Weekly Update!

Back to working life!

This week was slightly confusing as I only arrived home from Dublin late on Monday evening, so I felt like I was a day behind for the whole week!

Tuesday I was back at work, which brought me back to reality, but it wasn't too bad as Chris stayed at my house while I was there, so when I came back I just chilled out for the rest of the day, eating nice food and watching rubbish television! Wednesday and Thursday were pretty boring, I was just doing jobs and filling my time with mindless things, although I did manage to buy a few Christmas presents.

On Friday I had my hair tinted a silvery-grey colour, which I really like, and it is a welcome change from the normal blonde I have been for a while now. I have been coveting the shade for ages, so it is good to finally see what I look like with it. I went out for a few drinks at one of my local pubs in the evening; it has recently been refurbished so we were all curious to see what it looked like. It is much more luxurious in there now, I think it is trying to compete with the upmarket gastro-pubs that we are surrounded with near where I live.

The following day I worked at the pub, and then drove straight to Lancaster for a night out with my old university friends. I picked up my friend Emily and her boyfriend on the way, as they fancied a change of scenery, and Chris was there visiting too. We drank for quite a while in the townhouse on campus, before going to the Pendle Witch and then to good ol' Hustle the shooter bar, for some disgustingly strong shots. After that we went to Sugarhouse, which was nicely bustling, and had a tequila stand for the night. I saw a few familiar faces, and got tipsy enough to forget about hectic life for a while which was fun.

On Sunday I drove us all home, and Chris came back with me for a Sunday roast (though it was toad-in-the-hole, so cheating slightly!). We were knackered so had a little catnap in the afternoon, before I took him to the station to catch a train back to Crewe. The weekend went too fast, especially seen as it is my last free one before Christmas (!) but it was fun all the same.

Traveller's Tales...

Dublin (Part 2)

On our second day in Dublin we had a nice lie in before heading back into the city for some more exploring. We stumbled across the vintage section, and had a lovely brunch in a little independent cafe called Irie's. It was only 8.50 euros for homemade carrot, parsnip and swede soup with bread, a BLT toasted bagel and a cup of tea, totally scrummy and an absolute bargain!

Sufficiently full, we then went for a walk, and were going to hire some bicycles to have a ride around, except we realised we didn't have the money between us for two deposits, which was a little upsetting! Instead we went up to the castle and had a look around, although it definitely wasn't the typical castle I expected, it was more like a town hall! We decided not to bother with the guided tour, as there was quite a crowd, so we went for a drink in a little bar that had a music shop above it.

After that we went to another bar called The Porterhouse, which is well known for doing lots of different ales and speciality drinks. I just had wine, but Chris tried a few different beers, including one specially brewed for the bar. We stayed for quite a while as there was a live band on playing traditional Irish songs which was a very pleasant way to spend Sunday afternoon.

In the evening we went to an amazing 50s style diner called Eddie Rockets. Inside it has jukeboxes, waitresses in white and red uniforms with little hats, black and white tiled floors and red bar stools with mirrored tables. I had a chicken burger with swiss cheese, while Chris had the Smokestack with applewood smoked cheese, onion rings and bacon. We shared some mini quesadillas for a starter, and I had an oreo cookie milkshake which was amazing! After we had eaten we went for a cocktail at the Hard Rock Cafe, which had a selection of drinks for only 5 euros.

On our final day we packed up and left our bags at reception, before going for a cooked breakfast. We then caught a bus to Dublin Zoo, and spent the day there. It had a good range of exhibits, and we watched the sea lions being fed which was fun. There were a few of the enclosures that looked a little worse for wear, but there was a lot of renovation work being done at the time, so hopefully they'll all look lovely and new fairly soon.

After we had been to the zoo, we went back into the city centre and had a final coffee back at The Church bar, and then got some tea at a little cafe in Temple Bar before going to collect our suitcases from the hotel. We the got a bus back to the airport, and were back in Manchester for 11pm. A great trip away!

Traveller's Tales...

Dublin (Part 1)

Last weekend I went to Dublin with Chris for 3 days. We got a very early flight on Saturday, so once we had got the bus into the city it was around 9.30am. We bought a 3 day pass for 13.50 euros to give us unlimited bus travel, which was definitely worth it considering just getting to and from the airport would have set us back 12 euros!

The first thing we did was walk onto the main street, and gather our surroundings before going to good ol' Costa for a coffee and cake (not very Irish, but hey). Then, after the caffeine had woken us up a bit, we went for a mooch around the shops, including into Forever 21, which I have wanted to go in for ages, but didn't get chance to in London.

In the afternoon we went to The Church bar and restaurant, walking past the huge metal spire in the centre of the main road along the way. I had a Caipirinha cocktail, which despite being a bit of a killer at 9 euros, tasted amazing. Afterwards we walked across the river to the district called Temple Bar, and had another drink at a place called Havanas. I was a little bit ill on Saturday, so for my second drink I had a Bailey's hot chocolate to try and perk me up.

After our wandering, we decided to try and find our hotel. After getting on the right number bus, but going in the wrong direction, we eventually got there at around 6pm, and collapsed on the bed after an exhausting day. A quick change of clothes and spruce up of makeup, and we headed back into the centre for a meal at Dada, a Moroccan restaurant that we had reserved in advance. It was quite pricey, but absolutely amazing! The atmosphere was relaxed but formal, and the interior made you feel as though you were actually in Morocco - including the temperature!

We each ordered a glass of wine, and for starter I had mini sausages with caramelised onions, and Chris had a kebab type thing (I can't remember the actual names, and the website's an Irish one so I can't check!). My main course was one of the most interesting dishes I have ever had. It was a pastry shaped like an envelope and dusted with icing sugar, and in the centre was a mixture of chicken, quail, apricots, almonds and spices. I must admit, after realising that the white dust on the outside was icing sugar, I was a little dubious, but the combination of all the flavours, and the spice with the sweet apricots was just amazing! It came with a little salad and some orange segments, but I only just managed the pastry alone, as it was very filling.

Chris had the slightly more usual roast duck, but it was in a sweet sticky glaze that tasted lovely, and had peanuts sprinkled on top, so was still not an average meal! The whole thing including a tip cost us 70 euros (approx £61.50) which is more than a typical meal out for us, but I'd say it was definitely worth it for the different food, and overall experience. It was for Chris' birthday after all!

We were really tired after our long day, and I had been suffering with flu, so we went straight back to the hotel to bed, and saved our energy so that we were wide awake for the following day.

Weekly Update! (From Sunday)

Chaos, Curry & a Holiday!

Last week was rather chaotic! After working all of Monday, and getting some amazing Thai food free on the job, I had Tuesday evening off, so spent it at the gym and doing some reading. I also found time to buy a lovely pair of shoes from River Island, that I have been coveting for a while after seeing them at the Trafford Centre. A spontaneous sale drove me to buy them, as they were reduced from £68 to just £43! They are the second pair of new shoes I have bought, after choosing some from New Look on Sunday evening as well, but I gave three pairs away last week, so it's allowed! On Wednesday I went to see Wild Beasts at Manchester cathedral (see previous post) which was brilliant.

Thursday was my day off, but it was spent taking Chris to the train station, tidying my room, packing for Dublin and blogging, before I went round to my friend Emily's house with the girls. She made us a gorgeous red Thai curry with rice, and we had some wine and a chatter, and some lemon meringue pie that I took round. It was a really chilled out evening, with excellent company, which was lovely after rushing around all day!

On Friday I went to work and then came home to finish packing, and I took a quick trip to the gym. I had an interview in the evening which went really well, and then went to Wilmslow station to pick Chris up. We decided against going for a drink after as we were both super hungry, and came home to make fish and chips instead- delish!

The next day we were up ridiculously early (5am!) to catch a flight to Dublin for a few days as a late birthday present for Chris. We got back very late last night, hence the delayed blog post. See the next couple of posts to see what we got upto!

Autumn Sounds...

Wild Beasts at Manchester Cathedral

Last night I went to see the 'indie rock' band Wild Beasts, who were playing at Manchester Cathedral. I saw the gig advertised a while ago, but tickets sold out straight away, probably due to the interesting venue. However, my dad's friend Phil text to say he had two spare tickets, so Chris and I went along for free!

I got the band's first album 'Two Dancers' in my second year of university, as I read about them in NME magazine, and after learning they were from Kendal, close to where I went to uni in Lancaster, I decided to give them a go. I immediately liked them, as they are unlike any other band I have heard before. They mix quite high-pitched vocals, with 80s style synth beats, and then heavier rocky guitars. They have some slower songs, some with proper anthem-style choruses and some that scream 80s disco.

Yesterday, we arrived fairly late due to annoying delayed trains, but luckily the band hadn't begun. Upon entering the cathedral, I was blown away. It is such an amazing venue - a beautiful building, with perfect acoustics, and a real feel of community as soon as you enter the door. I was surprised to see that there was a pop-up bar next to the merchandise stalls, but despite being a designated driver, it was a nice bonus to be able to buy a coke.

The music started shortly afterwards, and it was a surprisingly long set. The band played all the expected tracks - 'Hooting and Howling', 'The Fun Powder Plot', 'We Still Got The Taste Dancing On Our Tongues' and 'Bed Of Nails' as well as a few songs off the albums. They came back on for an encore, playing a further four songs, one of which they played the long instrumental in the middle for, which was really moving. The lighting really added to the overall effect of the gig, giving it equal amounts of spook (stone statues lit up in green and red is quite a sight!) and prettiness.

The band commented that they felt that quite a few of their songs had religious undertones, and this was really exaggerated in the setting. Afterwards, we went for a drink in Mojo's, which is a cool little bar off Deansgate that has good tunes, and music memorabilia on the walls. We then had to run to catch the last met, before getting a yummy pizza on the way home. A brilliant (and very cheap) night!

Candid Article 9

Florence, Meet Lagerfeld

Florence Welch is once again storming the music world with newly released second album ‘Ceremonials’ which went straight to number one last week after its debut on October 31^st. But it appears it is not just her unique vocal ability that is getting the 25 year old attention. Her quirky style has always been a topic of discussion, but due to her recent success, leading designers are clamouring for her approval now more than ever.

Crowned the new face of Gucci in June, the entire wardrobe for her US tour this summer was created by Frida Giannini, the fashion house’s creative director. The designer said of Florence, ‘She has a powerful personality and an entrancing quality to her performances. She also has that confident and self-assured look that goes hand in hand with the Gucci woman.’

In her latest video she is seen wearing Valentino Haute Couture, and Karl Lagerfeld shot the star for Vogue Japan’s October issue; recreating the androgynous look in a red silk blazer and pinstriped trousers. It was the start of an ongoing collaboration between the pair, as she also performed on stage for the creative director, at the unveiling of his latest work for Chanel at Paris Fashion Week. This was in homage to the fact that Lagerfeld named Welch as his muse for the Spring/ Summer collection. For the catwalk show, which was under-the-sea themed, the singer performed inside a giant pearl encrusted shell wearing a white Chanel dress personally designed for her.

The demure gown makes a reappearance, amongst other designs, on the third project that the singer has done with Mr Lagerfeld – a special edition copy of her single ‘Shake It Out’. Released on the same day as the album, there have only been 500 copies pressed, which are hand numbered, and available for £50 each. The 180 gram vinyl record is white, contained in a silver inner bag, and the cover features unique photographic images of Florence shot by Karl, screen printed on clean white card, with silver foil writing. The shoot took place in Paris and is said to be inspired by the work of Polish painter Tamara de Lempicka, as Florence is a personal fan, having been influenced by her Art-Deco style previously.

The Vinyl Factory are responsible for the production of the record, which is set to be the beginning of a series taken from the new album. It is the first hard copy of the single to be created, as previously it has been available for download only, and also features a remix by up-and-coming Canadian R&B artist The Weeknd.

With so many fashionable names, and now another number one album, under her belt, it seems Florence Welch can do no wrong.

Weekly Update!

TGIs, Tescos & Gourmet Burger Kitchen!

This week has been full of culinary delights. I worked both morning and evening on Monday, which I am to do every week from now on, but on Tuesday after a quick trip around the Trafford Centre, I went to TGI Fridays with Chris. We had their special offer, which was 2 courses for £9.99. I had chicken sesame strips in Jack Daniels glaze for a starter, followed by a Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich and an English Garden cocktail, which contained gin, elderflower and cranberry juice with soda. Chris had boneless chicken wings and the Classic American burger, and a chocolate brownie for dessert, which was an extra £3. It was the first time Chris had been to TGIs, and he really enjoyed it; we were both really impressed with the food and service, especially for such great value.

Wednesday was a quiet day, but on Thursday after work I went to Leeds to visit my sister at university. My mum had bought us one of the Tesco meals for £5 (we got garlic bread, chicken and bacon pie, and apple crumble) which we ate before going out on the town. I went with a family friend, whose sister is also at the same uni, and we all went out together to a club called Warehouse. The music had a bit to be desired, but it was busy and cheap, and was great to feel like a student again!

We travelled home together on Friday, and in the evening I went to the Trafford Centre again, this time with my friends Tasha and Charlotte to have some food and a look around the shops. We went to Gourmet Burger Kitchen, where I had the chicken, avocado and bacon burger. I wasn't a fan of having to buy everything separately (even the dipping sauces),

as it did make a burger and chips meal rather pricey, but the food was delicious, and the self service style means that you save on a tip. After our meal I bought some makeup from MAC, and a Pandora charm for my cousin's 18th birthday, as well as some Christmas presents - I'm being organised this year!

Yesterday I worked at the pub, and then went to Chris' where we had a few drinks in Sandbach with his friends. I was driving so didn't have a wild night, but it was nice to be away from an empty house as my parents were away this weekend. A busy but enjoyable week!

Candid Article 8

Kelly Clarkson ‘Stronger’- 3 stars ***

A couple of weeks ago saw the release of Kelly Clarkson’s latest studio album, entitled ‘Stronger’. The 29 year old from Texas shot to fame after winning American Idol in 2002, and is easily the most successful act to emerge from the show. Best known for hits such as ‘Miss Independent’, ‘Since U Been Gone’, and her first UK number one, ‘My Life Would Suck Without You’, she has won two Grammys, three MTV Video Music Awards and a Women’s World Award given to females who have ‘influenced the world by their work in areas such as society or politics’.

‘Stronger’ is the artist’s fifth album, and according to her, was the best to record as, ‘everything was really fluid, and everyone agreed on it’. It is also her first concept album; placing a heavy focus on ‘strength and empowerment’, hence the title that she decided upon. Despite starting to write it in November 2009, the album’s debut was put back twice, until it was finally released on October 24^th.

The record was produced with the aim of sounding as close to Clarkson’s live performances as possible, and therefore Auto-tune was used sparingly. Rather than showing the cracks in her singing, this decision does her powerful voice massive justice, even on the less ballsy tracks such as ‘Standing In Front Of You’ which has a quieter, ballad-esque feel. This won her serious points from me as it shows that she does possess a very natural talent, a revelation when considering that her rock/ pop sound is often compared with the likes of P!nk and Avril Lavigne.

There are thirteen tracks on the album, and although a few sound quite similar, it is easy to pick out the most successful. ‘Einstein’ is my personal favourite as it is quintessentially Clarkson, issuing a clear message with a punchy beat, and the same goes for ‘Hello’. I think the song from which the album takes its name ‘What Doesn’t Kill You (Stronger)’ could do well if released, as it has a strong dance inspired chorus, and America’s Entertainment Weekly calls the track ‘a throbbing glitter disco tribute’.

The album’s release comes after the first single ‘Mr. Know It All’ was made available on September 5^th and reached number six in the UK chart. ‘Stronger’ wasn’t any serious contender for the number one album spot (after all, Coldplay’s ‘Mylo Xyloto’ came out the same week) but it is not one to be relegated to the bargain bucket just yet.

Traveller's Tales...

The Blitz Party, Shoreditch, London

Last weekend I went to London for my friend Charlotte's birthday (see previous post). One of the main reasons we went was to go to The Blitz Party, which I heard of through a friend and instantly wanted to go to. It takes place approximately every month in Shoreditch, in an old warehouse that is decked out to look like a 1940s air raid shelter.

This isn't just some random choice, the whole evening is themed in order to recreate the glamour and fun of life during the war in the 40s, and so everyone gets dressed up accordingly, and there was a swing band on, who were amazing. They played two sets, the first dressed in suits and braces, and the second in full marine uniform, which was so cool! Everyone was getting in the spirit, dancing away and enjoying themselves.

I think it was the little touches that made the night such a success; the drinks menus were printed on brown paper 'ration books' and contained cocktails such as a 'Gin Fizz', and a speciality called simply 'The Blitz' which was served in a champagne glass. All the bar staff were in fancy dress, and some had really made an effort to say it was just a job for them. There were old gas mask cases, and vintage cornflake boxes on shelves above the toilet doors, and sandbags were used to surround the benched seating areas as back rests.

The tickets were £20 which sounds like a lot, but for a night out in London that was so well planned and original I thought it was well worth it, and would definitely go again - even my parents want to go after seeing my pictures! The next event is on New Years Eve, which I think will be an incredible was to see in 2012, but as I already have plans I will be skipping that one. As well as the 40s themed nights, the same company also do 'Belle Epoque' nights out, and there was a gothic themed one for Halloween that looked right up my street. Maybe next time!

Weekly Update!

Cocktails, Bonfires & London Town!

I've had a brilliant time this week! It started on Monday with some lovely cocktails at Piccolinos in Hale with my friend Lydia, which were made all the more tasty by being free. We had a sharing platter for a starter, which had lots of yummy things like mushrooms with pine nuts, tomato meat balls, and mozzarella slices with beef tomatoes, and then I had the seafood risotto for a main course.

On Wednesday I went to see Anonymous at the cinema (see previous post) and on Thursday I had some Gelish nails put on and then did a shift at the pub which was good fun. On Friday Chris came to visit, and we went to Ashton on Mersey rugby club to watch the fireworks. The display was really good, and lasted quite a long time, and at £5 I thought it was very reasonable compared to some of the other local events on offer. We went for a drink afterwards at The Mersey Farm pub, it was nice to try and dry off a bit, as it was absolutely pouring down!

On Saturday I was up bright and early to get ready for a trip to London for Charlotte's birthday. We caught the train at just gone midday, though annoying delays and diversions via Nuneaton and Leicester meant we didn't arrive until half 3, which stopped us doing a lot. We bought a fresh pizza, some crisps and dips and a lemon meringue pie from the local supermarket to cook for tea, as we were staying at our friend Hannah's house in Camden. We had some wine and a good catch up, before getting ready to go out to The Blitz Party, an event in Shoreditch (see next week's post). Our other friend Tasha who was coming from home after work was also delayed, so Charlotte and I went on ahead while Hannah collected her for the station.

The following day after a bit of a lie in, the four of us got ready and went for a walk into Hampstead for some brunch. We went to a little cafe/ bistro called Base, where I had eggs benedict with ham, which was absolutely gorgeous, and to drink I had a hot chocolate, which was one of the best I have tasted. Afterwards we caught the tube to Euston and sat in Starbucks for a while eating cake, and drinking the new Christmas coffees (toffee nut latte is my one of choice - I am so glad it's back!). Our friend Srishti from home, and Tasha's boyfriend Will came and met us in there which was nice. Charlotte and I caught the train home at 3.35pm, and I slept for the entire journey, which luckily was completely stress-free unlike the way there!

Autumn Views...

Anonymous- 3 stars ***

This film looked amazing as soon as I saw the trailer - slightly gothic, with scandal, Shakespeare and pretty men in ruffles, what's not to like? I had no idea of the basic storyline, but thought I'd give it a go.

It begins in the modern day, with Shakespearian actor Derek Jacobi delivering a prologue on stage in New York, which leads into the main film. An unknown young man, who we later learn will become famous writer Ben Johnson, is shown being tortured to find the whereabouts of Shakespeare's play manuscripts. The scene then backtracks to five years previously, with Johnson being asked to put his name to the plays by their 'real' writer the Earl of Oxford (Rhys Ifans) as it is not acceptable for men of his status to be involved in the arts. He refuses, and instead they are taken up by William Shakespeare (Rafe Spall), a brash and attention-seeking actor who is illiterate. His plays become hugely popular, with only Ben knowing their true author, until Shakespeare follows him one day and demands a sum of money to keep the truth a secret.

As well as this, there are subplots of a romance between the Earl (whose younger version is portrayed by Jamie Campbell Bower) and Queen Elizabeth (played by Joely Richardson and her real life mother Vanessa Redgrave) and the fight for the successor of the English throne between James I of Scotland, and the Earl of Essex.

I love the passion and extravagance of this film, and found the way that Jamie Campbell Bower and later Rhys Ifans talk about writing was both highly convincing and inspiring. With it being set in a Puritan time where plays and performance were seen as works of the devil, the drama that ensues due to the Earl of Oxford's love of writing is both incomprehensible and fascinating. On a more personal level, as a Shakespeare fan, there were lots of great excerpts from his plays, and a few insider jokes that I felt very intelligent being able to understand!

The visual effects are another strength of this production, successfully managing to depict the gloomy undeveloped streets of 16th century London in high detail. I also think that using the Shakespearian favoured element of a mis-en-scene at the beginning and end of the film, immerses you in the action immediately,

There are a few weaknesses however. I found certain parts difficult to follow, as it throws you backwards and forwards between ages, and uses different actors/ actresses for the same parts at different stages in their lives. This would be fine if each character were easily distinguishable, but as all the men appear to be called Charles, Edward or Henry (or names of that ilk) and all wear very similar lavish costumes, I found my head spinning after a while.

I can also see why this film may be disliked by those people who are avid historians, or loyal Shakespeare devotees, as it does depict the famous writer in a greedy, arrogant and bumbling manner, as well as suggesting that the famous Virgin Queen, was indeed a bit of a whore who fathered more than a couple of children. However, taken for what it is, as a fictional film, I think it presents an interesting story, that may well have no substantial evidence to prove its truth, but is entertaining nonetheless.

N.B. look out for new eye-candy in the form of Xavier Samuel, and be prepared for a brilliantly unexpected twist at the end!