Having devoted at least as many words to food and drink as to art, it seems possibly fair that the former has now laid me low. On a visit to one of my personal favourites, the delightful and gentle Pierce Casey - he of the mystical landscapes evoking all the colours and memories of our travels through life - my digestive system decided to have it's revenge. Being taken seriously ill on the motorway is not funny.
However, the combination of Pierce and the London Ambulance Service saw me safely if painfully to hospital. Having avoided their clutches for 52 years (!) I was genuinely impressed by everything that happened to me and that I saw in Whipps Cross. The NHS and their staff are very good in my view.
Even at the very heart of this vast hospital, Burnham managed to weave its own magic, with an un-announced and unsolicited visit from two friends of Dr Diana Black's who took the trouble to seek me out. Difficult to resist a quiet smile subsequently, when the ward staff - obviously concerned - tried to find out why these two great men had visited.
Opening has been disrupted - but not too much thanks to the stirling efforts of George, Theresa, Beth and of course Ali! Hopefully a fuller service will resume shortly - and you might even see me again!
Showing posts with label Burnham. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Burnham. Show all posts
Thursday, 5 July 2012
Friday, 24 February 2012
The Four Seasons
Heading into March, and we've just had a taste of spring - we managed 18.4° yesterday although that may have been sunshine assisted. Not to get carried away though, just 10 days ago we were down as low as -10° and the week before there was quite a snowfall on the Saturday evening. Burnham Overy is normally only 5 minutes away but it took rather longer than that to get back from dinner just before midnight. Never let it be said that weather comes between me and a decent dinner party.
In the gallery, the customers keep coming and continue to surprise. Often it is the most unlikely day and weather that seems to work, but as I remember from a conversation with my friends at Made in Cley some years ago, I am not alone in this. Not sure whether it's peculiar to North Norfolk but our visitors seem to be coming from further and further away - as well as many more from Norwich. Strange but true.
Our excursion into the world of social media following prompting from more street-wise members of staff and family is proving interesting, enjoyable and - despite my initial misgivings - worthwhile. It is a source of continuing delight who you come across socially but also fascinating how it is strengthening the business community up here in the north. In particular I should mention Sarah Pettegree of Bray's Pork Pies - not just because I like the pies (!) but as an exemplar of how a business profile can be developed using social media. Many miss the point - it's not advertising and to think of it as such is a big mistake. It's about the glue that goes in the cracks of life - including business. Profound, eh? Anyway if you are interested, you can follow the minutiae and trivia of life in North Norfolk by looking for Grapevine Gallery @grapevine_art
On the art front, prints are selling well and my good friends printmaker Max Angus and her husband Richard visited last weekend bearing, not gifts, but two new prints. One is very seasonal and is in the gallery now... so don't delay!
In the gallery, the customers keep coming and continue to surprise. Often it is the most unlikely day and weather that seems to work, but as I remember from a conversation with my friends at Made in Cley some years ago, I am not alone in this. Not sure whether it's peculiar to North Norfolk but our visitors seem to be coming from further and further away - as well as many more from Norwich. Strange but true.
Our excursion into the world of social media following prompting from more street-wise members of staff and family is proving interesting, enjoyable and - despite my initial misgivings - worthwhile. It is a source of continuing delight who you come across socially but also fascinating how it is strengthening the business community up here in the north. In particular I should mention Sarah Pettegree of Bray's Pork Pies - not just because I like the pies (!) but as an exemplar of how a business profile can be developed using social media. Many miss the point - it's not advertising and to think of it as such is a big mistake. It's about the glue that goes in the cracks of life - including business. Profound, eh? Anyway if you are interested, you can follow the minutiae and trivia of life in North Norfolk by looking for Grapevine Gallery @grapevine_art
On the art front, prints are selling well and my good friends printmaker Max Angus and her husband Richard visited last weekend bearing, not gifts, but two new prints. One is very seasonal and is in the gallery now... so don't delay!
Tuesday, 7 June 2011
All that Jazz
One of the very few disappointments about being here in the Burnhams, has been that I arrived just too late for The Balcony. By the end of 2007, the focus for Jazz here had moved to The Hoste. Not knowing much about what had gone before, I couldn't believe my luck that, under the direction of Reg, each summer was punctuated by cool concerts in the Moroccan Garden featuring musicians like Ian Shaw and Sarah Jane Morris. However - people kept talking about The Balcony.
Finally, last Saturday, jazz returned to The Balcony and this time I was there. Two fabulous musicians - KIT DOWNES and LEWIS WRIGHT. The two of them have been playing together, Kit on piano and Lewis on vibes, for over 10 years having met as members of the Norwich Students Jazz Orchestra. Since then they have moved onwards and upwards developing their musical relationship playing in Clark (son of the great Stan) Tracey's Sextet and other groups. The current duo project is their latest collaboration with new music written by both Lewis and Kit - and on the basis of Saturday's showing this looks likely to run. What great music! The understanding and synchronicity (is that a real word?) seemed seamless. Improvised or scripted? Difficult to tell - but just great. And on the doorstep, too.
If you want to get a flavour of Kit's jazz piano their are two albums readily available from Amazon and the like - 'Golden' from 2009 and 'Quiet Tiger' released earlier this year.
Finally, last Saturday, jazz returned to The Balcony and this time I was there. Two fabulous musicians - KIT DOWNES and LEWIS WRIGHT. The two of them have been playing together, Kit on piano and Lewis on vibes, for over 10 years having met as members of the Norwich Students Jazz Orchestra. Since then they have moved onwards and upwards developing their musical relationship playing in Clark (son of the great Stan) Tracey's Sextet and other groups. The current duo project is their latest collaboration with new music written by both Lewis and Kit - and on the basis of Saturday's showing this looks likely to run. What great music! The understanding and synchronicity (is that a real word?) seemed seamless. Improvised or scripted? Difficult to tell - but just great. And on the doorstep, too.
If you want to get a flavour of Kit's jazz piano their are two albums readily available from Amazon and the like - 'Golden' from 2009 and 'Quiet Tiger' released earlier this year.
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