Weekly Update!

Crème Brulee & French Martinis!

This was a strange week stuck in the middle of two weeks off, so I was expecting it to go really slow. It didn't though, which was good, and I managed to get a few fun things crammed in between working and packing for France next week.

On Tuesday I went to the Trafford Centre with Mum, as we fancied a spot of shopping. I didn't get much, just a t shirt from Zara that had chains and studs appliqued to the shoulders, a bargain in the sale for £6. We also had a browse of the handbags in Selfridges, as I'm currently looking to treat myself to a nice designer one.

On Thursday Chris came round and we had a really good hearty pie for tea, followed by homemade crème brulee - delicious! The girls came round on Friday, and we had lots of chocolate and crisps whilst having a good ol' natter.

On Saturday after work a few of us went to Emily and Smeed's for some cocktails before going into Manchester. We went to Venue, which I'd never been to before, but they played some good tracks and drinks were fairly cheap. I bumped into an old uni friend there as well, which proved what a small world it is!

Winter Reads...

The Postmistress by Sarah Blake - 3 stars ***

This was another book that was given to me to read by my grandma. She will read pretty much anything, so it is often hit and miss with whether it will be a decent read or not. This wasn't awful, but it was a bit bland and didn't really seem to get anywhere interesting, despite being fairly long.

It is set during WWII and follows the stories of three women each dealing with the conflict in their own way. There is Iris, the Postmistress of a small town in Cape Cod, America, Frankie Bard, an American journalist in London doing broadcasts on the war for people back at home, and Emma, who is the wife of a doctor who is working in London. The stories intertwine when Iris opens a letter telling of the death of Emma's husband, who died in a car accident in front of Frankie whilst she was reporting. Very convenient.

The main problem with this book is that there wasn't much to make you become emotionally involved with the characters. In such horrific circumstances as a world war, one would expect to feel a great deal of sympathy for the victims of such a tragedy. This didn't happen, as all of the people in the book were quite one sided and didn't appear to have enough depth to them to seem real. The only people I felt any connection to were the refugees on the train recorded for Frankie's broadcasts, and they were mentioned for all of two chapters!

Despite the lack of involvement in the plot, the one good thing about this book is the gorgeous language that Blake uses throughout. She truly has a gift with words - I have read an awful lot of books, and her descriptions are very original, and her metaphors are unique yet make complete sense after one read. It is perhaps through the language that the most emotive aspects become more alive: 

'If you hold this in your hand, I will never hold that hand again. And the thought of that is unimaginable--impossible, because you are so real. And because I am. Here is my hand holding down the page, here is the other hand, writing' (a letter from Emma's husband to her, to be opened in the incident of his death)

'But i have covered far too many wars--reporting how they were seeded, nourished, and let sprout--to believe in angels anymore, or, for that matter, in a single beam of truth to shine into the dark. Every story--love or war-- is a story about looking left when we should have been looking right.'

Homemade Recipes!

Tapas - Miles Style!

Last night, my parents bought a load of nice food and we made mini dishes for tea to eat tapas style. We got a few things pre-prepared including some portabello mushrooms stuffed with aubergine, cheese and breadcrumbs, and also served up some beef tomatoes with basil and mozzarella, and a variety of olives of course!

We made patatas bravas by adding chilli powder to passata and pouring over roasted diced potatoes, and also made a marinade out of lime and chilli to use on some king prawns which we placed on skewers and fried. We used the same sauce but with added herbs in to cook some lamb meatballs in as well.

After going to a dinner party and being served some canapés that were Spanish inspired, I decided to recreate them myself at home for the occasion. I took baby tomatoes and sliced them into halves, before putting a dollop of pesto on top, and then a little slice of goat's cheese, all held together by a wooden toothpick; making them perfect for sharing.

It was all delicious (even if I do say so myself) and despite there only being three of us there were no leftovers, including the red wine, which complimented the food very nicely!

Weekly Update!

Decorating, Travelling & Recovering!

This week I was very lucky to get a week off work and so thought I'd make the most of it. On Monday I came back from a night at Chris' via the gym, and Charlotte and Tasha came to mine for a coffee in the afternoon. I worked at the pub in the evening, but we were fairly quiet so I got to leave early which was nice.

On Tuesday I went for a swim in the morning, and then worked the lunch at the pub. When I came home, Mum and I started decorating my room. I have just repainted all the white walls as they were looking a little grubby, and switched some of my furniture around, as well as wallpapering one feature wall with some lovely gold printed paper. I have a few bits left to buy (new blinds, a unit etc) but all the messy bits are now complete, and considering I have had the wallpaper since before Christmas, I was just glad to finally get it done.

On Wednesday I went to Nottingham overnight (see previous post) which was lots of fun, and then on Friday I went for a run and then got some long overdue odd jobs done, like cleaning out the inside of my car, and cleaning the rabbit hutch. In the afternoon Chris came to visit and we went for a drink with Emily and Smeed before going to see The Woman In Black (see previous post). He left early on Saturday for me to go to the pub, and my mum and Aunty and Uncle popped in whilst I was working which was nice.

After work I drove straight to Leeds to see my sister at university. My cousins and their friends all came out with us, so there was a big group, and we had fun pre-drinking and catching up before heading to Evolution in Leeds. It was a really good night, although I had a few too many and can't remember the majority of the night!

Luckily my cousin Alex took up the challenge of looking after me, so I was in good hands; and I stayed at their house rather than my sisters, so there was a proper breakfast in the morning for me. I had a catnap and then drove home at 3pm, to get ready for starting work again tomorrow. The week has gone so quickly, but I am off to Paris in another week, so at least it's not long before my next break!

Winter Views...

The Woman In Black - 3 stars ***

I went to see this as I saw the stage production of it whilst on holiday in Edinburgh with my boyfriend, and it was so creepy! I was interested to see if the chill-factor translated as well when it was adapted for the silver screen. 

When I heard that Daniel Radcliffe was playing the lead, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed. Having not seen him in anything since Harry Potter (and not being particularly enamoured of him in that) I didn't think he would do the role justice, and also thought it very odd that he was cast in a role that requires him to have a 4 year old son, when he looks little over 18, despite the addition of facial hair! Even so, I was willing to give it, and him, a try.

Basically the story is about a young widowed solicitor, who moves to a remote area to go through some papers left by a lady who has died. Whilst he is staying there he starts to see a mysterious lady, and young children begin to die in freakish accidents. The longer he stays, the more time he has to delve into the history of the area, where he learns that similar accidents have occurred whenever newcomers move into the house. He vows to solve the mystery, to no avail.

I think the main problem with this film, aside from Radcliffe, who didn't do anything to change my former opinion of him, is that it has had unnecessary parts added to it to make the audience jump (look away when he touches the window!). I personally feel that the plot is scary enough, especially with the twist at the end, so no extra bumps in the night were needed. But that's Hollywood I guess.

It is worth watching if you want a cheap thrill with a very good story behind it. But personally I would recommend seeing it at the theatre, for a much more spine-tingling experience.

Traveller's Tales...

Nottingham

Today I have just come back from Nottingham, where I went with my friend Charlotte to visit her brother, who is at university there. Having heard great things about the nights out there, I jumped at the chance to go and try it for myself. We caught the train there yesterday just before 1pm, and had to run to the station after a delayed met meant we had eight minutes to get there once we arrived in Manchester city centre!

We got to Nottingham at half past two, and after a quick trip to Tesco for supplies, we caught a bus to Alex's accommodation. It took us a good half an hour, before we realised that we had got on the wrong bus, and so had to wait until it got all the way back into the city again before getting another one! Finally we met Alex at half past four, and went to his room to meet some of his friends. We chatted for a while and played some card games before the majority left for dinner (they are in catered halls) while we ordered some pizzas. The pizza delivery guy was about an hour late, but we had just been watching some TV and catching up, so it didn't make much difference.

After we had eaten we started getting ready for our night out, before playing some drinking games and then heading upstairs to where everyone else was. There were so many people just in their one house, it was such a different experience to my own university life! We headed out at eleven, and went to Rock City, where a club night called Crisis was on. I have never been in a club so big, it looked like when you see pictures of places in Ibiza! They had lots of floors each playing different types of music, and drinks were fairly cheap, so it was a good night. We didn't leave really late, but by the time we had got home and into bed it was gone 3am, and Charlotte and I were knackered after our long day so soon crashed out.

The following day we got up surprisingly early, and once we had packed up, we said our goodbyes and went back into the city to catch our train. We stopped at McDonald's en route to satisfy our slightly hungover cravings, and I slept for the majority of the journey home. It was a really good trip, meeting new people and seeing some new places, and I would definitely go back to Notts for another night out!

Weekly Update! (From yesterday)

Paella, High Tea & Shameless!

This week I didn't do a lot until the end of the week. I made some chocolate crispy cakes with Aum on Thursday while I was babysitting which were really nice, and then on Friday I went to Emily and Smeed's house for tea with the girls. She had made a tasty chorizo and chicken paella, and I took a camembert which we baked and had with breadsticks for our starter. Natasha bought a lovely dessert that was a mixture between a pavlova and a cake - it had sponge, then whipped cream and forest fruits, topped with lemon cream and white chocolate shavings!

On Saturday I worked at the pub, and then drove straight to Lancaster afterwards for a night out there. There were a lot of us out which was cool, although Geoff and I somehow managed to lose everyone else and ended up wandering around until 3am! We caught the last bus home and stayed up

chatting for a while before I slept until midday - it's a long time since that has happened! I felt awful the following day, my body has obviously lost its alcohol tolerance! I pulled myself together though and got ready to go out with Timna for afternoon tea at The Borough. We had it last summer as a goodbye celebration and so thought it would be nice to go back for a catch up. The mini sandwiches and cream cakes perked me right up, and I drove to Chris' house after dropping Timna back at uni.

We had a gorgeous lamb roast dinner, and then watched a few episodes of Shameless before going to bed. I now have a week off work which is going to be amazing - I definitely need to recharge my batteries!

Candid Article 12

A Penchant For Peplums

One particular fashion that has resurfaced and caught my eye recently, is the use of peplums. Defined as ‘a short overskirt or ruffle attached at the waistline of a jacket, blouse, or dress’ peplums are one of a rare breed of designs that suit just about anyone. They can add much desired curves to those with a petite or boyish frame, yet hide larger hips and create the illusion of a small waist for the more pear shaped or hourglass figures – think of them as the modern day corset.

They can be used on dresses, tops, coats and even trousers as seen at Dries Van Noten, and therefore can be dressed both up or down depending on the effect required. Two piece sets at D&G made use of the trend in a more professional setting, creating a modern adaptation of the power suit, whereas Nina Ricci designed gorgeous multi-coloured cocktail dresses, which are just what the doctor ordered for a night on the town.

Peplums have appeared everywhere on the catwalks, altered according to specific designers’ tastes. Vera Wang and Alexander McQueen opted for floaty, romantised garments with layers in pastel shades or white, producing a very feminine feel. On the other hand, Zac Posen chose to make the peplum shape very square, giving a much harsher, powerful silhouette, which was counter-acted by using a bright colour palette. Following this, Givenchy added extra sex appeal by using black as the predominant colour, and incorporating feathers and shiny materials such as PVC and transparent gauze to show a bit more flesh.

The beauty of the peplum being so flattering and accessible means that it is not just the fashion houses that are producing garments using them. High street stores such as H&M, Zara and even Primark are manufacturing lots of different items that remain on trend without breaking the bank. Famous faces such as Lady Gaga (a self-confessed Zac Posen addict), Fergie and Emma Watson are all fans of the peplum - providing evidence that they are big fashion news no matter what your style, budget or shape.

New Tastes...

Little Italy, Timperley

On Saturday Chris and I walked into Timperley Village in order to go to Little Italy there. I used to go all the time when I was a child, but haven't been since it was taken over by an Italian called Alex Cauchi, and so wanted to see if it was still up to the same standard.

We had booked a table for 8.15pm, and we were shown straight to it when we arrived. We had a prime spot right in the centre of the room which was good, and after being greeted jovially by the owner, a waitress came over to take our drinks orders. One thing I liked instantly was the warmth of the team that worked there; they all seemed very comfortable in the surroundings and knowledgeable if asked any questions. I chose a glass of the house white wine, which was really nice, and available in 1/2 carafes as well as bottles and glasses which I thought was a nice touch. Chris got a bottle of Peroni, which he thought very reasonable at £3.20.

For starters we chose calamari in a tomato sauce and breaded mozzerella, and shared the two. The sauce that the calamari came in was delicious, and I liked that they were unbreaded rings, as they seemed more fresh and less rubbery. For main I had a tomato, mushroom and bacon spaghetti dish that had meatballs with it. I got a half portion as I had already eyed up the dessert menu and fancied something, and I thought it was a great idea that you could do this. I thought they may be a bit reluctant to serve them, but the waiter seemed very happy to oblige. Chris got a seafood pizza that looked delicious, and as he had been craving it all day, it was just what he wanted.

With room left despite my very generous half portion, I opted for the crème brulee for dessert, a personal favourite. It was served in a terracotta pot and the caramel on top had been glazed perfectly, cracking to reveal the cool centre. The only thing that I was slightly disappointed with was that it didn't come with a garnish of some sort, but the actual dish was lovely which is all that matters really.

After we had finished we sat and finished our drinks before ordering the bill. I really enjoyed how we weren't made to feel rushed, and the service was nicely relaxed so that we had a nice gap in between our courses without it being too long. The whole meal came to £38, which I thought was an absolute bargain for the quality and portions. I was definitely not disappointed with the slightly changed restaurant, and certainly won't be leaving it five years until I return like last time!

Weekly Update!

Tagines & Manchester Phoenix!

This week has been fairly busy socially, which is good! On Monday I was at the pub as per, and I had the chicken and vegetable stir fry, which Chorchaba made really hot without telling me! It was nice to try something a bit different though.

On Tuesday I went swimming, and Wednesday I did yoga (I'm keeping up with the daily exercise routine!) and then on Wednesday evening my friends came to my house for some food that I cooked (see previous post). It was great to see them all, as I feel like my job has been taking over my life recently and I've not made much effort to catch up. Now that I'm more settled I know which days I can cope with doing something sociable on!

On Thursday I did that most arduous of tasks - dying my hair. Despite purposefully buying the bleach for dark hair to give it a super strength kick, it turned out really well, and I've booked to have my grey toner put over it next week ready for my week off of partying and travelling the country. After I'd dyed it, I went to pick Jasmine up from the train station as she was home for the weekend, and we spent the rest of the evening giggling over silly Youtube videos!

I babysat on Friday, and we made mini gingerbread men which were adorable! I didn't get up to much once Aum was in bed except planning for my latest Candid article (keep your eyes peeled next week) and finishing off my book (see previous post). On Saturday after I had been to work I picked Chris up from the train station and we got ready to go out for a meal. It was very icy so we must have looked a bit of a sight walking to the restaurant in Timperley village, but once we were inside it was gorgeous and warm, and the food was lovely (see next week's post).

Today it has been our three year anniversary, hence the meal yesterday, and so we had a nice lazy day before heading into Altrincham to watch the ice hockey, which we both enjoy. It was a good match, with a few near misses for the opposing team, the Swindon Wildcats, which I think always makes for an intense game. Manchester Phoenix won in the end though, with six goals to three, placing them in a better position to win the English Premier League, as they are currently 4 points behind the leaders - the Guildford Flames. We also had a hotdog during one of the intervals, adding a tasty end to a packed week!

Winter Reads...

The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides- 5 stars *****

This was a book I was bought for Christmas from Chris, that I had never heard of before. I didn't really know what to expect from the title, but just a few pages in I was hooked, and I have devoured the novel in less than a week.

The plot is really simple - five teenage sisters in the Lisbon family (Therese, Mary, Bonnie, Lux and Cecelia) all commit suicide in varying ways for no apparent reason. The book is written through the eyes of a group of boys (whose names we never learn) who secretly watch the girls, developing a slight obsession that leads them to ponder aspects of the girls' lives that remain behind closed doors, as well as recounting those in the public eye:

'We got them all. And, flipping pages, hiked through dusty passes with the girls, stopping every now and then to help them take off their backpacks, placing our hands on their warm, moist shoulders and gazing off at papaya sunsets. We drank tea with them in a water pavilion, above blazing goldfish. We did whatever we wanted to, and Cecelia hadn't killed herself: she was a bride in Calcutta, with a red veil and the soles of her feet dyed with henna.'

It details beautifully the traumas of teenage life - dating, sex, parents, parties and school, but due to the harrowing undercurrent throughout, it really is a read like no other.

The language used is both scientific and figurative, precise yet dreamlike - I have never encountered a style like it:

'Maidens with golden hair dripped sea-blue tears into the book's spine. Grape-colored whales spouted blood around a newspaper item (pasted in) listing arrivals to the endangered species list. Six hatchlings cried from shattered shells near an entry made on Easter. Cecelia had filled the pages with a profusion of colors and curlicues, Candyland ladders and striped shamrocks,'.

The fact that the ending of the story (the girls' deaths) is revealed in the first sentence really shows what a capable weaver of words Eugenides is; few people would want to read a whole book if they knew the final outcome.

After eight paragraphs of waxing lyrical, I hope I have managed to persuade you to read this. I'm buying his other two books (the most recent published just last October) asap! For those of you that like to cheat, I've heard the film, which stars a young Kirsten Dunst as Lux, and Josh Hartnett as her crush Trip Fontaine, is also worth viewing.

Homemade Recipes!

Lemon And Herb Meatball Tagine

Today my friends came round for the evening, so I decided to cook something tasty for our tea. They were arriving at 7pm, so once I'd got home from work I knew I wouldn't have much time to prepare, so had to choose a recipe that was relatively simple. I had a flick through a few of my mum's cookery books before settling on a Moroccan dish made in a tagine that sounded nice.

I cheated slightly and bought the meatballs pre-made from Iceland, so that cut the time needed in half. First of all I heated five teaspoons of oil in the tagine on the hob and fried an onion in it until it was soft and browned. Then I added the beef meatballs (approx 24) and a teaspoon of each of the spices required - chilli powder, cumin and tumeric. I browned the meatballs and then poured 350ml of chicken stock in over them, before leaving it to simmer. I took this time to go and get ready!

After about half an hour, the sauce still hadn't thickened, so I turned the heat up and added some cornflour to the mixture to thicken it slightly. My friends arrived and so I put the couscous that I was serving the dish with on to cook. It only took about five minutes, so my guests weren't waiting too long before I could serve it all. I put a garnish of fresh parsley on top of the meatballs, and then took the tagine and the pot of couscous to the table so people could help themselves. A quick squeeze of lemon juice over it all and it was ready to be eaten - delicious!