spooky_miss | Entries tagged with day out

I have almost caught up on my reviews for this year – which is good as it’s nearly the next! Its not a chore to do these reviews, its just that sometimes I feel like I’m not in the mood to write as well as I could do, so I like to wait until I’m in a writing mood! Unfortunately it means that these gig reviews are really late, as I just didn’t feel like I could do them justice. I might actually post some pictures as well – I know I always say that, but I have some great ones of the March Violets gig that I should really post!

( Red Lorry Yellow Lorry and Luxury Stranger at Slimelight, 16th October 2010 )

( The March Violets / James Ray’s Gangwar / Faderhead, 13th November 2010 )

( Not really a gig, but...Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella, Sadler’s Wells, 28th December 2010 )

So that’s it for the gig reviews. This year hasn’t been too good for gigs – I haven’t been to as many as usual, and most of them were bands that I’d already seen before. Next year is already looking excellent though, I’ve got tickets for the following already:

Murderdolls – 12th February (not seen since 2003!)
Rob Zombie – 16th February (woooooo! never seen before!!)
Blancmange :D :D – 15th March (never thought I’d ever see!! Wooo!!)
Bloodstock – 11th – 14th August (Immortal! Haha! I don’t even really know much of their music, but I’m excited about it anyway!!)
The Mission – 22nd October (never seen before!)

I’m also probably going to:

Nachtmahr / Uberbyte – 5th February
Resistanz festival in Sheffield – Covenant, And One, Uberbyte, Suicide Commando and many more!
Manowar if they announce any other dates other than Birmingham!! (such a random place to play! Why not London! Boo!)
DV8 - July – I actually want to go on holiday to York around this festival as I’ve never been there before and it looks lovely, but just need to persuade others to go so it’s cheaper to book a flat / cottage / house.
Whitby – October

Ooh I’m excited about it all already! :)

Current Mood: hungry
Current Location: Work

( This is a little late, but click here for my views on Whitby this year! )

As this is a hugely long post I’m going to put all the pictures in the next post… :)

Current Mood: happy
Current Location: Work

A few weeks ago I had a day out in London and visited Buckingham Palace. I had been there before, but as it was years and years ago, I can't remember it, so I decided to go to the whole lot - the Palace, the Royal Mews, and the Queens Gallery.

( My Day Out In London! )

I really enjoy days out like this, and I had a fun but tiring day! Just wish I knew other people who want to do this kind of thing really, I don't want to go on my own all the time!

Current Mood: okay
Current Location: Work

My weekend in bullet points:

The elephants were lovely - see http://www.elephantparadelondon.org/, and Click Here for my pictures of them :)

The Kings Road is just disappointing though - just normal shops! I expected a blue plaque at least by the Vivienne Westwood shop, but no!

The Saatchi Gallery is the WORST "art" gallery I have EVER been in!!!! There were only three things in about 10 galleries which were sort of good: 1. a sort of art installation involving 300 stereo speakers, a hoover and a piano, the hoover blew which made the notes play, which came out of the speakers - although it could have been improved it it played a tune rather than just notes!, 2. a scary sculpture which was mannikins dressed up in normal clothes, all staring into the corner of the gallery - it looked like real people so it was really freaky! and 3. a gallery with collages of Auswitcz and Hiroshima done by school children, they were amazing. Otherwise, not recommended!

The Summer Exhibition was mostly good

Tracy Emin makes me soooooo angry!!! A half pink and half white canvas, with a bit of a purple squiggle, is not art! gah!

I hate trying to find dresses to wear to posh occasions in the summer - neither of my staple fabrics (black velvet or black lace) are really appropriate!

I really wanted to go out and see some friends on Saturday evening, but people either weren't doing anything or didn't invite me anywhere - I used to spend so much time inviting people to things that they can't go to / don't want to go to, that I don't do it as much any more....maybe I will have to start bugging people again, just to actually have some kind of social life...

Murray is playing great - an easy win for him, hopefully he'll get to the final as easy as that!

England, however - fail! But at least there won't be all the fuss about the football now!

Its too hot!!!!

Current Mood: sick
Current Location: Home

Hmm, well I don’t seem to be doing too well in keeping up with this…I keep writing myself notes of what to write about, but as I end up with so many notes I never have time to write anything! There have been a few interesting things which I’ve done / read / seen recently, I hope they’re as interesting to other people! I originally was going to go on the communities I go on and ask people if they want to add me as a friend, but now I’m not so sure of that, it’s a bit like self promotion and I don’t like doing that – what if my writing is actually rubbish? But a few people have added me as a friend and seem to read this, so that’s good…if anyone wants to add me as a friend and continue to read, feel free! I hope my writing style has or will improve over the year, I sort of think my book reviews have already, but I’m not sure of the other bits. But anyway, on with the content….

( Synth Britannia )

( Film 21 – Mrs Brown )

( Book Thirty – The Last Curtsey by Fiona McCarthy )

( Film 22 – Night at the Museum 2 )

( Enchanted Palace, at Kensington Palace )

( Book Thirty One – The Necropolis Railway by Andrew Martin )

I’m currently reading “Phillip and Elizabeth – Portrait of a Marriage” by Gyles Brandreth, which is actually really good so far. The style is light and easy to read, and it has lots of anecdotes in it, which show that Gyles does really know them (well as far as the Queen and her husband can be known!) and knows what he is writing about. Next I shall probably read The Kite Runner – my mum has just read it and says that it is one of her favourite books now, so I’m looking forward to that.

Got a few things to look forward to actually – its my mum’s birthday tomorrow so we’re going into London for a surprise for her, which should be great :D And then on Saturday I have Gotham 11 and Slimelight – wearing my new boots out in London for the first time! Hopefully they (and my feet) will last that long. Its free entry to Slimelight after the gig, so I thought I’d take the opportunity to go. I wish Legion weren’t on first though – I really want to see them, and Clan of Xymox, but am not so bothered about the bands in between (although maybe I will be when I’ve looked them up on the internet!) so will be hanging around for quite a while. Hopefully I’ll see someone I know there though – I’m not very good at going to talk to people, but hopefully someone will come and talk to me!!

And so that ends that weekend, now on to my birthday weekend! I didn’t do much on my actual birthday, as I had a horrible cold, but I had a nice day, got a nice present and card from work, and then in the evening opened my presents from my parents, had a lovely Chinese takeaway and watched the History Boys – such a great film!! I was planning to go to the pub with people, but hardly anyone wanted to / was able to go so I didn’t do that in the end…but oh well. I got a book (The Necropolis Railway), cd (Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band) and dvd (This Is It) from my parents, along with some Body Shop Cocoa Butter Body Butter and Body Shop Banana Conditioner! So I should smell nice for some months to come, hehe!

The day after, I went up to see Katie, meeting her and her friend Hannah in Manchester, where we did some shopping (bargain of the day – a cd case which holds 100+ cds from Whsmiths for £1.99!!!) and then went to the cinema. And in the middle of that went to Marks and Spencer for a scone, which was lovely, hehe. The film we saw was Shutter Island….

( Film 20 )

After this we went back to Huddersfield (after waiting for an hour for the train after we missed the previous one by about 2 minutes!!) and went back to Katie’s, via Noodle Bar again! The next day I had a loooooong line in …went to bed at 2am and slept for almost 12 hours! However Katie wins that prize as she didn’t get up til about 4pm! The evening was really excellent though, we went to Leeds, to the Wendyhouse. We did plan to go to the Dry Dock first, a pub which apparently plays alternative music and is in a ship, but we were a bit late, so we just ate at the Wetherspoons at Leeds station and went to the Wendyhouse. We met some nice people while in the pub, a guy who just happened to be passing and noticed we were alternative, hehe. So that was nice, he was really enthusiastic about meeting some other Goths! :D Unfortunately he couldn’t come to the Wendyhouse, but we recommended he did come along some time.

The Wendyhouse was great! I came along with lists of songs I wanted them to play already prepared – I don’t know if that’s cheeky or not, but when I get to the club I can never remember what songs I want to hear! But it was great, they played loads of the songs I requested. And we shared the dance floor with an guy who could or could not have been Andrew Eldritch…hehehe! We met Kat and her boyfriend as well, which was nice. They did have a bit of a theme fail though, it was supposed to be nautical so I thought there would be lots of people dressed in sea themed things, but there was just a few pirates and a few sailors. The guy from Grendel was djing on the Mutate floor, but I must admit that I was enjoying the other floor so much that we didn’t see much of him… but the rest of it was good! Another plus point was that I wore my lovely new boots (see picture in previous post, hehe!) and they were wonderful :D They didn’t make my feet hurt much, and they were great to dance it. So now I might not wear my new rocks as much. They’re great, and so comfortable, but not really very “goth” particularly.

After this I was just exhausted, so I’m glad we didn’t do much the next day. Katie and Ben went to Manchester to buy Ben some shoes from Afflecks Palace, but it was closed! Which seems silly, it is a Sunday, but surely that would be one of the days where they get the most trade.

On Tuesday instead of going to the pub like normal I went to my friend Lena’s birthday celebration in Nandos in St Albans. I was a little nervous about going because I didn’t know anyone apart from Lena and her boyfriend Tom, but it was really nice. Everyone was so friendly and really nice. We got a party bag as well! Including bubbles, jellybeans, a skull and crossbones stamp, pencil and rubber, and other things. Which was lovely, hehe.

I realise that I haven’t talked about any books…I have read six books since I last wrote about them, so I think that will have to be in a separate post, as again this has gone on way too long… :)

Current Mood: tired
Current Location: Work

Well I decided not to read Azincourt - mainly due to the fact that its a heavy hardback, and I didn't want to carry that all around London with me! So over the weekend I read these books instead:

( Books Twenty Two and Twenty Three )
I'm currently reading Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides, and it's clear that it suffers from the curse of the second novel! (see also: The Little Friend by Donna Tartt) The Virgin Suicides was such an excellent book, but I'm almost half way through this book and its really not as good, it doesn't grip you half as much (even though the subject matter is more controversial, almost). which is a shame really. However having just read some reviews, it apparently is a rip off of Midnight's Children, which is a book that I do want to read, so hopefully that'll be better :)

I had a quite good weekend - even though I feel bad I didn't do much OU work, although I shouldn't really as I'm still a couple of months ahead on the course! On Saturday I went to London, to the Portrait Gallery, Covent Garden and Camden. I haven't had a day like that in London for ages, so it was excellent. I went to the Portrait Gallery to see the Irvin Penn exhibition - he'd done a really interesting photographic portrait of the Duchess of Windsor, so I was interested to see more of his work. It was ok, but not fantastic or anything. But there was something which I loved, a new painting of Princes William and Harry. It was really great as the pose they were in was so informal, but the style of painting was still old fashioned, which I thought was good. I did worry that it might be a bit too modern looking, but it wasn't, which was nice. And plus the Gallery actually had some postcards I wanted to buy for once! :) I always look at them and usually there aren't any of the pictures I wanted to buy postcards of, but this time there were loads :) Oh - and also they had a sculpture which someone had made out of their own frozen blood, which was a bit disgusting!!

Then I went to Camden...and I think I may be able to say I'm a proper Goth now (fashion wise anyway :P) as I now have some proper goth boots :D And they're purple! :D actually quite bright purple, haha.( see here! )
:D :D

I also bought a ticket to see Anathema on 21st May. There's hardly any gigs coming up it seems, I think I have a ticket to Gotham (10th April) and Anathem and thats it! Oh and we are going to Whitby - but not sure we're going to get a ticket for the main bands, as there are so many other things I want to do, including Uberbyte on the Sunday, which should be excellent :)

This weekend is going to be so great, as it's Katie's birthday party! (and we're going to see Alice in Wonderland, wooo! :D ) My costume has sort of reduced from what it was going to be (as I'm just rubbish at making things!) but it'll still be recognisable I hope! And I have to make a pass the parcel, wrap Katie's present, pack for the weekend (and next weekend!), put the finishing touches to my costume, AND write my essay...I'm going to be rushing around tomorrow night I think. Though not tonight - its the pub quiz tonight, haha - hopefully we'll win, after coming in the top 4 or 5 (and usually 2nd!) for the past few weeks!

Current Mood: rushed
Current Location: Work

I've read quite a few books this week which I haven't yet updated about! :)

( Books Three to Six )

I don't think I've watched any films this week...not that I can remember anyway. I wanted to go and see The Road, but it wasn't on near to me so I think I'll just have to wait until its out on DVD. I did buy some dvds this week though - Changeling, which I haven't seen, The Pianist, also haven't seen, Che Parts one and two (not seen) and Clueless, which I have seen! Bit different from all the rest, but its such a classic chick flick! :) I think today I might watch The Black Dahlia Murder and Changeling.

It was the Rock Night on friday - same as always! Had a really good conversation with Sean about books and films, and I recommended he should read Pillars of the Earth, as he likes historical fiction. The music was just about the same though. Which is a bit of a shame, but oh well. I just need to find more friends who like the same kind of music as me so I can go out to things in London more. There looks like theres a good night at the Dev/Hobgoblin next Friday, goth industrial and EBM with good djs, so I might ask around and see if anyone wants to go...I really doubt they do though! Its a band night next Saturday at the Beehive, with Nadir Rising playing, they're always good, not just for a local band, but they're geniunely good so I think I'll probably go to that. Next Slimelight we're going to is after Assemblage 23 on 13th February - although I haven't got the tickets yet, I'm not sure whether to be worried or not, as I did order them a while ago, but the gig isnt for a while, so maybe I'll wait for another week and then email them.

Went shopping in London yesterday with KT, that was great, but so tiring! My feet ached so much! But I bought a lovely bag from Camden, its got these little creatures on which I keep seeing everywhere recently, they look like pigs but I'm not sure what they're supposed to be, some kind of japanese thing I think. And I bought the aforementioned dvds, some tshirts, and some tights. Ooh and the Best of The Doors on cd :) I really love them at the moment, Jim Morrison's voice is just amazing!

And talking of the Doors...am going to go and listen to them now, and finish reading my books! :)

ETA: Finished reading The Final Reckoning earlier - ah it was so brilliant! So much better than I expected as well! :D Definately recommended!

Current Mood: pleased
Current Location: Home
Current Music: The Doors - People Are Strange

(for rob and whoever else reads this :p ;) hehe :D )

I've had a brilliant week/week and a half...have had a great time with my friends, been to a few great gigs...means i havent had time to write about them...but i'll try a bit here, haha...

7th March - nine inch nails and ladytron at brixton academy - BRILLIANT! :D woo! one of the best gigs i've ever been to, and they started with somewhat damaged, my favourite song, and played most of my other favourites, including "ruiner" and "only" (which they dont usually play, woo! :D hehe!

10th March - Nathans party - was fun! katie played some great songs..andy's were a bit..poppy though :p hehe!

12th March - Combichrist at the electric ballroom. wow. it was just brilliant! not as good as NIN, of course, but still brill! they're even better live than they are on record, which is great! they're a lot heavier and more stompy live, which is great :) and they had some excellent support bands too!

14th March - Katie's birthday, and our party! was brilliant! i was quite stressed out at first...remind me not to organise a party again...haha...but it was great! thank you to everyone who turned up, it was great to see people...sorry about the music :D i thought it was great though, hehehe!

15th March - Slab nine at the venue - this was also great! they're a good band..play some great songs, i love the covers..even though everlong does make me sad, its still great. and 'wishing well' is one of my favourite songs as well :)

16th March - was going to go to synthetic culture, but no one was going, so i went to see the gorgeous heroes, but then they weren't playing, so it was just cool to see friends and listen to some cool music! :) then went to someones house...which was also fun, but i got back waay too late, and slept all the next day, haha

17th March - slept all day, hehe! then went to the dragon garden, with katie, ben, kt, ben, rob, alan and chris. was nice! though confusing with too many katie and bens! hehe!then went to the rock night at the queens head...was great! i got to dj, woo, so i played a few songs that i dont think anyone liked, haha! but they were great!

18th March - my birthday, woo! got some great things...my parents are going to buy me a car..wooooo :D and got some dvds and a nine inch nails tshirt :D also went out for a meal with my parents and grandparents (and katie of course!) which was lovely :)

so overall, i've had a great week :) ooh, and ross got our download tickets as well, so im going to that...which is great, im so excited :D hehehe!

hmmm....i think i might have to make an 'appreciated' post soon...lots of pictures...hehe :D

Current Mood: happy
Current Location: here!
Current Music: watching the incredibles

Last week I went on holiday to Lyme Regis, which is in Dorset in England, in case you didn't know! *ahem*mentioningnonames:p*ahem* :p hehe! I went with my parents, Katie, Sean and Kerri, it was fun!

The flat we stayed in was lovely, was above a greengrocers, was very old and uneven - the floor of Katie and Kerri's room was actually on a slope, it was great. We did lots of fun things, look:

We paddled!

We went on a tram ride :)

We went to look for fossils, and Sean and Katie climbed a wall.

We went crab fishing, which was great!

And we built sandcastles :D

So overall, it was a great holiday. I also saw Pirates of the Carribbean 2 again (FANTASTIC film!) and went to Weymouth Sea Life Centre, where we saw tiny tiny baby seahorses, and a baby seal and some turtles! It was very hot most days, but with lots of suncream on, I luckily didn't get burnt.

A couple of days before we went on holiday, I went to my graduation ceremony in Norwich. It was ok, not as boring and silly as I thought it would be, but I still looked amazingly stupid in the gown and hat! Though I will put a picture up, because its still quite cool to have graduated, even though I did look silly!

And heres a picture of me and Katie, hehe!

Also, Katie gave me the Black Death, which was great :D (great, what's she talking about?? I hear you cry. It was this,

before you get all worried :p

So at the moment, all I'm doing really is looking for a job...and that looks like thats all I'm going to be doing until I get one, what an exciting life I lead!

Hope everyone is well and doing exciting things over the summer! :)