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April, 2009

  1. Swine Flu

    April 30, 2009 by Amy Hansford

    swinfluavatarbigThe BBC are toying with how severe the Swine Flu pandemic really is.

    The breaking news this morning is that the threat level has been turned up to Level 5 (of 6) [I find this a tremendous advert for Watchmen], how the Health Service have started up the helpline etc.
    The follow up news story on the same programme says how really, it’s *just* the flu. We’ll get Piggy Sniffles for a week and get better. It’s never nice to be ill, but that’s all it will be. Unless you’re an ‘at risk’ person (old, blood problems, respiritory problems, pregnant) in which case, well, yeah, we’ll sweep it under the carpet, but yeah, you could get really ill.

    However I have worked out how to truly gauge the severity of the pandemic.
    The more severe the pandemic, the wackier the ‘and finally’ story.
    Today it was about cross country skiers in their pants. From this guideline, we can assume that we’re all going to get a little woozy in the coming months.

    I work a mile or two down the road from Barnet where a case has been confirmed and this weekend we’re off to see my elderly grandparents in Paignton where another case has been confirmed. We’re not running away, just stocking upon Berocca.

    But well done Michael Jackson. He saw this coming from a mile off. He’s been wearing his mask for years.

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  2. Costumes: Disney

    April 17, 2009 by Amy Hansford

    This week’s costume query is for a Disney themed party. There are so many Disney films out there, making this a really fun party to dress up for, not least because of all the bright comic colours. Also, it’s a great opportunity to go as? pair, with many of the costume standing up in their own right.
    Below are various characters and their film. Will you be the goodie or the baddie?

    Aladdin – Aladdin
    Alice – Alice in Wonderland
    Anamaria – voodoo witch from Pirates of the Caribbean
    Ariel – The Little Mermaid
    Beast – Beauty & the Beast
    Belle – Beauty & the Beast
    Bert the Chimney Sweep – Mary Poppins
    Boo – Monsters Inc.
    Buzz Lightyear – Toy Story
    Captain Hook – Peter Pan
    Cheerleader – High School Musical
    Cheshire Cat – Alice in Wonderland
    Christopher Robin – Winnie the Pooh
    Cinderella – Cinderella
    Cruella De Ville – 101 Dalmations
    Davy Crockett – Davy Crockett
    Donald Duck – general Disney
    Dwarf (Bashful, Doc, Dopey, Grumpy, Sleepy, Sneezy and the other one) – Snow White and the Seven Dwarves
    Edna Mode – The Incredibles
    Eeyore – Winnie the Pooh
    Elizabeth Swann – Pirates of the Caribbean
    Eve – Wall~E
    Evil Queen – Snow White and the Seven Dwarves
    Gabriella – High School Musical
    Gaston – Beauty & the Beast
    Genie – Aladdin
    Gepetto – Pinocchio
    Goofy – general Disney
    Greek Chorus – Hercules
    Hercules – Hercules
    Hocus Pocus witch – Hocus Pocus
    The Incredibles – The Incredibles
    Jack Sparrow – Pirates of the Caribbean
    Jessie – Toy Story 2
    King Trident – The Little Mermaid
    Mad Hatter – Alice in Wonderland
    Mary Poppins – Mary Poppins
    Mickey Mouse – general Disney
    Milleficent – Evil witch from Sleeping Beauty
    Minnie Mouse – general Disney
    Mowgli – The Jungle Book
    Mr Potato Head – Toy Story
    Peter Pan – Peter Pan
    Piglet – Winnie the Pooh
    Pinocchio – Pinocchio
    Pocahontas – Pocahontas
    Pongo – 101 Dalmations
    Prince Charming – Snow White and the Seven Dwarves
    Princess Jasmin – Aladdin
    Queen of Hearts – Alice in Wonderland
    Sebastian the Crab – The Little Mermaid
    Simba – the Lion King
    Sleeping Beauty – Sleeping Beauty
    Smee – Peter Pan
    Snow White – Snow White and the Seven Dwarves
    Suit of armour – Bedknobs and Broomsticks
    Sully – Monsters Inc.
    Tarzan – Tarzan
    Tigger – Winnie the Pooh
    Tinkerbell – Peter Pan
    Troy – High School Musical
    Tweedledum & Tweedledee – Alice in Wonderland
    Ursula – The Little Mermaid
    Walle – Wall~E
    Wendy – Peter Pan
    White Rabbit – Alice in Wonderland
    Winnie the Pooh – Winnie the Pooh
    Woody – Toy Story

    Not generally associated with Disney, they also made the live action version of Popeye, so there’s him, Olive Oil and Bluto to choose from too.

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  3. London London London

    April 2, 2009 by Amy Hansford

    A friend visiting London was asking for some advice on places to eat and shops to visit. It’s not the first time, but I always forget what I’ve said. Through sheer laziness of not remembering this nugget of information for every person, I thought I’d put a few notes down here for future reference.

    Dinner:

    TREAT: Ping Pong. These do Dim Sum and are cool without being snooty. There’s a few around including one near the National Theatre on the Southbank.
    PUBBY: The Crooked Surgeon. This is just off Leicester Square (not far from The Prince Charles CInema) and does decent pub grub. It’s not a traditional pub – they’re so hard to find these days – but it’s okay value.
    CURRY: Masala Zone. This is off Covent Garden. They, like most places in London, do a pre-theatre deal. You don’t have to be going to the theatre to use the deals! About a tenner for a very tasty three course meal.
    FUN PUB: Ben Crouch’s Tavern. It’s off Oxford Street. Probably the only place I feel at home in London! Again, good menu, great value and it has a horror theme. Don’t tell your family about the screaming/chainsaw sound track playing in the toilets!
    Plus there’s plenty of Wagamamas around and all the usual chains.

    Shops:

    CAMDEN is all there and complete. The smaller market by the canal’s closed, but everything’s there. Sadly, they ditched the hotch potch covered stalls in all the arches for some glass monstrosity that I’ve not looked into – all glassware and t-shirts – but Punkyfish and the New Rock boot shops are all around as are the goth shops.
    OXFORD STREET is still packed with every shop imaginable.
    Check out FORBIDDEN PLANET for amazing sci-fi and film goodness.
    For your musicals, check out DRESS CIRCLE off Covent Garden. It has everything to do with every musical ever made.

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