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‘Mint’ Things to Do in Leeds This Autumn

Think of Autumn and depending on your idea of a good time, it may or may not be the most enjoyable time of the year. The colder nights render beer gardens obsolete, the rainy weather makes staying at home in front of the television more tempting, and surely dressing up for Halloween is for kids, right?

On the other hand, you might love everything about the changing colour of the leaves, the crisp autumnal air, and the way you look dressed as a sexy vampire…

Regardless of your seasonal preferences, we’ve found some really great things to do in Leeds over the next coming months.

MINT Festival

When: Sat 19th – Sun 20 September

What: A stella assembly of electronic music heavyweights, MINT Festival is two jam-packed days of quality live acts at Wetherby Racecourse, featuring the likes of Sub Focus, ShyFX and Cause & Affect.

On top of all that, legendary underground bass artist Zed Bias will be performing. The perfect event for all you guys who love it big and messy!

British Art Show 8

When: From Fri 9th October

What: Leeds Art Gallery will be exhibiting one of the country’s most ambitious and influential shows this Autumn (up until January 2016).

Taking place every five years, this is the first time the British Art Show has come to Leeds since 1990, so it’ll be a rare opportunity to glimpse some fascinating pieces by some of the UK’s leading artists – a real culture-fest!

Archie’s Bar & Kitchen

What: Situated riverside, in the city’s vibrant drinking and dining district, Archie’s Bar &Kitchen serves up delicious food and drinks in a stylish yet comfortable setting.

It only opened it’s doors to public earlier this month, so if you’re looking to visit someplace new with friends then this is the ideal venue!

September 11, 2015
Movies We’re Excited For Later This Year

Summer is officially over and the past few months has seen some awesome blockbusters with the likes of Jurassic World, Mad Max, Terminator Genysis, and the hilarious Ted 2. But it’s pretty safe to say the best of 2015’s releases have been saved for the latter half of the year.

So with much anticipation and a great deal of ‘geeking-out’, we run down the movies we’re most excited for…

The H8ful Eight

Tarantino’s latest offering closes his periodic trilogy (Inglorious Basterds, Django Unchained), taking place some time after the American Civil War and revolving around eight westerners who seek refuge in a stagecoach stopover on a mountain pass during a blizzard.

Among this odious octet are a ruthless hangman (Kurt Russell) and his psychopathic prisoner, a bounty hunter (Samuel.L Jackson), and a Confederate General, of which one is not who they claim to be.

Every Tarantino film that comes out is more than just another movie release, it’s an event, which is why we’re so excited for this one. Expect violence and blood by the bucketload, peppered with quick-fire dialogue and lashings of cinematic reference for good good measure.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Another monumental event, this one, something fans of the series have been waiting for since the release of the disappointing prequels more than decade ago. This time however, all will be redeemed as JJ Abrams – the creator of television’s Lost and the guy who spectacularly rebooted the Star Trek franchise – is at the creative helm.

Set 30 years after Return of the Jedi, in a galaxy far, far away… The Force Awakens is a continuation of the original trilogy and sees remnants of the fallen Galactic Empire disrupt the peace established at the end of the last movie.

Box Office projections for Star Wars are insane, predicted to top Avatar (currently the highest-grossing movie of all time) and smash all sorts of records. Movie-goers and longtime fans everywhere will be eager to see how events play out in one of cinema’s most beloved stories. But perhaps the biggest allure is the return of the original cast, including Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher.

007 James Bond: Spectre

Slated for an October release, the latest Bond movie – and likely the penultimate in Daniel Craig’s chronicling of the series – sees everything come full circle; with the secret agent on the cusp of retirement and the return of Casino Royale’s illusive Mr.White, as well as the first appearance of shadowy criminal organisation Spectre.

Other than the initial premise, not much else is known about this one. But with Christopher Waltz as the main protagonist and Sam Mendez returning to director’s chair after his success with SkyFall, there’s plenty to get excited about.

September 7, 2015
Big Kids’ Day Out in Leeds

Let’s face it, we’re all big kids at heart, and that’s because it’s way more fun being a kid (minus the copious drinking and staying out for as long as we like).

Call us immature but we’d much rather get stuck in to a game of bubble football than sit at a posh dinner table with real ‘grown ups’, talking about interest rates, wine and relationships – because the best relationships involve mucking about with your mates!

That’s why we’ve put together a list of fun, exciting and totally childish things we’d unashamedly love to do in Leeds.

Zorbing – Hazlewood Castle

As well as laser tag, Hazlewood Castle also offer body zorbing – probably the single-coolest thing anybody has thought of doing with plastic.

If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, it involves a group of friends – each contained within their own inflatable bubble – bouncing around an open field and crashing into each other.

Hitting the water – Leeds Sailing and Activity Centre

When the weather is warm and sunny as it has been recently, few things are more appealing than getting wet and wild in the surf.

Unfortunately, the coast is about 58 miles in every direction. Fortunately, Leeds Sailing and Activity Centre offers a whole host of exciting water activities including sailing, canoeing and power-boating.

Paintball – Delta Force

One of the most exciting activity centres in Leeds, Delta Force offers paintball matches with you and your friends across an assortment of zones; such as a Tomb Raider themed environment and an area that resembles a post-apocalyptic London. Let the games begin!

August 21, 2015
What it Takes to Be an Event Organiser With MixingOut

Although it requires a certain… je nais se qua to organise and host a MixingOut event, it’s probably not as difficult as you may think. In fact, we’ve made the whole process as simple as possible.

Yes, there are a few qualities needed in order to ensure a successful get-together. But otherwise anybody who loves going out, making new friends and having a good time can do it.

Still unsure whether you’ve got what it takes? Here’s a few things to consider when organising your own event with MixingOut.

Share the things you love

People have a much better time when whoever hosts an event has a genuine love for what they’re doing at the time. If leaping out of a plane isn’t your idea of fun, don’t organise a parachute jump for the sake of attracting more members.

Do something you truly enjoy, this is what resinates with other people the most. After all, sharing the things you love is the best way of getting to know people.

Nervous? No biggie!

If you’re worried about confidence (or a lack thereof)getting in the way of hosting an event then welcome to club! In fact, we’d consider it a little strange if you didn’t feel a little nervous – especially when it’s your first time. The most important thing to remember is everybody else in attendance will probably be as nervous as you are… and once those initial feelings of nerves are dealt with (openly shared/copious amounts of drink) then everything will fall into place.

You don’t need a qualification in events planning to organise a successful get-together, just being genuinely interested in meeting new people and having a good time is all that really matters.

Your city, your rules

We do our best to keep everybody up to date with local goings on, but nobody knows your city better than you do (unless you’re new in town but we’ll get to that in a second). Use what you know about the places you’ve already visited to come up with an idea for your next event.

Alternatively, if you’ve just moved and don’t know the city too well, propose a ‘get to know the city’ type of event and invite people to show you around. This could be fun, useful, and interesting way of meeting new people whilst getting to know your new home.

July 27, 2015
6 Toys From Our Childhood Better Than Ted

The sequel to Seth McFarlane’s Ted came out last week and we can’t recommend it highly enough, especially if you like your humour rude, crude and tiptoeing the razor’s edge of controversy.

But enough about the movie, because it’s Ted that really fascinates us. Yes, he may not be the greatest role model for the kids but we can’t help but love him. And we definitely would have loved to have him as a cuddly toy when we were little.

Unfortunately, Ted wasn’t around back then and even if he was, we seriously doubt our parents would have let us play with him. Instead we (collective guys and girls around the office) received some pretty amazing toys back and the day, some of which we think are even better than the foul-mouthed, pot-smoking, philandering teddy himself.

1. He-man Castle Greyskull play set

By the power of Greyskull – this was the object of many prepubescent boys’ desire back in the day. If you were lucky enough to have one then you were the envy of all your mates.

2. My Little Pony Dream Castle play set

The girls’ equivalent was much brighter, prettier, a lot more pink but didn’t have the same wow factor. It still was however, the no.1 spot for all those plastic ponies to graze.

3. Thundercats Sword of Omens (Batteries not included)

Back in the late 80’s and early 90’s, the Thundercats were massive. Wielded by their heroic leader Lion-o, the Sword of Omens lit up in the dark and was a sword for crying out loud – of course we all wanted one!

4. Pogo Ball

Like the weird amalgamation of a pogo-stick and Space Hopper, the Pogo Ball kept kids bouncing up and down those pavements all summer long.

5. Teddy Ruxpin

The original talking-ted (so long as you had the cassette tapes), Teddy Ruxpin would tell us bedtime stories and sing lullabies so mum and dad didn’t have to.

6. Pound Puppies

With a marketing campaign that would probably be perceived today as extortionate, kids and parents everywhere were guilted into buying these sad, abandoned, but oh so adorable puppies.

July 17, 2015
Since Jurassic Park – What I’ve Learned About Friendships

Let me take you back to the Summer of 1993.

Like most of the kids my age, I was bat-shit crazy for anything about dinosaurs and seeing Jurassic Park for the first time was the cultural equivalent of a spiritual awakening. I went into that cinema a young, impressional boy, but I came out a changed person.

That was more than twenty years ago. Since then, so much has equally shaped and affected me – as I imagine it has for you also – and the release of the latest Jurassic World film has brought this to my immediate attention.

If you haven’t already seen it, I definitely recommend you and some friends go for a fun night out, especially if you remember the first one with such fondness and reverence as I do. In the meanwhile, here’s 3 things we’ve all learned during that time.

1. Those childhood friendships don’t last forever

After watching Jurassic Park for the first time, I have vivid memories of recreating some of my favourite parts of the movie with my mates – basically ‘tag’ in the woods but with dinosaurs – and thinking to myself that these were the people I’d be friends with forever.

Fast forward two decades and I can honestly say I’m not in regular contact with any of them – and one lives two doors down the road!

2. … But they’ll always be the most understanding

It makes no difference whether you’ve not seen them in months or years, the friends you had when you were little will always be more understanding and less judgemental than the ones you make in later life.

That’s because they still remember you at your most naive, you most vulnerable – as you do them – and no matter what’s going on in your personal life right now, they will always give you the time of day and sympathetic ear like no other. Trust me.

3. You will not have everything figured out by now

Chances are you already had the rest of the life sorted when you were 6.

You were going to finish school, get that job you’ve seen somewhere in the movies – you know the one, where it never seems to encroach on the characters lives and if it does, it only makes their lives more fun and interesting – and all the trimmings that go with it.

Somewhere along the way, probably around the time you actually did finish school, you realised life doesn’t work out that way. But as a result you’ll learn new things, experience unexpected relationships and become a person you never envisaged. and isn’t that more exciting?

June 23, 2015
Your Summer Perfectly Summed Up in 4 Massive Fails

Did you ever see that Seinfeld episode The Summer of George? We didn’t think so, seeing as you most probably watched Friends in the 90’s. But for the handful of you who DID see it, you’ll know exactly what we mean when we say every summer can be perfectly summed up by all things you never got around to.

As for everybody else, here’s your summer perfectly summed up in 4 massive fails.

1. Do you even lift?

Every summer you tell yourself you’re going to bulk up or cut down and get shredded. Well I’m sorry, friend, but it’s not going to happen. Three weeks into the summer and you won’t have done any exercise since your last workout, which coincidently was your first workout, and also your last.

By the time October rolls around you’ll realise you haven’t gained or lost anything, you’re exactly where you were to begin with. And you’ll make it your resolution for the new year to start the entire Mobius strip (go look it up) again, and again, and again.

2. Book some time not to read

Forget about those classics you wanted to get acquainted with, you won’t even get around to cracking the spine – more like cracking open another boxset on Netflix. Instead you’ll order something from Amazon’s Most Popular List at best.

The characterisation will be terrible, the story will involve a murder/relationship/family secret told from several perspectives, tracking back and forth between two different time periods, and it will include a prologue written in the first-person. You’re better off not bothering.

3. Going nowhere

Thinking about visiting all those places you’ve always wanted to go? Well, you’ll look them up on the internet and settle for the view on Google Maps instead.

The only thing you’re going to see this summer is everybody else showing off where they’ve been, on Facebook. Maybe they’ve just got more free time than you… or maybe they have no job, unlimited funds, and more energy than you.

4. The 101 that got away

A summer romance would definitely be the highlight of your year, whether you’re currently in a relationship or not. Unfortunately this isn’t an episode of Dawson’s Creek, or a One Direction song, this is real-life and you won’t find time to meet the temporary love of your life between all those boxsets you’ll be watching and all the places you won’t be visiting.

Sure, you’ll see the potential trysts in every beautiful-looking, sweet-smelling, revealingly-dressed passer by on the sun-soaked streets, but you won’t do anything about it. You may as well be looking at other people on television.

June 1, 2015
Monday Not-so-Funday: 7 Thoughts You Have at the Start of Every Week

So it’s another Monday, probably the least appealing day of the week. Sure, it doesn’t have all the drudgery of a Wednesday, and Thursdays are practically useless, but it’s still got to be everybody’s most hated all of weekdays. Unless it’s a Bank Holiday, then it rules.

Here are 7 thoughts we all have every Monday.

Is it really Monday already?

Like Christmas, Mondays seem to crop up out of nowhere, although it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise seeing as though there are roughly 52 of them every year. The main shocker being that the weekend is up already – what did you do with it, where did all go?

Just a few more minutes sleep…

Maybe if you close your eyes and snooze for ten more minutes, it will stave the rest of the day off for what will hopefully seem like hours. And it often does, hours of half-conscious, groggy regret.

Why didn’t I go to bed earlier?

Remember when you were little and your parents made you go to bed early on a Sunday? Well, obviously there was a good reason for it.

That YouTube/Netflix binge you had last night, squeezing every last drop out of your weekend, has come with a trade-off. Now you would have given anything for your mum to have marched around at 8pm to shove you off upstairs.

I’d pay anything not to get up

Maybe there’s some sort of option where you don’t turn up for work and they simply subtract it from your pay? Oh yes, there is, and it’s called unemployment.

I’ve never had so much to do as I have right now

Monday always bring with it a whole new list of things that need doing, typically carried over from the previous week. But you just know that today is definitely going to be busiest of all Mondays.

This is going to be a long week

If you live for the weekend then today is definitely not your day, and the rest of the week is only going to drag more and more, like sitting in a traffic jam on the way to Alton Towers.

Tonight, pub

There’s no question about it, as soon as the clock strikes half-past four, you’re out that office and straight dow the pub. After all, you haven’t had chance to unwind with your mates for a whole day.

May 18, 2015
And The Results Are In: Who Did Your Friends Vote For?

Unless you’ve been living under a rock the past few months, or rather hiding under one to avoid the relentless coverage and annoying memes, you will undoubtably know there was an election earlier this week. Yesterday, in fact. And the results are pouring in as I’m writing this post.

But who did your friends vote for? Does it really matter, and should you even care? Well, if you’re friends are anything like ours, ‘shaming’ you into voting with motivational Facebook updates (yawn), then we think it’s very important!

So in the interest of cutting certain friends out of your social circle and forming new alliances with people you never imagined shared similar views, we’ve put together a few points to consider.

You’re out for a few drinks. Your friend orders…

a. A pint of bitter the colour of the treacle, with a head of cream like a Walls 99.

b. A bottle of something imported. The label looks more pricey than the one inside your shirt.

c. Larger. Simples.

d. Cosmopolitan.

Your friend does the weekly shop at…

a. Farmers markets, for everything, including clothes.

b. Marks and Spencer.

c. Used to be Tesco, now Lidl.

d. All of the above

You decide to watch a film. You’re friend suggests…

a. James Bond, of course!

b. Bond. All the way.

c. Bond.

d. Something with little dialogue, scores of orchestral music and sweeping shots of flowery scenery.

You take a peak at your friend’s phone, the wall paper is…

a. James Bond, of course!

b. Just the colour grey.

c. FHM cover girl.

d. A picture of their pet.

Results: UKIP, mainly a’s. Conservative, mainly b’s. Labour, mainly c’s. Lib Dem, mainly d’s. It’s a tie, no surprise really, they’re all the same.

May 8, 2015
6 Signs You Need to Go Out and Start Having Fun

It’s nice to get some downtime now and again, but when things start to go awry you know it’s time to get up off the sofa and have some fun outside. In case you can’t tell the difference between a day off and a write-off, here’s 6 signs to look out for:

You’re surfing channels like an Australian pro

Whatever‘s on television, it’s not something you want to watch. As a result, you’re constantly flicking over, surfing channels like an Australian pro, in the hopes of landing on something that might interest you in the slightest.

Sadly you’ve either seen it before, seen it too many times, or can’t stand Holly Willoughby.

Wikipedia is more enthralling than you remember

Whether or not it’s a credible source of information doesn’t matter, all of a sudden Wikipedia is the most enthralling thing on the Internet – scratch that, the world!

Instead of actually reading whatever is at the top of Amazon’s bestseller list, or investing days in a Breaking Bad boxset, you’re glimpsing over the synopsis in a fraction of the time.

Everybody else is having fun, obviously

You can’t be sure, and without resorting to Facebook there is no way to prove it – but you’re fairly certain everybody in the world is having a better time than you.

For the first time in forever, you feel guilty about not exercising

Usually you couldn’t care less about how many sit-ups you can do, or that your arms aren’t quite ‘big’ enough, but for some reason this is really eating away at you today. You should be pumping iron, eating protein, piling on the muscle. Everybody else is winning at fitness and you’re just a scrawny, out of shape weakling!

It’s 2am and you’re still on Wikipedia

You don’t know how it’s happened, but somehow you’ve found yourself on a Wiki page detailing the last recorded witch-burning. Why this interests you, you cannot say, but it does, and it’s probably going to get even creepier until you fall asleep.

You’ve discovered your tea ‘limit’

Until this point you never knew how many cups of tea you drink in a single day. It’s seven. For everybody, it’s seven.

April 22, 2015