Bank Holiday Hit List!
Right chaps, here it is! The second Bank Holiday weekend in May! We’re a little bit excited for that extra lie in on Monday morning, because it means we get to go out on a Sunday night for a few pints with our mates, which is a rare and special occasion!
We’ve got this Bank Holiday hit list to help you make the MOST of your 3 day weekend!
Festivals:
Image from http://www.fielddayfestivals.com/
Festival season kicks off this bank holiday weekend with a couple of corkers! WE R FESTVL is set to take over Essex on Saturday with a jam packed Elec-tastic line up and Field Day takes over Victoria Park for the day with another massive roster of artists performing on the day! We’d highly recommend kicking off your festival fun for the year with one of these events!
Films:
Ok, we’ve looked at the weather forecast and it’s not exactly looking like shorts and tees weather. When the heavens open make your way to the cinema and catch one of the new releases including Fast & Furious 6 (read our review here), The Great Gatsby or The Hangover III (our guilty pleasure!), check out the trailer above and TRY to tell us this won’t be worth a watch!
Food:
Image from http://www.shortlist.com/
You can’t beat a Bank Holiday weekend food fest. We’re thinking Saturday street eats whilst we’re out and about, Sunday roast and Monday hangover burgers! We’ve put our faith in the Shortlist ‘search for the UKs best burger’ and not been let down! So find a burger joint near you and try it out for yourself and cure that hangover!
Happy Bank Holiday weekend to one and all!
Trekstock Health Tips
Here at Burton HQ we’re a fairly health conscious bunch! A whole mob of us are even running 10K in June for our chosen charity Trekstock!
So, whilst we know crisps and pies in the pub aren’t doing wonders for us, we aren’t specialists and asked the guys at Trekstock for a bit of advice on healthy eating! Their resident expert Alex answers some questions from the team about getting your 5 a day and eating healthily…
How many of our recommended ‘5 a day’ should be fruits?
“First off I would actually aim to have more than 5 fruits and vegetables per day – aim for 8 or 9 – all of them ideally from fresh, or if that isn’t possible, then frozen. If you make or buy freshly made juices, smoothies, salads and soups, it’s easier than you might think! All those enzymes and fibre mean better digestion, which means better absorption of nutrients and detoxification. Absorption + detoxification = more energy, healthy weight, better looks and better health.
In terms of the ratio of vegetables to fruit, aim for a ratio of 3 to 4 portions of vegetables to 1 portion of fruit. Even though fruit is high in vitamins and antioxidants, which help to protect the cells in your body from daily damage, many are very high in sugar, which itself can damage cells and lead to health problems when eaten in excess. It’s key to get the balance right!”
Are there any fruits I should avoid if I’m making a particular effort to keep trim? Which fruits, for example, have the highest sugar content?
“If you take a balanced approach to your daily fruit and veg intake, you don’t need to completely avoid any fruits. Essentially it comes down to blood sugar. If we have too much sugar in the bloodstream at any one time (e.g. from sugary fruits), we can either store the excess calories as fat, or the resulting crash in blood sugar could cause us to want to snack – usually on something sweet and unhealthy, starting the cycle over again.
Everyday fruits I recommend, that are naturally lower in sugar, and/or higher in fibre would be apples, pears, lemons/limes (in juices & dressings) and all organic berries, if eaten whole (the berries that is!). These can be enjoyed as a stand-alone snack without negatively impacting on your blood sugar.
Other fruits I would recommend for good health (when in season) include peaches, plums and nectarines, which have been shown to contain anti-obesity and anti-diabetic properties. If eaten with something else, e.g. nuts or seeds, the fat and protein contained within these will slow the absorption of the sugar into the bloodstream. This is the same for tropical fruits (to be eaten only occasionally ideally, as they come with a heavy carbon footprint) such as mangoes, papaya and pineapple. These are full of antioxidants and healthy enzymes.
But remember…
Some root vegetables can almost be as sugary as fruit, especially when juiced. These would include carrots, parsnips and beetroot. It’s important to eat a rainbow of different colours! Aim for around 50% green and leafy, and enjoy the health benefits that your new food choices bring!”
Alex is a London-based natural healthcare practitioner, coaching people to feel as healthy and happy as possible. Visit www.alexnh.com for more information.
Thank you to The Detox Kitchen for the imagery and Trekstock for getting us on the right track health-wise!!
It’s Pancake Day!
What better excuse to dig out these clips and pics…
Look, it’s McFly flipping pancakes with Gordon Ramsey (yep, it didn’t go so well…)
Check out these jokers from PointlessBlog making theirs (nice pinnys, lads.) 
And this rather cool skit from Pancake Man (no need for sound)
Feeling competitive? Why not take on the Man vs. Food pancake challenge
…And when all else fails, just make yourself a pancake face!
HAPPY FLIPPIN’ PANCAKE DAY!
The Student Guide to Going Out: Part 2
So you may have caught part 1 of our awesome student guide, but if your uni town wasn’t featured, we’re probably not your favourite people right now.
Well, up next – in part 2 – are plenty more notorious UK party downs for you to enjoy. And remember, if there’s somewhere you like to hang out as a student, let us know!
Southampton has a lot to offer, cheap club nights being the primary focus – so you sure won’t be short of watering holes in this town. For big names head to RHINO – over the years Carl Cox, Mylo and Grandmaster Flash have all played here. Basically if it’s happening it’s probably at the Rhino.
If pound a pint nights are more your thing then you will unavoidable end up in KAOS at some point. A favourite for the sports socials, cheap drinks and even cheaper surroundings, Kaos is normally one in, one out, by midnight.
For something a little cooler try the ORANGE ROOMS. Their cool surroundings and cool acts make up for prices being a more expensive than most places. If you’re lucky you might catch Annie Mac or Passion Pit gracing the stage.
ON THE DECKS @ RHINO, SOUTHAMPTON
There’s bars and clubs galore in this city (so here we go, reeling them off…), every Bristol student just has to check out; THELKA - an indie night, on a boat. Yes! If the booze in your belly isn’t causing that sickening feeling, a boat swaying to and fro, sure will. HAUS BAR – an exclusive cocktail bar, with a locked front door and the most inventive drinks going. It’s definitely somewhere the ladies will be impressed with, if you manage to bag yourself a date.
And if it’s a chill-out place to drink that you’re after, then it’s got to be THE APPLE – an awesome cider barge that naturally, is rammed in the summer, but is cool to visit in the autumn too when the crowds are that bit smaller.
For proper grimey student clubs, it’s got to be BLUE MOUNTAIN. You can’t miss it!
SHIP AHOY! THELKA, BRISTOL
FALLOWFIELD is student central (you almost don’t have to venture outside of the area), and here you’ll find a quality pub: the QUEEN OF HEARTS serving cheap booze, and playing cheesy tunes. Irresistable!
In the city centre, try 42ND STREET (a.k.a. 42′s) where there’s something for students on nearly everyday of the week, and to cater for all music tastes.
FIFTH AVENUE is well worth a visit if you’re a die-hard Brit-pop fan (and let’s face it, who isn’t?), as is THE GARRETT which is just next door and wallpapered with posters of legendary bands like Oasis, the Stone Roses and the Charlatans. And if music is your passion, then naturally you’ll find yourself hanging out in the ACADEMY where anyone who’s anyone will play throughout the year. And NIGHT & DAY is the top spot for under-the-radar gigs, pub quizzes and some tasty pub grub – breakfast, burgers, super-sandwiches, that kind of thing – on any given night.
If it’s shopping you’re wanting to do (well, you really should send your mum a birthday present) the NORTHERN QUARTER is where you need to head for one-off boutiques that’ll be right up her street, and vinatge shops that’ll be right up yours.
TOP INDIE CLUB FIFTH AVENUE
Scotland’s capital city, cobbled, picturesque and a hit with those young and old (the parents will like it just as much as you). But be assured, that if you’re up for a party, Edinburgh will not disappoint.
The STUDENT UNION is ace. Probably not too different from those up and down the country – apart from the fact it has a huge library bar, but it’s packed to the rafters on a Saturday night for those up for getting smashed, and during the week for those looking for a ‘quiet’ drink or two. So basically, if you’re not there, you’ll be majorly missing out.
If you’re looking for something different to do in the evening, you’ve got to get involved with a GHOST WALK – it sounds lame, but it really is a good laugh (and it’s a fun way to spend Halloween, if you can hack the scare stories!)
…And if you love the city so much that you decide to hang around for New Year, you’ll be in for a cracker – Edinburgh really do put on a good show! Fireworks galore, and everyone in the city out to watch them, eat, drink and be very, very merry.
EDINBURGH STUDENT UNION – NICE, HUH?
A seaside town with a big student scene, a big heart and nightlife that caters for everyone!
OCEANA - it’s a bit grotty, but it’s the go-to club come 11pm and you’ll meet many a character in the cheese room (best not to ask). Head to WHITE RABBIT if you want to catch intimate alternative gigs from the likes of Hadouken!, Every Time I Die and even big names DJs. Take a date to the BARBICAN to stroll hand in hand through the cobbled streets and star at each other over cocktails in the swanky bars.
Plymouth is also surfers’ paradise. Take time at the weekend, to learn how to do it at cheap surf schools stationed in the area, and practice, practice, practice while you can.
THE CHEESE ROOM @ OCEANA, PLYMOUTH
If you don’t see your uni town or city here, check Part 1 of our Student Guide to Going Out…
And remember, students get 20% off online and instore at the moment. Take advantage!
Best Man Banter
Like it or lump it, wedding season is officially here.
Being an uber-cool menswear retailer and all, of course we’re concerned about what to wear (a sharp suit, smart shirt, tie etc), but we also thought we’d impart some of our – err knowledge – on how to play the Best Man game successfully.
Stick to these handy tips and you’ll be just fine…
1 – THE JOKES
Aah, the pressure for Plumber Dave to become a stand-up comedian for a night. Making the wedding party laugh may sound like a near-impossible task, but it’s not really. A quick Google will throw up thousands of winning jokes you can use, and yes, by all means, work them into your speech, but what it’s really all about is telling stories specifically about the groom. And ridiculously cringe-wrothy ones at that. A word of warning though – don’t roll out every drunken epidsode – you don’t want an unhappy bride, it’s her day afterall. Be tactful.
2 – TO READ OR MEMORISE
The age-old debate when it comes to presenting your best mans speech – do you read of that well-thumbed piece of paper with all its scribbling outs, or just, well…speak. Daunting as it may sound, it’s better if you have your banter and damaging stories memorised, and just ready to go. You’ll appear more confident, and you’ll actually look up and deliver it (rather then staring at your shoes).
3 – SLOW DOWN!
There’s nothing worse than a best man babbling his way through his speech. First off, the bride and groom’s nearest and dearest won’t be able to hear you (remember – there’s bound to be a token old cronnie with a hearing aid in the room), plus you’ll expose those nerves you’re trying SO desperately hard to hide, to EVERYONE! Breathe, and… Slow. It. Down.
4 – THE RULES OF DRINKING
To drink or not to drink, that is the question… Well, we’re going to answer that one for you straight up! Sure, have a few, and get into the swing of things (it is a celebration afterall) but don’t go at it like you’re down the pub on a Saturday night. You want to be able to stand. And speak. And remember it?
5 - PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!
You get just one chance to make that long lasting impression….No pressure then!
AND FINALLY, WHAT TO WEAR…
Blue Slim Fit Suit, Burgundy Slim Fit Suit and Grey Skinny Fit Suit.
Burton do formal suit hire too! Ideal for those wanting to borrow 
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