Ex_Machina - Sci Fi brilliance

Have you seen Ex_Machina?

It's a sci fi film released recently, and it is shockingly good.

Image source: http://www.comingsoon.net/movies/trailers/124561-two-teaser-trailers-for-alex-garlands-ex-machina#/slide/1

Part thriller, part awesome is how I would go about describing this in a brief sentence.

The film deals with one of my personal favourites in the world of sci fi, the notion of humanity and the concept of artificial intelligence.

Throughout the entirety of the film the classic thriller 'feeling of constant tension' is maintained very strongly. You feel on edge the entire time and are definitely engaged with the story (good point for movie watchers who want to be kept interested).

Image source: http://robohub.org/ex-machina-when-turing-meets-bechdel-test/

The film leaps right into the story.

No wishy washy intros. The main character heads straight into the desolate but strikingly futuristic facility centre to begin his journey. (Funnily enough there's no real journeying involved, the rest of the film is all set in the facility).

Our protagonist must test an AI to see if they have truly achieved what it means to be an individual. A true human. (*screams internally*)

Our main character has a kind heart, we connect to them straight away. The AI, 'Ava' is equally convincing and melts your heart with sympathy.

Too bad there is a whole lot of darkness to come for the both of them.

Our brilliant AI creator is a fascinating character as well, don't underestimate the power of a crazy genius!!

I won't go into more detail on the storyline though. If you're even a little interested just go on Rotten Tomatoes or your favourite film review site and check it out.

For fans of sci fi this is a must see film for 2015 (particularly since it strays from what you expect to happen), for those of you not quite convinced, consider the implications of having AI in our near future:

It's undoubtedly going to happen isn't it? We've got Siri and we've got loads of robots in creation as we speak which will revolutionise what it means to be a mere computer program.

Image source: http://whatculture.com/film/what-does-the-ending-of-ex-machina-really-mean.php

Apart from that, the film wanders briefly into a slight horror theme and makes points on what it means to be human. There is action, there is romance.

Fun for all the family! BUT not.
(Don't take young children though, it is MA15+ after all)

If it's showing at your local cinema go and watch it.

You won't be dissapointed.

Shoot me a comment if you've seen this film or if you're planning to! What did you think?

Mash it up
xx

Getting Naked - Rose Gold

I couldn't resist it.

I read about it online, I saw people reviewing it.

The shimmery rose gold packaging was calling to me!


I finally went off to Mecca Maxima and bought the Naked3 Palette!

Aaaaaaaaaaaah is in order.

Check out my instagram to see me ripping it open ->


The palette hosts a variety of shades with cooler pink undertones, perfect for my ridiculously pale skin!

The formula is rightly popular, so far it feels light, has a lot of colour and there is a great selection of matte shades as well as shimmery ones.

I'll be wearing this non-stop for the rest of the week :)

Shoot me a comment below if you'd like me to review the colours or perhaps give some advice on ways to use them for an eye look.

Until then!

Mash it up
xx 

Blend blend blend - Watermelon, Mint and Kiwi/Feijoa smoothie

Well hello again!

I hope you enjoyed my previous post with a rather refreshing grapefruit smoothie.
If you didn't see it, click here

Continuing on with my new found love for making smoothies and such with my little blender, here is a great recipe for brekkie or perhaps as a treat on a hot day.

For those of you in the northern hemisphere lucky enough to be welcoming summer, this will suit very nicely!

WATERMELON, MINT AND KIWI/FEIJOA SMOOTHIE:
Approx. 2 x drinks

You need:
1/4 watermelon
4/5 x feijoa fruit (can substitute kiwi if not in season)
3/4 cup apple mint/regular mint 
1 x teaspoon of raw brown sugar
1 x handful ice (optional, for a warmer day)
1/4 cup of berry yoghurt of your choice*

*Ruby and Roy's is one of the best yoghurts I have ever eaten. There is no going back (seriously!) They sell them at many independent stores in Sydney, have a try!

Make it:
Roughly chop the watermelon and feijoa into smaller bits and put into the blender.

Add the handful of ice and the mint.

Blend for just under a minute until the ingredients are properly mixed together with no visible chunks.

Pour into a nice glass or container and drink!

(Optional: leftovers can be refrigerated, however will require some shaking before drinking again)

Yum yum!

Let me know in the comments below what you think of the recipe if you decide to try it! 

Are there any recipes you can suggest for me? I am always on the lookout for tasty new smoothies :)


Mash it up (in a blender)
xx

My first published story - The Power of Black and Blue

#the dress

Remember that annoying thing?

It emerged on social media and spread all over the internet to tv, radio, newspapers the whole shebang.

People saw a dress as black and blue, white and gold - The world was divided in shock!

My partner and I reported on what came after.

Have a read of my story here

It seems so distant now, like it happened an eternity ago. This is how these viral trends come and go between the visible and the forgotten.

The South African Salvation Army charity took this phenomenon and used it for a campaign against domestic violence.

They used the message, the bigger picture and what it meant to everyone to deliver their own issue.

It's an important examination of how organisations are using this style of 'piggypacking'.

Have a read and give me some feedback!
I'm absolutely thrilled to be able to share this with you.

I'm off to a start on my writing! More to come.

Mash it up
xx 

Student-ness - Or as I call it, the 'Ramen Cycle'

The 'Ramen Cycle' refers to my assosciation of hungry students (with little money and patience) to the availability of ramen noodles.

Consider the stereotype of the lowly student;

They study, drink far too much, spend their money recklessly and ultimately end up always eating ramen or other forms of 2 minute noodles.

image source: reddit.com 

We're not all like this, I promise.

We study because that's why we're students, we drink far too much because we're always studying or working, we spend money recklessly because we're deluded from all the drinking and because retail therapy is addictive,

AND we eat these cheap, repetitive noodles because we're so poor from all the shopping

The cycle continues because ultimately we're still hungry because noodles aren't nutritious.


I'd like to break it by saying that most of this is down to how lazy you are.

I'm pretty lazy, you'll often find me making a ramen when I'm not actually bothered to cook the fresh food in my fridge.



HOWEVER. Priorities of health mean that I at least keep that laziness to no more than 2 times a week. (Shocking!)



Why why why you say?

The ingredients lists on these 2 minute noodle packs look like the ones on cleaning products. Long, confusing and poisonous sounding.

We all try to eat right, and it's fine to binge, but when you're a student caught in the 'Ramen Cycle' my suggestions are:

-Work more or enough to cover the booze and the small urges to shop and the fresh foods. That's the minimum

-Hide your ramen so you can't find it when you're raiding the kitchen like a bear searching for food

-Ask a roomate, parent or partner to yell at you when you find it

-Pre-make snacks that you can access easier than the Ramen (for example, a cucumber sandwich: a dose of green and carbs)

-Try not to restock your noodles every week. Do it once a month if you're like me and you buy the bulk packs


Fulfill even some of these steps and you're on your way. Oh and also don't drink too much. Keep it slow and the need for unhealthy crap won't be so big :)

Now if you'll excuse me I need to go microwave some noodles.

WHAT? I haven't had any this week.


Mash it up in a soup cup
xx

Homeware Haul - I regret nothing

Who needs money anyways? Haha.

Just kidding. I had enough to stock up on some homeware items for the apartment.

Here I'll show you some of the things I got and hopefully serve as some inspiration to any of you who are also trying to re-decorate!

So without further ado, here are some of my purchases:

This beautiful rug is from 'Eastern Flair' in Newtown

'Spring' scented candle by Homestead Candles - Bought at - 'Reclaim Vintage', Newtown

Isn't it a lovely shade of red? - Tulips from 'Dr Earth', Newtown

Fascinating read, and visually impressive illustrations - From 'Reclaim Vintage', Newtown

Funky little poster right? This is actually sold as wrapping paper at 'Monster Threads', but I couldn't let myself use it to wrap. Besides, who doesn't want birds on their bathroom door?



Have you bought any nice homeware items recently? Any suggestions to help me decorate? Flick me a comment

Mash it up
xx

Can't stop listening - Miami Horror's 'All Possible Futures'

I CAN'T STOP LISTENING TO THIS ALBUM.

If you've heard Miami Horror's music before then this is a brilliant follow up,

If you haven't - my goodness, listen to them, They're amazing.

Miami Horror are an Australian indie-tronica band from Melbourne, they've only very recently emerged into the global music sphere but are set to make some serious steps up into the ears of listeners all over the world.

rollingstone.com,au

miaminewtimes.com

I heard of them because I picked up a pamphlet 4 years ago at Bondi with their first single, which I listened to and just fell in love with.

It's wonderful to have been with them since the start, to watch them grow as a band and release their first album and now their second official foray.

My friend Jason and I bought tickets to a local show of theirs, just at a local pub. We were young and overwhelmed with excitement to potentially hear them live.

Unfortunately we were underage, and the area of the pub that they were playing in was strictly no under 18's. We were heartbroken.

I sent my mother inside to get us t-shirts before we turned around to go home.

All was not lost though! Their lovely coordinator found out that we could not get in, and offered to refund us the tickets. She asked us if we wanted to meet the band.

Looking back on it I reckon I may have fainted, haha. We eagerly accepted and met Miami Horror. They signed my album and pulled down a poster to sign for my friend. 

It was the best night of my young teenage life.

They have a flowing sound in whatever they do, they are mostly upbeat but also have moments of mellow contemplation in their sound as well. Their very essence reminds me of a late summer's day, a warm breeze while you sit on the patio.

Rolling Stone Australia has given this newest album 3.5/4 stars, which is extremely good.

"Real Slow". It's the name of the first single off Miami Horror's second album, released back in 2013, and it equally applies to the evolution of this record, arriving some five years after their accomplished debut, Illumination. In the meantime, the Melbourne "indietronica" four-piece have racked up a few relationships and air miles between them, spending the past three years in their adopted home of Los Angeles, complete with home studio.

And true to the pastel Eighties-deco cover, All Possible Futures conjures a world of palm trees, Malibu breezes, and a stubborn sunniness – even when the romance veers off the Hollywood script. Early on, over flutey synths, guest vocalist Sarah Chernoff implores her lover to take it "Real Slow"; while cruisy parenthetical record interlude "(Maybe I Need You)" is amended to "(Happy Without You)" a few tracks later.

Miami Horror struck Triple J gold with their first album, and that winning formula is tapped on current single "Love Like Mine", a festival-ready Nile Rodgers jam that's at once the catchiest and the least interesting song here. Much better is the David Byrne-does-disco "Out of Sight", or closer "Forever Ever?", a sprawling acid-house update that owes as much to Jagwar Ma as it does Primal Scream. 

A leave-no-stone unturned approach to influences sees the record bloat to 15 songs, evoking everyone from Abba to the Beach Boys to Cut Copy. But when the tracks are as classily executed and pleasingly diverse as this, it's hard to begrudge their inclusion."

- See more at: http://rollingstoneaus.com/reviews/post/miami-horror-all-possible-futures/1454#sthash.t8MLxjZq.dpuf

Have a listen from their new album, in addition I'll link in some of their older music.
The classics!

Do you enjoy listening to indie/electronica?

What bands can't you stop listening to? I want to find new, talented artists!

Do you like Miami Horror? 

Mash it up

xx

Blender Bender - Making smoothies

Hello all,

As I'm sure you're aware, most people have a blender and will persistently make 'healthy' drinks and smoothies and whatnot.

I am now one of those people. Mwahaha

Our previous blender had self combusted many months ago, and it was only last week that my mother and I were wandering about Myer checking for good sales when we realised I actually needed one.

My old one was one of those homebrand ones I got cheaply from Kmart, but let me tell you it did pretty much nothing as a blender. It did work well as a smoke machine though.

Make sure if you're buying one to search for a high wattage, I believe ours is 1000 watts (which means it won't jam up and explode with food..which is what you want).

The Breville Kinetix Twist does what it needs to, I chop up some fruit, I throw it in and press blend.

That's all there is to it. So far all the smoothies I have made have been brilliant since the fruit is pretty much turned into a smooth pulpy juicy yummyness.

On that note, here is the recipe to a slightly bitter grapefruit smoothie I made:

GRAPEFRUIT AND APPLE SMOOTHIE:
Approx. 2 x drinks

You need:
1 x grapefruit
1 x sweeter apple (to balance the bitterness)
1 x handful of ice
3/4 cup of water
1 x teaspoon of raw brown sugar

Make it:
Roughly chop the grapefruit and apple into smaller bits and put into the blender.

Add the handful of ice and the water.

Sprinkle evenly with brown sugar, add another teaspoon if you don't like a strong bitter taste.

Blend for just under a minute until the ingredients are properly mixed together with no visible chunks.

Pour into a nice glass or container and drink!

(Optional: leftovers can be refrigerated, however will require some shaking before drinking again)

Hope you like it as much as I did. Just realised how great it is that my nails match the straw in the photo, HAHA.

Those straws are available at Typo Australia if you're at all interested in novelties..

The milk bottles came from a Midori gift set, so I suppose you might want to search for another place to get them if you are underage.

Let me know if you try out the recipe! I'll be making many to come.


If you're interested in having a look at the blender I use here's a link for their website:

http://www.breville.com.au/the-kinetix-twisttm.html


Until next time!

Mash it up
xx

I don't like the cold. My war on Autumn despite being Russian

It's lovely to see the rest of the world getting excited about Spring, arguably the nicest season.

Here in Australia it is the opposite.

My pretty dresses are still hanging, I plan to stride into the rain no matter what (thank goodness for superpowered technologically advanced stockings).

My other clothes have been folded away and tucked under the bed in defeat.

My shelves are now lined with jumpers and knits and cardigans and approximately 10 versions of that one black long sleeved shirt I like.

It's a sad time, but not all is lost. I am thrilled to be able to start wearing deep, autumnal reds, coppers and rose golds, midnight blue and even still those bright pastels as a reminder that cold still = bright.
 

My infutuation with bright colours is something I take pride in.

We should all be able to parade about in dark jackets and gorgeous dark boots, but it's that neon scarf that stands out amongst them doesn't it?

With that being said, my current asprations include finding 3 pieces of wear for this winter that are shockingly bright.

I have also made plans to buy a great rain jacket following Sydney's mini rain apocalypse recently.

My umbrellas survived, but I did not stay dry in the wind.

I have my eye on the beautiful classic bright yellow rain jacket that overseas brand 'Rains' sells.

www.asos.com/au

I shall have to keep you updated in the process.

Do you have cold weather aspirations?
Do you seek comfort in bright colours?

I want to hear what you all do!

Mash it up
xx

The result of the series of storms recently hitting Sydney. Snow!

Idyllic isn't it? The view at my local Sydney Park after the storms ended. 

What I do when the weather gets rough.

So, it just hailed and snowed and the apocalypse almost came to Sydney.

I was glad for being indoors, but am also glad that I have re-discovered The Mighty Boosh!

I had to take a couple of years off since I overdosed on this magnificent tv show. Now I am watching with joy.

If you haven't seen it you are missing out.
Big time.

It's a British TV show (already a great start there..) and a mix of absurd humour, psychodelia, storywriting, drama, cartoon, music videos and generally brilliant to tune out to and rethink how pathetically uncreative you are compared to the geniuses who made the show.

Most of you might already know Noel Fielding. Well this is his place. His first awesome deal.

Go ahead and be absorbed by the world of the Mighty Boooooooosh.

I adore the first season, but if you're going to watch it for the first time, watch the 3rd season - JOURNEY TO THE CENTRE OF THE PUNK is the first I ever saw and it was a brilliant episode. :)

Mash it up

xx

Back From The Dead - Home Decor

As per a prompt from a family member I have emerged like a glorious butterfly!

Life drags you down with it, and though you dedicate yourself to writing a Blog you ultimately forget to and end up coming back almost a year later and thinking, 

"Hey, I haven't written anything in ages!". 

SO. On that note I have set a phone reminder to prompt myself to write at least once a week.

I have continued to be active on Instagram, feel free to follow to see a more visual diary of what happens in this students's mutterings.

Today I sit at my laptop working on Journalism stories and pondering the end of the short holidays before I return to Uni next week. I suppose I even miss it!

As of recent I have been focusing on re-decorating the apartment (still in Newtown) and keeping tidy for the coming colder months.

In particular I have been fascinated with flowers recently. I am finally at a stage where I earn enough working at the bakery where I can afford a fresh bunch of flowers every week or so. It's amazing what it can do for your mood. 

I.e. If I were to buy a slice of cake each week to make me feel better, flowers do that job, and better (and healthier, haha)

Have a look at these photos from around my home for some inspiration! I have also put out a lot of candles and lighting features for pleasant smells, moods and settings. 

These little robots are great collectibles from 'Doctor Django's'

Check out Crosley's website for brilliant turntables

Can't tell these are fake right? I saved old wine/beer bottles for cute and cheap decor

This was a gift from last Easter, but really adds some cute to the room!

I love using a cake tier to hold my jewelry, you see everything you own straight away.
(Note the classic Russian childhood novels)

I recently bought these tulips for the bathroom and they are stunning!

The tv seemed a little plain, so I've prettied it up with some lovely flowers,
the stack of coffee table books adds a warm, home-like touch, as well as the little candle bowl.

In addition, I have been focusing on keeping my clothes in plain sight with the open-rack (to save money on clothes I already have!)

This is from Domayne home wares, 'Reddy Robe'

I'll write another post very soon!
Until then,

Mash it up
xx