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The Alamo (1960 movie)

There are those who dislike “THE ALAMO” – starring and directed by John Wayne – for its gung-ho patriotism but (for me) it’s a big action war movie of the ilk that is made so often these days. I watched it for the third time yesterday The story is of a make-shift fortress, [...]

October 12, 2025 // 0 Comments

À la Colthard/The Reading Room Brighton Beach.

One of my mantras is that – not only do you not have to spend a fortune in à restaurant to have a good time – you should not have to. I was recommended “THE READING ROOM” cafe/restaurant by Polly, Bob Tickler’s p/a,  so recently I tried it out. It was a 20 minute walk [...]

August 28, 2025 // 0 Comments

Classic British Cinema

Over the weekend I watched the the Sky team review in their Classic Films series and acclaim Kind Hearts and Coronets and then on Film 4 The Long Good Friday: both are – in their different ways – classics of British cinema. Kind Hearts and Coronets is an Ealing Comedy though Ian Jarvis, [...]

July 20, 2025 // 0 Comments

First Day World Test championships/Australia v. South Africa

I was in two minds whether to use my ticket for the ICC WORLD TEST FINAL contested between South Africa and Australia. I have had a recent run of bereavements and I thought the event might conflict with a funeral. In such situations (of losing a close friend) I follow the advice of the American [...]

June 12, 2025 // 0 Comments

A la Colthard/Cannizzaro House Wimbledon

The main assets of Cannizaro House are its gardens and the white palladian villa. Its location is on the west side of Wimbledon Common within walking distance of the buzzy village. Wimbledon’s (District Line) Tube station takes you into central London and its rail station is one stop away [...]

June 10, 2025 // 0 Comments

The Barber of Seville (Glyndebourne)

This was an excellent production of Il Barbiere di Siviglia Rossini’s great opera buffa (comic opera), based upon the play by Pierre Beaumarchais. The story is of the triumph of true love: that of Count Almaviva (Jonah Hoskins) and Rosina (Cecilia Molinari), the ward of Dr. Bartolo who also [...]

May 28, 2025 // 0 Comments

Two American songbook concerts (BBC 4)

Last night I watched a recording of an Ethel Merman concert that she gave years ago and another on BBC 4 of  Kiri Te Kanawa, Jeremy Irons and Warren Mitchell singing songs from My Fair Lady. I guess this original Albert Hall concert would have taken place some thirty years ago. The problem is [...]

May 26, 2025 // 0 Comments

Private versus Public ownership

If you are looking for justification for the benefits of private entrepreneurship versus public ownership, you need look no further than the beach at West Wittering. I bought a beach hut there three years ago, against much advice. Polly my P/A – so astute in property matters – observed [...]

May 3, 2025 // 0 Comments

The Great Escape

A Bank Holiday would not be one without showing The Great Escape (1963) and – sure enough – Film 4 showed it on a cold Easter Monday. The previous day I had watched another team movie – Ocean’s Eleven (2001) – but it compared unfavourably. The Great Escape has the [...]

April 23, 2025 // 0 Comments

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