Thursday, October 18, 2007

Group B: Marta (e-tivity 2)



..I don't know if I was influenced by the fact it was lunchtime, but I started searching the Web for blogs on recipes..and here is a very interesting blog you can visit any time you have friends coming for dinner, or when you just want to add new recipes to your personal cookbook..
The author of this blog is a Californian woman with a great passion for cooking, who has decided to share on the Web her family recipes and her love for good food..
Are you interested in Mexican or American cuisine? The recipes you find on this blog come from all over the world! But that's not all: you can also find special sections with veg and wheat-free recipes, which are very useful for those who, like me, suffer from coeliac disease.
As in all blogs, visitors are invited to give their opinions, and in fact each recipe is usually followed by lots of comments, which actually show how popular this blog is (it was even voted Best Food Blog Overall in 2006!). Now, guys, I think I'll go home and have lunch, all these recipes are making me hungry!


The second blog I have come across whilst searching the Web for information about movies informs you of the latest Hollywood movies through film reviews, interviews and trailers. Hollywood stars' career so far, as well as rumors on their life, can be easily found by just clicking on the link to a movie database: for example, did you know that Ben Affleck could be almost at the end of his career? If you want to know why, you just need to go to this blog and, possibly, leave your own comment on the actor!


Notes on the style used on these two blogs
Both blogs have an informal style, which can be seen in the use of abbreviations, smileys, colloquial expressions (like for example "by the way"..) and in the omission of the grammatical subject (like in the sentence "Can't wait to try this out.."). In particular, an informal style characterizes the comments visitors leave on the blog.
The blog on cuisine offers several links to other blogs on the same topic and on some cookbooks which are now out. In some cases, a particularly interesting link to Wikipedia is used to give historical explanations on the origin of a certain recipe or ingredient.
The blog on movies mainly links to other blogs and websites on related topics: in this way, you can easily get more information about a specific movie, or actor, or director.

3 comments:

ElenaCosta said...

Hi Marta!
I think the blog about films you suggested is definetely worth visiting! When I surf the web, I am usually attracted not only by the content of the websites I find, but also by their layout: I feel more inclined to stop and focus my attention on a well organized page, which enables me to satisfy my curiosity about that particular topic without wasting time in understanding how the links work. This is the case: when I opened the blog, I immediately found a bar containing a list of categories that help the visitor to restrict his search; right below it, other sections show the links to the latest news about trailers, interviews and events; the posts take up the rest of the page and they provide interesting information for people keen on films (but they are not only shallow gossips). I also appreciated the colours chosen: the white background shows up the other elements, while the red titles catch the reader's attention.
Good choice, Marta!
If you want, you can check the blog I found about celebrities' scandals and compare it with this one: you will see that it looks very different, it is more colorful and the language used is close to slang. The structure and the visual organization of a blog has to mirror his author's style and the contents it deals with.
See you soon!
Elena

tortina84 said...

Hi, Marta!
First of all, I’d like to thank you for what you’ve said in your comment to my post (e-tivity 2); I’ve read it, and I’m happy to know that you appreciate my interest for plugging into the things of the world.
Well, now let’s talk about blogs! It was not lunchtime when I read your post, but the first blog you suggested, the one about recipes, roused my curiosity. Trust me, I can understand what you say: I’m not a celiac disease sufferer, but I’ve some problems with food too, because I’m allergic to some of them. Moreover, my father is a fun of organic and “alternative” food, so I often eat soya, tofu or things like that. I’ve just visited the blog and I must admit that my curiosity has been fully satisfied! This blog by this Californian woman is simply amazing! First of all, I like it because it’s coloured but very well-organized: one can easily find the recipes, because they’re labelled by types. Then, there’re the photos: I firmly believe that if there are coloured photos showing you what the final product should be, you’re more motivated to cook! Do you agree? Finally, I appreciate the style the author uses: very informal, friendly and direct. It seems like speaking with a friend…Maybe this is the reason why there are so many comments!
Bye!

Martina

Sara DT said...

Hi Marta!
It's ten thirty p.m. and I'm getting a bit hungry...but it's not really hunger...I just would like something tasty...so the blog you signaled is what makes for me! I clicked and I found myself in the realm of temptations! I took a look at different types of recipes and I found them very inviting. I agree with Martina that the blog is clear and well constructed and, overall, that pictures are very important: tthay make you understand what the result will be and invite you to cook or, at least, to try... I think I'm going to try the apple pie recipe! I'll let you know the result.
Bye!
Sara