Weekly Update!

Fathers, LUFS and last minute partying!

The beginning of this week was spent worrying about a meeting with my dissertation tutor, which actually went surprisingly well, and I now don't feel like I am totally incapable of writing it! On Wednesday my dad came to Lancaster with three of his friends to go on one of their frequent bar crawls around town. It was good for me though, as I got quite a few free drinks and tea at the Friary paid for, as a thankyou for playing host for the night, and came home to a leftover garlic bread to eat the following day!

On Thursday it was the LUFS fundraiser for Tattered Lace, which was held at Mint cocktail bar. Despite a lack of numbers, we still made £80 and had a really nice night with the exec members and a few others. It was a 'lock-in' so we got some good drinks offers, and stayed until about 2.30am, before heading onwards to Lounge for even more drinks! I didn't feel too guilty though, as I hadn't been out in Lancaster since the first weekend back after the holidays, so was definitely due one.

Friday was a completely wasted day in the sense that I didn't do anything work-wise, however, it was productive in other ways, as I booked my flights to Paris for April (woop!) and also did some blogging and creative writing. All this as well as cooking lots of food and watching an excessive amount of TV- which must be enhancing my brain somehow?!

On Saturday I hit the gym in the morning, and then did a bit of dissertation work in the afternoon and evening, before a very last minute night out was thrust upon me. After fancying going out, but not receiving much interest, I'd pretty much rejected the idea, until a text at 10pm informed me I had an hour to get ready and get drinking. To say it was so spontaneous, it was one of the best nights out I've had this year, as there were so many different people that I knew who were out. Today again hasn't been filled with work as it should have been, but there's still time before I head to the quiz later, so I'm on it!

Winter Reads...

The Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall- 3 stars ***

I was bought this book for Christmas by my boyfriend, who probably chose it as it has a pretty cool front cover. It is about as far away from what I would normally read as possible- described on the back as 'The bastard love-child of The Matrix, Jaws and The Da Vinci Code'- but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

It is really hard to describe what it is about, and on reading the blurb after completion, it is almost as though the writer struggles to do so too. All I can say is it involves a man called Eric Sanderson who cannot remember his past, and a cat called Ian. Together they journey to find a crazy scientist called Dr Trey Fidorous in the hope that he can help him to uncover the truth, as well as battling a word-concept shark called a Ludovician in order to save his life. Like I say, pretty undefinable!

I think one of the reasons why I liked this book was the author's craft of the language. Being usually a fan of very figurative pieces, I was surprised at the level of imagery and description in what I thought would be a heavily analytical novel, and it seemed to mesh both genres together successfully so that a wider audience would appreciate it:

'The three ice cubes had melted into round-edged lozenges, each with its own complex puzzle of faultlines, ghost planes and fractures. Around each cube, the run-off water and the slightly thicker vodka curled together in miniature weather systems and storm fronts. I thought about fragile colour spirals of oil in water, about the sad rolling and dispersing of the galaxy, about cogwheel daisies on green grass driving the vast machinery of evolution, about a whirl of cream unwinding its spiral arms in a left-behind coffee cup'

Despite a large part of this book being made up of scientific ideas, formulas and codes, I actually thought it was made quite accessible through use of pictures. There are a number of maps and photographs throughout, that enhance the reading experience, and made me understand things a little more clearly (even if I haven't grasped everything fully!). There was even a picture flick book near the end, which I had endless fun reflicking in order to watch a shark seem to leap out of the page at me!

There was also a strong hint at romance, and I felt that the relationship featured was very realistic and therefore endearing. 'She looked into my eyes and I saw that cold in her; the deserted windswept beach, the boarded-up seafront, snow falling in the deep heart of a forest of bare black trees.'

Overall I would say give this book a try, it may take a bit of getting used to, but I couldn't put it down once I had got to grips with the characters and concepts. As well as that it was also an interesting read, both in subject and style, touching upon things that are rarely tackled in the novels that I typically read, and indeed any that I have heard of. Apparently the screen rights have been optioned by Film Four, and it is something that I would be very curious to watch, purely to see how it would be translated from text to film.

Inspired by a late night

Two

A lake.

Still, harsh, cold.

Its surface shiny and glistening;

like the eyes that haunt me each day.

A boat.

Battered and peeling,

containing us both.

Two lives balanced between Earth and sky.

A history.

Our paths fated to be walked together-

fully entwined.

Childhood spent playing halves to one life.

A push.

And weeds dragged you under;

hair curled around your face,

clutching at your breath.

A shout.

Remorseful tears drop,

merging with the murky depths

that now form your grave.

A twin.

Now left alone,

solitary.

To see the world through guilty eyes.

Weekly Update!

Girly Talks, Photo-shoots and an Amazing 21st!

So, first week back at uni. I was surprised how quickly I got into the swing of early mornings and working again, I actually feel like I'm putting effort in for the first time in my university career! On Monday after I'd had my first seminar, my two friends came round for a catch up and some tea. We ended up talking for ages, and by the time they left it was dark outside, but it was great to meet up to hear everyone's gossip from over the holidays.

Tuesday was spent doing work and planning an outfit for my friend's 21st on Friday. She said to dress up, so I had to make sure it was suitably formal! I

decided on my punky style River Island dress that I got in the sale for £10 (see previous post) and a pair of grey and fluorescent pink cut out heels that I adore. On Wednesday I went to my friend's house to do some photo-shoots for Tattered Lace. We had two themes, 'The 7 Deadly Sins' and 'Alice In Wonderland' and I was chosen to depict lust for the former. I wore my new corset of course, with some teal coloured silk knickers I have, and my hold ups. Despite it sounding quite raunchy, I posed on the bed reading a magazine, so it looked understated, which was my aim!

On Thursday morning I headed home for a few days, as I had work on my dissertation to do, and obviously the party to attend! I also had an informal interview at Masquerade Magazine for a potential internship. The company is based in Wilmslow which is relatively near my house, and despite being pretty nervous it all went smoothly, and I plan to go in for a few days a week over

Easter- exciting!

Friday dawned, and after spending what seemed like days writing my lit review, I put the laptop away and started getting ready. There were 13 of us going, some of Abi's friends from uni and some from home, and we all went round to her house for 8pm for champagne and nibbles. After taking a few photographs, we then jumped in a minibus and went into Manchester to Lounge 10, where we were eating. I'd never heard of the restaurant before, but it was gorgeous. It is very French chic, so had deep magenta silk curtains hanging from the ceiling, and ornate pillars in the corners. They had decorated the table with balloons and sequins, and had a singer for the night who was lovely. They also had a fortune teller on the top floor, so a few of the girls clubbed together and paid for Abi to have her fortune read- which was surprisingly accurate apparently!

We had a set menu, which was £14.50 for three courses, so very reasonable. I started with button mushrooms with pancetta and spring onion with a cheese crust, which tasted amazing. The portion was a good size for a starter and there was a good range of dishes on the menu. For main I had seafood medley linguine, which had a lot of seafood in, and the sauce, which had white

wine and cream in complimented it nicely. For dessert I had Eton mess, and it was by far my favourite course; meringue, cream and chocolate covered fruit- What more could you want in a dessert?!

After we had eaten (which was gone midnight- we must have got carried away!) we walked around the corner to Panacea. It is a club well known for attracting a select clientèle, that normally consists of footballers and those seeking them! We had a private table booked, and had chance to try a couple of the cocktails, as Abi's parents had very generously put some money behind the bar,

as well as paying for our meals and minibus. Unfortunately we didn't see any famous faces, just quite a lot of unattractive older men! It shut at 2am which was a shame as we wanted to get up and dance, but that didn't stop me falling asleep as soon as I got home.

New Tastes...

La Tasca, Didsbury

Last night, I went to La Tasca in Didsbury for a meal with my parents and sister. It was a sort of belated birthday meal for my sister and mum, and a welcome home from uni meal for me (despite me now being back!). Personally I love tapas, as not only does it make a meal

feel a lot more sociable, but it means you get to try loads of different dishes, perfect if you find it hard to choose something off a menu!

As there were four of us, we decided to choose two things each which we would then share, as well as a salad dish (tomato and goat’s cheese), a large portion of 'Patatas Bravas' (of course!) and three different types of bread, just to have some variety. We went for one with goat’s cheese and caramelised onion, one with aubergine and cherry tomatoes, and then classic plain garlic bread. Even though these were just on the normal menu, we asked to have them as a starter, which was a nice way to start the evening, and accompanied the house red wine very nicely.

There were just two members of staff on, and considering that when we arrived they were afraid that they wouldn't be able to fit us in as the tables were fully booked, you can imagine how busy they were. Despite this, the service was very good, there were slightly longer than normal waiting times, but this wasn't really a problem as we liked having the extra space between courses!

When our tapas dishes arrived, we were all very much ready to tuck in, and the food pretty much covered the table, so there was plenty to go around! We had ordered calamares and king prawns with garlic mayonnaise off the fish section of the menu, and as always they were both delicious, and despite being deep fried, weren't greasy at all. Off the meat list we got two portions of meatballs in a tomato sauce, chorizo in red wine and garlic and an amazing slow cooked beef dish with potatoes that was in a creamy peppercorn sauce called 'Ternera a la Piemienta'. We got a Spanish take on ratatouille ('Berenjenas Gratinadas') for a vegetable dish, which had aubergine and red pepper strips in, as well as the usual courgette and tomatoes, and then finally off the chicken section we got 'Pollo Marbella' which was 'chicken breast cooked with paprika, chorizo, peppers, onion and a white wine & cream sauce.' This was by far my favourite, and unusually one that we hadn't tried before. It had a slightly cheesy taste to it, which really complimented the chorizo and peppers, and the chicken was so succulent it absorbed all the favours perfectly.

After a bit of a rest, my sister and I ordered some desserts, which we shared between us all. We had a 'Crema Catalana' (kind of like a crème brulee but cold and not as crunchy on top) and 'Turon' which was simply vanilla ice cream with smashed up almonds and chocolate on top. Not the most adventurous, but yummy all the same. Perhaps one thing that was a little annoying about the dessert menu, was the amount of dishes that contained oranges, as if you don't like them, the choice was quite limited. But I suppose it is a fruit widely used by the Spanish in their cooking, so at least it was authentic!

We had printed off a 50% off voucher from the internet (I'd recommend using one, they're dead easy to find!), and the desserts were 2 for 1, so with everything that we got as well as all the drinks, the bill came to slightly over £50, which I think is brilliant for the quality of food that we had. One thing with La Tasca is that even though it is a chain, inside it really doesn't feel like it, as the service is like that of a privately owned restaurant, and the food is clearly prepared from scratch on the premises. If you haven't had the joy of tapas before, or have but not by this particular brand- get to it! You won't be disappointed.

Inspired by ten words

In Sleep

A break from reality,

your mind stumbling over the flood of events

harboured in your head.

Eyes closed and brain open

like a sponge that holds memories,

itching to be cut open, for them to pour -

shivering -

onto your slumbering body.

In these reveries, sheets can feel like silk,

willing you to rest;

or like choking seaweed, grasping for you,

defenceless and alone.

They bend around your skull

repeating and distorting,

until you submit and bow to honesty.

Each night this process starts

uncontrollable and ever-changing.

Then a faint light breaks the curtain -

and saves you from yourself.

Weekly Update!

Food Glorious Food!

This week was my final one at home before heading back to university for my second term of final year (argh!). To be honest, I've not done a lot except copious readings before starting lectures again on Monday, and a few shifts at work to get some last minute money.

On Tuesday evening, my mum used her new slow cooker to make a lovely beef and horseradish stew that was lovely. We had it with peas and green beans and there were carrots and potatoes in the stew, that had gone deliciously sweet with it cooking for so long (7 hours!). We finished the meal off with Chocolate Fudge Brownie Ben and Jerrys with warm cinnamon cookies that we got from the Christmas Market in Manchester (see previous post), not quite as rustic, but tasty nonetheless!

On Wednesday my boyfriend came to stay and although we didn't do anything particularly exciting, he made us another nice meal- a kind of honey mustard chicken covered in poppy seeds which we had with rosemary and rock salt mini roast potatoes. We didn't have any honey as required in the recipe as my mum is allergic, so we used Golden Syrup instead, and although it is much sweeter, it worked fine. It's a good job I've been on a few runs this week, with all this yummy food consumption!

On Thursday we went to the Manchester Museum (see another previous post!) which was fun, and then Friday I worked a monster eight hour shift which actually went surprisingly quickly. Yesterday I had the task of moving all my stuff back in (including a temperamental rabbit!) and despite planning on doing some work once I had got settled, it took me that long to unpack that by the time I was done, it was time to get ready for my first night out back in Lancaster. I wore my new corset, which was worth the pain; and after pre-drinking at my boyfriend's house, went to Wetherspoons and then Sugarhouse. The night ended relatively early, as I wasn't really feeling it, but it was nice to see some faces that had been hidden away for four weeks!

An Unusual Celebrity...

Costume Designer

Colleen Atwood

Atwood has created the costumes for over fifty films, the most recent of which was for Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie’s collaboration in The Tourist. While her concept for that may have been relatively tame, much of her work is not only hugely elaborate, but has been so well-received that it has caused her name to be etched onto two BAFTAs and two Academy Awards; for Chicago, Memoirs of a Geisha and Sleepy Hollow. Some of the other projects she has designed for in the past include Edward Scissorhands, Silence of the Lambs, Little Women, Big Fish, Mission Impossible III and Sweeney Todd. She made the giant monkey suits for Planet of the Apes, and the Vivienne Westwood-esque dresses for Alice In Wonderland. She even designed the band uniforms for My Chemical Romance’s The Black Parade. It is due to fabric architects like Atwood that our eyes are drawn to movie posters, and we strive to dress like our on-screen icons.

Traveller's Tales...

The Manchester Museum

Today, my boyfriend and I headed into Manchester to go to the University Museum there. Aside from having nothing better to do, it was also first choice as we are both low on funds at the moment and it is free admission, so seemed the perfect place to go.

I've been quite a few times, both leisurely and with school, and always really enjoy the place, there's so much to see that there is something for everyone. We started in the 'Living Cultures and Archery' section, which had a massive elephant skeleton at its entrance. After looking around that section for a while we went to the 'Money' and 'Mediterranean Archaeology' parts, where they have loads of really nice pottery and metal-ware.

Next up was a section I love- the live animals. They have lizards, snakes, geckos and lots of frogs, which are my absolute favourite animals! It's always fun trying to spot the critters in each exhibit, as sometimes they are very well camouflaged! From there we went onto the 'Animal Life' area, where there are hundreds of stuffed animals. Unfortunately the main area was being renovated, so we were unable to see all the mammals, but the birds, fish and insects were still open, so there were lots of pretty creatures to view.

The final sections we looked at were 'Ancient Egypt', 'Pre-historic Life' and 'Rocks and Minerals'. The Egyptian bit I find fascinating, as there's lots of real mummies in there; it's bizarre thinking that they were actually alive thousands of years ago. The part we ended in was the dinosaur exhibition, where there is a massive T-Rex skeleton dominating the room. It is really interesting to look at some of the skeletons and see just how similar they are to animals today- especially the fish and birds.

There was also a special temporary exhibition on China that looked good, but we were already quite pushed for time so decided to leave seeing that. With it being free, we can always come back another time! Overall, it was a brilliant day out, that is so much more enriching than going shopping or to the cinema. I thoroughly recommend it!

Weekly Update!

Recovery and A Night In Horsforth

After travelling to Letchworth last Sunday, Monday of this week saw the mammoth drive back, via Banbury and Stoke to drop my various passengers off. I was so tired that rather than drive all the way home, I stayed over in Crewe, as a five hour journey completely took it out of me!

Feeling much more refreshed on Tuesday, I headed back to Timperley and after unpacking went on a very pleasant run. I had been dying to go for a while, but the last few dregs of snow and bouts of rain had put a stop to my previous attempts.

On Wednesday, I did some editing. I am the editor-in-chief of Tattered Lace, a magazine that the Fashion Society started producing last year, and we are now on our third issue. I have three editors (Fashion, Culture and Beauty) and they each send me articles from their respective sections once they have been put together and proof read. I then have to make sure the content is right and do a final proof-read before forwarding them onto our wonderful producer, who collates it all with the photoshoots from our creative director, and makes it look all pretty. It is hard work and often very hectic, but so worth it for the gorgeous issues that we make!

Wednesday night was both amazing and devastating, as I went out to Wagamama's with my friends, and then on to a few bars and ended in 5th Avenue nightclub in Manchester. I had such an awesome time, until I lost my purse at the end of the night, and had a drama with people staying in my house! The following day I mostly moped around feeling sorry for myself, and sorted out the what seemed like masses of lost cards I had to replace.

On Friday, after a nice lie in and a five hour shift, I headed to Leeds with my parents and sister to visit my aunty, uncle and cousins there. My eldest cousin

is in the army and I hadn't seen him for over two years, so it was great to catch up on what we'd both been up to, even if it did make me feel hugely insignificant partying at uni while he has been stationed in Afghanistan! We opened belated Christmas presents first, and then headed into Horsforth where they live for a few tipples. After slightly more than a few, we walked back home and enjoyed a gorgeous curry before hitting the sack considerably later than usual.

Yesterday we woke up quite late, had a fabulous cooked breakfast (the full monty- black pudding and all!) and then drove back home. After a spot of shopping in Sale I then stayed in for the rest of the day, playing on The Sims 3 (sad, I know, but it's a new experience!) before catching an early night ready for going back to work today. Not the most exciting or productive week, but there's been worse.

A Taster of Tattered Lace!

Screen Sirens

It probably isn’t the first place you would think of looking to for style inspiration, but the silver screen is jam packed with outfit ideas just screaming to be recreated. As there are so many films produced and released every year, the fashion within them is guaranteed to be constantly changing- and it is not just Hollywood dollars that can make

iconic items available.

Over the years there have been many trends that have emerged from movies; just think of the ‘Vote For Pedro’ T shirts that were all over Urban Outfitters after Napoleon Dynamite hit cinemas in 2004, or Swarovski’s ‘Alice In Wonderland’ range that was launched following Tim Burton’s remake of the Disney animated classic. Even if some of the designs you have seen in the cinema are unsuitable for an average night on the town, what’s to stop you donning something crazy for the next fancy dress event?

Classic Film Looks

Star Wars- It may be 33 years since the first film was released, but Princess Leia’s cinnamon bun hairstyle and provocatively draped white dress will stay firmly fixed in our memories.

A Clockwork Orange- Aside from widespread controversy, the on-screen adaptation of Anthony Burgess’ novel also resulted in a bizarre clothing creation- boxers over dungarees and only one false eyelash? Nowadays it would be called drunkenness!

Kill Bill- Tossing the famous black bob from Pulp Fiction to one side, who can forget when Uma Thurman sliced her way onto our screens in that yellow catsuit?

New Looks To Covet

Burlesque- it may not have smashed the box office records, but some of the outfits worn by Christina Aguilera in this Cabaret inspired musical were simply stunning. Think sequins, lace, corsets and hold- ups; everything about last year’s ‘underwear as outerwear’ trend, taken to the next level.

Black Swan- Natalie Portman looks set for a busy year, starting with this psychological thriller by the director of The Wrestler and Requiem for a Dream. Although there are some jumpy scenes, an abundance of elegant tutus and ballet shoes (and no shortage of pretty people!) take the edge off; in cinemas now.

Red Riding Hood- with capes fluttering aimlessly in and out of fashion for the past few years, if anything can ensure they stay alive, it is the retelling of this children’s favourite. Set for release in March this year, Amanda Seyfried plays the young girl warned to “stick to the path” in this darkened version of the classic fairytale.

New Tastes...

Wagamama, Manchester

Last night, three friends and I decided to go for a meal and a few drinks in Manchester, as we are all heading back to uni soon. It is a tradition amongst us all to go to Wagamama, as it's cheap, a bit different and really tasty! We hopped on a train, and were soon sat in the warmth of the restaurant on their trademark communal benches. For those that haven't been before, Wagamama serves Asian food, with a few quirky culture differences to how you dine.

For a start, as mentioned before, rather than having individual tables, there are long benches to sit on, so everyone sits together in rows. I personally like this, as it means

even dining alone you can get talking to people, and it makes it feel sociable and informal. As well as this, the food is served when it is ready, regardless of English tradition, so often one dish appears, and others in the group may be waiting ten more minutes before they get theirs. This could be awkward if you were eating with someone who is strict with etiquette, but I tend to go with friends, so we just start while it's hot! The menu is split up into different categories depending on what the dishes mainly consist of (rice, noodles etc) and then you can order various sides as well.

I ordered Cha Han, which I have had before and really like. It is 'stir-fried rice with chicken and prawns or tofu, egg, mangetout, mushrooms, sweetcorn and spring onion' AND IT comes with a little bowl of miso soup, and pickles. My friends had all ordered the Chicken Katsu Curry (they get it every time!) and mine happened to arrive first, so I tucked into the miso soup while we waited for theirs to come. It was all gorgeous, and I don't think it would come as a surprise to people I know that I would head back there in a flash. It is also relatively healthy, and has plenty of veg in it, so I feel less guilty for eating out!

After the meal we went for a few drinks in the Northern Quarter, which then turned into a few more drinks on Deansgate, and a night ending in 5th Avenue. But then the unplanned nights are always the best!

Weekly Update!

Sales, NYE and a Long Drive! (delayed from yesterday)

This week was relatively quiet after the bustle of the Christmas period, but I still ended up being away from home for the majority of it. Apart from the couple of shifts I worked, I was the definition of a social butterfly! On Wednesday I went to Crewe to stay with my boyfriend, and had my first opportunity for a bit of sales shopping. Compared to previous years, I was slightly disappointed, as the reductions were minimal, and it only seemed to be off a very small selection of stuff. I did manage to get some really nice khaki/ brown knee high boots with a slight heel and buckles on the back from Dorothy Perkins, which were a steal at £30.

On Thursday I drove back home and did the evening shift at work, followed by the early morning one on Friday, which always kills me (I have to be up at 6.20am). However, they were the only times I worked all week, so I was then free to enjoy New Year's Eve. My friend Emily decided to host a party at her student house in Nottingham, so a convoy of cars drove there on Friday afternoon. It was a really good night, as there were lots of different people there, a large number of whom I didn't know, so there was plenty of opportunity to get to know some new faces. On New Year's Day (the passengers very much worse for wear) we drove back to Manchester, and I had the chance for a couple of hours extra sleep at home before I drove to Crewe for a second time.

The following day was my flatmate from last year's 21st birthday party, so a group of us planned to travel to Letchworth in Hertfordshire where he lives to go.

As I'd driven to Crewe the night

before, the monster journey (I was going via Banbury to pick some friends up) was slightly shorter, and after about four and a half hours on the road we arrived at his house. It was a brilliant day, my friend Laura was back in England from Paris so it was great to see her again; and there was gorgeous food and a free bar- which we made full use of!