Hereford Cricket

16 June 07

A delightful weekend hosted by ND at beautiful surroundings of Gatley. A loose band of cricketing afficianados assembled to form the Gatpack, and enter in to the Herefordshire annual round-robin county social tournament. Despite the monsoon rain we pressed on in the mud and our leading batsman Paget, C inaugurated proceedings after two pints of lager and a warm glass of chardonnay. This was prior to the lunch interval and before setting eyes on any crease (including the ones on his trousers). A team of stylish supremacy with reliable all-round talent the Gatpac snatched last place from a wealth of half-hearted cricketing has-beens. Spirits were subsequently much revived by the luxury Sunday lunch proffered by Lady H with anecdotes of younger days with Jubbles and the Jaipurs. Memorable in excess.

'You're mad . . . well it probably wouldn't work if I wasn't.'

At World's End - June 7th

A welcome return by Captain Jack and his piratical escapades in the third of this blockbusting trilogy. Gore Verbinski is on more than fine form after a luke-warm middle set, which, as El Blogador so rightly points out, is as much to do with the resurrection of Cpt Barbosa (Geoffrey Rush) who most superbly fulfills all of our piratical expectations.

An engaging plot-line of love, trust and betrayal is as old as mankind himself. There can be little doubt that the basic structure rest firmly on well-trodden ground, and is not so very different to that of Star Wars whose success it seems to have mirrored. With the Black Pearl replacing the Millenium Falcon, the somewhat bland Will Turner struggles to save his pouting princess, and the love triangle is completed by the eccentric Cpt Jack, not so very dissimilar to the Skywalker, Leia, Solo trio. Furthermore in a contemporary sweep the evil empire is replaced by the wicked corporate monster and its subsequent destruction at the hands of plucky underdogs surely accounts for this currrent success as it did for George Lucas in '77.

El Blogador further points out that the film is refreshingly free of bogus counter-cultural cause which undermines so much of the Matrix trilogy, however I do not believe it is entirely devoid of content. In our rapidly homogenising age it taps in to and voices our own not-so-latent concerns about globalisation and social and cultural pasteurisation. In a rare moment of consensual sincerity Messrs. Barbosa and Sparrow survey the slain Kraken. 'The world is a smaller place' mutters one ruefully. ' No' replies the latter ' not smaller, there's just less in it.'

The greatest vehicle for our attention however is its excellent humour, and here one of the finest supporting roles is Jack Davenport playing the straight man to Depp's eccentric. This he achieves with consummate ease in such away that adds a unique Carry On humour, something that has perennially evaded the Hollywood moguls. The humour is ingenious as with its almost surreal one-liners it draws us in to the secret band of piracy and makes the viewer identify more closely with each character. 'Sea turtles' growls Capt Teague in a moment of abstracted humour and we chuckle knowingly at the piratical in-joke.

Most of all I enjoyed the sincerity with with the director passes a nod to a few of his distinguished fellows, a gracious cinematic respect for those gone before takes on a more visual conceit. A nod to Stanley Kubrick in the superb manifestation of Davy Jones's locker, a tot of rum to Sergio Leone in the six man standoff (with Morricone-styled music supplied), and a rattle-of-the-cutlass to John Woo as the wicked Cutler Becket descends from the poop as his ship disintegrates behind him in all-but balletic motion. 

My favourite of all, and I am sure I am not imagining this, the hat-waving to Werner Herzog's Fitcarraldo as the Pearl cascades majestically down a hillside of sand.

This film does what it says on the tin, even if it took three episodes for someone to finally don an eye patch. Furthermore anyone who can create and entertain so many people from so many cultures and countries deserves some respect. Apart from all that it is a darn good yarn - so raise the colours high for the sheer entertainment, and as for the rest just take what you want, or rather, 'take what you can, give nuthin’ back arrrr arrrr..'

A view from on high - Lords May 07

They say two swallows don't make a summer however it would appear that several drafts of Pedigree finest pale ale do. Managing to finally sort my life I joined cricketing afficianados N&J Dunne at our favourite haunt for a full afternoon of test match cricket. The day was made all the more enjoyable by a change of field placings from the Mound Stand to the Vodaphone corporate hospitality suite (courtesy of Elvis) where the aforesaid ales were lavishly on tap. In the words of Felix Lighter it was great to see 'the usual goon squad' around the ground. A delight as always to catch up with the ever-effervescent father of my spiritual advisor (aka God-daughter Eliza) who was inbibing the summer spirit joyfully with the assistance to two jugs of Pimms. I left him and his compadres to enjoy the cricketing from their view on the picnic lawn, and have subsequently ascertained that this finest of gents went on, in true Hogarthian fashion, to 'nod-off' off on his train home, alight at entirely the wrong station, arrive over an hour late for his dinner engagement and have to be helped into his seat at the table. What happened later is not for these pages... such are the joys of the season!

You should have been here yesterday - Southwest Swell June

2 June 07
Great to be back at the Cove, albeit shrouded in a deep and haunting sea-fret, and much enjoyed the ever-lively company of our very-own captain Jack. Festivities were inaugurated by a rousing late night vino-tinto fuelled chorus with eighty-five flaming candles for an impromptu birthday celebration. Subsequent sore heads were assuaged the following day with the refreshing atlantic breeze.

'You should have been here yesterday' said my sister ruefully. This did not lighten my mood as we stared gloomily at the becalmed fog-bound ocean, however whistling for the wind bought smooth waves on a misty Sunday morning. Great to be back in the sea even if the blue chariot was being clamped by some thug in the car park :o(

Very unamusing.

(Photo attaced: The author's summer residence.)

Titled/untitled

26th May 07


A real treat to been invited over to the opening of the latest exhibition at Lismore Castle Arts, Titled/Untitled like Hymns Ancient and Modern is a feast of juxtapostion. A series of superb portraits from the Devonshire family archive by a smattering of classy old masters hang in an impressive new gallery wing alongside cutting-edge video installations from the extensive Rubell collection, Miami, colourfully installed in the nearby stable mangers. Thought provoking and highly entertaining for all this display and these beautiful grounds are an experience to be sought out, advisedly after one of Dennis's equally cutting-edge lunches. Gracias to WB and the ever-lovely Laura.

(Photo courtesy of Lismore Castle Arts: Richard Long Exhibit)

Eine gluwein fraulein, schnell ja!

March 18th.
During the oh-so-dark and chilly winter it is a saving grace to spend days in the elegant and secluded mountain village of Klosters. many thanks once again for another seasonal visit chez Fattorini. Arriving in what seemd like mid-summer we were quickly doused by the largest snowfall of the season and spent the ensuing days sking through fresh powder fields albeit in the re-freshing temperature of-12c. Needless to say there were the usual antics, and many thanks to our real-life argentinian ski-champion CL for rescuing a badly need hat that some idiot (me) had manged to throw off a cliff, (photo attached). This was a mere side-show compared to the alarm call from legendary Aunty K who, concerned as to the safety of her favourite son Sebastiano, called out the swiss mountain rescue one evening as an apocolyptic sun descended into the maelstrom of a snarling blizzard. If only he and his wayward friends had thought to lift the phone from its receiver at their warm and comfortable bar stools in the Schwendi hutte halfway down the Gotschna . . .

South Atlantic Swell - Ipanema January 07

11 January 2007
Nothing like beating the northern winter and starting the year with an Ipanema swing. The waves packed an enthusiastic punch and the ocean was surprisingly chilly however the locals proved to be warm and friendly. My thanks to the de Souza Machado for their true Brasileiro generosity and kindness.

Very nice to have Corcovado and Sugar Loaf Mountain in your line up at the start of a new year. Obrigado Brazilia!

Buenos Aires - Christmas 06

25 December 06 - Christmas Day.

Managed to escape the insanity of Christmas and head across the equatorial divide to the soft summer breezes of South America. Christmas with the Ruedas was certainly one to remember. Their generosity, kindess and latina charm was unsurpassed, even if the lovely Anita's festive rempages meant empty beer cans in the neighbours garden. Lazy days, and hot nights amongst the brights lights and tree-fronded courts of Buenos Aires swept past. Retiring from city life we escaped for memorable New Year celebrations of assados (and a lot of vino tinto) courtesy of Don Miguel at the glorious Estancia San Miguel, where my easygoing gaucho life continued, floating on a lilo of Charlie Parker, Dizzie Gillespie and all-time favourite Stan Getz. Don't recall doing any washing up ... rsrsrs. Many thanks Mildred.