Festival fever!

What is it about us Brits and festivals! We just bloody well love 'em don't we! I myself had no plans to dig out my tent from the back of the garage this summer, but last minute I have been wooed into attending Latitude (the decision made easier by finding a cheaper ticket on eBay!)

This decision I feel is going to be an excellent one! Festivals are made by the people you go with - and the bunch that I am tagging along with (experienced Latitudors) are sure to make it awesome! This coupled with the fact that Latitude promote the arts, as well as the token music, means I get some culture going on as well! Excellent!!

Above is the carnage that ensued from my last festival outing, Leeds 06 (... I think) - to say things got messy is a bit of an understatement, and unsurprisingly the tent et al. did not make it home... R.I.P. Well, I will try and be more respectful to my temporary dwelling this time round!

Bring on Joe Gideon and the Shark, The Phenomenal Handclap Band, and Local Natives (personal recommendation). Sssswwweeeeetttttt!!!

All good things come to an end... sadly

It appears that my time is up at Esquire (sob) - what a fantastic experience. Interning here as been great fun, and I have learnt a lot of insightful and hopefully beneficial things to take away with me... (and got published) Plus, living in London has been amazing - so much cool stuff has happened with the pinnacle being to see Blur at Hyde Park tonight, can't wait! (Although it does look like it's going to bucket it down with rain?!) 

Whilst here I have also gained my good 2:1, which I am totally chuffed with! Hard earned I feel! And spent an awesome time chilling in parks, and paying my respects to Princess Diana. Cycling round London is fun (even if you do nearly get mauled by a double decker bus)! I hope that this is just the start of greater things! There is a potential placement with designer David Collins in the pipeline, so fingers crossed!

Bring on summer now - a bit of Latitude, Paris, and Cornwall are well deserved I feel!

Latitude '09

and,

David Collins

hopefully...

Week Two.

This week has been a much calmer, less frantic affair - even, God-forbid... with nights in! After the craziness that unfolded, I suppose it was about time that 'real' London life really shone through! That said, interesting stuff has still happened, such as seeing and meeting White Denim (who are now my new favourite band), got a degree, killed Michael Jackson, and ate Ethiopian food! 

And on the topic of Ethiopian food... it characteristically consists of spicy vegetable and meat dishes. usually in the form of a wat, a thick stew, served atop injera, a large sourdough flat bread, which is around 50 cm in diameter and is made out of fermented teff flour. Ethiopians eat with their right hands, using pieces of injera to pick up bites of entrees and side dishes. They don't eat pork, as many Ethiopians are either Orthodox Christians, Muslims or Jews. No utensils are used. Just so you know... 

White Denim

Living another way...

So I find myself a week into my internship at Esquire magazine, and not only has a shit load of cool stuff happened, but I have also met some of the wicked-est people! Truly! It has been mad straight from the start. Last Saturday, having only been at 12 Selway House for a matter of hours, I found myself at some posh guys leaving BBQ, and then partying 'til 4 in the morning at Brixton Academy to 2 Many DJs!

Movie premieres, a free jacket, meeting Filthy Dukes, leading dance groups, new salad bars, experiencing Hoxton, seriously, not much more could have happened. Plus, the celebration of the weekend could not have been more epic thanks to Guy's final year show, enforcing the migration of half of Bury St. Edmunds to South London. It was crazy! Now, Sunday evening, it is nearly time to set up the sofa for bed, and I suppose man up, and let the adventure continue...

If bored, check these out:

Faber & Faber 80th anniversary

What we're listening to - Two Door Cinema Club

Filthy Dukes review

RE: From Russia with love...

It turns out that the religious guy mentioned below is actually right about the threat that Russia poses to the world. I suggest that anyone reading this should watch Newsnight - broadcast on Tuesday 9th June... The oil question is very very scary indeed, as the bear has the power to starve countries of this vital resource. Whilst also being able to charge a premium! Ask Hungary...

Although I still maintain that I do not see how the Lord God is going to suck Putin and his followers into a black hole?! And that my 73 year-old friend should be careful in his assumptions that people will immediately concur with what he suggests... But, he is right. So be sure not to shun the next person that talks to you unexpectedly, as they could enlighten you, provoking thought that you had never considered before!

Newsnight - Russian oil 

From Russia with love...

I got the bus yesterday. When in Norwich I usually do travel by public transport, that, or my trusty bike. Anyway, I was on the bus yesterday - this is where I encountered a rather strange man...

Basically, he was 73 years old. I unfortunately did not capture his name. (set the scene) We had both been waiting at the Castle Meadow bus stop together for no fewer than two minutes before he started nattering away, like most old crazy people do! 

On that note, old people do seem to be somewhat fearless when it comes to talking to absolute strangers. I mean when I am waiting for, or on public transport, I tend to keep my head down - no eye contact for me! But this guy, or should I say elderly gentlemen just did not care!

There he was explaining to me about how the bus was going to turn up any minute, and give him his due, he was right, as within an instant the 25 rolled round the corner to pick us up!

Entering the bus:- By this point I am thinking, "this man has been talking to me for a couple of minutes, so do I just go upstairs and ignore him completely while he is taking his seat on the lower deck, or do I kindly sit next to him, and listen to what he has to say for the duration of the journey, thus forfeiting the magazine that I was going to divulge in?!..."

Me being the sucker that I am caved in and sat next to him! I hasten to say that we have all probably been in this situation at one time or another! I suppose I took the morally right decision. 

So there we were... And this was when he launched into full-on ecclesiastical craziness. Firstly, he told me he was on the way back to his tower block to feed his blind son, which I was just like "what the hell do I say to that?" - so I did not really dwell on this subject, and kind of moved the conversation on to the topic of the recent local elections... bad move. 

It was on the topic of politics that this man launched a Pius tirade on how great the Lord God is, and that people do not know how great he is, and that he will always for give man despite whatever wrong we do. Whilst stating that the sun was a marvellous creation that no man could ever create, as well as stating that it is probably very hot... 

I mean this makes me very sceptical about religion, as this guy (after an apparent 30 years of reading the bible, as well as visits to Jerusalem and Bethlehem) was fanatical. It is hard to think that people commit themselves wholeheartedly to this concept. I mean do not get me wrong, I believe that religion has its place, but this guy just seemed delusional.

His most brash statement came when he assured me that the population of Russia would be sucked into a black hole, because they are basically evil people. They are hungry for oil, money, and power - to be precise. I mean how is God just going to create a hole that sucks the Russian's into oblivion?! I was left very confused by this...

Anyway, thankfully the fanatical man's stop was up. He rang the bell twice (just in case the bus driver did not hear his first effort) and slowly clambered up from his seat. As he left he wished me all the best, and said that he would pray for me!

He was a very nice old man, I could see that. But I just thought, your talking to a complete stranger, he did not know anything about me, and for all he knew I could have found what he was saying deeply offensive... I do not know. 

I just hope he is alright and looks after himself. 

 

British Summer.

The past week, somewhat aptly (in synchronization with the end of my exams) has offered the most glorious weather. Amidst the painful-looking lobster red burns that most people have been fashioning, I turned up at a well-known British supermarket, being Tesco. 

I was just going to do my weekly shop. It's usually a very standard basic affair, but this week I thought hey... you know what, I am going to treat myself to a couple of luxury purchases. There I was, just browsing casually, spring onions - yep, rice - yep, kiwi fruit - why not. Then, there it was... the Finest clotted cream at a special price of just 98p. 

The bargain signals immediately flashed on red alert! 

I had to do it, and do it I did. One thing led to another, clotted cream, strawberry jam, which would both be rendered fairly useless without the 6 pack of perfectly crafted 78p scones. My mouth was literally watering at the prospect of this taste sensation. Especially, as I have not had a proper cream tea since I last went to Cornwall, 2 summers ago!

This got me thinking. Is this one of the best things that Britain, as a nation has to offer gastronomically... I would certainly argue a resounding 'Yes'. I can tell you now that the first knife into the slightly crusty-topped pot of clotted cream really does get you excited. 

Settling down with a nice cuppa on a summers afternoon. 

Pure perfection.