5 lessons of July

21:02 Leila Gunn 3 Comments

I thought I’d post my ‘5 lessons’ post a little earlier this month, because I’m going to Ibiza soon and I’m not too sure how strong the Wi-Fi connection will be. However, if the connection is good, you can expect to see lots of posts from me! If not, I’ll tell you all about it when I get back… but for now, here's what I've learnt this month.

 1. Follow your instincts – I'm sure you've all heard this one time and time again. This month, all of my friends went to Brownstock festival. I hadn’t bought a ticket, because I wasn’t too sure I would cope very well at Brownstock (no sleep for three nights doesn’t suit me....) Nevertheless, I did want to go - I hate the idea of missing out on all the fun because I’m so boring! However, a couple of weeks before the festival, we had an assembly at school about volunteering at Village Green. I knew I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to be a journalist at the event, (it’s what I want to do with my life after all!) so I decided to volunteer instead of going to Brownstock. To be honest, Brownstock sounded like great fun, but I’m glad I stuck with my gut instinct. Although I didn't know I'd be carrying out interviews when I volunteered, if I had have gone to Brownstock, I might never had had the opportunity to interview/meet one of my favourite bands ‘Nothing But Thieves.’ Isn't life just full of surprises?

 2. Eat Tiffin and exercise in equal measure - as you can see from past posts, I've tried my hand at baking this month, and I've actually really enjoyed it. Usually I hate any kind of cooking because I don't really have the patience, time or skill... which is why the Malteser Tiffin recipe was perfect for me! It was so easy to make, involved minimal washing up, and there was no actual 'baking' in the oven - pop it in the fridge for a couple of hours (if that) and you're ready to indulge. And when I say indulge, I mean indulge! Tiffin is possibly one of the most unhealthy things I've ever eaten, let alone made. It is incredibly rich and incredibly delicious - and for those reasons alone I highly recommend!

3. Say yes – This may seem slightly hypocritical following what I’ve just said, as I didn’t ‘say yes’ to going to Brownstock. However, if it hadn’t have clashed with Village Green, I’d like to think I would’ve mustered up the courage to go. This was in fact one of my New Year’s resolutions – to do something new, something different. If somebody asks if you'd like to do something, go somewhere etc. do it! Within reason of course... *insert the old ‘if someone asked you to jump off of a cliff’ line….. I think it's best to just try to grab any opportunity available to you and run with it. As my boss said to me the other day, if nothing else, it’s a story to tell the future grandkids! However, something I have realised this month, and selfish as it may sound, is that you must do it for you. If you’re not having fun when doing it, stop and do something else. Life's too short.

4. Rest up – this is a lesson I’ve learnt the hard way this month. I wasn’t very well in the first couple of weeks of July, but continued to work, go out, go to the gym etc. instead of resting. Consequently, I have just finished a course of antibiotics for a virus which caused me to have a croaky voice for 2 weeks and kept me up all night coughing. Perhaps this lesson should also be called ‘listen to your parents’, because I didn’t in this situation. I always try to hold off from taking medicines- I like to think my immune system can handle it, although I’m not sure how biologically accurate that is.... However, sometimes it's better to just slow down for a bit, curl up on the sofa and have a snooze. Chances are you’ll probably recover quicker and feel better for it. I wish I’d done this, so I’d have felt fighting fit again in no time, rather than a spluttering mess!

 5. Silence speaks when words can’t – This is something I’ve not only practiced quite a lot this month, but it's also probably one of the most important things I’ve learnt whilst growing up – Not every action requires a reaction. People will always try to push your buttons, normally for attention, sometimes because they enjoy seeing you become frazzled, but it's so important not to bite. I found it really difficult to understand this when I was young, if somebody said something I didn't agree with (usually to deliberately wind me up), I'd always rise to the argument to fight my corner. Although I think I still can be a little hot-headed and stubborn, I try to only act upon my frustration when I think it's really necessary. Nowadays, a lot of the time I think it's just a waste of energy trying to win an argument against some people, it's far easier to agree to disagree. At the end of the day, some things just really are better off left unsaid.

3 comments:

Costa - it's not all sunny in Southend....

19:32 Leila Gunn 2 Comments

Today was the grand unveiling of the Costa coffee shop in Thorpe Bay... sort of. There was no grand opening, no publicity hype.... which was strange considering only two days ago the sign outside wasn't even up! Anyway, of course, as a Thorpe Bay local, I had to check it out.

My brothers and I journeyed to the Broadway at 4:00pm, leaving the dog at home because we expected it to be packed, but there was hardly anyone in there! This surprised me, considering the hot air which has surrounded it's opening, particularly from people my age. Perhaps, like me, the rest of Thorpe Bay was in the dark about the opening, as I only heard about it on the off-chance that a friend had been walking through the Broadway and popped in for a drink. I suppose it was a pretty unusual time of day to go for coffee too...


The opening of Costa in Thorpe Bay Broadway has been a controversial topic over the past year, with a divide between the locals for and against its opening. Surprisingly there doesn't seem to be as much local media coverage as I had expected to find about this, so I'm going to summarise a few of the arguments in bullet points;

Against

- Some have described it as a 'kick in the teeth' for local coffee shop Ciao, expecting people to choose Costa for their afternoon cuppa now instead.
- There are already two Costa coffees' in Southend High Street, and one in Leigh-on-Sea broadway - why is there a need for another?
- The broadway should support local brands, not commercial giants like Costa, Tesco and Ladbrokes.

For

- Providing 8-10 jobs in the broadway, supposedly recruiting local people.
- Putting Thorpe Bay broadway on the map - Costa is a well-known brand and popular chain of coffee shops, therefore attracting more people to shop and drink in Thorpe Bay. It's time the Broadway became more commercial to attract more visitors.
- More people in the area should mean more people spending money in other local business outlets, creating a positive multiplier effect.

I can understand why some people may be apprehensive about the opening of a large commercial franchise in the Broadway, seeing it as a slippery slope away from supporting local businesses. However, after visiting Thorpe Bay Costa today on opening day myself, I would (perhaps prematurely) argue that there's nothing too threatening to worry about at the moment.

There were still people sitting outside Ciao drinking their teas and coffees in the sunshine, and Costa was not nearly as busy as I would have thought. I have also found my past experiences in Ciao and Costa to be very different. From my experience in other Costa's, they're very busy to say the least! You don't tend to chat to the Baristas serving you, as the turn around of drinks and food in the high-pressure environment is so fast. In contrast, my experience in Ciao has always been very different, not as busy, and therefore a more relaxed environment where staff chat to locals, which can only be a positive factor in ensuring a returning customer right?


Therefore, I'm not convinced that the opening of Costa is a bad thing. At the end of the day, people are going to visit the coffee shop that serves the nicest drinks, is the best value for money and has the best customer service - it's as simple as that. I think those who have always gone to Ciao will continue to do so, as I hope a good reputation and a friendly environment is enough to maintain its popularity with locals. I believe this matters far more in a smaller-scale environment such as Thorpe Bay, as oppose to the commercial environment of the High Street, where I can see that the opening a coffee shop like Costa in competition with a local one could be quite detrimental for the latter.

The fact is, it will be a shame if Ciao begins to struggle, however I don't think people should start throwing their toys out of the pram about Costa's opening yet. I do think there is the potential for both to succeed in Thorpe Bay Broadway, mainly because of the difference in the way they operate.  I may be wrong, as when Thorpe Bay locals catch wind of Costa's opening, I'm sure it will attract more attention, however I really don't think anybody needs to jump ship yet.

But, as I said in my last post, watch this space!


2 comments:

The Shoeburyness Hotel

23:30 Leila Gunn 1 Comments

Tuesday night featured an impromptu visit to the Shoeburyness Hotel. A slightly misleading name, as it is no longer a hotel establishment, nevertheless providing a beautiful building home to a restaurant/bar. I really like the Shoeburyness Hotel, not only because it's so conveniently close (if you get the C2C line to Shoeburyness station, it's only a 5-minute walk), but also because the food is fantastic. 





Here's a quick run through of what we ate;


 King Prawn Tempura

I'd been to a friends' Barbecue earlier in the day and was pretty stuffed with burgers - it's a hard life.... So, I ordered the king prawn tempura from the starter menu and a portion of double-cooked chips (I can't help it, they're irresistible). I can honestly say, I have eaten a fair few battered king prawns in my time (I'm a bit of an addict actually....) but I have never had any as delicious as those at the Shoeburyness Hotel. They were just incredible, fresh but crispy, and not too greasy - perfect. The chips were delightful too, I've harped on about this in a previous post, but I really do love a hand-cut chip. 


Noccerella Olives - I really dislike Olives, but even I have to admit that these Olives almost look good enough to eat....almost.


Garlic Ciabatta Bread


Italian cured meat antipasti - I've never tried Parma Ham and blue cheese together before, but it was fab!


Fish and Chips 


(From top) Stuffed Mushrooms with Mozarella [I have a big love for mushrooms, I could eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner. However, I usually find they're ruined when stuffed and fried, because they become too greasy. This wasn't the case here at all - the pesto and mozarella filling is incredible.] King Prawn Tempura (again), Saute diced potatoes with tomato, garlic and chilli, Glazed barbecue chicken.

My family are pickers - we rarely order separate/individual dishes, instead ordering a tad too many dishes (in my eyes) or a 'platter/tapas' (in those of my mother.) We're not really massive dessert fans (although I am, I do try to be restrained) but fortunately/unfortunately, we're a foodie family. Fortunately in that I'm very grateful to my parents that they encouraged me to try lots of different foods when I was younger, forcing me out of that fussy eating stage, which I am told I was stuck in for the first 6 years of my life... Unfortunately, this means that we always over-order, because we can never decide on what to eat - we just want to try everything! Saying that, looking at the photos now, it appears that maybe we didn't eat as much as I thought. However, we did re-order the prawns once or twice - they were too delicious not to...

So as you can see, we didn't have a big, formal sit-down meal, but I think that's what's charming about the place. We just sat on the sofas in the bar area, having a drink and a chat, petting an adorable bulldog called Lenny (I always like a dog-friendly restaurant). It's just a chilled, friendly environment - the staff seem to really know the people eating in the restaurant, which is always a good sign. I think it's really nice when you can actually speak to and get to know the people cooking your food, for both parties involved. For the business, in ensuring the paying customer becomes a regular at your establishment, but also for the customer, in that they feel they've been looked after - lovely lovely.



I also had a little explore... Although I've been to the Shoeburyness Hotel before, it appears that every time I visit, the whole place has been made-over. Nevertheless, I really like the current layout; there's a restaurant area, which has lots of old photos of Southend and Shoebury, which I think is a really nice touch.





There's also a Bar, with it's own menu;



And there's a new 'underground' bar area called 'The Cellar', which isn't quite finished yet, but I got a sneak peak. Admittedly from upstairs, it does look pretty spooky, but it's really cool inside. However, with a particularly low ceiling, I'd reconsider going down there if you're over 5'6 and don't feel like crouching for a while.... Aside from that, watch this space!









I really can't fault the Shoeburyness Hotel - delicious food, nice decor, lovely staff and pet-friendly... what more could you ask for?

1 comments:

Free the Nipple

19:51 Leila Gunn 2 Comments

In year 12 at my school, everybody has the opportunity to do an EPQ (an extended project qualification). This is a qualification which is equivalent to an AS, but totally decided by you, researching and then presenting your EPQ on whichever topic you wish. For example, a past EPQ student choreographed a dance representing geological activity, another baked a cake to show where different ingredients from the world are sourced as a result of colonialism. The title of the EPQ has to be a question - something you can research in order to eventually come to a conclusion. 

I originally found it really difficult to come up with an EPQ title (mainly because I am soooo indecisive). I am currently thinking of studying Geography and Spanish at university, therefore I was looking to do a geography-based EPQ. However, after speaking to my supervisor, he suggested that I do something different, something that'll make me stand out, that I'm really interested in, but have never had the scope to research within the formal curriculum. Now this got me a little worried, because I couldn't think of anything I'm really interested in that I'm dying to know the answer to..... Until I stumbled across the Free the Nipple campaign.



I'd heard about the Free the Nipple campaign before on social networking sites, but had never really looked into the ins and outs of it. All I knew was that it's a pretty controversial issue, but didn't know why the movement had come about.

So to give you some context, the Free the Nipple campaign was started by actress and activist Lina Esco. It saw a surge in publicity recently when Scout Willis' (daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore) photo of a jacket with an image of her friends topless on the back was taken down by Instagram. There was a subsequent huge uproar about double standards/patriarchy in society regarding the censorship of women's breasts in the media, resulting in Ruth deciding to strut the streets of New York topless. 

Censorship has always interested me, I guess due to my interest in the media and journalism. I try to be as honest as possible with what I say on this blog, however I am very conscious of the fact that I shouldn't post certain photos and should be very careful how I phrase things...

My exact title for my EPQ is this; Is the 'Free the Nipple' campaign a stand against institutionalised censorship and double standards in society, or an example of feminism going too far?

So, as research for my EPQ, I would like to ask you guys about your opinions on the Free the Nipple campaign. And I want you to be as honest as possible - I won't publish any contributors' names in my final piece. As a starting point, I will post a poll with a couple of 'yes/no' questions about the campaign, so if you don't want to write your opinion here, this will still give me a fairly good idea of how people feel about it.

For those of you who want to find out more about the campaign before forming an opinion, here are a couple of links which I think could be of use;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_the_Nipple_(campaign)

http://freethenipple.com/

 http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/apr/06/free-the-nipple-liberation-photos-breasts 

If you could leave a few words in the comment section, that would be extremely helpful and I would be forever grateful. Thank you in advance, and I look forward to hearing what you all think!

2 comments:

'Slutty Brownies', as inspired by Rosie

10:17 Leila Gunn 4 Comments

Today I thought I'd post something a little different....

The other day, I was telling my friend Ola about a recipe I had seen on Rosie's site (http://www.thelondoner.me/2011/06/slutty-brownies.html) called 'Slutty Brownies' which looked beyond delicious. Her recipe also looked pretty straight forward, which is perfect for someone like me who isn't quite Delia Smith in the kitchen... yet. So with time to kill and rumbling stomachs, we decided to spend the first day of our Summer holidays baking. Says it all really doesn't it!



Rosie's original recipe advised that we use cookie and brownie ready mixes - to quote Rosie, 'life's just too short' to make them from scratch. We liked this idea - less washing up right? So we took a quick trip to the shop to buy our mixes.

It should have been pretty straight forward, all you have to do is chuck it all into a bowl, mix it together and you're ready to go! Unless, like us, you only buy one box of cookie mix which serves 8, and therefore doesn't even cover the whole base of the tin.....

Which meant we had to improvise, making our own cookie dough instead (for some reason we thought this would be less effort than just taking another trip to the shop...)

Our recipe was as follows;


  • 1 pack of cookie mix
  • 1 pack of brownie mix
  • 2 packs of Oreos (You could probably use any biscuit really, I reckon the more chocolaty the better. I was looking at some Cadburys caramel biscuits in the shop which looked rather tempting...)

Extra cookie dough;


  • 175 grams butter

  • 215 grams Plain flour


  • 1 egg yolk

  • 110 grams Caster sugar


  • 65 grams of chocolate chips (I actually advise you use more than this (I did). Let's be honest, if you're making cookie dough-Oreo-brownies, what harm are a few extra chocolate chips going to do? And it makes for a gooier brownie - win!)

  • 2 tsp vanilla extract

  • Water (No set amount - just enough to get a 'squidgy' consistency)


It's best to make the cookie dough first as it is the first layer. We made the cookie mix and then added the home-made cookie dough, but of course you can skip the mix completely and make the cookie dough from scratch.

Begin by preheating the oven to 180°C, or if your oven is as ridiculously hot as mine, 20°C less than advised - I think this is why our brownie wasn't as gooey as we would have liked. Just keep poking a metal skewer in the top - if it comes out covered in hot brownie, get it out of the oven pronto! In my opinion - the gooier the brownie the better.

Anyway, here's our method to make the cookie dough - I admit it was a little bit trial and error but we used the 'BBC Good Food; adaptable cookie dough' recipe to guide us....

1. Add the butter and Caster sugar to a bowl and cream together until smooth.


2. Add the egg yolk and mix. Then add the plain flour, vanilla extract and mix well.



3. Then come the chocolate chips (go on, be generous!)


4. If the cookie dough still seems too dry, add a little water until the texture is 'squidgy'

5. And you're done! Spoon into a grease-lined baking tray (or use baking paper like us)



6. You're then ready to add the Oreos. We couldn't get 5 Oreos in each line - we snapped a couple in half just so we didn't miss out.




Time to move onto the Brownies! As I said, we just used the ready mix for this, but if you have time feel free to make them from scratch.

There's not a lot to talk about with this one - all you need is 1 egg. The method on the back of the box talks you through the rest.... Sooooo easy and minimal washing up i.e. my kind of cooking!




Pour the brownie mix on top of the Oreos and chuck it in the oven - bake for 35-50 minutes depending on how gooey you want the brownie to be.



And of course, you can't start cleaning up before licking the spoon - you've earned it!



Here's our finished product - yes it tasted as good as it looked, even if I do say so myself....



Leave on a baking tray to cool - but I'd recommend sneaking a piece whilst still warm if you like melted chocolate... You could also try cutting it into shapes like us (it was a friend's 18th birthday party in the evening - a homemade 'Slutty Brownie' made a nice alternative to a birthday cake.)




So I hope you've enjoyed my slightly random blog post and my questionable recipe... if you don't trust my recipe entirely (I forgive you in advance), give Rosie's a try. Admittedly hers looked even better than mine.

To be fair though, I've only recently got into cooking. Although I don't enjoy it that much yet, it's just one of those life skills you inevitably have to learn - whilst I have some free time over the Summer I might as well get started.... So I was thinking about posting a 'Recipe of the week' or something along those lines, so you can all have a good laugh at my lack of cooking ability.

But I'd really recommend giving this recipe a go. Eating it warm with a dollop of vanilla ice-cream for dessert is just delightful. Although it may be 1000000000000 calories per piece, trust me, it's worth it!

4 comments:

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