Monday 18 March 2024

Stéphane Grappelli - Honeysuckle Rose - vers 1959


Who doesn't love Stéphane Grappelli!

Is that a young Sacha Distel playing guitar? It certainly looks like him. 

I always think of Grappelli playing with Django Reinhardt, but Distel (if it is him) does a reasonable job.


Sunday 17 March 2024

Seal of Approval.


It's official, Brighton is the best place to live in the UK for 'wellbeing'.


I don't really know everything that 'wellbeing' involves, but I presume it's another word for 'quality of life'.

It's certainly pleasant to be by the sea, within 50 mins of London, to have good shops at hand, plenty of excellent restaurants, an artistic community, drugs available on every street corner, and some really superb entertainment.


We have a good Football team, the County Cricket team plays here, and all water sports are catered for. And if you're a Petrol Head, the annual speed trials along Madeira Drive in September (?) is amazing.

France is nearby, Gatwick is handy, busses are plentiful, and the train to London runs several times an hour (I think).

Brighton is very multi-cultural, accepts all-comers, and is student-friendly. Sadly I did once witness a few left-wing dungaree wearing young 'ladies' painting Stars of David on the windows of M & S; but I must presume they were either of low IQ, or were just plain Nazi supporters. That form of extreme racism is not welcome here. They have not reappeared since.

So, yes. I have to agree with the article above, we are filled to the brim with 'wellbeing', and our 'free-spirit' is alive and well. 


Saturday 16 March 2024

Prince Buster, Enjoy Yourself


I only saw the late Prince Buster once, he was a guest singer with Gino Washington's Ram Jam Band here in Brighton, at The Metropole Hotel. On the same bill was Roy Wood's band The Move; a strange combination of musical tastes. 

If you should go to a Jools Holland gig, he always ends his show with this song; so make sure you learn the words. Everyone has to sing along!

Friday 15 March 2024

Guess the location.


Kimbo and Suzie are on holiday; but where could they be?

It's hot, there are camels, and there are big pointy things sticking out of the sand. 


The tourist shops sell Howard Carter's cast-offs.

The Bangles wanted us to walk like the natives.

And Sam the Sham had a line-up of ancient rulers as his backing band.

Just so that you don't have a shock if you should visit here, Kimbo's taxi from the airport to their 'luxury' hotel cost £1,000. In fact this was just over £16 in UK money, but they still needed smelling salts.

I'll give you are clue; they're not in Cleethorpes.
 

Thursday 14 March 2024

Fashion.



If you tell them that oversized trousers are really chic, and they should buy all their clothes ten sizes too big; they will follow your every word.

If you tell them that covering your arms, legs, neck, and hands with tattoos, is really cool; they'll do it. 

If you tell people that when they leave their house/flat they must have a rucksack, mobile phone, water bottle, cardboard cup of coffee, and earphones, they will do exactly as you say.

If your young son is told by his school mates that he has to wear £250 'trainers' or they'll never speak to him again, you buy them at once.

If you are told that puce is the new black, you wear puce.

Now this one will really make you laugh. Someone in Taiwan had this great idea. They will slash brand new jeans with a Stanley Knife, rough them up a bit in a concrete mixer filled with pebbles, and then charge you an extra £500 for the pleasure (as they now look like a tramp has been wearing them for a few years),  someone, somewhere, will buy them and actually wear them outdoors in the open. Yes, there's one born every minute.



Wednesday 13 March 2024

My 30 Greatest Pleasures (not in any order of preference).


I'm re-posting this from 2013. Amazingly I wouldn't change anything on the list.


1. Chicken in all its forms.
2. Unsophisticated local red wine (either Merlot or Cabernet).
3. Paintings by Matisse, Derain, Kitaj, and Augustus John.
4. Lady M's Tarte Tatin (above).
5. My 3 gorgeous children, and my 6 gorgeous grandchildren.
6. My house (as it was).
7. My village (as it was).
8. Instrumental Ska music.
9. Meat.
10. Haddock's (my old veg' garden).
11. Christmas Day.
12. Latin.
13. Monty and Bok (our dogs), and Freddie the Cat (now all deceased). And, of course, now Billy too.
14. Dark green glazed 'Biot' pottery.
15. French 18th C country furniture.
16. Fresh eggs from our hens.
17. Sunshine.
18. Patchouli.
19. Beer accompanied by Pork scratchings.
20. Pork pies.
21. Log fires.
22. Home made bread.
23. Strong blue (and other) cheese.
24. Writing.
25. Driving.
26. Kissing pretty girls.
27. Eating out.
28. Getting up in the morning without any aches or pains.
29. Hearing our church bells.
30. And finally;..... Swimming.

I shall now be going around, for the rest of the week, thinking of all the things I've forgotten.


Tuesday 12 March 2024

Missed Opportunity?


Readers of The Sunday Times may have read this article about my neighbour Michelle.

She describes buying a painting at a 'small fair' for £1,000, which she sold back to the seller some time later for £10,000. A wise investment. She didn't say what it was.


Back in the early 60's I was on my way to school with £100 in my pocket which I was to deposit in my school account and spend on some shares in a Company called Paringa Mining and Exploration. It was to be my first time dealing with a broker, and the first time I would have bought shares in my own name.

Between leaving my train at Victoria, and before catching my other train at Liverpool Street, I made my way to Bond Street; the home of London's Art Gallery Scene. I stood outside the window of Gimpel Fils, admiring a small painting by Bernard Buffet, who just happened to be a favourite painter at the time (goodness knows why). It was priced at an affordable £90 (about £2,300 in today's money).

I was so close to buying the painting, but risked the wrath of my Father; so I resisted. I have always wondered what the difference would have been between the profit from Paringa and the profit from Buffet. I suspect the Buffet would have proved a much better investment, and I would have enjoyed the picture over several years.

Should I have bought the painting, and proved to Father that there were investments other than via the Stock Exchange? On reflection I think I should have. How long I would have kept the painting I don't know. How much it is worth today, I don't know either. 

However, I've seen similar sized originals selling today for about £170,000. Hmmmm......

 p.s. I've just noticed that Michelle is on TV tonight; BBC1 8pm.

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