N16 mentioned Gill’s proposed expedition in our Spring issue. Here, she continues the story.

Last New Year I saw the trip of a lifetime advertised. A Charity Challenge running a team of huskies in Arctic Sweden. Only two problems. Firstly, I was flying phobic and hadn’t been on a plane for 12 years and secondly, despite being a dog walker, I needed to get fit. The organisers sent pages of obscure training tips, assuring me that even at my age (55) I could do it if I knuckled down. Reluctantly, I signed on at a local gym.

I had always felt disdainful of gym people – why didn’t they just walk more and eat less if they wanted to get fit? But now I had to achieve ‘upper body strength’ (just to keep on the sled behind a team of determined huskies) and stamina (to run with the dogs up steep gradients in deep snow). Due to time constraints I had to fast-track my training and felt sick the first few occasions, but gradually I built up a circuit which gave me an energy I never believed I would achieve.

Three months later, with biceps that would do Madonna proud, I was at Heathrow, panicking at the thought of imminent Take Off. But, chin up and down with the valium, then the brandy. (I hope that my GP isn’t reading this.) There were 12 of us, plus a doctor and two guides, and I was the oldest by 20 years. Still, everyone seemed as worried as I when they saw the flimsy looking sleds and the hyper looking dogs. It was impossible to imagine travelling 250 kilometres in 6 days. But off we went, the dogs pulling like crazy downhill. Soon we were sledding across a sundrenched frozen lake heading into the wilderness. That night, with the dogs snuggled into the snow holes which they dug around themselves, we huddled outside, under the greatest light show on earth.

The Northern Lights were all they are cracked up to be, the landscape was vast and wondrous and the dogs were amazing. The trip was physically taxing, exhilarating, and I would do it again. I raised £5000 for the Disabled Living Foundation and am now a regular at Sunstone gym, simply because the exercise makes me feel better.

Gill was sponsored by many Stokey friends and businesses. Sunstone donated to her charity all her exercise fees. They are launching a 50s+ Fitness Focus in October by providing the guidance and help that changed Gill so dramatically. Find out more from Mandy or Suzie on 020 7923 1991 or visit www.sunstonewomen.com/50+

Chilling Out in Stokey

by Trevor Jones

Did you enjoy your hols? Unhappy to be back in Stokey? Suffering from foreign parts withdrawal symptoms? Reality digging in? Cheer up, you miserable bastards. Stoke Newington Church Street is ‘the coolest street in London’ according to the New York Post (See News In Brief). You are not only living near the coolest street in London, but you also have the Stokey music scene kicking off with a vengeance.

Here are some of the autumn goodies lined up to cure that post-holiday depression. Listings are in no particular order and N16 advises our readers to phone the venue to check details and whether it is a freebie or if there is an admission charge.

The Eye (020 7923 7781), Stokey’s premier music venue, is moving into top gear. Their gig of the month is Huddy Sam’s Back to Basics on 25 October. Other notable events include the Dirtburg EP launch on 11 October, the Custom Tones on 10 October and, picking up where Ennio Morricone left off, Spaghetti West One supported by Angel Racing Food and The Home Office, 17 November. Make a date in your diary with ‘Fall Breaks & Back to Winter’ a 1pm to 1am extravaganza of live music. The line-up, in order, will be Brave Ulysses, Wilberforce, Ninotchka, Electric Bubblegum Arkestra, Bearbot, Your Mum (whose mum?), Dogbeaters, 46,000 Fibres, Hugh Metcalfe & Paul Shearsmith, Yuhi Nakano & Miu, Limn, Now, Radio 9 and Club of Rome. The Eye has regular DJ nights (phone for details), comfy sofas n chairs and Vietnamese food with an excellent, competitively priced wine list.

The Eye’s, sister venue, Ryan’s (020 7275 7807) continues with its usual music programme including an Open Blues Jam Session, fortnightly from Tuesday, 30 September. Their flyer stresses that musicians should play with... err… bring their own instrument/sticks (for drummers) and a lead if needed. Details from Simon: 07919 184447.

The Barracuda (020 7275 0400) is one of Stokey’s best-kept secrets. Its basement – where gigs are held – is the most chilled out venue in Stokey. N16 reluctantly shares this information as it is one of our favourite watering holes and we don’t want to be cheek-to-jowl with any old Stokey riff raff, not to mention refugees from Brooklyn, New York. The inscrutable Teng plans to expand his music programme. Phone for details.

The Vortex (020 7254 6515) continues its usual top-class nightly programme. Highlights include the Alan Skidmore Quartet on 11 October; Marc Copland, 18 October; the legendary Carol Grimes, 25 October, and cult singer Sarah-Jane Morris, 31 October.

The Auld Shillelagh (020 7249 5951), one of London’s few authentic Irish pubs, will be running its imaginative weekend events. Doubtlessly, Frank will return. Phone for details.

Bar Lorca (020 7275 8659) offers its proven and highly successful weekly formula of – getting to know you, however fleetingly – cool Salsa on Fridays; Club Sonic on Saturdays; a live jam session on Sundays; Salsa dance classes on Mondays; Laid-back funk on Tuesdays; R & B sessions on Wednesdays and soul and rock’n’roll on Thursdays.

The Stoke Tup (020 7249 1318) has recommenced their acoustic evening and will continue ‘Open Mic’ – ‘a fortnightly platform for singers, songwriters, poets, wannabees, wontbees’, on Wednesdays and their popular weekly Tuesday night music quiz.

Firefly Rhum Bar (020 7254 2300) has live jazz on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday nights. The Firefly Rhum Bar, with its’ please sit on me’ sofas and extensive cocktail list, is an obvious haunt for Stokey sophisticates.

Other worthwhile Stokey music spots include the Daniel Defoe (020 7254 2906) – jazz and bluegrass every Friday and Saturday night from 9pm; The Prince (020 7923 4766) which has a Monday night jazz jamming session; Clicia (020 7254 1025) which puts on acoustic, jazz and Latin music; and mean DJ weekend nights at Booth’s (020 923 9332). N16 also recommends The Birdcage (020 8806 6740), The Londesborough (020 7254 5865), Bodrum (020 7254 6464) and Ocean (020 8533 0111).