What I Did In November

It's been a busy old month, and December is set to be even more hectic.  Fun though!  Here's what I've been up to recently:


- Tried Dining in the Dark

I was invited along to The Living Room in Liverpool earlier in the month for an evening with a difference. We were sampling mini versions of the food and drink from their new menu and playing guess the ingredient, but with our eyes closed. Well, with blindfolds on, to be precise. I learned that my taste buds are Not Very Good - I think I got 14.5/40 or something shocking like that, although weirdly I did guess all the cheeses correctly and I don't even eat cheese.  Anyway, the main discovery to come out of the evening was not my hitherto-unknown cheese-guessing powers, but the fact that The Living Room is really lovely.  I'd always associated the Liverpool one with footballers and gorgeous girls on nights out rather than delicious food, and I was super-impressed with how good everything on the menu was, as well as how nice and chilled out a venue it was.  Shall be heading back there soon!

- Watched American Idiot The Musical

Which was fab!  I had a slight fear that it would be clunky but it all fitted together rather well and the cast were great.  That album is very tied up with memories for me but I blocked that out and enjoyed it anyway.

- Got excited about Christmas at work
 

We've busted out the Christmas cd collection already.  In our defence, pretty much everyone is finishing on 14th Dec cos we've got so much leave left to take, so we're allowed to start the festivities in November.  That's our excuse and we're sticking to it.  Plus we have a house and a flipping big tree to decorate!  I was teetering on a ledge about 6 inches wide (if I tipped forwards I went into the tree, if I tipped backwards I crashed into a historic painting) and dancing to Jingle Bell Rock whilst making the tree looks fancy.  It looks ace, even if I do say so myself.

- Visited the cinema quite a bit

Seriously, how much good stuff was on this month?  I didn't even get round to seeing Argo, The Master or Rust and Bone.  Sad face.  The four films I did see were all wildly different but very good.  And who knew Bradley Cooper could actually act?

- Went to see Ben Folds Five

What a pair of fitfaces we are.

I'm not very musical. I don't spend a lot on music, or going to gigs, but I am a total Ben Folds fangirl. I went to see him on the (solo) Lonely Avenue tour a couple of years ago and as soon as the announcement went out that the band were reforming and touring in the UK, I pounced on the tickets.  Ffion and I had a bloody marvellous time last night in Manchesterville.

- Got quite a lot of shopping done.

Nothing in there but moths and a Tesco clubcard now.

I know, I know, it's only November. But I have to be super organised with presents for the people from work - I don't see most of them after 9th December - and then various friends are moving mid-month or generally just away, so I have to get started early. And I have two Secret Santa parcels to put together, plus a load of giveaway packages to organise! December is officially the month where I have no spare time. I'm totally calling on Parcelforce to send all my packages safely around the country. They pick them up from you! I can't face Post Office queues at the best of times and the thought of standing in line in December makes me shudder to the core.

- Tried opera. Cosi fan tutte to be precise.

Hark at me!  I think my pal Lee is just trying to convert me into a complete culture vulture.  He's already got me watching ballet (although not modern dance which tends to bore me to sleep) and he persuaded me to try a £5 ticket to the opera.  I rather surprised myself by absolutely loving it.  More please!

- Sorted out a great big pre-Christmas giveaway

Watch this space tomorrow!

Culture Vulture

After the craziness that was most of October, it's been a relief this month to take some time to do fun things instead and, if it doesn't sound too wanky and pretentious, to recharge my cultural batteries a bit. Ok, that does sound quite wanky, doesn't it? I just think writing the novel sapped a lot of my creativity and it's been nice to sit back and soak up other people's creative efforts a bit. So here's a mini round-up of things I've done/seen recently:

Cinema

The Ides of March


Is this where I finally get on the Gosling bandwagon? Possibly, although I didn't go and see it for him, nor for George Clooney. I went because I am a political nerd and The West Wing is probably my favourite drama series of all time. When I say that this was like a decent episode of that programme, that's a compliment. I like political intrigue and shenanigans and the fact that no-one is actually a nice person. Shades of grey, not black and white. It was good. Not outstanding, but good.


Weekend


Word of warning: don't go and see this with your dad. Even if he is quite cool and liberal and hippyish like mine, it's still a tad uncomfortable to sit next to him during gay sex scenes. That aside, I really liked this film. I'm very pleased it got a decent cinematic release as the subject matter isn't usually considered mainstream enough to get shown outside LGBT festivals (don't even get me started on how criminally underrated A Love To Hide is). It was just very honest and real. A little bittersweet, but isn't that how life is?


Immortals


In 3D. Uck. I hate 3D. Not only does it not work properly with my eyes (and having to wear two pairs of glasses is never a good look), I massively begrudge having to pay inflated ticket prices, especially when it's a film that's been retrofitted and wasn't even meant to be in 3D in the first place. Grrr. But such is my devotion to Henry Cavill. I kinda dread the new Superman film coming out because he'll be all mainstream and I have had a crush on him for YEARS don't you know? Um yeah, the film... Entertaining enough I suppose but not that good and also quite a lot gorier than I was expecting! He's beautiful though so I don't really care.


Theatre

Star Quality by Noel Coward


Fun, fun, fun. I do enjoy a bit of mid 20th century drama - the dialogue is generally very snappy and witty and that, my friends, is just my cup of tea. It's a play about a play and I always think that's good fun if done well because there's so much potential for bitchiness and melodrama.


Lovesong by Abi Morgan, performed by Frantic Assembly



People, go and look at their list of dates for the rest of the tour. If they're performing near you, go and see them. Please. I've been going to see them since 2006 when my friend Lee took me to see pool (no water) and haven't missed a show since, even if (as in this case) it means going to Leeds to watch them. Not that I have any object to Leeds you understand, it just adds to the cost of the day when you have to buy train tickets as well.

Anyway, the play! Superb. Frantic Assembly put on the most stunning pieces of physical theatre I've ever seen. This play perhaps doesn't have quite so much of it but that's due to the age of two of the four actors and when it is done, it's brilliant and perfectly in keeping. The play is about the beginning and end of a relationship and all I'm going to say is that there wasn't a dry eye in the house when it was finished.


Comedy

Jack Whitehall

Oh Jack, how I love thee. I went to see him in London last year when I think he was working on the beginnings of this show so I'd seen bits of it before but I still bloody loved it all. I thought Lee and I were safe sitting in the front row with Jack not being the sort of comedian who pokes fun at his audience...yeah, he asked us a question, didn't he? I had to very bashfully squeak "we're not a couple, we're best friends".


Milton Jones


I'll say it straight off: I like comedy but I don't like one-liner merchants, I prefer story tellers. So why did I go and see him? Um, cos someone else bought me a ticket? He was great though. Yes, it's a constant stream of one liners but it's surreal and really cleverly done wordplay rather than just reeling off joke after joke after joke. His warm-up act was dire though and would have completely died on his arse had he not involved some audience members.


Mitch Benn


This was a bit of a speculative one to be honest. I've heard him on The Now Show (Radio 4 FTW!) and I love this song so I thought it was worth snapping up a ticket. I honestly didn't expect it to be as good as it was. He absolutely rocked through two full 45 minute sets of fricking hilarious songs. I thoroughly recommend going to see him.

So that was the cultural month that was. Do you have any recommendations for me?

New Arrivals

Hell Week is drawing to a close. I've either been at work or working at home for 36 of the past 72 hours and I've still got two days to go. Here's hoping I can claim some of it back as lieu time! My remaining brainpower is focused on the 47 things on my "urgent" to-do list so today I shall bring you some pictures of shoes. Perhaps it will send out some footwear related love across the globe to Helga's poor earthquake-shaken pairs.

New purchase from Next. Giftcard = free shoes = best thing ever. Won't they be perfect for spring and summer?

How I love an ebay bargain, especially an Irregular Choice bargain. I have the green version of these too, featured on the blog way back when we still had sunshine:



And I've probably blogged these in an outfit post but they're newish and I chuffing love them. Waiting for the super sale markdowns in Gap really pays off!


So this week may be fairly dire but at least it's ending well. I'm going to see Ben Folds in Manchester tonight and I am looking forward to it more than I can tell you. His new album (with lyrics by Nick Hornby) is brilliant but I hope he chucks in some of the older stuff. I'll leave you with one of my favourites. I want this at my funeral:


And, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful love songs ever written:

Excitement!!

I'm freeee!!!! Much as I love my job (and I really do), there are points of the year when I really need some time off. Yesterday was my last day in work for 2010 and I've got so much holiday left to take that I'm not back in work till 10th January. Squeeeee!!! Ok, so this is mildly spoiled by the fact that I have to go in on 4th Jan to do my PDR as the boss has been struck down with the lurgy and couldn't come in yesterday to do it. But still, loads of time off work! HUZZAH!

I'm spending today violently boshing away at the housework; Santa does not visit a messy house. It will all get done today. I have no wish whatsoever to still be hoovering and dusting on Christmas Eve. I will change the bedding then because new sheets and new pj's are de rigeur on Christmas Eve, but I want the housework over and done with as soon as possible. Once the boring stuff is finished I can get on with the fun Christmas tasks, namely reading, watching films and eating mince pies.

And what does my reading list consist of? Well, I hopefully have the following waiting for me under the Christmas tree:

Yay!

A great big cheesey yay!

A nostalgic, oh-my-god-I-adore-the-Church-Mice-books yay!

A fingers desperately crossed that SOMEONE buys me this as all the people that I thought were getting it for me turn out not to have done, hopeful sort of yay!


But before then, I always take great seasonal comfort in curling up with these. All kids books, but that's a) because I love kids books and b) I'm usually very short of time pre-Christmas day and have no time or attention span for anything longer.



Holly in Love by Caroline B. Cooney
I will not hear a word of criticism about this book. Yes, it's an early 80's teen novel and they're not renowned for being great works of literature but who wants to sit down with War and Peace at this time of year? This book is full of very sweet teenage romance, snow and lashings of cocoa and hot buttered muffins. Yum!

The Story of Holly and Ivy by Rumer Godden
Oh Rumer Godden, why don't more people read your glorious books? The children's books are some of my absolute favourites and the adult books are really rather wonderful (ok, I am not so keen on the ones set in India but China Court is utterly marvellous). The Story of Holly and Ivy is festive, magical and brings a tear to my eye every time.

These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder
It's not necessarily Christmassy per se, but the section in These Happy Golden Years where Almanzo takes Laura sleigh riding is perfect. All of the Little House books do winter in thoroughly atmospheric style.

Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild
The Christmas descriptions are just wonderful. As is the rest of the book, but I don't always read it all at this time of year.

The Best of Times by Michael Morpurgo
This was a new addition to the bookcase last year. The illustrations are very beautiful and Mr Morpurgo always writes a good story, regardless of length.


And I'll be watching a random assortment of Christmas films and the Christmas special episodes of:

Father Ted (which gets extra points for featuring a young Kevin McKidd)
The Smoking Room (genius. Buy it. Buy it now. It's really very cheap. And then I'll have some more people who'll understand me when I quote it and that will make me oh so happy.)
Bones, esp the Christmas episode from series 1

And Noël from series 2 of The West Wing. It's right up there on my list of best tv episodes ever. It's not happy but it's seriously brilliant, plus it's beautifully played out over the sounds of the prelude to Bach's Cello Suite No.1 (my favourite piece of classical music). Ooh, the very thought of it gives me goosebumps.

On the ipod will be the following:


My very favourite Christmas carol. I don't know why I'm so drawn to it - perhaps it's the age and the words - but it haunts me.


I also adore this one - a 17th century carol written by a missionary among the Hurons in Canada which blends the Christmas story with native religious ideas. My teacher in Year 6 at primary school taught it to us and I honestly don't know anyone else here who knows it.


And because I am a massive cheesemonster, my all time favourite Christmas song. Get me drunk and I'll sing it all for you.


I love a bit of Paloma too, even if this is a bit of a grinchy song.

So there you go, that's some of the stuff I like to do to get in the mood for Christmas. Not that I need much help. In case you haven't guessed already, I LOVE Christmas. I know some of you aren't so keen though, so I do apologise if you're feeling bored by me recently. I shall return with an outfit post tomorrow! I look like Mrs Mop today.