Birmingham Post

Growing passion for fruit and veg g p ; There has never been more help available for people who dig up their colourful borders in favour of producing food. Jo Ind reports

Lawns are being dug up to create vegetable patches. Climbers are being replaced by espaliered fruit trees. The latest garden accessory is not a swing seat, but a chicken house.

It's a question of balance q ; The allure of Napa Valley wines is intoxicating, says Clive Platman

f California is by far America's biggest wineproducing state, then the Napa Valley is undoubtedly the jewel in the crown. Although world-famous, it is surprisingly small, producing only four per cent of output, but such is its prestige that it garners about 20 per cent of sales.

Hotel restaurant serves up an ace ; GREDIT CRUNCH LUNCH

THE PLACE Aria restaurant at Hyatt Regency, 2 Bridge Street, Birmingham. T: 0121 643 1234. WHY GO? For people-watching, star-spotting and the enjoyment of good food in sophisticated, metropolitan surroundings.

Merc's roadster is all there in black and white

Despite a waiting list for the Mercedes- Benz SLK roadster a special edition version loaded with almost pounds 2,500-worth of extra equipment is on its way. The company is taking the opportunity to introduce an image- enhancing SLK called 2Look, which, as the curious name suggests, is designed to attract attention.

Shapeshifter ; Edward Stephens loves the odd-shaped Materia and the space it has to offer

Cast your mind back to films about early American gangsters like Al Capone and the square, high roofed cars with blacked out windows they used around the 1920s. Now reduce the size of the car dramatically and you have some idea of what the Materia from Daihatsu looks like.

SEAT of power's getting stronger

SEAT provides mainstream models for the masses, but has built a fine reputation for cars that ride well and are capable of handing out more power. The FR, Cupra and Bocanegra versions of the Ibiza fulfil that remit and are scheduled to reach showrooms from the beginning of October.

Ford Fiesta gets automatic option

Ford has introduced a new automatic option for its latest Fiesta models, which about ten per cent of all Fiesta customers will choose. The new Durashift transmission system is mated to the 1.4-litre 95bhp petrol engine and because the latest Fiesta is 40kg lighter than the model it replaced, performance and economy are affected very little.

Taking it to the max ; Brighten up your wardobe with gorgeous frocks for all occasions - without breaking the bank, writes Anuji Varma

It's time to update that wardrobe to the max - with these gorgeous frocks. We've found some great maxi dresses that won't break the bank, either. And they're certainly on-trend this summer..

Stripping yarns ; Gypsy Rose Lee is remembered for taking off her clothes, but Richard Edmonds says she was much more than a dancer

GYPSY - The Art of the Tease by Rachel Shteir - Yale: pounds 12.99) G ypsy Rose Lee was probably the first and only stripper to become a household name. In fact, this remarkable performer was the only burlesque to Broadway strip-act to inspire a musical ('Gypsy') a portrait by Max Ernst, four books of memoirs and a hot house rose. Add to that the astonishing fact that she was the only stripper whom intellectuals, bankers, socialites and ordinary Americans adored and you can see that this extr...

Tales will broaden kids' horizons

White Wolves series, various authors, A& C Black. pounds 4.99 Tales from other cultures are a really interesting way of getting to know about different countries and their literature. It might be enshrined in the national curriculum that they learn about cultures and communities, but reading stories from overseas helps to widen their horizons.

Schoolgirls and high Jinx

Jinxed by Sara Lawrence Faber, priced pounds 6.99. Jinx Slater spends a miserable Christmas holidays missing her best school pal Liberty Latiffe.

Heavy metal hit ; New films reviewed by Graham Young and Roz Laws

TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN Cert 12A, 150 mins In an age when it can be difficult to find a plumber to fix one leaking tap, doff your hat to bravura film director Michael Bay. Every time he's written off - remember Pearl Harbour? - he just comes back with extra gloss, bigger explosions and even more mind- boggling special effects.

A terrific team hit the target one more time ; review

Ex Cathedra The Oratory, Birmingham Two of the musical giants being honoured this year were the focus for this evening's Summer Vespers.

Triumphant performance sees off a daunting challenge ; review

CBSO Symphony Hall The tremendous strength in depth of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra was amply illustrated during Wednesday's matinee when Elspeth Dutch, principal horn, shared a powerfully rewarding partnership with tenor Toby Spence in Britten's Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings.

Rising from Down Under g ; Australian singer Shannon Noll tells Andy Coleman about his rise to fame

Shannon Noll is a name that is not very many people know in this country - yet. But despite being the runner-up on the 2003 series of talent show Australian Idol, he's streets ahead of everyone else when it comes to selling records.

Katherine's NIA date

Katherine Jenkins teams up with the CBSO at the National Indoor Arena tomorrow. The concert marks Birmingham's hosting of the Rotary International's 2009 convention which continues until Wednesday.

Double bill of contrasting delights dances across the stage ; review

Birmingham Royal Ballet Birmingham Hippodrome An evening of contrasting classical dance from two of the 20th century's best-loved choreographers opened Birmingham Royal Ballet's summer offering at the Hippodrome Theatre.

Cliff riches ; Owning a piece by Clarice Cliff need not be beyond your pocket. Sally Hoban explains

ne of the most exciting recent antique 'finds' in the Midlands came under the hammer recently and sold for over pounds 20,500. The rare and beautiful 'May Avenue' pattern Clarice Cliff large, flat dish, known as a charger, was sold by Fielding's Auctioneers in Stourbridge after spending years hiding underneath a table tennis table. Just a handful of these are known to have survived so it was a particularly exciting discovery.

COLLECTING DIARY

TODAY Stamp and postal History enthusiasts will be heading for the Midlands from all parts of Britain for the Stafford Stamp Show 2009 today 11am-6pm and tomorrow 10am-4pm. The show is being held in the Ingestre Suite of the Staffordshire County Showground in Weston Road, Stafford.

Keeping arts alive ; Chris Upton tells how leaving London's East End for the Cotswolds produced a legacy of real brilliance

If I were to pick a single street to encapsulate all of England, I would probably choose Church Street in Chipping Campden. At one end stands a great pub in the shape of the Nine Bells (salient ingredients: good food, real ale, low beams) and at the other the parish church of St James, one of the great wool churches of the Cotswolds. I would be happy enough with these two. In between church and pub, however, stand the magnificent almshouses, founded by Sir Baptist Hicks and the remains of Hic...