Posts

Film: The Weight

I'm back in  Ireland for the weekend, because otherwise I couldn't get back at all this month! Flew out with   Ryanair , and going back with   Aer Lingus , which was cheaper at short notice.  Today, I headed to see  The Weight , about a  depression-era  prison inmate ( Ethan Hawke ), who gets an offer he can't refuse from the warden ( Russell Crowe ) - join a gang of convicts to transport a quantity of gold bars cross-country, and win his freedom. It was advertised as showing in  Ennis , which is quicker to get to - the friend I usually meet when I go back isn't available. But, as often happens there, when I checked today, it had been removed! Guess they didn't figure it'd be an earner. Happily, it was still showing in Limerick Omniplex - so I went there instead. There's a Nando's right next door, so I decided to eat there beforehand. By 'eck though, I soon began to think it'd been a bad idea - with two couples waiting before me, we were waitin...
Post a Comment
Read more

Social, Dance: Flamenc-Oh!, & Film: Coyote Vs. ACME

Image
Last Tuesday, was thinking of cinema - coming up was, again, Coyote Vs. ACME , a partly animated comedy based on the roadrunner cartoons , in which Coyote sues ACME, whose products always blow up in his face. It's getting great reviews - nearest showing to me is in the Odeon Luxe Haymarket , and again I'd have to leave home quite early for it. But just on Monday, I was in touch with my friend James, first time in about a month - and we decided to meet on Tuesday evening in The Phoenix . As usual. With the buses delayed, I took the Tube , and made it a bit before him - the outside tables were full, to my surprise on a weekday! Mind you, we have never been here on a weekday before.. happily, despite a large standing crowd inside too, there were a few free tables, and I took one in the window. As he pointed out when he arrived, this was probably the after-work crowd, which should thin out. Which it did. He had his usual fish n chips, I had my usual steak - happy to report it's...
Post a Comment
Read more

Play: Who Killed Marilyn?

Image
Tonight, I was back with TAC to see Who Killed Marilyn? at the Emerald Theatre . Spoiler, this assumes it's the Mafia .. I just got emailed my ticket this afternoon. Yeah, wasn't enthused by eating options near there - so I decided to eat in The Sun Wharf . Which was lovely.. and where I caught up on the news from Drumcree , where the Orange Lodge has inexplicably been allowed to parade through Catholic areas again, after a 28-year ban. Except they haven't, because protestors have blocked the road. Eh, good to catch up on the news anyway, idiotic as it is.. A long wait for the bus then - but I was early - a walk across the bridge , and straight into the theatre and to the loo. Then to the bar, got a drink. Caveat - I didn't really notice until my second drink, but the drinks cost £2 more than the menu price here - it's a service charge, and compulsory. The wine is decent though. I was in Row H of the Stalls, which turns out to be in the rear section - which is s...
Post a Comment
Read more

Walk: Heavenly Heights of Hampstead (#2), Film: Bad Apples, & Exhibition: The Coming of Age

Image
On Saturday , the fifth of six Meetup days in a row, I was back at last with Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpies for a walk entitled Heavenly Heights of Hampstead . Had forgotten to pay him (as I always do in advance by bank transfer, it's handier), would you believe, I've had so much on! So it's as well he reminded me.. Tired after the night before, I really wasn't with the program that morning, as they say. It had to be Tube , but Northern Line instead of the Jubilee , which I more commonly get. Of course, force of habit made me enter via the Jubilee gates.. so I had a trek through the station to get to the Northern Line. And then I just took the first train to come - which didn't go to Hampstead! so I had to change. All the same, I arrived a wee bit early into brilliant sunshine, and spotted him across the road . Crossed, whereupon he explained we were actually starting where I'd just come from. So, back we went again. Ah, what a morning.. And I en...
Post a Comment
Read more