The Martian review

One of the best things I have ever acquired is my Cineworld Unlimited card. I've always been a huge film fan, but they are just so flipping expensive to go to now, you'd have to remortgage your house to go more than once a year. So for just over £16 a month, I can happily toddle off to see any film as many times as I like. Getting discounted snacks is also a bonus (although my diet might disagree. One benefit I hadn't utilised until this weekend was the Unlimited screenings. Every month, card holders can book to see a film in advance of its release date. Having been either unavailable on those nights, or just not that keen on the film, I hadn't bothered. But on Sunday, The Martian was showing, so I decided to go along.

Based on the best-selling novel by Andy Weir, The Martian introduces us to Mark Watney, astronaut and botanist, who has been stranded on Mars after being struck by debris during a storm and presumed dead by his crewmates. Waking up to total isolation and likely starvation (that's if the injury he acquired during said storm doesn't take a turn for the worst), his prospects are looking a little, well, terrifying. At this point I would probably have lied down and awaited my impending doom. But Watney gets to business. He rations his food. He sets about growing potatoes using some less than pleasant methods. He tries to make contact with NASA And he starts a one-man mission of survival. All the time documenting his progress on his shelter's video feed, and denouncing his commanding officers' taste in music.

Matt Damon is the perfect casting for Watney. Resourceful, determined and pretty bloody funny, Damon brings the character a warmth and depth that makes you root for him. Demonstrating a guy who's only coping mechanism is to talk to his 'audience', he spends much of the film addressing us, developing a real connection with the people watching him, making you care. The moment when he welcomes his first budding plant, the symbol of his hopes at surviving, is truly touching, and he doesn't ham it up or play the emotion card. He is simply a man trying to live until someone can save him.

Watney's screen time is interspersed with scenes of his crew, currently on their long journey home and mourning their friend, blaming themselves for his 'demise' and waiting patiently to return home to their loved ones. Jessica Chastain plays mission commander Melissa, shouldering the burden of knowing that she ordered their departure, leaving one of their number behind. She does this brilliantly, again, without overacting the emotion.

Meanwhile we also see NASA HQ, announcing the demise of one of their own, then coming to the slow realisation that they had been premature in their assumptions. They crack on with a rescue plan, desperately trying to establish how to bring a lone astronaut home from 140 million miles away. Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sean Bean, Kristin Wiig and Jeff Daniels  are the big hitters making the life-saving decisions, squabbling amongst each other, but putting on a united front. For various different reasons, they all want to bring their boy home, and it's enough to force them to work together. It would have been nice to have more time with these characters, all fantastic in their own way, but with so much happening, it would be impossible to extend their presence. They provided some of my favourite moments. Jeff Daniels and Sean Bean verbally sparring on whether to inform the crew members of their crewmates' survival, Kristin Wiig as the under pressure PR agent trying to put a positive spin on NASA effectively colonising Mars without meaning to, and Ejiofor's mission director Vincent's email conversations with an increasingly hacked-off Watney using some rather colourful language that the whole world is able to view.

Rather than just trying to mesmerise the audience with crazy science and breathtaking scenery (it still does both), Ridley Scott has given us a film with a lot of heart, and a great hero. I found myself holding my breath at certain parts, holding on to the arms of my seat. You don't just watch Watney trying to survive, you're there with him, willing him on. Every character, whilst being flawed, makes you want them to be successful. You like these people, you see what they're up against, and you're sure as hell thankful you're not the one making their decisions. The scenery is spectacular, the soundtrack is spot on, and the humour/drama balance is just about perfect. It's one to watch.

The Martian comes out in UK cinemas on Wednesday 30th Sept 2015.

Literary love

*A warning. I will be talking books here, they may be books you have read, they might not. They may be newer stories, or old ones. I promise I'll try not to include spoilers, but I apologise now if one or two slip out.

My bookcase is overstuffed. Gone are the days when the books lined up neatly next to one-another, smartly displaying their spines and hinting at the wonders within. Now it resembles a post-war battlefield, with novels scrambling on top of recipe books, autobiographies buried under a mountain of Harry Potter. It makes me ridiculously happy. Because the more chaos on the shelves, the more books are living on them. I would rather this than the dreaded Kindle. I know, I know, many of my friends LOVE theirs, preaching to me about their benefits. But something about them feels off, there's no personality there, and no smell. Stories should smell, whether it's the crisp 'new book' whiff when you first open the cover, or a musty, old, mysterious pong emitted by a dusty old tomb. Either way, books should whiff in my world.

I loved reading since I was little. I consumed my lower school library at an alarming rate and had to resort to either re-reading the same stories or begging my parents to buy/loan more for me. Not much has changed really.

My reading is going through something of a renaissance. I got into a loop of Philippa Gregory's Cousins War novels, and George R. R. Martin's monster Game of Thrones collection. There is not one thing wrong with this, both authors have produced some of my recent favourites, and I'm silently willing Martin to hurry up and finish the next book before I have a heart attack about Jon Snow.
But I decided it needed to drag myself into some different literature.

I used to be part of a (now non-existent) book club. Hosted by 2 lovely ladies who work at my local Waterstones, we used to congregate at the store after closing once a month and discuss our recent reads. I met some truly great people and read some brilliant books that I otherwise probably wouldn't have stumbled across. Unfortunately due to dwindling numbers the group stopped. I'm still holding out hope it will reconvene in the future. So I am now holding my own one-woman book group, making it my ambition to read any text my ink-stained fingers can grasp hold of. Starting with the pile I had left from my book group.

One of the best books I have ever read stemmed from joining my fellow book lovers in the back of Waterstones. Songs of Achilles had been catching my eye for a while. When it was my turn to suggest the list of 6 books we would be choosing to read that particular month, there was no hesitation, it went to the top. Luckily my fellow members agreed and voted it in. Author Madeline Miller gives her take on The Iliad tells the story of Achilles and Patroclus, and how their relationship blossoms despite their obvious differences. The character development is brilliantly executed, making you really care for them and offering a depth to Achilles character that I've yet to find elsewhere. Rather than just portraying him as the doomed hero, she demonstrates his ability to love, to care and to be torn when his loyalties are being tugged in more than one direction. She made him more human. I am a fan of Greek mythology, and sometimes find it difficult to enjoy the take of others on these characters. But Miller has an obvious affection for them, taking a well-known and well-worn story and giving it new life, delivering it with compassion and enthusiasm. Once I read a book, I tend to pass it on, either because I want to share the story with somebody else, or I just want it out of my house because it's a disappointment. This one has stayed firmly tucked away on the shelf, and will be doing so for the foreseeable future.

Once I've finished a book, the perusal of the shelves begins again, and I have to find something to take my mind away from the previous read. A few weeks ago I found a copy of The Night Circus looking forlorn in the corner so I decided to rescue it. Instant favourite. In a whimsy-filled, modern day fairytale, Erin Morgenstren has created some of the most vivid, enticing imagery I have ever read. A unique idea, her story follows a competition between the proteges of two magicians, Marco and Celia and the mysterious night circus that acts as their arena. Initially not even knowing who their opponents are, the circus is created by their collective talents, introducing a wealth of exotic, wonderful characters. It is beautiful, mesmerising in it's detail, charming in its heart. Please don't be fooled by it's 'fairytale' description, it is an epic tale of love, an enchanting slice of fantasy, it whisks you from wonder to wonder. Another one that will be staying on the book shelf, and if Le Cirque des Reves appears in a field near me anytime soon, I'll be the first in line for tickets.

I have consumed many a book in recent months, some I have loved, some I've liked, some I've given away hoping never to see them again (Room, I'm looking at you here). I won't throw them all at you now, but I will write about more of them in the future. If you love a good book and enjoy reading, please take a look at the 2 above. They are incredibly different to each other, and different in general. I received so much pleasure from reading them both, I'd love to share that with you :)  

Baking, Colouring and Bedtime Stories

I've been a bit quiet on the blogging front the past few days, and it is, I'll admit, due to the fact I have been inordinately boring this week. As much as I love being here, there and everywhere, life (and work) will interrupt the fun occasionally.

That's not to say I haven't enjoyed my week. Having a lovely meal cooked by, and spending some quality time with, my best friend has been a highlight, as was reading her gorgeous little girl a bedtime story (everyone loves a good fairy story right?). That combined with a bit of Bake Off made for a lovely evening.

Tonight I'm assisting in the making of a good old Victoria Sponge Cake for a Macmillan Coffee Morning. I'll be using the 'all in one' method a la Mary 'Bezza' Berry. As in literally launching all ingredients in the food mixer in one fell swoop and letting it work its magic. I enjoy making more intricate fare, but sometimes there's nothing more satisfying than bunging a load of flour sugar and butter into a bowl without worrying about knocking the air out of it or being too heavy-handed.

Once the baking magic is complete I'll be settling down in my PJs to Game of Thrones and possibly a bit of colouring. Yes, I have joined the adult ranks of the colouring book world, a guilty pleasure I'm not too embarrassed to admit. The artwork in my book (Animal Kingdom by Millie Marotta) is so intricate in its detail, you really feel like the artist. Which is no mean feat in my house, whenever I draw it looks like an attempt made by the foot of an over-excited elephant with glaucoma. I am slightly concerned that, as the nights get darker and colder, I'm going to forget how to socialise and will become an arty hermit. But I'm prepared to run that risk.

Other than that, I'm looking towards the weekend. I'm planning on getting some winter planting done, and perhaps a visit to the cinema. Anyone out there with an Unlimited Card, there is a preview viewing of The Martian showing on Sunday. Reviews are looking good, so I may pop along. I'll let you all know what I think! Book tickets here if you want to see it for yourself - http://www1.cineworld.co.uk/blog/unlimited-screening-the-martian-movie/. 

Apples, pumpkins and rugby (not all at the same time)

I don't know about you, but I could definitely use a few days off to recover from the weekend. It was hectic, packed to the rafters with goings on.

First up was watching England cruise their way through the opening game of the World Cup and a cinema trip on Friday night to see The Visit. If you enjoy kooky, off-the-wall horror flicks, it's worth a watch. A 'found footage' film, it focusses on the very first meeting between 2 siblings and their grandparents, the elders having been estranged from the mother of the children for years. It has some serious comedy value thrown in, usually down to Ed Oxenbould, who plays younger brother Tyler.

Saturday was spent viewing every rugby game I could get my eyes on, attempting to bake my first eggless cake for a friend (I think I seriously need practice, while it tasted ok, it was as flat as a pancake), and the boring bits like housework, but the less said about that the better. Aside from boring laundry, the rugby was brilliant, a cracking start to the World Cup. And with nearly every team I cheered for being victorious, I was pretty pleased. Of course I had to indulge in a Guinness when cheering for the Ireland lads, I'm sure they wouldn't have won otherwise. On top of all that my football team won away from home, so a good sporting weekend all round!

Then on to Sunday. It was a chilly start that morning, and having the time on hand to be lazy about breakfast, I went for porridge. I love how versatile porridge is, plus you have the added benefit of just how long it fills you up for. I went for the slightly unhealthy choice and added a large dollop of golden syrup right in the middle of my bowl, with some grated nutmeg for good measure, to really set me up for the day.

After that we decided to venture out into the glorious sunshine and try to track down a community orchard ' had heard about last week. It took some searching (and some assistance from a very kind woman who spotted us wondering around like lost children), but we eventually found the Park Wood Community Orchard in Brickhill. Tucked away behind some allotments, it opens up off of the side of a track, and you are suddenly besieged by fruit-laden branches. It's utterly gorgeous. Over 250 types of apple, pear, plum (all British varieties), fig, cherry, medlar, mulberry, blackberry and walnut reside in Park Wood, and it's open for anyone to visit and help themselves, asking (quite rightly) that you only take what you need.

We had a lovely morning strolling through the trees, admiring all the different fruits on offer and chatting to the others who had heard about it and decided to visit. I really could pick just one variety, so I grabbed a few different types of apple and a handful of pears. I'm planning another visit next weekend, with the view of making some pies and crumbles from my pickings. There has even been talk of attempting some cider making, but, being reliant on the cost of renting a press, I'll keep you posted on that.

Once we had bid farewell to the orchard (for this week at least), we headed back home. My folks had had a couple of days away and we had house sat for them (or should that be cat-sat?), so I thought it'd be nice for them to come home to something tasty. I had found a can of Libby's pumpkin puree in my cupboard which needed using ASAp, so naturally pumpkin pie was the way forward. If you haven't tried pumpkin pie, it may not look or sound like the most appealing thing in the whole world, but let me assure you it is like a plate full of autumn. My first attempt at making this orangey-brown delight was met with a certain amount of reticence, no-one wanting to be the first to try it. It is now a family favourite and is always a great bargaining tool if I need someone to do me a favour. I will hold up my hands and admit that the pastry is shop bought. I normally make my own, but it never comes out quite the way I want it to. I'm too hot-handed for successful pastry making, and I'm sure Mr. Hollywood would have a field day in picking apart my attempts. So shop bought it was.

The filling is really simple - 250g pumpkin puree (homemade or canned), 2 tbsp maple syrup, 125ml cream, a healthy dose of cinnamon & nutmeg and 2 eggs. Whisk all together, plonk in your blind-baked pie case, and pop into the oven on gas mark 4 for 50 minutes, or until the filling is firm and a golden orange colour. Serve warm with whipped or squirty cream. Not only does it taste magical but it will leave your house smelling amazing for hours afterwards. If you really want to attempt at making your own pumpkin puree, I commend you, but it is a hugely lengthy and messy process. Libby's is ideal, and is now available in a few supermarkets as the demand for American exports has increased. I try to keep a couple of cans tucked away for a rainy day. If you can't get hold of it, or any pumpkins for that matter, butternut squash is a perfect alternative.

Keep an eye on the post, there are more photos to follow. I hope you enjoyed your weekend as much as I did!

Thali & Tandoor

 I love when you receive a message from a great friend that you're not lucky enough to see much, suggesting getting together. Especially when said friend suggests going for a curry! I adore Indian food, but with my gorgeous pal being Indian, she usually fancies something different, Indian food being just, well, food in her house.

But this week she found herself on my wavelength, fancying Indian fare cooked by a different hand. So off we ventured from work to see where we would end up.

A particular restaurant has been on my radar for some time. Opening in early 2014, I kept noticing it on my way through that part of town. With a fresh, modern look and great reviews coming out of its ears, Thali & Tandoor seemed to be a definite on the 'Must Visit' list.

 Offering 'ghar ka khana' or food from the home, Thali & Tandoor boast that they offer a unique insight into Indian cooking, providing home and street foods from the subcontinent, as opposed to the Asian/European hybrid dishes you find being served up in your standard curry house. Online reviews and feedback from pals that have been previously all stated the same thing - this place is great.

Having met straight from work, we arrived at the restaurant early, and for the main part of our visit, were the only customers. Eager to eat, we began scouring through the menu. It is pretty impressive, with a varied selection of different styles of dish, and providing amply for vegetarians. We decided on our dishes and waited patiently to place our order. And waited. Having been the only people there, we had expected to be served swiftly, but it did take quite a while to even order our drinks. This set the tone for our visit, with lengthy waits tainting an otherwise pleasant experiences.
However we did eventually order, and the food was quick to arrive. Our starters - vegetable somosa chaat and onion bhajia fritters - were lovely, and indeed different from what you would expect. My fritters were served in a heated cast iron trough, with a tomato, cucumber and onion salsa spooned on top and a rich house sauce drizzled all over. The perfect size for a starter, it really whet my appetite for the main. The combination of flavours was perfect and beautifully presented.

For our main dishes, we settled on saag aloo, paneer, pepper and sweet potato shashlik, naan bread and tandoori roti. Again, presentation was lovely and appealing, the food smelled great. We did have to ask for part of the dish, the sauces, to be served as it had been forgotten. As with the time we had to wait before ordering, this was a small hiccup, and one that, had they been exceptionally busy, you could completely understand. But at this point, only one other party had settled down at a table. It was also a relatively integral component to the meal itself, so it was a pity that we had to wait for it.

The main dishes did taste good, but unlike the starters, they didn't feel quite as special or as diverse.

The time came to get the bill and pay, but again, we were left unattended for a good 15 minutes before our attempts to garner attention were spotted. That said, our server was lovely and couldn't have been more pleasant.

Once we had paid we stepped out into the evening and discussed our experience. We both agreed that, whilst palatable, having to wait for lengthy intervals to order drinks, order food, receive the bill and pay did interrupt the enjoyment of the evening, and the food wasn't quite delectable enough to make it worthwhile. That said, it is a beautiful space and I can imagine in busier periods it has a great atmosphere, and others have sung its praises on review sites and in passing, so perhaps a future visit and being a bit more experimental with our choices could persuade us otherwise. But with so many other exciting restaurants opening up in this area, that could be a while off.

Regardless of where we go, when in each others' company we will always enjoy ourselves, and, reminiscing about past events and evenings out, we took a stroll along the river back to the car and aimed for home.

 Follow the link to see Thali & Tandoor's menu for yourself - http://www.thaliandtandoor.co.uk/food.

Past travels: Dublin

Recently, I've noticed a lot of my friends posting photos up of trips to Dublin on Facebook. It seems they've all been paying a visit to the Emerald Isles over the past few weeks, and I'm more than a little jealous!

I've been to Dublin a couple of times, and loved every minute of it. It's a beautiful city, and a welcoming one at that. I've never been somewhere that immediately felt so much like home (I'm an O'Brien so that might be something to do it!). The people are a huge part of this, always eager to talk and make a new friend, sharing their local knowledge of where to go and what to do. Ireland is genuinely one of the most welcoming countries I have visited.

I've done the tourist thing. I've visited Temple Bar, shopped on Grafton Street, been to the Guinness Storehouse (amazing, recommend it, want to live there with my face underneath a beer tap in the Gravity Bar). But I was also lucky that I was staying with bona fide Dubliners, and got to see more of the 'local' side to the city as well.

One of my favourite places on my first visit was the Cobblestone pub. Found on King Street, it's an authentic Irish pub, with sessions 7 days a week. The atmosphere is fantastic, the beer is good and the music is wonderful. Don't be fooled by it's exterior appearance, inside is a warm and relaxing bar. It's a far superior experience to the tourist trap of Temple Bar and offers a true taste of traditional Irish pubs.

Another brilliant pub to visit would be O'Donoghues. One of Dublin's oldest pubs, and renowned for it's music, O'Donoghues oozes character. Again, with 7 sessions a week, and a bar lined with partially poured pints of Guinness ready for the next customer, it's a must on any trip through the city. 

There is more to Dublin than just pubs and Guinness (although they are pretty good reasons to visit in my opinion). St Stephen's Green is the park found in the city centre, a tranquil green space amongst the bustle of the city. It feels more like rural Ireland than a city park. Found at the end of Grafton Street, it offers some respite after a busy day's shopping. It is beautiful, with sculptures, water features, memorials and a lake bursting with wildlife. Have a stroll around, or take a seat on one of the many seats and take in the views, definitely visit.

Of course, when in a city, I shop. It would be rude not to. A must on my hitlist is Avoca on Suffolk Street. Named after the town in County Wicklow where it first began, Avoca Handweavers is a mini department store with a difference. Unlike to standard, regimented look of larger stores, Avoca is a treasure trove of hidden gems, bowls and baskets overflowing with jewellery, scarves, trinkets and toiletries. A vintage feel resides in the store, everything perfectly pretty. A cafe can be found upstairs, and, since my last visit, a deli and food hall introduced in the basement. It's seriously dangerous to look at their website but I'm going to share it with you anyway! Check out http://www.avoca.com/.

Shopping takes it out of me, meaning it is a necessity to seek out sustenance. If you find yourself on Grafton Street and you're feeling a bit peckish, pop into Bewleys. Currently closed for refurbishment, if you are heading to the area in a couple of months, you'll be able to catch it in its newly decked-out glory. Previously (and I hope it is retained), a small theatre was found on the top floor, offering lunchtime shows, and provided an evening venue for cabaret, jazz and comedy. On the middle floor a more formal restaurant, and the ground floor a coffee shop, Bewleys has character, and a great full Irish breakfast.

If you are feeling cultural, try to visit Trinity College. Channelling the same sense of peacefulness as St Stephen's Green, Trinity is beautiful. Parliament Square is framed by the Public Theatre, Regent House and the Chapel. It's worth the visit just to look at the buildings, but Trinity also offers Ireland's biggest research library, comprising of several buildings. The Old Library, the original building, is an imposing, fantastic creature, home to the famous Book of Kells and the Trinity College Harp. Packed with history, Trinity is too beautiful an opportunity to pass up on.

If you find yourself fancying a trip away, whether it be a day trip, or a long weekend, Dublin is definitely worth the journey. I'd love to travel around Ireland more to discover other places to fall in love with. I don't know if I've convinced you to pay it a visit, but I might just take a look at some flights for myself...

Plums, plums, plums

Harvest time is upon us, and with it comes an opportunity to get creative with all the gorgeous fruit and veg floating around. Having already pilfered rhubarb from my kind-hearted workmates, and raiding local sloe bushes, I'm starting to drive everyone I know half mad by asking them if I can pay a visit to their fruit trees, or asking for advice on where to find certain fruits so I can go foraging.

But it's thanks to Freecycle, (and a lovely couple with an overactive fruit tree) that I now have a rather large amount of Victoria plums to play around with. Plums are one of my favourite fruits. They are incredibly versatile, and will adapt to pretty much any dish or drink you see fit to create with them. Plus they're perfectly delicious eaten as they are. Having perused my local Freecycle page, I came across someone desperate to get rid of the crate-loads their tree has produced this year. So now I have a bag full residing in my fruit bowl, and another tucked away in the freezer (alongside the rest of the rhubarb and some gooseberries).

It would now appear that my weekend may, prematurely, have a plan put in place. And that plan is plum-shaped.

I've always wanted to try my hand at making plum wine, a rich, fruity drink that would make a great gift for someone. That's if you can bear to give it away. Frozen plums, this is what you will find yourselves being used for in the near future.

For now, I'll settle myself to the task of turning the unfrozen batch into yummy, plummy jam. Jam can be incredibly easy, or a complete pain in the rear, but I've found that my success rate with plum jam is pretty good (however I'll be staying away from figs in the future. At least in a jam-like capacity).

Jam is essentially 3 ingredients - fruit, sugar and water, the water not always being necessary. I really do advise equipping yourself with a proper jam pan, a preserving thermometer and a long-handled wooden spoon if you are planning on making a lot of preserves. They make life so much easier, particularly when finding the setting point of the jam. Also, be sure to check whether the fruit you will be using is high in pectin, or is it will need an additional boost. Plums are naturally high in pectin, so just using preserving or jam sugar will do.

• Wash and stone 1kg of plums, but do not discard the stones, they'll come in handy later. Cut out any bruising on the fruit and place them in your pan with 150ml water. Bring to the boil.
• Once boiling, lower the heat and allow to simmer. At this point, use the wooden spoon to begin to break the fruit down. Continue to simmer for 45 minutes.
• Whilst the fruit is simmering, remove the kernels from the plum stones using a nutcracker. Blanch the kernels in boiling water for a couple of minutes then drain. Now remove the pan from the heat and add 1kg sugar and the kernels. Please note that you don't have to use the kernels, but some think that it improves the flavour of the jam. However, if you don't want the hassle of removing them, or don't like the idea of leaving them in, then feel free to skip that part.
• Stir the sugar through the fruit thoroughly and return to the heat, stirring until all the sugar has dissolved. Bring back to the boil, skimming the surface of any 'scum', until the jam reaches 105c or setting point. This is where a preserving thermometer comes in handy. If you don't have one, place a small amount of jam on a plate and allow to cool slightly. Once cool enough to touch, push the side of it gently with your finger. If the jam wrinkles, it has reached it's setting point and you can begin to jar it. If it doesn't, allow it to continue boiling for another minute or two and then try again.
• Once you have reached setting point, you can jar the jam. Make sure you have sterilised any jars you are using. You can put them into the dishwasher, or wash with very hot soapy water then place in the oven, on a low/medium heat for 30 minutes, keeping them warm until you are potting the jam.
• Once your jars are filled, place a wax disk on top of the mouth of the jar and seal tightly with the lid. Once these have cooled down you can add any label, lid cover or ribbon that you fancy. Make sure you date it. Store in a cool, dark place.