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How we got to here

There is a certain irony – and perhaps sympathy to be extended – whenever the ‘house-of-cards’ edifice of someone’s life collapses, all the more so when this happens in an unforgiving front-of-stage spotlight of public gaze and media comment. As I beheld the weekend’s newspaper and [...]

June 12, 2017 // 0 Comments

Casting around

It must have been over 20 years ago that I dated an aspiring young actress. She had no interest in me and we left it that she would contact me. She never did. The only thing I can remember about her was her name. Last night on Saturday Review a play Common at the National Theatre was reviewed and [...]

June 11, 2017 // 0 Comments

A chance encounter

It so happened yesterday that I was due to have lunch in an Italian restaurant on Grafton Way close to Warren Street Tube station. On my way I emerged into the sunlight at Tottenham Court Road Tube station and, for no other reason that I had some time to spare, decided – instead of walking [...]

June 8, 2017 // 0 Comments

It never rains but it pours

Yesterday was largely taken up with travelling to the designated medical centre for an appointment for a screening offered to me (as someone over the age of 65) by the NHS that is designed to provide an early warning sign – if any be detected – of a potential future abdominal aortic [...]

June 8, 2017 // 0 Comments

The knock on the door

Several centuries ago now (in the 1970s) – I cannot even recall which time of year it was but it was during a student vacation of some kind – a pal and I, editors of our respective student magazines, pitched up at a convention in Salford on the general topic of student publications, [...]

June 8, 2017 // 0 Comments

Sussex wine

I was honoured to be asked to contribute to the National Rust on wine. I have known the redoubtable Daphne Colthard for years and no one can pick apart a restaurant wine menu better than Daffers. However she freely admits that wine for drinking and for investment is not her Prada bag. I thought [...]

June 6, 2017 // 0 Comments

Leaving home

Last week I effectively ended my quarter of a century affiliation to Harlequins FC by not renewing my season ticket for the 2017/2018 season by the well-publicised deadline date. I shall remain a member of the club but I shall no more – well, hang on, even I cannot quite rule out ever – go down [...]

June 6, 2017 // 0 Comments

A la Colthard / Pike and Pine

Chef Matt Gillan earned his stripes at the Pass, South Lodge Hotel near Horsham and deservedly so. The food on his grazing menu was spectacular, my only criticism that you had to perch on stools. He has now opened the Pike and Pine in Brighton. Curiously by day it is the Redcoaster Cafe. Brighton [...]

June 4, 2017 // 0 Comments

International cross cultural relationships – do they ever work?

In the week I had a drink with a Thai lady of my acquaintance. Although she did not know this it was in the context of various discussions and debates I have had with Bob Tickler, his p/a Polly and her best friend Grania over men who take Thai brides. Bob took the view that Thai women were neither [...]

June 3, 2017 // 0 Comments

The Descent of Pan

All my life I’ve been a fanatical all-round sports fan but the incident in which Tiger Woods was arrested for ‘DUI’ [driving under the influence] on Monday 29th May has caused plenty of reaction and had me wracking my brains. In the UK I must have since read at least a dozen [...]

June 3, 2017 // 0 Comments

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