In this Issue:
Things to do during lockdown
Netflix Recommendations
Veganuary and Valentine Food
Rising Women in Art
Editor’s Note: Lockdown 2.0 has been hard to say the least. It’s been extremely difficult, at least for me, to adapt to online lessons, and I’m sure it’s been the same for a lot of you as well. That’s why I think some self congratulation is in order. Even if you haven’t done as much as you wanted to during this half term, we all deserve credit for trying our best during this really difficult time, and I really hope that this issue will help you overcome any boredom you might have during half term. We have articles on all sort of things to fill up your time such as fun activities, film recommendations, cooking, photography and quizzes, all of which can help to defeat boredom during the break. But more importantly, use this break to relax and enjoy yourselves. It’s been a stressful year, but with the vaccine coming out, it’s only going to get easier from here. Enjoy reading and stay safe!
Joseph James, Editor
Lockdown Activities To Do When You're Bored At Home. Oh no! We have a problem! Yet another half term stuck at home with nothing to do. Well it looks like you’ve come to the right place. Here are some fun activities to do at home! 1. Improve your drawing skills - there are lots of online art tutorials but one I recommend is: Draw with Rob Biddulph, Gregosaurus. Not only is it easy for beginners but it's really fun. 2. Play board/card games or even better, make your own! E.g. Snakes and Ladders is easy to make but if you want more of a challenge, Monopoly is also a good idea. 3. Have a movie marathon! Choose your favourite movie series and watch all of them non-stop! You can also bring snacks, games and dress comfy! 4. Host a virtual party or sleepover with friends. This means that you and your friends can have a party or sleepover all through a video call! See who can last the longest but make sure you bring a charger! 5. If anyone in your household likes to sing, a karaoke night might be a good idea for you! I hope these help! By Skye Nash
Veganuary and valentine treats Vegan katsu curry: Prep : 25 mins Cook : 40 mins Ingredients:
2 tbsp vegetable oil 200g cooked rice (we used basmati) ¼ large cucumber , peeled into ribbons 1 carrot , peeled into ribbons handful of mind leaves or coriander leaves, or both lime wedges , to serve
For the curry sauce:
1 onion, chopped 1 large carrot, chopped 1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large garlic clove, crushed 2cm piece ginger, peeled and grated or finely chopped ½ tbsp curry powder , mild or medium ¼ tsp ground turmeric 200ml coconut milk 2 tsp maple syrup
For the katsu:
280-300g block firm tofu 1 tbsp cornflour 200g dried breadcrumbs , we used panko (gluten-free if necessary)
Recipe:
1. First, make the curry sauce. Heat the oil in a pan and cook the onion and carrot until soft and starting to caramelise, about 8 mins. Add the garlic and ginger and sizzle for another minute or so, then stir in the curry powder and turmeric. Once the spices are warmed through, add the coconut milk, maple syrup and 100ml water. Season well, cover and simmer over a low heat for 20 mins, topping up with more water if it gets too thick. 2. Meanwhile, slice the tofu in half through the centre. Carefully cut each piece into four triangles. In a wide bowl, mix the cornflour with 3 tbsp water and some seasoning until combined. Put the breadcrumbs in a second bowl. Dip a tofu piece into the flour mixture, then the breadcrumbs, turning until well coated. If the crumbs are not sticking well make the cornflour mixture a little bit thicker and try again. Press firmly. 3. When the carrot in the curry sauce is soft, blitz using a stick or tabletop blender. If the sauce is too thick, add a little more water. Taste and add more salt, maple syrup or some lime juice if you like. Keep warm. 4. Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the tofu for 4-5 mins on each side until golden and hot through. To serve, put the rice in bowls and top with the curry sauce, crispy tofu, the cucumber and carrot ribbons, herbs and lime wedges.
Advantages of being vegan: 1. Vegans spare the lives of about 30 animals each year. 2. Being vegan reduces your carbon footprint by up to 73%. 3. Vegans live longer. 4. They save 1,100 gallons of water each day. 5. Less likely to die from heart disease. 6. Less likely to have a stroke. 7. Vegans tend to have a lower body mass indexes. 8. Can help you lose excess weight. 9. Can lower blood sugar levels and improve kidney function.
Red velvet cookies:
Prep: 20 mins Cook: 15 mins Ingredients:
175g soft salted butter 200g light brown soft sugar 100g caster sugar 1 large egg 2 tsp vanilla extract ½ to 1 tbsp red food colouring, depending on strength 225 plain flour 25g cocoa powder ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda 150g white chocolate chips or chunks
For the drizzle:
2 tbsp soft cheese 6 tbsp icing sugar
Method:
1. Beat the butter and sugar together with an electric whisk until pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla and food colouring until you have a bright red batter. Sieve over the flour, cocoa and bicarb. Fold everything together to make a stiff evenly-coloured dough, then fold in the chocolate chips 2. Put the dough on a sheet of baking parchment, fold the parchment over the dough and mould into a sausage shape about 6 cm wide. Chill until ready to bake. Will keep for a week in the fridge. 3. Heat the oven to 190C. Cut the cookie dough into 1cm thick slices using a sharp knife and arrange on two large baking sheets lined with baking parchment well-spaced apart so that they have room to spread in the oven. Bake in batches, keeping the unbaked cookies on the sheet in the fridge while the rest are baking 4. Bake in the middle of the oven for 13-15 minutes until cookies are crisp at edges, but still soft in the centre. Leave to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Beat the soft cheese in a small bowl to lose consistency, then stir in the icing sugar. Use a piping bag or spoon to drizzle the icing sugar over the cookies.
Valentines day food history
Basil, lavender and rosemary are the 3 herbs associated with this day. Basil is a traditional symbol of fertility and worn by women to signal their single nature. Rosemary is a symbol of love with it being used frequently in wedding bouquets. Bees are traditionally a symbol of love because of their sweetness of honey and the bitterness of their sting. Strawberries are the symbol of Venus, the Roman goddess of love.
Vanilla panna cotta: Ingredients:
2 ½ sheets of gelatine 150ml milk 400ml double cream 60g caster sugar 1 vanilla pod Fresh strawberries Strawberry compote, to serve. Method: 1. Add the sheets of gelatine to a bowl of cold water and soak for 5 mins. Pour the milk and cream into a saucepan with the sugar and vanilla pod. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer, remove from heat. Take the gelatine out of the water and squeeze out the excess water, then add to the milk mixture. Stir until completely dissolved. Tip into 4 ramekins and place in the fridge to set for a couple of hours. To serve, turn each ramekin upside-down onto a serving plate.
By Amber Giddy
TWENTY TWENTY-ONE'S RISING WOMEN IN ART 2021 has started off an uncertain year, but that hasn't stopped the emergence of some empowering and refreshing new female artists! From sculptors to painters and digital artists to sketchers, here are some of the promising female artists that who are shaping the world of art this year and encouraging other women to join in!
1. Destinee Ross-Sutton
Sutton organised the "Say it loud (I'm black and I'm proud)" art exhibition over the summer, and has since been hailed as a new artprodigy. She has been known to work on digital arts (with one of these featuring on a Beyoncé music video), sculptures, and photography. Destinee also did a photoshoot for award-winning actress and singer Zendaya Coleman!
2. Marcela Guerrero
Guerrero first worked at the Whitney museum as an assistant curator four years ago, and has since shed a light on many previously unrecognised Latinx artists - "It felt to me that I could make a powerful statement by working with artists from my generation and also examining a theme that would help show Latinx artists in a light that hadn’t been seen before.". She has also recently been curating a new travelling exhibition called "Radical Women: Latin American Art, 1960–1985.”
3. Ebony Hayes
Ebony Hayes, a.k.a the mastermind behind the New York Martos Gallery, is also on the rise this year! She had the original idea of a new gallery space to be operated with an all-Black staff and a designated internship program for Black students to navigate the art world without having to feel like the minority. It is currently planned to open this spring.
By Athina Christofi
Netflix Recommendations: Half term at home can be boring, so I’m hoping some of these TV Shows and Films on Netflix can help you get through the week!
Inception: Inception is a high-concept science-fiction film directed by Christopher Nolan, and it follows Dom Cobb, a man who can infiltrate dreams. With its ground-breaking visual effects and heartfelt story, it’s a great watch from start to finish.
The Truman Show: The Truman Show is about a man who doesn’t realise that his entire life is a reality TV show. It’s a really funny look at reality TV, and Jim Carrey, who won a Golden Globe for his performance, really drives the film. It’s definitely recommendable.
Parks and Recreation: Parks and Recreation is one of the best modern sitcoms, and it follows a group of government workers in Pawnee, Indiana who work in the Parks and Recreations sector. It has a great set of characters and really smart and witty writing, and it’s an overall feel good series!
Fawlty Towers: Fawlty Towers follows Basil Fawlty who owns a Torquay hotel and the wacky guests that he gets at his hotel. This is one of the funniest British sitcoms of all time, and whilst it is a bit old fashioned in its style, is still a really fun watch to this day.
Some other recommendations:
Monty Python and the Holy Grail/Life of Brian
The Social Network
The IT Crowd
By Joseph James
Famous Photographers and Winter Photography Hope you all enjoy your half term! Here are some famous photographers and some examples of winter photography!
Dorothea Lange 1895-1965
She was an American documentary photographer and photojournalist, best known for her Depression-era work for the Farm Security Administration. Lange's photographs influenced the development of documentary photography and made the consequences of the Great Depression public.
Annie Leibovitz 1949Present
She is an American portrait photographer. She is best known for her engaging portraits, particularly of celebrities, which often feature subjects in intimate settings and poses.
Now onto some of my own winter photography! As you all know, it snowed about 2 weeks ago, so I took some pictures!
I took this picture of my cat outside using my Nikon d3500 camera and my 70300mm lens. The snow can be seen in the background.
I took this close up of snow using my camera and my 70300mm lens.
By Bianca Nedelcu
What to do During Lockdown: Lockdown can be difficult for a lot of people ! Read this article if you are interested in anything to do during lockdown. Instead of playing games or being on your phone, take some time out and spend some time with your family. You could also play cards or a board game. You could sit down and watch a movie. Or spend some time with your pets or even your siblings. Take some time out, go on a walk, jog or cycle to stay active. You could do a video chat with your friends. You could sit down and draw or paint or even craft. Remember to stay home to save lives!
By Jenade Rayment
Book Puzzles:
Unjumble the Book Titles: 1.AHYRR ERTPOT 2.ERYCP ACJKONS 3.HET IONDCITRYA 4.HET GERUNH 5.REDIR XELA
Name the Book from this Character: 1.Ron Weasley 2.Annabeth Chase 3.Dr. John Watson 4.Napoleon 5.The Roly-Poly Bird
By Ethan Joyce
February Half Term Quiz: 1. When you were allowed in football stadiums what was the
maximum number of people allowed in? _____________________________
2. Who has gone down in history for being the first person to take the Covid-19 vaccine? _____________________________ 3. What is the name of the organisation that protested police brutality in 2020? _____________________________ 4. Which Christopher Nolan film was the first major release during lockdown? _____________________________ 5. Who performed at half time during the Superbowl? _____________________________
Answers Below
By Joshua Conway Name the Book from this Character: 1. Harry Potter, 2. Percy Jackson, 3. Sherlock Holmes, 4. Animal Farm, 5. The Twits/The Enormous Crocodile. Unjumble the Book Titles: 1. Harry Potter, 2. Percy Jackson, 3. The Dictionary, 4. The Hunger Games, 5. Alex Rider Answers for Book Puzzles: 1. 2,000 people, 2. Margaret Keenan, 3. Black Lives Matter, 4. Tenet, 5. The Weeknd
Answers: