Gary Rhodes - A Great British Classic

Another day at the office, another celebrity interview... this could start to get boring... (not!).
On today's agenda: celebrity chef, Gary Rhodes.

'Gazza' has just opened another new restaurant on the south coast, so I was assigned to go down there this afternoon, on this glorious sun-shiney day, whilst my colleague gets to attend the official champagne dinner this evening... Not that I'm complaining... (unlimited Laurent-Perrier though, yummy).
The restaurant is beautiful: a modern wooden-and-glass structure, standing alone out the back of the Christchurch Harbour Hotel, overlooking the small, undeveloped quay with its quaint little fishing boats. In fact, Gary said he buys fresh fish from one of these boats, and its of amazing quality (must be, for a £4 surcharge!).
So, a few of us local journo's sat around in the bar, waiting for Gary to come out of the kitchen and talk to us. I even made a new friend, with a girl called Steph who was on her first assignment of her new job. Turns out, she went to the same uni as me, and lived on my road! Wonders never cease. We promised to keep in touch, swap Gary photos and dictaphone recordings, and go for a drink when The Wizard and I make the BIG MOVE down to Bournemouth in a few weeks. (What's that? I haven't mentioned this yet? Surprise!)
The strange thing is, I felt the same about Gary Rhodes as I did about Paul Daniels - he was exactly as he is on telly. I wasn't star-struck, as with Paul Daniels, because he is just a normal man! Celebrities are people, just like me and you, and there's really nothing 'starry' about them. Gary even spoke about 'skidmarks' when referring to poncy food presentation! I didn't know where to look!
I'm going to have to book a lunch down there soon - £20 for 3 courses can't be bad...

I Wish I Had a Magnolia Tree

The first time I clapped eyes on a Magnolia, I was struck dumb by its ethereal beauty. No other plant had done this before, or has done since. There is something so graceful about its long, meandering branches, something so unashamedly oriental about its huge, usually pink blossoms, emerging in abundance at this time of year, before any hint of green leaf. I could just stand and stare at a Magnolia for hours, or, better still, sit beneath one on a warm spring day, all day, with a good book - and be completely and utterly at peace.
Perhaps 'ethereal' is too airy-fairy a word to describe the surprisingly robust Magnolia. Its gorgeous looks belie its turbulent history. It evolved before bees, believe it or not, making the petals tough enough to withstand pollination by hefty beetles. The 200-odd species can be found right across the world, and in a wide range of habitats. You would be correct in thinking that it originated in eastern Asia, though. Who could ignore its dreamy presence in ancient Chinese and Japanese art?
But alas, I don't yet have my rambling farmhouse, complete with orchard, library and considerable Magnolia on the front lawn. *Sigh*. Instead I must resort to peering over garden gates, consumed with envy (and a strange blissful calm...), or be forced to enjoy the 'public' specimens in a local park. Which, for about two weeks, are a sight to behold.
Although nowhere near as jaw-droppingly beautiful as this one, at Kew Gardens:

Underrated Lizard

I'm a great believer in the conservation of animals. The diversity of species on our planet is extraordinary; and not only a beautiful thing, but a direct link to our natural history. Inter-species relations are delicate, influenced easily by many factors, and although the natural world adapts and evolves continuously, I do think that human activity has been abnormally detrimental to all creatures, great and small.
The plights of some animals, such as the panda, elephant, or polar bear, have become high-profile. These will of course be sadly missed, or (worse?) the last pathetic examples gawped over at 'breeding zoos' worldwide - and I shudder at the thought - but what about the smaller, uglier, much less significant creatures? And plants for that matter. Does anyone care if the Japanese Knotweed becomes extinct?
The point is, that it isn't the species that's important, but the fact it's dying out in the first place. There will be none left for future generations, and who knows how their loss will affect their natural surroundings? Fewer insects and birds means fewer plants - wild and farmed - and that means food.  The loss of one species directly affects others, if they happen to be their dinner. Our frequent migration allows alien plant species to travel between habitats. And so it goes on...

On a lighter note, here is my favourite little wonder.

Unique in so many ways, the Chameleon has been my favourite for a while... colour changing, independent eye swivelling, toe-gripping, sticky tongue-firing, tail curling, horny, gnarled and just wonderful... I was lucky enough to see one on a family holiday in Malta, aged about 10. My Dad pointed one out in a bush. They definitely don't get enough credit.