An Optimistic Advent Calendar - Day 1

Ding Dong Merrily on High! Welcome to day 1 of 'An Optimistic Advent Calendar'. From now until the 24th, I'll be bringing you a daily dose of Christmas cheer by sharing all sorts of festive makes and bakes, things to see and do and of course, lots of pretty pictures - all served up with an extra handful of seasonal sparkle. So pop back tomorrow for another look.

Gravity

Gravity's opening shot would be the centrepiece of any other space film. A glowing corner of Earth fills the left-hand side of the screen while a solitary dot floats in the blackness beyond. Is it a star? Some kind of space debris? Either way, it's distant, like everything else. It takes minutes for it to become discernible, welcome minutes that give you time to drink in the view and nudge the person next to you to make sure they're as in awe as you are. There is silence except for the faint crackle of voices over a radio then some vaguely audible country and western beaming out of George Clooney's space suit, completely at odds with the stillness.

Shot at the Night

The Killers are one of the few bands that continue to make truly beautiful narrative music videos. Shot at the Night, set against the bright lights of Las Vegas, Nevada, features Bella Heathcote and Max Minghella as a couple making the most of their chance meeting. Take a look.

Autumn

It's official; as of this weekend, Autumn has begun and naturally, as an optimist, I'm looking forward to it. The crunchy leaves, the rosy cheeks, the amazing telly and above all ... the excuse to buy a new coat. There's loads to love, so for your delectation, here's a gallery of scrumptious seasonal highlights.

Cinemagraphs

   

Did somebody ask for a blog filled with beautiful pictures perfect for scrolling through with a cup of tea on a rainy Friday afternoon? Thought so - The Optimist is here to help. Take a look at annstreetstudio.com, the stunning blog from Jamie Beck and Kevin Berg.

I love Richard Curtis

He's the man that brought us Renée as Bridget Jones, tore our hearts in two when he reimagined the life of Vincent Van Gogh for Doctor Who, introduced us to The Vicar of Dibley and even had a hand in the script for War Horse. Oh, and he's the writer of Love Actually which also makes him responsible for the painfully cute scene between Keira Knightley and Andrew Lincoln which spawned a million flip board marriage proposals, plus ... he made Colin Firth speak Portugese.

Cheltenham Spa

Fancy a stay-cation? Well The Optimist's taking the hard work out of deciding where to go - by choosing for you! In each of my insider's guides, I'll pick a different UK destination, then give you a run-down of all its hotspots and highlights. To make my compendiums a bit different to the average guidebook though, I'll be sharing those little known gems that are usually missed by tourists, for those that want to experience something out of the ordinary on their visit.