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Gilda

2017年4月9日 (日)

From 1946 comes a movie about a small time gambler who manages to get a job at a casino and discovers an old flame has married his boss. An awkward and tense relationship ensues with the boss becoming more suspicious as the story progresses. This is a film with quite an average script and some overly strong direction but which is transformed by the lead actress Rita Hayworth.

No matter what you think of the plot or the directing, this is about only one thing, Rita Hayworth. She is stunning as the woman trying to balance the relationship between the two men. Her performance grabs you and holds you through out, dominating the film. It is easy to see where Marilyn Monroe got her ideas about acting and seductive power in front of the camera, just watch this movie.

Movie Rating 10/10

Knowing when to hold

2017年4月5日 (水)

I’m a very bad poker player. I didn’t know this until I sat down with some friends of mine who are all very good players. It didn’t take long for the little bit of money I decided to play with to disappear. As an American, being able to play poker is comparable to being able to change a car tire or build a campfire – it’s a basic skill that all (men, at least) should learn. Poker isn’t a particularly complex game. What makes it so appealing is the vast number of possible outcomes. The skill level of each player adds further variety to the game. As my friend explained to me, my inexperience made me a “wild card” in that I was the least predictable of all of the players. I was dangerous! It was a compliment, I suppose. Anyhow, my goal is to become a competent poker player by the end of the year. Perhaps I’ll win back that money I lost, as well; )

My recipe for Flapjacks

2017年3月25日 (土)

Hello all!! So this week I decided to bake something, don`t ask me why, I just felt the sudden urge. I am not famous for baking to be honest. The reason that I am not good at baking is because I hate following recipes, I get so bored. Anyway, my go-to recipe is for either scones or flapjacks (I will not share my secret scones recipe unless someone asks me to!!). Flapjacks are like mountain bars, they are kind of nutty and oaty so they are good energy bars. The recipe is pretty simple, in England I usually use golden syrup instead of honey or maple syrup but in Japan I can’t get it and I’m just too lazy to make it from scratch. So in Japan I use honey, it’s kind of healthy, well that’s what I tell myself.

The recipe is actually pretty simple. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees and get ready to bake the flap jacks for 20 minutes. I always keep things simple because I have a million and ten to do every day. Basically all the measurements are simple:

200g Butter, 200g honey, 400g oats, 200g sugar (but I use 100g) and some nuts or dried fruits (I used about 80g).

First, melt the honey, butter and sugar in a pot.

Next, stir in the oats while hot, adding the nuts or dried fruit

Finally, put the mixture into a baking dish and put in the oven for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, let them sit for a while before you cut into them or they will crumble!

Voilà! Now you have some yummy simple flapjacks.

Dream Vacation: Hawaii

2017年3月22日 (水)

So many Japanese people love Hawaii!  Some people even travel there every year or every chance they get.  I always hear great things about travel in Hawaii; the weather, the food, the laid-back atmosphere, and the beautiful scenery.  For many years I have dreamed about taking a trip there for hiking and relaxation.  Unfortunately, I still haven’t had the chance to go there, but hopefully I can make a trip there in the next year or so.  If you have any recommendations for me, please let me know!  And if you have plans to go to Hawaii this year, please enjoy your stay!

zootopia

2017年3月20日 (月)

Welcome back for this installment of movie magic, this week provided by those folks at Disney. I approached this film with trepidation as it is animated, the main character is a bunny, and its full of furry animals, hence the title. The story is basically one of the little guy beating the big guy and although the premise appears weak it was a surprisingly funny and entertaining film. There is of course a little too much political correctness and moralizing for my taste but the jokes kept coming and the plot was surprisingly deep. It even managed to include  a nod to the Godfather movie which was brilliantly done. If you like Disney you will like this, and although its aimed at the younger crowd it has enough depth to keep the adults entertained too.

A surprisingly good film, although I wouldn’t watch it again.

Rating 7/10