Search results for: “ ”
-
Cucumbers + Bananas + Tofu = A Recipe For Success
15 years ago Russell T Davies set our television screens alight with his groundbreaking series Queer As Folk that was so successful that the Americans copied it.
Now this award-winning openly gay writer is back an about to explode on our screens with not one but three series for three different channels.
CUCUMBER an original drama series follows 46-year-old Henry and his long-term boyfriend Lance in the aftermath of “the worst date night in history” and will air on Channel 4. BANANAS which will be on E4, will tell standalone stories by up-and-coming talent that cover – wait for it – “fifty shades of gay”.
TOFU meanwhile, is an online documentary series about sex and sexuality and will be screened on 4oD.
Here’s the first clip that has just been released and suddenly staying in during January looks a whole lot brighter
-
RESTAURANT REVIEW | The Manhattan Grill
The Manhattan Grill sits very comfortably on the West India Quay of Canary Wharf. This place is brimming with style, but most importantly a talented team who know exactly what they are doing, and you can tell that they love what they do. With head chef, Damian Trejo having cooked for the likes of Barack Obama and the Dalai Lama, the Manhattan Grill provides a star factor at every angle from start to finish.
Our experience starts in their G&Tea bar where we have a gin tasting session with the lovely Sam. Sam takes us through the tasting and stories of 7 gins where we hear of London’s first distillery, olden porn sellers, and where “Soho” originates from, to name a few.
Tasting highlights for me were the French Saffron gin, the Monkey47 (a Black Forest German gin sold only in 500ml bottles, giving it the exclusive edge), and the Opihr (a gin where the recipe was based on a spice being taken and infused into the gin from every port on its journey).
The bar was fairly busy for a Tuesday evening with a mix of cosy couples and booted businessmen. The restaurant was extremely quiet with the majority of tables being taken by solo suited chaps.
We couldn’t decide what to have for starter so our friendly (and rather good looking, a recurring theme in the staff) offered to have the kitchen do us a tasting platter of the starters. Juicy King prawns in mixed chilli garlic butter, Black pearl scallops with pea puree, Devonshire pork belly, and Baked Blue Swimmer crab cake. So pretty all together on the plate this should feature on their menu as a tasting platter.
The pork belly was far too salty for me although it was matched with a fruity cabbage- the flesh itself was heaven. The scallop with pea puree was insanely good – if I had to pick just one out of their starters, it would be this. Very closely followed by the crab cake; meaty, light and just the right amount of herbs. I also tried the clam chowder which tasted like a holiday I once had in the U.S – lovely.
In between courses you are invited to join a sommelier (free of charge), to try some classic wines and some interesting wines from South America, South Africa and Australia. Again, here the Manhattan Grill reinforces that they know their stuff and are going to make you feel special along the way. It also came to light that this company invest in their employees, sending them on courses and trips that are of interest, which clearly adds to the staff’s happy and passionate buzz.
Following our waiter’s suggestion on his favourite main I went for the Rib-Eye and my friend had the Fillet. The meat was superb and cooked to perfection- I asked for mine to be cooked however the chef wanted me to have the meat and it was a winner. Restaurant’s such as the Manhattan Grill that revolve around one important ingredient, means that it has to be on point. The meat was faultless.
For sides we had the macaroni cheese (although I wish we had opted for the version they do with lobster), seared mushrooms, and onion rings. I am a sauce monster – gravy, dips, marinades the lot. So I naturally asked to taste a selection of the restaurant’s sauces; Chimichurri, Bearnaise, Bourbon Peppercorn, and red wine. Unfortunately, the sauces were a let down- I found the Chimichurri over oily and the Bearnaise bland. Bourbon Peppercorn saved the day on the sauces and it went particularly well with the Mac N Cheese.
After both gin and wine tasting, a starter platter and a hunk of meat we decided to share the restaurant’s Key Lime Pie for dessert – light pastry and super citrus filling it was the perfect way to end the meal.
The experience from start to finish was 5 stars, there is no doubt about that. However I cannot forgive the issue with the sauces and over salted pork I’m afraid, hence a star has been deducted. You will certainly both arrive and leave with a smile on your face, and a slightly bigger belly than when you entered! Both myself and my friend said we would be back to dine and drink again. We had a fantastic time.
REVIEWED BY: Jordan Lohan
ADDRESS: 22 Hertsmere Road, Canary Wharf London, E14 4ED
VENUE PHONE:
WEBSITE: http://manhattangrill.co.uk
PRICE: £££ (explained)
STAR RATING: ★★★★ (explained)
TIPPING POLICY: Discretionary service charge of 12.5% added to bill -
Man Killed In Sydney Siege Leaves Behind Partner Of 14 Years
The man who has been hailed a hero, after being killed after he grabbed the gun of terrorist Man Haron Monis has been named as Tori Johnson.
Mr Johnson, 34, was the manager at the cafe in Sydney when self-styled Muslim cleric Man Haron Monis took 17 staff and patrons hostage during a 16-hour siege over the weekend. The lone gunman was eventually killed after a sustained gun fight. It is believed that Mr Johnson, who had worked at the cafe since October 2012, tried to overpower the gunman to protect staff and customers.
The horrific ordeal began at 9:45 AM, when police were notified and called to Lindt Chocolat Cafe in Sydney’s Martin Place in the central business district. The siege eventually ended at 2:10 AM when commandos stormed the cafe. The exact sequence of events inside the building is not clear.
Mr Johnson had been in a long-term relationship with his partner of 14 years – Mr Thomas Zinn, who is currently being looked after by Mr Johnson’s family. A statement from the family have said via a journalist Ben Fordham,
“We are so proud of our beautiful boy Tori, gone from this earth but forever in our memories as the most amazing life partner, son and brother we could ever wish for.
“We feel heartfelt sorrow for the family of Katrina Dawson.
“We’d like to thank not only our friends and loved ones for their support, but the people of Sydney; Australia and those around the world for reaching out with their thoughts and prayers.
“Our deepest gratitude to the NSW police, armed forces and paramedics for their tireless efforts.
“We ask that the media respects our privacy in this difficult time.
“Let us all pray for peace on earth.”
A former colleague Peter Manettas said Mr Johnson was,
“a very selfless manager… he put his staff first in everything that he did.”
A co-worker, and mother of three Katrina Dawson, 38 also died.
-
FILM REVIEW | The Hundred Foot Journey
★ | The Hundred Foot Journey
A more apt title for this preposterous and painfully unfunny comedy would be ‘Lost in Translation’. Based on a best-selling novel by Richard C. Morais this new movie from the Oscar-nominated king of syrupy schmaltz Lasse Hallstrom (Cider House Rules & Chocolat) and produced by Oprah Winfrey and Stephen Spielberg must have seemed like a fantastic idea on paper as they managed to persuade none other than Oscar Winner Helen Mirren to be their very uncomfortable looking star. After filming this very inane and somewhat patronising piece she could only have only ended up asking the same question as we do now i.e. whatever possessed her!
The story is of an Indian family who has to leave Mumbai in a hurry when their restaurant is destroyed and the matriarch is killed after a political uprising. They seek asylum in London and settle in a cramped home next to Heathrow Airport right under the flight path. However it’s not the fact that they can almost touch the planes as they land that drives them out, but the cold and damp English climate and they set off in a dilapidated camper van to warmer climes of France.
When their van breaks down outside Saint-Antonin-Noble-Vala small picturesque one-street village in the middle of nowhere, Father spies an empty restaurant for sale that he deems will be perfect for the family to establish their new Indian Restaurant. This village evidently only has one other eating establishment (other than the café where everyone has breakfast) and this is smack opposite their new venue. It is in fact just a hundred feet from their front door. This very popular fine dining establishment, which possesses a coveted Michelin star, and a fancy Chef, is run by a chauffeured driven Grand Dame who, for some inexplicable reason, is paranoid about the new competition from a fast-food Indian eatery run by a cook.
The rivalry is petty and too silly for words and is as ridiculous as the silly French accent of the English speaking Madame Mallory. After a chance encounter, Hassan the Indian cook falls in love with Marguerite a sous chef who works for Madame and she encourages him to read a recipe book about fine French cuisine. Then after a few attempts at re-creating classic dishes and before you can say Nigella Lawson he is a cordon-bleu chef and immediately deserts his family to work for Madame herself. Next stop for him is Paris and an even fancier restaurant where as Chef de Cuisine he becomes an overnight sensation winning more Michelin stars with easy.
However, fame and success isn’t everything for Hassan and as he misses his family he hurries back to Madame‘s country restaurant where he can get the taste of both Marguerite and fresh local produce once again.
This rather innocuous tale is an excruciating 2 hours long and has no redeeming features other than the location of the small town, and the rather scrumptious food.
-
FILM REVIEW | CitizenFour
★★★★★ | CitizenFour
After you have watched Laura Poitras’s powerful documentary on the NSA Whistleblower Edward Snowden you will never want to use your bank debit card, mobile phone or even turn your computer on ever again. Whilst it’s not always easy to totally understand the intricate technical details of what Snowden reveals, it is, however, impossible not to avoid his very serious warning that Big Brother is most certainly spying on every single one of us.
What’s remarkable about this extraordinary movie is that is that Poitras was part of the whole process of Snowden going public with his astonishing information, so what we see is a blow by blow account as she films this unprecedented event from the very beginning. Oscar-nominated Poitras (‘My Country My Country’) was in the middle of making another film about surveillance when Snowden contacted her anonymously, using the pseudonym ‘Citizenfour’, and asked for her help in exposing the government’s practice of indiscriminately wholesale spying on all its citizens. Unlike others with conspiracy theories Snowden, a computer intelligence expert who worked for one of the NSA’s main contractors, had hard proof to back up all his claims but as this was classified information he knew that revealing the details would be both difficult and dangerous.
In May 2013 he flew from Hawaii from Hong Kong where he had arranged to meet up with Poitras and Washington Post journalist Glenn Greenwald. They had deliberately chosen this Chinese territory as it has no extradition treaty with the US and both Poitras and Snowden knew that the moment they started to go public with the story the US Government (and maybe the British one too) would want to skin them alive.
When the three meet Snowden makes it clear about his intentions to reveal how widespread these surveillance programs are, but he is unsure about exactly what information he should make public without compromising national security. Here the journalists take the lead, and they with British journalist Ewan MacAskill, make the decisions on what to release to the media and when. These few days in with the ‘team’ in Hong Kong holed up in Snowden’s undisclosed hotel room are tense and nerve racking to witness, and asides from worrying about future consequences, Snowden also wants to ensure that when the story breaks that it focuses on the revelations themselves and not about him personally.
It turns out he was right to be concerned as when the world starts to reel with the news of the far-reaching relentless spying that government agencies have been doing aided and abetted by the likes of the major cellphone and broadband providers, the NSA and the US Government desperately try to move the focal point by accusing Snowden of traitorous acts rather than attempting to explain why all this surveillance is happening. His life is definitely in danger and the UN consulate in Hong Kong help spirit him away to a safer location whilst they can work out his next move.
The one thing that one is sure of after seeing Snowden at close quarters and intently watching and listening to him as he shares the information he is about to reveal and explain exactly why he feels the need to take such actions, is that this very regular-type-joe simply thinks that the world has a right to now. He is devoid of any committed political convictions and he even takes great strides to ensure that his actions do not place even the smallest risk to national security. Whatever doubts one may have had about him previously thanks to the highly personal vitriolic backlash in the media that followed the disclosures, they are totally banished when one realises what a responsible and sincere individual Snowden is. He is, in fact, a true patriot and hero.
Once he was publicly identified as being the Whistleblower, there is a very tense time when he is talking with his long-term girlfriend back home who had no inkling at all of his plans for her own good. Now he worries that the authorities will put pressure on her in retaliation, but one of the high points the movie finishes on is seeing the two of them reunited in their flat in Moscow after the Russians eventually gave him asylum.
Credit is also due to the intrepid Greenwald who became both the moderator and the front-man who articulately dealt with the world’s media throughout the whole process. His ‘reward’ was British Immigration Authorities ‘detaining’ his partner at Heathrow airport for four hours to ‘question’ him. In fact less we should think that this is whole surveillance thing is a problem for just the American public, Snowden makes it very clear that the UK agency GCHQ have far less legal restraints placed upon them and their spying on all British citizens is probably even more intense and widespread.
Although the movie ends with the concern of Snowden’s future (the Russians gave him a one year visa) there is naturally the much more vexing question of what will happen to all this wholesale spying once this current furore dies down. The sad thing is, we know the answer.
P.S. This excellent movie has just won the IDA’s Best Documentary Award and has also been shortlisted for a Nomination for the Academy Award for Best Documentary.
-
The UK Loves A Good Toy, 26 Is The Age Most People Buy A Sex Toy
New research commissioned by Durex has revealed that UK couples are more adventurous than ever before. The results reveal that over half of survey respondents (55%) are not-so-secret sex toy users and couples are increasingly keen on exploring together. It seems the purchase and use of sex toys and other sex enhancement products is becoming more of an everyday thing.
In response to this changing mindset, Durex is encouraging UK couples in this spirit of exploration via its newly launched website and online shop (durex.co.uk). The site has been designed with couples in mind, providing the perfect environment for lovers to tap into that spirit of exploration. As well as discovering a whole world of amazing sex toys the new site offers couples advice, tips, articles and guest blogs from the UK’s leading sex and relationship experts.
Gone are the days when sex toys were the reserve of the kinky extrovert, today using sex toys is no big deal. A far cry from the traditional view of Britain as a reserved, even prudish nation, it seems attitudes to sex and specifically sex toys have changed. A considerable 82% of Brits agree that they think using sex toys regularly is more acceptable than it used to be.
Tight lipped not pillow talk: Despite a new found acceptability, Brits are still maintaining their traditional decorum when it comes to spilling the beans on what they get up to in the bedroom. More than a quarter say they avoid conversations about using sex toys and confided that they may have bought a sex toy earlier in life if they’d felt more comfortable to discuss it with friends first – 26 is the average age for purchasing your first sex toy; the new coming of age, perhaps?
Men: They live to give – In the Durex survey, the top reason given for buying a sex toy is based very much on our partner’s enjoyment. 59% of men said this was the main reason for purchase. Also a staggering 62% of men rank pleasing their partners as the most important factor when considering a sex toy, suggesting that men perhaps aren’t the selfish lovers depicted in the stereotype.
Do sex toys improve sex lives? Well, maybe. According to the survey conducted by Durex, 38% of people bought sex toys for the first time to spice up their relationship. However half of sex toy users said they simply enjoy ‘good sex’ and that using sex toys was just a part of that. Almost a quarter of couples said their toys get a regular work out whilst a third said they’re saved just for special occasions – Merry Sexmas!?
Shopping for sex toys
It seems that Brits have become very discerning and sophisticated in their sex toy tastes and preferences; Purple and pink tones, discrete and reasonably priced are the main things Brits are looking for in the perfect sex toy. Regular size vibrators are the clear favourite with 30% of people saying that was their first choice. It’s not just about what they’re buying but how they’re buying it that is an influential factor for consumers. Discretion is king with anonymity (18%), online availability (13%) and partner’s opinion (26%) cited as the driving factors in choosing what and how to buy.This significant shift in society’s perception suggests that the landscape and how we feel about sex toys is likely to change further. So what’s the future of sex toys? Only a small minority (16%) feel embarrassed about buying sex toys and 14% of people who have never experimented with them reveal their reasons for not doing so is their partners’ reaction.
Leading sexpert, Alix Fox urges couples to try them, at least once. “Once you introduce sex toys to your relationship, you open up a whole new spectrum of sensual possibilities. Toys give you both the opportunity to experiment with fresh methods of turning each other on, and they can positively support relationships in so many ways – for instance, by helping you both to become more orgasmic, and allowing you to explore your bodies and discover a wider range of sensations you’re capable of experiencing together. Through playing with toys, you may well be amazed at what you discover about your partner and yourself – for the better!”
-
FILM REVIEW | Mr. Turner
★★★★★ | Mr. Turner
Mike Leigh’s stunning biopic of J.M.W.Turner is the portrait of the leading English Romantic landscape artist who was evidently also quite a philanderer and misanthrope too. Set in the 1820’s (although Leigh never tells us that) the movie focuses on the last 20 years of the painter’s life when he was at the height of his success and his work was being exhibited at the Royal Academy and also commissioned by wealthy aristocrats.
Leigh’s story starts when Turner returns from a painting trip in Belgium to his London home that he shares with his elderly father who dotes on him and acts as his studio assistant, and also the sad-looking maid who allows Turner to have his way with her whenever he gets the urge. The maid just seems to be the latest of several mistresses, as the previously estranged one who has two simpering grown up daughters by Turner often comes around to harangue him looking for support which he never ever gives them.
When his precious father dies, Turner sinks into a deep depression and is even more bad-tempered with nearly everyone he comes into contact with. In one rather glorious scene when he is visiting the Summer Exhibition as it is being hung at the Royal Academy he is openly disparaging about the work of the other Academicians who constitute a veritable who’s who roll call of every major artist of the day (Constable, Stothard, Callcot etc).
On a trip to the small seaside town of Margate, which would become the inspiration for many of his most famous paintings, Turner meets the twice-widowed Mrs. Booth who becomes his live-in mistress, and later the pair moves to a house in Chelsea where Turner lives out the rest of his days.
Leigh and his cinematographer Dick Pope don’t just show Turner in action manically slathering paint over his canvasses but also capture evocative and powerful images of the landscapes often at dawn just as Turner would have viewed them. They are a real visual joy. As too are the sets of Victorian Britain that production designer Suzie Davies has lovingly recreated.
Like all Leigh’s movies, Mr. Turner is created through an improvisational method from which the final script evolves. Enabling his actors to have more input than normal into creating their characters certainly plays off, as so brilliantly demonstrated by Timothy Spall who gives a career-best performance as Mr. Turner. With his expressive squashy face he so convincingly portrays the short-tempered genius that never lets anything distract him from his work. Even when he faces public ridicule after he experiments with his painting style, and also right to the very end when he is on his death bed he cannot but help himself seize one final perfect moment to sketch.
The talented cast is mainly made up of many of Leigh’s regular actors that include Dorothy Atkinson pitch perfect as the put-upon maid, Marion Bailey as the loyal Mrs. Booth and veteran actor Paul Jesson as Mr. Turner Snr.
Overly long with a running time of 150 minutes which makes the action seem too slow and stretched out at times, nevertheless this screen biography lovingly gives a wonderful portrait for the only artist to ever now have a whole permanent gallery dedicated to his work at The Tate Gallery in London. Mr Spall’s (potentially) award-winning performance also makes this an unmissable film.
In Cinemas Now
-
How to survive the UK’s “Weather Bomb”
With Britain bracing itself for potential chaos brought on by the “weather bomb”, one of the nation’s favourite building societies is advising people how to stay safe and be prepared this Christmas. A few simple preparations can help save a great deal of time and trouble.
Nationwide’s winter weather tips:
Give your car a winter weather check
– avoid breaking down by keeping your car maintained. Make sure your tyres have enough tread; check oil, anti-freeze and screen-wash levels and keep fuel topped up. Many garages offer a winter health check for a small fee which will ensure your car is ready for the cold snap.Make sure you have breakdown cover
– flat tyres, minor accidents caused by icy or snowy weather conditions and a flat battery are just a few of the common reasons people need breakdown assistance over the winter months. Save a great deal of time, money and distress by having breakdown cover in place beforehand.Keep emergency items in your car
– check the weather report before you leave the house and only travel if the journey is essential. If your journey is necessary, keep emergency items in your vehicle such as a blanket, extra clothes, a torch, water, non-perishable food and a shovel, which could come in handy if stuck in snow.Carry emergency telephone numbers
– avoid being stranded in freezing weather conditions by having your insurance provider’s telephone number to hand. Make sure your mobile phone is charged and keep an in-car phone charger for emergencies. Also, tell family and friends where you are going before setting off on a journey.Protect your home
– prevent water damage by protecting your pipes. Keeping your boiler serviced not only keeps you warm but will prevent pipes freezing and if you are going away, consider asking a friend or relative to check your home. This means if you do suffer a burst pipe, it will be detected as soon as possible.Martyn Dyson, Nationwide’s Head of General Insurance, said,
“Winter weather brings with it many challenges, particularly with ice and snow, and many of us are ill prepared. These conditions can be hazardous and it’s important to plan ahead to not only reduce the financial impact and inconvenience, but to also stay safe. A few simple steps can make a big difference if the worst were to happen, for example taking the time to understand what your home and car insurance covers you for can prevent a great deal of anxiety and expense.”
-
Fifty percent Government cuts will devastate HIV prevention programme
It was revealed today that the Government is considering to dramatically reduce its funding for HIV prevention schemes by up to 50%.
The government has come under fire this evening after HIV charities revealed that it was planning to cut HIV prevention schemes, which it has funded since 1996, by 50%, from April 2015, despite a rise in new infections amongst gay and bisexual men. The announcement has been called by campaigners and HIV charities alike as ‘devastating’.
Both the National AIDS Trust and the Terrance Higgins Trust have decried the move, calling it ‘staggering’ and HIV prevention is at a ‘serious risk of going backwards’.
Funding will be halved for the year commencing April 2015 and there is as yet no commitment to fund further years of the programme.
Deborah Gold, Chief Executive of NAT, says:
“This decision is simply staggering. HIV transmission shows no signs of decline, with the highest number of diagnoses among gay and bisexual men ever last year. Public knowledge of HIV is far too low, and myths about HIV are on the increase. We are at serious risk of going backwards on HIV if national-level investment is not made in HIV prevention. We urge the Government to think again.”The current programme, HIV Prevention England (HPE), is coordinated by Terrence Higgins Trust and is focused on the needs of gay and bisexual men and black African men and women.
The £1.2million allocated for 2015/16 is equivalent to less than £1 for each person targeted by the programme.
Dr Rosemary Gillespie, Chief Executive at Terrence Higgins Trust, said: “This is not the right time for the Government to pare back spending on HIV prevention. In recent years, we have made good progress in driving down rates of undiagnosed and late-diagnosed HIV. However, tens of thousands of people with HIV across England are still undiagnosed and at increased risk of passing the virus on unwittingly. We have not yet reached the tipping point in our fight against the epidemic, and halving government spending on HIV prevention now would be a regressive step that risks undermining the headway we have made.”
This decision is in direct contradiction to Simon Stevens’ NHS Five Year Forward View, released in October and welcomed by all main political parties, in which he said:
“…the future health of millions of children, the sustainability of the NHS, and the economic prosperity of Britain all now depend on a radical upgrade in prevention and public health. Twelve years ago Derek Wanless’ health review warned that unless the country took prevention seriously we would be faced with a sharply rising burden of avoidable illness. That warning has not been heeded – and the NHS is on the hook for the consequences”.
NAT’s activist network are working to defend the national HIV prevention funding. Please encourage your readers to get involved and join the campaign here: http://act.lifewithhiv.org.uk/lobby/HPE
A spokesman for the DoH said that negotiations for an extension on their 3-year contract with Terrence Higgins Trust for HIV Preventions, which ends in 2015, were on-going.
-
UKIP Member Who Called Gay Men Poofters Has Resigned
THEGAYUK has learnt that Kerry Smith, who had hoped to let his comments about gay men and a Chinese woman ‘blow over” has resigned.
This morning The Mail On Sunday revealed recordings on which UKIP Parliamentary candidate Kerry Smith is heard calling gay men “f**king disgusting old poofters” has now resigned an Al Jazeera journalist, Sunny Hundal, has tweeted.
Nigel Farage, leader of UKIP had refused to sack Smith over the phone calls, while the MoS claims that a “well-placed” UKIP insider noted:
“Kerry wants to make a full apology and is hoping it all blows over.”
At one point in the recording released by MoS he is heard talking about former UKIP Youth chairman, Olly Neville saying,
“Olly Neville – the sun shines out of his rear end. He’s now setting up BLT UKIP on Facebook.
“What the old poofter groups call themselves. I just call it a BLT like the sandwiches. It’s them letters BLT with a Q on the end, bacon, lettuce and tomato.
“It’s got our logo done with a rainbow. F**king loopy. That’s been approved by the NEC. That’s f**king disgusting.”