Lets go to the Movies.....

This weekend The Boy decided that we needed to catch up on the films we want to see and hatched a Plan

Off we pooped to the local multiplex and made good use of our monthly unlimited passes (about £13 per month, so as long as we go to three or more films we save on the ticket price.  We saw Avatar, Nine, Where The Wild Things Are & Sex & Drugs & Rock'n'Roll.  All of them were really good films and all of them completely different

Avatar

We saw this in 3D and whilst the effects were pretty bloomin special I think you could see it in 2D and still be pretty impressed.  The effects really do make the film, the acting is secondary as (to an extent) is the story.  It's a good family film and is a bit bubblegum, in that you don't really need to care or pay too much attention to enjoy it.

Nine

A musical that is both beautifully shot and beautifully acted.  An amazing cast - Daniel Day Lewis, Sofia Loren, Judi Dench, Penelope Cruz, Marion Coultard, Nicole Kidman, Kate Hudson, Fergie (the black eyed peas one not the miserable sourpuss football manager) - and a brilliant score.  It was beautiful from start to finish and made me want to smoke, drink espresso and wear beautiful underwear and much much more eye make-up.  The Boy didn't enjoy this film much - he appreciated that it was well made but didn't enjoy it - he's not really a song and dance man.  I however, love love loved it and will be buying it on DVD and backcombing my hair in the meantime.

Where The Wild Things Are

I had read and heard a  lot about this film so may have gone in with high expectations.  It is a lovely film, sad in places and heartwarming in others.  I really felt the little boys loneliness but what I liked about this film is that the last 5 minutes didn't suddenly fix everything - it was a sad ending but was a Hollywood smultz fest either.  It was really well made and my only small negative was that it felt a bit slow in places.  Really glad I've seen it on the big screen, and I probably will watch it again when it's on TV.

Sex & Drugs & Rock'n'Roll

Again I have heard a lot about this biopic of Ian Dury and have seen Andy Serkis on the TV quite a bit this week talking about it.  It is a film for people of a certain age and (in the same way as The Dammed United & Brian Clough) if you don't know anything about the era or haven't heard of Ian Dury & The Blockheads you may not engage with the film.  However, the acting was amazing - particularly Serkis and the kid who play's his son Baxter, Bill Milner, who was the lead in Son of Rambow.  Both the female leads were strong as were all the supporting cast.  The Boy really enjoyed this film - his favourite of the weekend.

All in all a good weekend, back home now - the fires on the stew is in the oven all that's missing is the bottle of red wine - oh well only another 21 days to go on the wagon.

We have a plan

It's been a bit of a hard week for The Boy, he made it in to work every day but it's been a chore and a struggle, so he gets to choose what we do this weekend.

As there is no football on and it's really blooming cold he has decided we are going on an expedition.  Walking boots, layer upon layer (though not as stylishly as Florrie go and have a look at her winter layering post) snood, hat & coat and off we will pop.  We are going to walk the 2 miles to Xscape, this is our local multiplex - there is also an inside snow slope (with real snow no less) some snow & mountain sport type shops and a few restuarant chains (pizza express, Ask, Nando's, Chiquita's, Frankie & Benny's, Starbucks etc); there are also a few bars and a night club.  Over the road is an outlet village no where near as nice or fancy as Bicester (which I will blog about soon) but good for kitchen wear or sport wear and has a great Gaggia and Le Creuset shop.  Anyway I am digressing - he has a plan.

After the MIL phones this morning (hopefully around 11am) we will eat the soup I made yesterday, red pepper and lentil on nom nom nom, with the fresh bread which is currently baking then suit up and head out. Whilst it's only 2 miles with the weather as it is it may take a bit more than the 30 mins it usually does so we are going to give ourselves and hour and get there in time for the 1pm showing of Avatar 3D.  It's quite a long film (about 2.5 hours) so with the adverts that's 3 hours.  Then a quick coffee and a loo break then back into the flicks to see Nine.

Then the long walk home (I may veto this and get a taxi).  As a plan it sounds fine but there is part of me that just wants to build a fire and clean the @teamvaughan way.  He is also talking about doing the same thing tomorrow but to see Where the Wild Things Are  and Sex & Drugs & Rock'n'Roll.......sigh.

Ah well, off we pop out into the brave new world.  Wish me luck.......

Oh....and.....My - Look here my first ever blog award

The beautiful and stylish Florrie over at Intrinsically Florrie has given me my first every blog award.  I met the lovely Florrie at Biscester Village and was so impressed by her personal style.  She is such a lovely young lady - thank you sweetie you are too too kind.  Here look at my shiny special award:



As with many good things this aware has come with rules:

1) Thank the person who nominated me for this award
2) Copy the award & place it on my blog
3) Link to the person who nominated me for this award Go here and see Intrinsically Florrie
4) Tell us 7 interesting things about yourself
5) Nominate 7 bloggers
6) Post links to the 7 blogs I nominate

Right I have obeyed rules 1, 2 & 3 so here I go with 4:

7 Things about me - interesting mmmmm maybe but things you may not know, so may be of interest to someone, somewhere:

1. Margot Fonteyn

When I was little I used to go to Ballet Classes, I loved it.  Despite being quite a tom-boy it was great fun.  After exams taken locally we used to get a treat and go to Little Chef for jumbo fish fingers chips and beans (we never had chips at home).  One year though we went to the Royal Ballet School in fancy London for our exam (grade 2 I think but it could have been 1) - our teacher had trained at the Royal Ballet School and had contacts there an managed to get us this special exam,  We were all on best behaviour and had a fab day.  After our exam we were walking along the corridor when out teacher made us all stop and stand at the side.  It was only bloomin Margot Fonteyn - we all stood in First and when introduced we curtsied - yep like she was the queen.  It was the best end to a great day - oh and I passed the exam.  I stopped Ballet when I started playing hockey - they weren't exactly complimentary at at age 11 I preferred the Hockey.

2. Hockey

I started playing hockey when I went to middle school in Morpeth.  My first stick was a Grays junior.  We moved back south and I played for Newbury under 15s, under 16s and Under 18s as well as the ladies 4th, 3rd and 2nd teams.  I also played for Berkshire at Under 16 and Under 18.  I loved hockey, I played between 16 and 20 hours a week what with school, club, training and county.  The festivals were great fun (I met the actor Robert Beck (married to the lass that plays Leigh-Ann in Corrie and was in Brookside as Pete the Rapist, think he was paid to kill someone in Corrie recently) he was Robert Beck back then though) with much drinking, dancing and fun had by all.  I played a bit more hockey in London and Leeds in my 20's but never got into it fully again.  I wish I had.

3. Thumb Sucking

I am 37 years old and each birthday for as long as I can remember my Mum has asked me if this is the year I stop sucking my thumb - so far it hasn't been.  I still suck my thumb when I'm tired, its comforting and familiar.  My left thumb (the one I suck) is shorter and thinner than my right thumb - this doesn't seem to impact me too greatly.

4. Drama Queen

When I was 12 I was in a school show and the Newbury Weekly News did a review and called me a minature hybrid - Liza Striesand.  I was such a show off and drama queen.  Show me a piano and I would sing you a song.  I would entertain, show off, sing and dance and laugh about it all.  I'm pretty sure Mum still has that cutting somewhere.

5. Karaoke

I love Karaoke.   I love Lucky Voice.  I Love Sing Star.  My signature songs are Nobody Does it Better - Carly Simon and I Have Nothing  - Whitney Houston.  There I've said it -it's out there.  I love Karaoke.

6. Dreams

When I eat cheese I have the freakiest dreams.  The poor Boy is usually in them and is usually either leaving me for someone or something and in the morning they are so vivid I am alternately extremely clingy and sulky.  I know this happens but I still eat cheese after lunch - I should know better.

7. My lucky number is 73

I have no idea why - it just is.  Ask any of my immediate family what their favourite/lucky number is - it will always be 73.....and this was before that programme with Sandi Toksvig and that red door (am I showing my age)

In no particular order, I am passing on the award to the following wonderful blogs, rules 5 & 6:

Looking Fab in your 40s -  http://www.lookingfabinyourforties.blogspot.com/

Forty Not Out - http://40notout.blogspot.com/

Diary of a Slummy Mummy - http://diaryofaslummymummy.blogspot.com/

Motherhood The Final Frontier - http://motherhoodthefinalfrontier.com/

Violet Posy - http://violetposy.co.uk/

Cassandra's Castle - http://jacobwrestling.blogspot.com/

Its not just me....is it? - http://itsnotjustmeisit.blogspot.com/

Phew that wasn't as easy as I thought

Wordless Wednesday

photo details

I love Hats - this one is from the Stephen Jones exhibition at the V&A last year.

[Everyday is a] Snow Day

The view from my bedroom window this morning

It's snowing in Pontecarlo again.  Not the big 50p size flakes from Christmas Eve but constant pea sized flakes which are settling and whilst from here in my bedroom (yep that's right I am back in bed with my lapdog) it looks very pretty.

I did not have a great nights sleep, after eating lunch very late yesterday I couldn't face supper so had a Protein Shake.  I didn't really think this through though and the one I had also contained Caffeine - so yep that was me watching TV at 2.30am and playing some cloud in the sky game on FB.

Eventually I started to feel tired so came to bed thinking that I would get a lie in this morning as I am out of work at the moment so have nowhere to be.  Well Mother Nature had other ideas, it started snowing about 5am and hasn't really stopped, this meant that The Boy didn't want to drive into Leeds and I needed to take him to Glass-Huffton to get the train to work.  Normally this would be fine but today it's not - I am tired, very very tired, it's snowing and his car is blocking mine in, his car has rear wheel drive and really doesn't like the snow.

Not enough time to change cars so off we pop.  Okay, the journey to the station wasn't too bad.  Painfully slow with some people driving no more than 15 mph - I understand this but it frustrates some people so much that they then drive silly.  Sensible driving people - not bring the town to a fracking stand still.  Anyway I digress, a little bit skiddy but got him there in time for his train and headed home.   This is where is all got a bit sticky - I proceeded to skid all the way up the hill past the Haribo factory due to having to overtake a lorry that had just given up halfway up the hill.  Thankfully the van behind me could see I was having a nightmare and kept his distance (then when he pulled along beside me at the  lights asked if I was okay - bless).  Eventually I got home and then skidded on the drive way so badly I thought I was going to crash into the garage - I didn't but there was some sticky moments there.

I am home now, and am going to take full advantage of being out of work (and not yet panicking about it) and take a snow day.  I am back in bed (I didn't have to get changed as I took The Boy to the station in my PJs with a big coat & boots on - thankfully I didn't have to get out of the car....) I have coffee, I have magazines (January Red, December Zest, December/January Jamie Magazine), I have my lap top, I have my phone.  That's it - I'm in for the day.

So 2010

Photo Credit

It's the New Year, it's a time of new term, new start, diets and detox for many of us - me included.

This year my goals are simple to say but quite BIG and scary.

1 - loose weight 4stone at least (you can read about my exploits here if you like -http://maybethistyear.blogspot.com/ )

2 - Train for and Complete the Moonwalk in around 6 hours in May ( go on, sponsor me you know you want to  - http://www.walkthewalkfundraising.org/pontecarloblue )

3 - make my house and office somewhere that encourages success and productivity; despite having had some major clear outs it's still a shit tip so there needs to be more done.  I need to be less emotional about stuff and make more room for me (and The Boy natch).

4 - Get Pregnant, STAY pregnant.  This is easier said than done.  So I am splitting it into two parts.  First few months of the year is about loosing weight and getting the all clear from the GP/Gynae.  I need to firstly register with a GP (whoops) then have a serious chat about what I would like to happen and what I need to do to make it so.  So part 2, getting pregnant has never been a problem for me - however staying pregnant is a whole different story.....so going to work with my GP to do everything I can to give me (us) the best chance.

So that's it - the big picture of 2010.  I have smaller aims too, more crafty stuff, some sweet making (using that fab sugar thermometer I got for Christmas) and spending good time with friends and The Boy.

All in all I am looking forward to 2010 - a whole new decade.  In 1999 I got together with The Boy and it's been a great first decade together, it's not all been a bed of roses with a number of challenges over the years but we are as strong now if not more so than we were at the beginning of 2000.

So 2010 - welcome, here I am and I'm ready for you.  Jumping in with both feet.

Didn’t we have a lovely day the day we went to Cognac.

When we were in Charente visiting M&D for New Year we wanted to do something one day that wasn’t weather dependent but that we would all enjoy – so we decided to arrange a tour of the most famous and successful Cognac maker in the region – Hennessy.

My parents live about 20km from Cognac and even though they have lived there since April 09 had not yet been on one of the tours of the various houses since doing so in the 70s. 

We arrived by the river Charente at the House of Hennessy and were met by Sabine who was to be our tour guide.  As it’s winter they do not have a timetable of tours but you can phone up to arrange a tour at any time during their opening hours – from April to October then run tours throughout the day and you can book them on line.  We chose to tour Hennessy for two reasons: firstly it is right on the river in Cognac and secondly it is the largest.

Hennessy was created by Irishman Richard Hennessy in 1765 after serving as a mercenary  for King Louis XV.  Hennessy now have over 40% of the world market share of Cognac and is part of the luxury good group LVMH.We took a short boat ride across the Charente and entered the tour museum. Sabine explained, in perfect English, where the grapes came from, how they were picked and then distilled into Eau de Vie.  How the barrels were made and how they could be used and how long for.  We then went into a second warehouse that was full to the brim of barrels from different years, going back to the 1800s.  The first thing you notice when you enter the warehouse is the smell, that sweet alcohol really hits you but you soon get used to it.

Sabine went on to explain that 2 to 3% of each barrel evaporates each year – they say that this is for the Angels, they pay to watch over the Eau de Vie and keep it safe.  We saw barrels from many different vineyards (Hennessy only actually produce 2% of the grapes that they use) and the different years, including some from the year I was born.  Apparently a very good year and going to be used for the Paradis blend.  Also there was some from the year Mum was born.

The different Cognacs are then made from different blends as chosen by the Master Blender, Monsieur Fillioux.  The Master Blenders at Hennessy have come from the same family for 7 generations.  Blends such as VS, VSOP, XO and Paradis are made up with the XO (for example) being made of 60different Eau de Vie aged between 4 and 10 years.  After the tour we went back over the river and into the main museum building and shop, we learnt a little of the history of the company and then had a tasting session.  We tasted the XO with Dark Chocolate and the Paradis with Milk – they recommend drinking Brandy before you eat as your taste buds are at their best.

We did a little shopping afterwards but in that very French way we had to leave because they were closing for lunch – we didn’t buy one of the Bacarac Crystal bottles as it was more than €1,650.

More details of the tours can be found here http://www.cognacwinetours.com/hennessy.htm