Review: Caro Emerald

Kai Hoffman heard Caro Emerald at Shepherds Bush Empire last Tuesday December 20th:

Having been asked to learn a Caro Emerald tune - "That Man" - to perform at a private party earlier this year, I was curious to hear more. So I jumped at the opportunity to hear the 30-year old Dutch
singer (real name Caroline Esmeralda van der Leeuw) at  Shepherds Bush Empire last week.

"That Man" has a great, "Sing, Sing, Sing"- Charleston-type of feel, in combination with the modern mixing and samples - which sounded fun, retro and hip all at the same time. Naturally, anyone who is bringing vintage style to a wider public also gets my vote!

Emerald and her band played to a sold-out audience at Shepherds Bush Empire. Some of her other songs felt a bit underpowered, but "That Man" had exactly the right kind of snappy slickness, and immediately had the crowd dancing and enjoying themselves. With 1.8 million Youtube hits, the song looks set, deservedly, to become a repertoire staple.

caroemerald.com

homemade gift idea: dark chocolate truffles

I cannot believe I have shelled out several dollars for specialty truffles after seeing how simple they are to make. Those of you who were following our homemade gift extravaganza this past weekend saw that we whipped up a spice rub, a curried lentil soup mix and a lemon-sugar scrub in between birthday parties, chess, paddle tennis and normal weekend revelry. What I didn't mention, was that at the 11th hour (or 4:00pm, if you go to bed at 7:00pm...) my older son and I also made a batch of homemade truffles. My husband rolled his eyes, since the kitchen had just been put back in order, and really did we need to make another homemade gift?! Yes, we did. Because my younger son wanted to give one of his teachers something chocolate, and the kids are giving each adult something homemade this year, and (trust me) I knew my husband and father-in-law would love these, assuming they turned out.

The recipe looked too simple. Really, just 4 ingredients? Yup. And whatever you plan to roll them in.

Homemade Dark Chocolate Truffles

(makes about 60 truffles, depending upon what size you roll them)

1 stick of butter (8T)
2 cups of heavy cream
2 lbs chocolate* (in chunks, chips or chopped)
1 Tablespoon vanilla*
topping of your choice (crushed nuts, cocoa powder, candy cane dust, etc...)

In a double boiler, bring the butter and cream to a fast simmer. Add chocolate and vanilla and stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. Chill until firm. Once chilled, scoop and roll into balls, then roll into coating of your choice. (Our truffles were about 3/4 inch in diameter. We rolled half of them in cocoa powder and half of them in candy canes we had pulverized in the Cuisinart, until they were simply pink powder.) Store truffles in fridge until ready to enjoy.

* If you can, splurge on high quality chocolate and vanilla for this project. It really will make a difference in the end product. My favorite brands are Dagoba and Guittard (which can sometimes be a little bit harder to find) or Ghiradelli 60% which is readily available in most supermarkets.

Note: this is not for the faint, or those who like things neat and tidy. Handling the chilled chocolate in this project is really messy! I did not argue when my younger son opted out after rolling one truffle, his hands then covered in chocolate... full disclosure: I was sort of thankful because I wasn't that excited to see chocolate hand prints in any other part of the house... 

We packaged this little balls of homemade decadence in mini muffin cups inside these small window boxes, lined with parchment paper.

my tips for decorating cookies with kids...

As I have mentioned in past years, the key to kids partaking in kitchen projects, and having them be enjoyable to all, is all about prep. That and some rimmed cookie sheets, if it involves cookie decorating.

If they're little, get things organized and then invite them to help. If they're old enough to help, encourage them to get things set up for younger siblings... having everything at arm's reach makes it easy to share.

Making a pastry bag out of a sandwich-sized zip-loc, with a tiny hole cut in the corner works well. Older children can make precise lines...and younger ones, well, it helps to keep the frosting contained.

 I don't know about your children, but the attention span of mine is not long enough to make dough, roll, cut, bake, cool and then decorate. So, I made a big batch of gingerbread again this year and froze the cookies until this weekend, when we had time to do the fun part: decorate.

That said, what is most important is that you keep things merry. If you don't have time to bake before Christmas, no. big. deal. I love Meagan Francis' perspective on holiday baking. Forget the calendar, heck, go out and buy cookies and a tub of frosting if that's what works. You and I both know that what matters is that you actually enjoy time together this holiday season, decorating cookies... tromping out in the snow... snuggling up with a book...or whatever family time bring these next two weeks. I hope you all have a wonderful vacation together and will look forward to kicking off the New Year with some health-inspired, simple recipes to share with your families!

putting a gift to good use: making curried lentil soup with sausage butternut squash and kale

We took one of our homemade gifts for a test run last night. All in the interest of recipe development, of course. If you're making it along with us, in addition to the 4 cups of dried lentils and spice packet we included (which was 2 cubes of Rapunzel veg bouillon + 2 bay leaves + 1 tablespoon madras curry + 1 tablespoon of the spice rub we made), you will need:

• a large pot
• olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 carrots, diced
• 2 (or more) of your favorite sausages (chicken, pork, soy, etc..), chopped
• 2 cups of butternut squash, diced
• 10 cups of water
• 1 bunch of kale, stems removed, roughly chopped
• salt & pepper, optional
• Greek yogurt (optional, as a topping)

Over medium heat, saute the onions and carrots in a bit of olive oil.

Add the sausages and butternut squash, and continue sauteing until the onions are translucent.

Add the contents of the spice packet that came along with the gift + 10 cups of water and let the whole thing simmer for about 20 minutes, until lentils have softened. Then remove the bay leaves...

and add the kale, stirring it in to the soup. Continue simmering for another 5-10 minutes, until the kale is wilted and lentils are fully cooked. Soup will be stew-like consistency. (I make most of my soups this consistency because it's easier for little hands to get it from bowl to mouth!!)

Serve warm, with a dollop of Greek yogurt with counterbalances the heat from the curry powder and white pepper in the spice blend. Because the soup is quite monochromatic, I recommend serving it with a bright green salad.

p.s. The soup is even better on day two, when the flavors have blended. It will freeze nicely. Simply add some fresh broth to the soup when you are reheating it. Enjoy!

elf antic - day 19

our older son's favorite antic: the snowball fight (which only took me about 5 days to clean up...)

our younger son's favorite: "when he juggled marshmallows blindfolded swinging from an electric light...I want to practice that too"...no, please don't, sweetheart.

p.s. a lot of hoopla that the elf was sporting his gifted goggles too...

Our Xmas special: gift psychology and psychology gifts

Psychology-themed gifts:

Inception DVD - Jungian symbolism, action adventure and Leonardo DiCaprio!

A subscription to Scientific American Mind magazine.

"I'm statistically significant" and other stats-themed t-shirts.

Memento DVD - the best amnesia movie that we can remember.

The Force Trainer - Become a Jedi: wireless headset interprets your brainwaves and moves an object.

 "Connect it" brain/usb t-shirt.

Mindflex brainwave game - go head to head with a friend.

A subscription to The Psychologist magazine.

Serotonin necklace.

Freudian slippers.

Dopamine t-shirt.

Inflatable brain.

Ramon y Cajal t-shirt.

Make a donation to Mind - the UK's leading mental health charity.

The best psychology books of 2011 (and there's always the new Rough Guide to Psychology by the editor of the Research Digest!)

Gift-giving research

If in doubt, give them what they want. A study published this year suggested people prefer receiving what they asked for, rather than a surprise gift.

Don't bundle your gifts. Gift receivers rate a single high-value gift more positively than a big gift bundled with a stocking filler.

This study, from 2002, found that money was a poor gift because it doesn't convey meaningful information about intimacy and can send the wrong message about the relative status between gift giver and receiver.

Be careful when buying a gift for your man. A study from 2008 found that men responded to dud gifts more negatively than women.

Given the choice, people seem to prefer receiving gifts of plenty and practicality over exclusivity.

Finally, don't forget to say thank you, even if you don't like the gift you've been given.

Merry Christmas!
--
Post compiled by Christian Jarrett for the BPS Research Digest. Many of the gift ideas were found via mindhacks.com

Peter Bacon's Countdown to Thursday

Peter Bacon, who writes/edits the Jazz Breakfast blog and contributes to the Birmingham Post, tells me that he will be launching the final top ten of his "Festive Fifty" first thing this Thursday morning 22nd. Congratulations Peter. It's a major endeavour! Here's the countdown from 50 to 11, just the album names. On Peter's site every one is linked to a review:

50 Denys Baptiste Identity By Subtraction (Dune)
49 Jacqui Dankworth It Happens Quietly (Specific Jazz)
48 Corea, Clarke and White Forever (Concord)
47 John Scofield A Moment’s Peace (Emarcy
46 Ma The Last (Loop Records)
45 Julian Lage Gladwell (Emarcy)
44 Neil Yates Five Countries (Edition Records)
43 Seamus Blake Quintet Live At Smalls (Smalls Live)
42The New Gary Burton Quartet Common Ground (Mack Avenue)
41 Paolo Fresu Mistico Mediterraneo (ECM)
40 Mark McNight Organ Quartet featuring Seamus Blake
39 Mason Brothers Two Sides One Story (Archival Records)
38 Eliane Elias Light My Fire (Concord)
37 Phil Robson The Immeasurable Code (Whirlwind Recordings)
36 Kairos 4tet: Statement of Intent (Edition Records)
35Wadada Leo Smith’s Organic Heart's Reflections (Cuneiform Records)
34 David Binney: Graylen Epicenter (Mythology)
33 Francois Couturier Tarkovsky Quartet (ECM)
32Tom Harrell The Time Of The Sun (High Note)
31 Donny McCaslin Perpetual Motion (Greenleaf Records)
30 Marilyn Mazur Celestial Circle (ECM)
29 Steve Coleman's Five Elements The Mancy Of Sound (PI Recordings)
28 Empirical Elements Of Truth (Naim Jazz)
27 Giovanna Pessi/Susanna Wallumrod If Grief Could Wait (ECM 277 7197)
26 Kit Downes Quiet Tiger (Basho)
25 Marcin Wasilewski Trio Faithful (ECM)
24 Stefon Harris, David Sanchez, Christian Scott Ninety Miles (Concord Picante )
23 Magnus Ostrom Thread Of Life (ACT)
22 Marius Neset Golden Xplosion (Edition Records)
21 Kurt Elling The Gate (Concord)
20 Gwilym Simcock Good Days At Schloss Elmau (ACT)
19 Dino Saluzzi/Anja Lechner/Felix Saluzzi Navidad de los Andes (ECM)
18 Branford Marsalis/Joey Calderazzo Songs Of Mirth And Melancholy (Marsalis Music)
17 Enrico Rava Quintet Tribe (ECM)
16 Craig Taborn Avenging Angel (ECM)
15 Meadow: Blissful Ignorance(Edition Records)
14 Charles Lloyd/Maria Farantouri Athens Concert (ECM)
13 Yellowjackets - Timeline (Mack Avenue Records)
12 Vinicius Cantuaria and Bill Frisell - Lagrimas Mexicanas (Naive)
11 Brad Mehldau - Live In Marciac (Nonesuch)

CD Review: Frank Harrison Trio - Sideways

Frank Harrison Trio - Sideways
(Linus Records LDCD01. CD Review by Chris Parker)

Pianist Frank Harrison is probably most often heard in Gilad Atzmon's Orient House Ensemble, in which he plays both acoustic and electric instruments, but leading his own trio (as documented by Basho on the impressive 2006 album, First Light) he plays only the former, alongside bassist Davide Petrocca – who has replaced Aidan O'Donnell from First Light – and drummer Stephen Keogh.

It's worth stressing at the outset that this is very much a trio outing, Harrison's mellifluous, lyrical playing (tellingly leavened by vigorous, occasionally even tumultuous power where appropriate) interacting impeccably with the sonorous, full-toned Petrocca and the dexterous Keogh (the latter's contribution to a band perfectly summed up by US saxophonist Charles McPherson: 'He's not just a time keeper, but is a rhythmic co-creator as well').

This said, however, it is Harrison, at once lucid and elegant, but with an ability to imbue everything he plays with affecting tension, frequently released in sparkling, intense runs, who sets the tone of both the standards ('Autumn Leaves', 'How Long Has This Been Going On', 'You and the Night and the Music') and originals (not to mention an intriguing closer, the traditional 'Riddle Song') on this absorbing and musicianly album, the music from which can be heard on a UK trio tour, to take place in February 2012.

Tour Dates:
3 Derby Jazz
4 Cheltenham Jazz Club
5 Herts Jazz Welwyn Garden City
6 Jazz Hastings
8 PIZZA EXPRESS DEAN STREEET
9 Watermill Jazz Dorking
10 Fleece Jazz, Leavenheath, Colchester
17 Wakefield Jazz Club
29 St Michael at the North Gate Oxford

FrankHarrison.net

You're more likely to catch a yawn from a relative than a stranger

Reading this blog post is likely to make you yawn. Not, hopefully, because it's boring, but rather because yawning is so contagious that even reading about it has been shown to provoke the behaviour. A popular theory for how yawns spread is that they automatically engage the empathy systems in our brains. Consistent with this, past research found that children with autism, some of whom have difficulty empathising, are immune to the contagious effects of yawns.

Now Ivan Norscia and Elisabetta Palagi have developed this line of enquiry, showing that we're more likely to catch a yawn from relatives than acquaintances, and more likely to catch them from acquaintances than strangers - presumably because we have more empathy for people with whom we're emotionally intimate.

The study was entirely observational. The researchers hung out in offices, restaurants, and waiting rooms and observed discreetly the yawning behaviour of the people about them. If one person yawned, the researchers waited to see if anyone else present yawned within the next three minutes. Data from one researcher was lost because they also caught the yawns and fell asleep (not really, I made that up). Sometimes the researchers knew the relationships of the people they were watching, other times they eavesdropped Bond-style on conversations to discern the social ties.

Of all the factors the researchers looked at, including things like the situational context and whether the yawner and their company were of the same nationality, it was only emotional closeness that was relevant. The closer, relationship-wise, a person was to the initial yawner, the more likely they were to yawn themselves. Emotional closeness was also associated with the number of times a yawn-catcher yawned, and the promptness with which they did so after being exposed to the precipitating yawn. Consonant with past research, it didn't matter if that precipitating yawn was seen or heard (one earlier study found that yawns are contagious even when they're "seen" non-consciously by people with damage to the visual part of their brains).

"The importance of social bond in shaping yawn contagion demonstrates that empathy plays a leading role in the modulation of this phenomenon," the researchers said. "Not only is contagion greater between familiar individuals, but it also follows an empathic gradient, increasing from strangers to kin-related individuals."

It's a hard life

Contagious yawning is also seen in monkeys and great apes. Indeed, this new study replicates similar findings with chimps, where the yawn contagion is greater between group members, and findings with baboons, for whom yawns are more often caught from intimate yawners (where intimacy is discerned from rates of mutual grooming). "When considered together," the researchers concluded, "these results suggest that the relationship between yawn contagion and empathy may have developed earlier than the last common ancestor between monkeys, humans and non-human apes."
 _________________________________

Norscia, I., and Palagi, E. (2011). Yawn Contagion and Empathy in Homo sapiens PLoS ONE, 6 (12) DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0028472

Post written by Christian Jarrett for the BPS Research Digest.

Two chances to win the BPS-approved Psychopathology textbook by Graham Davey

update 19 Dec, 13.50hrs: one copy still left to be won.

We've got two copies of the BPS-approved textbook Psychopathology by Graham Davey to give away, kindly donated to us by Wiley-Blackwell.


How to win
This competition challenges your influence on Twitter. Your task is to get someone with a verified Twitter account to retweet (old style new or old style) you mentioning @researchdigest and #psychopathologycomp. The first two people to achieve this goal will win a copy of the book. Make sure you tweet us (@researchdigest) when you think you've succeeded. Good luck!

Small print

Sorry, on this occasion, holders of verified Twitter accounts cannot win the book for themselves. 

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol @ IMAX TGV Cinemas

"Popcorn Royale is so nice!"

"Popcorn Royale is nicer than Garrett Popcorn!"

"Popcorn Royale is cheaper than Garrett!"


These are the three thoughts that popped in my mind, in that order, the first time I tipped one of the awfully sinful caramelised popcorn into my mouth.




It was the launch of the IMAX at TGV Cinemas in Sunway Pyramid and I was there to watch the latest blockbuster movie: Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol.




Oh god. Tom Cruise. *drool* (we'll get to that later)


There were so many things to look forward to.

First, IMAX is here. And is staying for good. The last time and first time I ever visited an IMAX was in Times Square like eons back and I wasn't really impressed, mainly because they were showing some short film documentary that didn't really bring out what was supposed to be an impressive experience.

But everything changed that day in TGV. Oh yes. It was so bloody amazing.
We'll get to that later, too, soon, very soon.

Now I've always been a little bit crazy of fully caramelised popcorn which was impossible to find in the olden days cinema in Malaysia. But then I discovered Garrett Popcorn in a Dubai mall. It's like rediscovering your favourite candy all over again, I was estastic. And then the stores kept popping up over all Singapore. So I had only had to travel 300kms to get them instead of flying across the globe. Then they were in Malaysia. Yay!

Now I'm not paid to write this. Just want to share my own point of view. I was always a little let down by the sugar burnt aftertaste that Garrett Popcorn has, not sure if it's because Malaysia version tasted different or I forgot how my first Garrett tasted like (back in Dubai). I kinda stopped liking it for a moment.

And then TGV Cinemas introduced Popcorn Royale and it's all HEAVEN again! *sing song*







Even better, I can bring it in to a cinema to enjoy! YAY! Oh no, I'm gonna get so fat. :(

Now back to the main topic, IMAX.




God heavens the movie was GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD in IMAX. So good I was BLOWN away in my seat the moment *spoiler alert* Dubai and the Burj Khalifa (Tallest building in the world) came into view on the screen.

I was flying over Dubai!

Wee~~~

And have I mentioned I have the hots for Tom Cruise, like all over again! I used to have a major crush on the said actor when I was younger, then I stopped with the whole idolizing stars phenomena for quite a number of years (it's all growing up).

Till this movie. Oh god I'm so in love with Mr. Cruise.
Hotness x1000000000 e99. ❤❤❤
His age made him all the more delectable.

What's up with my something with older guys? -.-
Maybe this is why.




Why was IMAX so good? Well this is my own deciphering, you can google if you want the more accurate explanation. Mine might not be entirely true but then I'm not bothered to google right now (there, I said it).

(quoated from my own fb) It's a technology where it uses digital projector instead of the usual film projector we're used to watch. Means it's crystal clear on cinema screen (like HD) and the screen is in a dome-like shape which means more 3D-effect, the screen is also way bigger to capture you into the movie, even in 2D movies. I can only assume it would be so much more amazing in 3D.

Which is why I'm going back for the 3D version once it's up. :D




The seats were comfortable. But I want to try their Beanie Plex where you get to sit on a beanie seat and watch movie, with your favourite popcorn. ^^




❤

Three-gig round up

Friday 16th December - Township Comets at Cambridge Modern Jazz
Saturday 17th December - Abram Wilson's New Orleans Christmas at Kings Place Hall One
Sunday 18th December - Sound Generation Christmas Party. Sam's Brasserie, W4.

Press play. This short clip from the Vortex last weekend (festival directors please take note/ marquez ce nom/ ein Band in Erinnerung zu bringen!) gives a sample of the Township Comets' sheer verve and energy,and of what a resoundingly strong trumpet-player Chris Batchelor is. The Comets, who focus on the music of Dudu Pukwana were at Cambride Modern Jazz in the Hidden Rooms in Jesus Street. The club was welcoming its new piano, the money raised from donations, notably a charity gig at the 606, and Cambridge-born Adam Glasser absolutely did justice to the occasion. Saxophonist Jason Yarde and trombonist Harry Brown completed a powerful front line Dudley Phillips in a Robin Hood hat was impeccable, and Frank Tontoh on drums was sensitive but also gave the fireworks when required.

Reuben James, Alex Davis, Abram Wilson, Myrna Hague
Jason Marsalis, Dave Hamblett. Kings Place Hall One
Photo Credit: Roger Thomas

On Saturday I was at Abram Wilson's "New Orleans Christmas," bringing good music and a thoroughly good and warm vibe to Kings Place Hall One, with Jamaican vocal legend Myrna Hague, highly impressive Birmingham pianist Reuben James (check him out here) Alex Davis on bass and guest drummer Jason Marsalis, joined at the end by Wilson's regular drummer Dave Hamblett. They were playing new music, and the confidence and the extroversion grew righly, greeably, through the course of the evening. Everything Wilson does with this group is based on dialogue and communication rather than display, and is all te better for that. As MC, poet, singer, composer (perhaps above all as composer), and as an ebullient presence on the London scene, we are truly blessed to have our very own resident New Orleans trumpeter.

Sunday night was a party. Sofia Wilde was out celebrating a successful year for her promotions company Sound Generation. Michael L Roberts and Elisa Caleb were singing Christmas songs with an orchestra called Jo Caleb. Guests Fran Hardcastle and Esther Bennett completed the line-up.

The range of gigs on offer is astonishing. Any of these three evenings would be thoroughly recommendable, for the positive energy and life-affirmation at it heart, the reality of invention, of interaction. of involvement in particular strands of the music, of generous spirits and open minds. Joy.  

homemade gift: lemon sugar scrub

Out of all three homemade teacher gifts we made together yesterday (this lemon-sugar scrub + lentil soup mixes + spice rubs), this one definitely goes down as my favorite. Since we're only doing homemade gifts from the boys to all adults this year, this is what I am lobbying for as my gift. It totally works (one of my kids gave it a test run last night) and it is so super easy. Plus, who wouldn't like a little pampering to kick off the new year?

Lemon Sugar Scrub 

this recipe will make a dozen 5 oz. jars (or about 7 1/2 cups)-- you can scale the recipe up or down for your gift-making project

I learned of this recipe on Count it all Joy, which is a fabulous, witty blog full of good ideas. 

8 cups sugar

2 cups olive oil

1 cup lemon juice

zest of 10 lemons (or about 8 Tablespoons)

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Note that stirring the mixture is tough at first, you might have to help your kids get it going...Store scrub in an airtight container.

We packaged it in these 5 oz jars. While everything is edible, you don't want your recipients eating a big scoop, so gift tag should read:

Lemon Sugar Scrub

Apply a handful of sugar scrub to wet skin while showering and massage in circular motion. Will remove dead skin and leave winter skin feeling refreshed and moisturized!