That's the book for July Britsnîmes book club. It's set now days in a quartet in London. Music is at the center of the novel as it is for the characters. Smartly written and a gripping story.
June 30, 2010
1st Book Club at White Rabbit
We were 4 last night for the 1st book club at White Rabbit. We discussed around "Where do you really are from ?" by Tim Brannigan. It's a biography and it's to do with roots, Northern Ireland... Very interesting conversations with tea, cakes and wine.
Long week end in France
As every month I went back to France from Thursday to Monday. Starting in Montpellier where I had my usual activities : Book club, piano lesson, English-French exchange conversation. I was staying with my friend N. Friday night I went with a few friends to the 1st Estivales of the summer. It's a very friendly event where you can eat & drink in a cool and musical atmosphere.
Saturday night & Sunday in Orléans. I was nice to be able to eat in the nice garden at my parents.
Saturday night & Sunday in Orléans. I was nice to be able to eat in the nice garden at my parents.
June 28, 2010
June 23, 2010
Uneven Geographies
At the Nottingham Contemporary. This exhibition is about our globolizationed world and its very tough consequences on the poorest. All the media are representated and it's nicely displayed.
For more info see : http://www.nottinghamcontemporary.org/art/uneven-geographies
For more info see : http://www.nottinghamcontemporary.org/art/uneven-geographies
1st Aid Course
Last Saturday morning I went to Derby for a basic crash aid course. We were 13 of all ages and sexes. The tutor was very good and had a great sense of humor. We not only learnt a lot we laughed heartily too !
For more info see : http://www.sja.org.uk/sja/training-courses.aspx
For more info see : http://www.sja.org.uk/sja/training-courses.aspx
June 21, 2010
Please Give by Nicole Holofcener
I couldn't help it. When I bought my cinema ticket the dialogue with the cashier went like that :
"- Please Give me one, please
- sorry, for which film ?
- 'Please Give'
- I knew someone would do that."
He wasn't amused at all actually !
Well the film itself WAS amusing, even funny at times. I think it's a great satire of New York's New Wealthy. Feeling guilty or not about your success in life, that's the question.
For more info see : http://www.broadway.org.uk/film_programme.php#pleasegive
"- Please Give me one, please
- sorry, for which film ?
- 'Please Give'
- I knew someone would do that."
He wasn't amused at all actually !
Well the film itself WAS amusing, even funny at times. I think it's a great satire of New York's New Wealthy. Feeling guilty or not about your success in life, that's the question.
For more info see : http://www.broadway.org.uk/film_programme.php#pleasegive
Visit of the National Memorial Arboretum with the Ashby-Pithiviers Twinning Association
It is thanks to the twinning that I came over in England on a long stay in 1988. I've been living in Pithiviers between 1984-88. I was working part time in my Dad's D.I.Y. shop. And I was independent for the 1st time : flat, car, job. Among other activities I was taking English conversation lessons with the twinning. One of my co-student, G., introduced me to P. from B. near Ashby when the Ashby-De-La-Zouch delegation came on a visit. Anyway to keep a long story short when I decided to go to England for a year (afterwards I came back to France for 3 months and went back to Ashby for a further 5 years) Ashby was the obvious place to be. For more info on the twinning see : http://www.ashbydelazouchtwinning.co.uk/
Last Friday with my famous friend P. we joined the association and the French visitors at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas near Burton Upon Trent (Staffs). This year is the 50Th anniversary of the twinning so it was well attending. The programme was as followed :
- Act of Remembrance and Welcome talk in the Chapel
- Donation of flowers in commemoration of soldiers killed in the Somme
- Guided walk (or on a small train). The most spectacular being the circular walls with all the names of the serviced people killed in any war during the 20th and 21st C. They add up names all the time.
- Lunch followed by Lola Lamour singing 40's, 30's, 20's hits. She is very good. And it was fun too because she invited people to participate.
For more info see : http://www.thenma.org.uk/index.aspx
Last Friday with my famous friend P. we joined the association and the French visitors at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas near Burton Upon Trent (Staffs). This year is the 50Th anniversary of the twinning so it was well attending. The programme was as followed :
- Act of Remembrance and Welcome talk in the Chapel
- Donation of flowers in commemoration of soldiers killed in the Somme
- Guided walk (or on a small train). The most spectacular being the circular walls with all the names of the serviced people killed in any war during the 20th and 21st C. They add up names all the time.
- Lunch followed by Lola Lamour singing 40's, 30's, 20's hits. She is very good. And it was fun too because she invited people to participate.
For more info see : http://www.thenma.org.uk/index.aspx
June 20, 2010
Robin Hood in Montpellier !! (2)
From Wendy Johnson's blog : http://www.moving-to-montpellier.com/2010/06/robin-hood-goes-all-ooh-la-la.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Wwwfrenchhelpservicescom+%28Wendy%27s+French+Help+Services%29
Notwithstanding by Louis de Bernières
Louis de Bernières is mostly famous for his novel Captain Corelli's Mandolin. This book is quite different. It's set in an imaginary English village - although L. de Bernières admits in its afterword that he's been inspired from the village of his childhood - during several periods. All the characters are larger than life and the stories are funny, witty and originals. Rural English life at its best eccentricities.
June 17, 2010
Chatsworth House : how I missed my friends
On Sunday we had decided to go to visit Chatsworth House. As J & E were going back to W. later on it seems logical to take our 2 cars and to meet up straight there. I left them at their hotel and at home I checked for the address in the National Trust book. I couldn't find it ! So I text them a message : "it's Keddleston Hall" (the nearest NT property). I set off knowing that it was somewhere near Derby. I didn't see any signs around Derby. Looked up for Chartsworth House on the sat nav and took off (honest : I didn't smoke the carpet). Well guess what ? When I arrived at Chatsworth I couldn't see J & E because they were at Keddleston !
For more info see : http://www.chatsworth.org/
For more info see : http://www.chatsworth.org/
Monty Pyton's Spamalot
My friends and I we went to the Royal Theater on Saturday night to see "Spamalot". It's a contraction of "Spam" (famous ham tin) and "Lancelot". This musical show is a pot pourri of all the Monty Python's films. And as we say here "it's very silly". Full house roaring in laughter every 2 minutes or so. For more info see : http://www.montypythonsspamalot.com/
June 16, 2010
Last Saturday
With my friends we went to the castle and then it happened to be the official Queen's birthday. Hence the Salute.
London last Thursday
My niece was there so I went down to see her. She's a lovely baby. G. is starting to speak baby international language.
I went to visit the Henry Moore exhibition at Tate Britain. It is a retrospective right from the 20's to the 60's. His art is far less cheerful than I thought. But it's quite powerful. During the war he stopped doing sculptures and he was drawing. Refugees in shelters and coal miners in his Dad's former coal mine.
I then went on a guide-book-walk around Regent's Park & Canal. The weather was so so but I avoided most of the rain when I stopped for tea & cake at the Cricket Club Hub.
I spent the evening with my brother, his partner and their daughter. I left London the following morning as I was expected my friends J & E in Nottingham for the week end.
I went to visit the Henry Moore exhibition at Tate Britain. It is a retrospective right from the 20's to the 60's. His art is far less cheerful than I thought. But it's quite powerful. During the war he stopped doing sculptures and he was drawing. Refugees in shelters and coal miners in his Dad's former coal mine.
I then went on a guide-book-walk around Regent's Park & Canal. The weather was so so but I avoided most of the rain when I stopped for tea & cake at the Cricket Club Hub.
I spent the evening with my brother, his partner and their daughter. I left London the following morning as I was expected my friends J & E in Nottingham for the week end.
June 15, 2010
June 13, 2010
June 06, 2010
The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Moshin Hamid
Book for Britsnîmes' book club at the end of the month.
A novel which rings like a true story. Changez is one of many immigrants in New York. He's from Pakistan and he's a brilliant student in finances at Princeton. And soon after seems on the way to embrace the American Dream. But with the States intervention in Afghanistan and then 9/11 Changez sees everything in a different light...
I actually read it already a couple of years ago. And once again I was griped by the story and the main character insight.
Quite an interesting book to discuss upon !
A novel which rings like a true story. Changez is one of many immigrants in New York. He's from Pakistan and he's a brilliant student in finances at Princeton. And soon after seems on the way to embrace the American Dream. But with the States intervention in Afghanistan and then 9/11 Changez sees everything in a different light...
I actually read it already a couple of years ago. And once again I was griped by the story and the main character insight.
Quite an interesting book to discuss upon !
The Lace Market
This area used to be the oldest part of the City from Saxon times. However now days what remains is from when this neighborhood became the world's first centre of machine-lace production and distribution in C19. We had a break on our walk at the Queen's head pub and then visited St Mary's church.
J. showed me round the building where she lives. It's a former convent. See : http://www.flickr.com/photos/browniebear/2710978085/
J. showed me round the building where she lives. It's a former convent. See : http://www.flickr.com/photos/browniebear/2710978085/
June 05, 2010
The Killer Inside Me
Very powerful black & red film ! The suspense is very intense and the main character is absolutely despicable. For more info see : http://www.broadway.org.uk/film_programme.php#killer
West Side Story
For an amateur cast - from 6 to 40 years old - it was certainly very good and enjoyable : good singing and acting. Very close to the original film. As every time I see West Side Story I fall into pieces right at the end when they carry away Tony's body... For more info see : http://www.nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk/whats-on/music/west-side-story/
June 04, 2010
Cakes and ale by Somerset Maugham
Yes I quite like this author. This novel is set in the London's writers and artits Who's who in the 1920's. It is a satire on how to remain celebrated despite your circumstances. Very good read indeed.
June 01, 2010
White Rabbit Teahouse
That's the new name of "Greta's Living Tea Room". See entry on 21st January. F. has been the new owner for a couple of months and - quite understandably - wanted to have a new name. Quite a few regulars are still coming and the place still have a very special atmosphere. Nice cakes and food at lunch time too. And by the way that's where I'm going to held a book club at the end of the month.
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