SEE HOW BEAUTIFUL I AM: the return of Jacqueline Susann.

I was thinking about my very talented friend the wordsmith Paul Minx yesterday. His play is moving to NYC and I wish him well and hope his play is picked up for a very long run somewhere! Jeff and I had gone to see an excellent production of George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion at the Old Vic and I also received an email from another friend Denise Higgins – Regan who is directing a play in NYC this summer (700 WIVES - THE MUSICAL). I have some very talented friends! Paul’s Play SEE HOW BEAUTIFUL I AM: the return of Jacqueline Susann will be opening at the Fringe NYC Festival on August 8th.

On July 14th, at the Bar Kick in Shoreditch Jeff and I attended the London one night only performance of SEE HOW BEAUTIFUL I AM: the return of Jacqueline Susann. The play made for a great evening out on a dreary Monday night! In this one-person comedy, Debora Weston portrayed the story of Jacqueline Susann, author of the VALLEY OF THE DOLLS in a hilarious, sad, and very engaging manner. I absolutely loved her! I had no idea that Jackie had a thing for Ethel Merman! Debora was fabulous darling! Afterwards, Jeff surprised me by saying he also read the Valley of the Dolls under the blankets with a flashlight back in the 60’s!

If you are in NYC try not to miss this one! To quote the author “For Jackie the sexual liberation was merely just another cocktail party!”

Pygmalion

Today, Jeff and I are off to see a production of Pygmalion at the Old Vic. Written by George Bernard Shaw written in 1913,the play is based on the Greek myth of Pygmalion. Many people know it better as the story of My Fair Lady. The play tells the story of Henry Higgins, a professor of phonetics (based on phonetician Henry Sweet), who makes a bet with his friend Colonel Pickering that he can successfully pass off a Cockney flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, as a refined society lady by teaching her how to speak with an upper class accent and training her in etiquette.

As a side note, at the beginning of the movie, Professor Higgins when he first meets her in Convent Garden tells Eliza that she is from Lisson Grove. I always enjoy telling people that I live in the same neighborhood! I am always puzzled by the fact that Eliza is referred to as a cockney when Lisson Grove is no where near Bow Bells!
Cockney often refers to working class Londoners, particularly those in the East End and the language they speak. According to traditional definition, a "true" Cockney is someone born within earshot of the Bow Bells, i.e. the bells of St. Mary-le-Bow church in Cheapside in the City of London (which is not itself in the East End). Formerly it included Clerkenwell, Finsbury, Shoreditch, Hoxton, Stepney, Bethnal Green, Limehouse, Mile End, Wapping, Whitechapel, Shadwell, Bermondsey, Rotherhithe, Surrey Quays and The Borough.

The first English production in opened at His Majesty's Theatre, London on April 11, 1914 and starred Mrs. Patrick Campbell as Eliza and Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree as Henry Higgins; it was directed by Shaw himself. I am looking forward to this production as today is the birthday of both Shaw and Kevin Spacey (the artistic director of the Old Vic).

GB Shaw was interesting man. A prolific writer, founding member of the Fabian society and London School of Economics he abhorred formal education and held an animosity toward schools and teachers, saying, "Schools and schoolmasters, as we have them today, are not popular as places of education and teachers, but rather prisons and turnkeys in which children are kept to prevent them disturbing and chaperoning their parents.”. I wonder what my kids would make of that quote?

Ebernoe Horn Fair

Quoted from Wikipedia: "Ebernoe Horn Fair is held in the small Sussex village of Ebernoe, the location of which is about five miles north of Petworth. The fair is held annually on Saint James's Day, 25th July. The tradition is centuries old though it appears to have been revived in 1864 after a long lapse. The celebration is held on the village common and the main attraction is a cricket match between Ebernoe and a nearby village. Towards the end of the day the highest scoring batsman is presented with a set of horns. These are taken from a sheep which has been roasted during the day. It is thought the presentation of horns is associated with the custom of dressing up with horns as a symbol of cuckoldry (a cuckold is an old English term for a man whose wife has had an adulterous affair. It relates to the cuckoo, a bird which lays its eggs in another bird's nest). Centuries ago horn fairs were boisterous events where cuckoldry and seduction would not be unknown. The old saying All's fair at Horn Fair probably originates from such events. In days gone by it seems that Ebernoe Fair was often beset by thunderstorms. However, the storms were taken as a good luck sign and farmers would look forward to a good harvest. The absence of a storm would suggest the crops would fail. Ebernoe Horn Fair was also the day on which gardeners were reminded to sow their spring cabbages. Martin West won the horns in the year 2007 with 78 runs."

Stourhead Pictures

Saturday, on our way to Bournemouth, Jeff and I visited the gardens at Stourhead. The place is a spectular National Trust property near Mere, Wiltshire.

We took a miss on the Palladian mansion and just did the grounds. The Stourton family had lived in the Stourhead estate for 700 years when they sold it to Henry Hoare I, son of wealthy banker Sir Richard Hoare in 1717. Henry Hugh Arthur Hoare, gave the Stourhead house and gardens to the National Trust in 1946. His sole heir and son, Captain "Harry" Henry Colt Arthur Hoare, had died of wounds received in World War I

The gardens are home to a large collection of trees and shrubs from around the world. The gardens were designed by Henry Hoare II and laid out between 1741 and 1780 in a classical 18th-century design set around a large lake achieved by damming a small stream. (The place gets it name from the River Stour!) The inspiration behind their creation were the painters Claude Lorrain, Poussin and, in particular, Gaspar Dughet, who painted Utopian-type views of Italian landscapes. In the garden are a number of temples. On one hill overlooking the gardens there stands an obelisk and King Alfred's Tower (a 50-metre-tall, brick folly designed by Henry Flitcroft in 1772);


On another hill the temple of Apollo provides a vantage point to survey the lake and temples.

The Pantheon , the largest of the temples would be a great place to have a picnic. The Grotto was entertaining and was very popular in Italian Renaissance gardens and a cool place to escape the heat.

I loved the Palladian Bridge and the Bristol High Cross.

Farnborough Airshow 2008

Jeff and I went to the Farnborough Airshow on yesterday afternoon. We were on our way back from Bournemouth where we had dinner with Beth the night before. We hadn't been to an airshow in years and Farnborough had always been our list of things to do here in England. The Farnborough Airshow is probably rated as one of the best airshows in the world, right up there with the Paris Airshow. Sunday was the 60th anniversary of this particular show and we joined about 50,000 other people witnessing spectacular flying demonstrations! At dinner with Beth the night before, we had talked about her experience an at airshow in Niagara Falls some ten years back and she did not have fond memories of it! Too bad. One of my fondest childhood memories is of airshows at Floyd Bennet Field in NYC and climbing around airplanes (couldn't get 10 feet near a plane at Farnborough!). I wished my dad and brothers were there. Maybe Beth will change her mind and attend this one some other time. It really wasn't that loud!

We arrived in our designated parking lot a bit late and missed the start of the flight demonstration. What we did see was a huge Airbus 380 doing aerial gymnastics in the sky. It was unbelievable that an aircraft that large could make tight turns like that! It was like watching a whale fly! Airbus 380 doing maneuvers over parking lot
The Blades













F16

Vulcan

The Goat in Boots

Yesterday, on the Fulham Road here in London, Jeff and I attended the debut public performance of a very talented young lady. Jesse, the daughter of dear friends of ours (see picture above of proud parents!), has been taking guitar lessons for a few years and had her first pub date! Supported by her friend Nick (also a talented singer) and her guitar teacher, Jesse performed three songs. We were glad to be there and lend our enthusiasm! I always admire people who are willing to take a chance and step up in public! Jesse and Nick did a great job. We wish her well in future gigs!

Colin Firth

Enough said...............................

The Compass

This is my latest mosaic project finished at last! My thanks for all those who helped: Jeff for the idea, Holly, Polli, Dan, Katherine and my whole mosaic class for their help and advice!

Take Me Out to The Ballgame

The whole family is sitting here in the living room watching baseball highlights on TV. What a nice morning.

1908 version of Take Me Out To The Ballgame:

Katie Casey was base ball mad.
Had the fever and had it bad;
Just to root for the home town crew,
Ev'ry sou Katie blew.
On a Saturday, her young beau
Called to see if she'd like to go,
To see a show but Miss Kate said,
"No, I'll tell you what you can do."

"Take me out to the ball game,
Take me out with the crowd.
Buy me some peanuts and cracker jack,
I don't care if I never get back,
Let me root, root, root for the home team,
If they don't win it's a shame.
For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,
At the old ball game."

Katie Casey saw all the games,
Knew the players by their first names;
Told the umpire he was wrong,
All along good and strong.
When the score was just two to two,
Katie Casey knew what to do,
Just to cheer up the boys she knew,
She made the gang sing this song:

"Take me out to the ball game,
Take me out with the crowd.
Buy me some peanuts and cracker jack,
I don't care if I never get back,
Let me root, root, root for the home team,
If they don't win it's a shame.
For it's one, two, three strikes, your out,
At the old ball game."

I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy

I woke this morning singing (I'm a) Yankee Doodle Dandy". Today marks Independence Day in the USA. I am looking forward to a celebration tonight (with the kids- Beth wouldn’t miss it!) at a friends house up in Golders Green. Our little bit of Americana – a real 4th of July picnic. It has been a yearly tradition for this family for many a year and we try not to miss it. They make us feel so welcome. One of the things I like most of about this gathering is it's internationalism, there are many non-Americans people who come to partake in marking the birth of our nation while eating and drinking traditional American food. The event is a potluck supper, followed by fireworks and singing traditional American songs. I have made my USA Jello Mold. (red white and blue layers!) to bring along.

So here it is: The lyrics to (I'm a) Yankee Doodle Dandy". We all know the chorus but most of us are not familiar with the whole song. (I'm a) Yankee Doodle Dandy" is a song from the Broadway musical Little Johnny Jones written by George M. Cohan. The play opened at the Liberty Theater on November 7, 1904. The play concerns the trials and tribulations of a fictional American jockey, Johnny Jones, who rides a horse named Yankee Doodle in the English Derby.

Verse 1
I'm the kid that's all the candy,
I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy,
I'm glad I am,
So's Uncle Sam.
I'm a real live Yankee Doodle,
Made my name and fame and boodle,
Just like Mister Doodle did, by riding on a pony.
I love to listen to the Dixie strain,
I long to see the girl I left behind me;
That ain't a josh,
She's a Yankee, by gosh.
Oh, say can you see,
Anything about a Yankee that's a phony?

Verse 2
Father's name was Hezikiah,
Mother's name was Ann Maria,
Yanks through and through.
Red, White and Blue Father was so Yankee-hearted,
When the Spanish war was started,
He slipped on a uniform and hopped upon a pony.
My mother's mother was a Yankee true,
My father's father was a Yankee too:
That's going some,
For the Yankees, by gum.
Oh, say can you see
Anything about my pedigree that's phony?

Chorus
I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy,
A Yankee Doodle, do or die;
A real live nephew of my Uncle Sam's,
Born on the Fourth of July.
I've got a Yankee Doodle sweetheart,
She's my Yankee Doodle joy.
Yankee Doodle came to London, just to ride the ponies;
I am the Yankee Doodle Boy.


So happy fourth of July to all my family and friends. I will be thinking of all of you today and missing home.

The Dog Days of Summer

Today marks the beginning of the Dog days of summer. The Old Farmer's Almanac lists the traditional timing of the Dog Days as the 40 days beginning July 3 and ending on August 11.

Many people believe the phrase is in reference to the laziness of dogs during the hottest days of the summer. It brings to mind the idea of lying or "dogging" around, or being "dog tired" on hot and humid days. But in fact, Dog Days refers to Sirius (the "Dog Star"), the brightest star in the heavens besides the Sun.
At one time it was popularly believed to be an evil time "when the seas boiled, wine turned sour, dogs grew mad, and all creatures became languid, causing to man burning fevers, hysterics, and phrensies" (- Brady’s Clavis Calendarium, 1813). The ancients sacrificed a brown dog at the beginning of the Dog Days to appease the rage of Sirius, believing that that star was the cause of the hot weather.
For the ancient Egyptians, Sirius appeared just before the season of the Nile's flooding, so they used the star as a "watchdog" for that event. "Dog Days bright and clear / indicate a happy year. / But when accompanied by rain, / for better times our hopes are vain."

Well it was 55 degrees here in London this morning and if the dog days are going to start it better get going quickly……………….

July 1st 2008

July 1 is the 183rd day in leap years in the Gregorian calendar. There are 183 days remaining until the end of the year. The end of this day marks the halfway point of a leap year. It also falls on the same day of the week as New Year's Day in a leap year so say Wikipedia.

One of the things I like about writing my blog is updating the date and history sections. I usually begin with the date. I am constantly reminded how quickly time passes. 2008 is half over already. What happened to February? April? How often do we hear slow down and take the time to savoy the day. To appreciate life?Don't get me wrong, I love my life, I just wish it would go a little slower. I wish someone would tell me how the hell to do pick the daises when there doesn't seem to be enough hours in a day or days in the week. What do you cut out? Where do I get lost? I want more days spent with my children whom I adore. I want them home for dinner every night to laugh at the dinner table again. I want to have big holiday dinners with my grandparents and brothers,cousins, aunts and uncles again. I don't want to take things for granted or to be invisible to the people around me. I want to be the most important person in some one's life. It just seems to happen. Life just washes over me some times. I get swept along and miss some things. As I learned last week with the passing of my cousin Jane people are important and leave us suddenly. How do we make up the time? I know we need to take time to appreciate everyone around us but how? What does it take to get the message? Ah yes, cosmic questions of the age. Sometimes you just have to suck it up - pick up the phone or email and say hey! Find a way to keep people in your life (even when you are related to them!) Nice sentiment huh? You don't need me to tell you this, you already know it. Now if only they would get the Star Trek transporter really working.......................