I like this, in an I wouldn’t actually want one sort of a way:: But it isn’t a serious piece of furniture. Nobody is actually going to buy one of these edifices. If that’s wrong, I look forward to learning about it and telling you about it, with more photos, of this 3 decker sofa … Continue reading Silly sofa to advertise domestic television getting bigger and better
I have been reading more of Leo McKinstry’s Operation Sealion, and very fine it is too. I hadn’t been keeping up with McKinstry’s books, but now learn that, among several other topics, he has written books about Alf Ramsey, Jack Hobbs, and the Hawker Hurricane (“Victor of the Battle of Britain”). Memo to self: read … Continue reading The men but not the luggage – and a round of golf
I like doing podcasts, and have recently resumed doing this. The difference between these and earlier efforts is that I am not making the mistake of trying to be the interviewer, a role which I have learned, the hard way, that I am utterly unsuited to. I do not, however, like doing podcasts because I … Continue reading Talking with – and without – a microphone
I like it when cars are old enough to have round headlights, and I especially like it when they have not just two round headlights, but four round headlights: Photoed by me in Wilton Road, on my way to Victoria Station, earlier this month. My camera does artificially lit darkness rather well, I think. In … Continue reading What kind of car is this? Answer: A Charger and a Bee
Those little chinese cats, the ones that slowly wave their paws in the air, are often to be seen in gift shops. But I never thought I’d see one of these pretend cats being copied by a real cat. Dogs will copy, including copying their humans, like in this bit of video at the same … Continue reading Copycat (and copydog)
GodDaughter One’s Mum and Dad are members of a theatre-going gang, who take it in turns to organise for them all to go to the theatrical performance, about every month or so. Tonight it was Antony and Cleopatra by the RSC, at the Barbican. But GodDaughter One’s Mum was otherwise engaged, helping out with a … Continue reading The RSC’s Antony and Cleopatra at the Barbican
I am continuing to read Martin Gayford’s conversations with Hockney book, and it is proving to be most diverting. Gayford begins the chapter he entitles “Seeing more clearly” with this intriguing anecdote about Picasso, which was related to him by Picasso’s biographer, John Richardson: Lucien Clergue, the photographer, knew Picasso incredibly well. The other day … Continue reading How Pablo Picasso (and Picasso’s wife Jacqueline) saved the life of Lucien Clergue
Yesterday I attended a Royal Opera House Covent Garden dress rehearsal, of Puccini’s Turandot. Never having seen Turandot on stage before, I learned a lot. The singing was pretty good, especially the choral singing, but maybe I say “especially” about that because I generally prefer choral singing to “operatic” solo singing. The staging looked appropriately … Continue reading How Michael Tanner both misunderstands and understands Turandot
Another drone application hovers into view: Yes, it’s UPS: “This is really a vision for the future for us,” UPS senior vice president for engineering and sustainability, Mark Wallace, said in an interview with Business Insider. The drone will work as a mechanized helper for the driver, reducing the number of miles a driver will … Continue reading UPS drones and drone vans
I have already quoted a couple of interesting bits from Bill Bryson’s excellent book, At Home. I have now finished reading this, but just before I did, I encountered some interesting stuff about paint (pp. 453-5): When paints became popular, people wanted them to be as vivid as they could possibly be made. The restrained … Continue reading How Bill Bryson on white and black paint helps to explain the Modern Movement in Architecture