Friday, January 30, 2015

The Nosferatu Adventures s7 p4

The Nosferatu Adventures
page 182, chapter 182

"No. No, watch out for that dog...poo." Loki mumbled towards the mirror. "You think that after two years of being smack dab in the center of a pack of werewolves, the chick would know to step around the dog crap." he shook his head stuffing another handful of popcorn into his mouth, dropping half of it in his lap.

"Just what the hell are you up to?" Bacchus asked appearing from nowhere, removing the tie he had started to favour.

"The boys needed some reminding what she means to each of them. Her too. So I dropped them into one of those alternate lives you like to play in. Just for a few hours."

"What did you do with Victor?" he snarled nearly spitting the sentence as he walked around the room.

"He's in his own little world." Loki waved his hand in front of the mirror as if changing the channel to expose the older Frankenstein family member in a brothel. "He's set to find himself some spare parts for his own little experiments."  the dark haired god said pushing himself out of the large armed leather chair turning to look at his buddy. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you're still bitter about loosing your plans for an uber vamp. But she's not ready. You know that. You've seen how weak she still is." he let out a deep sigh rubbing his hand over the back of his neck.

"I thought the whole point of letting Victor take her was to keep her safe from Pan?" Bacchus replied his left hand jutting out pointing towards the mirror. "That his hiding her tucked away with all those barrier spells, and cloaking..." 

"It is chill out." he moved towards the other god."I'm keeping an eye on it. If there's one hint of him..." Loki snapped his fingers. "I pull all of them out and safely back to their own world."

Bacchus ran his hands through his short sandy-blonde hair, turning in a half circle. "He's getting stronger. I don't know what it is, but..." he bit his bottom lip gazing at Loki sideways. "Do you think his cults have started up again?"  Loki just shrugged not having an answer."I don't like this Lo. Two hours then put them back where they belong." he started to head out of the room.

"You should watch. I've dropped them in a rock concert." Loki's voice was smooth as he waved his hand once again in front of the mirror returning the image of our heroine as she stood scrapping the dog poop off her shoe. "Right up your membrane."  Bacchus stopped in his tracks letting his chin drop to his chest. "This Reuben, this alternate Reuben Blacksmith, he's a dork. You're going to love him. I do." Loki pointed to his chest shrugging again. "I might even keep him. Let some of these alternate traits seep in to rough and wild werewolf Reuben."

Bacchus made a snorting sound as he turned slowly waltzing back into the room, taking a seat in Loki's abandoned chair. "And I thought that werewolf Reuben was your prize stud. No? Was I wrong?" he snapped his fingers, a bottle of wine appearing before him. "What's that boy done to his hair?" he said uncorking the wine pouring it into a goblet that appeared out of thin air. "What is that streak in it? I have to say, at lest werewolf Reuben has better fashion sense." he nodded towards the mirror. "He was the way Pan got to her before. Twice. Is he going to be the doorway every time? Should we maybe keep Reuben away from her for now?"

"Reuben's fine." Loki turned leaning on the large table watching the next set of events start to unfold. "I hope."


Tune in again for another installment of the Nosferatu Adventures starring your heroine...me (straight up story. Reuben as a dorky nerd. Who wouldn't pay to see that?)

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

All Jane Austen part 2

Once again, find myself at the end of the month, and finally getting my arse in gear to talk about the Jane Austen stuff.  I was really leaning towards using Bridget Jones's Diary, in fact that was the original idea, but last minute today I changed my mind. 

Pride and Prejudice: The 2005 version starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen.

plot:Five sisters are all trying to find their own purpose, for a couple of them, that means finding husbands. This leads to the oldest sister Jane finding not just love but that of a wealthy husband, only to have obstacles in the form of disapproving in-laws and a younger sister running away with a man. Elizabeth, the second sister, also finds herself falling in love. But for her, the obstacles are more inward then you would think. By standing by her principles, she turns down the first marriage proposal for lack of interest, and hides behind her stubbornness nearly loosing the man she really loves. And Lydia, one of the younger sisters, runs off with a man known to be devious and untrustworthy, selfishly ruins the family's reputation.

This is the classic, and I mean classic story by Jane Austen. Some would point to this and say it is truly the base point for all "romance" and "chick lit" to come out in the last 200 years. If you've read my posts on Bridget Jones's Diary, you know there have been many remakes and tributes of this story.
Yes, I've talked about this film in the past, it was one of the movies I covered in year one of the blog. But, here I am again, with a bit more on the topic.

P/P was published in 1813, so that's actually 202 years ago. Damn! and it's never been out of print.
But, the fact when it was first written, shacking up with someone unmarried, or running off to elope was a shameful act. Completely scandalous. So this careless act by the younger sister Lydia, is the real focal point in the story. It's what leads to Jane's humiliation and near fall of loosing Mr. Bingley, and the turning point for Mr. Darcy who ends up being the hero; because he ends up finding a way to legitimize Lydia's marriage. 

In this film version, we see a hint of abusiveness from Mr. Wickham, after he does legally marry Lydia. Of course, this is after we the viewers, have learned that Wickham picks young girls to seduce, having tried to do the same thing to Mr. Darcy's sister and even Elizabeth. All with the intention of stealing their money. 

Mr. Darcy, the ultimate hero archetype. When he first meets Elizabeth, he insults her, pretending to show little to no interest in her, then goes out of his way for the rest of the film to be around her. He's so concerned about her life and the members of her social circle, that when he first learns of the scandal, he talks Mr. Bingley out of his own desires for Jane. Not out of honest respect, but out of how just socializing with anyone who is connected to Lydia will make him look. Total fear man. Despite this, he turns around and asks Elizabeth to marry him. When she says no, and gives her reason, Mr. Darcy hatches a plan to fix the big bad. Everyone zooms in on this and points out how much he sacrifices for his love for her when he becomes the hero. But, dude, he does it cause otherwise his own reputation will be smeared. Really kind of selfish of him.  Love is selfish, don't get me wrong, it really is.

The question of "what will people think" is brought up a lot in this film. Both literally and metaphorically.  We see the characters of both Jane and Elizabeth being careful about how much intelligence/strength they show to others, while the character of Wickham lies his way through the whole thing. Proving, he's not as smart as he thinks he is.

This version also shows Mary, one of the younger sisters and her unrequited love for Mr. Collins. Who, is completely oblivious to her because she's plain, even though, in the film they are a perfect match. Mr. Collins instead accepts a marriage proposal of convenience from Charlotte, Elizabeth's best friend.  Again, the "what will people think" element shows itself. And as their sub-plot progresses, we see how much Mr. Collins' situation improves by his match. It's almost a role reversal with him being more feminine and Charlotte being more masculine.

I'm going to wrap this up. This post has gotten longer then originally meant. And I've barely even touched the surface of this version of the story. P/P is easily one story that can pull a person deep into it. Even if on the surface it doesn't look like your cup of tea.

Till later.

Saturday, January 24, 2015

The Nosferatu Adventures S7 p3

The Nosferatu Adventures 
page 181, chapter 181

(Since I doubt many read the red end notes to each episode of the story, I'm putting this up front cause I want it in your minds as this next few episodes unfold...Playlist: W.A.S.P.- The Idol, Type O Negative- Black No.1, Cycle Sluts From Hell- I wish you were a beer, Exodus- Thorn in My Side, Circus of Power- Mama Tequila, Billy Idol -Pumping on Steel, Alice Cooper-Might as well be on Mars,)

The cab stopped in front of the fair grounds. Letting out a deep sigh, our heroine dug her earphones out of her purse, as she handed the driver his money. A blast of noise and cold air hit her square in the face as she opened the door, getting out. She stood there for a long moment, uncertain which direction to go, as a large fence seemed to be around the front of the grounds. She followed it right for few minutes, until she found herself at a ticket booth. Peeking around it, she found it empty, the usher nowhere.
She jumped as a thick slurping sound invaded her right ear. "Hey." the dark haired male said casually. "Day passes are forty bucks..." he swung around her, slurping his pop noisily before putting it down on the edge of the booth door, jumping up on it himself, swinging both legs over gracefully before jumping into the locked booth. "weekend passes are eighty."

"I just want to see the one concert." her voice seemed low, unsteady, unsure of herself.

The dark haired male shook his head, his brown eyes filled with mischief as he leaned on the edge of the booth door, his leather jacket open, the words Motor City visible on his grey t-shirt. "Doesn't work that way." Our heroine nodded and started to turn and walk back the way she came. "Hey...you know what..." the dark haired male screamed at her. She turned back to look at the beautiful man. "I could totally get in trouble for this, but you seem like you aren't going to start a riot or anything." he gestured mildly to the knee length pencil skirt, flats, and frilled short sleeve button up blouse she was wearing. "I mean, you look like a librarian or secretary or something."

"I am a librarian and a secretary." she replied a little sharply. "Well, I was anyways." she turned to look away from him, sniffing.

The dark haired male snickered to himself as he cleared his throat ripping off  one of the day passes from the large clipboard, handing it to her. "Twenty bucks."  Reaching into her purse, she found her wallet handing him the money. "Careful in there. Not everyone is what they seem."
Our heroine nodded to herself as she waited for him to unlock the gate, letting her into the fair grounds.

Loki grabbed his half empty pop taking one last long slurp, before tossing it into a trash bin and shimmering away.

Our heroine flipped through her playlist again, mindlessly, she just hit track one. She had about an hour to kill before the band got on stage. If she could find the right stage that was. When our heroine had read about the out door concert, she hadn't thought anything of it. That was until the lead singer Leo had done the local news. The man in the leather pants, with the long dark curls had sat in the whole interview, his cowboy boots up on the reporter's desk, a hookah hanging out of his mouth; not saying much of anything. It wasn't until the last few seconds of the interview that the threw his head back closed his eyes and howled. Nothing else, just this odd howl. The image had sent a strange longing through our heroine. It was as if she recognized him only she had no idea from where?
She continued to walk through the pockets of people, past the guy selling t-shirts, past the hot dog venders, and past the smaller stage that was already set up for some boy band. The whole time, she never looked up from the flyer she'd grabbed from one of the street lights in front of the library. She didn't even think anyone made paper ads anymore. But there it was, staring at her in large bold letters the name of the band Clive and the Bat-droppings.

She swore as someone smashed into her, knocking her purse, the ticket and her flyer out of her hand. Bending to gather them up, a strong pale hand reached down the same time she did. "Let me get that for you." the male voice said in a rush, a sweet cinnamon drifting under her nose as it did. She swore again as both their skulls seemed to bounce off each other.

"You trying to kill me?" she found herself in a huff as she stood finally, shoving everything into her purse. The man stood up to his full height, towering over her. A smile lit up his blue eyes as he let out another sweet laced breath, chewing a piece of gum. Dagan stood with his hands on his hips, the cuffs of his jeans covered in dirt, a smudge of what looked like blood or red dye on his right elbow, another of grey-yellow on his neck near his jaw.

"No. Not yet anyways. You haven't given me a reason to. What's that?" he pointed to the flyer hanging out of her purse then quickly hid his arms behind his back leaning towards her. If she didn't know better, our heroine would have sworn he sniffed her.

"Nothing." she moved from him, heading towards another pocket of people, then thought better and stopped. "Do you know where the main stage is?" she asked turning back to face him.

"Yeah but I'm not telling you." Dagan replied scratching at his stomach. He took a single step catching up with her, his hand firmly at her elbow as he started to drag her through the closest crowd of people, pointing off to their left. "Keep going that way till you hit the wall of amps. Miss it and it just means you're stupid or blind or both." he let go of her arm roughly, jerking her sideways. "And watch your step, dangerous around here." the sandy-auburn haired male took a backwards step disappearing into the crowd once more.

Putting her fallen earphone back into her one ear, she noticed the first song was over and the intro to the next had started. 


Tune in again for another installment of the Nosferatu Adventures starring your heroine...me(straight up story)

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Random movie Jan 21st 2015

The Man With the Iron Fists

plot: A group of warring clans all plan to steal a vault of gold from each other, destroying a village in the process.

This is a 2012 action movie starring Russel Crow and Lucy Liu.

I rented this for one reason, it had Quentin Tarantino in the title. Ends up, not one of his per say as much as distributed by his label.   With that said, major martial arts movie.
It's another one of those that I didn't really hate but didn't really love either.  Did not want or need to see Batista's ass, but there it was at the end of a fight scene. Pun intended.

For a sci-fi/comedy, it was pretty good. For an action film, it covered the bases. It says it pays tribute to the genre from the 1970s, translation exploitation film. Which it captures well. 
The fact it's writer/producer/director/star is rapper RZA...leaves a bit to be desired. I have no clue if this was his first movie/acting job, but it sure felt like it. He looks so bored. No seriously, he's suppose to be the center of the story, and he comes across like he could care less that he's there.

I would have liked an explanation as to why wrestler Batista was the gold platted hulk? If there was an explanation to his character, it was so quick I missed it. Did it have to do with him being the killer of his clan? I have no clue.

There could have been a little more plot but otherwise not horrible. 

Saturday, January 17, 2015

Coffee Talk Jan 17th 2015

I have come in here three times this week to work on the All Jane Austen part 2 post, and every time have found myself deleting it. I just can't seem to get my mind to work on it. Mostly because I'm still bummed over the fact the all JA book club didn't pan out. But, I will do this. 2015 will see the rest of the books having one movie version talked about.

Today, today was a Practical Magic day. I watched it...sort of, it was playing in the background while I made dinner. Vegetarian chilli. And sigh of relief, I did not take pictures of the chilli. Nor did I bother to write down my recipe today. You my lovely Spudguns! only need to see photos of my cooking when its relevant, and today it is not. I admit, my food is like me, it's not pretty but it comforting and keeps you warm on cold winter nights. There will always be much better looking plates of food on this planet as well as photographers who know how to accentuate it.
Practical Magic, one of the few movies on this planet that I know all the lines to. I don't know if that's a good thing or a sad one? It's my top go to movie for everything. (Lost Boys, Bram Stoker's Dracula and Julie/Julia being the others) When I'm giddy, when I'm sick, when I'm bummed out, when I'm looking for some inspiration etc.
I was feeling like the "Phone Tree Day" scene. Where Sally is all bummed and slightly thwarted because she's never picked to be the top mom to call everyone in an emergency and just feeling shoved out of the gang.  ( I'm still waiting for my own Mr. Hallet  to show up with a crumpled worn out letter he had of mine to rescue the day...sigh. )

With society being the way it is, I wonder sometimes why movies like this, or the genre of the romantic comedy still appeals to people?  With the internet age, so many people have shown in more ways then one, that they don't believe in the big sweeping gesture of love at first sight/true love. So why do so many of these movies in this genre still bring in millions of dollars and become the movies everyone ends up talking about?  Even the big action hero movies have their twist on the basic plots.

I think now more then ever, your personal list of go to movies really gets to the core of who you truly are, even if you don't realize it. (hmm, three of mine are based on books, two are vampires, one is witches and the other cooking...yeah that sounds about right)

Practical Magic, a love story within a love story that's about love stories.  And let me point out that it's got some elements in it from Sense and Sensibility. Jane Austen's story about two sisters who are total opposites that follow their own paths to love...but that's another post for another month.

Till Later

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

The Nosferatu Adventures S7 p2

The Nosferatu Adventures 
page 180, chapter 180


The Seer tossed the large purple bubble back and forth between his hands, the sounds of splashing echoing behind him. Rolling the magic bubble over his knuckles, he counted to ten. "That's enough. You're going to drown him." he said over his shoulder not looking at the other two males.

"What do you care? He's got nine lives." Dagan replied still holding Finn under the surface of the pond. "Well, eight now." the auburn haired male lifted Finn by the neck, water falling around them like rain. Tossing the familiar onto the edge of the mud, the werewolf slowly exited the cold pond, magic misting himself a pair of black pants and t-shirt, slicking his hair back. "Why'd you wait so long to tell me?"

"We couldn't find you." the Seer answered rolling the purple bubble now between his palms. He cringed as Dagan flicked water at him.

"You could have mind warped me." he brought his fingers up wriggling them by his ear.

"Uh...yeah suppose I could have thought of that." the dark haired male's voice took on a sheepish tone as he rolled his eyes blushing.

"Was the funeral nice? I mean..." Dagan couldn't look at him, the thought of Tombstone laying there in the ground not breathing ripped at his heart.

"Yes it was." Finn mumbled as he made his way out of the muddy bank. "Till Loki came and waved his hands like some sort of evil pottery guru and the damned mutt was standing there again." He gestured towards the small puppy shivering tight to the Seer's ankle. Dagan turned chasing after Finn suddenly growling, forcing the familiar to run towards the nearest tree.

"Loki was adamant that Tombstone was needed. Though why he resurrected him as a puppy is beyond me?" the Seer leaned down picking up the half timber wolf-half hellhound planting a kiss on his nose. "But damn, he's cute!"

Dagan just stood there for a long few seconds staring off into space, before thrusting both hands out in their general direction. "Give me the kid." He made a come here gesture as the Seer held the pup tight to him, unsure if he wanted to part with him. But Dagan got his way once again, snuggling the pup to his shoulder. "Loki gave her this little guy last time he jammed her with is experiment. It's connected to the baby." The werewolf sniffed the pup, a smile bright on his face. "Where is the walking leech anyways? Didn't think she'd let this little man out of her sight?"

The Seer cleared his throat. "And that's why we needed to find you. There's a bit of  trouble. Your uncle..."

"If the next sentence contains the words uncle and the banshee ran off together, save it. I don't care." he  scratched the pup's ears mindlessly.

"What about the sentence your uncle ambushed me killing Tombstone to begin with and broke the banshee's neck kidnapping her. Would that be any better to hear?"  Dagan let out a slow sigh of disgust as Tombstone whimpered.  "Did you hear me?"

"Yeah. And I'm ignoring you but you're still here, voice just nattering away like some nattering thing." Dagan turned from the Seer holding the pup with one hand as he once again ran his other hand through his hair, making sure it was slicked back out of his face. It hadn't moved, but he was feeling suddenly unnerved. "She's not part of the pack anymore. Not our responsibility."

"Victor said to tell you that you two have unfinished business." the Seer's words were rushed through clinched teeth.

"Victor said. Victor said." he mocked the other werewolf, tilting his head from side to side. "You were the kid in school who always ratted everyone else out to the teacher weren't you?" he growled. "Damn it!" Dagan kicked at the grass, letting out a roar of frustration that was all too human. His mouth fell open, his blue eyes shifting to the amber-grey of the wolf as he mumbled something to himself. "Why can't I seem to break free from that bitch?" he shrugged, Tombstone yawing, his tiny pink tongue darting out to cross Dagan's jaw. "I mean, I've killed her more times than I can count. Literally ripped her heart out, you were there you saw it. And she just won't stay dead." he bent at the knees kicking up another round of grass and dirt. "I had a god grant me my separation papers from that forced arrangement we found ourselves in. I even gave up drinking her vampire blood. Which by the way, is one of the best drugs on the planet, but don't tell her that it will go to her head." he shrugged again breathing in the warmth of the pup's fur. "Yet she's on my ass like a bad rash. Where is it written on stone in blood that I have to be the white knight with her? Tell me, I want to know?" he shuffled his feet as if to wipe his shoes, turning a half inch then turning back towards the Seer.

"You don't really want me to answer that." it was a statement not a question as the Seer held the purple bubble flat in his palm between them. The core of it beginning to pulsate as the location spell became stronger.

"She started off as Rolf's responsibility. It's his soul she's got a piece of making her all wolfy not mine. He's the one she's having share time with these days."

The Seer said nothing at first as he stood there listening to the other wolf pout. The bubble seemed to vibrate as it floated a foot above his hand. The Seer raised his eyebrows as he laughed to himself, delighting in the fact Dagan was feeling rejected.  "The spell is working now. I'm going to follow it, get my grandmother's book back at lest and try to save her. You coming or what?" he crossed his arms over his muscular chest suddenly feeling exhausted with the situation.

"Na, I'm good. Kick around here for awhile longer. Let you two love birds parade in like a bad buddy movie of her exes." he raised his chin as if to dare the Seer to defy him.

"What's the matter afraid of  a little competition?" the Seer's tone changed, lending a bite to it, reviving their original territorial issues. Issues both had thought buried months before. He cracked his knuckles, wondering just how long Dagan would stay pack alpha?  "I mean, I understand. Victor did shack her before you could." he made a clicking noise with his tongue. "That's got to hit a raw nerve." the Seer tilted his upper body towards him. "Hard to swallow."  

"This really has nothing to do with Nosferatu for either of you two does it?" Finn butted in as he jumped down from the tree, munching on what looked like a blue jay.

"Nope. It's all about who's got the best hair." Dagan replied giving him a look of disgust.


Tune in again for another installment of the Nosferatu Adventures starring your heroine...me (straight up story. And they call it puppy love?)

Coffee Talk Jan 14th 2015

Okay so I'm sitting here this morning, trying to write the next segment of Nosferatu Adventures, trying to write part 2 of the All Jane Austen series of posts, thinking about wrestling -cause when am I not?- having a coffee and another slice of the fruitcake, and listening to the neighbours in the hallway scream at each other drunkenly. 
What a noisy morning.  I mean man, just the ideas running around in my brain colliding with each other like two heavy weights smashing off the ropes barreling towards each other with running clotheslines...is loud enough, but add the noise of the people in the hallway, and you've got full on tables ladders and chairs.

And you're thinking, how does Jane Austen fit with a tag team hardcore match?  Simple, it's in my brain. Seriously, heroes, villains and the perception of the bad guy.

One of the main themes running through any JA story, is how the bad boy is missed for half the story because everyone wants to believe he's as sweet as their dream man. From Wickham to Willoughby, to Mr. Elton to Mr. Churchill, to Henry Crawford to Mr. Thorpe...all the villains start off by doing something extremely heroic (in the minds of the girls they seduce) before their heel turn comes about. (usually having to do with stealing money or seducing young girls giving them a reputation or both)

Perception of the bad guy.

Then of course the underdog swoops in and saves the day. Much like a cruiser weight winning a five on one handicap match, gaining a number one contenders spot for the belt. Everyone loves the idea, they back him, cheer him, and get very upset when it's his turn to go rogue; in which case they label him a Willoughby. Or you know, worse a sell out. (sorry watching pieces of Monday night's Raw the whole Seth Rollins vs Cena vs Brock contract signing)

In the book and movie versions of the Jane Austen Book Club, there is this entire sub-plot about how Jane Austen dug bad boys. Whether or not Jane Austen meant the observations of the "bad boy" behavouir as a warning or gift of slight amusement, we may never know.  But the slightest nod of something other than complete straight laced nobility, got you labeled the villain. Ironically, all the male characters at some point show remorse for their worst offenses; of breaking the heroine's hearts, lending to a glimmer of a hero in them.

Again, perception. 

The hero. Everyone wants to be the hero, even when their not. (Seth Rollins might not ever be Mr. Darcy material, but he's hero worthy!)

till later

Monday, January 12, 2015

Food n Flix January



As I mentioned back on the first of the month, I've joined a blogger group who take a movie and go into the kitchen to make something that the movie inspired them to do. Food 'n Flix.  And this month's pick is being hosted on Cheap Ethnic Eatz.  So, after you take a look over my post, head on over there.(the deadline is actually at the end of the month, but I couldn't wait any longer.)

plot: Bridget is a 30 something singleton who works at a publishing company, and ends up falling for her boss Daniel, who is known to be a complete cad. After things go south with him, Bridget finds herself facing a life alone, until handsome Mark Darcy saves the day when he saves her new job in morning television, and her birthday dinner party.

When I sat down to watch this I took my notes on the food shown in the movie, and found myself making other little comments like "jealous jelly", "guilty morning breakfast", "skirt steak" (which if I wasn't a vegetarian would have done in a heartbeat) "bunny tails", and "darcy party platter". Throw in the actual food seen in the film (gravy, pickles, blue cheese, hot dogs, tuna, green bean casserole, eggs, wedding cake, turkey curry, oranges, leeks, wine, chocolate...so much to choose from) and I could have spent a week making at lest four dinners for this pick.




I decided to do a dessert. Since half the movie takes place in the winter, specifically  during the Christmas/New Year's holiday, I decided to go with a ...fruitcake. (there are a few wrestlers laughing at that one)






Recipe....

2 cups raisins,
1 and 1/2 cup water
1 and 1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup margarine or butter
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs.
2 and 1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup chopped cherries
1 teaspoon baking powder




 Make sure the butter or margarine is melted or softened, then bring it, the raisins, brown sugar and water to a boil for roughly ten minutes, stirring once and awhile.

Let it cool,





Mix together flour, salt, cloves, allspice, cinnamon, baking powder and the cherries in a separate bowl,

then once the raisin mix has cooled enough, mix into it the baking soda and eggs. Now, mix both the dry mixed ingredients and the raisin mix together until it's all one colour.

Bake at 275 degrees for 2 and a half hours, roughly depending on your oven. 




While I was baking this, I heard two of my neighbours in the hallway talking about how they could smell the cinnamon and how it was making them hungry...you have no idea how fabulous that made me feel!  (v.v.g. blogger)

As I said earlier, I had over a page of food notes for this movie, and went back and forth a few times between doing something with pickles (there are at lest three references to pickles on toothpicks) to doing some sort of jam (the orange parfait she was trying to make but ended up with marmalade)  doing eggs (Darcy's rescue omelettes or Pam's eggless shells demo)  or of course the blue soup. (Leek and potato soup via blue string) But, I thought since those will be popular ideas, I'd go in a different direction.





So that's January's dish on the table. I had hoped to have a prettier presentation, but I just didn't have the patience to wait for the weather to warm up (we're sitting at a -29 degree C/windchill of -40 degree C today. Good reason to have an excuse to have the oven on all day too) in order to get to the store and buy props for the table. So, you got the cake in all it's nakedness. And to quote the character of Marc Darcy..."I like you just the way you are."

Till Later

The Nosferatu Adventures S7 p1

The Nosferatu Adventures 
page 179, chapter 179

"Dagan's not coming." our heroine said, her arms crossed under her chest, giving her boobs a boost. "It's been over a week. With his werewolf superness, the speed, the ability to track anyone any distance, he would have been here days ago." she snorted. "Face it Victor, you lost."  She squared her shoulders, twitching. "Using me as bait for whatever twisted revenge you think you want on him, punishing him, just isn't going to work." She moved around the small cell, her emotions high.

"So you keep telling yourself." he raised his chin, his tongue visible against the top edge of his teeth. He could feel a heat rising in her even from ten feet away. Wasn't too sure if it was a desire or a hatred, but either way, Victor found the thought intoxicating. "When my nephew was a boy, about six or so years old, he would hide all his toys so that he didn't have to share them with his brother or anyone." he moved from the doorway of the wine cellar, crossing to where our heroine was, unlocking the storage area he'd turned into a makeshift cell. "He had this train set that he spent days putting together, building a little town of paper houses and a forest of tree branches." reaching for her, Victor grabbed her by the elbow dragging her out of the cell. Quickly he guided her through a series of maze like hallways till they reached a large room. "Then one day he stopped playing with the train set. And when his mother questioned him on it, he said he had taken a hockey stick to it, smashing it to pieces." Victor gestured towards the room letting go of her arm. "You know why? Huh? It was his prized toy, and he didn't want to have to share it with his brother or any of the servant's children so he destroyed it. He spent weeks afterward sneaking out at night, only six years old remember, sneaking out of the castle at night coming back filthy, having not slept. One night his father and I decided to follow him, feared he was sleepwalking. We found him in the back of the barn, the train set glued back together, hidden from everyone. Because he regretted his impulsiveness." Victor's blue eyes grazed over our heroine as he crossed the room opening a door in the corner, exposing first a bathroom moving through it opening an adjoining door to a small library, motioning for her to follow him, as he opened one more door this time to a nursery. "Of course, it was missing pieces and never really worked properly again, but..." he tossed a sly glance over his shoulder. "Dagan was too stubborn or embarrassed to let anyone know he regretted it, and you are that train set now." he brought his hands together rubbing them. "All though rounder, softer, and less shinny."

"Beautiful speech. I'd ask if you'd been practicing it in the mirror, but we both know you fall into them whenever you pass by one." she dared to take a step closer to him. The erotic pull Victor had displayed over her all those months ago seemed to still have a hold on her. It was like getting a triple dose of the seduction spell The Seer used. "Do whatever your plan is. Drain my blood, cut out my insides and use them for hair gel, whatever it is that you have up your sleeve. Holding me as bait on Dagan is pointless."she felt her voice fail her forcing her to close her eyes, swallowing.

Victor let out a sigh as he turned towards her. Our heroine couldn't look at him, even though he was five pounds around the middle heavier then Dagan, even though he was about three shades paler then his nephew, and there seemed to be more of a devilishness in his smile; Victor looked too much like Dagan. And that was the last person our heroine wanted to think of right then.  "Trust me, I'll do all that and more to you." he raised his hand to her face, cupping her chin forcing her to meet his gaze. "The things I plan on doing to your flesh..." he bit his bottom lip, his dimples on display. Now the female knew where Dagan got the habit from. "After that half-breed your carrying is born." he leaned closer to her, his nose trailing down her neck, his eyelids fluttering against her cheek. She blushed rapidly loosing herself to him. "That's the real prize. Until then..." he moved from her so quickly she started to topple over. "The south wing of this place is yours. I know it's not the castle, but given you still can't return to our kingdom, my family's vineyard will have to do. Some of the only property we have left in Prince Kraven's kingdom." he turned in the doorway of the bathroom to face her, still standing in the library. "And don't bother trying to escape. This place is sewn up tight with the same kind of magickal wards. You're not going anywhere sweetheart."


Tune in again for another installment of the Nosferatu Adventures starring your heroine...me.(straight up story. Well at lest it's free room and board right?)

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Theme Week part 4 Sequels

X-Men Days of Future Past

plot: Wolverine must travel back in time to his younger self, in order to stop Mystique from assassinating a scientist, and stop the creation of sentinels.

This is a 2014 action film starring Hugh Jackman and James McAvoy.

I think this is number seven in the X-Men series of movies.  This was long, good story for the most part, but damn they could have cut at lest twenty minutes off it.
We're thrown back into the 1970's, which I have to say was an interesting timeframe to have the characters. And Wolverine has yet to be turned into the metal man with the adamantium (yeah totally had to look up the spelling of that one...) in this story, so we don't see him use his claws as often.

I'm sort of neutral on this one. I really liked the idea of pairing down the cast to a few and having them in the 1970's time frame, but some of it just felt like it was rehashed story...no pun intended. 

For anyone who's a fan of the Trancers movie franchise, this idea of  "dialing down the line" in a younger version of yourself (or your ancestors) is a staple in sci-fi,  and I think they made good use of that idea.

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

The Nosferatu Adventures S6 p24

The Nosferatu Adventures 
page 178, chapter 178

The Seer and our heroine walked out of the hotel, our heroine whistling the way Rolf does when trying to get Reuben's or Dagan's attention. It was a strange quirk she'd found herself doing since the soul split. Tombstone came bounding towards them from behind the bakery.

"So what happens to your new pack?" the Seer air quoted the last word. "I mean, with you gone?"

"Fight among themselves, point an unofficial alpha officially." she shrugged. "I don't know." They stopped walking once they had reached the edge of the village.

"You don't have to leave them...if you don't want to." The Seer remarked looking back towards the village. "I mean, if you've started a life here, I don't want to be the one to..."

"Babe, they're not my family. You are. I would be home with the rest of you lot sitting in Ash's cabin if Bacchus..." she let her right hand fall to his elbow as she closed her eyes.

"Home. Not the same with everyone scattered. Reuben only stayed behind this time because Harker is still weak. Otherwise, Ash and Leo are just waiting around for Dagan to bring Rolf back from Odin's prison." the dark haired male swung his leg in a semi-circle balancing on his left foot like a bored nervous teenager.

"But...Rolf's not in there anymore." our heroine replied shaking her head.

"Um...what?" the Seer jutted his chin out in question, making a soft noise in his chest. He had to fight the urge to run the back of his knuckles lightly over the exposed inch of the female's collar bone, to keep her arm's length away as a small rumble of hunger made itself known. He hadn't fed his sidhe side in awhile, and having used magick earlier that evening, he was feeling the first signs of needing to feed.

"He past through here few days ago like right after you did." her voice was soft, inviting as she moved her thumb gently across the inner curve of his elbow.

"No one said anything. He never showed up back home...what?"

"Rolf can't. Seems the soul twin split thing is affecting him too. While I got the good with sharing his strengths, seems he's got the bad with sharing my weaknesses. The no vampire barrier is blocking him from going home too. "

"Then where did he go?" the Seer asked crossing his arms over his chest. He found himself mindlessly licking his lips, his fangs threatening to break his gums as his mouth watered. Blinking, he turned away from our heroine.  She pointed in the direction they were headed.

"Said Loki had a mission for him."

"That's good to know." a male voice said from out of nowhere. Both turned confused to see that there was no one at first glance. Someone or something then hit the Seer sending him flying sideways nearly fifty feet, his grandmother's spellbook falling out of his leather bag.  A figure appeared out of the shadows behind our heroine as if made from them, his hand at her throat. "I'll save your so-called new pack the trouble of killing you." Victor's voice never rose, never showed any emotion as he snapped her neck. Her limp body falling into his arms. The Seer was on this feet charging towards him when he found himself off the ground. Victor's hand raised holding him in midair like a puppet. "Get the book. Could use some light reading." he said over his shoulder as Bryon appeared from behind him. Scooping it up, the short man giggled. "Tell my nephew that we have some unfinished business to take care of." Victor moved his wrist casually sending the Seer falling hard to the ground.

By the time the dark haired male had looked up, Victor and Bryon were gone having taken the female with them. Getting to his feet, the Seer found Tombstone barely breathing a few feet away from  where the spellbook had landed before Bryon grabbed it.

TO BE CONTINUED NEXT SEASON.

tune in again for another installment of the Nosferatu Adventures starring your heroine...me (straight up story. Cursed that Frankenstein! )

Theme Week part 3 Sequels

The Amazing Spider-Man 2

plot: After Spiderman saves the life of an engineer, the man becomes slightly obsessed with him, and blames him for not helping him after a second accident happens which mutates him. At the same time, Harry Osborn a childhood friend, discovers he's dying of a genetic disorder and begs for some of Spiderman's blood in order to save him. Being turned down, Harry decides to find the source of the spider-powers, and injects himself with a drug version of the venom. This turns him into something other then human. Along the way, Peter Parker learns the truth about his parent's death and the secret dna code that allows him to be the Spiderman.

This is a 2014 action-comedy-romance starring Andrew Garfield and Jamie Foxx.

Good movie, not great. I was expecting the Foxx character to have more of a role in the story, but it seemed weighed down by the romance. I never thought I'd ever say that about anything, but this film just lacked grit.

The themes here seem to be about choices, and the down side to being famous/popular. The Jamie Foxx character starts off as this nerdy type who is stepped on and pushed aside, who just wants to have some respect. That seems to be the same for the Dane DeHaan character of Osborn who plays the forgotten rich kid to perfection.

Sunday, January 4, 2015

Theme Week part 2 Sequels

The Good Witch's Wonder : GW part 7

plot: Cassie has less then a week to plan her son's wedding, while helping a young woman who is on the run from an abusive husband.

This is a 2014 made for tv movie starring Catherine Bell and Catherine Disher.

Yeah, part seven in the series, you read that right. It's no secret I have a love-hate relationship with made for tv movies, but most of the Good Witch films, I've ended up liking. This one left me feeling flat. The good point was the actors finally seemed comfortable in their roles, the bad points were it didn't feel fleshed out. The story was a bit too one dimensional for me.
Another thing I didn't care for was the lack of magic in the story. It didn't have the same pardon the pun, charm, as others in the movie series.

I get this film is the bridge between the movies and the upcoming tv show, but it just leaned too much on "reality" and not enough on "the fantasy" aspects the other movies have made a name on.

There was almost too many sub-plots happening for a made for tv movie, with the character of Grace looking for love, the best friend running around like a whirl-wind of nonsense, the insecurity of the grandfather feeling out dated and the barely touched on back story of the abused wife.

Saturday, January 3, 2015

The Nosferatu Adventures S6 p23

The Nosferatu Adventures 
page 177, chapter 177

The Seer pressed his palm against the tree, swiping it downward as he silently moved through the edge of the woods. There surprisingly didn't seem to be any real territorial marks in the area. This worried him. With a pack of werewolves so close by, his senses should have been over run with them. Every inch of the woods should have had both normal animal markings as well as lycanthrope. Something was clearly wrong. He continued on his path, winding around a small pond, again sensing nothing. There didn't seem to be any wildlife in the area at all. No birds, no animals, not even a cricket. Stopping, he removed the strap of his leather bag bending to one knee, his dark curls smashing into the ridge of his eyebrow as he did. Reaching into the bag, he pulled out a handful of ash and sage that he'd powdered. Chanting over his closed fist, the Seer sprinkled the powder onto the ground in a circle.
Just as he thought, the powder turned to a slime green-yellow colour, glowing bright before disappearing into the night. Turning on his heel still crouched, he listened as he looked over his shoulder. He chanted again raising his right hand out before him in a sweeping gesture, stopping when he hit a hot spot few feet away, as if someone had turned on a furnace in that one spot. The reason there wasn't any natural territorial markers, was because of the magickal one blocking them. Getting up, he picked up his leather bag, magic misting a dark shirt, dark jeans, and a thick dark coloured plaid shirt, in place of his usual grey pajamas before continuing on. The last thing he needed or wanted was to find himself in the middle of a coven stated turf war; as a witch or he was guessing, more then one witch, had marked this area as a boundary line.

The Seer rarely used his magic anymore, and he was angry at himself for that. Being bitten almost two years ago had changed everything for him. More then just the fact it made him a werewolf, but because it took him off his spiritual path. He'd worked so long, dedicating himself to witchcraft that it pained him to push it aside. But sadly, the shapeshifter in him burned so much energy, he rarely had enough juice in him to preform the simplest magickal tasks.
Some point between discovering the spelled territorial line and reaching the village where our heroine was, the Seer had made a major decision. He wasn't going to try to seduce her in order to gain the alpha position in the pack as originally planned. He'd decided he was going to find a shaman he'd heard about deeper in the kingdom and ask for help getting his life back.

Catching her scent, the Seer followed it into the hotel, into the room she was renting. There was no one sitting in the empty room, but the sound of the shower informed him someone was there. Closing the door, he locked it, dropping his own leather bag on the floor by the bed. Silently, he crossed to the bathroom, the steam obscuring his vision. But the scent of wet dog hung in the air. If it wasn't her, there was about to be one very angry and startled werewolf in that shower as the Seer entered the room. The taps were shut off just as he reached the curtain, flinging it open.
Handing her a towel, he smirked tilting his head to the side, his hand automatically going to his hair smoothing it down. Being half sidhe, seduction was more natural to him then breathing. All he would need to do was touch her arm, her neck, any bit of exposed flesh and his natural ability to seduce would have her relaxed and waiting.
The Seer took a step back, allowing our heroine to step out of the shower.  She said nothing as she looked at his outfit, her slim pale fingers running along the edge of his flannel plaid jacket. She magic misted herself an outfit to match his. Dark jeans, dark t-shirt and the same flannel plaid jacket.

Sniffing, she grabbed his wrist dragging him out of the bathroom, and picked up both their leather bags tossing his at him.

"Are you asking me to runaway with you again? It will I'm assuming, once again be tragically romantic. Without the whole of supernatural beings out to kill me this time, and you not running away because you got your heart broken..." he smiled wide, then let his lips form a perfect 'o'. "But you are running away because you got your heart broken aren't you?" he'd broken enough hearts over the years to know the signs. Literally in most cases. Being half sidhe meant seducing for food, which always ended in his conquest's death. "Works for me." he cleared his throat gesturing towards the door.

Tune in again for another installment of the Nosferatu Adventures starring your heroine...me (straight up story.  *deep sigh* The Seer. Who wouldn't want to risk death if it meant a night with him...)

Themed Week #1 Sequels

The Expendables 3

this is a 2014 action-comedy film starring Jason Statham and Kellan Lutz

plot: A group of ex military for hire break a former buddy out of prison because they are in need of his help in stopping an arms dealer. What they don't know, is it's another former group member gone rogue. Deciding that it's too dangerous a mission, the group's leader refuses to let the usual team join him and instead hires a younger group. They end up getting captured, and once again the older team members are dragged back in.

This was one of the better of the series. Lot's of laugh out loud moments, like in the beginning when they rescue Wesley Snipes character and ask him why he was in prison to begin with; smiling he says "tax evasion."  But for me, Antonio Banderas stole the whole thing. His character who talks non-stop, was the best part. I loved the one scene when he is having a slight temper tantrum and just stands there silent with his hands on his hips for two seconds. Priceless.

The game for me was counting how many actors in this movie have played vampires. Antonio Banderas having played Armand in Interview with the Vampire, Wesley Snipes having done the Blade series of films, Kellan Lutz having done the Twilight series of films, and Dolph Lundgren having done the Universal Solider films (vampires...zombie the theme is there) The rest of the time I kept thinking that Lutz reminds me of wrestler Brad Maddox....

Okay, and you notice this is day one of a theme week. I'm going to do one week a month in 2015 that is themed movies. January is obviously sequels. 

Friday, January 2, 2015

Top 5 Fav grimoires

I'm sitting here, working on a few projects, doing research for stuff, and in the middle of a scorching migraine headache, decided to try to write the next segment of  The Nosferatu Adventures, and all I can think about is The Seer's spellbook.  Which got me thinking of the way books of that nature have been shown in movies/shows. So here's my top 5 fav Books of Shadows/Grimoires/Spellbooks  etc

1. Charmed BoS

2. Practical Magic family book

3. The Ninth Gate

4. The book of all knowledgefullness (Angel)

5.The Necronomicon (Evil Dead)

Bonus: Grimm's trailer of stuff, Supernatural's journals and bunker. and BtVS's Giles's library.

Okay, seriously, how could the Charmed book not be on the top of the list? (I have a whole theory on this book as well as the Necronomicon for another time) It's the coolest of the cool with it's potions and spells and demons and can flip on it's own and just seems to have what you need when you need it. The BoS became a character all it's own, with people not only wanting to settle with the collector's edition boxset dvd cover of it, but actually creating many many many fan replicas.

The double sided centuries old leather book in Practical Magic. This is another movie prop that has filtered into the minds and lives of fans. Not just as a prop, but you can trip over tons of self made replicas out there. The idea of a hidden side, that it's okay to admit you use those less then sparkly spells, has a delicacy to it.

The Ninth Gate. The fictional book which in the novel/movie turns out to actually be a collection of fictional books that make one book...did you follow that? Which is said to open the nine gates of hell, has sparked interest in movie fans and real LHP workers the world over.

The set of magickal blank books owned by the evil law firm Wolf Ram and Hart in the tv series Angel that you just have to pick up, and whisper into it's spine what you are looking for...like an encyclopedia version of the internet...sends goosebumps of "I want I want!" whenever I think of the perfect book.  (if you are a fan of the original Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie, you might remember her joking to her watcher Merrick about his "book of all knowledgefullness" when talking about cheerleading practice)

The infamous Necronomicon, that H.P. Lovecraft first made famous, and was turned into a mythos for the Evil Dead franchise, has sparked not only a fan base, but a controversy over itself for decades. So much in fact, that there are real copies out there. Or as real as you want to believe they are...(I mentioned my theory of it back in one of the chapters of my T.N.A. I'm not spending hours hunting to link either. my theory is simple: it has a power all it's own because people want to believe)

Bonus: The Grimm trailer of stuff , the Supernatural bunker and journals, and the library of Giles from BtVS are on here because I like the idea of a giant room filled with nothing but Occult material that's been collected for generations. The artwork put into the "journals" of the Grimm family members, the urban legends collected and proved by the Men of Letters and Hunters on Supernatural, the general geekiness of the local librarian who's actually a practicing Occultist dedicated to teaching someone how to identify and track/understand monsters...who wouldn't find all that spiffy!

Okay, that's way too much thinking/typing for me today. Getting a cup of tea now...
till later.

Thursday, January 1, 2015

Jan 1st 2015


Flashback to Year 1 Day 30 on this blog. It was Jan 1st 2012, and I talked a little about the movie Bridget Jones's Diary.

So why am I bringing it up again? Well, for one, it's my tradition of watching this on New Year's day, while I break in a new journal. (I know I'm not the only one)  It was also part of my first  What this Movie Inspired Me to Do  posts (first post had more then one movie) it was part of my Top 5 Fav Hugh Grant films list, my Top 5 Fav Birthday Scenes, my Top 5 Fav Books to Film, it's also part of the Jane Austen based movies that I want to cover this year.

And most importantly, it's the first movie being covered in the Food'n Flix group for 2015. (some of whom are professional food writers. oh yeah intimidation being felt here.)  Cheap Ethnic Eatz , is the hosting blog for January.  (which I will be doing my official post for closer to the deadline and spoiler alert, there will be food.)

BJD is a version of Pride and Prejudice  by Jane Austen. Which makes January officially P/P month on this blog, if I actually get my arse in gear. (as well as the 1995 version of P/P also starring Colin Firth, the 2007 version of P/P starring Keira Knightley, and Twilight...yeah the sparkling vampires Twilight. Those are the only version I have of P/P)

Okay, so if you're too lazy like I am to actually hit the link for the flashback, here's the plot for it...

plot: Bridget, a 30 something singleton makes a new year's resolution to stop dating creeps, right before starting to date her boss Daniel. She ends up getting her heart broken when she finds out he's been cheating. Bridget then starts to date Darcy, Daniel's former best friend.

And that's all I'm going to give you right now because, I need coffee! I'll be back later, with the All Jane Austen part 2, post for this film. As well as the Food n Flix post for it. And when I say "later" I mean sometime in the next week or so, not necessarily this afternoon.

till later.