Welcome back. In the unlikely event that you are bemused by the lack of posts, fear not. For more, investigate the post following this entry. This was a visit from Scott and Gilli, who were brave enough to drive down from the North East to spend two days in sunny Suffolk. Appropriate distancing measures were put in place, including separate bathroom / washroom facilities (en-suite coming to the rescue).
redandwhiterag
Great Hallingbury
Another two nighter, this time to see friends we first met on our second ever cruise on the Jewel of the Seas in 2007. We stayed at the Great Hallingbury Manor, which proved to be roughly equidistant from our respective abodes. There were two negatives, neither to do with the hotel. The first was the diversion, which added 10 minutes to the journey (and 30 minutes if you end up visiting the M11 in error :-). The second was the flight path. No matter which way you cut it, the hotel is directly (that’s directly) under the Stansted flight path…
Another Milsoms
A midweek overnighter at a Milsoms hotel, this time with friends in Dedham. On the first day we had a pleasant afternoon in Dedham itself, prior to the evening meal in the hotel. The following morning, a leisurely breakfast was followed by a morning coffee in the lounge (a liqueur coffee in my case!!) and then a return trip to Flatford. The hotel itself was …
Brudenell and Beyond
As we’d booked the Barb Jungr gig a while ago, decided to augment the concert with a two nighter at the Brudenell in Aldeburgh…
Christmas and more
Just back from a lovely Christmas break at Scott’s, blessed with good company and relatively placid weather. On the way up to the North East we had a stopover at the Belton Woods Hotel, which was a significant improvement over our last visit. No Downtown bargain purchases though!
The Wilsations at the Wolsey
Would be surprised how many pundits even remember Mari Wilson, but we spent last night at the Wolsey, largely based on hazy recollections of a couple of 80s hit singles and the very fine album “Rhythm Romance“, which I bought when it came out in 1991!!….
Liverpool in Five
The end of a fairly busy few weeks just finished with a five night break in Liverpool in what proved to be the excellent Pullman Hotel near the Albert Docks. We weren’t blessed with an abundance of good weather but that was about the only item lacking on what was an otherwise excellent break…
London in Three
Took the opportunity of a hastily arranged trip to London for Mrs. No Name and friend to catch the Mary Quant exhibition as an excuse to extend the stay into a three nighter at the Bailey Hotel just off Gloucester Road.
Silversea Sojourn
Finally, a decent longer term break to recount. This one aboard the Silversea Silver Wind, boarded at Reykjavik after a flight and two night break there, followed by a cruise around both the islands and mainland of Canada. Well, it should have been, but the first two ports were, quite understandably, never visited because of what some might describe as ‘interesting’ weather conditions.
Snape 2019 – Gigs Three and Four
The last two gigs of this year’s Snape Proms (for us I should add) consisted of two contrasting bands from the folkish side of popular music; and it’s not giving too much away to confide that it was as usual a very fine way to enjoy both the new and familiar through these Snape performances. Although it is , as we shall see, always good to finish with the best of the lot.
Gilbert O’Sullivan (Snape Proms 2019)
This was the Monday gig that worried me. I had always had a sneaking regard for Gilbert O’Sullivan’s early releases (‘Alone Again Naturally’, ‘Nothing Rhymed’ etc.) but given that they were recorded at very start of the 70s, that seemed a very long time ago and I will freely admit to knowing little of him or his material post late 1970s (at the latest)…..
Pee Wee Ellis
That time of year again and Monday night was the first of four somewhat interesting choices for this year’s Snape Proms. Pee Wee, as any Van the Man fan will tell you, was Morrison’s horn player and musical director for much of the 80s (again in the 90s), although Ellis has had a much richer and varied career than that….