Issue 45:

I'm Blonde again

Ladies and gentlemen, I have an announcement to make to all non believers. Heaven truly exists here on our very planet earth and you may have walked right past it without even realising. Yes – you may have to take a bus or a short taxi ride out of the town centre to Chapel Allerton (or as some like to say – ‘The Village’) to praise at its almighty alter. What am I blathering on about? I’m talking about the wonder that is ‘The Sunshine Bakery’ – words don’t even come close to the kind of ecstasy a place like this can conjure. Seriously, if you are around Chapel A you simply must sample the best cakes ever! I can’t enthuse about the place enough, and thankfully I don’t live in LS7 anymore as I would be having some serious weight issues living opposite this place. No. 182 Harrogate Road has got to be the gateway to heaven, if there is one. It looks like a vintage style boutique from the outside, but within its four walls hides the secret of true happiness. Cake...

Yes people, I have long held the belief that the secret of total happiness is cake. If only they could produce one with all of the flavour and none of the calories. Now, there’s a challenge for chef and head honcho, David Bennett, the man behind the most divine cakes I have ever tasted - a guilt free cake? Please? Having said that, on the many occasions I have indulged in his sweet treats I’ve felt no guilt whatsoever, only pure unadulterated pleasure. With its mismatched crockery, fresh breads and old school patisserie vibe this is a winning establishment. I took a friend in recently who needed a little R&R and for a more than reasonable five British pounds we enjoyed a seemingly bottomless pot of tea, with chintzy china cups and saucers and a chocolate cupcake each to die for. Forget afternoon tea at The Ritz, the Sunshine Bakery is what I’m talking about. Go on – spoil yourself!

Did I mention – I’m blonde again? I have the guys and gals at ‘CRC’ to thank for this. Cutting Room Creative have been looking after my hair for quite some time now and they even trim my son’s too. How many four year olds have award winning colour specialists fighting to do their hair?

I’ve got trouble on my hands with that one! I suppose the burning question is do blondes have more fun? Well, I have been blonde before about five years ago and I ended up with child – say no more. If you’ve not checked out the city branch of Cutting Room, I think it used to be an ‘Argos’, then make an appointment today. Whether it’s a colour or a quick trim or even a complete overhaul of your look the folk at Cutting Room Creative really are top of their game. Having your hair done really does fill you with a renewed confidence, so if you’re feeling a bit ‘down on your look’ or feel like your image is a bit dated, see the guys at CRC. They don’t just deal with hair, they can help you reinvent yourself and create a whole new you if you decide to have a style/image consultation. This not only deals with your barnet but your overall style from head to toe.

During the hour and a half session you will be advised on everything from your hair style to the best clothes you should be wearing for your body shape and even the right colours and types of fabrics to best suit your skin type. You end up with what can only be described as a tailor made mood board for decorating yourself. Now that’s service! Consultation services like this can help you to be daring enough to go for a total image transformation or simply help you consolidate your style with much more assurance. For more info on services go to:

www.cuttingroomwired.co.uk

Got to go now, but remember you can listen to me and my boys every weekday morning when you get up on Galaxy. Toodle pip! xx

Issue 44:

Where to Begin?...

I have so much to tell you this month that I hardly know where to begin! Firstly, I’ve been such a busy girl and have proved myself to be a bit of a domestic goddess. I surprised both myself and my colleagues by hosting a fabulous fancy dress birthday party for my four year old, Rudi B. I baked, made stripy jellies, pass the parcelled and even made myself a little zebra costume to match my son’s special outfit. After four years of having the little ‘Rudester’ I finally feel happy and relaxed about motherhood and I think I’m doing ok at it – at last! Talking of my four year old,

I recently dined at ‘Gaucho’, Leeds’ latest eatery. When I say ‘eatery’ that’s a bit of an understatement. It’s an Argentinean steak restaurant and the décor is pretty opulent to say the least – oh and did I mention the mammoth amount of white leather? White leather, children and felt tips just don’t mix! So, as I was saying, my boy had never witnessed such a decadent establishment (this was no Wagamamas) and he was a little overwhelmed by the plushness of the place and especially the chandeliers and mirrored ceilings … that element was a bit too much for him, but once he was settled and they brought our food he calmed down, unlike me.

I was in a state of anxiety throughout the meal afraid that my son would somehow damage this moviesque type environment. Having said that, the staff were excellent and put me at ease, or maybe it was the wine that did that. Everyone working at Gaucho seemed well informed about what they were flogging and could talk confidently about the different cuts of meat on offer. It’s a carnivores’ dream, although there is a fine selection of fish on offer, especially among the starters, you can eat Ceviches or Tiraditos! What are Ceviches and Tiraditos? I can only describe them to be a bit like tapas or sushi but with a Peruvian twist. Fresh tuna, scallops and salmon served with tantalising dressings – slurp! You might need to save up for a while before you go, but believe me you are in for a total dining experience. They also have a private dining area on offer which seems to be all the rage these days. www.gauchorestaurants.co.uk

Another fantastic discovery for me has to be ‘The Wet Spot’ a monthly burlesque night downstairs in ‘The Wardrobe’. Now, my friend Jeremy has been desperate to get me down to this night for ages and back in April I finally made it and I’ve got to say that this is the best club night I’ve been to in years! A big statement I know but it has to be said. I applaud the team who put this night on for being bold, daring and having the courage to put on an exciting monthly event that no other night in Leeds currently offers. It reminded me of when I first started to go out in Leeds in the early nineties to a club called The Kit Kat and later went on to work for it.

There was a real buzz of excitement and people really went to town with the way they looked and dressed with flawless make up and hair. It felt like a real occasion and I can’t wait to go again! I paid a tenner to get in, which might seem a bit steep, but worth every penny for the unique and varied entertainment on offer. Putting on nights like this doesn’t come cheap so I’m more than happy to pay a bit more. If you are reading this thinking – what is burlesque? Then this might not be the night for you. For more info www.thewetspotleeds.co.uk

Ooo – I almost forgot - they do a monthly raffle at ‘The Wet Spot’ where you can win a variety of prizes, including the star prize – a Vivien of Holloway 50s polka dot dress available from Rose & Co in the Victoria Quarter. Something I have longingly looked at in the shop window. Well, I thought I’ll buy a couple of tickets and guess what? I only went and won it! I’m still in shock now as I never win anything!

And remember that there are lots of chances to win stuff with Galaxy (seamless transition) You might be too late to enter ‘Stylehunt’ our competition to find the UK’s most stylish female, with a trip to New York on offer and £5,000 to spend on a new wardrobe, but keep checking online for line up/show info and further chances to win big! Go online to www.galaxyfm.com

Take it easy and remember you can hear me and my boys on ‘Hirsty’s Daily Dose’, weekdays when you wake up and at the weekend on ‘Back to JoJo’s’ (Sunday mornings from 2am – 6am)

Ciao for now xx

Issue 43:

Roll on Spring Roll on summer...

I’ve had enough of this cold weather. I don’t know about you but I’m ready to switch off my heating and put my hot water bottle away. All the extra money I’ve had to spend on heating my house has left me strapped for cash with little left for frivolities. I’m currently dreaming of drinking ice cold beers in the glorious sunshine and of hanging out at music festivals.

Talking of which, after attending the Limetree Festival for the last 2 years running, this year I have been cordially invited to attend as a DJ. If you’ve never been to a festival before due to the fear of travelling, queuing, port-a-loos and the dreaded airbed and camping combo then this could be for you. It’s held in a picturesque bit of country side in Grewelthorpe, Ripon (don’t be put off by the name). It’s only roughly 20 miles from Leeds city centre, so distance is not a problem.

And if you don’t have a car you can always catch the number 36 bus directly to Ripon. You could even go via Betty’s tea room in Harrogate for some cucumber sandwiches, a cuppa tea and a cheeky cream bun. And if that wasn’t incentive enough last year you didn’t even need to pack a tent as they had ready pitched canvas ones you could hire. What about showers? Yes – you can even have one of them if you must but a packet of baby wipes should suffice. This year’s festival takes place on the August bank holiday (27th – 29th) for further ticket and line up information checkout www.limetreefestival.co.uk

For those lucky enough to be around on Friday 12th March, there was a free party… ‘The Don’ came to Leeds! Who? Don Letts – he’s a film maker, DJ and all round dread locked Dude. For those of you who have no idea who I am talking about let me fill you in. In a nutshell this guy is credited with bringing reggae and punk rock music together during the original outbreak of punk in England.

Bands from that era such as the Sex Pistols and The Clash had yet to record any tunes so there weren’t many punk tracks about at the start of this new genre, therefore Don played loads of reggae and dub records at the Roxy night club in London where loads of like minded punks congregated. It is said that Don’s style of music and disc jockeying directly influenced the scene in many ways. During this time he went on to document the punk movement by making his first ever film ‘The Punk Movie’ (1978) and he has since made many other films.

On top of that he was in 80’s band Big Audio Dynamite also known by many as the acronym ‘BAD’ with Mick Jones and knew Bob Marley personally. Need I say anymore? I couldn’t wait to meet him and introduce him to my Dad – he’ll be well impressed. The event took place at Eclectic Avenue (which happens every Friday) at the Rock Bar on Call Lane.. You can still check Don out on his weekly radio show on BBC6 Music, Saturday night 11pm – 12.

Then when you’ve finished change channels and listen to my weekend show on Galaxy every Sunday morning called ‘Back to JoJo’s’ from 2am to 6am – might as well give myself a plug too. Don’t want to get done off my management for mentioning the BBC and not the station I work for – which reminds me, did you catch me on telly at the beginning of March on the BBC’s Inside Out programme? They did a fab piece all about the legendary house club ‘Back to Basic’s’ which celebrated it’s 18th year last November and still has masses of revellers through it’s door every week. 18 years – who‘d of thought it would have lasted that long. Nice one boys!

See you next month and remember I’m always on Galaxy as part of the breakfast show with Hirsty and Danny when you wake up. I practically live on the wireless these days.

Ciao for now! xx - www.galaxyfm.com

Issue 41:

Let the festive feelings begin...

Aye up! Exciting times! This article was written on my very own sexy Samsung netbook a Christmas present to myself. Ridiculous as it sounds but I’ve never owned a computer of my own. I’ve always shared with partners over the years and they have always hogged the usage. I can’t see my husband wanting to go on this device as it is white with a pearl effect, very cute and very girly – ideal for me and fits perfectly into my handbag. I got it from www.ebuyer.com and it has totally transformed my whole existence. And now my husband doesn’t have to get all paranoid every time I use his precious Mac! Or have to delete any of the dodgy history on it. Hope Santa brings you one this Christmas and if not, pick one up in the New Year and gift wrap it to yourself. I used to be a complete technophobe, which might seem strange for someone who works in a radio station that resembles something off of Star Trek, but with an overwhelming choice of gadgets and gizmos available it’s easy to feel intimidated. Yes 2009 has definitely been a technological journey of discovery for me. I even have a Facebook account which I never thought would happen (I didn’t think I had the time or the inclination - very addictive) and an iphone! My close friends are shocked at the new technologically fearless me. Don’t get me wrong I’m no expert but I now have more than enough skills and confidence to navigate my way round. Oh gosh – I’ve turned into a computer nerd. Geekdom is calling!

Obviously I don’t have much free time now I’m a fully fledged Facebooker but I have managed to get myself out of late and Leeds has a couple of new additions on the bar front. One being ‘District’ near Ace Clothing and the other being ‘The Rock Bar’ on Call Lane recently opened by the legendary Tony Hannon of Up Your Ronson\MTV parties in Ibiza fame. My husband Jake has started a new Friday night down there called ‘Eclectic Avenue’ (awesome name) playing all the amazing music we play on ‘Back to JoJo’s’, my weekend show on Galaxy. So if you fancy listening to some truly assorted music make sure you go down to get down! It’s free to get in and in the daytime they specialise in the food of gods! No, not lobster or caviar but good old fashioned cheese on toast including halloumi, dolcelatte and good old fashioned cheddar – slurp. It’s simple. It’s the future! Keep an eye out for some appearances from me at ‘The Rock Bar’ as it’s our intention to do some ‘Back to JoJo’s’ monthly parties there in the new year. If you’ve never listened to my weekend show on Galaxy, then I’ll understand as it is on at quite an anti-social time – 2am to 6am on Sunday mornings. But if you have Sky you can Skyplus it! Check me and technology again! Also keep checking online as Galaxy is to install a listen again facility on the website meaning that you won’t have to be completely nocturnal to listen to Galaxy’s brilliant weekend output. You’ll be able to listen at your leisure - happy days! That’s ww.galaxyfm.com. Obviously I’m still doing the breakfast show alongside Hirsty and Danny, Monday to Friday when you wake up, but I do like to moonlight of a weekend with numerous others including ‘The Haggis Horns’ who appear with me and my better half this Chrimbob on ‘Back to JoJo’s’ Christmas special (27th December to hear this show – but if you are reading this in the new year you’ll have missed it!).

One more quick thing on the food front, I recently dined at the multi-award winning Chino Latino after tons of recommendations and I was blown away by the fantastic pan Asian menu in particular the beef salad. Yes salad never tasted so good! It’s quite pricey but worth every penny and ideal for an anniversary or celebration. Anyway – enough chat from me I need to get on with my sewing. I’ve just learnt how to use a sewing machine and am planning on making a lot of gifts this Christmas including a zebra costume for my three year old son who is obsessed with the monochrome creatures. And if any of my friends or family are reading this – I would like some jewellery for Christmas from Links of London in the Victoria Quarter. They have some fantastic pieces in there especially the DJ range, which features pendants of solid silver cassettes, jack plugs and even a volume knob…hint, hint...Have a great Christmas and even better new year and don’t forget you can download our breakfast show podcast for free from Galaxyfm.com or subscribe to it off of iTunes, just search for Hirsty’s Daily Dose – simple to do and it’ll fill some space on that new ipod you received this Christmas.

For more info about Galaxy go to galaxyfm.co.uk

Ciao for now! xx

Issue 40:

Hey up my Galaxy people!

Have you checked out my new show on the Galaxy Weekend yet? If not, why not?! I’m still on in the mornings when you wake up but now I’ve been given the opportunity to speak to the night people too. The show’s called ‘Back to JoJo’s’ and is on every Sunday morning from 2am after the massive Hed Kandi show with David Dunne. It’s an eclectic show with an after party vibe, so next time you’re up around that time give it a listen. The show is aimed at nocturnal people with an open mind to music with plenty of guests and silliness! Try it you might like it...

Right – well that’s my plug done, now to the main course. Have you visited the brand new City Inn Hotel down the dark arches? Wow! It sounds a bit low budget from its name but that is far from what it is in actual reality. City Inns are in all the major cities in the UK and have excellent facilities for leisure or business guests: iMac computers, complimentary Wi-Fi, Skype, Sky, luxurious linen, power showers and 24-hour room service. Check me – I sound like the flippin’ brochure. The restaurant is light and airy with alfresco dining available by the canal. Can I recommend the prawn cocktail with giant tempura prawns, delicious! If you can’t justify a stay at the hotel then you must at the very least visit the bar on the 13th floor with wrap around terrace and panoramic views. Sip a cocktail while soaking in Leeds’ blade runner-esque skyline. I jest, but it is pretty impressive and I do believe that once the masses discover it they’ll be knocking people back. There’s a great list of tipples on offer. I was feeling under the weather on my visit and the bartender made me a drink with medicinal qualities – an ‘Amaretto Sour’, lots of vitamin C in that. Well tasty! It made me feel much better.

Ah well - make sure you listen to Galaxy when you wake up and listen to our ‘Dose Cast’ available for free to download on the Galaxy website www.galaxyfm.com or iTunes – it’s full of the stuff we can’t say on the radio! If you are easily offended I wouldn’t bother - ciao for now xx

For more info about Galaxy go to galaxyfm.co.uk

Issue 39:

God Bless the Cafe!

Having moved house AGAIN, life has left me little time to go out and enjoy myself. Life has been filled with packing boxes, selotape and lifting – Joy! You know what it’s like when you first move, you can barely find the cooker let alone cook on it, so I have relied on eating out a lot.

Well – when I say eating out everyone assumes it would be fancy restaurants but it’s more like ‘cafés’, namely the ones across the bridge from where I work at Galaxy towers. If you’ve never ventured passed the Town Hall toward the court, you are missing out on a magnificent array of eateries without which most of my colleagues would starve or be seriously malnourished. God bless the cafés on Great George Street! It’s perfectly located for my work place but maybe a bit too far from yours. Why not take a longer lunch? Think of all the calories you’d burn walking to and from Great George Street. You could have that extra piece of cake!

Firstly on my guided tour of ‘Frequently Frequented Fooderies’, I would like to big up ‘La Cascade’ the first decent café to appear on the strip a good twelve years ago. It sells sexy food with Mediterranean vibe. Ciabatta with roasted veg, tabouli and even a sandwich named after one of my former producers – ’The Matt Special’, which was later renamed as the ‘Al Kelly Memorial sandwich’, who was another past producer, my favourite in fact. Long live Al Kelly! We seem to get through a lot of producers on our show. Can’t understand why? I’m mean we’re not at all high maintenance or diva-ish in anyway shape or form. It consists of a baguette with buttery chicken, melted cheese, pepperoni, jalapeño’s and special Cascada sauce. Yum. It’s a bit like a pizza butty and is pure filth but me and my boys love it!!! Next along Great George Street is ‘The Roast’ – self explanatory really. It provides brilliant butties and of course specialises in hot roast meat sandwiches, hence the name. I’m salivating now as I always do as I pass that place. It lures you in with its magnificent selection of hot roast meats all juicy and glistening in the window. Slurp. That last bit sounded almost erotic. I need to calm down. Hot roast beef with onions and lashings of English mustard. Get me one now! I think there’s another branch of’ ‘The Roast’ off Whitehall Road, Riverside if that’s any closer?

‘Café Centro’ is next on my walk to an ever expanding waistline and in my humble opinion, provides the best bacon and egg butties at a very reasonable two quid. Good for spuds too – with chilli and cheese being a favourite. Grain is next, run by a lovely fella called Giles. When it comes to soup and a sandwich, this is the place. Everyday they have a popular tomato based soup on offer, but if tomato is not your thing, then you can opt for an alternate offering of spicy parsnip or maybe a sweet corn number. The butties and salads rule too, but the best thing has got to be their cakes. OMG! The chocolate is amazing and don’t get me started on the lemon drizzle. They usually have some sample pieces of cake on the counter…I grab it them by the handful. I’m shameless me. Go on. You know you can’t resist. I’m drooling again. And finally – if me and my boys need something with a bit of a kick it has to be a chicken Pad Prik with rice from ‘Thai Cottage’. This is at the end of my route and offers a cheap and cheerful lunch menu with a starter and main for roughly £6 I think. I never get a starter, but I know that a main costs £5.25 – unless you want prawns then that’s extra.

Well all that talk of food has left me famished. Better nip over the bridge to get some fodder. What shall I have? Jacket spud? Soup? Sarnie? Oh – I’ll decide when I get over there.

Remember to tune into Galaxy when you wake up and also, don’t forget I’ve got a new show on the Galaxy Weekend Saturday night/Sunday morning. It’s called ‘Back to JoJo’s’.

For more info about Galaxy go to galaxyfm.co.uk

See you next month when I’ll give you details about an exciting event I’m hosting at The Loft in November! Ciao for now! xxx

First up – Big news! After nearly 13 years of working here at Galaxy radio doing the breakfast show with numerous guys, (the last 7 years have been the best working with Hirsty and Danny, obviously I have to say that, but it is also true), the management have decided that they trust me enough to do a show on my own. Yes people, Saturday nights will never be quite the same again on Galaxy. I think that there’s a secret sweepstake in the office as to how long I’ll keep my show on the air, but I don’t care as I know it’s going to be brilliant! The Galaxy weekend is packed with coolness and great DJ’s such as Galaxy legend, Andi Durrant, Steve Sutherland and recently joined monthly residents, Tiesto, Paul Van Dyke and Tinchy Stryder!! I am now part of that line up and that makes me instantly cool!! So how on earth has ‘The JoJo’ got her own show on the Galaxy Weekend? It’s a mystery to me too, but I’m going to go with it for as long as I can get away with. The show is aptly named ‘Back to JoJo’s’ and is an eclectic compilation of sexy music. Everything from Hip Hop, House, Funk, Disco and even some Go-Go!! Imagine, you’ve been out on Saturday night and randomly get invited back to an after party at some crazy womans house, mine, then that’s the vibe of it. Basically, I have free reign for 4 hours every week to play what I want – get in!! Lots of special guests will be popping back to mine for plenty of fun and maybe a G&T or too! So remember to tune into Galaxy every Saturday/Sunday morning for a free party on the radio. The show starts a 2am and goes on until 6am – I say it’s a Saturday show because as far as I’m concerned it’s not Sunday until you’ve been to bed or are nursing a hangover with the aid of bacon butties! For more information about the entire Galaxy Weekend line up checkout www.galaxyfm.co.uk

I’ve been involved in some high profile fashion events lately including hosting a spectacular Gala Fashion Show for the first ever Yorkshire Fashion Week, held in Huddersfield – maybe next year it could be in Leeds, who knows? What I do know is that it was the brain wave of Bill Macbeth, who runs The Textiles Centre of Excellence. It makes total sense as this region is synonymous with the textiles industry. Everything is London, Paris and Milan and we have so many great colleges specialising in fashion including the Leeds College of Art and The Leeds Uni so why not showcase and celebrate it right here? Anyway, as usual I digress. Being involved in such stylish events, one needs to invest in some equally stylish frocks. So while out shopping in Leeds recently I stumbled across a splendid new shop in the Grand Arcade, which I know for some of you may be a bit too far off the beaten track, but it’s only a tad further than Primani, and, definitely worth a look. The shop is a vintage shop called ‘Up Staged’ and is run by a lovely lady called Lorna who is quite a character with a genuine passion for dresses. I ended up buying not just one dress, but two! Both were under £40 each. Bargain! One of them was from the 70’s – my favourite era and the other was a beaded number I believe to be from the 80’s. The way I see it is the clothes you buy second hand have already lasted 30 or 40 years so they are bound to last a lot longer than some of the clothes we buy new today. Honestly – check this shop out it’s packed with original garments and Lorna has plans to launch a classic/burlesque underwear section on the floor above. Apparently there is quite a scene and appetite for burlesque developing in Leeds – I shall investigate that further and get back to you!

That’s all for now – Remember to listen to me and my boys in the morning when you wake up and to me on Saturday’s when you get in! Bye! xxx

Talking of gambling, I recently hosted a ladies night at Alea Casino and met some women who work for MYA cosmetic surgery – ‘Make Yourself Amazing’ on Lisbon Street. They gave me a new insight into the world of Botox – a product I thought people used to diminish age, to fill in the cracks so to speak, oh contraire! Botox I am told should actually be used as a preventative measure. Yes people – if your face is unable to move, unable to make frowns or show emotion then you have less chance of creating wrinkles in the first place. Genius! I never thought of it like that. Mind you I can’t see me booking myself in for any Botox or a boob job just yet, but I’ll never say, never. They do offer a non surgical procedure called Microdermabrasion, and it was described to me as the ultimate in exfoliation and apparently it leaves your face feeling as soft as a baby’s bottom - so I might be up for trying one of them some day soon. For more information about MYA and the services they offer please visit www.mya.co.uk

If like me you don’t feel the need for plastic surgery just yet, then why not get yourself enrolled on a make up course courtesy of ghd™? Yes ghd™ has opened the doors to it’s style academy at Bridgewater Place, bringing you and I mere mortals the opportunity to master basic make up skills, styling, catwalk trends taking you through to full time fashionista status. Tuition will be expertly provided by the likes of celebrity stylist John Scott off of the telly and make up guru Daniel Sandlers. Imagine the secrets these guy’s have! We’ll all be looking drop dead gorgeous in no time - absolutely flawless! For more info on the courses on offer go to www.ghdhair.com/style-academy

And finally – have you ever fancied doing something really amazing like climbing to the summit of Mt Kilimanjaro? You have? Well you could make that fantasy a reality and you’d be helping a really good cause too. St Gemma’s hospice in Moortown, Leeds is looking for volunteers to do exactly that! If this is up your street then you need to email Francine Shilton,
francines@st-gemma.co.uk

That’s all for now – going to book myself on a ghd make up course as my face is in serious need of updating and remember you can listen to me and my boys on Hirsty’s Daily Dose on FM and DAB in Yorkshire and London – and across the nation on Sky channel 0112, and Virgin Media as well – phew!