Easterleigh Hall by Margaret Graham Book Review

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51ggbcnOkHL._SY300_The perfect novel is a truly wonderful thing: a key to take you away from your life. It transports you to another world and you can lose yourself and all of your problems for hours at a time. I read most of Easterleigh Hall on a glorious Autumn Sunday while the rain poured outside. I was grabbed straight away, the characters are so well-written and fascinating. Evie Forbes is a fantastic heroine: a ballsy, decent and ambitious young woman. She is smart and is willing to sacrifice and work hard to get what she wants.

Set in County Durham just before the First World War, it is almost impossible to review Easterleigh Hall without mentioning the success of Downton Abbey, and this book would make a similarly amazing TV series. It has its villains in Lord Brampton and a valet called Roger, every great novel needs someone to hate. Most of the rest of the characters, and especially the Forbes family, are impossible to not love. Things are not always what they seem and even those ‘upstairs’ come into their own.

Margaret Graham is a very versatile writer. Her other books are also amazing. Her historical books like this one are always well researched. You are taken into the past and you always learn something too. So not just entertaining.

Evie starts work as an assistant cook at Easterleigh Hall against her family’s wishes. Her family do not like Lord Brampton as her father and brothers work in the mine that he owns. But Evie wants to run a small hotel and her training will give her a way out. Little do they know that the world is on the brink of war. The book does not rush. It allows the story and the characters to grow, to really get into the story. I love this, you really feel like you know these people. This is a glorious read and one I will be recommending to friends. Luckily there are another two books in the series which will take us up to the Second World War. I can’t wait.  It is out on October 9th. Read it, buy it or steal it. Okay, maybe not the last one.

Easterleigh Hall is available here.

http://www.margaret-graham.com

 

 

Dracula Untold – Movie Review

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draculauntold_3059911bIf history is anything to go by there are many different ways of telling the legend that is Dracula and even more when it comes to covering the subject of Vampires of which Dracula is seen as the King or at least the one who started it all.

King of the Dracula movies so far has been Ford Coppola’s 1992 version, but here akin to the recent films such as ‘I Frankenstein’ what we have here is a dramatic retelling of the origin story, complete with armies in the style of 300, stop motion capture in the style of The Matrix and battles in the style and glory of Game of Thrones and more bats than Batman Begins. If Francis Ford Coppola had access to CGI effects like these who knows what he would have created. Instead it is down to director Gary Shore to capably show us his vista of the hows and whys of Vlad ‘the Impaler’ Tepes earning his supernatural powers and becoming a creature of the night.

Set in Transylvania during the 15th century, Transylvanian prince Vlad is enjoying a long period of peace. He served the Turks well and his brutal style of combat has earned him the name of “The Impaler”.  When Sultan Mehmed (Dominic Cooper); heir to the Turks throne demands 1,000 boys including Vlad’s own son to participate in his army with the ultimatum of not doing so being war and mass slaughter of his people. Vlad chooses to make a stand and seeks out an old mythical mountain and a nightmare creature (Charles Dance) in order to save his family and kingdom.

Striking up a bargain, Vlad is allowed to experience what it’s like to be a vampire for a short period of three days, giving him the strength of 100 men, the speed of a falling star and enough power to destroy his enemies. However, the catch is that he will also have an insatiable thirst for blood. If Vlad succumbs to this thirst he will forever be damned as a vampire and the evil that was contained within the mountain will be released. The story cracks along at a fairly fast pace; a solid film debut for Gary Shore who has directed from a script written by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless. The dialogue is fantastic, very much the piece and the direction wise enough to have just enough scares without it crossing the boundary into actual horror territory. This film takes the honourable sympathetic approach to Dracula’s virtues – a man who is willing to risk all, including his humanity and sanity to save his son, his family, his kin and his kingdom.

Special effects alone cannot carry a movie and there are some great performances, Dominic Cooper and Charles Dance all carry their roles capably but it has to be said it is the charismatic presence of Welsh actor Luke Evans (Fast and Furious 6) which really anchors this film. It is incredible how he shines in this role, able to bring real emotions and real anguish to a character not yet previously seen. Thanks to him, you believe in Vlad’s cause, compromise with his predicament and feel empathy with his character when he seeks to exact revenge.

There is no doubt that Dracula Untold is a competent film, for many either they will either like it or hate it. There is just enough vampirism and love enough to soothe Twilight fans and more than enough action to suit the man cubs out there.

The slight let down is the ending which blatantly sets things up for a sequel. Hopefully if the film does well things could be very interesting indeed.

The Verdict

If you are into modern day imaginings, was a fan of the Twilight series and like Game of Thrones or Gladiator this film is your thing

8/10

Jennifer Lawrence: Nude Photo Hacking Was a “Sex Crime”

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Jennifer Lawrence opens up about that nude photo hacking in Vanity Fair’s November issue, the digital edition will be available Wednesday, October 8 followed by the print edition.

Jennifer Lawrence speaks out about nude photo hacking

The 24-year-old actress said: “Just because I’m a public figure, just because I’m an actress, does not mean that I asked for this, It does not mean that it comes with the territory. It’s my body, and it should be my choice, and the fact that it is not my choice is absolutely disgusting. I can’t believe that we even live in that kind of world. ”

She tried to write a statement about the incident but “every single thing that I tried to write made me cry or get angry. I started to write an apology, but I don’t have anything to say I’m sorry for. I was in a loving, healthy, great relationship for four years. It was long distance, and either your boyfriend is going to look at porn or he’s going to look at you.

It is not a scandal. It is a sex crime, It is a sexual violation. It’s disgusting. The law needs to be changed, and we need to change. That’s why these Web sites are responsible. Just the fact that somebody can be sexually exploited and violated, and the first thought that crosses somebody’s mind is to make a profit from it. It’s so beyond me. I just can’t imagine being that detached from humanity. I can’t imagine being that thoughtless and careless and so empty inside.

Anybody who looked at those pictures, you’re perpetuating a sexual offense. You should cower with shame. Even people who I know and love say, ‘Oh, yeah, I looked at the pictures.’ I don’t want to get mad, but at the same time I’m thinking, I didn’t tell you that you could look at my naked body.”

“Time does heal, you know, I’m not crying about it anymore. I can’t be angry anymore. I can’t have my happiness rest on these people being caught, because they might not be. I need to just find my own peace.”

Cat or Dog Yoga: Get In Touch With Your inner Furry Friend | Great Gifts

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It is bizarre present time. These dog and cat yoga books are perfect for your wacky dog or cat obsessed friend.

dogyoga

Filled with pups and paws in Yoga poses, is anything cuter than dogs doing yoga? Not much apart from cats doing yoga.

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We think these books are a great present for the friend who has it all, the friend who has a great sense of humour or just your friend who loves their furry friend.  From Prezzybox.com.

Kelly’s of Cornwall Banoffee Pie Ice Cream

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Kelly’s of Cornwall Banoffee Pie Ice CreamIngredients:

100g butter, melted

200g digestive biscuits

4 bananas

Kelly’s of Cornwall Clotted Cream ice cream or Kelly’s Cornish Dairy Vanilla ice cream

Jaffa Cake mini rolls

Kelly’s of Cornwall Clotted Cream and Honeycomb ice cream

 

 

 

Method:

  1. Line a cake tin with cling film.
  2. Bash the biscuits to make crumbs and mix with the melted butter.
  3. Push the crumb mixture into the cake tin to make a base.
  4. Chop the bananas into slices and use to cover the biscuit base.
  5. Cover the bananas with a layer of Kelly’s of Cornwall Clotted Cream Vanilla ice cream.
  6. Chop the Jaffa Cake rolls into slices and cover the ice cream.
  7. Finish off with a layer of Kelly’s Clotted Cream and Honeycomb ice cream.
  8. Place the tin in the freezer for a couple of hours and then serve.

 

This recipe has been created by Kelly’s of Cornwall with Alison Maclean, blogger of Fairy dust and Dragons as part of Kelly’s Creative Kids in the Kitchen 2014 campaign. To see Alison’s blog please visit http://www.dragonsandfairydust.co.uk

 

 

The Benefits of a Vegan Pregnancy

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vegan pregnancyAll essential vitamins and minerals can easily be found in a wide variety of vegan foods, including green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, lentils, pulses, beans, soy, whole grains and flax. So there is no need to worry about how to get enough protein, calcium, iron, omega-3 fatty acids or vitamin D. The only exception is vitamin B12, which can be easily supplemented.

Actors Alicia Silverstone and Emily Deschanel have both had vegan pregnancies. Alicia says, “All of the vegan pregnancies I have witnessed have been way smoother than those of my non-vegan friends. … From my point of view, the more vegan you are, the more healthy you are and that makes your pregnancy go more easily and helps your baby to be super duper healthy!”

 

 

  1. Ward off morning sickness: Morning sickness is one of the least fun aspects of pregnancy, and interestingly enough, a vegan diet during pregnancy may alleviate some of those symptoms. Some studies have connected a diet high in meat and dairy with more severe symptoms of morning sickness. The science is this: Morning sickness is the body’s natural attempt to protect the fetus from unhealthy substances, physically clearing those substances (and the food that contains them) out of the mother’s body. Many of the chemicals that are cleared out most commonly come from meat and dairy products, because these products are at a higher risk for contamination. Thus, eating a vegan diet (ideally organic) may reduce or totally eliminate the symptoms of morning sickness. Unlike meat and dairy product, plants can help to rid the body of toxins, ultimately providing the fetus with lower amounts of unhealthy chemicals that we consume in our food.
    In addition, a vegan diet ensures that the mother is not consuming the foods that are commonly known to be harmful for fetuses, including fish and seafood, deli meats, and unpasteurized dairy products. Each of these can put a fetus at risk for birth defects, and eating a vegan diet guarantees that none will be an issue.

 

  1. A healthier, happier you: A vegan diet is great for your health! According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, vegans are less likely to develop heart disease, cancer, diabetes, or high blood pressure than meat-eaters are. Vegans get all the nutrients that they need to be healthy, such as plant protein, fiber, and minerals, without all the nasty stuff in meat that slows you down and makes you sick, such as cholesterol and saturated animal fat.

 

  1. It’s the best way to help animals: Every vegan saves the lives of countless animals each year. There is simply no easier way to help animals and prevent suffering than by choosing vegan foods over meat, eggs, and dairy products.

 

If you are considering making the switch to a vegan diet- please visit peta.org.uk where you can order a free vegan starter kit and find out more on how to have a healthy and happy vegan pregnancy.

 

PETA supporter and vegan mum, Kimberley Brewser says:

 

There was no doubt in my mind that a vegan pregnancy was what was best for me and, more importantly, my precious bundle.

 

Apart from my initial morning sickness, I thoroughly enjoyed my pregnancy. I’ve never felt better inside and out.

 

For any food that I craved, there was a vegan alternative, so I never felt that I was missing out. I always made sure that I had my favourite foods in the house if I had a craving. I ate very well.

 

While some of my pregnant friends suffered with low iron levels and high blood pressure, my iron levels were high and my blood pressure was fantastic throughout.

 

I’m a dancer and continued to perform at shows and dance throughout my pregnancy. I had so much energy. I was dancing four days before I gave birth.

 

Hadley was a healthy 7 lbs, 11 ozs when he was born. Now at 15 months, he continues to thrive on a healthy, varied and colourful vegan diet. He’s a happy, healthy, beautiful little boy.

 

Would I recommend a vegan diet to expectant mothers? Definitely!

 

 

Annie’s Restaurant, Manchester Review

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Surprisingly for a food blogger I hadn’t heard a lot of feedback about Annie’s Restaurant. I knew it was owned by Jennie McAlpine (also known as Fizz from Coronation Street) but that was pretty much it. Luckily for me a friend was invited to dine so I joined.

The interior was a surprise. Upstairs houses lots of comfy sofas and then downstairs you have the main restaurant with more seating. We were asked if we would like a drink prior to dining but we were both hungry so chose to go straight into the dining area.

I was shocked by how quiet it was, for a Sunday evening I was expecting it to be really busy with the Sunday lunch trade but there were only two other tables occupied, one with people we happened to know!

Having already looked at the menu my friend was incredibly disappointed that the cheese and onion pie was off at the time. She was intrigued to see what made a pie, chips and beans cost £12.95. The high pricing seemed to be a theme with a burger and chips costing £13.95 and bottles of wine on the wine list at an eye watering £150 per bottle. And that’s for a bottle of red, not a more celebratory bottle of champagne. Interestingly the cocktails are reasonably priced at £6.95 each. Something seems amiss here.

annies 2 annies 1

Anyway, onto the food. I ordered the potted mackerel to start with my friend going for the scallop and black pudding dish. The scallops were slightly overdone so a little chewy but not too bad. The black pudding was quite dry and chewy unfortunately so a little unpleasant. The potted mackerel wasn’t as described on the menu. Potted mackerel should be exactly that, flakes of mackerel potted with lemon juice and topped with butter, or that’s what I was expecting. What arrived as flakes of mackerel bound in mayonnaise with melba toast. The mackerel had been nicely seasoned and wasn’t a bad dish at all, it just wasn’t potted mackerel therefore not what I was expecting.

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For main I went for the sea bass with my friend choosing the traditional Sunday lunch. The sea bass had been filleted and pan fried before being served atop a bed of pickled cucumber, mange tout and peas. A healthy option it was a good dish with the fish seasoned well, the pickled cucumber a nice touch and the mange tout still crisp. The peas were slightly overdone which, doesn’t really bother me, what bothered me was that the menu described the dish as being on a bed of spring greens. Whilst the vegetables on my plate were green and apt for the Spring season, they certainly weren’t spring greens. My friend wasn’t as lucky with her roast and this possibly explained why the restaurant was so quiet on a Sunday evening. The beef had been rested too long, the Yorkshire pudding hard, the vegetables far too soft and the potatoes mushy on the inside rather than being fluffy. Such a disappointment.

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Things picked up with dessert. I had the cheese board which came with a nicely spiced fruit chutney. The menu didn’t state what the cheeses were or where they had come from as they do in other restaurants and the crackers were Jacobs rather than something more locally sourced but it hit the spot. My friend chose the jam roly poly which was slightly stodgy, as it should be, with a good jam running through it. It wasn’t amazing but it certainly hit the spot after her disappointing main course.

As we left we were bid farewell by the staff (who are great by the way. Really attentive, eager to please and chatty when encouraged) with packages of ginger crunch biscuits and jam. I have noticed that Annie’s now has an online teashop which is where these goodies can be purchased. And goodies they are. The biscuits, crunchy on the outside and slightly gooey in the centre had huge pieces of stem ginger running through them. I’d have been happy with these topped in custard as a dessert! The jam a similar story, good chunks of fruit that aren’t overly sweet and a lovely slightly runny consistency. Once again they are quite pricey with biscuits costing £3.95 and a jar of jam costing £3.85 but of good quality and something I would consider buying friends or family as a gift.

I am not sure what group of people Annie’s are trying to hit with their food and pricing but I won’t be rushing back. I know other restaurants in Manchester charging a lot less for larger portions of better quality.

A Day In The Life of Paul Vates

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I am an actor and writer.
No two days are the same.
That’s part of the lifestyle I accept and face-up to.

paulvates

Most people, I am sure, abhor routine, but I strive to find little routines amidst the randomness.
Take yesterday, for example. I was up with the lark – well, the chattering gang of long-tailed tits that seemed to have included my garden in their morning constitutional route. Ablutions completed, healthy fruity breakfast absorbed, I sorted through a few emails, scanned Facebook, chased a few unpaid invoices and was then ready for a good long sit-down in front of mindless television.

But, no! I slipped into my jogging attire and hit the streets – well, gracefully ran the fifteen minutes to my Pilates session. An hour later, after much groaning and fake-smiling, I jogged far less like an athlete back home.

All this because I am in training to complete a charity run – five miles in mud, with various obstacles to surpass, for a local hospice. Seemed like a good idea at the time…

paulleaping

Shower and shave. Quick light lunch, then to the tube for a casting in London. I spent the journey reading Stella Gibbons’ Cold Comfort Farm – have never read it and am now intrigued by its style.

Then into the West End. Not many people realise it is littered with tiny rooms and spaces that producers and casting directors hire for the day to cast their latest projects. I had been instructed by my agent to attend the RADA Studios, near Goodge Street station. Once inside, name checked, smiles all round, I sat and waited.

Jim, a grinning, bespectacled director, greeted me and I followed him downstairs into a basement room that had the distinctive aroma of old sweat. We chatted, then I auditioned for him. ‘Very funny’, he said. (It was supposed to be, but I don’t know if he meant it…) The footage will be handed to the producers who will decide whether I am suitable to play a maniac in a Business To Business instructional internet video.

Oh, the glamour.

I headed to the tube and back home. Different reading material this time. Henrik Ibsen’s classic play A Doll’s House which a colleague is aiming to direct late next year. He has told me to look carefully at a certain part and to let him know if I’d like to play it.

Home in time to eat before visiting my local cinema/theatre, which was showing Nebraska. Such a beautiful film.

That was yesterday. Today I am writing – editing the fifth draft of my play Voltemand And Cornelius Are Joyfully Returned.

paulwithscript

Tomorrow I work – that miracle: paid work. I am going to West Middlesex Hospital to assist CASC (no, I don’t know what it stands for, either) in their exam training for forensic psychiatrists. I play a variety of characters – some with health issues, some relatives of patients – all of which test the candidates.

It never stops. Thank goodness.

hopenadanchor

*Paul’s blog regarding the performance of Voltemand And Cornelius Are Joyfully Returned at the Hope Theatre, Islington, can be read in April’s www.wordsforthewounded.blogspot.co.uk