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Day: 12 March 2013

Cajun chicken Gumbo

This is my Dad’s recipe for an easy Cajun chicken Gumbo. You can use chicken breast fillets if you prefer, but I love the flavour you get from meat cooked on the bone, as well as the texture it gives when stripped off. The combination of spices and herbs is what really makes this one of my all-time favourites.

Ingredients:

4 cooked chicken thighs, meat stripped from the bone
1 onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 yellow pepper, chopped
300g okra, chopped (you can buy frozen okra, which is much cheaper)
3 tbsp plain flour
600ml chicken stock
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp chilli powder or flakes
1 tbsp basil
1 tbsp parsley, plus extra for garnishing
Black pepper
2 spring onions, sliced
Ham, chopped (optional)

Method:

Fry the onion, celery and carrot in oil. When softened, add the bay leaves.

Mix in the flour and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring continuously so that there are no lumps.

Pour in the chicken stock gradually, stirring all the time, before adding the cumin, paprika, chilli, basil and parsley. Add the stripped chicken meat, then leave to simmer for half an hour, stirring occasionally.

Add the chopped peppers, okra, and a generous crack of black pepper. Check for seasoning, adding more chilli if it needs more of a kick. Leave to cook for 15-20 minutes.

Serve with rice, and sprinkle with the spring onions, parsley and chopped ham if you’re using it.

Adapted from BBC Good Food

Sun, rugs and sausage rolls

I had thought homemade sausage rolls were brilliant already – let’s not pretend Gregg’s even qualifies as food – but here before me I have a vastly diminished plate of sausage rolls that are the most delicious, sweet and satsifying sausages that I have ever savoured, ever. Better than Mum’s, in fact. The only ingredients required are a few chopped apricots, honey, sage, good sausages and pastry. I didn’t even feel guilty eating them after I visited the piglets in Tatton Park soon after making them; they were too irresistible.

Ingredients:

1 pack ready-made puff pastry
6 sausages, unpeeled from their intestinal jackets
100g chopped dried apricots
2 tbsps honey
1 tbsp dried sage
A little milk for brushing

Preheat oven to 200°C. Roll out pastry and divide lengthways. Mix the sausagemeat, apricots, honey and sage in a bowl. Split the meat mix between the two lines of pastry.

Fold over the pastry and press tightly shut. Divide into about 8 mini sausage rolls per patch of pastry, or cut them bigger if desired. Brush the pastry with a little milk. Cook in the oven for 15 minutes, or until cooked through.

Top 5: Tacky Icons

1. Kim Kardashian

I can’t figure out whether we should admire Kim K for building a career on a sex tape or revile her. But whatever you think of the woman, she’s now up the duff with the Rap Prince of Tack himself’s baby, so you can rest assured she isn’t ever going anywhere, have I said ever? Ever.

 

musicradar.com

2. Britney Spears

Britney, Britney, Britney. It started with those pink pom-poms back in the days of ‘Hit Me Baby One More Time’ and well…we all know the rest. An iconic wearer of the headset microphone, the bodysuit (two words: diamanté and red PVC ok, three, but seriously, google them) and hats, oh the hats.

 

fashionindie.com

3. Samantha Jones (Sex and the City)

You may or may not have seen the 2nd Sex and the City Movie (I know, your heart’s saying yes, your street cred’s saying no) but there’s a scene where Samantha has sex with an oily Australian on a car bonnet in the Abu Dhabi desert. Which tells you everything you need to know.

forbes.com

 

4. Will.I.am

I don’t get Will.I.am. Maybe it’s because he’s got that oddly square chunk missing from his barnet which makes me feel like I’m playing hair Tetris whenever I look at it, or because he carried the Ohweohweohweolympic torch in Devon (judging The Voice is a DISservice to the nation, Will, just ask her maj). I don’t know. But I what I do know is he’s pretty flipping tacky.

vh1.com

 

5. Lil’ Kim

Lil’ Kim has been living La Vie en Tack these past 25 years and lalalaloving it. Her feud with Nicki Minaj is probably less about supposed ‘swag’ theft and more about out-tackying each other: my gold hoops are bigger than yours, my fake nails are longer than yours etc.

‘Easy V doesn’t come for free, she’s a real lady’

It’s the modern day version of My Fair Lady: only rather than the cockney Eliza Dootlittle, we have Essex-born Victoria Beckham, and in place of Professor Henry Higgins, Marc Jacobs. Over nearly two decades, Victoria Beckham has made an unrivalled transformation from the PVC wearing ‘Posh Spice’ to the winner of Designer Brand of the Year at the 2011 British Fashion Awards. But how did this renovation happen? And are the sequin hot pants and the fingerless gloves really forgotten, or are the scars from her branding as number one WAG still there but just masterfully covered up?

In 1996 Victoria Adams exploded into the public eye under the nickname ‘Posh Spice’, one of the five members of the hugely successful Spice Girls. Their first album Spice is the best selling album by a female group to date. Each with their own persona (Baby, Ginger, Sporty and Scary), Posh was infamous for her sleek dark bob, pout and monochrome wardrobe. Amongst their endless tours, Posh found time to bag herself England’s number one bachelor, David Beckham. After a year of dating, in 1999 Posh gave birth to her and David’s first son Brooklyn, and later that year Victoria and David were married, to become Britain’s number one power couple.

picture: roportal.ro

When the Spice Girls broke up in 2001, Victoria’s fashion went from bad to worse as she attempted a solo career. Shying away from the skimpiness and glitziness of her deceased Spice-self, she opted to perform her solo single… as a pirate? There is too much wrong with this look to list, the bandana, fake lip piercing, tattoos and so much leather a whole herd of cows must have suffered to create this monstrosity.

After accepting the death of her singing career, Victoria embraced her inner fashionista and designed a limited-edition fashion line VB Rocks in 2004. Although the designs were mostly jeans, her desire for creation had been sparked, and later VB styled her dear friend Katie Holmes for the 2006 issue of Harper’s Bazaar. Yet trying to juggle WAG, with her short bob and oversized sunglasses, and fashion designer was not entirely possible. Hideous errors such as this revealing chiffon number reinstated that her tackiness was not so easily shed. However, by passing the torch of queen WAG to Cheryl Cole, VB became more and more of a fashion icon with friends such Karl Lagerfeld, Marc Jacobs and Roberto Cavalli to guide her on her way.

blogspot.com

After a U-turn in her style, Victoria became the heiress of sophistication, launching her very own Victoria Beckham label in New York in 2008. Cleverly choosing New York, Victoria was able to reinvent herself overseas from the UK tabloids, whose images of her in next to nothing and fake tan were hard to shed. Beckham’s sleek designs are elegant and beautifully made and have grown in both prominence and popularity, with names such as Eva Longoria and Beyonce choosing to wear her styles on the red carpet.

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The now mother-of-four is undeniably chic. At the 2013 International Woolmark Prize awards the 38-year-old wore head-to-toe her own autumn/winter designs, looking classy and elegant but still sexy with a cinched in waist. Likewise, earlier this year at the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund event in LA Victoria wore a gorgeous white sheer shirt, A-line white skirt and nude peep-toe boots, all from her line.

Yet despite her new-found impeccable style, will Victoria Beckham’s tacky days ever be forgotten? Although the Spice Girls wisely sang: ‘If you want my future, forget my past’ I don’t think this is necessary for Victoria. I think her gloriously tacky roots give her a charming edge. Having grown up with her and seen her blossom into a successful, stylish and happy woman, she is an inspiration to every ex-tack around.

www.topnews.in

 

Oh na-na, what’s the point? Rihanna’s collection hits a bum note

Rihanna is certainly no shy fashionista, so the excitement around her new collection for River Island has been huge. With stars like Cara Delevingne and Jordan Dunn partying front row at her intriguing fashion week show, I thought we were all in for a treat this Spring. Then stepped out the models…

With River Island being one of my favourite high street stores, I was certainly excited to see what the Barbadian singer had to offer. However the release of her first collaboration with the brand has failed to impress me. To be quite frank, her collection looks like an overpriced Primark basics section. I expected bold prints, gorgeous crops and sophisticated trousers, but what did we get? The most uninspiring compilation of clothes to ever grace the high street. This ‘90s’ inspired wardrobe of flimsy plain tops and drab dresses is certainly not what I had in mind. I’m glad I’m not the only one though, with Tom Sykes of The Daily Beast calling it a ‘horror show’.

Don’t get me wrong; I’m sure these clothes are flying off the shelves as I type, but why? Either you are a very rich student and can afford to spend £20 on a small piece of cloth, or you have fallen for the label itself. It’s unfortunate that this seems just another marketing ploy of the money machine herself, than a highly anticipated gorgeous spring collection. There is no denying Rihanna is an icon of our time, but I just cannot justify the pricing point of these garments. The second most expensive piece in the collection is a rather dreary looking Grey varsity jacket, yours for a mere £120. However you can try the New Look alternative for just £15, or if that doesn’t take your fancy, you can find one in just about every high street shop for £20-40.

picture: River Island picture: New Look. Can you spot the difference?

That being said, there are a couple of pieces of interest in this collection, yet nothing I would personally purchase. The black ‘tied low back dress’ caught my eye, for a semi-reasonable £40. It’s also refreshing seeing pops of bright yellow amongst the rails in her all round monochrome collection.

picture: River Island picture: River Island

The verdict: I think it’s fair to say I am a more excited about her next chart hit than her clothing range. Fingers crossed her next collaboration will be a little more “where have you been all my li-i-i-fe” than this time around. Sorry, Ri-Ri. 

Rapper’s Delight

There can be no better example of style improvement than that which has occurred among the male hip hop stars in the world. It may be said that the bulk of us in the United Kingdom were spared from the truly astounding and unspeakable styles that were popular in the past. It was fashion fail after fashion fail: from the MC Hammer pant to the bling, the bedazzled belts to the grills, the baggy trousers to the over-sized tees, and don’t get me started on the du-rags and skullcaps. I, however, glued to MTV USA for the greater part of my teenage years, was not turned off. I recall wearing a pair of South Pole jeans so large that I could have squeezed my entire pubescent body into one of their legs (see: Soulja Boy, below).

picture: nydailynews.com

It would be remarkably simple to assume that it is only because the hip hop greats we know now have escaped the experimental trappings of youth that we have observed such a remarkable change in style, but this would not be true. Relatively young hip hop artistes like Drake have shown markedly better taste and good sense when it comes to what they wear.

picture: theversed.com

The most noticeable improvement to the style of most hip hop stars is that their clothes are now more fitted and more flattering as excess fabric never hides; it only ever amplifies. Other noticeable style upgrades include the significant reductions in the size of bling, the retiring of aforementioned du-rags and skullcaps and the phasing out of sunglasses indoors.

picture: (left) Nathaniel Goldberg for GQ (right) houseofchapple.com

Jay-Z has probably made the most progress in his personal style. It wasn’t too long ago that he tied a t-shirt around his head like it was some sort of hat. Thankfully those days are far behind him. At Obama’s presidential inauguration earlier this year, he stunned in a brilliantly cut and fitted Tom Ford suit. He followed this with a feature in Justin Timberlake’s Suit and Tie video where all suits, shirts, ties and shoes were designed by Tom Ford.

There can be no doubt that as these stars have become more successful their wardrobes have become more stylish. Kanye West is a regular on the front row these days, and there is no doubt that these style make-overs go hand in hand with the commercialization of hip hop and its acceptance into the mainstream music scene. Outspoken they may still be, but these rappers are now the norm, and powerfully represent the influential relationship between two of the worlds most lucrative industries: fashion and music.

Are you a fashion snob?

Tacky. The word alone is judgemental. In a world of elegant shapes and complimentary colour palettes, those who take it too far are all too often dismissed with pitying dismay by the supposedly more in-the-know dressers. How do I know this? Behind my smile I can be harsher than an overworked Anna Wintour, and that’s on a good day.  Although a fan of all things fabulous, my resistance to flamboyant dressing is not so high as to allow me to overlook monstrosities such as Cher’s ensemble for the 1986 Oscars. The claws come out, believe me.  Why, you may ask, do I feel this right to deign what others wear as ‘tacky’ or OTT, am I merely a fashion snob? I’ve always preferred the more tasteful approach to dressing, colours that work together and materials generally considered as normal. Wearing a dress made of stuffed toys has never appealed to me (strange, I know). Whilst I’m quite confident in my attitude towards dressing, what if I’ve actually mistaken boring for good taste?

 

picture: zimbio.com

The mantra ‘less is more’ is readily accepted as one to adhere to where dressing is concerned, and while it generally wins in the fashion stakes this may be because it’s also the safest option. Much as I’d like to say otherwise, perhaps the more elegantly attired are in fact the more cowardly. Fashion is all about experimenting after all. Fashionistas like Alexa Chung and Olivia Palermo are always immaculately presented and thus a hit with the masses, yet there’s something to be said for the stars that create debate and split opinions with their outrageous outfits.  So while I will never credit any sort of fashion taste towards the likes of Katie Price (and you can hold me to that), perhaps stars such as Nicki Minaj deserve some praise for their daring looks. Even if it almost physically pains me to say so. Don’t get me wrong, if you choose to wear an outfit consisting of neon green and pink tartan tights, with a blue and orange pleated skirt, a top made entirely of multi-coloured pompoms and what appears to be TWO hairstyles in one (yes Nicki, we’re looking at you), one is justified in being slightly aghast. And if not aghast, at least mentally scarred.  Yet I’ve come to realise that, although I would never try anything like it myself, it may just be that my life would be lacking without the beautifully crazy wardrobes of GaGa, Minaj et al. I’ll continue to covet the tasteful choices of the fashion elite, whilst not-so-secretly revelling in the bold and brash ensembles of those braver than myself. I mean, I’m just looking.

Tacky-chic or tacky-freak?

Hands up if you have one of these items laying forgotten at the bottom of your makeup bag: bright colour eye shadows, a tangerine bronzer, various lip liners and some crusty false lashes.

I know I have all of them, but I think it’s about time we put to use these items we just can’t let go of.

Bright blue blunder

Luckily this season is all about the colour pop. So don’t fret, your childhood Miss Sporty shadows can come out to play this spring. Smudge the shadow across the lids and blend with a brush for a subtle flash of colour, or wet your brush and draw a line with the shadow under the lower lashes, very on trend for 2013. Add two coats of mascara and you are good to go.

Satsuma Shimmer

How many of you were going for bronzed goddess and created something a little more Sainsbury’s bag? We’ve all been there, but you really can make an orange bronze work. Instead of brushing the product onto your cheeks, try contouring instead. Pull a ridiculous looking fish face and you’re half way there. This expression will create hollows in your cheeks, so dabble some bronzer into those and blend upwards towards your ears. Then add highlighter onto the top of your cheekbones, again blending up to your ears. Stars like Kim Kardashian are famous for using this makeup trick, which will instantly give your face structured cheekbones and a subtle glow.

picture: sosueme.ie

Tips for lips

I have recently rediscovered my love for lip liner. It will make your lipstick appear more pigmented and even stay on for longer. If like me, you want to channel Angelina Jolie, then this makeup item is essential. Grab a lip liner of a similar colour to the lipstick you want to apply, and lightly trace around the outside of your lips. Once you are happy with the shape, trace a further line around this, following the natural shape of your lips. Your pout will instantly look fuller, then fill in your lips with a few swipes of lipstick and blend the colours with your finger.

picture: allwomenstalk.com

So there you have it, leave your velour tracksuit at home girls, tacky just got classy!

Review: ‘Del Lado Del Verano’ at the iViva! Film Festival 2013

Del lado del verano (The Summer Side) is a comedy set in Spain’s Canary Islands and follows the trials and tribulations of an eccentric and dysfunctional family after the death of their patriarch.

This ensemble piece covers a wide basis of typical ‘family’ issues such as feuds, love, betrayal, friendship and burgeoning sexuality. But by expertly throwing all these familiar tropes together director Antonia San Juan, for the most part, keeps the narrative from being boring. Also with neat mix of lively and nuanced performances the conventional characters are given a greater ‘pop’.

Unfortunately this ‘comedy’ is criminally short on real laughs. The actors are clearly giving it their best but the material they are working with is more often than not just not strong enough. Not helping though is the over performance of some actors that resulted in some inappropriate laughter at the screening this reviewer attended. This may just be an example of some filmic aspects being ‘lost in translation’ but it definitely has a negative effect on the film.

Despite clichéd set ups most of the stories are resolved (or perhaps more aptly left unresolved) in surprising ways. Without delving too deep into ‘spoiler’ territory familiar tales of: teen pregnancy, infidelity and drug use will not lead you down the same path films have taken you before- and will leave you where you never expected.

The problem though with this surprising character development is that this treatment is not afforded to everyone. Some people’s stories are finished unsatisfactorily or left unresolved as if forgotten about. This all culminates in an emotional third act that is does not feel genuine or earned from the plot.

Overall this is a comedy that lacks the big laughs and whilst the narratives arcs and performances will keep you from being bored it is an experience that will ultimately leave you unsatisfied.

Attack of the Tack

Tacky, trashy, kitsch, gaudy: call it whatever you want but there is not one of us who doesn’t have some kind of opinion on it. We have an ambivalent relationship with this phenomenon and over the past decade it is without a doubt a trend which has become firmly cemented within the fashion world. Gone are the times when we were clucking at such figures as Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie’s trailer trash/car crash style during their ‘The Simple Life’ phase, instead the majority of us are now, most likely unknowingly, embracing and normalising trash. 

With our fascination with bling abundant, shows like ‘Big Fat Gypsy Weddings’ reveal our hidden desire to embrace our inner trash-chic and we only need to look at trends over the past year to see how we no longer even regard many typically ‘trashy’ trends as such. Studded batty riders (you know, the ones where butt cheeks protrude), rainbow ombre hair, Jeffrey Campbell shoes, crazy phone cases/embellishment, and the revival of nail art- the list goes on. But what is it about tacky fashion that we just can’t get enough of? Take Jeffrey Campbell’s Litas for example.

motelrocks.com

These dramatic 5-inch platforms quickly became the ‘it shoe’ and it is exactly their theatre and outrageousness that we adore. To truly embrace fashion is to treat it like a game of dress up and this is what these trends allow us to do. Celebrities such as Rihanna aren’t labelled as tacky, instead they’re heralded the epitome of fashion and even given the opportunity to create their own fashion label.

cherchezlagamine.com

The joy of fashion is that we can interpret it however we wish, whether this is the timeless chic of Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast At Tiffany’s or P’Trique’s gaudy drag queen flair. With stars like P’Trique and Nicki Minaj becoming regulars on the front row at fashion week shows, it is time to rethink our view on tack. These characters may look a bit outlandish, but they are kooky and having fun with fashion. As the late highly-esteemed fashion editor and columnist Diana Vreeland once said, ‘never fear being vulgar, just boring’. Classy may be the safe, ’normal’ option, but trashy is fun, it’s classy’s naughty, tequila-shotting, blinged to the max, wild-child younger sister. We all have a bit of trash inside of us, so stop repressing it and embellish your life with diamanté and leopard print and lace those feet into a pair of Litas, because trash is here to stay and it’s the new normal.

Live: My Bloody Valentine

10th March 2013

Apollo

8/10

Seeing paramedics at a gig is an oft-worrying sight, respirators and other medical apparatus are not items you’d assume in a live setting, but at a My Bloody Valentine show the cataclysmic volume ensures it’s pretty much a given. From the moment the band launches into ‘I Only Said’, the audience is witness to a total sensory overload. Swirling melodies make the heart swoon; columns of distortion raze everything before them and jackhammer drums lock the crowd into an incessant clockwork groove. For four unassuming people to make music both frightening and gorgeous, and deliver it without compromise is a delight to witness.

The band pulls from an arsenal spanning two decades, but their attack is so ferocious that the oldest material sits comfortably alongside the revered Loveless and choice cuts from new record m b v. Tracks like ‘Come in Alone’ and ‘Soon’ are the pillows above the bed of nails of ‘Thorn’ and ‘Only Shallow’, but one thing is clear, volume is very much the order of the day. The venue is almost levelled by ‘You Made Me Realise’; when the band launch into the ‘Holocaust Section’, it’s met with an almost knowing cheer from parts of the audience. If you think that name is tactless, it’s not without reason. A single chord builds into a cyclical, apocalyptic sheet of distortion, the volume steadily rising to almost unbearable but oddly captivating levels for a ten minute duration. It’s here the paramedics’ presence is truly noticeable, and a rush of people moving from the front proves MBV’s unfettered noise is not for the faint of heart.

The set isn’t wholly perfect. At times, Bilinda Butcher’s vocals sound like off-key caterwauling rather than sweetly serene lullabies, and it takes the band three attempts before they fully pull off ‘Feed Me with Your Kiss’. That said, these complaints are nothing when compared to the set of monolithic, utterly invincible noise the crowd has just experienced.

Review: ‘Las Buenas Hierbas’ at the iViva! Film Festival 2013

In Las Buenas Hierbas, or The Good Herbs, this gentle yet intense Mexican film by Novaro, we follow the life of young bohemian single mother, Dalia, dealing her herbalist mother’s deterioration from Alzheimer’s. Despite the grim sounding premise and the presentation of mental deterioration, which quite frankly terrified me about becoming old, the peacefulness of the surrounding story makes Las Buenas Hierbas far more enjoyable than it sounds.

With performances that are touching and understated, particularly Ophelia Medina and Úrsula Pruneda as mother and daughter, the entire female cast won best actress at the Rome Film Festival. The characters appear to meander in and out of the film, often with their relationships never fully articulated, creating the sense of a real life outside the framework of the movie, where their lives are continued off screen. Subtle humour also punctuates the story, largely provided by Dalia’s young son, Cosmo, through his innocent childish antics such as his interactions with the plants that mean so much to the adults around him.

Despite the realism of the cinematography and direction, at times surreal elements add to the complexity of the picture. In the opening scenes Dalia is seen running through the rain to a payphone into which she says ‘I didn’t think you’d answer, because you’re dead’. Similarly, a recurring motif of a young girl in a princess dress ties in to the narrative in the final stages of the film, however for the large part is an unexplained and intriguing piece of almost gothic imagery. This is made all the more unusual by the realism of the cinematography, making the film stand out from others that have explored these familiar themes.

A beautiful yet simple soundtrack by Judith de León and Santiago Chávez with its gently strung guitar chords, adds a comforting background to a film that music often pervades, but is never fully acknowledged. Dalia works at an alternative radio station and the supporting characters are often shown spontaneously creating music together, one on a guitar and the other joining in drumming on whatever implement she has around her. These scenes add to the sense that the audience is dipping into a way of life rather than simply a stand-alone drama.

Las Buenas Hierbas deals with tough themes with sympathy and understanding, never judging its characters. Therefore by shying away from melodrama the film becomes more affecting, and creates a longer lasting impression.

Review: ‘De Jueves A Domingo’ at the iViva! Film Festival 2013

Dominga Sotomayor Castillo makes a directorial debut in this Chilean production, which translates into From Thursday to Sunday, one of the many films in this year’s iViva! Festival line-up.

The film follows a family on their road trip across Chile’s landscape, centering around the adolescent protagonist Lucia. The journey allows her, and the audience, a peek into the cracks of her parents’ marriage that become more visible as this outing progresses. It becomes apparent that this may be the family’s last adventure together as a unit when it is hinted that the couple have decided to go their separate ways, a detail that is initially lost on the little girl. The situation is not helped by the wife’s irritation at the husband picking up a pair of hitchhikers and the husband’s contempt towards an old acquaintance of his wife who seems slightly too close for comfort. Gradually, a playful and innocent Lucia diminishes into a wistful girl, as she uncovers more of the doomed adult world.

The film’s charm resides in the subtle string of moments depicting the realities of a road trip that we have all experienced at some point. Slumping around in the back seat, playing games, pit stops and seedy motels are all pleasantly reminiscent and familiar. A languid pace accompanies this fruitless trip, and unless you are a patient viewer, you may not necessarily appreciate the lengthy and lethargic shots. Unfortunately, another drawback of the film is its lack of plot. The venture is solely driven by the characters and their emotions. Though it seems Sotomayor is making an earnest attempt at juxtaposing a child’s blissful ignorance to an adult’s despondent awareness of life, the film is rendered dull in anticipation of some drastic turn of events. Alas, it’s not a lull before the storm, it remains a lull throughout.

Credit must be given where it’s due, and it’s the unique disposition of Lucia decoding her parents marital dispute conveyed through bitter glances and muted arguments. It becomes one of the film’s engaging elements. Another asset are the endearing performances, especially by the lead, a promising and talented Santi Ahumada. The radiant cinematography by Alvarez is a delight. Fortunately, the film does offer a blithe and mostly spontaneous soundtrack consisting of the car radio and sing-a-longs of Spanish classics by the cast that momentarily lift the plunging mood.

5 songs in the field of: Tarantino

Little Green Bag – George Baker Selection

The concept of being genuinely cool is hard to come by, but the opening credits of Reservoir Dogs, coupled with ‘Little Green Bag’ must surely come close. A smooth bass line forms the foundation of a slick choice of song from Tarantino. Six men in suits never looked so suave.

Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) – Nancy Sinatra

Overdub the introduction of Kill Bill with Nancy Sinatra and you know Tarantino means business. Fine vocals, timely guitar and a subtle melancholy are well suited to the tale of vengeance. ‘Revenge is a dish best served cold’, reads the opening of Kill Bill – How fitting.

Rabbia e Tarentella – Ennio Morricone

A reference to Tarantino’s musical taste could not be complete without paying homage to Ennio Morricone. Tarantino frequently exploits Morricone’s talent as a composer and Inglorious Basterds is no different. Well experienced from his spaghetti westerns, Morricone creates a befitting track for the Basterds.

Stuck in the Middle with You – Stealers Wheel

Imagine being tortured. Then imagine your ear being cut off with a razor. Then imagine your torturer sadistically dancing to the radio. An ugly torture scene should by no means detract from the quality of ‘Stuck in the Middle with You’, but now whenever I hear it I can’t help but think of the blood-spattered warehouse scene.

Chuck Berry – You Never Can Tell

Chuck Berry undoubtedly put much of the swing into rock n roll and Pulp Fiction’s timeless scene between Thurman and Travolta revitalised the track. With a rolling piano fuelling the classic, Travolta reminded the world he could still dance. ‘C’est La Vie’.

60 seconds with…novelist Daryl Johnson

 

Do you have a full time job as well as being a writer?

I used to, I worked in the city but I haven’t been working for the last year because I got made redundant. When I originally wrote the book, it was during a period in which I wasn’t working.

 

What did you used to do in the city? Was it writing related?

It had nothing to do with writing whatsoever funnily enough!

 

Have you always written?

No, I fiddled around a bit here and there. I enjoyed writing at school, but didn’t really do much after leaving. I started writing again just before the millennium because I wasn’t very happy in my work and was trying to find some other outlet. So I just started writing, thoroughly enjoyed it and subsequently gave up work to have a go at it full time.

 

So, you had no literary training at all?

No.

 

Did you go to University?

I didn’t go to University, no. I was supposed to go to Oxford where my brothers went, but I got involved in a band and got a girlfriend and took my eye off the ball when it came to education. I decided that I didn’t want to go.

 

Your novel has been described as ‘dark and disturbing’, what made you write about such a taboo subject?

The type of art that I like, whether music, books or other forms, tends to be on the darker side of things – that’s what I find interesting. To be honest, I think it’s easier to write stuff which has got a darker side to it. I wanted to put someone into a situation which would turn their life upside down, turn their politics, their philosophy, and the whole way they looked at the world. I started thinking about this and I found out that the number of people who are actually victims of rape is way higher than anybody thinks or knows. It’s very rarely reported because of the stigma and all sorts of things go with it.

 

Would you say the book is aimed at a certain group of people? Were you trying to get through to anybody in particular?

Erm, not really. I think a lot of people may read what reviewers say and think ‘I don’t want to read that, why would I want to read that?’ To me it’s not so much about rape, it’s about what happens to someone who is caught up in a traumatic event and how they deal with it.

 

Did you ever suffer from writer’s block?

No not really, the bit I find most difficult is the starting bit: starting at the beginning of the day or starting a new chapter, getting the engine moving.

 

Any future plans?

I’ve just started writing another book now, which I’m at the very early stages of. It’s going to be a bit less bleak, less dark, but it will still have elements of that to it. It’s going to be about lies and deceit.

 

Lastly, clichéd question, but do you have any advice for students who are aspiring writers?

Read lots, read widely. Try to understand the things you are interested in and why this might be, then write. Lots. Keep trying and then look at your work with some distance or get someone else to read it and critique. The more you do, the more likely you are to find the style that you want to write in and find a voice of your own, one that’s not copied.

Going one better: restaurants

This generation of students has become known as the ‘foodie generation’. The desire to eat out is engrained in our minds and we’re surrounded by options to explore. Manchester has got plenty of chains, I’m talking Nando’s, Wagamamas, Café Rouge, Ask and Pizza Express (to name a few) yet finding tastier eateries to replace these household names seems just a little bit too much effort and we’re put off by the generally incorrect assumption that they’re more expensive. Don’t get me wrong, these chains aren’t bad, but you can find better on a similar budget.

Avoid Nando’s. Nando’s is probably the biggest player in the game right now due to a growing love of chicken, whilst perhaps the horse-meat fiasco has seemingly reduced our passion for beef. But what has Nando’s got that other places don’t?  Vegetarians aside, the majority of its customers seem to tear into the half chicken and the two measly sides. The £10 for that meal can comfortably cover a meal in one of the upper-end restaurants in Manchester. For an alternative meal out, I’d suggest The Oast House in Spinningfields. Despite being part of the illustrious group who own the likes of Australasia (a graduation dinner favourite) and The Alchemist, the prices are anything but extortionate. Your £10 half chicken doesn’t seem such good value when faced with their trademark (yeah, they actually TM’d the name) £9.95 Hanging Kebab, dripping in sweet chilli and ginger sauce whilst dangling over a plentiful portion of chips to lap up those overflowing juices. The al fresco grilling hut for cooking all their meat proves it’s worth more than that famous portuguese peri-peri palace.

Next up, Wagamama’s. I’m a sucker for Wagamama’s, the ambience, the waiters and the food are always great, but the prices stop me from residing there day in day out. With Manchester’s collection of generic asian buffets, Wagamama’s is a trustworthy place to dive into but £9.40 for a Chicken Katsu Curry or £9.30 for their Miso Chicken Ramen does not compare to the increasingly popular sushi and noodle bar Umami (snuck in between the Aquatics centre and Footage), whose £5.95 2 course lunch menu has been attracting those in the know since it opened. The menu’s constantly changing, one week you’ll be biting into prawn tempura followed by chicken katsu curry (no different to Wagamama’s) and the following week you’ll be savouring their gyoza before digging into some spicy pork and prawn noodles. Whilst the waiting staff may not be the most cooperative, the bustling vibe and good, cheap food, you’ll soon forget why your student loan was decreasing on Wagamama’s fruit juices before you’ve even ordered your food.

Another chain that has grown over recent years is Pizza Express. Teaming up with Orange Wednesday has done it no harm. Yet their £9 pizzas are easily surpassed when faced with those of Gusto’s in Didsbury. The vast leather booths, and dark lighting already make it more attractive than the Ikea-esque decor of Pizza Express; moreover, their pizzas are a level above. From pizzas such as the Peking (our favourite chinese pancakes made into a pizza) to a more classic Diavola, Gusto’s offers you a chance to escape the monotonous world of the Americans or the La Reines and really see what a £10 pizza should taste like.

Thailand: a cultural paradise

When students talk about their dream destinations, Thailand is always high on the list. So what is it that is so attractive about South-East Asia? I had the chance to find out for myself in the summer of 2011.

When I arrived at the Suvarnabhumi Airport, I realised just how far away from home I was. There were people travelling in cars with no doors, eating ‘street’ food and elephants walking down major highways. After getting used to the initial cultural differences though, Thailand began to feel like a home from home.

It was impossible not to warm to the kindness and generosity displayed by the Thai people. Most people you pass in the street will say “Hello” and smile, which is more than can be said for the UK. This community feel teamed with the history, culture, food, nightlife, climate and scenery culminate together perfectly to create a cultural paradise.

The cosmopolitan capital, Bangkok is a must-see. The shopping opportunities are particularly good for all you spend thrifts out there. If traditional, eclectic markets happen to be your thing, why not try the nearby Khlong Lat Mayom floating market one weekend? The novelty of its riverside location and wide variety of products from clothing and household accessories to boat-cooked cuisine makes it well worth a visit. If you fancy trying something a little more upmarket, there are plenty of multi-storey shopping malls to choose from, such as the legendary MBK, which is a beehive of activity with its eight floors and 2000 stores.

The nights you are more likely not to remember at The Full Moon Party in Koh Phangan are not to be missed out on. Beginning at dusk when the moon makes its appearance over the beach of Haad Rin, there are 10-30,000 people at the party every month. The music is varied to suit a number of different tastes with dance, drum and bass, trance and more commercial styles on offer. So, if this trip is on your to-do list, then I certainly recommend doing it sooner rather than later.

Great British Menu Drinking Game

Following the success of our Great British Bake Off Drinking Game, we thought we’d introduce the Great British Menu Drinking Game, the format of which is no less formulaic. Enjoy!

1 finger

The chefs antagonise each other

Every time ‘Comic Relief’ or ‘Red Nose Day’ is mentioned

The name of a dish includes a play on words

A clip of a chef shouting a food order in his/ her own restaurant

The word ‘quirky’ is used to describe the food

 

2 fingers

If the chef fails to inject any humour into the dish

The chef cooks something that resembles a red nose

When judging, instead of open criticism, the judge sceptically asks the chef a pointed question

 

3 fingers

A chef makes a mistake and the narrator implies they’re going to be ‘late to the pass’

A dish is awarded 4 or less

Every time a dish is based on a classic joke e.g. Why did the chicken cross the road?

Liquid nitrogen is used to cook something

 

Down your drink!

A chef is late to ‘the pass’

A dish is awarded a 10

I’m sorry but…Meryl Streep isn’t that great anymore

Dubbed by many as the ‘greatest actress of all time’, the career of Meryl Streep has been varied and critically successful. But personally, I just don’t see it. I would admit this with great hesitation, as many people will militantly support the validity of her career as I would support Sandra Bullock’s. I think it’s fair to say she has done nothing of worth in the last 10 years, merely a string of ‘comedies’ and impersonations.

Perhaps she peaked too early with an undeniably good film, Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) but her later works such as Doubt (2008) and Julie and Julia (2009) are more than disappointing for the ‘best actress of our time’. It can easily be said that her performance with Alec Baldwin in It’s Complicated (2008) scarred me for life as it sexualised Alec Baldwin in a way that made me feel physically sick.

I would by no means say I hate Meryl Streep or that she’s a horrifically bad actress, because she isn’t. But these days, loving Meryl Streep is something of an expectation and a given of every film-lover. It feels as though she made a few good films in the ’80s and decided she can’t be bothered anymore so she’ll just do whatever while she waits for her lifetime achievement awards to start rolling in. There are plenty of female actors out there who are much more deserving of her title.