn’t had to do anything to 64,000 mile “Burt” except give it a good wash and wax and regular servicing. The car is totally original and comes with dealer fit options like tow bar and front fog lamps.
Riding in the 265 you are immersed in the then luxury of the 1970s. The leather has really stood the test of time. The general fit and feel of the car is as good as it was back in 1978. The doors shut with a hefty thud. Much to the annoyance of your neighbours, you can’t shut them quietly or they won’t shut at all. Not that you would care about waking them up.
The 265 was a car for the affluent man.
It all worked well. That V6 engine, however, did not. Fitted to the hopeless Borg-Warner automatic 3-speed box it makes a terrible mess of an engine that won praise in the Peugeot 604 and Renault 30.
Sadly according to the DVLA, there are only 7 265GLE estates left on the UK roads. It might look as soft around the edges as a fresh stack of post-it notes but this car revolutionised car safety and if you’ve ever been in an accident, chances are it was this car genetics that saved your life.
Thanks to Andrew Wood for the use of the Matchbox toy picture.
GCCG member Graeme for use of his Volvo.
Being one of THEGAYUK’s motoring correspondents you’d expect me to have something new or flash or a bit of both. I don’t. The newest car in my fleet of 4 is a 1993 Fiat Tempra. A car I loved the moment I saw the advert back in 1991. The oldest I own is a 40-year-old VW camper.
In 1988 I was a spotty teenager who just happened to borrow his sister’s Just Seventeen magazine to get his feel of Marti Pellow and the rest of the Wets. In that year Fiat launched the Tipo. I liked the Tipo. It won Car of The Year 1988. THEGAYUK will be reviewing the new Tipo in the new year so I look forward to that.
Two years later Fiat launched the booted version called the Tempra and I don’t know if it was the visual of the car’s lines that struck me or Miriam Stockley’s haunting voice in the advert but l remember it stopping me dead in my tracks.
l said to my still teenage self that one-dayI would have one. The Tempra isn’t anything special or exotic. It’s a four door, five seat Italian saloon that sat below the Lancia and Alfa Romeo derivatives who had luxuries like turbos and V6’s.
The recent NEC classic car show was different this year too. There was more of a shift towards 80’s and 90’s car. The classic car market is quite resilient if you allow the odd old duffer to be slightly knocked sideways in their protests that newer cars being allowed to display actually shouldn’t be. Trouble is, 80’s and 90’s cars are rapidly disappearing from our roads.
Now here lays the problem. I am struggling to see what the young car enthusiast will aspire to in the rapid-fire world of bright and shiny things. In 2016 we all want the latest gadget, the most up to date software, shiniest shoes. This goes for everything these days. Perfectly functioning TVs are being tossed aside because the one in the shops has a curved screen and the 3-year-old unit at home doesn’t. Second place runners are not what we want. We want the best.
The Gay Classic Car Club is a wealthy rich place to find the exotic and the mundane. Members cars range from various Bentleys worth the same as the total sum donated to Children In Need to the modest like an Austin Montego. Now don’t get me started on Montego’s because I can get a little excited about them.
Old cars that I grew up with were simple. A key was turned, the engine turned over, fuel mixed with air in a carburettor, a spark was made and it resulted in propulsion. The cars fell to pieces due to steel reacting with air and water. You kept it going for as long as possible.
I contact manufacturers and ask for various cars to review though not one has made me think about its life as a 20-year-old classic. Due to the throwaway society we have become, I struggle to see many actually last that long. Working with cars I see a lot of people throw a car away these days. A recent 2004 VW Touran was in for diagnosis. It had a faulty NoX sensor. The part alone was £450 from VW. Along with some other bits needed for its MOT and a service, the bill rose to £700. The car was thrown away. I spent £700 on having the Tempra welded up. Thing is, there are still hundreds of Tourans out there. The number of Tempras on the road is 110. Thankfully, due to advances made in car manufacture and dismantling, many of the parts can be stripped and recycled.
So I sit here, at my desk, looking up Marti Pellow in the 80s and ponder what you and I might see at classic car shows in 20 years time. The new Mini, Beetle and 500 will probably still be in abundance but what about the ordinary humdrum car that wouldn’t raise the pulse even if its ignition system was rigged up as some kind of defibrillator and attached to your nipples? Or like my Tempra?
I’ve looked out of my window to the street below in the neighbourhood. I can’t see the Nissan Duke becoming a classic. The Focus, of which there are several, are getting close to the age of being almost semi-classic. It’s still a good car to drive and being that it sold in the zillions, there are plenty still out there. Hardly a rare sight on the road.
There is a 2004 Mazda 6. Twelve-years-old and full of reliability. It’s a bit grey porridge if I’m honest. It’ll never go wrong and because the Japanese don’t rust like they used to, it’ll go on forever. It just won’t be desirable to cherish. Or will it?
I’m sure there are many non-exotic cars that will make it into the echelons of the classic car underworld so in the mean time some of the GCCG members have sent me pictures of their old cars while l still struggle to think what will make it.
PHOTO CREDITS: Chris Ianford (Rover); Graeme Aiken (Rolls); Mike Howart (Cornice); Phillip Trueman (Maxi); Rob Par (Cherry); Stephen Golder (Montego) Stuart M Bird (Tempra)
Opinions expressed in this article may not reflect those of THEGAYUK, it’s management or editorial teams. If you’d like to comment or write a comment, opinion or blog piece, please click here.
Truffles – Makes 20-30
Prep 30 mins
Chill 3-4 hours
Ingredients
280g fair trade organic dark chocolate, I usually use a mix of both 70% & 85% cocoa content, chopped finely
3 tbsp coconut oil
240ml full fat coconut milk
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp rose water
Decoration/Dusting:
20g raw cacao powder
pistachios, blitzed or finely chopped
desiccated coconut (try it toasted!)
Method
On first acquaintance, I thought “I can’t drive this. The seat is too low” So low that I couldn’t actually see over the bonnet. Thankfully the seat has many adjustments and the £350 premium for this, is, money well spent.
We have a problem in the UK when it comes to large executive cars. We buy German. The French, Italians, the Japanese – for all the manufacturers there are, don’t send their luxo barges here anymore. We are to blame. So Volvo is hoping to take a slice of the action with their new S90 model. This could be reflective in their very competitive pricing and realistic sales forecast of around 2000 units a year. So don’t expect to see many in the carparks.
That in itself is a shame. Even in its light metallic blue colour, it is a handsome car. Executive cars tend to look their best in darker shades. The S90 is a well-proportioned design. Something Volvo has done a great job on because the S90 is a big car.
Everything is large in the S90. A trip to the Swedish flat-pack store revealed just how big it was. There was no need to fold down the rear seat. I experienced being a passenger in two places. First in the boot. It’s big enough for 2 bodies. The floor is flat and below the floor is the spare wheel and tools.
Rear seat room is also more than generous. Probably over generous if I am honest. The low-slung body belies the amount of headroom in the rear too. The rear seat is sadly lacking in under-thigh support for long legs. That said, leg room with me as a driver is more than ample.
The weather turned cold during my test. What did surprise me was the lack of a heated front screen yet the sonar for the car’s secondary safety features within the screen does have a heated element. It is a big screen to scrape on a cold day. Thankfully the S90 comes equipped with heated seats and steering wheel.
While I enjoyed the auto brakes in traffic, the auto handbrake has one massive annoyance. Unless you clunk click on the seat belt, it won’t let you drive off. This caught me out several times. Just moving the car on the drive resorted in wheel spin and a dragging of rear wheels. It just wouldn’t let go. Switch that system off and it doesn’t bother you.
The startup was quick if a little noisy. The 1969cc 190bhp diesel made you aware when it was cold. Once warm the usual diesel noises became subdued. Thankfully they became very subdued. Switch the optional £3000 Bowers and Wilkins speakers off and any noise would become apparent. It was eerily quiet, just what you would expect for this type of car. A nice feature for the stereo is where it put the sound. For most of the time, I had it set for driver enjoyment.
Driving the S90 is a pleasure. I covered quite a few miles during my test and I have to say it is a nice place to be. The ambience has been well thought out. Gentle lights within the doors just add something special to it. The polished aluminium trim is nicely set off by the wood coverings. It’s not over the top. It’s just right. At night time it is rather beautiful.
The S90 belies its modest 2-litre engine. That 400Nm of torque is available within a short rev range low down from 1750rpm. There is no turbo lag and put into ‘dynamic’ mode it heightens the throttle response making a rapid car feel more wild and feral. On the go this is marvellous, however, it does flag up a problem when stationary. That low down torque arrives quickly meaning pulling out in traffic is safe albeit a little messy with sudden wheelspin which is then curtailed by the traction control system.
The ride and handling are worlds apart from one another yet they compliment. The ride is supple and soothing. Never too harsh and certainly not Germanic. That in itself is quite refreshing. The handling, however, is not poised or crisp. The S90 is not a sports saloon in the BMW M5 guise. Don’t be fooled into thinking it is despite its ability to cover miles very quickly. What you do get is an overall pleasantness that is like driving with your Zen turned up to the max. I liked it very much.
Parking the Swedish barge is not a problem. It comes with assisted parking, reverse camera or 360-degree camera. All very easy to operate. The park assist is a clever bit of wizardry. A tight space in my road was child’s play for it both getting in and out. Now for all its techno toys it comes with crash prevention in its various forms, what did surprise me was that it wouldn’t stop during these manoeuvres. You had to hit the brakes.
The touchscreen infotainment system also adds to the nice feeling. It does pretty much everything from heating, stereo and satnav. The problem some systems have is they are too small for everything they have to cover. The S90 has a screen almost as big as an iPad and very quickly you find yourself navigating it without taking your eyes off the road. If I could award the car five stars I would on this beautifully thought out piece of kit.
Sadly it all goes wrong with the tactility of one important item. The outer door trims. For this loaded to the max S90 at £47,380 I didn’t expect to feel a harsh moulding line within the door frame trim. Now if only a little bit more time was spent on this trim. Not that this is going to be too much of a problem for the S90. The Swedish police who are very strict about their choice of police cars are about to take delivery. Now if it’s good enough for them, it’s more than good enough for all of us.
Ease of system
Ambience especially at night
Comfort
Some trim finish
Reverse camera angle
Won’t let you drive off without a seatbelt on when auto handbrake is selected
Car – Volvo S90 D4 Inscription
Price – £47,380 (as tested)
MPG – 64.2 (combined)
Power – 190 bhp
0-62mph – 8.2 seconds
Millions of men suffer from low libido and impotency in the UK, but there are natural ways you can aid your drive. Firstly you should always consult your doctor if you feel you have a serious underlying issue, but here’s some foods which are great to get you fired up.
Our food editor, Jordan Lohan explains, “simple things like salsa, salad, smoothies and even chocolate truffles can be tailored using readily available ingredients to relieve various sexual concerns”. Check out his FEED YOUR PENIS recipes here.
– Figs: These small fruits pack some big benefits. They are bursting with calcium, iron, potassium, and more of that stimulating zinc. They are also packed with fibre, which boosts heart health and satisfies hunger without adding to your waistline.
– Strawberries: Don’t forget to bring this mouth-watering dessert on your next picnic. Strawberries are an excellent source of vitamin B, which has been linked to high sperm counts in men. Go one step further and coat them in chocolate, as it is full of libido-boosting methylxanthines! (Why do you think it’s such a popular Valentine’s Day gift?!)
-Almonds: These healthy nuts are said to act as a sexual stimulant and a fertility aid, so if you’re trying for a baby, start snacking! They are rich in nutrients and in several minerals that are important for sexual health and reproduction, including zinc, selenium, and vitamin E. Zinc can also help enhance sexual desire – added bonus!
-Avocados: The name for this South American fruit derives from the Aztec language Nahuatl, in which it meant ‘testicle’ – a name chosen for the fruit’s unusual shape. It may seem like a bit of a stretch to us, but avocadoes do have some sexy benefits! They are rich in unsaturated fats, making them very heart-healthy. And a healthy heart keeps the blood flowing to all the right places! Men with underlying heart disease are twice as likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction, so feel free to add some extra avocado slices to your salads.
– Chilli Capsaicin: This spicy chilli promotes circulation and endorphins for the feel good factor. It’s getting hot in here.
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And guess what you could now be barred from using the Uber service if you break one of their community guidelines. The guidelines say US only at this point. So you could find your Uber account blocked if you break one of the rules.
So you could find your Uber account blocked if you break one of the rules.
So what are Uber’s rules?
No fighting,
No flirting
No swearing
No personal questions
No sex – with a driver or another passenger,
No discrimination
No stalking
No being sick
No breaking the law
No guns
And while we agree with many of those – we’re wondering how Uber is going to deal with its own drivers when they break the law (using mobile phones whilst driving – don’t think we don’t see you!) or discriminating against someone because of their sexuality.
https://twitter.com/wehatemarc/status/805301793571958784
Just saying.
In other news you know when you rate your Uber journey, you get rated back by your driver! You can actually find out what your Uber star rating is.
Although wealth is often regarded as the sign you have made it, seven in 10 UK adults reckon being content is the true benchmark of success.
Less than a fifth of respondents said being a millionaire shows you are doing well, while over a quarter said being charitable is a true indicator of prosperity.
Commissioned by accounting firm Mazars, the research of 2,000 UK adults also found just three in 10 Brits have some kind of plan in place to actually achieve success.
Ian Pickford, partner in Mazars’ private client team said,
“Our research shows that people define success in lots of different ways.
“Having enough money is important but it’s really interesting to see ‘being a millionaire’ and other materialistic definitions of success are way down the list.”
Treating people fairly, acting ethically and feeling fulfilled in life feature in the top 15 indicators of success – along with being financially secure and being debt free.
Having a personalised number plate, a gym instructor and eating in top restaurants are among the signs you’ve made it.
While having a happy marriage, being able to retire early and owning your house outright also indicate success.
Over a quarter of men are optimistic they will achieve success in life – compared to one in 10 women.
Half of those aged 18 to 24 years old are confident they will achieve what they consider success to be.
And of those polled, almost a quarter of over 55s said they had already achieved success.
Although as little as three in 10 Brits have a plan of how to be successful, half of 18-24-year-olds have mapped out how they will achieve their goals.
In comparison, just a fifth of those aged 55 or over have a plan in place to reach their life targets.
On average, people think they will retire at 62, although women think they will be working until they reach 63 years of age – and men think they’ll be able to stop working at 61.
Respondents aged 25 to 34 reckon they would retire the earliest – 60 years old – while those aged 18 to 25 and those aged 35 to 44 think they’ll retire at 64.
Only one in 10 people have used a financial professional to help them plan for a successful retirement – although four in 10 said it was something they would consider.
Ian continues,
“The results suggest people have a good idea of what they consider success to be, or not be, but most of us have little or no idea how we will get what we really want out of life.
“Only three in 10 people in the UK say they have a plan in place. This means millions are in danger of not achieving their life goals and being unhappy or unfulfilled because of their failure to plan.
“Failing to plan is planning to fail. Research shows the simple act of formulating a life or financial plan and writing it down makes it much more likely to happen.”
BRITS’ TOP FIFTEEN SIGNS OF SUCCESS:
1. Being happy
2. Being healthy
3. Being financially secure
4. Being debt free
5. Achieving your career aspirations
6. Feeling fulfilled in life
7. Being able to retire early
8. Owning your house outright
9. Having a balanced work/family life
10. Having a happy marriage
11. Treating people fairly and with respect
12. Having polite, well-behaved children you are proud of
13. Acting ethically in your day to day life
14. Being charitable
15. Feeling respected by your peers
Rudolf Hruska (2 July 1915 – 4 December 1995) was an Austrian engineer and responsible for the design and production of one the greatest cars to come from Italy. The Alfasud.
The Alfasud was not only a departure for Alfa Romeo, it also helped kick start employment in the southern region of Italy. An area in need of something major due to high levels of unemployment. This, however, would be one of the many Achilles heels that the Alfasud would suffer in its 18-year production run.
Rudolf Hruska was entrusted in the development of the factory in Pomigliano d’Arco. No mean feat really, the brief was quite simple. Starting from scratch, build a factory, design and develop a car and see to it that 20’000 people employed could build it. There were problems along the way with typical strike action here and there. Not to be perturbed by this, Rudolf carried on and the factory was up and running some 2-3 months later than set out.
He single handedly changed the Alfa Romeo tradition of front engine, rear wheel drive. He didn’t even have to use an Alfa Romeo engine that was available at the time. Having been involved with Porsche and VW (then KDF) and knowing his way around the layout, he designed a compact flat 4 cylinder engine for the new car. Different in many ways to the German flat four but still with the added benefits of compactness and this time water cooled.
His body concept for a light compact car weighing in total no more that 800 to 900kg was clothed in a design by Giorgetto Giugiaro’s Ital design studio who also designed the pretty Sprint coupe.
He was not only responsible for the Alfasud. There were many other cars he was involved in too. To have a man responsible for the development of another 2 favourites of mine. Working alongside fellow Austrian, Ferdinand Porsche, he blessed us with skills on the Volkswagen Beetle before the second world war and was also involved in the Fiat 128. That, in turn, gave us mechanical components for the Fiat X1/9. Hruska also developed good links with Nuccio Bertone who was the father of the X1/9. He was a connected man.
It seemed there was nothing Rudolf couldn’t do. Develop a tank? Yes, he did. The Tiger 1 of 1943. Developed racing cars for Cisitalia, other projects for Alfa Romeo, Fiat and Simca
In 1980 at the age of 65, Hruska retired. He carried on working through his retirement for I.DE.A (Institute of Development in Automotive Engineering) I.DE.A were also responsible for the 1990 Fiat Tempra. Another car close to my heart and in my fleet.
On December 4th, 1995 Rudolf Hruska passed away.