How to survive the Wimbledon queue

Thinking of queueing to see the best tennis that London has to offer? Read my no-frills guide on how to survive the legendary Wimbledon queue.

                 

Queue Card

When you first enter the Wimbledon queue, you will be issued with a queue card that is dated and numbered to show your position in the queue. This card is required to gain entry into the grounds so don't lose it. I would also strongly advise people to memorize the number on their queue card. Doing this will make it easier for you to find your way back to your friend if you step out of the queue to get some food or use the toilets.

Come prepared 

Even if you are only queueing for a ground pass, you will mostly likely be in the queue for several hours at least. With that in mind, come prepared. Bring a mat or a blanket to sit on. Dress appropriately according to the weather. Food and drinks are available on site but you may want to bring your own snacks. Something to help pass the time like a packet of cards might also be useful.

Show courts 

The Wimbledon queue gets really busy really quickly with numbers constantly increasing from one year to the next. With that in mind, if you are hoping to bag a ticket for one of the show courts to see Murray, Federer, Djokovic, or even Nadal, I would strongly suggest pitching a tent and queueing overnight. Centre Court, Court 1, Court 2, and Court 3 are referred to as the 'show courts' and frequently host the top players. Typically, 500 tickets per court are allocated to patrons in the queue so being in the first 2,000 people gives you a distinct advantage.

Ground passes

For those queueing for a ground pass, it is advisable to start queueing four or five hours before the grounds open at 11am to maximise your chances of gaining entry. Ground pass ticket holders have access to all of the outside courts including unreserved seating on Court 3. Court 3 and Court 18 frequently host well known players ranked just outside, or sometimes even  inside the Top Ten. Seats on these courts are allocated on a first come, first serve basis and fill up rapidly. I would suggest checking the order of play in advance if there is a particular match on these courts that you want to see.

                             

Check the weather forecast 

There's nothing worse than queueing for several hours to gain entry into the Wimbledon grounds only to get there and have play suspended due to rain. For this reason, I would strongly advise people to check the weather forecast before making the decision to queue. 

Security Check

Before you enter the Wimbledon grounds all patrons in the queue are subjected to an airport-style security check. Do not bring anything with you that could jeopardise your entry into the grounds, such as sharp objects.

Ticket Turnstiles 

Prices for the ground passes and show courts vary throughout the Championships and are displayed on the queue cards. Tickets can be purchased from the turnstiles located at the entrance of the grounds. Bear in mind that the turnstiles accept CASH ONLY.

Practice Courts 

Didn't manage to bag a Centre Court ticket but still longing to catch a glimpse of Murray? Fear not. Located north of Court 1 at the far end of the Wimbledon grounds, the practice courts are a great way to kill time before play commences while also providing a fantastic opportunity to witness the game's best players hitting a few balls.

Autograph Island 

Also located at the far end of the Wimbledon grounds, Autograph Island is a great place to hang out while trying to nab your favourite player for an autograph as they're going to and from practice.

Make sure you have your camera at the ready as you never know who you might see!

Enjoy yourself 

Most importantly, remember to soak up the atmosphere and enjoy yourself. While the Wimbledon queue may have tired you out a little bit, being at the centre of the action makes it all worthwhile in the end. If you're feeling peckish and fancy a break from the tennis, I'd highly recommend Wimbledon's delicious afternoon tea!

                           

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Fashion's failings:petite women

Do you know what really irks me? The level of discrimination towards petite women by the fashion industry. And before you tell me that I'm preaching about nothing, maybe you should hear me out?
Every day I wake up and watch the fashion segment on one of Ireland's most popular morning shows. During the fashion segment, a stylist presents the viewers at home with five different fashion 'looks' that they have created with the help of stores, websites, and boutiques from around the country. And every day, it's the same story. Typically, the models who have been chosen to showcase the fashion picks of the day are the slim and lanky types who average a height of 5ft 9. As a woman who stands at a modest 5 ft 2 inches, I am sick and tired of watching models show off dresses and jeans that I'll never be able to buy or wear because I am of a smaller build.

Not only that, but there have been several instances in the past where the same morning show has dedicated the fashion segment to curvy women who may be larger than the average lady. When one of the presenters on the show suggested that they dedicate the fashion segment to smaller women, it was shot down by the stylist who maintained that they need to show looks that cater for the average viewer. However, while I appreciate that the morning show's main objective is to attract as many viewers as possible, I don't see the harm in having a fashion segment that every so often committed itself to showcasing petite clothing. After all, if they can have a slot for curvy women, why can't they have a slot for small women?

Whether some people are willing to admit it or not, curvy and petite women suffer from the same problem. Both body types are desperate to find affordable yet, trendy clothes that fit them in a way that is most flattering to their figure. With that in mind, petite women should be treated by stylists in a similar manner to curvy women; that is, a level of understanding that their body differs from that of an average woman, and a commitment to helping them seek out the particular retailers that stock clothes that will enhance their body shape.

Australian singer and actress Dannii Minogue recently launched her very own petite clothing range after becoming fed up of having to get her clothes altered. It shouldn't be this way. All women, whether curvy, slim, or tall should be able to wear clothes that make them feel beautiful. Petite women are no exception.

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What is EzrA hiding?

Regular viewers of the hit teen-drama series Pretty Little Liars will remember that Mr. Fitz, or Ezra, was revealed as 'A', the show's villain, in the mid-way Season 4 finale.

Since then, the once adorable Mr. Fitz, has taken on the persona of some sort of creepy stalker, prompting viewers to question the motive behind his strange behaviour.

Now, in the most recent episode, the ever-inquisitive Spencer Hastings discovers that Ezra is in fact 'board shorts', an attractive guy whom Alison apparently had a fling with before she went missing.

So, what is Erza hiding? Why is he eavesdropping on the girls' conversations and documenting their every move?

More importantly, what does he want with Alison?

I've gathered together a list of explanations that may explain the motivation behind Ezra's sketchy demeanor.

1. Ezra is evil. Quite simply, Ezra is an evil psychopath who enjoys torturing others, and who also has a fetish for teenage girls.

2. Private Investigator/Cop. Ezra was hired as a private investigator by someone in Rosewood to investigate Alison's disappearance. Ezra may also be working on the case alone as an undercover cop.

3. Undercover Reporter. In the vein of the Drew Barrymore film 'You've never been kissed', Ezra was sent to Rosewood as an undercover journalist to report on Alison's disappearance. Like many a typical reporter, Ezra has become obsessed with the case, and will stop at nothing until he finds out what happened to Alison.

4. Ezra is on the A-Team. Just like every other resident of Rosewood, Alison knew Ezra before she disappeared. Given that Alison has often been portrayed as a manipulate attention-seeker, there is a good possibility that she may have upset Ezra, providing him with a motive for wanting her dead.

5. Personality disorder. Ezra suffers from some sort of split-personality disorder. This would explain why Ezra often appears as two different people depending on who he's with and how he's feeling at a certain time.

6. Ezra has a twin.  There are two Ezra's, a bad one, and a good one. The good one is the one that is dating Aria, while the bad one is the one that is stalking the girls.

My favourite theories are numbers two and three. Let's hope the big reveal won't leave us disappointed!

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Film Review: Delivery Man

Film Review: Delivery Man

Directed by Ken Scott, 'Delivery Man' stars the ever-enjoyable Vince Vaughn as incompetent meat truck driver and all-round bum David Wozniak.

Under scrutiny from his father and on the run from mobsters after failing to pay back his debts, David's life is turned upside down when it is revealed that he is the biological father of 533 children after donating sperm 693 times to the same fertility clinic twenty years previous, under the pseudonym of 'StarBuck'. 

When his best friend and attorney Brett (Chris Pratt) gives him the profiles of 146 of these children who are attempting to discover his identity, David decides to visit them one by one and sets out to help them in any way that he can without them knowing who he is.  At the same time, these 146 children are attempting to sue David in an effort to force him to reveal his identity. After being assaulted by the mobsters, David decides to sue the fertility clinic for punitive damages, resulting in a high profile court case between David and his children. If that's not chaotic enough, David is also trying to maintain a stable relationship with girlfriend Emma (Cobie Smulders), who just so happens to be pregnant with his unborn child. Yep, that makes 534.

If you can get past the somewhat ridiculous storyline, there is a rather endearing message at the heart of this film: that is, the powerful bond between parents and their children. It's silly, farfetched, and utterly unbelievable, but the film's lighthearted tone is guaranteed to put a smile on your face, if only temporarily.

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