Welcome back to the wonderful world of Hagg. It's been a strange week of seriously hard graft at work followed by evenings of chilling out and self-reflection. All that has resulted in is me being more worn out than usual, but also coming across a few more weird and wonderful stories than normal. I hope you enjoy this edition of the blog and please feel free to comment or ask questions and share it with your friends, family, colleagues, acquaintances or even the man in the street.
Status update
I have just come back from a public skating session at Whitley Bay Ice Rink with friends or as we prefer to be called "cake lover anonymous". As bad as the rink is it was good fun because it qas quiet and I got to whizz about like a giddy teenager out for the night before his curfew time. Now, I played ice hockey for a couple years so you may think skating comes easy, but after taking a break whilst I settled in Newcastle it's not. I am now having to teach myself to confidently skate again. It is a bit like riding a bike because I instantly remembered how to go forwards and backwards, but unfortunately it's like riding a bike with no brakes because stopping is a different story. I can do it one way, but not the other so can sometimes look like an oil tanker trying to do a u-turn! It may be because my skates are blunt, but that's no excuse. Time to work hard to recapture some skills.
Elsewhere, what happens on stag stays on stag they say and I am not one to break traditions, but I thought I should share that this week I made my way to Edinburgh with Michael to celebrate the impending nuptials of Justin and Leigh. Let's just say after some mild lubrication we danced Irish jigs, befriended one of the many netball and basketball teams that had descended on Edinburgh, threw some mega shapes in clubs whilst speaking Dutch and cheering on a moonlight marathon. A totally random, but utterly incredible night out that perhaps ended prematurely due to Edinburgh clubs' operating hours. Ultimately the night ended with a drunken stag walking into a conifer tree and falling into the bushes. To me that is most definitely mission accomplished. A great night and a good send off to Justin before he 'enjoys' stag do part deux in Canada before the wedding.
One key lesson I have learnt from the stag is that going out wearing sunglasses during the day and carrying that them into the night is one sure fire way to create some great pictures and make new friends! Try it, you'll see what I mean.
Haggy's Hols
I think by now I have probably bored your to tears of my summer holiday plans even if my own personal excitement has grown each week. To save you any further misery, jealous or just to stop you skipping on I thought I would mix it up this week and tell about another little adventure I have planned for the coming months.
After returning from the States we thought it might be worthwhile spending a couple of days in the big smoke, London, to take in the sights and maybe see a few friends if we are not too jetlagged. It will also prevent me from driving a good 6 hours after a long flight home. I hadn't given that much thought when booking the holiday, but road users of the UK thank Vic for her sanity in the matter because you will be safe from a sleeping Adam behind the wheel. Whilst in London we plan on redeeming a voucher we were given by Vic's parents last Christmas to take in the view from the top of the Shard. Being the tallest building in Europe it offers some excellent views across the capital so hopefully I will be able to get some good pictures to rival those I will no doubt pick up on my travels in just a matter of days!
Now to pray the great British weather doesn't disappoint and we have a clear days and so good views.
Food Glorious Food
One word...Cake!
This week I spent an impromptu Wednesday night baking cake with my fellow blogger Leigh. I think I have mentioned before that she is getting married very shortly and she has taken the bold step to make her own cake. I like this move because it gives her control over flavours and style and also something really personal to remember what is already set to be an unforgettable day. Well anyway, I was drafted in last minute via Facebook to assist in the mixing and baking of some very large cake based treats. It was a long, tiring and fun evening because everyone loves baking cakes don't they?! We baked a lot of cake in preparation of what promised to be an even tastier evening later in the week when Leigh and bridal party would trial the decoration process. My reward? A sneaky taste test of the wedding cake - win!
No recipes this week unfortunately as I have been sworn to secrecy about the flavour of the cake, but let me just say it was incredible and fuelled a group of us drooling over different cakes and sweets for the best part of this week until it was finally devoured. By devoured I mean a cake that is to feed a whole wedding part was eaten by 7 or 8 brave souls in less than a week. Yes, we are a bunch of sugar high fatties!
Run Haggy Run
Dancing counts
My training has taken a serious sidestep this week. I tend to do the majority of my training over the weekend because I am often too tired or hungry to exercise when I get in from work. Usually a couple of press-ups is all I manage and then I slide listlessly in an evening of TV and snoozing. This week I have been somewhat distracted by dancing and drinking in Scotland so didn't get much running done; drinking yes, running no.
You will have to forgive me for my lack of running update, but on the positive side for you the less training I do the more likely it is that I am not going to want to set a stunning time and therefore there are increased chances of me doing it in fancy dress. For a couple of weeks now I have toyed with the idea of running it in my hockey kit sans stakes, but fear the helmet will push the heat over the edge. It would be a good way to get noticed I suppose though and then all you loyal supports can cheer me on! Otherwise I am fully open to fancy dress suggestion, but they have to be out of the box, weird and wacky and ever so me! Get your thinking caps on and let me know if you come up with any ideas, but commenting at the end of the blog.
Have You Heard What Haggy's Heard?
Did you know?
Did you know that the universe tastes like raspberries and smells like rum? No, seriously, research has proven that it does...honest! Don't believe me? Well you should! And it you don't read all about it here! Now say you're sorry for even questioning me! Apology accepted.
Now that I have shown you how right I was let me tell you that the universe also has an 'average' colour and well that colour is boring. Bit of a downer if you ask me considering we just found out the our other senses can be tantalized by the universe. It may have a snazzy name - Cosmic Latte - but let's be honest deep down we all know it is beige.
Musical treat
This week I was introduced to a new app by my good friend Leigh. The app is called 8 tracks and I hereby endorse it! Why? I will tell you why. 8 track works by you entering a word about your mood, the genre of music you want or the activity you are undertaking and selects a number of pre-made playlists that will perfectly accompany as you go about your day. Great no? What I have particularly incredible about this app is that it is opening my eyes to songs to a whole new side of music I thought I lost touch with when I stopped spending my day perusing the internet in amongst 'study' and got myself a job and by that I mean the underground artist or the artist about the blow. Seriously it has been a revelation and has got me enjoying some incredible mixes and discovering artists I can't believe I have never heard before. Go check it out at www.8tracks.com! Thanks Leigh.
Film fest
Ever since cancelling my Love Film account I have been on somewhat of a film binge. How you may ask? Let's just say I have my ways and my means. This week I have watched two blockbuster films from last year that fed an appetite for action: The Bourne Legacy and the remake of Total Recall.
First off the Bourne Legacy, the fourth in the series of Bourne films that have forever changed the spy genre of films; for the better if you ask me because it has forced James Bond to start writing story lines instead of poorly clichéd jokes. This was the first of the series without Matt Damon, which meant the now notorious Jason Bourne did not feature, but his character and the associated plots were given some very clear and obvious nods throughout. To me, this was not needed and somewhat detracted from what was another thoroughly enjoyable film that could have stood alone in the series. If anything it felt a bit forced at times because of it, but I guess it was always going to be difficult to extend the story after it was so perfectly closed off in the Bourne Ultimatum. All in all a good watch that perhaps tried too hard.
As mentioned Total Recall is a remake of the Arnold Schwarzenegger cult classic. Quite why this film was chosen to be remade I will never know because it isn't the deepest of story lines I have ever heard. Essentially, man dreams of becoming a spy, goes to have memory implanted only to find out he really is a sleeper spy, wakes up and goes on an action packed mission to find his identity and save the world. To be fair to the remake they managed to make the action scenes suspenseful and presented the plot and its ensuing twists in new way. I liked the subtle nods to the original through the appearance of characters such as the mutant woman with three bosoms and the woman Arnie disguised himself as at passport control. I did keep wondering when the storyline would start to mimic its predecessor and this kind of stopped me fully investing in the story, but I guess that's just my hang up. Overall it kept me entertained for the duration but I am glad I didn't rush out to the cinema to watch it.
Choon of the week
In 2011 J.Cole released his debut album The Sideline Story. The album went on to be one of the biggest and best of the year and shot this natural storyteller to fame. Well the time has come for J. Cole to release his sophmore album Born Sinner. Unfortunately the album was leaked online, but it has given us a brief insight into what should be another great album. Check out this tune for a sampler - Crooked Smile ft TLC
It doesn't stop there friends. This week thanks to 8tracks I came across so underground artist putting out some epic tracks. In particular I have enjoyed listening to Gilbere Forte and one particularly dark and twisted track called Fall For Nothing. It has definitely fed my appetite to get underneath the commercial skin of the music industry and go and find some genuine artistes plying their trade out there and waiting for that one big break. Anyway enjoy the track, it's awesome!
And just because here is another J.Cole track featuring Miguel which has literally been stuck in my head all week and keeps on getting better. Power Trip! Be warned it has boobies in the video briefly so don't go watching at work unless you either want the sack or have very liberal bosses or you're your own boss!
Last I apologise for this week's blog being late this one has been a busy one and I am sure you will find out next week. For now thanks for reading!
Welcome back. It's been an interesting week this week and I hope you enjoy hearing about goings on from my perspective. This week I have tried to put across my opinion on some fairly hard-hitting stuff, but also tried to keep it fun as always. It's pretty much a one off, but let me know what you think.
Status Update
Best laid plans
This week has been all about making plans that one day might come into fruition. Well maybe not making a plan, but trying to create an environment where when an opportunity for change presents itself I am ready to react so as not to let life pass me by. There are a couple of things I hope to be able to do over the next few weeks/months that will help me on various levels: financially, socially and at work. Doing this has involved a couple of extremely late night telephone calls. Quite why the calls had to take place at that hour eludes me though. I have also been knee deep in researching the housing market and looking critically at my own abilities.
Unfortunately at this time I need to remain very mysterious about what I have been up to, but all being well you will know about it in the coming weeks/months. I mean you can probably guess one of the changes I am looking to make, but the other will likely come right out of the blue to most. I am mindful to not put all my eggs in one basket at this stage though because as they say the best laid plans oft go awry. All I can say is it is going to have to take a certain element of luck and timing to be able to achieve what I would like to happen.
Man flu
I don't quite know what has happened, but I have been flanked by a serious bout of man flu. On Friday morning I felt a bit groggy and I just put it down to sleep deprivation or even a mild dose of hayfever, but as the weekend approached I began to feel worse. I am like a walking medicine advert with a tickly cough, headaches and stuffy nose. Bank Holidays are meant to be spent enjoying yourself and making the most of an additional day off with friends and loved ones. Instead, I have spent it lying in bed switching between hours of restless sleep and eating my body weight in porridge (I count 3 mega bowls today alone). Knowing my luck I will wake up for work feeling fine and dandy, but this weekend has been a bit of write off unfortunately. Never mind!
Haggy's hols
The countdown to my summer holiday extravaganza is on. It is now less than 5 weeks until we climb aboard our Virgin Atlantic flight and set a course for L.A. It seems like like this week I have done a lot of finalising of activities for our stay. This week I have booked our Napa Valley bike tour and explored helicopter tours of the Grand Canyon. It is all falling nicely into place and I am almost all spent up. Now it is the small matter of raiding my savings to find some gambling money!
Amongst some of my friends I am getting a bit of a reputation for being able to find a deal. I don't quite know why really though. I like to make sure I am getting value for money and so am registered to a couple of deal sites and not the ones like Groupon who do a good job of harassing you with rubbish deals. Instead I like those that actually give you stuff you want. Travelzoo, Money Saving Expert and Secret Escapes are just a few of my top choices if you were interested. This week I came across a deal that could not be passed up on Travelzoo's U.S. version. Las Vegas is known for its buffet meals and I could not resist buying passes to the Cravings Buffet at The Mirage hotel for $39. I have since researched it more and I am very pleased with the purchase as the buffet is renowned for its sushi, dim sum and crabs legs. I plan on only eating one meal that day and eating until I am fit to burst and washing it all down with the promise of unlimited wine and beer. Excited does not sum it up!
Food Glorious Food
With asparagus coming into season it has unofficially become asparagus week in my house. That means I am going to be dealing with green odd smelling wee all week yes, but it will only have been because I have chowed down on some seriously tasty Springtime meals. In particular I am looking forward to a Smoked Trout and Asparagus Nicoise. Nice and easy to make, but using my favourite type of fish I can only imagine this is going to rock my socks. I mean come on trout, eggs, potatoes and asparagus what could be better?! Find the recipe and such over on the BBC Good Food page here
I know I have told you about Epic Meal Time before, but I saw this week's episode and thought it was quite relevant to my blog. Last week I brought you my thoughts of next-gen consoles, this week I bring you a next-gen console made of cake. You know it makes sense!
Haggy's Hockey Corner
Ice, Ice, Baby
This week saw something very special happen in the hockey world of Adam Hagg - I got back on the ice! After a hiatus of over 3 years I have been persuaded to join up with some of my Ball Hockey crew and put our skills to the test on the ice. I had initially asked about when I first came to Newcastle, but was totally put off by training times and more so by Whitley Bay ice rink and its declining standards. Three years down the line something has been awoken inside me and I was yearning to get back on the cold stuff. Our goalie and a couple of other guys have been playing with the Nomads for a little while and have suggested it would be a good idea if we came down to make numbers up and have some fun. It didn't take much persuasion, just finding the funds and dusting off my kit, and as they say the rest is history.
Like I say it has been years since I have been on the ice so I was a little bit apprehensive if I would be able to skate let alone combine skating and stick handling. Not to mention that I have lost my jock strap so my sensitive areas felt incredibly exposed. The good news was it all came flooding back (and I didn't get hit in the nuts); I was soon gliding about the rink taking away passing lanes in defence, giving killer breakouts passes and generally enjoying myself. Apparently ice skating is more like riding a bike than they may out! Either that or skating since the age of 10 (or something like that) had drilled it into my subconscious. Anywho, I am really looking forward to getting back in to the swing of things and finding my form again. Hopefully in due course I can get registered with the Nomads and play some recreational games for them.
Whitley Bay continues to disappoint as an ice rink. How it is actually called an ice rink I will never know because the surface is more like a dusting of frost on a cold Winter's morning. Yeah, they have made improvements to the benches and you no longer have to leap the boards to get of the ice because doors have been installed, but the ice really lets the place down. Not only is the surface uneven, but along the left wing boards the ice just stops and you can see a pile of sawdust and concrete. All I have to say is I will be avoiding that wing to reduce and chance of potential injury! If there is anyone in the North East that has come into a wedge of money please invest in Whitley Bay or build a new ice rink, pretty please!
I hope that playing more ice will have a positive impact on my abilities in the Ball Hockey world too. Ball Hockey is too often a bit scrappy and I find that when the game settles into a real rhythm it is difficult to start a breakout or play a style of play that allows us to transition from defence to attack quickly. Ice hockey is all about being able to this with skill and confidence; there may be some who disagree with this though because they play different systems like the neutral zone trap bore-a-thon. Ice hockey training will make this kind of play second nature again and mean that I know when to force the pace and when not to. By the sounds of it my entire line from Ball Hockey are planning to play ice hockey in the coming season too so it will be more time together to work on plays and develop a psychic link with each other.I hope that by training on a larger rink will also boost my fitness and awareness for the kinds of rinks we play on in national tournaments.
My only potential concern about playing ice hockey is that I will once again fall in love with the pace and intensity of the sport and will fall into the trap my brother and other non-Ball Hockey players often throw my way and start to draw real comparisons between Ball Hockey and Ice Hockey. Doing so may have a serious impact on my enjoyment of Ball Hockey because it is a bit slower and as I say a bit more frenetic at times. I am very conscious that whilst both sports have similarities they are in actuality very different and I will try to remain mindful of this as I continue to play both. To any team mates reading this feel free to give me a kick if I start looking like I am not enjoying it. But, as Natasha Bedingfield once said, be gentle because I bruise easily!!!
Run Haggy Run
Back on the streets
With the Great North Run a few months away I don't quite need to start into full training mode just yet and so have been trying to remind myself about controlling my pace and breathing during runs this week. On Saturday morning I met up with 3 friends to enjoy a light jog through Jesmond Dene and Armstrong Park. The weather was great and it was nice to be out the house and getting the legs going. It was nowhere near full pace, but a great loosener that reminded me I am capable of running mid-range distances. We ended up doing about 5 miles with a nice hill sprint in the middle. It felt like I was in a genuine running club and it was great. I hope that the guys continue to want to do it because it would be great to make it a regular training session and hopefully we will all benefit from it by pushing each other that little bit more as the weeks go on.
This week I plan on upping my mileage a bit and getting out there or in the gym 3 or 4 times. I am not going to let this man flu ruin things for me! Hardcore! Fundraising Page
In other news I have set up my fundraising page. I will be tweaking it over the weeks to come to make it jazzier and so on, but if you want to have a look at the page in its infancy head on over to www.justgiving.com/runhaggyrun for a sneaky peek. It even has a couple of pictures of me dressed as a lion and tiger for some previous runs. Shout out to my brother
This week my brother ran the Manchester 10k race. I know a lot of other people did it too and well done to all those that completed it, but I just want to say a specific well done Patch! Coming back from a broken leg a couple of years ago was never going to be easy, but he has done it and continues to not look back. He trains hard and makes me feel guilty for my lack of commitment to training almost each and every day. He just ran a PB for 45.04 and raised money and awareness for Cystic Fibrosis along the way. So congratulations to you brother you have done us all proud, especially Leah.
Keep on running Patch!
Have You Heard What Haggy's Heard
Band of Brothers
A bank holiday weekend of man flu has not ruined my life. In fact it has done me a favour and all those hours indoors allowed me to rediscover some of the hidden gems of my DVD collection. In particular Band of Brothers.
The Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg produced 11 hour drama retells the lives and in some cases deaths of the U.S. 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment and more specifically "Easy" company. Following the trials and tribulations of a group of soldiers it tells the tale of some of the company's greatest victories and focuses on the friendships forged during the times in the trenches. Rammed full of stars and incredible actors and priding itself on its historical accuracy it is not surprising that you get lost in the drama. From the start of episode one to the end of episode ten it is a gripping, emotionally enthralling and action packed programme. More than anything you never get the sense that the writers, directors or producers are trying to create an American propaganda film, instead it is a real depiction that honours all those that fought in World War II.
If you haven't seen it you should because quite literally you are missing out. It is cheap in pretty much any DVD shop or online retailer and an essential to any collection. Fellow bloggers
After last week's post I got some very kind words of a Uni friend Kerry. It made me feel great to know that people actually read what I write and even enjoy it! Thanks Kerry! Anyway it got me thinking, what if I could create that same feeling for other bloggers that I know. So, I want to introduce you to some of the active bloggers I know and tell you a bit about what they do so you go and check them out and give them some encouraging feedback.
Josh aka The Warrior is a man who loves his music. He writes a blog about his musical escapades and uses big words too! In all seriousness it is a good read and may just open your eyes to a whole new world of music. Check his blog out at http://eurghiamthewarrior.wordpress.com/
Leigh is a fellow foodie. Cooking up a storm on a regular basis Leigh is an amazing cook whose blog is full of tips, techniques and most of all pictures! Being Canadian she is also prone to making amazing treats like S'Mores or even Oreo stuffed cookies (I am being serious)! Check her blog out at http://onthebrightsideoftheroad.blogspot.co.uk/
James aka Leafy is my fellow North East Dekstar player and due to represent Team GB in the Ball Hockey World Championships next week. He has been blogging in the run up to the worlds and has promised to continue to blog throughout. Read all about it and encourage him as he goes at http://thegeordiegeek.wordpress.com/
Paul Lynch takes very cool pictures and is far more dedicated to blogging than most people I know because he blogs every single day. Each day is accompanied by a new picture and well worth a look for some great pictures of the North East. Check him out at http://lynchography.blogspot.co.uk/
Political Rant
This week Drummer Lee Rigby was tragically murdered in Woolwich. First and foremost my thoughts are with his friends and family at this time. It cannot be easy for them to have dealt with the news and even more so with it being reported in the news everyday since.
I don't quite understand how a cruel, murderous act suddenly became a reason to scapegoat a peaceful religious community and encourage the kind of short-sighted thinking that has given rise to the BNP and EDL. I have several Muslim friends (wow that sounds very patronising of me) and to see them feel the need to defend their religion on social media just strikes me as wrong. Why have people been so quick to judge an entire community because of the actions of a few?
I think the media have a lot to answer for too. Yes they report the news, but they choose which stories get the headlines and the nature of this story justifies it, but you don't hear other religions being ostracised in the media when a believer commits a heinous act do you. I seem to recall the Anders Brevik fall out was more about mental stability than his far right associations let alone an entire movement. The media sensationalise everything and yes they do this to sell papers, but they have a certain amount of responsibility because they shape so much of people's political beliefs. I think at times this is often seems to be forgotten.
Here in the UK people are happy to emigrate to warmer climes in their later years or go in search of work in foreign countries, but are increasingly intolerant of people coming to the UK to look for work and contribute to society. It seems like it is a case of do as I say not as I do at times. Immigration is often seen by many as the root cause of many social problems we face in modern society. To me, it is not. Yes, we need to be mindful of levels of immigration and closely manage it so as not to create problems of overcrowding or unemployment and this in itself is a political and statistical tightrope at times, but it does not mean that we should just shut the gates to the world. Too often people are quick to judge everyone by the acts of one individual and make knee-jerk actions that can have a lasting impact on the communities we live in. I actually think the reaction here would be to find and imprison the offenders, but also increase education and awareness in our communities so that people would know that these extremists act independently of the wider Muslim community. I strongly believe that we should be encourage tolerance and community cohesion at this time rather than fuelling divisive rhetoric. This may be naive of me, but I don't think I am alone in this thought if only our voices were the ones being heard rather than those of the BNP and the EDL and to a lesser extent UKIP and conversely those of extremist religious groups. Instead let's start a clear and visible dialogue between those capable of tolerance, caring for others and understanding. The less we hear of and ill-informed and downright idiotic videos like the one below the better.
I know I have just acted hypocritically in writing this, but I am worried about the way society is headed and it seems that division is the word of the moment rather than cohesion. If you decide that you disagree with my point of view that is up to you, but at no stage does it ever become tolerable to use violence, aggression or words of hate to make a point.
Rant over.
Fake Psy at Cannes
On a lighter note I was told about a funny story this week. Now I am sure you all know the YouTube sensation by the name of Psy and his modern day crowd pleasers Gangnam Style and Gentleman. If you don't crawl out from under your rock because this guy has become a global superstar overnight!
It is his global celebrity that amazes me about this story because whilst Psy was in Shanghai performing his infamous tracks an impersonator by the name of Denis Carre was living the highlife purely because he bore some resemblance to the 'musician'. Appearing on the red carpet, crashing parties and talking to the media fake Psy really had everyone going. That was until the real Psy picked up on it and made a joke of it on Twitter. Fair play to Denis Carre because it is an audacious stunt that worked, but more fool anyone who believed it because the resemblance is not all that; he just wears the same clothes! Read the full story here
If this guy can get away with it I may start trying to crash parties dressed as Matt Dawson!
Music
And finally...it's music time. This week is a nod to towards the musicians of yesteryear as Bruno Mars serves up a track filled with old school style and a catchy hook. It got me through a long journey to Aberdeen over Christmas and is a guaranteed sing-along track from now on. Enjoy Bruno Mars - Treasure.
Welcome back. This week I have tales of winning awards to compliment my tales of hockey. Not only that, but I will bringing you part 3 of my amazing West Coast holiday plans and topping all that off with some foody delights. You know it makes sense so keep on reading!
Status Update
I don't usually talk about work, but this week I will make an exception to the rule. This week was the annual staff party and company awards at work. Every year 5 awards are given to congratulate the individuals or teams that exemplify the values of the company and have generally done something great over the past 12 months. Alongside that it is generally a melee of drunken colleagues enjoying each others' company and blowing off steam from the humdrum of day-to-day life. This year there was definitely a lot of drinking, but not from me because I was driving so got to watch as people lost their inhibitions and dance the night away. I may have also joined in because I have very little shame and love to bust a move!
Anyway, back to the big news. This year my team and I were up for an award because we had been nominated for our continued good work to modernise the way in which sheltered housing is marketed in the borough and ultimately reduce the number of empty properties on our books. This year we have managed to do just that and have received high praise from colleagues across the company, but have not received any critical acclaim for our efforts. Last year we were nominated for a similar award, but fell just short of the post so I wasn't 100% sure we would win. All I knew is that we sure as hell deserve it for the blood, sweat and tears we give up every day! Anyway as the envelope was slowly prised open by the guest presenter my heart was in my mouth. I felt a hush come over the usually rowdy team and I began to wonder if the other contenders would have pulled on enough heart strings to beat us and I would have to put on my gracious loser face. Well there was no need for that because we won! To hear our team called out as the winners was unbelievable. It is always great to be recognised for the hard work everyone puts in even if it is a certificate and a handshake, but it is just nice to feel appreciated. So, congrats to everyone working in the Housing Plus team and I hope the good news just keeps on coming.
Haggy's Hols
A couple of posts ago I told you about how after a whistle-stop tour of LA we would be taking in the sights of Las Vegas. Our fun doesn't stop there, if anything it will only have just begun! We have an authentic road trip ahead of us as we make our way gradually towards the city of San Francisco. I won't jump ahead of myself though and this edition I bring to you our next steps of our tour - Yosemite National Park.
We will be staying in a lodge at the bottom of the mountains in a town called Oakhurst. I found a cool looking place for a very reasonable price called Queen's Inn By The River which has individual suites and it's very own wine bar. Admittedly, we will be travelling there in a drop top car, but can you forgive me?! I mean if you are going to do something you may as well do it properly hadn't you? Plus, if I am driving through a desert to get to Yosemite I may as well catch some rays hadn't I? After taking in the wonders of the man-made world it may well be a welcome reprieve to travel to a place of natural beauty to experience the peace and quiet of the mountains. We are only there for a day, but I plan on making the most of it by waking Vic up early and driving up the hillside to take in the views and rent some bikes or go for a walk. Either way we will be taking a cracking little picnic to chow down on and spend a relaxing day amongst the trees and meadows before heading back down the hill as the sunsets. I hear that is how the locals do it so figure I may as well join in. And after a long day like that I believe a steak is in order and a bit of website searching suggests that there may be a couple of restaurants happy to provide me with that!
After Yosemite we plan to drive on to Napa, but I will save that for another issue because you can't just skip over Napa especially with what we have in store!
Food Glorious Food
This week I have been eating a lot of chorizo. It literally can be used in anything from salads to roast chicken dishes, but I thought I would share with you one of my faves - Chorizo and Bean Chilli. It is quick and easy to make so well worth a try. Initially I found the recipe on the Good Food website and it used chickpeas, but being the thrifter I am I changed that for cheaper butter beans and to be honest I prefer the creamier taste of them in this dish. So, feel free to change the beans for different sorts but remember that they bring different flavours and textures.
Ingredients (serves one)
50g chorizo sliced
Half a can of kidney beans
Half a can of butter beans
Half a can of chopped tomatoes
1 teaspoon of hot chilli powder
Method
Before you start get some rice on because it takes about the same time to cook as this meal does to prepare.
1. Fry off the chorizo until it is starting to give off some of its oil
2. Add the beans and fry for a couple of minutes
3. Pour in the tomatoes and reduce the heat
4. Add the chilli powder and season
5. Simmer 5-10 minutes
6. Serve with fluffy rice and enjoy!
Hagg's Hockey Corner
The Northern Ball Hockey Conference continues and the Comets continue to reign supreme. Going into this week's game it was possible that we could clinch the title. This was reliant on other fixtures going our way and obviously us winning our own fixture, which was Newcastle Wildcats. In a game where we dominated from start to finish the Comets came out 12-1 winners. It was a game that had it all from goals to fights, but unfortunately no shutout for our hard-working goalie Taz. Goals and assists came from all over the team and confidence is evident every time we hit the court and the score could have easily been more if the referees hadn't disallowed goals that ripped holes in the net! On a personal level I also bagged a hat-trick and I am feeling great on a line again with Justin and Leafy.
Unfortunately, Dekstars Supernovas were beaten 9-0 by Northumbria Sharks so we are not yet champions. It does however set us up for an epic clash this week against the Sharks themselves. If we don't lose we claim top spot, but if they win they have an outside chance of claiming the title on goal difference. We are not going to let that happen, so watch out Sharks the Comets are coming!
A quick comment on the NHL. A few weeks ago I brought to you some of my fears about being a New York Rangers fan. Turns out I didn't need to be so worried because as they regular season came to a close my boys came good and won 9 of their final 13 games to be one of the hottest teams going into the playoffs securing a 6th place seeding in the East. To those non-hockey loving people out there that won't make much sense but it doesn't need to. All you need to know is that the ice hockey season is about to get feisty because it's playoffs time. That means teams going against each other in epic 7 game series to win the highest prize in ice hockey, Lord Stanley's Cup (with strong connections to it's creation in the UK).
First up for Rangers is the Washington Capitals who unfortunately are on a hot streak of their own. It is going to be a very tough series and a replay of a series from last year which Rangers won 4-3. I am concerned about the speed and skill of the Capitals, but Henrik Lundqvist is performing wonders in goal and finally the forward lines are clicking so fingers crossed we can best the Capitals and go on to have a long and successful playoff challenge. Lets go Rangers!
Have You Heard What Haggy's Heard?
Story of the week - I don't usually get political in my blog (mainly because I don't want to bore any of you) but with local elections approaching and a by election in South Shields coming up I can't help it. However, I won't be commenting on local issues but instead on a story about a Gloucestershire election candidate. John Sullivan of UKIP has claimed that exercise prevents you being gay and congratulated the Russians for banning Pride events. I have played hockey with enough gay guys to know this is not the case. Now I accept that people may be favourable of UKIP's immigration policies, but in a country that says it promotes tolerance of others I can't understand how someone can be so damning and downright ignorant of others can even be considered to represent our society. If you live in Gloucestershire and read this I implore you to go out and vote on election day and ensure a tolerant and intelligent candidate gets elected instead. To read the initial story click here
Song of the week - There are two tracks I am excited about this week so it is not just song of the week, but songs of the week. First up is a track that is totally mainstream but signals a return to form for the classic dance duo Daft Punk. Teaming up with Pharrell Williams to bring you a catchy track that is made for the summer as long as it is not overplayed and you are not bored of it by then!
Next up is a track from another electronic artist by the name of Pretty Lights. I use a music app called Jango to get my hit of tunes when out and about that takes one artist you like and creates a radio station just for you, what's more it's totally free and has no adverts!!! Riding back from hockey training on Sunday this track came on and just reminded me of beach chill out sessions. Definitely going to be on my summer playlist for many years to come. Ladies and gentleman, Pretty Lights - Finally Moving.
Quote of the week - "A relationship isn't a relationship until you've wafted the quilt" Classic workplace banter from Elaine! She knows her onions.
TV of the week - This week's TV isn't TV per se. Instead it is a regular YouTube program from the Canadian YouTube sensations by the name of Epic Meal Time. The concept of the show is that a group of guys who love bacon and beer make big big BIG meals and consume them on a weekly basis. I have got to say their older stuff is better, but their gluttony does make me laugh. Check out their channel by searching for Epic Meal Time, but to whet your appetite here is one of their videos.
Film of the week - This week's film of the week goes to a sci-fi classic, The Fifth Element. I remember watching this film and instantaneously loving the combination of action and aliens. Not only that, but it filled with tension and comedic moments to keep you entertained throughout. I do seem to recall this film being fairly violent at times so I was amazed to see this film being shown at midday on a Sunday following a morning of hockey. I loved that I wasn't having to keep myself awake late at night to enjoy this classic, but I can't imagine many parents were totally pleased to see their children watching Bruce Willis mixing it up with a load of Mangalores in a shoot-out. Ah well to the future and thank you Channel 5 for being brave with your TV scheduling!
