Latest news with #Estella
The Guardian
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Herbert Pocket is far from a minor character in Great Expectations
Well, Zoe Williams, I have heard of Herbert and so has anyone else who's read Great Expectations (Think you know a lot about Dickens? Then who's this Herbert character?, 28 May). Herbert Pocket is a relative of Miss Havisham who fights Pip and is beaten by him. When Pip comes into money, he lives with the Pocket family, aiming to acquire the manners and knowledge of a gentleman. Pip and Herbert share chambers as young men, and so Herbert becomes aware of the Magwitch secret. He helps Pip with the failed escape. Dickens' books teem with characters, but among the crowd Herbert stands out. As does a close friendship between young men to which teenagers can relate. Jane LindenDarsham, Suffolk Herbert Pocket is not a minor character in Great Expectations. We first meet him as a boy on one of Pip's visits to Miss Havisham, where Pip fights with, and defeats, Herbert, which delights Estella, who says to Pip: 'You may kiss me if you like.' Later, when Pip acquires wealth and goes to London, Herbert lodges with him and becomes his guide to behaviour suited to his new station in life: 'It isn't usual to eat peas with a knife.' Anyone who thinks he is a minor character has not read the book properly or only in summary – a practice that I believe is becoming more RobertsManosque, France As a lifelong admirer of Great Expectations, I was puzzled that Zoe Williams could see so little in the character of Herbert Pocket. He is the 'pale young gentleman' who fights with Pip near the beginning of the story. He later becomes Pip's closest friend and shares all his experiences throughout the rest of the book. Pip confides in him about his unrequited love for Estella, and Herbert is able to explain the reason for Miss Havisham's obsessive resentments. Together they respond to the shock of the convict Magwitch's return from transportation and join in the desperate attempt to spirit him to safety. Of all the things that Pip does with his inherited fortune, the only one that he does not regret is setting Herbert up in business. I don't know the wording of the GCSE question about Herbert, but I should think he understands Pip better than any other character. His take on Pip's life story would be kind and sympathetic, but searching and perceptive as well. He seems a very good choice for students to write RigbyOldham, Greater Manchester Have an opinion on anything you've read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.
The Sun
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
I visited the UK's first Legoland music festival with live gigs and a Lego sushi bar
IF the idea of taking kids along to a summer festival sounds too much like hard-work, then Legoland Windsor may have the answer. I tried out the first ever ' Lego Festival ', at the Windsor resort with my three children Henry, 11, Nicholas, 7, and Estella 3 and they loved it. 6 6 The festival runs until June 8, and is free with normal entry to the park. This means that the next couple of weeks is a great time to visit Legoland Windsor to get more value from your ticket. The festival is scattered throughout the whole park across five distinct zones, offering shows, music, activities and of course plenty of hands-on brick modelling. Young visitors are even issued festival-style lanyards when they enter the park to really make them feel part of the action. As they make their way through the various zones completing activities they receive a stamp at every spot. A prize awaits for those who complete their stamp card. The 'Music Zone' located in the centre of the park's Heartlake City area plays home to a vibrant 'Battle of the Bands' show where kids can rock out to a group made-up of mini-figures characters brought to life. After all that high-energy performance, the nearby 'Chill Out Zone' was a perfect place for the kids to take five. Decorated with walls of flowers, in the 'Chill Out Zone' kids can build pretty brick blooms from Lego botanical kits. Elsewhere in the park, near ' Miniland ', where famous global landmarks are recreated from almost out of 40 million Lego Bricks lay the 'Dance Zone.' My little one especially loved having a boogie when a giant costumed Lego minifigure 'DJ Goodvibes' spun some tunes. Legoland Windsor opens brand new Woodland Village 6 In the nearby 'Creative Zone', Lego mosaic building was on offer in this zone, as well as cookie decoration at an additional charge. In this area kids can also watch virtual workshops from Lego masterbuilder Alec, who has a huge following on YouTube. The 'Gaming Zone' offered kids to add their own contributions to a huge Lego recreation of the Lost Isle from the popular Lego Fortnite game. There is also a quirky Lego sushi bar where children can build Lego versions of the fishy snack. Every zone features a huge new, mini-figure creation-the 'Cuddle Team Leader' from Lego Fortnite is recreated using an astonishing 21,000 bricks. And if you are lucky, costumed versions of the mini-figure characters pop up throughout the day at the zones to say hello. 6 Lego Festival is running in the lead up to World Play Day on June 11, which celebrates the importance of play to kids' development. As well as all of the festival fun, all of the Windsor resorts usual rides and attractions are open as normal. My three did all their favourites including putting out a fire in Lego City, riding in a hot air balloon and riding The Dragon rollercoaster. Legoland is always great for all ages because there is such a great mix of attractions. Whilst there are more thrilling rides for my older sons there are lots of gentle rides-such as the Fairy Tale Brook boat ride my youngest loves as you meander through gentle water ways following a re-telling classic stories like Cinderella and Hansel and Gretal with a Lego twist. By the end of their festival adventure, my three were so tired they might as well have been to Glastonbury, although they were decidedly less muddy. One Sun Travel Reporter visited the world-first Disney music festival in Europe - it has its own anthem and lots of musical attractions. And this festival has been dubbed the 'pint-sized Glastonbury' that's great for first-timers. 6
7NEWS
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- 7NEWS
Sheike just dropped a huge 50 per cent off sale in time for Euro summer
Here on Aussie shores there's plenty of gorgeous fashion brands to shop. From designer labels to high street stores, we're spoilt for choice when it comes to updating our wardrobes. That's why shoppers are rushing to Sheike to shop the best-selling dresses, tops, pants, skirts and accessories in the newly-announced half price sale. Offering up to 50 per cent off everyday wear, statement shirts and event dresses, it's a rare chance to score a steal from the crowd-favourite fashion brand. Perfect timing for those heading to Europe for a summer of sun, there's plenty of gorgeous prints, colours and lightweight materials for the warmer weather. But get in quick — sizes are already running out of stock. Here's everything you can get your hands on for under $50, $100 and $130. Under $50 Kiss And Tell Short, was $89.99 now $49.99 Estella Bag, was $89.99 now $49.99 Santorini Earrings, was $34.99 now $19.99 Devon Bodysuit, was $89.99 now $39.99 Under $100 Wave Nouveau Top, was $119.99 now $69.99 Lotty Pant, was $159.99 now $79.99 Lyla Maxi Dress, was $159.99 now $79.99 Scarlett Midi Dress, was $199.95 now $99.99 Havana Maxi Dress, was $149.99 now $99.99 Under $130 Como Mini Dress, was $229.99 now $129.99 Zari Dress, was $229.99 now $129.99 Portland Jacket, was $229.99 now $129.99 Genevieve Maxi Dress, was $239.99 now $129.99 Valentina Maxi Dress, was $249.99 now $129.99 Best fashion deals of the week Shop now There's still plenty of sales to shop across our favourite fashion brands, and we've been keeping an eye out for the best deals to shop. Those on the hunt for a designer pair of sunnies without the hefty price tag, Sunglass Hut are offering up to 50 per cent off selected sunglasses, across popular brands like RayBan. Simply head into store between May 22 - June 17 to score a steal. If you're on the hunt for something extra special, Shona Joy are hosting a highly-anticipated warehouse sale in Sydney. With nothing over $60, there's one-of-a-kind samples and bridal wear up for grabs. AJE - 25 per cent off all sale items. Gorman - 20 to 50 per cent off storewide. The Iconic - Up to 60 per cent off designer clearance at The Iconic. The Outnet - Up to 65 per cent off Ganni. Uniqlo - Sportscraft - 25 per cent off jackets, denim and pants. Sportsgirl - Nothing over $50 sale. Saba - 25 per cent off coats, jackets and knits.
Business Times
21-05-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Yoma Strategic's H2 profit falls 12.4% to US$18.3 million
[SINGAPORE] Yoma Strategic Holdings posted a 12.4 per cent decline in net profit for the second half-year ended Mar 31 to US$18.3 million, from US$20.9 million in the same period last year. This was mainly due to lower net fair value gains recorded on its investment properties in Myanmar, the conglomerate said in a regulatory filing on Wednesday (May 21). Mainboard-listed Yoma focuses on the real estate, financial services, consumer and automotive sectors. Earnings per share fell 22.8 per cent to US$0.0071, from US$0.0092 in the year-ago period. H2 revenue grew marginally by 0.7 per cent to US$110 million, from US$109.2 million a year earlier. Yoma said its revenue continues to be impacted by the depreciation of the kyat against the US dollar. The currency weakened by more than 36 per cent for the first six months of FY2025, compared to the same period last year. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Tuesday, 12 pm Property Insights Get an exclusive analysis of real estate and property news in Singapore and beyond. Sign Up Sign Up In kyat terms, H2 revenue would have been 39 per cent higher year on year. Revenue from its land development segment increased by 32.9 per cent to US$61.4 million, mainly due to contribution from sales at the Estella project, which was launched in October 2023. Revenue from its food and beverage segment rose 16.6 per cent to US$17.7 million, on the back of strong consumer demand, several successful marketing campaigns, a larger operating platform, and additional fees from the YKKO franchise expansion. The group recorded declines in revenue across all its other segments in H2. The latest results bring Yoma's full-year net profit down 49.4 per cent to US$9.3 million, while full-year revenue slipped 7.1 per cent to US$205.2 million. Yoma said the 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck central Myanmar on Mar 28 had minimal impact on its operations . It reported that 13 of its restaurants were affected by 'temporary disruptions' in the wake of the quake, but nine of these have since reopened. Yoma added that it does not expect the natural disaster to have any material impact on its FY2026 performance, and estimates direct loss of revenue from business interruptions being less than 1 per cent of its revenue for the financial year ended March 2025. Direct total costs related to net damage repairs and disaster relief support are also expected to amount to 'less than US$1 million'. At 3 pm, shares of Yoma Strategic were up 1.3 per cent or S$0.001 to S$0.079, after the announcement .
The Sun
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Warwick Castle is a magical family day out and Zog Live show left huge smiles on my kids' face
'WHAT a good idea!' said Zog. Then up and off he flew. They are words I have read out loud to my four-year-old daughter at hundreds of bedtimes, from Julia Donaldson's story Zog. 3 So we both had big smiles on our faces as we heard it while watching Warwick Castle's Zog Live show. The charming show, running until September, was a big hit, with smoke, giant dragons and a knight on horseback. My daughter Estella also couldn't wait to see Zog Playland, tugging my hand and urging 'Come on Mummy!' as she raced down a wooden walkway towards the slide which is a kid-friendly gateway to the area. It was difficult to coax her from this bright play area that's designed with younger children in mind, full of inventive swings, tunnels, towers and even a zip line. And my two boys, Henry, 11, and Nicholas, seven, were right in their element at the Horrible Histories maze next door. Based on the bestselling books, the mind-muddling maze takes families on a journey through time, picking up fascinating, funny — and gross — facts along the way. Warwick Castle is a great day out for families with kids of all ages because such a wide variety of attractions, shows and tours are included with your entry ticket. The boys were captivated by The Legend Of The Trebuchet show, awe-struck by the giant wooden siege machine catapulting ammo across the sky in dramatic style. And also gracing those skies, best observed from the beautiful riverside setting, were the stars of The Falconer's Quest show, the UK's largest birds of prey display. And all this adventure came before we had even set foot inside the imposing castle, with its near-1,000-year history. Scotland's Hidden Gem: Codona's Named Best Family Day Out at Entertainment Awards Our guided tour of the Great Hall and State rooms gave the children an insight into what life would have been like within their walls, while The Kingmaker walkthrough exhibit recreated the sounds and the atmosphere of the build-up to a War of the Roses battle. But Estella and I sought a moment's solace from all the bloodthirsty historic tales with a trip up the Princess Tower. It's a delightful interactive storytelling experience aimed at children aged three upwards, where we helped crown Princess Eve the Queen of Warwick. Before we headed home, we scaled the ramparts and towers with the many stone steps of the spiral stairs ensuring we had three worn-out adventurers at the end of the day. In the words of the magical Zog, our day out at Warwick Castle really had been a good idea. 3
