Satori Screen and Derby's QUAD

Friday 18th saw the year anniversary of the QUAD's very own Satori Screen, a monthly event dedicated to Asian Cinema. The film on show was the highly popular Oldboy, South Korea's 2003 Mystery-Thriller, directed by Chan-wook Park. The film follows Oh Dae-Su, a man who is kidnapped and imprisoned for fifteen years, before finally being released without any explanation. Bent on vengeance and a desire to find out why, he follows a series of clues to find his captor. The film is violent, shocking and gorgeous and it was wonderful to watch it on the big screen in a 35mm print. I highly recommend it.

Satori Screen was set up by Quaddie Peter Munford, and began with a fantastic double bill of Godzilla vs King Kong, and the completely bizarre Mantango, a film where people are turned into mushrooms after consuming a highly addictive fungi. Since then, the event has seen a colourful mixture of comic, intriguing, disturbing and inspiring pieces of Asian cinema. One that must be noted is the extremely rare Somi:Tae-Kwon Do Woman, which saw it's fourth (and possibly last) ever screening outside of Asia at the QUAD. It was an extremely special treat. If Asian cinema interests you, it's a definite must in Derby.

This is the beauty of the QUAD; the variety of brilliant cinema, art and activities that are on offer never fail to interest, illuminate and inspire the public. In the centre of the town, QUAD strives to be a creative hub for those with an interest in all things artistic. There are monthly poetry nights, writing groups, drawing groups and much more. One of my favourite monthly events is OST, which is a monthly event held in the cafe area. DJ Flatbush City Limits plays a fantastic arrangement of often quirky soundtrack choices from a variety of different films, often fitting in with a theme. Other fantastic events that occur annually include Dead and Breakfast, a horror marathon that falls close to Halloween (unfortunately I have had to miss it - it's tonight) and the fantastic I.D Fest, which is in the Summer season and boasts a host of interesting films and special guest (and they are real gems) talks around a set theme. Another great feature of QUAD is its selection of short courses in photography, film making and much more, which serve as an excellent platform to expand your knowledge and skill.

All in all, if you're looking for something to get your creative juices flowing, to expand a hobby (or start a new one), or just a nice night out, there is something for everyone.

The next Satori Screen is Ruroni Kenshin, a new release. The film is a cinematic telling of a Japanese Manga that follows an ex-assasin Kenshin in an action adventure "...filled with swordfights and intruige." (taken from QUAD). It looks like a real treat and will be screened on the 15th Novemeber at 8:45pm. For more information, join the Facebook group here.

The next O.S.T is 80s Cinema, Pop and Underground on 9th November at 7pm. For more information, join the Facebook group here.

If I have intruiged you with anything else, find the QUAD website here.....and their Twitter here.

Watch this space next month for a more in depth review of some more events in Derby.

Friday 15 November 2013

Friday 15 November 2013

Friday 15 November 2013

Friday 15 November 2013

Get some soul food - it's Irie Margate!

If there is one thing I enjoy about Thanet, it's the ability it has to present you with a wonderful variety of places to eat and drink, and the newest addition has to be one of my favourites. Irie has just opened on Margate Seafront and is a definite must if you like comforting, spicy, Caribbean soul food. The restaurant itself is filled with a variety of reggae-esque decor, not forgetting an image of the icon Bob Marley, and music fills the room to set a relaxed atmosphere. I certainly felt the summer during my visit!

The food itself took a while to arrive due to there being only one cook on the day, but the overall result was worth it. With a mixture of various meats and veggies prepared for you in wraps, fritters, rice and much more, there is certainly enough choice for everyone. With extra notice, Irie will also cater for special diets, so nobody is left out. For myself, I had a vegetarian wrap, a medley of various grilled vegetables, including sweet potato, tomato and peppers. This was  accompanied with a creamy coconut, and spicy chilli aftertaste. That alone was filling enough, and certainly was hot enough to have me sipping on my mango juice in regular intervals.

I decided to have a light dessert, and chose the exotic fruit salad - a mixture of delicious fruits in juice which was topped by a gorgeously light, melt-in-the-mouth coconut meringue. It was a wonderful way to finish the meal, though I have heard that their Rum Waffles with ice cream are something to be tasted!  If indulgence is something you enjoy, you should also try their 'festivals' - soft, doughy, deep fried balls rolled in sugar and cinnamon. They're incredibly moreish, but a little bit naughty! 

So, if you're looking for a relaxed atmosphere, reggae tunes, sunshine and friendly service on Margate's beautiful seafront this summer, then I would highly recommend Irie for a taste, sight and sound experience.

Fine Dining At It's Best - Restaurant Zest.

When coming back to Derby, I am always on the lookout for new places to spend time with friends, and one such place on my agenda this time was Restaurant Zest. Tucked away in George Street, just off of Friar Gate, Restaurant Zest stands as a cosy, intimate restaurant that boasts relaxed fine dining at its best. The ceiling is somewhat rustic, with great wooden beams that seem to be from an old mill, and the walls share interesting and modern artworks (I failed to ask if it was local art or not). Nonetheless, the surroundings fill you with a relaxed, but quite 'posh' atmosphere. This can only be matched by the staff, who were fantastically courteous and extremely accommodating.

When arriving, we did encounter a mix up with our booking, but I cannot complain about this as the staff handled the matter fantastically, offering a bottle of sparkling wine on the house as an apology. We were seated and handed our menus, drinks poured for us and topped up whenever they passed. We barely lifted a finger.

We ordered from the July A La Carte Menu, a deliciously summery selection of dishes which ensured enough choice for you to hover and think hard before ordering. I chose the Summer Squash, Feta & Olive Salad to start, and was not disappointed. The problem with some restaurants is that they add far too much feta, which makes a salad a little too tangy for my liking. This, however, had feta crumbled in small chunks that was just enough for the mouth to handle. The onion and olives complimented the cheese beautifully and the portion was just enough to satisfy you before the main.

For my main, I selected the Courgette Fritters, Goats Cheese & Lentil Salad, Roasted Beetroot & Creme Fraiche. The mixture of tart goats cheese and sweet beetroot was gorgeous and the fritters were in such a light batter that there was no reason to feel guilty at all. There was minimal creme fraiche, but this may have been because I chose the BLF (Bottom Line Fitness) option for the dish. This is something else that Zest does very well; it is a healthier option to certain dishes on the menu so you can watch your health and still indulge. Nevertheless, the taste was not affected in the slightest.

Now this was the truly indulgent course of my meal - Dessert. I chose the Gooseberry & Elderflower 'Zest' Mess, Lemon & Lime Sorbet, which came in a tall glass. However, when it arrived I failed to see any gooseberry or elderflower in sight. Instead, I seemed to have been given the Strawberry Zest Mess from the Early Evening Menu. Without complaining, I ate. It was a delicious take on the typically British 'Eaton Mess', bursting with fruit and pieces of meringue, but with a tangy lemon-lime aftertaste from the refreshing addition of the sorbet.

Despite the two minor hiccups, I felt that Zest is an affordable and lasting experience that I highly recommend. It is also worth booking a Champagne Breakfast (something I have enjoyed before), which serves you a highly indulgent three-course breakfast and a glass of champagne. A truly wonderful restaurant hiding in a side street in Derby!

Why I LOVE Company Magazine

Company Magazine is a monthly publication that I really make the effort for. It's a fashion magazine, but it's so much more. With articles ranging from the "How I Got There", a regular feature that asks girls who are successful in their field to spill the beans on how they got to their dream job, to Jameela's columns that tackle issues closer to home, Company fills itself with interesting articles that are bound to interest you. 

Recently, Company published an issue that discussed feminism with different female figureheads that provided a great insight into feminism in different industries, and what it meant to women from different walks of life. Another brutally honest article titled "Skinny Club" highlighted a woman who loved to be thin and had no shame in admitting passing up on sweet treats and lying about having already eaten. The dynamic contrast in the two articles created a storm of comments online and certainly sparked a few debates. See, this is what I love about this magazine - its ability to make you think outside the box. 

On top of this, there are some great tutorials and how-tos published to get you customizing your clothes and styling yourself to perfection. I've learnt everything from nail design to scrunchie making, all of which impresses my friends and family to no end. If the how-to published in the magazine doesn't tickle your fancy, take a look at their website for the Cool Customiser section for some thrifty fashion fun. This is also a great place for competitions, advice, discussions and tons of extra content to satisfy you until the next issue.

Overall, Company focuses on us - the girls who will one day shape the world. It  inspires us to get to where we want to be and shares insights and thoughts of others, whilst still keeping our hunger for style satisfied and that's why Company Magazine is my magazine.