Christmas Comes to Cardiff

If there were any questions over whether Christmas had begun in Cardiff, they’ve been answered now. 

Winter Wonderland has arrived in the ‘Diff. meaning Christmas mode has been fully activated and the festivities can begin! 

I don’t know about anyone else, but I find the annual arrival of the Christmas markets and Winter Wonderland one of the true green lights, signalling that Christmas can begin. The lights, snow machines, big wheel, festive treats, to name a few, create a festive atmosphere that lights up the city centre. 

Due to barely being able to contain our glee over the Christmassy arrival, we headed down swiftly and promptly to the grounds outside City Hall mid-November, to see what was going on this year.

After buying a hot chocolate for what seemed a small fortune, we took in the sights of lights and laughter, as Winter Wonderland provides such a joy to many, young or old.

Braving a fear of heights, we went around the big wheel, which provided a rare glimpse of the city from above. I found something quite magical about being able to oversee the going-on of Cardiff, all lit up and the hustle and bustle about town. After entertaining ourselves with, we did what most people do at these events, decided to waste a bunch of money at ill-fated fairground games.

Now I may have thought we’d have been totally useless, but we came annoyingly close to winning on several occasions. I don’t know what it is about these games, but they fill you with a sudden desire to win a giant stuffed toy, which any other time of the year would seem the most gigantic pile of rubbish not worth spending money on. My heart was set on a gigantic penguin (again, for reasons I cannot even fathom), but alas, it was not meant to be- which is probably for the best.

My face lit up when I started to see snow fall, only for my illusions to be shattered when I realised it was a fake snow machine producing little drops of icy foam over our heads. Still, in-keeping with the Christmas magic, it did just the job and still provided me with excitement. 

After another walkabout, a gander of the rides, a listen to the music and some obligatory photos, we headed back to reality. I have to say I do regret not booking the ice-bar, a new addition to the Winter Wonderland this year, although a hot chocolate quite sufficed.

Our reasoning for not going on the skating rink was a little self-explanatory for anyone who’s ever seen me try to skate- spoiler alert, it doesn’t usually end well. So even though we may not have done everything the attraction had to offer, we certainly ticked all our desired boxes.

Cardiff’s Winter Wonderland is a must for those wanting to get their festive cheer on and escape the mundane for a few hours. You can be in your own Christmassy bubble for an evening, and it’ll surely put a smile on your face.

Words by Gabi Page 

What's On Weekly: 21/09/21

Welcome to this week’s What’s on Weekly here at KCL, where we provide our readers with up-to date information on what’s going on in and around Cardiff every week.

From pop-up markets to gigs and outdoor attractions running as restrictions ease, there’s plenty to do in the Capital, you just may not know about it! But that’s where we’re here to help and will be listing all the what’s on and any need-to-know information you’ll need to plan your week ahead. 

So, without further ado, here’s what you can look forward to this week!

Monday 27th

o   The Hunna, Cardiff University Students’ Union, 19:00

o   Ian Stirling- Falling Upwards, The Glee Club Cardiff, 20:00

o   Quids In- The Nugget Party, PRZYM Cardiff, 21:00

o   Lost Lands Cult 80’s, Corporation Yard Cardiff, 19:00

o   Jazz and Blues Club, The Bootlegger Cardiff, 17:00

Tuesday 28th

o   The Freshers House Party, Story Nightclub Cardiff, 23:00

o   Applebum/Cardiff/Freshers Jump Off, Cardiff University Students’ Union, 22:00

o   Courting, Clwb Ifor Bach Cardiff, 19:00

o   Clwb’s Alt Disco, Clwb Ifor Bach Cardiff, 23:00

Wednesday 29th

o   PRYZM presents Basshunter

o   Mo Gilligan 2021- There’s Mo To Life, St David’s Hall Cardiff, 20:00

o   Cipher: Cardiff Launch Party, Clwb Ifor Bach, 23:00

Thursday 30th  

o   Julia Bardo Live, Clwb Ifor Bach Cardiff, 19:30

o   Weird (in house disco), Vale Sports Arena ltd, 22:00

o   Vice City: Fleetwood Mac, Clwb Ifor Bach Cardiff, 23:00

o   Student Rocks with Sam Johnson from Love Island, Tiger Tiger Cardiff, 23:00

o   Cirque Du Soul, Cardiff University Students’ Union, 14:00

o   Gecko, The Moon Cardiff, 19:30

Friday 1st

o   Fix Friday’s, PRYZM Greyfriars Road Cardiff, 21:00

o   Marisha Wallace, Dora Stoutzker Concert Hall Cardiff, 19:10

o   Gwilym, Clwb Ifor Bach Cardiff, 19:00

o   Kanadia- Live after Lockdown, The Globe Cardiff, 19:00

Saturday 2nd

o   Inside Out Festival Cardiff, Bute Park Cardiff, 12:00

o   Journey: Trance Classics, Vaults Cardiff, 14:00

o   Graham Gouldman- Heart Full of Songs, The Gate Cardiff, 19:00

o   Dirty Pop, Clwb Ifor Bach Cardiff, 22:30

o   Cut Capers, The Globe Cardiff, 19:00

o   Boiler Room: Cardiff- open dancefloors tour, Tramshed Cardiff, 22:00

o   Basic State, The Vulcan Lounge Cardiff, 21:00

Sunday 3rd

o   Leo Sayer- The Show Must Go On, St David’s Hall Cardiff, 19:30

o   Squid, Clwb Ifor Bach Cardiff, 19:00

o   COBO: Comedy Shutdown Black History Month Special, Uni 7a The Glee Club Cardiff, 18:00

Know of an event or activity on in Cardiff or the surrounding areas coming up? Let us know! If you’d like your event to be featured in our What’s on Weekly, then get in touch via: infocardifflive@gmail.com or DM us on Instagram @keepcardifflive, and for a £3 donation* via our website, we’ll include it on our list!

*All donations go towards running costs of the site which enables us to keep getting great content out for you to enjoy! If you’d like to support us, head over to the KCL website where you can find the donation box on the homepage. Thank you!

Review: ‘When Paris Calls’ single by Emma Mae

Singer/songwriter Emma Mae has released her second single of 2021, ‘When Paris Calls’, and it’s the summer pop-bop we needed.

Leicester-born Emma has taken a slightly different path from her previous single, ‘Boys in Bands’, switching up the slowed-down, chilled out strumming for a quicker tempo and latin beat to make for a catchy song. 

Mae’s penned her lyrics about someone discovering their partner has done the dirty and cheated with a woman named, you guessed it, Paris. Her lyrical brilliance captures both the bitterness and sadness of the affair but portrays it in such a way that you can’t help but chuckle with admiration at the lines, one notably being ‘when Paris calls you run to her, getting over me, under her.’  

Before the track’s release, a series of murder-mystery style teasers were released across social media, with fans being left to put the pieces together and figure out the answer to the question ‘who’s calling’? With three suspects named and shamed, Destiny, Summer and Paris, it was ultimately the latter that was on the other end of the telephone, and the winner of the guessing game can now proudly pin an ‘Emma Mae think I’m awesome’ badge to their jacket.

Full of catchy notes, upbeat rhythms and Emma’s gentle, dulcet tones, this buoyant break-up anthem is the perfect song to have blasting in the car on a summer day (or when you’re singing bitterly in front of the mirror over your ex). 

You can listen to it here on Spotify!

Time to cool off with some Ice Cream talk

By now, most of us have encountered sweltering summer days and had our fans turned up to the max throughout the 25-degree nights. Summer is well and truly upon us, and what better way to cool down than with a scoop or two of the frozen goodness that is ice cream. 

We tend to turn to this sweet treat when the warmer weather hits, but really, it’s a staple that’s enjoyed all year around- surely, I can’t be the only one to eat a Ben and Jerry’s tub in front of the fire on a winter’s eve? 

Some fun facts about ice cream:

·      It takes 12 pounds of milk to produce just 1 gallon of ice cream.

·      According to the International Dairy Food Association, chocolate mint ice cream is the second most popular flavour of ice cream in the United States, after vanilla.

·      The average number of licks to finish a scoop of ice cream is 50.

·      The country that consumes the most ice cream is USA, followed by Australia then Norway.

It’s not all about scoops and cones though. The humble ice cream is more versatile than one may think. National Ice Cream Sandwich Day happened on 2nd August, and this fun and whimsical holiday highlights one of the creations that can be made with the tasty treat.

Many countries around the world have their own version of the ice cream sandwich. For example, in Iran, rose or pistachio ice cream is sandwiched between two thin wafers, however in Vietnam, street vendors will be found selling ice cream stuffed between two layers of bread as their take on the indulgent creation. 

Fancy making your own sweet sandwich? Well never fear, we have a recipe here just for you!

To make 12 you’ll need…

Ingredients

- ice cream, any flavour of choice  

- 24 cookies (shop bought or homemade) 

If making homemade, follow the below recipe:

• 280g light soft brown sugar

• 225g granulated sugar

• 250g butter

• 2 large eggs

• 1 tbsp vanilla extract

• 450g plain flour

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 300g good-quality milk chocolate , roughly chopped into chunks

1.     To make the cookies, tip the sugars and butter into a large bowl. Blend them together until the mixture looks smooth and creamy, and a little paler in colour.

2.     Carefully break in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each egg and pausing to scrape down the sides with a spatula. Mix in the vanilla. 

3.     Sift in the flour and baking powder, then mix well with a wooden spoon.

4.     Stir through the chocolate chunks. Use your hands to squeeze the dough together in 1 big lump, then split into 2 even pieces. Put each piece on a sheet of cling film.

5.     Roll each piece of dough in the cling film so that they form thick sausage shapes, then seal the ends. Put them in the fridge and chill for at least 3 hrs or overnight – can be frozen at this point.

6.     Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Take the dough rolls out of the fridge, unwrap and use a small knife to slice each one into 12 pieces, so you have 24 in total.

7.     Place the slices on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Ask a grown-up to put this in the oven to bake for 20 mins or until the cookies are golden brown on the edges, but still pale in the centre.

8.     Allow to cool slightly before lifting them onto a wire rack to cool completely. 

Method for ice cream sandwich:

1.     Simply take a biscuit, place a scoop of ice cream on top, and then sandwich it together with another biscuit on top. Make sure to place the biscuits together firmly so that the ice cream stays in place but not too hard so that the biscuits break. 

Today we're talking Daylight Appreciation Day

Monday 21st June 2021, AKA Daylight Appreciation Day, is here for all of us to celebrate. Solatube International created this holiday to raise awareness about the advantages of daylighting.  

What is daylighting? You may be wondering. It’s the use of natural light to light up interior spaces. It can be achieved simply by opening windows and adding reflective surfaces to them, which allows for the maximum amount of sunlight to fill the inside. 

Daylighting is an ancient practise which is normally recommended by architects, interior decorators and energy experts. It can help with health and energy saving, as using natural light cuts down on energy and electricity costs. Studies have also found that daylighting in workplaces can help increase productivity, work performance, employee satisfaction and retention 

It’s no secret that the summer months put a smile on our faces. Heading out for days at the beach and sunny walks armed with sunglasses and ice cream is enough to boost anyone’s mood, and so bringing that inside is sure to boost moods all year round. It’s not only good for you mentally, but physically too. By bringing a dose of nature and the great outdoors into your home, it can help to reduce stress and increase happiness, and it is far better for you than spending time under artificial lights. 

Fittingly, Daylight Appreciation Day is celebrated on the longest day of the year for northern Hemisphere residents, as in most years, the June Solstice occurs on June 21st. 

You can celebrate this day yourself. Why not find a way to bring some sunshine and light into your home by speaking to an architect to see what they can create for you? Or just take some simple, cost-effective steps such as opening windows, installing light-coloured blinds and curtains and applying reflective surfaces to the windows to let the natural sunlight in. you could also fire up the BBQ and have some friends round to enjoy (socially distanced) food and drinks together- after all, we’re not lucky with many months of warmer weather here in the UK. 

You may be part of a culture that participated in June solstice events and celebrate its significance. Even if you don’t, you can read up about cultures traditions and educate yourself on their festivities- it may encourage you to join in yourself! 

Is the pandemic pushing our digital future closer?

In a new world where long gone are the days of firm handshakes and employees gathered around a table for daily meetings, it’s easy to think that life has ever so drastically changed. Virtual conferences and catch-ups, online learning and working from home have become our new norm. But are things really that different to how they were before? 

Of course, this is somewhat a dramatized version of living in the digital world, with technology’s uses being heightened and more invested in than ever, but I feel we had some good practise in this field already. As services such as online dating, facetiming and takeaway services like Deliveroo and Just Eat have become more popular over the years, we’ve been training for a digitally led world. 

Taking meetings at your dining table whilst rocking a half formal half PJ combo may seem like a sudden leap into the unknown, but wasn’t this where we were headed anyway? As technology develops and more innovations are made, we are constantly preparing ourselves for changes to come. 

Once upon a time you had to get out and about to meet a partner. Nowadays, you can find that spark from the comfort of your own home. Changes have been coming for years, and pandemic or not, we were surely heading towards a more digitalised world so we could use these modernisations to our advantage. We’ve just accelerated and moved at pace towards this way of life sooner than we thought. 

Some of these changes make life more accessible to many and show just how we can get around such problems as a pandemic, when the daily norm is forced on hold. It’s been a modern blessing to be able to carry on somewhat business as usual from our homes. Businesses have suffered, and many have lost throughout this year, but technology has at least let virtual concerts, meetings and sociable gatherings take place. It’s allowed for busts of normality amongst the surrealness we’ve endure. Furthermore, convenience comes above all these days, as we find comfort behind our screens and wish to make things as simple as possible. After all, isn’t that part of what technology is about? Making life more convenient? 

I often think of the film ‘Wall-e’ when I think of technology and using it to make our lives as comfortable and easy as can be. Just floating around on chairs with everything we could desire at our fingertips. A sense of dread and pessimism encompasses me when I realise just how realistic that dystopian world in the film is in our current reality. Surely, we won’t let ourselves become so unhealthy, unsociable and greedy? Greedy for ease and accessibility. We must prevent a future where our lives are purely led from the tips of our fingers on a screen. 

Whilst it’s all well and good that we’re running our live thanks to the power of social medias and technology, we mustn’t let it conquer us in such a way that we don’t know how to interact in-person anymore. We run the risk of becoming too accustomed to talk over text and asking Alexa to turn off the lights, dishwasher or TV. Who knows? One day we may see having to get up to grab a remote an arduous task if we have bots who can do it all for us. I like to think we’d never allow this happen, and we’d remember that there’s more value in a group BBQ or dinner in a restaurant than endless food arriving whilst we’re fixated in front of our screens.

But maybe, we’re more like this now than we think, and a future enclosed in automation isn’t as alien as it may seem in the movies.

Are you bank holiday ready?

We’re coming up to that time of year again- May’s bank holiday! And with the weather set to be less than impressive on Monday 3rd, it’s best to be prepared for all weather eventualities. 

Bank holidays are little bursts of relief and joy sprinkled throughout our years to provide us with some often much-needed longer weekends to get errands done or have a cheeky lie-in (I know that’s what I’ll be doing).

It’s the perfect excuse for a get-together with friends and family. From throwing a Pimm’s fuelled BBQ or a cosy movie marathon laden with popcorn, it feels like an extra treat we get given to do as we please with.

Like most of life lately though, there are restrictions and rules in place which throw a spanner in the words for gatherings. On top of that, despite the kind weather we’ve had lately, it’s set to be less favourable on May’s first Monday. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still make the most of your golden day of free time. 

Here are some short and sweet ideas for your bank holiday:

·      Indoor BBQs. You can still put the prep in for a BBQ, as you can easily bring it inside if needed. It may not be quite the same as basking under the British sunshine and sipping away on a cold one, but you can ignore the downpour outside and turn your dining room into the summer paradise you’re after.

·      Set up some forts. Yes, I’m serious. Embrace your inner child and get creative with your blankets and pillows. Snuggling up to watch films, setting up Zooms to talk to loved ones or gathering some board games together in a fort can prove a relaxing setting to unwind. Or if you want to save the tidying up, just bringing the duvet down to your sofa will suffice.

·      Virtual cocktail making. Now this is a fun one. Order you and your drink-loving friends some cocktails kits and join a Zoom together to shake up some drinks for you all. you can practise your bartender skills at home without the stress of a high-pressured environment. 

·      Challenge yourself! How much can you learn/put together in a day? Is there a song you’ve been pondering about learning? A recipe you’ve ‘ummed’ and ‘ahhed’ over? Why not use your extra time to finally give it a go? You’ll be surprised with how much you can learn and achieve in a day.

These are just some short and simple ideas, but let it inspire you- get creative! We all need a bit of light-hearted joy nowadays, so if you can push your work aside for the day, make the most of it and do something fun.

Let us know in the comments what you’ll be up to!

A doppelgänger or two...

Ever had to do a double take because you suspected you saw your favourite artist? Or even someone you may be associated with personally? Well, there’s a whole day dedicated to this. 

Look Alike Day falls on April 20th, and if you’ve ever been told you look similar to someone else, then it’s a day for you! 

People have been known to celebrate in weird and wacky ways. From spending the day with the person, they look like, dressing identically and copying each other’s mannerisms, or changing social media profile pictures with their doppelgängers, it’s an excuse to embrace your silliness and have a light-hearted laugh. 

It’s said that there are at least 7 people in the world who look like you, with chances being that there are loads more, so there’s a fair chance you may have come across a recognisable face along the way. Obviously identical twins know all too well what it’s like to be seeing double, but you don’t have to share genetics to share recognisable features.

Collecting celebrity doppelgangers has even become a hobby for some, with the ‘Same de la Same’ Instagram community committed to sharing celebrity look-alike photos with the world. Warning- you can end up going down a social media rabbit hole, once you see one intrigue sparks you to look more.  

Let’s see if you can be fooled by a doppelganger or two. Check out these faces to see if any seem familiar to you…

So, on Tuesday 20th, keep your eye out for any lookalikes that may leave you second guessing, and celebrate your likeness to another, tis’ the day for it after all!

Answers:

Angelina Jolie

Ed Sheeran

Shakira

Will Smith