Friday 31 October 2014

Pics for the weekend

copyright esquire uk


 
copyright esqure uk

HIGNFY

enjoy another HIGNFY clip as a preview because don t forget Damian will host the show
this Friday







Episode 5

 
The popular satirical news quiz, with team captains Paul Merton and Ian Hislop, guest host Damian Lewis and guest panellists Andy Hamilton and Roisin Conaty.


source BBC
 

A look back


 

A little prologue

When I started writing this piece I thought it would be a quick one and a short  report but it turned out it will be a longer piece so I parted it and hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it for you.

I normally avoid long stories about holidays because it’s never really interesting for others and

We actually write here in general about Damian Lewis or at least we try to relate our stories to him or to something that we love or something we find inspiring.

But frankly as you can read below I was absolutely not awaiting such a beautiful experience

and to keep honesty I was not on holiday since many years because when I started a trip the last five years it was mostly London and Damian related trips. Don t get me wrong I loved and enjoyed each trip and I had unbelievable experiences with Damian Lewis who was always really always kind, charming and gracious to me and I have met my Emma in London so the city will always be connected with pleasure and joy and already looking forward to be there again next year!!

But this was a holiday I calmed down.no stress no hectic only blog writing, delicious food and

great talks and fun moments and despite the fact I need to go on a diet afterwards I had a great time and I didn’t take a minute for granted that’s the thing this holiday and London has in common:

the city , Damian Lewis my Darling Emma the encounters with other people I never take it for granted so I thank my friend for a wonderful time in Willingen and hope you enjoy my report from a town you actually don t write home about unless you be here and just let it flow…
 

 

When my friend asked me to join him for a new project in a small town called Willingen
 I was excited and a bit afraid the same time. 
It is a really small town in the middle of Germany and I used to spent my entire childhood
Holidays there. My Dad loved the piece and quite the town offers and as a child I had no idea about
About the big world and other countries because my Dad was a countryside man and as a child you don t question that.
When I was older my wish to see other parts of the world grew stronger and I haven t thought about the town ever since  not until    my friend offered me to accompany him ….I hesitated because child memories are one of the most powerful in your life.in your memories everything is colourful and
full of joy. Holiday meant for me to spend time with my Dad because he was a very busy man.
He was a teacher in an higher position and a politician so sometimes I didn’t see him for weeks but
on holiday I claimed his time and he was happy to forget work and his only priority was to make his little girls happy. I was an only child and helplessly spoiledJ
one of my most treasured memories are the afternoons we spend together. We send Mum to the Spa and then we went to the nearby park and we had every time the same ritual:
 

 
 
 

 

 
 
we sat together on an bank and while I was feeding ducks he told me story and he always made up a new story about princess or knights far away in England on a remote castle…I loved that and still remind the stories.   

When I grew older and grew out of the princess and kings he told me about his time in London working for the BBC. He was so happy in the UK and I often asked myself why he ever came back

Because whatever he ever did he always measured himself with that   man he was down there, maybe that was the particular reason why he was never able to be a really happy person.

But this moments with him were special and he opened up to me his daughter, we shared our thoughts and dreams and his wishes he have had for me.

so I arrived with mixed feelings today but was sure I would deal well with memories.    

I am here with a friend I feel always calm and relaxed with and he is the loveliest man I know and we get along so well mostly because we are not a couple. Lol

I am happy to be here but as an unexpected surprise the emotional feelings overwhelmed me from time to time. It’s like my Daddy’s spirit is in the air a feeling I got the last time in 2003 when I first visited London. I remember standing at Tower Bridge and as weird as it sounds I felt he was with me that moment and it was for me the moment to finally make peace with the fact he is gone.

I do well without him and don’t miss him every day after all those years, but to lose a parent is like losing a part of yourself  and it pushes you immediately on top of the list in life…you will  be the next…as long as it takes(hopefully very long).

Anyway, I enjoy my time here but I am sure I will not coming back!!

pureI was here. I felt the same warm feeling but now it’s time to move on, to live my life.

To left the old dreams behind to create new one.

Dad you can join me in my thoughts any time but from here I go further... 

See you at Tower Bridge…
 

 

A follow-up and a moment of joy.
After finished my piece I went to dinner with my friend and I got a big surprise!!
My friend arranged together with a ridiculously nice waiter a table with beautiful decoration
And a lovely gift…all for me.as you will read in another piece of me soon I find it hard to accept
that people love me and  care for me  but my friend displays here on our little trip a warm
and honest love for me and the life itself that he doesn’t  have when  we are in our busy daily life so
for me that’s the real gift. I love London so much and I love the busy way of life there, the city full
of dreams , hopes and nowhere else I find myself so free and different from my usual character.
But here you are almost forced to calm down and just enjoy the slow way of the countryside.
I couldn’t stand it for more than a few days because I am not a person for a slowly life but for now it feels absolutely alright. please share with me some moments ….   
Today we went to a curiosity seeker it’s an odd mix between museum and pure unadulterated kitsch
Which I really loved.it was so much in there and some very old stuff and rarities. Let’s see some pictures
 




 

 
Alright last day of working holiday and today my friend has to work for his photo project and so we went to an animal park interesting for children and adults and there is also a way included with fairy tale characters, normally only for children but when you are with me.
I am the biggest kid of all and love fairy tales so for me a great reason to postpone my adultery and
Stay with Peter Pan the boy who wouldn’t grow up.lol
We have had a fantastic time and since Markus is another Peter Pan we had such fun and I
Love watching him when he is working with his camera, he is so into it and adore people who
Love and burn for a passion.  I will even post a very small clip and you might not understand the language but you can see we had much fun!!
Thank you Markus for a special day!!
I am in love with Hotels of any kind, I love the atmosphere and the specialty and
this time I am like a kid in a candy shop because the Hotel is a real treasure not only
with a lovely Spa  gorgeous rooms and an exceptional décor but with a fantastic really fantastic
Service. You feel like an old friend coming home for the weekend here because everyone cares
For your needs and wishes but especially the service at dinner time.
It’s really one of the best services I ever witnessed because it’s fun charming and perfectly
Polite but never reserved. The biggest THANK YOU from here!! Five star service.
 
 
 




 



 


 






 
 
 
 

Thursday 30 October 2014

Celebrate Good Times....



We are a lucky bunch of girls here because after a short period of time we again can celebrate a BIG number!! By today we reached 20K visitors and we can only thank you!!
You who come and read our Blog!!
The Team who works hard and with tons of fun!!
And Damian Lewis who always takes time for each of us to talk a bit or like at Times Talks or Cheltenham does a lot to help and support us and our idea!!


THANK YOU!!



Wednesday 29 October 2014

follow up..Henry VIII

today we are able to catch a glimpse of Henry VIII in a BBC trailer
its a very very glimpse but its Henry anyway:-)

thank you to my lovely Prof.who woke me with a moment of the King this morning:-)


Henry appears at around 1:10 min.


Pic of the day

copyright esquire uk

Eton Mess

the three of us have one thing in common....

we all have a sweet tooth so today I share with you an old and traditional recipe:
Eton Mess:


Ingredients

 
 

Preparation method

  1. Purée half the strawberries in a blender. Chop the remaining strawberries, reserving four for decoration.
  2.  
  3. Whip the double cream until stiff peaks form, then fold in the strawberry purée and crushed meringue. Fold in the chopped strawberries and ginger cordial.
  4.  
  5. Spoon equal amounts of the mixture into four cold wine glasses. Serve garnished with the remaining strawberries and a sprig of mint.

and the History of it:

Eton mess is a traditional English dessert consisting of a mixture of strawberries, pieces of meringue, and cream, which is traditionally served at Eton College's annual cricket game against the pupils of Harrow School. The dish has been known by this name since the 19th century.[1

] According to Recipes from the Dairy (1995)[2] by Robin Weir, who spoke to Eton College's librarian,[3] Eton mess was served in the 1930s in the school's "sock shop" (tuck shop), and was originally made with either strawberries or bananas mixed with ice-cream or cream. Meringue was a later addition,[4] and may have been an innovation by Michael Smith, the author of Fine English Cookery (1973).[5] An Eton mess can be made with many other types of summer fruit,[6] but strawberries are regarded as more traditional. A similar dessert is the Lancing mess, served throughout the year at Lancing College in West Sussex, England.[7]

The word mess may refer to the appearance of the dish,[4] or may be used in the sense of "a quantity of food", particularly "a prepared dish of soft food" or "a mixture of ingredients cooked or eaten together".[8] A recent myth is that Eton mess was first created when a meringue dessert was accidentally crushed by a dog while travelling to picnic at Eton College,[9] but what could be salvaged was served as a crushed meringue with strawberries and cream.

          
            

    Tea and a Mag Hunger mag part two

    Homeland tackles some very plausible plot lines. What has it been like to be involved in a show that can often feel uncomfortably close to reality?

    It has been part of the great success of the show. The writers have brilliantly picked current political stories -- the obvious example being terrorism, something that is with us now for the foreseeable future. The idea that an upstanding American hero, who happens to be a marine, might change his ideology was a bold story outline to choose. It challenges Americans with the idea that one of your own might turn against you.
    Has this idea been the show's key to success?

    There's a well-pronounced sense of fear in America, a fear of the "other", and Homeland has largely been a success because it feeds into that. It has also challenged the audience to explore the idea that terrorism, or acts of violence, can be orchestrated by governments, and that it's not as clear-cut anymore. There's no clear hero in this show. It has refused to make judgments, and I think it has been brilliantly nuanced and ambiguous.

    What kind of reactions have you had to your portrayal of a Muslim?
    I've had people come up to me and say it's one of the most sensitive portrayals that they've ever seen. In spite of the fact that Brody was prepared to blow everybody up in a suicide mission, his faith always provided a very personal source of nourishment. We always depicted his faith in an intimate, personal and very sincere way, and a lot of people I've spoken to have been thankful for that.

    In the show you had to pray in a faith that is not your own, demonstrate symptoms of PTSD, and recover from a severe heroin addiction. What kind of research and preparation did you do?

    Well, my research is pretty conventional. I'm not an out-and-out method actor, but I do like to stay in character a lot during filming. I don't need to go and live in Iraq for three months to embed myself -- well I can't, I've got a family! -- but I certainly spoke to a lot of Muslims, and here in London I went to the London Central Mosque, and I read the Koran and its teachings. Similarly with PTSD and heroin addiction, I watched a lot of video footage and spoke to addicts and people who work to help those suffering. A lot of my research is based on the anecdotes of real people.

    Was Claire Danes the best Carrie the producers could have cast?

    Can you imagine if the part had been played by any other Hollywood actress, anyone with an ounce of vanity about them as a performer? Claire has no vanity. She's committed to making sure she represents the story in the best possible way. Her performance is totally and utterly committed, terrifyingly so at times. I know a hundred other actresses who wouldn't be prepared to commit to the role in the way she has. I think it has been an amazing thing for her.

    Were you ready to say goodbye to the role?

    Yes. I'd known for some time that this would be Brody's last season, so I was well prepared. Still it was such an enjoyable job that I'll miss Brody. I have no idea where they'll take Homeland next, but I bet it will be brilliant. Some people have said that the end of season three felt like a series finale. It brought the first story line to a close, but I think they'll find many more equally intriguing ones.


    copyright hunger mag
    You come across as a highly confident individual. Where does this confidence come from?

    I think it comes from my family, from my parents, from the certainty that one is loved. It's very important to give that to your children. I think it gives them a sincere confidence. A good experience of childhood sets you up for life. I went to boarding school, and if you have certain attributes you thrive in those places. So I succeeded at school, and it was a happy time for me. I was a natural schoolboy, if you like. I loved sports and theatre, doing school plays, but I didn't work very hard, and in time that came back and bit me in the arse -- I loped through my A-levels so fruitlessly! Luckily I was bright enough to just wing it through. It was a lot to do with luck.

    How comfortable are you with the idea of fame?

    Being a star is much better than not being one. It's good fun. It does elevate your life in extraordinary ways. For example, I was invited to have dinner at The White House, and I chatted with President Obama. I'm proud of the fact that I think of myself as an actor's actor, before being a star, but I have become one and that really is down to luck. I'm not doing anything different than anyone else; it's just a question of landing the right project. I don't think I'm better in Homeland than in other things. It just became an enormous hit.

    Has your life changed much since becoming famous?

    I feel very proprietorial about London. It's my town and always has been. It's slightly mad to walk through the West End during peak tourist season. I'm not going to lie, some days I don't deal with it very well because I'm in a hurry. You don't go out to have your photo taken, so if someone asks you for your photo, it really is down to your mood. You want to oblige people and you are grateful for their support, but if you stopped for everyone during the course of the day, you simply wouldn't get your day done. Sometimes I'm just busy. I'm always late!

    Who is your toughest critic?

    I am, but if you're going to do things where you create for other people, you invite other people's opinions and judgment, so you immediately place yourself in a vulnerable position, and of course you seek appbrobation. You like people to say, "Oh, darling, it's wonderful!" but you must know yourself what you have created. I think that's essential. You must gauge it only using the strictedst and the highest bars. You must know yourself, that's why I don't read the reviews, particularly during a theatre production. It's sort of arbitrary.

    If one of your children decided they wanted to act, would the idea fill you with delight or despair?

    Well, it has worked for me and it has worked for my wife, Helen [McCrory]. We were really lucky. My parents backed me and they weren't actors, so it must have been terrifying for them. So I would absolutely back my children if they wanted to be actors, if I thought hey had talent! That's the critical thing -- how do you let them down gently if you see them at 16 and they suck?

    copyright hunger nag



    Emma about....

    Although I spend many a day and night looking and writing information about interesting topics for our wonderful blog,I do actually have a business that I would love to share with all of you.

    Tea Time Events is a Bespoke Vintage Pop Up Tea Party company. tea time events

     I have always loved baking cakes and delicious scones, and my Mum is a wonderful designer - in the past she has done window dressing for Mary Quant int he swinging 60's and up until a couple of years ago made beautiful hats and hair accessories.

      We decided we wanted to go into business together and created - Tea Time Events. We come to your house, office or any venue and create the perfect british vintage tea party, I bake all my own cakes and scones and we prepare the finger sandwiches and everything is fresh on the day.
      Our tea is supplied by Tea Forte and is loose british leaf tea.

      Our tables are stunning and there are 4 themes, traditional vintage pink, antique, black and white and our lovely white/ivory table. Any occasion can be celebrated by having a vintage tea, Birthdays, anniversary , weddings, hen parties and so much more. 





    On Sunday last week I exhibited at a Wedding fair and it was wonderful for people to see our beautiful wedding table and people were able to try all my lovely cakes, I made Carrot Cake, Victoria Sponge and loads of scones, it was a great day and we met some really lovely people.

    I am very excited as we are visiting some potential clients this week - will let you all know how we get on and will update pics of delicious cakes and even some of my recipes.









    Monday 27 October 2014

    Pic of the day...

    source: damian-lewis.com

    Paul Giamatti and Damian Lewis will make 'Billions' on Showtime


    I could do this all day:-)))


    source hitfix
     
    Showtime capped off a busy week of pilot casting by landing a pair of Emmy winners to topline its drama pilot "Billions."
    Paul Giamatti and Damian Lewis will star in the pilot, which will shoot in New York City in early 2015.
     
    Written by Brian Koppelman, David Levien and Andrew Ross Sorkin, "Billions" is described a fictional drama that "takes a forensic look at the world of high finance by tracking the approaching collision between two titanic figures."
     
    Those figures are U.S. Attorney Chuck Rhodes (Giamatti) and hedge fund king Bobby "Axe" Axelrod (Lewis).
     
    Showtime also announced that Neil Burger ("Limitless") has signed on to direct the pilot.
    An Oscar nominee for "Cinderella Man," Giamatti has been making an aggressive push into TV in recent years. The "John Adams" Emmy winner earned Emmy nods for HBO's "Too Big to Fail" and earlier this year for "Downton Abbey." While FX opted not to move forward on his drama pilot "Hoke," Giamatti has had several TV productions in development, including a pair of limited series at FX through his Touchy Feely Films banner.
     
    And Lewis and Showtime are old buddies after the "Band of Brothers" veteran earned a pair of Emmy nods and a 2012 win for his work on "Homeland." He has "Wolf Hall" heading for PBS and while he was attached to co-star in the HBO miniseries "To Appomattox," that project has been pushed back and reconfigured so many times I genuinely don't have a clue anymore if it has a cast or a production schedule.
     
    A cast of Emmy-winning TV favorites doesn't necessarily mean anything at Showtime, as folks looking forward to seeing Kyle Chandler in "The Vatican" know, but that's still a powerhouse start to an ensemble. 
     
    Showtime announced earlier this week that Steve Coogan would play the lead in the half-hour comedy "Happyish," taking over the role played by the late Philip Seymour Hoffman in an earlier pilot incarnation.

    source:

     

    Billions of Thoughts...

    We have been thrilled with the news that Damian Lewis is going to Wall Street as a high-profile hedge-fund guy in a new pilot for Showtime drama series BILLIONS. Fans all over the world are reacting to it, so why wouldn't we, the blog girls, also react to it? So, here you go! 

    Sabrina

    I am the one in the team who cried her eyes out at Brody's last episode but only it was a master class in acting. The fact Damian has left Homeland made me actually very happy because I thought it could be nice to move on and as a fan I had a lot of reasons to jump up and down with joy. Queen of the Desert and Wolf Hall are my particular reasons for a happy dance.
    But of course I always wondered myself how I would feel about if he would do another series…
    Now I know it. I am very happy because I have a high opinion of Showtime. The fact that Damian might be returning to Showtime makes me proud and happy and the series plot sounds brilliant.
    It’s that kind of Joker Damian has sometimes in the pocket.
    The plot sounds promising and absolutely suitable for our time.
    For me I am very happy!!
    Best of luck to Damian and the whole crew!!




    Emma

    As a lover of anything Wall Street and Damian Lewis related I am beyond excited about the new Showtime show "Billions." Congratulations Damian, have missed the US accent x


    Bahar

    Well, I was in deep thoughts... Homeland is gone (for me --- well, I am watching it, but it misses Brody big time, oh well...)... Breaking Bad is gone... Mad Men is ending this spring... then what? And... Damian Lewis comes to the rescue! Yay! He's bringing Paul Giammati with him, too, we will be in some serious acting heaven... I know Damian will be amazing as this brilliant, ambitious, complicated guy Bobby Axelrod... already a household name for us, the blog family! So, my dear Brody, you know I miss you and will always carry you in my heart, but I can see Bobby Axelrod will have some wardrobe! Best of Luck, Damian!

    Damian Lewis on Jimmy Fallon

    Since we talk about a Showtime show again lets see a clip from 2011
    Damian on Jimmy Fallon...brilliant:-)


    Tea and a Mag

    Today and Wednesday....

    Hunger Mag...read this brilliant interview here and on Wednesday on DFI

    copyright hunger source damian-lewis.com



    Damian Lewis is a confident character, and he has been known to stir up the occasional controversy, be it for his comments at the end of 2013 about his fear of becoming a "slightly over the top, fruity stage actor who eventually lands film work playing wizards", or for signing a Homeland DVD set to President Obama with the joke, "from one Muslim to another". There is, however, an obvious humility to the 43-year-old actor, who puts a lot of his fame down to good luck.

    Before making it big, Damian began his acting career as a mischievous boy in London's famous Abbey Road. At the age of 16, he started his own theatre company, and in 1993 he graduated from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. He took to the stage, working with the Royal Shakespeare Company when he caught the attention of Steven Spielberg, who later cast him in his television miniseries, Band Of Brothers. In 2002, he came close to swooping a Golden Globe for his part in Spielberg's show, but he had to wait until 2013 to put one on his mantelpiece, for his masterly portrayal of Nicholas Brody in Homeland.

    With Homeland seemingly wrapped up for Damian, he has left the show at the top (or hanging from a crane, to be precise). This year he returns to the big screen alongside Nicole Kidman, James Franco and Robert Pattinson in Werner Herzog's latest film, Queen Of The Desert. Beyond that the actor continues to keep us guessing. It seems Homeland may have rubbed off on him in more ways than one. ...


    copyright hunger mag source damian-lewis.com

    Hunger: Damian, you have spent a lot of time working in the US, playing American characters and perfecting your accent. Do you still feel wholly British?



    Damian Lewis: Yes, I do. I'm glad you ask about Britishness rather than Englishness, as I feel very British. I feel everything that being British has to offer. I think we can take a great delight in our Celtic traditions as well as our more Anglican ones. I've really enjoyed working in America, but there is a cultural difference. It's a very conservative place. I feel the grandeur of America.

    What home comforts do you make sure you always have with you when you're away?
    PG Tips so I can have a good strong cup of tea every morning.


    And what did you miss the most when you were filming Homeland?
    When filming Homeland, I spent most of my time in Charlotte, North Carolina. It's a very large and spread-out place where you rely heavily on cars. I missed the clamour of London; it's a much more condensed city where you can exercise your senses. I love getting out of cars and getting on the tube. I also missed riding my bicycle, and of course, going to the pub.

    What do you think about the idea that we're currently witnessing a British "takeover" of Hollywood?

    You say currently, but I've been asked this question solidly for the past ten years, and that's the truth. I think it feels more pronounced now because the television landscape has changed. It's become more visually ambitious. The American industry has started to look abroad, filming in places like Britain and using British actors. I consider myself very lucky to have been working during this time of change, where there was a shift in creative appreciation between film and television. This really opened up Hollywood to British actors even more, and that's why you see a lot of us going across to America to play these brilliantly written, fantastically conceived long-running television shows, not just films.

    copyright hunger mag source damian-lewis.com

    Being Childish



    A week ago I was with my dog in the park nearby, the sun was shining it was a beautiful
    late summer day and I had my MP3 player in my ears and without recognizing it really
    I was singing out loud…I passed a bank with three people on it and they had looking at me as if I came straight from another planet.
     And I came from another planet…the planet where even a grown up can be childish sometimes. Those three people had no understanding for an adult who’s is singing loud in a park. Because that is not the right behaviour for a grown up person.
    A child is allowed to show a zest for life a grown-up has to act sensible.

    “don’t be so childish”   “ you behaving childish “  the word childish has  a bad taste in most of the meanings  and I don t understand why .
    Being childish means for me being like a child.

    I love singing in the park, dancing in the street, make silly jokes or throw flour at my best friend during our poor try to make pasta the other day.
    I go out when it rains because I love walking in the rain and I can be happy like a little kid when my Mum surprises me with my favourite ice-cream.
    I was happy for weeks after I met Damian Lewis for the first time, went through my life like little kid who got the best Christmas gifts ever.   

    I am extreme when I am in love  with something and at the moment so much is happening in my life and I enjoy every minute like a child. With all senses and a big smile!!
    I can be so childish …when I be in a shop and shouldn’t buy the certain shirt but do it anyway…
    And when I go for two holidays in one month. That is completely childish because I was not on holidays for years except day trips to see Damian Lewis but not a” be more than one day in a hotel trip” and enjoy yourself….because I was very grown up the recent years and I was not very happy with it. Now I take care of my inner child and listen to the little SabrinaJ
    I go for a wonderful trip to Cheltenham with y blog sisters and afterwards for a trip with my best friend. The first holiday ever with my best friend because he insisted after years of friendship.
    The grown up had never agreed to both trips because it costs money….
    And what if my washing machine breaks or my dog become sick or I break my arm and can’t work…or or or….
    The child thinks: I don t care.my life is now. I will collect wonderful memories I can keep forever!!
    We will laughing, singing and being happy together and will develop an even stronger bond and for sure I will be childish with my blog sisters and with my best friend.

    We will do silly jokes as well as great talks. And I will enjoy every minute and the little Sabrina inside will do a happy dance and will be totally satisfied. That’s worth a little insecure.
     So I normally hate unasked advices but today I am the one who give you one:

    Go for a walk next time when it starts to rain, sing not only in the shower, do one of these things a serious and responsible friend or colleague  would never do because its childlike and next time you see a little kids in a sandbox join them...your inner child will be very happy!!