JetPlane

Had a lovely Thai meal last night in Bicester at Suwanna Thai. One of the most impressive Thai meals I’ve had in the UK. We had quite a bit of bit of beer and then a lovely 30 in walk back to Elisabeth’s house, half of it in the warm rain, which was very atmospheric.

The restaurant is in a converted butchers shop (of the historic kind) and there are still old meat hooks set into the wall.

Technorati Tags: Thai, Thai, Bicester

In Bicester at the moment, visiting Michael’s mum, Elisabeth. She’s probably has a second, small stroke. We drove over on Friday after work and spent the weekend visiting her on the ward. She’s doing well, certainly better than after her first stroke about 5 years ago.

Another wonderfully hot day (BBC News item). Booked the afternoon off work and went down to the Newnham Riverbank Club to spend the afternoon in the sun. Swam in the Cam for 70 minutes non-stop and almost made it to Grantchester, but not quite (maybe at the weekend if the water is still warm). I was only passed by about 6 punts in all this time. Michael joined me at four, to share some snacks and wine. The river is still 23°C.

Technorati Tags: Cambridge, Swimming

Went to London today for the JAAS Editorial Board meeting in Burlington House. The courtyard outside the Royal Academy is now dominated by the Virgin Mother by Damien Hurst. It’s a massive bronze sculpture, which was getting a lot of attention from passers by and visitors to the RA. The people who work in BH don’t like it (they have to look out their windows every day at it!). The photo that I found on Wikipedia (Virgin Mother) shows that the bronze was coloured, but I couldn’t see any of this: maybe the paint has been removed or the light was too bright to see it?

Technorati Tags: Art, Damien Hurst, London

It’s been a scorcher! About 33°C and according to the news this heatwave breaks record for July. I left work at 4.15 and met Michael at 5 at Newnham Riverbank Club and we had a laze in the sun and a swim—glorious. the A14 north of Cambridge was closed for a while because of a lorry collision. The police were ferrying bottles of water to the stranded drivers via bike.

Technorati Tags: Cambridge, heatwave

Last film of the Cambridge Film Festival, Tideland. It was introduced by Terry Gillingham, the Director, who stayed for a Q&A session afterwards. We didn’t stay for this, 11.15pm on a Sunday is too late for me to chat! This was a wonderful fantasy film: very dark and disturbing, twisted even! Gillingham said at the beginning that it uses the innocence of the 12-year old lead actress, Jodelle Ferland (who plays Jeliza-Rose) to accentuate the horror of the film: her junkie parents and mad, taxidermist neighbours. It works, and she really is superb. This is a fantasy, with ample references to Alice in Wonderland and children’s games. Disturbing.

Technorati Tags: Cambridge, Cinema, Films