Friday 12 November 2010

D'you want me to make you a little sandwich?

So asks Beverly, the grotesque lead character in Mike Leigh's excellent TV play, Abigail's Party.


However, although Beverly is somewhat grotesque, I can see a little bit of myself in her. For example, her vain attempts at social engineering with embarrassing consequences, her tendency to drink a little more gin than is necessary, the fact she comes from Essex and her fabulous 'dancing'.

"I like Demis Roussos"

If you have never seen Abigail's Party, then I urge you to watch it now. Once seen, forever (and ever) quoted!

That's the thing I love about Mike Leigh films, the fact that you can either see yourself or people you know in the characters he creates. Beth and I saw Another Year at the weekend, which was excellent. Food plays an important role in the film as the main characters meet over various home-cooked meals, an impromptu lunch created from produce from an allotment, BBQs and copious amounts of wine. We could definitely identify with the main couple with regard to their contented lives. But at the same time, we both individually recognised that there was a time in each of our lives where we had the potential to behave like the lonely, single, needy woman who drinks too much and constantly turns to her married friends for friendship and understanding.

I have to apologise for my lack of blogging this week, but my life has been a little manic work wise and I am too flaked out in the evening to write anymore (despite what the news tells you, public sector workers are busy!). Anyway, today I have the day off and I have started it by dyeing my hair. The bathtub now looks like someone has been dismembered in it due to my mahogany hair dye.

Next I am off to TK Maxx to spoil myself and then for some solitary Dim Sum, my personal treat. Beth hates Dim Sum you see, as outlined in my first ever post. Then it's IKEA to pick up some storage boxes and then off to the market to buy the produce for the Julia Child inspired menu I am preparing for Beth tonight. We are having:

Seared scallops in beurre blanc sauce
Boeuf Bourguignon
Julia Child's chocolate mousse

Beth will let you know how it goes as she's blogging about this weekend on MovieTalk, her work blog, to coincide with Julie and Julia showing on TV.

Right, off to listen to some Demis Roussos whilst I get dressed.....

Wednesday 3 November 2010

Don't come dine with me

Someone I went to school with is on Come Dine With Me this week. It was her turn to host last night and she did a great job. Her food looked good, she got excellent praise on its taste and it was neat and tidy.
 
Seemingly this was a very important point for Claire who has developed, since I last saw her about 20 years ago, an obsession for having things spotlessly clean and devoid of clutter. I guess it was amusing for me as I recall evenings at Claire's aged 11 when we would prepare hot dogs, oven chips and chicken goujons and loll about in her living room under duvets listening to Five Star and Belinda Carlisle or watching horror films, whilst the dirty plates and glasses of Coca Cola gathered the floor and on the side, to be cleared away much later. In fairness, I do share some of her traits. I too cannot abide clutter now, and plates and spills get cleaned up immediately. However, if you go inside my cupboards and drawers, then it's a different story.
 
This is precisely one of the myriad of reasons why I could never take part in Come Dine With Me. The thought of someone going through my cupboards and drawers and discovering actually how slovenly I am when it comes to tidying things away, would be awful. My house is spotlessly tidy on the surface, but dig deeper then the phrase "out of sight, out of mind" really comes in to play.
 
Here are the other reasons as to why Come Dine With Me would never grace my humble abode:
  • I like to convince myself that cooking is my one true gift. It is the one thing that I believe I do really well. To have people actually criticise my cooking would basically make me cry!
  • Sometimes I cannot be trusted around alcohol in that I become a bit of a liability with regard to what I say and how I conduct myself. I just know I would say something that would unintentionally insult someone, would get a bit loud and would probably end up throwing up in a bush outside. Plus, I have no wish to see myself drunk on TV.
  • The camera adds 10 pounds. Enough said (although I am rectifying this matter with my new fitness regime...walking up 16 flights of stairs at work, twice a day)
So all credit to Claire for putting herself up for scrutiny. You are a brave woman!