Ernest + The Good Life Experience

Ernest Journal were beside themselves (what does that mean exactly?) when The Good Life Experience invited them to their inaugural festival celebrating food, culture and the great outdoors on the gorgeous Hawarden Estate in Flintshire. It was a day of craft beer, rabbit stew, woodsmoke, guitar-plucking and hobbit-haired alpacas

The Ernest Journal stand couldn't have been in a more apt spot at The Good Life Experience. We were in the Great Outdoors Tent, cheek-by-jowl with woodworker Hatchet + Bear, bike-obsessed screen printer Anthony Oram and the Scouts and their rope making skills.

When we weren't mesmerised by the sweat-beaded concentration of spoon carving and the spin and click of the rope-making machine we managed to peel ourselves away from our stand and got to see the infamous Mr Natty in action, snipping away at head after head of hair – his scissors a mere lightening flash, the delightful utilitarian wares of Best Made Co and the all-too-quaffable local craft beers. We also saw lots of alpacas, one of whom bore an uncanny resemblance to Frodo from Lord of the Rings. Must be the big goggly eyes.

But what pleased us most was stumbling across the festival's manifesto pinned to a tree. It certainly made us smile:

Manifesto for The Great Outdoors

Toast marshmallows

Chop some wood

Climb trees

Know the birds

Learn your knots

Roll in something smelly

Sharpen your axe

Wear a helmet

Use a real map

Hold hands

Light a fire. Light my fire

Be sure to put The Good Life Experience in your calendar for 2015 next year when it will be a two day festival: 19 & 21 September. We'll be there, too.

Images: Sam Young

Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2014

From the magical aurora borealis to the violent surface of the sun, you can see the astounding winning images of the Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2014 competition at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich

Overall winner: Aurora over a Glacier Lagoon by James Woodend (UK)

The magic of space continues to beguile us every time we see new astounding images of the aurora borealis, a horse head nebula, a solar eclipse or the inexplicably hot and churning surface of the sun.

You can see the cream of these awe-inspiring images, the winner and runners up of the Astronomy Photographer of the Year Awards 2014, at the Royal Observatory from now until February 2015.

British photographer James Woodend beat over a 1,000 amateur and professional photographers from around the globe to win the title of Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2014.  The judges were mesmerised by Woodend’s shot portraying a vivid green aurora dancing across the Icelandic night sky and reflected symmetrically in the glacial Jökulsarlon lagoon of Vatnajökull National Park. 

Below are winners of the other categories and special prizes, including a breath-taking view of Earth taken from the brink of space (87,000 feet above the ground), with the help of a high altitude balloon launched from Boulder, Colorado by Patrick Cullis (USA); the snaking swirls of superheated gas on the boiling surface of the Sun captured by Alexandra Hart (UK); a figure silhouetted against the backdrop of a Kenyan savannah skyline, a rarely seen hybrid solar eclipse, taken by Eugen Kamenew (Germany); and a stark yet opulent portrayal of the rock formations of the Wairarapa district in New Zealand, contrasting with the dusty clouds dancing across the Milky Way photographed by Chris Murphy (New Zealand) winner of the Sir Patrick Moore prize for Best Newcomer. 

Deep Space winner: The Horsehead Nebula (IC 434) by Bill Snyder (USA)

Our Solar System winner: Ripples in a Pond by Alexandra Hart (UK)

People and Space winner: Hybrid Solar Eclipse 2 by Eugen Kamenew (Germany)

Robotic Scope winner: NGC 3718 by Mark Hanson (USA)

The Sir Patrick Moore Prize for Best Newcomer winner: Coastal Stairways by Chris Murphy (New Zealand)

Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year winner: The Horsehead Nebula (IC 434) by Shishir & Shashank Dholakia (USA) aged 15

You can see these images alongside the runners up and commended entries at the Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2014 exhibition at the Royal Observatory until 22 February 2015. Entry is free.

Conserving a Super Selector

Sophia Oelman works on the conservation team for Information Age, a brand new gallery about the last 200 years of communication and information technology, opening 25 October at the Science Museum. She tells us about the painstaking process of conserving one of her favourite items in the exhibition: the Super Selector radio receiver 

The portable super selector before conservation (Source: Science Museum / SSPL)

There are a huge range of exciting objects being prepared for the Information Age gallery. As one of the six conservators working on the project, I have the privilege of cleaning, documenting and repairing the objects before they go on public display. My favourite object is the Super Selector radio receiver, made around 1927 in London by Selectors Limited.

The Super Selector appeals to me because of its interesting shape and design – it looks more like a piece of furniture than a modern radio set. The radio has attracted lots of attention because of its size and shape it is commonly mistaken for a wooden PC computer.

The portable radio is very heavy compared to today’s pocket electronics. Perhaps that explains the rather well worn back of the object. (Source: Science Museum / SSPL)

The first challenge of working with this radio, was moving it from the storage rooms to the conservation lab at the museum.  Although it is called “super portable”, it weighs about ten kilos and is certainly not super portable by today’s standards, weighing one hundred times more than an average MP3 player.

When the object arrived at the museum, there were several areas of damage that needed to be documented and repaired before it could go on display. The main areas of concern were the leather handle, which was powdery and weakened and the textile speaker, which was torn with sections of missing fabric.  The object needed to be documented, cleaned, repaired and then documented again to record the changes it went through during conservation.

After inspecting the exterior of the radio I began to look inside. Luckily, there were two keys with the radio set, which allowed us access to the fascinating mechanisms within. Some of the most attractive components are the glass valves. These valves are potentially dangerous if broken as this may cause flying glass, so one of my first tasks, after cleaning the radio, was to pack the valves with tissue to prevent any breakages. After packing the valves, the conservation treatment of the radio receiver involved more cleaning, securing the handle and repairing the textile speaker.

The delicate glass valves inside the set needed to be carefully packed before work began. (Source: Science Museum / SSPL)

The silk speaker posed the biggest challenge in terms of repair, but after consulting a specialist textile conservator at the National Maritime Museum I decided to cover the fragile silk with toned patches of special conservation silk. I cut the patches to shape, coloured them so that they matched the green colour on the speaker and carefully attached the patches to the speaker frame.  This technique prevents further damage to the object from light, physical damage and dust.

The Super Selector radio receiver was a fascinating object to work with and despite the challenges involved, I believe the radio will stay in good condition for visitors to enjoy in the Information Age gallery for many years to come.

The radio is now fully conserved and radio for display in Information Age when it opens this autumn. (Source: Science Museum / SSPL)

This article was taken from The Science Museum's blog.

You can see the Super Selector and other fascinating items at the Information Age gallery, which opens 25 October at the Science Museum.

Trousers, only better

Here at Ernest we’re currently rather obsessed with these new trousers from Spoke. They’re calling them Bulletproof Chinos – we’re pretty sure they’re not actually bulletproof, but as far as we can see that’s the only thing wrong with them. We had a word with Ben Farren, founder and director of Spoke, to find out how they were managing to do trousers, only better.

“At Spoke we spend many hours feeling, washing, wearing and blind testing the fabrics that we cut, so we are turning into real fabric nerds. It was only a matter of time before we ran across this remarkable cloth, milled in Switzerland. It’s a 97% pure cotton drill, blended with a touch of elastacene for just the right amount of stretch, and they’ve coated the surface with nano-tech to repel water and dirt. It looks and feels like an ordinary, soft, cotton drill fabric. But liquids just roll off.”

Coffee Bulletproof Chinos, £129

This, we are happy to admit, sounds ideal. Are there any activities the chinos are especially good for?

“It makes a great, durable chino under any conditions,” says Ben. “But for folks who cycle a short distance to the office, it’s the ultimate bike-to-work pair. We’ve trimmed it with a set of hi-vis features that make you a beacon on the road at night, but tuck away discreetly when they’re not needed.”

Navy Bulletproof Chinos, £129

Exclusive offer for Ernest Journal readers

Order a pair of Spoke Bulletproof Chinos using the code ERNEST77 for a £30 discount – that’s nearly 25 per cent off: spoke-london.com

City cycling essentials

Deadly nightshade lights, a rather distinguished copper bell and a basket woven from tropical elephant grass: what more could you ask for? 

Vickers Roadster Bicycle, £2,199, Made in these Isles

First things first, if you’re after a city cycling kit, your primary purchase if you haven’t yet got one, should be of course, a bike. According to Vickers, the Roadster bicycle is 'the essential city bicycle for the modern man'. It's a timeless classic and every bit of it, from the frame to the tyres is made right here in Britain.

Bookman Lights, £16.95 (choice of four colours), Godspeed

Functional and stylish, these Bookman lights are result of a clever collaboration with The Deadly Nightshades and they come in four awesome colours with awesome names; Pitch Black, Sea Foam, Velo Yellow and Spoked Salmon. They're easy to attach and have three different light modes.

Bee Bi Cycle to Commuter Jacket, Bee Clothing, £295, Made in these Isles

This genius jacket from Bee Clothing serves as both a commuter and cycle jacket in one. Wear it as a lightweight regular jacket when travelling on foot, then reverse to reveal a waterproof hi-vis shell for wearing while cycling, combining both style and functionality. Hold us back.

Sorengi Copper Bell, Godspeed, £35, Godspeed

Dinga-linga-ling. You just won’t be able to stop ringing this beauty from Sörengi in all its shiny brass goodness when politely asking those walking commuters to shift out of your way.

George the Crew Bag, £150, Millican

This limited edition crew bag is the ideal urban cycling companion. Its deceptively spacious inside, with a main compartment for holding a laptop, and two large front pockets for storing valuables. Made from weatherproof organic cotton canvas, it will withstand the great British weather too!

Handwoven Bicycle Baskets (selection), £45, Godspeed

Jazz up your bicycle with one of these of a kind baskets, woven from tropical elephant grass. Each one is completely unique and made by hand, and comes with the name of their personal weaver stitched inside it. Bring a touch of the exotic to your handlebars!

Urban Poncho, Otto London, £88 (in green, blue and grey), Godspeed

Don’t let those unexpected downpours spoil your commute to work, with this rather fetching urban poncho from Godspeed. Pack it in your kit and you'll never get a soaking again. Made from Oxford Nylon, it's lightweight and most importantly WATERPROOF, and even has handlebar straps to keep your lap dry when it's extra wet.

Iceburg Bike Hanger, £350, Godspeed

If you can't bare to leave your bike outside in the cold, bring it indoors and give it pride of place on your wall with this stunning bit of craftsmanship by Iceburg. This bike hanger is made from oak and birch and its striking angles make it a work of art in itself. Your spanking Roadster deserves nothing less, surely?

Words: Sam Young

We chose this fine array of cycling items from our directory members, a delectable troupe of independent brands, makers and artisans who can cater for every sartorial, grooming, leisure and office need.