The Wolf on Wall Street

IMDb have given it 8.5/10 - which is crazily high for that site. But it contains Leonardo DiCaprio - so who wouldn't give it a 10? 

I expected a lot of drug taking and a lot of prostitutes. I expected a lot of money, selfishness, working all the time, people shouting down phones selling shares, the good life... 

There was an excessive, obsessive, addictive amount of drug use. And I mean, to the point I'm surprised no body killed themselves (think cocaine, cocaine, more cocaine and some Lemmons? not even sure if that is a real drug!). "A lot of prostitutes" was an understatement, as was a lot of money. There was not much working all the time and there were definitely people shouting down the phone selling shares. And the good life, didn't turn out quite as expected, even if most of the characters wore rose tinted glasses throughout.

The film starts with Jordan Belfort (DiCaprio) arriving on Wall Street for his first day as a rookie broker, or "pond scum" as he was christened by his boss. Jordan works his way up, buying his wife expensive gifts, promising her one day he would be a millionaire. Which he becomes, till the stock market crashes and all brokers are laid off. 

He ends up setting up his own stocks and shares selling business (selling "penny shares") and hiring his nut-job friends and trains them up. These guys were the most randomest bunch of lunatics ever. But they learnt to sell and they end up being filthy, dirty rich. Having too much money to know what to do with. But they find what to do, they buy drugs and prostitutes - in the office, in hotels... you name it, there was that going on. 

The film is an 18, the older couple in front of us didn't realise and I think they got a bit of a shock. I'm not just talking women naked, usually just from their waist up, this film contains everything. No male nakedness, just female nakedness and farrrr too much for that matter. Maybe that is just my view but there were a few eye rolls when another naked female came onto the screen. Definitely a film for the boys. 

Jordan sees his relationships crumble, his health deteriorate and he finds himself fighting for his company, his money (which lets be honest he didn't need too, as he had plenty), the respect of others, he was constantly trying to suss out what others were thinking, doing, being behind his back. 

The film gets confusing when what he is doing is illegal and he is conning small business and people with little money to buy a ridiculous amount of sales. He reminded me of Mr Wormword on Matilda in his selling techniques. He was selling things that he knew weren't quite right, but it made him money, so who cared?!

It gets more confusing when his wife (number 2) has enough, the FBI want him and many of his colleagues, he faces $100m fines, 20 years in jail, so what does he go? Gets high on drugs from 1981, which don't have an immediate effect, so him and his mate take the whole bottle and the mess gets bigger and far more dramatic. Cue car crashes, child kidnapping and what you could only technically  class as rape.

He played a good role, he has the right kind of face for a rogue salesman - imagine him with a slicked up lid. 

Different to his previous roles, but then I only know the one where he sinks into freezing cold water, hardly comparable, however he does end up in freezing cold water at one point. 

This film was quite long, some parts could have been made a lot shorter, however it was very clever in places. Joanna Lumley stars, a blonde version of Mila Kunis, actually Margot Robbie, Mathew McConaughey plays a very drugged up psycho broker and Jonah Hill, the star of SuperBad is hilarious. 

Money, drugs, women, Wall Street, powerful men (and a few powerful women), marriages, divorces, children and more drugs and you have yourself the Wolf on Wall Street. 

A must see! - I was surprisingly impressed

RHS x

Helped written by Natalie xx 

The Week Edit #4

THIS WEEK IN PHOTOS:

My post-run protein and potassium kick, my favourite snack ever// The Six Nations didn't get off to England's best advantage, however there are still plenty of games left, next week England are away to Scotland// I add peanut butter to everything, I am a big lover of its protein-ness and here I zuzzed it in a post-run smoothie of banana and raspberries// First run of February - start as I mean to go on at 9am - hello quads!// My Clinique arrived! yayy, I was nearly deprived of my night cream but Boots.com came to my rescue// Pizza night friday with Rachel, we went a bit mad but it was oh so tasty (hence the 9am run the next morning to burn it off - well, at least 1/4 of it)//

THIS WEEK'S POSTS:

SWEET DREAMS// UNIVERSITY SECRETS II// 6 WAYS TO STOP PROCRASTINATING//LADY CHATTERLEY'S LOVER//LUSH 'SOFT COEUR'//FITNESS THURSDAY #4//CARA DELEVIGNE "IV DRIPPIN"//PRIMARY SCHOOL//10 REASONS TO WATCH THE SUPERBOWL//

THIS WEEK I'M LOVING: I received my order from Boots on Thursday and I am in love with the EVEN BETTER EYES DARK CIRCLE CORRECTOR which has a really pretty sparkly tint to it and makes my under eyes really smooth - contrary to my flat mates'  dismay at the price... It was a slight indulgence for an eye cream but well worth it. I also bought a Boots ESSENTIALS CUCUMBER EYE GEL which I keep in the fridge and apply whilst I wait for my porridge to cook to reduce puffs!

BLOG POST OF THE WEEK: My favourite blog post this week was from LILY PEBBLES and it was her "JANUARY HITS AND MISSES" which are a big thing in the blogger-beauty industry, I already have my eyes on several of her hits.

NEXT WEEK: A busy week of welfaring, half way-dining (dinner-ing?) - can't believe I'm half way through Uni already, although by the looks of these assignments I'll be lucky to finish alive, or with a pass, running (I'm planning on 5 this week!), eating and probably a bit of blogging! Talking of blogging, my poll came out as you prefer me to write about "lifestyle/ everyday madness" - you voted, I'll deliver!

Have a great week,
RHS x 

Lush 'Soft Coeur'

I think I became hooked with his product because it had a French word in it. That is a great reason to buy a product and would throw market researchers off course in a matter of seconds. I'm not a great lover of Lush, seeing as everyone I know (myself included) has some skin disorder ranging from mild dry patches so out of control eczema and Lush wouldn't be the place we could find steroid cream. However, for the odd things I can't help myself.

This is a massage bar, which I bought about three weeks ago and have only used twice. I thought it was more like a muscle rub but apparently, according to their website, it is a "Sweetly romantic massage bar with a soft cocoa and honey centre" - and they suggest putting a towel down before use as it can get "messy" - I was simply hoping to use it after an over-extrenuous gym session. Which is what I have used it for, so I'm throwing their instructions out of the window. 

For some reason I managed to pull my hamstrings and glutes in the gym yesterday, which I haven't done in ages and they hurt so much that I couldn't manage a run today in fear I'd need muscle replacement or something. So I reached for "Soft Coeur" when I got out the shower and it literally melts as soon as it enters your hands. Having a huge candle lit and the heating on didn't help its messiness, nevertheless the smell is incredible. It feels like a thick cream that melts into your skin and leaves you silky soft. I got the inner physio in me out with the old thumbs in the muscle technique, which was surprisingly a lot easier without the smell of deep heat or ibuprofen gel. 

So I am feeling a little less sore in the muscle department and very relaxed thanks to honey, cocoa and shea butter ahh. Now just to sleep off these pulled muscles... 

RHS x 

Lady Chatterley's Lover

(Please vote on my poll, on the right - not available on mobile devices - thanks!)

I am a Classics girl, give me a book written by anyone from Jane Austen to Leo Tolstoy and I am yours. I will link below my last few book reviews, however this isn't a review, as I'm not finished. I am precisely just before half way and the book already deserves a mention. 

I was bought several classics books as part of my Christmas presents (easily pleased) but the one book I wanted Lady Chatterley's Lover (D.H.Lawrence) my parents had a tough criteria to follow, as I didn't want the book with the naked lady on the front, covering her lady parts, that was just a no no. Anyway, as it is a book about that all the covers are a bit controversé shall we say, The one I was purchased was the Penguin Classics version with a man doing up his belt. 

The book was published in 1928 and sold out in the first day, a few days later it was banned and I can see why. In those days it would have been 50 Shades of Grey, white, blue, pink, everything. I wasn't expecting Jane Austen romance but I was expecting it not to be that explicit. Don't get me wrong, its tasteful and written in a respectful manner, I think it is the contexts and the situations that are all a bit random and controversial. 

The story of Lord Chatterley is that he is injured in WWI and at this time is already married to Lady Chatterley, Lord Chatterley remains paralysed from the waist down for the rest of his life. Lady Chatterley, who had already had a very fruitful and abundant young adult life was dissatisfied, Lord Chatterley suggests she gets a lover, she declines and gets more and more lonely and the rest is up to you to read! (or me to tell you in a post when I have finished)

So far it has been quite timid, but I am not on page 126 and it has just started to get a bit steamy. 

I'll recreate a paragraph:

"She lay quite still, in a sort of sleep, in a sort of dream. Then she quivered as she felt his hand groping softly, yet with queer thwarted clumsiness, among her `clothing. Yet the hand knew, too, how to unclothe her where it wanted. He drew down the thin silk sheath, slowly, carefully, right down and over her feet. Then with a quiver of exquisite pleasure he touched the warm soft body, and touched her navel for a moment in a kiss. And he had to come in to her at once, to enter the peace on earth of her soft, quiescent body. It was the moment of pure peace for him, the entry into the body of the woman. She lay still, in a kind of sleep, always in a kind of sleep. The activity, the orgasm was his, all his; she could strive for herself no more. Even the tightness of his arms round her, even the intense movement of his body, and the springing of his seed in her, was a kind of sleep, from which she did not begin to rouse till he had finished and lay softly panting against her breast."

And there we have it. She then went back to her house, to Lord Chatterley, dined and slept... That is where I'm up to! - How that isn't interesting I don't know! I can see why it was banned in the 1930's it was very controversial for those days, almost still now. 

From the bookworm

RHS x

Links

2013 in books

Oscar Wilde

Jane Austen

In which I am completely pampered

"Don't fall asleep. Ruth, do NOT fall asleep" - my thoughts as I received my rose cocoon massage listening to sweet string music and inhaling the incredible fragrance of rose and lime. 

I said the same to myself as I received my scalp massage which was so incredibly blissful I definitely fell asleep.

It had been planned for months, my mother and I to go on a spa day two days before I went away and the day finally arrived. 

The place is Owl House Day Spa in Diseworth, Derbyshire - and oh how incredible. We were greeted by a stunning entrance hall and pleasant receptionists who showed us to the "Owl Nest Cafe" (aw) where we were offered herbal tea and fruit juices (no coffee! - no caffeine allowed I can imagine!). We filled in a long consultation form that asked us everything from whether we were depressed, excited or had a headache to why we were at the spa. 

'Powder room'

We were given a robe and slippers for the day and had an hour to kill before our first treatment (oh there was plenty to do), we found a quiet room (all beautifully labelled on the doors), there are several where you can relax and wait for your treatment and read a magazine (where we enjoyed a glass of champagne and a slice of cake, yum), or there is a courtyard with a hot tub and day beds (they were my favourite!). An hour later we were taken to our first treatment. Rasul. 

A.K.A. "Pig In Mud" - 

We had our bikinis on and we scrubbed ourselves with a mixture of sugars and essential oils (a lot of scrub! - we just kept slathering!) and were left in a herbal steam chamber (looked like an alton towers ride by the look of the chairs!) for 20 minutes then we showered to remove all the oils and my skin still feels incredible and soft. 

I find it very hard to relax and the chilled out atmosphere displayed by all staff was so refreshing and made it very easy for you to unwind and relax. 

We then had separate treatments, I had a rose cocoon where I was smothered in rose oil (smelt like an English country garden!) and wrapped in the cloths for half an hour whilst I received my head and scalp massage where rose oil was massaged into my scalp (great if you have any scalp issues like dermatitis or dandruff!). I was then "brought round" (I definitely felt like I'd been hypnotised!) with a tissue sprayed with lime oil -mmmm. 

Wear a bikini and avoid mirrors! 

Afternoon Tea Time! We sat out in the courtyard and enjoyed salmon and cucumber, ham and mustard and brie and cranberry sandwiches followed by scones, brownie and lemon cake. All washed down with a cup of tea and raspberry and rose water 

It was then time to leave - we had no idea what time it was because we took our watches off and the spa is strict on 'no clocks anywhere' - we'd been five hours! - where it had gone I do not know! 

We left the spa feeling happily rejuvenated and would love to go back to use the hot tub, relive the Rasul experience and try another treatment - and just enjoy lying on the day beds reading. 

The spa caters for everyone from mums to be (there was a very-ready-to-be mummy there) to hen parties. I know where I'll be going for my next birthday treat!

Happy relaxing

RHS x

Music Review #1 - Lady Gaga and Iggy Azalea

  Approximately 30 seconds after I posted about my holiday prep I decided it was time to complete and potentially review my summer playlist. I tend to go for two playlists - depending on my mood - one which is more Daughter and Jessie Ware and one which is more David Guetta and Beyoncé.

  So I merrily log onto iTunes and something catched my eye. The white background, the oddly painted face, the easy to recognise nose and eyes of Lady Gaga - you're not telling me she's back? Oh yes my children, she is back and which avngence by the sound of the single "Applause".

  The album is "ARTPOP" and the release date isn't until 11th November, remembrance day, interesting Gaga. But the single is available to download now.

  Its stil Gaga but there is something different about it - as the Adams family intro makes you think and with the opening line of "I stand here waiting for you to bang he gong" you know its different.

  She then shows her true colours (if you will excuse the terrible pun) when the chorus beings with "I live for the applause" - being repeated over and over. Overall the YouTube likes say it all at over 129,000 likes and only 14,000 dislikes (still a lot of dislikes!) - but I am very much a like.
  She's been having some good and bad press recently but shes headlining at iTunes festival on September 1st in London - normal. Now this (only just in from MTV) she's doing a DUET WITH CHER, you heard me right - any "Believe" fans will LOVE this and I have to say I am loving it - there aren't really any official audios so  have a search on YouTube to have a listen to some previews but its looking more Cher ft. Gaga rather than Gaga ft. Cher - YES CHER!

Anyway, after a bumpy ride for Gaga including a naked V magazine shoot, buying MJ's clothes, doing a "non-promo" here (basically telling people not to buy her single - very odd indeed, but a very good technique), and feuds with Katy Perry as her release date and "Applause" release date now clash (Applause was leaked so the release date is earlier than expected)... It doesn't take the shine away from the fact that GAGA IS BACK! 

I give it 3.5/5 bravo Gargs.

Now onto Miss Azalea - the lyrics to "Work" are absolutely amazing.

  My favourite line to be exact is "Valley girls giving blow jobs for Louboutins, whatcha call that? - head over heels?" - another bravo is in order.

  I had seen the official video on MTV and liked it, kind of, but then when I saw her perform on BINTM on a table infront of Elle McPherson I was like "I need this in my life - and my workout" it is such a good motivator to workout to and the varying tempos and dynamics make it a great club tune, I am definitely requesting it next time I am out.
  She has recently released "Bounce" but I am definitely not sure if I like that - its quite Nicki Minaj and Ke$ha - but a fail and I can see that hitting clubs too.

  But by far "Work" is my favourite - the video is pretty amazing too - as she struts across a desert (sorry, walks a mile in her Louboutins) in Empire State heels. 

4/5 go Iggy iggy iggy! oi oi.... ohhhhh dear.

Hope you enjoy them as much as me!

RHS x