Disney Princess

Went to see Disney's new animated film, The Princess and the Frog, tonight. I was glad to see the return to 'proper' cartoon animation, rather than another stunning-yet-somewhat-soulless Pixar/CGI creation. (Probably something to do with my age.)

I enjoyed it, it had all the Disney charm and magic you'd expect, good morals and a fair few laughs. I didn't think it was up there with the greats (Alice in Wonderland is my favourite), but considering the story was almost completely re-written, they did a bloomin' good job. To go from "a princess kissed a frog and he turned into a prince" to 90 minutes of twists and turns, goodies vs. baddies, magic, love and friendship is not a lot short of a Disney miracle in itself. 

The songs were fairly forgettable, although there were a couple that stood out from the rest. I'm sure after a few viewings I'll know most of the words... and Dr Facilier, the baddie, is an entirely new concept (despite his resemblance to Aladdin's Jafar) and there are some pretty dark characters surrounding him to look out for. Charlotte, Louis and Mama Odie are all hilarious.

The hype that surrounds this movie never fails to mention that Tiana is Disney's first black princess. Does it matter? Obviously it's a huge benchmark for Disney, but I don't think the kids will even notice. I didn't. The new forward-thinking mentality is also proven in using New Orleans for a setting, hopefully putting the famously hurricane-stricken city back on the map, where it belongs.

So, a thoroughly modern fairy tale, told using time-honoured techniques. I like. Welcome back Disney.

Uni Reunion

I'd promised my group of university friends this trip for a long time, and it finally just happened.
A friend of my Dad owns a holiday chalet, on a cliff-top location in a small town not far from Bournemouth. The chalet is small but perfectly formed and more than fully equipped, and at £20 per night (mates' rates) it's the ideal getaway. Oh yeah, the view, spectacular:

That's The Needles on the Isle of Wight in the background, if you squint a bit, and this is taken from the doorstep of the chalet. You can't put a price on a view like this, especially when the sun comes out.
So, we squeezed in, and made ourselves totally at home (just like the good old days, *sniff*). A lot of food was eaten (fish and chips, cooked breakfast, fried chicken, tea and biscuits, pub lunch...) and laughter ensued. Baby Thomas came to visit with Gemma, and Sam did a good job lugging his busted ankle and crutches around.
On Saturday night we dragged our heavy bellies into Bournemouth to review another gig for work; I jumped at the chance to cover this one as it sounded right up my street. The night was Club K, with ex-Radio1 DJ Danny Rampling and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra conducted by DJ/composer Gabriel Prokofiev. It wasn't at all what I expected, more 'swish corporate event' than 'clubbing with violins', but it was excellently executed. Read my review here.

A Reflection

I've just read my New Year's resolutions again, and I think I've got them all covered! (See 1st January post.)  1. I haven't given up cake but I am doing more exercise (workout DVD, swimming and Legs, Bums and Tums classes).  2. Hopefully some of the pics on here prove resolution #2. I've also been reading DSLR User magazine for tips.  3. Goes hand in hand with 4. My job provides all the writing opportunities I need for now, and I'm contemplating online publishing instead of web design for the time being.
Not bad eh? Maybe I should give myself a break and chill out, have a day off! That'll never happen.

Nostalgic Magic

Well, the perks at work just keep getting better. Not only have I got a few music events lined up to review, but today I conducted a telephone interview with ........ Mr Paul Daniels! He's doing a 'Best of British' variety show this summer with Christopher Biggins, The Krankies, The Grumbleweeds and Dana, so it's an all-star cast...

Paul Daniels was exactly as you'd expect him to be, exactly as you've seen him on telly (particularly if you've seen that episode of Celebrity Wife Swap - pure TV gold). He clearly thinks he's hysterically funny, describing all of his above co-stars as 'hilarious' and putting himself right up there with them.
I asked him what he thinks of modern day variety shows such as Britain's Got Talent, he said he doesn't think there's much real talent involved, and doesn't like the way some poor folks are blatantly ridiculed by the judges. I asked him what he thought of modern day magicians, such as Derren Brown; he said there's nothing modern about them - he grew up watching mind-reader types on telly. He said that magic is cyclical - things go in and out of fashion but are rarely brand new, just old tricks revamped for a new audience.
I asked if he was going to do any more television, explaining that the British public miss his face, but he said that the format of television has changed beyond recognition, and he feels more at home on the stage now. Although he does admit to setting up a YouTube account to broadcast his trademark tricks, and keeping in touch with fans via Facebook and Twitter.
As for his wife *slash* assistant, the lovely Debbie McGee? She's busy writing a 'cookbook with a difference', and looking after him. "It seems she takes good care of you," say I. "Hrmph," says Paul. I don't know if he's joking or not.
Love him or hate him, Paul Daniels is a British institution and an authentic television celebrity, if slightly eccentric. But we wouldn't have him any other way.

The interview should be published in the July issue, I'll be sure to post it in full.

V Day

Although Pinchy and the Wizard are trying very hard at the moment to save cash (to spend on expensive things, like a house or round-the-world tickets), everyone needs a day off, right?
After much nagging (on my part) that we never spend any "quality time" together, the Wizard revealed what he had planned for Valentine's Day all along ... a day trip to Brighton for some vintage/independent shopping, followed by dinner at Oki-Nami, the Japanese restaurant owned by local hero Norman Cook, AKA Fatboy Slim. And a very nice day it was too.
It felt weird to go to Brighton and not stroll along the seafront with the rest of the day-trippers, but wandering The Lanes was far more interesting. There really is nothing else quite like it this side of London. Being a Sunday, quite a few of the shops were closed, particularly the antiques/furniture ones. But this meant that it was fairly quiet, and we could amble around haphazardly and get lost-on-purpose in the maze of backstreets. The Wizard came away with a vintage velour stripy sweatshirt (sounds gross, looks cool), and I got a cute knitted vintage jumper, a mixed bag of brass military buttons (£2, surely there must be an excellent use for them?) and some gorgeous Firetrap shoes on sale.
As for the restaurant, amazing. On my brief trip to Tokyo last year (I keep promising an entry on this, I will deliver), it was amazingly hard to find sushi, which I thought would be everywhere. Instead there were plenty of ice-cream parlours, doughnut stands and fast food outlets. The sushi at Oki-Nami was as good as I found in Tokyo, I just wish there was more of it! For my main course I had pollack, with yuzu (Japanese citrus fruit) and saffron dressing. The Wizard had sizzling steak, sliced on the diagonal and covered in black sesame seeds. Both were delicious, the Japanese flavours really subtle yet blended beautifully. The sake also went down a treat.
Besides the food - and despite the rainy view - the setting was lovely. A typical Brighton townhouse painted all white, with coloured lighting, spiral staircase, Japanese art and attentive staff. The chopsticks came wrapped in an imaginative paper envelope, which unfolded into origami instructions and a tear-off square of authentically-patterned paper, so we had real fun creating a tiny sailing boat and rabbit whilst finishing off our drinks.
All in all it was a very relaxing day, and definitely increased the Pinchy and the Wizard "quality time" quota.

Wizard's Wardrobe #2

Check out my latest purchase. I've got into the habit of combing every charity shop, wherever I visit, in search of bargains. On my latest trip I came across this gem. It fits really well, but I've not had the chance to wear it yet.

Item: full-length wool coat
Make: Jigsaw
Shop: Save The Children
Price: £12

Twin Atlantic

Went to review a band last night for work. I don't get paid for these little extras, but get free entry + 1 so it's a nice little perk. I have a few gigs lined up over the next few weeks to review, but this was my first, and you can read it on the Listed magazine website, here.
My knowledge of obscure Indie music is fairly limited, being more of an electronica fan, but I did my research, and the gig turned out to be better than I expected. Twin Atlantic sounded really professional, and ready for the stardom they are on course for.

This is what I came up with:

Despite the distance from their native Glasgow, the Twin Atlantic boys pulled an impressive crowd at Joiners, Southampton last night. There was a noticeable buzz in the place as they set up their vast array of gear, and it was catching. 

They began confidently with textbook - yet passionate - riffs, and the energy didn’t dwindle as they stormed through the first half of their set; these are clearly some hard-working boys. Guitarist Barry McKenna entertained with frequent bouts of guitar jumping, followed by a splendid turn on the cello during the more mellow second half. The girls in the room were especially impressed - when frontman Sam McTrusty removed his shirt to cool down.

Sam pointed out the tangible divide in the room between the serious music-heads at the back and moshers at the front, but everyone seemed to be responding positively. Looks like things are going well for Twin Atlantic, who are currently back across the Atlantic in the USA, after playing South by Southwest festival there in the summer, and recording their debut mini-album, Vivarium, in Los Angeles. Good luck boys!

Winter Wrapped

Another day, another shift at the shop. Don't get me wrong, I had an epiphany the other day: I actually really enjoy working there; wasted degree or not. The gossip, the hustle and bustle, the regular customers and their cheeky ways, the proximity to home, the fact that it is never hard work...!
One thing I'd change? The weather. With the automatic door sliding open all day long, and wall to wall chillers inside, it gets pretty damn cold in there.

I currently wear, every shift:

• tights or leggings
• big knickers
• two pairs of socks - one thin, one thick, or sometimes my over-the-knee ones
• jeans, or joggers if I'm feeling really sexy
• a vest
• a t-shirt
• a long-sleeved top
• a hoodie belonging to the Wizard (nice and roomy)
• a scarf

I can then still be seen stamping my feet and jigging up and down to fight off the cold that slowly sets in. Roll on summer, it can't come fast enough.

Wizard's Wardrobe #1

New shoes? Why yes! I picked up this pair of blue Adidas sneakers on a random Sunday wander round the shops recently. I wasn't planning on buying any trainers, but they were in the sale.

Item: trainers

Make: Adidas
Shop: Schuh

Price: £30

A Repetitive Idea from Ikea

A brand new IKEA opened near us about this time last year. I wasn't too sure what to expect, my only experience of the Swedish furniture store, rather than its glossy catalogue, being one random trip to the Croydon branch with my Nana and Grandad when I was about ten.
It's fascinating. There are four floors, but the ground floor is part of the car park and the entrance is on the 4th, via a large lift. The top floor is all furniture showrooms and cafeteria, the next one down is 'accessories' (crockery, appliances, soft furnishings), and the next one down, flat-pack collection and checkout. The IKEA family card gets swiped every time you go, not every time you buy. With an IKEA card you can get a 6-item breakfast for 99p and a coffee and a muffin for about 59p. Bargain. When it first opened, they were doing Swedish meatballs and chips for 99p, which ran for at least a month. They were nice too.
Anyway, the point is that we've never bought anything bigger than a plant there; and we've now bought three.

There is the spider plant at the back, which is the oldest, and is currently sprouting babies as you can see, the tropical and newest one in the middle, which grows from its dead-looking trunk and doesn't need watering, yet has really juicy green leaves, and in front: Jazzy Mike - The Curly Grass Plant. His name is written and visible on his pot, after a christening ceremony held at a university house party. He is also the messiest, flopping about in all directions, but starting to form promising 'dreadlocks' that might support him a little bit.

Catchy Biscuit

Poppy 'the cat' has mellowed out in her old age. She was never the trusting kind, always preferring to take a swipe at your shins from behind curtains, or under chairs, and throwing fits so bad you couldn't get past her. Personally, I think her 'issues' stem from her costing a fiver and being kept in a drawer in a houseful of small children and their toys. I was not a partaker of Poppy's selection process by the way.
But here she is now, serenely curled up next to me after a particularly long game of 'catchy biscuit'. You can guess the rules, and imagine the cat kibble being thrown around. I think she actually likes the game. In fact I only just came up with its tag line. Catchy Biscuit: Exercise for the Body and Mind. 
I could probably make a few quid running seminars for cat-lovers.