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  • PRODUCT REVIEW: Magimix Le Mini Plus

    Magimix products always provide a neat combination of style and ultimate utility. Most of their products are available in bright popping colours, with smaller versions of the appliance available for those that have limited worktop space, but still maintain a professional spec. The Le Mini Plus is no exception.

    Unpacking the contents of your new toy can be daunting when you spot how many extensions and accessories come with the food processor. However, with a glance over the glossy guide that comes laden with simple step by step instructions and pictures provided for each of its functions, along with 70 recipes to get you started on the new venture that will literally change and improve the dynamics of how you create in the kitchen.

    Recipes stretch from basic essentials such as home-made mayo, shortcrust pastry, Victoria sponge etc. to some interesting international dishes like; artichoke & parmesan carpaccio, and aubergine caviar.

    There are even some cocktail/mocktail ideas in the back such as the ice-cool blackcurrant and kiwi, and the pear and honey nectar. Recipes are clear, highlighting the relevant instruments of the appliance you will need to use.

    So let’s talk about the instruments. There is the main blade (chopping / kneading), a blender mix (soups etc.), egg whisk, slicer, grater, citrus press and it also comes with a spatula. Despite the word mini being in its name the Le Mini Plus is big on functionality and techniques.

    The recipes in the back suggest a serving yield of four people so this is a perfect appliance for small households (its main bowl has a 1.7 ltr capacity: 600g of chopped veg or 500g pastry or 600ml in soup, as examples).

    The slicer and grater blades alone have collectively saved me hours in the kitchen of tasks that were tedious to have previously done manually- grating a kilo of courgette for fritters by hand, never again. Another good attribute of the appliance is its fitted “failsafe”, meaning the unit will not turn on until all the correct parts of the product are in the right place.

    The machine is also very quiet when in use, which is always nice. All removable parts can go in the dishwasher and will take up minimal space so any kitchen aftermath goes unnoticed, even when cleaning by hand.

    The Le Mini Plus is by far my most favourite item in the kitchen. It looks cool, it saves me time, and can be used across a huge range of dishes; batter, pastry, bread, pizza dough, cake, icing, meringue, souffle, soup, pate, tart, pie, fishcakes, crumble, milkshakes, cocktails etc. etc.

    In my opinion, every kitchen should be kitted out with one of these. The price range is £119.99-£152.99 from John Lewis, but do shop around. I feel the pricing is totally fair with the product and should be considered as an investment. Whether novice or expert, this product is relevant and you will find yourself using it at every available opportunity.

     

    Good to know bits of info are any plastic materials are 0% BPA, three year guarantee included, along with a thirty year motor guarantee too.

     

     

    PROS

    Multi-function heaven

    Looks great on your worktop

    Comes with a great and handy bible of recipes

     

    CONS

    Sometimes had to blend in batches due to its smaller capacity.

     

     

  • FILM REVIEW | Testament of Youth

    ★★★★★ | Testament of Youth

    This is one of those titles you may know, you’ve seen it somewhere or have heard of the author, Vera Brittain… it rings bells.

    But you may be like me, know of it but not know it? I’d heard of it, I’d seen the cover, I knew the author (not personally) but it didn’t appeal enough to buy, beg or borrow a copy to read.

     

    I’m glad I didn’t now – I’m glad I waited for this lush, rich adaptation which only makes me want to whizz out and buy a copy to read it and savour every detail.It’s an epic tale, set against the fight for women’s rights, struggles in Edwardian England that then faces the First World War, and all that this entails for the youth of that time – the lost generation.I can only imagine what it was like, but this film helps show it – the life of privilege for upper middle classes, women wanting equality and suffering for it, the horror of going to war and the horror of waiting at home for news of loved ones.It only briefly touches on it in one scene, but it also mentions the love that dare not speak its name, as Vera’s injured brother clutches to a letter from a fellow officer.This is an amazing adaption; the script is rich with Brittain’s words, the scenery gritty and pretty in equal measures and the acting superb.

    Kit Harrington and Alicia Vikander are perfect as the slightly awkward lovers, separated by war and a society that still insists on chaperones for young unmarried couples.

    They are more than ably supported by Taron Egerton as Vera’s brother, Miranda Richardson as a stand offish Oxford tutor, Dominic West as Vera’s father, the list goes on…
    For all its epic proportions and massive story – this is still a very personal film and I defy you not to be touched by it.

  • Top 5 Tips To Keep Your Man Bush In Check

    We all know manscaping is a necessary chore that all us men have to go through to keep our junk in an aesthetically pleasing state.

    How ever necessary this process is it does not make it any less tiresome. Here are my top 5 tips to achieve the perfect haircut for your downstairs.

    1. Nobody wants to feel like they’re going down on a 9-year-old so when your hacking around your tool with the trimmers make sure you leave yourself some stubble.The only people to get away with the bald look are porn stars and even then I prefer to see something down there.

    2. One place baldness is generally preferred is around the ass so if you’re using hair removal cream to achieve a silky smooth tushi make sure you go with a sensitive cream. Don’t and you’ll regret it when your ass is red raw and itching like a b*tch.

    3. After care is a must. When your hair starts to re-grow it is going to itch and without the aid of a moisturiser you’ll probably end up with a rash. I recommend the same thing that was recommended to me be a stripper friend of mine and that’s Sudecrem. Sudecrem is officially your best friend.

    4. Pull it tight. Remember that feeling when you accidentally cut your face with the razor when you shave? Imagine that on your crown jewels, omg cringe! Remember the skin on your boys is thinner and looser than the skin on your face so avoid any unfortunate slip ups by pulling the skin taut.

    5. Last but not least, use a fresh razor to avoid bacteria infections and keep your electric trimmers clean and free from old hair.

  • COMMENT | Truvada Friend or an enemy?

    The use of Truvada as a prophylactic medication has awakened a rage of discussion and controversy.

    (C) marcbruxel Depositphotos
    (C) marcbruxel Depositphotos

    In Europe, the discussion is not that heated yet, but in the US, it is already on fire. Last year, the president of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation wrote an article in New York Times about Truvada, and that caught my interest. He was advocating against Truvada. It made me wonder, why are people for or against a medication like this?

    I decided to do a little “research”, and browsed through numerous articles and discussions about the expanded use of a medication such as Truvada.

    What I found in numerous comments was that, stigma and judgment are well positioned and in place, and that is a shame. Stigma and judgment will not bring anything good to the table. There are already two camps that developed – those who are for using Truvada and those who are against it or do not want anyone to use it.

    Since the discovery of HIV, we have been dreaming about a vaccine or an effective treatment.

    Right from the beginning, large amounts of resources have been deployed to find a cure and to find a vaccine. However, we soon understood that neither a cure nor a vaccine would be found overnight. We have never given up hope though, and today, there are several companies and different entities that specialise in such research.

    I believe that in 10 or 20 years, we will either have a new form of effective treatment or a vaccine. But, how are we going to react? I know Truvada is not a vaccine. It’s actually not a new drug. It was discovered in 2004, but has always been used only for the treatment of HIV – until now.

    So, what is wrong or good with Truvada?

    Those who advocate for it say that it is a sort of a revolution in the prevention of HIV. You take a tablet each day, and you sorted out (well, sort of). Those opposing Truvada say that it does not protect you from other STDs, and, if not taken properly, not only will it not fully protect, it also gives you false security.

    People may ask you, what do you think? How to respond to a question like this?

    “You know, I do not like condoms, and I will never use them. But I am willing to use Truvada, and it is something I actually believe in. What do you think?”

    How should one respond to such a question? Advocate for the use of condoms, just for the sake of it, or recommend Truvada on its own, or together with condoms?

    Questions likes these, related to the use of Truvada, will appear and challenge us, more and more in the coming years. I am sure there will be several more medications approved for prophylactic use, and, at the ultimate moment, the emergence of a vaccine will occur. I suppose a vaccine for HIV is a dream of many; just a single shot and you never get HIV. Sounds great? A vaccine will, again, protect us from HIV only, not from other STDs.

    So, are we going to be willing to give the vaccine to everyone, even if it would mean a widespread drop in the use of condoms?

     

    by JZ

     

    Opinions expressed in this article may not reflect those of THEGAYUK, its management or editorial teams. If you’d like to comment or write a comment, opinion or blog piece, please click here.

  • WHAT WE LEARNT | #AskBorisJohnson

    WHAT WE LEARNT | #AskBorisJohnson

    He’s consistently evaded answering whether he has leadership passions, but New York born Boris Johnson is some would argue, the most powerful Conservative politician in the land. He’s pro women, pro gay, pro-London but what else do we know about London’s gaffe prone, wild haired, Etonian.

    U.S. Embassy photographer [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
    U.S. Embassy photographer [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
    The three Rs… He’s pro reform, renegotiation and referendum. It’s the best way forward for the UK and Europe.

    Boris would be up for Clarkson’s job and he’s a “mega” petrol head fan – but maybe being PM would be the greater choice after David Cameron suggested BJ as leader, if the Tories reach a third term in power.

    He wants to crack down on illegal immigrants and wants to sort out welfare, but is also very concerned about the rise in Islamophobia. He suggests Muslim leaders need to be “clearer in denunciation of extremism”.

    London is a healthier place to live, lower Nox and CO2 and PM10s and they’ve planted 1000s of trees since he’s been in power. In fact 20,000 of them were planted in the Olympic park.

    Delays on London’s creaking overground network have been cut by 66%, whilst demand is up 4 times.

    He chooses Ulrika Jonsson as a dance partner and loves a boogie to Ministry of Sound.

    He’s all about the Living Wage. Twenty-four companies paid it when they began on the issue, now it’s 516. Major retailers you are next…

    Will the youth ever be able to buy a house in London? That’s the plan. 40,000 people have already been helped in this regard.

    This article was taken from Issue 11 of TheGayUK. Don’t miss another issue download our magazine app for FRE

  • COMMENT: Unless You Take A Selfie Did It Really Happen?

    Selfies. We’ve all read how that it is the word of the past couple of years. The buzzword that sums up the zeitgeist. They’ve mutated now to the point for the true selfie aficionado, the timer on your camera phone is your New Best Friend. Of course the true classics of the genre still occur in a bedroom or bathroom. Or if really bored, on public transport. Swiftly uploaded to social media with a snappy caption.

    However as a Gay Man, I’m aware of a whole other sub category. This is the locker room selfie. Yes, the post workout shot in a mirror, usually accompanied by words like ”Arms Day!” or ”Making Progress!!”. These are the selfies that invariably elict a groan as they pop up on the newsfeed. Whilst eyeing that half empty packet of digestives with a mix of regret and guilt.

    I know personally I once deleted an acquaintance from Facebook who not only posted a daily locker room selfie (I felt I knew the geography of his gym changing room better than my own kitchen) but also posted an album entitled ”My New Vest”. Twelve pictures. Wearing a new gym vest. From different angles. That was my tipping point.

    Each picture elicited comments of ”Looking Good!”, ”Getting Big Buddy” or an ever articulate ”Grrrr!!!”. And indeed he was impressive, if way out of proportion (it was plainly not often Legs Day). So it was all for validation. Or vanity. Or both. Well, yes. But the cult of the selfie also stems from a basic need for material.

    Newsflash: bodybuilding existed before the invention of camera phones. Also people bought new clothes prior to the dawn of the Internet. But now we live in an age when if something is not documented and uploaded, did it really happen?

    So a self portrait is if not a substitute for conversation, then an artificial starting point for it, provoking comment or ”likes” in a quick, obvious way. And being good at social media is reliant on a constant stream of Something. In a short attention span, sound bite world then it can only exist if we constantly upload the new and the current. We’ve all cottoned on that anything is fair game. A new vest, you on your daily commute to work, a pumped pair of biceps. It’s why Instagram exists at all.

    Every day is Judgement Day. We share glimpses of our bodies on the internet, be it via a post workout snap or a holiday beachwear photo all the time. Now you know what your work colleagues look like in shorts. You may not necessarily want to but… And as human beings it’s virtually impossible not to compare. The sheer number of images that exist makes it inevitable.

    Growing up in the 1970s, cameras were wheeled out on high days and holidays. Having a picture taken was An Event. Something for Christmas, Birthdays or Holidays. Now sitting at home bored and watching telly is an event. A quick fiddle with your iPhone and the world can see your sitting at home, watching telly, bored face. Boredom and the mundane is worthy of being documented in the rush to fill a vacuum with new material to share.

    In a similar way, the accessibility of cameras has changed the way we view our bodies. The naked selfie, like those we send to a potential or current lover. We are part of a generation that can do that. In the old days, which seem like the Stone Ages now, no one would dare take anything ”rude” to Boots for developing.

    Horror stories abounded of the nice lady down the road who was dragged out of the local chemist by the Vice Squad and labelled a pornographer just because her husband was feeling artistic one evening. And Polaroid cameras were all well and good but now we are surrounded by the instant technology for capturing images.

    More means to photograph ourselves means more opportunities to view ourselves. More room for self criticism. The massive world of images of each other that engulf us is a constant invite to comparison. We are now more aware of how each other look undressed. A casual lying in bed on a Sunday morning selfie tweeted to our followers is now not only an invite to judge ones bedlinen but to survey the muscle tone in ones arms and shoulders.

    Of course this is not to say that everybody is frantically uploading near naked pictures of themselves. There are many who never would, which in its own way is just as telling. The absence of a casual (or posed) display of flesh in itself becomes a statement. I have a good friend who swears he would rather die than post a shirt off photo on Facebook as he ”doesn’t have the body”. Not strictly true. He does indeed have a body. He is also a smart, attractive man who exercises regularly. So why the insecurity?

    But also I understand the reason why. In a time where gym selfies have become a genre all in themselves, where fit, well muscled men can upload pictures of themselves and complain they are not yet big or defined enough, then is it that much of a surprise? And yeah, many of those same ripped fitness types are stereotypically vain, egotistical tossers brandishing their camera phones like a weapon. Just as many however look at the pictures and see only what they consider flaws. Just like those of us who never break a sweat.

    That’s the other thing about selfies; we dismiss them a lot of the time as vanity. Yet we still look and judge. We show people a split second of ourselves. It may be contrived, edited but 15 years ago did you ever dream you would see an old school chum straight out of the shower, getting ready for a night out in the privacy of their own bathroom? And what do you think on seeing that? That her taste in bathroom tiles is a bit suspect. Oh and hasn’t she put on a lot of weight…

    Our selfies say a lot about ourselves. How we view each others says more.

    Opinions expressed in this article may not reflect those of THEGAYUK, its management or editorial teams. If you’d like to comment or write a comment, opinion or blog piece, please click here.

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Ember Yard Soho

    Ember Yard Soho is Timeout’s number two destination restaurant at the moment. Chiltern Firehouse is their top-of-the-pops. Leaving the reservation arrangements to the last minute meant THEGAYUK had more chance of interviewing Banksy than securing a table a Chiltern. Ember Yard could squeeze, literally, a table for two in at 9.45pm. Leaving plenty of time for pre-dinner sharpeners.

    A busy gentleman greeted us with beaming pearly whites and led us to the table. It’s a good job neither party was of a large persuasion. We were wedged into a corner table, thus making lav trips a bit like putting ya fave skinnies on after they’ve been washed.

    Our waitress Gabriella appeared at all the appropriate moments, guided us through the menu and suggested all our tapas. Gabriella had an air of landlady about her, she was natural and knowledgeable.

    The venue has a cosy, contemporary loft-apartment feel with dark wooden floors, pillars, beams and grey walls. There’s a mixture of seating, from high stalls and counters to tables, chairs and banquettes. All warmly lit by bulbous exposed light bulbs dangling from pipes on the ceiling.

    The place was full of diners that could no doubt walk, or jump in a rickshaw home.

    We went straight in with vino and opted for the Mas Macia Blanc Catalunya 2014. One word in the description pulled us towards this minerally, ripe-apple-enriched number: honeyed. We should have been shooing bees away once the cork was popped.

    Ember’s cuisine is inspired by Spanish and Italian chargrill methods of cooking. The menu is broken up into bar snacks, tapas and a couple of larger dishes to share.

    Each plate arrived as soon as it was ready.

    First up, burrata with chargrilled ciabatta, heritage tomatoes and wild garlic pesto. Gabriella’s favourite. It was like cutting into a chocolate fondant with a melted centre. The mozzarella outer layer hides a buttery smooth core. A great balance of crunch and creaminess all elevated by a right hook from the pesto.

    Next to appear, applewood-smoked bream carpaccio with pomegranate, coriander and bottarga. The sea bream was slightly overpowered by the salty fish roe and coriander. Zesty, delicate and enjoyable.

    To follow, courgette flower stuffed with goat’s cheese and drizzled with honey. If you’re going to clog your arteries with fried food this is the way to do it. The strong flavour from the cheese lifts the courgette while the honey brings a floral element to the dish. The three amalgamate like a pair of Grenson brogues, a crisp-white Burberry shirt and slim-fit Nudie indigo jeans.

    And then, roasted and chargrilled Ibérico pork ribs with quince glaze and celeriac purée. Once we’d tackled the charcoal, fig-like-flavoured crispy shell the meat slid off of the bone. The textures worked. TGI’s should come and take notes.

    The last dish, smoked and grilled beef burger with pickled courgette, chilli jam and scamorza. Perfectly formed. The chilli jam, or chelly, left a sweet but fiery undertone.

    If you need an excuse not to don ya frilly apron and turn the oven on, Ember’s burrata will suffice. We ordered a second.

    Pud came in liquid form.

    One glass of Finca Antigua Moscatel. The first sip unravels a silky layer over the tongue, followed by a sweet frill.

    And a glass of Lazio Shiraz. A peppery and berry perfumed little tinker. Reminiscent of those cherry-liqueured chocolates you get from M&S at Christmas. But much more palatable.

    The bill was a reasonable £106.16. Chiltern Smiltern. We still had enough in the kitty to swing around a pole at The Village, hit the Shadow Lounge and spill into an Uber home.

    Reviewed by Thabian Sutherland
    Ember Yard
    60 Berwick Street
    London
    W1F 8SU
    Tel: 0207 439 8057
    info@emberyard.co.uk
    http://emberyard.co.uk
    STAR RATING: ★★★★ (explained)
    PRICE: £££ (explained)

  • FILM REVIEW | Sexing The Transman

    When the opening credits roll in Buck Angel’s new documentary and you see that it is an ‘I Love My Vagina Production’, you know that this is going to be a no-holds-barred look at demystifying the whole aspect of sexuality of trans men.

    What the charismatic handsome hunky Angel does is fill this highly unusual ‘sex education’ movie with scenes of explicit sexual activity to ensure that we are shocked enough not to forget his message of how liberated these men became after transitioning.

    In a series of in-depth interviews Angel talks to a several FtM (female to male) trans people about how they felt alienated from the bodies that they were born with and their decisions to transition into a male persona. They all had a great deal in common as they discussed the surgeries to get rid of their breasts, and how the effects of taking testosterone changed their lives in ways they never expected.

    Before transitioning some of them had played the traditional female roles with their boyfriends, some of them were in relationships with lesbians, but once all the hormone treatments kicked in, they all seemed to notice that their sexual libido shot through the ceiling and they started to be much more fluid and open to all different types of people to have sex with. Most of them also followed the same route that Angel took and opted not to have ‘bottom surgery’ with the end result that have started to be proud of the vaginas that had disgusted them previously, and now they were being penetrated and actually enjoying it.

    They all unanimously agreed that transitioning had changed their lives completely and for the better. Some of them are now in relationships, some have sex with other FtM guys like themselves, some like sex with men, some others like it with women. In terms of gender they all feel male. In terms of sexual orientation, they are very different – some of them are heterosexual (they like sex with women), some are gay (they like sex with other men or FtM men) and some like to experiment with men, women and FtM guys.

    As an outsider, it is often hard to get beyond our preconceived ideas of gender and the labels that society insists that we all use. One of Angel’s talking heads was the comedienne Margaret Cho who perfectly articulated her take on it all. Her sexuality had been ‘straight’ and then ‘lesbian’ and then she realised that she loved men sexually, and trans men in particular. She now identifies, as being queer as that, she feels, is not limiting and it makes sense to her as ‘gay’ simply doesn’t cover who she is. And she aptly sums up the feelings she shares with many trans men by saying that she is happy with strap on’s…’a dick is a dick, whether it’s been bought or grown.’

    The message that is loud and clear in Angel’s film is that the effects of injecting so much testosterone is that it makes you aware of many more possibilities and that your sexuality is never finite whatever your gender is. I am however also convinced that we would have completely grasped that concept without nearly all of the film’s subjects getting naked and playing with themselves on camera.

    Above everything, Angel is a powerful advocate for making this community visible and giving them a voice, for which he needs to be applauded for.

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | L’Escargot

    With a rather grand welcome from the fabulously loud front of house, we were taken to our seats giggling as he continued to tickle us with his wit.

    The grand element continues, taking in our surroundings. It’s a posh crowd- a mix of business bods and rich romantics (one couple in particular really should have hired one of L’escargot’s private rooms). The lights are dim, and I find myself sinking into the comfy seat whilst admiring a lot of classic décor touches that surround us.

    We were brought a selection of warm, homemade crusty breads with a moreish tapenade- being advised that the selection of tapenades and bread accompaniments often change seasonally. After forgetting completely where I was and asking for Prosecco in a French cuisine restaurant, we asked the sommelier’s recommendation on the Roses available. Rose has gained a better reputation recently and there are some lovely varieties out there now. We went for the Bandol Rosé, Dom. La Suffrene, C. Granvier, 2013 (£38.00). Which you have to try- fantastic. Their wine list is ridiculously extensive so you have plenty to suit your taste!
    To start I went for the Foie Gras with kumquats & brioche (£18). Despite this being straight from the fridge kinda cold, the quality coming through was great, and they had not messed around with the dish at all- Foie Gras in it’s simplest and best form. Even the word kumquat makes me want to gag so these were left at the side of my plate.

    My friend went for the Six Snails with garlic & parsley (£12). The snails were plump and came easily out of their shell. Great garlic flavour and the oil in the dish made an amazing dip for the bread, of which we were offered more of at this point.

    After our table was “crumbed down”, our mains shortly followed. Clearly I had the taste for suffering that day as what followed my Foie Gras was a huge slab of Veal (£18)- a massive portion of well cooked meat in a light lemon breadcrumb. With the menu being a la carte we ordered a few sides that I found on the small side for their price.

    Green beans cooked in garlic (£5) – perfectly cooked. Dauphinoise (£6) – there is never enough dauphinoise, but this portion of creamy garlic potatoes and cheese was minute. New potatoes (£5) cooked with herbs, these had slightly too much bite for my preference, but I always say rather al dente than mush with vegetables.

    The other main we ordered was the Sea Bass – crispy skin and succulent flesh served with a sauce vert- lemon, cream, parsley. This really was a lovely dish and I’m not normally a fan of sea bass but the execution was flawless.

    So very much looking forward to the desserts at a fine French restaurant, I was not disappointed. Cream cake extravaganza. The tarte du jour (£6) was an almond galette. Uber rich and uber tempting to re-create that Smack The Pony sketch with, where they face plant the dessert tray whilst slurring jibberish-French lingo.

    Double teaming the cream cakes we also took on the Paris Brest – made with choux pastry, hazelnuts and bursting at the seams with cream. So simple but so good my favourite of the two. My love for praline is insatiable.

    The food is very simple, but very well done. For me this is a restaurant serving fantastic food with seasonal changes, and a lovely professional (but humorous) team. I personally feel that the pricing is a little over, but L’escargot has been regularly voted one of the best French restaurants in London, so I would encourage you to take a look and experience for yourself.

    An extra star goes for the venue itself. The venue of L’escargot is huge (four floors). You don’t quite realise being sat in the restaurant how many more levels and rooms there are to the place. With six rooms for hire, I feel this really gives L’escargot a unique edge.

    The different rooms are named simply after the colour of them (Blue, Violet, Red etc.). There is also an upstairs exclusive club which you will need to contact L’escargot for more details on. But it is rather swanky up there, spotting some Versace home ware pieces as we walked through. Ask for the grand tour.

    If you were to become a member it means you can take advantage of exclusive hire of any of their rooms, free of charge. Dinner packages are available pre and post-theatre (2 or 3 courses – £17.50/£21.50).

    They also have a dog-friendly club policy offering complimentary food & treats for your pup.

    REVIEWED BY: Jordan Lohan
    ADDRESS: L’Escargot, 48 GREEK STREET, LONDON, SOHO, W1D 4EF
    WEBSITE: http://www.lescargot.co.uk
    STAR RATING: ★★★★ (explained)
    PRICE RATING: £££££ (explained)
    TIPPING POLICY: There is a discretionary 12.5% service charge added to your bill.

  • FILM REVIEW | Seek

    Twenty-something-year-old Evan Brisby is ambitious. Currently working on a gay magazine that covers the local community in Toronto his hometown, he aspires to bigger things and so sends samples of his writing to The Gazette, one of the city’s daily newspapers.

    ★★★

    He doesn’t get offered a job but the editor is suitably impressed to give him the assignment to write a freelance piece on the city’s nightlife, something that shy Evan is not really an expert on. He does, however, accept the challenge, as he knows that this could be his big break, and he also knows that Aidan his colleague at the gay magazine will be able to connect him up with exactly the right sort of people.

    Aidan comes up trumps and hooks him up with Hunter who despite the fact he is Evan’s age is evidently THE king of the night who runs clubs and hosts parties that are the best in the city. It is also obvious that Jordan quickly takes a shine to his interviewer who is so single-minded and determined to get the best story he can, is totally oblivious to his new admirer. Evan is also distracted by the fact that he cannot shake of the memory of a recent ex who very inconveniently keeps popping up in his mind and his dreams quite regularly.

    This micro-budgeted homegrown movie from first time writer/director Eric Henry is evidently partly autobiographical and besides being a fond love letter to the city of Toronto, is very much about different kinds of acceptance. When Evan is not shadowing Hunter for his article he is still doing his regular writing job that includes interviewing people like the gay couple into fetish sex, or the straight couple who have embraced the husband’s cross-dressing. Even when he is off-duty having a drink he has an uncomfortable encounter with an old man looking for company. Very admirable reminders about everyone needing to find their own path to happiness, but still a tad too preachy and really unnecessary to the flow of the story.

    Kudos to the fact that the production values of the piece that are much higher than one has come to expect from movies of this type. Henry helped this by making good casting calls using Adrian Shepherd-Gawinski a very impressive newbie as Evan, Ryan Fisher as Hunter, and hunky male model/actor Matthew Ludwinski as Evan’s lost love, even though the script he gave them had more than the occasionally grimacing moment.

    The whole affair is an enjoyable boy-lite romance that may not stretch your mind too much, but if this is a genre you like, will nevertheless put a big smile on your face when you see that everyone does in fact live happily ever after in the end.

     

     

  • DVD Review: Silicon Valley

    Where would we be without HBO? They keep churning out good programmes – and this Silicon Valley is no exception. Think Sex and the City with geeks, and penises, and the main characters are all men, and mostly virgins, and did I mention they were geeks? But I think you get my drift.

    ★★★★

    The premise is simple. In Silicon Valley, California, everyone wants to be that tech start-up that gets bought by the big boys for the big bucks – but in order to do that, you need the idea, the app, the techie bit that doesn’t actually matter in this review, but these 5 guys have it. They have come together as part of a hot house, somewhere to work on ideas, in exchange for a percentage of their product – it’s a roof over their heads and someone to bounce ideas off and get help if and when they need it.

    Over the course of the 8 episodes in series 1, we meet all 5, flesh them out as characters and watch as they face the ups and downs of bordering on a genius and totally inept at everyday life – and a potential billionaire. Richard is the idea man, a stereotypical geek, shy, nervous, awkward around people and in crowds, but full of ideas and potential.

    When his product is put before several possible buyers or backers, he’s given a choice – take the money and run but sign away the rights or take some startup funds and sell a small share of his company and also get the business knowledge and guidance needed to succeed in this cut-throat world.

    The rest of the series follows his adventures or mis-adventures with his 4 buddies and their possible backers. It pokes fun at the whole tech world, highlights some of the anomalies, the sheer wealth available, and is host to a lot of in-jokes!

    The cast is made up of pretty much complete unknowns, and the series is the better for that – I liked that I got to binge watch as these boys grew and matured, learning from mistakes as they go along their journey. The writer, Mike Judge, drew on his own Valley experience back in the 1980s and this shows – it needed a gentle hand to make the jokes and still produce something where you care about the characters.

    This is the real deal and cannot wait till Season 2 – yes, I’ve checked IMDb, there is a season 2!

    4 stars – minus one as some of it goes way over my head at times

     

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