Film: Three Weeks

Starring

Yanika Chauhan

Henry Brown

Eloise Clarke

Lewis Meagor

Young playwright, Lita, is in the final three weeks of producing her comic play, 'Bathos' and she's falling for mysterious actor, Tristan, to the dismay of her eccentric best friend. However, unknown to her friends and cast, Lita is facing a dangerous inner battle with mental illness.

http://www.facebook.com/threeweeksfilm

http://threeweeksfilm.tumblr.com/

I've been writing and directing this film for the best part of three years, and we've finally got to the filming stage! At 5am this morning we embarked on the filming of a post-party scene.

Music: The Snake by Al Wilson

What a great bit of Northern Soul.

The Snake by Al Wilson 

Music: Grinderman 2 RMX

Grinderman 2 RMX

Grinderman. Are they cool? Very. Are they back? Probably not, but here’s hoping.  

Their first album, the self-titled, Grinderman released in 2007 introduced us to a classic Cave poetic style of alternative rock. Three years later we saw the release of Grinderman 2, which was suitably and fantastically as weird and wonderful. 

I keep hanging around your kitchenette
And I’m gonna get a pot to cook you in
I stick my fingers in your biscuit jar
And crush all your gingerbread men

- Kitchenette, Grinderman

Now, two years after Grinderman 2, and one year after the band’s onstage announcement that they were ‘over’, Grinderman 2 RMX appears. 

I wouldn’t usually find a remix album something to be that excited about, as I usually stay as far from possible from remixes of songs that I like as possible, but this is different. The remixes by outfits such as A Place to Bury Strangers and UNKLE really are truly fantastic, bringing a new angle to the songs of Grinderman 2, but still keeping it Cave.

It’s good. Very good.

Listen to the album on Spotify here.

Grinderman/U.N.K.L.E - Hyper Worm Tamer on Youtube.

Adventures: Hatfield House

Hatfield House, Hertfordshire

Today, I visited Hatfield House in Hertfordshire. It was built in 1611 by Robert Cecil, 1st Earl Sailsbury. The house is Jacobean, and the estate is still inhabited by members of the Cecil family. The architecture and craftsmanship inside is incredibly grand, with a whole number of gold gilded ceilings and decadent staircases. Unfortunately photography isn't permitted inside the house, so my photos are only of the exterior.

We had lunch in the tea room and I had a fantastic pea, mint and basil soup and a bottle of Bulmers. I also thought this was the perfect place to give my new tweed an outing! 

Notebook; £12.99, Matchstick pen; £1.99, Deer brooch; £2.99

 There are some really lovely shops there, too. I had a look round Stable Yard Music and fell for a real cool 1960s Mod style guitar strap which I should hopefully be ordering online very soon!
I truly fell head over heels in love with the prettiest shop ever; The Oak Room. It was filled with the kitschest and chintziest and quirkiest prints. I could have bought absolutely everything if I had the money! I got possibly the best notebook ever, a pen shaped like a matchstick and a deer shaped brooch for my jacket.

Seems as were close, we drove to Highgate in London. This is where we shall hopefully be moving when I return from Hong Kong after my six month stay between October 2013 - April 2014. This is the incredible view from the street that we've found. I'm blown away! London is my favourite.

Fashion: Autumn Tweed

Jacket; New Look

Dress; vintage

Shoes; Limited Collection, Marks and Spencer

I went shopping today to buy this fantastic tweed jacket. I am a huge fan of tweed (and tweed-clad boys cough) but have never owned any, so I was overjoyed at purchasing this beautiful tailored number for Autumn! I'm looking forward to some nice new ever so English outfits when it gets into the colder months. 

When I was out, I had a look in Marks and Spencer and absolutely fell in love with these £5 shoes. Such a bargain!

Film: Grinderman - A Short Film

Grinderman - A Short Film 

Interviews directed and shot by John Hillcoat

Additional cinematography by Mark Adcock

Mute 2011

I came across this short whilst researching Mr Cave for my photography project. I love the montage style of the film and the juxtapositions of music video images and interviews. Very insightful and visually interesting. Worth a watch. 

Recipe: Cappuccino and White Chocolate Cake

Ingredients: 

For the cake:

250g pack butter , softened

250g light soft brown sugar

300g self-raising flour

4 eggs (beaten)

100ml hot water 

3 heaped teaspoons of instant coffee

50g white cooking chocolate

50g walnuts, toasted and finely chopped (a food processor is easiest) – optional

For the buttercream frosting:

70g butter, softened

140g/10oz icing sugar

1 tbsp milk

few drops food colouring

drop of vanilla flavouring

For the covering:

200g white cooking chocolate

Recipe

1.    Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Prepare coffee by mixing 100ml hot water with 3 heaped teaspoons of instant coffee and leave to cool. Grease 2 cake tins. Beat butter and sugar together until pale and creamy. Add the flour and eggs in one go and keep beating until evenly mixed. Fold in the walnuts (if using) and coffee. Melt chocolate and pour in. Mix. Spoon the mix into the prepared tins and bake for 25-30 mins or until golden and well risen.

2.    Leave the cakes in their tins for 5 mins before turning onto a wire rack. Leave to cool completely.

3.    While the cakes cool, melt chocolate and leave to thicken whilst making the frosting. To make buttercream: beat butter until soft. Add sugar and beat until pale and creamy. Add milk as appropriate to make frosting smooth. You can add a drop or two of food colouring at this point. Add vanilla flavouring and mix.

4.    Spread buttercream frosting onto middle layer of cake. Smooth the melted chocolate when it has thickened and cooled a little onto top layer of cake. If you're making this cake to eat at home, it will keep covered in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Film: My work

Hello Blogger!

I thought I'd share some of my own work tonight. It is my ambition to work in the film industry in the future (at a point when I'm feeling adequately grown up and sensible and before all of my imagination disappears). I have been veering towards creating music videos as of recent, but I still have such a love for film. I am currently in the process of setting up a Vimeo account, so once I've made that all pretty and professional I'll share the link to that.

I am also currently making a film entitled 'Three Weeks'. I wrote the story two years ago, completed the screenplay last Summer and we've been working on it since December 2011. Filming commences in the next few days!

Dry the River - Thou Art Loosed music video

The Winter of Mixed Drinks - short

Photography: Stoney Cove, Leicester

Stoney Cove is my favourite place in Leicester. The sunsets here are the most beautiful thing. Unfortunately, today I forgot to pick up my memory card for my camera. However, I did get some nice shots on my phone.

Here's some photos from the last time I went that were taken with my camera.

Beauty: Sixties inspired casual updo

After waking up a little late with crazy hair from an overnight bun, I had to find some form of acceptable hairstyle for public appearance. I wanted something sixties inspired to go with my makeup, and this is what I created.

• I already had lots of curls and waves from my bun and I think that's essential for this look. 
• I brushed my parting back into a beehive shape. I split this layer into 4 or so parts and teased them into oblivion. Then I gently brushed them down into a beehive with my hands.
• I  pulled the back of my hair up and rolled it upwards messily and pinned it with hair grips.
• My hair is still parted down the centre, but I switched up my usual centre parted fringe into a side fringe with some to frame the other side.
• I then plaited a small section and messily pinned back other front parts back.

If you give it a go, I'd love to see how it looks!

Things I'd really like this A/W

Things I'd really like this A/W by courtneyaskey featuring low heel shoes

Shift dress
$57 - topshop.com

Jumper sweater
topshop.com

Sister Jane crop shirt
$83 - topshop.com

Mohair coat
topshop.com

Knit jacket
topshop.com

Boucle skirt
topshop.com

Gray skirt
topshop.com

High heel
topshop.com

Low heel shoes
topshop.com