Just back from an excellent week in Guernsey. Our third visit in four years, so in danger of becoming a ritual! The self deprecating cheap shot would imply it’s something to do with our age but the island has more to offer than a friendly environment for those of a certain vintage.
Birthday Bash!
Last minute(ish) long weekend away in Ely at the Poets House Hotel. Very pleasant hotel with its butler service USP (which, perversely, we didn’t use). Excellent restaurant, which we sampled both evenings, and which looked to be popular with both hotel guests and locals alike. Just enough in Ely to keep you busy for two full days.
Premier League Ennui
Barely two weeks into the new Premier League season and I appear to be largely disinterested already. Although I am of advancing years (they definitely speed up as you get older, that’s scientific fact) I am not of the opinion that everything was better in the ‘good old days’ when players were paid a pittance, played for one club throughout their career and retired to run a pub, having received a few hundred quid from their testimonial.
The Heat
It might not be the most original film released this year and the plot may be a tad formulaic, but The Heat is still a must see. The reasons? A great take on the good cop / bad cop routine, played out to wonderful effect by Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy, some sassy dialogue and genuinely hilarious interplay between the two lead characters. Just goes …
Gwyneth Herbert’s Sea Cabinet
Back to the Snape proms for the final time this year, this time to see and hear a performance of Herbert’s Sea Cabinet, based on the sights and sounds of the Aldeburgh coastline. Having said that, we didn’t get to see or hear Gwyneth for most of the first half of the concert, which was a tad surprising.
Bellowhead at the Proms
The Snape Proms always feature what could be loosely described as folk or traditional bands as part of the overall programme and this year was no exception. Lau has already played and on Thursday night it was the turn of Bellowhead, who are always fantastic value in a live setting.
Sunderland and the rest!
Not long back from a visit to Sunderland to see son and daughter-in-law, punctuated either side of the weekend with a stay in Yorkshire on the way up and Rutland on the way back down. Lovely trip, very well looked after and we got lucky with the weather as well.
Three for two at Snape
Saturday and Monday evening at Snape Maltings to see, firstly, Clare Teal and then Lau, supported by the Elysian Quartet. We’ve seen the “British Queen of Swing” before (at Snape I believe) but this time she was accompanied by a small combo (piano, bass and drums) rather than a big band.
By Royal Appointment – Here is the News
The princess has given birth to a boy, who weighed 8lb 6oz and is yet to be named, at 16:24 BST on Monday the 22nd July 2013. Mother and baby are both doing well and will stay in hospital overnight. Prince William was present at the birth. And that’s the news, isn’t it?
Lowry In London
Or more accurately, a Lowry retrospective at Tate Britain. Went down on Sunday for a couple of nights, primarily for ‘private’ showing at the Tate on the Monday evening, the result of a competition win by Denise through the show sponsor, the Independent.
Ely Festival 2013
No festivals for a while and then two come along at once. Maverick last week and Saturday at Ely this week. Previously went to Ely in 2011 and always said we’d return – this is our folk festival for the year (at least for now, unless we make the long trip to Glemham Hall for Folk East) as we are again giving Cambridge a miss.
Saturday at the Maverick Festival 2013
Third visit to Easton Park and the second where we should have turned out for the three days rather than just the one. Definitely next year! Paul Spencer and Ken Ansell have clearly got friends in very high places – another cracking, sunny day to accompany the excellent music, good food and fine ales. I was less familiar with most of the artists performing this year, so it’s good to report such a terrific standard across all the stages on Saturday.