Work has been busy, busy, busy. Just finished December's issue, which involved a trip to East Sussex to meet some very interesting people and we are now on January so I have no idea what month it is.
All the digital editions of the magazine are online uder the emags tab and by clicking the archive tab on the side you can look back over the last few months - www.etcmag.net
But on the website here are some article I have written which you might be interested in:
Carving Magic - http://etcmag.net/carving-magic/ This was a lot of fun and amazing what they can make from a carrot.
Winter sun Jamaica - http://etcmag.net/island-paradise/
Tamsin Egerton interview - http://etcmag.net/tamsin-egerton/
Garden designer Amanda Patton - http://etcmag.net/garden-paradise/
Delicious Chocolate by Miss Witt - http://etcmag.net/chocolate-by-miss-witt/
Old one from August - Martha Mitchell Designs from Brighton - http://etcmag.net/a-fine-line/
Plus lots more to read if you have a look around.
Wednesday, 13 November 2013
Sunday, 10 November 2013
The Great South Run 2013, October, Portsmouth and Southsea
At the end of October I completed the Great South Run again.
Having caught the running bug nearly two years ago I felt an enormous sense of achievement crossing that finish line as I ran the complete 10 miles on my own, with great support from the crowd.
For anyone unaware the Great South Run is the premiere 10 mile event in the UK and attracts thousands and thousands of runners each year (25,000 this time).
There is a great buzz and you run through the streets of Portsmouth and Southsea through the dockyard, past the Spinnaker, and along the seafront.
All the way through I felt fine a lot more confident than last year and paced myself to make sure I didn't burn out quickly. However, it would seem the weather had another plan for the runners, the evening of the run a massive storm was predicted. It didn't hit when we were running however coming through Eastney was fine but turning right onto the seafront it felt as if someone hit you and running along was a constant struggle and felt as if someone constantly had their hands on your shoulders pushing you back.
It was brutal and by far the hardest two miles I have ever run, there was a point that I was concerned that I would not be able to finish, I kept running whereas others walked. The only thought going through my head was if I walk I won't be able to run and with the need to beat my time again kept pushing through.
Last year I completed the Great South Run in 2 hours 9 minutes, this year...1 hour 58 minutes. To say I am over the moon is an understatement I was overwhelmed and so proud that I had done it. I also raised £260 for Mind which was phenomenal.
I did say I wasn't going to do it again next year, £41 is quite a lot, so I am looking at getting a charity spot again. My thinking well first it is the 25th anniversary and second if it's not windy how fast could I run it?
In other running news not long to go until the Brighton Half Marathon in February, little nervous 13 miles so this week going to up my training to nail it! Just hope my couple of weeks off doesn't impact on it all.
After the Great South Run
My treat after the race
Blue, Hammersmith Apollo, London - 22nd October 2013
It has been a while, work has been a little hectic so not had much time to sit and stop with the want to write after doing so all day at work.
However, a quiet weekend means I can write some reviews and updates for the things I have been up to recently.
If you have read my blog or gig reviews on here before then you will know I am a child of the 90s and love my pop music, the cheesier the better, well in my childhood not so much now.
Since becoming an adult I have had the opportunity to see the bands I was unable to when I was a kid e.g. Spice Girls, The Big Reunion (http://onegirlsworld-charlotte.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/the-big-reunion-hammersmith-apollo.html) and Steps (http://onegirlsworld-charlotte.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/steps-o2-london-19th-april-2012.html)
My sister was a huge Blue fan back in the day and my mum bought us tickets but when we went to go the band split causing my sister a lot of heartache.
When they reformed, properly, and announced a tour for their new album Roulette my mum bought us a couple of tickets and off we went to the Hammersmith to see the band my sister was obsessed with.
To be honest it took a while for them to come on the stage, about quarter past nine which was ok but not ideal we were lucky as we drove so knew we wouldn't have to leave early to get a train home.
Apart from that the gig was a lot better than I was expecting. They sang live and were brilliant, great voices especially Lee Ryan who can hold a note and can certainly belt them out.
They also danced pulling out the moves from the old days as well as some new ones for songs from the new album, which was also another surprise.
After the awful Eurovision song I wasn't expecting the new songs to be good and had a real essence of the way they were in their heyday.
Great songs from the new album include Hurt Lovers and Ayo, and of course they also played crowd favorites One Love, Signed Sealed Delivered I'm Yours and Fly By and by the response in the room there was some die hard fans who also seemed to be loving the new album.
This gig was amazing and showed the boys do have stayed power, maybe the break was worth it as their voices and dance moves were top notch and I would definitely see them again.
Saturday, 9 November 2013
Ghost The Musical, The Mayflower, November 2013
The Mayflower in Southampton has really upped its game in recent years getting big West End shows pretty much as soon as they finish. In the past they have had Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, Legally Blonde and next year will play host to Dirty Dancing and the phenomenal Wicked.
I prefer The Mayflower, only a 40 minute drive, compared to the long journey to London it is great to show these shows come locally.
As a massive fan of the film Ghost I was thrilled when I heard it was coming to the Mayflower as I was gutted to have missed it in London.
On the website Ghost is described as - a timeless fantasy about the power of love. Walking back to their apartment one night, Sam and Molly are mugged, leaving Sam murdered on a dark street. Sam is trapped as a ghost between this world and the next and unable to leave Molly who he learns is in grave danger. With the help of a phony storefront psychic, Oda Mae Brown, Sam tries to communicate with Molly in the hope of saving and protecting her.
The 1990 film starred Demi Moore as Molly, Patrick Swayze as Sam and Whoopi Goldberg as Oda Mae. It pulls at the heartstrings and every time I watch the film I cry so I was pretty sure the musical would do the same.
With films into musicals I am always a little dubious as to how they will come off Legally Blonde worked amazingly well, and when I found out that Dave Stewart from the Eurythmics I had high hopes.
The only song really I knew would be there was Unchained Melody, the stand out song of the film.
So the musical...beautifully set and just a fantastic production, the transitions from person to ghost with the body still on stage was seamless and I still don't understand how they did it. It was a very clever production and the stage was amazing with the beginning whizzing you through the streets of New York.
The musical captures the magic of the film perfectly and the songs fit perfectly in this new mould.
It is always going to be hard to match the actors who were in the film but each actor played their part well and made it their own, the fact that Molly has blonde curly hair rather than a short brown crop instantly distinguishes the two actresses and you almost forget that someone else every played the role.
The stand out character and actress for me though was Wendy Mae Brown who plays Oda Mae Brown. In quite a heavy story line she adds welcomed light relief and has an amazing voice to carry the songs home.
When we went to watch another actress was playing the role of Molly - Amy Webb, who was excellent, it makes you wonder why she wasn't given the part in the first place.
Finally Sam was played by Stewart Clarke and although no legendary Swayze he really made you connect with Sam and feel his pain at dying way before his time.
This musical is just brilliant and really adds another dimension to an already popular and fantastic film. I really think if you love the film you will be hard pushed to hate this musical.
And before you ask yes I did cry at the end...
To find out more visit - http://www.ghostthemusical.com/
I prefer The Mayflower, only a 40 minute drive, compared to the long journey to London it is great to show these shows come locally.
As a massive fan of the film Ghost I was thrilled when I heard it was coming to the Mayflower as I was gutted to have missed it in London.
On the website Ghost is described as - a timeless fantasy about the power of love. Walking back to their apartment one night, Sam and Molly are mugged, leaving Sam murdered on a dark street. Sam is trapped as a ghost between this world and the next and unable to leave Molly who he learns is in grave danger. With the help of a phony storefront psychic, Oda Mae Brown, Sam tries to communicate with Molly in the hope of saving and protecting her.
The 1990 film starred Demi Moore as Molly, Patrick Swayze as Sam and Whoopi Goldberg as Oda Mae. It pulls at the heartstrings and every time I watch the film I cry so I was pretty sure the musical would do the same.
With films into musicals I am always a little dubious as to how they will come off Legally Blonde worked amazingly well, and when I found out that Dave Stewart from the Eurythmics I had high hopes.
The only song really I knew would be there was Unchained Melody, the stand out song of the film.
So the musical...beautifully set and just a fantastic production, the transitions from person to ghost with the body still on stage was seamless and I still don't understand how they did it. It was a very clever production and the stage was amazing with the beginning whizzing you through the streets of New York.
The musical captures the magic of the film perfectly and the songs fit perfectly in this new mould.
It is always going to be hard to match the actors who were in the film but each actor played their part well and made it their own, the fact that Molly has blonde curly hair rather than a short brown crop instantly distinguishes the two actresses and you almost forget that someone else every played the role.
The stand out character and actress for me though was Wendy Mae Brown who plays Oda Mae Brown. In quite a heavy story line she adds welcomed light relief and has an amazing voice to carry the songs home.
When we went to watch another actress was playing the role of Molly - Amy Webb, who was excellent, it makes you wonder why she wasn't given the part in the first place.
Finally Sam was played by Stewart Clarke and although no legendary Swayze he really made you connect with Sam and feel his pain at dying way before his time.
This musical is just brilliant and really adds another dimension to an already popular and fantastic film. I really think if you love the film you will be hard pushed to hate this musical.
And before you ask yes I did cry at the end...
To find out more visit - http://www.ghostthemusical.com/
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