Classic Detective Stories

The Golden Age of the classic detective novel was the middle of the 20th century. Wilkie Collins is often cited as founder of the genre when he wrote The Moonstone in 1868 which was developed by Conan Doyle and his contemporaries but we treat today with the mid 20th century.

Poppycock

Something really rather irritating happened on the last night of the Wexford Festival on Sunday evening. I was wearing with pride an enamel shamrock poppy and found on Monday morning that I’d lost it.

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Categorised as Music

Lord Mayor’s Show

When I was a Trooper in the Honourable Artillery Company in the 1970s I twice took part in the Lord Mayor’s Show.

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Categorised as History

Last Night

Risurrezione by Franco Alfano (1875–1954) has been acclaimed as this year’s Wexford hit and so the festival went out on a high note on the last night on Sunday when we saw it.

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Categorised as Music

Margherita

A margarita is a cocktail consisting of tequila, triple sec, and lime or lemon juice, often served with salt or sugar on the rim of the glass. The drink is served shaken with ice, blended with ice, or without ice (Wiki). A performance of Margherita, an opera by Jacopo Foroni (1824–1858), is rarer than the similar… Continue reading Margherita

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Categorised as Music

A Room with a View

Left a rainy Brexit Britain for a sunny EU Ireland on Saturday morning. Draw your own conclusions. My, hasn’t Ireland changed since I was a child. There is a condom vending machine in the Gents at Dublin Airport.

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Categorised as Travel

Call Me by Your Name

A film about a summer romance between a twenty-five year old man and his employer’s seventeen year old son in Italy during the 1980s may well not be up your strada but I have seen it and will try and make you change your mind.

Portraits

There are two exhibitions in London worthy of your attention and both on until early next year. Isn’t it frustrating to read a recommendation about a play/opera that is about to close or is sold out? First Paul Cézanne’s 19th century portraits at the National Portrait Gallery. I will report in due course, if there… Continue reading Portraits

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Categorised as Art

The Bread of Life

Recently I stayed in two houses (both in France) and went to lunch at another (in London) where the bread was home made.

Business News

When I last wrote about the markets it was to warn of impending doom and to mock that eternal optimist, Ken Fisher. Well, so far, Ken is on the right side of history.

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Categorised as Business