A Day in the Park

Something a little different today. When it snowed a couple of weeks ago, I was sure we were going to have a white christmas. What a difference a week can make, as the weather is now far from winter-y. When I was out in the park nearby last week, the weather was so lovely I decided to make some pictures, before everything changes into a winter wonderland. As you can see, at least there were plenty of those holly-like bushes with their red little berries (?), providing a bit of christmas spirit.

Wish List: Books

With so many books sitting on my shelves unread, I try not to give in immediately every time I see a book I like. However, that doesn't stop my wish list from growing to considerable lengths. Here are five books, new and old, that I wouldn't mind having sitting-pretty on my bookshelf.

Jonge Harten (Young Hearts Theatre Festival)

I intended to write about the Jonge Harten Theaterfestival (Young Hearts Theatre Festival) in Groningen after I'd seen some performances, but never came round to it... Ah well, better late than never.
Jonge Harten is a theatre festival that's held every year at the end of November in Groningen (up North in the Netherlands). The audience they aim for is students and young people, who want something more than your average trip to the theatre. So all the performances are given by young artists who want to present something new on stage and it ranges from theatre to dance to music. The more experimental performances are followed by discussions afterwards with the performers and directors, to make the performances accesible for everyone. I only saw three of the give-or-take twenty five performances on offer, but left all with a smile on my face.

Lush Haul

In winter time, a bit of pampering is always a good idea. Especially when you have luscious products from Lush at your disposal. I love Lush all year round, but especially around Christmas time I always feel the need to get my paws on some things. Since it's cheaper to order from the UK than buy it in store in the Netherlands, I decided to put in an order for some Christmas (and all-year-round) delights.

Battle Royale - Koushun Takami

Battle Royale by Koushun Takami. Published by Haika Soru, 2012.

With the anticipation of the new Hunger Games film, I decided to go and read Battle Royale by Koushun Takami (written in Japanese in 1999, first translated to English in 2003). Around the time when the popularity of the books was at its height and the first Hunger Games film came out, I encountered a lot of comments on the internet saying that the book was surprisingly like this Japanese novel. (There are indeed some similarities between the books, but I don’t think it’s intentional and Hunger Games really isn’t a blatant rip-off from Battle Royale.) So with the Hunger Games trilogy long read, I sunk my teeth into this big book to hopefully satisfy some of my anticipation. The book does deal with some similar themes and it also has lots of teens killing each other off, but it doesn’t quite read as smooth as Suzanne Collins’ books.

Gravity

Gravity (2013). Directedy by Alfonso Cuarón.

Another film review?!? I know, I know. But I just couldn't not write about the brilliance that is Gravity (2013). There are still a few more films coming out this year, but so far I'd have to say that this is the film of the year for me. It actually gave me goosebumps. Goosebumps, I tell you! I was at the edge of my seat for the entire film, clutching my teacup, and spent most of the film trying to hold back my tears. It was such an emotional rollercoaster, but in a very good way. It's like Aritstotle said, drama purges the soul (or something along those lines...), and whilst I was close to breaking down during the film, I felt ecstatic afterwards. (Anyone know that feeling, or do I need to reign in my emotions) Seriously, you need to see this film.

Movie Mash-Up: Carrie, Thor: The Dark World, Elle S'En Va.

With the terrible weather and rain we've had lately, who wants to be outside? No one, obviously. So what do you do to fill your time? Go to the cinema, obviously. I've taken my own advice and have been a regular guest at the cinema these last two weeks, enjoying popcorn and the big screen. Although I saw quite a variety of kinds of films, I decided to put them all together in one article, with a couple of mini reviews mashed-up together.

Music: Bastille and CHVRCHES

Bastille - Pompeii

Some people need complete sillence to focus on their work. Not me. I love listening to music in the background whilst trying to meet all my deadlines. There are two bands I've been listening non-stop to lately. I'm probably way behind on discovering them, but I still wanted to introduce these two British bands to you: Bastille and CHVRCHES.

Heads up: the Book Depository Sale

Just a little heads up! On Thursday the 7th of November, the Book Depository will hold a big sale; 50 books, 50 offers, 25 hours. From noon GMT (British time) on Thursday, they will have a new offer up every half hour. Might be worth checking out, to see whether that book you've been dying to get your mittens on is finally up for sale!

Professor Munakata's British Museum Adventure - Hoshino Yukinobu

Professor Munakata's British Museum Adventure by Hoshino Yukinobu. Published by the British Museum Press, 2011.

Professor Munakata's British Museum Adventure is a manga by Hoshino Yukinobu created in collaboration with the British Museum. The British Museum hosted an exhibition of Yukinobu's work in 2009 and invited the author to come and visit. This visit inspired several drawings of Professor Munakata (one of Yukinobu's reoccurring characters), which led to another visit to the British Museum and eventually this book. Although I've hardly ever read manga (I read the first two volumes of Full Metal Alchemist in high school a long time ago, and that's it), the idea of a manga set in the British Museum really appealed to me and I decided to give it a go. I was not disappointed.

Sphinx - T.S. Learner

Spinx by T.S. Learner. Published by Sphere / Little Brown, 2010.

I'd never heard of T.S. Learner, but when I spotted her book Sphinx on sale at a bookstore, I decided to give it a go. The bookflap promises intrigue and a race against time in Egypt set in the seventies, as Oliver Warnock must protect a powerful ancient artefact excaved by his late wife, and it recommends this book to lovers of Dan Brown and Kate Mosse. Whilst I've never read a book by Kate Mosse, I do love a bit of Dan Brown (secretly, I'm always very excited when a new Robert Langdon book comes out). And after having read Sphinx, I will stick to Dan Brown rather than T.S. Learner.

About Time

About Time. Written and directed by Richard Curtis. 2013.

About Time is the latest romantic comedy written and directed by Richard Curtis (whom we all know from Love Actually). The film tells the story of Tim (Domhnall Gleeson, Bill Weasly in the Harry Potter films), who finds out on his twentyfirst birthday that all the men in his family can timetravel. Not in a very spectacular way though; they can't go to the future, but they can go back in their own timeline. All they have to do is stand in a dark place (a cupboard, for example), clunch their fists and think of the moment they want to go to. Tim, who's a not-so-smooth ladies man, decides to use this power to find the love of his life. And this turns out to be an excellent premise for a warm and loving film.

Cook with a Book: Jamie's Reizen (Jamie does... Spain, Italy, Sweden, Morocco, Greece, France)

Jamie's Reizen (Jamie Does... Spain, Italy, Sweden, Morocco, Greece, France) by Jamie Oliver. Published by Kosmos Uitgevers, 2011. Translation by Jaromir Schneider.

I love looking through cookbooks. Not only do they contain delicious recipes, they are always full of beautiful photographs. There's one name most people will have in their cookbook collection: Jamie Oliver. I recently picked up my first Jamie Oliver book, namely the Dutch version of Jamie Does.... Spain, Italy, Sweden, Morocco, Greece, France, named Jamie's Reizen (I find with cookbooks, it's best to stick to your own language). As the title already gives away, this book is filled with recipes from these six countries, and each chapter is introduced by a short text on Jamie's stays in these countries and his experiences with that country's cuisine. The beautiful photography (done by David Loftus) just makes you want to start cooking, and that's what I did.

The Ladies of Grace Adieu and Other Stories - Susanna Clarke

The Ladies of Grace Adieu and Other Stories by Susanna Clarke. Published by Bloomsbury Publishing, 2007.

Even though I bought Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke ages ago, I still haven't gotten around to reading it. Probably because it's quite a big book. Not that I mind that, I actually love it, but for some reason it always takes me a bit longer to start in a big book. So when I came across The Ladies of Grace Adieu and Other Stories by Clarke, I decided this would be an easier way to start reading Clarke's work, of which I've only heard positive things. And it most certainly did not disappoint.

Bits and bobs #2

Woops... Haven't really kept up with this blog in a while. So to ease my way back into the writing, a little bits and bobs.

• With autumn finally arriving, I've  been a real homebody, cozying it up on the coach with television shows to keep me company. I'm currently head-over-heels in love with The Great British Bake Off; I don't know why, but I just love that show so much. Everything they make looks scrumptious and all the contestants are a bit weird, but o-so loveable! Won't lie, I was a bit upset that Howard had to leave last week. With a cup of tea and maybe a biscuit (or two), this is the perfect show to relax with. I've also been trying to keep up with all the new shows premiering in America at the moment, but failing miserably. Did see Sleepy Hollow, and I have to say, the first episode looked very promising!

The Name of the Wind - Patrick Rothfuss

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. Published by Orion books, 2008.

As you  might have read, I've been busy reading Patrick Rothfuss' The Name of the Wind. And now, after what feels like forever, I finally finished it! Don't worry, it didn't take me this long because the book is boring and hard to get through. It took me this long because this is a Big Book, with more than 600 pages. And when you're busy with work and what not, that's a lot to get through. However, it's totally worth it.

The Name of the Wind is the first part of The Kingkiller Chronicle trilogy. The story is about Kvothe, an infamous adventurer, musician and arcanist (sort of wizard but not really), who has retreated from this life and now lives as an innkeeper named Kote in a small village with his apprentice Bast. When Devan Lochees, known as Chronicler because of his profession, discovers Kvothe's true identity, he persuades him to tell his life story so he can write it down. Kvothe agrees, telling Chronicler it will take three days to tell it. The Name of the Wind is the first day of telling and it covers the period from Kvothe's youth until he's a young man at the University.

Bits and bobs #1

Dirty Dancing 2, Lime Coolada Body Butter from Byron Bay,
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

• I'm so close to finishing The Name of the Wind, only thirty pages or so to go. On the one hand, this makes me happy, but it also makes me kinda sad, because I don't have The Wise Man's Fear yet and I just really want to know what the next part of Kvothe's life is all about!
• Rewatched Dirty Dancing 2: Havana Nights. I was a bit shocked to find out this film is from 2004 and almost ten years old... Whilst that makes me feel a bit old, I really like this film and it just makes me wanna dance all around the living room. Maybe I should sign up for a salsa course...
• Even though the summer is coming to an end and autumn is almost here (I <3 autumn!), I still use the Lime Coolada Body Butter from Byron Bay. It has a heavenly pina colada scent to it, and it turns out I love nothing more than smelling like I've bathed myself in a cocktail. It's a great summer scent, but to be honest, I'll probably still be using this in wintertime. 
• And a final guilty pleasure: What About Love by Austin Mahone. I only discovered this song after he won the VMA for Artist To Watch this week, but I already love it. If this song entered the Eurovision Songcontest, it would be top-ten material for sure.

The Three Musketeers

The Three Musketeers (2011); Arthos (Matthew MacFadyen), D'Artagnon (Logan Lerman), Porthos (Ray Stevenson) and Aramis (Luke Evans)

With work slowing down a bit again, I've managed to find some time to continue reading my book and relax in the evenings whilst watching a film. I bought The Three Musketeers a long time ago, so I decided to finally put it on. After all, a film about swashbuckling Frenchmen, what's not to like?

The story follows the three older Musketeers Athos, Aramis and Portos and their new, young member D'Artagnan in their quest to keep France out of trouble. As Cardinal Richelieu tries to undermine the young king Louis XIII by trying to frame his Queen Anne as an adultress, the Musketeers must retrieve the queen's expensive necklace from the Tower of London, placed there by Milady de Winter and now under the guard of the evil Lord Buckingham.

The film is filled with famous names; Matthew Macfadyen, Orlando Bloom, Logan Lerman, Milla Jovovich, Mads Mikkelsen and Christoph Waltz, to name but a few. It's clear that these actors had fun with their parts and most definitely did not take their roles too seriously. Though to be honest, with a wig like Orlando Bloom's it is hard not to have fun with it.

The humor with which the actors play their parts is the same attitude a viewer must have when watching the film: this film was not meant to be taken seriously, it is just meant to be fun and entertaining. It's over the top, out there and filled with amusing fight scenes. The addition of the steampunk-like airships and weapons to the story, set in the seventeenth century, is an example of this and should be seen as another source of entertainment.

On IMDB, The Three Musketeers has only got a 5.7, which I think is a bit harsh. It's probably due to people having the wrong expectations of the film, because I really enjoyed watching it. And if you like a film that's over the top, doesn't take itself seriously, is a bit silly and doesn't ask for much brain activity (I mean this in a good way), then you will probably enjoy it too.

Ratings: 3.5 out 5 stars

Shine bright like a diamond... Aussie Miracle Shine Shampoo and Deep Treatment

Aussie Miracle Shine Shampoo and 3 Minute Miracle Shine Deep Treatment

I'm currently reading The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. Well, I say 'currently reading'. I've been so swamped in work lately, that unfortunately I haven't gotten round to much reading. However, so far I'm loving it and the world Rothfuss creates for his characters is amazing.

Whilst I haven't had much time off, some things always need to be done. Like washing your hair. And who knew that the right shampoo and conditioner can make so much difference for your hair? When my hair looked like it belonged on a hay bale a couple of weeks ago, I knew it was time to change my shampoo. Luckily I still had these two products waiting on a shelf: Aussie Miracle Shine Shampoo and 3 Minute Miracle Shine Deep Treatment. I've used Aussie products in the past and loved them, and the same goes for the 'Miracle Shine' line. After just using them a couple of weeks, I know there's no going back for me. My hair looks so much more nourished and a friend of mine even complemented me on my hair, saying it looked velvet-like. So if you want smooth, shiny and velvety hair, give these products a go. I can especially recommend the 3 Minute Deep Treatment, it's amazing!

The Order of Odd-Fish - James Kennedy

The Order of Odd-Fish by James Kennedy. Published by Laurel-Leaf / Random House, 2008.

The Order of Odd-Fish by James Kennedy is about a thirteen-year-old girl named Jo Larouche. Jo lives with her aunt Lily in the Californian desert, where she was left as a baby with the following note: "This is Jo. Please take care of her. But beware. This is a dangerous baby." When a series of events takes Jo and Lily to the magical place of Eldritch City, it slowly becomes clear why Jo is so dangerous.

It took me a while to really get into this book. Jo is a likeable character and easy to identify with, but the story makes weird little jumps and when they are still in California, it is all a bit unclear as to what exactly is going on. Once they are in Eldritch City, however, it all started to make more sense and the writing style seemed to fit this environment much better and became more engaging. The environment of Eldritch City really saved the story and I loved all the descriptions of this weird and wonderful place. All the bits about the customs and history of this place are so much fun to read because they are so incredibly random.

To me, the Order of Odd-Fish, where Jo stays, is one of the best things about the book. The Order's mission is to make an appendix filled with pointless and 'properly dubious' information. All the knights of the Order have their own specialty, like dithering, absurd animals, improbable botany, and ludicrous weaponry. They pursue knowledge for knowledge and no other reason. I think this attitude is great; even though you know it will never be useful, random things are the most fun to learn about and to amaze your friends with.

Eldritch City is a great place to read about, and I wish I could visit it. It is the place to go to if you want to have an adventure, and Jo constantly falls from one adventure into the other. Besides adventure, the place is filled with wonderfully weird characters who are a joy to read about. Despite its slow start, I've become incredibly fond of this book and was sad to turn the last page. I hope James Kennedy will bring out another book soon, preferably set in this magical place again.

Ratings: 4 out of 5 stars 

Paris, Candy, Midnight

I'm off to Paris in a couple of days, and watching this film Wes Anderson directed for Prada has put me right in the mood for France.

The actress who plays Candy, Léa Seydoux, also plays a part in Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris, another great film with Parisian vibes.

So if you'd like to go to Paris, but aren't able to, you can still visit it in your livingroom whilst watching these two films. It's like you're there yourself!

Escaping the Summer Heat - Pacific Rim

Pacific Rim (2013) Directed by Guillermo del Toro

While most people couldn't be happier that it's finally starting to look like summer, all I want to do is escape the heat as much as possible. One of the best ways to do this, I find, is by going to the cinema, where the airconditioning is keeping things cool and there is something on the screen to entertain you. So off I went, to see Pacific Rim.

I'd read some reviews online and all of them agreed that Pacific Rim is a fun film. And I couldn't agree more with them; Pacific Rim is great fun to watch. There is great banter between all the characters, and even though they don't all get along all the time, we know they love each other deep down (Newton and Gottlieb, anyone?). Besides that, there are awesome Australians, wicked Russians, cool Chinese triplets, and a very bad-ass Idris Elba. Not to forget the giant aliens and ginormous robots (seriously, those Jaegers are big!).

Raleigh (Charlie Hunnam) and Mako (Rinko Kikuchi)

But the best thing about the film is the connection between Raleigh (Charlie Hunnam) and Mako (Rinko Kikuchi). Raleigh is the beaten down veteran, trying to get to the top again and Mako is the newbie, who wants to be given the chance to prove herself. These two clearly care about each other. They refuse to let the other give up and help each other to keep fighting. Co-pilots of a Jaeger need to have a special connection, and these two are most certainly Jaeger-compatible.

If you want to be entertained, go see Pacific Rim. I could write a long essay about the strengths and weaknesses of this film, but all you really need to know is that this film is fun, fun, fun. All Pacific Rim wants to do is provide you with some good entertainment. And let's face it, that's why we go to the cinema; to be entertained.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Ready Player One - Ernest Cline

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. Published by Arrow Books / Random House

Let's start by saying that Ready Player One is a very geeky book. It is a science fiction novel chuck full of references to eighties popular culture, and every page is filled with names of video games, films and obscure bands from that decade. Whilst it might seem odd that a story set in the future is so focused on the past, it does a beautiful job of highlighting one of the main reasons why people read (and enjoy other narrative media): escapism. And this book is sure to provide you with some nice hours away from the real world.

Ready Player One is set in a dystopian future, where earth is incredibly polluted and the majority of the people live in dangerous campervans camps, known as the Stacks because of the towers of campervans just waiting to collapse. To escape this depressing reality, people log in to the OASIS, a virtual world made up of thousands of different planets that combines elements from Second Life with World of Warcraft, and spend their lives there. Most people have lost all hope, but there is one thing that keeps people going: the quest for Halliday's Easter Egg. James Halliday is the creator of the OASIS with no living heirs. After his death, a video is released in which he explains that he has hidden easter eggs throughout the OASIS in the shape of keys and portals, and that whoever manages to find all three keys and to go through all three portals will inherit his fortune and controlling stake in GSS, the company that owns the OASIS. To help people Halliday has put Anorak's Almanac online, a diary in which he has written down all his thoughts and which is the largest reference book to eighties pop culture. The book begins five years after the start of the Hunt, and so far, no one has managed to find the first key.

Our protagonist, Wade Owen Watts or Parzival, as his OASIS character is called, is a gunter, an egg hunter. Like most people in this world, he is dissilliusioned by reality. In the real world, he is an orphan who lives with an aunt who hates him and he has no real friends. He spends most of his time in the OASIS, and even goes to school there. Wade has no money, and therefore he can't afford any special features or even transportation to other planets inside the OASIS. Because of this, the odds are very small that he will find any of the eggs. But, as a true underdog, he eventually solves the first riddle and manages to be the first to collect the Copper Key. From this point onwards, the race is on!

I cannot begin to say how much I enjoyed reading this book. Wade is a very likeable character with a great sense of humour, and as a reader, you want him to win the Hunt. The other characters are great fun to read about as well, and Cline provides some great sidekicks and enemies for Wade to interact with. Cline's writing style pulled me in right from the start; at times I was so invested in the story and the race for the keys that I had to calm myself down before I read on. Besides this, all the eighties references are a great aspect of the book; even though I hardly recognized half of the names being thrown at me, it just adds a great atmosphere to the book because you associate a certain feeling and vibe with the eighties.

There was one point in the story where it slightly lost me; the point after Wade has cleared the first portal and sort of moves on from the underdog position. Part of his charm is that he finds the first key against all odds. After finding the first key, he makes money by signing sponsorship deals and with this money, Wade buys all this state of the art equipment. At this point, it felt like he was no longer an underdog and he had become a bit more arrogant. Luckily, once the Hunt continues, this feeling went away and I found myself rooting for Wade again.

This book has it all; not only is it great escapism, it also provides a critical view on the role technology plays in our everyday lives. I was surprised to find out that Ready Player One is Cline's debut novel, as it is such a good read and written in such an amazing voice. I would highly recommend this book to everyone, whether you like sci-fi or not. That's because this book is not about spaceships or virtual realities, it's not even about eighties references; it is about great characters you come to love and who you want to cheer on throughout the entire book.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars