Sunday, November 20, 2011

Fondest food memories

Published in The Northern Echo October 29th 2011. View clip here

Catharine Hewitson managed to fit three lunches into one day as she re-visited Barcelona to enjoy the Catalan cuisine which tickles her tastebuds

If I had to recall my favourite meals of all time and stick pins in a map where I have enjoyed them, there would be a significant cluster in Catalonia. From family holidays as a teenager to culinary pilgrimages in my adult life, this region of North-Eastern Spain has provided me with my fondest food memories.

Rural inspiration

Published in The Journal March 16th 2010

GOOD quality, ethically-made children’s clothing that won’t break the bank may be hard to come by, but CATHARINE HEWITSON has found one fashion designer from Northumberland who promises fantastic pieces for youngsters at reasonable prices.

In a converted stable block in the Northumbrian countryside lies the headquarters of Tulip & Nettle, a designer children’s clothing label founded by Amynta Warde-Aldam.

French pampering on your doorstep

Published in The Journal January 2nd 2010

A FRENCHMAN based in the North East promises to bring a little 'ooh la la' to your beauty routine. CATHARINE HEWITSON looks at his new range.

IF you're looking for beauty products with a certain 'je ne sais quoi', look no further than Claude & Celeste.

At the heart of this beauty company is Frenchman Alex Jimenez, who hopes to introduce a little piece of France into our skin and beauty regimes.

Provence-born Alex came to the UK 12 years ago to work in the retail industry.

"I had been back and forth between the North East and Provence visiting friends, and I began to see opportunities in the region," he says.


Party perfection

Published in The Chronicle November 28th 2009

Maria Duddin is in charge of events at a top venue in London and hosting celebrity bashes is just a regular part of her job. CATHARINE HEWITSON finds out more

NOT everyone can boast that they've met Gordon Brown and Paul Weller but thanks to her amazing job, Maria Duddin mixes with a whole host of star personalities.

Maria is general manager of The Brewery, a top-class entertainment venue in the City of London, and this year she was awarded a place on the Event magazine's 100 Club list, judged by 2,000 influential players in the events world.

Metal guru

Published in The Northern Echo October 12th 2009 and in Living November 2009

It took some years for Michael Kusz’s career in metal sculpture to take off, but now his creatures are flying all over the world, says Catharine Hewitson

Arrive at Michael Kusz’s workshop and you will be greeted by a charming little rook perched on a fence post. Step inside and, behind Graculus Limited’s modest showroom at the Dales Centre in Reeth, is a workshop filled from floor to ceiling with all manner of things: sheet upon sheet of metal, yards of copper wire, books on dinosaurs and even a stuffed parrot. This is where the magic happens.


Matt's digital revolution

Published in The Northern Echo July 20th 2009

Matt Bryan is an artist… but not in any traditional sense. He’s a digital artist. “It’s the way people move more than anything," says Matt, who is turning his passion and skill into a promising freelance career.


The 32-year-old is currently exhibiting a selection of his digital painting at online gallery, Yarm Originals. The underlying theme of his work is the concept of character. "I might pick up on the way someone is walking, or a particular pose they have struck," he says. "These are the elements that capture a person."



Designer desserts and chocolate chic

Published in The Northern Echo February 5th 2008

After recently graduating in linguistics from Newcastle University, Catharine Hewitson, 22 from Middleton St George, Darlington, has embarked on a trip to Paris to immerse herself in the culture and collect material for a book she hopes to write. In the second in a series of articles she gorges on chocolate.

NOWHERE in the world is food celebrated more than in France. La gastronomie is considered an art form, a serious topic of discussion and a huge part of daily life. I realised this in my first week when I overheard an elderly couple having a rather heated argument over how “the prawn” should be cooked; speaking about the crustacean as if it were a sacred icon.

The French are like coconuts

Published in The Northern Echo January 8th 2008.

After recently graduating in linguistics from Newcastle University, Catharine Hewitson, 22, from Middleton St George, Darlington, has embarked on a trip to Paris to collect material for a book she hopes to write. In the first of a series of articles, she describes feeling out of place in the cosmopolitan city

WHEN I first decided to come to Paris for two months, I envisaged a glamorous arrival; gliding into the City of Light in a clichéd Parisian outfit such as a trench coat and a beret, with my capsule wardrobe of super-chic clothing and essential luggage in tow. Nothing like reality, then.