Powered by Blogger.

The JK Vision - Geek, Film, Gaming & Foodie Blog

    • Home
    • About/Contact Me
    • Follow Me On Twitter
    • Brands I've Worked With

    This is a post of firsts. The first post on my revamped blog and my first recipe post! I thought I'd start with something simple and easy to follow. If this goes well then expect to see more of these in the near future!


    What You Will Need

    • 150ml Semi-Skimmed Milk
    • 230g Self-Raising Flour
    • 60g Unsalted Butter
    • 30g-50g Grated Cheddar (Depending on how cheesy you want them!)
    • A pinch of salt

    Let's Make It


    1) First you'll need to make sure your oven is pre-heated to 210C.

    2) Add the flour to a large mixing bowl and rub in the butter. This will be easier to do at room temperature. If needed, microwave the butter to soften it but be careful; you don't want to mix the flour with liquid butter. This will rid the end result of it's buttery flavour.


    3) Slowly mix in the cheese and milk. The mixture will get very sticky at this point so be careful. Flour up your counter and pour the dough onto it. Knead lightly so all the cheese is mixed into the dough. You'll have to keep adding flour to the dough to stop it from sticking. Once satisfied, roll the dough out flat so that the dough is about 1.5/2 cm thick and cut out circles to place onto a previously greased baking tray. The circles can be any size you'd desire but I'd recommend  circles of a 6 cm diameter. I improvised with the lid of an old coffee jar.


    4) Lay the discs out flat onto the greased baking tray. I manages to get 12 from my dough. Rub the tops with a little milk and make sure they're placed with a couple of centimetres between them.


    5)  Place the tray into the oven and bake for about 15 minutes. You may want to add 5 minutes if using a non-fan oven or the scones have not risen or tuned golden. Enjoy with a nice cup of tea!



    Thanks for reading, if you give this recipe a try
     then please send me pictures of your results!
    Continue Reading

    1) That Guy That Walks Everywhere Backwards


    If you've been in Derby for more than a month and you have no idea who I'm talking about then why don't you try going to Derby City Centre LITERALLY ANYTIME. This guy walks backwards around town all day writing mysterious notes into his notebook. No one knows why he does this and he refused to talk to anyone that asks. He's become a kind of celebrity to Derbadians. 

    2) Stab Alley Behind Sir Peter Hilton Court

    If you're a student then you will know exactly what I'm talking about here. Between Sir Peter Hilton Court and Darley Bank is an alley that runs past the river. Walking down this alone at night would earn you some major respect from me. You'll also happen to come across stoner bridge next to Peter Hilton. I'll let you guys find out about that for yourselves.

    3) Being Shit Scared Of The Hairy Dog Yet Always Manager To End Up There On A Night Out

    If you've ever been into the Hairy Dog even remotely sober and actually felt safe then who even are you? I was stone cold sober the first time I went in here and had to stay alert at all times just so I didn't get attacked or something. No matter how much you bad mouth this place though you always seem to end up back there since it stays open late most of the week. Expensive drinks and a pool of piss in the bathroom make for a much needed shot or 2.

    4) Playing 'Dodge The Clipboards' On St. Peters Street

    Look, all I wanted was a crap ton of McNuggets to quench the sadness ans street of uni work. No I do not want to talk to you about our lord and saviour, nor do I want to buy a wristband for £20 then feel bad whenever I say no. It takes almost twice as long to walk down this road than it should since you have to zigzag side to side just to avoid human contact.

    5) Having To Decide Between Mosh And Walkabout When Both Are Equally Shite

    So where are we off tonight guys? Mosh? Walkabout? Nah. Then where else? Oh...better be Mosh then. You better hold onto your shoes in mosh cause it seems like the floor is trying to mug you most of the time you're there. Nailing them to your feet should do the trick. Fair enough you can get free shots from there but the options are so weak you might as well ask for a shot of orange squash.

    6) Wondering Where The Poultry Based Pet Names Came From

    You go for you first shop since moving to Derby. You're next in line. The checkout lady looks over to and that's when she says it... "Ayup Duck". Duck... Did I just get called a duck? Since when has Duck been a nice name to call someone? I mean yeah ducks existed before I came to uni but I just thought they were animals that you could rarely afford from the Chinese and then they started disappearing from the local river. No words of a lie, this really throws me off still to this day.


    Continue Reading
    We haven't had a rant post for a while have we? All this positivity everywhere is making me feel uneasy. Time to bring the mood down! Here are a few things that everyone else loves but I just don't get why.

    Adam Sandler Movies


    I always try to explain to people that once you've seen a single Adam Sandler movie you've already seen them all. Here, let me tell you a plot to one of his films and you try to tell me which one it is? Adam Sandler sees a good-looking female that he wants to be with, Adam Sandler can't find a way to do so. Adam Sandler confides in some kids, shenanigans happen and ultimately the children cause Adam Sandler and the lady to get together. The end. Which film was that? Bedtime Stories? Blended? Big Daddy? See, you can't tell because they are all literally all the same fucking movie. Don't get me wrong, some of his films are good but I want a more developed plot than the same old kid-helping-romance theme that every film seems to include.

    Grilled Halloumi

    I just don't get it. You're basically eating a novelty dog toy that's as salty as licking a raw Haddock. Anything that sounds like a nuisance rodent violently being slaughtered by a cat with vengeance when I eat is going no where near my mouth again. I swear the first time I went through the ordeal the full cast of 101 Dalmatians came bursting through the restaurant door. Suddenly it's the new big thing I see everywhere I turn...must be a hipster thing. I'll be sure to take some doggy bags next time I go into a Wetherspoons.

    Game Of Thrones

    I've tried, okay? Sitting through hour after hour of artistic nudity, impalement and dragons just doesn't seem to catch my attention. I'd rather see a Chemistry teacher cook narcotics, or watch a blood splatter analyst casually murder a few local serial killers. When it comes to fantasy I love the theme in gaming but not so much in film. Lord of The Rings included whereas The Elder Scrolls franchise in phenomenal.

    Additional Dislikes

    Apple (Good products, ridiculously overpriced)
    Blurred Lines - Robin Thicke (Questionable Lyrics and a silly looking hat)
    Robin Thicke in general (See his wikipedia page)
    Car Obsessions (Look, my car goes vroom vroom louder than yours)

    Is there anything that you hate yet everyone else seems to love? 
    Let me know in the comments below!

    Continue Reading

    It's that time again, time to look back on what we have achieved on this blog throughout 2017. Looking at view numbers, records and just seeing how far we've come in just 12 months.


    1)  There have been 39 posts made to this blog in 2017.
      • That's 0.75 a week.
      • The third highest number of posts ever in a single year.
      • Over twice as many posts as 2016 (17).

      2) The months with the most posts:
      • August (7) 
      • December (6)
      • June (5)

      3) The months with the most views:
      • April (5,822) 
      • June (5,074) 
      • September (3,484) 
      4) The most views came from (All Time) :
      • Facebook (2,226)
      • Twitter (1,518)
      • Google (1,129)
      5) Countries most viewed by (All Time): 
      • United States (33,219) 
      • United Kingdom (15,253)
      • Israel (14,732)
      6) Brands Worked With - 11!
      That's more than the previous 4 years combined, almost 1 post a month was sponsored and without them, I probably wouldn't be writing this blog still, so thank you.

      It's been a bit of a slow one this year what with uni ending, a new career beginning along with a whole bunch of other stuff, but this blog will not end anytime soon and I will devote as much of my time as I can to keeping it alive.

      All Statistics Are Correct At The Time Of This Post And Do Not Include This Post Itself
      Continue Reading
      There are few things more frustrating than losing due to lag. Although there could be a few reasons for this. If nothing else works, then read on for what we believe are the best monitors!

      Asus ROG Swift PG279Q - $430.67


      Asus is a great brand for most PC related gadgets, and a monitor is no exception. It comes with an extremely quick refresh and low input lag, but that’s not all. As it comes with G-Sync screen tearing will never be an issue, and it eliminates the need for V-Sync too. On the other hand, this monitor does cost a pretty penny, so consider a different one if you’re on a budget.

      Asus VG248QE - $239.98


      Another awesome Asus model, this monitor is both fast and affordable. Plus, it also supports 144hz, however, it does use a TN panel. Still, finding a budget gaming monitor is hard, and this is definitely one to consider.

      Acer Predator XB321HK - $1099.99


      There are so many incredible features loaded onto this monitor that we can’t possibly list them all here! Still, great power comes with a great price tag, and this is definitely not one for the financially challenged. This monitor is large enough to benefit from 4k resolution. Not only that, but the IPS display also offers good viewing angles and vibrant colours. Unfortunately, gaming at 4k requires more GPU power than most people can afford, and it also requires an Nvidia graphics card to use G-Sync.

      Acer XR382CQK - $799


      If you believe bigger is better, then Acer’s got your back. This 38-inch widescreen curves in a way that adds to the immersion, along with also having 75Hz FreeSync enabled. Again though, this is definitely an upmarket purchase and we would only recommend it if you have some disposable income.

      Alienware AW3418DW - $1298.99


      Alienware has a history of creating some of the best gaming gear and this is no exception. This top-notch monitor comes with an incredibly high refresh rate, and much more. Although it does take up quite a lot of room and is pricey.

      AOC Agon AG352UCG - $856.85


      Not only is this ultrawide monitor curvy, but it also comes with G-sync. Keep in mind though that it’s huge; We recommend making sure that it will actually fit on your desk before purchasing.

      BenQ PD3200U - $799


      In addition to 4K UHD resolution, this monitor also comes with a large screen. Considering the tons of features it comes with, it’s a great value for money too. It doesn’t have too many cons. Although if you’re after something that can double as décor then this might not be for you, as the design is a bit bland.

      Asus MG248Q - $279.99


      Here we have a budget monitor which comes with 144Hz and Adaptive Sync. Combine that with the 1ms response time and you really can’t fault it. Definitely a machine to think about picking up if you don’t want to break the bank.

      BenQ Zowie XL2540 - $499


      High refresh rates, an easy setup and a great resolution are but a couple of the incredible features include on this monitor. It doesn’t come with G-Sync or FreeSync, as this monitor assumes you already own a rig capable of eliminating screen tears. Definitely one of the best gaming monitors, but not so great in other areas. Still, as this is a list of gaming monitors we won’t worry about that.

      Alienware 25 - $449.99


      The design on this is truly superb, plus it also boasts a high refresh rate and a response rate of only 1ms. With all that said, it’s not the cheapest of monitors and is only 1080p. It’s still worth considering though, as its smooth 240Hz refresh rate puts it a few rungs above most other monitors!


      If you still doubt that you need a gaming monitor then consider this scenario:
      You log into your League of Legends account to play a few chilled out matches, only to notice that your monitor is glitching. The next thing you know you’re staring at a grey screen, filled with frustration.


      There’s a reason that the pros use monitors included on this list. Now we’re not saying that having good equipment is a substitute for skill, but it never hurts either.

      This is sponsored post, written by Alex over at Unranked Smurfs.
      Continue Reading

      The people behind Bear Coffee Company kindly invited me and 4 of my friends to the opening of their new store in Derby. This is only their first new venue since their original shop opened in Uttoxeter in 2016 so they are a relatively new company since being founded in 2014. 

      Upon walking in the thing I first noticed was the alternative layout of the bar compared to the conventional way. The bar/counter was centred in the middle of the room with the seating area to one side and the majority of bar stools to the other. There was surprisingly good lighting in there as well.  considering most modern coffee shops think its 'cool' to basically make you drink your coffee in the dark.  

      Cappuccino - £2.60


      I thought I'd start with a classic cappuccino. Our server informed us that the baristas strive for perfection on the drink side of things. If a coffee doesn't come out perfect they will just throw it away and start again. There was a 20 minute wait for our drinks but was understandable since the place was completely full and it was the first time the workers experience the pressure of a busy flow of customers. When the coffee arrived it had a well-made design decorating the top and the actual coffee was quite strong. It didn't stand out as much as I would have liked it to but it wasn't a bad coffee. At £2.60 I'd say it's an average price at today's standards. I sneaked a bit of my friend's Salted Caramel Shake and wow was it good. You'd need a sweet tooth to be able to handle the whole thing. Now, let's get onto the food...


      Eggs Benedict - £7.00


      For food, I ordered the Eggs Benedict. Never had this dish before and didn't really know what it was but I took a chance when I saw it on the menu. English muffin, bacon, poached egg, spinach and hollandaise sauce. Did I regret opting for this? Not at all. The sauce that topped the eggs was phenomenal and the entire thing really does fill you up. I think I've found a new favourite meal. At a price of £7.00, it's definitely something I would have again. 

      Although the service was obviously going to be slow on their "trial-run" day, we felt welcomed and comfortable. Very friendly staff who were easy to talk to and have a laugh with. We even tried a Mexican wave at one point to get the waitress' attention (it worked).

      Although I didn't try the other food my friends did have some comments. One friend, who ordered the BEAR breakfast loved the food but said the choice of bread was a bit too hard and crunchy. Another friend ordered the veggie BEAR which again was nice but he didn't feel was big enough since there wasn't much of a substitution for the meat ingredients in the main Bear Breakfast. My other 2 friends enjoyed the all American pancakes which they had nothing bad to say about what so ever!

      I'm not going to beat around the bush, I'm 100% going back again. Until next time, BEAR!


      Continue Reading

      The folks over at Spektrum Glasses recently contacted me asking if I'd like to try out a couple of their blue light blocking specs! As I look at screens almost every second of the day I decided these would be perfect for me to try and use. That and my fondness for free stuff....

      Spektrum glasses come in 2 main types: 50% and 99% blue light blocking. Their main purpose is, you guessed it, to block out different wave lengths of blue light. Blue light is considered a high-energy wave of light due to it's shorter wave length, meaning it's frequency is higher. Almost all smart screens nowadays give off some form of blue light. It has been argued and researched that prolonged exposure to blue light can affect your sleeping patterns and damage parts of your eye.

      The 2 pairs I have received are at the 50% blocking level. Their site states that this level of blocking is suitable for people who need to block out blue light in the middle of the day, when the light takes the least effect on our bodies. These would be suitable for office workers, IT workers and students, or just people who use their phone a lot during the day. The 99% level variety is aimed more towards night users, where the effect of blue light is at it's most dangerous. These are suitable for night workers, nights owls or purely for people who like to browse through Facebook and Reddit in bed. Using the glasses should help you sleep after flicking through multiple screens.

      Anyway, in addition to blocking blue light, the Spektrum Glasses offer a number of other helpful features. These include protection against UV lights, screen glare/flickering and even EM ray blocking. Starting to sound more like a Sci-Fi tech-fangled contraption.

      Artist - 50% Blue Light Blocking


      These are one of the normal pairs of glasses, great for people who use contact lenses or just have good eyesight in general. Looking almost like a normal pair or prescription glasses, these fit comfortably around your face and sit lightly, hardly being able to notice they're there. These retail at $39.95. 

      Pro Clips - 50% Blue Light Blocking Clips


      Fellow glasses wearers will agree with me here. Wearing glasses on top of glasses sucks. From goggles in a Science lab to have the buy 3D tickets to The Last Jedi because that's all they have to offer on opening night... so these clips are a great substitute! They fit perfectly ad securely around the nose of my glasses, barely noticeable due to the lack of frame around the lenses. Great for sitting at home on my PC blogging and doing uni work. Selling for $37.95 these could be a bit pricey for a casual screen user but for someone who has to look at screens most of the time they could prove to be a lifesaver.


      Fancy a pair for yourself? Checkout their collection here!
      Continue Reading
      What do you get when you cross National Burger Day with the 10th birthday of a gourmet burger chain? A night of amazing food! Byron celebrated their 10th birthday on the 21st of August and invited me, among other bloggers, to their celebration for "a true VIP burger experience". I was then asked to tell you guys, on National Burger Day, what I thought of the night and the food I was served!

      Starters (While You Wait)


      9 Nuggets with BBQ Sauce - £4.75
      For my starter, I thought I'd try one of the most common foods most places serve, chicken nuggets. I was expecting some sort of generic food that you'd find in most establishments but these were different. The chicken was moist and tender, seasoned perfectly. But the stand out part from the starter was the BBQ sauce they were served with. I even thought about saving the sauce to pour over my burger later, but I couldn't resist. There is also an 18 nugget option for an extra £3.00.

      Mains (Proper Hamburgers)


      Gizzmo - £10.00
      Sweet Potato Fries - £4.00
      For my main, I thought I'd try the burger that was brought back especially for their 10th-anniversary celebrations, the Gizzmo burger. A 6oz Welsh rarebit burger topped with cheddar, applewood cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion and -most importantly- mayonnaise. The burger was cooked to a perfect medium level and seasoned well. The large amount of cheese within the burger I didn't find to be too overpowering. With applewood being my favourite cheese I found it hard to say no. On the side, I had some majorly crispy sweet potato fries and the crispier the better. Byron does stray from the norm with the fact that you have to buy your chips as an extra to your burger. I wouldn't think the burger alone would fill you up enough even though it tastes amazing. A total of £14 for a main? I'd take that as a once-in-a-while treat but not as a regular thing.

      Desserts


      Oreo Cheesecake - £4.95
      To finish off the night I opted for 2 of my favourite sweet treats combines. Cheesecake and Oreos. The dessert was gorgeous and filling. Just the right amount of sweetness and not too dense. My only dislike about the dessert was that the base was a bit on the hard side for me. I prefer the base of my cheesecake to be soft and crumbly, but apart from that, I would have it a second time.

      Including my £6.75 Peroni and £2.60 Coke, my meal would have cost me £33.05. Again, not too bad for a treat every now and then. The price of the Peroni was very steep, considering a supermarket will sell you the same bottle for £2. The service on the night was amazing. Staff at Byron's go the extra mile to make you feel welcome and comfortable. They were one of the standout features on the night. (Plus they were very patient with us bloggers taking constant photos and getting in their way).

      Would I go again? Once in a while, yes. But I'd probably steer clear of the beer! Book your table here! Happy National Burger Day everyone!





      Have you tried out Byron? Do you have any thoughts of your own? Let me know in the comments down below.
      Continue Reading

      It's official. It's finally official. Disney has confirmed what I've been waiting forever since they took over Lucas Film in a deal worth over $4 Billion in 2012. An Obi-Wan Kenobi standalone film will be happening. The film is in a very early stage at the moment. There is no script, no director and no cast. Seeing as I have been waiting 5 years for this to be announced, I thought I would give my ideas on what the film could entail.

      First off, let me just say: If Ewan McGregor doesn't agree to sign on for the film then Disney should just scrap the film altogether. McGregor was one of the few decent parts of the prequel trilogy, it would be a disaster without him.

      I believe the film should be set in the time that Kenobi spent living on Tattooine, watching over a young Luke Skywalker. We would be able to see how he lived and just how much impact he had on Luke's upbringing. We would get to see the people he met, see if he ever strayed from the path of a Jedi and fell in love. Maybe he fathered a child, who then went on to be the parent of a little girl named Rey? Who knows. I mean if Rey does turn out to be a Kenobi then there's no doubt in my mind that this film will centre around how that happened.

      Maybe Kenobi had a previous run-in with Han Solo and that how he and Luke came to board the Falcon in Episode IV. Although, that does seem a bit far-fetched considering how they acted with each other in the original. But maybe Obi-Wan could help the rebel alliance in a small mission since Leia already knew of his existence.

      A more plausible key plot feature would be Kenobi interacting with the force-ghost of Qui-Gon Jinn. We know that he was to be taught this power by Yoda after the events of Revenge of the Sith. Obi-Wan trained Anakin Skywalker, who then turned to the dark side and took the form of Darth Vader. Kenobi may have not trusted himself to do this again and sought the assistance of Qui-Gon who realised Anakin's potential in the first place.

      The last thought I had when hearing the announcement was 'did Kenobi and Yoda ever contact/visit each other?'. We know that Yoda planned, and did take exile in the Dagobah system. But did the two Jedi ever visit each other? Or at least stay in contact. It could be possible that all 3 of Kenobi, Jinn and Yoda trained Luke together, whilst all communicating and discussing his next steps. 

      Finally, I'd like to give some of my ideas about titles for the new film:

      • Kenobi: Hello There!

      But seriously...

      • Kenobi: The Tatooine Years 
      • Obi-Wan Kenobi: After Mustafar
      • Kenobi: Watching Over a Hero
      • Kenobi: The Real Chosen One
      • Or just simply... Kenobi: A Star Wars Story
      Anyway, these are just some of my thoughts. Do you have another of your own? Or just think mine are waffle? Let me know in the comments below.
      Continue Reading


      Men's Society is an Online gifting service focused on the male gifting sector. Available gifts range from sport to lifestyle, with a tonne of grooming products (if only I could grow a beard without looking like a brush). Anyway, Men's Society was formed when the original couple founders, Hugo and Bella, would try to 1-up each other on gift giving when Bella was always the best at it. It was from this that they spontaneously decided in 2012 to share Bella's ideas with the rest of the world in the form of Men's Society. They now work with multiple retailers in the UK and around the world, which all started from that kitchen table they were sitting at when they first made the decision to create the company. 

      Their website proudly states that their products have always been handmade and produced right here in the UK. I was asked what products I would like to be sent from their website to have a gander at. Due to my general inability to grow decent looking facial hair I had to steer clear of a number of products. In the end, I decided to take a look at the Spectacles Repair Kit (because both my set of glasses have decided to have a break-up) and the Bear Head Bottle Opener (because just look at it).

      Spectacles Repair Kit


      I desperately needed this kit. Constantly walking around with Sellotape holding my glasses together was seriously harming my street cred. In the kit, you get a few plasters to hold your glasses together, a couple of cleaning cloths with lens cleaner,, a few screws of different sizes and a tiny screwdriver. It took me a while to fix my glasses because tiny screws are so fiddly but I managed to fix them! Celebrate! This kit sells for £20 on the site.

      Bear Bottle Opener


      Just look at this thing. Nothing is more manly than an iron-cast bear that gives you the ability to drink your favourite beer. I have yet to place mine on the wall since I'm still trying to find the best place for it. It requires 3 screws to be attached to the wall (not included) and retails for £16 on the site. This product is hand-painted to give a natural and realistic 'bear look'.

      I am more than happy with the products I received. Especially the Spectacles Repair Kit. Since, being a student, I couldn't afford to buy another 2 pairs of glasses. Also, the Bottle Opener is pretty sweet. If you would like to check out the whole range of products on offer, then take a look at the Men's Society homepage.
      Continue Reading

      I was asked by author Dane Cobain to review this book called Subject Verb Object. Subject Verb Object is a self-proclaimed "Anthology of New Writing". It is a collection of short stories and poems from 18 different new-style authors. The whole concept and idea of this book is a format that I've found myself to love. Each of the included writers was asked to submit a short writing prompt which included a Subject, a verb and an object (e.g. Philip picked up the magnifying glass). These prompts were then shuffled and randomly assigned to the writers who were then tasked with creating a short piece of writing based on that prompt. The pieces in this anthology range from love to tragedy, mystery to discovery. Here are a few of the stories I enjoyed the most.

      Dane Cobain - When The Mirror Clouds

      Prompt: "Jay Pulled At The Mirror" (J.G.Clay)

      One of my favourites came from co-editor Dane Cobain. One of the first things I enjoyed whilst reading this was how literal Cobain took the prompt. A few of the authors use the prompt as a kind of metaphor for their writing which can be fun to try and figure out how the story stems from it but can also prove to be frustrating. Cobain's story, on the other hand, simply includes a character named Jay and a Mirror. Simple. This passage follows therapist Jay's struggle with spectrophobia, a disappearance and "the weirdness".

      Eileen Maksym - The Judgement Of Little Bug

      Prompt: "A Dog Takes Umbridge" (Clive Whitelock)

      This short story is probably my favourite out of the whole anthology. If I had to write my own blurb for this entry I'd put "A mysterious sci-fi entry, taking a real life event and adding their own twist on it. The Judgement Of Little Bug follows "The Watchers" as they observe humans developing through time until they do something they never thought any form of life would be capable of". I'm a big fan of sci-fi media so this story was immediately a hit for me. Add that to the excellent writing style of Eileen Maksym, the speed that the story takes is ideal to follow, and I would be interested in reading a novelized version of this concept. Come on Eileen, give the people what they want!

      Heba El-Husseini - Tom Ate The Cheese

      Prompt: "Tom Ate The Cheese" (Oli Jacobs)

      My third and final favourite entry into this anthology is Tom Ate The Cheese. First impressions of the title and prompt made me think "oh, this will just be a silly, comical story" but I was wrong. Without giving too much away, a 3 word summary of this story would be regret, conflict and decision. Such an eye opening piece about how the wrong decision can greatly affect your life. I wouldn't want to say much more because this is one of the shortest stories in the book but one of the best.

      So would I recommend this book? Yes, without a doubt. It's great for both major and casual readers alike. With a whole range of writing styles and topics, you are bound to find a few that you just adore. A lot of these stories I would love to see made into a full novel. Especially The Judgement of Little Bug.

      Grab your own copy here!

      If you read it, come back and let me know your favourites.
      Continue Reading
      I was invited back to Turtle Bay, a Caribbean inspired restaurant in the city centre of Derby, earlier this year to try some more of their delicious food. If you have read the previous Turtle Bay review then you would understand why we were quick to revisit this restaurant.

      The members of staff in the restaurant are incredible. This time around my guest and I had a waitress named Precious. She was professional, friendly and her personality was so bubbly and energetic it made you feel instantly comfortable.

      Now to talk about the food.

      Starter

      Duck Rolls - £5.10

      The duck rolls were delicious. The duck was wrapped in a toasted flatbread and was served along with orange chutney. The chutney personally wasn’t to my taste but the toasted duck rolls tasted perfect without it anyway.

      Garlic and chilli pit prawns - £5.10

      My guest ordered garlic and chilli pit prawns. These prawns still came in their shell and were covered in a tasty herb and chilli butter. They were served alongside a nice, soft roti which paired really nicely with the prawns. The fact that the prawns still came in their shell, gave a real authentic feel to the dining experience. 

       Main

      Trinidad Chicken and coconut curry - £9.95

      For my main, I ordered a Trinidad chicken and coconut curry. This curry is not particularly spicy so it’s perfect for people who like it mild. It was creamy and full of flavour. Not only did it come with rice like you’d expect, but it also came with flat bread too so you could choose which you’d prefer to eat. You also got a perfect portion size.

      Jerk Sirloin Steak - £16.95

      My guest ordered a Jerk Sirloin Steak. This consisted of a big piece of steak cooked to your preference and came with fries, salad and fresh chutney. It was cooked to perfection.

      Dessert

      Passion Pie - £4.96

      For dessert, I ordered a passion pie. This tasted fresh and was full of flavour. It was very like a key lime pie but instead of lime it was passion fruit curd and had a nice generous portion of meringue on top.

      Caymans upside down rum cake - £4.95

      My guest ordered a Caymans upside down rum cake and let’s just say you could taste the rum. I would massively recommend this cake if you are a rum fan. This came served with a nice creamy scoop of vanilla ice cream.

      Cocktails - £7.50 each

      Koko Colada
      Rude Boy
      Jamaican Mule - Seen Above Right
      Passion Rum Punch - Seen Above Left

      All the cocktails were delicious and are worth the price. Each one tasted different and would be perfect in different scenarios, for example, the Koko Colada was very creamy and heavy feeling so this drink would be perfect if you were just visiting for cocktails or would be nice to drink after your food has settled. However, the passion rum punch was very light and refreshing tasting and is perfect to drink whilst eating your meals.
      Continue Reading

      I was invited by the manager of Paradise Island Mini-Golf (PIAG) months ago to come along with a few friends of mine to visit the newly opened mini-golf course in the Derby Intu centre.

      It wasn't until last week that I managed to finally visit due to the end of the uni year, exams and other priorities. So off I set with high hopes and expectations, knowing I was about to play on 2 18-hole courses. My pre-excitement was heightened by the press-release images I had previously seen. You could really tell just how much time and money had been invested into the decor surrounding the courses.
      Upon arrival my presumptions were proved to be correct, the design of the props and environment was phenomenal. There was so much to look at. Sadly though, this was what seemed to be the main concentration by the designers, leaving little time or thought for the design and lay-out of the actual course.


      I can only speak for myself here but my main want out of a mini-golf course is variety and excitement on the holes. I'm not too fussed about what's going on around me. I want moving obstacles and multi-stage holes. Holes with large pars and many different possibilities. Disappointingly all the holes had to offer were a few pipes to aim for and some stationary hazards. The par for the holes on either course never exceeded 3, with the majority of the holes having only a par 2. Th pars on each course are exactly the same; whether this was purposeful or accidental I do not know.

      The prices range on whether you play 1 or 2 ourses. For me, a student, I would have had to pay £10 for both courses or £6.50 for the 1. Thy also offer a deal for a family of 4 for £36 for both courses among other deals for different age groups.

      To sum up:

      • The decor of the courses really is gorgeous and well thought out, something of a rarity among modern day mini-golf courses
      • The 2 courses do become repetitive after a while, specially when you're playing both holes
      • The price is a little more that I would expect to pay on a mini-golf course but if you're attending with a family you could be paying a fairer amount

      If anyone is interested, I won the first course with an exact par of 42! We won't talk about the second course...let me know if you beat me!


      To book your own trip to the course in the Derby Intu centre please visit their booking page.

      Here's a bonus video of a cheeky hole-in-one.




      Continue Reading

      I was invited by the team over at Game Over Escape Room Derby to come along with a few friends to test out one of their escape rooms located on Gower Street on the 2nd floor of the Abbotts Hill Chambers building. I'd never been to an escape room before so I jumped at the chance and rounded up 5 other friends to go and see if we could beat the room.

      The venue offers 4 different rooms to try to escape. These are: Saw, Jack the Ripper, Mission Impossible and Temple of Montezuma. I was torn between Saw and Jack the Ripper so I asked the manager to book us in for whatever room he thought was best. He decided on the Saw room because that's what he liked the most.

      Upon arriving we were greeted by a really friendly staff member. He made us all feel right at home. We were asked to take a seat so here could quickly reset the room. We were only waiting for about 10 minutes before it was time to go in. We were all buzzing with excitement but had no idea what to expect as nearly all of us hadn't been in an escape room before. We were led into the room 1 by 1, each with a blind fold on. I was the first to go in cause, you know, I'm meant to be the blogger. We were each sat down on the floor (except for Joe because he gets a chair for some reason) and had one hand cuffed to the floor. There was almost no movement possible with the real metal cuffs. We were then told to begin once all of us were tied down.



      I don't want explain any more about what we did because I don't want to spoil it but my God was it amazing. If I get any requests I may write a complete walk-through of what we did as an optional external link but in this post there are no spoilers. I cannot express enough how much I enjoyed this. It was mentally challenging but not too much at the same time, as shown by our completion time of 57:40 out of a maximum of 1 hour. In addition to this, the Saw room only has a completion rate of around 35% so we were quite proud of ourselves! The fasted time for the Saw room so far is somehow around 36 minutes, with only a 2 player team as well.

      I would love to return at some point during the summer and especially around Halloween for another go at getting on the leader board. What I was most impressed with about the escape room was the wide range of types of puzzles and cryptic clues we had to solve. We had to constantly change our way of thinking, from code solving to using our Maths skills, the room had everything. I truly recommend this escape room fro anything. Birthdays, stag and hen dos, even for workplace team building!

      Seriously, give this place a try. The rooms range from £15 to £21 per person depending on how many people are in your teams, the more you have the cheaper it is. Teams can be as small as 2 or as big as 6. For groups of 12 or more (where you'll be split between 2 rooms) the price for each person is reduced to £12.50. It was so much fun visiting with a team of 6 where each and every person made a breakthrough for us. I we weren't all there, I don't believe we would have escaped in time. Give this place a try!

      To Book:
      Phone: 01332 913333
      E:mail: info@escapegameover.co.uk
      Or click here to book online!

      Make sure you let me know if you're planning on a visit, and comment what time you got!
      Continue Reading


      So way back in April I was invited to the opening of the brand-new Derby chain of Bodega Cantina. Due to university work, exams and other 'adult stuff' getting in the way my report of the opening was put on hold. So without further ado let's FINALLY take a look at the (kinda) new restaurant.

      Bodega Cantina is a chain of South American style restaurants with venues in Birmingham, Worcester, Leicester and, now, Derby. I was invited to the opening of the new eatery on the 12th of April. Upon arrival in Sadler Gate, Derby we were greeted with a Margarita and began looking around the building. The thing that immediately hit me was the beautiful decor, most of all this artwork on the wall:

      From what I recall being told it was created by a local artist in Birmingham. This mural sit underneath a sky-light making it a very gorgeous part of the main room.

      We were brought around little tasters of the food Bodega has to offer and my god they were all so amazing. With almost all their dishes being made on site you could really taste the freshness pushing through the flavour.



      My favourite dish that I tasted that night was the Pulled Pork tacos, but the real twist was that the meat was marinated in Dr. Pepper. Sounds strange but your questioning would stop when you taste them, absolutely flavourful and tender. Other items that we tasted included nachos, fritas and coxinhas. Every time a new plate of food came around I found it difficult to say no, it tasted so good.

      The one thing that caught my eye when looking at the menu were the prices. It's not exactly the cheapest place, especially for a student city. It's a good place to go for a treat every now and but wouldn't be your sort of 'regular' place to go. After talking to the owner of the restaurant he confirmed that they never planned to go for the cheap, student vibe and wanted the place to be seen as a once-in-a-while treat.

      In summary, Bodega offers great tasting food combined with a beautiful design. Great for visiting every now and then if you fancy trying something alternative and different. If you want to try this food out for yourself then please making a booking online or call: 01332 224270.

      Thankyou for reading, if you have visited or do visit Bodega
       then please let me know what you thought down below!
      Continue Reading
      The Last Jedi Poster - Souce
      So yesterday the title of the next instalment of the Star Wars franchise was released, along with a poster. The title announced was Star Wars VIII: The Last Jedi. There's been a lot of speculation around what this title could or could not mean, along with the alternative red text used instead of the classing golden-yellow option. So I thought I'd offer my views on what the recently released poster could implicate about the upcoming epic as well as give my reasons as to why some theories may be wrong.

      This doesn't mean Luke Skywalker is going to die.

      I've seen a lot of theories going around saying "Oh my god Luke is gonna die" or even Rey, claiming that "Last Jedi" means that there can only be 1 remaining by the end of the film. Although this could be the case, in no way can this be true based on the title. Bare in mind that the plural of Jedi is indeed still Jedi. Jedi can be plural as well as singular as in "Luke and Rey are the last Jedi". The title is merely suggesting that the film will focus on the last of the Jedi, which we know so far only consists of Rey and Luke. If anyone ever tries to tell you that there must only be 1 Jedi left at the end of the film please correct them.

      What could the red text mean?

      Every Star Wars saga film from The Phantom Menace to The Force Awakens has used the same golden-yellow colour of text in their posters so why have red been chosen for The Last Jedi? The man behind Finn, John Boyega, stated around a year ago that Episode VIII would be much darker than The Force Awakens so this may be a clue as to why the Red was chosen. It's also been rumoured that The First Order may become a lot stronger and more powerful than the resistance, similar to the original star wars sequel, The Empire Strikes Back. In my opinion this Red represents the upcoming bloodshed and dark times for the resistance since red typically represents the dark side of the force. Or the red text could just be a clever ploy by Disney to get people talking about the film from the off.

      No matter what this logo could mean I am extremely excited for the next instalment since The Force Awakens was a masterpiece and Rouge One was even better. Let's hope director Rian Johnson and his writing carry the story of Star Wars on in the best way possible. 

      Let me know your ideas down in the comments.


      Continue Reading
      Older
      Stories

      Popular This Month

      • Game Over Escape Room Derby Review *NO SPOILERS*
      • Game Off - Celebrities Review
      • The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy - Review
      • Paradise Island Adventure Golf - Intu Derby Review
      • The Lexicologist's Handbook by Dane Cobain - Book Review

      Featured Post

      Game Off - Celebrities Review

      What is it? Game Off - Celebrities is one version of a set of games created and promoted by Captain Fats . The game is centred around a grou...

      Blog Archive

      • ▼  2026 (2)
        • ▼  August (2)
          • The Lexicologist's Handbook by Dane Cobain - Book ...
          • The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy - Review
      • ►  2024 (2)
        • ►  May (2)
      • ►  2022 (13)
        • ►  August (11)
        • ►  July (2)
      • ►  2021 (1)
        • ►  February (1)
      • ►  2020 (5)
        • ►  April (5)
      • ►  2019 (1)
        • ►  April (1)
      • ►  2018 (5)
        • ►  November (2)
        • ►  October (2)
        • ►  June (1)
      • ►  2017 (19)
        • ►  December (2)
        • ►  November (3)
        • ►  September (1)
        • ►  August (6)
        • ►  June (2)
        • ►  May (1)
        • ►  April (1)
        • ►  February (1)
        • ►  January (2)
      • ►  2016 (5)
        • ►  December (2)
        • ►  July (2)
        • ►  March (1)
      • ►  2015 (7)
        • ►  July (2)
        • ►  May (3)
        • ►  April (1)
        • ►  March (1)

      Created with by BeautyTemplates

      Back to top