THEGAYUK

Day: 14 October 2016

  • Marcus Collins hits back at “slow news day” outlets

    Marcus Collins hits back at “slow news day” outlets

    So the internet sort of had a meltdown when it seemed that X Factor hunk Marcus Collins hinted that the X Factor was a fix.

    CREDIT: Marcus Collins / Twitter
    CREDIT: Marcus Collins / Twitter

     

    Marcus Collins has been getting himself into the papers thanks to a cheeky meme. Some news outlets went to town on the meme in which Marcus Collins seemed to say that the X Factor was fixed.

    The meme, which was actually sent to Marcus has caused a mini-meltdown with the Daily Star, Daily Mirror and Digital Spy all reporting that Marcus was saying that the flagship ITV show was a fix.

    However, the Liverpool lad has commented on all the attention, slamming the outlets for having a “slow news day”.

    He uploaded a picture with the caption,

    “My reaction watching the foolishness that’s come off the back of one meme I posted this week! It’s just a funny meme someone sent me. you’ve taken it too far. slow week for 3 national papers. ????”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BLjRH91hY4w/?taken-by=marcuscollinsuk&hl=en

     

    So what meme did the papers go to town on?

    Well, Marcus uploaded a picture with a caption that seemed to suggest that he already knew the outcome of the X Factor final in 2011, in which he came runner-up to Little Mix.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BLevwudBSHR/?taken-by=marcuscollinsuk&hl=en

     

    Marcus, he’s a cheeky one isn’t he…

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  • 7 things you should seriously not do with Strawberry lube

    7 things you should seriously not do with Strawberry lube


    Chances are if you’ve used Strawberry Lube you’ve probably been using it properly. You know for sex. However, these hilarious Amazoners have been using their lube for different purposes – some of the crafty buggers have used the sticky lube as a breakfast spread.

    As yummy as strawberry lube can be, you probably shouldn’t be using it as a spread for your / your Mother-in-Law’s sandwiches (although it is totally non-toxic).

    Durex’s sex and relationships expert Alix Fox said,

    “It’s lovely to see people having a laugh – after all, a sense of humour is one of the best accessories you can bring into the bedroom – but obviously I advise that folks should follow the usage instructions supplied with sexual wellbeing products, which means sticking to what they’re designed for.

    “Durex flavoured lubes are completely safe to consume, so popping them on puddings shouldn’t do you any harm, but there are better ways to use them. They’re for bodies, not breakfasts, and although they’re brilliant whether you’re a top or a bottom, they’re not intended for topping toast!”

    Ice cream van owner’s customers are mad for the red stuff…

    “I’ve owned an ice cream van for nearly 30 years and I can’t tell you enough how wonderful this product is. Basically a lot of my customers ask for Red Sauce when purchasing a 99 with flake. I have found it hard to keep up with demand as well as soaring strawberry prices. So in order to keep my customers happy I tried Durex Play Sweet Strawberry and have never looked back. My customers now think I only serve organic free-range strawberry sauce because it tastes so dam good. Also, you should see their children’s glistening smile after one of my 99’s it really gives me a sense of purpose and knowing I am top of my game in the world of mobile frozen dairy goodness. A****”

    Sam found himself using it when he ran out of Jam!

    “I used it on my toast when I run out of strawberry jam. Tasted wonderful”

    One user seemed to have trouble keeping it in the zone

    ” GF says its gets in her hair and is sticky!!”

    Corey’s Mother-In-Law apparently lives for it

    “Execellent sandwich spread mother in law loves it”

    Dad’s Jam

    “I ran out of strawberry jam and so I used this to put in the kids rice pudding. They couldn’t tell the difference and they’re pretty intelligent”

    Mr. Maker needs his morning fix

    “I love the taste of this stuff, you can even put it on your corn flakes! ?”

    Replacing Mayo???

    “me and the misses usually [sic] use yoghurt or mayo. this is nice olternative [sic] lol tasty the misses as a mouth full”

    Fancy doing something weird and wonderful with your lube, Alix suggests,

    “If you’re determined to get creative with ’em, try making your own frozen flavoured ‘Lube Cubes’. Pour some of the gel into an ice cube tray, pop it in the freezer for a few hours to set, then when it’s ready, trail a cube over your lover’s skin during an intimate massage. Let it melt on their body for a thrilling, chilling sensation, then warm them up by following the trail of juicy flavour with your hot tongue.”

    Want some strawberry jam lube to try for yourself – head on over to THEGAYSHOP.co.uk store and check out the range of flavoured lubes.

  • Wowzers Bratavio’s Bradley has been hiding one seriously hot bod

    Wowzers Bratavio’s Bradley has been hiding one seriously hot bod

    Beneath the glitter and the multi-coloured pom-poms, Bravatio’s Bradley has been hiding one seriously hot body.

    bratavio
    CREDIT: Thames / Syco Entertainment

     

    So Bradley Hunt, one-half of the super camp, super fun X Factor duo Bravatio,  has been hiding a seriously hot bod. The platinum blond singer has taken to Instagram to share some super sexy pictures of his flat abs.

    Who knew!

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    Unfortunately, Bratavio became the first act to booted from the show last weekend after Sharon, Simon and Nicole failed to back Louis’s singers.

     

    Bratavio
    ©Thames / Syco

    Bradley isn’t the only X Factor contestant who has been working on his muscles. Ray Quinn, who was in the seventh series of the show is hardly recognisable after shedding weight and honing his muscles.

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  • THEATRE REVIEW | Shopping and F*cking

    ★ | Shopping and F***ing

    What’s not to like about shopping and f***ing? They’re two fine occupations. The answer is a that there’s a hell of a lot not to like in this messy and deeply flawed adaptation of Mark Ravenhill’s 1996 play. This is a world where sex and consumerism are distinctly unfunny, painfully dull and are a chore to watch.

    The play concerns Mark, a heroin addict who’s just failed in rehab, his lover Robbie and their flatmate Lulu. Emotionally deadened and reduced to seeing everything through a lens of consumerism, they’ve lost the ability to connect emotionally. Cue the arrival of Gary, a teenage rent boy who’s the victim of sexual abuse and now wants to be owned and a messy situation with a drug dealer. Events only serve to deepen their jaded worldview.

    Thematically the play has become more, rather than less relevant in the 20 years since it was first staged at The Royal Court. The world feels more mechanical and glassy eyed with the rise in the usage of the Internet. The play should work as well as it did when it was first written. The problem here is that director Sean Holmes’ attempts at a clever staging have swamped the play to such a degree that it’s almost unwatchable and the script feels buried beneath a high sheen.

    The Lyric has been transformed into a TV studio with a change in seating, green screens and cameras. It’s like a 90’s late night crap TV show with bouncy fake enthusiasm crossed with a surreal shopping channel. Runners appear, there are interludes where the cast try to sell tat to the audience and breaks for shameless nostalgia fests with 90’s pop music, one where Robbie gets off his face on E. It feels sloppy and cheap and not in any intentional way. Back projections of porn, scenes of rimming with associated anal bleeding, characters vomiting on stage, karaoke, audience participation, nudity, on-stage sex, drug-use, splatters of body fluid: I’d list more of the multitude of things that this production has thrown clumsily on stage but I’m starting to get flashbacks of boredom.

    It feels sloppy and cheap and not in any intentional way. Back projections of porn, scenes of rimming with associated anal bleeding, characters vomiting on stage, karaoke, audience participation, nudity, on-stage sex, drug-use, splatters of body fluid: I’d list more of the multitude of things that this production has thrown clumsily on stage but I’m starting to get flashbacks of boredom.

    This could have worked and could have been an arch and witty adaptation that slammed home the message of the play and emphasised the caustic wit of the piece. Instead, it just feels juvenile and tiresome with nothing to compel you to watch. It’s about as dull as spending an hour and a half listening to Gary Barlow’s monotone voice (if you hadn’t noticed, the characters are named after Take That).

    Really disappointing work from The Lyric.

    Shopping and F*cking plays at The Lyric until the 5th November

    Follow Chris Bridges on Twitter

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Lotus

    There is a small Indian restaurant on Charing Cross Road that is doing amazing things with their food – Indian food Par excellence!

     

    CREDIT: PR Supplied

    Voted the best Indian Restaurant at this year’s LUX 2016 Hospitality Awards, Lotus is a restaurant everyone must experience. If you’re a huge fan (or not) of Indian food, put this restaurant on your radar because it will make you re-think how Indian food is being served, cooked, and eaten.

     

    I’ve never been a fan of Indian food. I’ve always found that in any Indian restaurant you go to in London the food is very spicy and how can one enjoy a meal when you are sweating with your tongue on fire and the need to drink bucketloads of water? Well, at Lotus, the spiciness of the food is not even an issue. The food is so delicious that you will forget all you know about Indian food and will immensely enjoy their incredible food sensations.

    Open for only a year, and located north of Trafalgar Square across from the Garrick Theatre, Lotus is a small quaint restaurant with beautiful upscale decor, and service, with affordable prices. And the food, ah the food, it’s just simply amazing. The menu offers quite a selection – from starters to kebabs to mains, sides and desserts, and let’s not forget the comprehensive wine list. But first, upon arrival, you are given a glass of Timater Ka Shorba – a spiced Indian tomato drink with fresh coriander – it’s an absolutely divine drink with a refreshing (and not spicy) kick.

    CREDIT: PR Supplied

    As with any Indian restaurant, Poppadums are a must! Lotus serves them with Mango, Apricot, Mint, Red Chilly and Green Tomato Chutney, presented on a rectangular dish, and at only £2.75, a great deal. But it’s the starters and mains where Lotus excels. Rabbit Kheema was a beautifully presented starter with rabbit inside a Green Pepper Corns and Missi Roti-shaped teepee, with coconut sauce. The rabbit was tender and delicious, and at £9.75, worth every penny. The Rattes, Chickpea, Sev and Savory Yogurt, with a warm mélange of potato wth sweet and sour spices, while a bit small for it’s £5.75 price, was very light and very good. As for the Kebabs, the Lamb Chops and Rump (lamb in a ball) are highly recommended. Beautifully seasoned, marinated in Indian spices, accompanied by garlic pickles, Indian onions and Chilli Salad, a bit pricey at £18.75 but again, worth every penny. Another amazing dish served were the golgappas – a snip at £3.75. They were four round fried crisp balls, hollow puri and filled with sweetcorn and coriander accompanied by a small jar of Jaljeera – a cumin, pepper and mint drink with tamarind chutney – that is poured into the golgappas. Eating them whole are an absolute explosion in your mouth! Very yummy!

    As for the mains, the Lobster Tail and Scallops were the perfect dish for those who enjoy seafood. Swimming in a ginger, curry leaf and coconut curry sauce, it was a seafood lovers delight. The 23 Karat Gold Lamb Shanks was not at all spicy, and indeed was wrapped in gold foil, is a dish for the meat lover in you. It sits in a khorma sauce, and while it was not as tender as lamb shank should be, and it’s a bit of work to cut the meat off the bone, it’s a great deal at £22.75, plus it comes with roast potato mash, papaya pickles, spices, green cardamom and cashews. Very filling. And last but not least is the dessert. indian restaurants are not known for their good desserts, but at Lotus, they do them differently. The Rose Srikhand with Dumroot Halwa – Rose scented yoghurt in a small bowl coupled with white pumpkin wrapped sushi-style – was absolutely delicious. The Orange Rasgulla and Seviyan – Orange Cottage Cheese with Saffron vermicello – was almost too beautiful and colorful to eat, but again, it was very delicious.

    CREDIT: PR Supplied

    Wine pairings are served with every course. It’s Debbie, the restaurant’s sommelier, who is THE expert on which wines go with which dish. So if you know, or don’t, your Force Majeurs and Chenin Blancs from your De Loaches, to the Zinfandels from the Heritage Reserve Zinfandels or the Graciano, Vina Zorzal, Navarra – Debbie will perfectly recommend what’s best for each dish, with glasses all between £6 to £8 each. Go ahead and have a taste test, the recommended wines on the menu go smoothly with their respective meals.

    I’m Head over heels in love with Lotus – it’s a contemporary Indian restaurant located right in the heart of London – and the meal was one of the best I’ve had all year. It’s also easy on the tongue and easy enough on the wallet. This 65 seat restaurant, named after India’s national flower, is truly exquisite and beautiful, just like the flower.

    Chef/Manager Bhaskar Banerjee, who has a culinary career spanning 20 years, masterfully and successfully has won us over.

    RESERVATIONS: +44 (0) 207 839 8797
    EMAIL: enquiries@lotus.london

    Address:
    17 Charing Cross, London WC2H 0EP
    Monday to Sunday
    12:00 – 14:30
    17:00pm – 22.30

    Star Rating: ★★★★★ (explained)

    Cost Rating: ££££ (explained)

    Website: http://www.lotus.london